Government in Poperie are counted for One wherefore the Angel saith The eighth is of the seven Whence wee conclude that by the Beast which ascended out of the bottomless pit is understood the Popish Ecclesiastical Government which useth the Temporal sword and the power of worldlie Potentates as a Rider maketh use of the power and and strength of his hors Of this Beast is said here that it shall make war against the two witnesses and shall overcom them and kill them That is there shall bee in the Romane Empire a persecution set a foot against the Evangelical Protestants by the instigation of the Pope and the Prelats towards the end of the appointed time in the last sixtie years from the one thousand five hundred ninetie fifth until the one thousand six hundred fiftie fifth year The two Witnesses shall bee overcom and killed That is they shall bee removed and thrust out of all Ecclesiastical and Political Offices and imploiments Vers 8. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great Citie which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified Here is the place described where the persecution shall happen It is not an universal persecution which goe's throughout the whole Romane Empire but a particular Act becaus the dead bodies of the two Witnesses do not lie in all the streets but onely in One in the street of the great Citie By the great Citie is understood the Citie of Rome of which the Angel saith in the 17. chapter vers 18. The Woman which thou sawest is that great Citie which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth Which is called in the 14. chapter vers 8. Babylon the great Citie And that by Babylon is meant the Citie of Rome is granted by the Jesuits themselvs as Blasius Viegas in cap. 17. Apoc. sect 3. Remacius de Vaulx in Harpocrate divino part 1. fol. 235. Bellarm. lib. 2. Pontif. Rom. c. 2. lib. 3. c. 5. But by the Citie with the streets is the whole Romane Popish Empire set forth as it is elswhere compared unto a Beast with ten horns chap. 13. and 17. and unto the Sea with rivers and fountains Chapter 16. Compare also Luc. 14. vers 21. 23. The Citie of Rome is called spiritually that is the Citie of Rome or the Romane Papacie Is among the Hebrews especially the Prophets to bee called signifieth as much as to bee and that in a singular high manner and waie as appeareth by Isaiah chapter 1. vers 26. chapter 7. vers 14 chapter 9. vers 6. chapter 56. vers 7. chapter 60. vers 14. chap. 26. vers 4. Ierem. 3. vers 17. chap. 23. vers 6. Ezech. 48. vers 35. Zach. 6. vers 12. chap. 8. vers 3. Finkius Can. 49. Cent. 11. Spiritually that is Mystically in a mysterious sens and resemblance Another Sodom becaus of their Paederastia and other horrible Sodomitical Abominations and sins which not onely are committed but commended there As Sleidan lib. and Balaeus in Catalogo do write concerning Ioannes de la Cata Archbishop of Benevent that hee published in print a Treatise to commend Sodomie so that this is fully agreeable to that which the Prophet Isaiah saith chap. 3. vers 9. The shew of their countenance doth witness against them and they declare their sin as Sodom they hide it not Shee is another Egypt becaus of the great blindness and hardness of heart as also becaus of the Tyrannie and grievous bondage wherewith shee doth afflict the people of God driving and compelling them to a slavish servitude of Poperie Shee is also a true likeness of Ierusalem becaus shee like the Iews doth despise God and his word killeth the Prophets nay refuseth to hear and to receiv the Son of God himself blaspheming calumniating persecuting and crucifying him in his members as by experience is cleerly seen And their dead bodies shal lie in the street These words are spoken as it were with som amazement abruptly and without the concluding word to make up the sens The dead bodies of the Witnesses in this street But which street A Citie hath manie streets and so hath the papal State which is here called the great Citie having under it manie streets and Kingdoms in subjection those wee must reflect upon to discover where such wars and persecutions in these years from the one thousand five hundred ninetie fifth of our Lord are hapned Three principal streets or Kingdoms hath the Oriental Antichrist the Truth in his subjection hee hath not used anie such persecution against the Christians in his Dominions Seven are under the Occidental Antichrist In Italie France Spain and the British Kingdoms no such remarkable persecution did happen within this time nor also in Poland The attempt which was made in Prussia in the one thousand five hundred ninetie fifth year of our Lord was of no long continuance What came to pass in Hungarie and Transylvania in the year