A BALM presented to these Nations, England, Scotland, and Ireland,  
To Cure the Wounds of the Bleeding Protestants, and open the Eyes of the deluded Papists, that are Ignorant of the Truth, etc.  
By T. O.   depiction of man 

Licenced according to Order.   
Printed for ●▪ ●.   

A BALM, Presented to these Nations, England, Scotland, and Ireland, to Cure the Wounds of the Bleeding Protestants, and open the Eyes of the deluded Papists that are ignorant of the Truth.  
Being, A Timely Warning to Protestants; OR, A Seasonable Antidote against the Errors of POPERY AND Pernicious Doctrines of the Church of ROME; Wherein they are stated, and Learnedly Confuted; plainly showing the Deceitfulness and vanity of so foolish a Religion, when duly weighed and considered by the Word of God, and by what Cruelty, Fraud, and Ignorance it is upheld.  
Together, With Prayers and Thangsgiving for our great deliverance from POPERY.  
To which is added a Treatise of French-Persecution, or what Protestants may expect from Papists, if they get the power over us.  
By T.O. D.D.   

A Warning to Protestants. etc.  Psal. CXXIV. Ver. 2. 3. 
If it had not been the Lord, who was on  
our side, when men risen up against us:  
Then they had swallowed us up quick,  
when their wrath was kindled against us.  
THough the Romanists, with many specious pretences, have (especially since the Reformation) endeavoured to prove the Verity and Validity of their Church; yet we no where find that they have proposed any thing so material to that point, but it has been either confuted or considered as a weak Pillar to support a decaying and tottering Superstructure: For I would fain be informed by any moderate Communicant of the Romanists, from whence, or upon what account the Pope of Rome claims a Superiority or Headship? Or why the acknowledgement of the Catholic or Universal Church of Christ should own any Infallible Head upon Earth? And since both the Disputers and Writers of that Community, that term themselves the Roman Catholic Church, have either waved it, as not to their purpose, or for some other end, equivocated with the Scriptures to support a building upon a sandy Foundation. Before I proceed to the main matter intended, I shall give some light into this affair.  
It so happened that the Roman Empire having been divided into East and West, the latter especially was extremely harrassed by the barbarous Nations of the North, so that the Supreme Power lay in that of the East, or Greek Empire; and although several Popes of Rome had opposed any sole Headship, or Supremacy one over another, holding all Bishop's equal in their Province or Diocese; yet Phocus General to the Eastern Emperor Mauritius, having murdered this Emperor, his Empress and their Children, and for that despised and rejected by his own People, what does the then Pope of Rome do, but clap in with him, and the more to gain a Power or Advantage over the other Bishops, by many flattering and insinuating Letters, extol his proceed. And amongst others we find these Expressions, viz. Let the Emperor Phocus live, and let the Angels clap their hands and rejoice, that so worthy a Man, whose grateful Influence shines on the Bishop of Rome, is advanced to the Throne of the Eastern world, by the especial Providence of the Almighty: From which time. tho' by what unjust means I leave to the consideration of the Reader, Rome dated her Spiritual Greatness, to fulfil the Prophecy of St. John in his Revelations, etc. And as indeed it was founded upon blood and violence, so has it been hitherto maintained, more than by any other ways or means, as by Racks and Tortures to such as at any time began to inquire into the Authority of that Usurpation. and s●●● their Errors. and by keeping the more un thinking part of those that adhered to it, in the Region of Agnorance and darkness, by blinding their understanding with fables, instead of real Truths, and placing the Traditions of Men instead of the sacred Uerity of the wor● of God; and when at any time, where they have a temporal power, inquiry is made 〈◊〉 their many lying wonders and feigned miracles, their superstitions in worship, errors and absurd contradictions, the answer is, tha● they ought to believe, as their Church be● believes, though indeed few of them themselves know what she does believe; and 〈◊〉 this be refused, they are not only brand●● with the name of Heretics, but in dang●● of their Lives, and many times expire 〈◊〉 flames, by Racks and Tortures, or languishing and linger deaths, which is t●● true mark of the Beast, of which St. Joh● speaks, viz. That kills all those that 〈◊〉 not receive his mark in their forehead, worship his Image. And this fatal experience has taught the World, by the m●● Massacres, unjust Wars, Burn, 〈◊〉 ●●stations, poisoning and stabbing of Monarch's, to such a degree, as has made 〈◊〉 Infidels blush to be outdone in Treachery and Cruelty, and these mes●ly ●alling 〈◊〉 these, that with a compliance with the 〈◊〉 lasting Gospel, opposed the errors and unwarrantable Traditions of that Church; as their holding a Wafer, after Consecration, to be a God, and no less than the second person in the glorious Trinity, even our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Essential and Corporal, as well in Soul as in Body, with all the substantial parts of a Body, as he offered himself upon the Cross, for the Redemption of the World.  
