Boanerges.  
OR THE HUMBLE SUPPLICATION OF THE MINISTERS OF SCOTLAND, TO THE HIGH COURT OF PARIAMENT IN ENGLAND.  2. COR. 4. 13. 
We believe, and therefore have we spoken.  
Printed in Edinburgh.  
1624.   2. CHRON. 19 6. 
Take heed what you do: for you execute not the judgement of man, but of the Lord, and he shall be with you in the cause and judgement.  

A Preface or Introduction to the Supplication.  
THere is a common saying among ours and God's enemies the Papists, that the Christian Church must be known by these Characters, Visibility, Antiquity, Universality, and Consent: but the Spirit of God says, that all these are the marks of the Beast; and persecution and paucity the infallible signs of the true Church: thus began the first prophecy, I will put enmity between thee and 
Gen. 3. 15.  the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; thus it continued in john's Revelation, Then the Dragon 
Apoc. 12. 17.  was wroth with the Woman, and went and made war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of jesus Christ. And thus could we spread the testimonies of Scripture like a mantle exposed to your view, full of delicate resemblances, wherein you might behold how the true Church of God hath been ever without any cessation subject to scorns, opprobry, the malignant circumstances of time, or fearful persecution. But withal we pray you remember, that we make not our approaches from Nebuchadnezars' heating the oven seven times hotter, but the Dragons 
Dan. 3. Apoc. 12.  watching the Woman, the Man that sitteth in the Temple of God as God, those that be in Moses chair, such as were invested with Aaron's ornaments, and in plain terms the continued persecution which we mean must arise out of the hate and malice of Christians; yea Preachers themselves, that are opposites to zealous professors, and this we complain of.  
Oh read, read for God's sake the story of jeremy, and mark his persecutions, and who were his greatest enemies? Shemaiah a false Prophet, and Zephaniah 
Ch. 29.  the chief Priest in stead of jehoiada; yea if you step a little further you shall find, that the king Zedekiah durst not justify his conference with jeremy, 
Ch. 38. 24.  as being afraid of the Princes and Priests: so that in truth he had no friends but Baruch the Prophet, and Ebedmelech the Moor. And as it was with him, so it continued with all the rest, until the coming of Christ, and then wherefore did he call them generation of Vipers? or who were those hypocrites that Christ exprobrated, but the Scribes and pharisees who sat in Moses chair, and at last condemned the Saviour of the world to an ignominious death: so that it is apparent, here was nothing but persecution. And for visibility, did not Eliah cry out, he was alone, and those that were the true servants of God, durst not justify their profession? And after-terward, he that was the Author of all truth, was reputed an impostor and deceiver of the world.  
Oh mark what the Apostle saith: For I think that God hath set forth us the last Apostles, as men appointed to death: for we are made a gazing-stocke unto the 
1. Cor. 4. 9  world, unto the Angels, and to men. Which place of Scripture drives us to amaze, when we consider the disparity between the flourishing Churches, ambitious Prelacy, exalted Bishops, and majestic glory of Clergy men in Europe, and the poverty, persecution and disreputation of the true Church of God indeed, as either it was in the time of the Apostles, or must be (according to this prophecy) to the world's end. Reconcile us then (we pray you) whether the Apostle only meant the present time, or from the Spirit of God by way of prediction had reference to after ages, yea the end of the world? but do not come too near our eyes to dim our sight, or deaf our ears with the fearful sound of the prerogative of Princes, the high commanding voices of authority, or the seeming flourishes of the orders of a Church; but plainly out of coherence of Scripture, rectify our understanding in this point. For if the Apostles have prophetically set down, and indefinitely concluded, that this must be the estate of the true Church of God; we shall never believe, but that outward pomp, pride, wealth, eminency, and the ill sounding accent of supereoritie over their brethren, can decipher any other thing than Antichrist; and so must love such in our souls, as either out of Paul's humility content themselves with that portion which God hath allotted, or David's patience endure the Micols of the world to call them fools.   

THE SUPPLICATION OR PETITION ITSELF.  
Most gracious Lords,  
WHen Paul came to preach at Ephesus, and bring as it were the Ark of God into the Temple of Dagon, that he might break his neck, it is said, the whole City was moved, and Demetrius a siluer-smith, who got his living by making of Images, raised such a hurly-burly amongst the people, that they would not endure any motive for their conversion to Christianity, but cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. Whereupon the Apostle afterward exclaimed upon them, that he had fought with beasts at Ephesus. Thus is it with all kingdoms and settled governments, though never so many thorns and thistles grow up to choke the good seed, yet if there be a desire to set a crown of gold on the Priest's head, and take away his rags and deformed garments, to bring some leprous offender to public view, that it may be discerned whether he be unclean or no; to make the Priests to cleanse the Temple of filth and pigeon's dung, as you read of Hercules who let in the river to carry away the ordure of Angens stable; to search the unswept corners of vicious men's souls; and in a word to reform the abuses of a Commonwealth; then shall some Amasiah tell Amos, Bethel is the King's Court, and the King's Chapel, there is no preaching there: then shall some Prince or Lord tell Zedechiah that jeremy weakens the kingdom, and disheartens the soldiers: then shall Sandolet and the rest affright Nehemiah, when he attempts the discovery of foul enormities: in a word, then shall your great men and officers, for fear some charming arm of Hecate turn their inside outward, cry out of innovation, sedition, turbulency, or some harebrained spirit.  
