to mount up to Heaven shall be slain by Christ on the Mount of Olives and Pererius in Dan. lib. 15. adds still more of this trash that he must not only be Circumcised and observe the Sabbath but also must be born in Babylon Thus those Romanists labours in the very fire with the figments of their own brains to put Antichrist far of from Rome not any of those notions seem so much as probable unless the last of being born in Babylon mystically taken 18. The Absurdity of this opinion is easily detected for Antichrist was to succeed the Apostle Paul's time and John's but the 10 Tribes were cast off long before and much more the Tribe of Dan which was the first Tribe that forsook the worship of God and fell off to the Gentiles which Jacob foresaw and look'd up to God for Salvation by Christ for them Gen. 49.18 their Idolatry being Recorded Judg. 18.30 and 1 Kin. 12.28.29 therefore is there no mention of this Tribe in the First Book of the Chronicles wherein all the other Tribes are mentioned because they were of a long time Revolted from the true Religion 19. Besides if this pretended Antichrist were to be of the Tribe of Dan how should he be received of the Jews for their Messiah as those Romanists dream seeing the Jews expect their Messiah out of the Tribe of Judah from the Posterity of David and not out of this Tribe neither doth that other notion of his Reigning Three years and a half hold any better consonancy either with Scripture or Reason that so many Nations should so suddenly subject themselves to the Government of a Jew as is clear must do to Antichrist after such inveterate hatred of all Nations against the Jews for so many years which all Histories do testifie 20. Indeed several of the Fathers were of this opinion that this Tribe of Dan was left out in that 7th of Revel where all the Tribes were sealed because Antichrist was to spring of that Tribe Yet Austin gives another descant in his 11th Homily on the Apocalipse expounding the two horns of the Beast to be the two Testaments whereas if the Beast Antichrist be a Jew he is only for the Old Testament for the New-Testament is not for restoring Judaism and for rebuilding the Temple at Jerusalem and whereas he resembles a Lamb yet speaks as a Dragon that is to say he presents himself under the name of Christinity to spread abroad secretly the venom of the Devil Thus he thought him a Christian rather than a Jew and Tostatus Oleaster c. calls this about omitting Dan. in Revel 7. a fabulous Interpretation 21. That which occasion'd the mistake of the Antients is that this Tribe was likened to a Serpent and to an Adder Gen. 49.17 as well as the omission of the Tribe of Dan in the sealing work Revel 7. as before but the clearest Interpreters do understand Jacobs Prophecy to have relation to Sampson and the Fathers living so long before Antichrist came to his full growth may well have their grain of Allowance given them as all holy men in those mistakes especially in their Allusions and Allegories concerning this Serpent which they lay down as Conjectures only not as Positive and Divine Truths 22. It may with as much probability be said that Antichrist shall arise out of the Tribe of Simeon because Moses makes no mention of that Tribe in his Benediction of the Tribes Deut. 33. as that he shall come of Dan because John makes no mention of him in the Signation of the Tribes Revel 7. But they render better Reasons for both those Omissions that say Simeon was omitted by Moses for his bloody treachery against the Shecehemites and Dan by John for his notorious Idolatry and Revolting from God he saw deep adversity on them Judg. 1.24 as well as gross Apostacy in them that prayed so abruptly I have waited for thy Salvation Gen. 49.18 ut Suprá Tremel saith Simeon was omitted because included in the Benediction of Judah 23. Our own Country-man Dr. Donne hath a better gloss about Antichrists arising out of the Tribe of Dan than this of the Romanists or Antients for he wittily observes that the word Dan in the Hebrew language signifies judgment and Antichrist taking upon him the power of judgment over all Faith and all Actions as if he were the Judge paramount of Controversies setting himself in Christs stead who is Judge of the world Thus Antichrist in a way of allusion to its signification may be said to come of Dan. 24. But to omit the refutation of all other opinions about their fictitious Antichrists let us now come to this rhat hath the fairest pretences of all other that they may wipe the mouth of the great man of Rome from the beast they have strenuously asserted that the great Turk is Antichrist and Mahomet is the false prophet for say they the Turk is a profess'd enemy to Christ warring against Christendom quà talis and that his