the description also of this beast here is almost the same with that which is expressed in the 17 chap. of this Book I ask then what kingdome or Empire can be understood in this place Surely he that will say that this beast here and the beast in the 17 chap. do signifie any other kingdom beside Rome must produce some other great Empire to whom the seaven heads and the other attributes there given unto it may be applied aswell as to the Roman which no man yet could ever do Let us therefore see the description of this mightie Empire comparatiue and wherein it doth agree or differ from that which is described by the Prophet Daniel and by this our Euangelist in the 17 ch The fourth Beast saith the Prophet comming out of the sea was fearfull and terrible and verie strong It had great Iron teeth it devoured and brake in peeces and stamped the residue under his feet it was unlike the other beasts for it had ten horns there came up among them another little horne before whom three of the first hornes were plucked away and in this horne were eyes like a man and a mouth speaking presumptuous things And this fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdome and shall be unlike to all kingdomes and shall devour the whole earth and tread it downe and breake it in peeces and the teene hornes out of this kingdome are ten kings and another shall arise after them and he shall be unlike the first and shall subdue three kings And shall speak words against the Most High and think that he may change times and lawes and they shall be given into his hands untill a time times and half a time But the judgment shal sit and they shall take away his dominion to consume and destroy it unto the end This is Daniels description of the fourth Monarchie Let us heare again how the Euangelist describeth it in the 13 chap. I saw a beast rising out of the sea having seuen heads Rev. 13. and ten hornes so Daniell and upon his hornes ten crownes upon his heads the names of blasphemie And the Beast which I saw was like a Leopard and his feete were as the feete of a Bear his mouth as the mouth of a lyon and the dragon gaue him his throne and great authoritie and I saw one of his heads as wounded to death but the deadly wound was healed and all the world wondred and followed the beast and they worshiped the dragon which gaue power to the beast saying Who is like to the beast who is able to make warre with him so Daniell it shall devour the whole earth c. And there was giuen unto him a mouth that spake great things blasphemies power was giuen him to continue 42 months And he opened his mouth in blasphemie against God to blaspheme his name his Tabernacle and them that dwelt in heauen And it was giuen unto him to make warre with the Saints and to overcome them and power was giuen him over everie kindred tongue and nation Therefore all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the booke of life of the lambe which was slayn from the beginning of the world In the 17 chap. of the Revelation it is thus The woman sate upon a scarlet beast full of names of blasphemie Rev. 17. which had seuen heads and ten hornes so in the former prophecies And the beast which thou hast seene was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pitte and shall goe into perdition And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world when they behold the beast that was and is not and yet is Here is the minde that hath wisdome The seuen heads are seuen mountains they are also seuen kings fiue are fallen one is another is not yet come and when he cometh he must continue a short space And the beast that was and is not is the eight is of the seuen and shall go into destruction And the ten hornes which thou sawest are ten kings which yet haue not receaved a kingdome but shall receaue power as kings at one houre with the beast These shall haue one minde and shall giue their power athoritie to the beast These shall fight with the Lamb and the Lambe shall overcome them the ten hornes shall hate the whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and shall burne her with fire They that be of indifferent Iudgment may see in that Prophecie of Daniell many things that cannot be applyed to Antiochus or to the kingdome of the Seleucidae Vide Brightmâ— in Dan. 11. As first the great power of this fourth kingdome which the Prophet setteth forth in more terrible dreadfull manner then any of the former But was the kingdome of the Seleucidae more terrible or more powerfull then the Assirian and Caldean the Median and Persian or the Grecian Monarchie was Antiochus any way comparable to Nabuchadnezzar Cyrus or Alexander Did he devour the whole earth Also this fourth kingdom shall think to make changes of times or lawes Dan. 7. c. did Antiochus so Besides by the words of Daniel it may seem that the fourth kingdom shall continue untill the finall judgment which cannot agree to the