THis faithlesse, faultring and backsliding world, hath now for about 14 or 1500 years been haulting and staggering between not only 2 but many distracted o­pinions, both touching the true God, as it was between the heathens and primitive Christians; and also (as now it is and long hath been between Protestants, Papists and other Sectaries) Concerning the pure and sincere worship of the true God, whether Christ or Antichrist, Simple, plaine and pure worship, or miserably mixed idolatrie and superstition should stand or fall, be loved or dis­liked. And from this ground and bottome,Christendomes grand-quarrell. have all the flames of Contention and bloudy broyles, over the whole Christian World (even for these many hundred yeares) been raised and blazed abroad, even to the utter depopulation and ruine of many Countries and King­domes. And although the Lord God of Heaven and Earth may be said to have taken that most wise Course,Whither God or Baal, Christ or Anti-christ shall raigne. 1 King. 18. 24. which once he himselfe dictated and directed to his Zealous and pious prophet Elijah (inspi­red with heavenly wisedome and Courage) to prove and clearely de­monstrate, to his apostatizing faithlesse and faultring Israelites, in wicked Ahabs time, the true God from false and abusive Baall, even by miraculous fire from heaven; And as the false god Baal was most notably discovered by his false-prophets (notwithstanding their ve­hement calling and crying on their blockish god, yea and that with cuttings and slashings of their flesh, to move him to heare them and to answer them by fire also, which hee could not) to be a false-god [Page 2] or indeed no god at all: Even so, I say, our most wise God, the onely true God, hath after a certaine manner taken the same course, even by the true heavenly and supernaturall fire of sound Faith which workes by Love, Zeale and true holinesse of life and con­versation in his Saints and Servants; from time to time, most aboun­dantly and evidently hath manifested to the world in all ages, that as hee is the onely true God, Joh. 4. 23, 24. and a most pure and incomprehensible Spirit, so hee will be worshipped in plaine Simplicity, in Spirit and truth of all his true worshippers. And that Antichrict and all his foolish and faithlesse (not praying, but) prating Priests, and babling Baalists, mumbling and muttering over so many Paternosters and Ave-Maries together with all their Good frydayes whipping-cheer, lashing and gashing their flesh, just like Baals Priests, are but very lyers, and abhominable impostures and deceivers, and that God hates and abhorrs all their rotten painted and polluted idolatry and Superstition, which Antichrist, that most audacious and brazen-fac'd Whore of Rome, hath by her Ignatian and truly igneous flaming Iesuites and Popish proselites, endevoured and strenuously striven with fire and sword, with juglings and delusions to uphould and maintaine, but all in vaine to this present time, though I must con­fesse, with much misery, ruine and desolation to Gods Church and Children, in all those foresaid many hundred yeares, even ever since Antichrist the Baal and Belial of Rome grew up to such an un­godly growth and pernicious power, by the too great lenity, in­dulgence and over-honest affection and favour which the primitive Christian Emperours Constantine, and others exhibited to those Pa­triarkes and Popes of their times, who afterwards, in short time, most grossely abused their honest love and liberality, unto extreme and ex­cessive pride and insolencie, even till, at last, they grew to that highth, that they proved not only intolerable, but untameable to posterity all along.

Now although, as I touched before, our most wise and patient God had from time to time, in all Antichrists insulting and usurped autho­rity and tyranny, let the world see (if at least it would have seen) that his will and worship, revealed only in his Word (not Antichrists un­written rotten trash and traditious Decrees and Decretals) was the old way and the good way to be walked in; yet, such hath been the unex­pressible knaverie, impostures and juglings, together with unsuffera­ble [Page 3] cruelties and tyrannies exercised on Gods people by the Popes and their most nefariously pestilent and pernicious Jesuites, Fryers and ly­ars, those croaking Froggs ascending out of the foggie fumes and black smoake of the bottomlesse pit of hell, that either by force or fraud, they have wonderfully wrought upon the spirits of men to be misled by them, and sillily and sottishly driven or drawne them to beleeve and imbrace Romes either lying wonders, or frying furies and cruel­ties.

Now,The ground of all Europes in­testine conten­tions. then, I say, this being the maine and mightie ground, and most bainfull bottome of all the warres and jarrs that are now in the Christian world, namely, whither Romes usurped rule and regiment, or Christs evangelicall Truth and Testament shall stand and prevaile, whither Christs pure and precious Comelinesse, or Romes inwardly rot­ten (though outwardly specious and painted) Beauty, (or rather Bauderie) is fittest to be followed and affected. In short, whither Christ or Antichrist shall be King, and sole Lord and Soveraigne. I have, therefore in this short Treatise undertaken to set forth in her pro­per and most genuine and native deepe-died colours in graine, the great Diana of Rome, so cryed-up, admired and adored, by almost, the whole world (at least of sottish and senslesse,2 Thess. 2. onely nominall Christi­ans and perishing sonnes of disobedience, who give themselves up to believe lyes, that they all may be damned, who will not receive the love of the truth in righteousnesse, as the Apostle Paul most notably shewes) yea and to limn and delineat Romes most lively picture and faire (or rather in­famous) figure and feature, most unquestionably knowne (to all knowing and ingenuous Christians) to be most properly and peculi­arly hers, and only or mainly hers, as all Ecclesiasticall Histories and Historiographers both ancient and moderne, besides the sensible ex­perience of pristine and present suffering Christians in all ages, have and doe decipher and set her forth, and without all cause of controver­sie, most faithfully prove and testifie.

And because all these things which I now intend in this Treatise to deliver (and that with all historicall fidelitie and convenient brevitie) are so well knowne to all learned and intelligent Christians, I have resolved (for the avoiding of tediousnesse and intricate prolixitie, to the ordinary sort of Readers, who are like to be the greatest number) to set downe most succinctly the Histories themselves, barely and plainly, without much (or almost any) marginall notes or quotati­ons [Page 4] of authours, that so my honest and plain Readers may with more full delight and content, see and seeing admire and admiring be ama­zed at the egregious madnesse and stupid sottishnesse of our Popish ad­mirers and adorers (both Princes and people) of such a rotten ram­ish Whore, and most bold and brazen-fac'd a painted Strumpet, Who dares so audaciously abuse and intoxicate them with such deepe drafts of her golden-cup of mortiferous poyson of Romish fornications, to the fatall and finall ruine and perdition (without timely and true re­pentance) of their faire estates and more precious bodies and souls.

Here,The method of this worke. then, I desire, in the first place briefly, to acquaint the Reader with the whole Method and Module of this mine intended Descripti­on following.1. Pride and In­solencie. Namely, first to speake of and relate, some speciall pee­ces and passages (among very many other (of all sorts) to be found recorded in Popish and Ecclesiasticall Histories) of Babylons Beautie, in the intolerable Pride and Insolencie of the Popes of Rome. 2. Covetousnesse and Avarice. Second­ly, to shew and set forth Romes insatiable and most greedie Covetous­nesse and Avarice, making sale of all, yea soules and bodies too, for gold and gaine.3. Incontinencie & uncleannes. Thirdly, to delineate and lay open Romes whorish Incontinencie and uncleannesse, whereby she is, indeed, most fitly cal­led and counted the whore of Rome. Fourthly, to blazon-out their a­bominable Blasphemies and devillish Impieties, 4. Blasphemies & impieties. whereby they are farre more reall Atheists than Christians, which name they (just Judas like) use only as a cloake to cover and conceale their abhominations. Fiftly,5. Tyrannie and cruelty. to limne-out (even to the life) the deadly and most desperate Tyrannie and crueltie of these accursed Popish and inhumane Canibals, enough to make any Christian heart to quake and tremble at the very perusall thereof.6. A faire frame for this picture Sixtly, and lastly, to fit and compose a faire frame to hang up this Beautifull-Picture (into conspicuous and open view) of Romes so radiant lustre and glistring Beautie; in an exact Paralell or Antithesis of the ancient doctrine of Christ and the diametrally oppo­site new doctrine of Antichrist,In an exact pa­ralell or Anti­thesis of the ancient doctrin of Christ; and the opposite new doctrine of Antichrist. And a Hortato­ry Epilogue. in divers most materiall fundamen­tals; And so having thus completed this our picture; to shut up and conclude all, with a succinct hortatory Epilogue to Papists and for­mall faultring and paultring Protestants (whose Religion is yet to choose) by a just and serious reflection and rumination on all the weighty premises, to hate and abhominate so impious and odious, so detestable, dangerous, yea damnable a religion, and such intolera­bly jugling and dissembling White-devils and Romish hypocrites, the [Page 5] fathers and fautours of such exorbitant abhominations. And now to come to the intended matter.

