The horrid sin of man-catching, explained in a sermon upon Jer. 5, 25, 26 preach'd at Colchester, July 10, 1681 / by Edmond Hickeringill ...

THE POSTSCRIPT TO THE READERS.

ANd now, Gentle Readers, if ever I had need to beg your Candour, or to make an Apology for pub∣lishing a crude Sermon, now is the time.

For as it is true, that I had not so much as short Notes when I preach'd it, nor time to make them; so, as near as my Memory serves me, I have set down verbatim (at least the Substance of) what I preach'd; writing im∣mediately what I preach'd, whilst fresh in my Memory, and so sent it the next day by a special Messenger to the Press.

You'll say, perhaps, why? What haste? If this had ne∣ver been Printed, or Printed seven years hence, it is soon enough.

And all may be; For neither in the Preaching, nor Pub∣lishing, had I the least Reflection to hit any particular Man alive.

But I know the Sin of setting Snares to catch Men is so common (too too common God knows) in these Days; such Shamming and Trepanning, that scarce an honest Man in England of any Eminency, but has or may have cause to say with Holy David —Every day they wrest my Words,

all their Thoughts are against me for Evil.

If this Discourse then be but conimoda ut accommoda, as profitable as seasonable, I have my end and only aim; pur∣posely waving in this Sermon all vain Rhetorical Flou∣rishes, idle or elaborate Quotations, much more that scenical gaping, or endeavour at Wit, Pun or Quibble, so much admir'd by the Humming-Tribe.

In which little Arts I have no Skill, and less Will; as thinking no Rhetorick nor Quotations comparable to that and those in Holy Writ; leaving to Pulpit-Stagers, the little Hitts, Hintings and Glances at Wit, unbecoming the Gravity and Grandeur of a Divine, and better befitting the levity of a Stage, or a Barber's Shop, than the sacred Pulpit.

And as I have no Malice against any Man alive; so I do not know nor believe that I have an Enemy in the World, but such as are so, upon the same Score, and for the same Reason, with which St. Paul upbraids the bewitched and foolish Galatians, Am I therefore become your Enemy because I tell you the Truth?

Some think our Divisions and Distractions are so great, that they will not find a shorter Period, than the Wars and Miseries of Greece: of the end whereof the Oracle of Apollo (being consulted) replyed,—They should surcease when they should double the Altar at Delos; which was Cubique-form. Whereupon all Hands went to work in haste to add ano∣ther Altar to the old one, of a like Cubique-Form to it; but to little Purpose, for the Miseries abated not a whit.

But Plato better expounded the riddling God, telling them, the Oracle meant, They should never have end; for the doubling a Cube in Solids, is (as the Quadrature of a Circle in Plano amongst Geometricians, or as the Phi∣losophers Stonc, amongst the vain-promising and vain∣boasting Chymists) never (alas!) never to be found out.

Yet I have other Thoughts, more Faith, and better Hope that our Distractions will find a happy Conclusion, and the Death of the Plots and Sham-Plots in good time be fathom'd, sounded to the bottom, and discovered; yet, truly, I think, (as is said of the Altar at Delos) a period and end of our Distractions is impossible, 'till all Popish Altars, Popish Hopes, and Popish Claim (by the Pope and his Emissaries) to these three Kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland, and the propagation of his Superstition amongst us be extirpate and rooted out, nay, Root and Branch: for there always were Plots, Popish Plots, in the Reigns of all our Kings, ever since the Pope's Supremacy and Usur∣pations have been rejected; and whilst there is a fair pro∣spect and hopes of Redemption of this Golden-Fleece, (though they be but Glimpses) Popish Plots and Conspiracies can∣not possibly cease, nor the English, Scotish and Irish-Papists, cease their Assistance and Conspiracies, except they apo∣statize from the Principles of Popery.

Do they not all follow the Fathers of the Council of Trent, into which not a Man was admitted to Vote, 'till he had taken this Oath—

Ego N. &c. Papatum Romanae Ecclesiae & regulas San∣ctorum Patrum adjutor ero ad defendendum & retinendum, salvo ordine meo, contra omnes Homines. In English thus.

I. N. &c. will be an Assistant, to defend and main∣tain the Papacy of the Church of Rome, and the Commands of the Holy-Fathers (the Popes of Rome) against all Men Living.

How inconsistent is this Oath with the Oath of Allegi∣ance and Supremacy? How impossible to reconcile these two Oaths? How impossible for a Man to be a right and true Papist, and at the same time a right and true Subject to a Protestant Prince!