one thousand six hundred two and som following was quieted by the Putshkeyish insurrection and cannot bee referred to this The tenth Horn yet remain's Germanie or the Germane Empire which in the whole Beast or Empire cannot bee counted otherwise but one horn and a Kingdom by it self in the whole bodie of the fourth Monarchie This is the principal street in the great Citie the principal horn of the Beast the principal Kingdom in the fourth Monarchie whose head is represented by the Citie of Rome This Germane Empire is here called the street per excellentiam becaus it is the principal street in the Empire which doth appear hence 1. By reason it is called the Romane Empire 2. By reason it is as it were a figure and Image of the old Romane Empire having seven heads in regard of the seven Princes Electors and ten Provinces in respect of the ten Circles into which it is distributed 3. By reason that the head of the Germane Empire hath still the name of a Romane Emperor and hath the the preeminencie above all other Kings adhering to the Papal State Now in this street wee must seek the warr and wee shall also finde it if wee consider what is passed from the one thousand fiue hundred ninetie fifth year until this present hour against the true Professors of the Gospel The Pope indeed hath from the beginning of the Reformation which hapned by Doctor Luther alwaies aimed at this how hee might wholly root out and destroie the Professors of the Gospel and to this effect the Counsel of Trent was called in a special manner But this would not take place in Germanie until the Jesuitical Sect prevailed and brought things to that pass that the peaceable and meek hearts of Potentates have given too too much credit and yielded to their flatterings calumnies and deceits Whereupon in the year one thousand five hundred ninetie eighth begun the persecution against the Evangelical Protestants in Styria Carniola and Krain and what success it had and what thereupon
hail vers 19. The contents of these words are described more at large in the ninteenth and twentieth chapters where the Son of God and with him the whole Armies which were in heaven do appear sitting upon white horses chap. 19. v. 11. 14. Where also the Beast and the Kings of the earth and their Armies are gathered together to make war vers 19. And are overcom and utterly destroied vers 20 21. 3. The time of the dead to bee judged and to give reward unto the Prophets and Saints c. This also is rehersed in the twentieth chapter vers 4 5 6. But becaus it is there â—ccording to the common opinion as darkly set down as here and the Son of God himself speaking of this time in the tenth chapter doth call it vers 7. the Mysterie of God And also what the seven thunders have spoken of this Kingdom cannot bee written wee will herein acquiesce and proceed herein to the sixteenth chapter CHAP. XVI LIke as in the second part of the Revelation of St John by the seven Trumpeting Angels seven Judgments are described which should com upon the Romane Empire in the second period So also here in the third part are set down seven plagues which by the seven vials should bee poured out over the same Where the seventh Judgment and the seventh Vial at the end of the one thousand two hundred sixtie years do concur in the one thousand six hundred fiftie fifth year of our Lord and fill up the wrath of God Revelations chap. 11. vers 18. and chap. 15. vers 1. The seven judgments com upon the Political State and shew forth the fall thereof but the seven Vials are poured out over both the Political and Ecclesiastical State and describe their punishments Those begin in the year three hundred ninetie five But these begin under the sixth Judgment a little before the total ruine But the seven plagues proceed from the Lord who hath a cup in his hand full mixt with red wine who hitherto to hath poured out of the same upon his little flock But now the ungodlie shall drink the dregs thereof and suck them out Psal 75. vers 9 10. The seven Angels having the seven plagues com out of the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimonie of Heaven Revelations chap. 15. vers 5 6. that is from the seat and habitation of God And one of the four Beasts that is the first Beast the Lion of the tribe of Judah gave unto the seven Angels seven golden Vials full of the wrath of God vers 7. The Angels receiv commandement from God to pour out the seven Vials of the wrath of God chapter 16. vers 1. Upon the Earth that is upon the inhabitants of the earth who rejoice over the victorie of the Beast chapter 11. vers 10. To whom the Devil is com down Chapter 12. vers 12. Nay upon the whole world which wandred after the Beast and worshipped the Dragon with the Beast chapter 13. v. 