power and who carries himself as if he were God he is the man of sin the great Antichrist but the Popes of Rome are seated in the temple have subjected all rule and Authority to themselvs and behave themselves as if they were God therefore the Popes of Rome are the man of sin the great Antichrist Thirdly Antichrists Name is written in his forehead Rev. 17.5 Mystery Brocard a Venetian doth avouch it that the word Mystery is written in the Popes Mitre and many others who have been at Rome do profess to have seen it as Dr. Iames the late keeper of the Library at Oxford will further satisfie any man in his Dedicatory Epistle to his Treatise of the corruption of the Scriptures What mystery 't is that is written upon his forehead Saint Paul tell you 2 Thes 2.7 Mystery of iniquity As the Doctrine of the Gospel is a Mystery of Godliness so the Papacy is nothing else but a Mystery of iniquity The Pope pretends to be more for Christ then any man in the World Christs Vicar Christs Vicegerent the visible head of Christs Church Saint Peters successor to feed the flock of Christ and still he hath Christ in his mouth and who but Christ with him I tell you he pretends to be more for Christ then any man alive but let me tell you withall that there is no man alive so much against Christ as he is and therefore most properly called Antichrist which signifies both for and against Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek is pro as well as contra Ioh. 1.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grace for Grace The great Antichrist is one that is pretendedly for Christ but is really against Christ which cannot be affirmed of the great Turk or of any other beside the Pope but of him it may most clearly That he bears the World in hand he is Christ greatest friend I need not prove I suppose we will all take that for granted but let me shew you how in truth he is Christs greatest Enemy in all points One mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus 1 Time 2.5 There are other Mediators says the Pope both for satisfacton and intercession for satisfaction the propitiatory sacrifice of the Mass the blood of Thomas the merits of the Church for intercession the Virgin Mary Saints and Angels are intercessors to God even as to our particular necessities for us there 's but one says Christ there are more says the Pope Christ alone is Prophet of his Church to be heard in all things whatsoever he shall say Act. 3. and for this end he opened the sealed book bids every one of his search the Scriptures grow in knowledge walk in the light of Gospel-truth the Pope expresly contradicts this and tells you that the Doctrine Christ hath left in the Scriptures is not sufficient without his daily supplements of unwritten Traditions which are of equal Authority with the word of Christ and must be beleeved upon pain of damnation Of the written word what he pleaseth he makes authentique what he pleases he cancels he teaches and interprets all by an infallible unerring Spirit He hath sealed up the book or Bible which Christ opened to them forbidding the people the use of Scriptures Latine Scriptures Latine Service all must be to them in an unknown tongue he tells them that ignorance is the mother of devotion and to believe as the Church believes is knowledge and faith enough Christ hath forbidden all kinde of pictures and Images in the Worship of God Deut. 4.15.16 Take good heed unto your selves for ye saw no manner of similitude in the day the Lord spake unto you in Horeb lest ye corrupt your selves and make a graven Image c. John 4.23 The true worshippers worship the Father in Spirit and in truth the Father seeketh such to worship him No says the Pope you shall make Images of the Trinity and pictures of the Cross and shall kiss and worship them with the worship of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same worship ye give God Christ You shall make Images of Saints and Angels and shall worship them with worship of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a religious worship though not the highest you shall pray unto them and fill all your Churches with them for they are Lay-mens books Christ hath taught us that our own righteousness is as menstruous rags upon our best performances we are unprofitable sevants that we are justified by faith without the works of the Law T is not so says the Pope good Works are meritorious there is a merit of congruity in them before conversion and a merit of condignity in them after conversion nay that some men do works of supererogation more then the Law of God requireth or is their duty to do whereby they are not onely justified themselves but the overplus of their merits helps to justifie others Christ saith he will have the Sacrament of the Supper administred in both kinds 1 Cor. 11 23. to 27. I have received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you that the Lord Iesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread and when he had given thanks he brake it and sayd take eat this is my body after the same manner he took the cup saying this cup is the new Testament in my blood this do ye as oftenas ye eat this bread and drink this cup c. This St. Paul received of Jesus Christ delivered it in charge to all and every of the Churches of Corinth both what and how they were to receive It shall not be so says the Pope the Priest shall receive in both kinds the People shall have nothing but the bread Christ teaches that marriage is honorable in all and the bed undefiled Heb. 13. No says the Pope 't is not honorable in the Clergy so they call them t is not lawful for a Priest to marry Christ says Let no man judge you in respect of meats or drinks or an holy day Col. 2. You are now freed from the observation of daies and meats every creature of God is good if it be received with thanksgiving No says the Pope ye shall observe Saints daies and for meats touch not taste not any flesh on such and such dayes and weeks of Lent But to what end should I thus go on I profess I can hardly name one Doctrine of Jesus Christ but the Popes of Rome have thwarted it either directly or indirectly and quite subverted it The Pope may see himself in those old Heretiques the Antitactae as in a glass who held it religion to contradict the Laws of their Maker and instead of Gods Laws brought in their own inventions and fooleries Take it thus He on whom such a mystery of iniquity is found as to pretend to be wholy for Christ and yet in every thing crosses and opposes Christ he is the man of sin the true and great Antichrist but upon the Pope is this mystery of iniquity
his Church Take it thus He that since the Apostles and first primitive-Christian times will confirm his Doctrine and set up his Kingdom by Miracles is the great Antichrist But the Pope and none in the World else since those times confirms his Doctrines and sets up his Kingdom by Miracles therefore the Pope is the great Antichrist Sitxhly Antichrist shall challenge to himself a Power over all Nations and Churches upon the face of the Earth in reference to Christ as being his Vicegerent Rev. 13.7 Power was given him over all Kinreds Tongues and Nations ver 16.17 He causeth all both great and small rich and poor bond and free to receive his mark and that no man might buy or sell save he that had the mark c. This Power the Pope assumes to himself and hath had it for no man in the World layes claim to it but he though the great Turk lays claim to all yet not in reference to Christ as his Deputy but the Pope doth It is Antichristian to challenge Power over the faith and conscience of one man or Church t is more Antichristian to challenge Power over many Churches as Bishops do t is a further degree of Antichristianism to claim a Power over whole Provinces as Arch-Bishops do t is yet more to Lord it over the faith of many Provinces and Kingdoms as Patriarks do but to challenge such Soveraignty over all the Churches in the world as the Pope doth thats the great Antichrist of Antichristianism And as one wittily saith lest he should wrong himself by too modest a claim for you must know he 's a modest soul he doth not onely challenge a Power over all this world but in Heaven Hell also where ever Christ hath power yea and even in Purgatory too where Christ hath no Power Mr. Fox in his book of Martyrs records Pope Leo the tenth his Bull against Luther where he charges all Patriarks Metropolitans Primates Arch-Bishops Bishops and all other Ecclesiastical Orders downwards even to the begging Friers and then all Kings Electors of the Empire Princes Dukes and so on and at last all men throughout the universal World upon pain of the great excommunication that they do not embrace Luthers Doctrine adhere to or favor his person Judge you now if this Language be not the very same with that of the great Antichrist Rev. 13. And let me tell you the Popes of Rome have exercised this supremacie for many hundred years Before I close this in hand let me in a word answer a quaere or two the Church of Rome are still putting to us Where was your Doctrine and where was your Church before Luther Why as for our Doctrine my Answer 's thus It was where their 's never was in the Scriptures And as for our Church where that was my Answer runs thus I. Our Protestant-Divines have abundantly cleared it to them that in all Ages there were some they have named the men and the junctures of time in which they lived that opposed Pope and Popery Secondly if we had none before Luther how came they to have so much work for their Inquisitions before Luther for their Armies against the Albigenses and Waldenses five hundred years ago and how came Thomas Arundel Arch Bishop of Canterbury and his fellow Bishops in the reign of Henry the fourth and Henry the fifth of England to condemn and execute so many of the followers of Wickliff and amongst the rest that gallant and famous Saint