seat is Jerusalem in the temple of Solomon and this agrees say they with the character of Antichrist exactly who is said to be in the Temple of God and to sit in that City where our Lord was Crucified to wit Jerusalem 25. Here is a clear story yet if seriously weighed in the balance of the Sanctuary it will be found light and misapplyed for Antichrists Seat cannot be Jerusalem according to Johns description who calls that City the City of the beast which in his time was the great City that Ruled over the Kings of the Earth but so did not Jerusalem when he wrote the Revelation John wrote that Book about 94 years after Christ but it rather was then a ruinous heap onely it was burnt down to the ground in Titus Vespasians time and the Revelation was not writ till Domitian who succeeded Titus banished John into the Isle Pathmos Revel 1.9 So must be after its destruction 26. As Jerusalem cannot be the great City in Johns time neither stands it upon 7 Hills as Rome doth which all Roman Histories take special notice of hence is she called by the Antients 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septi-collis urbs and that Verse of Propertius Septem Urbs alta jugis toti quae praesidet orbi This cannot be truely applyed to Jerusalem without notorious violence to the truth and John tells us peremptorily that the whore is Seated upon 7 hills as Revel 17.9 which the very Jesuits themselves deny not 27. Neither can it be made apparent that there is any Temple of Solomon especially which was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in Zedekiahs time and a new Temple builded in Cyrus Reign for Antichrist to sit in at Jerusalem for after the second Temple was destroyed by Titus Vespasian we do not read any thing of a third though Julian himself indeavoured it that was ever built and Galatinus the Monk proves by the Antient Talmudist that there shall never be any building of a third Temple Galat. de Arcan
power to my two Witnesses c. which no created Angel could say gives him two Periods the one 1290. as before the other 1335. which is the ending of the dispatch of those great things before the Kingdom of Christ as the other is the beginning thereof and which from Julians time ends about 1700. Y. of Christ There be 45. Years to accomplish all the preparatory work in as Antichrists Ruine Jews Call c. and the first Period brings blessed times but blessed is he that cometh to the end of the 45. Y. for then is Christs Kingdom 270. There be a 3d. sort of Holy and Learned Interpreters that neither build their conjectures on Daniels prophetick Number wholly nor yet as it stands in conjunction with the Apocalyptick number of John but solely upon those numbers they find in the Revelation which are of two sorts 1. That 42. Months or 1260. Days or Years which is the very term of time the Beast hath given him to tread down the holy City Revel 11.2.3 and to do or continue in Revel 13.5 271. The 2d Apostolick Number is that famous 666. Revel 13. last which seems to cast up the Number of the Beast to wit the date and end of his Tyrannical Kingdom whose days shall then be numbred that is finished as the phrase is of old Babylon's ending Dan. 5.26 God hath numbred thy Kingdom and finished it and the Holy Ghost hath computed it as they have conceived to be in the Year which according to mens computation shall be called Six hundred sixty six Years Number expressing time for Aristotle defines Tempus to be Numerus motus secundum prius est posterius Time is the number of Motion 272. And of this Judgment is an unknown English writer in 1589. of Christ Intituling his Book To the Church of Rome and Subscribing himself by the two Letters T. L. whose Writing speaks him a man of a Savoury Spirit and of no mean ability I have read it with much complacency who says that in that Year 666. The great man of Rome shall fall as the Uncircumcised 273. In the Number of the Beast he saith the millenary Number is omitted not only as Known and unchangable for Antichrist was to Reign no more Thousands then One but also as Respecting the common use of all Nations as well Hebrews as Gentiles who in their Stiles for brevities sake do both speak and write by the Imperfect Number omitting the Millenary as Munster in his Calendario Hebraico well observes more then after the Perfect adding the Millenary 274. There be others indeed that finding the Number of the Beast to be 666. have therefore made this Number to design out the very Year of Antichrists beginning or Revelation of his Tyranny and Kingdom to wit in the Year of Christ 666. so Mr. Stephens and the rather because they find in Eccles History that in that very Year the Latin Service began in the Church which is the Popish Service in all Lands see Osiander Epitome Cent. 7. Pag. 189. see Paragr 289. 