The praying for the Dead, saying Mosses for the deliverance of Souls out of Purgatory, attributing to the Virgin Mary the Honours only due to God himself, praying to Saints, adoring Relics, consecrated Candles, holy Roses, Agnus Dei's and Confessions to Men, with many other Fables and Fopperies, and for gainsaying these, have flowed a scarlet Sea of Blood, with which, as St. John says, I saw the Woman drunk with the blood of the Saints, and the Martyrs of Jesus, and when I saw her I wondered with great admiration, Rev. 17. 6. And these were they whose Souls cry under the Altar; How long, how long, O God, Holy and Righteous, will it be e'er thou avenge our blood on those that dwell on the Earth? And although as to the first of these, our Saviour did declare at the eating the Passover, that the Bread and Wine were his Body and Blood, yet it then, and at all times appeared to be meant only figuratively and mystically; for at the same time when the Bread was eaten, and the Wine drank, his Body remained the same as before, undiminished and untouched, Visible and Corporal, both to be felt and understood; and what more confirms it, was his commanding his Disciples, as often as they did it, to do it in remembrance of him, till his coming, which an imply nothing more, than to leave and engraft more perfectly, the remembrance of his Crucifixion and Death, in the minds of his People and Church: for as the Passover, which he then eat, was a Type of him to keep us the remembrance and expectation of his coming in the mind of the Jews, so he changed the Mysterious Ceremony into a Sacramental Bread and Wine, to mind the Christians, and to put them in a full assurance of expecting his second coming in Glory to judge the World. In many places of Scripture he calls himself a vine, a Door, a Shepherd and the like, which are only mystical and figurative significations: And St. John the Baptist styles him, the Lamb of god, come to take away the sins of the World, etc. And as for the Primitive Church, as they all along took it in no other sense, than the Reformed Churches do at this day, viz. That in the blessed Sacrament, we only Spiritual, and by a lively and steadfast faith, eat and drink his Body and Blood. And to go a little farther in this matter, the Church of Rome, contrary even to our Saviour's great command, and the use of the Primitive Churches, for up wards of a thousand years, have taken away the Cup from the Laity, only allowing it to the Priests and Princes, and give us only these two silly Reasons for it. First, That the Laity are not sanctified and fitly prepared for so Essential a part, as the Blood of Christ. And secondly, which is to Shouldir the decest, they bear them in hand, that receiving by a Transubstantiation the entire Body in the Wafer, as flesh, Bones, Sinews, etc. They no doubt partake of the Blood. Likewise, as for their giving the Cup to Princes, it is to get in favour with them; and in the second place, have the advantage over them, if they refuse to promote the Covetous and Ambitious ends of the Pope and his Clergy, which fattally appeared in the Emperor Henry's being poisoned by the Sacramental wine given him by a friar: and the like done to King John of England by a Monk, and many other such horrible und unparalelled Uillanies.  
