be that such things as was in difference might be ended he also writ another Epistle to Alexander Bishop of Alexandrea about contentions that arose in that Church But notwithstanding the Emperours godly endeavours these contentions ceased not but rather increased whereupon he called the Councel of Nice in which Council after they had determined the businesse about the Co-essentiall nature of the second person in the Trinity and made the confession of Faith against the Arian Heresie They addresse themselves to make Canons whereby the Ecclesiasticall Discipline should be governed where the Bishop of Rome was made Primate and Metrapolitan of the first See and that the Bishop of Alexandria should have power over all the Churches of Egypt or Libea and Pentapolis because the Bishop of Rome had the like priviledge and so the Church of Antioch and others every one had their honour and dignity appointed them and what other Bishops and Churches should be under their Jurisdiction c. Now Josealil to the Reader whether here began not all the misery where they thought to end it so great difference there is between the ways of God and the ways of men for here at this time was the very first birth of Antichrist the Bishop and Pope of Rome the Primate and Metrapolitan of the first See this was his beginning for the Bishops before the council by their contentions and the Bishops in the council both falling away and departing from the sincerity of the Gospel and from the institutions of Christ and his Apostles and making new officers and orders in the Church with new titles of Primacy and Metrapolitans and Diocesans with a number more that depend upon them as is shewed in the former part of his book one hundred and fifty by name Here was the birth of Anrichrist of severall Titles and Religious Orders now in the Church of Rome and not one of them of Jesus Christ nor his Apostles institution but all of humans invention without any president precept or example or any Text in the New Testament to ground them upon the original and chief Titles of all was devised and decreed in this council for making the Pope of Rome Primate and Metrapolitan of the first fear from this Title and Jurisdiction then given him he took occasion thereby from that very time to advance himself and to claim authority over all other Churches and as I said above Antichrist had his conception long before for Rome being the chief City of the Empire and above all other Cities so the Bishop of Rome thought to be above all other Bishops and the Apostle tells us 2 Thes 2.7 That the mystery of iniquity did even then begin to work in his time Antichrist had this conception then and he grew biger and biger in the womb of the Church until this Council sate and then this Council was as the Midwise to his birth to bring him forth and so by the power he received by that decree he was nursed up and grew stronger and stronger until the year 606 and then he came to the full strength of a man or rather a Beast for so the Scriptures terms him Rev. 17. And the man of sin 3 Thes 2.4 For then he obtained the Title of universal Bishop and after in the year 684. he obtained to be called Christs Vicar so that now he was armed with Titles and Authority to make him the complear Antichrist to act against Jesus Christ so as never none before him nor since did nor could do for none had the like Authority Power and Preheminence as this Council of Nice gave unto him and that by their falling away and departing from the Apostolical institutions and Gospel puriey so that from the time of this Council every age grew more corrupt then the former as shall appear in several particulars For first Whereas in the first Primitive Church according to the appostolical institutions Bishops or Pastors and other Officicers of the Churches they were elected and chosen by the believing Church or Churches to whom they were to officiate for we see the Apostles themselves even when they were altogether in Council had more authority then ever any man or council had since yet durst not they as Arelatenses said in the council of Basill they durst not nor would not take the power that belonged to the believing Church from them no not to appoint inferiour officers of the Church much lesse Bishops or Pastors as you may see Acts the 6.2 c. The Twelve called the multitude of the Disciples unto them and said look ye out seven men among you of honest report full of the Holy Ghost and Wisdome whom we may appoint over this businesse and the saying pleased the whole multitude and they chose Steven a man full of faith and of the holy Ghost and Philip c. The salling away from Gospel institutions whom they set before the Apostles and when they had prayed they laid their hands on them and the word of God increased and the number of the Disciples multiplied that is they multiplyed while they walked in Gods way in divine institutions but this way the Bishops before and also the council of Nice were fallen away from and then and ever since Bishops or Pastors and other Officers of the Churches are not elected and chosen by the believing Disciples of the Churches but are chosen by Money and Friendship as Pope _____ before mentioned sould for Money three hundred of the best Benefices in England at once unto the Romans to place their Friends and Children in Thus you see what the falling away of these Bishops and council from the Apostolical institutions brought to passe together with their new devised Titles and Jurisdictions given to Bishops c. Secondly As the Bishops and after the council were fallen away from the Apostical institution as to the election of Inferiour Officers of the Church so also they were fallen away from the order of electing of Bishops or Pastors of the Church you shall see this in Acts the first when they were to chuse one in Judas place Acts 1.15 In those dayes Peter stood up in the middest of the disciples and said the number of the names were about an hundred and twenty men and brethren this Scripture must needs have been fulfilled which the holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas which was guide to them that took Jesus c. wherefore of these men that have accompanied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out amongst us beginning from the Baptisme of John unto the same day that he was taken up from us must one be ordained to be a witnesse with us of his resurrection and they appointed two that is I conceive 120 of the Church as they did the Deacons Act. 6. The Church elected and appointed two Josephs called Barsabas who was surnamed Justas and Matthias and they prayed that is the Apostles and the
a Papist if they be Papists that live in Cloisters and Moâ—â—steris secluded as he saith from the world who did preach the true Faith and right Service of God and published our â—â—â—istian Religion in which word our Christian Religion includes himself for one of that Religion preached by the Cloisterers c. for the space of one thousand two hundred and fixty years free from any bloudy persecution for the profession of their faith which no Church in Europe was but the popish Church therefore seeing it is thus that we have now found him out what he is we need no longer wonder why he misapplyeth Scripture and forsaketh the opinion of all other Writers to find out a new Antichrist and to stickle so hard to excuse and defend the Pope And that it may clearly appear that he takes the Papist Church of Cloisterers c. to be the true Church and their Doctrine to be the Orthodox Doctrine and their Faith and Service of God to be the true Faith and right Service of God as in his 27. page so in the 7. page speaking of one of the Witnesses which he saith is these Orthodox Bishops and of the Witnesses prophecying in sackcloath 1260 years by his own interpretation he saith their prophecying in sackcloath doth signifie their conforming themselves unto the Doctrine that they preached not their mourning for the polution of the true Church which saith he during that time of 1260 years of their Prophecy was not poluted as Mr. Mead and others do suppose a strange interpretation differing from all men that ever I read or heard of that the true Church of Christ should be without any bloudy persecution and without any polution The Church saith the Bishop without trouble 1260 years for the space of 1260 years and yet the Witnesses of Christ to be all that time clothed in Sackcloath which is a mourning weed and did alwaies signifie that those that wore it were in a sad and low condition a deformed and mournful estate stripped of all their glory as those are that go in black mourn at Funerals whereas if the Bishop's interpretation of the glory and beauty of the Church had been true that it had been without trouble and without polution the Witnesses should rather have put on their glorious and beautiful garments and have rejoiced in the prosperity and glory and purity of the Church which he saith was without polution but the word of God tels us another story of the cause of the Witnesses wearing Sackcloath Revel 17.7 8 that the Beast that cometh out of the bottomless pit should make war against them and overcome them and kill them and their corps should lie in the street without burial c. and was this a time in which the Church was not poluted 〈◊〉 the Witnesses and faithful Worshippers persecuted whâ— they must be slain and their bodies lie without burial I leave it to the godly-wise to judge how the Bishops interpretation can be true that is so contrary to the Scriptures And whereas he saith the true Church of God had rest and was freed from any bloudy persecution for the profession of the true Faith and right Service of God for 1260 years beginning the year 382 the quite contrary will appear to be most true for as ancient Histories do relate the Apostolical Protestant Religion Of the first planting the Gospel in England was settled in England in the later end of the reign of Tyberius the Emperor under whom Christ suffered Gildas saith that Joseph of Aramathea was sent by Phillip the Apostle into Brittain who here laid the foundatiou of Christian Religion Origin in his fourth homily on Ezechiel saith that the true Faith of Christ was in Brittain before Elutherius was Bishop of Rome which was about the year 180 after Christ Nicephorus in his second Book Chap. 40. saith that Simon Zelotes did also preach the Gospel in Britain by all which it doth appear that England received the Christian Faith long before Austin was sent hither by Gregory the great for he indeed sent him hither to settle Popery 600 years after Christ but not to settle the Gospel of Christ for that was settled before as doth appear in the beginning of this Book At a treaty between the Nobility of England and Hingist King of the Saxons about