our Fears and Apprehensions and thereby give us the opportunity to break the snares of our Enemies to which nothing can so effectually contribute as our uniting in the Protestant Religion of the Church of England God of his infinite mercy who maketh men to be of one mind in an House who is the Author of Peace and the Lover of Concord who breaketh the Snares of the Ungodly turneth their Wise-men backward and their Counsels into Foolishness grant that in this our day we may see and know and follow the things that make for our Peace that so our Divisions may not be our ruine that the Enemies of our Countrey and Religion may not triumph over us but that by our Vnion with the Established Government in Church and State we may defeat the designs of our Enemies and disappoint their expectations God long preserve the Life of our Dread Sovereign and defend this Church the most true Apostolick of any Church upon the face of the Earth The End of the First Part. THE SECOND PART OF FOXES AND FIREBRANDS Or a SPECIMEN Of the Danger and Harmony of POPERY and SEPARATION WHEREIN Is proved from undeniable matter of Fact and Reason that Separation from the Church of England is in the Judgment of Papists and by sad Experience found the most compendious way to introduce Popery and to ruine the Protestant Religion Tantum Religio potuit suadere Malorum DVBLIN Printed by Jos Ray for a Society of Stationers and are to be Sold by the Booksellers of Dublin MDCLXXXII To the Most Reverend the Archbishops The Right Reverend the Bishops and the rest of the Reverend Divines of the Reformed Church of IRELAND Reverend Fathers THe Publisher of these Collections of this Treatise knows none so proper to whom he may dedicate it as your selves for as You are those Venerable Persons that intend the Spiritual Good of this Kingdom and whose Function doth oblige you to watch for the good of Souls so he doubts not but any the meanest Present will be candidly accepted of that tends to the promoting of so glorious a design It hath been the unhappiness of these Kingdoms ever since the Reformation to meet with brisk oppositions in point of Religion not only from professed Enemies but disguised Friends and the Churches of England and Ireland had no sooner shaken off that Idolatry and Superstition that overspread and deformed the face of primitive Apostolical Religion but like the woman in the Revelations Cap. 12. she was persecuted by the Dragon who raised up all his Arts and Stratagems to devour that child of the Reformation which had cost her so many throws and agonies The Papists on one hand and the Puritans on the other did endeavour to sully and bespatter the glory of her Reformation the one taxing it with Innovation and the other with Superstition and too near an approach to those superstitious Rites and Ceremonies which she had reformed what justice there is in either of the accusations the world is sufficiently sensible of by the many learned Volumes that have defended both her Doctrine and her Discipline in opposition to them both and I presume that every unprejudiced Reader will cast the balance on the Churches side and conclude that there is more of spight and malice than truth in the imputation For it cannot be imagined that the Churches of England and Ireland should be guilty of Novelties in point of Doctrine when they did so lowdly tax the Church of Rome with Innovations and pretended them as one great justifiable ground of their separation from it and to symbolize with that Church in superstitious Rites and Ceremonies is in effect to say that they were resolved to maintain what they had abjured and act contrary to all the declarations that they had published to the World in their own defense But it will appear farther from this discourse that these objections were suggested to our dissenters from the Papists who have frequently acted and preached in the habits of dissenters and though they pretend to be more zealous against Popery than others yet they are not ashamed to whet their swords at the forges of the Philistines and make use of their arts and assistance for the ruine of the Church I wish they would but seriously reflect upon these things and consider that by insisting in the paths that the Papists have chalked them out they are advancing the interest of Popery and will in time do their work as succesfully as if they had laid their heads together to subvert the Government both in Church and State That they may not any more be seduced by such kind of artifices is not only the design of these Papers but the hearty Prayers of Your most Humble Servant R. W. Foxes and Firebrands c. The Second Part. THat the Reader may have a clearer insight into the following discourse and understand how little the Doctrine of depriving or resisting Princes was countenanced by the first Reformers it may not be inconvenient to entertain him with the pious and Loyal speech of the great Pillar of the Reformation Archbishop Cranmer whereby it will appear how averse he was either to the Jesuitical Doctrines of deposing Princes for disowning the Popes Authority or the late Phanatical pretences of taking Arms against the King where ho neglects his duty or stands not to the promises and Covenants that he makes at his Coronation The Speech is as followeth MOST DREAD AND ROYAL SOVEREIGN THe promises your Highness hath made here at your Coronation to forsake the Devil and all his works are not to be taken in the Bishop of Rome's sence when you commit any thing distastful to that See to hit your Majesty in the teeth as Pope Paul the Third late Bishop of Rome sent to your Royal Father saying didst thou not promise at our permission of thy Coronation to forsake the Devil and all his works and do'st thou turn to Heresie For the breach of this thy promise knowest thou not that 't is in our power to dispose of the Sword and Scepter to whom we please We your Majesties Clergy do humbly conceive that this promise reacheth not at your Highness Sword spiritual or temporal or in the least at your Highness swaying the Scepter of this your Dominion as you and your Predecessors have had them from God neither could your Ancestors lawfully resign up their Crowns to the Bishops of Rome or to his Legats according to their ancient Oaths then taken upon that Ceremony The Bishops of Canterbury for the most part have Crowned your Predecessors and Anointed them Kings of this Land yet it was not in their power to receive or reject them neither did it give them authority to prescribe them conditions to take or to leave their Crowns although the Bishops of Rome would encroach upon your Predecessors by his Bishops Act and Oil that in the end they might possess those Bishops with an Interest to dispose of their Crowns at their pleasure
