TO THE High Court of Parliament A Vindication of the Protestant Religion or of the Innocency of the Martyrs against the Pope's Supremacy and against the Errors of the Church of Rome Humbly Sheweth WITH all humble Submission to the Supreme Authority and to all my Superiors hoping that no Protestant whatsoever will be offended at me and Praying for all your Honours favourable Construction of me there is an old saying To speak Truth is to shame the Devil yea and the Pope too but I am for a Veneration to Superiority and so I am for the Protestant Religion to be Esteemed above the Popish Religion or I am for the Tripple Crown to be kept under the Protestants and though a Protestant a Presbyterian a Papist or an Atheist or a Muggletonian as if Mony and Secular Interest makes one Religion as good as the other or all Religions alike or it is no matter what Religion or of what any Man is if he has but a Sum of Mony to purchase a Place as if Mony was the God of all Honesty and Religion in buying and selling of Places and there be too many that will make a Scoff and a Scorn of Religion as if there was neither God Heaven or Hell as it is in 2 Pet. 3.3 4. And so they are apt to look upon Religion to be a Politick Invention of our Forefathâ—â—s whiâ—h is in our Veneration and if a poor Man talks of Religion how will some Ridicule and make a â—â—â—â—st and a Scorn of him as to represent him to be a Madman or a Fop or some such a kind of a Fellow And though the Blood of the Martyrs Cries aloud for Vengeance and there is no doubt but that Justice will be Impartially Administred without any respect of Persons and that Veâ—gâ—â—nce shall be Executed upon the Pope at the great Tribunal of the whole World yet câ—rtainly in this World the Innocency of the Martyrs ought to be regarded and accordingly Loyalty to the King and Queen's Most Excellent Majesties and of Their Design in coming into this Land â—or the Belief of all the Protestants in England against Popery ought to be regarded above and before any thing whatsoever so that if there was now a Law made for buying and selling of Places yet a Plea for the Innocency of the Martyrs ought to be regarded and admitted above and before that Law and as this is to the Comfort and Consolation of all the Protestants in England that they have not only their liberty and freedom to wear any Ribbon with a Motto of No Slavery No Popery and to Exercise and Enjoy their Religion but that in their Days of Jubilation when they make Bonfires they have now their liberty and freedom to burn the Effegies of the Pope so that certainly it is now no Crime for any of the Protestants in England to write or speak against the Pope or to vindicate the Innocency of the Martyrs against the Pope's Supremacy and against the Errors of the Church of Rome And as I ever was against the Pope so I have sufficient reason to shew any Detestation of him but with all humble Submission to the Judicious hoping that where they find any Error in what I have now writ they will Judg Charitably of me and impute it to the Frailties of Human Nature as considering that no Man lives without a fault and so I humbly submit to the instruction of the Learned for I have a desire according to my weak Capacity to vindicate the Innocency of the Martyrs against all the derisions of the World and accordingly when I wore the Ribbon at Oxford with this Motto No Slavery No Popery it was only by way of Antipathy to the Pope and of the Popish Religion and of which Motto of No Slavery No Popery as it is the Original occasion of the late King James's Abdication of the Government as being a Papist who is Dead in Law as to the Government of this Land and of King William and Queen Mary's Accession to the Crown as being Protestants who are Justified by Law and Gospel too in the Regal Authority so it is a vindication of the Innocency of the Martyrs and this is that which requires the Will and Affection of all Protestants as to bury all Animosities in Oblivion in order to a Universal Reconciliation of all Protestants against the Pope and all his Adherents that are for the Pope's Supremacy for what is the Popish Religion but Popery and for any Man to be for No Popery is to deny the Popish Religion and all the Errors of the Church of Rome which is the very Cause that the Martyrs of Old Died in so that in this Plea of No Slavery No Popery there is something Express'd and something Implied that which is Express'd is No Slavery No Popery and that which is Implied is a Liberty and Freedom against Popery and Idolatry without any fear of Danger And certainly now there is no Interest whatsoever ought to obstruct the Liberty and Freedom of any of the Protestants in England against Popery or in their denial of the Popish Religion and there is no Plea comparable to this Plea of No Slavery No Popery for it is a good Plea for the King and Parliament or for a Protestant King and Government against the Pope's Supremacy as it is a denial of the Popish Religion in defence of the Innocency of the Martyrs and now to Justifie this Plea of No Slavery No Popery as that it is a good Plea for the King and Country and for the King and Parliament I begin with the Wisdom of Solomon the wisest of Kings Prov. 14.28 In the multitude of People is the Kings Honour And Prov. 11.14 In the multitude of Counsellors there is safety These words are the words of wisdom and