A Sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons, the 5. of November, 1644.

REVEL.19.2.

For true and righteous are his judgements, for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the bloud of his servants at her hand.

I Am not ignorant how much revelation is
necessary to understand this Booke of Revelation,
and that Interpreters themselves
need interpretatio~, insomuch that the learned
Arias Montanas relateth, that though
he had thirty yeares studied the Scripture,
with the helpe of Expositors, he understood onely one or
two Chapters, and therefore was wont to say, That the
Expositors were as hard to be understood as the Text.
There are some Comments that may be called NoValue
obscurities upon the Revelation: yet for all
this, none may bring an ill report upon this Booke that
floweth with Milke and Honey, though there may be
Anakims, great objections in the way, for the Scripture

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calleth them blessed, and wise that understand these mysteries;
and the difficulties are, to shake of our negligence,
and to quicken our desire to know, as Basil said, Nature
had guarded the Rose with prickes, that so the danger
to get it, might the more irritate to have it. Besides, the
book being full of Prophecies, it's congruous, they should
be cloathed with some obscurities: Therefore we wonder
at the boldnesse of the ancient Monks, who were neither
skilfull in the tongues, or Scripture, that yet would
adventure to open this sealed Book, which how happily
they have done appeareth in their expounding the very
first word Apocalypsis, which they say commeth of NoValue
and clipsor clipsaris, i. e. velo velas.
The subject that I have pitched upon, is not clogg'd
with any of these Objections, for they are part of that
song, which a Company in Heaven praised God with, for
his judgements upon Rome, and the summe of their
thanksgiving is generall, All his judgements are right.
2. Parcticularly, upon the Church of Rome, who is called
Babylon, because of her oppression and captivating the
people of God; and whore, because of her corrupt falsehoods
and idolatries; and great whore, because of her
universall corrupting the whole earth; she is also described
by her cruelty, she had shed the bloud of Gods
Servants; yea, Chap.18. the bloud of all the Saints, those
that were murdered elsewhere, are yet said to be found
in her.
Before I come to the Doctrines, I must cleare one
doubt, and that is, Whether this City be Rome, or no?
For as the Jewes looke'd for another kind of Christ then
the true Messias, so Papists for another kind of Antichrist
then the Scripture holds forth: And as Christ is
proved to be the Messias not by one property onely for
that may agree to another but all the Characters together:
so is Antichrist to be found out by the accumulation
of all markes together. Now that Rome is this City
appeareth; Rev.17.18. The woman which is the same
with Babylon and the whore in my Text is said to have
power over all the kings of the earth; and this was only
the Romane Monarchy at that time.
2. She is called emphatically NoValue, now Rome
was onely the famous City, being called urbs NoValue.
3. This City is said to be set on seven hils: Chap. 17.9.
which doth only agree to Rome, called NoValue, and howsoever
Mountacutius would prove this true of Constantinople;
yet if it were so, it is so obscure in story that it is
not to be regarded; and this is so cleare that Bellarmine
confesseth it, but then he addeth, this was true of Rome,
while it was Ethnicall, and not now Papall: That this
is false appeareth in that Antichrist is to be in the Temple
of God, which was not true of the Heathen Emperours.
2. 'Tis such a Babylon that for a while they were lawfully
in her, but when her corruptions did increase, then
they were commanded to depart, which could not be affirmed
of Rome paganish.
This being premised, I observe two Doctrines.
I. That the Church of Rome is greatly apostatized from
her former true faith.
She that was a Matron is become an whore: She succeedes
her predecessours, as Vespæ succedant apibus, as
waspes come into the nests of Bees; Nor is it any
matter that they have the Creed and many externals of
Religion, habent enim & vespæ suos favos, the Waspes have
their combes also, though no honey in them, as Tertullian
said, The time was when such a point as this might not
be pressed, There was a law that no body should eate of

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this honey, but since God raised up you, Honourable Patriots,
Truth, like Sampson, hath broke all the cords she
was tyed in.
