shall that wicked be revealed c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wicked or lawless person when the restraint and laws of the Emperours were taken off then was the time for the lawless person to appear who professeth himself subject to no law but above all humane and divine The removing the imperial seat from Rome to Byzantium by Constantine the Great gave the first advantage to the aspiring minds of those Bishops for then the eyes of all were upon them instead of the Emperours then they disdained to come to Councils and set Ambassadours in their names two or three at a time in Princely manner then they cried up the dignity and primacy of Peter and of the Apostolick See and insinuated themselves into the affairs of all Churches again when Rome was sackt by the Goths and Vandals and the Emperours power decayed in Italy the Bishops of Rome assumed more authority to themselves and were ready to comply with barbarians and invaders against their natural and Christian Prince to increase their own power When Odoacer had taken Rome and made himself King of Italy Pope Gelasius joyned with him called a Council of seventy Bishops at Rome and presided in it in the presence of the usurper Ann. 570. After this when the Imperial race was almost extinguisht in the East by the impious Tyrant Phocas Boniface 3. readily joyns with him writes flattering letters to him and obtained of him the long desired title of universal Bishop Ann. 606. And now the Emperours are beholding to the Bishops of Rome to hold their dominion in Italy yet this was a Clog to them that their election must be approved by the Emperours when therefore they had prevailed with Constantine 4. to release them of this obligation and to grant that whom the Senate and people of Rome chose he should be received as Pope without asking the Emperours consent then they had perfectly shaken off the yoak and the following Popes Gregory the 2. and 3. excommunicated 2. Emperours Philippicus and Leo for opposing Image worship absolved their Subjects from their Oath of allegiance and raising war against them finally drove them out of Italy about the year 750. Yet the Lombards troubled the Pope till he called in Pipin who subdued them and his Son Charles the great who put an end to their Kingdom And now the Pope was Lord of Italy and giveth Charles the tile of Roman Emperour and after about 6 generations he tranferred it to the Germans And now the Pope had a new and his last difficulty these German Emperours challenged the confirmation of the Popes election and the investing of all Bishops within their dominons but the Pope was grown so strong that by plain force and continuall wars he at last compelled the Emperours to renounce all power over the Popes and Italy it self to resign the investiture of all Bishopricks to the Pope yea to have his own election confirmed by the Pope and to hold his Crown as his gift which was principally managed though not finished by Hilderbrand Pope Gregory 7. about the year 1077. And now the man of sin was revealed indeed and come to maturity and from his time divers learned men of every nation declared and proved the Pope to be Antichrist and ever since the Pope hath filled all the West with wars Massacres and the private murders of his inquisition to uphold the power he had so honestly gotten he hath also made attempts upon the Eastern Churches and he gained some power over them while the Latines reigned in Constantinople but that fell with them and the East hath been oppressed by the Turk as the West by the Pope though not altogether in so terrible a manner for he for money grants the Christians their Churches and exercise of their religion but the Pope will suffer none to live that will not submit to him It may justly be a wonder how it was possible the Bishops of Rome many of them mean and inferiour men and many most flagitious could possibly attain so great power and dignity It was a mystery saith the Apostle and it was done insensibly At first the Bishops of Rome were eminent for parts piety and sufferings as usually such men are preferred and imployed in great especially Metropolitical Cities this gained them great credit with all Churches and both Ministers and people had them in great veneration and desired their judgement and counsel in weighty cases then the Emperours newly become Christian thought they could not bestow honour and power enough upon the Church especially on the Imperial seat they granted them their Courts their Apparitors and attendance with leave to all Christians to bring their causes to their Courts this made them Pettie-Princes then they challenged the right of appeals from all Churches though opposed and shamefully foiled by the Churches of Africk they would receive any persons and causes into their patronage the more unjust the better for them for the criminal persons having no hope of redress in their own Churches wholly relied upon the Popes authority and he to increase his authority would do his utmost for them and this was the reason why the Popes of Rome who long maintained the true doctrinal worship at length set up image worship Transubstantiation and all the rest of their superstitions viz. because the promoters and defenders of these corruptions fled to the Popes authority to shelter themselves from the power and censure of the sounder part of the Church and the Pope still sided with the worst that thereby he might oppress those who would not acknowledge his universality and supremacy at last the Pope having by these means insinuated into the minds and affections of the worst but greater part he did by force establish his throne above all and by force he hath kept it moreover the sloth and ignorance of may in the ministry and the pride of others who sought to advance themselves by advancing the Pope did not a little contribute to his power also the confusions of the Empire by the invasions of the Barbarians much helpt it forwards for they overturned the government destroyed the more knowing people in themselves being both Pagans and void of all learning received Religion from the Pope and superstition together and suffered themselves to be inslaved by him under the pretence of obedience to Christ and is chief Apostle St. Peter and his successours and their poor Princes suffered their people to be deceived and were deceived themselves by these plausible arts insomuch that they gave up their power to that Roman beast and thought it good service to Christ when they could serve his pretended Vicar 't is reported that 30 Kings and Queens of England have left their Kingdoms and gone to Rome to see St Peters successor and to die there A fair warning to Princes and magistrates to maintain their own power and the dignity of their places and to all Ministers to look to their own charge and to the people to
Pagan which did impose her Idolatrous wrship upon the world Lastly that it is Rome Papal as it now is and hath been for many ages past which is this Babylon and not Rome when she shall utterly renounce the Christian faith in the end of the world as some Papists without shadow of reason fancy is proved in that she is arrayed in purple and Scarlet decked with gold and precious stones and pearls which is the garb of the Pope and his Cardinals In that she is the Mother of fornications Idolatries through the earth and that she is drunk with the blood of Saints and Martyrs Rome Papal having destroyed far more Christians than ever Heathen Rome did And that the beast that carries this whore the Roman State is full of names of blasphemy v. 3. the blasphemous titles and power which the Pope usurpeth to himself and his Roman Church above any heathen that ever was And especially in that the ten horns upon the head of the beast that carries this Whore which are ten Kingsarising out of the dissolution of the Roman Empire are said to have received no Kingdom in Johns time but to receive it one hour with the beast v. 12. yea to give their power to the beast to set him up and maintain his Empire and to be deluded by him till God shall turn their hearts against him to destroy him v. 13 -17 The beast himself also was to be the eighth head of the former great beast and yet one of the seven i. c. a new government in Rome for the manner of it not much different from the preceding