of the Nation which the King with the advice and by the consent of the wisdom of the Nation has judged and therefore established for the publick good So that the Contest of Dissenters appears to be for Empire and Sovereignty and who shall be the Supreme Judge of the Goodness and Expediency of Laws Answer to Dr. Stillingfleet's Sermon and they do very ill to quarrel at Clergie-mens Coaches and Liveries who themselves are grasping at Crowns and Scepters And if any or many private men shall not judge these Laws so good as those they would have imposed they ought to submit and study to be quiet and not make the greater Duty of Mercy and Peace of the Church submit to the Sacrifice of what may be is but Opinion and still sub Judice I have a Theme before me too copious for an Epistle and shall therefore that I may not transgress the bounds of one dismiss the other I only offer these following discoveries of the Danger to which Protestant Religion and these Nations are exposed by obstinate Separation to your cool and retired thoughts and hope you are too good men and Christians to esteem me Your Enemy because I tell you the Truth Philirenes ERRATA PAge 34. line 24. for her read his p. 39. l. 1. for Cecil read Civil p. 69. l. 6. for Coronensis read Connorensis p. 80. l. 14. for their read you p. 129. l. 26. for Lord read Letter FOXES AND FIRE-BRANDS c. THat the Papists have ever since the Reformation of Religion in Europe The restless design of Papists to regain England to Rome been most invincibly industrious in these Kingdoms to bring the Church of England to ruine and a total subversion there cannot remain the least doubt or scruple For besides apparent matter of undeniable Fact during the Reigns of Queen Elizabeth King James and King Charles the First and our present Gracious Sovereign whom God long preserve there are these Reasons which have and do animate them in the repeated prosecution of that desperate Enterprize First A vain Enthusiastick Opinion The Reasons moving them vigorously to prosecute their wicked Design which in this last Century they have generally embraced That there shall be a Fifth Monarchy of their Church For the erecting of which they embroil their Brains 1. An Enthusiastick Belief of the Fifth Monarchy of the Church of Rome and the whole Christian World wrest the Prophecies of the Scripture and the pretended Writings of the Sybils to countenance this beloved Chymaera Now they look upon the English Nation become Heretick and revolted from the Faith as too potent and considerable in this part of the World to permit them to hope for any success till that Church and State be either so broken as to be disabled to oppose them or be reduced to the Roman Faith and Obedience Secondly 2. The Church of England the only Bulwork of the Protestant Religion and their most potent Enemy They look upon the Church of England therefore as the only Bastion or Bulwork of the Protestant Religion and Interest from whence there have sprung so many and such a constant succession of able Champions for Truth and so long as that Church continues are like to do as will eternally baffle all the Arguments and Reasons they have hitherto or can produce to support their tottering Cause and in all probability will in time so expose them as to convince the World of the Apostacy of Rome from the ancient Primitive Christianity and induce them to knock off the shackles of blind Obedience which their Ignorance and the Romish Artifice have fastened upon the hands of all Princes and People under the Papal Jurisdiction and whatever some people may imagine * This is apparent because they raise them themselves there is nothing formidable to Rome in these little Sects of Separatists who being by their own Eternally sub-dividing Principles like the Sheaf of Arrows in the Apologue unbound will be broken without any great difficulty but the Church of England being a Body compact firm and well put together and wearing so much of the Primitive Purity and Antiquity both in Doctrine and Discipline is the Gordian knot which till by the Sword of Pope Alexander they can untie they can never hope to conquer the World by that of Peter and therefore that Church is the constant mark of their Hate and Envy and to undermine her Foundations they set themselves and all their Engines to work with all possible Diligence and Application I remember to have heard a pretty odd Relation An Instance of a Pope's Charity to the English Hereticks which came from a Person of Quality of this Nation who was at Rome in the time of our late Troubles This Noble Person having demanded liberty to have an Audience of his Holiness obtained it and was treated with great Civility and Respect After the Formalities of the Visit were over the Pope enquired what News from England to which the Gentleman replied with great testimonies of Compassion and gave him a short recital of the Tragical Adventures of the Civil War at which the Pope fell into such an indecent laughter that the English Gentleman smartly repartee'd Sir Certainly this is a Scene for Pity not for Laughter Well young man said the old Pope having gravely composed himself you say true and I take your reproof in good part but added he I cannot forbear this testimony of Joy when I consider that God is about to convince you of your Errors by these severe Methods and by their own hands to destroy one of the best drest Heresies that ever appeared in the World since that of the Arians Thirdly 3. Secular Interest Ambition and Honour the Romish Clergy look upon themselves to be extreamly injured in point of Interest and that they are unjustly and violently dispossessed of all the Dignities and Revenues of the Bishopricks Cathedrals Abbeys Monasteries and other religious Houses and these Promotions Dignities and Revenues are from time to time conferred by the Pope upon titular Bishops Deans c. who de jure pretend a Right to them and hope de facto to possess them so soon as they can by any Arts or Ways reduce these Nations to the Obedience of the See of Rome Nay the Pope himself has the Vanity or Impudence to be tickled with the sweet imagination of Sovereignty and to pretend from the Resignation of King John to Pandulphus his Legate a Title to the Imperial Crown of these Realms Now ambitious men animated by these Hopes and professing as matter of Faith that they are free from all the Obligations of Duty and Allegiance to Heretical Princes and Vsurpers as they term ours and at least in pretence being inflamed with an ardent Zeal for the conversion or confusion of us poor Hereticks and having always the dazling beams and lustre of Interest and secular Advantage in their eyes together with the hopes of Heaven as the merits
of such Industry to blear the eyes of others I say such men and such principles must of necessity lay them under the constant and restless temptations of attempting all things to regain their earthly and gain a heavenly glory into the bargain Nor can it be supposed that they will stick at the violation of any Laws Divine or Humane by Treasons Perjuries Wars or Bloodshed which they think so far from sinful that they esteem them meritorious and acceptable Services to God being done in order to the Salvation of Sinners and the Exaltation of their Church Now the ways and methods by which they propose to effect these The methods Papists use to convert Hereticks as they think and stile them glorious Undertakings are these First 1. To divide Protestants amongst themselves Since they are hopeless to convince or perswade by force of Arguments they endeavour to divide Protestants among themselves and this they have done ever since the Reformation by raising Sects and Separations from our Church in matters of Doctrine and Practise and again subdividing these into lesser Parties and Fractions under pretence of