next heirs thus it appears that not one Jot or Title of the word of God shall not faile until all be fulfilled for though the City of Rome was the Mistresse and Queen of all the World yet by the invation of the Gothes Vandals and Hunnes she had a fearful downfal yea more then any other City being so determined of God to fulfil this Prophecy that after Antichrist did come he should continue but a short space before he should have a wound as it were to death Now my good Lord Bishop I think I have shewed you several Texts that Prophesied of Antichrist which was never fulfilled by the Long parliament nor Presbyterians c. nor cannot properly be applyed unto them But this deadly wound was healed after the space of 132 years about the year 547. in Justinian the Emperour his time by means of the Prowesse and Valour of Bellisarius and Narses The beasts wound was healed in 547. the Gothes were never so shattered the Emperour played the Phisitians part in good earnest for he first took away bad humours by repressing the Barbarians and utterly destroying them and then he powred in Wine and Oyle for that decree in the Novel constitution of Justinian being 131 in number was instead of a soft healing plaister we decree according to the decrees of holy Synods that the most holy Bishop of old Rome is the first and principal of all the Priests how greatly was the wound healed up by this decree that seemed to be a deadly wound saith Mr. Brightman Thus it doth evidently appear that the Beast that had the wound of a Sword and did live is the Pope the great Anti-Christ of Rome of whom it is said in the 15. verse of this 13. Chapter that it was permitted unto him to give a spirit unto the Image of the Beast so that the Image of the Beast should speak after this beasts deadly wound was healed men began to adore this Beast like an Idol his affliction did not reform him but he returned to the Idolatry and superstition of his Predecessors so that his Idolatry was a lively Image of the Idolatry both of former Popes and of the Heathen Emperors Idolatry and he caused them that dwelt on the earth to make the Image of the Beast that is to commit the same Idolatry and it was permitted unto him to give a spirit to the Image of the Beast that it should speak that is it is made to speak by the whole Crew of the Popish Clergie crying up the Antiquity of the Roman Church of their Doctrine and Ceremonies and traditions as received from the Apostles though the Apostles were strangers to such things and knew nothing of them but it would avail the Pope but little to erect such an external way of Idolatrous worship with so many Ceremonies and vain humane Inventions If it were not for his Clergy his Locusts and Frogs that are in such multitudes in every Countrey that puts life in this Idol or Image by their terrible threatnings and Excommunications against all that shall dare to mutter any thing against their holy Father the Popes proceedings affirming him to be the universal Bishop Christs Vicar and Peters Successor and that he cannot erre therefore his Decrees Cannons Injunctions and constitutions are to be received and obeyed as divine Oracles upon pain of damnation so that he deceives saith verse the 14. them that dwell on the earth and causeth that those that will not worship this Image should be killed as many thousands have been for denying that Idolatrous worship thus these Instruments with their threatnings and delusions put life into their Image-worshiping and all other their Idolatries You shall hear what delusions and Idolatrous means they used just about this time of healing the Beasts wound Chosroes a great Tyrant destroyed Antioch with Sword and fire Seleucia Daphne and came to Apamia whereon Thomas a Monck was Governor of the Church the people were all in expectation of death and Thomas saith the Story brought forth the wholsom and lively Crosse and set it before them all to the end they might behold and embrace it when their last hour came for therein saith the story the only health of man consisted and now taking their Voyage into another world they might have the reverend Crosse for their way-fair to safe conduct them into another Soil Thomas lift up his hand and let all see the wood of the Crosse whereby the old Curse of Sin was wiped away Oh cursed Idolatry to ascribe the looking upon a piece of Wood a means to wipe away sin I could shew several more such passages even about that time See Evagrius Book 4. Chap. 25. As the Vision at Sergiopolis and of the Picture which they feign God himself made and not the hands of man which Picture say they Christ sent to Agbarus when he desired to see Christ which Picture the People of the City of Edessa drew through a Ditch between them and Chosroes Army that besieged them into which Ditch they conveyed water See here Popish delusions the which Water set the besiegers Works on fire if you will believe the story See the former Book Chap. 26. Thus Antichrist and his