Obs.2. That Romes corrupt wayes are accompanyed with
bloudy cruelties.
I will begin with the last first, and shew, they are bloudy,
partly doctrinally, and partly practically.
Doctrinally, in these Positions:
I. In maintaining the Popes power over all temporall
Kingdomes, for the Pope, like the divell, will shew
all the glory of a kingdome, and give it to some creature
of his, if he will continue to worship him, and how bloudy
this principle hath been, all that reade histories know. It
is true, Bellarmine useth many distinctions in the asserting
of this power, for the Jesuites in all their controversies
strive who shall shew the most subtilty, as Apelles and an
other Painter contended, who should draw the smallest
line. But as for other Authors they maintained this power
of the Popes more boldly and more ignorantly. How
learned was that argument, because it's said, In principo,
not principiis, in the beginning, not the beginnings, therefore
there was but one supreme power, and that was the
Popes.
2. That an heretique, for heresie sake, and in point of
Conscience, though he doe not trouble the state, ought to
be put to death; this also makes to the effusion of much
bloud. There are in this controversie two extreames, the
Papists on one side, who are for corporall death, and the
cruell burning of those who dissent from their Church.
Qui hereticos occidendos negant, de seipsis solliciti sunt, faith
Maldonat. And the other of the Socinias, who would
have no outward forcible restraining of any error, though
never so grosse and pernicious; certainly the Magistrate
is so to walke that he be neither guilty of remissenesse and
want of zeale, nor yet of unwarrantable severity. Meisnor
doth well distinguish between hæreticus simplex, and hæreticus
seditiosus ac blasphemus, these last he saith may be
punished with capitall punishments; but the Pope and his
complices hold otherwise. For when they have anathematiz'd
a nation or people, ne bruta essent fulmina, they
inflame kings, and provoke them to destroy all with
sword and fire; Thus cum solitudinem fecerunt, pacem appellant;
they call an utter desolation, peace. And this further
makes their opinion bloudy, that they will judge
what heresie is. How much bloud in France, Germany,
and other parts hath this doctrine shed?
3. That no publike faith or promise is to be kept with
such heretiques. As if Christiana fides and punica were all
one. Who hath not read of the sad Convenant-breach with
Iohn Huss, by the Emperour Sigismund, being provoked
thereunto by the Papists, and Ioannes de Roma, a Priest,
said, that in the destruction of the Lutherans, Judges were
not bound to follow law, or reason. But how contrary is
this to Scripture, we have a fearfull instance in the Prophet
Ezekiel, of Zedekiah the King, who brake his faith
with the king of Babylon: how doth God take notice of
this sin especially, and punish him for it? Yea, did not the
Heathens by the Moon-light of nature see this, and therefore
how much admired is that Romane, who kept his
faith with Carthage, though he knew it would be his desperate
ruine? And did not God punish Sauls posterity,
for the breach of his Covenant with the Gibeonites,
though it was deceitfully obtained? How true doe they
make that old proverbe, Men play with oaths, as children
with shels?
4. That mentall Reservations and Equivocations are

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lawfull; This also must needs overthrow state constitutions,
though adamantine, for seeing that truth and words
they are the sinewes and ligaments of the body politicke,
if these be cut and dissolved, how can the body stand?
What celusions of Magistrates? What evasions of righteous
judgements? What insnaring of innocent men?
what doubling in oathes will there be by this meanes?
How can an oath be an end of a controversie if this be
allowed? O ye holy Martyrs lay aside your glorious
Robes of immortality, you died like fooles, and were
guilty of your owne bloud, when as you might have
denyed, and forsworne all by mentall Reservations.
Aquinas saith well, That an oath is for practicals, what
first Principles are for speculatives; and as any conclusion
will easily be granted, which shineth by the light of
the first principles; so that fact must be submitted to,
which is confirmed by an oath. But by this doctrine, first
Principles in societies are quite extinguished. It is true,
there are some Papists, that doe write against these Jesuiticall
assertions; but they are not considerable, nor doth
the Pope of Rome looke upon such as his abettors.
