A SHORT SUR VEY of Ireland.  
TRVELY DISCOVERING WHO IT IS THAT HATH so armed the hearts of that people with disobedience to their Prince.  
With a description of the Country, and the con dition of the people.  
No less necessary and needful to be respected by the English, then requisite and behove full to bereformed in the Irish.  
By BARNABY RICH, Gentleman.  
LONDON, Printed by N. O. for B. SUTTON and W. BARENGER, and are to be sold at their shop at the great North door of S. Paul's Church. 1069.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, THE EARL of Sarisbury, Lord High Treasurer of England.  
BEING willing (most Honourable) in the sight of the world, to leave some public testimony of my humble duty towards God, of my faithful service towards his Majesty, and of my unfeigned good will to that infortunate Country of Ireland, that hath been so favourably dealt withal, first by the mild & merciful allurements of our late Queen of most happy memory, that was a loving Nurse, nay rather a kind mother, that did still cark and care for them, with such compassionate love & kindness, that she neglected nothing that was either fitting for a Prince to bestow of subjects, or behoveful for subjects to receive from the Prince: And now again, hath not this love, this care, & thiS clemency been still continued unto them, by the blessed and peaceable government of our gracious King, and what is the conclusion, the people were never more froward, never more obstinate, never more perverse, nor the state of that kingdom, never more desperate than it is at this hour, confused as well in the true knowledge appertaining unto God, as in their duty and obedience belonging to their Prince, where the people are daily seduced, infected and perverted by Jesuits, Seminaries & other runagate Priests the ministers of Antichrist, wherewith the Country doth swarm, and have so mightily prevailed, that they have wrought a general contempt, aswell against his Majesty himself, as against his godly proceedings.  
And these be they that have so abused and blinded the zeal of many good people, which otherwise without all question would be more confirmable in the knowledge and love or GOD, and in their obedience and duty towards their Prince: but so many seducing spirits are planted in all the parts of that Realm, that if there be one that will stand for the King, there is twenty for that one to maintain the Pope.  
But it will be said, why these are no novelties, all this is well enough known to be true, and what may I either do or say in a matter that so many learned men have already dealt withal? that so many wise men have had to do withal, and so many politic men have so often undertaken, and could never perform either mean to redress or amend it. I confess my learning is none at all, & therefore I will not meddle with those matters that are above my reach: my wisdom I acknowledge no more than my learning, and yet I hope it shall suffice to discover a truth in this matter that I have undertaken: with policy I will not meddle, neither is it for me to deal wihall: but especially with that policy that belongeth to matters of estate I will not so much as look after, yet I would be glad to put in a helping hand: it is little that I can do, yet he doth well that doth something.  
The devil is not idle, and his Apostles do neither slip time, nor omit occasion: the Pope bestirs him with his Bulls, with his Indulgences, with his Pardons, with his Priests, with his Jesuits, with his Ministers of all sorts and of all professions: that are still conspiring that are still perverting, that are still seducing in every corner, in the Country, in the Town, in the City, perhaps in the Court▪ what, shall we not encounter them? (or at the least) shall we not discover them what they be, to whom they belong, and what they endeavour? But they will say, I am no divine, and it is truth. I am no scholar, and that is true too: what am I then? I am a Soldier, a professed soldier, better practised in my pike then in my pen: and may not a Soldier endeavour himself for the glory of his God, for the service of his King, & for the good of his Country? may not a Soldier uphold that religion either by word or writing, that he must maintain and defend with the price of his blood? is there any man to impugn this? if not, I hope my unlettered diligence shall not be misconstrued, that, knowing the state and condition of that miserable & wretched Realm of Ireland, where so many good people of all sorts are so cortinually seduced and abused by the Pope's factors, I have therefore collected and gathered this little treatise, wherein (according to the truth testified in the holy Scriptures) I have not only unmasked this brood of the generation of Antichrist, but I have likewise so plucked the vizard from the Pope himself, that he might so appear in his own likeness, that neither his fatherly looks, nor his counterfeit show of gravity, nor that holy holy holiness where with he hath so long disguised himself, shall be able to deceive any man (be he never so simple) that will but vouchsafe to read, and to believe but that which is testified by the word of the living God.  
And here again it will be said, that all this hath been already performed by several learned and worthy men: but shall we therefore leave the field to the foe, because we have already given him a conflict? shall we not encounter him to day, to morrow and every day, that is continually bragging & braving of us? that is still assailing us with fresh supplies? that is still levying of new forces to set upon us? that is still encroaching, and never gives over to send his Agents, not by one, or by two, or by ten, but by hundreds, and by thousands, and shall we not encounter him, but suffer him thus to draw away the hearts of the subjects, from the duty and obedience they owe to their sovereigns, as they have done and are daily practising in Ireland? nay shall we suffer him, (without contradiction) to lead so many poor souls to destruction? For although all manner of sins did never so much abound, as they do at this present, yet, of my conscience, the Pope himself doth send more souls to hell, and the devil is more beholding to the Pope alone, then to all the rest of those ugly monsters, that are called by the name of the seven deadly sins.  
Lo here a matter of christian re morse, & shall we not now put to our helping hands on all sides to discover this monster? shall we say it is a superfluous matter to reiterate any thing that may lay him open to the view of the world, that with his counterfeit show of holiness hath deceived the whole world, and hath sent so many millions of Christian souls to the pit of perdition?  
What I have endeavoured herein (I hope) will neither be thought to be unnecessary, nor deemed to be altogether unprofitable: yet the rather to countenance both it and me, I have with all humbleness presumed to offer them to your honour, to you whom God hath endued with the spirit of his truth: being so much the rather encouraged with hope of a favourable acceptance, knowing your godly disposition to be so zealously inclined to the true worshipping of God.  
If my lines be not answerable to your exquisite judgement, I do then tender them to your honourable courtesy, that was yet never known to despise any man's endeavour that was honestly intended; but if they fall out (as I have meant them) for the advancement of God's glory, why then they belong to your Honour as your own proper right, whom God hath advanced for the setting forth of his glory, and hath given you both heavenly wisdom and worldly honour, that you might continue (as hitherto you have done) a principal instrument for the upholding of the Gospel.  
Pleaseth it your honour to accept of it, as an office and service of good intent: and although from a soldiers pen, yet as the earnest penny of a faithful heart, that hath been (and is) always consecrated to do your Lordship all humble and dutiful service, and so in the like dutiful manner will rest.  
Your honours in all bumblenes to be commanded, BARNABY rich.   

To the courteous and well disposed reader, especially of Ireland, and to all other that have discreti on, first to reads, and then to judge.  
IT may be there are some will think it strange that a man of my profession should deal in these causes: unbefitting (they will say) for a soldier to meddle with all. But if there be any such who doth not know it to be lawful for any man that is a Christian, and truly professing Christ (of whatsoever calling otherwise he be) may not endeavour himself for the glory of God, or the advancement of the Gospel; I will rather pray for that man, then take upon me to answer him. The matter that I have undertaken, is to discover the Pope, to make him known, and so to lay him open to the view of every discreet reader, that he might no longer deceive that he that is not wilfully blind may be made able to discern between light and darkness, to judge of truth & falsehood, to know the voice of Christ calling to salvation, and to shun the ways of Antichrist leading to destruction that this rabblement of Jesuits & seminaries, and the rest of that viperous brood, should not be so easily able to seduce, that have already sobewitched & infected that infortunate country of Ireland, that ignorance is joined with obstinacy, that blindness is coupled with malice, that wilful opinion is holden for the testimony of a good conscience, where he that is most perverse, is accounted for most Catholic, & to conclude, where Christ is despised, and Antichrist is advanced.  
To the end therefore that this man of sin, this Antichrist I mean (that hath been so often spoken of, and so long looked for) might be discerned, I have gathered together what notes the holy scriptures do testifiy of him, what marks are there left unto us whereby we may know him, what paths he should tread out, and what ways he should walk, whose steps I have undertaken, and followed the tract directly to Rome, I have brought it to saint Peter's chair (as some would have it called, and there I have left it. Now according to the Irish custom, when a Health is committed, and the tract being followed into any part or quarter off the Country, the Lord of that place is either to put it off again from out of his precinct, or else to stand charged with the fact, and is compelled to make a full restitution: then according to this custom, the tract of Antichrist being brought to Rome, they must either put it off again from out the territories, and make good proof into what jurisdiction they have brought it, or else that holy seat which they say in times past hath been Saint Peter's chair, is now become the seat of Antichrist, and the Pope is to answer for as much as the word of God doth expressly charge him with, that is to say, of Treason, of murder and of theft.  
First of Treason against the most Highest whose laws, covenants seals and sacraments, he hath not only clipped, counterfeited, chopped and changed▪ but he hath also set up other Gods of his own making, which he causeth to be worshipped honoured and adored.  
For a murderer, who hath ever heard of a more cruel and merciless butcher, aswell against the Saints and servants of God whom he persecuteth with sword, with fire and with all manner of tortures, wherewith he tormenteth them to a temporal death, but likewise sendeth infinite thousands of the miserable souls (that do assie and trust in him) with his Indulgences, Bulls and pardons, to eternal death & danation.  
Now for felony, what more notable theft then to rob God of that glory that is proper to himself? and yet not contented with that, but he hath robbed us of the holy scriptures left unto us by the holy Ghost to be our comfort & saving health, & wherein we are to search the very mystery of our salvation. Our saviour sent the Scribs and pharisees to search the scriptures though they were but hypocrites, and sought daily to erucify Christ, but the Pope forbiddeth Christian men once to look on them, though they be baptised and have received Christ.  
Are the scriptures medicinable to the bad, and vehemous to the good? and more perilous to him that will believe in Christ, then to him that will crucify Christ?  
They vaunted of their father Abraham, and their sitting in Moses chair, as the papist doth now of his holy father the Pope, and his sitting in Peter's chair: yet Christ pronounced woe against them for shutting up the key of knowledge, which was by giving a false sense, by wrong interpreting the scriptures: but it is not found that they prohibited or forbade any man to read them, as the Pope & his shavelings are accustomed.  
What I have iudevoured herein, I have done it in compassion: for if there be any commiseration to be had of those that walk in darkness, and sit in the shadow of death▪ the poor people of Ireland are to be pitied; and not only they alone, but as many other, what, or wheresoever, that are thus seduced and blinded by the ministers of the Prince of darkness.  
If thou with like favour and courtesy will vouchsafe to peruse it as I have honestly meant it, censure it then & spare not: & thus reposing myself on thy charitable disposition, I rest.   

