CHAP. I. In General. The seven bad Properties of Popery, viz. 1. Superstitious. 2. I­dolatrous. 3. Damnable. 4. Bloody. 5. Novel. 6. Inconsistent with publick peace. 7. Irreconciliable to the Prote­stant Christian Religion. Those seven bad Properties are as the seven Unclean Spi­rits which possessed the empty house. Matth. 12.43, 45

64. IN my disswasive from Popery, I shall I. show in general, the seven wretched Properties of the Romish Faith, for which it may not be embraced but rather to be abhorred. 1. Of the first, The Romish Re­ligion is a superstitious Religion: 'tis made up of a worship altogether supra statutum, as sundry intimations hereof (afore mentioned) do abun­dantly illustrate: 'tis so notoriously clogg'd with Ceremonies of Humane invention, (while the Magnalia legis lay neglected) that while they write up service, God writes up sin; saying, who requir'd those things at your hands? Isa. 1.12.

65. Superstition sprung up betimes in the Church of Rome; Satan sowed Tares (so he is called, superseminator) very early. Many su­perstitious Doctrines from this superseminator [Page 27]did the Bishops of Reme bring into the Church in the first six hundred years after Christ; which signifies that Antichrist was then growing up there until the time of his full maturity for his Revelation in that place.

66. Alexander the First (Bishop of Rome) brought in the mingling of water with the Sa­cramental Wine, and of Salt with water for benediction (agreeable to the Pagans) about 112th year after Christ; After him about 20 years comes Telesphorus, and ordained a Lent-Fast for seven weeks, about the year 130 after Christ; and about the year of Christ 144. Pius the first appoints the celebration of Easter upon the Lords day.

67. About the year of Christ 159. the (sha­ving of the Priests Crowns was brought into the Church by Anicetus (the Bishop of Rome) to whom Polycarp came, about composing the dif­ferences concerning the Celebration of Easter, because it was pretended that the celebrating of it on Sunday,^(y) as they called it, one Hermes received by Revelation from an Angel in a Shepherds habit: This having of Crowns was a superstitious Custom, derived from the practice of the Aegyptian Priests of Isis.

68. This superstitious Shaving was con­demned by divers of the Fathers, as Clemens of Alex. Paedagog. lib. 3. cap. 11. Optatus Contra Par­menionem [Page 28]lib. 2. and Jerome on Ezek. 44. Yea, and the fourth Council of Toledo, cap. 40. About the year of Christ 221. were also introduced in­to the Church the Fasts of four times, by Calix­tus the first; and about six years after, silver Cups were brought into the Celebration of the Supper by Pope Ʋrbane.

69. About the year 240. It was ordained by Pope Fabian, that new Chrism should be made every year, and that the old should be burnt at the Eucharist; then about the year 277. Pope Foelix appoints Divine Service to be Celebrated upon the Sepulchres of Martyrs: About five years after, Pope Eutychianus brings in the Benediction of the fruits of the Earth upon the Altar; as if with the Manichees they had held them unclean, until they were thus purified.

70. This Pope Eutychianus (the Tuscan) is said to bring in that custom, that no Martyr should be buried but in the Vestment called Palmatica, and a Purple Hood. Thus Super­stition began to grow unto some strength in the Church of Rome betimes, and that not only in matters of Ceremony but also of Doctrine, for then began Temples to be built to the ho­nour of the Virgin Mary, of the Apostles and Martyrs, to the great dishonour of God in fol­lowing Ages.

71. Augustine witnesseth, that as all divine Worship is to be given to God; so all Temples [Page 29]that are for the exercise of that worship, are to be erected to him. Angust. contra Maxim. Arri­an lib. 1. tit. 11. Yet Sylvester the first perswa­ded Constantine to erect that Church in Rome de­dicated to the honour of St. Peter, himself dig­ging the Foundation, and carrying away twelve Baskets full of Earth, in honour of the twelve Apostles, upon his Imperial Shoulders; and at his instance many other Churches were built to many other Saints. And Ciricius about this time brought in that doctrine of Daemons, for­bidding the Priests to marry, and commanding those that were married to repudiate their Wives, urging it from that place; Qui sunt in Carne non possunt placere Deo. Vide Chronicon Ca­rionis, in the third Century.

72. In the year 336. Pope Marcus brought in the singing of the Nicene Creed, and the superstitious Vestment (called the Pall) which was to be of Wool, not of Silk or any other Stuff, to signifie the Skin of the lost Sheep in Luk. 15. And in the year 367. Gloria Patri was brought in by Damasus, to close up every Psalm: In the year 398. Anastasius brought in the standing up at the reading of the Gospel.

73. In the year 417. Pope Zosimus brought in Tapers into the Church: In the year 461. Pope Hilarius brought in the Letany and the Rogation week. In the year 526. Foelix the fourth, brought in extreme Unction to be mini­stred to dying people; and in the end of this [Page 30]fifth Century, Pope Gregory the Great brought in Candles for Candlemas, and added four days to Lent, with many other superstitious orders. Fuit enim superstitionum (tanquam Monachus) e­gregius Patronus, ac ceremoniis & ritibus plusquam Judaicis, Ecclesiam Christi mirum quantum enera­vit ^(z)

74. Thus we see in the first 600 years, how the man of sin prevailed in bringing all those Superstitions one after another, before his full Revelation, as appears at large in Osiander's Epitome. Pareus Medulla histor. Eccles. And our own Dr. Prideaux's Introduction, who makes this Gregory the last of the good, and the first of the bad Popes, to be signified by the Angel flying between Heaven and Earth; for he gave his Testimony against Antichrist, though he brought in many Superstitions of Antichrist.

75. After the sixth Century commenced, Superstition came not by drops, as before, but whole floods of it, and that in Doctrine too as well as Ceremony: Then entred in Invocation of Saints, Prayer for the dead, and Purgaory; the Doctrine of Justification by the merit of works, of Traditions, of worshipping Reliques and Images, of the Mass, &c. Transubstantia­tion, &c. all which be supra Statutum.

76. Thus were those Cockatrice Eggs hatch­ed [Page 31]by degrees, out of which at length came forth Antichrist (That Fiery Flying Serpent) into the world; and 'tis a seasonable caution which the Prophet gives us in this case, Isaiah 59.5. They that Eat of those Cockatrice Eggs shall dye. As men would therefore shun death, so let them avoid those Eggs of Superstition in the Romish Church, because (Mors in ollâ) Death is in them.

CHAP. II. The Second Property, is the Idolatry of the Romish Religion.

77. AS the Romish Religion is a Supersti­tions Religion, (exceeding all di­vine warrant in those forecited Cu­stoms and Practices, which neither Christ nor any of his Apostles, but such and such Popes in several Ages brought into the Church) so 2. it is an Idolatrous Religion also. Plato himself could say, that [...] is the Mother of all Superstitions in lib. 10. de legibus▪ So Po­lanus affirms that Superstition is the Mother of Idolatry, and that this Daughter is found in the Romish Church is evident, because she is called the great Whore; and spiritual Whore­dom is (in Scripture Phrase) Idolatry, Ezck. 16. oft. and Isa. 1.21.

78. 'Tis a very honourable undertaking of Mr. Thorndike (and other Reconcilers to Rome) to wipe the Whores mouth of this Sin of Ido­latry: But when those men have said all they can, they can never unsay what the Champi­ons of our Religion have said to prove it; as Rivers, the nearer they come to the Sea; the more brackish tast have they; so those men co­ming so near the See of Rome, discover but a brackish Spirit.

79 That the Romish Church disowns the Paganish Idolatry, they may warrantably justi­fie; for the worships not those heathen Gods, such as Jupiter, Apollo, Mars, Mercury, &c. yet the spirit of whoredom is among them, as Hos. 5.4. She goes a whoring after other Idols, as Ezek. 6.9. and commits Adultery with stocks and stones, as Jer. 3.9. and Isa. 16.17. Her I­dolatry in worshipping of Images, Reliques, Crosses and the Host, is altogether as abomi­nable as that of the Pagans.

80. It is laid to Mr. Mountague's Charge by those Informers against him, (supposed to be Mr. Ward and Mr. Yates) that in his gagging of the Gagger, he says touching Images, they have these uses assigned them by your Popish Schoolmen, [Institutionem Rudium, commone­factionem Historiae, et excitationem devotionis.] Stay there (saith he to the Jesuit) go no far­ther, and we charge you not with Idolatry, you and we also give unto them these.

81. And yet this same Mr. Montague in his Appeal to Caesar, pag. 249. ingeniously says; I do not, I cannot, I will not deny, that Idola­try is grosly committed in the Church of Rome. The ruder sort (at least) go to it with down­right Idolatry, without any relative adoration, worshipping that which they behold with their eyes; as the Image of the Virgin, &c. and the Crucifix, as if Christ himself was present.

82. But Mr. Perkins more solidly and fully says, that the Romish Religion (which he calls the great Italian Diana) is Idolatrous in many respects^(a) 1. As it presents to us a deform­ed Christ; spoiled both of his Manhood and of his Offices: Of his Manhood, as if it could be made of the substance of Bread, as well as of the substance of the Virgin; and as if a solid Body (of many foot long) could be contained in a small round Cake of two or three Inches.

83. He goes on to shew how it spoils him of his Offices; as of his Priesthood by their own satisfactions, the Sacrifice of the Mass, &c. Of his Kingly Office, by giving power to the Pope to pardon Sin, and to make binding Laws to the Conscience. Lastly, of his Prophetical Of­fice, by adding and detracting from Christ's word, and making the Pope an Infallible Judge. The Popish abuses herein, he calls notorious [Page 34]and detestable Idolatry. Perk. Idol. of last Times, pag. 673, 674.

84. The second Respect, wherein the Church of Rome is Idolatrous, is her worshipping God otherwise and by other means than he hath re­vealed in his Word; as in Images, Crucifixes, Host, &c. seeing spiritual Adoration is now only required, John 4.21, 22, 23.^(b) And that worship which is tyed to either place or thing on Earth, is by that Scripture utterly abodish­ed and forbidden. Then in a third Respect, she is Idolatrous in giving Gods property to Crea­tures; as to the Virgin Mary, to Saints and Angels, in her Invocating of them, and to the Pope in her flattering Titles to him, of Infalli­ble, Universal, &c.

85. For the better understanding of this, we must know, there is a two fold Idolatry; as Peter Martyr saith, loc. commun. cap. 4. pag. 197. Ʋnaest, quâ nobis Deum, qualem volumus, pravis doganatis in animo fingimus; altera verò quâ externum cultum non tantùm ad Creaturas et Idola transferimus, verùm illum nostris inventis ac men­daciis vitiamus: which in plain English, is, not only to worship a false God, but also to wor­ship the true God by false means, is Ido­latry.

86. There is Idolatry of the First Com­mandment and Idolatry of the second; when men esteem and adore any thing for God, which is not the true God, this is Idolatry against the First Commandment: But when the True God is indeed worshipped, but he is worshipped in Images, in Saints and Angels, and all false Mediums, and not by means of Gods own pre­scribing; this is Idolatry against the second, and there is great Affinity between them.

87. 'Tis said 2 Chron. 33.17. The People sa­crificed in the high places, yet to the Lord their God. Their Sacrificing formerly was Idolatry against the first Command, but now 'twas Ido­latry against the second; as failing and falling short of the true manner in worshipping the true God. There is such a resemblance 'twixt them, that they are one in Genere.

88. Their Sacrificing, now, in the high places, yet to the Lord; was, in general, of the same kind, with their sacrificing (formerly) in those high places to Baal. The scope of the second Command is to condemn all Will­worship as Idolatry, which is not warranted by the word of God. 'Tis said Deut. 12.4. Thou shalt not do so to the Lord thy God: 'Tis not said, thou shalt not do so to those Idols, but not so in that manner to the true God, as they did to their Idols. v. 30, 31.

89. Polanus in his Syntagni. Theolig. lib. 9. cap. 3. makes two sorts of Idolatry: The 1. he [Page 36]calls tectior et subtilior; when the true God is indeed worshiped, but with another manner of worship than he hath commanded himself, to be worshipped in his word; as those that worship God by Statues and Images are idola­trous, although they deny Centies millies (says he) that they worship any thing beside the true God.

90. The second sort of Idolatry, which he calls Crassior et Apertior, is, when any thing is religiously worshipped for the true God, which is not God: This was the Idolatry of the Gen­tiles, worshipping Devils, Men, and other Creatures with religious worship; and this is (saith he) the Idolatry of the Papists, in their religious worshipping of not only Saints and Angels, (yea the very Images or Statues of them) but also of the Cross, Reliques, yea of those that were,

91. If this be so, that this grosser sort of Idolatry be found in the Romish Church, how much more that which is subtiler and of a finer spun thread, pretending they worship God in their Images; as the worshipping of Jehovah by or in the golden Calf (which Aaron made in the Wilderness) was plain Idolatry: In like manner as the worshipping of God by the two Golden Calves (that Jeroboam set up at Dan and [Page 37] Bethel) was flat Idolatry.

92. Although we find Aaron pretended that by or in that Calf they worshipped Jehovah; that brought them out of the Land of Aegypt. Exod. 32.4, 5. compared with Nehem. 9.18. which says, This is thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt; they (or at least some of them) intended to worship the true God in this false manner: Hence the Feast is not proclaim'd to the Golden Calf, but to Jehovah.

93. Suppose there be truth in Dr. Ham­mond's Notion, that the Golden Calf in the Wilderness was made in the Figure of a Che­rub, (after appointed to be in the Tabernacle, Exod. 25.18. and of which, he says, Aaron might then have some intimation) compare Ezek. 1.10. with 10.14. yet could not Israel be so no­toriously stupid as to believe, that either the Golden Cherub or Calf wrought all those won­ders in Aegypt, and brought them thence.

94. And Jeroboam made the same pretence in his Calves, the same Phrase being used, 1 Kin. 12.28. [Behold! thy Gods, O Israel, which brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt.] meaning a representation of the true God of Israel, as if he drew them not to worship any other God, than the God of their Fathers, which brought them (as his Redeemed People) out of the Ae­gyptian Bondage, for by this Title God de­scribes himself, Exod. 20.2. Ezek. 20.5, 6. Lev. 19.36. Amos 2.10.

95. And as Israel learnt this abomination a­mong the Aegyptians, (among whom they had so long lived) and where the Idol Apis was worshiped in the shape of an Oxe; and Thus, 'tis said of Israel, they changed their glory, (to wit, their God that redeemed them out of Aegypt) into the similitude of an Ox that eat­eth Grass, Psal 106.19, 20. So Jeroboam brought his Calf-making from Aegypt too, where he had lately lived, 1 Kin.. 11.40.

96. Although those worshippers of the Calves (both in Aaron and Jeroboam's time) probably pretended, that they did not wor­ship the Calf, but God in the Calf; (as did al­so Jehu, 2 Kin. 10.16, 29. In having zeal for the Lord, yet adhering to Jeroboam's Calves) their worship being not (as some excuse it) by any means terminative in the Creature before their eyes; yet are they expresly called Idolaters, 1 Cor. 10.7.

97. And though the Idolatry of Israel in the Wilderness, was indeed of a deeper dye than the Idolatry of Jeroboam, because it was against greater means and mercies; the Ten Tribes under Jeroboam, had not upon their hearts such a fresh tast of Deliverance from Aegypt, they had not the pillar of Glory, nor the Taberna­cle of Gods Presence; they had not a Moses that was faithful in all the house of God, only Priests of the basest of the People, 1 Kin 13, 33. yet the Idolatry of Rome is worse th [...] that in the Wilderness.

98. The Israelites in the Wilderness gave the Glory of Christ (who dwelt in a Cloud and Pillar) unto a Calf or Cherub, but these Idola­ters of the Church of Rome, give the Glory of Christ; (when he is dwelling in our Flesh and glorified in Heaven) to a Creature which they worship as God indeed, giving it to their Cruci­fixes, Agnus Dei, &c. so there is a greater abo­mination. In this Idolatry, than in the Idola­try of former times.

99. The Lord makes a comparison betwixt Aholah and Aholibah, Ezek. 2 [...].4, 5, 11.^(c) Aho­lah had indeed played the Harlot, v. 5 [...] ^(d) Aholibah was more corrupted than she, [...] So if we compare Aholah the Jewish Churc [...] with Aholibah the Romish Church, that says [Gods Tent is in me] as the word signifies in the He­brew; we shall find her the greater Harlot of the two.

100. Thus we see the plea of the Romish Church for her worshipping God in Images, (from the Israelites worshipping God in the Calves) falls to the ground, and to worship God in, at, or before an Image is Idolatry; 'tis a worshipping of the true God in a false manner: For 1. Such binds Gods Presence and Influence of Grace to such places as God never [Page 40]bound his presence, &c. unto. 2. There is neither precept nor promise for it. 3. 'Tis expresly forbidden, Deut. 4.16, 17, 18, 19.

101. And though they say we intend not to worship the Image, but God in the Image; this is not a sufficient salvo, for the Israelites wor­shiped not the Calf but God in the Calf, yet are they said to worship the Molten Calf, and to sacrifice unto it in Gods account. Exod. 32.8. God writes up sin where they write up service, and 'tis no matter what their meaning is in their worship, so long as God abhors the manner of their worship.

102. The Heathens in their Idolatry had such a meaning as this, (as Arnobius contra gen­tes lib. 6. tells us) Deos per simulachra veneramur, just saying as the Papists say at this day; The Athenians and other Gentiles worshiped the true God, Act. 17.23. yet by false mediums and meanings; and if this worshipping the true God falsely be not Idolatry, there hath been little in the World.

103. Oecumenius tells us, that the whole In­scription upon the Altar mentioned, Act. 17.23. was [...], which intimates that besides Penates or houshold Gods, for whom they had [...] or devout Adorations; they had also Gods of Asia, Europe, and Lybia, which they religiously worshipped: Yet the ultimate end of their adorations, was to the true God [Page 41]whom yet they knew not, dwelling in thick dark­ness, 1 Kin. 8.12. Hereby Paul takes occasion to inform them, that the worship of the true God consisted not in those made Gods, the work of mens hands, but in Spirit and Truth, John 4.22, 23.

104. But to leave the Idolatry of the Gen­tiles, I have consulted Josephus about that of the Jews in the days of Jeroboam, who says that Jeroboam worshiped God in his Calves, yet was he esteemed an Idolater:^(c) He brings in Jeroboam speaking thus, [God is in all pla­ces, in my two Temples at Dan and Bethel, as well as in Solomon's Temple at Jerusalem; there­fore I have Consecrated two Golden Calves in those two places, to the end that ye may adore God.] He doth not say, [Adore my Calves.]

105. Yet when Jeroboam's Wife went to the Prophet about their sick Son; the Prophet (as Josephus says) bids her tell Jeroboam from God, that he should be rooted up for honouring his new Gods, and his people should be carried Captive for adoring those Gods that he had forged: But more plainly and fully, 1 Kings 14.9. Thou hast made thee other Gods, [not re­presentations of God] though he accounted them so, yet God did not so account of them, [Page 42]but was provoked to anger by them; for no sin provokes God more to anger than Idolatry.

106. Whereas the Romanists plead, they do but worship God before their Images, as Israel worshiped God before the Ark; I answer, Israel had an express Command from God to worship before the Ark, and they had a pro­mise also, that their Persons and Prayers should be accepted there: When the Church of Rome shall produce such a Precept and such a Promise for their worshipping God before an Image, I shall then believe that▪ she is not herein guilty of Idolatry.

107 The Church of Rome indeed covers her Idolatry, with Coverings but not of Gods Spi­rit, Isa. 30.1. rather with such Cobweb Cover­ings as that of the Harlot Phaedra; who com­mitting lewdness with Hypolitus, protested she embraced her Husband Theseus in him, whom Hypolitus so nerely resembled. As this prote­station of Phaedra's would not free her from the guilt of Adultery, no more will the protesta­tion of the Whore of Rome (saying she embra­ces the Person whom the Image nerely resem­bles, while she commits lewdness with the I­mage it self) free her from the guilt of Ido­latry.

^(f)Bishop Wren hath a good Notion; say­ing, [Page 43]Every thing that is not the Covenant of God, is Baal; let them nick name it what they will 'tis an Idol, and all the worship they give it is flat Idolatry, no better than the worship­ing of Baal: That worship which is not found in the word or Covenant of God, is Baal wor­ship (in his account) no better than Idolatry; the Romanists be halters 'twixt God and Baal.

109. They that halt do incline their Bodies now one way and now another, the Romanists (as those Idolatrous Israelites 1 Kin. 18.21.) halt in their worship 'twixt God and their I­mages, inclining their minds now one way, and now another; to worship two Gods is a sin against the first Commandment, but to mix the means of Gods worship is a sin against the second.

110. That was a mixed Religion in 2 Kin. 17.28, 32, and 34. 'Tis said there, that those Idolaters feared the Lord, and also that they fear­ed not the Lord, v. 25. because though they wor­shiped the true God, yet not according to his Law, v. 38. (as^(g) Bishop Wren in libro supra dicto, pag. 31. says) they thrust into their new model of Religion whatsoever pleased them­selves, so 'tis accounted no fear at all: They worshiped the true God and their own Gods too, there was right worship of the true God, [Page 44]but it was mixed with tricks of their own.

111. That Mongrel Generation feared the Lord, (to wit) acknowledged Jehovah to be a God, and did offer some slight services and sacrifices to him; yet 'tis said they served their own Gods too, v. 33. called Graven Images, v. 41. Their Adrammelech which signfies [a glo­rious King] yet made in the shape of an horse; and their Anammeleck (or afflicting King] in the form of a Mule: Satan was glorious in their esteem, yet afflicted them in the burning of their Sons to him.

112. Those old Samaritans were halters be­twixt two opinions: They would swear by the Lord, and swear by Malcham too, Zeph. 1.5. They would consecrate themselves as by Oath to the service of God; and yet they would worship Malcham also, that Idol of the Ammonites (o­therwise called Molech.) 1 Kin. 11.7. and 2 Kin. 23.10, 13. and Jer. 49.3. This is a joyning light and darkness, or God and Belial together, 2 Cor. 6.14, 15.

113. Those worshippers of Malcham would not utterly renounce the true God, yet would they set up Rivals with him to share of his ho­nour which he will not give to another, God cannot admit of any Corrivals: They mixed Gods worship with their Idolatry, or they worshipped God in this Idolatrous way: as the Israelites did, so the Papists do; that divides worship, some to God and some to their Ima­ges [Page 45]they swear by God and by their Saints too, they pray to God and to their Saints also, committing themselves to them (together with God) as to Patrons of their protection.

114. Hereby the Church of Rome discovers her self not to be the true Mother of the Child, viz. [Truth or Worship] because she is for dividing it; but God accounts it an abomination when any part of his Worship is imparted to Idols or Images; God will have all or none at all, and all Will-worship (devised out of mans brain) whereby men warp either to the Right Hand or to the Left from Gods prescribed Will, the Lord abhors.

115. The Just and Jealous God hateth and plagueth all Lukewarmness and Neutrality in Religion, all dough-baked Duties or mixtures of Religion, a mingling of the Cup of the Lord with the Cup of Devils, 1 Cor. 10.21. The Reli­gion of the house of Micah mixed Gods wor­ship ship with the Devils, Judg. 17.5. The Ephod (resembling that of the High-Priests) for the true worship of God, and the^(h) Teraphim (or Images in mans shape to divine by) for the worship of the Devil.

116. It was not lawful to mix Judaism with Gentilism, Lev. 19.27. Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, nor make any cutting in your flesh for the dead, &c. These were the Ceremo­nies of the Heathen, therefore the Lord pro­hibits his people from the observation of them, Such a practice had the Aegyptian Priests, who worshiped the Idols (Isis and Anuhis) shaving round their heads, or (as others say) had their Crowns shaven, as the Popish Priests have at this day.

117. Thus the Religion of the Gergasites was a mixt Religion, who learned many things of the Heathen, as to eat Swines flesh, (hence we read of herds of Swine (which the Jews ab­horred) in their Country) and not to circum­cise, &c. And such is the Religion of the Ebio­nites, who observe (both) the Jewish and the Christian Sabbath.

118. Neither is it lawful to mingle Judaism with Christianism, as the Galatians did, who would observe the Ceremonies of the Law in times of the Gospel: Those Ceremonies were in their own time mortales, in Christs time (after he had said consummatum est) they were mortal, but in following times they were mor­tiferae, and a denying of Christs coming in the flesh; for if the substance be come, those sha­dows must vanish away; yet those Galatians joyned a dead Law, the Law of Ceremonies, with a living Gospel.

119. The Church of Rome is the speckled Bird that hath mingled Ceremonies with Gos­pel worship above all that went before her, and surely Religion is past the Meridian in that Church, where she can hardly be seen for the length of her own shadow: The shadows of her Evening have been long a stretching out, and her day is going away, Jerem. 6.4.⁽ⁱ⁾ Erasmus in his time found Doctrine turn'd into Sophistry, and Discipline into Ceremony.

120. The Romish Church hath sowed divers seeds in Gods Vineyard, she hath plowed with an Ox and an Ass in Gods Husbandry, She hath worn Linsey-woolsey Garments in the Temple of God, contrary to Levit. 19.19. She hath set up Dagon with the Ark of God; and though the Apostle forbid [...], to play the huckfter with the word and worship of God; 2 Cor. 2.17. yet hath she adulterated both.

