that soe they may the better auoide them and not pertake of theire sinnes lest they receiue of theire plauges and that espetially when theire deliuerance and her ruin are at hand And as this care was necessarie in those ages when the * Reu. 12. Dragon reigned and the first trumpets sounded so more espetially in theese times of the beast whore wherein the euill they doe is a greate deale worse more dangerous to the Soules of men for as much as notwithstanding the light of the Gospell all the world would still wonder after him for that holines power and munificence which they would imagine to reside in him and euen many of Gods people would be so loth to flee out of Babylon that they should be in danger of pertaking of her sinnes and receiuing of her plauges and should haue neede to be daily called on to make them come out from her A duty which as it was euer needefull to be put in practise for the drawing of Soules from her bewitching delicacies and deceites so more espetially now when her greate abhominations are by the refulgent light of Gods Word manifested and her last and greatest plauges must needes be approching For if when Saint Iohn wrote it might be saide the time is at hand how much more in theese our times vpon whome the ends of the World are come and who may see if wee either will see or thinke it any such blessed thinge to see that the most of those things which concerne Antichrist and the verrie declining of his Kingdom are already fulfilled and thereby euery man warned to waite with a stedfast faith to see the rest accomplished and not to put farre away as his fauourers doe those euill dayes which shall befall him and his friends and as they doe who would faine make the World beleeue that he shall not be destroyed till the ende of the World and are so loth to see any thinge proued to the contrary that they doubt not to affirme that the time can not be so much as neerely guessed at To whome it may be answered that the Lord would neither haue saide of the beast Aeuel 13. He shall haue power to doe fourtie and two monethes and neither more nor lesse nor of the Kings his hornes They haue receiued noe Kingdom as yet Chap. 12.19 but receiue power as Kings one howre with the Beast but that he meant to shew vs some certaine time which when his ruin should approach might either be perfectly or at least verrie neerely found as in Daniels propheticall weekes wherein euery day stands for a yeare and so questionlesse in theese monethes which are also propheticall monethes which can not be literally vnderstood of three yeares and a halfe For it followes from the Angels exposition that Antichrist is the seauenth and eighth head of the seauen hilled citie that is a head of gouernment in a succession Reu. 17. as the Emperours were of whome he saide one is Fiue are fallen one is and the other is not yet come Fiue of the Roman heads or formes of gouernment were fallen before as Kings Consuls Dictatours Decemuiri Tribuni Militum The sixt was in the time of Saint Iohn which was the gouernment of the Emperours haueing theire seate in Rome This head so longe as it should abide there would let the comming of Antichrist who was to be the seauenth head of the same citie 2. Thes 2. Reu. 17.9 as Saint Paul compared with Saint Iohn sheweth saying only he who now letteth will let till he be taken out of the way he saith not till he be vtterly fallen or destroied but taken out of the way viz. remoued which came to passe when the seate of the Empire was remoued from Rome to Constantinople and not before for till then another domineering head could not rise to rule in Rome Therefore saint John saith of the seauenth He is not yet come and when he commeth he must continue a short space And the Beast that was and is not euen he is the eighth and is of the seaven This seauenth head which is the Roman gouernment by Bishops is saide to endure but for a short space because of the wound which it should soone receiue by the Gothes and Vandals which when it should be healed was not longe to endure as a seauenth head only but should also by reason of a new title and authority become an eighth head and more absolute that soe he might rule and raigne the rest of his longe time and doe all the greatest things ascribed to Antichrist This eighth head did accordingly beginne in Boniface III. when he obtained to be called vniuersall Bishop he then was the eighth and yet of the seauen viz. the seauenth because he seemed but to succeede the former Bishops in that gouernment which they had after the seate of the Empire was remoued from Rome and which they got by abusing the Canons of Nice and Sardica as wee shall see by and by Howsoeuer seeing Antichrist ye see is a head of gouernment in a succession as the Kings and after them the other heads were that had liued and ruled in Rome theese 42. monethes giuen to him can not possibly be vnderstood literally For indeede it is impossible that this seauenth head should rise be seated wounded healed then become an eighth head who should first be admired and worshipped by all nations and then make warre by himselfe and by his hornes ouercome the Saints yea the two witnesses cause an Image to be made and worshipped and a marke to be taken by all small and greate yea doe many other greate things mencioned in the Reuelation and after send to gather the Kings of the earth to Battaile and be taken and all this in three yeares and a halfe Therefore out of all doubt in theese monethes as in Daniels weekes euery day stands for a yeare as the Lord saide to the Israelites Num. 14.34 After the number of the dayes in which ye searched the land euen forty dayes each day for a yeare shall ye beare youre iniquities Ezech. 4.6 euen fourtie yeares also in Ezechiel Thou shalt beare the iniquitie of the howse of Iudah fourtie dayes I haue appointed thee each day for a yeare Soe it must needes be in theese monethes and soe they signifie 1260. yeares as some haue iudiciously collected from Reu. 12.6.14 further also that theese yeares must needes beginne whē first the Pope had power to doe as a head which some thinke beganne in the time of Constantine the greate when he left Rome when say they he that hindred was taken out of the way Some say sooner euen from the time that Constantine came to the Empire and the Ethnick gouernment was ouerthrowen or taken out of the way Indeede it is verry necessarie that the time should be searched out when theese 42. monethes began because that is the surest way to finde out the time of his ende and
Finall ruin but the time could not well begin from the time of Constantine or when the Ethnick gouernment was ouerthrowen or taken out of the way For by either of theese computations the time should haue beene out many yeares agoe when indeede diuers Kingdoms were fallen from the Pope and he had noe power to doe in them as in England Denmarke and others and soe indeede as his power began in som Kingdoms before in others soe accordingly God would that he should begin to loose it in some before in others But yet he hath had and still hath much power elswhere to doe great things Which hath made some thinke that the time he hath had since and shall yet haue is giuen him for the time of the wound when say they he had noe power to doe But questionlesse they are mistaken herein as the sequell of this worke will manifest And indeede they seeme to me to beginne the time to soone I meane not soe much before he was a Beast as before he had power to doe For the words are power was giuen him to doe fourtie and two monethes Soe Beza Aretius Piseator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pareus and others reade them potestas agendi And I can not finde that either he did much or had much power to doe before the time of Damasus a Spaniard who was chosen Pope aboute the yeare 366. others say 369. and sate till after the yeare 380. then indeede he had some power to doe as wee shall see by by or at the furthest in the time of Syricius neere the yeare 386. or thereabouts to which time of Damasus in the yeare 380. if you adde 1260. yeares which seemes to be the time giuen him in the 42. monethes they may ende before or aboute the yeare 1640. or at least within a few yeares after that is if he had not this time of doeing till the dayes of Syricius or Innocent But it may be a litle sooner because Damasus might haue power to doe some yeares before the yeare 380. And howsoeuer Rome may ende much sooner then the Beast because her destruction seemeth to many to be by the fifth viall Reu. 16. his by sixth or seauenth hers is first declared chap. 18. then his chap. 19. But while wee seeme to cast vp the time set foorth in the Reuelation this is to be vnderstood to fall out thereabouts First if the time of the Beasts doeing began in the time of Damasus or Syricius and not before or after which now wee will examin as needefull to be knowne in theese lamētable times wherein the beast rageth and preuaileth as if he were to raigne for euer when indeede it is because the Deuil in him hath but a short time And secondly if Baronius and others that I haue followed