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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	believe_v	faith_n	know_v	6,721	5	4.2859	3	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

the end of the World and at the last period of the last times as the Scripture he saith doth evidently testifie I answer that these Scriptures he means to prove it by is yet unwritten for I am sure he never read them for though he quote 1 Tim. 4.1 that Text makes directly against him and nothing for him For saith the Apostle Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and give heed to seducing spirits What is meant by latter times and Doctrines of Devils and those devilish Doctrines are said verse 3 to be the forbidding of Marriage and commanding to abstain from meats c. I am glad the Bishop doth confess this Text to be meant of Antichrist But because the Apostle speaks of the latter times must it therefore needs be understood as he saith of the last period of the last times or as he saith in the 30. pape of his 2d Book That Antichrist shall reign but three years and a half or much about that time and very shortly after must be the last Judgment But let us see what other Scriptures say that we may expound Scripture by Scripture Gen. 49. Jacob called his Sons together that he might shew them what should befall them in the last daies surely this is not meant three years and a half before the end of the World as he calls it the last period of the last times c. Verse 19. Gad a troop shall overcome him but he shall overcome at the last So Daniel 4.8 and 1 Peter 1.20 and so Matth. 26.60 By the last times in these Texts is understood the fulnesse of the time appointed and determined of God for the affecting and bringing to passe what God hath intended to have done and the time he hath appointed and so that Text before 1 Tim. 4.1 in the latter daies that is the daies before determin'd and appointed that Antichrist should forbid marriage and meats and it is now 980. years since marriage was forbidden in the Council of Constance ●nd Antichrist doth reign still this is a long three years and an half that is stretched out to more then three times three hundred years since Antichrist preached that Dectrine and yet the Bishop either cannot or will not see his mistake Page 16. he saith He cannot sufficiently wonder at M● Meade Marefius Tilenus the Synod of Gappe and other Divines aforesaid that they should imagin that God would be so regardlesse so unmindful and so severe though in Justice he might as to suffer the great Antichrist to reign and rage against his Saints so many hundred years as they prescribe that makes the Pope Antichrist I answer Who can sufficiently wonder that a man of such a place and dignity as a Bishop should be so far mistaken himself as in writing lesse than half one Leaf so grosly to contradict himself The Bishop contradicts himself c. For even now he said that it was agreed upon by all Papista and Protestants old and new that Antichrist should come towards the end of the World and now he confesseth that Mr. Mead Maresius and Tilenus and others afore-named which was above twenty are of contrary opinion and the Synod of Gappe to boot who can to use his own words sufficiently wonder at this so great a Doctor a finder out of a new Antichrist which the world never dreamed of but besides his slighting the Judgment of so many Authors before-named by himself together with the Magde●urgerses and Synod of Gappe who can sufficiently wonder that he should charge God to be regardlesse and unmindful of his Saints to suffer Antichrist so many hundred years to tyrannize over them as if Gods Actions were to be measured by his Reason he hath forgotten that God suffered all Nations except the Jewes and some few Proselites to walk in their own waies almost four thousand years For with him a thousand years is but as one day c. And as is said above the Beast that is the seventh Head When he cometh he must continue a short space Rev. 17.10 and yet this short space was 87. years before he received his wound and then was 132. years after before the wound was fully healed which was but a short space in comparison of the time that Antichrist hath reigned was ever the Church of God without enemies since the Creation that you should count it a greater wonder now then it was in former Ages but I let this passe Page 17. he tells us That the Apostle shewes but he neither doth nor can tell us where the Apostle shewed it nor to whom that God would raise up Reformers to root out Errors out of the Church and to prescribe a Form of Godliness these are his very words A Form of Godlinesse and then follow● or a Set-form of God's Worship whereby the Church should be guided in the true Faith and these Reformers he saith are stiled I Answer I do not read of a Form of Godlinesse in any place of Scripture but in 2 Tim. 3.5 in which Text the holy Apostle doth admonish us to turn from such as have no more than a Form of Godliness And in the four foregoing Verses what manner of persons they would be that would set up a Form of Godlinesse That perillous times should come A Form of Godliness for the Government of the Church of Christ that men should be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud cursed speakers disobedient to Parents unthankful unholy without natural affection truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of them that are good traytors heady high minded lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God having a Form of