DIVI ARMINIJ  
MACTATORUM RENATA, ET RENOVATA PETITIO.  
OR THE ARMINIAN PRIESTS LAST PETITION for their former formality, and ancient Innovation, both in Church and Commonweal; returned from all parts, with the numeral subscription of 6666. AND Therein their intentions are lively expressed by an accommodate and meet Emblem, and made plain to the ingenuous Reader.  
Vis unita fortior.  
Importunity redoubled (where many combined) will doubtless prevail.  
By THOMAS HARBIR, Gent.  
LONDON Printed by Matthew Simmons in Goldsmith's Alley. 1642.  
Proffluit ex verbo divince Spiritus aureo.  
ALTAR  
Et tantes audetis tollere molar. Rev: 7.1.  
Praelia Hierarchica  
Hic muri fisis ahoni.  
Bellum Episcopale  
They are as the stubble before the wind and as the chaff which i● storms carrieth away. Job 22: 2●.  
Quadra Senatus.  
Nitun●r in Vetitum sed quo rapit impetus aurio Pellimar hand vallant niti fugimiisq retrorsum.   

THE ARMINIAN-PRIESTS last Petition for their former formality, and ancient innovation, both in Church and Commonweal; returned from all parts, with the numeral subscription of 6000 and 666.  
VOuchsafe great Lords your favour but to hear,  
Our just requests by us presented here.  
Our Churches open errors, some do say,  
You would (how e'er we brook it) take away;  
And wholesome Truths establish in their room;  
Such as the way of Truth may well become.  
Yet some do doubt, and you perhaps may deem  
What you appoint as fit, will not so seem  
To us; nor that we ever will endure  
So great a change; but rest your Honours sure,  
That we ourselves shall now both fully clear  
From all Such stain and fault, and you from fear.  
And t'extinguish doubt, our duties you shall see  
In ages past, both what they were, and be  
Even now; while Edward many rites refused,  
He Mass put down, and this our service choosed:  
We then the Clergic of the Land were strict,  
The last to keep; not Mass, 'gainst it we kicked:  
But this Queen Mary had no sooner stayed,  
And Mass again enjoind, but we obeyed.  
And now her sister (Mary having paid  
Frail nature's debt) no sooner Queen is made,  
But she again puts down that Idol Mass;  
Our Rites restores, and Service as it was:  
To these our Father-Priests did then submit,  
Though most (perhaps) did mind it was not fit:  
Yet what the State adjudgeth to be best,  
They question not, but doote, and therein rest.  
Now what our Fathers did, we mean to do,  
Conform ourselves to things confirmed by you.  
Like Weavers Shuttles that do forwards spring,  
As thriddes rise up, or fall; then strait begin  
A swift Retreat: so we proceed, and prize,  
And strait run bacl as States do fall or rise.  
We are not so unlearned, but we our duties know,  
Which first to man, and then to God we owe.  
What Ceremonies in God's worship be?  
Or how from Truth they differ, what care we?  
Our vain devices; which if you decent call,  
As we were wont, our due observance shall  
Meet honour add, our Tapers holy 
* The real presence turns Altar's especially into Shrines.  Shrines,  
So well beseem; things, persons, places holy,  
Consecrate, (Impostors sacred folly)  
Acquaint gestures, Anthems antic coined and made,  
Instead of God's true worship, forged by the trade  
And art of men's new vain devising wits;  
Our fruitless moulds that forms these apish tricks.  
Though some be stubborn, we are content alas,  
This copper-coyne and counterfeit should pass  
Divinely currant; we to all submit.  
Not to what God, but man thinks fit:  
And for this cause we cannot doubt that favour,  
As well may suit with this our meek behaviour:  
And first that we may from this storm be freed,  
Which hurrieth bacl upon our frighted head,  
Our holy-handy-workes; we all our force.  
And might oppose, yet cannot stop the source;  
As 
* Apocal. 1.15.  Nilus rushing Cataracts amaze  
Th'astonished care; even so these tempests raise  
A sevenfold dread, which rightly might infer,  
The wrathful blasts of a mighty thunderer.  
Now aid in this extremity of need,  
A little aid (alas) will do the deed.  
If you but us sustain, and but advance  
Our holy patriarchs, their praise enhance;  
And shall submit them but their former state  
And lofty chare, that grace and happy fate,  
Shall jointly bind us firmly to fulfil,  
O'erbear, crush, sway, and do even what we will.  