Emperours all which are apparently fulfilled in the Pope and his adherents For when Augustulus laid down the Empire Ann. Chr. 476. there immediately appeared ten small Kingdomes sometimes more sometimes fewer in this Western part of the world and then the Pope began to usurp the dominion of Rome and both he and they grew up together and strengthened each other till they were all inslaved by him and had inabled him to trample Emperours under his feet likewise the declining or wane of Popedome in these too last ages hath been caused by the withdrawing of these very Princes from his subjection whose Kingdomes were once provinces of Rome and whose predecessors had given their power to the Pope and when a few more shall follow their example the Pope will lofe his triple Crown These things thus explained the Observation is clear Obs It is the command of Christ to all his people to withdraw from the communion of Papal Rome as they would avoid joyning in her sins and to those that have opportunity to forsake the dwellings of Rome as they would escape her plagues When the whole world after the flood apostatized from God and his worship God singled out the family of Abraham and in time increast them to a nation to put his name and to keep up his worship among them for this the rest especially their neighbours in the East hated and opposed them and the heads of this opposition were Egypt Niniveh and at last Babylon in Chaldea which swallowed up all her neighbours Thus there was a long contest betwixt the Church of the Jews who adhered to God and pure religion and Babylon which was become the head of the Pagan Apostasie in the East In like manner the Gospel was no sooner planted and spread throughout the Western world but there began a defection to Idolatry in the worship of Saints and Angels and after some while Rome became the head of this Apostasie and for above 1 thousand years past there hath been a continual contest betwixt a purer part of Christs Church scattered through divers Countries and this Mystical Babylon a certain number specified by one hundred forty four thousand Rev 14.1 have kept themselves pure from the whoredomes of Rome they were Virgins and followed the Lamb whithersoever he went and with them the Roman beast hath continually made war and still seeks to destroy them out of the earth now all that would be the faithful servants of Christ must joyn with this small persecuted company and neither comply with nor submit to Rome nor connive at her power and impositions as they would not be found guilty of her Apostasie and be swept away in her destruction To prove this because we speak to them who are already separated from Rome it will be sufficient to clear these 2 Questions which being cleared will also prove the duty of others to separate from her who yet either adhere to or lean towards her 1. Question whether there was a just ground for the Potestants to separate from the Church of Rome 2. Whether there can be any reconciliation of Protestants to Rome In which I shall be brief because a foundation is in a sort laid for it in the foregoing discourse 1. Qu. Whether Protestants did upon just and necessary grounds separate from the communion of the Church of Rome in her worship and discipline Answ They did which I thus prove 1. Because the Church of Rome hath altered the rule of the Christian faith The Church is a holy Common-wealth under the government of the Lord Jesus Christ and he governs it by his laws contained in the holy Scriptures these are the rule of their worship and obedience to him Math. 28.18 19 20. He that alters this rule altereth the fundamental constitution of the Church But the Church of Rome hath altered this rule they teach the Scriptures to be a defective insufficient rule and therefore they joyn to them the Apocryphal books of the Old Testament and the Traditions of the Church which also they receive and reject at their pleasure Decrees of Councils and decretals and decisions of Popes all these together are the perfect rule that the Papists acknowledge and pretend to I say pretend because the Scripture hath little share in it when it comes to Tryal hereby they have made a new foundation of the Church both of faith and practice For it is not sufficient that we believe and practise all that is in the Canonical Scriptures but we must believe and obey the Apocryphal writings and unwritten Traditions as of the same authority with the Bible thus the Council of Trent hath determined as was shewed before This altereth the very constitution of the Church and subjecteth it to men instead of Christ and this is the root of all apostasie 2. Because the Papists pretend their Pope or Church to be above the Scriptures and to put an authentick authority on them and their sense Thus all our faith and obedience is resolved into the determination of men That the Papists pretend the Pope their Council or Church to be above the Scriptures cannot be denied they give the authority and authentickness to the Scriptures 't is from their command that the Bible is received and if they pleased they might cause it to be laid aside it cannot be known they say that the Scriptures are Gods word but that
the Pope their head not to Christ The Lords supper is not sufficient to comfort a dying Christian but they add their Sacrament of extreme unction to strengthen them against the flames of Purgatory Thus they have more Sacraments and for other ends than Christ appointed 7. Christs Church is to be guided and governed only by the officers and Ministers of his own appointing and that according to his word Christ as the head and Saviour of his Church hath appointed that it shall be instructed and governed by his laws guided and ruled by his officers in the practice and execution of his laws and Commands what they shall be he hath appointed Eph. 4.11 12 to 16. viz. Apostles Prophets Evangelists to convert the world and raise his Church at first Pastors and Teachers to guide and instruct it to the end of the world and these he hath ordered to teach his people his Commands Matth. 28.20 to preach his word administer his Sacraments and to be examples to the flock of all humility and holiness not for filthy lucre but out of desire of their good 1 Pet. 5.1 to 4. But the Papists have quite altered the nature and use of the Ministry of the Church Council Triden Sess 23. ch 1 2 3. Can. 1 2. They have added five or six orders of Officers to those that Christ appointed only for pomp and superstition viz. Subdeacons Exorcists Readers Singers Acolothites and Porters Their Priests preach not the word but are chiefly ordained to offer the sacrifice of the Mass which also is most of their imployment The Pope the Head of their Church is an earthly Monarch above all Princes and Emperors living in all the state and pomp of the old Roman Emperours challenging the same honour observance and more than they did viz. the kissing of his feet except one or two most insolent Tyrants His Cardinals are Princes and the chief Cardinal Bishop taketh place of the Emperours Embassadour and the next takes place of all other Embassadours Their whole ministry almost consisteth in hearing confessions pardoning sins enjoyning penance preaching the authority of the Pope the Canons and Traditions of their own Church and in saying Masses and prayers for the absent and for the dead 8. The great design of the Gospel is that men being reconciled to God may live to him in all holiness and righteousness and this is the practice of the Church of Christ The Church is redeemed and purchased to be a peculiar people to Christ zealous of good works therefore is it called out of the world inspired with his spirit of grace and holiness taught by his holy law and subjected to his holy discipline the work of Christians is to be dying to the world mortifying their lust and growing in grace in hope of and preparation for Glory Titus 2.11 12 13 14. But the design of Popery by keeping the people ignorant of the word and Sacraments is to bring them into subjection to the Pope and his Clergy Their ordinances and worship tend not to purifie the conscience but under a vain shew of a carnal pompous service to cheat them of knowledge and spiritual edification and to enthral men to their Church and their own Institutions They teach that the bare use of the Sacraments