and Darkness At this time ruled those two Notorious Strumpets Theodora a Roman Dame most infamous for her lewdness and her Daughter Marosia wife to Albertus the Marquess of Hetruria and Concubine of this Pope Sergius who at the same time kept the Mother and the Daughter to reward them for raising him to be Pope by their Influence and Authority One Athanasius succeeded him concerning whom we have no account it is not easy to imagine the cause for as this Pope was one of the Cabal of Theodora and Marosia he was of the like character with his Predecessors After him comes Laudo who to oblige the infamous Theodora prefer'd a Priest of Ravenna named John to the Bishoprick of Bologna and afterwards to be Archbishop of Ravenna But Theodora not finding it for her Convenience to have her Gallant at such a distance from her quickly makes away with Laudo An. 912. and makes this John the tenth by name Bishop of Rome Platina Some Historians say that This John was the son of Pope Sergius by Marosia Theodora's daughter This Pope then was the Son of a Pope and kept his grand-mother Theodora to be his whore This Monster possess'd the Chair sixteen years and lest it by a violent death for Marosia who is reputed by some Authors to have been his Mother caused him to be put in prison and there to be stifled under a Bed. She made Leo VI. Pope in his room who surviv'd but six months and dyed in prison of a violent Death as his Predecessor did Stephen VIII succeeded him and he was permitted to continue in the chair till it was thought fit to place John 11. in his room who according to the opinion of several Authors was Marosia's bastard by Pope Sergius An. 931. and not John 10. as Platina would have it This John had his own Mother Marosia for his whore Albertus the son of Marosia by her marriage with Albertus Marquess of Tuscany imprisons both Marosia An. 936. and John 11. his Brother by the Mothers side This latter dyes there and leaves his seat to Leo VIII of whom Platina gives this great commendation nihil memoriâ dignum fecit that he did nothing worth remembring Those that follow'd till the year 956. had the good fortune to be almost buried in silence An. 955. It was otherwise with Octavian son of Albertus Marquess of Tuscany who was made Pope at seventeen years old the first who chang'd his name upon his advancement to the Chair which hath been the custom of succeeding Popes ever since His Crimes were very enormous but they are well known also by all the world Luitpâ—and In him did Rome see another Nero a second Heliogabulus The Lateran Palace became the most publick Bawdyhouse of all Europe an Honest Woman could not with any safety perform her Devotions in the most publick places for women were ravisht even in the Churches Besides that he was Cruel and caused Benedict his Spiritual Father to have his eyes put out and John Cardinal a Subdeacon to be put to death by cutting off his Privy Members he offer'd incense to the Devil and invok't Jupiter and the other Gods of Paganism the Emperor Otho coming to Rome caused this monster to be depos'd but he formed a party against the Emperor by which an Insurrection was made and much Blood shed Otho remain'd Master and set up another Pope but assoon as he left the City to return into Germany the Whores at Rome set him again upon the Chair and thrust out the other Pope whom the Emperor had made Otho who again prevail'd over the Seditious at Rome being dead another Villain who called himself Boniface VII seiz'd Pope Benedict VI. and caus'd him to be strangled in prison Another Tyrant of the Faction and Family of the Marquess of Tuscany named Benedict VII turned out this Boniface VII who was forc't to save himself at Constantinople whither he carried all the moveables and as much of the treasure of St. Peter as he could with him Some time after he comes back to Rome and puts himself again in the Chair where he found one named John XIV whom he throwes into Prison and there he is starv'd to death Eight moneths after this he himself dyes and is drag'd thro the streets to be thrown on a common Dunghill Behold these are the God's of the Papacy The Emperor Otho the Second Son of Otho the first would put a stop to these disorders as his Father had done He comes to Rome makes a new Pope according to his own mind but no sooner was he gone from thence but the Romans set up another Pope who called himself by the name of John XVI Otho returns and makes himself Master of Rome cuts off the Hands and Ears of this John XVI and put out his eyes he enters the Castle of S. Angelo by force and throws Crescentius the Leader of the Rebells who was retir'd thither headlong from the walls Doth not this look like the Chair of Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace Gilbert first Arch-Bishop of Rhemes and afterward of Ravenna concluded this tenth Century and took the Chair under the name of Silvester the second Some late writers will have him to have been a good man contrary to the unanimous consent of all Popish Historians of any Age and of any Credit Geofrey of Monmouth Cardinal Benno who liv'd in that age Martinus Cistensis Petrus Premonstrensis Platina Nauclerus Rolluinkus Martinus Polonensis William of Malmesbury do