Godlinesse but denying the power thereof from such turn away or because they are such therefore turn away from such Is such a brood as this Sir your Reformers to root out Heresie as you say and to settle a Form of Godlinesse whereby the Church of Christ should be guided a woful condition is that Church in who have such Reformers and such Guides The Apostle branches them into eighteen several ranks or qualities of which I dare say there was never a one of them that ever was a good Refomer of the Church of Christ but rather Deformers And as for that Text you bring which you say calls such Reformers good men as they were indeed say you But I know not who will believe it for under favour I must tell you it is falsly applyed for the Apostle there is foretelling what Antichrist should do when he came into the World viz. That he should depart from the true Faith and be a seducing spirit that he should be a lyer an hypocrite that his conscience should be seared or benumbed in the practice of wickednesse that he should teach the Doctrine of Devils as the forbiding of marriage and commanding to abstain from meats which may be received with thanksgiving of them that believe and know the Truth And

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 promo●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 for●ve have defi●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

filth so do these delight in the filthy stinking abominations of their own inventions doctrine of merrit and justification by the dung of their own righteousnesse for so the holy Apostle Paul judged his righteousness as losse and dung Phil. 3.8 but these Frogs for so they are rightly termed in this respect they will be saved by their own dungie works of righteousness which they have done 〈◊〉 they will not be beholding to Christ for his righteousnesse for which cause they are called ver 14. The spirits of Divels for who else but Devils will reject Christ and his Righteousness to be justified and saved by their own righteousness they are also said To go unto the Kings of the Earth to gather them to battel and what Kings Court is there where these Frogs are not Crocking yea in Parliaments Councels and Synods and all Assemblies to bring about their mischievous designes and if they cannot prevail then to stir up Kings and Princes to Wars yea and Subjects to to fight and devour one another witnesse the late Horrid Rebellion in Ireland where a hundred fifty four thousand of Men Women and Children were murthered as it 's recorded besides what was killed in battel and the Irish Rebels were stirred up thereunto by these Frogs and spirits of the Devil many more the like passages might be shewed but I would not be tedious Thus the holy Ghost hath given such a character of them to know these Frogs by that any man that is not wilfully blind in judgement cannot deny but these I have named are they And they are said to come out of the mouth of the Beast c. because the Popes breath doth authorize them as I said above the Jesuits at their mission do engage to go at the Popes command where he will send them without asking a reason and they are called spirits perhaps because they shall approve themselves to be no lesse industrious in dispatch of their business then spirits or because they are like to that breath that cometh out of the mouth which hath great affinity with those from whom it is breathed for cooling and giving life for these three golyasses are joyned in great league and friendship with their Lord the Pope they draw life and heat from him and they mutually return the like to him again by their industry for him but these things cannot be applyed to the Long-parliament nor Presbyterians c. They are said to be the spirits of Divels working miracles because of the divilesh and prodigious works that they are employed in by the Devil who hath given to the Pope his power and his throne and great authority for the Pope is the Devils instrument to work by and he is Lord and King over these Locusts and Frogs to command them upon his service And as to their miracles I have spoken something before and therefore will not relate it here again only this I will say that suppose these miracles they tell us of were true as they are not probable they should be yet we read that Pharaohs magicians by permission and by the help and assistance of the Devil did work as great miracles as they and the Divel both hath done and will do the like among them for their delusion Popish miracles though true yet they are delusions in effect saying Come let us go after other Gods and to advance his own kingdome and to hearten and incourage both the Actors and beholders in their Superstitious Idolatrous worship and upon this account I wonder not if the Divel suffer himself to be cast out by their conjuration and exercisme or rather willingly go forth of the possessed at such a time for by such means he hath drawen away many hundred thousands from the right way of truth and this doth fulfil what was prophesied what Antichrist and his Instruments should do 2 Thes 9.11 that his coming should be by the working of Satan with power and signs and lying wonders and in all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse in them that perish that because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved therefore God shall send them strong delusians to believe lies c. and such delusions as these God hath given us warning of Deut. 13.1 2 3. That if there arise among you a Prophet or Dreamer of Dreams and shews