to their Clergie hath notwithstanding either tolerated and permitted them concubines or at least not punished it to reformation Thus was it complained of almost an hundred yeeres agoe by the Germane nation then being Papists q Vide Cen tum grauami na Germanicae nationis grauamen 75. 91. In locis plaerisque Episcopi eorum Officiales sacerdotuÌ„ tollerant concubinatum duÌ„modo certa persoluatur pecunia recepto ab eisdeÌ„ hoc annuo ceÌ„su publice cum suis concubinis pellicibus alijs id genus meretricibus illegitime cohabitare liberosque procreare sinunt c. In most places say they Bishops and their Officials doe tolerate and suffer the Priests to haue concubines vnder the paiment of a certaine annuall rent of money and further doe euen permit them to keepe their whores openly and haue them in their houses and to beget children of them c. Of these and certaine other grieuances one hundred in all the Germane nation complained to their Bishops and Clergie in their owne Diets or Parliaments held at home But hauing no redresse they went further and about the yeere 1522. complained to the Popes Legats and Nuntios at Noremberge who gaue them good words and promised they would make report thereof to his Holinesse and procure them a gratious answere But hauing long waited to no end they published their grieuances and sent them to the Pope crauing with much humilitie audience redresse and reformation promising vpon that condition they would still and euer shew themselues dutifull and obedient children to the Pope and all whom hee set ouer them but if they had no redresse they assured him they could not nor would endure them longer Hereupon the Pope not willing to venture the losse of so faire a childe as Germany pacified them for a time with goodly promises But what reformation followed in whole or in any part the stories of those ages make it apparant But for the particular I haue in hand 36 The 17. wouÌ„d not healed for stil in Poperie to this day their Clergie are forbiddeÌ„ mariage but whores and concubines are not taken from them what notable reformatioÌ„ was wrought herein let a Bishop of their owne Espencaeus as wise and learned as that age did yeeld let him I say deliuer for me who fortie yeeres after writing of this matter saith r Espencaeus de Continentia lib 2. cap. 7 pag. 176. Pro praetenso puro mundoque caelibatu successit impurus immundusque concubinatus vt latere nec prae multitudine queat nec pâ—ae impudentia quaerat at haec tollerantia alâ—iùs radices egit permissis alicubi sub annuo censu Clericis at que laicis cum suis concubinis cohabitare quod vtinam falso immerito extaret inter grauamina Germaniae c. Impress Paris 1560. In stead of pure and honest single life succeeded impure fornication and filthie keeping of concubines in such sort as neither can they be concealed for multitude nor seeke they to be they are so shamelesse Nay of later times this tollerancie hath spread further insomuch as in some places both Clergie and laitie haue their whores permitted them vnder a yeerely rent whereof saith he the Germane nation complained long agoe too truly and vpon too great cause But was not this wound healed and this abuse reformed vpon this complaint of Espencaeus A man might haue thought it would and the rather seeing he was a man of so great esteeme in those daies not in France only but euen in the Court of Rome Å¿ Espencaeus vvas in special fauour vvith Pope Paul the 4. insomuch as after much coÌ„sultation had vvith him he found bine so vvise and learned a man as he had made him Cardinall if he had liued this is appareÌ„t in his bookes de Continent lib. 3. cap. 4. and in his CoÌ„mentarie on Titus cap. 1. pag 91. But what amendment insued let himselfe tell vs in his Commentarie vpon Titus which he wrote many yeeres after his former booke t Episcopi Archidiaconi c. plae unque dum dioeceses parociam obequitant non tam facinorosos criminum reos poenis correctionibus à vitijs deterreÌ„t quo sine pere grinaâ—iones huiusmodi olim iam sueruÌ„t iure Canonico ordinata quam pecunia praesenti numerata titulo procurationis ne dicam ficticiae iurisdictionis â—mungunt exugunt tum Clericos tum laicos turpissimum quod hos cum concubinis pellicibus meretriculis cohabitare liberosque procreare sinunt accepto ab eis certo quotannis censu c. Our Bishops and Archdeacons c. in Poperie when they ride their visitations do not so much punish the euill doers for which end the visitations were first ordained as rake vp siluer and sucke it both from laitie and Clergie vnder false and fained pretences of iurisdiction but it is most filthie of all that they suffer them to keepe their whores in their houses and haue children of them at a certaine annuall and yeerely rent c. This is the healing and reformation wrought in those daies Oh but will some say that is 40. yeers agoe sure it is better in these latter daies Indeede this enormitie was so generall and so scandalous that euen the Councell of Trent it selfe was ashamed and made great adoe for reformation of it v Vide Concil Trid. sess 24. cap. 8. But what effect it tooke how they executed it and what is done in the matter let another Bishop of theirs tell vs who in these late daies scarce seuen yeeres agoe w Henricus Cuickius Rutemundensis Episcopus scripsit speculum concubinariorum Sacerdotum Monachorum Clericorum Colon. 1599. found it to bee so common and shamelesse a sinne all ouer all the Low Countries where Poperie raigned not onely in secular but euen in Monkes Friers and regular Priests that hee writes a booke against the sinne bitterly but iustly inueighing against it and shewing how dangerous and damnable a sinne it is and so much the more saith he because it is so common and so little regarded and so farre are they from shaming with it that mark how it is healed they will take their concubines and whores and carrie them vp and downe the countrie as men doe their wiues to feasts and meetings and challenge place and precedence for them as for honest Matrons And further freelie confesseth but with great griefe and shame that there bee very few in their Clergie free from this crime x Idem Cuickius in praefatione eiusdeÌ„ libri Ad vos qui casti c. qui dolenter dico raâ—i estis vt Esai 24. tanquam racemi c. 37 The 18. wound Such Priests as be continent haue no whores yet must pay a yeerly rent as they that haue because they may haue if they will And no maruel though there be but few of their Clergie that haue not concubines seeing they
