Some Prison Meditations, Poem 2
Here followeth a brief Diſcovery
Of Romes ſoul filthy ſtuff and trumpery;
Together with the Plagues laid up in ſtore
Againſt the day that God will plague the Whore.
VVE read in Scripture of a Scarlet Whore
That hath oppreſt the Nations very ſore,
Who with her filthy Cup of Fornication
Hath made the people drunk in ev'ry Nation:
This Harlot ſits upon a Scarlet Beaſt,
A Beaſt that hath ſeven heads, ten horns at leaſt;
Which Beaſt is full of names of Blasphemies,
And both to God and Chriſt are enemies.
This Woman's deck'd ſo rich as rich may be
With Gold and Pearls, and precious Stones, and ſhe
A Golden Cup doth carry in her hand:
She's outwardly ſo brave, that moſt men ſtand
Admiring of her beauty and her ſtate,
With which ſhe doth deceive the Wiſe, whoſe fate
It is to drink the Cup ſhe to them holds,
They take and drink it off, as Wine in bowls,
Poor ſouls, not knowing that this Cup within
Is full of her abominable ſin
And filthineſs of her great Fornication,
Her Whore-like ſtuff and great Abomination;
This Woman is ſo much a beaſtly Whore,
That ſhe the mother is of many more;
The Spirit hath upon her forehead writ
A name to her ſo ſuitable and fit,
Which he that runs may reade, and her may know,
And therefore what her name is here I'l ſhow;
Her name is Myſtery Babylon the Great,
That ſits on many Waters, that's her ſeat;
The Mother too of Harlots, and who hath
Been the Abomination of the Earth.
The reaſon why the Spirit hath her nam'd
A Scarlet Whore, for which ſhe is ſo fam'd,
Will plainly and perſpicuouſly appear
When thou the reaſon Scripture gives doſt hear.
We call them VVhores, who by Adultry vile,
And Fornication, do themſelves defile,
VVhoſe conſtant practice is, t'inſinuate
Into poor men, and unto them proſtrate
Their filthy bodies, that thereby they may
Unto their luſts poor ſimple men betray.
So hath this VVhore almoſt in ev'ry Nation,
With earthly Kings committed Fornication,
And by her painted beauty doth deceive
Them and the Nations; ſo they won't believe
But ſhe a comely woman is, and fair,
Her beauty much to be deſir'd, that there
Is none like her, no woman hath ſuch parts,
Such Wiſdom, Learning, nor ſuch ſtore of Arts,
Nor none ſo well accompliſhed as ſhe,
Nor never was, nor nevermore will be:
Beſides, ſhe is ſo rich, ſo fine and gay,
They with no other woman can away;
And therefore ſhe they only do deſire,
And her adore, her beauty they admire:
And yet ſhe's but a Whore, a drunken ſot;
A chaſt o… ſober woman ſhe is not;
Drunk with the blood of Saints, whoſe blood is dear
To God, whom they did worſhip, ſerve and fear:
For ſhe with blood her ſelf doth ſatiate,
And with her beaſt-like claws dilacerate;
The blood of Martyrs ſhe hath ſhed and ſpilt,
'Cauſe they would not defil'd be by her guilt,
Nor to her greatneſs bow, who knew full well
The dead her gueſts are in the depths of Hell.
She is ſo high, though of no noble birth,
She reigneth over Kings, Kings of the Earth,
And in her pride her ſelf doth glorifie;
As for her life, ſhe lives deliciouſly:
She ſaith ſhe is no widow, but a Queen;
But ſhe's a Whore, as plainly will be ſeen;
And doth pretend to be the Wife of him,
That one day will her plague, and ſo will them
That father on him all her filthy trade,
Thoſe images and gods her hands have made,
And all the reſt of her Idolatry,
Her Witchcraft and her loathſom Sorcery;
Her cruelty is ſuch, it's death to ſay
That ſhe's no Wife of Chriſt, that ſo ſhe may
By Fire and Faggot murder and deſtroy
Them that won't her adore, nor her obey:
As doth appear, if we no further look
Than to the Maryan dayes, for then ſhe took
The faithful Spouſe of Chriſt, and her ſhe tore;
VVhichWhich plainly proves ſhe is a cruel Whore.
In Harlots evermore we plainly ſee
There alwayes is a great an ipathy
Againſt the rightful lawful Spouſe and Bride:
A Strumpet never will the Wife abide,
But doth againſt her all the miſchief do
That ere ſhe can invent, ſhe hates her ſo
Juſt ſo the Church of Rome, that whoriſh State,
The Church of Chriſt doth perſecute and hate,
And labours all ſhe can her to expoſe
To ſuch unheard of cruelties, and thoſe
Moſt ſad extremities ſhe can deviſe,
By falſhood, flattery, deceit and lyes,
With which ſhe doth the world ſo much deceive,
That they are ready firmly to believe
That Rome's the Church, the Wife of Chriſt, and ſhe
That is the Church of Chriſt, the Whore muſt be.
The honeſt Woman doth as little care
For any Harlot, ſhe can't with her bear,
Nor with her whoriſh tricks, her filthy trade,
To touch with her or them, ſhe is afraid.
So doth the Church of Chriſt, his Virgin Bride,
Abhor Romes whoriſh ſtuff, and her beſide,
And muſt in plainneſs ſay ſhe is a Whore;
And therefore out Rome ſends her Bulls to roar
Againſt Chriſt's darling Spouſe and lovely Bride,
Whom ſhe diſdains and ſcorns; ſuch is her pride,
That ſhe muſt be the Church, and none but ſhe,
And Chriſt ſhe ſaith her Husband is, and he
hath given power (if ſhe ſaith but truth)
To her to do all things what ere ſhe doth:
And unto this her Doctors ſtifly ſtand,
That what they do, is done by his Command;
As if that gracious Prince the Author were
Of burning, ſtarving, drowning ſuch as are
His faithful Followers, and ſuch as he
Eſteems as dear to him as dear can be,
So dear as is the apple of his eye,
If they be touch'd, he feels it preſently.
Then though, O Virgin Spouſe, thy Bridegroom's gone,
He'l come again to thee ere it be long;
Though thou, while he is abſent, doſt partake
Of ſuch hard uſage, know 'tis for his ſake;
Then take't not from him ill, nor do not grieve
That he his lovely Bride ſo long ſhould leave,
His love is not unto his Spouſe abated,
Though he permits his Church thus to be hated,
It is not out of diſreſpect to thee,
'Tis but to prove thy Love and Chaſtitie,
Thy Faithfulneſs and Zeal for him, and then
He'l come and take thee to himſelf agen;
Nor is it only for that cauſe alone
He ſeems his coming to delay, but one
Cauſe more there is, and that's becauſe that ſhe
Might with the blood of Martyrs filled be,
And then her great and foul iniquity
VVill mightily to Heav'n for vengeance cry
Againſt her and her bloody barbrous hounds,
VVhoſe cruel bloody deeds for ever ſounds
In thoſe moſt quick and hearing ears of him,
VVho…l: fill a Cup of Fury to the brim,
And ſhe thereof ſhall drink, and ſpew, and fall,
And never riſe; this God ſhall do, that all
The precious blood of Saints which hath bin ſhed,
May on this Scarlet Whore be puniſhed;
That blood that Bonner and the reſt of thoſe
Did ſpill, that were the Brides moſt cruel foes,
VVho ſhall receive a dreadful curſed doom,
When he ſhall come that is the Brides Bridegroom.
But to return, This VVhore is ſhe that doth
Sit on ſeven Mountains, ſeven Kings on the Earth;
She ſits on many Waters likewiſe; that
The Waters which this VVhore upon hath ſat,
Are Peoples, Multitudes, and Tongues & Nations,
With whom ſhe hath committed Fornications,
And hath deceiv'd them of their wealth and ſtore,
By ſelling them her Merchandize; this VVhore
Hath ſuch a trade, ſhe Pardons will them ſell,
Or any thing, if they but pay her well.