4. So that by the word Earth is understood the whole extent and latitude of the Romane Popish Empire The Angels obeie God's Commandement and pour out their Vials First Upon the Earth Secondly upon the Sea Thirdly upon the rivers and fountains Fourthly upon the Sun Fifthly upon the seat of the Beast Sixthly upon Euphrates Seventhly upon the Aër Vers 1. The first Angel went and poured out his Vial upon the Earth and there fell a noisom and grievous sore upon the men which had the Mark of the Beast and upon them which worshipped his Image By the Earth here is understood the whole extent and latitude of the Romane Empire as in the first vers But there is reflexion made upon Statum tranquillum the peaceable condition in the Romane Empire and upon the Beast coming up out of the Earth Revel 13. vers 11. This Beast is the Pope and his Clergie the Ecclesiastical State and Government in the Papacie which did not break out by wars or outward power and might like unto the Beast with ten horns but crept in by little and little softly and quietly even as the grass and the trees use to grow up of the ground Upon this earthlie Beast was the first Vial of the wrath of God in a time of Peace poured out by the Reformation of Poperie Now since those who are true Professors of the Gospel do vehemently oppose and contradict the Papists and reprove them for their shameful conversation fals doctrine and abominable Idolatrie thence doth arise in those that adhere and stand firm to Poperie A noisom and grievous sore that is a fierce anger hatred wrath and enmitie against the Evangelical Professors especially seeing they are not able to overcom and destroie them by force and might nor to perswade and seduce them to Poperie again by fair and sweet words Vers 3. The second Angel poured out his Vial upon the Sea and it became as the blood of a dead man and everie living soul died in the Sea By the Sea the Beast with ten horns is here pointed at which riseth up out of the Sea chapter 13. vers 1. And upon Statum in Imperio Romano turbatum Whereby is signified that the second Vial shall beee poured out over the Political State in the Romane Empire and the Government and formae rerum publicarum tam in universali quà m particulari shall bee disturbed and overthrown How by these wars in Germanie the wrath of God hath been poured out and that this hath been accomplished is sufficiently known to the world and everie rational man can make the application The Statûs Ratio or reason of State which hath been set up and the shameful abuse of it hath no small share therein whereof a State's-man writeth thus Justitia cùm esse desiit in mundo successit Statûs ratio calamitatum mare The blood of a dead man intimateth the horrible effusions of blood and how everie living soul died in the Sea is evident in the eies of all men Everie living soul that is all sorts of Nations people and tongues that in this raging Sea and floods of water during this war were ingaged as also all sorts of people in all the Provinces of the Romane Empire which are emptied of men and cattel In this signification the word all is used Exodus 9. vers 6. where it is rendred all the Cattel of the Egyptians Vers 4. And the third Angel poured out his Vial upon the rivers and fountains of water and they became blood Frequens est sacris Literis per flumina significare Imperia quod Graeci LatinÃque faciunt Hugo Grotius in Annotatis ad V. Testam Esaiae c. 11. v. 15. The Romane Empire is elswhere compared to a Beast with ten horns to a Citie with its streets So likewise here to a Sea with it's rivers The rivers are the Kingdoms which although they are not at this present members of the Political State in the Romane Empire yet they have their tie
destroie their work by thunder and lightning from Heaven with terrible earthquakes and fire-bals and totally overthrew the foundation of the Temple insomuch that Cyrillus then Bishop at Ierusalem was forced to confess and to acknowledg that now the words of Christ which hee spoke of the Temple unto his disciples Matthew 24. vers 2. were fulfilled That there shall not bee left one stone upon another that shall not bee thrown down Hereof may bee further read Ammianus Marcellinus lib. 23. Socrates lib. 3. c. 17. Theodoretus lib. 3. c. 17. at the end Sozom. lib. 5. cap. 21. Tripart lib. 6. cap. 44. and others more 7. The one thousand two hundred sixtie years must for the space of thirtie years bee protracted and begin later and at lest with the year of our Lord three hundred ninetie five becaus they expire together with the one thousand two hundred ninetie years Here wee must observ and look whether the Characters and Tokens which are set upon the beginning of the one thousand two hundred sixtie years may bee applied to the three hundred ninetie fifth year Wee have three several Characters 1. The Division of the Romane Empire into two parts Revel chapter 12. vers 14. 