the year 460. where neither party was to have any weapons Hingist secretly ordered the matter his men had every one a long knife in his hose that upon the watchword given every man should kill him he talked with so that there was murthered that day upon the place of English Nobility some stories say 460 by the Saxons the King was taken prisoner for whose ransom London York Lincolne Winchester with other strong holds being granted the Saxons made havok of the English Nation destroyed the Citizens pulled down Churches killed the Pastors of the Churches burned the Books of holy Scriptures and all this and more to be done by Heathens upon Christians it seems is no bloudy persecution in Doâ—â—or William's account the Church had free liberty c. saith he This persecution continued in Brittain for in the 〈◊〉 568 Ministers were driven out so that the Arch-Bishop London and York were both forced to fly into Wales but fore this there was eleven thousand Christian Virgins murthered there was about this time above two thousand Monks at the Abby of Bangor in Wales who were driven out of Brittain who all lived by the sweat of their brows and labour of their hands these men differed nothing from other ordinary men but only in strictness of life and were such as now are called Puritans or Round-heads for Augustine saith â—imative â—onks were such as now are called Puritans c. there was such as were called Monks that were but lay-men only led a more severe and strict kind of life than others in his Book De moribus Ecclesioe Chap. 13. also Hierom ad Heliodorum one thing saith he appertains to Monks another thing to them of the Clergy and in the 4. Canon of the Councel of Calcedon it is provided that Monks should not meddle with matters of the Church Sozomen saith in his 3. Book Chap. 16. speaking of Monks of that time which lived in Cities and had several Mansions and differed nothing from other men but that they were of a stricter life which since by their enemies have been called by other names as names of infamy as some in our time are called Puritans which if saith he taken in the right sense if they deserve it tends to their comfort and prayers Athanasius a man to be credited of all in his epistle de Dracontium saith that he knew both Monks and Bishops married men and had Children and such were the Protestant Monks of Bangor this is shewed more fully in the beginning of this Book About the year 833 the Danes invaded England spoiled Churches murthered Ministers with men women and children after a
An Answer to GRIFITH WILLIAMS LORD BISHOP of OSSORIE His Book Intituled The great Antichrist revealed before this time never discovered And Proved to be neither Pope nor Turk nor any Single Person nor the succession of any one Monarch or Tyrant in any Polity But A Collected pack or multitude of Hypocritical Heretical Blasphemous and most Scandalous Wicked Men that have fulfilled all the Prophesies of the Scriptures which have fore-spoken of the coming of the great Antichrist and especially have united and combined themselves together by A Solemne League and Covenant to slay the two witnesses of God Moses and Aaron as Christ interpreteth them they have Moses and the Prophets Luke 16.29 that is the â—â—â—reme Magistrate of the Commonwealth and the chief Pastors and Governours of the Church of Christ And the Christian World is requested to Judge WHether the Assembly of Presbyterians consulting at Westminster together with the Independants Anabaptists and Lay-preachers be not the false Prophet and the mysticall soul of that great Antichrist And whether the prevalent faction of the Long parliament termed of late the Rump-parliament and their Adherents that killed the two witnesses of Jesus Christ Charles thâ— the First King of great Brittain and in him civilly all his Magestrates And William Laud Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and civilly all the suppressed Bishops and silenced Preachers of these three Kingdomes be not the grosse and visible body of Antichrist Answered by George Pressick of Dublin BUt before I come to answer his Arguments whereby he endeavours to prove what is above written in his Title Page I shall if the Lord will be pleased to inable me from several Texts of Scripture that points out Antichrist and without Wire-drawing of any Text shew you how we may know Antichrist who he is and were he is and when as near as can be gathered from the circumstances of time place and passages concerning him when he first appeared But before I proceed to that I must crave the Readers patience to take notice of some passages in his Title Page and in his Epistle as to his Title Page I answer First That if the Bishop could prove what he asserts viz. that Antichrist was never before this time discovered and if he had the art to perswade men to believe him in so doing he should do the Pope of Rome who will appeare to be Antichrist more service then all his Cardinals and Roman Clergy could ever do for him this Thousand years for so long he hath been suspected to be the Antichrist for I doubt not but I shall make it appear that he had his birth at the least fifteen hundred years agone Secondly Whereas he saith that the Assembly of Presbyterians at Westminster together with Independants Anabaptists and Lay-preachers and the Long parliament that they have fulfilled all the Prophesies of Scripture which have fore-spoken of the coming of Antichrist I answer That what he saith of these persons is as true and no truer then the next following words that he speaks of the above-named persons viz. That they United and Combined themselves together by A Solemn League and Covenant to slay the two Witnesses and Christ for I think that he will never be able to make that appear that there is any such Clause or Article in the Covenant as to bind them that took it to slay the two Witnesses of Jesus Christ or that that was the end and aim for which it was taken when it was taken but as to other things I am so far from excusing them that I do confesse that many of the Parliament and Anabaptists and Lay-preachers were both Hypocritical and Heretical and it is well known to most part of the Bishops in Ireland and to some in England that I did Write and Print three Books against Anabaptists and Lay-preachers even when they were in their greatest prosperitie that no Bishop that I knew but one did appear in publick against them for I was alwaies perswaded that the chief Ring-leaders of them were of an Antichristian brood either Jesuits or Friars and I wish the Church be free of them now In his Epistle to the Reader he saith That he hath long studied and long prayed to know the meaning of the Holy Ghost in those Scriptures that fore-told of the coming of Antichrist and that he might have the true understanding of them who Antichrist should be where he should rise what feats he should do how long he should continue by what means he should be subdued and destroyed he saith he now believes God hath granted his request and that he hath rightly explained these Scriptures I answer with the Apostle Gal. 4.18 It is good to be zealously affected alwaies in a good thing So if his zeal and study had been guided to a right object it had been well But the Prophet Jeremiah tells us that the heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked therefore it is dangerous least it mistake out of an over-valluing opinion of some worth in ones self or the prevalence of their prayers especially when a man hath conceived a prejudicate opinion either of persons or things and I think it will appear upon trial that he hath missed the mark in finding out who the Antichrist should be c. as we shall see hereafter and his faith whereby he said he believed that God had granted him rightly to explain these Scriptures I think he might do well once more to examine whether that faith were not a fiction except that part of his prayer where he prayed that if his endeavours in explaining these Scriptures might not be for Gods glory that it might be like the untimely birth of a Woman that perisheth before it see the Sun And so I hope it will perish and never gain credit with any man of understanding that needs it But some men are like Balaam they mind not what answer God returns to their prayers but first resolves with themselves to go on in such or such a designe and then all after go to God by prayer as though they would seek direction from him when they have resolved before hand thus and thus they will do like Johanan the son of Kareah and the rest of the Captains and people of Israel when they intreated the Prophet Jeremiah to pray to the Lord for them that the Lord would shew them the way wherein they should walk Jer. 42. and promised the Prophet they would do whatsoever the Lord should send unto them by the Prophet for to do and yet they were resolved before hand that what answer soever they received from the Lord into Egypt they would go and therefore the Prophet tells them ver 20. Surely ye dissembled in your hearts when you sent me unto the Lord your God saying pray for us unto the Lord our God and declare unto us even according unto all that the Lord our God shall say and we will doe it and I have this day declared it