If any one do her deſire to pray
For them when they are dead, that ſo they may
Deliv'red be from Purgatory pains,
She'l untertake to do't, and for her gains
She will perſwade them ſhe can cry and pray
To Peter, who will hear her cryes ſtraightway;
VVho hath, as ſhe affirms, and will it ſay,
The Keys of Heav'n, and will without delay
Admit them in: and further to deceive
Poor blinded ſouls, and make them to believe
That they Salvation eaſily may merit,
If they themſelves of all will diſinherit,
And unto her their Land and Money give,
And go ſome Pilgrimage, an Hermite live;
Or in ſome Cloiſter, or ſome Nunry dwell,
Or in ſome Friary, Monaſtry, or Cell:
And then let them commit what ſins they can,
'Tis but confeſſing it unto ſome man,
Though one as filthy as himſelf can be,
If he his ſins doth pardon, what cares he;
For this poor ſoul he firmly doth believe,
A ſottiſh Prieſt can all his ſins forgive;
Provided alwayes (this muſt be I hope)
That he adore his Filthineſs the Pope,
And doth believe while he is in his Chair
He can commit no kind of error there;
Though in his Chair he ſpeaks ſuch Blaſphemy
Againſt the moſt high God, that Deity,
That one may ſtand and wonder at the patience,
The great long-ſuff'ring, & the long-forbearance
Of God, who doth ſtill ſuffer them in ſin;
But he will pay them home, if he begin
To call them to account for all their deeds
That they have done; 'tis not their broken reeds
That now they lean upon, can help them then,
Nor from his angry Rod deliver, when
They ſhall be compaſſ'd round about with fear,
He will not pitty them, nor will his ear
So much as hearken to their woful cryes,
When once to puniſh them he ſhall ariſe,
To give them blood to drink, as they have ſlain
His precious Servants, then they ſhall again
Receive the like reward; nay, it ſhall double,
So ſore will be her plagues, and great her trouble.
However Rome may now pretend to be
The Church of Chriſt, his only Spouſe, yet ſhe
Hath ſo adulterated, that we know
She is to Chriſt, and to his Church, a foe,
And ever was ſince ſhe from Truth did fall,
To ſet up her Inventions above all
The pure Appointments of the Lord, then ſhe
Became to him an utter enemie,
And ever ſince his Members perſecuted,
Becauſe her Arguments ne'r them confuted;
They were too weak, the Truth is ſtronger than,
(Though in a worm) ev'n all the wit of man;
And therefore Rome unto her Club-law goes,
Thinking ſhe ſhould prevail wth downright blows,
And they would yeeld whom ſhe had ſoundly beat,
And with her helliſh teeth had torn and eat,
Whoſe blood ſhe drank, until ſhe was ſo drunk,
That of thoſe bloody draughts ſhe hath ſo ſtunk,
That no man can her ſtinking breath abide,
But thoſe that take her part, and with her ſide
Againſt the poor deſpiſed Lambs and Sheep
Of Jeſus Chriſt, whom ſhe doth hunt and keep
In her moſt monſtrous Court of Inquiſition;
Where they have no redreſs, nor interceſſion
Do make to any other God but him,
Who hears their cryes, whoſe eyes are not ſo dim
But he perceives the barbrous deeds that ſhe
Doth exerciſe on them continually;
Though he doth ſuffer her, and give permittance,
He'l pay her all, Forbearance is no quittance.
But, as I ſaid, for all her fair pretence,
She is Chriſts utter enemy; from thence
It doth ariſe that ſhe makes ſuch a buſsle
Him and his Power out of doors to juſsle.
How can Rome be the Bride of Chriſt, who by
Her whoriſh tricks the Bridegroom doth deny?
That in plain terms is not aſham'd to ſay,
A bit of bread is he; and teach to pray
To Saints and Angels, and the Virgin Mary,
That ſhe the Mother may preſent and carry
Thoſe idle prayrs, that Rome ſayes ore her beads,
To Chriſt her Son, which ſhe as little heeds,
And doth as little hear them when they pray,
As Bel did know his Prieſts did ſteal away
The meat from him that daily was provided;
O how this blind Whore hath the blind miſguided!
And yet for what ſhe doth ſhe will pretend
Chriſt's great Authority, but to that end
That ſhe may blind the eyes and minds of thoſe
She hath beguil'd, and who no better knows
But that ſhe is the Church, ſo dote on her,
Believing this, that ſhe can never err;
And therefore thus ſaith ſhe, Chriſt did ordain,
And left in charge until he came again,
That Ordinance of breaking Bread, which he
Did will till then it ſhould performed be;
Which when Chriſt Jeſus did firſt inſtitute,
This may, ſaith ſhe, all Hereticks refute;
He ſaid, Take, eat, this is my Body, than
It clearly follows that there is no man
That can deny but that the Bread became
His very fleſh, and blood, and bones, the ſame
That on the Croſs was hang'd and offer'd up,
And that his very blood is in the Cup;
And yet not ſo, but in his fleſh is ſtill
His blood likewiſe, and therefore Rome doth will
That none ſhould now receive in both the kinds;
A pretty querk of hers to blind the minds
Of men, and ſo their fancy ſtrongly tickle
With this conceit, the Prieſt the Wine muſt tiple.
The Bread, ſaith Rome, muſt needs become his fleſh;
When by the Prieſt tis bleſt, tis ſuch a diſh,
That none but thoſe that eat thereof can be
Preſerv'd from Hell to Heav'ns eternitie.
As for the Cup, it is the right of him,
None muſt preſume to drink thereof, but them
That are ordain'd to conſecrate the Bread:
But where in Scripture ever was this read?
And if not there, than doubtleſly ſhe lies,
For Rome her ſelf did for him this deviſe;
For 'tis not any-where by Chriſt appointed,
That Bread & Wine ſhould be ſo much disjointed;
For when the Bread Chriſt his Diſciples gave,
He never will'd the Cup they ſhould not have,
But in like manner he the Wine did bleſs,
And alſo ſaid, Take, drink ye all of this;
And when he gave the Bread, he ſaid 'tis ſo,
This is my Body; and we alſo know
That when he gave the Cup, he ſaid (it's true)
This is my Blood, which I have ſhed for you.
The Bread his Body is moſt certainly,
The Wine his Blood, but ſacramentally;
It muſt be underſtood to be to them
That do't receive with lively Faith in him,
That can by Faith his Love and Preſence ſee
In both the Bread and in the Wine to be.
Juſt ſo it is, but otherwiſe we know
It cannot be, as we will plainly ſhow.
Which thus is prov'd, when Chriſt did inſtitute
This holy Ordinance, he out of doubt
We corporally with his Diſciples then,
And had not ſuffer'd, nor was taken when
He ſaid, This is my Body which I give
For you, that you eternally may live:
If Chriſt were preſent when the Bread he gave,
And did become his fleſh, then ſure they have
Eat up his Body, and his Blood did drink;
If ſo, 'twere hard to underſtand or think
How Judas with a kiſs could him betray,
And afterward him carry ſo away
With Swords and Staves before the Judgement-ſent
Of Pilate, after his Diſciples eat
His body and his blood the night before
He was betray'd: And alſo furthermore,
How could the Jews accuſe him, if ſo be
They eat him up? then could it not be he:
Beſides, they did not only him accuſe,
But they did buffet him; the wicked Jews
With one conſent did all againſt him cry,
Deliver Barrabas, but crucifie
This man; for we have often heard him speak
Againſt the Temple, and againſt God eke:
For whoſoever ſpeaketh blasphemy,
We have a Law, by which Law he muſt dy.
'Tis very ſtrange and wonderful to me,
How they could hang his body on a Tree,
And pierce his precious ſide ſo with a Spear;
If he was eat, his body was not there:
Nor could his precious blood be ever ſhed
Upon the Croſs, if his Diſciples did
Drink up his Blood, when they drank of the Cup,
'Twas not there ſhed, if they had drunk it up.
'Twould make one ſmile to think, if this were ſo,
How Pilate was deceiv'd, he did not know
That his diſciples did his body eat;
If Rome ſay true, this was a pretty cheat.
