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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
doctrine_n	apostle_n	church_n	infallible_a	2,448	5	9.5556	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90952	An answer to Grifith Williams Lord Bishop of Ossorie his book, intituled, The great antichrist revealed, never yet discovered, and proved to be neither pope, nor Turk, nor any single person, nor any one monarch or tyrant in any polity.	Pressick, George.; Williams, Gryffith, 1589?-1672. Great antichrist revealed, never yet discovered, and proved to be neither pope, nor Turk, nor any single person, nor any one monarch or tyrant in any polity.	1660 (1660)	Wing P3294A; ESTC R182040	110,354	119

I shall take away their sins Lactantius saith in his 7. Book Chap. 15. the Romish name and authority wherewith the world is now ruled my heart trembleth to speak it but yet saith he I will speak it because it is a thing that shall one day be taken away from the earth and the Empire shall return into Asia and the east shall have the dominion once again and the West shall be in subjection you see how his words doth agree with the Scriptures that that prophecie of the downfall of Rome and of the glory of the eastern Church when the Jews shall be converted and therefore they carry the more force I think it not amisse in this place to shew how great a hinderance the Idolatry of the Roman Church is to the convertion of the Jews to set down one thing I have observed in a narrative written by Mr. Samuel Brette an English man and a Traveller concerning the proceedings of a great Councel of three hundred Rabbies of the Jews assembled in the plain of Ageda the 12th of October 1650. to examine the Scriptures concerning Christ he saith that the seventh and last day of their Councel the question was if Christ were come then what was the rules and orders he left his Church to walk by whereupon two Jesuites two Friers of the order of Saint Augustine and two of the order of Saint Frances sent thither by the Pope these being admitted into the Councel began to open unto them the Rules and Doctrine of the Church of Rome instead of the Rules of Christ which they magnified to be the holy Catholick Church of Christ and their Doctrine to be the infallible Doctrine of Christ and their Rules to be the Rules which the Apostles left to the Church for to be observed and that the Pope is the holy Vicar of Christ and the Successor of Saint Peter they affirmed the reall prelence of Christ in the Sacrament the religious observation of their holy daies the invocation of Saints praying to the Virgin Mary and spoke of her commanding power in Heaven over her Son of the holy use of the Crosse and Images with the rest of their Idolatrous superstitious worship all which they commended to the Assembly of the Jews for the doctrines and rules of the Apostles But as soon as the assembly of the Jews had heard these things they were generally exceedingly troubled thereat and fell into high clamours against them and their religion crying out no Christ no woman God no intercession of Saints no worshiping of Images no praying to the Virgin Mary and cried out aloud blasphemy blasphemy and rent their cloaths and cast dust upon their heads and upon this the Gouncel brake up the Relator saith he doth believe there was many Jews there that would have owned the Lord Jesus if it had not been for these Jesuites and Friers and that there had been Protestant Ministers in their stead thus it appears what hinderance the idolatry of the Roman Church is to their conversion Page 31. he saith that Antiochus who is the most lively type of Antichrist that is to be found in the Scriptures reigned but just three years and a half and so the persecution of Antichrist should be but three years and an half I answer that what is said before might be a sufficient answer to this but besides I shall disprove what he saith in the first Chapter of the first book of Maccabees for Antiochus Epiphanes after he came to reign he made war against the King of Aegypt and wone many strong Cities and took away the spoil of the Land and returned in the year 143 and went up against Jerusalem verse 21 22. and Chap. 3. verse 37. the King took the half of the Hoast and departed from Antiochia his royal City in the year 147. and Lyfias whom the King left Overseer of his business at the same time sent Ptomeas Nicanor and Gorgius with forty thousand footmen and seven thousand Horsemen into the Land of Juda which Army was defeated then Chap. 4.28 the next year following gathered Lysius threescore thousand footmen and five thousand horsemen to fight against Jerusalem and Chap. 6.16 Antiochus died in the 149. year of his reign that was six years he reigned after he made war against Jerusalem besides the time he reigned when he made war against Aegypt and took many Cities and brought away the spoil and this is but all three years and an half with our Bishop if you will believe him which these chapters makes it appear to be fix years Much more such like stuff might be shewed but I forbear thus far I thought good to answer him in his folly lest he should be wise in his own conceit and I thought not fit to answer him any further lest I should be like him and my book is swelled biger already than I intended it at first and although it be but small yet it is biger than I can well spare money to pay for the printing to bring it forth to light By GEORGE PRESSICK FINIS

Antichrists Doctrine is described to be a dying Doctrine a falling from the faith a Hypocriticall and Divilish Doctrine carried on with deceite and fraud The Popes ●ivellish do●rine of for●idding Mar●●age all which doth ●minently appear in the Pope of Rome for who is there in all the world besides the Pope and his Clergy that teacheth this Divilish D●ctrine to forbid Marriage to those whose age and temper may require a help meet for them but the Pope who is that Man of sin and Antichrist of Rome which the Apostle here charges to be the Doctor that teacheth this Divilish Doctrine of forbidding Marriage which is a holy Ordinance of God instituted in Paradise and allowed in all Nations and to all persons whose age and temper doth require it as 1 Cor. 7.2 to avoid fornication let every man have his own wife c. and it was so until this Imposter and seducing spirit the Pope prohibited it unto the Clergy and this is one way of his exalting himself not only above earthly Gods as Magistrates but above