MYSTICAL BABYLON UNVAILED Wherein is Proved I. That Rome-Papal is mystical-Babylon II. That the Pope of Rome is the Beast III. That the Church of Rome is the great Whore IV. That the Roman-Priests are the false Prophet ALSO A CALL To all the People of God To come out of BABYLON By HANSERD KNOLLYS a Servant of Jesus Christ Isa 57.14 Take up the stumbling-block out of the way of my People Rev. 18.6 Reward her even as she Rewarded you Printed Anno Domini 1679. Isaiah Thomas NEC ELATUS NEC DEJECTUS An Epistle to the Reader Ingenuous Reader IT is an Astonishment beyond the â—â—nary Comprehensions of Nature Reason and Religion that the Papists espâ—â—â—â—â—â— the Priests and Jesuits of the Church of Rome so odious in their bloody Tenents so prodigious in their Hellish Plots such incâ—â—crable Incendiaries and furious Assâ—â—ns for murdering of Princes should be suffered to increase and indulged to multiply in a Protestant Nation as of late years they have done in this Kingdom Assuredly it could never have been so but that the Lord in his just Indignation against us for our God-provoking Sins of Atheism Idolatry Profaneness Adultery and other heinous wickedness intends and suffers us to ripen and be prepapared for some dreadful Judgment which God may justly bring upon this Land and Nation by the hand of the Papists if we Repent not of those Abominations and do not reform them It is more than Manifest by woful Experience that the main End of the Papists in all their Plots and Conspiracies is the utter Destruction of the Protestants whom they call Hereticks and the Protestant-Religion in England especially and the Re-establishment of the Popish-Religion of the Church of Rome in this Kingdom which End the Popish-Recusants in England in this Bloody and Traiterous design that Damnable and Hellish Plot contrived and carried on by them for Assassinating and Murdering the King Subverting the Government and for Rooting out and Destroying the Protestant-Religion as the King and Parliament have voted and declared are still endeavouring 〈◊〉 effect and bring to pass The concurrent 〈◊〉 our grand and greatest Enemies 〈◊〉 the World durst not entertain a Thought of Invasion did they not Hope when Time serves to find amongst us a Side and Faction of numerous and Seditious Papists to joyn with them Were we rid of the Papists and were Idolatry Atheism Whoredom and Blasphemy put away as in Policy Reason and Religion these ought to be The Royal Person of the King would be safe from Assassination and the Government secure from Subversion And the Protestants and Protestant-Religion free from utter Destruction by the blessed Protection of Almighty God Conformity unto all Oaths Tests and outward formal Satisfactions of State concurring with a full Mystical-Babylon Vnvailed The Method that I have chosen to Unvail Mystical-Babylon is by proving these four Propositions viz. 1. That Rome-Papal is mystical-Mystical-Babylon 2. That the Pope of Rome is the Beast 3. That the Church of Rome is the great Whore 4. That the Roman-Priests are the false Prophet Proposition I. That Rome-Papal is mystical-Mystical-Babylon EAstern Babylon of Nebuchadnezzar in Chaldaea was a famous City Called the Lady of Kingdoms (a) Isa 47.1 5. and the glory of Kingdoms (b) Isa 13.19 under whose Kings the People of God were Captivated and oppressed violently (c) 2 Chron. 36.14 -20. and Jer. 51.34 35. For which violence done to Zion and other God-provoking Sins that great City and Kingdom was destroyed by Cyrus King of Persia (d) Isa 45 1-4 and 47 1-9 whom God raised up to execute his righteous Judgments upon them for their Iniquities loâ—â— before Saint John's time Therefore Mysterie Babylon the great so Named Revel 17.5 is some other great City which doth resemble Old-Babylon for Idolatry Jerem. 5.47 Persecution Lam. 5.1.5 Violence Jerem. 51.25 Oppression Jerem. 