CHRISTIAN WARNING-PIECE FOR ALL TRUE PROTESTANTS BY WAY OF CHRISTIAN COUNSEL and ADVICE TO THE KING'S Most Excellent MAJESTY and all His good Protestant Subjects sounded forth out of the Written Word of GOD. Wherein is clearly shewed the true Causes why the Lord in former Ages brought his severe Judgments on his own People both before the Law under the Law and under the Gospel All which being applied to the present State of Protestants is proved both by Scripture and History that it is the same Cause still for which the Lord is bringing His severe Judgments on his Protestant People Together with the Means if imbraced which God in Mercy hath Ordained to prevent the same By THOMAS WALL Cry aloud spare not lift up thy Voice like a Trumpet and shew my People their Transgressions and the House of Jacob their Sins Isa 58. 1. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our Learning and Admonition upon whom the ends of the World are come Therefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall Rom. 15. 4. 1 Cor. 10. 11. Whosoever heareth the sound of the Trumpet and taketh not Warning his Blood shall be upon his own Head But he that taketh Warning shall deliver his own Soul Ezek. 33. 4 5. LONDON Printed in the Year 1680. TO THE King's Most Excellent Majesty Most humbly shewing THat the most Wise God who hath made all things for his * Rev. 4. 11. Pleasure hath ordained in every Nation but two States Pillers or Legs to stand upon the one Civil and the other Spiritual The Civil State is God's Ordinance of Magistratical Government under divers Titles as Kings or other Chief Governours unto whom an excellent †Dan. 4. 36. Majesty is given them of God as next under ‖ Rom. 13. God Head of the Commonwealth the Lord's Lieutenants here on Earth And seeing since the Fall Mans Heart is * Jer. 17. 9. deceitful and in Mans Flesh dwelleth no good thing so that the Good he would do he doth not but the Evil he would not that he doth †Rom. 7. Therefore for guide in Government God hath given Kings the second ‖ Exod. 20. Table of his Royal Law as a most sure Foundation and Rule to square all their Laws by to govern their People so that by it they bear not the Sword in vain but use it to the Glory of God for the punishment of Evil-doers * Rom. 13. and the praise of them that do well Of which Trust and Stewardship committed to them they must shortly give an Account to their Chief Judg the Prince of the Kings of the Earth the Lord Jesus at the last Day The other State or Piller is the †Rev. 15. 3 Mat. 28. 18 Kingly Government of the Lord Jesus in his Church or ‖ John 18. 36. Kingdom in all things Spiritual As Christ hath his Office under God the only Head of his Mystical Body * Ephes 5. 23. Col. 1. 17. the Church unto whose Government is given the first Table of God's Law according to which most sure Foundation are all the Laws made in all Ages for his worship And though Christ was not manifested in the Flesh till these last Times yet was he from the Days of Adam King in his Church on his holy †Psal 2. 6. Hill of Sion in those who were Figures of him as * Heb. 7. 1. Ps 110. 4. Melchisedeck ‖ Acts 3. 22. Moses and David so Christ was the same Yesterday to Day and for †Heb. 13. 8 ever who now in his Church sitteth on the Throne of his Father David as it is written of him * Isa 11. 3 4. That he shall not judg after the sight of his Eyes nor reprove after the hearing of his Ears but with Righteousness shall he judg the Poor and reprove with Equity for the Meek of the Earth and shall smite the Earth with the Rod of his Mouth and with the breath of his Lips shall he slay the Wicked So that his Weapons are not Carnal as his Kingdom is not of this World so differing from the Civil State Moreover as these be the only States ordained of God and the nature of them being so different the one from the other as the nature of a thing Civil and Spiritual is so that the one State may not meddle with the Work◠that belongeth to the other And hereupon did the Lord in his Wisdom constitute the Civil State in the Tribe of * Gen. 49. 10. 2 Chron. 5. 2. Judah and the Spiritual State in the Tribe of Levi but when King Uzziah would presume to break God's Order to do that Work which †2 Chron. 27. 16 17 18. belonged not to the Civil States Office the Lord smote him with Leprosie to the day of his Death that others may be warned not to presume above what is written 1 Cor. 4. 6. Therefore the Lord Jesus our High Priest and only Lord Spiritual in his Church would not meddle with the Magistrates-work nor Office to give Judgment on a Woman taken in Adultery ‖ John 8. 