Babylons Beauty

To the Reader.

H Aving, very lately, compiled and published a little Treatise, entitled, A Looking-glass for Malignants; and finding that it hath been entertained with much love and candid approbation: I have been thereby greatly encouraged again to put my pen to paper, and here, now, to present unto thee a Beautiful Object to look-upon, even a lively (but scarce lovely) picture of the Pope of Rome and her most pregnant Proselytes, the Papists; which I have, Ironically, entitled, Babylon's Beauty. I remember, that I have read, it was a custom among the Lacedemonians, that to make their children the more to hate that filthy sin of Drunkenness, they would bring them into the sight and presence of stark Drunkards; that, thus, seeing with their own eyes, the base and beastly behaviours of those Swinish Drunkards, that most filthy sin might appear the more odious and detestable to their children: So, I, seriously considering with myself, the most strange, foolish and faithless doting disposition and most mad humor of very many sottish and senseless men and women, Protestants (forsooth) of the largest size (as well as bewitched Papists ) so extremely to admire and adore the filthy and rotten Strumpet of Rome, in all her most abhominable Babylonish Beauty, or rather (and most rightly) stupendous deformity; I doubt not but in zeal to my God, and Christian love, and pity to my country men's poor perishing souls, desire (with those ancient Lacedemonians ) to set before their eyes (if they will not willfully and obstinately blind them) a most true and exact description, even, Ad amussim & propriis • c genuinis coloribus, of the main and most material abominations and intoxications of the most audacious and shameless Whore of Rome, who with the cup of her poisonous fornications hath made the Prince and people of the earth mad-drunk, even to execrable loathing. That hereby (if it be possible) I might make them loath, hate and abhor the same in the serious sight thereof; And now especially, in these our base backsliding and impiously apostatizing times from truth and holiness, wherein men and women do so degenerously look-back at, and like and long for the stinking Garlic and Onions of Romish Egypt, even to the eternal hazarding of all they have, of all they are, both bodies and souls. And, this (good Reader) I have the rather now done; first, because of the conveniency of this work, to these present times, whereby I have a most just occasion to cast a little of her own dung into the face of that impudent Whore of Rome, yea now, I say, when she is so sottishly adored, admired and desired, by many Malignant or Atheistical Protestants, forsooth, and all under the specious vizard of any beggarly Peace, Unity and Conformity. Secondly, to ease the Reader of much pains to see and search out these things in other Authors, both ancient and moderne, which are both various and voluminous, and, so, very hard to be found by them without much tediousness and trouble. Thirdly, to ease poor men's purses and expenses hereabout, who cannot be at the charge (if at least they have a desire to see or know these things) to buy or procure the great volumes wherein these matters are scatteringly contained. Far much more, I acknowledge, may be said on this subject, even enough to fill great volumes and to tire and terrify the most patient inquisition for them; but this may suffice, I hope, to stop the mouths of pernicious Papists and their left-hand-Brothers our mischievous Malignants, profane Protestants at large, whom any Religion, or no Religion, will better content, than the true Religion, which so presses the practice of the power of Godliness, the main thing they so mightily malign and desperately despise, scorn and scoff at. Whom, therefore, leaving to their great and most righteous Master, to whom they must either stand or fall; hoping these few and faithful collections will give much seasonable content and satisfaction to all truly religious Christians and pious Protestants, I rest,

BABYLONS BEAVTIE.

OR, The Romish-Catholics Sweet-heart.

T His faithless, faultring and backsliding world, hath now for about 14 or 1500 years been halting and staggering between not only 2 but many distracted opinions, both touching the true God, as it was between the heathens and primitive Christians; and also (as now it is and long hath been between Protestants, Papists and other Sectaries) Concerning the pure and sincere worship of the true God, whether Christ or Antichrist, Simple, plain and pure worship, or miserably mixed idolatry and superstition should stand or fall, be loved or disliked. And from this ground and bottom, have all the flames of Contention and bloody broils, over the whole Christian World (even for these many hundred years) been raised and blazed abroad, even to the utter depopulation and ruin of many Countries and Kingdoms. And although the Lord God of Heaven and Earth may be said to have taken that most wise Course, which once he himself dictated and directed to his Zealous and pious prophet Elijah (inspired with heavenly wisdom and Courage) to prove and clearly demonstrate, to his apostatizing faithless and faultring Israelites, in wicked Ahab's time, the true God from false and abusive Baal, even by miraculous fire from heaven; And as the false god Baal was most notably discovered by his false-prophets (notwithstanding their vehement calling and crying on their blockish god, yea and that with cuttings and slashings of their flesh, to move him to hear them and to answer them by fire also, which he could not) to be a false-god or indeed no god at all: Even so, I say, our most wise God, the only true God, hath after a certain manner taken the same course, even by the true heavenly and supernatural fire of sound Faith which works by Love, Zeal and true holiness of life and conversation in his Saints and Servants; from time to time, most abundantly and evidently hath manifested to the world in all ages, that as he is the only true God, and a most pure and incomprehensible Spirit, so he will be worshipped in plain Simplicity, in Spirit and truth of all his true worshippers. And that Antichrict and all his foolish and faithless (not praying, but) prating Priests, and babbling Baalists, mumbling and muttering over so many Paternosters and Ave-Mary's together with all their Good frydayes whipping-cheer, lashing and gashing their flesh, just like Baals Priests, are but very liars, and abhominable impostures and deceivers, and that God hates and abhors all their rotten painted and polluted idolatry and Superstition, which Antichrist, that most audacious and brazen-faced Whore of Rome, hath by her Ignatian and truly igneous flaming Jesuits and Popish proselytes, endeavored and strenuously striven with fire and sword, with jugglings and delusions to uphould and maintain, but all in vain to this present time, though I must confess, with much misery, ruin and desolation to God's Church and Children, in all those foresaid many hundred years, even ever since Antichrist the Baal and Belial of Rome grew up to such an ungodly growth and pernicious power, by the too great lenity, indulgence and over-honest affection and favor which the primitive Christian Emperors Constantine, and others exhibited to those Patriarchs and Popes of their times, who afterwards, in short time, most grossly abused their honest love and liberality, unto extreme and excessive pride and insolency, even till, at last, they grew to that highth, that they proved not only intolerable, but untameable to posterity all along.

Now although, as I touched before, our most wise and patient God had from time to time, in all Antichrists insulting and usurped authority and tyranny, let the world see (if at least it would have seen) that his will and worship, revealed only in his Word (not Antichrists unwritten rotten trash and traditious Decrees and Decretals) was the old way and the good way to be walked in; yet, such hath been the inexpressible knaverie, impostures and jugglings, together with unsufferable cruelties and tyrannies exercised on God's people by the Popes and their most nefariously pestilent and pernicious Jesuits, Friars and liars, those croaking Frogs ascending out of the foggy fumes and black smoke of the bottomless pit of hell, that either by force or fraud, they have wonderfully wrought upon the spirits of men to be misled by them, and sillily and sottishly driven or drawn them to believe and embrace Rome's either lying wonders, or frying furies and cruelties.

Now, then, I say, this being the main and mighty ground, and most bainfull bottom of all the wars and jars that are now in the Christian world, namely, whither Rome's usurped rule and regiment, or Christ's evangelical Truth and Testament shall stand and prevail, whither Christ's pure and precious Comelinesse, or Rome's inwardly rotten (though outwardly specious and painted) Beauty, (or rather Bauderie ) is fittest to be followed and affected. In short, whither Christ or Antichrist shall be King, and sole Lord and Sovereign. I have, therefore in this short Treatise undertaken to set forth in her proper and most genuine and native deep-died colors in grain, the great Diana of Rome, so cried-up, admired and adored, by almost, the whole world (at least of sottish and senseless, only nominal Christians and perishing sons of disobedience, who give themselves up to believe lies, that they all may be damned, who will not receive the love of the truth in righteousness, as the Apostle Paul most notably shows) yea and to limn and delineat Rome's most lively picture and fair (or rather infamous) figure and feature, most unquestionably known (to all knowing and ingenuous Christians) to be most properly and peculiarly hers, and only or mainly hers, as all Ecclesiastical Histories and Historiographers both ancient and moderne, besides the sensible experience of pristine and present suffering Christians in all ages, have and do decipher and set her forth, and without all cause of controversy, most faithfully prove and testify.