50.33 Isa 14.4 and Pride Isa 47.1 5 7. And thou saidst I shall be a Lady for ever I am and none else besides me And so doth Mystical-Babylon say in her Heart Revel 18 7. I sit a Queen Also Blood-guiltiness Psalm 79.1 2 3. The blood of thy Servants have they shed like Water round about Jerusalem and so doth mystical-Mystical-Babylon Revel 26.6 For they have shed the Blood of Saints and Prophets Rev. 18.24 As the City Jerusalem was Spiritually called Sodom and Aegypt (e) Rev. 11.8 where our Lord was crucified So Rome Pagan and Papal is Mystically called Babylon where the Saints have been and shall be killed (f) Rev. 6.9 10 11. Rev. 11.7.16 6. Rev. 18.13 24. And in her was found the Blood of Prophets and of Saints and of all that were slain upon the Earth That which Jesus Christ revealed by his Angel unto his Servant John touching mystical-Mystical-Babylon in this Prophecy of the Revelation can agree to no other City but Rome only For first No other City in Saint John's time was built upon Seven Mountains or Hills but Rome only Revel 17.5 8 9 18. And the seven Heads are seven Mountains on which the Woman Sitteth called the great City verse 18. whose Name is Mysterie Babylon the great verse 5. So Propertius (g) Propert. Eleg. 10. l. 3. Septem urbs alta Jugis toti quae praesidet Orbi Virgil (h) Virgil. Georg. 2. ω. Pulcherrima Roma Septem quae una sibi Muro circumdedit arces Ovid. 1. de Tristibus l. 3. Elog. 7. Dumque suis victrix septem de Montibus Orbem Prospiciet domitum Martia Roma Legar Ovid i Cornel. à Lap. (k) Cornel. à Lap. in Apoc. 17.3 9. In septem Montibus patet denotari Romam Bellarm. l Bellar. de R. P. l. 2. c. 2. l. 3. c. 12. So do Viegas Suarez Ribera and divers others affirm That by Babylon in the Book of the Revelation Rome is Figured forth And the Remists in their Testament acknowledge That by Babylon is meant Rome See their Notes on 1 Pet. 5.13 and upon the 17. and 18. Chapters of the Revelation Secondly No other City in the World had seven Kings that is Seven several Kinds of Governours succeeding one another but Rome only Revel 17.10 And there are seven Kings five are fallen and one is and the other is not yet come The five Kings that were fallen past and gone before John's time are mentioned by Tit. Livius l. 6. What the Romans did saith Livy under their Kings and after under their Consuls Dictators Decemvirs and Consular-Tribunes whither as to Wars abroad or suppressing Troubles at home I have set forth in five Books And this One is (m) Rev. 17.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. the Emperour for the Caesars were the the sixth Head of Rome who Reigned in St. John's time The other is not yet come viz. the Seventh Head of Rome or the Seventh King or Kind of Roman-Governour to wit the Popes of Rome Revel 17.11 And HE that is the POPE is of the Seven and goeth into Perdition This
Seventh Kind of Government of the Roman-Kingdom by Popes was not come in Saint John's Time So then it is manifest that Rome is the City which had seven Kings Heads or Kinds of Governours that succeeded one another Now let any One shew us another City that hath had seven Kings or several Kinds of Governours Et erit mihi magnus Apollo And let him be Pope Thirdly No other City in Saint John's time did Reign over the Kings of the Earth but Rome only Rev. 17.18 And the Woman which thou sawest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is that City the Great verse 5. Mystery Babylon the Great viz. Rome which Reigneth over the Kings of the Earth Yea it is very evident by the Testimony and Confession of many Popish-Writers who for their Learning and Dignity in the Church of Rome were Eminent That Rome is that great City which by the Emperours Authority in Saint John's time and by the Pope's Power since hath Reigned and still Reigneth over the Kings of the Earth (n) Bellarm. lib. 3. de Pont. R. c. 13. Per Meretricem intelligi Romam Bellarmin saith That Rome is to be understood by the great Whore Cardinal Poole (o) Polus Cardinal de Concilio p. 91. Petri Cathedram super omnia Imperatorum Solia omnia Regum tribunalia Constituit Christus saith Christ hath set Peter's Chair above all the Thrones of Emperours and above all the Tribunals of Kings But Christ did not sit in any such Chair of Kingly State as the Pope doth nor did Saint Peter nor any of Christ's Apostles no not Saint Paul the chiefest of all the Apostles 2 Cor. 