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
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
Antichrist they both make them thinke it is feare of theire strength and also so puffe them vp with conceite thereof that as time serues they will be the more desirous of warre and all occasions thereof Yea it causeth that while such a peace lasteth they will not cease to encroach demaund and obtaine either by flatteries or threats till they may by peace get more to themselues and theire religion then they could haue donne by warre Nor is it likely that such will longer hold it then theire aduantage increaseth therein Neither is it alwaies sufficient before God to say wee desire peace espetiallie where it is quarrell enough against thē that they haue the marke of the Beast are the Souldiers of Antichrist and members of the greate whore whose destruction is commanded For as a famous Diuine saith B. Hall Contemp on the Gibeonites He that calls himselfe the God of peace proclaims himselfe the God of hosts and not to fight where he hath commanded is to breake the peace with God whiles wee nourish it with men And who euer got by angring him to please others or by loosing his fauour to get the momentarie and vncertaine freindship of others vncertaine I call it because God that hath iniurie thereby may therefore suffer it to be turned into deceite hatred and greater damage That which men doe vniustly to preuent an euill though it seeme greate polecie is by Gods iust iudgement often turned into a cause that bringes the same euill vpon them as appeareth Gen. 11.4 Isa 30.1.2.3 Ioh. 11.48 I know that in many places causes times that place may verrie well be alleadged If it be possible as much as in you lieth Rom. 12.8 liue peaceably with all men But when God would that the whore should be burned and that the seauen Angels haue begunne to powre out theire vials full of the wrath of God yea when theese things are alreadie in theire progresse who is there who if he be a true Protestant and Seruant of Christ will say that this or the like place is congruently alleadged betweene free Princes of so contrarie Religions to hearken is at that time better then sacrifice and Christ to be heard Mat. 16.24.25.26 Ioh. 12. If any man serue me Ioh. 12.25.26 let him follow me and where I am there shall also my Seruant be If in warre then with him if in peace then with him When diuers Kingdomes forsooke the Beast and whore to follow the Word it was saide The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. Reu. 11. Since that time Christ and they that follow him haue continually skirmished against Antichrist and his followers and should continue so doeing till Rome and Antichrist should be destroyed as is shewed Reuel 14. chap. 15. chap. 16. c. And will Princes and States then that are his Leiftenants suffer the Beast and his to recouer or spoile any of theese Kingdoms either by force or fraude surely if they doe those Princes will condemne them who with all theire might defend and extend the dominion of Antichrist and so will they also who at the Popes becke led greate Armies to recouer Palestina and that though God in Scripture require no such thinge but rather shewes that it shall lie vnder the curse till the restauration of the Iewes Reu. 11.15 whereas he saith the contrarie of theese Kingdoms And yet the Iesuits Preists and other Papists goe aboute with the firebrands of errour and sedition that like Sampsons foxes they may at least spoile theese vines garnaries which are Gods and not as his foxes did the enemies Now they that are in authority may know if they will that Christ our d Can. 8.11 Salomon had a vineard he let it out vnto keepers and that therefore they should thinke of that e chap. 2.15 Take vs the foxes the litle foxes that spoile the vines Espetially seeing theire cunning Preists are such as the wonderworking dreamer and false Prophet of whome God saith f Deut. 13.8.9 and chap. 17.7 Thou shalt not consent vnto him nor hearken vnto him neither shall thine eye pitie him neither shalt thou conceale him But thou shalt surely kill him g Num. 25.16 Vexe the Madianites and smite them for they trouble you with theire wiles h Gal. 5.12 I would they were cut off that trouble you For theese indeede are the riuers and fountaines through which the waters of errour which come from the Romish Sea are conueied into euery corner of the Land to the destruction of Soules Theese fountaines and riuers are also as it were the dougs by which that Sea is nourished as they by it And indeede theese are they that venture to conuey floods of those waters of errour and treason into those Lands where Poperie is thrust out hopeing thereby to bringe people backe from the obedience of theire Princes and indeede of Christ himselfe vnto the obedience of the Pope theire Maister For which they haue beene iustly punished with death as is signified Reu. 16. The third Angel powred out his viall vpon the riuers and fountaines of waters and they became blood Which viall was indeede powred out