A Looking Glass for All Lordly Prelates, Part 1

A Looking Glass for All Lordly Prelates · Part 1

p. 2The 1. Parallel betweene the Divell and Lordly Prelates.

1. First, the Divell (for his condition and quality) is an Apostate Angell, who kept not his first estate and …, and abode not in the truth. Iude 6. Iohn. 8. 44. Such are all Lordly Prelates and Bishops, both by their own exposition of Rev. 2. 1. 5. 6.(a)(a)William Bishop of Rochester his first Sermon before K. Iames at Hampton Court Sept. 21. 1606. Where they interpret,B. Downham his consecration Sermon and the defēce thereof: with B. Bancrofts Sermon & others. the Apostate Angell of the Church of Ephesus, to bee the Lord-Bishop of that Church alledging this Text as the principall Scripture, to prove their Hierarchie of Divine Institution;) and by common experience: For as Lord Bishops are fallen from the pietie, holinesse, humility, poverty, zeale, meekenesse, laboriousnesse, heavenly mindednesse, charity, and equallity with other Ministers, that was in the true Christian Bishops of the Primitive Church and now openly avow the Popish and Arminian Doctrine of The Totall and Finall Apostacy of the Saints from grace. So most of themB. Mountague in his Appeale to Cesar: B. White in …rabounces …. being made Lord Bishops, (to prove this doctrine of Apostacy true by their practise) fall away from the pietie, zeale, holinesse, meekenesfe, diligence, frequency in preaching, and most other vertues which they had or used in verity or pretence, before they were made Bishops (in case they had any vertue or goodnesse in them before, of which too many of them were never guiltie,) and become farre worse Christians, …arre greater p. 3Persecutors and enemies to God, his truth, his people, and more unholy, coveto…s, lasie, vicious in their lives then ever they were before; as all histories and experience manifest, beyond all contradiction.

And how many of our present Lord Prelates are turned open Apostates from the established doctrine and discipline of this Church of England to Poperie, Arminianisme and Romish superstition, and all the zeale, the honesty, the piety and goodnesse they had or seemed onelyonly to have before they were Lord Bishops, I leave to every mans experience to determine, some of the best of them being so strangely warped of late, that it made a great Popish learned Lord confesse openly at the Table this last summer, That if ever hee altered …is Religion, hee would turne Puritan; for Puritans (saith hee) are constant to their owne Religion and Tenets, but the Bishops so fable and wavering with the times, that wee know not where to have them, such Apostate Angels are they.

Secondly, the Divell is an uncleane spirit, void of holinesse, full of all filthinesse and impiety, and is hardly …ast out of those he once possesseth, Math. 10. 1. 6. 12. 43. Marke 1.Godwins catalogue of Bishops: The Acts of English Votaries by Bale Centur. Mag. 4. 10. 13. c. 7. & 10. 23, 26, 27. c. 5. 2. 8. c. 7. 25. Luke 4. 33. 36. c. 6. 18. Acts 8. 7. Such are most Lordly Prelates in all respects, witnesse their (b)(b)Balaeus & Platina de vitis Pontificum.u…cleane, profane, voluptuous, impious, godlesse lives and actions in all ages. Of which all histories stincke and surfet; to omit the present filthin…sse of many of them: And how hard they are to be cast out where once they get but footing, our owne histories and instant experience too well demonstrate.

Thirdly, the Divell is a dumbe and deafe spirit, making some m…n dumbe, yet never any Preachers that I read of, p. 4except Prelates or thos… that …ould be such) d…b, that they cannot speake, and oth…s … that they cannot h…re, till Christ dispossessed them of these Divells, Marke 9. 17 25. Luke 11. 14. Such are Lordly Prelates for the most part; they are not only d…be themselves, very seldome or never preaching in their Diocesse, or opening their mo…thes in the Pulpit to teach the people, whom they of…er bite and …eare with their teeths, then instruct with their toungues. And also deafe, in turning the deafe care to the cries, petitions and lamentable complaints of those many godly faithfull painfull Ministers and people now most injuriously oppressed, persecuted, silenced imprisoned vexed ruined, and deprived by them, both of the foo… of their soules & bodies: (such inexorable mercilesse deafe Devils are they, to these, and all good motions else. But likewise by their ill examples, make divers other preaching Ministers dumbe and mute, and by their illegall suspensions inhibitions Iniunctions or Excommunications, close up the mouthes, and muzzle up the tongu…s of sundry other the most powerfull, frequent constant preachers whom their examples cannot silence, (as late woefull experience every where manifests, Especially in Norwich Diocesse) By meanes whereof; as also by suppressing most weeke-day Lectures, with all afternone Sermons on the Lords Day in most Countries, and prohibiting people that have no preaching at home, to goe out of their Parishes to heare Gods word abroade, they make thousands every where so deafe, that they cannot heare the sweete vovce of the Gospell preached though they desire it: Such dumbe yea deafe Devills are many Lord Prelates now become, whom Christ himselfe p. 5(no …oubt) & that by miracle will shortly cast out, that so our dumbe silenced Ministers, may once more speake, and our d…afe people heare his s…cred word, to the vnspeacable comfort and salvation of their soules.

Fourthly, The devill is an evill spirit, who doth nothing else but vex, torment, teare, torture and disquiet men, of purpose, to destroy them Math. 15. 22. Mark. 9. 18, 20, 22. Luc…e. 6. 18. And have not domineering Lord Prelates beene like the Divell, in this respect, in all ages heretofore, (as the Acts and Monuments of our Martyrs, collected by Master Fox, sufficiently demonstrate?) Yea, What else doe many of them at this day, (but like so many tormenting Divells) vex, torment, teare, torture, pill, pole, Pursevant, tosse up and downe from Court to Court, prison to prison and disquiet all kindes of people, Especially godly Ministers and Christians (whom they brand with the name of Puritans) with their daily Citations, Excommunications, Suspensions, Pursevants, Apparitors, Chancellors, Officials, Visitors, Archdeacons, Visitation-Oathes, Articles, Injunctions, new minted Ceremonies, Innovations, Slauders, false accusations, fines, Sequestrations, Censures, Exactions, Procurations, Extorted, …es &c. Of purpose to fleece, Flay, and destroy them? So like are they in this particular also, to their Father the diuell.

Fifthly, The divell casteth same of Gods Saints, and Ministers ofttimes into Prison. Rev. 2. 10. Yea, into the fire sometimes, and sometimes into the water, to destroy them, Mark. 9. 22. The Lordly Prelates have done the like in all ages, Witnesse the French and English Acts and Monuments: of Martirs, Which record, how many p. 4duplicate page p. 5duplicate page p. 6of Gods Saints and Ministers they have imprisoned, cast into the fire & water burned, drowned; This they still proceede to doe in forraigne partes; And though they neither burne nor downe them, as yet, here at home, (not so much for want of will, as Law to doe it) Yet like so many Furies, they now daily silence, excommunicate, deprive, pursivant, imprison, fine, bannish, and ruine them, as much as in any age whatsoever, And if they cannot burne them at a Stake, they will sure to crop of their …res, & shed their bloud on some Pillary, and then mue them up in a Prison all their dayes, A lingring la…ing tyranny, farre worse then present Mar…irdome.

Yea in this particular instance they farre outstrip the very Divell himselfe; in two things: For where as, he… cast but some only of Gods Saints and Ministers into prison and that, but for ten dayes, Revel. 2. 10. They commonly cast not some, but many of them into prison, and that not onelyonly for ten dayes, weekes, nay months, and yeares, and ofttimes during life: And whereas Paul though imprisoned under that most b…oody Divell and Tirant Nero in Pagan Rome, had so much liberty, as to dwell two yeares space together in his owne hired house, and … receive all that came in unto him: Preaching the Kingdome of God, and teaching those things which concerne the Lord Iesus Christ with all confidence NO MAN FORBIDDING them, Act. 28. 30. 31. Neither the Divell, nor Nero shutting him up close prisonner: Yet these Lord Prelates to shew themselves more cruelly barbarous and Tyrannicall then either the Divell or Nero, have anciently, and yet daily doe shut up divers of Gods Ministers and people close prisonners, restraining all p. 7free accesse of friends, or company to them, and are so far from permitting or not prohibiting them to preach in prison, that they inhibit and forbid them to preach even when they are at large, such is their fatherly piety, pittie, love, and charity, their very tender mercies (just like the divils) being nought else but cruelties. Pro. 12. 10.

Sixthly. The divell i… an exceeding feirce and furious spirit, who desires to have nothing to doe with Christ, whose sacred presence torments him before his time Math. 8. 28. 29. And when he leaveth his howse for a time, and then returnes and findeth it swept and garnished, he taketh with him 7. other spirits more wicket then himselfe, and they enter in and dwell there, and so the last estate of that man, in whom… they reside, is worse …hen the first. Math. 12. 23. 24. 25. Luke 11. 24, 25. So most Lord Prelates are exceeding fiery, fierce, and furious spirits, who will not be crossed or affronted in any thinge be it never so impiousSee Bishop Whites Treatise of the Sabbath: 7. 266. or vnjust. Noe Kinges, Lords, Nobles, being so violent, vnreasonable, outragious malepart, feirce, chollericke peremptorie, or furious in their designes, or pursuite of their ends as they; moreover they desire to have little or nothing to doe with Iesus Christ, or his sacred Ordinances which the sincere and diligent reading, preaching discoursing and meditation of hisPocklington, Heylyn, & others. word, the due administration of his Sacrements, the strict sanctification of his sacred Sabbaths (which they count … heavy Iewish yoake of bondage &c.) the …tation of his …, imprisoned or disconsolate afflict…d mebers &c. (a thingMath. 25 …6. 42. …. 1. …7.Matt 25:6Matt 25:42Matt 25:1Matt 25:7 from which they are so farre themselves, that they make it a piac…lum in others, to visit godly prisoners.) These petty …riviall things and Christian duties are belowe p. 8their Pompe & State, it beseemes not their Lordships honour … See B. L…timers Sermon of the Plough.to stoope so lowe as our Saviours (f) Plough-tayle; or to enter into a poore cottage or Prison to visite a poore me…ne Christian.

