of perdition What I haue indeuored herein I hope will neither be thought to be vnnecessary nor deemed to bee altogether vnprofitable yet the rather to countenance both it and me I haue with all humblenesse presumed to offer them to your honour to you whom God hath indued with the spirit of his trueth being so much the rather incouraged with hope of a fauourable acceptance knowing your godly disposition to be so zealously inclined to the true worshipping of God If my lines be not answerable to your exquisite iudgement I doe then tender them to your honourable curtesie that was yet neuer knowne to despise any mans indeuour that was honestly intended but if they fall out as I haue ment them for the aduancement of Gods glorie why then they belong to your Honour as your owne proper right whom God hath aduanced for the setting forth of his glorie and hath giuen you both heauenly wisedome and worldly honour that you might continue as hitherto you haue done a principal instrument for the vpholding of the Gospell Pleaseth it your honour to accept of it as an office and seruice of good intent and although from a souldiers pen yet as the earnest peny of a faithfull heart that hath beene and is alwaies consecrated to do your Lordship all humble and dutiful seruice and so in the like dutiful maner will rest Your honors in all bumblenes to be commanded BARNABE RICHE To the curteous and well disposed reader especially of Ireland and to all other that haue discreti on first to reads and then to iudge IT may be there are some will thinke it strange that a man of my profession should deale in these causes Vnbefitting they will say for a souldier to meddle with all But if there be any such who doth not know it to be lawfull for any man that is a Christian and truly prosessing Christ of whatsoeuer calling otherwise he be may not indeuour himselfe for the glory of God or the aduancement of the Gospell I will rather pray for that man then take vpon me to answere him The matter that I haue vndertakē is to discouer the Pope to make him knowne and so to lay him open to the viewe of euery discreete reader that he might no longer deceiue that he that is not wilfully blinde may be made able to discerne betweene light and darkenesse to iudge of trueth falsehood to knowe the voyce of Christ calling to saluation and to shune the waies of Antichrist leading to destruction that this rablement of Iesuites Seminaryes and the rest of that viperous brood shold not be so easily able to seduce that haue already sobewitched infected that infortunate country of Ireland that ignorance is ioyned with obstynacy that blindnes is coupled with malice that wilfull opinion is holden for the testimony of a good conscience where he that is most peruerse is accounted for most Catholique to conclude where Christ is despised and Antichrist is aduanced To the end therefore that this man of sin this Antichrist I meane that hath beene so often spoken of and so long looked for might be discerned I have gathered together what notes the holy scriptures do testifiy of him what markes are there left vnto vs whereby we may knowe him what pathes he should tread out and what waies he should walke whose steppes I haue vndertaken and followed the tract directly to Rome I haue brought it to saynt Peters chayre as some would haue it called and there I haue left it Now according to the Irish custome when a Health is cōmitted and the tract being followed into any part or quarter off the Country the Lord of that place is either to put it off againe from out of his precinct or else to stand charged with the fact and is compelled to make a full restitution thē according to this custome the tract of Antichrist being brought to Rome they must either put it off againe from out the territories and make good proofe into what iurisdiction they haue brought it or else that holy seate which they say in times past hath been Saint Peters chaire is now become the seate of Antichrist and the Pope is to answere for as much as the word of God doth expresly charge him with that is to say of Treason of murther and of theft First of Treason against the most Highest whose lawes couenants seales and sacraments he hath not only clipped counterfeited chopped and changed but he hath also set vp other Gods of his owne making which he causeth to be worshipped honoured and adored For a murtherer who hath euer heard of a more cruell and mercilesse butcher aswell against the Saints and seruants of God whom he persecuteth with sword with fire and with all maner of tortures wherewith hee tormenteth them to a temporall death but likewise sendeth infinite thousands of the miserable soules that doe assie and trust in him with his Indulgences Bulles and pardons to eternall death danation Now for felony what more notable theft then to rob God of that glory that is proper to himselfe and yet not contented with