Babylons Beauty, Argument

Babylons Beauty · Argument

p. 1BABYLONS BEAVTIE.

OR, The Romiſh-Catholicks Sweet-heart.

THis faithleſſe, faultring and backſliding world, hath now for about 14 or 1500 years been haulting and ſtaggering between not only 2 but many diſtracted opinions, both touching the true God, as it was between the heathens and primitive Chriſtians; and alſo (as now it is and long hath been between Proteſtants, Papiſts and other Sectaries) Concerning the pure and ſincere worſhip of the true God, whether Chriſt or Antichrist, Simple, plaine and pure worſhip, or miſerably mixed idolatrie and ſuperſtition ſhould ſtand or fall, be loved or diſliked. And from this ground and bottome,Chriſtendomes grand-quarrell. have all the flames of Contention and bloudy broyles, over the whole Chriſtian World (even for theſe many hundred yeares) been raiſed and blazed abroad, even to the utter depopulation and ruine of many Countries and Kingdomes. And although the Lord God of Heaven and Earth may be ſaid to have taken that moſt wiſe Courſe,Whither God or Baal, Chriſt or Anti-chriſt ſhall raigne. 1 King. 18. 24.1 Kgs 18:24 which once he himſelfe dictated and directed to his Zealous and pious prophet Elijah (inſpired with heavenly wiſedome and Courage) to prove and clearely demonſtrate, to his apoſtatizing faithleſſe and faultring Iſraelites, in wicked Ahabs time, the true God from falſe and abuſive Baall, even by miraculous fire from heaven; And as the falſe god Baal was moſt notably diſcovered by his falſe-prophets (notwithſtanding their vehement calling and crying on their blockiſh god, yea and that with cuttings and ſlaſhings of their fleſh, to move him to heare them and to anſwer them by fire alſo, which hee could not) to be a falſe-god p. 2or indeed no god at all: Even ſo, I ſay, our moſt wiſe God, the onelyonly true God, hath after a certaine manner taken the ſame courſe, even by the true heavenly and ſupernaturall fire of ſound Faith which workes by Love, Zeale and true holineſſe of life and converſation in his Saints and Servants; from time to time, moſt aboundantly and evidently hath manifeſted to the world in all ages, that as hee is the onelyonly true God, Joh. 4. 23, 24.John 4:23John 4:24and a moſt pure and incomprehenſible Spirit, ſo hee will be worſhipped in plaine Simplicity, in Spirit and truth of all his true worſhippers. And that Antichrict and all his fooliſh and faithleſſe (not praying, but) prating Prieſts, and babling Baaliſts, mumbling and muttering over ſo many Paternoſters and Ave-Maries together with all their Good frydayes whipping-cheer, laſhing and gaſhing their fleſh, juſt like Baals Prieſts, are but very lyers, and abhominable impoſtures and deceivers, and that God hates and abhorrs all their rotten painted and polluted idolatry and Superſtition, which Antichriſt, that moſt audacious and brazen-fac'd Whore of Rome, hath by her Ignatian and truly igneous flaming Ieſuites and Popiſh proſelites, endevoured and ſtrenuouſly ſtriven with fire and ſword, with juglings and deluſions to uphould and maintaine, but all in vaine to this preſent time, though I muſt confeſſe, with much miſery, ruine and deſolation to Gods Church and Children, in all thoſe foreſaid many hundred yeares, even ever ſince Antichriſt the Baal and Belial of Rome grew up to ſuch an ungodly growth and pernicious power, by the too great lenity, indulgence and over-honeſt affection and favour which the primitive Chriſtian Emperours Conſtantine, and others exhibited to thoſe Patriarkes and Popes of their times, who afterwards, in ſhort time, moſt groſſely abuſed their honeſt love and liberality, unto extreme and exceſſive pride and inſolencie, even till, at laſt, they grew to that highth, that they proved not only intolerable, but untameable to poſterity all along.

Now although, as I touched before, our moſt wiſe and patient God had from time to time, in all Antichrists inſulting and uſurped authority and tyranny, let the world ſee (if at leaſt it would have ſeen) that his will and worſhip, revealed only in his Word (not Antichriſts unwritten rotten traſh and traditious Decrees and Decretals) was the old way and the good way to be walked in; yet, ſuch hath been the unexpreſſible knaverie, impoſtures and juglings, together with unſufferable p. 3cruelties and tyrannies exerciſed on Gods people by the Popes and their moſt nefariouſly peſtilent and pernicious Jeſuites, Fryers and lyars, thoſe croaking Froggs aſcending out of the foggie fumes and black ſmoake of the bottomleſſe pit of hell, that either by force or fraud, they have wonderfully wrought upon the ſpirits of men to be miſled by them, and ſillily and ſottiſhly driven or drawne them to beleeve and imbrace Romes either lying wonders, or frying furies and cruelties.

Now,The ground of all Europes inteſtine contentions. then, I ſay, this being the maine and mightie ground, and moſt bainfull bottome of all the warres and jarrs that are now in the Chriſtian world, namely, whither Romes uſurped rule and regiment, or Chriſts evangelicall Truth and Teſtament ſhall ſtand and prevaile, whither Chriſts pure and precious Comelineſſe, or Romes inwardly rotten (though outwardly ſpecious and painted) Beauty, (or rather Bauderie) is fitteſt to be followed and affected. In ſhort, whither Christ or Antichriſt ſhall be King, and ſole Lord and Soveraigne. I have, therefore in this ſhort Treatiſe undertaken to ſet forth in her proper and moſt genuine and native deepe-died colours in graine, the great Diana of Rome, ſo cryed-up, admired and adored, by almoſt, the whole world (at leaſt of ſottiſh and ſenſleſſe,2 Theſſ. 2.2 Thess 2 onelyonly nominall Chriſtians and periſhing ſonnes of diſobedience, who give themſelves up to believe lyes, that they all may be damned, who will not receive the love of the truth in righteouſneſſe, as the Apoſtle Paul moſt notably ſhewes) yea and to limn and delineat Romes moſt lively picture and faire (or rather infamous) figure and feature, moſt unqueſtionably knowne (to all knowing and ingenuous Chriſtians) to be moſt properly and peculiarly hers, and only or mainly hers, as all Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtories and Hiſtoriographers both ancient and moderne, beſides the ſenſible experience of priſtine and preſent ſuffering Chriſtians in all ages, have and doe decipher and ſet her forth, and without all cauſe of controverſie, moſt faithfully prove and teſtifie.

And becauſe all theſe things which I now intend in this Treatiſe to deliver (and that with all hiſtoricall fidelitie and convenient brevitie) are ſo well knowne to all learned and intelligent Chriſtians, I have reſolved (for the avoiding of tediouſneſſe and intricate prolixitie, to the ordinary ſort of Readers, who are like to be the greateſt number) to ſet downe moſt ſuccinctly the Hiſtories themſelves, barely and plainly, without much (or almoſt any) marginall notes or quotations p. 4of authours, that ſo my honeſt and plain Readers may with more full delight and content, ſee and ſeeing admire and admiring be amazed at the egregious madneſſe and ſtupid ſottiſhneſſe of our Popiſh admirers and adorers (both Princes and people) of ſuch a rotten ramiſh Whore, and moſt bold and brazen-fac'd a painted Strumpet, Who dares ſo audaciouſly abuſe and intoxicate them with ſuch deepe drafts of her golden-cup of mortiferous poyſon of Romiſh fornications, to the fatall and finall ruine and perdition (without timely and true repentance) of their faire eſtates and more precious bodies and ſouls.

Here,The method of this worke. then, I deſire, in the firſt place briefly, to acquaint the Reader with the whole Method and Module of this mine intended Deſcription following.1. Pride and Inſolencie. Namely, firſt to ſpeake of and relate, ſome ſpeciall peeces and paſſages (among very many other (of all ſorts) to be found recorded in Popiſh and Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtories) of Babylons Beautie, in the intolerable Pride and Inſolencie of the Popes of Rome. 2. Covetouſneſſe and Avarice.Secondly, to ſhew and ſet forth Romes inſatiable and moſt greedie Covetouſneſſe and Avarice, making ſale of all, yea ſoules and bodies too, for gold and gaine.3. Incontinencie & uncleannes. Thirdly, to delineate and lay open Romes whoriſh Incontinencie and uncleanneſſe, whereby ſhe is, indeed, moſt fitly called and counted the whore of Rome. Fourthly, to blazon-out their abominable Blaſphemies and devilliſh Impieties, 4. Blaſphemies & impieties.whereby they are farre more reall Atheiſts than Chriſtians, which name they (juſt Judas like) uſe only as a cloake to cover and conceale their abhominations. Fiftly,5. Tyrannie and cruelty. to limne-out (even to the life) the deadly and moſt deſperate Tyrannie and crueltie of theſe accurſed Popiſh and inhumane Canibals, enough to make any Chriſtian heart to quake and tremble at the very peruſall thereof.6. A faire frame for this picture Sixtly, and laſtly, to fit and compoſe a faire frame to hang up this Beautifull-Picture (into conſpicuous and open view) of Romes ſo radiant luſtre and gliſtring Beautie; in an exact Paralell or Antitheſis of the ancient doctrine of Chriſt and the diametrally oppoſite new doctrine of Antichriſt,In an exact paralell or Antitheſis of the ancient doctrin of Chriſt; and the oppoſite new doctrine of Antichriſt. And a Hortatory Epilogue. in divers moſt materiall fundamentals; And ſo having thus completed this our picture; to ſhut up and conclude all, with a ſuccinct hortatory Epilogue to Papiſts and formall faultring and paultring Proteſtants (whoſe Religion is yet to chooſe) by a juſt and ſerious reflection and rumination on all the weighty premiſes, to hate and abhominate ſo impious and odious, ſo deteſtable, dangerous, yea damnable a religion, and ſuch intolerably jugling and diſſembling White-devils and Romiſh hypocrites, the p. 5fathers and fautours of ſuch exorbitant abhominations. And now to come to the intended matter.

