advantage of that and by corrupt arts under religious pretences rise to that greatness in the world as to cause the world to wonder after them do fairly seem to be prophetically pointed at by the Apostle as those which should carry on the Mystery of Iniquity to a greater height and prevalence when that which hindred was taken out of the way than it could reach to in the Apostles dayes But I need not lay the stress of proving the Authors of Popery to be the Actors of the second part of the Mystery of Iniquity upon this contexture of Scripture I have been beating upon for the thing I suppose will appear evident enough of it self if there had been no such thing written as what we have in 2 Thes 2. For if they out of a worldly design have corrupted the Christian Religion under pretence of Religion as the false Apostles did Then they must needs be found workers of Iniquity in a Mystery as well as they And whether they have or no comes next to be enquired into which brings me to the Second part of what I was to discourse and that is to justifie my comparing the Authors of Popery with the false Apostles in managing a carnal and worldly design in corrupting the Christian Religion under pretence of practising and promoting it S. 15. To prepare my way to this I shall premise for our better understanding that though the design and practice of the false Apostles and the Authors of Popery agree in the general nature of them yet they differ in some circumstances But then that wherein they do differ does not tend to extenuate but to aggravate the iniquity of the design of the Authors of Popery and to render it more criminal than the same design was whiles and as it was managed by the false Apostles The false Apostles acting their part in times of open opposition against Christianity and of persecution for so much as but confessing the name of Christ were under a sore temptation of doing what they did at the first only to save their lives and to preserve and get a livelihood in the World Whereas those that gave the first rise to Popery taking their turn in the world in Halcy on days and peaceable times when persecution for confessing Christ was not only ceased but them when the profession of Christianity was grown into honourable request with High and Low they were under no such temptation of doing what they did in the way of their design either to save their lives or livelihood or to obtain an honourable estate becoming Bishops of the Churches of Christ being therein prevented by the bounty of Christian Emperors But their design and the mâ—â—ns used to effect it was founded in an excessive thirst and exorbitant desire after greatness and worldly domination exceeding all bounds of moderation And this difference renders the iniquity of the worldly design in the false Apostles but little in comparison of what it was in the Authors of Popery Solomon saith Men do not despise a thief if he steal to satisfie his soul when he is hungry Prov. 6.30 They pitty such as through a kind of seeming necessity are drawn to do that which yet is no wise-justifiable under such a Circumstance when the same thing done by another under no such temptation is looked upon with indignation To acquaint you then with the first rise of Popery as founded in a worldly design as at the first I acquainted you with the rise of the false Apostles and their corrupting the Christian Religion founded in a design for this world I must first represent to you the ill use which some of the Bishops made of that peace and prosperity which the Church of God at last came to enjoy when the Emperors and Rulers of the world became Christians themselves and imployed their power and greatness to encourage and farther the profession and practice of Christianity For when the Bishops of the Churches came not only to be protected in the discharge of their Function by publick Authority but also to be greatly honoured and highly advanced for their Profession and Function sake some of them were not able to stand under so great a weight of honour as was cast upon them without being puft up and transported with Pride and Ambition And this Pride and Ambition put them upon striving and contending for precedency preheminence and superiority of Jurisdiction which settled at last in a claim of Supremacy made by the Bishop of Rome in arrogating to himself the Title of Vniversal Bishop over all Bishops and Churches in the world And out of this pretended headship grew by degrees the whole body of Popery by which the Christian Religion hath been corrupted This exorbitant Power claimed by the Bishop of Rome could not be upheld and maintained without the assistance of such other Bishops and Presbyters as were willing to own and defend this headship Nor could that be expected without their sharing in the worldly advantages to be obtained thereby Nor could that grandeur which they designed for themselves be maintained without a suitable Revenue Nor such a Revenue be raised had the plain honest and moderate methods of Christianity been observed in it For if those methods could have been observed and their turn served thereby they would never have been at the trouble of inventing and defending new ones That these ends designed therefore might be served certain additions to and corruptions of the Scriptures and Christian Religion were pitcht upon as the likeliest means to obtain them but yet to be managed so as that the people might be perswaded that those additions and corruptions were either parts of Christian Religion or necessary means to promote it And these additions and corruptions are the things which we call Popery and not any other things though held and done by Papists which yet are agreeable to the Scriptures and which other Christians hold and do as well as they I do not say nor indeed think that the first Authors and beginners of Popery had in prospect or did practise all the additions and corruptions which afterward were found out by their successors as necessary to secure and uphold the Usurped Power and Greatness No more did their predecessors the false Apostles begin with all the evil devices which they were afterwards led to to carry on their design I shall now therefore come to instance in some of those additions and to shew how they fall in with this worldly design projected by the Authors of Popery and how like they look to what was designed and done by the false Apostles It may be every one of those additions in difference between Protestants and Papists may not directly tend to promote their worldly design though many of them do remotely which do not immediately But yet that will afford them no relief though so it should be Because when men invent some errors for no other reason but because they are serviceable to them in
their carnal and corrupt designs it is not unusual for God then to give up such men to other absurd opinions and practices though not serviceable to them in any such way Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved but the love of some errors instead and under pretence of truth that they might compass and bring about their worldly design therefore and for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness saith St. Paul 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. I intend not to dispute the several points in difference between Papists and Protestants or to prove them to be such additions and corruptions as I term them to be for that hath been done many a time over sufficiently and abundantly already by Reformed Authors But methinks it should go as far and signifie as much with the Popish Laity if not much more as a just and full confutation of those additions as erroneous would do when they shall come to see how they have been abused and imposed upon by their Leaders and Guides and made to believe and do such things for the saving of their Souls as have no such tendency but the contrary and by dancing after their Pipe have been made use of as Engines meerly to work their ends and to serve their carnal design by them to squeez and drain them to fill themselves or as men make use of horses to carry them out of the dirt and to ease themselves by their labour Which puts me in mind of the woman that sate upon the Beast having upon her forehead a name written Mystery Babylon the great c. Rev. 17.3.5 All that I would desire of the Laity is that they would see with their own eyes and use their own reason in the things I shall now lay before them and not suffer their Clergie to blow out the Candle or to hoodwink them while they play tricks and pick their pockets In giving instances of the Popish corruptions by which the design of domination and worldly greatness hath been begun and carried on by the Romish Bishops and their Seconds and assistance under a Religious pretence I shall begin with that which was laid as the foundation of the Papal fabrick S. 16. First then they would bear the world in hand that the Bishops of Rome successively are St. Peter's successours and as such are invested with a kind of Apostolical Authority and their See the Apostolical See and that as St. Peter was superiour to all Bishops and Presbyters in jurisdiction so they as his successours are so too Yea that the Bishop of Rome for the time being is Christs Vicar on Earth and visible Head of the Church Which claim of theirs puts me in mind of those who said they were Apostles but were not but were found liars Rev. 2.2 And if it shall be affirmed that the Bishops of Rome are successours of these in their design and pretence they themselves have given a more cogent proof of it than ever they did of being St. Peter's successours in such headship and power as they pretend to But as the false Apostles by pretending to be Apostles indeed when they were nothing less did procure to themselves such a reputation with those that were deluded by them as did greatly advantage them in that worldly design which they undiscernedly carried on under that pretence just so have the Popes by making their deluded adherents believe that they are St. Peters successors Christs Vicars and head of the Church raised to themselves such a reputation as is greatly advantagious to them also in the like but greater worldly design of theirs For as the Proselytes of the false Apostles were by their delusive persuasion made not only plyant but even zealously active in serving them in their design so have the deluded adherents of the Popes been in like manner in serving them in theirs Into what mould may not such men cast the people when they have insinuated themselves into their opinion to be such marvellous men as they pretend themselves to be The Galatians though after the false Apostles had corrupted them began to look upon Paul with a jealous eye as if he had been their enemy by exposing them to that trouble in professing the Gospel which the other taught them how to avoid yet so long as they retained that veneration for him which sometime they had while they esteemed him the undoubted Apostle of Christ they could if it had been possible have pluckt out their very eyes to have given him as he saith Gal. 4.15 16. And when the false Apostles were taken for true ones they had such an interest in the deluded people thereby as that they did even what they would with them Which made St. Paul say ye suffer if a man bring you into Bondage if a man devour you if a man take of you if a man exalt himself 2 Cor. 11.20 Words doubtless applicable to the Popish Laity upon as great reason as ever they were to the deluded Corinthians So great is the power of false opinion when men whether false Apostles or Popes are taken to be what they least are Besides as this lofty claim and high pretence of supremacy and headship over the whole Christian world prepared the Popes way for commanding and doing what he pleased among them that received and owned him in that capacity So it was the direct road to the highest pitch of Vain Glory that is of being esteemed and honoured for what he is not since all mâ—n are wont to proportion the honour they give to men according to what they esteem them to be And honey is not sweeter to the mouth than honour and glory is to ambitious minds And therefore if Diotrephes loved to have the preheminence and the false Apostles thought it a prize worth striving for to be counted the head of a small party when but low and kept under in the world how was his Holinesses fancy tickled may we think with the contemplation of being Vniversal Head of the whole Christian World And what would not ambitious men give or do for such a purchase and to keep it when they have it Simon Magus we know would have purchased the power of working Miracles as the Apostles did with money but for what end but that he might not be outdone by the Apostles and so lose that high esteem he had among the people whom he had deceived with his Magick as if he had been the great power of God even as the Popes have done by their Arts. I appeal to the Papists themselves is it not apparent that honour from men was a great part of the prize for which the Bishop of Rome ran when he first laid his design for Universal Bishop and to bring all others under him And hath it not been a sweet morsel to his successors for the time
being to be adored by the people as St. Peters successor as Christs Vicar and visible head of his Church and to be saluted with the appellation of The most Holy Lord the Pope and to have Kings do homage and kneel to them yea and to kiss their very feet That Pope understood well enough what he said when he said What need of the Net when the Fish is caught Certainly this seeking and receiving honour from men at this rate by the Popes hath been no very good argument to prove themselves St. Peters successors who was so shie as we know of being worshipped by Cornelius and of receiving too much honour from men when he had wrought a Miracle indeed for he said Ye men of Israel why marvel ye at this or why look ye so earnestly on us as though we by our own power or holiness had done this Act. 3.12 Unity in Religion indeed hath been pretended as the reason of the necessity of such an universal visible Headship as the Bishops of Rome have claimed But unity of Consent and endeavour in the people to honour them as such and to maintain them in that magnificence which hath followed that pretence and claim hath doubtless been at the bottom when the other hath been at the top as is visible in the effects of it If this were not so they would never so patiently endure those many differences and bitter contests about Religion as they do which are among the several Orders of men under their Government provided they do but all agree in owning the Pope and his claim of Succession Supremacy and Universal headship Whereas let any but whisper any thing against this and he shall quickly find a watchful eye over him and a heavy hand upon him So that 't is self-interest which is the White aimed at that still governs in the use of what power and preheminence is obtained though other things to cover the design are pretended S. 17.2 Another of their corruptions is a pretence to an Insallibility in the Popes in their Decrees Canons Constitutions and Determinations derived from St. Peter by virtue of their succeeding him Not that it can be reasonably thought that they can in earnest believe any such thing concerning themselves For several things uttered and done by them or some of them have bewrayed their own misgivings as to this as I could shew However they think fit to set a good face on 't outwardly to the world as being a thing necessary and useful for the carrying on of their worldly design For by perswading the people to believe such a thing concerning them they get a great advantage to make them become perfectly their creatures For if the people be made to believe that the Popes are Infallible and cannot err in the things aforesaid then they can have no pretence to dispute any thing imposed upon them by them but according to their own belief must become perfectly Vassals and yield absolute obedience to them A thing than which what could be more cunningly contrived by the Popes and their Confederates to serve their ends upon the people S. 18.3 And because several Religious Orders of men were thought as necessary to support this Ecclesiastical Monarchy as the Janizaries and Bassa's are to support the Turkish therefore some things likewise were thought necessary to procure reverence and respect to the Popes dependants in their several Orders and Degrees to the end the people might stand the more in awe of them and be the more ready to yield Obedience to them in execution of the several Offices and Orders they have received from the Pope their Head One of which is a power of Absolution and Forgiveness of sins vested in their Priests Another is a power of making a God for the people to worship by Transubstantiating the Bread and Wine in the Sacrament into the Real Body and Blood of Christ And who would not be glad of the favour of such wonderful men and do any thing to please them And by Auricular confession to a Priest another of their corruptions they lay the people under their mercy being thereby masters of their Secrets besides the advantage of giving intelligence in special cases which must needs keep them in a continual awe of them And by their receiving the Sacrament in both kinds when the Laity are suffered to receive it but in one another of their corruptions a great and sacred difference forsooth is put between the Clergy and Laity And besides the effect of the peoples publick Devotions is made to depend upon the intention of the Priest another corruption and therefore no need of having their Divine Service in the Vulgar tongue another corruption likewise added to that All still tending to make the people the more dependant upon the Clergy and the more governable by them in all things while they live and to be in the better disposition to be directed and prevailed upon by them in disposing of a good part of their Estates to the use of the Church when they die S. 16.4 Although the Scripture saith that every one shall bear his own burden and give an account of himself to God and tho' Christ hath said Search the Scriptures and the Bereans for doing so were highly commended yet in contradiction hereto the doctrine of Implicitie faith is set on foot by which men are taught to believe as the Church believes i. e. as their Priests believe they believing what the Pope or the Pope and a General Council of their own have defined for matter of faith And this also is one of their corruptions and the forbidding the Laity to read the Scriptures without licence from their Bishop is another and so is their Tenent that Ignorance is the mother of devotion And what is their end in these things Vnity in the faith and to keep people from running into heresie is pretended and is not puting out a mans own eyes that he may be led by another a good expedient not to miss his way but their end is to secure their corrupt principles and fraudulent arts from being inquired into by the people and that the Laity may depend upon them as infallible Oracles even in those things which are imposed upon them under one Religious pretence or other when in truth it is but to serve the Pope and his Clergies interest and to work their ends upon them undiscovered It is that the people might entirely and tamely resign up themselves to them and be wholly at their dispose in what they would have them believe and do though otherwise it should seem to them never so unreasonable And therefore Bellarmine de Rom. pontif l. 4. c. 5. fin was not ashamed to affirm that if the Pope should err in forbidding Virtues and commanding Vices yet the Church were bound to believe Vices to be good and Virtues bad unless she should sin against conscience But when the blind that are led and the blind that lead are both in the