A short survey of Ireland.  

CHAP. I.  
A description of the Country, with the manners, customs and dispositions of the people.  
IT could not be impertinent in this my survey of Ireland to make my first entry with the description of the country, the fertility of the soil, the nature, disposition and manners of the people. All which if I should express according to a truth, I might write a more admirable history, and speak of greater wonders, than either sir john Mandivyll in his travel, or any other that have passed the most uncouth places of the world are able truly to report.  
And here is the matter especially to be admired, that a country situate and seated under so temperate a Climate, that is neither oppressed with extremity, either of cold in the winter, or with heat in the summer, that is environed with England, Scotland, France and Spain, that hath had continual intercourse, trade and traffic, and hath been daily conversant with the people of these nations, and the country should yet remain as it doth▪ more uncivil, more uncleanly, more barbarous, and more brutish in their customs and demeanours▪ then in any other part of the world that is known.  
If I should speak what affiance they have of Saint Patrick's purgatorte, of the Holy Cross, and of many other places of pilgrimage frequented by Irish, I might deliver ridiculous matter, not only of the blind zeal, and sometimes of the uncivil demeanour of the pilgrims themselves, but also how they are cheated, cousined, and deceived by their ghostly fathers, that for their own lucre and gain, doth delude themwith voices, with visions, and with strange devices, more fitter to be laughed at, then to be believed.  
It were strange to deliver the manners which they use in the burial of their dead: and he that were at Dublyne itself, and should see a dead corpse brought to the grave, would say, that there could not be a more heathenish demeanour, no, not amongst a people that had neither known nor heard of God.  
For the blessing which it hath pleased GOD to vouchsafe to that country, in purging it from all sorts of worms that are venomous or poisonable: this benefit only they ascribe to saint Patrick, and will in no wise acknowledge it to be the blessing of God.  
I might speak here of their Irish customs, strange to be delivered, and of their Brehon law, & their laws Tamestry, and of their Lord & Captain called Tamest, chosen for diverse considerations: and how amongst them every great man's will & commandment is a law (especially amongst their own tenants:) for Ireland hath evermore strived to run into all lawless and irregular courses, whereby they are grown into such a habit of savage tyranny, that nothing is more pleasing to the greatest number of them, then civil wars, murders and massacres, whereunto as they are commonly inclined, so there wants not those amongst them to prick them forward, and to stir them up to Treason and rebellion against their Prince, that are still conspiring, still practising, and still endeavouring to draw them into that mortal plague of rebellion, which is not to be cured but by the sword, by common slaughters and spilling of blood.  
And although the greatest part of the people of that kingdom hath been from time to time thus drawn and stirred up by these seducing spirits: yet for a number of others of that Country-birth, to whom it hath pleased God to vouchsafe the grace of his holy spirit, that I know are daily laboured and importuned by this viperous brood, aswell to shake off the love to their God, as their duty to their Prince, for their sakes it is that I have endeavoured these lines, to give them a Caveat to beware of these firebrands of Rebellion, the which because I have deciphered in their proper colours, I will refer them to this sequel, as it hereafter followeth.   

CHAP. II.  
The Diversity in opinions what Antichrist should be.  
THere is no man (I think) if he have but very slenderly endeavoured himself in the reading of the holy scriptures, but he hath found it testified both in the old and new testaments, that towards the latter days and end of the world, Antichrist should come, who with false doctrine and lying mitacles should seduce the kingdoms and nations of the earth.  
What, or who this Antichrist should be, there are diverse suppositions, and as many fabulous conjectures have been devised of the person of Antichrist, which do rather seduce, then give any certain testimony whereby we may know him.  
Some do say that he should be a jew, of the tribe of Dan, and some would have it that he should be borne in Babylon, some that he should be bred up in Bethsaida and Corazin, some that he should be raised in Syria, some that he should be conceived of the mixture of man and woman in sin, because Christ was borne of a woman and conceived by the holy Ghost, some say that he shall be of an ill-favoured parsonage, because it is written of Christ, comely and beautiful is he beyond the sons of men: some say that he shall preach some certain years where Christ preached, and that he shall circumcise himself, & say that he is Christ, and the Messias that was promised to be sent for the salvation of the jews, some would persuade that Mahomet was Antichrist, some hold the like of Nero, some say that he should build up the City of Jerusalem, some that he should overthrow Rome, some do say that he should be borne of a Frire and a Nun, and that he should work wonders, & make trees to grow with the roots upward, and then should fly up into heaven and fall down and break his neck: and there be other some have said, that he shall fight with the two witnesses of Christ, Enoch and Hely, and shall kill them, and he himself shall finally be slain with lightning.  
These tales and many others have been craftily devised whereby to beguile us, that whilst we are thinking of these imaginations, and so occupy our eyes in beholding a shadow or a surmised conjecture what Antichrist should be, he that is Antichrist (indeed) may unawares deceive us.   

CHAP. III.  
What it was that deceived the jews in the expectation of Christ.  
THis was it that deceived the jews in the knowledge of our saviour Christ: for when man had by his own sin drawn God's wrath, & the decay of the whole world upon his own head, the almighty yet, of his wonderful mercy and goodness, promised unto Adam that Christ should come & break the serpent's head. This promise was delivered over from hand to hand, and still conveyed from the father to the son, solemnly declared to Abraham Isaach & jacob, committed as a pawn by Moses to the people of Israel, celebrated by David in his psalms and songs, renewed and continued from time to time by many excellent and worthy Prophets, which pointed out the time, the place, and the manner of his coming, & set down plainly and expressly his stock, his parents and his birth many hundred years aforehand, the scriptures are full and the Prophets do make often mention of this promise: old men and young men and all the people waited for the fulfilling thereof, every eye was bend upon him, and every heart attended and wished for his coming: but when the fullness of the time was expired, & that he was come into the world indeed, they to whom this promise was made, even those that had so longed and wished for him, and made all their common talk of the hope of his coming, when he came they knew 
john. 1. jonn. 3  him not: He came into the world, and the world knew him not, he came into his own, and his own received him not: 
Mat. 11.  Light came into the world and men loved darkness better than light: they reviled him and said, Behold a glutton and a drinker of wine, a friend unto publicans and sinners: they called him a false Prophet and a seducer of the people, they persecuted him, betrayed him, scourged him and crucified him.  
Such was the receiving of Christ: but this they did to him through ignorance, for if they had known him, they would not have killed the Lords anointed, nor have laid violent hands on the only son of God. But what was now the mistaking? verily nothing but this, they looked for him after a carnal manner, and not according as the Scriptures had testified of him, for they could not imagine any likelihood that Christ (by whom they thought all Israel should have been so renowned) should be so base and abject a person in the sight of the world, but they looked that their Messias should have come in triumph, to have contented their ambition and pride: but he was promised to come in humility, and to humble himself even unto death: they looked to have had him princelike, but he was forepromised poor: they looked for a great Captain that should have performed the conquests of Alexander, when it was told them that he should be both beaten and wounded: they looked for one that should have come with feasting and banqueting, when it was told them aforehand that his bread should be steeped in vinegar, and his cup should be mingled with gall and bitterness.  
Here was now the mistaking, this was the stumbling block▪ and from hence grew the error, that in stead of believing they fell to crucifying the Lord and saviour of the world.   

CHAP. FOUR  
What it is that hath deceived us in the looking after Antichrist.  
NOw as the coming of Christ was, such shall be the coming of Antichrist: the Prophets of the old law prophesied that Antichrist should come: the Apostles, Peter, Paul, john, yea Christ himself foretold us of him, the ancient fathers and Doctors do often make mention of him, there is no man sosimpleeither old or young, either learned or unlearned, but he hath heard of Antichrist, they know that he shall be a false Prophet, a seducer, an enemy to Christ, and such a one as shall set himself directly both against Christ and his doctrine, they shall therefore hate his name, and detest him before they know him, they shall look after his coming, & he shall not fail to come, and every man shall carry hatred against him, and reckon him abominable: but as the jews that longed so much for the coming of Christ, yet when he was come they knew him not, but accounted him amongst thieves and robbers, because they did not look for him accordingly as the Scriptures had prophesied, but according to their own imaginations as they had grossly conceived: even so shall be the coming of Antichrist: for he shall cover himself with such a cloak of holiness, That if it were possible the very elect should be deceived: for men shall not know him, their eyes shall be blinded, they shall hate his name, but embrace his doctrine, they shall think they do good service unto Christ, but shall in truth do service unto Antichrist.  
From whence shall this error spring from that very occasion that deceived the jews in the looking after Christ, they look for him still, but he is come many hundred years ago and they are not aware of it: we also have looked for Antichrist, and he hath almost reigned as long, and we are not aware of it, and that because either of us have looked carnally for him, and not in those places where we ought to have sought him: the ●ewes had found Christ v●●ily and truly, if they had sought for him in the scriptures, according to the law and the Prophets. We also had spied out Antichrist long ago, if we had looked in the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles: for this is to be noted, that Antichrist is not one man only that shall suddenly appear with strange signs and wonders as our ancestors have talked and dreamt of: but a relation to one State & kingdom, and a continuance of some one power and tyranny in the Church for so Christ himself hath prophesied, not speaking of one man singularly, but saith, Many shall come in my name, and shall say, here is Christ, & 
Mat●h. 2●.  there is Christ, and shall deceive many.   

