A Looking Glass for All Lordly Prelates

The 1. Parallel between the Devil and Lordly Prelates.

1. First, the Devil (for his condition and quality) is an Apostate Angel, who kept not his first estate and 〈◊〉 , and abode not in the truth. Jude 6. John. 8. 44. Such are all Lordly Prelates and Bishops, both by their own exposition of Rev. 2. 1. 5. 6. Where they interpret, the Apostate Angel of the Church of Ephesus, to be the Lord-Bishop of that Church alleging this Text as the principal Scripture, to prove their Hierarchy of Divine Institution; ) and by common experience: For as Lord Bishops are fallen from the piety, holiness, humility, poverty, zeal, meekness, laboriousnesse, heavenly mindedness, charity, and equallity with other Ministers, that was in the true Christian Bishops of the Primitive Church and now openly avow the Popish and Arminian Doctrine of The Total and Final Apostasy of the Saints from grace. So most of them being made Lord Bishops, (to prove this doctrine of Apostasy true by their practice) fall away from the piety, zeal, holiness, meekenesfe, diligence, frequency in preaching, and most other virtues which they had or used in verity or pretence, before they were made Bishops (in case they had any virtue or goodness in them before, of which too many of them were never guilty,) and become far worse Christians, •… arre greater Persecutors and enemies to God, his truth, his people, and more unholy, coveto •… s, lazy, vicious in their lives then ever they were before; as all histories and experience manifest, beyond all contradiction.

And how many of our present Lord Prelates are turned open Apostates from the established doctrine and discipline of this Church of England to Popery, Arminianism and Romish superstition, and all the zeal, the honesty, the piety and goodness they had or seemed only to have before they were Lord Bishops, I leave to every man's experience to determine, some of the best of them being so strangely warped of late, that it made a great Popish learned Lord confess openly at the Table this last summer, That if ever he altered •… is Religion, he would turn Puritan; for Puritans ( saith he) are constant to their own Religion and Tenets, but the Bishops so fable and wavering with the times, that we know not where to have them, such Apostate Angels are they.

Secondly, the Devil is an unclean spirit, void of holiness, full of all filthiness and impiety, and is hardly •… ast out of those he once possesseth, Math. 10. 1. 6. 12. 43. Mark 1. 23, 26, 27. c. 5. 2. 8. c. 7. 25. Luke 4. 33. 36. c. 6. 18. Acts 8. 7. Such are most Lordly Prelates in all respects, witness their u •… clean, profane, voluptuous, impious, godless lives and actions in all ages. Of which all histories stink and surfeit; to omit the present filthin •… sse of many of them: And how hard they are to be cast out where once they get but footing, our own histories and instant experience too well demonstrate.

Thirdly, the Devil is a dumb and deaf spirit, making some m •… n dumb, yet never any Preachers that I read of, except Prelates or thos •… that •… old be such) d •… b, that they cannot speak, and oth •… s 〈◊〉 that they cannot h •… re, till Christ dispossessed them of these Devils, Mark 9. 17 25. Luke 11. 14. Such are Lordly Prelates for the most part; they are not only d •… be themselves, very seldom or never preaching in their Diocese, or opening their mo •… thes in the Pulpit to teach the people, whom they of •… er bite and •… ear with their teeth, then instruct with their toungues. And also deaf, in turning the deaf care to the cries, petitions and lamentable complaints of those many godly faithful painful Ministers and people now most injuriously oppressed, persecuted, silenced imprisoned vexed ruined, and deprived by them, both of the foo •… of their souls & bodies: (such inexorable merciless deaf Devils are they, to these, and all good motions else. But likewise by their ill examples, make divers other preaching Ministers dumb and mute, and by their illegal suspensions inhibitions Injunctions or Excommunications, close up the mouths, and muzzle up the tongu •… s of sundry other the most powerful, frequent constant preachers whom their examples cannot silence, (as late woeful experience everywhere manifests, Especially in Norwich Diocese) By means whereof; as also by suppressing most week-day Lectures, with all afternone Sermons on the Lord's Day in most Countries, and prohibiting people that have no preaching at home, to go out of their Parishes to hear God's word abroad, they make thousands everywhere so deaf, that they cannot hear the sweet vovce of the Gospel preached though they desire it: Such dumb yea deaf Devils are many Lord Prelates now become, whom Christ himself (no •… oubt) & that by miracle will shortly cast out, that so our dumb silenced Ministers, may once more speak, and our d •… afe people hear his s •… creed word, to the vnspeacable comfort and salvation of their souls.

Fourthly, The devil is an evil spirit, who doth nothing else but vex, torment, tear, torture and disquiet men, of purpose, to destroy them Math. 15. 22. Mark. 9. 18, 20, 22. Luc •… e. 6. 18. And have not domineering Lord Prelates been like the Devil, in this respect, in all ages heretofore, (as the Acts and Monuments of our Martyrs, collected by Master Fox, sufficiently demonstrate?) Yea, What else do many of them at this day, (but like so many tormenting Devils) vex, torment, tear, torture, pill, pole, Pursuivant, toss up and down from Court to Court, prison to prison and disquiet all kinds of people, Especially godly Ministers and Christians (whom they brand with the name of Puritans ) with their daily Citations, Excommunications, Suspensions, Pursevants, Apparitors, Chancellors, Officials, Visitors, Archdeacons, Visitation-Oaths, Articles, Injunctions, new minted Ceremonies, Innovations, Slauders, false accusations, fines, Sequestrations, Censures, Exactions, Procurations, Extorted, •… es &c. Of purpose to fleece, Flay, and destroy them? So like are they in this particular also, to their Father the devil.

Fifthly, The devil casteth same of God's Saints, and Ministers ofttimes into Prison. Rev. 2. 10. Yea, into the fire sometimes, and sometimes into the water, to destroy them, Mark. 9. 22. The Lordly Prelates have done the like in all ages, Witness the French and English Acts and Monuments: of Martyrs, Which record, how many 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 of God's Saints and Ministers they have imprisoned, cast into the fire & water burned, drowned; This they still proceed to do in foreign partes; And though they neither burn nor down them, as yet, here at home, (not so much for want of will, as Law to do it) Yet like so many Furies, they now daily silence, excommunicate, deprive, pursivant, imprison, fine, bannish, and ruin them, as much as in any age whatsoever, And if they cannot burn them at a Stake, they will sure to crop of their •… res, & shed their blood on some Pillary, and then mue them up in a Prison all their days, A lingering la •… ing tyranny, far worse then present Mar •… irdome.

Yea in this particular instance they far outstrip the very Devil himself; in two things: For where as, he •… cast but some only of God's Saints and Ministers into prison and that, but for ten days, Revel. 2. 10. They commonly cast not some, but many of them into prison, and that not only for ten days, weeks, nay months, and years, and ofttimes during life: And whereas Paul though imprisoned under that most b •… oody Devil and Tirant Nero in Pagan Rome, had so much liberty, as to dwell two years space together in his own hired house, and 〈◊〉 receive all that came in unto him: Preaching the Kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence NO MAN FORBIDDING them, Act. 28. 30. 31. Neither the Devil, nor Nero shutting him up close prisonner: Yet these Lord Prelates to show themselves more cruelly barbarous and Tyrannicall then either the Devil or Nero, have anciently, and yet daily do shut up divers of God's Ministers and people close prisoners, restraining all free access of friends, or company to them, and are so far from permitting or not prohibiting them to preach in prison, that they inhibit and forbid them to preach even when they are at large, such is their fatherly piety, pity, love, and charity, their very tender mercies (just like the devils) being naught else but cruelties. Pro. 12. 10.

Sixthly. The devil i •… an exceeding fierce and furious spirit, who desires to have nothing to do with Christ, whose sacred presence torments him before his time Math. 8. 28. 29. And when he leaveth his house for a time, and then returns and findeth it swept and garnished, he taketh with him 7. other spirits more wicket then himself, and they enter in and dwell there, and so the last estate of that man, in whom •… they reside, is worse •… hen the first. Math. 12. 23. 24. 25. Luke 11. 24, 25. So most Lord Prelates are exceeding fiery, fierce, and furious spirits, who will not be crossed or affronted in any thing be it never so impious or unjust. Noah Kings, Lord's, Nobles, being so violent, unreasonable, outrageous malepart, fierce, chollericke peremptory, or furious in their designs, or pursuit of their ends as they; moreover they desire to have little or nothing to do with Jesus Christ, or his sacred Ordinances which the sincere and diligent reading, preaching discoursing and meditation of his word, the due administration of his Sacrements, the strict sanctification of his sacred Sabbaths (which they count 〈◊〉 heavy Jewish yoke of bondage &c.) the •… tation of his 〈◊〉 , imprisoned or disconsolate afflict •… d members &c. (a thing from which they are so far themselves, that they make it a piac •… lum in others, to visit godly prisoners.) These petty •… riviall things and Christian duties are below their Pomp & State, it beseems not their Lordships honor to stoop so low as our Savior's (f) Plough-tail; or to enter into a poor cottage or Prison to visit a poor me •… ne Christian.

These things they put off to the meanest Curates, as overmeane for their Lips; who scorn to bus •… themselves with lesser matrers, then managing the greatest State Offices and affairs, waiting at kings own elbows, following the heels of rheit Courts to get more preferments; Lording it over their whole Diocese yea over whole Kingdoms at their pleasures, and that over Lord's and knights if not Kings themselves as well as Ministers, and the meanest Curate •… ; sitting as Judges not only in their Consistories, visitations, and High commission Courts, but at Assizes, Sessions. Yea in Star chamber, and Exchequer-chamber to, M •… king of new Canons, Injunctions, Oaths, Articles, and Printin •… enforcing them on the subjects with all violence, in their o •… e names alone, like absolute Monarkes, Popes, and Parliaments: These, and such like, are the things that Lord Prelates busy thems •… lves with all, and in advancing their Jurisdictions, Revenues, Wealth, Pomp, State; But they will have nothing or very little at all to do with Christ, whose sacred presence (Either by the powerful preaching of his word, the Purity of his Ordinances, the reprehēsion of their sines, the approach or meditation of the day of death or Judgment, or by the growth or progress of his true spiritual Kingdom under their noses,) is so irksome to them, that it •… ments them before the time, & make them frett, fume, rage, vex, chafe, and play about them like mad men, as appears by the Book of Martyrs, yea, by present experience with out further evidence. And if at any time after they are made Bishops, they leave their former habitations, and repair to their Diocese, or be translated from one See to another; they commonly take with them seven other spirits as bad, ar more wicked themselves, (to wit, Archdeacons, Chauncellors, Registers, Appariters, howshold Chaplains, Secretaries, and private Informers against good men ) who reside either near or with them in their Diocese; which are so vexed, pilled, polled, spoiled, corrupted, by these Horseleaches, and Caterpillars, that the last estate of them, when they leave them, is commonly far worse then the first, when they repaired thither; yea their Bishoprics too, are usually so pared by the sale of woods, renewing of leases, granting of offices, Reversions, and such other usual devices of these Ghostly Fathers, before their deaths and translations, that they leave them commonly in far worse estate then they found them; So like are they to the devil, to make all things worse and worsethey meddle with; The reason (I take it) of our usual English Proverb, when any Milk or Broth on the fire is burnt, and thereby marred; that the Bishop hath been in the Pot; Because they commonly mar all things where they come, as the devil doth.

Seventhly, The devil takes men captive at his will, and few that are taken by him recover themselves (but with great difficulty) out of his snares, 2 Tim. 2. 26. So domineering, tyrannizing, Prelates, imprison, pursivant, and take men captive at their pleasures, against all Justice, equity, piety, pity, Laws of God and man, against Magna Charta, the Petition of Right, and all other Acts of Parliament for the Subjects liberties. Take but one fresh instance; for an example, instead of hundreds more: on the 26. of this instant January, one Knight, a Glass-man in London, for repeating a Sermon in Norfolk, was convented before the Archbishop and other High-Commiffioners at Lambeth, and tend •… ed an Ex Officio oath (not warranted by any Law of God or man, and in direct terms forever exploded, and not warrantable by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm in the late Petition of Right 3. Caroll: ) he thereupon answered, that he was not fully satisfied in conscience of the lawfulness of that oath, and therefore humbly desired his Grace, that he might be satisfied, first, in point of conscience errehe took it. The Archbishop hereunto replied like a learned Prelate; You shall be satisfied I warrant you, take him laylor to •… he Fleet, where he now is: Alas, is this the learned satisfaction, the argumentation, and sole Logic of our Prelates, to quiet men's consciences, and remove their doubts. Take him laylor, away with him Purfevant to the Fleet, and that against the express Petition of Right, which enacts, that no man hereafter shall be compelled to take SVCH AN OATH, or be confined or molested, or disquieted concerning the same, or for refusal thereof? Was ever such language heard out of our Savior's or his Apostles mouths? Take him Jailor, to Prison with him, &c. or did they ever give such satisfaction to men's conscience as this? No verily; This only is the devils language, law and spiritual satisfaction, Who takes men captive at his will; as these Lord Prelates now daily do, by his example. And as those who are taken captive by the devil, can hardly recover themselves out of his snares again: So those who are thus unjustly imprisoned and apprehended by them, can hardly recover themselves out of their snares; Such tenacious devils are they.

Eighthly, The Devil goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour. 1 Pet. 5. 9. Job. 1. 7. c. 2. 2. So do Lordly Prelates, their Officials, Commissioners, Pursevants, and Apparitors, especially when they ride about to visit, pill and poll their diocese; only this is the difference, that the Devil goeth and they ride, and coach it about in state.

Ninthly, The devil lays snares and traps to entangle and catch men, 2 Tim. 2. 26. Rev. 2. 23. So do Lord Bishops lay baits, snares, and spies in every corner, especially to entrap and catch, betray or inform against godly Ministers & Professors of Religion, with all other sorts of men of whom they may gain money or advantage to themselves, or Officers.

10. The devil is, and hath been a murderer of men's souls and bodies, from the beginning till this present, John 8. 44. Such have Lord Prelates been in all ages from their very beginning to this instant as a •… histories, our Books of Martyrs and present experience manifests.

11. The devil is a liar, yea the Father of lies, and there is no truth in him, yea when he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own John. 8. 44. Such are all Lorly Prelates, in raising up a false enormous, schandals, tales, reports, accusations, and forged calumnies, of all good Ministers and people, in broaching false Doctrines, Errors, Heresies, and forging many fabulous stories, false glosses, miracles, tales, and spurious Antiquities, to support their tottering Hierarchies and usurped Episcopal Jurisdictions; in being treacherous yea perfideous in all their words and actions both towards God and men, Especially to their Princes, and those who have most relied on them, as all the Italian, German, and English Stories, Writers of the lives of Popes and Prelates, and Mr. Tindals practice of Popish Prelates, testify at large, and present experience much complains of, there being no such gross Hypocrites, Machiavils, Equivocators & perfideous faithless persons breathing, as some Prelates show themselves; and that as well in Divine as temporal affairs and transactions.

12. The devil is an accufer, ( a false Ruducing calumniator of the Brethren, ) & true Saints of God Reb. 12. 10. whence, false accusers, are styled devils, in the Original Greek. 2. Tim. 3. 3. Such have malicious Lordly Prelates been in all ages; and never more then ( ) now; accusing all godly, faithful Christians, Preachers and Ministers of the Golpell (whom they and the Papists now term Puritains) to Kings and great Officers of State, of seditions, rebellion, disobedience, disloyalty, treason, schism, inconformity, conspiracy, unlawful conventicles and assemblies, false dangerous Doctrines, puritanisme, and the like; only for their godly, holy, just, and blame less lives, their powerful, Zealous, freq •… ent, preaching, praying, the discovering of, or declayming against their idlenesses, lordlynesses, luxury, persecutions, tyranny, covetousenes, secularity, Superstition is Popish Doctrines, Innovations, and intolerable enchroachments both Superstition •… s his Majesty's Ecclesiastical Prerogatives, and the Peoples liberties, consciences, and estates. All this their own and that sworn creatures daily s •… ditious Court Sermons, and Treatises, evidence past all denial.

13. The Devil envied and maligned holy Job, stripped him of his Children, Cattle, Servants, estate, health, and all earthly comforts; tormented him with botches and blaines from top to toe, and persecuted him with the most extremity of his malice and power; Only because he was a just man that feared God, Neither was there any like him for goodness in all the earth. Job. 1. & 2. & 3. Thus likewise have done and yet do the Lordly Prelates serve many of the •… minentest, best, yea most godly faithful Ministers and Christians, whose families and estates they have utterly ruined, depriving them of their Benefices, freeholds; Iectures, Ministry, lawful callings (contrary to the fourth Cōmaundment) stripping them quitte naked of altheir estates by Fines, or costly Suites, and then casting them into a nasty Prison, there to rot and perish, or banishing them the Land, and troubling all such godly Christians who out of piety or charity dare contribute any thing to there relief, witness the Mayer, Tounclerke and Aldermen of Gloster, not long since convented by the now Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, as most notorious offenders before his Majesty and the high Commission to, only for granting an annuity to their ancient Preacher Mr. Workman, which they were enjoined by his Lord-ships Grace to Cancell. Such cruel, merciless, barbarous, inhumane devils are they degenerated into, as to make charity and mercy itself to godly Ministers, a grievous crime.

14. The devil is full of venom, poison, rankor, wiles, devices, craft, and subtelty, to mischief and destroy men, seeking and taking all advantages to hurt them. 2. Cor. 2. 11. Ephes. 6. 11. Whence he is called a 〈◊〉 , and an old Sarpent. Isaiah 27. 1. Cor. 11. 3. Rev. 12. 2. 14. 15. c. 20. 2. Soe are the Prelates, as Ecclesiastical Stories, the Book of Martyrs, the History of the Counsel of Trent te •… ifie and experience evidenceth beyond all contradiction, in our present serpantine, venomous malicious Prelates ( ) wise only to d •… evil, but to do good they have yet no knowledge; for ought appears by their daily practices.