Sir Iohn Old-Castle 'T is strange there were none of our Church before Luther when there were its well enough known so many in every Kingdom apprehended and executed for opposing the Pope for denying and rejecting popish Doctrine and worship Surely all they may very well be reckoned of our Religion for they would die before-they would be of theirs Thirdly If by this they mean where was your Church visible t is a Nonsence quaere for Rev. 11.2 the holy City meaning the visible Church of Christ shall they tread under foot forty two Moneths i. e. all the time of Antichrist and Rev. 13. He had Power given him over all People Nations and Languages and all the World wondred after the beast T was an impossibility and inconsistent with Gods eternal counsel and decree that we should have a visible Church during the height of Antichrists reign It is enough for us that there have been two witnesses in every age Prophesying in sackloth against him some few haters opposers of him very closely and secretly you might hear of two or three Heretiques in a Kingdom or in a County but perhaps you should not know many times where to find one of them the Beast had so got all the World under his paws Take it in this Syllogisme He that usurps Authority over the faith and conscience of all the Kingdoms and Churches in the World he is the great Antichrist but this the Pope hath done and doth do at this day at least presumptively and intentionally he 'l tell you 't is his right therefore the Pope is the great Antichrist Seventhly The Holy Ghost hath upon the matter named him to us Rev. 13. and last verse Here is wisdom let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast for it is the number of a man and his number is six hundred threescore and six As if the spirit of God had sayd 't is not over difficult to find out his name seing t is the number of a man a number that a man may find out or reckon Then he commends the finding of it out for a special piece of wisdom and understanding that so every one might be encouraged to set himself to work it being natural unto men to desire to be accounted wise In the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Romagnosh Romanus a Roman the numeral letters make up six hundred sixty six In the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man that useth the Latine tongue so much the numeral letters make up six hundred sixty six You know no expression pleaseth but this ecclesia catholica Romana and the Latine Tongue Latine Bible Latine Service all must be in Latine out of this number says Saint John in effect find out his name that is so much for the Latine In the Latine tongue this Generalis dei Vicarus in terris makes up six hundred sixty six And to give him not onely the name he desires but the name he deserves In our English The Pope by superioritie is the divels Leiftenant the numeral letters hereof make up six hundred sixty six This number may be found in such names and terms as do rightly set him out in diverse Langaages But the Jesuites object that this number may be found in many other names We shall easily grant it may without weakning what hath been delivered for they can bring no other name to whom all the other properties of Antichrist do agree The Holy Ghost doth not send us here barely to
graffed in Well because of unbelief they were broken off and thou standest by faith be not high-minded but fear for if God spared not the natural Branches take heed lest he also spare not thee Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God on them that fell severity but towards thee goodness if thou continue in his goodness otherwise thou also shalt be cut off Are these Bugbears windie Bladders Can these words possibly import less then that God and Grace were not so made over to them but time might produce a change both in Pastors and Church from good to bad from bad to worse and that if they did not walk humbly and watch to the keeping of the Faith they should certainly be cut off Thirdly Together with Constantines large Endowments and Immunities there arose abundance of Idleness Errors Images Superstitions Pride Affectation of outward greatness especially in the Church of Rome and thus she forsook her first Love and the spirit daily quenching yea dying in them they knew no way to keep up but by supporting themselves with a carnal and outward strength Socrates in his seventh book and 11. Chapter saith Now began an ill name to stick on the Bishops of Rome who beyond their priestly bounds have stept into principality This was in the daies of Theodosius the yonger scarce fourscore years since their low poor condition which Constantine raised them from The next remarkable thing we read of was this Philippicus Leo with some other Emperors after them not without the advice of Pratriarks and a whole Eastern Councel threw Images out of Churches as being decreed Idolatrous Whereupon the Bishop of Rome seizes the City and Territories