of Images triumph in the East used violence to carry on this design and besides massacred a hundred thousand Manichees and Paulianists thoughout the whole Empire The pride of the Bishop of Rome was the cause of the Schism of the Greeks and afterward of a great shedding of Blood. The Pride of Antichrist the Enterprises of the Bishop of Rome who would raise himself above all the Churches in the World caused about the end of the ninth Century that great separation between the East and the West which is call'd The Schism of the Greeks And this Schism hath been the cause of numberless mischiefs The Popes left nothing untryed to bring the Churches of the East under their yoke To effect this they have shed Rivers of Blood 't was on this design that the Court of Rome set on foot the Croisado's The pretext was Piety and a design to conquer the Holy Places that were in the hands of Infidels Indeed this was really designed by some Princes and the ordinary people but the ambitious Popes and Latins had a further and more Politick aim viz. to enlarge their Dominion and to subdue the Greek Church yea and the Greek Empire too This was evident by the sequel For the Latins after they had carryed on this pretext of a Holy War at last fell on the City of Constantinople which they took and sack'd and ravag'd the Empire of the East for sixty years How many attemts Violences Murthers were committed to force the Greeks to submit to the Patriarch of the Latins How much Blood was shed how many millions of men lost their lives in these Holy as they were called Wars that were nothing but commotions caused by the Pride and Superstition of the Papacy Never was there so much Blood shed or so many crimes committed Antichrist then acted as a Leopard and a Lyon who invaded and tore in pieces all that lay in his way or ordered to do so The Blood shed by the Croisado's caused by Antichristianism After the Croisado's Antichrist found out other pretexts for shedding of Blood. The Popes openly invaded the Authority of the Emperors and the Princes of the West They would excommunicate 'em they deprived 'em of their Authority they took from 'em their Right of Investitures they spoyl'd the Emperors not only of the Soveraignty of Rome but also of that of Germany by making 'em the Vassals of the Popes who gave out themselves as Soveraigns and sole Administrators of the Empire during Vacancie's and by obliging 'em to receive the Imperial Crown from them and by depriving 'em of their Right to confirm the Elections of Popes And for not submitting to all this they deposed some Emperors and made others in their stead By these methods and this diabolical ambition from the time of Henry IV. and Pope Gregory VII until that of the Emperor Lewis of Bavaria and Pope John XXII i. e. during the space of 300. years the Popes turn'd Germany and Italy into a Field of Blood in which one might have seen the Son in Arms against his Father Fathers sheathing their swords in the bowels of their children Subjects rising up against their Princes and Princes obliged to shed the Blood of their Subjects and to lay wast their own Countreys Cities were broken into parties that cut throats and massacred each other yea Families were divided and one Kinsman murthered another in this fury which was inspired by the Papacy The Combats the Battels the Sieges of Cities the Millions of men who perisht in those three Ages cannot be numbred Henry IV. alone for his share fought above sixty Battels or fights in those Wars which the Popes raised against him Behold the true spirit and temper of Antichrist Persecution against the Waldenses and Albigenset The Papacy which is a devouring Beast which tears in pieces on the right hand and the left whilest it shed such streams of the Blood of its own Subjects at the same time poured out great torrents of that of the Children and Servants of God. For in the very same Centuries the Popes raised those cruel Persecutions against those whom they named Waldenses Albigenses Henricians and Poor men of Lyons First they persecuted 'em in their Reputation accusing 'em that they asserted all manner of carnal conjunction tho with ones Mother or Sister to be lawful that they held the Old Testament to be the work of the Devil despised the Apostles Creed rejected Baptism were Manichees Panlicians Originists They revived against 'em the antient calumnies charged on the Christians that they kept their meetings by night in which their Barbes i. e. their Pastors after they had put out the Candles gave every one liberty to lye with the first woman that came to hand They call'd 'em Bulgarians from whence is derived the odious term B ... because over and above all other crimes they were charged with that of Sodomy To Calumny they joyn'd the Persecution with Sword and Fire Dominick the Monk and Simon Earl of Montfort had a commission to convert 'em but not being able to bring 'em as they said to reason they brought 'em to ruin All Languedoc was fill'd with Divastations Beziers Carcassone Tholouse felt the rage of Antichristian false zeal the Cities were burnt to ashes the Inhabitants were butcher'd the Women ravisht their goods plunder'd by the Army of Cross-bearers who wore the sign of the Cross on their shoulders and had the rage of Hell in their hearts Those who were