A Protestant Antidote Against the Poison of Popery, Chapter 4

A Protestant Antidote Against the Poison of Popery · Chapter 4

p. 99CHAP. IV. The Fourth Property, 'Tis a Bloody Religion.

250. AS the Romiſh Religion is a Superſtitious, Idolatrous, and Damnable Religion; ſo in the fourth place 'tis a Bloody Religion, which makes the fourth Property: All its laws (like thoſe of Draco's) have been writ p. 100in Letters of Blood; the Romiſh Church hath not only breathed out threatnings in all Ages againſt thoſe of the Reformed Religion, like Wolves greedy of their Prey, but like ſo many devouring Cannibals, have eaten their Fleſh and drunk their Blood even to an Inebriation.

251. The repreſentation of this Romiſh Church to John in a Viſion, cauſed in him great admiration, eſpecially for her bloody cruelties, Joh. 17.6. He wondred with great Admiration. There is a gradation in the words, 1. That a woman ſhould be drunk, that is a greater ſhame than for a man to be ſo: 2. That no liquor would ſerve her to find ſweetneſs in and to be drunk withal but blood: And 3. That no Blood muſt inebriate this Whore, but the blood of Saints.

252. Luther ſays, Cain ſhall be killing his Brother Abel to the end of the World, but he is moſt bloody in his old days: Malice is commonly hereditary and runs in the blood, and (as we uſe to ſay of Runnet) the older it is, the ſtronger: Mr. Jenkins ſhows at large how the Spirit of Cain is in the Romaniſts, and what a murthering Religion it is to the true Abels. See his ſecond part on Jude in quarto, pag. 179, 180.

253. Rome hath ever been the Slaughter-houſe and Shambles of the Saints of God in this latter Age of the world, as Jeruſalem was before her: Matth. 23.35. As it was not poſſible p. 101that a Prophet ſhould periſh any where but in Jeruſalem; ſo in Rome is found the blood of Prophets, and of Saints, and of all that were ſlain upon the Earth, Revel. 18.24. Rome hath had a long hand and has ſtretched it out into all Lands, to butcher the Saints by her Authority(r)(r)'Tis credibly related that in the ſpace of eight hundred years, Rome hath been the death of twelve Millions: Idaea Reform. Antichr. tom. 1. part 2. ſect. 2. cap 6. One Pope (Julius the 2,) in ſeven years time of his Papacy deſtroyed two hundred thouſand Chriſtians: Baleus de Actis Rom. Pontif. lib. 7.

254. Rome Heathen hath indeed done much againſt the Church, ſlaying its Thouſands; but Rome Antichriſtian hath done more, ſlaying its Ten Thouſands: And as Rome Heathen exceeded all the other Beaſts, in Daniel, for fierceneſs and cruelty; ſo Rome Antichriſtian is made up of all thoſe Beaſts, The Feet of a Bear, the mouth of a Lyon, himſelf like a Leopard, and the Dragon giving him power, Revel. 13.2. as if all cruelties were concentred in him(ſ)(ſ)See more of this in my Treatiſe of Antichriſt.

255. The Romiſh Religion then is but a beaſtly Religion, not only for all manner of brutiſh uncleanneſs, (both practiſed and palliated in it) but eſpecially for that belluine cruelty that hath evermore been found in it: Nothing of the meekneſs of the Lamb that came down from Heaven, but all of the bloodineſs p. 102of the Beaſt that aſcended out of the deep, nothing of that wiſdom from above that is firſt pure, then peaceable; but all earthly, ſenſual, and deviliſh in its whole Platform. Jam. 3.15, 17.

256. 'Tis worth our obſervation, that of all the Enemies of the Church, thoſe that are Apoſtates be the cruelleſt: Thus it appears in the Devil himſelf, who is an Apoſtate Angel, and he hath great wrath againſt the Church, Rev. 12.12. [foreign] the ſublimeſt Indignation, containing in it both perturbation of mind and the higheſt inflammation of Spirit; Satan is a malevolous Adverſary, he was of the Church but left his firſt habitation, Jude 6. and now has a malignant Rage againſt it.