conferreth grace though a man neither understand what he doth nor is serious in it and if perhaps he should be serious yet the efficacy of the Sacraments dependeth on the Priests intention so that if he be not serious or understandeth not what he doth the Communicant can have no benefit They tolerate all manner of wickedness Pope Nicholas teacheth it is better for their Clergy to live in secret fornication than to marry Satius est pluribus occultis implicari quam in conspectu mundi cum una ligari And the people may live how they please so they be obedient to the orders of the Church confess and receive Mass once a year this will blot out all sin and though a man should live in wickedness all his days yet if he but die in their communion with the Priests absolution which may be easily had he shall go to Purgatory but for a time and so to Heaven and money may procure Masses and prayers for him when dead that will hasten his deliverance thence also so that they that will not leave their sins while they live may buy their pardon and redemption from torment after they are dead how can there be a more effectual way to encourage men in sin 9. Self-denyal contempt of the world and bearing the Cross are the profession and badge of Christs Church Our Saviour declared that his Kingdom was not of this world and his Disciples must not expect nor fight for it here John 18.36 He hath promised them his spirit and comforts in a greater measure than formerly because they were to meet with much tribulation in this world John 16.33 and our Saviour hath given us this universal rule except a man deny himself and take up his cross and follow me he cannot be my Disciple Lub 14.27 Matth. 16.24 But the Papists make outward prosperity and grandeur a mark of the true Church and that the Pope and Bishops are Princes above all Princes and that instead of suffering any persecution they are to make War upon all Princes that displease them to destroy by open force of battle or sudden Massacres and private treacheries all they can reach that are not obedient to them or suspected not to be hearty or but to favour or be mild towards those they call Hereticks 10. Heaven is proposed as the certain reward of the servants of Christ The grace of God that brings Salvation teacheth us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godlily in this world looking for the glorious appearance of God our Saviour Tit. 2.11 12 13. In this life Christians are to fight strive and run but when this life ends their course is finished and there remains nothing but a Crown of life which the righteous judge shall give to all them that love his appearance 2 Tim. 4.6 7. But the Papists teach that all assurance of Salvation is presumption Concil Triden Ses 6. ch 12 13. Can. 15 16. the most we must expect is after many afflictions from Gods hand and voluntary severities upon our selves to satisfie for sin at last to go to Purgatory for a long time there to suffer the same torments that the damned do in Hell It is reported of Bellarmin that when some about him would have comforted him at his death with his great merits and that he should certainly go to heaven he answered It is not so easie a thing to get to heaven and that he could be content to suffer the pains of Purgatory many years if he could be sure to come to heaven at last Thus though they tell men they may merit Heaven and do works of supererogation viz. more than God requires of
Church and all Bishops Priests c. receive their power from him So that all are but his Deputies his servants the disposal of all Bishopricks and benefices if he please throughout the world belongs to him The power of Excommunication and absolution of making and altering all Ecclesiastical laws and injunctions resides in him and to him all appeals must be made 3. The Pope challengeth power over the Devils They have their book of exorcismes the office of exorcists their many mysteries certain prayers forms of words Holy water consecrated circles c. by which they pretend to cast out to raise to lay and bind the Devil as they please 4. They pretend also that the Holy Angels and glorified Saints are at their Command Pope Clement 6. the first author of their Jubilees in his Bull wherein he promised great priviledges to all that would come to Rome adds this viz. that if any of these holy Pilgrims should chance to die by the way in their journey he commandeth the holy Angels immediately to transport their souls to heaven The Keys of heaven are one of the Ensigns of the Popes dignity he can unsaint those that are gone to heaven he can release out of Purgatory as soon or detain there as long as he pleaseth Yea Pope Gregory the 1. they say by his prayers brought the soul of Trajanus the Emperour out of Hell 500. Years after he was dead They interpret the 8. Psalm v. 4. c. of the Pope viz. he is that son of man that is crowned with glory and dignity that hath dominion over all the works of God that hath all things put under his feet all Sheep and Oxen i. e. all Christians all the Beasts of the field i. e. all the Infidels the Fowls of heaven i e. the Angels and Saints above and the fish of the Sea i. e. the souls in Purgatory 5. The Pope exalteth himself above Christ he challengeth the sole government of the Church on earth to belong to him to make and abrogate Laws and to guide it infallibly so that Christ now hath nothing to do with the Church militant he can and daily doth interpret and dispense with the Laws of Christ and hath authority above his word When the Pope goes out of Town the host his breaden God is carried on Horse-back amongst his Sumpters and other furnitures a day before-hand as one of his utensils and in the Church the Pope sitteth above the Altar and above the Host and giveth it but a small nod as he passeth by when the people give ten times more reverence to him than they do to the Host even according to their own ceremonies 6. He exalteth himself above God He taketh more care to have his own Laws observed than Gods commands and punisheth the violation of them more severely than sins against God To speak against the Pope the virgin Mary or any of their Saints to work on their Holy-days to eat flesh on a fast-day especially in Lent are greater offences and harder to be forgiven than any sins against God Yea it is the design of the Papacy to exalt themselves whatever comes of the honour of God A man may be of any religion or no religion may live as he please so he own the Popes power and hold the Communion of that Church and this is all their unity they so much brag of Papa potest omnia quae Deus potest say their Canonists The Pope can do all that God can do yea and more as they add potest facere justum ex injusto he can make evil good vice to be vertue yea every Popish Priest they say can make his God and maker out of a piece of bread A Frier in a Sermon before the Spanish Governour at Milan magnifying the Priests power said a Priest could do more than God For God could only make creatures but every Priest could make the infinite God the maker of all which God could not do and yet saith the Authour this passed without controul The Apostle amplifieth this pride in the next words he exalteth himself so as he sitteth as God in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God i. e. he ruleth in the Church of God and challengeth honour from the Church as if he were God The Papists would hence infer that Antichrist or this man of sin shall be a Leader of the Jews sitting and being worshipped in their Temple at Jerusalem to be rebuilt by him but that Temple shall never be rebuilt when the Jews attempted it in Julians time they were hindred by fire breaking out of the earth and descending from heaven and the Jews themselves shall all be converted to Christ The Temple of God here is his Church in which the Man of sin must sit who must therefore be an apostate Christian only not the Turk neither alone as some Papists would have it nor in conjunction with the Poipe as some Protestants think Piscator in Loc. he never was a Christian nor sitteth in the Church nor endeavoureth to alter or corrupt the worship of it nor assumeth divine prerogatives to himself nor was known to the world for many ages after this was written neither his religion name or Nation whereas this mystery of iniquity was