15. The devil is the Prince of the world, by usurpation & tyranny. John. 12. 37. c. 14. 30. c. 16. 18. Ephes. 2. 2. Yea the Prince of the darkenesses of this world. Ephes. 6. 12. So are Lord Prelates, who bear chief rule and sway in all Churches and States where they are, dominering like absolute Pri •… es, Kings, Tyrants in most Christian Realms, exercising all temporal, all Ecclesiastical Dominion at their pleasure, and Lording it over all men, yea, over Lord's themselves contrary to our Savior's express inhibition Math. 20. 25. 26. 27. Luke 22. 25. 26. 27. Mark. 10. 42. 43. 1. Pet. 5. 1. 23. Yea which is very observable. Bishop, White, in his late Epistle to the 〈◊〉 of Canterbury, before his Treatise of the Sabbath, London 1635. is not ashamed to appropriate that Text of Psal: 45. ( inste •… d of thy Father shall be thy children, whom thou ma •… st make Princes in all the earth,) to Bi •… ops only; who (it seems) have now jointly conspired together in all Countries, to make themselves Princes in all Kingdoms of the earth; and to engross the sole government of them and the whole worldinto their spiritual hands, as they conspired in this Manner of old both at home and abroad; •… itnesse 37. Hen. 8. c. 17. 28. H. 8. c. 10. M •… . Tindalls Practice of Popish Prelates, and his Obedience of 〈◊〉 Chri •… ian man. Moreover they are certainly the Princes of the 〈◊〉 darkenesses of this world; both by putting out the glorious lights and Preachers of God's word; and sweeping down the brightest stars of our Church from heaven which their dragonlike tales, in every place; by degrees, and by purging this very passage out of the first Collect in the last Fast-book: Thou hast delivered us from superstition and idolatry wherein we were utt •… drowned, and hast brought us into the most clear and comfortable light of thy holy word, &c. of purpose to bring us back again into superstitious, Romish Hellish darkness, utterly to drown both our souls and bodies in it. And are they not then pretty Princes, stars and Angels of darkness?

16. The Devil challengeth all the Kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, as his own, and by a 〈◊〉 and grant of them, tempteth Christ himself •… to full dow •… and worship him, Math. 4. 8, 9, 10. Luke 4, 5, 6, 7. This not only the Pope doth, in direct terms, (as 〈◊〉 Crakenthorpe proves at large, in the first Chapter of the Popes temporal Monarchy, ) But the Lordly Prelates likewise; who anciently have, and now again attempt, to sway and dispose of all Kingdoms of the world with all dignities, offices, and promotions in them at their pleasures; and by promise of them, or of Bishoprics, Benefices, Deaneries, and other preferments to them creatures and agents, tempt divers both of the Laity and Clergy, even against their knowledge and conscience, to fall down, obey fear, serve, and worship them more then God, then Christ, their Sovereigns or their laws, as woeful experience manifests at this day, wherein most men in authority, fear and worship our Prelates more then God or the King, and are more careful to obey, more fearful to offend their Injunctions, Articles, Edicts, pleasures, then either God's or the Kings laws, as I could instance in sundry particulars, in Prohibitions, habens corpora and other actions against the Lord Prelates, their officers and creatures which I spare to mention.

17. The devil adventured to tempt Christ himself by several successive temptations, to draw him to his beck. Math. 4. 1. to 12. Luke 4. 1. 10. Soe do Lordly Prelates, adventure by several wiles Stratagems, flateries, promises and fair pretences, (yea and by perverting the Scripture it self, as the devil did here with Christ) to tempt Kings, Princes, Nobles, great officers of estate, Scholars, Lawyers, and all men of note, (especially the eminent Preachers and Professors,) to take their parts, to prostitute themselves to their Papal Institutions, Superstitions, Decretals, pleasures, Ceremonies, Innovations and commands; and to protect, uphold, advance their Antichristian tottering Hierarchy, (as ancient Histories, with present experience, and Mr. Tindalls Practice of Popish Prelates testify.

18. The devil would have Christ himself to fall down and worship him notwithstanding God's express Commandment to the contrary, Math. 4. 8. 9. 10. Luke 5.. 6. 7. Soe our Prelates would have all men even against the laws of God and the Realm to fall down and submit to them and their antichristian novel Ceremonies, Articles, Injunctions Oaths, Vsurpation, Extorsions, encroachments to bow and cringe to Altars, Images, Crucifixes, Crosses, the Sacramental Bread & wine, the ver •… name of Jesus &c, and to publish their Declaration •… or sportes and pastimes on the Lord's day, coloured only by them with his Majesty's name, though really none of his in their Parish Churches, as if it were God's own 〈◊〉 & Law, to spurr up yea precipitate the people to all manner of disorder, & the profanation of God's own sacre •… day, to the ruin both of their soul •… s and bodies. (Yea the overthrow of all piety and Religon,) silencing, suspending, excommunicating, yea suing such in their Consistories, and high Commissions, who refuse to puplish it, (though there be no Law or Canon for it,) notwithstanding God's Commandments, and many late examplary Iudgments from heaven, ( •… or which, some Prelates threaten to bind God Almighty himself to the peace and good behavior at the next Quarter Sessions and Assizes, expressly prohibit it: Soe like are they in this particular to their Spiritual Father the devil in persuading, enforcing men to fall down and worship them and their Commandments against God's own heavenly Precepts.

19. The devil is a great enemy to the purity of God's word and ordinances, and whiles men sleep soweth Tares among the wheat and good seed to corrupt and mar •… e them Math. 13. 24. 25. 38. 39. So do Lord Prelates, who sophisticate, pollute, deprave, yea mar the purity of God's word, worship. Sacraments, and other Ordinances with their Idolatrous, Superstitious Antichristian Ceremonies, vestments, genuflexions additaments, mixtur •… s and human inventions, And whiles many of our Spiritual Watchmen are a sleep and silenced, they have sown so many Popish Tares among our wheat that little else but Tares appear now upon the ground, & by that time Harvest comes, If men awake not the sooner, we are like to reap nothing but a crop of these pernicious Tares instead of wheat, being already led by some leading Prelates (like the Sirians by the Prophet Elishah into the midst of Samaria 2. Kings. 6. almost into the very midst of Roome like persons hoodwinckt, before we are aware of it; as all whose eyes God hath opened plainly se.

20. The devil hinders God's Ministers to go and preach the Gospel to the people that they may be saved 1. Thess. 2. 8. So do the Prelates now by suspending, silencing, excommunicating, imprisoning most of the best and powerfullest Ministers, and forbidding them to preach unto the people, that they might be saved (Yea even in the times of Pestilence and mortallity) to fill np their sins allway, •… or the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. 1. Thes. 2. 16.

21. Where the devil cannot hinder the preaching of God's word altogether, there he comes and steals it away presently out of men's harts and minds, as soon as it is sown, that so it may take no root, and bring forth no fruit at all. Math. 13. 19. So Lord Prelates, where they cannot altogether suppress the preaching of the word, do (just-like the devil) endeavor pr •… ntly to catch and steal it out of men's hearts, by giving them liberty on the Lord's own day, as sone as ever the Sermon is ended, to fall to their May-games, Morisses, dancings, sportes, and pastimes, (practice condemned in express terms long ago by Clemens Alexandrinus, Pedagogil. 3. c. 11. Tertullion de spect •… lib. & Chrysostom H •… m. 5. in Math. and by all Divines of note since their age tot his, as Hellish, Heathenish, Diabolical, impious, and pernicious, depriving men's souls of the benefit of all God's Ordinances) and by prohibiting them to meet together to repeat their Ministers Sermons with their friends, neighbors, and families punnissing them for Conventicles if they do it, contrary to St. Paul's, St. Chrisostoms, Theophelacts, Caesarius Arelatensis, Bishop Jewels, Dr. Boys, Mr. John Sprintes, Bishop, Baglies, and all other Divines Doctrine that I ever read or heard of, (If not to the Canons, 1571. p. 16. & 1602. Can. 13 & 79) who much vrget his Repetition of Sermons as a necessary duty on all Christians, though of divers families) A stupendous strain of Atheistical profaneness, and desperate impeity which no Prelates ever aspired to, before these of this last impious age, in affront of all the Prelates and Clergy of England in H. 8. his days, who prescribe and urge it much to these Nouellers eternal shame.

22. The divi •… l to work his own devilish ends and designs, will sometimes transform himself into an Angel of light, though he be still a devil in truth 2. Cor. 11. 14. So the Prelates (the archest Hypocrites breathing) will sometimes do the like, putting on a counterfeit vizard of piety and holiness, to cloak their devilish designs, seeming, Angels of light in show, when as they are still mere Devils incarnate in verity: as appears by several Popes, by Thomas of Becket, Anselm, Edward, Thomas, and William, of Canterbury, with divers of our anuncient English, and late out landish Prelates, whose lives are at large related in Antiquitates Ecclesiae Britanicae, Malmesbury & Godwyn, in the 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. Centuries of Magdeburg (cap. 6. 7. 10. of each) in Crantzins •… is Metropolis, Catalogus Testuum veritatis, Auealini An: Boiorum, & others; who manifest Lordly Bishops in all ages, to have been the greatest Pypocrites, dissemblers, Schizmatickes, Atheists, Traitors, Rebells, Villaines, and Monsters of impiety, under the pretence of Sanctity, that ever had existence in the world; as you may there read at leisure; and in Doctor John White his way to the true Church Sect. 55. n. 9, 10. Sect. 57. n. 9, 10, 11. Sect. 38. n. 45, 6. and Defense of the way, c. 6.

23. The devil is a proud insolent domineering spirit, falling (as most hold) by this sin of pride and arrogance 1 Tim. 3. 6, 7. Isaiah. 14. 12, 13, 14, 15. Such and no other are the Lordly Prelates, witness all stories present unanswerable experience, and the common Proverb. As proud as a Prelate they being the most arrogant, insolent, domineering, proud, ambitious, Luciferian generation of all the Sons of men, trampling all others under their Lordly feet; when as if they were Christ's members or disciples, they should be the lowliest and humblest of all oaths both in heart and conversation, as he was Math 11. 29. An infallible Character that they are none of his institution, but the Devils, whose pride they imitate, equal, if not transcend, and which sin (no doubt) will shortly ruin them, Prov. 16. 18. as it did their father the devil.

24. The devil entered into Iud •… s (Christ's Lord Treasurer. John. 12. 6. 13. 29.) and moved him for 30. pieces of silver to betray his M •… ster Math. 26. 14, 15. Mark 14 10, 11. Luke 22. 3, 4, 5, 6. John 13. 17, 18, 19. c. 18. 3. So these Lordly Prelates, for hopes of honor, money, or preferments sell and betray even Christ himself, his Word, truth, Gospel, Saints, members, to the Pope, yea the devil himself, or any that will hire them to do it: Nay hundreds of them (both at home and abroad) have for lucre, honor and money, betrayed, murdered, deposed, conspired, and rebelled against their own Sovereigns, (Emperors, Kings, and Princes) (such notable treacherous varlets have they been in all ages) as sundry Stories manifest at large; yea in former ages, and this present too, they insinuate into men's heats, with p •… omises and rewards, causing Servants to betray their Masters, Wives their Husbands, Children their Parents, People their Pastors, Nay one Minister, one Professor (at least in 〈◊〉 ) another, and cause one friend, one neighbor to accuse, intrappe, and betray another, whom they malice for their grace and goodness, or any other occasion) that so they may persecute, hamper, ruin them in their ecclesiastical or high Commission Courts, or crush them by their temporal power and greatness at their pleasures, by putting them from their freeholds, and lawful callings, confining them to some prison, or forcing them to fly the land, in case they stoop not to their lusts in all particulars; as hundreds of late Presidents, manifest a •… •… ull.

25. The devil doth buffet and bind God's servants, till Christ by his infinite power doth loose them 2. Cor. 12. 7. Luke 13. 16. So have done, and yet daily do Lord Prelates buffet and bind God's people by their Censures, Excommunications, officers, Pursevants, Iaylo •… s, till Christ by his omnipotent power shall rescue and deliver them from this their tyranny.

26. The devil filleth men's hearts to lie to the Holy Ghost Acts 5. 3. So Lord Prelates with promises and persuasions do the like, by suborning their instruments in their writings and Sermons before Kings, Princes, Universities, and the most eminent assemblies, to maintain their Episcopal Jurisdiction, Lordlinesse, pomp and power, their superstious Popish Ceremonies, Altars, Crucifixes, Tapers, genuflexions, Conservations, adorations, &c. to be all Iure divino warranted an •… prescribed by God's Law and word, of purpose to deceive the Auditors (when as their consciences know t •… e contrary to be true, and that they lie against the Holy Ghost in what they preach and write) and to forge divers notorious fables and calumnies of Puritans Precizians and godly Christians out of their own poetical brains (as false as any figments in the golden Legend) to bring both them, the practice, power, and profession of Religion into public scorn; that so Popery, Atheism, and Profaneness may overflo •… the world, A dangerous (yet now a common) sin and practice, which I wish the guilty would reform by Ananias and Saphirahs exemplary punishments for this very sin, Acts 5. 3. to. 10.

27. The devil tempts and encourageth men to all kinds of sin, of wikednesse, and to disobey all God's Commandments, Gen. 3. 1. to. 7. to •… cleanness. 1 Cor. 7. 5. to cruelty and implacablenesse 2 Cor. 2. 11. to wantonness, worldliness, lasciviousness, profaneness, and fleshly lusts Ephes. 2. 2, 3. 1 Tim. 5. 15. besides murder, treachery, lying, and other forenamed sins. So do the Prelates; witness their many late ungodly, Superstitious, licentious Books and practices, to spurr men on to Popery and superstition, but especially to profane the Sabbath, to use dancing, Morrisses, May-games, erect Ales, May-poles, Bacchavalls, drink, swill, and play the Epicures, the Pagans, even on God's own sacred day (and that whiles we lie all under God's scourge & plagues for this very sin) to tumble them headlong into hell, and draw down all God's wrath and plagues upon us from heaven at once, to our speedy certain ruin. Take but one fresh instance of this kind: Master Skinner the Bishop elect of Bristol, this last S •… mmer even in the heat of the Plague, invited one Sir Garret Ramsford (a prisonner in the Kings Bench) with his Lady, to dine with him at his Country house on the Lord's day, and charged them not to fail him, for they would be very merry; They came accordingly, and his elect Lordship, according to promise was so merry, that he called for Bristow milk (strong Sacke) to season him for that diocese, and sucked it up so freely, that he had almost got the Staggars; and his men seeing their new Lord set upon so merry a pin, plied him so fast with it, that at last he bad them take away the Sacke for fear they should kill him with it, and what then should his Majesty do for a new Bishop? (as if enough would not be reddy to succeed him, if he were gone): Well, their company was so good, that they must stay at Supper with him too; they did so, and they were very merry; Supper ended, his Lor •… ship calls for a pair of Cardes, and to play they must all go; Sir Garret thereupon answered, My Lord I think you are of their opinion who hold, that the Sabbath endeth at six of the clock, that you will now go to Cardes, for I hope you will not play upon the Sabbath: No (saith he) I am not of that opinion; but his Majesty commandeth us to play on this day. A notorious untruth; For where (I pray) commandeth his Majesty, or alloweth B •… shops or Ministers to play at Cardes, or Dice, or Tables on the Lord's day, when as he commands; that nothing be done against the Laws and Canons of the Church, in that very Declaration they would father on his Highness, and the 73. and 74. Canons expressly pro •… ibit Bishops and Ministers to play at Cardes, Dice or any other unlawful games on any day, Much less then on the Lord's day, which the 13 Canon, and the Homilie, of the time and place of prayer, with 5. & 6. E. l. c. 3. and his Majesty's prime Act. 1. Carolic. 1. will inf •… rme them ought otherwise to be spent then in Carding, Plays and pastimes. Sir Garret replied, that he conceived, it was against the fourth Commandment: and that his Majesty neither would nor could command anything against God's Law; or if he did; we were not to obey in such cases. His Lordship replied, that the fourth Commandment was ceremonial and abrogated long ago. So (said Sir Garret ) you may say as well of all the rest; and if his Majesty should command anything against the other 9. Would you obey it? That (said his Lordship) we must dispute when there shall be occasion, (intimating, that if his Majesty should command anything against a •… y of God's Commandments (which we trust he will never do) the Bishops would obey it without any great dispute.) Well, Sir Garret would not play at that time, and thereupon the Cards were sent back again. And is not this a man (think you) like to make a very ho •… y Prelate? It may be so, for he hath since been consecrated (and that with some new Popish Ceremonies as is reported.) And in truth he needed a Consecration, for I remember well, when he was fellow of Trinity College in Oxford, he after pretty Bes Bauger so long, that he begat a strong kind of spurious tympany in his belly, for which I never heard, he did any pena •… ce, or made any purgation; But his Consecration (doubtless) hath purged this and all other his sins clean away: Such holy examples are Lord Prelates, whose doctrine had need convert men's souls, for few of their lives will do it.

28. The devil stirreth up Kings to offend God, to the destruction and prejudice of their subjects 1 Chron. 21. 1. and raiseth discordes and dissensions and disaffections between Kings and their subjects Judges 9. 23. And have not Lordly Prelates anciently, yea lately done or endeavored at least to do the like in Germany, France, that I say not in England too? Their chief practice 〈◊〉 always be •… e to ali •… nate subjects affectiens from their Kings, by putting them upon unjust Taxes, 〈◊〉 , Projects, Monopolies, oppressions, In •… ations; by giving them evil counsel, by •… opping the course of laws, of common Right and Justice, of the preaching power and progress of the Cospell, by advancing Idolatry, popery, 〈◊〉 , with their own intolerable 〈◊〉 and Lordly jurisdiction, by fathering all their unjust 〈◊〉 u •… on Kings, &c. and on the contrary to estrange the Ki •… gs hearts •… om their Subjects, by false Calumnies, by seditious CourtSermons and by infusing jealousies and discont •… nts into their heads and hearts against their best and loyallest Subjects without a cause; A devilish practice never more used then in these our days.

29. Satan will not be divided against Satan for fear his Kingdo •… e should not stand Math. 12. 10. So these Lordly Prelates will never be divided one against another in point of their Antichristian Jurisdiction Pomp, and Hierarchy (which they all concur i •… , though they have oft many deadly personal and particular fendes one with another) nor yet against the Pope or Devells Kingdo •… s; for then their o •… ne kingdom (a branch and me •… ber of the P •… pes and devils, as many of our godly M •… rtyrs and Writers have reso •… ved) should soon fall to ruin.

30. The devil (that Red-Dragon) had seven crowns upon his head Revel. 12. 3. to show his royal power. So have the Popes and other Prelates, Crowns and Miters o •… their pates, to testify their royalty and Lordly do •… inion over Kings and others, as they vaunted in D. Ba •… twicks Censure.

31. The Devil had a seat and Throne in the Church of Pergamos, wherein he sat in state Revel. 2. 13. So have the Prelates in their Cathedrals and Chapels; (as they then also boasted:) yea their great Cathedrals are but ch •… ires for these great two legged Foxes Lordly tales to sit in; 〈◊〉 a lesser meaner Chair did then c •… ntent the devil, who now sits in greater state, and is far better served and attended in our Cathedrals then ever he was in the Church of Perga •… us.

