not fit the Ministers of Christ should be under the power of men of this world or that they should judge of Ecclesiastical causes or dispose of Ecclesiastical imployments but that all should be managed by a spiritual Court and spiritual person 2. They pretend the benefit of the Church It is necessary they say that as the Church is one body on earth though dispersed in all quarters so it should have one visible Head who should be the fountain of Unity that he should have supreme and absolute power to judge all persons and to determine all cases to prevent divisions and to preserve Unity to maintain the doctrine and worship of the Gospel and to prevent or redress errors and corruptions and that things may be managed with safety it is necessary this Head should be infallible who may neither be subject to deceive or be deceived for what end shall there be of Questions and controversies in Religion or in Civil matters How shall Heresies Schisms Wars and Seditions be prevented if there be not a supreme infallible head and judge whose authority and decision may put an end to all strife and lead into all truth 3. They pretend great care of the peoples Salvation They take away the Scriptures from them for fear they should prophane them by using them in common discourse or fall into error and Heresies by mistaking the meaning of them or be puffed up with knowledge and so be disobedient to their teachers and run into Sects divisions therefore they give them Images Crucifixes c. which they call Lay-mens books to stir up their devotion without danger of making them heady or high-minded they allow them little preaching and celeberate all the worship of God in an unknown tongue that the people may not grow slight and prophane and that they may still admire what they understand not ignorance being the best mother of devotion and for the greater security and ease they teach them implicitely to believe what the Church believes and that being infallible they cannot believe amiss especially when they know not in particular what she believeth nor can call her faith into Question 4. They pretend great devotion and zeal to Gods worship spiritual knowledge pious affections spiritual worship such as teaching the word prayer and use of plain Sacraments as Christ appointed them they think are mean things instead of these they build Temples adorn Images adore the bread in the Eucharist offer incense Tapers and many gifts as more real devotion Conc. Trid. Ses 25. The Council of Trent commands that the Priests should carefully teach the people the right use of Images which are to mind them of their Saints their virtues and miracles and sufferings that they may be stirred up thereby to the imitation of them Their worship of the Virgin is devotion to her Son and their praying to Saints and Angels is honour to God whose servants they are and the Pomp and riches of the Pope and his Bishops is to preserve the Gospel in honour and religion from contempt 5. They pretend great mortification They have frequent fasts at least from flesh and some sorts of food to curb keep down the flesh has they pretend Their voluntary penance whippings pilgrimages to remote places confessing all their sins to a Priest and craving his absolution and all to shew their sorrow for sin and to break them off from it more surely than the plain Spiritual means of the word and prayer It is thought great self-denyal to forsake the world to live in wildernesses and Monasteries to vow single life and to refrain those comforts and imployments which God hath both allowed and commanded 6. They pretend great humility It is humility in them to be subject to their superiours especially the Pope against their own reason and conscience and to obey all the commands and ordinances of their Church without presuming to inquire into the reason of them or to prove them by Scripture They account it presumption to pretend to assurance of Salvation and great humility to live and dye in doubt but especially that the best of them must not pretend to go to Heaven but through long suffering the pains of Purgatory and the help of the prayers of the Church on earth and of the merits of the Church in Heaven 7. They pretend great care to have the Ministery pure and industrious therefore they allow them not to marry because said Pope Ciricius they that are in the flesh cannot please God and that being free from the cares of a family they may wholly attend upon their Ministry and lest the service of Parish Priests should not be sufficient they have multitudes of Monks and Friars to help them in private and whose prayers and private Masses are always going for the benefit of the Church Thus they have plausible pretences for all their doctrines and practices nevertheless it is a mystery of iniquity in every particular 1. The universal power the Pope claimeth is only to set up himself and his own institutions therefore he taketh upon him all the state and grandeur of the Roman Emperours even the proudest of them he gives away Kingdoms when Kings any way displease him though they be very religious towards God and when he can make any advantage He sets Christian Kings at war with each other and taketh the unjustest part so it be the strongest yea himself raiseth War and driveth Princes out of their dominions to increase the riches of the Church or to preferr his own Nephews and kindred This was notorious in Julius 2 and many of his predecessours he maketh the Emperours swear allegiance to him and the Bishops at their consecration use to swear to maintain Regalia sancti Petri the royalties of Saint Peter 2. The pretence of infallibility is only to gain authority to himself that he may command and do what he pleaseth in the world it is used only to draw people into seditions and massacres to patronize any unjust actions or claims when the Pope giveth away the right of a King or other person when he dissolveth Lawful marriages or giveth dispensations to contract unlawful Matrimony as betwixt Uncle and Niece in Philip 2. of Spain or betwixt Brother and brothers Wife as at this day in Portugal the former husband yet living and the like when he forgives all manner of sins when he maketh as his Canons give him leave just things unjust and sins to be duties then he maketh use of his pretended infallibility and never but it such cases for the Popes never do nor never will determine or end any controversie in religion for fear of losing one part of the contenders There is a great difference among themselves betwixt the Dominicans and Jesuites about the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary Philip the 2 and 3. of Spain did for many years together by their Embassadours earnestly sollicite the Popes to use their Infallibility and decide the controversie but they could never