all say he was a Sorcerer and strangled by the Devill in a Chappell at Rome which is called Jerusalem The Devil promis'd him that he should not dye till he had said mass at Jerusalem he thought of no other Ierusalem but the City of that name in the Holy Land and confider'd not that there was a little Church in Rome which bore the same name where he went to say Mass and there dyed This History is not invented by Protestants no more than that other which saith that he kept a Brazen Head in his Closet which he consulted concerning future Events and which gave him Answers The Popes of the eleventh century and their Character The eleventh Century saith Baronius began with a Report which spread it self far and near that Antichrist was come and that ere long we should see the end of the World. He confesseth that the horrible Villanies which had been seen in the Church and were yet to be seen there gave occasion to this Report This was no Popular Error but an evident undeniable Truth which all the world might take notice of that Antichrist was then come In this 11th Century untill the middle of it the Roman Chair was possest by men every whit as vile and monstrous as their Predecessors The Marquesses of Tuscany who did whatever they pleased at Rome continued to bestow the Popedom on their Kindred or to sell it unto Strangers Terrible Schisms follow'd on this Gregory VI. was
is the Sun and that the Emperor is but the Moon who hath all his authority from the Pope who gives him the Empire and that in the interregnum between the death of one Emperor and the Election of another the whole soveraign power comes into the Popes hands That Kings are only the doggs of his flock but the Pope is the only shepherd That he hath all Lawes in the cabinet of his breast that he is the Cause of Causes that he keepeth the keys of Heaven and hell that he hath authority to command the Angels that he is the Infallible Judge of the whole Church that none can be saved but in communion with him that the Old and New Testaments ought not to be received but because the H. Pope hath so pronounced that he can change the natures of things and make something out of nothing that his power is greater than that of all the Saints and that the Pope is the only Bishop and the rest are but his subdeligates and have no power but from him that Emperors and Kings ought to adore his Pontifical Crown and his Diadem that all Kingdoms are tributary to him and that he may constrain all the Commonwealths of the world to pay him Tribute that he is the stomach of the Church and consequently it belongs to him to distribute nourishment i. e. riches and wealth to the whole body But what perhaps these pretentions are vain and without effect Quite the contrary For the Pope took the actuall possession of all those pretended Rights Proud actions of the Popes as far as he was able Divers Popes have deposed Emperors and Kings They took away the Empire from Henry IV. Frederick I. and Frederick II. they depriv'd several Families of the Kingdom of Naples and bestow'd it on others Innocent III. gave the Kingdom of England to Philip August King of France After that he assum'd it to himself and made King John pay him homage for it as his Tributary and Vassal Alexander VI. gave the West-Indies to the Kings of Spain by the title of a Kingdom Julius II. took away Navarre from its lawfull Soveraings to bestow it on the Spaniards The Popes have setled Imposts and Taxes throughout all their Dominions and appointed Receivers to Collect the money They have forc'd the Greatest Monarchs actually to kiss their feet they have trod upon the necks of Princes and kickt their crowns from off their heads assoon as they had put them on and made 'em hold the Stirrup while they got on horseback they have obliged them to come and ask pardon on their knees in the habit of Penitents stript of all their royal Robes they have sent swords to Princes to let them know that they have all their power and authority from them they have pronounc't Anathema's against all who would not obey them and declar'd them to be Accursed of what rank quality or condition soever they be who should refuse obedience They have appear'd in publick with a magnificence and pomp that was rather divine than Royal they make the H. Sacrament which is their God to be carried in a less honorable place and manner than they themselves It is carried upon an Hackney while the Popes are born upon mens shoulders of whom the Emperor is to be one if he be at Rome at the time of the great Ceremony They actually grant dispensations contrary to the laws of God in Oaths and in the forbidden degrees of Marriage They exalt themselves above their own Saints who are their Gods for they canonize'em and decree them to have the honour of Altars and Incense whenever they please They open the Gates of Purgatory to fetch Souls from thence whenere they have a mind to do so They give Indulgences for Sodomy and Buggery for the murder of Parents and for Incest with a mother or sister Could God himself do more There is not a tittle of all this but is notorious matter of fact known and acknowledg'd ledg'd or sufficiently proved by undeniable Instances in our History of Popery and Legal