that but he hathrobbed vs of the holy scriptures left vnto vs by the holy Ghost to be our comfort sauing health wherin we are to search the very mysterie of our saluatiō Our sauiour sent the Scribs and Pharises to search the scriptures though they were but hypocrites and sought dayly to erucify Christ but the Pope forbiddeth Christian men once to looke on them though they be baptized and haue receiued Christ Are the scriptures medicynable to the bad and vehemous to the good and more perylous to him that will belieue in Christ then to him that will crucify Christ They vaunted of their father Abraham and their sitting in Moses chayre as the papist doth now of his holy father the Pope and his sitting in Peters chayre yet Christ pronounced woe against them for shutting vp the key of knowledge which was by giuing a false sense by wrong interpreting the scriptures but it is not found that they prohibited or forbad any man to read thē as the Pope his shauelings are accustomed What I haue iudeuoured herein I haue done it in compassion for if there be any commiseration to be had of those that walke in darkenesse and sit in the shadowe of death the poore people of Ireland are to be pittied and not onely they alone but as many other what or whersoeuer that are thus seduced and blinded by the ministers of the Prince of darkenesse If thou with like fauour and curtesie will vouchsafe to peruse it as I haue honestly ment it censure it then spare not thus reposing my selfe on thy charitable disposition I rest A short suruey of Ireland CHAP. I. A description of the Countrey with the maners customes and dispositions of the people IT could not be impertinent in this my suruey of Ireland to make my first entry with the discription of the countrey the
be said it is the voice of the spirit of God and of the same authoritie as is the Gospell of Christ no man may breake it no man may touch the credit therof if any man withstand it he must be accursed he must thinke hee doth sacriledge committeth blasphemy sinneth against the holy Ghost and must be counted an heretike his authoritie reacheth vp into heauen it stretcheth downe into hell nay hee hath one kingdome proper to himselfe more then euer God knew of and that is purgatorie there he raigneâ—h there he ruleth there he rosteth there he broyleth and there he commandeth how he list there is no bodie else to controule him Thus doth Antichrist sit on the Temple of God thus doth the Pope shew himselfe that he is God Nay what hath God proper to himselfe but that the Pope is either a sharer with him or at the least can command the like God hath heauen and hell the Pope can command them both and send to either the soules of whome hee list God hath his Angels that be his ministers the Pope may command their seruice and may imploy them about his busines as often as it pleaseth him or else hiâ— vpholders haue shamefully mistaken God hath his Saints the Pope maketh saints both he-saints and she-saints at his owne will and pleasure God hath his scriptures the Pope hath his Counsels his decrees and his canons God hath his Church a poore sillie one the Pope hath his Church a braue lustie one God hath his sacraments the Pope maketh sacraments two for his one God hath his lawes whereby to rule his Church the Pope maketh lawes whereby to rule his Church God commandeth the sabboth day to be kept holy the Pope maketh holy daies and halfe holy daies sometimes two or three in a weeke Can a man shew himselfe more like a God then doth the Pope if any man can name him lâ—t him bee Antichrist Nay yet to shew himselfe more like a God the Pope will vndertake to make a God a poore sillie God that is not able to defend himselfe from the malice of a mouse CHAP. XIII The fourth marke whereby to know Antichrist AN other reason to proue that the Pope is Antichrist is this whoâ—oeuer beleeueth in Christ consenteth that Gods lawe is good the Pope consenteth not that Gods lawe is good for he forbiddeth holy wedlock commanded by God but wedlocke saith the Pope defileth holy Priesthoode more then whoredome he hath notwithstanding made a sacrameÌ„t of Matrimony And is not this a diueliâ—h doctrine to say that sacraments can defile what can be more contrary to the doctrine of Christ the Pope forbiddeth wedlock which God commandeth and licenseth whoredome which God forbiddeth but this is an other euident token of Antichrist and noted by S. Paul to be a doctrine of diuels who writing to Timothy saith Now the spirit speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and shall giue heede vnto spirits of errour and doctrines of diuels forbidding to marry and commanding to absteine from meates which God hath created to be receiued with thanksgiuing of them which beleeue and know the truth The Pope againe directly opposeth himselfe against Christ and seeketh to drawe vs from the mercie of God and telleth vs we haue