257. So the Jews were of the Church, a peculiar people in Covenant with God; but when they did Apoſtatize, and [Ammi] became [loammi] unchurching and uncovenanting themſelves, then they did degenerate into the cruelleſt Enemies that Chriſt and his Apoſtles had, and therefore the Holy Ghoſt hath ſtigmatiz'd them with this brand, [They pleaſe not God, and are contrary to all men,] 1 Theſſ. 2.14. as if they had loſt all ſenſe both of Deity and common Humanity; and become rather Iſhmaelites than Iſraelites, Gen. 16.12. Againſt every man.

258. Thus alſo, what a Monſter of Men became Julian, after he Apoſtatiz'd, and drunk in a perſecuting Principle? like that unrighteous p. 103Judge,(t)(t)Luke 18.2.Luke 18:2 he feared not God nor reverenced Men, but blaſphemed our Redeemer, (calling him a Carpenters Son and a Galilean,) and made more havock of the Church (though in ſubtler ways) than any of his Predeceſſors.

259 Such an Apoſtate is Antichriſt (as I have abundantly proved in my treatiſe of Antichriſt) a degenerate plant, who Contrary to that great Caeſar [Romam Invenit marmoream, ſed reliquit lateritiam] hath changed Romes gold into droſs; And the Philoſophical Axiom holds good in this caſe alſo, that Corruptio Optimi eſt Peſſima: Rome degenerating from Chriſtian to Antichrſtian, hath done the Church of god more hurt, then ever it did, while heathen.

260. 'Tis a good ſaying of one, that a man can ſcarce ſtep one ſtep nigh Rome, but he muſt tread upon a Martyr, becauſe ſo many have been Martyr'd in her Dominions: And and 'tis a curious Speculation of another that ſay'd; He thought the Martyrs under the New Teſtament have been as many in number, as the ſacrifices that were ſlain under the old Teſtament.

261. Oh what Myraids of ſacrifices were ſlaughter'd under the Law, when Solomon at one time ſlew two and twenty Thouſand Oxen, and p. 104an hundred and twenty Thouſand Sheep 1. Kin. 8.63. and if thoſe Sacrifices (of a ſweet Odour to the Lord (to wit, the Martyrs, doe carry Congruity in number under the Goſpel, how many hundred Thouſands then have been butcher'd for the ſake of Chriſt? and Rome Antichriſtian hath been the chief Butcherer of them.

262. The Romiſh religion is ſuch a Religion as the ſeed muſt always be watered with the blood of Saints, otherwiſe it would not take deep Root in any ground, it would not thrive in any Country. This improvment of Husbandry the Romaniſts have carefully obſerved in all lands, where they have gone about to plant their Religion, inverting the ſence of that golden Sentence, to wit, Sanguis Martyrum eſt ſemen Eccleſiae.

263. Oh! what a blood-thirſty ſpirit hath acted the Romaniſts in all countrys and Kingdoms, where they have got power and opportunity to diſcover themſelves? There needs no plainer proof for this, then thoſe Conſcientious Martyrologiſts, who (I am confident) would not for a world wittingly and willingly leave any lyes upon record. At the reading thoſe diſmal ſtorys of murders and Maſſacres which they have Recorded, Quis temperet a Lacrymis?

264. To give but a Scantling and landskip of ſome of them [Horreſco referens] as p. 105of that bloody Maſſacre upon black Bartholomew at Paris: wherein the Cardinall of Larrain (that great limb of Antichriſt) butcherd thirty Thouſand Proteſtants in a month, an Hundred thouſand in one year (ſome ſay, 300000) upon the newes of which the Pope proclaimed a Jubilee for joy. And the Cardinall (brother to the Duke of Guiſe) gave the meſſenger a thouſand Crown; this was matchleſs Immanity.

265. And the worſe becauſe it was uſher'd in with ſuch notorious diſſimulation of friendſhip; For a Marriage was pretended betwixt the Prince of Navarre, and the Lady Margaree (Siſter to the King of France) to draw the chiefeſt of the Proteſtants to Paris, and the Admirall [Coligni] was honourably received of the King, who calls him his father and proteſted to the Admiral that he had not ſeen any day in his whole life more agreeable to his mind then that, where he aſſured himſelf to ſee the end of all troubles, and the beginning of a firme and laſting peace.