Exceptions Is it possible that the eyes of mankind should continue shut as to these things was there ever any picture more like the original How can it be that we should not confess that this is he who should oppose and exalt himself above all that is called God and worshipt and should carry himself as if he were God Is not this to exalt himself above the true God to dispense with his laws to assume to himself the adoration and worship that belongs to God to call himself his vicar and vicegerent without any authority or Commission to do so and take to himself the name of a God upon Earth Is it not to exalt himself above all that is called God to advance himself above all those who are called Gods and the sons of the most High above the Kings of the Earth who bear the Image of God Is it not to exalt himself against that which is worshipt to take place of the H. Sacrament of the Altar which they adore as God to prefer himself before Glorified Saints and Angells to whom they build Temples and confer upon 'em divine Honour Lastly is it not to act as if he were God to pretend to be Infallible which God alone is to require that men should worship him and kiss his feet to rule over the Kings of the Earth to depose them at pleasure and set up others to exact tribute from the whole Church and stile himself the chief Shepherd and only Bishop of Souls The vanity of the popish Excuses for all this Pride Shall we always be put off with this pittifull reply that these are only proud pretences of some Popes and that we are not to judge of their true Authority by such attempts as the wisest and best men among the Papists do at this day condemn that these are only particular Opinions of some in the Roman Church who with the Prot. Ministers abuse the people to make the Holy See odious to the People Prudence is an admirable thing and so is the blindness of the Gallican Church and of the present Clergy of France to facilitate the return of the Protestants to the Church of Rome they deprive the Pope of his soveraign power they delare that he is not Infallible that he is not above the universal Church but the Church is superior to the Pope that he hath no authority to depose Princes or to dispense with the oaths of allegiance and fidelity in subjects upon any pretence whatever no not in the case of Religion But what do they do by all this they declare the Pope to be a Monster of Pride who doth arrogantly ascribe to himself a soveraign Power which doth no way belong to him and that all the bold attempts he hath made to dethrone Emperors and depose Kings and cause so many thousands to be murder'd to preserve himself in this authority are enormous crimes villanies and Injustice
That is in short they declare the Pope to be Antichrist for is not this the Character of Antichrist to assume to himself falsly and injustly the Rights of Jesus Christ to have power as our Lord to bestow Kingdoms and take away Crowns to open Heaven and Hell infallibly to determine all Controversies to pluck up and to plant to build and to destroy to have two swords the one spiritual th' other temporal and to be the only center and fountain of all the authority in the world Is it not the part of Antichrist to maintain an usurp't authority by the slaughter of so many thousand Christians as the Popes have done who have often made Germany and Italy to swim in blood to get the possession of this power to dispose of the Imperial Crown according to their pleasure for my part I expect a direct Answer to this and in the mean time I maintain that the Pope is a Monster of Pride and the Antichrist according to the last definitions of the Clergy of France and the Kings Declarations pursuant to ' em Can any thing be more ridiculous than what the New Converts alledge there is nothing they say more tolerable than the Power of the Pope as it is now explained in France But I would fain know whether the opinion of France and the decision of her Clergy be that which constitutes the Pope to be what he is and what he ought to be Let the assembly of the french Clergy at Paris say what they please is it ever the less true that the Pope doth ascribe to himself all that tyrannick Power we have been speaking of Is it the less true that he hath exerciz'd this power on an hundred occasions and that he will still exert it whenever he can Is it the less true that the Gallican Church on this very account is censur'd at Rome as guilty of Heresy and Scism Is it the less true that the whole body of the Roman Church looks upon the decision of Paris as a Crime If I should discourse in France of the Kings attempts upon his Neighbours as men discourse of them at Vienna and Madrid that nothing can be more unjust would this make any alteration in the Kings Right if he have any would he not still have reason on his side if it be true that he is in the right what hurt can it do to a Potentate that his Rights are limited and contracted by another Potentate in words and writing if the former continues still in possession of that which he pretends doth of right belong to him Let not those therfore be deceived who have suffer'd themselves to be abus'd by the modifications and abatements that have been made of the Popes power