THE VISIONS OF THROUGH REFORMATION  
The Royal Arms doth Presbyter def●●●  
To Paint the Common Wealth's upon the p●●●  
Thus to Reform from Popery, he draw's  
A Cross; the Common Seal tooth good old C●●●●  
Thus when the Kingdom turns a Common we●●  
The Imperial Crown will be the Popes by Ste●●    

THE VISIONS OF THE Reformation: OR, A DISCOVERY OF The Follies and Villainies that have been Practised in Popish and Fanatical Through Reformations, since the Reformation of the Church of England.  
WITH A DIALOGUE betwixt the Author of Melius Inquirendum, and a Priest of the Church of England.  
By Edward Pettit, M. A. the Author of The Visions of Purgatory.  
Quod unquam vidit saeculum tot subditorum in Principes Bella sub Religionis titulo, & horum Concitores nunc reperiuntur Ministri Evangelii uti se vocant? Grot. de Antich.  
LONDON, Printed for Joanna Brome. 1683.   

TO THE READER.  
Courteous Reader,  
'TIS whispered that Morpheus never walks in his sleep, but when the Brains of Mercury's winged Head drop into his leaden Heels. When you shall have perused these ensuing Papers, you will conclude, that although I have taken a long nap, I have had but little rest: However, my Memory is not so defeated, but I may be able to make a discovery of such Passages, as may be profitable for your Instruction, and pleasant for your Diversion.  
The Scenes indeed are laid in Visionary-Lands, but the Actors of the ensuing Tragi-comedies were not Fairies, or Hobgoblins, but men of Renown, and famous in their generation; and though they be but Dreams, they lively represent the Substantial Miseries which Ruffled the last Age, and Threaten this.  
The subject matter you will find in the Title Page; more of it in the Contents; and most of all in the whole Book.  
If the Manner and Style of my Writings should make thee sneeze like Guinea-Pepper, I hope 'twill clear thy head, and then thou wilt clear me. If any shall take snuff that I pick such holes in the Purple of the Trent-fathers', I have done no more than what Matthew Paris said long ago of the 4th Lateran Council: Concilium illud Generale, quod more Papali, Grandia prima fronte prae se tulit, in risum, & scomma desiit, quo Archiepiscopos, Episcopos, Abbates, Decanos, Archidiaconos, omnesque ad id Concilium accedentes Ludificatus est. If their own Writers thus boldly speak the truth, why should we be silent, who have been provoked by such injuries, and instructed by such sad and long experience?  
I have therefore endeavoured to drag into the Light, from the very Land of Darkness, the whole Scheme and Mystery of the Ridiculous Impieties of an Hypocritical, Superstitious and Rebellious Age, and to expose them to the just scorn and contempt of the Understanding World. Why should not the foolish wickednesses of men be scourged in a strain that may make them most sensible of them? Who ever met with an Academy of Compliments for a Generation of Vipers? or a Help to Discourse with a Drove of Asses? 'Tis true, that the Follies of Mankind do rather require our grief, than our mirth; but Tears will flow as well from excessive laughter, as sorrow: Let men pretend what they will, our affections will be suitable to the Genuine Nature of their Actions; and therefore what mortal man could forbear Hummering to see Friar Juniperus, an old, mossy, overgrown Coxcomb, playing at Titter-totter with the little Boys, to testify, forsooth, his Humility; or to read of the Flemish Capuchin's inviting half a dozen Devils to come and lodge in his Corpusculum, for fear of catching cold, when he had driven them out of another man: this, I suppose, was a Cast of his Charity. Have not these men Reformed Religion into superfine Notions?  
But come hither, (good Reader,) Suppose yonder Cobbler should in an ecstasy skip out of his Bulk, and pretend to Reform an apothecary's Shop, would it not be enough to split the sides of half the Country to see what a delicate Dose his Worship would soon give himself by a lick from every Individual Galley-pot? Can you, on the other hand, forbear smiling to see how a pack of grave and solemn Knaves do Skulk and Leer when they see those eyes that pierce through the varnish of their pretences, into the villainy of their designs? to see what ugly faces they make when a witty and just satire tickles their Guilty Consciences? So true is the Saying of the Poet,  
— Ridiculum acri. Fortius & melius magnas plerumque secat res.  
But we have greater than Poetical Licence, even the Examples of the Holy Fathers, and of the Holy Scriptures too: What severe Ironies do we meet with in Irenaeus adversus Haereses, lib. 1. cap. 5? But in the Holy Scriptures we meet with many to show, that their folly shall be manifest unto all men, 2 Tim. 3. 9 And that they might proceed no farther, the Prophet Elijah surrendered up the Priests of Baal to the fatal consequences of their strong delusion, by Sarcasms, that Bitten as deep as their Knives wounded, 1 King. 18. 27. But we do not desire that the superstitious of our Age should sacrifice, but amend themselves. Dr. Brown in his Hydriotaphia calls the 14 Chapter of Isaiah a Poetical Taunt; and the Prophet Habakkuk threatens a Taunting Proverb, 2. 6. the Philippians are bid to beware of Dogs, cap. 3. v. 2. and the Psalmist says, He that sitteth in the Heavens shall have them in derision, Psal. 2. 4. and the righteous shall laugh at him, Psal. 52. 6. Our Saviour himself whipped the buyers and sellers out of the Temple, which they had made a den of Thiefs.  
But this way of writing is at present most necessary: We have the Reprobate Ghosts of Celsus, Porphery and Lucian, stalking in the shapes of the profane Scribblers of this disobedient Age. And therefore 'tis time that the Counterfeit enchantments of such Magicians, who encourage a Rebellion, which is as the sin of witchcraft, should be destroyed, and themselves scourged with the same Rod.  
Now as these men offend in the subject Matter of their Writings, so ought we to take care that we offend not in the Manner of ours; we ought to keep within the bounds of Religious Modesty; for though the Scriptures are as sharp as a two-edged Sword, and may wound to the healing, they do not venom to the destroying. I could never conceive that that is true wit, which is either profane or immodest, any more than that the Devil is in the true shape of a Man, when he has a Cloven foot; I thank God I always detested the one, as I have renounced the other: Besides, as the Truth needs no lies, so neither does Virtue any thing that is impure for its defence: the case of the immodest woman, Deut. 25. 11, 12. has a Moral signification; which is, that how great obligations soever we have to defend Goodness, yet we ought not to do it by the discovery of those wicked actions; of which the Apostle saith, It is a shame to speak; therefore I never valued the doctrine of Stage-Players: but I may say with Lactantius, Quid de mimis loquor Corruptelarum praeferentibus disciplinam, qui docent adulteria dum fingunt & simulatis erudiunt ad vera?  
Perhaps (if you be my acquaintance) you will wonder that these Papers have been so long in the Press; why truly, I have been in Purgatory; it was the glory of the Famous Monsieur Scarron, that he could write so very well, although the Gout had got him both by his hands and feet: I will not pretend ever to equal him; but I say 'twas well for him that his pain was neither in his head, nor at his heart: To be short, I met with some private misfortunes, which hindered me some time from writing; but I hope you will candidly read what I have honestly endeavoured for the Public good.   

THE First VISION OF THE REFORMATION.  
The INTRODUCTION.  
A Discourse about Reformation in General by the Ghost of Sir E. B. G. How all the Troubles of Christendom have for 148 years' last passed arose from Pretences of thorough Reformations, beginning with the Reformation of Rome, in the days of Pope Paul the Third, What it came to. Parallel the strict Presbyterian Reformation.  
IT was a brave Calm, and bright Moonlight night which invited me to take a solitary walk in the Ruins of the once flourishing and magnificent Monastery, dedicated to the Honour of St. Edmund, the first King and Martyr (from whom the Town of St. Edmunds-Bury takes its name). I was used to be pleased with the grateful horror of that melancholy Retirement, wherein I might Contemplate the various Fates of all the Glories under the Moon; and my Walk was advantaged with the ragged shadows which, to speak in the Romantic phrase, fell from the tops of broken Turrets and decayed Walls: How high Madam Cynthia had clambered towards the Zenith, to peep over them, is not my business to tell, nor had I much time to observe, for on a sudden all the Sky was darkened, and a strong Wind blew such a Volley of Rain on my face, that it forced me to take shelter under the remains of a roof, which half covered a decayed Chapel: I sat down upon the Pedestal of a Pillar, and leaning my head against it, there was such a dreadful noise all about me, as if not the Monastery only, but the whole World also were dissolving; all my faculties were presently hushed, and my thoughts jumbled into a confusion of fears, and my spirits slowed too fast with the Ideas of things to take any particular notice of them; how long I remained in that state of insensibility, I cannot well tell; but the first thing I took notice of, was, that the Scene was strangely altered, and from a heap of Ruins changed to a stately and magnificent Cathedral; at the East-end of which was a large Antic Tomb, which by the many Lamps, that in a moment enlightened all the Church, seemed to have been lately plundered, for the Ornaments were thrown about, and they had dropped some of the 
They had several falsified Relics, vid. His Reformation.  bones for haste; among which, one was of a Horse of a large size: Lord, thought I to myself, was St. Bucephalus buried here? Indeed I was so amazed, that I could not tell whether I was asleep or awake, in the land of the living, or among the dead; so that I began to feel for myself, to know whether I was Fish or Flesh, or good Red-herring, when as my thoughts were diverted with a long Entrada of Benedictine Monks, who went in Procession up to the Shrine, and standing around it with Tapers in their hands (which I observed did not grow shorter or consume): they all sung as followeth.  
Look down Bright Saint, look down from high,  
See how thy scattered Ashes lie:  
The Heretics more cruel than the Dane,  
With Pagan hands thy Relics do Profane. 
St. Edmund shot with Arrows.   
Thou art now in thy Tomb a Martyr more,  
Than in thy Body, when 'twas stuck all o'er  
With Darts; which piercing through thy Royal Breast,  
Let out thy Soul more swift than Arrows fly to rest:  
Those joys above, which do for ever flow, May make thee Blest, But not forgetful of thy Fame below.  
If Plots and Prayers, and lifted eyes and hands,  
Shall e'er re-conquer these thy holy Lands?  
Then shall new Vows to thee be made,  
Then to thy Shrine shall Pilgrims trade:  
The Gifts which to thy Altar they shall bring,  
Will make thee a Rich Saint, and Glorious King.  
After this a Chorus of an innumerable Company, which Sung all together.  
we'll slay all the Heretics, that none shall remain,  
And the Pope shall enjoy his own again.  
Lord, thought I to myself, I shall certainly be siz'led for an Heretic until my Crackle comes off, if ever Popery return any more; and therefore was ready to vanish for fear, but that my curiosity stayed me; for a Gentleman in modern habit, with a Crevat about his neck, which had been tied so straight, that his face was black and swollen: And what was more strange with a Sword run through his body? Went boldly up to them, and with a ghastly Visage: Ye devout Villains and solemn Rascals, (quoth he) think not that ye shall be ever able to play the old game over again, or impose upon the World any more at the same rate ye did for 500 years: This Age is too learned to be cheated with your lying Legends, and too wise to be deluded with your profitable superstitions: This Nation is sufficiently taught what a grievance ye were to our Forefathers: and the Kings of England have better Maxims of Ecclesiastical Policy, than to suffer Lord-abbots' in Parliaments, who with their Tribes are the Pope's sworn Subjects, to execute his Lusts against their Sovereigns by a Vassalage, which Cancels all other Oaths and Obligations whatever. Oh happy Princes, (cried he) lifting up his eyes, who have thrown off the Roman Yoke; not forced to pay Pensions to Cardinals, or to maintain a chargeable Correspondence with Rome as Cromwell did; not troubled with an Army of Seculars in their own Bowels: Think not therefore that these Popish Garrisons will ever be Maned again, or that these Colonies of ecclesiastics will ever flourish for the future; ye in vain seek to shelter yourselves in these Seraglios of Iniquity, and pompous Kennels of Darkness, which tottered for a long time before they fell; but so fell at last, as never to rise any more: Ye grew odious to the world, even in the times of darkest Ignorance; nor were the Rival Oracles among the Heathens more infamous for their Falsehoods and Equivotions before they were silenced of old; and that the Writings of all Pious, Learned and Witty men, ever since the Conquest, can testify by undeniable Evidence; who might as well have gone about to puff out the Moon, as Reform you by their Writings, for nothing but dissolution, or annihilation could do it: Therefore begun (cried he) ye lewd spirits, wrapped up in debauched Exhalations; ye impiously adorn the Shrine, whilst ye traitorously invade the Throne, and in vain do ye invoke the Name of the Saint, whilst ye rebel against the Majesty of the King; but 
* Sir Edmundbury Godfrey.  mine shall remain a lasting Monument of such infamous principles, when these Massy ruins are sunk into the Earth, or quite swept away from the face of it.  
At these words the Monks vanished, and all the Vision fled away, but the Ghost of Sir E. B. G. who turning to me, said, Can I as easily defeat all those Legions of new Rebels, who distinguish between the Person and Authority of the Prince, as I have conjured down those old ones, who did it between the Martyr and the King; my fate which hath been made use of by precipitated fears and tumults to destroy the Government, might by orderly Counsels have established the safety of the Kingdom; and that Reformation which brought such benefit to the Nation by the dissolution of Abbeys, should not have been an occasion of ruining Church and State by erecting Conventicles.  
Oh, Reformation! Reformation (cried he) and then he was pleased to bestow a little Latin upon his mouth, Corruptio optimi est pessima: O thou latitudinarian word; Oh thou word of endless comprehension; it has wheadled itself into all the variety of actions under the Sun; it signifies Repenting, Repairing, Renewing, Rebuilding, Reducing, Redressing, and eke Rebelling; as also Killing, Plundering, Sequestering, Libelling, Canting, Purging and Fluxing; and sometimes is graciously pleased to signify nothing. Read in all Histories, sacred and profane, and you shall find that all mankind, both Black, White and Mulattoes lay claim to this great and glorious title of Reformation: this is the pretence of violent Thiefs and Murderers, as well as of good Princes and just Lawyers; of Absalon and Jeroboam, as well as of David and Josiah; of Nero, that Burnt Rome, as well as of Constantine, who became more glorious by the Church, than by the Name he gave his City which he built: This is the pretence of Enthusiasts, as well as of Pious and Learned Divines: this was the gay excuse of Catiline and Messer Anello, of Jack Straw, Wat Tyler and Colonel 
* Who defaced Canterbury.  Sandys: this came by the Honourable Title of Inspiration to Mahomet and Sergius, to Simon Magus, Ignatius Loyola and Hugh Peter, to St. Francis, St. Benedict, St. Smectymnus, St. Sol in Cancro, etc. This is the pretended Property of all Mortality from Hercules, that slew the Lion, and the Bear, and the Hydra, and the Lord knows what, to the good old Puritanical Gentlewoman, who killed her Cock for treading the Hens on the Sabbath-day: this has occasioned the great Revolutions in Empires, Kingdoms and Commonwealths; has been the Prologue to the great Tragedies of the World, whose Scenes never change without a deluge of Blood: This, with Rebellion, seems the very Original guilt of Bodies politic, makes them subject to fatal changes, and turns them from a flourishing Paradise into a ruin'd Wilderness: this accompanies all Plots, Conspiracies, Confederacies, Associations, Massacres, holy Leagues, solemn Covenants; but when it appears in the World in its genuine purity and excellency, free from hypocrisy, secular interests and designs (which it seldom does), by how few is it regarded or known? or how long does it remain before 'tis invaded by disorders, or involved in the confusions of a giddy and unsettled world, Men still pretending the very same thing they are destroying? When Noah by the Building of the Ark, which was a Type of the Church, preached to the World a Reformation, how few of the hunting Nimrods' left the pursuit of their pleasures to hear him? Nay, when 'twas thus reformed after a manner which Boccalin bespeaks in the person of Cato; the Earth no sooner appeared, but I'm uncovered his Father's nakedness; began to break his seven Precepts, for which he received a Brand of black Infamy, which shall remain as a testimony to all posterities, that there are a sort of men in the World that can never be Reformed, or made white; no sooner was the Law of the Two Tables delivered with all the astonishing Magnificency that might make a lasting impression, but the Sovereign multitude made Aaron their Protector, and worshipped the Golden Calf, which flowed from the melted Rings taken off their itching Ears; the whole body of the Law was not delivered before Corah, Dathan and Abiram, with their Levellers, took men, made a tumult, invaded the Priesthood under pretence that the whole Rabble was holy; for which unparallelled Rebellion they led the way to those who resist the higher Powers, which were now testified to be ordained of God, because they were punished by a death not common to men. No sooner was the Gospel, that great and glorious Reformation of the World, delivered, but we find it opposed by Scribes and Pharisees, by Herod and Pontius Pilate, by Jews and Gentiles, who though differing in Interests and Opinions engaged in the same Association to make Caesar a glorious King, by killing him who gave him his Authority: And although the Gospel planted in the world by our Saviour and his Apostles continued three Centuries in its Purity, struggling with Persecutions and Tribulations; yet the damages it received by Heresies (which are the tares among the wheat) were of more fatal consequence, being reckoned 80 by Epiphanius, which afterward multiplied into such infinite Innovations and Superadditions, taken either from Jewish or Heathen Customs, and found beneficial to the ambitious projects of sinful men; that then Chiristian Piety began to decay, and give way to gaudy superstition; and a policy worse than devilish, because pretended to be heavenly, was set on foot, which has made a great part of the world slaves, and not a few Atheists. Thus truth was clothed with golden Fetters and Chains, Obedience inverted, and Religion in farthingales so dilated, that it looked like a fair well proportioned face in a Magnifying-glass, distorted into vast deformities: and thus Popery became exceedingly Popish. Now although the Truth of Religion appeared in every Century, in some little 
Mr. Bircber Protest. Evidence. Mr. Shaw Origo Protest.  glances, as several Authors testify (if it be lawful for a Ghost to quote Authors), yet it never broke out to any purpose, until the Resolute Luther made way for it, through thick and thin, provoked to it by the Impious Indulgences of Pope Leo the 10th, and the loud Immoralities of the Spiritual Court, who soon found some Princes of Germany of the same mind, or easily persuaded them to it; but none more considerable than King Henry the Eighth of England; who though he writ against Luther, found greater Irregularities and Abuses in the Consistory, which moved him, being of a fierce disposition, and fit for so great a work, to deny and abolish the Pope's Supremacy, to reassume his own; to vindicate the Authority of National Synods, and so made way for his Pious Son King Edward the Sixth, to remove all those devices by which the Popish Clergy had enslaved the Nation, and that it might be parallel with the Primitive Doctrine of the Church; it suffered a short, but violent Persecution under Q. Mary, until her Death set Q. Elizabeth upon the Throne, and restored the Reformation to its fullest perfection.  
Never were Church and State more happy, whose united Interests seemed founded upon a Rock, never to be separated or removed: The first years of her Reign promised a Succession of Halcyon Ages, and the Kingdom looked like the World new born from the darksome Womb of the Chaos, calm Glories o'erspread the happy Isles, whose Lands resembled the Virgin Spring after the deluge, and successes Crowned the Seas: The Excellency of Paradise were given to the Valleys, and the Beauty of Lebanon to the Mountains; the Wildernesses blossomed like a Rose, and Gleams of Joy warmed the Northern World. But oh (cried he) at this he seemed melted into tears, the frailty of all immoderate Excellency: This Mother Church soon found a generation of Vipers in her own Bowels: This Reformation which was advanced by such wise Methods, was at once utterly confounded by as strange ones as ever astonished the World; we find in the Chronology of Helvicus, fanatics of Renown Contemporary with Luther; the Devil thought it was time to bestir him when he saw the Intrigues of his Kingdom of Darkness in such manifest danger of discovery, and therefore sent his Enthusiastical Agents, whose rebellious projects and loud blasphemies were more serviceable to him than the Pope's Nuncio's. King Henry the 8th himself in his Preface to the Book of Articles observes, That as Superstition and Profaneness were purged away, so a spirit of presumption, dissension and carnal liberty were breaking in. The Germane heats and violences bred a Pestilential Sect of Anabaptists in the very Infancy of the Reformation; and what in respect of us was more unhappy than the Marian Persecution, those who fled to Foreign Plantations of the Gospel, brought home with them a Political Discipline, utterly inconsistent with the methods of our wise and pious Reformers, or with the fundamental Laws of the Kingdom, for which they had no Evangelical or Apostolical Precept; and although they little foresaw what dismal Schisms such different Schemes of Church-Government would necessarily produce, yet they certainly were the first occasions of our Civil Wars and homebred Factions, which has made the Reformation a hissing and scandal to Foreigners, who judge of our affairs by the event, not knowing the Causes, and condemn us in general for the extravagant Villainies which the ambitious Frenzies of some particular men have publicly acted.  
Sir, I wish it were possible (said I) that you could appear openly, for then those many people who are deluded would be convinced of these things you say. Hold you there Sir (said he), that is the way to be called a Malignant, Popish Tory Apparition, a vagrant Hobgoblin of the Church of England; they would swear that I killed myself Popishly, and crossed myself with my Sword, and all true Protestant Conjurers would be binding me to my good behaviour in the bottom of the Red Sea; but you can't think, Sir, how I am troubled that my head should appear for a Sign to a Haberdasher of Sedition upon Ludgate-hill: but pray tell the Gentleman who lives there, when he is at home, that he will never leave till he is laid by the heels, in order to the having his own exalted upon a Pole, until the Coxcomb looks like a true Protestant Indian Cabbage. But as for those people who have such a great fancy for nonsense, what sort of Logic will convince them? a man must dispute with them with his heels upward; but as for a Ghost, he will find it a difficult thing to put his face into shapes enough to please them; and besides, they have forged so many lies about Spirits and Apparitions, that they will not believe truths. And since they will not believe Moses and the Prophets, the Apostles and Evangelists, the Fathers and Councils, but are utterly against every thing that is Orthodox; neither will they be convinced, though Steven Marshal himself arose from the dead, whose last words ought to be more heeded than all his Preaching through the whole course of his life, when he so often cried out, King Charles, King Charles, and testified so much horror and regret for the bloody confusions he had promoted; nor was he the only man that had those stings of Conscience upon him: but I could tell you the name of one of the 104 Godly, a great Sequestrator, who seemed a mighty Zealot all along, until he came to die; but then he was not fit to be seen by Malignants, because to the astonishment of that party, who Reprobate every body else without a Fever or Frenzy, his Conscience, which could digest the bread of so many Orphans and Widows, that allowed him to protect the Estates of Papists, whilst he plundered the Church under the notion of Popery; nay, that could dispense with him to rob the good Old Cause itself, and keep her Money for her several years, now pulled off her Mask, and frighted him, as if so many Devils had been about his bed; it full sorely convinced him: but I do not hear that they cared much for his Conscience when it had done getting of money, or prove any thing the honester for it. Therefore since such serious occasions cannot move them, I think it the best way for you to laugh them out of those stubborn and foolish humours which subject the Nation to such real Miseries, and deplorable Calamities as it lately felt by a thorough Reformation; if you run into such disorders again, it will be questioned whether ye be Chronicled for the greater Fools, or they for the greater Knaves; to prevent which, there is variety of means, and all lawful and necessary; frowning and laughing are performed by the same sinews, and may have both the same ends; and I do not read any one Canon of Scripture against bitter Ingredients in the cure of a desperate disease: Go therefore to the Zealous of the Land, and tell them who surfeit with Preaching, and are sick of the Prayers of the Church, who are lightheaded with Reformations, and want of sleep; who would have all the World of their opinions, and yet are not of the same mind one hour; who pretend to love nothing but God and their Wives; that they are desired either to leave off hatching of Disciplines and Governments, or multiplying and increasing; for they will certainly do one of these things; either they will people the Nation with Idiots, for 'tis remarkable that the very genius of this people is much altered since Tobacco and Revelations grew so cheap; and there is scarce a Fanatical family of note which has not some one or others of it, who have the Cramp very signally upon their Intellectuals), or else they will beget a Generation that will breed teeth only to by't and devour one another: Or lastly, a Generation that will either curse them or laugh at them, who will fill all their Stages with one another's Grandsires; and to convince them of this, show them only what has been done by ours that were before us, both by true Papists and true Protestants (as they call themselves) either under the pretence or notion of a thorough Reformation; you will find, that though they have two faces that look different ways, yet they have both the same Lineaments, the same Principles, the same Practices, and both impudently deny them, like the two men that stole the piece of Flesh from the Butcher, in the Fable: He that took it, swore he had it not; he that had it, swore he did not take it; who took it, or who has it, I do not know (quoth the Butcher), but by Jove ye are a couple of Knaves: this was one of the first Associations, but now the Mystery of Iniquity is complete, because they both make it a Mystery; and until the time to come discover fully the truth of things present, pray give the World an Impartial Account of what has been done by the Papists first, and then by the Presbyterians; and than ye may guests for the future why they are so like one another; who they are that Reform Murder itself, that can stab men without spilling a drop of Blood, or secretly rejoice at it when 'tis done without being guilty; that can Rebel without Plotting, and Plot without Rebelling; by observing what has passed in the last Age, you will know what a great and glorious Reformation they are endeavouring now. With that he put his hand to my head, and I expected that he would have clapped a face to the nape of my neck, and have made a Janus of me; but he only stroked me o'er the forehead, and then vanished Right Worshipfully.  