she be not theÌ„ how she can be the true Church which is so wounded and will not be healed If they doe not teach and practice so I will yeeld the Cause And hee that can shew me that either she is healed since or beeing not healed how she can be the true Church I shall willingly heare him and thank him I desire all that professe themselues Papists or their fauourers not to be so wilfull as to condemne what they know not but onely to giue it reading and then iudge as they see cause Wright in his Articles layeth to our charge many strange Paradoxes as that wee are all Atheists and Infidels by our doctrine that wee are bounde by our doctrine to doe no good workes and many such And Kellison in his Survaies thrusts vpon vs that wee deny Christ to bee the onely Sauiour and Judge of quicke and dead and many such abhominations all which we renounce and detest yet do what we can we must haue them layd vpon vs and our Writers teachers haue their speeches wrung and wrested beyond their meaning to make them sound that way I dare appeale to the iudgement of Gods Church and all Iudicious Readers heereof that I haue not done so with them nor taken vantage of their words when it 's apparant they meant otherwise but charged theÌ„ onely with such points of doctrine and practice as themselues cannot deny but to be their owne and that not of one or two but for the most part generally received Commending it to thy reading and my selfe to thy prayers I leaue vs all to Gods blessing At the Temple May 21. 1608. Thy brother in the Lord W. Crashawe The names of the Popish Authors produced in this Treatise together with the impressions heere vsed A. AQuinatis summa Ven. 509 Idem Antuerp 85. Fr. Agricola de verbo dei c. Leod. 97. 8 Cor. Agrippa de vanitate scient B. BReuiarium RomanuÌ„ vetust Idem 92. 4 Bernardini de Busto Manuale Lugd. 511. 4 Idem Colon. 607. 4 Bellarmini opera Ingolst 601. fol. Bernardi Morlanensis poemata 607. 8 Brigittae reuelationes 517. Nuremb fol. Bonauenturae opera Romae Cl. Bonarscij Amphitheatrum honoris c. 605. 4 C. Geo. Cassandri Consultatio Covarruvias variarum resolutio num Corpus Iuris Canonâ—ci per Greg. 13. Lugd. 91. 4 Idem cum glossis edit vetust 507. 510 Constitutiones Pont. Rom. per Pet. Mathaeum Lugd. 88 Caeremoniale Romanum Aug. Taur 602. 4 Capella in Ieremiam Tarracon 86. 4 Coccij thesaurus catholicus Col. 99. fol. Costeri Enchiridion controuersiarum c. Col. 600. 8 Alp. Ciaconus Apologia pro Traiano c. Ro. Caietanus in Aquinatis summaÌ„ Ant. 68. fol. â—h de Combis compendium theologicae verit Lugd. 79 B. Corradus Quaestiones cas cons Ven. 600. 4 H. Cuickij speculum concubinariorum c. Lov. 600. 8. D Decretalium sextus St. Durantus de ritibus ecclesiae catholicae Ro. 918 E D. Erasmiopera Bas 4. fol. Espencaeus in TituÌ„ Par. 68. Idem de Continentia 4. F. Io. Ferrariensis Practica Papiensis Feuardentius in Petrum 600. homiliae Par. 605 Firmamenta trium ord S. FraÌ„cisci Par. 512. 4 G I. de Graffijs decis aureae cas cons 604. 4 Ado. Gualandus de morali facultate Ro. 603. fol. Gregorius de Valentia Ingolst 98. fol. Ia. Gretserus de Cruce Ib idem 60. 4 Anas Germonius de sacroruÌ„ immunitatibus Ro. 91 Io. Gersonis opera fol. H D. Hessi Synodus protestaÌ„tium Graeciae Stir 93. 8 Heskins his parliament Ant. 66. fol. Hosij opera Col. 84. fol. I Io. Chrysost a visitatione de verbis dominae Ven. 600. 4 Index librorum prohibitorum Clem. 8. 97 L Liber Conformitatum beati FraÌ„cisci c. Bon. 90. fol. Litaniae preces pro fide Catholica in Anglia c. Ro. 603 Liber voc exercitium Christianae piet c. Col. 92 M Missalia vetust noua edit 905 fol. Magnum speculum exemploruÌ„ Duaci 605. 4 Monumenta ordinis Minorum Salmant 511. 4. N Nauarri Enchiridion Wirce 93 O Onuphrius de praecipuis vrbis Ecclesijs Col. 84 Oleaster in Pentateuchum Ant. 68. fol. P Posseuini Apparatus sacer Ven 603 fol. Pontificale Romanum vetust Ven. 520. fol. Idem Romae 1595. fol. Proctor his way home to Christ 8 Pistorius contra Mentzerum Peraldi summa virt vit Ant. 71. 8 Alb. Pighius de controv in Com. Ratispon 42. 49. 8 R Rhemes testameÌ„t at Rhemes 82 S D. Stapleton doctrin princip Par. 79. fol. Simancae Institutiones cathol Vallisol 55. fol. T Tolleti instructio sacerdotum Ant. 603. 8 H. Tursellinus de virgine lauretana Mog 601. 8 V Viualdi Candelabrum aureum Brix 95. 4 Vincentij ferrariensis prognosticon 4. Vasquez de cultu adorationis Mog 601. 8 W Watsons quodlibets 4 Z Lae. Zecchius Summa moralis theologiae de casibus conscieÌ„tiae Brix 98. 4 Ludouicus Viues de causis corruptionis artium Catalogus reliquiaruÌ„ Indulgentiarum in 7. Ecclesiis vrbis Manuscript Other Authors alledged not popish or but in part Augustinus Concilia per Crab. Col. 57. fol. Eadem per Bininum Col. 606. fol. CaÌ„bedeni Britannia Lond. 607 Colloquium RatisboneÌ„se 4. 600 Epistolae Iesuiticae 601. 8. Euangelium Romanum 600. 8 Centum grauamina Germanorum 4. Hospinianus de Templis Tig. 603. fol. Harmonie of confessions 4. Zuinglius Cyprianus A SERMON PREAched at the Crosse IEREMIAH 51. We would haue cured Babel but shee would not be healed let vs forsake her and goe euery one into his owne countrey for her iudgement is come vp into heauen and lifted vp to the cloudes THis is not spoken in person of the Angelles that were set ouer Babylon as some think a Dion Carthus in hoc cap Hoc secundum GlossaÌ„ est verbum Angelorum sanctoruÌ„ qui ad custodiaÌ„ Babylonis fuerunt delegati quasi dicerent curare voluimus Babylonem sed non est sanata c. Et idem ipse Carthus tenet in moralitate eiusdeÌ„ capitis for Angells haue no charge of curing mens soules they mourn for mens sinnes and reioyce at their conuersion b Lu 15. 7. 10. they guarde their bodies c Psal 34 7 and carry their soules to heauen d Luke 16. 22 but the curing and conuerting of the soule hath God delegated to his Prophets being men like our selues that so he might make man to loue man seeing he hath made man a sauer of man Neither is it the speech and protestation of hypocriticall and fained friends who say thus to Babel to make a great boast of their little loue tho some hold so whose iudgement otherwise is of great respecte e Zuinglius in annot suis â—uper complan in Ierem. super haec verba for the reason heere giuen is too good and the cause too diuine to proceede from a profane heart Her iudgement say they is come vp to heauen c. But rather it seemeth to
for them Such men might remember the blessed Apostle who kept back nothing but taught not in Courts and Palaces and great house 〈◊〉 but through euery house n Acts. 20. 20. ver 31. ver 26 and that he ceased not to w 〈…〉 euery one stood vpon it boldly that hee was cleere from the bloud of all men see not some but all and in another place expounding himselfe sayth his continuall course is to witnesse Gods will both to small and great o Act. 26. 22 He that lookes for Pauls reward at Gods hand must thus behaue himselfe to Gods people remembring his account is not for trifles but for soules and to that God who hath told vs afore hand Euery soule is mine p Ezech. 18. 4 The good father of the family must learn here not himself and his wife only but to see that his children and seruants those not some of the chiefe but all euen the meanest may know serue God Such a man was Abraham he was not carefull for Isaac alone his deere sonne the sonne of the beloued but oh sayth he to God that euen Ishmael might liue in thy sight q Gen. 17. 18 and therfore God becomes Abrahams suretie he giues his word for him I knowe Abraham that he will not looke to some of his principall officers but commaund not this sonne or that daughter but his sonnes and his family to keep the way of the Lord r Gen. 18. 19 yet in Abrahams house were 318. persons born and brought vp c. ſ Gen. 14. 