3 4 5. nor divide Inheritances between Brethren And likewise commanded his Disciples and all Bishops and Ministers to the Worlds end not to take on them the title * Luke 22. 25. Mat. 20. 25. of Politick Princes but rather he that would be Chief to be Servant to all and not as Lords either in Title or Rule over God's Heritage †1 Pet. 5. 3. or Churches of God Therefore we see God in his Wisdom hath limited either State to keep within the limits he hath ordained for them Therefore as touching the Civil Magistratical State we may justly conclude That whatsoever Person he be whether Noble or Ignoble that shall presume to Alter Change or Diminish to or from any part of the Laws Ordinances Offices or Order contrary to the King 's Royal Crown and Dignity established by Law according to the second Table of God's Law must needs be accounted a Traytor to the King and suffer his high Displeasure Accordingly may we conclude concerning the Spiritual State of Christ's Government in his Church That whatsoever Person he be whether Noble or Ignoble that shall presume to Add or Diminish Alter or Change any thing in Government or Ministry Time Maintenance or Order contrary to the Rules or Laws of Christ's Testament founded on the first Table of God's Law in all things pertaining to the Worship of God may justly be deemed a Traytor to the Royal Crown and Dignity of the Lord Jesus and may hear the Sentence out of his own Mouth against them saying Bring those mine Enemies that would not that I should Reign over them and slay them before me Either by casting out of his Church or by everlasting Wo at the last Day May it therefore please your Majesty in your Wisdom to consider these things That it is one of the Crying
judg where is the Antiquity that the Romish Church pleadeth so much for unless it be old in Wickedness So that it is admirable how any that owns the name of a Protestant can believe that it is lawful to worship God by that Ministry that had the succession of his Ministry from Popish Ordination Therefore in the next place let us take a view of the manner how they are made Priests in Rome as themselves have written They are made Priests when by the Bishop who only can give this Order it is said Receive power to celebrate Masses both for the Living and for the Dead and to offer Sacrifices unto God in the Name of the Lord. The Bishop saith withal Receive the Holy Ghost Oh blasphemous Speech The Priests are also shaven on their Crowns and anointed with Oyl on their Hands that by that ‖ See Hen. Ainsw Anim adver p. 61. Bellarm. Pontifical Lib. de Ordinat Presbit Unction and the Bishops blessing those Hands may be Consecrated and Sanctified of God A Stole of Innocency is put upon the Priest and he promiseth to the Bishop and his Successors Reverence and Obedience and the Bishop gives him again the Blessing of God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost that he may be blessed in his Priestly Order and may offer placable Hosts or Sacrifices to God for the Sins of the People This Ordination hath a double effect First A perpetual Spiritual Power in sign whereof a Character or Mark indelible is imprinted on them And secondly Grace making them acceptable whereby they are inabled to execute their Office So this Bishoply Ordination conferreth Grace And if any shall say That the Holy Ghost is not hereby given Let him saith the Council of * Sess 23. Can. 4. Trent be accursed Now judge ye Protestants whether this Ordination do not make Men more like †Zech. 11. 17. Idol-Shepherds being the very mark of the Beast than Ministers of the Gospel Now that we may the better discern how contrary to Nature and Grace this way of making Gospel-Ministers by this Romish Ordination let us take a view of the true Way how all true Ministers come to their Office by the Rules of Christ's Gospel First Every true Church is likened to a Virgin * 2 Cor. 11 2. who by the Covenant of the Gospel is espoused †Isa 62. 5. Eph. 5. 23. to Christ her Head and Husband and is said in her first Constitution to have no ‖ Cant. 8. 8. Brests that is Ministers but in process of time her Brests are said to be * Ezek. 16. 7. 1 Tim. 3. Isa 66. 11. fashioned by the Lord 's fitting some of her Members with Gifts Graces and Qualifications for the Work of the Ministry which so soon as the whole Body or Church finding fit do by common †Acts 1. 26. consent Elect ‖ 6. 13. Acts 14. 23. and after Fasting and Prayer by what Member the Church thinketh fit for her Mouth on the Lord's Day in the time of Government do ordain the Person before Elected some of the Fathers of Families laying their Hands * Numb 8. 