about into his own hands makes himself Lord thereof which till then was Governed by a Greek Magistrate absolves all Italy of their Tribute and obedience due to the Emperor upon this goodly occasion Then to bear himself out in these pranks he takes upon him by Papâ—â—â— sentence to unthrone Chilpericus gives the Kingdom to Pepin and so made him his fast friend and Champion for by him he presently got all Ravenna and annexed it to the Sea of Rome as lawful prize to Saint Peter I must not now stand to tell you how throughout the fift and sixt hundred years after Christ diverse of the Bishops of Rome did openly contend for supremacy but were supprest in several Councels of Carthage and Chalcedon T was not long after when Phocas murthered his Master the Emperor Mauritius and then says the Historian Bonifacius obtinuit a Phoca ut Rom. Ecclesia esset caput omnium Ecclesiarum Pope Boniface obtained of Phocas that the Church of Rome should be head of all Churches From that time forward that Antichristian Jurisdiction and Supremacie grew still more and more till it became an overgrown Monster even to give Laws to all the Kingdoms and Churches in the World Fourthly It is said Rev. 13.2 The Dragon gave him his Power and Seat and great Authority The Pope hath the Keys of the bottomless pit Rev 9 in his hands the devil freely bestowed them on him and made him the great steward of his house his heart rests securely in him Fithly God made them Antichrist in that sense which he 's said to harden Pharoahs heart They not receiving the truth in the Love of it but holding the truth of God in unrighteousness for this cause God gave them up to what you have heard to receive in and upon themselves that recompence of their Errors and sinfulness which was meet Thus you have the cause of his Rise and Growth But haply some man will say to me Is not the Pope Saint Peters successor My Answer 's this That he is the great Antichrist hath been I think sufficiently cleared then whether he is Saint Peters Successor or no I leave thee to judge But for your clearer light in this point what if Saint Peter were never Bishop of Rome as for my part I verily beleeve he was not And because here is the very foundation of their Papacie give me leave to speak to it not doubting but I shall say enough to convince thee there is no just Warrant to make it a point of thy Faith that Peter was Bishop of Rome Whatsoever Bellarmine saith concerning Peters Journals for he speaks as punctually as if he had travelled with him from first to last hath no solid ground to rest the sole of its foot upon at all He says in the fifth year of Christs passion Peter was made Bishop of Antioch and continued in that Bishoprick seven years Then he went to Rome the second year of Claudius ibique sedem fixit ann 25. there he pitched and Bishop'd it five and twenty years Et ibidem vitam finivit there he ended his daies But that ever Peter was seven years Resident at Antioch for that 's required in a fixed Bishop and twenty five at Rome or most part of those years in those places he brings not one text of Scripture to prove either you have his bare word for it but who 'l take that for good proof in his own cause I wonder For the former of these we read concerning the Church of Antioch who gathered and constituted it Act. 11.19.20 21 22. ver 25.26 We find also who were the chif Prophets and Doctors of it Act. 13.1 We do not find in all the Scripture that Peter was at Antioch but in one place Gal. 2. and that in transcursu he took it only in his way Is here sufficient ground to conclude him Bishop of Antioch for seven years together I have stood the more upon this to shew you that if upon such slender grounds they have concluded him Bishop of Antioch for such a space of time certainly they will catch at small things to constitute him Bishop of Rome whereby their own turn is so much served Search all the New-Testament from one end of it to another and where ever you find Rome named if you find mention of Peters being there twenty five years or ten years or one year or one day then let me pass for a lyar Yea says Bellarmine 't is evident he was at Rome Ex eo quod fuit in Babylone in that he was at Babylon 1 Pet. 5.13 the Church which is at Babylon salutes you Roma autem in Apocalypsi passim vocatur Babylon Rome in the Revelation is still called Babylon his very words 1. Let God have the glory of his own truth out of his Enemies mouths Rev. 17.4 5. The woman was arrayed in Purple and Scarlet colour and decked with Gold and Precious Stones and Pearls having a golden Cup in her hand c. And upon her forehead was written Mystery Babylon the great the mother of Harlots and the abominations of the whole Earth All this then by Bellarmines own confession must be understood of Rome and the great whore or Antichrist is not to sit at Jerusalem as he says in another place lyars had need of good
