Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	authority_n	council_n	pope_n	1,735	5	6.7955	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B21152	The increase of popery in England, since the reformation made by King Henry VIII shewing the great encouragement that priests, Jesuits, and other promoter of that bloudy religion have had from persons of power and authority, the discouragements and notorious hardships, even to silencing, and banishment from cities and corporations, that have been the portion of many able and faithful Protestant ministers, that have eminently opposed it : with an essay towards what may possibly befall the Churches of Christ from the hellish contrivances and damnable plots of Romish emissaries : with a faithful extract out of the most authentick records of the most memorable things referring to the reformation, viz. Henry VIII, his reasons given in his proclamation for taking away the Popes usurped power, his protestation against the pope, his injunctions to his clergy, Bishop St[e]phen Gardener's oath or protestation, and his reasons against the Popessupremacy in England and the publick agreement of the whole clergy of England, as confirmed and ratified in the book called the Bishops book, published in the year 1534 / by .. William Dell ...	Darrell, William, 1651-1721.	1681 (1681)	Wing D923	53,277	58

is to be Pastors in their own Diocese and so to use no other power or else whether they may make Laws not onely unto other Bishops but also to Kings and Emperours O boldness meet to be beaten down with force and not not to be convinced with Arguments Can either Paul that now Lordeth or any of his earnestly go about if they alone or at the least without any Adversary be th●● in a corner assembled together to heal the Sicknesses to take away the Errors to pluck down the Abuses that now are crept into the Church and there be bolstered up by such Councils as now is like to be at Mantua Paul the Pope proleth for his own profit Is it very like that these which prole for nothing but profit will right gladly pull down all such things as th●●● Forefathers made onely for the increase of Money Wh●●● as their Forefathers when their Honour Power an●●macy was called into question would either in despigh●●f Gods Law maintain their Dignity or to say better their intolerable Pride Is it like that these will not tread in their steps and make naughty new Canons whereby they may defend old evil Decrees Howbeit what need we to care either what they have done or what they intend to do hereafter England taketh her leave of the Pope for ever forasmuch as England hath taken her leave of Popish Crafts for ever never to be deluded with them hereafter Roman Bishops have nothing to do with English People the one doth not traffick with the other at least though they will have to do with us yet we will none of their merchandise none of their stuff we will receive them of our council no more England refuseth the Popes Merchandise We have sought our hurt and bought our loss a great while too long Surely their Decrees either touching things set up or put down shall have none other place with us than all Bishops Decrees have that is if we like them we admit them if we do not we refuse them But lest peradventure men shall think us to follow our senses too much and that we moved by small or no just causes forsake the Authority Censures Decrees and Popish Counsels we thought it best here to shew our mind to the whole world Wherefore we protest before God and all men that we embrace profess and will ever so do the right and holy Doctrine of Christ All the Articles of his Faith no jot omitted be all so dear unto us that we should much sooner stand in jeopardy of our Realm than to see any point of Christs Religion in jeopardy with us England goeth not from the unity of Faith although it goeth from the Pope We protest that we never went from the unity of his Faith neither that we will depart an inch from it No we will much sooner lose our Lives than any Article of our Belief shall decay in England We which in all this cause seek nothing but the glory of God the profit and quietness of the World The Faith of England Catholick England ready to send to any General Council where truth may be advanced protest that we can suffer Deceivers no longer We never refused to come to a General Council no we promise all our labour study and fidelity to the setting up of trodden Truth and troubled Religion in their place again and to do all that shall lie in us to finish such Controversies as have a great while too long vexed Christendom Onely we will all Christian men be admonished that we can suffer no longer that they be esteemed willing to take away Errors which indeed by all the ways their Wits will serve them go about this alone that no man under pain of Death may speak against any Error or Abuse We would have a Council we desire it yea and crave nothing so oft of God as that we may have one But yet we will that it be such as Christian men ought to have that is frank and free where every man without fear may say his mind We desire that it be an holy Council What a true General Council ought to be where every man may go about to set up Godliness and not apply all their study to oppressing of