aboute the yeare 1581. when in England it was ordained by publick authoritie that all they that should indeauour by any meanes to draw the mindes of the subiects from theire obedience toward theire lawfull and naturall Prince to the Pope or for that purpose should draw them to theire religion should be put to death as traitors the good example of which Edict was in some measure followed against the Iesuits in other Kingdoms And questionlesse this is that which is signified by that viall For indeede herein the Lord gaue them blood to drinke because they that brought theese waters of Rome brought them with the danger of theire liues and therefore they were not only turned to blood to those that sent them nor only to blood in themselues beeing apprehended but also if they escaped a while to conuey them they were also turned into blood to those that receiued them as Dauid saide of the water of Bethlehem which the three mightie men fetched him through the host of the Philistines 2. Sam. 23.17 is not this the blood of the men that went in Ieopardie of theire liues Thus the righteous God gaue the Preists and Iesuits blood to drinke who as wee know haue caused many good Christians to be killed by the Inquisition and by animating Popish Princes to make warre against Protestants This is that therefore vvhich the Angell of the waters saith there Thou art righteous ô LORD which art and wast and shall be because thou hast iudged thus for they haue shed the blood of Saints and Prophets and thou hast giuen them blood to drinke for they are worthy If Gods Word say they be worthy vvhat Christian vvill pleade for them that such lavves should not be executed on them Will they doe
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
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
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
they were liuely types of Antichrist and his instruments and of his secret freinds that are false brethren in other Churches and States Now therefore if any man thinke that Papists are more sincere in theire pretences to ProtestaÌ„ts let him remember what doctrine the Councell of Constance left them fidem Haereticis non seruandam yea let him reade Nauar. in Manual cap. 12. num 18. cap. 21. Sam. Aphor. tit de testibus and then tell me whether they thinke it lawfull to equiuocate and delude Hereticks with subtelties at least for the Catholick cause and how longe they are to be trusted I would he would iudge whome it most concerneth and espetially seeing God hath seemed to haue lately warned vs of such dangers I doe not meane so much by signes prodegies as by that which they haue donne to our brethren in other Kingdoms and prouinces Howsoeuer wee know that the Pope and his thinke and affirme * Symancha instit cathol cap. 45. num 13. Allan against the execution of Iustice c. 5. that warre vndertaken for the cause of religion is without controuersie lawdable and good x Thuan. hist lib. 42. ad ann 1585. lib. 62. and lib. 63. ad ann 1577. Symanch instit Cathol cap. 45. num 15. Platin in vita Greg 7. that peace is not te be made nor kept with Hereticks yea they say that the Pope hath right Imperia regna principatus quicquid habere mortales possunt auferre dare and that to whome he will as he saith and blasphemously he for this thinge abuseth that place Ier. 5.10 as Hadrian in an Epistle to the Archbishops of Treueire Mentz and Colen whence had the Emperour the Empire but from vs Behold the Empire is in our power to giue is to whome wee will For therefore are wee of God set ouer nations and Kingdoms to destroie to plucke vp to build and to plant What he and his beeing of the same body and opinion haue donne in theese times and daily goe aboute there is no neede to tell the matter it selfe declareth and that in many countries Such is theire industrie who as wee may well thinke will by theire tounges subtelties gifts hands and feete doe all things that they can for theire religion brethreÌ„ whome also wee know without commandement from God to endeauour with all possible labour night and day to venture theire verrie liues to proffit the Pope Church of Rome and to roote out the ProtestaÌ„ts although in all theese things they to theire euerlasting damnation profoundlie take the marke of the Beast in theire forheads and in theire hands And shall not wee then be content to goe forth for Christ and vnder Christ to doe as much as they while wee may both benefit the Church of Christ and secure our selues the voice saith of the whore sitting on many waters y Reu. 18. reward her as she hath rewarded you Behold then what they doe indeauour and then if thou beest a sincere Christian thou wilt say shall they doe theese things vnpunished theese things are all donne vndertaken not only out of coueteousnes or in a desire of rule but also for the Pope and Church of Romes sake yea for the Clergies sake and indeede by theire vncessant instigations but when the cause why they doe theese things shall be taken away theese will cease peace will ensue and Christ shall