other friends to whom we are beholding and haue done many good things for vs it was that Saint that tooke pittie of our griefes saith he at such a time and our Ladie hath wrought many myracles at such a place but Saint Patricke is the good Saint that hath done marueilous things in Ireland and as euery Saint hath his peculiar property to worke more in one place then they can doe in an other so euery Saint hath his seuerall office some better for one thing and some worse for an other one is very good for the falling sicknesse an other is excellent good for the tooth-ache one is a present remedy for a burn ing an other is as precious for him that hath the chine cough If a woman be barraine and would faine haue a childe let her go on pilgrimage to S. Thomas of Canterburie or in Ireland to the Holy Crosse or to S. Clenâ—cks well and she that cannot make her pulline to prosper or that her chickins bee troubled with the pip seeke helpe from S. Reuen Thus euery Saint hath his seueral charge euery man hath his seuerall Saint and euery Saint is full of miracles and euery myracle full of lies The Papists doe alledge many vngodly reasons wherby they would maintaine a necessite in praying to Saints and to auoide Idolatrie they would make certaine distinctions betweene the worship of God and the worship of Saints but let them distinguish how they can this is certaine the more hope they haue in saints the lesse trust they put in Christ for he saith Come vnto me all you that be laden and I will ease you if hee of himselfe hath louingly called vs vnto him why then to seeke to any other is vpon some distrust we haue of him and that is as much as to make God alyer and not to thinke him true in the promise he hath made vs. Againe if we will giue credit to S. Paul there is no other mediator for vs to secke vnto but onely Christ There is one God and one mediator betweene God and man which is the man Iesus Christ and for that foolish distinction that grose headed Papists will make betweene worshipping and seruing our sauiour himselfe hath decided Thou shalt worship thy Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue I will conclude whosoeuer seeketh any other mediator then our Lord Iesus is iniurious vnto Christ and therefore of Antichrist and whosoeuer kneeleth and prayeth to blocks stones Images or the pictures of Saincts the same expresly breaketh the commandemeÌ„t of God and deserueth to haue his portion amongst the wicked CHAP. XIIII The fifth marke whereby to know Antichrist ONe other marke whereby to know Antichrist our Sauiour himselfe hath giuen vs Falsâ— Christs and false Prophets shall arise and shat shew signes and wonders to deceiue if it were possible the very elect This speech thus spoken by our Sauiour is not directed to the heathen or to infidels but to such as shall professe Christ and therefore concludeth vndoubtedly that Antichrist shall be a christian in profession that he shall not be one man onely but a continuance of many for he speaketh in the plurall number False Christs and false Prophets shall come with signes and wonders c. S. Paul giuing vs a light what those signes and wonders should be that Antichrist should come with all in his second epistle to the Thessalonians calleth them lying signes and lying wonderâ— This is now to be gathered False Christs shall come that is they shall come coâ—nterâ—eitly in the name of Christ and they shall shew their wonders before the Lord and bee a â—ore temptation vnto them to
sale and would not suffer the buyer to looke vpon it in the light but he must buy it in the darke keepe it in the darke weare it in the darke and neuer bring it to any place where it might be perfectly seene and examined Now who would not suspect him for a cousening companion that would offer such a thing and can there be a greater suspition of cosenage then for men to offer a kinde of religion that cannot abide the light of Gods word and would inforce men to receiue such a doctrine as they might not examine by the scriptures to see how it would stand with the doctrine of Christ who but cosening wretches would offer it but what ignorance in those men that would receiue it Beleeue not euery spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God At what time Achab would not beleeue the answere which the Prophet Micheas made him there came forth a spirit and stoode before the Lord and said I will go out and be a false spirit in the mouths of all his Prophets Take heede you bee not deceiued by any of these spirits which shall seeke to abuse you by pretence of reuelation by visions by dreames by shew of holinesse such spirits are walking and daily conuersant amongst vs in Ireland Woe be to you Scribes and Pharises hypocrites saith Christ for you deuoure widowes houses vnder the colour of longe prayers but our hypocrites rob not widdowes onely but they spoile married wiues make hauocke