consequently from God himself who is the Eternal Fountain of Wisdom In the multitude of People is the Kings Honour Hence I infer That the Kings Honour cannot be alone in any one single person whatsoever but that it is in a general way in the whole Nation and that it cannot be so much in a few persons as it is in a multitude of people and this multitude of people may be understood all the Protestants in England and as the King and Queen are God's Vicegerents so God Almighty has Created a multitude of People for a vindication of Their Majesties Crown and Dignity and so hoping that all the Protestants in England will be Unanimous in a general Vote That whatsoever all the Protestants in England can do for the King and Queen it is not comparable to that inestimable kindness of the King and Queens most Excellent Majesties in securing and preserving the Protestant Religion against Popery c. And in the multitude of Counsellors there is safety From hence I do also infer That there cannot be so much safety in a few Counsellors as there is in a multitude of Counsellors and a multitude of Counsellors by the consent
of the King and of all his People in Parliament is the support power strength defence and safety of the King and Kingdom and then consequently that Man that now denies the Commons of England to be the greatest Interest of the King and Kingdom he is no better than a Cheat and an Enemy to the King and Kingdom for so it is apparent by King Solomon the wisest of Kings That in the multitude of Counsellors there is safety that is to say safety in point of Power to Defend safety in point of Plenty to Preserve and safety in point of Knowledg and Wisdom for the ratifying of Equity and Justice First Safety in point of power to defend A multitude of Counsellors by the consent of the King and of all hâ—s People in Parliament is not only the power strength defence and safety of the King and Kingdom but it is an Amicable Concord betwixt the King and all his Subjects Secondly Safety in point of plenty to preserve for there must be plenty to preserve the King's Person as well as power to defend Him or else there cannot be safety and all this is Comprized in the Commons of England for here is plenty of People of Treasure and of all sorts of Provisions and Necessaâ—ies for the support and defence of Their Majesties Royal Persons and Government so thaâ— here is that inexhâ—ustible Fountain of Treasure in the Trade and Traffick of all the People of England which is like the Tide that Ebbs and Flows so that whatsoever Taxes they pay it returns to them again in their way of Trade and now whatsoever all the Protestants in England can do for the King and Queen it is not comparable to that inestimable Kindness of the King and Queens most Excellent Majest es in securing and preserving the Protestant Religion against Popery c. And thus as the Kings Honour is in the whole Nation so I am for all the Protestants in England to acknowledg King William and Queen Mary to be supreme â—hirdly In the multitude of Counsellors there is safety in point of Knowledg and Wisdom for the ratifying of Equity and Justice in order for the security of Peace and Tranquillity for all Men to sit under their own Vine and to Reap the Fruits of their own Labour and to render unto Cesar the things that are Cesars and unto God the things that are Gods and as the King and Queen are God's Vicegerents so God Almighty the wise Creator and Governour of the World as he has Created a multitude of People for the King and Queens Honour so he has Constituted a multitude of Counsellors for the safety of Their Majesties Royal Persons and Government and now this is to the Glory of the English Nation that they are Govern'd by the King and Queen together with the Lords and Commons the multitude of Counsellors in Parliament which is the Knowledg and Wisdom of the Nation according to the Protestant Religion and this is the happiest Government in the World And as I do acknowledg King William and Queen Mary together with the High Court of Parliament to be the supreme Authority of the Nation and that the King and Queens Honour cannot be alone in any one single Person but that it is in a general way in the whole Nation and that the King's Honour cannot be so much in a few Persons as it is in a multitude of People and accordingly it is not in the power of any one of Their Majesties Subjects to call a Parliament to appoint any Member to sit in Parliament without the consent of the King and the Country and to appoint any sitting Member to be Speaker to the House of Commons for as it is in the King and Queens Prerogative to call a Parliament so it is in the Countries Priviledg to Elect their Representatives to sit in Parliament and afterwards as they sit by the King's consent so it is in the House of Commons undoubted Right and Priviledg to Elect any sitting Member to be their Speaker without any Obligation to any one of Their Majesties Subjects whatsoever and now whatsoever kindness any Member receives from any one of his Election in any County or Corporation he is interested in the King and the Country for it is very well known that the Pope would assume to himself such a Power hâ—re in this Land as to call a Parliament to appoint Members without the consent of the King and the Country and to appoint any sitting Member to be Speaker to the House of Commons and consequently