120 and said Thou Lord which knowest the hearts of all men shew whether of these two thou hast chosen that he may take part with this Ministry and Apostleship and they gave forth their Lots and the Lot fell upon Matthias and he was numbred with the Eleven Apostles mind this beloved Christian Friends for thus it appears by these two places that by the Apostolical institutions Bishops ought first to be elected by the believing Churches to whom they are to officiate and to elect two or more and bring before other Bishops who have been elected in like manner and then after prayer and supplication to God their Lots to be given out Election and Lots would end all strife that God who knows the hearts of all men may make his choice which he in his wisdome knows is most fit for that office for the Lot is cast into the Lap but the whole disposing thereof is from the Lord Prov. 16.33 And also the Holy Ghost saith Prov. 18.18 The Lot causeth contention to cease and parteth between the mighty if this order were observed our contentions would cease if Bishops and other Church Officers were elected and chosen according to the Apostles institutions then every man would think himself bound in conscience to own and obey them which perhaps do now think otherwise because the Gospel order is not observed for since the falling away of the Bishops before the council of Nice and the falling away of the council of Nice from the Apostolical institutions and first primitive purity and their making and giving of new Orders and Officers in the Church with new Titles and Jurisdictions which was never of Christs institution nor never heard of nor known in the first primitive Church and which is the very falling away the Apostle speaks of 2 Thes 2 3. which was to make way for the great Antichrist whereby he was not only brought forth to the birth but hath been nursed up until he came to his full growth and so hath continued this 1300 years and hath been the occasion of all the slaughter blood and burnings vexation and martyrdome that hath befallen the Christian Churches to this daâ— by falling away from the Apostles institutions and setting up Bishops and others for Money and favour of Friends and those to whom they should officiate that ought to elect and chuse them to their offices and after been confirmed by the Supreme Magistrate they are rejected and cast off and Gods ways and institutions rejected and neglected and mens humane inventions and institutions is followed and practised and this hath been and is the cause of difference And thirdly they fall away from the Apostolical institution of electing members to sit in council for though it belong to the Supreme Magistrate to call a council or Sâ—nod and to order the time and place for their meeting and sitting ye I have not found in all that I have read in my life that either this council of Nice or any other council or Synod since that the members that sate were elected and chosen according to the Gospel order and institution so that it seems the falling away of the Bishops by their pride and covetousnesse mallice and envy contention and strife which occasioned the calling of this councell together with the falling away of the councel by their acting and decreeing so contrary to the Apostles institutions as is said above and also the members sitting in Councel not being elected to sit according to the Apostles example in the like case and the practise of the first primitive Church who can deny but this was the greatest falling away that ever hath been since the Apostles days unto this day considering as we shall hear after the things that followed after and doth still continue occasioned by this their falling away And that the Members of this Councel nor of any other Councel or Synod since as farre as I can learne was not elected nor chosen according to the institutions and example of the Apostles and first Primitive Churches it will appear very plain from Acts 15. that the believing Church as is shewed above by the Apostles order had their votes in electing and chusing First Of Bishops Acts 1. Secondly Of Inferiour Church-officers Acts 6. Thirdly Of Members to sit in Councel as here Acts 15. The Apostle Paul and Barnabas who I dare say had as much Authority and more and more lawfully called to their Authority then any Pope and Prelate in the world Members of Synod ought to be elected yet durst not they when the difference fell out in the Church of Anteoch about which they had no small disputation go to the Councel about that question without a lawful call until they were lawfully elected and chosen by the believers the Church of Antioch as ver 3. They determined that is the Church determined to send Paul and Barnabas and certain other of the brethren to go up to Jerusalem unto the Apostles and Elders Mark here the Elders sate in Councel with the Apostles about this question which was such another question as was disputed in the Councel of Nice but neither Paul nor Barnabas nor the other members of the Church would offer to go until they were elected and appointed by the Church to go and when they came to Jerusalem they were received of the Church and of the Apostles and Elders where you see the Apostles and Elders are not here called the Church as some do vainly think that the Apostles and Elders are the Church they indeed are members of the Church but not the Church it self for here the Church is spoken of distinctly from the Apostles and Elders they were received of the Church that is of the Congregation or body of believers and of the Apostles and Elders and thus our Nineteenth Article of the Church of England discribes the visible Church of Christ to be a Congregation of faithful men c. But I have discoursed more largely of this in the former part of this book and therefore will say no more here And it cannot be doubted but these brethren of the Church of Antioch though Laymen that were elected by the Church of Antioch to go with Paul and Barnabas to the councel at Jerusalem but they were permitted to sit in councel with the Apostles and Elders that as well as to acquaint the councel with the state of the Church that had elected and sent them so also that their vote and conscience might go along in the determination and according to this Arelatenses disputing against Lodovicus and Paenormetan in the Council of Basill saith that the dignity of Fathers is not to be respected in the Council but onely reason nor any thing more to be looked after then Truth neither saith he will I prefer a lye of a Bishop though he be never so great before the Truth of a poor Priest neither ought a Bishop to disdaine if a man be unlearned for wisdome dwelleth oftner under
as a god over all other earthly gods that is worshipped with a civil outward worship But what lesse then divine worship was it that was given to the Pope and which he did arrogate to himself when the Ambassador of the Emperour of Sicily lay grouling up on the ground and cryed to the Pope The blasphemous honour given to the Pope Thou that takest away the sins of the World have mercy upon us Thou that takest away the sins of the World grant us thy peace See Paul Amicla Book 7. also Simon Bigimus Bishop of Modrusium speaking to Pope Leo in the Councel of Latteran ses 6. Behold saith he speaking of the Pope Behold the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah the root of Jesse we have waited for thee O blessed Leo to be our Saviour O wicked blesphemous Bishop and wicked blasphemous Pope to receive such Worships unto these we may joyne Cornelins Bishop of â—â—pontum who laid open his blockishnesse in wondring at this Beast the Antichrist in the Councel of Trent in these words The Pope is come a light into the world and men love darkness more then light out pon you blasphemous Claw backs saith Mr. Brightman Is it not enough for you to adore the man of sin with the praise of the Saints but you must rob God and give that honour to Antichrist that is proper only to Jesus Christ Gregory saith in his 4th Book Chap. 38. What answer wilt thou make unto Christ the head of the Vniversal Church when thou shalt be examined at the last Judgement that thou hast called thy self the only Bishop and goest about by the name Vniversal to make all his members subject unto thee and in another place I speak it boldly saith he whosoever calleth himself universal Bishop or in the pride of his heart desireth so to be called he is the fure-runner of Antichrist The testimony of ancient writers against the Pope and I have shewed you that before the Councel of Nice they were aiming at such a thing as Alixander Bishop of Alixandrea write to other Bishops and Churches That Eusebius Bishop of Necomedia supposed the whole state of the Church to be under his Jurisdiction whereby you may perceive Bishops had aspiring thoughts that was as John Bishop of Constantinople writ to Pope Gregory That he might be called Vniversall Bishop c. Armulphus in the Councel of Remes saith thus speaking of the Pope What think ye Reverend Fathers of this man siting on high in his Throne glittering in purple and cloth of Gold what think ye him to be Verily if he be void of Charity and blown up with pride then is he Antichrist siting in the Temple of God and shewing himself that he is God Bernard speaking of that time saith The Bishops who new have charge of Gods Church are not Teachers but Deceivers they are not Feeders but Beguilers they are not Prelates but Pilates and in Vincicto Remancie he saith Ye are called Bishops but ye are Raveners O my Brethren Jesus at this time hath chosen unto him many Divels to be Bishops they are not Feeders but they are Traytors but Fernard mistook for they were not of Jesus Christs chusing Christs institution was cast aside for if they had been chosen as they ought to be by Lot as Matthias was Acts the first Jesus Christ would have made a better choice but they were chosen by men that had not right to chuse them and that was the reason that they were such a plague to the Church as they were Abertus in his 10 Chap. speaks to the same purpose they saith he that now governt the Church for the most part be Thieves and Murtherers more catchers then feeders more spoylers The Fathers testimony concerning Antichrist then defenders more killers then keepers more deceivers then Doctors more boguilers then guids these be the fore-runners of Antichrist and the subverters of the sheep of Christ See for this Bishop Jewels book against Harding what need we any further witnesses to prove what is said above and to prove the Pope to be Antichrist for he hath already been set out by such marks of Scripture and by the Testimony of these Authors so proved against him and which cannot properly be applyed to any but the Pope of Rome that no man need be any longer in doubt but that we have found out both who Antichrist is and where he is and when he first appeared namely that the succession of the Popes of Rome is the great Antichrist and that he had his first birth in the first Councel of Nice there he drew his first breath which hath been so contagious that it hath insected almost all the Christian world In the first book of Socrates Chap. 5. it is said That there was in the Councel of Nice certain Logicians who were ready to defend each others part that came in controversie but a Lay man one of the number of Confessours of a simple and sincere mind set himself against them and told them in plain words that neither Christ nor his Apostles had delivered unto us the Art of Logick neither vain Fallacies but an open and plain mind to be preferred of us with faith and good works which when he had spoken all that were there present held with his sentence and the Logicians quieted and setled themselves aright It seems that the primitive order of admitting Lay-men into the Councel was not altogether laid aside by this Councel of Nice though the primitive order as-to the election of members to sit was neglected and also the manner of acting for the Apostles in their councel did abolish ceremonies Acts 15.28 this councel and others since have burthened the Church with unnecessary ceremonies which hath been a clog to many a tender conscience so that all things duely considered this falling away hath been the greatest that ever was since Jesus Christ lived upon the earth the effect whereof hath not only brought forth Antichrist but hath been his support to this day even he whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signes Amichrist deceitful workinâ— and lying wonders and with all deceiveableness of unrighteousnesse in them that perish and I pray you what is this power and deceit that Antichrist works by is not the power of the councel of Nice that first set him up and gave him his Authority that he works by and which hath been confirmed to him since by other councels that if any question his authority is not that his refuge such and such councels saith thus and thus to confirm my way and what I do and all these councels had their original from this of Nice and from that apostatising decree that furnished them all with authority and they have been such apt Scholars they have ever since writ after their copy the Arian Apostacy and all the Hereticks that have been since putting them all together could never have served Antichrists turn to bring him forth