His hand was so very cold, and put my head into such a dizziness, that I could not tell where I was; for the first thing I stumbled at was the Threshold of St. Peter's Church in Rome, and I fell backward into the year 1534; it was on St. Peter's day, Pope Clement was seated in his Throne in his Pontificalibus, and all the Cardinals; with Generals of Orders, Bishops, Abbots, etc. which made a very splendid show; the Anthems then sung were excellent Composures, and the Music extraordinary to carry on the Solemnity of the day, when on a sudden a great Groan was heard, as if some Infernal spirit had howled in Disdiapason; and as well as I could distinguish it, cried Reform. At this the Eunuches could not sing one Note more, but made noises like hoarse Cuckoos; the Cardinal's Hats began to flag, and the Gems in the Triple Crown were in an Eclipse; and there was so great an Earthquake, that the Church had like to have fallen on their heads, had not a lame fellow (whom no body than knew, but afterwards proved to be Ignatius Loyola) stepped out, and like another St. Dominick, 
* Who slew 120000 of the Albigenses, and therefore the Pope fancied he saw him uphold the Lateran Church.  upheld it. At this they hasted in great amazement to the Consistory in Monte Cavallo; as soon as I got in, there entered several Nuncio's from England and Germany, that looked as if they had been affrighted, and sent home with Bottles tied to their tails; for one brought the sad Message, that there was no more Peterpence to be Coined in 
Histor. Con. Trid.  England; that that King denied the payment of annal; that a Comedy had been acted before him to the disgrace of the Pope and his Court, who had used too great precipitation in the Case of the Divorce; not out of Conscience (for those Dispensations were very usual, and found advantageous to the Old Vicar), but to keep on the profitable debate. Another brought the News of the Liberty of the Augustan Confession: And a third of the Victory of Wittenberg: A fourth related how solicitous Charles the Fifth was for a General Council. These things so troubled Clement the Seventh, that calling him a great He Emperor, he fell sick and died, and was succeeded by Cardinal Farnese, named Paul the Third: The first business he took in hand, was to stop those spreading alterations which threatened Rome itself (for in Faenza, a Town belonging to the Pope, there was Preaching against the Church of Rome, Anno 1528); and therefore as soon as the Consistory met, a Cardinal, who seemed much dejected, stood up and said, The holy City of Rome, which has been famous for Prodigies ever since the days of Livy the Recorder, was never more threatened with them than now, for 'tis certain that the Statue of the Blessed Virgin in Sancta Maria Magior wept Icicles for the Revolt of the frigid Zone; and not knowing what those Germane Heretics, who threatened to eat the Pope might do, she had got the holy Wafer in her Arms to protect the Corporal Presence: Her Ladyship of Loretto was packing up for Damascus; and if she had once gone, your Holiness might have whistled long enough in St. Peter's Keys for her; several Images have had a Quartan Ague; and what is more than all, several souls come chattering their Teeth out of Purgatory, and complain that they have had a very deep Snow lately; therefore we ought to take a speedy course to prevent our ruin; and I know no better way than Friar James Hogostrate's, a Dominican Inquisitor, who advised Leo the Tenth to prosecute Luther with Chains and Gibbets: For since Piety and Miracles ceased, all great Actions are to be done with Fire and Sword; by these we consumed the Hussits, Lollards and Waldenses, and all other Modern Goths and Vandals have been so far kept from sacking Rome, that they have been buried from time to time in their own Country; for rather than they should damn their souls, and we lose our money, I think your Holiness should thunder out Excommunications, overturn all, set the World on fire, kindle the North-pole with Piles of flaming Heretics, make the frozen Seas boil over with heat, until sodden Whales make them greasy with their fat, and swim for coolness under the Aequator. He strained so fiercely, that Leeches crept out at his Eyes and Nose, which was taken for a Miracle to confirm the truth of what he said; but Pope Paul the Third (whose chief virtue was dissimulation) being a subtle Fox, and not willing to bark loud until he could by't, having composed his Whiskers, that his mouth became a solemn Parenthesis, was pleased most Infallibly to say, We in vain cut off the member that is Gangrened, if we neglect to take care of the head which is fatally ill: The splendour of our Church cannot hid the extravagancy of our lives; and not only bold Heretics will be peeping into our Transgressions, but even the Sons of the Church will be seeing what their Fathers do with so much money as they drain from the veins of the living, and the graves of the dead; our Examples have too great an influence: And if a Cloud hang about St. Peter's Cupola, it will be seen afar of. My just Commands therefore are, that ye first Reform yourselves, before ye go about to mar or mend others; and let it not be said that my Vatican, which was the ancient abode of the 
Cornel. Tacit. in fine Vitel. Imper.  Whores, is now become the Sanctuary of Thiefs and Robbers; when ye shall have shown some truly Cardinal Virtues at home in our Consistory, than your assistance abroad in a General Council will put an end to all the present disturbances in the Church.  
Had a whole Regiment of Oracles spoken, it could not have been more Authentic: Nothing now was noised about the World but a General Reformation, and a General Council; every man began to frame to himself a new Model of things, as himself most affected; and indeed the variety of men's inclinations in this case was so apparent, that nothing seemed more a Contradiction, than a General Reformation: For since the Laws of Charity (which alone can make men of one mind) were abolished in Rome, the Orders his Holiness gave the three Cardinals took no effect at 
Histor. Concil. Trident. lib. 1. pag. 68  all; and yet for all that a Reformation we must have, and that a General one too; and that by the Authority of Pope Paul the Third, who was the worst man living; for not only the Penetentiary and Datary-Courts, and the manners of the Courtiers of Rome were to be reform; but whatever was amiss in the whole world, was threatened with a strict Visitation; so that wand'ring nonresident Stars were to keep at home, the spots were to be wiped out of the Moon, and dame Nature, which had been extravagant with Earthquakes, Storms and Tempests was to put an end to her frolicks, and to grow stayed and moderate; and indeed so great a splutter there was in the lower World about Reformation for about half an Age, that not many years after a Star, that was a great stranger peeped down out of Cassiopeia to see what was the matter.  
The Pope carried it on with such seeming Resolutions, that there was a pious uproar all over Rome, all men marveling where this wonderful Reformation should first take place; indeed the first effects of it appeared in the Cardinals, who began to leave off talking Politics at Mass, at the Jews traffic, at their devotions; and that there might be a race of Innocent Cardinals for the future, that had not run through all Orders of Vice. His Holiness created two of his Grandchilds, one of 14, the other of 
Hist. Concil. Trent. lib. 1. pag. 73.  16 years of age. All Inferior Orders were threatened as severely; and although the Heretic Pasquin had waggishly reported that the City was holy enough, most of the Inhabitants being either Clergymen or Clergy-women of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction; yet Pope Paul the Third was resolved to cut out all his Predecessors a bar and a half in point of Piety, for strict Orders were given that all men should restore to the Brutes those Irregular Passions which they had purloined from them; all old Images were to be new varnished (a kind of extreme Unction to them), and several of them threatened with Excommunication, because they bred Worms, and could never prove their Conversion from Idolatry, since they had formerly been the Images of Heathen Gods; so that the talk was, That the second Commandment should be taken into favour again, and restored to all its ancient Honours and Dignities, and that all of them should take the upper hand of Indulgences, a thing which mightily startled the Courtiers; for since they had been in fashion, the Spiritual Court flourished beyond measure, and therefore they resolved to defend them to the last man; and indeed they so brought it about, that this great noise of Reformation dwindled to nothing but the mending a Gutter, which drained the filth of the Town into Tiber; for indeed they were as much afraid of the Reformation of their pockets, as of their manners; and therefore peremptorily said, That if Sins and Iniquities were totally abolished, the Prerogative of Holiness would not belong to the Pope, but become a Property to all his Vassals; and his Supremacy would so dwindle away, that his Successor might e'en call himself Pope Job: They said moreover, that Perjury and Simony were two flowers of the Triple-Crown; that Adultery, Incest and Sodomy were Sins of Quality, that brought in vast Revenues and Customs, that they were considerable Passes to the Kingdom of Darkness, which they ought not to surrender but upon honourable terms; that if Vice was Banished the World, Purgatory would be utterly uninhabited, and his Holiness would never be able to lay an Embargo upon Charon's Boat again. To this Friar Nicolas Scomberg, the Cardinal of 
Histor. Con. Trid.  St. Sistus added, that the Lutherans would laugh that they had frighted his Holiness into better manners than Marforio's Libels, or his own Conscience could; that 'twould be very dishonourable to his Infallibility to confess his Errors to the World, and to his Holiness to publish the Vices of his Court by a Reformation of them: This was all this while a mere piece of politic Hypocrisy carried on to stop the Clamours of the World, but far from being then designed, or ever effected: Nay when Adrian the Sixth did afterwards really attempt it, he was not only Contemned by his Courtiers, but Cardinal Palavicini a long time after spoke very 
Lib 2. cap. 6.  meanly of him, and calls his zealous design of Reformation an Abstracted Idea, Ma non form proportionate alle Condizioni della materia, But the form was not proportionate to the disposition of the matter (said he). Now that hypocritical strict Reformation, the Presbyterians afterwards proclaimed, differed from this only, in that to attain that Tyrannical Power over men's Consciences and Estates the Pope then had, and was in danger of losing; they were forced to longer and deeper hypocrisy to colour their Principles, which are most Jesuitically Popish, observing the politic Rule of this Jesuit, The form was not proportionate to the matter: they were then poor, had not the power in their hands; but when by their Doctrines they had gained their designs, how did they agree with him in his new lights? and what difference was there between their Establishing Christ's Throne (which they had made wide enough for all of them to sit in like one great accumulative Pope) or St. Peter's Chair, which he makes the Imperial seat of all Power and Dominion? But further, in the course of History (which is the second Method of this Book) we shall find when we come to their days of domineering, that they fell into the most extravagant excesses, even in those very things, times and actions they pretended to Reform; and so likewise those very abuses the Court of Rome then for a while pretended to take away, are now established by Canons, and defended by their Writers; for  

Rome 's seven Hills Popes may have faith to move,  
As soon as hopes that they will Zions' prove.  
The Mountains swelled were big with expectation,  
But Vermin Bore instead of Reformation.    

THE Second VISION OF THE REFORMATION.  
The Reasons of Calling the Council of Trent; The  Stratagems of the Court of Rome in that Council; The Decrees of Reformation in that Council; with the sad Calamities they occasioned in the Kingdom of France which opposed them. Parallel the Assembly of Divines in England.  
THE noise of the Reformation of Rome was no sooner silenced, but the Town was as much concerned about a General Council; for the Consistory concluded it a better expedient, and that it looked more honourable to carry the Controversy further from their own doors: Therefore his Holiness himself, silence being made, was pleased to say, That since it was the Maxim of this holy and politic City, that Heretics ought to be destroyed rather than Infidels: He knew no better means to effect it, than by calling a General Council of the whole Church-Militant, wherein he should engage the Catholic Princes to join their Temporal Arms to his Spiritual; that therefore by the Authority of St. Peter and St. Paul, which he exerciseth on Earth, he intimateth an holy General Ecumenical Council; and because the Venetians refused to have it held in Vicenza, and the Duke of Mantua will not suffer him to administer Justice in his City (which is a derogation from his Universal Supremacy in all cases); he was resolved it should be held in Trent, a City not only free and opportune for all Nations, but also whose very Name imported good success to the Church. Tridentum being derived from Tridens, God Neptune's Prong, which was an ancient Type of the Triple-Crown: That therefore for the greater splendour of his Apostolic Monarchy, he Commanded all Patriarches, Archbishops, etc. to be there, himself resolving to go thither in Person.  
At this three or four Cardinals stood up and took an occasion to dissuade him from venturing himself into such eminent dangers, as that place so near the Germans would expose him to; which thing did not only please him, because no man living is so timorous as the Pope, (insomuch that he will not eat the Consecrated Wafer without a taster, one infallible symptom of Usurpation); but they also used such Arguments as kept his successors from going thither too; for they said that his Holiness was too glorious a sight for the eyes of polluted Heretics; that to be absent better suited with his spiritual and invisible Authority; that to imitate the Eastern Monarches in such cases, was a policy becoming the Western Church, who are seldom seen, lest they should grow cheap in the eyes of their Subjects; that the Grand Signior was always shut up in his Seraglio, whilst his Bassa's, Beglerbegs and Agliamoglams executed his Commands in the Divan; that they with his most Obedient Generals of Orders, Abbots, Priors and Posteriors were no less ready to testify their devotion to enlarge the spiritual Interests, by all Pious frauds, Holy cheats, and Consecrated stratagems, which they should think convenient, that therefore he might sit still and enjoy the pleasures of the Belvedere; and they did not question but that by following his directions (according to their Oaths and Allegiance) they should bring the Council to so happy an Issue, as to make it famous to all posterities.  
The Pope contented to stay at home, hastened the Council with all possible speed; and because the people of Rome talked of things either as they first heard them, or as they were prejudiced. I was resolved, seeing I could convey myself without great Charges (being in a Vision) to go to Trent, I do not remember what kind of Journey I had; but as soon as I came into the Town, there was a noise in Council, as if they had been hallowing who should roar loudest; the Cardinal of Lorain took upon him 
Histor. Con. Trid.  to be Chief in those acclamations, which ended that famous Council with wishing long life for the Pope; Eternal felicity were prayed for Paul and Julius; Eternal memory for Charles the Fifth; Long life for the Emperor Ferdinand, and for Kings, Princes and Republics, to the Legates, Cardinals and Bishops, and the Faith of that Synod commended as the Faith of St. Peter. Goodly, goodly (thought I) how loving are we now! all good friends, and a rare show: When as Father Paul the Venetian espied me, and twitching me by the Ears, Is not this (said he) a very splendid sight? Four Legates, Two Cardinals, Three Patriarches, Twentyfive Archbishops, Two hundred sixty eighty Bishops, Seven Abbots, Thirty-nine Proctors of Men absent, Seven Generals of Regular Orders do sign, and subscribed to the Decrees of the Council (which the Heretics reject), for which you hear they are in General Anathematised, therefore ought you not to fear falling into Heresy? Indeed Sir (said I) the Cardinal does it with such vehemence, that I fancy his very foam will poison me: Yet, Sir, (Thanks to your Impartial History) although Campian is pleased to rant in Commendation of this Synod; and in his Ecstasy of Jesuitism to cry out, Qui delectus Episcoporum? quae Medulla Theologorum Augustum illud Sacrarium implevem●nt? Yet I neither value their Number, nor their Judgement, nor their Excommunications any more than of so many Dogs and Sorcerers; and if you have not a care of me, I shall hit upon the Number of the Beast presently; the Number of those which subscribed, amounts in all to just 355. Now you know that the Pope is above a General Council, thus: His Holy Assent, as I may call it, makes the Decrees infallible, and obliging all People, Nations and Languages; And he being put to all of them, doubles their Number, which makes 710 (which doubling their Number, is his Authority above them): Now deduct 44 from 710, and there remains 666: Of the 44, I deduct 5 for the Person of Pope Pius Quartus, (1 for Pius, and 4 for Quartus); and the 39 for the Proctors of them that were absent, 
Vid. Hist. of the Council of Trent, 2 Book, P. 111.  because Pope Paul the Third, upon the account that the Viceroy of Naples sent but 4 Bishops to the Council, made a severe Bull, that none, without exception, should appear by Proctor. This the Legates concealed as being too severe, because it contained all the Prelates of Christendom, even the most remote; and because (saith your History) it was too rigid, Constituting, that they incurred ipso facto, the punishment of Suspension from their Ministry. Now because Pope Paul the Third published this Bull, and Pius the Fourth confirmed the Decrees by them subscribed; therefore to salve the Infallibility of both, I have reckoned them in one place, and deducted them in another; thus, Let him that hath understanding count 
Apoc. 13. v. 18.  the number of the Beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. Now, Sir, though I do not pretend to Calculate the Nativity of the Beast, yet I think I have as much authority for it, as some (well read in telling Noses) have to reckon the Pope 7000 and odd times bigger than the Emperor: As for this Council, Sir, replied Father Paul, you need not tell me any thing about it; for I do assure you, he that reads my History, which I would advise all Roman Catholics, will be convinced of the Juggling tricks of the Court of Rome; and what a foundation the Jesuits then laid by James Laynes, their General, for their present Greatness. Indeed, Sir, (said I) that Council have produced a wonderful Reformation; I believe we shall find it the source and fountain of all the Villainies that have been acted in Christendom ever since; and if you will be pleased to give us a short account of the Stratagems and Juggling tricks of that Council, I will show you what followed their Decrees of Reformation: With all my heart (replied Father Paul) by a little that I shall tell you, 'twill not be very difficult to guests the rest. Just as he was going to speak, a French Gentleman, belonging to the Ambassador ‛ Lansac (who so severely reprimanded the Fathers of the Council) came up to us, laughing as if he would have split his sides, which made Father Paul, a very inquisitive man, ask him what was the matter? the matter (quoth he) after he had taken breath; if ever the Devil danced, 'tis now; yonder has been the greatest mistake that ever was since the Salic Law was broke by Pope Joan: Why what's the business (said I)? Why (said he) the last Cloak-bag his Holiness sent from Rome, which was to be filled with Instructions concerning the Decrees of Reformation, and ending the Council, did not prove the right one; for when it was opened before the Legates and their Accomplices, instead of the Holy Ghost, the Devil flew out of it, and left nothing but a Pack of Cards behind him. Pray what course did they then take (replied Father Paul)? Why, Sir, (said he) James Laynes, the General of the Jesuits, who was so vigorous for the Pope's Interests, being resolved to make the best of it; looking very gravely, said, I wonder, Reverend Fathers, that ye as men, not used to Miracles, should stand amazed at this thing: Is it not to your immortal honour, that the Devil justly fearing a Reformation, flies from you as if he were affrighted out of his wits? And as for his Books, since ye have made Traditions of equal Authority with the Scriptures, I know none more venerable than those which are contained in them; they are of that antiquity, that no mortal Chronologer can find out the first invention of them; So that Whisk is not insignificantly by the learned styled Old Adam: And now I think of it, there is a profound mystery in the words Proponentibus Legatis, pointing to a game in those Cards; and whilst they so eagerly laboured for them, might be said to be at spiritual Put; indeed these last Sessions we have been engaged in a pious kind of Lanterloo; we have lurched the Bishops; we have made the Pope Pam; and he is both Spiritual and Temporal Trump by our Decrees; which cannot alter all; being 
Con. Trent, p. 761.  forbid upon pain of damnation to make any Glosses or Interpretations upon them.  
The Fathers were so pleased, that he helped them at a dead lift (for he took great advantages from their negligence), that they ordered that his Order should have the honour to carry the Cloak-bag for the future; of which office the Cardinal Palavicini, the Jesuit, was afterwards so proud, that he makes that biting Jest a serious Truth in his Book, which he wrote a long time after to confute your Relation of the Transactions of the Council: Mine, (quoth Father Paul) I was just now going to give this person a short account of them; but I own him so much kindness, that I will oblige him to read it at length; but to stay his stomach for the present, I will tell him some of the last part of the politic Game, the Papalins then played. The Council (said he) turning to me, had been suspended by the Pope; who having overcome those difficulties which threatened him from the Emperor's Greatness, was not pleased with the freedom of the Prelates, who were earnest for a Reformation: but Pope Pius the Fourth was forced to call it again, because the French King, Francis the Second, resolved to have a National Synod, Scotland revolted, and the King of Bohemia was suspected of Lutheranism: these were 
Counc. Trent, 407.  his words: We must reform our Court first, for the Condition of the times, when all cry out for Reformation, requires it, and it must not be refused, in regard of the glorious Name thereof; but by reason of those Plots which the Ultramontan's have laid to abate that absolute Sovereignty which God hath given us, we must speedily call the Council. The first thing mentioned was, that none but the Legates should propose any thing in Council; and because 
L. 6. 439.  they found difficulty about the Article of nonresidency, the Pope hastened away all the remaining Bishops to Trent; what Postings were there 
472.  night and day from the Council to the Consistory, until they had gained this point? Now nothing is proposed but what pleased the Legates; and when a Proposition is made, wherein 70 agree, they in vain complain they dare not speak; What stratagems every 
475.  day to prevent a Reformation? and with what a world of Hypocrisy did they proclaim it? Nay, though all the Ambassadors of Princes made Lansac their Speaker (who severely told the Legates of those shameful delays), how diabolically did they put it off with reckoning up the abuses of Prince's Courts, and threatening them with such a Reformation, as the meanest Subjects would refuse, because it put their lives into the hands of every desperate Villain. When the French and Spanish Prelates combined to assert the ancient Authority of Episcopacy, this was diverted with a Union of Catholics against the Protestants, or with 
508.  long Jangling disputations to no purpose; how cunningly did the Pope find Bishops enough in Italy to out Vote all others (whose Lands lay in the Moon, and had neither learning in their heads, nor shoes to their feet, nor money in their pockets but what he gave them); and when by gaining the Cardinal of Lorain, with some other Bishops, his Party was much the stronger; then out comes the Decrees of Reformation, and the Council must end. Pray, Sir, (said I) what were those Decrees? Such (said he) as made all the Ambassadors complain; such as were distasteful to all the World, but Italians; and yet every Mother's Son and Daughter, Town and Country, must be Spitch't-cocked in soecula soeculorum, that will not be obedient to them; you must think they were not good which were procured by such ill means; and, if you will not believe me, hear what Andrew Dudithius, Bishop of five Churches, as learned as any in that Council, says to Maximilian the Second Emperor, That 
In Epist. ad Imp.  needy and hungry Bishops came to Trent; youths for the most part without Beards, given to Riot and Luxury, hired only to give their voices as the Pope pleased, that the Council did not seem to consist of Bishops, but of disguised Maskers; not of Men, but of Images, such as Daedalus made, that moved by Nerves, which were none of their own, Hireling Bishops, who, as Country Bagpipes, could not speak, but as breath was put into them. This is the Council the Papalins do so magnify, who flourish with Fathers and Councils, and like Puddle-water reflect all the glories of the firmament, when they may be fathomed with a finger: But, Sir, (said I) the designs of this are as deep as Hell, and come from the very bottomless pit. They do so (replied the French man, almost drowned in tears) Oh my poor Country, which these transubstantiated Devils incarnate have almost ruined! the Alps are not whiter with Snow, than the Valleys are red with Blood: What Bloodshed, Massacres, and irreconcilable Enmities did this Holy Synod procure us, by the Holy League, which these Holy Fathers contrived? What alterations in Council did the Death of the Duke of Guise occasion, when the Scheme of their Villainies was broken? how easy is it from your History to trace the Causes of all the Civil Wars of France? the liberty of the Gallican Church, and the Supremacy of the French King were things that troubled the Court of Rome more than the Protestants; the Persecution of which, was only a Stolen, and to facilitate their grand design, which was to destroy the Royal Family, to consume the Nobility, to divide the Commonalty, so that the Pope might take what remained into his Fatherly Protection. Do not you think, Sir, (said he) very earnestly, that the Speech of de Ferrieres stuck in their Gizards? and that particular clause, That the Authority of the French King was not founded upon the Pragmatique or Concordates, and Privileges given by Popes, but upon the Law of Nature, 
Hist. Con. Trid. 723.  Holy Scriptures, Ancient Councils, and the Law of Christian Emperors. And how was his Holiness moved with the French Protestation for Abrogation of Proponentibus Legatis? Did not the Fathers find great fault with the Government of France? and how do they mention several things included in the very words of the Holy League? what a mystic saying was that of the Pope's to Cardinal Lorain (the great Agent in that Rebellion) about Reforming France? and how oft would he say, That the Greatness of that Cardinal was profitable to the ends he had in aiming at some matters of great moment; that he must shut up the Council, provide Money, and afterwards (said he) that shall happen which shall please God. We have heard since, Sir, (said I) by Dr. Durel, your Countryman, that all the methods of that Villainy were laid at Rome, which several Papers have discovered. Hold you there, Sir, (said he) think you that the Jesuits are such fools as to confess upon such pitiful dumb Evidences as Papers and Writings? they that would swear the World out of their senses; that can swallow Oaths without fear of splitting, and fancy them only a composition of words got together by chance: Think you that they fear kissing the outside of that Book, when they have denied the Truths contained in it, or value the testimony of any Writings, that debase the Authority of Scriptures? Alas! they are Sceptics as to every thing that shall hinder their designs; and that Rule which our Saviour gives in the doing Charity, they misapply to Actions of Sedition and Treason; Let not their left hand know what their right hand does. Do you think they believe that there was a Letter ever delivered to Monteagle? No, they deny all the Powder-Treason, and are ready to swear that the Gunpowder was conveyed into the Cellar by those who went to search it; I wonder they have not found out that Faux only walked in his sleep, and so 'twas all a dream: As for the people of France, they have reason enough to have their eyes opened, and to see and know what a glorious Reformation the Moulinists, who are lineally descended from the Trent Fathers, may in time produce; both Princes and People have reason enough to take warning; the same Principles are always qualified for the same Practices; and although every Rebellion differs from others, because of the change of Persons and Circumstances, yet they commonly run Parallel in many material things and occurrences: Alas, the growing greatness of the King of France is so little an argument of his Posterities security, that 'twill ruin them; he is but the Jesuits Cormorant, to catch the Fish which they will eat; and when ever they get the Popedom, they will soon discover what an insignificant thing it is to be an universal footstool, and how easily they will trample upon Monarchy; for to the singular advantages they have above any Pope that ever lived, they will have this extraordinary one of perpetuating the Popedom in their order; therefore 'tis that they magnify, and extol the Council of Trent, whose Canons of Doctrine and Discipline, whose Decrees of Reformation do so directly tend to this great end; and well they may boast of it, for I think there never was the like in the world. Yes verily, by your discourse, Sir, (said I) you have rubbed up my memory, that I have found out a renowned Gang of Theologues, that look as if they were spit out of their mouths; and who should these Gentlemen be but the Assembly of Divines sitting at Westminster in the late Rebellion: Now although in their Preface to the Annotations upon the Scriptures they call it the Pseudo-Synod of Trent, yet I will prove that there were better Protestants in Trent at that time, and some more against the essential Points of Popery than this very Assembly of Divines; and certainly such they were, who declared against the impious and unchristian Stratagems of the Court of Rome, from whom this Assembly seems to Copy all their Transactions: Let the Devil take it ill if he pleases, that I show to the world how pitifully he is put to his Politics to keep up the custom and credit of Rebellion, by vamping up old projects, and playing an old game over again with new shapes of Hypocrisy; I cannot help it, the truth must out, and there is nothing certainer than that, as the Council of Trent was composed of men either very ignorant, or prevailed upon by threats 
Vid. His Con. Trid.  and fears, or bigots to the Interests of the Court of Rome: So the Assembly of Divines, whom the two Houses applied, in 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, p. 183.  an unwonted way, to advise of Church affairs, were not legally convened or chosen; nor did they act in the name of all the Clergy of England, nor with freedom and impartiality could they do any thing, being limited and confined, if not overawed, to do and declare what they did. How did the Cabals of Presbyterians and the Consistory jump in the methods of their Consultations? And as the Pope either made or found Bishops enough in Italy to prevail in that Council, so likewise did they by the same ways gain enough to compose their Decrees of Faith and Discipline, and to silence all opposition. With what a glorious Reformation did they a long time amuse the world? as the Pope did in his Council; and what did it come to? Why, as the Jesuits, a small party at first, which pretended to live by begging, have got the start of them, and do now threaten to overthrow the whole Hierarchy of the Romish Church; so the Independents broke in upon them and routed their Discipline. Did they not compose a solemn Covenant, which is sufficiently shown to be exactly parallel with the Holy League? And as the pretence of that in France was to destroy the Hugonots (when as indeed it more immediately tended to the pulling down the Kingly Authority, and the Liberty of the Gallican Church), so this in England was pretended against the Papists, under which notion they ruined Monarchy and Episcopacy. Did not the Council of Trent tax Charles the Ninth as 
Hist. Con. Trid. pag. 726.  a favourer of Hugonots? and did not our Assembly accuse the King as a Defender of Papists? how did they Libel all honest Divines 
The Author Mr. White, Nou. 17. 1643.  which opposed their wickedness, as the Courtiers of Rome did the honest Fathers in the Council of Trent? The Assembly ordered public Thanksgivings when their Forces were beaten by the Kings: So the Fathers assembled in Trent, made Processions, sung Mass, and the Archbishop of Metz made an Oration for the Victory, as they called it, which the Duke of Guise had over the Hugonots, when as there was 5000 Catholics, and but 3000 Protestants 
Hist. Coun. Trent, p. 606.  slain. The Assembly, to make the good Old Cause look big, vaunted that all foreign Churches of Protestants 
View of the late Troubles, p. 564.  sided with them; but when they sent to know their opinions, and expected that they would assent to, and encourage them in their Proceed, 
Verdict upon Mel. Inquirendum.  they all condemned them: So Cardinal Amulius brought Letters concerning the Oriental Christians, that they did own the Pope and his Religion, but the Portugal Ambassador confuted 
Hist. Counc. Trent, 535.  them as forgeries.  
