Some New Blazing Stars Styling Themselves New Lights, Section 5 – Section 7
Section V.
Containing libellous, ſcurrilous, prophane, and unchristian paſſages againſt the Directory, eſtabliſhed by Ordinance of Parliament.
YOU have met with ſome of theſe Invectives already in the preceding Sections, which I ſhall not repeat; but only adde two or three paſſages more of this nature, full of Atheſticall and blaſphemous ſcurrillity.
The Araignment of Perſecution, p. 44. deſires, That his Holineſſe Sir Simon Synod my Synodecate a full reſolution to theſe enſuing Queres.
Whether it would not have been more profitable for the kingdome of England to have forth with hired a Coach and twelve Horſes, to have ſet a Directory from Scotland; then to have ſpent the learned conſultations, pious debates, and ſacred concluſions of ſuch an holy, ſuch a reverend, ſuch a heavenly, ſuch a godly, ſuch a learned, ſuch a pious, ſuch a grave, ſuch a wiſe, ſuch a ſolid, ſuch a diſcreet, ſuch a spirituall, ſuch an Evangelicall, ſuch an infallible, ſuch a venerable, ſuch a ſuper-celestioll Queer of Angels, ſuch a ſuparlative Aſſembly of Divines; for almoſt theſe two yeares ſpace, after the profuſe and vaſt expence of above forty thouſand pounds, beſides their goodly fat Benefices, upon their devouring Guts, for an Engliſh DIRECTORY of worſhip, equivalent to the Scotch DIRECTORY?
Whether this Directory ſtanding in ſo many thouſands to ſumble it together, and the Copy ſold at 400 and 50 l. be not of more value then the writings of the Prophets and Apoſtles?
The ſacred Synodicall Decretall or Hue and Cry, uſeth the like Dialect, p. 23. Be it ſecula ſeculorum, as authentick as the Directory, &c. We had better have ſet two years longer in our moſt holy Conſultations, and made our forty thouſand four hundred pound Directory, a Directory of fourſcore thouſand eight hundred pound value.
Pag. 5. Martin will tell the Country, That we ſanctifie our new DIRECTORY Gospell, but to the temper of the City: Tell the City, That the Country people know not what to do with it, except to ſtop their Bottles, unleſſe we ſpend the State the other odde trifle of 40000 pounds, to divide it into Chapters and Verſes (the Lord put it into their hearts;) and that as the truth is, its ſanctity is only grounded upon the Divine Ordinance for Tithes, (ſome wiſer then ſome) for no longer Penny, no longer Pater-noſter,
I will defile no more Paper with ſuch horrid blaſphemies; only adde, That Martins Ecco, p. 12. makes the Parliaments endeavouring to eſtabliſh the Directory the cauſe of the loſſe of Leiceſter, in theſe words: And now the Parliament being buſied to fortifie your Directory, &c. in the mean time Leiceſter is taken, thouſands are put to the ſword, &c. Which is ſufficiently anſwered, by Sir Thomas Fairfax routing the Kings whole Army and re-taking Leiceſter, even whiles the Parliament was moſt buſie in fortifying the Directory. But I proceed to another Section.
Section VI.
Containing their libellous, ſcandalous, ſeditious paſſages, againſt our Brethren of Scotland, to raiſe diviſione between us and them, contrary to the Act of Pacification, and the late ſolemne League and Covenant.
MAny are their intolerable libellous Invectives of this kinde. I ſhall tranſcribe but few.
Hen. Robinſon in his Anſwer to M. Py…nes 12 Queſtions, made the firſt aſſault upon our Brethren, in this Language. And what, think we made our Brethren the Scots ſo ſucceſſeleſſe here in England, whileſt the warres are now beginning to kindle in their own Countrey, if it were not that they joyne with this Nation, or rather provoke them to eſtabliſh their ſo much idolized Presbyteriall diſcipline of perſecutions? when they themſelves thought they had juſt cauſe to be highly offended with the ſame (their own) perſecuting ſpirit in Epiſcopacy. When the Lord required the Iſraelites to appear before him at Jeruſalem thrice a yeare, he promiſed, that no man ſhould invade their habitations in their abſence, Exod. 34. 23, 24. which gracious providence of his, no doubt continues ſtill protecting all ſuch as are imployed by his command: but unleſſe our Brethren of Scotland bethink themſelves in time, and conſider, that even as the perſecuting Biſhops of England attempting to impoſe their government in Scotland gave occaſion to begin the warres in England: ſo if the perſecuting Presbyters of Scotland continue to advance and get ſet up the Scotch government in England, it may likely bring all the three Kingdomes to make the ſeat of warre in Scotland: I would be loath to propheſie upon this occaſion; but do much fear, that in how bad condition ſoever both England and Ireland are at the preſent, if the warres laſt, but little longer Scotland will yet be farre worſe. God of his infinite mercy open the eyes of all three Kingdomes in this their heavie viſitation, reconciling himſelfe unto them all, and them to one another, for his dear Sonne Chriſt Ieſus ſake.