And because all these things which I now intend in this Treatise to deliver (and that with all historical fidelity and convenient brevity) are so well known to all learned and intelligent Christians, I have resolved (for the avoiding of tediousness and intricate prolixity, to the ordinary sort of Readers, who are like to be the greatest number) to set down most succinctly the Histories themselves, barely and plainly, without much (or almost any) marginal notes or quotations of authors, that so my honest and plain Readers may with more full delight and content, see and seeing admire and admiring be amazed at the egregious madness and stupid sottishness of our Popish admirers and adorers (both Princes and people) of such a rotten ramish Whore, and most bold and brazen-faced a painted Strumpet, Who dares so audaciously abuse and intoxicate them with such deep drafts of her golden-cup of mortiferous poison of Romish fornications, to the fatal and final ruin and perdition (without timely and true repentance) of their fair estates and more precious bodies and souls.

Here, then, I desire, in the first place briefly, to acquaint the Reader with the whole Method and Module of this mine intended Description following. Namely, first to speak of and relate, some special pieces and passages (among very many other (of all sorts) to be found recorded in Popish and Ecclesiastical Histories) of Babylon's Beauty, in the intolerable Pride and Insolencie of the Popes of Rome. Secondly, to show and set forth Rome's insatiable and most greedy Covetousness and Avarice, making sale of all, yea souls and bodies too, for gold and gain. Thirdly, to delineate and lay open Rome's whorish Incontinencie and uncleanness, whereby she is, indeed, most fitly called and counted the whore of Rome. Fourthly, to blazon-out their abominable Blasphemies and devilish Impieties, whereby they are far more real Atheists than Christians, which name they (just Judas like) use only as a cloak to cover and conceal their abominations. Fifthly, to limne-out (even to the life) the deadly and most desperate Tyrannie and cruelty of these accursed Popish and inhumane Cannibals, enough to make any Christian heart to quake and tremble at the very perusal thereof. Sixthly, and lastly, to fit and compose a fair frame to hang up this Beautiful-Picture (into conspicuous and open view) of Rome's so radiant luster and glistering Beauty; in an exact Paralell or Antithesis of the ancient doctrine of Christ and the diametrally opposite new doctrine of Antichrist, in divers most material fundamentals; And so having thus completed this our picture; to shut up and conclude all, with a succinct hortatory Epilogue to Papists and formal faultring and paultring Protestants (whose Religion is yet to choose) by a just and serious reflection and rumination on all the weighty premises, to hate and abominate so impious and odious, so detestable, dangerous, yea damnable a religion, and such intolerably juggling and dissembling White-devils and Romish hypocrites, the fathers and fautours of such exorbitant abominations. And now to come to the intended matter.

The first Romish figure and feature of the Pope of Rome, whereby Babylon's Beauty will be most lively and lustrously set forth, shall be in the excessive and transcendently unsufferable Pride of this Romish-whore, which may first most manifestly appear in Pope Hildebrand that most abhominable fire-brand of hell, testified by Cardinal Bennon, who lived about the year, 1080. Which said Hildebrand (upon discontent and distaste at some petty disgust offered to him (at least as this proud Pope conceived) by Henry the fourth, then Emperor of Rome ) demanding an answer from the Sacrament (for you must note, by the way, he was also a notorious Nigromancer) against the said Emperor, and it not answering, he most proudly and blasphemously, cast the Sacrament into the fire and there burnt it; If Popes be so proud and audacious to use their god, their Creator thus, what wonder is it, if they use the creature so coursly and cruelly. Yet here he stayed not, but shortly after, excommunicated the said Emperor, deprived and deposed him from his Empire, and by his own insolent and usurped power, nominated Rodulph Duke of Suevia, Emperor in his stead; and sent this verse to his new made Emperor.

Henry the fore-said Emperor, hearing thereof and much disquieted thereat, divested himself of his imperial ornaments, and with his wife and little son, in the midst of Winter, came to Canusium, the Popes palace, clothed in linen and bare footed, being there made a spectacle (as writes the said Cardinal Bennon ) to angels and men; and thus the good Emperor fasting from morning to night, remained at the Popes gate, humbly craving the Popes mercy and admittance into his presence, but was forced thus to stand and wait full three days together, being only still answered; The Bishop was busy; and could not yet be spoken with. But, at last, at the request and mediation of the Countes Mathilda (whom the Pope greatly loved) and some others, the Pope commanded (mark this pride) he should enter. Being entered he again most humbly craved the Popes pardon and gave the Pope his Crown; but the Pope would not, for all this, either pardon or absolve him from his Excommunication, till he had promised to purge himself in the Council, with other unlawful and most unseemly conditions, all which, though the Emperor promised to perform, yet he would not restore him to his Empire. Wherupon, Henry, this Emperor, afterward in battle vanquished the said Rodulph, whom the Pope had made Emperor, as afore said. Yet, this Rodulph being dead, the Pope made Emperor one Herman, Count of Lucenburg, whom also a woman, after it, slew with a Stone; and yet for all this, this most malicious and proud Pope did not cease to vex and reject the good Emperor Henry, but nominated a third Emperor against him, who also being newly made Emperor was miserably slain by the Imperialists. And was not here a Luciferian Pope indeed, as full of Pride, as a Toad is of poison?

Boniface also the 8th, was such a proud and arrogant Beast, that his very Cardinals could not endure him, for his extreme pride and ambition; This is he of whom 'twas written, that he entered like a Fox, lived like a Lion and died like a Dog. Besides, about the year, 1159. Frederick then Emperor, going to Rome, Pope Adrian the fourth, and his Clergy, met the Emperor at Sutrio, where the Emperor alighting from his horse, led the Popes horse by the bridle, and held his left stirop for the Pope to alight; whereupon the Pope derided the Emperor, because he held not the right stirop, with which derision the Emperor being displeased, only with a smile answered, That he never had been a horse-boy. But, surely, had a daring wise man seen this, he might have told his Majesty, herein he shown himself little better then an horse-boy, for (as the Relation goes on) the day following, the Pope came to the Emperors Campe, and there the Emperor mindful of the Popes former reproof, better performed his office now, and held the Popes right stirop for him. This proud Pope Adrian afterward was choked with a poor little fly, which he suddenly swallowed and died thereof. A remarkable testimony of God's wrath for so high swollen pride, in making such a poor despicable creature his confusion. About the year also, 1180, Alexander the third, Pope of Rome, being mightily puffed-up with the mountainous tympanie of pride and arrogancy, by reason of a great victory he had obtained, compelled Frederick then Emperor of Rome to come (on a day appointed by the said Pope) to S. Marks in Venice, and there before all the people, he commanded the Emperor to prostrate himself flat on the ground before the Pope, and so to crave his mercy and pardon, which the Emperor accordingly did; whereupon the Pope like self-flated Nebuchadnezzar, or indeed, most like Lucifer himself, trod with his foot on the Emperors neck, and with his proud heart and mouth, most blasphemously abused that Scripture, Thou shalt go upon the Asp and Basilisk, and upon the Lion and the Dragon shalt thou tread. O intolerable impudence and monstrous pride and blasphemy! The beslaved Emperor, herewith ashamed made answer (with his neck still on the ground) Not to thee but to Peter. Whereat, the Pope stamping again contemptuously upon the Emperors neck, said, Both to me and to Peter. Herewith the poor Emperor was forced to be content and silent, and so was absolved from his Excommunication by the Pope. Yea, and this very same Pope (as Robert Mortensis, an Historian testifies) made Lewis King of France, and Henry King of England go on foot, as his Lackeyes, and hold the bridle of his horse, whereon the Pope rod, the one on the right, and the other on the left-hand, and thus in great pomp and Satanical pride, they led him through the City of Boyancie, which borders on the river Lucra. And of Pope Sistus the fourth, it is recorded, that he made no reckoning to go up and down in his house, clothed with the richest cloth of gold, the covering of his beds, being also of cloth of gold, the basons also wherein he did his necessaries were of pure silver, and that he caused the shoes of his friend Tereza to be covered with very rich and precious stones. And thus, I think, I have briefly and bravely painted out the diabolical Pride and insolency being the first part of Babylon's Beauty, the rare effigies of this dissembled Apostolical humble Servant of Servants, but indeed, most arrogant and supercilious Lord of Lord's, and King of kings. And now the next conspicuous color which so illustrates the Beauty of Babylon shall be her accursed Covetousness, her infatiated griping and greedy avarice, hungering and thirsting, like a bottomless whirlpoole, after gold and gain, ex re qualibet, by hook or by crook, by Simony or Sodomy, as these following examples will make most clear, and evident to any unblinded eye in the world.

