Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	tradition_n	word_n	write_a	3,323	5	10.7817	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

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

unrighteousnesse Another story goes that St. Katherine Girded her selfe with an Iron chain so close that it cut her flesh and that she used to chastise her selfe three times a day with that chain an hour and an half at a time until the blood run from her shoulders to her feet those that can believe it If Christ were married why may not Priests marry See for this Hospinian Antonius Franc. Modeus are more credulous then I can be many strange stories are recorded of her as that Christ appeared and married himself to her with a Ring it may be that was the reason of using the Ring in marriage but if they believe their own doctrine that Christ took St. Katherine to Wife why doe they hinder the Priests c. from Wives will they not give them leave to follow Christs example in such a thing to as is so easie to follow him and that Christ opened her side and took out her old heart and put in a new one instead of the former if that be the way of giving a new heart then certainly all Papists hearts are old ones there 's not one of them new and that he cloathed her with a bloody coloured garment drawen out of his own side so that she never felt any cold afterward Some say this order began 1372. They also teach that he that dies in the habit of St. Frances shall not be overtaken with an untimely death and yet Fryer Barnwell hanged himself in an Apple tree hard by Dublin in St. Frances habit see Paul Harris book of Friers be sober and they teach that he that dies in the habit of a Capouchan he shall not be in Purgatory but till the fourth Saturday after his death and the Pope hath granted the Carmalites the priviledge The priviledge of Friers that they shall not be in Purgatory but till the Saturday after their Death it seems by this that Saturday is the day of Goal delivery and the Cardilians have priviledge granted them to draw a soul out of purgatary by saying five pater Nosters and five Ave Maries but if the Pope have this priviledge to give this power to others as he pretends he hath then why doth he not draw them all out of purgatory but suffer his servants and children to lie in a burning fire so many hundred years but this is another of their Jugling Deceitful tricks to get money for no money no pater Noster to fetch any out of purgatory and these are some of the great Antichrists hypocritical lies and damnable doctrines which they pretend that they are such spiritual men that they can do all this I have named and much more but the Apostle warns the Thessalonians that they be not removed from the truth nor troubled in mind by such spirits Secondly Nor by word nor by letter as from us by word I understand traditions the Apostle by the inspiration of the holy Ghost did foresee that Antichrist would intrude upon the Church his unwritten traditions and urge their observation of them and expect as due obedience to be given to them as to the written word of God and so it is at this day in all the Roman Churches the Popes Traditions is received and observed with as much if not more care and diligence as any precept of the word of God as for example the second Commandement forbids Idols and Image worship the Pope by his Traditions received from his predecessors commands Image Worship and Adoration and his command is obeyed and Gods neglected God requires that prayer should be made unto him only O or because thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come Psal 65.2 Nay that they shall not saith the Pope they shall pray to the Virgan and St. Dominick and St. Frances c. The Apostle fore-seeing this warnes believers not to be troubled nor turned aside from the truth neither by deluding spirits nor by words of traditions saith he as from us for they will pretend that they received their tradition as from us therefore saith he ver 14. Irrethren stand fast and hold the traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or our Epistle as if he should say Brethren what traditions you have received from us by word and what you have received in our Epistle that observe and do but go no further to any other traditions but what you received from us for if an Angel from Heaven shall teach you any other Gospel then what ye have received from us let him be accursed and this Anathama excludes all unwritten Traditions and all humane institutions and inventions of men in point of Gods Divine Worship but what we have precept or example for from Christ and his Apostles let the Pope and his prelates and all his followers brag as much as they will for their traditions and ceremonies let men observe the Scriptures that cannot deceive Isa 8.20 to the Law to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no truth nor no true light in them they either are blind and ignorant in the wayes of God or else they fight against their own light for we ought not to swerve from the written word Phil. 4.9 These things saith the Apostle which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do and the God of peace shall be with you he doth not bid them follow what they should hear and see done by the Pope or any other that should come after him for he saith Act. 20.29 That he knew after his departure there would grievous Wolves enter in among them not sparing the flock and that from among themselves would men arise speaking perverse things which things we find true by woful experience and so again in the same Epistle 2 Thes 3.4 We have confidence The tryal of Traditions by Gospel rule saith the Apostle in the Lord touching you that you both do and will do the things which we command you and we command you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw your selves from every brother that walkes disorderly and not after the traditions which ye received from us see how careful and earnest the Apostle was least the Church should be drawen away with any other traditions then what you received saith he from us the the Apostles Traditions was sutable to the Gospel rule and institutions of Jesus Christ and we ought not to follow any Traditions of men that do not in all things sute with the Gospel-rule and institutions of Christ clearly deduced from the Scriptures for your selves know saith he how ye ought to follow us not the Pope nor his Prelates but to follow us as you have us for an ensample For we behaved not our selves disorderly among you nor eat any mans bread for nought but wrought with labour and travell night and day But the Pope with his new Traditions and new Orders of Fryers how many hundred