32. The devil (that Red-Drogon) with his tail drew the third part of the Stars from heaven and cast them to the earth, Revel 12. 4. So have Lordly Prelates (the tail of that fell Dragon) anciently, and of late times swept down the third part or more, of our stars (to wit, of all our faithful, powerful, pain •… full, zealous Ministers) f •… om heaven (to wit, from their Pulpits and •… hurches) and by their suspensions, excommunications, imprisonments, deprivations, suppressing of Lectures, persecutions, &c. have cast them to the ground, nay trampled them under their dragon-like paws, depriving them of their office and Benefices; thereby robbing God and Christ of the glory, the poor people's souls of the fruit and comfort of their Ministry, to their greatest grief.

33. This great Red Dragon, (the devil) stood before the Woman (the Church) which was reddy to be delivered of a man-child, for to devour her Child (her spiritual regenerate Children) as soon as it was borne. Rev. 12. 4, 5. Thus those Lordly Prelates do; No sooner can the Church be reddy to be delivered of a man-child, of a godly faithful Pastor, new Minister, or zealous Christian, but these great redd scarlet Dragons, (w •… o can suffer dumb Dogs, deboist, licentious, dissolute drunken, scandalous Ministers and superstitious Popelings to sit still and do what they list, without danger or countroll) are at hand (like P •… aroah, and the devil) to devour, silence, suppress, pers •… cute, and destroy th •… m as s •… one as they are borne, or •… gin but once publicly to appear in the world; as experience too well •… ifieth in most places, where a godly Minister or Christian can no sooner show his head or begin to do God faithful service but they presently lay traps and snares to hamper, or send Apparitors, Pursevants, with such other Hellish Furies, to seize upon them, that so their Lordships may swallow them all up at a bit; Yea if any good Book shall begin to peep out against their tyranny, Prelacy, and Innovations, Howses, Shipps, Studdies, Trunks and Cabinets must be broken up and ransacked for them: Such ravenous red •… Furious Dragons are they, and such open wide Sepulchers are their devo •… ring throats to swallow 〈◊〉 all things that any way make against them.

34. This Dragon, and his Angels make ware in heaven fi •… hting with Michael, (to wit, our Savior Christ) and his Angels Rev. 12. 7. Soe the Lordly Prelates and their Angels (To wit, their Deans, Arch-deacons Officials, Chauncellors, Commissaries, Surragates, Advocates, Proctors, Registers, Pursevanst, Sum •… ers, Apparitors, & Howshold Chaplaynes too for the most part) have in all ages to this very moment, made war in heaven (God's Church militant) with Christ and his Angels, To wit, his faithful, po •… erfull, godly Ministers; Preachers, Saints, and Servants; as all Histories, ages witness, And now this Battle seems to be at the hottest, here amongst us, More godly Ministers h •… ving been silenced, suspended, deprived, driven from their Ministry, & chased out of the Realm within these 5. years, though conformable to the established doctrine and discipline of our Church, then in many ages before.

35. When the devil co •… es down among the inhabitants of the earth, and of the Sea, then woe be to them Rev. 12. 12. Soe woe be to the kingdoms, Churches, and people, where Lord Prelates come and bear most sway amongst them, witness our Book of Martyrs, and Chronicles of England; & to these Diocese wherein they domineer; Witness Norwich Diocese and others at this present.

36. When this Dragon, and the Devil was cast out to the earth, he persecuted the Woman (the true Church of God) Rev. 12. 13. So have these Lord Prelates in all ages; (as the Books of Martyrs record at large) since they were cast out of heaven (Christ's true spiritual Church) for their Lordly pride.

37. When the Dragon saw the Woman had such swift wings given her, that She escaped his hands, and fledd into the wilderness, out of his reach and danger, where She was nourished for a time, then he cast out of his mouth a flood of water after her, to devour & drown her Rev. 12. 14, 15, 16. So these Lord Prelates, when any godly Ministers or Christians have escaped their Lordships, their Apparitors, Pursevants, or other Cathpoles hands by flight, or otherwise; power out of their mouths a flood of Execrations, Excommunications, Intimations, Suspensions, Maledictions, reproaches, obloquies, and outrageous Censures against them, to devour and over whelme them; Yea Excommunications with agravations, that no man shall buy, sell, trade, eat, drink, or have any conversation with them; An Hellish Antichristian, tyranny lately practiced, and revived (against all laws and Statutes of the Realm) against 4. men in Norwich, Only for not bowing at the name of Jesus; and against Mr. Samuel Burrowes of Colchester, for Indicting Parson Newman for enforcing the people up to his new rail to receive.

38. The devil, if stoutly and manfully resisted, will fly from us, ever raging (like a coward) over those with greatest extremity, that make the least resistance 1 Pet. 5. 9. James 4. 7. Thus do these Lordly Prelates; where they are stoutly and manfully withstood in their tyrannical exorbitant proceedings usurpations, and encroachments, by men of courage, there they (for the most part) fly, & give over; these ever fareing best, that most manfully oppugn them: Where they are crowched, bowed, and basely submitted to, or faintly resisted, or not opposed (as late experience too well manifesteth) there they rage, tyrannize, triumph most, and make strange havoc in the Church. If Ministers, or people then will ever be free from the tvranny, bondage, insolency, rage, or desperate oppressions, the unjust illegal Excommunications, Suspentions, exacted Fees, Visitation Oaths, Articles, Ceremonies, Innouations, Citations, Procedings of these outrageous devils, made in their own names and rights alone, under their propper Seals, without any Patent or Commission from his Majesty's authorizing them (Contrary to the express Statutes of 25. H. 8. c. 19, 20, 21. 26. H. 8. c. 1. 27. H. 8. c. 15. 31. H. 8. c. 9, 10. 32. H. 8. c. 26. 37. H. 8. c. 17. 1. Ed. 6. c. 2. 1, El. c. 1. 2. 5. El. c. 1. 8. El. c. 1. 13. El. c. 12.) or from their high Cō nission ex officio Oaths, Pursevants, imprisonments and Fines, contrary to Magna Carta c. 29. the Petition of Right. 1 Eliz: c. 1. (on which their commission is grounded 3 •… oli. and the Laws and Statutes of the Realm (as their very last High Commission it self expressly resolves; and therefore add a non obstante, these their ex officio oaths, imprisonments. fines, and censures be contrary to the Laws and Statutes of the Realm; Such is the Prelates Justice, conscience, piety, fatherly charity, and obedience to his Majesty's Laws, to foist such a desperate Papal non obstante into their High Commission): Let then them manfully, courageously, unanimously resist and withstand them to the uttermost of their power, by all just, warrantable, lawful means that may be (as loyalty to their King & Country, Charity to themselves and their posterity, and Conscience towards God, enjoin them) and then these base-borne, ignoble, cowardly, mushrom Lord's and devils (animated, flushed, enraged, only by men's former cowardice, faint-heartedness, and strange unchristian sordid baseness) will flee away shortly from them, and never assault or oppress them more, in such a tyrannical, unjust, illegal manner, as they have lately done; as Phil: 1. 27. I am. 4. 7. resolve and certify us for comfort and encouragement.

39. There is, and hath been from the fall of Adam, to this present, a bitter, perpetual, implacable enmity and war, between the old Serpent (the devil) and his feed, and Christ the seed of the Woman, his Church, and her seed, the elect and regenerate Saints of God: Genes. 3. 15. So hath there been between the Lordly Prelates, their officers, spawn, and generation, and Christ and his true spiritual seed and faithful members, even from their first original, till this present; witness the desperate enmity, the implacable malice, and horrid cruelty of the ancient Lordly Arian CourtBishops towards the orthodox Christians of old; Of the Popes, and popish Prelates to the true Ministers, Professors of the Gospel, and Protestants; and of the ceremonious; pompous, Lordly English Lord Prelates towards the Puritans, and Precisians (as they) nickname them) the powerful, painful, zealous, godly Preachers, Ministers, and Christians since; Of all which, our Books of Martyrs, with other Ecclesiastical Histories, and late Treatises give ample testimony, which present experience cannot but subscribe to.

40. The devil is a malicious malignant spirit whose malice is never satisfied, ended, mittigated, or appeased, but with the ruin of the parties maligned: as appears in Job. 1. 13. to 22. c. 2. 1. to 8: Where he could not be satisfied with the destruction of Job's Children, Oxen, Asses, Sheep, Camells, Servants, and estate, but he would have had his life too; and when that could not be obtained; Yet he would torment his body with sore painful boils from the Crown of his head to the sole of his foot. So Lordly Prelates malice and rankor against God's faithful Ministers, is endless, boundless, implacable, they cannot be content to vex, molest, and trouble them with causeless suites, unless they silence & stop their mouths: when that is done, they are never quiet till they have quite deprived them of their livings and Ministry, stripped them of all their lively-hood, cast them into some nasty Prison, or bannished them the Realm: When this is acco •… plished, Yet is not their rage abated, nor their malice extinguished; even in Prison they will keep an hard hand against them, use them with all de •… pit and rigor, deprive them as much as may be, of all relief, resort, and comfort, seek out new occasions to vex and persecute them, But if perchance they escape beyond the Seas, and get out of their clutches; then they persecute them (as the high Priests did the primitive Christians) even into strange Cities and Countries Acts 26. 11. raising up fresh troubles and storms against them by their Catholic agents, even there, to destroy them; as they did against Mr. Tyndale, and other Martyrs of old; and against some of our godly Ministers of late, being never at rest or peace, till they have either sucked their blood, or seen them dead in their graves; A truth too apparent by many present Examples fresh before our eyes.

41. The devil hath his Angels, his Ministring spirits, and spiritual Sons to do his service, advance his kingdom, and execute his Commandments Math. 25. 41. John. 6. 70. c. 8. 44. 1. John. 3. 8. 10. Yea, to persuade men to worship the devil and Idols of gold and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood, which neither can se, nor hear, nor walk Rev. 9. 20. Math. 4. 8. 9, 10. Luke 4. 5, 6, 7. 1. Kings 22. 28, 29, 30. So have Lordly Prelates their Angels, their spiritual Sons, and Ministring spirits, to execute their several Injunctions & Commandments: Their Angels, (To wit) their howshold Chaplains (now known Apostate Angels from their first faith love and works) and their spiritual Sons, To wit, their Priests serving at their •… ew erected Altars, (as themselves now pray, write and preach, who now call themselves the Sons of the Church; to wit, of the Bishops) who like an Oven heated by the Baker, send out nothing but black fiery Coals from the Altar, with which, their own tongues, and others lips being touched, by these great Seraphim Commandments (according to their usual forms of prayer, before their Sermons) instead of crying out against the Idolatrous Altlas of Bethel (as the man of God once did by God's special Commandment in the very presence of K. Jeroboam 1. King 13. 2, 3, 4.) they do nothing else but preach and cry out for Altars, setting up of Altars, Images, Crucifixes, Tapers, with other Altar-trinkets, even before our most gracious King himself; and Bray like a wild Ass, or rail and scolde like Oyster women, against those who preach for Lord's Tables (which they begin now again to term Oysterboardes, as that turn coat, Dr. White with other Papists did in •… u. Mary's days, when they did set up Popery afresh ) or oppose their Popish Idol-Altars, and the turning of our Tables Altar-wise: And not contented to set up Altars, and Crucifixes, against our Statutes, Articles, Homilies, Canons, Injunctions, established Doctrine of our Church, to which they have subscribed, Yea against the very Book of common prayer itself; (which prescribes only a Table, not any Altar) they crease not to preach continually at Court, Paul's-Cross, in both our Universities, and else where, that men 〈◊〉 and ought to bow down and worship the golden Images, the stately guilded Altars, Cru cifixes, Images, which their great Nabucadonozer, the Lord Prelates, have set up in their own Chapels, Cathedrals, and other Churches, (as if one Stone, Stock, Image, or dumb Idol, might not fall down and worship another alone, but all else must imitate their example, as the Rule of faith and worship (and themselves bow down and worship before them, as the Idolatrous Israelites and Pagans did before their Idols and Altars 1. Kings 12. 30. 2. King •… . 18. 22. 2. Kings 5. 18. Besides these Angels, and spiritual Sons) who preach nothing now all most but their Lordships Commandment •… •… de of God's) they have divers Ministring spirits; as Arch-Deacons, Commissaries, Pursevants, Apparitors, •… ilors, Registers, Informers, Advocates, Proctors, Spies, and Notaries in all places, to set up Al •… , 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 , impose and prescribe n •… w Ceremonies, Injunctions, Oaths, orders, Articles, to suspende silence, excommunicate, imprison, entrap, wailay, betray, persecute, fleece, and ruin all godly Ministers and people, and advance their Lordships Monarchy, Honor, Pomp, State, Raveuewes, Kingdom, and cause all men to fall down and worship them, like some •… petty God's descended from heaven, and their Antichristian fond Injunctions and Popish Innovations, as God's sacred Oracles: So like are they to their Father the devil in this resemblance.

42. The devil was a lying spirit in the mouth of Aha •… s Prophets; to persuade him to what they pleased, against God's word & true Prophets, &c. to advance his own designs: 1. Kings 22. 22, 23. So our Lord Prelates anciently were, & now are as much as ever, lying spirits in the mouths of many false Prophets (and I would we could not say, in most of his Majesty's Chaplains in ordinary, and others that preach before his highness, and in other public places) who preach naught else but their Lordships pleasures, and those words, those precepts, they cunningly put into their mouths, (as the Woman of Tekoah spake Joab's words to David ) to accomplish their own Antichristian designs, advance their own power and Hierarchy, and cause all men to adore them as the only God's, Lord's, and Oracles on the earth. Maximus Tirius records, That one P. Sapho dwelling in the parts of Libia, desirous to be canonized a God, took a sort of prating Birds, and secretly taught them to sing, P. Sapho is a great God: and having their lesson perfectly, he let them fly into thee Woods and Hills adjoining, where continuing there long, other Birds also by imitation learned the same, till the hedges rang with nothing but P. Saphoes dittie, Great is the God P. Sapho: The Country-people hearing the Birds, (but ignorant of the •… raud) thought Sapho to be a God indeed, and began to worship him. This •… ame not only hath been, but now is, both the Popes, and Lord Prelates practice; Who desirous to effect their own ambitious ends, advance their own pretended divine power, Jurisdiction, Hierarchy, and to be adored and obeyed in all their Antichristian Innovations, Injunctions, and designs, as God's, with sweet promises of preferments (which they have now for the most part monopolized into their own hands) they procure a company of bold audacious prating Birds (or Bussards rather) in our Universities, and elsewhere, with their own domestic Chaplains, to learn these notes by heart, That the Calling of Lord Bishops is Iure Divino; that the holy Fathers the Prelates are to order all Church-affairs, and to be obeyed in all their Injunctions and Commands without dispute: that they have power to decree Rights and Ceremonies, and authorities in Controversies of faith, a clause lately foisted by them into the 20 Article of our Church, (being not in the Latin, or English Articles of King Edward the fixed, Queen Elizabeth; Nor those of Ireland, taken Verbatim out of the English, that we must have Images, Crucifixes, Altars, Priests, Sacrifices; that men ought to set their Altars and Tables Altarwise at the East end of the Church, & to bow down unto them and worship them: that they ought to bow at the naming of Jesus, Stand up at Gloria Patri, the Gospel, Athanasius, and the Nicene Creed, read, the 2. service at the Altar, pray with their faces to the East, submit to the Lord Prelates in all matters of faith and discipline, believing as they believe, and doing as they do: that they must always declayme and cry out thus against Puritans (as they now do in all their Sermons) that they are seditious factious persons, enemies and rebels to the King and his laws, (when as the Bishops themselves mere hildebrands •… oth in Church and state, are such) mere Hipocrites and imposters, men far more dangerous and unsufferable in the State then Priests or Jesuits: that they must magnify auricular confession, extreme unction, and absolution, as things fitting to be received in the Church: Maintayne a real presence in the Sacrament: Deny the Pope to be Antichrist, or his Ceremonies to be Antichristian: Crie up the use of dancing, sports and pastimes on the Lord's day: Crie down the strict •… anctification of it as Iewdaisme, superticious, and puritanicall: Preach against lectures, lecturers, often preaching, and Sermons on the Lord's day afternoon, as mere babbling, prattling, and foolishness; with a world of such like Songes, all which these their prating Iayes having perfectly learned some two or three years since, they sent them abroad, not only into the Woods, Hills, and Dales in the Country, but also unto the Court, City, Universities, and places of greatest refort, to chaunt, and •… oar out these their Episcopal Ditties; where these singing Birds (or Decoyes rather) have so well played their parts of late, by preaching, printing, and chanting out these their lessons, in Citty, Court & Country, that other Birds also (by imitatiō ignorance, or hopes of like preferments as some of these first Decoyes ha •… h attained to,) fall to •… nge the self same ditties everywhere, as fast as they; So that now our Cathedrals, Chapels, Churches, Pulpits, ringe of little else but these Episcopal tunes and songs: which the people daily hearing everywhere (being ignorant, of the Prelates fraud and practice herein who taught those Birds these tunes, of which I now desire all to take public notice,) begin to think Lord Prelates, and all these their Romish Doctrines, Ceremonies, and Innovations, to be of divine Institution, and that their Lordships are to be obeyed in all things without dispute, as if they were God's indeed; whereupon, they now fall down & worship them as some petty, yea the greatest God's; and these their antichristian doctrines, C •… monies, Innovations, as God's sacred Oracles and Institutions, they being far more happy then P. Sapho, in this their stratagem (worthy most serious consideration and discovery.) That he deceived only the, simple Country people with this policy, but they, not only Countryclownes, but Citizens, Scholars, Courtiers, and some great nobles too I fear; who upon the discovery of this their diobolicall fraud (they speaking in these prating Birds, though Dumbe for the most part themselves, and singing the self same ditties when they speak, as the devil spake of old in the serpent) will no doubt vndeify them again, and esteem them but as men, or heathenish Idols, not worthy adoration or any longer credit; and all these their Innouations, Romish Doctrines and Ceremonies, as mere Jesuitical Impostures.

43. The Devil desires to have all faithful Christians in his clutches (especially the eminentest Ministers and Preachers of the Gospel) that he may fifth them like Wheat to the very Branne, to find an hole in their Coates, or an occasion to destroy them. Luke 22, 31. So have Lordly Prelates desired and done the like in all ages, and still persist to do it; we need not go far for Presidents to exemplify it, there being never an eminent sincere Minister of England whom the Prelates have not thus winnowed, and laid traps for; and persecuted more or less.