taken by 'em were burnt alive For 50. or 60. years Languedoc was a very Theater of cruelty The fury of the Inquisitors had neither bridle nor bounds the innocent and the guiltie the Albigenses and those who were none were buryed under the same ruins The miserable Remnant who got away from this Persecution was scatter'd into all places a part of 'em escap'd by getting into the Rocks and Mountains of Piemont but the cragginess of these places which furnisheth Bears and ravenous Beasts with safe shelters could not afford shelter to these poor persecuted Christians The rage of the Papists followed 'em every where and still sacrificed 'em to the Idol Antichrist A hundred and fifty of 'em were burnt at one time at Grenoble They were attaqu't in the very midst of winter when they fled into the Snow that was on the Mountains and were found frozen to death among which were a Mother and her Child the Child lay at its Mothers Breast If their Persecutors overtook any they hung 'em on Trees or brain'd 'em against the Rocks In another place these poor Creatures having fled for shelter into some large Caverns they stopt up the entrance with Faggots and Straw which they set on fire so that all who were within were either suffocated with smoke or perisht by the flames In other places the unmerciful Souldiers fell upon the common people without distinction butcher'd old men women and children ravish't the girles and rip 't 'em up then pull'd
care to give an account to Monsieur the Bishop of Agen formerly Bishop of Tulle and known under the name of Father Mascaron About 8 or 10 days after the preaching of the first sermon this Father at the close of another told the people that having understood that some had been offended without cause at his Sermon on our Ladies day he had given the Bishop an account of it who did perfectly approve all that he had said Whereupon the Curate replied with a loud voice in the presence of the whole Assembly that it was not so and that he himself could produce Letters to the contrary Here is the copy of a Lr. which that Prelate writ to this Preacher who calls himself Father Dom Gabriel The Bishop of Agen to the Reverend Father Dom Gabrië I Am troubled my Father at that which hath lately past at Duras and I could have wisht that as good and catholick soever as your sermon might be and I doubt not but it was that nevertheless you had not preacht it J. Christ told his Apostles multa habeo vobis dicenda sed non potestis portare modò I have many things to say to you but you cannot bear them yet For the present we must keep to the just bounds which the sixth Council hath set us concerning the Invocation of Saints that it is good and profitable to invoke them that they hear our Prayers and that we receive many Favors by their Intercession But we ought to stop there When the new converts shall be better setled and establisht in this Faith of the Church they will not stumble or be startled at certain Expressions which now they are afraid of Make a peaceable end of this affair my Father and without any affectation endeavor to mollifie and temper the business Return my Lr. if it please you assoon as may be to M. the Curate and make my excuses to Father de la Mercy if I do not answer him I am so opprest with business that I can scarce find a time to breath I desire to be recommended to your Prayers and am with all my heart Your most humble and most affectionate Servant Julius Bishop and Count of Agen. And by a Postscript I am just now inform'd by L rs receiv'd this day that you should have said that I gave you order to preach this Proposition that our whole Heart must be given to Mary to make a Temple for her and that the Eternal Father consulted with the Virgin about the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ that no Evil can befall us without the permission of Mary that she made the Rocks to cleave asunder by her Sorrow They add that you gave your Auditory to understand that there were four Persons in the Trinity and that the Virgin made the fourth I know very well that a good construction may be made of all this but you cannot acquit your self from the greatest indiscretion to start such kind of Questions among the New Converts who ought to be dealt with very tenderly as those that are weak in the Faith. I have undertaken to send Father Meladon a Jesuite to moderate and reconcile matters and to reduce both parties to that just medium from whence you have swerv'd by your Passions and I beseech you to yield to the Truth and to ask pardon of God for your great Imprudence for 't is inexcusable must an whole Church be put into a Combustion because you made such a Sermon This is not according to Order Remember that in strictness and rigor of Faith as to particular persons the Invocation of Saints and of the H. Virgin ought necessarily to be approv'd but the exercise and practice is not of necessity for every Individual and when they are at service they ought not to separate from those who pray to Saints or disapprove their Prayers The Character of this Bishop is well known that of all men in the Kingdom he hath the greatest contempt and scorn for the monkish Devotions and yet you see how he talks how he saith that the Impious Expressions of that Monk had and might have a very good sense He doth not