These things they put off to the meanest Curates, as overmeane for their Lips; who scorne to bus… themselves with lesser matrers, then managing the greatest State Offices and affaires, wayting at kings owne elbowes, following the heeles of rheit Courts to gett more preferments; Lording it over their whole Diocesse yea over whole Kingdomes at their pleasures, and that over Lords and knights if not Kings themselves aswell as Ministers, and the meanest Curate…; sitting as Iudges not only in their Consistories, visitations, and High commission Courts, but at Assizes, Sessions. Yea in Star chamber, and Exchequer-chamber to, (g)(g)See Bishop …rens B. Mountagues B. Laudes. Bishop Perces Oathes & Printed visitation A…icles.M…king of new Canons, Iniunctions, Oathes, Articles, and Printin… enforcing them on the subjects with all violence, in their o…e names alone, like absolute Monarkes, Popes, and Parliaments: These, and such like, are the things that Lord Prelates busy thems…lves with all, and in advancing their Iurisdictions, Revenues, Wealth, Pompe, State; But they will have nothing or very little at all to doe with Christ, whose sacred presence (Either by the powerfull preaching of his word, the Purity of his Ordinances, the reprehēsion of their sines, the approach or meditation of the day of death or Iudgment, or by the growth or progresse of his true spirituall Kingdome under their noses,) is so irksome to them, that it …ments them before the time, & make them frett, fume, rage, vex, chafe, and play about them like madd men, as appeares by the Booke of Martirs, yea, by present experience with p. 9out further evidence. And if at any time after they are made Bishops, they leave their former habitations, and repaire to their Diocesse, or bee translated from one See to another; they commonly take with them seaven other spirits as bad, ar more wicked themselves, (to wit,**See Fox Acts and Monuments p. 114. Archdeacons, Chauncellors, Registers, Appariters, howshold Chaplaines, Secretaries, and private Informers against good men) who reside either neere or with them in their Diocesse; which are so vexed, pilled, polled, spoyled, corrupted, by these Horseleaches, and Caterpillars, that the last estate of them, when they leave them, is commonly farre worse then the first, when they repaired thither; yea their Bishopricks too, are usually so pared by the sale of woods, renewing of leases, granting of offices, Reversions, and such other usuall devices of these Ghostly Fathers, before their deathes and translations, that they leave them commonly in farre worse estate then they found them; So like are they to the divell, to make all things worse and worsethey meddle with; The reason (I take it) of our usuall English Proverbe, when any Milke or Broth on the fire is burnt, and thereby marred; that the Bishop hath been in the Pot; Because they commonly marre all things where they come, as the divell doth.

Seaventhly, The divell takes men captive at his will, and few that are taken by him recover themselves (but with great difficulty) out of his snares, 2 Tim. 2. 26. So domineering, tyrannizing, Prelates, imprison, pursivant, and take men captive at their pleasures, against all Iustice, equity, piety, pitty, Lawes of God and man, against Magna Charta, the Petition of Right, and all other Acts of Parliament for the Subiects liberties. Take but p. 10one fresh instance; for an example, insteed of hundreds more: on the 26. of this instant Ianuary, one Knight, a Glasse-man in London, for repeating a Sermon in Norfolke, was conuented before the Archbishop and other High-Commiffioners at Lambeth, and tend…ed an Ex Officio oath (not warranted by any Law of God or man, and in direct termes for ever exploded, and not warrantable by the Lawes and Statutes of this Realme in the late Petition of Right 3. Caroll:) hee thereupon answered, that he was not fully satisfied in conscience of the lawfulnesse of that oath, and therefore humbly desired his Grace, that he might be satisfied, first, in point of conscience errehe tooke it. The Archbishop hereunto replied like a learned Prelate; You shall bee satisfied I warrant you, take him laylor to …he Fleet, where he now is: Alas, is this the learned satisfaction, the argumentation, and sole Logicke of our Prelates, to quiet mens consciences, and remove their doubts. Take him laylor, away with him Purfevant to the Fleet, and that against the expresse Petition of Right, which enacts, that no man hereafter shall be compelled to take SVCH AN OATH, or be confined or molested, or disquieted concerning the same, or for refusall thereof? Was ever such language heard out of our Saviours or his Apostles mouthes? Take him Iaylor, to Prison with him, &c. or did they ever give such satisfaction to mens conscience as this? No verily; This onelyonly is the divels language, law and spirituall satisfaction, Who takes men captive at his will; as these Lord Prelates now daily doe, by his example. And as those who are taken captive by the divell, can hardly recover themselves out of his snares againe: So those who are thus uniustly imprisoned and apprehended by them, can hardly recover p. 11themselues out of their snares; Such tenacious divells are they.

Eightly, The Divell goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devoure. 1 Pet. 5. 9. Iob. 1. 7. c. 2. 2. So doe Lordly Prelates, their Officialls, Commissioners, Pursevants, and Apparitors, especially when they ride about to visit, pill and poll their diocesse; only this is the difference, that the Divell goeth and they ride, and coach it about in state.

Ninthly, The divell layes snares and trappes to entangle and catch men, 2 Tim. 2. 26. Rev. 2. 23. So doe Lord Bishops lay baites, snares, and spies in every corner, especially to intrap and catch, betray or informe against godly Ministers & Professors of Religion, with all other sorts of men of whom they may gaine mony or advantage to themselves, or Officers.

10. The divell is, and hath been a murtherer of mens soules and bodies, from the beginning till this present, Iohn 8. 44. Such have Lord Prelates beene in all ages from their very beginning to this instant as a… histories, our Bookes of Martyrs and present experience manifests.

11. The divell is a lyar, yea the Father of lyes, and there is no truth in him, yea when he speaketh a lye, he speaketh of his owne Iohn. 8. 44. Such are all Lorly Prelates, in raysing up a false enormous, schandals, tales, reports, accusations, and forged calumnies, of all good Ministers and people, in broaching false Doctrines, Errors, Heresies, and forging many fabulous stories, false glosses, miracles, tales, and spurious Antiquities, to support their tottering Hierarchies and vsurped Episcopall Iurisdictions; in being trecherous yea perfideous in all their p. 12wordes and actions both towards God and men, Especially to their Princes, and those who have most relied on them, as all the Italian, German, and English Stories, Writers of the lives of Popes and Prelates, and Mr. Tindals practise of Popish Prelates, testify at large, and present experience much complaines of, there being no such grosse Hypocrites, Machiavils, Equivocators & perfideous faithlesse persons breathing, as some Prelates shewe themselves; and that aswell in Divine as temporall affaires and transactions.

12. The divell is an accufer, (a false Ruducing calumniator of the Brethren,) & true Saints of God Reb. 12. 10. whence, false accusers, are stiled divells, in the Originall Greeke. 2. Tim. 3. 3. Such have malicious Lordly Prelates been in all ages; and never more then ((h)(h)See Bishop Whites Treatise of the Sabbath, Epistle Dedicatory.) now; accusing all godly, faithfull Christians, Preachers and Ministers of the Golpell (whom they and the Papists now terme Puritains) to Kinges and greate Officers of State, of seditions, rebellion, disobedience, disloyalty, treason, schisme, inconformity, conspiracy, vnlawfull conventicles and assemblies, false dangerous Doctrines, puritanisme, and the like; only for their godly, holy, just, and blame lesse liues, their powerfull, Zealous, freq…ent, preaching, praying, the discovering of, or declayming against their idlenesses, lordlynesses, luxury, persecutions, tyranny, covetousenes, secularity, Superstitio is Popish Doctrines, Innovations, and intollerable enchroachments both Superstitio…s his Majesties Ecclesiasticall Prerogatives, and the Peoples liberties, consciences, and estates. All this their owne and that sworne creatures daily s…ditious Court Sermons, and Treatises, evidence past all denyall.

p. 1313. The Divill envied and maligned holy Iob, stripped him of his Children, Cattle, Servants, estate, health, and all earthly comforts; tormented him with botches and blaines from top to toe, and persecuted him with the most extremity of his malice and power; Only because he was a iust man that feared God, Neither was there any like him for goodnes in all the earth. Iob. 1. & 2. & 3. Thus likewise have done and yet doe the Lordly Prelates serve many of the …minentest, best, yea most godly faithfull Ministers and Christians, whose families and estates they have vtterly ruined, depriving them of their Benefices, freeholds; Iectures, Ministry, lawful callings (contrary to the fourth Cōmaundment) stripping them quitte naked of altheir estates by Fines, or costly Suites, and then casting them into a nasty Prison, there to rot and perish, or banishing them the Land, and troubling all such godly Christians who out of piety or charity dare contribute any thinge to there releife, witnesse the Mayer, Tounclerke and Aldermen of Gloster, not long since convented by the now Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, as most notorious offenders before his Majesty and the high Commission to, only for granting an annuity to their ancient Preacher Mr. Workeman, which they were inioyned by his Lord-ships Grace to Cancell. Such cruell, mercilesse, barbarous, inhumane divells are they degenerated into, as to make charity and mercy itselfe to godly Ministers, a grievous crime.

14. The divell is full of venome, poison, rankor, wiles, devices, craft, and subtelty, to mischeife and destroy men, seeking and taking all advantages to hurt them. 2. Cor. 2. 11. Ephes. 6. 11. Whence he is called a …, and an olde Sarpent. Isay 27. 1. Cor. 11. 3. Rev. 12. 2. 14. 15. c. 20. p. 142. Soe are the Prelates, as Ecclesiasticall Stories, the Booke of Martyrs, the History of the Counsell of Trent te…ifie and experience evidenceth beyond all contradiction, in our presente serpantine, venemous malicious Prelates ((k)(k)Ier. 4. 22.Jer 4:22) wise only to d… evill, but to doe good they have yet no knowledge; for ought appeares by their daily practises.