44. The Devil woe •… keth most of all, and beareth greatest sway in carnal fleshly men, and in the Children of disobedience. Ephes - 2. 2, 3. Soe do the Prelates work most in, with, by, and upon mere Formallists, licensious, dissolute, carnal men and Ministers, and those who are most disobedient to the laws of God, of Christ, of Kings and temporal Magistrates, whose Jurisdictions they have ever labored to eclipse abolish & tread quite underfoot, as one of our Kings, and our whole Parliaments have resolved in 2. public Acts. 37. H. 8. c. 17. & 28. H. 8. c. 10.

45. The devil cometh armed with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceiveablenes of unrighteousness 2. Thess. 2. 9, 10. So do the Popes, and whole •… able of Lordly Prelates, (as the Apostle there resolves,) who came armed against God's Church and people both with the temporal and spiritual Sword; with Ecclesiastical and civil Officers, Pursevants, Somners, Censures, punishments, ter •… ors, and vexations of all sortes; with signs and lying wonders (of which we have many Instances in Popish legends Postils and Stories old and new) and with all deceiveableness of unrighteousness; As costly Ornaments rich apparel, guilded Images, Stately Churches, Palaces, Altars, Altar-clothes, sweet sounding Organs, and Church music, gay 〈◊〉 , specious pretences, superstitious hipocriticall devotions &c. apt to cheat and ensnare all ignorant carnal people, The only devices by which they maintain, support, and increase their pomp, wealth, State and Lordly power as Bernard long since resolved, in his Apology to William Abot.

46. The devil doth by himself and his instruments endeavor to enchaunt and bewitch men, to work them to his will Levite, 20. 6, 27. 2. Sam. 28. 1. to 12. 2. Chron. 21. 6. 2. Chron. 33. 6. Thus he bewitched the people of Samaria for a long time by Simon Magus his Sorceries Acts 8. 9, 11. Thus he bewitched the Gallatians by false Prophets, that they should not obey the truth Gall. 3. 1. Thus he permitted the Emperor Charles the great to be bewitched by a notable Strupet with an enchanted ringe, having a pearl with some strange imagery graven thereon, so that he could never be out of her company, or deny her any request whiles She lived, nor yet suffer her corps (embalmed wrapped up in lead and carried about after him whether ever he went) to be out of his chamber or presence, when she was deed, till the ringe was pulled of her finger, in such sort hath the Antichrist of Rome the Pope, and Popish Prelates, heretofore enchanted divers kings and others with their sorceries and conjurations, to cause them to give up their royallpower & prerogatives to these Beasts, as Rev. 17. 2, 17. c. 18, 9. 28. H. 8. c. 10. Mr. Tyndale •… n his practice of Popish Prelates and Officers. relate. Thus did the great Cardinal, Favorite Woolsey, with Negromancy, and an Image made by sorcery, which he wore about him, enchant King Henry the 8. to bring him to his beck, which made the King to dote upon and run haunt after him, more then ever he did on any Lady or gentlewoman, so as the King after that, began to follow him, as he before followed the King, By means whereof, he ruled all things at his pleasure, till his black Art did fail him; Hereupon perchance) it was, that this King afterward made an Acte against Conjuration, witchcrafts, Sorcery, and enchantments to procure unlawful love &c. An. 33. H. 8. c. 8, This Art hath been practiced by many Priests and Jesuits here in England of late years, upon diverse of their Proselytes to seduce them to their faith, of which M. Gor, regords two stories practiced upon a couple of seduced Maydes, I could add two later, practiced upon two gentlemen (the one a young Devonsher man, of good estate, so bewitched with an enchanted Crucifix hing by a Priest about his neck, above 9. year since, that as long as it continued about him, all his friends could neither persuade, nor force him either to go to Church, or stay at home, or continue in the Realm, or to discourse or converse familiarly with them; but no sooner was it espied, and cut of his neck by his Mother (who believed it to be a Charme,) but he was presently another man, & wondered how he could be so strangely bewitched as he was for above 3. months space before; Wheither any of our great Lord Prelates have learned this Art from their familiars, Priests and Jesuits (who have charmed all their zeal and prosecutions against them, and turned the whole stream of it against the godlyest Ministers and people, whom they revile and persecute under the name of Puritans,) I leave to others to inquire after, who are more privy to their secrets then myself; If they have, I shall only desire them to remember, that Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, Neither is there any divination against Israel. numb. 23. 23. and if they have bewitched any men with any their sorceries, flatteries, misinformations, false delusions, or enchauntements, to up hold their Lordly pomp and greatenesse or Superstitious Romish Innouations, Yet this infernal craft (like untempered mortar) will vndoubtely fail them ar the last, and them shall they (like their Father Satan) fall suddenly and fearfully from heaven to earth, like Liteninge Luke 10. 18. yea the •… , with all their usurped power, lordlynes, po •… pe, State, glory, and multitude, shall forever descend into Hell. Isaiah 5. 14. as to their propper place. Acts. 1. 25.

47. The devil is an importunate suitor, who will hardly take any refusal or denial of his suite; A diligent so •… icitor and vigilant prosecutor of his designs, overslipping no opportunity or means to atcheive •… is ends, and an impudent shameless miscreant, who will never be shamed, daunted, terrified by any detection, discovery, or public dislike of his mischievous wiles, plots, and attempts against the Ministers, people, O •… dinances, Gospel, Kingdom of God and Christ; as appears by Job 1. 13. to. 22. c. 2. 1. to. 10. Math. 4. 1. to. 10. Ephes: 6. 11, 12, 16. 1 Pet: 5. 8, 9. So the Lordly Prelates are importunate suitors to Princes, and others, for the advancement & preservation of their Hierarcie, usurpations, Jurisdictions, Ceremonies, and the suppression of the purity and power of Religion, in which they will have no denial or foil; they are most vigilant, diligent, and earnest solicitors, loosing no 〈◊〉 , sp •… ring no cost or pains, or promises, to effect anything that may make for the advancement of their profit, honor, power & Jurisdiction, or suppression of the Puritans (as they term them now) as their late encroachments upon his Majesty's prerogative, the subjects liberties, the Common Laws, and other Officers witness, yea, they are impudent, shameless, most audacious brazen-faced creatures, who will neither blush at, give over, nor desist the prosecution of their impious Popish designs, though publicly detected to all the world; witness our present experience: For though the execrable Romish, •… esuiticall practices of some of our Lord Prelates to usher in Popery, Superstition and Idolatry, (as by licensing Popish and s •… perstitious Books, purging and altering the Common Prayer-book, •… ast-book, and Gun-powder-treason-boo •… e in a most g •… osse and shameless (that I say not traytorly) manner, by erecting Altars, Images, Crucifixes, Crosses, (as the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Arch-Irnovator both in Church and State affairs, though he will not be thus reputed, hath erected Altars and Crucifixes in the Chapels of Lambeth, Croydon, London-house, Fu •… ham, &c. The Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield D. Wright, this last pestilential Summer blotted out God's Ten Commandments in the Cathedral at Litchfield, a •… d set up a giont-like monstrous Crucifix, as big and large as any three men, with an Altar under it, and also raised the Chauncell; and set up an Altar at Coventry, as one Knightly, a known Popish Priest in those parts directed; as that Good-man, S. Godfrey of Gloster hath also erected a Crucifix and Altar in his Cathedral at Gloster, and solemnly consecrated Altar-clothes for them. And likewise hath set up a new Cross at •… inzor, with a large glorious Crucifix on the one side, and the picture of Christ arising out of his grave, with his Body half in and half out of his Sepulcher in goodly colors, on the other, not fearing to write thereon in Capitall letters, and to give public notice to all the Realm: That this Cross was repaired and beautified at his costs Anno Domini 1635. contrary to the express Doctrine of our Homilies, which condemned the very making of the picture of Christ, or a Crucifix as Idolatrous wicked, and a mere lie, to which, he, and all other our Cross erecting Prelates have often subscribed, and therefore are worthy of no painted, but a real Cross themselves, for tolerating and erecting such Crosses and Crucifixes, contrary to their own subscriptions, only to set Popery:) by silencing, suspending, and persecuting godly Ministers, Suppressing lectures and powerful preaching in many Diocese, encouraging people to neglect and profane God's Saboathes with all Heathenish sportes and impieties, imposing new visitation O •… thes, Articles, Ceremonies, and the like, setting up the Popes Canon law, railing upon godly Ministers and people, & suppressing them under the name of Puritans, Magnifying Popish writings, and vilefyinge Protestant Authors, endeavoring to bring in the Gregorian account, punishing all those that oppose their Romish Innovations, or indicte or molest them for it in the high Commission, now made a mere Spanish Inquisition to suppress our Protestant Religion, and set Popery with an high hand against his Majesty's Laws and public declaration, and by sundry other such Jesuitical tricks and stratagemes prescribed long since by the Jesuit Contzen Politiq. liber. 5. which their Lordships follow to an hairs breadth. Since some, or all these their execrable practices I say (at which the very devil himself might blush and hide his head) have been laid open to all the world of late, in such an apparent undeniable manner, that all the people both clearly see, declayme against, and abhor their treachery, villainy, and wicked Romish designs, and themselves (had they any conscience, shame, ingenuity, grace, or modesty in them) would be ashamed to show their faces either in city, or country, Much more at Court, having so notoriously abused his Majesty and affronted his Laws and Declarations in all these particulars, and injured his Highness in his Royal Issues, Sister, Nephews, in blotting them out of the Collect, late Fast-book, and Catalogue, of God's Elect; Yet these audacious holy Fathers (as blushlesse as their Gownes, their Rochetts or the devil) are so far from being ashamed, or reforming these their enormities and impieties, that they proceed on with as great or greater rage and violence in them then before, silencing more Ministers every day; yea breaking open the houses, committing close Prisonners and questioning those with an high hand, as seditious persons and offenders, who dare preach or write against, or find fault with those their perfidious, traytorly, disloyal, impious practices, Purgations, Innovations, Crucifixes, Altars, Tapers, and proceedings, execrable both to God and man; So like to the Devil are they grown, in their affronted shameless impudency.

48. The devil hath great wrath, b •… cause he knoweth he hath but a short time: Revel: 12, 13. So have Lord Prelates no •… , great wrath, and •… xercise strange unusual rage, persecutions, exorbitances against God's faithful Ministers and people, hunting after them with their blood-hounds the Pursevants, and ri •… ing and breaking up their houses, Studies, Coffers, with unheard of violence, as if they were the archest Traitors breathing, witness their late proceedings against Master Burton in clapping him up close prisonner, and convicting his wife and Clarke to several prisons only for obeying his commands in presenting his Appeales and Sermons to the Lord's, For God and the King, which makes people stand amazed at their tyranny, and causeth the Papists to triumph as if the day now were theirs: whereas Priests and Jesuits (mere Traitors by our laws) are favored of late, as their darling Sons, and not molested by them. Therefore doublesse the time of their usurped tyranny & reign will be but very short, and their sins now grown ripe withal for the Sickle of God's Iudgments) the fica •… l ruin of their antichristian Hierarchy and more then b •… barous tyranny, near at hand.

49. When the great redd Dragon and his Ange •… ls were cast out of heaven (God's Church) the heavens, and those that dwelt therein, by God's commandments, did rejoice, Rev. 12. 12. So when those Lordly Prelates and their forenamed Angels shall be ca •… quite out of the Church of God, She and all her faithful members will exceedingly rejoice, they being now her greatest grief and grievance, of which she is so weary and sick at heart, that she groans to be delivered from, unb •… thened of them, being now intolerable for her to sustain: Such is their present devilish insolency, pride and open tyranny: especially of that Arch-wolf, and mad red Dragon of Canterbury, who now makes open havoc of God's Church and Ministers; like another furious power, against all Laws of God & the Realm, to the amazement of the people.

50. Hell and everlasting torments are prepated for the devil and his Angels, reserved now in chains of darkness •… nto the Judgment of the great day, when they shall be all cast into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone forever: Math. 25. 41. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Jude 6. Revel. 20. 20. So are they prepared likewise for all proud Lordly, persecuting, unpreaching, oppressing, tyrannizing Prelates, who suppress the preaching and progress of the Gospel, with the Preachers, Ministers, and Professors of it, and hate them to the death: And if there be any place or torments in Hell, hotter, deeper, greater, or mo •… e insupportable, •… orrid, and loathsome then other, certainly that shall be reserved for these ungodly Lord Bishops and false Prophets; who shall have the same condemnation and torments in •… icted on them as the devil himself shall undergo. 1. Tim. 3. 6, 7. Rev. 20. 10. O that our proud persecuting Lording Prelates would now at last consider this, o that they would repent and amend in time before they fall down headlong quick into Hell, Some of them (as their late actions manifest to all the world) being grown as insolent, as impudent, as desperate professed public enemies to purity, piety, holiness the sincere preaching and Preachers of God's word and power of Religion, as the very devil himself; and some of them I •… ear) worse then any devils. For first all the devils believe God's threats, word, Iudgments, and tremble at them James. 2. 19. but they (as their atheistical, unjust, unconscionable, tyranicall lives and actions proclaim to all men,) do neither believe, nor tremble at them.

2. The devil confessed Paul & his fellow preachers, to be the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation Acts. 16. 16, 17, 18. Lordly Prelates will not confess our godliest faithfullest Preaching Ministers to be such witness there expung of the Collect in the last fast-book beginning thus: It had been good for us &c. Only because it magnifieth often preaching, and call such preachers, God's servants.

3. The devil is exceeding diligent night and day, but Lordly Prelates very lazy & negligent in following of their spiritual Plough, (as B. Latimer shows at large in his Sermon of the Plough: ) & so in those three respects are worse then he: When as they are parallels and checkmates with him in all and every of these 50. Particulars. From all which I shall frame this Argument, discovering the office and calling of Lordly Bishops and Prelates, not to be from God, nor of divine institution, but from the Devil, and his invention; which I challenge all great Lord Bishops to answer, if they can.

Those who are altogether like the very Devil, tread in his footsteps, do his works, and bring forth his propper fruits in all the forecited particulars and that principally by reason of their function; those ( questionless) are none of God's institution, but of their Fathers the Devil, of and from whom they are Christ himself so expressly resolving: John 8. 44. 1 John 3. 8. Math 7. 16. 20.

Such have Lordly domineering Pontificiall Bishops and Prelates in all ages been, and that principally by reason of their Lordly functions, as the premises, all Stories and experience manifest.

Therefore they, and their Lordly function, are none of God's institution, but of their father the devils, of and from whom they are.

Yet mistake me not, I pray, as if I concluded every Bishop to be like the devil in all these particulars, or to be damned; Such uncharitableness and impiety, be far from me and all good Christians; I know some Bishops have been godly men, and God's deer Saints, & I doubt not but there are some few such now: though their cowardice and silence in God's cause, in which they now dare not publicly appear, be inexcusable.

1. But yet this I say withal. First, that they were such before they were made Lord Bishops.

2. That their Bishoprics never made any of them better or more laborious or courageous sor the truth then before, but many of them far worse fearefuller and lasier.

3. That since Bishoprics were endowed with Lordly riches, Jurisdiction, power, and pomp, I never read of any one man that was ill before, who grew a good and godly Christian by being made such a Bishop (a thing remarkable;) nor of any good man before, that ever grew better, more painful, hol •… zealous, heavenly minded and laborious, but most of them all much •… orse, more idle, worldly, covetous, proud, luxurious, malicious, oppressive petulant, self-willed, and unjust.

4. That most Lordly Prelates (especially those who have been most pontificiall, powerful, Lordly, domineering, active and stirring in the Church and state) have in all ages since they were made Lord's, Peers, and B •… rons, been like the devil in all or most of the forecited particulars; and if any proved good, or became not such, it was only from the overruling sanctifying grace of God's spirit in their hearts before and after they were made Lord Prelates, not from this very Lordly office, pomp, power, and function it self, which otherwise would have made them such, as it hath made most other Popes and Prelates, as all sto •… ies evidence.

5. Finally, I affirm; that if to be a Lord Bishop, be such a thing only as many now define and make it; Namely, to manage temporal offices, and state-affairs, to give over preaching, except one Leuten Court-Sermon in a year or two, not in their proper Dioc sse to their people, to follow and hunt the Kings Court, to get and dispose o •… Ecclesiastical (and so 〈◊〉 civil) osfices and preferments; to suppress Lectures, Lecturers, and often preaching of God's Word; Suspend, excommunicate, persecute, imprison, deprive godly Ministers and Professors for toys and trifles, (yea for their zeal and piety,) against all Laws of God and man; to consecrate Chapels, Churches, set up Crucifixes. Altars, Tapers, Crosses, Organs, Images, •… oil in Communion-tables Alta •… wise, set up Superstition, Popery, and Idolatry; License Popish and Armenian Books, Corrupt and purge the Common-Prayer-Book, the Gunpowder treason Book, the Fast Book, yea the Articles of Religion, ad normam Romanae fidei, to make and impose new visitation Oaths, Articles, 〈◊〉 Orders, Innovations, to make Mini •… ers & Churchward •… ns 〈◊〉 ; to keep visitations and Consistories without any Patent or Commission from his Majesty, in their own names and rights alone; to grant out Citations, Proces Excommunications, Probate of wills, Commissions of administration, &c. in their own names, under their own Seals, not his Majesty's to fine, imprison censure, and 〈◊〉 his Majesty's good Subjects, &c. their fellow brethren at their pleasures; to be coached and barged up and down from place to place (I am sure seldom to the pulpit) to be courted, capped, attended, clothed like petty Kings and Princes, to fare deliciously every day, to have stately Palaces, great possessions, Knights and brave Gentlemen to attend them, Lord's and Earls to crowch unto them, all to fear them, flatter them, none to rebuke, oppose or control them, (no not in their oppressing and unjust courses) to bolster out their encroachments upon the Kings Prerogative and Laws, and on his Subjects Liberties with might, threats, and violence; to tramp •… e all Laws of God and man underfoot, and do all things by will & power, not Law or Canon; to be implacable, unmerciful, pitiless, proud, stately, cruel; to shake up, terrify and b •… ow-beat, imprison, Excommunicate deprive, degrade, presents their fellow-brethren, and eat them like their Curres; to set forward all profaneness, disorders, sports and E •… hnicke pastimes even on God's own day, and make no conscience of it; to do all things like absolute Law-givers, Lord's, Popes, and Monarks, or rather professed Atheists, fearing neither God •… or man, and breaking all their laws, to bolster up base, drink, idle, scandalous clergy men, exempting them fro •… secular power & jurisdiction, to maintain their Officers in 〈◊〉 open exortions, oppressions, abuses, exorbitant misdemeanor & the like: Which is now only to be and play the Bishop in point of Doctrine and practice: Then thus to be and act the Bi •… hop, is in truth to 〈◊〉 and play the very devil, and to parallel him in all forecited respects; let those who are such Lordly. Prelates deny it if they can or dare.

