Work More Work and a Little More Work for a Mass-Priest, Title page – To the reader
WORKE, MORE VVORKE, AND A LITTLE MORE WORKE FOR A MASSE-PRIEST.
Reviewed and augmented by the Authour.
VVith an Epiſtle of an vnknowne Prieſt remaining in London, ſent to the Authour, excepting againſt fiue points therein.
With the Authours Anſwere thereunto: returned vntounto the Prieſt within twelue dayes after the receipt of the Prieſts Execptions.
Numbers 25, 16, 17, 18, verſes.
The Lord ſpake … Vexe the Midianites, and ſmite th… … …ey trouble you with their wiles.
LONDON, Printed by William Jones, dwelling in Red-croſſe-ſtreet. 1628.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE, AND MY VERY good Lord, THOMAS Lord Viſcount SAVILE, Baron of Caſtle Barre.
Right Honourable,
KIng IAMES of late and bleſſed memory, knowing the myſteries of Popery better then many of his predeceſſors, how by it God was robd of his honour, by Invocation of Saints, vowing to Saints, beleeving in Saints, ſacrificing to Images, adoring of a breaden god, and Relikes: and how Kings and Princes were ſpoiled of their ſoveraignty, by the Popes exempting of all Clergy men from obedience to them, and abſolving their ſubiects from the Oath of Allegiance; and how Inferiour Magiſtrates were hindred in the execution of Iuſtice, by the doctrine of Aequivocation; and the common people inveigled and miſled, to the endangering both of their bodies and ſoules, by the doctrines of blind-fold obedience, and that faith and truth is not to be kept with heretikes: he was not onelyonly willing, all the time hee did reigne over vsus, that we ſhould pray to God, as we did in the dayes of Great ELIZABETH: That he would keepe vsus from all Papiſtrie: and that he would preſerue vsus from the Pope, as well as from the Turke; in as much as the Pope laboured to dethrone Chriſt, as well as the Turke did: but hee required further of vsus,In the prayer to be made Nove. 5. in remembrance of our deliverance from the Gunpowder▪ Treaſon. That wee ſhould pray God to ſtrengthen his handes, and the handes of his Nobles and Magiſtrates in the Land, to cut off the Papiſts, and to roote them out of the Confines and limits of the Kingdome: proteſting in one Parliament, That hee could not permit the increaſe and growth of Poperie, without betraying the liberties both of England and Scotland, & of the Crown in his poſterity. And in another, That his heart bled when he heard of the increaſe of Popery: And that his griefe was ſuch, as if thornes had beene in his eyes, and pricks in his ſides: avowing earneſtly, That if he knew any way better then another, to hinder the growth thereof, hee would take it. Which courſes and ſpeeches of his, argued no ſmall diſlike of Popery and of Papiſts alſo: though ſome of them gaue out in Germany, Mer…uri… … lo. Belg. ad An, 1623.yea, and in S. Lucies Iland, not long before his death, that he was turned Roman-Catholike. Pur…h… Pilgrimage lib. …. cap. 3. p. 831.Now in as much, as the cauſes which wrought in his Royall heart ſuch a deteſtation of Poperie, are the ſame ſtill, (if not greater) which they were in his time: I cannot but thinke, that Charles his ſonne, our preſent ſoveraine Lord and King, carries the ſame opinion of the ſame profeſſion, and profeſſours, which his bleſſed Father did. And hereupon it is (Right Noble Sir) that I being perſwaded, it is the duty of every good ſubiect (according to his place and meanes) to labour the effecting of that which hee conceiues his Soveraine intends, for the preſervation of Gods glory, and his owne authority: and for procuring the quiet and ſafety of his people; I hauehave reviewed and inlarged a little Treatiſe which I publiſhed in King James his time, wherein many groſſe doctrines, and vile practiſes of the Papiſts are diſcovered: as namely, that it is lawfull to eate their God, to kill their Kings, to cozen their neighbours, &c.
Which I humbly pray may paſſe in your Honours name, as a laſting teſtimony of my vnfeigned thankefulneſſe vntounto your Honour, and to your Honourable father, by whoſe onelyonly meanes (vnderunder God) I hauehave what I hauehave▪ for which, next vntounto God and the King, I profeſſe I honour you both: and will never forget to pray for you, and yours: remaining alwayes
At Your ſervice, Alexander Cooke.
TO THE READER.
REader, in this Pamphlet, among other things, thou ſhalt finde it proved, that according to Poperie, A man may eate his god with his teeth, asaHomer. O…y… lib. 9. Cyclops eate Vlyſſes companions: and that a ſubiect may kill his King, as b1 King. 16, 9, 10.Zimri did his Maiſter: and that one man may deceiue and cozen another, as thecIoſua. 3. 9. Gibeonites did Ioſua. Beſides, thou ſhalt finde it proved, that the Papiſts make of no ſinnes grievous ſinnes; and of grievous ſinnes no ſinnes, or at moſt but veniall ſinnes: Yea, thou ſhalt finde it proved, that the Papiſts make of grievous ſinnes rare vertues; and that their Pope (Saint Pauls d2 Theſſ. 2. 3.man of ſinne) takes vponupon him to forgiue ſinnes paſt, and ſinnes to come. Further, thou ſhalt finde it proved, that they equall the virgin Ma…ie vntounto Chriſt in many reſpects; and preferre her before him in ſome reſpects: not conſidering the truth ofeHaereſ co… Co…yridian…. Epiphanius ſpeech, Par detrimentum verae Religioni afferunt, illi qui vilem B. Virginem habent, & illi qui vltra fas eius gloriam adaugent: They are equally to blame, who vilifie the Virgin, and who deifie her. Thou ſhalt finde it proved, that Papiſts profeſſe more diſlike of Proteſtants, then either of Turke, Iew, or Infidell: and that they eſteeme of them no otherwiſe then of reprobates, of whoſe ſalvation there is no more hope then of Lucifers. Theſe things, and ſome other of like ſtampe, thou ſhalt finde herein proved againſt the Papiſts, out of their owne Authours▪ which, if thou be a Proteſtant, may helpe to keepe thee from falling vntounto Poperie: and if thou be a Papiſt, may helpe to recover thee from Poperie; which are the two onelyonly ends …aime at in ſuffering it to paſſe to the Preſſe. And this is all that by way of Preface I hauehave to ſay vntounto thee, beſides Farewell.
GOe little booke, make ſpeed, apply the ſeaſon,
Propound thy Quaeres with vndanted cheere:
Bid learned Prieſts and Cardinalls ſpeake reaſon*2 Pet. 2. 12..
The vulgar dare not reade, but make them heare.
Yea giuegive a challenge to the Triple Crowne:
Bid them reply, or caſt their bucklers downe.