379. he writeth an Epistle to the Bishops of the East wherein he intimates vnto them the condemnatory sentence pronounced against Apollinaris and his Disciple Timotheus which Epistle is indited with the swelling pride of a loftic minde breathing soueraignty and preheminence aboue all other Churches as if the Roman Church were that only Apostolike chaire whereunto all other Churches ought homage and reuerence Basil Epist 20. ad Euseb Samosat Soe that S. Basil Bishop of Cesarea complaines of the pride of the West because they cared only for theire owne preheminence but not for the state of theire persecuted Brethren in the East vnder the Arrian Emperour Valens Yea he saith that he purposed oft times to haue written to the cheife of them that is to Damasus that he should not count the * Splendor superbiae splendour of pride true dignity and honour Aboute the yeare 380. a generall Councell was assembled at Constantinople Whence the Fathers of the Councell wrote vnto Damasus as to a Brother and ranke him with other Bishops of the West then assembled in Rome as theire Letters shew Theod. lib. 5. c. 9. vvhich are recited by Theodoret To our Brothers and Colleagues Damasus Ambrose Britto Valerian and other holy Bishops assembled in the greate City of Rome c. He then vvith other Bishops of the West in a Synod at Rome beeing desired as Brethren to approue the Councell of Constantinople did it and Baronius vvould perswade vs that he confirmed it as a Superiour and made it of force And indeede though Damasus durst not openly professe so much yet it seemes he was willing to take theire Letters in that sense and that it should after be thought so for he resaluteth them as Sonnes and saith that indeede they had yelded all due reuerence to the See Apostolike as if he saide desiring to haue youre acts ordered or confirmed and made good by it Which howsoeuer it was neuer so intented by the Councell yet it gaue the Popes power to doe as they were disposed then and euer after to take it and make vse of it For therevpon Innocent also vsed the same sleight when the Mileuitan Councell Anno 402. and another of Carthage Anno 413. had * See Plesses Myst Iniqui Progr 9. without consulting with him ordered matters and then in like manner acquainted him with theire acts and desired that he would adde his authority he ansvvers that they had had due regard of the Apostolicke honour I say of him which had the care and charge of all other Churches thus he assumed a power ouer Councels so power to doe as a head But some man will say it seemes that as yet he had not this power because the Popes of these times were opposed and the power ouer Councels was not yet conferred on him I ansvver Antichrist was to be opposed by some in all ages and so hath the Pope beene by perticular men and in many Councels and euen of late in the Councels of Constance and Basil which declared that a Councell was aboue the Pope yet he tooke it before and had it as the Beast vvas to haue it by his ovvne ambitious vsurpation and the flatterie of his follovvers But as far as I can finde not before the time of Damasus aboute the yeare 380. And then indeede he had also begunne to take it vpon him in the case of appeales espetially in that Epistle vvhich he vvrote to Stephanus Archbishop of Mauritania Poâ—â— Council vvherein he pretendeth that all the greater sort of causes ought to be referred to his hearing and that they could not be descided but by his authority as also that the prouision of Bishops belonged to him vvherein also he qualifieth the Church of Rome vvith the title of the Pirmament of all Bishops and top of all other Churches emboldened noe doubt therevnto by Letters sent before that time vnto him from the saide Stephanies vvho complained that certaine Bishops had beene deposed in in Afrike adding that this vvas donne though they all knew well enough That Censures of Bishops all other causes of moment ought to be reserued to the audience of the Bishop of Rome whom he termeth the Father of Fathers and thereby giueth him power to doe himselfe beeing of that broode of Schismatiks of whome S. Cyprian complained in his dayes that beeing censured would presently crosse the Seas to Rome And indeede it is the more likely that there had beene such pride or vsurpation in Damasus and flaterie in his followers I. Because the Councell of Constantinople did not only limit euery Patriarch Theod. lib. 5. cap. 9. and gaue equall priuileidges to Constantinople but euen declared that there was an auncient law and decision of the Nicene Councell that the Bishops of euery Prouince with those which dwelt neere vnto them should ordaine theire owne Ministers Concil Const Can. 5. 7. Can. Graec. 3. diuiding the prouinces for the auoidance of confusion And ordaining that if in any prouince a matter of difference hapened to arise it should be decided by the Synod of the same prouince II. Because Syricius aboute the yeare 386. emboldened as it seemes by the power which Damasus had taken the flateries of such as followed him feared not to say to Himerius B. of Aragon Siricius Epi. 1. ad Himer That it is not lawfull for any Preist of the Lord to be ignorant of the decrees and statutes of the Sea Apostolike and therefore requesteth him to make knowne such ordinances decrees as he should send vnto him not only to those of his owne Diocesse but also to those of Carthagena Andalusia Portugall Galeace and others that is in effect to all the Prouinces of Spaine which could not saith he but be glorious vnto him who was a Preist of so longe continuance Purposing to vse the ambitious humour of this Prelate to extend his authority law and traditions through Spaine And in his 4. Epistle to the Bishops of Afrike That without the priuitie of the Sea Apostolike that is to say of the Primate none might presume to ordaine a Bishop All which makes it most cleare that he had the power to doe which the Beast was to haue in the beginning of his raigne His ambition was so apparaÌ„t and men in those times so prone to flatter him with titles that in remedy thereof the third Councell of Carthage anno 397. Siricius then sitting Pope decreed That the Bishop of the first See should not be called the Prince or Cheife of Priests or high Priest or by any other such name but only the Bishop of the first See As for the name of vniuersall Bishop that the Bishop of Rome it selfe should not be called by that name Which shewes that theese titles had beene giuen him by some flatterers in those dayes or why else should the Councell make this Canon this Siricius to shew the Beast was risen had power to doe stablished the forbiddance