The firſt Romiſh figure and feature of the Pope of Rome, whereby Babylons Beautie will be moſt lively and luſtrouſly ſet forth,1. Pride and Inſolencie. ſhall be in the exceſſive and tranſcendently unſufferable Pride of this Romiſh-whore, which may firſt moſt manifeſtly appeare in Pope Hildebrand that moſt abhominable fire-brand of hell, teſtified by Cardinall Bennon, who lived about the yeare, 1080. Which ſaid Hildebrand (upon diſcontent and diſtaſte at ſome petty diſguſt offered to him (at leaſt as this proud Pope conceived) by Henrie the fourth,The Pope proudly caſts the Sacrament into the fire. then Emperour of Rome) demanding an anſwer from the Sacrament (for you muſt note, by the way, he was alſo a notorious Nigromancer) againſt the ſaid Emperour, and it not anſwering, he moſt proudly and blaſphemouſly, caſt the Sacrament into the fire and there burnt it; If Popes be ſo proud and audacious to uſe their god, their Creatour thus, what wonder is it, if they uſe the creature ſo courſly and cruelly.The Pope depoſed the Emperour Henrie the fourth. Yet here he ſtayed not, but ſhortly after, excommunicated the ſaid Emperour, deprived and depoſed him from his Empire, and by his owne inſolent and uſurped power, nominated Rodulph Duke of Suevia, Emperour in his ſtead; and ſent this verſe to his new made Emperour.

PETRA DEDIT PETRO, PETRUS DIADEMA RODULPHO,

Christ gave to Peter Crownes, Peter to us;

We, then th'Emperiall Crowne give Rodulph, thus.

Henry the fore-ſaid Emperour, hearing thereof and much diſquieted thereat, diveſted himſelfe of his imperiall ornaments, and with his wife and little ſonne, in the midſt of Winter, came to Canuſium, the Popes palace, clothed in linnen and bare footed, being there made a ſpectacle (as writes the ſaid Cardinall Bennon) to angels and men; and thus the good Emperour faſting from morning to night, remained at the Popes gate, humbly craving the Popes merciemercy and admittance into his preſence,The Emperour enforced to wait at the proud Popes gate 3 daies together. but was forced thus to ſtand and wait full three daies together, being only ſtill anſwered; The Biſhop was buſie; and could not yet be ſpoken with. But, at laſt, at the requeſt and mediation of the Countes Mathilda (whom the Pope greatly loved) and ſome others, the Pope commanded (marke this pride) he ſhould enter. Being entred he againe moſt humbly craved the Popes pardon and gave the Pope his Crowne; but the Pope would not, for all this, p. 6either pardon or abſolve him from his Excommunication, till he had promiſed to purge himſelfe in the Councell, with other unlawfull and moſt unſeemly conditions, all which, though the Emperour promiſed to performe, yet he would not reſtore him to his Empire. Wherupon, Henry, this Emperour, afterward in battell vanquiſhed the ſaid Rodulph, whom the Pope had made Emperour, as afore ſaid. Yet, this Rodulph being dead, the Pope made Emperour one Herman, Count of Lucenburg, whom alſo a woman, after it, ſlew with a Stone; and yet for all this,The Popes extreme pride & malice toward the Emperour. this moſt malicious and proud Pope did not ceaſe to vex and reject the good Emperour Henry, but nominated a third Emperour againſt him, who alſo being newly made Emperour was miſerably ſlaine by the Imperialiſts. And was not here a Luciferian Pope indeed, as full of Pride, as a Toad is of poyſon?

Boniface alſo the 8th, was ſuch a proud and arrogant Beaſt, that his very Cardinals could not endure him, for his extreme pride and ambition; This is he of whom 'twas written,The rare praiſe of Boniface the 8th. that he entred like a Fox, lived like a Lion and died like a Dogge. Beſides, about the yeare, 1159. Fredericke then Emperour, going to Rome, Pope Adrian the fourth, and his Clergie, met the Emperour at Sutrio, where the Emperour alighting from his horſe, led the Popes horſe by the bridle, and held his left ſtirop for the Pope to alight;The Pope proudly jeeres the Emperour for not holding his ſtirop right. whereupon the Pope derided the Emperour, becauſe he held not the right ſtirop, with which deriſion the Emperour being diſpleaſed, only with a ſmile anſwered, That he never had been a horſe-boy. But, ſurely, had a daring wiſe man ſeene this, he might have told his Majeſtie, herein he ſhewed himſelfe little better then an horſe-boy, for (as the Relation goes on) the day following, the Pope came to the Emperours Campe, and there the Emperour mindfull of the Popes former reproofe, better performed his office now,This proud Pope choak'd with a flie. and held the Popes right ſtirop for him. This proud Pope Adrian afterward was choaked with a poore little flie, which he ſodainly ſwallowed and died thereof. A remarkable teſtimonie of Gods wrath for ſo high ſwolne pride, in making ſuch a poor deſpicable creature his confuſion. About the yeare alſo, 1180, Alexander the third, Pope of Rome, being mightily puft-up with the mountanous tympanie of pride and arrogancie,The moſt exceſſive pride of Pope Alexander the third. by reaſon of a great victorie he had obtained, compelled Fredericke then Emperour of Rome to come (on a day appointed by the ſaid Pope) to S. Marks in Venice, and there before all the people, he commanded the Emperour p. 7to proſtrate himſelfe flat on the ground before the Pope, and ſo to crave his merciemercy and pardon, which the Emperour accordingly did; whereupon the Pope like ſelf-flated Nebuchadnezzar, The Pope treads, yea ſtamps, on the Emperours necke. Pſal. 91. 13.Ps 91:13or indeed, moſt like Lucifer himſelfe, trod with his foot on the Emperours necke, and with his proud heart and mouth, moſt blaſphemouſly abuſed that Scripture, Thou ſhalt goe upon the Aſpe and Baſiliske, and upon the Lion and the Dragon ſhalt thou tread. O intolerable impudence and monſtrous pride and blaſphemie! The beſlaved Emperour, herewith aſhamed made anſwer (with his necke ſtill on the ground) Not to thee but to Peter. Whereat, the Pope ſtamping againe contemptuouſly upon the Emperours necke, ſaid, Both to me and to Peter. Herewith the poore Emperour was forced to be content and ſilent, and ſo was abſolved from his Excommunication by the Pope. Yea, and this very ſame Pope (as Robert Mortenſis, Two Kings lead the Popes horſe by the bridle on foot, and the Pope on horſe-backean Hiſtorian teſtifies) made Lewis King of France, and Henry King of England goe on foot, as his Lackeyes, and hold the bridle of his horſe, whereon the Pope rod, the one on the right, and the other on the left-hand, and thus in great pompe and Satanicall pride, they led him through the City of Boyancie, which borders on the river Lucra. And of Pope Siſtus the fourth, it is recorded,The Popes moſt coſtly Utenſils. that he made no reckoning to goe up and downe in his houſe, cloathed with the richeſt cloth of gold, the covering of his beds, being alſo of cloth of gold, the baſons alſo wherein he did his neceſſaries were of pure ſilver, and that he cauſed the ſhooes of his friend Tereza to be covered with very rich and precious ſtones.2. Romes covetouſneſſe and avarice. And thus, I thinke, I have briefly and bravely painted out the diabolicall Pride and inſolencie being the firſt part of Babylons Beautie, the rare effigies of this diſſembled Apoſtolicall humble Servant of Servants, but indeed, moſt arrogant and ſupercilious Lord of Lords, and King of kings. And now the next conſpicuous colour which ſo illuſtrates the Beauty of Babylon ſhall be her accurſed Covetouſneſſe, her infatiated griping and greedie avarice, hungring and thirſting, like a bottomleſſe whirlpoole, after gold and gaine, ex re qualibet, by hooke or by crooke, by Simony or Sodomie, as theſe following examples will make moſt cleare, and evident to any unblinded eye in the world.A Pope ſold his popedome.