275. But Number when it is put to signifie Time as Dr. Goodwin saith doth not so properly signifie the beginning of Time as the ending of it When the Number is finished and as it were cast up and made compleat then is his Time Numbred and the account of it summ'd up and not before and therefore Daniel useth this Phrase Thy days are Numbred to denote to us the ending of the Time of the Babylonish Kingdom and not the beginning of it as was said before 276. Therefore many godly-learned declining this latter Notion hath yet gone over into the Opinion of the former with T. L. saying this Cumputation being called the Number of a man that is the ordinary vulgar way of Reckoning years and measure of time in the stile of the whole Christian World holds out the very year of Antichrists Expiration when his Number shall be summ'd up that is in that Year which is according to mans Computation of years ordinarily stiled 666. as we usuall say 88 for 1588. 277. Yet Mr. Durham in his Comment on the Revelation puts another sense on that Number 666 saying it neither denotes the time of Antichrists Rise or of his Ruine but to shew saith he that this Beast is not any ordinary Heretick but a Chief one that hath a great Number of lying Doctrines his name of Blasphemy compact together and we are call'd in Rev. 13. last to weigh his Heresies judiciously not to number his Figures Arithmetically 278. He that hath understanding of spiritual Truths and his Senses exercised to discern them will ponder the Doctrines of Antichrist in the ballance of the Sanctuary 〈◊〉 Belshazzar was numbred and found light Antichrist's number is the number of Man for there is no Article in the Greek not the Wisdom of God his Doctrines are not of God but of Man yea Doctrines of Devils And there be sexcenti errores Pontificii as some Book-titles be as if Antichrist were a Compound of 666 grand errors 279. Mr. Cotton upon Rev. 13.18 declares his opinion of this 666 that it is neither the Number of his Years when he began nor the Number of his Years when he shall end not the former saith he for though some think Antichrist arose to a name in the Y. 606. yet they cannot though Boniface then took upon him the title of Chief Bishop make that 666. seeing there is 60. Y. difference and 't is probable the Holy Ghost would not have err'd so much in such an express Number Besides Antichrist was begun before this 606. and this Headship or spiritual Advancement is but a part of Antichrist 280. Nor can the latter be saith he for 666. cannot be the number of the end of Antichrists Years seeing he continues still to this time which is almost a Thousand years since 666. and to say that in this round Number something is omitted as when we say 88 we mean 1588. yet in Scripture-phrase saith he such small Numbers are not regarded and seeing Wisdom is required to find out this Number what wisdom were it for the Holy Ghost to leave out a thousand as we leave out when we say 88. for 1588. the Holy Ghost he saith doth not so here and therefore it cannot hold out the number of his Period 281. He thinks as the number of the Beast is an opposite number to the Number of the Lamb which consists all of 12. as of every Tribe 12000 and the City had 12 foundations c. Rev. 21.14,16,17 the whole fabrick of Jerusalem is 12. the foundation is Apostolical but in the Number of the Beast there is nothing Apostolical six falls short of twelve Boniface summs up all their Canons in one Book which he adding to the 5 Books of Decretals calls it Sextus thus all their Religion is wrap'd up in 6 Volumes and the 6. they call the most perfect of all hence the Number 6. is pitched on here the number of a man for
as cost John many tears to understand Rev. 5.4 This Consideration makes me cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh the depth of the Wisdom of God Rom. 11.33 It causeth me to admire the profoundity of the Scripture to kiss the Book and to lay it down and to weep over my own Ignorance and to cry Oh when shall I know as I am known 1 John 4.2 Gal. 4.9 307. The 2d Consideration is the mistakes that so many famous lights of the Church have been found in about it Some out-living their own Conjectures and finding them false have been constrained to confess that they were on the dark side of the Cloud when they wrote them Others though not living so long hath yet been confuted by time which is the surest comment upon dark Prophesies the 3d. Consideration is the Consciousness I have of my own inability for so great a Work which would pinch the Shoulders of an Angel if it be said who is sufficient for these things 2 Cor. 2.16 much less poor I that am less then all the Servants of God 308. Yet that which encourages me against