Truth We will it be General that is to say kept at such time and in such place that every man which seeketh the glory of God may be present and there frankly utter his mind Conditions of a true General Council For when it shall seem General either when no man that dissenteth from the Bishop of Rome is compelled to be from it or when they that be present are not letted by any just terror to say boldly what they truly think for who would not gladly come to such a Council except it be the Pope his Cardinals and Popish Rishops On the other side who is so foolish whereas the chief point that is to be handled in this Council is the Popes own Cause Power and Primacy to grant that the Pope should reign should be Iudge should be President of the Council If he which indeed can never think himself able to defend his Cause before any other Iudge The Pope would be Judge in his own cause be evermore made his own Iudge and so Controversies not decided but Errors set up what can be devised in the Commonwealth of Christendom more hurtful to the truth than General Councils The Pope hath no power to summon Councils And here to touch somewhat their impudent Arrogancy By what Law Power or honest Title take they upon them to call Kings to summon Princes to appear where their Bulls command them In time past all Councils were appointed by the Authority Consent and Commandment of the Emperour Kings and Princes why now taketh the Bishop of Rome this upon him Some will say It is more likely that Bishops will more tender the cause of Religion gladlier have Errors taken away than Emperours Kings and Princes The world hath good experience of them and every man seeth how faithfully they have handled religious matters Is there any man that doth not see how vertuously Paul now goeth about by this occasion to set up his Tyranny again The Pope how he can watch his time Is it not like that he that chooseth such a time as this is to keep a Council much intendeth the redress of things that now are amiss that he seeketh the restoring of Religion that now calleth a Council the Emperour and the French King two Princes of great power so bent to Wars that neither they nor any other Christian Prince can in a manner do any thing but look for the end of this long War Go too go t o Bishop of Rome occasion long wish'd for offereth her self unto you take her she openeth a Window for your Frauds to creep in at call your Cardinals your own Creatures shew them that this is a jolly time to deceive Princes in O

to the King yielding and rendering unto him onely the Style of Supreme Head next under Christ of the Church of England all other Service Subjection and Obedience to be given to any other forein Potentate which should be prejudicial to the Kings Highness in this behalf being excluded and that both frankly and freely of their own voluntary motion and also upon the faith and fidelity of their Priesthood as by their own words and handwriting may appear in form as hereunder followeth The Oath of Stephen Gardener Bishop of Winchester made to King Henry VIII EGO Stephanus Wintoniensis Episcopus pure sponte The Oath of Stephen Gardener to the King absolute in verbo Pontificio profiteor ac spondeo illustrissimae vestrae Regiae Majestati singulari ac summo Domino meo Patrono Henrico Dei gratia Angliae Franciae Regi Fidei Defensori Domino Hiberniae atque in terris Ecclesiae Anglicanae Supremo immediate sub Christo Capiti quod posthac nulli externo Imperatori Regi Principi aut Praelato nec Romano Pontifiei quem Papam vocant fidelitatem obedientiam c. Translated into English thus I Stephen Bishop of Winchester do purely of mine own voluntary accord and absolutely in the word of a Bishop profess and promise to your Princely Majesty my singular and chief Lord and Patron Henry the Eighth by the grace of God King of England and of France Defender of the Faith Lord of Ireland and in earth of the Church of England Supreme Head immediately under Christ That from this day forward I shall swear promise give or cause to be given to no forein Potentate Emperour King Prince or Prelate nor yet to the Bishop of Rome whom they call Pope any Oath or Fealty directly or indirectly either by word or writing but at all times and in every case and condition I shall observe hold and maintain to all effects and intents the quarrel and cause of your Royal Majesty and your Successors and to the uttermost of my power shall defend the same against all manner of persons whomsoever I shall know or suspect to be Adversaries to your Majesty or to your Successors and shall give my faith truth and obedience syncerely and with my very heart onely to your Royal Majesty as to my Supreme Prince I profess the Papacy of Rome not to be ordained of God by holy Scripture Stephen Gardener abrenounceth the Pope but constantly do affirm and openly declare and shall declare it to be set up onely by Man and shall cause diligently other men likewise to publish the same Neither shall I enter any Treaty with any person or persons either privily or apertly or shall consent thereto that the Bishop of Rome shall have or exercise here any Authority or Iurisdiction or is to be restored to any Iurisdiction hereafter Furthermore that the said Bishop of Rome now being or any that shall