Benet the 9th, Pope of Rome ſold away his Popedome to Gregorie the 6th, for a 1500 lb. in gold. And Frederick the 2d Emperour of Rome, Indulgences dearly bought.paid for but one abſolution or pardon to Pope Gregorie the 9th, an 125000 ounces of gold, as it is recorded in the Romiſh Pontificall; p. 8and thoſe other Writers, Naucleer, Pineda, and others who ſpeake with the leaſt thereof, confeſſe an 120. thouſand ounces to have been paid to the Pope as afore-ſaid. Yea the King of Spaine (as Joſephus Angles teſtifies) was forced to pay an 100000 Duckets for one indulgence or pardon to the Pope. And, for money the Popes of Rome allow publike Stewes, both in Italy, Spaine and Rome it ſelfe, even under the Popes noſe, inſomuch that as the Writers of Romes rare acts,Rich revenews for whoriſh Stewes. doe teſtifie, the yearly rent and revenew which now of later times came to the Pope for the allowance of thoſe publike Stewes, came to full 40000 Duckets, which was conſtantly paid in by the Curtizans or Whores. And in particular Pope Paul, the third, enjoyed the rent of above 40000 Whores which were in Rome, the rent being a julio or Spaniſh-royall, every weeke, which came to a mightie maſſe of money in the yeare. And it is recorded of Pope Boniface the ninth,The Popes devotion at their holy Maſſe. that in the time of his hearing maſſe (ſuch was their papall devotion, or rather devotation) he uſed to ſell Benefices for large ſums of money. And in ſpeciall to come nearer home, our Kingdome of England hath been ſo miſerably exhauſted by the yearly taxations impoſed on it and extracted from it, by thoſe skilfull, but moſt hatefull gold-Alchymists of Rome, that indeed Rome proved a moſt devouring bottomleſſe gulfe to our State, ſupping-up and ſwallowing down into her inſatiable paunch the creame and fat of the whole kingdome,England called and juſtly counted the Popes Aſſe. ſo as the Popes prey and ſpoiles in this kingdome, were by credible Writers accounted equall, very neare, to the Kings of Englands owne yearly revenewes. Inſomuch that England was commonly ſtiled the " Popes Aſſe; And the writers of thoſe times compared this our kingdome to a fruitfull Vineyard ſpoyled by every one that paſſed by, and rooted up by the wilde Boare of the wood, the Pope of Rome. By reaſon of which Romes horrible rapine and unlimitable covetouſneſſe, Mantuan, an ancient Writer of Romes rarities, hath given Rome, and that, moſt rightly, this title and inſcription.

Venalia, Romae,

Templa, Sacerdotes, Altaria, Sacra, Coronae;

Ignis, Thura, Preces, Coelum eſt venale, Deuſ que .

That is,

At Rome, We, Prieſthood, Churches, ſell for pelfe;

Pray'rs, Altars, Crownes, Maſſe, Fires, Heav'n, God himſelfe.

p. 9And thus, as you have had a ſummary ſight of Babylons Beautie in this pale and whitely colour of Covetouſneſſe,3. Roms whoriſh Incontinencie. and moſt exceſſive griping Avarice; So I ſhall now deſire the Reader to caſt his modeſt eyes, (if he can endure it) a little while, on Romes ramiſh and right whoriſh Incontinencie and moſt unchaſt painted Braverie, or rather Bawderie. And here in the firſt place, I ſhall give you one undeniable cauſe of incontinencie in the Prieſts of Rome, from the top to the toe,An undeniable cauſe of Romes Incontinency. from the Pope their holy Father himſelfe, to the moſt baſe and beggarly inferiour Fryers and hedge-prieſts of Rome (beſides the publike toleration of Stewes, as afore-ſaid, a moſt ſtinking ſtreame from a moſt filthy fountaine) namely the Popes moſt horribly pernicious Decree to make it unlawfull for any of their Prieſts or Eccleſiaſticks to marry; by which means in the dayes of Pope Gregorie (who firſt forbad Prieſts marriage) this ſaid Pope,6000 ſculs of little infants found in one of the Popes fiſh-ponds at one time. afterward, cauſing a fiſh pond of his to be fiſh'd and ſewed, in the cleanſing of the pond they found to the number of 6000. ſculs of little Infants (in that one pond) which had been begot in that unchaſte condition of Prieſts about him, and had been murthered and caſt into this the Popes pond.

Pope Joan, Pope Ioan, a right Whore of Rome, indeed, as Platina a famous Romiſh Writer, Pero Mexia, and others do teſtifiealias Pope John, the eighth, an Engliſh-Woman, a right Whore of Rome, indeed, without figure or Allegorie; In the time of her Papacie, even whiles ſhe was Popeſſe, committed reall and carnall Whoredome with a ſlave which ſhe kept and put much truſt in, for ſuch filthy and loathſome ſecrets; with whom ſhe uſed much (yea it ſeemes too much) familiarity in this kind, and by whom ſhe prooved with child; yet ſo ſecretly was it carried, that none but they two knew it, till it pleaſed God, (the great Explorator and diſcoverer of all ſecrets) to bring it to open knowledg and ſhame in the very ſtreets,Pope Ioan delivered of a child in the open ſtreets, as ſhe went in pompous proceſſion as ſhe paſt along, in accuſtomed Papall pompe, to viſit (forſooth) St John de Lateran, being come to a certaine place in Rome, betweene the Church of St Clement and the Theatre, with ſudden and extreme paine, ſhe (there) brought forth a creature to the wonderfull amazement of all that were preſent, and therewithall ſhe immediately died. O was not here a brave breach of their loud and lying bragge of an uninterrupted ſucceſſion of Popes and Biſhops of Rome? Pope Benedict the 8th, a moſt notorious fornicatour was ſtrangled to death by the devill.And yet ſo impudent are they to cry out unto us to this day of their lineall ſucceſſion, as a maine marke of their Apostolicall (but indeed Apoſtaticall) Church. Pope Benedict the eighth alſo, being he that was fore-mentioned that ſold away his Popedome to Gregorie the ſixth, p. 10for a 1500. lb. was a moſt notorious fornicatour and adulterer, and ſuch an horrid Nigromancer and ſorcerer, that at laſt he was moſt hideouſly ſtrangled to death,Pope Iohn the 13th, a moſt notorious fornicator and adulterer, was ſtabd to death in the very act by the devill himſelfe, as their owne Popiſh Hiſtorians teſtifie. Pope John the thirteenth, alſo, was a moſt filthie and luſtfull man, and condemned of many groſſe enormities, eſpecially for his Incontinencie, being accuſed before the Emperour Otho the fourth, in a Synod at Rome, that he had committed inceſt with two of his owne Siſters, that he had deſtored maidens, turned his ſacred palace (forſooth) into a ſtinking Stews, that he had lyen with one Stephana, his fathers Concubine, and with the widow Reynera, and with another widow called Anna, and with his neece, and (at laſt) he was ſtabbed to death by the husband of one that found him in the act of adulterie with his wife.

Pope Hildebrand, Pope Hildebrand a notorius adulterer; yet forbad prieſts to marry.alſo (that brand of hell of whom we made mention before for his monſtrous pride and inſolencie) was alſo a moſt notorious and filthy adulterer, yet moſt ſtiffely and deſperately forbad Prieſts marriage; O moſt abhominable and monſtrous hypocrite: This devilliſh Beaſt was alſo a moſt wicked Nigromancer and Inchanter.

Honorius the 2d Pope of Rome, ſent into England, one John of Crema, Cardinall of S. Griſon, his Legate; which Cardinall, in a Councell by him held in London, Pope Hildebrand and the Cardinall of Griſon, two moſt notorious hypocrites.condemned all married Prieſts; and the very night following, he himſelfe was taken (to give you the very expreſſion of my Hiſtorian) with the theft in his hand, was taken in bed with a wicked woman in the very act of adultery; And was not here another egregious Romiſh hypocrite? And Pope Innocent (rather Nocent) the eighth, had eight ſons and eight daughters,An unmarried Pope had 16 Sons and Daughters. yet never was married. And might not they all (moſt properly) indeed ſay unto him, O Papa, O Father, but moſt improperly and injuriouſly, moſt holy Father. And (which was moſt extreme impudence in the Popes of Rome) they moſt of them having many baſtards, both before and after they came to be Popes, were ſo farre from being aſham'd thereof, that they let the world ſee how fatherlike care they had of them, that they made ſome of them Kings, Dukes, Popes, Cardinals, Arch-biſhops, Queenes and Counteſſes, and lifted them up to ſuch like princely preferments. And finally, ſo horribly wicked was John Arch-biſhop of Benevent, and deane of the Apoſtolick-chamber (for ſooth) and Nuncio to Pope Julius the 3d, that p. 11he compiled a booke in commendation and praiſe of the abhominable ſinne, not fit to be once named, which ſaid booke was printed at Venice. And doe not all theſe moſt odiouſly and infamouſly ſhew what a pure and chaſte Spouſe of Chriſt, this Vicar (forſooth) of Chriſt and head of his Church,O what a chaſt Spouſe of Chriſt is the Pope of Rome. this beaſtly Whore of Babylon is? who thus frequently and filthily proſtitutes ſoule and bodie both in her ſelfe and proſelites, to ſuch more than belluine abhominations? And is not here a deepe dyed colour even in graine of this moſt audacious brazen fac'd Strumpets Babyloniſh Beauty. Ezekiel 8. 8, 9, 10, &c.Ezek 8:8Ezek 8:9Ezek 8:10And yet though (as the Lord bad the Prophet Ezekiel) we have thus far digged into the wall and ſeen (within) thus many of Romes ſecret abhominations. Yet, I ſay, I muſt deſire the good Readers Chriſtian patience, and I ſhall (as the Lord again and again bad the ſaid holy Prophet) goe yet farther into the Temple (at Rome) and ſhew you yet greater abhominations (if it may be) than all theſe before ſpecified, in now delivering and obſerving in the next place the moſt accurſed and Atheiſticall Blaſphemies and other impieties of this moſt vicious Vicar (forſooth) of Chriſt of this ſpurious Succeſſour of pious Peter, 4. Romes Blaſphemie and Impiety. The Popes blaſphemie, in playing at diceand wherein we ſhall ſhew you how patly he followes the patterne and imitation of Chriſt and his Apoſtles, in their pure Apoſtolicall vertues and graces. And firſt I ſhall inſtance in that Pope John the 13th, fore mentioned and branded as then with moſt blacke markes of infamie for his abhominable luſt and incontinencie; ſo now alſo againe with the helliſh coale of diabolicall blaſphemie. For this Pope in playing at dice for no ſmall ſummes of money (ye may believe) invocated the devill to get the games;Healths drunk to the devil by the Pope. And in his cups would drinke healths to the devill; as Luithprandus, an ancient Hiſtorian teſtifies.

