Prophecies concerning the return of popery into England, Scotland and IrelandProphecys concerning the return of popery into England, Scotland and Ireland

From the Deformities, Divisions, and Degenerations of Religion, also the Falsifications, Usurpations and Devastations, which of later years have been made by the violent sort of Anabaptists and other furious Sectaries, against the Unity and Authority, the Sanctity and Majesty of the Church of England, destroying its Primitive Order and Apostolic Government, its Catholic Succession, its holy Ordination, its happy and most successful Ministry, to the great neglect and contempt of all holy ministrations and duties of Religion; I cannot but further intimate to your piety and prudence (O my honoured Country-men) that which is most notorious, and no less dangerous, both in religious and civil respects, namely, the great Advantages, Applauses and Increases, which the Roman, or Papal party daily gain against the Reformed Religion, as it was once wisely, honourably, and happily established, professed and maintained here in England: which is now looked upon by the more subtle, superstitious and malicious sort of Papists, as deformed, divided, dissolved, desolated; so conclamat for dead, that they fail not with scorn to boast that in England we have now no Church, no Pastors, no Bishops, no Presbyters, no true Ministry, no holy Ministrations, no Order, no Unity, no Authority, no Reverence, as to things Divine or Ecclesiastic. Insomuch that we must in this sad posture, not only despair of ever getting ground against the Romanists, by converting any of them from the errors of their way to the true Reformed Religion; but we must daily expect to lose ground to the Popish party and their Proselytes: there being no banks or piles now sufficient to keep the Sea of Rome from over-flowing or undermining us, in order to advance their restless interests; which have been, and still are, mightily promoted, not by the reverend Bishops and the other Episcopal Clergy (who are men of Learning, Piety, Prudence, and Martyrlike constancy) as some men with more Heat than ⟨p. 18⟩Wit, more Spite than Truth, have in their mechanic and vulgar Oratory of late miserably and falsely declaimed;

From the Deformities, Divisions, and Degenerations of Religion, also the Falsifications, Usurpations and Devastations, which of later years have been made by the violent sort of Anabaptists and other furious Sectaries, against the Unity and Authority, the Sanctity and Majesty of the Church of England, destroying its Primitive Order and Apostolick Government, its Catholick Succession, its holy Ordination, its happy and most successful Ministry, to the great neglect and contempt of all holy ministrations and duties of Religion; I cannot but further intimate to your piety and prudence (O my honoured Countrey-men) that which is most notorious, and no lesse dangerous, both in religious and civil respects, namely, the great Advantags, Applauses and Increases, which the Roman, or Papal party daily gain against the Reformed Religion, as it was once wisely, honourably, and happily established, professed and maintained here in England: which is now looked upon by the more subtil, superstitious and malicious sort of Papists, as deformed, divided, dissolved, desolated; so conclamat for dead, that they fail not with scorn to boast that in England we have now no Church, no Pastors, no Bishops, no Presbyters, no true Ministry, no holy Ministrations, no Order, no Vnity, no Authority, no Reverence, as to things Divine or Ecclesiastick. Insomuch that we must in this sad posture, not onely despair of ever getting ground against the Romanists, by converting any of them from the errours of their way to the true Reformed Religion; but we must daily expect to lose ground to the Popish party and their Proselytes: there being no banks or piles now sufficient to keep the Sea of Rome from over-flowing or undermining us, in order to advance their restless interests; which have been, and still are, mightily promoted, not by the reverend Bishops and the other Episcopal Clergy (who are men of Learning, Piety, Prudence, and Martyrlike constancy) as some men with more Heat than