For which cause (no doubt it was) made Treason (by the Statutes 23 Eliz. cap. 1. and 3 Jacob. 4. In the Reigns of those two wise Princes) not only to persuade the King's Subjects (bred and educated in the Protestant Religion) to apostatize and turn Papists; but the very Apostates them∣selves are Traitors—declared in these very Words.

—And if any Person shall after the end of this Session of Parliament, by any means be willingly absolved, or with∣drawn, as aforesaid, or willingly be reconciled, (to the Romish Religion before recited) or shall promise any Obe∣dience to any such pretended Authority, Prince, State or Potentate, as is aforesaid; that then every such Person, their Procurors and Counsellors thereunto, being thereof lawfully Convicted, shall be taken tryed and adjudged, and shall suffer and forfeit, as in Cases of High Crea∣son.

Then the said Statute (which see at large) makes it mis∣prision of Treason wittingly to aid or maintain such an Apostate, or conceal his Offence twenty days together, without disco∣vering it to a Justice of Peace, or other High Officer: nay, he shall pay an hundred Marks, and be imprisoned a Year, that shall willingly hear Mass: As it follows in the said Sta∣tute.

And by the said Statute tertio Jacobi; The Apostate to the Romish Religion shall be indicted, tryed and proceeded against as a Traitor, either at the Assizes and Goal Delivery of the County, for the time being; or before the Justices of the Court of Kings-Bench.

So careful have our Kings and Parliaments been to brand that Julian, that (being educated in an honest and true Religion built upon Holy Wait) should be such a Fool, or Knave, or Atheist (for one of the three, or all of the three, such

an Apostate must be) to change such a Religion, for a Superstition forged and invented by Prelatical Pride and Rapacity.

For the maintenance whereof, all their pious Frauds and Cheats, all their lying Miracles, Indulgencies, Purgatories, Limbus's, Crosses, Images, Agnus Dei's, Holy Water, Masses, Canonizations, Prayers to Saints, baptizing of Bells, Excommunications, Fulminations, Inquisitions, burning of Hereticks, Massacres, Fopperies, Plots and Sham-Plots are calculated, design'd and contriv'd.

I do not think that every silly Papist knows these things; for they (poor Puppets!) dance, creep to the Cross, cringe, bow, drop Beads, cross themselves, sprinkle them∣selves with Holy Water, mumble their Ave's, and show tricks as the Masters of the Puppit Play, with Wiers (within the Curtain) actuate them; and make them frisk so ridicu∣lously, curvet and shew such Gambolls in Religion, espe∣cially at Processions (which I have seen in Portugal) that the soberest Countenance cannot forbear a Smile, mixt with Pity.

But there's never a Jesuit amongst them, Pope, nor Cardinal, but knows that I here write God's Truth: And can∣not forbear laughing among themselves at these Frauds; only, they sanctify these Cheats with a mollifying Epithete, calling them—Pious Frauds.

I know, 'tis hard, very hard, for even a rational Man to emancipate himself and his Reason out of the Hands and Tyranny of Superstitions, suck'd in with our Mother's Milk, and imbib'd by Education. And therefore, I rather pity than blame a silly Papist, Man or Woman, brought up in such Superstitions: Which are as ridiculous as that of the Indians of the Island of St. Thomas, that fight it out to Death to this day, to decide which is the right Elephant's Tooth that fell from Heaven; whilst the wise laugh or pity them, judging (aright) that both the pretendedly-Divine

and Heavenly Fangs came from the Jaw bone of the Beast.

I therefore have compassion for those Bigots, but none for a Protestant, (that in defiance of Truth) shall apostatize therefrom, and run to these thick Skull'd Vanities; for which gross Perversion (not Conversion) the Apostate cannot so much as pretend the delusion of Education; but quite con∣trary; (I say) such a Julian Apostate, must either be an A∣theist, and so, of no Religion; or some silly foolish Bigot that understands not the Principles of any Religion; or else has conceiv'd some monstrous and bloody Stratagom and Plot, impossible to be brought forth, but by the solo Midwifery of such bloody Hands and Bloody Religion; no other Religi∣on can possibly do the Feat. In such case, I confess, there is a necessity for such an Apostate to defy and forsake Pro∣testant Principles, and the Protestant Religion.