The first Romish figure and feature of the Pope of Rome, where­by Babylons Beautie will be most lively and lustrously set forth,1. Pride and In­solencie. shall be in the excessive and transcendently unsufferable Pride of this Romish-whore, which may first most manifestly appeare in Pope Hildebrand that most abhominable fire-brand of hell, testified by Cardinall Bennon, who lived about the yeare, 1080. Which said Hildebrand (upon discontent and distaste at some petty disgust offered to him (at least as this proud Pope conceived) by Henrie the fourth,The Pope proudly casts the Sacrament into the fire. then Emperour of Rome) demanding an answer from the Sacrament (for you must note, by the way, he was also a notorious Nigromancer) against the said Emperour, and it not an­swering, he most proudly and blasphemously, cast the Sacrament in­to the fire and there burnt it; If Popes be so proud and audacious to use their god, their Creatour thus, what wonder is it, if they use the creature so coursly and cruelly.The Pope de­posed the Em­perour Henrie the fourth. Yet here he stayed not, but shortly af­ter, excommunicated the said Emperour, deprived and deposed him from his Empire, and by his owne insolent and usurped power, no­minated Rodulph Duke of Suevia, Emperour in his stead; and sent this verse to his new made Emperour.

Henry the fore-said Emperour, hearing thereof and much disquieted thereat, divested himselfe of his imperiall ornaments, and with his wife and little sonne, in the midst of Winter, came to Canusium, the Popes palace, clothed in linnen and bare footed, being there made a spectacle (as writes the said Cardinall Bennon) to angels and men; and thus the good Emperour fasting from morning to night, remai­ned at the Popes gate, humbly craving the Popes mercie and admit­tance into his presence,The Emperour enforced to wait at the proud Popes gate 3 daies to­gether. but was forced thus to stand and wait full three daies together, being only still answered; The Bishop was busie; and could not yet be spoken with. But, at last, at the request and medi­ation of the Countes Mathilda (whom the Pope greatly loved) and some others, the Pope commanded (marke this pride) he should enter. Being entred he againe most humbly craved the Popes pardon and gave the Pope his Crowne; but the Pope would not, for all this, [Page 6] either pardon or absolve him from his Excommunication, till he had promised to purge himselfe in the Councell, with other unlawfull and most unseemly conditions, all which, though the Emperour promi­sed to performe, yet he would not restore him to his Empire. Wher­upon, Henry, this Emperour, afterward in battell vanquished the said Rodulph, whom the Pope had made Emperour, as afore said. Yet, this Rodulph being dead, the Pope made Emperour one Herman, Count of Lucenburg, whom also a woman, after it, slew with a Stone; and yet for all this,The Popes ex­treme pride & malice toward the Emperour. this most malicious and proud Pope did not cease to vex and reject the good Emperour Henry, but nominated a third Emperour against him, who also being newly made Emperour was miserably slaine by the Imperialists. And was not here a Luciferian Pope indeed, as full of Pride, as a Toad is of poyson?

Boniface also the 8th, was such a proud and arrogant Beast, that his very Cardinals could not endure him, for his extreme pride and am­bition; This is he of whom 'twas written,The rare praise of Boniface the 8th. that he entred like a Fox, lived like a Lion and died like a Dogge. Besides, about the yeare, 1159. Fredericke then Emperour, going to Rome, Pope Adrian the fourth, and his Clergie, met the Emperour at Sutrio, where the Em­perour alighting from his horse, led the Popes horse by the bridle, and held his left stirop for the Pope to alight;The Pope proudly jeeres the Emperour for not holding his stirop right. whereupon the Pope deri­ded the Emperour, because he held not the right stirop, with which derision the Emperour being displeased, only with a smile answered, That he never had been a horse-boy. But, surely, had a daring wise man seene this, he might have told his Majestie, herein he shewed him­selfe little better then an horse-boy, for (as the Relation goes on) the day following, the Pope came to the Emperours Campe, and there the Emperour mindfull of the Popes former reproofe, better perfor­med his office now,This proud Pope choak'd with a flie. and held the Popes right stirop for him. This proud Pope Adrian afterward was choaked with a poore little flie, which he sodainly swallowed and died thereof. A remarkable testi­monie of Gods wrath for so high swolne pride, in making such a poor despicable creature his confusion. About the yeare also, 1180, A­lexander the third, Pope of Rome, being mightily puft-up with the mountanous tympanie of pride and arrogancie,The most ex­cessive pride of Pope Alexander the third. by reason of a great victorie he had obtained, compelled Fredericke then Emperour of Rome to come (on a day appointed by the said Pope) to S. Marks in Venice, and there before all the people, he commanded the Emperour [Page 7] to prostrate himselfe flat on the ground before the Pope, and so to crave his mercie and pardon, which the Emperour accordingly did; whereupon the Pope like self-flated Nebuchadnezzar, The Pope treads, yea stamps, on the Emperours necke. Psal. 91. 13. or indeed, most like Lucifer himselfe, trod with his foot on the Emperours necke, and with his proud heart and mouth, most blasphemously abused that Scripture, Thou shalt goe upon the Aspe and Basiliske, and upon the Lion and the Dragon shalt thou tread. O intolerable impudence and mon­strous pride and blasphemie! The beslaved Emperour, herewith asha­med made answer (with his necke still on the ground) Not to thee but to Peter. Whereat, the Pope stamping againe contemptuously upon the Emperours necke, said, Both to me and to Peter. Herewith the poore Emperour was forced to be content and silent, and so was absolved from his Excommunication by the Pope. Yea, and this ve­ry same Pope (as Robert Mortensis, Two Kings lead the Popes horse by the bridle on foot, and the Pope on horse-backe an Historian testifies) made Lewis King of France, and Henry King of England goe on foot, as his Lac­keyes, and hold the bridle of his horse, whereon the Pope rod, the one on the right, and the other on the left-hand, and thus in great pompe and Satanicall pride, they led him through the City of Boyan­cie, which borders on the river Lucra. And of Pope Sistus the fourth, it is recorded,The Popes most costly U­tensils. that he made no reckoning to goe up and downe in his house, cloathed with the richest cloth of gold, the covering of his beds, being also of cloth of gold, the basons also wherein he did his necessaries were of pure silver, and that he caused the shooes of his friend Tereza to be covered with very rich and precious stones.2. Romes cove­tousnesse and avarice. And thus, I thinke, I have briefly and bravely painted out the diabolicall Pride and insolencie being the first part of Babylons Beautie, the rare effigies of this dissembled Apostolicall humble Servant of Servants, but indeed, most arrogant and supercilious Lord of Lords, and King of kings. And now the next conspicuous colour which so illustrates the Beauty of Babylon shall be her accursed Covetousnesse, her infatiated griping and greedie avarice, hungring and thirsting, like a bottomlesse whirl­poole, after gold and gaine, ex re qualibet, by hooke or by crooke, by Simony or Sodomie, as these following examples will make most cleare, and evident to any unblinded eye in the world.A Pope sold his popedome.