CHAP. IV.  
Where Antichrist is to be sought for, and how to be known.  
We are now likewise to think that Antichrist shall not apparently manifest himself to be a tyrant, a robber, a spoiler: he shall not say I am Antichrist, I am that man of sin, I am that child of perdition, I am that aduer●asie▪ and am contrary to Christ: nay he shall not lay himself so wide open, for than who would be deceived by him? and he shall deceive ●any. And in like manner if he should expresl● say that himself were Christ, what christian could he then seduce? so that he must neither show himself to be an open enemy to Christ, as was Mahomet, and as the Turk is, neither must he take upon him to be Christ, for then every man would be wary enough of him.  
It should follow then that Antichrist must come disguised, he must put on him the cloak of simplicity, of truth, of holiness, perhaps of prayer, perhaps of fasting, perhaps of giving alms, he shall come with fatherly looks, with holy countenance, he shall allege the Doctors and Fathers, he shall allege Peter & Paul the holy Apostles of Christ, he shall allege Christ and God himself.  
Thus under a pretence of serving Christ, he shall perform all his practices against Christ, he shall decoure the sheep and people of Christ, he shall deface what Christ hath built, and shall roo●e up that which Christ hath planted, he shall be contrary to Christ in faith, contrary in life, contrary in doctrine, contrary in sacraments, and in effect contrary in all things.  
Thus shall he walk craftily, and handle the word of God deceitfully, he shall mingle his lies with the truth of God, he shall mix his poison with the wholesome food of our souls, so closely and subtly, that it shall hardly be espied: he shall convey himself into the hearts of the people, and shall so settle himself in their consciences, that they shall admire him and have him in reverence. They shall say, who is like unto the beast, who so wise, so learned, so virtuous, so holy, or so like unto God himself? Thus shall they honour Antichrist unawares, when they shall say we de●ie him, and yet they shall fall down and worship him. And as it was with Christ at his coming, he was in the world, he did the works of his father, yet the fewest part knew him: even so must it be with Antichrist, he shall be in the world, he shall do the works of his iniquity, and yet few shall know him.  
But let us now more particularly fall to examination who this Antichrist should be: we have already said he must not be an infidel or heathen, one that shall apparently set himself against Christ, but he shall come in the name of Christ, and perhaps shall preach Christ counterfeitly, for the scriptures have so prophesied of him, and as S. Hillary saith, He shall be contrary to Christ under the colour of preaching the Gospel, so that our Lord jesus Christ shall then be denied, when a man would think he were preached, so covertly, so closely, and so subtly shall Antichrist behave himself in the sight of the world.  
Was there ever man then that came in the name of Christ with the show of holiness, with the countenance of the church, and hath showed himself in all his life and doctrine contrary to Christ? if there have ever been any such, without doubt the same is Antichrist.   

CHAP. VI  
An antithesis between Christ and the Pope.  
LEt us here call the Pope a little into question, let us examine his proceedings, comparing his doings with our undoubted saviour Christ, & we shall find him so directly contrary in sacraments, in sacrifice, in prayers, in life, in religion, in doctrine, in the whole form and order of the church, how he hath shutwhat Christ hath opened, and hath opened what Christ hath shut, he hath cursed where Christ hath blessed, and hath blessed where Christ hath cursed: finding him then to be so repugnant, and to set himself so directly opposite, it must needs follow, that if Christ be Christ, the Pope must needs be Antichrist.  
But let us come to some particulars to see what light they will give us concerning the premises.  
Christ came into the world to seek the glory of his Father, the Pope is come into the world, and only exalteth himself.  
Christ spared not his own life, that we might reign in an other world, the Pope spareth not our lines, that he may reign in this world.  
Christ fulfilled the law and the Prophets, the Pope maintaineth his own laws and traditions.  
Christ forsook the kingdoms of the world that were offered him by the devil, the Pope hath received them, and thinketh them all too little.  
Christ would neither be judge nor divider in the world, the Pope judgeth and divideth all the world.  
Christ was obedient to the temporal magistrates, the Pope holdeth Emperors and Kings in subjection.  
Christ would wash the feet of his own disciples, the Pope giveth his feet to Emperors and Kings to be kissed.  
Christ had a crown o● thorns thrust upon his head, the Pope hath three crowns wrought with precious stones ●et upon his head.  
Christ carried his own cross of affliction, in token of his humility, the Pope carrieth his cross of 〈◊〉 and gold in token of his paid.  
Christ saith, Peter put up thy sword, for he that striketh with the sword, shall perish with the s●ord, the Pope saith, Kings and Prince's dra● your swords, and ●ut them down before ye that will not obey me.  
Christ and his disciples overcome by suffering, the Pope and his disciples do overcome by persecuting.  
Christ humbleth his disciples, and bringeth them low, the Pope exalteth hi● disciples and lifteth them up on high.  
Christ saith blessed be the peacemakers, the Pop● saith blessed are they that can s●t the world together by the ●ares.  
Christ saith blessed be the poor in spirit, for to them belongeth the kingdom of heaven, the Pope saith, blessed are the proud and high minded, that will resist and rebel against their Prince.  
Christ saith it is as easy for a Camel to pass through the eye of a needle, as for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven, the Pope saith, heaven gates shall stand wide open to him that hath money to purchase Masses, Trentales, Dirges, and to buy pardons.  
Christ whipped the buyers and sellers out of the Temple, the Pope maintaineth such as make daily port-sale of Masses and Dirges in the Temple.  
Christ sendeth his about the world to preach glad tidings, the Pope sendeth his about the world to ●ell pardons.  
Christ when he forgiveth, he remitteth freely of grace, the Pope ●emitteth nor forgiveth any thing without money.  
Christ faith, come unto me thou that art laden, and I will ease thee, the Pope saith, come unto me thou that hast murdered thy father, and I will give thee a pardon, if thou wilt give me money.  
Christ commandeth marriage, and only forbiddeth whoredom, the Pope admitteth whoredom, and only forbiddeth marriage.  
Christ faith, that a righteous man maketh righteous works, the Pope saith, that righteous works do make a righteous man.  
Christ sendeth the Scribes and pharisees to search the Scriptures, the Pope forbiddeth that christian men should so much as look on them.  
Christ hath given his the light of the Gospel whereby to guide their steps, even at midnight, the Pope hath given his a candle to light them with, because they are still groping in the dark, even at midday.  
To be short, Christ being God, became man, for the salvation of the world, the Pope being man becometh God to the destruction of the world.  
Infinite might I be in this comparison, if I should prosecute it according to a truth: and Christ saith, we shall know them by their fruits. judge of them now but as they deserve, if Antichrist is to be understood one against Christ, tell me where shall we find him that is more contrary than the Pope?  
Furthermore, and for the better confirmation of this matter, I might here set down many probable authorities, manifestly expressing the sear of Antichrist to be at Rome, yea and further testified by several ancient writers, that he should be advanced in the Apostolic sea: but left it might be thought that all such authorities might rather be termed partial opinions (as the Papist careth not what he saith) we will therefore pretermit all private objections, and will only make search in the holy scriptures, and see what testimonies are there left unto us, for those are the marks that cannot deceive.   

CHAP. VII.  
The first mark whereby to know Antichrist, taken out of S. john. 1. Epist. 2.  
SAint john in his first▪ Epistle and second chapter, giveth us this Item, Who is a liar but he that denieth that I●sus is Christ? that same is Antichrist, that denieth the Father and the son.  
Let us now examine these words, & see if we cannot fashion out Antichrist by the substance of the Pope, or frame a Pope by the shadow of Antichrist. Antichrist and Christ are two contraries, and the study of Antichrist is, to quench the name of ●esus Christ: why then 
Math. 2●.  (some will say) the Pope cannot be Antichrist: for he doth both profess and preach Christ, yea and would be Christ's high Vicar here on earth, but it is said before that Antichrist must so do, he shall turn himself into an angel● of light, and must come in the name of Christ, otherwise he could not deceive. But he shall deceive many, and the Pope abusing the name of Christ, by that means setteth up himself, and gathereth offerings, tithes and rents, and bestoweth them to his own profit, and not the honour of Christ, but bringeth the consciences of the people under him through suspicious fear▪ ●s though he had such authority given 〈◊〉 of Christ: and every syllable that hath but a sound as though it made for his purpose, that he expoundeth falsely, and therewith he so ●●gleth and bewitch●●h the ears of the people (but especially of that simple & ignorant sort, that have yielded themselves to become slaves to his suggestions) those (I say) he makes them believe what himself lifts, for it is ●nough for them to believe what the church believeth, although they know not what the Church believeth, nor the greatest part of them, what the tr●e catholic church meaneth.  
He that believeth not to be saved through Christ, the same denieth christ, but the Pope believeth not to be saved through christ, for he teacheth to believe in holy works for the remission of sins, and thereby to a●●aine salvation, as in the works of penance enjoined in vows, in chastity, in pilgrimages, in other men's prayers, in Friars and Friars c●●es, in Saints merits, in the deeds of ceremonies, and a thousand other such superstitious follies jetteth he before us to believe in, and all of them destroying christ, and most injurious to his precious blood.  
He that denieth jesus Christ (●ai●h the Apostle) the same is Ant●christ, can any man deny him more directly than he that seeketh his salvation in his own merits, & his own deservings? The blood of jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin: i● the blood of ●e●us christ cleanseth us, why then out own works do not cleanse us, for they are not christ.  
But let our good works be examined after the judgements of God, and we ought rather to fear punishment for the faults that be even in our best deserving, then to look for any reward.  
The Prophet doth liken our righteousness to a filthy clout, such as would abhor any man's eyes to behold it; and therefore saith the Prophet David, Enter not into judgement with thy servant, O Lord, for no flesh is righteous in thy sight: what manner of merit may this be then, which cannot abide the censure of God's judgement, nor be delivered from condemnation but by mercy only?   