memories but at Rome The Holy Ghost tells us He must reign in Babylon Bellarmine interprets and sais that is at Rome Secondly Though by Babylon we must alway understand Rome in the Revelation doth in therefore follow that by Babylon we must understand Rome in all other places of the New-Testament because John in his mystical and typical visions by Babylon points out Rome must therefore Peter needs in the bare salutation of an Epistle by Babylon mean Rome is there either Example or reason of speaking mystically and by a figure in a meer Salutation The Church that is at Babylan salutes you conclude who will from this that therefore Peter was at Rome I am loth upon such easie terms to forfeit my Intellectuals though a thousand Bellarmines should say it But briefly to give you my reasons beside the Scriptures deep silence in this point why it cannot be thought that ever Peter was Bishop of Rome First Peter we all know was an a Apostle and consequently had an unlimited commission in respect of place according to that Mat. 28. Go teach all Nations and to be a Bishop also fixed to one place is not this diminutio capitis to fetch him a hole lower then Christ had set him are not these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utterly inconsistent Did Christ make him an Apostle and dare they degrade him and make a fixed Bishop of him It seems they dare dishonor Peter after they have given him a Complement or two if they can thereby Honor themselves and pull down an Apostle to set up a Pope Secondly That Paul was at Rome and that in the reign of Nero when Peter was fixed Bishop there as they say tha 's evident from Scripture but in all Pauls occurrences and transactions we can nowhere find either expressions or hints concerning Peters being there much less Bishop there Of those who first saluted and congratulated Pauls coming to Rome see Act. 28.14.15 So from Puteoli we went towards Rome And from thence when the Brethren heard of us they came to meet us as far as Appii forum Here 's all surely had it been as the Church of Rome teaches Paul would have used more civility towards the prince of the Apostles and universal head of the Church then to have jumbled him in undiscernably among the Brethren Then after three days Paul sends for the chief of the Jews ver 17. to clear his innocency and honesty in coming thither yet no mention of Peter unless they can find him in that expression Men and brethren It is said ver 30. Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house and received all that came in unto him but we read not that Peter ever gave him visit at his own house or elsewhere During the time of Pauls abode at Rome how long t was in all we are not certain he wrote divers Epistles but in none of them doth he speak ought of Peters being there but seems rather to hint the contraty 2 Tim. 4.16 17. At my first answer no man stood with mee but all men forsook me I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me that by me the preaching might be fully known and that all the Gentiles might hear and I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion T is strange did Couragious Peter desert him but suppose him not to be at that time at Rome had he with all his faithfulness and pains no better learned them Christ and Christian carriage then to forsake one another in suffering times nay to leave an Apostle in his trial to the merciless paws and teeth of a Lion But t is more probable Peter had never taken pains with them at all from the following words that by me the preaching might be fully known there having been nothing of Christ and his wayes known but what the brethren who were there occasionally set on foot Paul made the Gospel fully known to them he revealed the whole Counsel of God to the Jews at Rome and in the ears of all the Gentiles also Had Peter been fixed Bishop there surely Paul could not have carried this honor from him Peter long before this would have fully preached the Gospel of the Kingdom to all both Jews and Gentiles the work had not been to do when Paul came Col. 4.7 to 13. He there reckons up a few names whereof Peter is none These says he are of the Circumcision and these onely are my fellow-workers unto the Kingdom of God which have been a comfort to me From Pauls first arrival there to the time of writing this Epistle Peter could not be at Rome if he had of a certainty he had made these lines false for he could not but have been a chief fellow-worker with and comforter of Paul Whence an argument may be drawn from the less to the greater which is more then argumentum ab authoritate negative that if Paul mention inferior persons those whose welfare and respects t was of less concernment to speak of at present then much more would he have mentioned Peter the Prince of the Apostles him to whose care and charge they were all chiefly committed being made universal head of the Church had he been there at any of those times that Paul writ either to or from Rome But he doth not once name