Benet the 9th, Pope of Rome sold away his Popedome to Gregorie the 6th, for a 1500 lb. in gold. And Frederick the 2d Emperour of Rome, Indulgences dearly bought. paid for but one absolution or pardon to Pope Gregorie the 9th, an 125000 ounces of gold, as it is recorded in the Romish Pontificall; [Page 8] and those other Writers, Naucleer, Pineda, and others who speake with the least thereof, confesse an 120. thousand ounces to have been paid to the Pope as afore-said. Yea the King of Spaine (as Josephus Angles testifies) was forced to pay an 100000 Duckets for one in­dulgence or pardon to the Pope. And, for money the Popes of Rome allow publike Stewes, both in Italy, Spaine and Rome it selfe, even under the Popes nose, insomuch that as the Writers of Romes rare acts,Rich revenews for whorish Stewes. doe testifie, the yearly rent and revenew which now of later times came to the Pope for the allowance of those publike Stewes, came to full 40000 Duckets, which was constantly paid in by the Curtizans or Whores. And in particular Pope Paul, the third, en­joyed the rent of above 40000 Whores which were in Rome, the rent being a julio or Spanish-royall, every weeke, which came to a mightie masse of money in the yeare. And it is recorded of Pope Boniface the ninth,The Popes de­votion at their holy Masse. that in the time of his hearing masse (such was their papall de­votion, or rather devotation) he used to sell Benefices for large sums of money. And in speciall to come nearer home, our Kingdome of England hath been so miserably exhausted by the yearly taxations im­posed on it and extracted from it, by those skilfull, but most hatefull gold-Alchymists of Rome, that indeed Rome proved a most devouring bottomlesse gulfe to our State, supping-up and swallowing down in­to her insatiable paunch the creame and fat of the whole kingdome,England called and justly counted the Popes Asse. so as the Popes prey and spoiles in this kingdome, were by credible Writers accounted equall, very neare, to the Kings of Englands owne yearly revenewes. Insomuch that England was commonly stiled the " Popes Asse; And the writers of those times compared this our king­dome to a fruitfull Vineyard spoyled by every one that passed by, and rooted up by the wilde Boare of the wood, the Pope of Rome. By reason of which Romes horrible rapine and unlimitable covetousnesse, Mantuan, an ancient Writer of Romes rarities, hath given Rome, and that, most rightly, this title and inscription.

That is,

[Page 9] And thus, as you have had a summary sight of Babylons Beautie in this pale and whitely colour of Covetousnesse,3. Roms whorish Incontinencie. and most excessive gri­ping Avarice; So I shall now desire the Reader to cast his modest eyes, (if he can endure it) a little while, on Romes ramish and right whorish Incontinencie and most unchast painted Braverie, or rather Bawderie. And here in the first place, I shall give you one undenia­ble cause of incontinencie in the Priests of Rome, from the top to the toe,An undeniable cause of Romes Incontinency. from the Pope their holy Father himselfe, to the most base and beggarly inferiour Fryers and hedge-priests of Rome (besides the publike toleration of Stewes, as afore-said, a most stinking streame from a most filthy fountaine) namely the Popes most horribly perni­cious Decree to make it unlawfull for any of their Priests or Ecclesia­sticks to marry; by which means in the dayes of Pope Gregorie (who first forbad Priests marriage) this said Pope,6000 sculs of little infants found in one of the Popes fish-ponds at one time. afterward, causing a fish pond of his to be fish'd and sewed, in the cleansing of the pond they found to the number of 6000. sculs of little Infants (in that one pond) which had been begot in that unchaste condition of Priests about him, and had been murthered and cast into this the Popes pond.

Pope Joan, Pope Ioan, a right Whore of Rome, indeed, as Platina a fa­mous Romish Writer, Pero Mexia, and o­thers do testifie alias Pope John, the eighth, an English-Woman, a right Whore of Rome, indeed, without figure or Allegorie; In the time of her Papacie, even whiles she was Popesse, committed reall and car­nall Whoredome with a slave which she kept and put much trust in, for such filthy and loathsome secrets; with whom she used much (yea it seemes too much) familiarity in this kind, and by whom she proo­ved with child; yet so secretly was it carried, that none but they two knew it, till it pleased God, (the great Explorator and discoverer of all secrets) to bring it to open knowledg and shame in the very streets,Pope Ioan deli­vered of a child in the open streets, as she went in pom­pous procession as she past along, in accustomed Papall pompe, to visit (forsooth) St John de Lateran, being come to a certaine place in Rome, betweene the Church of St Clement and the Theatre, with sudden and extreme paine, she (there) brought forth a creature to the wonderfull amaze­ment of all that were present, and therewithall she immediately di­ed. O was not here a brave breach of their loud and lying bragge of an uninterrupted succession of Popes and Bishops of Rome? Pope Benedict the 8th, a most notorious for­nicatour was strangled to death by the devill. And yet so impudent are they to cry out unto us to this day of their lineall suc­cession, as a maine marke of their Apostolicall (but indeed Apostati­call) Church. Pope Benedict the eighth also, being he that was fore-mentioned that sold away his Popedome to Gregorie the sixth, [Page 10] for a 1500. lb. was a most notorious fornicatour and adulterer, and such an horrid Nigromancer and sorcerer, that at last he was most hi­deously strangled to death,Pope Iohn the 13th, a most notorious for­nicator and a­dulterer, was stabd to death in the very act by the devill himselfe, as their owne Po­pish Historians testifie. Pope John the thirteenth, also, was a most filthie and lustfull man, and condemned of many grosse enormities, e­specially for his Incontinencie, being accused before the Emperour O­tho the fourth, in a Synod at Rome, that he had committed incest with two of his owne Sisters, that he had destored maidens, turned his sacred palace (forsooth) into a stinking Stews, that he had ly­en with one Stephana, his fathers Concubine, and with the widow Reynera, and with another widow called Anna, and with his neece, and (at last) he was stabbed to death by the husband of one that found him in the act of adulterie with his wife.

Pope Hildebrand, Pope Hilde­brand a noto­rius adulterer; yet forbad priests to mar­ry. also (that brand of hell of whom we made menti­on before for his monstrous pride and insolencie) was also a most noto­rious and filthy adulterer, yet most stiffely and desperately forbad Priests marriage; O most abhominable and monstrous hypocrite: This devillish Beast was also a most wicked Nigromancer and In­chanter.

Honorius the 2d Pope of Rome, sent into England, one John of Cre­ma, Cardinall of S. Grison, his Legate; which Cardinall, in a Coun­cell by him held in London, Pope Hilde­brand and the Cardinall of Grison, two most notorious hypocrites. condemned all married Priests; and the very night following, he himselfe was taken (to give you the very expression of my Historian) with the theft in his hand, was ta­ken in bed with a wicked woman in the very act of adultery; And was not here another egregious Romish hypocrite? And Pope Innocent (rather Nocent) the eighth, had eight sons and eight daughters,An unmarried Pope had 16 Sons and Daughters. yet never was married. And might not they all (most properly) indeed say unto him, O Papa, O Father, but most improper­ly and injuriously, most holy Father. And (which was most extreme impudence in the Popes of Rome) they most of them having many bastards, both before and after they came to be Popes, were so farre from being asham'd thereof, that they let the world see how father­like care they had of them, that they made some of them Kings, Dukes, Popes, Cardinals, Arch-bishops, Queenes and Countesses, and lifted them up to such like princely preferments. And finally, so hor­ribly wicked was John Arch-bishop of Benevent, and deane of the A­postolick-chamber (for sooth) and Nuncio to Pope Julius the 3d, that [Page 11] he compiled a booke in commendation and praise of the abhominable sinne, not fit to be once named, which said booke was printed at Ve­nice. And doe not all these most odiously and infamously shew what a pure and chaste Spouse of Christ, this Vicar (forsooth) of Christ and head of his Church,O what a chast Spouse of Christ is the Pope of Rome. this beastly Whore of Babylon is? who thus fre­quently and filthily prostitutes soule and bodie both in her selfe and proselites, to such more than belluine abhominations? And is not here a deepe dyed colour even in graine of this most audacious brazen fac'd Strumpets Babylonish Beauty. Ezekiel 8. 8, 9, 10, &c. And yet though (as the Lord bad the Prophet Ezekiel) we have thus far digged into the wall and seen (with­in) thus many of Romes secret abhominations. Yet, I say, I must desire the good Readers Christian patience, and I shall (as the Lord again and again bad the said holy Prophet) goe yet farther into the Temple (at Rome) and shew you yet greater abhominations (if it may be) than all these before specified, in now delivering and observing in the next place the most accursed and Atheisticall Blasphemies and other impie­ties of this most vicious Vicar (forsooth) of Christ of this spurious Successour of pious Peter, 4. Romes Blas­phemie and Impiety. The Popes blasphemie, in playing at dice and wherein we shall shew you how patly he followes the patterne and imitation of Christ and his Apostles, in their pure Apostolicall vertues and graces. And first I shall instance in that Pope John the 13th, fore mentioned and branded as then with most blacke markes of infamie for his abhominable lust and inconti­nencie; so now also againe with the hellish coale of diabolicall blas­phemie. For this Pope in playing at dice for no small summes of mo­ney (ye may believe) invocated the devill to get the games;Healths drunk to the devil by the Pope. And in his cups would drinke healths to the devill; as Luithprandus, an an­cient Historian testifies.