those Discouragments is that all sufficiency comes from God 2 Cor. 3.5 that he hath promised his Spirit to them that ask him Luk. 11.13 that this Spirit doth removere prohibentia and applicare auxiliatoria that the Lord puts Treasure into Oyster shells 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 4.7 and conveys water of Life through a Leaden Pipe as well as through Golden ones that he hath promis'd blessedness to such as Read and Search this Book Rev. 1.3 and his Spirit of Truth to guide into all Truth Joh. 16.13 I would therefore come forth in the Strength of the Lord Psal 71.16 and plow with his Heifer to find out his Riddle Judg. 14.18 309. I how shall assay this great Work according to the best Light the Father of Light gives by whose help a Lamb may swim where an Elephant may sink down into the bottom and 1st Negatively according to my propounded Method the first Opinion I have to speak to is that of our Godly Martyrologist Mr. Fox whose notion I cannot assent to for those following Reasons 1. His changing Months into Weeks seems not to hold a clear consonancy with the ordinary current of Scripture which of puts Days for Years as Num. 14. â—…4 and Ezek. 4.5,6 but never that I know of are Months put for Weeks 310. My 2d Reason is that the Revelation is a general Prophecy of occurences to come from Johns time to the end of the World beginning at the 4th Chap. to the end of the Book as the 3 first Chap. contain 7. Epistles to 7. particular Churches which were then in being Christ comes to shew John things that must shortly come to pass Rev. 1.1 and the the time was at hand when those things Represented to him in a Vision should begin to be put in Execution v. 3. then Ch. 4. v. 1. Christ calls up John saying come up hither and I will shew thee things that must be hereafter 311. Now those two things being seriously ponder'd 1. That the Revelation is not an History of things past but a Prophecy of things to come which were to Commence after Johns writing it in regard of their first beginning and 2ly That John wrote this Book about 94 Years after Christ thence I say it may strongly be concluded that the Persecution of John Baptist by Herod can be no part of this Prophetical Vision being a dispensation long before executed and preceded in time not only all the parts of the Prophecy but also the 7. Churches then in being 312. I shall add other Reasons in the sequel against this Opinion as it hath a coincidency with that of Dr. Beards about the Pagan Empire it shall suffice now to say that as Simon Magus could not be the Antichrist spoken of in the Revelation because that was a story that was expir'd long before the writing of this Prophetick Book as before is spoke of in the 15. and 16. Paragraph so much less can that Persecution of the Church before Christs death be any part of that Persecution foretold of in the Revelation which Christ after he was dead and lived again Rev. 1.5.18 shew'd to John should afterwards come to pass 313. Yet the Sanctity of this Godly Mr. Fox being so famously known and his saying that he receiv'd it in a solemn manner by Divine Revelation and the event likewise so aptly corresponding thereunto being all well weighed his Opinion may not be scurrilously derided as it is by some Romish Authors which hath more probability and Reason it than a multitude of their idle dreams and phantastick imaginations but rather cum grano salis may be charitably embraced as a fair Gloss upon the place among many other Glosses of Holy and Learned Men. 314. The 2d Opinion of Dr. Beards I cannot close with neither for those following Reasons First The two Apocaliptick Beasts must contemporize 1. Because the latter Beast is said to exercise all his Power in the Presence of the first Beast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revel 13.12 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 14. both which expressions makes the 2. Beasts Contemporary but the Pagan and Antichristian Empire succeeded one another in a long distance of time and so Antichrist shew'd no wonders in the Presence of the Pagan Empire 315. Again 2ly 't is very probable the 2d Beast is call'd the false Prophet Revel 19.20 having the same description there that is found in Revel 13.12.14 that wrought Miracles before him to wit the 1st Beast so that in Rev. 19.20 we see the Beast and his Chaplain to wit the 1st and 2d Beast both taken together and cast into the Lake of Fire burning with Brimstone as two Inseperable Companions they are neither seperated in their Rise nor in their Ruine but it is commonly known that Antichrist did not Rise before the Pagan Empire was Ruin'd For that was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that letted him from appearing 2 Thess 2.6.7 there was no Room for Antichrist at Rome while it was the Seat of Pagan Emperors 316. Thus my first Argument or Reason being thus strengthen'd with these two Illustrations conludes effectually against the Doctors Opinion that the first Beast is not the Roman Empire see more of this Subject in Paragr 145. 