the end of the World and at the last period of the last times as the Scripture he saith doth evidently testifie I answer that these Scriptures he means to prove it by is yet unwritten for I am sure he never read them for though he quote 1 Tim. 4.1 that Text makes directly against him and nothing for him For saith the Apostle Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and give heed to seducing spirits What is meant by latter times and Doctrines of Devils and those devilish Doctrines are said verse 3 to be the forbidding of Marriage and commanding to abstain from meats c. I am glad the Bishop doth confess this Text to be meant of Antichrist But because the Apostle speaks of the latter times must it therefore needs be understood as he saith of the last period of the last times or as he saith in the 30. pape of his 2d Book That Antichrist shall reign but three years and a half or much about that time and very shortly after must be the last Judgment But let us see what other Scriptures say that we may expound Scripture by Scripture Gen. 49. Jacob called his Sons together that he might shew them what should befall them in the last daies surely this is not meant three years and a half before the end of the World as he calls it the last period of the last times c. Verse 19. Gad a troop shall overcome him but he shall overcome at the last So Daniel 4.8 and 1 Peter 1.20 and so Matth. 26.60 By the last times in these Texts is understood the fulnesse of the time appointed and determined of God for the affecting and bringing to passe what God hath intended to have done and the time he hath appointed and so that Text before 1 Tim. 4.1 in the latter daies that is the daies before determin'd and appointed that Antichrist should forbid marriage and meats and it is now 980. years since marriage was forbidden in the Council of Constance â—nd Antichrist doth reign still this is a long three years and an half that is stretched out to more then three times three hundred years since Antichrist preached that Dectrine and yet the Bishop either cannot or will not see his mistake Page 16. he saith He cannot sufficiently wonder at Mâ— Meade Marefius Tilenus the Synod of Gappe and other Divines aforesaid that they should imagin that God would be so regardlesse so unmindful and so severe though in Justice he might as to suffer the great Antichrist to reign and rage against his Saints so many hundred years as they prescribe that makes the Pope Antichrist I answer Who can sufficiently wonder that a man of such a place and dignity as a Bishop should be so far mistaken himself as in writing lesse than half one Leaf so grosly to contradict himself The Bishop contradicts himself c. For even now he said that it was agreed upon by all Papista and Protestants old and new that Antichrist should come towards the end of the World and now he confesseth that Mr. Mead Maresius and Tilenus and others afore-named which was above twenty are of contrary opinion and the Synod of Gappe to boot who can to use his own words sufficiently wonder at this so great a Doctor a finder out of a new Antichrist which the world never dreamed of but besides his slighting the Judgment of so many Authors before-named by himself together with the Magdeâ—urgerses and Synod of Gappe who can sufficiently wonder that he should charge God to be regardlesse and unmindful of his Saints to suffer Antichrist so many hundred years to tyrannize over them as if Gods Actions were to be measured by his Reason he hath forgotten that God suffered all Nations except the Jewes and some few Proselites to walk in their own waies almost four thousand years For with him a thousand years is but as one day c. And as is said above the Beast that is the seventh Head When he cometh he must continue a short space Rev. 17.10 and yet this short space was 87. years before he received his wound and then was 132. years after before the wound was fully healed which was but a short space in comparison of the time that Antichrist hath reigned was ever the Church of God without enemies since the Creation that you should count it a greater wonder now then it was in former Ages but I let this passe Page 17. he tells us That the Apostle shewes but he neither doth nor can tell us where the Apostle shewed it nor to whom that God would raise up Reformers to root out Errors out of the Church and to prescribe a Form of Godliness these are his very words A Form of Godlinesse and then followâ— or a Set-form of God's Worship whereby the Church should be guided in the true Faith and these Reformers he saith are stiled I Answer I do not read of a Form of Godlinesse in any place of Scripture but in 2 Tim. 3.5 in which Text the holy Apostle doth admonish us to turn from such as have no more than a Form of Godliness And in the four foregoing Verses what manner of persons they would be that would set up a Form of Godlinesse That perillous times should come A Form of Godliness for the Government of the Church of Christ that men should be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud cursed speakers disobedient to Parents unthankful unholy without natural affection truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of them that are good traytors heady high minded lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God having a Form of Godlinesse but denying the power thereof from such turn away or because they are such therefore turn away from such Is such a brood as this Sir your Reformers to root out Heresie as you say and to settle a Form of Godlinesse whereby the Church of Christ should be guided a woful condition is that Church in who have such Reformers and such Guides The Apostle branches them into eighteen several ranks or qualities of which I dare say there was never a one of them that ever was a good Refomer of the Church of Christ but rather Deformers And as for that Text you bring which you say calls such Reformers good men as they were indeed say you But I know not who will believe it for under favour I must tell you it is falsly applyed for the Apostle there is foretelling what Antichrist should do when he came into the World viz. That he should depart from the true Faith and be a seducing spirit that he should be a lyer an hypocrite that his conscience should be seared or benumbed in the practice of wickednesse that he should teach the Doctrine of Devils as the forbiding of marriage and commanding to abstain from meats which may be received with thanksgiving of them that believe and know the Truth And
Scriptures before Bishop Williams A second Mark or Character the Apostle layes down to know Antichrist by is that as he forbids marriage So secondly He commands abstinence from meats which God hath created to be received with thanks-giving c. which words declare thus much unto us that neither Marriage nor Meats nor any other Creature nor Ordinance of God is to be refused upon any tye of Conscience provided they be received with thanks-giving of them that believe and know the truth with such other requisite conditions as becometh Christians in 1 Cor. 10 25. the holy Apostle bids us Whatsoever is sold in the Shambles that eat asking no question for Conscience sake c. and Titus 1.15 To the pure all things are pure so that to forbear the use out of a tye of Conscience or a Superstious Opinion as being unlawful at such or such a time it is against Christian libert either to charge the use of them with sin or to place holiness in abstaining from the use of them It is the Doctrine you see the Apostle tells of that Antichrist should teach and this is the Pope of Rome's doctrine for he saith it is a sinne deserving death to eat of meats prohibited by the Church they teach that fasting consists only in abstinance from meats and not from drink I have seen them that upon one of their Superstitious fasting dayes they would eat no meat but they would eat plentifully of Fruit Raisons of the Sun and Figs and the like and drink largely of Wine Ale and Beer and such kind of Fasting with them is esteemed satisfactory for sin and meritorious of eternal Life and this is another Hypocritical mark or Charracter of Antichrist for such Hypocritical lyes as these passeth currant among them for sound doctrine from their holy Father the Pope so seared is his Conscience as with a hot Iron for with what Conscience doth the Pope allow an ordinary Priest to absolve for Murther Adultery Fornication or perjury but the great and hainous sinne of eating flesh upon a Friday or Ember-days is left to the censure of a plenepotentiary as being beyond the power of an ordinary Priest to grant absolution for as being a greater sin because it is against the Law of the Church then Murther or Adultery c. is which are sins against the Law of God or with what Conscience can the Pope make the tasting of the coursest flesh A Popish Lent Fast a breach of Lent-fast and surfeiting upon the delicatest Fish to be no breach of Lent-fast and with what conscience can he forbid the use of such and such meats for the taming of the flesh when he allows the use of those things which are more nourishing of the flesh and more provoking to fleshly lusts as strong Wines and such like with what conscience can he enjoyne fasting for penance and then presently release that penance for a penny the Glosse upon the Canon saith That he who gives a penny to redeem his penance fast though he give mony for a spirituall thing yet he doth not commit Simony because the contract is made with God that is the excuse though the contract be made with the Priest and the Money come to the Priests pocket well did the holy Ghost say that Antichrist should teach lies with a seared Conscience for if the Pope and Cardinals Prelates and Priests c. if all their consciences were not seared they would not use such pretences to