Pope Sylvester the 2d,The Pope gives his body and soule to the devill for worldly digni­ties. also, from his youth gave himselfe extreme­ly to Inchantments and Witch-craft, and (as Platina writes of him) he contracted and covenanted with the devill in his youth, to give him both his body and soul, conditionally that he might, by his means, attain to great worldly pomp and dignities. Which the devill accor­dingly performed for him (being as the Scripture cals him, the Prince of this world, The Popes pri­vate copper head. yet, but by Gods permission, and that, only in the sons of dis­obedience) who afterward ascending up to the Popes Chair, and being, by the devils assistance made Pope of Rome, he had a Copper-head, which he kept secret, which alwayes gave him an answer of what, from time to time, hee demanded of the devill. At last, hee was desi­rous [Page 12] to know of the devill, how long he should be Pope; Who (as his custome alwayes was, even in the oracles at Delphos, and els where) doubtfully answering, tould him he should not die, untill he had said Masse in Ierusalem. Hereat Pope Sylvester much rejoyced, resolving and purposing with himselfe, never to goe to the City of Jerusalem. But it was a custome in Rome, that on a certaine fix­ed day in Lent, the Popes of Rome must say Masse in the Church of the holy-Crosse, called also Jerusalem; Where and when, Sylvester, being forgetfull of the devills deceipt, celebrated Masse there and was instantly taken with a great burning fever.The devill cheates the Pope. The Pope, then (Sayes Petrus Premostratensis and Bennon, two ancient writers) Knowing by the roaring of the devills that his end was neare, and being in extreme sorrowes,The Popes fearefull death. besought those about him, to cut off his hands and tongue (giving them the reasons of his desire therein) and so shortly after died. See here then, O blinde Roman Catholicks (as ye like to be call'd and counted) & tell me, can your holy father the Pope of Rome, erre or not? Where now was his pretended spirit of infallibilitie, so inseperably inherent (as ye most lyingly prate) to the Papall Chaire? And it is frequently reported and testified by their Historians, that all the Popes, from this Pope Sylvester the 2d, to Gre­gorie the 7th (a notorious villaine for his life, and a great Inchanter) which were 18 of them successively immediately one after another) were notorious Inchanters and Nigromancers, a sweet brood hatcht up in so sacred and scelerous a nest, as the Popes-Chaire? But, to goe-on.

Ʋictor the third (made Pope of Rome, by Maud an infamously fa­mous Whore in the City of Rome, and an adultresse to Gregorie the 7th) was poysoned by his Sub-deacon,The Pope poy­soned by poy­son cast into the Sacramen­tall Wine. An Emperour also so poyso­ned. who cast poyson into the Challice, in saying Masse, which this said Pope drinking off, immediately died thereof. And, one Bernardus de monte Policiano, an accursed domi­nican-Fryer, put also poyson into the Sacramentall wine, and gave it to the Emperour Henrie the 4th, of Lucenburg, which the said Em­perour dranke and instantly died therof.

Iohn, also, the 25th, was (as Platina testifies) such a notorious vil­laine (these I assure thee,One Pope poy­sons another to be made Pope. Reader, are the very termes and titles the Romish Historians give their Popes) that he not onely poysoned Pope Alexander the 5th his Predecessour to be Pope himselfe, but was accu­sed and condemned of more then 40 heynous offences, viz. that he was [Page 13] a murtherer, an hereticke, a Symonist, a notorious lyer, an hypocrite, a Witch, a gamester, an adulterer, a sodomite, &c. And was not this a more than seven-headed monstrous Beast of Rome in­deed?

Pope Sistus the fourth, allowed a booke to be published, which ju­stified that Alanus de Rupe, Notorious blasphemy, touching the virgine Marie. a dominick-Fryer (a great friend to the Popish Rosarie) was most familiar with the Virgine Marie, and that she on a time, entred into his cell (the doors thereof being fast shut) and tooke some of the haire from her head, and thereof made a little ring with which she was married to this Frier Alanus; Fryer Alanus married to the virgine Marie. A blasphemous mocking of our Saviours sufferings. that she kis­sed him, and caused him to handle her naked duggs, and was every way as familiar with him, as a wife with a husband. O abhominable and beastly blasphemie. And Pope Paul the 3d, granted indulgence or pardon of all sins for 56000 years to all that should pray that fore­said Rosarie; and was not this a notorious mockerie to Christs meri­torious death and sufferings. But it may here be justly objected; But what if the said partie die the next weeke after,Object. what good will his 56000 yeares pardon doe him?Answ. To which they will easily answer (as I my selfe have read it to be their opinion) yes, say they, very much good, for he may bequeath those remainder of yeares, before he dies, to whomsoever he pleaseth. And is not here most abhominable abu­sing of poore silly ideots that beleeve them? But to goe on.

Pope Alexander the 6th,Alexander the 6th sels him­selfe to the de­vill to be made Pope. made a Covenant with the Devill, and gave and delivered himselfe wholly to him, on this only condition, that by his meanes he might attaine to be Pope, which the Devill ha­ving accordingly effected; So holily and obediently to Pluto his Pa­tron, this atheisticall Pope ordered his life, that he never attemp­ted to doe any thing of moment, but first he consulted thereof with the Devill.

Pope Leo also the 10th,Most hideous and fearfull blasphemie. was a most damnable and hellish Atheist; for, he held opinion that there was neither a heav'n nor hell; And of him it is recorded, that Cardinall Bembus alleadging to him, upon occasion, a passage out of the Gospell; He answered, What infinite pro­fit this Fable of Christ hath brought to us and our companie, all the world knowes full well. At last he died with extreme laughing for joy to hear that the Imperialists were vanquished and driven out of Italy by the French, which was done by his assistance and instigation.

Pope Paul the third, also afore-mentioned, was a most accursed [Page 14] Atheist,Pope Paul the [...] a most horribly impi­ous Pope. and the writers of his time say of him, that if they should endeavour to recount all his enormities and horrible vices, his mur­thers, robberies, witcherics, treasons, tyrannies, incests and wic­ked whoredomes, they knew not when to make an end thereof; he had many bastards (as so the most of the Popes had, as was fore-spe­cified) and mightily preferred them; he poysoned his owne Mother and two of his Sisters,This Pope poi­soned his owne Mother and 2 of his Sisters having been naught with one of them. with one of whom he was filthie and naught, and this was that Pope, that enjoyed the rent of 40000 Whores or Curtizans which were allowed in Rome, as hath been already decla­red. And in this Popes time, began that abominable and most ranke rabble of the Jesuiticall incendiaries, to be knowne and advanced into a most scelerous Societi c Ano. 1545.

Finally, Pope Iulius the third, extraordinarily affecting Peacocks, and Swines-flesh (which is bad for the gout, wherewith he was trou­bled, and his Physitians therefore ordering that none thereof should be set on his table at meales) This said Pope missing his porke, de­manded of his officers about him,The Pope blas­phemes for want of his porke. what was become of his porke, and his Steward answering that the Physitians had commanded not to set it on the Table; he fell a cursing and blaspheming with such execra­ble blasphemies as are not fit to be uttered. Another time also (as tou­ching his peacocks) a rosted peacock having been brought to his ta­ble at dinner, but (by reason of the other various superfluity of dain­ties) not then touch'd, the Pope bad it should be reserved for him till Supper; but at supper, he not seeing the cold peacocke (though this unholy Heliogabulus had then also hot peacocks,The Pope blas­phemes for want of a cold peacock at sup­per. he was terribly enra­ged and burst out into blaspheming for this, as he used to doe, and a Cardinall then supping with him, said, Let not your holinesse (for­sooth) be so angry for so small a thing. To whom this Satanicall Iu­lius answered most blasphemously, If God was so angry with Adam for an Apple, that he cast our first Parents out of Paradise for it; why shall it not be lawfull for me who am his Vicar (and a most vicious one too) to be angry for my peacocke, which is a thing of more worth than an apple If this be not blasphemie, in a most high measure judge, even, yee Ro­mish Catholicks, your selves.