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

saith holy Paul to Timothy If thou put the Brethren in the remembrance of these things thou shalt be a good Minister of Jesus Christ nourished up in the words of Faith and of good Doctrine whereunto thou hast attained But the Apostle doth not say as you do that if thou bring in a Form of Godlinesse or a Set-form of God's worship thou shalt be a good man or a good Minister of Jesus Christ that was far from the Apostles meaning he rather meant If thou put the Brethren in remembrance to shun a Form of Godlinesse and turn from them and all other wiles and deceits of Antichrist then thou shalt be a good Minister of Jesus Christ Page 23. he saith That as Christ and the whole multitude of Believers his Members make up one Christ so likewise the Congregation of the wicked the whole body of the Devil which are all the company of wicked Reprobates and ungodly men are as it were the Spouse of their Head and Husband the Devil and the Soul and Body of the Beast and Antichrist and page 26. he doth confidently avouch That the great Antichrist is a great pack or company collected and combined together by a Solemn League and Covenant to do such and such feats and facts c. I answer First That if all the whole Company and body of wicked Reprobates and ungodly men are the Spouse of the Devil their Head and Husband and so the Beast and Antichrist then he may if he please see his own mistake in applying it to a particular company of wicked ungodly men the long Parliament and Presbyterians c. for they were neither all nor the hundred thousand part of all the wicked Reprobates and ungodly men that were in the world which are as he saith the Spouse of the Devil and makes up the body of Antichrist whose seat and residence is not in any particular City in the world but he saith page 60. to be understood for the great and spacious confused City of the world and indeed he makes a confused businesse of it for if it be so then this pack or company of wicked Reprobates that is the Spouse of the Devil and the Antichrist The Bishop contradicts himself must contain all the wicked Reprobates of his spacious confused City of the whole world and therefore is improperly applyed to the long Parliament c. and what he saith in the 60th page is a flat and absolute contradiction to what he saith in the 26th page 2ly If the long Parliament and Assembly of Divines at Westminster c. had been all the body of Reprobates and ungodly men in the confused City of the world that there had been no more to be found in the world but they then sure he might have found many purer Churches in the world for Antichrist to have risen up in than the Church of England was which by his computation contains the whole company of Reprobates and wicked men for before this their Apostacy there was many wicked Reprobates in it Thus all men that reads may see what pure non-sence here is brought to prove the long Parliament and Presbyterians c. to be the great Antichrist and to excuse the Pope who is the Antichrist for his own Arguments makes directly against himself as to the businesse for which he intended them and yet he thinks no man can shew him his mistake 3ly Whereas you avouch That Antichrist is a company of men combin'd together in a Solemn League and Covenant to do such and such feats and facts of which feats and facts you say page 24. that this conglutinate Pack have one mind or will one course or end and one main scope and desire to destroy the Truth to overthrow the Church of Christ the right service of God and all Piety from the Earth as you say the Holy Ghost saith these wicked Senators have which are thus combin'd in a Solemn League c. I answer and first advise you herafter to take heed of fathering Lyes upon the Holy Ghost for I dare avouch you never read where ever the Holy Ghost said any such thing of any people at Westminster in a Solemn League and Covenant and you know how dangerous a thing it is to sin against the Holy Ghost and your base assertion in things of such concernment is not sufficient without Scripture-proof and where can you or any else that will take your part as you have too many shew us one text of Scripture that saith Antichrist shal be such a Pack c. and then cunningly propound the question Whether the Assembly at Westminster were not such a Combination and fulfilled all the Prophecies that prophecyed of Antichrist I take not upon me to defend the Covenant but demand of you or any else how it can be proved that those that took it were thereby conglutinate to have all one mind one will one course or end to destroy the Truth and overthrow the Church of Christ c. as you have affirmed And suppose it were so that an accursed Assembly combined together to do mischief were the great Antichrist for as you say truly page 25. A multitude of men in such a Case can do more mischief than one single Person yet so as one single Person may be the Head By right applying the Bishops words the Pope and Council of Trent is the great Antichrist c. Then where in all the world will such a cursed wicked pack of men be found as the Pope taking him for the Head as you say and the last Council of Trent for the Body to destroy the Truth as the Pope and that Council did who in the third Session of that Council April 8. 1546. rejected the Hebrew and Greek Copies of the Scriptures and established a corrupt Latin Translation to be Authentick These Sir are your own words in your 32. page if you had apply'd them right but you bring it in upon another account where also their unwritten Traditions were set in equal dignity with the Scriptures where they took away the power and authority of the Scriptures making them subject to the Popes will and pleasure to put what sence or interpretation upon the Scriptures he pleaseth and none else to be received but what he will allow of so that the Scriptures were never in this world by any so much disgraced and undervalued Here indeed was a pack of vile wicked persons combined together against the Lord and his anointed Jesus Christ and who had all one mind and one will and desire and end to destroy the Truth and Authority of the Scriptures which is the ground and pillar of Truth the like wickednesse against the truth and right worship and service of Jesus Christ was never known nor never acted by the long Parliament nor assembly of Divines nor no Assembly under Heavens that owned a God and Saviour never since Christ himself was upon earth in person If you apply it right this is the great