If they thus agree in their Plots, certainly the issue will be almost alike (replied the French man). Just as I was going to answer him, I was interrupted with such a noise of sighing, groaning and sobbing, that I thought the wild Irish had got under a Tub at their Funeral Lamentations, whenas a Scene opened and discovered a great number of men, who looked so devout, and so Saintlike, that I fancied the very Flies about their heads ready to turn into Seraphims; their hands were lifted up to catch their eyes, that were ready to fly out of their heads; and their faces with white Caps turned up, made them look as if they were sick of the world: But that which amazed me most of all, was to see Salmasius and Grotius come stumbling in at a back door; and as soon as Salmasius saw them, Was there ever such a pack of hypocritical fools, said he, since the invention of Nonsense, as this Assembly of Divines? Good Lord! how was Grotius amazed when he understood that they came from Trent, for he always fancied that they came from Geneva. Whence soever they come, cried Salmasius, they are plotting some Villainy; for now they are busy about a Fast, that they may the more greedily devour the flesh of Kings and mighty men, as they strain it; these are the sober, godly party, that occasioned the Civil Wars of England. Is the Author of Melius Inquirendum among them (replied Grotius)? No, Mine Heer, (said I) he is busy in procuring another to succeed this; Who is that (said Salmasius)? Another Milton, Sir, (said I) I hope the King of England will thank him according to Law one of these days for the great and timely pains he took in his Book: in which he says, that yours which you wrote de Jure Belli & Pacis, has occasioned all the Civil Wars that have been in Europe ever since: He may as well say (replied Grotius) that Mare Liberum is Latin for Liberty of Conscience; for why should my Book which was written in Latin move the Rabble (the chief instruments of that Rebellion) to those unparallelled Exorbitancies, who understood not a word of it? therefore 'tis their fault, (For there 
Aug. de Util. Cred. Tom. 6. cap. 1.  will ever be a difference between an Heretic and a plain well, meaning man that believes an Heretic), (saith St. Austin), who taught them as many Treasonable Doctrines in English, as ever Lucifer could invent in Hell; And although he seems very tender of Hurting Loyal Ears upon the account of my Writings, yet he professes the same Loyalty his Predecessors did in the late Rebellion, which he lays at my door, that he may with the more impudence proceed in those very practices, which directly tend to the same end: But since he is for sprinkling in a sentence or two of my Writings to justify his own, pray let him take this along with him too, wherein I clearly show my opinion concerning the Causes of Rebellion: Circumferamus oculos per omnem Historiam, quod unquam vidit soeculum tot subditorum in principes 
Grot. de Antich.  bella sub Religionis titulo? Et horum Concitores nunc reperiuntur Ministri Evangelii, uti se vocant. Let us look through all History; what Age ever saw so many Rebellions against Princes; and those that raise them, are now found to be Ministers of the Gospel, as they style themselves. Such as himself now is, such as were this Blessed Assembly of Divines, and that holy Council of Trent, which first show them the way to suppress Episcopacy and Monarchy, who first taught them the sanctified methods of Reforming Princes and Prelates, wherein they have infinitely outdone their Masters; for the Fathers in Trent were forced to disguise themselves under many Stratagems, before they could get those Decrees pass; which was the end and scope of that most Popish Council: but our Assembly-men fell upon them first with the greatest impudence and violence imaginable, deluding the Nation with a fair pretence of thorough Reformation, and the Suppression of Popery: The Devil always provides a Vizard for his Agents, and Murderers can cry A Race, a Race, when they are running quite away. Murderers! (quoth Salmasius) I think this Assembly will not own that they were guilty of the Murder of the King, no more were the Jesuits of the Death of the King of France, that fell by the hands of Raviliac; they in the Council of Trent procured the King-killing Decrees, they fomented the fatal divisions of that Kingdom, to establish the Throne of Christ's Vicar upon the Ruins of the Monarchy; they instructed and encouraged the Assassins', and yet they did not kill him; 'tis easy to apply it, but 'tis hard to make them believe it.  
I believe so too, (Sir, said I) for with the same confidence that the Jesuits could splendidly embalm the heart of that 
* Henry 4.  Prince whom they had traitorously Murdered, do our Presbyterians seem to lament for the Death of King Charles the First; and who but they restored King Charles the Second? who now such Defenders of the Regalia of France as the Jesuits? and Father Maimbourg writes against the Usurpations of the Pope; who but Presbyterians are Loyal Subjects? who but they the Preservers of their Country, and of the true Protestant Religion? Hiccius Doxius of Colchester writes his Black Nonconformist, and Dedicates it to the Archbishop of Canterbury, just as 
* Answered by Dr. Durel.  Philanax Anglicus, a Jesuit, did before him: these are the men that are so irreconcilable to Popery, that every honest Orthodox Churchman is a Jesuitical Tory, and is marked out in Libels and Pamphlets to the Rabble, who have a fair occasion to compliment him when they Cart the Whore of Babylon through the streets of London: These are your true Protestant Processions wherein they burn the Pope in Effigy, that they may establish his Authority, for the multitude are as ready to change Crucify him into Hosannas, as Hosannas into Crucify him; they are but as Dogs to Perk that fair game; the Jesuits never want a consecrated Gun to shoot at: this is the old game of 41; but they will neither acknowledge their former guilt, nor fear that punishment which attended it, which King Charles says, was like that of Corah 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. p. 261.  and his Complices (at once mutining both against Prince and Priest) in such a method of divine Justice as is not ordinary; the earth of the lowest and meanest people opening upon them, and swallowing them up in just disdain of their illgotten and worse-used Authority, upon whose support and strength they chief depended for their building and establishing their designs against me, the Church and State.  
As soon as I had spoken these words, the roof was in a moment uncovered, and there descended the most glorious object that ever I beheld; it was in the shape of a Virgin, Beautiful as the Sun, and which had all the Charms of Heaven and Earth; her garments were not very rich, but decent and comely; her eyes piercing as lightning, and on her face was enthroned all the glories of modesty and innocency; her feet, which were bare, seemed torn and bloody with Thorns and Briars; on her right hand sat Kings and Princes, and immediately next her King Charles the First with a Crown of light upon his head; her left was guarded with a long row of Reverend Prelates, in garments white as Snow; she no sooner descended with a quickening light all about her, but both the Trent Fathers and Assembly of Divines were so strangely Metamorphosed, that I could not distinguish them from Devils, or from one another, for the Fucus and Paint of Hypocrisy upon their faces (with which they had deluded and bewitched such multitudes of people) melted off with the warmth of her Rays; and she no sooner espied them, but with an angry grief she threatened to make them in a short time as contemptible and odious to future Ages, as the worst Heretics in the world ever were.  
I have, said she, (turning and looking around her) traveled through the Wilderness of this World now more than Sixteen hundred years, and never yet could find any long-continued abode or restingplace: But when the Defenders of the Faith, like true Christian Champions, had set me free from my long and dark imprisonment, and had restored me to my Primitive purity and just Authority; the Honour, the Peace, the Plenty I brought to these Kingdoms, made me reflect not only upon their gratitude, but their interest too, for my security: But woe is me! I still, like the Sun, must pass through Clouds of various shapes, which are every where drawn from the combined humours of a feculent world; yet never was I so much darkened with sorrow and lamentations, as in these Islands for the unparallelled Indignities inflicted upon my head, and my members by the most ungrateful men, upon the most unjust accusation that ever was laid to my charge by Heathens or Infidels: I, who freed them from the Tyranny of the Bishop of Rome, and all his detestable enormities, was condemned and torn in pieces as guilty of Popish Superstitions: So my great Bridegroom was accused as instrumental to the bringing the old Romans to take away the Place and Nation of the Jews, but their destruction followed his Crucifixion; and the Rebellious divisions of those very Jews provoked the Roman Emperors, and laid them open to that final vengeance, that they left that Land deluged with blood which they found overflown with Milk and Honey. Oh my people of England, whom I love and pity with the tenderest compassion, and with an unlimited charity! Oh that ye (weeping) said she, would know in this your day the things that belong unto your peace; that ye would open your eyes, and see and consider who they are that will by undiscreet zeal, preposterous fears, or an ambitious policy subject you to a more intolerable bondage than ever this Nation yet felt: Are they not those Pharisaical Hypocrites which strain at a Gnat, but swallow a Camel; who Pray against Popery in the Church, but Preach Jesuitism in the Conventicle; who fight against me under a form of Godliness; who for a pretence make long Prayers, and through Reformations, that they may destroy Widows houses and God's too? Certainly ye have been sufficiently taught from the Calamities ye have lately felt, without comparing them to others (of a farther distance of time and place), not to trust to any change of that Government which was restored with so Universal satisfaction, and has still preserved you in peace; but by an union of Loyal and truly Christian Resolutions, to maintain it against all opposition upon what pretence soever; which thing if ye do, then shall ye be delivered from the Presbyterianism of the Council of Trent, and from the Jesuitism of the Assembly of Divines; from Popish Leagues and Protestant Covenants; from the Good Old Cause, with a new name to it; from establishing Christ's Throne upon the Blood  

Of Pious Prelates, and of Christian Kings;  
From Killing God's Anointed to his Glory;  
From Prayers in unknown words, for unknown things,  
And from the Mass, and from the Directory.    

THE Third VISION OF THE REFORMATION.  
A short Vindication of the Reformation of the Church of England; The Methods the Presbyterians used to ruin it; A full Description of their thorough Reformation, Parallel desideratur.  
IT is a great and lawful conveniency that a well-meaning man has in Visions, above those who design mischief when they are awake, and dream of nothing that is good when they are asleep, above Popish Priests up to the Ears in Legends, fanatics in Pulpits, or Witches upon Bromstaves; for his fancies are for the real good of others, as well as for to please himself: Parables are lively Pictures of significant truths, and Morality was excellently described in Fables by a Heathen; but it does not a little trouble me that the Beasts in Aesop should shame some men now a days, who will not be convinced of the Errors and Mischiefs they are engaged in, when they have the opportunity of being better taught by the truly ancient and Catholic Doctrine of the Church of England: but her Adversaries the Jesuits and fanatics who deny the King to be Head of the Church, do likewise reject the Reformation by his Authority; the Papists Shame it, and would make it a ridiculous Schism; the Presbyterians (though they renounce the Pope, yet retain to themselves that Usurpation which was above 500 years a gaining by the Popes), finding that such a Discipline was not consistent with the Doctrine of the Church of England, Preached up a Reformation more pure and primitive, as they pretended; the reasons we shall know afterwards: Therefore the Emblem of the Church we saw in the last Vision, having vanquished and discovered the unjust Stratagems both of the Council of Trent, and of the Assembly of Divines, ordered her own Convocation of Orthodox and Learned Churchmen to defend her for the future against both Papists and Presbyterians: They were no sooner fat, but in came Harding, and boldly told them, That they were a small obscure meeting of Calvinists that reform the Church: As soon as Bishop Jewel espied him, That is very false, said he, I will tell you the truth, and tell you otherwise in the Epistle I wrote concerning the Council of Trent to a Venetian Noble man; my words relating to our Reformation, are these: For ourselves we have done nothing but with very good reason; nothing but what we saw to be lawful, and to have been practised by the Ancient Fathers, without any reprehension at all; wherefore we called a full Synod of Bishops, and by common consent of all estates, purged our Church, as it were Augeas 's Stable, of all superfluities, which either the negligence or malice of men had brought in: this was justly in our power to do; and because we could do it, we did it faithfully.  
At this I was so encouraged as to ask Harding whether or no they were Calvinists, or a small obscure meeting that signed the Judgement of the Convocation, that the Pope cannot call them without the King's consent, in the year 1536, there being present the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of London, 13 Bishops, 49 Abbots, etc. Now the fatal blow was given to the Papal Authority in England; and yet these could not be Calvinists, nor were they few or contemptible; indeed you Popish Writers are great adversaries to National Councils, because they will look after the Civil Rights, that the Court of Rome do not encroach upon them, which a General Council, wherein the Pope is what he pleases, cannot; therefore Cardinal Palavicini profoundly tells 
Lib. 14. cap. 12.  us, that Concilio Nazionale sempre abhorrito dà Pontifici, That the Pope did always abhor a National Council; and good reason, because it sometimes stops that Torrent of Money which he says is so necessary to maintain the carnal felicity of the Church; therefore we know why you stickle so much against the Methods of our Reformation which Mr. Shaw has well justified; and 
Origo Protest.  which Dr. Burnet says was advanced with such deliberation in King Henry the Eight, and King Edward the Sixth's time, as is as great an evidence of the ripeness 
Part 1. Pag. 289.  of their proceed, as can be showed in any Church in any Age: So that we were Reform without that violence the Germane Divines were, as the Letters between Osiander and Cranmer testify; or without Rebellion, which is always the consequence of Popish Reformations.  
At this he marched off, and made room for Raynolds, a Rhemish Renegado, who came Bustle up, And although (said he) ye have fobbed off Mr. Harding, yet I suppose I shall prove your Reformation to be a wicked Separation from the Roman Communion, which the irreconcilable divisions among you testify: for hear what I say to Whitaker, Pag. 481. Have you not at this present among you a great murmuring, even amongst the Protestants, against the Communion-Book and State of Religion, which in the beginning of her Majesty's Reign was 
Queen Elizabeth.  brought in? If the Catholics said nothing, have you not the Puritans detesting your Faith; and, were it not for the Prince's Sword, ready to dispossess you of Chairs and Churches? I was mightily amazed to hear this, for 'tis 99 years ago since these words were Printed; which a Gentleman observing, See you not (said he) what a scandal these rascally Schismatics are to our Reformation? indeed the man foretold what too certainly came to pass; but he must know that we do not acknowledge that any of their Principles had any share or part in it, any more than they had in bringing in the King; for in the days of Queen Mary, Knox, that peevish Puritan, was as malicious towards the Orthodox in Francfurt, as the Papists were to them in England: And moreover, 'tis no wonder that they agree not with us, for they disagree among themselves, and are not the same they were. Those in King Edward's time scrupled only some Ceremonies, as Bucer, Rogers and Hooper; those in Queen Elizabeth's time excepted against some Prayers, Canons and Articles; but now they are for Abolishing Supremacy and Episcopacy; they have laid the Axe to the root, and are gone so far from the Church of England, that they are come round about to the Church of Rome, and are worse Papists than any before the Reformation.  
We perceive by Raynolds, that the Jesuits very well knew this; and therefore whilst the Presbyterians were busy to advance their Discipline, they thought them fit tools to carry on their Fifth Monarchy; their Principles being both alike destructive, both of Church and State; in order to which, they quarrel with our Reformation; and as the Pope and the Devil would have it, Cry up a thorough one of their own: Of which I will give you such a full sight, if you will go along with me, that you shall never forget it until you are in heaven. Pray, Sir, (said I) before you do that, let me know by what methods they brought their Discipline to that perfection in 48. I will not trouble you, (said he) with a long relation of their several Cabals they had all King James his Reign; he himself was sufficiently sensible of their restless humour, and said, What his Son King Charles found by experience, that there were not greater thiefs and cutthroats among the Highlanders and Borderers; for as soon as they (by the same computation the Devil tells his Legions) found that they were grown so numerous and strong as to make a prevalent Party in every County, than they set up their Patriots, whom they raise, and then admire, as Boys do Paper-Kites: These were the men that should Trounce Antichrist, that should toss the Pope and all his Cardinals in Blankets; that should purge out all superfluities of Popish Idolatry, and make the Nation as clean as a penny; indeed new Brooms sweep clean, but they turned into rods to scourge it at last by their Ordinances, as Resolutions, viz. Resolved, That the Kingdom be put into a posture of defence, March 2. 1641. Now I would fain know against whom: Against one another (said I); you know, Sir, the Spaniards sometimes at an Execution, as soon as the person is hanged do draw all their Swords; we can't suppose that 'tis to kill the man that is dead; and it had been well for this Nation, if as the Spaniards put up their Swords again quietly, they had put themselves into a posture of Peace: No, no, Sir, replied he, Jack Presbyter must have a holy War too; and since he fought for the Throne of Christ, he may as lawfully kill Malignants, as the Pope slew Infidels to regain his Sepulchre.  
Item, Resolved that a Committee be appointed to examine St. Paul, whether or no it be lawful to grant the King Tonnage and Poundage. Pray, Sir, said I, what do you mean by this? I never heard thus much before: Why, said he, Sir Jo. Eliot and Pym would not grant them, until they had first settled Religion touching Arminianism. Sir, said I, do you think that St. Paul will be summoned before a Rebellious Committee? No, Sir, I will assure you he will appeal unto Caesar; and besides, do you think that he will satisfy the curiosity of those men about the difficult Points of Predestination and , who care not for damnation upon such plain terms? besides, he does not know why, nor does he believe that the Fundamental Laws of this State are contrary to the Fundamental Government of the Church, so as to alter it; and therefore he will be tried by the Bishops; for which there is more Greek in his Epistles, than for a Burgess in all the Old and New Testament. When the Church of England (said he) was Reform from the Corruptions of Rome, it was done with the advice and consent of all the Estates of the Nation; and for the establishing a public and lasting Settlement: but these Ambitious men endeavouring to alter the Government in the State, found it a requisite piece of Policy to make a Schism and Division in the Church, in order thereunto; which was the Reason they were so zealous about those Controversial Points: So the Court Prelates in Trent gained their Decrees of Reformation, whilst they diverted the well-meaning Friars in sharp disputes about Doctrines; so the Jesuits overreached the Franciscans and Dominicans, by setting them together by the Ears: And therefore I am persuaded, that as St. Paul would have Condemned those Interlopers, who troubled themselves about things they neither understood nor had to do withal; so likewise he would have blamed those men who called themselves either Calvinists, or that styled themselves Arminians; as he did those, who said, I am of Paul, I am of Apollo, or I am of Cephas; for among the many methods those Rebels used to obtain their glorious Reformation, there was none of greater consequence: First of all it made a great division among the Clergy, and that numerous part of them, which contrary to their Oaths, separated from the Church either ignorantly or wilfully upon the account of Arminianism, became the greatest Incendiaries of all, and the chief Promoters of that unnatural Rebellion: And secondly, the People who by them were taught the Discipline of Calvin, were taught likewise that Arminianism was downright Popery, which the visible Ceremonies of the Church branded with the same Character confirmed to them, who could know no better; therefore they must help too to promote the Reformation aforesaid, they must carry on the work of the Lord in the land of the living; which they did by Tumults, and Petitions against Bishops, as Popish Nuisances, and against the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church as Rags of Superstition: That the Jesuits had a hand in encouraging that Controversy to enrage the People against the Church, is a plain case, and nothing is certainer than that they brought up the distinction of Long Cloaks worn in London and elsewhere; and now they are playing the same game again with Socinus and his fratres Poloni. But to return to those Learned Patriots I before mentioned, after they had got the Power into their hands, they no more depended upon the Judgement of Calvin or Arminius for what they did, than upon the Hypothesis of Tycho Brahoe, or of Copernicus, for the Sequestering Delinquents Lands; only in the mean time it testified their zeal to all the godly of the Land (as they were deliciously pleased to style themselves) who are wise Disputants in defence of their several Enthusiasms, when they are ignorant of the Catechism; and, like Ravilliac, learned in all the Doctrines of King-killing, when he scarce knew his Creed: And who did all of them unanimously agree in one Billingsgate Argument against the Bishops and Clergy, Railing, reviling, and calling them by names, enough to fright old Nicolas until he plucks in his horns like a Snail: And althô Michael the Archangel, 
Epist. Judas v. 9  when contending with the Devil, durst not bring against him a railing Accusation; yet these meek-hearted were taught by their Preachers in the Language of Zion, to say, that they were 
* Wilson to the Commons 1642.  Croaking Frogs, Spirits of Devils— 
† Vicar's Jehov. Jir. p. 88  a stinking heap of Atheistical and Roman Rubbish— a Rotten Rabble of Scandalous Priests, Bastard Sons of Belial— 
* White's first Century Epist. to the Reader.  persons illiterate and insufficient, dumb Dogs, Whoremongers and Adulterers, who as fed Horses, Neigh after their Neighbour's Wives— Priests of Baal, Bacchus and Priapus: And therefore says Coleman to the Parliament Aug. 30. 1643, the Hierarchy is become a fretting Gangreen, and spreading Leprosy, an insupportable Tyranny; Up with it, up with it to the bottom, Root and branch, Hippolito and thigh; destroy these Amelekites, and let their place be no more found.  