Pope Sylvester the 2d,The Pope gives his body and ſoule to the devill for worldly dignities. alſo, from his youth gave himſelfe extremely to Inchantments and Witch-craft, and (as Platina writes of him) he contracted and covenanted with the devill in his youth, to give him both his body and ſoul, conditionally that he might, by his means, attain to great worldly pomp and dignities. Which the devill accordingly performed for him (being as the Scripture cals him, the Prince of this world, The Popes private copper head.yet, but by Gods permiſſion, and that, only in the ſons of diſobedience) who afterward aſcending up to the Popes Chair, and being, by the devils aſſiſtance made Pope of Rome, he had a Copper-head, which he kept ſecret, which alwayes gave him an anſwer of what, from time to time, hee demanded of the devill. At laſt, hee was deſirous p. 12to know of the devill, how long he ſhould be Pope; Who (as his cuſtome alwayes was, even in the oracles at Delphos, and els where) doubtfully anſwering, tould him he ſhould not die, untill he had ſaid Maſſe in Ieruſalem. Hereat Pope Sylveſter much rejoyced, reſolving and purpoſing with himſelfe, never to goe to the City of Jeruſalem. But it was a cuſtome in Rome, that on a certaine fixed day in Lent, the Popes of Rome muſt ſay Maſſe in the Church of the holy-Croſſe, called alſo Jeruſalem; Where and when, Sylveſter, being forgetfull of the devills deceipt, celebrated Maſſe there and was inſtantly taken with a great burning fever.The devill cheates the Pope. The Pope, then (Sayes Petrus Premoſtratenſis and Bennon, two ancient writers) Knowing by the roaring of the devills that his end was neare, and being in extreme ſorrowes,The Popes fearefull death. beſought thoſe about him, to cut off his hands and tongue (giving them the reaſons of his deſire therein) and ſo ſhortly after died. See here then, O blinde Roman Catholicks (as ye like to be call'd and counted) & tell me, can your holy father the Pope of Rome, erre or not? Where now was his pretended ſpirit of infallibilitie, ſo inſeperably inherent (as ye moſt lyingly prate) to the Papall Chaire? And it is frequently reported and teſtified by their Hiſtorians, that all the Popes, from this Pope Sylveſter the 2d, to Gregorie the 7th (a notorious villaine for his life, and a great Inchanter) which were 18 of them ſucceſſively immediately one after another) were notorious Inchanters and Nigromancers, a ſweet brood hatcht up in ſo ſacred and ſcelerous a neſt, as the Popes-Chaire? But, to goe-on.

Ʋictor the third (made Pope of Rome, by Maud an infamouſly famous Whore in the City of Rome, and an adultreſſe to Gregorie the 7th) was poyſoned by his Sub-deacon,The Pope poyſoned by poyſon caſt into the Sacramentall Wine. An Emperour alſo ſo poyſoned. who caſt poyſon into the Challice, in ſaying Maſſe, which this ſaid Pope drinking off, immediately died thereof. And, one Bernardus de monte Policiano, an accurſed dominican-Fryer, put alſo poyſon into the Sacramentall wine, and gave it to the Emperour Henrie the 4th, of Lucenburg, which the ſaid Emperour dranke and inſtantly died therof.

Iohn, alſo, the 25th, was (as Platina teſtifies) ſuch a notorious villaine (theſe I aſſure thee,One Pope poyſons another to be made Pope. Reader, are the very termes and titles the Romiſh Hiſtorians give their Popes) that he not onelyonly poyſoned Pope Alexander the 5th his Predeceſſour to be Pope himſelfe, but was accuſed and condemned of more then 40 heynous offences, viz. that he was p. 13a murtherer, an hereticke, a Symoniſt, a notorious lyer, an hypocrite, a Witch, a gameſter, an adulterer, a ſodomite, &c. And was not this a more than ſeven-headed monſtrous Beaſt of Rome indeed?

Pope Siſtus the fourth, allowed a booke to be publiſhed, which juſtified that Alanus de Rupe, Notorious blaſphemy, touching the virgine Marie.a dominick-Fryer (a great friend to the Popiſh Roſarie) was moſt familiar with the Virgine Marie, and that ſhe on a time, entred into his cell (the doors thereof being faſt ſhut) and tooke ſome of the haire from her head, and thereof made a little ring with which ſhe was married to this Frier Alanus; Fryer Alanus married to the virgine Marie. A blaſphemous mocking of our Saviours ſufferings.that ſhe kiſſed him, and cauſed him to handle her naked duggs, and was every way as familiar with him, as a wife with a husband. O abhominable and beaſtly blaſphemie. And Pope Paul the 3d, granted indulgence or pardon of all ſins for 56000 years to all that ſhould pray that foreſaid Roſarie; and was not this a notorious mockerie to Chriſts meritorious death and ſufferings. But it may here be juſtly objected; But what if the ſaid partie die the next weeke after,Object. what good will his 56000 yeares pardon doe him?Anſw. To which they will eaſily anſwer (as I my ſelfe have read it to be their opinion) yes, ſay they, very much good, for he may bequeath thoſe remainder of yeares, before he dies, to whomſoever he pleaſeth. And is not here moſt abhominable abuſing of poore ſilly ideots that beleeve them? But to goe on.

Pope Alexander the 6th,Alexander the 6th ſels himſelfe to the devill to be made Pope. made a Covenant with the Devill, and gave and delivered himſelfe wholly to him, on this only condition, that by his meanes he might attaine to be Pope, which the Devill having accordingly effected; So holily and obediently to Pluto his Patron, this atheiſticall Pope ordered his life, that he never attempted to doe any thing of moment, but firſt he conſulted thereof with the Devill.

Pope Leo alſo the 10th,Moſt hideous and fearfull blaſphemie. was a moſt damnable and helliſh Atheiſt; for, he held opinion that there was neither a heav'n nor hell; And of him it is recorded, that Cardinall Bembus alleadging to him, upon occaſion, a paſſage out of the Goſpell; He anſwered, What infinite profit this Fable of Chriſt hath brought to us and our companie, all the world knowes full well. At laſt he died with extreme laughing for joy to hear that the Imperialiſts were vanquiſhed and driven out of Italy by the French, which was done by his aſſiſtance and inſtigation.

Pope Paul the third, alſo afore-mentioned, was a moſt accurſed p. 14Atheiſt,Pope Paul the … a moſt horribly impious Pope. and the writers of his time ſay of him, that if they ſhould endeavour to recount all his enormities and horrible vices, his murthers, robberies, witcherics, treaſons, tyrannies, inceſts and wicked whoredomes, they knew not when to make an end thereof; he had many baſtards (as ſo the moſt of the Popes had, as was fore-ſpecified) and mightily preferred them; he poyſoned his owne Mother and two of his Siſters,This Pope poiſoned his owne Mother and 2 of his Siſters having been naught with one of them. with one of whom he was filthie and naught, and this was that Pope, that enjoyed the rent of 40000 Whores or Curtizans which were allowed in Rome, as hath been already declared. And in this Popes time, began that abominable and moſt ranke rabble of the Jeſuiticall incendiaries, to be knowne and advanced into a moſt ſcelerous Societi c Ano. 1545.

Finally, Pope Iulius the third, extraordinarily affecting Peacocks, and Swines-fleſh (which is bad for the gout, wherewith he was troubled, and his Phyſitians therefore ordering that none thereof ſhould be ſet on his table at meales) This ſaid Pope miſſing his porke, demanded of his officers about him,The Pope blaſphemes for want of his porke. what was become of his porke, and his Steward anſwering that the Phyſitians had commanded not to ſet it on the Table; he fell a curſing and blaſpheming with ſuch execrable blaſphemies as are not fit to be uttered. Another time alſo (as touching his peacocks) a roſted peacock having been brought to his table at dinner, but (by reaſon of the other various ſuperfluity of dainties) not then touch'd, the Pope bad it ſhould be reſerved for him till Supper; but at ſupper, he not ſeeing the cold peacocke (though this unholy Heliogabulus had then alſo hot peacocks,The Pope blaſphemes for want of a cold peacock at ſupper. he was terribly enraged and burſt out into blaſpheming for this, as he uſed to doe, and a Cardinall then ſupping with him, ſaid, Let not your holineſſe (forſooth) be ſo angry for ſo ſmall a thing. To whom this Satanicall Iulius anſwered moſt blaſphemouſly, If God was ſo angry with Adam for an Apple, that he caſt our firſt Parents out of Paradiſe for it; why ſhall it not be lawfull for me who am his Vicar (and a moſt vicious one too) to be angry for my peacocke, which is a thing of more worth than an apple If this be not blaſphemie, in a moſt high meaſure judge, even, yee Romiſh Catholicks, your ſelves.