11.5 and 12.11 (p) Isodorus Musconius de Majestate Ecclesiae Milit. l. 1. c. 7. p. 26. Venetiis anno 1602. Pontifex Romanus est Judex universalis Rex Regum Dominus Dominantium Abra. Bzovius de Pont. Rom. Coloniae Agrip 1619. says Papa est Christianorum Monarcha Mortalium Supremus Judex Coeli Arbiter Orbis cap. 1.3 16 32 45. Celsus Mancinus de Juribus Principatuum Romae 1596. lib. 3. cap. 1 2 c. saith Papa est totius Orbis Dominus Potestas Papae temporalis est omnium aliarum Potestatum eminentissima Aliaeque Potestates omnes ab illo dependent Isodorus Musconius saith That the Pope of Rome is the Universal Judge HE is King of Kings and Lord of Lords However That Testimony recorded Luke 2.1 2 3. is undeniable And it came to pass in those Days that there went out a DECREE from Caesar Augustus the Roman Emperour that all the World should be Taxed From what hath been Confessed and Testified by the Papists themselves it is plain and evident That Rome-Papal is Mystical-Babylon (q) Viegas in Apoc. 17. Com. 1. S. 3. Inquit Nomine Babilonis urbem Romam significari in hoc Apocalypsis opere ubi toties Babilon nominatur vid. Orosium lib. 2. c. 3. Hist Par. in Apoc. 14.8 Proposition II. That the POPE of Rome is the BEAST THe great Monarchs and Monarchies of this World have been Figured forth by Beasts of Prey God shewed his Prophet Daniel the four great Kingdoms of this World viz. the Assyrio-Caldean the Medi-Persian the Grecian and the Roman Kingdoms by a Vision of four Ravenous and devouring Beasts Dan. 7.3 4. 8. (a) Dan. 7.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And behold a fourth Beast the Roman-Kings and Kingdoms with seven Heads and ten Horns and upon the Horns ten Crowns And upon his seventh Head two Horns like a Lamb Rev. 13.1.11 dreadful and terrible c. ver 7. Exceedingly And divers from all the other three Beasts And Jesus Christ shewed his Apostle John the same fourth Beast Rev. 13.2 And the Beast that I saw was like unto a Leopard and his Feet were as the Feet of a Bear and his mouth as the mouth of a Lyon And the Dragon (b) That old Serpent the Devil and Satan For the Devil and the Pope are alike as Father and Son in many Things The Devil contradicted Gods word Gen. 3.4 So doth the Pope 1 Tim. 4.3 forbidding to Marry This confesseth Christ Mark 3.11 but denies his Laws So doth the Pope Rev. 13.11 15 16 17. The Devil would be worshipped as God Matth. 4.6 The Pope would be Exalted above all that is called God or that is worshipped 2 Thes 2.4 gave him his Power his Throne and great Authority And he spake as the Dragon ver 11. The most full Description of the Roman-Papal Beast is expresly written in the 17. Chapter of the Revelation And the Angel said unto me ver 7. I will tell thee the Mystery of the Woman and of the Beast c. This BEAST the Angel described unto St. John in three particulars which can agree with no other Persons Powers Emperours Kings The Devil challengeth to be the disposer of all Kingdoms of the Earth Luke 4 5 6 7. So doth the Pope of Rome vid. Bellarm lib. 5. cap. 8. de Pont. Rom. nor Dominion in the World but the Popes of Rome only First by his Past Present and Future State ver 8. The Beast that Was and Is not and yet IS Secondly by his twofold Number ver 11. HE is the Eight and 〈◊〉 of the Seven Thirdly by his Rise and Ruine vers 8. 11. The Beast shall ascend out of the bottomless Pit and go into Perdition That lawless One the Son of Perdition and goeth into Perdition First The Beast is described by his PAST State Rev. 17.8 The Beast which thou Sawest WAS and is not that is to say The Roman State and Kingdom was formerly and even in St. John's Time what it is not now in our Time in divers Respects viz. 1. The Roman Kingdom was then a Power ordained of God Rom. 13.1.7 unto which Roman-Power our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ being then in the Form of a Servant Phil. 2.7.8 was obedient to Death So were Christs Disciples and the Primitive Christians Search those Scriptures (c) Mar. 12.17 Acts. 25.10.11 1 Pet. 2.13 14 15. Tit. 3.1 Not only Paul but Peter and Christ himself was Subject to the Roman-Pagan Emperours Kings