require of the Monk to retract those Blasphemies he would only that they should be reserv'd till another more convenient Time that these things should be kept for thorough pac'd Catholicks who have been instructed in all their Mysteries What is the import and meaning of this Caution and conduct it plainly signifies thus much that these Devotions are still the Religion of the People in the Papacy that they would not have 'em scandaliz'd by disapproving them and that they durst not oppose the Monks who have the multitude as yet on their side In a word we must reckon that all Spain all Italy and all the States of Germany under the Emperor and all the Ignorant Devout People in France are still of this mind And consequently that the Papacy stands convicted of Idolatry by the testimony of all the wise and Intelligent men of her own Communion as many of the most considerable of 'em have freely owned to me before several witnesses CHAPTER XVI The Tenth Character of Antichristianism found in the Papacy that it is a reviv'd Paganism built upon Christianity whose Worship is neither Spiritual nor Rational According to the Prophecies the Kingdom of Antichrist is to be Idolatrous 'T Is certain that according to the Idea which the Prophets give us of the Antichristian Kingdom that it must not be a sort of Judaism as the Papists suppose without the least proof but a reviv'd Paganism This is manifest by the preceding Character that of Idolatry Pagan and Idolatrous are one and the same that which partakes of Paganism partakes of Idolatry but without making use of Consequences we have an express Text which tells us that Antichristianism is to be a sort of Paganism Apoc. 11. c. v. 2. Apoc. chap. 11. v. 2. But the court that is without the Temple leave out and measure it not for it is given unto the Gentiles and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two moneths The term of Forty Two Moneths makes it evident that he speaks of the Antichristian Kingdom for all Interpreters of the one Communion and th' other do agree that the three years and half so often mention'd in the Apocalypse under the names of forty two moneths and 1260. days are the duration of the Kingdom of Antichrist Now this Empire of 42 months is given to the Gentiles to the Pagans Antichristianism then must be a sort of Heathenism not pure Paganism but such a one as is erected upon Christianity and not separated from it For those Gentiles are to tread under foot the Holy City They must then possess it how else can they tread it under foot This is that which is also foretold expresly by the Apostle Paul that the Man of Sin shall sit in the Temple of God. Antichristianism therfore is not to be a pure and simple Paganism
run out in great quantity the patient would have been quickly dead But in favour of the Devout God did so multiply the Blood of Christ that at this day one may find as much as if made liquid would fill the veins of a hundred men and above They have also even the Tears of Christ Witness the Holy Tear at Vendome a very choice Relique For 't was necessary that a Devoto should be present at the nick of time and very dextrous to save a small drop of water which falls from the eye upon the cheek and is commonly lost After this we must not wonder that they have taken care to collect solid things as the Nails of the Cross there were but three but by the blessing of God the Latin Church hath fifteen of them besides the filings and little pieces of these Nails And perhaps who ever would make an exact search in the East would find as many there or more The Holy Thorns of the Crown that was put on our Saviours Head were planted in so fertile a Soyle that they are encreased a hundred for one The Gentlemen of Port-Royal who are no great Favorites of Holy Mother the Church have not withstandingly by some means gotten one of them which they order to be devoutly adored and which did abundance of Miracles in confirmation of Jansenism Monsieur the Bishop of Tournay a great Jansenist but an honest man dareth not assert that this very Thorn is one of our Saviours Crown But he hath found an expedient for this and concludeth that God worketh Miracles by false Reliques as well as by true ones Perhaps he speaks more truly than he is aware of for 't is certain that the Bone of some Rogue yea or of a Horse worketh more Miracles then the Reliques of Saint Paul. How can the Church complain that she wants Reliques of our Lord Jesus Christ since she hath his Cross which is the Glory of Christendom The Devoto's of the three first Centuries were very negligent in not seeking out this Cross and in suffering it to ly buryed under a heap of Earth and rubbish But St. Helena was very happy that the discovery of this pretious Treasure was reserved to her God hath so blessed her Endeavours that this Cross would at this day fill the whole Palace of this Princess were she still alive You have every where the wood of the true Cross all the world hath some and in certain places there are large pieces to be seen Besides this pretious Cross which had the honour to touch the bleeding Body of our Saviour they shew you at Rome the Manger where he was layd when he was born they have his Cradle his Swadling-bands his Shirt his Shoes the Altar of presentation on which he was layd when he was first brought to the Temple pieces of his Hankercheif some Fragment of his Sepulchre they have the Stone upon which he trod when he ascended into Heaven the print of his Foot is on it a certain proof that the story is true they have some of the Bread used at his last Supper and of that which he multiplyed for the five thousand they have some of the Wine which our Lord made at Cana in Galilee they have the Iron Head of the Lance of St. Longin who pierc'd his side his Seamless Coat is at Argenteuil at Triers and at St. Salvador in Spain They have his Hair the Parings of his Nails But they have but one of the Teeth which he cast in his Childhood it is at Laon. 