How doth the morall honesty of Heathens exceed their
piety, for Tully doth relate among the examples malæ fidei,
that fact of a souldier, prisoner, who by Hannibals permission
had leave to goe out upon his oath, that he would
returne againe, and he returneth presently, pretending he
had forgot something, and so by this, thought himselfe
freed from his oath.
5. That there is an absolute necessity of concealing all
things revealed in auricular Confession; and this doctrine
hath been a private backway to let in horrible
conspiracies and murders, Nullum tantum malum esse potest
cujus vitandi causa confessionem prodere liceat, and Bellarmine
praiseth Garnet, that would not reveale this Gunpowder
treason; because forsooth confession as
they say is De jure Divino, and temporall authority de
jure humano, leviori damno reges omnes quotquot sund occiderentur
quam vel una confessio revelaretur, Casaubon saith,
this was a Jesuites speech to him; I wonder whether they
would hide it, if there were a conspiracie to kill the Pope?
Thus you see how all their opinions are with Dracoes
written in bloud. But there was one Jesuite escaped
well in this matter of Confession, his name was father
Aubigney, who in the bloudy fact of Ravilliack, being called
in question, and demanded, what was revealed to
him? He replyed this answer, that God had given him
this grace, that whatsoever was told him in Confession,
he presently by a miracle forgot it, and for all the world
could not remember it againe. I thinke if this answer saved
him, it was the best grace ever God bestowed on him.
6. That the Clergie are exempted from subjection,
and so cannot be guilty of treasinable practises: Clerici
rebellio in regem, non est crimen læsæ Majestatis, quia non est
subditus regi, and if so, what wickednesse may be committed
by them without any controll. That same distinction
of Clergie and Laity, though it hath been used
well enough in an Ecclesiastique sense for distinction
sake, yet in the popish way is very detestable, for hereby
they hold themselves so the inheritance and portion of
God, that they are exempt from all jurisdiction; and I
know not how many temporall governours have given
way too much hereunto; now doth not this assertion directly
oppose Ro~.12.1. Let every soul, &c? and what is more
knowne then that Explication of Chrysostome, Every soul,
though he be a monk, a priest, though he be never so spirituall,
as they call it, is understood here by the Apostle.
7. That blind Obedience unto Governours is necessary,
and you may easily see what knives and swords this
opinion hath in it: Let in this upon a people, that whatsoever
the Pope and his Officers shall command to be
done, though it be to destroy an whole kingdome; yet it
must without any disputation be obeyed: Let in this
doctrine, and you let in the Trojan horse; It's no wonder,
if they hold this in matter of fact, when they also maintain
it in matter of faith. That it is better defined by ignorance
then knowledge. Thus what Seneca complained
of, as a great weaknesse among people, That homines
malunt credere quam judicare, and they doe receive all worship
of God, tanquam legibus jussum,, rather then diis gratum,
will be made a vertue in these men; yea, that they do
mereri credendo, even by beleeving so stupidly they merit.
Thus when these Philistines have put out mens eyes,
they will make them drudge in what Mils they please.
8. That the Pope may dispense in all vowes and promises,
and obligations, and who knowes not how England
hath been like Egypt, all the waters of it turned into
bloud by this doctrine? How have Popes absolved poeple
from their oaths and all civill obligations whatsoever?
and that the Jesuites they are like those heathen priests
that had snakes in one hand and firebrands in the other,
and by this meanes the Papists have wrought themselves
out of all credit, that let what protestations, imprecations,
and obtestations be made by them; yet because the
Pope can so easily untie such knots, what trust can be given
to them? Well therefore is that Antichrist set forth
by the Dragon in the Rev. who is both subtile and bloudy,
and as Bernard said of the Divell in tempting of mens
soules, vereor magis serpentem gliscentem, quant leonem
rugientem: the same we may apply to them.