and Governors But the Beast of the eighth Head the Pope of Rome will be the Supreme Power over all Kings Kingdoms In Bella Coenae Dom. Sect. 3 4 5. against Queen Elizabeth and all Hereticks vid. Remonstran Hibernorum per R. Caron part 1. cap. 3. Sect. 4. pag. 7. The Roman Powers though Pagan Persecutors of Christ and Christians WAS Gods Ordinance of Magistracy until the Ten Kings gave the Beast the Pope of Rome his Power his Throne and great Authority Rev. 13.2 And then the Angel told St. John HE is not viz. The Beast of the seventh and eighth Head is not Gods Ordinance of Magistracy nor a Power ordained of God Here let it be Seriously considered That the Dragon which gave the Beast his Power Throne and great Authority Was not the Roman-Pagan-Emperours for they never gave their Power and great Authority
solùm in Spiritualibus quoque Imperatore Rege major est Papa sed etiam in temporalibus over Emperours and Kings of the Roman-Kingdom And HE IS the EIGHT with Respect of his Hierarchical or Pontifical-Power (o) Oriohou in Chymer 10 l. 97 Quanto creatura Deo tanto Impeperatoria Majestas est Papae inferior The Pope is the seventh Head in Nature and Kind and an Eight also in Degree and Power Hen. Bish of Meath of Antichrist pag. 11. or Principality which was also there before under former Roman-Governments For as to matters of Religion the Romans had of old Instituted by Numa Pompilius their Pontifices or under-Priests and over them a Chief Priest called Pontifex Maximus which lower Priests were exempted from civil Jurisdiction and only Ordered and Governed by him who was their Pontifex Maximus HE himself not being accountable to any (p) Dionys Halicarnass Ant. Rom. 12. Godwin's Antiq. lib. 2. Sect. 2. cap. 15. And therefore the Pope is said to be of the SEVEN with Respect of his Imperial and Pontifical Power unto which HE hath Advanced himself in his Dominion and Titles above all Principalities and Powers on Earth no Kings nor Emperours being excepted or exempted (q) Triplex imperium habet Papa in terra in coelo ubi Chirstus nullum habit in Purgatorio in cujus signum Tiara Papalis triplici coronâ ornata est Caeremon l. 1. Sect. 5 c. 9. Sect. 7. f. 78. Hab. 3.4 and Zech. 1.18.21 And so in his exalted Power of Imperial and Pontificial Horns the Pope of Rome became the BEAST of the Eighth Head Rev. 17.11 Who did Rise out of the Earth having two Horus like a Lamb Rev. 13.11 Horns do signifie Power in the Prophesies of the Holy Scripture of Truth as in Dan. 8.20 21 22 23 24. (r) Purgatorium est peculium Papae saith Angelus Parisiensis Antoninus part 3. tit 22. cap. 5. Sect. 6. 7. Bal. in vita Leonis 10. c. Patres concil Lateran Sess 10. in Orat. Steph. Patracensis So that the two Horns of that Beast the Pope of Rome signifie his two fold Power Political and Ecclesiastical or Imperial and Pontifical twisted and united together in his Seventh and Eighth Headship For even HE is the Eight and is of the Seven Rev. 17.11 This Number of the BEAST viz. the Seventh and Eighth can agree with none of the Roman Heads but Popes only The third Particular or Part of the Angels Description of the Roman-Papal-BEAST of the Seventh and Eighth Head is by his RISE and RUINE Rev. 17.8 11. The BEAST shall ascend out of the Bottomless Pit and go into Perdition ver 11. And goeth into Perdition I shall here shew briefly first his Rise then his Ruine Whereby it will more plainly appear That the Pope of Rome is the BEAST First as to the Rise of the Beast of the Seventh and Eight Head viz. the Pope of Rome we find in the Roman Histories That Constantine the Great changed the Seat of the Emperour from Rome to Constantinople thereby leaving the City of Rome as it were vacant After his Death the Roman-Empire was divided and the Roman-Eagle having two great Wings spread her self into the Eastern and Western Empires At last about anno 475. the Western Empire quite expired in Augustulus (s) Ambrose Cyrill Theophylact upon 2 Thes 2.6 7. When the Roman Empire shall be taken out of the Way then shall Antichrist Come For the Empire having been invaded by the Goths and Vandals and other barbarous Nations by whom