wearied with their ill carriage And in the times of the Prophets there were usually false Prophets seducing the people 2 Pet. 2.1 Our Saviour foretold false Christs and false Prophets should arise soon after his days Mat. 24.24 And his Apostles that there should be false teachers in the Church privily bringing in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and that many should follow their pernicious ways 2 Pet. 2.1 2. The Primitive times as they were most happy in Zeal and affection in the sound and Orthodox professours so they were as unhappy in the manifold errors Sects divisions that did disturb them as any of these latter Ages Augustin hath given us a Catalogue of 80. Heresies that troubled the Church in those days August Lib. de Haer. ad Quod vult Deus and yet he saith he omitted many and named but the principal It appears by their Epistles that the Apostles had no sooner planted Churches but the weeds of errors and opinions did straight ways spring up amongst them and this chiefly by these three means here mentioned 1. By pretence of the spirit When God did afford his spirit in extraordinary gifts and revelations to his Prophets and Apostles there never wanted men who pretended to the same spirit and the like revelations for their own devices most of them wilfully feigning some artificially and some by diabolical means procuring revelations and Enthusiasms and some weakly mistaking their own fancies and strong perswasions for dictates and inspirations of the Holy Ghost 1 Joh. 4.1 2. Believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God for many false prophets are gone out into the world such as pretended to the spirit and that to the subversion of the greatest truths in the Gospel even to deny the person and coming of Jesus Christ as Simon Magus and his followers therefore he subjoyneth this mark v. 2 3. Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and every spirit that confesseth that he is not come is not of God The same direction is given 1 Cor. 12.2 3. I give you to understand that no man speaking by the spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed Such it seems there were that preten ding to the spirit the Apostles had rejected and reviled Jesus Christ 2. By pretence of a word or oral tradition They that could not pretend the spirit speaking in themselves pretended the judgment and sayings of Christ and his Apostles when absent for their own opinions sometimes forging their sayings sometimes mistaking the meaning of them affixing their own sence to them Thus a tradition was received as coming from the mouth of Christ that the beloved Disciple should not die Joh. 21.22 23. and is yet believed in the Greek Church who shew a place near Ephesus where they say that Apostle when old commanded himself to be buried alive where by some estuation or bubling of the earth they conclude he still breatheth St. Paul was often troubled by the Judaizing Christians who would have kept up the ceremonial law pretending the authority and practice of Peter and other Apostles that lived among the Jews which he refuteth at large Gal. 2. And it appeareth by almost all Pauls Epistles that this tradition was importunately urged and scattered through all the Churches by that sort of men even when the Apostles and Church of Jerusalem had declared that they never commanded such doctrine to be preached Acts 25.24 3. Thirdly By the pretence of Scripture our Epistle in the text And this either by pretence of forged Scripture or false and forced interpretations of the true Canonical writings Of the former sort were the writings of the false Prophets among the Jews and those fabulous Legends of Tobit Judith Susannah c. which were never received by the Jewish Church And such were the many suppositious writings in the primitive times as the Gospel of Peter Andrew Thomas Nicodemus and almost of all the Apostles the Gospel and Epistle of Paul to the Laodiceans the Liturgie of James and the like mentioned by Eusebius and other writers Of the latter sort the Apostle speaketh 2 Pet. 3.15 16. That there were many unlearned and unstable Christians who did wrest some hard places in Pauls Epistles and the other Scriptures to their own destruction of this kind is this in the text as some suppose Cartwr in Locum that this opinion of Christs coming to judgment was rashly collected by some from those words in the former Epistle to the Thes ch 4. v. 15. We that are alive and remain unto the coming of our Lord shall not prevent those that are asleep hence they thought that the Apostle supposed that at least some of them who were then alive might live to the coming of Christ Though it seems that all these three means of pretended revelations traditions and Scriptures were used for this doctrine These arts have been all along used to disturb the Church and to pervert souls The Gnosticks Montanus and Manes pretended their inspired revelations Cont. Haer. De praeser and many others in latter ages Irenaeus and Tertullian tell us that many of the Hereticks of their days pretended traditions from one Apostle or other for their doctrine and practice as also others had their Apocryphal Scriptures or Canonical texts misapplied to maintain their errors The Papists make great use of all three of these pretences to establish their grossest errors The doctrine of the real presence of Christ in the bread of the worship of Saints and of religious Orders and Images is mainly built upon Revelations dreams and apparitions Lindanus ingenuously confessed that all those doctrines and practices wherein the Protestants do oppose them and dissent from them are to be proved by traditions of the Apostles not from the Scripture Their doctrines of Purgatory invocation of Angels equivocations and dissemblings are proved by the book of Tobit Judith Susan c. The Apostles Canons increased from 50 to 85 in the last age do them great services in the matters of their discipline and sometimes they wrest Scriptures for their purpose but they have been so baffled and shamed out of this since the Bible hath been common and studied by Protestants that they have forsaken this hold and the Jesuites think the poor secular Priests have betrayed their cause by undertaking to dispute for it out of the Scriptures These troubles by errors arise from the weakness of some who have more zeal than judgment and usually desire new things 2 Pet. 3.16 2 Tim. 4.3 People unlearned and unstable and that have itching ears from pride and conceit in others who that they may seem wiser than their brethren will be wise above or against what is written some teach perverse things to draw disciples after them some for secular interest There was no other reason why the Popes of Rome imbraced the worship of images transubstantiation and some such doctrines but because
also many dark spots though clear as the Sun she hath her clouds and Eclipses Many will be carryed away with errour superstitions and carnal policies yea some of all sorts rulers as well as ruled learned as well as unlearned Those that have made great shew as well as the common sort be not troubled nor suspect the true doctrine and worship these things are foretold and therefore must be We are next to enquire what this departure is which is here foretold and who be guilty of it Some have understood it of the defection of the world from the Roman Empire following the conjecture of some one leader without consideration as Calvin observes And the Rhemists recede from it very unwillingly and under correction of their Superiours but the Apostles saith the day of Christ shallnot come except there come a departure first viz. a departure from Christ The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used for departure or apostasie is appropriated to signify a defection in or from religion so the same Apostle useth it but with an explication 1 Tim. 4.