Agents makes fire to come down from Heaven in the sight of men as it is Revel 13.13 Also of Barsanuphius the Monck that shut himself up in a Cabbin fifty years and was never seen of any man not never took sustenance and of Simond the Monk and also of the Hebrew Boy Chap. the 35th of the same Book of whom they report that the remainders of the Sacrament which they call The Body of Christ at Constantinople their Custom was to give it â—o Children which went to School among which was a Hebrew boy who had share and tarrying longer than ordinary his Father examined where he had been and what he had done who when he had related his Father took and threw him into the firy Furnace where he made his Glasse the Mother sought the Child and could not find him the third day being spent with lamenting and weeping for her Child sitting in the shop door as she sighed she called the boy by his name who answered her out of the fiery Furnace the Mother burst open the door and spied her Child in the middle of the hot burning coals and yet preserved from hurt by vertue of the Crums of the Sacrament of the body of Christ that he had eaten if you will believe Popish stories All these delusions were feigned about the time of healing the Beasts wound which served very well for his purpose to have the Image of the Beast worshiped It is said by some that the Roman Heathen Emperors assumed to themselves not only the Dignity Royal but also pontifical calling themselves Sovereign high Priests but this was but a dead Image without life but when once the Pope came to exercise both the Emperial and Ecclesiastical power he put life into this dead and
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
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
dumb Image The terrible voise of the Image of the Beast and caused it to speak out plainly for as Christ said of himself Matth. 28.18 All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth even so the Pope who calleth himself Christs Vicar assumes unto himself upon earth all power in heavenly and earthly things that both Emperors and Kings should stoop to him and hold their dignitie from him As Pope Adrian said in an Epistle to the Arch-bishop of Trevir From whence hath the Emperor his Empire but from us therefore he ruleth by us also behold the Empire is in our power to give it to whom we will for this cause are we set over Nations and Kingdoms by God to destroy and pluck up to build and to plant for by me Kings reign assuming that to himself which is due only to God And Pope Innocent Look what difference there is between the Sun and the Moon so great is the power of the Pope ruling over the day that is saith he over the Spiritualty above Emperors and Kings ruling over the night that is over the Laitie To me saith Pope Galasius Emperors and Kings be more inferior than Lead is to Gold I could multiply things of this nature but I do but hint at things and leave it to more able pens but these are most terrible voices of an Image for the Pope is as you have heard above both the first and the second Beast and therefore he is both the Beast and the Image of the Beast and whatsoever Adoration is given to either it is given to the Pope for he gathers all the water to his Mill and he being so powerful and so proud it is no marvel if he cause that so many as will not worship this Image that they should be killed And thus he makes the Image of the Beast to speak what he pleaseth and makes Emperors and Kings much more Peasants to swear fealty unto him And verse 16. And he maketh all both small and great rich and poor bond and free to receive a mark in their right hand or in their forehead and that no man might buy or fell save he that had the mark or the name of the Beast or the number of his name Antichrist is not contented to have the Image of the Beast made and worshiped that is in an external form of Ecclesiastical Government like unto the form and government that had been among the heathen Romans and Egyptians for Idolatry and superstition in which indeed the Pope doth exceed them for he hath more feigned Idols Saint gods of he gods and she gods and breaden gods than ever the Heathens had nor is he content to have all these gods worshiped and adored with the same Adoration that is due to the true God nor to put a spirit into this Image to make it speak by his Clergie with such terrour as you heard above all this will not satisfie this insatiable Beast but he will have them marked as his hired servants or rather as his Vassals or Slaves as men use to mark their beasts and sheep that they may be known to be his and to whom they do belong this mark is all those waies and means whereby men shew their obedience to this Beast and it is said verse 8. That all shall worship him whose names are not written in the book of life let the followers of the Beast consider it in time for the Text tels them that they have no part nor portion in Jesus Christ while they follow