2. The beginning of the treading under foot of the holie Citie Chap. 11. vers 2. 3. The rising of the Beast out of the Sea chapter 13. vers 2. The first Character is described in the Revel 12. vers 14. in these words And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle that shee might flee into the wilderness into her place where shee is nourished By the great Eagle is understood the Romane Empire by the two Wings is meant the division of the same into two parts Constantine the great though hee removed the Imperial Seat from Rome to Byzance or Constantinople yet hee reteined to himself the Government over the whole Empire during his life after his death it was divided among his three Sons into three parts But this Division did not last long but did soon determine for Constantius did reign after his Brother's death over the whole Romane Empire himself alone as also after him Iulian and other Emperors following But after the death of Theodose the Great who died the 17. of Ianuarie 395 the Romane Empire was divided between his two sons Arcadius and and Honorius so that Arcadius reigned in the East and Honorius in the West And thus this Character may bee well applied to the three hundred ninetie fifth years 1. Becaus of the division of the Romane Empire into two parts whereby the wings of the Eagle are spread 2. Becaus the Barbarous Nations did invade and over-run the Romane Empire on all sides in the verie same year whereby the holie Citie was horribly trodden under foot and the Woman put to flight in the wilderness The second Character is expressed in the Revelations 11. vers 2. in these words It is given unto the Gentiles that they shall tread the holie Citie under foot By the Conversion of Constantine the Great was the Child which the Woman the christian Church had brought forth established upon the seat of God and by that means the Christian Emperors came to the Government and the Heathenish service of the Dragon got thereby a huge great downfal But in the daies of Theodosius the Great the great Dragon in the Romane Empire was quite overthrown and cast to the ground At that time the Church of God did triumph and was gloriously built and propagated But after Theodosius in the year of our Lord three hundred ninetie five in Ianuarie was dead and his two sons Arcadius and Honorius had entred into the Government the treading under foot of the holie Citie did soon begin when the Goths Huns Alans with other barbarous Nations under the Command of their King Alaricus invaded first the Oriental other made an irruption into the Occidental Empire and took the Citie of Rome in the year four hundred ten Now by these desolations how the Christian Churches were destroied the Countries spoiled the Christians persecuted and reduced to a most pitiful condition may bee gathered from the lamentation of the old Father Ierome whereof you may read in his first Tom. the Epist 3d pag. 18. and Epist 11. pag. 44. Likewise Augustine in his books of the Citie of God doth give a further information hereof and especially Ludovicus Vives in his Preface upon the same 3. The third Character is set down in the Revelation chap. 13. vers 2. in these words And a beast rose up out of the Sea having seaven heads and ten horns and upon his horns ten Crowns The Old Heathenish Empire is compared to the red Dragon which hath seven heads seven Mountains in the Citie of Rome and ten horns Provinces and upon his heads in the Citie of Rome seven Crowns seven sorts of Government namely Reges Consules Dictatores Decemviros Tribunos militum Caesares 10. Reges Here the new Romane Empire under the Christian Emperours and Kings is brought in which hath not seven Crowns upon the seven heads upon the Mountains in the Citie of Rome but hath ten Crowns upon the ten horns that is in the Kingdoms into which the Romane Empire is divided But wee must not seek the beginning of this beast in the time when it had already fully his horns Kingdoms but but when it rose up out of the Sea that is when it invaded the Romane Empire by force of Arms and made such a progress in it that it subdued the Citie of Rome And although the Barbarous Septentrional Nations have manie times invaded the Romane Empire with great power yet they could never so far prevail that they could take Rome Alaricus was the first who as was mentioned already in the second Character in the year of our Lord three hundred ninetie five made an irruption into the Romane Empire with two hundred thousand Goths Huns Alans prevailed against the Romans and at length took Rome in the year four hundred ten