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some shall depart from the faith Moreover the head of this Apostasie is to sit in the Temple the Church of God v. 4. and to bring it about by delusions and lying miracles seducing those that loved not the truth that they might be saved but had pleasure in unrighteousness v. 10 11 12. It must therefore be a departure from the truth and purity of the Christian religion It is agreed betwixt Papists and Protestants that it is the apostasie under Antichrist as the chief head and leader of it which is here foretold but the question is who is this Antichrist Where and when this apostasie may be found As the Jews did generally expect the coming of Christ yet knew him not believed him not when he was among them so the Papists believe and expect that Antichrist shall come and miserably spoil the Church but cannot or will not see and own him though he is and long hath been amongst them That Nero shall rise again and be the Antichrist as he was the first persecuting Emperour I not worth the refuting The Papists generally teach that Antichrist is yet to come and shall endure but three years and a half immediately before the end of the world that he shall be a Jew of the tribe of Dan rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple abolish the Christian worship and almost the name of Christ but all this without any colouor proof except that slender one that he shall sit in the temple of God v. 4. Some few are so ingenuous as to confess that Rome is Babylon Antichrists seat but then some say the Heathen persecuting Emperours in the first three hundred years of the Church were this Manof sin Some again considering that it is an apostasie of professing Christians here spoken of conjecture that some Pope of Rome at the end of the world shall deny Christ become an Infidel and cause himself to be worshipped as God this should be this man of sin But the Text plainly speaks of a defection of Christians which was secretly working in the Apostles days only some thing hindered its prevailing and full discovery vi 6 7 8. The mystery of iniquity doth already work and it was to be a mysterious defection not an open and totall apostasie from Christ it was to be brought in by signs miracles lying wonders and all ungodly deceits for the just condemnation of them that received not the love of the truth that they might be saved though they received the profession of it v. 9. to 12. And the man of sin the Head of this apostasie was to sit or rule in the Temple of God which is his Church 1 Cor. 3.16 Therefore this apostasie was to be not total from the name and profession of Christ ad of his Church but a defection in the Church an apostasie from the purity of the Doctrine worship Discipline and practice of the Gospel such as should have so many excuses and specious pretences for it that the delusion should be strong and such as those that do not heartily love the truth should not be able to discern Whence we collect this proposition Proposition That the Church of Rome is and for a long time hath been the seat of this man of sin the mother of this apostasie or That Popery is the grand Apostasie of the Church here foretold This I shall make good first by some general reasons and then by the particular criteria or marks laid down in the text By the Church of Rome we mean all those Nations and Churches which as so many members make up that great body which they call the Roman Catholick Church whereof the Pope is the Head and the Church of the City of Rome the principal part By Popery we understand that religion viz. Doctrines worship Discipline and Government which is peculiar to them and distinct from all other Christians especially from the Protestant Churches and whereby they are knit into one body and society and live in one Communion distinct from and opposite to the Reformed Churches Now that this Church is apostatized from Christ and this religion is a Doctrine and practice of apostasie may appear in the general by comparing the true state of the Church of Christ with the state and Doctrine of the Roman Church 1. First The true Church of Christ acknowledgeth and worshippeth one only God the creator of the world and father of our Lord Jesus Christ This is the foundation of religion that there is one only infinite Being the fountain and author of all things else and therefore that all worship fear trust and obedience is due to him alone 1 Cor. 8.5 Though there be that are called Gods whether in heaven or in earth as there are Gods many and Lords many But to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in Him But the Papists do acknowledge and worship other Gods besides him even the Host or Bread in the Sacrament and the Virgin Mary The Heathens pretend to acknowledge but one supreme God but the Papists do acknowledge that which sense reason and scripture witness to be a bit of bread to be the supreme God their maker and Lord which they usually call the Host and that it is to be worshipped cultu Latriae Conc. Trid. Ses 13. Cap. 4 5. ibid. c. 6. with that worship that is due to God alone This they keep upon their Altar in a gilded Box in imitation of the Ark of old there they teach is the special presence of God as it was in the Holy of Holies This they worship and carry in triumph by this they swear viz. by the Mass and by the Pix and this is a peculiar note and badge of their communion by which they difference themselves from others and destroy all that do not acknowledge and worship this their God as far as their power
them yet they must go through Purgatory hereby robbing them of the comfort of the Gospel and miserably enthralling their consciences to themselves and their Tradition By all this it is evident that the Papists have altered the nature and ends of Christian religion which was the doctrine and institution of Jesus Christ to exalt him as the only mediator of the Church by whom only we should come to God and have framed a new platform of a carnal worldly religion to exalt the Pope and his Clergy and to worship the creatures instead of the Creatour Let us add their doctrine of persecuting and destroying all Hereticks as they call them that is all that will not obey them The first Lateran Council Ann. Dom. 1215. decreeth Sub Innoc. 3. P. That if any Prince or Lord be a Heretick or favourer of Hereticks or will not destroy his own subjects being Hereticks he shall be deprived of his dominion and it be given to some other Catholick Prince Accordingly they gave away the Estates of divers Earls Ramund Earl of Tholouse the Earl of Besieres and others because the former favoured the other would not destroy the Albigenses their Subjects Vid. Hist Walden The Inquisition giveth orders not only to destroy Hereticks but also all such as favour them or habour them or give them any relief in their distress or conceal them or any of their goods Yea that those who do not discover and accuse their own relations or friends being Hereticks shall themselves be punished as Hereticks In Concil Constan Pope Martin the 5. decreed by a Bull That Hereticks should not be suffered to buy or sell or to injoy the benefit of humane society This Doctrine and their practice according to it makes them an Apostatical body or society maintaining it self in opposition to the pure Church of Christ and therefore to take part with them to joyn with or submit to their interest is to desert Christ and to side with or become a member of that great Apostasie Let us now take notice of the several characters or marks that the Apostle gives of this Apostasie which will further prove the Papists to be guilty of it The first is v. 3. That the Head of it is the man of sin the son of perdition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Hebraism where the genitive of the substantive is put for the adjective and that by way of eminency The sinful or wicked man as he is afterward called v. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wicked or lawless man v. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the son of perdition this is exegetical of the former viz. such a wicked man as is ripe for and appointed to destruction By this is meant not a particular person but a state or government in the hands of one or more persons though perhaps some one of those governors may be intended in a special manner as more singularly wicked and active than others even as Nebuchadnezzer was said to be the head of Gold of the great image Dan. 2. i. e. in special manner though the whole series of the Assyrian and Babylonian Monarchs for 1300. years was represented thereby Thus the Devil is expressed singularly when the whole society of those wicked spirits is intended and no one particular meant And the four Monarchies are expressed by 4. Dan. 7. Beasts though they were possessed not only by many Kings but the last by the people of Rome for a long time consisting of the Senate and Plebeian The Papists would infer from these notes of particularity that Antichrist this man of sin must be but one particular person Vid. Whit. resp ad Sand. Q. 1. and therefore not the Popes who have been many But themselves grant what is here said v. 8. He that letteth will let till he be taken out of the way is meant of the Roman Empire which was in the hand of many successively though expressed as one man and it is common so to express States or Kingdoms when we speak of their constitutions prerogatives or Laws And when our Saviour Matth. 16.18 19. said to Simon Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church and I will give thee the Keys of the Kingdom c. they will needs have it meant that this was granted to Peter and all his successours the Popes though none but Peters name is mentioned Why then may we not so understand the man of sin here The Apostles sense is there well come an apostasie of the Church a declining in and from religion which will encrease till the man of sin be revealed i.e. till these apostates shall frame themselves into a body and state of a most wicked government this is the Pope and his Clergy who successively govern and manage that Apostasie This will appear if we consider the wickedness of their Persons Doctrines and Practices 1. For their persons There was a series of Popes for about an hundred years in the 10. and 11. Centuries who were Magicians Murderers open Adulterers and destroyers of each other of whom Genebrard the Jesuite saith they were Apostatici potius quam Apostolici apostates rather than Apostolical men Gregory the 7. they report poysoned 6 Popes his Predecessours to obtain the Papacy and was himself a known Magician he threw the host his breaden God into the fire because it would not answer him in his Magical charms Many others of them have been professed Magicians some bold Atheists as Leo the 10. who said to Cardinal Bembus Behold what great riches we get by that fable of Christ Quantas opes nobis tulit ista fabula de Christo Most Adulterous Sodomites Simoniacks and some have lived in incest with their own Sisters and daughters insomuch that one of themselves gives this testimony Nemo hodie in Pentificibus Romanis virtutem aut pietatem requirit Invita Pauli tertii optimi putantur si vel mediocriter boni sint vel minus mali quam caeteri mortalium esse solent i. e. No man looks for virtue or godliness nowadays in the Popes they are accounted most excellent if they be but indifferently good or not quite so bad as other men The Cardinals and all their Clergy are like their head and father being allowed Sodomy fornication and adultery to keep them chast i. e. from marrying Where shall we find a man of sin if this be not him 2. Next consider we their wicked doctrines 1. That of absolute subjection to the Pope that whatsoever he commandeth must be done though never so wicked Bellarmine saith Etiamsi Papa erraret prohibendo virtutem praecipiendo vitium c. Though the Pope should forbid virtue and command vice he must be obeyed And their law saith si Papa totos populos secum in insernum traheret nemo potest ei dicere Domine cur ita facis i. e. Though the Pope should draw whole Nations into Hell with himself yet none may say to him why dost
and all means of intercourse and confidence in each other may be dissolved when the Pope or a Priest pleaseth If any Papist pretend to disown any of these doctrines I demand by what rule he doth it By the Scripture the Law of Nations or the Law of nature they all maintain the Pope is above these These are not a perfect rule neither apart nor together nor do reach all cases if they did there were no need of an infallible head to direct the Church nor any warrant for most of the worship and practices of the Church of Rome If then the Pope be above all and infallible then a Papist must believe that in this and that particular case that concerns him he may and must break his Oaths deny his promises murder lye or commit any such enormity when commanded or else he prefers his own judgement above the Popes and denies his principles Whence we may see that no trust is to be reposed in a Papist because they are not masters of their own reason and Conscience of their Oaths and promises but the Pope and their Confessours have the disposal of them all and make them do as they please and so long as their Church challengeth a power and jurisdiction over all the world and is always contending for it it is to be supposed their rulers will always put them upon those things that promote their own interest 10. Their doctrines that extenuate sin and make forgiveness very easiy are nothing else but doctrines of wickedness They extenuate sin by their doctrine of venial sins which they say are praeter non contra Legem not commanded by God nor forbidden of him and therefore scarce to be called sins Such they make all first thoughts and motions of the mind and affections to be when there is not a deliberate assent with them all wandering thoughts distractions in holy duties the stirrings of the most vile affections with some titillation or pleasing are all but natural actions and infirmities which do not deserve Hell or the wrath of God They make pardon of sin very easie Upon confession to the Priest he doth absolve upon some easie penance almost any sin and those reserved cases which the Priest cannot pardon are forgiven by the Pope for money There is a printed book called Taxa poenitentiariae Apostolicae wherein the prices are set down for all manner of sins and in the general all sins against God and his Law are more easily forgiven than those against the Popes law and Tradition What need men fear to commit sin that can be so easily remitted especially to them that have money They have also another device of transferring their sins upon their friends viz. a few friends agree together to take each others sins upon them so that he who dieth first leaveth his sins to be satisfied for by the Survivours and they again take others into their number and so can sin securely having Executors to pay their debts for them when they are dead The Sacrifice of the Mass offered for them by the Priest alone expiates all sin so that for 6 pence or 12 pence a Mass any sins may be taken away though they be not present or concerned about it or be committing wickedness the mean while Lastly Though a man live all his days in wickedness if he die in the communion of the Church of Rome and be