the God of Heaven for what God allows this Antichrist the Pope disallows and that for bad and wicked ends As first To bring a Revenue into his Treasury by allowing Brothel Houses or Stewes which paies him yearly no small Rent for in Pope Paul the first his time which was 976 years since that Pope had upon Record in his Register the number of five and forty thousand Whores in the stewes that paid him Rent for liberty to play the Whore as Mr. Beard saith in his book of the Delusions of Antichrist and there his Clergy c. to whom he denies Marriage have liberty to go for their recreation and because the Pope allows them it is not accounted any sin And Secondly by this means he hath all the Clergy at his beck to send when he will and where he will to act their Father the Devils part by their Hypocritical lies to seduce the Nations and Kingdomes of this world for they would not be so willing to rainge abroad in such swarmes in every Kingdome if as other men they had wives and children to provide for at home Peter Marter Chap. 16. saith How are the stews punished at Rome Whores in Rome attended like Ladies by Cardinals instead of punishment they dwell in the fairest houses they are carried with honour through the City as if they were Ladies they are mounted on ambling palfries they are arraid with Chains of Gold attended with persons disguised and sometimes with Cardinals and especially in the night season in the Citie of Rome the Stews or Courtezans pass through the streets or ride on Mules like honest Matrons or Ladies in the midst of the day Noblemen Cardinals and Priests attend upon them we never saw such corruption but only in this City this info●m●tion was presented unto Pope Paul the Third saith Bishop Jewel against Harding also Luit Prandus in his sixth book Chap. 6 saith the Popes Palace at Lateran sometime the harbour of holy Saints is now become a stew of Whores Amphilocheus that wrought the life of Thomas Becket reports a woman called Emphrosyna that dwelt 36 years in a Monkes apparel among the Monks likewise Marina a woman lived many years in an Abby as a Monk in Monks apparel and this is the cause of the Popes divilish doctrine in forbidding marriage and herein lies another part of his deceit and hypocrisie in making them believe that he can pardon them and perswades them that it is lesse sin for a Clergy man to have a Whore which the Law of God forbids then to have a Wife which the law of God allows and all because they could not be so fit to send for his purpose abroad Now Bishop Williams did ever the Presbyterians or Independants or Long-parliament fulfil this Prophesie in teaching this Doctrine of Divels to forbid marriage which is one mark or Character of the great Antichrist and not the least mark and let the Readers Judge by this mark whether they or the Pope be most like Antichrist now this doctrine of Divils forbidding of Marriage and which is the doctrine and practise of the Church of Rome only and no other Church that I have read of and which occasious so much uncleanness and ungodliness and that with toleration and allowance who can doubt that the Popes who are the Authors of this divi●ish doctrine successively one after another but he is the great Antichrist that was prophesied that he should come into the world and that man of sin and son of perdition and who exalts himself above God in this particular doctrine in forbidding of Marriage to those whom Gods allows to marry Forbidding marriage the doctrine of devils and which doctrine the holy Ghost in the word of truth tells us is the doctrine of Divels that is of Popes succeeding one another and teaching that doctrine and that they that teach it are apostatized and fallen from the true faith and are hypocritical liars and seducers of Millions of souls and all to establish himself in his cursed Throne those that think the Pope not to be Antichrist I desire them to rouse up their spirits and rub the scales from their eyes and observe how lively here and else where as shall be shewed how the Apostle hath drawn Antichristes Picture in every point and limb so just like the Pope that all men that reads may say this is he That marriage instituted of God in innocency honoured by Christs presence at Canaan in Galile the seed plot of the Church the allowed remedy against incontinency and lust and which the the Apostle commands as honourable in all men Heb. 13.4 and yet forbidden by the Pope the Scarlot Strumpit of Rome to all the whole Clergy Wherein besides the divilishness of the Doctrine denying men subject to sinful lust the lawful remedy which God allows them and so cast men upon a necessity of sinning they teach this Hypocritical lie with a seared Conscience for with what Conscience saith Mr. Anderson can they make marriage a Sacrament in Lay-men and sacriledge in the Clergy with what Conscience permit Stews and forbid marriage with what Conscience confess fornication to be a sinne against the Law of God and Priests marriage onely against the Law of the Church and yet make Priests marriage a fouler sin then for a Priest to commit fornication or incesse is not this to make the transgression of the Popes laws a greater sin then the transgression of Gods laws with what Conscience to forbid lawful marriage to some and yet by dispensation to allow unlawful marriage in others who but Antichrist doth such things therefore the Pope that doth them must be the great Antichrist and man of sin for the Long-parliament nor Presbyterians nor Independents c. never did those things to forbid marriage and the like which the Apostle layes down as a Character or mark to know Antichrist by and we have reason to believe the