to put down all Parliaments so that none of the Protestants in England shall have any Right and Liberty but what they give Credit to the Popes Infallibility for if it shall be allowed for any Man to appoint any Member to sit in Parliament and to appoint a Speaker without any liberty of the Subjects the King has a power above the Pope or any Man whatsoever but that Man that now denies the Commons of England to be the greatest interest of the King and Kingdom he is no better than a Cheat and an Enemy to the King and Kingdom as aforesaid which I have now proved according to the Word of God in the Wisdom of Solomon that in the multitude of People is the King's Honour and in the multitude of Counsellors there is safety And as I do acknowledg King William and Queen Mary to be supreme and the High Court of Parliament the multitude of Counsellors for safety the chiefest Counsel of the Nation against the Popes Infallibillity so I do in the first place protest against the Popes Supremacy and whatsoever Holiness there is in the Pope it is a fraudulent invention of his own to pick Peoples Pockets of theâ—r Mony concerning Indulgences and Absolutions for the Pope undertakes to Absolve any Man of his Sins for a Sum of Mony yea and to renew his Absolution for another Sum so that if a Man has Mony enough he may have all his Sins remitted for such a time but when he has no Mony he may go and be Damn'd for all his Holiness and besides when the Pope is Mad it is not Mony or Submission that shall then obtain a Pardon even as it was in the Bloody Queen Mary's â—eign when a great many suffered Martyrdom for their Religion they promised to save those that woulâ— câ—aâ—ge their Religion but when they had got them over to their Religion yet notwithstanding they would take them and Burn them saying that they should then Damn both Body and Soul and thâ—s they counted that they did God Service in killing of Hereticks and accordingly if the Popâ— could now have his Will as it is not Mony or Submission that should then obtain a Pardon so he would Execute his Revenge upon all the Protestants in England with the greatest Barbarity he could invent and when the Pope is Mad and cannot Execute his Revenge then he Curseth by Bell Book and Candle which is the last Revenge
unto God Rom. 14.11 12. And of their Extreme Unction which is also against the Word of God 1 Cor. 1.21 1 Joh. 2.20 And of their Prayers for the Dead and Purgatory for after the Soul is separated from the Body it shall remain so till the general Resurrection at which time the Souls and Bodies of all Persons shall be reunited and shall receive according to their Works whether they be Good or Evil Eccles 11.3 latter part And whatsoever false Doctrins and Errors of the Church of Rome I utterly deny And now with all humble Submission to all Protestants in general I hope no Protestant whatsoever will be against me for vindicating the Innocency of the Martyrs in denying the Errors of the Church of Rome For Christ is the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World so That whosoever believeth in him should not Perish but have Everlasting Life 1 Joh. 2.2 John 3.15 Which implies that there is no Sinner whatsoever Exempted from a Faith in the Merits of Christ and that by a true Faith in the Merits of Christ there is hopes of Salvation for the worst of Sinners but there is no Salvation in the Pope who Exalts himself to be above Christ and so the Pope is indebted to all the Protestants in England upon account of Religion for I know that the Pope is against all the Protestants in England because they are for the Word of God and so I having consider'd that the Word of God being the Foundation of the Christian Religion so that it is that Word that no Man whatsoever can be saved without it because the Word of God is peremptory in it John 3.18 1 John 5.10 Acts 10.43 And it is the Word of God that vindicates the King Matth. 22.21 And it is the Word of God that vindicates a multitude of People and a multitude of Counsellors for the King and Queen's Honour and for the safety of Their Majesties Royal Persons and Government Prov. 14.28 11.14 And thus it is the Word of God by which all the Learned Divines in the Land maintains the Protestant Religion against the Errors of the Church of Rome and as I do acknowledg God Almighty the Wise Creatour and Governour of the World so I am for the Word of God Therefore I humbly acquaint your Honours with a definition of my Religion and accordingly I do acknowledg and confess my self a Protestant and such a Protestant as doth protest against all Erroneous Ways and Principles and consequently I desire to imitate that which is most consistent to the Sacred Verbum Dei and whatsoever is inconsistent or repugnant thereunto I desire to utterly Detest Abjure Abandon and Abhor or thus as I do acknowledg and confess my self such a Protestant as doth Protest against all Erroneous Ways and Principles so I desire to practice and perform all those Duties which are required and commanded in the Sacred Word of God and whatsoever is therein forbidden or not implied as a Duty I desire to utterly Detest Abjure Abandon and Abhor but as a denial of the Popes Infallibility there is Nemo sine Crimine Vivit no Man lives without a Fault so that all Men are guilty in the sight of God and that there is no hopes of Salvation but in and through the Merits of