15. The divell is the Prince of the world, by vsurpation & tyranny. Iohn. 12. 37. c. 14. 30. c. 16. 18. Ephes. 2. 2. Yea the Prince of the darkenesses of this world. Ephes. 6. 12. So are Lord Prelates, who beare cheife rule and sway in al Churches and States where they are, dominering like absolute Pri…es, Kings, Tyrants in most Christian Realmes, exercising all temporall, all Ecclesiasticall Dominion at their pleasure, and Lording it over al men, yea, over Lords themselves contrary to our Saviours expresse inhibition Math. 20. 25. 26. 27. Luke 22. 25. 26. 27. Mark. 10. 42. 43. 1. Pet. 5. 1. 23. Yea which is very observable. Bishop, White, in his late Epistle to the … of Canterbury, before his Treatise of the Saboath, London 1635. is not ashamed to appropriate that Text of Psal: 45. (inste…d of thy Father shalbe thy children, whom thou ma…st make Princes in all the earth,) to Bi…ops only; who (it seemes) hauehave now ioyntly conspired togeather in all Countries, to make themselves Princes in all Kingdomes of the earth; and to engrosse the sole goverment of them and the whole worldinto their spirituall hands, as they conspired in this Manner of olde both at home and abroade; …itnesse 37. Hen. 8. c. 17. 28. H. 8. c. 10. M…. Tindalls Practise of Popish Prelates, and his Obedience of … Chri…ian man. Moreover they are certainly the Princes of the … darkenesses of this world; both by putting out p. 15the glorious lights and Preachers of Gods word; and sweeping downe the brightest stars of our Church from heaven which their dragonlike tayles, in every place; by degrees, and by purging this very passage out of the first Collect in the last Fast-booke: Thou hast delivered us from superstition and idolatry wherein wee were utt… drowned, and hast brought us into the most cleare and comfortable light of thy holy word, &c. of purpose to bring us backe againe into superstitious, Romish Hellish darkenesse, utterly to drowne both our soules and bodies in it. And are they not then pretty Princes, starres and Angels of darkenesse?

16. The Divell challengeth all the Kingdomes of the world, and the glory of them, as his owne, and by a … and grant of them, tempteth Christ himself… to full dow… and worship him, Math. 4. 8, 9, 10. Luke 4, 5, 6, 7. This not only the Pope doth, in direct termes, (as … Crakenthorpe proves at large, in the first Chapter of the Popes temporall Monarchie,) But the Lordly Prelates likewise; who anciently have, and now againe attempt, to sway and dispose of all Kingdomes of the world with all dignities, offices, and promotions in them at their pleasures; and by promise of them, or of Bishopricks, Benefices, Deaneries, and other preferments to them creatures and agents, tempt divers both of the Laity and Clergie, even against their knowledge and conscience, to fall downe, obey feare, serve, and worship them more then God, then Christ, their Soveraignes or their lawes, as woefull experience manifests at this day, wherein most men in authority, feare and worship our Prelates more then God or the King, and are more carefull to obey, more fearefull to offend their Injunctions, Articles, p. 16Edicts, pleasures, then either Gods or the Kings lawes, as I could instance in sundry particulars, in Prohibitions, habens corpora and other actions against the Lord Prelates, their officers and creatures which I spare to mention.

17. The divel adventured to tempt Christ himselfe by severall successive temptations, to drawe him to his beck. Math. 4. 1. to 12. Luke 4. 1. 10. Soe doe Lordly Prelates, adventure by several wiles Stratagems, flateries, promises and faire pretences, (yea and by perverting the Scripture it selfe, as the divell did here with Christ) to tempt Kings, Princes, Nobles, great officers of estate, Schollers, Lawyers, and all men of note, (especially the eminent Preachers and Professors,) to take their parts, to prostitute themselves to their Papall Institutions, Superstitions, Decretalls, pleasures, Ceremonies, Innovations and commaunds; and to protect, uphold, aduance their Antichristian tottering Hierarchie, (as ancient Histories, with present experience, and Mr. Tindalls Practise of Popish Prelates testifie.

18. The divell would have Christ himselfe to fall downe and worship him notwithstanding Gods expresse Commaundement to the contrary, Math. 4. 8. 9. 10. Luke 5.. 6. 7. Soe our Prelates would have all men euen against the lawes of God and the Realme to fall downe and submit to them and their antichristian novell Ceremonies, Articles, Injunctions Oathes, Vsurpation, Extorsions, encroachments to bowe and cringe to Altars, Images, Crucifixes, Crosses, the Sacramentall Bread & wine, the ver… name of Iesus &c, and to publish theire Declaration …or sportes and pastimes on the Lords day, coloured only by them with his Maiesties name, though really p. 17none of his in their Parish Churches, as if it were Gods owne … & Law, to spurre up yea precipitate the people to al manner of disorder, & the profanation of Gods owne sacre… day, to the ruine both of their soul…s and bodies. (Yea the ouerthrowe of all pietie and Religon,) silencing, suspending, excommunicating, yea suing such in theire Consistories, and high Commissions, who refuse to puplish it, (though there be no Law or Canon for it,) notwithstanding Gods Commaundements, and many late examplary Iudgments from heauen, (…or which, some Prelates threaten to binde God Allmighty himselfe to the peace and good behauiour at the next Quarter Sessions and Assizes, expressly prohibit it: Soe like are they in this particular to their Spirituall Father the divill in perswading, enforcing men to fall downe and worship them and their Commandments against Gods owne heauenly Precepts.

19. The divill is a great enemy to the purity of Gods word and ordinances, and whiles men sleepe soweth Tares among the wheate and good seede to corrupt and mar…e them Math. 13. 24. 25. 38. 39. So doe Lord Prelates, who sophisticate, pollute, depraue, yea marre the purity of Gods word, worship. Sacraments, and other Ordinances with their Idolatrous, Superstitious Antichristian Ceremonies, vestments, genuflexions additaments, mixtur…s and humane inuentions, And whiles many of our Spirituall Watchmen are a sleepe and silenced, they have sowne so many Popish Tares among our wheate that little else but Tares appeare now upon the ground, & by that time Harvest comes, If men awake not the sooner, we are like to reape nothing but a crop of these pernitious Tares insteed of wheate, p. 17being already ledd by some leading Prelates (like the Sirians by the Prophet Elishah into the midst of Samaria 2. Kings. 6. almost into the uery midst of Roome like persons hoodwinckt, before we are aware of it; as all whose eyes God hath opened plainely se.

20. The divell hinders Gods Ministers to goe and preach the Gospell to the people that they may be saued 1. Thess. 2. 8. So doe the Prelates now by suspending, silencing, excommunicating, imprisoning most of the best and powerfullest Ministers, and forbidding them to preach unto the people, that they might be saved (Yea even in the times of Pestilence and mortallity) to fill np their sinnes allway, …or the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. 1. Thes. 2. 16.

21. Where the divill cannot hinder the preaching of Gods word altogether, there he comes and steales it away presently out of mens harts and mindes, as soone as it is sowen, that so it may take no roote, and bring forth no fruit at all. Math. 13. 19. So Lord Prelates, where they cannot altogether suppresse the preaching of the word, doe (just-like the divell) indeavour pr…ntly to catch and steale it out of mens hartes, by giuing them liberty on the Lords owne day, as sone as ever the Sermon is ended, to fall to their May-games, Morisses, dancings, sportes, and pastimes, (practise condemned in expresse termes long agoe by Clemens Alexandrinus, Pedagogil. 3. c. 11. Tertullion de spect… lib. & Chrisostom H…m. 5. in Math. and by all Divines of note since their age tot his, as Hellish, Heathenish, Diabolicall, impious, and pernitious, depriving mens soules of the benefit of all Gods Ordinances) and by prohibiting them to meete together to repeate their Ministers Sermons p. 18with their freinds, neighbors, and families punnissing them for Conventicles if they doe it, contrary to St. Paules, St. Chrisostoms, Theophelacts, Caesarius Arelatensis, Bishop Iewells, Dr. Boyes, Mr. Iohn Sprintes, Bishop, Baglies, and all other Diuines Doctrine that I ever read or heard of, (Yf not to the Canons, 1571. p. 16. & 1602. Can. 13 & 79) who much vrget his Repetition of Sermons as a necessary dutie on all Christians, though of divers families) A stupendious straine of Atheisticall profanenes, and desperate impeity which no Prelates ever aspired to, before these of this last impious age, in affront of al the Prelates and Clergie of England in H. 8. his dayes, who prescribe and vrge it much to these Nouellers eternall shame.

22. The divi…l to worke his owne divellish ends and designes, will sometimes transforme himselfe into an Angell of light, though he be still a divell in truth 2. Cor. 11. 14. So the Prelates (the archest Hypocrites breathing) will sometimes doe the like, putting on a counterfeit vizard of pietie and holinesse, to cloak their divelish designes, seeming, Angells of light in shewe, when as they are still meere Divells incarnate in verity: as appeares by seuerall Popes, by Thomas of Becket, Anselme, Edward, Thomas, and William, of Canterbury, with divers of our anuncient English, and late out landish Prelates, whose lives are at large related in Antiquitates Ecclesiae Britanicae, Malmesbury & Godwyn, in the 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. Centuries of Magdeburg (cap. 6. 7. 10. of each) in Crantzins …is Metropolis, Catalogus Testuum veritatis, Auealini An: Boiorum, & others; who manifest Lordly Bishops in all ages, to have been the greatest Pypocrites, dissemblers, Schizmatickes, p. 20Atheists, Traytors, Rebells, Villaines, and Monsters of impiety, under the pretence of Sanctity, that ever had existence in the world; as you may there read at leisure; and in Doctour Iohn White his way to the true Church Sect. 55. n. 9, 10. Sect. 57. n. 9, 10, 11. Sect. 38. n. 45, 6. and Defence of the way, c. 6.

23. The divell is a proud insolent domineering spirit, falling (as most hold) by this sinne of pride and arrogance 1 Tim. 3. 6, 7. Isay. 14. 12, 13, 14, 15. Such and no other are the Lordly Prelates, witnesse all stories present unanswerable experience, and the common Proverbe. As proud as a Prelate they being the most arrogant, insolent, domineering, proud, ambitious, Luciferian generation of all the Sonnes of men, trampling all others under their Lordly feet; when as if they were Christs members or disciples, they should bee the lowliest and humblest of all othes both in heart and conversation, as hee was Math 11. 29. An infallible Character that they are none of his institution, but the Divels, whose pride they imitate, equall, if not transcend, and which sinne (no doubt) will shortly ruine them, Prov. 16. 18. as it did their father the divell.