9. That to slay their enemies, it is lawfull to kill their
friends, if as much good will come by the one, as hurt by
the other; and this is true in our case this day, for when
Catesby asked Garnet, Wether it was lawfull to blow up
in the Parliament the innocent with nocent, he answered,
it was lawfull to kill friends in the destruction of
enemies, if so much good would arise as might recompence
the slaughter of the innocent. How contrary are
those to God, God would save Sodome, if there were ten
Righteous, and these would destroy Jerusalem for ten
wicked mens sakes; and I remember a story of a popish
Duke, who when he was askt by his souldiers, Whether
they should kill friends or no in killing their enemies? he
returned his answer, Yes,Deus enim novit, qui ejus sunt,
God will know well enough at the day of judgement,
which are his. How bloudy and cruell then, must they
needes be, who will kill their own to kill others.
10. To praise and defend those that have dyed their
hands in bloud. Learned men relate many things out
of the Papists to this purpose; That which concerneth
our case this day, This inhumane bloudy Conspiracy,
wherein they had Nero's wish of Rome, that England had
but one neck, and they cut it off, yet this is mitigated by
them, Magna mihi opinio est fælicis eorum exitus & salutio,
qui etsi in consilio opereq3 peccassent, constantes tamen in fide
Romanæ Ecclesiæ ex hac luce discesserunt. You see here is an
etsi peccassent, and in these bloudy acts they confirmed
themselves by the Sacrament, as if that were the seale of
other mens bloud, and not Christs.
And as for their cruell practises take these instances:
I. Concerning the Waldenses and poor Albigenses,
although we have little certainty of their opinions, they
being for the most part reported by popish Authors, yet

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of the cruelty used against them, how many sad witnesses
have we? It would make your haire to stand upright
with horrour. How many thousands of them have
been murdered in a day? and not content with their innocent
bloud, they did waste all the forrest and trees, as if
with Manichees, they had thought the trees had a rationall
life, and that to cut downe a tree had been homicidium,
as the Manichees fancied.
2. In France, what an ocean of bloud hath been shed
there, sometimes by conspiracies and massacres; sometimes
by open hostile waies, and howsoever it be true,
that the Protestants there in defence of their toleration,
which was confirmed to them by law, did also shed
much bloud, yet that was only defensive, and bloud must
be charged upon that side which did unjustly, and unrighteously
begin to warre. And do but observe wheresoever
the Pope and his Agents have had to doe, that at
last all hath ended in bloud.
3. That in Queene Maries dayes, and this bloud is not
yet dried up: How fresh are all the Stories of those spirituall
Nero's in our mindes? what was Bonner or Gardner,
but as they said of Nero NoValue: Howsoever
they labour to calumniate that book of Martyrs as
we have had some a-late could not abide it calling it a
lying legend, yet it layeth such a blemish upon them,
that the holy water of Rome cannot cleanse them
from it.
4. In Ireland, alas! whose hearts have not been affected
with those dolefull Tragedies there? How have they
truelly devoured, and spared no more then Tygers or
Wolves? But this may support us, that the bloud of
Gods people hath a two-fold notable effect:
1. It speaketh and cryeth: Oh what a loud cry is there
in Ireland, which God will not always refuse: Abel
though dead speaketh.
2. It makes fruitfull, and it is the semen Ecclesiæ, even
as when you shake one ripe flower, for one seed there
commeth up many.
5. In their attempt upon England this day: The particulars
of this Tragedie are so knowne, that to relate them
would be to weary you: consider the horridnesse of the
plot, at one blow to destroy an whole nation. Thinke O
Lucifer, and imagine, O prince of darknesse, a more
bloudy attempt if thou canst. What darknesse would have
covered the land? How would Sunne and Moone,
the great ones of the state been turned into bloud? How
had the Philistines taken the Arke, our Ministers been
turned into Friers, our Bibles into images, our Tables into
altars; yea, our Heaven turned immediately into an hell?