of Preists marriages though by generall consent it had beene reiected in the Councell of Nice and was not receiued in the West of 600. yeares after doe his Successors what they could After him came Innocent Innocent Epist 2. ad Victric anno 401. He in his 2. Epistle to Victricius B. of Roanâ— published this generall decree That the greater causes after that they had beene censured by the Bishop should be referred to the See of Rome as the Synod saith he hath ordained and the laudable vse and custome of the Church requireth He and his Successors Zozimus Boniface and Celestine would haue men thinke that the councell of Nice had soe ordained which that councell did not as the 6. councell of Carthago proued against them aboute the yeare 420. and soe did the generall councels of Constantinople and Chacedon It was indeede the councell of Sardica aboute the yeare 350. that gaue this power to Iulius but that canon neuer put in practise by him was reuoked in expresse termes in the councell of ConstaÌ„tinople can 3. which councell had now beene approued by Damasus therefore they would not name it to be a canon of Sardica but pretend it to be a canon of Nice Which forgerie many perceiued not and therefore gaue him power to doe But if any man will yet obiect and say It seemes he had not yet this power because the councels of Constantinople the 6. councell of Carthage and the councell of Chalcedon opposed it I answer here as before Antechrist was to be opposed by some in all ages and so hath the Pope and euen of late in the Councels of Constance and Basile but yet he had power as the Beast was to haue it by his owne arogant vsurpation the flaterie of his followers and that I thinke aboute the yeare 380. in the time of Damasus or soone after and not before and so as I saide his time may expire aboute the yeare 1640. or within few yeares after that is if his terme of doeing began not till the time of Siricius Others perhaps will say he had it much sooner Here I must tell the Papists that it is to noe purpose for them to bringe for a ground of appeales or the antiqâ—â—â—â—â— of them the acts of any perticular Heretike Schismatike or Superstitious Doter before the Nicene Councell because the mysterie did worke in the Apostâ—es time and if it were graunted that Marâ—ian and Valentinia Hereticks had recourse to the Bishop of Rome as Basiâ—des and 〈◊〉 had who were deposed for sacrificing to idols and likewise diuers Scismatiks of Afrike in the time of Cyprian yet this proues not that they might appeale or he receiue for if the Pope had had any such right then would not Cyprian haue complained of them for appealing nor of him for receiuing neither would the Councell of Nice haue limited his power and giuen as much to Alexandria But howsoeuer the question is here of power that was giuen to the Beast after his rising which could not be before the Nicene Councell because he that hindred was not then taken out of the way the Emperour not fully departed to Constantinâ—ple Neither could the burning mountaine signified vnder the second trumpet Reu. 8.8 be cast into the sea before the Nicene Councell which will appeare to be the sea as they abused it to rise out of it But indeede this burning mountaine was either cast into the sea in the time of the Councell when the Pope by his deputies might ambitiously craue of the Emperour or of the Councell that his might be the first see and haue some preeminence in power or else as I rather thinke soâ—ne after before the fall of Constantius into Arianisme signified vnder the third trumpet Reu. 8.10 when the Pope alleaged the Nicene Councell for his authority as Iulius did and thenceforth the beast might indeede begin to rise and doe yet I thinke he had not this power to doe before the time of Damasus nor longe before the yeare 380. or perhaps not till the time of Syricius aboute the yeare 386. or soone after For though wee finde in Socrates and Sosomene that before that Iulius tooke vpon him by absolute authority * Socrat. lib. 2 c. 11. Edit lat Sozom. lib. 3. c. 7. to restore sundrie Bishops of the Easterne Churches deposed for diuers causes by theire Synods because saith he the care of all Churches belonged to him by reason of his see therefore he wrote to the Bishops of the East telling them that they had donne verrie ill to determin and conclude any thinge against those Bishops without his priuitie yet as Socrates and Sosom shew they tooke his reproofes in scorne and calling a Synod at Antioch by common aduise consent retourne his imputations backe vpon himselfe with all bitternesse telling him that he was no more to controll theÌ„ if they thought fit to depriue any man in theire Churches than they intermedled at what time Nouatus was cast out of the Church of Rome Sosomene addeth That theire answer was full of scoffes and threats c. Thus as yet they gaue him noe power to doe And it seemeth that this answer wrought vpon him for in his next letter he coÌ„plained only that they called him not to theire Synod whereas