266. Yet at the ſame time this ſame King (Charles the 9.) gave a Commſſion to the Duke of Guiſe to Maſſacre the Admiral and all the Proteſtants, which they had decoyed into their Net. And when Coligni was accordingly murthered, his head was Cut off and ſent to the King and Queen-Mother, who Embalmed it and ſent it as a grateful preſent to the p. 106Pope, who thereupon cauſed the Maſſacre to be pictured in the Vatican-hall▪

267. VnderUnder one ſide of the hall was pourtrayed, Colignii et Sociorum Caedes, (v)(v)Il. Mercurio Italico 92.and on the other, Rex Colignii Caedem probat: The King himſelf (beholding the bloody bodyes of thoſe then Maſſacred, and feeding his eye on ſo wofull a Spectacle) breathed out this bloody Speech [quàm Bonus eſt odor hoſtis mortui] how ſweet is the ſmell of a ſlain enemy. This was cruelty beyond that of Simeon and Levi, in a deep deteſtation whereof good Jacob cryed out, Oh my Soul, come not thou into their ſecret, curſed be their wrath for it was cruel. &c. Gen. 49.6.7.

268. So likewiſe in Germany (after the Goſpel was ſpread there by the miniſtry of Luther and his fellow-labourers) the Romaniſts did exerciſe the like bloody Inhumanity by the Popes inſtigation upon the Proteſtants, the Hiſtory of which perſecution is ſo full of Popiſh Cruelties, that I muſt referr the Reader to that book entituled [the lamentation of Germany] compoſed by Dr.(w)(w)Dr. Vincent Lament. of Germ. Vincent, who was an eye witneſs thereof; whoſe Relations would melt a heart of ſtone.

269. He tells us how ſome of thoſe Popiſh p. 107Croats or Crabats taught their horſes not only to kill men, but to eat Humane and Chriſtians fleſh: And conſulted how to find out torments more cruel and exquiſite then ever. What ſhall we ſay to thoſe Devils (ſaith he?) Phalaris, Nero, Dionyſius, all other Tyrants and Tyrannies are incomparable to thoſe new Stratagematiſts and Engineers: Cautaſus bred them, Tygers fed them, Hell taught them, and thither (ſaith he) I remit them.

270. And in the Netherlands what unparallel'd cruelties did that bloody Butcher (Duke de Alva execute upon the Proteſtants, of all ſorts, (both of the Nobility and Commonalty) to root out the Profeſſors of the Goſpel, he permitted his Soldiers to Raviſh grave Matrons and chaſt Virgins, many times cauſing their Husbands and Parents to ſtand by and behold their Villanies: This Duke de Alva boaſted at his Table, that beſides thoſe he had ſlain in War, he had hanged above eighteen thouſand in ſix years ſpace.

271. How many matchleſs Cruelties did the Pope and his Complices exerciſe upon the Waldenſes and the Albigenſes for many Centuries of Years, wherein the Inquiſitors exceeded the inhumanity of their own Biſhops [of Aixe, Arles, and Narbonne,] inſomuch that the Biſhops told them, the multitude of thoſe people (they had apprehended) was ſo vaſt, that as it was not poſſible to defray the charge of p. 108their daily food, ſo nor to get Lime and Stone enough to build Priſons for them.

272. If any did but convey a Cup of cold Water, or a Pad of Straw to thoſe poor Saints that lay in ſtinking Dungeons, he was brought to the ſame extremities with them: Some that were hid in Caves, had the mouths of the Caves ſtopp'd up (with much wood) by the Papiſts; which being ſet on fire, many were choaked there with Smoak, others burnt with the Fire. Some that broke out of the mouth of the Caves were cruelly murthered; many more cruelties of the Lord of Trinity to them, may be ſeen in the common Maps of Martyrology(x)(x)See Luther's Forerunners, Fox and Clark's Martytologies.

273. But as a Compendium of all kind of Popiſh cruelty, the Spaniſh Inquiſition was invented by the Dominicans, at firſt erected to reclaim the Jews and Moors, but ſoon turned againſt the faithful Servants of Chriſt for ſuppreſſing the Goſpel, whom the Romaniſt Inquiſitors brought to their Rack, ſtanding in a dark Dungeon under ground, with many doors to paſs through to drown the ſhrieks of the Tormented: The Tormentor (when Torches are lighted) comes diſguiſed like a Devil, to terrifie the more (with his black Vizard) the tormented Soul.

p. 109274. The firſt kind of torment in their Inquiſition, is the Jibbet to which they carry men and women naked, not allowing them either Shirt or Smock (as if that could hinder the violence of the Rack from tormenting them enough) the Tormentors binding their hands with a Cord eight or ten times about (each time harder than other) and their Thumbs extreme hard with a ſmall line, ſo both hands and Thumbs are faſtned to a Pully which hangs on the Jibbet, then have they great Bolts on their heels, and between their Feet certain weights of Iron hung upon thoſe Bolts, and ſo are hoiſed up.