succ●ed him hereafter in the said See is not to be called Pope nor Supreme Bishop or Vniversal Bishop nor most holy Lord but onely ought to be called Bishop of Rome and Fellow Brother as the old manner of the most ancient Bishops hath been This I shall to my power openly maintain and defend And I shall firmly observe and cause to be observed of other to the uttermost of my cunning wit and power all such Laws and Acts of this Realm how and whatsoever as have been enacted and established for the extirpation and suppression of the Papacy and of the Authority and Iurisdiction of the said Bishop of Rome Neither shall I appeal hereafter to the said Bishop of Rome nor ever consent to any person that shall appeal to him neither shall I attempt prosecute or follow any Suit in the Court of Rome for any cause of right or justice to be had or shall make answer to any Plea or Action nor shall take upon me the person and office either of the Plaintiff or Defendent in the said Court And if the said Bishop by his Messenger or by his Letters shall make any means or signification unto me of any matter whatsoeuer it be I shall with all speed and diligence make declaration and advertisement thereof or cause the same to be signified either to your Princely Majesty or to some of your secret Council or to your Successors or any of their privy Council Neither shall I send or cause to be sent at any time any writing or messenger to the said Bishop or to his Court without the knowledge or consent of your Majesty or your Successors willing me to send writing or messenger unto him Neither shall I procure or give counsel to any person to procure Bulls Briefs or Rescripts whatsoever either for me or for any other from the said Bishop of Rome or his Court. And if any such shall be procured against my will and knowledge either in general or in special or else howsoever they shall be granted unto them I shall utter and disclose the same and not consent thereunto nor use them in any case and shall cause them to be brought to your Majesty or your Successors Furthermore for the confirmation hereof I give my faith and truth by firm promise and in the faith of a Bishop that against this my foresaid Profession and Promise made I shall defend my self by no Dispensation Exception nor any remedy or cautel of Law or Example during this my natural life And if heretofore I have done or made any Protestation in prejudice of this my Profession and Promise here made the same I do revoke at this present and for ever hereafter and here utterly do renounce by these presents Whereunto I have subscribed and underwritten the name both of my self and of my Bishoprick with my proper hand and thereto also have put to my Seal in perpetual and undoubted testimony of the premisses Given the tenth day of February Anno 1534 and of our Sovereign Lord King Henry the eight twenty six Stephanus Wintoniensis The same Bishop of Winchester's Reasons against the Pope's Supremacy MOreover the said Gardener in the forenamed Book De vera Obedientia what Constancy he pretendeth Steph. Wint. a Lutheran in his Book De vera obedientia what Arguments he inferreth how earnestly and pithily he disputeth on the Kings side against the Vsurped State of the Bishop of Romes Authority by the words of his Book it may appear whereof a brief Collection here followeth IN the process of his foresaid Book The Sword of the Church how far it extendeth he alledging the old distinction of the Papists wherein they give to the Prince the Regiment of things Temporal and to the Church of things Spiritual comparing the one to the greater Light the other to the lesser Light he confuteth and derideth the same distinction declaring the Sword of the Church to extend no further than to Teaching and Excommunication and referreth all preheminence to the Sword of the Prince alledging for this the

Agreement of the whole Clergy of England confirmed and ratified in their own publick Book called The Bishops Book Anno 1534. with the Names of the Witnesses WE think it convenient Te●timonies out o●●he Bishops Book against the Popes Supremacy that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach the People committed unto their spiritual charge that whereas certain men do imagine and affirm that Christ should give unto the Bishop of Rome power and authority not onely to be Head and Governour of all Priests and Bishops in Christs Church but also to have and occupy the whole Monarchy of the World in his hands and that he may thereby lawfully depose Kings and Princes from their Realms Dominions and Seigniories and so transfer and give the same to such persons as him liketh that is utterly false and untrue for Christ never gave unto S. Peter or unto any of the Apostles or their Successors any such Authority And the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul do teach and command that all Christian People as well Priests and Bishops as others should be obedient and subject unto the Princes and Potentates of the World although they were Infidels And as for the Bishop of Rome it was many hundred years after Christ before he could acquire or get any Primacy or Governance above any other Bishops out of his Province in Italy since the which time he hath ever usurped more and more