Sun and the Air so corruption in Doctrine and Superstitious Idolatrous worship doth darken and Eclips the heavenly light of Gods truth and there was never in the world such a great over-spreading Heresie as popery is as is proved before that the present Church of Rome is both Heretical Blasphemous and Idolatrous there was some smoke and darkness before the Councel of Nice The Pope of Rome the greatest Hererick in the world among the Bishops and in the Councel of Nice an Heresie in falling away from the institutions and example of Christ and his Apostles but now the smoke and darknesse grew both thicker and spread further by reason of this universal Title and Jursdiction obtained by Phocas the Traytor and Murtherer it was unlikely to be any profit to the Church of Christ that was brought forth by such an instrument indeed the Councel of Nice laid the foundation hereof but the Popes were never able to accomplish what they desired and aimed at until now and from this time the smoke and darknesse grew Thicker and Thicker for this Popes next Successor Pope Boneface the 4th The Temple called Pantheon Dedicated to all the Heathen Gods this abominable stye of wickednesse this Pope converted to the honour of all Saints and ordained a yearly Feast to be kept to it and to exercise the same impiety as the Heathens had done but under another name but no more command or precept in the word of God for the one then for the other and therefore no more pleasing to God and as the Heathen had their Idoll Gods to pray unto so these had their Idol Saints to pray unto to whose honour the Idol Temple was appointed c. Then come in the shaving of Crouns the Chanting in Quires the forbidding of Priests marriage the Lattine Masse and Kissing of the Pax and soon after the varnishing of Images with a number more the like whereby the smoke and darknesse increased more and more the next Successour to this Pope Theodotus and decreed that parents who had been witnesses together to any Children in Baptisme should not live any longer together in marriage but must be separated and the Woman have her Dowry againe and a year after have liberty to Marry another this was a strange kind of incesse by means of a spiritual Kindred being witnesses together in Baptisme which the Pope found out that God had no knowledge of when he made Lawes concerning incesse and unlawful Marriages Levit. 18. Boneface the 5th which was the next Pope that succeeded after him added to these That men are delivered by Christ from Originall sin which is the Doctrine of some of the Anabaptists he added moreover That the Law doth require no more of a man then what he is able to perform by his own strength or at least by the help of Gods grace And the next that succeeded was Pope Honorius who was censured by the third Counsel of Constantinople to be a Monothelite that is to ascribe onely one will and one nature unto Christ Thus you see after the receiving of the Key of the bottomlesse pit what a smoke came out under these five popes after one an another and so continued whereby the darknesse did so increase that the light of the Sun of the Gospel is almost quite obliterated and put out to be short it came to this at lasts to bring every mans neck under this yoak that every soul that meant to be saved ought to professe the form of the Romish Traditions and to acknowledge the decrees of the Pope were to be received and believed as if they had been confirmed by a divine voice c. And there came out of the smoke Locusts upon the earth and what are these but all the whole crue or spawne of Religious orders in the Church of Rome of which I have named in the former part of this book one hundred and fifty orders and all of humane invention and institution for the brood must be like the dam for after men attributed their salvation to their own meritorious works and new devised ways of will-worship there was daily new Religions and new Religious orders and ways of worship invented all men desire salvation and when once they were perswaded by their Leaders that it was in their own power in observing such things as they could easily perform there could be no Superstition devised from which they would hold back their hands so that one man is not more commonly begotten of another then these orders of locusts were increased and multiplyed and one order divided into several branches out of this smoke to such members that one general of the Minorites promised the Pope towards the leavying of an Army against the Turks thirty thousand tall Warriers out of the family of Franciscans what an infinite number was there then of all the rabble of other orders These kind of Vermin are called Rev. 16.13 Three unclean spirits like Froggs coming out of the mouth of the Dragon the Beast and the false Prophet they are the spirits of Divels working miracles and which go unto the Kings of the earth to gather them to battel c. The Dragon that is the Devil by which was understood the Heathen Emperours for their rage and madnesse against the Church of Christ for they acted the Devils part and when the Devil saw that he must be cast our that Diocleasian and Maximinian must be gone the Devil made sure to provide himself of a successor sending the Beast the Pope into his seat before for Dioclesian lived at Nicomedia and Maximinian at Mediolanum when they gave over their Empires leaving Rome empty for the Beast to domineer and play rekes in for saith the Text Rev 13.2 The Dragon gave him that is the Beast with Seven Heads and Ten Horns The Pope proved to be the dragon beast and false Prophet the Dragon gave him his power and his Throne and great Authority and when Constantine came in to be Emperor and see the seat taken up by the Pope Constantine got him away to Byzantum now called Constantinople and there made himself a place so that Antichrist the Pope of Rome is in this sense called the Dragon the dragon gave him his power and throne and authority from whence we learn by whose power and authority it is that the Pope of Rome acts by namely the Devil the Dragon and the Beast and the false Prophet is one and the same Antichrist as he hath a double power both spiritual and temporal he is the Beast in respect of his civil power and the false Prophet in respect of his ecclesiastical power out of whose mouth these unclean spirits like Frogs are said to come forth these three unclean spirits do signifie all the Popes Clergy especially the three orders of Dominicans Franciscans and Jesuits from whom the greatest part of their other orders doe proceed They are compared to Frogs because as Frogs delight in miery filthy places of dung