275. The poor tormented Soul hanging in this woful extremity, the Inquiſitors bids them to accuſe themſelves and all other Hereticks they know of: Then they Command him or her to be hoiſed up higher to the very Beam, till their Heads touch the Pully; and having hung thus a good while, the Inquiſitors command to let them down again, and twice as much weight to be faſtned to their heels, and ſo to hoiſe them up again to the Pully: Then they bid the Executioner ſlip the Rope, (that they may fall down with great force) and in the mid way to ſtop them, which together with the Strappado (they give them then) Rends all their Joynts aſunder.

276. And if they ſtill remain Conſtant, ſo inhumane and unparallel'd is their Popiſh cruelty, p. 110that they add more weight to their heels the third time, and the poor Wretch (already half dead) is hoiſted up again, and railingly call'd a Dog and an Heretick; and if in all thoſe pangs they cry out for Aſſiſtance to Chriſt, for whoſe ſake they are thus miſerably tormented, then theſe Romiſh Scoffers bids, [Let Chriſt alone, and tell them the truth, what a crying out upon Chriſt makeſt thou? &c.]

277. Thoſe Torments are uſually exerciſed upon them for three hours together, after all which to affright the poor Creature the more, they ask the Jaylor if his other Torments be ready, telling them that all this is but a flea-biting in compariſon of what is yet to be ſuffer'd: Then the Jaylor ſets their Joynts as well as he can, and drags them away by their Legs or Arms moſt barbarouſly to Priſon, and when the Aching of their Joynts be moſt painful, then are they brought to the Rack again, where the Executioner appears like a Devil.

278. If they ſtill remain conſtant, they are again ſtripp'd and hoiſted up with weights at their heels as before; beſides which they add another cruel Torment, to wit, as they hang at the Pully, thoſe Tormeutors bind their Thighs together, and Legs about the Calf with a ſmall ſtrong Cord; and with a ſhort piece of wood, they twiſt the Cord till it be ſhrunk into the Fleſh out of ſight, and in this terrible torment they let the tormented lie for two or three hours.

p. 111279. And as if all this were too little, they proceed to another kind of Torture (called Aſelli or the Trough) which is a piece of Timber ſomewhat hollowed on the top like a Trough, about the middle whereof there is a ſharp bar going acroſs, whereon a mans back reſteth, that it cannot go to the bottom; and 'tis placed ſo that his heels ſhall lye higher than his head; then is the naked Party laid thereon, his Arms, Thighs, and Legs bound with Cords.

280. Thoſe binding Cords are both ſmall and ſtrong, and wreſted with ſhort Truncheons till they pierce almoſt to the very bone; then they take a ſine Lawn Cloth, laying it upon the mouth of him or her thus tortured; (as they lye upright on their back) ſo that it may ſtop the Noſtrils alſo. Then this barbarous Executioner pours down a long ſtream of water like a Thread from on high, which drives the Cloth into the Throat of the Tormented, and puts them into as great an Agony as any endure in the pains of death.

281. For in this Torture they cannot draw their breath, the water ſtopping their Mouth and the Cloth their Noſtrils; ſo that when the Cloth is drawn out of the bottom of the Throat it brings out blood with it, and one would think tears out the very Bowels: This is iterated as oft as the Inquiſitors pleaſe, and as if this were not ſtill cruelty ſavage enough, p. 112they take a pan of burning Charcoal and ſet it juſt over againſt the Soles of the Parties Feet, juſt before he goes to Rack, and that the Fire may have more force upon them they baſt them with Lard or Bacon.

282. Laſtly, to fill up their Ephah with matchleſs bloody-mindedneſs; if thoſe tortured ones will not ſtill deny the truth, they condemn them; and attiring them in Sambenito's, (which is a long Garment painted all over with(y)(y)See the Book called [The diſcovery of the Spaniſh Inquiſition,] out of which Mr. Clark Collects his deſcription of it. ugly Devils) and putting on their heads a long and high crowned Hat, whereon a man is painted burning in the Fire, with many Devils about him plying him with Fire and Faggot; thus are they led away to the ſtake to be burned, with a cloven ſtick upon their Tongues to hinder them from ſpeaking any thing: This meaſure, Mr. Nicholas Burton; (Merchant of London) met with in Queen Mary's days.