And if theſe and the reſt of Romes abhominations doe not declare an extreme rotten ripeneſſe of impieties at Rome, This Pope Iulius was alſo an abhominable Sodomite.let all (though but meere rationall) Chriſtians conſider and judge; This Iebuſite Iulius aforeſaid, was alſo (as Hiſtories teſtifie) a moſt abhominable Sodomite. p. 15And thus I thinke, I have ſufficiently ſet out the Beautie of this Babyloniſh Baud, and as impudent, as impious Strumpet of Rome. Now therefore I ſhall proceed to a fift faire and moſt facinorous colour and more than beſtiall Braverie or rather Knaverie of this odious and audacious Whore of Rome; 5. Romes Tyrannie and cruelty▪which is and may be moſt apparently conſpicuous to the whole world in her, even, unexpreſſible Treacheries, Tyrannies and barbarous Cruelties toward all, of what Sex or Sect, of what dignitie or degree and condition ſo ever; if they oppoſed, complained, or but once muttered againſt the thus holy Apoſtolicall Sea of Rome.

And firſt I ſhall begin with the treacherous wrath and impious cruelty of that horrid and hideouſly wicked Pope Hildebrand, Pope Hildebrands treachery againſt the Emperour.that furious and outragious firebrand of hell, as he is moſt juſtly entituled; teſtified by the forementioned Cardinall Bennon. Which ſaid Pope, upon ſome pettie offence committed by Henry the 4th, then Emperour of Rome, againſt this Pope, He underſtanding that the ſaid Emperour uſed to pray in St Maries Church, in Mount Aventine in Rome, Cauſed the ſaid place to be marked, and then procured a certain skilfull Maſon or Stone-Cutter to Convey and place,A baſe & barbarous villany, intended by the Pope. ſecretly, certaine great Stones over the beams of the temple, right over the Emperours praying-place, that ſo they might fall from on high upon the head of the Emperour ſo praying, and thus bruiſe him to peeces; which villanie, as the ſaid Maſon was buſie to order and effect; and endeavouring to place a ſtone of very great poyſe & weight over the ſaid beame,Perillus firſt boyl'd in his own Bull. the Stone, by reaſon of its unweildy-waight, fell backward, at the ſame time, upon the Maſon himſelfe, and both the Stone and Maſon (by Gods Iuſt judgement) fell from the top, to the ſtore of the Church, and cruſhed the Maſon quite in pieces; and thus Perrillus was firſt boyl'd in his owne Bull, made by him at the tyrant Phalaris Command; had the Pope himſelfe been in the wretched Maſons ſtead; it had been right indeed, but thus the Emperour eſcaped the Popes malice and miſchiefe, at that time.

And now in the next place I ſhall ſhew you the moſt accurſedExtreme rags and revenge of one Pope againſt another. Cruelties and barbarous revenge-fullneſſe of one Pope againſt another. So deſperately and devilliſhly were they addicted to wrath and revenge, that Sergius, the third, being Pope was ſo furiouſly and even madly vindicative on Pope Formoſus his predeceſſour, for ſome affronts offered to the ſaid Sergius in Formoſus life time, that Sergius p. 16when he was Pope,Pope Sergius digg'd up the dead body of Pope Formoſus, buried 8 yeares to be revenged on him. cauſed Formoſus his dead carkaſſe to be dig'd out of his grave, having been buried about 8 years, and having him forth, made expreſſions that he would kill him, were he alive; but yet being thus dead, he cut off the other three fingers on his right-hand (Pope Stephen the ſixth, having moſt baſely alſo, before, cut off the other two fingers on his ſaid right-hand, wherewith Prieſts uſe to conſecrate in their Popiſh Maſſe, and caſt them into the river Tyber) and ſo this Sergius, I ſay, cut-off the other three fingers left on the hand of that dead Pope, and in deteſtable hatred, caſt them alſo into the ſaid river Tiber.Pope Boniſace his monſtrous cruelty to Pope Iohn.

Pope Boniface the ſeventh alſo was ſuch a cruell wretch, that, by money getting the Popedome from Pope John the 15th, Boniface laid hold on his ſaid Predeceſſour, John, caſt him into priſon, pul'd out both his eyes, and then and there famiſhed and ſtarv'd him to death. And about the yeare of our Lord, 1045. no leſſe than ſix Popes ſucceſſively one after another (within the ſpace of 13 yeares) poyſoned each other,… Popes poyſoned one another to be Pope by themſelves, or their Agents and inſtruments, to get the Popedome one from another, viz. Clement 2. Damaſus 2. Leo 9. Victor 2. Stephen 9. and Nicolas 2. And ſince I now ſpeake of poyſon, I aſſure the Reader, that ſearching and examining the lives and deaths of all the Popes of Rome, 25 or 27 of the Popes of Rome died by poyſonI have found at leaſt 26. or 27. of them that died by poyſon and ſo others thereby ſucceeding them. And as they dealt with bleſſed Bucer, that godly and learned man, in untombing him being dead and buried, and burning his dead bodie, as an heretick: So dealt theſe Popes no leſſe cruelly with one another; for, Pope Paſchall the ſecond,One Pope digs up another Popes dead body & burnes it. out of wrath and moſt barbarous rage to Pope Clement the 3d, cauſed the ſaid Pope Clement the 3d, his predeceſſours dead bodie to be digged up and burned, at his command. Yea and this fore-ſaid malicious Paſchall 2. was ſo devilliſhly cruell, that he incited the Emperour Henrie the fifth againſt his own father, Henrie the 4th, at that time Emperour (an onelyonly ſon againſt his father) who, with cruell warre perſecuted his ſaid father, by deceipt, tooke him priſoner,A moſt barbarous act of a Pope, by inciting an only ſon againſt his father, both of them Emperors and ſuffered him to die, a miſerable death in priſon; and yet, though the fathers death was thus procured (and all by the ſaid Pope Paſchals meanes and procurements) the Pope, I ſay, not ſatisfied with this inhumane rage and cruelty, after the ſaid Emperour, Henrie the 4th was ſo dead and buried, the Pope cauſed the Emperours dead corps to be taken out of his grave, caſt it out of the Church, p. 17and denying it Chriſtian buriall, cauſed it to remain above ground, unburied for the ſpace of five years after.