thee a sign or a wonder and that sign or wonder whereof he spake unto thee come to passe saying let us go after other Gods thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that Prophet for the Lord thy God doth it to prove you whether ye love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul Mark ye God doth not suffer such signs and wonders to be wrought to try us whether we will hold fast the truth or turn aside to such delusions for though the thing prove true yet it is but a delusion because it is beyond what is written for our instruction for miracles are now ceased in these dayes and therefore to the Law and Testimony Isa 8.20 If they speak not according to this word it is because the light is not in them so that what the Prelate Priest or Fryer Jesuite or other doth in that respect though the thing prove true yet the effect is as if he should say Come let us go after other Gods as in the Text above and is a meer delusion For such Conjuration and Exercisme is no institution of Jesus Christ nor his Apostles no not the Masse it selfe nor their Frenzy carriage and deportment at M●sse the Jestures Vestments c. The Priest begins with a Psalme then he combs his head and washeth his hands then he sprinkles holy water then they sing again while the Priest is approaching towards the Altar between a Priest and a Deacon if there be so many before whom march two Taper bearers and before them is carried the Censor and Incense in going up to the Altar the Priest bows himself then at the Altar the Priest opens the book and kisseth it A discription of a Popish Masse during the time of Messe he bows himself eight times after Confession and Absolution he blesseth the incense and puts it in the censor then kisseth the Altar and remove●h to the right side of the Altar the Kyriele●son is said nine times in one Masse then the Angelical Hymne is Sung then the Priest turning to the people he salutes them with these words The Lord be with you the Quire answers And with thy spirit seven times in the Mass the Priests salutes the people but turns to them but five times then the collects or prayers are read and the Epistle then the Priest removes to the left side of the Altar and the Gospel is read by the Deacon in a high place with his face towards the North the Cross the Cenfor and two Lights is carried before the Gospel at the reading of it the people stand up and crosse themselves after that

alive He did rejoyce that the word of God was Preached because it is the power of God unto falvation to every one that believeth Rom. 1.16 And where vision faileth the people perish Pro. 29.18 Therefore saith the Apostle Phil. 1.15 c. Some indeed saith he preach Christ even of envy and strife I take not upon me to determine who these are and some also preach Christ of good will the one preach Christ of contention not sincerity the other of love however notwithstanding every way whether in pretence or in truth Christ is preached and I therein rejoyce ye and will rejoyce Here you see the temper of St. Paul that he rejoyced at the preaching of Christ upon any terms whatsoever whether of good will or ill will so that Christ was preached for the reasons above but what spirit of malignity hath possessed this age I know not for even those whom charity might judge would preach Christ of good will yet are restrained and whether this do not occasionally though perhaps not intentionally help to uphold the Beast of the bottomlesse pit in his seducing way of errour and heresie and as much as in them lieth who are the Authors thereof hinder the work of God in consuming Antichrist by the spirit of Gods mouth in the Ministry of his word I leave to wise men to Judge Then as to these Witnesses it is said ver 8. Their Corps shall lye in the streets of the great City which spiritually is called Sodome and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified As to the witnesses of the Scriptures Dioclesian and Maximinian they burnt the Scriptures and would not suffer the Carkass of it to remain but buried it in ashes but this Beast of the bottomless pit the Pope after he had by the Councel of Trent taken away the life and spirit of the Scriptures by which it should have acted and brought it into subjection to his will he was content the Carkass of the Scriptures should remain unburied for now it was but as a dead Carkass without life and authority when all the interpretation of it is challenged as a prerogative belonging to the Apostolical See of Rome which is the great City spiritually called Sodome and Egypt and as to other witnesses whose mouths the Beast doth stop and shut up in prison they are killed and dead as to the execution of their ministerial office and yet their Carkasses are above ground unburied by this great City is not only meant the Mother City of Rome but all the whole Empire or Jurisdiction how farre soever extended whereof Rome is the Mother City and the dead Carkasses of all that have been murthered in all these Countries and Provinces by Antichrists Tyranny or by his Agents these Locusts or Frogs and that have been scattered as dung upon the earth may here be meant unto whom they have not allowed the honour of burial as hath been known in Germany and of late in Ireland and other places that as the Psalmist saith Psal 79.2 The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat to the souls of the Heavens and the flesh of thy Saints unto the beasts of the Earth Rome is here in this Text spiritually called Sodome and Egypt Sodome for besides