Antichrist If it be the good pleasure of God I desire that their Understandings may be enlightened to see the danger before it be too late we heard above that those that would not worship the Image of the Beast should be killed now this may be some other punishment to refuse the Beasts mark as fines or imprisonment or confiscation of goods or the like besides their not being suffered to buy and sell the mark of the Beast in the forehead or right hand is a submission to practice and proofess and yield obedience unto the Decrees Canons Laws and Religion that is commanded for the forehead doth signifie the profession and the right hand the action so that in one of them every man must acknowledge the Pope to be Lord of his Faith and shew it forth either in profession or practice or else he must not buy nor sell that is they must not enjoy those priviledges nor be capable of such preferments a others are that profess and subscribe their canonical obedience The mark or his name or the number of his name what the mark is I have declared above and as for the name the Pope would have his Vassals to bear his name as children bear the name of their Parents and what is that Three marks of Antichrist the beasts name it is from his own name Pope to be called Papists or from his usurped title of universal Bishop to be called Catholicks for the name universal signifies Catholick so as children bear their Fathers name so they bear the Popes name to be called Catholicks but this title both the Pope and his followers do falsly assume to themselves for the Catholick or Universal Church doth comprehend all believers from the beginning to the end of the world which the Romish Church cannot do for there was Churches that is included in that name almost 4000 years before there was any Church at Rome but besides these there is another mark or number of his name which Expositors say is Latinos that is Professors of the latine Religion or latine Kingdom and to acknowledge the primocy of the latine Pope now here are three sufficient witnesses to prove the Pope to be the Beast here spoken of that no man must buy nor sell that hath not the Beasts mark or his name or the number of his name and here are three names derived from the Popes name his title and his latine service which all are applyed to his followers and cannot so fitly be applyed to any one in the world besides and the Scripture tells us that in the mouths of two or three Witnesses every word shall be established therefore I see not how it can be evaded but it must be granted upon this evidence that the Pope is the Beast here spoken of and so consequently the great Antichrist and man of sin and that no man shall buy nor sell preach nor pray nor enjoy the priviledges that other men enjoy if either the Pope or his instruments can hinder them except they have the mark of the Beast or his name or the number of his name for it is ordained in a Decree that no man ought to speak to those with whom the Pope is at enmity Gratian said that soveraign obedience was due unto the Pope and that it was not lawful for any man to commune with him with whom the Pope was at enmity for some deeds of his neither can he be in the Church
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
a bare and ragged cloak then in rich Ornaments and Apparel wherefore saith he I pray you my Lord Bishops do not so much contemne your Inferiours for the first that dyed for Christ and opened the way of Martyrdome was no Bishop but a Levite but if we repeat the example of old Councels we shall find that the inferiours were always present with the Bishops in Councels and what is more comely saith he for us to follow then the doctrines and customes of the Apostles as it is said Acts 15. It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to us that is the Apostles and Elders with the Church and the word it seemed good signifieth in this place not only consultation but decision and determination whereby it appears that others besides Apostles or Bishops had determinating voyces in Councels and in another place saith that is Acts the 6. which is spoken to above saith he when the Apostles would intreat of any weighty matter Lay-men a Ministers ought to in Counce with Bish they durst not determine by themselves but the twelve called together the multitude And seeing all things were written for our learning it seem the Apostles would give us example that in such weighty matters we should admit our inferiours as Athanasius in the Councell of Nice who then was but a Priest yet he did manfully withstand the Arrians Also in the Councel of Calcedon which was counted one of the four principall Councels there was present four hundred Priests and we have most evident testimony for inferiours in Councels for the chiefe and principal of all the divines St. Augustine saith upon these words where Christ saith to Peter I will give thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven he saith by these