As for their Praying for the Dead, it is not where Warranted in Scripture, nor mentioned, unless in the Maccabees; where after a Battle, it was thought fit to Pray for the Souls of those that were slain in the Castle; which in the stríoeest sense, erceeded not good Wishes: And it was the Custom of those times to make Funeral Dration for those that had deserved well of their Country, or lived Piously and Uertuously, thereby to recommend their Memory to Posterity, and Consolate their Friends. It was used likewise in the Primitive Church, and is imitated by us in our Funeral SCRMONS: but this was never held by any, before the Roman Superstition brought it in as a way gainful to get moneys, both from the Dying and their Relation: But how miserable will that Man be that puts off the great concern of his Salvation, grounding it or this Error, in hopes of a deliverance, may easily be determined: for beyond the Grave there is no change of Estate, or hope of Reprieve; for there the words of the Wise Man are truly verified, viz: As the Tree falls so it lies; as Death leaves us in that state, Judgement will assuredly find us. And as for the Middle Region they have lately discovered between heaven and hell, it is new and fabulous, that no considering Man can conclude it set up for any other end than to Bugbear fools and ignorant unthinking People; tho' it may indeed he called Purgatory, for it Purges some millions of Money in a year out of the Laity into the Purses of the Clergy, being the chief Branch of the Pope's Spiritual Revenue: and tho' they hold their Masses can Redeem the suffering Souls from this place, yet the Wisest of them were never yet able to tell where it is, or whether it be Local; nor indeed is it any where to be found or heard of, but in the Romish Church, for the Scripture allows no such place; for there we find those that have done well are pronounced to go into Eternal Joys; and those that have done Ill into Eternal Torments. It's true, they quote for their Authority, a passage in St. Peter, about Preaching to the Souls in Prison, etc. which according to the opinion of all Ages, makes nothing for their purpose.  
They are contented to Pray for the Dead, but to the Dead; tho' as the Holy Prophet says, There is no Remembrance in the Grave, and altho' it's expressy forbidden and accounted flat Idolairy: for we by the word of God, are strictly enjoined to observe no Saint, nor Creature, nor Throne, Dominion nor Power; no Heathenish Deity, but only the true God in Jesus Christ: Thou shalt Worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve, Exod. 20. And see thou do it not, says the Angel to St. John, I am thy fellow Creature, Worship God, Rev. 22. 9 Tho' the Papists in this case, in the number of their Saints, to whom they pay Divine Honours, even exceed the Pagans: nor do they spare to imitate them, in having their Titulars for Countries, as thus: The Pagans Worshipped Appollus in Delphos, Jupiter in Crete, Minerva in Ephesns: And so the Papists in England Worship St. George, in Scotland St. Andrew, in Ireland St. Patrick, in France St. Dennis, in Spain St. James, at Milan St. Ambrose, and at Venice St. Mark.  
The Pagans had for the Element of fire, Jupiter, for the Air, Juno, for the Sea, Neptune, so the Papists have Agathus for the fire, Theadulus for the Tempests, St. Barbara for thunder, and St. Nicholas for the Sea.  
The Pagans had several Titular Gods, for their Cattle and fruits, as Pon for the first, and Ceres for the last, as also Bacchus for their wind; so the Papists have for their wind Urbanus, once a drunken Priest, Jodocus for their fruits Man, Debinas, for their sheep, Eulogious for their horses, and St. Anthony for their Pigs.  
The Pagans had their Titular Gods, for several Professions, as Apollow for Scholars, Mars for Soldiers, Vulcan for smith's, Diana for Hunters, so the Papist have St. Gregory for Scholars, St. George for Soldiers, St. Loy for Smiths, and St. Crispin, for Shoemakers.  
So again the Pagans had their Gods, to pray to in several diseases, as to Apollow, for the Plague, Hercules for the falling-sickness, Lucina for woman in Childbirth; and so the Papists have St. Rock for the Plague, St Petrenello for the Ague, Appolina for the Toothache, and Arisastiacis, for the Head-Ache. To these both Pagans and Papists have builded Temples and Churches, errected, altars, ordained, Priests, appointed Festivals, set up Statues, and burned Lamps and Candles, by which we may see, they differ nothing in this point, and of this the Prophet Jeremy complains, when he says, why did the Land Perish, and was burnt up like a Wilderness, but because the People walked after Baalam, which their Fathers taught them. And the Psalmist says, walk not in the ways of your Fathers (and again) they follow the generation of their Fathers, which shall not see the light; these men, with the Jews, have framed to themselves a Queen of Heaven, giving that stile to the Virgin Mary, calling upon her in time of trouble, Praying her Divine worship; and in their Rosary, and other books, Blaspemously Attribute to her, what Prophets have foretold of, or Ascribe to our Saviour, tho' God has declared himself a Jealous God, and that he will not give his Honour to another. And now to make this seem no Idolitry, they have taken away the fourth Commandment, and divided the fifth into three to make up the number.  