Seleucidans Letting therefore that opinion passe as a Iewish conceit approved by none of the ancient that I can finde Hieron in Daâ— but Porphyry some few of late that are too much addicted to the Rabbins I thinke there is litle doubt to be made but although some things may be applyed to Antiochus Hieron in Dan 2 4. Quartum regu perspic ue pertinet ad Rom. August Nich de Lyra. Antoninus Marsil Fic Sleidan Napier in Apoc. Abbat demonstr Antâ—chr Pâ—raeus Not. Geneven c yet this beast here signifieth the Roman Monarchie and the little horne signifieth Antichrist shadowed in some things by Antiochus And so I finde the opinion of the ancient and best interpreters Then to goe forward and see what points these two excellent and divine Prophets apply to the Roman Empire and wherein they agree or differ And truly to my understanding they seeme to agree in seuen points verie materiall 1. In the rising of this beast which both affirm to be out of the sea 2. In the name a Beast that is a Kingdom as the Angel expoundeth it not one King individuall although if he did say a King we may understand well enough the whole succession as where he saith Thou o King art that head of Gold 3. In the attribute which they give unto him Great strength and power unmatchable and unresistable 4. In his disposition most cruell and bloudy 5. In the instruments of his power Ten horns that is ten Kings 6. In his Warre against the saincts prevailing against them 7. In
shall ascend to his high exaltation of power and dignitie out of the same place from whence the Seauen headed Beast was raysed or to speak plainly it shall be exalted to the highest by the divell who gaue to the first Beast his power For this cannot be meant of his first rising because it is expressely sayd in the text that this beast was before And so it seemeth that all the difficulties may be cleared touching this seuenth Head which as it is evident in the Text is sometimes called the Beast And now for a breathing I desire to know whether any person monarchie or kingdome can be found in the world or whether any can be imagined to come hereafter to whom all these Prophesies can be so fitly applyed I come to the next remarkeable circumstance which is the ten crowned hornes That the Roman Empire as well in the time of their Consuls as of their Cesars had many kings at their commaund is evident by their Histories and I haue partly proved before But in this Revelation Probl. â— and specially in the 17 chap. there are divers singularities to be observed in the description of these hornes whereof in Daniell there is no mention First because it is said that at the time of this Revelation they had not received a a kingdome 2 But they shall receaue power at one hour with the beast 3. They are crowned 4. They haue one minde to giue their power and authoritie to the Beast 5. They shall fight against Christ 6. They shall be overcome by him 7. And then they shall hate the whore and make her desolate and naked shall eate her flesh and burne her with fire Not one of these things can be truly applyed to the kings that were under the ancient Roman Empire which are indeede spoken of by Daniel For they had receaved their kingdoms before and were not to expect it in time to come 2. They are not sayd to be crowned because perhaps they held their crowns but as tenants at sufferance 3. They did not giue their power to the Romans but were conquered and subdued We do not read that they did professedly fight against Christ although they were Pagans or that they were overcome by him neither can it be said that they did hate the whore or burne her with fire Massinissa Prusias and Ptolomee gaue their kingdoms to Rome but they had receaved them long before S. Iohns time and did never hate the whore nor make her desolate or burne her with fire The Goths Vandales did burn Rome but they never gaue their power authoritie to the Romans The like differences may be shewed of all other kings that were in the time of the Roman Empire or before These ten hornes therefore spoken of in the 17 chap. of the Revelation cannot be understood of those ten which were spoken of by Daniel although they may haue somewhat in common with them But where now shall we finde these kings Look over all the world and see where they may be found When shall they receaue their kingdome and how long shall we looke for them The impediment of the Roman Empire is long since removed by the testimonies See Probl. 