A Key of Knowledge to Open Revelation, Dedication 2
TO THE RIGHT REVEREND, THE IVDGES of the common Lawes of this Realme, and to the foure worthie Soci eties of the Innes of Court, the learned Lawyers and Students of the ſame.
AS I highly esteeme of my mother the Church of England, which at this day is renouned in the Christian world, howſoeuer many with an enuious eye looke vponupon her proſperity; and for the euill will they beare to her welfare, vtter many vnſauory things againſt her: ſo I alſo bleſſe God for the happie Policy of the Ciuill ſtate, wiſely establiſhed, and most ſuccesfully maintained, in peace and iuſtice, beyond all compariſon of other kingdomes. The praiſe whereof, (next vntounto God, and true religion) is to be aſcribed to the moſt iuſt and wholeſome lawes of this Nation; byLeg. ſanct. Edw. cap. 19. which very tenderly and watchfully, the prerogatiue Royall is preſerued, the Supremacie is giuen to Soueraigne authority, and the Biſhop of Rome quite ſhutout,Edw. 1. 19. E. 3. tit. for hauing any thing to doe with the regality of the Crowne, or within the dominions of our Lord and King;K. Rich. 2. An. 16. ca. 5. as his Maiesty himſelfe fully hath ſhewed, in the Premonition to all Chriſtian Monarches, free Princes, and States. Albeit that Iupiter of Olympus, and rauening Wolfe, (as once Boner, that bloody butcherPreface before Gard. b. de vera obed. Rom. 13. 1. of Gods Saints, called him) chalengeth Saint Pauls ſword, but altogether contrary to Saint Pauls doctrine, to ſhake off all obedience to the higher powers, and alſo by the ſame, to bee as God aboue all that is called God,The ſecond part of the Catho. Apol. and ſo to claime the right to depoſe Kings, and to diſpoſe of kingdomes, (which the Popes lawes maintaine, and chalenge moſt wickedly, vponupon theſe words, paſce C. praecipuè XI. q. 3. Can. alius. 15. q. 6. Clem. vnic. de Iureiuſ.oues meas), hauing claues regni coelorum, to vſurpe authority, and enterprize against all the Kings in the world; which made that proud beaſt, Alexander the third, ſet his feet vponupon the necke of the Emperour Fredericke Barbaroſſe, ſaying, tu es Petrus, &c. C. venerabilem ext. de elect.adding withall, ecce conſtitui te ſuper Gentes & regna, the ſaying of God to Ieremie; and that of the Pſalmist, Super aſpidem & baſiliſcum ambulabis, & conculcabis leonem & draconem. In this pride, Pope Coeleſtine the fourth, crowned the Emperour, Henrie the ſixth, with his foot; Gregorie the ſeuenth, made Henrie the fourth, with the Empreſſe, and their ſon, to ſtand waiting long at the gates of the Popes palace, to ſpeake with him; and Adrian wil hauehave the Emperor Fredericke the firſt, to hold his ſtirrup. Oh damnable pride, to be abhorred of God and men! But yet this is not all the ill fruit of this Antichriſtian vſurped power, but alſo treaſons, open rebellions, and bloody warres, making thereby theſe parts of Chriſtendome a very butchers ſhambles of Chriſten men; and yet muſtReade Acts and Mon. pag. 719. A ſumme of the Popes lawes for this. his flatterers ſtill ſtand for the ſame. So as Bellarmine, and his Ghoſt dare boldly affirme, that this ſupremacie of the Pope is one of the chiefeſt points of their faith, andBel. epiſt. ad Archipresb. apud Matth. Tort. of the very foundation of the Catholicke religion. Marke heere then, you my Lords the Iudges, and you the learned in our Lawes, how vnſafe that religion is for Kings, whoſe foundation is for the Popes authority to throw them out of their Thrones; how dangerous Ieſuites, Prieſts, and all other Papiſts bee to our State, which be acquainted with the foundation and principles of that their helliſh profeſsion. For they cannot poſsibly be good ſubiects, entertaining ſuch a religion, builded vponupon ſuch a foundation. And hence may it appeare, that it is no maruell, why Papiſts are ſuch enemies to the common lawes of England; by which the lawfull authority of Kings is maintained, the Popes pride and vſurped power flatly troden vnderunder foot; ſuch trait…rs as Campion, Sherwin, and others, hauehave been indicted, arraigned, tried, adiudged, and executed; and ſo the very foundation of that Antichriſtian hereſie by our common Law vtterly raced, the Supremacie of our Soueraigne maintained, and ſubiects hept in due obedience, to the great tranquillity and happie peace of our preſent State, and welfare of the Common-wealth.