And though some part of his power was given to him by the consent of the Emperours Kings and Princes and by the consent also of the Clergy in General Councils assembled yet surely he attained the most part thereof by marvellous subtilty and craft How the Bishop of Rome rose by ambition and especially by colluding with great Kings and Princes sometime training them into his Devotion by pretence and colour of Holiness and Sanctimony and sometime constraining them by force and tyranny Whereby the said Bishops of Rome aspired and rose at length unto such greatness in Strength and Authority that they presumed and took upon them to be Heads Concilium tertium Cartha inense cap. 6. and to put Laws by their own Authority not onely unto all other Bishops within Christendom but also unto the Emperours Kings and other the Princes and Lords of the world and that under the pretence of the Authority c●●mitted unto them by the Gospel First the General Council of Nice decreed that the Patriarchs of Alexandria and Antiochia should have like power over the Countries about those Cities as the Bishops of Rome had over the Countries about Rome In the Council of Milevitan it was decreed that if a Clerk of Africk would appeal out of Africk un●o any Bishop beyond the Sea he should be taken as a person Excommunicate In the General Council of Constantinople the first it was likewise decreed that every Cause between any persons should be determined within the Provinces where the matters did lie and that no Bishop should exercise any power out of his own Diocese or Province And this was also the mind of holy S. Cyprian and of other holy men of Africa To conclude therefore the Pope hath no su h Primacy g●ven him either by the words of Scripture or by any General Council or by common consent of the holy Ca●holick Church ●●●rein the said Bishops of Rome do no● nely abuse and pervert the true sense and meaning of Christs Word but they do also clean contrary to the use and custom of the Primitive Church and so do manifestly violate as well the holy Canons made in the Church immediately after the time of the Apostles as also the Decrees and Constitutions made in that behalf by the holy Fathers of the Catholick Church assembled in the first General Councils And finally they do transgress their own profession made in their Creation For all the Bishops of Rome always when they be consecrated and made Bishops of that See do make a solemn profession and vow that they shall inviolably observe and keep all the Ordinances made in the first eight General Councils among the which it is specially provided and enacted that all Causes shall be finished and determined within the Province where the same begun and that by the Bishops of the same Province and that no Bishop shall exercise any Iurisdiction out of his own Province Gregorius l. 4. Epistolarum indictione 13. Epist 13. and divers such other Canons were then made and confirmed by the said Councils to repress and take away out of the Church all such Primacy and Iurisdiction over Kings and Bishops as the Bishops of Rome pretend now to have over the same And we find that divers good Fathers Bishops of Rome did greatly reprove yea and abhor as a thing clean contrary to the Gospel and the Decrees of the Church that any Bishop of Rome or elsewhere should presume usurp or take upon him the Title and Name of Vniversal Bishop or of the Head of all Priests or of the Highest Priest or any such like Title For confirmation whereof it is out of all doubt that there is no mention made neither in Scripture nor in the Writings of any authentical Doctor or Author of the Church being within the time of the Apostles that Christ did ever make or institute any distinction or difference to be in the preheminence of Power Order or Iurisdiction between the Apostles themselves or between the Bishops themselves but that they were all equal in Power Order Authority and Iurisdiction And that there is now and since the time of the Apostles any such diversity or difference among the Bishops it was devised by the antient Fathers of the Primitive Church for the conservation of good order and unity of the Catholick Church and that either by the consent and authority or else at the least by the permission and sufferance of the Princes and Civil Powers for the time ruling c. And shortly after followeth And for the better confirmation of this part we think it also convenient that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach the people committed unto their spiritual charge that Christ did by express words prohibit that none of his Apostles nor any of their Successors should under the pretence of the Authority given unto them by Christ take upon them the Authority of the Sword that is to say the Authority of Kings or of any Civil Power in this world yea or any Authority to make Laws or Ordinances in causes appertaining unto Civil Powers Truth it is the Priests and Bishops may execute all such Temporal Power and Iurisdion as is committed unto them by the Ordinance and Authority of Kings or other Civil Powers and by the consent of the people as Officers and Ministers under the said Kings and Powers so long as it shall please the said Kings and People to permit and suffer them so to use and execute the same Notwithstanding if any Bishop of what estate or dignity soever