Benet the 9th, Pope of Rome sold away his Popedom to Gregory the 6th, for a 1500 lb. in gold. And Frederick the 2d Emperor of Rome, paid for but one absolution or pardon to Pope Gregory the 9th, an 125000 ounces of gold, as it is recorded in the Romish Pontifical; and those other Writers, Naucleer, Pineda, and others who speak with the least thereof, confess an 120. thousand ounces to have been paid to the Pope as afore-said. Yea the King of Spain (as Josephus Angles testifies) was forced to pay an 100000 Ducats for one indulgence or pardon to the Pope. And, for money the Popes of Rome allow public Stews, both in Italy, Spain and Rome it self, even under the Popes nose, insomuch that as the Writers of Rome's rare acts, do testify, the yearly rent and revenue which now of later times came to the Pope for the allowance of those public Stews, came to full 40000 Ducats, which was constantly paid in by the Curtizans or Whores. And in particular Pope Paul, the third, enjoyed the rent of above 40000 Whores which were in Rome, the rent being a julio or Spanish-royal, every week, which came to a mighty mass of money in the year. And it is recorded of Pope Boniface the ninth, that in the time of his hearing mass (such was their papal devotion, or rather devotation) he used to sell Benefices for large sums of money. And in special to come nearer home, our Kingdom of England hath been so miserably exhausted by the yearly taxations imposed on it and extracted from it, by those skillful, but most hateful gold- Alchemists of Rome, that indeed Rome proved a most devouring bottomless gulf to our State, supping-up and swallowing down into her insatiable paunch the cream and fat of the whole kingdom, so as the Popes prey and spoils in this kingdom, were by credible Writers accounted equal, very near, to the Kings of England's own yearly revenues. Insomuch that England was commonly styled the " Popes Ass; And the writers of those times compared this our kingdom to a fruitful Vineyard spoiled by everyone that passed by, and rooted up by the wild Boar of the wood, the Pope of Rome. By reason of which Rome's horrible rapine and unlimitable covetousness, Mantuan, an ancient Writer of Rome's rarities, hath given Rome, and that, most rightly, this title and inscription.

That is,

And thus, as you have had a summary sight of Babylon's Beauty in this pale and whitely color of Covetousness, and most excessive griping Avarice; So I shall now desire the Reader to cast his modest eyes, (if he can endure it) a little while, on Rome's ramish and right whorish Incontinencie and most unchaste painted Braverie, or rather Bawderie. And here in the first place, I shall give you one undeniable cause of incontinency in the Priests of Rome, from the top to the toe, from the Pope their holy Father himself, to the most base and beggarly inferior Friars and hedge-priests of Rome (besides the public toleration of Stews, as afore-said, a most stinking stream from a most filthy fountain) namely the Popes most horribly pernicious Decree to make it unlawful for any of their Priests or Ecclesiastics to marry; by which means in the days of Pope Gregory (who first forbad Priests marriage) this said Pope, afterward, causing a fish pond of his to be fish'd and sewed, in the cleansing of the pond they found to the number of 6000. sculs of little Infants (in that one pond) which had been begot in that unchaste condition of Priests about him, and had been murdered and cast into this the Popes pond.

Pope Joan, alias Pope John, the eighth, an English-Woman, a right Whore of Rome, indeed, without figure or Allegory; In the time of her Papacie, even whiles she was Popesse, committed real and carnal Whoredom with a slave which she kept and put much trust in, for such filthy and loathsome secrets; with whom she used much (yea it seems too much) familiarity in this kind, and by whom she proved with child; yet so secretly was it carried, that none but they two knew it, till it pleased God, (the great Explorator and discoverer of all secrets) to bring it to open knowledge and shame in the very streets, as she past along, in accustomed Papal pomp, to visit (forsooth) St John de Lateran, being come to a certain place in Rome, between the Church of St Clement and the Theatre, with sudden and extreme pain, she (there) brought forth a creature to the wonderful amazement of all that were present, and therewithal she immediately died. O was not here a brave breach of their loud and lying brag of an uninterrupted succession of Popes and Bishops of Rome? And yet so impudent are they to cry out unto us to this day of their lineal succession, as a main mark of their Apostolical (but indeed Apostaticall ) Church. Pope Benedict the eighth also, being he that was fore-mentioned that sold away his Popedom to Gregory the sixth, for a 1500. lb. was a most notorious fornicator and adulterer, and such an horrid Nigromancer and sorcerer, that at last he was most hideously strangled to death, by the devil himself, as their own Popish Historians testify. Pope John the thirteenth, also, was a most filthy and lustful man, and condemned of many gross enormities, especially for his Incontinencie, being accused before the Emperor Otho the fourth, in a Synod at Rome, that he had committed incest with two of his own Sisters, that he had destored maidens, turned his sacred palace (forsooth) into a stinking Stews, that he had lain with one Stephana, his fathers Concubine, and with the widow Reynera, and with another widow called Anna, and with his niece, and (at last) he was stabbed to death by the husband of one that found him in the act of adultery with his wife.

Pope Hildebrand, also (that brand of hell of whom we made mention before for his monstrous pride and insolency) was also a most notorious and filthy adulterer, yet most stiffly and desperately forbad Priests marriage; O most abhominable and monstrous hypocrite: This devilish Beast was also a most wicked Nigromancer and Inchanter.

Honorius the 2d Pope of Rome, sent into England, one John of Crema, Cardinal of S. Grison, his Legate; which Cardinal, in a Council by him held in London, condemned all married Priests; and the very night following, he himself was taken (to give you the very expression of my Historian) with the theft in his hand, was taken in bed with a wicked woman in the very act of adultery; And was not here another egregious Romish hypocrite? And Pope Innocent (rather Nocent ) the eighth, had eight sons and eight daughters, yet never was married. And might not they all (most properly) indeed say unto him, O Papa, O Father, but most improperly and injuriously, most holy Father. And (which was most extreme impudence in the Popes of Rome ) they most of them having many bastards, both before and after they came to be Popes, were so far from being ashamed thereof, that they let the world see how fatherlike care they had of them, that they made some of them Kings, Dukes, Popes, Cardinals, Arch-bishops, Queens and Countesses, and lifted them up to such like princely preferments. And finally, so horribly wicked was John Arch-bishop of Benevent, and dean of the Apostolic-chamber (for sooth) and Nuncio to Pope Julius the 3d, that he compiled a book in commendation and praise of the abhominable sin, not fit to be once named, which said book was printed at Venice. And do not all these most odiously and infamously show what a pure and chaste Spouse of Christ, this Vicar (forsooth) of Christ and head of his Church, this beastly Whore of Babylon is? who thus frequently and filthily prostitutes soul and body both in her self and proselytes, to such more than belluine abominations? And is not here a deep died color even in grain of this most audacious brazen faced Strumpets Babylonish Beauty. And yet though (as the Lord bad the Prophet Ezekiel ) we have thus far digged into the wall and seen (within) thus many of Rome's secret abominations. Yet, I say, I must desire the good Readers Christian patience, and I shall (as the Lord again and again bad the said holy Prophet) go yet farther into the Temple (at Rome ) and show you yet greater abominations (if it may be) than all these before specified, in now delivering and observing in the next place the most accursed and Atheistical Blasphemies and other impieties of this most vicious Vicar (forsooth) of Christ of this spurious Successor of pious Peter, and wherein we shall show you how patly he follows the pattern and imitation of Christ and his Apostles, in their pure Apostolical virtues and graces. And first I shall instance in that Pope John the 13th, fore mentioned and branded as then with most black marks of infamy for his abhominable lust and incontinency; so now also again with the hellish coal of diabolical blasphemy. For this Pope in playing at dice for no small sums of money (ye may believe) invocated the devil to get the games; And in his cups would drink healths to the devil; as Luithprandus, an ancient Historian testifies.