The second Parallel BETWEENE THE IEWISH HIGH PRIESTS And Lordly Prelates.

A S Lordly Prelates resemble their Father the devil in all the forenamed particulars, so do they the Jewish high Priests in these ensuing Particulars.

1. The high Priests of the Jews, were ordained of men, to offer gifts and sacrifizes on the Altar Heb. 8: 3. Exod. 40. Levite. 1. to. 22. So our high Priests the Lord Prelates, are and will be ordained and also ordain others high Priests for this end, to offer Sacrifices and gifts at their new erected Altars (not to preach) the end why they everywhere erect, advance, consecrate, and bow down to Altars, which now want nothing but a Mass to grace them withal.

2. The Jewish high Priests had their Miters, and brave costly pontifical Robes, ornaments, and attires, whereby they were differenced from other men Exod. 31. 1. to. 32. c. 28, 2. to 43. So have the Lordly Prelates, and that in imitation of the Jewish high Priests, from whence they derive them.

3. The Jewish high Priests went but once a year into the second Tabernacle to offer for the people. Heb. 9. 7. And our Lordly high Priests commonly go but once a year, (and many of them scarce once in 3. or 4. years, witness both our present Arch-prelates; & some other unpreaching Bishops examples, into the Pulpit, to preach unto the people, or to offer sacrifice on the Altar.

4. The Jewish high Priests commanded the Apostles, not preach anymore in the name of the Lord Jesus, to the people, that they might be saved; and apprehended imprisoned, and scourged them, for do •… ng it. Acts 4 & 5. 1 Thess. 2. 16. Our Lordly Prelates heretofore, and at this very day, silence and suspend our best, our painfullest Ministers from preaching God's Word unto their people, that they may be saved (though God, the King, the Books of Ordination and Statutes of the Realm enjoin them for to do it,) and threaten to apprehend, imprison, and fine them if they preach contrary to their suspensions; as the Apostles did, Who in despite of all the high Priests threats, inibitions imprisonments, stripes, three times one after another, Daily in the Temple, and in every house, (which now would be a Conventicle) ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ- Acts 5. 41, 42. And so would and should our Ministers (now silenced against Law and Canon too) were they true successors of the Apostles, and not intoxic •… ted with a base unworthy spirit of carnal fear and cowardice, which makes them betray their liberties, Religion, Flocks, Brethren to the will and rapine of these beastly ravening Lordly Wolves.

5. The Jewish high Priest granted out warrants or letters missive to Saul (brea •… hing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord,) that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound to Ierus •… em. Acts 〈◊〉 . 2. Lordly Prelates heretofore, and now, grant the like letters missiue, warrants, and Attachments to their Pursuivants and other malicious wicked Informers (that breath out threatenings and slaughter against the Lord's disciples) against divers godly Ministers, Christians, and all such as they please to style, Puritans and Cowventicklers, wheither men o •… women, to breaks open and ransacks their houses, take their bodies, bring them up Prisonners to London, Ye k •… , or Durham, before their Lordships holynesses, to fine, censure, deprive, imprison and undo them though Christ, his Apostles, and the primitive Bishops never claimed or exercised any such Lordly secular tyranny or Jurisdiction, but condemned it as unlawful and unbeseeming Clergiemen.

6. The Jewish high-Priest Ananias, when Paul was convented before the Counsel and began to make his Apology and plead his own cause, commanded them that stood by to smite him on the mouth, and would not suffer him to speak in his own defense Acts 33. 1, 2. Thus do our Lord Prelates deal with God's Ministers when they come before them in the High Commission or elsewhere; they will not suffer them to speak in their own defense, or plead their own causes to the full; but when they offer to speak, enjoin them silence, or else command the Pursuivant or Jailor to smite them on the mouth, or take them away to the Prison, So imperious are their Lordships grown. Take but one fresh memorables instance instead of many others. One M. Snelling a grave Kentish Minister, was suspended ab Officio & Beneficio about a veare and half since by D. Wood, commissary to the Bishop of Rochester, and after that excommunicated, pursuiuanted and articled against before the High Commissioners, at Lambet •… , only for not reading the Declaration for sports, fathered falsely upon his Majesty by the Prelates. To which Articles he drawing up a full answer, showing the reasons both in point of law and conscience, why he conceived himself not bound to read it, and so not culpable of any crime; the Register refused to accept or receive his Answer though tendered to him in writing, saying, it was too long, and he durst not take it. Hereupon he contracted it into less then a sheet of paper and tendered it to him as his answer. He refused it the second time; and though he thus tendered his answer, yet an Attactment issued out against him, for not answering. The conclusion was, he must put in only such an answer as the Register should prescribe, without any justification or defense, or mention of the reasons why he refused to read the Book, telling him that he might and should put in his reasons in court, by way of defense. Whereupon he gave in a short answer without any defense at all in a manner; which coming to be repeated before one of the Commissioners; the Register and he dashed out of his very answer (against all Law and Justice) what they pleased: which M. Snelling perceiving, professed he would not acknowledged for his answer none of his, but their own making; vet notwithstanding this answer must stand as his. This Hilary term he tenders his defense; the Register and Court at Informations refused to accept thereof, telling him 〈◊〉 came too l •… te; though before the cause informed against: At Lambeth he tendered his defense in Court; the Archbishop refer the consideration of it to Sir Nathaniel Brent, and D. Guyn whether it were fit to be received; only he told them, he would have no dispute of the point; which is all one, as if his Grace had said; I will have no defense at all: This the event hath manifested, For he tendering his defense to these, Referres they refuse, to receive or allow thereof: telling him that the King & the Archbishop have decreed that the Book shall and must be read, and therefore he must submit and read it, and they can allow of no Defense against it. That the Archbishop hath decreed it shall be read, I believe it without an Oath; but that his Majesty hath made any such Dec •… ee, they must give me and all others leave to demure to it, till they shall be able to produce such a Decree as this under his Majesty's great seal; which will be ad Grecas Calendas, loe here the desperate impiety and injustice of our Prelates, parallel to that of Ananias, when he commanded Paul to be smitten on the face as •… ee began to make his Defense. For first they will make and prejudge the not reading of this forged declaration, an heinous off •… ce, though there be no law, canon or precept at all for the reading of it; nor any clause at all that it should be read; much less by the Minister, nor any power given them so much as to question, much less to suspend, excommunicate, fine or cenfure, any who refuse to read i •… . When as the great question is, whether it be an offense at all? but this must not be disputed. What now is this but to prejudicate, and not judge men's causes.

2. No answer must be given or received, but what themselves shall make and allow and alter at their pleasures. Is not this pretty justice? Who then shall be, innocent?

3. When the answer is in, no defense must be made or accepted: If so, then the most innocent man in the world may be condemned. What, no defense made? Christ himself had liberty to make his defense before Pilate an Heathen Judge: Paul the like liberty before Felix, Festus and Agrippa, •… eere Pagan Infidel Magistrates. Yea the veryest Traitors and Rebels in the world, have liberty in all Courts of justice, to make their defense, and plead the best they can for themselves, yet this godly grave Minister cmming for such a grand crime as this, before our Lordly Prelates, must make no defense at all: O devil, o Jewish High Priests, blush at this impudency, impiety and injustice of these your sons and successors: A drunkard, an Adulterer, a Symoniacke, any incarnate devil may put in what answer and defense he please before them; but this grave Minister every way unspotted in his life and doctrine must not do it, because they have decreed before hand to condemn him. Is not this right high Priests justic •… ?

7. This Jewish high Priest •… te to judge Paul after the law, and commanded him to be smitten contrary to the Law. Acts 2 •… . 3. So our Lordly Prelates in their Consistories, Visitations, and Commissions, sit to judge Ministers and others his Majesty's Subjects according to the Law, and yet imprison, fine, excommunicate, suspend, deprive, degrade, tear, fleece, and judge them, for the most part, contrary both to the Laws of God, the Realm, and their own Canons; as thousends of Presidents evidence of late.

8. The Jewish high Priest, by Tertullus his Orator, accused St. Paul before Felix the Governor, for a P •… stilent fellow, a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ring-leader of the Sect of the Nazarens, Acts 24. 1. Io •… . The self same accusation have the Lord Prelates laid to our Ministers charge in former ages, and to our zealous godly Ministers and Preachers nowadays, accufing them to the King and his Counsel, and persecuting yea, suspending: imprisoning them everywhere as pestilent, factious, seditious persons, and ringleaders of Sects and Schism; as many late examples, and some now in agitation evidence.

9. The Jewish his Priests, informed Festus the Governor against Paul, and desired favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, that there they might judge him themselves according to their own law, or else murder him by the way Acts. 25. 23. c. 24. 6. Our Lordly Prelates (Especially his Archgrace of Canterbury and other our Cant Bishops) do the like; informing the King, or temporal Magistrates against godly Ministers and people; and desiring not Justice, but favor against them, that they would sent for them into their own Courts or High-Commissions, or not suffer them to appeal, or be released thence by Prohibitions o •… other means; that so they might judge them after their own law and wills, and be both enemies, parties delinquents, and Judges in their own cause, contrary to all reason Justice, equity, and law, both of God and man; of which we have manylate memorable Instances; and one thing very observable, that they have caused his clause (derogatory to his Majesty's royal Justice and supremacy, to make themselves absolute supreme Kings and Judges) (that there shall be no Appeale or Provocation allowed or admitted from the high Commission •… rs, to be inserted into their last Commission: A strange clause, to tie up his Majesty's hands and sovereign Justice from being able to relieve his oppressed or injured subjects, be their causes never so good, their Judges their censures never so parciall mali •… ious exorbitant or unjust.

10. Saul, by authority received from the Jewish chief Priests, shut up many of the Saints in Prison, and persecuted them even unto strange Cit •… es. Acts. 26. 10. 11. 12. Our Lordly Prelates Pursevants, Catchpoles, creatures and vermin, by like authority warrant and Commission from their Lordships, have done, and yet do the like, breaking up men's doors and houses with open violence, as if they were traitors or felons by their High-Commission warrants, in which case if they be slain they have no remedy, neither is it any felony or murder as all the Judges of England resolved in one Simpsons case 42. Eliz.

11. The Jewish chief Priests came to Festus to Jerusalem informing him against Paul, and desiring to have Judgment against him without more ado; To whom 〈◊〉 gave this answer. It is not the man •… er of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before he which is accused, have the accusers face to face, and have license to answer for himself, concerning the crime laid against him Acts 25. 15. 16. The same do Lord Prelates at this day; they inform Princes and temporal Magistrates and Judges against godly Ministers and people, desiring to have present Judgment against them. O that they would give them such an answer as this; Heathen Governor Festus did the Jews high Priests; and not condemn them but by lawful witnesses ever bringing both them and their accusers face to face, which would discover many a false brother and sly informing knave, who no •… by means of ex Officio Oaths & proceedings never appears face to face to make good his accusation, and passeth vndiscouered.

12. Christ foretold his disciples, that he must suffer many things of the chief Priests. Math. 16. 21. And our go •… lie Martyrs and writers in all times, have foretold all godly Ministers and people, that they must and shall suffer many things of Lordly Prelates for Christ's sake, as they have done for many ages in all places where they have borne any sway; yea Christ predicted, to his Disciples that he should be betrayed to the chief Priests, and that they should condemn him to death Math. 20. 18. The like hath been predicted to his faithful Ministers and servants, concerning Lordly Prelates.

13. The Jews chief Priests sent officers to apprehend Christ, because many of the people believed on him and harkened to his Doctrine; and were exceeding angry with the Officers because they did not bring him John. 7. 30, 31. 32, 35. Lord Prelates in former times, and nowadays, have also usually sent out Officers and Pursevants to apprehend Christ's faithful Ministers, because the people believe and hearken to their Doctrine; and are exceeding angry with them, if they •… scape their hands and bring them not before them; as appears by many late examples.

14. The Jews chief Priests consulted how to put Lazarus to death, because that by reason of him, many of the Jews went away and believed on Jesus John. 12. 10, 11. So Lordly Prelates heretofore have consulted how to put God's faithful Ministers to death, and now how to s •… lence, suspend, deprive, imprison and thrust them from their Ministry, because by reason of them many of the people go away from them and their traditions and believe on Jesus; as hundred particular examples testify.

15. The chief Priests of the Jews hired Judas for 30. pieces of silver to betray Christ his Master, & deliver him into their hands, sent a great multitude with swords & Staves along with him, to apprehend him; which they did. Math. 26. 14, 15, 47, 48, 49, 50. Mark 14. 10. 43. to 47. Luke 22. 4. 5, 6, 47. to 52. John. 18. 1. to 14. The same have Lordly Prelates done in all ages, hiring and corrupting godly Ministers and Christians, false disciples, friends, servants, yea sometimes their very Kings, wives and Children to betray them into their hands and sending Persevants and a great company of Sherifes, Constables and other Officers with them to apprehend break open their houses, doors like thieves, and bring them before them, as the Books of Martyrs, and present experience plentifully evidence, to their shame.

16. The high Priest sought for false witnesses against Jesus our Savior, to put him to death Math. 26. 59. to 64. Mark 14. 52. to 62. and by their false testimonies seek to contemn him, Ibidem. The same have done & yet do Lord Prelates; (as Hi •… ories and experience manifest) against Christ's faithful Ministers and servants.

17. When these false witnesses would not steed them, they endeavor to enforce him to accuse himself by captious questions First, they examined him concerning his disciples and doctrine; To which he gave them this answer; I spake openly to the world, I ever taught in the Synagogues and in the Temple, wheither the Jews allway resort, and in secret have I said nothing, why askest thou me? ask them that heard me, what I have said unto them, behold they know what I said (refuting to accuse himself or his Disciples) John 18. 19, 20, 21, 22. 23. After this, the high Priest said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us, wheither thou be he Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said &c. Thou the high Priest rent his •… loathes saying, he hath spoken blasphemy, what farther need have we of witnesses, behold now ye have heard his blasphemy; What think ye? They answered and said, he is guilty of death; Then did they spit in his face and buffeted him, & others smote him with the palm of their hand saying Prophecy unto us thou Christ, who it is that smote thee, &c. Math. 26. 63. to. 69. After which, they took counsel together to put him to death, and deliver him bound to Pilate the Governor, before whom they accuse him; And when Pilate would have released him to the people, they persuaded them that they should ask Barabbas and destroy Jesus, and to cry out let him be crucified; And when Pilate yet pronounced him innocent, and would have discharged him; the chief Priests replied; If thou let this man go thou art not Caesar's friend, for he speaketh against Caesar; Never leaving him till they had crucified, and sealed him up fast in his Sepulcher. Math. 27. & 28. John 18. & 19. Thus have Lord Prelates formerly dealt with the godly ministers and Saints of Christ, and now deal with his faithful Ministers and Servants; when they have no true or sufficient witnesses against them, they enforce them against Scriptures, Councils Fathers, Decretals Canon, Civil Canon law, the practice of the primitive Church for above 1300. years after Christ all which time there is not one precedent extant or story of any such Oaths or proceeding among Christians) by ex officio Oaths and Articles to accuse and entrap themselves, of purpose to catch matter of censure and condemnation out of their own mouths which when they have gotten, then they insult over them spit in their faces, buffet, revile, deride, and jeer them; take counsel against them to silence, suspend, deprive, fine, imprison, or destroy them; never ending their malicious prosecutions, till they see them close prisoners in their grau •… s; and if any temporal Magistrates pronunce them innocent, or are willing to discharge them at any ti •… e then they accuse them as enemies to Caesar, as factious, seditious, pestilent fellows and tell them, If they let them go, they are not Caesar, the Kings or Churches friends; Yea when any time of grace, release or Pardon comes they can, and do persuade Kings and temporal Magistrates to pordon and release Barabbas, thieves murderers, whores, bauds Priests Jesuits, Adulterers, drunkards, and all other notorious malefactors, but yet Jesus his innocent Saints and servants must have no grace at all, no mercy enlargement, grace or justice, but be imprisoned, ruined, molested destroyed and by this means at last they most unjustly Crucify, vex and ruin these pure innocent Saints of Christ, as they did Christ himselse. A •… whizh our Book of Martyrs and daily experience witness to the full, in each particular; yea, many of our present Prelates do as much as in them lieth to crucfiy Christ himself, and that in a far more barbarous manner then ever the Jews did: For First, they crucified and set him only unto many Crosses. 2. The Jews crucified him but once, they oft times one after another. 3. They kept him no longer on the Cross then till he was dead upon it, & then gave Joseph of Aramathea leave to take him down, beseeching Pilate that he might not hange thereon till the next day John 19. Our Lord Prelates keep him always hanging before their eyes, on the Cross, and never take him down, as if he had still continued on his Cross till now, and never been taken off, buried, raised again from the dead, and carried into heaven. And why so I pray? First, to show their cruel and bloody disposition, it being their daily practice to crucify Christ in his Image and Saints, which makes them so much in love with the sight of the Crucifix. 2. To ma •… st themselves to be the high Priest undoubted Successors, who crucified Christ. 3. To testify, that they delight so much in the picture of Christ's death, as they have no care nor thought at all to imitate him in his painful preaching life. 4. To manifest to all men, that if Christ were now a live in the flesh, they would as certainly crucify him again as the high Priests did. 5. To tax the Sacra •… nt of the Lord's Supper, & Scriptures of much imper •… ction; as if they were not sufficient, to show forth Christ death till he came (without this additament of a Crucifix) to their Dull Lordships, who seldom receive the one, or seriously meditate of, & preach the other. 6. To manifest, that they desire not to have Christ to live & ruleas a King or supreme living Lord in his own Church, which he cannot do as long as he hangs as a dead manon his Cross; that so they themselves may Lord it and rule Christ's Church at their own pleasures according to their own Canons, Lusts, and pleasures, not his word, as the Jewish high Priests did. 7. To testify, that their Lordships think there is little need to preach Christ crucified; &, that a dumb blind painted Crucifix, is a far better preacher of Christ and his death then their Lordships. And if so, what need of Bishops or Preachers, when we may have store of Crucifixes at a far cheaper rate?

18. Finally, so •… e of the Jews high Priests, were rebels and traitors to their Sovereigns; as Abi •… thar was to Solomon, who there upon deprived him of his office, but spared his life though he deserved death 1. Kings. 1. 7. c. 2. 26. 27. So many hundred LOrd Prelates in foreign partes, and above 60. of our own here at some (Especially the Arch-Bishop of Canterbery, & York ) have been notorious Arch-Traitors, Conspirators & Rebells too against their Sovereigns, Especially those Emperors and Kings, who have most favored magnified and advanced their secular greatenesse, pomp, and power, A just Judgment of God upon them, for advancing these Prelates be Lord's and temporal Princes, against Christ's own precept, Math. 20. 25.) and I pray God, all of them be now faithful to their Kings and Sovereigns, which I have cause to fear. In all these regards then you see how the Jewish high Priests, and Lordly Prelates are direct Parallels, and so in verity, their undoubted Successors; one main argument and pretence to support their Lordly Hierarchy over their Brethren, being deduced from the high Priests example.