283. I have been longer in the deſcription of this bloody Inquiſition,(z)(z)So dreadful is it to the People in Spain, that a poor Spaniard (of whom the Inquiſitors deſired ſome of his Pears, which they had caſt their Eye upon) for fear of offending them, brought them his Pears, Tree and all by the Roots. Dr. Heyſis Geogr. that my Country-men, p. 113being informed of thoſe prodigious, horrible, and barbarous Tortures theſe Popiſh Tygers execute upon their fellow-Creatures, and Chriſtians (ſuch as cannot be parallel'd amongſt either Turks or Pagans) may abhor this Popiſh Religion, whoſe Principles and Practiſes be thus ſavage and bloody, as will make an heart (if not all of Stone, if any tenderneſs in it) to ſhrink and tremble at them.

284. To ſay nothing neither of bloody Bonner in Queen Mary's days, (whom Mr. Woodman demonſtrates to be drunk with Blood, Fox Act. and Monum. fol. 1800.) and his Accomplices; nor of thoſe bloody Rebels in Ireland (in the year 1642.) whoſe mercileſs Rage extended it ſelf beyond Expreſſion to all Ages, Sexes, Conditions, yea and to very brute Beaſts; and the report of whoſe Cruelties do yet aſtoniſh both the Readers and Relators, which yet cries for Vengeance, as thoſe apparitions did a long time at Portendown Bridge, and as the blood of Abel (of old) did againſt Cain their Father.(a)(a)Nor of thoſe mercileſs Butcheries the Popiſh Spaniards committed upon the harmleſs Indians, Fifty Millions of whom they murtherod in Forty Years, as their own Acoſta (the Jeſuit) teſtifieth.

285. Thoſe Hiſtories are commonly known and therefore I omit them; by all which it ſufficiently p. 114appears, what blood-thirſty Monſters the Romaniſts are, that could never ſatiate their deep thirſt, but ever (as Tomyris ſaid of Cyrus (b)(b)Satia te ſanguine quem ſitiſti, eujnſque inſatiabills ſemper ſuiſti: Juſtin.) hath been inſatiable of Blood: The Rabbins well underſtand the Romaniſts, (thoſe falſe Brethren the Popes Bloodhounds) by the Edomites, That purſued their Brethren with the Sword, and caſt off all pity, their Anger tearing perpetually, &c. Amos 1.11. See the Parallel in(c)(c)Dr. Taylor's Romiſh Edomite. Dr. Taylor's Romiſh Edomite.

286. The Burthen of Duma in Iſa. 21.11. (which is Idumaea or Edom) the Hebrew Rabbins apply it to Rome, reading Roma for Duma, for there is great affinity betwixt their Daleth and Reſh, and their Vau is likewiſe read ſometimes Ʋ and ſometimes O; and they ſay, Quia vix acriores hoſtes experti ſunt Judai quàm Idumaos, ideò Romanos illis infenſiſſimos, vocârunt novos Idumaeos. (d)(d)Dr. Ellis bellum in Idumaeos. pag. 7.And they call the Kingdom of the Pope, Regnum Edom impium.

287. Now Edom ſignifies [Red,] a Name put upon Eſan, Geu. 25.30. not only becauſe he was greedy of the Red Pottage, but alſo becauſe lie was Red in Complexion and colour of his Body, ver. 25. being overgrown with Red Hair all over, importing the bruitiſhneſs of the man and p. 115the monſtrouſneſs of his manners, in whoſe perſon God prefigùreth the bloody and barbarous diſpoſition of ſuch as perſecute his Church and dye their Garments Red with the blood of his Children.

288. Such bloody Edomites are the Romaniſts, for as the Edomites had an ancient, inteſtine, and inbred Enmity againſt the Seed of God in their firſt Founder, Eſau, againſt his Brother Jacob, continued, yea perpetuated in Eſau's Poſterity, Amos 1.11. and that notwithſtanding the neerneſs of kindred between them, Mal. 1.2. and the fair and friendly Carriage of the Iſraelites towards them in their paſſage to Canaan, Deut. 24.6. and the Laws made after in favour of them, above other Neighbour Nations, Dent. 23.7. yet none were ſo ſpiteful and cruel to Iſrael as they, Amos 1.11. Obad. 10.14. Pſal. 137.7.

