The Baiting of the Pope_s Bull, Part 1

The Baiting of the Pope_s Bull · Part 1

p. 1THE BAITING OF THE POPES BVLL. ✚

EVer bleſſe your ſelfe, when you ſee the Popes Croſſe. This is the beaſts Marke, Reuel. 13. 17. It vſually ſtands in the forefront of miſchiefe,Reuel. 17. 5.Rev 17:5 like Myſterie in the Whores forehead. VnderUnder this ſtandard, the Beaſt warreth againſt the Lambe. Without this Marke, Reuel. 13. 17.Rev 13:17none may buy, or ſell; as by the Bull of Pope Martine 5. prohibiting Wickliffe and Huſſe, and others of the ſame faith, this liberty of common commerce, or trade. The like prohibition was in the Bull of Paul the third, againſt K. Henry 8. for ſhaking off the Popes yoake. And Innocent 3. in the Lateran Councill, grants a ſpeciall Indulgence to all his Catholiques thus ſigned, with the ſigne of the Croſſe; as the ſpeciall badge of difference, betweene Romes Catholiques, p. 2and Heretiques; as if no Catholiques, that want and doe not avow this marke. Alſo Pope Clement the 6. in his Bull willed, that all, thus ſigned, ſhould hauehave power to deliuer, two or three friends out of Purgatorie. Wonderous feates doth the Pope with this marke; no leſſe then Conjurers do with the name of Ieſus. And among others, this is not the leaſt, that by the hanging out of this ſigne, he blinds the peoples eyes, that they cannot ſo eaſily eſpie, where the proud Antichriſt dwelle…h. Like as when a Spaniſh Pyrat hangs out an Engliſh flag. In briefe, this Marke notes that religion, whoſe mother is Ignorance. Ignorants write their marke, in ſtead of their names. And to know whoſe Marke this is, loe, here the name ſubſcribed.

Pope Vrban 8.

POpe is a title ſignifying father, and being appropriated to the Pontiſe or Biſhop of Rome, who alone is ſo intituled, it notes the great Antichriſt. The Pope, as much to ſay,Math. 3. v. 9.Matt 3:9 as the Antichriſt. Chriſt ſaith, Call no man father vponupon earth. The meaning is, call no man on earth ſuch a father, as the Pope challengeth to himſelfe, namely, Papa, that father, who as ſupreme ouer all other fathers, will, and muſt be honoured, and obeyed. Yea he will be ſuch a Papa, or Father, as vntounto whoſe becke, is ſubordinated and limited that obedience, which all do owe to our heauenly Father. They muſt no further obey God, then the Pope alloweth: for euen the ſacred Scriptures themſelues, the onelyonly rule of our obedience to our heauenly Father, are ſo locked vp in the Cabinet of the Popes breſt, that they may yeeld vsus no other ſenſe, but what his key openeth, as is intimated in the Bull of Pius the 4. affixed to the Trent Councill, ſuper formâ Iuramenti profeſſionis fidei, ad perpetuam rei memoriam. So that not our heauenly Fathers owne commands may be of force, where the Popes Counter-mand commeth with a Non obſtante. This is that Pope forbidden by Chriſt, thus to be called our Father p. 3vponupon earth. Yet euer ſince Boniface the 3. (who obtained of that Parricide Phocas to be the ſole vniuerſall Biſhop, and was the**See Platina Annot. in Bonif. 3. firſt that bore away the title of Pope from all other Patriarches, and Biſhops, which euer ſince hath beene intailed to all his ſucceſſors, as their proper ſtyle quarto modo) hath that Antichriſt tyranniſed vnderunder this name of Pope, by vertue of his vniuerſall Father-hood. Hereof we cannot hauehave a more pregnant proofe, then this preſent Bull as will appeare in the further opening of it.

This Pope, is Vrban the 8. a new name cuſtomarily aſſumed with the Popedome. And lightly they borrow ſuch names, as are contrary to their natures. There hauehave not beene more wicked Popes, then the Bonifaces; nor more cruell, then the Clements; nor more impious, then the Piuſes; nor more noxious, then the Innocents; nor more turbulent then the Vrbans. As**French hiſtory. Vrban the 6. for his implacable furiouſneſſe, was called of the people Turban, a troubler. And ſuch a Turban I feare we ſhall finde of this Vrban the 8. as we may eaſily diſcerne by the clouen foote of this Bull. The Popes Bull is a prodigious or diſaſtrous blazing ſtarre; it neuer appeareth, but it portendeth and bodeth ſome approching fatality, to Princes and States. OnelyOnly the Comet is but a ſigne, no cauſe of future euents: but the Popes Bull is not onelyonly a ſigne, but a cauſe procuring, and producing ſad Accidents to enſue: To goe no further then home for inſtances. To prepare away for the Spaniſh Inuaſion in 88. as an harbinger to prouide them lodging vponupon their arriuall on the Engliſh Coaſt, Pope Sixtus the 5 or if you will ſice ſinque, (as hauing already caſt the Dice for England) ſends out his Balis declatatory, wherein he excommunicateth the good Queen Elizabeth of euer gratefull memory, and abſolueth her ſubiects of their allegiance, lauiſhing alſo, out of the bottomleſſe bag of his Church treaſure, plenarie Indulgence to all foraine States and Princes, that would joyne their helping hand againſt England. Enough to ſet the whole Pontifician world about our eares, but that our heauenly Father ſhewed p. 4himſelfe more potent in bleſſing vsus, then the Balaam of Rome in curſing vsus. Alſo about the time of the Gunpowder plot, the Pope ſent out his Bulls, Clement the 8. by name, as here Vrban the 8. they agree both in name and number, God grant they agree not in the nature of their miſchiefesment vsus;See Tortura Torti. pag. 281▪ or God grant them al the like euents, that formerly. Clement the 8. (I ſay) his Bull or Breeue, being in ſafe keeping with Father Garnet, and by him ſhewed to Catesby, Conſpectis illis ſemel, fundauit ſe ſtatim Catisbeus, atque ſuper illis omnes intentiones ſuas exedificauit ibid.by whom this buſineſſe began to bee brewed; while as yet the powder was but a ſoaking in the ſalt-peter tubs, he was ſo animated with the ſight thereof, that he built and founded all his (otherwiſe perplexed and tottering) inuentions vponupon thoſe Breeues, wherein Garnet alſo was not wanting to obfirme him more and more: whereupon the learned Biſhop inferreth; Ita omne malam à Breuibus, Breeuia à Pontifice, ſo that all miſchiefe is from Breeues, and Breeues from the Pope.

Theſe two inſtances may induce vsus to take better heed to this new Bull now in hand, and to conſider, whether this Ʋrbanicall Breeue, may not bode at leaſt the like imminent miſchiefes to this land, that thoſe did: And ſo much the rather, if we weigh all the concurring circumſtances of the time. The Pope knowes beſt, how to make his own benefit of others homebred hurts; his forces are the better vnited, and ſtrengthened, by others diuiſions, and he well hopes to licke himſelfe whole againe, by others putrifying ſores. And ſo much the more may the force of this Bull bee feared, as not hauing ſo long hornes, as ſtrong ſinewes cloſſely compacted, like thoſe skales of Leuiathan. Or rather (leſt the impreſſion of feare might bee a preuention of their purpoſe) it comes in, like the aſpe preſented to Cleopatra in a baſket of figgs, lurking vnderunder the greene leaues, the biting whereof is not ſo ſenſible, as exceeding mortall. The judicious Reader may therein diſcerne notable artifice, in tempering ſtrong poyſon as it were in a paire of Italian or Spaniſh perfumed gloues. And were there nothing elſe, but that it comes from p. 5Rome: can any good thing come from Rome? from the Pope? Omne malum à Brenibus, Breuia à Pontifice. As when Iulian the Cardinall was much recommended to Sigiſmund King of Romanes: he anſwered, Tamen Romanus eſt, yet he is a Roman. And a peſtilent one too, witneſſe that woefull ouerthrow at Varna, by Amurath, whereof Iulian was the chiefe cauſe, hauing perſwaded Vladiſlaus vnjuſtly to breake the truce with the Turke. To ſay nothing of a peace now offered (as they ſay) betweene the aduerſe parties, but onelyonly this, that ſuch a Treaty will very well ſuite, and ſerue this Breeue with occaſion, as a milde open ſeaſon helpeth phyſicke, to worke the more effectually. But we hauehave not forgotten their Treaty vponupon 88. Nor are we ſo fooliſh, or weary of our liues (I truſt) as with Cleopatra wittingly and willingly, to ſuffer our ſelues to be ſtung with the Popes Aſpe, in greene leaues, whoſe womaniſh ſpirit, would otherwiſe hauehave fainted to ſee her owne death. Yea rather we know the nature of ſuch Baſiliskes which a man eſpying firſt, before ſhe him, the Baſiliske dyeth, the man is preſerued. Thus ſuch prodigious Comets, may ſpend their malignant matter, and bee fruſtrate of their force, and influence, where wiſe men make right vſe of them. Sapiens dominabitur aſtris: for as the learned Zanchy obſerueth well; Comets cannot cauſe, but may occaſion onelyonly State-ruines, and changes; as when they inflame the ayre,Anima ſequitur temperaturam cortoris, vt corpus aeris. the ayre mens bodies, the bodies diſtempered worke vponupon the minde; and all this, taking impreſſion in the moſt delicate and tender bodies of Princes, working vponupon their ſpirits, cauſeth oftentimes ſuch combuſtions, as haſten ſome fatall periods; while in the meane time, ſage, and moderate Princes can eaſily preuent ſuch importent operations; ſuch, and no other is the malignant influence of Papall Breeues, which cannot poſſeſſe generous Princes with an imbellious feare of ſuch bruta fulmina, which cannot ſcare nor ſcratch any, but Brutes. The ſword of good Lawes drawne forth, well burniſhed, and brandiſhed, to the cutting off but the maine p. 6pipes, by which theſe poyſoned waters of Marah, of working diſſention betweene the head and the members, Prince and ſubiects, are deriued from the Papall ſpring to his Cotholique ſons, will through Gods grace giuegive a ſpeciall defeate to whatſoeuer Papall deſigne this Breeue cloſſely intendeth. As followeth.

To his beloued Sonnes the Catholiques of England.

HAuing ſpoken of the father Papa, now to his ſons: a father and ſonne are of neereſt relation, and this relation a ſtrong combiner of affections, and ingager of mutuall offices. Sonnes are either by naturall generation, or by legall adoption, or by common appellation, or by ſpirituall generation; ſuch here, in a ſpirituall meaning. As for the Popes naturall ſonnes, thoſe he calles his Nephewes, Euphoniae gratiâ as it were a degree once remoued. His ſpirituall ſons we ſhall better diſcerne of their kinde, not onelyonly by their father, but by their mother, of whom they are begotten; namely the Church of Rome, which if it bee that great Whore, deſcribed in the Reuelation (as what more euident? he that runnes may reade) hence it appeareth how legitimate they be. So that in a ſpirituall and myſticall ſence, he may as well call theſe alſo his Nephewes, as his ſons. But in naming them ſons, it impoſeth on them that filiall, or rather baby blinde obedience, which none but ſuch a father as the Pope, can or will exact of his children. This father if they obey not, aboue, contrary to God, they are none of the Popes true bred ſons. But to ſweeten their rigid obedience, he ſtyleth them his beloued ſonnes; Yet rather louing, then beloued: for in naturall affection, louelove rather deſcends then aſcend: in this, contrary, therefore vnnaturall: I dare ſweare ſuch babes more dote vponupon their father in their blind affection, then he vponupon them; all the world ſeeth what be the grounds and ends of the Popes louelove to his ſonnes. But to paſſe by that, he calles p. 7them the Catholiques of England, all the reſt then are Heretiques. Pag. 303. Vincentius Lyrinenſis.But Catholiques they are not ſimply, but in the compound, Romane-Catholiques; a right Babyloniſh word: And ſuch are no true Catholiques, as the learned Biſhop hath proued in his Tortura: for he is a true Catholique, that holds the Catholique faith, profeſſed in all ages, according to the Scriptures: not hee that holds faith none otherwiſe, but with limitation to the priuate ſenſe, and meaning of the Church of Rome; ſuch is a Romane-Catholique, no true Catholike. But to proceed.

Beloued Sonnes, greeting, and Apoſtolique benediction.

A Forme of ſalutation, farre vnlike that of the Apoſtles, farre from Apoſtolique. The Apoſtles, as Peter, and Paul, in all their Epiſtles write to Gods elect, to his Saints, by calling, recommending vntounto them grace, and peace in Ieſus Chriſt; that is a right Apoſtolique ſalutation. But in the Popes ſalutation, nothing ſounding to that of the Apoſtles, but the bare word Apoſtolique, which putteth the greater difference; for Paul and Peter came in Chriſts name, the Pope in his owne name; they ſalute the Saints with the the Grace, and Peace of Chriſt, he with his owne Apoſtolique benediction. An other note of Antichriſt, that commeth in his owne name:Iohn 8. v. 43.John 8:43 As Chriſt ſaid to the rebellious Iewes, If another come in his owne name, him will ye receiue. Now he comes in his owne name, that comes in his owne vſurped authority, as here the Pope doth, with his Apoſtolique benediction: Yea although the Pope pretend, and claime neuer ſo much to be Chriſt Vicar, and ſo may ſeeme to come, not in his owne, but Chriſts; name: yet vſurping that power, which Chriſt neuer vſed, as contrary to the diſpenſation of his miniſtery; (The Popes power being to erect, and ſupport an earthly Monarchy, whereof he may ſay,Dan. 4. v. 30.Dan 4:30 as that proud King: Is not this great Babylon, which I hauehave built for the honour of the Kingdome, by the p. 8might of my power, and for the honour of my Maieſtie?) he therefore commeth in his owne name. So here: His benediction is of himſelfe, who in this Breeue cals himſelfe, that Apoſtolique one; ſuch is his Apoſtolique benediction, to wit, Antichriſts benediction. Thus in ſtead of Chriſts grace, he hath Apoſtolique greeting▪ in ſtead of Chriſts peace, Apoſtolique benediction: and to whom? not to the elect Saints in Chriſt Ieſus, but to the Popes ſonnes; not to the faithfull in Chriſt, but to the Popes Catholiques in England; ſuch as his father-hood goes about to ſtrip of all the cognizances of Chriſts faithfull ones; who as they are truely faithfull towards God, ſo they expreſſe the ſame towards man; and as to Chriſt in the firſt place; ſo in the next to the Lords annoynted, their Leige Lord immediately vnderunder Chriſt. It followeth.

Terrene felicity is not alwaies the benefit of heauen, and the patrimony of piety; for the Church ſeeing the peace of ſinners, hath often found by proofe, that the power of mortals is the ſtipend of impiety: Wherefore we preferre the chaines of Martyrs, before the ſpoyles of the triumphant; and the King eternall promiſeth heauenly principalities, not to them that trample the lawes vnderunder their prood foote, but to thoſe that ſuffer perſecution for righteouſneſſe ſake.

Anſwer.

NOt to inſiſt vponupon eueryevery particular, but noting by the way throughout, the Popes egregious hypocriſie and prophaneſſe, in peruerting and abuſing the Scriptures, and the ſacred name of God: wee will touch onelyonly vponupon the principals. OnelyOnly by the way, how doth the Pope come to put a difference betweene terrene felicity, and the benefit of heauen? ſeeing that all the benefit hee either hath, or can hope for of heauen, is his terrene felicity. p. 9This is the Popes heauen vponupon earth; this is his Peters patrimonie, which in his owne papall ſenſe, is farre from the patrimonie of piety. Or what hath the Church of Rome to doe with peace? what peace, ſhee ſee…h the peace of ſinners: A phraſe borrowed from Ezechiel 13. 16. And it agrees well with the Pope; For as thoſe falſe Prophets ſaw viſions of peace, where there was none: ſo the Pope. Is he about to ſtirre vp rebillion, and ſpeakes he of peace? Or what peace can all popiſh doctrine, put together, giuegive vntounto a poore ſinner? None at all. For either they puffe a man vp with pride, or poſſeſſe his heart and conſcience with fearfull perplexities. Peace it giueth none, neither in life nor death. But paſſe we by that too. The Pope here making mention of Martyrs chaines, cannot but put vsus in minde of Father Garnet, & that damned crew, Romes Martyrs: and ſo may giuegive vsus, (not without iuſt cauſe) ſtrongly to ſuſpect, there is ſome exploit towards, which his Holineſſe by ſubtile inſinuation animates, and armes his ſonnes vntounto; whereby though they ſhould at the worſt miſcary, yet they ſhould merit no leſſe then the honour of Martyrs, ſuch as father Garnet, for abetting the Powder Treaſon, hath attained to, in Romes Catologue of holy Martyrs.

Againe; ſpeaking of thoſe, that trample the lawes vnderunder their proude foote: heere hee ſubtilly glanceth at Chriſtian Magiſtrates, to aggrauate their ſubiects hatred againſt them, as proud violators of the Lawes. But what Lawes? Gods Lawes, or mans Lawes? God forbid. But it ſufficeth if they trample vponupon the Popes lawes, to expoſe them to the iuſt hatred of their people. But if the Kingdome of heauen, and the Principalities thereof bee promiſed, not to the violaters of all lawes: what part then hath the Pope therein, who is the arch contemner of all lawes, can breake them at his pleaſure without checke, can diſpence euen againſt the Apoſtle? In a word,2 Theſſ. 2.2 Thess 2 who is foreign, that exlex, or lawleſſe one? Let him make much of his earthly principality, for part of thoſe heauenly (according p. 10to his owne ſpeech, according to his owne practice) he hath none. Which no doubt is the reaſon, that he ſo labours tooth and naile to hauehave his heauen here, vponupon earth, turning his Church militant into Triumphant; as in that **S…xti de electione cap. 17. lib. 1. vt vero circa regimen. &c.irrefragable decree of Pope Nicholis the 3. verifying to an haire that of the Reuel. 18. verſe 17. I fit a Queene &c. onelyonly militant againſt Chriſt and his word, againſt Kings and Princes. This is that which he addes, But to thoſe that ſuffer perſecution for righteouſneſſe ſake. And who are they I pray you? namely ſuch as ſuffer for treaſon and rebillion againſt their Prince, ſuch as ſeduce the people of the land, Noble, and baſe, to acknowledge, and admit a forraine power aboue their owne Prince, as wee ſhall ſee further anone: To ſuffer for theſe nefarious impieties, is, with his Holineſſe of Rome, to ſuffer **Though Ga… net himſelfe confeſſed vnderunder his hand to a priuate friend, lamenting his wretched eſtate that not now for religion, but for treaſon, he muſt dye as a theife or malefactor. Tortura Torti. pag. 289.for righteouſneſſe ſake. ô blaſphemous mouth! ô whores forehead! that dares ſo diabolically, and ſhamefully prophane Chriſts ſacred words. Woe be to him, that thus calleth euill good, and good euill; that putteth bitter for ſweet, and ſweete for bitter; that turneth the truth of God into a lye, putting rebellion for righteouſneſſe; that dare thus make a mocke of ſacred Scriptures. Call you this Chriſts Vicar? Nay, tell me, is not this that ſcarlet coloured Beaſt, full of the names of blaſphemy, Reuel. 17. 3. for to fill vp the meaſure of this ſhameleſſe blaſphemy, he goeth on.