their pride fulness of bread and abundance of idleness Rome compared to Sodom Egypt which were the sins of Sodome Neither did he strengthen the hand of the poor and needy Ezek. 16.49 Rome is compared to Sodome For man with man wrought filthinesse as Rom. 1.27 and that by this Antichristian Beast his Toleration and Approbation and Pope Sixtus the 4th built up in Rome a Stews of both kinds about the year 1484. whereby he got no small Revenue for to the Cardinals that was before he created 32 Cardinals more and gave them and all other liberty for 3 moneths in the year to use Sodomy that was June July and August and Pope Paul had in his time no less then 45 thousand Whores in his Register that paid him yearly Revenue for liberty to commit Whoredome as is shewed before therefore may the present City of Rome by the holy Ghost well be compared to Sodome for filthinesse and all manner of abominations both spiritual and natural and I think I should not say amiss if I said unnatural as to Sodomie and incesse c they exceed in uncleanness by reason that the Pope and his Locusts and Frogs makes them believe that either for a little money to say Masses for them or for some small penance performed by themselves they can pardon them therefore Mantuan did sing notably to this purpose Shame get thee to the Country Town If that they do not use The same corrupted filthinesse Rome now is all a Stews Another took his farwel thus Rome farewel now I have thee seen Though vile thou art to see I 'le come again when Bawd I mean Knave Brothel Beast to be But that you may better know that Rome is another Sodome hearken what one answered when he was demanded what Rome was saying thus Say what is Rome Amor Love If buckward you it Spell Some love the Male kind say no more I know thy meaning well These abominable lusts O Rome saith Mr. Brightman Have made thy Stews seem honest the which thy most holy father the Pope doth nourish in his bosome and that forsooth as he pretends to avoid a greater incontinency the Apostle speaks of some that say let us do evil that good may come whose damnation is just for while he pretendeth that he would avoid a greater evil he falleth into one of the greatest evils raigning in the world being given up to a reprobate sence as may appear to all men that are not wilfully blinded with his delutions and as Rome is a spiritual Sodome so she is a shop of all monstrous Idolatry as hath been declared before The second name is Egypt not any City but a whole Countrey or Province and therefore in a spiritual or allegorical sense as is said in the Text doth comprehend all Cities Kingdoms or Provinces so far as Antichrist the Pope of Rome hath any power or jurisdiction exercised by himself or his agents who are here compared to Egypt for their Superstition and Idolatry which is spiritual Whoredome that the Pope of Rome stands guilty of as well as carnal Whoredome and Sodomy as you have heard already And even as Pharaoh held the three Children of Israel in bondage and would not let them go to serve the Lord and when they did break off from him and were going he pursued them thinking to destroy them though it proved to his own destruction even so shall it be now and hath been that when any hath been touched in Conscience of the errour of their way and have begun to fall off from their Canonical obedience to the Pope and his Popish wayes how have they been pursued with all the malice and hard dealing that Men or Devils can invent who are

of Popes who doth exercise both Civil and Ecclesiastical power and jurisdiction and so is the eighth and yet one of the seven because of his double authority the Angel speaking of these seven Heads that five were fallen before John writ and one is which was the government of the Heathen Emperors that was the fixth he doth not say and the seventh is not yet come for that might have implyed that the seventh should have been a Civil Head only as the other six were but he saith and the other or another is not yet come implying that he should be another of a divers nature differing from all the former Kings for they only were Civil Governors but this seventh should be of a mixt kinde he should be both a Civil and an Ecclesiastical Governor in respect of which Ecclesiastical Government he is said to be the eighth and one of the seven as the Ecclesiastical and Civil Governments are both included in one person therefore the Christian Emperors cannot be understood to be the seventh head because their Government is only Civil therefore cannot properly be said to be the eighth and one of the seven neither had they their seat at Rome the seven hilled City where the former six Governed from all these Prophecies that I have touched upon and opened in a slender manner yet as well as I can I think it will evidently appear to the impartial Reader that the succession of Popes is the Beast and great Antichrist and Man of sin and Son of perdition that exalts himself above all that is called God c. and is the great Antichrist that was to come into the world much more might be said but I hasten to another business The ANSWER to part of Bishop Williams his Book called The great Antichrist revealed before this time never discovered By GEORGE PRESSICK IN the 6 first pages of his Book he endeavours to possess the Reader that the persecution in these late daies of the Long Parliament c. did exceed in cruelty the persecutions in King Henry the eighth and Queen Maries daies I answer and do confess that in reference to his Majesty both King Charles