All this was a plotting & sol non sudas? & terra non contremiscis?
How would the Kingdome have been like an
Egypt, when every house had one dead in it? We cry out
of Herods cruelty, that would have killed all the children
of two yeares old: Here is greater bloudinesse, even to destroy
all in a Nation, O innocent Catiline and Verres to
these men: and are these the men that cry up Charity,
that hold it justifieth? Are these the men that admire St
Francis his pity, because he would not kill a Flea, when
they can destroy an whole Kingdome? What and to be
Saints for all this? Shall we, with Paul and Peter and the
other Saints, see Catesby and Faux, and that company
also?
Use of Exhoration, to loath that Religion, take heed
of connivence at those snakes, which when they are
warm will sting and poison. Oh this connivence at Popery,
how hath God avenged himselfe upon Ireland and

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England for it, we have complyed with their waies, and
now God hath made them wofull scourges to us, may we
not say, that the Lord hath made them, as the Iebusues
and Canaanites to us. In quo quis peccat, in eo punitur:
Thinke not that your estates, and goods will content
them, it must be your God, and your lives; when yee are
willing your soules should be damned, and your bodies
killed, then thinke of reconcilation with the Church of
Rome. Puniantur a te, ne tu pro illis puniaris: let them be
punished by you, let you be punished for them; Execute
you the judgement of the Lord upon them, as 'tis in your
power, and never be quiet, till this and the other Kingdomes,
be free from it; Make no friendship with angry
men, much lesse with bloudy men; rather dye by them,
then ever be reconciled with them, and know God hath
promised to be avenged on that Church of Rome, and
that they shall not alwayes boast in that marke of temporall
felicity. It is the greatest honour that ever can be put
upon you, to be instruments in destroying of her.
Use 2. of Instruction concerning the great difference
between popish, and Protestant Religion, in this matter
of bloud, for howsoever some Papists heretofore have
endeavoured to shew the bloudinesse of Calvinisticall
Doctrine, making it the cause of all the warres in France,
Germany, and Scotland, yet Bilson doth fully and clearely
vindicate them in their defensive warres; And it is nothing
but calumny in some, who have laboured to make
odious your present warre, as arising from the principles
of Poperie, whereas there is indeed a vast difference both
in the authority, in the end, in the nature, in the manner,
and in the extent, as might at large be shewed, if it were
pertinent.
For true and righteous are his judgements,&c.
The second Doctrine is,
That the Church of Rome hath greatly apostatized from all
her former faith.
The Apostle Paul saith of the Romanes, their faith
was knowne to all the world, but now their Apostatcy is
as famous: Even as the Angels by their fall are become
divels. It is true, to give the exact punctuall time, when
this great change was, as Bellarmine demands, is impossible,
for it was a change by degrees, as consumptions are
in a body, and therefore it was the more dangerous and
certainly mortall, Ille morbus vix est sanabilis, qui sanitatem
imitatur, and besides, as Cameron doth well observe,
changes to the worse doe for the most part please all, and
therefore little opposition being made, the Apostacy in
the beginning of it can hardly be discovered. And the
handling of this point will justifie that Reformation,
which is now on the wheele.
The Causes of this Apostacy were,
I. Pride and ambition. Chrysostome well called pride
the mother of hell, for that made the divell, a divell, and
so hell an hell; It is knowne to all, what arrogancy that
Church did take unto her selfe, and how Tertullian in his
time complained of the insolentiam cleri Romani, now
how ill would the poore contemptible way of Christ,
and his truth agree with their spirits; therefore all the
glory of the Church they interpreted it of outward and
carnall glory; In that assertion how doe they extoll the
Priesthood? Creatura paruit Iosuæ, at Presbyteris Creator;
sol illi, at his Deus quotiescunq3 verba sacra pronuntiant: The
Creature obeyed Ioshua, but the Creator doth the Priests;
The Sunne yeelded to him, but to these God doth as often
as they pronunce their words of Consecration.