9. on the person Elected in sign and for no other end in the presence of the whole Church or Body they are to take Charge of That they are not only first Elected by common Consent but by common Consent are now ordained by that particular Church or Body they are to abide with whilst Life doth †Acts 20 28. last And this is the true Eldership or Ministry the Lord hath given to every particular true Church as Paul wrote to Titus as I have appointed thee * Which way of making Ministers is both agreeable first to the Tit. 1. 5. Word of Grace and also to the Order of Nature that Ministers or Brests should grow or proceed out of their own Bodies and not like Romes Ordination for Brests or Ministers to be made by a Bishop without the knowledg of the particular Body whereof they are to take Charge and afterwards by unnatural Art set to the Body by the Bishop's order it may be without the Peoples consent whether they will or no as no Natural but an Artificial Brest or Eye to that Body so entring into their Office contrary to Grace and order of Nature not entring by the Door of Christ's Appointment are compared to Thieves Robbers and Hirelings John 10. who so soon as they hear of a bigger Benefice being not by Grace and Nature in the Body but only stuck on they slide away let the Flock shift how they can Oh dear Protestants Shall the Lord always wink at this Confusion among you No sure He will bring his Judgments speedily if it be not amended Now having laid these things before you let us in the next place observe that there was a time fixed by the Lord how long the Beast or false Ecclesiastical State should generally reign over the Nations to wit by the space of a thousand Years Which Rev. 20. 4. time as John Napier hath Calculated the Prophetical Dates in the Prophets and the Revelations together That the Beast's reign began See Napier on Rev. 10. about the Year of our Lord 113 and 115 about which time the first Pope was set up and so Poyson was brought into the Church and so continued their general Reign till about the Year 1541. And then saith Napier the seventh Angel began to sound at which time saith the Angel there shall be Time no longer meaning that the Rod of the Wicked should not always rest on the back †Psal 125. of the Righteous But all the Mysteries ‖ Rev. 10. 7. 8. 9. in the Prophets should be fulfilled which last Mystery in these latter Days seemeth to be the call of the Lord's Elect * Rev. 20. 5. Ephes 2. 1. dead in Sin out of the Spiritual Babylon or Romish Church according to the Mystery or Figure thereof by the Lord's Call of his People out of the Temporal Babylon So that as aforesaid the Way of God in the Revelation is to take Words and Phrases out of the Prophets and to apply them to things of like nature to be fulfilled in these last Days Therefore as Ezekiel did eat a little †Ezek. 3. 3. Book signifying thereby that he must Prophesie to the dry ‖ Ezek. 37. Bones in Old Babylon even so in these latter Days under the Person of John must the Lord's Servants eat a little Book * Rev. 10. 9. that is Prophesie to the dead in Sin in the Spiritual Babylon even among the many Nations Peoples Tongues and Kings So that about the Year aforesaid 1541 came forth the eaters of the little Book some of which were Luther Calvin Melancthon all under the name of an Angel †Rev. 14. 6. to preach the everlasting Gospel to every Nation Kindred Tongue and People By whose means not only many People of
Gift of the Flock they feed and Vineyard they dress when they had degraded themselves by repentance of their false Ministry and the People if they thought fit to Elect and Ordain them in God's Order into the Work of the Ministry But this was so contrary to these Prelates minds that they sent forth their Pursivants to take and bring before them all that should either refuse to come to their Worship or did speak against their Ministry So that in the Year 1592 †As was mentioned in a Petition to the Parlament at that time on a Lord's Day they took to the number of fifty six Persons as they were serving God according to Christ's Directions in his last Will and Testament in the very place the like Christians were forced to serve God in Queen Marie's days and sent them by two and two into the several Prisons in and about London some of which by long Imprisonment were near Starved others were Bapished and three they Hanged two at Tiburn namely Mr. Henry Barrow Mr. John Greenwood and Mr. John Penry was hanged at Thomas a Watering near Southwark in the Year 1593. That these were true Protestants appeareth to any that have or shall read Mr. Barrow's Discovery