289. So the Romiſh Edomites have been found a bloody Generation by ſmarting experience in all ages, and in all countreys, whoſe malignity againſt the ſeed and Iſrael of god, hath been ſo inveterate and implacable, that no obligations either of Oaths, aſſeverations, yea or of execrations could banke it in, much leſs have they been bounded in with bonds of either affinity or Conſanguinity. As Edom of old not at all remembring the brotherly Covenant Am. 1.9.

290. The tragedies they have acted in ſo p. 116many Kingdoms and commonwealths (notwithſtanding all profeſſions and proteſtations, yea and obligations of oaths, to the contrary) doth abundantly. Evidence this, whoſe cruelties hath exceeded that of Diomedes (who fed his dogs with mans fleſh) or that of Perillus [who tormented men in an hot brazen bull] and (indeed) all paralells, unheard of among Pagans, Turks, or any Barbarians.

191. They are found moſt notoriouſly true to that damned principle of their Church, to wit, [Nulla fides cum Haereticis] Keepe no leagues with hereticks, and 'tis no more Sin to kill one of them, then to kill a Dog: Yea all their other Principles are ſteep'd in blood, tollerating Rebellion againſt King and Kingdome, murdering of Princes, blowing up of Parliaments, kindling coals of Deviſion (hotter then coals of Juniper) between confederate ſtates, wherein they live in too much peace, Witneſs many Kingdoms at this day.

292. Oh what maps of blood are repreſented to us, of Germany, Ireland, France, England, &c. All which they made Aceldama's or fields of blood, wherein thoſe bloudy Papiſts (with their vizards pull'd off) acted more like incarnate Devils then men of reaſon and common Humanity, to ſhew that they are of their Father the Devil [who was a murderer from the beginning] and(e)(e)John 8.44.John 8:44 the works of their father they will p. 117doe: And (f)(f)Ezek. 21.31.Ezek 21:31that they are a Brutiſh people, skillful to deſtroy. Ezek. 21.31.

293. It would make ones ears tingle and ones bowells yerne to read or hear related, what thoſe Engineers of cruelty acted upon the Stage of thoſe ſeveral countreys, making it their ſport to torture poor Proteſtants, and ſtriving which of them could be moſt barbarouſly exquiſite in tormenting them, as if it had been ſome meritorious and ſupererogating work in thoſe fire-brands of Hell (like bloudy Vulters) to ſuck the blood of Saints.

294 Except we enter into the confines of Hell, where can wee find a fellow to that Bloodthirſty Monſter(g)(g)Idaea Reform. Antichr. tom. 1. part. 2. cap. 6. (Cardinal Farneſius) who deſir'd to wade in the blood of the Lutherans up to his Horſe bridle: And to ſhew that their Religion is founded in blood, the very Doctrine of that bloody Molock (Antichriſt] and his Clergy, thruſts Inſtruments of cruelty into the hands of their vaſſals, ſaying an Heretick loſeth all right to all that he hath(h)(h)De paenis Heret. Azor. Inſtit. mor. li. 8. And being declared Hereticks, any one may kill them though Kings or Princes(i)(i)Symancha Inſtit. lib. 23. Sect. 11. and Sanders de viſib. Monarch. l. 2. cap. 4. Yea though they change their Religion, as Henry the 4. of France, by Ravilliac.

p. 118295 And tis no wonder if (Edom like) they trample under foot all Covenants, when they are taught, that by hereſie all bonds and obligations of Nature, of Covenant, of Oaths, and of duties are (ipſo facto) diſſolved, and Hereticks may be ſlain by ſword, or by treaſon, even with the deſtruction of many innocent Catholicks: Oh doctrine of devils! yea that Hell-born plott of the Gunpowder-treaſon found an Apology from this ſame Eudamon, approbation from Claudius Aquavina, excuſe from Bellarmine, and abſolution from Hamon, all Jeſuites.