This truth deriued out of the treaſures of antiquity, into the earth, the Apoſtle conſidering, did not only not caſt away his hope, but was ſuper abundantly ioyfull in all the tribulations of the faithfull; for they which are accompted worthy to ſuffer reproaches for the name of Ieſu, thoſe ſeeme to poſſeſſe the**Teſſeram, It ſignifieth alſo a token of Lead, (like that affixed to the Popes Bull) giuen to ſuch poore as are to receiue the dole. But this ſuites not ſo wel with the Popes ſenſe here, vnleſſe ſhe meane his Leaden Teſſera tyed to his Bull; for elſe he ſhould make heauens Diadems not a matter of Dole, to be receiued of fauour for a leaden token, but of debt as purchaſed with golden merits. bill of exchange of Gods louelove, and abound with that price, wherewith they purchaſe the diadem of eternity.

Anſwer.

p. 11STill the Beaſt, full of names of blaſphemie, all along; He addeth the example of the bleſſed Apoſtle, in reioycing in his ſufferings. This truth. What truth? that to ſuffer for Treaſon, for rebellion, is to ſuffer for righteouſneſſe ſake? ſurely your Holineſſe muſt either egregiouſly equivocate, meaning by, for righteouſneſſe ſake, to ſuffer righteouſly, or iuſtly for Treaſon, and the like, as the penitent Theife confeſſed on the Croſſe: or elſe you goe on moſt ſhameleſſely to blaſpheme. But out of what Treaſures of antiquitie (I pray you) it this truth of yours deriued into the earth? **From your Church treaſure no doubt, ſo well ſtored with workes of ſupererogation in this kind, ſuch as Gods law neuer commanded, but contrarily hath expreſly forbidden. Reu. 8. 10. 11.Rev 8:10Rev 8:11or when? when Terras Aſtraea reliquit; in that age, when truth forſooke the earth (Rome) and went into heauen, then ſucceeded this truth of yours in ſtead thereof. Or when that greate Starre called Wormewoode (a true type of your Luciferian Apoſtacie) fell from heauen, which ſo imbittered the waters of the ſanctuary, that many thouſands hauehave died thereof, after which followed a great ecclipſe of the heauenly bodies, euen to a third part of their light; which by degrees at laſt (as in the next chapter; for ſo in that booke is deſcribed the graduall growth of the Myſterie of Iniquitie) through the ſmoake of helliſh doctrine, aſcending out of the bottomeleſſe pit, were wholly darkned through your Egiptian Church, as we ſee this day, the Sun ſhining onelyonly in Goſhen by the beames of the Goſpell: then, then (I ſay) began this Romane Catholique truth, to be deriued into the earth, from no other treaſues of Antiquitie can you deriue it. We know what a treaſure you hauehave of Antiquities: but wee hauehave vponupon better ſearch eſpied your Gibeonitiſh iuggling, pretending vntounto vsus, you come from farre, with your old ſhooes, torne bottles, and mouldie bread. Or tell vsus out of what Antiquities or Monuments, euen among the heathen Grecians, or Romans (with whoſe old ſuperſtitions notwithſtanding, & idolatries you fully ſymbolize, onelyonly you are more groſſe, and mad vponupon your Idoles, then euer were they) yea fetch vsus (if you can) ſome Antiquities out of the Turkiſh Alcaron, that hold this Romane truth, p. 12that a ſubiect playing the Rebell, and Traytor againſt his Leige, and lawfull King, and ſuffering death for the ſame, did, as an holy Martyr, ſuffer for righteouſneſſe ſake. No Heathen, but abhorreth this curſed truth of Rome. Or if ye will needs plead antiquitie for it, take it then: we yeelde you, this truth came from the old ſerpent, who was the firſt, that moued mankinde to rebell againſt his King, in diſobeying Gods commandement: Here is antiquitie for you. But will you hereupon inferre, that the puniſhment of the ſerpent is for righteouſneſſe ſake? yet this antiquity was but in fact: the old ſerpent durſt neuer avouch it for a truth, but it lay antiquated, and buried in the aſhes of hell, vntill the Pope, and his ſocietie of Ieſuites of latter times, raked it vp againe, and with the force of Apoſtolique power, armed with fiery arguments, hauehave perſwaded their (firſt blind folded) vulgar, that this is a truth deriued from the treaſures of antiquitie, that to ſuffer (as Romane Martyrs do) for treaſon, and rebellion, is (with the Apoſtles of Chriſt) to ſuffer perſecution for righteouſneſſe ſake.

But what is their reward for all this ſuffering? yes, ſaith the Pope; for they which are accounted worthy to ſuffer reproches for the name of Ieſu. Stay; A man by this phraſe (Accounted worthie) might take the Pope for a piece of a good Gospeller, in the point of Iuſtification vntounto eternall life: for this is the holy Ghoſts vſuall phraſe, to ſay, They that ſhall be accompted worthie of that life; not, They that ſhall be worthie thereof. But this accompt, here mentioned, is not according to Gods account, but the Popes accompt: ſuch as the Pope accompts worthie to ſuffer reproches for the name of Ieſu, to wit, for his Ieſutiſh doctrines, teaching the lawfulneſſe of rebellion againſt Princes. For vnderunder this name of Ieſu, doth that ſociety of the Ieſuites the more eaſily play the Iudaſſes, as hee did with Haile Maſter; no man eaſily ſuſpecting, that there ſhould bee the leaſt affinity betweene that ſweet ſauing name of Ieſus, and the maſſacring Abaddon, or Appollyon. But the reward p. 13of ſuch is, They ſeeme to poſſeſſe onelyonly. The Pope dares not ſay, They do poſſeſſe it, &c. for then he ſhould ſeeme to grant the certainty of ſaluation, if men in this life were in poſſeſſion of it. But he muſt not ouerthrow that Canon of Trent, which diſchargeth a ſulphurious Anathema, againſt the doctrine of the certaintie of remiſſion of ſinnes, as an Arch-enemy vndermining the golden mines of his Purgatorie. Well, what ſeeme they to hauehave? The bill of exchange of Gods louelove, and abound with that price, wherewith they purchaſe the Diadem of eternitie. Here the Pope fals downe right vponupon his doctrine of ſelfe**By this Teſſera or Bill of exchange, is cloſſely involued Romes merit ex condigno: for as the Bill of exchange is reckoned of equall value with the ſumme, or debt to be receiued, or by the proportion of condignitie, or equall worth on both ſides: So Romes merit of condignitie is ſuch, as whereby they claime heauen as due debt, their merits being condigne, or of equall worth to it, as the price is to the purchaſe as the Pope here expreſſeth. merits, ſo derogatory from, yea, ſo deſtructory of that moſt precious, and pearleleſſe ranſome, payde for the purchaſe of thoſe Diadems of glory: Although the Church of Rome makes little difference betweene Chriſts paying of our debts himſelfe, and his inabling vsus our ſelues to pay them; ſauing that they chooſe rather to hauehave the fingering of the money themſelues, then to truſt to Chriſt for the payment of it: As here the Pope, they pretend Gods louelove, Chriſts merits; but all is to enable them by graces infuſed (their Bill of exchange) to merit ex condigno the kingdome of heauen, or thereby to purchaſe the Diadems of eternitie. Well; But ô yee Pontificians, doe you not teach that thoſe graces of yours infuſed, may bee altogether, and irreuocably loſt? if then by the way as you are trauailing to make your purchaſe, and ſo to take poſſeſſion of thoſe heauenly diadems, yee chance to meete with theeues, that robbe you of your treaſure, and take your purſe from you: what will become of your purchaſe then? were it not therefore ſafer for you to follow Chriſts counſell: Lay not vp your treaſures on earth, where the moth, and canker corrupt, and where theeues breake through and ſteale: but lay vp for your ſelues treaſures in heauen, where it is out of all danger? what is this, to lay vp for your ſelues treaſures in heauen? Is not Chriſt our treaſure? Is not he in heauen? is not the laying vp of this treaſure for our ſelues in heauen, our laying hold on Chriſt by faith? p. 14aſke the ordinary Gloſſe In Goelo. 1. Omnem ſpem in caleſtibus ponite, Gloſſ, Ordin.lay vp all your hope in heauen; fide gradientes, charitatem amplectantes, walking by faith, imbracing charity: or following the Apoſtles practiſe 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I hauehave beleeued, and I am perſwaded that he is able to keepe that, which I hauehave committed vntounto him againſt that day. Aske Lyra the meaning. Depoſitum meum &c. my pledge, that is, my reward, which by faith I hauehave laid vp to be kept with him, againſt the day of my diſſolution, when my ſoule ſhall be glorified, & againſt the day of iudgement, when my body ſhall be made immortall. So the ordinary gloſſe excellently: quia potens eſt Dominus Depoſitum meum ſeruare ſpe &c. the Apoſtle is ſecure in the hope and magnificence of his Sauiour, becauſe what he committeth vntounto him, is in ſafety, and that which he committeth vntounto him, is his ſaluation. This was the ancient Catholique doctrin of the Church to truſt in Chriſt wholly for their ſaluation. But now from this ancient faith the preſent Church of Rome is vtterly fallen; truſting her ſelfe for ſaluation, which being in hir owne cuſtody, ſhe confeſſeth, not without iuſt cauſe, that ſhe may come vtterly to looſe it. No doubt of y^t; yea they hauehave altogether ſhut themſelues out of the kingdome of heauen already by this their doctrine of Iuſtification, by their grace infuſed. For betweene faith and juſtification, they make ſuch a ſeparation, as they decree in their Trent Councill, Council. Trid. ſeſs. 6. cap. 15. & can. 28.that though by eueryevery mortall ſinne, the grace of iuſtification receiued, is loſt, although faith be not loſt: calling it a Doctrine of Gods Law, which excludeth not onelyonly vnbeleeuers, but the faithfull alſo (ſuch as they call their fideles fornicarios, adulteros, molles, maſculorum concubitores, fures, &c.) out of the kingdome of God. This is that doctrine of Romes Apoſtacy from the faith, ſhutting hir ſelfe out of Gods kingdome, as hauing expreſſely renounced, and abandoned that faith in Chriſt, the onelyonly purchaſe of our ſaluation, as might more abundantly bee ſhewed. But this may ſuffice for the preſent occaſion, ſo punctually offered by the Pope in this place, and that p. 15in his owne expreſſe words, which no doubt were throughly ſcanned in his Conclaue, betweene himſelfe and his Cardinalls, before they ſhould come to ſee the light, as**Triplici nodo pag. 34. Paul the fift confeſſed of the contents of his Breeue ſent hither, Anno 1607. So that in nothing doth the Pope vary from himſelfe, but in all points ſhewes himſelfe to be that great Apoſtate, that Antichriſt, from toppe to toe.

But to conclude this clawſe; if Treaſon, if rebellion, if diſloyaltie of ſubjects againſt their Prince, whereat the Pope here aimeth, be ſo meritorious, as to purchaſe the Diadems of Eternitie: then let no malefactor, neuer ſo notorious, feare hell or iudgement, ſo hee can but intile his villanies, as committed for the Catholique cauſe. The old heathen Rome had hir**Culleus, a leather ſacke, wherein the Parricide was ſowed cloſe vp and caſt into the ſea, as vnworthy to touch any of the elements, that ſought to deſtroy him, by whom he receiued his being: ſo he deſerues not to breath in the ayre, that ſeeks to take away the breath of our noſtrils, the Annointed of the Lord. Lam. 4. v. 20.Lam 4:20 Culleus for Parracides, but Catholique Rome his Diadems: would not this ſtartle, and aſtond the very Indian, when he ſhould be told, that the Kingdome of heauen is full of ſuch graceleſſe vnnaturals, as for betraying their lawfull Soueraigne, their natiue ſweete Countrey, for blowing vp the beautie and glory of their Nation, yea of the whole world, at a blaſt, doe now, raigne in heauen, wearing eternall Diadems? would not he make a ſolemne vow neuer to come there? Nay more: would Ieſus Chriſt, trow you, truſt ſuch Parricides and Traytors to come neere his perſon now in heauen, leſt with Iudas they ſhould againe betray him, and with the Iewes and Romanes kill and crucifie him afreſh? for how could he be perſwaded, that ſuch would ſpare his perſon in heauen, who accounted it the ſpeciall point of their religion, to Martyr and maſſacre him in his members heere on earth? or that they would yeeld obedience, and reuerence to his Royail Majeſtie in heauen, that ſtucke not to deface, and defile his image, imprinted vponupon his annointed Vicegerents here below? Certainly that heauenly Ieruſalem is compaſſed with higher, and ſtronger wals, then to be ſcaled by ſuch Gyant-like aſſaylants. Lucifer was caſt out of heauen for his rebillious pride: and ſhall p. 16his ſonnes thinke to gaine heauen by the merit of their proud rebellions? Suffice it Cain, when his very conſcience gaue him to be a vagabond and exile from that city aboue, and juſtly for his bloody fratricide, he was the firſt, that founded and built a city on earth for his habitation. Cain was a figure of the Pope; and his city, of Rome, the Popes eternall habitation. And for the Popes diadems of eternitie, Reuel. 9.Rev 9we reade of a certaine kind of Locuſts ariſing out of the bottomleſſe pit, hauing a ſcorpion-like power to ſting, yet whoſe power was limitted, not to hurt, but onelyonly thoſe, which hauehave not the ſeale of God in their foreheades; which Locuſts, like**Like the Cardinals round red hatts, giuen them to ride abroad in pompe, to put them in mind to ſhed bloud for the defence of their Romane Catholique faith. See Paeralcipomena to Vrſpergenſis, his Chronicon. horſes prepared to battell, had on their heads as it were **Like the Cardinals round red hatts, giuen them to ride abroad in pompe, to put them in mind to ſhed bloud for the defence of their Romane Catholique faith. See Paeralcipomena to Vrſpergenſis, his Chronicon.crownes of gold. Such Diadem; may the Pontifician prieſts merit to weare, who not onelyonly reſemble theſe Locuſts, but are thoſe very froggs ſpoken of, Reu. 16▪ 13, 14. which are vncleane ſpirits, comming out of the mouth of the Dragon, and out of the mouth of the Beaſt, and out of the mouth of the falſe Prophet; being the ſpirits of Deuils working miracles, and go forth vntounto the Kings of the earth, and of the whole world, to gather them to the battaile of that great daie of God Almightie. But paſſe we to the next.

Indeed we had rather (being mindfull of humane frailty) that glory and riches were in the Tabernacles of the righteous: but when we contemplate your miſeries, Beloued Sonnes, we put ſo much confidence in your vertue, and Chriſts defence, that we dare gratulate vntounto you plenty of triumphs.

Anſwer.

INdeede wee cannot blame your father-hood, …o wiſh all proſperity to your Beloued Sonnes; and for your ſelfe, and your triumphall chaire, wee are not ignorant how prouident you hauehave beene in your Pontificall Decrees to eſtbliſh a triumphant ſtate, in that your palace p. 17at Rome, to be free from all incurſions and inuaſions, and that by your Apoſtolicke irrefragable conſtitution. OnelyOnly wee cannot but admire to ſee how in the midſt of all your Pontificiall pleaſures, and pompe, you can reflect the bcames of your contemplation vponupon the miſeries of your afflicted Sonnes in England. But herein yee ſhow the bowells of a father: But you are ſenſible thereof onelyonly in your contemplation. If you contemplate this out of ſome propheticall viſion, foreſeeing the calamities, which your ſonnes impieties through your fatherly inſtigation, may further pull vponupon them, if they ſhall attempt ſome ſpeciall ſervice for your father-hood, wherein they ſhall faile of their purpoſe: herein wee deſire, and hartily pray, you may bee as true a Prophet, as Balaam was, who though you would neuer ſo faine, to obtaine an houſefull of gold, and ſiluer, which you hauehave formerly had out of England, yet the curſe in the end ſhall fall vponupon your own Moabites. But if you contemplate and ſuch great preſent calamitie vponupon your ſonnes among vsus, wee are giuen hereby to perceiue, that your holineſſe may erre; vnleſſe you will excuſe it, that you ſpeake it by the figure Iroma: you are able to contemplate more herein, then all wee can diſcerne with open eyes. Yea on the contrary (whereof your holineſſe cannot bee ignorant) your ſonnes are ſo kindly intreated among vsus, as, though wee might thinke thereby to winne them the more to louelove vsus, and our religion: yet foraſmuch as they are your holineſſe owne ſones (wee meane the Jeſuites, and Preiſts eſpecially) the truth is, we hauehave the more cauſe to feare them. We know of old what recompence to expect of the ſnake, if wee foſter him in our boſomes. Thus doe your ſonnes recollect their ſtrength among vsus, and ſuch vertue, wherein to repoſe your confidence. Herevpon it is (in plaine truth) that your holineſſe dare congratulate to your ſonnes ſuch plenty of triumphs: you may bee confident of it, ſo long as your frogs are ſuffered to friske and range vp, and downe among vsus at pleaſure, without controwle, in defiance of Lawes and p. 18Proclamations, to ſeduce the Kings Liege people, to increaſe their number daily, to ſtrengthen their partie, to weaken vsus by ſowing their ſeeds of faction, that no leſſe then a rich plenty of triumphs muſt needes inſue. But herein wee comfort our ſelues, that your Papall confidence in your ſonnes vertue, is preferred before Chriſts defence you ſet that in the firſt place; and ſurely if you had not more confidence in your ſonnes vertue, then in Chriſts defence, it were very ſmall: for wee know, that in Chriſts defence you hauehave no confidence at all: your owne apoſtatized heart can tell you ſo much. Except yee truſt at all in Chriſts defence, becauſe our ſinnes hauehave ſo much prouoked God againſt vsus, and none more, then that your ſonnes hauehave beene too indulgently intreated among vsus, not onelyonly to the damage, and murther of many ſoules, if the Lord bee not the more mercifull to giuegive them repentance, to returne to the truth; but to the endangering of this noble State, if the ſame our God no leſſe mightily, then mercifully preuent it not. You know too well the Kings of Iſraeil are mercifull Kings: but wee know againe, that many times pitie, (though it is pitie) yet being ſhewed to Amileck and Aramites, may redound to the Authors hurt; witneſſe theſe * Kings of Iſraell On the other ſide, wee know what Elias did, and afterward what Jehu did to the Prophets of Baal, and what a bleſſing came vponupon them from the Lord, Iehues Sonnes ſate vponupon the throne to the fourth generation, and had done longer, if hee had not cleaued to the ſinnes of Ieroboam. And Jezabell, for all her vengeable malice, and impotent fury, yet could not wreck it vponupon Elias, though one ſingle poore Prophet, no more then the Pope with all his pontificall, and imperiall power could preuent poore Luther of dying peaceablely in his bed; ſo miraculouſly mightie is the Lord in preſeruing his pooreſt ſeruants, that are zealous for his cauſe. Yf we ſhew the like zeale now in this frozen age; wee may with comfort hope for the like bleſſing, and protection. Then put you neuer ſo much confidence in your ſonnes p. 19vertue, our confidence ſhall bee in the defence of Chriſt, whoſe cauſe wee defend: and ſo wee doubt not, but (through Gods neuer failing goodneſſe to his people) all you confidence, and daring promiſes of plentifull tryumphs will vaniſh into the ayre, whereof they were ingendred. It followeth.

The Church well hoped indeed, that the minde of the moſt potent King, who of a Catholique wife wiſhed to beget heires, that might rule his Countrey kingdomes; being mollified by the ſighes of his wiues ✚ pietie, would permit the dowry of royall wedlocke to bee the libertie of faith; but now the vowes, and counſels of your enemies are feared, and whereas the oxthodox Religion is crowned with a royall diadem in that moſt Excellent Queene; yet there are not wanting thoſe, which dare threaten impriſonment, and puniſhments to our ſonnes.