his Answer to Gifford Mr. Barrow's and Mr. Greenwood's Conference in Prison with several Persons beside all their Examinations before the Lord Treasurer and some Justices all Printed at that time So that they were put to Death contraty to Queen Elizabeth's Mind as was then specified in Print * As was afterwards noted in an Apology presented to King James by the same Church because she sent her Reprieve two several times to fetch them back when they were carrying to be Executed but contrary to her knowledg it may be supposed were they at last put to Death sooner than the ordinary time a day by means of the Prelates as I find in a certain printed Relation of their Sufferings in these words Mr. Barrow and Mr. Greenwood were put to Death by the Prelates in Queen Elizabeth's Time without her knowledg or privity and that early in the Morning the figure of their Sufferings being seen in the Skie by Mariners that were in other parts and it was supposed by the beholders of the Figure then to be done in England because of the Women wearing of Hats The two poor Widows that attended upon them in the Prison waited on them to the Gallows bearing their winding Sheets Now dear Protestants if the Blood of God's Servants shed in King Manasses days for bearing their Testimony against the inventions of Men set up in Worship contrary to the Law of God written by Moses was charged near eighty Years after on their Posterity who followed the steps of their Fore-Fathers in Persecuting the Lord's Prophets for like Work in Jeremiah's * Jer. 15. 4. days and if the righteous Blood shed from the days of Abel †Mat. 23. 35. was by Christ charged on the Jews for persecuting him and his Disciples for telling them they worshipped God in vain ‖ Mat 15. 9. teaching for Doctrine the Commandments of Men how may Protestants now fear that the Lord may have like Indignation against this Nation or Generation for persecuting the Lord's Servants who call them from the Devices of Men in Worship to worship God as he hath appointed by his Son Christ Jesus in his Testament Now therefore before the Judgment is poured on us Oh that the King 's most Excellent Majesty would do the Work herein that belongeth to Kings to abolish all Inventions set up by other Kings out of Worship and every good Protestant to do his Duty to touch none of the unclean * 2 Cor. ◠17. things of Mens Inventions in Worship Then may we expect as Jacob did when he purged the Church from all Idolatry that God would turn the Hearts of Kings to be as God hath ordained them †Isa 49. 22. Nursing Fathers to the Lord's People as Pharoah was to the Church in Jacob's days But when Jacob's Posterity after his Death had corrupted themselves with the Idols of Egypt then God turned the Heart of King Pharoah to afflict them So when all that go by the name of Protestants shall do as aforesaid God will turn the Hearts of Kings to them and until this Work be done God will make Kings the Rod * Isa 10 5. of his Anger against a Hypocritical Nation as he did the King of Assyria and call them his Servants as he did Nebuchadnezzar †Jer. 25. 9. to afflict his People Therefore let no Protestant like Children envy the Rod but consider the cause for which the Rod is prepared and amend those things that are amiss and God will break the Rod and turn it against our Enemies and then Kings will as God hath ordained them be Nursing Fathers to preserve the Church of God from all Injuries and Wrongs as it is written ‖ Rev. 12. 16. The Earth helped the Woman as is very excellently shewed by Mr. Penry in his Examination before two Justices of the Peace Mr. Fancha and Mr. Young in the Year 1593 April the 10th in his Answer to some Questions put to him The first was this Quest 1. You labour to draw her Majesties Subjects from their Obedience to her Laws and from this Church of England to hear you and such as you are teach in Woods Mr. John Penry's Answer Answ Nay I persuade all Men unto the Obedience of my Prince and her Laws Only I dissuade all the World from yielding obedience and submission unto the Ordinances of the Kingdom of Antichrist and would persuade them to be subject to Christ and his Blessed Laws as I assure my self that the same is warranted thereby Her Majesty having granted in Establishing and Confirming the great Charter of England whereunto as I take it the Kings and Queens of this Land are sworn when they come to the Crown That the Church of God under them should have all her Rights and Liberties inviolable for ever Now let the benefit of this Law be granted unto me and others of my Brethren and it shall be found that we have done