146. neither in respect of its Continuance nor Persecution My 2d Reason is the Roman Empire and this Beast have two differing descriptions as both Mr. Mede and Mr. Cotton c. observes for the Roman Pagan Empire is describ'd Rev. 12.3 with 7. Heads and Ten Horns as this first Beast is but with this difference in Rev. 12. the 7. Heads had 7. Crowns on their Heads but in Rev. 13.1 the Crowns are not on the Heads but on the Horns which maketh a great difference both in Place and Number for in Rev. 12. but 7. Crowns but in Rev. 13.1 there be Ten. 317. A 3d
and to which God hath spoken by his Son Heb. 1.1,2 328. A third Argument or Reason against this Opinion is when an indefinite time is intended by the Holy Ghost by a definite His manner is not to use Phrases wherein broken Numbers are but whole as in those words of Jacob to Laban thou hast chang'd my wages ten times Gea 31.41 so in Numb 14.22 in both which places a certain Number is put for an uncertain this is usual in Scripture as Job 19.3 Zech. 8.23 Lev. 26.26 but still by a whole not by a broken Number yea in Christs words Mat. 18.22 till 77 times there is a round Number used for Peters 7 is only multiplied into seventy times 7. to signifie oft or many times but here in 42 Months and in 1260. Days broken Numbers are expressed as well as the whole and neither of them are any where in Scripture-phrase used for Indefinite time CHAP. XII 329. THe 4th Opinion to be refuted in this Negative part is the whole Computation which all those learned and holy Men aforesaid have made that hath universally as one man faln short of the truth both those that hath calculated by Daniel and those by John distinctly yea and those by both jointly None of them reckoning Antichrists Term beyond 1666. Y. which is now expir'd yet Antichrist lives and the Seat of the Beast stands This Confutation is not by me but by time the best Interpreter of this Book only some of them hath a Reserve of 45 Years 330. Had not time it self which brings forth the most infallible Comments upon abstruse Prophecies yea turning dark Prophecies into plain Historie broken the Ice for me in my praevaricating from their Opinions I should not have adventur'd to have grappl'd with them for 't is Impar congressus an unequal match as that of Troitus with Achilles especially with them all at once If Hercules himself may not contend with two at once much less poor I who am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the least of Saints and the greatest of Sinners may contradict such great Lights of the Church famous in their Generation and Men of renown That was but a ridiculous Confutation of Bellarmine by two Words Mentiris Bellarmine and such an one might mine of those blessed Souls seem to be had not the issues of Providence made for me an unanswerable Argument against them 331. Notwithstanding those eminent Servants of Christ have seem'd to miss the Mark and their Conjectures do none of them hold Consonancy with present dispensations of Time and Providence yet may we find out some Salvo's besides the Reserve of 45 Y. hereafter to be spoke of in Paragr 441. whereby they may be brought of from any disgracefull mistakes as 1st The uncertainty of Chronologies 2ly The Variety of Computations from several Periods of Antichrist 3ly The difficulty of computing the Time both of the Churches bondage in Egypt and of her Captivity in Babylon though the Period of both was plainly recorded 332. Of all those I shall speak in Order to say nothing of the Sobriety of those holy Men in their Conjectures and their disclaiming all confidence therein which shall be as a Prologue to the positive part that is next to be spoken to wherein I shall lay down my own Apprehensions and yet not be too positive nor peremptory or dogmatical therein but so far as I think I have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 7.6 333. First of the uncertainty of Chronologies A mistake may fall out either sooner or later in those Computations from the vulgar Reckoning of the Y. 1666. It may fall over this account that is common as well as under because Chronologers confess themselves that the vulgar account of Years from Christ hath not been certainly preserved This is testified by Arnobius in his Apology Trecenti sunt anni fermè minus vel plùs aliquid ex quo coepimus esse Christiani about 300 Y. under or over If the precise point of Time could not be determined then so near Christ without difficulty much