24. The divell entred into Iud…s (Christs Lord Treasurer. Iohn. 12. 6. 13. 29.) and moved him for 30. peeces of silver to betray his M…ster Math. 26. 14, 15. Marke 14 10, 11. Luke 22. 3, 4, 5, 6. Iohn 13. 17, 18, 19. c. 18. 3. So these Lordly Prelates, for hopes of honour, money, or preferments sell and betray even Christ himselfe, his Word, truth, Gospell, Saints, members, to p. 21the Pope, yea the divell himselfe, or any that will hire them to doe it: Nay hundreds of them (both at home and abroad) have for lucre, honour and money, betrayed, murdered, deposed, conspired, and rebelled against their owne Soveraignes, (Emperours, Kings, and Princes) (such notable treacherous varlets have they beene in all ages) as sundry Stories manifest at large; yea in former ages, and this present too, they insinuate into mens heates, with p…omises and rewardes, causing Servants to betray their Masters, Wives their Husbands, Children their Parents, People their Pastors, Nay one Minister, one Professor (at least in …) another, and cause one friend, one neighbour to accuse, intrappe, and betray another, whom they malice for their grace and goodnesse, or any other occasion) that so they may persecute, hamper, ruine them in their ecclesiasticall or high Commission Courts, or crush them by their temporall power and greatnesse at their pleasures, by putting them from their freeholds, and lawfull callings, confining them to some prison, or forcing them to flie the land, in case they stoope not to their lusts in all particulars; as hundreds of late Presidents, manifest a… …ull.

25. The divell doth buffet and binde Gods servants, till Christ by his infinite power doth loose them 2. Cor. 12. 7. Luke 13. 16. So have done, and yet dayly doe Lord Prelates buffet and binde Gods people by their Censures, Excommunications, officers, Pursevants, Iaylo…s, till Christ by his omnipotent power shall rescue and deliver them from this their tyranny.

26. The diuell filleth mens hearts to lie to the Holy Ghost Acts 5. 3. So Lord Prelates with promises and perswasions do the like, by suborning their instruments in their writings and Sermons before Kings, Princes, Vniversities, and the most eminent assemblies, to maintaine their Episcopall Iurisdiction, Lordlinesse, pompe and power, their superstious Popish Ceremonies, Altars, Crucifixes, Tapers, genuflexions, Conservations, adorations, &c. to bee all Iure divino warranted an… prescribed by Gods Law and word, of purpose to deceive the Auditors (when as their consciences know t…e contrary to bee true, and that they lye against the Holy Ghost in what they preach and write) and to forge divers notorious fables and calumnies of Puritans Precizians and godly Christians out of their owne poeticall braines (as false as any figments in the golden Legend) to bring both them, the practise, power, and profession of Religion into publike scorne; that so Popery, Atheisme, and Profanenesse may overflo… the world, A dangerous (yet now a common) sinne and practise, which I wish the guilty would reforme by Ananias and Saphirahs exemplary punishments for this very sinne, Acts 5. 3. to. 10.

27. The divell tempts and encourageth men to all kindes of sinne, of wikednesse, and to disobey all Gods Commandements, Gen. 3. 1. to. 7. to …cleanenesse. 1 Cor. 7. 5. to cruelty and implacablenesse 2 Cor. 2. 11. to wantonnesse, worldlinesse, lasciviousnesse, profanenesse, and fleshly lusts Ephes. 2. 2, 3. 1 Tim. 5. 15. besides murther, treachery, lying, and other forenamed sinnes. So doe the Prelates; witnesse their many late vngodly, Superstitious, licentious Bookes and practises, p. 23to spurre men on to Popery and superstition, but especially to profane the Saboath, to use dancing, Morrisses, May-games, erect Ales, May-poles, Bacchavalls, drinke, swill, and play the Epicures, the Pagans, even on Gods owne sacred day (and that whiles we lye all under Gods scourge & plagues for this very sinne) to tumble them headlong into hell, and draw downe all Gods wrath and plagues upon us from heaven at once, to our speedy certayne ruine. Take but one fresh instance of this kinde: Master Skinner the Bishop elect of Bristoll, this last S…mmer even in the heate of the Plague, invited one Sir Garret Ramsford (a prisonner in the Kings Bench) with his Lady, to dine with him at his Countrey house on the Lords day, and charged them not to fayle him, for they would bee very merry; They came accordingly, and his elect Lordship, according to promise was so merry, that hee called for Bristow milke (strong Sacke) to season him for that diocesse, and sucked it up so freely, that hee had almost got the Staggars; and his men seeing their new Lord set upon so merry a pinne, plied him so fast with it, that at last he bad them take away the Sacke for feare they should kill him with it, and what then should his Majestie doe for a new Bishop? (as if enough would not bee reddy to succeed him, if hee were gone): Well, their company was so good, that they must stay at Supper with him too; they did so, and they were very merry; Supper ended, his Lor…ship cals for a paire of Cardes, and to play they must all goe; Sir Garret thereupon answered, My Lord I thinke you are of their opinion who hold, that the Saboath endeth at six of the clocke, that you will now goe to Cardes, for I hope you will not play upon the Saboath: No p. 24(saith hee) I am not of that opinion; but his Majestie cōmandeth us to play on this day. A notorious untruth; For where (I pray) commandeth his Majestie, or alloweth B…shops or Ministers to play at Cardes, or Dice, or Tables on the Lords day, when as he commands; that nothing bee done against the Lawes aud Canons of the Church, in that very Declaration they would father on his Highnesse, and the 73. and 74. Canons expressely pro…ibit Bishops and Ministers to play at Cardes, Dice or any other unlawfull games on any day, Much lesse then on the Lords day, which the 13 Canon, and the Homilie, of the time and place of prayer, with 5. & 6. E. l. c. 3. and his Majesties prime Act. 1. Carolic. 1. will inf…rme them ought otherwise to be spent then in Carding, Playes and pastimes. Sir Garret replied, that hee conceiued, it was against the fourth Commandement: and that his Majestie neither would nor could command any thing against Gods Law; or if he did; we were not to obey in such cases. His Lordship replied, that the fourth Commandement was ceremoniall and abrogated long agoe. So (said Sir Garret) you may say as well of all the rest; and if his Majestie should command any thing against the other 9. Would you obey it? That (said his Lordship) wee must dispute when there shal bee occasion, (intimating, that if his Majestie should command any thing against a…y of Gods Commandements (which wee trust hee will never doe) the Bishops would obey it without any great dispute.) Well, Sir Garret would not play at that time, and thereupon the Cards were sent backe againe. And is not this a man (thinke you) like to make a very ho…y Prelate? It may be so, for hee hath since beene consecrated (and that p. 25with some new Popish Ceremonies as is reported.) And in truth he needed a Consecration, for I remember well, when hee was fellow of Trinity Colledge in Oxford, hee after pretty Bes Bauger so long, that he begate a strong kinde of spurious tympany in his belly, for which I never heard, hee did any pena…ce, or made any purgation; But his Consecration (doubtlesse) hath purged this and all other his sinnes cleane away: Such holy examples are Lord Prelates, whose doctrine had need convert mens soules, for few of their lives will doe it.

28. The divell stirreth up Kings to offend God, to the destruction and prejudice of their subjects 1 Chron. 21. 1. and rayseth discordes and dissentions and disaffections betweene Kings and their subjects Iudges 9. 23. And hauehave not Lordly Prelates aunciently, yea lately done or endeavoured at least to doe the like in Germany, France, that I say not in England too? Their chiefe practise … allwayes bee…e to ali…nate subjects affectiens from their Kings, by putting them upon unjust Taxes, …, Projects, Monopolies, oppressions, In…ations; by giving them evill counsell, by …opping the course of lawes, of common Right and Iustice, of the preaching power and progresse of the Cospell, by advancing Idolatry, popery, …, with their owne intollerable … and Lordly iurisdiction, by fathering all their unjust … u…on Kings, &c. and on the contrary to estrange the Ki…gs hearts …om their Subjects, by false Calumnies, by sedicious CourtSermons and by infusing jealousies and discont…nts into their heads and hearts against their best and loyallest Subjects without a cause; A divellish practise never p. 26more used then in these our dayes.

29. Satan will not bee devided against Satan for feare his Kingdo…e should not stand Math. 12. 10. So these Lordly Prelates wil never be devided one against another in point of their Antichristian Iurisdiction Pompe, and Hierarchie (which they all concurre i…, though they have oft many deadly personall and particular fendes one with another) nor yet against the Pope or Devells Kingdo…s; for then their o…ne kingdome (a branch and me…ber of the P…pes and divells, as many of our godly M…rtyrs and Writers have reso…ved) should soone fall to ruine.

30. The divell (that Red-Dragon) had seven crownes upon his head Revel. 12. 3. to shew his royall power. So have the Popes and other Prelates, Crownes and Miters o… their pates, to testify their royalty and Lordly do…inion over Kings and others, as they vaunted in D. Ba…twicks Censure.

31. The Divell had a seate and Throne in the Church of Pergamus, wherein hee sate in state Revel. 2. 13. So have the Prelates in their Cathedralls and Chappells; (as they then also boasted:) yea their great Cathedralls are but ch…ires for these great two legged Foxes Lordly tayles to sit in; … a lesser meaner Chayre did then c…ntent the divell, who now sits in greater state, and is farre better served and attended in our Cathedrals then ever hee was in the Church of Perga…us.

32. The divell (that Red-Drogon) with his tayle drew the third part of the Starres from heaven and cast them to the earth, Revel 12. 4. So have Lordly Prelates (the tayle of that fell Dragon) anciently, and of late times swept downe the third part or more, of our starres p. 27(to wit, of all our faithfull, powerful, pain…full, zealous Ministers) f…om heaven (to wit, from their Pulpits and …hurches) and by their suspensions, excommunications, imprisonments, deprivations, suppressing of Lectures, persecutions, &c. have cast them to the ground, nay trampled them under their dragon-like pawes, depriving them of their office and Benefices; thereby robbing God and Christ of the glory, the poore peoples soules of the fruit and comfort of their Ministry, to their greatest griefe.