absolved by a Priest which is rarely denyed to any he must go but to Purgatory and there satisfie for all his sins and at last be saved and if he leave any thing to the Church or his friends will buy Masses or prayers for him his time in Purgatory shall be shortened and his pains lessned 3. Thirdly Their Practice is as wicked as their doctrine not that only of particular persons which is incident to all societies but the allowed practice of the Church and that whereby their State is upheld To instance in a few 1. They persecute and by all means destroy all that submit not to them in every thing so that in Rome is found the blood of all the Saints and Martyrs that have been slain in all the earth being shed by her command About the year 750. the Popes Gregory 2. and 3. begun wars against the Emperors and their adherents in the defence of Image worship and afterward renewed them to obtain the right of investitures or bestowing of all Ecclesiastical preferments and to deprive the Emperours of their power of electing the Pope till they had brought the Emperours under their feet and compelled all the Clergy to put away their Wives Thus the Popes ruined all Christendom for about 400. years till they had got all the power into their hands and ever since they have shed blood in abundance to preserve what they had gotten They began with the Waldenses about the year 1160. of whom Tâ—uanus saith they had slain above two Millions and they have added many thousands more of late years of that poor people Afterward they destroyed many thousands in Bohemia in Germany both in the former and late wars Virgerius who was the Popes Nuncio tells us that in the space of 30. years at the first resormation their inquisition in several parts had secretly made away 150000 persons The Duke of Alva Governour of the Neatherlands in a few years is said to cut off 36000. The French Massacre Ann. 1572. in one Month treacherously and barbarously destroyed above 30000. In the late Irish rebellion Ann. 1641. they destroyed above 300000. of all ages and conditions and what they have done and attempted and do still attempt upon this Land is well known All these were authorized by the Popes and had their benediction and prayers for success besides the innumerable company of Martyrs which they have put to death by form of tryals in all countreys 2. Their toleration of all uncleanness besides what they allow in their Clergy privately They have publick Stews in all Cities of Italy and Spain and the Pope has a tribute from them for their Licences Pope Sixtus the 4. built at his own Charge a famous Stew in Rome both for men and women Paul the 3. had Catalogues found amongst his Papers after his death of 45000. Strumpets who payed him a monthly imposition 3. They are allowed Simony i. e. selling of all Ecclesiastical offices There is another book called Taxa cancalleriae apostolicae i. e. of the Popes Chamber wherein the prices of all benefices and promotions are set down no places of any value are disposed of without money A nameless Papist dedicated a book to King James wherein he acquaints him that all the Popes from Clement the 7. Called the new man to his time had got the Popedom by Simony and other indirect means This he was able to prove but he might truly have said so did all the rest for many ages before In England formerly benefices have been sold to two three or more sometimes to ten several persons and
then when the incumbent died the Pope must be judge who shall have it of all these which shall certainly be he that will give most money Thus they make woful Merchandize with mens souls 4. Continual endeavours to stir up wars and imbroil Nations The Pope pretends to be Lord of Lords and King of Kings and therefore he disposeth of Kingdoms sets up and pulls down Princes as he pleases and this is a sufficient pretence for any unjust wars and invasions and wherever there are any differences among Princes and their Subjects he interposeth his authority usually taking the unjust part if like to prevail that they being beholding to him may requite him with some addition to his authority or revenue Pope Zacheriah gave France to Pipin an aspiring man deposing Childerick their lawful King as unfit to govern Leo the 4. gave the Empire of the Romans to Charles the great and another gave England to the French in King Johns time and sent them to Conquer it and of late the Pope gave the East Indies to the Portugal and the West to the Spaniard where they murdred the poor natives as wild beasts made to be destroyed These doctrines and practices are not taught and practised by a few only among them but they are the State policies by which they stand which they never disown never endeavour to reform it is the design of their government to be universal and to attain it by any means Hence we infer that to hold communion with this Church is to conspire against the Church of Christ against all that is sacred or moral Nor may we expect any reformation from them they will not they cannot be better their interest and government depends upon these methods and therefore this Man of sin is the son of perdition appointed to be destroyed not to be reformed let us not deceive our selves with vain hopes They are and must be the same when they have opportunity The second character of this Apostasie is laid down v. 4. Who opposeth himself viz. the man of sin the Head of this apostasie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an adversary or one that sets himsel against Christ The same title that is given to the Devil viz. Satan an enemy or adversary Now the Devil was an adversary not by denying the true God he believes and trembles James 2.19 nor by causing himself to be worshipped as the supreme God for the Idols which the Heathens worshipped they worshipped as Mediators and servants to the supreme God but under this pretence the Devil took to himself all the worship and service of the world and left God but an empty name of Creatour and supreme residing in heaven when he himself was the God of this world ordering all things after his own lusts this the Devil did so long as Heathenism prevailed by the several Governours and Princes of the world and when he was cast out of Heaven viz. his worship Idolatry and Heathenish superstition abolished by the fail of the Heathen Roman Empire Rev. 12. v. 7 8 9 10. and opposition to the name of Christ was taken away he cast about and after some time delivered his power to the second Beast who used the power and tyranny of the former Beast i. e. the Roman Empire opposing Christ and his worship setting up himself with all superstition and Idolatry but under fair pretences of Christs authority Rev. 13.11 12 c. This beast was like a Lamb but spake as the Dragon and used all the power of the former beast viz. the Heathen government Now that the Pope and his adherents do thus oppose Christ and not his name but his power and worship drawing all subjection to himself and leaving Christ but a bare and empty title he being as Stapleton calls him plain supremum in terris numen i. e. the most high and absolute God in earth It is manifest 1. The Pope will not suffer Christ to be King and law-maker in his Church Kingly power consisteth in making laws and ruling according to them this belongs to Christ and he gave his word to be the law of his Church and his Mininisters to execute and administer it according to his mind But the Pope challengeth the sole power and government of the Church on earth to belong to him the