more afterwards when the Hundreds became a Thousand c. 334. The Computation of Time from the Creation of the world to Christ hath been made in much variety we find above twenty several accompts thereof differing one from another in Alsteds Encuclopaedia pag. 2993. now if there were such uncertainty in that Chronology before Christ wherein the Records of the Old Testament go all along as a thread for guidance in this Labyrinth how much more in this Chronology since Christ which hath not that advantage of the Scripture Chronicle to guide it beyond a 100. Years if there were many years Variety in that how much more in this 335. Of all kinds of Learning Chronology was rudest in the Primitive times so that in the first Centuries after Christ there is much obscurity few Christian Chronologies were then preserved for the Pagans that were cruel to kill the Authors would not be so kind as to preserve their Books Baronius himself despairs of giving any perfect Story of this time and Parker compares it to Archimedes Sepulchre which was so over-grown with Weeds that Cicero could not get a perfect knowledge of it so saith this good Man Antiqua adeò Temporis longinquitate exesa sunt Antichristi dumetis obsepta ut haud ea attingamus We cannot get an Infallible account thereof 336. That there is difference in Chronology appears in this that Helvicus and others Reckons two Years short of the Vulgar as 1664. for 1666. there be other Chronologers that Reckon as much over as 1666. for 1664. and it comes to pass in their computing a Princes Reign a whole Year is allowed to the beginning of his Reign and a whole Year to his ending though another begin in that Year or the last Year of the Predecessor made but one with the first of the Successor This brings a variation in Chronologies even in latter times besides the obscurity of former times So that 4. or 5. Years difference breaks not the Square 337. I come 2ly to the 2d Salvo taken from the sundry Periods of Antichrist and that in a two fold Respect 1. In respect of his Rise and 2ly In respect of his Ruine in regard of his Rise there be various Reckonings 1. Some Reckon the 42. Months from Antichrists Conception 2ly Others from the sharp Throes in the Womb of Rome before his Birth 3ly Others again do accompt from his Birth and breaking out into the World There be some 4ly that Reckon from his ascending the Throne Others 5ly From his higher advancement and lastly Some from his very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Top-gallant of his Luciferian Pride and then was he both Risen and Reveal'd indeed 338. No wonder then if from those several Epocha's or Periods of his Rise many good men have made various Calculations of those 42. Months especially if we consider also 2ly The several Periods of his Ruine to be Reckon'd to as 1st
the 5. Century was turned into Dominion in the 6. Illyr Cat. Test pag. 619. to 632. at large and in pag. 695. he tells of a Book which Clemens wrote against Boniface who got it burned which Book were it extant saith he Nos de multis rebus commonefacere posset it would tell tales out of the School Thus Antichrists revelation must be in the sixt Century 25. But more particularly Anastasius Bishop of Antioch in the year 607. looks much like a Sackloth-mourner who was named Sinaita from his long fasting and praying in Mount Sinai as Nicephorus lib. 18. cap. 44. if he may be credited relates this fasting and mourning was immediately after the revelation of Antichrist and so renders it the more probable being the very year after About the same time our own Historians tell of that famous Preacher Wolferus that like another Elias according to the description of the Witnesses obtained Rain from Heaven in plenty which had been much wanting for 3 Years together about this time also Daganus this Daganus refused to eat bread with the Romish Bishops in the same Inn utterly rejecting them and several other Bishops opposed the Romish Rites and refused all Communion with their Romish Bishops saying the Profession of Christianity was purer amongst them than that which they brought from Rome 26. The same Isidore aforesaid Lib. 8. Etym. Cap. 11. saith of Antichrist Christum se mentietur contra eum dimicabit adversabitur Sacramentum Christi ut veritatis eius Evangelium solvet omnesque veteris legis Ceremonias restaurare tentabit He will faign to be for Christ yet War against him he will restore the Ceremonial Law of Moses and corrupt the Sacraments of the Gospel of the Messiah and Olympiodorus also in the 6th Cent. in Eccles 4. Cap. saith Vidi ipsos peccatores cum adolescente Secundo hoc est Antichristo qui exurget pro domino nostro christo he calls Antichrist adolescens quia Juvenili temeritate est in malo fervidus robustusque nequitiae Innovator He was Rash Heady and Hot in his Innovations when but a Youth Mugd Cent. 6. Cap. 4. Pag. 121. A. and besides this Olympiodorus I find that Illyricus brings in several other Witnesses to succeed in that age as Justus Cassiodorus c. Illyr Test Ver. Pag. 576. 