33. This greate Red Dragon, (the divell) stoode before the Woman (the Church) which was reddy to be delivered of a man-childe, for to devoure her Childe (her spirituall regenerate Children) as soone as it was borne. Rev. 12. 4, 5. Thus those Lordly Prelates doe; No sooner can the Church be reddy to be delivered of a man-childe, of a godly faithfull Pastor, new Minister, or zealous Christian, but these great redd scarlet Dragons, (w…o can suffer dumbe Dogges, deboist, licentious, dissolute drunken, scandalous Ministers and supersticious Popelings to sit still and doe what they list, without danger or countroll) are at hand (like P…aroah, and the divell) to devoure, silence, suppresse, pers…cute, and destroy th…m as s…one as they are borne, or …ginne but once publiquely to appeare in the world; as experience too well …ifieth in most places, where a godly Minister or Christian can no sooner shew his head or beginne to doe God faithfull service but they presently lay trappes and snares to hamper, or send Apparitors, Pursevants, with such other Hellish Furies, to seize upon them, that so their Lordships may swallow them all up at a bit; Yea if any good Booke shall beginne p. 28to peepe out against their tyranny, Prelacy, and Innovations, Howses, Shipps, Studdies, Trunks and Cabinets must be broken up and ransacked for them: Such ravenous red… Furious Dragons are they, and such open wide Sepulchers are their devo…ring throates to swallow … all things that any way make against them.

34. This Dragon, and his Angells make ware in heaven fi…hting with Michaell, (to wit, our Saviour Christ) and his Angells Rev. 12. 7. Soe the Lordly Prelates and their Angells (To wit, their Deanes, Arch-deacons Officialls, Chauncellors, Commissaries, Surragates, Advocates, Proctors, Registers, Pursevanst, Sum…ers, Apparitors, & Howshold Chaplaynes too for the most part) have in al ages to this very moment, made warre in heaven (Gods Church militant) with Christ and his Angells, To wit, his faithfull, po…erfull, godly Ministers; Preachers, Saints, and Servants; as all Histories, ages witnesse, And now this Battaile seemes to be at the hottest, here amongst us, More godly Ministers h…ving been silenced, suspended, deprived, driven from their Ministry, & chased out of the Realme within these 5. yeares, though conformable to the established doctrine and discipline of our Church, then in many ages before.

35. When the divell co…es downe among the inhabitants of the earth, and of the Sea, then woe be to them Rev. 12. 12. Soe woe be to the kingdomes, Churches, and people, where Lord Prelates come and beare most sway amongst them, witnesse our Booke of Martyrs, and Chronicles of England; & to these Diocesse wherein they domineere; Witnesse Norwich Diocesse and others at this present.

p. 2936. When this Dragon, and the Divell was cast out to the earth, he persecuted the Woman (the true Church of God) Rev. 12. 13. So have these Lord Prelates in all ages; (as the Bookes of Martyres record at large) since they were cast out of heaven (Christs true spirituall Church) for their Lordly pride.

37. When the Dragon saw the Woman had such swift winges given her, that Shee escaped his hands, and fledd into the wildernesse, out of his reach and danger, where Shee was nourished for a time, then he cast out of his mouth a floud of water after her, to devoure & drowne her Rev. 12. 14, 15, 16. So these Lord Prelates, when any godly Ministers or Christians have escaped their Lordships, their Apparitors, Pursevants, or other Cathpoles hands by flight, or otherwise; power out of their mouthes a floud of Execrations, Excommunications, Intimations, Suspensions, Maledictions, reproaches, obloquies, and outragious Censures against them, to devoure and over whelme them; Yea Excommunications with agravations, that no man shall buy, sell, trade, eate, drinke, or have any conversation with them; An Hellish Antichristian, tyranny lately practised, and revived (against all lawes and Statutes of the Realme) against 4. men in Norwich, Only for not bowing at the name of Iesus; and against Mr. Samuell Burrowes of Colchester, for Indicting Parson Newman for enforcing the people up to his new rayle to receive.

38. The divell, if stoutly and manfully resisted, will flie from us, ever raging (like a coward) over those with greatest extremity, that make the least resistance 1 Pet. 5. 9. Iames 4. 7. Thus doe these Lordly Prelates; where they are stoutly and manfully withstood in their tyrannicall p. 30exorbitant procedings vsurpations, and incroachments, by men of courage, there they (for the most part) flie, & giuegive over; these ever fareing best, that most manfully oppugne them: Where they are crowched, bowed, and basely submitted to, or faintly resisted, or not opposed (as late experience too well manifesteth) there they rage, tyrannize, triumph most, and make strange havock in the Church. Yf Ministers, or people then will ever be free from the tvranny, bondage, insolency, rage, or desperate oppressions, the unjust illegall Excommunications, Suspentions, exacted Fees, Visitation Oathes, Articles, Ceremonies, Innouations, Citations, Procedings of these outragious divells, made in their owne names and rights alone, under their propper Seales, without any Patent or Commission from his Majesties authorizing them (Contrary to the expresse Statutes of 25. H. 8. c. 19, 20, 21. 26. H. 8. c. 1. 27. H. 8. c. 15. 31. H. 8. c. 9, 10. 32. H. 8. c. 26. 37. H. 8. c. 17. 1. Ed. 6. c. 2. 1, El. c. 1. 2. 5. El. c. 1. 8. El. c. 1. 13. El. c. 12.) or from their high Cō nission ex officio Oathes, Pursevants, imprisonments and Fines, contrary to Magna Carta c. 29. the Petition of Right. 1 Eliz: c. 1. (on which their commission is grounded 3 …oli. and the Lawes and Statutes of the Realme (as their very last High Commission it selfe expressely resolves; and therefore add a non obstante, these their ex officio oathes, imprisonments. fines, and censures bee contrary to the Lawes and Statutes of the Realme; Such is the Prelates Iustice, conscience, piety, fatherly charity, and obedience to his Majesties Lawes, to foist such a desperate Papall non obstante into their High Commission): Let then them manfully, couragiously, unanimously resist and withstand p. 31them to the uttermost of their power, by all just, warrantable, lawfull meanes that may bee (as loyalty to their King & Countrey, Charity to themselves and their posterity, and Conscience towards God, enioyne them) and then these base-borne, ignoble, cowardly, mushrom Lords and divells (animated, flushed, enraged, only by mens former cowardise, faint-hartednesse, and strange unchristian sordid basenesse) will flee away shortly from them, and never assault or oppresse them more, in such a tyrannicall, uniust, illegall manner, as they have lately done; as Phil: 1. 27. Iam. 4. 7. resolve and certifie us for comfort and encouragement.

39. There is, and hath been from the fall of Adam, to this present, a bitter, perpetuall, implacable enmity and warre, betweene the old Serpent (the divell) and his feed, and Christ the seede of the Woman, his Church, and her seed, the elect and regenerate Saints of God: Genes. 3. 15. So hath there beene betweene the Lordly Prelates, their officers, spawne, and generation, and Christ and his true spirituall seede and faithfull members, even from their first originall, till this present; witnesse the desperate enmity, the implacable malice, and horrid cruelty of the ancient Lordly Arrian CourtBishops towards the orthodox Christians of old; Of the Popes, and popish Prelates to the true Ministers, Professors of the Gospell, and Protestants; and of the ceremonious; pompous, Lordly English Lord Prelates towardes the Puritans, and Precisians (as they) nickname them) the powerfull, painefull, zealous, godly Preachers, Ministers, and Christians since; Of all which, our Bookes of Martyrs, with other Ecclesiasticall Histories, and late Treatises give ample testimony, which present p. 32experience cannot but subscribe to.

40. The divell is a malicious malignant spirit whose malice is never satisfied, ended, mittigated, or appeased, but with the ruine of the parties maligned: as appeares in Iob. 1. 13. to 22. c. 2. 1. to 8: Where he could not be satisfied with the destruction of Iobs Children, Oxen, Asses, Sheepe, Camells, Servants, and estate, but he would have had his life too; and when that could not be obtayned; Yet he would torment his body with sore painefull boiles from the Crowne of his head to the sole of his foote. So Lordly Prelates malice and rankor against Gods faithfull Ministers, is endlesse, boundlesse, implacable, they cannot be content to vex, molest, and trouble them with causelesse suites, vnlesse they silence & stop their mouthes: when that is done, they are never quiet till they have quite deprived them of their livings and Ministry, stripped them of all their lively-hood, cast them into some nasty Prison, or bannished them the Realme: When this is acco…plished, Yet is not their rage abated, nor their malice extinguished; euen in Prison they will keep an hard hand against them, use them with all de…pit and rigor, depriue them as much as may be, of all releife, resort, and comfort, seeke out new occasions to vex and persecute them, But if perchance they escape beyond the Seas, and get out of their clutches; then they persecute them (as the high Preists did the primitive Christians) euen into strange Cities and Countries Acts 26. 11. raising up fresh troubles and stormes against them by their Catholike agents, even there, to destroy them; as they did against Mr. Tindall, and other Martyres of olde; and against p. 33some of our godly Ministers of late, being never at rest or peace, till they have either sucked their bloud, or seene them dead in their graves; A truth too apparant by many present Examples fresh before our eyes.