authority of the Scriptures to belong to him that he can add to them take from them or dispense with any thing there commanded that he only must interpret and give them their sense that his determinations is the rule of conscience for whatsoever he defineth or commandeth is to be believed and obeyed and so under the pretence of Christs Vicar he rules as Christ on earth 2. The Pope will not allow Christ to appoint the ordinances of his own worship It belongs to Christ as King to appoint how and by whom he will be worshipped but the Pope will not give him leave He appoints more orders of Officers than Christ did more Sacraments and alters those of his appointing the bread in the supper he maketh a God to be worshipped and yet a Sacrifice to be offered to God the cup he takes away from the people the Council of Trent most insolently telling us that though our Lord Christ instituted and gave his supper to his Apostles under both kinds of bread and wine yet that doth not oblige all the faithful to receive it under both kinds Concil Trid. Ses 21. ch 1. Etsi Christus dominus in ultima coena venerabile hoc Sacramentum in panis vini specicbus instituit Apostlis tradidit non tamen illa institutio traditio â—ò tendunt ut omnes Christi fideles statuto domini ad utramque speciem accipiendam astringantur He appoints Saints and Angels and especially Christs Mother to be worshipped and honoured yea the very Cross on which he was murdered pretending these to be more honour to Christ than the preaching or hearing his holy word Almost the whole body of the Papists worship is of the Popes own institution 3. The Pope will not suffer Christ to appoint the means of his own grace to Salvation Christ as the Saviour of his people as divine and Princely Saviour is to appoint and hath appointed by what means and in what duties he will bestow and increase his grace to eternal life but the Pope lays these aside at his pleasure viz. the reading and hearing the Scripture the use of the Sacraments and prayer in a tongue that can be understood by those that use it and appointeth more upon which the greatest stress of salvation is laid as confession of sin to Priest without out which there is no forgiveness to the living and private Masses both for the quick and dead anointing of Children to confirm them in grace and anointing the dying to strengthen and comfort them against the terror of death crosses and holy water to drive away the devil and so many of this kind that they have greatly obscured the means
and serve him that thereby they also may be advanced and domineer in their places by this means also they are made unnatural resolute and cruel to prosecute the Popes designs like the Turks Janizaries being kept from those relations which sweeten mens tempers and excite natural affection also having no wives and children to provide for they may more desperately ventuere their lives and their estates for the service of their Church Their Friars make a shew of great devotion renouncing the world begging alms of the people going in mean habit bare-footed some of them yet they get all they can from the people for Masses and prayers their Abbots many are Lords live splendidly in England they had above a third part of the land and that the best as was made appear to King Henry 8th but these wholly are at the Popes devotion of these he can raise Armies from them he can exact vast sums of money he can make strong parties in any Nation against their Prince he can turn people which way he pleases In a word his unmarried Clergy and Regulars make him a Monarch they are his Populus virorum intirely at his devotion having no posterity nor personal concerns to care for For if his Clergy had wives and children they must love them provide for them dispose of them in marriage and so be neighbourly oblige the people please their Princes and Governours contract affinities and so they would be concerned in the safety peace prosperity of the Nations and places they live in and would not be at the Popes beck on at his call upon all occasions Thus we see the whole design of Popery issueth in this That men should take their religion from the Pope and his Clergy that so they may rule as sole Lords both in spirituals and temporals We are next to enquire what it was that letted or hindred Antichrists appearing for a time He that letteth will lett c. The Apostle saith this mystery of iniquity was working in his time therefore it could not be the religion of Mahomet which was not heard of till about the year of our Lord 622. Much less Heathenism or Judaism which were then the establisht religions of the world nor yet the general opposition of the body of the wicked against the godly which the Rhemists would have understood by mystical Babylon Rhem. on Rev. 17. for this is alwaies manifest the seed of the serpent doth always oppose the seed of the woman but the Apostle saw an aspiring spirit in the Bishops and Church of Rome which he knew would in time bring the whole Church under their yoak this was occasioned by Rome's being the Metropolis of the world and the seat of the Empire which as it drew all civil affairs and supreme Jurisdiction to that place so did it insensibly draw the admiration respect and causes of all Churches to the guides of that Church which the following Bishops challenged as their due and so gave occasion for the conception of the Man of sin Victor the 14 Bishop of Rome about the year 170. excommunicated all the Eastern Churches for not keeping Easter on the same day that he did Soon after him Cornelius and Stephen successively took upon them with great pride to determine causes belonging to the Churches of A. frick while Cyprian was Bishop of Carthage of which he complains in his Epistles to them Pope Sylvester by his Legats in the Council of Nice an 325. obtained power over all those regions called Suburbicariae which were subject to the Praefect of Rome and from that time the Bishops of Rome boldly challenged the primacie of all Churches and drew all causes and appeals to themselves though not without opposition from the Bishops in Augustines time The Council of Sardica having made a Canon that all doctrines should be tried by the Bishop of Rome meaning it only for that time when Rome was a bulwork against the Arians several Roman Bishops Celestine Boniface and Innocent the first thrust this Canon into the Council of Nice and pretended that by authority of that venerable Council the Tryal of all doctrines and causes was given to them and when the Bishops of Constantinople challenged a parity with the Bishops of Rome because that City was made new Rome and the Seat of the Empire in the East Pope Leo's Legates protested against it in the Council of Chalcedon Ann. 450. Thus the ambition of Rome discovered it self apace but it could not yet attain its end because somewhat still hindred and this was the Roman Empire which divers antient Fathers witness to have been the Apostles meaning by him that letteth saying that he did not expresly mention the Empire lest he should give offence by speaking of the fall of that Empire which they presumed should last for ever insomuch that Roma aeterna eternal Rome was always written upon the Statue of a woman that represented that City and Aeternitas Vestrûm your eternity was a presumptuous title of some of the Emperours they add that the Primitive Church used to pray for the continuance of the Roman Empire for this reason amongst others that the coming and persecutions of Antichrist might