2. Fraud and perfidiousnesse:

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They had fully learned, that Regnandi causa, all oathes
were to be violated; How grossely were the Pope and
his adherents taken in forging some Canons of the
Councell of Nice, for their preeminent dignity; therefore
their way is called a lye, and deceiveablenesse.
3. Covetousnesse; and if you look on all their opinions
about indulgences, private Masses, auricular confession,
&c. you will find love to mony the cause of them; so
well was it said in the Canon Law, Roma fundata a prædonibus,
adhuc habet de primordiis.
4. Nourishing of sinne:
This was usuall with the Church of Rome, when any
had been censured in the Easterne Churches for foule
miscarriages, then would she incourage them to appeale
to her, whereupon she would release them, by which
meanes she exalted her selfe into this great dominion she
hath; And then when she would inflict Ecclesiasticall
censures, they were in a great part pecuniary, and meerly
to the macerating of the body, no wayes to the saving of
the soule, so that though the sinnes of men by their penance,
were like Sampsons haire cut off, yet because the
root was there, they did grow into their full strength
again.
5. Neglect of Scripture:
And this set open the flood-gate, whereby all the
world was immediately drowned in errours; for take the
eyes out of the body, the Sunne out of the firmament, the
Compasse from the Ship, what can follow but confusion?
Therefore they have wished that there had never
been Scripture; That the Church could have done well
enough with traditions only; They have called the Bible
the Booke that hath made all the contentions in the
world, and all the faith a man can have by it, to be only
humane, O the great patience of God, that beareth these
blasphemies; and thereforeworthy Patriots in your
way of Reformation doe you walke contrary, as they
pull'd it downe, doe you set it up, regard the Scripture
more then all State respects; This is the fountaine, and
so the streames that runne hence will be pure; It is impossible
saith Chrysostome that ever any good should come
from that man, who is diligent in Scripture.
6. The suteablenesse of it to flesh and bloud; and
therefore it's called the wine of fornications. Even as they
say, Leopards are taken not by arrowes and bowes, or
open fire, but by leaving wine for them to drinke, whereby
they are so intoxicated, that they are easily surprised;
of this kind are all popish errours; He brings you milke
as Iael did to Sisera, and afterwards strikes a naile into
your temples. As Satan beguiled Eve, so are we coozened
into errours; the devill did not appeare himselfe, but
used a subtile instrument, nor did he directly deny Gods
Word, but made Quæries and Vtrums upon it, and then he
presented that which was pleasing to sense; striking out
the feare of death, by all which meanes he at last deceived
her.
I. Their Doctrine is pleasing to flesh; It is good for
the world to know, why all sorts of men are so apt for
Popery? Not long since, when there were altars and
images brought into our Churches, what a generall willingnesse
was there in people, but now to have such
things removed, what madnesse doth it worke in men?
and how doe they cry, as children for their babies again?
Doe but consider their doctrines extenuating Originall
sinne, making motions to sinne unconsented to, no sinne;
That a man hath power to keep the Commandements;
That the Commandement to love God binds only at
sometimes, Scotus as I take it only on holy-dayes; That
actuall inadvertency in holy duties doth not hinder the
fruit of them; That if a man drinke till he be giddy, and
the roome runne round, it is no drunkennesse; That
Prayers said in Latine, though we doe not understand
them, are accepted; That the devout man, who in his
prayer said, Miserera tui Domine for mei, yet had good devotion
and was acceptable to God.
2. Their worship is outwardly sensible: Thus when
they had taken away the Scripture, they set pictures up
in their roome, now this pleaseth the common people,
Homo est magis sensus, quam intellectus, it was Aristotles
speech. Herein the popish religion doth much gratifie the
ignorant people; The people of Israel cryed out for gods
that might goe before them: To worship in spirit and
truth can be no more understood by them, then the eye
can see a spirit.