And if these and the rest of Romes abhominations doe not declare an extreme rotten ripenesse of impieties at Rome, This Pope Iu­lius was also an abhominable Sodomite. let all (though but meere rationall) Christians consider and judge; This Iebusite Iulius aforesaid, was also (as Histories testifie) a most abhominable Sodo­mite. [Page 15] And thus I thinke, I have sufficiently set out the Beautie of this Babylonish Baud, and as impudent, as impious Strumpet of Rome. Now therefore I shall proceed to a fift faire and most facinorous co­lour and more than bestiall Braverie or rather Knaverie of this odious and audacious Whore of Rome; 5. Romes Tyran­nie and cruelty▪ which is and may be most apparently conspicuous to the whole world in her, even, unexpressible Trea­cheries, Tyrannies and barbarous Cruelties toward all, of what Sex or Sect, of what dignitie or degree and condition so ever; if they oppo­sed, complained, or but once muttered against the thus holy Apostoli­call Sea of Rome.

And first I shall begin with the treacherous wrath and impious cruelty of that horrid and hideously wicked Pope Hildebrand, Pope Hilde­brands treache­ry against the Emperour. that furious and outragious firebrand of hell, as he is most justly entitu­led; testified by the forementioned Cardinall Bennon. Which said Pope, upon some pettie offence committed by Henry the 4th, then Emperour of Rome, against this Pope, He understanding that the said Emperour used to pray in St Maries Church, in Mount Aven­tine in Rome, Caused the said place to be marked, and then procured a certain skilfull Mason or Stone-Cutter to Convey and place,A base & bar­barous villany, intended by the Pope. secret­ly, certaine great Stones over the beams of the temple, right over the Emperours praying-place, that so they might fall from on high upon the head of the Emperour so praying, and thus bruise him to peeces; which villanie, as the said Mason was busie to order and effect; and en­deavouring to place a stone of very great poyse & weight over the said beame,Perillus first boyl'd in his own Bull. the Stone, by reason of its unweildy-waight, fell back­ward, at the same time, upon the Mason himselfe, and both the Stone and Mason (by Gods Iust judgement) fell from the top, to the store of the Church, and crushed the Mason quite in pieces; and thus Perrillus was first boyl'd in his owne Bull, made by him at the tyrant Phalaris Command; had the Pope himselfe been in the wret­ched Masons stead; it had been right indeed, but thus the Emperour escaped the Popes malice and mischiefe, at that time.

And now in the next place I shall shew you the most accursedExtreme rags and revenge of one Pope a­gainst another. Cruelties and barbarous revenge-fullnesse of one Pope against another. So desperately and devillishly were they addicted to wrath and re­venge, that Sergius, the third, being Pope was so furiously and even madly vindicative on Pope Formosus his predecessour, for some affronts offered to the said Sergius in Formosus life time, that Sergius [Page 16] when he was Pope,Pope Sergius digg'd up the dead body of Pope Formosus, buried 8 yeares to be revenged on him. caused Formosus his dead carkasse to be dig'd out of his grave, having been buried about 8 years, and having him forth, made expressions that he would kill him, were he alive; but yet being thus dead, he cut off the other three fingers on his right-hand (Pope Stephen the sixth, having most basely also, before, cut off the other two fingers on his said right-hand, wherewith Priests use to conse­crate in their Popish Masse, and cast them into the river Tyber) and so this Sergius, I say, cut-off the other three fingers left on the hand of that dead Pope, and in detestable hatred, cast them also into the said river Tiber. Pope Bonisace his monstrous cruelty to Pope Iohn.

Pope Boniface the seventh also was such a cruell wretch, that, by money getting the Popedome from Pope John the 15th, Boniface laid hold on his said Predecessour, John, cast him into prison, pul'd out both his eyes, and then and there famished and starv'd him to death. And about the yeare of our Lord, 1045. no lesse than six Popes succes­sively one after another (within the space of 13 yeares) poysoned each other, [...] Popes poyso­ned one ano­ther to be Pope by themselves, or their Agents and instruments, to get the Popedome one from another, viz. Clement 2. Damasus 2. Leo 9. Victor 2. Stephen 9. and Nicolas 2. And since I now speake of poy­son, I assure the Reader, that searching and examining the lives and deaths of all the Popes of Rome, 25 or 27 of the Popes of Rome died by poyson I have found at least 26. or 27. of them that died by poyson and so others thereby succeeding them. And as they dealt with blessed Bucer, that godly and learned man, in untomb­ing him being dead and buried, and burning his dead bodie, as an he­retick: So dealt these Popes no lesse cruelly with one another; for, Pope Paschall the second,One Pope digs up another Popes dead bo­dy & burnes it. out of wrath and most barbarous rage to Pope Clement the 3d, caused the said Pope Clement the 3d, his prede­cessours dead bodie to be digged up and burned, at his command. Yea and this fore-said malicious Paschall 2. was so devillishly cruell, that he incited the Emperour Henrie the fifth against his own father, Hen­rie the 4th, at that time Emperour (an onely son against his father) who, with cruell warre persecuted his said father, by deceipt, tooke him prisoner,A most barba­rous act of a Pope, by inci­ting an only son against his father, both of them Emperors and suffered him to die, a miserable death in prison; and yet, though the fathers death was thus procured (and all by the said Pope Paschals meanes and procurements) the Pope, I say, not satis­fied with this inhumane rage and cruelty, after the said Emperour, Henrie the 4th was so dead and buried, the Pope caused the Empe­rours dead corps to be taken out of his grave, cast it out of the Church, [Page 17] and denying it Christian buriall, caused it to remain above ground, un­buried for the space of five years after.