'T was an unpardonable negligence of those honest Devoto's who went about to gather up the cuttings of his Hair why not rather take care to seek up 25. or 30. Teeth which he cast between the seventh and fourteenth year of his Age These might have been at this day the Treasures of so many Churches that should have had the honour of possessing them Shameful Idolatry as to Reliques In truth 't is impossible to speak of these things without passion a man must laugh or weep But alas there is far more cause to weep than to laugh at that which exposeth the Christian Religion to the just raillery of the Profane and Infidels and which is the object of the most horrible Superstition in the world I speak not now only to Papists I speak to Protestants The greatest part of them do not look on this with due abhorrence they do not sufficiently perceive that this is one of the great Abominations wherewith Popery hath defiled Christianity They think it enough to look on this Worship as a sottish Superstition But at the bottom 't is far worse 't is a shameful Idolatry They fall down they kiss they worship dead things Ashes Bones Linnen Toyes Excrements they carry these in Procession they expect rain and fair wheather from them they work Miracles by them This Church will never wash off these stains but by Fire these Nehustans must be broken in pieces and burnt in the Fire and she must be ashamed of her Idols Fabulous History of Images Images do naturally follow Reliques the Worship of the former is a great part of the Popish Devotion And this Worship is founded on fabulous Histories not less ridiculous than the preceding yea is much more so than the fabulous stories of the Pagan Images The Pagans have reported only of two or three of their Images that have spoken with an intelligible Voyce But among the Papists formerly nothing was more common than these speaking Images instances of this kind are very many One Crucisix spoke to S. Thomas Speaking Images and said to him Thomas thou hast written well concerning me what reward wilt thou have Another spoke to St. Brigit a third Crucifix made Responses at the Mass said by a Priest who had not a Clerk. An Image of our Lady spoke to St. Jacynthe a Polonian that he should save it from being burnt by some barbarous Souldiers who burnt every thing they found A certain Scotch Image used to speak and give answers as an Oracle At Affligen three Miles from Brussels there is a V. Mary which spoke Latin to St. Bernard At Bernarde vale But fareavel Bernard A Crucifix decided the Controversy that was in England between the Monks and Secular Priests the Priests desired to have Liberty again to marry a Crucifix that stood there cryed out Non Fiet non Fâ—et judicastis bene mutaretis male It shall not be c. Another Crucifix spoke to St. Francis and said to him Go and build up my House There was one day a long dispute between a Stone Statue of the Virgin and a little one of Jesus Christ which she held in her Armes The Virgin had a mind to shew mency to a Penitent who lay there before them The little Image of Christ was against it in conclusion the Virgin got the better because she was the Mother and her Statue was bigger than that of her Son. The Pagans to procure veneration to some
which ought in their judgment to be always under the Cross is fully obtain'd by these kind of sufferers I know not what Notions F. Maimbourg once a Jesuit had 'T is reported that he had begun to write the History of the Flourishing of Rome Christian probably he would have observed the Method which he used in his History of the Fall of the Empire If so 't is probable that he did not reckon among the Crosses of the Church all the troubles which the Popes endured from the Emperors who opposed their usurpations If the Papacy therefore will have Martyrs it must register in its Martyrology all that have dyed in the Wars raised against Kings by the Popes all that dyed in the Croisado's or in the massacring of the Waldenses and Albigenses all that dyed in the Field in the Wars raised in France on account of Religion at the Battels of Dreux of S. Denys Moncontour Coutras and many other engagements during the Design of the H. League in France to extinguish by Fire and Sword the Sect of the Calvinists and the antient Race of the French Kings I confess that such a reckoning would make a huge Martyrology and the Papists might glorie in being persecuted But the Hereticks in these dayes are somewhat scrupulous in the point of Martyrs and will find out something to hinder the Canonizing of such a vast multitude They will call those good Catholicks who dyed in the Wars against