also Rome it self was taken and possessed about fifty years The Pope or Bishop of Rome himself being also expelled out the City of Rome Chrysostome 2 Thes 2.6 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and put to seek for a Time another Place of abode About the year 607. Boniface III. (t) Prideaux Introduction of Histories Interval 7. Sect. pag. 89. then Bishop of Rome obtained from Phocas then Emperour of the East That not the Patriarch of Constanstinople but the Bishop of Rome should be Vniversal Bishop And now was the Title of Pope appropriated to the Bishop of Rome which was before communicated to other Patriarchs and Bishops also indifferently After this Pope Gregory VII contended with the Emperour Henry the Fourth whom he excommunicated and deposed and gave the Imperial Crown to Rodulphus (u) Petra dedit Petro Petrus DIADEMA Rodulpho Bellarm de Concil lib. 2. cap. 17. 2 Thes 2.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Numen with this verse The Pope of Rome being now Risen above all Bishops Patriarchs and Emperours HE advanced himself above all general Councils which Rise was fully attained by Pope Leo X. as Bellarmin boasteth The Pope of Rome having ascended thus high HE was Ambitious to Rise yet Higher That so he might appear to be That Man of Sin and Son of Perdition who opposeth and exalteth himself above every one called God or divine Power So that HE as God might sit in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God And to that End the Pope of Rome confirmed those erroneous Doctrines and Positions of the Church of Rome and caused them to be Concluded and Decreed for Doctrines and Articles of Faith in the general Councils of Constance Lateran and of Trent Christophorus Mercellus speaking to Pope Julius II. in the Council of Lateran said (w) Tu es alter Deus in Terra Extra Joh. 22. de verb. signif cap. cum interp lib. cerem 1. Sect. 1. fol. 16. Eberhardus Epist Salisburgensis Impress Lugd. Anno. 1555. Edit nov Ant. Papae Greg. 13. Credere Dominum Deum nostrum Papam non sic potuisse Statuere prout Statuit haereticum Censeatur Thou art another God upon Earth And in the Gloss on the Canon Law HE is called Our Lord God the Pope by the Popes allowance as also divine Adoration (x) Those words All that is called God and worshipped 2 Thes 2.4 are not to be interpreted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Kings c. nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Prelates and Priests but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Objects of divine worship So the Athenian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 17.23 were their Idols and Modes of Devotion and divine Worship So Dan. 11.36.37.40 The Pope of Rome the BEAST of the Seventh and Eighth Head having ascended out of the deep Abyss or Bottomless Pit and Risen at last unto this Hight of Impiety He having overcome the Saints of God Rev. 13.7 and killed the two Prophetical Witnesses of Christ Rev. 11.7 must go into Perdition Rev. 17.8 11. and goeth into Perdition which implies his gradual Ruine step by step As HE did rise gradually to the hight of his Grandeur so HE must fall by degrees into Perdition 2 Thes 2.8 Whom the Lord shall Consume with the Spirit of his Mouth and shall destroy with the
Brightness of his Coming So that this BEAST the Pope of Rome shall be first Consumed and afterwards Destroyed as is foretold Dan. 7.11 12 13. Now to be consumed is to decay to wax weak and by some Sickness or Distempers to waste pine and wear away and at last to dye even so shall the BEAST that Man of SIN the Son of Perdition the Pope of Rome Who hath been Consuming many years by the Spirit of Christs mouth viz. The powerful and spiritual Preaching of the Gospel of free Grace by the Prophetical witnesses of Christ his godly and faithful Ministers Bellarmin's Confession is a full Confirmation of the Popes Consumption his words in English are these The Roman See hath by little and little decayed c. (x) Bellarm. de Rom. Ponâ—if lib. 3. cap. 21. Scrip. 