before he pretended that they might not call a Councell without his authority he doth not alleadge for himselfe that either by virtue of his succession to S. Peter or of the Nicene Councell they ought to appeale to Rome his words are only theese The Fathers of Nice ordained and that not without the counsell of God that the acts of one Councell should be examined in another whereby appeares noe greater power giuen to the B. of Rome ouer Alexandria than to the B. of Alexandria ouer Rome As for the greiuance whereof he complaineth it is only this that contrary to the custome they had not written first of all vnto him concerning the differences amongst theÌ„ to haue his aduice for composing of them as beeing Bishop of the first see as also that many Synods had beene held in the East concerning points of faith and doctrine without giueing him notice thereof contrary to the Rule and canon of the Church wherein is coÌ„tained that none might impose any law vpon the Churches without the aduice of the Bishop of Rome This canon gaue him indeede that he should either be called and haue a voice in euery Councell that imposed lawes or at least that his aduise consent should be asked if he should be farre away as fell out at the generall Councell of Constantinople where Damasus was neither in Person nor by his deputies and in noe other sense did Iulius now alleadge it he complaineth not that they assembled without his leaue but that they neither called him nor vsed his aduise he doth not say that this giues him that he should be as a head or Soueraigne to confirme or abrogate at his pleasure much lesse that
ROMES RVIN OR A TREATISE Of the certaine Destruction of Rome and of Antichrist before the ende of the World WHEREIN IS CLEERELY Manifested out of the Holy Scriptures Conferred with the Historie of the Papacie that he hath but a short time A worke published to strengthen the faith of such as suffer vnder him By J. P. PSAL. 137.8 O Daughter of Babylon who art to be destroyed Happie shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast serued vs. Printed M.DC.XXIX To the Christian Reader IT hath neuer beene any part of my intent Christian Reader in the writing or publishing of this litle Treatise to take on me after the manner of some precisely to finde out and peremptorily to set downe the verrie yeare wherein Rome or Antichrist shall be destroyed or to name the verrie Prince or Kingdom whose Kinge shall be Generall at the Seidge and ruin of that Babylon the worke it selfe will both quit me of such fond presumptions and witnesse that my aime herein is not to get a vaine glorious name of knowledge in such mysteries nor to fill the world with stronge delusions opinions and expectations of improbable alterations but rather for the honour of Almightie God now in theese wauering and fainting times wherein mens hearts faile them for feare that the preuailing aduersaries will subdue all to Romish obedience to winne men to an assured confidence in his promised meraies of deliuerance and what they can to serue and waite on his almightie power and prouidence with such iust meanes as he hath appointed therevnto espetially now when they shall see it manifested by those vndeniable testimonies the prophesies of holy Scripture and Histories of the Papacie answering them that Romes Ruin must needes be approching and can not choose but fall out within a few yeares of this present which is sufficient for me to haue manifested As for those who professe themselues Protestants and yet in theese dangerous times are so far from affecting or approuing such knowledge that on the contrarie they doubt whether it be lawfull and proffitable to looke into theese Prophesies for the time and meanes of deliuerance and ouerthrow of the aduersaries whether such looking be not rather curiosity folly presumption whether courses of iustice and warres vndertaken for the defence of the Gospell and ouerthrow of Poperie and the Supporters thereof be lawfull or necessary whether a peace with them all is not much rather to be wished and whether it be not much better that Protestants Papists should first ioyne together against theire coÌ„mon enemie the Turke In theese and the like scruples such as are not partiall and obstinate may by a thorow reading of this small booke receiue compotent satisfaction In the meane time I answer noe more heere to theire suggestions then this 1. That noe man can more detest then I doe all warres vndertaken for desire of spoile territories Empire all not worth the life blood of one ChristiaÌ„ knowing that the miseries that euer follow theÌ„ are great lamentable that peace mercie can neuer be sufficiently admired extended but not toward Amalek or Romish Babel and her Champions because theire destructions are coÌ„maunded in holy Scriptures and he is counted happie that shall serue her as she hath serued others 2. That it was lawfull proffitable and comfortable for the children of Israel in the time of the captiuity Dan. 9.2 to looke as Daniel did after the time and meanes of deliuerance espetially when the seauentie yeares were almost out to looke also into the Prophesie of Daniel for the last period of those seuerall Beasts hornes mentioned Dan. 7. chap. 8. espetially for deliuerance from Antiochus Epiphanes that litle horne chap. 8.9 for the time and ende of the desolation he causeth expresly noted vers 13.14 and for the comming and saluation of Christ and other occurreÌ„ts signified in those propheticall weekes of Daniel chap. 9. Euen as old Simeon waited for the consolatioÌ„ of Israel Luk. 2. Mark 15.43 and Ioseph of Arimathea is saide to haue waited for the Kingdom of God and that therefore it is as lawfull now for all true Christians beholding the desolations that Antichrist and his Adherents make to looke into the prophesies of holy Scripture