he be be he Bishop of Rome or of any other City Province or Diocese do presume to take upon him Authority or Iurisdiction in causes or matters which appertain unto Kings and the civil powers and their Courts and will maintain or think that he may so do by the Authority of Christ and his Gospel although the Kings and Princes would not permit and suffer him so to do no doubt that Bishop is not worthy to be called a Bishop but rather a Tyrant The Bishop os Rone judged to be a Tyrant and Usurper and as Vsurper of other mens rights contrary to the Law of God and is worthy to be reputed none otherwise than he that goeth about to subvert the Kingdom of Christ For the Kingdom of Christ in his Church is a spiritual and not a carnal Kingdom of the world that is to say the very Kingdom that Christ by himself or by his Apostles and Disciples sought here in this world was to bring all Nations from the carnal Kingdom of the Prince of darkness unto the light of his spiritual Kingdom and so himself to reign in the hearts of the people by grace faith hope and charity And therefore ●ith Christ did never seek nor exercise any worldly Kingdom or Dominion in this world but rather refusing and flying from the same did leave the said worldly Governance of Kingdoms Realms and Nations to be governed by Princes and Potentates in like manner as he did find them and commanded also his Apostles and Disciples to do the semblable as it was said before whatsoever Priest or Bishop will arrogate or presume to take upon him any such Authority and will pretend the Authority of the Gospel for his defence therein he doth nothing else but in a manner as you would say crowneth Christ again with a Crown of Thorn and traduceth and bringeth him forth again with his Mantle of Purple upon his back to be mocked and scorned of the world as the Iews did to their own damnation This Doctrine was subscribed and allowed by the witness and testimony of these Bishops and other Learned Men whose Names hereunder follow as appeareth in the Bishops Book before named TESTES Testimonies of Bi●hops and Doctors of England against the Pope Thomas Cantuariensis Edouardus Eboracensis Johannes Londonensis Cuthbertus Dunelmensis Stephanus W●ntonlensis Robertus Carliolensis Johannes Exoniensis Johannes Lincolniensis Johannes Bathoniensis Rolandus Coventr Lichfield Thomas Eliensis Nicolaus Sarum Johannes Bangor Edouardus Herefordiensis Hugo Wigorniensis Johannes Roffensis Richardus Cicestrensis Gulielmus Menevensis Robertus Assavensis Robertus Landavensis Guilielmus Norwicensis Richardus Wolman Archidiacon Sudbur Guilielmus Knight Archidiacon Richmond Johannes Bell Archidiacon Gloucester Edmundus Bonner Archidiacon Leicester Gulielmus Skippe Archidiacon Dorset Nicolaus Heth Archidiacon Stafford Cuthbertus Marshall Archidiacon Nottingham Richardus Curten Archidiacon Oxon. Guilielmus Glife Galfridus Dounes Robertus Oking Radulphus Bradford Richardus Smith Simon Matthew Johannes P●in Guilielmus Buckmaster Guilielmus May Nicolaus Wotton Richardus Cox Johannes Edmunds Thomas Robertson Johannes Baker Thomas Barret Johannes Hase Johannes Tyson These were Doctors of Divinity and both Laws A Protestation in the name of the King and the whole Council and Clergy of England why they refuse to come to the Popes Council at his call SEeing that the Bishop of Rome calleth Learned Men from all parts conducting them by great rewards The Kings Protestation why he sends not to the Popes Council making as many of them Cardinals as he thinketh most m●et and most ready to defend Frauds and Vntruths we could not but with much anxiety cast with our selves what so great a preparance of Wits should mean As chance was we guessed even as it followed We have been so long acquainted with Romish Subtilties and Popish Deceits The Popes craft espied that we well and easily judged the Bishop of Rome to intend an Assembly of his Adherents and men sworn to think all his Lusts to be Laws we were not deceived Paul the Bishop of Rome hath called a Council to the which he knew well either few or none of the Christian Princes could come both the time that he indicted it and also the place where he appointed it to be might assure him of this But whither wander not these Popish Bulls whither wander they not astray What King is not cited and summoned by a proud Minister and Servant of Kings to come to bolster up Errors Frauds Deceits and Vntruths and to set forth this feigned General Council For who will not think that Paul the Bishop of Rome goeth sooner about to make men believe that he pretendeth a General Council than that he desireth one indeed No who can less desire it than they that do despair of their Cause except they be Iudges and give sentence themselves against their Adversaries The King not bound to come at the Popes call We which very sore against our will at any time leave off the procurement of the Realm any common weal need neither to come our selves nor yet to send any Procurators thither no nor yet to make our Excuse for either of both For who can accuse us that we come not at his call which hath no Authority to call us But for a season let us as a sort of Blindlings do grant that he may call