working in the Apostles days and by him discovered and pointed at to the Church But that the Pope doth sit in the Church as if he were God is manifest It is not amiss to observe the word here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he sitteth in the Temple of God is the term the Popes use Kings are said to reign Popes to sit so many years and Rome it self is Sedes Apostolica the Apostolical See or Seat 1. The Pope challengeth an absolute universal power over the whole world When John the Bishop of Constantinople usurped the title of universal Bishop Pope Gregory the 1. called him the King of pride the forerunner of Antichrist yet he challenged that title only over the Church and meant it only of a primacy of order to be the first and chief Bishop but Boniface the 3. ten years after obtained to be head and universal Bishop and his successours have ever since used it exercising an absolute jurisdiction both in Civil and Ecclesiastical matters The Pope challengeth the disposal of all Kingdoms if there be any question about succession or any controversie among Princes he interposeth and pretendeth to decide all as having the absolute power of disposing and ordering all things and in the Church the sole authority belongs to him of binding and loosing of appointing Bishops and Ministers and degrading them of conferring all imployments receiving all appeals not only in reserved cases but in all ordinary cases when he pleases or the parties please to remove the case to Rome This is a power beyond a mortal man a charge that no creature can perform to inspect and order the affairs of the whole world both of this life and that which is to come 2. He
their Church declares it nor is any sense or meaning to be fixt upon as the certain sense of any Scripture but what they determine to be the meaning of the place Accordingly the Trent Council out of their great power have determined the vulgar Latin Translation of the Bible to be authentick and equal to the Greek and Hebrew originals Council of Trent Ses 4 though their own authors acknowledge it to be most false defective and in many things ridiculous Now then our faith is not ultimately resolved into the Scriptures we do not believe and obey because we know and are sure from Scripture that this is the mind of God but because the Pope or Church declare it to be the mind of God yea though the words of Scripture plainly condemn what they teach or though the Translation of a Scripture be contrary to the original which was indited by the spirit of God immediately yet if they say this is the meaning of the place and the true translation of it we must believe it The foundation then of all our faith and obedience is the determination of the Church or Pope Obj. But they are infallible they say Answ This they can never prove but if they were if I must believe meerly upon their Testimony and saying they are infallible my faith is still resolved into the witness of men their testimony concerning themselves is but a humane Testimony they do not cannot prove it by any divine infallible proof therefore my faith and obedience must ultimately pesolve into humane authority The Apostles were infallible yet had not they dominion over the faith of the Church 2 Cor. 12.24 to command what should be believed and practised but they proved by infallible and divine Testimony of miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost that what they taught came from God and so the belief of the people was built upon the Testimony of God to the Apostles doctrine 1. Cor. 2.4 5. the Apostle saith his preaching was in demonstration of the spirit and of power That their faith might not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God If their faith had been grounded upon the Apostles own Testimony of his self that he was infallible and upon his determination concerning any Scripture or doctrine out of his own wisdom though he had seemed to prove it strangely their faith had stood upon the authoty wisdom of man but therefore their faith was built on God because his spirit did powerfully demonstrate what the Apostle preacht to be from God therefore unless the Papists can prove their infallibility by miracles and demonstration of the spirit theirs is but a humane Testimony and so we know it is and a false one too and therefore it is an intolerable abuse to take the Church off from faith and obedience to Christ as the head commanding and ruling her and from the holy Spirit as inditing and confirming the holy Scriptures and to subject her to the authority and determinations of fallible and sometimes most wicked men To let pass that the Papists themselves not being agreed who is the infallible supreme judge whether the Pope Council or the whole Church no man of them hath any sure foundation for his Faith If they say the Scripture declares who is the supreme infallible Judge I answer that Judge must again tell us what is the meaning of that Scripture The Pope saith it means him the Council and Church say it means them here are three pretenders to supreme and infallible authority and to interpret the Scripture which soever a man adheres to it is two to one but he is mistaken however here is no way to determine who is the infallible Judge unless there be infallible marks and Testimonies of it given by God and then they are of the supreme authority and neither Pope Council nor Church themselves but such they can never produce Thus the whole matter is but an inconsistent juggle to bring the Church into subjection to the Pope 3. Because the Church of Rome takes away the Scriptures from the people yea and alloweth the Clergy themselves the use of the corrupt vulgar Translation of the Bible only Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10.14 How then shall the people get Faith or grow in it when they must not have the Scriptures to read themselves nor have them read to them by their teachers but in an unknown tongue and that Translation so corrupt also that if any of them should understand Latin they would yet have much difficulty to find the truth The Scriptures are Christs Law whereby he governs his Church and the peoples Magna Charta the Charter of all their priviledges and of all Gods promises spiritual and temporal to take this from them is to deprive them both of the rule of their obedience and of the foundation of all their faith and hope in God This is not to be endured upon any pretence whatsoever 4. Because they impose the celebration of Gods worship in an unknown tongue the Papists celebrate their prayers Sacraments and singing of Psalms all in Latin which as they know the people understand not so they would not have them understand it by this means the people are deprived of all true worship For worship is the reverence and affection of the soul to God either in ascribing honour to him or desiring of him and trusting in him for whatever we need This it is impossible man should give to God in and by those words and expressions which he understandeth not which for what he knows may blaspheme God or beg a curse instead of a blessing which as managed by illiterate Priests oftentimes are nonsense and signifie nothing and sometimes contrary to sound Doctrine yea may at all times for what the people know be directed to an Idol or a Devil instead of God For preaching of the word the Papists pretend but little to it And thus the Roman Church is a Church of Christ which acknowledgeth not him for her head and Governour nor his word for her rule and Law nor his worship for her practice but sabjecteth her self to a wicked man under the name of Christs Vicar taketh his will for her Law and his institutions for her worship without Question and without understanding This is an abuse Jot to be tolerated 5. The Idolary that the Papists impose on the Church the Apostle is express You cannot partake of the Table of the Lord and the Table of Devils the Cup of the Lord and the cup of Devils 1 Cor. wor-10 20 21. and these Devils he saith are shipped in Idols by Idolaters with whom therefore we must have no communion now the greatest part of the Papists worship consists in the worship and invocation of Saints Angels and the Virgin Mary and their waser-God which they practise upon the very same grounds on which the Heathens worshipt their Idols and therefore are Idolaters as well as the