Anſwer.

YOu meane the Church of Rome; & what may it not hope? yet againſt your hope, the prayers of Chriſts Church are neuer wanting, for the fruſtrating of your faireſt hopes. Our Church in particular publiquely prayeth. That it may pleaſe God to bring into the way of truth, all ſuch as hauehave erred, and are deceiued. And in another prayer, for the whole eſtate of Chriſts Church, in the end of our Communion booke: Wee beſeech thee ô Lord to reduce all ſuch, as bee yet ignorant, from the miſerable captiuitie of blindneſſe, and errours, to the pure vnderſtanding, and knowledge of thy truth: that wee all with one conſent, and vnity of mind, may worſhip thee our onelyonly God, and Sauiour. And for our King, bleſſed bee God, his heart is eſtabliſhed vponupon firmer grounds, then to be remoued from that true faith, wherein hee was bred, and brought vp, ſo eaſily as you hoped: yea that pietie, which with your ſolemne Croſſe you hauehave p. 20ſo crowned, our hope is, that his Maieſty may in time by Gods grace ſo purifie, and perſit, as that royall Queene ſhall account it the moſt rich dowry of her wedlocke, to be made partaker of the liberty of that faith, which her Royall husband profeſſeth,See for his Monuments in Rich. 2. that ſo they may long enioy a ſweet ſociall conjunction, as in their affections, ſo in their Religion. If that noble Lady Anne, Siſter ſometime to Wenceſlaus King of Behemia, being married heere to Richard the 2. King of England, and that in a deplored time, when the Kinges of England were ouer-awed by the Popes vſurped power, being tyrannized ouer alſo with that ſpirituall Egyptian ſeruitude; if ſhee (I ſay) by the meanes of this marriage, comming, and liuing in England became ſo happy, as to be made acquainted with the Goſpell of Chriſt, which ſhee had, written in the Engliſh tongue, namely, the foure Euangeliſts, with the Doctours vponupon them, in the reading thereof ſhee was dayly exerciſed; and ſo by this meanes alſo many Bohemians comming hither into England, comming to the ſight and knowledge of Wickliffes workes, conveyed the ſame into Bohemia, whereby a good foundation was laid of planting, and ſo eſtabliſhing the true religion there: what hopes then may wee perceiue of this our noble Queene, who beeing married to ſuch a royall husband, who is not onelyonly in title, but in realty, Defender of the faith, yea a Prince, who is excellently able to worke vponupon ſuch a noble diſpoſition, by infuſing into her the ſeedes of the true Chriſtian faith? that ſo not onelyonly her ſelfe may become a ſound Proteſtant, but by the bleſſing of God, this religion may from ſo noble a roote, multiply and branch it ſelfe into thoſe her fathers Countries alſo; ſo that when they ſhall taſte of the cluſters of Chanaan, growing by the meanes of this bleſſed vine, hir fathers houſe may then bleſſe the time, that euer ſhe was tranſplauted into ſo happy aſoyle. The Lord bring theſe faire bloſſomes of our hope to a timely maturity: as your Pontifician hope is heerein already (bleſſed be God) blaſted in the bud.

p. 21And the ſame God,See for his Monuments in K. Edw. 4. p. 366. that preuented that intended maſſacre of Religion in Bohemia, by the death of the King Ladiſlaus, at whoſe intended marriage with Magdalene the French Kings Daughter of Prague, where, and when the confluence of ſo many Pontifician States ſhould hauehave beene, the maſſacre ſhould the more eaſily hauehave beene effected: that God hath, and will (wee truſt) euer preſerue this his true religion profeſſed in England, and that by preſeruing the life of our gracious Soueraigne long amongſt vsus to his glory, and his Churches good, maugre all Pontifician hopes of the contrary.

But it ſhould ſeeme the Popes hopes are turned into feares: but now (ſaith he) the vowes and councells of your enemies are feared. Whom doth he meane here by enemies? Surely, by coherence with the premiſſes, he muſt needes meane the moſt Potent King, of whom he ſpake in the former part of the ſentence. And certainely in nothing ſhall our noble King ſhow himſelfe more Posent, then by rooting out of his Dominions all Popiſh Prieſts, and Ieſuites, and by eſtabliſhing in vnity of doctrine, that Religion, which for theſe many yeares hath beene ſo happily mayntained therein. Herein, herein ſtands the potency and ſecuritie of our Moſt Potent King: The eſtabliſhing of true religion, is the eſtabliſhing of the Kinges Throne. It were happy if other Kinges in Chriſtendome had their eyes opened to ſee their miſerable thraldome vnderunder the Popes yoake, and vponupon what a tottering foundation their Kindomesſtand: where Papall authoritie, and Ieſuiticall doctrines take place.

But here we may not paſſe ouer, that he faith, Your Enemies. Who? or whoſe enemies? what? the King an enemy? to whom? to the Popes Sonnes here in England: what? to the Prieſts, and Ieſuites in England? There were ſome reaſon why the King ſhould ſhowe himſelfe an enemy to theſe: for who are more mortall enemies to the King and his Crowne: then they? But it is playne by the ſequell, that hee meaneth chiefely heere p. 22ſuch Catholique ſonnes of his, as are, or at leaſt ought to bee true ſubiects to the King. Loe here then Pontifician malice. The Pope doth here moſt ſubtilly inſinuate, that the King is an enemy to all thoſe his ſubiects, who are Roman Catholikes. Enough with ſuch a brand, to kindle the flames of hatred, and rebellion in ſuch ſubiects againſt their King, while the Pope thus blowes the bellowes. But wherein is the King an enemy? to their perſons? no: but to their religion, which is enmity againſt God, and the King. But the Pope feareth the Kings Councells. Now the good Lord ſo direct the King, and bleſſe him in all his Councells, that they may more, and more be matter as of feare to the Pope, ſo of ioy, and comfort to himſelf, and all his People.

But hee feares alſo his enemies vowes. What vowes? For tolleration (forſooth) of the Popes Orthodox religion, Yf Orthodox, then ought it not onelyonly to bee tollerated, but publikely imbraced, profeſſed, avowed. But if it bee (as it is) the Antichriſtian, Babylonian, Apoſtaticall, idolatrous religion of Rome, that Where of Babylon: then no vowes, ought either to bee made, or much leſſe kept, for the tollerating of ſuch a religion. It is againſt our vowe in baptiſme, wherein we diſavow the Deuill and all his works. and therefore all doctrines of Devills. A precontract with our ſpouſe Chriſt, diſanulleth all after contracts with Antichriſt, with a harlot: Yea vowes made againſt God and his word, are ipſo facto voyd, and become a meere nullity. And if the Pope at his pleaſure can diſſolue all lawfull vowes, which being duely made obliege men inviolably to keepe them: hath not God himſelfe power to diſanull all impious vowes, which are made to maintaine the religion of Antichriſt? Therefore, the Pope muſt giuegive vsus leaue herein not to giuegive credit to his Holineſſe complaint; which, howſoeuer, wee knowe to bee moſt vniuſt. And whereas the Pope calls his Religion orthodox: let the contents of this Bull witneſſe. Wee need goe no further for proofe. Ipſe dixit. Yet you complaine, that notwithſtanding p. 23your orthodox Religion (a forcible argument, if it were rightly applyed) your ſonnes are threatned. You are ſore hurt: you know full well that threatned folkes liue long. But here wee cannot but put your father-hood in minde of your forgetfulneſſe. A little before, you contemplate your ſonnes miſeries; and now is all come but to a bare threatning? wee looked for a ſtorme, and behold but a cloud; for fire, and loe, but a little ſmoake: onelyonly wee may hence obſerue, what punctuall intelligence your vigilant ſonnes giuegive your father-hood out of England. There ſtirres not a Mouſe, but you heare of it: vnleſſe you hauehave it by ſome ſpeciall reuelation, reflected in the glaſſe of your contemplation, as your Saints know all is done here below, by the perſpectiue Glaſſe of beatificall viſion. Or elſe happely you hauehave it by the ſpirit of Prophecie, as conjecturing what afterclaps, or prognoſticating what ſtormes this Meteor of your Papall Breeue might ingender in this our Northerne Clymate againſt your Sonnes, when once they ſhould bee ſo poſſeſſed with the malignant influence thereof, as refuſing to take the oath of Allegiance, they ſhould not onelyonly incurre a threatning, but of congruitie, yea condignitie merit both impriſonment and puniſhments. But our hope is, that Non obſtante your peremptory Bull, they will ſhew themſelues ſuch true hearted Engliſh-men, that they will not deſerue in that caſe, ſo much as a threatning. But you adde.

Wee belieue there are among you thoſe, who deſire to carry about in your owne body the mortification of Ieſu Chriſt, and would contemne the blandiſhments of pleaſures, and titles of ambition, in compariſon of the butcherie of hang-men, and ignominie of bonds. Yet if any bee there, who are poſſeſſed with a deſire of the proſperitie of the preſent Church, wee deſire they would take notice, that the Pontifician charitie is wondrouſly ſollicitous of their ſafetie.

p. 24Anſwer.

PAuſe a while. Here is ſome deepe matter ſure: here is ſome deepeneſſe of Sathan, for ſome Lyncean eyes to diſcouer. No doubt his Holineſſe is great with child, ready to be deliuered of ſome Monſtrous birth; onelyonly hee wanteth ſome maſculine Mid-wife to helpe at a pinch. To which purpoſe, behold here a moſt pernicious clauſe, cloſly, inciting ſuch as are of a more Ieſuited ſpirit, to the attempting, of ſome facinorous, and audacious fact, worthy the butcherie of the Hangman, or the ignominy of bonds. As the Poet ſpake, but in a farre better ſenſe, then the Pope: Aude aliquid breuibus Gyaris, & carcere dignum; he ment it by daring to write of the touchy vices of the lawleſſe times, wherein hee liued. Would to God Pontifician attempts were no worſe then ſo. But whatſoeuer ſhame or ſorrow their attempts ſhall make them worthy to ſuffer; they are to hauehave a ſpeciall reſpect vntounto the reward, to wit, the Pontifician charitie, which will make a full amends for all; his father-hood being ſo wonderouſly ſollicitous of their ſafetie. What is the matter? ſome difficult enterpriſe, full of danger (it ſeemeth) to the Actour. In regard whereof the Pope, is no leſſe ſollicitious (I wis) then a naturall father, whoſe ſonne being about to encounter ſome hideous monſter, or to attempt ſome Herculian labour, is very ſollicitous, and anxious of the euent, ſo full of danger to his beloued ſonne: OnelyOnly here is the difference: a naturall father in that caſe would vſe all his power to diſſwade his ſonne, yea vponupon his bleſſing to enioyne him not to hazzard his life in ſuch a deſperate aduenture: but the Pope on the contrary, animateth, and inciteth his ſonnes, by all perſwaſiue arguments, not onelyonly of profound inſinuation, but of profeſſed approbation, to vndertake ſome deſperate enterpriſe. And enterpriſes of that nature (bee they at all aduenture what they will bee) we may boldly abide by it, that howſoeuer they may endanger the life of the attempter, certainly they doe actually p. 25deſtroy the ſoule of the atchieuer. But the Pope is ſo wondrouſly ſollicitous of their ſafety, that perhaps in caſe of extremity, if they ſhould chance to dye in hotte blood vnconfeſſed, hee will, as Pope Clement in his Bull at his Iubilee, command the Angells to take their ſoules out of their bodies abſolued, and carry them ſtraight into the glory of Paradice, and not ſo much as one touch at Purgatorie by the way. OnelyOnly here is one item more (by the way) what they doe, it muſt be as that of Iudas, ſpeedily done, intimated here by deſire of the proſperity of the preſent Church. Preſent it muſt bee; and rather then the Pope will want matter to animate ſome deſperate ſonne or ſonnes hereunto, beſides earneſt deſire that they ſhould take speciall notice of the pontifician charity, ſo wondrouſly ſollicitous of their ſafety: he prefixeth a moſt horrible Pontifician blaſphemy, comparing ſuch his Martyrs to the bleſſed Apostle, whoſe**1 Cor. 4. v. 101 Cor 4:10 ſaying the Pope heere vſurpeth, and ſhameleſly peruerteth; and their juſt ſufferings (whether for treaſon, murder, or rebellion) to the mortification of Ieſus Chriſt. Now the Lord Ieſus deſtroy thy blaſphemous mouth, ô Antichriſt. But hee proceedeth.

No one dutie is of vsus omitted, which may conuert the menacing cloud of the growing tempeſt, into a wiſhed calme of conſolation: yet if hell enlarge her mouth, and mortall cruelty thirſt after the blood of Martyrs, ye ought to be armed with the inuincible buckler of a good reſolution, and meditate of heauen in the priſon, of a crowne in the Racke, of immortalitiain death.

Anſwere

NO one dutie is of vsus ommitted. The Pope here giues vsus to vnderſtand, for an vndoubted truth, but implicity, that his ſonnes heere in England at this preſent (his Ieſuites, p. 26and Prieſts) are wondrous buſie and induſtrious, labouring tooth and naile, with heaue, and ſhooue, to aduance forward their miſcheifeous plot in hand. For [By VsUs] implyeth the Pope the Arch-Agent, and with him all his actiue Inſtruments both at Rome and in England, which hauehave their motion from his hand, and are actuated by that their Head. So that this teſtimony from Rome ſeemes to confirme the common rumor heere, that his moſt white Sonnes ſit in Counſell eueryevery day; that, what they conclude, is forthwith put in execution; that, all the exorbitant motions wee ſee in the world, proceed from the wheele, which theſe Engineers ſecretly, and imſenſibly turne about. So that what Archimedes did by the cleane ſtrength of his ingenious Art, no leſſe admirable, then commendable for the defence of his Citty, and Countrey againſt the Romanes: that doe this viperous brood by their Arte infernall, no leſſe deteſtable then damnable (infuſed into them by that Romaine Architect or cheife machinator of all miſchiefe) to betray their owne deare Mother Countrey into the hands of Rome, into the pawes of the Beaſt, and into the clawes of the Eagle; euen into the mercileſſe crueltie, and tyranny of the Pope, and his moſt Catholique Sonne: ſo that in very truth, themſelues are the men, that worke themſelues daily into the fruition of the calme of their wiſhed conſolation: and poore wee on the other ſide abide expecting, till the menacing clowd breake forth into a tempeſt vponupon our heades. Wee as ſilly birds, like the Done without heart, ſit, and looke on, till the fowler ſpread his net ouer vsus; or like the fooliſh**The Trout. fiſh, which beaking her ſelfe neere the banke, ſuffereth the fiſher to tickle, and handle her lightly, till at length hee gripes her faſt, and flings her on the Land: ſhall wee thus ſuffer Romes Fiſhers to play, and dally with vsus, till by their ſmooth flatteries, they hauehave with a ſuddaine vnexpected jerke caſt vsus out of our freſh pleaſant riuers, that they may preſently vnbowell vsus, and put vsus into their hotte boyling panne, and ſo deuour vsus? ſhall thus the p. 27theife bee ſo vigilant,Vt iugulent homines ſurgunt denocte l…trones: Vt teipſum ſeruos, non expergiſceris? See Morriſons Trauels in the ſuruay of Rome. riſing by night to kill men: and ſhall not honeſt men awake, to preſerue themſelues?

Hell no doubt enlargeth her mouth, as waiting for the euent of her Sonnes deepe deſignes, and machinations, that ſhee may deuoure ſuch a precious morſell, as England is. This Hell is Rome, or rather the Popes Pallace there, from whence, through the Gate-Portuſa, a faire way leadeth downe to a place called**The valley of Hell, to which place a direct way leadeth frō the Popes Pallace, neere vntounto it. the valley of Hell. It is a pregnant embleme of the Papall ſtate. But the Pope here, by his very mentioning of Hells mouth enlarging it ſelfe, doth from hence fetch fire, to enflame his ſonnes with a more violent ardour of hoſtilitye, telling them that they ought therefore to bee armed with the inuincible Buckler of a good reſolution. But that he ſhould withall impute vntounto vsus mortall crueltie, thirſting after the blood of Martyrs,: we cannot chooſe but take it for a fine frumpe, or rather for the Sardenian laughter, a moſt bitter taunt. Wee cruell? vnleſſe by ſhewing mercy to the Popes white ſonnes, wee are therein moſt cruell to our owne ſelues, and ſo may prooue our ſelues to bee the Martyrs, whoſe blood that purple whore ſo thirſteth after. Or doe we thirſt after the blood of Martyrs? doth the Pope imagine ſo, becauſe England neuer ſince Queene Maries dayes ſo much as taſted any ſuch like drinke, that now after ſo long abſtinence, it ſhould bee ſo thirſty? but what Martyrs? if he meane Romiſh rebels, traitors, murtherers, factious ſeducers, and the like: cannot our juſt lawes (which at firſt by ſuch villanies were forced to bee made, and now by the like your Romiſh attempts are a freſh juſtly enough prouoked to bee executed) puniſh ſuch miſcreants, but you muſt charge vsus with mortall cruelty, as thirſting after the blood of Martyrs? ſuch Martyrs of yours, as juſtly ſuffered death, for their many treacheries, and treaſons in that good Queene ELIZABETHS raigne, againſt her Royall perſon, Crowne, and Realme: farre vnlike thoſe Martyrs of Chriſt, which ſuffered fire and faggot in Queene MARIES dayes, for the Goſpells ſake. Or your late Martyrs, Garnet, Catesby, p. 28Piercy, Se Dr. Carieton Bp of Chicheſter his thankfull remembrance of Gods merciemercy worthy to be put in better practiſe.Digby, Treſſam the two Winters, the two Wrigh… Rookwoad, Grant, Koyes, and Faux, thoſe helliſh Conſpiratours in the Gunpowder-treaſon. Theſe be your Martyrs: yet call yee vsus cruell for executing but juſtice vponupon ſuch malefactors? Wee know you pretend, you exclaime, you ſuffer for religion, and therefore Martyrs. So did the Donatists in Saint augustines time, who beeing juſtly puniſhed by Imperiall Lawes, for maintaining their ſchiſmaticall factions, and ſe ducements, complayned they ſuffered Martyrdome: whom Saint Augustine reproueth. Hoc putant eſſe ſignum, &c. The Donatists account this to be the marke of a true Chriſtian, if hee doe not practiſe, but ſuffer perſecution: But let them (ſaith hee) aske of the Apoſtle, what Church Sara figured, Aug. Bonifacio viro militari Epiſt. 50.when ſhe perſecuted her bondmaid. Surely in Sara, the Apoſtle ſaith, that the heauenly Ieruſalem, to witt, the true Church of God, was figured, which afflicted the handmaid. Si autem melius diſcutiamus &c. And if wee better diſcuſſe the matter, the handmaid did more perſecute Sara, by her inſulting, then Sarab her, by hampering: for Hagar did iniurie her Miſtreſſe, Sara diſciplined her for her pride. A pregnant parallell to this purpoſe. Hee that is a Seruant, that ought to bee a dutifull, and peaceable ſubject, playeth the inſolent rebell, denyeth obedience, and ſubjection to his rightfull Soueraigne: the Soueraigne by juſt Lawes chaſtiſeth ſuch a rebell: whether of theſe is the Perſecutor? whether of theſe is the Martyr? for nor paena, ſed cauſa facit Martyrem, Aug.not the puniſhment, but the cauſe maketh the Martyr. But Pontificians ſuffer for Religion: for what Religion? not that of Chriſt, but for that, which is flat rebellion againſt Chriſt, and his Word, which ſtreightly commandeth loyalty, and ſubjection to Princes, and Magiſtrates. In that ſenſe Popiſh Traytors may be ſaid to ſuffer for Religion, ſuch a Religion, which is ſo combined with rebellion, that they can neither bee diuided, nor yet diſtinguiſhed: ſo that not vnfitly in this place (ſo much doth the Pope recommend and mention his Martyrs in this Breeus) may wee rancke them with thoſe Heretiques called p. 29Martyriam, whom Saint Augustine joyneth with the Satamani, in his 57. cap. de Haeres: Theſe Martyriani were ſo called, for honouring one of their ſect put to death by Luppieianus a Generall, as a Martyr of God, and Christian faith: with theſe conſented the Satanici, or Satiniant, who worſhipped Satan, as the Moderator of all their actions, whoſe manners Saint Iude deſcribeth. Theſe alſo were conſociated with the Euchitae, who deſpiſing labour, were all for praying, from whom the whole rabble of Monkes deriue their Order, But how farre the Pontificians ſymbolize with theſe, let their owne doctrines, and practiſes witneſſe.