The disparity or Antithesis, between Christ's and Lord Prelates.

IF any now in these Prelates behalf reply, that they are of our Savior Christ's own institution, his true Disciples, Sons, and followers, not the devils, (as the First Paralell manifests them;) To disprove this Cavil, let them a little consider the Antipathie, or disparity between our Savior Christ and them, in these ensuing particulars.

First, our Savior Christ was so poor, that he had not so much as an house or kedde of his own whereon to rest his head. Math. 8. 20. Our Lord Prelates, (though in regard of their births for the most part very like our Savior, borne in a stable, or some poor Obscure Cottage: ) yet when once they become Lord Bishops they have many Manfions, Palaces, and stately princely habitations, wherein they wallow & take their pleasure, as if they were borne Prelates or Princes: and yet not content therewith, they still complain their are poor Prelates, craving and hunting after far more, far greater Possessions, though not borne heirs to one farthing by the grace, nor demeriting half so much for their pains or preaching, at the poorest ten-pound Curate in their Diocese.

Secondly, Our Savior Christ, had but one poor thread-bare-Coat without a seam, woven from toe to toe, for which the Soldiers cast lots. Math. 27. 35. John 19. 23. 24. 〈◊〉 John the Baptist (the greatest Prophet that ever was borne of a Woman ) hath his 〈◊◊〉 of Camels hair (not silk or satin) and a leatherne (not a brave great silken) girdle about his loins, Math. 3. 4. O •… r Lordly Prelates have many silken, sattin, scarlet, G •… nes, c •… ssockes, robes, coapes, rochets, hoodes, patched up with •… any sea •… es and piebalde colors, with many new invented Pontifical vestments, disguise and quadrangular ca •… s and •… rinkets peculiar to their Holinesses, which po •… re C •… rist never wore, saw, knew or dream'te of, and would have certainly disdained to look on, much more to wear, being as unseemly for, as displeasing to him, as the purple scarlet •… obe, and Crown of Thorns that the Soldiers violently put upon him in derifi •… , when they mocked and Crucified him.

Thirdly, Our Savior Christ, had but course far, and hard diet for himself and his Apostles and Guests; to wit, a few barley lo •… ves and some small fishes •… or the most part served in on the bare ground; it being his chiefest meat & drink, to do his Fathers will, and to finish his work. John. 4. 31. 34: c. 6. 5. to. 15. Math. 14. 17. to 22. c. 15. 34. to. 38. c. 16. 9. 10. John. 21. 9. 10. 13, Yea, great John Baptists ordi •… y food, was naught else but Locusts and wild honey. Mith. 3. 4. Our Lordly Prelates have all variety of costly 〈◊〉 , cates, junkets, wines, drinks, and Provisions, both for themselves, wives, children, guests, servants, equal to any Barons Lord's or Earls of the Real •… e, making commonl •… as sumptuous, great if not more luxu •… feasts then they. Witness the more then 〈◊◊〉 royal excess •… e feast of ( ) Wi •… liam Warham 〈◊〉 of Canterbury; at which the great Duke of Buckingham with his 120; attendants, waited on this Archprelate, as his High-Steward and Butler, (too mean an office for the greatest Peer then living) going bareheaded before his Grace, ush ring in his first Service & bowing his body to his Holiness, as to the Pope of this other world. Witness the( ) unparalleled monstrous Feast of George Ne •… ell Archbishop of York, the greatest that England ever knew or heard of; the particulars whereof you may read at large in Godwins Catalogue, with others, which I pretermit, of which Antiqui •… tes 〈◊〉 Brit: Godwin, and Sir George Paul in the life of Archbishop Whitgift, can inform you. And it is so far from being their meat and drink, that it is their least thought and care, their least desire and endeavor, their greatest trouble, pain and purgatory to preach God's Word, and do his will and work, as Christ our Savior did.

Fourthly, Our Savior Christ was so poor, and so ill stored with moneves, that he had not so much as a Didrachma (about fiften pence of our money to pay tribute money for himself and his followers, but was enforced to send Peter to the Sea to borrow it of a poor Fish, for want of a friend to lend him so much, he and his whole retinue, not being able to make up so small a sum among them: Math. 17. 27. But Lordly Prelates, borne-not to a Didrachma, have not only their hundreds and thousands by the year, (and yet do none, or little spiritual work for it, most of them all put together, not preaching half so often as a poor Sti •… endiary Curate that hath but eight or ten pound by the veare:) yea their hundreds or thousands lying by them in their bags, besides, and yet are not contented. So like are they to our Savior i •… this particular.

Fifthly, Our Savior Christ, and his Apostles too, went about on foot from village to village, preaching the Gospel throughout all Galilee and Judea. Math. 4. 23. c. 51. 2. c. 10. 5, 6, 7, 9. 10. 14. c. 12. John. 4. 6. Mark 1. 38, 39, Luke 9. 2, 3, 4, 5. c. 10. 3. to. 12. Acts 10. 38. Math. 14. 13. Mark 6. 33. Acts 20. 13. And when he rode (in state) into Jerusalem (which was but once) he rode but on an Ass. Math. 21. 1. to. 16. But our Prelates when they go abroad to visit or preach before the King (for they seldom preach in any Country village in an age) or when they have any business to Court, to Parliament or any City, yea when they go to their Cathedrals, or a Church that is necre them, are so far from going a foot, that they seldom ride on horseback, (and then on a stately Palfray ) but in a Coach or Chariot drawn with four or six pampred horses, with many horses, horsemen and footmen environing them; and if they meet a poor cart or wagon by the way (or a lighter meet their Barges on the watter, where they ride in pomp to) if they stir not presently out of the way to give their Lordships passage, they will lay the poor Carters and Lighter-men by the heels for their pains (as some of thē have lately done:) So like are they to our Savior. And here I cannot pretermit a merry Story. ( ) A certain Germain Clowne or Boar (as they term him) seeing the Bishop of Colen ride in state with a great train of horsemen before and after him, stood gaping on the Bishop as he passed by and smiled to himself; The Bishop perceiving it, made a stand, and demanded of the Boar why he thus smiled, bidding him speak the truth freely without fear, for he should sustain no damage, Wherevpon the Boar replied, that he smiled to think with himself, whether St. Martin (Patron and First Bishop of •… olen ) ever rode in such state as he did now: The Bishop hereunto answered, that he was an ignorant silly fellow, for he did not ride in his state, as he was Arch-Bishop of Colen, but as he was the chief Prince Elector of Germany: Where upon he wittily retorted; Suppose (said he) my Lord, the devil should come and fetch away the Prince Elector, I pray what would become of the Bishop, I fear me he would to Hell too: At which the Bishop being confounded went his way. Our Prelates may apply it to themselves without my help.

6. our Savior Christ was meek and lowly in heart, full of compassion and mercy, and gave rest to men's souls and bodies. Math. 11. 28, 29. c. 9. 36. Luke 10. 33. Heb. 5. 2. Ephes. 4. 32. Our Prelates (like men exalted from law degree) are for the most part fierce chollerick, furious, proud, haughty, insolent, arrogant, malicious, revengeful, implacable, full of merciless and barbarous inhumanity, vexing and disquieting both the bodies and consciences of godly Ministers and people; as the Book of Martyrs, and experience testify.

Take but this one remarkable fresh instance in leive of many. This last pestilential Somer, the Lord Brooke his Lady, was delivered of a child •… t Dallam in Suffolk within Bishop Wrems D •… ocesse of Norwich. The Earls of Bedford Doncaster, & 3. or 4. Lord's more, were here upon invited to the christning; which being solemnized on the Lord's day afternoon, these Lord's earnestly pressed the Lord Brooke, that they might have a Sermon then preached upon this extraordinary occasion. He thereupon desired one Mr. Ash, his household Chaplain to preach; who knowing the Bishops perverseness, was unwilling to do it, till at last upon his Lord's command to preach, he condesc •… nded, and preached accordingly. Bishop Wren h •… aring of it, some two days after sends his Apparitor with a Citation, to somon Mr. Ash to appear before him: who being rode that morning to Cambridge, the Appa •… itor after he had been courteously entertained at my Lord's house, defired to speak with my Lord Brooke himself, who coming to him; he acquainted his Lorship, that he had a Citation for his Chaplain, who it seemed was rode abroad & therefore he would leave the Citation with his Lordship, to serve it on his Chaplain when he returned: My Lord thereupon, demanded of him, whether he took him to be an Apparitor, or intended to make him one? He replied, that the Bishop commanded him to leave it with his Lordship, in case his Chaplain was not within, and if is Lordship would not receive it, he would sue out an excommunication against his Chaplain and have it published in the Church the next Lord's day. Upon which he took the Citation; and upon his Chaplains return rode over with him to the Bishop: who fitting in state like a great Lord, or demy Pope, my Lord Brooke acquainted him, how his Apparitor had left a Citation with him against his Chaplain, and that he and his Chaplain were thereupon both come together to his Lordship to know what the business was, and what his Lordship could object against him; His Lordship thereupon answered, that his Chaplain had openly affronted him in his Diocese in daring to presume to preach therein without his special license, and that on the Lord's day afternoon, when he had expressly prohibited all Sermons within his Jurisdiction: telling Mr. Ash, that he would make him an example to all others, and that if he could not punish him sufficiently in his own Court, he would bring him into the High Commission for this insolency, unto which my Lord Brooke answered, that his Chaplain was unwilling to preach, and that thereupon h •… commanded him to do it upon this spe •… iall occasion, being importuned by the Earkes and Nobles then present; defiring his Lordship not to be offended with his Chaplain, for obeying his command, upon such an extraordinary occasion. The Bishop replied, that his Lordship did very ill to offer to maintain his Chaplain in this; that No Lord of England should affront him in his Diocese in such a manner, and if he did his Majesty stould know of it, & that he would make his Chaplain an example. My Lord Brooke demanded, whether his Lordship could take any exception either against his Chaplains l •… fe or doctrine? He answered no: Then my Lord, said he, I hope the offense is not great, there being no Law of God, or the Realm, nor Canon of the Church, that inhibits Ministers to preach on the Lord's day afternoon. (To which he might have added that the very declaration for Sports, much urged by the Bishop on the Ministers of his Diocese, as his Majesty's, allows of Sermons everywhere in the afternoon; Since it prescribes No Sports to be used but after the end of divine Service, and AFTERNOONE SERMON: as Bishop white confesseth in his examination of A and B. p. 131. and p. 9. of the Declaration: our pleasure is, That the Bishop and all other inferior Church-men shall for their parts be careful and Diligent, both to instruct the igno •… ant, and co •… vince and reform them that are m •… led in religion &c. Therefore that Bishops and Ministers sho •… preach on the Lord's day afternoon, as well as in the forenoon; & not be questioned, but commended for doing it:) The Bishop demanded of Mr. Ash, how he durst presume to preach in his Diocese, without his special License? (though his 〈◊〉 could preach at Cambridge, as they say, in Paris his pulpit, without his license:) Mr. A •… answered, that he had a Metropolitical license fro •… the Arch Bishop to preach over all his Province: the Bishop bad him produce it: My Lord, said he, I have it not about me; No, replied the Bishop, nor any such license, and for ought I know you are no Minister: where are your Letters of Order? My Lord, said he, I durst not be so bold or dishonest to inform you I had such a license, were I not able to produce it; and had I no letters of order, or were no lawful Minister, I presume my Lord would not have entertained me for his Chaplain: m •… Lord, both my license and orders are at home, and I use not to carry them always with me in my pocket. My Lord Brooke int •… ed his Lordship to dismiss his Chaplain and prosecute him no further, all would not do; he would make him an example, and so after many threatening speeches to him and my Lord, they departed. The Bishop presently proceedeth with all violence against Mr. Ash in his own Court, no Mediation of Lord and friends would pacify him; till at last the Earl of Doncaster told him, that if he would not dismiss him his Court, he would complain to the King against him, since he preached only upon my Lord Brookes command, and his and other Earls importunity: Hereupon the Bishop leaving the Chaplain, falls upon the Churchwardens of the Parish for permitting him to preach without his License; fines them ( Quo iure I know not) forty shillings a pi •… ce, enjoins them to do public penance in the Church with a white wand and a paper in their hands; to ask God, and his Lordship forgiveness, to confess, that their censure was just, and to desire all others to take example by them, not to offend in like manner; All which the poor men were enforced to do. O pride! O tyranny.

7. Christ's very yoke is easy, and his burden light. Math. 11. 30. Lord Prelates yokes exceeding heavy and intolerable; witness those under which the whole Kingdom now lie groaning & languishing, with their many late new invented Ceremonies, Oaths, Articles, Injunctions and Innovations.

8. Christ, whiles he was on earth, went about continually doing good, and healing all that were oppressed with the Devil. Acts 10. 38. Lord Prelates when they ride about in circuit, or their vifitations, (not foot it, as our Savior did,) do no good at all, but only mischief; silence Ministers, set up Altars and new popish ceremonies, pill and poll both Ministers and p •… ople with new extorted fees & procurations disquiet a •… good men, and instead of healing, wound and further oppress those like devils that were spiritually oppressed by the devil before, by exactions, suppressing God's ordinances especially powerful pr •… aching, which should cast out the devils that spiritually possess & take them captives at their wills.

9. Our Savior Christ went about all the Country preaching in every Synagogue where he came, Math. 4. 23. Mark. 1. 38, 39. Our Bishops ride sometimes about the Country in their trienniall visitations, to fill their guts and purses, and at other times hawking, hunting, feasting, and recreating themselves, but seldom or never go or ride thus abroad to preach in any one Church or Synagogue; inhibiting those Ministers that would, to do it.

10. Our Savior preached daily and constantly in the Temple, beginning early in the morning, and continuing until evening (and so preached morning and evening) Luke 19. 47. c. 21. 37, 38. John 8. 2. But yet we find not that ever he read any common Prayers or Homilies in the Temple or any other Synagogue. Our Lordly Prelates are so far from preaching daily in our Temples, that few of them preach monthly, or quarterly; some of them, scarce yearly; some, not once in three or four years, yea in ten or twelve years together; and other not at all; and so far are they from preaching, or approving morning and evening Sermons even on the Lord's own Sacred day, much less on others; that they have suppressed the Lord's day early morning Lectures in London, and all afternoon •… Sermons on the Lord's day in many Diocese in the Country, making it an high offense, deserving both suspension and excommunication, to preach on the Lord's day after dinner. Yea they are not ashamed to license Shelfords Sermon of uncharitrble Charity, against often preaching, in direct opposition to our Savior's example, and the very established •… omely of the right use of the Church. p. 3. 4. to which he & themselves have subscribed. Such undoubted Sons disciples and followers are they of our Savior in this particular.

11. Our Savior Christ when he preached, read only his Text, and then closed the Book and gave it again to the minister, & sat down & preached without book. Luke 4. 17. to. 22. Our Prelates, when ever they chance to preach, commonly read not only their Texts, but their who •… e Sermons too, if not their very prayers; being so dull of memory, that whereas our stage-players can get their parts by heart though they act every day of the week, yet their stupid block-headed Lordships cannot conne one Sermon by heart in a year or two; their doctrine being so far from sinking into their own hearts, that it never so much as enters into their heads when they preach it, but only into their books, where they leave & shut it up close prisoner into their lips, which presently vent it out again: Are they not then very devout Preachers, very much in •… oue with God's word, with which they will neither trouble their brains nor hearts; sweet followers of our Saviors steps, in this particular?

12. Our Savior Christ with fasting, praying, weeping & preaching was so lean, that he might tell all his bones. Psal. 22. 17. Our Lord Prelates with feasting, Lording, laughing, sleeping & loitering are so fat & plumpe (for the most part) that they or others can neither tell nor feel their bones.

13. Our Savior Christ was full of grace, goodness and truth John 1. 14. Lord Prelates are commonly •… ul of gracelesnes, profaneness, malice, envy, pride, ambition, covetousness, idleness, di •… imulation, and hypocrisy, having little real, but only mere titular grace to adorn them.

14. Our Savior Christ made both the deaf to hear, the blind to see, and the dumb to speak: Math. 9. 33. c. 12. 22. c. 15. 30. 31. Our Lord Prelates make the hearers of God's Word deaf for want of preaching, the seeing blind through ignorance and our preaching Ministers dumb, by silencing and suspending them.

16. Christ sent forth his disciples, not to read Homilies, or divine service (which every clown or school boy can do as well as the learnedst Minister) but to preach the Gospel, Math. 10. 7. 10. 14. Luke 9. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. c. 10. 2. to. 15. and that as well in men's private houses as the public Synagogues, Ibid. and Acts 5. 42. c. 20. 20. which now (for sooth) our Lordly Prelates condemn and censure for a conventicle: yea he bid and commanded his disciples go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature, teaching them to observe all things that he had commanded them. Math. 28. 19. 20. M •… rke. 16. 15. yea he enjoined them earnestly to seed his flock and Lambes. John 21. 15, 16, 17. Our Lord Prelates silence and suspend Christ's faithful Ministers, prohibiting them (not only in private houses but in Churches to) to preach the Gospel to their people, send them about only to read divine service and homilies; and command them to observe and subscribe to whatsoever Canons, Orders, Articles, Ceremonies, and Injunctions they shall prescribe them, though con •… rary to Christ's; charging them; not to feed, but fleece their Lambes and Sheep; And are they not then good Pastors?

16. Our Savior Christ was the goo •… Sheopard that laid down his life for his Sheep •… ; he knew his Sheep, and was known again of them, and they heard and knew his voice John 10. 6. 11. to 16. Lord Prelates are rather Wolves then Sheopards, reddier to take away their Sheepes lives then to lay down their lives for their Sheep; many of them being so far from knowing their Sheep by name, that they never so much as saw them, the most of their Sheep never so much as seeing or knowing their faces, much l •… sse hearing or knowing their voices in the Pulpit, many of them (though they have thousands by the year, of purpose to preach to their Sheep) not so much as bestowing on Sermon on them in 3. or 4. years space; receiving above 3. or 4000. pounds for every Sermon they preach, too great a rate sor so little w •… rke; Yt thesemen were Tankard-bearers and should sell their watter at that rare they take for their Sermons, our water certainly would be far •… e dearer then the richest wine; Yet many of their Sermons for which they take so much, are scarce so good as ditch watter.