Pope Sylvester the 2d, also, from his youth gave himself extremely to Inchantments and Witch-craft, and (as Platina writes of him) he contracted and covenanted with the devil in his youth, to give him both his body and soul, conditionally that he might, by his means, attain to great worldly pomp and dignities. Which the devil accordingly performed for him (being as the Scripture calls him, the Prince of this world, yet, but by God's permission, and that, only in the sons of disobedience) who afterward ascending up to the Popes Chair, and being, by the devils assistance made Pope of Rome, he had a Copper-head, which he kept secret, which always gave him an answer of what, from time to time, he demanded of the devil. At last, he was desirous to know of the devil, how long he should be Pope; Who (as his custom always was, even in the oracles at Delphi, and else where) doubtfully answering, told him he should not die, until he had said Mass in Jerusalem. Hereat Pope Sylvester much rejoiced, resolving and purposing with himself, never to go to the City of Jerusalem. But it was a custom in Rome, that on a certain fixed day in Lent, the Popes of Rome must say Mass in the Church of the holy-Cross, called also Jerusalem; Where and when, Sylvester, being forgetful of the devils deceit, celebrated Mass there and was instantly taken with a great burning fever. The Pope, then (Says Petrus Premostratensis and Bennon, two ancient writers) Knowing by the roaring of the devils that his end was near, and being in extreme sorrows, besought those about him, to cut off his hands and tongue (giving them the reasons of his desire therein) and so shortly after died. See here then, O blind Roman Catholics (as ye like to be called and counted) & tell me, can your holy father the Pope of Rome, err or not? Where now was his pretended spirit of infallibility, so inseparably inherent (as ye most lyingly prate) to the Papal Chair? And it is frequently reported and testified by their Historians, that all the Popes, from this Pope Sylvester the 2d, to Gregory the 7th (a notorious villain for his life, and a great Inchanter) which were 18 of them successively immediately one after another) were notorious Enchanters and Nigromancers, a sweet brood hatched up in so sacred and scelerous a nest, as the Popes-Chair? But, to go-on.

Uictor the third (made Pope of Rome, by Maud an infamously famous Whore in the City of Rome, and an adulteress to Gregory the 7th) was poisoned by his Sub-deacon, who cast poison into the Challice, in saying Mass, which this said Pope drinking off, immediately died thereof. And, one Bernardus de monte Policiano, an accursed dominican-Friar, put also poison into the Sacramental wine, and gave it to the Emperor Henry the 4th, of Lucenburg, which the said Emperor drank and instantly died thereof.

John, also, the 25th, was (as Platina testifies) such a notorious villain (these I assure thee, Reader, are the very terms and titles the Romish Historians give their Popes) that he not only poisoned Pope Alexander the 5th his Predecessour to be Pope himself, but was accused and condemned of more then 40 heinous offenses, viz. that he was a murderer, an heretic, a Symonist, a notorious liar, an hypocrite, a Witch, a gamester, an adulterer, a sodomite, &c. And was not this a more than seven-headed monstrous Beast of Rome indeed?

Pope Sistus the fourth, allowed a book to be published, which justified that Alanus de Rupe, a dominick-Friar (a great friend to the Popish Rosarie ) was most familiar with the Virgin Marie, and that she on a time, entered into his cell (the doors thereof being fast shut) and took some of the hair from her head, and thereof made a little ring with which she was married to this Frier Alanus; that she kissed him, and caused him to handle her naked duggs, and was every way as familiar with him, as a wife with a husband. O abhominable and beastly blasphemy. And Pope Paul the 3d, granted indulgence or pardon of all sins for 56000 years to all that should pray that foresaid Rosarie; and was not this a notorious mockery to Christ's meritorious death and sufferings. But it may here be justly objected; But what if the said party die the next week after, what good will his 56000 years pardon do him? To which they will easily answer (as I myself have read it to be their opinion) yes, say they, very much good, for he may bequeath those remainder of years, before he dies, to whomsoever he pleaseth. And is not here most abhominable abusing of poor silly idiots that believe them? But to go on.

Pope Alexander the 6th, made a Covenant with the Devil, and gave and delivered himself wholly to him, on this only condition, that by his means he might attain to be Pope, which the Devil having accordingly effected; So holily and obediently to Pluto his Patron, this atheistical Pope ordered his life, that he never attempted to do anything of moment, but first he consulted thereof with the Devil.

Pope Leo also the 10th, was a most damnable and hellish Atheist; for, he held opinion that there was neither a heaven nor hell; And of him it is recorded, that Cardinal Bembus alleging to him, upon occasion, a passage out of the Gospel; He answered, What infinite profit this Fable of Christ hath brought to us and our company, all the world knows full well. At last he died with extreme laughing for joy to hear that the Imperialists were vanquished and driven out of Italy by the French, which was done by his assistance and instigation.

Pope Paul the third, also afore-mentioned, was a most accursed Atheist, and the writers of his time say of him, that if they should endeavor to recount all his enormities and horrible vices, his murders, robberies, witcherics, treasons, tyrannies, incests and wicked whoredoms, they knew not when to make an end thereof; he had many bastards (as so the most of the Popes had, as was fore-specified) and mightily preferred them; he poisoned his own Mother and two of his Sisters, with one of whom he was filthy and naught, and this was that Pope, that enjoyed the rent of 40000 Whores or Curtizans which were allowed in Rome, as hath been already declared. And in this Popes time, began that abominable and most rank rabble of the Jesuitical incendiaries, to be known and advanced into a most scelerous Societi c An ^o . 1545.

Finally, Pope Julius the third, extraordinarily affecting Peacocks, and Swines-flesh (which is bad for the gout, wherewith he was troubled, and his Physicians therefore ordering that none thereof should be set on his table at meals) This said Pope missing his porke, demanded of his officers about him, what was become of his porke, and his Steward answering that the Physicians had commanded not to set it on the Table; he fell a cursing and blaspheming with such execrable blasphemies as are not fit to be uttered. Another time also (as touching his peacocks) a roasted peacock having been brought to his table at dinner, but (by reason of the other various superfluity of dainties) not then touched, the Pope bad it should be reserved for him till Supper; but at supper, he not seeing the cold peacocke (though this unholy Heliogabulus had then also hot peacocks, he was terribly enraged and burst out into blaspheming for this, as he used to do, and a Cardinal then supping with him, said, Let not your holiness (forsooth) be so angry for so small a thing. To whom this Satanical Julius answered most blasphemously, If God was so angry with Adam for an Apple, that he cast our first Parents out of Paradise for it; why shall it not be lawful for me who am his Vicar (and a most vicious one too) to be angry for my peacocke, which is a thing of more worth than an apple If this be not blasphemy, in a most high measure judge, even, ye Romish Catholics, yourselves.

And if these and the rest of Rome's abominations do not declare an extreme rotten ripeness of impieties at Rome, let all (though but mere rational) Christians consider and judge; This Jebusite Julius aforesaid, was also (as Histories testify) a most abhominable Sodomite. And thus I think, I have sufficiently set out the Beauty of this Babylonish Baud, and as impudent, as impious Strumpet of Rome. Now therefore I shall proceed to a fifth fair and most facinorous color and more than bestial Braverie or rather Knaverie of this odious and audacious Whore of Rome; which is and may be most apparently conspicuous to the whole world in her, even, inexpressible Treacheries, Tyrannies and barbarous Cruelties toward all, of what Sex or Sect, of what dignity or degree and condition so ever; if they opposed, complained, or but once muttered against the thus holy Apostolical Sea of Rome.

And first I shall begin with the treacherous wrath and impious cruelty of that horrid and hideously wicked Pope Hildebrand, that furious and outrageous firebrand of hell, as he is most justly entitled; testified by the forementioned Cardinal Bennon. Which said Pope, upon some petty offense committed by Henry the 4th, then Emperor of Rome, against this Pope, He understanding that the said Emperor used to pray in St Mary's Church, in Mount Aventine in Rome, Caused the said place to be marked, and then procured a certain skillful Mason or Stone-Cutter to Convey and place, secretly, certain great Stones over the beams of the temple, right over the Emperors praying-place, that so they might fall from on high upon the head of the Emperor so praying, and thus bruise him to pieces; which villainy, as the said Mason was busy to order and effect; and endeavoring to place a stone of very great poise & weight over the said beam, the Stone, by reason of its unwieldy-weight, fell backward, at the same time, upon the Mason himself, and both the Stone and Mason (by God's Just judgment) fell from the top, to the store of the Church, and crushed the Mason quite in pieces; and thus Perrillus was first boil'd in his own Bull, made by him at the tyrant Phalaris Command; had the Pope himself been in the wretched Masons stead; it had been right indeed, but thus the Emperor escaped the Popes malice and mischief, at that time.

And now in the next place I shall show you the most accursed Cruelties and barbarous revenge-fullness of one Pope against another. So desperately and devilishly were they addicted to wrath and revenge, that Sergius, the third, being Pope was so furiously and even madly vindicative on Pope Formosus his predecessor, for some affronts offered to the said Sergius in Formosus life time, that Sergius when he was Pope, caused Formosus his dead carcass to be digged out of his grave, having been buried about 8 years, and having him forth, made expressions that he would kill him, were he alive; but yet being thus dead, he cut off the other three fingers on his right-hand (Pope Stephen the sixth, having most basely also, before, cut off the other two fingers on his said right-hand, wherewith Priests use to consecrate in their Popish Mass, and cast them into the river Tiber ) and so this Sergius, I say, cut-off the other three fingers left on the hand of that dead Pope, and in detestable hatred, cast them also into the said river Tiber.