varnish over their Hypocritical lies and errours to damn so many thousand souls and thus you see what marks and characters the holy Ghost hath laid down to know the great Antichrist and man of sin by which things the Parliament nor Presbyterians c. were never guilty of The next Text I shall handle that shews us who this great Antichrist is we have in the 2 Thes 2. to the 12. verse where first the Apostle earnestly beseecheth the Thessalonians Church not to be shaken in mind nor troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us saith he as if the day of Christ were at hand here we have in this verse such a plain demonstration of Antichrist in his cheating deluding cousoning practises as we can scarce find the like What is meant by spirit word and letter for by spirit word and letter I conceive the Apostle means all false ways that Antichrist shall make use of to deceive as false Teachers signs lying Miracles Inthusiasts such as pretend to have the spirit to work miracles as your Priests that pretend to cast out Divels 2 Cor. 11.13 which transform themselves as the Apostles of Christ as all the Popes houlings which pretend to imitate the Apostles of which I have hinted in the former part of this book there is no lesse then 150 several Orders or Degrees of them and all pretending to holinesse both in Doctrine and Discipline and yet not one of them of Divine institution but are all popish and Antichristian humane inventions and institutions of men and this is one main argument that the Pope is the great Antichrist that he sets up so many Orderers Officers and Offices in the Church of Christ against Christ in as much that Christ did never institute nor ordain them and to bind mens consciences to submit to them and other of his humane institution and that under such penalties as is shewed above that he makes the breach of his own Laws which he calls the Laws of the Church a greater crime then the breach of the Law of God who then can deny the Pope that thus acts to be the great Antichrist and all these several Orders to be the limbs and members of Antichrist and Seducers who in their several places make it their whole business to keep people in obedience to this Antichrist their great Lord and Master by their lies and lying doctrines and lying wonders exalting and extolling the reliques of Saints and Martyrs and the instituters of their Orders the holinesse and sanctity of their habits and the like which things are more preached and praised and cryed up among them then Christ Jesus is preached or cried up And to gain credit to their delusions they report what miraculous things have been done by the vertue of St. Austins Lethern Girdle for curing diseases and easing of pains c. Satans delusion to deceive And indeed it is possible that God may suffer Satan by weak means to do some such cures which the Devil may by permission be the Author and cause of the disease himself and by his withdrawing his operation and working the disease or paine may cease and all this to make good what the Apostle in this Chapter foretold should come to passe that because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved therefore God shall send them strong delusions to believe lies that all they may be damned which believe not the truth but have pleasure in
Apostle tells us 2 Thes 2.7 That the mystery of iniquity did even then begin to work onely he which now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way I shall shew you what it was that did let and hinder his appearance and then return to our main businesse again Now that which did lett and hinder Antichrists appearance until it was taken out of the way was the Roman Heathen persecuting Emperours that did hinder for Antichrist could not settle himself where he was to have his Throne until they were removed and a Christian Emperour came in place under whom he might have shelter in his minority until he grew up to some strength which Christian Emperour was Constantine the great who besides his defending of Christians from persecution he left Rome holy to the Pope to raign and rule in and himself went to Bezantum which now is called Constantible and settled himself there We read in Revel 6. what fell out in the Churches upon the opening of the six seals I must give you a hint concerning them before I come to the businesse I intend Vpon the opening of the first seal St. John beheld a White Horse and he that sate on him had a Bow and a Crown was given unto him and he went out conquering and to conquer or that he might overcome by this Vision some think is meant the Ministry of the word of God preached by the true Worshippers in the primitive Church next after the Apostles and their Successors Psalm 45.3 4. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh O thou most mighty with thy Glory and Majesty ride on prosperously because of truth and meeknesse and righteousnesse for Christ did conquer wonderfully while his Ordinances was kept pure without mixture of humane inventions and institutions and superstitious observations which it may be is the cause why the Ministry doth so little good and doth not work so effectually upon the Hearers as it did in former times And upon the opening of the second seal there appeared a Red Horse and he that sate thereon had power given him to take peace from the Earth and that they should kill one another by which is meant the cruel persecutions blood and war that followed the preaching of the Gospel which is to be understood of the Ten persecutions and I think also what hath happened in every Kingdome since where the Gospel hath prevailed Antichrist and his instruments hath raised war and persecution and sowed sedition and endeavoured to corrupt the Ordinances and to kill men in their souls if they cannot kill their bodies And upon the opening of the third seale there appeared a Black Horse and he that sate upon him had ballance in his hand by which is signified samine and scarcity of Food which for the most part doth follow wars for the contempt of the Gospel brings wars and wars brings famine and it is recorded that about the year 316 there was a grievous Famine c. Vpon the opening of the fourth seal there appeared a Pale Horse and his name that sat on him was death which signifies the Pestilence and other Contagious diseases whereby men are suddenly taken away by death And upon the opening of the fifth seal John in a Vision saw under the Altar the souls of them that were kiled for the word of God and for the testimony which they held erying How long Lord holy and true dost thou not avenge our blood on them that dwell upon the earth but we must not imagine that these Marryrs have any real desire of revenge for Saints in Heaven are not affected with any such passion but it is rather to be understood that as Abels blood crved for Vengeance Gen. 4.10 So theâ—e Martyrs blood cries for Revenge But Mr. Brightman rather thinks this revenge to signifie their earnest desire of delivering the innocent party from their persecuters which the blood of these soules cries for and the answer that they receive is that they must rest for a little season until their brethren and fellow servants which should be killed as they were meaning under Antichrist were fulfilled for Antichrist was not far of And when he opened the sixth seal there was a great Earthquake and the Sun became black as sack cloth and the Moon became blood and the Stars of Heaven fell to the Earth c. by Earthquake in Scripture is oftentimes signified â—omotions troubles uproars in Commonwealths and alteration of State and Kingdoms as when the Psalmist speaks of the Children of Israel coming out of Egypt Psal 68.8 The Farth was moved the Heavens also dropped at thy presence O God and the Sun became black c. shews that the persecution signified thereby should be very cruel So the Prophet speaking of the destruction of Babylon Isaiah 13.10 The Starrs of Heaven and the Constellations thereof shall not give their light the Sun shall be darkned in his going forth and the Moon shall not cause her light to shine And Ezek. 32.7.8 I will cover the Heavens and make the Stars to be dark I will hide the Sun in a Cloud and the Moon shall not make her light to shine all the lights that shine in the Heavens will I make dark upon thee and will bring darknesse upon thy Land saith the Lord God Aretas reports out of the works of Andreas that many said this Earthquake was taken for the persecution until the coming of Antichrist and that thus the Scriptures are wont to speak of any notable change by the name of an Earthquake and he said truly only he mistook the time af Antichrist coming For Mr. Brightman saith by this Earthquake is to be understood that persecution which was more cruel then any that was before it which fell out in the raign of Diocleasian and Maximinian the last two persecuting Emperours about the year 300. and by the stars falling in this book of the Revelation is ment the Ministers and Pastors of the Church who are called stars for the shining light of the Gospel which they Minister while they preserve the doctrine of the Gospel pure from Heresie and the discipline from mingling it with the inventions of men are compared to stars and by the stars falling from Heaven is meant their falling from the sincerity of their profession to Heresie Superstition or Idolatry either in Doctrine in Discipline or Practise and many did fall about this time through the rage of these two parsecutors who endeavoured to rout out Christianity and the Scriptures by the Roots and published their Proclamations that the Books of Scriptures should be burned in the Market place we saw saith Eusebius with these very eyes the holy and divine Scriptures perish in the very Fire where they were thrown The Scriptures for it's glorious light may well be compared to the Sun and here you see how this Sun the Scriptures was darkned in this Earthquake and consumed with fire in this persecution a City in Phrygia wholy inhabited with Christians the