CHAP. VIII.  
The good works prescribed to the Pope.  
But let us see what good works these same should be which the Pope hath prescribed, & the papists do so much talk of.  
First they teach unto the ignorant, to hear Masses every day devoutly, to prostrate themselves before dead Images, to mumble up a number of prayers unto Saints, to go on pilgrimage, to build up Chaunteriss, to cause Trentales of Masses and Dirges to be said for the dead, to give large sums to idle Priests, Monks and Friars, to give gold and silver to make crosses, chalices, cups and restiments, to say over Lady's Psalter, to pray upon Blade's, to receive Holy bread, holy water, holy palm, holy ashes, holy fire, holy cream, holy candle, holy oil, with a number of other holy toys, and those are the good works allowed and commanded by the Pope: & these are expressly injurious to the precious blood of Christ, and therefore the works of si●ne, and the very ins●itutions of Antichrist.  
By the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his 
Rom. 3 ●am▪ 2.  sight, whosoever shall keep the Law, yet fail in one point, is guilty of all. And who is, or ever was able to keep the law? (christ only excepted) but are all unperfect, and the most righteous man sinneth seven times a day. But to cleanse those sins, the Pope hath devised a purgatory, still excluding christ, making him of less authority than he doth attribute to himself, for he will in no wise but that christ shall be an unperfect saviour, for if the Pope will give christ leave to forgive the sin, yet he will in no wise give him leave to forgive the pain, but we must to purgatory to be plunged there, and if there be not good store of money left to the priests, and to pay well for their Dirges Trentals and ●oule Masses: but the Pope himself, he hath full power and authority to grant pardons for all sins, even a pena, and a culpa, aswell for the offence as for the punishment: and not only of sins that are actually committed, but likewise of sins before they are done, as to the holy Friar that killed the king of France, to a second again that murdered the prince of Oranges, & to sundry others to whom he had in like manner given full pardon and free absolution aforehand to have attempted the like against our late gracious Queen Elizabeth.  
Thus we do see the Pope taketh upon him a greater power to forgive sins than christ: for christ forgiveth no sin but upon unfeigned repentance, and yet the Pope will not then suffer him to forgive any more than the bare crime, for if we will give him no money, the pain must not be remitted but in the scorching flames of purgatory: if this be not directly the doctrine of Antichrist, I refer me to their judgements that are not too partial, nay, that are not wilfully blind.   

CHAP. IX.  
The fraits of the Pope's doctrine, and what it draweth after it.  
But let us see farther what this doctrine draweth after it. If I may get to myself satisfaction by suffering in purgatory for my sins, than I have gotten more by my sins in suffering pain, than I ha●e done by christs death, and so consequently pain was more effectual and strong for me to obtain heaven, than was Christ's passion: this is the Pope's doctrine.  
The reward of sin is death, and the pain that dependeth of every sin (excluding Christ) is eternal damnation: then what shall purgatory do, unless for the ungodly, that should first go to purgatory, and after to hell? There is no remission of sins without blood, saith S. Paul. and christ speaking to the thief on the cross, said. This day thou shalt be with me in paradise, not in purgatory, and Marie Magdalen had her sins freely forgiven her by christ without going to purgatory.  
But to say the truth, there was at that time no such place at all, nor any one word spoken of purgatory, either in the Old or New Testaments: and it was many years after christs death, before the Pope could kindle it, but after it once began to burn, it grew so hot, that it melted more treasure out of ignorant men's purses, than the King of Spain's west Indies did then afford: but the extreme heat is now well allayed, and as men begin to wax wise, so the scorching fire doth daily more and more abate. Thus you may see, the Pope and his sects are content to give Christ his name, but they rob him of the effect, and take the signification of his name to themselves, and they make of him but an Hypocrite, as they themselves be, as though he forgave us our sins, but not the pain due to our sins, and then who shall be saved? for the pain due to every sin, is eternal damnation.  
These therefore (as the Apostle saith) are right Antichrists, and deny both the father and the son, for they deny the witness that the father bore unto his son, and deprive the son of the power and glory that his father hath given him.   

CHAP. X.  
The second mark whereby to know Antichrist.  

S. john. 4.  A Second mark given us in the Scriptures, whereby to know Antichrist, is likewise left us by S. john, as followeth.  
Hereby know ye the sp●rit of God, ener● spirit that confesseth that jesus is come in the flesh, is of God, and every spirit that confesseth not that jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God, and the same is that spirit of Antichrist of whom you have heard that he should come.  
Whatsoever opinion any member of Antichrist holdeth, the ground of all his doctrine is to destroy this article of our faith, That Christ is come in the flesh: for though the most part of all heretics confess that Christ is come in the flesh, in their manner, yet they deny that he is come as the scriptures testify, & the Apostles preach him to become: for the whole study of the devil and all his members is to destroy the hope, and trust that we should have in Christ's flesh, and of those things that he suffered for us in his flesh, and of the Testament and promises of mercy which are made us in his flesh: for the scriptures testify, that Christ hath taken away the sins of the world in his flesh, and that the same hour that he yielded up his spirit into the hands of his father, he had fully purged, and made full satisfaction for all the sins of the world.  
But that Christ hath done this service in the flesh, all the members of Antichrist do deny, and hereby (saith the Apostle) thou shalt know them.  
All doctrine that buildeth thee upon Christ, to put thy trust and confidence in his blood, is of God, & true doctrine: and all doctrine that withdraweth thy hope, and trust from Christ, is of the devil, and the doctrine of Antichrist.  
Let us now examine the Pope by this rule, and we shall find that all that he doth is the destruction of this article, he wresteth all the scriptures, and setteth them clean against the hai●e, to destroy this article, he ministereth the very sacraments, to the destruction of this article, and all his other ceremonies, as his absolution, penance, purgatory, dispensations, pardons, vows, with all his other disguise is to that purpose.  
The Pope preacheth that Christ is come to do away sins, yet not in the flesh, but in water, salt, oil, candles, ashes, Friars coats, and monks cowls, and in the vows of them that forswear matrimony to keep harlots, and swear beggary, to possess as much riches, wealth, ease, and pleasure, as this world may afford them, and have vowed obedience to disobey, by authority, all laws both of God and man, and these hypocritical and false sacrifices teacheth he us to trust unto for the forgiveness of sins, and not in Christ's flesh.   

CHAP. XI.  
The third mark whereby to know Antichrist.  
S. Paul again in his second epistle to the Thessalonians, giveth this third mark whereby to know Antichrist: where he saith, that Antichrist shall sit in the Temple of God, showing himself that he is God.  
By this it may evidently appear, that Antichrist shall come in the name of Christ, and shall be a counterfeit christian: for otherwise he should have been an open and express enemy unto Christ, A Turk, a ●ewe, an infidel o● heathen, whose temples are the temples of Idols, and therefore not to be called the Temple of God, and so S. Augustine doth understand the Apostles words, for saith he, The Temple of an Idol or a devil the Apostle would never call the Temple of God.  
But Antichrist shall sit in the Temple of God, he shall not defy the name of Christ, but he shall call himself Christ's v●car, the most catholic father, the servant of God's servants, by these means he shall be exalted in the eye of the world, he shall win the hearts of the people, he shall sit in the consciences of men, he shall make Kings and Princes to become his subjects, he shall deceive the learned and wise, he shall cast himself into a colour of holiness, he shall fast, he shall pray, he shall give alms, he shall walk as if he were a disciple of Christ, he shall go before, and the world shall follow him, they shall run to him out of all parts of the earth, they shall fall down before him, they shall say unto him, thou art the comfort of the Church, thou art the light of the world, thou art most holy, all law and all knowledge is hid in thy breast, we beseech thy holiness show us thy way, expound thou the scriptures unto us, teach us how we may be saved, thou hast the key of knowledge, thy word is the word of truth, thou canst not err.  
Thus shall Antichrist deceive the world, thus shall he dwell in the consciences of the people, thus shall he sit in the temple of God, but the Apostle saith further, that he shall show himself that he is God.  
The Apostle doth not say that he shall call himself God, for that were too broad, and every man would then beware of him, and would say this is but a mortal man, borne as other men be of father and mother, and they likewise both mortal, and again he shall die and return to the earth from whence he came: but God had no beginning neither shall have ending, Antichrist himself knoweth all this, and therefore will not dea●e so openly to call himself God, but yet will show himself a GOD, and will be contented that other men should so repute him, as Pope Nicolas saith, It is well known that the Pope (of the godly Prince Constantine) was called God. Again in the Extravagantes, in the same Canon Law, it is written, Dominus Deus noster Papa, Our Lord God the Pope. And Christofer Marcellus in the counsel of Lateran, said to the Pope, Thou art another God upon earth.   