Hunnes so that in 132. years Rome was taken and ransackt five times and Odoaces that took it the fourth time reigned there fourteen years and if you look Socrates seventh Book ch 10. you shall see that this Alaricus that he speaks of his taking Rome the first time he ransackt and spoiled both Town and Country as he went at length he took the City of Rome and ransackt the City defaced and fired many Monuments and violently spoiled the Citizens executed many of the Emperor and if you look the 7th book of Evagrius Scholasticus chap. 7. you shall finde that Rome was taken by Gensericus being a Barbarian who set the City on fire carried away the spoil took away Eudoxia the Empress and her two daughters with him to Libia This was the very time of the beasts being wounded as it were unto death And about this time Heresie did more prevail than at any time before or since as above is shewed and that the Barbarians Goths Vandals and Hunnes who were Heathens had the upper hand how then should Atheism Heathenism and Idol-worship be fully destroyed in Rome and Christianity be victorious as he saith let the Christian Reader judge whether the Bishop be not mistaken or not though perhaps he will not own it for he is resolved before hand that no man shall convince him for he will be singular all other Authors are but Novices to him In the 10th page he saith That Bishop Mountague sets down Reasons which this Bishop complyes with why the Turks should rather be Antichrist than the Pope and his first Reason is the Turks apostacy from the Doctrin and Gospel of Christ I answer I dare not betray my Master Christ his truth and therefore must make bold to tell both the Bishops that their first Reason hath no reason in it for the Turk did never own Jesus Christ as he is truly Christ to be King Priest and Prophet to his Church the which ●hing the Turk did never own and therefore it cannot properly and truly be said that the Turk did fall and apostatize from the Doctrin and Gospel of Christ because he never did receive it nor own it as the Doctrin and Gospel of Christ as King Priest and Prophet but hath alwayes denyed it and been an Adversary unto it But the Pope and Church of Rome hath outwardly in words though they deny it in their Deeds as is proved be● fore yet in outward profession they own Christ as King Priest and Prophet but are apostatized from the doctrin and institutions o● Christ and therefore the Pope is the great Antichrist Page 14. He saith It is agreed of all sides not only by Bellarmin a●● other Popish Writers but also the most learned Protestant Divine● That as Darnel grows among Wheat so Antichrist should arise out 〈◊〉 the truest and purest Church of Christ and if so and that he will ha● the Pope to be Antichrist then the Church of Rome not only was 〈◊〉 must be confessed to be and continue stil the truest Church of Christ a● so Calvin and others are out of the true Church in separating from t● Church of Rome I answer That for the agreement of the Writers I shall n● say much but I find no Scripture that saith it neither doth 〈◊〉 prove it for as to Darnel growing among Wheat it no more relat● to Antichrist than to any other wicked mans being in the outward visible Church and suppose that Antiochus be a type of Antichrist as you say yet that proves nothing as to the place where he shall arise only it types out what he shall do when he is come But suppose I grant that Antichrist should a●ise out of the purest Church and so catch you in your own Snare it is easily proved that the Church of Rome was once the truest Gentil Church that was in the World and that when the Apostle writ his Epistle to the Romans as Rom. 1.8 I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your Faith is spoken of through the whole World which commendation is not given to any other Church in the World therefore by your own Argument Antichrist was to arise in the Church of Rome for it was the truest and purest Church but that it should so continue and be the truest Church at the time when Antichrist should appear is but yours and Bellarmin's c. fancy without Scripture or reason to ground upon For if the Church where Antichrist did arise had been the purest Church when he did arise Antichrist would then soon have been discovered and opposed and hissed at he could not have shrowded himself and his hypocritical waies but would have been discerned neither do you nor can you prove that the Church of Rome being once a true Church that it should so continue still and that we are Schismaticks for departing from it This is fine Prelatical Popish Doctrine without proof of Scripture but if you or Bellarmin or an Angel from Heaven saith the Apostle teach any other Doctrine than we have received in the Scripture let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 The seven Churches of Asia and many more besides them were true Churches but are not so now And so the Primitive Church of Rome the first hundred or two hundred years was a true Church but is not so now as is proved in the former part of this Book at large But besides these Reasons I will come a little nearer to you by Scripture proof that Antichrist should arise out of a Church which at that time of his rising should be a corrupted Apostatized Church 2 Thes 2.1 2 3 verses Consider whether the words of men or Scripture is fit to be believed I beseech you Brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him that ye be not shaken in mind nor troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter from us And I may adde nor by Bellarmin●e nor Bishop Williams's Interpretations as if the day of Christ were at hand for that day shall not come except their come a falling away first and that man of sin which is Antichrist be revealed Here you see in this Text is plainly held forth that the Church where Antichrist should arise should be one that was a true Church but should fall away from the Truth and that Antichrist could not come untill first the Church where he should arise did fall away from the Truth and then Antichrist should be revealed that so in this apostatized Church he might the more covertly work his feats and not be discerned Now here is set before you Truth and Error chuse whether you will believe a poor man confirming what he writes by Scripture or believe Cardinal Bellarmin or a Bishops words without Scripture Page 15. he saith but I do not believe him That it is agreed of all sides and by all Interpreters old and new Papists and Protestants that the great Antichrist should come toward