greater advances to Purity and a thorough Reformation and as this Principle may proceed to no doubt they will pursue it in infinitum Thus I have been credibly informed that a St. Omers Jesuit declared that they were twenty years hammering out the Sect of the Quakers and whoever considers the Positions of those People will easily be induced to believe them forged upon a Popish Anvil They refuse all Oaths a neat covert for Priests and Jesuits to evade the Tests of the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy and avoid the punishment which follows their discovery the despise the Scriptures so do Papists they contemn our Sacraments especially the Eucharist so do Papists they do above all things vilifie the Ministers so do Papists and in many other Doctrines they bear a great Analogy and Conformity one with the other The opinion of a Fifth Monarchy looks extreamly like another Spawn of the Jesuits and had that prevailed as it once was in a fair way to do that would have done their business and indeed was the last Sect I think started among us as if designed for their purpose for it would have been an easy translation of that Monarchy to the Papal Throne till Christ should come in person to have exercised it himself and I find a remarkable hint of this in Dr. Oats's Narrative and Depositions Parag. 34. where the Jesuits and one Green with eight other Fifth Monarchy men club together for the firing of the City of London And indeed herein the Papists have been most industrious and it is but just to fear they are so still to animate those Separations they have created with Principles of Hatred and Animosity against the Church of England as will admit of no reconciliation nor any lower terms of Satisfaction than her utter Ruine and intire Subversion and they move every stone that not one stone must be left upon another in that glorious building for this purpose they have endeavoured to perswade the people into an hatred of the Governors of the Church by telling them of their near approaches to Popery against which and the Pope himself to cover the Artifice it is no matter how bitterly they inveigh so long as by this Stratagem they divide men from the Church Thus have they drawn off the people from the love of the stated and authorized publick Prayers and Service of the Church by introducing practising and commending that Novel-way of Praying Extempore to which Gavan the Jesuit was so inured that he could not at his Execution forbear running into an Enthusiastick Fit of it This has been a Key which has opened the doors of many lips to blaspheme God and Religion to utter vain idle impertinent seditious heretical and impious Harangues the very froth of Fancy and the scum of Effrontery which yet they have dedicated to God Almighty and though it was really a Sacrifice of Fools have fathered it upon the Spirit of Wisdom and of this the Papists have made no small advantage to proselyte people from ours to the Romish Communion and yet they first recommended this Engine to the people they have opposed it too and exalted it above the Common Prayers as more Spiritual and prevailing branding those with all the titles of Infamy and which has succeeded to their wish and is now generally taken up as a great truth by all Dissenters that the Liturgy is nothing but the Mass-Book in English and the very dregs of Popery Idolatry and Superstition Secondly 2dly Having divided us to destroy us by those Divisions Having thus successfully divided us and inflamed Dissenters with a Zeal so hot against the Church of England as is fit upon all occasions both to take and give fire they endeavour to blow up those Sparks into a Flame they perswade Dissenters Episcopacy is guilty of most intolerable Ambition Pride Avatice and Tyranny they press them to maintain their liberty of Conscience against the Antichristian Yoke of Ceremonies and to pull down Babylon and take hold of all occasions to run them into open Hostilities and Rebellion against the Civil as well as the Ecclesiastical Power and Government and all this in hopes to destroy us with our own Weapons that then they may erect their Church Triumphant upon the Ruines of ours which they have rendred truly Militant En quo discordia Cives Perduxit miseros The sincere and tender love I have for my Dear and Native Countrey the compassion I have for the wounds of a Bleeding Church and Nation and the great Honour and Esteem I have for the Protestant Religion as professed and practised in the Church of England which I have not embraced out of the complyances of Education but the Force and Conviction of Reason grounded upon deliberate Debates and a near Examination oblige me to contribute all I can to rectifie the misunderstandings which have occasioned our unhappy breaches and divisions nor could I think of any expedient more conducive to the attaining my design than the exposing to the open view of the World the Artifices of these our inveterate enemies wherewith they have given us so many both secret and open wounds as have once already proved almost mortal and incurable for the poyson of Asps is under their lips and they shoot sharp and envenomed Arrows which wound at a distance and kill by degrees and if we give them opportunity to redouble their blows they will in all humane apprehension lay us weltring in our own and one anothers blood without the assistance of any other Massacre than what we execute upon our selves And now in regard that Generals are rarely so forcible or convictive though never so true as particular matters of Fact These Practices proved by particular Instances and matter of unquestionable Fact in hopes of doing a charitable office to those who have been hurried down this Popish
from this evident matter of Fact that they have been as industrious among the English Nonconformists to sow dividing Principles and animate them against the Government and Governors both in Church and State And that this may not pass for a bare supposition without ground I I have heard Mr. Prance affirm that both Gavan and Whitebread used to Preach frequently in Conventicles in Southwark and other places and I am able to prove Whitebread aliàs White the Provincial of the Jesuits who was executed for the Plot did not many months before the Discovery and his Apprehension Preach in a Conventicle as a Nonconformist at Spaldwick within five miles of Huntington and that he had several times done the like before as was attested by several of the Congregation before divers Gentlemen in the County of Huntington and if the shame of Dissenters did not smother the further discovery of this Truth for fear of the just reproach and infamy it would bring upon them among the miss-led people I doubt not but we should find these Friars and Jesuits in disguise of Nonconformists and by false Names as frequent in the Pulpits of Separatists as their ordinary Teachers And indeed nothing is more feasible or easie for it is no more than for a Jesuit to bring a counterfeit Letter of Recommendation from some known Nonconformist either out of the Town if he designs to travel and Preach in the Countreys as an Itinerant or out of the Countrey if he will Preach in the Town or a Certificate that he has Preached in such or such Congregations with their Approbation which he is sure to have