Pope Boniface the seventh also was such a cruel wretch, that, by money getting the Popedom from Pope John the 15th, Boniface laid hold on his said Predecessour, John, cast him into prison, pulled out both his eyes, and then and there famished and starved him to death. And about the year of our Lord, 1045. no less than six Popes successively one after another (within the space of 13 years) poisoned each other, by themselves, or their Agents and instruments, to get the Popedom one from another, viz. Clement 2. Damasus 2. Leo 9. Victor 2. Stephen 9. and Nicolas 2. And since I now speak of poison, I assure the Reader, that searching and examining the lives and deaths of all the Popes of Rome, I have found at least 26. or 27. of them that died by poison and so others thereby succeeding them. And as they dealt with blessed Bucer, that godly and learned man, in untombing him being dead and buried, and burning his dead body, as an heretic: So dealt these Popes no less cruelly with one another; for, Pope Paschal the second, out of wrath and most barbarous rage to Pope Clement the 3d, caused the said Pope Clement the 3d, his predecessors dead body to be digged up and burned, at his command. Yea and this fore-said malicious Paschal 2. was so devilishly cruel, that he incited the Emperor Henry the fifth against his own father, Henry the 4th, at that time Emperor (an only son against his father ) who, with cruel war persecuted his said father, by deceit, took him prisoner, and suffered him to die, a miserable death in prison; and yet, though the fathers death was thus procured (and all by the said Pope Paschals means and procurements) the Pope, I say, not satisfied with this inhumane rage and cruelty, after the said Emperor, Henry the 4th was so dead and buried, the Pope caused the Emperors dead corps to be taken out of his grave, cast it out of the Church, and denying it Christian burial, caused it to remain above ground, unburied for the space of five years after.

I might here also tell you of the abominable cruelty of Pope Urban (O most notorious hypocrites in giving themselves such smooth and sugared names, and yet be of so base and barbarous Natures) who might fitlier have been called Pope Turban; who was so full of cruelty, rage and revenge, that being Pope, he caused 5 of his Cardinals (who had stiffly opposed him from being made Pope) to be shut up a live into five several sacks and so cast into the Sea, where they were all five drowned. Yea and I might here also tell you of the bloody disposition of Pope Julius, the 2d, whom Paul's sword pleased better then Peters Keys, and so being a great warrior, was within the space of 6 or 7 years, the cause of the death of at least 200000 Christians slain by the sword through his intolerable tyranny and cruelty: But what talk I of 200000 slain within the space of 6 or 7 years, when we now in our own most sad and sorrowful days can speak of far more beastlike cruelty in the Romish Sons of these rammish Harlots even almost 200000 poor Protestants massacred and murdered by them in less then a years, witness (yet) poor bleeding, if not dying Ireland. I might go on, ad infinitum, in these like examples, of the devilish cruelty of these holy fathers themselves: But now let us (as briefly as may be) descend to more modern times, and see whither that of the prophet be not, in this case, too true, Like Priests, like People, in the devilish disciples of such damned Doctors, whither the Sons of these unholy fathers, do not most exquisitely even Passibus aequis patrizare? imitate their flagicious fathers in any their most base and barbarous crueltyes, and more than Turkish tyranny, if not outstrip and transcend them? To pass by the most inexpressible miseries and terrible tortures of the Spanish Inquisition, that most Sanguineous and gorey slaughter-house of God's precious Saints of all sorts, ages and sexes, and the infinite numbers murdered therein by most exquisite torments, whereof Uergerius Confessed that in the space of 30 years at least an 150000 perished therein by most intolerable tortures, under the hands of those horrid and hideously unholy Inquisitors. To pass by also that most perfidious and bloody Massacre at Paris plotted and contrived by the King and Queen of France together with the acccursed Duke of Guise and their treacherous crew of Romish Blood-hounds, wherein there perished at least 50000 innocent peaceful Protestants, and that which was most diabolical indeed, therein, all this under a pretext and color of peace and piety and semingly confirmed with most deep protestations and vows of King and Queen (as 'tis now a days) but all most perjuriously and perfidiously broken in streams of blood. Let us look a little also into Flanders upon one of the most inhumane Sons of those unnatural and unreasonable Popes of Rome, who may, indeed, be, Instar omnium, I mean that Duke, or rather Devil, D' Alva, who himself publicly professed that he had destroyed and killed, by torments, 180 80▪ of the reformed Protestants in Flanders, in the space of 6 years, merely for the cause of Religion: Yea, who caused women with child to have their bellies ripped open and their innocent infants to be slain; the men to be flayed, and their skins to head drums; Some to be burned with gentle fires, which would hardly burn, thereby to lengthen out and strengthen their pains and miseries; made others to be torn in pieces with glowing fiery-tongs; and the very carcases of dead Protestants (lust as you heard of their Satanical Sires the fore-mentioned Popes) to be digged out of their graves and hanged on gallows, and was not here a devil of hell indeed only covered with flesh in a man's shape? In Westphalia also in Germany, the Infants were by the Romish blood-bounds there, torn out of the wombs of great bellied women, cut in pieces & so bound to the mouths of their Mothers; (ô unpatern'd and unparalel'd Monsters of men, the like hellish hearts never heard of) men forced, there, by famine to feed on the flesh of their own children; and tender infants of about 2 years old (twice more barbarous than bloody Herod ) were enclosed again in their mothers bodies, and so strangled in their mothers blood; yea and the men (which is as shameless as savage) were hanged up by their privy-members; if ever Turks or Jews or any other most inhumane and godless Cannibals or Heathens whomsoever, could execute more savage and odious barbarities to mortals, let any, either Protestant or Papist be judge. Besides let us here call to mind (which I had almost forgot and omitted) the 100000 Christian and godly Albigenses who perished at the word and by the sword of Pope Innocent the 3d; and, that from the beginning of the Jesuits Society, to 1580 (being the space of 30 years) almost 900000 Protestants were put to death, in France, England, Spain, Italy, Germany, and other countries and parts of Christendom; nay in France alone an 100000 Protestants or Hugonets (as there they term them) were shamefully murdered in a short season. Bartholomew de Case also, did witness with his tongue and pen (who saw it with his eyes) that, within the space of 40 years, the Spaniards (those bloody sons of their bloody and barbarous fathers the Popes of Rome ) had killed and destroyed by most hideous & horrible ways and devices of tortures to destruction, not less than 15 millions of the poor West-Indians, whō they conquered, and then so cruelly destroyed, that the very poor Heathens themselves, at last hearing of a heaven and a hell after this life, and of the eternal happiness of the one and everlasting horror of the other, and demanding, Whither the Spaniards went, when they were dead, and it being answered, to Heaven; O, said they, then we will never go thither where the Spaniards are to be. Say now then, good Reader, whoever thou art, are not these Popes excellent Pastors? And are not such Popish Swords and torments precious Pastures, to feed and breed up poor conquered and captivated wretches bodies and souls, in their most accursed pinfolds? And think not, I desire thee, that these relations are untruths and fictious effects of my spleen and wrath to Rome and Romanists; but, if thou pleasest to inquire, thou shalt find all I have writ justified by authentic authors, both Popish themselves and others also; and especially these latter and most lamentable barbarities testified for most true by a witness without exception, being a strange and strong friend and favourer of Papists and Popery, yea so far their friend, as not to be afraid nor ashamed, in his pulpit, publicly to preach and profess, that Papists in England and Ireland were the Kings best friends and most loyal and loving Subjects, though he himself had formerly both preached and printed these fearful relations of them, I mean that abhominable apostate John Squire, late priest of Shorditch, in his Sermons on 2 Thess. 2. preached in Paul's Church and extant in print; with many others, I say, both moderne and ancient Writers, whom, for brevity sake, I have all along, purposely, pretermitted; but to go-on. Besides those ineffable cruelties fore-mentioned, thus done to the bodies of poor Christians; ô the hellish impieties done to the poor souls of those that survived, and were enforced, by captivity and conquering thralldom, to live in the spiritually burning brick-kills of such terrible soul-task-masters, to live, I say, under their spiritual whoredoms and Romish fornications to the most fearful and final damnation of both their bodies and souls, at last, a misery far beyond all forespoken! And were not these, then monstrous and mighty Nimrods, indeed, hunters, I say, not of beasts, but of men's bodies and souls, and that, even before the Lord too, most impiously and impudently careless and fearless of God's all-seeing eye, or revengfull hand against them? But to proceed, I might here, in the last place call to the Readers remembrance (for the finishing of this 5th piece of Babylon's Beauty and bloody Braverie, the fiery flames, mixed with much precious blood of God's dear Saints and Martyrs in those Popish Marian days in this Kingdom of England, wherein so many hundreds of holy and heavenly servants and soldiers of the Lord Jesus Christ, of both sexes, and all sorts and ages (by the accursed cruelty and tyranny of Popish Prelates and other Antichristians, right bloody sons of the fearlet Whore of Rome ) gave their bodies most willingly and cheerfully, to be tortured and burned to ashes, only for the name of the Lord Jesus and his most pure and precious Truth and Gospel.