Neither are theſe Lawes for ciuill policy, for Prince and people onelyonly, as they bee in a body politicke, but alſo for the ſingular benefit of the Church of God; the rights and liberties whereof the common Law maintaineth inuiolably: being (as one defineth the ſame) ſanctio ſancta, Iudge Fortiſcue. Lib. 2. de natura deorum.iubens honeſta, inhibens contraria: the ſame in effect which Cicero ſaith; Lex eſt recti praeceptio, praui eſt depulſio. And indeed, when the Pope, with his pretended keyes of Peter, ut contrary to Saint1. Pet. 5. 3. Peters precept, would lord it ouer Gods heritage, in his curſed lawes and decrees, in his vncharitable vſurpations, and intolerable exactions, in his prouiſions vponupon the collating of benefices in his legatiue iuriſdictions, in his moſt vniuſt excommunications, and in forcing ſuch a continuall poſting to Rome, and a thouſand ſuch intolerable burthens, and Egyptian bondages; what ſtayed the current of this ſtreame? what dryed vp this corrupt fountaine, and filled vp this de…ouring gulph, and whirle-poole, that no more men might periſh, in paſsing any longer too and fro, but the courſe of the common law of England? The Clergie was in great thraldome, and by the Popes lawes ſo bound and fettered, as ſlaues in the Turkes gallies, that they durſt not ſo much as mutter a word againſt his vſurpations, encrochments, and most mercileſſe cruelties; ſo as his power was onelyonly oppoſed, and his proceedings hindred by our owne lawes, as may be ſeene in the booke intituled, de iure Regis Eccleſiaſtico, ſet out by that moſt learned and iudicious in the lawes of England, Sir Edward Coke, Knight.
As therefore, I vnderſtanding hereby, the excellency of theſe our lawes, and how forcible they hauehave euer been againſt Antichriſtian tyrannie, not only to ſhake off that heauie yoke of cruell bondage, both from off the Church, and common-wealth; but alſo ſtill to maintaine the abſolute power of Soueraigne authority, and the laudable cuſtomes and liberties of our Church, againſt all vniuſt innouations, and vſurpations: I could not (next after the higheſt honour to Gods law, to his Church, and to ſome ſuch worthie of honour, as be in the chiefeſt places of authoritie therein), but doe this duty of honour vntounto you, my Lords the Iudges, and the worthie Societies, conuerſant in, and about ſuch lawes, as (next to the law of Almighty God) are moſt Chriſtian and iuſt, and moſt profitable for our Church, (her priuiledges euer preſerued entire), and for this our moſt happie and flouriſhing Common-wealth: if, if (I ſay) the equity of the lawes themſelues (which the Lord moue you euer to obſerue with vpright minds, that howſoeuer ſome grow deſperate, and bloodily diſpoſed, yet your conſciences may euer plead for you) be truly kept, and the proper and right end of them, without by-reſpects, only aimed at.