296. To conclude this 4. curſed property of the Romiſh Religion, (the Bloodineſs and cruelty of it) which is the fourth of thoſe ſeven unclean Spirits that (like the empty houſe, Chriſt ſpeaks of Math. 12.43.44. it is compleatly (in this number of perfection) poſſeſſed with. And this is an unclean ſpirit with an Emphaſis, a Diabolical ſpirit, from the old Man-ſlayer, that red Dragon which both rules in, and rides on (even, whipping and ſpurring) the rageing Romaniſts, who do not only walk, but even run in the way of Cain (the Devil's eldeſt Partriarch and the firſt Apoſtate) Jude 11. in(k)(k)Agarius Inſtit, moral. lib. 8. cap. 13. p. 119(l)(l)Eudaemon's Apologa pro Gathil. cap. 4.(m)(m)Pridtaur Sermon on the 5. of November.murdering and Maſſacring their brethren in Chriſtianity: Cain is ſtill butchering his brother Abel, and the older he grows the more bloody he becomes. That Scarlet whore hath made blood her drink in all Ages, and yet the more withered and wrinkled ſhe grows (as thoſe perſons in a Hydropical Conſumption) the more ſhe drinks, the more ſhe thirſts; ſhe is now become more bloodthirſty unto this land, then ever, witneſs thoſe Nimrods of our day the mighty hunters after the blood of men, who inſtead of Sacrificing their beaſt or beaſtly luſts unto the Lord, they do ſacrifice men (even the Lords ſervants) unto the beaſts and unto their own beaſtly luſts as Nimrod did.

297 Aſſuredly this preſent generation of Vipers (that would eat out the bowels of their own mother, the land of their nativity) was baptized with fire and not with water, with fire of Hell, not with water and the Spirit: They have nothing of that Bleſſed Dove in them, which deſcended upon Chriſt at his Baptiſm; there is more of the Serpent (yea of the Dragon) than of the Dove in them: otherwiſe they had never actually muthered Sr. Edmonbury Godfrey after ſo Barbarous a manner, and that only becauſe he took but an examination according to his place of the Kings Sworn juſtice &c. And otherwiſe they had never Intentionally Contrived the Kings death p. 120with the Subverſion of Religion and government, and merely becauſe they ſtood in the way of promoting the Cacolick (rather then Catholick) cauſe, of the Malignant (rather than Militant) Church.

298. I know not any name more accommodated to the nature (even the ſavage nature) of thoſe Romaniſts of our times, than what Moſes gave thoſe terrible monſters of men in his time whom he calls the [Zamzummims] Deut. 2.20. The Hebrew Radix [Zamam] ſignifies [foreign an Abomination, and the doubling of the Radical Letters do double the ſenſe and ſignification, intimating thoſe preſumptuouſly wicked ones were double Abomination, they were doubly Abominable both for wicked craft and for wretched cruelty: So thoſe Zamzummims of our day are grown taller by the Head and Shoulders (as Saul was) than all their Predeceſſors, breathing forth nothing but Fire and Sword, in their burning of Cities and bloody Butcheries, wiſhing (with cruel Caligula) that the Proteſtants had but one Neck, that they might diſpatch them all at one blow; this is a clear demonſtration that we are fallen into the very dregs of time; the bottom of Liquors is the worſt, becauſe moſt dreggy: Hence it is that theſe Brats of Babylon (and of the Son of Perdition) are more brutiſh than their Anceſtors and more skilful to deſtroy, Ezek. 21.31. The laſt bitings of the dying Beaſt are p. 121moſt mortiferous; and now this Scarlet colour (of the Mother of Harlots) which is called in the Greek [foreign] twice dipt, in the Wool and in the Threed, muſt needs be of a deep dye indeed, being dipt over and over and over again in the blood of the Saints.

