An Answer to the Lamenta­tion of Cheap-side Crosse. Together with the Reasons why so many doe desire the downfall of it, and all such Popish Reliques. Also the downfall of Antichrist.

By Samuel Lovedeay.

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London, Printed for T. A.

The Reasons why so ma­ny desire the downfall of Cheap­side-Crosse, and all such like Po­pish Reliques.

FOrasmuch as some have undertaken to oppose (by word and deed) such as de­sired the abolishing of al Images, more especially, that of Cheapside-crosse, she­wing that it is an ornament to the Ci­ty, and of antiquity, which reasons are of no great consequence: We desire to give you some Reasons why wee desire the extirpation of it and all such like.

1. Because it is in its own nature a monument of Idolatry, and may sute wel with an idolatrous place, and may be com­pared to Dagon, spoken of in 1. Sam. 5. and the beginning, which when the Arke came nere he fell downe flat. Inti­mating unto us that wheresoever the Arke of God comes all Idols and idolatry must be done away: now we have great cause to hope that our Arke is comming home againe which the Philistin [...]s have so long kept from us, and therefore good reason dumb idols should fall before him.

2. From Gods command in Exod. 20. twice repeated in that Chapter, aand flatly forbidden, that wee should not make any graven Image in the 23. verse of that Chapter.

And in the 27. of Deutrinomy and the 15. verse, Therr is a curse pronounced against him that should make any Image, and so in Exod. 32. How the wrath of God broke out upon for this sin, and how he plagued them in the last verse them of that Chapter.

[Page] A Third Reason may bee drawn from the men that stand for them, upholding of them in their lives and conversa­tions, according to Gods Word, the world saith our Savi­our loves his owne.

It is prone to our natures to desire a Visible God, we can­not endure to serve a God invisible. Therefore we may bee easily drawne to Idolatry.

The fourth Reason may be drawne from the unsutablenes of them to this City, a place of so much preaching of Gods Word. If Solomon describes the attire of an Harlot to bee answerable to her person, why not the attire of Idolatry to Idolatrous places, and of Paul in the 5. to the Phillippians, Sayed, have not covetousnesse nor fornication once named among them as become Saints, then let not the least thought of Popery be seene among us as becomes Protestants.

The fifth reason is drawne from our Nationall Protestati­on, We desire it may be abollished, otherwise we shall bee gu [...]lty of breaches of Covenant, if we doe not endeavour to suppresse and also to abandon all Popery and Popish Innova­ons.

The sixt Reason may be drawn from the evil consequence of its still continuing both to our selves and others,

First to our selves, it will bee smoake to our eyes, and thornes in our consciences, while they remaine amongst us, it will also scandalize our pure profession of Religion.

Secondly prejudiciall to others, it wil be an occasion to keepe them from comming in to looke for Christ in an in­visible way so long as they see him in a visible, it is credibly reported that some have beene sent to worship that Crosse.

Therefore you that plead for it, your grounds cannot be good, it is a fitter ornament for Rome or some such place (I meane whilst the Image and Crosse remaine on it) then for this City. All which had their aimes and originals from Rome, all Crossings and such like, they may stand with a non-Reformid Nation. Yet I do not say that it is so fit for e­very one to pull them downe, but them them in authority as thanks be to God the Parliament have took it into conside­ration, and commanded that all in Churches should down, and so now also the rest, for which happy Parliament let our prayers and praises be continued to God alwayes.

Yours. Samuel Loveday.

An answer to the Lamen­tation of Cheap-side Crosse.