About the same time som other Nations invaded the Romane Empire which they tore into so manie pieces that in the year of our Lord four hundred fiftie five and also sixtie years after the first Invasion ten Kings each by himself reigned in the Romane Empire Wherefore the beginning of the Beast with ten horns or the rising of the same out of the Sea is referred to that year when Alaricus with his Nations invaded the Roman Empire namely to the three hundred ninetie fifth year since the birth of Christ Wee see also that all the three Characters are incident into the three hundred ninetie fifth year as 1. The spreading of the two wings of the great Eagle by the division of the Romane Empire into two parts whereby the Woman the Christian Church doth flee into the wilderness 2. The rising of the Beast with ten horns out of the Sea by the Invasion of Alaricus with his Nations 3. The beginning of treading under foot the
14. whereupon soon followeth the destruction of the Citie of Rome The second Wo that is the Turkish Empire is past Moreover the drying up of Euphrates is a preparation for the great work which shall bee performed at the pouring out of the seventh Vial. For as in times of old the red Sea was divided to make a drie waie for the Children of Israël when at their going out of Egypt they were pursued by Pharaoh to the end that they might pass thorough safe and Pharaoh should bee drowned Exodus 14. vers 12. until the twentie ninth And as God did drie up the river of Jordan and made a waie thorough it so that Israël could go through it on drie Land and enter into the promised Land so is here Euphrates spiritually dried up and the Turkish Empire ruined That the waie of the Kings of the East might bee prepared By this the conversion of the Jews is intimated which immediately after the destruction of the Citie of Rome shall bee advanced as also may bee seen by the 19. chapter vers 6 7. whereunto may bee referred what Isaiah writeth chapter 14. vers 10. until the sixteenth Zach. chap. 10. vers 11. 4. Esr chap. 13. vers 47. Hereupon followeth the pouring out of the seventh and last Vial of the wrath of God wherewith also the seventh Angel soundeth and the seventh plague and the third and last Wo over the Papacie of Rome and the fourth Monarchie doth take effect bringing with it the total ruine and destruction thereof The preparations of this are described before hand thus Vers 13. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs com out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the fals Prophet The Dragon the Beast and the fals Prophet are three companions and fellow-Commoners who from the beginning of the demutation as it appeareth by the thirteenth chapter have stuck close one to another and have been equally honored and worshipped by those that were under their power Now at the end of their reign they also agree and need requiring it they send their Ambassadors and Agents abroad unclean talkative Spirits Spirits of Devils working Miracles c. That is when the Citie of Rome shall bee destroied and the Papal seat overthrown the Turkish Empire ruined and the Jews converted unto Christ The Devil the Romane Papacie and the whole Clergie shall not bee able to conclude anie thing els but that their end is now at hand and that they will bee utterly destroied Therefore they trie their utmost endevors and call together the best men of their orders and such as are most fit for this work chiefly those that have made profession in the eleventh Classis these they send to the Courts of all Catholick Potentates throughout the whole Romane Popish Empire persuading them and the Professors of their Religion to stir up the utmost of their power and to join and offer themselvs together with others to the war against the Professors of the Gospel In that great daie of God Almightie at the pouring out of the seventh Vial. The time when Constantine the great destroied the Empire of the Dragon and overthrew the Dragon with the heathenish worship of the same is called the great daie of his wrath Rev. c. 6. v. 17. But the time here when the Beast and the fals Prophet shall bee cast into the lake of fire and brimstone and the Dragon shall bee shut up in the bottomless pit is called That great daie of God Almightie Above in the 11. ch v. 18. at the sound of the Trumpet of the seventh Angel it is called the time of the dead that they should bee judged and to give a reward c. By the Prophets in the Old Testament and by Christ and the Apostles in the New Testament it is frequently called that daie But to shew what properly is meant and understood by this great daie of God would require a large and particuliar exposition And becaus the Holie Scripture especially the Revelation of St