For did ever any wise or honest Man espouse and wed a Religion (to which he was not pre-contracted, and in Infan∣cy drawn in and cajol'd) 'till acquaintance first had with that Religion he weds?

And do not all the learned and authentick Romish Doctors assert, and hold publickly in their Printed Wri∣tings and Books, that—Papa potest dispensare contra jus Na∣turale; The Pope can dispense with the Laws of Nature, (that's pretty well to begin with) contra Canones Apostolorum; he can dispense with the Rules of the Apostles: And, con∣tra formam verborum in Baptismo, with the Form of the words in Baptism; (How they improve! but let them go on.) Others say, The Pope can dispense contra Jus Divinum, contra novum Testamentum; others, de omnibus praeceptis ve∣teris & novi Testamenti, contrà Epistolas Pauli, &c. too ma∣ny to enumerate. Some of them assert, That the Pope can dispense with Divine-Right, and can dispense with and a∣gainst the New-Testament; others, with the Epistles of St. Paul; others, that the Pope can dispense with the Precepts both of the Old and New Testament.

Possest with these devilish Principles, therefore have their famous Doctors reviled and blasphemed the Holy Word of God.

Which Albortus Pigghius calls (Nasus cereus, qui se horsum, illorsum; & in quamcun{que} voluer is partent, trahi, retrahi, fingi{que} facilè permittit) a Nose of Wax, that easily suffers it self to be drawn backward and forward, this way and that way, and any way; and in his third Controversy concerning the Church, (he saith) sunt enim Scripturae muti Judices, The Scriptures are dumb Judges.

Did not Ludovicus, a Canon of the Church of Lateran, in the late Conventicle (or Council of Trent) without Re∣proof, in an Oration, assert, that Scriptura est quasi mortuum Atramentum, The Scripture is dead Ink.

And his Blasphemy confirm'd by the Bishop of Poytiers in the same Convent, saying, Scriptura est res inanimis & muta, sicut etiam sunt reliquae Leges Politicae; The Scripture is a dead and dumb thing, as all other Politick Laws.

No wonder therefore, that Cardinal Hosius, the Pope's Legate, land President of the said Council of Trent, an∣swered with as much Impiety as Scurrility to that Objection (namely that King David, being no Bishop, yet had writ∣ten the Book of Psalms) answered—Quid ni scriberet? Scribimus indocti doctique Poemata passim; Why should he not write? (quoting a Verse out of Horace:)

The learned Poets, Songs indite; Th'unlearned too, do Ballads write.

No wonder also neither, that St. Paul cannot pass by them without a Jeer and Scoff: Augustinum vetustas sua tueture; qui si revivisceret cum Paulo, certe ille contemptus esset Rhetorculus, aut Grammaticulus; Paulus verò vel insanire vel Haereticus videnetur. Augustine is safe now because of his Antiquity: But if he and Paul were alive again, he would

be contemptible as a pittiful Rhetorician, and poor Gram∣marian; But Paul would be accounted a mad Man or an Heretick.

Whereas they hold that the Pope is alter Deus in Terrâ; God upon Earth: and others say, Christus in Caelo praesidet, Papa in Terris residet, Christ is Prince in Heaven, the Pope on Earth: Nay their Hebrew Gloss, upon Deut. 17.11. says, Si dixerint tibi quod dextra sit sinistra, aut quod sinistra sit dextra, talis sententia tenenda est; if they (the Pope and his Emissaries) tell thee that thy right Hand is thy left Hand, or thy left Hand is thy right Hand, yet you ought to be∣lieve them, and be of that Opinion.

(But is it not as safe to say—I Believe in God?)

Another says, Sit ergo Domina nostra Roma Baculus in Aquâ fractus, absit tamen ut crederem quod viderim.

Let our Mistriss Rome be a Stick that in the Water seems crooked, yet God forbid, that I should believe my own Eyes.

No Man therefore (I say) can be a Papist, but he whose Eyes are blinded by Education; or, he who puts his own Eyes out by Atheism: For their own Books discover them palpably. To Instance but in one Passage more, mentioned in the Life of Pope Clement. 5. Hic fuit publicus Fornicator. Ab eo tempore defecit omnis Disciplina, & Re∣ligio in Cardinalibus, & tres Radices vitiorum, Superbia, A∣varitia, Luxuria, validissimè dominantur.

He (Pope Clement) was an arrand Whore-Master, pub∣lick and common; And from that time forth, all kind of Discipline and Religion failed amongst the Cardinals; especially three roots of Vices flourished amongst them, Pride, Covetousness and Lechery.