Thus that Order of men, who have been instrumental to all the Public good this Nation ever enjoyed, was exposed to the public scorn and contempt of the insolent Rabble, and made as the filth of the world, and the off-scowring of all things. But 
1 Cor. 4. 13.  what was their glorious Reformation in the end? Truly more infamous than Jeroboam's Rebellious Idolatry, he made the lowest of the people Priests to his high Places; but here the lowest of the people (viz. Triers, etc.) made Priests and Kings too to the most high God, as they pretended: Truly (replied I) had St. Paul himself been here then, he had as certainly been sequestered and plundered, as Archbishop Laud was beheaded: For our Puritans, who deprived him of his Saintship, would have found many Malignant places in his Epistles, enough to have brought him before a High Court of Justice; for in August 1642, one was committed to the Prison, which they made of the Lord Peter's House, for reading Malignant Chapters, as said his Mittimus, and some of them without doubt were St. Paul's. Certainly the Jesuits (who were very busy in all the late Rebellion) and who were for expunging the 7 first Verses of the 13th Chapter to the Romans, would have employed their Agents, to have proved him a Prelatical Papist, in England, and a great Enemy to the Presbyterian Reformation, which could not be done decently and in order, as he would have all things in the Church. Besides he put the Assembly of Divines to a great 
Postscript to their Annotat.  expense of Learning, about his Epistles to Timothy and Titus, to defend their Form of Church Government; and the House of Commons were forced to the Lord knows how many Ordinances, to raise Horse, Foot and Dragoons to prove themselves the Higher Powers; and that shutting the King out of Hull, fight him in open Field, and imprisoning him, was not resisting him; therefore he would have come within the reach of this thorough Reformation, as sure as a Gun, for the only Cathedral in Christendom, dedicated to his Honour, was Reform to a Stable for their Horses. Well, Sir, said he, before we talk of that, come along with me, I will show you some more of their tricks to bring about their Reformation. With that he carried me to St. Antolin's Church, in which at the beginning of the Rebellion, the Brethren had set up a Lecture to pull down Popery; as soon as I came to the Door, there was such crowding and thronging that I was unwilling to go in, besides the Steam of the Saints, which were half stewed with Zeal, was almost as troublesome as a Damp in a Coal-mine. The Gentleman observing me to be somewhat backward, took me by the Arm; And, pray Sir, (said he) give yourself a little trouble, it will be much to your satisfaction I will assure you: You must expect to be a little warm, for Presbytery and the Sweeting Sickness came into England much about the same time. Warm, Sir, (said I) is that all the danger? Truly I do not like their Looks, what do they come hither for? For what, (said he) to take warning against Popery? Why, Sir, (said I) is any body to be hanged for it? No, replied he; but yonder is a Gentleman that will do execution upon it presently: Pray, Sir, (said I) what reason have these People to be afraid of Popery? They do not look as if Mahomet would bestow the Alcoran upon them; for I do not believe that they ever had any Religion, but they disgraced it: they look more like Jews than any other people living, or indeed like an Assembly of Egyptian Mummies. And truly until they stirred, I imagined that several of them next the Wall, had been Antic Wainscot, or Grotesque Carving; but one Fellow amazed me mightily, for he was of such a course grained Complexion, that I thought an Effigies belonging to some Tomb had been walking away from its Pedestal. Whilst I was looking around me, there stepped a living Creature up into the Pulpit, that took up all my Thoughts; he was in the most mortified Dress that you can imagine, for the white Border upon his black Cap, made him look like a Black Jack tipped with Silver; he wrinkled his Face up and down that it resembled a Crab-lanthorn possessed with a Devil, who had crumpled all the upper Crust with his Horns and Hoofs; after he had been a considerable time putting himself into a posture of Ugliness, and had wiped the Pearl from his Snout; at last his Mouth opened, his Lips trembled, his Eyes twinkled, but nothing was yet heard but a little grumbling in his Guts, as if his Fervency lay in his Chitterlings: the Audience in the mean time stretched their Ears until they looked like Elephants Lugs, and then to gratify them a word or two slipped out of his Trunk; but at last he roared so loud that I could not imagine but that there was an hollow place in his Head to make an Echo, and the method and matter of his Prayer confirmed my fancy; for excepting the malicious part of it (which respected the King and his Loyal Subjects, in which his Prayers for them contained a scandalous Invective against them,) those which were for deliverance from their Enemies (as he called them) were saucy and blasphemously foolish; their usual strain of ex tempore praying; concluding, That it would please the Lord to take his and their Foes a knock on the Costard, and then they would join their hands to smite them Hippolito and Thigh: This way of Praying was the Reformation of the Liturgy, and according to the Rules of the Directory, a superfine way of propagating Sedition, leaving them scope to insert whatever might move the Passions of the ignorant Rabble, and might compose a Form for devout Necromancers to raise the Devil. But now for a touch of his preaching, which was the modish Eloquence of Church-Conventicles in those days: The Subject he treated upon was the Union of Protestant Dissenters against the common Dangers of Popery; and his Text in order to it was this. And in the 
Gen. 14. vers. 5.  fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the Kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth-Karnaim, and the Zusims in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Keriathaim. He was forced to spit five or six times before he entered upon his Discourse, the speaking the Text had made his Mouth water so mightily, but after he had done fluxing he began.  
Beloved! And shall we, and our Brethren in the Country, and our Brethren of Scotland, be smitten by the Kings of the Earth, as the poor Emims and Zusims were? And will it not be better that we join in a Covenant together, that we may join with them in Battle altogether?  
Beloved! If these People I here mention be Strangers unto you, take it upon my word they were the ancient French Protestants, and this Chedorlaomer was a huge great Popish King, a mighty tall Man, with a dimple upon his Chin, above seventeen hand high; a great sign of being a Persecutor. Pray observe, he came in the fourteenth year, there he cheated the Protestants, because he came in the Popish Stilo veteri. But who do you think came with him? Why all the Kings he could rap and rend; Antichristian French Kings, Sons of Belial. And what do ye think his Majesty Chedorlaomer, and the Kings that were with him, did? Why, first they came, and secondly they overcame, and smote the Rephaims, yea they smote them, even the Rephaims of Ashteroth-Karnaim. I suppose this was a good Town of trading, Beloved, there was a World of these honest People formerly of the Ims, there was the Rephaims, the Zusims, the Emims, the Cherubims, and Seraphims, the Vrims, and Thummims, and they all come from the Hebrew word le Vmmim; but now there is not one of them to be had for love or Money. And what should be the reason that so many godly people should be smitten? why truly they were separated, and were united far asunder. Do ye think that if these Protestants had made a Bargain to stand by one another, that the Pope and his Kings could ever have smitten them? Do ye think that if they had entered into Covenant before the Lord, that he would not have left all Business to defend them? Yes verily, the Lord loves to see his secret ones go hand in hand like a Yoke of Oxen. But now, Beloved! Let us consider the reasons why we are not united, for the Zusims and the Emims Case is ours at this day; I say, what is the reason? why truly, the reason is because there is no reason at all; for are we not all Protestants, though we go by several Names? If we had all the same Name, how should we know one from another? Then if I called my Wife, my Maid would come, and there would be such coming and going, and going and coming, that we should be like Satan walking to and fro. What! one is called a Presbyterian, another an Independent, a third an Anabaptist, what signifies these Names? Are we not all Protestants? Shall a few Letters, we learned when we were Boys, make us quarrel now we are Men? Nay, now we are come of Age to be Martyred? And have we not reason to fear it? For 'tis certain that the Whore of Babylon is coming with a great many Kings after her Tail; and then what do ye think will become of us? She will eat of the best, and drink of the best; She will eat up all your White Bread, and leave you nothing but Brown-Bread. And do you think that is all? No! She will send you Slaves to the Sugar Mines, or drown you by the way in the Pyrenaean Sea. One would think this enough, but hold ye there; She will kill you over and over again; She will fetch the Heart's Blood and Guts of your Souls out, and pick your Pockets. Ah! my Beloved, Ah Lord! I wish ye had been so united, that I might have divided my Text but into one part; nevertheless I will conclude with this (pray carry it home with you): We have been a long time, as Hemp, I say, as Hemp beaten by the Ungodly; let us be twisted with one ac-cord into an holy Rope, to bind their Kings in Chains, and their Nobles with Links of Iron.  
As soon as he had ended, the Gentleman pulled me by the Sleeve; and what, Sir, (said he) do you think of Demosthenes or Cicero? What, Sir, (said I) I think they have been dead this half year. Why? (said he) When they were living they were not half so good Orators as this very Fellow that now Canted (as you call it); is not that the truest Eloquence that moves the Audience to what the Preacher designs? Pray come along with me, I will show you how servently they practise his Doctrine.  
I went along with him in the Crowd, until we came into a spacious open Field, in the midst of which was a great Ring of People hand in hand, in the middle of them a Scotch Bagpiper, and a Fellow blindfolded, dancing to the Tune of 41. Bless me, thought I, what is here to do? what have we a dance of Satyrs in a Fairy Circle? As soon as we were come close up to them, I never saw such different shapes of Men in all my Life, there was not one of them like to another. Pray, Sir, (said I) what are these? Here are (quoth he) Presbyterians, Independents, Anabaptists, Brownists, Ranters, Antinomians, Familists, Libertines, Sceptics, Jesuits, Adamites, Quakers.  
Hold, Sir, (said I) have you ever a Rhinocerot among them? What do you mean, Sir, (said he)? Why truly, Sir, (replied I) I thought you had been reckoning the Beasts of America. Oh no, Sir, (said he) these are the several Sectaries, who united in the late infamous League against the Government in Church and State: And is not that Man very Eloquent, that can persuade Men who are Antipodes in Religion, to venture Life and Estate, Soul and Body, to fight against any particular one, which they do not understand, so well as the differences between themselves? Oh! Sir, (said I) as these several Sects have derived their blasphemous Opinions from the Ancient Heretics, so likewise do they agree with them in their rebellious Combinations against the Sovereign Truth, as Tertullian has delivered to us a Character of those in his Days, let us compare them with these: Omnes tument, omnes scientiam pollicentur, ipsae mulieres Haereticae quàm procaces, quae audent docere contendere, etc. Now is not this like our Separatists? But to the present Case. Nihil interest illis licet diversa 
De Praescrip. cap. 41.  tractantibus dum ad unius veritatis Expugnationem conspirent▪ But, Pray Sir, (continued I) which of these are true Protestants? Why (said he) the Fellow that is blinded in the midst of them is a Seeker; and if I had time, he who has been of all Religions, should give us an account of their several Opinions, and when you have heard them, if you can from them all patch up such a considerable Rarity as a true Protestant, I will be bound to give you a Venison Pastry made of Act aeon, for your Supper; but I will be at leisure to give you a relationn of them at another time.  
Pray, Sir, (said I) let me have a short account of some of these Rarities of Fanaticism now, I will not trouble you to speak of them all, for I think to 
* D. Aug. de Haeres.  St. Austin's Catalogue of Heretics here are ninety more of a later Invention added; surely Ross in his View of Religions, never saw half so many strange Garbs of Opinion, as are here before us; 'tis no wonder the Morocco Ambassador was startled to find such Protestant Monsters amongst us, as Africa never bred, and which can digest the good Cause, better than his Ostriches can old Iron. But what is yonder Fellow with a watering-Pot in his Hand? That is (replied he) an Ana-Baptist; and that Fellow who Trembles (as if he had swallowed an Earthquake,) has a cold Fit of the Hat, just now creeping upon him, his Principles have of late been sufficiently proved to be Jesuitical, and his Practices much more; for when the warm Fit of Zeal and Fight is upon him, he is as brisk a Reformer as the rest of the Pack; or as that Antinomian, who is for breaking the two Tables, that he might prevent Popery, whereas his Holiness thinks that taking away but one of the Commandments is a sufficient means to encourage it. But is not that Yeoman in his Naturalibus, a very hardy Fellow think you, and a Saint of Expedition? At this, I espied a lusty Clown as naked as any in Bedlam; a very devout Cannabal, Sir, (said I); No, no, (replied he) he is a true Protestant Adamite, and to show you what an Enemy he is to Popery, and to St. Peter's Successors, he is a Disciple of the first Adam in his Innocency: What his Opinions are, I cannot tell (said I); I shall not pin my Faith upon his Sleeve (I perceive); but this I am sure of, that the Jesuits in their Morals defend this very Brutality, if it be upon the Account of Curiosity: And in the Book of 
* Fol. 6●.  Conformity, we have a famous Story of Friar Leonard, how he put off his Breeches, and putting them on his Head, went stark naked about the Streets, and although his Fraternity cried Shame of him, yet he was so Holy he cared not what they said; Very true (replied he) and now we see that these Savages in Worship, the very Dregs of Popish Enthusiasts, did the Presbyterians combine with in order to their Glorious Reformation; and although many of these Sectaries were then insignificant, for their number, to do any thing against the State, yet when joined with others they had a pestilential Influence upon the Government, therefore they were enrolled in the common League and Covenant, and they had their Protestant Joiner's to, 
Unite them and their different Maggots,  
As long and short Sticks are in Faggots. 
Hud. 3d Part.   Indeed, when ever they were in jeopardy, they were Brethren to some purpose, and mighty sweet upon one another; and therefore Calamy tells the Commons, This is a time wherein we should all unite 
Decem. 26. 1644.  against the Common Enemy, that seeks to devour us all. By their Common Enemy they meant the Government, to ruin which they used all means imaginable.  
He could not speak one word more, for there flew such a Volley of Pamphlets that we could scarce hear or see any thing else for them; I gathered up a good number of them, and found them to be most Scandalous, and Seditious Libels, defaming the King, and his Prime Ministers of State; done with all the Artifice in the World to inflame the Rabble: and they, whose private Affairs were either inconsiderable, or desperate, seemed most concerned for the Public. For the first Troop of those Blessed Reformers, were a great number of Apprentices, who, by a Paper, were advised to sack Lambeth-House. I followed them 
May 9 1640.  as near as I could, but they being forced to retire without effecting their Enterprise returned back into the City: At my entrance I heard such a dismal noise, as if the Inhabitants had been throwing the Houses about one another's Ears; before I was ware of any Danger, I was up to mine in the Mobile, and carried along with such a torrent of greasy Operators, that I could not disengage myself; all the way they went yelling, and howling as if they would split their Mouths up to their Ears; the very Earth trembled, the Teeth of half Middlesex were set on edge, and the Clouds were soured, and curdled with the din: I thought they would have squeezed my Guts out at my Mouth with crowding, and feared every moment when they should give me a gentle Dab with one of their Weapons, for they were all armed with Clubs, and Glaves, and old rusty Halberds, in the midst of them, one carried an Ensign of Scotch-Cloth, with Justice on one side, and Reformation on the other in great Red Letters: they were led on by a Chimney-Sweeper, who carried his Crumbs in Imitation of the Roman Fasces, he went gnawing a Bone, and crying out Justice! Justice! I wondered against whom they were so exasperated, but found it immediately to be the Earl of Strafford, who was to their great satisfaction guarded to Tower-Hill, and there standing upon a Scaffold to be sacrificed to the Accumulative Rabble, told them, He thought it a strange way to write in Blood the beginning of a Reformation.  
In Blood! cried a Gentleman standing by, can it begin or end with any thing else, that is managed by such execrable Miscreants as those are? I wondered whom he meant, until I saw him point to about 23 Presbyterian Preachers, whom I saw lifting up their Eyes, laying their hands to their Breasts, and talking so seriously to the People, as if they had been preparing them all for Death; whenas Marshal stepped out and bawling as if he had been Frantic, I pray (said he) Look on me, as one that come among 
1641.  you this day to beat a Drum in your Ears, to see who will come out and 
* The Word in the North Rebellion, 1644.  Fellow the Lamb.  
I perceived that this Magical Jargon had conjured up a Rabble as formidable as the other, who in Legions ran violently down to White-Hall, and so to Westminster, crying out, NO Bishops, no Bishops! when the Throng was past, I followed Calamy, Baxter, Newcomen and Owen, and some others, until they were got into a private Place, where they soon changed their Countenances, and began to Laugh as hearty as ever the Wicked did in their Lives; they being thus upon the merry pin, Calamy invited them all to his House, telling them, 
† Calamy 's Apol. 1646.  That they knew that his House was the receptacle for godly Ministers in the worst of Times, that 'twas there the Remonstrance was framed against Prelates, that there they had their Meetings.  
They went with him, and I followed them, without the least suspicion, for indeed their Actions began now to publish to the World their private Designs, although they coloured them with a world of Hypocrisy to the People. As soon as they were entered, they threw off their Cloaks, and taking their Girdles which were stuck round with Daggers, Poniards and Stillettoes, cast them away with Contempt: Saying, What need have we any longer of these sneaking Tools? have we not found out a more compendious way of destroying the malignant Moabites, and Canaanites that are among us? Where is that Amalekite that can stand any longer against a Bill of Attainder? have not we the Power of the Sword, and of the Keys too, to bind and to lose, to bind up several puny Articles into one Accumulative Treason, and to loosen the Authority of the King from his Person? Do not the strong cries of the Babes of Grace, plainly show that Vox Populi is on our side too? With what glorious Hosannas do they convey the five Members through our Jerusalem; Showing that Christ must triumph, and now be established on his Throne? and now down go Popery and Prelacy; and High Boys up go we. At this there was profound Silence for a short space, until Bond stood up, and said; The work of Reformation still goes on, there 
* Bond to the Commons, March 27, 1644.  do we get ground, as to perfect a Protestation into a Covenant; to ripen an Impeachment into a Root and Branch: and in a word to settle an Assembly of Divines, as a general Refiner's Fire, to try all Metals of the Church. As soon as he had done speaking, Palmer told them, The Prentices 
Palmer to the Earl of Essex. 1644.  and Porters, were stirred up by God's Providence, thousands of them, to petition the Parliament for speedy Relief.  
I was abundantly satisfied that they were the Instruments to encourage the base sort of People to those seditious Tumults, which began those unhappy Confusions, which they called their thorough Reformation. And therefore I stayed no longer, but slipped out of doors as fast as I could. I had not gone a quarter of a Mile, before I fell into such a Drove of City Dames, that I thought the Amazons had landed at Billingsgate, with a Resolution to establish a Parliament of Women, because the Men ordered things no better: They had long Samples in their Hands, on which with their Thimbles, Bodkins and Needles, they had wrought, and drawn up a very curious Petition against Bishops, and Popish Lords; which a grave old Gentleman observing, fell a Laughing hearty, and by all the Goddesses (quoth he) this is a very beautiful World, is it come to this? Must the Ladle inform the Mace? Must our Joan's reform us from Popery? 'twas before my time, but I remember that Epiphanius tells us of a superstitious Custom, of offering a Cake to the Virgin Mary, which he is Greekishly pleased to call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and we in English, the Heresy of Women; every Body knows that the improvement of that Superstition is a main point of Popery at this day; and are they now for making Cakes for the Funeral of the Mass, and for reducing Pudding-Pyes to their Primitive Institution? I cannot tell (said I) whether or no they have a true Protestant Receipt, but I fancy the Reason why they are so incensed against Popery is; because 'tis a great Hinderer of Matrimony.  
Did they know what a great many, like to prove good Husbands, the Wars (said he) will destroy, they would not be so eager to promote them. Had they come with a Petition of Right, or of due Benevolence, or had they been surprised, as the young Senator did the Roman Dames, with the fearful Decree for Polygamy, I had not at all wondered at them; but if they must direct and govern the Church as Arbitrarily as they rule their Houses, they will in a short time wear the Doublet, and the Gown, as they have for a long time worn the Breeches: Then turning to them, Gentlewomen (quoth he) we shall never be able to lie quiet in our Beds for you one of these days, how is it possible to please you? Ye will neither go to Church, nor stay at home: I profess if ye do not behave yourselves better for the Future, we will have a Salic Law against Petitioning.  
This so enraged them that they uncased him in a Moment, calling him Cuckold, Malignant, etc. at which I was so affrighted that I do not remember how I got from among them, but running hastily, I tumbled over a Fellow who lay grovelling in a Gutter, and crying, Good Wife! for God's sake! I helped him up, and when he had recovered himself; Pray Sir (said I) what did you mean? Mean! Sir (said he) to save my Life, for I cannot save my Estate; my Wife, whom I espied among the Petitioners, hath been so liberal in her Contributions to those snivelling canting Whelps, that I am almost ruined, and what can I expect from her who would make me a Beggar to propagate their lewd Cause? I pity you, replied a Gentleman (that overheard him) with all my Heart, but you do but take part in the common Calamities, which those formal Hypocrites have brought upon this whole Kingdom, under pretence of a General Reformation; in order to which they have cancelled all the Fundamental Laws, and Obligations betwixt Prince and People, Father and Son, Husband and Wife, that they might make way for a new Model of Obedience, Reverence and Love, by filling the Nation with Violence, and staining every Corner of it with Blood.  
Whilst I was musing upon what he had said, I observed that the Countenances of many People were changed, and some seemed to tremble with Amazement, and others were stupifyed with a solitary Silence, wondering at the sudden alteration; (for there had been several Thanksgivings for the impious Victories the Rebels in the Course of the Wars had gained.) At last a Rumour ran, that His Majesty was in the Hands of his Enemies, and not only so, but one confidently affirmed that his Life was threatened by a High Court of Justice.  
At this a Reverend Clergyman that had been plundered, and sequestered, and had nothing left to bestow upon his unfortunate Sovereign but Prayers, and Tears, shed them plentifully, and turning towards us: Is this (said he) the way to make the Prince Glorious, and the People happy? Is this the Reformation of Antichristian Rome, and can it not be done without Blood more Royal, than that with which the Walls of Heathen Rome were first cemented? Is it not enough that by their Canting and Railing, they have stirred up all Orders of People into an unnatural Rebellion, but they must now crown all their Villainies with cutting off the Head of the King?  
Pray Sir, (said I) to him, who are those you speak of? Come along with me (said he) and I will show you whom I mean presently.  
I followed him as far as Westminster, and he carried me into a large place which was somewhat dark, and hung around with Mourning; I observed a considerable number of the Assembly of Divines, there sitting with Arms folded, and Eyes lift up, looking so pale and ghastly, as if from a Body of Divinity, they had dwindled into the very shapes of Men; I wondered to find them in such a Posture of Mortification. And (looking on my Friend who conducted me thither;) surely Sir (said I) these Godly Men are here met to lament the Death of the King, near the Monuments of his Predecessors: A gang of Whited Sepulchers themselves, (replied he) the reason of their keeping this Fast, is not because the Government is ruined by the Death of the King, but because their Discipline is in danger by their Brethren the Independents. He had no sooner spoke, but Bastwick stood up, and looking as if his Nose had been lately put out of Joint; 
* Bastwick 's Postscript to Burton.  The Independents (cried he) have now the Sword in their Hands, and think themselves strong enough to encounter any adverse Party; and they profess, they care not how soon they come to cutting of Throats, and speak of nothing but the slaughtering and butchering of the Presbyterians.  
Alack! and Alas! poor Saints, cried one (who by his Countenance seemed a Foreigner;) are they now afraid of their Wind-Pipes, which they have so often stretched with their Magical Cant, that they have raised a sort of evil Spirits they cannot conjure down again? Where will they now seek redress from these intolerable Grievances of their own hatching? Did they imagine any thing else should be the Consequence of destroying so just and wise a Government, both in Church and State; which was a sufficient Bar to keep out those wild Heresies they have now let in upon themselves? Surely no Body at home will pity them, and all the Reformed Churches abroad do utterly condemn them. Beza himself, whose Choleric Disposition was of fatal Consequence to the Reformed Churches, will tell their Public Faith itself, that it lies, when they said, 
* An Ordinance for putting the Directory, etc. 1644.  They resolved to Reform according to the Example of the best Reformed Churches. For let but any Man read over that 
† To the Prince of Conde.  Epistle Dedicatory of his before his Translation of the New Testament, and he will find how positively he condemns the Methods of their Reformation long before: he will find that the same Beza, acknowledges the King's Edict to be Jure Divino, of Supreme Authority in Ecclesiastical Cases, relating to that very Reformation, though the King himself was of another Opinion; or else what means those words (speaking of the Prince of Conde, and some others) Quos dominus Ecclesiae suae nutritios ex Regiae majestatis edicto constituit?  
He would have continued his Discourse somewhat longer, had not a Gentleman interrupted him, who was so full that he could not hold, but turning himself toward the Smectymnuans. Ye meager Hypocrites (quoth he) because ye have devoured the Fat of the Land, and the Plenty of a whole Age; Do ye now look like Pharaoh's Lean Kine? Do ye, who have long been the Trumpeters of Sedition, now look like Drums unbraced, until your Chaps, like lose Parchment, flap inwards? What Fast so soon after the Exceed of the Flesh of Kings and mighty Men? Ye in vain pinch those Bowels that deserve to be burnt for Traitors; for ye have made the Members fight against the Head so long, that for want of a Head, they now quarrel with the Belly. Ye have made so many spare a Meal to cram the Good Cause, that at last 'tis grown too Fat, and Wanton; so that ye may pine your Guts to Pack-thread, until ye have enough to hang yourselves, before ye shall make those People obedient to your Discipline, who were at first taught to be Rebellious by your Doctrine; and besides, all the Tith-geeses and Pigs, are grown so wild with so much shooting, that they will not stay long with any of you, but they are for Liberty of Gizzard and Pettytoes, and the first turn Ana-Baptists, and the latter have thrown off the Yoke, and are become Independents; so that ye are like to starve for all them. Alas poor Bards! the Druids from every Tree preach down your Kirk; and now hope ye have enough of thorough Reformation, to chew the Cud upon for one while.  