reckon the yeares right as for ought that I can perceiue they doe at least they goe neere the marke and soe therefore may wee As touching the first our Lord himselfe giueth vs light in two places of the Reuelation For while he saith of the Beast Reu. 13. power was giuen him to doe fourtie and two monethes he sheweth that there is a certaine time when they should beginne which time may now at the last be neerely pointed at by any that will take the paines to search the Histories to see whē he first had power to doe The second which is more plaine and doth indeede seeme to shew when theese monethes were begunne is set downe Reu. 17. Reu. 17.12 Where it is saide of thē who are hornes of the Beast theese haue receiued noe Kingdom as yet but receiue power as Kings one howre with the Beast which at the soonest they did not before the time of Damasus Ammian Marcel lib. 28. c. 12. lib. 30. c. 4. lib. 29. c. 10.11.12.13 lib. 31. c. 10. when indeede as Ammianus Marcelinus sheweth the Almanes had theire King Marcrianus of greate puissance the Burgundians theires the Africans theires Nubel and then Firmus the Franckes theire Kinge Melobaudes and other Nations likewise had theires Valens the Emperour of the East was slaine by the Gothes who also had theire Prince Or perhaps not so soone may some man say because after that Theodosius brought them againe into some subiection to the Roman Empire which yet rather hindred then ouerthrew theire growing if not erected Kingdoms and indeede because he was an Emperour of greate puissance and both greately feared and loued therefore it may perhaps be thought by some that theese Kingdoms were not yet erected till after the death of Theodosius in the time of Pope Innocent Spanish Hist French Hist who gouerned in the dayes of the Emperour Honorius In whose time at the farthest as all the best Historians shew Kingdomes were plainely erected in Spaine and Afrike by the Gothes Speede How Chron. Vandales Sueuians Alanes one in France vnder Pharamond who yet is saide to succeede Marcomir Sumo and Melobaudes In whose time also the Picts Scots and others preuailed in Britaine so that after the Britaine 's had elected diuers other Gouernours they were faine at last to choose Vortiger theire Kinge and to call in the Saxons who chased the Picts and Scots but succeeded them in power and crueltie Other Barbarous Nations of those times preuailed in Thracia Hungarie Austria Sclauonia Panonia Dalmatia and other countries Thus though the Beast might perhaps haue some litle power to doe a litle before the rising of theese Kings yet they who had noe Kingdom before while the Empire floorished doe now receiue power as Kinge one howre with the Beast that is to say whether he beganne to haue that more Kingly power to doe in the time of Pope Damasus or soone after in the time of Siricius or Innocent which truly is somwhat hard to determin yet it seemes to me to be in the time of Damas And the Reader may also giue a good guesse thereat when he shall see how power was first giuen to theese Popes more then to any other Patriarch or as a Kinde of head ouer all Which power yet was not giuen him by any plaine and lawfull act of a councell as both the sixth councell of Carthage aboute the yeare 420. and the councell of Chalcedon aboute the yeare 450. proued against him neither indeede did he get it of many yeares after nor by consequence iustly therefore the thinge is not to finde when he had it giuen him lawfully for that the Antichrist could not haue but when some things fell out which gaue it him as it were accidentally when first he tooke hold of such occasion and thenceforth openly vsed and maintained it Which at the soonest for ought I can finde was not before the time of Damasus but he indeede stroue to attaine it and to that ende laide hold of euery litle occasion and made vse of it For haueing damned the heresie of Apollinaris in a Councell held ad Rome Theod. lib. 5. cap. 9. aboute the yeare
Trent which was performed by Chemnitius Examen Concil Tridē Or at least by him and others that also writ against that Councell But the Sea out of which the Beast arose was not so corrupt in it selfe but only became soe in some part thereof into which the burning mountaine was cast which corrupted it Now if one should aske me whether the Sea out of which the Beast arose were the Councill of Nice or that of Sardica I thinke that if not out of both confounded and put together by thē then rather out of that of Nice I. Because that was a generall Councell and therefore more apt for his purpose and authority as the other was not which only restrained to the person of Iulius a priueleidge soone after reuoked 2. Because that of Nice gaue him prioritie of place and this priueleidge that a law should not be imposed on the Church without his aduise out of which as he tooke it he as ye saw made greate aduantage and indeede rose out of it this beeing the originall and ground of all the power he after got 3. Because he alwaies alleadged it for his authority which it seemes he the rather did because it was generall and the more auncient more reuerenced and indeede because that Canon of Sardica was soone reuoked yea he so much desired to rise out of the Nicene Councell that in alleadging as he pretended a Canon of Nice he vseth the very words of this Canon of Sardica See Mysterie of Iniquitie written by M. du Plesses only leaueing out the name Iulius and was therefore conuicted of forgerie by the sixt Councell of Carthage 4. Because the burning mountaine signified vnder the second trumpet must needes be cast into the Sea before the fall of Constantius vpon the riuers signified vnder the third and therefore in all likelihood before the Councell of Sardica which yet gaue him power or increased it as he tooke it But by reason that Liberius who presently succeeded was an Arrian and therefore could neither chalenge power by it nor by the Nicene Councell this power as I shewed was not excercised till the time of Damasus But indeede ye haue seene that from the time of Damasus or Siricius the Pope as he vsed the matter had power to doe in things that belonged to other mens iurisdictiōs yea as an ouerseer and confirmer of Councells as he tooke the matter and what more as a kinde of head and lawgiuer as ye saw in the Epistle of Siricius to Himerius Bishop of Aragon and the Beast must needes be then risen and in action because soone after he began to receiue wounds and at last his deadly wound by the incursions of the Gothes and Vandals Thus power was giuen him to doe and thus he had it but not so soone as some haue thought So that they who reckon his time of doeing from the time that Constantine came to the Empire or when the heathen Emperour was cast out or from the time of the Nicene Councell or from the time that Constantine left Rome or from the time of Pope Iulius may beginne to soone And if not then it must needes be vnderstood as others haue obserued power was giuen him to doe fourtie and two monethes but in the time of the wound by the Gothes and Vandals or at least while it was sore and deadly he had noe power to doe therefore those yeares of the vvound vvherein he could doe nothing must not be reckoned vnlesse you allovv others for them Which yet may be fevver by many than some haue thought because the Gothes and Vandals did not raigne so longe in Rome as they say and so the time of the vvound beeing lesse then they giue vvill bringe it to the same reckoning vvee make or very neere it But indeede there is noe cause to expound it so because it is cleare enough that the Beast vvas not risen or at least had not power to doe so soone as they thinke and withall that frō the time that the Gothes first tooke Rome to theire expulsion the Pope had for the most part power enough to doe which is verrie behoofull to manifest because men may thereby see that there is noe allowance to be giuen him for the time of the wound or if any yet but litle For Rome was more than once saued and rescued and though it were taken againe yet the Popes of those times had as much power to doe as euer theire predecessors had if not more Besides the Gothes became Christians many of them were indeede but Arrians yet Baronius sheweth that they gaue the Pope much power to doe and questionles theire Kingdom did rather further the mysterie of iniquitie then hinder it as wee shall see by and by Therefore out of doubt they are much mistaken who giue 140. yeares for the time of the Gothes Kingdom begining is when Alaricus first tooke Rome which they say was aboute the yeare 415. and ending it when Narses vanquished Totilas Whereas others better skilled in historie shew that theire Kingdom lasted but 72. yeares begining the time after the first comming of Theodoricus into Italie and ending it as the former when Totilas was vanquished And yet before that extirpation of Totilas Belisares the Emperours Leiftenant had entred Rome taken Vitiges Kinge of the Gothes and carried him captiue to Constantinople and after that when the Gothes haueing chosen Totilas for theire Kinge tooke Rome againe Belisares recouered it