299. As haughty Haman ſwell'd like a Toad and glowed like a Devil, a breathing Devil, becauſe the Jew (which is by interpretation a Confeſſor) would not how to him, Eſther 3.5. and was not this a mighty matter to mad him, ſo much, but that he was ſet on by that old Manſlayer. A ſmall Wind will raiſe a Bubble, and Ambition rides without Reins, eſpecially having [Inſeſſorem Diabolum] as Tertullian's Phraſe is, They muſt needs Run whom the Devil drives, and 'twas below this proud man to foul his fingers with one man alone, this was too little for his revenge, no leſs than an utter extirpation of that people, of whom (as concerning the Fleſh) Chriſt was to come. The whole Nation muſt periſh to ſatiate his vindictive fury and Phrenzy: This curſed Amalekite (being no better than dirt kneaded with blood) reckons to make but one breakfaſt of all the people of God. In like manner thoſe proud Hamans of our day, have contrived an helliſh Plot for the cutting off of all the Proteſtants that will not bow to that man of Sin, and acknowledge Antichriſt (Chriſts Office, to wit,) the head of the Church, whom they know to p. 122be Chriſts grand Adverſary in all his Offices; and to be of that curſed ſtock of Amalek, whom the Lord will deſtroy with the breath of his mouth, and with the brightneſs of his coming: Yea, and this Diabolical deſign had as much ſecurity for ſucceſs (againſt all Ages, Sizes and Sexes) as the Devil could contribute to it, and as Haman's had, which if it had gone on, what an Acheldama would England have been, a Field of Blood, and in a ſhort time a publick Shambles: Yea, God knows what may yet befal us, for Haman is not yet dead, and there are not a few ſtill that carry Cain's Club about them as a ſacred thing, all red with the Blood of Abel. Oh! pray, pray, pray, that their Plot may be quite defeated (as it hath been hitherto deferred or hindred) and that things may be turned to the contrary, as Eſth. 9: 1. By ſending from heaven to ſave us, by ſending his mercy and truth, Pſal 57.3, 4. when Salvation it ſelf (as it may ſeem to ſome) cannot ſave us, and that the Devil (who kept their enſuring Office) may deceive them in their lucky time, as he did Haman and his Accomplices in his bloody deſigned day.

300. 'Tis remarkable that Rome was firſt founded in Blood, for when Romulus built it, he temper'd his Mortar with the blood of his own Brother Rhemus; and that City (both Rome Heathen and Rome Antichriſtian) hath been all along (ſince its firſt bloody foundation) p. 123drinking deep of the blood of Martyrs in all the Centuries: Surely ſhe is well nigh drunk by this time, and then muſt …he ſpue and fall. Wo to that bloody City, Nahum 3.1. as ſhe began and continued in blood, ſo ſhall her end be. The literal Babylon of Chaldea is branded for a City of blood, and yet the myſtical Babylon of Italy hath far out done her, being another Damaſcus, or Hebrew [Dameſec] which ſignifies a bag of blood; no City hath been more ſanguinary than Rome, not only drunk with the Blood of Saints but alſo of her own Children: (Hildebrand was the death of ſix Popes ſucceſſively within the ſpace of thirteen Years, and ſundry other Murthers were committed upon her own Members. Jacob. Revius de vitâ Pontif. pag. 119. and 270. and ſpec. Europ. &c.) So that blood toucheth blood in that bloody City, above all the Cities of the world: There hath been ſuch a continuation, and (as it were) a Concatenation of ſo many horrible Murthers and execrable Maſſacres in it and its Dominions, Hoſ. 4.2. Their hands are full of blood, Iſa. 1.15. Their very tender mercies (if any ſuch thing was) were no better than cruelties: Prov. 12.10. But alas! not common humanity hath been found among thoſe Romiſh Edomites, Obad. v. 10, 14, 16. 'Twas ſaid of bloody Bonner, he was full of Guts but empty of Bowels, therefore Rome ſhall have judgment without mercy, that hath ſhewed no mercy, Jam. 2.13. Prov. 28.27.

p. 124301. God will Remember Rome, Pſal. 137.7. and bring an Evil, an only Evil upon her, Ezek. 7.5. and ſo ſet it on as no created Power ſhall be able to take it off: God will give her blood to drink for ſhe is worthy, Revel. 16.6. that her end may be like her beginning and continuance; for in her is found the blood of all the ſlain upon Earth, Revel. 18.24. She hath an hand in all the Wars of Europe, Rome hath ever been the Slaughter-houſe of the Saints, and if the blood of men cry for Vengeance, the blood of Saints doth roar for it; yea, and the blood of Kings, Emperours, ſome of which they have actually murthered (more intentionally) and ſome of which they have poyſoned with the Bread in the Sacrament: As ſhe hath done, ſo God will do unto her, Obad. v. 15, 16. God loves to Retaliate and to give ſeverity for cruelty, Pſal: 18.26. Levit. 26.18, 21. Prov. 14.14. Revel. 6.10. and 13.10. and 18.6. &c. If the Blood of one Abel had ſo many tongues as drops, and every drop a Voice to cry for Vengeance; Oh! then how loud is the cry of thoſe many Thouſands, yea Millions murthered by her: [Tot ora, quot vulnera] God will not pardon her murthers, 2 Kin. 24.4. but fill her with the evil of her own ways, Prov. 14.14. Rome's Ruine haſtneth, who dare ſhake hands with her hands ſo imbrued in blood, horrible to God and Man.