And first (to show cur gratitude) we would  
God's Sanctuary build, though not of gold,  
Nor stone, nor silver; but yet his House compile  
Of stubble, straw, or hay; or (if more vile)  
Embased refuse mettle; which if tried,  
Nor trial may, nor fires hear abide:  
Then wisely fix our Fortress on the Sands,  
And fabric raise where no foundation stands:  
As learned Geometricians use to square,  
Their narrow bottomed basis, fixed on air  
By rule of Art, not Reason; so you shall see,  
A Towering Architecture framed of vanity.  
From form and matter though all things being take,  
No matter we of form or matter make;  
As Master-builders, we will not care for stuff,  
Nor form, nor order; yet build strong enough.  
IT will well beseem as meetly worth our having,  
Instead of Bethel though we build Bethaven.  
Then even in trifles, you our zeal shall see  
Exceed our knowledge, and our knowledge be  
In matters serious slightest; but most slight  
Our zeal in things of moment and of weight.  
Where sins turn floods, and as a Deluge roar,  
Whose billows proudly do disdain a shore  
Of finite limits; there we'll strait hold forth  
The Olive-branch from out our peaceful mouth:  
But where right words, or works, or ways are found,  
Or but so seem, we'll forthwith frame our sound  
Of shrill voice Trumpets; and (to keep them under)  
Our words of lightnings, and our voice of thunder.  
Then raise our lifting State, as may beseem  
Ourselves of us to think, and others deem.  
Then man's devices, in despite of those  
Again advance, that shall or dare oppose;  
And teach for Doctrine what our Fathers did,  
Though men's Traditions, and God's Word forbidden  
Then we'll protest against by joint consent.  
The right advice of prudent PARLIAMENT;  
And teach our senseless faction not to fly,  
Till State and Church they drench in Tyrian dye.  
Then all to expedit, unite, and raise  
Our inward energitticke Forces; no delays  
Digest, or brook; but even calcine our Arts,  
And teach our skills to improve their better parts.  
Thus from each Duty we'll not err one whit,  
Not caring how to know, but do what's fit.  
So we these weighty matters well observe,  
From petty Rites we pass not how we swerve  
For Tapers, Crosses, Tippitts, what care we?  
Our Linen Ephods, Copes, or bended Knee  
To Altars Eastward standing (nice ones fear)  
Or Jesus named, though no Scriptures bear  
Such Byards blameless; that his Word profane,  
These, as you brook, we like; or else count vain.  
We speak of those, to which they now amount,  
Their present worth; though sacred, we account  
Such decent Rites: we prize, and much approve  
Those Rites; but these are times to hid our love:  
All these and more, and what we fai●●e would have;  
But none of these is that which now we crave;  
To stint this storm, is now our sole desire,  
'Gainst which we cannot stand; nor will retire  
T'immure this Wind, we count our greatest gains  
Which well effect, were labour worth our pains.  
This adds death to dread, 〈◊〉 deadly fears  
To cruel woes; wrecks out comforts, works our cares.  
All our sorrows are unto this but flight,  
No woes compared to this have wight:  
The higher powers, and mighty States (alas)  
Of old have been our wont walls of brass.  
You see our restless pains; we throng and press  
T'impale this wind; but yet find no redress:  
You see we are to industry inclined,  
Nor do desist, let's help and harbour find:  
It strikes our Altars, and blows out our Tapours;  
It wastes our strength, as if it were but vapours;  
It ruinates our might, our Rites it raceth;  
It smiteth all our pomp, our pride defaceth;  
Our works it scatters, but this doth work our toil,  
Our Cannons blasts this tempest makes recoil,  
Our grace doth whither, and our glories cease;  
Our cares do more abound, our fears increase;  
Our honours fade, our high Commissions fly;  
Our fraud's defeated, our secular powers die.  
It rends our Rochetts, and our Tippitts tears,  
And puts our mortal hearts to mighty fears:  
Our swords and keys it snatcheth; blasts our name;  
It dissipates our structure; breaks our frame.  