the second time But in his absence they got strength wonne it againe then Narses wholly expelled them out of Italie Now see theire errour who begin theire Kingdom so soone and reckon the time of the wound to be 140. yeares Begining them in that time of Honorius wherein Rome was first taken For themselues confesse that during the raigne of Honorius Rome was twise taken Alaricus and Ataulphus beeing the captaines and yet the Beast had not the deadly wound in the head seeing it was rather a shamefull then a harmefull ouerthrow as Pomponius Laetus sheweth in the life of Honorius that when Honorius began to rouse vp himselfe Sabell En. 8. lib. 1. the Gothes were expelled out of Italie and Attalus theire Kinge led in triumph to Rome and after his right hand was cut off he was carried captiue to Lipara that so longe as Honorius and Valentinian liued the Maiestie of the Empire was defended by theire Leiftenants Constantius and Aëtius though theire Maisters were slacke and lasie Yet Valentinian raigned many yeares after Honorius The truth is that before that Alaricus had taken Rome but he gaue life to such as fled to Christian Churches and then led his armie from Rome with purpose to saile into Afrike and setle his abode there but eare longe he died After his desease Ataulphus his Kinsman returned to Rome with the Gothes resoluing to ouerthrow all there to build another citie to change the name of it call it Gothia but his wife Placidia the sister of Honorius
as much to other Bishops and might haue donne it to Preists also without any giueing of supremacie yet as the Popes were pleased to take the matter it gaue them power to doe After Hormisda came Iohn 1. Theodoric the Kinge sent him Ambassodor to Iustine to craue that the Arriā Bishops whome he had bainshed might be restored to theire places againe else the Catholike Bishops in Italie should expect the like at his hands Liber Fontif in Iohan. 1. which made Pope Iohn with teares to perswade the Emperour to condescend Here the Emperour still willing for a further ende to please the Pope did him some honour which yet as they take the matter gaue him power But it soe displeased Theodoric that at his retourne he clapt him in prison where he ended his life Platina Foelix the 4. succeeded and ruled 4. yeares He excomunicated Athanasius Patriarch of Constantinople for heresie he ordained that Christians before theire departure out of this life should be anointed with oyle This is theire Sacrament of extreme vnction instituted as ye see by him Whome Boniface the second succeeded though not without schisme for Dioscorus was competitor while he liued In his time Eulalius Bishop of Carthage submitted himselfe vnto the chaire of Rome whereupon Boniface tooke occasion of insolent insulting and that so far that he is not ashamed to write of Aurelius Bishop of Carthage Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo and of the rest of the Fathers which were present at the sixt Councell of Carthage that they through the instigation of the deuill in the time of our Predecessours Boniface and Celestine began to exalt themselues against the Church of Rome But Eulalius saith he now Bishop of Carthage seeing himselfe through the sinne of Aurelius to stand seperated from the communion of the Roman Church hath repented him thereof intreating to be receiued c. This indeede gaue them greate power to doe as they insolently tooke it Iohn the second succeeded whenas the Emperour Iustinian beeing newly come to the crowne that he might please the Pope and get freinds in Italie sent to him to assure him of his true faith Baronius here obserueth that in his Epistle he saith in this manner Wee are all carefull to aduertise youre holinesse of all such things as concerne the estate of the Church wee indeauour to submit and to vnite vnto youre holinesse all the Bishops of the East Which words Pope Iohn laide hold on with both his hands in his answer to this letter where he telleth him that amonge other his vertues this was most eminent that he subiected all things to the See of Rome whereas the Emperour meant only to indeauour that the Hereticks of the East should submit to the faith and soe be vinted to Iohn and other Bishops that professed it Besides he and other Emperours had saide as much to the Patriarch of Constantinople and other Bishops Plesses myst Iniquit prog 17. as Mounseire du Plesses hath proued Yet thus the Gothes Kingdom rather furthered the Popes power then hindred it while in those times the Emperour to regaine Italie gaue him fairer words then otherwise he would haue donne Agapetus succeeded Iohn and was presently sent by Theodatus the Kinge to Iustinian to pacifie him for the slaughter of Amalasuntha his wife a fit commission for a Pope When he came a Councell was called at Constantinople wherein Anthimius the Patriarch thereof beeing an Eutichean Heretick was deposed And the truth is that Agapete beeing then at Constantinople presided in the Councell wherein Anthimius was deposed and Menas placed in his roome which as Popes would take it gaue them much power he died there And then Siluerius the Sonne of Hormisda somtime Bishop of Rome succeeded He gouerned when Iustinian sent Belisares to fight against Vitiges Theodora the Empresse sent to Siluerius desiring him to yeeld to the restoring of Anthimius and deposing of Menas Siluerius refused wherefore Theodora sent to Belisares to Banish Siluerius Baron vol. 7. an 538. art 20. and to appoint Vigilius Bishop of Rome who had promised to fulfill her desires which was donne accordingly Wherefore Baronius speaking of the entrie of Vigilius calleth him a theife a wolfe a false Bishop an Antichrist Yet soone after he calleth him the Vicar of Christ because he did not keepe promise in restoring Anthimius the Heretike But therefore as also for diuers greate crimes laide to his charge by the Romans Anastas in Vigilio he was apprehended led violently away the people persuing him with cursings and Stones He wast cast into prison at Constantinople and then deliuered againe While he was in the Citie the fift generall Councell was held there but he would not be present at it lest the dignity of the Roman chaire should be impaired if he sate there For first Menas Patriarch of Constantinople Bellar. lib. de concil c. 19. and after him Euticheus Bishop of the same See presided there Neither doth Bellarmine deme it So Nicephorus saith when Eutichius was by the Emperour put in the roome of Menas lately deceased Vigilius though agreeing with him in points of doctrine yet refused to sit by him Baron an 553. But yet Baronius obserueth that this Eutichius when he was chosen in the roome of Menas tendred the profession of his faith vnto Vigilius which though it were a thinge vsually practised amonge Bishops and Pelagius the next Pope did as much to the Bishops of Italie yet as Popes and Papists take the matter it gaue him power Thus wee see that in almost all the yeares of the Gothes Kingdom the Pope had power to doe and was seldom hindred but oft times furthered by it Pelagius the first who succeeded Vigilius had the worst time of it for a while because the Tirant Totilas then raged and triumphed in Rome which he vnpeopled for 40. dayes but he was soone vanquished and therefore the time of the Beasts doeing was litle hindred by them and consequently he must needes be verrie neere his ende may expire within 10. or 12. yeares at least within lesse then 16. or 20. yeares from this present or soone after yea though his time of doeing began not till the dayes of Syricius or Innocent because the yeares may be Egyptian yeares as some haue thought probable Howsoeuer though he may endure to doe a litle longer as some thinke yet it doth not follow that Rome shall stand soe longe seeing it is in a manner cleare by the holy Scriptures that he shall suruiue her destruction Reu. 16. For after the fifth Angell hah powred his viall on the throne or seate of the Beast and thereupon his Kingdom waxeth darke by which deede as some thinke may be meant the destruction of Rome seeing that is the throne or seate and by her ruin his Kingdom must of necessity waxe darke because it doth most of all consist off and rest on the supposed chaire of Peter to remaine therefor euer and a