41. The divill hath his Angells, his Ministring spirits, and spirituall Sonnes to doe his service, advance his kingdome, and execute his Commandements Math. 25. 41. Iohn. 6. 70. c. 8. 44. 1. Iohn. 3. 8. 10. Yea, to perswade men to worship the divill and Idolls of gold and silver, and brasse, and stone, and of wood, which neither can se, nor heare, nor walke Rev. 9. 20. Math. 4. 8. 9, 10. Luke 4. 5, 6, 7. 1. Kings 22. 28, 29, 30. So have Lordly Prelates their Angells, their spirituall Sonnes, and Ministring spirits, to execute their severall Injunctions & Commandments: Their Angells, (To wit) their howshold Chaplaines (now knowne (h)(h)Rev. 2. 5. 6.Rev 2:5Rev 2:6Apostate Angells from their first faith love and workes) and their spirituall Sonnes, To wit, their Preists serving at their …ew erected Altars, (as themselves now pray, write and preach, who now call themselves the Sonnes of the Church; to wit, of the Bishops) who like an Oven heated by the (i)(i)Hose…. 7. 4. 6.Baker, send out nothing but black fiery (k)(k)A Coale from the Altar. printed An. 1636.Coales from the Altar, with which, their owne tongues, and others (l)(l)Isay. 6. 6. 7.Isa 6:6Isa 6:7lips being touched, by these greate Seraphins Commandments (according to their usuall formes of prayer, before their Sermons) insteed of crying out against the Idolatrous Altlas of Bethell (as the man of God once did by Gods speciall Commandment in the very presence of K. Ieroboam 1. King 13. 2, 3, 4.) they doe nothing else but preach and cry out for Altars, setting up of Altars, Images, Crucifixes, Tapers, with other Altar-trinkets, even before our most gracious King p. 34himselfe; and(m)(m)Iob. 6. 5. See Pocklingtons Sunday no Sabbath.Job 6:5 Bray like a wild Asse, or rayle and scolde like Oyster women, against those who preach for Lords Tables (which they beginne now againe to terme(n)(n)Acts and Monuments. Edit. 1631 vol. 3. p. 85. 95. 497. Oysterboardes, as that turne coate, Dr. White with other Papists did in …u. Maries dayes, when they did set up Popery afresh) or oppose their Popish Idoll-Altars, and the turning of our Tables Altar-wise: And not contented to set up Altars, and Crucifixes, against our Statutes, Articles, Homilies, Canons, Injunctions, established Doctrine of our Church, to which they have subscribed, Yea against the very Booke of common prayer itselfe; (which prescribes only a Table, not any Altar) they crease not to preach continually at Court, Paules-Crosse, in both our Vniversities, and else where,(o)(o)Shelford his Sermon of the Church Sunday no Sabbath. p. 46. …heeue, & others. that men … and ought to bow downe and worship the golden Images, the stately guilded Altars, Cru cifixes, Images, which their greate(p)(p)Dan. 3. 5. 6. 7.Dan 3:5Dan 3:6Dan 3:7 Nabucadonozer, the Lord Prelates, have set up in their owne Chappells, Cathedralls, and other Churches, (as if one Stone, Stock, Image, or dumbe Idoll, might not fall downe and worship another alone, but all else must imitate their example, as the Rule of faith and worship (and themselves bow downe and worship before them, as the Idolatrous Isralites and Pagans did before their Idolls and Altars 1. Kings 12. 30. 2. King…. 18. 22. 2. Kings 5. 18. Besides these Angells, and spirituall Sonnes) who preach nothing now all most but their Lordships(q)(q)Math. 15. 9Matt 15:9 Commandement… …de of Gods) they have divers Ministring spirits; as Arch-Deacons, Commissaries, Pursevants, Apparitors, …ilors, Registers, Informers, Aduocates, Proctors, Spies, and Notaries in all places, to set up Al…, …, …, impose and prescribe n…w p. 35Ceremonies, Injunctions, Oathes, orders, Articles, to suspende silence, excōmunicate, imprison, intrap, wailay, betray, persecute, fleece, and ruine all godly Ministers and people, and advance their Lordships Monarchie, Honour, Pompe, State, Raveuewes, Kingdome, and cause al men to fall downe and worship them, like som… petty Gods descended from heaven, and their Antichristian fond Injunctions and Popish Innovations, as Gods sacred Oracles: So like are they to their Father the divell in this resemblance.

42. The divell was a lying spirit in the mouth of Aha…s Prophets; to perswade him to what they pleased, against Gods word & true Prophets, &c. to advance his owne designes: 1. Kings 22. 22, 23. So our Lord Prelates anciently were, & now are as much as ever, lying spirits in the mouths of many false Prophets (and I would wee could not say, in most of his Majesties Chaplaines in ordinary, and others that preach before his highnesse, and in other publike places) who preach nought else but their(r)(r)Math. 15. 9.Matt 15:9 Lordships pleasures, and those words, those precepts, they cunningly put into their mouthes, (as the(s)(s)2. Sam. 14. 2. to 22.2 Sam 14:2–22 Woman of Tekoah spake Ioabs words to David) to accomplish their owne Antichristian designes, advance their owne power and Hierarchie, and cause all men to adore them as the only Gods, Lords, and Oracles on the earth.(t)(t)…: and Dr. Iohn White his Epistle Dedicative to K. Iames before his De…te of the Way. Maximus Tirius records, That one P. Sapho dwelling in the parts of Libia, desirous to be canonized a God, tooke a sort of prating Birds, and secretly taught them to sing, P. Sapho is a great God: and having their lesson perfectly, hee let them flie into thee Woods and Hills adioyning, where continuing there long, other Birds also by imitation learned the same, till the hedges rang with nothing but P. Saphoes dittie, p. 36Great is the God P. Sapho: The Countrey-people hearing the Birds, (but ignorant of the …raud) thought Sapho to be a God indeed, and beganne to worship him. This …ame not only hath beene, but now is, both the Popes, and Lord Prelates practise; Who desirous to effect their owne ambicious ends, advance their owne pretended divine power, Iurisdiction, Hierarchie, and to bee adored and obeyed in all their Antichristian Innovations, Injunctions, and designes, as Gods, with sweet promises of preferments (which they have now for the most part monopolized into their owne hands) they procure a company of bold audacious prating Birds (or Bussards rather) in our Vniversities, and elsewhere, with their owne domesticke Chaplaines, to learne these notes by heart, That the Calling of Lord Bishops is Iure Divino; that the holy Fathers the Prelates are to order all Church-affayres, and to bee(v)(v)Shelford his Sermon of Gods house A Co…e from the Altar. p. 1. 2. 3. &c Rheene his Communion Booke … expounded Epi…. Dedicatory p. 20. &c. obeyed in all their Injunctions and Commands without dispute: that they have power to decree Rights and Ceremonies, and authorities in Controversies of faith, a clause lately foysted by them into the 20 Article of our Church, (being not in the Latine, or English Articles of King Edward the fixt, Queene Elizabeth; Nor those of Ireland, taken Verbatim out of the English, that we must have Images, Crucifixes, Altars, Preists, Sacrifices; that men ought to set their Altars and Tables Altarwise at the East end of the Church, & to bow downe vntounto them and worship them: that they ought to bow at the naming of Iesus, Stand up at Gloria Patri, the Gospell, Athanasius, and the Nicene Creede, read, the 2. service at the Altar, pray with their faces to the East, submit to the Lord Prelates in all matters of faith and discipline, p. 37beleeving as they beleeve, and doing as they doe: that they must allwayes declayme and crie out thus against Puritans (as they now doe in all their Sermons) that they are sedicious factious persons, enemies and rebells to the King and his lawes, (when as the Bishops themselves meere hildebrands …oth in Church and state, are such) meere Hipocrites and imposters, men farre more dangerous and vnsufferable in the State then Preists or Iesuites: that they must magnify auricular confession, extreme vnction, and absolution, as things fitting to be received in the Church: Maintayne a reall presence in the Sacrament: Deny the Pope to be Antichrist, or his Ceremonies to bee Antichristian: Crie up the use of dancing, sports and pastimes on the Lords day: Crie downe the strickt …anctification of it as Iewdaisme, superticious, and puritanicall: Preach against lectures, lecturers, often preaching, and Sermons on the Lords day afternoone, as meere babling, pratling, and**So Dr. Corbet B. Bwrens Chancellor Iately termed preaching and said he had Scripture for it. foolishnes; with a world of such like Songes, all which these their prating Iayes having perfectly learned some two or three yeares since, they sent them abroade, not only into the Woods, Hills, and Dales in the Country, but also vntounto the Court, Citie, Vniversities, and places of greatest refort, to chaunt, and …oare out these their Episcopall Ditties; where these singing Birds (or Decoyes rather) have so well playd their parts of late, by preaching, printing, and chanting out these their lessons, in Citty, Court & Country, that other Birds also (by imitatiō ignorance, or hopes of like preferments as some of these first Decoyes ha…h attayned to,) fall to …nge the self same ditties eueryevery where, as fast as they; So that now our Cathedralls, Chappells, Churches, Pulpits, p. 38ringe of little else but these Episcopall tunes and songes: which the people daylie hearing every where (being ignorant, of the Prelats fraud and practise herein who taught those Birds these tunes, of which I now desire all to take publique notice,) begin to thinke Lord Prelates, and all these their Romish Doctrines, Ceremonies, and Innovations, to be of divine Institution, and that their Lordships are to be obeyed in all things without dispute, as if they were Gods indeede; wherevpon, they now fall downe & worship them as some petty, yea the greatest Gods; and these their antichristian doctrines, C…monies, Innovations, as Gods sacred Oracles and Institutions, they being farre more happy then P. Sapho, in this their stratagem (worthy most serious consideration and discovery.) That hee deceived only the, simple Country people with this policy, but they, not only Countryclownes, but Citizens, Schollers, Courtiers, and some great nobles too I feare; who upon the discovery of this their diobolicall fraud (they speaking in these prating Birds, though Dumbe for the most part themselues, and singing the self same ditties when they speake, as the (x)(x)Gen. 3 1. 2. 3. 4.Gen 3:1Gen 3:2Gen 3:3Gen 3:4divell spake of old in the serpent) will no doubt vndeify them againe, and esteeme them but as men, or heathenish Idolls, not worthy adoration or any longer credit; and all these their Innouations, Romish Doctrines and Ceremonies, as meere Iesuiticall Impostures.

43. The Divell desires to have all faithfull Christians in his clutches (especially the eminentest Ministers and Preachers of the Gospell) that he may fift them like Wheate to the very Branne, to finde an hole in their Coates, or an occasion to destroy them. Luke 22, p. 3931. So have Lordly Prelates desired and done the like in all ages, and still persist to doe it; wee need not goe farre for Presidents to exemplify it, there being never an eminent sincere Minister of England whom the Prelates have not thus winnowed, and laid traps for; and persecuted more or lesse.

44. The Divell wo…keth most of all, and beareth greatest sway in carnall fleshly men, and in the Children of disobedience. Ephes- 2. 2, 3. **See this Answer to the great Turkes letter An… 1542. & Bale de vitis Pontificium.Soe doe the Prelates worke most in, with, by, and upon meere Formallists, licensious, dissolute, carnall men and Ministers, and those who are most disobedient to the lawes of God, of Christ, of Kings and temporall Majestrates, whose Iurisdictions they have ever laboured to ecclipse abolish & tread quite under foote, as one of our Kings, and our whole Parliaments have resolved in 2. publique Acts. 37. H. 8. c. 17. & 28. H. 8. c. 10.