CHAP. XII.  
How the Pope doth show himself that he is a God.  
But he shall show himself that he is a God (saith the Apostle) he shall receive all reverence as if he were God. The Pope hath done this you see, he hath compared his laws with the laws of God, he hath said that his word is the word of God, and whatsoever he saith, it must be said it is the voice of the spirit of God, and of the same authority as is the Gospel of Christ, no man may break it, no man may touch the credit thereof, if any man withstand it, he must be accursed, he must think he doth sacrilege, committeth blasphemy, sinneth against the holy Ghost, and must be counted an heretic: his authority reacheth up into heaven, it stretcheth down into hell, nay he hath one kingdom proper to himself more than ever God knew of, and that is purgatory, there he reigneth, there he ruleth, there he roasteth, there he broileth, and there he commandeth how he list, there is no body else to control him.  
Thus doth Antichrist sit on the Temple of God: thus doth the Pope show himself that he is God.  
Nay what hath God proper to himself, but that the Pope is either a sharer with him, or at the least can command the like?  
God hath heaven and hell, the Pope can command them both, and send to either the souls of whom he list.  
God hath his Angels that be his ministers, the Pope may command their service, and may employ them about his business as often as it pleaseth him, or else hi● upholders have shamefully mistaken.  
God hath his Saints, the Pope maketh saints, both he-saints and she-saints, at his own will and pleasure.  
God hath his scriptures, & the Pope hath his Counsels, his decrees and his canons.  
God hath his Church, a poor silly one, the Pope hath his Church a brave lusty one.  
God hath his sacraments, the Pope maketh sacraments two for his one.  
God hath his laws, whereby to rule his Church, the Pope maketh laws whereby to rule his Church.  
God commandeth the sabbath day to be kept holy, the Pope maketh holy days and half holy days, sometimes two or three in a week.  
Can a man show himself more like a God then doth the Pope? if any man can name him, l●t him be Antichrist.  
Nay yet to show himself more like a God, the Pope will undertake to make a God, a poor silly God, that is not able to defend himself from the malice of a mouse.   

CHAP. XIII.  
The fourth mark whereby to know Antichrist.  
AN other reason to prove that the Pope is Antichrist is this, whosoever believeth in Christ, consenteth that God's law is good: the Pope consenteth not that God's law is good, for he forbiddeth holy wedlock commanded by God: but wedlock (saith the Pope) defileth holy Priesthood more than whoredom, he hath notwithstanding made a sacrament of Matrimony. And is not this a devilish doctrine to say that sacraments can defile? what can be more contrary to the doctrine of Christ? the Pope forbiddeth wedlock, which God commandeth, and licenseth whoredom which God forbiddeth: but this is an other evident token of Antichrist, and noted by S. Paul to be a 
〈◊〉 Tim▪ ●.  doctrine of devils, who writing to Timothy saith: Now the spirit speaketh evidently, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, and shall give heed unto spirits of error, and doctrines of devils, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving, of them which believe and know the truth.  
The Pope again, directly opposeth himself against Christ, and seeketh to draw us from the mercy of God, and telleth us we have other friends to whom we are beholding, and have done many good things for us: it was that Saint that took pity of our griefs (saith he) at such a time: and our Lady hath wrought many miracles at such a place: but Saint Patrick is the good Saint, that hath done marvelous things in Ireland, and as every Saint hath his peculiar property to work more in one place than they can do in an other: so every Saint hath his several office, some better for one thing, and some worse for an other: one is very good for the falling sickness, an other is excellent good for the toothache, one is a present remedy for a burning, an other is as precious for him that hath the chine▪ cough. If a woman be barren and would fain have a child, let her go on pilgrimage to S. Thomas of Canterbury, or in Ireland to the Holy Cross, or to S. Clen●cks well: and she that cannot make her pulline to prosper, or that her chickens be troubled with the pip, seek help from S. Reven.  
Thus every Saint hath his several charge: every man hath his several Saint: and every Saint is full of miracles, and every miracle full of lies. The Papists do allege many ungodly reasons, whereby they would maintain a necessity in praying to Saints: and to avoid Idolatry, they would make certain distinctions between the worship of God and the worship of Saints: but let them distinguish how they can, this is certain, 
Math. 〈…〉  the more hope they have in saints, the less trust they put in Christ, for he saith, Come unto me all you that be laden and I will ease you: if he of himself hath lovingly called us unto him▪ why then to seek to any other, is upon some distrust we have of him, and that is as much as to make God alyer, and not to think him true in the promise he hath made us.  
Again, if we will give credit to S. Paul, there is no other mediator for us to seek unto, but only Christ, 
〈◊〉 Tim. 2.  There is one God, and one mediator between God and man, which is, the man jesus Christ: and for that foolish distinction that gross headed Papists will make between worshipping and serving, our saviour himself hath decided, Thou shalt worship thy Lord thy God, and him only 
Mat. 4.  shalt thou serve.  
I will conclude, whosoever seeketh any other mediator than our Lord jesus, is injurious unto Christ, and therefore of Antichrist: and whosoever kneeleth and prayeth to blocks, stones, Images, or the pictures of Saints, the same expressly breaketh the commandment of God, and deserveth to have his portion amongst the wicked.   

CHAP. XIIII.  
The fifth mark whereby to know Antichrist.  

Math. 14 Mark. 13.  ONe other mark whereby to know Antichrist, our Saviour himself hath given us: Fals● Christ's and false Prophets shall arise, and shalt show signs and wonders, to deceive (if it were possible) the very elect.  
This speech thus spoken by our Saviour is not directed to the heathen or to infidels, but to such as shall profess Christ; and therefore concludeth undoubtedly, that Antichrist shall be a christian in profession, & that he shall not be one man only, but a continuance of many; for he speaketh in the plural number: False Christ's, and false Prophets shall come with signs and wonders, etc.  
S. Paul giving us a light what those signs and wonders should be that Antichrist should come with all, in his second epistle to the Thessalonians, calleth them lying signs, and lying wonders.  
This is now to be gathered, False Christ's shall come, that is, they shall come counterfeitly in the name of Christ, and they shall show their wonders before the Lord, and be a ●ore temptation unto them, to bring them out of the way: but the Elect shall be kept by the mighty hand of God against all natural possibility, so that the elect and chosen of God shall never be without persecution and temptation of their faith (not as those that are under the Pope, for they present but suffer not) and those which the Pope calleth heretics, show no miracles by their own confession, neither ought they, in as much as they bring no new learning, nor any other thing, then only the scripture, which is already received, and hath been confirmed by Christ & his Apostles, with wonderful miracles many hundred years sithence.  
This is then to be noted, that even as Christ at his coming, altered the state of the Church, from the corruption of the pharisees, and confirmed his doctrine with miracles, so Antichrist at his coming, seeketh to alter the Church from that purity which Christ and his Apostles had left it in, and worketh miracles to o●erthrow the Gospel: new doctrine must be confirmed with new mytacles, Antichrist seeks to deface what Christ hath builded long ago, Christ hath fortified his building with miracles, Antichrist seeketh to undermine the whole foundation which Christ hath laid, and to build a new for himself by miracles: and this was prophesied of aforehand by Christ, and this was prophesied on a forehand by Paul. Christ saith, Antichrist shall come with signs and wonders to deceive: S. Paul saith, He shall come with lying signs and lying wonders to deceive, and what miracles be those that the Pope hath brought to confirm his doctrine withal? look through their golden legend, and tell me how many true miracles be in the whole book: what apparitions of Saints, and isions of angels have been forged to come from heaven? what yelling of spirits, and crying of souls have been feigned to come from purgatory? these be miracles, signs and wonders wrought by Antichrist & his ministers: but as S. Paul saith, lying miracles, both themselves deceitful and pretending to deceive: deceitful in themselves, for that they were but lies and popish practices counterfeitly forged whereby to deceive the simple and ignorant people, to lead them into errors, and to cousin them of their money, in purchasing of pardons, dirges and masses.  
And were not these miracles to hear it told that roods could speak, Bells could ring alone, Images could come down and light their own candles, Blocks could turn their eyes and wag their lips, shake their heads, move their hands, and some of them could knit sinews, set bones, heal the sick, give sight to the blind, make the lame to go, but are not these practices discou●red long ago, and ●ound out to be no other than slights and mere deceits?  
These are called miracles, and are indeed but lies, and there are none but Papists that would be mocked with them.   

CHAP. XV.  
What signs and wonders they should be that are brought in by Ant●christ.  
SAint Paul saith, The coming of Antichrist shall be by the working of Satan, with all power and 
●. Thes. 2.  signs of lying wonders, and all d●ceiueablenes of unrighteousness amongst them that perish, because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved; and therefore God shall send them strong delusions, that they should believe lies, that all they might be damned which believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.  
Can any thing be spoken more plainly? these shall be the works of Antichrist which he shall bring to pass, that is to say, lying wonders: this shall he work with all deceiveableness, that is, he shall come with all kind of shifts and deceit: and with whom shall he prevail, and who be they that shall be deceived? Those that perish because they loved not the truth that they might be saved: and therefore God shall send them strong delusions to believe lies.  
This text must also pertain to a multitude gathered together in Christ's name, which for lack of love unto the truth, shall be led into all error, to believe in crosses, to believe in visions, to believe in wells, and to give credit to all manner of fables, but the truth they shall not believe, That they might be damned for not believing, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.  
If these things had not been thus sensibly foretold us long ago by the holy ghost, it might have been thought a strange matter, that so many should be thus still led away from the pure and undefiled word of God, and to give themselves over to follow dreams & fantasies, but it is an evident token, that their hearts are not marked with the spirit of God, but are led by strong delusions to believe lies.   

CHAP. XVI.  
The sixth mark whereby to know Antichrist.  