But howſoeuer the great Ʋulcan of Rome heere plyeth his Forge, hee beates, while the Iron is hotte, to frame a compleate Armour for his Sonnes, and an inuincible buckler of a good reſolution, concluding this clauſe with a rhetoricall gradation, that neither the priſon, the racke, nor death it ſelfe ſhould daunt them. But when you Pontificians beginne to call to arme againſt vsus, your pretended enemies: is it not high time for vsus to leaue our dallying, and in good earneſt to buckle on our armour againſt your intended miſcheifes? It followeth.

Among the brittiſh rockes of their ſhipwracke religion, Chriſts croſſe hath beene a planke, which hath brought you into the Hauen of your deſire. This Croſſe you muſt embrace, by the vertue whereof, the bitterneſſe of punniſhments is ſweetned.

Anſwer.

IF the Pope heere did rightly apply Christs Croſſe in that ſenſe, whereof the Scriptures ſpake, namely as it is taken for the conformable ſufferings of Chriſts members: then might wee of the Church of England take vp this ſpeach, and ſay, that by the Croſſe of perſecution in Queene p. 30MARIES dayes, wee did ſwimme from the ſhipwrake to the ſhoare in Queene ELIZABETHS time; the blood of Martyrs in that time being the ſeede, whereof this our Church, by the gracious dew of heauen, and plentifull ſhowers of preaching, is ſprung vp and increaſed to a moſt fruitfull harveſt: and other ſhipwrake religion wee knowe none, but your Pontifician Religion, which is a totall apoſtacie from the faith of Chriſt, wherein you hauehave too many confederates eueryevery where. Your owne Apoſtate Marcus Antonius de Dominis, Arch-Biſhop of Spalatum, whoſe Italian ſpirit being mixed with your Romane, would not ſuffer him long to abide in the truth, which for a time he embraced among vsus: he can tell you of Romiſh Rockes, of Chriſtian ſhipwrake, from which in the name of the true Church of Chriſt, hee admoniſhed all good Chriſtians to keepe aloofe: hee nameth 12. in number, as the moſt perillous, wherein to make ſhipwrake of faith; as 1. the Papacy, which is that great Idol-rocke: 2. Temporall power: 3. infolded faith: 4. Excommunication: 5. the Commandements of the Church: 6. falſe vnion: 7. the Maſſe: 8. Auricular confeſſion: 9. Purgatory, together with ſatisfactions, & Indulgences: 10. Inuocation of Saints: 11. Images and Reliques: 12. Merits. Againſt all theſe hee hath ſo learnedly written, that you hauehave no other confutation of his booke, but your vſuall argument, the fire. But we will not herein too much preſſe his authority, as hauing madly made ſhipwrake on thoſe very rockes againe, after he had once ſwumme from them vponupon the plancke of ſuch a repentance, as iſſued from the light of his conſcience, though not of a ſound, and ſauing faith. Hee came vntounto vsus, and hee went out from vsus, becauſe hee was not of vsus: for had hee beene of vsus, hee would no doubt hauehave continued with vsus.

But wee hauehave better teſtimonie, then that of Marcus Antonius de Dominis, to proue yours to be the ſhipwracke Religion; the moſt cleare, and authentique Scriptures of the Lord himſelfe. VponUpon theſe Scriptures, as vponupon a moſt p. 31impregnable Rocke, our Church, and the doctrine thereof are built: our religion, and faith is a ſound ſhip in Gods harbour, which might there ride ſafe, and ſecure enough, but that your pyraticall ſonnes ſeeke to rend it a ſunder, tearing out the planckes, that hauing made ſhipwrake of the faith of Christ, they might ſwimme to Antichriſt.

But it ſeemeth you hope for ſome ſhipwracke to bee made in this our Church, by ſome rent in the ſhippe through factious ſchiſmes, that ſo the brackiſh water of your Romiſh Sea, may enter in the leake, and ſo cauſe our wracke. But as long as we keepe our ſhippe tite in the vnitie of faith, ſafe and ſound, wee feare not the force of all your Croyzadoes. And if our Engliſh Croſſes of Iuſtice, were a little better put in vre againſt your ouerdaring ſonnes, according to their demerits: your Croſſe, you ſpeake of, would proue but a poore planke to bring them to the hauen of her deſires. Neither is this your Croſſes, Chriſts Croſſe, but Antichriſts Croſſe, an Idol of your owne making: your owne words proue it. Ye ſay, by the vertue thereof the bitterneſſe of puniſhment is ſweetened: ſo that you aſcribe a diuine vertue to your Croſſe. Nor are wee ignorant of your familiar blaſphemies in this kind, in your frequent Orizons, and prayers made to this Idol: your Idol I call it, for you giuegive the ſame worſhip of Latria to it, which you ſay is proper to God alone. It is your God therefore. And ſaith your**Sum p. 3. q. 25. 4. e. Thomas Aquinas, whatſoeuer matter the Croſſe is made off, wood, ſtone, **Likely Croſſes for poore Chriſt crucified.ſiluer, **Likely Croſſes for poore Chriſt crucified.gold, wee ſo worſhippe the Croſſe (ſaith he) as the Image of Chriſt, which wee worſhippe with the adoration of Latria. And this he will proue by force of argument, ſaying; wee giuegive to that the worſhippe of Latria, wherein wee put our hope of ſaluation but in the Croſſe of Chriſt we put our hope of ſaluation: for the Church ſingeth, **Dominica in Paſsione Domini in hymno Aquin. ibid. Sed contra eſt.ô Crux, aue ſpes vnica, &c. O Croſſe, haile thou our onelyonly hope, therefore Chriſts Croſſe is to be adored with the adoration of Latria: And as it is in the Romane Breuiary, Per fignum Crucis de inimicis no ſtris libera nos Deius noſter, by the ſigne of the Croſſe deliuer vsus O Lord from all p. 32our enemies. And againe, Lignum Crucis defendat me ab omnibus malis: let the wood of the Croſſe defend mee from all euill: yea and in the**Part. 2 tit. de benedictione nouae crucis. Romane Pontificall, the Biſhop in the benediction of the new Croſſe, ſaith, Quaſumus &c. wee pray thee (ô Cſrist) to receiue this croſſe, as thou didſt that, which thou embracedſt with thy hands; and as by that, the world was redeemed from guilt: ſo the moſt deuout ſoules of thy ſeruants here offering, may by the merrit of this Croſſe, bee freed from all the ſinnes they have committed. This is that ſtandard, vnderunder which, as the God of your hosts, ye march, you ſing, ecce ſignum Crucis, fugite partes aduerſa: behold the enſigne of the Croſſe, fly ye adn erſe parties. To the vertue of this Croſſe, you aſcribe all your bloody Maſſacres, as when Henry Spencer Biſhop of Norwich, at the becke of Pope Vrban 6. carrying hence an Armie into France, where winning a Towne, and putting all to the ſword, man, woman, and child, it was ſayd, ſicque Crucis beneficio factum, vt Crucis hoſtes it a deberentur, quod vnus ex eis non remanſit; ſuch courage did the Popes abſolution of all theſe his ſo ſigned Souldiers put into them. Yet (not to make you too proud of this your God) you may remember how often it hath failed you. To giuegive you but one inſtance: how ſped your Holineſſe, when againſt the Popes Leige Lord the Emperour Fredericke the 2. hee ſent his croſſed Armie, which the Emperour, for all their Croſſes, diſcomfited, and as many as hee tooke aliue, ript off their croſſes, as taking firſt away their charme, and then hanged them vp. Yea as Abbas Vrſpergenſis, recordeth (or rather in his Paraleipomera) Fredericke marked them with croſſed wounds, cutting ſome of their heads acroſſe, and the like: ſee Albert Crantzius lib. 8. cap. 9. which example, with many more of the ſame nature conſidered, might ſomewhat dampe, and diſharten your Catholique ſonnes, thus to embrace your croſſe, and take it vp in ſuch a diſloyall quarrell againſt their rightfull Soueraigne, whoſe juſt cauſe, the Omnipotent God aboue, will euer defend, maugre all ſuch your ſuperſtitious Idols, wherein you p. 33truſt, yea, though attended with all your falſehoods and forces. And no leſſe vaine is the neceſſary you impoſe vponupon your ſonnes to imbrace this Croſſe, as if by the vertue thereof the bitterneſſe of their juſt puniſhments ſhould be ſweetned. Alas poore ſoules what blame of Gilead can heale thoſe gaſping wounds; or aſſwage thoſe griping torments of a guilty conſcience, wounded with the ruefull remorſe of diſloyaltie, rebellion, treaſon? euen Iezabell may teach you, Had Zimri peace, that ſlew his Maſter? yea, what Traitour euer found peace of conſcience by any ſuch meanes? But wee hope your ſons, at leaſt thoſe of the Laity (whom your more ſprightfull ſonnes hauehave notwithſtanding too much abuſed, in their ouer-credulous ſimplicity) as by avowing their fidelity to their Prince, and not intermedling with. but rather ſeeking by all meanes to fruſtrate, and put by all ſuch wicked deſignes againſt their King, and Countrey, not onelyonly themſelues may preuent thoſe fatall puniſhments, which treaſonable practiſes neceſſarily pull vponupon the actors thereof; but may with their Prince, and common brethren, enioy thoſe bleſſings, and comforts, which are the inſeperable rewards of vnity and peace. It followeth.

Conſider Beloued ſonnes, in what ſtation yee ſtand, and to whoſe eyes you are made a ſpectacle: the Angelicall Legiens doe flutter about you, which receiue in their golden viols the deſires of the faithfull, and preſent them at the ſanctuary of the mercy of the Omnipotent; heaven gates being ſet open, Chriſt not onelyonly a beholder, but a rewarder, ſheweth you the ſacred tryumphs of your Citizens, whom purpled in their owne blood, England hath brought into the heavenly aſſemblies.

Anſwer.

THe Pope goes on in his martiall ſtyle, and his Antichriſtian p. 34blaſphemies, that ſo throughout this whole Bull, hee might ſhew himſelfe that blaſphemous Beaſt in the Reuelation from horne to hoofe. Loe here his ſent are in their ſeuerall ſtations, marſhelled by their Generalls, and Captaines, ready for the fight, to which they are provoked by the conſideration of thoſe eyes, that behold them. Who are they? the Angelicall Legions, what are thoſe? good or bad Angells? if any, they ſhould be rather the good Angells: for he attributeth vntounto them the office of preſenting the prayers of the faithfull in their golden violls at the mercy ſeat. As if that were the office of the heauenly Angells, which the Pope here ſeemeth abſurdly to gather from that ſcripture Reu. 8. which is plainely ſpoken of the Angells Gods Miniſters, being the mouth of Gods people, to offer the incenſe of prayer, and praiſe, and thankeſgiuing vntounto Chriſt (in that place) for opening the Booke of the Goſpell to his Church, which had bin cloſed vp by the Church of Rome. Though here his Holines would inſinuate vntounto his ſons his Roman-Catholique practiſe, and doctrine of praying to Angells, that which the Holy Ghoſt ſets downe expreſſely as a brand of Apoſtacy from Chriſt. Col. 2. 18. 19. So that this Angel worſhip is an other marke of the Beaſt, onelyonly hee is a little ſhy of ſpeaking broadly in a matter ſo groſſe, eſpecially to his ſonnes in England, where the light of the Goſpell doth eaſily detect and vnmaske ſuch Popiſh trumperie; and as the Father here dealeth tenderly in ſuch tickle points: ſo his Prieſtly ſons obſerue the ſame rule here in England, among their diſciples, with whom they muſt deale very cautelouſly, ſmoothing over their rougher doctrines, and qualifying them with ſugar, leſt they ſhould proue too tart to thoſe palates, which might happily hauehave had ſome taſt of ſundry doctrines in this Church. But after that their Roman-Catholique diſciples are once hardened, and their ſtomackes ſtrong enough to digeſt, then they dare loade them with ſtronger meates, and reueale vntounto them the more hydden myſteries of their Romiſh religion. This is obſerued p. 35vntounto vsus by one,Dr. Sheldon in his ſuruey of the miracles of Antichriſt. who once had beene too well acquainted with ſuch proceedings, when he was a Popiſh Prieſt, till it pleaſed God by the light of his truth to bring him home vntounto vsus, and make him a worthy member of our Church, and a pregnant inſtrument to detect Antichriſt, with his deluſions.

But whereas your father-hood tells your ſonnes of the Legions of Angells fluttering about them, if you ſpeake of the good Angells: herein we poore of the Church of England comfort our ſelues againſt theſe your vaine boaſtings, and lying confidence. For wee are ſure thoſe legions are miniſtring ſpirits, Heb. 1.Heb 1ſent forth to miniſter for them, which ſhall be heires of ſaluation: thoſe Angells hauehave a charge over Gods ſeruants to keepe them in all their wayes: they pitch their tents round about them that feare God, and deliuer them. They are as an army of fierie chariots, ready to defend one of Gods Prophets, againſt a whole band of enemies. Therefore in theſe heauenly Legions, your Sonnes can hauehave no confidence at all for protection. For how can your ſonnes be the heires of ſaluation, to whom you vtterly deny the meanes of ſaluation, as is ſauing faith in Chriſt? what charge can they hauehave to protect your ſonnes, whom you cauſe to goe out of their waies, by rebelling againſt God, and their King? yea rather you, and your ſonnes may juſtly feare, that thoſe Angells ſhall ſtand with their ſwords drawne to ſtoppe your courſe, and to cut you off, as that Angell did to Balaam, becauſe your waies are peruerſe before God. And know, that if you perſiſt in ſeeking the ruine of our Ieruſalem, one of thoſe Angells is ſufficient to ſmite, and ſlay a million of you in one night, when you dreame of no ſuch thing. But if by thoſe Legions, fluttering about your Sonnes, you meane the Legions of Diuells; theſe indeed no leſſe delight in rebellions, treaſons, and maſſacres, then your Holineſſe doth, and when you hauehave done your worke, will be as ready to pay your wages.

But for Chriſt in heauen, although you moſt impiouſly p. 36blaſpheme, in making him an approuer of your damnable practiſes, and plots: yet rightly vnderſtood, true it is, hee ſits in heauen, hee beholds all your machinations, and will moſt certainly bee a ſeuere rewarder of all Popiſh impieties againſt God, and his Lieutenants here on earth: hee ſits, and ſees, he will laugh, and deride you; he will ſpeake vntounto you in his wrath, Pſal. 2.Ps 2and vexe you in his ſore diſpleaſure.

For the purpled Martyrs, whom England hath ſent into the heauenly aſſemblies: true it is, being vnderſtood of the true Martyrs of Chriſt, whom in the dayes of Queene MARY, the Antichriſtian crueltie of Rome, rather then England, ſent be purpled in their owne innocent blood, into thoſe heauenly aſſemblies, of their fellow Martyrs and Saints. But thoſe you here call Martyrs, who in England hauehave ſuffered juſt puniſhments, for their fowle crimes, and abominable treaſons, thoſe without repentance dying embrued in their owne blood, were no doubt ſent thither, where not all your purgatory flames, though neuer ſo hotte, can purge away the leaſt ſlaine of ſuch helliſh guilt. So that betweene theſe Romiſh Martyrs, and thoſe our Engliſh, there is ſo great a gulph ſet, that there is an impoſſibilitie of the leaſt communion of ſocietie. But wee deny not, wee enuy not (but pitie rather) that all ſuch your Romiſh Martyrs goe all to one place, who as they are confederates in the ſame crimes, ſo it is juſt, that they ſhould bee aſſociates in the ſame place, and ſtate of condemnation. It followeth.

The anxious prayers of the mournefull Church deſire of God for you the ſpirit of Charity, and Fortitude. The counſels of the Apoſtolique ſenate, and the prayers of Chriſtendome, take care of your ſafety, in ſo large a theater of heaven and earth; what rigour of year conſtancy, what ſublimitie of a tryumphant mind becomes it you to hauehave in you? The counſels of your predeceſſors p. 37hauehave beene in the like ieopardy, the lights of the holy Ghoſt, and the armour of light bee your wiſe oracles, and your actions the examples of fortitude.

Anſwer.

IN the former clauſe the Pope animates his ſonnes, as being a ſpectacle of Chriſt, and Angels: here he ſets them in the large theater of Heauen and Earth. No doubt they are to play ſome notable prize: Or rather hee brings them forth into the open field, where the maine battle is to be fought. Hee is now growne to that confidence in his Pontifician forces, as hee ſcorneth any more to goe to worke by digging and delving, and cloſe vndermining; hee will try it out by dint of ſword. To this end hee calls mightily vponupon his ſonnes for fortitude, for rigid conſtancy, for ſublimitie of a triumphant mind, for ſuch bright armour, for ſuch braue actions, as may be the examples of fortitude. This whole clauſe breathes nothing, but Arme, Arme. Now is Antichriſt come to his full height; hee will now aduenture his Kingdome in one maine battle: now is the time in all appearance, for the fulfilling of that Prophecie Reu. 17. it would be ſet downe in Capitall letters. THE TEN HORNES, TEN KINGS, HAVE ONE MIND, GIVE THEIR POVVER AND STRENGTH VNTOUNTO THE BEAST: THESE SHALL MAKE WARRE WITH THE LAMBE, AND THE LAMB SHALL OVERCOME THEM: FOR HE IS LORD OF LORDS, AND KING OF KINGS; AND THEY THAT ARE WITH HIM, ARE CALLED, AND CHOSEN, AND FAITHFVLL. The preparation vntounto this warre, (marke it, and marke it well, all yee on the Lambes ſide) is ſet downe in the former chap. vponupon the powring out of the vyoll of the 6. Angell (which noteth this very laſt time, immediately foregoing the ſeuenth Angell, at the powring forth of whoſe vyoll, is the finall, and fatall conſummation p. 38all theſe earthly ſtates) three vncleane ſpirits like froggs came out of the mouth of the Dragon, and out of the mouth of the Beaſt, and of the mouth of the falſe Prophet: for they are the ſpirits of Diuells, working miracles, which go forth to the Kings of the earth, and of the whole world to gather them to the battail of that great day of God Almighty. Loe here this fulfilled before our eyes this day: when were there more ſwarmes of Ieſuites (thoſe vncleane ſpirits, thoſe frogs, thoſe ſpirits of Diuells, that ſeduce with lyes that teach doctrines of Diuells) and that, as is to bee doubted, in England, where this battaile is mainely intended to be fought, then at this day? how doth the Pope here animate and incite them, and how vigilant and diligent are theſe froggs, to arme ſtates, and kingdomes here, and elſe where, yea, like thoſe froggs of Egipt, crawling into Kings Chambers, by their Croking and crowching, to gather them to this great battaile of the great day of God Almighty. Now, euen now (I ſay) is this a doing; and for their better ſucceſſe, and good ſpeede in this battaile, they hauehave the anxious prayers of the mournefull Church. But bleſſed be God our comfort is, they be but the anxious prayers of the malignant Church, not of the truly Militant. For the Pope ſpeakes of his owne Roman Catholique Church, that Antichriſtian, Apoſtatized Church, that whore of Babilon, that enemy of Chriſt, and his word; That Church, whoſe prayers; are abomination to the Lord; for as much as they not onelyonly proceede of infidelitie, and want of true faith in God, which they hauehave altogether abandoned, and accurſſed, as in their councell of Trent: but becauſe alſo they are powred out for obtaining of their moſt wicked ends, and purpoſes, as the diſhonour of God, treaſons, and rebellions, murthers, and maſſacres, and all miſchiefes. God forbid, ſuch prayers, for all their anxiety, ſhould prevaile with God. Nay, God hath forbid it, as he hath forbid ſuch abominable prayers. What ſucceſſe had the Popes anxious prayers againſt poore Luther **Hiſt. Concil. Tr…d Latin. editio. pag. 9.wherin he ſolicited Chriſt, Peter, Paul, all the Gods, and Goddeſſes, p. 39the whole Roman Catholique Church, militant, and triumphant. Or what ſucceſſe had all his ſolemne proceſſions, his new letanies to the Bleſſed Virgin in Spaine, and elſe where, in behalfe of the invincible Armado? So little feare is there of any ſuch prayers, though neuer ſo anxious.