the Devil and the Popes Agents to persecute Gods Church as Jer. 50.33 The Children of Israel and the Children of Judah were oppressed together and all that took them Captives held them fast they refused to let them go but what follows their redeemer is strong the Lord of Host is his name he shall throughly plead their cause that he may give rest to the Land and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon The Egyptians had Isis and Osyris for their Gods but I could name a multitude of St. Gods the papists have almost for every several disease a several Saint God to pray unto which I pass over because I have spoken of it before The last words of the Text Where also our Lord was Crucified this may seem strange to some for they may say Christ was not Crucified at Rome but at Jerusalem but this is easily answered though it be true in respect of the place he was Crucified at Jerusalem but if we look upon the power and authority that put him to death he was Crucified at Rome for he was put to death by a Roman Judge Christ was crucified at Rome in an alleâ—â—â—â—â— and by the Roman Laws and Authority and by a kind of death only used among the Romans and in a place that then belonged to the Roman Empire And the Jews confessed plainly when Palate bid them take him and Judge him after their own Law the Jews said unto him it is not lawful for us to put any man to death John 18.31 So that no man need to doubt that Rome is both Sodome and Egypt in her whole Regiment as you have heard and also the place where our Lord was cricified in respect of the Roman power and authority that Crucified him and the extent of the Roman Empire at that time even to Jerusalam where he was Crucified so that by all these marks it doth appear that the Pope of Rome is the Beast that came out of the bottomless pit and so the great Antichrist and man of sin and let Doctor Williams take notice and help the Pope as much as he can with all his Learning these Texts cannot so properly be applyed to the Long-parliament Presbyterians Independants Anabaptists c. as they are applyable to the Pope and his whole Clergy especially the Friers and Jesuits Rev. 13.11 12. It is said of the second beast that rose out of the Earth that he had two Horns like the Lamb but he spake like the Dragon Horns in this Book of the Revelation do signifie power and strength for so the Holy Ghost expounds The ten Horns to be ten Kings Rev. 17.12 Some think that by the two Horns of this Beast is meant the Popes Civil and Ecclesiastical power which he exerciseth and pretends his Jurisdiction from the Lamb Jesus Christ for saith he in the decretals it is not to be thought that this my Church of Rome hath been preferred by any general Councel but obtained the primacy only by the voice of the Gospel and the mouth of the Saviour but take notice that it is the Popish Gospel of unwritten Traditions is there to be understood for there is not a word in all the Gospel of Jesus Christ that gives the Pope his primacy also Pope Innocent the Third said Whosoever understandeth not the prerogative of my Priesthood let him look up to the Firmament where he may see two great lights the Sun and Moon one to rule the day the other to rule the night so in the Firmament of the universal Church therefore our dignity is so much the weightier as we have the greater charge to give account to God for the Lawes of men as well as for the Laws of the Church whereby it is manifest that the pope doth exercise both Civil and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Mr. Dent saith That by the first Feast that rose out of the Sea spoken of in the first verse of this Chapter is meant The Heathen Roman Empire but I conceive not that to be the meaning For that Beast is said to have seven Heads and ten Horns and the Heathen Roman Empire was but the Sixth Head for when John writ the Revelation he said Five of the Heads were fallen that is the five several Governments that had been in Rome from the time that it was built until that time was fallen which chief or head Governments called the heads of the Beast were Kings Consuls Dictators Decemures and Tribunes The Pope is a double head these five saith John are fallen one is that was the Government of Emperours which was in being when John writ which was the sixth and another is not yet come which was to be the Seventh head or pâ—pacy and Kingdome of Antichrist which was to be and did succeed next after the Heathen Roman Emperours so that both this first beast that rose out of the Sea that was the Head and the beast that rose out of the Earth that had two Horns like the Lamb but spake like the Dragon by both these beasts is meant the Pope whose one and the same person is discribed under a double resemblance of two beasts for Antichrist the Pope is a double Head in respect of his Civil power and Jurisdiction he is the first beast and in respect of his Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction he is the second beast which is the eighth yet one of the seven as Revel 17.11 in respect of the Popes double power of Prince-hood and Priest-hood exercised in one and the same person or as Mr. Brightman saith He is the first beast in regard of the wound he received by the Gothes Vandals and Hunnes and he is the second beast as he was exalted in his height again after his deadly wound was healed and the Gothes and Vandals were destroyed and the Pope rose to have great possessions of Cities and Lands Thus you see it is cleare he is the first beast as he exerciseth a civil power as did the Roman Heathen Emperours and so he is the seaventh head and he is the second beast as he exerciseth an Ecclesiasticall power and in this respect he is called the false Prophet It is said also in this 11 vers That this beast rose out of the Earth whereby is meant that the Pope and all his brood of Prelates Priests and Friers c. should not be heavenly but earthly minded persons and their Religion is earthly and heavenly for it is composed as is shewed before of more then forty Heresies and one hundred and fifty Religious Orders all of humane institution and not one of them divine their service and worship also is not spiritual but carnal consisting altogether of outward bodily exercise and lip labour muttering over prayers upon Beads when their minds are running as the Prophet saith With Fools to the ends of the Earth so that any Pagan Hypocrite or Reprobate may perform all the parts of their Worship and service that the present Church of Rome requires of them to be done