in France This doth not touch the Pope who continues still to be that in himself which he pretends to be and therfore once more I assert that this serves to no other end but to prove to the Gallican Church that the Pope is a Monster of Pride and by consequence that in this respect at least he bears the true Character of Antichrist CHAPTER XI The seventh Character of the Antichristian Kingdom which agrees to the Papacy a Spirit of Covetousness and Simony and its extraordinary Riches Babylon is to be a City of Merchants 'T Is manifest by the 18th Chapter of the Revelations that Babylon the Great was to be a City of great Commerce and Trade and of great Riches and consequently of Rapine and Avarice because these are the ordinary methods by which men acquire more than ordinary Riches Babylon is a City of Merchants V. 11. The Merchants of the Earth shall lament and mourn over her for no man buyeth her Merchandise any more V. 12. The Merchandise of Gold and Silver and precious Stones and of Pearls and Fine Linnen and Purple and Silk and Scarlet and all sweet Wood and all manner of Vessels of Ivory and of precious Wood and Brass and Iron and Marble V. 13. And Cinamon and Odors and Oyntments and Frankincense and Wine and Oyl and fine Flower and Wheat and Beasts and Sheep and Horses and Chariots and Bodies and Souls of Men. The Papacy framed by Covetousness That is to say that Spiritual Babylon is Rich and Powerful that her Goods are immense that every thing there is to be sold and bought Let us see whether this be not exactly verified in the Papacy First as to its Doctrines is it not Rich to the greatest abundance and do they not make sale of every thing First 't is plain that Covetousness dishonest gain and that wretched Passion which never saith 't is enough are the very soul and spirit of Popery Their Doctrines are framed to get Money The fable of Purgatory was forg'd by the spirit of Covetousness as well as Lying to drain Wealth and Treasure from the Houses of the simple People into those of the Priests and Monks 'T is this hath made so many foundations of Convents with good Revenues and Great houses setled by that which they call works of Piety The Sacrifice of the Mass the most august of all the Mysteries of Popery is made the source of a shameful and filthy Gain 'T is a Lucky hit for the Clergy that someway hath been found to persuade the people that this Sacrifice is good for every thing good for the Living and as good for the Dead good for Sickness and good for Health excellent to Find out what a man hath Lost and as admirable to Preserve that which he hath in possession good for Success in any undertaking by Sea or Land so that there is no Merchandise in the world that on this account hath so good a vent Innumerable persons are maintain'd by it and live by nothing else They have increased the number of the Sacraments because they are as so many Mines from whence money may be had Why are humane Satisfactions made to signifie so much but because you must pay dear to redeem them Why have they contriv'd a Treasure for the over-plus of the Righteousness of the Saints but to exhaust the treasure of the Ignorant of the Superstitious and of Libertins who buy Indulgences for money and do Penance by Proxy paying well for it 'T is well known that those Indulgences have made a filthy trade in the Papacy the traffick of 'em hath been so shameful that Papists themselves have complain'd of it By what spirit were Images brought into the Church and the Invocation of Saints not only is a spirit of superstition and Idolatry concern'd but of Covetousness too for Customhouses are establisht with reference to these called the shrines of Saints and consecrated Chappels where the Reliques and Images of our Lady work Miracles Multitudes of People flock thither and bring costly Presents and load the Altars with their Offerings to the great Gain and Profit of the Priests The proud Divinity of the Merit of Good Works serves only to advance that which they call Works
and Christian Emperors Therefore he began so early to see in Rome Christian the Apocalyptick Harlot the impure Babylon which maketh the Kings of the Earth drunk with her Cup of her fornications Yea he saw further for he knew that the time of Antichrist's appearing was at hand He speaks admirably of this thing The Roman Empire was cruelly torn by the Incursions of Barbarous Nations Notwithstanding it remain'd intire as yet but St. Jerom seeing its approaching ruin saith But to what purpose am I so concern'd Ad Gâ—rontiam I am pleading for the Marchandise of a Ship that is wrack't He who did hinder is removed and yet we do not perceive that Antichrist is at hand But where was he to sit Read saith he the Revelation and what is said there Paula Eustaâ—h ad Marcellam of the Woman cloathed in purple which hath writ in her forehead Names of Blasphemy of the seven Mountains of the great Waters and consider the song which is there concerning the Fall of Babylon Come out of Babylon my people c. 