121. Her Bastard Devotion ought not to be admitted (as Co-partner) with the true wor­ship of God, for 'tis opposite to the Nature of God, to wit, his Unity, Soveraignty, and Al-sufficiency; as if there were more Gods than he, more hearers of Prayer, more pardoners of Sin, and more Saviours from trouble than he: And 'tis opposite also to the Nature of Religion, which is called a Bond; (the Reube­nites, [Page 48]may not build another Altar without war­rant, Josh. 22.10.) 'tis a spiritual marriage, so must be chast or God will be jealous, 2 Cor. 11.2.

122. But the Romish Church hath played the Harlot, and in the Revelation is called the great Whore, with whom the Kings of the Earth have committed Fornication; and who knows not but that by spiritual Fornication, is always in holy Scripture understood Idolatry: And though indeed some of the Fathers say, Antichrist shall be an hater of Idolatry, they must mean only Paganish Idolatry; for his wor­shipping a piece of Paste for Christ &c. is as a­bominable Idolatry as Paganism was.

123. That place in Dan. 11.38. literally meant of Antiochus, but Analogically agrees to Antichrist; Junius and Tremel. reads it thus. [As for the God of Forces, he (to wit, Antio­chus,) shall, in his Seat, worship with Gold, Sil­ver, &c. a God which his Fathers knew not. Thus the Pope hath set up a new God in the Church,^(k) namely a piece of bread in the Mass, which none of the Apostles knew, and dedicates Gold &c. to it, yea burns all that will not bow to it.

124. 'Tis true the Romanists have found [Page 49]out sundry fine shifts to clear themselves of this Idolatry, as their absolute and respective Ado­ration, and their objectum quod and objectum quo: Absolute Adoration is when the worship is terminated in the Creature, as objectum quod Adorationis, and the worship is limited to the Creature; Respective Adoration is this, when worship is given to dead and senseless things for the Examplar's sake.

125. Then the Exemplar or Pattern is the objectum quo, and the dead senseless thing or Portraiture is the objectum quod; that is, they adore the Portraiture for the Patterns sake, the dead and senseless thing for the sake of it which is its Exemplar: As when homage is done to the Viceroy for the King, the Viceroy is the objectum quod, and the King is the objectum quo; thus the most modest of the Papists of old, made but their Image objectum quod Adorationis, and God himself objectum quo.

126. But now they go further, and main­tain that Images are not only to be worshiped accidentally or improperly, but also by them­selves and properly; so that they end and ter­minate their worship as they are considered in themselves, and not only as they are Pourtrai­tures of the Pattern represented;^(l) and Greg de Val. saith, that the same worship which is due to [Page 50]God, is due to the Image too, which he calls co [...]d [...]ratio or conjunct-worship.

127. Plutarch tells us of Sysigambis (Darius's Mother) coming before Alexander the Great, and mistaking Haephestion for Alexander, she fell down before Haephestion; but perceiving her mistake she began to blush; but Alexander said to her, Be not ashamed, Non errâsti, Mater, nam Hephaestion est etiam Alexander^(m) But if a Papist, falling down before an Image, and mistaking the Image for Christ himself; Christ will not say to him, Be not ashamed, thou art not mistaken, this Image is also Christ; for Christ is more jealous of his honour than so, and will not give it to any Creature⁽ⁿ⁾

128. It is therefore the safest to come out from this Idolatrous Babylon, seeing the great God calls us (even the Lord Almighty,) 2 Cor. 6.17, 18. and Rev. 18.4. lest beside the infection of Sin, we partake also of the infliction of Punishment; for they that sin together, are most like to suf­fer together:

Indeed such as go only to see Rome, (though they be not really for Rome) are constrained by [Page 51]force to uncover the head and bow the Knee at Mass, &c. which is not only too much con­nivence, but even Adoration it self; therefore be not there lest God be angry, and ye partake of her Plagues.

129. Separation from Rome is a command­ed duty, [not only in heart but in body too] for fundamental Errors are found in her; yea this gross Idolatry for which she is to be de­stroyed, Revel. 14.8. [Because she hath made all Nations drink of the Wine of her Fornication.] I­dolatry is called Wine, because 'tis sweet to corrupt Nature and soon intoxicating; and 'tis spiritual Fornication (as it is a going a who­ring from God) not liberal, for Rome is a City or Church with whom the Kings cannot com­mit liberal Fornication.

130. Whoever drinks of the Wine of her Fornication, shall be sure to drink of the Wine of Gods Indignation, Revel. 18.8, 10. Therefore, Little Children, keep your selves from these Idols, and from this Idolatry; lest the Lord render you Wine for Wine, 1 John [...].21. The Apostle adviseth to avoid all Image-worship, and not only palpable Idolatry, but all dealing with I­dols: We should keep our selves, at least ne­gatively from them, (as those seven thousand in Israel, that would not how the Knee to Baal) if not positively by a publick profession of our utter detestation of them, as Daniel and his three Companions did.

131. Idolatry hath many cursed^(o) Quali­ties in it, for which it ought to be abhorred: As^(p) 1. 'Tis a bewitching Sin; so 'tis com­pared to an intoxicating Cup: For as Whores give enchanted Cups to their Lovers, to make them commit Fornication with them; so hath the Whore of Babylon bewitched the Nations with her spiced Cup of damnable Idolatry: And how did the Idolatry of Micab's house be­witch the whole Tribe of Dan? Judg. 18.36.

132. It is^(q) 2. a Covenant-breaking Sin: It breaks that holy Marriage-Covenant betwixt Christ and his Church; he being a Jealous God will not suffer his Spouse to go a whoring after other Gods; but would have her a chast Vir­gin presented to him and preserved for him: [Abide for me and I will abide for thee, Hos. 3.3.] like the Turtle-Dove (offered in Sacrifice) She must have but one Mate: Thus Idolaters be called Adulterers, Jam. 4.4. and seeing Idolatry is a breaking the Covenant of God, how stu­pidly blind was Micah that said the Lord would do him good for it, Judg. 17.13. Their sorrows are multiplied that hasten after other Gods, Psal. 116.4.

133. And^(r) 3. 'Tis an abominable Sin, detestable in the Eyes of God: he calls it the abominable thing which he hates. Jerem. 44.4. and when the Scripture speaks of Idolls, it calls them Abominations, as the Abomina­tion of the Moabites and of the Ammonites, and Jupiter Olympius (or the spread-Eagle) set up in the Temple, was called [ [...]] the Abomination of Desolation Math. 24.15. I have seen an horrible thing, (says God) Hose. 6.10. A thing to be star­ted from and trembled at.

134. God hateth Sin worse than the Devil, for he hates the Devil for Sin's sake, not Sin for the Devils sake: but of all kinds of Sin, the Sin of Idolatry is most odious to God, be­cause in it, the Devil sets up himself in the place of God, and requires Men (as once he did Christ himself) to fall down and worship him Deut. 32.17. 1. Cor. 10.20. Rev. 9.20. Yea 'tis peccatum laesae majestatis, not only a common Transgression, or petty Trea­son, but tis high Treason against the King of Kings; as Rebells, disclaiming their King and set up an Usurper in his stead, commit the highest Treason: So do Idolaters in dis­claiming God and setting up an Idol in his place.

135. Yea 4. Besides many other cursed Qualities, It is^(ſ) a Land destroying Sin: it brought desolation upon Israel and made their Land to spew them out. The Jews say at this Day, that in all their Punishments which they still undergo, there is an Ounce of the golden Cals (which they made in the Wilder­ness) given them. This Iniquity shall be Romes rain, she hath fallen culpably by Ido­latry; and she shall fall penally by an utter Desolation: In one Hour is she made Desolate for her Idolatry. Revel. 18.3.19.

136. The Lord setteth his Attribute of Jealousie before the Church in the second Com­mandment, to warn her, that she abstain from all Idolatry (both absolute and rela­tive, mediate or ultimate) because a Jealous God will Construe it all to be no less then spi­ritual Adultery: and Jealousie is a strong Pas­sion, the most sublime Indignation is in it, a displeasure that is hotter than Nebuchadnez­zar's fiery Furnace. Dan. 3.19. Jealousie is cruel as the Grave Cant. 8.6. The Grave spareth no Man, and there is no Redemption from it. So nothing will satisfie a Jealous Husband, a Jealous God, but destruction

137 As it is a dangerous thing to meet a Bear that is robbed of her Whelps, Prov. 17.12. [Page 55] Or the Revenger of Blood, while his Heart is hot with Fury. Deut. 19.6. So it is to meet a jealous Man in his Rage: [Jealousie is the Rage of a Man: therefore he will not spare in the Day of Vengeance, he will not regard any Ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many Gifts.] Prov. 6.34.35. Saith Solomon.

138. Thus we have the^(t) 5. quality of Idolatry, 'tis a God enraging Sin, as 'tis one of the highest Transgressions: God is an­gry for the breach of any Commandment, but he rages with Jealousie at the breach of the Se­cond Commandment, when his Worship is corrupted and his Glory is given to the Crea­tures: Lovers of Idols are haters of God, I am. 4.4. Exod. 20.5. and God will plague such to the third and fourth Generation: Wherefore, little Children, keep your selves from Idols.

CHAP. III. The Third Property. 'Tis unsafe to Live and Dye in; Or, A Damuable Reli­gion.

139. THe Third Property is, The Romish Religion is an unsafe Religion to live and dye in: We should fear and tremble to live in any Religion, that we are afraid to dye in; for death may suddenly surprise us, Luke 12.20. It hath been, indeed, account­ed an harsh Doctrine, to say that those which live and dye in Popery be damned; we know how [durus ^(u) sermo] was replied to Christ himself, John 6.60. I shall discuss its harshness.

140. As it may be presumption in us to pry too much into the book of Life (that is sealed from us) and into the decrees of Heaven about Salvation and Damnation; for it is not given to the Sons of men to know infallibly who are Elect and who Reprobate, who be for Hell and who for Heaven: So it is pusillanimity and a putting off that [...] (that becomes the Ministers of God) to strengthen the hands of the wicked, That he cares not to return by promi­sing him life, Ezek. 13.22.

141. 'Tis true, the Patrons of the Reform­ed Religion do affirm, that some in the Church of Rome may be saved, to wit, such as do ex­pect Salvation by Christ and not by the merit of their own works, as the Trent Papists do: None (amongst the Judicious) ever taught, that a Papist universally owning the Trent Faith and Religion (living and dying so) could be saved.

142. The Romanists (indeed) make some advantage of our charitable Judgment concern­ing them; saying, that some of our Reform­ed Religion acknowledg, that the Papists hold all things necessary to Salvation, then it will follow by necessary consequence, that a Papist (quà talis) may be saved. They especially improve that saying of Luther, [that the Ker­nel of true Faith remains yet in the Church of Rome] inferring from thence, that we take only the Shell of Religion.

143.^(w) Dr. Sclater tells us of his meeting once with a wandring Star, to wit, a Travel­ler, that had been foraging France, Italy, to seek his Religion,) and bewraying his Inclina­tion to Popery, by preferring it in his choice upon this ground; that a man may be saved, holding the Faith and Religion of Rome (quoth he) our selves confess, that any can be saved [Page 58]in our heresie (as they term it) Papists confi­dently deny: thus he argued.

144. But the Learned Dr. thus answered the Argument of this Planetick Sophister: 1. That argues not that the Papists have more verity, but that we (Protestants) have more Charity. 2. But who (amongst our judicious Divines.) ever did confess, that a Papist (universally joyning to the Tridentine Faith and Religion) can be saved; nisi fortè detur Regressus in viam. unless he make an honourable Retreat.

145. Let the Romanists obferve, that our own Mr. Perkins (that Romanistarum malleus) hath solidly proved, that a Papist cannot go beyond a Reprobate; yea, and Hunnius hath writ a book to prove them no Christians, and 'tis the concurring Opinion of all our profoundest Writers, that where Popery prevaileth against the practical points of Christianity, and is pre­dominant (even) in Fundamentals, there can be no Salvation for such without Conversion.

146. We distinguish also betwixt affected and invincible Ignorance, that of purae negatio­nis and pravae dispositionis; there is a simple Ig­norance, to wit, where means of knowledge are wanting, as Act. 17.30. This God winks as, [the Greek [...], over-looked it,] this may excuse a tanto but not a toto, it may exte­nuate Sin but cannot annihilate it; one Sin can­not excuse another totally, but rather (in some sense) doubles the Crime.

147. Not to do Gods Will is sin, and not to know Gods Will (as it were) doubles the sin; for Ignorance is a sin of it self as well as Disobedience: Yet Knowledge (in conjuncti­on with Disobedience) is a greater aggravation to it, than Ignorance is, Luke 12.47. Jam. 4.16, 17. and where Ignorance is affected among means of Knowledge, this is worse with God, than where 'tis invincible for want of means.

148. There must a difference be put, be­twixt Papists in Spain and Papists in England; those in Spain have indeed an Ignorance, but we call it [Ignor antiam purae negationis, non prae­vae dispositionis] they are not guilty of that Ig­norance which hath a perverse disposition in it, as those in England, that live in the midst of blessed means of Knowledge, yet shuts their eyes willingly, lest the light of the glorious Gospel should shine unto them, those are Devils to them­selves, 2 Cor. 4.4.

149. The Papists in England have an affect­ed Ignorance, because (as those Peter speaks of 2 Pet. 3.5.) they are Willingly, or wilfully igno­rant; Quando habent a quo discant, et tamen non discunt: They put away knowledge (though God offer it them) far from them; and, as Bernard saith excellently, libenter ignorant ut li­beriùs peccent; light would stare in their faces and controul them in their unwarranted foole­ries and Popish transgressions.

150. Indeed the Papists every where call Ig­norance [Page 60]the Mother of Devotion, and do em­brace it with some affectation, as Children do a Mother; yet as 'tis no Mother in Israel, if it be in Babylon, 'tis none in Sion: The Pro­phet tells us, Hos. 4.6. 'Tis a Mother of Destru­ction, not of Devotion, [my People are destroy­ed for want of knowledge:] So English Papists be the worst.

151. English Papists are not willing to know what they should and might do, lest they should do what they would not, and what their Popish principles may not allow of: [...], They have winked, Act. 28.27. They stubbornly shut their Windows, lest the light of knowledge should spring in upon them: The word is nigh them, they need not cross the Seas for it, Rom. 10.6, 7, 8. (the Spanish Papists have no such ad­vantages) How then can they escape, if they neg­lect such great Salvation, Heb. 2.3.

152. Spanish Papists have that Ignorance which is [...] ex negatione, because the word of God is not nigh them in the preaching of the Gospel; they may wander from Sea to Sea, and not meet with means of knowledge, as Amos 8.11, 12. That Country is like the Mountains of Gilboa, that had neither Dew nor Rain discending on them, 2 Sam. 1.21. Gods Doctrine doth not drop as the Rain upon it, nor bis Speech distil as the Dew, Deut. 32.2.

153. But English Papists have that Igno­rance which is [...], which is of an [Page 61]evil disposition, and which excuses not but aggravates: God rains down Manna at their Tent doors, and they will not vouchsafe to go out to gather it, but rather loaths it (as light bread) and prizes their own foolish trash be­fore Christs precious Treasure.

154. Indeed,^(x) Franciscus de Clarâ (alias Damport) that quirking Scotist and Reconciler to Rome, would confound these two kinds of Ignorance, and make them in some cases, aqui Reatus, quoting Vega, lib. 6. cap. 18. in Trid. who says as Ignorantia purae Negationis about ma­ny Articles of Faith may be without fault; so there is the same reason of that Ignorance which is pravae dispositionis: This par ratio is defended by him against the judgment of Gerson in lect. 4. de vitâ spirituali, and of Hugo de Sacram. p. 6. c. 5.

155. And de Clara confesses that there are others, Qui asserebant Deum non permissurum ut aliquis decipratur in aliquâ veritate fidei absque suâ culpâ; and then adds his opinion, [Ego ut in­genuè meum sensum hâc in parte aperiam &c. to speak my own sence freely: I think that the common people committing themselves to the instruction of their Pastors (trusting their knowledge and goodness) if they be deceived, [Page 62]it shall be accounted invincible Ignorance [ [...] saltem probabilis] which truly excuses from fault.

156. He goes on and says, Im [...] aliqui Docto­res tantum tribuunt instructioni [...], quibus incumbit cura ovium, &c. that if those Pastors (on whom the care of the Flock dependeth) do teach hic et nunc that God would be hated, the rude Parishioner is bound to believe them: Azorius also saith, Rusticus et Imperitus qui pa­rocho suo fidem babens, credet diquid contra arti­cules fidei, excusatur a peccate; where he cites Scotus and Gabriel to be of the same Opinion.

157. 'Tis true, If their Priests did infallibly keep knowledge, (as they falsely sense those words in Mal. 2.7. saying further, that the Law given is not a Law but in the mouth of the Priest,) then would it be the less sin to pin their faith upon the Sleeves of their Priests, and the ig­norance of their Laity would be invincible ig­norance for want of information from their Clergy; but we find in Story how notoriously their Priests have fallen short of keeping infal­libly the knowledge of the Law of God.

158. It is manifest in Ecclesiastical History, that the Popish Priests, like the Sons of Eli, are Sons of Belial, that knew not the Lord, 1 Sam. 1.12. nor the Law of their God; witness that^(y) Popish Bishop of Dunkelden in Scotland, who [Page 63]boasted, yea thanked God, that he never knew what the Old and New Testament were; and that he would care to know nothing but his Portuise and his Pontifical: As, likewise, that Popish Priest in Germany, who being asked by the Visitors, whether he taught his people the Decalogue? answered, that he had not the Book so called.

159. And of our own Popish Priests in Eng­land, that were notorious Ignoramuses, our Martyrology gives many examples; as that Priest that told Justice Leland, that the New Testament (of Tindal's Translation) was plain Heresie, and none worse than it; and bloody Bonner burning of Bibles, and his Kinsman Dar­byshire, that said the Scriptures were sufficient to Salvation but not to Instruction, but I would not rake in this Kennel; Those Priests lips kept knowledge well.

160. Chrysostom had long before discovered and lamented, [Multi Sacerdotes et tamen pauci, multi in Nomine, pauci in opere:] and Petrarch complained in his time, that the stench of that Sink (the Romish Clergy) was come up to hea­ven, this Ribera bewails also: But above all, Famous Luther speaks home to this, affirming that Hell is paved with the Skulls of those pro­phane Popish Priests; and Erasmus, likewise, lays them open in their colours, who did them more mischief jocando, than Luther did stomachando: how can sober minds hang [Page 64] ^(z) their Ears at such lips as those?

161. But the Romanists falsifie that Text in Mal. 2.7. reading it, [The lips of the Priests keep knowledge, making it a plea for their Infal­libility, as if all things knowable were locked up in the Cabinet of their Breasts,] whereas in the Hebrew it is, [the Priests lips should keep knowledge,] which is not a prophesie but a Com­mandment; by those words God doth not fore­tell that the Priests should never turn from the true Doctrine, but forbiddeth them to turn from it: 'Tis equally absurd to make Com­mands Prophesies, as to make Prophesies Com­mands;^(a) as if Christs foretelling [One of you shall betray me] had been a bidding them betray him.

162. And the following Verses in Mal. 2. plainly shows, how those Priests lips had not preserved knowledge, but had seduced the peo­ple and corrupted the Covenant of God: They had forsaken the way and caused many to stumble, v. 8. and must the Law be only a Rule in their mouths, as if God were beholding to them for owning it?^(b) Cardinal Cajetan confesses thus much of the Popish Priests, that they which should have been (by their places) the Salt of the Earth, had lost their savour; and minded [Page 65]nothing but the Rites and Revenues of the Church.

163. Now, are such Priests fit to be confided in, in matters of knowledge and goodness? (as de Clara would bear us in hand:) must the peo­ple only believe as they believe? must they look after no other knowledge and goodness, but what is to be found in those doltish, pro­phane Priests? Our Lord gives us better dire­ction (than this quirking Fryar) in bidding us try the Spirits, 1 John 4.1. and prove all things 1 Thess. 5.21. as those noble Bereans did, Act. 17.11. and in telling us, that if the Blind lead the Blind, both falls into the Ditch, Math. 15.14.

164. Those blind guides indeed shall lye lowermost and have the worst of it, but wo to them that follow their pernicious ways hoodwinked and blindfold: This is their im­plicit faith, (believing as the Church believes,) and their blind Obedience (walking in dark­ness, and they know not whither) but can never be judged invincible Ignorance to excuse from blame, (although Franciscus de Clara do affirm it) especially here in England; where so many Bibles, godly Books, and so much powerful Preaching may be easily come to.

165. The holy Scriptures were written that we might believe, John 20.31. and we are commanded to search them, John 5.39. (that [...], a more sure word, 2 Pet. 1.19.) upon the te­stimony of which we must depend primariò, [Page 66]and not upon the Church (as they say;) for this is to leave the Fountain, and a going to broken Cisterns; and 'tis a damnable Religion that keeps ignorant of the Scriptures: They have Moses and the Prophets, &c. Luke 16.29, 31.

166. It is worth our observation, to take notice what difference there is betwixt the A­postolical and Antichristian Spirit; the Apo­stolical Spirit saith thus: [Moreover, Brethren, I would not that you should be ignorant, 1 Cor. 10.1.] he would not have them ignorant in spi­ritual things, but would have them zealous ac­cording to knowledge; but the Antichristian Spirit is well content, that the Brethren should remain ignorant and continue in blind Devo­tion.

167. This Popish Religion is therefore a blind Religion, (so dangerous and damnable) because it puts out the eye of knowledge: Thus Antichrist saith to the Inhabitants of the World, just as Nahash the Ammonite said to the men of Jabesh-Gilead; [On this Condition will I make a Covenant with you, if I may thrust out all your Right Eyes; 1 Sam. 11.2. that they might have been disenabled from taking up Arms, and so become his Vassals for ever: Thus doth the man of sin blow out the lights of the Gos­pel, and takes away all means of knowledge.

168. The Romish Priests are much like those [...] (or Lawyers) that Christ speaks of, Luke 11.52. that took away the Key of knowledge, [Page 67]and neither would enter in themselves, nor suffer others that would have entred. Those Priests take away all means of knowledge, by which (as by a Key) men are to have their entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven; they interdict them the use of the Scriptures, which is the way to Christ, and consequently of Christ which is the way to Heaven.

169. Knowledge is so necessary to a true Christian, that there can be no sound believing nor Salvation without it: It is required to the being of Saving Faith, as a necessary Antece­dent thereof; for though there may be Know­ledge without Faith, yet there can never be Faith without Knowledge; for one ingredient of Faith is Assent, which is an action of the Understanding, the object whereof is truth; and there must be some knowledge and appre­hension of this truth, before we can Assent to it.

170. Though Knowledge be not Faith, but an habit distinct from it, yet it doth concur to the being of Faith, for no Assent can be with­out it; as there is a Faith to be added to Know­ledge, (for men may have Knowledge and want Faith) so there is a Knowledge to be added to Faith, 2 Pet. 1.5. to wit, a more full understanding of heavenly Mysteries: Yet so blind is the Po­pish Religion, that it opposes the first sort of Knowledge, (which is an Antecedent of Faith,) much more this, which is a consequent of it.

171. Their implicit Faith, therefore (where by they give only a general Assent to all the Doctrines of their Church and Churchmen, whilst they scarce know any one Article of their Faith distinctly) is a mere bruitish un­reasonable thing; (not [...],^(c) Rom. 12.1.) like the motion of a Beast that is ordered by his Driver, but knows neither whither nor wherefore; how can their Laity give an account of their Faith, 1 Pet. 3.15.

172. How can their service (which is not according to knowledge) be acceptable to God? 'Tis our duty first to know God and then to worship him; Scientiae praecedit & Reli­gio sequitur, saith Lactantius, Institu. lib. 4. cap. 4. Our Understandings must first be informed and then our Affections reformed; there must first be a scire facias, and then a fieri facias; how can a blind Papist do the Will of God that knows it not? this brings upon him a double guilt, to wit, of Ignorance and Disobedience, both which are damning.

173. Ignorance is a damning Sin of it self, for there is Vengeance to be rendred on them that know not God, 2 Thess. 1.7, 8. it exposes us to the wrath of that dreadful day; it makes men Aliens to the life of God, Eph. 4.18. through the Ignorance that is in them: So becomes it, [Page 69]indeed, a Mother Sin, the Mother of many Transgressions, not the Mother of any true Devotion: How did this Mother Ignorance bring forth Blasphemy, Persecution, &c. in the Apostle, 1 Tim. 1.13. and in the Gentiles, 1 Cor. 12.2. Ignorance is the proper Element of Sin: where Knowledge is, there Sin is, tanquam Pis­cis in Arido, out of its Element upon dry Land.

174. All wicked men are under Satan, but ignorant ones are in his very Dungeon; this Sin is a Leprosie in the Head) if it be affected) and such are to be pronounced utterly unclean, Lev. 13.33. That Ignorance (which proceeds from a perverse disposition, which will not know God as Pharaoh, Exod. 5.2.) is worse than ha­tred of God; for such Ignorance is the cause of hatred, and in Vices the cause must be worse than the effect; this Ignorance makes us haters of God.

175. There is a natural Ignorance, which every child of Adam brings with him into the World, forasmuch as every mans understand­ing is darkned; and this in Infants (being a part of their Original Corruption) is more than purae negationis, but is also pravae dispositionis, as being ill disposed to know by their evil Na­ture: Now where this simple Ignorance is, (without any stubborn and wilful neglect, and contempt of the means of knowledge) there Stripes are due, Luke 12.48. It is a sin and de­serves Death.

176. Ignorance in things revealed and com­manded to be known, may incur^(d) eternal death, though not so much torment; 'tis on­ly fewer stripes, and as Austin saith, all that simple Ignorance can profit us in that day is, ùt mitiùs ardeamus, that we may burn the slowli­er; but wilful Ignorance shall have many stripes they shall have the hottest place in Hell, and God expresses great wrath against such; [They that are ignorant let them be ignorant still,] 1 Cor. 14.38. if they affect it let them perish in it.