his Seat in spiritual Sodom and Egypt c. This is the Pope and Antichrist who hath two horns like the Lamb but he speaks and acts like the Dragon the Devil this is he that compels all c. to worship the Beast and to make his Image and that no man must buy or sell preach nor pray that hath not his mark or his name or the number of his name this is the Beast with seven heads and ten horns who had the wound of a sword and did live this is the Antichrist which the Angel shewed St. John the condemnation of and which shall certainly come to pass in due time these things I think are cleared to the meanest capacity that we need not doubt who is the great Antichrist nor where he is c. At the 9. verse of this 17. chapter of the Revelations the Angel begins to expound and unfold this mystery here is the mind that hath wisdom the seven Heads are seven Mountains whereon the woman sitteth c. that is the seven hills or mountains whereupon the City of Rome is built for which it is samous through the world and is called of the Gretians the seven topped or seven crested City and that because of these hills Let the Papists if they can find us out any other City in the world built upon seven hills or mountains which hath had seven several Governments and no more nor less and the seventh Government to exercise an universal or at least to challenge an universal power over all Churches and Kingdoms to fullfil this prophecy find us out any such besides the City of Rome and then they do somthing but if they cannot do that all they do and all others that take their part do but labour in vain and fight against God and against the truth and without repentance will heap up damnation upon themselves and many more Papists have confessed that Rome is the Whore here spoken of but they cannot endure to hear that it should be the seat of Antichrist as if these two could be parted the one sits and is born the other carrieth there is as near a communication between them as between the head and the body as the Angel interpreteth it verse 7. I will shew thee the mystery of the woman and the Beast that beareth her having seven heads and ten horns so that if they will send away the Beast to any other City than Rome they must send away the Body without his head the seven hills are the heads and Mr. Brightman saith where the seven heads of the Beast remain fixed and stable there is the very seat of Antichrist but Rome is the City where the Heads of the Beast remain fixed therefore Rome is the seat of Antichrist Thus the Angels tels us the seven Heads are seven Hills or Mountains they are also seven Kings five are fallen one is and the other is not yet come and when he cometh he must continue a short space the seven King are not seven singular persons but the succession of seven several Governments that had been in Rome and that should be even from the time that Rome was built until the time that it shall be destroyed from whence we have a sufficient argument that not any one Pope but a succession of Popes is the Antichrist for as the first six Heads or Governments nor no one of them did rest in any one single person that when he died the next set up another Government for so instead of 7 there might have been sevenscore but every one of the six several kinds of Governments remained in the succession of several singular persons to make up one Government even so the seventh Head or Government which is of Popes doth not rest in any one single Pope to make up the Antichrist but in a succession of Popes from the first Councel of Nice even so long as there shall be a Pope in Rome the succession of Popes the seventh Head or Government makes up the great Antichrist and man of sin and son of perdition of the six Governments the first was Kings the second Consuls I named them all above of which the first five were fallen and was past and gone when John writ for so he saith five are fallen one is which was the succession of Emperors that Governed in John his time and the other is not yet come which proved to be the Government and succession of Popes which came in as soon as the heathen Emperors were taken out of the way 2 Thes 2.7 they were it that hindred Antichrists appearance untill they were taken out of the way and after the seventh Head or Government was come for his continuing a short space before he had the wound I have shewed you above that Antichrists birth was about the year 328 from the Councel of Nice the short space that he continued before he had the wound was 87 years for in the year 415. Alaricus took Rome and wasted it and it was taken five times as is shewed before so that from the receiving of his wound until the wound was healed was 132 years for in the year 547 his deadly wound was healed by the decree of Justinian the Emperor Verse 11. And the Beast which was and is not and yet is is even the eighth and one of those seven and goeth into destruction the Beast which was and is not c. Is the Pope who was in great prosperity and encreased wonderfully in glory and wealth from the Councel of Nice for the space of 87 years and then Rome was wasted by the Gothes Vandals and Hunns c. so that for the space of 132 years Rome was so destroyed that at one time for sorty daies there was not a man nor woman seen in it and this was the time in which it is said the Beast is not for he did not now at that time seem to be but was as Chap. 13. it is said he was as it were wounded unto death so as the friends of the Beast did wonder when they beheld the Beast that was and is not and yet is that is to behold the Beast that was in such great Majesty and glory and is not so now that is during the time of those calamities he is not so as before and yet is that is he was not altogether wounded to death it was but as it were unto death for he yet is though in a low condition to what he hath been The Beast that was and is not and yet is is even the eighth and one of the seven Antichrist the Beast here is spoken of under a double resemblance in one and the same person he is the seventh Head in respect of his civil power and he is the eighth in respect of his Ecclesiastical power because it is a power of it self and yet he is one of the seven because these two Powers are both joined and exercised in one person and both make up one Antichrist in the succession