Christ and I being weak frail Flesh and Blood and subject to Infirmities as other Men are so I may say with the Apostle Paul That when I would do Good Evil is present with me Rom. 7.21 For there is Habemus inclinationem ad Malum aversationem ad Bâ—num We have an inclination to that which is Evil and an aversion to that which is Good Rom. 9.16 So then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth Mercy whose Mercy is as far above the Mercy of the Pope as Heaven is above Hell for the Mercy of the Pope is Cruelty but the Mercy of God is full of Clemency Compassion Forbearance and Long-suffering Psal 57.10 For thy Mercy is great unto the Heavens but the Mercy of the Pope is Diabollical but I hope God Almighty will have Mercy upon the King and Queen and al the Protestants in England as to preserve us â—rom the Mercy of the Pope whose Mercy is Cruelty Matth. 7.15 So that the Pope is the Devil's Vicegerent here on Earth who have their False Propâ—ets in Sheep's Clothing but inwardly they are Ravening Wolves and thus the Devil Rampant like a Roaring Lion with his Vicegerent goes up and down with their Sheep's Clothing and Ravening Wolves sâ—â—king whom they may devour and thus as the Old Saying is To speak the Truth is to shame the Devil yea and the Pope too but I am for a Veneration to Superiority and so I am for the Protestant Religion to be Esteemed above the Popish Religion or I am for the Tripple Crown to be kept under the Protestants and accordingly those that are now for a Popish King and Governour or a Popish Successor they may go to Rome and there acknowledg the Pope's Supremacy and so pay Homage to the Pope and Kiss his Great Toe and there is no doubt but that the Pope will give them his Benediction and call them iâ—â— good Children but when I am to Kiss the Pope's Great Toe if I could I would bite it off and â—â—en afterwards those that have such an Affection for the Pope instead of Kissing his Great Toe they may Kiss his Backside and this is Biteing off the Pope's Great Toe that if the Pope is living in Person he is Dead in Law as to the Government of this Land so that no Papist whatsoever has any â—ight and Title to the Crown of England and accordingly as I do acknowledg King William and Qâ—een Mâ—ry to be supreme And as the Parlâ—ament was call'd by the King and Queen and do sit by Their Majâ—sties Prerogative so it is not in the power of any one of Their Majesties Subjects whatsoever to câ—ll a Parliament to appoint Members to sit in Parliament or to appoint any sitting Member tâ— be Speaker to the House of Commons and that the King's Honour cannot be alone in any one single â—erson but that it is in a general way in the whole Nation and that it cannot be so much in a few Peâ—sâ—ns as it is in a multitude of People and as the Convention Parliament denied the Pope's Supremacy upon their Coronation of King William and Queen Mary so I am for all the Protestants in England to acknowledg King William and Queen Mary to be supreme so that whatsoever all the Proâ—eâ—tants in England can do for the King and Queen it is not comparable to that inestimable Kindness of the King and Queens Most Excellent Majesties in securing and preserving the Protestant Religion against Popery c. For it is the Providence of God that has brought Their present Majâ—sties to the Throne whom God grant long to Reign to preserve this Nation from an Inundation of Popery yea further that Man that is now for a Popish King and Governour or a Popish Successor he is no better then a Sheep's Clothing or an Agenâ—to the Devil and the Pope and inwardly he is a Popishly Affected Ravening Wolf and accordingly though the Pope may be living in Person he is dead in Law and Gospel too as to the Government of this Land so that no Papist whatsoever has any Right and Title to the Crown of England and thus I am for a Veneration to Superiority as that I am for the Tripple Crown to be kept under the Protestants and for the Protestant Religion to be Esteemed above the Popish Religion so that none of the Protestants in England may live in fear of their Religion Lives and Liberties by the Crafty Machinations and Insinuations of any Ravening Wolf For the end and design of Christ's coming into the World was for the Redemption of Mankind From the Bondage of Corruption into the Glorious Liberty of the Children of God Rom. 8.21 And thus the end and design of Christ's coming into the World was for the advancement of his Kingdom to the downfal of Antichrist that Whore of Babylon the Pope Psal 103.19 For his Kingdom Ruleth over all But the Pope is the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth Rev. 17.5 18.2 19.2 6.10 And so I Conclude according to the Wisdom of Solomon the wisest of Kings as That the King's Honour is Asserted in a multitude of People and not in any one single Person whatsoever and thus I am for Their Majesties Honour that whatsoever the whole Nation can do for King William and Queen Mary who are God's Vicegerents it is not comparable to that inestimable Kindness of the King and Queen's Most Excellent Majesties in redeeming them from Popery c. And this is from him Who Prestrates himself to the Mercy of all Protestants humbly praying that no Protestant whatsoever will now be Offended at him for acknowledging King William and Queen Mary to be Supreme and denying the Pope's Supremacy and the Popish Religion Abel Carew