out of the bottomless pit● 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 murth●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 ●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

but upon this account the Holy-Ghost did foresee the Pope would cast off the Ordinances and institutions of Jesus Christ and would devise and institute new Ordinances Offices and Officers in the Church as I have named before a hundred and fifty new religious orders and not one of them of divine institution which are as so many names of blasphemy whereby Christs Institutions his Laws his Truths his Ordinances are rejected and blasphemed by their Idolatry and Superstition besides the blasphemies named before of the Embassador of Cicily who cryed to the Pope thou that takest away the sins of the world have mercy upon us and grant us thy peace and the Bishop of Modrusium in the Councel of Lateran calling the Pope the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah The Popes blasphemous names and their Saviour and the Bishop of Bepontum who called this Beast the light of the World all which blasphemous titles the Pope applyed to himself and many more the like so that he is full of these and such like names of blasphemy and as for his scarlet colour by it may be meant his abominable wickedness in sheding the bloud of the two Witnesses and other of the saints and servants of God of which monstrous murthers both the Whore and the Beast are guilty and also his Cardinals and Prelats they are said to be drunk with the bloud of the Saints Martyrs of Jesus Christ as if they had died their Robes in the bloud of Martyrs for they have all their scarlet Robes as badges of the scarlet coloured Beast that they may be known to whom they do belong each one resembling the children of Kings Judg. 8.18 nay Cardinals peark up above Kings Lord Metropolitans above Earls and Lord Diocesans above Barons and every one in their order above those that are in civil honour Bellermin in his third Book of the Pope Chap. 13. doth confess that by the Whore in this place is meant Rome but he would have it understood of heathenish Rome the first 300 years from Christ and not of Rome as Christians but that cannot be for then Antichrist came while heathenish Rome stood and in so saying they contradict themselves for they say that Antichrist shall not come till three years and an half before the last Judgment but this is most false For first how should Antichrist do all that is to be done by him in three years and a half Secondly Rome is not the Whore at any time but when the Beast hath his residence there for she is to sit on him and Antichrist could not be there while Rome was heathenish for then Antichrist had been come and gone long before but this is the Beast and Antichrist that now fits Pope in Rome I think it is sufficiently proved that this Beast is the Pope the great Antichrist whose seat and throne is the seven hilled City of Rome which is so clearly described and set out by several marks and characters in the Scriptures that he neither hath been nor never will be found in the world if not in Rome for these things cannot properly be applyed so universally to any c●ner place in the world as to Rome nor to any other person so as to the Pope who by the true applications of all these prophecies is the great Antichrist and man of sin and Rome is not the Whore of Babylon at any other time before until Antichrist the