reaches The Host hath its Temples its Holydays and all divine honours given to it also the power of healing diseases casting out Devils and working all manner of miracles ascribed to it The Virgin Mary hath more temples offerings and prayers made to her than either the Father or the Son Her name is most sacred in oaths and a greater offence it is to speak any thing derogatory to her honour Vid. spec Europ Sands Jure matris impera redempotri than to blaspheme the name of God In her they put their trust and to her they ascribe authority over Jesus Christ himself It is true in words the Schoolmen distinguish the worship of the Virgin which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from fo the worship of God yet they confess a higher worship is due to her than to any creature and when we can make a medium betwixt the creator and creature then may we assign a worship which is not divine and yet superiour to the civil respect due to creatures But the same learned author observes that whosoever travelleth in Italy will see in their practice no such distinctions but that more honour and worship is given to the Virgin than to God himself It is known to all that Papists are more zealous for the worship of the Host and Virgin whom they call their Lady than for the honour of God and make the worship of them a greater cognizance of their religion than any part of the religion of Christ 2. The Churchof Christ acknowledgeth and trusteth in one only Mediator the Lord Jesus Christ None can reconcile sinners to God nor intercede with God for them but he that is equal with God God himself no creature can approach so near the infinite Majesty or have any much less such authority with him therefore the divine honour that is given to Christ the Mediator doth not derogate from the honour of God nor is any robbery of him because Christ is one with himself 1 Cor. 8.6 There is but one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him But the Papists do own trust in and pray to many Mediators besides Jesus Christ even all the Angels in heaven who are therefore to be honoured and worshipped as inferiour Magistrates under a King and Courtiers under their Lord Catech. Rom. in 1. praec Q 4. Nostras preces deo offerunt Lachrymas They present our prayers and tears to God Also the Saints in heaven who they say being prayed to will obtain for us the remission of our sins and the favour of God Si enim gaudium est in Coelo super uno peccatore poenitentiam agente Ibid. Q. 5. nonne etiam coelestes cives poenitentes adjuvabunt Nonne rogati peccatorum veniam impetrabunt conciliabunt dei gratiam The invocation and worship of Saints as both lawful and necessary is avouched and decreed by the Council of Trent Ses 25. Decr. 2. Nor will their evasion excuse them that they make Saints and Angels only mediators of intercession to pray to God for us but not of redemption to reconcile us to God intercession depends upon redemption and satisfaction and is as proper a part of the priesthood of Christ as the sacrificeof himself was even Christs intercession would not have been prevalent unless he did thereby present his blood and merits to the Fathers and as the Saints couldnot intercede for us unless they had merited for us so the Church of Rome doth ascribe such merits to them viz. to their works of supererogation whereby they have done more than God required which merits they say are kept in the treasury of the Church to be applied to sinners as the Pope feeth fit and especially to their Martyrdom though they die for rebellion to their lawful Princes according to that known prayer Per Thomae sanguinem quem pro te impendit fac nos Christe scandere quo Thomas ascendit Vid. Tho. Becket of Cant. Grant that we may come to Heaven through the blood of Saint Thomas which he shed for thee It is the merits and prayers of Saints that must relieve the souls in Purgatory Concil Trid. ses 25. decr 1. ibid. dec 22 23. ch 1. yea every Mass-priest they say celebrating Mass doth offer up Christ to the Father as real and proper a sacrifice as he offered himself on the Cross and hereby makes reconciliation both for the living and dead viz. that are in Purgatory If then Christ was a compleat Priest merited and satisfied for us in sacrificing himself then every Popish Priest doth merit and satisfy for us when he offereth the same sacrifice as Christ did to the same intent and purpose 3. The Church of Christ is to worship him with spiritual rational worship Christians are to give themselves to God as a living and the only acceptable sacrifice which is their reasonable service Rom. 12.1 and to worship Godin spirit and truth in opposition both to the superstition of the Heathen and the ceremonies and bodily worship of the Jews in any place convenient for that purpose John 4.22 23 24. The outward worship of Christians consisteth in prayer and praises with understanding sometimes adjoyning fasting for the furtherance of repentance and mortification in hearing Gods word and the reverent use of his sacraments which Christ hath appointed which though they are outward and visible signs yet they are but few plain and familiar and the efficacy of them dependeth upon the rational and spiritual consideration of the things signified But the Papists have changed the whole worship of God into a pompous carnal dead service They have taken away the Scriptures from the people and give them dumb images in stead of them Con. Trid. Ses 25. Dec. 3. Cat. Rom. in 1. praecep Q. 14. to teach them and to excite their devotion Instead of preaching the word most of their preaching is to set out the praises and lying miracles of their Saints Their prayers both publick and private are in a tongue unknown to the people and very often to the Priest also who only reads by roat and hereby prayer is made but a bodily exercise When the Jesuites had published an English prayer book for our English Papists the Pope called it in and prohibited the use of it There Lords supper they have changed to a sacrifice which the Priest offereth with many mystical but ridiulous ceremonies and gestures which they say obtains the pardon of sin and the grace of God for the people for whom it is offered though they understand not what is saidor done yea though they be absent following their worldly business or their lust at the same time They darkne the nature meaning of baptism by conjuring the water putting milk and honey into the mouth spittle into the ears and on the tongues anointing the head using salt many such things which being all in Latin not understood by the people are more like magical
mysteries than Gospel institutions Their chief worship devotion lyeth in building and adorning Temples for Masses not for preaching in buying Masses in decking of images with Gold Jewels in offering incense and wax Candles in pilgrimages and offerings to their Saints in vows of forced and usually feigned chastity of Hypocritical and lazy poverty and such like bodily exercises which profit little 1 Tim. 4.8 4. The Church of Christ owneth him only for her head King and Lord. God gave Christ to be head over all things to his Church which is his body Eph. 1.23 He hath all power in Heaven and earth committed to him to rule and order all things concerning his Church which is his own house Mat. 28.18 19 20. Whereupon he appointed Apostles to bring all nations to be his Disciples to consecrate and ingage them to him by Baptism and to teach them to observe all as he commanded Christ as mediator is the only head of the Church which is his body and all Christians members in particular of him receiving life strength and spirit from him and being governed by him But the Papists acknowledge and adhere to the Pope as the head of their Church which they say could not be one Church unless it be united to the Pope as their visible head Catec Rom. de Symb. Art 9. Q. 11. De eo i. e. Pontifice Romano fuit illa omnium Patrum ratio sententia consentiens hoc visibiel caput ad unitatem ecclesiae constituendam conservandam necessarium fuisse They say that Christ and the Pope make but one compleat Head of the Church That all which is said in the Canticles or elsewhere concerning Christ's relation to his Church may be truly applyed to the Pope That he hath all power in heaven and earth given to him Pope Boniface