Yea I might here also call to just remembrance the furious rage and wrath of the Spanish Antichristian sons of the Romish Strumpet, those White-boys of their murderous Mother Babylon, in their formidable, and (but blessed be our good God) falsely called and counted Invincible Armado or fleet of mighty ships by sea, in an. 1588. set out with all the engines and accoutrements of malice and mischief to invade and ruinate, to over-run and overthrow this our kingdom of England, and our most precious Lady and Sovereign Qn. Elizabeth, that most fair Phenix, and famous paragon of her time and crown of her Sex, a Princesse of ever most blessed and precious memory; And when they saw that this (by God's mighty power and most merciful providence) prevailed not; O the many plots and conspiracies, which the pernicious Pope of Rome, Spain and their hellish Jebusites contrived and attempted against the sole and sacred person of that precious Princesse to bring her and her Protestant people and kingdom to ruin and destruction. As hath been fully and exactly related in a book lately published, entitled, Plots, Conspiracies and Attempts of Domestic and Forraigne Enemies of the Romish Religion, against England, Scotland and Ireland, since the Reformation in Qu▪ Elizabeth's days; very worthy to be read for fuller satisfaction in this kind.

I might here also promp my country-men's dull memories (and O shame, yea most extrem shame for us that we should already want jogging at the elbow, that we should so soon, so slightly, and so ungratefully forget such a matchles mercy) concerning that mighty deliverance, the Popish powder-Plot. (Upon occasion of the licensing of my history whereof, that base, backsliding Apostate of our late days, D ^r Baker, one of the Arch-Prelate Lauds white-boys of those times was not ashamed most impiously and audaciously to say,

so forward and hopeful, it seems, was the reconciliation of England to Rome. ) Even that hell batch'd bloody and most barbarous conjuration and exorbitant treason, invented, contrived and attempted too, by those Romish Wolves in sheep's-skins, by that Jesuit Priest Garnet, the Arch traitor and his twelve Apostles, or rather devils incarnate, I mean that most horrid and hellish Popish Gun-powder Plot, to have blown up into the air, and miserably torn in pieces, the bodies of our King, Queen, Prince, and both the whole-Houses of Parliament, then full fraught with the entire cream of the Kingdom, of Peers and Commons, all these at one most furious and sulphurious blow, as one time, in the twinkling of an eye, besides the most bloody miseries thereof (had it taken intended effect) which certainly are inexpressible by any man's most dexterious pen and ingenie.

All these, yea, any one of these, should, me thinks, be enough, and far too much to make that abhominable Whore of Rome to blush and be ashamed, if it were possible, and that she had not too evidently put on such a brazen brow and brawny Whores fore-head, that nothing can make her blush or be one jot ashamed. And finally I might here call to mind (and yet me thinks, I should not need, 'tis so fresh in our present memory, being so late and lamentable) as a last, but not least piece of glistering varnish to set off and set home, to the purpose, this Whore of Babylon's Romish -rotten Beauty and bloody Braverie, in telling the Christian Reader of the late and long, and still lasting matchless miseries and unpattern'd and unparalleled calamities of our poor distressed and desolate sister Germany, now for the space of 23 or 24 years, made (of the most flourishing fair and famous garden of Europe ) a most lamentable Chaos and Golgotha of blood and slaughtered carcasses, a rude, ruinated and forlorn Wilderness, the particular and personal sorrows and sufferings of which people, men, women and children of all conditions, ages and both sexes to relate, would make both the Writers and Readers hair to stand an end, and their hearts and hands to quake and tremble, to faint and fail them, exactly to express and set them forth: but it being already done to our hands in a fearful manner in a book, entitled Germanies Tears, I shall refer the farther sight and knowledge thereof, if any desire it, to the said Book; And all this also being most perniciously perpetrated and acted on the persons, estates and habitations of that pitifully depopulated Country, by the most insatiable rage and merciless▪ matchless, accursed cruelty of the blood-sucking Wolf, Tiger, Monster (what can I fitly call her) of Rome, and her inhumane, roaring, raging and all ruining sons and nurssings.

And to conclude and shut up all, with that which is equal (if not transcendent) to all or any of the general or particular barbarities and matchless immunities of those wild Bears and Boars of Rome, I mean, the marvelous miseries and deep-died distresses of our dearer, because nearer Sister, bleeding, nay even dying Ireland, at this present and hitherto for above a 12 months space (wherein also I may not unduly intermix the present pitious, sad and bad plight and condition of our own English, being both imbarked, tossed and tumbled at this time in one and the same Ocean of distress and bloody broils, though not yet (ever glorified be our God for it, not in Ireland's heighth and universality) tragically acted and perpetrated also by her own most unnatural viperous natives, those beastly, basely and matchlesly murderous Irish-rogues and Rebels of that forlorn kingdom, even those right black and bloody sons of their monstrous-Mother the Whore of Rome; whom, to make and set up, as their bloody-god, they have so dealt with all God's English Protestant people (there) whom they could reach and catch into their foul Harpeian fingers and vulturous claws and tallons, that, truly, I dare not for fear and trembling undertake to set forth and decipher the particulars, they are so sad and bad, so bitter and terrible, but must and will (for brevity sake also) refer the Reader that desires to hear or know them, to two other books extant also in print, the one entitled Ireland's Lamentation; the other Ireland's Remonstrance. Where he may sadly see how those too-apt Scholars of Rome, have even transcended their teachers (which is most admirable, and one would have thought, till now, impossible) in their exquisitest and deepest Lectures, patterns and presidents of damnable and detestable cruelties, most hellish villainies, and blasphemies, to the intolerable terror of those that do but read them; Ah poor souls, what was it then, to those that suffered and endured them.

And thus, I think, I have sufficiently set forth and blazoned the 5th part or piece of Babylon's Beauty, and painted out this sanguine color of cruelty, tyranny and treachery of this Scarlet strumpet of Rome and of her most scelerous sons and pernicious Popish proselytes and Jesuitical monsters, the horrid and hideous incendiaries and blood-suckers of the whole Christian world.

Now, therefore, in the 6th and last place, I shall briefly endeavor to set this picture of the Pope and his pestilent progeny into a fair frame, and so, fit it to be hung up to the most conspicuous view and visible aspection of all that will but bring their equal and impartial eyes and fight along with them, that so this most famous or rather infamous Harlot of Rome may be seen, the more clearly, to be the Antichrist indeed, even the grand Adversarie of the Lord Jesus Christ, not only by most abhominable carriage and conversation in life (as now you have seen set forth to the life) but also in corrupt and counterfeit Doctrine too, most faithlesly and falsely perverting and abusing the most sacred Scriptures, whereby Rome and all her Popish rabble of Trentine Romanists most apparently precipitate and cast themselves head-long both souls and bodies into everlasting perdition (without true and timely repentance) as is most clear by the infallible testimony of the Spirit of God, the most faithful author of Sacred Writ. And that the Reader may see this horrible presumption and audacious and blasphemous arrogancy of the Pope and his damned Tridentine Doctors, I shall give thee a most exact Ocular-parallel in certain brief Antitheses or opposite tenets and most evident differences and contrarieties between Christ the pure fountain of Truth, yea Truth it self and Antichrist, the muddy puddle of error and heresy, yea error itself in the abstract, which are as follow.

Jer. 6. 16. Thus saith the Lord, stand in ways and behold and ask for the old way, which is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls: But, they ( the Romanists ) said, we will not walk therein.