I might here alſo tell you of the abominable cruelty of Pope Ʋrban (O moſt notorious hypocrites in giving themſelves ſuch ſmooth and ſugred names,5 Cardinals put into 5 ſeverall Sacks, and caſt a live into the Sea and ſo drowned all at one time, by the Pope. and yet be of ſo baſe and barbarous Natures) who might fitlier have been called Pope Turban; who was ſo full of cruelty, rage and revenge, that being Pope, he cauſed 5 of his Cardinalls (who had ſtifly oppoſed him from being made Pope) to be ſhut up a live into five ſeverall ſacks and ſo caſt into the Sea, where they were all five drowned. Yea and I might here alſo tell you of the bloody diſpoſition of Pope Julius, the 2d, whom Pauls ſword pleaſed better then Peters Keyes, and ſo being a great warriour, was within the ſpace of 6 or 7 yeares,Pauls Sword better then Peters Keyes to the Pope. 200000 ſlain within a ſmall ſpace by the Popes meanes. the cauſe of the death of at leaſt 200000 Chriſtians ſlaine by the ſword through his intolerable tyrannie and cruelty: But what talke I of 200000 ſlaine within the ſpace of 6 or 7 yeares, when we now in our own moſt ſad and ſorrowfull dayes can ſpeak of farr more beaſtlike cruelty in the Romiſh Sons of theſe rammiſh Harlots even almoſt 200000 poor Proteſtants maſſacred and murthered by them in leſſe then a yeares, witneſſe (yet) poor bleeding, if not dying Ireland. I might goe on, ad infinitum, in theſe like examples, of the devilliſh cruelty of theſe holy fathers themſelves: But now let us (as briefely as may be) deſcend to more modern times, and ſee whither that of the prophet be not, in this caſe, too true, Like Prieſts, Hoſea. 4. 9.Hos 4:9like People, in the devilliſh diſciples of ſuch damned Doctors, whither the Sons of theſe unholy fathers, doe not moſt exquiſitely even Paſſibus aequis patrizare? imitate their flagicious fathers in any their moſt baſe and barbarous crueltyes, and more than Turkiſh tyranny, if not outſtrip and tranſcend them?The Spaniſh Inquiſition. To paſſe by the moſt unexpreſſible miſeries and terrible tortures of the Spaniſh Inquiſition, that moſt Sanguineous and gorey ſlaughter-houſe of Gods precious Saints of all ſorts, ages and ſexes, and the infinite numbers murthered therein by moſt exquiſite torments, wherof Ʋergerius Confeſſed that in the ſpace of 30 years at leaſt an 150000 periſhed therin by moſt intolerable tortures,The Maſſacre at Paris, in France▪ under the hands of thoſe horrid and hideouſly unholy Inquiſitors. To paſſe by alſo that moſt perfidious and bloody Maſſacre at Paris plotted and contrived by the King and Queene of France together with the acccurſed Duke of Guiſe and their treacherous crew of Romiſh Blood-hounds, wherein there periſhed at leaſt 50000 innocent p. 18peacefull Proteſtants, and that which was moſt diabolicall indeed, therein, all this under a pretext and colour of peace and piety and ſemingly confirmed with moſt deep proteſtations and vowes of King and Queen (as 'tis now a dayes) but all moſt perjuriouſly and perfidiouſly broken in ſtreames of blood. Let us looke a little alſo into Flanders upon one of the moſt inhumane Sons of thoſe unnaturall and unreaſonable Popes of Rome, who may, indeed, be, Instar omnium, I meane that Duke,Duke D' Alva, in Flanders, his moſt … n…ble cruelty. or rather Devill, D' Alva, who himſelfe publikely profeſſed that he had deſtroy'd and kil'd, by torments, 180 80▪ of the reformed Proteſtants in Flanders, in the ſpace of 6 yeares, merely for the cauſe of Religion: Yea, who cauſed women with child to have their bellies ript open and their innocent infants to be ſlaine; the men to be flead, and their skins to head drums; Some to be burned with gentle fires, which would hardly burn, therby to lengthen out and ſtrengthen their paines and miſeries;Vnparaleld cruelties. made others to be torn in peices with glowing fiery-tongs; and the very carcaſes of dead Proteſtants (luſt as you heard of their Satanicall Sires the fore-mentioned Popes) to be digged out of their graves and hanged on gallowes, and was not here a devill of hell indeed only covered with fleſh in a mans ſhape?Vnpatern'd cruelties in Weſt phalia, in Germanie. In Westphalia alſo in Germany, the Infants were by the Romiſh bloud-bounds there, torne out of the wombs of great bellied women, cut in peeces & ſo bound to the mouths of their Mothers; (ô unpatern'd and unparalel'd Monſters of men, the like helliſh hearts never heard of) men forced, there, by famin to feed on the fleſh of their own children; and tender infants of about 2 yeares old (twice more barbarous than bloody Herod) were incloſed againe in their mothers bodies, and ſo ſtrangled in their mothers bloud;Bluſh s heaven at this tranſcending Turkiſh tyranny. yea and the men (which is as ſhameleſſe as ſavage) were hanged up by their privy-members; if ever Turks or Iewes or any other moſt inhumane and godles Canibals or Heathens whomſoever, could execute more ſavage and odious barbarities to mortals,An 100000 Albigenſes ſlain by Pope Innocent the 3d. Almoſt 900000 Proteſtants were ſlaine in Chriſtendome, in 30 yeares. let any, either Protestant or Papiſt be judge. Beſides let us here call to mind (which I had almoſt forgot and omitted) the 100000 Chriſtian and godly Albigenſes who periſhed at the word and by the ſword of Pope Innocent the 3d; and, that from the beginning of the Ieſuites Society, to 1580 (being the ſpace of 30 yeares) almoſt 900000 Proteſtants were put to death, in France, England, Spaine, Italie, Germanie, and other countries and parts of Chriſtendome; nay in France alone an 100000 Protestants or Hugonets (as there they terme them) p. 19were ſhamefully murthered in a ſhort ſeaſon. Bartholomew de Caſe alſo, did witneſſe with his tongue and pen (who ſaw it with his eyes) that, within the ſpace of 40 yeares,15 millions of the poor Weſt-indians deſtroyed and killed by the moſt bloody Papiſticall Spaniards in the ſpace of 40 yeares. the Spaniards (thoſe bloudie ſons of their bloudie and barbarous fathers the Popes of Rome) had killed and deſtroyed by moſt hideous & horrible waies and devices of tortures to deſtruction, not leſſe than 15 millions of the poor Weſt-Indians, whō they conquered, and then ſo cruelly deſtroyed, that the very poor Heathens themſelves, at laſt hearing of a heaven and a hell after this life, and of the eternall happineſſe of the one and everlaſting horrour of the other, and demanding, Whither the Spaniards went, when they were dead, and it being anſwered, to Heaven; O, ſaid they, then we will never goe thither where the Spaniards are to be. What excellent Paſtors Popes and Papiſts are to feed ſoules and bodies in ſuch paſtures.Say now then, good Reader, who ever thou art, are not theſe Popes excellent Pastours? And are not ſuch Popiſh Swords and torments precious Pastures, to feed and breed up poore conquered and captivated wretches bodies and ſoules, in their moſt accurſed pinfolds? And thinke not, I deſire thee, that theſe relations are untruths and fictious effects of my ſpleen and wrath to Rome and Romaniſts; but, if thou pleaſeſt to enquire, thou ſhalt find all I have writ juſtified by authentick authours, both Popiſh themſelves and others alſo; and eſpecially theſe latter and moſt lamentable barbarities teſtified for moſt true by a witnes without exception,Proofs of all theſe fore-ſaid relations. being a ſtrange and ſtrong friend and favourer of Papiſts and Poperie, yea ſo farr their friend, as not to be afraid nor aſham'd, in his pulpit, publikly to preach and profeſſe, that Papiſts in England and Ireland were the Kings beſt friends and moſt loyall and loving Subjects, though he himſelfe had formerly both preached and printed theſe fearfull relations of them,Iohn Squire Prieſt. I meane that abhominable apoſtate Iohn Squire, late prieſt of Shorditch, in his Sermons on 2 Theſſ. 2. preached in Pauls Church and extant in print; with many others, I ſay, both moderne and ancient Writers, whom, for brevitie ſake, I have all along, purpoſely, pretermitted; but to go-on. Beſides thoſe ineffable cruelties fore-mentioned, thus done to the bodies of poore Chriſtians; ô the helliſh impieties done to the poore ſoules of thoſe that ſurvived,The miſerie of all ſuch poore ſurviving ſouls ſo captivated by Romes conquering ſword. and were inforced, by captivity and conquering thraldome, to live in the ſpiritually burning brick-kils of ſuch terrible ſoule-taske-maſters, to live, I ſay, under their ſpirituall whoredomes and Romiſh fornications to the moſt fearfull and finall damnation of both their bodies and ſouls, at laſt, a miſery farre beyond all foreſpoken! And were not theſe, then monſtrous and mighty Nimrods, p. 20indeed,Popiſh Nimrods and moſt furious ſoul-hunters. Gen. 10. 9.Gen 10:9 hunters, I ſay, not of beaſts, but of mens bodies and ſouls, and that, even before the Lord too, moſt impiouſly and impudently careleſſe and fearleſſe of Gods all-ſeeing eye, or revengfull hand againſt them? But to proceed, I might here, in the laſt place call to the Readers remembrance (for the finiſhing of this 5th peece of Babylons Beautie and bloudie Braverie, the fiery flames, mixed with much precious bloud of Gods deare Saints and Martyrs in thoſe Popiſh Marian daies in this Kingdome of England, wherein ſo many hundreds of holy and heavenly ſervants and ſouldiers of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, The Marian flames of Popiſh perſecutions in this kingdome of England.of both ſexes, and all ſorts and ages (by the accurſed cruelty and tyranny of Popiſh Prelates and other Antichriſtians, right bloudie ſons of the fearlet Whore of Rome) gave their bodies moſt willingly and chearfully, to be tortured and burned to aſhes, only for the name of the Lord Jeſus and his moſt pure and precious Truth and Goſpell.

Yea I might here alſo call to juſt remembrance the furious rage and wrath of the Spaniſh Antichristian ſons of the Romiſh Strumpet, thoſe White-boys of their murderous Mother Babylon, The intended Invaſion of England by the Spaniſh Armado, an 1588.in their formidable, and (but bleſſed be our good God) falſly called and counted Invincible Armado or fleet of mighty ſhips by ſea, in an. 1588. ſet out with all the engines and accoutrements of malice and miſchief to invade and ruinate, to over-runne and overthrow this our kingdome of England, and our moſt precious Lady and Soveraigne Qn. Elizabeth, that moſt fair Phenix, and famous paragon of her time and crowne of her Sex, a Princeſſe of ever moſt bleſſed and precious memorie; And when they ſaw that this (by Gods mighty power and moſt mercifull providence) prevailed not; O the many plots and conſpiracies, which the pernicious Pope of Rome, Spaine and their helliſh Jebuſites contrived and attempted againſt the ſole and ſacred perſon of that precious Princeſſe toThe many plots and conſpiracies againſt the perſon of ever to be renowned Qu. Elizabeth. bring her and her Proteſtant people and kingdome to ruine and deſtruction. As hath beene fully and exactly related in a booke lately publiſhed, entituled, Plots, Conſpiracies and Attempts of Domeſtick and Forraigne Enemies of the Romiſh Religion, againſt England, Scotland and Ireland, ſince the Reformation in Qu▪ Elizabeths daies; very worthy to be read for fuller ſatisfaction in this kinde.