14 More shame for the great men of this age both in City country who though they be great daily plot to be greater yet keepe they not so great houses and families as Abraham did in whose families many of their inferiour officers and seruants doe scarce euer come to Church and much more shame to some parents who being blessed of God with many childrē do partially respect some of them seeke their good of soule and body neglect others who it may be are more worthy what would they do if they were profane vndutiful Ishmaels when they are so vnmindful respectless euen of such as be holy dutiful Isaacs but let such children cōfort themselues in this that God their better father and best friend is no respecter of persons These are the ordinary faults of fathers and mothers in these daies but assuredly those that be heires of Abrahams faith t Gal. 3. 7 wil distribute their loue to euery one care for the soule of their meanest seruants take order in their families that all their officers euery day at least in their course may go to Church their very kitchin-boies horse-boyes may learne to knowe the God of their saluation u 1. C 〈…〉 ◠9 that so he may be able to say with a good conscience I found my family a confused Babell of disorder profaneness but I haue heartily endeuored to make it a little Church tho my family be great yet there is not one whō I would not haue healed Thus they would haue healed al but where began they whom did they desire to win first principally certainly the greatest as namely the K. Counsellers of State This course took Daniel in whō more then in any one this prophecy was fulfilled who after he had done the business for which the K. sent for him then fel he to the business of God wherof is spoken in this text namely to see if he could heal the king ô King saith he thou art a king but there is a higher know know that the heauens bear rule Wherefore ô King let my counsell be acceptable vnto thee breake of thy sinnes by repentance c. Lo let there be a healing of thine errour w Dan 4. 24. Well knew Daniel that if once the King would abandon his Idolatrie and imbrace the truth easily would the people be induced to follow him So where euer is true reformation either of errors in doctrine or corruption in manners it must begin at the highest els it will be to little purpose To little effect were it in the natural body to heale the hand and foote when the head is deadly sicke but heale the head first and then more easily the body will be cured So in the spirituall bodie how should Babel be healed when the King will not how should they become Christian when the king persists a heathen euen so in our State how shal poperie be extinguisht how shall vain swearing wantonness profaning of the Sabboth bribery and other the sins of this age be reformed in the body of the people if they be suffred to harbor in the court to creep into the Kings priuy Chamber Priuate persons will hardly be brought to esteem those to be sinnes that are the common practices of great persons Therefore wee haue cause to blesse God for giuing vs such a King as hath care of religion and who in his owne person is an enemie to poperie a detester of wantonnesse and iniustice and manie vile sinnes too commonly found in persons of his place And let vs not cease to pray that GOD would confirme him in all goodnesse and that he may still goe on with Dauid to reforme the sinnes of the greatest and them that are neerest him for when a King sayth No wicked person shall serue me nor abide in my sight then all wicked workers wil easily be destroyed out of the land x Ps 101. see the whole psalme If this had been in Babel she had been cured but the want of this was the cause of that that followeth But shee could not be healed The 2. point HItherto we haue spoken of the first generall point namely the louing and holy care of Israel They would haue cured Babell Now followes the second that is the ill issue of their labors caused by the obstinate malice of the Babylonians She wold not be healed some read she could not be healed som she is not healed all to one end for he that wil not be healed is not nay cannot be healed for God heals no man conuerts no man saues no man against his wil therfore he that wil not be healed cannot be healed and so Babel is incurable because she contemned the meane and would not be healed The godly Israelites did all they could but the Babylonians had their answere as ready as now haue the papists Think you you seely Israelites that you are able to teach Babylon a better religion then it hath is not hers of so many and so many years continuance was it not the religion our forefathers liued and dyed in and is it not generall and vniuersall ouer the world and yours but in a corner and is not ours visible and dooth it not prosper and flourish and is not yours condemned by the consent of all the world and you for holding it iustly ouerthrowen and
doctrine be such as refuse publick places in the Church and Common-wealth and retire themselues into priuate and discontented coursâ—s and will not be imployed for the publicke because they pretend the daies are euill and many sores in our bodie incurable vnlesse there bee other order taken for their healing To these men I would say but two words 1. Are the daies euill the more need haue they to be ameÌ„ded by each ones helping hand And if we haue any wounds in Church or State more cause hath each one that loues the peace and health of Ierusalem to indeuour the present healing therof least they fester and growe worse But secondly are the times euill Nay are they not made euil by thee at least are they not the worse for thee and thy sinnes Who can shew his face and saie I haue committed no sins that may be in part a cause to bring downe the spirituall and corporall plagues that are amongst vs Then what are they that are so busie to complaine of the times and so slacke to complain of their sins But it is a trick of hypocrisie to be so eagle eied in prying into the illnesse of the times so blind and dull in considering his owne sinnes the cause of all that ill Thou therfore contrariwise out of a holy and humbled heart confess that seeing thy sins haue made the times worse then els they would haue bin therfore thou hast cause to endeuor for thy part to make them better Then set thy shoulder to the burthen and put thy necke to the yoke remembring that euen Babel it selfe is not to be forsaken till it be altogether incurable past all hope But being incurable as here the text saith she is therfore saith the church Let vs forsake her And now Babel being forsakeÌ„ of the Church what remaines to be expected nothing but vengeance and destruction For her iudgement is come vp vnto heauen c. The 4. point IN these words is laid downe the last point namely what becomes of Babel when being incurable shee is forsaken by the Church she is made ready for iudgement and destruction Here we may learne amongst many others 2. most worthy doctrines First what the wicked get by persecuting and banishing and seeking to roote out Gods children surely eueÌ„ nothing but the hastening of their own destructioÌ„ The Babylonians cared not for the Israelites company but as soone as they were gone destruction came vpon Babell Whilst they stay the wicked are spared but wheÌ„ they are gone vengeance breaks out Whilst Lot was in Sodom it perished not Nay saith the Angell to him haste thee awaie for I can do nothing till thou be safe from amongst them u Gen. 19. 