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-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-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-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-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
unto the Beast of the seventh and eighth Head viz. the Pope of Rome The Roman-Heathen yea and Christian Emperours stood in the Popes Way and did let and hinder his Rise and Reigning Power until they were Removed out of his Way as was foretold by the Apostle Paul 2 Thes 2 3 4 7 8 9 10. And thus it came to pass Constantine the Great leaving Rome and making Constantinople the Imperial Seat thereby sede vacante the then Bishop of Rome got full Possession of that City And so the Chief Bishop of Rome continued his Primacy from that Time until at last the Western Empire determined in Augustulus anno 475. or thereabouts And about the year 607. the then Bishop of Rome Boniface the III. obtained from Phocas the Emperour of the East That not the Patriarch of Constantinople but the Bishop of Rome be universal-Bishop But for all this Rise and Advance Avent Annal. Boyor lib. 5. and pag. 447. and lib. 9. The Beast of the eighth Head the Pope of Rome IS NOT of the Seven that is to say HE is not Supreme as the Roman Emperours were For although the Emperours assumed the Title of Pontifex Maximus (e) Dionys Halicarnas Ant. Rom. 12. And Godwin's Antiq l. 2. Sect. 2. cap. 15. and added it to the Imperial Crown yet the Imperial Crown of the Roman Government and Kingdom was not added to the Pope of Rome (f) Petra dedit Petro Petrus Diadema Rodulpho Bellar. de Concil lib. 2. cap. l. 2. c. 17. until Henry the IV. Emperour whom Gregory the VII Excommunicated and Deposed and Made Rodulphus Emperour in his stead And afterwards when Henry the V. came to Rome to be Crowned by Pope Pascal II. The Pope would not consent to his Coronation untill the Emperour did give over all Right of Election of Popes and of Investures of Bishops by Staff and Ring And thus the Pope gained the Power of Temporal Soveraignty and so IS of the Seven Nor did all this Episcopal Pontificial and Imperial Dignity Power and Authority fill and satisfie the Beastly Pope of Rome until he obtained Supremacy above all general Councils (g) Bellarmine boasteth saying The last Lateran Council under Leo 10th expresly and professedly teacheth That the Pope is above all Councils Bellar. de Concil l. 2. c. 17. And so the Pope became Pontifex Maximus the chief high Priest who translated Kings and Emperours at his Pleasure Bellarmine (h) Bellar de trans Imp. Rom. in tribus libris per Episcopi Rom. authoritatem saith The Roman Empire was by the Authority of the Pope translated from the Graecians to the French and from Charles the Great and the French unto the Family of Otho and the Saxons which is now the Roman Papal Empire of Germany with its seven Electors Secondly The Roman Beast also that WAS is described by his Present State 1. Negatively And is NOT. 2. Affirmatively And yet IS (i) Rev. 17.8 9. Herein lyeth another Mystery And here is the Mind that hath Wisdom to know in what Respect the Roman Beast is NOT and yet IS I will not be positive nor dare I presume to make a determinate Judgment and to give a Resolution herein but I humbly offer my Opinion and submit it to the Mind that hath Wisdom and let him that hath understanding in this Mystery judge what I say It is said HE is NOT with Respect to those five Kings or Kinds of Kingly Government viz. Kings Consuls Dictators Decemvirs Ancients Irenaeus l. 5. adversus Haeres c. 28. Tertul. de Resur car c. 25. Ander Caesar Episc cap. 36. in Apoc. 13. v. 1. Beda in Apoc. 13. v. 1. and Tribunes which were fallen that is past and gone before St. John's time For this BEAST which rose out of the Sea of the Troubles and Confusions in Rome and in the Roman Empire and out of the Earth of the Apostacies (k) 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. and 2 Thes 2.3 4 5. which the Apostle foretold should be in the latter Days and which the Angel was now Revealing unto John (l) Rev. 13.1 and ver 11. and Rev. 17.3.7 8. viz. Papal Rome Is NOT yet Come Rev. 17.10 that is HE was not in Being when St. John write this Book And yet HE IS that is to say ONE IS Modern Joan. Viguer Instit Theol. c. 21. Sect. 3. v. 4. Nich. Sander l. 8. de visib Eccl. Monarch c. 1. in Libro octavo Nich. Zegar in Apoc. 13. to wit the Emperour who IS the sixth King then in Being in St. John's time and sometime after Rev. 17.10 And there are seven Kings Five are fallen And ONE IS And the Other is not yet come viz. to be the Seventh head of the Roman Empire and the Supreme Governour of the Roman Monarchy The Roman-Papal BEAST is NOT that is to say HE is not God's Ordinance of Magistracy nor a lawful Power ordained of God but he IS an Usurper of the Roman Kingdom And an Instrument of the great Dragon Papists Benedict Pererius l. 14. in Dan. R. Bellarminus l. 3. de R. P. c. 2.8 Francis Rib. in Apoc. 13. Sect. 1. Hiomne Bestiam Apoc. 13.1 ipsissimum esse Antichristum interâ—retantur that old Serpent called the Devil and Satan Rev. 12.3.9 viz. The Roman Pagan Emperour And also the Dragon that old Serpent which is the Devil â—ad Satan Rev. 20.2 viz. He that beguiled Eve through his Subtilty 2 Cor. 2.11.3 gave the BEAST his Power and his Throne and his Supreme Authority So that Beast the Pope of Rome hath the Roman-Power but not Jure Divino HE IS NOT by God's Approbation And yet HE IS the Supreme Roman-Governour Yea HE IS of the Seven to wit the seventh King or kind of Kingly Government as is before said And HE even he is the Eighth Rev. 17.11 (m) Bestia sc Papa Rom. Is octavus est Et de septem illis est Quia nimirum Papa sc Antichristus Cornu illud parvulum Dan. 7.20 oriturus erat de medio Cornuum quartae bestiae quae Imperium adumbrabat Romanum c. J.W. lib. de ultimo Romae Exitio p. 6. Thirdly The Roman BEAST is described by his Future State Rev. 17.10 And the other is not yet Come that is to say the other King or Kind of Kingly Government viz. Popes had not gotten the Supreme Power neither Political nor Ecclesiastical But this Beast that was to Come that is to succeed the Emperours was the Popes and they are the Eight and of the Seven Rev. 17.11 Which will be made appear in the second Particular of the Angels Description of the BEAST by his twofold Number The Second particular or Part of the Angels Description of the Roman Beast is by his twofold Number Seven and Eight The Pope of Rome is of the Seven or the Seventh King or Kingly kind of Government with Respect of his Imperial or Magisterial Power (n) Bellar. contra Barcl c. 5. Non
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