And then the Jews were alſo much miſtaken
When they believ'd for certain they had taken
And brought the Man before the Judgement-ſeat,
And had the life of that Deceiver great,
As they him call'd; it ſeems 'twas not the ſame,
For his diſciples eat him ere they came:
By this it may be ſeen Rome doth deny
That Chriſt upon the Croſs for us did dy,
Though ſhe enjoins her ſubjects to adore
The wooden Croſs; ſuch impudence this Whore
Hath got, that ſhe may make the world believe
That when ſhe looks thereon, ſhe doth ſo grieve,
None like to her, to think that ere the Jews
Should be ſo wicked, Jeſus to abuſe,
And put to death, that was ſo good a man:
And yet if Rome ſay true, ſhe doth and can
Eat up his fleſh; this makes me wonder more,
Becauſe ſhe ſaith his fleſh was eat before.
By what is ſaid one may already ſpye,
This Errand Whore can tell an errand lye.
But further, if our Lords Diſciples have
His body eat, their bellyes were his Grave;
If ſo, no doubt the women likewiſe much
Deceived were, when they ſo early ſuch
Great haſt did make to ſee where they had laid
His body, unto whom the Angels ſaid,
He is not here, but riſen from the dead,
Go tell to his Diſciples what is ſed,
And let them know the Grave could not him hold,
As he before had often them foretold.
Away they went, and told this to the reſt,
But their report they did not in the leaſt
Give credit to, their words did rather ſeem
To be a tale, or ſome ſuch idle dream;
But after this, as two of them did go
To Emmaus (but they did not him know)
Chriſt on the way they went, drew near to them,
But as I ſaid, they did not know 'twas him;
He takes occaſion to begin ſome talk
As they together on the way did walk,
And doth enquire why they were ſo ſad?
What that communication was they had?
They anſwer him, Art thou a ſtranger here,
That thou this weighty matter dost not hear
Concerning Jeſus whom they crucifi'd,
Who was condemn'd, and for the people dy'd?
We truſted that it had been he that ſhould
Have now redeemed Iſrael, and would
Ʋpon the third day riſe up from the dead;
And there ſome women are that have it ſed,
That he is riſen, and again doth live,
Which doth aſtoniſh us; but we can give
No credit to them, for they have not ſeen
His perſon, though to day they've early been
To look for him where they his body laid.
Then Chriſt to this them anſwered, and ſaid,
Oh fools, and ſlow of heart for to believe,
What all the Prophets ſpake won't you receive?
And from the Prophets he did ſhow that he
Accordingly muſt crucified be,
And riſe again the third day from the dead,
As all the holy Prophets witneſſed.
But when they drew near to the Village where
They were to go, Chriſt made as though he were
Not minded farther with theſe two to go;
But they conſtrained him with Reaſons, ſo
That he went in to tarry there that night;
He ſate at meat, and vaniſh'd out of ſight:
He bleſt and broke the bread, and then they knew
That it was he, and what he ſaid, was true.
We then conclude, his Schollars did not eat
His body corp'rally, that is a cheat
That Rome invented to deceive the blind,
A thing in Scripture never man did find:
For this is clear, that Jeſus Chriſt was ſlain,
Laid in his Grave, the third day roſe again;
His real body that was crucifi'd,
The ſame was rais'd again, as Thomas try'd;
For he was doubtful of the matter ſtill,
Would not believe that Chriſt was riſen, till
(To ſatisfie his doubt) Chriſt condeſcends
So graciouſly, that he his doubt ſoon ends,
By ſaying, Thomas, feel my ſides and hands;
Which Thomas doth, and then amazed ſtands,
And ſaith, My Lord, my God, I now do ſee
'Tis thou thy ſelf, no other man but thee.
Then afterward Chriſt in the ſight of all
His 'leven Diſciples, whom he did forth-call,
And led them forth as far as Bethany,
He bleſſed them, and from them ſtraight did fly:
He did aſcend to Heav'n out of their ſight,
Into that glory and tranſcendant light,
Where he before with God his Father dwelt,
And where he ne're ſuch bitter uſage felt
As here on earth he did from ſuch as thoſe
Who for his love became his cruel foes;
Where now in heav'n his body doth remain,
And ſhall until he doth deſcend again
From heav'n to earth, to recompence all men
As their deeds be done in the body; then
How can the bread be tranſubſtantiated,
When by a ſottiſh Prieſt 'tis conſecrated?
His body being now in heav'n above,
And from that throne will never more remove
Until the time appointed by the Father,
Which will be dreadful unto Rome, the rather
Becauſe ſhe doth thoſe murder and devour
That wil not her adore, nor own her power:
The fleſh of Chriſt ſhe eats, ſhe drinks his blood,
Not that in heav'n, ti'nt to be underſtood,
But that on earth, his members that are here,
That ſerve the Lord in ſpirit, faith and fear.
His body that's in Haven ſhe cannot eat,
Although ſhe lyes, and faith it is her meat:
But that ſhe cannot reach, that's one good turn,
For if ſhe could, ſhe would him eat or burn.
And yet this Whore is ſtill ſo impudent,
That of her Whoriſh trade ſhe won't repent;
Nor doth ſhe bluſh, but boldly will atteſt,
That ſhe's the Church of Chriſt; I think 'tis beſt
For her to ſay ſo, prov't ſhe cannot do,
Unleſs ſhe prove (and that I know is true)
That ſhe the Synagogue of Satan is:
If Rome be that, then ſo no Church it is
Of Chriſt, I'm ſure: But for to prov't ſhe pleads
Antiquity, and that the Pope ſucceeds
Th' Apoſtle Peter in his ſacred Chair,
And ſaith that he by Chriſt is placed there,
And that he hath receiv'd the ſacred Keys,
And power hath to do what ere he pleaſe,
To bind or looſe, and what he doth on earth
Is ratifi'd in heav'n; nay more, ſhe ſaith,
That ſhe hath ſuch Authority receiv'd
(If you do think this Whore may be believ'd)
So great, that he doth give but his command,
And ſtrait the gates of Heaven will open ſtand
To let in who he pleaſeth to admit;
And any one, if he ſhall think it fit,
He'l canonize and make a Saint of him,
Provided he be paid for't well; but them
That can't or don't, ſhall never be a Saint
By his good will, nor never will he grant
A Licenſe unto ſuch that they may go
To Heav'n, (they may be ſure he won't do ſo)
But unto Purgatory at the leaſt,
If not to Hell; but if he think it beſt,
They ſhal not ſtay there long, he'l pray them out,
If he be paid but well, he'l make no doubt.
And that he might the better cheat and blind
Poor ſouls, he will not ſuffer them to mind
The holy Scriptures, leſt they ſhould eſpy
His great deceits, and all his knavery,
That he in ignorance might ſtill them keep,
And in the dark; he'l hardly let them peep,
For if they do, he will them plainly tell,
They muſt forbear, or they will go to hell:
Then they are frighted, thinking this is true;
But as for thoſe with whom this will not do,
He with his Bulls will ſuch men fright and ſcare;
But otherwiſe he'l ſay the Scriptures are
So full of myſteries, ſo deep and great,
That for the Laytie 'tis not fit nor meet
That they ſhould read them, much leſs them expound,
That are ſuch myſteries, and ſo profound;
The Laity have no other work to do
But yeild obedience to the Clergy, ſo
That whatſoe're they ſay you muſt receive,
And them obey, believe as they believe;
The Fathers of the Church have thought it good
That only Prieſts the Scriptures underſtood:
As for the Laity, they ſhould be content
With what the Fathers ſaid, and did, and meant;
They ought to take no care, nor heed no other
But what the Church commands, who is their Mother▪
Which they muſt do upon a pain no leſs
Then loſing of eternal happineſs:
For no Salvation can there be, ſaith ſhe,
Unleſs with her in all things they agree,
Be an obedient child, a ſon or daughter;
With ſuch like ſtuff would fil a man with laughter:
But more the Fathers taught, and did agree,
That no Church-ſervice ſhould performed be,
But all in Latin ought and muſt be read,
And there's good reaſon for't, as Rome hath ſed;
It's meet there ſhould a Uniformity
Be in the Church, that ſo the unity
Thereof might be preſerv'd, that there be no
Such Hereticks that Hereſie do ſow;
Which to prevent, it is not fit that they
(The Laity) ſhould know what the Prieſt doth ſay,
That were the way to make them all as wiſe
As we our ſelves; how ſhould we hide our lyes?