But, most gracious Lords, we beseech you remember how worthily King Philip of Macedon entertained a petitioners presumption, when a certain woman kneeled before him to deliver a supplication, he rejected her suit, and turned away in scorn from her: the woman amazed, yet boldly answered, Then cease to be a King, if thou deniest to hear thy subjects petitions. The King hearing her voice, but not understanding what she said, returned again, and asked her what she meant. The undaunted woman repeated the words again; and the magnanimous Prince, not only pardoned her, but took her up in his arms, and as you shall read that David blessed Abigail for keeping him from shedding of blood, so did King Philip bless the woman for telling him his duty, and chid all the rest for being flatterers and parasites.  
Thus do we say to you, seeing our great and considerate Prince hath now condescended to call this high Court of Parliament to hear his subjects grievances, and redress the enormities of the Commonwealth; either cease to sit, and come not there at all, or entertain our petitions, and relieve our discontents. But because we will not affright Israel, as the ten explorators of the land of Canaan did, with talking of Enachims' and giants, of iron walls and high towers, that is, with meddling with the Church and government of the Clergy, either by finding fault with the settled state, or proposing unto you our manner of discipline, according to other reformed Churches of Europe, the Confession of Auspurgh, the Harmony of Confession, or other fearful petitions which in the days of Queen Elizabeth were presented to the Council; we will at this present contract ourselves, and insist only upon three things. 1. First concerning non-resident, and the ill example which the Clergy give by their ill lives to weak and ignorant souls. 2. Concerning the mixtures of Papistry in your kingdom, or conniving at the impudency of such men, that with Bells priests eat up the King's provision, and make him believe the Dragon did it. 3. Last of all, not to give ear to the Sirens incantations, but tie yourselves close to the mast of true Religion and Christian policy, that you be not seduced and brought within the Panther's reach, whose sweet savours and perfumes intoxicateth many innocents and ignorants.  
First concerning non-resident, Formalists, and other abuses of the Clergy; if it please you to remember, in the Law of Moses, the malefactor or delinquent in any kind, saved his life if he could once take hold of the horns of the Altar; yet when the case was against King Solomon, it could not serve joabs' turn, but he perished immediately: so is it amongst you, if you can but name the orders of government and constitutions of the Church, you are able to stop any disputants mouth, to silence any Preacher; but this shall not serve your turn in any cause against the majesty of heaven, but the sentence of our Saviour shall be denounced against any hypocritical Formalist under the Sun, He that knows his master's will, and doth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes. If again he be an ignorant, oh read the prophecy; the flying book came to one, and he could not open it, it was too fast sealed; it came to another opened, and he could not read it; and it came to a third, and he could not understand it. Thus out of ignorance or wilfulness you have silenced many worthy spiritual stones of God's building, and traduced those that could not endure the profane mixtures in religion, with the terms of heretics, schismatiks and sectaries, terms more affrighting then jews, Turks and Infidels: for their misunderstanding themselves may be excused ex magno inscitia bello, yet Corasim and Bethsaida shall answer the matter more fearfully.  
But, most gracious Lords, notwithstanding these calumniations, or the brand of malice by intemperate humours; the crime of heresy is not to be imputed to any, whose faith doth wholly rely upon the sure rock of God's word; they are no Schismatiks who run for shelter under the comfortable shade of the tree of the Church of God, such as the Prophets, Apostles, and primitive Church describe, or such as all the Reformed Churches of Europe take upon them to defend: nor are they to be reputed Sectaries which embrace the truth always one and itself, and so impregnable, that all the assaults of Satan shall not prevail against it: and therefore, Right honourable Lords, we do here exhibit a petition unto you, so to order the matter, that neither we be thus scandalised, nor any servant of God put from his estate & maintenance, for making a conscience against some frivolous ceremonies, which are not things indifferent (as now is the phrase) if you compel men to the observation; and therefore to affright them with loss of living, maintenance or imprisonment, is no brotherly punishment, nor charitable discipline, do rather, as Augustus did by his Senator, we beseech you.  
There was a Roman dwelling in the great city, named Ouidius Pollio, who determining to invite the Emperor to supper, made a great preparation; but in the washing of his crystal glasses, the slave broke one of them; for which he was condemned the next day to be cut in pieces, and thrown into his fishponds. The Emperor coming to supper, and hearing of this most cruel doom for so trivial an offence, commanded all the glasses to be brought into his presence, and so broke them to pieces: This I do (quoth Augustus) to prevent further mischief which may happen upon so slight occasions. We will not apply, but leave all to be throughly searched and discussed, and that for two causes: 1. The one, for that we are confident, you are able in respect of your singular knowledge in the Scriptures, and hope you are willing in respect of your honours and sincere piety toward Religion, to convince our errors by God's word, and discover our wanderings, if in any thing we be out of the way. 2. Secondly, that if you find the testimony & confession of faith of honest religious men agreeable with the word of truth, you will also agree either to convince us by writing, or give us leave to live without obloquy or infamous characters in our poor and despised estates, or not to clog our consciences (as we said) with ceremonies and devices of men. For, what said Stephen King of Poland, Princes might command the bodies and lives of their subjects, but not their souls and consciences.  