177. It must follow then that the Popish Religion is a dangerous and damnable Religi­on, that makes a direct profession of this shame­ful sin, as if it were the best way to do our du­ty, not to know it at all; as if the faith of a ghostly Father would save us without our own; hath God wrath for Heathens that know him not, who are left in the dark to grope after him, Jer. 10.25. then double Damnation at­tends those Papists that reject means of know­ledge, saying depart from us, &c. ^(e)

178. The same Romanists that have so lit­tle charity for us, saying [that a Protestant cannot be saved] have a great deal of charity [Page 71]for the Heathens (on whom the Lord hath said he will pour out his fury, because they know him not) maintaining that Infidels may be sa­ved, though they believe not the Articles of the Christian Faith, as if that were not necessa­ry to Salvation: Thus through their partial and ungrounded censures, they cast out the Protestants, and receive Infidels into the bo­som of their Church.

179. But Christ tells us that Heathens are strangers to the true Church, and not Mem­bers of it; and such as are excommunicate should be as the heathen, Matth. 18.17. and our best Writers hold that Negative Infidelity is a Sin, as well as a punishment of Sin, (though Stapleton and others deny it, from John 15.22.) [If I had not come and spoke to them, they had not had sin:] The Pagans never had Christ preach­ed to them, and therefore they believe not; so 'tis not their sin.

180. How can that Text be understood ab­solutely? then it would follow that if Christ had not come amongst the Jews they had not been sinners, and Gentiles that had not the Gospel were without sin, which be both absurd; but Austin in Tract. 89. understands Sin there, the great Sin of Unbelief, under which all Sins are comprehended; and saith expressly, that though those which never had the Gospel, have some excuse for their unbelief, yet none for other Sins.

181. The same Augustine proceeds, saying, such as amongst whom Christ came not, may indeed have their excuse for sin, but yet are not thereby freed from being damned for Sin; for the Apostle is plain, They which sinned with­out the Law, shall perish without the Law, Rom. 2.12. Yet there are degrees of Punishments, as there be of Sins, which Humane conjectures cannot comprehend; they to whom Christ came and spake, shall want this excuse; they cannot say we have not seen nor heard him.

182. And in Tract. 91. in Johan. he says, o­thers that can thus excuse themselves, if they be not delivered from all judgment, yet cer­tainly their judgment shall be somewhat light­er, than those that had seen his great works; for Christ did works which none other did: As the feeding of five thousand with a few Loaves and Fishes, his walking upon the Wa­ter and causing Peter to come to him; his turn­ing Water into Wine, and his opening the Eyes of the man that was born blind, &c. for which he deserv'd their best love; but having ha­tred for Love after all these great works, their Sin was inexcusable.

183. To this Purpose also Chrysostom, (in Hom. 76. in Johan.) saith; the Lord Christ ha­ving according to Moses Law, confirmed his Doctrine by marvellous works; sheweth, that the Jews withstanding him yet, should have no pardon: For Moses had charged them to obey [Page 73] ^(f) him, who proved his Doctrine by miracles, such as none other ever did; yea themselves restified, that^(g) [There was never the like done in Israel, and since the World began was it heard, that any opened the Eyes of one born blind.]

184. Seeing then, not to have heard any thing of Christ, doth not sufficiently excuse Infidelity, because it many times happens through mens own fault; God justly punishing their own sin thereby, with a denyal to them of the Preaching of the Gospel.^(h) Polanus saith well, Ignorantia non excusat eos, qui fidei capaces sant, quandoquidem ignorantia in Adamo, in quo omnes peccârunt, voluntaria fuit, et debent omnes et scire et credere.

185. He saith also, that Negative Infidelity (vel sola) damnat et a Regno coelorum arcet: It is no hard matter to prove, that even the want of a due preaching of the Gospel, and of a right propounding of the knowledge of Christ to them, is a punishment for their sin; and sin can never excuse sin: Infidels ought themselves to seek after the knowledge of the truth; now if Negative Infidelity do damn the Heathens; then Positive Infidelity (such as is in Papists, [Page 74]that hear and believe not) must needs double damn them.

186. The Papists are despisers of most clear light, of the truth that hath been spread be­fore them by many famous men; so they sin a­gainst knowledge, and have no [ [...],] or pretence for their Sin: Minor erat culpa, ubi erat culpae Ignorantia, saith Ambrose lib. 9. Ep. 71. But because they say they see, as the Pharisees (that saw the works of Christ;) therefore their sin (of a⁽ⁱ⁾ double dye) remaineth ^(k)

187. But to let pass their blind charity for blind Infidels (which is a mere design for up holding their Kingdom, and palliating their opinions about an implicit Faith) I come to their uncharitableness towards us, in making us worse than Infidels, and passing this partial censure, that Protestants cannot be saved, though Infidels may:^(l) Costerus saith, Fierine­quit ut Lutheranus moriens salvetur. This is a brave Romish Dictator.

188. And it is determined by a general Council and the Pope, that no man can be sa­ved out of their Church, as headed by the Pope, [extra Ecclesiam Romanam nulla est salus.] that it is necessary to Salvation to be a subject of the Pope of Rome: Yet can they take in Infidels [Page 75]and lay the Church (as common) to the world, for as many as will but believe in the Pope, though they believe not in Christ, whose Vi­car he pretends to be.

189. How can this Popish Censure be of any moment, that Judges no Salvation can be a­mong us, yet if we were Infidels we might be saved; so we had but an implicit Faith and be­lieved in the Pope: But the choicest Saint and Servant of God, (that hath an explicit Faith in Christ) cannot be saved, if he believe not in the Pope and be of the Church of Rome: Is this a Judging according to God?

190. If it had been essential to Christianity, and necessary to salvation to believe in the Pope or Church of Rome; then the Apostles would have preached it for converting the People, & would have baptized the converted into the Pope and Roman Church, and it would have been insert­ed in some of those antient Creeds, or in some of the expesitions of them; but there is not a word in Scripture, or any Ecclesiastical Histo­ry, that intimates any of those Premises; and sure such a necessary point would not have been omitted.

191. But Thousands and Millions were sa­ved in the Primitive times, without ever be­lieving in the Pope or Roman Church; and Paul and Silas were much mistaken, when the Jaylor cryed to them; [Sirs! what must I do to be saved?] in answering him, [Believe in the [Page 76]Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved and thy house, Act. 16.30, 31. According to the doctrine of the Romanists, they should have directed them thus: [Thou must believe in the Pope and in the Roman Church, and thou shalt be saved.]

192. It cannot be proved that one Christian believed in the Pope or Church of Rome, for many an hundred year after Christ, much less that all believed so; yet for want of this be­lief, not only we Protestants are all damned by the Romish Church, but such is their uncha­ritableness, that they damn all the Christians among the Greeks, Moscovites, Armenians, Abassines, Aethiopians, Waldenses, &c. that believes not in the Pope.

193.^(m) Mr. Baxter very acutely retorts up­on the Romanists for this uncharitableness, saying; If Charity be the life of all the Gra­ces or holy qualities of the Soul, and that which above all others proveth a man to be ju­stified and in a state of Salvation; then judge by this Argument of their own, whether our charitableness to them, or their uncharitable­ness to us and to all other Christians, be the better sign.

194. And whether it be safer to joyn with the charitable or uncharitable? yea, with them [Page 77]that are so notoriously uncharitable, as to condemn the far greatest part of the Church of Christ, merely because they are not Papists. Thus we see how their Principles and Practises be not Relatives, but interfere with their pro­fessions; for while they cry up the Grace of Charity as the most splendid grace of their Re­ligion, yet in the mean time they are the most uncharitable people in the world.

195. Indeed the Romanists argue point blank to this, drawing this general conclusion from the charitable opinion of some well dis­posed Protestants.⁽ⁿ⁾ [We see the Protestants, (at least some) confess, there may be salvati­on in our Church, we absolutely deny there may be salvation in theirs; therefore 'tis safer to come to ours than to stay in theirs, to be where almost all grant Salvation, than where the greatest part of the World deny it.]

196. 'Tis great pity that our Charity to­wards them (which is a grace they cry up so much for the lustre and glory of their own Church, and which is a grace that hopeth all things, believeth all things, &c. 1 Cor. 13.6, 7.) should be so wrested to the hardning of their hearts in their evil way; 'tis pity our charita­ble opinion of them should give any Papist [Page 78]occasion to live and dye in the bosom of that damnable Religion; whereas we should rather warn them in the Name of God, to come out of Babylon, left they be partakers of her Plagues ^(o)

197. But when we say a Papist may be saved,^(p) Mr. Baxter shews, (in loco supradicto) that it is with all those limitations: As 1. We say, that a Papist may be saved as a Christian, but not as a Papist; as a man that hath the Plague may live, but not by the Plague. 2. We say, that Popery is a great enemy and hindrance to mens salvation; and therefore those among them that are saved, must be saved from Po­pery and not by it.

198. And 3. We say, that therefore Salva­tion is a rarer thing among the Papists, than a­mong the reformed Protestants: Where it is most difficult there it must be most rare; many more of the Protestants are like to be saved, than of the Papists. And 4. we say, where Popery prevails against Christianity, and so much mastereth the Heart and Life, that the Christian Doctrine is not practically received, such cannot be saved without Conversion.

199. Thus with those and the like limita­tions, the charitable opinion concerning them on our part (which they improve so to their advantage) must be restrained; which doth [Page 79]not amount to such a judgment of safety in their way as they pretend: Our learned^(q) Whitaker sends this Summons to their great Champion, [Survey Heaven and all the Heavenly host, look well into all the Parts and Coasts of it while you list, and you shall not find there (upon my word) one Jesuit or one Papist.

200. For (saith he) none shall stand upon Mount Sion with the Lamb, that have receiv'd the mark of the Beast, or belong to Antichrist: Thus this great Scholar (even in Bellarmine's own Judgment, who kept his Picture by him; and wrote under it, Quanquàm Hareticum, do­ctum tamen habeo adversarium) had not an over­charitable opinion of Jesuits, (which have the mark of the Beast, and are their Ring-leaders into Error) and of Papists, to wit, such as hold the doctrine of the Modern Church of Rome, and Council of Trent.

201. And our famous^(r) Hooker also saith, when we say that a Papist may be saved, we do not propose to you a Pope with the Neck of an Emperor under his feet, or a Cardinal ri­ding his Horse up to the Bridle in the blood of Saints; but a Pope or Cardinal penitent, disrobed, and not only stripped of his usurped power, but also reclaimed from his Error: [Page 80]Let them and their Proselytes abjure all their pervertings of the truth and be converted, let them fall down prostrate at Christs feet, and he will not kick them.

202. Although many Protestants have this charitable opinion toward such Papists as fall under the foresaid Qualifications, yea and also towards all such as by an invincible and com­pelled Ignorance, resign up their own under­standings to their Priests and Jesuits; and look through such Spectacles as those temper for them, not daring to contradict the dictates of their Teachers, but are led on hood-winked in an implicit Faith and blind Obedience.

203. Such Papists, I say, so long as they hold fast the true faith of Christ, without op­posing any fundamental point of the Christian Religion; and furthermore do (according to the light and Grace given them) with purpose of heart cleave unto the Lord, and rely wholly and solely on the merits and mediation of Christ both for safety here and Salvation hereafter; such as those may find mercy, because they ad­here to the Romish Church in other things ig­norantly, 1 Tim. 1.14.

204. This is the most candid Construction that our Charity can afford them; and yet here be two things very observable. 1. That such as those though they live Papists, yet they dye Protestants, to wit, in the principal foundati­on of our Faith, [Justification and Salvation [Page 81]by Christ:] This Bellarmine himself (their great^(ſ) Champion) was driven to for suc­cour, when the terrors of death were upon him. 2. In our Charity there is no certainty for them, only a possibility barely stated; They may be saved.

205. Yet we have no such Charity for such Papists, as live in States and Kingdoms, where the word of God is power fully preached, and the Sacraments of Christ be purely administred, where also much care is taken for their better information and means used for reclaiming them from their Error, and instructing them in the knowledge of Christ and his ways. Such Papists, I say, being willingly ignorant, and wilfully shatting their eyes against the light; their state is more desperate and damnable.

206. Those Papists are guilty before the Lord of an affected Ignorance, and of a wilful despising of the knowledge of the Lord, when they might attain to it: 'Tis not a bare want of the means of Grace, but the contempt of them that damus, saith Ambrose. Those say, in effect, unto God,^(t) [depart from us;] as if God were below them; and with the Swinish [Page 82]Gergasites desire him to depart out of their Coasts: How just it is with God to fill them with the evil of their own ways, and to say to them (as they to God) depart ye cursed?

207. These desire not the knowledge of Gods ways,^(u) they like not to retain God in their knowledge, because their minds are reprobate and injudicious▪ they love darkness rather than light, and Cain like, they get as far from God as they can: How Righteous is Gods Retaliation upon all such Reprobates, in saying to them, Ye have rejected my Company, I will also reject yours, and as you will not know my ways, I will not know your persons at the last day, Luke 13.27.

208. This is the Character of those Rooma­nists that live in those Countreys of the reform­èd Religion, where many famous Churches are founded, worshiping God after that manner, which the Romish Church calls Heresie, as Act. 24.14. yet teaching no other Doctrine than what Moses, the Prophets, and Apostles have spoken before them; and without controver­sie all people lye under an obligation to resort thither for true knowledge, where the Moun­tain of the Lord is exalted on the top of the Moun­tains; God teaches his ways there, Isa. 2.3.

209. We have a famous example of those in the Ten Tribes, whose hearts the Lord had [Page 83]touched with the finger of his Spirit, in that universal depravation of Religion under Jero­boam, 2 Chron. 11.14, 16. The Levites left their Suburbs and their Possessions that belonged to them, [a great act of self denyal,] and came to Judah and Jerusalem to do the service of the Lord in the Temple there: And after their example, many people out of all the Tribes of Israel, (that ab­horred Jeroboam's Idolatry) came thither also for the true worship of God.

210. Oh! that the Lord (who perswaded Ja­phet to dwell in the Tents of Shem) may perswade all such Romanists to forsake the Tents of the Romish Church, lest they perish with her Come out of her my People, (to wit, all such as set their hearts to seek God, as those Religiously dispo­sed Jews did) lest ye perish in the way and partake of her Plagues, Revel. 18.4. as those in the Tents of Korah's Conspiracy.

211. Moreover in those Reformed Church­es, God hath raised up many famous Witnes­ses, who have discoursed the controversies be­twixt us and them at large, the sound of whose writings hath gone even to Rome it self, yea and their own Champions have set down our Arguments against them in their writings of answers to them, (for which some of them have met with interdictions for reprinting, lest knowledge, of the truth should come to light thereby, as Bellarmine and Gregory de Valentia, &c. so zealous are they to keep people in ig­norance,) [Page 84]by those helps might under­stand their own Errors.

212. Besides in those reformed Countreys, many blessed Martyrs and Confessors have made publick Confessions of their Faith, (even in the Presence and Audience of their persecuting Papists) such as loved not their lives for the sake of the truth, by whom much light was communicated; for those Martyrdoms and Massacres were not done in a Corner, but were fa­mous even in the Popes Palace, (as Phil. 1.13.) and in all places which administred occasion to all persons for enquiring after the cause of such sufferings.

213. Now seeing those Romanists living in those Countries, have so many advantages for knowing the truth, and yet shut their eyes a­gainst all in a pertinacious and incorrigible hardness of heart; their Ignorance is affected, and pravae dispositionis, there is a price put into their hinds, and like Fools they have no heart to it: Sa­tan hath filled their hearts to believe Lyes, they are [...] ▪ self-condemned. Tit. 3.10.

214. Sed quid opus est multis? We have ma­ny Scripture Characters and Evidences, that the Popish Religion is damnable, all which will make it appear, that it is but blind Charity; and not only foolish pity but also plain cruelty, to promise Life and Salvation to such Papists as be impenitent and repent not of their do­ctrines and doings; and 'tis but a mealy-mouth'd [Page 85]soothing them up in their sinful state and sowing pillows under their Elbows, in those that fear to say to them, that living and dying Papists, they cannot be saved.

215.^(w) The 1. Scripture Evidence is, they are decypher'd in graphical terms, to be such whose Names are not written in the Lambs book of life, Rev. 13.8. Those whose Names are not recorded in the book of life, those whom God hath not predestinated to be saved, from all eternity by the death of Christ; those and those only should be worshipers of the Beast: Those that dwell upon the Earth (or stand upon earthly Principles and carnal Do­ctrines, such as that flesh-pleasing Religion con­sists of) wonder after the Beast.

216. This [Inhabitants of the Earth] is con­tradistinct to Saints, whose Conversations is in hea­ven, Phil. 3.20. Now if none of the Beasts worshipers have their Names written in hea­ven; it concludes strongly, that there is no Salvation for Papists, living and dying in their Popish State and Religion; they are not Elect but Reprobate ones, a people devoted to de­struction, see also, Revel. 17.8.

217.^(x) The 2. Script. evidence is [Revel. 14.9.10. If any man worship the beast &c. The same shall Drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the Cup of his Indignation, and he shall be tormented with Fire and Brimstone, &c.] This plainly demonstrates, that all the obstinate worship pers of the Beast (which in my treatise of An­tichrist I have proved to be the Pope) shall drink of the wine of gods Indignation, because they have drank of the wine of the popes for­nications.

218. They that love the wine of Idolatry must at length pledg in the wine of Gods An­ger and severest Judgment, and this Cup of Vengeance (which is prepar'd for them) shall not be allayed with the water of mercy at all, Jam. 2.13. no mixture of mercy in their misery, as in the afflictions wherewith God exerci­ses his own people in this world; wherein god in wrath remembers mercy, Hab. 3.1. and Stirs not up all his wrath Psal. 78.38. whereas the Saints sip onely of the top of the Cup, those Sinners drunk up the dreggs of the fiercness of his Anger, Isa. 51.22.23.

219. Those worshippers of the beast shall be tormented with fire and Brimstone in Hell-fire where they shall have no intermission of their [Page 87]tortures, v. 11. they shall have misery without mercy and torment without end in the pre­sence of the Angels, who shall not only be Spect­ators but executioners also, and in presence of the Lamb, for all their Agnus Dei. &c.

220. The 3. Scrip. Evidence is 2. Thessal. 2.10.^(y) Those that the man of Sin (the grand Antichrist) seduces with his lying wonders or Counterfeit miracles, are such as be in a perish­ing State [in them that perish] those whom god maketh no account to save, he gives them up to the strong delusions of this under-working beast. But as for those, whom god hath ordained unto life be reserves them (as his Remnant according to the Election of grace) from bowing of the knee to Baal, Rom. 11.4.5. So that none of Gods elect are given up to this perishing State Math. 24.24.

221. Thus popery is call'd here [Deceiva­bleness] because it 'tis a grand Imposture, a Far­rago of all kind of falsities, as their feigning Ap­paritions of Angels and Spirits, their forging decrees of Councils for countenancing their Supremacy of the Romish Church, their cor­ruptions of the antient Fathers for defence of their lying Doctrines; their Piae fraudes (as they call them) and dissembling of piety for advancing their Religion, and many more [Page 88][ [...]] Arts of consenage and Legerdemain Tricks.

222. Popery is a Circle whose Circumfe­rence is all kind of Imposture, and whose cen­ter is nothing but unrighteousness; So 'tis call'd [the deceivableness of unrighteousness] and this Religious cheat Captivates only pe­rishing Souls such as are [...], Jude. v. 4. men destinated to damnation, God justly giving them up to vile affections, and of belief of lyes because they received not the truth in the love of it; that great Gospel sin brings just Damnation.

223.^(z) The 4. Scrip. Evidence is 2. Thess. 2.11.12. because Papists generally are despisers of the truth; [God sends them strong delusions that they should believe a lye that they all May be damned, who believed not the truth, but had the pleasure of unrighteous­ness] They blind their own eyes sinfully, and god blind their eyes penally, and because of this wilful obduration, he gives them over to Satan to Captivate both their Judgments and persons as he will, and at his pleasure. 2. Tim. 2. last.

224. Look what a besotted Infatuation was Iudicially inflicted upon the Idolatrous Jews [God Shut their eyes that they could not see, and [Page 89]their hearts that they could not understand; and a deceived heart turned them aside. Isai. 44.18.20 they hewed the tree, warmed themselves and rosted their meat with the Chips and of all of it, and the Residue thereof they make a god of, worships it, and prays to it, saying deliver me, for thou art my god &c.

225. Such like sottish Dotage is found a­mong the Idolatrous papists, in their prostrat­ing before their breaden God: They know it to be the fruit of the Earth, the workman­ship of the Baker, they behold it, touch it, tast it to be bread, that (for the substance of it) Perishes in the useing, and is cast out into the draught (as Math. 15.17.) Yet do they fall down before it and prays unto it, saying de­liver me for thou art my god. The like stu­pidity is in them to their Crucifixes, Roods and Images of Saints.

226. These and many more strong delusi­ons (which the holy Ghost calls [...], the Efficacy of errour) are the Roma­nists given up to: The time would faile in pro­ducing the many Instances that may be found hereof, and which indeed more Properly be­longs to the 2. Part of this Diatribe about their Relicks and miracles. I shall give but one here; under what strong delusion are those Papists of Geneva ^(a) That show the asses taile [Page 90](whereon Christ rode) as a divine Relique and perform Divine worship to it.

227.^(b) Dr. Sclater upon this Scripture shews very Solidly how Popery is a pack of lyes; as that God loves to be suited unto by saints and Angels mediators, that our works are meritorious being done in grace, that a man may Supererogate and exceed in duty what he owes to god. That bap­tism takes away whatsoever hath the proper nature of sin, that Souls pass hence to pains of Purgatory, that Christs death takes only away mortal sins; all these he con­futes substantially. And to those I speak, in my 2. Part of this treatise.

228. And would we know the reason why Papists are given up to believe those lyes, the Apostle tells us, it is, that they all may be damned who believed not the truth where [...] is put for [...], (Judged, for condemned) frequent in Scripture as John. 3.17. and in others places; the penall issue then is damnation not only because they despise the truth but also they delight in un­righteousness, which is the highest pitch of impiety they can dispense with all Sins.

229.^(c) 5. Scrip. Evidence is Revel. 19.21. [Page 91]that shews, not only the Pope himself but all his obstinate followers also, and sworn Sword­men and servants shall be destroyed, and though they shall not be so deeply damned as the beast and the false prophet, yet shall they be slain (even the Kings that asist him and uphold his tottering Kingdome) as to be made a prey to the infernal vultures, and the greatest Sin­ners shall be the greatest sufferers, there shall be no reasoning of any with mony, as Isa. 13.17.18.

230. 'Tis said there, [the Sword of Christ shall slay the Remnant] not any shall escape, but a severe execution shall be on all that take part with Antichrist, in this his last battel at Ar­mageddon: And seeing this Sword is said to [come out of the mouth of him that sitteth up­on the horse] it must not be taken for a material Sword, but for the breath of his mouth where­with he will destroy Antichrist, 2. Thess. 2.8. and for that Sentence of death that he will pass upon all his followers, saying [go ye Cursed]

231. This place of Scripture is an allusion to Ezek. 39.4.17.20. where the destructi­on of Gog and Magog (the grand enemies of the Chruch before Christs coming into the flesh) is recorded. Now as that Prophecy was fulfilled literally on them (being made a feast for the fowls of the aire) both great and small: So shall this be fulfiled Allegorically upon all the worshippers of the beast, which shall be [Page 92]made a feast to the fiends of Hell, and then that Prince-fowl of the Air (the Devil) and his Spirits shall be glutted with them.

232.^(d) The 6. Scrip. Evidence is. 2. Pet. 2.1. where heresie is call'd a damnable thing [ [...]] Heresies of destruction or damnation: 'Tis an Hebraisme, as a man of bloods. Ps. 5.6. is a bloody man. Now he­resie is a doctrine Contrary to the truth which men chuse to follow and will not be Recalmed from it: If such doctrine be Simply held, it is only etrour, but if obstinately and pertina­ciously persisted in (of this more fully in my treatise of Heresie) then 'tis damnable Here­sie.

233. Heresie is Leprosy in the head, which is utterly incurable Lev. 13.29. And because it therefore destroys the soul, this Epithet [damnable] is joyned to it, not so much re­strictive, as intimating, that there be some heresies which are not damnable, (and so 'tis to be restrained to the worst sort of Heresies only) but rather. descriptive, as describing what heresie is in Suo Genere, that it hath in it a downing nature: Especially when there is a Concatenation of them, as in this place.

234. The holy Ghost uses the word here in the plural number to point out to us that [Page 93]there should be many of them linked toge­ther: and indeed one heresie persisted in with an obstinate mind, ushers in others. [dato v­no absurdo, mille sequntur] Thus some Etymo­logists derive the word Heresie ab Haerendo be­cause of 'its Glutinous property, men do per­tinaciously cleave to it, but 'tis rather a Greek word so cannot have a (d) Latin Thema but comes [...] to chufe an Opinion.

235.^(e) Such be the Heresies of the Romish Religion, as they are damning in nature, so they are many in number, as justification in part by the works of the law: This is a damning heresie If Paul say true, Gal. 5.4. [such are faln from Grace and Christ shall profit them nothing:] as their doctrine of merits de Congrue et Cen­digno, which is not holding of the head, Col: 2, 19. But a despoiling of Christ his plenteons Redemption, and becoming Saviouts to them­selves.