him neither in that Epistle he wrote to the Saints at Rome nor yet in these he afterwards wrote from Rome to other Churches therefore surely Peter was far from being fixed Bishop there And let me tell you this hath more Authority and prevalency to determine my faith in the Point then all that Papias a suppositious Clemens and Higisippus the first Authors of Peters Episcopacy there have men t is well known much given to unwritten traditions deceiving and being deceived thereby as the Apostle speaks which is manifest from that discord and contradiction in those authors who do assert this not onely to the Scriptures but among themselves Thirdly For Peter to have been fixed Bishop of Rome contradicts the voyce or conclusion of Divine providence in the eminent success of his Ministry Gal 27 8. The Gospel of uncircumcision was committed to me says Paul the Gospel of circumcision unto Peter For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the Apostleship of the circumcision the same was mighty in me towards the Gentiles And when t was evident to them all that God would work effectually mightily with Peters ministration for the good of the Circumcision or People of the Jews is it likely that Peter would or durst so thwart the spirit and mind of God as to fix his seat among the Gentile were they not bound to lay forth themselves best for the advantage of the Gospel yes doubtless and therefore you may find them giving one another their hands and solemn Engagements that Paul and Barnabas should be preachers to the Gentiles hereupon says Paul Act. 19.21 After I have been at
Jerusalem I must also see Rome and God confirmed this conclusion of their Act. 23.11 The Lord stood by him and said be of good cheer Paul for as thou hast testified of me in Ierusalem so must thou bear witness also at Rome And at Rome you find him Act. 28. I profess had they taken the Rise of their succession from Paul they had puzled us more then now they have for Paul was at Rome and the Spirit speaks expresly That he was not behind the very chief of the Apostles spake with more tongues then they all the care of all the Churches lay upon him I say had they made themselves a Church and claimed Supremacy from Paul they had put us more to 't but God hath befooled them in their Counsels they lay claim to all from Peters fixed Episcopacie there contrary to the mind and spirit of God in that eminent success Peter still had in laying forth Christ to the Jews as also contrary to that solemn and well-grounded Covenant among themselves that he together with James and John should be minister of the Jews Oh says Bellarmine t is meant principaliter Judeorum chiefly of the Jews 'T is very true but I would it had been considered by him that at this very time Peter supposing him twenty five years Bishop of Rome had already spent some years of his fixed Episcopacy and presently after this Engagement was to return to his seat and office and there spend out his daies how could such an Engagement stand with wisdom or honesty of Spirit his in accepting theirs in putting it upon him Therefore what an errant dissembler and Covenant-breaker do they make their first Bishop and head of their Church But for my part I verily beleive Peter did take the Engagement with much wisdom and honesty of Conscience it so nearly concerned the greater Growth and Advantage of the Church that he did lay forth his ministration though now and then as occasions were started to the Gentiles principally and for most part to the Jews And indeed consider Fourthly how Scripture looks with a full face towards this to make it good Gal. 1.18 Then after three years meaning of Pauls conversion I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter and abode with him fifteen days Paul found him there and left him there and this was Anno Christi thirty seven Eight years after this he was at Ierusalem for Herod had him in Prison Act. 12. and this was the forty fifth year of Christ and third year of Claudius Six years from that he was at Ierusalem for Paul writes Gal. 2.11 then fourteen years after that is from the third year of Pauls conversion mentioned Gal. 1. I went up again to Ierusalem with Barnabas and took Titus with me also Where he found Peter ver 7.8 9. and this was in the year of Christ fifty one At which time the learned say that council spoken of Act. 15. was held viz. in the eighteenth year of Christs passion but if that famous council was after the time that Paul came up by Revelation Gal. 2.2 it still makes more against them for Peter was at the council Act. 15.7 From the council he did not return to Rome for thence all the Jews were Banished by Claudius but travelled up and down those Countries teaching the scattered Iews to whom he had writ his former Epistle and in this peregrination he came to Antioch where Paul withstood him to his face Gal. 2.11 In the sixty third year of Christ and eighth year of Nero Paul wrote his Epistle to