most barbarous cruel manner the space of 255 years and after them William the Conqueror slew of the English 66654 about the year 1264 was four bloudy battels in England between the King and his Barrons also between King Edward and the Scots was slain in two battels of the Scots besides English 57000 about the year 1295 and 1298. and was all this nothing with you was there none of your Orthodox Bishops in all these broils were they free from bloud and persecution What say you then to the Wars among the Popes and Emperors Pope Alexander the second and another Pope set up by the Emperor about the year 1062 they had two great Battels and many slain of both sides but the Pope brought it at last that he set his foot upon the Emperors neck an Pope Hildebrand by giving the Empire from the Emperor Henry to Rodolphus there was four bloudy Battels fought between their Armies and by means of Pope Pascalus there was two great Battels between Henry the 4. and his own Son in 1102. and about the year 1234 there was such Wars between Pope Gregory the 9. and the City of Rome that there was 30 thousand of the Cittizens slain in one battel and about the year 1251 the Sarazens slew of English French and other Nations 80 thousand also there was great War between the Pope and Fredrick the Emperor and in 1255 the Pope having Wars with the Apulians the Popes Army was utterly destroyed but only the Family of Marchisius in 1241 a great Army of Sythians invaded Europe in two places and at the same time an Army of five hundred thousand of Tartarians who spared neither sex nor age about the year 1409 King Henry the fourth of England wrote to Pope Gregory about the division between the two Popes which then had continued 29 years intimating to the Pope that he had received intelligence that there had been slain in the Wars between the two Popes two hundred and thirty thousand men and Pope Julius who died in the year 1513 it is related by Writers The Bishops mistake as to the Witnesses prophecying in Sackcloath that there was slain in his Wars two hundred thousand more and Sir is all these nothing with you that by the divisions of three or four Popes that four hundred and thirty thousand men should be slain besides all other Popes and Emperors Wars and these of your Orthodox Cloisterers c. and yet you are not ashamed to write and print that the Church was at this time at rest and free from any bloudy persecution for 1260 years together and could these murthers and slaughters banishment and riping of women with child as was in England c. be without persecution I could produce more the like if I were minded but I think here is enough to let others see your mistake if you will not see it your self I could add to this the burning and martyrdom of many hundred thousands more in England Scotland France Spain Germany Tholose Piedmond Waldensea Albe●ences and many other Countries in Alsatia one hundred ●artyred in one day for defending the truth and much more might be said to prove the direct contrary to what you 〈◊〉 said to be true namely that the 1260 years of the ●●●nesses prophecying in Sackcloath that it was a mournfull time of the persecutions of the true Church of Jesus Christ and not a time of freedom and liberty of the Churches enjoyment of the Ordinances of Jesus Christ in their purity and that with protection and defence against all their opposers as you pretend In the 24. page he compares the light that was held forth to the Church of Christ by the ministery of the 12 Apostles but to the light of 12 stars but after the year 382 spoken of before the ministery held forth by Hierom Ambrose Augustine Basil Gregory Nazianzen Epiphanius and Cirillus he saith was as the light of the Sun in the firmament I answer we need not now so much wonder at the corruption of the Church of Rome who equal their Mass with the Gospel of Christ and the Popes unwritten traditions with the Canons of the Scripture The Bishop saith the Ministery of the Apostles was 〈◊〉 the Stars and the ministery of the ●ncient Fathers as the Sun when our Bishop so much undervalues the doctrine and ministery of the Apostles who had an imediate call from God to their ministery and were guided by the Holy-Ghost in their ministery and what they writ was left unto us as the athentick Word of God for our istruction and testified by the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 1.20 that it is not of any privat interpretation but holy men of God spake as they were endowed by the Holy-Ghost and yet that these servants of Jesus Christ that their ministery should be but compared to the light of the Stars and the ministery of Herom Ambrose c. should be compared to the light of the Sun so far exceeding the ministery of the Apostles as the light of the Sun exceeds the light of the Stars for that is the meaning it is such a Doctrine as I think was never taught by an English or Irish Bishop before that ever I read of nor I hope the like will never be taught again a man would think that upon a review of what he hath don he should own his mistake for if these be not mistakes I know not what is but I must correct my self and remember what he confesseth of himself before as to the freedom and liberty of the Orthodox Bishops in their cloisters and Monasteries the 126 years which he further speaks of in his 44. page and saith that the two Witnesses were furnished with a larger measure of Gospel-light to enlighten the Church being fled into the Wilderness from the face of the Dragon and to govern the Church in a far better manner than ever they did or could do before but this is strange if it could be so in their Sackcloa●● and mournful condition and he further saith that when Phocas the Traytor the murthering Emperor granted the pre heminency to Pope Boniface the third to be universal Bishop then the Sword of Satan he saith had neither edge strength nor abilitie to suppresse the Word of God nor to abate one jot of the power of the Witnesses but that the Church was freed from all fear and tyranny c. this I confesse is true understanding it of the Pope and Papist Church which I never knew any but Papists yet that ever took it in that sence as the Bishop doth for as is shewed above that time of the Church being in the Wildernesse was the time of the Churches affliction and persecution and Phocas granting that power to the Pope instead of blunting Satans Sword it sharpened his Sword and made it cut both waies so that he ceased not until he had gotten both Civil and Ecclesiastical Government into his hands and suppressed the Word of God as is shewed above