3. Their piety extends to externall acts, for if we
observe all their Theologie, its like that of the Pharisees,
to look to the externall acts, not regarding the inward
grace, but as he that would have set up his picture, and it
would not stand, cryed, NoValue, There wants something
within; the same may be said of all their prayers
and religious performances, There wants something
within.
4. They make the Ordinances of God to conferre
grace ex opere operato, whereby they take men off from
being heart and soul-Christians. Hence they speake of
Sacraments, as we would of some Physick or potion, that
hath an inward naturall force and efficacy to produce
such an effect.
5. They have custome and antiquity for them, many
of their foolish and superstitious customes are some hundred
yeares old, and what fathers and grandfathers have
done, it is hard not to admire, and certainly had not the
Scripture foretold what an Eclipse would be upon the
whole Church, we would thinke it impossible that such
ridiculous things should be taken up. Because Christ is
the Light, therefore they have light at noone-dayes; Because
Christ said we must be like children, therefore the
Monkes weare Cowles, like childrens swadling-clouts,
and one Pope as Bishop Abbot relateth it made a serious
motion in the Conclave that he and the Cardinals
might ride on a solemne day on Asses to imitate Christs
humility; but the Conclave thought the Asse rode the
Pope too much already.
6. They have the greater part of the world; And he
must needs have a peremptory spirit, that doth not follow
a multitude to doe evill; It is a signe he hath life in him
that will swimme against the streame. A man is a sociable
creature even in errours, as well as anything else.
7. They commend ignorance; By this meanes whereas
God can make stones the children of Abraham, these
make the children of Abraham stones, and the people
they love to have it so; for this freeth them from Catechismes
and Bibles.
Therefore the way to keepe out Popery is to incourage
Learning; The heathens in their sacrifice to Apollo
offered Ivie to him, to shew, that Learning could not
grow unlesse the Magistrates would beare it up: God forbid
therefore that ever you should discourage it; for at
the same time when God brought truth into the world,
humane literature flourished, and was a great help thereunto.
8. They pretend to Miracles; and by this meanes they
have deluded a world of people; It is said, he should

D

bring downe fire from Heaven, though that which he
would have done to day, was a contrary wonder, Ignis de
terra, fire from under the earth; And although Austin
said, that he who would look now for Miracles, he himselfe
was a great Miracle; yet they make them as the essentiall
notes of the Church.
Use of Instruction, how necessary it is to reforme from
Popery, leave off your contentions one with another, and
set upon this common adversary. Learne of the very
Romanes, who though sometimes at deadly enmity one
with another, yet would deponere inimicitias, till they had
done the publike service; How can you ever indure that
these trumperies and idolatries should be brought in
againe; Humble your selves that Parliaments heretofore
have not done them; Let not Parliament sinnes in ages
heretofore come upon your score; How often doe the
people of Israel bewaile their owne sinnes and the sinnes
of their fathers? doe you confesse your own sinnes of unwillingnesse,
of coldnesse in this worke, and the sinnes of
your Ancestors. It is to be feared, that many of you have
not got that zeale for the purity of Gods Ordinances,
and Worship, as ought to be: And in the carrying on of
this, take heed of two fatall rockes: 1. A sinfull moderation.
2. A popish Tyranny.
A popish Tyranny is when any doe appropriate and
inclose to themselves such a power, which Christ hath
not at all given, or if he have given it, he hath communicated
it to more then one; This hath been the cause of
much schisme and contention in the Church of God;
Christ hath invested the Officers of his Church with sufficient
spirituall power for the attaining of that spirituall
benefit, which they are to look for, and therefore doe you,
being Magistrates confirme them in it.