the Emperors of Germany Rebells who received from Heaven the just punishment of their Revolt They will say that the blessed Cross-bearers who dyed in the H. Lâ—nd or in going thither were a company of sidy distracted men who smarted for their rashness They 'le say that those who lost their lives in murthering the Waldenses and Hugenots were like Executioners who sometimes pay the scores of those who eâ—cape Laâ—â—ly they 'le say that the Church of Rome for eight hundred years past never suffered evil but when she had a mind to do mischief that She hath not born Jesus Christ's Cross but the Devils Cross that she hath been a Persecutor and not persecuted that she always came off victorious and that both her victories and combats have not been design'd for the advancing of the Throne of J. Christ but of that of the Pope Bellarmin is very ingenious Temporal prosperity cannot be a mark of the true Church Deâ—otis Eccl. â—ob 4. cap. 28. when he proves that temporal prosperity is a mark of the Church and among the Arguments to prove the real presence worship of Images Invocation of Saints c. he sets down the defeating of a hundred thousand Waldenses by eight thousand Catholicks the victories of the Popish Cantons in their Wars against the Protestant Swâ—â—zers and that of Charles V. over the Duke of Saxony in the year 1547. How well doth this agree with the Confession of the Bishop that the most peculiar Law of the Gospel is that of bearing the Cross These constant victories of the Papacy this continued prosperity of the Popes and of the Heroes who have defended their cause the dismal adversity of all that have opposed 'em these things I say in my opinion do afford a very strong Exception or prejudice against this Church For no such thing was ever promised to the Christian Church This prosperity was wholly reserved for the Antichristian Church at least until a certain Period in which the Church in her turn shall have Dominion over the earth and the world CHAPTER XXV The Conclusion In all Ages it hath been fore-seen or known that Rome and her Bishop are the Seat and Empire of Antichrist FOr a conclusion of this Work and of all that we design to say concerning the Antichristianism of the Church of Rome we will add some evidences to prove that we are not the only or the first men who have discern'd the Characters of Antichrist and of Antichristianism in Rome and her Bishop in the Pope and the Papacy 'T is above fifteen hundred years since some begun to discern that which we at this day behold more clearly The Fathers tho they fell into some mistakes concerning Antichrist yet did perceive something of this Mystery And in the Ages that were the darkest and the most enslaved under the Tyranny of the Papacy some were found who clearly saw Antichrist in Rome tho it was their great Interest not to see it because they always lookt on the Church of Rome as the true Church and both lived and dyed in her communion S. Irenaeus saw Antichrist in the number of the Beast S. Irenaeus without doubt was very unhappy in his Interpretations of the Mysteries of the Apocalypse as to what concerns Antichrist About whom he hath occasioned the mistakes of all those who followed his steps Notwithstanding we are beholding to him for the understanding of the Mystery coucht in the Name of Antichrist which was to make 666. He hath observed that the name Lateinos i. e. Roman or Latin does exactly make this number and this is of great use 't is a considerable discovery that lets us know where we ought to seek for Antichrist Not at Constantinople nor at Isphahan nor at Pequin but at Rome and in the Master of Rome S Jerom saw Antichrist in Rome Christian St. Jerom lived in the fourth Century in which the Church had a most glorious Age as to temporals The Church of Rome began at that time to raise herself above all other Churches to act the Queen and appear as a Star of the greatest magnitude The Bishop of Rome began to be a great Prince he had a brave House a stately Equipage a sumtuous Table was courted by many In a word his condition was such that a Roman Consul would willingly have changed preferments For a Heathen named Praetextatus prickt for Consul said Make me Bishop of Rome and I 'le turn Christian From hence the Flatterers of the Popes draw this profitable conclusion for the Church of Rome that she is naturally and necessarily the Queen of all the Churches St. Jerom who relates this saying of Pretextatus doth not draw the same conclusion on the contrary he begins to discern the characters of mystical Babylon in this pomp of the Roman Church his words are Whilst I dwelt in Babylon Praefat. in lib. Dydyâ—â— de Spir. Sâ—â— and was a subject of the Woman cloathed in purple I had a mind to discourse concerning the Holy Spirit and to dedicate that smal work which I had begun to the Bishop of that City but behold the Pot which Jeremy saw in the Northern climate behind a Staff began to boyle The Senat of Pharisees and all the false Scribes not one excepted making up one faction of Ignorance set themselves to conspire against me as tho I had a mind to contest with 'em in point of learning 'T is not Rome Pagan that he speaks of for 't was almost fifty years since she had submitted to Christianity
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