I might here also tell you of the abominable cruelty of Pope Ʋrban (O most notorious hypocrites in giving themselves such smooth and sugred names,5 Cardinals put into 5 se­verall Sacks, and cast a live into the Sea and so drow­ned all at one time, by the Pope. and yet be of so base and barbarous Natures) who might fitlier have been called Pope Turban; who was so full of cruelty, rage and revenge, that being Pope, he caused 5 of his Cardinalls (who had stifly opposed him from being made Pope) to be shut up a live into five severall sacks and so cast into the Sea, where they were all five drowned. Yea and I might here also tell you of the bloody dispo­sition of Pope Julius, the 2d, whom Pauls sword pleased better then Peters Keyes, and so being a great warriour, was within the space of 6 or 7 yeares,Pauls Sword better then Peters Keyes to the Pope. 200000 slain within a small space by the Popes meanes. the cause of the death of at least 200000 Christians slaine by the sword through his intolerable tyrannie and cruelty: But what talke I of 200000 slaine within the space of 6 or 7 yeares, when we now in our own most sad and sorrowfull dayes can speak of farr more beastlike cruelty in the Romish Sons of these rammish Harlots even almost 200000 poor Protestants massacred and murthered by them in lesse then a yeares, witnesse (yet) poor bleeding, if not dy­ing Ireland. I might goe on, ad infinitum, in these like examples, of the devillish cruelty of these holy fathers themselves: But now let us (as briefely as may be) descend to more modern times, and see whither that of the prophet be not, in this case, too true, Like Priests, Hosea. 4. 9. like People, in the devillish disciples of such damned Doctors, whither the Sons of these unholy fathers, doe not most exquisitely even Passibus aequis patrizare? imitate their flagicious fathers in any their most base and barbarous crueltyes, and more than Turkish tyran­ny, if not outstrip and transcend them?The Spanish Inquisition. To passe by the most unex­pressible miseries and terrible tortures of the Spanish Inquisition, that most Sanguineous and gorey slaughter-house of Gods precious Saints of all sorts, ages and sexes, and the infinite numbers murthered there­in by most exquisite torments, wherof Ʋergerius Confessed that in the space of 30 years at least an 150000 perished therin by most intolera­ble tortures,The Massacre at Paris, in France▪ under the hands of those horrid and hideously unholy In­quisitors. To passe by also that most perfidious and bloody Massacre at Paris plotted and contrived by the King and Queene of France to­gether with the acccursed Duke of Guise and their treacherous crew of Romish Blood-hounds, wherein there perished at least 50000 inno­cent [Page 18] peacefull Protestants, and that which was most diabolicall in­deed, therein, all this under a pretext and colour of peace and piety and semingly confirmed with most deep protestations and vowes of King and Queen (as 'tis now a dayes) but all most perjuriously and perfidiously broken in streames of blood. Let us looke a little also in­to Flanders upon one of the most inhumane Sons of those unnaturall and unreasonable Popes of Rome, who may, indeed, be, Instar omnium, I meane that Duke,Duke D' Alva, in Flanders, his most [...] n [...]ble cruelty. or rather Devill, D' Alva, who himselfe publike­ly professed that he had destroy'd and kil'd, by torments, 180 80▪ of the reformed Protestants in Flanders, in the space of 6 yeares, merely for the cause of Religion: Yea, who caused women with child to have their bellies ript open and their innocent infants to be slaine; the men to be flead, and their skins to head drums; Some to be burned with gentle fires, which would hardly burn, therby to lengthen out and strengthen their paines and miseries;Vnparaleld cruelties. made others to be torn in peices with glowing fiery-tongs; and the very carcases of dead Pro­testants (lust as you heard of their Satanicall Sires the fore-mentioned Popes) to be digged out of their graves and hanged on gallowes, and was not here a devill of hell indeed only covered with flesh in a mans shape?Vnpatern'd cruelties in West phalia, in Germanie. In Westphalia also in Germany, the Infants were by the Romish bloud-bounds there, torne out of the wombs of great bellied women, cut in peeces & so bound to the mouths of their Mothers; (ô unpatern'd and unparalel'd Monsters of men, the like hellish hearts never heard of) men forced, there, by famin to feed on the flesh of their own children; and tender infants of about 2 yeares old (twice more barbarous than bloody Herod) were inclosed againe in their mothers bodies, and so strangled in their mothers bloud;Blush s hea­ven at this transcending Turkish tyran­ny. yea and the men (which is as shame­lesse as savage) were hanged up by their privy-members; if ever Turks or Iewes or any other most inhumane and godles Canibals or Heathens whomsoever, could execute more savage and odious barbarities to mortals,An 100000 Albigenses slain by Pope Inno­cent the 3d. Almost 900000 Protestants were slaine in Christendome, in 30 yeares. let any, either Protestant or Papist be judge. Besides let us here call to mind (which I had almost forgot and omitted) the 100000 Christian and godly Albigenses who perished at the word and by the sword of Pope Innocent the 3d; and, that from the beginning of the Ie­suites Society, to 1580 (being the space of 30 yeares) almost 900000 Protestants were put to death, in France, England, Spaine, Italie, Ger­manie, and other countries and parts of Christendome; nay in France a­lone an 100000 Protestants or Hugonets (as there they terme them) [Page 19] were shamefully murthered in a short season. Bartholomew de Case also, did witnesse with his tongue and pen (who saw it with his eyes) that, within the space of 40 yeares,15 millions of the poor West-indians de­stroyed and killed by the most bloody Papisticall Spaniards in the space of 40 yeares. the Spaniards (those bloudie sons of their bloudie and barbarous fathers the Popes of Rome) had killed and destroyed by most hideous & horrible waies and devices of tortures to destruction, not lesse than 15 millions of the poor West-Indians, whō they conquered, and then so cruelly destroyed, that the very poor Heathens themselves, at last hearing of a heaven and a hell after this life, and of the eternall happinesse of the one and everlasting horrour of the other, and demanding, Whither the Spaniards went, when they were dead, and it being answered, to Heaven; O, said they, then we will never goe thither where the Spaniards are to be. What excellent Pastors Popes and Papists are to feed soules and bodies in such pastures. Say now then, good Reader, who ever thou art, are not these Popes excellent Pastours? And are not such Po­pish Swords and torments precious Pastures, to feed and breed up poore conquered and captivated wretches bodies and soules, in their most accursed pinfolds? And thinke not, I desire thee, that these rela­tions are untruths and fictious effects of my spleen and wrath to Rome and Romanists; but, if thou pleasest to enquire, thou shalt find all I have writ justified by authentick authours, both Popish themselves and o­thers also; and especially these latter and most lamentable barbarities testified for most true by a witnes without exception,Proofs of all these fore-said relations. being a strange and strong friend and favourer of Papists and Poperie, yea so farr their friend, as not to be afraid nor asham'd, in his pulpit, publikly to preach and professe, that Papists in England and Ireland were the Kings best friends and most loyall and loving Subjects, though he himselfe had formerly both preached and printed these fearfull relations of them,Iohn Squire Priest. I meane that abhominable apostate Iohn Squire, late priest of Shorditch, in his Sermons on 2 Thess. 2. preached in Pauls Church and extant in print; with many others, I say, both moderne and ancient Writers, whom, for brevitie sake, I have all along, purposely, pretermitted; but to go-on. Besides those ineffable cruelties fore-mentioned, thus done to the bodies of poore Christians; ô the hellish impieties done to the poore soules of those that survived,The miserie of all such poore surviving souls so captivated by Romes con­quering sword. and were inforced, by captivity and conquering thraldome, to live in the spiritually burning brick-kils of such terrible soule-taske-masters, to live, I say, under their spirituall whoredomes and Romish fornications to the most fearfull and finall damnation of both their bodies and souls, at last, a misery farre beyond all forespoken! And were not these, then monstrous and mighty Nim­rods, [Page 20] indeed,Popish Nim­rods and most furious soul-hunters. Gen. 10. 9. hunters, I say, not of beasts, but of mens bodies and souls, and that, even before the Lord too, most impiously and impudently carelesse and fearlesse of Gods all-seeing eye, or revengfull hand against them? But to proceed, I might here, in the last place call to the Rea­ders remembrance (for the finishing of this 5th peece of Babylons Beautie and bloudie Braverie, the fiery flames, mixed with much pre­cious bloud of Gods deare Saints and Martyrs in those Popish Marian daies in this Kingdome of England, wherein so many hundreds of ho­ly and heavenly servants and souldiers of the Lord Jesus Christ, The Marian flames of Po­pish persecuti­ons in this kingdome of England. of both sexes, and all sorts and ages (by the accursed cruelty and tyranny of Popish Prelates and other Antichristians, right bloudie sons of the fear­let Whore of Rome) gave their bodies most willingly and chearfully, to be tortured and burned to ashes, only for the name of the Lord Jesus and his most pure and precious Truth and Gospell.

Yea I might here also call to just remembrance the furious rage and wrath of the Spanish Antichristian sons of the Romish Strumpet, those White-boys of their murderous Mother Babylon, The intended Invasion of England by the Spanish Armado, an 1588. in their formidable, and (but blessed be our good God) falsly called and counted Invincible Ar­mado or fleet of mighty ships by sea, in an. 1588. set out with all the en­gines and accoutrements of malice and mischief to invade and ruinate, to over-runne and overthrow this our kingdome of England, and our most precious Lady and Soveraigne Qn. Elizabeth, that most fair Phe­nix, and famous paragon of her time and crowne of her Sex, a Prin­cesse of ever most blessed and precious memorie; And when they saw that this (by Gods mighty power and most mercifull providence) pre­vailed not; O the many plots and conspiracies, which the pernicious Pope of Rome, Spaine and their hellish Jebusites contrived and attemp­ted against the sole and sacred person of that precious Princesse toThe many plots and con­spiracies a­gainst the per­son of ever to be renowned Qu. Elizabeth. bring her and her Protestant people and kingdome to ruine and destru­ction. As hath beene fully and exactly related in a booke lately published, entituled, Plots, Conspiracies and Attempts of Domestick and Forraigne Enemies of the Romish Religion, against England, Scotland and Ireland, since the Reformation in Qu▪ Elizabeths daies; very worthy to be read for fuller satisfaction in this kinde.