souldiers compassed it about and burnt it to Ashes and the Men Women and Children that were in it and besides the demolishing of Churches and burning the Scriptures and Slaughter and other Tortures of Christians there came forth another Prolamation to attath the Governours and Pastors of Churches and compell them to sacrifice to Idols here many held out manfully and suffered Martyrdome others with terrour were like blocks and became feeble and out of heart at the first onset saith Eusebius in his Eighth Book Chap. the Third so that the whole Church was covered over with blacknesse that it did scarce appeare any where And now follows the last act of this Tragedy in the 15 and 16 verses of this 6 Chapter of the Revelations And the Kings of the Earth and the great Men and rich Men and the chiefe Captains and the mighty Men and every bond Man and every free Man hide themselves in Dens and the rocks of the Mountains and said unto the Mountains and Rocks fall on us and hide us from the Face of him that sits upon the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of his wrath is coming and who shall be able to stand And here we have reason to stand admiring at the wonderful grace and mercy of God who by his spirit in his servant John 1. hath so punctually set down these passages throughout the whole Revelation whereby we may find out the great Antichrist the man of sin and when he first appeared in the world for all these passages relate to Antichrists appearance as Aretus said though he missed of the time for observe here in the fight of these calamities how Jesus Christ the Lamb that sits upon his Throne put forth his divine power from Heaven and suddenly alayes these Tempests that these persecuting Emperours and Nobles should flie at his appearance for what other thing could it be that forced these two Tyrant Emperours Diocleasian and Maximinian when they both were at the top of honour and so raging mad with desire to root out Christianity that they both should so suddenly and voluntarily put themselves out of their Empires and betake themselves to a private life Eusebius in his 8 Book Chap. 14. and Ignatius to the same purpose saith that it is a marvellous matter and to this time the like unknown that both these Emperours should give up their Empires and return to a private life being not opprest with old age nor difficulty and greatness of matters but some impute it to Frensie and Nicephorus saith it was rage and madnesse because they saw they took pains in vain to root out Christianity but they mistook the matter for we may learn from these Texts that the true and real cause was only this that the Lamb that sits upon his Throne and who is the deliverer of his Church did smite them with inward terrour wounding them with the sting of conscience for their wickednesse and with fear of Gods vengeance that they were ready to cry to the Rocks and Mountains to fall upon them and hide them from the wrath of the Lamb and as he is a Lamb to his Church so he is a Lyon the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah who when he begins to reckon with his Enemies he will teare them in pieces and rent the Gall from the Liver and accordingly the Lamb shewed himselfe a Lyon in this respect and smote the chiefest of these persecuting Emperours Maximinius as Eusebius saith in his 8 Book and Chap. 17. That a plague from above light on him The dreadful Judgement of God upon the persecutors First taking root in his flesh and after proceeded even unto his soul for there arose in the secret parts of his body an impostume or running sore afterwards in the lower parts of his privities a botch corrupt boyle with a fistula whence issued corrupt matter eating up the inward bowels and an unspeakable company of Lice swarmed out with such a stinck that the Physicians were not able to abide it nor able to help with any Physick therefore they were cruelly executed and the Tyrant in this loathsome condition died Dioclesian in like manner pined away with diseases and Maximinian hanged himself and you must think though Histories mention it not that these three Emperours did not feel the stroke of Gods hand alone but as the Text saith The chief Captains so also the great Men and rich Men and bond-men and free were all driven to their wits end with this stroke that they were ready to cry to the Rocks and Mountains to fall upon them and hide them from the wrath of the Lamb for some write that besides the pining diseases that Dioclesian had to hid himselfe from the Lambs wrath he drank poyson and Gelerius ran into the bottom of the River Tyber to hid himself Thus these Heathen persecuting Emperours which hindred the great Antichrists coming to his Throne 2 Thes 2.7 being as the Apostle saith taken out of the way Constantine the great a Christian Emperour came in their place about the year of Christ 306. this Emperour put an end to the Heathen persecution That which hindred was removed he sent out his edicts to encourage the Christian Assemblies and to build the Churches the former Tyrants had caused to be demolished but after a while now the Churches having rest the Bishops were set on Fire by spiteful contentions among themselves striving for dignities and preheminence and also about several points of the Christian faith it is conceived by some that what is said Rev. 8.3 Of the Angell with the golden Viol that offered odors with the prayers of the Saints upon the Golden Altar which was before the Throne that this is meant of such as were souâ—d in the Faith that their prayers was to this effect that it would please God who had so wonderfully appeared for his Church and people in removing the persecuting Emperours that he would not suffer the truth which now for a short time had triumphed to be clouded againe by the pride and contention of the Bishops c. but that some way might be found out to establish the truth and that those that did outwardly professe themselves to be of the houshold of Faith and yet made such dissention in the Church that some way might be found out to stay such strife and controversies and indeed Constantine the Emperour used his endeavour to calm and quiet these contentions for besides the Epistle I mentioned before that he wrote to the Bishop of Rome that Cecilianus Bishop of Carthage and the ten Bishops that were against him and ten Bishops more that he should chuse of his side c. should meet before the Bishop of Rome about that controversie he also write another Epistle to Christus Bishop of Syracusa where he intimates to him that he had commanded divers Bishops out of sundry Provinces to meet at the City of Orleance where he requires him also to
a bare and ragged cloak then in rich Ornaments and Apparel wherefore saith he I pray you my Lord Bishops do not so much contemne your Inferiours for the first that dyed for Christ and opened the way of Martyrdome was no Bishop but a Levite but if we repeat the example of old Councels we shall find that the inferiours were always present with the Bishops in Councels and what is more comely saith he for us to follow then the doctrines and customes of the Apostles as it is said Acts 15. It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to us that is the Apostles and Elders with the Church and the word it seemed good signifieth in this place not only consultation but decision and determination whereby it appears that others besides Apostles or Bishops had determinating voyces in Councels and in another place saith that is Acts the 6. which is spoken to above saith he when the Apostles would intreat of any weighty matter Lay-men a Ministers ought to in Counce with Bish they durst not determine by themselves but the twelve called together the multitude And seeing all things were written for our learning it seem the Apostles would give us example that in such weighty matters we should admit our inferiours as Athanasius in the Councell of Nice who then was but a Priest yet he did manfully withstand the Arrians Also in the Councel of Calcedon which was counted one of the four principall Councels there was present four hundred Priests and we have most evident testimony for inferiours in Councels for the chiefe and principal of all the divines St. Augustine saith upon these words where Christ saith to Peter I will give thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven he saith by these words judiciall power was given not only to Peter but also to the other Apostles and also to the whole Church Bishops and Priests If therefore Priests have a judicial power in the Church what should let but that they also may have determinate voyces in the Councels and Synods and saith he if Abbots who were not instituted by Christ have their determinate voices in Councels as they alwaies have why should not Priests have the same mark here the Councel confesseth that Abbots are not of Christs institution see for this the Acts and monuments of the Primitive Church page 624. Thus you see what the practise of the Apostles was and their admiting of Ministers and Lay-men that were godly and lawfully elected into their councels and which was also practised in ancient councels though since this councel of Nice I do not read that Lay-men have been admitted though hear in this councel of Basill God stirred up this man to contend for the truth but the occasion of this dispute in the councel of Basill was not about Lay-men but the Bishops would have had Priests and Deacons and all excluded from having a determining Vote but onely Bishops and I think they have had it so ever since both in Councels and Synods except it were some of their own creatures that would say as they say but as to the due election of members to be in the councels according to the Apostolical institution that hath been altogether neglected this 1300 years since the councel of Nice through the pride and presumption of Bishops and the prevalence of Antichrist then brought forth by that councel which practise you see is contrary to the Apostles institution and example and is also contrary even to reason and to the practise of Kingdoms in civil affairs as Parliaments that give and make Laws for the Government of the Kingdome in civil affairs they are elected and chosen by the countrey so that what Lawes they make as to the Government of the outward man they are bound to stand to and obey for it is their own act they elected and intrusted them to make such Laws as should be for their wealth and safety And can any man be so bruitish as to think that believers who are the misticall body of Jesus Christ and who alone are the Church in Scripture sense can any man think that Christ would have them excluded from medling with the affairs of the Church which particularly belongs unto them and which Church they are is there not as much reason that they should have their Vote in electing them that are to sit in councels or Synods to make Laws to bind their conscience as to have a vote in electing those in Parliament that make Laws to bind the outward man and are not these examples and practises of the Apostles and first primitive Church in these three several points spoken to above as sure and safe rules to walk by as can be shewed for any other assembly or meetings to make Laws by c. For can it be thought that Jesus Christ would appoint for such a work Necromancers Witches Conjurers Sorcerers Astronomors Simoniacks Sodomites abusers of themselves with mankind incesteous persons and covetous Idolaters Lyers Swearers Judge if these be sit to make Laws for the Church of Christ Sabboth-breakers