1577. And it hath much more decayed and been consumed since that Time by the Preaching of the Gospel through the powerful operation of the holy Spirit (y) Mr. Rich. Bernar's Key of Knowledge part 4. pag. 126 127 128 129. Since 1558. saith he the Pope hath nothing Increased upon us But we by Gods power have prevailed against him Have not the Papists had ill Success in all their Attempts against us And in spite of their Policy Trecheries and Treasons we stand and they fall and so must they now saith he continually for by an Oath of God it is confirmed unto us Chap. 10. 5 6. That there should be Time no longer Read pag. 127 128. 129. The utter downfal and Destruction of the Roman Beast the Pope is also Prophesied Rev. 14.8 Babylon is fallen is fallen that great City which is Rome as hath been fully proved Also Rev. 18.2 8 10 19 21. Therefore shall her Plagues come in one Day and she shall be utterly burnt with Fire for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her Alas alas that great City Babylon that is Rome-papal that mighty City for in one Hour is thy Judgment come and ver 19. Alas alas that great City Rome for in one hour she is made desolate And Rev. 19.19 20 And the BEAST that is the Pope of Rome was taken and with him the false Prophet These both were cast alive into the Lake burning with Brimstone Then shall Rome-Papal be found no more at all Rev. 18.21 and Then shall the Beast who is the Pope of Rome be tormented day and night for ever and ever Rev. 20.10 Proposition III. That the Church of Rome is the great WHORE THE Church of God under the Law was Resembled by the Prophet (a)  unto a comely and delicate Woman And the Church of Christ under the Gospel was Revealed to the Apostle (b) Rev. 12.1 by the Similitude of a Woman clothed with the Sun having a Crown of twelve Stars on her Head Such was the Church at Jerusalem and the Churches in Judea in the Days of the Apostles And such was the Church at Rome whose Faith was Famous throughout the whole World (c) Rom. 1.7.8 and such also were the Churches in Asia those golden Candlesticks whilst Jesus Christ walked in the midst of them and their shining Lights Like Stars the Able Ministers of the new-Testament called Angels whom the Lord Jesus Christ held in his right-hand (d) Rev. 1.20 and 2.1 But when the Church of Rome departed from the Faith as was foretold by the Apostle (e) 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. and Apostatised both in Doctrine and Manners and fell away as was also foretold by the same Apostle (f) 2 Thess 2.1 2 3 4-12 then she became a false Church whom Jesus Christ shewed unto his Servant John in a Vision and Revelation like a Woman that is an Harlot and the Mother of Harlots and calls her the great WHORE (g) Rev. 17.1 5. whose Name is Mystery Babylon the great c. which is Papal-Rome as hath been clearly and fully Proved And I shall now prove and plainly Demonstrate this third Proposition That the Church of Rome is the great Whore That Church which is the Mother of Harlots a by Maintaining Commanding and Practising spiritual Adulteries Whoredoms and Fornications is the great Whore But the Church of Rome is the Mother of Harlots which maintaineth commandeth and practiseth spiritual Adulteries Whoredoms and Fornications Therefore the Church of Rome is the great Whore The spiritual Adultery whoredom and fornication of Judah and Jerusalem which God did so much complain of by his Prophets was their Idolatry and Image-worship Ezek. 4.11 37. with their Idols have they committed Adultery So God complained of Nineveh by his Prophet Nahum 3.4 5. Because of the Whoredoms of the well-favoured Harlot the Mistress of Witchcraft that Selleth Nations through her Whoredoms and Families through her Witchcrafts I will shew the Nations thy Nakedness and the Kingdoms thy shame And so did Christ shew the spiritual Adultery and Idolatry of Papal-Rome under the Similitude of a Woman whose Name is Mysterie Babylon the great the Mother of Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth God's great Prohibition against this sinful Abomination of spiritual Whoredom of making and worshipping Images in the second Commandement Exod. 20.4 5. And the grievous Judgments which God denounced against