of Esquires Knights and Lords they spoile all men women and children arming them with grudge with murmure with contempt sometimes setting them in open rebellion against their Prince And who are the inducers of these and many other mischiefes but your Iesuites your seminaries your vngodly massing Priests these are they that are the common disturbers of the Countries quiet that haue stirred vp and set on foote many rebellions these are they that haue blinded your vnderstanding abused your zeale and led you into ignorance vnder A counterfeit pretence of holinesse They will you to pray and they teach you to trust in your prayers they bid you to fast they say you shall merit by your fasting but be no longer deceiued look into the fruits of this prayer and this fasting that they haue so long taught and wherewith they haue almost infected the whole realme of Ireland but especially in the most remote places letting slip persons of greater worth whose eies I hope God wil open to see their owne faults in beholding other mens follies we will take but for our example the base barbarous Kearne the very drosse and scum of the Country yet what Iesuite what Seminarie what Priest or what other member of that rascall rabble that are more precise in their popish obseruations more abstinent in their prescribed fasting daies and that are more scrupulous in any point of Poperie then they bee and yet that very day houre or minute when they will nor touch any flesh butter cheese egs milk or such other like for defiling of themselues they will make no conscience to murther to kill to rob to rauish to spoile or to commit any other villany whatsoeuer You know this to be true be not then any longer enemies to your owne discretions let these Balamâ—tes no longer deceiue you with their lies with their visions with their wonders and myracles Christ hath prophesied that there shall many false Prophets aâ—iâ— shall shew signes and wonders and shall deceiue if it were possible the very elect Many will say vâ—to me n that day Loâ—d haâ—â— we not in thy name prophesied and by thy name cast out Diuels and by thy name done many good workes and then will I professe vnto them I neuer knew you depart from me you that worke â—â—iquitie And Paul hath long agoe foretold vs that which at this day we may behold with our eies In the later time same shall giue heede vnto spirits of errouâ— take heede therâ—fâ—re and when thou hearest tell of visions or myracles for by these delusions the poore people of Ireland â—re most deceiued bring them to the touchstone compare them with the word of God if thou findest they intend nothing but the aduancemet of the Gospell of Christ and the glorie of God thou maist receiue them as sent of God if otherwise they pretend the aduancement of creatures or of superstitious workes or working beware of them for without doubt they are either lies or delusions of the Diuel or some of his ministers practising to deceiue thee for open the Bible and in the very first lease it is written In the beginning God created heauen and earth and all that is contained therein immediately excluding all other Gods made or deuised by man onely to keepe man to the true God that first created him open the Booke still further forth at all aduentures and so peruse from line to line euen to the latter end of the whole booke and you shall meete with nothing but the praises of that God or with fearefull denunciations thundrings threatnings against those that follow strange Gods or giue his glory to creatures stocks blocks or stones Let vs take heede then and beware of these deceipts we haue tasted the word of God a long time we haue receiued the comfort of the gospell let vs not despite it or be wearie of it but let vs build our selues of that corner stone which the builders haue cast off let vs lay our counsels to the square of his truth let vs measure them with the plummet of his righteousnes What eie would not behold the brightnes of that sun what eare would refuse to heare GOD speake Despise not then the wisedome of the spirit refuse not his helpe but seeke the same that we may be strengthened let vs comfort our selues in the testimonies of our adoption let vs not quench the light he hath kindled in our hearts let vs not slenderly account of his mercie nor abuse the time of our saluation God giue vs his holy spirit that wee may discerne the trueth from falshood and know the blessed and gratious will of God that we may feele our darke and clowdie vnderstanding which shineth not but as it pleaseth him to inlighten that we may walke in his waies and serue him in reuerence and feare all the daies of our life FINIS Iohn 1. Ionn 3 Mat. 11. Matâ—h 2â— Math. 2â— Rom. 3 â—am 2 S. Iohn 4. 〈◊〉 Tim â— Math. 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Tim. 2. Mat. 4. Math. 14 Mark 13. â— Thes 2. 2 Pâ—â— 2. Rom 3. Phil. 2. Matth. 11. â— Thess 5