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
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
Trent which was performed by Chemnitius Examen Concil Tridē Or at least by him and others that also writ against that Councell But the Sea out of which the Beast arose was not so corrupt in it selfe but only became soe in some part thereof into which the burning mountaine was cast which corrupted it Now if one should aske me whether the Sea out of which the Beast arose were the Councill of Nice or that of Sardica I thinke that if not out of both confounded and put together by thē then rather out of that of Nice I. Because that was a generall Councell and therefore more apt for his purpose and authority as the other was not which only restrained to the person of Iulius a priueleidge soone after reuoked 2. Because that of Nice gaue him prioritie of place and this priueleidge that a law should not be imposed on the Church without his aduise out of which as he tooke it he as ye saw made greate aduantage and indeede rose out of it this beeing the originall and ground of all the power he after got 3. Because he alwaies alleadged it for his authority which it seemes he the rather did because it was generall and the more auncient more reuerenced and indeede because that Canon of Sardica was soone reuoked yea he so much desired to rise out of the Nicene Councell that in alleadging as he pretended a Canon of Nice he vseth the very words of this Canon of Sardica See Mysterie of Iniquitie written by M. du Plesses only leaueing out the name Iulius and was therefore conuicted of forgerie by the sixt Councell of Carthage 4. Because the burning mountaine signified vnder the second trumpet must needes be cast into the Sea before the fall of Constantius vpon the riuers signified vnder the third and therefore in all likelihood before the Councell of Sardica which yet gaue him power or increased it as he tooke it But by reason that Liberius who presently succeeded was an Arrian and therefore could neither chalenge power by it nor by the Nicene Councell this power as I shewed was not excercised till the time of Damasus But indeede ye haue seene that from the time of Damasus or Siricius the Pope as he vsed the matter had power to doe in things that belonged to other mens iurisdictiōs yea as an ouerseer and confirmer of Councells as he tooke the matter and what more as a kinde of head and lawgiuer as ye saw in the Epistle of Siricius to Himerius Bishop of Aragon and the Beast must needes be then risen and in action because soone after he began to receiue wounds and at last his deadly wound by the incursions of the Gothes and Vandals Thus power was giuen him to doe and thus he had it but not so soone as some haue thought So that they who reckon his time of doeing from the time that Constantine came to the Empire or when the heathen Emperour was cast out or from the time of the Nicene Councell or from the time that Constantine left Rome or from the time of Pope Iulius may beginne to soone And if not then it must needes be vnderstood as others haue obserued power was giuen him to doe fourtie and two monethes but in the time of the wound by the Gothes and Vandals or at least while it was sore and deadly he had noe power to doe therefore those yeares of the vvound vvherein he could doe nothing must not be reckoned vnlesse you allovv others for them Which yet may be fevver by many than some haue thought because the Gothes and Vandals did not raigne so longe in Rome as they say and so the time of the vvound beeing lesse then they giue vvill bringe it to the same reckoning vvee make or very neere it But indeede there is noe cause to expound it so because it is cleare enough that the Beast vvas not risen or at least had not power to doe so soone as they thinke and withall that frō the time that the Gothes first tooke Rome to theire expulsion the Pope had for the most part power enough to doe which is verrie behoofull to manifest because men may thereby see that there is noe allowance to be giuen him for the time of the wound or if any yet but litle For Rome was more than once saued and rescued and though it were taken againe yet the Popes of those times had as much power to doe as euer theire predecessors had if not more Besides the Gothes became Christians many of them were indeede but Arrians yet Baronius sheweth that they gaue the Pope much power to doe and questionles theire Kingdom did rather further the mysterie of iniquitie then hinder it as wee shall see by and by Therefore out of doubt they are much mistaken who giue 140. yeares for the time of the Gothes Kingdom begining is when Alaricus first tooke Rome which they say was aboute the yeare 415. and ending it when Narses vanquished Totilas Whereas others better skilled in historie shew that theire Kingdom lasted but 72. yeares begining the time after the first comming of Theodoricus into Italie and ending it as the former when Totilas was vanquished And yet before that extirpation of Totilas Belisares the Emperours Leiftenant had entred Rome taken Vitiges Kinge of the Gothes and carried him captiue to Constantinople and after that when the Gothes haueing chosen Totilas for theire Kinge tooke Rome againe