the 8. declared that it was absolutely necessary to Salvation for every man to be subject to the Pope of Rome Definimus decernimus declaramus esse de necessitate salutis omni humanae creaturae esse subditum Pontifici Romano accordingly they teach peccatum pagantiatis incurrit quisquis Pontifici non est obediens i. e. Whosoever is not obedient to the Pope doth thereby become an Heathen They ascribe to the Pope an universal headship not of order only but of power and jurisdiction he is the Rock the foundation of the Church he giveth authority to the Scriptures and without him authoritas Scripturarum plane nulla est saith one i. e. the Scriptures have no authority at all he can lay aside the Bible if he please or dispense with any of the commands of the old or new Testament saith their Canon Law and he daily doth dispense with oaths vows and obligations of all sorts both to God and man with unlawful marriages c. They say indeed in disputation that the Pope is a ministerial head the Deputy the Vicar of Christ but a Minister is only to execute the pleasure of his Lord a Deputy and Vicar is to see his Masters laws and commands observed not to enact laws of his own not to relax or abrogate any of his Masters laws which power the Pope both challengeth and exerciseth 5. Christ's Church professeth subjection to his law only Isa 33.22 The Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King Christ is the only King of his Church and the power of making Laws is the chief prerogative of a King He gave his word to be the standing Law whereby his people should be ruled and guided and by which they must be judged at the last day John 12.48 But the Papists have another Law by which they are governed and the Pope is their law-giver who ruleth them The Scriptures they own indeed as the word of God but not as his whole mind and law and that no otherwise than as the Pope interpreteth and alloweth them They joyn with the Scriptures unwritten Traditions which the Council of Tent saith are of equal authority Traditiones non scriptas pari pietatis affectu reverentiâ suscipit veneratur Conc. Trid. Ses 4. Cat. Rom. Pref. Q. 12. The Canons of Councils viz. those that the Pope likes and confirms and the decretal Epistles of Popes they reckon equal with the Holy Scriptures Decretales epistolae meritò inter Scripturas canonicas recensentur The consciences of men they do subject to the determinations and commands of the Pope as to Jesus Christ so that the law of the Church of Rome is composed and made up of the Scriptures Traditions Canons and decretals of Popes over all which the Pope superintends as the supreme law-giver to confirm relax add or alter as he pleaseth according to the known Ruleof Cardinal Cusanus Lex currit cum praxi c. Whatsoever is the present allowed practice of the Church of Rome that must be taken for the infallible rule or law of Christ So that the will of the Pope is the supreme law of conscience to the Papist in this world 6. Christs Church acknowledgeth only his Sacraments Baptism and the Lords supper The Sacraments of the Gospel are badges of our professed Subjection to Christ and of our dependance on him for remission of sins for grace and eternal life and it is fit that Christ alone should appoint what should be the signs Seals and conveyances of his grace and the marks of subjection to him and the tokens of the Covenant betwixt him and his people Christ appointed his Disciples to enter into his Covenant by the sign and Seal of Baptism Matth. 28.19 to renew and confirm this Covenant from time to time by the use of his holy supper 1 Cor. 11.23 24. c. and he appointed no other but these and his people must institute and use no other as signs and Covenant seals betwixt him and them But the Papists have added five more which they own and maintain to be Sacraments besides many other significant ceremonies to which they attribute the use and effects of Sacraments these they make signs of Gods Covenant means to convey grace some of them as universally necessary as those that Christ appointed yea without which Christs Sacraments are not sufficient to Salvation viz. the Sacraments of Confirmation and Penance of the former they say a man cannot be a Christian till he be confirmed by the Bishop Baptism is not compleat without it De consecra dist 5. ch de jejun Nemo potest esse Christianus nisi ad Baptismum accesserit unctio episcopalis nisi confirmatione chrismatus Their penance consisteth of confession of sin to the Priest contrition for sin and the Priests absolution and they teach that sins cannot be forgiven unless they be particularly confessed to the Priest and he absolve them in the name of Christ upon their undergoing or promise to undergo some outward austerity or penance imposed on them by him These Sacraments are badges and means of their subjection to the Priest and to
then when the incumbent died the Pope must be judge who shall have it of all these which shall certainly be he that will give most money Thus they make woful Merchandize with mens souls 4. Continual endeavours to stir up wars and imbroil Nations The Pope pretends to be Lord of Lords and King of Kings and therefore he disposeth of Kingdoms sets up and pulls down Princes as he pleases and this is a sufficient pretence for any unjust wars and invasions and wherever there are any differences among Princes and their Subjects he interposeth his authority usually taking the unjust part if like to prevail that they being beholding to him may requite him with some addition to his authority or revenue Pope Zacheriah gave France to Pipin an aspiring man deposing Childerick their lawful King as unfit to govern Leo the 4. gave the Empire of the Romans to Charles the great and another gave England to the French in King Johns time and sent them to Conquer it and of late the Pope gave the East Indies to the Portugal and the West to the Spaniard where they murdred the poor natives as wild beasts made to be destroyed These doctrines and practices are not taught and practised by a few only among them but they are the State policies by which they stand which they never disown never endeavour to reform it is the design of their government to be universal and to attain it by any means Hence we infer that to hold communion with this Church is to conspire against the Church of Christ against all that is sacred or moral Nor may we expect any reformation from them they will not they cannot be better their interest and government depends upon these methods and therefore this Man of sin is the son of perdition appointed to be destroyed not to be reformed let us not deceive our selves with vain hopes They are and must be the same when they have opportunity The second character of this Apostasie is laid down v. 4. Who opposeth himself viz. the man of sin the Head of this apostasie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an adversary or one that sets himsel against Christ The same title that is given to the Devil viz. Satan an enemy or adversary Now the Devil was an adversary not by denying the true God he believes and trembles James 2.19 nor by causing himself to be worshipped as the supreme God for the Idols which the Heathens worshipped they worshipped as Mediators and servants to the supreme God but under this pretence the Devil took to himself all the worship and service of the world and left God but an empty name of Creatour and supreme residing in heaven when he himself was the God of this world ordering all things after his own lusts this the Devil did so long as Heathenism prevailed by the several Governours and Princes of the world and when he was cast out of Heaven viz. his worship Idolatry and Heathenish superstition abolished by the fail of the Heathen Roman Empire Rev. 12. v. 7 8 9 10. and opposition to the name of Christ was taken away he cast about and after some time delivered his power to the second Beast who used the power and tyranny of the former Beast i. e. the Roman Empire opposing Christ and his worship setting up himself with all superstition and Idolatry but under fair pretences of Christs authority Rev. 13.11 12 c. This beast was like a Lamb but spake as the Dragon and used all the power of the former beast viz. the Heathen government Now that the Pope and his adherents do thus oppose Christ and not his name