I might heere also promp my country-mens dull memories (and O shame, yea most extrem shame for us that we should already want jog­ging at the elbow, that we should so soon, so slightly, and so ungrateful­ly forget such a matchles mercy) concerning that mighty deliverance, [Page 21] the Popish pouder-Plot. (Upon occasion of the licensing of my historie wherof, that base, back-sliding Apostate of our late daies, D^r Baker, one of the Arch-Prelate Lauds white-boys of those times was not asham'd most impiously and audaciously to say, ‘that we were not now a-daies so angry with the Papists (these bloudy hel-hounds) as they were 20 or 30 years before,’ so forward and hopefull, it seems, was the reconci­liation of England to Rome.) Even that hell batch'd bloudie and most barbarous conjuration and exorbitant treason, invented, contrived and attempted too, by those Romish Wolves in sheeps-skins, by that Jesuite Priest Garnet, The Popish Pouder-Plot by the Papists. 1605. the Arch traitour and his twelve Apostles, or rather de­vils incarnate, I meane that most horrid and hellish Popish Gun-powder Plot, to have blowne up into the aire, and miserably torne in peeces, the bodies of our King, Queen, Prince, and both the whole-Houses of Parliament, then full fraught with the entire creame of the Kingdom, of Peers and Commons, all these at one most furious and sulphurious blow, as one time, in the twinckling of an eye, besides the most blou­dy miseries thereof (had it taken intended effect) which certainly are unexpressible by any mans most dexterious pen and ingenie.

All these, yea, any one of these, should, me thinkes, be enough, and farre too much to make that abhominable Whore of Rome to blush and be asham'd, if it were possible, and that she had not too evidently put on such a brazen browe and brawny Whores fore-head, that nothing can make her blush or be one jot asham'd. And finally I might here call to mind (and yet me thinkes, I should not need, 'tis so fresh in our present memorie, being so late and lamentable) as a last, but not least peece of glistering varnish to set off and set home, to the purpose, this Whore of Babylons Romish-rotten Beautie and bloudie Braverie, The late and still lasting mi­series and deso­lations of our poore sister Germanie, by Popish cruelty. in tel­ling the Christian Reader of the late and long, and still lasting match­lesse miseries and unpattern'd and unparalell'd calamities of our poore distressed and desolate sister Germanie, now for the space of 23 or 24 yeares, made (of the most flourishing faire and famous garden of Eu­rope) a most lamentable Chaos and Golgotha of bloud and slaughtered carkasses, a rude, ruinated and forlorne Wildernesse, the particular and personall sorrowes and sufferings of which people, men, women and children of all conditions, ages and both sexes to relate, would make both the Writers and Readers haire to stand an end, and their hearts and hands to quake and tremble,Germanies teares. to faint and faile them, exactly to ex­presse and set them forth: but it being already done to our hands in a [Page 22] fearfull manner in a book, entituled Germanies Teares, I shall referre the farther sight and knowledge thereof, if any desire it, to the said Booke; And all this also being most perniciously perpetrated and act­ed on the persons, estates and habitations of that pittifully depopulated Country, by the most insatiable rage and mercilesse▪ matchlesse, accur­sed cruelty of the bloud-sucking Wolfe, Tyger, Monster (what can I fit­ly call her) of Rome, and her inhumane, roaring, raging and all ruining sons and nurssings.

And to conclude and shut up all, with that which is equall (if not transcendent) to all or any of the generall or particular barbarities and matchlesse immunities of those wilde Beares and Boares of Rome, Irelands present most piteous condition by the whorish sons of Rome. I meane, the marvellous miseries and deep-died distresses of our dearer, because nearer Sister, bleeding, nay even dying Ireland, at this present and hitherto for above a 12 months space (wherin also I may not un­duly intermix the present pitious, sad and bad plight and condition of our owne English, being both imbarked, tossed and tumbled at this time in one and the same Ocean of distresse and bloudy broyles, though not yet (ever glorified be our God for it,And Englands also, intermix­ed therein, as we find and feele by sad ex­perience. not in Irelands heighth and universalitie) tragically acted and perpetrated also by her owne most unnaturall viperous natives, those beastly, basely and matchlesly mur­derous Irish-rogues and Rebels of that forlorne kingdome, even those right black and bloudie sons of their monstrous-Mother the Whore of Rome; whom, to make and set up, as their bloudie-god, they have so dealt with all Gods English Protestant people (there) whom they could reach and catch into their foule Harpeian fingers and vulturous claws and tallons, that, truly, I dare not for fear and trembling under­take to set forth and decipher the particulars, they are so sad and bad, so bitter and terrible, but must and will (for brevity sake also) referre the Reader that desires to heare or know them, to two other books extant also in print, the one entituled Irelands Lamentation; the other Irelands Remonstrance. Irelands La­mentation, and the Irish-Re­monstrance. Where he may sadly see how those too-apt Schollars of Rome, have even transcended their teachers (which is most admirable, and one would have thought, till now, impossible) in their exquisitest and deepest Lectures, patterns and presidents of dam­nable and detestable cruelties, most hellish villanies, and blasphe­mies, to the intolerable terrour of those that doe but reade them; Ah poore soules, what was it then, to those that suffer'd and endur'd them.

[Page 23] And thus, I think, I have sufficiently set forth and blazoned the 5th part or peece of Babylons Beauty, and painted out this sanguine colour of cruelty, tyranny and treacherie of this Scarlet strumpet of Rome and of her most scelerous sons and pernicious Popish proselites and Iesuiti­call monsters, the horrid and hideous incendiaries and bloud-suckers of the whole Christian world.

Now, therefore, in the 6th and last place, I shall briefly endeavour to set this picture of the Pope and his pestilent progenie into a faire frame,A frame for the Popes picture. and so, fit it to be hung up to the most conspicuous view and visible aspection of all that will but bring their equall and impartiall eyes and fight along with them, that so this most famous or rather in­famous Harlot of Rome may be seene, the more clearly, to be the Anti­christ indeed, even the grand Adversarie of the Lord Iesus Christ, not only by most abhominable carriage and conversation in life (as now you have seen set forth to the life) but also in corrupt and counterfeit Doctrin too, most faithlesly and falsly perverting and abusing the most sacred Scriptures, whereby Rome and all her Popish rabble of Trentine Roma­nists most apparently precipitate and cast themselves head-long both soules and bodies into everlasting perdition (without true and timely repentance) as is most cleare by the infallible testimony of the Spirit of God, the most faithfull authour of Sacred Writ. And that the Reader may see this horrible presumption and audacious and blasphemous ar­rogancy of the Pope and his damned Tridentine Doctours, I shall give thee a most exact Ocular-paralell in certaine briefe Antitheses or oppo­site tenets and most evident differences and contrarieties betweene Christ the pure fountaine of Truth, yea Truth it selfe and Antichrist, the muddy puddle of errour and heresie, yea errour it self in the abstract, which are as follow.

Jer. Quod antiquis­simum; id, vera, verissimum. 6. 16. Thus saith the Lord, stand in waies and behold and ask for the old way, which is the good way, and walk therin, and ye shall find rest for your souls: But, they (the Romanists) said, we will not walke therein.

[Page 27] And finally to sum up all in one Apothegme. We are (saies Bozius, a great Popish Writer) obliged to obey the Pope, even as Christ; nay they have another sentence, one degree beyond this. The Pope permitteth one Canon to be in his Decretals, which saith, That S^t Paul himself did speake against all truth and reason. Can. hac. Rat. Causa 31. qu. 1. See here good Reader, did ever any dare so directly and audaciously to oppose Christ and his Gospell of Truth? No certainly, never any other in the world.