and inflicted upon the worshippers of Idols yea against them false Prophets and any other persons that shall entice and perswade any to go after other Gods and serve them Deut. 13.1 2 3 5 6 9 10 13 14 15. sheweth us the sinfulness of this Sin of Idolatry And how greatly God is provoked unto Jealousie by it 1 Cor. 10.20 21 22. and Rev. 3.20 21 22. and Rev. 18.1 2 3 4 5 8. So that Idolatry and false Worship is spiritual Whoredom Now let us examine the second Proposition to wit Whether the Church of Rome be guilty of this great Sin of spiritual Whoredom Adultery and Fornication called Idolatry and be indeed the Mother of Harlots The Ancients do with one Consent assert that Idolatry is an Attributing of divine Honour unto the Creature which is only due unto God And Thomas Aquinas (a) Aquin. in Epist ad Ephes c. 5. Lect. 3. Quando bonor soli Deo debitus exhibetur Creaturae Concil Trident Sess 9. out of all the Fathers and Ancient Writers concludes so That is Idolatry saith he when the Honour that is only due to God is given to the Creature The Church of Rome doth attribute that divine Honour to the Creature which is only due to God For she doth attribute trust and Confidence in their Prayers to Saints deceased yea to their feigned Saints as plainly appears in the publick Service-Books Rosaries Breviaries Psalters and Catechisms of the Church of Rome (b) Catechis Roman Osorius tom 3. Concion p. 681. Bellarm. de Sanctor beat lib. 1. cap. 10. The Papists praying to Saint John say Hail ô holy Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ I intreat thee that thou wouldest deliver me thy unworthy Servant from all Adversity and
receive my Soul at the Hour of Death and wouldst bring me to life everlasting To Saint George they pray thus He save us from our Sins that we may rest with the Blessed in Heaven To Saint Erasmus ô Erasmus Grant that by thy Merits and Prayers we may overcome all the snares of our Enemies and be freed from eternal Death (c) Possevin bibl select pag. 295. Boz de sig Eccles Tom. 2. pag. 200. To Francis the Fryer they pray thus O Francis singular crucified-Saint be thou to us the way of Life make satisfaction for us alway shew to Christ the marks of thy wounds (d) Exut Franciscum tunica laceroque cucullo Qui Franciscus erat jam tibi Christus erit Francisci exuviis si qua licet indue Christum Jam Franciscus erit qui modo Christus erat This Fryer Francis they make equal to Christ as those Blasphemous Verses of two shameless Jesuites Turselline and Bencius do plainly declare And to the Image Veronica they pray thus Haile holy Face imprinted on a Clout (e) Chemnit exam Concil Trident. de Imagin Purge us from all Sin within and without c. Thus also the Papists by the Commandements of Men viz. Popes Jesuites Priests yea and general Councils and the Church of Rome do worship Images Pictures Crosses Crucifixes and Reliques which they say are to be worshipped after the same Manner as Images are (f) Vasq de adoratione lib. 3. dis 3. cap. 2. Reliquiae eodem modo atque Imagines sunt adorandae Conci Trident. Decret de Reliq Sanct. It 's written of Dunstan the Abbot of Glastenbury that he blessed the right Thumb of Editha the Abbesse of Wilton which being found uncorrupted after all her Body was turned to dust and ashes in her Grave became a Relique (g) Guliel Malmsbur lib. 2. de Pontif. Vincent li. 25. cap. 33. How many things about our Saviour are turned into Reliques viz. the Manger his linnen Cloth his Cradle his Shirt the Table on which Christ eat his last Supper the Cup wherein he gave his Blood to be drunk are Reliques to be seen at this Day as the Papists and other Pilgrims and Travellers report in several places and Churches in Rome Spain Ravenna Pisa at Andegavum c. The Church of Rome is guilty of gross Idolatry and spiritual Adultery in Adoring and worshipping the Host for at the Priest's Elevation of the Host the Papists breaden God they all fall down upon their Knees and worship it with very great Devotion and whosoever refuseth so to do is counted an Heretick (h) Bellarm. de Sacrament Euchar l. a. cap. 29. Coster Enchir. de Euchar. Rubric in Missal