that forsaketh Peters Chair It is therefore no easie thing to traffick without the Beast's mark or his name or the number of his name In the 14. Chapter 9 10. verses is held forth the punishment of the Beast and his followers suitable to their sins verse 9. the third Angel followed them that is the two Angels mentioned before verse the 6. and 8. saying it is fallen it is fallen Baby lon the great City because she gave the Wine of the wrath of her fornication to all Nations these words doth manifestly declare the utter overthrow and destruction of the City of Rome which here is called Babylon and the reason why she shall be destroyed because she hath given the Wine of her fornication to all Nations that is because she hath propagated her Idolatry which is spiritual whordom and fornication unto all Nations so far as her power extended and which they have received and drunk in her Idolâ—trous Doctrines with as much eagerness and delight as a thirsty man drinketh wine and verse 9. the third Angel fellowed them saying if any man shall worship the beast and his Image and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand he shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God by Angels in this prophecy immeant the Ministers of the Gospel The ruine of Rame for their idolatry as the Angels of the seven Churches of Asia the 2. and 3. Chapters that is the Ministers of the seven Churches so these three Angels mentioned here must be understood all the faithful Ministers of the Gospel that witness against the Idolatrous doctrines and practice of this Beast the Pope here is a certain number set down for an uncertain of which Angels and their preaching every one seems to be more terrible than the former the first peaceably publisheth the glad ridings of peace by the Gospel saying feal God and give glory to him c. the second thunders out the ruine and desolation of Rome here called Babylon for their Idolatry and contempt of the Gospel the third doth by the spirit of God declare the innevitable and irrevocable sentence of ruine and destruction of soul and body of them that worship the Beast saying with a loud voice If any man there is none exempted for his greatness If any man shall worship the Beact and his Image and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without maxture into the cup of his indignation and he shall be vormented with fire and brimstone before the hâ—ly Angâ—ls and before the Lamb here is a punishment denounced suitable to the sin as it is said in the 8. verse she gave that is the Beast and Whore of Babylon gave to all Nations the wine of the wrath of her fornication which is her idolatry and superstition which men drank in as if they had drunk sweet Wine and therefore God will give them of the Wine of his wrath to drink to all eternity for so it is in the 11. verse And the smoak of their torment shall ascend up for ever and ever and they have no rest neither day nor night who worship the Beast and his Image and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name that is all Papists and Roman Catholicks as they call themselves for these as you have heard above are the marks of his name In the 17. Chapter verse 1. the Angel tells John he will shew him the damnation of the great Whore that sitteth upon many waters by the great Whore here in this place is meant the seven hilled City of Rome the Throne of the Beast by waters is expounded by the Angel verse 15. to be meant people and multitudes of Countries Kingdoms and Provinces of People that the City of Rome sits upon or ruleth over and yet in a literal sense Rome may be said to sit upon many waters for it is built upon Tyber into which it is reported that besides fountains and small brooks two and forty rivers discharge themselves and verse 3. I saw a woman sit upon a searlet coloured Beast full of names of blasphemy which had seven heads and ten horns which Beast is Antichrist the Pope of Rome the seven heads are the seven hills upon which Rome is built which is the Beasts Throne How the Beast sits upon the Whore and the Whore upon the Beast they are also seven Kings or Kingly governments as verse 9 and 10. and the ten horns are ten Kings verse 12. but it may be demanded how this can be that the Beast which is Antichrist should sit upon the Whore which is Rome for Rome the seven hilled City is his Throne and the Whore which is the City of Rome is said verse 3. to sit upon this scarlet coloured Beast I answer that Antichrist the Beast hath his seat and Throne in Rome the seven hilled City it is proved above there in the overthrow of Rome by the Gothes and Vandals the Beast received his wound as you have heard he received the wound of a sword and did live there is a very near affinity between these two the Beast and the Whore for many in our propriety of speech takes the one for the other and sometimes both for one calling Antichrist sometimes by the one name and sometimes by the other though improperly but first as Rome is called the Whore that is a spiritual Idolater she may properly be said to sit upon the Beast the Pope because he is the basis or foundation upon which her Idolatry is seated she rides triumphingly in her Idolatrous waies upon him and by his authority and jurisdiction he hath so exalted her over all the Cities and Kingdoms in the world by his double anthority Civil and Ecclesiastical that for her magnificence she is said in the 4. verse to be arrayed in Purple and Scariet and to be gilded with Gold and precious Stones and Pearls and to have a golden Cup of spiritual fornication in her hand to allure others to her abominable idolatries and filthiness 2ly Pope Leo will tell you by what means she rides upon the Beast in his first Sermon upon the birth day of the Apostles when Popes were in their height about the year 683. O Rome saith he which art made the head of the World through the holy See of St. Peter thou rulest more largely through divine religion than through any earthly dominion for thou hast enlarged thinâ— Empire and priviledges by Land and Sea being amplified with many victories yet that is less which thou hast had subdued to thee by warlike labour than that which Christian peace hath brought under thy power so saith Prâ—sper Might it not then be said as properly that Rome did ride aloft upon the authority and dignity of the Popes as to say a man doth ride upon his horse Full of the names of blasphemy but why is this blasphemy set out here by names