us and that he hath Authority so to do yet we pray you may not all men see what availeth it to come to this Council Who be they that have place in the Popes Council where ye shall have no place except y● be known both willing to oppress truth and also ready t● confirm and stablish Errors Do not all men perceive 〈◊〉 as we with what integrity fidelity and religion these men go about to discuss matters in controversie that take them in hand in so troublesom a time as this is Is it not plain what fruit the Commonweal of Christendom may look for there The place of the Council not indifferent whereas Mantua is chosen the place to keep his Council in Is there any Prince not being of Italy yea is there any of Italy Prince or other dissenting from the Pope that dareth come to this Assembly and to this place If there come none that dare speak for trodden truth none that will venture his life is it marvel if the Bishop of Rome being Iudge No reason that the Pope should be Judge in his own cause no man repining no man gainsaying the Defenders of the Papacy obtain that Popish Authority now quailling and almost fasten to be set up again Is this the way to help things afflict to redress troubled Religion to lift up oppressed truth Shall men this way know whether the Roman Bishops which in very deed are The Bishop of Rom in learning and life far under other Bishops if ye look upon either their Doctrine or Life far under other Bishops ought to be made like their Fellows that

vincula next coming provide a Book of the whole Bible both in Latin and also in English and lay the same in the Quire for every man that will to look and read thereon and shall discourage no man from the reading of any part of the Bible either in Latin or English but rather to comfort exhort and monish every man to read the same as the very Word of God and the spiritual food of mans Soul whereby they may the better know their Duties to God to their Sovereign Lord the King and their Neighbour ever gently and charitably exhorting them that using a sober and modest behaviour in the reading and inquisition of the true sense of the same they do in no wise stiffly or eagerly contend or strive one with another about the same but refer the declaration of those places that be in controversie to the judgment of them that be better learned Priests not to haunt Ale-houses Also the said Dean Parsons Vicars Curats and other Priests shall in no wise at any unlawful time nor for any other cause than for their honest necessity haunt or resort to any Taverns or Alehouses and after their Dinner and Supper they shall not give themselves to drinking or riot spending their time idly by day or by night at Tables or Cards playing or any other unlawful Game but at such times as they shall have such leisure they shall read or hear somewhat of holy Scripture or shall occupy themselves with some honest Exercise and that they always do those things that appertain to good congruence and honesty with profit of the Commonweal having always in mind that they ought to excell all other in purity of life and should be example to all other to live well and Christianly Furthermore Parsons not resident to pay the 40th part to their Parishes because the goods of the Church are called the goods of the Poor and in these days nothing is less seen than the Poor to be sustained with the same all Parsons Vicars Prebendaries and other beneficed men within this Deanry not being resident upon their Benefices which may dispend yearly twenty pounds or above either within this Deanry or elsewhere shall distribute hereafter yearly amongst their poor Parishioners or other Inhabitants there in the presence of the Churchwardens or some other honest men of the Parish the fortieth part of the Fruits and Revenues of their said Benefices lest they be worthily noted of Ingratitude which reserving so many parts to themselves cannot vouchsafe to impart the fortieth portion thereof amongst the poor people of that Parish that is so fruitful and profitable unto them And to the intent that learned men may hereafter spring the more for the executing of the said premisses Every beneficed man worth 100 l. to find a Scholar at the University every Parson Vicar Clerk or beneficed man within this Deanry yearly to spend in Benefices or other Promotions of the Church an hundred pounds shall give competent Exhibition to one Scholar and for as many hundred pounds more as he may dispend to so many Scholars more shall give like Exhibition in the Vniversity of Oxford or Cambridge or some Grammar School which after they have profited in good Learning may be Partners of their Patrons Cure and Charge as well in Preaching as otherwise in the execution of their Offices or may when need shall be otherwise profit the Commonwealth with their counsel and wisdom Also that all Parsons Vicars and Clerks Beneficed men to maintain their Mansions having Churches Chapels or Mansions within this Deanry shall bestow yearly hereafter upon the same Mansions or Chancels of their Churches being in decay the fifth part of those their Benefices till they shall be fully repaired and the same so repaired they shall always keep and maintain in good estate All which and singular Injunctions shall be inviolably observed of