If ever we obtain our meet demands;  
And herein purchase but your helping hands:  
we'll not be sluggish logs which no man dreads;  
But wisely will bestir our working heads,  
To get our pride, and profit, (that's our thirst,)  
Then idleness; all which to purchase, first  
The weapons of our warfare we'll once more,  
Embellish, brighten, scour, and burnish o'er;  
And first our secular power so refine,  
As all that see't shall say, 'tis right divine.  
Our crosskeys thus quartered with our sword,  
Both triple gain, and glory will afford:  
Then we our Cannons fairly will display,  
Taffright and chase the Puritan away:  
And then our Crosier-staves shall countermand,  
The highest powers that can or dare withstand.  
But now more bravely to perform our parts,  
we'll join our force, and fraud both Mars and Arts;  
These storms by slight subdue, take speedy course  
To curb their might, break their rage, & raze the source.  
Then shall our might that goodly mass sustain  
Of man's Traditions ever to remain  
To ages sacred; that shall our holy heap  
Of Ceremonies sacred keep; we thereby reap  
Our full content: thus ordered, these things are  
Our weapons to maintain our holy war.  
By your sole might (if you your aspect give)  
Our Rites shall prosper, and our labours live;  
If not, they die; we must be disesteemed;  
Strict Priests be prised, and praiseworthy deemed:  
Who men's devices scorn, who neither know,  
What they to Rites, nor to Traditions own;  
If man prescribes; but must forsooth be ruled  
By God's Word only, or will nothing build:  
But as for us, we like no such like doing,  
If gain bids go we'll run, we brook not woeing;  
there's nothing good or bad that we'll withstand,  
If you prescribe it, or it State command:  
And hereby hope that grace we shall acquire,  
Which freely may effect our full desire.  
And first our Liturgic, and Courts restore,  
And higher lift our heads than heretofore;  
That we may be non-resident at will,  
Our Rites observe, and keep our Totquots still.  
But were this wind but laid, these would redound,  
And all that we could wish besides abound:  
We therefore seek to stop these storms with speed,  
We nothing ask but this; 'tis that we need:  
This spoils our sport, this makes us lose the game;  
This makes our feet so feeble, makes us lame:  
This dissipates our union; it scatters  
Our cunning drifts; it all our juncture shatters:  
It shakes our Basis, makes our building fall;  
It batters down our Towers, breaks our wall.  
Alas, that it should blast what we invent,  
And did devise out of a good intent,  
To have the earth our own, the world at will,  
Our works to stand, our Laws and lusts fulfil.  
This blasting Wind blows on us, there's our pain;  
These blasts break in upon us, that's our bane.  
The barbarous 
* A people at the South of Barbary by Lybia, Herodotus reports the Story.  Psylli 'gainst the Wind did war;  
We thrice more barbarous, and more silly are:  
Their winds Host was dust, its weapon's sand:  
Our storms are sent from out the Almighty's hand:  
They fought, they feared, and fled; yet suffered death  
By feeble Blasts; our storms immortal breath  
We fear, and fight against; but do disdain to fly  
Until immortal fury force to die:  
Yea, we conceive we may it countermand,  
By sole might of man's pu'sant powerful hand;  
And well enough (so we but hit our aim)  
Both us and ours quit; and raise our name.  
But first with subtle skill and cunning Art,  
we'll play the wise and prudent Serpent's part.  
She hurt is strait way healed, if sick doth fly,  
Or weak; if young declineth enmity.  
Not shrill but silent is; recurved bends  
Her submiss body any way; she tends  
Through every straight and cleft; so slips her skin;  
Her age renews; couched creeps; unseen with sting  
And teeth contests against her foes: Thus we  
Both wisely meek, and serpentitle will be:  
Not fight at first; but fly; not break,  
But how; and what may please be sure to speak:  
Seem meek, be out-side-Saints, and show submiss;  
What's right or reason, not rail against, but hisse,  
If soul and sordid faults deface our hue,  
we'll slip out slough, and so our age renew;  
And spirits of error so refine and fierce,  
As they may secretly and unseen pierce.  
Then men elude, like Stellious, with our stars  
Of painted piety to fight our wars.  
Add strength to years; to both add folds and wiles,  
And sparkling lustre; all which the world beguiles:  
And thus get strength, and sinew; teeth, and sting;  
And not till now to go to work begin;  
Then strike the stroke, and frieze our foes to ice,  
By pale narcotick poisons; then our eyes  
And every part shall deadly venom vent,  
And dart it forth, ' hast were from Serpents sent.  