Antichrist that changes Laws yea even the Law and Word of God utterly abolish the second commandement and making another Commandement into two assuming to himself an universal authority over all Churches as head thereof as if the whole state of the Church did hang so upon the Pope that if there were no Pope there were no Church or that if the Pope were not the Pope the Church were not the Church Page 27. He demands if they be rightly applyed Whether all Notes Acts Arguments and Testimonies of Scripture that are set down as marks of Antichrist are not all to be found in the long Parliament and Presbyterians c. And it is answered That they are not for the long Parliament and Presbyterians c. did never forbid Marriage nor 2ly they never commanded abstinence from Meat 3ly they did not exalt themselves above all that are called Gods as the Pope doth though they exalted themselves here yet not above other Emperors and Kings 4ly they did not delude with lying Miracles Signes and Wonders 5ly the key of the bottomlesse pit was not given to them to let out the Locusts 6ly they did not deny Jesus to be Christ in his three Offices of King Priest and Prophet 7ly they had not their seat and residing in the City built upon seven Hills or Mountains which reigneth over the Kings of the earth 8ly they could not properly be said to be the Beast that was and is not and yet is 9ly they were not the seventh head which John spake of saying five are fallen one is and the other is not yet come 10ly they are not the Beast that had the wound of a Sword and did live 11ly nor the Beast with seven Heads and ten Horns 12ly they did not shed the bloud of all the Saints and Martyrs as Revel 18.24 though I must needs say they shed too much but all these and many more are applycable to the Pope and cannot properly be applyed unto them That which the Apostle in the 2 Thes 2 calls a falling away or apostacy he perverts the Text and calls it a Rebellion and because he would excuse the Pope from being Antichrist where the Apostle speaks of an Apostacy before Antichrist should be revealed in his 34th page he saith We find no rebellion in the Church of Rome against their Governors but saith he the Leaders of the Church deâ—ive the Church and so her Apostacy is the more excusable and less abominable to God Observe here how he contradicts the truth and himself both for page 31. he speaks of the Heresies that was in the Church of Rome and he names the Nicolaitans the Ebionites Cerinthians Montanists Valentinians Arians Nestorians Eutyehians Pelagians Manicheans and Donatists and many others whom he saith rebelled against their Governors and here he saith there was no rebellion in the Church of Rome and I have in the former part of this book shewed that there was twenty times two Popes at once one rebelling against another and many times the pople rebelled and deposed one Pope and set up another Thus you see he shames not to write any thing so he might defend and excuse the Pope not to be Antichrist Besides take notice he saith The Leaders of the Church deceive the Church therefore their Apostacy is the more excusable I beseech you whether is the greater Apostacy of the Leaders of the people that should know the truth and teach others for them to apostatize and draw multitudes after them and for most part sin against the light of their own Consciences or for ignorant common people to apostatize and sin through ignorance is not the apostacy of the Governors of the Church the greater and doth the more mischief and leads the more astray and yet this Bishop saith the apostacy of the Governors of the Church is more excusable and lesse abominable in the sight of God It seems he thinks that God seeth as he seeth I will not say that this What less than Blasphemy and some other things we have spoken of are blasphemy against God and his Truth but I refer it to wise men to judge There is little more of account to take notice of until the 58th page where in a sort he contradicts himself in what was said last viz. that Governors apostacy are more excusable than others and here he tels us That the Church of Rome compelleth all men to submit unto her more with the Sword of the Magistrate than with Aarons Rod witnesse their cruelties to the poor Indians their massacres in France their inquisition in Spain and their unmerciful persecution in England in King Henry the 8th and Queen Marys dayes and the Gunpowder-treason and then he tels of the cruelty of the Arians against the Orthodox was more than barbarous they infected and afflicted the Church most grievously being armed with several weapons and he tels us that Novatus exceeded all the rest for he would neither give his Father bread when he was ready to starve nor bury his corps when he was dead he spurned his own Wife out of doors being with child and killed the child in her belly these are the Bishops own words but he saith above that 〈◊〉 prove it for as to 〈◊〉 growing 〈…〉 Apostacies are more excusable because they were guides of the Church Page 59. he saith The most learned of the Jesuits do confesse the Assirian Babylon to be the type and figure of the Italian Rome and is so understood by the Apostle 1 Pet. 5.13 The Church that is 〈◊〉 Babylon salute you I Answer If in this Text as is granted by Babylon Italian Rome is understood then we must in all those places in the Revelation where Babylon is spoken of understand Rome which if it be granted as the Bishop doth grant it here and saith that the most learned of the Jesuits do grant it then must Babylon which is Rome be the Seat and Throne of Antichrist which Rev. 1â— 5 is called mistery great Babylon the mother of whoredom and abomination of the earth And Chap. 18.2 It is fallen it is fallen Babylon that great City the habitation of Devils and the hold of all foul spirits and a Cage of every unclean and hateful Bird for all Nations have drunk of the Wine of the wrath of her Fornication c. this notes out her utter ruine and destruction And this is Rome as Rev. 16.19 And that great Babylon came in remembrance before God to give unto her the Cup of the fierceness of his wrath Yet neverthelesse he hath said above that by Babylon is meant Rome so self willed and self-conceited is our Bishop that he flies off again page 61. and saith that what is said Rev. 17.18 cannot be understood of Rome without trope or figure for that it is said that in Babylon was found the blood of the Prophets and Saints and all that were slain upon Earth which cannot saith he be referred to any one City in the World but only