Scriptures before Bishop Williams A second Mark or Character the Apostle layes down to know Antichrist by is that as he forbids marriage So secondly He commands abstinence from meats which God hath created to be received with thanks-giving c. which words declare thus much unto us that neither Marriage nor Meats nor any other Creature nor Ordinance of God is to be refused upon any tye of Conscience provided they be received with thanks-giving of them that believe and know the truth with such other requisite conditions as becometh Christians in 1 Cor. 10 25. the holy Apostle bids us Whatsoever is sold in the Shambles that eat asking no question for Conscience sake c. and Titus 1.15 To the pure all things are pure so that to forbear the use out of a tye of Conscience or a Superstious Opinion as being unlawful at such or such a time it is against Christian libert either to charge the use of them with sin or to place holiness in abstaining from the use of them It is the Doctrine you see the Apostle tells of that Antichrist should teach and this is the Pope of Rome's doctrine for he saith it is a sinne deserving death to eat of meats prohibited by the Church they teach that fasting consists only in abstinance from meats and not from drink I have seen them that upon one of their Superstitious fasting dayes they would eat no meat but they would eat plentifully of Fruit Raisons of the Sun and Figs and the like and drink largely of Wine Ale and Beer and such kind of Fasting with them is esteemed satisfactory for sin and meritorious of eternal Life and this is another Hypocritical mark or Charracter of Antichrist for such Hypocritical lyes as these passeth currant among them for sound doctrine from their holy Father the Pope so seared is his Conscience as with a hot Iron for with what Conscience doth the Pope allow an ordinary Priest to absolve for Murther Adultery Fornication or perjury but the great and hainous sinne of eating flesh upon a Friday or Ember-days is left to the censure of a plenepotentiary as being beyond the power of an ordinary Priest to grant absolution for as being a greater sin because it is against the Law of the Church then Murther or Adultery c. is which are sins against the Law of God or with what Conscience can the Pope make the tasting of the coursest flesh A Popish Lent Fast a breach of Lent-fast and surfeiting upon the delicatest Fish to be no breach of Lent-fast and with what conscience can he forbid the use of such and such meats for the taming of the flesh when he allows the use of those things which are more nourishing of the flesh and more provoking to fleshly lusts as strong Wines and such like with what conscience can he enjoyne fasting for penance and then presently release that penance for a penny the Glosse upon the Canon saith That he who gives a penny to redeem his penance fast though he give mony for a spirituall thing yet he doth not commit Simony because the contract is made with God that is the excuse though the contract be made with the Priest and the Money come to the Priests pocket well did the holy Ghost say that Antichrist should teach lies with a seared Conscience for if the Pope and Cardinals Prelates and Priests c. if all their consciences were not seared they would not use such pretences to varnish over their Hypocritical lies and errours to damn so many thousand souls and thus you see what marks and characters the holy Ghost hath laid down to know the great Antichrist and man of sin by which things the Parliament nor Presbyterians c. were never guilty of The next Text I shall handle that shews us who this great Antichrist is we have in the 2 Thes 2. to the 12. verse where first the Apostle earnestly beseecheth the Thessalonians Church not to be shaken in mind nor troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us saith he as if the day of Christ were at hand here we have in this verse such a plain demonstration of Antichrist in his cheating deluding cousoning practises as we can scarce find the like What is meant by spirit word and letter for by spirit word and letter I conceive the Apostle means all false ways that Antichrist shall make use of to deceive as false Teachers signs lying Miracles Inthusiasts such as pretend to have the spirit to work miracles as your Priests that pretend to cast out Divels 2 Cor. 11.13 which transform themselves as the Apostles of Christ as all the Popes houlings which pretend to imitate the Apostles of which I have hinted in the former part of this book there is no lesse then 150 several Orders or Degrees of them and all pretending to holinesse both in Doctrine and Discipline and yet not one of them of Divine institution but are all popish and Antichristian humane inventions and institutions of men and this is one main argument that the Pope is the great Antichrist that he sets up so many Orderers Officers and Offices in the Church of Christ against Christ in as much that Christ did never institute nor ordain them and to bind mens consciences to submit to them and other of his humane institution and that under such penalties as is shewed above that he makes the breach of his own Laws which he calls the Laws of the Church a greater crime then the breach of the Law of God who then can deny the Pope that thus acts to be the great Antichrist and all these several Orders to be the limbs and members of Antichrist and Seducers who in their several places make it their whole business to keep people in obedience to this Antichrist their great Lord and Master by their lies and lying doctrines and lying wonders exalting and extolling the reliques of Saints and Martyrs and the instituters of their Orders the holinesse and sanctity of their habits and the like which things are more preached and praised and cryed up among them then Christ Jesus is preached or cried up And to gain credit to their delusions they report what miraculous things have been done by the vertue of St. Austins Lethern Girdle for curing diseases and easing of pains c. Satans delusion to deceive And indeed it is possible that God may suffer Satan by weak means to do some such cures which the Devil may by permission be the Author and cause of the disease himself and by his withdrawing his operation and working the disease or paine may cease and all this to make good what the Apostle in this Chapter foretold should come to passe that because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved therefore God shall send them strong delusions to believe lies that all they may be damned which believe not the truth but have pleasure in