nothing but what is warrantable by her Laws Quest 2. What is it meet that Subjects should charge their Prince to keep Covenants with them and enter to scan what Oaths they have taken for this purpose VVhere find you this warranted by Scripture Answ The Subjects are in a most lamentable case if they may not alledg their Princes Laws for their Actions yea and shew what their Princes have promised to the Lord and to them when the same may be for declaration of their Innocency And it is the Crown and Honour of Princes to be known not only to hold but even to be in Covenant with their Subjects that they will maintain and preserve them from Violence and Wrong Nay Heathen Princes have thought themselves honoured when their mean Subjects have charged them very earnestly
Scepter * Psal 45. 6. of our Lord Jesus blessed for ever his Word being commanded to be purely taught without corrupting or swerving either to the right Hand or to the left Which when the Primitive Christians observed not but neglected their Watch †Rev. 3. 3. in suffering false Doctrine to creep in among them as in the Church of Pergamos reigned the Doctrine of Balaam ‖ Rev. 2. 14 15. and the Nicolaitans and in Thyatira the Doctrine of Jezebel * Ver. 20. Ephesus †Rev. 2. 4 having left her first Love and among the Corinthians and other Christians both Men and Women were they not reproved for walking in a vain Conversation Whilst Men wearing long Hair the ‖ 1 Cor. 11. 14. shame of Nature their Women likewise wearing of Gold Pearl * 1 Tim. 2. 9. 1 Pet. 3. 3. plaited Hair uncovered expresly in plain words forbidden by the Apostle not becoming modest Women professing Godliness with good Works For which Evils and Disorders with others because the Churches punished them not according to God's Order by casting the ‖ Mat. 17. 18. obstinate Sinners out of the Churches the Lord Jesus threatned to cast them into a Bed of great Tribulation †Rev. 2. 22. under the term of ten Prophetical Days meaning Years which some have observed to come on the Churches in the Year of Christ in the Reign of Trajan the Emperour So that if God in his just Judgment for the Sins of the ten Tribes delivered them of old into the Hands of the Kings of Assyria and likewise Judah into the Hands of the King of Babylon even so for like Cause did the Lord deliver the East Churches into the Hands of Mahomet and the West Churches into the Hands of the Beast the Pope and his Clergie Unto which agreeth Mr. Fuller's Testimony in his History of the Holy Wars worth all Protestants observation especially in this Day of Apostacy in Chap. 6. pag. 6. in these words But the Sins of the Eastern Countries and chiefly their damnable Heresies hastened God's Judgments on them and in the Western parts Heresies as an Angle caught single Persons which in Asia like a Draw-Net took whole Provinces The staid and settled Wits of Europe were not easily removed out of the old Road and Track of Religion whilst the active and nimble Heads of the East were more desirous of Novelties more desirous and cunning to invent Distinctions to cozen themselves more fluent in Language to express their Conceits as always Error groweth fastest in hottest Brains Hence it came to pass the Melchites Maronites Nestorians Euticheans Jacobites overspread those parts Then it was mark that just with God saith he to suffer them that would not be convinced by Christian Counsel to be subdued by the Pagans Sword And again saith he it may justly seem Admirable that that sensless Religion should gain so much ground on Christianism especially having neither real substance in Doctrine nor winning behaviour in Ceremony to allure Professors being but the scum of Judaism and Paganism sod together here and there strawed with a spice of Christianity Thus was fulfilled what was written on those that received not the love of the Truth God gave them over to believe Lyes and punished them with the Pagans Sword and being no whit bettered then the Lord prepared the four Angels or Messengers of his Wrath whom John Napier a Nobleman of Scoland observeth to be the four Mabometan Nations that inhabit about or beyond the River Euphrates to wit the Saracens Turks Tartarians and Arabians all Confederates together in one Law of Mahomet and under one great Emperour Ottoman whom God for the Sins of Christians had prepared for an Hour a Day a Month and a Year to slay the third part of Men By whom saith the learned Ainsworth God scourged Christendom with Fire Smoke and Brimstone out of the Horses Mouths and Horsemen conducted by the Angel of Destruction Yet the * Rev. 9. 