7. as well of Divines as Chronologers If the beast or these kings be not yet come when will they come Out of Rome I say again as it is said or the Roman Empire Vide Abb. demonst Antic c. 4. there note the words of the Synod cited out of Aventin ann 7 it is in vain to seeke And if these kings which shall giue their power and Authoritie to Rome haue not yet receaved their kingdome nor given it to the beast when shall they receaue it or giue it to him or when shall we see the accomplishment of this Prophecie shall we looke for it as the Iewes looke for their Messias But it is the opinion of the best soundest Interpreters Our most excellent learned Soverain king Iames holdeth this opinion in Ep. Admonit So Napier in Apo. Rensuer in Isag c. that these ten hornes do signifie the ten chief Provinces subject to the Roman Empire which at one time with the beast namely upon removing the power of the Empire receaved their power and by degrees grew up into kingdoms about the same time when also the Pope began to take upon him the title of Pontifex Max. namely about the yeare of our Lord 700 or within an hundred yeares after As it may be these Graecia Germania Gallia Brittania Asturia or Leon. Whereunto now is joyned Spaine Pannonia or Hungaria Polonia Suetia Dania and Norvegia Greece you may say was before True as a Roman Province but upon the translation of the state it became a Monarchie in it self which was not absolute as long as the chief title was giuen to Rome Now if this be so when shall we see this performed if it be not alreadie When we see that all these great Princes of Christendome heretofore did yeeld their authoritie power to the Roman Pontifex And now many of them haue forsaken him as England Scotland Denmark Sweden and others of Germanie A great parte of the Dutch Swisses and divers other which are fallen away from Rome France and Venice wavering is it to be imagined that they will againe giue their power authoritie to Rome or ever come againe to giue their power and authoritie to any other Therefore I say that this prophecie is now fulfilled or never to be expected For if we consider well the times forepast we may see that all the great kingdoms of Europe which were before subject to the Roman Empire did arise and begin to take upon them absolute soveranitie and power of the sword upon the remoue and decay of the Roman Empire which was the time foreshewed for the revealing of Antichrist And did all giue their power and authoritie to the Roman Pontifex they did all fight against Christ Iesus in persecuting the professors of his word and Scriptures by the incitement and instigation of the Pope And all those which are fallen from the Pope haue been overcome by the scripture word of God which is called the sword of Christ Iesus If these things be so then why should we looke for any other accomplishment of these Prophecies or how should we understand that they can be fulfilled if not alreadie Can it be denied but all Christian kings gaue their power and authoritie and some gaue their lands and territories also to Rome Constantine they say gaue to the Pope his diadem with the pallace of Lateran and imperiall seat Arithpertus otherwise called Herebertus the Lombard gaue the Cottia Alpes wherein standeth Genua Pipin and Charles of France gaue the principallitie of Ravenna with the Duchie of Beneventum and Spoletium Henry the IIII Emperour of Germanie and Iohn king of England gaue up their crownes to whom but to the Pope of Rome Can it be denied All the Christian kings of that part
Divines Fox and Paraeus So also Dux Cleri by the godly Walter Brute a scholer of Wicleue our Country-man Vicarius Dei generalis in terris in Latin taking onely the numerall letters Ecclesia Italica in Greek letters And what shall we say to the names of divers Popes conteyning the same letters in effect sound which are used to expresse the said number of 666 in the Apocalyps In the name of Calixtus is there not the perfect sound of all those Greeke letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And may not the same be easily conceited in the name of Sixtus And was not Calixtus whom they call the second but indeed the first of that name that was called Summus Pontifex he that forbad mariage to Priests which S. Paul calleth the Doctrine of Divels The ancient verse may serue for a sufficient testimonie O bone Calixte nunc totus Clerus odit te O lim Presbyteri poterant uxoribus uti Hoc destruxisti postquam tu Papa fuisti And was not Calixtus the second of that name that was called Pont. Max. he that made such a terrible and solemn vow to persecute the Turkes by war curses c. and by colour thereof levied a tenth of the Clergie put all into his purse And when as afterwards the noble Vaivod of Hungarie Hunniades had obteyned a glorious victorie against that publike enemie at Belgrade was it Calixtus that ever helped to advance the Christian cause or to prosecute such a good beginning Or did he not rather set his minde upon his own profit by drawing to himself not onely the chiefe Bishopriks but the whole kingdome of Naples after the death of Alfonsus and so labour to disinherit his sonne Frederike if the incomparable Prince Scanderbeg had not assisted him And what shall we say of Sixtus Do not the Latin letters X. T. being joyned together yeeld the same sound as all the said three numerall