Christ. 1. The ancient Doctrine of God, teacheth that the holy Scripture hath sufficient authority of itself; and contains all necessary doctrine to piety and salvation, 2 Tim. 3. 15, 16, 17. 2. The ancient Doctrine of God teacheth that ignorance of God's word is the mother of errors: and therefore bids all Christians to read and search the Scriptures. Mat. 22. 19. John. 5. 39. 3. The ancient Doctrine of God teacheth that many deceivers and falls-prophets are gone out into the world; that therefore the faithful are to prove the spirits whither they be of God, 1 John. 4. 1. and that the holy Scripture is the touch to try thē, Act. 17. 11. So that all doctrine whatsoever contrary to it ought to be rejected, Gal. 1. 8. 1 Tim. 1. 3. 1 Pet. 4. 11. 4. The ancient Doctrine of God teacheth that we ought to worship and serve God alone, who is the Creator and Governor of all the world; following herein the doctrine of Christ, Mat. 4. • 0. 5. The ancient Doctrine of God teacheth that the lawful worship of God is founded on the holy Scriptures and that God will be served according to his own will and word in spirit and truth, John. 4. 24. and not after the opinions and traditions of men, Ezek. 20. 18. Mat. 15. 9. 6. The ancient Doctrine of God teacheth that the worship of images is an abominable thing, Deut. 27. 15. and expressly forbidden in the 2 Commandment, Exo. 20. 4. and that the holy Spirit calls images, teachers of lies and vanities, Ier. 10 8. and therefore not to be allowed in Churches, Gal. 4. 1. 7. The ancient Doctrine of God teacheth that Christians ought to imitate the faith, godliness and good doctrine of Saints, as they imitated Christ, 1 Cor. 11. 1. But not to invocate them or put any confidence in them, Isa. 48. 11. Revel. 19. 10. 8. The ancient Doctrine of God teacheth that Jesus Christ being true God and man is the only and perfect Savior of the world, Isa. 63. 3. And the only Mediator 'twixt God and man, Act. 4. 12. Mat. 11. 28. 9. The ancient Doctrine of God teacheth that Jesus Christ, by the perfect sacrifice of him, 〈◊〉 once offered on the cross, hath reconciled all the faithful to God, and that there remains no more sacrifice for sin, Heb. 9. 12. & 26. & c. 10. 12, 18. 10. The ancient Doctrine of God teacheth that we are justified only by faith in Jesus Christ without the works of the law, Ro. 3. 24. Gal. 2. 16. Rom. 4. 23, 24. 11. The ancient Doctrine of God teacheth that faith is not doubtful, but assured of salvation which it hath by Christ, and that true faith is not barren, but full of good works, the fruits thereof, Heb. 11. 1. Gal. 5. 6. Phil 1 11. 12. The ancient Doctrine of God teacheth that Jesus Christ is the head and Spouse of the Church, which he governeth and teacheth by Word and Spirit, and that the duty of the Church is to hear and obey the voice of her Spouse, Mat. 17. 5. John 10 27. 13. The ancient Doctrine of God teacheth that the use of strange tongues is unprofitable in the Church of God to the ignorant auditory but all things in the Church must be for edification, 1 Cor. 14. 3, 6 7, 8 14 The ancient Doctrine of God teacheth that Jesus Christ in the institution of the holy Supper brake the bread and gave it to his disciples, and afterwards the wine, saying, drink ye all of this, making no difference at all. 1 Cor. 11. 23. 15. The ancient Doctrine of God teacheth that Matrimony is honorable among all men, Heb. 13. 4. And that it is better to marry than to burn, 1 Cor. 7. 9. And that to forbid marriage is a doctrine of devils. 1 Tim. 4. 3. 16. The ancient Doctrine of God teacheth that that which entereth into the mouth defileth not the man, Mat. 15. 11. And that all meats are clean to the faithful and sanctified to them by the word and prayer, 1 Tim. 4. 4. Tit. 1. 15. 17. The ancient Doctrine of God teacheth that it is the duty of all men that are godly, to speak the truth, keep their faith and promise to all; yea though to their hindrance. Psal. 15. 2. 4. Zach. 1. 16. Eph. 4. 25. 18. The ancient Doctrine of God teacheth that every soul ought to be subject to the higher Powers, which are the Magistrates, Rom. 13. 1, 2. 1 Pet. 2. 23. 19. The ancient Doctrine of God teacheth that Antichrist, as God, sits in the temple of God, attributing to himself that w ch is proper only to God, 2 Thes. 2. 4. & that the place of his sitting is the great City, w ch hath 7 mountains, & w ch reigned over the kings of the earth, as Rome do's, Re. 17. 9 18 20. The ancient Doctrine of God teacheth that for all souls departing this life there remain but 2 places, heaven and hell, Joh. 5. 14. Joh. 3. 36. Luk. 16. 22, 23.

Antichrist. The new Doctrine of Rome teacheth that the word of God hath no authority of itself & that it is imperfect & insufficient to piety and salvation without the approbation of the Church & unwritten traditions. Bel. de verb. Dei 〈◊〉 scrip. l. 4. The new doctrine of Rome teacheth that ignorance is the mother of devotion, and that it is safest to keep Lay-men from reading the Scriptures, as being the causes of many errors and heresies. Bel. de verb. Dei. The new doctrine of Rome teacheth that whosoever contradict the Pope and his decrees and human traditions be false-teachers; and that the Pope hath authority to judge all controversies of faith and to give the true sense of the Scriptures; and that from him there is no lawful appeal. Bel. de verb. Dei interp l. 3. cap. 3. The new doctrine of Rome teacheth that we ought not to serve God alone, but also Saints and Angels, as patrons of kingdoms, cities, people, societies and infirmities. Bel. de sanct. beat. l. 1. c. 12. The new doctrine of Rome teacheth that in God's worship the traditions and ceremonies of the Church of Rome ought to be observed and that her Canon laws and constitutions are equal in value to the Gospel, and that it is most necessary to keep them. Dist. 15. cap sicut. & Dist. 19. cap in Can. The new doctrine of Rome teacheth that the worship of images is well-pleasing to God, and very necessary and profitable to the Church and are Lay-men's books; and that therefore, he which teacheth the contrary is accursed and anathematized. Con. Trid. Sess. 9. The new doctrine of Rome teacheth that Christians ought to invocate the Saints departed, to be aided by their intercession to God as being God's familiars; and that it is a false & wicked opinion to teach or believe the contrary and that be which so teacheth or believeth is accursed. Con. Trid. Sess. 9. The new doctrine of Rome teacheth that Christ is not a perfect Savior, as dying only for original sin, not actual sins; and that therefore masses, indulgences and purgatories must cleanese the rest. Lib. 4. Sam. Dist. 17, 18 and that Saints and Angels do and must mediate for us, Lib. 4. Sent, Dist. 45. The new doctrine of Rome teacheth that the Mass is also a sacrifice for the remission of sins, both of the quick and the dead, Con. Trid. Sess. 6. Can. 2. The new doctrine of Rome teacheth that not faith only, but works also do justify us. Conc Trid. Sess 6. Can. 11. The new doctrine of Rome teacheth that the particular justification of men, and much more their salvation is very uncertain, so that men must always doubt of their salvation, and that the contrary is mere presumption. Conc. Trid. Sess. 6. Can. 13. Cens. Colon. fol. 96. The new doctrine of Rome teacheth that the Pope is the head and spouse of the Church and vicar of Christ upon earth; and having the keys of heaven and hell can save & damn; and therefore all his decrees ought to be obeyed by all men. In exorium. Tom. 22. Tit. 5. &c. The new doctrine of Rome teacheth that in the worship of God, we must use the Latin tongue. Bel. de verb. Dei. l. 2. c. 15. 14. The new doctrine of Rome teacheth that the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper ought to be given and dispersed in bread and wine to the Priests only; and to the Laity in the bread only. Council. Trid Sess 5. The new doctrine of Rome teacheth that matrimony is a carnal estate, and to be forbidden to the Clergy; and that it is better for Prelates and Priests to live in fornication than lawfully to marry, Bel. de Monachis lib. 2. cap. 34. The new doctrine of Rome teacheth that it is not lawful for Christians (under pain of mortal sin) to eat all sorts of meats at all times, and on all days alike, Distin. 4 Ca. statuimus, &c. The new doctrine of Rome teacheth that faith ought not to be kept with heretics, and that it is lawful to violate oaths and promises for the Catholics Cause. As it was concluded in the Council at Constance. The new doctrine of Rome teacheth, that Ecclesiastical men are not subject to the secular powers, but to the Pope only. Lib. Decret. Gregor. Tit. 33. The new doctrine of Rome teacheth that Antichrist is yet to come, of the race of the Jews, of the Tribe of Dan. and that the place of his kingdom or seat shall be at Jerusalem. Bel. de Roman. Pontif. lib. 3. c. 12. & 13. The new doctrine of Rome teacheth that there are many places for the souls departed, to wit, heaven, hell, limbos patrū, limbos infantium, Purgatorte, & another place more honorable, joining to Purgatory Bel de pu • 2. c. 6, 7.