And who, I pray you, are our greatest enemies, but such as live in pomp, state, glory, feasting, with much abundance and affluencie; such as have plurality of Benefices, are resident at none of them, and scarce preach once in a year; such as are prebend's in Cathedral Churches, whose livings are inordinately spent upon a number of Drones and devouring paunches, Singing-men, Organists, Queristers, and diverse superfluous officers, which otherwise might be extended toward the relief of poor scholars and the true servants of God; and all this is the more lamentable, because many times the place of preaching is unsupplied, and when it is supplied, you shall find at least a dozen Ministers walking in your most frequented Churches without hearing the word of God at all: to be brief, such are our enemies, as neither know what true zeal or devotion means, nor once think upon the propagation of religion, or purity of a sincere life.  
judge, most gracious Lords, whether our souls are truly vexed or no, at the enormities and gross wickedness of Clergy men; when amongst you there are such covetous and ambitious Preachers that retain diverse Benefices, offices and Church-livings in their hands, and growing rich, are able to purchase Lordships and Manors, when yet you read the Levites might have no lands, nor any sordid commutations of rents, keep princely houses and diet with song and minstrelsy, their wives and children coached in the streets, and equalling your best Ladies in habit and fantastical attire, feathers, frizzled hair, masks, fans, bodkins, and in a manner using all those fashions for which Isaiah reprehendeth 
Isai. 3.  the daughters of Zion in his time. We could name frequenting public assemblies, common Interludes, jesabels' painting among the women, Herodias dancing, and all other fearful customs of temptation, wherewith the devil beguiles the wand'ring souls of God's people, and bringeth poor innocents under the captivity of sin, who with Hevah dare adventure on the apple, because it was fair to the eye.  
We could tell you, that when Cardinal Woolsey was made Legatus alatere, Lord Chancellor of England, Archbishop of York, and had a Bull read in public of all his temporal and spiritual livings, there was such murmuring and repining among honest civil men, that they durst publicly presage his downfall, and the Courtiers themselves were amazed at his wealth. The like was spoken of Gardiner, and Cardinal Poole. And many in those days shed tears again to think that such as had the cure of souls should affect other offices, dignities and temporal honours; and we pray God there be not the like corruptions still. As for the vanities of the world, yea life itself, what are they but bubbles and balls raised out of a little niter and ●ope, as boys in their pastimes blow up with their quills, and ere they be tossed three times, they burst of themselves. We must say yet further, that there are such Formalists, Temporisers, flatterers, and mere parasites, in imitation of the Courtly priests in the times of Israel's and judah's Kings, that sundry chaplains lie watching over God's true Ministers indeed, and if they preach according to their consciences and the word of God, or be examined before hand how they mean to dispose of themselves, they shall be told to their faces that the text serveth not for the times; nor are men to be endured that dare put their rude hands unto the raw wounds of the government: but we will be bold to say, that all this Courtly pomp, large revenues, abundance of wealth, and maintaining of pleasures, are the devil's clogs to press their minds and meditation to the earth and corruptible dross, so that they cannot look up to heaven, nor affect such things as are above.  
To end, lest we never end, many of these temporizing Clergy men are so curious, trim and neat in their apparel, with garters, roses and shoestrings, with boots and spurs, with velvet, satin and damask cassocks and tippets, with horse and coach, and in a word with all worldly pomp and bravery, that except the colour, no man can discover them from Knights and Gentlemen; when yet a Prophet was known in those days by the habit of a Prophet; and he that reads shall find that Eliahs' leather girdle, Isaiahs' nakedness, jeremy's dungeon, Amos neatheards staff, john Baptists camels hair, Christ's coat without a seam, Peter fishing net, and Paul's labouring with his hands, did far exceed the proud Priests mitres, or the pharisees philacteries. Here we might add the frequenting of public theatres, using all manner of exercises, gaming, taverns, wantonness, and such like, insomuch that the Apostles, especially jude truly presaged what manner of men they would be, and what corruptions should creep into the Church; yea our Saviour Christ prophesied, that for these and other gross impieties, at his second coming he should scarce find faith upon earth. And thus much for the corruptions of your Clergy, and our expostulation, that you will remember Iethroes counsel to Moses: Moreover, provide thou among all the people, men of 
Exod 18. 21.  courage, fearing God, men dealing truly, hating covetousness.  
Secondly, concerning Papists, or the connivency at superstitious Popery, or coming so near the chariot wheels of the Strumpet, to be dashed with the flinging of her dirt and filth; what is it but to bring in the Syrian idolatry to be mixed with Samarias' 
2. King. 17. 25.  sacrifices, for which the Lord sent Lions out of the wilderness to devour them: what is it, then for Ahas to go to Damascus, and send word to Urias 
2. Kin. 16. 10. 17 2. Chron. 28.  the Priest to make an altar like unto that in Syria▪ and set it up in God's house; for which both he the Priest and the people were severely punished: what is it but when a Prophet is sent on God's errand, 
1. King. 20. 36.  and maketh known the pleasure of the Almighty, which is not obeyed, and so the offender is slain and punished. Mark, we beseech you (most gracious Lords) how jealous God is of his honour, and will not endure any disobedience, especially the pollutions of idolatry, which are maintained in their profane religion and sophisticate distinctions and deceits of equivocation. When Rahel stole her father's idols, she made no more account of them 
Gen. 35.  then to tomb them in the straw, and so sat upon them; but as soon as jacob came to a resting place, the text says, he presently cleansed his house of such filthiness and abomination: when Moses detracted 
Exod. 4. 24.  the time for circumcising his son, the Lord had like to have killed him in the way; and when it was done, his wife Zipporah reviled him with the name of bloody husband. Oh how angry and incensed was God at Aaron's calf, insomuch that Moses in a great rage broke the tables of stone all to fitters; and God himself would have destroyed Israel 
Exod. 32.  in the wilderness, & made a greater nation of him. And what are the idols and images of Papists, with their Roods and Crucifixes, and painted pictures, but Egypt's calves; and naaman's going into the temple of Rimmon, which he knew was a sin, and so craved mercy? Are not the Papists ashamed of these things, when among their own Doctors and Schoolmen, it is doubtful & disputable, whether Solomon was saved or no, by reason of his apostasy?  