if he inveigh against Popery Bishops Ceremonies Common Prayer and for Liberty of Conscience and the business is done and without further Examination he is admitted into their Pulpits and shall pass for a zealous Protestant and an heavenly man in the opinion of the undiscerning Auditors as Father Commin and Father Heth have done and many others before Whereas the Church of England takes care that none be admitted to the Charge of Souls without all the Caution imaginable against Popery they must take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy have Testimonials from Persons that know them of their Ability and foundness of Judgment they must shew their Letters of Ordination before they are admitted to Preach in an unknown Congregation and have a License from the Bishop of the Diocess before they can regularly Preach in a Congregation whereinto they are by Law instituted and inducted The natural Inferences which follow from this unquestionable matter of Fact here faithfully related and offered to the serious consideration of all sober People of what perswasion soever are these First That the Pope and Papists have ever since the Protestant Reformation endeavoured to raise up Sects and Differences in Opinion amongst Protestants by sending their disguised Emissaries among the zealous and well-meaning people to seduce them into Separation and Schism Secondly That they look upon these practices as most effectual means to bring the people back to the Romish Religion and to introduce Popery among us Thirdly That for this purpose they have been all along industrious in this course by depraving the Government of Episcopacy as Tyrannical the Established Prayers as Popish by extolling Extempore Prayers as Spiritual by encouraging an unlicensed Ministry by preaching up Liberty of Conscience and that it is to be obtained and maintained at any rate and it is worth observation that Coleman dates the Aera of all the misfortunes like to happen to Catholicks from the fatal rescinding of the late Toleration therein agreeing exactly with Dissenters who were no less Querulous for the stopping of that door though from him nothing can be more evident than that the Jesuits designed to bring in Popery at it which they could not do being openly excluded from the benefit of it but by pretending to be Dissenters Fourthly It is most manifest that all our late horrid Civil Wars Rapines Bloodshed and the execrable and solemn Murther of his late Majesty and the banishment of our present Sovereign were affected according to the fore-contrivance of the Papists by the assistance which Dissenters gave them and the opportunities they had to preach them into Rebellion under the pretence of a thorough Reformation that all the late Commotions and Rebellions in Scotland sprung from the same Counsel and Conduct and that the Papists will never out of the hopes of effecting our ruine nor without the same opportunities they have hitherto had so long as our Divisions are kept up and maintained which give them the advantage of dashing us one against another Fifthly That therefore obstinate Dissenters are before God and according to the judgment of the strongest Reason built upon plain matter of undeniable Fact guilty of all the real danger of Popery prevailing again in these Nations by the ruine of the Protestant Religion Sixthly That the Church of England in Doctrine and Discipline is the greatest enemy the Papists have according to their own declared sense and judgment and consequently wholly innocent of any such designs and complyances or approaches to the Church of Rome as Father Du Moulin and other Brain-sick or worse people endeavour to fix upon her and that it is impossible to give a clearer demonstration of the innocence of the Bishops and Clergy of England than Dr. Oats has in the 72 Paragraph of his Narrative before recited concerning the Pope's Bull or Breve bestowing all the considerable Promotions and Dignities in England upon Papists there mentioned which could not be done without turning out the present Bishops and Dignitaries of the Church And there cannot be a more demonstrative argument that he esteems them Hereticks and Enemies for there is no doubt but if the Pope had any hopes of their complyance with Popery he would not only have consented to their continuance in those promotions but have promised high Rewards and Encouragements to them Seventhly That therefore it is the joynt Interest both of Prince and People of these Nations to support and defend the Church of England as now by Law established those of her Communion being by a tract of Experience of equal date with the Reformation found to be both in Principles and Practice the most peaceable and Loyal Subjects and foundest Protestants of unshaken Allegiance and unblemished Loyalty the ablest Champions against Popery and the only bulwork of the Protestant Religion as is but too evident by the constant endeavours of the Papists both by their own power and the assistance of Dissenters to undermine and overthrow it To conclude as I have here impartially related matter of Fact and drawn necessary inferences from it without animosity or bitterness of language so I hope good men will without prejudice or partiality weigh it in an equal balance and make that charitable use of it for which it was intended that it may be a means by discovering the source and original of our Divisions and Distractions
was to the Council of Trent in the year 1559. How the Jesuits to ingratiate themselves with the Pope and to mislead the Commonalty make him and his acts above God and the holy Scriptures just at my coming thither that the Pope and the Council were above all that is called God and of greater force than the Scripture was for which opinion one Veratus returned this Society thanks from the Council and so it was upon the Jesuits opinion voted in that Council that their Acts and the Popes were beyond the Law the Prophets and the Scriptures The Messenger between the Council of Trent and the Jesuits of Paris Ludovick de Freake the Council of Trents Messenger between them and the Jesuits of France who brought them these Instructions to destroy the Church of England from Beneventum the Archbishop named Casa was Ludovick de Freake formerly a Priest in England who brought with him up to Paris from the Council several kind of Indulgences and Instructions for that Society to undertake and grant and teach Part of the Instructions were thus to take notice of the confessions of the people of France especially of the Nobles and Gentry and in case they suspect any thing detrimental to the Holy See of Rome then to confer with three or more Confessors of the suspition and so to take memorandums of certain questions to be asked of the party so suspected the next time Also to converse with the Noblest and to discourse variously until they find which way he is inclinable most and to please them accordingly in their discourse and in case any of you be or chance to be any of their Confessors ye are to take memorandums of things doubtful and suspitious and at the next Confession to urge them to those parties then confessing by which any three or more are to consult and give the See of Rome and her Councils intelligence more or less that the Mother-Church might be informed and