but his power and worship drawing all subjection to himself and leaving Christ but a bare and empty title he being as Stapleton calls him plain supremum in terris numen i. e. the most high and absolute God in earth It is manifest 1. The Pope will not suffer Christ to be King and law-maker in his Church Kingly power consisteth in making laws and ruling according to them this belongs to Christ and he gave his word to be the law of his Church and his Mininisters to execute and administer it according to his mind But the Pope challengeth the sole power and government of the Church on earth to belong to him the authority of the Scriptures to belong to him that he can add to them take from them or dispense with any thing there commanded that he only must interpret and give them their sense that his determinations is the rule of conscience for whatsoever he defineth or commandeth is to be believed and obeyed and so under the pretence of Christs Vicar he rules as Christ on earth 2. The Pope will not allow Christ to appoint the ordinances of his own worship It belongs to Christ as King to appoint how and by whom he will be worshipped but the Pope will not give him leave He appoints more orders of Officers than Christ did more Sacraments and alters those of his appointing the bread in the supper he maketh a God to be worshipped and yet a Sacrifice to be offered to God the cup he takes away from the people the Council of Trent most insolently telling us that though our Lord Christ instituted and gave his supper to his Apostles under both kinds of bread and wine yet that doth not oblige all the faithful to receive it under both kinds Concil Trid. Ses 21. ch 1. Etsi Christus dominus in ultima coena venerabile hoc Sacramentum in panis vini specicbus instituit Apostlis tradidit non tamen illa institutio traditio â—ò tendunt ut omnes Christi fideles statuto domini ad utramque speciem accipiendam astringantur He appoints Saints and Angels and especially Christs Mother to be worshipped and honoured yea the very Cross on which he was murdered pretending these to be more honour to Christ than the preaching or hearing his holy word Almost the whole body of the Papists worship is of the Popes own institution 3. The Pope will not suffer Christ to appoint the means of his own grace to Salvation Christ as the Saviour of his people as divine and Princely Saviour is to appoint and hath appointed by what means and in what duties he will bestow and increase his grace to eternal life but the Pope lays these aside at his pleasure viz. the reading and hearing the Scripture the use of the Sacraments and prayer in a tongue that can be understood by those that use it and appointeth more upon which the greatest stress of salvation is laid as confession of sin to Priest without out which there is no forgiveness to the living and private Masses both for the quick and dead anointing of Children to confirm them in grace and anointing the dying to strengthen and comfort them against the terror of death crosses and holy water to drive away the devil and so many of this kind that they have greatly obscured the means
not fit the Ministers of Christ should be under the power of men of this world or that they should judge of Ecclesiastical causes or dispose of Ecclesiastical imployments but that all should be managed by a spiritual Court and spiritual person 2. They pretend the benefit of the Church It is necessary they say that as the Church is one body on earth though dispersed in all quarters so it should have one visible Head who should be the fountain of Unity that he should have supreme and absolute power to judge all persons and to determine all cases to prevent divisions and to preserve Unity to maintain the doctrine and worship of the Gospel and to prevent or redress errors and corruptions and that things may be managed with safety it is necessary this Head should be infallible who may neither be subject to deceive or be deceived for what end shall there be of Questions and controversies in Religion or in Civil matters How shall Heresies Schisms Wars and Seditions be prevented if there be not a supreme infallible head and judge whose authority and decision may put an end to all strife and lead into all truth 3. They pretend great care of the peoples Salvation They take away the Scriptures from them for fear they should prophane them by using them in common discourse or fall into error and Heresies by mistaking the meaning of them or be puffed up with knowledge and so be disobedient to their teachers and run into Sects divisions therefore they give them Images Crucifixes c. which they call Lay-mens books to stir up their devotion without danger of making them heady or high-minded they allow them little preaching and celeberate all the worship of God in an unknown tongue that the people may not grow slight and prophane and that they may still admire what they understand not ignorance being the best mother of devotion and for the greater security and ease they teach them implicitely to believe what the Church believes and that being infallible they cannot believe amiss especially when they know not in particular what she believeth nor can call her faith into Question 4. They pretend great devotion and zeal to Gods worship spiritual knowledge pious affections spiritual worship such as teaching the word prayer and use of plain Sacraments as Christ appointed them they think are mean things instead of these they build Temples adorn Images adore the bread in the Eucharist offer incense Tapers and many gifts as more real devotion Conc. Trid. Ses 25. The Council of Trent commands that the Priests should carefully teach the people the right use of Images which are to mind them of their Saints their virtues and miracles and sufferings that they may be stirred up thereby to the imitation of them Their worship of the Virgin is devotion to her Son and their praying to Saints and Angels is honour to God whose servants they are and the Pomp and riches of the Pope and his Bishops is to preserve the Gospel in honour and religion from contempt 5. They pretend great mortification They have frequent fasts at least from flesh and some sorts of food to curb keep down the flesh has they pretend Their voluntary penance whippings pilgrimages to remote places confessing all their sins to a Priest and craving his absolution and all to shew their sorrow for sin and to break them off from it more surely than the plain Spiritual means of the word and prayer It is thought great self-denyal to forsake the world to live in wildernesses and Monasteries to vow single life and to refrain those comforts and imployments which God hath both allowed and commanded 6. They pretend great humility It is humility in them to be subject to their superiours especially the Pope against their own reason and conscience and to obey all the commands and ordinances of their Church without presuming to inquire into the reason of them or to prove them by Scripture They account it presumption to pretend to assurance of Salvation and great humility to live and dye in doubt but especially that the best of them must not pretend to go to Heaven but through long suffering the pains of Purgatory and the help of the prayers of the Church on earth and of the merits of the Church in Heaven 7. They pretend great care to have the Ministery pure and industrious therefore they allow them not to marry because said Pope Ciricius they that are in the flesh cannot please God and that being free from the cares of a family they may wholly attend upon their Ministry and lest the service of Parish Priests should not be sufficient they have multitudes of Monks and Friars to help them in private and whose prayers and private Masses are always going for the benefit of the Church Thus they have plausible pretences for all their doctrines and practices nevertheless it is a mystery of iniquity in every particular 1. The universal power the Pope claimeth is only to set up himself and his own institutions therefore he taketh upon him all the state and grandeur of the Roman Emperours even the proudest of them he gives away Kingdoms when Kings any way displease him though they be very religious towards God and when he can make any advantage He sets Christian Kings at war with each other and taketh the