words judiciall power was given not only to Peter but also to the other Apostles and also to the whole Church Bishops and Priests If therefore Priests have a judicial power in the Church what should let but that they also may have determinate voyces in the Councels and Synods and saith he if Abbots who were not instituted by Christ have their determinate voices in Councels as they alwaies have why should not Priests have the same mark here the Councel confesseth that Abbots are not of Christs institution see for this the Acts and monuments of the Primitive Church page 624. Thus you see what the practise of the Apostles was and their admiting of Ministers and Lay-men that were godly and lawfully elected into their councels and which was also practised in ancient councels though since this councel of Nice I do not read that Lay-men have been admitted though hear in this councel of Basill God stirred up this man to contend for the truth but the occasion of this dispute in the councel of Basill was not about Lay-men but the Bishops would have had Priests and Deacons and all excluded from having a determining Vote but onely Bishops and I think they have had it so ever since both in Councels and Synods except it were some of their own creatures that would say as they say but as to the due election of members to be in the councels according to the Apostolical institution that hath been altogether neglected this 1300 years since the councel of Nice through the pride and presumption of Bishops and the prevalence of Antichrist then brought forth by that councel which practise you see is contrary to the Apostles institution and example and is also contrary even to reason and to the practise of Kingdoms in civil affairs as Parliaments that give and make Laws for the Government of the Kingdome in civil affairs they are elected and chosen by the countrey so that what Lawes they make as to the Government of the outward man they are bound to stand to and obey for it is their own act they elected and intrusted them to make such Laws as should be for their wealth and safety And can any man be so bruitish as to think that believers who are the misticall body of Jesus Christ and who alone are the Church in Scripture sense can any man think that Christ would have them excluded from medling with the affairs of the Church which particularly belongs unto them and which Church they are is there not as much reason that they should have their Vote in electing them that are to sit in councels or Synods to make Laws to bind their conscience as to have a vote in electing those in Parliament that make Laws to bind the outward man and are not these examples and practises of the Apostles and first primitive Church in these three several points spoken to above as sure and safe rules to walk by as can be shewed for any other assembly or meetings to make Laws by c. For can it be thought that Jesus Christ would appoint for such a work Necromancers Witches Conjurers Sorcerers Astronomors Simoniacks Sodomites abusers of themselves with mankind incesteous persons and covetous Idolaters Lyers Swearers Judge if these be sit to make Laws for the Church of Christ Sabboth-breakers Murtherers Per jured persons full of Wrath and Strife Mallice and Envy Sedition and Heresie Adulterers Fornicators Drunkards abounding in all the works of the flesh as a great part both of Popes and Prelates have been and are that these and such like should give Lawes to his Church and Spouse that their acts and determinations should be reputed and taken for the acts and determinations of the Church who are not as I have proved in the former part of this Book so much as true members of any particular rightly constituted Church of Jesus Christ in Scripture sence themselves and who never had a right call to their office nor to sit in councel nor Synod according to the Scripture order as is shewed above they came not in at the door but at the window like thieves and robbers that these should make Laws for Christs Spouse to bind their consciences to Superstitious and Idolatrous Observations and will-worship contrary and against the written word of God and by their magnificent outward power and authority to compel men to obedience against their conscience and restraine them from worshipping God according to his own institutions Beloved such wayes and doings as these are not of God consider it in time and lay it to heart for the Lord is a God of Judgement by him actions are weighed and thus all these things said together and justly weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary it will appear that this Apostacy and falling away of the Bishops before the councel of Nice and of the Bishops in the councel of Nice to be the greatest Apostacy and falling away from the institutions and example of Jesus Christ and his Apostles and of the longest continuance that ever was in the world this 1660 years for it is of 1300 years continuance and the greatest evil and mischief it hath produced to the Churches of Jesus Christ for the Arian Herefie is gone