for the time and meanes of the deliuerance there promised espetially seeing that when Rome the cause of theese miseries is destroied Reu. 19. it is saide Alleluia for the Lord God omnipotent raigneth whereas before that she raigned in matters of faith and saluation Reu. 17.18 and ouer the Kings of the earth But then Gods Kingdom commeth this wee are taught to pray for and commaunded to * Mat. 6.33 seeke And therefore when after the writing of this small booke I had kept it a longe time without imparting the sight of it to any man I thought I could now doe noe lesse then publish it with some few additions and that indeede that such as see the miseries of the Church and seeke to redresse them may striue to doe it by that right meanes which God hath prescribed and not by any contrarie to that which God that changeth not hath in his Holy Word reuealed to be the only sure remedie and that by which he hath determined to redeeme his Church from Antichristian persecution bondage and subâ—ection ROMES RVIN OR A Treatise of the certaine destruction of Rome and of Antichrist before the ende of the VVorld TO say nothing of theire opinions in this point who are either Popish or newters or lukewarm or temporisers or worldlings or which are afraid of the Popish armies because euery wise man will easely conceiue that theire verdict in this matter must needes be partiall as proceeding from sinister respects or theire owne perticular interests I readily acknowledge that there are many godly and learned men greately seene in the Scriptures who yet are soe daily excercised in the finding of the meaning of those other places of Scripture which teach other points necessary to saluatioÌ„ that they finde litle leisure to looke on such as declare things concerning Antichrist or his ouerthrow I may not say that it is because they care litle to vnderstand the truth of God in theese points for I must leaue that to God who knowes the secrets of all hearts Neuerthelesse if any of them who haue a good vnderstanding be soe careles herein they may know that it is a fault seeing the holy Ghost saith concerning the Reuelation wherein theese things are declared Blessed is he that readeth Renel 1.3 and they that heare the words of this prophesie keepe those things which are written therein for the time is at hand And againe Chap. 22.10 Seale not the sayings of the prophesie of this booke for the time is at hand viz. when theese things should be fulfilled Whereby God warneth all men to looke narrowly into this booke that they may thereby know the Dragon Beast and whore and such euils as accompany them
that soe they may the better auoide them and not pertake of theire sinnes lest they receiue of theire plauges and that espetially when theire deliuerance and her ruin are at hand And as this care was necessarie in those ages when the * Reu. 12. Dragon reigned and the first trumpets sounded so more espetially in theese times of the beast whore wherein the euill they doe is a greate deale worse more dangerous to the Soules of men for as much as notwithstanding the light of the Gospell all the world would still wonder after him for that holines power and munificence which they would imagine to reside in him and euen many of Gods people would be so loth to flee out of Babylon that they should be in danger of pertaking of her sinnes and receiuing of her plauges and should haue neede to be daily called on to make them come out from her A duty which as it was euer needefull to be put in practise for the drawing of Soules from her bewitching delicacies and deceites so more espetially now when her greate abhominations are by the refulgent light of Gods Word manifested and her last and greatest plauges must needes be approching For if when Saint Iohn wrote it might be saide the time is at hand how much more in theese our times vpon whome the ends of the World are come and who may see if wee either will see or thinke it any such blessed thinge to see that the most of those things which concerne Antichrist and the verrie declining of his Kingdom are already fulfilled and thereby euery man warned to waite with a stedfast faith to see the rest accomplished and not to put farre away as his fauourers doe those euill dayes which shall befall him and his friends and as they doe who would faine make the World beleeue that he shall not be destroyed till the ende of the World and are so loth to see any thinge proued to the contrary that they doubt not to affirme that the time can not be so much as neerely guessed at To whome it may be answered that the Lord would neither haue saide of the beast Aeuel 13. He shall haue power to doe fourtie and two monethes and neither more nor lesse nor of the Kings his hornes They haue receiued noe Kingdom as yet Chap. 12.19 but receiue power as Kings one howre with the Beast but that he meant to shew vs some certaine time which when his ruin should approach might either be perfectly or at least verrie neerely found as in Daniels propheticall weekes wherein euery day stands for a yeare and so questionlesse in theese monethes which are also propheticall monethes which can not be literally vnderstood of three yeares and a halfe For it followes from the Angels exposition that Antichrist is the seauenth and eighth head of the seauen hilled citie that is a head of gouernment in a succession Reu. 17. as the Emperours were of whome he saide one is Fiue are fallen one is and the other is not yet come Fiue of the Roman heads or formes of gouernment were fallen before as Kings Consuls Dictatours Decemuiri Tribuni Militum The sixt was in the time of Saint Iohn which was the gouernment of the Emperours haueing theire seate in Rome This head so longe as it should abide there would let the comming of Antichrist who was to be the seauenth head of the same citie 