2 P●●. 2.  YEt one other note is given us by Saint Peter whereby to know Antichrist: and (saith he) There shall be false teachers amongst you, which shall secretly bring in damnable sects, denying the Lord that bought them, and many shall follow their damnable ways, by w●om, the way of truth shall be evil spoken of, & with feigned words they shall make ambergris of you: 
Rome 3.  now saith S. Paul, The law speaketh to them that are under the law: and even so, this is spoken to them that profess the name of Christ.  
There shall be false teachers that shall bring in damnable sects. Histories make mention of one Anthony, who lived in the wilderness of Thebais in Egypt in manner of a Hermer, Anno 361: he had three disciples, Darmatas, Amates and M●charius, these lived solitarily, and in strictness of life, but it was in the time of persecution, whereby to shift them from the hands of tyrants, and proceeded at the first of a good zeal to godliness: but the devil the perverter of all things, did so empoison the hearts of them that followed, that they had more trust to their own works then faith in Christ's blood, and after that, men began new rules of works to be their own saviours.  
Benet. he succeeded Anno, 524, and in the time of john the first, and he prescribed institutions to a certain order of Monks.  
In Anno, 850, and in the time of Sergius the third, sprung up a new sect of Camaldimenses, a holy company that kept perpetual silence, they fasted, went barefoot, and used to lie on the ground.  
In Anno, 1060, under Gregory the sixth, there sprung up a new sect of Monks, calling themselves the order of the shadowed valley.  
The Monks of Olivet sprung up as a fruit of disorder, ina time o● strife between three Bishops, in Anno, 1047, under Gregory the twelfth.  
The sect of Grandmontensis sprung up under Alexander the second, in Anno, 1076. Innocentius the third, admitted the Humilitates in Anno, 1166▪ and a little before that, in Anno, 1098, under Urban the second, began the order of the Cistercians.  
Celestinus the first, founded the Celestines, in the year of our Lord, one thousand, one hundred eighty eight.  
Here followeth now such a ●abblement of others, as Gilbertines, Lustinians, Hieronimians, Augustins, the order of Saint Saviour, Scopeteines, Frisonaries, brethren ●f S. George de Alga, Charterhouse Monks, Curthugian Friars, Carmelites, Premonstratences, Croched Friars, White Friars, Black Friars, Grey Friars, Dominick Friars, Francis Friars, Minorites, Minims, observants, the order of Trinitte, Bouhomes, & now lately viperous brood of Jesuits.  
Then were their women lectaries, as Penitenciers, Brigidians, Magdaline sisters, with other Nuns of diverse sorts.  
Yet I might speak of grave-keepers, called knights of the Sepulchre, knights of S. john's, knights of S. Mary, Temple knights, jesus knights, and such a rabblement of sundry other sects by me over slipped, of which if I should undertake to set down, their observations, their dissimulations, their abominations, together with their hypocrisy, and filthy living, I might write for every letter a line, for every line a leaf, and for every leaf a whole choir of paper, and it would yet be too little to decipher out their abominable practices.  
These sects have been all of them, instituted, ratified, confirmed and allowed by Antichrist the Pope, & yet not founded all by one Pope, but by sundry Popes: according to the words of the Apostle, There shall be false teachers, which shall bring in damnable sects: the Apostle speaketh in the plural number, and we see it is fulfilled: and these sects as they were infinite, so they were as diverse in their opinions, yet all of them of one assent in this, they all denied Christ, and they all preached the Pope, they deny that Christ is sufficient for their salvation, but they must attain it by working, by fasting, by going on pilgrimage, with a number of other ceremonies, too foolish to be set down.  
Here again are the words of the Apostle verified, They shall deny the Lord that bought them, and follow their damnable ways, by whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.  
Now what truth in Christ doth not the Pope and his shavelings rebuke? and in setting up their works, and following their own ways, deny altogether the truth of Christ's ways?  
And with feigned words they shall make ambergris of you, can any thing be more directly spoken? and to prove that they come with feigned words, where find we in any place throughout the whole scriptures that maketh mention of purgatory, of shrift, of the sacraments of confirmation, of penance, of pardons, and such other trash, all of their own feigning, and by this means do they make ambergris of our souls.  
These lights and many others whereby to discern Antichrist, are left unto us in the holy scriptures, where the Beast seeing himself to be sought for, he roareth, and therefore to hide himself the more closely, he persecuteth the word of God, and seeketh with all wiliness to drive the people from it, and with false and sophistical reasons, would make us afraid of it: he curseth and excommunicateth those that would read it: persuading them they are damned, if they do but look on it, but let not this dismay us to seek our souls: health, for there we shall find the sweet promises of God, to the great comfort of poo●e distressed sinners.  
Whatsoever is written, is written for our learning, saith saint Paul, but the Pope would persuade they are written to deceive us, and he is contented to sanctify us with holy oil, holy bread, holy salt, holy candles, holy water, holy blessings, holy ceremonies, and what other holiness a man himself would wish for, saving the holiness of God's word for that he will in no wise have us to deal with all, & this is the doctrine of Antichrist, and these be the marks whereby to know him.   

CHAP. XVII.  
Special notes whereby to confirm the Pope to be Antichrist.  
THe scriptures have hitherto furnished us with sufficient notes whereby to know Antichrist, and there are diverse testimonies yet to be gathered, and all of them confirming the Pope to be that man of sin that hath set himself against Christ, but let us here examine some few examples.  
Christ was humble and meek, and the Apostle 
Phil. 2. Matth. 11.  saith, He humbled himself and became obedient even unto the death, even the death of the cross: and our saviour himself commanding his disciples to follow his example saith, Learn of me that am meek and lowly in heart, & ye shall find rest unto your souls: but is this humility to be found in the Pope? behold his estate, his doctrine, his disciples, his life, you shall see nothing but pomp and glory, he ruleth over nations and kingdoms, he maketh every knee to bow down unto him, he maketh Emperors and Kings to bring him water, to carry his train, to lead his horse, to hold his stirrup, to kiss his ●eete, he will needs rule over all the world, and saith, I am Lord of lords, and King of kings, the whole world is my diocese.  
If Christ, when the devil proffered him the kingdoms of the world and the glory thereof, refused them as things impossible to stand with his kingdom, of whom is the Pope that hath received them? the devil said to Christ, Fall down and worship me, and I will give thee all, the Pope saith to the Emperor, fall down and kiss my feet, and I will give thee thine Empire, he saith to kings in like manner, swear to defend me and my prescriptions, and I will uphold thy crown, & will give thee this or that kingdom.  
And as Christ commanded his to be lowly, so he commanded them to all obedience: but the Pope will none of that, but as he setteth himself at liberty, and will be tied to no law, neither of God nor man, so he that will obey neither father, mother, neither Lord nor master, neither King nor Prince, let him but take the mark of the Beast, let him but shave himself a Monk, a Friar, a Priest, or some any one of those sects formerly rehearsed, and the matter is dispatched, he is exempted from all service and obedience due unto man: and the more disobedient he showeth himself unto the ordinances of God, the more apt and meet he is for the service of the Pope: neither is the professing, vowing, and swearing obedience unto their ordinances, any other thing▪ then the denying, defying, and forswearing obedience to the ordinances of God.  
Doth not the Pope's doctrine flatly teach disobedience, rebellion and insurrection, commanding the people to arms, and to send his traditions with sword and fire, and neither to obey father, mother, master, Lord, King nor Emperor, but to invade whatsoever land or nation that will not obey his godhead? how bestirreth he himself at this day, that seeing his excommunications and cursings are so little regarded, that men do eat their meat with never the less stomachs, he now falls to blowing up the coals of rebellion, of sedition, of treason, he raiseth subjects against their Princes, and setteth Princes upon their subjects, and thus under the title of servus servorum, he showeth himself to be Tirannus, tirannorum.  
This is the Pope's doctrine, this is his humility, this is his obedience, and this is all his piety that is so cloaked under that great show of holiness.   

CHAP. XVIII.  
The Pope taketh upon him to be the head of Christ's Church.  
THe Pope further challengeth to be the head of Christ's church, but what can be more contrary both to Christ and his Church? for the church being compact of many members, is made one body, whereof Christ is the head: God hath appeinted Christ ever all things to be head of the Church: now if the Pope will challenge to be the head of this Church, what doth he then but make two heads of one body, deforming altogether, and making a monster of the Church of Christ?  
Again in several places of the Scriptures, the Church is called the spouse of Christ, as S. john in his Revelation saith, The true Church, the sponse and wife of the Lamb: and an honest wife can have but one husband & one head at one time▪ the which when she forsaketh, and committeth herself to an other, she playeth the Harlot, as that whorish Church of Rome hath already done.  
And as Antichrist hath thus sought to disfigure the Church of Christ, so hath he likewise defaced the Sacraments left unto the church by our saviour: for where christ and his Apostles haveleft the sacrament o● Baptism, to be ministered with water and with the holy Ghost, Antichrist hath added oil to grease them, spittle to poison them, and salt to stifle them: for the sacrament of christs body which he hath left unto us as a sign of his bloodshedding, and to be kept as a memorial till his coming again, Antichrist hath made it a most abominable Idol, commanding it to be worshipped, and the people thereby to commit Idolatry.  
Thus hath he broken the first institution. And where christ saith, Take ye, and eat ye: he saith, kneel ye down and worship. And where christ saith, Drink ye all of this cup, the Pope saith, it serveth only for the Priests, and that those words Drink ye all of thy cup, were only spoken to the disciples, as though the former words, Take ye and eat ye, were not in like manner spoken to the disciples: but this is still the condition of Antichrist, to seek to overthrow what christ hath instituted.   