No, 'tis decreed throughout the Univerſe,
There ſhall no Prieſt preſume, nor Monk rehearſe
No Maſs, no Prayer, nor no Ave Mary,
And from this Edict none muſt dare to vary:
That what the Laity doth not underſtand,
They may the more admire, and wonder, and
Fall down and worſhip with ſuch great devotions,
With ſmiting of their breaſts, and invocations,
With ſtamping, croſſing, howling, bawling, and
Such Superſtitions as would make one ſtand
Amaz'd to ſee ſuch extream foolery,
Their madneſs and their great idolatry:
They are ſo mad and drunk (one well may judge)
With blinded zeal, they're made the Devils drudg;
Beſotted ſo they are with ignorance,
That he is able them to lead what dance
Beſt pleaſeth him, what ſuits moſt with his will,
They like his children, will his mind fulfill:
They are begotten after his own likeneſs,
And ready are to do what works of darkneſs
That he their Father ſhall of them command,
They at his beck will go by ſea or land
His Kingdom to uphold or to enlarge,
And faithfully their duty will diſcharge
To him their Father, and his works will do,
As many martyr'd Saints have found it true;
For out of doubt the Devil is their Father,
They be his children, & the Whore's their Mother.
'Twill now be fit that we ſhould briefly ſpeak
To Romes Antiquity, Succeſſion eke;
Both which ſhe boaſteth of, that ſhe them hath
Above all other Churches on the Earth,
And doth conclude from thence, that none but ſhe
(Forſooth) the true and Mother-Church can be:
Then as to her Antiquity we muſt
Begin, and therefore we will ask her firſt
A ſober queſtion, which if ſhe doth pleaſe,
Is anſwer'd in the Negative with eaſe;
And that is, Whether Chriſt did ever make
A Pope of Peter, or he ever take
Upon him ſuch a Lordly Pope to be,
That unto him men ſtoopt and bow'd the knee?
Or, whether any man did ever know
That Peter was ſo proud, men kiſt his toe?
Or, whether Peter was ſo high and great,
That Kings and Princes gave to him their ſeat,
At at his pleaſure and command lay down
At Peters feet their Scepters and their Crown?
And ſuch as pleas'd him, them ſet up; but thoſe
That did diſpleaſe him, curſe, and them depoſe:
And all ſuch Princes that refus'd to bow
Unto his will? Or would he not allow
Their ſubjects unto them ſuch honor give,
Under whoſe Government they then did live?
As he the Church (ſhould do) did once command,
As in his Letter they may underſtand.
If Rome can anſwer this from Scripture-proof
In the affirmative, I think ſhe doth
More than her Doctors ever did before,
Ere ſince the Spirit ſaith ſhe was a Whore.
But Peter was ſo far from being Pope,
He was no Lord; I may conclude, I hope,
If that be ſo, as that it is, then we
Believe the Pope is younger far than he:
For Peter leaves this charge with Elders, as,
(Peter himſelf an Elder alſo was)
That they ſhould feed the Flock of God that were
Among them, and of them ſhould take the care,
Both willingly, and of a ready mind.
(No ſuch in Babylon a man ſhall find)
That neither by conſtraint do undertake
The charge, nor yet for filthy lucre ſake;
No, nor as Lords; for Lords they muſt not be,
Nor lord it ore Gods Heritage; but ſee
They good enſamples were unto the Flocks,
And by that means they might lay up a ſtock
In Heav'n above, which Chriſt to them will give
At his appearance: But ſuch men muſt live
In faith, in love, in peace and purity,
In godlineſs, and in the verity,
In Doctrine unreproveable, that ſo
Thoſe that unlearned be, the truth may know:
Not in the pride of life, but always he
Cloth'd with humility he ought to be;
And as a Father, go before the ſheep,
And feed them well, and them from danger keep,
From being by the crafty Fox annoy'd,
Or by the Lyon or the Wolf deſtroy'd:
And he that is the chiefeſt Shepherd will
Such Shepherds certainly reward ſo well,
They ſhall not once from him receive a frown,
Nor triple Mitre, but of life a Crown.
By what is ſaid we may already find,
The Lordly Pope is of another mind
Than Peter was; for he no Lord would be,
Nor no man elſe that was in his degree;
Which proves the Pope, as you may clearly ſee,
To have no Primitive Antiquity.
For there no Popes nor Cardinals were then;
Nay, Chriſt forbids ſuch Lords ſhould be; for when
He was upon the earth, a charge left he
With his Diſciples, that they ſhould not be
Lordly nor lofty, as when men do meet
Them in the Market-place they ſhould them greet:
Nor muſt they ſuffer any of them to call
Rabby, for Chriſt was Maſter ore them all:
No, nor muſt they preſume by no means neither,
To call a man upon the Earth their Father;
For they no Father have on earth, but one
Which is in Heaven, their Father is alone:
Nor no preheminence muſt any ſeek,
But holy, humble they muſt be, and meek;
For he that doth exalt himſelf, ſhall be
Abas'd; ſo much our Lord hath ſaid, That he
That will be greateſt, 'tis his will he ſhall
No Maſter be, but ſervant to them all.
Indeed, the Princes of the Gentiles do
Dominion exerciſe ore men, 'tis true;
And ſuch as Lords, and one that's greateſt, he
Did exerciſe ore them authority:
But Chriſt's Diſciples muſt not Lord it ſo,
If any ſeek ſuch power, he muſt know
This is the mind of Chriſt, that ſuch men ſhould
Be miniſters unto the reſt, that would
Keep faithful in the place which Chriſt hath ſet
Them in, and ne're ſuch honor ſeek to get.
And further, Paul unto the Corinths ſaith,
That they had no dominion ore their Faith;
Nor were they Lords, but helpers of their joy,
They ſtood by Faith, then would they not deſtroy
That Faith that Jeſus Chriſt unto them gave;
For there is no man on the earth can have
Dominion over Faith, but Chriſt alone:
For that Prerogative is his, and none
But he can lay ſuch claim unto the ſame,
Though Pope, or call'd by any other name:
And yet this lofty, proud, imperious Whore
Aſſumes this great Prerogative, and more,
She doth by force preſume to contradict
That precious Faith, the Faith of Gods elect:
Nay, ſuch ſhe ſaith is her Authority,
That Kings and Princes ſhe dares to defie;
Which Peter never had; then this, if true,
She Peters Faith and Practice never knew.
And therefore it (concluding) is that Rome
Hath not Antiquity beyond what ſome
Now living have, who in the Faith now be
That Peter had, thoſe have Antiquity.
The next thing which we chiefly are to heed,
Is her Succeſſion; ſhe doth alſo plead,
And ſaith from Peter 'twas ſhe did receive
Her great Commiſſion, if you'l her believe;
And that from him, and ſince down all along,
Which ſhe will prove by arguments ſo ſtrong,
That none ſhall them oppoſe; her reaſons are
So wicked ſtrong indeed, that no man dare.
As for her arguments, the beſt are theſe,
If any Rome oppoſe, or her diſpleaſe,
Away with him unto the Inquiſition,
Or, take him Gaoler, grant him no permiſſion
Of any Liberty, but keep him from
His Friends, or thoſe that unto him would come,
And keep him there cloſe up ſome months or years,
And then he will conform, be fill'd with fears
Of worſer things that after will enſue:
If all theſe fail, and none of them will do,
Then out ſhe brings that argument at laſt
That is the ſtrongeſt, and that keeps them faſt:
Unto the queſtion anſwer Yea, or no,
Will you conform, or to the Fire go?
The ſtrongeſt argument Rome hath is Fire,
Which is confuted when Saints do expire
In flames, as Witneſſes of Chriſt againſt
Her Uſurpation, Darkneſs, Ignorance,
That ſhe hath introduc'd, and caus'd to be
Committed ever ſince the time that ſhe
A right did plead or claim unto Succeſſion
(As ſhe pretends) to Peters great Commiſſion.