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
out of the bottomless pitâ— shall make war against Jesus Christs two witnesses and shall overcome them and kill them You have heard it proved who this King of the bottomless pit is who are the Locusts and Frogs who are his followers there he is called the King of the Locusts that comes out of the pit and Chap. 16.13 he is called the Dragon the Beast and the False prophet and here he is brought in under the name of the Beast comming out of the bottomless pit but this was not his first comming out for he was come out long before in his predecessors though in a more obscure and hidden manner and was not so easily discerned for about the year 352 358 Pope Liberius and Pope Felix were both fallen from the true faith and were Arians Boniface the third about the year 607 received the Key to open the pit Pope Honorius about the year 626 he was a Monothalite and in 684 Pope Benedict got to be called the Vicar of Christ but now this Antechrist an adversary walkes no longer covertly but comes out of the bottomless pit upon the open stage of the world to make warre that is openly to oppose Jesus Christ and his two witnesses that is all the faithfull pastors and professors of Gods truth in Religion that have in all ages opposed popery and other heresies and against all these the Pope he makes warre and fights as pope Honorius 2d about the year 1132. against Armulphus who was a witness to the truth in those daies as you may see in the beginning of this book and the year 1150 Gerhardus and Dulcimus Naverenses and 32 more with them were Martyrs for preaching against the pope as saith Iliricus and Robert Guisburne and how he warred against the Waldencians who began the year 1160 and about the year 1207. one hundred thousand of Albegenses were murthered by pope Innocent the 3d. About the year 792. Albinus an Englishman writ a book against Images and in the 8 Centry Iconoclaste did the same 9 Centry Claudius Bishop of Taurinum Godescalus and Photius in the 10 Cent Johanes Scotus and Bertramus a presbyter in the 11 Cent. Berengerius and Marcellus of Padua Peter de Bruce The Witnesses that were slain with hundreds more that the popes made warre against for their winessing for Christ against him and his Locust And pope Constantine about the year 712 caused Philippecus the Emperour to lose both his eyes and his Empire for opposing Images pope Gregory 2d excommunicated Leo the Emperour for opposing Images in 731 and in 757 pope Paul excommunicated the Emperour of Constantinople for opposing Images And whence could such fighters against the witnesses of Gods truth and such hereticall Idolatrous Image-worshippers come but from the divel out of the bottomless pit from whence this beast came the holy Scriptures also of the Old and New Testament are a witness for Christ and you shall see what war the popes have made against the Scripture and stobbed it to the very heart When that cursed Councel of Trent sate in the year 1546. in the third session April 8. there the fountain of the Greek and Hebrew copies of the Bible was refused and a corrupt Latine translation was established for authentical their unwritten traditions was placed in equal dignity with the holy Scriptures there was the power of an interpreting Scripture by Scripture taken away from Scripture and it was brought into Thraldome to the will and pleasure of men to make it like a nose of wax turning it what way they please by their glosses that they put upon it especially the Pope the holy books of Scripture was never so murthâ—red and dispitefully disgraced and that openly and by publick authority not from the foundation of the world or since any Scripture was written by any that did pretend outwardly to professe Christianity would ever or did ever any in the world attempt to act thus against Jesus Christ but the Pope who is the great Antichrist and Beast that came out of the bottomlesse pit thus to make war against the holy Scriptures that bears witness of Jesus Christ and also against other witnesses and kil'd them as many thousands have been by fire and sword and other Torters all which is so manifestly known that all the Devils in the bottomless pit and the Councel of Trent to help them cannot excuse and clear the Pope but that he is the Beast and great Antichrist and man of sin This Beast the Pope to prove himself to be the Beast that no man might doubt of it stirred up a War the same year that the Councel of Trent thus took away the life and power of the Scriptures against the Protestants in Germany and the year following the 22 of April 1547 the forces of the Protestants were put to the flight and John Frederick of Saxony himself and Ernestus Brunswick the Lantgraves son and not long after the Lantgrave himself were taken Captives and many other Nobles and divers Cities were grievously