the great City of the World and so in a literal sense true and what need we use tropes and figures when the sense is true in the letter But observe I pray you how often he contradicts himself to maintain an Error for first he saith Observe how many Contradictions is here together That by Babylon is meant Rome then he saith It cannot be so without a trope or figure and saith It is true in the Letter as to the great City of the World but I say no it is not true in that sense neither without a trope or figure for there is no Text in all the Scripture that calls the universal World the great City of the World as he doth â—o find out a Babylon that the Scriptures do not speak of and reject that Babylon the Scriptures do so often speak of and he must go to tropes and figures for this Babylon too but if his eyes were open he might here see his own fâ—lly in another thing which is this for where will he find a Text of Scripture as it is in the letter that saith the long Parliament and Presbyterians c. is the great Antichrist which he brings so many senslesse Arguments to prove and labors altogether to prove it by tropes and figures in a mustical 〈…〉 it about which never no man thought of but himself that he might appear to be some body And if he will allow of tropes and figures and a mystical and spiritual understanding Scriptures to prove a false and a seigned Antichrist why doth he not allow the same Arguments and means to find out the real and undoubted of Antichrist in the judgment of many reverend and worthy Diviner all whose Judgments this man rejects because he will be singular But besides If Babylon be the great City of the World then where must they flie that go out of Babylon you shall see the absurdity that will follow by takeing Babylon to be the universal World or as he calls it the great City of the World Rev. 16.4 And I heard another voice from Heaven saying go out of her my people lest ye be partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues but where must they go they cannot go out of the World therefore it is not to be understood of the great City of the World but this Babylon from which they are bid to go Two Verses above he speaks of the fall of this Babylon And so Jerem. 51.6 Fly out of the midst of Babylon and deliver every man his Soul be not cut off in her iniquity And Chap. 52. and 8. But if by Babylon be meant Bishop William's great City of the World then the People of God hath no place to flee unto but must there abide and partake of her plagues and then whereunto serves that Admonition or rather a command to flie out of Babylon And thus you see he is one time here another while there saying and gain saying and contradicting himself that his whole Book is a Babel of confusion But this is not all he doth not stay here for in the 65. Page he saith There are heaps of Expositors of this Point that understands Babylon literally to be Rome but he understands it not so Grammatically as they do but altogether mystically for the great City of this World so that one while he is for a mystical sense and another time he will have a literal sense so that he will be any thing so he could perswade the World that the long Parliament c. were Antichrist that he might excuse the Pope And he saith further in the same Page That we ought to accept and follow a late and newly delivered Truth and recede from the old and antient Error though never so generally imbraced by former Authors because Truth whensoever or by whomsoever discovered is to be received and preferred before Error how antient or how generally soever it hath been delivered To which I do willingly subscribe if it be a Truth that is delivered and confirmed by evident Texts of Scripture it ought to be received For I have read twenty years ago that a Lay man bringing Scripture to prove his assertion was to be preferred before a 〈…〉 who le Council that decreed things which could not be made good by Scripture but by wresting and abusing the Texts But the Doctrine this Bishop teacheth is not onely new but it wants both Scripture and Reason to confirm it and therefore not to be received though he be a Bishop that teach it Page 71. He tells us of the Prophet Daniel's Description of the four Beasts which typified the four great Monarchies of the World the Assyrian the Persian the Grecian and the Roman and the little horn that sprang up among the other ten horns and he saith that Antiochus Epiphanes was the little horn that sprang up among the ten horns and in the next words he saith He was not another Horn besides the ten but the last of the ten Horns I answer That we have no reason to believ one word that this Bishop writes for still all along he either contradicts the Scriptures or himself one or both For Dan. 7.7 8. speaking of the beast that had ten horns considered the horns behold the incom up among them that is among the ten horns another little horn And in the 20. ver Daniel desired to know the truth of the fourth Beast Another Contradiction and of the ten horns that were in his head and of the other which came up which other was the little horn And ver 24. The ten horns out of this Kingdom are ten Kings that shall arise and another shall arise after them he shall be unlike the first This other is the little horn for all these three Texts speaks of the little horn distinctly from the ten horns and that before it three of the ten Kings shall fall Here are three witnesses of Scripture speaking of a little horn distinct from the ten horns And the Scripture saith In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established but Bishop Williams in effect saith no it shall not be so established for he hath found out another interpretation For he saith The little horn was not another besides the ten but the last of the ten horns so that it appears the Bishop sticks not to contradict God in his Word and the Angel expounding the meaning of the little horn to Daniel and all men let them be never so Orthodox he will contradict and forsake all their sayings to have his own whimsie to find out a new Antichrist and to excuse the Pope and this is it which he calls his late and new delivered Truth Page 65. And he further saith That Antiochus Epiphanes is as the little born and that he was very little indeed at first and was to come to his Kingdom by the destruction of other Kings which he saith are three Kings that fell before