236 As also their congruent merits afforded by nature, their freedome and innate power of will excited to apply and determine it self to Gods gracious perswasion; Their expiation of Sins both of quick and dead by the un­bloody Sacrifice of their Masses: And many others [ejusdem forma] Which are both tanght and believed of the Romanists, where­of [Page 94]I shall speak more particularly in the 2. part.

237^(f) The 7. Scripture Evidence is Tim. 4.1. Popery teaches many [Doctrines of devils] (as I have shewed in my treatise of Antichrist) their forbidding of meats and marriages, their teaching the lawfulness of Committing fornicati­on (which is the divelifh Doctrine of the Ni­colaitans Revel. 2.15.) Or worshipping Idols, of murthering Princes and of massacring Prote­stants, and that, because they are Hereticks: Now these Doctrines of Devils must needs car­ry them to the Devil.

238. The Apostle in this 1. Epistle to Ti­mothy speaketh of latter times, and in his 2. to Timothy 3.1. of the last times: In the latter times those Doctrines of devils are broached, to wit, in the times of Antichrists rise and re­velation, when the Antichristian leaven shall be spreading it self over all christian Churches as 2. Thess. 2.8.10. but in the last times (which he says shall be [...]) to wit, about Antichrists destruction, the harvest of those devil Doctriners shall be ripe, and God will cut them down with his sharp sickle and cast them in bundles to the devil in Hell, from whence they came.

239. Thus both those times in both those [Page 95]Epistles have relation to Antichrist, and the older Antichrist grows, the worse and more perilous times shall be; For those Doctrines of Devils shall (like an Epidemical and vniversal Pestilence) be so Contagious and catching, that men (yea good men) will be put hard to it how to secute themselves from that overspreading Abomination; then the Righteous should scarcely be saved, were not their Names writ in the Lambo book of Life.

240. But as for those dwellers upon the Earth, (whose Names are not found written in that Book) these doctrines of Devils pre­vails with them, and brings in that black bed­roll of Sin, (whereof sinful self Love is the first of 19, (as the Root of them all) and love of pleasures the last,) all which lead directly to damnation, and are found most predominant in the Romish Church (above all others) which hath a form of Godliness, but denies its power, 2 Tim. 3.1. to 6.

241. Having thus from Scripture Evidences, made this clear demonstration, [how dange­rous a Religion the Popish Religion is to live and dye in,] how can we but conclude, that the Romanists are in a damnable State: For, 1.^(g) Their Names are not found in the Lambs book of life, 2.^(b) They must drink of the Wine [Page 96]of the Wrath of God, 3.⁽ⁱ⁾ They are in a perish­ing State, 4.^(k) And believe lyes to be damned, 5.^(l) [Depart ye cursed] shall be denounced against them, 6.^(m) They hold damnable Here­sies, And 7.⁽ⁿ⁾ They [...]uch and believe doctrines of Devils.

242. But some will object here and say, this is to pass the same uncharitable censure of them that they do of us, and this is to conclude all that ever have dyed in Popery, to be in a state of damnation: To which I answer, 1. Their censure of us may truly be termed uncharita­ble, because it is unwarrantable, being not grounded upon any clear Scripture Evidence, but arising from their obstinate blindness, which causeth them to^(o) speak evil of what they know not.

243. And 2. I answer, 'tis not we but the Word of God that judges them, by which they must be judged at the last day, John 12.48.3. As we do not conclude all Pagans (whom God suffered to walk in their own ways, Act. 14. 16.) to be damned, for God might have ves­sels of mercy among them, some became Pro­selytes; so nor all those Papagans, for some have held the head, Col. 2.19.^(p) and been sound [Page 97]in the Foundation, although they lose their stubble yet not their Souls; neither did Popish Errors come to their height at first, but now their Heresies be more damnable than ever.

244. I might have added several other Scri­pture Evidences, as 1 Cor. 6.9. No Idolater shall inherit the Kingdom of God: And Revel. 21.8. All Idolaters and all lyars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. Now that Popery is Idola­try, and a Compound or Cento of many lying Doctrines, I have shewed before; why then should we be afraid to say, that Papists (living and dying in the Trent Faith without Repen­tance) are Castaways, and destinated to dam­nation? Why strengthen we the hands of the wick­ed, that he cares not to return by promising him life? Ezek. 13.22.

245. What warrant from the Word of God can be found of any hope that such dam­nable Hereticks (as hath been made apparent they are) can be saved? or such plain Infidels? in as much as they believe not, either the Al-sufficiency of Christs meritorious Passion, or the incommunicable Propriety of his mediato­ry Office, (in which two points lies the very life and soul of true Faith and Religion) and thus far they are Infidels in saying, that men must satisfie for their own venial sins, and that Saints and Angels meritoriously intercede for us.

246. What probability is there, that such Infidels (as believe not the holy Scriptures to be the word of God, because God, their Au­thor, gives such a Testimony; but only be­cause their Church says so, which at the best begets but an Humane Faith) can be saved? The formal object of their Faith is not veritas pri­ma, but the Testimony of their Church; now 'tis not any humane Faith that makes a true be­liever, he is no better than an Infidel in respect of Divine Faith, and he that believes not is damned ^(q)

247. Let none wonder why I call them Infi­dels, for notwithstanding their belief of the Creed which they profess in Words, yet they deny it in their Principles and Practises; and though total Infidelity be not found in them, yet there is a partial Infidelity, (whereby part of the Gospel and the full sense of sundry Ar­ticles of the Creed are denyed by them,) they are guilty of. But the Book entituled [Pa­ganopapismus] goes further than I do, proving that Papism is flat Paganism, and that the Pa­pist resembles Pagans in sevenscore several par­ticulars: Thus he accounts them Pagans.

248. As they are Hereticks, Infidels, so are they impenitent ones, which seals them up for damnation; for the sin of Impenitency is in­flicted [Page 99]on them as a judgment of God, Revel. 9.20. The Turks (this Scripture shews us) were sent for a Plague of the Romish Idola­tries, and this Character together with the prediction, holds Congruity with the Romish Church.

249. For as the Romanists are great Forni­cators, Murtherers, Idolaters, and worship­ers of Devils in their Images, none like them in late days; so they obstinately and im­penitently persist in their Whoredoms, Mas­sacres, and Idolatries. Notwithstanding God hath laid desolate the Eastern Church by the Turks for Idolatry; yet Rome (the Western Church) repents not of the same Sin: Proxi­mus ardet Ʋcalegon, the Eastern Idolaters are laid waste, and can stupified impenitent Rome hope to be saved?

CHAP. IV. The Fourth Property, 'Tis a Bloody Reli­gion.

250. AS the Romish Religion is a Superstiti­ous, Idolatrous, and Damnable Re­ligion; so in the fourth place 'tis a Bloody Re­ligion, which makes the fourth Property: All its laws (like those of Draco's) have been writ [Page 100]in Letters of Blood; the Romish Church hath not only breathed out threatnings in all Ages against those of the Reformed Religion, like Wolves greedy of their Prey, but like so ma­ny devouring Cannibals, have eaten their Flesh and drunk their Blood even to an Inebriation.

251. The representation of this Romish Church to John in a Vision, caused in him great admiration, especially for her bloody cruelties, Joh. 17.6. He wondred with great Admiration. There is a gradation in the words, 1. That a woman should be drunk, that is a greater shame than for a man to be so: 2. That no li­quor would serve her to find sweetness in and to be drunk withal but blood: And 3. That no Blood must inebriate this Whore, but the blood of Saints.

252. Luther says, Cain shall be killing his Brother Abel to the end of the World, but he is most bloody in his old days: Malice is com­monly hereditary and runs in the blood, and (as we use to say of Runnet) the older it is, the stronger: Mr. Jenkins shows at large how the Spirit of Cain is in the Romanists, and what a murthering Religion it is to the true Abels. See his second part on Jude in quarto, pag. 179, 180.

253. Rome hath ever been the Slaughter-house and Shambles of the Saints of God in this latter Age of the world, as Jerusalem was be­fore her: Matth. 23.35. As it was not possible [Page 101]that a Prophet should perish any where but in Jeru­salem; so in Rome is found the blood of Prophets, and of Saints, and of all that were slain upon the Earth, Revel. 18.24. Rome hath had a long hand and has stretched it out into all Lands, to but­cher the Saints by her Authority^(r)

254. Rome Heathen hath indeed done much against the Church, slaying its Thousands; but Rome Antichristian hath done more, slaying its Ten Thousands: And as Rome Heathen ex­ceeded all the other Beasts, in Daniel, for fierce­ness and cruelty; so Rome Antichristian is made up of all those Beasts, The Feet of a Bear, the mouth of a Lyon, himself like a Leopard, and the Dragon giving him power, Revel. 13.2. as if all cruelties were concentred in him^(ſ)

255. The Romish Religion then is but a beastly Religion, not only for all manner of brutish uncleanness, (both practised and pallia­ted in it) but especially for that belluine cruel­ty that hath evermore been found in it: No­thing of the meekness of the Lamb that came down from Heaven, but all of the bloodiness [Page 102]of the Beast that ascended out of the deep, nothing of that wisdom from above that is first pure, then peaceable; but all earthly, sensual, and devilish in its whole Platform. Jam. 3.15, 17.

256. 'Tis worth our observation, that of all the Enemies of the Church, those that are Apostates be the cruellest: Thus it appears in the Devil himself, who is an Apostate Angel, and he hath great wrath against the Church, Rev. 12.12. [ [...]] the sublimest Indignation, containing in it both perturbation of mind and the highest inflammation of Spirit; Satan is a malevolous Adversary, he was of the Church but left his first habitation, Jude 6. and now has a malignant Rage against it.

257. So the Jews were of the Church, a pe­culiar people in Covenant with God; but when they did Apostatize, and [Ammi] became [lo­ammi] unchurching and uncovenanting them­selves, then they did degenerate into the cru­ellest Enemies that Christ and his Apostles had, and therefore the Holy Ghost hath stigmatiz'd them with this brand, [They please not God, and are contrary to all men,] 1 Thess. 2.14. as if they had lost all sense both of Deity and com­mon Humanity; and become rather Ishmaelites than Israelites, Gen. 16.12. Against every man.

258. Thus also, what a Monster of Men be­came Julian, after he Apostatiz'd, and drunk in a persecuting Principle? like that unrigh­teous [Page 103]Judge,^(t) he feared not God nor reveren­ced Men, but blasphemed our Redeemer, (cal­ling him a Carpenters Son and a Galilean,) and made more havock of the Church (though in subtler ways) than any of his Predecessors.

259 Such an Apostate is Antichrist (as I have abundantly proved in my treatise of Antichrist) a degenerate plant, who Contra­ry to that great Caesar [Romam Invenit mar­moream, sed reliquit lateritiam] hath changed Romes gold into dross; And the Philosophi­cal Axiom holds good in this case also, that Corruptio Optimi est Pessima: Rome degene­rating from Christian to Antichrstian, hath done the Church of god more hurt, then ever it did, while heathen.

260. 'Tis a good saying of one, that a man can scarce step one step nigh Rome, but he must tread upon a Martyr, because so many have been Martyr'd in her Dominions: And and 'tis a curious Speculation of another that say'd; He thought the Martyrs under the New Testament have been as many in number, as the sacrifices that were slain under the old Testa­ment.

261. Oh what Myraids of sacrifices were slaughter'd under the Law, when Solomon at one time slew two and twenty Thousand Oxen, and [Page 104]an hundred and twenty Thousand Sheep 1. Kin. 8.63. and if those Sacrifices (of a sweet Odour to the Lord (to wit, the Martyrs, doe carry Congruity in number under the Gospel, how many hundred Thousands then have been butcher'd for the sake of Christ? and Rome Antichristian hath been the chief Butcherer of them.

262. The Romish religion is such a Reli­gion as the seed must always be watered with the blood of Saints, otherwise it would not take deep Root in any ground, it would not thrive in any Country. This improvment of Husbandry the Romanists have carefully ob­served in all lands, where they have gone a­bout to plant their Religion, inverting the sence of that golden Sentence, to wit, Sanguis Martyrum est semen Ecclesiae.

263. Oh! what a blood-thirsty spirit hath acted the Romanists in all countrys and Kingdoms, where they have got power and opportunity to discover themselves? There needs no plainer proof for this, then those Conscientious Mar­tyrologists, who (I am confident) would not for a world wittingly and willingly leave any lyes upon record. At the reading those dismal storys of murders and Massacres which they have Recorded, Quis temperet a Lacry­mis?

264. To give but a Scantling and land­skip of some of them [Horresco referens] as [Page 105]of that bloody Massacre upon black Bartho­lomew at Paris: wherein the Cardinall of Lar­rain (that great limb of Antichrist) butcherd thirty Thousand Protestants in a month, an Hundred thousand in one year (some say, 300000) upon the newes of which the Pope proclaimed a Jubilee for joy. And the Car­dinall (brother to the Duke of Guise) gave the messenger a thousand Crown; this was matchless Immanity.

265. And the worse because it was usher'd in with such notorious dissimulation of friend­ship; For a Marriage was pretended betwixt the Prince of Navarre, and the Lady Margaree (Sister to the King of France) to draw the chiefest of the Protestants to Paris, and the Admirall [Coligni] was honourably receiv­ed of the King, who calls him his father and protested to the Admiral that he had not seen any day in his whole life more agreeable to his mind then that, where he assured himself to see the end of all troubles, and the begin­ning of a firme and lasting peace.

266. Yet at the same time this same King (Charles the 9.) gave a Commssion to the Duke of Guise to Massacre the Admiral and all the Protestants, which they had decoyed in­to their Net. And when Coligni was accord­ingly murthered, his head was Cut off and sent to the King and Queen-Mother, who Em­balmed it and sent it as a grateful present to the [Page 106]Pope, who thereupon caused the Massacre to be pictured in the Vatican-hall▪

267. Vnder one side of the hall was pourtray­ed, Colignii et Sociorum Caedes, ^(v) and on the other, Rex Colignii Caedem probat: The King himself (beholding the bloody bodyes of those then Massacred, and feeding his eye on so wofull a Spectacle) breathed out this bloody Speech [quàm Bonus est odor hostis mor­tui] how sweet is the smell of a slain enemy. This was cruelty beyond that of Simeon and Levi, in a deep detestation whereof good Ja­cob cryed out, Oh my Soul, come not thou into their secret, cursed be their wrath for it was cru­el. &c. Gen. 49.6.7.

268. So likewise in Germany (after the Gospel was spread there by the ministry of Lu­ther and his fellow-labourers) the Romanists did exercise the like bloody Inhumanity by the Popes instigation upon the Protestants, the History of which persecution is so full of Popish Cruelties, that I must referr the Rea­der to that book entituled [the lamentation of Germany] composed by Dr.^(w) Vincent, who was an eye witness thereof; whose Rela­tions would melt a heart of stone.

269. He tells us how some of those Popish [Page 107]Croats or Crabats taught their horses not only to kill men, but to eat Humane and Chri­stians flesh: And consulted how to find out torments more cruel and exquisite then ever. What shall we say to those Devils (saith he?) Phalaris, Nero, Dionysius, all other Ty­rants and Tyrannies are incomparable to those new Stratagematists and Engineers: Cautasus bred them, Tygers fed them, Hell taught them, and thither (saith he) I remit them.

270. And in the Netherlands what unparal­lel'd cruelties did that bloody Butcher (Duke de Alva execute upon the Protestants, of all sorts, (both of the Nobility and Commonalty) to root out the Professors of the Gospel, he permitted his Soldiers to Ravish grave Ma­trons and chast Virgins, many times causing their Husbands and Parents to stand by and be­hold their Villanies: This Duke de Alva boast­ed at his Table, that besides those he had slain in War, he had hanged above eighteen thou­sand in six years space.

271. How many matchless Cruelties did the Pope and his Complices exercise upon the Wal­denses and the Albigenses for many Centuries of Years, wherein the Inquisitors exceeded the inhumanity of their own Bishops [of Aixe, Arles, and Narbonne,] insomuch that the Bi­shops told them, the multitude of those peo­ple (they had apprehended) was so vast, that as it was not possible to defray the charge of [Page 108]their daily food, so nor to get Lime and Stone enough to build Prisons for them.

272. If any did but convey a Cup of cold Water, or a Pad of Straw to those poor Saints that lay in stinking Dungeons, he was brought to the same extremities with them: Some that were hid in Caves, had the mouths of the Caves stopp'd up (with much wood) by the Papists; which being set on fire, many were choaked there with Smoak, others burnt with the Fire. Some that broke out of the mouth of the Caves were cruelly murthered; many more cruelties of the Lord of Trinity to them, may be seen in the common Maps of Martyrology ^(x)

273. But as a Compendium of all kind of Po­pish cruelty, the Spanish Inquisition was invent­ed by the Dominicans, at first erected to re­claim the Jews and Moors, but soon turned a­gainst the faithful Servants of Christ for sup­pressing the Gospel, whom the Romanist In­quisitors brought to their Rack, standing in a dark Dungeon under ground, with many doors to pass through to drown the shrieks of the Tormented: The Tormentor (when Torch­es are lighted) comes disguised like a Devil, to terrifie the more (with his black Vizard) the tormented Soul.

274. The first kind of torment in their In­quisition, is the Jibbet to which they carry men and women naked, not allowing them either Shirt or Smock (as if that could hinder the vio­lence of the Rack from tormenting them e­nough) the Tormentors binding their hands with a Cord eight or ten times about (each time harder than other) and their Thumbs ex­treme hard with a small line, so both hands and Thumbs are fastned to a Pully which hangs on the Jibbet, then have they great Bolts on their heels, and between their Feet certain weights of Iron hung upon those Bolts, and so are hois­ed up.

275. The poor tormented Soul hanging in this woful extremity, the Inquisitors bids them to accuse themselves and all other Hereticks they know of: Then they Command him or her to be hoised up higher to the very Beam, till their Heads touch the Pully; and having hung thus a good while, the Inquisitors com­mand to let them down again, and twice as much weight to be fastned to their heels, and so to hoise them up again to the Pully: Then they bid the Executioner slip the Rope, (that they may fall down with great force) and in the mid way to stop them, which together with the Strappado (they give them then) Rends all their Joynts asunder.

276. And if they still remain Constant, so inhumane and unparallel'd is their Popish cruel­ty, [Page 110]that they add more weight to their heels the third time, and the poor Wretch (already half dead) is hoisted up again, and railingly call'd a Dog and an Heretick; and if in all those pangs they cry out for Assistance to Christ, for whose sake they are thus miserably tormented, then these Romish Scoffers bids, [Let Christ alone, and tell them the truth, what a crying out up­on Christ makest thou? &c.]

277. Those Torments are usually exercised upon them for three hours together, after all which to affright the poor Creature the more, they ask the Jaylor if his other Torments be ready, telling them that all this is but a flea-bi­ting in comparison of what is yet to be suffer'd: Then the Jaylor sets their Joynts as well as he can, and drags them away by their Legs or Arms most barbarously to Prison, and when the Aching of their Joynts be most painful, then are they brought to the Rack again, where the Executioner appears like a Devil.

278. If they still remain constant, they are again stripp'd and hoisted up with weights at their heels as before; besides which they add another cruel Torment, to wit, as they hang at the Pully, those Tormeutors bind their Thighs together, and Legs about the Calf with a small strong Cord; and with a short piece of wood, they twist the Cord till it be shrunk in­to the Flesh out of sight, and in this terrible torment they let the tormented lie for two or three hours.

279. And as if all this were too little, they proceed to another kind of Torture (called Aselli or the Trough) which is a piece of Tim­ber somewhat hollowed on the top like a Trough, about the middle whereof there is a sharp bar going across, whereon a mans back resteth, that it cannot go to the bottom; and 'tis placed so that his heels shall lye higher than his head; then is the naked Party laid thereon, his Arms, Thighs, and Legs bound with Cords.

280. Those binding Cords are both small and strong, and wrested with short Truncheons till they pierce almost to the very bone; then they take a sine Lawn Cloth, laying it upon the mouth of him or her thus tortured; (as they lye upright on their back) so that it may stop the Nostrils also. Then this barbarous Execu­tioner pours down a long stream of water like a Thread from on high, which drives the Cloth into the Throat of the Tormented, and puts them into as great an Agony as any endure in the pains of death.

281. For in this Torture they cannot draw their breath, the water stopping their Mouth and the Cloth their Nostrils; so that when the Cloth is drawn out of the bottom of the Throat it brings out blood with it, and one would think tears out the very Bowels: This is iterated as oft as the Inquisitors please, and as if this were not still cruelty savage enough, [Page 112]they take a pan of burning Charcoal and set it just over against the Soles of the Parties Feet, just before he goes to Rack, and that the Fire may have more force upon them they bast them with Lard or Bacon.

282. Lastly, to fill up their Ephah with matchless bloody-mindedness; if those tortured ones will not still deny the truth, they condemn them; and attiring them in Sambe­nito's, (which is a long Garment painted all over with^(y) ugly Devils) and putting on their heads a long and high crowned Hat, whereon a man is painted burning in the Fire, with many Devils about him plying him with Fire and Faggot; thus are they led away to the stake to be burned, with a cloven stick upon their Tongues to hinder them from speaking any thing: This measure, Mr. Nicholas Burton; (Merchant of London) met with in Queen Ma­ry's days.

283. I have been longer in the description of this bloody Inquisition,^(z) that my Coun­try-men, [Page 113]being informed of those prodigious, horrible, and barbarous Tortures these Popish Tygers execute upon their fellow-Creatures, and Christians (such as cannot be parallel'd a­mongst either Turks or Pagans) may abhor this Popish Religion, whose Principles and Pra­ctises be thus savage and bloody, as will make an heart (if not all of Stone, if any tenderness in it) to shrink and tremble at them.

284. To say nothing neither of bloody Bonner in Queen Mary's days, (whom Mr. Wood­man demonstrates to be drunk with Blood, Fox Act. and Monum. fol. 1800.) and his Accom­plices; nor of those bloody Rebels in Ire­land (in the year 1642.) whose merciless Rage extended it self beyond Expression to all Ages, Sexes, Conditions, yea and to very brute Beasts; and the report of whose Cruelties do yet astonish both the Readers and Relators, which yet cries for Vengeance, as those appa­ritions did a long time at Portendown Bridge, and as the blood of Abel (of old) did against Cain their Father.^(a)

285. Those Histories are commonly known and therefore I omit them; by all which it suf­ficiently [Page 114]appears, what blood-thirsty Monsters the Romanists are, that could never satiate their deep thirst, but ever (as Tomyris said of Cyrus ^(b)) hath been insatiable of Blood: The Rabbins well understand the Romanists, (those false Brethren the Popes Bloodhounds) by the Edomites, That pursued their Brethren with the Sword, and cast off all pity, their Anger tearing perpetually, &c. Amos 1.11. See the Pa­rallel in^(c) Dr. Taylor's Romish Edomite.

286. The Burthen of Duma in Isa. 21.11. (which is Idumaea or Edom) the Hebrew Rab­bins apply it to Rome, reading Roma for Duma, for there is great affinity betwixt their Daleth and Resh, and their Vau is likewise read some­times Ʋ and sometimes O; and they say, Quia vix acriores hostes experti sunt Judai quàm Idu­maos, ideò Romanos illis infensissimos, vocârunt novos Idumaeos. ^(d) And they call the Kingdom of the Pope, Regnum Edom impium.

287. Now Edom signifies [Red,] a Name put upon Esan, Geu. 25.30. not only because he was greedy of the Red Pottage, but also because lie was Red in Complexion and colour of his Body, ver. 25. being overgrown with Red Hair all o­ver, importing the bruitishness of the man and [Page 115]the monstrousness of his manners, in whose person God prefigùreth the bloody and barba­rous disposition of such as persecute his Church and dye their Garments Red with the blood of his Children.

288. Such bloody Edomites are the Roma­nists, for as the Edomites had an ancient, in­testine, and inbred Enmity against the Seed of God in their first Founder, Esau, against his Brother Jacob, continued, yea perpetuated in Esau's Posterity, Amos 1.11. and that not­withstanding the neerness of kindred be­tween them, Mal. 1.2. and the fair and friend­ly Carriage of the Israelites towards them in their passage to Canaan, Deut. 24.6. and the Laws made after in favour of them, above o­ther Neighbour Nations, Dent. 23.7. yet none were so spiteful and cruel to Israel as they, A­mos 1.11. Obad. 10.14. Psal. 137.7.

289. So the Romish Edomites have been found a bloody Generation by smarting expe­rience in all ages, and in all countreys, whose malignity against the seed and Israel of god, hath been so inveterate and implacable, that no obligations either of Oaths, asseverations, yea or of execrations could banke it in, much less have they been bounded in with bonds of either affinity or Consanguinity. As Edom of old not at all remembring the brotherly Covenant Am. 1.9.

290. The tragedies they have acted in so [Page 116]many Kingdoms and commonwealths (not­withstanding all professions and protestati­ons, yea and obligations of oaths, to the con­trary) doth abundantly. Evidence this, whose cruelties hath exceeded that of Diomedes (who fed his dogs with mans flesh) or that of Pe­rillus [who tormented men in an hot brazen bull] and (indeed) all paralells, unheard of among Pagans, Turks, or any Barbarians.

191. They are found most notoriously true to that damned principle of their Church, to wit, [Nulla fides cum Haereticis] Keepe no leagues with hereticks, and 'tis no more Sin to kill one of them, then to kill a Dog: Yea all their other Principles are steep'd in blood, tol­lerating Rebellion against King and Kingdome, murdering of Princes, blowing up of Parlia­ments, kindling coals of Devision (hotter then coals of Juniper) between confederate states, wherein they live in too much peace, Witness many Kingdoms at this day.