Would it not make a man's heart to tremble to hear the fearful epithets and characters wherewith the holy Ghost hath branded Papistry? and is not the Pope proved to be that Antichrist, not one man, as the devil would deceive weak Christians, but the Conclave of Cardinals, and the government of Rome, as it is now exalted. Oh read, read, read for God's sake, There must come a departing, and that man of sin be disclosed, even the son of perdition, which is an adversary, and exalteth himself 
2. Thes. 2. 3. 4. 7  against all that is called God, so that he sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God: and therefore neither jew nor Turk, nor Idolater, but a mere Christian Prelate, and should be a Preacher of God's word: then he follows with the mystery of iniquity, the revealing of the wicked man, the consuming of him with the spirit of God's mouth, his coming by the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, in all deceivableness of unrighteousness, with many other things to the end of the Chapter.  
What think you of Paul's instructions to Timothy, concerning the doctrines of devils, speaking through 
1. Tim. 4.  hypocrisy, having their consciences burned with a hot iron, forbidding meats and marriages, and giving heed to the spirit of errors to be seduced: so that you see there must be a doctrine amongst professors of God's word, prescribing things abominable to the truth, and it shall be perspicuous to the world, and plainly revealed, and when it is discovered and made known, the conclusion follows, without distinction or exception, that it is the doctrine of the devil: answer then a God's name, you that must answer before the throne of the Lamb; is not this Papistry? and who would be thus defiled? Oh mark the goodness of God when the guests made excuses, and would not come to the feast, the Master sent about into the high ways and hedges for the poor, the blind, the halt and the lame; yea he compelled some to come, that knew not what that hospitality meant; and yet for all this, when he discovered a man in the bride-chamber that had not on his wedding garment, he cast him forth, and his ministers threw him into utter desolation: what then will become of Papists? can you conceive that the Pope's triple crown, his vestments embroidered with pearl and gold, the Cardinal's bloody scarlet gowns, the Priests stately and pompous copes, the altar-hanging of rich arras, with all those proud and pompous attires, are wedding garments fit to come into Christ's bride-chamber? No, no. It is true humiliation and the washing of our sins with his precious blood must make us fit for admission. What is Calamus, Benimmi, or Storax, says the Prophet, or a thousand rivers of oil to make us delicately clean, and smell of perfumes, except the Lord purge and cleanse us, and by the operation of his holy Spirit wipe away our leprous spots of iniquity, and purify us by a new sanctification, not by the Purgatory of Papistry, the intercession of Saints, the Masses of Priests, the merits of works, the Indulgences of the Pope, the trentals & dirges of cozening Friars, nor in a word the trumperies and fooleries of processions and puppet plays.  
Now come to the hammer that strikes all home, to the stone that pushed the golden image in pieces, to the iron rod that bruiseth God's enemies to powder, the Apocalypse I mean, and he that hath ears to hear, let him hear. I saw under the altar the souls of them that were killed for the word of God 
Apoc. 6. 9  and for the testimony which they maintained. Oh the bloody massacres of France, and the cruelty of the Roman Bishops! oh the tyranny of the Inquisition, and the searches of Jesuits and Priests all over Europe! oh the fiery trials & persecutions in Queen Mary's days, and those bloodthirsty enemies of God, Gardner and Bonner, with the rest of Satan's instruments, worse than Adonibeseck the tyrant, who cut off the hands and feet of 70 Kings. But understand what follows both to them and all the rest that forget God: And the Kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief Captains, 
15  and the mighty men, and the bondman, and every freeman hid themselves in dens and among the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall 
16  on us, and hide us from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. And he opened the bottomless pit, and there arose the smoke of 
9, 2  the pit, and the smoke of a great furnace, and the Sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit; And there came out of the smoke Locusts upon the earth, and 
3  unto them was given power, as the Scorpions of the earth have power. What is all this, and much more that follows, but Popish Priests, false teachers, heretics indeed, and such as would eclipse and darken the glory of God's word, and pervert the doctrine of holy Scripture. Mark the rest, we beseech you: And when they have finished their testimony, 
Apoc. 11. 7.  the Beast that cometh out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them and kill them: and their corpse shall lie in the streets of the great City, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, 
8  where our Lord also was crucified. And there appeared another great wonder in heaven, for behold a great red 
12. 3  Dragon having seven heads and ten horns; and there 
7  was a battle in heaven, Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon; And the great Dragon that old Serpent, 
9  called the Devil and Satan, was cast out, which deceiveth all the world. And I saw a Beast rise out of the 
13. 1 6  Sea, with seven heads and ten horns, and he opened his mouth unto blasphemy against God. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the Dragon, 
13  and out of the mouth of the Beast, and out of the mouth of the false Prophet. And great Babylon came 
16. 19  in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. Come, I will 
17. 1  show thee the damnation of the great Whore that sitteth upon many waters, with whom have committed fornication the Kings of the earth. And I saw a Woman sit 
2  upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy. Oh read the whole Chapter with all that followeth concerning Rome's prophecy, and then consider with yourselves, who would either be a Papist or allow of Papistry in any Christian government: for either you must discredit this prophecy, or think the holy Ghost very unmannerly in these epith●tes and titles, or be ashamed of your profession, and so turn to the Lord (if be possible) by true contrition and reformation of life.  