It was in vain for them to open their Mouths, for they had nothing either to Answer or Eat; so there being a continued Silence for some time, I at last turned to the honest Clergyman (I before mentioned) and desired him if he could do me that Favour, to give me a short view of the several Pranks the Saints A-la-mode had played up and down the Kingdom. Nothing (said he) can pleasure me more than to satisfy you with a Description of their thorough Reformation, which I shall soon do if you follow me: As we were walking together, you must consider (said he) that all the Villainies that are acted under that Notion are the Effects of Presbyterian Zeal, and however they complain mightily in the Gangraena, 'twas they first putrified the Nation; 'twas they first taught the Rabble to Reform, and then they learned of themselves to Blaspheme. Boccalin says, 'Tis the duty of Reformers, to provide themselves of a sure Remedy, before they take notice of the Wound; and that the Chirurgeon deserves to be punished, who first opened the Sick Man's Vein, and then runs for things to close it. But they, to strain it in their own Phrase, bled the Kingdom in the Basilick Vein, and then pretended to stop it; set the Nation in a Flame, and then for fear of being burnt themselves endeavoured to quench it. And the same Author says, Sir, (replied I) That every Man ought to mind his own Trade, that a Tailor cannot reform an Apothecary, much less a Cobbler the Church.  
No, (said he) do you think he cannot? What and if he should fancy himself to be shod with the Preparation of the Gospel, or imagine himself a Gibeonite with his old Shoes, may not he be in League with Israel, to reform the old Inhabitants of the Land? Yes, by St. Crispin, he hates Popery, and since he is a Translator, he is no mean Reformer; why should not those Thumbs which have long been in Mourning for the Sins of the Nation, join with all true Protestant Fingers in pulling down high Places? But Sir (said I) to him again, is it possible that the Presbyterians should encourage such lewd Fellows of the base sort, (who naturally delight in mischief) to reform as they should think fit? Yes, (replied he) that they did, and though Boccalin should say the same thing an hundred times, and although they have experienced the ill Effects of their rash Reformation, yet they would make use of the same means again; and rather than fail would call in the Pope, and the Devil too, to help them.  
As soon as he had spoke, we saw a great Dust arising like a Cloud, and heard a confused noise, but could not distinguish any Person of a long time, until Greenhill (a famous Stickler for the new Pilgrimage of Grace) appeared at the Head of a vast multitude of Mechanics, intermixed with Troopers and other Soldiers; my Friend and I fell in among them, and marched along until we came in view of a great and stately Cathedral Church, which seemed to rock like a Cradle; as soon as we were come pretty near it, the Multitude stood still; and Greenhill turning to them cried, If 
Greenhill to the Commons, 1643. p. 37.  Justice be at a stand, and cannot take hold of living Delinquents to keep the Axe from rust, let Justice be executed upon liveless Delinquents; Are there no Altars? no High Places? no Crucifixes? At this the whole Multitude rushed into the Church with such Violence, as if they would have thrown it out at the Windows, and to make way for it, they broke all the Painted Glass, which in lively Colours, and large Figures, represented many remarkable Histories of the Old and New Testament, calling them Popish Pictures, Painted Jezabels looking out at Windows; which an ingenious Gentleman observing with Indignation, these (Walleyed dapple Saints, quoth he,) will be for reforming the Rainbow one of these days, and fancy it to be set in Holy Water, and then down it goes if possible.  
I could not hear what he said more, for the Echoes of chopping, hacking and defacing whatever came in their way, which was either decent or magnificent; but observing a Fellow at the Poor-mans-Box, with a Backsword, lifted up over the Effigies of a Cripple standing upon it, I was resolved, if possible, to hear what he had to say to it; when I was got close to him, Thou lame Idol, (quoth he) that haltest betwixt two Opinions, that hast Feet and walkest not, I will hue thee in pieces, as Samuel did Agag before the Lord in Gilgal! At a few Strokes he cut it down, and had so split the Box that out flew several pieces of Brass and Silver, which he greedily catching; thou art (said he) like the Image in Aesop's Fables, which did the Man no good whilst he worshipped it, but now being broken thou shedst thy Mammon like Blood: I left him, to observe a Tribe of Quakers who were got to the Steeple, and seemed so mighty Zealous against it, that they would have pulled it down about their Ears, had they not feared it might have beaten off their Hats, but nothing more offended them than the Bells, and their great Fault was that they called others to Church although they never came in themselves; so that whatever was said to prove them true Protestant Bells, that they had never been baptised as Popish 
* As the great Bell in St. John Lateran.  Bells used to be, though they had neither Godfathers' nor Godmothers', yet down they must, because (said they) The Babylonians had an Idol called Bell.  
Thus the Reformation was carried on according to the various Frenzies, and ridiculous Humours of the jangling Rabble, who agreed in nothing but Mischief and Desolation, not sparing the very Monuments of those first Reformers (whom in the 
* Pag. 6.  Preface to the Directory, the Presbyterians acknowledged, as excellent Instruments raised by God to begin the purging, and building of his House, and desired they might be had in everlasting Remembrance with Thankfulness and Honour:) for they pulled the Brass off their Tombs, and defaced every thing that was curious for Workmanship, or Venerable for Antiquity, under the pretence of Popery, when as indeed their Covetousness, which was worse than Idolatry, was the chiefest Motive, that they scratched up the Names of worthy Benefactors for the Brass they were engraven upon, that they raked up the very Dust of their Ancestors, and would have sold the Bones of their Grandsires if any would have bought them; but this was not all; their brutish Zeal carried them to greater Extravagances, as to thrust their Swords through, and mangle the Corpses of the deceased, a piece of Romish Fury, now turned into Protestant Piety.  
Whilst I observed these things with Grief and Wonder, the Clergyman pulled me by the Sleeve, and look you, yonder (quoth he) is fine work; at this, I espied a mixed Multitude of the wildest Machine's that ever I beheld, some tooting with the broken Pipes of Organs, others dancing in Hoods, Copes, and Surplices, some Smoking, others Swaggering with lewd and bloody Oaths, and all of them pulling down the King's Arms, calling them the Colours of the Dragon, and the Ensigns of Antichrist, and saying, that the Unicorn was the very White Horse in the Revelations, with a blazing Star upon his Forehead. Then a great number of Levellers, great Enemies to Angels and Archangels, cutting in pieces the Images of the Apostles. After them a Troop of Antinomians fell foul upon the Ten Commandments, and carried out the Pictures of Moses and Aaron (vowing to make his Incense blaze as well as smoke) and so burnt them with the Rails before the Altar. Whilst the Rout were thus revelling in their lewd and diabolical Triumphs, I wondered to hear on a sudden some howling and mourning very lamentably, but was much more astonished to see Greenhill weeping, as if he had been sorry for what the People by his Instigation had done, and therefore going up to Edwards (who wrote the Gangraena) Pray good Sir, (said I) What ails Mr. Greenhill, what is the Matter? What! (said he) 
* Edward's Catalogue of Errors, pag. 25.  an Anabaptist, and a great Sectary came to him, and said, he might as safely Baptise a Dog as a Believer's Child. At this I looked towards the Font and espied a Company of Villains 
† In Lichfield Cath. Sir William Dugdale 's Hist.  baptising a Calf wrapped in Linen. Edward's seeing them at the same time, cried out, From all these Errors, Heresies and Practices of the Sectaries, you may see what a great 
Edward 's Further Discourse. p. 195.  Evil and Sin Separation is, from the Communion. of the Reformed Churches; and how highly displeasing to God for Men to make a Schism, and Rent in the Church of God, in time of Reformation, God punishing the Schism, and Separation of our Times with so many Heresies, Blasphemies, and wicked Practices. Very true, (replied the Orthodox Clergyman;) Knox and some of your Predecessors made a Schism in the Church of God in the very time of the Reformation, and because your Separation from the truly Reformed Church was unreasonable, the Pretences frivolous, and the Methods of your Super reformation Impious, and Ridiculous, therefore does God justly punish your Schism and Separation.  
Impious! and Ridiculous! cried 40 or 50 of them at once; was the visible growth of Popery, and Arbitrary Government a frivolous Pretence?  
Yes marry was it, (replied he) 'twas what the Papists themselves suggested, and was rather therefore the Invisible Growth of Popery, under the Visible Growth of Knavery. And since you talk of God's Punishment for Schism, surely the World may now trace the Gild of your pretended Reformation in the Consequences of it. 'Twas ye set the People above the King, and now every Individual usurps a Supreme Equality; a nonsensical Confusion not to be found among Cannabals; 'twas ye abolished Episcopacy, and now every one makes himself a Priest, with as much Authority as one Presbyter makes another; 'twas ye taught the People to sit irreverently at the Sacrament, and now ye may see some of them laying their Tails at the Communion Table; ye took away the decent Ceremonies in Baptism, and now they profane that Sacrament with Diabolical ones; ye brought the Catechumeni to the Desk, and 'tis not long  they are chirping in the Pulpit: Thus like so many Judas' have ye betrayed both Christ's Vicegerent, and his Church too with glorious Pretences, and then left them to the mockery of Men worse than Jews, who have now made the Temple of God a Den of Thiefs; which ye denied to be the House of Prayer.  
Prayer! cried one of them! Was not the whole Book of Common-Prayer Popish, and Superstitious? Are not Bishops Antichristian? And did not that Arch-Prelate Laud design to bring us into right down Popery?  
That you shall know by and by, (replied he) but in the mean time 'tis remarkable, that the Archbishop was condemned upon an Indictment of the Scots, for obtruding the Book of Common-Prayer, and you imposed the 
* Title Page of the Directory.  Directory upon them, and the Irish too, a little after. That Bishops are not Antichristian, neither Name, or Office, one Instance for a thousand, and that from the Reformed Churches; Oecolampadius who Reformed the Church of Basil is styled Bishop upon his Tomb, which your Reformation had certainly demolished.  
That Archbishop Laud had no such Design as you speak of, your Brother Fisher that Trent Presbyter can testify, although he smiles to think that after you had confuted him with the Axe, you should reform Lambeth-House into a Prison, and a Dancing-School, at once representing a Popish Inquisition, and a Carnival too. But since your main Argument, that moved the People to assist you in your blessed Reformation, was, that the Liturgy of the Church was Popish, I will tell you, if you'll keep it to yourself, that you either knew not what Popery was, or else had a mind to bring it in; the Fool and the Knave are both in the Case, choose which you will; 'tis certain that by the great number of Papists that were in the Parliament Army, by the long delay of Assistance to be sent to the distressed Protestants in Ireland; you were more intent upon the ruin of the Church of England than of Rome. But pray what is Popish in the Liturgy? All of it, replied they; and therefore aught to be reform: 
* Preface to the Directory.  All the several burdensome Ceremonies, 'twas made a mere Idol, lip-Labour, and a great Hinderer of the preaching the Word.  
Pray Gentlemen, (said he again) since you quote the Public Faith, let me ask you one question: Are the Responses in the Liturgy Popish? and may not the Church of England enjoin them? No, no, replied they, they are not of Apostolical Institution. How then (cried he) came it to pass that the Assembly should order 
* Of Singing of Psalms, Directory, pag. 83.  the reading the Singing Psalms Line by Line to the People? Is that of Apostolical Institution? Or are Sternhold and Hopkins of greater Authority than all the Fathers of the Church? There is enough written by learned Pens, to prove the Significancy, Usefulness, Innocency and Antiquity of the Ceremonies of the Church, to satisfy every Objection, and Scruple of yours beforehand; but if that cannot do, you might a little reflect upon what followed your Reformation of them: You abolished all those excellent Prayers for the King and the Church; but how did yours you put in the room of them prevail, to procure either his Honour, or its good Estate? You pretended to reform the Sabbath to a Pharisaical Strictness, but the first general Battle was fought on the 23 d of October, at Edghill, on the Sunday, wherein with five shot made at the King's Army, you bid him Battle; and then having abolished holidays, even Christmas day itself, which you made a Fast, you sanctified your own first Thanksgiving-day with a lewd Lie. You took away the Order of Christian Burial, and indeed there was little occasion for it, when you preached so many at a time to the Sword, that it could be no more used than in a Pestilence; and moreover, you being to set Christ upon his Throne on Earth, could not comply with that Prayer, that He would hasten the Kingdom of Glory. Item. You took away the Cross in Baptism, and afterwards sold your Fellow-Christians to Turks and Barbarians, among whom they must receive either the Badge of Slavery or Infidelity. You altered the Form of Marriage, and afterwards 'twas solemnised by a sort of Bassa's in the very Livery of the Scarlet Whore. In short, you debauched the People with Superstitious Fears, which made them fly into a wicked Rebellion, and they were afterwards as unjustly hanged up in Bundles for the Sin of Witchcraft: Thus did ye involve the Nation in infinite Gild, and they were punished with Judgements shadowing or reflecting their Sins; nor did ye yourselves escape a retaliating Justice, being severely chastised by that very Cromwell, whom ye first set up in the House of Commons, to be such a Stickler against Dr. Neal, for a Defender of Arminianism and Popery.  
At this they all fell a crying, Ah Lard! Lard! 'twas Covenant-breaking that brought all these Evils upon us, and upon this Nation.  
'Twas so indeed, (replied he) ye broke the first Covenant with your Prince, in the oath of Allegiance, by introducing the Solemn League, which brought in the Engagement, which brought in the Devil and all his Works.  
He had no sooner spoken, but there was a Fellow in a Red-Coat got into the Pulpit, and playing as many Tricks as a Turkish Dervice upon a Moschite, railed against the Presbyterian Reformation, calling it 
* Goodwin 's twelve Cautions, pag. 5.  Rough, Froward, Peremptory, Imperious, etc. which 
† Discovery of Sectaries, pag. 26.  Edward's observing; All sorts of Mechanics (said he) take upon them to preach, as Smiths, Tailors, Shoemakers, Pedlars, Weavers.  
A peculiar People, truly, (replied he) you complained, that the Liturgy of the Church of England was a great Hinderer of the preaching the Word; I hope you have now enough of it: But why should you find fault with a Red-Coat, when as your warlike Doctrine could not endure a White one: and besides these are but your Journeymen in Divinity, your Scribes and amanuensis, whom you have taught all the Tricks of Sanctified Legerdemain, and if they have outdone you in your own Trade, you know that all Arts improve. What and if they have not so much Learning as you, yet they are arrived to such a pitch of Mystical Gibberish, and Edifying Nonsense, that they are more powerful with the People than yourselves, although you first taught them to justle out the Prayers in the known Language, by your unintelligible Cant and cramp Exorcisms; and this was driving away Popery. But, Gentlemen, let me ask you a question: Is it not a main Artifice of the Popish Priests to keep the People zealously ignorant? Is it not as easy to compose a thing in English, of which the common People shall understand every single word, and yet not know the meaning, or Connexion of any whole Sentence; as 'tis to make some Lines in Spanish words, which put together shall be true Latin, the very Language of the Beast? 'Tis certainly as easy, since ye have mixed and balderdashed the sacred Style with barbarous Expressions, and made every thing ye do not like, to be either Antichrist, or the Whore of Babylon. But moreover, 'tis very remarkable that ye had a fine way of amusing the Rabble with ends of Hebrew; let me tell you that Mr. Herbert Thorndike, as learned a Rabbi as any of you, observes in his Book of Religious Assemblies, from the Commentaries under St. Ambrose's Name, that those who would needs speak in strange Languages 
Pag. 351.  in the Church, were of the Hebrews; and Irenaeus 
Lib. 1. c. 8.  tells, that the Marcosians at the Ministration of Baptism, used some Hebrew words to astonish the Minds of the Ignorant. I cannot say, that you directly designed to bring in flat down right Popery, as you call it, but you were reforming us to those Fantastical Customs, from whence at first 'tis probable that the Romish Corruptions had their beginning; but what and if you thought to banish the Mass by taking away the Common-Prayer-Book, 'tis certain, that you at the same time made room for the Targum; and surely your Friends the Jews could not but smile at their return into England again, to meet such plenty of Adonirams, Obadiahs, and Ichabods, such blessed Reformers from Popery, as would have sold them St. Paul's Church for a Synagogue, who preached Christ to the Gentiles; this was establishing his Throne, Nineteenthly, My Beloved.  
We cannot help it cried Vines, if the Turk should come in; For that Horse of Superstition, and Idolatry, upon the Back of 
Vines to the Commons. 1646.  which the Devil hath in former times made war against the Church, is slain under him; and now he is mounted upon a fresh Horse of another Colour, called Liberty of Opinion (falsely called) Liberty of Conscience.  
Well done old Beelzebub, (cried a Cavalier, laughing hearty;) a very good Jockey truly, and very well mounted upon an Horse that will carry double and triple, I hope he will be so grateful to your Worships for helping him to him, that he will take some of you up behind him one of these Days: But for the Horse of Superstition and Idolatry, did those Horse's rout him which Cromwell brought into the Church, watered at the Font, and fed at the Communion Table? assure yourselves that those very Gentlemen, who raised that abominable Lie concerning the Nag's-head, are the Men that would make you believe that there is a Horse of Superstition grazing within the Pale of the Church of England, although 'tis hard to prove him to be lineally descended from those Horses upon which the Popes ride, whilst Princes hold their Stirrup: But since the Devil is mounted, as you say, we find he will not ride alone, for your Brother the Quaker is got upon his Mare, that may in time breed as many false Opinions, as the Trojan Horse carried treacherous Grecians. But how came we (cried he) from Hebrew to Horseback?  
How! (replied a Gentleman) over Hedge and Ditch, by leaping a Similitude of Vines', who compares the Service of the Church to an Horse of Idolatry, whenas his Brethren who style themselves the Horsemen, and Chariots of Israel, are 
Heyryck to the Commons, May 27▪ 1646.  nearer related to the old Centaurs; and his Horse of Opinions, might as well have been a Hydra, or the Beast with seven (score) Heads: But my Friends (cried he) turning to the Presbyterians, were not you forewarned of those very things of which ye now complain? Did not the Author of the Loyal Convert, whoever he was, thus argue with you in the Year 1643? Think you such swarms of Sectaries sweat 
Page 17.  for nothing? Are their Purses so apt to bleed to no end? Will not their costs and pains expect, at least, a congratulatory connivance in the freedom of their Consciences? Or will their Swords, now in the strong possession of so great a multitude, know the way into their quiet Scabbards, without the expected Liberty of their Religions? and can that Liberty produce any thing but an established Disorder? And is not Disorder the Mother of Anarchy, and that of Ruin?  
At this, they being all silent for a considerable time, he said again, pray what do you yourselves think to be the reason, that your intended Reformation should so dismally miscarry? What! replied Faircloth, why 
* Faircloth on John 7. 25. Pag. 25.  Israel could not be cured without a full and total extirpation of all the accursed Things and Persons also.  
That is, (replied the Cavalier) every Throat that could not swallow the Covenant was to be cut, which amounted to some hundreds of thousands; and by all the accursed things, you meant whatever you called Popish: But I protest, (Saints!) according to your Definition of Popery, many things more Popish than any thing you objected against the Church, escaped your sagacious Reformation: Why did you not utterly abrogate all Legs of Mutton, Town and Country, because they have the Pope's Eye in every one of them? Why was not the Man in the Almanac, that great Malignant, laid by the Heels, whose Heart is influenced by Leo, the name of a great many Popes? Why did you not demolish all the Signs of the Cross-Keys, of the Mitre, and of the Cardinal's Cap? Why did ye suffer the Babylonish Game of Cross and Pile? the Antichristian Game of Chess, with Kings, and Queens, and Bishops in it? Why was there a Toleration of Dice, (the very Bones of the Whore of Babylon, with black Patches on them;) these were all dismal Tokens of the Beast, and more the just Objects of your refining Zeal, than many things you did abolish. But to be serious with you, after all the Remonstrances you made, did the King ever deny to concur with you in a Legal Reformation of any abuse? But instead of closing with him in calm and moderate Counsels, you brought all things into Confusion, with violent Invectives, and distant Scandals, the People's easy Fancies being the best grounds of your clamorous Arguments to prove the Ceremonies of the Church Popish, and particular Irregularities of some few Clergymen were made use of, as a general Argument against its Discipline and Government; whenas indeed, the Faults of its Members are not its Constitutions, nor did so good and just a King any more countenance them, than your Rebellion: and therefore they did not authorise you to revile the whole body of the Church, much less to treat the best of its Members with such barbarous Insolences, without distinction, as you have done: and 
* De Moribus Eccl. Cath. Tom. 1. cap. 34.  St. Austin (if you will allow of any Saints but your selves) hath taught you a better Lesson, when he saith, Nunc illud vos admoneo ut aliquando Ecclesiae Catholicae maledicere desinatis Vituperando mores hominum quos & ipsa condemnat, & quos quotidie tanquam malos filios corrigere studet. Now this I advise you that you cease at length to revile the Catholic Church, by disparaging the manners of Men which itself condemns; and whom as evil Sons it daily endeavours to correct. The words immediately before are, Novi multos esse Sepulchrorum, & picturarum adoratores. I know that there are many Worshippers of Tombs and Pictures. So much Superstition could never be found among the Sons of the Church of England, who might have found more Charity among Turks, and less Inhumanity from Infidels than from you: But you who could not endure one established Religion, let in at least 40 to drive it out, as Foreigners themselves computed. This was, First, (my Beloved) a plentiful Reformation.  
You, that could not allow the King any considerable Supplies towards the maintaining a Foreign War, in which you engaged him, could raise and consume 17 Millions Sterling, in less than three Years in a Domestic War against him; and this was a Loyal and Rich Reformation. Secondly,  
You turned the most eminent Men for Letters and Honesty, out of both Universities, then filled up their Places with grave Dunces, and formal Blockheads, and afterwards their whole Revenues had like to have been sold to maintain the Army; so that instead of Professors of the several Sciences, we should have had a sort of Turkish Timariot, who should have held these Lands in Capite of the Rump; this was a Learned Reformation. Thirdly,  
You were mighty zealous for the Liberty and Property of the Subject, insomuch that ye set the People above the King, and afterwards an High Court of Justice is mounted above them all, taking away the Lives of King, Lords and Commons, without Law, or Reason: (And if the People may deal thus with their King, where he is Supreme, why not with all other Supremes whatsoever? and consequently by Succession, and with success, (for aught we know) why not rise against their Magistrates, till the last Resurrection? and put them to Death, till Death itself shall be swallowed up.) This was a righteous and peaceable Reformation. Fourthly, My Friends,  
You declaimed against Popery mightily, and yet did whatever the Papists desired or prompted you to do, time will show that you and your Proselytes, were Factours for the Pope and the Devil in every particular of that whole Rebellion; all the Aspersions cast upon the King and the Church were of Romish Invention, which your Malice knew how to improve; the Rebel-Parliament 
* Parliament's Declaration to the King, March 9, 1641.  entertained Advertisements from Rome, Venice, and Paris, of the Pope's Nuncio soliciting France and Spain for 4000 Men apiece, but when came they over? And was it not Popish Intelligence which ye greedily catched to inflame the People? The Irish Rebels bragged that the King would come among them and assist them, that they did but maintain his Cause against the Puritans, that they had his Commission; and those very Scandals you made use of; laid that Rebellion to his Charge, wherein they set up the Pope's Standard in Opposition only to his Supremacy. Cardinal Richlieu fomented all those unhappy Divisions by your means; your Solemn League and Covenant proves most Jesuitically Popish. The Jesuits had their Spies and Agents in all your Committees; and how far they helped you in your Blessed Reformation, Dr. 
* Vindication of the Protestants, p. 57  Du Moulin will tell you: and although the Person is not known that gave the Fatal Blow; yet you brought the King to the Block; and he was a Popish Priest and Confessor who then brandished his Sword, saying, Now our greatest Enemy we have in the World is gone. And this was your true sober Protestant through Reformation. Lastly,  
At this they all sneaked away, and the Gentleman taking me by the Hand led me up to the top of an high Hill, from whence I might view the Miseries of three Kingdoms raging in an unconquerable War, and looking wistly upon the various and innumberable Evils, which almost twenty Years Rebellion had brought upon us, and wondering with myself when and how these troubles should end; I was startled by a Jesuit, who flourishing a bloody Sword in his Hand, spoke as followeth:  
So! the Work's done, those Men are now cut down,  
Which standing did oppose the Triple Crown:  
The silly Heretics themselves defeat,  
And with their Blood the Scarlet Whore looks great.  
In Holy Wars the Pope Triumphs alone,  
And as he lost, so now regains a Throne,  
Re-conquers now by Reformation.   

THE Fourth VISION OF THE REFORMATION.  
The King's Return: The Factions endeavour to bring about their thorough Reformation again: The Methods they have used ever since in order to it. A Parallel betwixt the Jesuitical Papists and Fanatical Protestants in several new Remarks: They Ridiculously inveigh against one another: The Church of England vigorously opposes them both. A Conference wherein the four main Arguments of the Papists, viz. Universality, Antiquity, Unity and the Pope's Supremacy are exploded. A Convocation of Orthodox Divines before whom the Authors of Melius Inquirendum, of Julian the Apostate are summoned, etc. A Prophecy by the famous Ghost of A. A. C.  