As for their Crucifixes, Beads, Relics, Holy Oil, Holy Waters, Agnus Dei's, Blessed Roses, Pardons, Indulgences, Absolutions, etc. They are altogether new, and only the Immentions of tourzening Priests to pick the pockets of the simple laity, having by that means rather reduced Popery to a Trade than a Religion, and as for Auricular confssion, it was as all Authors of our Church agree, to get into the Cabinet Councils of Princes, that so they might the better in all places carry on the interest of Rome, tho' to the hazard, and ruin of those Princes, in whose bosoms they lie like snakes, till many times they sting them to death, holding no blood shed a crime that is spilt to ear●y on the interest of their Church, this Fatally felt Henry the Second of France, who was without any provocation killed with a Consecrated Dagger in his Royal Tent, Surrounded with his Army by one Clement, a Jaccobin Moak, sent for that purpose, tho' under a feigned pretence of delivering a Message; and altho' this King was of the Romish Communion, yet the Pope was so far from dissembling it, that he Magnified the Villainy, and Cannonized the murderer. By the like fate, and encouragement fell Henry the fourth of France, who was stabbed by Raviliack a Ruffain, as he was passing the streets in his Coach, and we may fear they had too great a hand in the Barbarous Murder of King Charles the first, etc. But should I pass into the bloody field of their many fatal Massacres, Private Murders Violation of Faith, Leagues and Daths it would amaze, and startle the reader, to think so much wickedness should be in men professing Christianity, or so much as owning the name of Christ, and the better to colour their persidiousness, when they contrary to the Letters of safe conduct, given them, had burnt the two famous Bohemian Martyrs, Huss and Jerome, they go a decree passed in the Council of Constance that no Faith is to be kept with Heretic and such they account all that are note o● their Church; a taste of which Queen Mary gave us, who after she had promised us Religion and Liberty, was prevailed with by the wicked Councils of the Priests, to 〈◊〉 a raging Persecution be the reward of those who had Seated her on the Throne. In which, during her Reign, suffered for th● confession of a Good Faith, five Bishops Twelve Divines, Eighteen Gentlemen, Eighty four Artificers, One hundred Husband men, servants, and labourers Twenty Sir Wives, Twenty Widows, Nine Virgins, two Boys, & two Infants, in all, two hundred Eighty seven, all of them burnt alive, besides Sixteen that died in Prison, seven scourged as unmercifully as T. O. and a great many that were found Languishing, and Released by Queen Elizabeth. From which Cruelty and Crucl men, God of his mercy, as he has at present most Miraculoussy done, preserve and keep these, and all other Protestant Kingdoms, and unite our hearts in the defence of the true Faith and Religion, for the sake of our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  
Amen, Amen.   

A Prayer for the Preservation of the Protestant Religion, against Popery, etc.  
O Lord God, great and Glorious; whose Eyes Run too and frow, threw the Earth to behold the ways and Actions of the Sons of men, look upon us thy unworthy servants, and ●ut of the multitude of thy tender mereys, sense about with thy Almighty Arm the vine that thy own right hand has planted, water it with the dew of heaven, that it may spring, and grow up to thy Glory, suffer not the wild Boar of the forest to Root it up, nor the little foxes to pluck off its render Branthes. Guard thy Church, in the Purity of Religion, and soundness of Doctrine against the rage and malice of our enemies, and keep her her in perpetual safety, for we of ourselves are nothing but our help alone, resteth in thee, O God, through the Merits and Meditation of Jesus Christ our Blessed Lord and Saviour, Amen.   