CHAP. XVIIII.  
Of the five Sacraments instituted by the Pope.  
TO those two Sacraments left us by christ, the Pope hath added five others spick and span new of his own making, and not one word throughout the whole scriptures, making any mention of them, nor never heard on; nor received in the church, till Antichrist began to prevail: the first of the five is the sacrament of Confirmation, and this consisteth of two parts (as they say) the matter and the form.  
The matter is holy Chrism, confect and made of oil-olive and balm consecrated by a Bishop, an excellent receipt to scour a rusty corselet.  
The form is, when any one is confirmed, the Bishop saying certain words, must make a cross on the forehead of the party, with this enchanted ointment, and then (be it man or woman) they are made as holy, as a pair of old boots when hen they come new trimmed from the currior: here is now to be noted, what themselves do attribute to this sacrament, and these be their own words, The sacrament of confirmation is said to be greater than the sacrament of baptism, because it is given by worthier persons, & in the more worthier part of the body.  
Is not this a sound doctrine that a drop of grease, conjured and enchanted, should be preferred & made of better worth than the Sacrament of Baptism, left unto us by our Saviour himself: if this be not the doctrine of Antichrist, let any man judge that is not partial.  
The Sacrament of Penance is the second, instituted likewise by the Pope, and consisteth of three parts, Contrition, Confession, and Satisfaction.  
judas, after he had betrayed Christ, had Contrition, and when he knew they had condemned him, he repented: he had Confession, I ha●e sinned in betraying the innocent blood▪ he had Satisfaction, he went to the high Priests, & delivered back again the money▪ Now if judas be not a saint in heaven, the Pope is Antichrist in the seat of Rome.  
They have a third Sacrament of Extreme unction, and this is to be ministered to sick persons, the matter is oil-olive, hallowed by a Bishop, wherewith the sick is anoyled, upon the eyes, ears, mouth, nose, hands and feet.  
And if it be a man, he is farther anoyled upon the reins of his back, but if a woman, than they do it upon her belly, they show a filthy reason why, because (they s●y) concupiscence reigneth most in th●se parts, but for offending of godly ears, we will let this pass amongst other of their unclean stuff whereof their doctrine is full.  
Their fourth Sacrament is the sacrament of Order, and this serveth only for the consecrating of Priests: there b●● diverse ceremonies pertaining to this sacrament, and (I think) both the institution and the observation, at the first drawn from the four & twenty orders, and therefore this Sacrament is better applied then any of the rest that were founded by the Pope.  
Matrimony is the fifth and last which the Pope would have to be a Sacrament, and having thus dignified it with so holy a title, he than prohibits it from his clergy for fear of infecting them. Be not these holy Sacraments, that can defile a man and make him unclean? or is not he a shameless creature, that will teach such doctrine?   

CHAP. XX.  
What havoc the Pope keepeth in the Church of God.  
Such hanock keepeth the Pope in the Church of God, he defac●th the Sacraments, he perverteth the Scriptures, he corrupteth the w●rd of God with his traditions, he raceth out the second commandment out of the law of the living God, he burneth the Bible, he excommunicateth, he cu●●eth, he persecuteth, yet all this will not serve, but Antichrist must fall, his kingdom is of this world, and here he takes the pleasure thereof, which is the devils wages, and the earnest-peny of his everlasting damnation.  
Christ sought our profit and not his own, the Pope seeks his own profit, and not ours, Christ became bound to make us free, & le●t with his disciples the law of the love, the Pope keeps all bound, and himself only free, and hath commended to his shavelings, only the love of their own bellies, and let any body offer to feed them, and such persons shall be father, mother, sister or brother unto them, they will say he is a good man, he is a father unto us▪ and to our whole fraternity, we are bound to pray for him, for he doth much for our religion, and such a woman is a good sister of ours, nay, she is a mother to our Covent, for we are more bound to pray for our good benefactors, than we are for those that do nothing for us.  
This is the love of the Pope's disciples, the Monks, the Friars, the Ies●utes, and the rest of those popish Priest's, to them that give them much, them they love much, & to them that give little, them they love a little, but to them that give them nought, them they love nought, so that all their love is b●lly love, all their prayer belly prayer, all their brotherhood, belly brotherhood, & for him that will not pamper them, there is no love, noprayer, no brotherhood, no kindred nor knowledge: and herein are still expressed the marks of Antichrist. O let us then open our eyes, God hath given us ears to hear, eyes to see, and hearts to understand, let us judge uprightly, it is God's cause, and we do see who it is that hath carried himself so long time under the colour of holiness, this is he which hath beguiled and blinded the world, this is he that man of sin, that hath set himself against Christ, and under the pre●ence to be the vicar of Christ, hath sought to confound the light of the Gospel which is left us by Christ.  
His holiness is contented, even at Rome itself, to tolerate with any religion, excepting this of the Gospel's, he is contented to suffer the Turk there to have a Temple, and the jews there to have their Synagogues, but he can in no wise admit so much as a little Chapel, where the word of God may be purely preached, and sincerely taught, no, he knoweth that if the Ark of God be brought into the house of Dagon, the Idol can not stand, but down he falls presently to the ground.  
The Pope's doctrine can join in good society with Turks, with jews, with Infidels, whatsoever, only the doctrine of Christ's gospel excepted: such enmity there is still between Christ and the Pope.   

CHAP. XXI.  
As there is but one true God, so there is but one truereligion.  
ANd as there is but one God almighty, who will have no other Gods but himself, so there is but one undoubted truth (which is holy & given by the same God) and will admit of no other religion but itself: for wheresoever it becometh, it confoundeth all other doctrines, that is or may be invented by the subtlety of Satan, or any of his ministers, and this is the cause that the Pope is so hateful unto it, and seeketh so much as in him lieth utterly to suppress it.  
Histories make mention, that in those days when the Romans had brought the greatest part of the world under their subjection: wheresoever they became victors, amongst other spoils they never failed to bring away the Gods of the heathen, which were still conveyed to Rome, aswell in token of their conquests: as themselves in those days being likewise Infidels, carried this opinion, that the more Gods they had amongst them, the greater trust they had to prevail in all their enterprises whatsoever they attempted.  
In the honour of those Gods, Marcus Agrippa edified a Temple called Panthion, wherein these Idols were altogether placed.  
We do further read, that after the Romans had subverted the City of jerusalem, it was thought good amongst them, that a picture should be made in the representation of Christ, because he had there been reputed for a God (although a very simple one) and a very few there were at that time that did so esteem of him, yet being very loath that any God, great and small should escape them: but they would have them all in Rome in this Temple of Panthion. The matter being thus in question, in the end they got understanding, that Christ in his doctrine, would admit of no more Gods but one, whereupon they thought him not a necessary or fit companion to be brought to their Temple, where they had so many Gods, that could stand altogether, & could agree quietly amongst themselves, which they had thought he would never have done if he should be once brought amongst them: they therefore resolved themselves, thinking it not convenient to meddle with him at all, that would so much disturb their quiet, and so they left him.  
Tell me now, is not our holy father directly of this humour, he can agree quietly with the Turks and the jews, and they likewise with him, and he can have his Mass in one Church, and they can use their Ceremonies in an other fast by, all at one instant, and all within Rome: but let any man come there that should but offer to preach the Gospel of Christ purely, and should speak against Idolatry, and the worshipping of Images made with men's hands, and all Rome would be in an uproar, the Pope himself would be out of his wits, and he would never be in quiet, till he had tormented him, and put him to cruel death.  
This Temple of Panthion in Rome, is now called by the name of All halous, first builded by Marcus Agrippa, for all the Idols of the heathen, and after consecrated by Bonifacius the fourth, to all the whole company of Saints, whereby it appeareth as well in that as in other matters, that the Pope hath well furnished his Church with many heathenish precedents.   

CHAP. XXII.  
The City of Rome is a continnal persecuter of the children of God.  
THat City of Rome, hath been from the beginning, the greatest persecuter that ever was amongst the Christians, for as it is truth, that the Church of Christ hath been there established, and that very faithfully and truly, so this is as certain, that before it could be so established, it was many years in performing, and cost the lives of an infinite number of Martyrs and Saints, neither had it after any long continuance, but that Antichrist began to creep in by little, & prevailed so much in the end, that he quite excluding Christ, hath in his place set up himself, and hath sithence been a greater persecuter of Christians, than all the Tyrants that were there before the first establishment.  
Now if God were their father, then would they love Christ his son, and seek to set forth his glory: if they were of the sheepesold of God, then would they hear ●is voice: but they are of their father the Devil, and the lusts of their father they will do, they are in name the servants of Christ, but in their works they show themselves to be the members of Antichrist, they change peace into war, they tume judgement into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood, they resist the truth of God, to establish the devices and doctrine of men, they pretend show of holiness, through the which they draw to themselves credit, they have only a painted vizard, and carry an empty name of the Church: what is their wilful chastity, but an obedience condemned in the scripture, to give God that which he hath not given us, and so to make sin where there was none at all, the fruits whereof, is daily corrupting of other men's wives, and to live in open and common whoredom, with other abominations, filthy to be spoken of.  
Under the pretence of their vowed poverty, they have robbed the whole world of their wealth and treasure, not suffering Emperors nor Kings to live in quiet, that will not be sworn to do them service, & to uphold their pride and ambition.  
The fruit of their wilful obedience, is to exempt themselves both from the laws of God and man, in so much that if any Prince begin to punish their disobedience, they curse him immediately to the bottomless pit of hell, and will proclaim him no rightful King, setting both his own subjects, and other nations against him.   