But alas! would to God our ſinnes were not more prevalent to pull vponupon vsus the plague of your ſpirit of Charitie, and fortitude, then your prayers: which your prayers if they proue to hauehave any force at all againſt vsus, it is from the impotent ſtrength of our iniquities, not of any your pietie. Wee feare not that awfull name of the Church, though neuer ſo mournefull, which you arrogate to your ſelues and appropriate to Rome; Although wee know that the prayers of the true Church, when ſhee is moſt mournefull, are moſt powerfull with God. Wee feare not the bead-rolles of your Babelling prayers, your Aue-Maries, your Maſſes, your ſolemne Proceſſions, and infinit ſuch trumperies. Wee know that your God, is not as our God, euen your owne conſciences being witneſſes, and ſo manifold externall euidences of his diuine dealing in mercy for vsus, in judgement againſt you, in all thoſe former attempts of yours againſt vsus. And know O Romiſh ſinagogue, that in vaine doe yee machinate, and meditate the ruine of this faire Church, and ſtate, if wee bee true but to this our God, who hath euer been ſo true to vsus: your warre againſt vsus ſhall not preuaile, if wee labour to bee at peace with him. Your prayers ſhall bee of no force, where our faithfull and mournefull prayers interpoſe themſelues. If God, as euer hitherto, bee on our ſide, how ſhall you bee againſt vsus: Doe you not remember how many times, how mightily, how miraculouſly our God hath defended vsus, and defeated you? how he fruſtrated your proud confidence in that your invinſible Nauy in 88. as he did the Aegiptians in the Red Sea? doe yee not remember, how in your Gunpowder plott, wherein you digged as deepe as hell, preſuming no eye ſaw you, yet his all-ſeeing eye eſpied p. 40you, and deſcried all your councells, to cauſe the heads of thoſe principall powers to bee mounted as high aboue the Parliament houſe, as they mined vnderneath it? VponUpon what confidence then dare you now renew your old attempts? doe you take our God for a changeling? But yee preſume we are become changelings, to make God our enemie. God forbid. Wee hauehave not yet forſaken our God, as yee hauehave done: Yet we muſt needes confeſſe to our owne ſhame, that we hauehave not walked worthy of, nor anſwerably vntounto, all thoſe precious mercies, and bleſſings of God, which from his good hand vponupon vsus, wee hauehave enjoyed for theſe many yeeres, euen to the aſtoniſhment, and ſwelling enuy of all our enemies. Wee hauehave too much declined from our firſt louelove: wee hauehave not rendred to the Lord in thankefulneſſe, according to all his goodneſſe towards vsus: wee hauehave not been ſo zealous of his glory, in maintaining his truth in the purity of it, and in ſuppreſſing ouer audacious hereſie, and Idolatrie among vsus, affronting vsus to our face. The Lord be mercifull to vsus herein. And know, O yee Pontificians, that one publique faſt, of our Church ſolemnly, and ſincerely kept, in humiliation for our manifold and great ſinnes ſhall quaſh, and quell all your Dirges, and Maſſes, all your ſolemne prayers, and Proceſſions, all your hypocriticall faſts, and croſſings, and whatſoeuer ſuperſtitious trumperies, yee can deuiſe againſt vsus. Did yee not heare, did not the fame thereof eccho vponupon Romes gates, what a wonderfull mercy the Lord ſhewed to this Land the laſt yeare, when vponupon the very day of our publike faſt throughout the Land, being the ſecond of Auguſt, (a day worthy to be put in the Rubrick of our perpetuall thankeſgiuing) vponupon that very day (I ſay) God began euen miraculouſly to ſtoppe that ſad and vnſeaſonable influence of heauen, wherewith our fields, now waxing white to the harueſt, were ſo pittifully drenched, that almoſt all hope of harveſt, was drowned in our feare of a deluge in ſtead thereof: yet even then began the heauens to cleare, and cheare vp their p. 41clowdy, and angry countenance; when wee began to weepe, they began to ſmile; and from that day forward continued ſo extraordinarily, and conſtantly faire, without one dayes intermiſſion, vntill by Gods fauour, they brought vsus in not onelyonly an harveſt in ſeaſon, but in an extraordinary aboundance? hath the Lord done thus to vsus for temporall things vponupon ſuch our humiliation, and will not be alſo for ſpirituall much more when wee truly ſett our ſelues to ſeeke his face and fauour in the pardon of our ſinnes? Aſſuredly he will. And as you may remember our deliverance from your Gunpowder plott vponupon the fifth of Nouember: ſo yee may bee pleaſed to recognize, how the ſame God ſent a fearefull vengance, in bringing the ſame**A houſe in the Black Fryers in London, where the Papiſts were aſſembled to heare a popiſh Sermon, by Gods iuſt iudgment wonderful in our eyes, fell downe ſodainly vponupon them, and ſlew many ſcores of them. Houſe downe vponupon your heads, when there yee being ſolemnely aſſembled, began to erect your Dagon cheeke by joule by Gods Arke, and to aduance the Throne of your Antichriſt euen in the face of Chriſts Tribunall: and all this (remember, and marke it well) vponupon your very fifth of Nouember. Remember I ſay, and forget it not, that it may teach you to tremble before that God of Ours: and euer may we alſo remember it, for thankefullneſſe to our God, for vindicating his owne cauſe, and glory againſt ſuch proud, and inſolent affronts. Well, conſult (I ſay) lay your heads, ioyne you forces together, arme your ſelues with as much might, as yee hauehave malice againſt vsus, we feare you not, ſo long as we ſhall oppoſe our religious, to your anxious prayers. Wee praying and humbling our ſelues, as behoues vsus, yee ſhall no more prevaile againſt vsus, then Amaleck did againſt Iſraell, while Moſes bands were held vp. The Lord giuegive all his people grace to put on the true Armour of Light, euen the whole Armour of God, whereby wee may ſtand faſt in the euill day. Then ſhall wee be ſure, that not all your ſpirit of charitie, (which is nothing elſe, but the ſpirit of malignitie, and confederacie againſt Chriſt) now your ſpirit of fortitude (which is the ſpirit of all lawleſſe daring againſt God and his Goſpell) ſhall any whit auaile you.

p. 42In the meane time, yee mightily triumph in your hopes, as if already yee had the victorie. So yee did in 88▪ ſo at the Gunpowder plot. Yee may now as well as then, reckon before your Hoſt. Yet it is good for vsus to take notice of this your confidence of triumph. It may teach vsus, though not to feare your brags, yet not to bee ſecure, but to prouide betimes to preuent your triumphs, and to turne the examples of your fortitude, into the examples, and ſpectacles of confuſion, iuſtly falling vponupon ſuch Giant-like fighters, againſt God, and his Word.

But beſide your anxious prayers, you hauehave your councels; yea councels of your onelyonly Apoſtolicke inerrabilitie, of your Apoſtolicke Senate, Papa eſt lex animata in terris Gloſſ. lib. 1. tit. 14. & iura omnia in pectore cenſetur habere.your Conclaue of Cardinals drawing all their councells from your Holineſſe breaſt. For that is the proper ſeate of all your Senatorian power and councells. Your predeceſſor Pope Nicholas the third, aſſumed to himſelfe the whole Senatorian power; he, by decree, ſhut out all other temporall regiment in Rome and about, and ſubiected it all to his Apoſtolick Soueraintie. This now is your Apoſtolicke Senate. Thus you proue your ſelfe that Beaſt, bearing the Image of the former; to wit, of the ancient ſecular Roman power: Reuel. 13. Thus you exerciſe the whole power thereof, being perpetuall Dictator, hauing Conſular and Senatorian power, which ioyn'd with Apoſtolicke, ſhoweth you to bee both the ſeauenth and the eighth Head of that great Beaſt, and ſo inſumme, that Antichriſt. Your Apoſtolicke Senate is of no leſſe power, then that ancienter Roman Senate, to whom it belonged to admit into, or to reiect from the number of their Gods, whom they pleaſed. So that Tiberius the Emperour could not preuaile to hauehave Chriſt ſainted for a God, becauſe the Senate forſooth had not firſt allowed of it. And doth not your Apoſtolicke Senate the ſame? You ſaint and defie whom you pleaſe, And Chriſt himſelfe is no farther God with you, but as you limit him, by diuiding his Prerogatiues among your other pettie Gods & Saints: yea his mother you ſet aboue him, & your own Apoſtolicke Senats aboue all, in Heauen & earth.

p. 43You told vsus before, you feared our Counſels. What need you? You hauehave all counſell in your Apoſtolike Conclaue. You can ſay to vsus, as once your predeceſſor**See Fox his Mon. pag. 243. This was the Pope Innocent, that firſt ordained, that his Cardinals ſhould weare red hats, when they rode abroad, not only for conſpicuouſnes, but to put them in minde to bee ready, to ſhed blood for the ſafety of their Roman Catholike faith and chriſtians. Innocent the fourth, to Henry the third King of England, when hee went about to reſtraine Papall vſurpation in this Kingdome: Rex Anglorum (in quis) qui jam recalcitrat & Frederiz at, ſuum habet conſilium: ego vero & meum habeo, quod & ſequur. The Engliſh King (ſaith he) who now kicketh with the heele, and playeth the Fredericke, hath his Counſell: and I alſo hauehave my Counſell which I will follow. Of the two, we feare more your counſels, then your prayers. But foraſmuch as you ſpare not here to blaſpheme alſo the Holy Ghoſt: our truſt is, he will befoole all your Counſels. Dare your father your impious Counſels, and confederacies vponupon the Holy Ghost, that his Lights ſhould be your Oracles? Dare you aſcribe your Counſels of darkneſſe to the illuminations of the Holy Ghost? Surely your Holineſſe is deceiued. Is it not that ſpirit, which (as ſome of the Cardinals with their Pope Iohn the twentie two,Synodus Lugdunenſis. ſitting in a Counſell at Rome, praying for the preſence of the Holy Ghost, ſaid) appeared in the likeneſſe of an oughly Owle, Nic. Clemangis.out ſtaring the Pope in his face? This indeed is a liuely embleme of that Spirit, by whoſe Oracle your Apoſtolicke counſels are directed. But neuer for ſhame goe about to perſwade the world, that your counſels for treaſons, and rebellions, for abſoluing ſubiects from their fidelitie, and allegiance, are the illuminations of the Holy Ghost. So was Mahomets Doue his Holy Ghoſt. So his epilepſian or comitiall fit, but a trance, wherein he talked with his Angell Gabriell. So might**Baronius. Eugenius the third, your predeceſſor, hauehave two holy Ghoſts at once attending vponupon him, while, as he was ſaying Maſſe, two Doues miraculouſly aſcended and deſcended vponupon him. So Zedechiah the falſe Prophet might perſwade he had the Spirit intail'd to him, as you to Peters chaire, when he ſaid to Michaiah, When went the ſpirit from me, to ſpeake vntounto thee? So did Numa Pompilius your Romane Law-giuer found and father his Lawes vponupon his familiar conference p. 44with his fained goddeſſe Egeria. Such is your Holy Ghoſt. I quake to repeat the words of your blaſphemies. And for your Armour of light, what is it but Piſtols, Stellettoes, Poyſons, your vſuall weapons, whereby you perpetrate thoſe helliſh workes of darkneſſe, which who ſo putteth not off, can neuer put on the Armour of Light.

Yet notwithſtanding all theſe blaſphemies, which ſhall certainly haſten confuſion to Babels pride; notwithſtanding their vaine confidence in many prayers, which for all their number, want weight: yet, foraſmuch as at this preſent, they ſet all their Counſels a worke for the bringing to paſſe of ſome damnable plot againſt this Church and State, which by all apparant ſignes, ſo farre as wee may gather from the language of Babell in this Papall Bull (wherein his Holineſſe is ſtill vp with Conſtancy, and Fortitude, animating his ſonnes to a ſublimitie of a triumphant mind, and to be ready to vndergoe impriſonment, the racke, death; whereof, for ought that wee can ſee, there is no ſuch occaſion giuen to ſpeake, but rather the contrary, in regard of the great mildneſſe vſed towards them; and the large libertie they enioy) cannot bee any other deſigne, but ſome ſtrong and ſudden Inuaſion, whereby to ſubiugate this poore Church, and State to Papall thraldome, and to the Iberian (in plaine Engliſh) Spaniſh crueltie: this may bee a ſufficient warning to awaken vsus out of our ſweet ſlumber, and to buckle on out Armour, to defend our Religion, Countrey, Liues, Libertie, the noble England, againſt this proud Antichriſt, and all his Confederates. It followeth.

ANd if violence proceed ſo farre, as it compell you, to that pernicious, and vnlawfull Oath of Alleagiance of England, remember that your prayer is heard of the whole aſſemblies of the Angels beholding you; and let your tongues cleaue to your gummes, before you cauſe the authoritie of bleſſed Peter to bee diminiſhed with that p. 45forme of Oath. For that is not all, that fidelitie be kept to the King, but that the ſacred Scepter of the Catholique Church be wrung from the Vicars of God Almightie; that which our predeceſſor Paul the fifth of bleſſed memorie in ſo graue a deliberation decreed, that ought yee altogether to obſerue, as the decree of truth. Beloved ſonnes, this tribute due to the Prince of the Apoſtles, no threats of men, or flatteries, ought at any time to extort from you; they that perſwade you otherwiſe, thoſe prophecie to you a lying viſion, and a fraudulent divination. For ſooner ought the ſword of the mightie, to take away from a Chriſtian man his life, then his faith. Yea, if an Angell from Heaven teach you otherwiſe, then the Apoſtolique truth, let him bee accurſed.

Anſwer.

A…ter the skirmiſh all this while, at length his Holineſſe comes to the maine battell, wherein the ſinewes of Pontifician ſtrength conſiſts, and wherein Antichriſt ſhewes himſelfe in his Colours diſplayed. Here he valiantly cuts in ſunder the Gordian knot of all ciuill ſocietie; not as Peter, cutting off onelyonly the eare, but the whole head from the body. For the ſumme of this clauſe is, to charge his ſonnes by no meanes to ſuffer the Oath of Allegiance to bee impoſed vponupon them eyther by flatterie, or by force. But why ſhould his Holineſſe bee ſo ſtreight laced for the taking of the Oath, ſeeing hee can with a wet finger, abſolue or diſſolue it at his pleaſure? Henry the third, King of England knew this too well, when truſting ſtill to the purchaſe of Papall abſolutions, hee would not ſticke to ſweare, and ſeale to ſolemne couenants made with his Nobles in Parliament, which to breake at his pleaſure, it was but ſending to Rome. But the caſe (it ſeemeth) ſtandeth now vponupon more tickle termes. Something is to bee p. 46done out of hand, which eyther will not admit of the Oath, as being a clogge to reſolution; or admitted; cannot tarie for an abſolution from Rome, as being an impediment to ſpeedy execution. But come wee to the words as they lye.

If violence proceeded ſo farre, as to compell you to that pernitious, and vnlawfull Oath of Allegiance of England, &c. Surely ſuch oathes of fidelitie, as muſt bee extorted from ſubiects to their lawfull Prince, are ſcarce worthy to bee truſted; Slaues and not ſubiects require ſuch violence. Yet indeed if an Oath be pernitious, and vnlawfull, not violence it ſelfe ſhould extor it. But the Oath of Allegiance of England (ſaith his Holineſſe of Rome) is pernitious, and vnlawfull. Pernitious, to whom? To his Holines: vnlawfull? By what law, by none, But his Holineſſe owne law. When (till the Pope broached it) was an Oath of fidelitie, betweene Subiects, and Prince, vnlawfull; let the Pope ſhow this (I ſay not, in the ſacred, but) in any prophane ſtorie, yea or in the Turkes Alcoran. But it is enough, if the Pope ſaith it. But if violence, &c. Remember that your prayer is heard of the whole aſſembly of the Angels beholding you. Remember? Since when? Or whence know they this? The Pope tels them ſo. But why the Angels? Were it not more comfort to bee heard of God, then of the whole aſſembly of the Angels? But what if the Angels bee otherwiſe, other where imployed, as in remoteſt parts, of heauen, or earth, farre from the ſight of England? What if the Popes ſonnes doe not pray lowd enough, as to be heard of the whole aſſembly of Angels? They had need cry a loud, as Elias told the Prieſts of Baal. But leaſt, as Elias, wee prouoke their Zeale too much, to launch their fleſh, we will paſſe ouer this; only noting againe (being occaſioned a freſh) that this Angell ſeruice, ſo much eſteemed; and commended by the Pope to his ſonnes, is a moſt infallible marke of that Antichriſt and great Apoſtate from Christ the Head, as Col. 2. 18. 19.