raigne alone in spirituall matters Wee knovv also that all things vvhich the Pope and his doe against vs for religion sake are verrie much against Christ as the Scriptures declare Wee may know also if vvee vvill how greate authority Christ hath giuen vnto his espetiallie vnto Kings and States to take from Rome and the Beast theire vvealth and not only to eate her flesh but also the flesh of her freinds Reuel 19.17 and that verrie iustly because many of our Brethren haue beene by them led captiue and slaine for as the Lord vvould haue the deedes of Ameleck remembred and recompensed Exod. 17.14 and 1. Sam. 15. so he saith concerning theese men Reu. 13.9.10 If any man haue an eare let him heare He that leadeth into captiuitie shall goe into captiuitie He that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword And therefore though they haue no auctoritie to take from the follovvers of Christ yet they vvhich are Christs ought to doe his commandements against those his enemies and vvhether theese things can be donne vvithout losse to any saue Rome only as also vvhether they that haue power should feare to doe his commandements and what it is to haue communion vvith so greate enemies the props of the Whore and Antichrist as 2. Corinth 6.14 Deuter. 7. vvhat it is to stand afarre off and not to fight vnder Christs Standart let any true Christian iudge seeing as a greate Prelate saide in a like case a Epise Winton Tortura Tort. in Epis Dedica This cause is of that kinde wherein when a man gathereth not with Christ he scatereth with Christs aduersarie where vnlesse one deliuer the faith neither shall he deliuer his Soule Also Now when the common cause is brought into danger let noe man be a spectatour but euerie one an actour and where the cause of all men is handled there with all power and labour with all studdie and indeauour to skirmish stoutly for it And herein in what low state soeuer a man be yet let him be a Christian. The cause of religion is in danger and if they that professe the same religion helpe not what religion the while is there in them The name Religion commeth of a word that signifieth to binde and it is a spirituall bond whereby the men of each profession are bound one vnto another and knit fast together in faith and loue as one body In the true religion they are knit together vnder Christ and are both bound vnto him theire head and also vnto one another as true members of the same body Is any member then of Christs body in danger and will not all the rest helpe He that will not helpe is he a member doth he not cut himselfe off from the body if he stand like a newter when Iabesh Gilead was in danger and the enemie sought b 1. Sam. 11.2.7 to lay it for a reproch vpon all Israell the feare of the Lord fell on the people and they came out as one man as one body euery man shewed himselfe a true member there vvas true Religion As therefore Christ counted himselfe touched vvhen his members vvere touched Act. 9.4 so ought it to be amonge the members of his body vvho vvhen one is in danger should all make it theire ovvne case and helpe vvhat they can c Iam. 1.27 Pure religion and vndefiled before God is this to helpe the distressed in theire affliction True Protestants are novv the Isâ—aell of God the diuers Nations are but as the seuerall tribes they should be all knit
on hard conditions bringe the protestant cause into a much worse state this beeing brought aboute thē appeares what was indeede the drift of theire designes They that are lukewarme and seeke theire owne not that which is Christs theese are willing to conniue they will not contradict the former but serue the times what euer they be others haue a desire to speake but there is no place for them amonge Princes others haue both place and will but they are affraide to such a one the holy Ghost saith n Hest 4.14 If thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time then shall there enlargement and deliuerance arise to the people of God from another place but thou and they Fathers howse shall be destroied How greate is the coldnes but why doe wee wonder when as it seemeth in the time of greatest danger the coldnesse should be so greate that the Angell standing in the Sunne should haue neede to crie with a loude voice as if men feared whether they might for Christs cause hurt his enemies peraduenture not allowing the cause of Religion to be a sufficient cause of warre although the aduersaries neither haue beene nor are so scrupulous and God hath saide of the Whore serue her as she hath serued you peraduenture pretending also that if this vvere granted the aduersaries vvould also openly say the same things for themselues the Diuell the Pope Papists vvill desire and indeauour that vvee may alvvayes be of that minde that in the meane time they who are otherwise affected may preuaile ouer vs all but in the meane while theese men who professe themselues Protestants are vnwilling to see that warre vndertaken as matters stand at this day both with our brethren with the faith it selfe yea