Rom. And yet some Priests have poisoned the Host intending to add Murder yea wilful and Sacrilegious Murder thereby to their gross Idolatry as the Monk Bernhardine who poisoned the Host to the intent that he might poison the Emperour Henry of Lucenburgh as he also did at the Instigation of Robert King of Sicily Baronius (l) Cuspinian Nauclerus Egnat Baron Spondan An. Eccles an 1055. Volateran Hoveden Math. Paris c. tells us of a Priest that either did or would have poisoned Pope Victor 2d at the Sacrament And William Arch-bishop of York was poisoned at the Mass by his own Chaplins by that which they put into the Chalice What can be more Heathenish and palpable Idolatry than to worship the Bread consecrated by a Priest which is maintained commanded and Practised by the Church of Rome by all her Priests and Papists Another branch of the Spiritual Whoredom and Adultery of the great Whore the Church of Rome is the Adoration and worshipping the Cross it Self on which Christ suffered say they also the Image of the Cross and the Sign of the Cross (m) Vasques de Adorat l. 3. cap. 2. Bellarm. de Imagin lib. 3. c. 27 28 29. Aquin. Sum. part 3. art 4. Vasques the Jesuit affirmeth that this is the Doctrine of the Roman-Church and so doth Bellarmine and Thomas Aquinas and many other great Doctors of the Church of Rome It is testified (n) Chrys à Visitat de virb Domini tom 4. Lib. 6. c. 7. that a famous Papist and a Professor of Divinity who dedicated his Book to Pope Clement 8th saith thus We worship the Cross with the same Worship wherewith we adore Christ himself c. Again Whereas we Asserted That the Church of Rome is the Mother of Harlots for a full proof thereof let it be considered First That the Church of Rome owns her self to be the Catholick and Mother-Church of all those Churches in Italy Spain France Germany c. whether National or Parochial that receive believe and practice her damnable Doctrines and Idolatrous worship which are false Churches and Harlots with whom the Kings of the Earth have committed Fornication and the Inhabiters of the Earth have been made drunk with the wine of her Fornication and therefore the Church of Rome mystical-Mystical-Babylon as before proved is called the Mother of Harlots Rev. 17.2 5. And Abominations of the Earth Secondly That the Church of Rome hath begotten born and nourished all those National and Parochial Churches before-mentioned which are called the Cities of the Nations Rev. 16.19 which National Churches are Harlots as Nineveh was called Nahum 3.4 because of the multitude of their spiritual Whoredoms and abominable Idolatries whereby it appears that the Church of Rome is the Mother of Harlots for She hath infused her false Doctrines worships and all her Idolatries into those Churches Thirdly That the Church of Rome as the Mother of Harlots imposeth her false Doctrines Idolatrous Worships and damnable Practices upon all those and other National Churches whom She calleth her Daughters owning her Authority over them as being their Mother And First It doth appear that the Church of Rome is the great WHORE by her spiritual Whoredoms and Fornications Rev. 17.4 And the Woman had a golden-CVP in her hand full of Abominations and filthiness of her Fornication All kinds of Idolatry Image-worship and Superstitions in the Service of God is spiritual Whoredom (f) Prid. de Antichristo Lect. 11. Non in Babilona solum sed in Sodomam Roma degeneravit ut non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 modo Meretricum sed ut habet liber Complutensis Regius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hoc est Catamitarum Ganimedum Mater habeatur Sic Heptades de Antichristo pag. 99. 129-131 Doun Diatr de Antichristo l. 1. c. 7. Etiam M. Antonius de Dom. Archiep. Spalat de Rep. Eccles lib. 4. cap. 3. n. 26 -29 ac Hieron adver Jovin lib. 2 c. Marlor in Apoc. 18.24 in Apoc. 13. p. 37. 64 65. And such are those Images and Idols those Crosses and Crucifixes those Pictures and painted forms or Representations of our Saviour Christ of the Virgin Mary and of Saints deceased whom the Papists set up fall down before and worship The Kings of