And finally to sum up all in one Apothegme. We are (says Bozius, a great Popish Writer) obliged to obey the Pope, even as Christ; nay they have another sentence, one degree beyond this. The Pope permitteth one Canon to be in his Decretals, which saith, That S ^t Paul himself did speak against all truth and reason. Can. hac. Rat. Causa 31. qu. 1. See here good Reader, did ever any dare so directly and audaciously to oppose Christ and his Gospel of Truth? No certainly, never any other in the world.

And what sayest thou now, good Reader, have I not represented to thine eyes and thoughts a strange picture of a most strange strumpet, set out and adorned with all the lustrous colors of her most base Babylonish Beauty? And fitted it with a fair frame of so many of Rome's damnable doctrines, fit now to be seen and shown to the whole world, to Rome's and all Romanists eternal shame and indelible infamy? And may I not now (thinkest thou) truly say to all Papists, yea and to all formal Protest 〈◊〉 large too, as once Pilate said (though in another sense) Ecce homo, yea, Ecce homines, behold the man and his impious Imps, whom thus ye strive and struggle to make your god; See, I say, what a goodly god, ye have gotten, what a King ye have made unto you? What a brave Baal of your own inventing and devising. And since ye will needs have another King of your own making, and have rejected King Jesus, who is and ought to be your right and sole sovereign: I have now therefore with the holy Prophet Samuel shewn and described to you and to all men, what a king ye have gotten, and what he will (as he hitherto hath done) do unto you, and how he will tyrannize over you. Which being seriously considered and set home to the heart and soul of any intelligent and but mere-naturally seeing, either Papist or formal Protestant (for, truly these also are Rome's 100 dear and near friends and favorers) that is well in his wits, and then, tell me, (for I must expostulate with you, as Joash, Gideon's father did with the idolatrous men of his City) will ye, can ye, dare ye, now, plead for this so abominable Baal of Rome? Can ye save him from God's resolved wrath and revenge on him? Will ye thus spend and waste your goods and lands, and destroy your Country, King, and 3 famous and once flourishing kingdoms, yea your lives and bodies and souls too, for the propping and supporting of such a rotten pained (or rather putrefied) Whore, on whom the Lord God is now (as he hath fore-told long since) about to pour out the full viols of his fury, yea the very lees and dregs of his wrath and indignation. And why? Why the Spirit of God there tells us, v. 6. Because she hath shed the blood of the Saints and Prophets of the Lord, therefore God will now give her blood to drink, for she is worthy, even for this; and for all her false and filthy fornications and abominations wherewith she hath abused, besotted and intoxicated the kings and kingdoms of the earth? Have ye not yet seen and known enough, by all these admirable demonstrations and fearful descriptions of this juggling Baal of Rome, both in the pristine and present pieces of her Babylonish Beauty, that she is but a most impious and audacious destructive Deluder and impostor, a most pestilent and poisonous lying lover, not to be delighted in, but contrariwise to be most detestably disliked and loathed: But if ye will blindly and blockishly persist (maugre all that can be said or shown unto you) in this your gross folly, do ye not manifest to the whole world that ye are Romae amentes haud amantes, not only stark fools, but Rome's mere mad-men, who will bestow your love on such a lovelesse and ••• thsome stinking strumpet. Yea in thus doing and doting, are ye not like those idolatrous sots mentioned by the Prophet, who having cut down their Cedar trees and chopped and chipt them, and with part thereof made them a wooden god, and with the other part thereof made them a fire and warmed themselves thereat, saying, Aha, we are warm and have seen the fire, made of a part of the, same Cedars, whereof we have made our gods which we worship, (O gross absurdity) in their so doing whereof (I say) may not all wise hearted and godly Christians fitly turn that sottish Aha, into a just Haha of laughter, scorn and derision to see and observe (with those idolatrous Hebrews ) the Romish sots and idiots of ours, and former times, call and account, admire and adore, such Romish Beasts, such stupendiously execrable Strumpets of spiritual fornication and idolatry (most worthy of all contempt and hatred) their gods and their Savior's. For shame, for shame, fly from them, hate and abhor them, as most noy some, loathsome poisonous stinging Serpents, as the bitter bane and mortiferous Henbane of your estates, bodies and souls. And as Elijah said to the slaggering Israelites of his times; so say I to you all, both Papists and formal wavering Protestants (as I touched this passage at the beginning of this Treatise) if the Lord be God, follow him, and him only: But if Baal be God (the contrary whereof, I think hath been abundantly proved) then follow him. O why halt ye thus between 2 opinions? Or rather, why join ye your selves so closely to such false-gods, such lying vanities, which do you infinitely more hurt than good & nay who never did you any good at all, but always did you the worst and bitterest evil, both to body and soul that is possibly able to befall you, even the damning of them both to infinite and endless misery. O how happy were it for you, if once it would please the Lord to open your eyes and mollify and rectify your hearts, to see and consider what ye have done, whence ye are fallen, and whither you are headlong tumbling; and then seriously and sincerely to resolve on that, Piam & Christianam crudelitatem, that holy and Christian cruelty (as I may, me thinks, fitly call it) mentioned by the Spirit of God himself, namely, That if thy dearest Brother, the son of thy Mother, thy sin or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom; yea, or thy nearest and dearest friend, who is unto thee as thine own soul, should secretly entice thee, or openly endeavor to allure thee to go a whoring after idol-gods: By all means be so far from consenting to them, as, contrariwise, not to suffer thine eyes to pity or spare them (like that most noble and renowned Christian convert, famous Galeacius Caracciolus, Marquess of Vice) but to throw them from thee, to trample and tread on them, and to cause thine own hand to be first upon them, even to stone or kill them, because they sought and wrought to thrust and draw thee from the Lord thy God, to idolatry: That thus by thine example (as the holy Spirit of God goes on there) others of the same superstitious and idolatrous rank and rabble, may see, and hear, and fear, and do no more such wickedness, as this is among you. And for a close of all, and with which I will conclude; O that all idolatrous Papists would seasonably and seriously consider, how close (that fearful sentence and peremptory malediction of the pious Prophet David ) comes to the heart and stings the soul of all the obstinate and desperate idolaters of Rome (who so flashily and foolishly glory in that badge of the Beast, the title and appellation of Romish Catholics, forsooth) who, I say breaks out against them all, in this most emphatical and plain and positive execration: Confounded be all they that worship or serve graven images, and that boast themselves of Idols and falls-gods. O therefore, whoever thou art that belongest to God (for I am not so uncharitable, but to believe, God hath some, yet blinded, ignorant and captivated souls, even in Spain and Rome it self, whom he will timely take out from among them) lay this, I say, as close to thy heart, as it comes close unto thee, and most nearly concerns thee: And readily and speedily embrace that gracious invitation of thy most sweet Savior and only precious Redeemer and efficacious Intercessor the Lord Jesus Christ, Who, having already peremptorily declared and foreshowne the certain ruin and confusion of the red Dragon, the Scarlet Whore, the Antichrist of Rome, with such indubitable assertions and asseverations thereof, as is clear, Revel. 18. 2. as if it were already done, in these words, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen (see what a serious asseveration, is here, with an ingemination in the present tense) and is become the habitation of devils, the hold of unclean spirits, and a very cage of all unclean and ravenous hateful birds, as I think, hath been abundantly seen and shown, to the purpose, in this little Treatise. Therefore, I say, in regard her ruin is so certain, the Lord Jesus Christ, most graciously invites all his poor people (whom though mixed among the Romish Babylonians, he hath a purpose to save and preserve) to come out of Babylon unto him, saying, ver. 4. Come out of her, my people, come out of her, that ye be not partakers of her sins; and so consequently, that ye may not receive of her plagues: Which, now, without all controversy, the Lord is pouring out upon her, and resolving, ver. 6. to reward her, as she hath rewarded God's Saints, and to double unto her double, according to all her abhominable works, and in the Cup which she hath filled to others to fill her double. Even so, Come Lord Jesus come quickly to revenge the precious blood of thy slaughtered Saints, hasten thy coming, and (for thine Elects sake, as thou hast promised) shorten the days of their sorrow, Amen and Amen.