fond presumption that the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against that Church or Citie to roote it out after theese things wee see the Beast suruiuing and after the pouring out of the sixth viall the Beast sendeth to gather the Kings Reu. 18.9 and they are gathered but when the Citie should be burned they stand afarre off for feare of her torment lamenting her ruin therefore they are not then gathered when the Citie is beseiged but afterwards Chap. 19. when they are gathered together with the Beast to make warre with him that sate on the horse and against his armie Then they doe not stand afarre off but are gathered together and slaine and the fowles are filled with theire flesh This battaile therefore it seemes is after the racing of Babylon and therefore I thinke that no man can giue any probable reason why Rome should not expire within lesse then 10. yeares from this present yeare 1629. saue this only that as yet he seeth not those Kings in armes and sincerely endeauoring to doe it that should burne her Here also hath beene some mistaking aboute the hornes that shall destroy her which some thinke to be tenne succeeding Emperours and they take Charles the 5. to be the first of theese But besides other good reasons that might be alleadged to the contrarie the present Emperours zeale to maintaine the Popish cause sheweth this to be absurd Much better therefore doe they expound who take theese hornes to be all Christians Kings free Princes and States and that a certaine number is put for an vncertaine For indeede this Beast hath vpon his tenne hornes tenne feuerall Crownes not one Crowne but tenne to shew that they are so many or at least a number of heads of seuerall Kingdoms and States whereas the other Beast Reu. 12. which is the Ethnick Romane Empire though it hath seauen Crownes on the seauen heads to shew that those were seauen seuerall succeeding formes of gouernment of which the Emperours were one yet that beast hath not tenne crownes one his hornes because those tenne hornes were the tenne persecutors all Emperours or Kings of one Kingdom haueing but one Crowne as the hornes of the Beast in Daniel also were Dan. 7.22 of which Antiochus Epiphanes was the litle horne Which things if they be well marked proue that the hornes of the Popish beast were not at first 10. succeeding Emperours who raised Romes Pope to his glorie that the hornes that shall hate and burne her are not 10. succeeding Emperours but diuers Kings free Princes and States that shall at one and the same time doe it Neither let any man thinke that Rome can not be shortly destroyed because many Kings free Princes and States are yet obedient to the Pope and Church of Rome For noe man can proue that all the hornes of the Beast shall hate the whore or that all Christian Kings shall fight against her yea it is in a manner certaine that some of them shall continue with the Beast whore till the ende of the warre For whē she should be burned wee see some Kings standing afarre off and weeping ouer her although they doe not help her for seare of her tormēt as also that after this the Beast gathereth hath diuers Kings on his side when he is taken destroied theese without doubt are his freinds and helpers and by consequence may be some of the hornes therefore though noe other King or Kingdō should be conuerted yet Rome may be destroied by those vvho already hate her Neither should the Saints feare the rest seeing the Scriptures shevv that they shall stand afarre of for feare and not helpe her Which doe not thinke to be vvritten as if I said that no other Kinge State or Kingdom shall be conuerted and soe brought to fight against her but only those vvho are already Protestants For though God doe commonly for his greater glorie performe greate vvorkes by small meanes and ouerthrovv the greatest enemies by a smaller povver then they themselues are and that to some such ende he hath seemed to take away from the Protestant power as he did from Gedeons armie to shew what he cā doe by a few whē our strength seemes to be brought to a low ebbe and that it is therefore likely that he will also doe so in this destruction of Rome and Antichrist yea though now for theese many yeares noe King State or whole Nation haue yealded to be conuerted by the Word and that therfore there is small hope of any vnles peraduenture of Venice seeing they haue so longe withstood the Word yet it may please God to make any yea that one of the Kings that shall doe this may be the Emperour then liueing and that one of them may be the Angell of the throne yet to say for certaine that he or other Kings and States shall be conuerted and shall ioyne therein or that this or that Prince shall doe this thinge sauours to much of presumption seeing the Scriptures doe not name the perticular Kingdoms nor any perticular man as of old Iosias in a like case 1. King 13. therfore till theire owne inclinatiō or the euent shew this thinge noe mā can say this Prince is that fift Angell that other he that standeth in the Sunne viz. in the light and confidence of the Truth There haue beene some other mistakings which some haue caused by applying those things of Daniel chap. 2.43.44 chap. 7.8.9 c. and espetially chap. 11.36 to the ende and chap. 12. to the times of Antichrist or of the Turkish Empire those that should suffer vnder them which indeede as * M. Broughton and Doc. Willet on Daniel others proue doe note out the times of Antiochus Epiphanes those that followed soone after him whose acts and times as in a manner all confesse are described chap. 11. ver 21. to 36. and indeede the Prophesie of the things that he should doe is certainly continued there as may thus be proued I. The Angell had there told Daniel of the miseries which the Iewes should suffer vnder Antiochus Epiphanes Dan. 10.14 chap. 11.31 chap. 12.6 who should take away the daily Sacrifice and set vp the abhomination c. And question is made saying How longe shall it be to the ende of theese wonders thē the time when all theese things should be fulfilled is expressed chap. 12.11 ver 11. From the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away and the abhomination set vp the dayes are summed to 1290. that is three yeares 7. monethes aboute 13. dayes therefore theese things could belonge to noe other time much lesse to a time soe farre off as that of the Pope or Turke II. The word Hamelech chap. 11.36 this Kinge hath reference to the former Historie and the article ha is a note of demonstration pointing out the Kinge before spoken of Neither is there any likelihood that the Angel chap. 10.14 who
ROMES RVIN OR A TREATISE Of the certaine Destruction of Rome and of Antichrist before the ende of the World WHEREIN IS CLEERELY Manifested out of the Holy Scriptures Conferred with the Historie of the Papacie that he hath but a short time A worke published to strengthen the faith of such as suffer vnder him By J. P. PSAL. 137.8 O Daughter of Babylon who art to be destroyed Happie shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast serued vs. Printed M.DC.XXIX To the Christian Reader IT hath neuer beene any part of my intent Christian Reader in the writing or publishing of this litle Treatise to take on me after the manner of some precisely to finde out and peremptorily to set downe the verrie yeare wherein Rome or Antichrist shall be destroyed or to name the verrie Prince or Kingdom whose Kinge shall be Generall at the Seidge and ruin of that Babylon the worke it selfe will both quit me of such fond presumptions and witnesse that my aime herein is not to get a vaine glorious name of knowledge in such mysteries nor to fill the world with stronge delusions opinions and expectations of improbable alterations but rather for the honour of Almightie God now in theese wauering and fainting times wherein mens hearts faile them for feare that the preuailing aduersaries will subdue all to Romish obedience to winne men to an assured confidence in his promised meraies of deliuerance and what they can to serue and waite on his almightie power and prouidence with such iust meanes as he hath appointed therevnto espetially now when they shall see it manifested by those vndeniable testimonies the prophesies of holy Scripture and Histories of the Papacie answering them that Romes Ruin must needes be approching and can not choose but fall out within a few yeares of this present which is sufficient for me to haue manifested As for those who professe themselues Protestants and yet in theese dangerous times are so far from affecting or approuing such knowledge that on the contrarie they doubt whether it be lawfull and proffitable to looke into theese Prophesies for the time and meanes of deliuerance and ouerthrow of the aduersaries whether such looking be not rather curiosity folly presumption whether courses of iustice and warres vndertaken for the defence of the Gospell and ouerthrow of Poperie and the Supporters thereof be lawfull or necessary whether a peace with them all is not much rather to be wished and whether it be not much better that Protestants Papists should first ioyne together against theire coÌ„mon enemie the Turke In theese and the like scruples such as are not partiall and obstinate may by a thorow reading of this small booke receiue compotent satisfaction In the meane time I answer noe more heere to theire suggestions then this 1. That noe man can more detest then I doe all warres vndertaken for desire of spoile territories Empire all not worth the life blood of one ChristiaÌ„ knowing that the miseries that euer follow theÌ„ are great lamentable that peace mercie can neuer be sufficiently admired extended but not toward Amalek or Romish Babel and her Champions because theire destructions are coÌ„maunded in holy Scriptures and he is counted happie that shall serue her as she hath serued others 2. That it was lawfull proffitable and comfortable for the children of Israel in the time of the