I might heere alſo promp my country-mens dull memories (and O ſhame, yea moſt extrem ſhame for us that we ſhould already want jogging at the elbow, that we ſhould ſo ſoon, ſo ſlightly, and ſo ungratefully forget ſuch a matchles mercy) concerning that mighty deliverance, p. 21the Popiſh pouder-Plot. (Upon occaſion of the licenſing of my hiſtorie wherof, that baſe, back-ſliding Apoſtate of our late daies, D^r Baker, one of the Arch-Prelate Lauds white-boys of thoſe times was not aſham'd moſt impiouſly and audaciouſly to ſay, that we were not now a-daies ſo angry with the Papiſts (theſe bloudy hel-hounds) as they were 20 or 30 years before, ſo forward and hopefull, it ſeems, was the reconciliation of England to Rome.) Even that hell batch'd bloudie and moſt barbarous conjuration and exorbitant treaſon, invented, contrived and attempted too, by thoſe Romiſh Wolves in ſheeps-skins, by that Jeſuite Prieſt Garnet, The Popiſh Pouder-Plot by the Papiſts. 1605.the Arch traitour and his twelve Apostles, or rather devils incarnate, I meane that moſt horrid and helliſh Popiſh Gun-powder Plot, to have blowne up into the aire, and miſerably torne in peeces, the bodies of our King, Queen, Prince, and both the whole-Houſes of Parliament, then full fraught with the entire creame of the Kingdom, of Peers and Commons, all theſe at one moſt furious and ſulphurious blow, as one time, in the twinckling of an eye, beſides the moſt bloudy miſeries thereof (had it taken intended effect) which certainly are unexpreſſible by any mans moſt dexterious pen and ingenie.

All theſe, yea, any one of theſe, ſhould, me thinkes, be enough, and farre too much to make that abhominable Whore of Rome to bluſh and be aſham'd, if it were poſſible, and that ſhe had not too evidently put on ſuch a brazen browe and brawny Whores fore-head, that nothing can make her bluſh or be one jot aſham'd. And finally I might here call to mind (and yet me thinkes, I ſhould not need, 'tis ſo freſh in our preſent memorie, being ſo late and lamentable) as a laſt, but not leaſt peece of gliſtering varniſh to ſet off and ſet home, to the purpoſe, this Whore of Babylons Romiſh-rotten Beautie and bloudie Braverie, The late and ſtill laſting miſeries and deſolations of our poore ſiſter Germanie, by Popiſh cruelty.in telling the Chriſtian Reader of the late and long, and ſtill laſting matchleſſe miſeries and unpattern'd and unparalell'd calamities of our poore diſtreſſed and deſolate ſiſter Germanie, now for the ſpace of 23 or 24 yeares, made (of the moſt flouriſhing faire and famous garden of Europe) a moſt lamentable Chaos and Golgotha of bloud and ſlaughtered carkaſſes, a rude, ruinated and forlorne Wilderneſſe, the particular and perſonall ſorrowes and ſufferings of which people, men, women and children of all conditions, ages and both ſexes to relate, would make both the Writers and Readers haire to ſtand an end, and their hearts and hands to quake and tremble,Germanies teares. to faint and faile them, exactly to expreſſe and ſet them forth: but it being already done to our hands in a p. 22fearfull manner in a book, entituled Germanies Teares, I ſhall referre the farther ſight and knowledge thereof, if any deſire it, to the ſaid Booke; And all this alſo being moſt perniciouſly perpetrated and acted on the perſons, eſtates and habitations of that pittifully depopulated Country, by the moſt inſatiable rage and mercileſſe▪ matchleſſe, accurſed cruelty of the bloud-ſucking Wolfe, Tyger, Monſter (what can I fitly call her) of Rome, and her inhumane, roaring, raging and all ruining ſons and nurſſings.

And to conclude and ſhut up all, with that which is equall (if not tranſcendent) to all or any of the generall or particular barbarities and matchleſſe immunities of thoſe wilde Beares and Boares of Rome, Irelands preſent moſt piteous condition by the whoriſh ſons of Rome.I meane, the marvellous miſeries and deep-died diſtreſſes of our dearer, becauſe nearer Siſter, bleeding, nay even dying Ireland, at this preſent and hitherto for above a 12 months ſpace (wherin alſo I may not unduly intermix the preſent pitious, ſad and bad plight and condition of our owne Engliſh, being both imbarked, toſſed and tumbled at this time in one and the ſame Ocean of diſtreſſe and bloudy broyles, though not yet (ever glorified be our God for it,And Englands alſo, intermixed therein, as we find and feele by ſad experience. not in Irelands heighth and univerſalitie) tragically acted and perpetrated alſo by her owne moſt unnaturall viperous natives, thoſe beaſtly, baſely and matchleſly murderous Iriſh-rogues and Rebels of that forlorne kingdome, even thoſe right black and bloudie ſons of their monſtrous-Mother the Whore of Rome; whom, to make and ſet up, as their bloudie-god, they have ſo dealt with all Gods Engliſh Proteſtant people (there) whom they could reach and catch into their foule Harpeian fingers and vulturous claws and tallons, that, truly, I dare not for fear and trembling undertake to ſet forth and decipher the particulars, they are ſo ſad and bad, ſo bitter and terrible, but muſt and will (for brevity ſake alſo) referre the Reader that deſires to heare or know them, to two other books extant alſo in print, the one entituled Irelands Lamentation; the other Irelands Remonſtrance. Irelands Lamentation, and the Iriſh-Remonſtrance.Where he may ſadly ſee how thoſe too-apt Schollars of Rome, have even tranſcended their teachers (which is moſt admirable, and one would have thought, till now, impoſſible) in their exquiſiteſt and deepeſt Lectures, patterns and preſidents of damnable and deteſtable cruelties, moſt helliſh villanies, and blaſphemies, to the intolerable terrour of thoſe that doe but reade them; Ah poore ſoules, what was it then, to thoſe that ſuffer'd and endur'd them.

p. 23And thus, I think, I have ſufficiently ſet forth and blazoned the 5th part or peece of Babylons Beauty, and painted out this ſanguine colour of cruelty, tyranny and treacherie of this Scarlet ſtrumpet of Rome and of her moſt ſcelerous ſons and pernicious Popiſh proſelites and Ieſuiticall monſters, the horrid and hideous incendiaries and bloud-ſuckers of the whole Chriſtian world.

Now, therefore, in the 6th and laſt place, I ſhall briefly endeavour to ſet this picture of the Pope and his peſtilent progenie into a faire frame,A frame for the Popes picture. and ſo, fit it to be hung up to the moſt conſpicuous view and viſible aſpection of all that will but bring their equall and impartiall eyes and fight along with them, that ſo this moſt famous or rather infamous Harlot of Rome may be ſeene, the more clearly, to be the Antichriſt indeed, even the grand Adverſarie of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, not only by moſt abhominable carriage and converſation in life (as now you have ſeen ſet forth to the life) but alſo in corrupt and counterfeit Doctrin too, moſt faithleſly and falſly perverting and abuſing the moſt ſacred Scriptures, whereby Rome and all her Popiſh rabble of Trentine Romanists moſt apparently precipitate and caſt themſelves head-long both ſoules and bodies into everlaſting perdition (without true and timely repentance) as is moſt cleare by the infallible teſtimony of the Spirit of God, the moſt faithfull authour of Sacred Writ. And that the Reader may ſee this horrible preſumption and audacious and blaſphemous arrogancy of the Pope and his damned Tridentine Doctours, I ſhall give thee a moſt exact Ocular-paralell in certaine briefe Antitheſes or oppoſite tenets and moſt evident differences and contrarieties betweene Chriſt the pure fountaine of Truth, yea Truth it ſelfe and Antichriſt, the muddy puddle of errour and hereſie, yea errour it ſelf in the abſtract, which are as follow.

Jer. Quod antiquiſſimum; id, vera, veriſſimum.6. 16. Thus ſaith the Lord, ſtand in waies and behold and ask for the old way, which is the good way, and walk therin, and ye ſhall find reſt for your ſouls: But, they (the Romaniſts) ſaid, we will not walke therein.

p. 27And finally to ſum up all in one Apothegme. We are (ſaies Bozius, a great Popiſh Writer) obliged to obey the Pope, even as Chriſt; nay they have another ſentence, one degree beyond this. The Pope permitteth one Canon to be in his Decretals, which ſaith, That S^t Paul himſelf did speake againſt all truth and reaſon. Can. hac. Rat. Cauſa 31. qu. 1. See here good Reader, did ever any dare ſo directly and audaciouſly to oppoſe Chriſt and his Goſpell of Truth? No certainly, never any other in the world.