And let your tongue cleaue to your gummes, before, &c. It p. 47was a part of Iſraels ſong in Babilon: If I remember not thee. O Ieruſalem, let my tongue cleaue to my gummes &c. And loe here the King of the ſpirituall Babilon, vſurpes this Scripture, and would hauehave his ſonnes, converſing in Iury, rather to ſuffer their tongues to cleaue to their gummes, then ſuffer the honour of Babylon, of Rome, to be impeached. Yea but the Pope ſaith not ſo; but Rather then you cauſe the authoritie of bleſſed Peter to bee diminiſhed with that forme of Oath. What is this to Babylon? Yes. For Peter from Babylon, writ his Epiſtles. What is this to Rome? Yes ſaith the Pope, Peter was now at Rome, which he calleth Babylon. A ſound proofe that Peter was at Rome. Rather ſhall Rome be Babylon, then the Pope will want Proofe, that Peter was at Rome. For elſe how ſhall the Pope be Peters ſucceſſour? But admit Peter was at Rome: muſt therefore the Pope bee Peters Succeſſour: But Peter was Byſhop of Rome. To omitt invinſible arguments againſt it, ſuppoſe that too. Yet the Pope can neuer prooue that Peter was Pope of Rome. Great difference betweene the Byſhops of Rome, and the Popes of Rome, yea the Pope of Rome, foreign. The Byſhops of Rome, till Conſtantine the Great, were all, or moſt of them Martyrs: all of them were of equall juriſdiction with other Patriarches, onelyonly preceding them in order of place, not of power, till Boniface the 3. vſurped his Supremacie over all Byſhops, with his Papall Motto, Volumus & Jubemus, we will and command; after this alſo, all were ſubiect to the Emperour, till Gregory the 7. None of them wore any ſuch thing as a ſingle Diadem, till Sylueſter, none the triple crowne, till Boniface the 8. Yet now forſooth all Papall power and Pompe muſt be deriued from bleſſed Peter, which (alas good man) he never had. But (to inciſt in the preſent purpoſe) where or when, or whence had bleſſed Peter any ſuch Souerainety, and authority over Kinges, and their Kingdomes? you hauehave pregnant proofes for it: as Chriſt ſaid to Peter, Feede my ſheepe: that is, ſaith your Bellarmine, Regi… more Impera, Raigne as Kings. But Peter was of another minde: as p. 48where he teacheth: Byſhops not to be as Lords ouer Gods heritage, but as examples to the flocks. And ſubmit your ſelues to every ordinance of man, for the Lords ſake, whether it be to the King, as Supreme. What ſaith your Holineſſe to this; we know you want not ſhiftes, as here to accept, and exempt Peter himſelfe. What can yee not ſay, while yee can abuſe the Scriptures themſelues, as you liſt? Peters feeding of Chriſts flocks, you can turne to Kingly raigne, and convert Peters ſheepehooke, into a papall Scepter. Chriſt bid Peter, launch out into the deepe: here (ſay you) the Pope hath power giuen him to fiſh all the world. Thus, yee neede never want Scripture to proue your Papall Paradoxes. But what ſay you to Peters paying of Tribute to the Emperor for Chriſt and himſelfe, at Chriſts appointment? Is not Tribute a token of ſubiection? But from this very place, your Bellarmine can learnedly proue Peters Supremacie over all. But over Princes too? Yes by the bye, in directly, at leaſt in ordine ad ſpirituali, yea, the Pope Ʋrban himſelfe, no leſſe learnedly, then Papally, interprets that place of the Tribute in the fiſhes mouth, ſaying,**Cauſa. 23. q. 8. Tributum in Gratian. that by the piece of money in the fiſhes mouth, is meant onelyonly the exteriour things of the Church, which ſhe giueth to Kings, to defend Her in peace, but not the Pontificall Apex or Supremacie, which is ſupereminent in the mouth of the head of the Church. So the Pope. Though Chriſt ſaid, Pay that for Me and Thee, ſpeaking expreſſely of their perſons, implying the ſubiection of Eccleſiaſticall perſons to Emperours, and Kings. And as the Gloſſe confeſſeth, Tributum eſt ſignum ſubiectionis: Tribute as a ſigne of ſubiection. And yet more, rather then faile, Cardinall Baronius hath taken in hand to proue the Pop…s Supremacie, as well Papall, as Sacerdocall, from the very ſhadow of Peter, Act. 5. 15. which ſhadow the Pope retaining in himſelfe, makes him a complete Lord Paramount. Thus by hooke or by crooke you will hauehave it, though all proue to bee but a ſhadow. But will you, nill you, both Peters practiſe, and Peters doctrine are flatte contrary to yours, and croſſeth all your Gloſſes; nor hauehave you ſo much as a ſhadow for it.

p. 49Yet if your plea from Peter, as his Succeſſor, will not hold water: yee adde ad corroborandum titulum; your plea from Chriſts Ʋicarſhip. You ſay, that is not all, that fidelitie be kept vntounto the King, but that the ſacred Scepter of the Catholike Church bee wrung from the Ʋicars of God Almightie. That you here againe ſleight our gracious King, not vouchſafing him the title of King of England, or your ſonnes King, wee maruell not; we ſmell your ſecret reſeruation, either that he is no King, that holds not his crowne of your holineſſe; or that the Kingdome of England in ſpeciall, is none otherwiſe to bee holden, but as in King Iohns time, in ſee of the Pope. But great reaſon you ſhould hauehave regard to your Catholike, or rather your Romane Catholike Church. For ſure the Catholike Church of Chriſt neuer had any ſuch ſacred Septer, as you ſpeake of, to which the diſpoſall of Kings, and Kingdomes is ſubiect. But your Romane hath, and therefore not Catholike. Whence then hauehave you this ſacred Septer? by vertue of your Ʋicarſhip of God Almightie. Doe not now equiuocate with vsus: or, goe not about to found a new Ʋicarſhip: yet this is not the firſt time, you and your Predeceſſours of late dayes hauehave entituled your ſelues Gods Ʋicars. As in that inſcription or Dedication to Paul 5.Paulo V. vice Deo. (whom by and by yee name) Paulo V. 5. V.Vice Deo: to Paul V. vice God: whereof the numerall letters,5. L. as well in the Latine as in the Engliſh, 5. V.make vp the number of the beaſt, 5. V.666. you were wont formerly to content your ſelues with the title of Chriſts Ʋicar: 100. C.but now muſt yee be the Ʋicars of God, 500. D.of God Almightie: that from thence you may deriue an omnipotencie to your ſelues, as it was added to that former inſcription: Paulo V. vice Deo, totius orbis Chriſtiani, Monarchae & Pontificiae omnipotentiae defenſori acerrimo: To Paul 5. vice God, the Monarch of the whole Chriſtian world, and the moſt ſtout defender of the Papall omnipotencie. No maruell then, if you entitle your ſelues, the Ʋicars of God Almightie, rather then of Chriſt.

But (you will ſay) all comes to one reckoning, ſith Chriſt is God Almightie; and therefore it is all one to be the Vicar of p. 50Chriſt, & of God almightie. By your fauour, no: for although Chriſt be God almightie yet in this caſe of your pretended Vicarſhip it is one thing to ſay Chriſts Ʋicar: another, God Almighties Vicar. Chriſts Vicar here on earth wee acknowledge none, but his owne and the Fathers holy Spirit; him, Chriſt ſent to ſupply his ſtead, at his aſcenſion. This Spirit gouernes and directs his Church into all truth. This is that other Comforter, the ſpirit of truth By this ſpirit Chriſt is preſent with his Church to the end of the world. But for any one viſible, and ſingular Vicar, Christ hath appointed none, the Church acknowledgeth none. As for any Vicar generall viſible of God almightie, ſimply conſidered as God, and gouernour, and iudge of all here on earth, wee acknowledge not any. OnelyOnly all lawfull Magiſtrates, as Kings and Princes, are as ſo many Vicegerents of God almightie, to gouerne and moderate their peculiar Dominions, in, for, and according to God, and his word; theſe be Gods Lieutenants here on earth, and therefore called Gods. Now giuegive me leaue to tell you, that the iuriſdiction of God almighty here on earth is diſtinct from that of Chriſt. Gods iuriſdiction is alſo in things temporall: Chriſts iuriſdiction as Mediator is in things ſpirituall. Theſe two iuriſdictions are not compatible, not coincident, or concurrent in their totall extent in any one man. OnelyOnly the outward politie of the Church, both as touching perſons, and cauſes Eccleſiaſticall, are ſubordinated to God almighties Lieutenants here on earth, as all ſupreame Magiſtrates: ſo that in this regard, thoſe that are Chriſts Vicegerents in common, as all faithfull Miniſters of the Gospell, who are Chriſts Legats, or Ambaſſadors (2. Cor. 5. 28.) are for their perſons, and outward eſtate ſubiect to God almighties Lieutenants, ſet ouer them.

So that if you will confine your ſelfe to the title of Chriſts Vicar: firſt, as no man is capable of that title, as you challenge it: ſo neither can you by vertue thereof ſhew you hauehave any ſuch power deriued vponupon you from Christ; for Chriſt left, or bequeathed no other kinde of power to his Church, but ſuch as himſelfe, as he was the Minister of the p. 51Goſpell exerciſed in his Miniſters here on earth. Now Chriſt in that diſpenſation of his, exerciſed no ſuch power or iuriſdiction ouer Kings, and Princes; yea, he practiſed the contrary; he ſubmitted himſelfe to pay tribute to Caeſar; yea, to be iudged at Caeſars barre, from which the Pope hath exempted himſelfe, and Clergie, by his papall decrees. And was it, becauſe Chriſt wanted power to vindicate and defend himſelfe from Caeſars power? No ſurely. With the breath of his mouth his apprehenders fell backward to the ground. Hee had twelue legions of Angels in readineſſe to defend him.

Object. But had not Chriſt, as being God, ſoueraigne power ouer Kings and Princes, to diſpoſe of their kingdomes, and the like, if it had pleaſed him?

Anſw. Chriſt the Mediatour (the office whereof he came to execute) is to be conſidered, not ſimply as God, but as hee was God-man. In that regard the power of his diſpenſation, was limited by his Father, that ſent, and appointed him. So that Chriſt ſaid, I came to doe, not mine owne will, but the will of him that ſent me. Not that Chriſts will was contrary to his fathers, but ſubordinate onelyonly, as Mediatour, to doe that which the father appointed him, and no more. Chriſt would not, muſt not goe beyond his Commiſſion, receiued of the father. Now the Father gaue him no ſuch commiſſion of a temporall iuriſdiction, no not ſo much as in ſmall cauſes. When thoſe two brethren came to him, intreating him to diuide their inheritance betweene them: hee refuſed, ſaying, Who made me a Iudge, Luke 12. v. 14.Luke 12:14or a diuider ouer you? Hee had no commiſſion in ſuch things from the Father. And if not in ſmaller matters, as that was, how much leſſe ouer Emperours and Kings.

Obiect. But although Chriſts power was limited, during his abode on earth in the ſtate of his humiliation: yet after▪ his reſurrection, hee receiued an abſolute, and vnlimited power: as he ſaith, All power is giuen mee in heauen and earth: from this power doth the Pope, as Chriſts Ʋicar challenge a Supremacie ouer Kings and States, to depoſe, diſpoſe, &c.

p. 52Anſw. When Saint Iohn in that viſion ſaw the great where, that Beaſt full of the names of blaſphemie, hee wondred with great admiration. But when wee ſee this blaſphemous Beaſt not in a viſion, but with open eyes, how can we chooſe but greatly wonder? for this very ſpeech of Chriſt, the Pope aſſumes as ſpoken of himſelfe, and that in as full, yea, more ample māner, then Chriſt applied it to himſelfe. For although by this ſpeech Chriſt declared himſelfe to his Diſciples, and ſo to his Church, to be the Sonne of God conſecrated for euer Lord ouer all, to the great comfort of his drooping Diſciples, now at his departure: yet herein doth not Chriſt ſhow any alteration in the diſpenſation of his Miniſtery, deputed to his Diſciples. Hee doth not hereby inueſt his Miniſters with a larger power and commiſſion, then himſelfe executed in his owne perſon, while hee was with them; for what followeth? All power is giuen me in heauen, and earth: go ye therefore and teach all Nations, baptizing them, &c. Hee ſaith not, Goe yee therefore, and exerciſe this power of mine ouer the Kings of the earth, and if they will not obey your Miniſterie, depoſe them, or abſolue their people from their allegiance, and diſpoſe you of their Kingdomes to whom you will. Much leſſe ſaid he any ſuch thing to Peter alone: Goe Thou therefore, and hauehave thou all power in heauen and earth, for thee, and for thy ſucceſſour in the See of Rome. No ſuch thing. All the power that Chriſt delegates to his Diſciples, and that in common men, is for their Miniſteriall function, to preach the Word▪ and adminiſter the Sacraments. Herein Peter had but his ſhare with the reſt of his fellowes. They were ioyned in equall Commiſſion, none aboue another; much leſſe aboue others in any Temporall Iuriſdiction. To this their function, Chriſt to animate and arme them, againſt all difficulties, and diſcouragements, either in regard of their owne infirmities, and naturall diſabilities, or of the worlds malice and might in oppoſing them: hee tels them, All power is giuen me in heauen, and earth: Goe yee therefore, &c. Feare nothing, for I, who hauehave all power giuen me in heauen and earth, am with you, and will be with you to the end of the world. And it is worth p. 53the noting, that this laſt charge, which Chriſt (now leauing the world, and ſo his Diſciples, as concerning his bodily preſence) gaue vntounto them, hee gaue it in common to them all, without putting difference: which plainly ſheweth, that Chriſt left no Supremacie to Peter ouer the reſt of his fellowes, as the Pope vſurpeth, which otherwiſe no doubt hee would hauehave expreſſed, if it had bene ſuch an Article of faith, whereupon depended the neceſſitie of ſaluation, as Pontificians teach.

Yet for all this, the Pope will needes (as Chriſts Ʋicar) challenge theſe words to himſelfe, and be an equall ſharet with him in them, All power is giuen mee in heauen and earth. For they ſay, De Concil. author. l. 2. cap. 17.Chriſt and the Pope hauehave but one Conſiſtorie; and, ſaith Bellarmine, Nomina omnia, quae in ſcripture is tribuuntur Chriſto (vnde conſtat cum eſſe ſupra Eccleſiam) eadem omnia tribuuntur Pontifici. All names, which are giuen to Chriſt in the Scriptures) whereby he is declared to bee ouer the Church) all thoſe ſame are attributed to the Pope. Thus in the Councell of Latera they called Pope Leo 10. the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah; and many other names of Blasphemie, which are ſpoken perſonally of Chriſt:Extrauag. com. vnam ſanctam. yea the Pope himſelfe ſaith (Boniface 8) That Chriſt, Peter, and his Succeſſour, are all one head of the ſame Church.Sexti de electione ca. 17. fundamenta. And Pope Nicolas 3. goes a little higher; Chriſt (ſaith he) hath placed the myſterie of the Apoſtolike function principally in bleſſed Peter, the chiefe of all the Apoſtles, that from him, as from a certaine head, he might diffuſe his gifts, as it were into all the body: for, taking him into the fellowſhip of the indiuiduall vnitie, the Lord would hauehave him named that, which he himſelfe was, ſaying, Tues Petrus, & ſuper hanc Petram &c. In a word, the Popes triple crowne, is to ſignifie his triple Dominion and iuriſdiction in heauen, earth, and purgatorie, and thoſe ſubterreſtiall or infernall kingdomes, according to that Phil. 2. v. 10. & Pſal. 8. 7. v. 8. which places they familiarly apply to the Popes vnlimited power in theſe places; vnderſtanding by the Beaſts, men on earth, by the Fiſhes, ſoules in hell, and purgatorie; and by the Fowles, the winged Angels; ouer all which, the Pope ſaith, he hath p. 54dominion. Thus all power is giuen him in heauen and earth. Thus hee runnes away with Chriſts power, but leaues the charge of Chriſt to his Diſciples, to preach the word, and adminiſter the Sacraments.

But in the meane time, all this arrogant, and blaſphemous vſurpation of the Pope, what doth it, but moſt clearely conclude him to be that Great Antichriſt, deſcribed in the Scripture? This is hee, that exalis himſelfe aboue all that is called God, or that is worſhipped. This is hee, that ſits in, or vponupon the temple of God, ſhewing himſelfe that he is God; to wit, inueſted in all the power of God, and of Chriſt, in heauen, and earth, as the Ʋicar of God almightie. Herein, hee is not Chriſts Ʋicar, who would not meddle in matters of the world;Luke 4. v. 6.Luke 4:6 but indeede his Vicar, that ſaid to Chriſt, All this power will I giuegive thee, and the glory of them; for that is deliuered vntounto me, and to whomſoeuer I will, I giuegive it. The Dragon ſpake this: and of Antichriſt it is ſaid, that he hath two hornes like a Lambe, but ſpeakes like the Dragon. The Pope ſpeakes iuſt like the Dragon here.Hadrian. Epiſt. apud Auentin. lib. 6. 506. See alſo Fox his Mon. pag. 184. See this verified in the Pope to an haire, to a very letter. Pope Hadrian ſaith, Ʋnde habet Imperator Imperium, niſi à nobis, &c. From whence hath the Emperour his Empire, but from vsus? that which the Emperour hath, he hath it all of vsus &c. Loe, it is in our power to giuegive it, to whomſoeuer we will. As Ier. 1. 10.Jer 1:10Therefore wee are appointed of God ouer Nations, and Kingdomes, that wee ſhould deſtroy and plucke vp. See how like the Sonnes voice is to the Syres. Hee ſpeakes iuſt like the Dragon, onelyonly in a more loftie ſtile, wee, for I. Alſo Pius 5. in his Bull againſt Queene Elizabeth, of happy memorie, vſed the like ſpeech in Ier. 1. v. 10. So that the Pope, and his clients conclude, that all Emperours and Kings hold their Empires, and Kingdomes but in fee of the Pope. Thus Henry 1. King of England, was glad with much paying and praying to obtaine of Pope Alexander the 3. that he, and his ſucceſſours ſhould hauehave the title of the King of England. Platina.This held till King Iohns time, when the P…pe againe reſumed the kingdome of England into his own power, but was content at length to let King Iohn hauehave it to farme. So Pope Celeſtine p. 553. crowned Henry 6.See Fox his Mon. p. 221. Emperour, and his Empreſſe with his holineſſe feet, and when he had done ſo, ſtrucke it off againe with his foot; to ſignifie it was in the power of the fame foot to take away his crowne that had put it on. Thus we ſee Antichriſt exalting himſelfe aboue all that is called God, and that in the higheſt degree. So that it may be admired, that any man hauing but his eyes open to compare the Pope with his owne picture,1. Theſ. 2.1 Thess 2 can doubt, that he is that Antichriſt; vnleſſe ſuch men be giuen vp to a ſtrong deluſion, becauſe they receiued not the louelove of the truth. But it is lamentable to ſee learned men ſo blind-folded, as not to ſee this Myſterie of iniquitie. But more pernicious, that not ſeeing it themſelues, they would perſwade the world alſo, that the Pope is not Antichriſt. Is it time now to make Apologies for the Pope not to be Antichriſt, when he ſo egregiouſly plaies the Antichriſt, euen vnderunder our noſes? when hee goes about to ſeduce, and withdraw the hearts of ſubiects from the King, from our gracious Soueraigne? It was Tortus his ſpeech, noted by the learned Biſhop, in his Tortura, to be Romes Doctrine,Tortura Torti pag. 328. that at the hiſſing of a ſlye, which is in Babylon, namely at Rome, the ſubiects would reuolt from the obedience of their Prince, and ſo by the window treaſon immediately entreth. The Pope is the flye of Babylon, who can make of the Prince, no Prince, of the ſubiect, no ſubiect, and the no ſubiect, againſt the no Prince; what may he not attempt? But this is, in caſe the Prince bee an Hereticke, or Schiſmaticke. And what is it for the Prince to be an Herticke: forſooth, if hee doe not yeeld himſelfe the Popes Ʋaſſall; which (ſaith the Biſhop) is elſe to deny one of the prime Articles of the Chriſtian faith. It was the caſe of Philip le Bell. Thus the Biſhop.