But, most gracious Lords, we will come nearer home to you, you know what letters have passed from your Bishops to inferior Ministers, concerning what and how they shall preach, with certain limitation of handsome language toward the Papists, that none of these fearful characters in Scriptures shall be once mentioned against them: you know how the Lord Keeper would fain have moderated the charges of the judges of Assize at their solemn Sessions and Assemblies, as if there were a full determination in the government to repeal all the Statutes of Queen Elizabeth, yea the King himself against Papists, Priests and Jesuits. You know how audacious they have been even of late days to justify their bad dispositions toward the State, and make a public protestation of their inficious wilfulness, insomuch that some of them dared to say, when we rejoiced with bonfires at the Prince's return, that they were sorry to see so much wood spent in vain, for there would not be faggots enough left to burn the Heretics in London.  
What then hath our gracious Sovereign gotten by this partial charity or connivency at Papists; but at home a general fear lest the Devil should lay hold upon the latch of the door, and so take advantage of no bodies watching without; or their negligence within, and politikly enter, and then who knows not, what a subtle Serpent, raging Lion and watching Dragon he is? And abroad, injurious reports, that he was afraid of the Popes and Spain's mightiness, or durst not trust his own greatness against the factious Papists of England, if they should unite themselves to any foreign Prince; when yet he hath had experience of his own preservation, and the many deliverances of his predecessor that famous Queen of everlasting memory: for the hand of God is not shortened, and he hath still a cloudy pillar by day, and a fiery pillar by night to conduct his Israel through the wilderness. If there were no more to make you abhor Papistry, than the martyrdom of the Saints in Queen Mary's days, it were sufficient: Oh horrible cruelty to have men and women burnt for saying the Lords prayer in the vulgar tongue, and instructing their families in the word of God. The bloody Bishop Bonner in his own person burned a poor servant's hand with a flaming link for saying a part of a Catechism: and to make the spectacle the more ugly, he whipped a man with rods in his garden, till his fury made his own blood spurt out of his paunch. The rest were not inferior unto him: for by a Bishop's commandment a woman with child was put to death, and when the infant burst out of her womb, one of the guard pitched him back again into the fire upon the point of a halberd. To name the rest, were to write out the whole book; but for this and the rest, we end with the Poet, Horresco referente.  
Shall we step into France, and remember those fearful times of Guisean massacres, especially Henry of Bourbons marriage, when the Admiral was slain, of which one writes, that there was more blood spilt then wine drank. Shall we name the Leagures Oligarchy, and holy convention of Catholics, when they had like to have expelled their Prince out of the kingdom, and drove him to a nook of Normandy, the town of Deep, and only because he was or seemed a Protestant. In these wars and times of wickedness, so many outrages & cruel blood sheddings were committed, that Nero's opening his mother's womb was not comparable.  
You read of a battle in heaven, between Michael and his Angels, and the Dragon; wherein at last the Devil and all his complices were discomfited: if ever this might be rightly applied, it was to Queen Elizabeth, of whom it may well be said with the Poet,  
— Namque haud tibi vultus  
Mortalis, nec vox hominem sonat ô dea certe.  
For if ever the Cherubins spread their wings over the Ark, the God of heaven took a charge of her person; else could she not have escaped so many attempts, so many enemies, so many mischiefs, pistols, poniards, poisons, threatenings, insurrections, invasions, curses, excommunications, hate, & deadly malice, all which arose from the poisoned spring of the Papists inventions, and flowed into streams of monstrous impiety, and Popish absolutions for murder. If there were nothing in the world to be a motive to the abhorrency of their religion and actions, the Catastrophe of Henry the 4. of France, surnamed the Great, would dissolve an heart of adamant, and make men wonder that some exorbitant vengeance did not fall upon the contrivers: for when was this done? when he had condescended to their own conditions, the Pope's Legate, and the Papists intercession; but Satan hath his instruments; and when the Lord gives us over, or we give over the Lord, we must endure a strange alteration.  
Who can forget, or who can ever be reconciled to any adherents of Popery, when the Gunpowder plot shall be questioned, and the memory of that Satanical machination be renewed, of which I will say no more, but answer with Solon, when there was a motion made for a law against parricides, You see (saith he) how murder is to be punished; but no man can believe that any dare attempt to kill his father: so treasons, massacres, slaughters, and villainous attempts may be projected, but it is impossible that there should be such a forge in hell itself, to hammer out so vile a work, as the destruction of a whole kingdom at once, and the blowing into the air the Nobility and principal wise men of a Commonwealth. Why Nero's wish was not comparable to this, to have all the Senators heads set on one neck, that he might divide it asunder at a stroke. If it be thus, most gracious Lords, be judges yourselves of our poor supplication, whether it is not high time to root out Papistry, and cry with Sara, that the son of the bondwoman should not dwell with Isaac, and so never left till Hagar and Ishmael were thrust out of doors; or to take that order, that Popery have not any further footing in in the Land, nor that Man of sin, that Antichrist of Rome, that son of perdition, that scarlet Strumpet, that painted jesabel, and that doctrine of devils be never admitted again or taught in England, to imposture ignorant souls, and seduce innocent people.  