22 See God the good King is more carefull to saue one of his own seruants then to destroy a thousand enemies but see their madnesse they mocked and flowted this Lot scorned him as a stranger and many waies grieued his righteous soule were weary of him and his company and tryed euery waie to make him wearie of the Towne for they held it worse as long as he was in it at last they haue their wills and hee forsakes them but with him their protection is gone and now fire and brimstone falls from heauen on them So at this day do the wicked and worldly men whom hate they whom accuse they whom abuse they whom lie they in waite for whom persecute they whom would they destroie whom banish they whom are they weary of but of the godly men When they die they bid them be gone and wish that all were gone after them not knowing poor fools that if these men stood not in the gap the fire of Gods wrath had long since brokeÌ„ out vpoÌ„ them and when they are gone then they are well apayed and are glad But alas what haue they gayned euen as much as Sodom did when they had cast out Lot Secondly we may here learn what a feareful dangerous thing it is not to be healed by spiritual Physick that is not to profit by the word of God nor to bee conuerted from sinne when God giues meanes For what is this but an euident testimony of Gods heauie wrath and a certaine foreruÌ„ner of damnation Wil not BabyloÌ„ be healed then what followes but destruction So in the newe Testament if our Gospell be hid saith Paul it is hid froÌ„ them that perish w 1. Cor. 4. 3 For as if at noon day any man say the sunne shines not it is because hee is blinded and cannot see so if in the sun-shine of the Gospell some see it not but in the midst of that light liue in darknesse its certaine they are blinded by Sathan and if they continue so are marked vp for iust damnation A fearfull example we haue hereof in the sonnes of Eli of whom the Text sayth their Father hearing of all the euil they did called them and reproued them and gaue them good and ghostly counsell able a man would haue thought to haue turned their hearts especially comming from a Father and from him that was the Iudge and Prophet of the Church But all in vaine for notwithstanding they obayed not the voice of their father and mark the reason because the Lord would slay them Whereby its apparant that there is not ordinarily a surer signe of a reprobate then not to obey the voice and word of God nor to profit by those meanes that God giues a man for his conuersion A matter of speciall vse to our Church which hath so long enioyed the Gospell but to you of this Citie especially who haue long and liberally been fed from heauen with abundance and variety of spiritual food Therfore euery one looke to thy selfe how thou profitest by these good means For be assured if any congregation or particular man haue vse of the meanes profiteth not but runneth on hardned in his sinnes it is because he is a vessel of Gods wrath and prepared for damnation but contrariwise he that heareth and yeeldeth and obeieth and repenteth it is an vndoubted pledge to him of his saluation layed vp in heauen assuredly for him Therfore let euery one take heed for otherwise his lot will be like Babylons of whome we here finde that because all meanes vsed to conuert her were in vaine therefore she is now iustly destroied and remains a monument of misery and a spectacle of Gods iustice to all posterities x Read for this end the 50. and 51. Chapt. of Ieremie and other places of the Prophets Thus concerning the literall Babylon wee haue heard 1. How Israel would haue cured her 2. How she will not be healed 3. How therfore she is forsakeÌ„ of the Church And 4. How being past cure shee is therefore destroyed And hauing thus performed the first part of my task namely touching the old literall Babell it now remaines that we come to the Mysticall Babylon in and concerning whom all these 4. are as true
is incurable let it be obserued that tho many particular learned Papists k Mel. Canus lib. 11. c. 2. Bellar de Purgat lib. 2. cap. 8. Blas Vieg in Apoc. c. 6. comment 3. sect 3. Baronius annal circa temp Traiani haue misliked and condemned it as far as in them lyeth yet to this daie was it neuer condemned nor the book forbidden or amended by the Pope so vnwilling is BABYLON to be healed of her wounds Yea the Pope is so farre from healing it that contrariwise he suffred a Spanish Dominican Frier to defend it and that not in word but writing not priuatly but openly not in a corner of the World but to come to Rome within these fewe yeares and there euen to write and publish vnder his nose and by his authoritie an Apologie of this blasphemous fable endeuouring to proue it by many arguments That Gregory did deliuer Traian out of hell l Alphonsus Ciaconus Romae edidit Thus tho it containe neuer so great an impietie against God yet because it tendes to the magnifying of the Popes power prerogatiue let as many learned men as will speake against it m Hanc Apologiam vti historiam validis refutat argum Bellar. lib 2. de purgat cap. 8. vt Mel. Canus eandem antea improbauerat historiam c. haec dem Posseu â— prâ— it shall stand and be maintained so true it is that Babylon will not bee healed of her deadliest wounds And wonder not tho I call them deadly for consider of these consequences The Pope deliuered a soule out of hell therefore he did that which God neuer did Again therfore there may be redemption out of hell Againe therfore the Popes praiers did that which Christs praiers neuer could do againe Christ sayth I pray not for the world n Iohn 17. The world that is for the wicked damned ApologiaÌ„ pro historia Traiani quem precibus Sancti Gregorij ex inferno aiunt quidamin caelum ascendisse haec Possev Ies in apparatu sacro tâ—m 1. litera A. the Pope saith but I do Ergo the Popes pity charitie is more then Christs Alas alas is Rome the holy Church and sees not these blemishes Is she the liuing Church and feeles not these wounds nay rather is she not that Babylon that will not be healed But to conclude all this is the worse because hee hath razed out manie sentences and passages out of manie Authors wherin he thought himselfe and his seat to be wronged o Ludou viues Ferus Erasmus Stella Oleaster Espencaeus and infinite others but this that so highly dishonoreth God himselfe he can patiently suffer but had he beene as zealous of Gods glory as carefull of his own then he that forbids Espencaeus his commentaâ—ies on Titus till they be purged and the book called Onus Ecclesiae absolutly without any limitatioÌ„ because they touch his freehold too neere would also haue forbidden the Reuelation of S. Bridgit til this foule blasphemie had been purged out which seeing he hath so carelesly and wilfully neglected tho his Catalogue of forbidden bookes hath so often been renued p It was first made by Pius 4. and so siâ—ce coÌ„tinued renued augmeÌ„mented til Clement the 8. it appears what an vnworthy Vicar of God hee is who lookes onely to himselfe but suffers his master to bee dishonored before his face Therfore Arise O Lord maintaine thine owne cause Well then seeing this wound is incurable let vs