17. Our Savior Christ, though he were equal with God the Father, yet he made himself of no reputation, but took upon him the form of a Servant, & was made in the likeness of men, •… ubling himself for far, that he became obedient to death even to the dreath of the Cross Phil. 2. 6, 7, 8. Our Lord Prelates, though equal commonly in birth to the meanest Peasants, yet (in doubt in imitation of our Savior) make themselves of so great reputation, that they take upon them not only the form and title, but the pomp and state of Lord's and Petty Princes, not servants; and as if they were not made in the likeness of men, but borne Princes, Angels or demy God's; they become disobedient to all laws of God and man; and instead of humbling themselves to death, and the Cross for Christ's sake, they tyrannically humble their brother Ministers and other Christians to the Prison, the Pillary, the Cross, & Stocks for Christ. Witness our Books of Martires, and late experience.

18. Our Savior Christ, though he were rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich. 2. Cor. 8. 9. Our Lord Prelates, though poor and beggarly at first, yet for Christ's sake they are content to become great and rich; that so others through their power, riches, avarice, tyranny, and extortion may be made poor, to enrigh themselves the more.

19. Our Savior, when Peter drew his sword to cut of Malchus' ear therewith, immediately healed it again, commanding him to put up his sword into the Scabbard. John. 18. 10, 11. Luke 22. 50, 51. Math. 26. 51, 22. Our Lord Prelates now engross both swords into their sacred hands, and instead of putting them into the Scabbard, draw them out like valiant men, smiting off some men's ears and noses with it, and now threaten to main and mangle more in like manner, instead of curing those already maimed by them: Such swashbucklers and gladiaters are they grown. If we have wars with Spain, we hope his Majesty will send these hacksters packing to those wars to mangle and hackle off the Spainards ears and noses, instead of his loyal Subjects.

20. Our Savior Christ, after he began to preach, refused to inter meddle with secular affairs, or to devide the inheritance between the too Brethren; refused the kingdoms, Pomde and glory of this world; affirming openly, that he and his kingdom were not of his world Math. 4. 8, 9, 10. Luke 12. 13, 14. John. 6. 15. c. 17, 16. c. 18. 36. Our Lord Prelates, after they become Lord's (forgetting their primitive base original and pedigree, with that vow they made to God in Baptism, to forsake the devil and all his works, the vain pomp & glory of the world with all covetous desires of the same, and all carnal desires of the flesh, so that they will •… ot follow nor be led by them; and that 〈◊〉 of St. John. 1. John. 2. 15, 16. Love not the world nor the things of the world, if any man love the wor •… d, the love of the Father, is not in him. For all that is in the world, (the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and pride of life) is not of the Father but is of the world) entangle themselves in worldly, secular state affairs and off •… s, become Lord's T •… mporall instead of Spiritual; •… meddle with all 〈◊〉 affairs, hunt after the Kingdoms, government, honor, pomp, state, and pleasures of this world with all greediness and diligence, i •… steed of preaching the Gospel and converting souls to God: ing •… sse all power and temporal Jurisdiction into their hands, smite with both swords at once like mad-men on every side, and though they pretend their Lordly calling to be of God, y •… t they and it are plainly of this world, and •… ot o •… Christ, as their actions manifest.

21. C •… rist both 〈◊〉 , and administered the Sacrament to his disciples, in his ordinary apparel, sitting at a Table, and that standing in the midst of the •… me, Math. 26. 26, 27, 28, 29. Mar •… 14. 18. 22, 23 24. Luke 22. 14. to: 21. I •… n 13. 4. 25. 28. •… or. 10. 21. c. 11. 23, 24, 25. Yea, when he sent abroad his disciples to preach he sent them in their usual 〈◊〉 , expressly •… hibiting them, to provide them, either silver or gold in their purses, or to take or wear two Coates Math. 10. 9. 10. Mark 8. 8, 9. Luke 9. 3, 4, 5 c. 10. 4. (Therefore certainly they wore no cass •… cks, hoods, gowns, coats or surpluses ( alias surplusages ) or rochets on their backs, or any such new, Massing, masking vestments, as our Prelates have since invented and prescribed, under the severest penalties, for Ministers to preach, to administer the Sacraments and read their divine Service in) our Lord Prelates when they preach, or administer the Sacrament themselves, or by others, preach and ad •… inister it in their Pontificalibus, coapes, surplusses, hoods, cassocks, gowns, rochets, with other disguized extraordinary apparel; Yea, they administer the Lord's Supper in these holy vestments, only at an Altar standing at the East wall not a Table, in the midst of the Q •… ire, as of of old, commanding all to receive the Sacrament of Christ's Supper, kneeling, not sitting, (and why not Baptism then as well as it?) the betrer to adore the Eucharist; condemning Christ's and the Apostles gesture of sitting, as irreverend, unmannerly, and undecent; adoring the very Altar, and bowing to it even to the ground. when as they have the consecrated Bread & Wine in their hands, as if it were more honorable and worshipful then that, for which they say they bow unto it. All, which antichristian Popish vestments ceremonies and •… opperies Thom •… s Becan hath learnedly refuted, in his display of the Popish Mass, to which I shall refer you; only I shall answer a Scripture or two, which they allege for their white rochets and surplesses; To wit, Revel. 3, 4, 5. 18. c. 6. 11. c. 7. 9. 13. c. 19. 11. Where the Saints and Martyrs, are said to be clothed in white linen robes; Therefore Bishops ought toweare white rechets, and Ministers white surplesses. A learned argument if well prosecuted.

• 1. For, these white linen robes and garments mentioned in these Texts, were no rochets or surplesses (as these fond men dream,) but the spotless white robes of Christ's own merits and innocence, wherewith these Saints (who had put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and made their robes white in his precious blood) were invested, as is obedient by Rev. 19. 18. c. 3. 18. 4. 5. c. 7. 13. 14. compared with Pom. 13. 14. Ephes. 5. 26, 27. which kind kind of sacred white rochet or surplesse, few Lord Prelates ever yet wore upon their backs, o •… gown •… eves.
• 2. These white robes were not worn only by Bishops, Ministers, Clergy, & Cathedral men as rochets and surplesses are, but by all the Saints and Martyrs of Christ alike. If these Tipes then prove any thing, it is only this. That all men ought to wear rochets and surplesses not Bishops and Church men only.
• 3. These white robes were their ordinary daily garments which they never put of upon any occasion, no not when they rode in •… riumph upon white horses, •… ev. 19. 14. Therefore no argument fo •… rochets and surplesses wh •… ch are put on only upon special occasions and not ever worn as ordinary apparel, These Lordly Prelates perscribing only black gowns and garments, wearing none but such out of the Church and their supplisses & rochets (to testify their spotless purity and holiness) for the most part only in the Church, to testify that they are only white Saints in show whiles they are in the Church and Choir, but black friends and devils for the most part in all places else, in thei •… lives and actions. The true significant reason, as I conceive, why they wear white robes and rochets only in the Church in time of divine services (where they commonly leave and put them off with all their seeming purity and holinesses with their surplesses) but black coats & vestments under them and in all places else. A thing worthy observation.
• 4. These robes were not worn by these, or the Martyrs, on earth, whiles they lived; but put upon them in heaven, after they were dead. Therefore no argument for, but against the wearing of rochets and surplesses here.
• 5. The Disciples and Apostles when they were sent to preach had c •… rtainely but o •… e Coat and garment on the them, and that undoubtedly no white rochet, nor surp •… esse; These Scriptures therefore make nothing for both, or either of them.
• 6. These Saints are said, to ride upon white horses only, and in these their white linen garments. Revel. 19. 14. I may therefore better argue hence; That Bishops and Ministers ought ever to ride upon white ho •… ses and no other, and that in their rochets and surplesses, not th •… ir Canonical coats cloaks or half-gowns; then they thence inf •… r: That they ought to preach & read prayers in their surplesses. But of these surplesages enough and too much: I proceed.

22. Christ professeth of himself, that he came into the world, of purpose for to preach the Gospel, Mark. 1. 38. Luke 4. 18. Lord Prelates profess, that they were not ordained Lord's or Bishops, to preach God's Word, but to rule, govern, and Lord it over their fellow Brethren and their diocese:

23. Our Savior Christ maketh continual prayer & intercession to his Father for all his chosen people, Rom. 8. 34. Heb. 7. 25. Our Lord Prelates, as they seldom preach, so they early or never contend earnestly or make interc •… ssion unto God in earnest hearty fervent prayer for their people that they may be saved and converted: Yea some of them (as Bishop Wren ) contrary to the practice of all former ages, begin to prohibit Ministers under pain of suspension and excommunication, to make any conceived prayers before or after their Sermons, suspending, and excommunicating them if they do it; ounparalleld impiety! o atheistical Novelty! We know that Moses, David, Solomon, Ezra, Jeremiah, Daniel, with the Saints and Prophets in the Old Testament used conceived, but no set forms of prayer, that we read of, the like did Christ and his Apostles in the New T •… stament; prayer being a special gift of God's Spirit, given to all his children, upon all their several necessities and occasi •… ns. 1 Kings 8. 38. 45. 49. 54. Neh. 1. 6. 11. Ps. 102. 7. Ps. 141. 2 Ezeh. 12. 10, 11. Acts 1. 14. c. 6. 4. c. 10. 31. c. 12. 5. 1 Cor. 7. 5 Phil. 1. 4. 2 Cor. 1. 11. Col. 4. 2 I am. 5. 15. 16. Ephes. 6. 18. Rom. 8. 15. 26, 27. Jude 20. Thus did the Ministers & Preachers of God's Word in Justin Martyrs and Tertullian's days, (as appears by both their 〈◊〉 ) both 〈◊〉 and after their Sermons & love-feasts: Thus did the Fa •… ers, as appears b •… th •… ir works; & the Primitive Christians and Martyrs upon all occ •… sions, as Ecclesiastical Historians 〈◊〉 . Thus did our Martyrs of old witness M. Fox his Acts and M •… uments. Yea, Archbishop Sandes of York, be •… ore & after his Sermons; & B. Pilkington of Durham before and after his Sermons on Nehemiah, Obadiah, &c. with other of our Bishops used conceived Pray •… rs o •… different for •… es, according to the variety of their Texts, & the 〈◊〉 occasions; wh •… ch the •… published in print, for others imitation. Thus have all our Ministers, generally done in all ages and places, especially from the beginning of reformation to this present, till a ge •… eration of upstart unpraying Lordly Pre •… ates and lasy Docto •… s, (who know not how to pray, or mak a conceived prayer out of their own heads and hearts upon any occasion, no more then a child that is newly borne,) have cried down all extemporary conceived Prayers, (as well as studied Sermons and frequent preaching,) endevoring utterly to extinguish this most heavenly gift of Prayer, not only in all private Christians, but also in all those godly Ministers whom God hath endowed with this eminent faculty, by confining them only to the very words of the Canon; which are no more a prayet then the Creed or ten Commandments, (which many ignorant people mumble over, as good prayers) and hath made many great Doctors unable for to pray without the help of a Common-prayer book, upon any urgent occasion. For proof whereof, I shall instance only in two late examples. When the Earl of Castle haven was to be beheaded, there came two great learned Deans & Doctors of Divinity, to his lodging, to pray with him before his death. Where calling for A Common-Prayer Book they read over the Litany to him, (which was all the Prayers (they could make) and so concluded their devotions. The Earl much grieved and discontented therewith, brake forth into these speeches. Alas, what do these Doctors mean to trouble themselves, or me, in praying to God, to deliver me, from lightning and tempest, from plague, pestilence and famine, from battle and murder, and from sudden death, who am now presently to die and lose my head? Or, what doth their praying, to preserve all that travel by land or by water, all women laboring with child, all sick persons and young children, &c. concern either me or my present condition, who am now ready to perish and be destroyed? Miserable comforters are they. This he spake with tears in his eyes; and there upon desired the company there present with him to go with him from these Deans into another room, where he made such an heavenly fervent extemporary Prayer, pertinent to his present dying condition, as ravished all the Auditors, and drew rivers of tears both from their eyes and hearts, which these nonpraying Doctors Litany could not do. When the honorable religious Lord Veere some two years since, was suddenly struck with death arrow at Sr. Henry V •… ne his table at White-hall, as he sat at dinner, and carried from thence into a with-drawing chamber adjoining where he died, a grand Dr. of Divinity (one of his Majesty's Chapplaines being there present, was upon this unexpected occasion desired to kneel and pray with the company. The Dr. Hereupon calls for a Commonprayer-book, and answer being mad that there was none present; he replied, that he could not pray without a Book. Whereupon a Knight there present took him by the gown, and forced him to kneel down telling him, that my Lord was dying, and he must needs say some prayer or other; upon this he begins Pater noster, for other prayer could he none: Which the Knight hearing, bads him hold his peace, for my Lord was dead, and he was but a dead Divine. Who knew not how to pray. Such wooden Doctors & Prelates have we nowadays, that know not how to pray upon any sudden occasion; because (like little children) they ever confine themselves to a set form of prayer, proceeding neither from their heads nor hearts but their lips only, which every School-boy can read with as much devotion, as they. So unlike are they to our Savior Christ and his Apostles, who who were able to pray ex tempore, with all mann •… r of supplications, and prayers upon all occasions, and would have all Ministers and private Christians, to be thus able too. Ephes. 6. 18. 1. Tim. 2. 1, 28. Phil, 4. 6. 1. Pet. 4. 7. I am. 1. 5. 6. c. 5. 14.

24. Finally, our Savior Christ whiles he was on earth, suspended, silenced, deprived, censured, imprisoned, and close imprisoned no Ministers or Christians, whiles he was on earth: (yea, he was so far from this, that he was anointed and sent by the spirit of the Lord God, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. Isaiah. 61. But Lord Prelates silence, suspend, deprive, censure, imprison, and close imprison both Ministers and good Christians at their pleasures; but never bind up the broken-hearted, or proclaim liberty to the Captives, or the opening of the prison to them that are bound, Take him Jailor. Catch him Pursuiuant; Away with him to the Fleet, the Clinke or Gate-house; I set a thousand pound fins upon his head; &c. bring their usual mercy, language, & Lordly tone. Christ had no Prisons, Counters, Gate-houses, Cole houses, to imprison and mue up Christians or Ministers in, for discharging a good consciences, or obeying God rather then men, or refusing to take an unlawful ex officio Oath: No consistory or High-commission to conuent men in, no visitation or ex officio Oaths Articles, Procurations, Dispensations, Tot-quots, Licenses to preach or keep school; No Deans, Archdeacons, Vicars general, Chancellors, Commissaries, Surrogates, Officials, Registers, Pursuiuants. Apparitors, Informers, but only 12. preaching Disciples attending on him. Lord Prelates have all and every of these, and would not think themselves Bishop without them. Christ thought his written word & precepts, sufficient to govern and instruct his Church, to the end of the world, without any Prelates Canons. Math. 28. 19. 20. Lord Prelates think not so, but deem their own Canons and Injunctions without his word, the only laws whereby to govern and direct the Church. Christ was persecuted, imprisoned, scoffed at, crucified by the high Priests, and yet prayed for his enemies, leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps Ephes. 4. 32. 1. Pet. 2. 21, 23. Luke 23, 24. Lord Prelates are not thus persecuted, imprisoned, scoffed at, and crucified, but persecute, imprison, scoff at, crucify, and burn others for Christ's sake; and instead of following Christ's foot-steps in praying for their enemies, they excommunicate, banne, curse, anathematize them to the very pit of Hell, with Bell Book and Candle, and sometimes offer this unchristian violence to their very ashes, bones, and v •… ines; as our Book of Martires manifests. Since therefore Lord Prelates in these and infinite other particulars are so contrary opposite, & unlike to our Savior Jesus Christ, I may safely conclude them to be none of his institution, Sons, or followers: For he that is truly Christ's, and saith that he abideth in him, ought himself also to walk even as Christ walked 1. John. 2. 6. But Lord Prelates walked but directly contrary to him in all these particulars: Therefore they are none of his, and abide not in him what ever vaunts they make to the contrary: And if they be none of Christ's institution, Sons, Disciples or followers, then certainly none of his Apostles (the next thing I shall succinctly illustrate.

The opposition and contrariety between Christ's Apostles and Lordly Prelates.

F Irst our Savior's Apostles yea Peter (the Prince of all the rest, as the Papists vaunt) had neither silver nor gold Acts 3. 6. Lord Prelates have plenty of both: yea do little or no work for it, and less good with it, unless it be out of a vaineglotious humor to get themselves applause by some Pontifical stately structure, or monument of their ambition pomp and pride.

2. These Apostles were poor, and vet made many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing all thing 2. Cor, 6. 10. Lord Prelates are rich, and yet by their oppression, tyranny injustice, great Fines, imprisonments, extortions and griping Officers make many Ministers and good Christians poor; they have all things their hearts can wish, and yet through covetous ambition and desire of more, and il •… use of what they have, truly possess nothing.

3. The Apostles were made a spectacle unto the world unto Angels, and to men 1. Cor. 4. 9. Lord Prelates are not made but make others such for Christ's sake.

4. The Apostles to their dying days, did both hunger & thirst & were naked, buffeted, despised, accounted fools, defamed, reviled and persecuted, Yea they were made the very silth of the world and the ofscouring of all things for Christ's sake, being in stripes often, in imprisonments, perils, and death often, in watchings often, in labors more abundant for Christ 1. Cor. 4. 10, 11, 12, 13. 2. Cor. 6. 5, c. 11. 23, 24, 25, 26. Lord Prelates are in no such condition at all, they sustain no such hardship for Christ; but they eat and drink of the best, are gorgeously clad, courted, yea flattered, honored and accounted great Lord's, praised above measure, feasted, promoted and made the greatest Peers the most swaying overruling Lord controllers of the world, & Primates of all others for Christ's sake; being never in stripes &c. But only in voluptuous pleasures, stately Palaces, Princes Courts, down beds, and lazy idleness for Christ; and when persecution or affliction for the Gospel come; they either turn chief persecutors, or turn-coats, rather then they will undergo any stripes, imprisonments, perrills, or deaths for Christ, by whom they enjoy so much honor, pomp, wealth and worldly pleasures.

5. The Apostles had no certain dwelling place and labored, working with their own hands, and yet never gave over preaching for want of maintenance 1. Cor. 4. 11, 12. Acts 20. 34. 1. Thess. 2. 9, 2. Thess. 3. 8. Lord Bishops have divers certain Palaces, Sees, Manors, & Pontifical Mansions; their hundreds and thousands by the year; never labor with their hands (and seldowne with their tongues or brains) to get their livings; and yet preach not so oft in 2. or 3. years, as Paul and other Apostles did in a week, when they labored to.