John and the Prophets do not agree with the common opinion usual to prove and to make out at large at this time is contrarie to the scope and intention of this present Treatise Therefore it is is thought expedient to defer it till another time Vers 15. Behold I com as a thief Blessed is hee that watcheth and keepeth his garments lest hee walk naked and see his shame Here is declared the sudden and unexspected pouring out of the seventh Vial and plague which unawares and suddenly shall light upon the Papal State Therefore the Son of God himself doth exhort all men to watch and to stand continually in readiness by serious repentance and a godlie conversation And hee gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon In these words is described the place in which the Papists shall have the Rendez vous of their Armies which they shall have gathered against the Professors of the Gospel The place is called Harmageddon Mountain of Lamentations whereby is intimated the place where King Josiah fought a battel unhappily where hee was slain 2 Chron. chapter 35. vers 24 25. For which the Jews made manie and great lamentations and at last it became a custom that when they would mourn for som extraordinarie sad accident they used to make mention of this defeat given at Megiddo Upon this lamentation of the Jews and Custom doth St John here point shewing thereby that the Papists will lament and mourn over the issue of this war as the Jews did mourn for the death of King Josiah and the great overthrow they received at Megiddo Vers 17. And the seventh Angel poured out his Vial into the Aër The aforegoing Vials have been poured out upon particular places The first upon the Ecclesiastical State and Popish Religion in common The second upon the Political State by the means of this Germane war The third upon the particular Popish Kingdoms and their Heads The fourth upon an High-head a strong pillar of the Papacie The fifth upon the Citie of Rome The sixth upon the Turkish Empire which keep 's a great part of the old Romane Empire in subjection and as an open Antichrist sit's in the seat of the Dragon Now followeth the seventh Vial which is poured out upon the Aër And as the Aër doth contein all things so likewise this pouring out is universal and doth reach the whole Papacie nay it doth take hold also of the Dragon and his Spirits becaus the said Dragon as heretofore hath been said hath given up to the Beast his seat his Armie and great power and hath cooperated in this second Period and together with the Beast caused himself to bee worshipped The Dragon is the Devil and the Prince of the power of the Aër Ephesians 2. vers 2. with the wicked spirits under the heaven Ephes chapter 6. vers 12. In the eighth chapter of Matthew vers
hundred sixtie years must com thirtie years later and so begin Anno three hundred ninetie five becaus they end together 2. Secondly becaus by the division of the old Romane Empire into two parts in the three hundred ninetie fifth year the Romane Eagle got two wings and becaus in the verie same year the Septentrional Barbarous Nations invaded the Romane Empire whereby the Woman the Christian Church fled into the Wilderness wherein shee should bee preserved and nourished during the space of one thousand two hundred sixtie years or 3 ½ times chap. 12. vers 6. till the 14. 3. Thirdly Becaus with the beginning of the invasion of these Barbarous Nations in the three hundred ninetie fifth year the treading under foot of the holie Citie begun which should continue fortie and two moneths Revelations 11. vers 2. 4. Fourthly becaus by this invasion the Beast with ten horns rose up out of the Sea That is becaus by this war which began in the three hundred ninetie fifth year the Romane Empire was by little and little so divided that in the four hundred third year alreadie som horns and in the four hundred fiftie fifth year fully ten horns or Kingdoms appeared in it 5. All the Historians generally do agree that the ruine of the Romane Empire did begin in the three hundred ninetie fifth year as som of them were quoted in Clavi Apocalypt Now both the antient and later Teachers of the Church do conclude by the words of the Apostle Paul 2 Thessalonians 2. vers 6 7 8. That the Antichrist should then com when the Romane Empire should begin to fall As wee read in Tertulliano in Apologetico c. 32. Item de resurrect carnis Irenaeo lib. 5. adversus Haereses Hieronymo quaest 2. ad Algasiam Chrysost Homil. 