Thirdly, concerning Spanish practices, and the hate that all the nations of the world bear unto them: for the general (most gracious Lords) we refer you to the several tractates of many Historiographers, and the great experience of judicious travellers; but especially to Paragon and Novita Pernasso written in Italian, to a letter to the Duke of Savoy, and a treatise of Figuira a Portugal Gentleman concerning the conquest of Portugal, written in Spanish to the Figre of France, the Chevalier of France, the Leaguers Oligarchy, and the Spanish Monarchy compiled in French; and for our own language, to Sir Francis Hastings works, and a well composed treatise concerning English fugitives, with diverse of this sort, wherein you shall see, quasi digito demonstrata, as in a table well delineated, the 1. pride, 2. irreligion, 3. tyranny, 4. treasons, 5. ingratitude, and 6. inhumanity of the Spanish nation, wherein we hope one day to satisfy understanding men, and according to the proverb of Dies dabit quod dies negat, make you partakers of such truths, that the best friends which Spain hath, shall confess the Castilian comes of goatish barbarous blood, and all the rest are polluted with Mahometan mixture, and Moorish affinity. And although it may be objected against such an attempter,  Non tu plus cercis, sed plus temerarius aeudes; 
yet iwante Deo it may be performed, and we will rely on Mordechais answer to Hester, that if she will not go in to the King to save her people, God will raise them up means of preservation from some other part of the earth. But to come nearer home, and to yourselves, as the present stands; Who knows not, since the treaty with Spain, with what insolency the Papists have proceeded both at home and abroad; at home they have dared to publish and copy devised pardons, scorned the laws of the Land concerning recusancy, boasted of public assemblies, set up printing Presses in private houses, and justified their idolatrous meetings, as if the Mass meant to outface the Gospel of jesus Christ, frequented the Ambassadors houses with much immodest justification of their Conventicles, threatened zealous Ministers for their invectives against Antichrist; continued private inhibitions that no man should speak, write, preach, or practise any thing against their designs, insomuch that diverse have been imprisoned for discovering the Spaniards pride and hypocrisy, and many put out of countenance for invectives against the King's friends, as the term went. Abroad, I am ashamed to name the sundry pictures they have published both in Antwerp and Brussels (for all the peace, and treaty with Spain) against the King and his children, against our Country and Religion, against God and his Anointed; yea it is wonderful to read the infamous and scandalous lies they have exposed, as if his Majesty had gone with his Council to Mass to please the Pope and the King of Spain, as is apparent in Gallo Belgico. What say you to ●oron● Regi●, a book printed in Brussels against his Majesty's royal person; an Invective against Holland, by laughing at her near nosse unto hell, as being low ground; and traducing the virtuous Queen Elizabeth most maliciously; john Kings Legacle Bishop of London; the Gag for the Gospel; the uneasing of heresy, with diverse others, all which though they be hellish and damnable, yet are sold by the Devil's factor, or a Spanish john, and in a manner winked at in the State; whereas other relations tending only to the discovery of errors and abuses in the Church, are not only suppressed, but the authors punished and imprisoned, to no other purpose, but to discover our fear that we should be found guilty in God's sight: so that one hath been imprisoned for writing a letter to the then Marquis of Buckingham against the Spanish march; another for making or publishing a book, wherein Gondomar apprehended himself mocked & derided; a third for preaching a Sermon, Be not unequally yoked with Infidels; a fourth for discovering the incestuous marriages of the house of Austria; a fifth for revealing the secrets of that tyrannous Inquisition in Spain; a sixth for applying to the present Ezechias folly in showing the Baby lonish Ambassadors the treasures of the Temple and the riches of the Palace; a seventh for making a prayer to be delivered from all infectious Spanish sheep, by reason you had once a great rot of sheep in England, by an infectious Ewe brought out of Spain; and diverse others for putting the axe to the root of the tree, and applying other texts contrary, to your Bishop's minds, and some other Lords who affected Spain's greatness.  
But such is your misfortune (〈…〉 p●o●●●nely abuse God's providence with such ● character) or the malignity of time, that having two facete and befiting pictures, as your adversaries deserved, they were both suppressed, the plates cut in p●eces, and the sellers imprisoned; one was of the Kings holding the Pope● nose to a grind stone▪ with the two Archbishops turning the same▪ another was made by Mr Ward of Ipswich, concerning 88 and the powder treason, and both for God's glory and England's honour; yet neither they nor any thing else against the Pope or Spain would be to erased: yea when your reverend and honourable Archbishop▪ whose Statue deserves to be set up in gold, proved the Lords Champion against some Papistical motives, and mixtures to be made amongst you, some profane tongue called him Puritan Bishop, and wicked stomaches belched contradiction in his face: but we will urge this matter no further, only pray that God will protect such as protect true Religion; and assure your Honours, that the Spirit of God will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which call 
Reuel. 3. 9  themselves jews, and are not; but such as keep the word of his patience, shall be delivered from the hour of temptation which must come upon all the world.  
We could name other several conferences and disputations since this treaty with Spain, of which with devilish arrogancy they have boasted that Fisher the jesuit so prevailed against Doctor White, that many hearers turned Catholics; and how the illuminations of the Priests were divine from heaven, and the Papists Preachers had an evangelical spirit: oh horrible impudency, and Spanish blasphemy!  
We will not be prejudicate (most honourable Lords) and say, it was a judgement of God in that fatal Vosper of the Blackfriers, to kill a hundred people with the fall of a loft, and give you all warning, that God will not be mocked, that blasphemies shall be revenged, that there is no such enemy to God and his Church as apostasy: but we will be bold to tell you, that this disaster is turned upon your own heads; for at Rome there hath been solemn Procession, and from Rome letters of discovery, that in England God hath been so angry with the heretics, (meaning the Protestants) that Churches and lofts have overwhelmed many of them in their ominous falls. If the devil now be the father of lies, who could invent such untruths?  