But here, it may be, it will be ſaid, as ſome vnaduiſed perhaps hauehave already ſaid, that this book of the Reuelation little concerneth you, and therefore that this my labour will not bee ſo acceptable to you, as I wiſh it might be, and indeed as I deſire to hauehave it. Surely, except I miſtake, (and, we thinke, I ſhould not loſe my aime ſo much, when I know of you, both religious and very vertuouſly giuen), I write to the ſeruants of our heauenly Sauiour, as well as of our earthly Soueraigne; and to ſuch as doe as well ſtudie the lawes of God, (elſe farre be their counſell from me, and all men of peace), as the lawes of man: and if ſo, how can this booke but concerne you,Chap. 1. 1. being ſent to bee ſhewed to the ſeruants of God? whoſe you are, and whom it ſhall very greatly profit, to vnderſtand, what the Lord hath herein reuealed to his Church. For you (Right reuerend, the Iudges) doe ſee the due execution of iuſtice, vponupon the enemies of our God and King: and you, the reſt of thoſe worthie ſocieties, learned in our lawes, ſtudy caſes, plead cauſes, and vrge reaſons for ſentence according to law, that due iuſtice may be executed vponupon Prieſts, Ieſuites, and other traiterous ſpirits, ſet on worke by them, when they come to the barre of iuſtice. Now that you may euen before God, without any ſcruple, in a good conſcience, iustifie the equitie of our lawes, against theſe enemies of the Goſpell, and execute the due deſerued puniſhments vponupon ſuch malefactors, as the Law in ſuch caſes hath prouided, for the preſeruation of the Goſpell, and the ſafety of our King and countrey: this booke will tell you, that there is no cauſe, why any mans ſpirit ſhould quaile in him, to a…enge the Lords quarrell, in the cauſe of religion; and our King and countreyes quarrell, in caſes of high treaſon, and other vnmatchable villanies, vponupon the heads of all thoſe wicked ones, which carrie ſuch traiterous hearts against their naturall leige Lord and Soueraigne. They pleade conſcience of their Catholicke, as they call it, religion: which, indeed, is nothing elſe, but a patched profeſsion, framed of Iudaiſme, Gentiliſme, and ſuperſtitious inuentions of man; a very counterfait of Chriſtianity, but is Antichriſtianity it ſelfe. And whereas they call themſelues, the Catholicke Romane Church, they ſpeake moſt abſurdly, as to ſay, an vniuerſall particular Church, and more abſurdly, then falſly: as that right reuerend Father, the now Lord Biſhop of Salisburie, (Nonnullis ſui ordinis praeclarum exemplar, cûm regendo, ſcit enim regere prudenter; tûm docendo, nam diligit Chriſtum, vult igitur fideliter ouiculas Chriſti paſcere), hath prouedCounterproof. in the 1. part. chap. 1. againſt Doctor Byſhop, by an argument thus framed; No particular Church can bee the Catholicke Church: But the Church of Rome, is a particular Church; Therefore the Church of Rome, cannot be the Catholicke Church. The maior hee proueth thus: No particular Church can bee the vniuerſall Church: But the Catholicke Church is the vniuerſall Church: Therefore no particular Church can be the Catholicke Church. This falſe pretended title therefore, ſhould not hoodwinke any, to blind mens eyes from beholding that Church, to be that which indeed ſhe is, euen the very whore of Babylon, mentioned in the ſeuenteenth chapter of the Reuelation, as is after proued at large. So then the Church of Rome, is not Catholicke; much leſſe, the Catholicke Church, and ſpouſe of Chriſt. Neither is the Pope Peters ſucceſſour, as he would be accounted: nor Papa, aBro. in his com. vponupon chap. 9. father; but Popes, (which is in Euſtathius, daemon) a diuell. In a word, that no man may miſtake the Pope, and Papiſts, but iudge ſo of them, as they be, Saint Iohn telleth vsus, that that company in a body (as I may ſay) and gouernment, is a foule monſtrous Beaſt, like a Leopard,Chap. 13. 