A Prayer of thanksgiving, for our Late Miraculous Deliverance from Popery, etc.  
BLessed be thy holy name, O Lord God of Israel, who out of the multitude of thy never failing Compassion, has interposed thy mercy, and made bare thy Almighty Arm to save us from the Jaws of the Lion, and the Paw of the Bare that were Roaring against us, and ready to devour us, we offer in all humility, our tribute of praise and thanksgiving to thy Divine Majesty, for all thy loving kindness to wards us; but more especially for Miraculously saving us at this time, from the Malice and Cruelty of our implacable Enemies, which we beseech thee to continue towards thy Church and People, that we may ever praise and Magnify thy Holy Name, Amen.   

French Persecutions: Or, what Protestants must expect from Papists, if they get the power over'um.  
THe Popes of Rome when they had no power, and were not arrived at their Greatness, were indeed, against Persecution; but when they had once arrogated to themselves a Spiritual power that commanded the Temporal, and at length encroached upon the Civil Justice in all Kingdoms where the Roman See, by the insinuation of the Clergy, could gain Credit, then, and not till then, the bloody Banner was displayed; but to particularise upon the many bloody Murders and Massacres, would be too tedious. It is not unknown to English Protestants, that France has been the Scourge of Christendom, especially that part of it professing the Gospel in its purity: wherefore the better to give them a light into what must be expected if ever a Popish power prevail, I shall instance some of their Cruelties.  
In the Reign of Charles the ninth, though the papists and even the King, promised the protestants the greatest security imaginable, yet when they had made them supine or fearless of the Danger, by many Oaths and promises, not only by chance, but by the King's immediate Order and Decree, they were Murdered and Massacred throughout the whole Kingdom; Women were Ripped up alive, young Children dashed against the Pavement, Embrio's torn from the bleeding Womb, Hoary Hairs stained with Blood, Churches Rob, Houses Fired, Women Ravished, Virgin's Deflowered, and then Murdered with the most exquisite Torments: And before this stream of blood stopped, at which the Pope extremely rejoiced, and styled it The Triumph of the Church, Two hundred thousand of all sorts, Ages and Sex, were slain, beside a greater number that were obliged to lcaye the Country and all they had behind them. The like has happened at other times, but more especially renewed in time of this present King Lewis, who (set on by the Priests) first put out an Edict or proclamation, That all persons within his Dominion should turn roman-catholics: Whereupon all Officers that refused were turned out of places of Trust, even from the Waggoner to the greatest Courtier: But this the priests thought too Gentle, tho' thousands of Families was Ruined thereby: whereupon they proceeded to set the Dragoons to Quarter upon them at Discretion, and to use them with all manner of Rigour; so that coming into the Towns where the protestants lived, and getting knowledge of their Houses, they Intruded themselves, crying, Turn Catholics or be Killed: And when they had thus oppressed and plundered them eating up all their Provisions, they fell upon their Persons torturing them, by hanging up some by the Heels in smoking Chimneys, ducking others in Wells till almost stified, keeping some from sleeping by frequent rattling Kettles and brass Pans over their heads, pricking and tossing them from one to tother till they had made them distracted, and them force them to sign an Abjuration; their Children they took from them and thrust them into Monasteries, making one Gentlewoman, after they had ravished her before her Husband's face, kill him, by putting a Rapier into her hand, and forcing it into his body, but perceiving that this would not do, whilst the Ministers remained, they committed many of them to the Galleys, others they banished, sending them away without their Wives and Children, whom they retained to bring by force to the Roman Religion; those that attempted to escape were many of them surprised and put into dark Dungeons, where for want they miserably perished, their Relations that attempted to relieve them being reduced to the same Condition. The Pope all this while encouraging this wickedness, which how near such usage comes to primitive Christianity, which according to the word of God, is all Gentleness, and the dictates of the Prince of peace, our ever blessed Lord and Saviour, I leave to the Protestant Reader, and conclude. From Popery and its Tenants, Good Lord deliver us; seeing even the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.  
FINIS.