captiuity Dan. 9.2 to looke as Daniel did after the time and meanes of deliuerance espetially when the seauentie yeares were almost out to looke also into the Prophesie of Daniel for the last period of those seuerall Beasts hornes mentioned Dan. 7. chap. 8. espetially for deliuerance from Antiochus Epiphanes that litle horne chap. 8.9 for the time and ende of the desolation he causeth expresly noted vers 13.14 and for the comming and saluation of Christ and other occurreÌ„ts signified in those propheticall weekes of Daniel chap. 9. Euen as old Simeon waited for the consolatioÌ„ of Israel Luk. 2. Mark 15.43 and Ioseph of Arimathea is saide to haue waited for the Kingdom of God and that therefore it is as lawfull now for all true Christians beholding the desolations that Antichrist and his Adherents make to looke into the prophesies of holy Scripture for the time and meanes of the deliuerance there promised espetially seeing that when Rome the cause of theese miseries is destroied Reu. 19. it is saide Alleluia for the Lord God omnipotent raigneth whereas before that she raigned in matters of faith and saluation Reu. 17.18 and ouer the Kings of the earth But then Gods Kingdom commeth this wee are taught to pray for and commaunded to * Mat. 6.33 seeke And therefore when after the writing of this small booke I had kept it a longe time without imparting the sight of it to any man I thought I could now doe noe lesse then publish it with some few additions and that indeede that such as see the miseries of the Church and seeke to redresse them may striue to doe it by that right meanes which God hath prescribed and not by any contrarie to that which God that changeth not hath in his Holy Word reuealed to be the only sure remedie and that by which he hath determined to redeeme his Church from Antichristian persecution bondage and subâ—ection ROMES RVIN OR A Treatise of the certaine destruction of Rome and of Antichrist before the ende of the VVorld TO say nothing of theire opinions in this point who are either Popish or newters or lukewarm or temporisers or worldlings or which are afraid of the Popish armies because euery wise man will easely conceiue that theire verdict in this matter must needes be partiall as proceeding from sinister respects or theire owne perticular interests I readily acknowledge that there are many godly and learned men greately seene in the Scriptures who yet are soe daily excercised in the finding of the meaning of those other places of Scripture which teach other points necessary to saluatioÌ„ that they finde litle leisure to looke on such as declare things concerning Antichrist or his ouerthrow I may not say that it is because they care litle to vnderstand the truth of God in theese points for I must leaue that to God who knowes the secrets of all hearts Neuerthelesse if any of them who haue a good vnderstanding be soe careles herein they may know that it is a fault seeing the holy Ghost saith concerning the Reuelation wherein theese things are declared Blessed is he that readeth Renel 1.3 and they that heare the words of this prophesie keepe those things which are written therein for the time is at hand And againe Chap. 22.10 Seale not the sayings of the prophesie of this booke for the time is at hand viz. when theese things should be fulfilled Whereby God warneth all men to looke narrowly into this booke that they may thereby know the Dragon Beast and whore and such euils as accompany them
he should impose what law he list He knew well enough that it made him noe more then a Patriarch that other Patriarchs and Archbishops were his brethren and that euery Bishop had neuerthelesse a free voice as well as he Neither did he now expound it that this canon gaue him this priueleidge as to a Superiour to whome such homage was due therefore Iulius bad not this power to doe Damasus as I shewed seemeth to haue beene the first that tooke it in that proud sense and yet not verrie plainely but somwhat tacitely in words of doubtfull signification as ye saw After him Siricius and Innocent were more plaine as I shewed And soe indeede he rose out of that Sea of Nice by forging one canon and wresting another a weake foundation for so mightie a building yet such and noe other was the foundation of this Kingdom And thus indeede one Canon of Nice gaue him power to doe yet not as the Councell meant it but as he in time tooke it And so he had it but not before the time of Damasus or Syricius For Iulius as ye see had not so much power giuen him and Liberius his next Successour must needes haue lesse Baron Vol. 4. Anno 365. art 1.2.3.4.5 c. seeing he was conuicted of Arianisme as after all excuses Baronius is forced to confesse beholding many proofes thereof And if saith he there were noe other proofe his owne Letters are sufficient to put it out of question And indeede he wrote to the Bishops of the East on this manner Epist Liberij ad Oriental apud Hilar. in Fragment I cast of Athanasius from our communion not daining so much as to receiue his Letters I maintaine peace with you embracing the confession of the Sirmian Councell Which was all one as if he had in expresse words renounced the Councell of Nice and therefore He could haue noe power by it nor indeede by that of Sardica which had giuen more to Iulius because that had confirmed the Nicene faith to which this of Sirmium was opposit Yet heere by the way wee may see what greate inconuenience would follow if either of those Councels of Nice or Sardica must needes be in that point of force vnto all ages for while Liberius ratifieth the sentence against Athanasius and confirmeth the Councell of Sirmium if the Councels of Nice and Sardica giue the Pope this absolute power of confirming or abrogating Councels then they make this act of Liberius lawfull and thereby vtterly ouerthrow themselues and theire owne faith and confession which was contrarie but the Papists will confesse that the Councels of Nice and Sardica doe not make this act of Liberius lawfull vvhich to confesse is as much as if they acknowledged that those Councels did not giue absolute power to the Pope to confirme or abrogate the Decrees of Councels Howsoeuer ye see Liberius could not well haue this power to doe But then after him came Damasus and he indeede was a man of more respect learned and of such good parts as couered his ambition so that some could not see it and others were perhaps content to winke at it he therefore after a while might the better chalenge some Priueleidge from that Canon of Nice And noe doubt but that the words of Hosius vttered not longe before his time in the Councell of Sardica vvhereof they so much boast did now further him in his desired power The words of the Canon are theese Hosius the Bishop saide if any Bishop be condemned in any cause if the partie condemned thinke he haue iust cause not to stand to the sentence if it please you let vs yeeld this honour to S. Peter Let the matter be signified by Letter to Iulius Bishop of Rome to the ende that he with other Bishops of the Dioces may enter againe into the knowledge of the cause Now obserue here 1. That it was Hosius that proposed it and he proposed it as a new antidote against a poysen considering that the Bishops of the East were for the greater part at that time infected with Arianisme restraining it to the person of Iulius and would noe doubt haue donne otherwise in the person of Liberius Successor vnto Iulius and a professed Arrian notvvithstanding the pretended Chaire of Saint Peter 2. Note theese words If it please you let vs honour the memorie of S. Peter for had this beene an auncient right should he not rather haue saide Let vs obserue the commandement of the Lord or the auncient order of the Church or the Canon of Nice vvhereby it is ordained that men might appeale to Rome 3. Is it reason that a Canon of a Nationall Councell should conclude and binde the Church in generall 4. This Canon so made and neuer practised was in expresse termes reuoked in the generall Councell of Constantinople Can. 3. and in that of Chalcedon Can. 8. This was the first that seemed to giue him any greate power but this as ye see vvas not absolute yet hence he tooke such occasion of rising that some haue thought that he did rise out of it But that vvee may finde the truth hereof obserue Doctrines are in holy Scriptures called waters vvhereof some vvaters are cleane Ezech. 47.1 Ioel 3.18 Zach. 14.8 Reu. 15.2 some corrupted Reu. 8.10.11 chap. 16.3.4 some not corrupt of themselues but partly made so by reason of somwhat cast into them so was it vvith that Sea into vvhich the burning mountaine was cast Reuel 8.8 and the third part of the Sea became blood and out of that Sea the Beast arose Reuel 13. Now that vvce may know vvhat that Sea is obserue The Sea is the place vvhere waters are gathered and meete together Riuers and Fountaines runne into the Sea and emptie themselues there Novv Riuers and Fountaines doe signifie the Doctors and Teachers from vvhome the doctrines that is the waters flovv Reu. 8.10 So vvhen the third Angell sounded a greate starre fell from Heauen and it fell vpon the third part of the Riuers and Fountaines of waters this greate Starre vvas Constantius the Emperour vvho fell into the Arrian Heresie and he fell vpon part of the Riuers and Fountaines viz. Bishops and Teachers vvho vvere corrupted by him some by persvvasion and smoth deuices but most by force and persecution By vvhich meanes many vvere corrupted amonge others Pope Liberius himselfe The third viall is povvred on such corrupt riuers Fountaines as are defiled vvith the filth of Babylon Reu. 16.4 and come from the mouth of the Beast and false Prophet Novv the place vvhere such riuers and Fountaines meere and empty themselues must needes be a Sea this is in Councels vvhose doctrines and canons are therefore called the Sea Vers 3. Therefore vvhen the second Angel poured out his vial on the Sea this vvas on an assembly or Councell of Antichristian doctors and on theire vvaters or doctrines vvhich he manifesteth to be corrupt and perintious this was on the Councell of