THE Horror of past Villainies, and the endless prospect of future Calamities, had so benumbed my Spirits with drowsy Grief, that I fell into a profound Trance for a considerable time, until at length I was awakened with the loud and joyful Acclamations of vast Multitudes, crying, God save King Charles the Second: At this I looked and saw a mighty Train of People, so splendid and brave, as that the very confused Light of infinite Jewels made them resemble a new Milkie-Way, in which Charles his Triumphant Wain was then moving. Surely, (said I) although I have not taken so long a Nap as the seven Sleepers, yet I have snored out more strange Revolutions; what gloomy Days were those I first began to nod in? What Confusions in Church and State? what cruel Animosities? what fatal Divisions? and what was worst of all, Popery big with a whole Age's Revenge, like a Polyphemus ready to devour all; but now my waking Senses are saluted with the harmonious Triumphs of universal Joy and Concord. Very strange indeed, replied my old Guide, (who carefully attended me) and you might still think yourself in a Dream, were not our present Happiness as real as were our former Miseries. I hope, Sir, (said I) they will be as lasting. I wish so too, (said he) but do not you see what sour Faces yonder grim Fellows make? those cloudy Looks still threaten many a Storm to this Nation: At this I saw a great number who seemed somewhat discontented, and were earnestly whispering and talking to one another, and as soon as I came up to them, I found among them several Presbyterians, Independents, Anabaptists, Quakers and some Papists, who let fall some mystical words which discovered a great deal of secret dissatisfaction, but for what I could not tell; for the briskest Cavaliers in the Kingdom did not seem more active, in solemnising his majesty's happy Restauration, than most of them did. So that turning to my Friend, certainly Sir, (said I) those People are not Breeding of Commonwealths again, so soon after their Delivery; I hope they have no democratical Qualms in their Stomaches, and have done longing for thorough Reformations for one while. I confess, (said he) one would think what you say; and besides at the Solemnities of the King's Coronation, they hung out as conspicuous Evidences of their Loyalty, as any the most Obdurate Malignant, for their Garlands were richly loaden with the glittering Confessions of their former Plunder and Sacrilege, but their Loyalty was exactly like the Wether at that time, very fair for a little Season, and very foul both before and after; they know how to temporize with present Difficulties in hopes of future Advantages, and can be as impudently Loyal, as they were boldly Rebellious, think they may talk what Treason they please if they do but wipe their Mouths after it; and act what Villainy they will if they do but wash their Hands when they have done; a ceremonious sort of Varnish, left for a Legacy by Pontius Pilate to the Jesuits, and which came by the way of France, in company with the Holy League, to the Covenanters of Great Britain; for when Henry the 4th was prevailed upon by the Solicitations of others, and his own natural Clemency, to give them leave to enjoy their former Privileges in that Kingdom, from which they were banished with Infamy, for the treacherous Murder of his Predecessor, they had such a strong fit of Obedience, that they at last became absolute Masters of his Heart.  
Sir, (said I) if I may not interrupt you too long, I will wedge in a small Caveat, which shall be A-la-mode, and not at all unseasonable at this Juncture of time; Boccalin in his third Advertisement concerning the Civil Wars of France, and the Murder of Henry the Fourth, brings in Apollo, commanding that 60000 Packhorses should be sent from Arcadia into France, and when it was answered that there was no danger since they had so noble and numerous a Cavalry, He replied, That since the peace and quiet of that Kingdom depended upon their Unity, they could not come to it by any better means than by the Remembrance of their former Miseries; as those Packhorses, which by Instinct of Nature did detest passing a second time by the same way, wherein formerly they had run the Hazard of breaking their Necks.  
I wish (said he) that the English would take Example of the French, who being not half so wise as the Packhorses, are become a Pack of Asses, so that their King is not improperly styled Rex As●norum, for he has laid Burdens upon their Shoulders almost as bad as breaking their Necks: But our dull stupid Asses, who fancy themselves fit Cronies to bray with Jupiter, are so far from taking warning by the Harms of others, that they have forgot their own; and whilst the Jesuits privately prick them forward, their Teachers have these twenty Years been leading them by the Ears into another Rebellion: therefore, if you will go along with me, I will give you as pleasing an account of all their Actions ever since the King came in, to this day, as your Heart can wish; I will lay before your Eyes, at one view, all the Stratagems and Designs both of Jesuited Papists and Protestants; by which we may guests what a Superlative Reformation we might expect for the Future, if they had their Wills for the Present.  
With all my Heart, Sir, (said I) as soon as you please, nothing can oblige me more: so away we went; as we passed along, You must know (said he) that the King was scarce settled on his Throne, and the Brethren hardly recovered of that dreadful Astonishment that sudden Change had put them into, (justly fearing to be made Examples for all the bloody Villainies they had perpetrated in that Rebellion;) but in contempt of his unparallelled Mercy, and of his Justice too, they began to play the old Game over again, and to run on Tick upon a new Score. The Murderers of the King, his Father of Blessed Memory, were represented to the People as the Righteous Sufferers in a glorious Cause, and their last Speeches recommended as the groaning Oracles of dying Martyrs, but if those be their Saints, what are their Devils? Surely never such Villains were canonised before, since the World began.  
Yes, Sir, (replied I) their Fellow-Labourer, James Clement, is as much extolled by Mariana the Jesuit, for killing Henry the 3d d of France, when mentioning the manner of that treacherous and diabolical Fact: He cried out, 
* Marian. Lib. 1. De Rege & Regis Justit.  Insignem Animi confidentiam! facinus memorabile caeso Rege ingens sibi nomen fecit. Oh admirable confidence of Mind! O memorable Action, by killing the King he got himself a great Name. But, Sir, never trouble yourself about them, they may be Martyrs of the Army, but we shall never find them in the Army of Martyrs: and so fare'em well in saecula saeculorum. Just as I had spoken these Words, we were come to a place that looked like The Devil's— of Peak. Hold, Sir, (said I) I think we are come to the very fag end of the World; surely this is the Den wherein the Ghosts of the Rump-Parliament do revel Nemine Contradicente.  
Come on, (said he) you shall receive a great deal of satisfaction, but no harm. I know no reason why I should not be as valorous as a Glister-Pipe, although I thought it an odd kind of Portico to the Sthadt-House of Darkness, and so in we went: he carried me through a great many narrow wind and turn, that I fancied myself wildered in small Guts, until at last I came to a pair of Gates all crusted and embroidered with Salt-Peter; as soon as they opened we entered a spacious and large Hall, at the upper end of which stood that Greekish Gentleman old Mr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, alias Time, with a Scythe in his Hand, and a true Protestant Hourglass of a large size on his Head: This is (said my Friend) the Chronicle Room, wherein are laid up all the Archiva of Fanaticism, this is the Register Office of the Democraticks, a Place which they are unwilling that any but those of their own Faction should see. I think, Sir, (said I) that we were forced to creep in at the wrong end of the Body Politic, before we could come at it: 'tis no matter for that (replied he) now you are here, pray observe those 22 large Tables all along the Walls, which are engraven with red Letters, what are they? (said I) Why! they are the 22 Years last passed, with the Contents of all their Designs and Villainies upon them, and over them you see the Historical part of them painted in large Figures to the Life, we will not examine them all, because some of them contain the same things over again, but what you think the most remarkable, I will expound to you: Sir, (said I) I think they did little in 1661., only I observe some of them grumbling over a good thick Quarto-Book. That is (said he) their Liturgy of 76 Quarto Pages, for the Excellency of which they appeal to the People, because the King and Bishops would not admit of it. But here is to do, and to do, in the Year 62: yonder is some of them going to Execution upon Hurdles; those are Tongue, Gibbs, Phillips and Stubbs, who then suffered for High-Treason, (replied he) and perhaps they were engaged in the bloodiest and most barbarous Conspiracy that ever was hatched, in which several Presbyterians joined with them, as is evident from the Particulars of their Trial; the End of it was to destroy the King, and Duke of York, the chief Ministers of State, all the Bishops, most of the Nobility, of the Gentry, and Commonalty, all that should any way oppose them, or had formerly disgusted them; and all to reform the Kingdom to a Commonwealth again: This was so far from being a Sham-Plot, that in order to it they had their Council of Six, their Committees of Secrecy, their General Officers, Agents, Treasurers and Magazines, held Correspondence in most Counties; designed to secure the Castle of Windsor, the Tower of London; had appointed the very time to begin their Villainy in, which was to have been on All-Hallows Eve, a proper time for our modern Saints to commence Devilism in; and all under the Notion of a Popish Massacre. Now let us observe what were the more public humours of those Days. Why! the several Factions began their separate Congregations, made a formal Schism, united their broken Interests; and by all Arts imaginable, endeavoured to lay the Foundations of another War; they preached nothing but Persecution! Persecution! and set the doleful Coxcombs of their silenced Ministers before their Farewell Sermons. Libels flew about in Swarms, and 
* Address to the Freeholders', pag. 19  one which recommended to the People the Example of Ehud, who stabbed the King of Moab, was just upon the Wing, but was stopped in the Press; many other Circumstances, if I had time, I might relate, but these are enough to show you that the Saints were no Sluggards.  
They began (said I) to play their Pranks so early, that I believe they will never make an end; never (said he) until there is an end made of them: for in the Name of them all, old Arthur Jackson, in a Letter of his, dated Feb. 26. 1662., and at a time, when he said he was come to Jacob's, must die, tells his Friend that the 2 d Reason why he too did not conform, was; 
* Charge of Schism renewed against Separation. pag. 11.  The doing of any thing contrary to the covenanted Reformation, which they had so earnestly prayed for, or that might be scandalous to those that rejoiced in the first Fruits of it, and do still desire and endeavour to promote it.  
Well, Sir, (said I) enough of old Arthur, and the Year 62: But I wonder to see them so busy in the Years 65, and 66. which were dreadful enough, with the immediate Judgement of God upon the Nation, and the City of London particularly; but instead of appeasing the Wrath of God, they seem active to stir up the Fury and Indignation of Men against one another, by increasing the astonishment of the People with fabulous Prophecies, and terrible and romantic Stories, by hinting that their Governors were the Causes of their Calamities; thus making the Pestilence a Motive to Wars, with a Zeal more raging than the Flames that consumed the City, and more contageous than the Plague that destroyed the Inhabitants; so that when we reflect upon the virulency of their Principles, and the destructive Practices they have produced, we conclude Mr. Cowley was more than a Poet, when he said,  
Come Pestilence and reap us down,  
Come God's Sword rather than our own.  
But Sir, (said he) look upon the Year 1673, is not that a pleasant Change? It looks, Sir, (said I) like a Year of Jubilee. I never saw so many People of different Humours so well pleased, what is that that makes them so devoutly Brisk and Jolly? They had then gained a Toleration, (replied he) by the means of my Lord Clifford, whom you see leading a Phalanx of Romanists on one side, and the Earl of Shaftsbury at the Head of a Fanatical Herd on the other. Toleration (said I) is a thing of very ill Consequence, ever since the Horses of the Sun broke lose, and ran away with Esquire Phaeton; and so made the first Leap-year, from which time we date all the unhappy Divisions among Judicial Astrologers. But did the Papists help to procure a Toleration? No wonder than we so often hear of Jesuits in the Conventicles of fanatics, and that they both of them have ever since more industriously conspired the destruction of the Government.  
Now you speak (said he) of the Destruction of the Government, look upon these two Tables that contain the Discovery of the Popish Plot.  
I cannot well read them, (said I) I think 'tis wrote in Sir Thomas More's Characters, and so sullied that although there is a certain account of a Plot, yet I cannot understand many particulars; surely they who first contrived it, found out this way in case of discovery to shame it. But what do you think (said he) of him that discovered it? I cannot tell (said I); well then, (replied he) I will tell you a Story: There was a certain good natured Man who lived within a Mile of an Oak, and he was one Day sitting in his House, when there came a little wand'ring Fellow to him, and told him that in such a place there lay a hideous and dreadful Wolf, with a design to devour both him, and his whole Flock of Sheep; he being careful to preserve his Flock as well as himself, prudently contrives to apprehend and secure the Wolf; as he was going he had like to have fallen into an Ambuscado of Bears, which were the Relations and Friends of him that discovered the Wolf, and altogether as ravenous; upon this he carefully retires to consult what was best to be done: Certain it was, there was a terrible Wolf, of the very race of the Wolf that was wet Nurse to Romulus and Remus; but the Bears lay in the way, who were as dangerous, for they would beat down all the Bee-Hives (the Emblems of Monarchy) for the sake of the Honey; and besides, they alarmed the Wolf, so that he skulked away for the present: at last one advised him thus. Sir, you have a Lion and a Unicorn in your House, the best in the World, and without more ado, set them briskly on both the Wolf and the Bears, and if they come any more I will be bound for their good Behaviour.  
I understand the Moral of it, Sir, (said I;) but that Picture for the Year 1680, does quite pose me, the Painter deserves to be rewarded as the Poet Choerilus was, for the few good Lines in it: Whilst (said he) you stand right against the Central Line you can make nothing of it, but come this way, what do you see now? The Pope (said I.) Go that way, what do you see now? Jack Presbyter. Just so, (said he) according to this Rule of Painting have they intermixed the Popish and Fanatical Plots, that if a Man be not rightly fixed they confound one another, if he be he sees them both in their proper Colours. But as they have had traitorous designs upon the Government for above 100 Years last passed, so since the Toleration they have been more than ordinarily active in their Conspiracies, which their more open and public humours do sufficiently prove, and if you will not believe me, pray observe them.  
At this a pair of great Gates opened, and discovered a spacious Court full of all sorts of People, like the Exchange-Walks; at our first entrance, a Fellow with a whole Basket of Pamphlets had like to run over me, crying, Mirma, Maromah, Maroum, or a Prophecy of the downfall of Babylon. Do not you wonder, (said my Friend) to hear these People threatening the Pope with a whole Volley of Rumbling Gibberish, who were but lately ready to run out of their Wits for fear of him, when the Pamphlet entitled the Growth of Popery was printed. Oh! Sir, (said I) I suppose this is only to whet the Irascible Appetite of the Saints, and to encourage them to knock at Rome Gates, as they threatened in the Days of Oliver. This is (replied he) fitted for an Association, to destroy the Government under the Notion of Popery, and would be as serviceable to the Jesuits ends in France. But on the other hand, yonder are a sort of Fellows playing upon the Hypocondria's of the Rabble, and telling them sad Stories of a Prophecy found in a Kettle, of a strange Monk-Fish, taken in the Pyrenaean Sea, upon the Coasts of Northamptonshire: yonder are others selling your true Protestant Almanacs, wherein all the twelve Houses are made Conventicles, and many other ridiculous, nonsensical and seditious Papers are thrown about, with which the fickle Rout first kindle their Zeal, and then light their Pipes, but these are their Tricks of old. And therefore, let us try if we can hear what yonder Person (whom I know to be a Jesuit in Disguise,) is saying to the Presbyterians; as soon as we came to him. Brethren, (said he) since the Church of England hates to be Reform, still maintaining several Popish Ceremonies, I think our Separation from it so far from being a Schism, that we are bound in Conscience not only to separate ourselves, but to carry along with us as many as we can, by which means we shall rescue many poor Souls from the Paws of the Beast, and from the Clutches of Antichrist; and still stick fast to that Solemn League and Covenant, which we made with Hands lifted up to the most High God: and since it was the Breach of that Covenant which made the good Cause miscarry, by the falling away of our Brethren the Independents, therefore ought we, laying aside the memory of all former Injuries, to be reconciled to them who are our Fellow-Sufferers in the present Persecution. We ought so, (replied one of them) even the Common Papist, who lives innocently in his way, he is to us as other Separatists. Well then (continued he) since you are of my Judgement, I hope you will take my advice. You see your Congregations daily increase, insomuch that we are able to vie numbers with the Episcopal-men, that a great many Wealthy and rich Persons are our Friends; I therefore advise, that upon the Death of any of the House of Commons, we do all our utmost endeavour, that godly Men, and Friends to our Reformation, may be chosen into their Places, in order to this we must recommend those we design, as most worthy Patriots, and stigmatize with a brand of Reprobation and Popery, those who stand in competition with them: Thus shall we again slide insensibly into all the Advantages we have lost.  
He talked at the same rate to the Independents, Anabaptists, Quakers, and all other Sectaries, who had their several Walks, and they all took his advice: for, a little time after I heard a most horrid noise, as if the Tartars had been sacking the Town, but coming nearer, they proved a vast number of common People carrying the Image of a Gentleman in triumph, and in the mean time reviling and abusing several worthy Persons of good Note, who stood looking on them. I observed but two or three Clergymen among them, and one of them so crooked that his very Corpse was uncanonical, the other so fat, that he had more need of Hoops than of a Girdle; whilst he was dancing in his Chair, he smiled a 1000 Utopian Liberties and Privileges; and many red-faced Politicoes nabbled the Heads of their Canes, in pious hopes of a happy Reformation: at last a General Petition was delivered to him in a large Scroll, upon the back of which was a Sentence in Capital Letters, which was,  Multa Petentibus desunt multa. 
I smiled to think what a biting Jest some merry Tory had put upon them; but more surprised was I to find myself accosted by the very same Jesuit that had been talking with the Presbyterians; for, (laying his Hands upon my Shoulders with a great deal of Familiarity;) now you see (said he) who are the Plotters; who those are that would ruin the Government, are they not those very fanatics that destroyed King Charles the First! that are the Pests of all Humane Societies, and are mortal Enemies to the Church and State? Hark you Sir, (said I) I have some News to tell you that is 1500 years old and more; what is that (said he?) what (said I,)  Clodius accusat Moechos Catilina Cethegum. 
At this he sneaked away, but I pursued him at a convenient distance, until I saw him fall in with a company of People who seemed very moody and discontented; as soon as he came to them: Gentlemen, (said he) your condition is very hard, 'tis strange that Men of your Parts should be thus neglected and thrown aside; indeed I really pity you, you can expect nothing from the Government upon the account of your Merits; all Preferments are bought and sold in a scandalous manner, that must be said for the Church of Rome they will let nothing of worth starve; and the simplest sort of fanatics are very liberal to those who will justify them at any rate; but whilst in the Church of England ingenious Men want the Conveniences of Life, the dullest Blockheads of the Age are, by the help of a Sum of Money, crowded into the fattest Benefices of the Nation, after the great pain and peril of Ordination.  
At this one of them grew so outrageous, that I thought he would have run mad, so that staring about him; I am resolved (said he) to be revenged upon an ungrateful World! I'll rend the Rocks asunder! I'll plunge in the Deep! and wake all asleep! I'll settle the Nation as I please! Here my Muses and Graces where are you? Now for my Mathematics. Well! because the World is round, 'tis perfect Demonstration that the Succession ought not to go in the Right Line.  
At this a brisk Gentleman hit him such a blow on the Mouth, that he made his Teeth break their Ranks, calling him ambitious and proud Coxcomb; and turning to me, surely, (said he) had his Mother's Milk been curdled his Brains had been a Syllabub before now. Then turning to him, Friend, (said he) rest yourself contented; such Infects as you, aught to take example from the Hedgehog, which travels through the shady Groves, and being contented with vulgar Crabs, envies not those who enjoy the Golden Apples, and after Supper is graciously pleased to wrap himself up within the Limits of his own proper Person, and so securely rests, and is more at ease, than if he should put his Nose out all Night, and pretend to have it grow to an Elephant's Trunk before the next Morning: but I perceive, that some of those who are paddling in all the ill Humours of the Nation, have been tampering with you. That Fellow, Sir, (said I) that spoke to him is a Jesuit, and he has been as busy with all manner of Fanatical Malcontents. Perhaps, (said he) with as much Success, for 'tis easy for him to draw those People to what Practices he please, who are of the same Principles with himself.  
As for that little Gentleman (said I) that frets like Gum-Taffety, If he will change his Religion, because he is not successful, he never had any. And as for the fanatics they have been told that theirs is purely Popish, until their Ears are stretched with hearing it, and they will by no means believe it.  
But I will believe my Eyes, (said he.) And if you had ever been in France, Spain, Italy, or Germany, and had seen or heard the Jesuits, or preaching Friars in their Pulpits, you might at the same time have seen all our Conventiclers Mimic Voltings, their frisking Ecstasies, their apish Laughing, their sudden Howl, their awry Faces: all their Postures are according to the Ceremonies of a Roman Missal, their fumbling their Buttons, their knocking their Breasts, their Hands hanging lose, and then again stretched as if they were bewitched; with an hundred other juggling Tricks, and all to set off, and varnish their Doctrines which are the most modish Popery in the World; viz. That the People is the Supreme Power: That Kings and Princes may be Deposed and Murdered: That Success is a certain Evidence of God's approving whatever comes to pass.  
I have heard, Sir, (said I) Instances enough of the two first Positions; pray let me have one of this last.  
Jenkins (said he) in his Conscientious Queries, printed 1651. Asks! Whether, The stupendious 
Page 2 d.  Providence of God manifested among us, in the destruction of the late King, whether by these Providences God hath not removed the Government of Charles Stuart, and whether a refusal to yield Obedience to the present Government, be not a refusal to acquiesce in the Wise and Righteous pleasure of God; and a stat Breach of the Fifth Commandment? So Bellarmine uses it for an Argument for Image Worship; Iconomachis 
Bell. lib. de Imag▪ c▪ 12. Argumen●um decimum.  omnia (non sine divino quodam Miraculo) malè successisse: and then instances that Leo Isaurus, for his demolishing Images lost the Empire of Italy, whereas it was taken from him by the perfidious Rebellion and Perjury of the Roman Bishops.  
Now you talk, Sir, (said I) of Image-Worship, they object as a reason of their Separation, that the Church of England is inclinable to Popish Superstition and Idolatry: No, but they are, (replied he;) You must know that some kind of Image-Worship sprang from the obsolete Fancies of the Anthropomorphitae; and therefore Pope Adrian argues thus; God made Man in his own Image, therefore Images ought to be worshipped: Now one would think that Pope Adrian's Idea had whipped into that Zealot's Noddle, by the way of Pythagoras, who cried; Oh Lord, take a Chair and come and sit among thine Honourable House of Commons. But farther, another Popish Doctrine they hold is, that God sees no Sin in his Children; that they cannot fall from Grace: So the Jesuits hold, that they cannot commit a Mortal Sin. Nemo sociorum in Lethale peccatum incidere queat; None of our Society can fall into deadly sin; thus they vaunted to Cardinal Borromaeus, saith Alphonsus de Vargas, in his Book 
* Cap. 14. pag. 39 Edit. 1636.  De Stratag. Jesuit. Their Funeral Sermons are as so many Popish Canonisations, and the Lives of their Saints, wherein they boast of such extraordinary Revelations, and Gifts of the Spirit, of strange Voices, great Lights, and heavenly Apparitions, seem to outdo the Enthusiastic Legends of St. Francis, St. Dominick, Father Xaviere, or Ignatius Loyola: they both of them interpret many places of Scripture to the very same sense; (though both very false) and the 21st of Ezekiel the 25th Verse, hath been frequently quoted by Popish and Presbyterian Expositors, to the same ends and purposes, and so has the 8th Verse of the 149th Psalm. I have often thought, that John Owen learned from the Psalter of Bonaventure, to abuse and misapply the Psalms of David. He says, 
* Eben Ezer, pag. 13.  God came from Naseby, and the Holy One from the West, Selah. And that saith, Let our Lady arise, and let her Enemies be scattered, etc. The preaching of Women in the Conventicles of Quakers is rank Popery; 
† Bell. lib. 1. de Bapt. cap. 7.  Bellarmine saith, 'Tis not only permitted but lawful for Women to teach; and * Paludanus saith, 
† In 4. Sent. dist.  Papa potest clavem Jurisdictionis & Laico, & Foeminae committere. And again, Papa potest sicut Laico sic & Mulieri committere quòd excommunicet; The Pope can grant as to a Lay Person, so to a Woman the power of Excommunication. And the Canonists teach, that they may exercise Spiritual Jurisdiction. Thus you see that the Spirit of Popery in one shape or other, appears among all the several Sectaries of Great Britain; and some more of their Practices will plainly show how injuriously they cast the Charge of their own Gild upon the truly Reformed Church of England: They condemn all but those of their own Persuasion, and their Motto in Zion's Plea, is; aut hoc aut nihil: So Campian in his Challenge to Oxford saith, aut nostrum est aut nullius Regnum Coelorum: The Jesuits did never more industriously corrupt the Writings of the Fathers, than the Presbyterians did the last Books of Mr. Hooker's Ecclesiastical Policy. The Papists endeavour to impose upon us the Rhemish Testament; and the Presbyterians in King James' time were as busy to have the Geneva Notes put upon the Margin of the Bible. The Jesuits have their Index Expurgatorius; but they never cancelled any thing with more boldness, than the Presbyterians did, when they procured that the 20th Article, viz. That the Church hath power to decree Rites and Ceremonies, etc. was by their Malice left out in the printed Articles. And lastly, whoever shall read their unsanctified Ribaldry, with which they treat the Reverend Prelates of the Church of England, will fancy them the very Cronies and Disciples of the famous Cardinal Palavicini, who to maintain the new Frame of Papal Government modelled by the Council of Trent, does so ridiculously, and maliciously inveigh against the Sacred and Primitive Order of Bishops; calling them 
* In Hist Conc. Tr.  Piccioli Vescovi, Fanciulli, impertinenti, insolenti, Buffoneschi; little Bishops, Babies impertinent, insolent, Buffoons.  