But alſo unto this we do reply,
She doth not him ſucceed; the reaſon why,
Is very clear, exceeding plain, that ſhe
A Succeſſor of Peter cannot be;
Becauſe that none but thoſe of Peters Faith
Can him ſucceed, or that from Peter hath
Receiv'd Commiſſion or Authority
To be a Biſhop, or to uſe thereby
The Pow'r of Chriſt, to rule or take the care
Of peoples ſouls, ſuch men muſt make no ſpare
Of pains nor labour, neither ſhould they pleaſe
Themſelves, nor live in pleaſure nor at eaſe,
Nor pomp and ſtate, nor have things as they will,
But muſt deny themſelves, if they'l fulfil
Their Miniſtry with joy, which they receiv'd
Of Jeſus Chriſt, in whom they have believ'd,
And ready be to offer up their All
For him, and for his Flock, if God ſhould call
Them forth to ſuch a ſervice and a work,
Them to defend againſt the Pope or Turk:
Defend, I ſay, by ſound and wholſome preaching
Of Goſpel-truths, and them confirm by teaching,
To let them underſtand, to ſee and know
What great Impoſtors there's at Rome, and ſhow
Their great prophaneneſs, and their filthy pride,
Idolatry and cruelty beſide.
But as I ſaid, Succeſſion no man hath,
But ſuch as follow Chriſt, and keep the Faith,
That precious Faith which Peter had, and none
But that which Chriſt did build his Church upon:
For thoſe that do ſucceed in that true Faith,
They, and no other, true Succeſſion hath;
Which all impartial men may clearly ſee
By what Paul writeth unto Timothy:
This charge he gives to Timothy, That all
The things that Timothy had heard of Paul,
Among thoſe many witneſſes, that he
Did Faith and Truth confirm to Timothy;
The ſame he did receive, he muſt commit
To faithful men, (for ſo Paul thought it fit)
And not to men that had not Faith, nor ſuch
That erred from the Faith, or thought it much
To feed the Flock, except they had the wool,
And would make war except their mouths were full:
But unto ſuch whoſe lives were commendable,
And who to teach the Truth were very able,
That they likewiſe to other faithful men
Should give the ſelf-ſame charge as Paul did then;
That down along none ſhould ſucceed but he
That kept the Faith. From time to time you ſee
From what is ſaid it doth appear ſo plain,
That there doth no Succeſſion now remain
In Rome, becauſe Rome now hath wrackt and loſt
The Faith of Peter, whereof ſhe doth boaſt,
For ſhe that Faith hath often ſtigmatiz'd
With ſuch defame, and hath apoſtatiz'd,
That long ago ſhe her Succeſſion loſt,
And Chriſt withall, ſhe chang'd him for the Hoſt
Which now ſhe doth adore, and fall down to,
And therefore let us give the Whore her due;
If any one there be ſhe doth ſucceed,
It is the Serpent, for ſhe doth proceed
So fully in his ways and paths ſhe goes,
That ſhe's a friend to none that are his foes:
Then none but blind men can perſwaded be,
But ſhe her power hath from none but he,
For him ſhe is a faithful ſervant to,
And therefore her Authority 'tis true
Doth come from him, and him ſhe doth ſucceed,
He is her Father, and her help in need.
If Rome will wipe away this great defame
And filthy blot that is upon her Name,
That ſhe doth not ſucceed good Peter in
The ſacred Chair; then let her now begin
To prove from Scripture, if ſhe can, that ſhe
The faith of Peter hath; and if ſo be
That ſhe can prove her idle god of Bread
To be that man that's riſen from the dead,
And dyed for our ſins, and roſe again,
And went to Heav'n, where now he doth remain;
Unleſs ſhe prove, I ſay, he came from thence,
And is become a bit of Bread, from whence
He doth into her filthy belly go,
And whither then, all men, but fools, may know:
Which blaſphemies were never thought by Peter,
'Twas never known that man could eat his Maker.
I then conclude in ſpight of Pope or Hell,
Do what they can, true Faith will bear the Bell.
And though the Whore pretends ſo much to be
Poſſeſt by Peter with the ſacred Key,
And that without all kind of intermiſſion,
The Popes have followed Peter in Succeſſion,
The truth of which we do more then ſuſpect,
Becauſe his Faith and Words ſhe doth reject:
For his Authority ſhe will not take,
Nor no account of that or him doth make
To be a Rule to her for what ſhe doth
Believe or practiſe, but from him ſhe go'th
Unto thoſe men ſhe doth the Fathers call,
And them ſhe doth command her ſubjects all
To hear, believe, to follow and to read;
But for the holy Scripture that is dead
So far, that no man can the right way find;
But whoſoever doth the Fathers mind,
Shal find the right way; they taught what was good,
That is, that we the Croſs adore, the Rood;
And they us likewiſe taught, and thought it meet,
That we ſhould fall down to't, though in the ſtreet
Or any other place; theſe Doctors they
Did teach us thus with Beads to cry and pray
To all thoſe Saints that now are dead and gone,
That they for us might interceed the Throne
Of God; and theſe men taught us all likewiſe,
If we will have them open ears or eyes,
We muſt their Images ſo much adore,
Like petty gods or goddeſſes; and more,
They alſo taught, and do command that we
Should go a Pilgrimage ſometimes, to ſee
Their Sepulchres ſo richly deckt, and brave,
With gold & precious ſtones, with which they have
Thought fit therewith that every holy ſhrine
Should be adorn'd and made ſo brave and fine,
In honor only of the holy Saint;
They alſo teach that we ſhould bravely paint
Their Images, that we may ſee, and have
A high eſteem of them when ere we crave
A boon; and when that we in any place
Do paſs them by, and look them in the face,
The ſight of them may ſtir up ſome devotion,
And bring into our minds ſome holy motion.
They alſo teach we muſt not be unkind,
But when we go, we ought to leave behind
An Offering, that Saint ſo to content,
That he for us may willingly preſent
What we do crave to God above, and then
They us perſwade, and we believe that when
This is perform'd, we merit ſuch acceſs
Unto this Saint, that us he will ſo bleſs,
We need not fear but he will ſend us down
Such ſtore of Pardons, ſealed in his Throne;
Or give ſuch order unto them that are
His Moncks or Friars, that we never fear,
But when we come to make to them Confeſſion,
We ſhall not miſs nor fail of the remiſſion
Of all our ſins, though great, and ſuch as be
As black as Hell it ſelf; then what care we
If we our pleaſure take and live in ſin,
Tuſh, we'l not care nor matter that a pin:
For if we ſhould ſome beaſtly ſin commit,
Such that we muſt ſome penance do for it,
Or go ſometime a Pilgrimage agin
To invocate ſome Saint for this foul ſin;
'Tis but the giving him another bribe,
And then all's well: ſuch are they of this tribe,
That they can put up greater wrongs than ſuch,
They never think of thoſe like wrongs too much.
Theſe are the things the Fathers teach, and ſay,
(Which if we do) they lead the ready way
To happineſs. Oh! what a thing is this,
That we ſo eaſily can go to bliſs!
But if (they ſay) we in the Scripture look,
And pore therein, and do what that ſame Book
Doth teach to do, we never then ſhall find
That good content and quietneſs of mind
Which now we have in that they bid us do,
And we believe in that they tell us true:
We willingly conſent unto their motion,
For Ignorance is mother of Devotion.
Thus doth this blind Whore lead the blind along
With ſuch deceits, ſo powerful and ſtrong,
That with this cord ſhe binds them all ſo faſt,
Both ſhe and they the Devil will at laſt
Them take and have, except they do repent,
And by their coming out of her, prevent
Him of his prey, or elſe he will not miſs
(Tis to be fear'd) of more, ere he hath leſs.
But that all men may further know and ſee
How much from Peter's mind they diſagree,
And that the Whore in nothing doth at all
Walk in the ſteps of Peter nor of Paul:
For he whom ſhe pretends ſhe doth ſucceed,
The Church commandeth that ſhe ſhould take heed
Unto the holy Scriptures, for they be
A Light unto the blind, by which they ſee
Their way in dark and diſmal places, ſo
That by its ſhining Light they ſee to go
Without all ſtumbling, neither do they fall
Into thoſe wicked errors others ſhall,
That will not have the Scripture for their guide,
To give them light, leſt they ſhould turn aſide
Into ſuch paths as lead out of the way,
Which thoſe that heed not Scripture do and may,
As we by much experience know and find,
To diſregard the Scripture, makes men blind;
When men to Fathers fly, or Light within,
Without the Scripture, then they any ſin
The Fathers or their Fancies leads them to,
They very ready are to act or do.