292. Oh what maps of blood are represent­ed to us, of Germany, Ireland, France, Eng­land, &c. All which they made Aceldama's or fields of blood, wherein those bloudy Papists (with their vizards pull'd off) acted more like incarnate Devils then men of reason and com­mon Humanity, to shew that they are of their Fa­ther the Devil [who was a murderer from the be­ginning] and^(e) the works of their father they will [Page 117]doe: And ^(f) that they are a Brutish people, skill­ful to destroy. Ezek. 21.31.

293. It would make ones ears tingle and ones bowells yerne to read or hear related, what those Engineers of cruelty acted upon the Stage of those several countreys, making it their sport to torture poor Protestants, and striving which of them could be most barba­rously exquisite in tormenting them, as if it had been some meritorious and superero­gating work in those fire-brands of Hell (like bloudy Vulters) to suck the blood of Saints.

294 Except we enter into the confines of Hell, where can wee find a fellow to that Blood­thirsty Monster^(g) (Cardinal Farnesius) who desir'd to wade in the blood of the Lutherans up to his Horse bridle: And to shew that their Religion is founded in blood, the very Doctrine of that bloody Molock (Antichrist] and his Cler­gy, thrusts Instruments of cruelty into the hands of their vassals, saying an Heretick loseth all right to all that he hath^(h) And being declared Hereticks, any one may kill them though Kings or Princes⁽ⁱ⁾ Yea though they change their Religion, as Henry the 4. of France, by Ravilliac.

295 And tis no wonder if (Edom like) they trample under foot all Covenants, when they are taught, that by heresie all bonds and obli­gations of Nature, of Covenant, of Oaths, and of duties are (ipso facto) dissolved, and He­reticks may be slain by sword, or by treason, even with the destruction of many innocent Catholicks: Oh doctrine of devils! yea that Hell-born plott of the Gunpowder-treason found an Apology from this same Eudamon, ap­probation from Claudius Aquavina, excuse from Bellarmine, and absolution from Hamon, all Jesuites.

296. To conclude this 4. cursed property of the Romish Religion, (the Bloodiness and cruelty of it) which is the fourth of those seven unclean Spirits that (like the empty house, Christ speaks of Math. 12.43.44. it is compleatly (in this number of perfection) possessed with. And this is an unclean spirit with an Emphasis, a Diabolical spirit, from the old Man-slayer, that red Dragon which both rules in, and rides on (even, whipping and spurring) the rage­ing Romanists, who do not only walk, but e­ven run in the way of Cain (the Devil's eldest Partriarch and the first Apostate) Jude 11. in^{(k) (l) (m)} [Page 119]murdering and Massacring their brethren in Christianity: Cain is still butchering his bro­ther Abel, and the older he grows the more bloody he becomes. That Scarlet whore hath made blood her drink in all Ages, and yet the more withered and wrinkled she grows (as those persons in a Hydropical Consumption) the more she drinks, the more she thirsts; she is now become more bloodthirsty unto this land, then ever, witness those Nimrods of our day the mighty hunters after the blood of men, who instead of Sacrificing their beast or beastly lusts unto the Lord, they do sacri­fice men (even the Lords servants) unto the beasts and unto their own beastly lusts as Nim­rod did.

297 Assuredly this present generation of Vipers (that would eat out the bowels of their own mother, the land of their nativity) was baptized with fire and not with water, with fire of Hell, not with water and the Spi­rit: They have nothing of that Blessed Dove in them, which descended upon Christ at his Bap­tism; there is more of the Serpent (yea of the Dragon) than of the Dove in them: o­therwise they had never actually muthered Sr. Edmonbury Godfrey after so Barbarous a man­ner, and that only because he took but an ex­amination according to his place of the Kings Sworn justice &c. And otherwise they had never Intentionally Contrived the Kings death [Page 120]with the Subversion of Religion and govern­ment, and merely because they stood in the way of promoting the Cacolick (rather then Catholick) cause, of the Malignant (rather than Militant) Church.

298. I know not any name more accom­modated to the nature (even the savage nature) of those Romanists of our times, than what Moses gave those terrible monsters of men in his time whom he calls the [Zamzummims] Deut. 2.20. The Hebrew Radix [Zamam] signifies [ [...] an Abomination, and the doubling of the Radical Letters do double the sense and signification, intimating those pre­sumptuously wicked ones were double Abomi­nation, they were doubly Abominable both for wicked craft and for wretched cruelty: So those Zamzummims of our day are grown tall­er by the Head and Shoulders (as Saul was) than all their Predecessors, breathing forth no­thing but Fire and Sword, in their burning of Cities and bloody Butcheries, wishing (with cruel Caligula) that the Protestants had but one Neck, that they might dispatch them all at one blow; this is a clear demonstration that we are fallen into the very dregs of time; the bottom of Liquors is the worst, because most dreggy: Hence it is that these Brats of Babylon (and of the Son of Perdition) are more brutish than their Ancestors and more skilful to destroy, Ezek. 21.31. The last bitings of the dying Beast are [Page 121]most mortiferous; and now this Scarlet colour (of the Mother of Harlots) which is called in the Greek [ [...]] twice dipt, in the Wool and in the Threed, must needs be of a deep dye indeed, being dipt over and over and o­ver again in the blood of the Saints.

299. As haughty Haman swell'd like a Toad and glowed like a Devil, a breathing Devil, because the Jew (which is by interpretation a Confessor) would not how to him, Esther 3.5. and was not this a mighty matter to mad him, so much, but that he was set on by that old Manslayer. A small Wind will raise a Bubble, and Ambition rides without Reins, especial­ly having [Insessorem Diabolum] as Tertullian's Phrase is, They must needs Run whom the Devil drives, and 'twas below this proud man to foul his fingers with one man alone, this was too little for his revenge, no less than an utter extirpation of that people, of whom (as con­cerning the Flesh) Christ was to come. The whole Nation must perish to satiate his vindictive fury and Phrenzy: This cursed Amalekite (be­ing no better than dirt kneaded with blood) reckons to make but one breakfast of all the people of God. In like manner those proud Hamans of our day, have contrived an hellish Plot for the cutting off of all the Protestants that will not bow to that man of Sin, and ac­knowledge Antichrist (Christs Office, to wit,) the head of the Church, whom they know to [Page 122]be Christs grand Adversary in all his Offices; and to be of that cursed stock of Amalek, whom the Lord will destroy with the breath of his mouth, and with the brightness of his coming: Yea, and this Diabolical design had as much se­curity for success (against all Ages, Sizes and Sexes) as the Devil could contribute to it, and as Haman's had, which if it had gone on, what an Acheldama would England have been, a Field of Blood, and in a short time a publick Sham­bles: Yea, God knows what may yet befal us, for Haman is not yet dead, and there are not a few still that carry Cain's Club about them as a sacred thing, all red with the Blood of A­bel. Oh! pray, pray, pray, that their Plot may be quite defeated (as it hath been hither­to deferred or hindred) and that things may be turned to the contrary, as Esth. 9: 1. By sending from heaven to save us, by sending his mercy and truth, Psal 57.3, 4. when Salvation it self (as it may seem to some) cannot save us, and that the Devil (who kept their ensuring Office) may deceive them in their lucky time, as he did Haman and his Accomplices in his bloody designed day.

300. 'Tis remarkable that Rome was first founded in Blood, for when Romulus built it, he temper'd his Mortar with the blood of his own Brother Rhemus; and that City (both Rome Heathen and Rome Antichristian) hath been all along (since its first bloody foundation) [Page 123]drinking deep of the blood of Martyrs in all the Centuries: Surely she is well nigh drunk by this time, and then must [...]he spue and fall. Wo to that bloody City, Nahum 3.1. as she began and continued in blood, so shall her end be. The literal Babylon of Chaldea is branded for a City of blood, and yet the mystical Babylon of Italy hath far out done her, being another Damascus, or Hebrew [Damesec] which sig­nifies a bag of blood; no City hath been more sanguinary than Rome, not only drunk with the Blood of Saints but also of her own Chil­dren: (Hildebrand was the death of six Popes successively within the space of thirteen Years, and sundry other Murthers were committed upon her own Members. Jacob. Revius de vitâ Pontif. pag. 119. and 270. and spec. Eu­rop. &c.) So that blood toucheth blood in that bloody City, above all the Cities of the world: There hath been such a continuation, and (as it were) a Concatenation of so many horrible Murthers and execrable Massacres in it and its Dominions, Hos. 4.2. Their hands are full of blood, Isa. 1.15. Their very tender mercies (if a­ny such thing was) were no better than cruelties: Prov. 12.10. But alas! not common humanity hath been found among those Romish Edom­ites, Obad. v. 10, 14, 16. 'Twas said of bloody Bonner, he was full of Guts but empty of Bow­els, therefore Rome shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy, Jam. 2.13. Prov. 28.27.

301. God will Remember Rome, Psal. 137.7. and bring an Evil, an only Evil upon her, Ezek. 7.5. and so set it on as no created Power shall be able to take it off: God will give her blood to drink for she is worthy, Revel. 16.6. that her end may be like her beginning and continuance; for in her is found the blood of all the slain upon Earth, Revel. 18.24. She hath an hand in all the Wars of Europe, Rome hath ever been the Slaughter-house of the Saints, and if the blood of men cry for Vengeance, the blood of Saints doth roar for it; yea, and the blood of Kings, Emperours, some of which they have actually murthered (more intentionally) and some of which they have poysoned with the Bread in the Sacrament: As she hath done, so God will do unto her, Obad. v. 15, 16. God loves to Retaliate and to give severity for cruelty, Psal: 18.26. Levit. 26.18, 21. Prov. 14.14. Revel. 6.10. and 13.10. and 18.6. &c. If the Blood of one A­bel had so many tongues as drops, and every drop a Voice to cry for Vengeance; Oh! then how loud is the cry of those many Thousands, yea Millions murthered by her: [Tot ora, quot vulnera] God will not pardon her murthers, 2 Kin. 24.4. but fill her with the evil of her own ways, Prov. 14.14. Rome's Ruine hastneth, who dare shake hands with her hands so imbrued in blood, horrible to God and Man.

CHAP. V. The Fifth Property is, The Novelty of Popery.

1. THe Fifth Character of the Romish Reli­gion is the Novelty of it, for which it ought to be abhorred: The Romanists do in­deed (but unjustly impeach us of Novelty,) which (in truth) is their own Crime. The Maxim is [Actori, non Reo incumbit probatio] the Plaintiff that affirms, not the Defendant that denyes, should prove his Plea; they com­plain of our Novelty, we defend our Antiqui­ty; they do scornfully call us Novellers, and ask where our Religion was before Luther; we answer, our Religion was always in the Sa­cred Scriptures, where their Religion could never be found: We can look beyond Luther, even to the true Catholick and Apostolical do­ctrine, wherewith ours holds consonancy in all points; but their brags and boastings of Antiquity is no better than that Cheat which the Gibeonites put upon Israel, with their old Shooes and mouldy Bread, Josh. 9.5. As they did work wilily, teaching their Tongues to lye, and covering their Falshood with Rags of Antiqui­ty, even so do the Romanists in our day with their old Shooes and clouted, with their old Sacks, [Page 126]old Bottles, and old Garments, to delude the World with their lying Doctrines; for when they are put to prove the Antiquity of their Religion, they can go no higher than about a thousand years ago; and such an upstart Ori­ginal as this, made great Athanasius to deride Arrianism (the elder Sister to Antichristianism) for its Novelty, because it had no higher a Rise than in such an Emperors Reign: [non erat sic ab initio] It was not so from the beginning, Matth. 19.8.

2. 'Tis a Romish Scoff, that Turkeys, Hops, and Heresie came into England all together in one bottom, to wit, when Luther's Books and Tin­dal's Translation of the Bible were brought hi­ther; as if no such Man as blessed Wickliff (with many other faithful Witnesses to the Truth) had ever been heard of, and as if the Writings of that holy Martyr, John Husse, had never been brought hither, and wrought much good here above an hundred years before Luther's time; and might not the mockers of the Jew­ish Religion take up the same Taunt against the godly Jews after the great defection in their Captivity of Literal Babylon; saying, Where was your Religion before Ezra? and where was your Church before him? It might have been an­swered then, Our Religion is in the word of God, in the five Books of Moses; but our Church hath been in the bondage of Babylon, from which God hath mercifully delivered it by his [Page 127]Servant Ezra: So we may answer, Our Reli­gion hath been ever in Gods holy Word, and will ever remain so; but our Church hath been in the Bondage of Babylon Mystical, (as they of Babylon Literal) which the Lord hath been de­livering out of this many Years, by many of his Servants in many Ages: Yea, and might not the Scribes and Pharisees have made the same Objection against our Lord Christ (him­self) and his Gospel for an upstart Religion: This is well Anticipated, 1 Joh. 2.7. This is the old Commandment which was from the beginning.

3. 'Tis true, the Scribes and Pharisees might have pleaded for their Traditions to be of more account than Christs own Instructions, (just as the Romanists do against us) because of their Antiquity, Universality, &c. for as­suredly their Traditions had been received in the Jewish Church, and had an universal Ap­probation amongst that degenerate Generati­on long before Christ was born: Yea, and du­ring his whole life, all the Jewish Clergy, the Priests, Levites, Scribes and Pharisees consent­ed together as one man to maintain their own Superstitions, and to suppress the Religion of our Lord Jesus; they having been (with the peo­ple that were their Proselytes) time out of mind the visible Church: Yet were these men nothing so profound in their speculative Que­stions, as the Romanists are in our day, to re­quire a Catalogue from Christ, of all the Names [Page 128]of such as had from time to time professed that same Religion which he preached (so contrary to theirs) to his own time. Had they requi­red this, Christ must have confessed to them that for the last three hundred years at the least, no such Succession could be demonstrated; and yet our Lord rectifies the Extravagancies of those blind Guides, by reducing them to the first Institution (which is the best Rule of all right Reformations) telling them that from the beginning it was not so, Matth. 19.8. Yea and the beloved Disciple (which lay in Christs Bosom) seems studiously to decline all suspicion of No­velty in saying; I write unto you no new Command­ment, 1 Joh. 2.7. as if he would have us to have a jealous eye upon new Notions, seeing Truth is like Wine, the Older the Better. Luke. 5.39. Gods people are called the Antient People, Isa. 44.7. that stand in the old way, Jer. 6.17. and walk in the antient Paths, Jer. 18.15. but Idola­ters are said to sacrifice to New Gods, such as came newly up, Deut. 32.17. And whether those many he-Saints and she-Saints which the Ro­manists do worship, be not so many new Gods that be newly come up, the Sequel may dis­cover.

4. The Romish Religion being brought to the touchstone of the Word, cannot justly be­come a Loadstone unto any Souls (after a true tryal of it) to draw them after it; we should prove all things, and hold fast that which is good, [Page 129]1 Thess. 5.21. Now the best Religion is that which is truly the oldest Religion, according to that Axiom [Illud verissimum quod Antiquise simum] that Religion is the truest which is the ancientest; [ [...]] new things are nothings, or at the best vain things, saith the Greek Proverb: Of Witnesses Aristotle wit­nesseth, that the more Ancient they are, the more Credible and Creditable they are, be­cause less corrupted: [...], Arist. Rhet. lib. 1. Antiquity if it be right, is of great Authority; and hence Moses sends the Israelites to Antiquity: Re­member the days of Old, Consider the years of ma­ny Generations; Ask thy Father and he will shew thee, thy Elders and they will tell thee, Deut. 32.7. as indeed they did tell them, Judg. 6.13. and Psal. 44.1, 2. Thus Bildad bids Job, Enquire of the former Age, Job 8.8 of their [Radmo­nim] as the Jews called their Ancestors, whose heart (they said) was as the Gate of the Tem­ple, large and beautiful; but the heart of their Posterity was as the Eye of a Needle, narrow and of no Receipt in comparison, and there­fore they are referred to their Progenitors for better Information.

5. Yet this Maxim [quod Antiquissimum Ve­rissimum] that is truest which is Ancientest, must be taken [in sano sensu, & cum grano salis] in a sound sense and with a grain of Salt; there­fore did I affirm before the Authority of Anti­quity [Page 130]with this caution, to wit, [when it is right Antiquity] 'tis the Noble saying of a No­ble Writer, that Antiquity must have no more Authority than it can maintain with truth: Old Age (saith Solomon) is (indeed) a Crown of Glory; but 'tis only so, when 'tis found in the way of Righteousness, Prov. 16.31. and not o­therwise: Antiquity disjoyn'd from Verity is but a filthy Hoariness, and deserveth no more Reverence than an old Fornicator or Male­factor, which because old, is so much the more odious; and as Manna, the longer it was kept against the Command of God, the more it stank; so doth Error, Enormity, and Heresie. Custom without Truth is but mouldy Error; though the Romanists call their Religion the old Reli­gion, (which is their common decoy) yet is it a mouldy, putrefied, and stinking Religion; having not the Salt of Truth to preserve it, and it cannot truly be called the Old Religion, because it cannot be found in the Scripture of Truth. This Bellarmine himself confesses to part of the Popish Religion, to wit, Invocation of Saints, saying; [Cum seriberentur soripturae, nondum caeperat usus vovendi sanctis.] there was no vowing (nor bowing) to the Saints departed, when the Scriptures were written. Bell▪ de Cult. Sanct. cap. 5.

6. Suppose it may be said of Popish Super­stitions, as 'tis said 1 Chron. 4.23. [These are ancient things] old and obsolete, never a whit [Page 131]the better for that. 'Tis here at best as in Books, some of which are adoranda Rubiginis; of adored rustiness, which are of more Anti­quity than of Authority: Laban, the Idolater, pretends Antiquity for his Gods, in his Oath to Jacob, wherein he appealed to the Gods of Abraham, of Nahor, and of their Father Terah, (all which served strange Gods, Josh. 24.2.) but Jacob (in his Oath) riseth no higher than his Father, (swearing only by the fear of his Father Isaac) Gen. 31.53. Though the Idolater pre­tended the Antiquity of his Gods, in his go­ing so high as his Grandfather, &c. yet sure­ly Jacob that pleaded it not, worshiped the truer God and more rightly. Thus the Image at Ephesus (which occasioned such a tumult, Act. 19.) had its Antiquity, and could not be spo­ken against by any reason, as the Town-Clerk told the people: And why? because it was wonderfully ancient, so ancient that though the Temple of Diana had been seven several times re-edifyed; yet this same Image was ne­ver altered, Pliny lib. 16. cap. 40. Yea so anci­ent, that though it was made by Canetias a cer­tain Artificer as Records relate, yet for the great Antiquity of it, those covetous and ido­latrous Priests gave out, that it did fall down from Jupiter, to make it the more venerable amongst the blind Heathens, Act. 19.35. And by a craft not much unlike this of those Pagan Craftsmen, the Papagan or Popish Priests do [Page 132]now shew some shivers of the Cross whereon our Lord suffered, yea some shreds of the tale of the Ass, whereupon he rode to Jerusalem: To go yet higher, sinning and lying are anci­ent things, as ancient almost as the world; yet are they not the better but worse for this Antiquity; neither doth Christ hereby com­mend the Devil in calling him a Murtherer from the beginning, John 8.44. All ancient things are not the best things.

7. But to come closer to the point, and to shew that the Romish Religion is so far from any true Antiquity, that it is no better than a Novice, Novelty, and a mere Innovation, and therefore the charge of Novelty the Romanists would fasten upon us, ought (indeed) to be retorted upon them; they do crastily to call [Novellers] first, and it may be they learn'd this craft from Ahab (that sold himself to work wickedly) who first called the Lords Prophet [Atroubler of Israel,] but the Prophet retorts it back upon him saying, Thou and thy Fathers house be the troublers of Israel, 1 Kin. 18.17. or rather, the Romanists might learn this craft from Korah and his Conspirators, that accused Moses and Aaron for taking too much upon them, when indeed it was their own Crime; and therefore 'twas justly charged (by way of re­tortion) upon them by Moses, what they had unjustly charged upon him and Aaron, Numb. 16.3, 7. And thus our retorting upon Popery [Page 133]the charge of Novelty wherewith the Papists falsely reflect upon us, is warranted by Scri­pture. And here I cannot omit how Scaliger truly and trimly told the Jesuits, [Nos non su­mus Novatores, sed vos estis Veteratores.] we are not young Novellers, but sure I am; you are old Cheaters. The truth of this learned mans Testimony will be more evident in handling the Jesuits tricks in Chapter 6.

8. The Novelty of Popery appeareth in the sequel more particularly, although we be able (as hath been said) to look far beyond Luther, yet sure I am, the Romanists (in their present faith) cannot look beyond Antichrist, I mean the Western Antichrist, the Pope. Assuredly Popery rose not until the Star [Wormwood] fell, which was not till the third Angel sound­ed, Revel. 8.10. which must be after that great flood of Arrianism, that seemed to drown the World again, insomuch that the good Father cryed out totus mundus fit Arrianus. Now this great Star, blazing Comet, or burning Mete­or, must needs be that grand Apostate of Rome, whom Phocas (the Parricide) set up in his Chair of Pestilence, and this great Star is called [Worm­wood] not only because he was in the Gall of Bitterness himself, but also because he imbit­tered others, and proved exceeding bitter to others: He was the Son of Perdition (so call­ed) both Actively and Passively, in working the destruction of others, and being for de­struction [Page 134]himself at last. After Gregory the Great (in the sixth Century) who was the worst of all the Popes that went before him, and the best of all them that came after him: Boniface the Third was his immediate Successor in whom there was a great fall from Primitive Integrity into the deepest Gulph of Impiety, and then arose the smoak of the Bottomless Pit, Revel. 9.1, 2. to wit, Heretical Opinions; insomuch that all the old Hereticks were said to flee and hide themselves in the Popish Clergy. Then did the smoak of School-Divinity-Notions darken the Sun or light of the Gospel, and this Star falling by degrees so far as to adore St. Igno­rance so much, that the works of Bellarmine (their great Champion) and of Gregory de Va­lentia, were not allowed to be sold in Italy, because the Arguments which the Protestant Authors use in their own defence, are rehears­ed in them. The longest look the Romanists can take, is at this blazing Star, that Lieutenant General to the Dragon who sent forth whole bands of Locusts, to wit, Monks, Fryars, Priests, and Jesuits, both numerous and voracious, Rev. 9.3.

9. Even their own Bellarmine speaks some­thing that hath a tendency to the gradual fall­ing of this Star [Wormwood] saying, Ab eo tempore quo per vos papa Antichristus esse capit, non modo non erevit ejus imperium sed semper ma­gis ac magis decrevit, Bellarm. do Pap. Rom. lib. 3. [Page 135] cap. 1. Since (saith he) you Protestants began to call the Pope Antichrist, he did not only not increase, but a great part of his Command and Commodity hath decreased, and is lost. Whence I note by the way, 'tis not cautelously done by any of our Divines (in my judgment) so much as to doubt at this day who is the Antichelst? Seeing we have here their own great Cham­pion, [quasi Reum penè si non planè confitentem] as if guilty almost if not altogether confessing the thing, and the rather because he doth so in­geniously acknowledg that the very calling the Pope Antichrist, hath been an Ordinance in Gods hand to bring down the Kingdom of the Beast and to make this bitter Star fall gradually: And how probable it is, that the Key of the bottomless Pit was given to this falling Star (falling from the heavenly doctrine of the Chri­stian Church at Rome in the Apostles time, and after down into the Carnal and Earthly Religi­on of the now Romish Antichristian Church) with which Key he lets into the bottom less Pit Souls innumerable, insomuch that in the days of Hildebrand (that Pope which was called The Brand of Hell, alluding to his Name) some Let­ters were set forth as sent from Hell, wherein the Devil and his Angels give the Popish Cler­gy many thanks for sending them in so many Souls, as they never had in any Age before: Now if Popery began at this Star, then it can­not be accounted an ancient thing.

10. I know the Romanists use to beguile people, by telling them that men of their Re­ligion built all the Churches, Colledges, Hos­pitals, &c. in all the world. To which I answer, 'twas not men of the Popish but of the Christian Religion, that did most of those things. Constantine built a Church on Mount Calvary, and Justinian built another at Constan­tinople, and our Ethelbert built Paul's here at London. These were all done before the fall of the Star [Wormwood,] or before Popery was heard of in the World, and before the man of Sin (that mistery of Iniquity) was revealed. 'Tis true indeed, Dolman, alias Parsons, doth labour in the very fire to defend the Antiquity of the Romish Religion here, making all the three Conversions of England to be from Rome and to the Romish Faith, but the absurdity here­of appears out of their own Baronius. Who 1. confesses that Joseph of Arimathea came into England nine years before Peter went to Rome, from whence it necessarily follows, that our Church must be ancienter than that at Rome by nine years. 2. The Christians here kept their Easter after the Eastern manner upon the four­teenth day, which they would not have done had they received the faith from the Western Church from Rome. 3. Pope Victor (in the second Century) would have altered this cu­stom, had this Land been then under his Juris­diction. 4. The Mother of Constantine [He­lene] [Page 137]one of this Island, did not hold any such points of Popery, as the Romish Church now holdeth.