all evil prevented that is or shall be intended against her You are to associate with all strangers Heretical This Dispensation of the Pope hath beguiled many wise men in England as well as Christian Catholick if Heretical to be civil and not to discover your profession and for the better procurement of these designs designed or to be accomplished ye may with leave of any three of the Society be permitted to wear what dress or habit you think convenient provided the Society hear from the party so dispenced Any of you thus dispenced with may go with the Heretick to any of their heretical Meetings permitted by Acts or Contracts of Peace between Princes by this contrivance ye may both inform the Mother-Church and in case any of you be employed to assist her to go into any of the heretical Villages or Territories you will be the more able to serve the holy See of St. Peter and keep your selves from suspition In case any of ye be thus employed The Popes Dispensation with Impostors to Preach all Doctrines in England to confound that Church ye are dispenced with either to go with Hereticks to their Churches or as you see convenient If you own your selves Clergy-men then to Preach but with caution till ye be well acquainted with those Hereticks you converse with and then by degrees add to your Doctrine by Ceremonies or otherwise as you find them inclinable If ye be known by any of the Lay Catholicks you are to pacify them by saying secret Mass unto them or by acquainting other Priests who are not able to undertake this work with your intentions who doth generally say Mass unto them If the Lay men be of any Parts or of Wit you may dispence with them also reserving the same provisoes and thereby he may acquire an Estate and be the more able to serve the Mother-Church In case they scruple in taking of Oaths you are to dispence with them assuring them that they are to be kept no longer than the Mother-Church sees it convenient The Popes manner of dispensing with Oaths a good memorandum for Protestant Juries to recollect and to consider Or if they scruple to swear on the Evangelist you are to say unto them that the Translation on which they swear his Holiness the Pope hath annull'd and thereby it is become Heretical and all as one as upon an ordinary Story-Book In case in strange Countreys ye be known by Merchants or others trading or travelling thither for to strengthen your designs the more for your intention you are dispenced with to Marry after their manner and then ye safely may make answer that Heretical Marriage is no Marriage for your Dispensation mollifies it so that at the worst it is but a Venial Sin and may be forgiven Ye are not to Preach all after one method The Popes contrivance to demolish the Protestant Church of England but to observe the place wherein you come If Lutheranism be prevalent then Preach Calvanism if Calvanism then Lutheranism if in England then either of these or John Husses opinions Anabaptism or any that are contrary to the Holy See of St. Peter by which your Function will not be suspected and yet you may still act on the interest of the mother-Mother-Church there being as the Council are agreed on no better way to demolish that Church of Heresy but by mixtures of Doctrines and by adding of Ceremonies more than be at present permitted Some of you who undertook to be of this sort of the heretical Episcopal Society This Dispensation shews how the Pope for his purpose dispenceth even with the Protestant Church of England it self for her gain bring it as near to the Mother-Church as you can for then the Lutheran Party the Calvinists the Anabaptists and other Hereticks will be averse thereunto and thereby make that Episcopal Heresie odious to all these and be a means to reduce all in time to the Mother-Church You are further during the time you take these shapes on you to observe thus much of the rules of the Mother-Church This Dispensation shews that the Pope and his Emissaries be the Factions between the King Parliament and Subjects the Mother-Church disowneth the Regal Power to be her Superior especially the Heretical Powers Regal or otherwise Upon this ye are to take these measures You must bemone your Followers and Auditors saying Are not we persecuted for righteousness sake What Flesh and Blood can endure this We be more zealous against the Pope than they and yet we be persecuted By these means your cotrivances will light on those ye lead along and not on your selves This will advantage you much hang you or burn you they dare not but their perpetual acts against the party that follow you will take off the late severities they lay on us in saying We burnt the Hereticks their Ancestors and so at last bring that odium upon that Heretical Church in England which they have thrown on us And as you will
France then coming into the City of Paris I met with several of my Countrey-folks who civily used me At that time I was employed by Ludovic Freake one of the Order of Jesus for to carry over certain papers of Instructions unto Shane ô Neale then stirring in the Province of Ulster which I safely delivered unto him from Father Freake The Contents thereof were to set up his Title which his Ancestors claimed in that Province and not to make any conditions with the English unless it were upon great advantage or in great extremity for France and Scotland should both assist him when he had raised up that Countrey After I had received these Instructions he produced the Bishop of Rome's Bull of Indulgence and liberty unto all those who undertook to succour and assist that Mother-Church of Rome The Contents be as these PIUS the Servant of the Servants of God Pius Quintus his Bull for Anathematizing Protestants that the Undertakers for the advancement of Rome might not scruple any thing when they are indulged c. Whereas we have found and daily find Heresies increasing in several Colonies Principalities Realms and Countreys subject to the sacred See of St. Peter our Predecessor and they falling from and deserting our Jurisdiction with their blasphemous and railing writings against Vs our Ceremonies and Apostolick Jurisdictions and Priviledges granted unto Vs and our Succcessors from God and formerly generally acknowledged by Emperors Kings and Princes to be Ours and our Predecessors due and right We therefore in the Name of the holy Trinity of the Blessed Mother of God the Virgin Mary of St. Peter of St. Paul in the name of the holy Host of Heaven of the Arch-Angels and Angels of the holy Apostles Saints and blessed Martyrs do Anathematize all Hereticks lying trading or travelling in or amongst the same wheresoever dispersed over the face of the whole Earth We further will and authorize the Wise and learned of our Ecclesiasticks expert in divine Science to labour endeavour and devise all manner of devices to be devised to abate asswage and confound those Heresies repugnant to our sacred Laws that thereby these Hereticks might be either recalled to confess their Errors and acknowledge our Jurisdiction of the See of Rome or that a total infamy may be brought upon them and their posterities by a perpetual discord and contention amongst themselves by which means they may either speedily perish by God's wrath or continue in eternal difference to the reproach of Jew Turk Heathen