OLD Iaspar Crosse of late was wrong'd,
As I did heare one say,
A base affront to him was gi'n
Upon the Kings high way.
For which his friends doe much lament,
They writ a dolefull Theame,
It grieves them much they cannot find
Who did this hurt to him.
They blame the Brownists and such like,
That did him so abuse,
But sure I think they cannot tell,
However they may muse.
Yet some they free, which I mistrust,
To be his mortall foes,
Their names I need not now relate,
You know them by their cloathes.
But chiefely by their linnen sleeves,
Which thing doth make me muse,
That they should goe in tyre so like
To that which Gregory use.
But you may know them by their works,
As well as by their cloathes:
If eares they lack you may conclude,
The Bishop were his foes.
But Iaspers griefe is for his nose,
His leg and eke his arme:
As for his Eares, he sayes nothing
He thinks they had no harme.
But one thing grieves his lovers well,
Which thing I must not keep:
The deed was done as they suppose,
When he was fast asleep.
For had he been awake, tis sure
His strength was not so small,
That he should suffer such abuse,
And not for helpe to call.
A Coward sure he must not be,
That is for your disgrace:
Who are his friends and take his part
Against his enemies face.
But pray call back, the person that
Did act this Tragedie,
No bloud he shed in all he did,
There is no cause to flie.
Old Charing-Crosse has lost its head,
And so't may be your feare,
That Iaspers noddle would be gone
But for the watch-mans care.
His case is bad, but to conclude,
If Iasper for me send,
When he assaulted is againe,
No helpe to him Ile lend.
Because of that which here I add,
To aggravate your feares,
Such lamentation was not heard
When Good-men lost their eares.

The Doctors Iudgement upon his Disease.

THE aforesaid Iasper having sufferd much by losse of his Members from his body, your delayes of reliefe have proved very prejudiciall to his health: for being (as I suppose put into a heat by that suddaine incounter, and then being exposed to the violence of the weather, and a cold piercing into his bodie through the open Pores, and not bleeding currantly, I feare it festers inwardly, whereby ma­ny radicall humours are congealed therein, that in respect of his age, his disease (occasioned by their delayes, and obnoxi­ous) will prove very desperately uncutable, without one medicine can bee procured to apply to him, and that is a Parliamentarie Playster, as a preservative of his life. You doe well to watch with him and pray to him, and comfort him as well is you can. Onely use such medicines as may preserve his present life: for as yet the obstructions cannot be removed: if you please you may give him a vomit, and applie a playster to his sores.

The downfall of Antichrist.

DEare Christians, unto whom I write these lines,
I doubt not much but that these are the times,
When Antichrist, according to the Scripture,
Must yield himselfe to Iesus Christ his Scepture:
Though he long time hath sate in Regall Throne,
Iudging the earth, as none but him alone.
Yet now he must be made to lick the dust,
That alwayes hath so terrifi'd the just.
[Page 6] His Kingdome now we see doth much decline,
The downfall of the Bishops is a signe,
Though they did plot, as they will till they live,
Yet nothing hitherto we see doth thrive.
The Lord doth foole them like Achitophel,
That never yet these men could have their will.
Therefore we now must needs confesse and say,
The Romish Kingdome greatly doth decay.
But this you say is hard for to believe,
Because in Ireland he the Saints doth grieve,
Exposing them to death and cruell paine,
And they not able for to turne againe;
But there they lye imbrued in their bloud,
Which doth the adverse part, we know much good.
Yet unto them this eager thirst of bloud,
Can be a signe of but a little good.
It is a signe they poysoned were before,
Which to their hurt doth make them drinke the more,
When they were in their greatest height of pride,
The Lord from heaven wil their work deride,
And strike them, as he did King Pharaoh't host,
That they shall goe but slow, that now so post.
The Lord to England has beene good alwayes,
But most of all in these our latter dayes,
By calling first so good a Parliament,
Which still the foes so much doth circumvent,
The Papishes have laboured might and maine
To cut them off but all was but in vaine.
The prayers of the Saints have so prevail'd,
That hitherto we see they have not quail'd,
Yet let not England think their sins are lesse,
Than Irelands sins, because of their distresse:
For then the Lord may justly make us know,
That we deserve as much, though he be slow.
FINIS.

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