Thus we see the Successors of St. Peter can deny their Lord and Master, as stoutly as ever did St. Peter himself; but he with Repentance, these without repenting.

And how Men of these Principles can be true to God or Man, to any Protestant Prince or Protestant Neighbour, let the World judg; except they defy the Pope and the Devil, and all their Works of Popish and Hellish Darkness, Plots and Designs. And I think I am not at all herein strait∣lac'd in my Charity, though I must expect never the fairer quarter from them for this Declaration.

But where is our true Christian, true Protestant and true English Courage now become? Who, (but he that's unfit to live) would fear to die in and for so just a Cause?

Better a thousand times (if possible) to die a true Prote∣stant, and a true English Man, by the Sham-Plots, False Wit∣nesses, and Popish Machinations; than willingly to enslave a Man's self, and Posterity, Soul, Body, Honour, Hone∣sty, Religion and Estate, to Arbitrary and Popish Sway; I put them together, for (like Hippocrates-Twins) they are born and live and die together.

Does not Pope Boniface himself, with as little Modesty as Truth, assert his Ʋniversal Power over all Nations, as well in Temporals as Spirituals, from that Scripture, Luk. 22.38. Behold, here are two Swords: no jot to his Purpose, nor the least colour more than the bare sound of the Words; (two Swords;) which were no Allegorical nor Metaphorical, (but plain travailing) Swords of Ammunition-Hilt and Blade.

And yet this Ʋsurper (though he can show no Warrant, no Commission nor Authority for his Claim, from Christ or Holy Scripture; yet, like another late Ʋsurper) he can lay his Hand upon the Hilt of his two Swords (Spiritual and Temporal) and cry, This is my Commission.

For if his Temporal Sword (which is no small one) be too short; then he unsheaths his Spiritual Sword, and with Fulminations, Excommunications, Curses and Anathema's, with Bell, Book and Candle, he huffs and swaggers; roars, nants, hectors and blusters all Mankind, that either fear

his vain Thunderings, or come within the dint of his Thun∣derbolts.

To keep up therefore this usurped Power, or to regain it, where lost, there is, and ever will be Popish Plots, when and where there are any blooming hopes to accomplish them in any Protestant Kingdom whatsoever.

They are not now, (though they have been) much troubled with these Popish Plots in Sweden and Denmark; wherefore? I'le tell you;

For two Reasons; One is, that the Laws against Papists are so fully put in Execution, without connivance; that I have rid a hundred Miles together in those Countries, and could not (upon Inquiry) hear of one known and profess'd Papist.

2. Another Reason is, (and they have found it, by Expe∣rience, a most incomparable Remedy) They gueld all the Popish Priests they catch in their Kingdoms and Domini∣ons.

They used to hang them formerly, but that would not do; for the hopes of being Canoniz'd and Sainted (as Martyrs) drill'd some silly Priests thither; 'till a converted Nun (I know not from what Experience) persuaded Authority, to gueld all the Popish Priests they took.

They took her Advice, and it proves a wonderful Cure and Remedy against propagation of Popery in these King∣doms.

I say therefore, 'tis senceless to doubt the being of a Po∣pish Plot, that never ceas'd (since the Reign of Hen. 8.) in England; but now by Coleman's Letters it infallibly ap∣pears, that they never had such blessed hopes of converting these three Kingdoms, since the Bone-fires in Smithfield in Queen Mary's Days, as now, now at this time, now that—

And the more impudently they deny so clear a Truth, the more cause we have to abominate the Villany of that Religi∣on,

that hardens Men in Lies or Equivocations even to Death; And the more they deny it, after such apparent and mani∣fold Conviction, the more suspicious and dangerous it is, by the combined endeavour to conceal it, and to turn the Edge thereof upon the Protestants.

Thus the Prophet did first blindfold the Syrians, and then how easily did he lead them into the Enemies Camp.

And indeed no Man can deny but 'tis politickly and craftily done, to endeavour to put out the Eyes of those Men, that are most quick-sighted to discern their dark mysterious and hellish Intrigues: Or, if they could but be Godfrey∣diz'd, strangl'd, hang'd or stab'd, the Business would be done as effectually, and to all Intents and Purposes.