You had a tempest of lightning and thunder in july last, and it spared not the gatehouse in the Palace of Saint james, we will not say, it was to chide you for building a Chapel to Idolatry, and swearing to strange articles for the pleasure of the Spaniard; but may affirm, that if any Bishop was consenting to such a work, is it any other then when the Levite became Priest to Micha, and consecrated his idol. Come, come, be not deceived; if God be God let him be God; if Baal be God, serve him: and if Spain will match with England, let it be done without fearful conclusions; and be not overmatched with a prodigious treaty.  
We are the bolder (most gracious Lords) to enter into these terms with you, and to prostrate ourselves before the throne of our dread Sovereign, with tears in our eyes and drops of blood from our heart, because we desire that he would but consider the many and sundry inconveniences the Country hath endured since the peace with Spain; and with what particulars of disgraces and scorn, we have all been branded since this last treaty about a marriage: let us then crave pardon, great Lords, if we make a mixture of trivial and solid business together, or are careless of method, precedency of time, or not ranking the most eminent things in the first place; shall we begin with the complaints of the whole Land, the swarming and increase of the poor, the decay of trades, insomuch that in London there are at least a thousand several houses to be let, and in the principal streets inferior occupations are intruded, to the disgrace of that great and famous City; the exportation of our gold, the carrying away of our ordnance, the anticipation of the benefit of our Virginia commodities, by selling underhand Spanish Tobacco, and such like; and the slack eventing of our cloth and cottons, by reason Spain and Italy have proclaimed inhibitions for bringing in any English cloth or woollen clothes amongst them? Shall we follow with the loss of the Palatinate, the slighting of our Ambassadors in Germany, the hazard of the King's children in Prague, the bereaving them of their inheritance, the bestowing the Electorship upon Bavaria, and all those perils and indignities we have endured about that war, when yet we were made to believe there should be a more tractable composition or orderly course taken, if we would defist from the prosecution? Shall we continue with your disgraces at home? how ever many gracious things have been published to reconcile the people's opinion to the affecting the Spanish match, all which have yet had the misfortune of diverting them from it, either as disallowing the pamphlets that have been that way written, or esteeming them too trivial, and only common tricks to get money. With what scorn did a supposed Spanish mad man advance himself into the Chair of Estate in the presence at Whitehall, and was only dismissed with a jest from Gondomar, and a shipping out of England? Was there ever such an abuse offered to a King's house, as the cutting of his pictures in the princely gallery, when certain Spaniards were so kindly entertained to be admitted into such private rooms? Who could have had better welcome than that counterfeit fugitive the Archbishop of Spalleto? and yet in requital he preached publicly in the Mercer's Chapel, that the Church of Rome was a true Church of God; and in private conference argued as if the Ecclesiastical government of England was but a mongrel Papistry. How did Gondomar cozen our hospitality, and abuse his Majesty's favour? for after he and his Priests had been welcomed to many noble houses in England, and discovered the Lady's humours or dotage upon their Jesuits, after he had fraughted himself with the knowledge of our kingdom, and dived (as it were) into the arcana regni; after he had drawn on the net of political enforcement, concerning the profit and honour of both Nations by this match, with the iocundity of the Princes in their union; and penciled out the excellencies of the Infanta Maria: after, we say, that he had as it were made a faction in England, and knew by name who were Hispaniolized, and for their private ends (as all temporisers do) neglected the public good either of Church or Commonwealth. With what a jollity did he return into Spain, and boasted there how easy it was to deceive your simplicity, insomuch that we in Scotland heard more particulars than you in England, that his arguments were but Elo●chi, and wished in our hearts his wisdom might prove Ahitophels', and his devices like Perillus' bull, of whom Phallaris for his invention made the first trial.  
Shall we prosecute other matters? was it well done, think you, to compose that book of Rosa Hispanioa, and Anglicum punicum, and expose it to public view, with an idolatrous and blasphemous frontispiece, Christ coming from heaven to marry them, when he himself had cursed Israel if they matched with the Canaanites, and Nehemiah with pulling their hair from their heads, made the people put away their idolatrous wives; and for the book itself, the wiser and judicious sort not only derided it for the phrase and fantastical title unto as fantastical a man, but for the substance and examples which might be every way, and every one retorted against the other: and for the frontispiece, the very women in Edenborugh have made good sport to hear of the jests that have been contrived upon it. At the first, when a certain man demanded whom those pictures did personate, and answer was made, that the one was Charles Prince of Wales, and the other, the Lady Maria Infanta of Spain; and the third, jesus Christ come from heaven to marry them. Not too fast, (replied the fellow) but yet I am glad that Christ is between them, for then sure he will never suffer them to join together, except God give her so much grace, which seldom happens to a Spaniard, to come out of Babylon, and not be partakers of her Idolatries. After this, the book lying long on their stalls, and the man oven angered again at such lukewarm gospelers and tradesmen, that care not by what for did means, and superstitious filthiness they every themselves, he asked once again what those pictures meant? and they once again answered, the Prince of Wales, and Princess of Spain, with Christ between them. Oh, said he, that's impossible! For if Christ meant any such matter, he would have dispatched it before now: and questionless there would never have been such delays, and ridiculous pride amongst them.  