the Romans where he salutes by name all his familiar friends and acquaintance but not a word of Bishop Peter was he not one of Pauls dear friends or was he not there at that time No say they he was gone to visit and confirm the Churches but are they sure Paul knew as much that upon that ground he should forbear to mention him but suppose he had known of his absence it would have stood both with wisdom and piety to have saluted and sent commendations to him For First It would have manifested to them all how worthy Peter was of Remembrance and very dear to Paul and provoked new flames of affection on in their hearts towards their absent Pastor which Paul was used to do 1 Thessa 5.12.13 c. Secondly If this Salutation could not have been conveyed to him by letter from some of the Church yet upon Peters first return to Rome he had doubtless met with it which could not but have been a great refreshing to his wearied spirit Four years after this Epistle was written Paul himself came Prisoner to Rome the sixty sixt years of Christ and eleventh year of Nero he lived two whole years in his own hired house as I showed before and was there some time more in another way that 's implied Now Bellarmine tells us both Paul and Peter suffered under Nero the last year of his reign he reigned in all but thirteen years eight moneths when his thirteenth year and somewhat more was expired t is evident Peter had not been at Rome A strange fixed Bishop who is never mentioned in any of the letters either to or from Rome none that ever were there could either see or find him there no nor yet he himself left any indubitable testimony of his Episcopacie amongst them Therefore I am satisfied that Peter made-good his promise and Engagement laying forth his Apostleship principally and generally to the Jews and at Ierusalem and so neither was nor could be a fixed Bishop of Rome at all much less for twenty five years together But In the next place suppose and I do but suppose it that Peter had been at Rome yea had lived and died Bishop there what ground or warrant can they show which necessarily infers that he must have a Successor in that Prerogative and Dignity There is no Law or Command in all the Book of God for it and was there ever any Kingdome or Soveraignty Spiritual or Temporal and this of theirs is both without Laws made touching the Succession thereof and forms of Election but here is no such thing Besides Peter wrot his second Epistle to the Universal Church indefinitely to them that had obtained like precious faith with him and the rest of the Apostles 2 Pet. 1.1 I cannot but wonder why he did not then declare to all the Churches in the world that the Bishops of Rome were to inherit Successively his place and honour of Vniversal Supremacie and will'd them after his death to receive and own the Bishop of Rome still under that Name and Notion especially when he had so handsome an opportunity of bringing it in 2 Pet. 1.14 Knowing that shortly I must put off this my Tabernacle even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me Might he not have brought it in very patly here But you see he did not for doubtless there was never any such thing in his head or heart Christ had shewed nothing of
whatsoever constitutes or compleats it is from God out of Heaven Ezek. 16.8 to 15. But the Church of Rome is the Vine of the Earth its origination is of the Earth Earthly Head Earthly Members Earthly Doctrines Earthly Worship Earthly Discipline whatever is peculiarly theirs is of the Earth Earthly The Angel thrust in his Sickle and gathered the Vine of the Earth and cast it into the great Winepress of the wrath of God And the Winepress was troden without the City and blood came out of the Winepress even unto the horses bridles by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs This speech of the Holy Ghost is doubtless hyperbolical the import of it is this a slaughter that hath dimensions height and depth length bredth in it Rev. 18.8 Her plagues shall come in one day Death Mourning Famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her Take one text more for it Rev. 10.3 4. He cryed with a loud voice as when a Lion roareth and when he had cryed seven thunders uttered their voyces And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices I was about to write and I heard a voyce from heaven saying unto me seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered and write them not I take it this Scripture contains as much terror in it against the Antichristian State as any in all the book of God Most fearful and stupendious things are written against Antichrist but as the Church of Rome would not content themselves with written Doctrines but would have also their unwritten Doctrines and Traditions to fight against Christ and his Church withall for more full execution sake So God will not content himself with Judgements upon them that are written in this book though they be