'T is true the H. Church is there but the Pride the grandeur the power c. which are in that City agree not with the life and retirement of Monks In other places he granteth that Rome is the whore that hath written on her Forehead a Name of Blasphemy Ad. Algasiam quaest 21. viz. Eternal Rome and that Antichrist ought to sit there as soon as the Roman Empire shall be destroyed Yea he goeth so far as to observe that Antichrist must sit in the Church Gâ—â—â—â—â—â— I found out that Antichrist was to be Head of the Priests Gregory I. Bishop of Rome about the year 600. was in a very great rage at John Bishop of Constantinople who assumed the Title of Oecomenical Bishop which none had done before and he writes about this matter as one inspired He saith that ' lis a name of Blasphemy plainly alluding to that Name that Antichrist in the Apocalypse was to have on his Forehead He goeth further and saith What signifieth this Pride out of which he exalts himself Iâ— â—4 〈◊〉 24 but that the time of Antichrist is at hand And writing to the Bishops of Alexandria and Antioch he saith to 'em You see clearly Fâ—â—â— â—â— my dearest Brethren who is now ready to follow since such pernitious beginnings are already to be seen in the Priests He is even as the door of whom 't is written that he is the King of all the Children of pride This is a definition of Antichrist 't is he whom he meaneth and whom he pointeth at as ready to appear In another place he speaks more plainly All things that were fore-told I pist 38. are come to pass the King of Pride is at hand and what I scarce dare to say they prepare for him an Army of Priests It seemeth as if these words were spoken by inspiration Antichristianism was at hand it must be in the Church yea in the Priests an Army of Priests must support it This is very much to be said by a Pope and who himself was in Antichrists Seat. 'T was impossible that a Pope should see more especially in the sixth Century when the Tyranny was not arrived to that heighth which it did a little while after For after Gregory I. the Antichristian tyranny swell'd at a strange rate and like a torrent did overflow the whole Christian world Accordingly the Antichristianism of the Bishop of Rome was soon perceived In the ninth Century In the ninth Age two Bishops prove that the Pope is Antichrist Gauthier Bishop of Collen and Tetgand Bishop of Triers being perhaps fpr a just cause deposed by Nicholas I. but against the forms of Law because the Bishops of Italy had no power over those of Gaule they perceived a character of Antichrist in this attempt who was to sit in the Temple of God as if he was God. They complain to himself in these expressions Aventin annal Boior lib. 4. You call yourself Father but you act as Jupiter and as God Professing to be the Servant of Servants you will be Lord of Lords According to our Masters Orders you ought to carry yourself as the least Minister of the Church but you give way to a desire of Ruling and believe that your will hath no other Rule but itself Therefore we and our Collegues do not regard your petty Edicts we know not your voyce we fear not your Thundrings and Thunderbolts c. The Holy Spirit is the Founder of all the Churches in whatever part of the world they are The City of our God of which we are Citizens is larger than the City that is called Babylon by the Prophets which usurps the Divinity equals itself to Heaven and boasts to be Eternal as if She was God and was fill'd with immortal Wisdom She falsly glorieth that She never err'd nor can err 'T is hard to make a more exact and close application of Antichristianism to the Church of Rome And this passage is remarkable in that we find in it one of the most antient claims of Infallibility made by the Roman Church But at the same time we see how this Chimaera was treated in the nineth Century The Council of Rheims in the tenth Age finds Antâ—christ in the Pope In the tenth Century the See of Rome was fill'd with the greatest villains in the world so that its Antichristianism became more sensible A whole Council of French Bishops met at Rheims in the year 991. spoke home to this point by the mouth of one of their principal Members Arnulph Bishop of Orleance O deplorable State of Rome Concil Rheim annâ— 991. Ap. Centuriat Cent. 10. which in our Fathers dayes did shine so bright and now is nothing but darkness which is dismal in this world and will be so in that to come c. What think you Reverend Fathers what think you concerning this Man who sits on a high Throne glittering with Gold and Purple if he wants Charity and is only puff'd up with knowledg He is Antichrist who sits in the Temple of God and acts as if he were God. But if He hath neither Charity nor Knowledg He is like a Statue or Idol in the Temple of God to consult him is to speak to an Idol Thus a whole Council speaks whose Acts were preserved by a Pope i. e. Gerbert then Bishop of Rheims and was Pope afterward by the name of Sylvester II. The Popish Compilors of the Councils had no mind to insert this They wisht that it was quitâ— lost but in spite of 'em we have it still intire After Gregory VII Antichrist was discernd in the Pope If the corruption of the Popes was somewhat less in the eleventh Century and if this did somewhat obscure the character of Antichristianism in the Roman Church to recompence for this their Tyranny did infinitely increase and fully open'd mens ey 's as to this point Men