To heed the holy Scriptures therefore we
Commanded are by Peter, as you ſee;
For Scripture is the Word of Prophecy,
A more ſure Word, as Peter ſaith, whereby
We may diſcover, or unvail and ſee
The Myſtery of Romes Iniquity,
And by its ſhining Light they do expel
All miſts of darkneſs that ariſe from Hell:
A Rule to us the holy Scriptures are
Of Faith and Converſation; for they were
Writ for our learning, that by them we might
Know Truth from Error, and walk in the Light:
For holy Scripture by good men of old,
As Peter in his Letter hath us told,
Was ſpoke by them as they were moved by
The holy Ghoſt. If ſo, then certainly
We muſt them heed as God's pure mind, for then
Came they to any by the will of men?
Beſides, the holy Scripture is the thing
That doth unto our underſtandings bring
The knowledge of that holy Myſtery,
Which hath been kept from Ages ſecretly
Ere ſince the world began, but now are made
Known by the Scriptures of the Prophets aid,
According to the great Commandement
Of God, who did and hath thoſe Prophets ſent,
That he by them might make known what he ſaith
To Nations, for obedience to the Faith.
Yet notwithſtanding, this beſotted crew
Doth ſay there is more to their Fathers due
Than to the Scripture, that they might men blind,
So darken and becloud the hearts and mind
Of thoſe they have ſo much deceiv'd, that ſo
They ſhould not their Abominations know.
But Paul might ſure as well believed be,
As any Cardinal, or Pope, or he
That is the greateſt Champion they ere had;
For ſure in their conceit he wa'nt ſo bad,
But he might be believ'd as ſoon as they;
And yet when ever Paul did preach or pray,
He would do neither in the ſpeech or tongue,
When he did either pray or preach among
Such men who could his ſpeech not underſtand,
But did declare the truth in plainneſs; and
When he and Silas to Berea went,
They being thither by the Brethren ſent
To preach the Goſpel to them of that place,
Preach there they did the Goſpel of the Grace
Of God to ſinners, where were ſome ſo noble,
Though Paul was authoriz'd and very able
To preach, yet would they not him truſt, for they
More noble were than Theſſalonica,
Becauſe they ſearch'd the Scriptures, there to find
If Paul did preach according to the mind
Of Jeſus Chriſt, they ſearch the Scriptures ſo,
That they might ſatisfie themſelves, and know
The truth of what was preach'd, or whether he
Had preacht to them the Truth; they would not be
Content to take't on truſt, but to't they go
To try whether thoſe things were ſo or no.
This deed recorded is, a mark of their
Nobility, becauſe they did not ſpare
To reade and ſearch the Scriptures, as appears
(Which Rome forbids to do, 'tis that ſhe fears)
So plain, that none can well the truth deny,
Except it be the Whore, who doth defie
The man that doubts, or ſhall in queſtion call
Her filthy lies, her great deceits; though all
Of them be ſo direct, contrary to
The holy Scriptures, one would marvel who
Could be ſo blind that cannot find and ſee
That ſhe their ſouls deludes, and that they be
Led by the noſe to ſuch a pit and ſnare,
That if they do not take a ſpecial care,
And from her flee, they will no doubt partake
Of all thoſe plagues that will her overtake.
Chriſt did command the Jews when he was here,
To ſearch the Scriptures, for the Scriptures are
Thoſe holy Records that did teſtifie
Of him, and how that he ſhould come and dye;
Be of a Virgin born, and how that he
Should for our ſakes and ſins abaſed be,
Laid in a manger, ſo impoveriſhe'd,
As not to have whereon to lay his head,
And ſhould receive both ſcoffs & ſcorns from men
Be brought before their Judgment-ſeat, and then
Be crucifi'd, and for poor ſinners ſlain,
And them to juſtifie, be raiſ'd again;
And how he was by his Diſciples ſeen
After he three dayes in the grave had been,
And after that aſcended up on high
Into his Fathers Throne above the Skie,
Where now he intercedes for them that are
His faithful Followers, all them that fear
His holy Name, that do depart from evil,
And from the Pope, his deeds, & from the Devil;
Where now he alſo ſits, expecting when
His Foes God will his footſtool make, and then
He ſhall deſcend to judge both quick and dead:
Why ſhould the Whore the Scripture then forbid,
Except it be becauſe ſhe would not have
Men know the Truth, but be to her a ſlave;
For if Rome had the Truth, be ſure thoſe ſcorners
Would never hide the Truth, Truth ſeeks no corners.
But further, Paul doth Timothy commend,
Becauſe he when a child, his mind did bend,
And give himſelf to ſearch the Scriptures, ſo
That he thereby the mind of God did know;
He ſuch a good proficient ſoon became
By reading, or the ſtudy of the ſame.
If Paul then doth commend, and will allow
A Child to ſearch and reade the Scripture, how
Dares Rome to be ſo impudent and bold
The Scriptures then from any to withhold?
For all the Scripture was by inspiration,
Given of God to ev'ry Generation,
And profitable is for Doctrine, eke,
For to reprove, correct, inſtruct the meek
In Righteouſneſs, they able are we know,
To make one wiſe unto Salvation, tho
They are rejected by two ſorts of men;
Concerning one I ſhall not uſe my pen
At this time; what I may hereafter do
I will not ſay, but this I know is true,
The Scripture ought to be a Rule to thee,
Thy duty 'tis to make it ſo to be.
If thou unto Perfection wouldſt attain,
The Word of God will perfect thee amain:
Or if thou wouldſt be throughly furniſht well
To all good works, let me thee one thing tell,
Live in the Light and Spirit of the Word,
And thou ſhalt find it will ſuch help afford,
Thou wilt be furniſhed ſo thorowly
To all good works, thou't flee iniquity.
But if thou doſt the Scripture once reject,
And diſeſteem it, under what reſpect
So-e're it be (thou't find my words are true,
For what I ſay, I by experience knew)
Thou then art made ſo fit, as fit may be,
For Satans Miniſters to work on thee
What pleaſeth them, thou wilt to Error fall,
And loſe thy Faith, and Hope, and Chriſt and all.
But to return; It ſeems without the Books
Of Romes great learned Doctors, let their looks
Be nere ſo high, yet this we find and know
The Scripture's of ability to ſhow
Such ſaving Truths, there is no want of traſh
That comes from Rome, their rubbiſh nor hogwaſh,
Nor of their Superſtitions, that are found
From ſacred Scripture to receive no ground.
But may we not by this time underſtand
What is the reaſon Rome doth ſo command
Her ſubjects all the Scripture to reject,
That they to it dare give no more reſpect?
Now without doubt we have the reaſon why,
It is, becauſe her beaſtly Sodomy
Should not by any once perceived be;
For, ſhould they reade the Scriptures, they would ſee
Her nakedneſs, and all her filthy trade,
And that her gods are ſuch her-ſelf hath made;
And yet to ſee that men ſhould be ſo blind,
So willingly deceiv'd, that they ne're mind
The holy Scripture, nor no other Book,
There's none of them that ſcarcely dares to look
In any ſuch, that ſhe doth not allow
For them to uſe; a man would wonder how
Men can part with their ſouls at ſuch a rate
As they loſe theirs; ſome ſay it is their fate
Or deſtiny, for God did once decree
That men ſhould ſin, and thus deluded be.
But 'tis not ſo, God ne'r decreed no evil,
All evil works proceed do from the Devil;
He only is the author of them all,
Idolatry, and errors great and ſmall;
And men do willingly adhere to him,
And to his wayes and works, rather than them
That God appointed, this is very right,
Such men love darkneſs, and do hate the Light
For let the Whore command them what ſhe will
If't be to murder any one, or kill,
Be't Prince or People, any, what eare they,
For willingly the Whore's mind they obey;
Such dear obedient children they have bin,
Her to obey they think can be no ſin.
But as I ſaid, the reaſon why ſhe doth
Forbid to reade the Scripture, may be both
Becauſe ſhe would not any man ſhould ſee
The Truth; and alſo 'tis becauſe that ſhe
Fears the Scripture her Whoredoms will make known
And all her works of darkneſs will be ſhown;
And therfore, that ſhe may her Whoredoms hide,
The uſe of Scripture ſhe will not abide;
Though Chriſt, it's clear, did very well approve
The ſearching of the Scriptures, and did move
The Jews thereto by his commands, that ſo
They might there find wh'ther he were Chriſt or no.
