to death by the croud and others thrust into the River And yet such great Fairs or Marts would not satisfy the avarice of some of the Popes but they sent afterwards their pardons to remote places to be sold Alexander VI. the year after his Jubilee sent his Indulgences far off to be sold In Germaniam saith my Author atque alias longinquas Provincias Diplomata cum amplissimis Jubilei Indulgentiis misit passimque vendidit propter eos qui Romam venire neglexerunt vel venire non potuerunt This was pretended to be for the sakes of those that neglected or could not come to Rome at the Jubilee By his Legates he sold them Pardons every where passim vendidit Buchol a Volater anno 1500. This Simony hath greatly helped to enrich the Popes and to bear them up in their high Exaltation in the World. Are these likely to be Successors of the Apostles and to sit in the Apostolick Seat Who said Love not the World neither the things that are in the World. If any Man love the World the love of the Father is not in him 1 John 2.15 3. This Innovation or inventition of Selling Pardons of Sins absolutely destroys the Popes infallibility transplanting him out of Peter into Simon Magus that is out of that Spirit that was in Peter into that Spirit that was in Simon Magus So that although the Pope pretend to be Peters Successor Yet he is fallen from Peter to Simon Magus The Spirit that was in Peter abhorred the very thought of Selling the Spiritual gifts of God for Money But the Spirit that Simon Magus was of and so the Popes are of hath thought that the Spiritual gifts of God may be purchased with Mony This is a great fall to fall from one to whom the Key of the Kingdom of Heaven was committed to one whom he Excluded out of the Kingdom and turned the Key against him Saying Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter Thou art in the gall of bitterness and bond of Iniquity And what was the ground of all this great Severity only this Because saith Peter thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with mony Act. 8.18 to 24. And is not this very thought the Popes thought Now I entreat you weigh these things Is not the pardon of Sins one of the greatest gifts of God And does not the Pope think that it may be purchased with Money seeing he sells it Is not here the same thought that was in Simon Magus for which he was so severely sentenced by Peter and Excluded by him from all right in dispensing the Spiritual Gifts of God Will you say that Peter condemned this thought in Simon Magus but is of another mind now and approves of it in the Pope If so then you will condemn Peter as one faln from his own Stedfastness and not the Pope If you say the Pope doth not think as Simon did he doth not think that the Spiritual Gift of God may be purchased with Money then I say He is still the worse to sell that Spiritual Gift the Pardon of Sins for Money which he thinks cannot be purchased for Money For in so doing he both robs them of their Money and deceives their Souls making them believe a Lie. And if the Case be so with the Pope as it was with Simon Magus who thought that the Gift of God might be purchased with Money where is his Infallibility yea where is his power to pardon Sin Do you think that Simon Magus had power to pardon Sin Or that one in his Sin hath power so to do Seeing he that was guilty of that Sinful Carnal Thought is excluded with him from having any part or lot in dispensing the Spiritual Gifts of God except you will make Peter partial in excluding one and not another who is in the same fault Again doth not this also help to confirm that the Pope being faln from Peter to Simon Magus is that faln Star mentioned before 4. Another Innovation was that called Annatae An Invention very near of Kin to the selling of Pardons for this is a kind of selling of Benefices For they were not to enjoy Benefices but under this Condition that they should pay half of the yearly profit into the Popes Treasury This and the selling of Pardons hugely increased the Popes Treasure Quae res Blondo Platina testibus Pontifices Romanos Bonifacii Successores non minus Christiani Orbis quam Vrbis Dominos reddidit These things made him Lord as well of the whole Christian World as of the City You may see more of this in the Year 1400 from the Nativity of Christ quoted by Bucholcer Where he saith This Custom all submitted to except in England where the same was yielded to concerning the Bishops but not in other Benefices Now if we may not call this Symony what other name shall we give it Seeing it is a kind of selling and buying of Spiritual Benefices as they are called And judge Ye whether Peter or Paul or any other of the Apostles made filthy Lucre the Door by which they let men into the Ministry as the Popes do And yet the Pope call'd this Treasury into which this is paid The Apostolick Treasury As if the Apostles had set up or used such an Earthly Treasury I mention