Especially, if the Sham-Evidences would but be improv'd and manag'd, with some Lawyer's Hackney-Tongue, whose Conscience is so often sold pro and con, right or wrong, for Plaintiff or Defendant (who bids most, and who comes first) prostituted and set to sale, (when Merchandize is indiffe∣rently and equally made of Truth and Falshood) the Snare of catching Men would be the stronger, and the Feat more currant. But that honest English Juries do know that a Hackney-Tongue is no Slander, and they'll believe them no further than they list; They have heard them so often bawle, babble and bluster, so loud and clamorous for Plan∣tiff one day, for Defendant another, that no wise Man heeds them; but knows that Words are but Wind, Windy Words (from Hackney-Tongues) as empty and variable as the Wind; but that it costs more to buy such Winds, than it does the becalmed Mariners in the Baltick-Sea, when they (as I have sometimes known them) buy a Wind of a Lapland-Witch.

But ('tis observable) that this Hackney Wind, as well as the other, is usually fatal to all that buy them, ending in a Wreck, at least, a repented Bluster and Storm.

Whilst these Merchants of Truth and Falshood; Merchants of Law, and sometimes of very little or no Law, (but with) the same Hackney Tongues, vilify and disgrace all that stand in their way, without respect to their own Modesty (I thank you, some of them have none!) without respect to Ingenuity, common Civility, or good Manners, without respect to any Man's Worth or Quality (except they expect a Fee from them; for that alone opens and shuts the Breath-seller's Mouth) they cannot open, but Dirt flys out to bespatter, as if they had got a Priviledg or Patent to be the Common-Shoars, and common Filth, common Slanderers, under the colour of a Fee, and under the Protection of a Motley or Button-Gown.

Nay, (I know it, and will maintain it for a great Truth) that a Gentleman's Credit and Estate, Life and Honour, are in less Danger and Hazard in the Field amongst ten thousand Enemies, than amongst those sneaking Split-Causes, these Snappers, Ensnarers, and Catchers of Men.

For they can make the righteous Law execute their Malice and Spleen (by wresting, wrong setting and turning its Edge) so that no Innocence, Honesty, Honour, or In∣genuity can prove a sufficient Safeguard.

The wary Hollanders therefore (though the greatest and wisest encouragers of Trade) of all Trades and Mysteries of Iniquity, suffer not the Merchandize of these Hucksters of Law, in any of their Territories.

They suffer neither Bar-Gowns nor Button-Gowns amongst them; They suffer no Tinkerly Pleadings of mending one hole, and making too; They suffer no Man's Cause to perish, by the Error or Folly, Knavery or Inadvertency of any Scribe or Attorney, by a word mis-placed, mis-recited or mis-pleaded; but every Man knows an end of his Cause the same day he commences it, and pleads his own Cause before the Lords, (who seek not to trap and catch at their Igno∣rance) And they must be very ignorant indeed, if they make more bungling work, or can defeat their own Cause, dis∣guize

or disgrace Truth, so readily as these split-Causes and spoil-Chuses.

Notwithstanding all this, I would not be construed to reflect in the least upon those honest and learned Gentlemen of the Long-Robe, of which sort are very many, that have more Integrity and Honour, than to abuse their learned Skill by entrapping, ensnaring and catching Men, with Law-tricks, and Sham-tricks, turning Darkness to Light, and Light to Darkness, and turning Pleading to Rayling, Lying and Slandering; now so much the Mode at Bar: a Shame it should be suffered!

'Tis these alone (as the World goes) that can defend us from the catching Snares laid by the former, to catch a Man and his Cause, a Man and his Heritage.

'Tis these alone (with the Authority, Justice and Wis∣dom of the Reverend Judges) that can deliver Men out of the Snares that are laid for them, by those prostituted Hire∣lings.

But none of the Snares that are laid to catch Men, are comparable to the Subtilty and Cruelty of the Romish Priests; for the speediest Execution of a Sham-Plot, is an Absolution from a Jesuit; or a Bull of Indulgence or Jubilee from the Pope, like that of Pardon to the late Irish Rebels and Cut-Throats.

So that the most Cheveril-Charity can scarcely have other Opinion of these Romish Emissaries, than St. Hierome had of the Clergy of his time, (who were so generally debanch'd and mischievous, that the good Father cryed out) non puto multos inter Sacerdotes salvos fieri; I cannot imagine (saith he) how it is possible that many Clergy-Men can go to Heaven!

So say I of these Romish Priests, if they stick to the Prin∣ciples of their bloody Religion, I cannot imagine how they can possibly be saved.