45. The divell commeth armed with all power, and signes, and lying wonders, and with all deceiveablenes of vnrighteousnes 2. Thess. 2. 9, 10. So doe the Popes, and whole …able of Lordly Prelates, (as the Apostle there resolves,) who came armed against Gods Church and people both with the temporall and spirituall Sword; with Ecclesiasticall and civill Officers, Pursevants, Somners, Censures, punishments, ter…ors, and vexations of all sortes; with signes and lying wonders (of which we have many Instances in Popish legends Postils and Stories old and new) and with all deceiveablenesse of vnrighteousnesse; As costly Ornaments rich apparell, guilded Images, Stately Churches, Pallaces, Altars, Altar-clothes, sweete sounding Organs, and Church musike, gay …, specious pretences, p. 40superstitious hipocriticall devotions &c. apt to cheate and ensnare all ignorant carnall people, The only deuices by which they maintaine, support, and increase their pompe, wealth, State and Lordly power as Bernard longue since resolved, in his Apology to William Abot.

46. The divell doth by himselfe and his instruments endeauor to enchaunt and bewitch men, to worke them to his will Levit, 20. 6, 27. 2. Sam. 28. 1. to 12. 2. Chron. 21. 6. 2. Chron. 33. 6. Thus he bewitched the people of Samaria for a long time by Symon Magus his Sorceries Acts 8. 9, 11. Thus he bewitched the Gallatians by false Prophets, that they should not obey the truth Gall. 3. 1. Thus he permitted the Emperor (y)(y)Mr. Tyndall his Practise of Popish Prelates. p. 350.Charles the greate to be bewitched by a notable Strupet with an enchanted ringe, having a pearle with some strange imagery graven thereon, so that he could never be out of her company, or deny her any request whiles Shee lived, nor yet suffer her corps (embalmed wrapped up in lead and carried about after him whether ever he went) to be out of his chamber or presence, when she was deed, till the ringe was pulled of her finger, in such sorte hath the Antichrist of Rome the (z)(z)Platina & Bale de Vitis Pontificum. Dr. Ioh. Wite his Way to the true Church. Sect. 57. n. 9. 10.Pope, and Popish Prelates, heretofore enchanted divers kinges and others with their sorceries and conjurations, to cause them to give up their royallpower & prerogatives to these Beasts, as Rev. 17. 2, 17. c. 18, 9. 28. H. 8. c. 10. Mr. Tindall …n his practice of Popish Prelates and Officers. relate. Thus did the (a)(a)p. 368. Antiqu. Ecclesiae Brit. in the life of Arch-bishop Warh. p. 357. 3. 358.greate Cardinall, Favorite Woolsey, with Negromancy, and an Image made by sorcery, which he wore about him, enchant King Henry the 8. to bringe him to his beck, which made the King p. 41to doate upon and run haunt after him, more then ever he did on any Lady or gentlewoman, so as the King after that, began to follow him, as he before followed the King, By meanes whereof, he ruled all things at his pleasure, till his blacke Arte did faile him; Hereupon perchance) it was, that this King afterward made an Acte against Conjuration, witchcrafts, Sorcery, and enchantments to procure vnlawfull love &c. An. 33. H. 8. c. 8, This Arte hath been practised by many Preists and Iesuites here in England of late yeares, upon diuers of their Proselites to seduce them to their faith, of which (b)(b)Foote out of the same London 1624. p. &c.M. Gor, regords two stories practised upon a couple of seduced Maydes, I could add two later, practised upon two gentlemen (the one a young Devonsher man, of good estate, so bewitched with an enchanted Crucifix hing by a Preist about his neck, above 9. yeare since, that as long as it cōtinued about him, al his frinds could neither perswade, nor force him either to goe to Church, or stay at home, or continue in the Realme, or to discourse or converse familiarly with them; but no sooner was it espied, and cut of his neck by his Mother (who beleeved it to be a Charme,) but he was presently another man, & wondred how he could bee so strangely bewitched as he was for above 3. monthes space besore; Wheither any of our great Lord Prelates have learned this Arte from their familiars, Preists and Iesuites (who hauehave charmed all their zeale and prosecutions against them, and turned the whole streame of it against the godlyest Ministers and people, whom they revile and persecute under the name of Puritans,) I leave to others to inquire after, who are more priuy to their secrets then my selfe; Yf they have, I shall only desire them to remember, p. 42that Surely there is no enchantment against Iacob, Neither is there any divination against Israell. numb. 23. 23. and if they have bewitched any men with any their sorceries, flatteries, misinformations, false delusions, or enchauntements, to up hold their Lordly pompe and greatenesse or Superstitious Romish Innouations, Yet this infernall craft (like vntempered morter) will vndoubtely fayle them ar the last, and them shall they (like their Father Satan) fall suddainely and fearefully from heaven to earth, like Liteninge Luke 10. 18. yea the…, with all their vsurped power, lordlynes, po…pe, State, glory, and multitude, shall forever descend into Hell. Isay 5. 14. as to their propper place. Acts. 1. 25.

47. The divell is an importunate suitor, who will hardly take any refusall or denyall of his suite; A diligent so…icitor and vigilant prosecutor of his designes, overslipping no oportunity or meanes to atcheive …is ends, and an impudent shamelesse miscreant, who will never bee shamed, daunted, terrified by any detection, discovery, or publique dislike of his mischievous wiles, plotts, and attempts against the Ministers, people, O… dinances, Gospell, Kingdome of God and Christ; as appeares by Iob 1. 13. to. 22. c. 2. 1. to. 10. Math. 4. 1. to. 10. Ephes: 6. 11, 12, 16. 1 Pet: 5. 8, 9. So the Lordly Prelates are importunate suitors to Princes, and others, for the advancement & preservation of their Hierarcie, usurpations, Iurisdictions, Ceremonies, and the suppression of the purity and power of Religion, in which they will have no denyall or foyle; they are most vigilant, diligent, and earnest solicitors, loosing no …, sp…ring no cost or paynes, or promises, to effect p. 43any thing that may make for the advancement of their proffit, honour, power & Iurisdiction, or suppression of the Puritans (as they terme them now) as their late encroachments upon his Majesties prerogative, the subjects liberties, the Common Lawes, and other Officers witnesse, yea, they are impudent, shamelesse, most audacious brazen-faced creatures, who will neither blush at, give over, nor desist the prosecution of their impious Popish designes, though publickely detected to all the world; witnesse our present experience: For though the execrable Romish, …esuiticall practises of some of our Lord Prelates to usher in Popery, Superstition and Idolatry, (as by licensing Popish and s…perstitious Bookes, purging and altering the Common Prayer-booke, …ast-booke, and Gun-powder-treason-boo…e in a most g…osse and shamelesse (that I say not traytorly) manner, by erecting Altars, Images, Crucifixes, Crosses, (as the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Arch-Irnovator both in Church and State affaires, though hee will not bee thus reputed, hath erected Altars and Crucifixes in the Chappells of Lambeth, Croydon, London-house, Fu…ham, &c. The Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield D. Wright, this last pestilentiall Sommer blotted out Gods Ten Commandements in the Cathedrall at Litchfield, a…d set up a giont-like monstrous Crucifix, as bigge and large as any three men, with an Altar under it, and also raysed the Chauncell; and set up an Altar at Coventry, as one Knightly, a knowne Popish Priest in those parts directed; as that Good-man, S. Godfrey of Gloster hath also erected a Crucifix and Altar in his Cathedrall at Gloster, and solemnly consecrated Altar-clothes for them. And likewise hath set up a new Crosse at …inzor, with a large p. 44glorious Crucifix on the one side, and the picture of Christ arising out of his grave, with his Body halfe in and halfe out of his Sepulcher in goodly colours, on the other, not fearing to write thereon in Capitall letters, and to give publique notice to all the Realme: That this Crosse was repayred and beautified at his costs Anno Domini 1635. contrary to the expresse Doctrine of (c)(c)Of the Perill of Idolatri p. 41. 42. 61, It is wickednes for a Christian to erect such an Image to God in a Temple, &c.our Homelies, which condemned the very making of the picture of Christ, or a Crucifix as Idolatrous wicked, and a meere lye, to which, hee, and all other our Crosse erecting Prelates have ofte subscribed, and therefore are worthy of no painted, but a reall Crosse themselues, for tollerating and erecting such Crosses and Crucifixes, contrary to their owne subscriptions, only to set Popery:) by silencing, suspending, and persecuting godly Ministers, Suppressing lectures and powerfull preaching in many Diocesse, encouraging people to neglect and profane Gods Saboathes with all Heathenish sportes and impieties, imposing new visitation O…thes, Articles, Ceremonies, and the like, setting up the Popes Canon law, rayling upon godly Ministers and people, & suppressing them under the name of Puritans, Magnifying Popish writings, and vilefyinge Protestant Authors, endeavoring to bring in the Gregorian account, punishing all those that oppose their Romish Innovations, or indicte or molest them for it in the high Commission, now made a meere Spanish Inquisition to suppresse our Protestant Religion, and set Popery with an high hand against his Majesties Lawes and publique declaration, and by sundry other such Iesuiticall tricks and stratagemes prescribed long since by the Iesuite Contzen Politiq. liber. 5. p. 45which their Lordships follow to an haires bredth. Since some, or all these their execrable practises I say (at which the very divell himselfe might blush and hide his head) have been **See looke about you.laid open to all the world of late, in such an apparant undeniable manner, that all the people both cleerely see, declayme against, and abhorre their treachery, villany, and wicked Romish designes, and themselves (had they any conscience, shame, ingenuity, grace, or modesty in them) would be ashamed to shew their faces either in citty, or countrey, Much more at Court, having so notoriously abused his Majestie and affronted his Lawes and Declarations in all these particulars, and injured his Highnesse in his Royall Issues, Sister, Nephewes, in blotting them out of the Collect, late Fast-booke, and Catalogue, of Gods Elect; Yet these audacious holy Fathers (as blushlesse as their Gownes, their Rochetts or the divell) are so farre from being ashamed, or reforming these their enormities and impieties, that they proceed on with as great or greater rage and violence in them then before, silencing more Ministers every day; yea breaking open the houses, committing close Prisonners and questioning those with an high hand, as seditious persons and offendors, M. Henry Burton D. Burges, M. White, and others.who dare preach or write against, or finde fault with those their perfidious, traytorly, disloyall, impious practises, Purgations, Innovations, Crucifixes, Altars, Tapers, and proceedings, execrable both to God and man; So like to the Divell are they growne, in their affronted shamelesse impudency.