letters would do if they were put in the same place And was not Sixtus who by them is called the fourth but indeed the first that was called Pont. Max. for those before him were called Xisti had no greater title then bishop of Rome was not that he that raised so many wars in Italie to advance his kinred and in stead of a church or Hospitall built the famous Lupanar the bitcherie house at Rome Vtrique Veneri for which cause Agrippa called him the great bawde Was it not he that upon a Petition exhibited unto him for the use of Sodomie Homicus Agrippa subscribed Fiat ut petitur Let be as is desired and raised the rents of the Stewes to so high a Rate that it is now accounted for a principall revennue of their church O excellent Father and chast Vicar of Christ The Primitiue Christians were half perswaded that Nero was to come againe and be Antichrist And haue not we reason to belieue that this is he of whom also it is written for his Elogium Gaude Prisce Nero vincit te crimine Sixtus Paedico insignis praedo fucosus Adulter Qui moriens nullos credidit esse Deos. And was not Sixtus the 2. who is by them called the 5. he that sent out his blasphemous Bulles against the late King of France Henrie the third who was shortly after most villanously murdered by one of their breeding And was not he the same Sixtus who most highly commended that wicked Parracide in a solemne Panegyrick before his Cardinals Was not he the same that excommunicated the noble Henry the fourth of France when he was but King of Navarre who was afterwards also murdered by one of their Sectaries Was not he the same who animated the Spaniards to invade this kingdome of England in the year 1588 In setting forth of which action it is worth the Observation Cicarell in vita Sixti how carefull the Parasite is to perswade us that the English and the Spaniards never came ad justam pagnam to a just fight as if the English did affirm any such matter No Cicarella Farre be it from us to challenge the glorie of that victorie to our selues That God who gaue us the grace upon the newes of the approch of that navie to humble our selues before him with fasting and prayer a thing howsoever neglected or forgotten by some of our Historians yet most true and registred by others and remembred by many yet living witnesses That God who detected and defeated the Treasons and Rebellions of Sanders Parrie Ballard Lopas the Powderplot and many others was he that fought for us as he did sometimes against Sisera and for Theodosius and Sic conjurati venere ad classica venti Witnesse our most excellent Soveraine a witnesse aboue all exception in his Sonnet worthie to be remembred The Nations banded gainst the Lord of might Prepar'd a force and set them in the way Mars drest himself in such an awfull plight The like whereof was never seen they say They forward came in such a strange array Both sea and land beset us everie where Their brags did threat our ruine and decay What came thereof the issue did declare The windes began to tosse them here and there The sea began in foaming waues to swell The number that escapt it fell them faire The rest were swallowed up in gulfes of hell But how were all these things so strangely done God lookt on them from out his heauenly Throne This Sonnet publisht with the consent and applause of all the ancient Brittain Nation inhabitants of this kingdome truly euen of verie ancient time Polydore both by a king and a Saint intituled the kingdome of God shall be an everlasting testimonie for us that we never challenged the glorie of that action to our selues The same also will be confirmed by the ordinarie remembrances and thanksgivings which our Preachers usually make thereof in their prayers and Sermons The same also is proved by the Paper lately set forth so well accepted and bought up by all sorts of people amongst us wherein the defeating of that invincible Armada and the Powderplot is represented expressed Behold then you Iesuites Romanists against whom you fight and who it is that fights for us It was God who then pleaded the cause of Religion against superstition of Pietie against Idolatrie of Christ against Antichrist It was he onely for he onely searcheth ruleth and moveth the Hearts who then put it into the heart of our Zenobia and of her servants to send out those Peti-fierbotes that made the grear Sea-castles to cut their cables loose their Anchors and flye away It was he that stirred up the courage of our seamen and inflamed the hearts of our nation with incredible loue and zeale to defend their Countrie religion Now also our drummes and trumpets sound nothing else against you but God and Christ Iesus our Martiall cryes are nothing else but Christ Iesus our gunnes thunder out nothing but Christ Iesus against you For him we fight in