with our selues also might rather be called defensiue * S. Francis Bacon Lo. Verulam his Consideratiōs Touching a warre with Spaine and preuentiue then offensiue the zeale and Iesuited Spirits of the aduersaries giueing all protestant Princes States soe iust cause of feare and preuenting care Neuerthelesse when our seeming protestāts to maske palliate theire owne trecherie in religion or at least to couer theire owne lukewarmenes and cowardise call this warre ignominious and the perswasion thereunto a Iesuiticall doctrine they doe not or will not see that this is to condemne those noble Kings and theire acts who shall make the whore desolate and naked and burne her with fire Is not that a warre vndertaken for religion sake and for Christs cause Let them therefore remember that there is greate difference betweene those who are of the true religion and those who only affirme or thinke themselues to be such betweene those who know that they shall fight against the enemies of Christ and those who only pretend or imagin this thinge betweene those vvho are moued to vvarre for the Popes and Church of Romes sake and those vvho are moued thereto for Christs and theire owne safeties sake betweene those who receiue the marke of the Beast haue his name for it seemes in theire meaning theire Armies are called Catholick Armies and themselues Catholicks that is vniuersals of theire ruler the Pope who is called the Catholick or Vniuersall Bishop Isa 63.19 in many things Christ beareth no rule ouer them therefore they are not called by his name at least not rightly yea betweene them that murther the Seruants of Christ and those who beare the marke of the liueing God follow and obey him by rooting out his enemies to the glorie of God and the libertie of the Church lastly betweene them who are hereto allured by the Beast and false Prophet and gathered together by the spirits of Deuils working myracles and those who are commanded of God concerning the whore sitting on many waters Reward her as she hath rewarded you double vnto her double c. And if this be as Deut. 7. yet Christ who is theire leader doth p Reu. 19.11.14 in righteousnes iudge and make warre they are no better to him then cananites and his Seruants follow him vpon white horses clothed in fine linnen white and cleane The blood therefore of theese his enemies doth not defile them Neither can any ouercome him who ouercommeth the Kings because he is q chap. 17. the Lord of Lords and Kinge of Kings and they that are with him are called chosen and faithfull There is therefore no danger or cause why theese Seruants of Christ should feare to fight least they should be vanquished in warre seeing vnto them the Lord hath r Reu. 16.10 chap. 17.14 chap. 18.10 chap. 19.18 assured victorie and to theire aduersaries destruction He that hath promised this thinge is theire Leader and ſ vers 11. he is called Faithfull and true He will surely do it Wee haue his word for this thinge And t 2. Tim. 2.13 if wee beleeue not yet he abideth faithfull he can not denie himselfe Those greate Searchers therefore that weigh the power of the aduersaries by the strength of theire humane forces and polecies wherein indeede they seeme to exceede vs are like the tenne that searched Canaan who dishartened the people with a relation of the enemies strength so farre are they from Calebs faith and courage who saw as much and yet saide u Num. 13.28 let vs goe vp at once and posesse it For though as Moses often saide they were seauen nations greater and mightier then Israel yet he knew that God had assured destruction to them and victorie to his people Such men therefore may doe well to remēber what Christ saith w Reu. 21.8 the fearefull and vnbeleeuing shall haue theire part in the lake They consider not that God doth commonly for his greater glorie ouercome the greatest enemies by a power weaker in all humane reason then themselues x Ioel 3.10 Beate therefore youre plow shares into swords youre pruning hookes into speares let the weake say I am stronge as the Prophet willeth and let no man withhold them from this warre fearing lest they should be defiled with blood or thinking the issue will be doubtfull and that therefore it would be better to perswade to peace which yet when he most would he shall hardly longe obtaine from them that are gouerned by the Pope Howsoeuer as Polibius saith * Polib Hist lib. 4. p. 300 If peace be iust and honest it is a worthy possession and most proffitable but if it be dishonourable and base it is of all things most shamefull pernitious Now if wee consider how the case hath stood and yet doth with our brethren the followers of Truth yea and with the Truth it selfe wee will then graunt what one proueth B. Hall Contemp on Dauid and Achish viz. that the true Servants of God are in theire places when they are in opposition to his enemies Profession of hostility becomes them better then leauges of amity And indeede while Protestants seeke or take peace of the Souldiers of
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