this invention because it was one thing that greatly strengthened the Popes in their high Exaltation And also because it impairs the Popes Infallibility to see them act so contrary to the Spirit of the Holy Apostles of Christ and yet giving it some Title to the Apostles by calling this the Apostolick Treasury 5. Another Innovation is the Popes Usurpation of a Power over Emperors Kings Princes and People in their Temporal concerns So as with a Word he can dethrone one and have another set up at his pleasure under his Dominion Was there any thing that tended to this in any of the Apostles Practises or Doctrine Or for many Ages and Generations after them Were not the Bishops in Subjection as to temporal affairs under the Princes of the World And not one of them authoritatively above another until wicked Phocas gave the Precedency to ambitious Boniface 3. And yet then he did not give him power over himself or over any secular Princes So that this was an Usurpation and Innovation of the Popes afterwards and was practised by some of them and they got it decreed in some of their Councils And Boniface 8. who first instituted the Mercenary Jubilees the same Year that he celebrated the first Jubilee Writ That he was Lord in Temporals and Spirituals in the whole World. Of whom it is recorded by Platina thus Qui Imporatoribus Regibus Principibus Nationibus populis terrorem potius quà m Religionem injicere conabatur quique dare regna auferre pellere homines ac reducere pro arbitrio animi conabatur c. His endeavour was to be a Terror to Emperors and Kings Princes
and People To give Kingdoms and take them away at his pleasure Now here take notice that as the Popes Exaltation of himself was foreshewed 2 Thess 3 4. So this Power and Dominion of the Popedom over Kings and Princes was foreshewed Rev. 17. ult under the representation of a Woman there expounded to be a great City reigning over the Kings of the Earth And the Woman which thou sawest is that great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth Or nearer the Greek thus Which hath a Kingdom above the Kings of the Earth Which Kingdom if it be not the Popedom reigning over the Kings of the Earth deposing them at pleasure and Surrogating others in their stead then I confess I know not what it is But if other Circumstances in that Chapter be considered with this I think it will put this out of doubt which here I cannot stand upon without too great a diversion and interruption but in its proper place following where the Hierarchy of Rome comes to be spoken of by Gods assistance I shall demonstrate Another innovation is The Exercising Dominion over mens Faith. It may be something of this kind might begin before the Popes were so named But however it s upheld and practised by the Popes and was not owned by the Apostles Doctrine but is an Innovation contrary to the simplicity and purity of the Gospel wheresoever it is found That it is a piece of Popery and upheld by them is manifest by their punishing and cruel handling of those that in Conscience towards God and faithfulness to his Truth cannot submit to those their humane Innovations which they see to be so But the Popes who have arrogated to themselves Power and Dominion over the Persons and Thrones of Kings and Princes are not satisfied without the like dominion also over the Throne of God the Conscience and except they model mens Faith and cast them all into one Mould which thing the Apostles durst not do The Apostle Paul disclaims this Dominion over mens Faith 2 Cor. 1.24 And he durst not judge the Faith or Conscience of the different believing Romans when some of them kept a Day and others kept it not and when some of them did Eat Herbs and others did Eat Flesh and both to the Lord as he judged and therefore he defends them both one against the other and judged nothing but their judging of one another in so doing Rom. 14.4 5 6. And then he puts them in mind of Christ's Prerogative in this case ver 10. Saying But why dost thou judge thy Brother Or why dost thou set at nought thy Brother We shall all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ But the Popes are not of Pauls mind they will have men believe as they believe or else Burn them alive if this be not to exercise Dominion over mens Faith and Conscience what is And if this be not an innovation contrary to the simplicity purity mercy and meekness of the Gospel nothing is which saith In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves 2 Tim. 2.25 not burning them as is done under the Tyrannical Popedom 7. But to back this their cruel Dominion over the Faith and Consciences of men and to palliate it and make it take place and go down with their people they put the Name Heretick upon those who cannot conform to their Innovations that they may incense people against them And this is another Innovation And so they heap Innovation upon Innovation Whereas indeed and in