nay to the Devils themselves Given at Rome the 6th I de of May Primo Pontif. Pius Quintus The Copy of this Bull of Indulgence and Commission was translated unto me into English by a learned Pen-man named John Warham Nephew to William Warham some time Archbishop of Canterbury After that I had got a Copy of this Bull Mr. Freake and I discoursed concerning the same because I thought it impossible to overthrow the Protestants unless it were by force of Arms but he replied that it was easy-to do it otherwise Rome's several sorts of Dispensations for to ruine the Church of England by telling me that this Bull dispenced with the Devisor for devising of new Tenents Doctrines and Covenants nay that it dispenced to marry after an Heretical Law provided that the device intended was to promote the advancement of Rome and that Marriage as they performed it was no Marriage but a venial sin Then I made answer In case these men be taken with this kind of life and so totally fall from Rome what will you do then He told me after this manner How Rome gets all her Intelligence and Knowledge secrets of Kings and their Councils to the best of my remembrance that those who undertook to serve the Mother-Church entred their names in the chief Convents of their several Orders and that in their Commissions they have several names three or four in case they be discovered and that when they have intelligence they may fly to another place and still keep correspondence with the Convents I demanded of him which fort had the granting of these Licences He told me that Pope Pius had granted a Commission to the Wisest and most Learned sort of the Orders of St. Dominick St. Francis A demonstration which of these Orders generally be by the Pope Indulged to put false Doctrines amongst us Protestants and of his own Order of the Society of Jesus to keep a general correspondence every quarter at least with the Convents of these Orders which testimonies were to be shewn upon these general Assemblies as signal demonstrations of their fidelity to the Church of Rome I told him that it was worth my journey coming out of Ireland for to travel because I had learned much experience and should be cunning for the future To this he said How Popish Zeal is revenged on the Protestant you see how we be by the Hereticks put to our shifts every day more then other therefore we must try our skill to be even with them I demanded of him what could it avail the Church of Rome to set up so many Heresies seeing that the Devisers dare not openly acknowledge the Church of Rome's Supremacy but be forced to rail at the Pope and at her He replied A pretty Cheat for disguised Papists to rail at Rome and yet be of the Church of Rome when they rail at Rome and their hearts be contrary it is no sin they may mean Rome and name it as it was in the ancient Roman days and also the word Pope for that word in Latin Papa is as much as to say a Bishop so that he may mean one of their Heretick Bishops and that these mental railings advanced the See of Rome and furthered their designs in several respects (a) (a) This shews how Rome by her Phanaticism hindreth uniformity in the Church of England First as it made Heresies and Schisms amongst Hereticks so it hindred uniformity in the Church of England (b) (b) The Papists all plead they can turn Protestants by reason there are so many sorts of them Secondly that it was a great advantage for preventing Roman Catholicks to turn away from their Principles (c) (c) Let Dissenters observe this and how the Papists came to cast the late Plot begun Anno 1678. upon them And lastly when ever the Church of Rome shall have a design to destroy Heresie she will never want intelligence having one or more of these wise men amongst these several sorts of Hereticks Then I asked how shall we be able to know her Majesties secrets and the intents of the Church of England He said A warning for Protestants not to match with Papists or to keep Popish Servants We have also dispenced with that and several of that Church have either a Roman Catholick Wife or the Wife a Roman Catholick Husband or they if both Hereticks perhaps keep Roman Catholick Servants which are
reading of it instantly caused the said Heth to be apprehended and the next day being Monday Novemb. 22. brought him to Examination Bishop Mr. Heth how long have you Preached in England Heth. About six years and more Bishop Were you of any certain Order formerly before this late Reformation of the Church of England Heth. Yes I was Bish What was that Heth. It was the Order of Jesus Bish Are you not still of that Order and have you not now and then some correspondence with that Order Heth. The Ministry will venture to instruct one another but your Lordship seeth how I have retired my self from those whom you call Jesuits Bish We suppose Mr. Heth you have not totally forsaken their Tenents though you have their Persons Heth. Wherein may I be suspected not to forsake their Tenents as well as their Company Bish There is great suspition that you are not of the Church of England by the words which you spoke yesterday in your Sermon Heth. What words were those my Lord Bish You said that it was not those Prayers of the Church of England as are now established that brought Peter out of Prison but * Observe the Design of the Papists from the beginning of the Reformation to bring the Prayers and Church into contempt not being spiritual Prayers and how well the Dissenters have copied this Original spiritual Prayers Heth. And were they not spiritual Prayers that availed him And where have we (a) The Language exactly of Separatists Scripture for any set Form in the Church Bish (b) A good answer to both Papists and Dissenters Quare whether the Directory were warranted by express Scripture If there be no Scripture for any set Form in the Church of England much less for any set Forms among your Fraternities for what we have established is out of the written word of God (c) Diversity and Variety of publick Prayers taken from a Popish Pattern no where warranted in Scripture But as for your Popish Orders viz. Augustines Dominicans Franciscans Jesuits c. you all differ in the Prayers of the Mass one from another where then is your Scripture for so many Varieties of Prayers and Masses Heth. They have Antiqiuty on their side and for the alteration of Prayers every Fraternity and Convent hath power among themselves as is most fit for that Congregation assembled Bish Now seeing you have begun to talk of Antiquity pray Mr. Heth tell me (d) The Jesult entrapped by his own Plea Were all the Orders of the Church of Rome ordained at once No surely for some Orders are ancienter than others by reason they have been allowed by several Popes But as for yours that Order was but of late days established therefore you have little or no Antiquity to plead Heth. My Lord You see I am fallen from that Society which I perceive by your passages in examining me so strictly you suspect me to be one of them still I confess (e) Observe that the Jesuits are enemies to Episcopacy and for a purer or in the language of Dissenters a thorough Reformation I am not so totally of the Episcopal Party of England (f) A Jesuit pretends to refine but intends to destory and it is evident that whoever do so do their work because I have