2. Thes 2. Reu. 17.9 as Saint Paul compared with Saint Iohn sheweth saying only he who now letteth will let till he be taken out of the way he saith not till he be vtterly fallen or destroied but taken out of the way viz. remoued which came to passe when the seate of the Empire was remoued from Rome to Constantinople and not before for till then another domineering head could not rise to rule in Rome Therefore saint John saith of the seauenth He is not yet come and when he commeth he must continue a short space And the Beast that was and is not euen he is the eighth and is of the seaven This seauenth head which is the Roman gouernment by Bishops is saide to endure but for a short space because of the wound which it should soone receiue by the Gothes and Vandals which when it should be healed was not longe to endure as a seauenth head only but should also by reason of a new title and authority become an eighth head and more absolute that soe he might rule and raigne the rest of his longe time and doe all the greatest things ascribed to Antichrist This eighth head did accordingly beginne in Boniface III. when he obtained to be called vniuersall Bishop he then was the eighth and yet of the seauen viz. the seauenth because he seemed but to succeede the former Bishops in that gouernment which they had after the seate of the Empire was remoued from Rome and which they got by abusing the Canons of Nice and Sardica as wee shall see by and by Howsoeuer seeing Antichrist ye see is a head of gouernment in a succession as the Kings and after them the other heads were that had liued and ruled in Rome theese 42. monethes giuen to him can not possibly be vnderstood literally For indeede it is impossible that this seauenth head should rise be seated wounded healed then become an eighth head who should first be admired and worshipped by all nations and then make warre by himselfe and by his hornes ouercome the Saints yea the two witnesses cause an Image to be made and worshipped and a marke to be taken by all small and greate yea doe many other greate things mencioned in the Reuelation and after send to gather the Kings of the earth to Battaile and be taken and all this in three yeares and a halfe Therefore out of all doubt in theese monethes as in Daniels weekes euery day stands for a yeare as the Lord saide to the Israelites Num. 14.34 After the number of the dayes in which ye searched the land euen forty dayes each day for a yeare shall ye beare youre iniquities Ezech. 4.6 euen fourtie yeares also in Ezechiel Thou shalt beare the iniquitie of the howse of Iudah fourtie dayes I haue appointed thee each day for a yeare Soe it must needes be in theese monethes and soe they signifie 1260. yeares as some haue iudiciously collected from Reu. 12.6.14 further also that theese yeares must needes beginne whē first the Pope had power to doe as a head which some thinke beganne in the time of Constantine the greate when he left Rome when say they he that hindred was taken out of the way Some say sooner euen from the time that Constantine came to the Empire and the Ethnick gouernment was ouerthrowen or taken out of the way Indeede it is verry necessarie that the time should be searched out when theese 42. monethes began because that is the surest way to finde out the time of his ende and
he should impose what law he list He knew well enough that it made him noe more then a Patriarch that other Patriarchs and Archbishops were his brethren and that euery Bishop had neuerthelesse a free voice as well as he Neither did he now expound it that this canon gaue him this priueleidge as to a Superiour to whome such homage was due therefore Iulius bad not this power to doe Damasus as I shewed seemeth to haue beene the first that tooke it in that proud sense and yet not verrie plainely but somwhat tacitely in words of doubtfull signification as ye saw After him Siricius and Innocent were more plaine as I shewed And soe indeede he rose out of that Sea of Nice by forging one canon and wresting another a weake foundation for so mightie a building yet such and noe other was the foundation of this Kingdom And thus indeede one Canon of Nice gaue him power to doe yet not as the Councell meant it but as he in time tooke it And so he had it but not before the time of Damasus or Syricius For Iulius as ye see had not so much power giuen him and Liberius his next Successour must needes haue lesse Baron Vol. 4. Anno 365. art 1.2.3.4.5 c. seeing he was conuicted of Arianisme as after all excuses Baronius is forced to confesse beholding many proofes thereof And if saith he there were noe other proofe his owne Letters are sufficient to put it out of question And indeede he wrote to the Bishops of the East on this manner Epist Liberij ad Oriental apud Hilar. in Fragment I cast of Athanasius from our communion not daining so much as to receiue his Letters I maintaine peace with you embracing the confession of the Sirmian Councell Which was all one as if he had in expresse words renounced the Councell of Nice and therefore He could haue noe power by it nor indeede by that of Sardica which had giuen more to Iulius because that had confirmed the Nicene faith to which this of Sirmium was opposit Yet heere by the way wee may see what greate inconuenience would follow if either of those Councels of Nice or Sardica must needes be in that point of force vnto all ages for while Liberius ratifieth the sentence against Athanasius and confirmeth the Councell of Sirmium if the Councels of Nice and Sardica giue the Pope this absolute power of confirming or abrogating Councels then they make this act of Liberius lawfull and thereby vtterly ouerthrow themselues and theire owne faith and confession which was contrarie but the Papists will confesse that the Councels of Nice and Sardica doe not make this