11. To these add 5. Pelagius (one of this Island also) differed not from Augustine (in the Third Century) only in Freewill and Original Sin, no other Popish points were known to them or discussed between them. 6. Pope E­lentherius did acknowledge our King Lucius to be Gods Vicar in his own Land, which was far from those Ambitious Popes (his Successors) who make themselves Gods Vicars in all Lands: As to that pretended Conversion by Austin (that Arrogant Monk) which Dolman would defend; 'tis answered, that factious fellow found much opposition here about his imposing upon our Ancestors, those Romish Rites of Ea­ster day, Church-musick, Letany, single life of Priests, processions, &c. (though at that time we read not a word of Pardons, Indulgencies, Transubstantiation, the Sacrament in one kind, &c. all of them upstart things.) Hereupon Austin the Monk (thus opposed) doth conspire with King Ethelfred to cut off 1200 of his Opposers, to wit, the holy Monks of Bangor, who were altogether unlike the Monks in after Ages, for they lived by the sweat of their brows, and by the labour of their hands, and gave them­selves to Fasting and Prayer, not only lest the Christian Britains should be overrun by the hea­then Saxons, but also lest they should be cor­rupted [Page 138]by the Romish Superstitions, which this insolent Austin (whom they discerned and disowned, as no man of God, by his pride and ambition) would have (from Gregory in the sixth Century) intruded upon them: hence Gregorii Vicarius was justly stiled Gregis Sicari­us, and his Reformation (so called) was rather a Deformation; yea, his Conversion (as Dolman terms it) was rather a Perversion; and, which is worse (as much as in him lay) a plain Eversi­on, in the slaughter of those holy men: so that, instead of a Prophet's Reward, he better deserved the Punishment of a Murderer; Beda, lib. 2. cap. 2. Isaac. Chronol, pag. 406. Fuller's Chur. Hist. 2. b. 10. Anno Dom. 605.

12. I might add many other Witnesses, which all do witness that the Christian Religi­on (which is the same that we Protestants do protest to profess and practice) was long be­fore the Romish Religion (as now it is) found any footing amongst us; and that many in this Island suffered Martyrdom for it in the time of Diocletian the Emperor, long before this Au­stin; Beda hist. lib. 3. Bishop Ʋsher De Primord. Eccles. Britan, p. 102, and De Ecclesiae statu & Successu, at large; and Aicentinus in his Annals lib. 3. to say nothing of Pareus, Osorius, or of the Magdeburg Centurists (whom Dolman scornfully calls a Quadrilio, or round Table, because writ by four men; Illyricus, Vigandus, Judex and Faber) because prejudiced against [Page 139]them. Their own Gregory of Monmouth con­futes that fond opinion of Pope Gregory's sen­ding this Austin to plant the Christian Faith in this Island, seeing it had been planted here a­bove four hundred years before Austin's time, saying [In patria Britonum adhuc vigebat Christi­anitas, qua ab Apostolorum tempore nunquam in­ter cos defecerat] it had never failed amongst them since the Apostles times. And that Austin found many great places, all furnished with good re­ligious men, Greg. Monmouth de Britan. Gestis lib. 8. To say nothing of look beyond Luther at large, and of Dr. Humphrey, in his Prax. Jesuitismi, fol. 17. who shews how many wit­nesses Oxford hath afforded against the Romish Religion (which I speak largely of in my Ap­pendix to the Treatise of Antichrist.) I shall conclude this Paragraph with setting Dolman against Dolman, who confesseth ingeniously (in his pag. 19.) that either Simon Zelotes (the Apo­stle) or Joseph of Arimathaea (the Disciple) brought Religion into this Land from Jerusa­lem: Hence I Argue, if it came hither first from Jerusalem, then it came not hither first from Rome, as he elsewhere saith.

13. Moreover, if we consider either the name or the thing, the Novelty hereof will be more evident. 1. Consider the name [Pa­pist] 'tis but a novel name, and not found a­mong the Ancients. What need any further Testimony of this, when their own Father [Page 140] Bristow doth confess it; saying (in his eighth Demand) that the name [Papist] was never heard of till the time of Pope Lee, in the fif­teen hundredth year of Christ: Habemus re­um Confitentem, 'tis enough. The Testimony of an Adversary against himself is unquestio­nable. Secondly, Consider the thing [Pope­ry] in its Popish Points; which are all novel Points, and not known to the ancient Church. We are able to shew the first Authors of their corrupt Doctrines, which were not received into the Church for six hundred years after Christ: and, though we could not do this, yet would it not follow that the Romish Church is the true ancient Church. For, first, Many Heresies did spring up after the Apostles time, yet none knew how, 1 Joh. 2.18. and 4.1. yea, Popery (it self) began to work at that time, 2 Thes. 2.7. Secondly, The Head of some Errors may be as hard to discover as the Head of the River Nilus; and the rather, be­cause Satan (that Super-Seminator) sows his Tares in the night, while men slept, Mat. 13.15. They are so privily and so creepingly brought in, Gal. 2.4. 2 Tim. 3.6. 2 Pet. 2.1. and Jude 4. But, above all, that Grand Error of Popery (in as much as it is called a Mystery of Iniquity) was foisted in less discernably. Thirdly, The Romanists themselves do acknowledge, that there are many Errors crept into the Church, the first Authors whereof cannot be named. [Page 141]And Fourthly, It would be enough to discover the Novelty of Popery, by demonstrating that it cannot be found in the Holy Scriptures, which is the truest Antiquity.

14. I have already discovered the Novelty of many Popish Points of the Romish Religi­on, in pag. 26. Paragraph. 65, 66. &c. of this Treatise. That they were not from the be­ginning, but are all additions by the man of sin, and therefore accursed, Revel. 22.18. My Additions therefore thereunto shall be such only, as my brevity proposed can admit; to say but little to their inferior practick Points; as of their Popish Beads, Holy Water, Missal Vestments, Latin Service, &c. 1. The use of their Beads in their blind devotion, came not from Peter the Apostle, but from Peter the Hermit, that Trumpet to the Holy War (so called) who taught them the manner of pray­ing with Beads, that thereby they might rec­kon their Prayers: as if God should be verily in their Debt, for their so many Pater Nosters and Ave Maries; whereas true Devotion is not so much [Numeranda ut Ponderanda] num­bered as pondered with the Lord: he will have weight and worth in right Prayer, and not Vain babbling, Mat. 6.3. Battilogia Pentificia vel ipsum Satanam pudeat. Their vain Repeti­tions are so gross and shameless, that the Devil himself (had he any shame in him) would be a­shamed of them, faith learned Beza. 2. Their [Page 142]Holy Water Polidor Virgil makes Pope Alex­ander the first to be its Author, Anno Domini 118, or 121. see Prideaux his Introduction, pag. 69. I confess they may go to Nama Pompilius and other Heathens, for consecrated Water (long before this Pope Alexander) for they had their [...] at their Idol-Temple doors; and their Baronius alledges Juvenal's sixth Satyr for their Lustral Water. Surely this is not an Antiquity for the Roma­nists to boast of, to borrow from Devil-wor­shippers.

15. It must not be denied that if their Ho­ly Water be derived from Numa Pompilins, it hath Antiquity in it, because Numa was seven hundred years before Christ; a good Warrant for Christian Holy Water: and in nothing better than in this, that Numa was a reputed Conjurer, and so a fitter Author of that con­jured Water: It is truly called so from their own form of consecrating this Holy Water; which is as followeth [I conjure thee, O thou Creature, Water, in the Name of God † the Father Almighty, and in the Name of Jesus † Christ the Son, and by the power of the Holy † Spirit] with certain Prayers mumbled over it; then they blasphemously equal it to the blood of Christ for purging away sins, you may suppose 'tis only such Sins as have no deep rooting in us, that a few drops of this Holy Water can wash away. I wonder they [Page 143]should overlook that Holy Water mentioned, Numb. 5.17. there's Antiquity indeed, (bet­ter than Baronius's sixth Satyr of Juvenal. Ba­ron, Annal. ann. 44.) but the mischief is, that was an Holy Water that caused the Curse, Num. 5.21. Water is indeed an Element that God hath given us, both for Natural and Celestial use: the first in Household Affairs, the second in the Sacrament of Baptism: these are truly ancient things; but the Romanists converting it (beyond all Divine Ordination) by their Exorcisms and Inchantments, to other Magick and Idolatrous Uses: This is a mere Novelty and Nullity. The words of their Exorcisms run thus [Exorcizo te Aqua Benedicta, ut fias aqua exercizata, &c.] that thou maist have power to drive away Devils. Oh ridiculous. Much more might I say to this point, but my Book (intended little) swelleth much al­ready.

16. So I must be abrupt in it, as likewise, 3. In their Missal Vestments, wherein they do plainly Judaize; yea, more than so, or rather Heathenize it therein: For, 1. They cannot plead the Garments of the Levitical Priest­hood, seeing this were to send the Messiah to Moses School, and so to deny that Christ is come in the Flesh, Which is the spirit of Anti­christ, 1 Joh. 4.2, 3. for Christ, by his com­ing, changed the Law of the Levitical Priest­hood, Heb. 7.11. and, together with it, the [Page 144]Rites and Apparels; which glittering Gar­ments could not congruously correspond with the Simplicity of the Gospel. 2. Popish Priests do more than Judaize, in as much as they a­bound more in their Holy Garments than ever the Mosaical Priests did; for the High Priests had but seven Garments appointed them, and the other Priests but two; yet the Popish Priests have six, their Popish Prelates nine more, Ration. Divin. Offic. lib. 3. cap. 1. and Bellarm. lib. 2. de Miss. cap. 14. And the Popes in their Pontificalibus (said Erasmus) may bet­ter be compared to Julius Caesar, Alexander and Croesus, than to Christ, or to any of his Apostles; Illyricus Catal. Test. Verit. pag. 2052. Yea, Bernard (long before Erasmus) said, that the Pope in his pomp was more like the Suc­cessor of Constantine, than of Peter, Idem ibi­dem 163. Greg. Nazian. &c. 3. They do plainly Heathenize, which is worst of all; for Tertullian saith (de Corona Militis) [mihi crede, hoc Rita, habitu & Apparatu Idolis immolatur:] In such like Vestments (believe me) the Hea­thens do sacrifice to their Idols.

17. They do heathenize in their Holy Gar­ments, in their Holy Water, and in many o­ther things, if we believe Baronius; who saith, not only their Lustral Water, and sprinkling of Sepulchres may be found in Ju­venal's sixth Satyr (as before) but also, their Lights in Sepulchres are mentioned in Sueto­nius [Page 145]his Octavius; and their Lamps lighted up­on Saturdays, in Seneca's 96th Epistle; and distribution of Tapers among the people, in Macrobius's Saturnals, &c. Good Warrants all; as if God had never said to his people [Be not like unto the Heathen, do not conform to their customs] Matth. 6.8. not so much as to name their Gods (without abhorrency) Exod. 23.13. Psal. 16.4. Yet Cardinal Bembus most grosly affirmeth of their St. Francis [Quòd in Numerum Deorum ab Ecclesiâ Romanâ sit Rela­tus] that he was reckoned by the Romish Church a­mong the number of the Gods. This must be the Heathen Gods, for Christians know but one Only and True God, 1 Cor. 8.4, 5, 6. The Gods of the Heathen are good fellows (thirty thousand of them in Hesiod's time, (as his Verse snews) [...]) the Romanists have made them a great Army since that time, with their St. Fran­cis, and many other Canonized Saints; much good may this good fellowship do St. Francis. It was the Devil's Grammar that first taught to decline Deum in the Plural Number [Ye shall be as Gods] Gen. 3.5.) but the true God is a jealous God, and will not share his Glory with another, Isa. 43.10, 11. and 45.5, 6, 14. and 48.11. But to return to their Priestly Vestments.

Assuredly, such Vestments were not known in primitive times, nor were they reputed among [Page 146]necessary things in that first Council, Act. 15. wherein the Holy Ghost sat President. The ne­cessary things are there mention'd, but not Gar­ments; and Paul bids Timothy be content with Food and Raiment, 1 Tim. 6.6, 7. but he bids him not load himself with Pontifical Raiment, yet speaks he of Women's Raiment in Chap. 2. The Novelty hereof therefore appears that it is not found in the Word, but only in the Sy­nodal Acts of Anselm in the eleventh Century, Anno Dom. 1106. as Authors shew.

18. Fourthly, their Latin Service is a mere Novel Novice Device, which hath the Inscri­ption of the Heathen Altar at Athens, Act. 17. upon it [to the unknown God.] It is not a get­ting under the Tree of Knowledge, and look­ing towards the Tree of Life; it is not a pray­ing with the Ʋnderstanding, and using [ [...], Words easie to be understood, 1 Cor. 14.9, &c. Thus its absurdity appears; when a Popish Priest gets into a corner, and mumbles over his Latin Services, which the people can­not so much as hear, much less understand; but least of all, how can they say Amen to it, as Christ (in his Apostle) commands, but Anti­christ forbids? Their own Commentators confess it were more to edifying, but the Church hath allowed it upon weighty Grounds. Why do they not preach in Latin as well as pray? Dr. Davenant Determ. pag. 185. and the Novelty of it appears in this, [Page 147]that Pope Vitalianus appointed Latin Service [...] in the year 666. the Number of the Beast, Rev. 13. last. Magdeburg. Cent. 7. cap. 6. pag. 141. and Osian. Cent. 7. cap. 10. pag. 191. &c. Balaeus, Cent. 1.

19. The Conclusion, Thus might I enlarge in shewing the novelty of all the other inferi­or, yea, and superior points of the Popish Do­ctrine and Practice; but to avoid prolixity, I shall only make a reference of them to Au­thors: the first Author is Duplessis, or Philip Mornaeus, De Sacrâ Eucharistiâ who shews the Novelty of the foppery of Popery. He saith first, that about the year 340. they began to give [Panem Vino intinctum] Bread dip'd in Wine before they took away the Cup, pag. 270. which was not done till Thomas Aquinas time, pag. 257, 297, 298. the Eastern Church using both. 2. Worshipping of Images began from the second Lateran Council, which established it, pag. 447. Which Council brought in also, 3. the Canon of the private Mass, about the year 1200. pag. 605.4. Forbidding Priests Marriages (he shews) was from the Heathens, pag. 649, 667. and that Nicolaus Diaconus brought it into the Church, pag. 698. which was after confirmed by Pope Hildebrand (that Brand of Hell) who, notwithstanding, kept his Whore [Matildah] pag. 706. which caused a World of wickedness, pag. 712. and 717.5. Their Purgatory (he shews) was from the [Page 148]Heathens, pag. 1003. and how it had its pro­gress in the Romish Church, pag. 1059.6. Their Invocation of Saints was not known in the Church for four hundred years after Christ, pag. 1215.7. Their Transubstantiation was not any Article of their Faith until the Trent Council, pag. 1666 8. He shews also the foppery of their Altars, Crosses, &c. and that they were unknown till a thousand years after Christ, pag. 382. Cum multis aliis, &c. The second Author is famous Peter de Moulin; de Novitate Papismi. (both French Worthies, He and Du-plessis) whose Book stands unan­swerable to the everlasting disgrace of the Ro­mish Religion. The third Author is honou­rable Bishop Ʋsher, de Statu & Successu Ecclesiae, which can never be answered. The fourth is Reverend Mr. Baxter, (both our own Coun­trymen) who hath challenged the Papists for Novelty in thirty two points, in his Key for Catholicks, pag. 143, 144. yet unanswered. The fifth Author learned Dr. Willet in his Sy­nopsis Papismi at large. The sixth Author God­ly Hildersham upon John, pag. 37. and pag. 141. Numb. 46. To say nothing of their Monks, Fryars, and Nuns, (see Dr. Willet on Rom. pag. 711. Dr. Boy's Postil's in fol. pag. 572. Rosse's Panscheia, pag. 259. and many others of this and all other their fooleries, all which shew the Romish Religion is a Religion to be abhorred (as an upstart Religion) of all sober minds. [Page 149]The last Author is King James, in his Tortus lyes confuted, where he shows the Novel Do­ctrines thereof, with a brief declaration of their Novelty. See the Particulars.

CHAP. VI. The Sixth Property, Its Inconsistency with Publick Peace.

1. THere is a three-fold Inconsistency that the Romish Religion hath as a remark upon it: As 1. Its Inconsistency with holiness to God, as it both allows of and wallows in a most impure worship, which is both contrary to his Holy Nature, in their downright Idolatry; by Adoration of Images, and Invocation of Saints and Angels; and contrary to his holy Scri­pture in the very Letter of it, by their setting up another Head besides Christ, whom they rob of all his Offices, Regal, Sacerdotal, and Prophetical; by establishing Free-will, Merit, Sins (in their own nature) Venial, and by ad­ding to and diminishing from the Word of God in many points, as in their seven Sacraments, and other parts of Popery; yea generally the whole System and Body of it (as such) being fully contradictory to the Scripture of Truth, as my Second Part doth plainly demonstrate. [Page 150](2.) Its Inconsistency with Righteousness to Man, by its accounting all of any other Religions, Hereticks, and that Faith is not to be kept with such as they account so; also that force and violence (such as is used in their bloody Inqui­sitions) yea and death it self may be inflicted upon those they call Hereticks, and that mere­ly [quà tales] for their being such, though o­therwise they do nothing either in word or deed, either to disturb the Peace or justly pro­voke the powers of those Popish Countries wherein they live, see Dr. Heylin's large Geo­graphy, fol. 90. and 231. Popery lays such barbarous Obligations upon every Papist, that he holds himself bound to kill any Son of Adam whom he pleaseth to term an Heretick, con­trary to the Laws of God, of Nature, and of Nations: How can this be consistent with Righ­teousness to Man?

2. (3.) Its Inconsistency with publick peace and common safety in States and Kingdoms, (to say no more of the two former Inconsisten­cies) is the main matter I would here demon­strate; and that by discovering how the very Principles intrinsecally essential to Popery, are all of such dangerous Influence and Conse­quence, (which their Religion binds them un­to) by reason whereof, no Protestant State or Kingdom (wherein Popish Priests and people live) can be secure from disturbance by them, or yet ought to trust to the Loyalty of such, [Page 151]as (by the very Religion they profess) may lawfully be disloyal when they please; yea and not only may be, but must be disloyal, being bound to be so when they are able and have advantage. Upon this very consideration un­doubtedly it was, that our own learned Dr. Davenant in his seventeenth Question determi­neth, that Jesuitiz'd Papists cannot possibly be good Subjects; saying: [Non esse, extra contro­versiam est, &c.] That they are not so 'tis be­yond all Controversie, for their many hainous Conspiracies against Kings and Kingdoms do make a clear demonstration. But (saith he) all the question is, seeing 'tis plain they are not) whether they can be good Subjects; in as much as their very Principles which the Je­suites have imposed, and which all Jesuitiz'd Papists have received, do necessarily hinder them from being so: Whoever therefore he be that owns the Jesuits Principles, and not on­ly approve them but also improve them by drawing those Principles into practice; whe­ther he be of the Clergy or Laity (saith he) such a one can by no means so much as have the very name of a good Subject: Let us now take a view particularly of their Principles which are Inconsistent with Peace. Their 1. Prin­ciple is, Their owning of and acting by a Foreign Power, and disowning Subjection to the power of their Native Princes. This dogmatical Princi­ple (alone) makes all Romanists (especially [Page 152]their Priests and Jesuits) to be so far uncapable of being numbred amongst good Subjects, as that they cannot be so much as reckoned as Subjects at all; in as much as they hold them­selves exempted from all secular Powers, and to be Subjects to none but to their holy Father the Pope, quite contrary to the Doctrine of the Holy Apostle, Rom. 13.1. [Let every Soul (whether Clergy or Laity) be subject to the higher Powers: Surely Paul to the Romans could not mean the higher powers of the Roman Pope, see ver. 3, 4. &c.

3. Their great Champion [Bellarmine] pleads this Exemption for his Romish Clergy; saying, [They are not obliged to Civil Laws by any Coactive, but only by a directive Obligation,] Bel­larm. de Cler. lib. 1. Against this Dr. Davenant acutely answereth: But, What if they will not be directed, but trample the Civil Laws under their Feet? Bellarmine replies, They cannot (not­withstanding) be punish'd by the Civil Magistrate.] Our Dr. Davenant goes further, saying: But what if they commit that grand wickedness of High Treason? To this Eudaemon the Jesuit rejoyns saying, That Clergymen cannot properly commit Treason, and their Zimanca expresly teacheth, that a Clergy-mans Rebellion is not properly High Treason, for he is not subject to the King. By this they cut the very sinews of all Political Laws, while they plead this exemption from the Yoke of all secular Power, and hereby 'tis manifest [Page 153]they are so far from being good Subjects, that they do profess themselves no Subjects at all by this Exemption. This is quite contrary to the Doctrine of Paul, of Peter, and of Christ. 1. Of holy Paul, Rom. 13.12, 4. Ʋbi Lex (aut E­vangelium) non distinguit, ibi non est distinguen­dum. The Apostle saith, [Let every Soul be subject] without any distinction, why do they make distinctions where God makes none; as if the Generation of a Clerick were the Corruption of a Subject: (in this Exemption) what is this but to make the Church to destroy the State? If the Magistrate be a Minister ordained of God to punish Evil Doers (as this Apostle affirm­eth;) then Popish Clericks that are Evil Doers can (in no wise) be exempted from his Cogni­zance, unless they do not acknowledge God (the Ordainer of that Power) to be a Superior Power to theirs. 2. Of Holy Peter (their own pretended Head,) 1 Pet. 2.13, 14. Submit your selves to Kings and Governours. Chrysostom shews, that this Command is to all Clergymen, yea e­ven to the very Apostles and Evangelists; and were it not so, it would be a loss unto Princes to have any of their Subjects become Clergy­men, if thereby he should lose that subjection which was due to him before. But opposite to this, is that excellent Note which Zanchy (that Magazine of Learning) gives in his Epi­stle Dedicatory to his Miscelanea. In the King­dom of Christ this is wonderful, that he Wills [Page 154]and Commands all Princes and Potentates to be subject to his Kingdom, Psal. 2.9, 11, 12. And yet he Wills and Commands likewise, that his Kingdom be subject to the Kingdoms of the World, Rom. 13.1. 1 Pet. 2.13, 14, 17.

4. As this Principle of exemption is contra­ry to the Doctrine 1. Of Holy Paul, and 2. Of Holy Peter, so 3. Of the Holy, Holy, Holy Christ; who Preached up that Doctrine of Rendring to Caesar the things that were Caesar's, Matth. 22.21. 'Tis observable, that not only the Mother of our Lord (though big bellied, and so might have pleaded Exemption) goes up to the Chief City to be taxed by Caesar, Luke 2.1, 3, 4. but also our Lord himself (who might (above all) have pleaded his own freedom) paid his Tribute to Caesar, that so Caesar should not think the Gospel to be a contradiction to his Government, Matth. 17.27. Yea, and at the last our Lord Christ delivered up his per­son to Pilate and Herod, without any words of derogation concerning their power over him, John 19.10, 11. 'Tis likewise Remarkable, that Holy Paul made his Appeal from a corrupt Ecclesiastick Court at Jerusalem (which profes­sed to know God) unto an Heathenish Civil Court at Rome (which knew not the Lord,) yea and that not only in Civil, but in Ecclesi­astick Affairs or Offences, Acts 25.8, 9, 10. For, saith he, neither against the Law of the Jews, nor against the Temple, (those were mat­ters [Page 155]of Religion) nor yet against Caesar have I offended any thing. Just contrary do the Ro­manists, surely Paul had never Appealed to Cae­sar, had he not believed that Caesar had a Civil Power over him: But these men Appeal from the Civil to the Ecclesiastick Power, and from their own Native or Natural Prince or Caesar to their King (Abaddon, Revel. 9.11.) at Rome, in which last Circumstance of Place only, they do correspond with the Apostles Appeal, both being made to Rome: And that you may not want a Royal Witness to these things, King James (in his learned Premonition to all Kings, free Princes and States of Christendom) tells them, that this very Principle exempts almost the third part of their Subjects from that subje­ction they owe to them in temporal matters, pag. 20. Shewing also, how the very Laity (that are poisoned with their Jesuitical Princi­ples) may plead this Exemption, and make their Appeals from their lawful Soveraign to that Foreign Power of the Pope, and so be no longer obedient than till they be fully furnish­ed with power sufficient to resist and rebel, p. 115, 117, 121. 'Tis pity all Princes Read not this King James's Premonition, &c.

5. This Royal Witness (aforesaid) lays great stress upon this Jesuitical Principle, which makes all the Kings in Christendom to be mere Vas­sals to the Pope; As if [Feed my Sheep] gave him so ample a power over Kings as to in­throne [Page 156]them or dethrone them at pleasure. pag. 18. This he strenuously confutes, pag. 22. &c. And pag. 25. he instances in the Insolency of Pope Boniface the eighth towards Philip le Bel King of France, called Philip the Fair, whom the Pope handled foully, writing a Letter to him with this Scornful Salutation; [Sciat tua maxima Fatuitas &c. Let your greatest Fondness know, that we are subject to no man in temporal things.] And after other insolencies of the Popes to this French Kings Successors, the dif­ference grew so high (saith he, pag. 27.) that Gerson (that famous Chancellour of Paris, who otherwise was a devout Roman Catholick) wrote a Book [de Auferibilitate Papae] for ta­king away that [trouble house or rather that trouble-world] both from his Temporal and Ecclesiastick power; so far was he from grant­ing that temporal Authority over Kings. To those Royal Instances of the Popes Insolencies, many more might be added, if it would not too much swell this little Book; I shall add but one more of a Popish Insolency to one of our own Kings, to wit, King Henry the Second, whom the then English Popish Clergy scourg­ed with a Rod, (as his pennance for Becket's death.) The Popes Legate said to the poor whipped King, [Domine noli minari &c.] Sir, do not threaten us, for we fear not the mena­ces of men, as being of such a Court which u­seth to command Kings and Emperours. Jacob. [Page 157]Revius de Vit. Pontif. Alsted. Chronol. &c. Oh how hath this little Horn, at the first a poor Minister of the Romish Church till Constantine's time, afterwards he was only Primate of the Churches in Italy; none took him for a Prince, no not when he began to write [Volumus & Jubemus] We Will and Command, An. Dom. 606. Then got he cunningly among the Horns, and grew gradually till he overtop'd them all; and then had he a mouth to speak these great things, Dan. 7.8. As to say all Kings are his Vassals, and yet none of his Vassals are subject to Kings; (this King James judges Abomina­ble, pag. 115.) And then was stamp'd upon the Popes Coin, [That Nation and Country which will not serve thee shall be rooted out.] This was the Hypocritical Language of the pretended [Servant of Servants.]