And what ſay'ſt thou now, good Reader, have I not repreſented to thine eyes and thoughts a ſtrange picture of a moſt ſtrange ſtrumpet, ſet out and adorned with all the luſtrous colours of her moſt baſe Babyloniſh Beauty? The Popes picture ſet in a frame fit to be hung up to the view of the whole world.And fitted it with a faire frame of ſo many of Romes damnable doctrines, fit now to be ſeen and ſhewne to the whole world, to Romes and all Romaniſts eternall ſhame and indelible infamy? And may I not now (thinkeſt thou) truly ſay to all Papiſts, yea and to all formall Proteſt … large too, as once Pilate ſaid (though in another ſenſe) Ecce homo, yea, Ecce homines, behold the man and his impious Imps, whom thus yee ſtrive and ſtruggle to make your god;Ecce Homo. See, I ſay, what a goodly god, ye have gotten, what a King ye have made unto you? What a brave Baal of your owne inventing and deviſing. And ſince ye will needs have another King of your own making, and have rejected King Jeſus, 1 Sam. 8. 11, 12, &c.1 Sam 8:111 Sam 8:12who is and ought to be your right and ſole ſoveraigne: I have now therefore with the holy Prophet Samuel ſhewn and deſcribed to you and to all men, what a king ye have gotten, and what he will (as he hitherto hath done) do unto you, and how he will tyrannize over you. Which being ſeriouſly conſidered and ſet home to the heart and ſoule of any intelligent and but meer-naturally ſeeing, either Papiſt or formall Proteſtant (for, truly theſe alſo are Romes 100 deare and neare friends and favourers) that is well in his wits, and then, tell me,Iudges. 6. 3…. Will you plead for Baal,Judg 6:3 (for I muſt expoſtulate with you, as Joaſh, Gideons father did with the idolatrous men of his City) will ye, can ye, dare ye, now, plead for this ſo abominable Baal of Rome? Can ye ſave him from Gods reſolved wrath and revenge on him? Will ye thus ſpend and waſte your goods and lands, and deſtroy your Country, King, and 3 famous and once flouriſhing kingdomes, yea your lives and bodies and ſoules too, for the propping and ſupporting of ſuch a rotten pained (or rather putrified) Whore, on whom the Lord God is now (as he hath fore-told long ſince) about to poure out the full viols of his fury,Revel. 16.1, ….Rev 16:1 yea the very lees p. 28and dreggs of his wrath and indignation. And why? Why the Spirit of God there tels us, v. 6. Becauſe ſhe hath ſhed the bloud of the Saints and Prophets of the Lord, therefore God will now give her bloud to drinke, for ſhe is worthy, even for this; and for all her falſe and filthy fornications and abominations wherewith ſhe hath abuſed, beſotted and intoxicated the kings and kingdomes of the earth? Have yee not yet ſeene and knowne enough, by all theſe admirable demonſtrations and fearefull deſcriptions of this jugling Baal of Rome, both in the priſtine and preſent peeces of her Babyloniſh Beautie, that ſhe is but a moſt impious and audacious deſtructive Deluder and impoſtor, a moſt peſtilent and poyſonous lying lover, not to be delighted in, but contrariwiſe to be moſt deteſtably diſliked and loathed: But if ye will blindly and blockiſhly perſiſt (maugre all that can be ſaid or ſhewne unto you) in this your groſſe folly,Romae amentes haud amantes. doe ye not manifeſt to the whole world that ye are Romae amentes haud amantes, not only ſtarke fooles, but Romes meere mad-men, who will beſtow your love on ſuch a loveleſſe and …thſome ſtinking ſtrumpet. Iſa. 44. 16.Isa 44:16Yea in thus doing and doting, are ye not like thoſe idolatrous ſots mentioned by the Prophet, who having cut downe their Cedar trees and chopt and chipt them, and with part thereof made them a wooden god, and with the other part thereof made them a fire and warmed themſelves thereat,The extreme folly & groſſe idiotiſme of idolaters deſcribed. ſaying, Aha, we are warme and have ſeene the fire, made of a part of the, ſame Cedars, whereof we have made our gods which we worſhip, (O groſſe abſurdity) in their ſo doing wherof (I ſay) may not all wiſe hearted and godly Chriſtians fitly turn that ſottiſh Aha, into a juſt Haha of laughter, ſcorne and deriſion to ſee and obſerve (with thoſe idolatrous Hebrewes) the Romiſh ſots and idiots of ours, and former times, call and account, admire and adore, ſuch Romiſh Beaſts, ſuch ſtupendiouſly execrable Strumpets of ſpirituall fornication and idolatry (moſt worthy of all contempt and hatred) their gods and their Saviours. Flee from Rome as from a poyſonouſtinging Serpent. 1 King. 18. 21.1 Kgs 18:21For ſhame, for ſhame, flie from them, hate and abhorr them, as moſt noy ſome, loathſom poyſonous ſtinging Serpents, as the bitter bane and mortiferous Henbane of your eſtates, bodies and ſoules. And as Elijah ſaid to the ſlaggering Iſraelites of his times; ſo ſay I to you all, both Papiſts and formall wavering Proteſtants (as I touched this paſſage at the beginning of this Treatiſe) if the Lord be God, Idols never do good, but moſt and worſt hurt.follow him, and him only: But if Baal be God (the contrary whereof, I thinke hath been abundantly proved) then follow him. O why halt ye thus between 2 opinions? Or rather, why joyne ye your p. 29ſelves ſo cloſely to ſuch falſe-gods, ſuch lying vanities, which doe you infinitely more hurt than good & nay who never did you any good at all, but alwaies did you the worſt and bittereſt evill, both to bodie and ſoule that is poſſibly able to befall you, even the damning of them both to infinite and endles miſerie. O how happy were it for you, if once it would pleaſe the Lord to open your eies and mollifie and rectifie your hearts, to ſee and conſider what ye have done, whence ye are fallen, and whither you are headlong tumbling;Pia & Chriſtiana crudelitas. Deu. 13. 6, &c.Deut 13:6 and then ſeriouſly and ſincerely to reſolve on that, Piam & Chriſtianam crudelitatem, that holy and Chriſtian cruelty (as I may, me thinkes, fitly call it) mentioned by the Spirit of God himſelfe, namely, That if thy deareſt Brother, the ſonne of thy Mother, thy ſinne or thy daughter, or the wife of thy boſome; yea, or thy neareſt and deareſt friend, who is unto thee as thine owne ſoule, ſhould ſecretly entice thee, or openly endeavour to allure thee to goe a whoring after idoll-gods: By all meanes be ſo farre from conſenting to them, as, contrarywiſe, not to ſuffer thine eyes to pitty or ſpare them (like that moſt noble and renowned Chriſtian convert,Galeacius Caracciolua, Marqueſſe of Vice, a moſt famous and conſtant convert from Poperie. famous Galeacius Caracciolus, Marqueſſe of Vice) but to throw them from thee, to trample and tread on them, and to cauſe thine owne hand to be firſt upon them, even to ſtone or kill them, becauſe they ſought and wrought to thruſt and draw thee from the Lord thy God, to idolatry: That thus by thine example (as the holy Spirit of God goes on there) others of the ſame ſuperſtitious and idolatrous rank and rabble, may ſee, and heare, and feare, and doe no more ſuch wickedneſſe, as this is among you. And for a cloſe of all, and with which I will conclude; O that all idolatrous Papiſts would ſeaſonably and ſeriouſly conſider, how cloſe (that fearfull ſentence and peremptory maledictionPſal. …7. 7.Ps 7:7 of the pious Prophet David) comes to the heart and ſtings the ſoule of all the obſtinate and deſperate idolaters of Rome (who ſo flaſhily and fooliſhly glorie in that badge of the Beaſt, the title and appellation of Romiſh Catholicks, A moſt fearfull ſentence and poſitive execration on all Papiſts.forſooth) who, I ſay breakes out againſt them all, in this moſt emphaticall and plaine and poſitive execration: Confounded be all they that worſhip or ſerve graven images, and that boaſt themſelves of Idols and falſ-gods. O therefore, who ever thou art that belongeſt to God (for I am not ſo uncharitable, but to beleeve, God hath ſome, yet blinded, ignorant and captivated ſoules, even in Spaine and Rome it ſelfe, whom he will timely take out from among them) lay this, I ſay, as cloſe to thy heart, as it comes cloſe unto thee, and moſt nearly concernes thee: And readily and ſpeedily imbrace that gracious invitation p. 30of thy moſt ſweet Saviour and only precious Redeemer and efficatious Interceſſour the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, Who, having already peremptorily declared and foreſhowne the certain ruine and confuſion of the red Dragon, the Scarlet Whore, the Antichriſt of Rome, with ſuch indubitable aſſertions and aſſeverations thereof,Revel. 18. …, 3, 4, 5, 6, &c.Rev 18 as is cleare, Revel. 18. 2. as if it were already done, in theſe words, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen (ſee what a ſerious aſſeveration, is here, with an ingemination in the preſent tenſe) and is become the habitation of devils, the hould of uncleane ſpirits, and a very cage of all uncleane and ravenous hatefull birds, as I thinke, hath been aboundantly ſeen and ſhewne, to the purpoſe, in this little Treatiſe. Therefore, I ſay, in regard her ruine is ſo certain, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, Chriſts gracious invitation to his Children to come out of Babylon.moſt graciouſly invites all his poore people (whom though mixed among the Romiſh Babylonians, he hath a purpoſe to ſave and preſerve) to come out of Babylon unto him, ſaying, ver. 4. Come out of her, my people, come out of her, that ye be not partakers of her ſins; and ſo conſequently, that ye may not receive of her plagues: Which, now, without all controverſie, the Lord is pouring out upon her,Gods ſerious and certaine reſolution to be revenged on Babylon. and reſolving, ver. 6. to reward her, as ſhe hath rewarded Gods Saints, and to double unto her double, according to all her abhominable works, and in the Cup which ſhe hath filled to others to fill her double. Even ſo, Come Lord Jeſus come quickly to revenge the precious bloud of thy ſlaughtered Saints, haſten thy comming, and (for thine Elects ſake, as thou haſt promiſed) ſhorten the dayes of their ſorrow, Amen and Amen.

Omnis Gloria ſolius eſt Domini.

FINIS.

End of the text · John Vicars, Babylons Beauty (1644)