thereby he deferred and Hierome who lived to see the Empire decay apace and the City taken by Alarick the Goth said thereupon Qui detinet fit de medio non intelligimus Antichristum adesse He that letteth is taken out of the way and do we not understand that Antichrist must be at hand The Rhemists would fain avoid this interpretation though they make nonsense of the place In Locum but the Papists generally acknowledge the Empire to be that which letted the discovery of Antichrist and Bellarmine would prove that Antichrist is not yet come because there is still a Roman Emperour viz. the Emperour of Germany who hath the titles of Roman Caesar Augustus but he hath the empty title only and is the Popes Vassal receiving his Crown from him swearing fealty to him and is by him appointed Defensor Ecclesiae not to rule the Empire but defend the Church of Rome That the Empire of Rome is here intended is manifest by this because that held the supreme dominion and therefore the Bishops could not obtain it till the Empire was abolisht the Heathen Emperours oppressed and destroyed the whole Church and in particular the Bishops and Church of Rome who were nearest to them and the Christian Emperours not only kept the civil power in their own hands but also called and presided in Councils approved and confirmed the elections of all Bishops and those of Rome more especially and removed those Bishops whom they liked not at their pleasure till this jurisdiction was abrogated the Pope could not get into his hands the supremacie either in Ecclesiastical or civil matters The event also expounds the Text for by those degrees the Empire declined the Bishop of Rome ascended the throne as it followeth in the Text v. 8. Then
be subject to their own pastours and to take heed of admiring and hearkning after others if this had been done the Pope had never got the Chair Hitherto the Apostle hath given the description of Antichrist and soretold his insolency and Tyranny over the Church to teach Christians what to expect and to arm themselves with patience and courarge Now to prevent desponding he foretels his destruction v. 8. Whom the Lord shall comsume with the spirit of his month and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming The destruction of this man of sin is as certain to be in due time as his coming was the Lord shall consume him c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as this wicked one is in special manner an enemy to Christ so Christ will set himself to destroy him will consume utterly destroy as Armies lay wast a Country that they invade the means by which he will do it is by the spirit of his month i. e. his word accompanied by his spirit and we may observe that no other means have been very successful either to hinder the growth or to hasten the ruine of the man of sin the Eastern Emperours with all their power opposed the Gregories and in the West the Othos Fredericks and Henries opposed the Popes in their time but all to their own destruction the people being bewitcht and Princes too by the inchantments of the Great Whore but when the appointed time was come a few inconsiderable men Luther and his fellows only by preaching the word in the space of about 40. years rent from the Pope half his Empire and weakned him in all the remaining parts also many in all Countries receiving the knowledge of the truth and both Princes and people that still adhere to him standing in much less fear of him and paying him much less homage and subjection than before Again since the first reformation though powerful Princes and many Nations have imbraced the Gospel and have made some attempts by power and arms to promote it and have had some very fair opportunities as when Hen. the 4 a Protestant was made King of France and conquered all his opposers and in the late German wars yet nothing considerable hath been done but as to particular persons there hath rather been a loss in this last age and a great indifferency hath grown upon the Protestant Churches The time when this ruine shall be consummated is here exprest by the brightness of his coming fo by the appearance of his presence as the man of sin was conceived born and grew up by degrees so he hath been and gradually shall be destroyed 1. Christ by his word and spirit preserved a select number in all times that opposed him and bore Testimony against him both by word and sufferings some Princes some learned many both of the Clergy and people protested against the encroachments and impositions of the Popes whilst they were contending for the universal Empire of the Church and when they had gained it and thought all sure about Ann. 1160. God raised the Waldenses and Albigenses to bear witness against them who spread themselves into France Italy Bohemia Austria England and could never be extinguisht till their doctrine swallowed up a great part of Popery as Moses's Rod did those of the Magicians Thus it was prophesied Rev. 14 1-6 v. that there should be one hundred forty four thousand under the Tyranny of the beast who kept themselves undefiled Virgins who followed the Lamb whithersoever he went and kept his Fathers name in their fore head not submitting to the mark of the beast 2. A As the fall of this man of sin draws nearer so the word hath greater success and turneth Nations and rulers to the acknowledgement of it God dispenseth his grace gradually according to the times he hath appointed from the flood for above one thousand years it was restrained mostly to the Jewish Nation then our Lord sent his Apostles to teach all Nations but it was several hundred years before the Nations became Christian though there were many Christians in them and no sooner had they received the Gospel but it began to be darkned by the invasion of Pagans Goths and Vandals by the fraud and violence of Mahomet and his followers and mostly by errors and superstitions in the Church it self which bred and brought forth the Pope and he at last scaled up the Bible and quite changed Christian religion into a new sort of Paganism then for about 350. years the truth was forced into corners but few received and owned it in comparison of the world that wondred after the beast since that time whole Nations have been enlightened 3. Christ will yet more enlighten by the preaching of his word till all Nations shall see the frauds and corruptions of Popery and abhor them there will come a time when the Kingdoms of this world shall be the Kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever Rev. 11.15 Not only the godly but the generality of men also shall believe and acknowledge the cheats of the Pope the false doctrines and delusions of his Ministers and shall no more be enticed by them and they shall love the godly and willingly submit to the pure doctrine worship and discipline of the Gospel though they have been so unwilling to receive it hitherto 4. Christ will stir up the spirit of Princes to destroy Rome it self and that wicked Polity Rev. 17.16 The Kings of the earth shall hate the whore and burn her flesh with fire As the Kings for their own interest and private designs chiesly though under a pretence of devotion advanced the Pope till he was able to tread upon all their necks so some for their own interest and by reason of provocations from Rome shall in due time be incensed against her and utterly destroy her 5. And by this means the Tyranny insinuations and interests of the Pope and the Princes that joyned with him being removed and dissolved the Gospel shall have its free passage and the Church its full liberty Many learned men have interpreted this place of Christs destroying the man of sin by the brightness of his coming of Christs coming to the last judgement as if the Pope his Tyranny should continue at least in part till then and be utterly abolisht only by Christs personal coming to judgement but it is usual in scripture to express great changes in Church or State by the coming and appearance of the Lord particularly the destruction of the Jews for rejecting Christ is exprest by the Prophets Joel and Malachie in such phrases that have occasioned many to interpret them of the last judgement our Saviour also Math. 24 25. ch expresseth his judging of that Nation in like phrases and calls it his coming and commands his servants to watch and prepare for it likewise Rev. 6. the subduing of the heathen world to Christ by the Emperours receiving the Gospel and establishing