laboured to refine the Protestants and to take off all smacks of Ceremonies that in the least do tend to the Romish Faith Bish Hath our Gracious Queen by her Learned Council and Assembly of Divines who several times sate for the Reformation of Religion now declared and confirmed by Her Highnesses High Court of Parliament established the Forms and Manners thereof (g) An unanswerable Question to all Dissenters who are no more but private persons what hath any particular man to meddle any further Heth. (h) From the good will of such Pretenders whether Papists or Dissenters Good Lord deliver us For we know by woful Experience the fire of Reformation pretends to refine but being over-hot does consume It was but my good will in endeavouring to make it purer Bish You are a pure Steer I must needs say in pretending that you are reformed yet let me ask you one Question Mr. Heth Had not you of late any Letters from any of your Society Heth. I might have had Letters must I therefore be of their Order still because they write to disswade a man from his Principles No sure my Lord. Bish Your Society write Mr. Heth not to disswade you but that you may disswade others However tell me Did you ever know or hear of a man called Samuel Malt Heth. I have heard of such a man Bish Yes and you know him full well Heth. It may be so my Lord. Bish Mr. Dean Shew Mr. Heth the Letter and let him tell whether he knows the hand-writing and call in Richard Fisher to come into the Court. Richard Fisher Here my Lord. Bish How came you by this Letter R. F. I found it yesterday after Even-song in the Pulpit Bish You know it if you see it is this the same R. F. The very same The Letter was as follows Brother THe Council of our Fraternity have thought fit to send you David George Theodorus Sartor and John Huts their Collections which you may distribute where-ever you may see it may be for your purpose according to the peoples inclinations These mixtures with your own will not only a little puzzle the Understandings of the Auditors but make your self famous We suppose your wants are not considerable at present by what we have heard how your Flock do admire you every day more and more Be not over-zealous in your proceedings in the beginning but gradually win on them as you visit them and according as you find their inclinations bend to your Design let us hear how you have proceeded for it will satisfie your Brethren much and inable them the better to instruct you for the future Hallingham Coleman and Benson have set (i) (i) The Original of the Sects in Germany among the Protestants from the Jesuits a Faction among the German Hereticks so that several who have turned from us have now denied their Baptism which we hope will soon turn the scale and bring them back to their old Principles This we have certified to the Council and Cardinals (k) (k) The Reader is desired seriously to observe that the Jesuits Pope and Cardinals have laid this down as a Maxim that Divisions and Separations are the most effectual way to introduce Popery and ruine the Protestant Religion That there is no other way to prevent people from turning Hereticks and for the recalling of others back again to the Mother Church than by the Diversities of Doctrines We all wish you to prosper Madrid Octob. 26. 1568. Sam. Malt. Bish Look here Mr. Heth here is a Letter and it is to be supposed to drop from you when you Preached yesterday for none stood in the Pulpit but your self
the Papists rejoycing at the conjunction of England and France by the Marriage of Charles the First and Queen Mary of France hoping thereby to raise such another claim to the Crown of Egland as France did in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth by that Match of Mary Queen of Scots they contrived a way to set Ireland in an uprore for King Charles the First was no sooner setled in his Throne when Ireland was full of the rumour of Lewis the 13ths preparations and intentions for the invading of the same as appears as well by the Records of the Council if doubted as also by Sir James Ware 's Memorials The noise of these preparations caused the Lord Henry Faulkland then Lord Deputy of this Nation to advise with the Privy-Council what course to take for to oppose these French intentions They upon consultation in this affair set forth a Proclamation that the chief of the Kingdom should meet at Dublin and then to demand a general Contribution of the Inhabitants for to raise and maintain Forces to oppose that King The Castle of Dublin being first appointed for that Assembly St. Patrick's Church in Dublin was afterwards ordered for this Assembly to meet at The Papists were upon high terms The Papists would not assist their King but upon terms and would not contribute towards the safety of this Nation unless the Lord Deputy and Council would grant them a toleration for their Religion and also leave to build themselves Churches and pretended Religious Houses as many as they listed and where they pleased in all Cities and Corporate Towns These their proposals put a stop to these proceedings for the present so that this Assembly was for the present dismissed it being about Michaelmass Term anno 1626. And another day was nominated for them to meet again until they had acquainted his late Majesty with their demands yet in the interim James Vsher late Primate of Ardmagh assembled all our Protestant Bishops together and so prevented these Popish demands by this their protestation as follows The Protestant Clergy of the Church of Ireland their protestation against these Popish terms The Religion of the Papists is Superstitious and Idolatrous Their Faith and Doctrine Enormous and Heretical Their Church in respect of both Apostatical To give them therefore a toleration or to consent that they may freely exercise their Religion and profess their Faith and Doctrine is a grievous sin and that in two respects For first it is to make our selves accessary not only to their Superstitions Idolatries Heresies and in a word to all the abominations of Popery but also which is a consequent of the former to the perdition of the seduced people which perish in the deluge of the Catholick Apostacy For the second to grant them toleration in respect of any Money to be given or Contribution to be made by them is to set Religion to sale and with it the Souls of people whom Christ our Saviour hath redeemed with his most precious Blood And as it is a great sin so also a matter of most dangerous consequence the consideration whereof we commend to the Wise and Judicious beseeching the Great God of Truth to make them who are in Authority zealous of God's Glory and of the advancement of true Religion zealous resolute and couragious against all Popery and Idolatry Amen Signed Ja. Armachanus Anto. Midensis Ro. Dunensis Coronensis Richard Cork Cloyn Roscensis Tho. Killmorensis Ardahensis Mich. Waterfordensis Lismorensis Mal. Cassilensis Tho Fernensis Laughlanensis George Derensis Andr. Aladensis Theo. Dromorensis Franc. Limiricksensis This being confered and agreed upon the 26th Novemb. Anno 1626. Upon the 23d of April following Doctor George Downham then Bishop of Derry the next Assembly being then to meet in the midst of his Sermon in Christ-Church Anno 1627. Dr. Downham then Bishop of Derry his protestation