He had no sooner done speaking, but we heard a mighty shouting as if some Triumph had been coming along, and hastening to see what was the matter, I perceived a great Bonfire blazing in the midst of the Court, and a world of People with many Torches, bringing the Pope with his Cardinals and Jesuits, to burn them in Effigy, in remembrance of the execrable Design of the Jesuits on the 5th of November; it was very pleasant to hear the Porter's out-rail the Factious Preachers, and to see the Rabble warming themselves in the flaming Relics of the Beast, fancying the Whore of Babylon a kind of old Witch, that was put to pain with the burning her Imps; but I was most of all surprised to see a great many Papists in disguise, as active and cheerful as any of the Company, until I perceived that although the Pope was burnt in Effigy, yet several Protestants of the Church of England, were the Persons that were aimed at to be sacrificed in Propriis Personis: So that I withdrew as fast as I could; but by the way I had a Copy of Verses put into my Hands, which because they came from the warm Fancy of some Zealous Mongrel, designed for a Post of a Conventicle, I have here set down as a Specimen of his Future Hopes.  
Upon the Gunpowder Treason.  
Tell me the Man that can divulge the Traitor,  
That underground did build this damned Theatre;  
Had but this Plot stayed until to Morrow,  
We had been like to Sodom and Gomorrah.  
Iron Bars, Gunpowder, Faggots and Deal Board  
They heaped up for to destroy thy People, O good Lord.  
Whilst I was laughing with my Companion, and descanting upon these Lines, I wondered to see such a sudden and strange Change in the vast Multitude there met together; the common People, as if weary of idle Tumults began quietly to retire to their Business, the Romish Priests skulked about, and betrayed a world of Despair in their Looks, the fanatics had put on their Suffering Complexions, and looked as heavy as smoked Beef; so the People being dispersed, some of the Company had unfortunately dropped a strange new-fashioned Idol, which had a Belt on, upon which was embroidered in Letters of Blood the Association: Good Lord! what striving their was to keep it from being at first seen, as if it had been the Cub of some hopeful Basilisk? There was a small Company of the new-instituted Order of St. Ignoramus, great Reformers of the third Commandment, who proffered to wash their Hands in scalding Lead, to swallow Fire and Brimstone, and to do harder things than the trial of the Ordeal to testify its Innocency, nay its very non Entity. But when that would not do, a couple of Foreigners endeavoured to take Possession of two considerable Forts, that they might protect it, and in order to that, they would have accepted of the Votes of their very Country Puppets in Rare-Showes; but all in vain, for a numerous Company of Loyal and true hearted Englishmen broke in upon them; and being made sensible of the several un-christian Artifices, both of the Papists and fanatics, to alter and destroy the established Government, laid their several Addresses at his Sacred majesty's Feet, wherein they Religiously vow and promise to defend it.  
At this time there came a Gentleman to me, and pulling me by the Sleeve. That our Fears and Jealousies (said he) might for ever vanish, and our future Peace, and Prosperity be real, and lasting; not only the Loyal and truehearted Nobility, Gentry, and Commonalty of the Realm; but the Learned Clergy too are now doing their utmost endeavours to confute the Principles, as well as prevent the Practices, both of Papists and fanatics, and if you will go along with me, you shall see them as pleasantly baffled, and exposed, as your Heart can imagine, or desire.  
We went until we came to a stately Theatre, like that at Oxford, wherein I was infinitely pleased to see such a number of Learned Writers of the Church of England: on one hand of them sat those who had written in defence of the Romish Doctrines; on the other sat Smectymnuus, with many more late Writers of the Presbyterians: The Solemnity began with Consorts of Music, and an Anthem sung by those of the Church of England, the Subject of it was, the Gunpowder Treason, the Martyrdom of King Charles the First, and the Birth and Return of King Charles the Second: which because it was in a strain something differing from that of our late Poet, I have here set down.  

Novemb. the 5th.  
I.  
The Law came down and spoke  
Of Old, in Fire and Smoak,  
The terrible Thunder from around it broke;  
Sure those Wretches vowed  
To send up one as loud  
With the Lawgiver in a smoky Cloud:  
Had our meek Moses gone  
To God, and left us here alone,  
Straightway some Calves as God's had sat,  
Calves, which Rome's Bulls would have begat.  
How soon should we  
Have lost our new got Liberty,  
And strangely have slidden back to th'old Idolatry.   

Januar. the 30th.  
II.  
Oh wondrous strange! it was decreed  
That the Great Charles should bleed,  
Not burn; that Trial he Alas!  
Did'scape, because he was a worse to pass,  
(The Quintessence of Inhumanity:)  
Charles! Ah! Charles! that Sacred Name,  
Our Pride, and yet Eternal Shame;  
Hadst thou an Infant Martyr been,  
None had the Glory of thy setting seen:  
Immortal Honour was designed to Thee,  
A  Offering to be.  
So the Child Jesus was preserved  
From Herod's Cruelty,  
Sad Bethlehem Massacre,  
And for Mount Calvary reserved.   

Chorus.  
Long may we sing  
God save the King,  
The Royal Martyr's Son,  
By Wonders placed upon his Father's Throne:  
Traitors in vain their Plots do lay,  
Traitors do but themselves betray.  
In vain their Treacherous Foes their Malice show,  
His Crown of Light shall ne'er wax old,  
His e'er will flourish that's of Gold,  
Charles now triumphs above, Charles now triumphs below.   
As soon as the Anthem was ended, one in long Scarlet Robes stood up, and turning to the Papists (said) Since so many Grave and Reverend Divines of the Church of England, have so frequently confuted the Doctrines and Positions of your Church of Rome, and yet you still perservere in your perfidious and rebellious Practices: We therefore demand, that the Fundamental Principles of such fatal Bigotry may be here openly exposed, that the World may know what ridiculous Consequences, and foolish Absurdities those Opinions are subject to, for which you so zealously disturb the Peace of Christendom, and give such occasion of Scandal to Turks and Infidels.  
The Papists were so provoked that they soon accepted the Challenge; for immediately a Lane was made among them to give way for a Monster, much like a Chinese Hieroglyphic in Kirker, with a great many Hands, Feet, and Eyes, and a Head representing the Terrestrial Globe, on the top of which stood a Cupola. As soon as one of our Church saw it, he cried out, it is not lawful to bring Briareus into a Christian Assembly. Briareus! said one of the Papists, know you not that by this Emblem we represent the Universality of the Church of Rome? do not you know that the Bishop of Rome is the Universal Bishop of the whole Catholic Church? No, replied he, I know it no more than the Pope of Rome; Gregory the Great did not 
Greg. Epist. lib. 6. cap. 3.  know it, he detested it as a Symptom of Antichrist: and Phocas who bestowed it upon Pope Boniface, did not do it until he had an occasion to bestow his Master the Emperor Mauritius in the other World. But now (said he) you may plainly see it with your Eyes, look you there, there is the Globe of the whole Earth, of which the Pope is the Lord and Governor; 'tis true, you Heretics wander in some little buy Places, as in England, and in some petty Hans-Towns of Germany, but his Authority is extended over all the World, all the Indies acknowledge him, all Italy, France, Spain, Poland, Hungaria, Transylvania, Gallicia, Valentia, Granada, Andalusia.  
Hold, Hold Sir, (cried he) if you should stumble o'er the Straits Mouth you will beat out your Brains against Herculeses Pillars. Pray, let us examine this Monster's Noddle, what a grievous bruise has Martin Luther given him with his High Dutch Knuckles? he has broken I do not know how many Degrees of Longitude and Latitude; all Great Britain is quite beat out, and the Low-Countries are so sunk in, that I believe he must be trepan'd before he can recover; in short, the Protestants are almost as numerous as the Papists. But suppose we grant him that thumping Appellation, why did Pope Paul the 5th in his Bull wherein he excommunicated Queen Elizabeth, use that sneaking Title of Servant of Servants, your Triple Servant? He should have sent a good deepmouthed Nuncio that should have stretched his Muzzle to the uttermost, and have roared like a crack of Thunder among the Alps, and have cried Paolo quinto Papa Monarcha, di Regno, di Vaticano, Segnor del mondo, supremo, santissimo, Vmano magistrato, etc. This would have conjured down all the Protestants, and have put them into such a trembling Fit, that they would have shaked all their Heresy out of the Knees of their Breeches; this would have better suited him who is the most serene and invincible Sultan of Contradictions, the Grand-Seignior of all Mental Reservations and Equivocations, the Sophi of Legends and Romances, the Great Mogul of Indulgences, the Czar of Holy Impostures and Pious Cheats, the Great Cham of the Inquisition, etc.  
Hold Sir, (cried one of the Papists) this is Raillery and Abuse: 'tis as true (replied he) as that the Pope is Universal Bishop; let him but keep within his own Diocese, and not meddle any more with the Rights of Sovereign Kings and Princes, and there is no body (that I know of) will be so ready to compliment him from the Arctic to the Antarctic Pole for the Future.  
But we hope (cried several of them) you will allow our Church to be the Catholic Church: For this word Catholic, there has been much scrambling these many Years, (replied he) and you have taken much pains to monopolise it to your See of Rome, in order to which for the great number of humane Heretics whom you excommunicate, you take all manner of Beasts, Fowls, and Fishes into the Pale of your Church; St. Francis first converted the Birds, and then afterwards he fully convinced and satisfied a Wolf that had a very tender Conscience; nor was he the only Apostle to the Brutes; but the Bishop 
Book of Conf. p. 114.  of Canaglion managed as difficult a Diocese in the Year 1593., for he Catholickly accused the Fishes, so that afterwards they without all doubt believed the Doctrine of Holy Water. St. Bernard in a Fit of Popery is reported by 
* Pet. de Nat. in vit. Bern.  Petrus de Natalibus, to have excommunicated the Flies: and therefore several Species of Creatures, observing that all Regular Orders had put themselves under the Protection of some considerable Saints, have likewise listed themselves, the Dogs under St. Hubert, a Huntsman; the Horses under St. Joys, their Ostler-General; and because the Geese once preserved the Capitol, there was an Order from the Vatican that St. Feriol should take care of them. And so (said he) I hope we are all satisfied as to the Universality of the Romish Church: pray set forth the Antiquity of it.  
Upon this all the Papists desired that they might save that Argument until the last; fancying that it gathered strength every Moment, and desired the Assembly to take into their consideration the Unity of their Church, and the Supremacy of the Pope: as for the Protestants (cried one of them) they are divided into as many Factions as there are days in the Year, and make an Anarchy of the Kingdom of Grace; but the Roman Catholics are all united under one Head, the Pope, so making the true Hierarchy of the Holy Catholic Church.  
Upon this one of the Church of England stood up, (and said;) as for our Church, it has no more to do or answer for the Factions among Protestants, than yours, nor so much neither; when did ever any Minister of the Church of England preach the Doctrines of fanatics to promote its Interest? when did any of them ever preach, that which in their Consciences they knew to be a Lie, for the sake of the Truth? and if you look into your own, you will find those Divisions which never were in our Church, as the differences betwixt the Dominicans and Franciscans, betwixt the Jansinists and Mollinists, which have been continued with the greatest heats imaginable; 'tis true the Pope hath sometimes interposed his Authority, but to no great purpose: but where was the Papal Authority in the days of the Anti-popes'? or what will become of it, if the Jesuits gain their designs? will all other Orders acknowledge the Papal Authority, if the Jesuits confine it to their own? the Church of England can never be subject to such a Fatal Division, so long as the King of England is acknowledged to be in all Causes, as well Ecclesiastical, as Civil, Supreme Governor. As for the Pope's Supremacy, that has been so sufficiently pelted with good Greek and Latin, by many of these Learned Authors, that I will only humbly drop a few Queries concerning it at this time.  
First then, We desire to know, Whether our Saviour ever granted it to St. Peter? Secondly, Whether the present Pope be his Successor? Thirdly, Suppose it was granted to St. Peter, Whether there was any need of forging the Donation of Constantine afterwards? Fourthly, If it was granted to St. Peter, because he first confessed him to be Christ the Son of the living God, Whether Pope Leo the 10th had any right to it, for saying to Cardinal Bembo, 
* Crispinus.  Quantum nobis nostrique ea de Christo fabula prosuerit satis est omnibus secu● notum. Fifthly, we desire to know whether any Bishopric in Christendom remaining, can show a Succession so disordered, and corrupted, as that of Rome? Not to mention their strange Schisms, let any Person but consider the Stratagems and impious Intrigues of the Conclave, the Factions of the Nepotism, contrary to that Solemn Oath they take, enough to make Angels tremble, and he will conclude, that there is more of the Old City than of the Ancient Church in Rome. Lastly, If the Papal Supremacy be so absolutely necessary to Christ's Kingdom here on Earth, Whether the Cardinals be not strange Men, that they by their long Janglings, and Disputes upon a Vacancy, and at an Election, should so long debar him from the Administration of that Power by his Vicar; And whether it be not more suitable to a Monarchy that suffers no Interregnum: And consequently since, Rex Angliae non moritur, The King of England is said not to die according to our Law; whether the King be not according to the 37th Article the Supreme Governor, in all Causes Ecclesiastical and Civil, in all his Dominions; and whether the Bishop of Rome hath, or aught to have any Jurisdiction in any of them?  
At this a Jesuit stood up, and looking earnestly upon some newly proselyted Papists; Regard not (said he) what any prating Heretic of them all says: Have we not made you sufficiently sensible that all the Protestant Religion is an Innovation? that King Henry the 8th, a mere Julian, was the first that apostatised from the Holy Catholic Faith, the first that arrogated to himself the Pope's incommunicable Dignity of being Head of the Church?  
'Tis false (replied one of the Church of England) King Henry the 8th only reassumed what some of his Predecessors owned, what none of them ever could, or any of his Successors ever can give away from the Crown of England: But the Papal Supremacy is an Usurpation and an Innovation too; 'twas never heard of in the World until above 600 Years after Christ; nay Pope Boniface the 3 d, was the first that ever pretended to be the Universal Bishop. The Christians in 
* Tertull. ad Scap. cap. 2.  Tertullians' time acknowledged the Emperor to be, Hominem a Deo secundum, solo Deo minorem. And 
† Opt. Lib. 3.  Optatus has the same Strain, Super Imperatorem non est nisi solus Deus qui fecit Imperatorem. What need I mention what Cyril, and chrysostom, and Gregory the Great, and Pope Agatho have clearly and plainly said, and written upon this Point, you have been told often enough; nay in that Council which you call the Eighth General Council, the Emperor Basilius publicly professeth, (none of the Bishops contradicting him) 
* Epag. Basilii in Conc. quod vocat. Act. 8. 1.  Gubernacula Ecclesiasticae navis sibi a Deo commissa, That the Government of the Church was committed to him by God.  
There was no reply made of a long time, for a great bustle that was among the Papists; at last three or four lusty Fellows came dragging in a mighty tall Statue, almost resembling the old Image of St. Christopher in Nostre Dame in Paris, he held in his Hand a long Scroll, which was a Catalogue of all the Popes, and was hung from Head to Foot with all manner of old fashioned Trumpery: Before it marched an aged Hermit with a Scyth in his Hand, and looking upon the Protestants as if he would have mowed them down at once; Ye base Innovatours (cried he) that have troubled the World with new Doctrines, where was your Religion before Luther? See here the ancient and undeniable Records of ours; see here the infallible Traditions of many Ages, by which we clearly know that we profess the same Fundamental Truths the first Martyrs asserted, (who were so very old that their Beards helped to burn them,) and which none but a Company of new fangled Heretics in the last Century ever denied.  
Good Father greybeard (replied Bishop Montague) done't think to affright us out of our Senses with an old Wormeaten Idol, overrun with Cobwebs, you might as well have brought a Tom of Bedlam with the Luggage of the Gibeonites, to prove the Antiquity of your Doctrines, as this old withered Hercules; for assure yourself we cannot only prove them the spurious Inventions of your Cabalistical Innovatours, but we can tell you the very Time, and Occasions of the introducing every one of them into the Christian Church; we have not only the Scriptures, Fathers and Councils maintaining all the grounds of the Protestant Religion, according to the Reformation of our Church of England, but before it, even in the darkest days of Popery we meet with many the learned'st Men that those Ages afforded, inveighing against the Corruptions both in Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of Rome, as Robert Grosthead Bishop of Lincoln, William Occam, John Gerson, Picus Mirandula, Hierom Saveranola, Hus and Hierom, the Followers of Waldo; and in the Year 1260, Nicholas Gallique, wrote a Book upon that Subject, entitled the Fiery Dart: But since we cannot convince you of the Antiquity of Protestantism, we will be so complimental for this once as to allow Popery to be older than Christianity itself, it is no difficult thing to prove several of your Legends out of Livy and Valerius Maximus; what a dull Theologue was Lipsius not to remember that several of the fine Stories he tells concerning our 
* Just. ●ips. de Virg. Hallu. cap 6.  Lady at Hall, were long before recorded of the 
† Val. Max. lib. 1. cap 8.  Statue of Claudia, placed in the Temple of the Mother of the Gods? the speaking and Miracles of Images are all Ethnic Illusions, and the friskings of Monkish Puppets, the Artificial Contrivances of Heathenish Oracle-mongers; many of your Saints are slipped into places of Trust held by the old Deities; but I wonder that since Diana had so noble an Office as to hunt the Stag, and the Wildbore, that St. Gertrude should get no better Preferment in your Legends, than that of a paltry Rat-catcher: But we will talk no more of the Antiquity of your Religion. As for that Jesuit who boasts so much of it, although he is the greatest Innovatour amongst you, yet rather than fail, upon occasion, he can learnedly prove his own Order to be the eldest, as well as the richest in the World, nay contemporary with the very Hivites and Perizzites, for Numb. 26. 44. we read; Of Jesui, the Family of the Jesuits.  
He had a great deal more to say to them, but that he was interrupted with a great Crowd and Noise of Clergymen coming in from all parts of the Kingdom, who made great Complaints against the Presbyterians and other Dissenters, for that they (in a time when the Government both in Church and State was in such danger, by reason of the Papists) were then more ungovernable, restless and insolent than at any other time: and indeed so it plainly appeared, for those there present began to be troublesome and mutinous, pretending great Fears of Popery, but levelling all their Invectives against Persons the most remarkable for Loyalty and Conformity; and clamouring for a speedy Reformation of I do not know what, holding a great many Seditious Pamphlets in their Hands, complaining, railing, petitioning, threatening; which when the Papists observed they very cunningly slipped away, well knowing that they had too much alarmed the Government to carry on their Designs at present, and infinitely pleased to think that they had left their Deputies in an uproar to make them more easy and successful for the Future: But because they perceived that their rude Clamours grew distatefull to the Generality of People, they began to be more calm, upon which a Reverend Divine stood up, and turning to them: Can ye, Brethren, (that dissent from us) imagine (said he) that we can either redress your Grievances, or answer your Writings, whilst they thus fly in Swarms about us? No certainly, unless we had as many Ears as Argus had Eyes: Let one or two of your select Champions now stand forth, and we will give you all possible Satisfaction by answering all their Objections.  
To this they all willingly agreed, and after a short Debate pitched upon the Authors of Melius Inquirendum, and of Julian the Apostate; so Proclamation was made, and the first of them cited to appear in their Defence. As he was coming, the same Person stood up again and said; this Person has wrote a Book entitled,   

MELIUS INQVIRENDUM, OR A SOBER INQUIRY INTO THE REASONINGS OF THE SERIOUS INQUIRY. WHEREIN The Inquirer's Cavils against the Principles, his Calumnies against the Preach and Practices of the Non-conformists are examined and refelled, etc.  
In which Book he shows himself the most dangerous and implacable Adversary of the Church of England, abusing our Reformation and established Government, with all the unsanctified Buffonery his Wit and Malice can invent; and pretends to superinduce a Through Reformation of his own, which for all his confident Varnish, and pious Pretences, would subject us to all the Calamities and Villainies we have already seen and felt: Now although the sober part of this pretended Sober Inquirer is already sufficiently answered and refelled by the Reverend and Learned Dr. Laurence Womock in his Verdict upon the Dissenters Plea, etc. Yet since he is maliciously pleased to swell into a third Edition with Additions, we will even let lose a small Country Curate at him to trifle with him in his own way, and to give him some gentle Corrections: he cannot find fault with his Antagonist, or despise him, 'tis but to fulfil his own Quibble, 
* Pag. 110.  Parvae Loquuntur curae, ingentes stupent.  
I paid for my peeping, for immediately I was commanded to come into the Theatre, where I stood trembling, as if I had been to kick and cuff with Colbron the Giant, or to fight and scratch with some Wild Beast; whenas a good brisk Fellow, with a lose Coat hanging upon his Shoulders, came in, and turning to a Gentleman. You, Sir, (said he) The ever and much honoured 
Epist. Ded.  S. K. Esquire: Do you think that these Dissenters Court their Miseries, with the same Passionate Caresses that other Inamorato's do their Mistresses? that they should run over one another's Heads for the first grasp of Destruction, as if they road Post all upon the Switches and the Spur, for a Presentation to a warm Parsonage?  
Hold Friend, (said I) kerb in your Pegasus, or he will run over some of the Company by and by; Inamorato's are as very fanatics as ever doted upon Chains and Fetters, and have as wrong a Notion of Persecution; and I do not know why the Circumcelliones might not pretend as many Charms for courting the Gallows, as some of them have for whining after an Insolent and Squabbling Dowdy: but your Miseries are so well qualified with the Liberality of the Holy Sisters, that you can merrily bear them; you never meet with so many Golden Mines, as in the Torrid Zone of your Sufferings; and can pleasantly endure to be smoked a little in Terra del Fogo, so long as 'tis by the way of Potosi; this makes you so flippant under Tribulations, and crackle like Bays in the Flames of Martyrdom: 'tis certain, that as Jack-Pudden gets most Money when he is briskly kicked about the Stage, so does Jack-Presbyter when the Penal Laws are pretty nimble upon him. Well Sir, since You and I must have a Trial of Skill for the Diversion and Good of the Company, pray tell me your Name; Melius Inquirendum by Ignoramus! what's the meaning of this R. W. your Name gins with a W. and therefore it shall be Whiggus, mine with a P. (any one will do) mine for once and away shall be Pamphilus. But what are your Miseries you were speaking of? What is the Matter with you?  Whig. 
Why there is a certain Compassionate Enquirer, lately come to Town, with a great deal of Passion, that would set us together by the Ears with Uniformity; but why cannot we love a Christian as he is such, though differing from us in Innocent Accidents; as well as a Man because he is a Man, though his Hair be of another Colour, his Face of another Symmetry and Complexion than our own?  Pamph. 
If you cut off the Man's Head, or lop off his Arm, you cannot say you love him, if you do it wilfully 'tis no Innocent Accident; you think the Supreme Magistrate (who is a Man and a Christian too) a great deal too tall for you, you wilfully take his Authority down lower by the Head 'tis no Accident, and when he was made the Head shorter in his Person, I wish you were Innocent.  Whig. 
But you Churchmen make the Breach so wide, by endeavouring to reduce the World into a strict and precise Uniformity in every minute Punctilio.  Pamp. 
How come these Punctilios to grow so fat and burly on a sudden, that you durst not swallow them for fear the Devil and all his Works should crowd in after them, for before the next full of the Moon you will be complaining that they are bigger than Camels and won't go down? How can you love or agree with another Man, that do not agree with yourself; but in this Book you have not shown yourself either a Man or a Christian, but rather a profane satire of another symmetry, being a Composition of Man, Beast and Devil, that can blow hot and cold and Contradictions with the same Breath. And now you have the Heels of a Goat, can clamber over the most craggy Consequences: I shall not trouble myself to trace you in all the bye-paths wherein you are wanton and rampant upon the Compassionate Enquirer, but since you are broke lose upon the Reformation of the Church of England, if I can come handsomely at you I will put a Curb in your Mouth, that you shall be more sensible of, than of the Axes and Halters you talk of.  Whig. 
I see I cannot avoid the lash of virulent Tongues; but I tell you, I design nothing but a Reformation to the Primitive Institutions of Christ and his Apostles: I would have no Inventions of Men, but perfect Evangelical Purity and Simplicity, and that's the Design of my Book.  Pamp. 
But the strain of your Book shows little of the Evangelical Gravity or Modesty; I doubt you will find a great many Idle words in it, and besides what is worse, you will be found in your Plea for the Dissenters to defend the Actions of the Scribes with the Language of the Pharisees; though by the way you may chance to meet with the Whip for them that profane the Temple, and as smarting Correction for those that are Hypocrites in the Corners of the Streets. But, Sir, did you ever read any Punns or Quibbles in the Evangelists? Did the Apostles Ridicule and Burlesque the Ceremonial Law though abolished? Did they Droll upon, or make sport with Kings, or those that are in Authority under them? Hermias a Christian Philosopher, was the first that wrote Gentilium Philosophorum Irrisio (a Book so called) but is there no difference betwixt the Diabolical Magic of Heathenish Institutions, and the decent Ceremonies of a Christian and Reformed Church? No, so it seems by you, whilst those that constitute them are made no better than Numa Pompilius (the first Roman Ritualist, as you call him) and the Orders appointed by them, (with whom Christ by the Blessed Spirit is promised to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to the end of the World) than the Palladium of Troy, or the Image of Diana: Thus you show your Malice more than Wit in your disproportionable Similitudes and Examples, whenas to expose a Child for its indifferent Innocency, you might as well dress him in the Armour of one of the Titans, and then frighten all Nations with him; Your Instances, Rejoinders, Quotations, are all the way of the same Nature, which though at first glance they may seem (to some) to look upon the Church, yet like the Parthians shoot another way; yet you draw them in by the Head and Shoulders, dress them up with Daisies and Primroses, to amuse and cheat the easy Reader; whenas a Judicious Eye that pierceth through the Buffonery of such a Scribbler, will no more mistake him for a good Casuist, than a Morrice-Dancer for a good Statesman: had you like Janus looked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, you might in the profane abuse of all things Sacred, in the late Blessed Reformation of the Dissenters, have met with ridiculous Impieties, that rather require the severe Lashes of a flaming Wit, if Blasphemy, Sacrilege and Treason do rather deserve them than Peace and Order. But now to the purpose, what do you in particular object against our Reformation?  Whig. 
I tell you, I clear the Articles of the Church of England from the Rubbish of Popery and Arminianism; and since the Compassionate Enquirer has made a Syncope of the Name and Fame of St. Augustine, alias Austin, for confuting the Pelagian Heresy; and since he pretends to rout him, and the whole Synod of Dort, that was of St. Austin's Mind, with a whole long row of Fathers, Greek and Latin, then and there quoted; I think I was no less bound after the Examples of our own Kings and Parliaments, and many Writers of the Church (knowing this Arminianism to be an inlet into Popery) to oppose and expose it.  Pamp. 
Here is indeed the whole matter in short from Page 45 to 65: Only, Sir, by the way there was no need of half that noise about it, with all that ruffling of flaunting Metaphors and learned Outcry; the design is to lay a new Indictment for the pretended Crime of Arminianism against the Church, to help to run it down as in the late Rebellion, but you want an Oliver Cromwell to make Evidence: It had been as witty, since you are got to Dort, to say that St. Augustine's Name is begun in the Middle like an Holland Cheese, as that a Syncope was made of it, and much more to the Capacity of the Phlegmatic Tribe; but Sir, though he did not very well agree with Pelagius, yet he would never have set up his Horses at Hippo with Aerius, much less at Dort with any of his Successors; therefore I do not know why the Church of England, which is as considerable as the Church of Africa was, should receive Ecclesiastical Government from Dort, or Civil from Amsterdam. We are neither Calvinists, nor Arminians, nor Pelagians, nor Novatians, but of the truly Ancient Catholic and Apostolical Church of England; we have our own National Convocation. And as for our Articles, pray let them alone, you have already filched away one of them, viz. the 20th, as the Papists have done the second Commandment: But what was you going to say about Ceremonies and Reformation?  Whig. 
For your Ceremonies, I say, they were left as a Key to Let in Papists, and now they are a Lock to shut out Protestants: Thus Indulgences and Remission of Sins were granted to all that would engage in the Holy Wars, but in process of time were dispensed to them that would Massacre the Waldenses and Albigenses: Thus the Inquisition was first set up to discover the Hypocritical Moors of Spain, but the edge of it since turned against the Protestants.  Pamph. 
Here are two more Instances that have been upon the tenterhooks these hundred years: but when will you prove the Ceremonies of the Church comparable to Romish Indulgences, or the Penal Laws to the Inquisition? when the Moon has Calved, and left you her horns for a Legacy. But that is not the End why they are retained; and if they were Abolished, you would discover yourselves to be worse than Hypocritical Moors by a Rebellion, of which neither the Waldenses, Albigenses or Protestants in Spain were ever guilty.  Whig. 
I say they are Popish, and therefore your Reformation wants a Reformation; for as one said, The English have driven the Pope out so hastily, that he has left his Garments behind him. And therefore we desire a Reformation of what is necessary, and as often as is necessary.  Pamph. 
I will make bold with an Answer from Bishop Sanderson; It were good (saith he) for your own selves, that you may not Rove in infinitum, and in compassion to us, that you would give us a perfect Boundary of what is Popery now, with some Prognostication or Ephemerideses annexed (if you please) whereby to conclude what will be Popery seven years hence: Therefore propose what you would have Reformed.  Whig. 
Before I come to particulars, I must say what honest Gerson said of old: There can be (saith he) no General Reformation without the Abolitions of sundry Canons and Statutes, which neither are, nor reasonably can be observed in these times, which do nothing but ensnare the Consciences of men to their endless perdition; no Tongue is able to express what evil, what danger and confusion the neglect and contempt of the Holy Scriptures (which doubtless is sufficient for the Government of the Church, else Christ had been an imperfect Lawgiver) and the following of Humane Inventions hath brought into the Church. Serm. in die circ.  Pamph. 
Truly, friend, this is too long-wasted, and looks (as you say) like a Shrimp in a Lobster's Symar. What does this signify to us? you might as well have scrapeed an Objection out of the Minor-Poets, for he neither talks of our Canons, nor of these times; nor have you, who live in them, any reason to complain of the neglect and contempt of the Holy Scriptures, which are ordered to be read in the Church, by the Rubric, in better order, and more frequently than ever they were in any Conventicle. But as you show yourself an excellent Artist at the Hocuspocus of Systole and Diastole, so by sleight of hand you have scrubbed up a new-fashioned Hypotyposis, a figure of Rhetoric, in which you Conjure up together Things, Places, Persons, Times, that little thought of meeting one another in this world. Now if a true Syllogism in Logic should but flush in the Pan, they would disperse like wildfowl, to their several quarters: You talk earnestly for a Reformation, but make a great many Cramp Quibbles about the Remedies for healing our divisions, as if you had plundered a Druggist, or culled the hardest names from the Galley-pots of an Apothecary's Shop. But, Sir, to be short, I demand of you, that you plainly tell us in order (though your grievances lie scattered up and down your Book, like the Sporades or darkest specks in the Chaos) what you would have Reform in the Church of England, and to what Model you would have them Reform.  Whig. 
I Will, Sir: And, first, for your sake I would have the Gouty Benefices reduced to the Modicum of Meager Vicarages, or that Lean Curates should have more of the Fat Parsonages; if we be for Moderation in Reformation, why are we immoderate for Revenues? but instead of that, nothing but laying Steeple upon Steeple, like Pelion on Ossa, and such Riding to Constantine o'er hedge and ditch for a thumping presentation!  Pamph. 
Ho ! Pegasus! ho! what, is he broke lose again? Pray stop a little, and let me tell you, Sir, That if all the Gentlemen of England would follow the example of our good Constantine, (who refused the Impious request of your Brethren, to make them a Lease of Bishop's Lands for 99 years,) the consequence would be this; That few men of Worth and Parts would be almost starved with want, or ruined with discontent, whilst heavy Blockheads waddle with plenty. But there are a sort of Mongrel Heteroclite of your Faction, that Gallop over the head and shoulders of Simon Magus, into the Church doors, that they may throw it out at the Windows; these make the inequality, by jumping o'er the Barrecadoes of Oaths and Sacraments; who have found out a Salvo, with which if they do but anoint their Mouths, they can take an Episcopal Oath, though hot as melted Lead, without scalding their Chaps. But hark you, Sir! One of your Friends at Sudbury was so deadly trepan'd the last Assizes at St. Edmunds-Bury, that that Trade (since you are such an Advocate for Trading) is in danger to be lost. But pray what makes you laugh?  Whig. 
Why, to think that you Churchmen should hazard such Substantial Preferments, for such Circumstantial Fopperies, as Ceremonies are, as the Sign of the Cross, the Surplice and Organs, etc.  Pamph. 
What say you to the Sign of the Cross in Baptism?  Whig. 
I say they may as well put a finger in the Child's Ear, in token that it shall hereafter hearken diligently to the Word of God; or lay a little Salt upon the Child's Tongue, in token that its Speech shall be seasoned with Salt; as make an Airy Cross over its Forehead, in token that it shall confess a Christ crucified.  Pamph. 
Good morrow, Mr. Udal, I thought you had been hanged fourscore years ago, in token that you should not hereafter have talked so profanely; if I be not mistaken, you may find a great many of your squirting Jests in his or Penn's Writings: But how comes it to pass that you who at other times make the Sign of the Cross such a stout overgrown humane Sacrament, such a huge symbolical, mystical Ceremony, as to be more dreadful to the Saint, than rawhead and bloody-bones should now make it only an airy vanishing Phantasm? But I'll tell you a piece of news, Sir: I have been told, that when Sir William Waller, that great Apostate-Gold-finder, burnt the Picture of the Cross, that His Majesty should say, That although he would not Worship it, yet he would not Burn it: And all his good Subjects will tell you, that you should not contemn and scoff at it: Why should it not be a token, that I should manfully fight against sin, the world and the devil, under Christ's Banners; as when in the late Wars pulling out the lappet of a Shirt, or some such device was a token that your Dissenters should perfidiously fight under the Banners of a Rebel against their Lawful Sovereign? You have had Reasons enough for the Ancient use of the Sign of the Cross; but I will be bold to add, That because the Church has retained it as a pious custom, in opposition to the scurrilous Malice of Heathens, Jews and Mahometans, who would seem to affront the Christians with that Sign; so ought the Church still to continue it, so long as among your Dissenters, as you call them, there have been lately found 
* Dissenters Sayings.  that have denied to put their trust in a Crucified Saviour. One word more of this, and I have done: If symbolical signs and tokens will move your Anger, why not (if they be Analogous) my Devotion? I do not think running for Fritters on Shrove-Tuesday a symbol of the Christian Race, nor drawing Valentines in the Ash-heap of Mortality: Yet I say again, that tokens or symbols that bear a true Analogy, will stir, I hope, my Devotion, and, I fear, your Anger; for should I point at your forehead with two fingers (and make Horns, as they call it,) you would go near to hit a man a substantial Cuff for such a symbolical affront; and although it did not make you a Cuckold, (any more than the Sign of the Cross makes a man a Christian,) yet 'twould be a token that you shall hereafter be ashamed to confess it. But go on to the next thing that must be Reformed, I think you spoke of the Surplice.  Whig. 
Ay, I say 'tis strange that you Churchmen must have your Summer-Ceremonies, and your Winter-Ceremonies; sometimes you are in White, and then again in Black.  Pamph. 
Are not you in both, when you have a black and white Cap on? but I thought you had been for variety, by the flourishing Harangues you make upon it in your Preface; and besides you say, Let the Worshippers of Mahomet quarrel about their Green and Red Turbans, may not a man agree with another, though his suit be not of the same colour? How is it that you so disagree with yourself? But I can tell you, Sir, that for all the Clamours against Symbolical Colours, when the Green Ribond was made a note of distinction, to know those of your Faction by; none of you ever spoke against it, although it was the colour worn by the Leaguers in France, and although such an Historian as you are, cannot be ignorant of the great deflagration, and those bloody Murders that happened in Constantinople for the Colours of Green and Blue under Justinian. But now let's hear you Play upon the Organs.  Whig. 
Not for the World, they are both Jewish and Popish, and the proof for them in Durantus' Rationale will not hold good from that Text of Scripture, Let every thing that hath Breath praise the Lord; for Pope Vitalian was the man that glories first, to have taught mankind the art of worshipping God with a Box of Whistles.  Pamph. 
They sound better than the prayers of a Saucebox, that trumpets his impertinences to Heaven through his Snout, of which we had good store when the Trumpeters in Zion made a Drum of the Pulpit, to call the people out to fight the Lord's Battles against his Anointed, in the days of the Sweet-singers of Israel;  
Whose frenzies then were reconciled 
Hud.   
With Drums and Rattles like a child.  
I know the Chinese sing all in one Note, and the Turkese Amusical dispositions show the Barbarity of their tempers in some cases; but that true Protestants should serve God only with those tunes they whistle to their Horses, is the strangest thing in the world; that they should think nothing so sprightly in devotion, as that which Lulls their Brats asleep; Well, the beating a Hog's Trough is as good for a Sow, as a pair of Organs for her Pigs; for extempore singing or snivelling sounds better with them than orderly composures, that will not be confined to any Rule in any thing else: But if Instrumental Music be, as you fancy, so offensive to God on Earth, how come we to read of Citharists and Harpers in Heaven, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, having the 
Revel. 15. 2.  Harps of God? The whole Book of Psalms, so often used by Christ, is Sepher Tehillim, a Book of Praises: And why may they not, now the Prophetic Part is fulfilled, be sung with as joyful a noise as they were in the Temple before, to which Christ himself in his flesh often resorted? I know no reason why Organs should blow Popery into any man's head, we have had experience to the contrary at home; for 
* Histor. if the Reform. Part 1. pag. 326.  Rob. Festwood and John Marbeck, two Singing-men at Windsor, proved as Early Protestants as any of their neighbours, for Festwood was Burnt for it, and Marbeck was the first that showed the way to compose an English Concordance: The Reformed Churches abroad use them; and I dare lay you a wager you will find a pair in the very Maiden Town of Dort, (which was never yet forced with your Music of the Canon:) And now we are got again to Dort, let St. Austin, for old acquaintance sake, give you a small sentence to teach you better manners for the future: In his rebus (saith he) quibus 
August. in Ep. Casulano.  nihil certi statuit divina Scriptura mos Populi Dei vel Instituta Majorum pro Lege tenenda sunt, utique cavendum est, nè tempestate contentionis serenitas charitatis obnubiletur. In those things concerning which divine Scripture determineth nothing certain, the custom of God's People, or the determinations of our Ancestors are to be held for a Law.  Whig. 
I take you at your word, I stand to the customs of God's People, and I cry with the Council of Nice, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Pamph. 
And I'll take the words of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 11. 16. If any man among you seems to be contentious (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) we have no such custom, nor the Churches of God: And this he saith after he had given the Corinthians a Rationale of the Service and Ordinances he had delivered them; and for such Projectors as you are, since you so often appeal to the Reformed Churches abroad; Hear what 
* Epist. Deed in N. T.  Beza saith, Intolerabiles sunt omninò qui Novitatis studio vetustatem damnant, sed two quoque magnam reprehensionem merentur quibus nihil nisi vetustum sapit: They are altogether intolerable that condemn all Antiquity out of a study of Novelty; but they too deserve mightily to be blamed, who will admit of nothing but what is very ancient. But, Sir, for my part, I'll scramble with you no longer, but leave it to the Learned, who are longer wound than I am; and besides, you have so many ridiculous scruples about the Circumstantials of Time and Place, etc. That you seem rather to urge some of them for the sake of a Jest, than for any Reason in them, lest any one Quibble in your Common Place book should be lost, and not do the work of its Generation.  Whig. 
Ay, but, Sir, I'll be serious; My Conscience will not give me leave to comply with these humane Inventions, though backed with the Authority of the Supreme Magistrate, God Commands me to obey Authority; the same God Commands me not to sin against my light; in some cases I am not bound to obey Authority, but in no case am I allowed to act against my light: It's very clear, that the Magistrate has a Power to command; but not so clear, that he has a power to determine things Indifferent, and make these determinations the conditions of my enjoying the means of salvation. But it's very certain, that Conscientia erronea ligat, licèt non obligat, An erroneous Conscience, though it oblige me not to act against what God has made a duty, yet it binds me up from ever acting against its Convictions: And therefore 'tis safer to adhere to the clearer side, and not to act against the decision of Conscience, in compliance with a Command, which its uncertain whether it oblige or no.  Pamph. 
Here is the scope of all your Arguments, in your 6, 7, and 8 Chapters, crowded up into this kind of Prosyllogism; should I trip up one of the Propositions, down they would all tumble, like an House built of Cards, Trumpets and all; but we will take 'em off gently, one after another. We grant you that you are in no case allowed to act against your Light: No, by no means so to act, as to make that light darkness, which you do, if you be wilfully ignorant, and blind; however, you say 'tis clear that the Magistrate has a Power to Command: Many thanks to you for that, 'tis a Property of his that may be felt; and that's more: But how is it not so clear, that he has a Power to determine things Indifferent? why, the following Clause makes it obscure: And make these determinations the conditions of my enjoying the means of salvation. Pray how, or in what sense do you mean his making them the Conditions, etc. Suppose you had a Trial for a Title to an Estate, because the Supreme Magistrate appoints the time, place and persons for the Assizes, would those determinations be the conditions of your enjoying the means, etc. not the immediate conditions certainly, but the Evidence you can make, and the Letter of the Law. Now if you will rather choose to be nonsuited, than comply with such determinations which may be to your advantage, much good may it do you. Moreover, it is generally believed, by all natural Philosophers, that a man may walk into a Church, though it stands East and West, if all the doors be open; though some Hypocondrical people would fancy they could not, and that the door is either too little for their Noses, or their Noses too big for the Door. Now, Sir, you will say, that Conscience, though erroneous, is not melancholy, and that the cases we talk of are not Civil, but Ecclesiastical; therefore say you 'tis certain, that Conscience, though false, obliges; but that 'tis uncertain whether such Commands do, or no. But that your Conscience may not be erroneous, we will prove they certainly do oblige.  Whig. 
If the Commands of a Father, or Master of a Family, do not in such Circumstantials, for many reasons I have given; how then can such Commands of a Supreme Magistrate, whose Dominions may be so large, that they cannot punctually be observed? Suppose a strict Law were made at Paris, that every particular Church in the Nation should commence their public Service on the Lord's day, precisely at nine a clock, it is Mathematically certain, that some would have done, and got half through their dinners, before others would be half way in their devotions; they in the farthest Eastern Parts would have come to their Amen, before those on the Portuguese Ocean would be at their Oremus.  Pamph. 
They would be pretty well out of the hearing and interrupting one another, that's the comfort of it: If the Man in the Almanac, though pelted with all the Signs of the Zodiac, had not brought a better Argument, I would sentence him to be stuck in the Pillory, that his Noddle might be influenced with rotten Eggs; and therefore keep your Mathematical Certainty for your Sunday Pudding. But, Sir, though the Clock of a Family may sometimes go wrong, it can't go far; and therefore, I suppose, the Master of a Family may determine a time by that clock for family-duty; ay, and many other Circumstantials too: Nay, I fancy that he may enjoin his Family to abstain from Wine all Lent.  Whig. 
That would be a Breach of Christian Liberty.  Pamph. 
Was not that more a Breach of the Jewish Privileges, when the Rechabites were commanded to drink no Wine, they, nor their sons for ever, by their Father Jonadab? there lay no such obligation from the Law of Moses; yet what says the Text, Jerem. 35. 18, 19 Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, Because ye have obeyed the Commandment of Jonadab your Father, and kept all his Precepts, and done according to all that he hath commanded you: Therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever.  Whig. 
But the consequence from the power of a Master of a Family, to the Civil Magistrate's Power, is not very clear, and that by reason of the incapacity and unfitness of the Matter, the bulkiness of the Aggregate; for as, etc.  Pamph. 
Away with these rumbling Similitudes, you draw but foisty Arguments from such swelling words of vanity: I say the Supreme Magistrate, particularly the King of England is better qualified to govern in all cases Civil and Ecclesiastical in his Dominions, than any Master can be for domestic in his Family; God has furnished him with means suitable to the greatness and variety of his charge for Ecclesiastical affairs, Rex Angliae est persona mixta cum Sacerdote, in the same sense that Constantine the Great vouched himself to be a Bishop, and the Church of Christ acknowledged him: He is custos utriusque Tabulae; And as he can command you to hold up your hand at the Bar of God's Justice (whose Vicegerent he is) in case you break any one Commandment; so can he command you to kneel before the Throne of Grace, in token of your Obedience: So that indeed I grant you, that the power of a Master of a Family may not be compared with that of the Supreme Magistrate; indeed if you look into the late Rebellion, the Supreme Magistrate was made low enough: but if you look into the Present State of England, you will find by Common, Civil, Canonical, Apostolical, by all manner of Law, that our Sovereign Lord King Charles the Second, is by the grace of God, in all Causes, and over all Persons, as well Ecclesiastical as Civil, Supreme Governor: Look into the late Rebellion, and you will find that they were such scrupulous Buffoons as yourself, that broke the Boundaries of Order and Obedience, under the pretence of Reformation and Conscience, and turned the Nation Topsy-turvy in Blood and Gore. I have formerly shown what was their Reformation: As for their Consciences, they were not very tender when they made none: you are mightily offended that such a Tender Conscience should be thought a melancholy delusion, or a superstitious qualm: But with what confidence are you so brisk upon that instance of David's heart smiting him when he cut off Saul's skirt, when you are 
Pag. 375.  pleading for the Consciences of those Dissenters that cut off King Charles his Head? You are merrily profane, when you say pag. 381. that you wonder that among all the Apocryphal Epistles of our Saviour to Agbarus, or Paul to Seneca, that we meet with none of the Apostles to Nero: That whereas their Lord and Master, either through the hurry of business had forgotten, or the littleness of the things had neglected to settle his Churches, etc. That therefore they humbly beseech his Imperial Majesty, that he would review and revise their Religion, and such other mystical Ceremonies significant of Gospel-grace, wherewith his well-known Piety could not but be intimately acquainted, etc.  
And his Petitioners shall humbly pray, etc.  
Sir, Had you drawn a Petition according to the strain and humour of those Dissenters you plead for, it should have run thus:  
That whereas their Lord and Master, whose Kingdom was not of this world, had not left them Ammunition enough to settle his Churches, etc. That therefore they humbly beseech his Protectorship to grant them the Militia of the Empire, the Praetorian Bands, and to add such other things significant of Gospel-power, wherewith, etc.  
And his Petitioners shall hearty fight, etc.  Whig. 
Hark you, Sir! have you nothing to say to the Author of Julian the Apostate?  Pamph. 
Yes, I suppose he is one of your disciples, and has learned both his Loyalty and his Modesty from you; one would think that you had spit into his mouth that very Compliment, you, by the way of Similitude, pass upon the Supreme Magistrate, Page 361. It was, say you, a Malicious Artifice of Julian the Apostate, to erect the Images of the Heathen gods in the Forum, near his own Statue, reducing hereby the Christians to this Dilemma, either to seem to worship the Images, whilst they reverenced his Statue, or contemn their Sovereign, by refusing to bow before the Images; into the same Straits would the Masters of Ceremonies bring us; that either our Loyalty must argue us into a Conformity to their Intentions, or Nonconformity shall be an interpretative contempt of Authority. The Masters of Ceremonies bring you into these straits, (as you call them.) Pray, by whose Authority? by the King's certainly; they cannot do it without it: But why (though our Ceremonies can find no better quarter than to be laid up with Heathenish Lumber) must such reflections pass upon our Gracious Sovereign, as to bring him within the verge of a comparison with Julian the Apostate? No wonder that his Royal Brother meets with no better entertainment from such Insolent Scribblers; if they be not Confuted by that wooden Syllogism, that stands upon three Propositions, at the end of the Town, I may chance to have a Brush with them one of these days; in the mean time, Sir, for your dainty Similitude: As Julian the Apostate, just so the Masters of Ceremonies; As Judas betrayed his Master with a Kiss, so do you; As he brought the Conscientious Multitude along with him, so do you; And as after the Sop Satan entered into him, what then? why just so he became All-sop.  
At this there fell a terrible Thunderclap, and dark and misty it grew on a sudden, so that there was a great Consternation among the fanatics, until at last, in the midst of a great Circle that was environed around with a Greenish Lambent-flame, arose the Ghost of A. A. C. and holding in his hand the Holy League, the Covenant and the Association, all torn and shattered, he spoke to them as followeth:  
Be calm! be still! your Pens and Swords throw by,  
In vain you struggle with your destiny.  
In vain you Plot, Contrive, Conspire, Combine;  
Had you all Hearts, had you all Heads like mine,  
You'll fail, you'll fail, you'll fail of your design.  
From the Black Courts of Darkness now I come;  
I heard the Good Old Cause receive her doom:  
The Aching Ghosts of Rebels stood around,  
And sharp despair did their sad shadows wound:  
They pale with Envy grew, that they no more  
Should skim over luscious Fogs of Civil Gore:  
Then flamed with Wrath to hear their cursed Fame,  
And in Red Letters read each blasted Name,  
That their Ambitious deeds should ever be,  
From Age to Age Branded with Infamy.  
Go, Living Saints, to Carolina go,  
To a Land that does with Liberty overflow.  
Can England 's David have a Rebel Son?  
That 
* The Oak.  Tree saved him that punished Absalon.  
But Awful peace, guarded with Laws, shall be  
Great Britain's strength to late posterity: And,  
As when bright Beams pierced the dark Chaos through,  
The unshaped Mass did into order flow;  
So mystic Plots discovered, do create  
A lasting glory both to Church and State.  
The glittering Temple swells above the Town,  
That will go up, and Conventicles down.  
St. Paul withstood St. Peter to the face,  
He will confine him to his Ancient place;  
And of his Prelates show a better Race.  
Successive Heirs will fill the British Throne  
Until the General Reformation;  
Until again the dreadful Shiloh come,  
And on the Rebel-world shall pass the Final Doom.  
After this he Bounced like a Granado, and flew into a Thousand sparks, with such a dreadful noise, that it immediately dissolved all the Visionary-frame, and I awaked; and not finding myself in a proper place for sleep, went home to bed; and so, my dear friend, a good night.  
FINIS.   

ERRATA.  
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