act of Liberius lawfull vvhich to confesse is as much as if they acknowledged that those Councels did not giue absolute power to the Pope to confirme or abrogate the Decrees of Councels Howsoeuer ye see Liberius could not well haue this power to doe But then after him came Damasus and he indeede was a man of more respect learned and of such good parts as couered his ambition so that some could not see it and others were perhaps content to winke at it he therefore after a while might the better chalenge some Priueleidge from that Canon of Nice And noe doubt but that the words of Hosius vttered not longe before his time in the Councell of Sardica vvhereof they so much boast did now further him in his desired power The words of the Canon are theese Hosius the Bishop saide if any Bishop be condemned in any cause if the partie condemned thinke he haue iust cause not to stand to the sentence if it please you let vs yeeld this honour to S. Peter Let the matter be signified by Letter to Iulius Bishop of Rome to the ende that he with other Bishops of the Dioces may enter againe into the knowledge of the cause Now obserue here 1. That it was Hosius that proposed it and he proposed it as a new antidote against a poysen considering that the Bishops of the East were for the greater part at that time infected with Arianisme restraining it to the person of Iulius and would noe doubt haue donne otherwise in the person of Liberius Successor vnto Iulius and a professed Arrian notvvithstanding the pretended Chaire of Saint Peter 2. Note theese words If it please you let vs honour the memorie of S. Peter for had this beene an auncient right should he not rather haue saide Let vs obserue the commandement of the Lord or the auncient order of the Church or the Canon of Nice vvhereby it is ordained that men might appeale to Rome 3. Is it reason that a Canon of a Nationall Councell should conclude and binde the Church in generall 4. This Canon so made and neuer practised was in expresse termes reuoked in the generall Councell of Constantinople Can. 3. and in that of Chalcedon Can. 8. This was the first that seemed to giue him any greate power but this as ye see vvas not absolute yet hence he tooke such occasion of rising that some haue thought that he did rise out of it But that vvee may finde the truth hereof obserue Doctrines are in holy Scriptures called waters vvhereof some vvaters are cleane Ezech. 47.1 Ioel 3.18 Zach. 14.8 Reu. 15.2 some corrupted Reu. 8.10.11 chap. 16.3.4 some not corrupt of themselues but partly made so by reason of somwhat cast into them so was it vvith that Sea into vvhich the burning mountaine was cast Reuel 8.8 and the third part of the Sea became blood and out of that Sea the Beast arose Reuel 13. Now that vvce may know vvhat that Sea is obserue The Sea is the place vvhere waters are gathered and meete together Riuers and Fountaines runne into the Sea and emptie themselues there Novv Riuers and Fountaines doe signifie the Doctors and Teachers from vvhome the doctrines that is the waters flovv Reu. 8.10 So vvhen the third Angell sounded a greate starre fell from Heauen and it fell vpon the third part of the Riuers and Fountaines of waters this greate Starre vvas Constantius the Emperour vvho fell into the Arrian Heresie and he fell vpon part of the Riuers and Fountaines viz. Bishops and Teachers vvho vvere corrupted by him some by persvvasion and smoth deuices but most by force and persecution By vvhich meanes many vvere corrupted amonge others Pope Liberius himselfe The third viall is povvred on such corrupt riuers Fountaines as are defiled vvith the filth of Babylon Reu. 16.4 and come from the mouth of the Beast and false Prophet Novv the place vvhere such riuers and Fountaines meere and empty themselues must needes be a Sea this is in Councels vvhose doctrines and canons are therefore called the Sea Vers 3. Therefore vvhen the second Angel poured out his vial on the Sea this vvas on an assembly or Councell of Antichristian doctors and on theire vvaters or doctrines vvhich he manifesteth to be corrupt and perintious this was on the Councell of
fond presumption that the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against that Church or Citie to roote it out after theese things wee see the Beast suruiuing and after the pouring out of the sixth viall the Beast sendeth to gather the Kings Reu. 18.9 and they are gathered but when the Citie should be burned they stand afarre off for feare of her torment lamenting her ruin therefore they are not then gathered when the Citie is beseiged but afterwards Chap. 19. when they are gathered together with the Beast to make warre with him that sate on the horse and against his armie Then they doe not stand afarre off but are gathered together and slaine and the fowles are filled with theire flesh This battaile therefore it seemes is after the racing of Babylon and therefore I thinke that no man can giue any probable reason why Rome should not expire within lesse then 10. yeares from this present yeare 1629. saue this only that as yet he seeth not those Kings in armes and sincerely endeauoring to doe it that should burne her Here also hath beene some mistaking aboute the hornes that shall destroy her which some thinke to be tenne succeeding Emperours and they take Charles the 5. to be the first of theese But besides other good reasons that might be alleadged to the contrarie the present Emperours zeale to maintaine the Popish cause sheweth this to be absurd Much better therefore doe they expound who take theese hornes to be all Christians Kings free Princes and States and that a certaine number is put for an vncertaine For indeede this Beast hath vpon his tenne hornes tenne feuerall Crownes not one Crowne but tenne to shew that they are so many or at least a number of heads