the said Dean Parsons Vicars Curats Stipendaries and other Clerks and beneficed men under pain of Suspension and Sequestration of the Fruits of their Benefices untill they have done their duties according to these Injunctions Postscript CHristian Reader Who hast perused and well weighed this Protestation thou dost see therein the Frauds Pride Avarice Treacheries Cruelties Enmity to God and Christ and his Truth and People with many other notorious Enormities of the Pope and his Shaveling Priests and Clergy clearly and openly discovered detected detested and renounced by so great a King He pronounces them to be open Enemies to Christ himself and to carry in their Breasts an immortal Hatred to his Truth He Proclaimeth to all Christian Princes and Peoble the miserable Tragedies which under pretence of Unity and Concord they have brought into Christendom and that they have troubled all Christian Realms with Seditions under plausible pretences of Peace That in all their Councils and Actings touching Religion the only Marks they have shot at was Lucre Money and Gains yea that they sought their own Profit with the Slaughter of the Truth and were infinitely more willing that the greatest Injury should be done to the Gospel than that their Authority that is to say their Arrogant Impudence should suffer the least Diminution That their usual practice is to defile their cruel Hands with honest Mens Bloud and that contrary to their Oaths He further declares That this holy Vicar was so inflamed with Hatred against the King and Kingdom for pulling down his Usurped Power and Proud Primacy for expelling his Usurped Jurisdiction for rejecting his False and Heretical Doctrine and delivering this Realm from his grievous Bondage and Polage that He sought by all ways to endamage both King and People and by Enemies at Home and Princes Abroad to stir up Troubles and Commotions Upon which sufficient Grounds and for which just Causes he thus resolves saying Surely except God take away our right Wits not only his Authority to wit the Popes shall be driven out for Ever but his Name also shall shortly be forgotten in England And again We will ha' the Pope and his Adherents to understand that which we have oft said and now say and ever will say He nor His hath no Authority or Jurisdiction in England That which he hath usurped against Gods Law and extorted by Violence We by good right take from him again And He exhorts all Christian Princes to favour and follow his Godly and Just Proceedings Thus did God of his Infinite Goodness raise up this Great and Wise King to root out the Pope's Usurped Authority and False Religion also in a great measure out of England and the Lord grant that these Intolerable and Unsupportable Evils may be kept out of it for ever For without doubt that Curse of God which Joshua pronounced against him that should Rebuild Jericho which was destroyed by the Word and Power of God according as it is written Joshua 6.26 And Joshua adjured them at that time saying Cursed be the Man before the Lord that riseth up

by degrees all to pieces as they have fretted a great deal of it already And what English-man or Protestant is there that wi● not s● with us in these necessary Desires which if they be not granted farewel all Good Days from England for our time And now to conclude all I shall only leave two or three Sovereign Antidotes with my dear Country-Men to preserve them from the noysome Contagion and Plague of Popery 1. Consider with Trembling that none are given up to this Damnable Delusion but those whose Names are not Written in the Lambs Book of Life as the Spirit of God affirms Rev. 13.8 saying And all that dwell upon Earth shall worship him i. e. the Beast or Antichrist of Rome whose Names are not writt●n in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World And what Person would carry such a Worm in his Conscience continually for the whole World and all the Kingdoms and Gl●●y of it as to know and certainly to understand that his Name is not written in the Book of Life nor can ever be put in for all the Writings in that Book are from Eternity and no new thing can be inserted in it And therefore let Men say what they will they are none of Gods Elect who close in with this False and H●●●tical Religion after the Gospel hath been Preached to them and they have been instructed in it For to depart from the known Truth to known Error is not a Sin of Ignorance but of Malice and this is the Sin unto Death for which there is no Remission Wherefore let every one that would attain to any comfortable Assurance that his Name is Written in the Book of Life flee from Popery 2. They that Apostatise to this False Religion are a surely to be Damn'd as if they were in Hell already This is a hard saying but a True One as it is evident in that of Paul 2 Thes 2. where speaking of Antichrist that Wicked One whose coming is after the working of Satan with all Pow●r and Signs and Lying Wonders and with all deceiveableness of Unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved He adds And for this cause God shall send th●m strong Delusions that they should b●lieve a Lye that they All may be Damn'd that b●lieve not the Truth but have pleasure in Unright●ousness This sort of People God gives them