afflicted The Pope a murtherer of the witnesses of Jesus Theador Peza bewailed the misery of these times thus Whatsoever had been built up in so many years and with so great labours seemed to be overthrown as in a moment and they only were counted happy by the most whom timely death had delivered from these troubles Thus you see how the witnesses of Jesus Christ were killed and by whom namely by the procurement of the Pope who is here called the Beast that cometh out of the bottomless pit but he hath many assistants that perhaps do not think themselves such nor do not make the end and aim of their proceedings purposely as an assistance to the Beast yet occasionally it proves to be so for as in 2 Thes 2.8 If this Beast the great Antichrist must be consumed and wast away with the spirit of Gods mouth that is by the Ministry of Gods Word and if he must be abolished with the brightness of Gods coming that is in the purity of Gods Ordinances without the mixture of Romish or any other humane institutions as a means wherby the beasts humane institutions and ceremonies must be consumed and abolished Whether silencing of Ministers do not occasonally uphold Antichrist in his throne Then whether is not the silencing of â—odly Ministers very near of kin to the killing of the two witnesses and so occasionally if not intentionally assistant to the Beast of the bottomlesse pit for if Antichrist must be consumed by the spirit of God in the Ministry of his word then it behoves that all the faithful Preachers that preach against Antichrist be incouraged and not restrained from their office and ministry under pretence of outward conformity as touch not taste not handle not which all must perish in the useing after the commandements of men Collos 2.21 for the holy Apostle which I think knew as much of the mind of God as any Pope or Prelate now
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
make and institute Officers and Offices in the Church which Christ ordained not nor will not own but will say unto them Get ye behind me or depart ye cursed I know ye not by these Lordly Titles and Jurisdictions that you have exercised I ordained them not for will any man fearing God that is in his right wits think that Jesus Christ and his Apostles who had an immediate call from Christ to their office and were endowed with an infallible and unerring spirit that they did not know better then any Pope or Prelate councel or other what Officers and order was best for the Church but that men dare presume to reject and neglect Christs order and institutions and make orders and institutions of their own it is good to draw neer to God but it is dangerous to go from him and run out of his way that he hath prescribed for us to walk in it is said Rev. 2.1 That Christ holdeth the stars in his right hand by stars is meant the Pastors of the Church which while they walk in Gods way Christ holds them in his right hand to keep and direct them as it is said He shall keep thee in all thy wayes and he is a powerfull keeper and a faithful maintainer of all his faithful servants but those that walk out of Gods way have no promise of protection in such cursed crooked ways Thus having hitherto set down the manner of the great Antichrists appearance how he came to his Throne by the removing of the Heathen Emperours which was it that hindred until it was taken out of the way and also of the falling away of the Bishops before the councel and of the Bishops in the councel of Nice how both fell away from the institutions and example of Christ and his Apostles and the first primitive purity both as to the election of Bishops and other Church Officers and as to the election of membert to sit in councels all which rules is laid down in the Scripture for us to walk by which the Bishops and councel not only fell from but they made new institutions and canons of their own without and contrary to the Scripture which was both as Midwife and Nurse to bring forth and Nurse up Antichrist to his full strength c. And now I come to speak of the thing that Antichrist should do after he is come and the Apostle saith 2 Thes 2.4 That he should oppose and exalt himself above all that is called God How Antichrist exalteth himself above all Gods or that is Worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God Bellarmine to excuse the Pope that he should not be Antichrist saith from this Text That Antichrist shall not suffer any God either true or false nor any Idol to be worshipped but only himself but this cannot be here meant by this Text for the Text saith He shall sit in the Temple of God the Scriptures notes out Antichrist to be a false Prophet now a Prophet whether true or false must be a Prophet to some God and when he sits in the Temple of God let Bellarmine tell us whether this must be in the Temple of another God or in his own Temple if in anothers Temple then he must own a God above him if in his own Temple then the Apostle spake improperly