exceeding many and great but he hath Judgements also that are not written for more remarkable execution and ruine of them even seven Judgements every one whereof is cloathed with thunder sealed up and kept close in Gods armory to be certainly brought forth in that day beside all mens thought and expectation Go as far in Imagining the terribleness of their destruction as the line of your Fancy will be stetched to and the event or issue will surely exceed whatever formidable things you have Framed to yourselves the thunder of a sevenfold wrath and displeasure from God will come upon them over and above Secondly the Holy-Geost gives you his ruine in the particulars of it Antichrist shall be so smitten ut sentiat se mori he shall feel himself die for more full revenge sake And here I must have recourse to the seven Vials which are called Rev 15.1 the seven last plagues in which is filled up the wrath of God that is upon the Romish Antichristian State Concerning Vials I know that several learned men say of them they are vessels wide beneath but of narrow mouths so though they contain much yet what they contain falls out guttatim drop by drop soaks deep It is very sure that where a Viall of Gods wrath falls it peirces deep wounds deadly But I am more inclined to their judgement who say they are drinking vessels wide-mouth'd Vessels Phialae dicuntur says Primasius quia haec supplicia non occulta futura sunt sed manifesta omnibus Phialae patent they are open-mouthd plain drinking pots when you turn them up what 's in them comes forth violently and een all at once manifest to every eye hereupon the Angels command is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not distill out or drop out but pour out upon them And indeed most evident it is that whereever a vial hath fallen there hath been much remarkable wrath upon that part of the Antichristian State It fares with us in handling Divinity as it doth with travellors in certain places of their way where the follower must set his foot in the very place of his leader lest otherwise he step in he that comes after in handling somepeices of Divinity must speak or write in some particulars thereof the very words of him that went before else he 's sure to fall into Error if not Heresie I cannot tell what material thing can be added to that holy and judicious Tract of Mr. Cottons upon the sixteenth Chapter of the Revelations I find that whoever have touched upon the Vials since that peice appeared have light their candles at his torch Wherefore I shall give you but hints upon them nor scarce stand to clear up the reason of interpretations for if thou beest a scholar into whose hands these papers of mine are fallen I perswade my self thou hast read him for few Divines and men of learning have not but if it be otherwise with thee I purposely say no more then will be enough to whet thee an Appetite to get him the price being but small from whom upon this Subject of the Vials thou mayst have Ample and full satisfaction what wages God devised for Antichrist from all Eternity and hath been for above this hundred years a working out against him and is still vigorously going on with not to cease but in his utter Ruine The first Vial falls upon the Popes mystical Earth or foot-stool Rev. 16. ver 2. the common sort both of Laicks and Clergy The Martyrs in the times of Henry the eighth and Queen Mary in England and elsewhere did discover what a dangerous state in reference to Eternity Common ordinary Catholiques were in that so living and so dying t was not their Beads nor Almesdeeds their good Hospitality nor their ignorant devotions and believing as the Church believed would save them if they died in the faith and worship of the Church of Rome they would prove no better then damned Reprobates This was a greivous botch and soare upon most of the People to be told and in effect convinced that they were in a state of deep damnation hereupon they strove which should make most haste with Fire and Fagot to burn those who testified such dangerous things concerning them But they made a further discovery of such as were in religious orders their parish-Priests that their lives were very base giving us themselves to ease Idleness Pride insatiable Avarice and serving their own bellies and so were fitter to have been swine-heards then Preachers or to have followed the Plough then lived in holy Orders The Martyrs of those times did not at all blush or fear to tell them all this to their faces and they themselves being convinced that what was laid to their charge was both very base and yet very true mend their lives and manners they would not keep off this Viall the poor souls thus fiercely poured out upon them they could not whereupon they were filled with as much vexation and Torment as if the noisome grievous soares of Egypt had been upon them from head to foot This was a plaguing judgement upon Antichrist thus to have the Element smitten that did