other Hereticks to work their feats so that soon after this councel had made that decree Heresies never came in to the Ghurch half so fast neither before nor since as at that time for the space of 30 years For Pope Liberus about the year 352 was an Arian and Pope Felix about 358 was also an Arian so that this falling away of the Bishops and councel was exceeding great and hath produced so many new inventions in Religion and so many ceremonies and that is another part of their falling from the examples of the Apostles Acts 15.28 Their care was to abolish ceremonies and lay no heavier burthen upon them but necessary things but the Pope and Prelates hath burthened the Church with unnecessary ceremonies and with above 150 Religious Orders that not one of them is of Divine institution to all which this Councel of Nice in that decree laid the foundation But this was not all that followed upon that new decree and bumane institution Bishops Authority cannot keep out Heresie for immediately followed a number of Heresies more which that decree made way for that every Bishop in his own Province might make what Lawes he pleased As first the Photiniuns about the year 323 Photinus was Bishop of Syrmium the Luciferians in 333 there was another sort of them called Homonymians the Jovinians in 335 the Aetians in 331. Aetius was a Deacon the same time the Eunomians whose Author was Bishop of Cyzicum the Audians in 338 and were after called Anthromorphets the Semarians the Author was Bishop of Cesaria in the year 330. the Meletians from Meletus a Theban Bishop a little before the Councel of Nice the Manichees of which came the Catharists and Macarii in 340 the Donatists from Donatus who because Cecilian was preferred to be Bishop of Carthage before him he turned Heretick so ambitious were they of honour and jurisdiction in 348 from him sprang the Parmetiaists and Montenses the Priscilliunists in 348. the Apollinarists in 350 the Antedico Marianits and the Heluidians 355 the Messalians in 341. whose Heresie was divided into several Sects as Martyrianies Inthuaste Euphemite Satanici the Metangismonits in 341. the Proclianits and Patricians in 387. the Collyridians and the Paterniani in 357. the Aerians in 340. the Abolenite 370. the Pilagians in 382. The Predestinati and Timotheans about the same time there was also the Enstathius who renewed the Heresie of Sabilecus and Paulus Somosatenus and the Ancyrogalatian the Patropassians the Nestorians and Eutichians Theodotians and many others here is 40 odd of which there was about 55 of these Heresies came rushing into the Church in Twenty years time after the Councel of Nice whereby the Church was almost as much distressed if not altogether as it was under the Heathen Persecutors The Judgement that befel the Church after the decree of Nice that however the Councel and others since may pretend that these new Officers and Offices invented by them of Pope and Lord Primate and Lord Metrapolitan and Lord Dioceasan c. together with their large Jurisdiction and Authority given them with preheminency of priority superiority was the way to keep out Heresie yet that God might let both them and us see how dangerous it is to leave his divine institutions and imbrace or devise novelties in any part of his Worship or Service though upon never so faire pretences how suddenly after did all these Heresies arise in the Church to let them see both their sinfulnesse and foolishnesse in forsaking the institutions and rules laid down in the Scriptures for us to walk by the forsaking whereof with what it produced which continues to this day may convince us both of the sin and shew us the punishment and it is not to be past over without taking notice of that the City of Nice where first this wicked decree was made it was the very first City that was given up into the hand of the Oramen Family which now we call Turks as a punishment upon the very place as we have ground to think This Nicen Councel Mr. Brightman saith did sit under the blowing of the second Trumpet the effect of which is that a great mountain burning with Fire was cast into the Sea and the third part of the Sea became blood c. by the Sea he understands the Doctrine of the Gospel in it's purity and by a third part becoming blood is meant the mingling of Prince-hood and Lord Primacy with the Doctrine of the Gospel and institutions of Christ and his Apostles which was done by this Councel as you have heard above that through the pride of Bishops striving for dignities they were embroiled in bloody wars and Persecutions Mingling Doctrines of men with the Gospel as then it came to passe and by Mountaines is meant in Scripture Princes and Peers and Great Men as Isa 2.12.14 The day of the Lord of host is upon all that are proud and haughty and upon all the high Mountains and upon the Halls that are lifted up and which may well be applyed to the pride of Popes and Prelates and by the 3d part of the creatures in the Sea dying if by the Sea we understand with Brightman the Doctrine of the Gospel then by the 3d part dying in the Sea we may understand the destruction of the multitude that have received the doctrine of that humane decree of Nice and mingled it with the pure doctrine of the Gospel and the doctrines of the Popes and Prelates and all the rabble of Monks and Fryers c. that mingle their inventions of doctrine and discipline ceremonies and the like with the institutions of the Gospel of which a third part died So insatiable they were of honour and to have preheminency that in the next age following that three most holy Popes who no doubt could not erre which was Zozimus Boniface and Celestine yet were all three convicted of Forgery for falcefying the Act of the Nicen Councel to exable their Principality though the Councel of Nice had given them more before then Christ had left them but what authority the Councel had given them they laboured to improve and did until they accomplisht their desire to have a universal power over all Churches and this made them the great Antichrist and man of sin other wise he could not have been Antichrist for it was foretold of him that he should exalt himself above all that was called Gods that is above all Magistrates and Officers who are called God Psal 82.6 I said ye are Gods c. Therefore the Councel of Carthage writ to Celestine and admonished him not to commit such a sin as to bring in the Smoke and and Swelling pride of the world of Antichrist they might have said into the Church of Christ and thus in time their impudence grew up to its height you may see from hence how dangerous it is to bring innovations into the Church of Christ to mingle mens institutions with Gods institutions to

