A religious and worthy speech spoken by Mr. Rovse in Parliament concerning the goods, libertjes, and lives of his Majesties subjects laying open, the paintings that are used by the whore of Rome, and Arminianisme amongst us, to draw the people thereby to idolatry : by which meanes, they seeke both to take away our wealth and religion, and the dangerous consequence thereof : with the neere correspondencie, and allyance, that is apparently evident to be betweene our Bishops, and the Bishop of Rome, and the remedy propounded to redresses all such greevances.

A Religious and VVorthie Speech Spoken in the High Court of Parliament by Mr. Rouse.

Mr Speaker.

WEE have of late entred into the consideration of the Petition of Right, and the violation of it, and upon good reason; for it concernes our Goods, Liberties, and Lives.

But there is a Grant of higher Nature, that pre∣serves for us far greater things; eternall life, our soule, yea God himselfe. A writ of Religion deri∣ved to us from the King of Kings, confirmed to us by the King of this Kingdome, enacted by Law in this place, streaming downe to us in the bloud of the Martyrs, witnessed from heaven by mira∣cles, and miraculous wonders, and deliverances. And this right, in the name of this Nation, I this day claime, and desire, that there be a serious con∣sideration had of the violation of it: my desire is, that it may be considered, what new paintings are laid upon the face of the whore of Rabylon, to make her seeme more lovely, and to draw so many the more Suters to her. J desire it may be consi∣sidered,

how the See of Rome, doth eate into our Religion, and fret into the bankes and walls of it.

The Lawes and Statutes of this Realme, especi∣ally since those Lawes have been made in manner by themselves, even by their owne treasons, and bloudy Designes.

And since that Popery is a confused mist of Errour, casting down Kings before Popes, the pre∣cepts of God, before the traditions of men, living and reasonable men before dead, & senseles stocks and stones: I desire, that we consider the encrease of Arminianisme, and Errour, that maketh the grace of God, looke after the will of men: that maketh the sheepe to keepe the shepheard, and make a mortall seed an immortall God. I desire, that we may looke into the belly, and bowels of this Trojan Horse, to see if there be no man in it, ready to open the gate of Romish tyranny, and Spa∣nish Monarchy; for Arminianisme is the span of a papist, and if there come the warmth of favour, you shall see him turne into one of those frogs, that ariseth out of the bottomlesse pit.

And if you marke it well, you shall see an Ar∣minian, reaching one hand to a papist, a papist to a Iesuit, a Iesuit one hand to the Pope, and the o∣ther to the King of Spaine: and these men having kindled fire in our Neighbor-countries, now they have brought some of it over hither, to set on flame this Kingdome also.

Yea let us consider, and search, whether these be

not the men, that breake in upon the goods, and li∣berties of this Common-wealth; for by this means, they may make way, for the taking away of our Religion. It was an old trick of the Divell, when he went to take away Jobs religion, hee began at his goods. Lay thy hand on all that he hath, and hee will curse thee to thy face.

Either they thinke hereby, to set distaste be∣twixt Prince & people, or to find some other way of supply to avoid, and breake Parliaments, that so they may break in upon our religion, and bring in their owne errours.

But let us doe, as Iob did, hee held fast his reli∣gion, & then his goods were restored with advan∣tage. And if wee hold fast God and our religion, these things will be added unto us. Let us consider the times past, how we flourished in honour, when religion flourished amongst us: but as religion decayed, so the honour and state of this Nation de∣cayed.

When the soule of a Common-wealth is dead, the body cannot long over-live it. If a man meete a dogge alone, the dogg is fearefull, though never so fierce by nature: but if that dog have his Master by him, he will set upon that man, from whom he fled before.

This sheweth, that low natures being backed by higher, encrease in strength and courage: and certainly, a man backed with omnipotence, is a kind of omnipotent thing; all things are possible to him that beleeveth, and, all things being possi∣ble, there is a kind of omnipotence in them.

Wherefore, now let it be the unanimous con∣sent, as our resolution formerly was, to make a vow, and Covenant, from henceforth to hold fast our God, and Religion, and then shall we from henceforth, certainly expect Prosperity, in this our Kingdome, and Nation, and to this, let every one say,

Amen.