leaue it rankling come to another Some 120. yeers â— The third 〈…〉 God hath diuided his kingdome with the Virgin Mary And that a man may appeal from Gods iustice to the Mercy of the Virgin Mary because God hath kept iustice to himself but committed his mercy to his Mother agoe an Italian Frier wittie and learned as the most in those daies a principall Preacher and as famous in his time as Mussus or Panegirola in these latter by name Bernardinus de Busto q Bernard de busto Marial par 3. ser 3. pag 96. editionis Lugd. anni 517 Licet ad MariaÌ„ appellare a diabolo a Tyranno imo a Deo si quis a Dei iustitia grauari se sentiat quod significatuÌ„ fuit Hâ—ster 5 vbi dicitur quod cum Rex Assuerus Iudaeis esset iratus Regina Ester ad ipsuÌ„ placandum accessiâ— Cui Rex ait etiam si diâ—idiam parteÌ„ regni mei petieris dabitur tibi ista ergo imperatrix figurauit imperatricem coelorum cum qua Deus regnum suum diuisit Cum enim Deus habeat iustitiam misericordiam iusticiam sibi retiâ—â—it in hoc mundo exercendam Misericordiam vero matri concessit ideo si quis sentit sâ—grauari in foro iustitiae Dei appellet ad forum misericordiae Matris cius preached this doctrine publikely after wrote it sent it to Alexander the 6. and vnder his name published it That God hath diuided his kingdome with the Virgin Marie 5 The impiety is so execrable and seemes so incredible that I will put downe the words out of the booke it selfe as it was dedicated to the Pope A man may appeal to the Virgin Mary not onely from a Tyrant and from the Diuell but euen from God himself Namely wheÌ„ he feels himself grieued or oppressed of Gods iustice which was signified in the 5. of Ester where it is sayd that when king Assuerus was angry at the Iewes Queene Ester came in to please and pacifie him to whom the king answered whatsoeuer thou askest me tho it be the halfe of my kingdome I wil giue it thee Now this Empress prefigured the Empress of heauen with whoÌ„ God hath diuided his kingdom For wheras God hath iustice and mercie Hee hath reserued Iustice to himselfe to bee exercised in this world and hath granted Mercie to his Mother therefore if any man finde himselfe agrieued in the Court of Gods iustice let him appeale to the Court of the mercie of his Mother What is this we heare do there lie appeales from God and from God to a creature is Gods Iustice such as a man may iustly be agrieued at it and further is God kingdome diuisible and hath God indeede diuided his kingdome and diuided it with a creature yea with a woman and hath God graunted his Mercie from himself to a creature wee may say with the Prophet Oh heauens be astonied at this and let all Christian harts tremble to heare such blasphemies yet these be good doctrins in Popery fit for their pulpits their people and after they be preached worthy to bee published to the world Surely if they grant these bee false doctrines then blame shame belongs to the papists that preach theÌ„ write theÌ„ publish them and allow theÌ„ for Catholick doctrine but if they stand to theÌ„ as true then mark what consequences will follow vpon them first it is here taught that a man may appeale froÌ„ God Herupon this
argument is easily framed but I beleeue not so easily answered Poperie teacheth there lies no appeale froÌ„ the Pope r CoÌ„mâ—â—iâ— opinio caâ—oâ—istarum doctorum and here teacheth that their lies appeale froÌ„ God But in reason he and themselues grant he from whom no appeal can lie is greater then he from whom one may s Decret caus 2. quaest 6. cap. 9. prouocandum est ad eos Iudiceâ— vbi est autoritas maior Ergo by popish doctrin the Pope is greater then God This conclusion is ineuitable if their doctrine be true Againe here it is taught that we may appeale from God to the Virgin Marie If that be true let them answere this argument He vnto whom appeale doth lie from another is greater then hee from whome it is made this is their owne doctrine t Pet. Mathaeus in comment suis super constitut 2 Pij â— pag. 120. lege tum pontificia tum ciuili decretum esse scimus appellationem non deuolui â—isi ad superiorem l. praecipimus C. de appellat appellationem illam ratam haberi qua à Minore ad Maiorem appellatur ergo appellamus a Concilio ad papam noâ—â—contra But from the Lord God appeale doth lie to the Virgin Marie Ergo shee by popish doctrine is greater then God If this conclusion be heresie and blasphemie then Bernarâ—ine de busto his bookes are to bee burnt and yet they are both allowed and commended by the Romish Church v Bernardinus de Bustis scripsit de excellentijs Reginae Caeli CoÌ„mentarium siue vberrimum cruditissimum rosarium complures alios sermones plenos pietatis bonarum rerum sic Posseu in apparatu sacro to 1. Litera B. But let vs go forward Thirdly here it is taught that God hath diuided his kingdome with a creature euen with a woman This being true here wee learne many pointes First the reason why they call her in their Seruice booke allowed by supreame and soueraigne authoritie Reginam Coelorum the Queene of heauen w Vide Missalia Breuiaria officia vltima correctissima for shee that hath gotte possession of the halfe of Gods kingdome may well and worthily be held the Queene of heauen Secondly heere is a verie good reason why the Church of Rome keepes the Bible from the vulgar people and will not haue it divulged in their Mother tongues for if they had it in their owne tongues they would startle at this doctrine and when they hearde it deliuered in Pulpit that God had diuided his kingdome would soone haue sayde that is false doctrine for the Psalme sayth The kingdome is the Lords x Psal 22. 29. and Dauid in his thankesgiuing at the preparation for the Temple building confesseth to God Thine O Lord is greatnesse power and glorie aeternitie and Maiestie Thine O Lord is the kingdome and thou excellest ouer all y 1. Chron. 29. 11. and if the Frier had obiected that the kingdome indeede is Gods yet not so but he may diuide it to another then they would haue aunswered that cannot bee for hee himselfe saith I am the Lord c. My glorie I will not giue to another z Esay 42. 8 and if hee still obiected that was true in the olde Testament when there was none capable and worthie of this honour because then the Virgin Marie was not they would readily aunswere that in the newe Testament after the Virgin Marie was and after shee was the mother of Christ Christ her sonne speakes to God his Father but not to her his Mother Thine is the kingdome powre and glorie a Matth. 6. 13 The kingdome is Gods and how longe not till shee bee assumed and crowned in heauen as they say but for euer and euer And whereas they further teach that hee hath kept Iustice to himselfe but commited mercie to his Mother they would crie out vpon that doctrine and him that taught it and tell him that they finde it sixe and twentie times in one Psalme that Gods mercie indureth for euer b Psal 136 in euerie verse and that his mercie is ouer all his workes c Psal 145. 