unto you but you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God nor any thing for the which he hath sent me unto you the reason was because Gods answer did not sute with their former Resolutions therefore they told the Prophet he spake falsly the Lord had not sent unto him to say unto them go not into Egypt and thus it was with many men as to the answer of their prayers when they are intended before that such a thing they will do and then they go to prayer to seek direction from God and it may be for once God answers by some notion in prayer contrary to their intended purpose as he did Balaam the first time but they will not take this for an answer because it suits not with their mind but have a hankering the other way and will yet go again as Balaam did and seek for divinations and trie conclusions again and again as Balaam did and then oftentimes they are encouraged to go on in their own way to their own hurt and thus it fares oftentimes with men and women seeking of Wives or Husbands First They resolve what they will doe and then they will pray to God for direction and ask friends advise when they are resolved for what they will doe let God and Friends advise and do what they will I know some hath smarted for so doing this is a point ought well to be regarded by all men in every weighty undertaking Again he saith in his Epistle to the Reader That if the Presbyterian can give him satisfaction that he is mistaken he will willingly recant and be sorry for his error but withal he saith he assures himself that the Beast with all his power and the false Prophet with all his skill shall not be able to do it that is to give him satisfaction that he is mistaken I answer that in these very expressions of his is proved the truth of what I have writ above that many men first resolve what they will doe and then they will by prayer seek direction from God and from friends so here the Bishop promises that if the Presbyterian can give him satisfaction that he is mistaken he will recant but he is resolved and assured before hand that they shall not give him satisfaction with all their power and skill And it cannot be expected that the beast or false prophet will ever shew the Bishop his mistake for in so doing Antechrist the Pope who is the beast or false prophet should act against himself to the ruine of his own kingdom nay the beast will rather stroke his head and hug him as we use to say as the Divel hug'd the Witch for the good service he hath done him in taking so much pains to excuse him that we should not think him to be the Antichrist and when he dies he will cannonize him with Thomas Becket for another English or Welsh Saint But to deal engeniously and truly with you though I confess I have heard some of every sort preach yet was I never united and joyned in Church-fellowship neither with Presbyterian Independent Anabaptist or Lay-preacher as yet and therefore being I am none of them I will endeavour in the strength and by the assistance I hope of the Spirit of God to shew you your mistake and if you be so wedded to your own opinion that you will not be satisfied yet it may perhaps satisfie some others and then my labour will not be lost therefore I am resolved to put it to the triall yet it cannot be expected that I should answer every particular whimsey and cavill that is in his book for there is much Greek and Latine in it and I was never so great a Scholler as to understand either Greek or Latine and therefore I must intreat the Christian Reader to bear with my weakness if I doe miscall some words or not spell them right and endeavour to pick out the sense Neither will I answer all nor half of what he hath writ in English but so much as I think may give satisfaction to the impartial Reader to judge whether the Bishop or I be most mistaken And as I said above we will in the first place see what the Scriptures say as to this business to shew who is Antichrist c. It is said in the 1 John 2.18 as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come Marks to know Antichrist by even now there are many Antichrists that is all that walk contrary to Christs instituted Ordinances or his Commandements and Precepts in their practice and conversations these act against Christ and so are Antichrists But these are not the Antichrists here spoken of that should come though he speaks of many inferiour Antichrists that was then but it may be demanded where or from whom did they hear of the great Antichrist that was to come and what other answer can be given but that they heard of him in the Scriptures the word of truth where he is spoken of under other names which is given him as so many marks and characters to know him by and if you can finde any man that fits in such a Throne where one succeeds another in the same Throne and government acting the same things we may undoubtedly conclude that this is he as what is said Revel 17. of his seat upon seven hills or mountains interpreted by the Angels of the Ten Kings that should give their power and authority to the Beast c. of him that reigns in the great City that raigns over Kings of the earth and that exalts himself above all Magistrates which are called Gods as 2 Thes 2. and that is called the man or that man of sin the Mitre of iniquity he whose coming is after the working of Satan and with all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse and teacheth the Doctrine of Divels with many other like Characters to know him by c. I will begin with this last Text I named 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. Now the spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Divels speaking lies in Hypocrisie having their Conscience seared as with a hot Iron forbidding to Marry and commanding to abstaine from Meat c. Some shall depart from the faith and give heed to seducing spirits by seducing spirits I understand the Ministers of the Gospel that fell from the truth to Errour and Heresie and Mr. Brightman saith That about the time of Constantine the great there was many Pastors of the Church that fell from the truth at which very time Antichrist had his birth or first appearance as shall appear by and by for this Text and 2 Thes doth so discribe him that he that runs may read that this is he First He is said to be a seducing spirit and teaches the Doctrine of Divels forbidding Marriage that he shall work with all deceivablenesse of unrighteteousnesse in them that perish c And thus