Then followed the Prince's journey into Spain, with rigging out a Navy, and selecting the Commanders to please the King of Spain, as was interpred of some of the principal Catholic Lords of England, who apparelled their followers honourably, and did all things befitting the dignity of the nation; but what followed upon brunswick's overthrow? Spain with Ixion boasted, he must lie with juno: and the house of Austria swollen so big, that if the tumour of pride be not pricked down, it will burst with her own greatness and presumption, that they are not able to raise another Gigantomachia, and with Typhon cast the mountains against heaven: for presently the noble Prince found a kind of remissness and relaxation concerning his first entertainment, & peradventure being a pathic to some indignities, he and the Navy were all dismissed without the Lady or any dispatch of the business: so that we in Scotland did wonder how so great and so wise a King could either be misinformed, or rely on any Temporiser to go forward with uncertainties; and yet for all this you in England printed more books of the Princes royal entertainment in Spain, and like children's wormseed it was trimmed over with gold and put into candid stuff, that is, it had brave phrases and oratory, with some things that savoured of impossibility. A second book told you of a second entertainment which the Prince had in Spain, and for Spanish business had such an exotik phrase, that when it came amongst us, we reputed it a very Rhomantidos' indeed: for the author invented words never in any author before, and bestowed as much pains about killing of bulls and beasts, ioco de cuno, and other sports, like our countrymen in times past, who ran at S. Quintine, as Homer did in describing the Trojan wars, Curtius in Alexander's conquests, and Lucan in his Pharsalia. Then followed a third book of the Princes farewell, and reciprocal gifts bestowed between Spain and us; and this was as vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes of the subject: for had not their hearts been seasoned with the joy and gladness for his return, their mouths had cursed outright, and wished such deceivers the woman's reward, that for gold betrayed her country, and so had so much laid upon her, that they pressed her to death.  
These collections (most gracious Lords) we have made, not to intercede against the will of our great King, or pleasure of the Prince, if he have taken any pleasure in his journey to Spain, but to put you in mind, what you must trust unto, if you merchandise for any Babylonish trumperies, or mean to traffic with Spain or Rome for men's traditions and policies: nor are we presumptuous in any advice, but only to remember you, how the blood of the Saints lies crying for vengeance, and mourning for their redemption before the throne of the Lamb, what Rome hath done to God's servants: wherefore Spain hath abused most of the countries of Europe, and with what enforcements the whole world complains of them all; and then no doubt the God that hath been so merciful to you and us in these discoveries, will be as merciful in opening the doors of your hearts to prevent future mischiefs, by exposing unto you present inconveniences, and assuring you according to that Machivilian position of fides non est conseruanda cum haereticis; the Pope and all that be his adherents and lovers of his Holiness, will take the first opportunity and advantage of any of your weaknesses; but let them know from Gods own mouth, there is a feast proclaimed for the birds of the air and beasts of the field to come and prey upon the carkeises of Emperors and Kings, and gorge themselves with the dainty food of the flesh of Princes.  
As for the supposed causes (gracious Lords) of your now Assembly, at this high Court of Parliament, we guess they may be to redress the public grievances of the people, to reform the enormities of the governner, to rectify the disordered lives of particular persons, and to supply the King's wants as is great reason; For as the honour of a King consisteth in the multitude of his subjects: so the glory of a nation appeareth in nothing more, then in the Majesty & Magnificence of a Prince, which cannot be done without contributions of the subject: and so by consequence, where the people are rich, the Prince cannot be poor; we pray the God of everlasting happiness so to direct and prosper all your projects and consultations, that they may extend to the glory of God, the honour of the King's Majesty, the propagation of the Gospel of jesus Christ, the benefit of the Commonwealth, the flourishing of this great and happy Island, the reformation of sin and enormity, and the confusion of Antichrist with all his adherents.  
And the same God that gave Laws unto his people, coming in power of fear, threatening & judgement, when Mount Sinai did shake like an earthquake under him, spread his wings over your house, like the Cherubins over the Ark, & keep you safe from any more Powder plots, especially the Armadoes, and Spanish invasion of 88, which must never be forgotten: and would to God it would please his Majesty as he hath done by the 5 of No●e●be●, to to make a festival of that day of their dissipation, and set up a Pillar of brass upon Dover peer, with insculping the whole occurrences as they chanced, that the first work which strangers undertaken after their landing, might be to run to the monument, to understand how God protected you from the Spanish pride and ostentation.  
And the same God that appeared to Solomon with a blessed donation of wisdom, whereby he prostrated himself before the Brazen Altar, praying both for himself and the people, so govern, guide, and preserve the heart of his Majesty, in finishing the work he now begins, & opportunity sets forward, ●● at Europe itself take a pattern of great Britain's Royalty, & be driven to admiration, that true Majesty, religion, piety, love, union, peace, plenty, and strength of men are met together in one Island, and corner of the world.  
And the same God that made the sea his instrument of vengeance upon Pharaoh, the heavens to rain down stones upon the head of Sisera, the stars to fight in their order, the Angel to destroy the host of the Assyrians, the fire to consume the Captains of fifties, hell to open and swallow up Corah and Abiram, the Lions to destroy the idolaters of Samaria, the Bears to tear in pieces the mockers of Eliah, and the inferior creatures to serve his turn upon his enemies; keep you from foreign and domestic adversaries, especially outlandish women, who if they have power to tempt Solomon to Idolatry, are sure to bring a fearful judgement upon him, and his posterity.  
FINIS.