of seuerall Kingdoms and States whereas the other Beast Reu. 12. which is the Ethnick Romane Empire though it hath seauen Crownes on the seauen heads to shew that those were seauen seuerall succeeding formes of gouernment of which the Emperours were one yet that beast hath not tenne crownes one his hornes because those tenne hornes were the tenne persecutors all Emperours or Kings of one Kingdom haueing but one Crowne as the hornes of the Beast in Daniel also were Dan. 7.22 of which Antiochus Epiphanes was the litle horne Which things if they be well marked proue that the hornes of the Popish beast were not at first 10. succeeding Emperours who raised Romes Pope to his glorie that the hornes that shall hate and burne her are not 10. succeeding Emperours but diuers Kings free Princes and States that shall at one and the same time doe it Neither let any man thinke that Rome can not be shortly destroyed because many Kings free Princes and States are yet obedient to the Pope and Church of Rome For noe man can proue that all the hornes of the Beast shall hate the whore or that all Christian Kings shall fight against her yea it is in a manner certaine that some of them shall continue with the Beast whore till the ende of the warre For whē she should be burned wee see some Kings standing afarre off and weeping ouer her although they doe not help her for seare of her tormēt as also that after this the Beast gathereth hath diuers Kings on his side when he is taken destroied theese without doubt are his freinds and helpers and by consequence may be some of the hornes therefore though noe other King or Kingdō should be conuerted yet Rome may be destroied by those vvho already hate her Neither should the Saints feare the rest seeing the Scriptures shevv that they shall stand afarre of for feare and not helpe her Which doe not thinke to be vvritten as if I said that no other Kinge State or Kingdom shall be conuerted and soe brought to fight against her but only those vvho are already Protestants For though God doe commonly for his greater glorie performe greate vvorkes by small meanes and ouerthrovv the greatest enemies by a smaller povver then they themselues are and that to some such ende he hath seemed to take away from the Protestant power as he did from Gedeons armie to shew what he cā doe by a few whē our strength seemes to be brought to a low ebbe and that it is therefore likely that he will also doe so in this destruction of Rome and Antichrist yea though now for theese many yeares noe King State or whole Nation haue yealded to be conuerted by the Word and that therfore there is small hope of any vnles peraduenture of Venice seeing they haue so longe withstood the Word yet it may please God to make any yea that one of the Kings that shall doe this may be the Emperour then liueing and that one of them may be the Angell of the throne yet to say for certaine that he or other Kings and States shall be conuerted and shall ioyne therein or that this or that Prince shall doe this thinge sauours to much of presumption seeing the Scriptures doe not name the perticular Kingdoms nor any perticular man as of old Iosias in a like case 1. King 13. therfore till theire owne inclinatiō or the euent shew this thinge noe mā can say this Prince is that fift Angell that other he that standeth in the Sunne viz. in the light and confidence of the Truth There haue beene some other mistakings which some haue caused by applying those things of Daniel chap. 2.43.44 chap. 7.8.9 c. and espetially chap. 11.36 to the ende and chap. 12. to the times of Antichrist or of the Turkish Empire those that should suffer vnder them which indeede as * M. Broughton and Doc. Willet on Daniel others proue doe note out the times of Antiochus Epiphanes those that followed soone after him whose acts and times as in a manner all confesse are described chap. 11. ver 21. to 36. and indeede the Prophesie of the things that he should doe is certainly continued there as may thus be proued I. The Angell had there told Daniel of the miseries which the Iewes should suffer vnder Antiochus Epiphanes Dan. 10.14 chap. 11.31 chap. 12.6 who should take away the daily Sacrifice and set vp the abhomination c. And question is made saying How longe shall it be to the ende of theese wonders thē the time when all theese things should be fulfilled is expressed chap. 12.11 ver 11. From the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away and the abhomination set vp the dayes are summed to 1290. that is three yeares 7. monethes aboute 13. dayes therefore theese things could belonge to noe other time much lesse to a time soe farre off as that of the Pope or Turke II. The word Hamelech chap. 11.36 this Kinge hath reference to the former Historie and the article ha is a note of demonstration pointing out the Kinge before spoken of Neither is there any likelihood that the Angel chap. 10.14 who
blood and haue so greate hope of bringing all Nations to the obedience of theire Pope and Church that there is noe probabilitie that they will euer giue ouer till she be destroyed And he that will may see that God hath therefore permitted her to goe on in this wickenes to the ende that all true Protestants all true Christians might be thereby moued in Christian pitie and for the saueing of Christian blood which otherwise she will not cease to shed to combine theire forces to remoue her props to weaken her greatest Supporters the howse of Austria the French and the Polonian and then to pull her downe for her sinnes haue reached vp to Heauen and God hath remembred her wickednes Christ against whome they fight as he also against them hath as it were by all theese things saide to them that seeke peace with or for Papists as Iehu to each messenger 2. King 9.18 What hast thou to doe with peace turne thee behinde