For does not the Inquisition come out of their holy Ar••d∣nal? Are not all the bloody Popish Plots and Sham Flots, contrived and managed by them? Did not they invent and forge in England, the Writ de Haeretico comburendo, to con∣demn Hereticks (namely, all that oppose their Pride and Covetousness) to Fire and Faggot?

But how? not by setting Fire to the Faggot themselves, or turning Hang-men; no, those holy Men will not dip their Sacred Hands in Blood: (Oh the Hypocrisy of such Devo∣tion!) No, no, they knew a way worth two on't; they made tht poor enslaved Bigotted Magistrate do that Drud∣gery.

And before the Statute of Queen Elizabeth, (that awards the Writ of Excommunicato capiendo, and confines it to a∣bout ten sort of Offenders only) some think the same Popish Engineers in Popish Times were the first Inventers and For∣gers of that Writ also: if they were, they were as unman∣nerly as unmerciful, to invent a Discipline that God never made; and that which our Blessed Saviour, the Holy Apo∣stles, and Primitive Church, never know; and then when they had anathematiz'd and curst a Man to the Devil, and the Devil did not or would not take him, then to make the Sheriff and the Jaylor to take the Devil's Leavings, and when Hell would not or did not, then the Goal should: The Spanish Inquisition, and bloody Bishop Bonner Bishop of London, made great use of this Engine.

The former Writ, de Haeretico comburendo, has found its just Doom and Catastrophe; but that of Excommunicato capiendo shall stand in force (when it is awarded according to the Statute) as long as—When? as long as the King and Parliament shall please.

But if I thought that all our Mischiefs come from Rome and Popish Priests, I should think (as some have done) that there was more cause (than only the bare Error of the Press) that in the Popish New Testament in Latin (Printed at

Cologn) in 1 Cor. 6.9. stands Printed (instead of) neque Scortatores (these words) neque Sacerdotes regnum Dei pos∣sidebunt.

No wonder therefore, that Pope Adrian 6. commanded Cheregatus his Legate de latere, to declare in a Dyet of the Empire (assembled and held at Norimberg) in Germany— A Sacerdotibus Iniquitatem Populi dimanare; multis nunc annis graviter multisque modis peccatum esse Romae: & inde à Pontificio culmine malum hoc, atque luem ad Inferiores omnes Ecclesiarum Praefectos defluxisse: The Iniquity of the Peo∣ple came from the Priests; And that now, for the space of many Years, there have been great and grievous Enor∣mities committed at Rome: And that all this Plague and Mischief, hath flowed unto all the Inferior Prelates of the Church, from the High Throne of the Pope's Holiness.

No wonder then, that their own Abbot St. Bernard saith—Bestia illa de Apocalypsi, cui datum est os loquens Blasphemias, & bellum gerere cùm Sanctis, Petri Cathedram occupat, tanquàm Leo paratus ad Praedam. In English thus—

That Beast that is spoken of in the Revelations, to whom is given a Mouth speaking Blasphemies, and to make War against the Saints, is now got up into Peter's Chair, like a Lion ready for his Prey.

And Albertus magnus saith, Illi qui modo Praesunt in Ec∣clesiis, plurimum sunt Fures & Latrones; plus Exactores quam Pastores, plus Spoliatores quam Tutores, plus Mactatores quam Custodes, plus Perversores quam Doctores, plus Seductores quam Ductores; Isti sunt Nuncii Antichristi, Subversores Ovium Christi: (that is) The Prelates of the Church are most of them Theeves and Robbers; Wolves rather than Shepherds, rather Spoilers than Defenders, rather Killers than Keepers, rather Deceivers than Doctors, rather Per∣verters than Converters: These be the Ambassadors and Nuntio's of Antichrist, the Devourers of the Sheep of Christ.

And in the Council of Rhemes, the same Bernard (be∣fore praised) told the Bishops to their Faces in open Council, and in open Court, (though he himself was no Bishop) Dicimini Pastores, cùm sitis raptores, (Fratres) Jesus hodiè elegit sibi multos Diabolos Episcopos, non sunt Pa∣stores sed Traditores: (In English thus) My Brethren, ye are called Bishops, but ye are meer Men-catchers and Rob∣bers; Jesus now adays has chosen to himself many Devils to be Bishops: They are not Pastors, but treacherous Ju∣das-ses.

And Johannes Sarisburiensis gave this Reason, to Pope Adrian 4. why Popes are usually so short-liv'd—Nè totam corrumpant Ecclesiam, lest they should (quoth he) infect the whole Church.