the first and King Charles the scond it did exceed the former for King Henry and Queen Mary were not persecuted but they were the chief causers of the persecutions but what he saith to the persecution of any others I think moderate men that are not oversway'd with prejudicate opinions they will say that the persecutions that was in these late daies was much inferiour to that in King Henry the eighth and Queen Mary's daies when the Bishop of Canterburie Bishop Ridley Bishop Hooper Bishop Latimer and Bishop Farrar of Saint Davids all five Bishops were burned to ashes also long time after their death the bones of Martin Bucer and Paulus Phagius were taken out of their Graves and burnt and the body of Peter Martyrs Wife taken out of her grave and baryed in a dunghil by Cardinal Poules order the year One thousand five hundred fifty seven bloudy Bonner himself in three years condemned three hundred Christians to the fire what was there then in all parts of the Kingdom it would amount to some thousands did ever any man before you except he were a Papist say as you affirm in your fourth page that these Bishops and other Martyrs in King Henry and Queen Mary's daies were used after a far better manner and were more justly proceeded against and more fairly handled and less cruelly dealt with than others were by the Long Parliament c. these it is true plundered and cast out of part of their estates but the others suffered flames of fire and their whole estates confiscate c. mistake me not I come not in the least to excuse them for it is granted they were too cruel but my aim is if you will not be made sensible of your own mistakes yet to endeavour to make others sensible of it because I would not have all nor any thing that you have written in excuse of the Pope the great enemy of God and of his Church to be believed for if you had not excused the Pope I had held my peace and should not have troubled my self nor others In the seventh and eight pages he saith that the prevalent faction of the Long Parliament did move him to settle his thoughts to search the Scriptures that foretold of the coming of the great Antichrist and to pray most earnestly night and day for the help of Gods grace and Spirit to guide him in the true understanding thereof and by reading the best Authors to help him in the same I answer I will not say much of what force his prayers might be but the Tree is known by the fruit and when men obtain the thing prayed for or somthing equivolent to it they have ground of comfort that their prayers are heard but as I said in the beginning som men are like Iohanan c. 42. of Ier. that resolv beforehand that thus and thus they will do and then they go and pray though they intend not to alter their Resolution for though he prayed to understand the meaning of such Texts by reaping the best Authors yet in his 24th page he says Mr. Mead Doctor Hamond the Magdeburgenses Calvin Beza and in another place the Author of the Revelation unrevealed and saith he found many good and probable arguments produced by them and Luther Iuneus Chytreus Tilenus Mouresius Powel Whitaker Tomson Brightman Downham and many others whom he saith do unanimously affirm Rev. 17.5 that Text mysterie that great Babilon the mother of Whoredom and Abomination of the earth is the same with 1 Pet. 5.13 the Church that is at Babylon and is interpreted-by the Ancient Fathers to signifie Rome as Papius Eusebius Tertullius Adversus Iudeus S. Hierom Augustin and divers others of late Writers Here you see the names of above twenty Authors and saith them and divers others besides that he hath read and finds many probable arguments from them all and prays that by reading of Authors he may be helped in his work yet observe the fruit of his Prayer for he saith he must crave leave to dissent from them and all others as he saith in the 43d page of the second part of his book and that you may know what his Opinion is and wherein he dissents from all men I will set down his own words in that place When saith he by the Wars of Alaricus The Bishops dissent from all other Authors and in what in the year 410. and of Attalas in 451 and Gensericus in 455. Heathenism and Idol-worship was fully destroyed in Rome and Christianity became victorious I desire the Reader to consider what truth can there be in what he here saith that Heathenism and Idol-worship was fully destroyed in Rome and Christianitie was victorious at this time when Rome was in the hands of bar barous Heathen Idolaters as the Goths Vandals and

Hunnes so that in 132. years Rome was taken and ransackt five times and Odoaces that took it the fourth time reigned there fourteen years and if you look Socrates seventh Book ch 10. you shall see that this Alaricus that he speaks of his taking Rome the first time he ransackt and spoiled both Town and Country as he went at length he took the City of Rome and ransackt the City defaced and fired many Monuments and violently spoiled the Citizens executed many of the Emperor and if you look the 7th book of Evagrius Scholasticus chap. 7. you shall finde that Rome was taken by Gensericus being a Barbarian who set the City on fire carried away the spoil took away Eudoxia the Empress and her two daughters with him to Libia This was the very time of the beasts being wounded as it were unto death And about this time Heresie did more prevail than at any time before or since as above is shewed and that the Barbarians Goths Vandals and Hunnes who were Heathens had the upper hand how then should Atheism