Belisares recouered it the second time But in his absence they got strength wonne it againe then Narses wholly expelled them out of Italie Now see theire errour who begin theire Kingdom so soone and reckon the time of the wound to be 140. yeares Begining them in that time of Honorius wherein Rome was first taken For themselues confesse that during the raigne of Honorius Rome was twise taken Alaricus and Ataulphus beeing the captaines and yet the Beast had not the deadly wound in the head seeing it was rather a shamefull then a harmefull ouerthrow as Pomponius Laetus sheweth in the life of Honorius that when Honorius began to rouse vp himselfe Sabell En. 8. lib. 1. the Gothes were expelled out of Italie and Attalus theire Kinge led in triumph to Rome and after his right hand was cut off he was carried captiue to Lipara that so longe as Honorius and Valentinian liued the Maiestie of the Empire was defended by theire Leiftenants Constantius and Aëtius though theire Maisters were slacke and lasie Yet Valentinian raigned many yeares after Honorius The truth is that before that Alaricus had taken Rome but he gaue life to such as fled to Christian Churches and then led his armie from Rome with purpose to saile into Afrike and setle his abode there but eare longe he died After his desease Ataulphus his Kinsman returned to Rome with the Gothes resoluing to ouerthrow all there to build another citie to change the name of it call it Gothia but his wife Placidia the sister of Honorius
came now to make him vnderstand what should befall the Iewes chap. 11.2 and to tell him the truth of the visions would so sodainly and at once make such a large step as is from the time of Antiochus Epiphanes to Antichrist or the Turke and that without telling Daniel that now he would shew him another Kinge and Kingdom which seeing he did not here as he had donne concerning all the former * See vers 2.3.4.5.6.7.10 Kings and Kingdoms both here and also chap. 8.20 it is plaine that he speakes of the same Kinge and Kingdom and so indeede whereas he had spoken before of the Kings of the North and South vers 6.7 c. viz. Syria and Egypt in theire seuerall successions and came at last to Antiochus Epiphanes Kinge of the North and his acts both against the Kinge of the South and also against the Iewes he there without intermission or variation continueth speaking of them vnder the same titles vers 40. which is an infallible argument that he continueth speaking of the same Kinge Kingdoms and times III. The sequell of the Storie answereth to the Prophesie for Antiochus did all this as * See D. Willet on Daniel many haue proued out of the Maccabes and other Histories Neither let any man thinke that Antichrist can not be destroied till Christ come to iudgement and that therefore it will be in vaine to beare armes against him and his Supporters in theese times For if it could be so that he should stand till then yet noe man can be sure that the day is farre off or at hand But it is manifest by the Scriptures that those words of Saint Paul 2. Thes 2. Whome the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightnes of his comming Reu. 19.14.15.17 c. vers 20.21 chap. 2.16 must needes be meant of that comming when the armies follow him Reuel 19. For then Antichrist is destroyed and then also Christ fighteth with the Spirit or sword of his mouth So he saide of Pergamos and the false Teachers in her Repent or else I will come vnto thee quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth Isa 59.19.20 Rom. 11.26 And so the deliuerer shall come to Sion as Isaiah shewes It is most manifest therefore I say that Saint Paul meaneth such a bright comming against Antichrist both with the Word and with the swords of Princes and that he shall be wholly destroyed as also that after his destruction the Nations Gog and Magog shall fight with the Saints Reu. 20.9 and that before the day of iudgement For the day of iudgement shall come as a theife in the night and noe man can know before when it shall be Reu. 19.17 but when the Angell standing in the Sunne hath called many to the certaine destruction of Antichrist and his Supporters euen to eate the flesh of Kings and the flesh of Captaines c. and at the same time Antichrist hath also called many to fight in his defence Antichrist is taken and destroyed but if the World should then haue an ende then all who are called to this Battaile at least all that come against him might know the day of iudgement for they are called to the certaine destruction of him and his to cate the flesh of Kings c. but the whole World can not haue so sure and vissible a signe of the ending of the World seeing the Scriptures are contrarie herevnto and shew that after this another battaile is fought with Gog and Magog and therefore the World can not then ende The like might also be saide when afterwards the Nations Gog Magog are gathered together in battaile against the Saints Reu. 20.7 if the world were to ende with that battaile the Saints that meete there might know it before But this they doe not know therefore the world is not to ende at that time Yet how soone after that it shall ende God only knoweth It seemes that as the Isralites soone forgate his wonders in