9 if ouer all then ouer her also or else shee is not of his making and if his mercie bee vpon her without which shee could neuer haue beene saued then how dare any say that Mercie is Hers and not Gods and if mercie bee Gods and that mercie of his endureth his not for the time of the olde Testament oneâ—y but for euer Then it is foule and false doctrine to say that now since Christ God hath resigned vppe mercie from himselfe to a creature thus would the people come vpon him that taught this doctrine and vppon the Romish Church that alloweth it and therefore doth not that Church wisely to keepe the people from reading the holy Scriptures Thirdly seeing it is doctrine currant in the Romish Church that God hath giuen vp mercie from himselfe to the Virgin Marie here is a good defence of their Ladies Psalter d Vide officia Psalteria beatae Mariae Virgin is cuiuseun que generis seu impressionis wherein they turne the Psalmes from Dominus to Domina from GOD to our Ladie and when Dauid saith Lord haue mercie on mee they say O Lady haue mercie on mee and in thee O Lady is my trust They say this was compiled by Bonauenture e Bonauenturae opera omnia excusa fuere Romae in Vaticano in parte 2. inter alia est Psalterium beatae Mariae virginis ab ipso coÌ„pilatuÌ„ haec Possev in apparatu sacro litera b. 10. i. but tho hee liued in ill times f Circa annuÌ„ 1272. in concilio Lugdunensi sub Gregorio 10 Bonauentura obijt Possev in loco citato yet his other writinges giue cause to hope hee made it not for hee saieth that wee must take heede we so inlarge not the excellencie of the Mother that wee diminish the glorie of the sonne g Ex Perkinso in suo problemate pag. Sure hee that sayde so would not bee so lauish and carelesse of Gods glorie as to turne the Psalmes from him to a creature Fourthly here wee see the reason why the Popish Synagogue do maime the Lords prayer leauing out the conclusion For thine is the kingdome and power and glorie for euer and euer h See the Rhemish Testament in Mat. 6 and Luk. the 11 al their Misâ—als breuiaries Maâ—uals allowed priâ—ers in all which they cut short the lords praier leauing out the wordes of the conclusioÌ„ for thine is yâ— kingdom c. For if the kingdome bee diuided then it is not all his for euer no maruel therefore though they will haue their Pater noster in Latine for their common people for if it were in English there is none so simple but would see their vngodly dealing But to conclude leauing this robberie and sacriledge in cutting off part of the
the aduantage of the Romish cause and sayth that hereby wee may see what a perillous thing it is for Lay people to read the Scriptures But with his leaâ—e hereby we may see what a filthie heart and vile estimation popish doctors haue of the holy Scriptures who hearing their disciples thus horribly blaspheme them and God in them do not reproue it but make vse of it nor burie and quench them but write and publish them rather with an approbation then any detestation of them But will you heare his owne wordes and his owne iudgement not related from others as these but vttered out of his owne heart How little incitement to vertue appeareth to bee in the songes of Salomon yea rather how vngodly and wanton seeme they to bee in the outward face rather teaching and prouoking I craue pardon of all Christian cares Wantonnesse then godlinesse and what can the vnlearned finde or vnderstand in many sentences any thing to edification of godly life or rather a prouocation to wanton life And after certaine sentences alledged hee concludes The whole booke is no better like vnto these saith hee is all that booke You haue heard how the proueâ—bes were disgraced in the glosse vpon the decretalls and here the Canticles Now that Salomon may not haue one book left in credite Heskins i Vide approbationem laudem huius autoris libri apud Possev in appar sacro to 3. lit T. verbo Thomas Hardingus addeth touching Ecclesiastes What may appeare more vehement to disswade a man from wisedome then the booke of the Preacher how much is wisedome the goodly gift of God abused to appearaunce in this booke k Heskins in the same book and Chapter And to conclude of another booke which they holde also to be canonicall scripture and some of them to be Salomons hee sayth that The booke of Ecclesiasticus seemeth to haue such vnseemely wordes in it as an honest man would bee ashamed to speake them and I also sayeth hee would bee ashamed to write them if they were not Scripture l Heskins a little after in the same chapter If the wordes bee as immodest as hee pretendes they bee then why doe they holde such a booke to be Scripture and if they holde it to bee Scripture then how dare a Christian man say that it hath such speeches in it as an honest man would bee ashamed to speake or write I leaue this for them to aunswere in the meane time I go forward Not longe after comes Hosius a greate Doctor of theirs and after a Cardinall and writes thus m Hosius editionis vlt. tom 20. lib. de expresso dei verbo pag. 5. Pronuntiamus non verbum dei sed scripturam pendere ad authoritate testimonio approbatione Ecclesiae quae non aliter verbum esse dei censeri debet nisi quatenus ecclesiae fuerit autoritate coÌ„probata The word of God of it selfe doth not but as it is written in the Scriptures it dependeth on the authoritie testimonie and approbation of the Church and it ought no otherwise nor no further to bee esteemed the worde of God then as farre foorth as it is approued by the authority of the Church Lo what doctrine here is for hence it followeth that therefore if the Church should not allowe the newe Testament it were not scripture Put all these together and then it will soone appeare how pitifully this wound is healed Nay further if the time and present occasion would giue leaue to looke into their latter and moderne writers wee should see by the last and latest of all this wound is so farre from being healed that it rankles further and deeper euen like an incurable leprosie that cannot bee healed but let it suffice to name some of the Authors and referre the learned Reader to them n Pistoriuâ— cont Mentz disp 1. Stapleton lib. 9. doct princip cap. 14. Bellar. tom 1. Controv. 1. lib. 4. cap. 4. Fran. Agricola de verbo dei scripto non scripto cap. 7 cap. 9. Perouu de incertitudine c. scripturaruÌ„ And let vs go forward to another wound They taught the People in olde time namely for two or three hundred yeares past that Images were good laye mens bookes and euen then when they denied them the scripture as vnfit for them and obscure dangerous for seducing them to heresies were Images allowed and coÌ„mended vnto them as good meanes of Instruction 13 The seaueÌ„th wound Images are good laye mens bookes Some three hundred years ago liued a Frier called Gulielmus Peraldus learned for that time and well approued o Guliel Peraldus ord praed postea Epistola Lugdunens scripsit inter alia summa virtutuÌ„ vitiorum pervtilem illaÌ„ quidem coÌ„modam concionatoribus quae saepius est recusa haec Possev appar sac to 1. lit G. of their Moderne Censurers hee writes thus As the Scriptures are the bookes and containe the learning of the Clergie so Images and the scripture are the learning and bookes of laye men p Guliel Peraldus Summa virt vit tom 1. cap. 3. vt scripturae literae sunt Clericorum sic scriptura sculptura literae sunt laicorum Lo here how Images are associated and ioyned with the Bible Search the scripture saith Christ look on them