Pope had his residence there It is he that teacheth the Doctrine of Divels forbidding marriage and commanding to abstain from meats usurping authority over the consciences of men which is the greatest tyranny in the world laying impurity upon those things he sorbiddeth as marriage and meats which God allows of both and annexing an operative holiness and power both satisfactory and meritorious to the observation of the things he enjoineth though it be contrary to what the Law of God alloweth and this very thing if there were nothing else proves the Pope to be the great Antichrist for herein he is honoured and obeyed before Christ and above Christ The Popes trial proving him to be Antichrist for Christ's precepts and his word is rejected and the Popes words and orders his canons and institutions is observed and obeyed let the Bishop of Osserie and the Pope and all his Conclave deny it if they can that this very one thing makes him to be the great Antichrist and this thing cannot properly be applyed to any one else in the world besides him It is this Antichrist that took his beginning from the falling away of the Bishops by their pride and contention before the Councel of Nice and the fall of the Bishops in the Councel of Nice falling from the primitive institutions to human institutions this is he that came to his Throne upon the removal of the Heathen persecuting Emperors which hindred his revealing as 2 Thess 2.7 8. this is the great Antichrist who had his first birth and bringing forth about the year 328 in the Councel of Nice this is he that exalteth himself above all that is called God c. this is the Antichrist that intrudes his unwritten traditions upon the Churches of Christ with more vehemency than Canonical Scripture this is he that falcified the decrees of the Nicen Councel to establish his own principality over all other Churches this is the Antichrist that assumes to himself a divine power and is honoured with divine honour which he received from the Embassador of Cisily the Bishops of Modrusium and Bepontum c. this is he that hath a hundred and fifty religious orders in his Church and not one of them of Divine institution which also shews that he is before and above Christ for number of Officers and Offices in the Church and therefore he is the great Antichrist Let Papists if they can find these marks in any other besides the Pope this is he whose Religion is composed of above forty several Heresies this Popish Antichrist is the Star that fell from Heaven to Earth Revel 9.1 unto whom was given the Keys of the Bottomless-pit c. This is he that challengeth an universal power as head over all Churches as Christs Vicar this is he out of whose mouth came three unclean spirits like frogs which are the spirits of Devils working miracles he it is who is the Patron of all the legends of Lies and fained Miracles this Pope and Antichrist it is to whom the Dragon gave his Power his Throne and great Authority this is he who is the King of the bottomless Pit who hath the Locusts and Frogs at his command as his subjects this is he that made war with the Saints and killed the Witnesses of Jesus Christ and took away the life and authority of the Scriptures in the Councel of Trent This is he that for money hath tolerated forty five thousand Whores at once for himself and his Clergy at Rome and allows of Sodomy c. This is he who hath

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