Egypt so will those that suruiue theese two battailes and then they beeing in security the day will take them or theire posteritie as a theife in the night Soe that theese obiections doe not hinder but that all theese things may shortly be fulfilled espetially Romes Ruin Gen. 6.3 Wee must not thinke that Gods Spirit will alwaies striue with that Church noe more then he did with the old world to whome he gaue 120. yeares time of repentance when once the longe suffering of God waited while the Arke was preparing in the dayes of Noah 1. Pet. 3. a preacher of righteousnes and so indeede God hath now giuē Rome well neere the like time since the preaching of Luther an 1517. wherein God by him and others would haue cured Babel but she would not Therefore when his longe suffering hath a like time waited and they repent not to giue him glorie her Ruin must needes approach and follow And indeede the warres and other troubles that are already begun amonge many nations shew that theese things are at hand and namely that ere longe Rome the greatest cause of them shall be destroied The blood of the Saints shed in theese warres cries to heauen for speedie vengeance on Pope Turke but espetially and first of all on Rome as the cause of all For she deuided the Empire into East west and so made way for the Turke to enter by that diuision and was therein the cause of all the slaughters which since haue beene made by Turkes vpon Christians It would aske to much time to reckō vp all the warres that she hath caused and the blood that she hath otherwise shed in former times To say nothing of the execrable practises of the bloodie inquisition if wee only looke on the warres of Christendom in theese times wee may finde that she hath beene the increaser if not the prouoker and so beginner of them all Call to minde vvhat her instruments the Iesuits and Preists made the Emperour doe against the Bohemians to make them reuolt and soe to breede all those vvarres there in the Palatinate to the cruell martyrdom of many thousands of Protestants all still by the animation encouragemēt of the Pope and Romish Clergie See what troubles and slaughters they haue raised in Garmanie France and the Low countries and how easie will it be to finde her guiltie of all the blood that hath of late beene shed in all theese places and that therefore she is like to be as dangerous to all that suruiue if to preuent it she be not the sooner destroyed as it is written Reu. 17.6 The Woman was drunken with the blood of the Saints and of the Martyrs of Iesus * chap. 18.24 In her was found the blood of the Saints and of all that were slaine vpon earth And indeede they are still so fierce in persuite of
it rather yelding to suffer then to receiue the marke of the Beast as chap. 14. c chap. 14.12 Here is the patience of the Saints here are they that keepe the commandements of God and the faith of Iesus But if ye ô Princes and States in whose power it is to helpe theese afflicted ones be true Protestants and Seruants of Christ thinke the Lord doth as it were aske you whether they that thus afflict Gods Seruants be of Christs armie or noe ye will answer they are not but rather of Antichrists armie haueing the marke of the Beast in theire right hand and bearing armes against Christ then by consequence they who sincerly resist if they be not subiects to the Tirants but free are of Christs armie and Christ is with them and without doubt all men of ripe yeares if it be in theire power to be of either are of one of theese armies there is no meane betweene for Christ saith He that is not with me is against me And that will such finde in the day of the Lord when he d Reu. 22. shall come to giue euery man as his worke shall be In the meane while whether or no caÌ„ wee say that wee loue our Christian Brethren yea or God himselfe yet wee say e 1. Ioh. 4.19 wee loue him because he first loued vs. But S. Iohn saith f chap. 3.16 Hereby perceiue wee the loue of God because he laide downe his life for vs and wee ought to lay downe our liues for the brethren See what Abraham did g Gen. 14.14 when he heard that his brother was taken captiue he armed his trained Seruants brought again his brother Lot and his goods the women also and the people h Gal. 3.29 And if ye be Christs then are ye Abrahams seede i Ioh. 8.38 If ye were Abrahams children ye would doe the workes of Abraham Iehoshaphat likewise k 2. King 3.7 helped Israel against the Moabits Religion the professours thereof were in danger wherefore he saide vnto Iehoram l 2. Chro. 16.9 I will goe vp I am as thou art my people as thy people my horses as thy horses He trusted in God and he prospered therin For the eyes of the Lord runne to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himselfe stronge in the behalfe of them whose heart is perfit towards him They that cease to trust in him and rather rely on the helpe and alliance of his enemies them he forsakes as wee see in Asa who relyed on the Kinge of Syria But Iehoshaphat helped his brethren as Abraham did He thought it not enough to say I am a Prince of peace if I may haue peace with the enemies why should I hazard my owne to helpe others it stands not with pollecie For if such excuses would haue serued