truth nothing is Heresie but that which opposes the Truth of the Gospel delivered by Christ and his Holy Apostles To oppose false Doctrine and innovations of men is no Heresie But to bring in Innovations contrary to the Truth of the Gospel and to require subjection thereto this is certainly Heresie Therefore let them that call or count men Hereticks look to it that they be not found the greatest Hereticks devouring innocent Lambs of Christ under that false notion And indeed here is a notable Stratagem of Satan whereby to make them that fear God and abhor mens inventions as Sheep fit for the Slaughter even to fix opprobtious Terms upon them For this begets an Odium in the minds of Blindfolded people against them and makes them through hatred ready for Butchers and to execute Massacres and all manner of mischief against the Faithful Servants of Christ under that notion of being Hereticks It must be under some such disguise that the Great Whore makes her self drunk with the Blood of Saints and with the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus such as bear witness to him and his Truth against the Innovations of men 8. And so that 's another Innovation namely To rid men out of the Earth whom they call Hereticks It 's no sin to destroy them say they Yea further they have made it a Law to Burn them And this hath not been a dead Law or like a Sword kept in a Scabbard but hath been cruelly executed where the power of the Popedom hath prevailed I am sure this cruelty is an Innovation for there is no such Doctrin from Christ or any of his Apostles but positive Doctrin against it Therefore that Law and such other destructive Laws and the execution of them must needs be Innovations of men Christ Jesus our Lord said He came not to destroy mens lives but to save them Luke 9.54 55 56. But this Spirit that hath got into the Popedom comes to destroy mens lives therefore is a Spirit contrary to the Spirit of Christ It 's another Spirit crept in under the profession of the Gospel not his Christ Jesus our Lord said also concerning the Tares which his Servants would have been plucking up Let them alone How long were they to let them alone Even till the end of the World. And then the Angels must do that work Mat. 13.29 39. Men are not infallible they may mistake Therefore the Lord said to his own Servants Let them alone lest ye pluck up Wheat with Tares He will not have them do that rooting Work but he will set those to do that work that can more certainly distinguish between Tares and Wheat even the Angels they shall not do it neither till his appointed time even the end of the World. This therefore must needs be an Innovation contrary to the command and will of Christ to be doing this work under any pretence namely to be rooting out Tares if they really be so out of the Field of the World before Christ's appointed time Again it 's against that Golden Rule of Christ As ye would that men should do to you so do ye to them Mat. 7.12 Now would any man have others to burn him because he cannot believe as they believe Would those burning Popes have any of the Reformed Churches to burn them or their People because they believe not as those Reformed Churches believe I think not And yet it were but Lex talionis like for like if they did so
something that was to come to pass afterwards as the Angel said Rev. 4.2 I will shew the things which must be hereafter To shew John a Church under the similitude of a Woman so far to go a Whoring from Christ after her own inventions that she did not spare his most precious Servants nor any that adhered to them but shed their Blood in abundance for the sake of her inventions and innovations and yet professed her self to be the Spouse yea the only Spouse and Church of Christ I say to see one so highly professing Christ and yet acting so highly contrary to hisnature and destroying his Servants this might indeed make John greatly to wonder with great admiration But the tyranny of those present times that John lived in under the persecuting heathen Emperors could be no such admiration to him For it s no great admiration to see a known Enemy shed the blood of those he is against But to profess the highest Loyalty to Christ and commit the greatest Cruelty against his Children and People this might put one to astonishment O Rome Rome O backsliding Rome Who could make John astonished but thee Who once was a pure Church but to see thee profess the same Jesus or Saviour as formerly and be so cruelly hard-hearted as to devour the tender Lambs of Jesus who will rather dye than betray his Doctrine and also to devour them so abundantly who would not be astonished at such a degeneracy O repent repent before misery come upon thee Another Character of the great Whore followeth Rev. 17.7 and 18. verses And the Angel said unto me wherefore didst thou marvel I will tell the Mystery of the Woman and of the beast that carrieth her