20. Remnant of Men not killed by these Plagues repented not of their Works that they should not worship Devils and Idols of Gold and Silver and Brass and Wood and Stone which can neither hear nor see nor walk See Ainsworth Arrow pag. 96. Notwithstanding the Judgments of God upon the Primitive Apostate Churches some falling to Mahometism others to Papistry yet no Apostate Church retained more Idolatry than Rome and that that Church is the great Whore Mystery Babylon and the Beast that she rideth on is the Popish Prelacy is plainly shewed in the Answer of that famous Protestant H. Ainsworth to John Ainsworth the Papist That whereas in their Letters written to each other John Ainsworth saith The seven Mountains in Rev. 17. are said to be seven Kings none of which agree with the Pope Yea saith Henry Ainsworth the seventh agrees very well for the Woman is the great City Rome the Beast on which she rideth hath seven Heads which are expounded there to be seven Mountains and seven Kings Rev. 17. 3 9. The seven Mountains are famous through the World as Palatinus Capitolinus Aventinus Esquilinus Caelius Virminalis Quirinalis on which Mountains Rome was builded The seven Kings are also seven Governments of Rome renowned also in Histories as by * Cornel. Tacitus ◠1. Kings by Consuls by Decemviry by Dictators by Triumphiry by Cesars by foraign Emperours and Popes therefore when John wrote the Five first were fallen and removed Rev. 17. 10. and one saith he is namely the Sixth by the Cesars and another is not yet come which was the Foraign Emperours as Trajan the Spaniard and the like who when they come should continue but a while Constantine going to Bizantium and the Empire being over-run by the barbarous Goths and the Beast saith he is the eighth and is one of the seventh Rev. 17. 11. meaning the Popes who by an Ecclesiastical Government differ from the Civil Emperours and so are the eighth yet because they Reign together with the Emperours they make as it were one Government So the eighth is one of the seven as the Scripture saith Unto this agrees the words of St. Bernard The Beast †Bernard Epist 125. that hath a Mouth speaking Blasphemies occupieth Peter's Chair Moreover saith the Scripture Rev. 13. 18. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the Beast for it is the number of a Man and his number is 666. Now for the better understanding of this Mystery we must know that it is the general Course of the Spirit of God throughout the Revelations to take Words and Phrases out of the Prophets and apply them to the things there prophesied as in this number of the Beast which is by a borrowed speech taken from the name of a Man and his Familie in Ezra 2. 13. the Man's name being Adonikam by signification a God ascending or standing up his Sons were 666. Now the Beast by signification is called a Man to wit of Sin
who by agreement with Adonikam's name is said to be a God standing up or exalting himself above all that is called God meaning above Christ by his assuming into the Office of Christ to give Laws or Directions in Worship which only belongeth to Christ the Prophet like unto Moses so was he faithful in all his House Heb. 3. 2. Now as in the Mystical Body of Christ's Church * 1 Cor. 12. 14. 27. many Members make one Body or ‖ Eph. 3. 15. Family all honouring Christ the †Col. 1. 18. Head of the Body as Children do a Father and serve God in Worship by his Direction and Appointment are therefore of the number ‖ Acts 1. 25. of his Name called Christians * Acts 11. 26. Isa 65. 15. do grow up in him unto a perfect Man unto the Measure and Stature of the Fulness of Christ Ephes 4. 13 15. Even so as the false Church is an Harlot the Man of Sin the Pope being Head their Lord and Law-giver in Worship consisting of many Members which serve and worship by his Directions are joyned to that Harlot †1 Cor. 6. 15. together with her Head the Pope all make one Body or Man ‖ 2 Thess 2. 3 4. of Sin so are they of the number of his * Rev. 13. 18. Name as Children to their Reverend Father in God making one Family with him as the Sons of Adonikam 666 made one Family to their Father and thus the number of the Beast is the number of a Man by this borrowed speech 666. So that in some respects the Beast may be likened to the Image Nebuchadnezzar saw Dan. 2. 31. The Pope with his Triple Crown who is proclaimed for a Vice-God †Lib. Benedictus printed at Bonenia Anno. 1608. Hen. Ains Animad pag. 100. the Invincible Monarch of of the Common-wealth and vehement Conserver of the Popish Omnipotency he is the Head of Gold the Cardinals and Prelates are next to him as Brests and Arms of Silver the other Belly-god Clergy is the strong brazen Panch the Lay-People are as Legs and Feet of Iron and Clay which carry and bear up the Bulk and the unclean ‖ Rev. 16. 