m Iudg. 5.23 the inhabitants of Meroz could haue saide much for themselues as that they loued peace abhorred the sheeding of blood and sought theire owne safety But if the enemy knowing they will not fight be therefore the more emboldened to destroy theire brethren first that they may afterwards destroy them then this wilfull peace is rather merciles crueltie to theire brethren and to themselues then true charitie to any For enemies haue most desire to fight with them whome they perceiue to be faint hearted as assured that they shall thereby preuaile Therefore such polecie is rather extreame folly than true vvisdom because God loues not but forsakes them vvho forsake him or theire brethren n vers 9. My heart is towards the Gouernours of Israel that offered theÌ„selues willingly amonge the people o vers 18. Zebulun and Nephtali were a people that ieoparded theire liues vnto the death in the high places of the field viz. to helpe the Lord and theire brethren and were therefore blessed Meroz did not soe and was therefore p vers 23. Cursed as guiltie of blood that might haue beene spilt and as one not regarding the crie of the afflicted But God q psa 9.12 when he maketh inquisition for blood he remembreth them he forgetteth not the crie of the afflicted Will not he then finde such as neglect them guiltie for as a famous Diuine saith r B. Hall Contemp. the Rescue of Gibeon Euen permission in those things wee may remedy makes vs no lesse actors then consent some men kill as much by looking on as others by smiting wee are guiltie of all the euill wee might haue hindred And indeede the holy Ghost saith Å¿ pro. 24.10.11.12 If thou faint in the day of aduersity thy strength is small If thou forbeare to deliuer them that are drawen vnto death and those that are readie to be slaine If thou saiest behold wee knew it not doth not he that pondereth in the heart consider it and he that keepeth thy soule doth he not know it and shall not he render vnto euery man according to his worke It therefore behooueth him to stirre who either regardeth his owne saluation or Gods protection Let them therefore who may giue helpe take heede while there is time espetially seeing the cause is common to all and not God and ciuill pollecie only but euen common sense teacheth this with the Poët Ecquid Ad te post paulò ventura pericula sentis Nam tua res agitur paries cum proximus ardet Which saying is the more to be regarded because he that will may know that the Spanish Kinge who is called Catholick aimeth at the Catholick gouernment Howsoeuer what will he and they not doe for the Catholicke cause as they call it who are gouerned by the Pope Rome and the Iesuits and Preists or who haue the marke of the Beast and consequently are led by the deuill and his Agents Reu. 16. theese frogs and locusts are Spirits of deuils Are they not then as much to be trusted in any thinge they pretend as of old Antiochus Epiphanes the Syrian Kinge who came in peaceablie to the Subiects of another Kingdom and with gifts and flatteries wrought them t Dan. 11.26 to betray it namely Egypt of whome therefore it was saide * chap. 8.25 By peace he shall destroy many u chap. 11.23.24 After the leauge made with him he shall worke deceitefully for he shall come vp and shall become stronge with a small people He shall enter peaceablie and scatter amonge theÌ„ the pray and riches and he shall forecast his deuises against the stronge holds for a time viz. till he had corrupted the Egyptians raised factions amonge them and so prepared them to betray the Kingdom to the greate armie he intended to bringe and which he after * vers 25. brought also touching his craft to obtaine Iudea and ouerthrow religion there * ver 30. â—â— He shall haue intelligence with them that forsake the holy couenant And such as doe wickedly against the couenant shall he corrupt by flatteries Wherein he and
together vnder one head viz. vnder Christ and that to fight against Antichrist vvho now raigneth Is any member then in danger and vvill not all the rest helpe he that can helpe and will not is he a member Ioshua doth greately praise the Reubenites and the Gadites and the halfe tribe of Manasseh when he saith to them d Iosh 22.1.3 Ye haue not left youre Brethren theese many dayes vnto this day but haue kept the charge of the commandement of the Lord youre God There are many who call themselues Protestants and yet how few that truly desire this praise by protesting sincerely against the Beast and his members who beare his marke and fight stoutely for him and for one another Psal 2. The Kings of the earth band themselues and the rulers take counsell together against the Lord and against his Anointed Doe those who professe themselues Seruants of Christ doe as much for Christ and for one another as yet they haue not Christ saith luk 16.8 The children of this world are in theire generation wiser then the children of light I would to God they were not also more zealous and bold for theire Maister Doe wee not see what mischeife the freinds of Antichrist daily put in practise against the Seruants of Christ and how the Pope approues of theese deedes And how longe they who haue the marke of the Beast are gouerned by the Pope and led by the Iesuits are to be trusted in any thinge that they preteÌ„d I hartely wish that they would iudge whome it most of all concerneth In the meane time wee must pray as Psal 74. Haue respect vnto the couenant Psal 74.20 for the darke places of the earth are full of the habitations of crueltie And as Isa 63. 