with perswasions diuerted him and the Gothes then departed and addressed themselues toward France and Spaine Soe that it seemes the deadly wound was not yet giuen nor the Popes power of doeing taken short by them For indeede Zozimus Boniface Celestine tooke much on them in this time And the Emperour Valentinian who raigned longe after that in the west couenanted with the Vandals assigned them bounds in Afrike to dwell in And soe in his time Sixtus succeeded Celestine in the papacie and ruled 8. yeares free enough from this wound and after him Leo was in quiet enough for a longe time but in his dayes indeede Attilas King of the Hunnes inuaded Rome and so did Gensericus Kinge of the Vandals shortly after but Leo by his eloquence redeemed Rome from fire when both Attilas and Gensericus would haue burned it The later was neere aboute the yeare 450 and it hath beene thought a terrible blow but it seemed the deadly wound was not yet giuen till the time of Odoacer and Theodoricus For Gensericus departed into Afrike and the Popes after this had but too much power as wee shall see by and by Odoacer indeede inuaded it tooke it and besides the greatest part of Italie slew Orestes Anno 472. and compelled his Sonne Augustulus to denude himselfe of Imperiall honours whereby the westerne Empire of Rome was for a time extinct Baron Vol. 6. an 476. art 1.2.3 while that Odoacer now raigned there Yet as Baronius and others shew he did not molest the Pope Clergie Theodoricus killed him raigned alone in Italie for many yeares But eare longe after his death the Gothes were beaten out of Rome by Belisares and Narses Some perhaps will thinke that the deadly blow vvas not giuen till the time of Totilas after Belisares had recouered Rome because Totilas tooke it againe aboute the yeare 547. And this vvas indeede the most fearefull desolation that euer it had in so much that this Kinge vvas called Flagellum Dei that is the scourge of God He cast dovvne part of the vvalls burned the hovvses killed the Citizens so that neither man nor vvoman remained therein for 40. dayes I ansvver if this vvere the vvound it lasted not for he vvas soone vanquished by Narses And if the vvound vvere before in the time of Odoacer or Theodoricus or sooner yet the matter is not to see hovv longe the vvound lasted vnhealed but vvhether it hindred the Popes povver of doeing for all that time Wee haue seene already to Leo vvho ruled 21. yeares indeede tooke much on him as appeared to the Councell of Chalcedon but the Papists are ready enough to boast and shevv you vvhat greate povver he had to doe After him Hilarius continued 7. yeares Simplicius succeeded continued 15. yeares What power theese had may appeare by theire Successour vvho liued in a more dangerous time This vvas Foelix the III. vvho continued neere 9. yeares He gouerned the Church of Rome in the time of the Emperour Zeno vvhen Odoacer and Theodoricus contended for the Superioritie of Italie He vvas nothing inferiour to his Antecessors in zeale to aduance the Supremacie of the Roman Chaire For he was so bold as to excomunicate Acatius Patriarch of Constantinople because when Petrus Moggus gaue testimonie of his repentance and the recantation of his errour Acatius absolued him and did not craue the aduise of Foelix when he receiued him like as he craued his aduise before when he excomunicated him though now there was lesse neede while Moggus testified his repentance and recantation And herevpon Gelasius Gelas in Epis ad Dardanos who succeeded Foelix grew so insolent as to depriue Constantinople of the right of Patriarchship and to pronounce that the See of Rome might without a Synod of himselfe either absolue those whome a Synod had wrongfully condemned or condemne such as had deserued it and so setteth vp his See aboue all Councells And againe The Canon Ibid. saith he hath ordained that all Churches ought to appeale to this See and from this See to none because this See iudgeth of all Churches and noe Church of it as beeing without spot or wrinkle Yet as God iustly permitted after this vaine boasting his next Successor Anastatius had secret communion with the Accatian Hereticks Liber pontif as the Pontificall booke sheweth adding That therefore many Preists and others of the Clergie withdrew themselues from his communion c. Symachus succeeded though not by full or plaine election for many held for Laurence and each Faction kept quarter apart till some beeing wiser thē some the matter was referred to Theodorik the King who preferred Symachus and yet 4. yeares after Laurence was called home againe the Factiōs fell fairely to blowes wherein were infinite spoiles and murders committed Paulus Diacō lib. 15. Nicephor lib. 16. c. 35. as Paulus Diaconus and Nicephorus shew After Symachus succeeded Hormisda who would loose noe time If we may beleeue his Epistles he made diuers Bishops his Vicars in sundrie Prouinces of the West as Auitus Bishop of Vienna in the Prouince of Narbona Iohn of Arragon in Spanie on this side the riuer Betis and on the otherside Salust Bishop of Seuill Theese Bishops desiring precedencie and superioritie accepted of this title and soe gaue the Pope much power to doe in those times at least by his Substitutes And indeede howsoeuer some thinke that the Gothes Kingdom tooke away or hindred the Popes power of doeing as it might seeme at some times for a litle while Yet to say truth for the most part it furthered and increased it For the Emperours power was now bounded in the East and yet to recouer authority in the West they thought fit to hold intelligence with the Popes of Rome and to make faire wether with them by theire meanes to finde a doore open into Italie And therefore whereas diuers Emperours had fauoured some herecies which the Popes had opposed Iustine the Emperour to be more pleasing to the Pope was contented to send to consult with him vpon certaine points of faith which though it were no verrie greate matter seeing diuers Emperours haue donne as much with some Preists and Monkes that haue beene famous for learning iudgement and integritie as Charles the greate with Bertram a Preist aboute transubstantiation Yet the Popes ye may be sure would in time make greate matters of theese presidents Wherefore Baronius maketh much of a certaine sentence taken out of a letter which Iustine wrote to Hormisda Baron vol. 7 an 519. art 98. which sentence he causeth to be printed in greate letters Wee beleeue and hold for Catholike that which was intimated to vs by youre religious answer Soe dangerous it is to deale fairely with theese men For Baronius thinks he hath gotten a greate ground of Supremacie in that the Emperour Iustine and after him Iustinian sent vnto the Popes a confession of theire faith which though they often did