13 14. 2 Thess 2. 9. spirit of Satan giveth life and effectual operation to the Beast and to be a member of this their Body and Church the Papists themselves * Bellarm. de Eccles l. 3. c. 2. profess that there is not any inward Vertue required so then there is no need of the Spirit of God to join the Limbs of the Beast together Moreover that these Popes are Beasts note farther what Henry Ainsworth saith to John Ainsworth the Papist Their Vows of Chastity being but to defile themselves with vile Sodomy Adultery and Fornication So that the six thousand Childrens Heads found Murdered in Pope Gregory's Fish-pond made him reverse his own wicked Decree in restraining the Clergy from their Wives And again saith John Traper in his Treasure of Holy Truths Pag. 153. That Pope Leo the 10th admiring the huge masses of Money which he had raked together by Fraud and Wile said to Cardinal Bembus See what a deal of Wealth we have got by this Rable of Christ And when the same Bembus brought a place of Scripture to comfort him lying on his Death-bed Away saith he with these Bawbles speaking concerning Christ Moreover saith John Napier aforesaid on his Paraphrase of the Revelation Pag. 58. proved out of the Papists own Authors That of Popes thirteen were Adulterers three were common Brothellers four were Incestuous Persons eleven were poisoned with Sodomy seven were Whoremongers and Inventers of Brothel-Houses finally one was a Whore and died being delivered of a Bastard in open Procession Now surely on those People God hath sent strong Delusions that believe that these sinful wicked Popes can pardon Sins and give power to his Priests so to do upon a false ground gathered from Christ's Words to Peter Matth. 16. 19. Whatsoever thou shalt bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven When this Power belongeth not to one Man but when any obstinate Sinner is cast out of a true Church and upon his repentance he is received in again as it is written to the whole Church To whom ye forgive any thing saith the Apostle Paul †2 Cor. 2. 10. I forgive So that this Power is not given to one Man but to every true Church of Christ in God's Order and Manner aforesaid But how is it possible that either the Popes or the whole Church of Rome can forgive Sins when the present Church of Rome cannot be proved a true Church no nor in all likelihood the Natural Posterity of the Saints in S. Paul's time First Considering the many Changes in the Roman State so that * Rev. 6. 14 15. Heaven departed as a Scrowl when it is rouled together and every Mountain and Island were moved out of their places Kings and Captains fled and hid themselves So great was the Judgment of God on the Roman Power for Murdering the Lord Jesus and after Persecuting him in his Members As for particulars Alaricus with his Goths in the Year of Christ 414 took * Hierony in Epist See Henry Ainsw Animad p. 102 the many Authors quoted to prove it and spoiled Rome in burning it Forty four Years after Gensericus with his Vandals took and spoiled it so that Rome for a time remained without Inhabitants Some Years after did Odoacer with another Company invade Italy and Conquered Rome and put the Emperour to flight made himself King Then Theodoricus with the Ostrogoths took it and after him again Bellisarius with his Army wan it But above all Totilus King of the Goths in the Year of our Lord 546 after all the former Invasions did overthrow Rome quite cast down the Walls burnt the Houses and made it so Desolate that there remained in it neither Man nor Woman These Turmoils in Rome within a few Years and the possessing of that Land by Foreigners as the Goths mixing themselves with the People degenerated into the name of Italians afterwards the †Blond l. 2. d. 2. Fascic temp f 66. Saracens killed innumerable People in Rome and Italy All which may teach us how unpossible it is that the present Church of Rome is so much as the Natural Stock of the Saints in Paul's time which if they were can be no better than the Ishmalites and Edomites the natural stock of Abraham could be justified to be the Church of God then as Rome now or the Amorites and Jebusites * Josh 10. 1. in Jerusalem because †Gen. 14. 18. Melchisedeck Priest of the most High God with his faithful company lived there five or six hundred Years before as well as the Romish Church be now pleaded for because above 1600 Years ago a true Church once lived there Now let all Protestants