15. to chap. 65. Our aduersary the Deuill who allwayes goes aboute like a roaring Lion seeking whome he may deuoure without all doubt labours so much the more when he knowes that he hath but a litle time for the Beast and Whore and Dragon He will labour to haue his Agents in all Courts and Kingdoms that they may by all the pretexts proiects and deuises that may be inuented make some fight openly and others worke secretly for the Beast and Whore but espetially that they may vnder colour of wisdom keepe such as are best able from aiding theire brethren or fighting against the Whore and her props that so noe man of power may seeke to fulfill Gods will in aiding the Church or ruinating the Kingdom of the Beast but rather forsake the Spouse of Christ and leaue her members in danger of the aduersaries that so Papists may by degrees recouer or destroy all To this ende he will labour vvhat he can to get aduantage out of all dispositions and affections as of old out of the disposition and affection of Ahasuerus a Kinge benigne munificent credulous voide of suspition greately loueing trusting his Seruants The deuill therefore labours that Haman might be in grace because he knew that no man would contradict him that should be most in fauour with the Kinge but rather that euerie one would be readie to flatter him in all things whatsoeuer he goes aboute and that therefore he might make the Kinge beleeue that his best subiects the Iewes were the Kings greatest enemies and that to this ende that whereas at that time God was aboute to do some good for his people the Iewes then in captiuity he might by this Haman wholly destroy the Iewes and so not only frustrate Gods benignitie and the restauration of true religion but also by this meanes wholly destroy the Kinge by causeing that for his iniustice and crueltie God might be his enemie Neuerthelesse Haman vsed a pretext saying Esther 8.3 It is not for the Kings proffit or honour to suffer them as if he should say they are against the Kings prerogatiue for he saith theire lawes are diuers from all people neither keepe they the Kings lawes so others pretend Ezra 4.12 Dan. 3. chap. 6.13 yea Haman pretends that the slaughter would be verrie proffitable to the Kinge whereas on the contrarie chap. 7.4 if they had beene sold for bondmeÌ„ bond-women the enemie could not counteruaile the Kings damage so good Subiects were they and proffitable to the Kinge neuerthelesse by this meanes he had preuailed with the Kinge if God had not turned it so powerfull was the man whome the Kinge did to much loue and that the Deuill knew well enough and that therfore he vvas an instrument the fitter for such a worke although indeede his life was most dangerous his death most proffitable to the Kinge according to that Pro. 25.5 Take away the wicked from before the Kinge and his throne shall be established as if he should say otherwise it stands in danger As Rehoboam found 1. King â—â— vvho vvas led by the counsell of the vvicked younge men to speake roughly to the people The Deuill knew vvel enough that the strength of the King did vnder God most of all coÌ„sist in the loue of the people vvho vvhen they loue and are loued vvill giue theire substance and liues for him the Deuill therefore sought to alienate the heart of the Kinge from the people and thereby the heart of the people from the Kinge that so the Kingdom diuided in it selfe might not stand but might lie open to diuision and thereby to the Gentiles and so that by that meanes the true Religion might also be quite put out And wee may be sure that he hath now so laboured still will to doe the like against religion in Protestant Kingdoms States So also when God was aboute to reedifie the Citie Temple Ezra 4. Nehem. 2. chap. 4. and chap. 6. the Diuell raised vp scorners and slanderers against the builders that they might hinder the worke And when Ioshua was aboute a good worke l Zach. 3.1 Satan stood at his right hand to hinder him So when God vvas m Iud. 13.5 aboute to deliuer Israel by Sampson the Deuill and the Philistins raised vp a Delilah to hinder him And his industrie is indeede alwayes so greate that vvho can looke for better froÌ„ him in theese times Howsoeuer wee see what Antichrist doth daily practise against Christ theÌ„ that are his how also he keepes the people in blindnesse and hinders the true preaching obedieÌ„ce of Gods Word therein Christs raigne yea how the cause of the Gospel doth euery where seeme to go backwards the cause of Rome to waxe lustie yet few are moued to seeke a right remedie They who are outwardly ProtestaÌ„ts inwardly Papists they desire to rectifie all things vnder pretext of greate zeale wisdom they still seeke such an excelent remedy as shall in shew promise greate redresse yet shall indeede come to no ende but spend in vaine time treasure and labour giue the Papists opportuintie of enlarging theire bounds make protestants be glad of peace