6. The second pestilent Principle of Pope­ry, which makes it Inconsistent with publick Peace, (next to their owning of a foreign Pow­er, which is enough insolent over Princes and Peasants) is this; That no Faith is to be kept with Hereticks. This is such a poisonful Position, that at one stroke it cuts in pieces all the bles­sed Sinews of Humane Society, and all recipro­cal duties betwixt Natural, Civil, or Religious Relations; they are altogether strangled at once hereby. Unworthily is that called a Re­ligion (which signifies a binding to duty) that at one blow plainly unties all duties taught [Page 158]mankind, either in the School of Nature or Scripture: Yet this is a Principle of the Ro­mish (so called) Religion; by this Doctrine all duties that Husbands and Wives, Parents and Children, Masters and Servants, Creditor and Debtor, Prince and Subject do owe one to another, are all vacated, if either the one or the other may be but reputed an Heretick. Thus their Popish Canon runs, Hereticus ab omni jure Naturali, Civili, Politico, privatur: Zimancha's Justiti tit. 46. Sect. 74. By Heresie a man is deprived of all his Jurisdiction, Na­tural, Civil, Politick, and Religious. This Position hath a Negative and a Positive part: 1. The Negative Part is, hereby Parents may be discharged from loving their Children, and Husbands their Wives, &c. And Children are discharged from obeying their Parents, and Wives from performing due Benevolence to their Husbands, &c. yet this is is not all though bad enough already. There is 2. a Positive Part of this Principle, which is, they may hate each other, hale each other to the bloody In­quision, yea Kill and Massacre, Parents their Children and Children their Parents, Husbands their Wives and Wives their Husbands, and that merely because they are Hereticks, though there be no other provocation either in word or deed, and though they have sworn never so solemnly for each others preservation, yet that Oath is [ipso facto] void upon that Party's ap­pearing [Page 159]an Heretick; for no Faith (according to their Doctrine) must be held with Here­ticks: Yea they do allow Subjects to murther their Soveraign (notwithstanding all Oaths of Fidelity to the contrary) if they stand in their way of Heresie (as they call Protestantism) as soon as opportunity serves, and power come into their hands, which they most industri­ously endeavour after.

7. That this is their Principle Bellarmine boldly affirms, [Non licere Christianos tolerare Regem Haereticum &c.] Tis not lawful for Catho­ticks io tolerate an Haeretical King, Bellarm. de Rom. Pontif. Sect. 7. The like saith Suarez in lib. de Censuris, disp. 15. Sect. 6. pag. 262. And Zimancha speaks out, [Protinùs ejus subditi ab illius dominio liberantur,] their Subjects are forthwith freed from their subjection, Ziman. Instit. tit 23. Sect. 11. And if ye would know who it is that frees them from their Oath of Fidelity and Subjection; Azorius (the Jesuit) tells you, [Pontificem se & alios posse solvere a jusjurandi lege et Religione, non videtur negandum,] the Pope hath power (upon just cause as they judge, being a Protestant, to be) to absolve from all Oaths both himself and all others, Az. moral. Instit. cap. 15. Sect. 6. But to stir no further in this stinking Dunghil of Foreign Authors, upon this poisonful point and Prin­ciple; though many more might be named, let us see what our own Countrymen Catho­licks [Page 160]say to it in plain English. 1. Sanders speaks thus of all Kings in General, [That King which will not inthrall himself to the Popes Au­thority, he ought not to be tolerated; but his Sub­jects (especially his Bishops) ought to remove this Heretical King, and to set up another as soon as they can, Sanders de Visib. Monarch. lib. 2. cap. 4. And further he doth constantly affirm, that all Kings are so far under Bishops and Priests, that upon their obstinacy they may be deposed by them, from that Temporal Authority they have over such Kings,] Idem ibidem. And he proves that the Priests have this Temporal Authority over Kings, from the Anointing which is poured upon the head of the King by the Priest at his Coronation, which (he saith) doth plainly declare, that the King is inferiour to the Priest, Sand. de Clav. David lib. 5. cap. 2. To the same purpose our Countryman Parsons (alias Dolman) saith as confidently, [That 'tis certainly to be believed, every Prince becoming an Heretick (that is a Pro­testant) doth instantly forfeit all his Power and Dignity, and that before the Pope do excommuni­cate him; yea and his Subjects may and ought (if they be but able) to cast him out of his Dominion, Philopat. Sect. 2. pag. 109. And further he flurts out like a grave Father, [Whosoever shall consent to the Succession of a Protestant Prince, is a most grievous and damnable Sinner, pag. 216. To this let me only add Father Creswel's profound caution [Let Catholick Subjects be careful that [Page 161]they have competent strength in this case of deposing and destroying Heretical Kings, otherwise they may do very much prejudice to the Catholick Cause,] Cresw. in suo Philopat. pag. 198, 199. [Incaute nimis hic effutiunt] he hath plaid the blab here­in shewing at unawares, that if ever the Ro­man Catholicks behave themselves peaceably under Protestant Princes, 'tis not for want of Will but Power.

8. Those Premises considered, that Heresie destroys all Oaths and dissolves all Bonds, that the Pope can absolve from subjection sworn to, that Subjects ought to rebel against an hereti­cal Prince when they can &c. [ejusdem farinae,] of the same Bran; hence came it that the Ro­mish Religion was called (in express terms) plain Rebellion, Collect in the Liturgy for Gun-pow­der Treason in King James's Reign. Hence was it that both Dr. Prideaux and Dr. Davenant (both Professors of Divinity) do unanimously make this Conclusion, that it is not possible for an absolute Papist living under a Protestant Prince, and walking up to his own Jesuitical Principles, but he must be an absolute Traitor, Dr. Prid. Sex. Higg. and Selah. And Dr. Dav. determ. 17 Quest. last Clause. Hence, Lastly, was it that King James saith, that the Popes Bulls and the Papists Principles and Practices, hath laid an everlasting slander upon all Papists, as if no zealous Papist could be a true Subject to his Prince, and that the Profession of the [Page 162]Romish Religion and Temporal Subjection to the Civil Magistrate, were [ [...]] two repugnant and inconsistent things in them­selves. These are King James's very words in his Apology for the Oath of Allegiance, p. 28. having, himself, pushed the horned Beast with a double horned Argument, his Dilemma to the Pope, p. 27. saying, Either it is lawful for Subjects to obey their Soveraign or not: 1. If lawful, why is the Pope so cruel to his Catho­licks, as to put them upon sacrificing their Lives and ruining their Families? their Blood must needs lye at his door. 2. If unlawful, why doth he not show it? and why doth he not al­low (or rather Command) his Priests not to live under such Princes unto whom they owe no Obedience? Finally, hence it is that this learned King sounds an Alarm to all the Kings in Europe, saying to them; Awake while time is, and suffer not (by your longer sleep) the strings of your Authority to be cut (in singulis) one by one, to your general Ruine, which by your united Forces, would rather make a strong Rope for the Adversary (with Achitophel) to hang himself, than that he should ever be able to break it: Premonition to all Monarchs, p. 3. Ye are all in the Popes fold, (though I be extra Caulam) and that great Pastor may lead you as Sheep to the Slaughter when he pleases. The Asses Ears must be Horns if the Lion says so, &c. p. 19. And what Bryars and Thorns hath the [Page 163]Pope in your Dominions, a third part of your Subjects being Clergymen, having Church li­vings from you, yet owe you no Subjection, pag. 21. and some of you have late proof of the Popes usurping your power: Oh suffer not this en­croaching Babylonish Monarch to win ground of us, pag. 132, 134.

9. The third poysonful Principle that is In­consistent with publick Peace, is Jesuitical Ae­quivocation or Mental Reservation, which are reckoned amongst the Popes [piae fraudes) holy Cheats, whereby his Catholicks arc ena­bled to elude any lawful Magistrate in his strictest Interrogatories, and to evade the stron­gest Oaths imposed on them, with far more ease than the craftiest Monkey can slip his Col­lar. By this means they can violate the most sacred Bond that ever God appointed to Man for confirming Fidelity, and for concluding differences, Jer. 4.4. Heb. 6.16. and which the very School of blind Nature abhorred. [Fraus non dissolvit sed distringit perjuriam,] Craft in an Oath doth not lessen but strengthen the Perjury, saith Tully. Hence King James justly calls this new Catholick Doctrine the Devils Craft, Apolo­gy for the Oath of Allegiance, p. 61. Judging it a ve­ry hard matter to make a fast bargain with such loose and slippery Chapmen, as could be­witch themselves out of the strictest Bonds whatsoever, (Civil or Sacred) by this way of Collusion, or (as they call it) holy Fraud or De­lusion: [Page 164]And might I presume to add any thing to this Royal Testimony, (which calls it the Devils Craft,) I may shew where the Devil himself, shewed more honesty and ingenuity than the Jesuites, in their Doctrine of E­quivocation, from 1 Kin. 22.6, 22. The sixth Verse shews, how the Devil had his Equivoca­ting Oracle, [Go up, for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the King:] Yea, but of which King, oh thou quibling Oracle? 1. Whether of King Ahab or of King Benhadad? The An­swer must be Ambiguous, as Ibis, redibis, &c. And Aio te Aeacida (as King James saith right enough) they learned it from the Devil, yet the Jesuits out-do the Devil himself in their holy Fraud, for he calls his Equivocating Oracle in plain terms a lying Spirit. v. 22. I will go and be a lying Spirit in the mouths of all these Pro­phets of Baal, &c. But the Jesuits defend their holy Fraud to be no lying. But Mr. Thomas Fuller hath excellently evidenced that every Ae­quivocator is (at least) a secret Lyar, saying, that surely Speech is but the Copy of the heart; [Sermo est index Animi] and that cannot be accounted or avouched for a true Copy, that hath less in it than the Original: Such an one is a secret Lyar, as by Mental Reservations and other tricks doth deceive him to whom he speaketh, being lawfully called to deliver all the truth. Hence, saith he, it oft comes to pass,

Fuller's Prophane State, pag. 390.

• When Jesuits unto us an­swer Nay,
  Which in Greek doth sig­nifie Yea.
• They do not English speak 'tis Greek they say.

10. The late order of the Jesuits (whom King James calls [Papae mancipia] Apology, p. 76. the Popes Manciples or rather Blood­hounds, or the Devils last by-blow to uphold the tottering Kingdom of the Beast) hath found out this Arcanum or profound secret, as a Ca­tholicon or universal Remedy and Salvo for Ca­tholick Consciences: Some conceit that it was shak'd by a Miracle out of their St. Francis his Sleeve; for their Casuist [Navar] tells of him, that being asked which way the murther­er did flee that ran by him, St. Francis putting his hand into his Sleeve; answered, he went not that way, meaning his Sleeve, Navar tom. 3. cap. 12. But wheresoever the Jesuits so hap­pily hit of it I know not, yet surely this new trick they have abundantly exposed as a choice and Soveraign Unction, and whereby they can slip all Examinations, all Impositions, and all Oaths and Obligations whatsoever. Thus their casuistical Rabbies teach their Novices and Dis­ciples: If any man or Magistrate do examine you, whether you did such a deed or no? Though you did it, yet may you answer I did it not, provided you reserve in your mind that [Page 166]your meaning is, [not at this time] (when he asks) or not to tell him, or some such like Eva­sions; whereof they have plenty; and this they judge not only lawful but necessary. This is their general Doctrine, whereby they quite o­verthrow not only the nature of all humane Testimonies, but also the genuine Juncture of all Humane Societies; as famous Sir Walter Raw­leigh (upon his History of Joshua's Oath to the Gibeonites) most excellently and amply shew­eth, saying: That it admits of no Evasion or distinction, neither leaves it any hole at all o­pen to creep out at, to that cunning perfidi­ousness and horrible deceit of this latter Age called Aequivocation, that God-mocking Sin, (to swear one thing and mean another) is found among Image worshippers (which are of an Apish Religion;) they break no faith (saith he) that have no Faith to break, who­soever hath true Faith and the fear of God, dare not do so: God will not be mocked, Gal. 6.7. Gustavus, King of Sweden, told the Jesuits, they would neither preach Faith to others nor keep Faith with others, they could play fast and loose with their Equivocations.

11. The fourth Jesuitical Principle (de­structive to common safety) is, Their Oath of blind Obedience: 'Tis notoriously known that in all Popish Seminaries, the old Foxes [The Fathers] impose an Oath of Obedience upon all their young Plants and Novices wherein they [Page 167]Vow Obedience to their general Fathers in those Schools, (as those General Fathers are all sworn Vassals to their Grandfather the Pope) whatever Errand they send them they must walk and work, they must run [per Mare per Terras &c.] even the Devils Round, Job. 1.7. and the Devils Errands, and not dispute but dis­patch what they are commanded without any Hesitation. This Oath of blind Obedience (saith that Royal Interpreter of Revel. 13.16, 17. King James in his Premonition to all Princes, p. 93.) is the mark of the Beast in their right hand, signifying their actual implicit Obedience un­to that Beast which thinks he cannot err, what­ever the Pope (or under him) their Superior commands them, their hand (that hath receiv­ed this mark) must execute their Command, though it be to Rebel against, Depose or De­stroy rheir Natural King and Native Kingdoms, see much more to that purpose, Idem ibidem. All this the Jesuits are sworn to (King James shows) in their Oath de caecâ Obedientiâ, and in the English Seminaries beyond Sea, the young Jesuits take this Oath, to wit, to return to England and to Convert their Countrymen and Kindred, when and as often as it shall seem good to the Superior of that Colledge, see Fuller's Church History, Cent. 16. Book 9. p. 92. This Oath of blind Obedience [Jesuiticos Pontificios ad omnia Imperia, quantumvis impia, superiorum spiritualium suorum Exequenda paratissimos Red­dit] [Page 168]makes the Jesuitiz'd Papists or Jesuits to be ready pressed for performing all the Pre­cepts of their spiritual Superiors, though ne­ver so wickedly hainous, for those Superiors do sometimes injoyn conceited Coxcombs, (and that under the opinion of some supererogating merit) such things as are very pernicious to Kings and Kingdoms. Alas! there is too plain proof hereof in (both) former and later years, both in this and other Kingdoms, see Dr. Dave­nant determ. Quaest. 17. p. 83. circa finem.

12. Hence it is that such swarms of Jesuits are poured in upon us out of those foreign Se­minaries, which do plainly threaten an inun­dation from the See of Rome: The Royal In­terpreter King James aforesaid, upon Revel. 16.13, 14. (in his Premonition to all Princes, p. 96, 97.) makes the Jesuits to be the three un­clean Spirits, like Frogs coming out of the mouth of the Dragon, of the Beast, and of the false Prophet. This Sect (he saith) of unclean Spirits, were raised up for the defence of the falling Throne of Antichrist by the ignorance of its Priests, whereof few then were able to read Latin, much less to understand it: Those Spirits thus spewed out from this three-fold Authority, (Satan, Antichrist, and the Apostate Church) for defence of their Triple-Crown'd Monarch, are well likened to Frogs, for they are Amphi­bious, and can live in either Element (Earth or Water) Church or State; for though they [Page 169]be Churchmen by Profession, yet can they use the Trade of Politick Statesmen, going to the Kings of the Earth, &c. And rather than fail (that they may with less observation draw peo­ple off from Obedience, &c. by their subtle Insinuations) they scruple not to change their Names, to put on laick Habits, yea and under­take any Callings of Handy-craft, &c. either in City or Country; so that a Jesuit may be found among all Ranks of men, even from the Noble Man to the Dust Man, and of any Trade or Profession in England, yea in the Pulpit also, and perhaps there more especially: And yet further, peradventure among all perswasions, and that with such pretended Devotion and Affection too, as the Devil himself can scarce act his part more cunningly, When he turns himself into an Angel of Light: witness the Scot Ramsden [A Jesuit] that pretended himself a Convert Jew, and joyn'd himself to the Church at Hexham near Newcastle. This is Ʋltimus Diaboli crepitus, (as one calls the Jesuits) the last attempt of a daring Devil. These are the Popes Janizaries or Blood-hounds, who have a Vow of Mission and Obedience upon them, whereby they are bound to the Pope (ulti­mately) so as to go whithersoever and about whatsoever he sends them; yea if it be to China or Peru, go they must, if it be to kill Kings and to blow up Parliaments, do it they must. Hence happily they are called Spirits, the Spirits of [Page 170]Devils or breathing Devils; never had any Con­jurer more command over his Spirits or Fami­liars, than the great Impostor of Rome (as Dr. Morton, calls him) over those unclean Frogs.

13. The fifth Principle inconsistent with Peace is, [That the secret of a Sacramental Con­fession ought not to be revealed, no not for the es­chewing of whatsoever Evil. This Bellarmine de­fends in the behalf of the Powder Plotters, that thought it their Duty and Conscience (accord­ing to their Catholick Doctrine that obliges to Secrecy) to conceal that horrible Treason, and that Romish Goliah (Bellarmine) over imperi­ously applauds the Arch-Traitor [Garnet] for chusing to suffer the most bitter death, ra­ther than to violate the Seal of so great a Sa­crament, (which indeed is no Sacrament at all, as I have shewed in my Walk of a Christian, in Chapter of Sacraments) and frankly bestows up­on him the Crown of Martyrdom. In this fa­tal point King James makes his Appeal to all Christian Monarchs, free Princes and States (in his Premonition, p. 124.) leaving it unto them to judge, how damnahle this Doctrine is, and how dangerously prejudicial to publick Peace; and he learnedly shews, that though the Schoolmen (stepping up as Doctors of the Church) did marr the old Divinity of the Fa­thers, by mingling therewith their Philoso­phical distinctions, yet none of them do main­tain this poysonful Position among the old [Page 171]Schoolmen, they go no further than concealing of Names (in some cases) but not of matters, the concealing whereof may conduce to a pub­lick danger. This, he saith, is the upstart conceit of some three or four new Jesuited Do­ctors, and as it is a new, so it is such a dange­rous Doctrine, as no King or State can live in security, where such a cursed Position is main­tained, p. 125. And he (with a right Royal Spirit) proves Cardinal Bellarmine a lyar de fa­cto as well as de jure, p. 126, 127. and Tortus lyes confuted, the third Novel Doctrine about this very point. Indeed their Jesuit Eudaemon teaches them this damnable Doctrine; that such things as are told under the Seal of Confession, ought not to be revealed, [Nec pro Capite Regis, nec pro totius Reipublicae salute,] Neither for saving the Kings life nor the whole Kingdom, Eudaem. Apolog. p. 355. 'Tis without all difficulty to judge how Incon­sistent this Jesuitical Principle is with publick Peace and common Safety, and what manner of good Subjects those are, that will rather Sa­crifice both the King and a whole Kingdom, than (in the least) to rescind that fictitious Seal of Confession, preferring their own idle Jesuitical Dreams before the Weal of a Com­mon-weal, which should be the Supreme Law, as Dr. Davenant shows, determ. quest. 17. p. 82. bringing in the Testimony of our Halensis (the Prince of Schoolmen) in this point, saying: A Priest is not bound to shut up all under his Seal [Page 172]of Confession that are revealed to him, but on­ly those things that ought to be so, &c. [Haec autem sunt perpetrata non perpetranda] these things also must be such as are past and done, and not such things as are in doing, as the hatching of Treason, &c.

14. The sixth Principle of Popery Inconsist­ent with Peace is, Their Doctrine of Dispensati­ons: Such is the implicit Faith and blind Be­lief of the Romanists. 1. That their Lord, the Pope, hath no less than the creating and all-Commanding power of the Great God; And 2. That he can make any sin a duty and any duty a sin, by vertue of his Omnipotent. Dispen­sation. As to the first of these, how hath this man of Sin exalted himself above all that is called God, 2 Thess. 2.4. Pope Paul the Third, suf­fered himself to be blasphemously flatter'd with the Title of the greatest God on Earth, Anno Dom. 1540. And Pope Paul the Fifth, with the Title of Vice-God, Anno Dom. 1610. It should have been a vitious Devil, who was call­ed the Defender of the Papal Omnipotency: Yea Hostiensis the Canonist (cap. 4.) saith, the Pope can do more than God; he cannot only make something of nothing, but of wrong he can make right, and of Vice he can make Ver­tue; see Bellarm. de Rom. Pontif. lib. 4. He can excommunicate the very Angels, as to the se­cond he can dispense not only with the Law of Nature and of Nations, but even with the word [Page 173]of God it self, when the Pope sets and sends out his Bull, commonly he concludes thus: [Non obstantibus constitutionibus Apostolicis &c.] The Ordinances of the Apostles and all things else to the contrary, notwithstanding the Popes Interpretation (though never so cross to the Text) must be (saith Hosius) [ipsissimum Dei verbum,] esteemed the very word of God; so that 'tis no matter though God command Subjects to obey Rulers. If the Pope say they shall not and give a dispensation, 'tis enough, this Bellarmine's answer to King James's Apology defends, and all Jesuits say the Pope hath power to dispense with duty: Is this consistent with publick Peace?

15. To all this may be added the Popes gi­ving dispensations to his Catholicks in Prote­stant Kingdoms and Common-wealths; to take any Oath of Fidelity with this Qualification, [Rebus sic stantibus, et dum vires deerint,] that is, while you are unable to cast off the Yoke; (this was done both in Queen Elizabeth and King James's Reign,) but when there is a fit opportunity, then the Popes Alarm to his Champions is,

That is, when you can do it, my dear Sons, Root out this cursed Sect of the Lutherans, tor­ture [Page 174]them upon the Wheel till you pull Limb from Limb, run them through with the Sword, drown them, hang them, burn them, as if any one of these were not enough to these bloody Papists, but all these must be done to them, e­specially the last which the Jesuits learned from their Father Ignatius, as Beza's Epigram upon them shows,

Ignatius begins with Ignis which signifies [Fire] hence Jesuits are Firebrands in all Lands, Mel­chior Adamus p. 233. part 2. and 573. on Hem­nitius: Nihil non per fasque nefasque tentare solent, Dr. Humphrey at large, pars 1. Jesuitismi. I might add how the Pope dispenses with his ve­ry Priests to marry (contrary to their Canons and Constitutions) only to secure them from justice, by being discovered to be Priests, Fry­ars, Jesuits, in their single life, Bishop Jewel's defence of the Apology, part 2. c. 8. divis. 3. p. 188. to 195. Yea, and Mr. Prin shews how the Popes will dispense with any thing (almost) to avoid the lash of the Law, in his New disco­very of Romish Emissaries, p. 19, 20, 21, &c. In­somuch that it was a watchword (in Queen E­lizabeth's time) by Pope Gregory the thirteenth. [My Son, give me thy heart,] that is, [Be but a Papist in heart, and then go to Church, swear, [Page 175]dissemble, do what you list, &c.] If the De­vil can but get the heart 'tis enough, and so it is with the Devils Vicar and eldest Son, that Son of Perdition; who knows not that there be amongst us (by vertue of this dispensation) Monthly Popish Protestants and protesting Pa­pists, such as are [Moon Calves] of a Lunatick Religion, and [having fidem menstruam] a menstruous or Monthly Faith, that waxeth and waineth with the Moon, to wit, such Roman Catholicks as go to Church once in the Month, (more for fear of the Law than for love of the Gospel,) and even then have more than a Months mind to be out of the Church again.

16. The seventh Principle of Popery Incon­sistent with publick Peace is their Doctrine of Canonizing Saints, as if their Almighty God (the Pope) had any power to make the Devils devilishest Traitors on Earth, Christs glorious­est Martyrs in Heaven. Histories abound in this, the Pope highly honors the Traitor that murther'd Henry the third King of France, for that high and honourable Act, far above (as he saith) that of Judeth's murthering Holofer­nes; 'twas a great and good Act, and done by the Assistance of Almighty God, &c. Christus 5tus Panegyrick upon this Murther. The like honour had the young Knave (as King James calls him) that murthered his Successor, Henry the fourth of France, the Pope deluding all such Traitors with the hopes and promise [Page 176]of Salvation for such high, meriting, and su­pererogating Villanies, King James Premonition, p. 104. and his Apology, p. 67. And he tells you how Garnet and Oldcorn (two Priests hang­ed at Tyburn for the Powderplot) were yet Re­gistred among English Martyrs; as if Treaso­nable Practices should be accounted works of eminent Piety, Premonition p. 122. And he chal­lenges Bellarmine to tell him [whereever did the Pope call any of those Traitors (that esca­ped) to an account, or punished them for it.] This the Pope is so far from, that he promises to make them Roman Cardinals if they lived, or Canonized Saints if they dyed by their de­sign, Apology p. 67. they must be Martyrs for the Faith, and their Blood must work won­ders, &c. Premon. p. 122. Hence he denoun­ces Gods wo against them, from Isa. 5.20. for calling good evil and evil good; shewing withal, that no Princes in Europe can be safe, while the Pope Patronizes such Treasonable Practices, and if the Moralist may be trusted, [He that Commends them, Commits them:] The Pope contracts all the guilt of those Treasons upon himself, (as of the Parisian Massacre, by grant­ing a Jubilee at the News,) and to be painted in his Palace) altogether unlike Godly Jacob, that cryed, Oh my Soul, enter not into the secrets of those bloody Men, Gen. 49.6. Cursed be their Anger that was both crafty and cruel: But 'tis blessed of the Pope, Garnet's Picture is set up [Page 177]among the Saints in the Jesuits Colledge at Rome, a Saint abroad is that chief Powder-plotter at home; and while the Pope justifies, Approves, and Applauds such Treasons; the publick Peace can never be safe, but those Snakes (if warm in our Bosoms) will cer­tainly sting us as soon as they have an oppor­tunity; while the Pope hugs Traitors, no King can be safe from Treason, saith King James.