And what say'st thou now, good Reader, have I not represented to thine eyes and thoughts a strange picture of a most strange strumpet, set out and adorned with all the lustrous colours of her most base Babylo­nish Beauty? The Popes picture set in a frame fit to be hung up to the view of the whole world. And fitted it with a faire frame of so many of Romes dam­nable doctrines, fit now to be seen and shewne to the whole world, to Romes and all Romanists eternall shame and indelible infamy? And may I not now (thinkest thou) truly say to all Papists, yea and to all formall Protest [...] large too, as once Pilate said (though in another sense) Ecce homo, yea, Ecce homines, behold the man and his impious Imps, whom thus yee strive and struggle to make your god;Ecce Homo. See, I say, what a goodly god, ye have gotten, what a King ye have made unto you? What a brave Baal of your owne inventing and devising. And since ye will needs have another King of your own making, and have reject­ed King Jesus, 1 Sam. 8. 11, 12, &c. who is and ought to be your right and sole soveraigne: I have now therefore with the holy Prophet Samuel shewn and descri­bed to you and to all men, what a king ye have gotten, and what he will (as he hitherto hath done) do unto you, and how he will tyran­nize over you. Which being seriously considered and set home to the heart and soule of any intelligent and but meer-naturally seeing, either Papist or formall Protestant (for, truly these also are Romes 100 deare and neare friends and favourers) that is well in his wits, and then, tell me,Iudges. 6. 3 [...]. Will you plead for Baal, (for I must expostulate with you, as Joash, Gideons father did with the idolatrous men of his City) will ye, can ye, dare ye, now, plead for this so abominable Baal of Rome? Can ye save him from Gods re­solved wrath and revenge on him? Will ye thus spend and waste your goods and lands, and destroy your Country, King, and 3 famous and once flourishing kingdomes, yea your lives and bodies and soules too, for the propping and supporting of such a rotten pained (or rather pu­trified) Whore, on whom the Lord God is now (as he hath fore-told long since) about to poure out the full viols of his fury,Revel. 16.1, [...]. yea the very lees [Page 28] and dreggs of his wrath and indignation. And why? Why the Spirit of God there tels us, v. 6. Because she hath shed the bloud of the Saints and Prophets of the Lord, therefore God will now give her bloud to drinke, for she is worthy, even for this; and for all her false and filthy fornications and abominations wherewith she hath abused, besotted and intoxicated the kings and kingdomes of the earth? Have yee not yet seene and knowne enough, by all these admirable demonstrations and fearefull descriptions of this jugling Baal of Rome, both in the pristine and pre­sent peeces of her Babylonish Beautie, that she is but a most impious and audacious destructive Deluder and impostor, a most pestilent and poysonous lying lover, not to be delighted in, but contrariwise to be most detestably disliked and loathed: But if ye will blindly and block­ishly persist (maugre all that can be said or shewne unto you) in this your grosse folly,Romae amentes haud amantes. doe ye not manifest to the whole world that ye are Romae amentes haud amantes, not only starke fooles, but Romes meere mad-men, who will bestow your love on such a lovelesse and [...]thsome stinking strumpet. Isa. 44. 16. Yea in thus doing and doting, are ye not like those idolatrous sots mentioned by the Prophet, who having cut downe their Cedar trees and chopt and chipt them, and with part thereof made them a wooden god, and with the other part thereof made them a fire and warmed themselves thereat,The extreme folly & grosse idiotisme of i­dolaters descri­bed. saying, Aha, we are warme and have seene the fire, made of a part of the, same Cedars, whereof we have made our gods which we worship, (O grosse absurdity) in their so doing wher­of (I say) may not all wise hearted and godly Christians fitly turn that sottish Aha, into a just Haha of laughter, scorne and derision to see and observe (with those idolatrous Hebrewes) the Romish sots and idiots of ours, and former times, call and account, admire and adore, such Ro­mish Beasts, such stupendiously execrable Strumpets of spirituall forni­cation and idolatry (most worthy of all contempt and hatred) their gods and their Saviours. Flee from Rome as from a poy­sonoustinging Serpent. 1 King. 18. 21. For shame, for shame, flie from them, hate and abhorr them, as most noy some, loathsom poysonous stinging Serpents, as the bitter bane and mortiferous Henbane of your estates, bodies and soules. And as Elijah said to the slaggering Israelites of his times; so say I to you all, both Papists and formall wavering Protestants (as I touched this passage at the beginning of this Treatise) if the Lord be God, Idols never do good, but most and worst hurt. follow him, and him only: But if Baal be God (the contrary whereof, I thinke hath been abundantly proved) then follow him. O why halt ye thus between 2 opinions? Or rather, why joyne ye your [Page 29] selves so closely to such false-gods, such lying vanities, which doe you infinitely more hurt than good & nay who never did you any good at all, but alwaies did you the worst and bitterest evill, both to bodie and soule that is possibly able to befall you, even the damning of them both to infinite and endles miserie. O how happy were it for you, if once it would please the Lord to open your eies and mollifie and rectifie your hearts, to see and consider what ye have done, whence ye are fallen, and whither you are headlong tumbling;Pia & Christi­ana crudelitas. Deu. 13. 6, &c. and then seriously and sincerely to resolve on that, Piam & Christianam crudelitatem, that holy and Christian cruelty (as I may, me thinkes, fitly call it) mentioned by the Spirit of God himselfe, namely, That if thy dearest Brother, the sonne of thy Mother, thy sinne or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosome; yea, or thy nearest and dearest friend, who is unto thee as thine owne soule, should secretly entice thee, or openly endeavour to allure thee to goe a whoring after idoll-gods: By all meanes be so farre from consenting to them, as, con­trarywise, not to suffer thine eyes to pitty or spare them (like that most no­ble and renowned Christian convert,Galeacius Ca­racciolua, Mar­quesse of Vice, a most famous and constant convert from Poperie. famous Galeacius Caracciolus, Marquesse of Vice) but to throw them from thee, to trample and tread on them, and to cause thine owne hand to be first upon them, even to stone or kill them, because they sought and wrought to thrust and draw thee from the Lord thy God, to idolatry: That thus by thine example (as the holy Spirit of God goes on there) others of the same superstitious and idolatrous rank and rabble, may see, and heare, and feare, and doe no more such wickednesse, as this is among you. And for a close of all, and with which I will con­clude; O that all idolatrous Papists would seasonably and seriously con­sider, how close (that fearfull sentence and peremptory maledictionPsal. [...]7. 7. of the pious Prophet David) comes to the heart and stings the soule of all the obstinate and desperate idolaters of Rome (who so flashily and foolishly glorie in that badge of the Beast, the title and appellation of Romish Catholicks, A most fearfull sentence and positive exe­cration on all Papists. forsooth) who, I say breakes out against them all, in this most emphaticall and plaine and positive execration: Confoun­ded be all they that worship or serve graven images, and that boast themselves of Idols and fals-gods. O therefore, who ever thou art that belongest to God (for I am not so uncharitable, but to beleeve, God hath some, yet blinded, ignorant and captivated soules, even in Spaine and Rome it selfe, whom he will timely take out from among them) lay this, I say, as close to thy heart, as it comes close unto thee, and most nearly concernes thee: And readily and speedily imbrace that gracious invi­tation [Page 30] of thy most sweet Saviour and only precious Redeemer and effi­catious Intercessour the Lord Iesus Christ, Who, having already per­emptorily declared and foreshowne the certain ruine and confusion of the red Dragon, the Scarlet Whore, the Antichrist of Rome, with such indubitable assertions and asseverations thereof,Revel. 18. [...], 3, 4, 5, 6, &c. as is cleare, Revel. 18. 2. as if it were already done, in these words, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen (see what a serious asseveration, is here, with an ingeminati­on in the present tense) and is become the habitation of devils, the hould of uncleane spirits, and a very cage of all uncleane and ravenous hatefull birds, as I thinke, hath been aboundantly seen and shewne, to the purpose, in this little Treatise. Therefore, I say, in regard her ruine is so certain, the Lord Jesus Christ, Christs graci­ous invitation to his Chil­dren to come out of Babylon. most graciously invites all his poore people (whom though mixed among the Romish Babylonians, he hath a pur­pose to save and preserve) to come out of Babylon unto him, saying, ver. 4. Come out of her, my people, come out of her, that ye be not partakers of her sins; and so consequently, that ye may not receive of her plagues: Which, now, without all controversie, the Lord is pouring out upon her,Gods serious and certaine resolution to be revenged on Babylon. and resolving, ver. 6. to reward her, as she hath rewarded Gods Saints, and to double unto her double, according to all her abhominable works, and in the Cup which she hath filled to others to fill her double. Even so, Come Lord Jesus come quickly to revenge the precious bloud of thy slaugh­tered Saints, hasten thy comming, and (for thine Elects sake, as thou hast promised) shorten the dayes of their sorrow, Amen and Amen.

Omnis Gloria solius est Domini.