2. Beare, and Lion, ſubſtituted by the Dragon. The Head thereof, the Pope, is the lamb-like beaſt, and falſeChap. 13. 11. and 20. 19. Chap. 9. 1. 11. prophet, the very Antichriſt, the angell aſcending out of the bottomleſſe pit, the ſtarre fallen from heauen, and king of Locuſts. The Ieſuites and Prieſts, his emiſſaries,Cap. 16. 13. 14. the very vncleane ſpirits like frogs, the ſpirits of diuels; Incendiaries, ſetting on fire the hearts of deſperate cōpanions, to do one miſchiefe or other, to further their defignmēts, hardening their harts to an vnheard▪ of helliſh …urie, euen to blow vp at once, a whole State with gun-powder. The religious orders of thoſe Monks Cap. 9. 7. 8. 9.and Friers, the fearfully deformed and miſ-ſhapen Locuſts. Chap. 11. 2. 10.The Papiſts, thoſe Gentiles, and Inhabitants of the earth, which wonder after the beaſt, and reioyce at the murthering of Gods faithfull meſſengers. That Church, the whore. That City, Babylon; yea Sedome,Cap. 17. and 18. and 11. 8. and Egypt; at the length utterly to be deſtroyed. Let ther… … good l…es paſſe in their full power and ſtrength, againſt thoſe Iebuſited, rather then Ieſuited, diſloyall Ignatian Locusts; againſt the Prieſts pleading for their Baal, and Balaam of Rome: that theſe ſeedſ-men of the myſterie of iniquitie being cut off, there may be leſſe perill to our State, and leſſe danger to the perſon of our dread Soueraigne, whom the Lord in merciemercy preſerue ſtill from their bloody hands. Let the law alſo, hauehave the due courſe againſt thoſe obstinate Recuſants, which after all meek and gentle vſages to reclaime them, will not be wonne; eſpecially ſuch wicked Apoſtates, as doe fall from vsus, in ſo cleere light of the Goſpell, whoſe example, (if they be not made an example of iustice, according to our lawes) will doe very much harme. Theſe, with impudent faces, diſcouer their whoriſh hearts to that idoll-ſeruice. Theſe are they, that (aboue other) diſgrace our religion, turning their backes vponupon it, like Zimries, carrying their Cozbies, before all our Iſrael, into their habitations, highly prouoking Gods wrath against vsus. Theſe are they, that contemptuouſly tread vnderunder foot the blood of Chriſts Martyrs, ſuffering for our religion; and that with a high hand, offend againſt our King and his lawes, intolerably abuſing his Maieſties ſingular clemencie; and therefore are theſe moſt ſharpely to be dealt with; yet euer according to iuſtice, that they may not (as wickedly and falſely ſome of them doe) complaine of cruelty. In thus doing, the lawes of our kingdome ſhall bee to our religion a great furtherance; to Antichriſts kingdome, a ruine; to our King, glory; to our Church, peace; to our Countrey, ſafety; and to all true-hearted ſubiects, cauſe of great ioy and reioycing, when the traiterouſ-hearted are remoued from among vsus. And you, the right Reuerend Iudges, and ſages of the Law, ſhall proclaime to all men, your Zeale to religion, your hatred of Poperie, your louelove to Gods people, and ſpeciall reſpect to the glory and praiſe of God, and cauſe ſuch honourable eſteeme of our lawes. as is meet; and thereupon the like louelove to the ſtudy thereof, and ſuch worthie regard vntounto your perſons, as ſhall procure a name of honour and eternall praiſe to all poſterities. The Almighty God, by the law of his ſpirit, in the mouthes of his meſſengers; and by the law of our kingdome, in the mouthes of all ſuch as bee aduanced to high place of iuſtice and iudgement, conſume and vtterly extirpate the aduerſaries of the Goſpell from among vsus, that we may (in peace and piety) enjoy thankfully, the bleſſings which the Lord in mercy, hath plentifully enriched this noble Iland with, and ſing to his holy name all praiſes for euer.
Your Lordſhips, and the reſt of the right Worſhipfull, in all due honour to your perſons, and to thoſe worthie Societies: RIC. BERNARD. Batcombe in Somerſetſhire: March, 14.