Which once dispersed, shall penetrate each part;  
Both stupefy the head, and strike the heart:  
there's none shall fall by Sword, there's none shall fight,  
Nor strike a stroke, but by our subtle slight:  
But then like silent shadows swiftly glide  
Unseen in secret, and so pass unspide:  
Thus wise as Serpents are we'll be; but then  
Assume the show of Saints; to view be men  
Submiss, and meek; hold fast; but first exquire  
What man prescribes (that's even our wished desire)  
Man's ancient ways, yet like not that way best,  
That's first, a golden meane's the way to rest:  
But new or old, we'll stoop injoind to any  
By man; be't fair, or foul, or few or many.  
For inward truth we pass not, so we be  
Profound in 
* Hos 5.1. That is abundant in the sacrifices of their own devices.  slaughters; and our sanctity  
In specious seeming forms and shows appear;  
Not be indeed, this had, 'tis all our care.  
On all that man prescribes we scruple not to build,  
Save only making conscience unto what we yield.  
Thus hating stubbornness, we'll strait begin,  
T'inflame our fiery zeal 'gainst vice and sin:  
Like muffled Cupid take our aim and hit  
Man's sin unseen; though not distinguish it,  
Nor yet define what exactly it is  
We smite, yet hit our mark, our aim not miss;  
Then preach pure faction to uphold our cause,  
And stand for us (though it withstand God's laws)  
And proselytes teach (although they swim in blood)  
To take our part, and thereby raise a flood;  
So to our wills our vassals frame the lay,  
As Potter's form their veslells made of clay;  
And teach them sound how to draw their sword,  
Against this raging Wind, we mean the Word.  
Then set the earth at odds, enwrapp in wars  
The woeful world, the State with mortal jars  
Inflame, exterminate, and wrath excite,  
And all this work by unseen subtle might.  
But what is this? (if you assent unto it)  
'Tis nothing? this? were't five times more we'll do it.  
And first that we more firmly may endure,  
we'll seem submiss to make our standing sure:  
Then errors mystical, abstruse, and hid,  
Elixit raise; then secretly forbidden  
The war eye of man to see, the care  
Our deep devised drifts and plots to hear:  
Be yet more meek, then faithfully we'll tender  
Most feigned words; so make and render  
Great persons servile to our faction,  
And Laity our vassals of transaction.  
Then will we might o're-master, right o'erbear,  
Law curb, Religion stab, nor stint we here:  
But discord filled from 
* Two Hydra's (that is, water-serpents) are muchtreated of in History; one slain by Hercules, which had fifty, some writ an hu'dred heads; ever as he cut off one head, two sprang up in its room: the other slain by Cadmus, he filled out her teeth and sowed them, whereof an huge Army of men at once sprang up, and slew each other.  Hydra's teeth we'll scatter,  
And all the world into dissension shatter:  
As lightnings glance from source unseen, so we  
From Spisseous clouds will strike, that none may see  
Our deadly darts, sow jars, make mortals wroth,  
And bloody wars (our selves unseen) hold forth:  
Nor stint we here, yet more our worth to show,  
Even at our beck we'll make the proudest bow:  
we'll clothe the world in darkness, blind the light,  
That none may know for whom or what they fight.  
Then manacles upon that raging Wind  
we'll cast, check, chide, with gives and fetters bind  
Those sturdy storms, those rushing tempests lay,  
And make those mighty Winds our wills obey.  
Then cherish vice, 'gainst virtue be severe,  
Rebellion foster, to Antichrist adhere;  
What's vile advance, what's Orthodox reprove,  
From peace dehort, by pride sedition move;  
Turn double diligent, and multiply our pains,  
So we by it may but augment our gains.  
Thus to your Honours we our hearts disclose,  
Our inward thoughts make known, and do repose  
Herein that trust, as that we hope to have,  
Or what we ask, or what we ought to crave.  
Democrite quid rides quin luge Heraclite.  

The Author's Epilogue.  
KNow Reader, and you for whose sakes I am become your Secretary, that two Scriptures concern this subject, and yourselves, viz. 