up to believe a Lye the Grand Lye of Popery for this whole Religion is nothing else but one continued Lye from the beginning to the end of it to the intent that they should all Perish and be Damn'd This is the Word of God against all wilful Papists and it cannot be made void John also testifies Rev. 14.9 that an Angel Proclaimed with a loud voice saying If any Man Worship the Beast and his Image and receive his Mark in his Forehead or in his hand the same shall drink of the Wine of the Wrath of God which is poured 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 and in the presence of the Lamb and the Smoak of their Torment asc●ndeth up for ever and ever and they have no rest Day nor Night which Worship the Beast and his Image and whosoever receiveth the Mark of his Name In which Scripture you may see with open face the sad end of all the Popish Generation which is to be tormented for ever and ever Wherefore out of very Malice they have been are and will be our Tormentors here when they get opportunity because the Devil is to be their Tormentor in Hell for ever Wherefore who ever would avoid the Torments of Hell let him fly from Popery 3. Lastly Antichrist is now in his Old Age and draws near his End yea is drawing his last breath He is very shortly to be utterly destroyed with the Spirit of Christs Mouth and the Brightness of his coming And what Wise-Man yea what Man of common reason would join himself to Antichrist for one hour yea for one quarter or minute of his hour If Men might have reigned with him many years and have enjoyed his Delicacies for a long Season then might it have been a strong inducement to a carnal heart who seeks his Portion only in this life to have closed in with him but now to do it when his Destruction draws near what extream Folly and Madness must it needs be Who would venture a Board that Ship which is just a sinking or become a Subject in that Kingdom which is just ready to be rooted up and confident I am through God that after Antichrist and his Brood of Serpents have play'd a few more of their old cruel Pranks anew in England both He and They will become so utterly odious to All that their Name shall be no more remembred among us but with highest Contempt and Indignation and that for ever And let the Lord say Amen and all his People AND now O Lord to whom should we look our Eies are only unto thee And we beseech thee to look down from Heaven the Habitation of thy Holiness and of thy Glory upon us and upon our present Sad and almost Desperate Condition and stretch forth thy Holy Arm to maintain Thine Own Good Cause which thine Enemies scorn and deride and laugh at among themselves and to help afflicted Righteousness and thine own poor People who are brought very low so that their belly cleaveth even to the dust Indeed Vain is the Help of Man and our Enemies say There is no help for us in God But yet we know there is help in thee and that thy help is never in vain For thou canst do the greatest Things by the smallest Means yea thou canst do the greatest Things without all Means For thou spakest and the World was made thou didst command and it stood fast Therefore our Eies are unto thee O Lord and we do believe that thou canst do all things and can so do them that none can resist thee Is any thing too hard for the Lord shall we call thy Power in Question who didst prepare a safe passage for thy People through the mighty Waters and didst cause them to walk on dry ground through the depths of the Sea Take therefore thy great Power and come and Reign in the midst of these thy greatest Enemies till thou make them All thy Footstool and till thou hast put down all Rule Authority and Power which lifts up its Head and stretcheth forth its Arm against thee O Lord and thy Holy and Blessed Gospel and thine Anointed Oh cause Iniquity to stop its Mouth and Wickedness to hide its face again Let Violence no more be heard in our Land nor Wasting and Destruction within our Borders let the cause of the Fatherless and of the Widows be justly judged Let thy Prisoners be loosed and thine oppressed be eased let them be helped who have no helper Make way with thy strong Arm for thy own Labourers to continue to come to thy Harvest-Work for thy Harvest we trust is very great in England And therefore O Thou into whose hands all Things are delivered of the Father and all Power in Heaven and Earth is given and who by this Greatest and Highest Authority of Thine hast commanded thy Ministers to go and teach all Nations after thou didst send them Oh do thou make way for them to teach this Unworthy Nation before the Coming of the Son of Man that through their ministring thy Word thy Church may awake and rouze up it self and put off its filthy Raiment and may be restored to the Brightness of its first rising when it was full of faith and love and all Graces and Gifts of the Holy Ghost without any mixture of Antichristian Errors that all thy People may strive together for the Faith of the Gospel and not quarrel any longer about empty Forms but may with One Mind and with One Mouth confess the Truth as it is in Jesus and then shall all Kings bow down before thee and all Nations that serve Thee they shall sing forth the Honour of thy Name and make thy Praise Glorious Amen FINIS