came now to make him vnderstand what should befall the Iewes chap. 11.2 and to tell him the truth of the visions would so sodainly and at once make such a large step as is from the time of Antiochus Epiphanes to Antichrist or the Turke and that without telling Daniel that now he would shew him another Kinge and Kingdom which seeing he did not here as he had donne concerning all the former * See vers 2.3.4.5.6.7.10 Kings and Kingdoms both here and also chap. 8.20 it is plaine that he speakes of the same Kinge and Kingdom and so indeede whereas he had spoken before of the Kings of the North and South vers 6.7 c. viz. Syria and Egypt in theire seuerall successions and came at last to Antiochus Epiphanes Kinge of the North and his acts both against the Kinge of the South and also against the Iewes he there without intermission or variation continueth speaking of them vnder the same titles vers 40. which is an infallible argument that he continueth speaking of the same Kinge Kingdoms and times III. The sequell of the Storie answereth to the Prophesie for Antiochus did all this as * See D. Willet on Daniel many haue proued out of the Maccabes and other Histories Neither let any man thinke that Antichrist can not be destroied till Christ come to iudgement and that therefore it will be in vaine to beare armes against him and his Supporters in theese times For if it could be so that he should stand till then yet noe man can be sure that the day is farre off or at hand But it is manifest by the Scriptures that those words of Saint Paul 2. Thes 2. Whome the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightnes of his comming Reu. 19.14.15.17 c. vers 20.21 chap. 2.16 must needes be meant of that comming when the armies follow him Reuel 19. For then Antichrist is destroyed and then also Christ fighteth with the Spirit or sword of his mouth So he saide of Pergamos and the false Teachers in her Repent or else I will come vnto thee quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth Isa 59.19.20 Rom. 11.26 And so the deliuerer shall come to Sion as Isaiah shewes It is most manifest therefore I say that Saint Paul meaneth such a bright comming against Antichrist both with the Word and with the swords of Princes and that he shall be wholly destroyed as also that after his destruction the Nations Gog and Magog shall fight with the Saints Reu. 20.9 and that before the day of iudgement For the day of iudgement shall come as a theife in the night and noe man can know before when it shall be Reu. 19.17 but when the Angell standing in the Sunne hath called many to the certaine destruction of Antichrist and his Supporters euen to eate the flesh of Kings and the flesh of Captaines c. and at the same time Antichrist hath also called many to fight in his defence Antichrist is taken and destroyed but if the World should then haue an ende then all who are called to this Battaile at least all that come against him might know the day of iudgement for they are called to the certaine destruction of him and his to cate the flesh of Kings c. but the whole World can not haue so sure and vissible a signe of the ending of the World seeing the Scriptures are contrarie herevnto and shew that after this another battaile is fought with Gog and Magog and therefore the World can not then ende The like might also be saide when afterwards the Nations Gog Magog are gathered together in battaile against the Saints Reu. 20.7 if the world were to ende with that battaile the Saints that meete there might know it before But this they doe not know therefore the world is not to ende at that time Yet how soone after that it shall ende God only knoweth It seemes that as the Isralites soone forgate his wonders in Egypt so will those that suruiue theese two battailes and then they beeing in security the day will take them or theire posteritie as a theife in the night Soe that theese obiections doe not hinder but that all theese things may shortly be fulfilled espetially Romes Ruin Gen. 6.3 Wee must not thinke that Gods Spirit will alwaies striue with that Church noe more then he did with the old world to whome he gaue 120. yeares time of repentance when once the longe suffering of God waited while the Arke was preparing in the dayes of Noah 1. Pet. 3. a preacher of righteousnes and so indeede God hath now giuē Rome well neere the like time since the preaching of Luther an 1517. wherein God by him and others would haue cured Babel but she would not Therefore when his longe suffering hath a like time waited and they repent not to giue him glorie her Ruin must needes approach and follow And indeede the warres and other troubles that are already begun amonge many nations shew that theese things are at hand and namely that ere longe Rome the greatest cause of them shall be destroied The blood of the Saints shed in theese warres cries to heauen for speedie vengeance on Pope Turke but espetially and first of all on Rome as the cause of all For she deuided the Empire into East west and so made way for the Turke to enter by that diuision and was therein the cause of all the slaughters which since haue beene made by Turkes vpon Christians It would aske to much time to reckō vp all the warres that she hath caused and the blood that she hath otherwise shed in former times To say nothing of the execrable practises of the bloodie inquisition if wee only looke on the warres of Christendom in theese times wee may finde that she hath beene the increaser if not the prouoker and so beginner of them all Call to minde vvhat her instruments the Iesuits and Preists made the Emperour doe against the Bohemians to make them reuolt and soe to breede all those vvarres there in the Palatinate to the cruell martyrdom of many thousands of Protestants all still by the animation encouragemēt of the Pope and Romish Clergie See what troubles and slaughters they haue raised in Garmanie France and the Low countries and how easie will it be to finde her guiltie of all the blood that hath of late beene shed in all theese places and that therefore she is like to be as dangerous to all that suruiue if to preuent it she be not the sooner destroyed as it is written Reu. 17.6 The Woman was drunken with the blood of the Saints and of the Martyrs of Iesus * chap. 18.24 In her was found the blood of the Saints and of all that were slaine vpon earth And indeede they are still so fierce in persuite of
they were liuely types of Antichrist and his instruments and of his secret freinds that are false brethren in other Churches and States Now therefore if any man thinke that Papists are more sincere in theire pretences to ProtestaÌ„ts let him remember what doctrine the Councell of Constance left them fidem Haereticis non seruandam yea let him reade Nauar. in Manual cap. 12. num 18. cap. 21. Sam. Aphor. tit de testibus and then tell me whether they thinke it lawfull to equiuocate and delude Hereticks with subtelties at least for the Catholick cause and how longe they are to be trusted I would he would iudge whome it most concerneth and espetially seeing God hath seemed to haue lately warned vs of such dangers I doe not meane so much by signes prodegies as by that which they haue donne to our brethren in other Kingdoms and prouinces Howsoeuer wee know that the Pope and his thinke and affirme * Symancha instit cathol cap. 45. num 13. Allan against the execution of Iustice c. 5. that warre vndertaken for the cause of religion is without controuersie lawdable and good x Thuan. hist lib. 42. ad ann 1585. lib. 62. and lib. 63. ad ann 1577. Symanch instit Cathol cap. 45. num 15. Platin in vita Greg 7. that peace is not te be made nor kept with Hereticks yea they say that the Pope hath right Imperia regna principatus quicquid habere mortales possunt auferre dare and that to whome he will as he saith and blasphemously he for this thinge abuseth that place Ier. 5.10 as Hadrian in an Epistle to the Archbishops of Treueire Mentz and Colen whence had the Emperour the Empire but from vs Behold the Empire is in our power to giue is to whome wee will For therefore are wee of God set ouer nations and Kingdoms to destroie to plucke vp to build and to plant What he and his beeing of the same body and opinion haue donne in theese times and daily goe aboute there is no neede to tell the matter it selfe declareth and that in many countries Such is theire industrie who as wee may well thinke will by theire tounges subtelties gifts hands and feete doe all things that they can for theire religion brethreÌ„ whome also wee know without commandement from God to endeauour with all possible labour night and day to venture theire verrie liues to proffit the Pope Church of Rome and to roote out the ProtestaÌ„ts although in all theese things they to theire euerlasting damnation profoundlie take the marke of the Beast in theire forheads and in theire hands And shall not wee then be content to goe forth for Christ and vnder Christ to doe as much as they while wee may both benefit the Church of Christ and secure our selues the voice saith of the whore sitting on many waters y Reu. 18. reward her as she hath rewarded you Behold then what they doe indeauour and then if thou beest a sincere Christian thou wilt say shall they doe theese things vnpunished theese things are all donne vndertaken not only out of coueteousnes or in a desire of rule but also for the Pope and Church of Romes sake yea for the Clergies sake and indeede by theire vncessant instigations but when the cause why they doe theese things shall be taken away theese will cease peace will ensue and Christ shall raigne alone in spirituall matters Wee knovv also that all things vvhich the Pope and his doe against vs for religion sake are verrie much against Christ as the Scriptures declare Wee may know also if vvee vvill how greate authority Christ hath giuen vnto his espetiallie vnto Kings and States to take from Rome and the Beast theire vvealth and not only to eate her flesh but also the flesh of her freinds Reuel 19.17 and that verrie iustly because many of our Brethren haue beene by them led captiue and slaine for as the Lord vvould haue the deedes of Ameleck remembred and recompensed Exod. 17.14 and 1. Sam. 15. so he saith concerning theese men Reu. 13.9.10 If any man haue an eare let him heare He that leadeth into captiuitie shall goe into captiuitie He that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword And therefore though they haue no auctoritie to take from the follovvers of Christ yet they vvhich are Christs ought to doe his commandements against those his enemies and vvhether theese things can be donne vvithout losse to any saue Rome only as also vvhether they that haue power should feare to doe his commandements and what it is to haue communion vvith so greate enemies the props of the Whore and Antichrist as 2. Corinth 6.14 Deuter. 