The second is moderation, and there are these sorts:
I. A Cassandrean moderation, and that is, when men
make an hodge-potch in Religion, and plow with an Oxe
and Asse: However Grotius doth much extoll Cassander
and Erasmus whom Belarmine called semichristianum
yet we ought not to loose a letter or syllable of
truth to gaine all the world, and so Wicelius did tertiam
religionem, and mediam meditari, and therefore did bitterly
at the same time write against Papists and Luther too,
and howsoever Melancthon was thought to be rather modius,
then moderate, yet he is wronged, for he vehemently
opposed the Emperors Interim: It is better to have dissention
for truths sake, then a sinfull accord: Agreement
can never be made of the mixture of errour and Truth;
we have a famous instance of this of the Orthodox
and the Arrians, Syrmiensis Synodus in humane wisedome
to quench the fire raised by the Arrians, did conclude
an ambiguous forme, that so both parties might
have their senses, and therefore whereas it was used to be
read in the Creed NoValue, they would have it NoValue that
so both parties might agree. But what became of this? a
great fire was raised hereupon, which made Hosius a grave
man, that yeeled in that Synod, to grieve because he had
betrayed the truth.
2. A Socinian moderation; And this is indeed rather
a cursed Academicall and scepticall unbeliefe in fundamentall
things then moderation; That what the Schoolemen
doe in many Schoole and abstruse questions, the
same they doe in substantials and essentials, videtur quod
sic, & videtur quod non, and prout nobis nunc videtur; these
will put a fortasse and salvo meliorum judicio, upon received
Principles of Faith; and its observed, that they
would make a Declaration setentiæ eorum, of their judgement

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and opinion, not fidei in maine things of Religion.
3. A state politique Moderation. That is also, when
we bring down Scripture and the Commands of Christ
to state considerations; This hath been fatall to Reformers,
and all this ariseth because they doe not thinke by
faith, that Christ is able to save the ship they are in, when
the waves and tempests doe arise, was not this the destruction
of Ieroboam? and hath not the Lord been severe in
punishing even little neglects in his worship?
4. A Christian Moderation, which is to be seen in a
toleration, and forbearing of the weake, in some opinions,
and in an accomodation of dissenting brethren, so
farre as truth, and the peace of a Kingdome will beare.
Let there be a considering of one another, so farre, that
the prevailing party may not violently urge an uniforme
obedience, nor the oppressed party, an unlawfull liberty.
It is but a trifle comparatively that shall instance in, yet
Tully was applauded in it, when two great Oratours quarrelled
about tertio Consul, and tertium Consul, which was
best Latine, and calling upon Tully to judge, he decideth
it thus, by wishing them to write the halfe word onely,
tert. Consul, and so both parties might quickly agree. In
wounds its better to close and heale, rather then widen,
especially when there is a common enemy to destroy
both. And this made the Orthodox when they were
afraid the true faith would be subverted by the Arrians,
who were potent and numerous, to joyne with the Novatians,
who agreed with them in the Deity of Christ,
although dissenting from them in matters about Baptisme
and this concord proved successefull.
I know the question of tolerating men dissenting in
Religion is a vast ocean, and many learned men have wrie
of it, both Papists and Protestants, yet I observe those
that are sound and judicious, especially when they come
to speake of punishments for their errours, to incline in
mitiorem partem: Although indeed the Magistrate is
herein to deport himselfe so, that he be neither guilty of
sinfull remisnesse on one side, or unlawfull severity on the
other.
Use of Thankfulnesse, that we are as this day delivered
from Popery, and all their cruell attempts. I will
conclude all, that if Popery be thus cruell, thus Idolalitricall;
let us with hearts and tongues give God the
Glory, That you are a Parliament, that we have our houses,
our states, our Religion; Let us blesse God for this
dayes mercies. Abraham received Isaac from the grave
as dead; so doe you all your mercies temporall and spirituall,
especially having so many deliverances and victories
vouchsafed by God to your Armies. You have
many fifths of November in this one day; and every time
you have a victory it is deliverance from a Gun-powder
plot; before it was secret, and now it is open.

FINIS.