577. 578. 27. Olympiodorus Justus and Cassiodorus oppos'd the Popish points and expresly say about this primacy of the Romish Bishop Caâ—…t Ecclesiae Christus unus Pastor est Christus qui unum habet Gregem Sc. unitatem Ecclesiae Catholicae and Johannes Maxentius who would have disputed at Rome against their Errors but was ill treated there by the Pope which made him break out into those words O mira furiosorum Caecitas a veritate alienatarum mentium Criminosa fallacia neque enim fas est tam apertè posse mentiri Episcopum Romanum Oh the Impudence of the Pope thus openly to prevaricate about this time John of Beverley mourn'd out his Soul for the troubles of the Church leaving his See at York he died at Beverley with a Gospel Spirit Illyr Test Pag. 696. 28. This Maxentius aforesaid had a Bull issued out against him by the Pope which he Answers and Reproves the Pope of several lies in it and rebukes his Pride very often Illyr Catal. Test Ver. Pag. 584. and our Illyricus adds many other Witnesses in the 6th Cent. against Antichrist as Adelhelmus Caesarius Julian Pomerius and some others pag. 647. and Alsted adds Hesychius who upon his Commentary upon Leviticus hath many Testimonies concerning the Truth Catalog Test Verit. Pag. 369. 29. Alsted says of this Caesarius Egregia quaedam Scripsit quae non favent papistarum Doctrinae his Writings favour not Popery ibidem and Sabellicus Ennead 8. lib. 6. tells how Peter of Constantinople oppos'd Primacy in the Roman Bishops as Gregory had done in John of Constantinople and Paulus Cretensis appellationem ad sedem Romanam concedere noluit he allow'd not of Appeals to Rome as Vitalians Ep. in tom 2. Concil makes it apparent The Magdeburg Centurists makes Isidore Caesarius Adelhelmus Julian Pomerius Witnesses to the Truth Cent. 7. Cap. 4. Pag. 28. and say of the Bishops of Constantinople quòd Phocae constitutionem molestè tulerunt a Romanae Ecclesiae formâ abhorruerunt they loath'd the Romish Forms and Dominion Pag. 125. 30. Bede tells us of Aidanus our own Countreyman who stood off not only from Romish Primacy but from Prelacy in his owning a Synod wherein Elders Deacons and People met Bede lib. 3. Cap. 5. and when the Romish Ceremonies were intruded on the Church he said non gravia legis non Pharisaeorum onera populis proponenda the yoaks of the Law and burdens of the Pharisees ought not to be imposed upon the People Osiand Epit. 7th Cent. Pa. 105. and another of our Countreymen Finnanus hath this eminent Encomium left upon Record that he was Christianae libertatis sirenuus propugnator contra jugum pontificium a stout Champion for Christian Liberty against Romish Tyranny Magdeburg Hist Cent. 7. Cap. 70. Pag. 289. and 2. adversus Ceremonias pontificias Rom. fortis defensor Osiand Epit. Cent. 7. Pag. 180. and in the year of Christ 638. 31. Osiander also tells us of Colmannus qui masculè sese pontificiis traditionibus opposuit who bravely withstood the Romish Traditions Cent. 7. Pag. 196. adding also to the number of those Witnesses the aforesaid Caesarius ibid. and the Magdeb. Centurists say quaedam concilia hujus aetatis veritatem Testantur some Councels defended the Truth in that day Cent. 7. Cap. 4. Pag. 28. and Pag. 189. Concil Angl. at our Hereford acted ut nullus Episcoporum se praeferat alteri per Ambitionem no Prelate must prefer himself before another by Ambition this in Y. 673. or as Helvicus 664. and the 11th Toletan Councel condemns the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Papisticam Popish Disorder which Helvicus makes about 674. see Illyricus pag. 689. and Alsted Chron. p. 369. 32. I have been larger in producing Witnesses against Antichrist in the 6th Century not only because I take that to be the Epocha of the Beasts Revelation but also because I cannot find upon my very strict scrutiny any Witnesses before that Cent. against the Beast Revealed wherein I have the concurrence of many Reverend and Learned men Augustin in libro de Antichristo saith Antichristum non Anteâ in mundum venturum esse nisi venerit primùm disoessio i. e. nisi discesserint omnia Regna a Romano imperio quae priùs subdita erant hoc autem Tempus nondum advenit there must be a departing of the Kingdoms from the Empire before Antichrist come this is not yet done saith he in the 4th Century and Gregory saith the like as before in the end of the 5th Century 33. The Magdeburg Centurists say Centur 5. page 1. F. plus nimio concessum est Antichristus hoc seculo quasi intra Viscera