Heathens they say they do not worship them as God the Heathens said the same and as truly but they do ascribe to them the praise trust homage and subjection fear and reverence which is due only to God which is above the condition and desert of our fellow Creatures who depend upon God and the merits of Christ as much as we and this doth take off the Heart from God and makes men believe that the Saints and Angels are nearer to us more merciful more ready to help us than God is and more concerned for our good than our blessed Lord whose whole work it is to redeem and interceed for us 6. Their imposing the belief of Transubstantiation and worship of the bread in the Sacrament Most of our Marian Martyrs were put to death upon this point only their not believing the real presence as they Papists call it of Christ in the Sacrament i. e. that the bread was substantially turned into the body of Christ If men would impose upon us the belief of the least untruth though in natural or civil things we must not submit to them much less when they impose such an untruth as this Tiansubstantiation which is against the plain letter of Scripture which saith that Christ did not only take which was before Consecration but also that he gave bread and wine to be eaten and drunk by his disciples which was after they were consecrated 1 Cor. 11.22 23. which is also against our senses the eye the smell the touch and taste all witnessing the Elements to be still bread and wine against Philosophie which teacheth such a change of one body into another especially so small a one as that of a Wafer into so large as the body of Christ to be absolutely impossible yea and against common reason which knows whence the bread and wine came how they were made how they go into the stomach are digested refresh and are carried off like other food should such a Paradox be admitted there can be no certainty in any thing For by the pretence of such a change or miracle all evidence may be evaded and so the Apostles that saw Christ in the body heard him handled him both before and after his Resurrection might for what we know be all mistaken and all the witnesses of the miracles that confirm both Testaments might all failin their sense and judgement of things and so nothing be certain in Religion seeing there is continually in innumerable places such a prodigie as the Host which is as they say the glorified body of Christ now in Heaven and yet sense and reason take it to be a bit of bread what may they not perswade and impose on people that can prevail with them to believe this The worshipping of the bread doth also destroy the nature and use of the Sacrament where instead of a comfortable remembrance of Christ and his death to increase faith in him and love to him men are taught only ignorantly to worship a bit of bread and that with more solemnity than Christ himself was honoured with on earth 7. Because they take away the cup from the people in the Sacrament hereby they take upon them to alter Christs institution at their pleasure they deprive the people not only of one part of the Sacrament but in so doing wholly obscure the meaning of the Sacrament for seeing they break not the bread but give it whole nor pour out the wine nor suffer the people to see and drink it the people have no representation of the death of Christ neither of the breaking or bruising of his body nor shedding his blood and in this the Papists are most insolent of any other their Corruptions for that their Councils of a Sess 13. Constance and b Sess 21. Trent do acknowledge that Christ gave both Elements to his disciples and that the Primitive Church continued the like custom for many ages and yet they can presume to alter it upon trivial reasons 8. The Papists greatly obscure the Doctrine of Justification the Gospel is the glad tydings of peace the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5. ch 19 20. v. that God is in Christ reconciling the world to himself is the chief thing committed to the Ministers of the Gospel if therefore this be obscured the Gospel is in a great measure rendred ineffectual and the Ministry useless for the end it was appointed for It is the chief enquiry of sinful man what he should do to be saved Act. 16.31 and on this depends all his worship of God for till man be reconciled to God he cannot worship him acceptably nor can he trust love and fear God aright unless he know upon what grounds and in what way God will have this done If we lose the doctrine of Justification we lose the substance of the Gospel and of all Religion Now this the Papists do obscure so much that a man can scarce tell amidst their Doctrines what Christ hath done for him and what he must expect from Christ They say a natural man improving the gifts of nature doth in some fort merit the grace and spirit of God and when he hath that grace he doth ex condigno properly and of due debt merit the continuance of Gods favour and heaven it self yea over and above may merit for other men and if a man do commit sins after conversion his voluntary penances his patient bearing of Gods corrections in this world and Purgatory in the next together with alms-deeds fastings and such good works do make full satisfaction for all these sins and he that wants penance and satisfactions of his own may be supplied out of the treasury of the Church by Masses and the Popes indulgences Now this is not only the doctrine of Schoolmen but the chief part of Religion and worship among them and the chief things the Priests teach and are imploy'd about 9. The Popes claim of supremacy is blasphemous and not to be submitted to by the Churches Under the Gospel Christ hath appointed no high Priest to whom all Ministers should be subject no place of worship to which all Nations should repair no Mother Church on which they should depend none to be his Vicar on earth but all this the Pope and Church of Rome claim and usurp which tendeth to bring all the Churches on earth into bondage to them and to exclude the conduct of the spirit in the Ministers and Churches as if it were peculiar to them only it is also a power which no Creature is capable of and derogates from the honour of Christ who doth by his Godhead spirit and word preside in govern and guide his whole Church 10. Because the Papists have wholly changed the discipline of the Gospel into a pompous worldly Polity Christ appointed Pastors and teachers for the edifying of the Saints till they all come to the perfect man in Christ Eph. 4.12 13. but the Papists have changed this into a visible worldly Monarchy though under