But this proud painted Whore will give to none
That liberty, but her they all muſt own,
Without all doubt, or any jealouſie,
But ſhe muſt be the Church of Chriſt, and why?
Becauſe her Doctors ſay't, that's their belief,
That's Ask my fellow whether I'm a thief.
They and their writings, as ſhe ſaith, by far
Muſt be eſteem'd more than the Scriptures are;
Her Fathers and her Councils, and what they
Decreed, we ſooner far muſt all obey,
Than any Scripture-Writings, for they be,
Or were writ in the Churches infancie:
But now the Church is grown to ſuch a ſtate,
And ſuch maturity, we ſcorn and hate
To learn or follow any thing that's there,
It is below us and our holy Chair.
And more than that, it will bewray us all,
The people will us know, and then we fall,
As Dagon did before the holy Ark,
We then our dogs can ſend no more to bark
Againſt the Scripture, and thoſe holy wayes
That practis'd were in the primitive dayes.
For this we know full well, there is no ground
In holy Scripture can or will be found;
For that great pomp and ſtate we now live in,
Should this be known, there's none would care a pin
For us, the people very ſoon would bait
Our greatneſs, and our doing ſoon would hate,
And quickly pluck us from our holy Chair,
And pull our feathers till we were ſo bare,
That all the world would quickly plainly ſee
What monſtrous, coz'ning, cheating knaves we be:
But▪ if we can but keep them ignorant,
We then ſhall lord it ſtill, and ore them vaunt;
"Tis but the hiding Scripture from their eyes,
By thundring threats, or under ſome diſguiſe,
We then are ſafe enough, and all things ſtill
Will go according to our mind and will;
And therefore 'twill be beſt for us to play
That very game we have this many day,
For that's the game we by experience find,
That holds us up, and doth the people blind.
Well now, we having briefly ſhown and ſeen.
Her whoriſh face that ſaith ſhe ſits a Queen,
And ſhall no ſorrow ever know or ſee,
We'l hint a little what her plagues will be,
And that there is good ground we may expect,
That men, as well as God, will her reject:
Thoſe plagues that will come on her in one day,
Nay, in one hour, and ſhew what plagues are they,
What Judgments God hath now laid up in ſtore
Againſt that day that God will plague the Whore.
Firſt, then God will lift up a Banner on
The Mountains high, that will not be alone;
The Voice ſhall he exalt, and ſhake the hand,
That they may enter in within her Land,
And go into her Nobles gates, and be
The great forerunners of her miſerie;
For then God's ſanctified ones will he
Command, and call his mighty ones that be
Appointed for his anger, who rejoyce
In him, his Highneſs, and commanding Voice.
Then ſhall ſhe howl, the day of God's at hand,
And all among her ſhall amazed ſtand;
Becauſe deſtruction will upon her fall
From the Almighty, and the weapons all
Of his great indignation then will ſtand
Againſt her, they ſhall waſte her and her Land.
They come from far, ſo far, that from the end
Of Heav'n, her to deſtroy, God will them ſend;
To fear, for paints, and ſorrow they ſhall drive
This Scarlet Whore, they ſhall againſt her thrive;
And ſhe ſhall be in pain, as woman are
That are in travel and be fill'd with fear;
So much amaz'd, her brats will look and ſtare
At one another, wondring what they are,
Whoſe faces are as flames, for ſo they'l be
When ſhe the coming of this day doth ſee;
That cruel day of anget and of wrath,
Which day will come, though God ſeems to be loth
To plague her for her ſins, yet when they are
Become full ripe, he will no longer bear,
But will againſt proud Babylon ariſe,
Her nakedneſs uncover, and her thighs,
And lay her in the duſt with loathſom ſhame,
Cut off from her both ſon and nephew, name
And remnant too, that there ſhall be no more
Left, nor remain of this proud painted Whore.
For this great Work ſhall certainly be done,
When God ſhall ſay to Jacob, Fear thou none;
Worm Jacob then ſhall ſo exalted be,
And from the Lord receive ſuch ſtrength, that he
Shall by Jehovah out of doubt be made,
According as the Prophets have fore-ſaid,
A threſhing Inſtrument both ſharp and new,
To threſh this Mountain with, this tale is true;
God will the Mountains beat therewith ſo ſmall,
And make the Hills as chaff, and fan them all;
The wind ſhall carry them away, and when
The whirlwind ſhall them ſcatter, Jacob then
Shall magnifie and praiſe the Lord with ſongs,
And give the praiſe to whom the praiſe belongs;
For in the holy One of Iſrael he
Shall glory now and everlaſtingly.
When God ſhall give to Zion this Command,
Ariſe and threſh, up Zion then ſhall ſtand,
Her horns ſhall then be made as Iron, when
Her hoofs ſhall be as braſs, with which thoſe men,
I mean, of Babylon, or Rome, ſhall be
Beat all in pieces for their cruelty;
For God will bath his Sworn in Heav'n, and then
He'l ſend it down upon thoſe wicked men,
All them that are the people of his Curſe,
That will not turn, but ſtill wax worſe and worſe,
To Judgement it ſhall come to judge the Whore,
For all her curſed deeds which ſhe hath ſtore:
For when the day of Vengeance ſhall come in
The heart of God, he'l puniſh all her ſin,
That day of Vengeance, which to God is known,
That year of Recompences for Zion,
For Zion's controverſie ſhall it be,
When God ſhall judge and plague the Whore, for he
Will tread her down in fury, and will make
In anger Romes foundations all to ſhake.
Then wil the Lord bring down her pride & ſtrength
Unto the Earth, and ſhe ſhall be at length
A deſolation, none in her ſhall dwell
But Owls and Satyrs, and thoſe Fiends of Hell
But now it may be ſome there are that will
be asking, When God will theſe things fulfil?
My anſwer is to ſuch, It will be then
When God ſhall break the yoke of all thoſe men
Of Rome; which ſeaſon is of his appointing,
Which he will do becauſe of the Anointing,
For when he ſends the Spirit from on high,
Then will the time begin undoubtedly;
When all thoſe plagues ſhall haſten and will come
Upon the Scarlet Whore and Pope of Rome:
But yet before this time may come or be,
The Lord will make his people all to ſee
How much they have by their unholineſs,
Uncomely walking, and unthankfulneſs,
Their miſ-improvement of rich mercy when
God gave them plenty to enjoy; and then
Their carnal, worldly-mindedneſs, that life,
When they ſo liv'd in want of love, and ſtrife,
Contention and debates, their pride and pleaſure
They walked in for many days together;
Their want of love to Chriſt, and zeal that they
Have for ſome time let very much decay▪
Their great indifferency to Heav'nly things,
Which coldneſs to Apoſtaſie ſome brings:
All which if timely they are not prevented;
They will not by the Lord be well reſented:
For if they be'nt repented of in truth,
The Lord all ſuch will ſpew out of his mouth.
Beſides all theſe, the Lord will have them ſee
Their unbelief, and their great lenitie;
Their diffidence appears now in the ſight
Of him with whom they have to do, whoſe bright
And piercing eye can ſee and look within,
Diſcern and ſype out ev'ry ſecret ſin.
By which things they the lord did much provoke,
And have, as 'twere, againſt him done and ſpoke,
And yet theſe things there's few do lay to heart,
And fewer do as yet from them depart.
Few faithfully perform the work of ſearching,
And fewer do perform the work of purging,
There's few that are in bitterneſs of ſoul
For their high provocations, which ſo foul,
So great and many were, with which they God
Have much provok'd to bring on them a Rod:
For't muſt confeſſed be, that by their ſin
The Name of God hath much reproached bin:
Gods people have undoubtedly been ſuch,
Who have the wicked cauſed very much
Him to blaſpheme, and his moſt holy Name
Hath by their evils ſuffer'd much defame.