for he should not have said He sits in the Temple of God as God but rather He sits in his own Temple as God and how should Antichrist be known by this sign when it is not known what manner of Temple he should have but we will take the words as they are in the Text and leave Bellarmines deceitful Glosse St. Hierom interpreteth Antichrists sacrilegious pride to be a kind of immoderate power over all Religion for thus he saith Autichrist shall war against the Saints and overcome them and shall be puffed up with so great pride as he shall attempt to change Gods Laws and Ceremonies subjecting all Religion to his own will In which he points out the Pope of Rome to the life to be the great Antichrist for that humane Authority the Councel of Nice gave him he hath improved that in the present Church of Rome and so far as the Popes power extends the Laws of God are almost abolished and new instituted Orders Officers and Discipline is established and almost all things is become new as is shewed in the former part of this book yea 150 new Religious orders and not one of them of Christs institution and many more things the like so that by the Testimony of St. Heirome the Pope of Rome must be the great Antichrist and man of sin and son of perdition that exalts and opposeth all that is called God that is Psal 82.6 all earthly Magistrates I said ye are gods but ye shall die like men c. and it is manifest that the Pope of Rome doth claim and excreise authority over all Emperours Kings and Princes who are earthly gods and over all authority Civil and Ecclesiastical and he hath promoâ—ed and established false worship and siteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God that is he sits both in his own person and by his power and authority in the Christian Congregations shewing himself that he is god that is an earthly god and the greatest of all earthly gods by his commanding power over other earthly gods and that Christian Assemblies where the Pope exerciseth his power is called the Temple of God see the Ephes 2.22 In whom you also are builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit and 1 Cor. 3.16 17. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and if any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy Look to thy self Pope and all Popelings forâ—ve have defiâ—ed the Temple and Church of God and him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is Holy which Temple are ye that is all true believers and 1 Cor. 6.19 What know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God and ye are not your own for ye are bought with a price Let the Pope and his Prelate then take heed how they defile these Temples that God hath bought with so dear a price that they defile them not with their humane institutions and ceremonies c. So that as it is said of the Pope of Rome in his extravigance that he is neither god nor man but a middle person between both so he sits in the Temple of God as god over all Emperours Kings and Princes c. He sits in the Christian Assemblies and Congregations which is the Temple and House of Gods there he sits claiming and exercising a power over them all as a God thus you see how lively the Holy Ghost in this Text hath Pictured out the Pope of Rome to be the great Antichrist and man of sin sitting
as a god over all other earthly gods that is worshipped with a civil outward worship But what lesse then divine worship was it that was given to the Pope and which he did arrogate to himself when the Ambassador of the Emperour of Sicily lay grouling up on the ground and cryed to the Pope The blasphemous honour given to the Pope Thou that takest away the sins of the World have mercy upon us Thou that takest away the sins of the World grant us thy peace See Paul Amicla Book 7. also Simon Bigimus Bishop of Modrusium speaking to Pope Leo in the Councel of Latteran ses 6. Behold saith he speaking of the Pope Behold the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah the root of Jesse we have waited for thee O blessed Leo to be our Saviour O wicked blesphemous Bishop and wicked blasphemous Pope to receive such Worships unto these we may joyne Cornelins Bishop of â—â—pontum who laid open his blockishnesse in wondring at this Beast the Antichrist in the Councel of Trent in these words The Pope is come a light into the world and men love darkness more then light out pon you blasphemous Claw backs saith Mr. Brightman Is it not enough for you to adore the man of sin with the praise of the Saints but you must rob God and give that honour to Antichrist that is proper only to Jesus Christ Gregory saith in his 4th Book Chap. 38. What answer wilt thou make unto Christ the head of the Vniversal Church when thou shalt be examined at the last Judgement that thou hast called thy self the only Bishop and goest about by the name Vniversal to make all his members subject unto thee and in another place I speak it boldly saith he whosoever calleth himself