Heathenism and Idol-worship be fully destroyed in Rome and Christianity be victorious as he saith let the Christian Reader judge whether the Bishop be not mistaken or not though perhaps he will not own it for he is resolved before hand that no man shall convince him for he will be singular all other Authors are but Novices to him In the 10th page he saith That Bishop Mountague sets down Reasons which this Bishop complyes with why the Turks should rather be Antichrist than the Pope and his first Reason is the Turks apostacy from the Doctrin and Gospel of Christ I answer I dare not betray my Master Christ his truth and therefore must make bold to tell both the Bishops that their first Reason hath no reason in it for the Turk did never own Jesus Christ as he is truly Christ to be King Priest and Prophet to his Church the which ●hing the Turk did never own and therefore it cannot properly and truly be said that the Turk did fall and apostatize from the Doctrin and Gospel of Christ because he never did receive it nor own it as the Doctrin and Gospel of Christ as King Priest and Prophet but hath alwayes denyed it and been an Adversary unto it But the Pope and Church of Rome hath outwardly in words though they deny it in their Deeds as is proved be● fore yet in outward profession they own Christ as King Priest and Prophet but are apostatized from the doctrin and institutions o● Christ and therefore the Pope is the great Antichrist Page 14. He saith It is agreed of all sides not only by Bellarmin a●● other Popish Writers but also the most learned Protestant Divine● That as Darnel grows among Wheat so Antichrist should arise out 〈◊〉 the truest and purest Church of Christ and if so and that he will ha● the Pope to be Antichrist then the Church of Rome not only was 〈◊〉 must be confessed to be and continue stil the truest Church of Christ a● so Calvin and others are out of the true Church in separating from t● Church of Rome I answer That for the agreement of the Writers I shall n● say much but I find no Scripture that saith it neither doth 〈◊〉 prove it for as to Darnel growing among Wheat it no more relat● to Antichrist than to any other wicked mans being in the outward visible Church and suppose that Antiochus be a type of Antichrist as you say yet that proves nothing as to the place where he shall arise only it types out what he shall do when he is come But suppose I grant that Antichrist should a●ise out of the purest Church and so catch you in your own Snare it is easily proved that the Church of Rome was once the truest Gentil Church that was in the World and that when the Apostle writ his Epistle to the Romans as Rom. 1.8 I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your Faith is spoken of through the whole World which commendation is not given to any other Church in the World therefore by your own Argument Antichrist was to arise in the Church of Rome for it was the truest and purest Church but that it should so continue and be the truest Church at the time when Antichrist should appear is but yours and Bellarmin's c. fancy without Scripture or reason to ground upon For if the Church where Antichrist did arise had been the purest Church when he did arise Antichrist would then soon have been discovered and opposed and hissed at he could not have shrowded himself and his hypocritical waies but would have been discerned neither do you nor can you prove that the Church of Rome being once a true Church that it should so continue still and that we are Schismaticks for departing from it This is fine Prelatical Popish Doctrine without proof of Scripture but if you or Bellarmin or an Angel from Heaven saith the Apostle teach any other Doctrine than we have received in the Scripture let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 The seven Churches of Asia and many more besides them were true Churches but are not so now And so the Primitive Church of Rome the first hundred or two hundred years was a true Church but is not so now as is proved in the former part of this Book at large But besides these Reasons I will come a little nearer to you by Scripture proof that Antichrist should arise out of a Church which at that time of his rising should be a corrupted Apostatized Church 2 Thes 2.1 2 3 verses Consider whether the words of men or Scripture is fit to be believed I beseech you Brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him that ye be not shaken in mind nor troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter from us And I may adde nor by Bellarmin●e nor Bishop Williams's Interpretations as if the day of Christ were at hand for that day shall not come except their come a falling away first and that man of sin which is Antichrist be revealed Here you see in this Text is plainly held forth that the Church where Antichrist should arise should be one that was a true Church but should fall away from the Truth and that Antichrist could not come untill first the Church where he should arise did fall away from the Truth and then Antichrist should be revealed that so in this apostatized Church he might the more covertly work his feats and not be discerned Now here is set before you Truth and Error chuse whether you will believe a poor man confirming what he writes by Scripture or believe Cardinal Bellarmin or a Bishops words without Scripture Page 15. he saith but I do not believe him That it is agreed of all sides and by all Interpreters old and new Papists and Protestants that the great Antichrist should come toward