To proceede: the Pope mentioneth a graue Decree of his Predeceſſor Paul 5. no doubt he meaneth that Bull ſent hither into England, inhibiting his ſonnes the oath of allegiance. The Pope calleth it a Decree of truth, which muſt be diligently obſerued. For a taſte, I will inſert one ſentence of it,Tortura Torti pag 106. cited by the learned Biſhop: Vobis ex verbis ipſis (Iuramenti) perſpicuum eſſe debet, quod huiuſmodi iuramentum, ſaluâ p. 56fide Catholica, & ſalute animarum vestrarum, preſtari non potest▪ From the very words of the oath, it ought to bee cleare vntounto you▪ that ſaith an oath cannot be vndertaken with the ſafetie of the Catholike faith, and the ſaluation of your ſoules. If ſo, good reaſon their tongues ſhould rather cleaue to their gums, then they take it; great reaſon, that neither threats, nor flatteries extort it from them: rather part with life, then faith: yea this they muſt bee ſo vndoubtedly reſolued of, that If an Angell from heauen teach otherwiſe, then this Apoſtolike truth, let him be accurſed. Here at laſt breakes forth the thunderbolt it ſelfe, which were enough to blaſt the very Angels of heauen; if, for ſubiects to denie due obedience to their lawfull Princes, were an Apoſtolike truth. But can a Chriſtian eare heare ſuch blaſphemie without horror, with any patience? This an Apoſtolike doctrine, an Apoſtolike truth: Papall it is, Diabolicall it is, raked out of the pit of hell. Apoſtolike it is not, neither from Paul, nor Peter: from Paul 5. but not from Paul the Apoſtle. Paul teacheth the contrary, Rom. 13. Peter the contrary, 1. Pet. 2. 13. how durſt you, you bleſſed Apoſtles, preach ſuch a doctrine, as is contrary to the Apostolike truth of Rome? either you muſt recant your doctrine, or loe a ſmoaking Anathema is breathed out againſt you.

But leſt thoſe holy Apostles, leſt God himſelfe, leſt Ieſus Christ, leſt the holy Ghost, leſt the whole ſacred word of God ſhould come within the danger of the Popes curſe, and all for the miſtaking of one word Apoſtolike, for Apoſtaticke. We are rather to thinke, that as Manicheus writing himſelfe Apoſtle, hence hee would conclude his damnable doctrines to be Apostolike: ſo the Pope calling himſelfe that Apostolike one, therefore all his lying Oracles muſt be taken for Apostolike truths. And ſee here alſo how impiouſly the Pope goes on to peruert, and prophane the ſacred Scripture. If an Angell from heauen teach you otherwiſe, let him be anathema. This was the Apoſtles ſpeech to the Galathians, rightly applyed. The Pope vſurpes the ſame words, but to his moſt wicked purpoſe. Herein alſo hee ſhewes himſelfe p. 57that great Antichriſt, who was of old noted to be an egregious falſifier, and peruerter of the Scriptures. Take one example:Origen. in Mat. 24. Tract. 27.Matt 24 Origen ſaith, Omnis ſermo qui profitetur, &c. EueryEvery ſpeech that profeſſeth the expoſitions of the Scriptures, and the faith of them, and hath not the truth, is iuſtly to be vnderſtood to be Antichriſt, comming in Christs name, and ſaying, I am Chriſt, lying, and not able to ſhew the forme of truth in himſelfe. How truly this is verified of the Pope, among infinite other inſtances of his audacious peruerting of Scripture, this one here, taken from the Apoſtle, may ſufficiently euince.

But the Oath is preiudiciall to the Catholike faith: to what Catholike faith? you muſt vnderſtand there is a twofold Catholike faith: the one, that of the Scriptures, of the Old Teſtament, and the New, of Chriſt, and the Apoſtles and Prophets, of the whole Church of God in all ages, in all places of the world, which is therefore called the Catholike faith, becauſe it is vniuerſall, and this is the onelyonly true and proper Catholike faith. There is another faith, that hath the name of Catholike, but with an addition, either expreſſed or implied, to wit, the Romane Catholike faith; and becauſe Romane Catholike, therefore indeede not Catholike, no true, but a baſtard Catholike faith. The obiect of this Romane Catholike faith, is together with the Hiſtory of the Scriptures (for the myſterie of the Goſpell contained therein to eueryevery true beleeuers ſaluation, they exclude from being ſo much, as a partiall obiect of this their faith, but in generall onelyonly, as an Hiſtory) the Apocryphall Bookes. Which Saint Ierome ſaith, are for inſtruction of manners, not for instruction of faith, all their Traditions which they call Apoſtolicall, all their Decretales and Extrauagants, and aboue all, that which is the ſumme of all the reſt, the Oracle of the Popes owne breaſt inerrable; and ſo whatſoeuer his Holineſſe either hath taught, or ſhall hereafter teach, as he ſeeth to be moſt commodious, for the preſent ſtate of the Church: all theſe are the adequate obiect of this Roman-Catholike faith. Among which Doctrines Apoſtolike this is one, to denie fidelitie to p. 58Kings and Princes, when the Pope commandeth. This is an Article of the Romane Catholike faith, not to be violated vponupon paine of damnation. So that to take the oath of Allegiance, and keepe it, as it cannot ſtand with the ſafetie of Romane Catholike faith, ſo neither of their owne ſaluation. Why ſo?Vn. Sanct. By the irrefragible decree of Pope Boniface 8. Porrò ſubeſſe Romano Pontifici, &c. Finally, to be ſubiect to the Pontifie or Pope of Rome, we declare, determine, define, and pronounce, that eueryevery humane creature is bound vponupon neceſſitie of ſaluation. But by what authoritie? The gloſſe giues the reaſon, from the very firſt word, Porrò. Porrò, id eſt, Certè, quia ſic eſt: Decret. Greg. de Tranſla. Epiſt. ca. 3. gloſſ.Truely, becauſe it is ſo. A moſt Papall reaſon: for as the Gloſſe ſaith ſententiam, &c. that which is no ſentence, he maketh a ſentence: iniuſtice he can make to be iuſtice, yea of nothing ſomething: quia in his qua vult, et eſt pro ratione voluntas: In thoſe things which he will, his will is for a reaſon. Nor ought any to aske him a reaſon of his doings: ſic volo, ſic iubeo, is ſufficient, quia plenitudinem obtinet poteſtatis; Diſtinct. 40. ſi Papa. In Gratian.becauſe he poſſeſſeth plenitude of power: nor is he pure homo: and if hee ſhall carrie with himſelfe millions of ſoules into hell, there to be puniſhed cum prime Mancipio, with the great Diuell of bell; yet let none preſume to blame, or iudge him for it. So that, though he ſhould deceiue many here in England, perſwading them, that diſloyaltie to their Prince, that rebellion, and treaſon are Apoſtolike doctrines, and ſo leade them with himſelfe into hell, they hauehave their amends in their owne hands, as the Pope hath the Law in his. It followeth.

We in the meane time will entreat the father of lights, that hee ſuffer not the heart of the Engliſh King to bee blinded, who ſhall certainly learne, how great credit is to be giuen to Catholike ſubiects in thoſe things, which you may promiſe; who leſt they ſhould make themſelues lyable to periurie, they had rather breath out their ſpirit, then their voice.

Anſwer.

How? after all theſe blaſphemies againſt God, and his word, dare the Pope intreat the Father of lights? vponupon what p. 59confidence? vponupon what hope to be heard? Will the Father of lights heare the prayer of the man of Sinne, of the Sonne of Perdition, of the great Antichriſt, the Beaſt full of blaſphemies? yea rather, as Chriſt forbad the diuell to confeſſe him, to vſurpe his name, to preach of Ieſus: ſo we intreat the Pope, not to intreat for our King the Lords Annointed: hee needeth none of ſuch prayers. Hee hath daily thouſands of good Chriſtians, of his louing, and faithfull ſubiects, to entreat the Father of lights for him, for his life, Crowne, Kingdome happineſſe; which prayers no doubt will preuaile with God to defeat all Romes prayers and plots, and practiſes, againſt our noble King, Church, and State. We know the Popes prayers to be meerely phariſaicall, in ſtead of praying, to prey vponupon vsus, vnderunder the colour of many Pater noſters, to deuoure our habitations. Againſt the Popes prayers here, our moſt humble, and harty prayers, and ſhall be to the Father of lights in the name of his Sonne Ieſus Chriſt, that hee will not ſuffer the heart of our dread Soueraigne to be blinded with Popiſh bandiſhments, and faire promſes, that ſo he may not too dearely buy the certaine knowledge; how great credit is to be giuen to Romane-Catholikes, in thoſe things which they may promiſe. For note how his holineſſe in the very next words bewrayeth how little confidence is to bee giuen to ſuch promiſes, as his Catholike Sonnes may make; for ſaith he, least they ſhould make themſeles liable to periurie. But it is ſomething, that the Pope had rather his Catholike Sonnes ſhould by making faire promiſes, hazzard their fidelitie therein, then by taking the Oath, incurre the danger of periurie. Although a good Chriſtian makes conſcience as much of his ſolemne promiſe, as of an oath. But it ſeemeth, if his Catholike Sonnes ſhould take the oath, the Pope puts them in minde, they ſhould thereby expoſe themſelues to periurie; ſo that if they doe but promiſe fidelitie, he teacheth them the very ready way to perfidiouſneſſe, and breach of promiſe: for if an oath cannot preſerue them from periurie, how ſhall a promiſe from breach thereof? ſeeing both periurie and perfidiouſneſſe grow from the ſame root of Ieſuiticall doctrine, p. 60Nulla fides ſeruanda cum hereticis: no faith to be kept with heretickes. Herein therefore the Pope is to be commended, that ſeeing he tels vsus plainly, he will keepe no faith with heretickes, neither will he make any faith with them. OnelyOnly herein he is moſt vniuſt, that not onelyonly thoſe, who are the onelyonly true, and orthodox Catholikes, he cals heretickes, and thoſe that are his ſonnes, and conſequently the limmes of Antichriſt, Apoſtates from the faith of Chriſt, he calleth Catholikes: but more eſpecially that hee goeth about to perſwade ſubiects, not to enter into couenant of fidelitie by oath to their rightfull, and onelyonly Soueraigne King ouer them vponupon earth, next vnderunder God; which couenant they ought not onelyonly to make, being demanded, but betweene God and their owne heart religiouſly to vow, and before all the world faithfully auow. He that ſhall perſwade men from this naturall bond of dutie, is a traitour, and vſurper ouer God and man, euen the great Antichriſt. Howſoeuer, I am perſwaded the Pope hath no one Catholike Sonne in England, ſo impious, if he hauehave but a true Engliſh heart in him vn-Ieſuited, that he will refuſe, but rather moſt willingly take the oath, and be ready, whenſoeuer there ſhall be occaſion, to hazzard his perſon, and all his power, againſt any Romiſh Spaniſh Inuaſion. They cannot be ſo farre blinded, and beſotted with Popiſh ſpels, and Ieſuiticall charmes, but that they will euer put an infinite difference betweene their Engliſh, and a Spaniſh King. But if any be otherwiſe minded, hauing exchanged his Engliſh for a Spaniſh heart, if he may not truſt himſelfe to take the oath, for feare of periurie: neither (I truſt) will his bare promiſe be taken, leſt whenſoeuer the great flye ſhould hiſſe out of Babylon, he ſhould forget his promiſe, & turn hornet or waſpe, to ſet againſt the Maſter Bee of this hony-flowing hiue of England. But I truſt (for all the Popes charge here to the contrary) that no Engliſh Papiſt, will ſo far preferre his breath, before his life, that rather then ſpend the one in taking the oath, he will expire the other. It followeth.

But that your vertue may be found more precious then gold, which is tried in the fire: teach that Kingdome, that p. 61there is no ſuch force in the crueltie of enemies, that it is able to extinguiſh the eternall fire of charitie in your hearts. Pray for them, that perſecute you, humilitie patience, concord, faſting, prayer, are your weapons, which in the cruell conflict, ye ought to draw forth, that the palmes of coeleſtiall triumph may flouriſh in your hands: for ſeeing bleſſed Peter was forbidden to ſmite with the ſword the cruell aſſailants of Chriſt: wee exhort you, hauing the preſent good of the Church before our eyes, that in the meane time you thinke the thoughts of peace, and that yee pray for eternall life euen for the King, while he takes away your mortall life. So muſt the ſouldiers of Chriſt make warre, vnderunder the banner of the Croſſe; the mouth of them that ſpeake wicked things, ſhall be confounded, ſeeing ye know not, to hate thoſe who torment you. But the Lord, who is able to turne your ſorrow into ioy, ſhall be at your right hand, that yee be not moued, and may not forget his teſtament, wherein he had bequeathed the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen to his Imitatours.

Anſwer.

Wee may ſay of this whole clauſe in generall,Tortura Torti, pag. 287. as the learned Biſhop in his Tortura, vponupon the very like purpoſe; where bringing in Tort… his obiection, that the holy Fathers (**Or at Rome, the Pope, and his Cardinals. the Ieſuites, as Father Garnet, &c.) ſent a good exhortation from the Citie, to the Catholikes in the Countrie) (here in England; he ſpeakes it about the powder treaſon) that they ſhould containe themſelues from all tumults: ſaith, Vetus ea techna eſt, ſaepe quidem detecta, & proin ſemper ſuſpecta: vt non alio magis tempore ſcribant inde Pontifices in eum finem, quam cum maleficium maximè meditantur. Mulcere hîs volunt Argos noſtros, vt ſibi ipſis dicant, Pax & tuta omnia, qua ſic repentina clades irruat in eos, nil tale ſuſpicantes. Nan erat certè, cur monitionem illam nominares, que nobis nuncia eſt procellae, certò tum ſemper imminentis. Quin & alia tum erat monitionis huius ratio. Tam enim placuit, tam certe ſpes erat Negotium hoc de puluere, vt nollent illud interturbari tumult… vllo, iuberent verò quieſcere alios omnes, vt huic vni locus eſſet, in quo repoſita illis ſpes omnis. That p. 62is an old peece of craft, often detected, and therefore alwayes ſuſpected: that at no time more the Popes doe write to ſuch a purpoſe, then when moſt of all they intend miſchiefe. Here they would ſweetly impoſe vponupon our ſharpeſt wits, that they may ſay to themſelues, Peace and all ſafe, that ſo ſudden deſtruction may take them tardy, while they ſuſpect no ſuch thing. There was no cauſe why yee ſhould mention that admonition, which to vsus is the meſſenger of a ſtorme, certainely then alwaies imminent. But there was alſo another reaſon of this admonition: for this buſineſſe of the powder-plot was ſo pleaſing, ſo certainely hopefull, that they would not hauehave it interrupted with any tumult, but ſhould command all others to bee quiet, that this one buſineſſe might take place, wherein all their hope was lapped vp.

Thus by the iudgement of our graue and experienced Fathers, wee may learne what interpretation to make, what to expect, when Romes holy Fathers in their Buls exhort their Sonnes to be quiet, and to containe themſelues from tumult, as here the Pope doth. If thus they did vponupon the Gunpowder-plot, all huſht, till the ſudden blaſt: doth not this extraordinary ſun-gleame foretoken ſome ſuch hideous ſtorme, ready to fall vponupon vsus? Is not this a ſprinkling of water vponupon lime? or with oyle to ſuppreſſe the flame? The token which Iudas gaue to the apprehenders of Chriſt, was a traiterous kiſſe, and Romes ſignall to her treacherous attempts, is Peace, peace. But as the French ſay in their Prouerbe, When the Spaniard comes to parle of peace, then double-bolt the doores: ſo I hope, England will be ſo wiſe, as when they obſerue the Popes morning ſun-ſhine of peace from vnderunder a cloud, they will prouide for a rainie day. But to the words, in more particular.

In the forefront of this clauſe, here is twice mention of fire. And how great matter a little fire kindleth? This very word in the Lord Mounteagles letter, of fire, was that, which through Gods prouidence kindled in King Iames his conceit a ſuſpition of ſuch a like plot, as indeede it proued. p. 63VponUpon whoſe iudgements wee may the more boldly ſuſpect by the Popes twice mention of fire, that without doubt ſome fiery triall is now in hand, euen fire and ſword. Here againe the Pope puts his Sonnes in minde of their vertue, and proweſſe; as alſo of their enemies, the King and State: enough to blow the coales of their hatred, and ſo to exerciſe the eternall fire of their vnquenchable charitie. A fiery charitie indeede, of the nature of wilde-fire, or as the ſtone Asbestos, which once inflamed, cannot be quenched againe. But cannot Pontifician charitie be loſt? be quenched? This is againſt your Trent-doctrine, which teacheth, that charitie, with other graces may be loſt. But happily you meane, this your vnquenchable fire of charitie towards vsus your enemies, is not a gift of grace, but a Papall gloſſe, or ſuch a charitie as is of the eternall fire of hell, ſuch (if ſo good) as poore Diues his charitie to his brethren in hell-flames; ſuch, or the like charitie is this here. Whatſoeuer it is wee doe not greatly affect or deſire this your charitie, but wee pray God, that wee neuer come to feele the fierie vnquenchableneſſe of it.

For your weapons of humilitie, faſting, prayer, and the like, would to God we had no more cauſe to feare your poyſons, and piſtals, treaſons, and treacheries, falſehoods and flatTHeries, more then theſe. But if the armour of your white ſonnes patience were a little better ſcoured, and exerciſed among vsus, we ſhould as little feare theſe your pernicious weapons, as thoſe your ſuperſtitious deuotions. But ſurely you muſt hauehave other gates weapons, then all theſe, to make good that cruell conflict you ſpeak of, to win you thoſe celeſtiall palmes of triumph. And your faſting, prayers, and humiliation, cannot but bode ſome notable enterpriſe now a preparing. What ſolemne Proceſſions had you vponupon 88? So that theſe your admonitions giuegive vsus to prepare for ſome cruell conflict indeede. Elſe, what meaneth your exciting your ſonnes to patience? as if they were in the fierie triall; as if they were to vndergoe a cruell conflict? you know it is ridiculous to meane it of the preſent ſtate of things. But if your ſonnes be in any hazard of a cruell conflict; we cannot conceiue how it p. 64ſhould be, vnleſſe vponupon the diſcouery of your Armadoes approaching towards vsus, they ſhould in the meane time (to make all faſt in vnitie at home) be vrged to take the oath of fidelitie to our King, which refuſed, might bring condigne puniſhments vponupon them. Although I am perſwaded, no Engliſh Papiſt is ſuch an vnnaturall miſcreant, yea ſo fooliſh and brutiſh, as he would betray his own deere natiue Countrie to a ſorraine Tyrant.