CHAP. XXIII.  
The Pope's practices whereby to deceive the simple.  
THey teach us to fly from Christ, and worship Saints, who as the Papists themselves suppose, are most cruel and merciless tyrants, wreakful and vengible, if their evins be not fasted, their Images visited, saluted and worshipped with a pater noster, with a candle, with incense or other offerings, in that place which they themselves have chosen to hear suitors, with their supplications and petitions.  
They fray and terrify us with their painful purgatory: the scorching heat whereof is such, that it hath not only consumed infinite treasure both of gold and silver out of ignorant men's purses, but it hath likewise melted Castles, buildings, Lands and tenements innumerable, to the profit of Monks Friars, Canons, Priests regular and secular, and many men have robbed their heirss, to give perpetuities to these hypocrites to buy perpetual prayer (but rather we may say to buy perpetual pain) for they never appoint any time of deliverance, fearing that the Lands should return back again to the right heirs.  
There be some that have given them large perpetuities to be prayed for, of whom they have made saints, receiving offerings in their names, and teaching other men to pray unto them that have given great revenues to be prayed for themselves, & yet the Pope for money can empty Purgatory when he will: but if a man should ask them by what authority the Pope giveth such pardon, they answer that it is out of the merits of Christ's passion, and so at the last they are driven to confess against themselves, that Christ hath not only deserved for us the forgiveness of the crime, but also of the pain: and then if Christ hath deserved all for us, who giveth the Pope authority to reserve a part of his deserving from me, and to sell me Christ's merits for money?  
His holiness sends them to heaven with Scala Celi, that is with a ladder to scale the walls of heaven, for by the door Christ, they will not suffer you to enter, but they have stopped up that way, because they would have you to buy their scaling ladders.  
They refuse the precious blood of Christ, making themselves aprons of Pope▪ holy works, as Adam did of fig leaves to hide his sin: an unjust righteousness, that will justify itself before him, where the Angels do find no other buckler than grace.  
And what are our works, but a deformity & filthiness in the sight of God? our▪ sins are great, for they are against a great God: they are infinite, because they are committed against him that is infinite, and therefore we may not think to cover them with merit, nor to repair them with satisfaction for our own.   

CHAP. XXIIII.  
What our d●sernings are, and what we are able to merit.  
But let us look into our deserving, or did we but keep a reckoning of our life, how small a part thereof do we bestow upon God, how few of our steps we do tread in his trace, how few are the thoughts that we direct to his service?  
Our reason that should further us unto all goodness, it is in nothing more unreasonable, then in the knowledge of things belonging unto God: and the b●st use we make of it, it se●ueth to cover our naughtiness▪ and wherein consisteth our virtue, but in concealing our vices? so that those that have most wit, have commonly lest honesty.  
Thy senses, to what other use dost thou put them then to the marring of the senses: thy tongue, how much more ready is it to speak evil, then to speak good: if we do any good, it is but to the end it might be seen, whereby to attain a little popular praise, for in secret we will do nothing at all: if we forbear to do evil, it is but fear lest the world should know it, and were that fear away, we would stick at nothing.  
But let us come to our best perfections, and look into our prayers and what are they but continual offences, when in the midst of our greatest vehemency, our minds are by and by carried away with one vanity or other so that when we have prayed, we had then need to pray again that God would forgive us the imperfections of our prayers.  
Is this our righteousness wherein we have such trust, an unrighteous righteousness, which will not acknowledge his good to come from God, & his evil to come from himself.  
The Pharisie abased the most highest by lifting up his own merit and worthiness, spoiling God of his dignity, by advancing himsslfe, and Christ rebuked nothing so much amongst the Scribes and pharisees, as their fasting, their praying, their washing, and their cleansing, wherein consisted the hope of their holiness, for in open sin, their is hope of repentance, but in holy hypocrisy, there is none at all: and as there is no way better for us to love God, then by hating ourselves, so there is no righteousness in us to be accounted greater, then by confessing our unrighteousness, for we then exalt God, when we cast down ourselves, when we bow our necks under his yoke, treading ourselves under our own feet, by casting our presumption and arrogancy at his feet, even than may we best trust in God, when we most distrust our s●lues, and although between man and man, i● we confess a debt, we must pay it, or acknowledge a wrong we must make amends, yet God requireth no other satisfaction than a true and sorrowful confession▪ than covering our sins with mercy, when we discover them most tru●ly.   

CHAP. XXV.  
A friendly admonition to the Irish, to beware of th●se Ministers of Antichrist, that have so blinded their understanding, and abused their Zeal.  

●, Thess. 5,  LEt us then be no longer deceived, but follow the counsel of S. Paul, Try all things, and keep that is good. God hath given you the spirit of discretion, be wise therefore, and make trial to know what is good: learn of those of Berea, who hearing Paul preach, made daily search of the scriptures whether those things were so which he had taught them, and finding them to be true, many of them believed: do you in like case make trial, and receive nothing without good proof and testimony, and when you shall find that they are not contrary to the wholesome doctrine of the word of God, Then keep that which is good, settle yourselves then, and be not carried away with every blast of doctrine.  
Believe not these Jesuits and Seminaries, that do so bestir themselves amongst you in Ireland, to persuade a religion that cannot abide the light of the Scriptures: would not any man that were wise, suspect him that would set a jewel to sale, and would not suffer the buyer to look upon it in the light, but he must buy it in the dark, keep it in the dark, wear it in the dark, and never bring it to any place where it might be perfectly seen and examined?  
Now who would not suspect him for a cozening companion, that would offer such a thing? and can there be a greater suspicion of cozenage, then for men to offer a kind of religion, that cannot abide the light of God's word, and would enforce men to receive such a doctrine as they might not examine by the scriptures, to see how it would stand with the doctrine of Christ? who but cozening wretches would offer it? but what ignorance in those men that would receive it?  
Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God. At what time Achab would not believe the answer which the Prophet Micheas made him, there came forth a spirit and stood before the Lord, and said, I will go out and be a false spirit in the mouths of all his Prophets. Take heed you be not deceived by any of these spirits, which shall seek to abuse you, by pretence of revelation, by visions, by dreams, by show of holiness: such spirits are walking and daily conversant amongst us in Ireland. Woe be to you Scribes and pharisees, hypocrites (saith Christ) for you devour widows houses, under the colour of long prayers: but our hypocrites rob not widows only, but they spoil married wives, & make havoc of Esquires, Knights and Lords: they spoil all men, women and children, arming them with grudge, with murmur, with contempt, & sometimes setting them in open rebellion against their Prince.  
And who are the inducers of these and many other mischiefs, but your Jesuits, your seminaries, & your ungodly massing Priests? these are they that are the common disturbers of the Country's quiet, that have stirred up and set on foot many rebellions: these are they that have blinded your understanding, abused your zeal, and led you into ignorance under A counterfeit pretence of holiness.  
They will you to pray, and they teach you to trust in your prayers, they bid you to fast, they say you shall merit by your fasting: but be no longer deceived, look into the fruits of this prayer and this fasting, that they have so long taught, and wherewith they have almost infected the whole realm of Ireland, (but especially in the most remote places) & letting slip persons of greater worth) whose eyes I hope God will open to see their own faults) in beholding other men's follies, we will take but for our example, the base & barbarous Kearne, the very dross and scum of the Country, & yet what jesuit, what Seminary, what Priest, or what other member of that rascal rabble, that are more precise in their popish observations, more abstinent in their prescribed fasting days, and that are more scrupulous in any point of Popery than they be: and yet that very day, hour or minute, when they will nor touch any flesh, butter, cheese eggs, milk or such other like, for defiling of themselves, they will make no conscience, to murder, to kill, to rob, to ravish, to spoil, or to commit any other villainy whatsoever.  
You know this to be true: be not then any longer enemies to your own discretions, let these Balam●tes no longer deceive you, with their lies, with their visions, with their wonders and miracles: Christ hath prophesied that there shall many false Prophet's a●i●, & shall show signs and wonders, and shall deceive (if it were possible) the very elect.  
Many will say v●to me n that day, Lo●d, ha●● we not in thy name prophesied, and by thy name cast out Devils, and by thy name done many good works, and then will I profess unto them, I never knew you, depart from me you that work ●●iquitie.  
And Paul hath long ago foretold us, that which at this day we may behold with our eyes.  
In the later time, same shall give heed unto spirits of errou●: take heed therefore, and when thou hearest tell of visions, or miracles (for by these delusions the poor people of Ireland ●re most deceived) bring them to the touchstone, compare them with the word of God, if thou findest they intend nothing but the advancemet of the Gospel of Christ, and the glory of God, thou mayst receive them as sent of God: if otherwise they pretend the advancement of creatures, or of superstitious works or working, beware of them, for without doubt they are either lies or delusions of the Devil, or some of his ministers, practising to deceive thee: for open the Bible, and in the very first lease it is written, In the beginning, God created heaven and earth, and all that is contained therein, immediately excluding all other Gods made or devised by man, only to keep man to the true God, that first created him: open the Book still further forth at all adventures, and so peruse from line to line, even to the latter end of the whole book, and you shall meet with nothing but the praises of that God, or with fearful denunciations, thunderings & threatenings against those that follow strange Gods, or give his glory to creatures, stocks, blocks, or stones.  
Let us take heed then and beware of these deceits, we have tasted the word of God a long time, we have received the comfort of the gospel, let us not despite it, or be weary of it, but let us build ourselves of that corner stone, which the builders have cast off: let us lay our counsels to the square of his truth, let us measure them with the plummet of his righteousness. What eye would not behold the brightness of that sun? what ear would refuse to hear GOD speak? Despise not then the wisdom of the spirit, refuse not his help, but seek the same that we may be strengthened: let us comfort ourselves in the testimonies of our adoption, let us not quench the light he hath kindled in our hearts: let us not slenderly account of his mercy, nor abuse the time of our salvation.  
God give us his holy spirit, that we may discern the truth from falsehood, and know the blessed and gracious will of God: that we may feel our dark and cloudy understanding, which shineth not, but as it pleaseth him to enlighten: that we may walk in his ways, and serve him in reverence and fear, all the days of our life.  
FINIS.