the end of the World and at the last period of the last times as the Scripture he saith doth evidently testifie I answer that these Scriptures he means to prove it by is yet unwritten for I am sure he never read them for though he quote 1 Tim. 4.1 that Text makes directly against him and nothing for him For saith the Apostle Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and give heed to seducing spirits What is meant by latter times and Doctrines of Devils and those devilish Doctrines are said verse 3 to be the forbidding of Marriage and commanding to abstain from meats c. I am glad the Bishop doth confess this Text to be meant of Antichrist But because the Apostle speaks of the latter times must it therefore needs be understood as he saith of the last period of the last times or as he saith in the 30. pape of his 2d Book That Antichrist shall reign but three years and a half or much about that time and very shortly after must be the last Judgment But let us see what other Scriptures say that we may expound Scripture by Scripture Gen. 49. Jacob called his Sons together that he might shew them what should befall them in the last daies surely this is not meant three years and a half before the end of the World as he calls it the last period of the last times c. Verse 19. Gad a troop shall overcome him but he shall overcome at the last So Daniel 4.8 and 1 Peter 1.20 and so Matth. 26.60 By the last times in these Texts is understood the fulnesse of the time appointed and determined of God for the affecting and bringing to passe what God hath intended to have done and the time he hath appointed and so that Text before 1 Tim. 4.1 in the latter daies that is the daies before determin'd and appointed that Antichrist should forbid marriage and meats and it is now 980. years since marriage was forbidden in the Council of Constance ●nd Antichrist doth reign still this is a long three years and an half that is stretched out to more then three times three hundred years since Antichrist preached that Dectrine and yet the Bishop either cannot or will not see his mistake Page 16. he saith He cannot sufficiently wonder at M● Meade Marefius Tilenus the Synod of Gappe and other Divines aforesaid that they should imagin that God would be so regardlesse so unmindful and so severe though in Justice he might as to suffer the great Antichrist to reign and rage against his Saints so many hundred years as they prescribe that makes the Pope Antichrist I answer Who can sufficiently wonder that a man of such a place and dignity as a Bishop should be so far mistaken himself as in writing lesse than half one Leaf so grosly to contradict himself The Bishop contradicts himself c. For even now he said that it was agreed upon by all Papista and Protestants old and new that Antichrist should come towards the end of the World and now he confesseth that Mr. Mead Maresius and Tilenus and others afore-named which was above twenty are of contrary opinion and the Synod of Gappe to boot who can to use his own words sufficiently wonder at this so great a Doctor a finder out of a new Antichrist which the world never dreamed of but besides his slighting the Judgment of so many Authors before-named by himself together with the Magde●urgerses and Synod of Gappe who can sufficiently wonder that he should charge God to be regardlesse and unmindful of his Saints to suffer Antichrist so many hundred years to tyrannize over them as if Gods Actions were to be measured by his Reason he hath forgotten that God suffered all Nations except the Jewes and some few Proselites to walk in their own waies almost four thousand years For with him a thousand years is but as one day c. And as is said above the Beast that is the seventh Head When he cometh he must continue a short space Rev. 17.10 and yet this short space was 87. years before he received his wound and then was 132. years after before the wound was fully healed which was but a short space in comparison of the time that Antichrist hath reigned was ever the Church of God without enemies since the Creation that you should count it a greater wonder now then it was in former Ages but I let this passe Page 17. he tells us That the Apostle shewes but he neither doth nor can tell us where the Apostle shewed it nor to whom that God would raise up Reformers to root out Errors out of the Church and to prescribe a Form of Godliness these are his very words A Form of Godlinesse and then follow● or a Set-form of God's Worship whereby the Church should be guided in the true Faith and these Reformers he saith are stiled I Answer I do not read of a Form of Godlinesse in any place of Scripture but in 2 Tim. 3.5 in which Text the holy Apostle doth admonish us to turn from such as have no more than a Form of Godliness And in the four foregoing Verses what manner of persons they would be that would set up a Form of Godlinesse That perillous times should come A Form of Godliness for the Government of the Church of Christ that men should be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud cursed speakers disobedient to Parents unthankful unholy without natural affection truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of them that are good traytors heady high minded lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God having a Form of Godlinesse but denying the power thereof from such turn away or because they are such therefore turn away from such Is such a brood as this Sir your Reformers to root out Heresie as you say and to settle a Form of Godlinesse whereby the Church of Christ should be guided a woful condition is that Church in who have such Reformers and such Guides The Apostle branches them into eighteen several ranks or qualities of which I dare say there was never a one of them that ever was a good Refomer of the Church of Christ but rather Deformers And as for that Text you bring which you say calls such Reformers good men as they were indeed say you But I know not who will believe it for under favour I must tell you it is falsly applyed for the Apostle there is foretelling what Antichrist should do when he came into the World viz. That he should depart from the true Faith and be a seducing spirit that he should be a lyer an hypocrite that his conscience should be seared or benumbed in the practice of wickednesse that he should teach the Doctrine of Devils as the forbiding of marriage and commanding to abstain from meats which may be received with thanksgiving of them that believe and know the Truth And