CHAP. VII. The Seventh and last Property is, Its Ir­reconciliableness to the Protestant Re­ligion.

1. THe Romish Religion is (in the seventh place) Irreconciliable to the Prote­stant (which is the true Ancient Christian) Re­ligion: I am not ignorant that there have been some Pontificians, or (as the word signifies) Bridge-makens on both sides, that have endea­voured to make a passage over to each others Religion. On the Popish part, Cassander and the Cassandrian Papists, which are the French, who are far more moderate Papists than the Spaniards and Italians are; for they would ne­ver yet receive the Confession of the Council [Page 178]of Trent, nor the points of the Popes Infallibi­lity, or his power over General Councils, or over the Churches and Bishops of other Nati­ons: Upon the mixture of the French and En­glish Blood, Franciscus de sancta Clara (aliàs Davenport, that quirking Scotist) makes a strong Essay to reconcile the thirty nine Arti­cles of the Church of England with the Trent Council, for so high must he have us to go, or he can admit of no reconciliation. 2. On the Protestant part, Hugo Grotius (a man of great Learning) who being imprisoned for the Ar­minian Commotions in Holland, yet escaping (by being carried out in a Trunk) became the Suedes Ambassador to the French King, and there was influenced by the Jesuits (his great Familiars) to undertake the Reconciling of Pa­pists and Protestants in a Cassandrian Popery, and this he doth with all his might. Hereupon he publishes Cassander with his Notes, and writes his Vote for peace, wherein he pleads for [ [...]] or trans-elementation, in favour of the Popish Transubstantiation) and says that [ [...] or Bread worshippers, are no more to be condemned than [ [...]] or Ark-worshippers: Therein also he rails against Calvin, and defends that Saints departed do know our Affairs on Earth, as Elisha did Geha­zi's: And as Ezekiel (in Chaldaea) did know what was done in the Temple at Jerusalem: What was all this but a pleading for Baal? (whom Gi­deon's [Page 179]Father would have to plead for himself) Insomuch that the Dutch Divines (in their Sy­nopsis purioris Theologiae) say with one consent, [Quòd Hugo Grotius papizat,] that Hugo Gro­tius plays the Papists part therein; he endeavour­ed to reduce us to the Trent Council, though not to the Opinion of their private Doctors.

2. Such Bridg-makers as these have been a­mongst us some considerable time, who would have made passage over to receive the Romish Religion into their Bosoms, as the only way of Patronizing Unity and Antiquity: To cross this Project famous Mr. Perkins wrote his Re­formed Catholick, which broke the design of Re­comiling in his day, and conjur'd down that cur­sed Spirit. But alas! that unclean Devil is raised up again in our day by the charms of the man of Sin: I have sometime wondred at Bishop Bramhal (who had excellently told Monsieur Melliteirs, that their Romish Church had 1. Error in her Faith, 2. Idolatry in her Wor­ship, And 3. Tyranny in her Government, and as excellently also that Truth must not be sa­crificed for Peace,) yet should hold the Pope to be Principium Ʋnitatis to the Catholick Church, and that the Romish determinations might stand, excepting those of the last four hundred years, p. 7, 8. And there be many others (as Reverend Mr. Baxter shows, that be Protestant Reconcilers) who do condescend thus far; But, saith he, the Grotian Papists go farther, ma­king [Page 180]king the Church of Rome the Mistress of all o­ther Churches, and the Pope to be the Univer­sal Head, as Thorndike, Pierce, and others, that defend Grotius, who spake things [Meliterio Consona] that the Romish Faith was [Vera & Sincera] true and sound, see Mr. Baxter's Pre­face to five Disputatious, p. 31. and Saravins's Character of Grotius. But if we well consider the four abominable things in that Church, (as Dr. Boys in his Postils, fol. p. 787. calls them,) to wit, 1. Her unlimited Jurisdiction deroga­tory to all Princes. 2. Her insolent Titles, prejudicial to all Pastors. 3. Her corrupt Do­ctrine injurious to all Christians. And 4. Her filthy Life detestable to all men: It will confirm us that Bishop Hall was in the right, when con­sidering her Principles and Practices, he wrote his [No peace with Rome.]

3. Notwithstanding all the endeavours of former and latter Reconcilers, yet there is such a [ [...]] or great Gulf fixed, (as that in Luke 16.25.) by the unmovable and immutable decree of God betwixt Papists and Protestants, as there is 'twixt Light and Darkness, 'twixt Truth and Falshood, so that no Bridge of Reconcilia­tion can be made over it. Not unlike to that vast hollowness of the Valleys, betwixt those exceeding high Mountains (that Cambden speaks of) in Merionethshire in Wales, whose hanging tops come so close together, that Shepherds can audibly talk together from the tops of [Page 181]them, and yet will it be a days Journy before they can meet personally to embrace one ano­ther. Thus, upon sound and solid search such will be found that grand distance and remote­ness 'twixt the Popish and Protestant Religion, (how nere soever they seem to be represented, by the false glasses of our Reconcilers, and tend­ing to an Accommodation) that they can never be rightly Reconciled no more than Aaron's Rod and the Magicians Rods, until the former of the Rods have swallowed up the latter, Exod. 7.12. The real Rod did swallow up the seeming ones, and the true Christian Religion will swallow up the Romish, (that only seems to be Christian but is indeed Antichristian, a mere delusion and Phantasm) as Christ swallowed up sin and death in victory, 1 Cor. 15.55. And though De Clara, Grotius, Cassander, and o­thers do seem to make fair proffers, yet these be more of the nature of Baits than Gifts, e­specially seeing they have no Commission from the Church of Rome to treat; and therefore, (should their Offers be accepted as some would gladly do) yet the Romish Church would not look upon her self as bound to pay their promi­ses. Mr. Fuller further saith, though we should go ninety nine steps to meet them, yet the Ro­mish Church will not vouchsafe the odd one step to meet us, Full. holy State, p. 57. Besides this I add, though the Church of Rome would reconcile, yet sure I am, the Court of Rome will never do it.

4. 'Tis therefore no better than a labour in vain, to undertake any Reconciliation with Rome, who will have either all or nothing: If not the Church of Rome, yet the Court of Rome abhors all Accommodations. Hence some of great Reading and Judgment doubt not to say, that our late Civil (uncivil) Wars, were promoted by the Popes Influence, merely for breaking the Project of Reconcilement that then was on foot; for had that design been success­ful, the Pope (who will have all and will be ab­solute, the way of Peace he knows not and hates) would have been safe no where: And there­fore 'tis not improbably said further, that King Charles the First was wickedly murther'd by the Popes Instigation, lest he and the French King, together with Christiana (Queen of Sue­den) should have constrained the Pope (by means of such an Accommodation endeavour­ed) to have lour'd his Top-Sail. In fine, 'tis as unpracticable to Reconcile them as it is to Reconcile God and Baal,

How can any Concord be 'twixt Christ and Be­lial; an Ox and an Ass might not be coupled together under the Law, Levit. 19.19. upon which Scripture the Doctors of Doway give this notorious Note: Here (say they) all partici­pation [Page 183]with Hereticks is prohibited, and they have no better mind to an Accommodation, than to a Participation with us.

5. If we then seriously consider 1. The vast Opposition of the Popish Religion to the true Christian Protestant Religion, almost in all the fundamental points of Christianity, as Reve­rend Beza shows at large in the End of his Con­fessio fidei Christianae, from p. 263. to 357. Al­most an hundred Pages doth that learned Man write to shew how the Romanists deny all truth, concerning God in his Attributes, Christ in his Offices, Mans Fall, Law, Gospel, Faith, Works, Sacraments, Ministry, &c. none of all which (he shews) they do know aright. 2. Con­sidering the Architects or Arch-Master build­ers of this Babel are Jesuits, who make Princes find them Materials, perswading them that their work is designed for the House of their King­dom, and for the Honour of their Majesty: Many hewers of Wood and drawers of Water they have, and such as tread Mortar also, and ra­ther than their Mortar should be over dry, they will have the blood of Hereticks to mingle it. This cursed Faction of the Jesuits is a most a­gile sharp Sword, whose Blade is sheathed at pleasure in the Bowels of every Common­wealth, but the handle of it reacheth to Rome. They are uncessantly sollicitous every where, (as if ubiquitarians) to subdue all to the Pope, and the Pope to themselves. 'Tis a thousand [Page 184]pityes that such a sweet Name as Jefu is, (who went about doing good, Act. 10.38.) should be put upon this Viperous brood, who go about do­ing evil, those Sons of Belial shall be all of them as Thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands, saith holy David, 2 Sam. 23.6, 7. How then can our Reconcilers handle those un­tractable Thorns (that have been pricking Bry­ars and grieving Thorns in the sides of all Nati­ons where they come, they are fitter for burn­ing than for building withal, as they are doom­ed, Revel. 19.20. Heb. 6.8. Josh. 4.13. And suppose they could handle them, still Having is not Holding; what hold can they have of those Monkeys that slips on a Collar for their Masters pleasure, and slips it off again for their own. 3. Considering their Master the Popes Insolency, that can never condescend that so much as one stone should be stirred out of his Babel Tower, lest his yielding to the removal of that Stone, should endanger the fall of the whole Fabrick of his Papal Dignity, or at least shake it. These and many other Considerati­ons, do render Reconciliation no better than a Labour in vain.

6. Yet these are the Jesuitical Engines to re­duce Britain to Babylon, those restless Spirits the Jesuits (sent of God (as they say) to with­stand Luther, who was sent of the Devil to withstand the Pope) leave no Stone unturn'd to promote the Catholick Cause, to which they [Page 185]are sworn Swordmen, and

If Heaven will not be perswaded to become propitious to them, but the God of Hea­ven will needs turn Lutheran, (as some of them most blasphemously said, when his Stars fought in their courses against their Spanish invincible Armado) they will then conjure up all the De­vils in Hell with Beelzebub their Prince to assist them with Auxiliaries, and therefore have they been the dread of Nations, entertaining them more out of fear than Love, as Dr. Hum­phrey, de Jesuitismo, at large demonstrates: Yet what Vegetius saith of Chariots armed with Sithes and Hooks, (lib. 1. cap. 24.) will be e­very day more and more applyed to the Jesu­its, [At first they were a Terror, but afterwards a Scorn. Their dissembled Sanctity is double Iniquity, when those cunning Gamesters cannot play their Game at first for an abso­lute Alteration, yet then (from pretended Sanctity) they do influence some brackish Di­vines amongst us, (such Rivers as run nearer the See (of Rome) the more brackish they be­come) and by these they bid fair to win their Game by a plausible Accommodation: And those Moderators (for a Correspondency with Popery) would make a goodly show were there no Bible; but were they the wisest men in the [Page 186]World, and should live to the Worlds end; they would be brought to their Wits end, be­fore they could Accomplish this Works end, to make a Reconciliation betwixt Christ and Antichrist, betwixt Papist and Protestant.

7. Besides, what would those men shake hands withal? do they consider that Popery is but a Patchery, a confused heap of Trash and Trum­pecy; so that what Josephus said of Appian's Writings, that they were [ [...] an Hodg podg of Shameless Ʋntruths, a stinking Dunghil of Lyes; and what Livy said of Hannibal's Army, that it was made up [ex Colluvie omnium Gentium] of the very Scum of all Nations. The same may be said of the bo­dy of Popery, 'tis but a Patchery of Judaism, Paganism, and Heresie, devised and compound­ed secundum artem Satanicam, prescribed and made up according to the Devils Art, as Dr. Whitaker, Dr. Morton, Dr. Willet, and many others do largely show; and Dr. Reynolds (de Idolatria) doth prove it rank Idolatry so unan­swerably, that their own Weston said it made his Head ach to read that Book: Oh, that it might make not only the Heads, but also the Hearts of those Reconcilers to ach, when they so much as but think of shaking hands with Ido­latry, and of loving those that hate the Lord, (as all Idolaters do, Psal. 139.22.) and in help­ing those ungodly ones, which ought not to be done, 2 Chron. 19.2. Popery is the most fatal [Page 187]Heresie that ever was in the World, and hath had the longest Reign, and is no more but the Botch of Aegypt or Plague-sore of the old Church of Rome, (which once flourished in the Faith) and who dare touch such an unclean thing? 2 Cor. 6.17. The genuine Notion of Popery now is Apostacy, the Mother of it is Infallibility, and the two Daughters be Implicit Faith and Blind Obedience; and Theodoricus Ʋrias (one of Rome's good Sons in Germany) complains thus, An. Dom. 1414. That the Church of Rome was de­generated, of Gold was become Silver, of Sil­ver Iron, of Iron Earth; [Quid superest nisi ut Stercus abiret] what remains, but that of Earth she would become Dung? This she is become already (since his day) and stinks above ground, now rotting in its own Slime. Oh, then what kind of handfuls would those Reconcilers have, that desires and endeavours to take hold of her in their Accommodations: The Kings of the Earth shall burn her for an old stinking Bawd, Rev. 17.16. She hath been Carted already and shame is come upon her; 'tis strange that any should be found under such stupefactions as to be Court­ing this Whore, that for her shameless Filthi­nesses hath so long been Carted.

8. Thus 'tis made manifest that no Reconci­liation with Rome can be made [de facto,] 'tis not practicable or possible, the Romish Re­ligion is not Reconcilable, being as inconsist­ent with Truth as Dagon with the Ark; neither [Page 188] ought any Accommodation to be made with it [de jure] 'tis neither lawful nor expedient, if (together with the Premises) those follow­ing Arguments be well weighed. As 1. We ought to say with Zerubbabel and Joshna to those Romish Samaritans, [Ye have nothing to do with us, to build with us, but we our selves to­gether will build, &c. Ezra 4.2, 3. That the Romanists are Samaritans, Mr. Hildersham up­on John 4. p. 36. excellently shows, saying, They Resemble them most in Adoring Saints as they did St. Jacob, they say (just in the Samaritan Language) St. Peter gave us this Authority, as they said St. Jacob gave us this Well, John 4.12. And those new Samaritans say as the old did, [Are the Founders of your Religion greater than our St. Peter, (greater than our St. Jacob,) that gave us this Religion? But it doth appear, Jacob gave no such Well, and Peter no such Re­ligion as they boast, Hildersh▪ on John p. 37. Those Samaritans were a kind of Mongrels in Religion, 2 Kin. 17.24, 32, 33, 34. They did and they did not fear the Lord, their Religion was a Gallimaufrey, a mixture of true and false, which is as good as none, for God will not divide with the Devil Hence the Jews must have no dealing with the Samaritans, John 4.9. And they were called the Jews Adversaries, Ezra 4.2. having the disease called [Noli me tange­re] upon them. Hence 'twas answered them, [Ye shall not build with us, &c.] They craftily [Page 189]offered their Cost and Pains, that mingling with them they might foment differences a­mongst them, and so stop their work; as the Jesuits now turn Lutherans, building with them seemingly, but blowing up the Strife 'twixt them and Calvinists really.

9. The second Argument, Our running from Rome (and not our running to it in plausible Reconciliation) is our duty; 'tis our Obedience to Gods Call and Command, Isa. 52.11. Rev. 18.4. Run out of her my people, and partake not of her Sins, lest ye also partake of her Plagues.

Flee from this Mystical Babylon, as you would a Pesthouse; the cause of our running from Rome lyeth (saith learned Perkins) in her self, namely the Cup of Fornication and of all Abo­mination that the Whore holds in her hand, Perk Prolog. to his Reformed Catholick. To this a Cloud of Witnesses might be added, all una­nimously holding out that this is our duty, and that upon pain of Damnation: see Wootton's Run from Rome at large. The Command of God is upon us in respect to this Mystical Sodom (as was upon Lot, Gen. 19.17.) Look not back or behind thee, neither tarry in all the Plain, but flee for thy Life. Alas! those Reconcilers both look behind them and loiter in the plains of Sodom, in their Cassandrian Enterprises; and [Page 190]therefore may justly expect to be turned into Pillars of everlasting Shame and Obloquy, as Lot's Wife. The third Argument in short is, [that played loth to depart] she turned her about and she was turned, so may they be; we must neither turn towards them nor return to them; for the Com­mand of God is upon us that was upon Jeremiah [Let them Return to thee but do not thou return to them, Jer. 15.19.] Now Conformity (in some cases) is certainly the Christians duty, Be not Conformed to this World, Rom. 12.2. That is, to the corrupt Customs and Courses of it, yea and in such cases as Gods Prophet stood in, God will not have him to Chime in with Idolaters as the false Prophets did, but, saith the Lord, let them Conform to thee, and do not thou Conform to them; no nor meet them in the half way as our Reconcilers do. The fourth Argument, we may not halt betwixt two Opinions, 'twixt God and Baal, 1 Kin. 18.21. How long will ye halt, &c. Those halters sprung from halting Jacob, that halted upon his Thigh as he passed over Penuel, Gen. 32.31. So such Halters may be found among those that pass over a profession of the Protestant Religion, who de­serve not to carry the Blessing as Jacob did, not­withstanding his halting, but rather the Halt­er for being mystical Halters, in so far grati­fying the man of Sin as to offer a Reconcile­ment. Blessed Bradford, Martyr, could say with Elijah, If God be God follow him, but [Page 191]if the Mass be God, let him that will, hear it, see it, be present at it, and go to the Devil with it, Act and Monum. upon Bradford and others.

10. The fifth Argument, The Ark and Da­gon cannot stand together; the Philistins brought the Ark of God into the House of Dagon, and set it by Dagon, &c. 1 Sam. 5.1, 2. Behold, Da­gon was faln upon his Face, &c. v. 3, 4. As if he had been bowing to the God of Israel. as if he had heard the Psalmists, [Worship him all ye Gods,] they endeavour their Consistency the second time, and then Dagon's fall was more fatal. He breaks off his Head the Seat of Wis­dom, and his Hands the Seat of Power, and then he lyes upon the Threshold to be troden under Foot, (by his Worshippers at their en­trance into the Temple) as if no better worth, being unsavory Salt and a Dunghil Deity, v. 4. Surely they wanted the wisdom of our Recon­cilers to study out some handsom Accommo­dation, and not have said, [The Ark of God shall not abide with us, v. 7.] They might have taken up the Controversie, and never have cry­ed [What shall we do with the Ark of God? v. 8.] They would have taught it the Rule of good Fel­lowship; but assuredly, had those Philistins hap­pily hit upon saying, [Away with Dagon] in­stead of [Away with the Ark] and said to their Idols [Get ye hence, Isa. 30.22. What have we any more to do with Dagon, that cannot save himself much less us.] They had been wiser [Page 192]than our Reconcilers that will keep both. The sixth Argument is, We should not be unequally Yoked, (as aforesaid) for what Fellowship hath Righteousness with Ʋnrighteousness? and what Communion hath Light with Darkness? And what Concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an Infidel? And what Agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols? 2. Cor. 6.14, 15, 16. These are the Apostles seri­ous Questions, all which he implicitely answers in the Negative, as appears by his Inference, v. 17. Wherefore come out, saith he, from among them, and be ye separate and touch not the unclear thing, and I will receive you, and I will be a Fa­ther to you, and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty, v. 18. But those pro­found Reconcilers (as if they had a knack be­yond the blessed Apostle, yea a reach above the only Wise God himself) do cry [ [...]] with Archimedes, as if they had found out the Arcanum or deep mystery ('tis surely of Iniquity) to answer all those Apostolical Que­stions in the Affirmative, having invented an Art (diabolical no doubt,) whereby to make an happy Composition of things diametrically, contrary, notwithstanding the Philosopher's Maxim, [Contraria sese mutuò expellunt a suo sus­cepibili] Contraries cannot consist together at the same time in the same Subject: They can do Impossibles by their God Almighty the Pope above the True God, and have found out [Page 193]the North East passage to the West Indies, a shorter way to get into Gods Bosom as Sons and Daughters, than ever either the Apostle (though wrap'd up to the third Heaven) or God himself thought of; and so it is indeed.

11. The seventh Argument (as the other following) I shall not thus enlarge upon, seeing this Tractate (intended only as a little Manu­al) swells beyond expectation: 'Tis this, if Christ say, Every Plant that the Father hath not Planted shall be plucked up; then Reconcilers ought not to establish such Plants (by seeking to twist Truth with Falshood) yea and to trans­plant them into our Native Soil, which hath been either too hot or too cold for that South­ern Plant: Christ saith so, Matth. 15.13. and Popery is so, is obvious to every man that hath his Eyes opened with Christs Eye-salve; God never planted it by his Divine Institution, nor watered it by his Divine Benediction; 'tis not the Planting of the Lord, a Tree of Righteousness, Isa. 61-3. but 'tis rather of the Devil's Plant­ing and Watering, which never prospered in any Land without being watered with the Blood of Saints and Hereticks. The eighth Argument, If John (divinely Inspired) called Rome aright, a Whore, a great Whore, as if [Me­retrix Meretricissima] worse than Thais, Lais, Phryne, Messalina, or Pope Joun her self, (whom God permitted to Climb that Chair when the Popes were most busie to subject the Kings of [Page 194]the Earth (as Vassals) to the Triple Crown, that he might point out to them this Mother of Harlots) Revel. 17.15. Then this holy Mo­ther Church (so called in the same sense that Hebrews call Harlots holy) must have a Bill of Divorce, Hos. 2.2. Isa. 50.1. and not a Diploma for Reconcilement: The Sons of that Church should plead with their Mother, [Quae gremi­um nemini claudit] (which opens to all that will be her Paramours, and let her sit upon their Consciences) to put away her Whoredoms be­fore Reconciliation, Jer. 3.1, 20, 22. She must first Repent, and then (with God) you may Re­concile.

The ninth Argument, If Babylon be fallen, as certainly it is in Gods decree, Revel. 18.2. and that with a double Fall; then 'tis both un­reasonable and unseasonable for any Reconci­lers, to lend their Shoulders for supporting that which God will have to fall, who hath re­sisted his Will, Rom 9.19. Rome shall fall certò, citò, & penitùs, certainly, speedily, utterly: Their own Jesuits, Ribera, and Corn. a Lapide, confess it: Yea Cotton the Jesuit acknowledges 'tis now falling, for (he saith) the Popes Au­thority is incomparably less than it was, and that how their Catholick Church is but a di­minutive; and Bellarmine saith also, that ever since the Pope hath been called Antichrist, the Church of Rome hath been losing ground as be­fore: Yea, 'tis evident what a cold Sweat lyes [Page 195]upon the Limbs of the Beast, from the grow­ing greatness of the Protestant Religion,

And had those Reconcilers the Shoulders of Sampson, they cannot shore up this falling Tem­ple of Dagon.

12. To those Scripture Arguments I might add many more had I room for it. As the tenth Argument. Those Reconciling Modelators would set up a Linsey Woolsey Religion, and would sow Gods Field with Miscelane or mingled Seeds. Levit. 19.19. and would teach to swear by God and Malcham, Zeph. 1.5. The eleventh Ar­gument, That which ought to be rejected and Renounced, ought not to be Reconciled to; but Popery ought to be so because of its Heresie, Tit. 3.10. 2 ep. John v. 10. Leprosie in the Head made the Leper utterly Ʋnclean, and to be thrust out of the Camp, Levit. 13.43, 44, 45. Yet those Reconcilers would not have such Lepers to live alone, they dare adventure among them, or meet them the half way. The twelfth Ar­gument, if such as have only a Form of Godli­ness, but deny the power of it, must (according to Gods Command) be turned from 2 Tim. 3.5. then they ought not to be turned to by way of Reconciliation; but the Romish Church hath only a Form, &c. The thirteenth Argument, [Page 196] If H [...]red be the Affection that is due to the Romish Church, then 'tis not Reconciling Love; but the Antecedent is true, Revel. 17.16. They shall hate the Whore. The fourteenth Argument, If we must beware the Leaven, see Dr. Humphrey (of this Leaven) his Conclusion ut supra, of the Pharisees, Luke 12.1. then we may not em­brace it, &c. To all these Scripture Arguments, some Reasons may be adjoyned, As 1. If she be Incurable no Reconcilers can mend her; and she is so, as Infallible, (so she calls her self) and says she cannot err: Peter should not have said [I perceive now, &c.] Act, 10.34. Should she yield up one pin of her Opinion to the Recon­cilers, she loses her Pillar of Infallibility. 2. She is Irreconciliable to her self, such discord 'twixt Thomists and Scotists, &c. so that their own Binnius (who was employed to take it up,) saith, the foundation of their Faith was shaken thereby; then less Reconciliable to those Re­concilers. 3. Religion is a brittle thing, 'twill break (saith Dr. Preston) not bend, it cannot be Accommodated to those Reconcilers, Dr. Prest. Pillar and Ground, p. 16.4. All Protestants pro­test against it, so not to Reconcile to it. 5. Who dare take this Beast, this horned Beast into his Bosom? 6. So long as the Pope hath Paul's Sword as well as Peter's Keys, he scorns it. 7. He will not write in black but in Blood, as Draco did, concluding all his Arguments in Barbara and Ferio, or Blood-letting.