And one (of their own Cardinals) writes—That Pope Hildebrand poysoned six Popes successively one after a∣nother, to make room for himself to leap into the Papal Chair, which he purchased by those Divine Arts; Here was a Pope-catcher as well as a Man-catcher.

And Pope Ʋrban 6. was a Cardinal-catcher; for he catch'd five of his Cardinals at one time in a Sack, and threw them alive into the Sea, and drown'd them.

And Pope John 12. catch'd one of his Cardinals by the Nose and cut it off; and another by the right Hand and cut that off too.

And Pope Stephanus catch'd the dead Body of Pope For∣mosus his Predecessor, and cut off his Head and fore-fingers, and then threw the naked Carcase (of this quondum Infalli∣bility) into the River Tyber.

And more than once, some of them have catch'd and snatch'd Men to the Grave, by giving them a poysoned Wafer in the Sacrament, and poysoning the Wine in the Chalice or Cup.

So true is it what their own Writer saith, in Allusion to the Cruelty of Popes, reciting Heb. 9.7. Into the Holy of

Holies (the Papal Chair) did the High Priest enter alone, but not without Blood.

Whilst we say of the Protestant Religion (which God has miraculously preserved so long, and (I prophesy) will still pre∣serve in despight of all the Popish and Hellish Stratagems, False Evidence and Sham-Plots (as was said of Israel) The more they were afflicted the more they grew.

Therefore chear up, true English Hearts! Let not your Christian Courage flag; If by Popish Plots or Sham-Plots, we cannot live Protestants, we can die Protestants.

Thus Gregory Nazianzen comforted the Christians in his time, telling them of the excellency of their Religion in these Words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, It lives by Death, the more 'tis cut, the faster it springs, and grows by diminishing.

So Cyprian—Sacerdos Dei Evangelium tenens & Christi praecepta custodiens, occidi potest, vinci non potest: A Minister of God following the Precepts Evangelical, may be killed, but not conquered.

As Chrysostom answered the threatning Empress Endoxia, nil nisi peccatum metuo—tell her, I fear nothing but Sim, she might fright a Parasitical Knave or Fool, but not a Chryso∣stom; she may kill me, but she cannot hurt me.

For there is no Wisdom, nor Ʋnderstanding, nor Counsel, against the Lord, if we believe the Holy Spirit of God. I'le conclude this with Holy David's Prayer, Psal. 119.121. I deal with the thing that is lawful and right, O give me not over unto mine Oppressors.

FINIS.

Notes

• Psal. 56.5.
• Gal. 3.1. Gal. 4, 16.
• Extra: de jureju∣rand. Ego. N.
• 23 Eliz. 1.
• 3 Jacob 4.
• De majo∣ritate & obedien∣tiâ. 15. q. 6. Autho∣ritatem. In glossá. Distinct. 82. Praef∣byter. Pelin. de constit. cap. Statatae canon. Colum 6. q. 1. Quicun{que} In glossâ. Panormi∣tan, Ex∣tra, de di∣vortiis. sum. Angel in dictio∣ne Pap.
• Pigghius Hierarch. l. 3. cap. 3. fol. 103.
• Pigghius Contro. 3. de Ecclesiá.
• Flaccus Illiticus in Normâ Concil.
• Johan. Sleidanus. lib. 23.
• Husius l. 2. contra Johan. Brentium.
• Ludovicus vives in lib. 13, de Civitate Dei. c. 24.
• Nicol. Lyra. in Deutero. cap. 17.
• Paral. Ursper. Gen. in Clemen. 5. Pap.
• Huk. 22.38.
• 2 Kings 6.18.
• 5 Eliz. 23.
• Johan. Sleidan. l. 4. Anno. 1523.
• Bernard. Epist. 125. pag. 1316.
• Albertus in Johan. cap. 10. E. E.
• Bernard. in Concilio Remensi.
• See more in Serm. 66. Ber∣nardi in Cantic.
• Johan Sa∣tisburiens in Poly∣cratico. l. 6. c. 24.
• Beno Car∣dinalis.
• Sabellicus Aenead. 9. lib. 9.
• Sabellicus Aeuead. 91 lib. 2.
• Platina in vit. Ste∣phan. 6.
• Camoten∣sis.
• Cypr. l. 1. Epist. 3.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉.21.30.
• Psal. 119.121.