4. in Thes 2. Hence it is that Joannes Cluverius in Comentario posthumo in Apol. Tom. 111. writeth thus Totius Negotii cardo versatur in inveniendo exordio Antichristi quod in ruinam Imperii Romani incidere ostendimus 6. The Beast with two horns the Antichristian Pope of Rome came out of the Earth quietly about the time of the three hundred ninetie fifth year Revelations 13. vers 11. when hee arrogated unto himself the Primacie and preeminencie over the Ecclesiastical and civil State Before the Nicene Synod which was held in three hundred twentie fifth year of our Lord the preeminencie of the Bishop of Rome over other Churches was not known Wherefore Aeneas Sylvius in Epistola 288. writeth Ante Nicaenum Concilium quisque sibi vivebat ad Romanam sedem parvus habebatur respectus Besides the succeeding Popes Liberius I. Felix II. and Damasus did not seek anie such matter Nay in the three hundred ninetieth year in the third Council of Carthage Can. 26. this Canon was made Ut primae sedis Episcopus non appelletur Princeps Sacerdotum aut summus Sacerdos aut aliquid hujusmodi sed tantùm primae sedis Episcopus Tom. Concil p. 544. Innocent the first who in the four hundred second year of our Lord succeeded Anastasius at Rome was the first that made an Act that the Hereticks should bee compelled to imbrace the Catholick faith And hath also attributed unto himself Autoritie and power not onely over the common people but also over the Highest Civil Autoritie in Christendom in that hee excommunicated Arcadius the Emperor at Constantinople when hee removed Chrysostome from his function In like manner hee did vehemently bestir himself to obtain the Primacie for the Romane Church and especially hee endevored to get the Government of the Bishops and Churches in Africa The like was practised also by Zosimus Bonifacius 1. Celestine 1. whereof Daniel Paraeus in Medullâ Hist Eccles universali pag. 200. Whence it is that Socrates lib. 7. Hist. Eccles cap. 3. where relating how in the time of Celistine the 1. it fared with the Novatians hee addeth these words Episcopatus Romanus non aliter atque Alexandrinus quasi extra Sacerdotii fines egressus ad secularem Principatum jam antè delapsus erat In like manner Sericius who after Damasus from the three hundred eightie fifth until the three hundred ninetie eighth year was Bishop of Rome was the first who held the Priests who companied with their married wives uncapable of the Ministerie As wee read hereof in his first Epistle chap. 7. and Epist 4. c. 6. Tom. 1. Concil page 530. 534. In Jure Canonico Distin 82. And in concilio Taurinatensi in the three hundred ninetie seventh year of our Lord was determined chap. 7. qui in Ministerio genuerunt filios nè ad majores gradus ordinum permittantur Synodi decrevit autoritas In Concilio Carthaginensi in the three hundred ninetie eighth year sub Anastasio was concluded on Cap. 3. Placuit Episcopos Presbyteros Diaconos secundùm propria priora vel prima statuta etiam ab uxoribus continere Quod nisi fecerint ab Ecclesiastico removeantur officio Tom. 1. Concil p. 517. Vid. Distinct 84. cap. 3 4 5. 7. In the eleventh chapter wee have seen that the two Witnesses at the end of the one thousand two hundred sixtie years shall bee fought against overcom and killed which as hath been proved above is hitherto com to pass The last Act is now shortly to bee exspected in the Province of Silesia Whether now this bee performed in this or in the next following year thereupon their raising again will follow after 3 ½ years And becaus the seventh Trumpet shall sound in the one thousand six hundred fiftie fifth year and between it and the raising again of the two Witnesses two accidents happen as 1. The destruction of the Citie of Rome 2. And the ending of the second Wo therefore the two Witnesses may well bee raised again before the one thousand six hundred fiftie fifth year shall begin For Modicum nec Praetor curat nec Propheta Unto this may also bee added these following reasons as secondarie Arguments 1. The Prophesie of the Apostle Peter whereof Augustin lib. 18. c. 53. and 54. de Civit. Dei. writeth That the Gentiles in his time did report that the Apostle Peter had thought that the Christian Religion should continue but three hundred sixtie five years Which Augustine holdeth to bee a Fiction wherewith the Heathen would cast a reproch upon the Christian Religion But if this bee well considered it may well prove so indeed that Peter did declare that the Christian Religion should for three hundred sixtie five years without interruption bee propagated untill the three hundred ninetie fifth year of our Lord in which the Antichrist should com who should suppress the same For in the thirtieth year of his age was the Son of God baptized whereon hee entred into the Ministerie and began to preach These thirtie years beeing added unto the three hundred sixtie five years make up the three hundred ninetie fifth year in which the Antichrist came forth the holie Citie was trodden under foot the two