universal Bishop or in the pride of his heart desireth so to be called he is the fure-runner of Antichrist The testimony of ancient writers against the Pope and I have shewed you that before the Councel of Nice they were aiming at such a thing as Alixander Bishop of Alixandrea write to other Bishops and Churches That Eusebius Bishop of Necomedia supposed the whole state of the Church to be under his Jurisdiction whereby you may perceive Bishops had aspiring thoughts that was as John Bishop of Constantinople writ to Pope Gregory That he might be called Vniversall Bishop c. Armulphus in the Councel of Remes saith thus speaking of the Pope What think ye Reverend Fathers of this man siting on high in his Throne glittering in purple and cloth of Gold what think ye him to be Verily if he be void of Charity and blown up with pride then is he Antichrist siting in the Temple of God and shewing himself that he is God Bernard speaking of that time saith The Bishops who new have charge of Gods Church are not Teachers but Deceivers they are not Feeders but Beguilers they are not Prelates but Pilates and in Vincicto Remancie he saith Ye are called Bishops but ye are Raveners O my Brethren Jesus at this time hath chosen unto him many Divels to be Bishops they are not Feeders but they are Traytors but Fernard mistook for they were not of Jesus Christs chusing Christs institution was cast aside for if they had been chosen as they ought to be by Lot as Matthias was Acts the first Jesus Christ would have made a better choice but they were chosen by men that had not right to chuse them and that was the reason that they were such a plague to the Church as they were Abertus in his 10 Chap. speaks to the same purpose they saith he that now governt the Church for the most part be Thieves and Murtherers more catchers then feeders more spoylers The Fathers testimony concerning Antichrist then defenders more killers then keepers more deceivers then Doctors more boguilers then guids these be the fore-runners of Antichrist and the subverters of the sheep of Christ See for this Bishop Jewels book against Harding what need we any further witnesses to prove what is said above and to prove the Pope to be Antichrist for he hath already been set out by such marks of Scripture and by the Testimony of these Authors so proved against him and which cannot properly be applyed to any but the Pope of Rome that no man need be any longer in doubt but that we have found out both who Antichrist is and where he is and when he first appeared namely that the succession of the Popes of Rome is the great Antichrist and that he had his first birth in the first Councel of Nice there he drew his first breath which hath been so contagious that it hath insected almost all the Christian world In the first book of Socrates Chap. 5. it is said That there was in the Councel of Nice certain Logicians who were ready to defend each others part that came in controversie but a Lay man one of the number of Confessours of a simple and sincere mind set himself against them and told them in plain words that neither Christ nor his Apostles had delivered unto us the Art of Logick neither vain Fallacies but an open and plain mind to be preferred of us with faith and good works which when he had spoken all that were there present held with his sentence and the Logicians quieted and setled themselves aright It seems that the primitive order of admitting Lay-men into the Councel was not altogether laid aside by this Councel of Nice though the primitive order as-to the election of members to sit was neglected and also the manner of acting for the Apostles in their councel did abolish ceremonies Acts 15.28 this councel and others since have burthened the Church with unnecessary ceremonies which hath been a clog to many a tender conscience so that all things duely considered this falling away hath been the greatest that ever was since Jesus Christ lived upon the earth the effect whereof hath not only brought forth Antichrist but hath been his support to this day even he whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signes Amichrist deceitful workinâ— and lying wonders and with all deceiveableness of unrighteousnesse in them that perish and I pray you what is this power and deceit that Antichrist works by is not the power of the councel of Nice that first set him up and gave him his Authority that he works by and which hath been confirmed to him since by other councels that if any question his authority is not that his refuge such and such councels saith thus and thus to confirm my way and what I do and all these councels had their original from this of Nice and from that apostatising decree that furnished them all with authority and they have been such apt Scholars they have ever since writ after their copy the Arian Apostacy and all the Hereticks that have been since putting them all together could never have served Antichrists turn to bring him forth