against these terms in Christ-Church in Dublin took occasion to speak something to this purpose saying that many amongst us for gain and outward respects were ready to consent to a toleration of a false Religion which if they did they were guilty of putting to sale not only the souls of Papists but their own souls also This is not my opinion said he only but the opinion of the Archbishops Bishops and of the Protestant Clergy of his Majesties whole Kingdom which I think fit to publish He had no sooner uttered these words when all the Protestants then in that Church cried out aloud Amen Amen Then making a respit till the people had done crying out Amen I spoke nothing to hinder the Kings Service for we all of the Clergy desire not only the sole Army of 5500 men that being the number may be maintained but also a far greater Army besides the Trained-Bands and could wish that his Majesty would reserve to himself the most of those particular Graces of late offered and granted to the dishonour of God and to himself the prejudice and impeachment of true Religion and what was wanting might be supplied by the Countrey to which he exhorted all true Christians and faithful Subjects The people upon this cried unanimously Our Lives and Fortunes be at his Majesties command for the good of the Protestant Faith of England The next day the late Lord Primate Primate Vsher his words against the same toleration Vsher Preached before the same Auditory and took these words for his Text Love not the World nor the things that are in the World Which words he applied according to those times These two Sermons so prevailed with the Protestants so strengthened their resolutions that they proposed so largely towards a maintenance for an Army to oppose the French King that these Popish Proposals which we have already mentioned fell and the Papists much ashamed and discontented then the Lord Deputy and Council dismissed this Assembly There is one material thing to be observed by the Reader The Lord Faulklands Lady known to be a Papist that this Lord Faulklands Lady was a great Heiress to an Estate in England which caused her Husband to seek all means the more to please her she being a fickle minded woman in her judgment The Papists of this Kingdom depended much on this Ladies being of their own Religion although outwardly whether out of compliance to her Lord or by the advice of Popish Policies she went to Church but going out of this Kingdom into England she returned unto her Popish inclinations which then was a signal testimony of her Religion all along These Jesuitical projects were not sufficient to satisfie a Romish appetite A Riot committed by the Popish Clergy anno 1629 seeing that these devices could take no effect the Jesuits and Friars of Dublin out of spleen began to Preach Sedition unto the Papist Inhabitants within that Metropolis continuing after this method for certain days it came at last to Lancelot Buckley alias Bulkley his ears then Archbishop of the same See who
before being illiterate persons their intimate familiarity and immediate communion with God and Jesus Christ in and after their agonies and extasies their extraordinaay Callings Missions Messages to such and such particular orders fects places persons their sudden speaking understanding of several Languages which they pretend they never learned but got by inspiration all which are the very same in form and substance with those ridiculous lying Enthusiasms Impostures Cheats Agonies (d) See Wierus de Praestigiis Daemonum l. 1. c. 10. 17. in Jo Gerson de Probatione Spirituum Revelations Visions Raptures Illuminations Inspirations Apparitions c. of Popish Saints Fryers Priests Jesuits Nuns recorded in the lying Legends and Lives of their Romish canonized SAINTS by Capgrave Surius Lippomanes Ribadeniera Mafeus and other of their fraternity especially in the Lives of St. Francis Ignatius Loyola the Founders of the Franciscans and Jesuits Orders the principal Actors Speakers amongst the Quakers and other late Enthusiasts if fully examined and of St. Dominick for Men and of St. Katherine of Sienna and St. (e) Imitated by some women Quakers Bridget of Sweden for Women Out of this St. Bridgets Life and Revelations printed in Folio at Nuremberg Ann. 1524. most of our Male and Female Quakers extravagant new Revelations and Impostures are extracted as those who will but compare them may at first discern And though they conceal their Jesuitisme and grossest points of Popery from their Disciples at first baiting their hooks only with pleasing Novelties shews of superlative Sanctity and (f) See G. Emmot his Northern Blast p. 1.13 14. The perfect Pharisee p. 9.10 11 14 29 35 c. invectives against our Ministers Ordinances Church Tithes Government and the like that so they may more easily catch the silly people yet they discover their Jesuitical Positions and Popish Doctrines more openly by degrees at last as Evangelical Perfection Justification by our own inherent Righteousness and Holiness c. crying them up for new Gospel Light amongst the ignorant vulgar and crying down our Protestant Ministers Ordinances Sacraments the Articles of our Creed Church Liturgies Gods Ten Commandments the Lords Prayer our Churches and sometimes the Letter of the old and new Testament as Popish and (g) The Jesuits Popish Priests and Fryars condemned our Ministers heretofore as unlawful Ministers because they derived not their Ordination from the Church of Rome now they turn the scales and affirm them to be no lawful Ministers but Antichristian and Popish upon this false pretext That they derive their Ordination and Ministry from the Pope and Church of Rome Antichristian as the Fryers and Jesuits did heretofore in their Books and Discourses in their very Language And it is evident by some late instances that they are Anti-magistratical as well as Anti-ministerial Yea that these (h) See John Gilpin's and others 〈…〉 conceâ—â—â—â—â— the Quakers in the North. Quakers use inchanted Potions Bracelets Ribons Sorcery and Witch-craft to intoxicate their Novices and draw them to their party As Simon Magus bewitched the people of Samaria with his Sorceries Act. 6.9 11. and other seducing false Teachers bewitched the foolish Galatians that they should not obey the truth Gal. 3.1 which Enchantments Sorceries Charms Fascinations and Exorcismes are very frequent amongst Popes and Popish Priests Menks Fryers Jesuits as you may read at large in Joannes Wierus de Praestigiis Daemonum Incantationibus Basilae 1568. especially l. 2. c. 7. l. 5. c. 2 3 c. Platina Benno Cardinalis Baleus and others in the Lives of Pope Silvester 2. Benedict 9. John 20 and 21. and other Popes who were all most infamous Magicians Sorcerers and Inchanters by which black art they got the Papacy And Del Rio his Disquisitio Magie and John Jee his Foot out of the Snare London 1624. will prove the Jesuits and Priests in England are still accustomed to them to win and seduce their Proselytes Whence we find this Scripture expression concerning Romish Babylon Rev. 18.23 By thy SORCERIES were ALL THE NATIONS DECEIVED FINIS Books lately Printed A Judgment of the Comet which be came first generally visible to us in Dublin Decemb. the 13th 1680. By a person of Quality Interest of Ireland in its Trade and Manufacture c.