You exhort your ſonnes to pray for the Kings eternall life. Why? alas! Is his temporall in ſuch danger? God forbid. But wee pray alſo for his temporall life, that after a long, happy, religious gouernment, and raigne here, hee may at length come to enioy that eternall Crowne of glorie. But all your prayers, all your patience, and peaceableneſſe, you perſwade your Sonnes to, is with ſpeciall reference to the preſent good of the Church; vntill the opportunitie and ſeaſon ſerue to ſhew your ſelues in open colours. For the Kings taking away your Sonnes mortall life, it is ridiculous. But if your ſonnes muſt pray for the Kings eternall life, onelyonly while he takes from them their mortall: we may make a queſtion, whether euer they will pray for him; at leaſtwiſe, if they reepe them quiet, and liue like peaceable ſubiects, as you ſeeme to perſwade them. For the reſt of your words, as, of Chriſts Souldiers, and ſo to the end of the clauſe, we paſſe ouer them; as being weary of your blasphemies, and falſe applications. What part hauehave you, or yours in Chriſts Teſtament? vnleſſe your ſonnes vtterly renounce communion with your papall fatherhood, See Platina in Coeleſtine 5. & Bonif. 8.and flye to Chriſt and his word: vnleſſe you will as one of your Predeceſſours did quite abandon your Popedome, for the ſaluation of your ſoule; whereof there is ſmall hope, while you goe on in this manner. Memorable is that ſpeech of Pope Marcellus 2. who,Onuph. in Marcell. 2. ſmiting his hand on the board, ſaid, I doe not ſee, how any, holding this high place, can be ſaued. Looke to it, O ye Popes and Papiſts, that adhere to ſuch an head. And if the inheritance thereof be promiſed to none, but Chriſts Imitators: what portion hauehave you therein? for wherein doe ye imitate Chriſt? p. 65yea, wherein doe yee not both teach and practiſe quite contrary vntounto him? But your ſhameleſſe blaſphemies, and bold miſapplying of the Scriptures are ſo familiar with you, as we will giuegive ouer admiting of them. OnelyOnly we cannot chooſe whether we will or no, but admire one thing, that you propound bleſſed Peter for an example of not ſmiting with the ſword: hath any thing beene more familiar with Popes, then herein eſpecially to ſhew themſelues Peters Succeſſours, in ſmitting with the ſword? ſauing onelyonly, that Peter drew his ſword againſt that rabble rout in defence of his Maſter: you draw your ſword againſt Chriſt himſelfe in his Members, in Gods Ʋicegerents here on earth, the Lords Annointed. All of you challenge the power of Peters ſword: and ſome of you hauehave in your owne perſons drawne in out in open field; as Pope Iulius 2. when marching againſt the Emperour, his Liege Lord, he in a rage threw Saint Peters Keyes into Tyber, as too impotent to vindicate his quarrell, and pontifically drew forth Pauls ſword, ſaying, If Peters Keyes could not, Pauls ſword ſhould. I could put you in minde of your Predeceſſiour Pope Ʋrban 6. how ciuilly hee carried himſelfe, yea what a racket he kept with his ſword among his owne Cardinals,See Fren. hiſt. in Charles 7. thoſe eſpecially, that of all the reſt were the moſt learned and couragious: exerciſing vponupon nine or ten of them the moſt barbarous examples of crueltie, and beaſtiall immanitie, and Papall inſolencie that euer I read or heard of.

But the thing I admire in your example of bleſſed Peter, is this: that here you vſe it to your ſonnes, as a motiue to peace, ſith Peter was forbid to ſmite; and yet from this very example you deriue the authoritie of your Papall ſupremacie,Extrauag. Com…n San. as founded vponupon Peters ſword. Memorable is that decree of Pope Boniface 8. (hee that in his great day of Iubile had two glittering ſwords borne before him, with Ecce duo gladij hîc) Certè qui in poteſtate Petri temporalem gladium eſſe negat, malè attendit verbum Domini proferentis, Conuerte gladium tuam invagînam. Surely hee that denieth the temporall ſword to be in the power of Peter, doth ill attend Chriſts word, p. 66ſaying, put vp thy ſword into thy ſheath. And ſo alſo to proue both the ſwords to be in the power of Peter, to wit, the ſpirituall, and the temporall, Euangelicis dictis instruimur, Wee are inſtructed by the words of the Goſpell; for the Apoſtles ſaying, behold two ſwords here, in Eccleſiâ ſcilicet, doubtleſſe in the Church: Non nimis eſſe ſed ſatis.the Lord did not anſwer it was too much, but enough; therefore both the ſwords are in the power of the Church. Theſe be tall arguments for that Boniface, and your Papall breſt to deuiſe for the maintaining of your Antichriſtian Tyrannie and vſurpation.

But alas by theſe your diſtorted ſpeeches, neuer thinke to impoſe vponupon our ſimplicitie ſo farre, as when yee talke of putting vp your ſword, wee ſhould be ſuch fooles, as not to looke at leaſt whether ours be ruſtie in the ſcabbert. You promiſe the Palmes of celeſtiall triumphs. What? as a reward of your ſonnes peaceable patience here a while, for the preſent good of the Church? or rather for the conqueſt of your Martiall attempts you are now about? Is the field already yours? May not yee reckon before your hoaſt? Let not him that puts on his armour, boaſt as hee that puts it off. But you fight vnderunder the ſtandard of the Croſſe. And we vnderunder Chriſts ſtandard. Euen now yee are about to verifie that propheſie, Reuel. 20. of Gog, and Magog, compaſſing the tents of the Saints (your Heretickes) round about. You thinke you hauehave vsus incloſed in your net: but our comfort is, fire ſhall come downe from heauen to denoure you, with your huge hoaſts; the victorie ſhall remaine on the Lambs ſide, againſt whom you doe giantlike make warre: for as you are that Lady, that ſay in your heart, Reuel. 18. 7.Rev 18:7I ſit a Queene, and am no widdow, and ſhall ſee no ſorrow: therefore (as it there followeth) ſhall your plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine, and your Babylon ſhall be vtterly burnt with fire; for ſtrong is the Lord God, who iudgeth her. Doe yee beleeue this? ſurely your papall Atheiſme will not ſuffer you. But wee beleeue it, for ſtrong is the Lord God that iudgeth you; and faithfull is hee that hath promiſed deliuerance to his Church. It followeth.

p. 67Let vsus embrace you in the armes of Apoſtolike charitie, beloued Sonnes, to whom we promiſe the Fathers patrocinie, and moſt louingly beſtow our benediction.

Anſwer.

Pape and Ape differ but a letter: but their charitie to their Sonnes leſſe. This is that Father, whoſe charitie to his Sonnes is ſo Apoſtolike, as though he carrie millions of his ſonnes with him into hell, to be tormented of the great Diuell; yet no man may preſume to blame him for it, as we noted before. But all your impieties will paſſe for charitie it ſelfe, ſo it goe but vaild vnderunder Apoſtolike. Apoſtolike is a great word with you, and ſerueth at all tumes: onelyonly ſtill you miſtake Apoſtolike for Apoſtaticke, which yee muſt be remembred of. But you promiſe the Fathers patrocinie. What Fathers? the heauenly Fathers ye cannot, for all your power in heauen and earth: your owne you may. But vponupon what ſecuritie? what patrocinie can you promiſe to your ſelfe, and yours from that Lake that burneth with fire and brimſtone, Reu. 19. 19, 20. marke the place well, read alſo Reu. 14. 8. if any man worſhip the Beaſt, and his Image, and receiue his marke in his forehead, or in his hand (namely whoſoeuer ſhall auow himſelfe a ſworne ſonne, or rather ſlaue to the Pope: nothing is more plaine, then that it is ſpoken of that Romane Beaſt) the ſame ſhall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God, which is powred out without mixture, into the cup of his indignation, and he ſhall be tormented with fire and brimſtone, in the preſence of the holy Angels (behold what a ſpectacle Pontificians or Papiſts are made to the bleſſed Angels!) and in the preſence of the Lambe; and the ſmoake of their torments aſcendeth vp for euer and euer, and they hauehave no reſt day nor night, who worſhip the Beaſt, and his Image, and whoſoeuer receiueth the marke of his name. This is the portion and patrimonie of that man of ſinne, that ſonne of Perdition, that exalts himſelfe aboue all that is called God, as the Pope exprofeſſo doth: from which, what Papall patrocinie? what Apoſtolike benediction can giuegive protection or ſecuritie?

Or elſe not vnlikely the promiſe of the paternall patrociny p. 68the Pope here maketh to his white ſonnes, the Ieſuites, that if they apply, and play their parts well, as no doubt but they will doe their beſt: and his Apoſtolike benediction to his lay ſonnes: for he is in ſome good hope that Peters Patrimonie, or Pence, which now would be turned into ſo many pounds will be recouered againe to the Pope, out of England, if his enterpriſe now in hand ſucceede to his hope, and expectation. Which is the maine vpſhot of all the Popes purpoſes, moſt artificially ſhaddowed, and myſtically inuolued in this Breeue.

Giuen at Rome, Saint Peters, vnderunder the ſignet of the Fiſher. May 30, 1626. the third yeere of our Popedome.

Anſwer.

At Rome. And can any good thing come from Rome? for what is Rome? Euen that myſticall ſpirituall Babylon, deſcribed Reuel. 17. Rome the preſent ſeat of that Antichriſt, now raigning there in his full height. How ſo? the Pope himſelfe is witneſſe. For the Bull (wherein he profeſſeth himſelfe the ſupreame ſoueraigne ouer Kings, and Kingdomes, to vnking them at his pleaſure, while hee would depriue them of their ſubiects allegiance) was dated at Rome, the prime ſeat of the Pope. Saint Iohn was told expreſly, that Babylon the great, the purpled whore, the ſeauen hils Citie, the ſeauen headed ten-horned Beaſt, was Rome: The Woman which thou ſaweſt (ſaith the Angell to Iohn) is that great Citie, Reu. 17. 18.Rev 17:18which reigneth ouer the Kings of the earth. It reigned then Imperially: it reigneth now Papally: Papally in name, Imperially alſo in power: for the Pope is a twofold head of that Beaſt, myſtically typed in his two-topped Miter, in the front whereof, was anciently written, Myſterium, that a man might point with the finger, This is Antichriſt. The Pope (I ſay) is a two-fold Head, the ſeauenth Head as Pope, and alſo the eight Head,Crantz. in Saxon. l. 8. cap. 6. as Emperour, though not in name, Boniface the eight ſhewed it openly in his great Iubilee, when the firſt day thereof he came forth in his Pontificall robes, and the next day following in the Imperiall habit, and Diadem, with a naked ſword carried before him, ſaying; Behold, here two p. 69ſwords. So that Bellarmines owne words of Antichriſt fall pat vponupon the Pope, where he ſaith, Erit enim Antichriſtus ſupremum & vltimum caput impiorum; Bellar. de Pontif. Rom. l. 3. c. 15.& eſt vltimus Rex, qui Imperium Romanum tenebit, tamen ſine nomine Romani Imperatoris: For Antichriſt ſhall be the ſupreame, and laſt Head of the wicked; and he is the laſt King, which ſhall hold the Romane Empire, yet without the name of Romane Emperour. And is not this the Pope of Rome? Doth not hee wholly poſſeſſe the ancient Imperiall dominion, and territories, in and about Rome, farre, and neere? Doth not he challenge ſupremacie of Imperiall power of all Chriſtendome, yea ouer the world? The Emperor that now is, hath not he his election, and confirmation from the Pope? the ſeauen Electors were made by the Pope, they nominate, and elect the Emperor, but all this is of no force, but as it receiueth approbation, and confirmation from the Pope: Nor is hee called Emperour of Rome. Hands off. That is for his holineſſe alone. So that, if, as ſome Pontificians would ſhift it off, that that Citie, reigning ouer the Kings of the earth, cannot be ment of Rome, as now it is, becauſe Rome doth not, as formerly ſo reigne: Let the Pope anſwer it, whether he hauehave not, or at leaſt vſurpe not a greater power, then euer the Romane Emperor had. The Papall Rome is called the Miſtreſſe, Lady Queene of the world. She ſaies, I ſit a Queene, Reu. 18. 7.Rev 18:7and am no widow, and ſhall ſee no ſorrow. As Saint Ierome ſaith, luxta Apocalypſin Iohannis, in fronte purpuratae Meretricis ſcriptum eſt nomen blaſphomiae, Hieron. ad Alga… in qu. 11.1. Romae eternae. According to the Reuelation of Saint Iohn, in the forehead of the purple whore, is written the name of blaſphemie, to wit, of Rome eternall. Take Romes own words, prouing her to be that Citie, reigning ouer all, and therefore the preſent ſeat of Antichriſt, now tyrannizing. When Henry the 7. was crowned at Rome, Romes words are recorded in Capitall letters, ſaying; Ego Coronarum Corona, confirmo Principi poteſtatem, ſibiqúe ſubijcio Ciuitates Gentium nationes, tueantur Aquilae gloriam meam. Haec Roma. I, the Crowne of Crownes, doe eſtabliſh power to the Prince, and ſubiect vntounto him Cities, Countries, Nations, let the p. 70Eagles defend my glory. Theſe things ſaith Rome; or this is Rome. This is that Rome here.

Yea, this Rome is ſo the feat of Antichriſt, as this title could neuer finde reſt, til it neſtled it ſelfe in Rome. As, nothing reſteth out of the proper place. Iohn of Conſtantinople, for all his ambition, could not carrie it. How did Gregory cry it downe? Nor Conſtantinople, though then the Imperiall Citie, though ſhe had borrowed the name of Rome, being called Noua Roma, and Greece about, Romania, though it could ſhow her ſeauen hil-tops, as Rome; yet it was no place for Antichriſt to rooſt in. Antichriſt there, was but tanquam piſcis in arido; a fiſh out of his Element, on the dry land, where it is ſo putrified, that Romes Saint Gregory could not indure the ſmell of it. Pregnant to this purpoſe is the obſeruation of the learned Biſhop in his Tortura. His words are, In Conſtantinopolitano cum fuit, bbGrrgories own words cited.ſtultum, ſuperbum, ſceleſtum, peruerſum, profanum, blaſphemum fuit: idem autem intra bionnij vnius ſpatium, in Romano, nihil horum eſt, &c. When the title of Antichriſt was in the Biſhop of Conſtantinople, it was fooliſh, proud, impious, peruerſe, prophane, blaſphemous: but within two yeares ſpace the ſame being in the Biſhop of Rome, it was none of all theſe. And ſtrange was the iudgement of Phocas, who iudged (if wee beleeue Gregorie) that that impious & blaſphemous name was not fit for the Biſhop of Constantinople; for it was proper to the Biſhops of Rome. Strange alſo was the minde of Boniface, who accepted it; Yea, ſaith Platina, importuned Phocas for it, Magna con…entione.hee would not hauehave the Conſtantinopolitan to bee ſupreme ouer all; for this was due to him, and the Biſhop of Rome. Although, he that ſhould doe this (by Gregories teſtimonie) was therein the imitator of Lucifer, the forerunner of Antichriſt. And Gregorie was a true Prophet, both waies. For he told the Emperour concerning that word, that hee who ſhould carrie it away, did thereby aduance himſelfe aboue the honour of the Empire; and came it not ſo to paſſe? He ſaid to Anianus, that to conſent in this wicked title, was no other, then to looſe the faith. And hath faith ſuffered no loſſe, ſince Phocas conſented to that wicked Title? p. 71ſo that Gregories Propheſie is true both wayes; Et Imperio, & Eccleſiae pernicioſa, vox iſta; & ſucceſſor eius Bonifacius, quoad Imperium Lucifer, quoad Eccleſiam Autichriſtus: that word was pernicious both to the Empire, and to the Church; and his ſucceſſour Boniface, as touching the Empire was Lucifer, as touching the Church Antichriſt. Thus farre the Biſhop in his Tortura.

Rome then, not Conſtantinople, is the proper ſeat of Antichriſt. Auentin. l. 6.As Pope Adrian 4. ſaid: Romae noſtra ſedes eſt: At Rome is our ſeat. This Adrian, Breake-ſpeare an Engliſh man, was he that ſaid, To couet the Popedome, is not to ſucceede Saint Peter in feeding the Sheepe, but Romulus, in committing Parricides, becauſe a man cannot attaine thereunto, without ſhedding the bloud of his brethren, that hee may reigne alone. Thus by the Popes owne voice, Rome and Antichriſt are well met.

But ſaith**Onuphr. Annot. in vita Bonif. 3. Platina. Onuphrius, though the Biſhop of Rome be the ſole vniuerſall head, yet hee doth not, as other Patriarkes, vſe any proud titles, as to call himſelfe Occumenicus, as hee of Conſtantinople doth, but ſtileth himſelfe Seruus ſeruorum Dei, Seruant of the ſeruants of God; onelyonly the people in their ſolemne acclamations, giuegive him high titles. Seruus ſeruorum. What is this, but the very title of Chams curſe? Gen. 9. 25. yea, what is it, but the myſterie of Antichriſt, concerning all this ſuperarrogant pride vnderunder this vale of hypocriſie? For inſtance: The foreſaid Adrian writing to that noble Fredericke the Emperour, in the forefront, Seruus ſeruorum, &c. yet how is the whole body of the letter ſtuft out with nothing, but Antichriſtian inſolencie? And how did this lowly title ſuit with this his holineſſe extreame indignation,**Helmold. in hiſtor. Scla. c. 81. when this Emperour, comming to him to be crowned, did out of ignorance (as vnacquainted with ſuch kinde of ſeruice before) hold the Popes left ſtirrop, inſtead of the right? For which one mortall error, this ſeruant of ſeruants could not be appeaſed, but thereupon refuſed to giuegive the Emperor the kiſſe of peace.

p. 72Thus at Rome onelyonly Antichriſt domineereth vnderunder the title of ſeruant of ſeruants; as here it followeth of Saint Peters, vnderunder the ſigne… of the fiſher. Poore Peter the fiſher, what a ſucceſſour hath he gotten, who vnderunder the name of Peter fiſheth all the world? as**See Bellar. de Pont. Rom. l. 1. c. 20. they expound that of Luke 5. 4. Launch out into the deepe: that is, Peter and the Pope fiſh all the world. So that not vnfitly is that ſpirituall Babylon or Rome ſaid to ſit vponupon many waters, Reuel. 17. 1. very commodious for Romes Peter-man. No fiſhing to this See. And all is fiſh that cometh to Romes net. OnelyOnly all his fiſh muſt be of the ſame kinde with that, which Peter tooke with his Angle, hauing in his mouth a peece of 20.^d. at leaſt, Peters tribute money, not for the Emperor, but for the Pope himſelfe. This fiſhers Signet or Ring is that, where with the Pope marrieth to himſelfe the Sea of the whole world, for himſelfe and his Peter-men to fiſh, as the Duke of Venice on eueryevery Aſcenſion day marrieth the Adriaticke Sea to Venice, with caſting in a Ring into it, which priuiledge Pope Alexander 3. firſt gaue to the Prince of that ſtate.

This Breeue was dated May 30. 1626. And as the Prophet told the King of Iſrael: Strengthen thy ſelfe, and marke, and ſee what thou doeſt, for when the yeare is gone about, the King of Syria will come vp againſt thee: ſo let mee ſay to our King of Iſrael, in the name of the Lord, Goe, ſtrengthen thy ſelfe, and marke, and ſee what thou doeſt; for when the yeare is gone about, by that time the 30. of May 1627. commeth about, the King of Babylon will giuegive ſome ſtrange attempt vponupon England; as by all the prognoſticating ſignes in this Breeue, wee are giuen more then to coniecture. The yeare wherein it was dated, 1626. hauing two ſixes in it, are two figures of the Beaſts number, very ominous. But Deus omen auertat. Alſo in the third yeare of his Popedome. Popes yeares are as precious,Seneca in Medea. as that day, which Medea begged of King Creon before her baniſhment, wherein her womaniſh malice ſo p. 73beſtirred her ſelfe, that by … ſhee conſumed the Kings houſe with fire, and made a cruell maſſacre of ſundry Noble perſonages, yea moſt vnnaturally euen of her owne Sonnes. And what maſſacres may not this preſent Pope, the head of that Antichriſtian Beaſt, yea of that Babyloniſh woman, drunke with the blood of the Saints atchieue in three yeeres and a halfe, the time which the Antichriſtian Church (though moſt abſurdly) limiteth for Antichriſts Tyrannie; for whoſe blood-thirſtie crueltie, neyther the Kings owne houſe, no nor yet the Popes owne, though moſt … … can ſecure themſelues. Let vsus conclude then with that prayer, as it was once intire in our Engliſh Liturgie in King Edwards dayes of bleſſed memorie. … ſeditions and priuie Conſpiracie, from the Tyrannie of the Biſhop of Rome, and all his deteſtable enormities, from falſe, and … opinions, from hardnesſſe of heart, … and Commandements: Good Lord deliuer vsus. And let all England ſay Amen.