and on Images sayth the Pope how readest thou saieth Christ what seest thou saith the Pope It is written sayeth Christ it is painted and grauen sayeth the Pope thy worde sayeth Dauid is my light not the golden Châ—rubins but nowe sayeth Poperie euen in the newe Testament the scriptures and Images are laye mens lights What a wronge is this to GOD and what an iniurie to his worde But is this healed Oh that it were but let the reader iudge by that that followeth 14 The seauenth wound not healed but made worse and worse One of their greatest Casuists Laelius Zecchius a great Diuine a famous Lawyer and of late yeares Penitentiarie of Bresse writing a great volume of Cases of Conscience dedicated to Pope Clement the viij amongst many other strange doctrines touching Images teacheth that It is not lawfull onely but profitable to haue Images in Churches to cherish and encrease charitie towards God and men c. and to preserue faith seeing Images are to bee held as bookes for them that bee vnlearned to draw them vnto knowledge memorie and imitation of holy and diuine matters c. q Laelius Zecchius Summa moral theolog casuum consci tom 2. cap. 90. art 18. pag. 609. Imagines poni â—n Ecclesijs vtile est ad charitatem erga deum sanctos fouendam augendam c. ad fidem conseruandam cum Imagine babeantur pro libris his qui literas ignoraÌ„t ex quibus ducuntur in cognitionem memoriaÌ„ imitationem diuinorum c. Brixiae 1598. Lo here this doctor who heing Penitentiarie is by his place
order to compel the whores to refuse no man if hee offer her her pay the words are too bad to be repeated in english And to shew that he is a true childe of that Babylon that wil neuer be healed that he is as graceless in this point as his mother afterward in his 2. tome which he put out in his more mature yeares he hath againe the same doctrin in as ill or worse words r Idem Graffiê° ibid. tom 2. li. 3. c. 28. art 3 6. Ad meretrices accedere quaÌ„uis sit peccatuÌ„ mortale tameÌ„ ecclesia illud peccatum tolerat ad euitaÌ„duÌ„ maius malum c. et in hoc casu ecclesia censuraÌ„ restringit ne forsan deteriores sint c. And to conclude for the better encoragement for women to bee whores and the better to please their carnall wicked minds Cardinall Tollet a Iesuite out of his Iesuitical modestie and his Cardinal like respect to the stewes deliuers this doctrine s Fran. Tolletê° Ies Cardinal Instructio sacerdotuÌ„ lib. 5. cap. 17. art 3. Mulieres accipientes pretiuÌ„ pro vitio carnis noÌ„ obligantur ad restitutionem quia ista actio non est mala coÌ„tra iustitiaÌ„ quamuis sint Virgines et coniugatae et cuiuscunque coÌ„ditionis et quamuis accipiaÌ„t pecunias in excessu vltra pretium actê° turpis si liberè donetur illis That whores taking mony of men for their sinne bee they maried or vnmaried tho it be neuer so much aboue their due are not bound to restore anie of it againe if it bee once giuen them and giues a reason for it because saith he this action is not against iustice c. Certainly the stewes are much beholden to Cardinal Tollet for this doctrine but what Iustice and modestie and the Church and the truth and God himselfe do owe him for it hee feeles afore this time except he repented t Obijt Tolletê° Romae 1596 Thus it is the present doctrin of the Romish church that she alloweth stewes by publicke toleration to auoide greater euills and censureth not the whores for it nay ties them by a lawe to refuse no man and tyes men by a lawe to pay the hire and for this ende allowes them Courts Iudges and Officers and takes part of the benefit arising Now that their practice is according to this doctrine I appeale to all that haue trauelled in those partes where poperie reigneth as Spaine Italie c. And further to giue one euidence out of my owne reading for the practice Iacobus de Graffijs telles vs plainely in these words u Iacobus de Graff decis aur cas cons tom 1. lib. 1. c. 28. art 20. Sic licitum est dominis domoruÌ„ locare eas meretricibê° non quideÌ„ ad meretricandum sed ad alios fines bonos id est vt ipsae vitaÌ„ suaÌ„ seruent et domini domoruÌ„ lucrentur iustas pensiones cum displicentia peccati c. ita etiaÌ„ praxis Romana videtur seruare pag. 105. It is lawfull for Lords and owners of houses to let out their houses to whores euen whom they knowe so to bee so it be with this minde not purposely that they may sinne but with this that the women may get their liuing be able to pay them good rents Now tho they know they wil get their owne liuing and paie them their rent out of whoredome yet if they haue a dislike of the sin they may do it lawefully and such sayth he is the common practice at Rome Thus both for Romish doctrine practice it is apparant that stewes are allowed to this daie and common whores not censured Against all this but one thing can bee obiected namely that all these be priuate Doctors I answere theÌ„ let vs see what the Pope doth Doth he supply the negligence of other Bishops they do not excommunicate them doth hee No no he is as bad or worse then the worst Princes tolerate them so doth he w Nay by the places alleaged afore it is manifest yâ— it is not princes but the Pope the Church that tolerates and permittes theÌ„ princes permit them because the Church doth they in their kingdoms he in Rome they build theÌ„ houses so did he they take part of their gain so doth hee the Bishops excommunicate them not no more doth he to this daie For this end we are to knowe that besides all particular and personall excommunications he vseth once a yeere that he may meete with all his enemies at once and pay them at one payment to excommunicate together all such sorts and kinds of people as he holdes his enemies but are whores any of them no such matter nay these be they * Vide Bullam Coenae in CoÌ„stit Rom. poÌ„t per PetruÌ„ MathaeuÌ„ed inter CoÌ„stitut Sixti quinti pa. 883. vbi Papa excoÌ„municat anathematizat in propria sua persona 1 Hereticos vt Lutheranos Caluinistas c. Caluinists Lutherans and such heretickes 2 Appellantes à senteÌ„tijs papalibê° ad futurum generale concilium All that appeal from the Pope to a generall Councell 3 Piratos in Mari suo capientes bona naufragantiuÌ„ Forgers and Falsifiers of the Popes hande or seale 4 Imponentes â—t exigentes nova pedagia All that hurt and hinder Pilgrimes that come to Rome 5 Falsificatores literarum c. ApostolicaruÌ„ All lay men that draw Clergy men to their Courts or would bring them vnder their iurisdiction 6 Deferentes prohibita infidelibê° All that hinder the iurisdiction of the Clergie 7 ImpedieÌ„tes eos qui victualia ad vrbem deferant 8. Offendentes peregrinos ad vrbem venientes 9. Offendentes venientes Romam aut ibi commorantes 10. Manusinijcientes in Cardinales praelatos seu nuntios papae 11. Causarum in Curia Ro. cursum impedientes seu literarum Apostolicarum executionem 12. Officiales et praelatos causas à curia Ro. auocantes 13. Personas ecclesiasticas ad suuÌ„ tribunal trahentes et statuta contra libertatem ecclesiae facientes 14. Impedientes Iudicum ecclesiasticorum iurisdictionem 15. Ecclesiasticos aliquo modo vexantes 16. Laicos se intromittentes in causis contra Clericos 17. Occupantes terras seu Iura et rapientes bona palatij Apostolici c. All that seize vpon anie lands belonging to the Pope c. These and such other like to the number of 17. or 18. be the enemies against whome the Pope hath cause to plant his ordinaunce but as for whores and stewes and such other hainous transgressors of the morall law these neuer hurt the Romish Church and therfore she bends not her power against them So then seeing poperie and the stewes are so linked that we perceiue do what we can man cannot separate those whom the diuell hath ioined togither let vs then leaue the stews in Rome the Pope in his stewes and mourning for