unjustest part so it be the strongest yea himself raiseth War and driveth Princes out of their dominions to increase the riches of the Church or to preferr his own Nephews and kindred This was notorious in Julius 2 and many of his predecessours he maketh the Emperours swear allegiance to him and the Bishops at their consecration use to swear to maintain Regalia sancti Petri the royalties of Saint Peter 2. The pretence of infallibility is only to gain authority to himself that he may command and do what he pleaseth in the world it is used only to draw people into seditions and massacres to patronize any unjust actions or claims when the Pope giveth away the right of a King or other person when he dissolveth Lawful marriages or giveth dispensations to contract unlawful Matrimony as betwixt Uncle and Niece in Philip 2. of Spain or betwixt Brother and brothers Wife as at this day in Portugal the former husband yet living and the like when he forgives all manner of sins when he maketh as his Canons give him leave just things unjust and sins to be duties then he maketh use of his pretended infallibility and never but it such cases for the Popes never do nor never will determine or end any controversie in religion for fear of losing one part of the contenders There is a great difference among themselves betwixt the Dominicans and Jesuites about the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary Philip the 2 and 3. of Spain did for many years together by their Embassadours earnestly sollicite the Popes to use their Infallibility and decide the controversie but they could never
and serve him that thereby they also may be advanced and domineer in their places by this means also they are made unnatural resolute and cruel to prosecute the Popes designs like the Turks Janizaries being kept from those relations which sweeten mens tempers and excite natural affection also having no wives and children to provide for they may more desperately ventuere their lives and their estates for the service of their Church Their Friars make a shew of great devotion renouncing the world begging alms of the people going in mean habit bare-footed some of them yet they get all they can from the people for Masses and prayers their Abbots many are Lords live splendidly in England they had above a third part of the land and that the best as was made appear to King Henry 8th but these wholly are at the Popes devotion of these he can raise Armies from them he can exact vast sums of money he can make strong parties in any Nation against their Prince he can turn people which way he pleases In a word his unmarried Clergy and Regulars make him a Monarch they are his Populus virorum intirely at his devotion having no posterity nor personal concerns to care for For if his Clergy had wives and children they must love them provide for them dispose of them in marriage and so be neighbourly oblige the people please their Princes and Governours contract affinities and so they would be concerned in the safety peace prosperity of the Nations and places they live in and would not be at the Popes beck on at his call upon all occasions Thus we see the whole design of Popery issueth in this That men should take their religion from the Pope and his Clergy that so they may rule as sole Lords both in spirituals and temporals We are next to enquire what it was that letted or hindred Antichrists appearing for a time He that letteth will lett c. The Apostle saith this mystery of iniquity was working in his time therefore it could not be the religion of Mahomet which was not heard of till about the year of our Lord 622. Much less Heathenism or Judaism which were then the establisht religions of the world nor yet the general opposition of the body of the wicked against the godly which the Rhemists would have understood by mystical Babylon Rhem. on Rev. 17. for this is alwaies manifest the seed of the serpent doth always oppose the seed of the woman but the Apostle saw an aspiring spirit in the Bishops and Church of Rome which he knew would in time bring the whole Church under their yoak this was occasioned by Rome's being the Metropolis of the world and the seat of the Empire which as it drew all civil affairs and supreme Jurisdiction to that place so did it insensibly draw the admiration respect and causes of all Churches to the guides of that Church which the following Bishops challenged as their due and so gave occasion for the conception of the Man of sin Victor the 14 Bishop of Rome about the year 170. excommunicated all the Eastern Churches for not keeping Easter on the same day that he did Soon after him Cornelius and Stephen successively took upon them with great pride to determine causes belonging to the Churches of A. frick while Cyprian was Bishop of Carthage of which he complains in his Epistles to them Pope Sylvester by his Legats in the Council of Nice an 325. obtained power over all those regions called Suburbicariae which were subject to the Praefect of Rome and from that time the Bishops of Rome boldly challenged the primacie of all Churches and drew all causes and appeals to themselves though not without opposition from the Bishops in Augustines time The Council of Sardica having made a Canon that all doctrines should be tried by the Bishop of Rome meaning it only for that time when Rome was a bulwork against the Arians several Roman Bishops Celestine Boniface and Innocent the first thrust this Canon into the Council of Nice and pretended that by authority of that venerable Council the Tryal of all doctrines and causes was given to them and when the Bishops of Constantinople challenged a parity with the Bishops of Rome because that City was made new Rome and the Seat of the Empire in the East Pope Leo's Legates protested against it in the Council of Chalcedon Ann. 450. Thus the ambition of Rome discovered it self apace but it could not yet attain its end because somewhat still hindred and this was the Roman Empire which divers antient Fathers witness to have been the Apostles meaning by him that letteth saying that he did not expresly mention the Empire lest he should give offence by speaking of the fall of that Empire which they presumed should last for ever insomuch that Roma aeterna eternal Rome was always written upon the Statue of a woman that represented that City and Aeternitas Vestrûm your eternity was a presumptuous title of some of the Emperours they add that the Primitive Church used to pray for the continuance of the Roman Empire for this reason amongst others that the coming and persecutions of Antichrist might thereby he deferred and Hierome who lived to see the Empire decay apace and the City taken by Alarick the Goth said thereupon Qui detinet fit de medio non intelligimus Antichristum adesse He that letteth is taken out of the way and do we not understand that Antichrist must be at hand The Rhemists would fain avoid this interpretation though they make nonsense of the place In Locum but the Papists generally acknowledge the Empire to be that which letted the discovery of Antichrist and Bellarmine would prove that Antichrist is not yet come because there is still a Roman Emperour viz. the Emperour of Germany who hath the titles of Roman Caesar Augustus but he hath the empty title only and is the Popes Vassal receiving his Crown from him swearing fealty to him and is by him appointed Defensor Ecclesiae not to rule the Empire but defend the Church of Rome That the Empire of Rome is here intended is manifest by this because that held the supreme dominion and therefore the Bishops could not obtain it till the Empire was abolisht the Heathen Emperours oppressed and destroyed the whole Church and in particular the Bishops and Church of Rome who were nearest to them and the Christian Emperours not only kept the civil power in their own hands but also called and presided in Councils approved and confirmed the elections of all Bishops and those of Rome more especially and removed those Bishops whom they liked not at their pleasure till this jurisdiction was abrogated the Pope could not get into his hands the supremacie either in Ecclesiastical or civil matters The event also expounds the Text for by those degrees the Empire declined the Bishop of Rome ascended the throne as it followeth in the Text v. 8. Then