Murtherers Per jured persons full of Wrath and Strife Mallice and Envy Sedition and Heresie Adulterers Fornicators Drunkards abounding in all the works of the flesh as a great part both of Popes and Prelates have been and are that these and such like should give Lawes to his Church and Spouse that their acts and determinations should be reputed and taken for the acts and determinations of the Church who are not as I have proved in the former part of this Book so much as true members of any particular rightly constituted Church of Jesus Christ in Scripture sence themselves and who never had a right call to their office nor to sit in councel nor Synod according to the Scripture order as is shewed above they came not in at the door but at the window like thieves and robbers that these should make Laws for Christs Spouse to bind their consciences to Superstitious and Idolatrous Observations and will-worship contrary and against the written word of God and by their magnificent outward power and authority to compel men to obedience against their conscience and restraine them from worshipping God according to his own institutions Beloved such wayes and doings as these are not of God consider it in time and lay it to heart for the Lord is a God of Judgement by him actions are weighed and thus all these things said together and justly weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary it will appear that this Apostacy and falling away of the Bishops before the councel of Nice and of the Bishops in the councel of Nice to be the greatest Apostacy and falling away from the institutions and example of Jesus Christ and his Apostles and of the longest continuance that ever was in the world this 1660 years for it is of 1300 years continuance and the greatest evil and mischief it hath produced to the Churches of Jesus Christ for the Arian Herefie is gone
Hunnes so that in 132. years Rome was taken and ransackt five times and Odoaces that took it the fourth time reigned there fourteen years and if you look Socrates seventh Book ch 10. you shall see that this Alaricus that he speaks of his taking Rome the first time he ransackt and spoiled both Town and Country as he went at length he took the City of Rome and ransackt the City defaced and fired many Monuments and violently spoiled the Citizens executed many of the Emperor and if you look the 7th book of Evagrius Scholasticus chap. 7. you shall finde that Rome was taken by Gensericus being a Barbarian who set the City on fire carried away the spoil took away Eudoxia the Empress and her two daughters with him to Libia This was the very time of the beasts being wounded as it were unto death And about this time Heresie did more prevail than at any time before or since as above is shewed and that the Barbarians Goths Vandals and Hunnes who were Heathens had the upper hand how then should Atheism Heathenism and Idol-worship be fully destroyed in Rome and Christianity be victorious as he saith let the Christian Reader judge whether the Bishop be not mistaken or not though perhaps he will not own it for he is resolved before hand that no man shall convince him for he will be singular all other Authors are but Novices to him In the 10th page he saith That Bishop Mountague sets down Reasons which this Bishop complyes with why the Turks should rather be Antichrist than the Pope and his first Reason is the Turks apostacy from the Doctrin and Gospel of Christ I answer I dare not betray my Master Christ his truth and therefore must make bold to tell both the Bishops that their first Reason hath no reason in it for the Turk did never own Jesus Christ as he is truly Christ to be King Priest and Prophet to his Church the which â—hing the Turk did never own and therefore it cannot properly and truly be said that the Turk did fall and apostatize from the Doctrin and Gospel of Christ because he never did receive it nor own it as the Doctrin and Gospel of Christ as King Priest and Prophet but hath alwayes denyed it and been an Adversary unto it But the Pope and Church of Rome hath outwardly in words though they deny it in their Deeds as is proved beâ— fore yet in outward profession they own Christ as King Priest and Prophet but are apostatized from the doctrin and institutions oâ— Christ and therefore the Pope is the great Antichrist Page 14. He saith It is agreed of all sides not only by Bellarmin aâ—â— other Popish Writers but also the most learned Protestant Divineâ— That as Darnel grows among Wheat so Antichrist should arise out 〈◊〉 the truest and purest Church of Christ and if so and that he will haâ— the Pope to be Antichrist then the Church of Rome not only was 〈◊〉 must be confessed to be and continue stil the truest Church of Christ aâ— so Calvin and others are out of the true Church in separating from tâ— Church of Rome I answer That for the agreement of the Writers I shall nâ— say much but I find no Scripture that saith it neither doth 〈◊〉 prove it for as to Darnel growing among Wheat it no more relatâ— to Antichrist than to any other wicked mans being in the outward visible Church and suppose that Antiochus be a type of Antichrist as you say yet that proves nothing as to the place where he shall arise only it types out what he shall do when he is come But suppose I grant that Antichrist should aâ—ise out of the purest Church and so catch you in your own Snare it is easily proved that the Church of Rome was once the truest Gentil Church that was in the World and that when the Apostle writ his Epistle to the Romans as Rom. 1.8 I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your Faith is spoken of through the whole World which commendation is not given to any other Church in the World therefore by your own Argument Antichrist was to arise in the Church of Rome for it was the truest and purest Church but that it should so continue and be the truest Church at the time when Antichrist should appear is but yours and Bellarmin's c. fancy without Scripture or reason to ground upon For if the Church where Antichrist did arise had been the purest Church when he did arise Antichrist would then soon have been discovered and opposed and hissed at he could not have shrowded himself and his hypocritical waies but would have been discerned neither do you nor can you prove that the Church of Rome being once a true Church that it should so continue still and that we are Schismaticks for departing from it This is fine Prelatical Popish Doctrine without proof of Scripture but if you or Bellarmin or an Angel from Heaven saith the Apostle teach any other Doctrine than we have received in the Scripture let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 The seven Churches of Asia and many more besides them were true Churches but are not so now And so the Primitive Church of Rome the first hundred or two hundred years was a true Church but is not so now as is proved in the former part of this Book at large But besides these Reasons I will come a little nearer to you by Scripture proof that Antichrist should arise out of a Church which at that time of his rising should be a corrupted Apostatized Church 2 Thes 2.1 2 3 verses Consider whether the words of men or Scripture is fit to be believed I beseech you Brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him that ye be not shaken in mind nor troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter from us And I may adde nor by Bellarminâ—e nor Bishop Williams's Interpretations as if the day of Christ were at hand for that day shall not come except their come a falling away first and that man of sin which is Antichrist be revealed Here you see in this Text is plainly held forth that the Church where Antichrist should arise should be one that was a true Church but should fall away from the Truth and that Antichrist could not come untill first the Church where he should arise did fall away from the Truth and then Antichrist should be revealed that so in this apostatized Church he might the more covertly work his feats and not be discerned Now here is set before you Truth and Error chuse whether you will believe a poor man confirming what he writes by Scripture or believe Cardinal Bellarmin or a Bishops words without Scripture Page 15. he saith but I do not believe him That it is agreed of all sides and by all Interpreters old and new Papists and Protestants that the great Antichrist should come toward
and dissembling sanctity to be well thought of by all men Secondly Smoothnesse of Language and fair speeches to gain love and favour Thirdly Wit and Eloquence to perswade men to aid and assist him Fourthly Large promises and great gifts to win them unto him Fifthly Signs and wonders all pretended to be done from God to draw men to a good belief of all his actions and if all these cannot serve the turn to make men become his Adherents and Assistants then Sixthly Terrors and Tortures shall do the deed Whence it is demanded if this six-fold Art was not most exquisite in the Presbyterians and the prevalent Faction of the Long Parliament And the Question is Answered and proved that these six Arts as you call them are more exquisitly to be found in Antichrist the Pope of Rome then they are to be found in these you name or any others in the World besides First Antichrists faigned and dissembling sanctity appears in making above fourscore holy daies in a year besides Sabbath daies which are kept and observed with no less reverence and devotion than the Lords day and also his faigned dissembling holy water Crosses Crucifixes Agnus Dei beads baptising of Bels consecrating of Altars Garments the corporal body of Christ the Chalice the Linnen to cover the Altar the Eucharistical the Sensor Incense the Chests or Coffers wherein the Saints bones are kept Crosses Images Easter Tapers Fonts First-fruits salt Church-yards all these things are consecrated and these are but a part of Antichrists faigned dissembling sanctity Secondly His smoothness of language and fair speeches appears in that he calls himself Christs Vicar and Peters Successor a Father to the Church and the people are his Children and bears his name Papists from the name Pope he tells them that he is the servant of all Christs servants which if he were so indeed as they believe him to be this were sufficient to make him to be as well thought on by all men as he is by all his followers Thirdly His wit and Eloquence to perswade men to aid him appears in his insinuating himself into the affections of Emperors and Kings and Clergy c. calling them his most honourable and obedient Sons as Pope Julius to the Synod of Constantinople salntes them thus In that your charity my most honourable Sons doth yield due reverence to the Apostolical Chair therein ye get unto your selves much reverence for