A CRYSTAL For the CLERGY, Especially those that are corrupt in Doctrine, scandalous in their lives and conversations. An. Dom. 1641.  
LONDON, Printed for R.P. 1641.   

A CRYSTAL FOR THE Clergy that are corrupt in Doctrine, scandalous and impure in their lives and conversations, Anno Dom. 1641.  
IF we judiciously view ancient Histories as well Divine as Moral, as the present corruption of the times, we shall find that those of impure and unclean spirits of the Clergy, corrupt in their Doctrine, tyrannical in their government, scandalous in their lives and conversation, have always been the root and first beginning of the destruction of Kingdoms and Commonwealths, when they are increased with riches and pomp of this world, by which they wax proud and ambitious; they aspire to sit in places of great power and authority in Kingdoms and States, both Spiritual and Temporal, which having attained, so presumptuous is pride, they dare presume to denominate themselves Lords, nay higher in authority than Princes and Emperors, nay to command and compel them to do what pleaseth their desires and fantasies, and nothing else, though never so contrary to the word of God, or contrary to natural reason or moral civility, and if these then desires be neglected or rejected, than never rest they till they have brought to ruin such Kings and their Kingdoms.  
I desire Reader you would peruse this little Yreatise which I termed a Crystal for the Clergy, and you will easily discern that the corruption, pride, ambition and luxuriousness of the Clergy in ancient time, exercising tyranny as well over Princes as their people who they have won, and as it were subjected to their obedience, and that in these our times, and this our Kingdom doth little ornothing differ. The Bishops of Rome having attained to the highest step of honour and dignity that ever was any in the whole Kingdom, and having obtained the power of both swords, the sword of the Spirit, and the sword of the Magistrate, they then began to display their banners, both as King and Bishop, and whom they could not bring to their obedience by the one, they then exercised and used the other: In their first combat they had to fight with any to subdue them and draw them to their faction, they used their thunderbolts of excommunication and cursing, this was terrible to Kings and Emperors; if this failed, than treacheries and treasonable practices of subjects against their lawful Princes by poisoning, powder plots, stabbings and the like: if these prevailed not, they procured the national war, one Kingdom against another: I will only give a touch of either, and then compare them to these times.  
First, Platina in the life of Gregory the 7. showeth that this Emperor Henry the fourth was excommunicated by the Pope: afterward he addeth, the Emperor saith he came speedily to Canosie, where the Bishop was with Mathilda, and by and by laying aside his royal robes, went bare foot to the gates of the City and humbly required to be let in, his entering denied he took in good part, notwithstanding that the winter was sharp and all was frozen hard, remaining three days in the Suburbs of the Town continually craving pardon, at length at the request of Mathilda and the Earl of Savoy and the Abbot of Chins, he is absolved.  
Frederick barbarous that he might be reconciled to the Pope laid his neck under his feet to be trodden on: The Venetians besieged Farrare which payeth tribute to the Church of Rome, forth which cause they were excommunicated by Clement the fifth; therefore Francis Dandalous which was afterward created Duke, went into France where that time the Bishop was to ask pardon for that offence; long it was ere ever he was admitted to come in the Popessight, at last he was led with an iron chain about his neck to the Bishop's table like a dog, and there feign to be under the table amongst the dogs so long till the wrath of Clement without all clemency being over past. This is written in Sabellicus in the end of the 91. Encide the 7. both full manifest are the injuries of this beast done to other Kings and people. And thus much of their first means to bring as well Princes as people to their subjection.  
I come now to the second means practised by the Bishops to draw both Princes and people to subjection, and that in brief, Platina writing of Gregory the fifth. Silvester the second, saith he, before called Gilbert a Monk of Florey forsaking his Monastery followed the Devil, to whom he gave himself whole: and by and by he addeth, Gllbert moved with ambition and a devilish desire to rule through bribery got first the Archbishopric of Regns, afterward of Ravenna, and after with greater suit the Devil furtnering him, he obtained to be Pope, yet under this condition, that after his death he should be the Devils wholly, etc.  
Beno in the life and acts of Hildebrand called Gregory the seventh, one Gilbertus which had infected the city with sorcery, saith he, after the thousand years fulfilled, coming up out of the bottomless pit, of God's permission was Pope four years, and changing his name was called Silvester the second, and after Gilbert the year 25. Theophilactus his scholar achieved the seat violently, called Benedict the seventh, after him Gratian called Gregory the sixth, after him Sabinus and he was called Silvester the third: all these three were Popes at one time. Henry the second Emperor a godly man and valiant, going to Rome, to purge the Church, compelled Benedict or Theophilact the Magician to flee, east Gregory into prison, and sent away Silvester to his old Bishopric; and he holding a Counsel placed the Bishop of Bamberge whom he called Clement, in the seat, of whom also he received the Crown, and he brought Gregory with his disciple Hildebrand with him into Germany: In the mean time Benedict returning to Rome from flight, vexeth Clement, and with much enchanting infecteth the City, and by letters received from Hildebrand out of Germany, he learneth what is done in the Emperors Court. Gregory dieth there in prison and lest Hildebrand his heir, both of his false packing and of his money. Clement dieth also whom Damasus the second succeedeth immediately but straightways poisoned; and Junio called Leo the ninth succeeded in his place. And thus much of the second means practised by Bishops to raise themselves into places of authority, and to bring all that oppose and resist them to their subjection or utter confusion.  
3 Thirdly and lastly, a word or two of their last means when neither of them can prevail to bring their purposes to perfection; that is, by raising wars and seditions in Kingdoms, one against another, wherein they have showed themselves more merciless and cruel than the most heathenish and barbarous nations in the world: Benedict otherwise Theophilact, which before I have mentioned, was carried by the Emperor prisoner into Germany, returning with Leo the ninth, he armed Leo against the Normans and betrayed him to them; the Germans therefore slain by Treason, Leo himself hardly escaped: Hildebrand himself by degrees obtained the Popedom, where he so carried himself that no man except blind but might perceive his devilish government requited: the Emperor Henry the fourth for his carring away into Germany by Henry the second. This Pope also excommunicateth Henry the fourth, deprived him of the dignity Imperial: moreover he stirred up his subjects against him; and absolved the Rebels and Traitors of their oaths of fidelity, and he himself like a Monarch gave the Crown of the Empire unto others at his pleasure. The power therefore and treasure of the Empire hath he so worn and wasted, what with civil and what with foreign wars, that these many years now the Kings of Almain have never been able to recover their force, nor yet to resist the most Arrogant tyranny of the Popes. Gregory the ninth whilst Frederick that Excellent Prince made war in Syria for religion with the Sultan, invaded and kept the Provinces of Frederick. There were cruel wars betwixt the Popes and this Frederick. Innocentius the fourth, stirreth up the Prince of Theoring against Conrade the fourth of that name, and Son of Frederick the second, and when the Emperor Conrade was dead the Pope obtained the good will of the Neapolitans, to yield themselves to the See of Rome: Conrade a Son and heir, Conradine, and manfred his bastard Brother, which would be called King of Sicily, wherefore Pope Vrbano the fourth, Son to King Clement the fourth, Manfred sent for Charles Brother to Lewis the french King, Earl of Province, and of Gaunt, to come with an Army into Italy, and called him King of Cicilie, who overcame and slew Manfred at Bewent, and received the Kingdoms of the Pope to do him homage: There were slain in the battle between them 12000. the occasion thereof being the Popes. Many such like instances might be taken out of History, but these shall suffice for the present, it only remains to compare the impurity, tyranny and malice of those Bishops in the beginning of superstition & idolatry, and these times wherein we now live, with the Bishops and Clergy of this Kingdom.  
What hath been more used by our Bishops of our time, especially the Archbishop of Canterbury in his hierarchy at Lambeth, in his Courts of inquisition, high Commission I would say, than excommunications, deprivations, and degradations of learned and zealous Ministers and teachers of the word of God, and other his Majesty's good and loyal subjects so far as their power could extend, began to deny the Prince's supremacy in causes ecclesiastical, what may we conceive would they have attempted, if God in mercy by the wisdom of our gracious Sovereign, and his great Council of State had not prevented the same.  
Secondly, what devilish practice, what stratagem, what treason, by poisoning & otherwise attempted by the Arch enemies of our peace, the Priests and jesuits, against not only the persons of godly and Religious Peers, the whole Parliament, and state of the Kingdom, but they directly or indirectly have had a hand in the same, what then may we think of them if they had power to their malice?  
Thirdly and lastly, what commotions in Scotland, what wars between England and that Kingdom did they endeavour to stir up and raise, seeking by the destruction and confusion of both Kingdoms, to work their ends and purposes, and what distractions and troubles hath been in this Kingdom, what miseries and calamities that are fallen upon Ireland, but some of the Bishops have been agitators and actors therein.  
And thus much of this Crystal wherein the Clergy that are concerned may clearly see themselves and their actions, and learn to amend and turn from their evils ways, doing good in the Church for the evil they have formerly practised, which God grant, or otherwise cut them off, or remove them from amongst his children and Saints, that their examples may be no more stumbling blocks to hinder their walking in the paths of righteousness, piety and godliness.  
FINIS.