and therefore here ought the Catalogue of Popes to beginne and not as they doe with S. Peter or Silvester For it appeareth manifestly by Gregorie that none of the former Bishops of Rome had the title of Vniversall giuen to him I aske therefore whether here were not an evident beginning of the Revelation of Antichrist The Emperour was removed out of Rome the making of the Consuls was discontinued the tenne Kings began to receiue their kingdomes The Pope tooke upon him to rule in Rome and was Summus or Maximus Pontifex onely the Exarches remayned at Ravenna with little power I aske then Who was now revealed to be the seaventh Head or Governour of the Roman State but this Vniversalis and Summus Pontifex Let us see then how by degrees this Antichrist was dayly more more revealed Platina Fasc Temp. About the yeare 608 the Pope obteyned of Phocas the Pantheon or Temple of all Divels and consecrated the same to the honour of the Virgin Marie and all Saints So sayth the Carthusian Vbi impij colebant Daemones ibi Christiani colunt omnes Sanctos sic ars deluditur arte About the same time the Pope gathered a Synod at Rome for the confirmation of his primacie About the yeare 618 Boniface the fifth succeeded who ordeyned that churches should be Sanctuaries for theeues and murderers About the same time began the great Apostacie and departure of the Greeke Church from the Roman of the East Church from the west the Greeke church not yeelding to the Roman supremacie and the Easterne churches receiuing the damnable doctrine of Mahomet so the prophesies by litle and little began to be fulfilled The Empire it self was now almost wholly removed the Kings were risen that after gaue their power to the Pope The Apostasie was come the pope was called Summus Pontifex one of the seauen dignities which had long before been of greatest power and authoritie in Rome and which the Heathen Emperors had used and so the seauenth Head of the Roman state began to appear Three things yet lacked One to haue their supremacie fully confirmed and acknowledged by the Emperor which yet was questioned as well by the Exarches as by the Emperors for in the yeare 647 Pope Martin one of the best of them that succeeded Gregorie was taken by Theodorus the Exarch Pantal. anno 650. and sent prisoner to Constantinople and from thence banished into Pontus A second thing was after such confirmation obtained to shake of all subjection and all signes of subjection to the Emperor And a third to make this an Empire of Idolatrie and as it were the Image of the old Idolatrie used by the Pagans All three followed shortly after For about the yeare 663 the Emperor Constans comming to Rome confirmed their priviledges and prerogatiues and about the year 684 Benet the Pope obtained of the Emperor that whosoever should be chosen by the Cleargie Plaâ—iâ— Rensu people and Armie of Rome to be Pope he should be Pope without any further confirmation of the Exarch or Emperor Marke he nameth the Cleargie People and Armie of Rome claiming thereby as well the Temporall as the spirituall state which before he had not Then came the yeare 700 which was but 666 Rev. 12 5 6 after the ascention of our Lord which is properly S. Iohns aera Ioh. 16 19 20. and so foretold by Christ that the sorrows of the Church should beginne when the Bridegrome was taken away Luke 5 35. Therefore about the same time as Bellarmine collecteth Pantal. anno 700. namely in the yeare 699 Aripertus the usurping Tirant gaue to the Pope the Cottian Alps where now Genua standeth and soone after that is to say in the yeare 707 the Emperor Iustinian the second falleth downe before Pope Constantine and kisseth his feete Platin. Naâ—cl Bibliand Rensuer thereby acknowledging him to be the absolute Head of Rome And about the yeare 712 the Pope now in fulnesse of power commandeth of his owne authoritie Images to be worshiped and when the Emperor Philip resisted the Pope pronounced him excommunicate and likewise when the Emperor Leo and Constantine after him in a zeale of godlynes and detestation of Idolatrie commanded Images to be defaced the Pope On up in Plat. Paul Diac. Sigiber Rens Polidor Paul anno 710 725. not secretly or under hand but palam in os openly and to their faces resisted them sayth Onuphrius and forbadde all Italy to pay them Tributes discharging the Italians from their oathes and alleagiance and so in the ende deprived the Grecian Emperours of all the Empire of the west And soone after that is to say about the yeare of our Lord 755. the Pope by colour of the guift of King Pipin usurped the Exarchate of Ravenna with a great part of Italie I aske therefore what accomplishment of the Prophecie concerning the Revelation of Antichrist may we looke for or can we expect if it be not here fully accomplished Whether was there not here in the open sight of the world another Head of the Roman cittie and state Whether was not the Impediment of the Empire now fully and wholly removed And whether had not the second Beast now giuen life sufficient to the