me and concerning Rome as he concerning Iezabel Who is on my side who Yea God hath as it were by all theese things proclaimed warrs and shewed that he will haue warres till she be destroyed and who then is able so to resist his will as without her Ruin to worke peace For the Kings must destroy her and the warrs mencioned Reu. 17.16 and chap. 19. can not be preuented And therefore though the Protestants in all countries doe now seeme to be in more danger then Rome and Antichrist yet it is marueilous to see how God hath begunne to prepare fit all things to this worke First by suffering the Papists to prouoke Protestant Princes and States to it by theire warres victories and practises Secondly by taking away or at least binding and weakening the greatest impedinent and danger and indeede by weakening or halfe pulling away her props The greatest impediment and danger that hath euer beene suspected is that if Protestants and Papists should fight one against another the Turke would take that for an opportunitie to breake in vpon them endanger all Christendom But by the ill successe which was lately giuē him in Poland his warres with the Persians and others the lazines and indisposition of his Ianizaries the sinewes of his warre theire insolencie and stubbornes who will now doe but what they list the murder of Osmond by them the vnapt or rather foolish humours of Mustepha that hath beene twise deposed and the childishnes of him that now raigneth God hath as it were takē all the cause of that feare away and while of late he hath suffered them to doe nothing against Christendō worth the mentioning he hath conuinced those preachers and others in England and elswhere of notorious flaterie trecherie who while the Palatinate and other protestant bulwarks were in danger to get preferment by pleasing the late Duke his Mother and some others hindred supplies and timely aide by crying out against theese warres of Protestant against Papist and saying it would bring in the Turke to get all Which hath beene the cause of greate losses to Protestants for in the meane while the howse of Austria and the French Kinge preuailed Besides if the worst should come viz. that the Turke should attempt it he can only endanger the Popish Princes that lie next him and so keepe them buisied that they should not be able to rescue Rome neither is it likely that he could easely ouercome them For Poland alone hath of late beene hard enough for him and the Turke indeede is not so dangerous to our Religion as the Papist who doth daily striue more by eagre warres and practises to subdue vs then the Turke doth Besides the Turke suffers Christians to enioy theire religion in his dominions with lesse persecution the Papists in theire dominions put all Protestants to death or greate damages God hath also in some respects pulled aside and weakened the mightiest props of Rome and Antichrist as first the Emperour who notwithstanding all his Victories and strength is in that respect of supporting Rome much weakened because he is in so much danger of the Turkes and of his owne discontented Subiects Nobels Husbandmen and others that he can not come to helpe her for feare they should in the meane while ioyne against him with the much iniured Princes of Germanie he beeing also farre off from Rome The like may be saide of Poland and in some sort of France also Italie is diuided amonge many Princes most of them of small force and euer at discord Venice the strongest of them hath longe beene at variance with the Pope The greate whore then hath but one greate prop one greate supporter namely the Kinge of Spaine whose state as many haue * Sr. Fran. Bacon lo. Verulam his considerations touching a marre with Spanie proued is nothing secure but stands on sliperie and disunited grounds against whome all Protestant Princes haue cause to fight as against one that seekes a Monarchie to be vniuersall Kinge yea to support the papacie to bring all to his the Popish subiectiō * Isa 30.3.4 But he that helpeth he that is holpen shall both fall when God shall come downe to fight for Sion And therefore when he shall please to weaken or remoue this Prop from supporting that See the way lies open to Rome and her finall ouerthrow The vnited States haue dōne nobly against him espetially of late in the Indies and if others would as sincerely striue and indeanour to doe as much it might soone be effected at least if the Iesuited freinds of Rome and Spanie that lurke in protestant States were once discouered and expelled All which things considered I can not enough vvonder at the coldnes of this age vvherein there are many some also of greate auctority strength vvho knovv the Beast and see his Ministers vvorking together and tiranizing and yet are not moued to further this vvorke by the best meanes vvith Constancie courage perseuerance Are not those things fulfilled Mat. 24.12 Phil. 2.21 Because iniquitie shall abound the loue of many shall waxe cold All seeke theire owne and no man that which is Christs that so he alone might raigne in spirituall matters seeing nothing indeede but the destruction of Rome can vvorke this or giue peace and felicitie to the Church as all mē may see vvho either looke diligently into the Scriptures or into the practises of the enemies and how Princes are animated by Romish Spirits yet I confesse that this can not easely be donne till the Kings of Spanie and France her cheifest props and champions be first vveakened and put in feare of her torment vvhich indeede vvill make them stand a far off and soe is a part of the vvorke But vvhen she is destroied a greate multitude crie Reu. 19.6 Alleluia For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth And will they then be slack in giueing theire moneyes weapons labours counsailes or consents to this worke The Papists are not