although it belong unto us especially to sit at the Helm which we have taken upon us to govern in that holy Church where the holy Apostle sate as Doctor yet we acknowledge our selves unworthy of so great honour Theodor. Book 5. and 9. I think he shewed his wit and eloquence here to get aid and assistance to set him a step higher and also in the benediction and priviledges which he grants to his obedient Sons Fourthly His large promises and great gifts appears in that he promises the pardon of sins and the Kingdom of Heaven and such promises are of great force with those that believe that he hath power to do it for to win men unto him for he not only pardons what is past but if they please him well he will pardon sins for a great while to come and establish Emperors and Kings in their Kingdoms and if they displease him he can soon turn them out whether they belong to Church or State and set up others in their stead therefore it is no wonder if his promises and gifts gain men unto him and seek all waies and means to please him Fifthly His signs and wonders pretended to be done from God appears in this that whatsoever is done to confirm an errour may be said to be a fraudulent sign or miracle as to confirm their â—ransubstantiation it hath been said the Priest hath so â—â—nningly ordered the matter that after consecration the wafer being pricked with a bodkin a drop of bloud hath appeared but we will set down the famous miracles of Pope Sylvester one is that by sacred Baptism he cured Constantine of a leprosie but this is a Romish lying fable to encrease the Popes authority for he was not baptised by Sylvester but by Eusebius at Nioâ—medea as Socratis 1. book chap. 26. His second miracle that he raised up a great Bull that was killed by Zambres a Jewish Sorcerer his third that he bound a Dragon after a miraculous manner saith Mr. Brightman in his confutation of Bellermin these are some of Antichrists signs and wonders I have spoken of many of them before and therefore shall passe it over here for Antichrists Church of Rome is known to exceed all the world for signs and wonders Sixthly If all these will not serve his turn then terrours and torments must do it and that appears first by his thundring excommunications as Pope Hildebrand said in an Epistle to the Germans that Henry the fourth was striken with a Thunderbolt when he was excomunicated by Hildebrand that which once was said of Nebuchadnezzer may not be unfitly applyed to Antichrist the Pope for his power was once extended so far that all Nations feared before him for whom he would he set up and whom he would he pulled down and Gentius King of Iliricum would not submit to this Tyrant until he was taken Prisoner to Rome with his Wife and Children did not Pope Alexander cause Henry the second to go barefoot with bleeding feet to Thomas Beckets Tomb at Canterbury for displeasing this Tyrant and did not Pope Innocent the third because King John would not submit to him at last so terrifie him that he made him kneell down to Pandolphus his Legat and kiss his foot and also to kiss Steven Langton Bishop of Canterbury his foot and Pope Innocent the second took th Dukedom of Sicily from the Emperor and made Roger King thereof and Pope Alexander made Fredrick the Emperor to fall flat upon the ground while the Pope trode upon his neck one might multiply examples of this nature to prove that what the Pope cannot do by other means to make men adhere unto him that he compels them by terrors and torments for to do it so that if these be infallible signs of the great Antichrist as Bishop Williams produceth them for that end but then it cannot be denyed that the Popes of Rome are the great Antichrist for they have exceeded all the Christian world in the exquisite practice of these six signs of the Antichrist which cannot so properly be applicable to the Long Parliament and Presbyterians c. nor to any one else in the world as to the Pope of Rome Page the 79. he saith the Apostle in calling Antichrist the Man of sin and not the Man of sins 2 Thes 2.3 gives us to understand and his meaning is that Antichrist should commit some singular and peculiar sin that should only and properly be the sin of the Antichrist and of none else and which he saith is not the sin against the Holy-Ghost nor
Idolatry nor Infidelity nor blasphemy but the highest degree of man-slaughter or the unjust murthering of an innocent Person Page 80. and page 82. he saith it is worse than Adams sin and page 87. he further saith this sin is a judicial condemning of an innocent Person or Persons their superiors as Christ was unto death and that by a representative of a whole Kingdom I Answer first to the latter part how or by what Scripture or what authority can be produced for proof of what he saith page 80. and 82. and 87 for his bare word is not sufficient ground for any man to pin their faith upon without either Scripture or reason to confirm it but such fancies or fictions as these you may remember that in his 65. page he calls them new delivered truths and therefore saith we should recide from former errors or opinions though never so generally embraced by former Authors for he is the only man for to find out a new Antichrist and to clear the old Antichrist from that stain and polution if any man will believe him But secondly how can any man of any indifferent knowledge believe any thing that he writes who doth so often as you have heard contradict himself and the Scriptures also and so again here in this place where he saith the Apostle gives us to understand in that 2 Thes 2. that Antichrist shall commit one singular peculiar sin that should only and properly be the sin of Antichrist and none else whereas neither that text nor any other in the whole Scriptures doth speak of any singular or peculiar sin that makes him to be Antichrist but the Scriptures speak of many sins in many several places that should declare him to be the great Antichrist as is shewed in many places of this Book and even in this Text from whence he would gather his assertion His contradicrion of Scripture the Text speaks the absolute contrary as first that Antichrist shall exalt himself above all that is called God Secondly that he should sit in the Temple of God Thirdly that he should shew himself that he is God that is the highest God on earth above all other Gods either in Church or State Fourthly that his coming should be after the working of Satan with power and that is shewed above how he claims and exerciseth a power above all c. Fifthly that he should come with sigus Sixthly with lying Seventhly with working wonders with deceit and unrighteousness Eightly that he should forsake the truth and not receive it in love besides several sins spoken of 1 Tim. 4. and 1 John 2. and all along in the Revelations and elsewhere of many sins that Antichrist should be known by and this man rejects all and will have him known by one singular peculiar sin which no Text in all the Scripture nor no Author that ever did write did particularly point him out by for if that had been the peculiar sin to know him by then should they have been Antichrist that crucified Christ the Apostle would not after have writ of another Antichrist and which the same sin should make him Antichrist which never can the like be committed with such a height of rebellion against God and with such a rage reaching up to Heaven by any other rebellion or murther neither by Parliament nor Phocas or any else And as our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was put to death by a Roman Power and Authority I think we may upon better grounds than you bring argue that it may imply thus much that Antichrist should have his rise seat and residence in that very place from whence the power and authority came that crucified our Lord Jesus Christ and though there be no Text of Scripture to prove this except perhaps it might be proved by consequence comparing Scripture with Scripture yet I will not be curious to search into it but leave it to the judgment of others however if I mistake not it it seems to carry more force in it than all the new fangle stories you tell us of Page 95. he draws a conclusion from the writings of Tremellius and Beza that Antichrist shall exalt himself above the Bishops and indeed in this I grant that he saith very true for the Pope of Rome hath so exalted himself by his universal Priest-hood as head of the Church and Christs Vicar and Peters Successor that he claims an authority over all the Bishops in the World and doth exercise that authority in many Kingdoms more than any one doth besides and therefore by the Bishops own argument the Pope of Rome is the great Antichrist and man of sin c. for the Pope saith it standeth upon necessity to salvation that every humane creature be subject unto him and therefore requisite and necessary for men that will be saved to know the dignity of his See and excellency of his Dominion for his Priest-hood was prefigured in Aaron and other Bishops under him was prefigured by the Sons of Aaron to be under him thus he exalts himself above the Bishops as is said before Page 99. he saith that the denying Jesus to be the Christ is the proper note and undeniable mark of the great Antichrist who is the head of all other inferiour Antichrists as 1 John 2.22 Who is a lyer but he that denyeth that Jesus is Christ the same is Antichrist that denyeth the Father and the Son I answer I shall not trouble the Reader to relate what the Bishop saith from this Text to the purpose he aims at but I shall as I have done by other Texts and Arguments shew you how undeniable this Text rightly applyed doth prove the Pope to be Antichrist first he is said in this Text to be a lyar and so in the Text before named 2 Thes 2.9 that is a crafty deceiver of the People by granting pardons and indulgences and many other priviledges which are so well known I need not repeat them and which are all as so many lies for there is no truth in them nor no Scripture to prove that he hath any such power or authority but that by his lies he causeth the People to believe him and he is a lyar also in professing outwardly in words what he denieth in his practice as might be made appear in many several things and as appears in the former part of this Book he is a lyar that denies Jefus to be Christ Jesus signifies a Saviour thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sine and Christ fignifies anointed that is to be King Priest and Prophet to his Church a King to rule and govern his Church to appoint Laws and Officers and Ordinances in the Church a Priest to offer Sacrifice for the sins of the People and that he did especially when he offered himself Heb. 9.13 If the blood of Bulls and Goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh