Luther of error by solid demonstrations out of the Word of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but mainly because his doctrine was contrary to the decrees of Popes c. He doth also charge and command Patriarchâ— Metropolitans Primats Archbishops Bishops and all other Ecclesiastical Orders downward even to the begging Friarâ— and then all Kings Electors of the Empire Princes Dukes and so on and at last all men throughout the whole univerful world the very voyce proper and native language of the grand Antichrist on pain of the great Excommunication that they do not embrace Luthers doctrine nor adhere to or favour his person Now the Popes challenged this supremacy in some degree soon after the fourth Century Pope Innocent the first drew all Appeals from other Bishops to the Apostolick Sea according to former Statutes and Customs as be he saith in his Epistle to Victricius Innocent Epist 2. ad Vâ—coriâ—ium Majores cansae ad sâ—dem Apostolicam sicut Synodus statuit beata consuaetudo exigit Aâ—no 404 or 406. post judicium Episcopale reseruntur not to speak of their claiming the title of Vniversal Bishop nor yet their assuming the title of Pontifex Maximus the name of the cheif Heathenish Priest among the Romans which dignity many of the Emperors had annexed to their Imperial greatness which Graecian the Emperor first renounced Anno 380 and the rest after him they did about that time plainly arrogate and usurp a judiciary power over Councils and Churches As in the time of Innocentius the first who did sue for and obtained of the Emperor Honorius Priority of place suffrage and censure over all Churches In his time therefore Historians report the Roman Church began to swell with pride and to usurp Jurisdiction over other Churches And this appears by the insolent letter which this Pope Innocent the first sent to the fifth Council of Carthage in which Council the heresie of Pelagius was condemned This Council sent their letters to this Bishop of Rome expressing therein the decree of the Council See Sympsons History of the Church Cont. 5. The answer that this Innocentius returned to this Council was intermized with words of swelling pride as if no decree could be firm unless it had the allowance of the Roman chair Besides they did then claim this prerogative that Appeals ought to be made to the Bishop of Rome from all Churches and he to give the last definitive sentence yea so zealous were they about this time that three Popes Zosimus Boniface Coelestine did in the sixth Council of Carthage in which Saint Augustine was present in the cause of one Appianus who had appealed out of Affrick unto Rome as many had done before not onely challenge the receiving of Appellations from all Churches but also forge a decree of the great Council of Nice which had been almost a hundred years before to support it This was by the Fathers of the Synod indeed then rejected and the pretended Canon found to be forged and spurious yet this was a right by the Popes then challenged Before the Council of Constantinople which some reckon to be in Anno 381. others in Anno 383. Wolphius Lection memorab Tom. 1. p. 131. saith Hoc scilicet tempore gliscebat Antichristus Rome i.e. Antichrist did then begin to appear at Rome c. yea that very Council of Constantinople consisting of 150 Bishops moderated by Nectarius Archbishop of Constantinople did acknowledge the Primacy of the Bishop of Rome onely reserving to the Bishop of Constantinople the second place among the Bishops and immediately after this Council the Bishop of Rome did mightily labour to draw all causes to his own Consistory Morn Mystery of Iniquity p. 40. But this Supremacy they were ambitious of long before as learned Brightman and others observe for in the first great Council of Nice where Constantine was present the Bishop of Rome was not there of whose absence Bellarmin gives two reasons 1. It did not seem convenient that the Head should follow the Members 2. Because in the Eastern Councils always the Emperor was present or his Ambassador who did challenge the first Bellarm. l. 1. de Concil Eccles c. 29. at least material place to himself Lest therefore he should either suffer this or else make a tumult he would not go to the Council but rather sent his Ambassadors Hence Brightman concludes That in the time of this Council the man of Rome though not outwardly and openly Home Romae Brightman Antichrist Nascen Antichrist Crescent Antichrist Reâ—nant and Triumphant He was the first when he usurped an universal Authority over all Bishops See Dr. Crackinthorp his Treatise of General Councils cap. 13. p. 186. yet inwardly and secretly did lift up himself above all that is called God 2 Thess 2.4 From all which I conclude that about 400 years after Christ the grand Antichrist was not only as a great big Embrio swelling in the womb and ready to come forth but rather as a childe lately born lying in the cradle that it is probable yea I may say more then probable that between 403 and 410 Antichrist begun Object Daniel speaking of these horns intimates that the little horn Antichrist that grew so great should come up after the rest Dan. 7 24. Answ He spake as it were in his preception and observation the little horn rose with the rest but he did not discern it until he considered the horns as is were with a prying eye vers 8. And as it was in the Vision so it was in the accomplishment indeed he rose imperceptibly because the world mistook what manner of Creature he should be No we may rather suspect that Antichrist was up before the Kings the Papacy having such strange appearance of him before any of the Kings sprung up Rev. 17.12 And so some read these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They received power as Kings one hour not with the Beast but after the Beast Thus I have given two Indices or Evidences to prove and that a priori that the 1200. and 60. days are near to a period And so the Earthquake that must ruine the Beast is at hand But there are two other Evidences of it a posteriori which are more certain and more indubitable 1. The slaying of the Witnesses or rather their lying dead in the street of the great City which precedes the great Earthquake which shall be at their resurrection Centemporary with which resurrection as a second Evidence is the pouring out of the fifth Vial upon the throne of the Beast Some think this vial is now about to be poured out for at the pouring out of this Vial this great Earthquake begins and so continues and ends not till the pouring out of the seventh Vial. Of the first of these see the following AN EXPOSITION OF THE XI CHAP. OF THE REVELATION THere are many important things contained in the Revelation of
Saint John which do relate to our present times especially in the 11. Chap. and in Chap. 16. in the Description of the pouring out of the Vials of Gods wrath This 11. Chap. is the heart and kernel of the whole Book The eleventh Chapter goes through all the three Periods of times before mentioned and is as it were an abridgement of the whole Revelation It is declared unto John how things shall come 〈◊〉 the Christich Church In the first Period verse the first Period 1. In the second Period verse 9.10.11 Period 2. In the third Period from verse 11. to the end Period 3. Vers 1 In the first Period vers 〈◊〉 thus writeth John 〈…〉 And there was given unto me a Read like unto a Rod and the Angel 〈◊〉 saying Wise and measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein Here he gathering and building of the Christian Church is commanded unto John under the measuring of the Jewish Temple 〈◊〉 Jerusalem the length whereof not 60. Cubits breadth 20. height 120. which Cubical number of the Dimensions of the Jewish Temple hold of â—â—th of the mystical Temple the number of the New Testament the number of them that are sealed which is 144,000 By which is meant the regular purity of the Church and Religion at the first which is set forth under the particular vision or mystery of measuring the inner Court of the Temple situate immediately next the holy of holies where God dwelt between the Cherubins Intimating that the Primitive Church and Religion therein immediately next unto Jesus Christ and his Apostles was exactly examined by and conforme to the measuring reed of the written word of God and therefore singularly pure and holy The Church was then gloriously beautified and cloathed with the sun of righteousness Cha. 12.1 had the moon under her feet despised all earthly and worldly things and raigned over the works of darkness and she had upon her head a crown of twelve Stars the Apostles and the wholesome Doctrine of the same Chap. 12.2 But though this was a time of great purity yet it was a time of great persecution under which the Church was built up at that time then the Dragon under the Heathen Emperors raged against the Church the Christians were persecuted banished and put to cruel deathe killed like Sheep appointed to the slaughter hence not onely the Temple but also the Altar is said to be measured and them that worship therein i.e. in the inner Court where the Altar of burnt Offerings stood where the Priests did Sacrifice called Thysiasterium Hereby the holy Ghost meanes the Christian Church should be exposed to afflictions and persecutions suffer many grievous forments and tribulations therefore he â—â—â—seth the suffering and miseries they should undergo to be measured out to them whereby he setteth certain bounds to the Tyrants beyond which they cannot go and when they are come so far then must vengeance overtake them hence it is that the sacrificed souls of the Martyrs who were slayn for the word of God and testimony of Jesus and lye under the Altar as slaughtered Sacrifices cry with a loud voyce to the lord holy and true for vengeance Rev. 6. vers 9 10. yet under all these persecutions they did worship i. e. serve â—o daâ— with purity so with perseverance so the end they did stick close to him in all sorts of persecutions even to the yeilding up and sacrificing of their bodies and lives Now the persecution of this pure Apostolical Church continued 300. years till at last Constantine the great came to the Imperial seat whereby the reign of the Dragon came to an end the Dragon was cast out of the Church-heaven Rev. 12. This regular purity of the Church ordered according to the Scripture rule and standard continued till after the death of Theodosius it continued till the beginning of the 42. months when the Devil left his shape of a Dragon and resigned his host with his residence and seat and great authority unto the beast with ten hornes See before p. 10 11. when it rose out of the Sea Rev. 13.1 Vers 2. But the Court which is without the Temple leave out and measure it not for it is given to the Gentiles and the holy City they shall tread under foot forty two months Here in this verse and verses following the second period is set down viz. under the Antichristian Vicar in two Synchronismes or concurrences of times First the Gentiles tread the Holy City under foot 42. months Secondly The two witnesses prophecy in sackcloth 260 days To begin with the first where begins the Churches Apostacy from her primitive Apostolical purity which is set forth under the particular vision of the outward Court of the Temple further distant and remote from the holy of holies signifying the Church succeeding the Primitive Church in the following ages should not be in Religion so regular and conforme to the Canon and measuring reed of Gods word as the primitive Church but should grow irregular and exorbitant in gentilish idolatrous worship Prophaning it as if heathenisme were again revived for heathemish Idolatry by Popery is brought in again The Heathens worshipped Saturn Jupiter Juno Venus c. in the Popish Religion Mary Peter Paul George are set up in stead of these and called upon in time of distress so there is but little difference between them Here more particularly let us consider 1. A prophetical direction to leave out the outward Court or holy City and nor to measure it the outward Court and holy City seem to be all one the latter exegetical to the former For the outward Court was the Place for the holy City or the people of Israel to meet for divine worship yea in the wilderness the Tabernacle having but one court into which ordinarily it was not lawful for any to enter into but the Priests and Levites there was no outward Court but the tents of Israel or the Holy City So these words outward Court and holy City mutually explain one another So then by the outward Court here is to be understood the outward worship and service of God which consisted in the outward appearance and a company of superstitious ceremonies whereof God takes no notice but rejecteth it leave it out measure it not saith the Angel 2. We have a reason of this direction for it is given to the Gentiles c. i. e. this outward Court or holy City unmeasured is given to the Gentiles i. e. It was to be left out or cast out as prophane and that which God will make no account of yea to be given to the Gentiles to be trodden under foot 42. months i. e. it shall be given or left by Gods just dispensation to the Gentiles vix to them that exercise Gentilish Idolatrous Worship the event whereof should be treading under foot the holy City as the Gentiles trod Jerusalem under foot hostilly