48. The divell hath great wrath, b…cause hee knoweth hee hath but a short time: Revel: 12, 13. So have Lord Prelates no…, great wrath, and …xercise strange p. 46unusuall rage, persecutions, exorbitances against Gods faithfull Ministers and people, hunting after them with their blood-hounds the Pursevants, and ri…ing and breaking up their howses, Studies, Coffers, with unheard of violence, as if they were the archest Traytors breathing, witnesse their late proceedings against Master Burton in clapping him up close prisonner, and convicting his wife and Clarke to severall prisons onelyonly for obeying his commands in presenting his Appeales and Sermons to the Lords, For God and the King, which makes people stand amazed at their tyranny, and causeth the Papists to triumph as if the day now were theirs: whereas Preists and Iesuites (meere Traytors by our lawes) are favored of late, as their darling Sonnes, and not molested by them. Therfore doublesse the time of their vsurped tyranny & raigne wil be but very short, and their sinnes now growne ripe withall for the Sickle of Gods Iudgments) the fica…l ruine of their antichristian Hierarchie and more then b…barous tyrannie, neere at hand.

49. When the great redd Dragon and his Ange…ls were cast out of heauen (Gods Church) the heauens, and those that dwelt therein, by Gods commandments, did reioyce, Rev. 12. 12. So when those Lordly Prelates and their forenamed Angels shall bee ca… quite out of the Church of God, Shee and all her faithfull members will exceedingly rejoyce, they being now her greatest griefe and grievance, of which shee is so weary and sicke at heart, that shee groanes to bee delivered from, unb…thened of them, being now intollerable for her to sustayne: Such is their present divellish insolency, pride and open tyrannie: especially of that Arch-wolfe, and p. 47madde red Dragon of Canterbury, who now makes open havocke of Gods Church and Ministers; like another furious power, against all Lawes of God & the Realme, to the amazement of the people.

50. Hell and everlasting torments are prepated for the divell and his Angels, reserved now in chaines of darknesse …nto the Iudgment of the great day, when they shall be all cast into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for ever: Math. 25. 41. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Iude 6. Revel. 20. 20. So are they prepared likewise for all proud Lordly, persecuting, **Oh that a man had but the view of hell; (saith …ather Latymer in his Sermons, Hee should see on one side of it a row of unpreaching Prelates in their square caps as farre as betweene this and Dover, I warrant you, as farre as betweene this and Dover.unpreaching, oppressing, tyrannizing Prelates, who suppresse the preaching and progresse of the Gospell, with the Preachers, Ministers, and Professors of it, and hate them to the death: And if there be any place or torments in Hell, hotter, deeper, greater, or mo…e insupportable, …orrid, and loathsome then other, certainly that shall bee reserved for these ungodly Lord Bishops and false Prophets; who shall have the same condemnation and torments in…icted on them as the divell himselfe shall vndergoe. 1. Tim. 3. 6, 7. Rev. 20. 10. O that our proud persecuting Lording Prelates would now at last consider this, o that they would repent and amend in time before they fall downe headlong **It is reported of his Arch-Grace of Canterbury, that when he was a poore Scholler in Oxford hee dreamed, that he should first be a Bishop, then Archbishop of Canterbury, and a great persecutor of Gods Ministers and people: (which … all …) and that at last hee si…cke do…ne into hell, … he awaked, and then and since oft related this dreame enough to terrify and a…ake his Lordship, if true, in the midst of his present furious …ersecutions.quick into Hell, Some of them (as their late p. 48actions manifest to all the world) being growne as insolent, as impudent, as desperate professed publique enemies to purity, piety, holynes the syncere preaching and Preachers of Gods word and power of Religion, as the very divell himselfe; and some of them I …eare) worse then any divells. For first all the divells beleeve Gods threats, word, Iudgments, and tremble at them Iames. 2. 19. but they (as their atheisticall, vnjust, vnconscionable, tyranicall lives and actions proclayme to all men,) doe neither beleeue, nor tremble at them.

2. The divell confessed Paule & his fellow preachers, to be the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of saluation Acts. 16. 16, 17, 18. Lordly Prelates will not confesse our godliest faithfullest Preaching Ministers to be such witnesse there expung of the Collect in the last fast-booke begining thus: It had beene good for us &c. Only because it magnifieth often preaching, and call such preachers, Gods servants.

3. The divell is exceeding diligent night and day, but Lordly Prelates very lasie & negligent in following of their spirituall Plough, (as B. Latimer shewes at large in his Sermon of the Plough:) & so in those three respects are worse then hee: When as they are parallels and checkmates with him in all and every of these 50. Particulars. From all which I shall frame this Argument, discovering the office and calling of Lordly Bishops and Prelates, not to be from God, nor of divine institution, but from the Divell, and his invention; which I challenge all great Lord Bishops to answer, if they can.

Those who are altogether like the very Divell, tread in his footsteps, doe his workes, and bring forth his propper fruits in all the forecited particulars and that principally by p. 49reason of their function; those (questionlesse) are none of Gods institution, but of their Fathers the Divell, of and from whom they are Christ himselfe so expressely resolving: Iohn 8. 44. 1 Iohn 3. 8. Math 7. 16. 20.

Such have Lordly domineering Pontificiall Bishops and Prelates in all ages beene, and that principally by reason of their Lordly functions, as the premises, all Stories and experience manifest.

Therefore they, and their Lordly function, are none of Gods institution, but of their father the divells, of and from whom they are.

Yet mistake me not, I pray, as if I concluded every Bishop to bee like the divell in all these particulars, or to bee damned; Such uncharitablenesse and impiety, bee farre from me and all good Christians; I know some Bishops have beene godly men, and Gods deere Saints, & I doubt not but there are some few such now: though their cowardise and silence in Gods cause, in which they now dare not publikely appeare, bee inexcusable.

1. But yet this I say withall. First, that they were such before they were made Lord Bishops.

2. That their Bishoprickes never made any of them better or more laborious or couragious sor the truth then before, but many of them far worse fearefuller and lasier.

3. That since Bishopricks were endowed with Lordly riches, Iurisdiction, power, and pompe, I never read of any one man that was ill before, who grew a good and godly Christian by being made such a Bishop (a thing remarkable;) nor of any good man before, that ever grew better, more painefull, hol… zealous, heavenly minded and laborious, but most of them al much …orse, p. 50more idle, worldly, covetous, proud, luxurious, malicious, oppressive petulant, selfe-willed, and unjust.

4. That most Lordly Prelates (especially those who have beene most pontificiall, powerfull, Lordly, domineering, active and stirring in the Church and state) have in all ages since they were made Lords, Peeres, and B…rons, beene like the divell in all or most of the forecited particulars; and if any proved good, or became not such, it was only from the overruling sanctifying grace of Gods spirit in their hearts before and after they were made Lord Prelates, not from this very Lordly office, pompe, power, and function it selfe, which otherwise would have made them such, as it hath made most other Popes and Prelates, as all sto…ies evidence.

5. Finally, I affirme; that if to bee a Lord Bishop, bee such a thing onelyonly as many now define and make it; Namely, to manage temporall offices, and state-affaires, to give over preaching, except one Leuten Court-Sermon in a yeare or two, not in their proper Dioc sse to their people, to follow and hunt the Kings Court, to get and dispose o… Ecclesiasticall (and so … civil) osfices and preferments; to suppresse Lectures, Lecturers, and often preaching of Gods Word; Suspend, excommunicate, persecute, imprison, deprive godly Ministers and Professors for toyes and trifles, (yea for their zeale and piety,) against all Lawes of God and man; to consecrate Chappels, Churches, set up Crucifixes. Altars, Tapers, Crosses, Organs, Images, …oyle in Communion-tables Alta…wise, set up Superstition, Popery, and Idolatry; License Popish and Armenian Bookes, Corrupt and purge the Common-Prayer-Booke, the Gunpowder treason Booke, the Fast Booke, yea the p. 51Articles of Religion, ad normam Romanae fidei, to make and impose new visitation Oathes, Articles, … Orders, Innovations, to make Mini…ers & Churchward…ns …; to keepe visitations and Consistories without any Patent or Commission from his Majestie, in their owne names and rights alone; to graunt out Citations, Proces Excommunications, Probate of wills, Commissions of administration, &c. in their owne names, under their owne Seales, not his Majesties to fine, imprison censure, and … his Majesties good Subjects, &c. their fellow brethren at their pleasures; to bee coached and barged up and downe from place to place (I am sure seldome to the pulpit) to bee courted, capped, attended, cloathed like petty Kings and Princes, to fare deliciously every day, to have stately Pallaces, great possessions, Knights and brave Gentlemen to attend them, Lords and Earles to crowch unto them, all to feare them, flatter them, none to rebuke, oppose or control them, (no not in their oppressing and unjust courses) to bolster out their encroachments upon the Kings Prerogative and Lawes, and on his Subjects Liberties with might, threats, and violence; to tramp…e all Lawes of God and man under foot, and doe all things by will & power, not Law or Canon; to bee implacable, unmercifull, pittilesse, proud, stately, cruell; to shake up, terrifie and b…ow-beate, imprison, Excommunicate deprive, degrade, presents their fellow-brethren, and eate them like their Curres; to set forward all profanenesse, disorders, sports and E…hnicke pastimes even on Gods own day, and make no conscience of it; to doe all things like absolute Law-givers, Lords, Popes, and Monarks, or rather professed Atheists, fearing neither God …or p. 52man, and breaking all their lawes, to bolster up base, drinke, idle, scandalous clergie men, exempting them fro… secular power & jurisdiction, to maintaine their Officers in … open exortions, oppressions, abuses, exhorbitant misdemeanor & the like: Which is now only to be and play the Bishop in point of Doctrine and practise: Then thus to bee and act the Bi…hop, is in truth to … and play the very divell, and to parallell him in all forecited respects; let those who are such Lordly. Prelates deny it if they can or dare.