7. vvhat it is to stand afarre off and not to fight vnder Christs Standart let any true Christian iudge seeing as a greate Prelate saide in a like case a Epise Winton Tortura Tort. in Epis Dedica This cause is of that kinde wherein when a man gathereth not with Christ he scatereth with Christs aduersarie where vnlesse one deliuer the faith neither shall he deliuer his Soule Also Now when the common cause is brought into danger let noe man be a spectatour but euerie one an actour and where the cause of all men is handled there with all power and labour with all studdie and indeauour to skirmish stoutly for it And herein in what low state soeuer a man be yet let him be a Christian. The cause of religion is in danger and if they that professe the same religion helpe not what religion the while is there in them The name Religion commeth of a word that signifieth to binde and it is a spirituall bond whereby the men of each profession are bound one vnto another and knit fast together in faith and loue as one body In the true religion they are knit together vnder Christ and are both bound vnto him theire head and also vnto one another as true members of the same body Is any member then of Christs body in danger and will not all the rest helpe He that will not helpe is he a member doth he not cut himselfe off from the body if he stand like a newter when Iabesh Gilead was in danger and the enemie sought b 1. Sam. 11.2.7 to lay it for a reproch vpon all Israell the feare of the Lord fell on the people and they came out as one man as one body euery man shewed himselfe a true member there vvas true Religion As therefore Christ counted himselfe touched vvhen his members vvere touched Act. 9.4 so ought it to be amonge the members of his body vvho vvhen one is in danger should all make it theire ovvne case and helpe vvhat they can c Iam. 1.27 Pure religion and vndefiled before God is this to helpe the distressed in theire affliction True Protestants are novv the Isâ—aell of God the diuers Nations are but as the seuerall tribes they should be all knit
Antichrist they both make them thinke it is feare of theire strength and also so puffe them vp with conceite thereof that as time serues they will be the more desirous of warre and all occasions thereof Yea it causeth that while such a peace lasteth they will not cease to encroach demaund and obtaine either by flatteries or threats till they may by peace get more to themselues and theire religion then they could haue donne by warre Nor is it likely that such will longer hold it then theire aduantage increaseth therein Neither is it alwaies sufficient before God to say wee desire peace espetiallie where it is quarrell enough against thē that they haue the marke of the Beast are the Souldiers of Antichrist and members of the greate whore whose destruction is commanded For as a famous Diuine saith B. Hall Contemp on the Gibeonites He that calls himselfe the God of peace proclaims himselfe the God of hosts and not to fight where he hath commanded is to breake the peace with God whiles wee nourish it with men And who euer got by angring him to please others or by loosing his fauour to get the momentarie and vncertaine freindship of others vncertaine I call it because God that hath iniurie thereby may therefore suffer it to be turned into deceite hatred and greater damage That which men doe vniustly to preuent an euill though it seeme greate polecie is by Gods iust iudgement often turned into a cause that bringes the same euill vpon them as appeareth Gen. 11.4 Isa 30.1.2.3 Ioh. 11.48 I know that in many places causes times that place may verrie well be alleadged If it be possible as much as in you lieth Rom. 12.8 liue peaceably with all men But when God would that the whore should be burned and that the seauen Angels haue begunne to powre out theire vials full of the wrath of God yea when theese things are alreadie in theire progresse who is there who if he be a true Protestant and Seruant of Christ will say that this or the like place is congruently alleadged betweene free Princes of so contrarie Religions to hearken is at that time better then sacrifice and Christ to be heard Mat. 16.24.25.26 Ioh. 12. If any man serue me Ioh. 12.25.26 let him follow me and where I am there shall also my Seruant be If in warre then with him if in peace then with him When diuers Kingdomes forsooke the Beast and whore to follow the Word it was saide The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. Reu. 11. Since that time Christ and they that follow him haue continually skirmished against Antichrist and his followers and should continue so doeing till Rome and Antichrist should be destroyed as is shewed Reuel 14. chap. 15. chap. 16. c. And will Princes and States then that are his Leiftenants suffer the Beast and his to recouer or spoile any of theese Kingdoms either by force or fraude surely if they doe those Princes will condemne them who with all theire might defend and extend the dominion of Antichrist and so will they also who at the Popes becke led greate Armies to recouer Palestina and that though God in Scripture require no such thinge but rather shewes that it shall lie vnder the curse till the restauration of the Iewes Reu. 11.15 whereas he saith the contrarie of theese Kingdoms And yet the Iesuits Preists and other Papists goe aboute with the firebrands of errour and sedition that like Sampsons foxes they may at least spoile theese vines garnaries which are Gods and not as his foxes did the enemies Now they that are in authority may know if they will that Christ our d Can. 8.11 Salomon had a vineard he let it out vnto keepers and that therefore they should thinke of that e chap. 2.15 Take vs the foxes the litle foxes that spoile the vines Espetially seeing theire cunning Preists are such as the wonderworking dreamer and false Prophet of whome God saith f Deut. 13.8.9 and chap. 17.7 Thou shalt not consent vnto him nor hearken vnto him neither shall thine eye pitie him neither shalt thou conceale him But thou shalt surely kill him g Num. 25.16 Vexe the Madianites and smite them for they trouble you with theire wiles h Gal. 5.12 I would they were cut off that trouble you For theese indeede are the riuers and fountaines through which the waters of errour which come from the Romish Sea are conueied into euery corner of the Land to the destruction of Soules Theese fountaines and riuers are also as it were the dougs by which that Sea is nourished as they by it And indeede theese are they that venture to conuey floods of those waters of errour and treason into those Lands where Poperie is thrust out hopeing thereby to bringe people backe from the obedience of theire Princes and indeede of Christ himselfe vnto the obedience of the Pope theire Maister For which they haue beene iustly punished with death as is signified Reu. 16. The third Angel powred out his viall vpon the riuers and fountaines of waters and they became blood Which viall was indeede powred out aboute the yeare 1581. when in England it was ordained by publick authoritie that all they that should indeauour by any meanes to draw the mindes of the subiects from theire obedience toward theire lawfull and naturall Prince to the Pope or for that purpose should draw them to theire religion should be put to death as traitors the good example of which Edict was in some measure followed against the Iesuits in other Kingdoms And questionlesse this is that which is signified by that viall For indeede herein the Lord gaue them blood to drinke because they that brought theese waters of Rome brought them with the danger of theire liues and therefore they were not only turned to blood to those that sent them nor only to blood in themselues beeing apprehended but also if they escaped a while to conuey them they were also turned into blood to those that receiued them as Dauid saide of the water of Bethlehem which the three mightie men fetched him through the host of the Philistines 2. Sam. 23.17 is not this the blood of the men that went in Ieopardie of theire liues Thus the righteous God gaue the Preists and Iesuits blood to drinke who as wee know haue caused many good Christians to be killed by the Inquisition and by animating Popish Princes to make warre against Protestants This is that therefore vvhich the Angell of the waters saith there Thou art righteous ô LORD which art and wast and shall be because thou hast iudged thus for they haue shed the blood of Saints and Prophets and thou hast giuen them blood to drinke for they are worthy If Gods Word say they be worthy vvhat Christian vvill pleade for them that such lavves should not be executed on them Will they doe