holy or conjured Water to scare the Divel did they ever use such Vestments with Crosses in Banners Tapers Altars c. after Christs ascention did they hold black and green white and red colours more sacred than others did they observe canonical hours pray for the dead go processions keep 86 holy daies in a year besides the Sabaths did they ever use relicks of Saints c. Pictures Images Crucifixces Crosses Agnus Dei or such like did they say Masses to deliver souls out of Purgatory or teach that there was a Purgatory or that men might merrit salvation by their works and not only so but do works of super-errogation to be by the Pope converted into payment for others and the like did they ever teach that the Cordilians should draw a soul out of Purgatory for saying five Pater nosters and five Ave Maries with more the like did the Apostles ever worship the Crosse or teach others to worship it with the same worship that God is worshipped with as Thomas and other Popish Doctors teach or did they ever pray in any Language that themselves did not understand or pray upon a string of Beads or did they ever teach abstinence from marriage or meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving or did they forbid marriage and allow Whores and Sodomy as the Popes have done dare any man say that these are the Ordinances and Institutions of Jesus Christ and his Apostles are they not more like the Doctrines of Devils and those that teach and practice them the Slaves and Vassals of the Devil to do his drudgery If these things cannot by Scripture be proved to be the Ordinances of God instituted by Jesus Christ and his Apostles then it cannot be denyed but the Pope who is the Author ●he Papists who are the practisers of these things they do ●ll reject and deny Jesus to be Christ in all his three Offices ●f King Priest and Prophet and will not suffer him to rule ●●m as their King nor to be their alone and only Mediator 〈◊〉 Intercessor between God and man as their Priest nor ●o be their Prophet to teach them the Laws and Ordinances 〈◊〉 Church nor the Officers and Offices in his Church c. I therefore the Pope as chief Author of these things doth deny Jesus to be Christ and upon that account cannot be denyed to be the great and abominable Antichrist that was prophecied should come into the world for this is the plainest Text in all the Scriptures to prove who is the great Antichrist 1 John 2.22 namely he that denies Jesus to be Christ that is to be anointed King Priest and Prophet and to confess that in words and deny it in deeds is no more than the Devil doth for he will confess it in words and how it is proved that the Pope denies it in deeds you have heard how he is the great Lyer professing Christ in words to be King Priest and Prophet and denying it in deeds who is a lyer but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ he is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son for in denying the Son he denieth the Father also for that follows in the next vetse whosoever denieth the Son the same hath not the Father therefore the Pope denieth both he is the great Antichrist c. These as you have heard are some of the Doctrines and of their practice whereby Antichrist the Pope doth in a most high and contemptuous manner rejects and denie Jesus to be the Christ and will not allow of those Ordinances and Officers of the Church which Christ hath taught us in the New Testament and instituted for the Churches use Antichrist sound out who he is but Antichrist the Pope hath framed a new form of worship with new Ordinances and Officers teaching for Doctrines his own precepts and inventions so that now we have found out the great abominable Antichrist that doth in the highest and most contemptible manner of any one in the world reject and deny Jesus to be the Christ annointed of the Father King Priest and Prophet to his Church and therefore we may conclude that the Pope of Rome is the great lyar and the Antichrist In the 7. page of his second Book he saith that the 1260 daies spoken of Revel 11.3 they are to be understood of so many years which in the 8. page he saith that the 1260 years began at the year 382. and ended in the year 1642. during which time he saith the Orthodox Bishops in all the Christian Kingdoms of Spain France Germany England S●●land Ireland and others had full power and free liberty 〈◊〉 preach the Doctrine of faith and they were not only pr●●cted from wrongs and violence of their opposers but 〈◊〉 were also assisted to reduce all transgressors to repeutar And in the 27. page he saith that Ecclesiastical Histories do undoubtedly declare that from the Reign of Teodosius for 1260 years until the year 1642. the Churches of God had rest and was freed from any bloudy persecution for any profession of the true faith and the right service of God and the two Witnesses of Christ the Kings as chief and the Bishops and Preachers in their Cloisters and Monasteries as in in a Wilderness secluded from all Worldly affairs had free liberty through the protection and assistance of nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers to publish the mysteries of our Christian Religion and the truth of the two Testaments and Doctrine of Faith c. I answer first by comparing together what the Bishop saith in these two places we must examine what he means by Orthodox Bishops whether Protestant Bishops or the Papist Bishops which he saith in all Christian Kingdoms of France Spain c. had free liberty to preach the Doctrine of Faith and were protected from the violence of their opposers The Bishop hath now confessed himself a Papist certainly he means the Popish Bishops for who else could they be for 1260 years which was he saith from the year 382. unto the year 1642. that could or had liberty freely without persecution to preach the Doctrine of true Faith in that 1260 years but Papists and be protected from all violence of opposers for he saith further in the 27. page that these Orthodox Bishops were one of Christs Witnesses which he describes to be Bishops and Preachers in their Cloisters and Monasteries which must be understood of Bishops Priests Friers and Jesuites for these live in Cloisters and Monasteries and not our Protestant Bishops and Preachers and these Orthodox Bishops and Preachers in their Cloisters and Monasteries were saith he secluded from the world and protected in our Christian Religion where by our Christian Religion it must be supposed he means his own Religion together with those that are of the same opinion with him and that is the Bishops in Cloisters and Monasteries who are Papists so that now at last he hath openly declared himself 〈◊〉 be