Theſe things I ſay, the Lord would have us ſee,
That ſo for them our ſouls might humbled be,
And in the ſence of them we might abhor
And loath our ſelves, and mourn in ſecret for
Thoſe Evils that we ev'ry day commit
Againſt the Lord, who notwithſtanding yet
His Remnant he hath not forſaken ſo,
But their oppreſſors may for certain know,
When he ſhall turn his hand on them again,
And purely purge their droſs, and take their tin
Away; and then when he ſhall waſh the filth
Of Zions daughter, and reſtore to health
Jeruſalem, by purging of her blood,
And cleanſe her from her filth, which like a flood
Runs in the midſt of her, which by chaſtiſement
The Lord will do by burning and by judgement;
For ſuch a ſpirit will he ſend, I deem,
By Judgement God will Zion then redeem,
And when this is accompliſhed, will he
Reſtore their Judges, and they then ſhall be
As at the firſt, their Counſellors ſhall ſtand
As at the firſt beginning in their Land:
And then deſpiſed Zion ſhall be nam'd,
(Which lieth in the duſt, ſo much defam'd)
The City of Righteouſneſs; Zion ſhe
The faithful City, then will called be;
And then Jehovah will create upon
The dwelling-place that is in Mount Zion,
A cloud and ſmoak on her Aſſemblies all,
The ſhining of a flaming fire, which ſhall
Be there by day, and likewiſe ſo by night,
Which never ſhall depart out of her ſight;
Jehovah then will ne'r depart from thence,
On all the glory ſhall be a defence.
But ſome it's like will yet be asking me,
Within what year or month this time will be?
Becauſe they would preciſely this time know,
They would that I to them that time ſhould ſhow,
Or elſe prefix the time in which God will
Ariſe againſt the Whore, and her ſo fill
With all thoſe plagues, ſhe may for ever be
A by-word unto all poſteritie.
To them I anſwer, that the ſeaſons ſtand
In no mans power, the times are in the hand
of God alone, there's none but he can tell
The day nor month, no nor the year nor well;
That is his great prerogative to ſhow
The times or ſeaſons, day or hour to know;
But yet before theſe things accompliſh'd be,
There wil be ſigns in Heav'n, which ſome my ſee;
And likewiſe on the earth, which will fore-run,
Thoſe plagues wil make Rome quake ere they have don,
Beſides, ſigns of the times, which ſigns the wiſe
Can well diſcern, and do as highly priſe.
But Babylon muſt fall, that's out of doubt,
And then there will be ſuch a dreadful rout
As never was in any time before,
Such howling and lamenting of the Whore;
For all her ſorrows ſhall come in one day,
Juſt like a flood that will not ſtop nor ſtay:
Both death and mourning, famine alſo will
Purſue her hard, and all her borders fill,
And ſhe ſhall utterly be burnt with fire,
Which now ſhe little dreads, doth leſs deſire.
For ſtrong's the Lord, that God which judgeth her,
Who now will plague her for her ſins, and for
Her cruel uſage of his Saints, as ſhe
Rewarded them, ſhe ſhall rewarded be.
Then now thoſe Kings that with her have committed
Such fornications, and that her permitted
To reign and rule o're them, who with her have
Liv'd ſo deliciouſly, ſo fine and brave,
Shall now bewail her, and lament her ſore,
When they ſhall ſee her burning ſmoke before
Their eyes, as they from her afar off ſtand,
For fear the torments of her ſhould command
Them alſo, they cry, oh! alas! alas!
See what a mighty great City this was,
Yet in one hour is her judgement come,
Her woful fall, her dreadful, diſmal doom.
The Merchants of the earth ſhall alſo weep
And mourn for her, for they their goods may keep;
For though they have of Merchandize great ſtore,
Now none will buy their Merchandize no more,
Though rich and gallant Merchandize they be,
As Gold and Silver, precious ſtones, as the
So Cordial Pearl, and Linnen fine and good,
With Purple, Silk and Scarlet, and Sweet-Wood,
Their Ivory Veſſels of all ſorts and manner,
With other things wherewith they did adorn her.
As Veſſels of moſt precious Wood and Braſs,
Of Iron, Marble, with theſe things alas,
As Cinnamon and Odours, Oyntments too;
Sure here's enough this old Whore to undo:
But more, as Frankinſence, and Wine, and Oyle;
See what a great and utter total ſpoile
Will come upon her, and her Merchandiſe,
And on them all that how believe her lyes:
Nay, yet here's more, her Flower and her Wheat
Which ſhe had got, her ſtollen Bread was ſweet:
Her Beaſts, her Sheep, her Chariots & her Horſes,
Beſides all theſe, the greateſt of her loſſes
Will be the Bodies and the Souls of men,
The Merchandize of which ſhe loſeth then;
Then will they her bewail and much lament
Her loſs ſo great, her woful puniſhment;
Saying, thoſe fruits her foul had thirſted for,
Thoſe dainties are departed quite from her:
Them goodly things ſhe cannot find at all,
For which her Merchants will ſo cry and bawl,
Who were made rich by her, and they ſhall ſtand
Afar off weeping for her great loſs, and
For fear of her great torments they ſhall ſay,
Alas! alas! how great is thy decay,
Thou City great, that clothed was ſo gay,
In Linnen fine, moſt rich and brave array,
As Purple, Scarlet, deckt with Gold ſo brave,
And precious ſtones, which thou waſt wont to have,
And Pearls! Alas! but now all's gone! Oh how
Thy glory's loſt, and in an hour thou
That waſt ſo rich, the riches thou haſt got,
Are loſt and gone, and are quite come to nought!
The Maſters of her ſhips ſhall weep, alſo
The company in ſhips when they ſhall know
That Babylon the great is down and ſpoil'd,
For whom they have ſo greatly toil?d and moil'd.
The Sailers likewiſe, and as many as
Did trade by ſea, ſhall ſtand and cry, Alas!
And ſtand afar off too, when they ſhal ſee
Her ſmoke ariſe, and ſhal amazed be,
Saying, What City is like unto this,
For greatneſs, riches, mightineſs? I wis;
They now with mourning, weeping, wailing, and
With throwing duſt upon their heads, they ſtand
Admiring how that all her coſtlineſs,
By which her Leaders riches did poſſeſs,
And all her Maſters that fail'd in the ſea,
Should in an hour all thus deſtroyed be,
And ſhe he made an utter deſolation,
That was the pride and glory of her Nation.
We then by holy Scripture find and ſee
This ſcarlet Whore ſhall thus rewarded be,
And how her dreadful fall ſhall be lamented
By all her Traders which have not repented:
But at this time when theſe lament her ſo,
And weep and mourn becauſe of her great wo,
The Heav'ns ſhall be commanded forthwith all,
For to rejoice ore her, and at her fall:
So ſhall Apoſtles be commanded ſtraight,
With all thoſe Prophets that this Whore did hate,
Now to rejoice ore her, becauſe they ſee
That God on her will now avenged be:
They ſing his praiſe, the praiſes of that God
Who hath deſtroy'd and broke her with his Rod,
That Rod of's ſtrength he out of Zion ſent,
He gave command, and thither his Rod went:
Then wil be ſung by them that Heavenly ſong,
With all thoſe Saints and Martyrs ſhe did wrong,
Thoſe Hallelujahs, with Salvation be,
All glory, honor, power unto thee
O Lord our God, for true and righteous are
Thy Judgements on the Earth, who would not fear
Thee who haſt judg'd the great Whore? for the Nations
She hath corrupted with her Fornications;
And thou on her and hers, and on her Land
Haſt now avenged juſtly at her hand
The blood of all thy faithful ſervants dear,
Whom this great Whore did never no time fear
To burn in firy flames, who to truth ſtood;
But now of her thou haſt aveng'd their blood:
Then Hallelujah, Praiſe the Lord therefore;
Her ſmoke roſe up for ever, evermore.
For which great total fall of hers let's pray
Unto the Lord that judgeth her, and ſay,
Now Lord make haſte, and cloath the ſelf with Zeal
As with the cloak, let her thy fury feel;
And cloath thy ſelf with vengeance as with garments,
And bring her to thoſe everlaſting torments,
Thoſe plagues that thou haſt written in thy Book:
Lord in thy fury down upon her look:
Let all the blood that this great Whore hath ſhed
Of holy Saints and Martyrs in that bed
Of firie-flames, who ſweetly went to ſleep,
Committing of their ſouls to thee to keep,
Come up to thee dear Lord, upon her think,
And give this bloody Whore ev'n blood to drink;
And judge her for her great iniquitie,
Which great Concern, O Lord, we leave to thee.