and after he hath done all he may go to Hell for his pains being all that he did was but an outward form a husk or Hell of godlinesse denying the power thereof and both the Pope and his instruments with all the means they can use labour to hinder the power of godlinesse in others and bind men to outward conformity of humane inventions and not divine institutions there is no favour of Heaven nor Heavenly things amongst them but all manner of abominations Covetousnesse Hypocrisie Ambition Pride Tyranny Murthers Treasons witnesse The Gunpowder-plot poysonings Sorcery Inchantments Necromancy Witchcraft Conjuration Delutions Idolatries Superstitions Adulteries Fornications Sodomy Incest Exercismes Perjuries Crouching Crossing Washings Pilgrimages Numbring prayers upon Beads with false Spittle Oyle Holy Water Crisme Crucifixes Agnus Dei Crosses Reliques Images Altars Penance Intercession to Saints c. with a number more the like and which even the best of them their Popes Prelates Cardinals c. have been exercised in all these things and these are their Devotions which consists in outward bodily exercise which an Hypocrite or reprobate may do yea and hath done much more all which shewes that they are carnal earthly sensual and divilish For though he have two Horns like the Lamb he pretends fair in outward shew but he spake like the Dragon for verse Second The Dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority his Throne is the Seven hilled City of Rome his power and authority by which the Pope doth act the Holy Ghost saith plainly It is not from God but from the Devil the Dragon for from whom else can these works named above The Pope hath his power throne from the dragon and the like proceed but from the Devil he speaks like the Dragon in deed in all his words and doctrines and his works declare from whence and from whom they come all his false Doctrines and lying Miracles and unwritten Traditions and service in an unknown Tongue and prayers in a Language not Understood by them that pray and the like you see here from whence the authority came that sets up that kind of Worship and Service Chrysostome in his 48 Hom. what is it saith he that Antichrist shall not attempt he will pretend the works and offices of Christ to serve himself of Christ and to fight against Christ under fair pretences to introduce his pernitious traditions upon Christians for their practise And he did all the first Beast could do before him and he caused c. in which Text is shewed that this second Beast the Pope by his Ecclesiastical Authority and Jurisdiction he could doe all that the first Beast could do by his civil Authority but we must take notice that he hath his power from the Dragon as well as the first Beast both their power is from him and are both as one in the largenesse and extent of their power for their power is both included in this second beast as you have heard in regard of his double power and Jurisdiction which he exerciseth whereby he was able to doe all that the first Beast did before him even in the sight and open view of the whole Empire And he caused the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the Beast whose deadly wound was healed that is Papists worldlings and Counterfeite Christians to worship the first Beast to receive and set up Superstitious and Idolatrous worship such as the Heathen Emperours had only it changed the name for the Popish Superstition and Idolatry is as great as ever the Heathen was and by compelling them to worship the first Beast and not to worship himself is his pretending to Antiquity that he might have the more esteem in the world as if he should say he challenged no new thing to himself but that which his predecessor had left him by inheritance so that though this worship come under the name of Christ yet it is as abominably wicked as was the Heathens for they condemned the true Worship of God and set up false Worship and so do the Popes and labour by cruel Laws and Decrees to force men to their Idolatry and false Worship and humane Inventions To Worship the Beast whose deadly wound was healed in these words the Holy Ghost speaks of a second Condition of the Beast whereby his first dignity had been somewhat diminished by having one of his heads wounded the seven Heads here are the seven Hills of the City of Rome they are also seven Kings Rev. 17.9 or seven Kingly Governments The beast received his deaths wound in 415. whereof five were fallen when John writ on his faith he and another is not yet come and when he cometh he must continue but a short space that is until he should have his deadly wound but the deadly wound should be healed the sixth head which then was when John writ was the Heathen Roman Emperours the seventh head was the Government by Popes which began in Constantines time after the Heathen Emperours was removed the short space that he continued after he came before he received his wound First by Alaricus about the year 415. wherein he took Rome and wasted it which Hierome speaking of saith That the most glorious light of all the world was put out yea the Head of the Roman Empire was out off or as it is in the Text The head was wounded as it were to Death The whole world saith Hierome was undone in the destruction of one City and in another place he saith That City which vanquished the whole world was vanquished I said before that Antichrists Kingdome began at the Councel of Nice about the year 328. so 〈◊〉 the time of his continuance before he received this wound was about 87 years which was but a short space in comparison of the time that he hath raigned since his wound was healed but Rome was taken again after this by Adulphus who gave it such a deadly blow that he began to advise with himself about changing the name thereof and to call it Gothia Rome was taken the third time by Gensericus the vandal and the foutth time by Odoaces Rugianus who reigned there 14 years but Theodorecus King of the Gothes killed him and Totilas followed after him in a certain order of succession and he destroyed it and brake it down the fifth time and brought it to such desolation that it is said there was neither man nor woman found in it for 40 days who would not have thought but that the seven hilled City had been utterly perished who would not have thought but that the Popes dignity that is the seventh head but that it had seen his last and utter decay for it was now at that time wounded as it were unto death whereupon it was that the Bishops of Constantinople and Ravina supposing that the authority of Rome had been quite overthrown they strove to appropriate the dignity to their Churches as if they had been the
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 â—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 Mâ— 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 Magdeâ—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 followâ— 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