6. The Apostles were troubled on every side, for Christ, yet not distressed; perplexed, but not in despairs persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the mark; of the Lord Jesus, and being always delivered unto death for Jesus sake: 2 Cor. 8, 9, 10, 11. Lord Prelates never were in such extremities, never suffered such things, as all or any of these for Christ, but have usually brought others into the Apostles condition far specified for Christ's sake; As the Book of Martyrs, and experience manifest.

7. The Apostles were called from the receipt of custom, from all other secular employments, and separated for the Gospel of Christ; forsaking all other things to preach and propagate it alone as soon as they were called to be Christ's Apostles and disciples, Math. 4. 18. to. 23. c. 9. 9. Mark 10. 28, 29. Rom. 1. 1. Acts 13. 2. Lord Prelates when they are made such, intrude themselves into secular offices and employments, call themselves back again to the receipt of custom shouldring themselves into Lord Treasurerships Lord Chancellorships & other such great temporal offices, tosupport and maintain their part, power and antichristian throne; erect Popery and Romish superstition, and rule all things at their pleasures: yea they almost wholly separate themselves from Christ, and the preaching of his Gospel, lay aside and give over their Ministry, &c. Preaching, that so they may wholly addict themselves to the world, the pleasures honors and preferments of it, to Court and State affairs, and Lord it over all men both in Church and State.

8. Christ's Apostles, were all equal among themselves, and Lorded it not one over the other, nor yet over their fellow brethren, or the Lord's inheritance never Pursevanting, imprisoning, fining, banishing or depriving of them like Pagan Princes, they being expressly prohibited so to do, Math. 20. 25. 26. 27 Luke 22. 25, 26. 2. Cor. 1. 24. 〈◊〉 . Pet. 5. 1, 2, 3, 4. Lord Prelates Lord it one over another and are not equal among themselves, witness their Popes, their Patriarchs, Cardinal, Bishops, Metropolitans, Arch-Bishops, Bishops, and Bishops Suffragans, all subordinate unto another; they claim a superiority Iure diuino over their fellow Presbyters (their equals, and all one with themselves by divine law & institution Acts 26. 17. 28. Phil. 1. 〈◊〉 . 1. 7 •… m. 3. 1, 2, 3. c. 5. 17. Titus 1. 5, 7. 1. Pet. 5. 1, 2, 3. Math. 20. 25, 26, 27, c. 28. 19: 20.) Yea they Lord and tyrannize it over their fellow Ministers, Diocese, and the Lord's inheritance suspending, silencing, excommunicating, pursevanting, fining, imprisoning reviling, depriving them, prescribing new Ceremonies, Injunctions, Articles, Oaths, Orders, and fining and punnishing them for the violation of them at their pleasures, like absolute Popes, Kings, Monarks, Parliaments, against all laws of God, and the Realm; as ancient, and (above all others) present experience testifieth; So like are their Lordly Sanctities to the Apoftles, or rather to their holy-Father the Pope & devil.

9. The Apostles preached daily the Lord Jesus, and his Gospel, to the people, because Christ, & God himself enjoined them to do it, notwithstanding the high Priests & whole Counsels suspencions inhibitiōs, threats, imprisonments, and scourgings to hinder and deter them Acts 4 & 5. 1. Thess. 2. 15, 16, 17. Lord's Prelates (on the contrary) are so far from imitating their examples, that they everywhere against the laws of God and the realm, yea contrary to the very Book of ordination and charge there given them when they were ordavned,) suspend & prohibit Ministers from preaching Christ & his Gospel to the people, that they may be saved, threatening to imprison deprive and ruin them if they do it; notwithstanding Christ and his Apostles have expressly commanded them, (and their Lordships to if Christ's Ministers, or their Successors) to do it under pain of eternal woe (which Bishop wren commanded to be blotted out of a Church wall in Ipswich Mat. 28. 19 20. Mark. 16. 15. Acts. 20. 281. Cor. 9. 16, 17. 1. Tim. 4. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. 1 Tim. 4. 13. c. 5. 17. The very highth of all iniquity and impiety 1. Thess. 2. 15, 16. Yea, money base fainthearted Ministers forgetting this President of the Apostles, set now silence under these illegal impious suspensions, and some of them, like hirelings f •… e from their flocks, and leave them to be devo •… vred of these raging wolves, as full experience manifests, whereas if they were true Sheopards and faithful Ministers, they would rather lay down their lives then fly or give over preaching upon such ungodly, unjust Suspentious, merely void in law, which of Common, Civil, Canon or Divine.

10. The Apostles daily in the Temple; and in every house (which now fotsooth were a Conventicle) ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ Acts 5. 42. (and that notwithstanding all the high Priests inhibitions, suspensions and imprisonments) Nay S. Paul as he spread and preached the Gospel of Christ almost over all the world ever from Jerusalem round about to Illyricum and where Christ was not once so much as named before, Rom. 15. 19. 20. So he disputed and preached daily in the School of one Tyrannus for two years space, Acts 19. 9. 10. Yea for three years space together, he ceased not day and night to warn everyone at Ephesus, with tears, teaching them publicly and from house to house, (now a dangerous unlawful conventicle in our Lord Prelates judgment) Acts 20. 20. 21. 31. he, and the rest of the Apostles, by their daily preaching and holy lives, converting thousands unto God & planting and watering many eminent Churches; as the Acts and Epistles of the Apostles, witness. Our Lordly Prelates are so far from not ceasing thus to preach daily, themselves, that few of them preach monthly, or quarterly, and it is much if they preach annually, and then only at Court: Others of them (as our great Archprelates) not in three or four years space or more; some not at all, (as the dumb Bishops of Oxford, Landaffe, and others:) yea, they do all they can to preach, write and cry down frequent preaching, as hurtful and superfluous; suppressing all or most week •… day Lectures, with Sermons on Lord's days afternoon in many Diocese, (o impiety!) inhibiting all painful, godly Ministers from preaching, some totally, other at least half so often as they desire to do, or more: and, (which is a thing almost incredible, and most impious) suppressing Lectures and preaching in all infected places, and that on the solemn Fast-day, as a means to spread the pestilence, even then, when all former ages, and an eminent ancient Popish Council, have cried them up as most necessary and useful; the sick having far more need of spiritual physic and Physicians, then the whole: Math. 9. 12. 13. As for preaching from house to house (be it by a Minister in his own parish only) our holy Lord Prelates are so far from practicing or approving it, though Apostolical, that they most unchristinaly prohibit, most impiously condemn, most severely punish it, and the repetition of Sermons for a dangerous Conventicle, deserving imprisonment, excommunication, fining, deprivation and what not, is a cloud of late examples testify. Such holy successors of Christ's Apostles are these ghostly Lord's spiritual; I will not say, carnal, worldly, and diabolical, as some too truly style them: This being one of Satan the great dragon his principal instructions to the heard-men of his goats, Bishops and Archbishops; to see that they hate, despise and blaspheme both the word of God, and the true Preachers and lovers thereof, and not to suffer the truth and freedom of God's Law to be known, but to keep it under as much as they can: to suffer no true Preachers to abide in their Dioceses, but quickly to bring them into great thralldom, charge and penury; and never to cease till they have driven them away and set up in their rooms and places Doctor Ignorance Domine drunkard, Sir John Lacke-latin, with Sir William Wilde-oaths that hunteth after whores, and such also as can play dissembling hypocrites, whereby the devils empire of darkness doth exceedingly flourish, which much decayed in all places by the true and frequent preaching of God's Word. As for their planting or watering of Churches, and converting store of souls to God, by their diligent frequent zealous preaching and pious lives, Alas, which of our great Archprelates can truly say, that he ever yet truly converted one soul to God by his life or doctrine? Which of all our Lordly loiterers can show me one man that he thoroughly convetted to Christ or reduced to an holy life since he became a Prelate? (scarce one or two, I fear, of the whole paeke.) Or what men are they this day living in England who can say with comfort, that a Lord Bishop was the means of their true conversion? Such converts doubtless are so rare, that all their names, I fear, (like the good Roman Emperors) may be engraven in one ring; whereas the souls they have murdered and tumbled into Hell by their ill examples, unjust, ungodly, tyrannical, atheistical lives, supressing of preaching Lectures, godly Ministers, repetition of Sermons, private Fasts, and Christian private assemblies in all places; declamations against purity, Puritans, piety and preciseness, making and countenancing ungodly, unworthy scandalous Ministers; stirring men up to profane the Lord's own day by Dancing sports, &c. As woeful experience witnesseth past all denial. O that these unprofitable Lord Prelates would consider that excellent saying of Pope Gregory the first. Pensemus ergo &c. Let us therefore diligently consider, who have ever been converted by our preaching; who being reprehended for their perverse actions, have repented upon our reprehension: who out of our instruction hath forsaken his luxury; who declined his covetousness, who his pride? Let us consider what gain we have brought into God, who receiving a talent are sent by him to negociate with it. For he saith; Occupis till I come. Behold he now cometh; behold he requireth gain out of our negotiation What gain of souls shall we show unto him out of our negociation? How many sheaves of souls shall we bring before his sight out of the crop of our preaching? Let us set before our eyes that day of so great distress, wherein the Judge shall come and exact a strict account of those servants to whom he hath committed talents. There, shall Peter appear with converted Judea, which he hath drawn after him: There, Paul, leading, that I may so speak the converted world. There, also Andrew shall lead Achaia after him; there, John Asia, Thomas India converted by them, and present them to the view of the Judge. There all the Rammes of the Lord's flock shall appear with the gains of souls, who by their holy Sermons draw a converted subdued flock after them. When therefore so many Shepherds shall come thus with their several flocks before the presence of the eternal Shepherd, what shall we poor wretches (what shall cur unpreaching, unprofitable Lord Prelates) say, who after our negociation return empty to our Lord; who have the name of Pastors, and yet have no sheep at all to show whom we have nourished and converted. Here were we are called shepherds, and yet thus we lead no flock at all •… therefore we shall then be reputed 〈◊〉 hireling and murderers, not as Pastors. A speech which should make all our Lordly Prelates humble and give over their Lording, loitering and secular employments, to fall a preaching & win some souls to God.

11. Paul, (Christ's most laborious Apostle) preached not only in the morning, but also in the evening on the Lord's day, and continued his Sermon until midnight. Acts 20. 7. Our godly devout Lord Prelates, not only give over preaching themselves on Lord's day evenings, but professedly prohibit it as unlawful, by their printed visitation articles, suspending those that dare to preach, (though they catechize also) on the Lord's day evening, that so the profane vulgar may have more liberty, and spend that time in dancing and playing, which this Apostles spent in preaching. And are they not then his undoubted Successors.

12 Finally, the Apostles had no quadrangular Ca •… s for their round pates, no stately Miters for their heads, no rochets, Surplesses, Stoles, or other Pontifical disguised vestments for their backs or arms, no rings or Crosiers for their hands and fingers, no Altars for their Sacrament of the Lord's Supper no Tapers, vestment Images, Crucifixes Altar clothes, Organs, or Arras hangings, Singing men, Cheristers, Prebends, Petty Canons, Canons, Deans or Chapters for their Cathedrals or private Chapels (which they wanted) no Vicars general, Commissaries, Officials, Registers, Purseuants, high Commissions, visitation Oaths, Articles, Orders, Injunctions, Canon laws or Canonists for their Diocese, no Coaches, Chariots, pamper •… Palfreys, Footmen, Horsmen, Cooks, Butlers, Keepers Hunters Falkners, & train of attendants for their pleasure, State, journeys, or hospitallity; no cringings and bowings to Altars, Tables, Crucifixes, or the name of Jesus, no standing up at Gloria Patri, Athanacius and the Nicene Creed, no kneeling at the Sacrament, no Procurations; Letters of Ordination, licenses to preach, or keep Schools, Probate of wills, Commissions of administration, Seals of arms, Tit'es of your Grace, your Lordship, your Holynesse, your Father hood, Primate, Patriarke, Metropolitan, Arch-bishop, most reverend Father in God &c. Alas poor silly Fish •… s and Michaniks, they neither had, nor knew, nor ever dreamed of all these Pontifical Inuentions, ceremonies, vestements, Ornaments, Titles, which our Lord Prelates claim, enjoy, enforce by divine authority as their Successors, in which they place the very honor, luster, life and essence of their Episcopalities and Lotdlyresse; They; poor men, thought the Canon of the Scripture (as did their Master Christ) sufficient to rule and guide the Church to the end of the world Math. 28. 19, 20, Gal. 6. 16. Sufficient to make them wise to salvation, to build them up, to give them an inheritance among them that are sanctified, and to bring them safe to heaven Acts 20. 32. Gal. 6. 16. 2 Tim. 3. 15. Yea all sufficient for doctrine, reprooffe, correction, instruction inrighteounesse, that the man of God may be perfect thoroughly furnished unto all good works 2. Tim. 3. 16, 17. without any other Canons, Decretals, Articles, Injunctions &c. Lord Prelates are of a quite contrary faith and judgment. They, poor silly Creatures, in their First general Counsel at Jerusalem, would impose no Ceremonies at all upon the Gentiles, nor lay no other but these necessary things, as a burden on them, to abstain from fornication, and from blood, and things strangled Acts 25. 28, 29. And Paul himself, without express Commaund from God, would not enjoin or single unmarried life to any, but only advise it, Yet so, as to leave every man to his own free liberty and discretion 1. Cor. 7. 8. 9. 25. 26. 27. 28. to 40. Yea else where; He beats down all human Traditions and Constitutions as no ways obligatory in divine, or Ecclesiastical matters. Col. 2. 20. 21. 22. 1. Cor. 7. 23. 1 Tim. 4. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Gal. 1. 10. c. 2. 9. to 20. c. 3. 1. 2. c. 5. 1, 2. But our Lordly Prelates far wiser and statelier then they, who were no Lord's nor Peers, of their several divided heads without advise of Kings and Parliament, by their own Lordly authorities in their own names, can forge, prescribe enjoin, and that upon Oath and subscription, many hundred unnecessary Ceremonies, Articles and injunctions, not anywhere commanded by Christ; and impose them upon Ministers and people under pain of suspension, excommunication, imprisonment, deprivation, and what other penalties their royal Papal Majesty's please, to inflict, enforcing Churchwardens (contrary to God's Law, by the very Rhemists own doctrine) to present the infringers of them upon Oath, (whereas they enjoin them not to present the violaters of God's own Ten Commandments, Or any of Christ's, or his Apostles precepts (as they are such upon oath, which God himself never enforced to b •… inquired or presented upon oath; a thing considerable) Such God's, Popes, Kings, Tyrants, and absolute Lord's are they now grown over men's consciences, souls, bodies and estates, all now made captive to their more then divine, Imperial, Papal, pleasures; as experience everywhere testifieth to our grief and pain.

Judge now even you Lordly Prelates, and all ye people of the realm, by all the premised Parallels; wheither these great Lord's and th •… ir Prelacie be of diabolical or divine institution, wheither they are of Christ or the devil; the imps and spurious beats of the one; or Sons and genuine Children of the other; the successors and followers of the I •… wish High Priests, or of the Apostles: Judge, I say, of these things, not with passion or affection, but with imparciallitie and conscience; not by opinion or fancy, but by experience and truth; not with malice or prejudice either way, but with down-right sincerity, as you desire CHRIST shall Judge you at the day of Judgment, and as yourselves then shall judge. And when you have done his, then let our Lordly Prelates give up that verdict of themselves and others of them, as their souls and consciences shall sincerely dictate; And then I doubt not, but their pretended Ius diuin •… m for their Lordly Hierarchy, will be a non est inuentus, and all their Lordlynesse, pomp, power, state, Pride, Canons, Articles, Oaths, Ceremonies, Titles, Innovations, Suspensions, and present fore-specified practices, cast and sentensed forever to the pit of Hell, from which they sprung, if my poor weak Judgment doth not misinforme me.

John Rupescissa (a bold prophetical preaching Friere) told the Ro •… ish Cardinals and Prelates some 300. years since, that they were the Peacock whom all the birds had enriched with their feathers, whereby she was grown so proud, that she would never know herself, till the Kings and Princes of the earth that had decked and enriched her, should come, and taking everyone of them his own feather, leave her as bald and naked as they found her, and then as their pride & wealth was the beginning of all the errors, Schisms and corruptions in religion that troubled the world, so their humiliation and fall should be the end of them. I may apply his Prophecy to our Lordly Prelates now: they are the only proud Peacockes of the world so adorned and swollen with worldly honor, power wealth, pomp, pride and greatness, that they will ne-ver know either God or themselves till the King & temporal Lord's who have decked and enriched them with these gorgeous plumes, shall come, and taking everyone of them his own feather, leave them as bald and naked as they found them. And then as their pride, pomp, Lordlinesse, pour and worldly wealth hath been the errors, Schisms, Innovations, corruptions in Religion that have troubled our Church and the whole world; (yea, of all the grievances, oppressions, Tallayes, and mischiefs, that have instead our state of later years) so their humiliation and fall shall be the end of them. Up therefore o most gracious Sovereign Lord King Charles, & all ye English Nobles, without more delays, and unp •… ume these luciferian proud Peacocks of all those royal Lordly feathers, they have unjustly stolen and usurped from you: and since they claim all of them from a divine Right and Title, (without any shadow or ground of truth, as I have been demonstrated in the preceeding Parallels, beyond all contradiction,) and will no longer enjoy or claim them as from your grace and bounty, leave them not one feather more to hide their nakedness, but what God's word hath clearly endowed them withal; then certainly they will be so bald and naked, that they will never play the devils, Lord's or high Priests more. And that this dunghill generation of Lordly Peacockes may no more inf •… either our Church or state; beseech you, follow the Counsel, that one Curghesis once gave to the King of Meth, when he demanded of him, hom he might destroy certain noisome birds then lately came into Ireland, where they did much harm to the Country? Nidos eorum ubique destruendos: Let their Nests be everywhere destroyed, I mean, their pompous, papal unprofitab •… e, unuseful Sees and Cathedrals, (now their very chairs of pestilence, the Seminaries of Popery, superstition, idolatry, pride, lasines, Nonresidency, Epicureanism and profaneness,) or else turned to some better uses, as were our Abbeys, Priories, Monasteries, Nunneries and Chauntries heretofore; else though they be cast out for a time, yet they will (as Popery now doth) creep in again by degrees, and hatch more Lordly Peacockes, Ravens, Rookes noisome birds, as bad, as ravenous and pernicious as themselves, to the utter subversion both of our Church and state, which now lie gasping out their last breath under their Papal pride and tyranny without some speedy rescue.