good Pope Adrian had confessed but was taken away lest hee had redressed and after at their motion he had intended a Councell should be called for reformation all this determined by his death His successor Clement the 7. was not so idle to hearken to such toyes nor giue way to such innouations hee would haue no Councell he saw no cause of reformation But from his successor Paul the 3. plaine necessitie did wring out an vnwilling consent and so after many difficulties the Councell of Trent was called wherein first of all this point of reformation was so vrged that a Committe was chosen of nine principall Diuines some of them Cardinals to consider what reformation was requisite in the Church who after mature deliberation plainly told the Pope that all these euils proceeded from the abuses raigning in the Court of Rome and concluding something for reformation of pluralities one only abuse the Pope did so interpret it and alter it when it came to him as it did no good but hurt He then dying and the Councell being intermitted was set on foote again by his successor Iulius the 3 who also confessed there were innumerable abuses in administring the Sacraments but when it came to reforme them in stead thereof hee suspended the Councell though many Bishops that desired reformation did protest against it affirming confidently that they had not as yet dispatched one of the businesses for which they had assembled but the Pope preuailed and so for tenne yeeres it was discontinued And at last being againe assembled by Pius the 4. he made shew hee would referre the whole matter of reformation to the Fathers of the Councell but when it came to trial it was with a prouiso that first they should not meddle with the Court of Rome secondly that in their reformation laid vpon other persons and places they should alwaies enact it thus Sauing alwaies holy and vntouched the Authoritie of the Apostolical sea for which their courtesie to him his seate he afterward gaue them thankes in an oration in the Consistorie at Rome assuring them but it was in the word of a Pope that he would be more rigide and seuere in purging his owne Court and house and offices then they would haue bin With these good words the Pope dissolued the Councell But froÌ„ that day to this saith this Bishop through these so many yeeres nothing is done nothing is changed nothing is amended in the Church and no maruell saith he for nothing haue they amended in Rome vnder their owne nose where they might reforme any thing if they had conscience and will to doe it So that now seeing all is finally referred and reserued to the Pope there is saith he no more hope of any reformation left nor any thing else remaines but to see one miserie after another fall vpon the Apostolicall seate and the whole Church These and many more words to this purpose hath this wise and learned Bishop Out of all which I conclude therefore 30. or 40. yeeres agoe in the daies of Espencaeus the Church of Rome being found and confessed to be most fearefully corrupt is not healed nor reformed nay that all hope of reformation is now taken away Since which time I shall thanke him that will shew me that there hath been any publike and generall reformation of the notorious abuses in that Church prouided hee prooue it out of as good records and with as faire euidence as I haue done the contrary which as I should reioyce in my heart once to behold so till For as for the third point I haue vndertaken namelie that in stead of being healed and reformed there haue contrariwise growne vp in the Romish Church more horrible and haynous practises more erroneous and 〈…〉 us do 〈…〉 〈…〉 hen e 〈…〉 〈…〉 re were knâ—â—vne or heard of and at this day stand maintained at least vnreproued by their Church This I say I must be constrained to referre to a peculiar Treatise by it selfe then I must needes with griefe of heart conclude that The Romish Church is that Babylon that will not bee healed And wil she not what then remaines but as our text leades vs Let vs forsake her But how not in loue or affection let vs neuer cease to wish to her as to our owne soules nor let vs cease to pray for her publikely and priuately yea let vs blesse her when she curseth vs. But let vs as we haue well begun proceed to separate our selues from her societie and emptie our Church and kingdome of her and hers And if they say we be schismatikes for separating from her we answere nay she is the schismatike that hath separated her selfe from Christ Now therefore you honourable Magistrates and Iudges of this nation set your shoulders to the worke of your God rouse vp your spirits to execute the good lawes your selues and your forefathers haue enacted our lawes are enowe and good enough they want nothing but execution and that belongs to you vnto which dutie wee of the Ministerie do exhort you in the Lord execute our lawes against theÌ„ yet rather against Poperie then the Papists remember the blessed promise in the Psalme though it was spoken of literall Babylon it hath a mysticall and true relation to spirituall Babylon O Psal 137. 8. 9. daughter of Babylon worthie to be destroyed happie shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast serued vs yea blessed shal he be that taketh thy young childreÌ„ dasheth theÌ„ against the stones Oh pul this blessing on your heads kill her infants that is her errors impieties superstitions blasphemies idolatries equiuocations treasons c. these be her Impes her naturall brood but they are now of more age and growne to greatnes the more danger is there of them and more cause to kill them which if you doe with diligence and discretion you see you draw a blessing from heauen vpon your selues If you do not you do for a time maintaine prickes in your eyes and thornes in your sides and your negligence will prouoke the great and iust Lord to take the matter into his owne hands which as he hath alreadie not onely threatned but begun so he will though he deferre it till his owne time bring it to full execution For her iudgement is come vp into heauen and lifted vp to the clouds And then when she hath drunke vp the dregges of the cup of Gods wrath and by the breath of his mouth is fearefully confounded then I say shall all her Merchants and all her louers whereof we haue too many that lurke amongst vs and euen some that notwithstanding will needs be of vs bee ashamed for their louing of her whom they see God hated and for their labouring so basely to couer her filthie skirts which he would haue to her shame discouered to the view of the world and then shall they shrinke to beaâ—e a part of her punishment which so much delighted to wallow with her in