* Amos 5.5.  But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal; the second is Amos the 4. and the 4. Come to Bethel and transgress, to Gilgal and multiply transgression, etc. In the first, he dehorts Israel; in the second, plainly derides and laughs them to scorn: their strange fires (like those of Nadab and Abihu) were the cause of this contempt: All Scriptures have abundantly dehorted you from like oblations, wherewith God hath been sacrificed unto near this 1600. years: in Israel's punishment this also is added, that God laughs them to scorn: his derision antecedes the execution of his fierce wrath: God when he laughs he strikes, what was that contempt but the height of reprehension, the depth of reproof, and not altogether evil and useless (as some vainly imagine) when limited by a right rule, nor am I (though I am not confident of an infallibility) any ways conscious of aggravation or falsehood in this Treatise. Si in hac re erro libenter erro, it is Tullyes' saying not mine: in this only I am confident, Si in hac re erro, it is nec lubens nec libenter, more than I know or desire to justify. As faithful Ministers were always few in number, and weak in power; so this in no wise reflects upon such, but upon those only that have been the workers of this their paucity and poverty: if you think this measure meets not, but outstrips their desert: I answer, it is Toga potius concinna, quam longa; yea, I fear it will prove a great deal too short. Whereas thou seest in the Emblem the Winds striking and dispersing the Clouds of darkness, and ignorance, which enclose the Earth, and the Ministers of that darkness, the corrupt Clergy, and the instruments of those Ministers, the Altars, Tapours, Crosskeys, with Sword, and Crosier-staves, etc. Which shadow forth the whole lump and heap of Traditions, and devices of man in an. Antithesis and opposition to the free course of the Word; Know, that some Interpreters have expounded these four Angels there expressed, Revel. 7.1. to be four chief and cardinal sins of the universal corrupt Clergy; which may be pride, idolatry, cruelty, and covetousness: for their pride, to show how they exalt themselves above and against the higher powers, even the Laws of Christ's Church and civil State I Need not to insist. For cruelty, the most unparalleled Story that I remember, was betwixt two Spaniards; the one a Christian, the other (though convicted in judgement) an Heathen, they challenge the field, the Heathen gets the upper hand, promises life if he would renounce his faith; he accepts the condition, abjures it: the Heathen stabs him saying, he would now be revenged of him eternally, body and soul their cruelty extends beyond this, even to men's temporal estates and liberties whiles they live, and posterity after; his but to one, theirs to all. For idolatry the Papists have out stripped in that all the earth in all ages: their masterpiece is their idolatry of the Altar; but yet they presuppose the real presence there: our corrupt Priest's worship and bow unto (without presupposing any real presence as themselves confess) to the bare wood and stone, and therein out strip the Papish. For. thein covetousness I cannot say much, perhaps they are free from this fault: wherefore I refer it to every man's judgement and censure taught him by his own experience. But what were these petty offences of Aaron's sons, or the Israelites compared with those of the Papists or yours? Nadab and Abihu offered but once strange fires, And fire went out from the Lord and consumed them. This also was the cause of Israel's scattering and captivity: Now I ask this question (it skills not who or what the instrument be) whether it be more necessary or charitable to cast scorn and contempt upon your sevenfold more stubborn perseverance in sowing the seeds of a fare more deadly and consuming flame: there may be a right and an happy use made of this, though it is usually Gods last and sharpest rebuke in this life; and sometime Ne plusultra be the inscription upon it: God laughs, and the 
* Gen. 3.17.  earth and Adam's posterity are accursed: 
* Gen. 11.6.  Babel confounded: 
* 1 Kings 18.27.40.  Baal's Priests slain: Israel scattered and brought to captivity: 
* Pa●l. 3.2.  the Jews to a durable and fearful dissertion and desolation: do not you arride yourselves, whiles God from heaven derides you: Cum illudit Deus destruit, he hath begun to laugh at all your labours, and mock your hopes, and will (we trust) as he hath begun) still cement these  and noble members of that honourable body in a firm, intermutuall, and right understanding of each other; and communicate the same (with them) to their royal head. But ye boast your success: your pregnant seeds of discord shoot up and sprout; they spring and prosper, Et jam proximus arder, why doth illusion deceive you? those flames, with the hopes of your wished harvest may shortly exterminate in your ruin. These things see and consider, lest ye draw desolation, and swift destruction upon yourselves and others: I rest  
Yours (though corrosive) in all necessary, and faithful offices. THO. HARBIA.   
FINIS.