ver 18. The Woman which thou sawest is that great City which Reigneth over the Kings of the Earth Or nearer the Greek words thus which hath a Kingdom above the Kings of the Earth for the words of the Greek are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These words being the interpretation of the Mystery of the Woman make it plain that by Woman is understood That great City which hath a Kingdom above the Kings of the Earth Now where shall we find such a City besides Rome that hath in it such a Dominion in which all these Characters of the great Whore are found Rome hath a Kingdom above the Kings of the Earth And the Mystery of iniquity may say the same she hath one in it exalted above all called God above all Magistrates So that you may clearly see That this great Whore and the Mystery of iniquity fall in one with the other find the one and you may find the other This great Whore this Woman this great City is terrible to the Kings of the Earth having a Kingdom above them For She can strike them with her thunder bolts at her pleasure and unthrone them by moving the Waves of the Sea against them against which there is no withstanding To speak plainer She can make them an execration with her Anathema and then raise the Waves of the people against them which they cannot withstand and then Surrogate others to take their Throne Is not this to have a Kingdom above them Yea so great a Dominion she hath over them that she can make them buckle to her pleasure and wait at her gates to humble themselves at her Feet as not worthy to kiss her hands This is to bring them lower then a King brings his Subjects For he admits his Subjects to kiss his hand But the distance between this great Whore and Emperors is so great that its enough for them to kiss her Feet Such power hath this great Whore had as to cause the Son to rise against his Father to turn him out of his Throne Henry the fifth the Son of Henry the fourth when his Father was struck with the Thunderbolt of Excommunication by Pope Paschalis 2. and ejected from being Emperor he rose up against his Father and put him in Prison where with grief of mind he died And this Henry the fifth his Son declared that he did not thus persecute his Father out of a desire to Reign but Studio obedientia erga sedem Apostolicam out of a zealous obedience to the Apostolick Seat for such titles the great Whore hath arrogated to her self This was done about the beginning of the 12th Century And in the 13th Century Pope Innocent the third Othonem Anathemate ferit Imperium ei abrogat omnesque ab ejus obedientia fide absolvit He Anathematized Otho deprived him of the Empire and absolved all persons from their obedience and fidelity to him And in Century 14. History tells us of Boniface 8. that he writ se effe Dominum in temporalibus Spiritualibus in univer so mundo that is that he was Lord both in Temporals and Spirituals in the whole World. And after his Death it was said of him Hoc modo sc moe rore animi mortuus est Bonifacius ille qui Imperatoribus Regibus Principibus Nationibus Populis terrorem potius quam religionem injicere conabatur quique dare regna auferre pellere homines ac reducere pro arbitrio animi conabatur Platin. Thus that is with grief of mind dyed that Boniface who made it his business to imprint terror upon the hearts of Emperors and Kings c. Rather than Religion and who endeavoured to give and take away Kingdoms to banish and call home at his pleasure But the height and Dominion of this great Whore or Popedom is so notorious that I need not insist further upon it Thus you see what a one the great Whore is and how like to her the Popedom is sitting upon many Waters i.e. Peoples Multitudes Tongues Nations drawing Kings of the Earth to commit Fornication with her prostrating themselves to her Innovations or Whoredoms making also the Inhabiters of the earth Drunk with the pleasantness of her Inventions or Innovations born up with great power living in great pomp carrying the filthiness of her Fornication in her hand in a golden Cup very taking to the carnal mind and bearing upon her Forehead Mystery that 's her name in part shewing her affinity with the Mystery of Iniquity one also that makes her self drunk with the plenty of blood of innocent people and one that hath a Kingdom above the Kings of the Earth These are enough to know her by But the Angel still goes further to make her more fully known by other things appertaining to the Beast that carries her which is described by his seven Heads and ten Horns His Heads were seven Hills and also seven Kings or Governments His Horns were ten Kings I shall only take notice of that here which is easie for any ordinary Capacity to understand and add that to the foregoing marks of the great Whore. And by this we may understand the very place where she is chiefly to be found The seven Heads said the Angel are seven Mountains on which the Woman sitteth