The Araignment of Perſecution by way of jear and ſcorne, p. 3, 8, 9. 19, 39, 42. ſatyrically inveighes againſt and derides Scoth government, ranking it with Satan, Antichriſt, the Spaniſh Inquiſition, Councell of Trent, High Commiſſion, &c. beings in Liberty of conſcience, thus complaining. My Lord, Sir Simon Synod is like to pull out my throat, with the ravinous clawes of an Aſſembly; and Maſter Scotch Government was fit to stab me with his Scoth Dagger: Iemmy put up thy Dagger; Averres, The Synod is guided by the Holy Ghoſt ſent in a Cloke-bag from Scotland, as of old from Rome to the Councell of Trent. Oft mentions by way of ſcorn and jeere, The advancing of the mickle Army into the South; addes, you may eaſily perceive how they would pinch your Lordſhips noſe with a paire of SCOTCH SPECTACLES, that your Lordſhip might ſee nothing but BLEW CAPS; he hath plaiſtred up the wrinkles of his face with SCOTCH MORTER, &c.
The Sacred Synodicall Decretall, p. 4. tels us, &c. of a Blew-capreformation, and then Blewcap for us, p. 7. Of the ay-bleſſed Divines of Scotland, p. 16. Of laying Rods in piſſe for Crumwel; let him take heed of a Scotch—:another courſe muſt be taken with Hereticks, elſe our Brethren cannot further engage; God speed them well home againe, and let all the people in the kingdome ſay, Amen. p. 18. Of their running away at Maſton-More. p. 20. Of an Angel in the Mount, upon whom o… reverend Aſſembly of grave and learned Divines do daily wait, which Mount is Dunce-Hill (which by tranſlation out of the Originall) by the Divines of Scotland (whoſe countrey-man this Angel is) is engliſhed Mount Sion: with other ſuch like ſtuffe.
And Martins Eccho, p. 8. Our Scottiſh Brethren advanced lately as far into the South, as from Brampton-moore to Weſtmerland, for your aſſiſtance, are all yours, by vertue of the Holy League and Covenant, which they may in no wiſe falſifie, untill they ſee it convenient for them to do, as in the moſt ſacred Exhortation to the taking of the ſaid League and Covenant you have taught them. Many other ſuch ſeditious paſſages, tending to ſow diviſion between both Nations, (contrary to the fourth clauſe of the Nationall Covenant) theſe New-Libels, have lately publiſhed, which I forbear to Regiſter.
Section VII.
Containing moſt ſcurrilus, libellous, ſcandelous, railing invectives againſt Preſbyterians, and Presbyterian government in generall, which many of them not long ſince ſo much applauded, deſired, before the Biſhops removall.
WE have met with much of this ſcurrilous ſtuffe in other Sections; to which ſome few additions only ſhall be made in this.
Mr. Henry Robinſon his FALSEHOOD, &c. ſhall leade up the Forelornehope: where thus he writes to the Chriſtian Reader: Free thy conſcience from the thraldome and bondage of thoſe Egyptian Taskmaſters, who care not what traſh and trumpery they vent, ſo they may gaine Proſelytes and contributions. Which he thus proſecutes, p. 9. But what availeth it to have the head of one Lordly Epiſcopall Prelate cut of, when a Hidra, a multitude, above ſeventy ſeven times as many Presbyteriall Prelates ſucceed inſtead thereof? Prelatia, Prelacy, Prelacy, as we uſe it vulgarly, is a preferring one before another; and the Presbyteriall government is much more truly ſaid to be Prelaticall, then either Epiſcopall or Papall; unleſſe you will ſay that neither Epiſcopall nor Papall be Prelaticall at all. For in either of thoſe governments there are but few Prelates; but in the other there are, to wit, ſo many Prelates as there are Presbyters, each whereof is an abſolute*And is it not much more ſo in Independ. Churches, where the Miniſter in truth like a Pope rules all the reſt at his pleaſure? will admit none but thoſe of his own faction. Prelate; that is, one preferred above his Brethren.
The Araignment of Perſecution, declaimes thus againſt Presbyterian government, p. 21. Both Papall and Epiſcopall government is better then Preſbyterian, for they are, and have been more uniforme, and have continued many hundred years longer then Preſbyterian, and were long before Preſbytery was thought on: For alas, it was but a ſhift at a pinch the Devill made, when neither of the other would ſerve his turne, and ſo came up Preſbyterie; but what good the Devill will have of it I know not: for who knowes the luck of a lowſie Cur, he may prove a good Dog.
The Sacred Synodicall Decretall inveighes thus againſt Presbyterian government, p. 11. Martin will put the Parliament and people in minde of their Proteſtation, and tell them, that by the ſame rule they pull downe the Biſhops, they are bound to put downe the Preſbyters, &c. For in Martins Aſtrologicall judgement, all the Plagues of Egypt were but a Flea-biting to what one Presbyterian Church will be (vinci ſi poſſunt regales ceſtibus enſes) we having mortified Epiſcopall Hercules, and poſſeſt his Club. p. 19. Indeed the Pope is as truly Chriſtian, and his function as equally Jure Divino, as our Preſbyterie, conveyed from his Holineſſ…, by our Fathers the late Lord Biſhops upon us.
The unlicenſed Nativity of Presbytery, ſaid to be licenſed by Rowland Rattle-Prieſt, a terrible Imprimatur: writes p. 5. That the Devill made the Ʋrchin Sir John Presbyter: an abject, a Fugitive, newly come out of Scotland, a Witch, a Rogue, and in apparell delighting in black as his Father the Devill; fitter to be a Weather cock then a Divine: only the Evill Spirit of Mercury, preſented him to be the Devils Goat-head.