Image of the first Beast or Idolatrous Monarchie Neyther was this by Tumult but with an orderly proceeding For the Pope gathering an Armie of Priests as S. Gregorie calleth it namely a counsell of a thousand Fathers or rather Step-fathers at Rome decreed that Images should be worshiped Blund Palâ— Sigiber Anton Biblian Reus Here therefore both Chronologers and Divines Hermanus coÌ„tract Paul Diac. Biblian Avent Lyra in 2 Thes Staputens Fasc Temp with great concent do end the supputation of the Roman Empire And with great reason for now they saw the Summus Pontifex was set upon the back of the Roman State Romanorum Imperium sayth the Author circa haec tempora ubique in orbe terrarum caepit deficere irrecuperabiliter And a little after Et sic jam omnes quatuor Monarchiae defecerunt non restat alia nisi Antichristi The Roman Empire began to faile about this time without recoverie And so all the four Monarchies are decayed and none other remaineth but that of Antichrist The Romans sayth Baron about this time tooke a solemne oath to be obedient in all points In anno 726 and to all purposes to the Pope And here sayth he was an end of those Dukes and Governours which the Emperors were wonte to seeme to command in Rome and the places thereabouts So also sayth Sigonius that Rome vide Sigon li. 4. de regno Italiae and the Dukedomes of Rome the Exarchate of Ravenna the Duchies of Perusia Tuscia and Campania were giuen to the Pope and Mornay out of Zonaras and Cedrenus setteth downe particularly Pless in myst progress 27. what Townes and Territories fell to the Pope upon this revolt Also Onuphrius telleth us in
the Patriarch and for the present put them in a Monasterie but about a yeare after caused them all to be murthered and so Phocas four or fiue yeares together continueth still a murtherer adding to his paricide perjurie and to his perjurie parricide with extreame hatred against the good patriarch Cyriacus that would not approue of such hideous actions But the Roman Pontifex made good use hereof For thereupon and by slattering this Catholike Phocas he obteyned of him the title of Soveraigne Catholike or Vniversall Bishop which from that time to this they all maintaine A fourth noble action was their violent and open usurpations of the Territories and Lands belonging to the Emperours their lawfull Souverains which they gotte partly by the Lombards partly by the French another act of perfidious Treason and rebellion A fifth action was their favouring exciting and countenancing of Subjects to rebell against their lawfull princes and to depose them as they did the French against the Emperors of Greece Pipin against Childerick of France and Advaldus the Lombard against the king his Brother in law all to serue their owne turnes And this also the popes to this day do allow and maintaine still reaping the fruits and enjoying the Territories and lands which they got by these practises A sixth action is their horrible Idolatrie in the erecting and worshiping of Images which howsoever they labour to blanch excuse or defend with subtill or Sophistike distinctions which cannot be proved by the Scripture as they ought to be for Vbi Scriptura non distinguit neque nos distinguere debemus quia sensus nostri enarrationes sine Scripturis testibus non habent sidem yet both at the first beginning and ever since it was still judged to be open and manifest Idolatrie and that not onely by godly Christians vide Agrip. de van sci â— 57 Morton in Apol cath li. 1. cap. 46. lo Pic. Mir. in Apol. as at the first by the Churches of Graecia and Asia in the East and of France and Britaine in the West and by many godly men in particular but also by Turkes and Iewes which do utterly condemne it as it is used by the Papists for meer Idolatrie and unexcusable See the place Esai 41 21 22 23 24. such like and consider how it can be answered by their idle distinctions of Image Idolum latâ—ia donlia c to which we may adde the Canonising of Saints and making them to be publikely invocated in their solemne Leiturgies therein taking upon them another individuall propertie of God who onely maketh Saints and so committing manifold blasphemie joyned with Idolatrie of invocation And a seauenth or last notable action is the publike declaration and proclamation to the world that they hold themselues absolutely lawlesse and that if the Pope neglect his owne Salvation and others and thereby draw millions of soules into hell with him yet no man may judge of him no man may reprehend him These were the first and the generall actions of this seauenth Head of the Septimontan cittie And all of them are justified and mainteyned by the Popes and by all of them with one consent from their first perpetration and beginning unto this day All of them take the benefit all of them do allow and approue of these things magnifying these ther Predecessors justifying their succession from them and mainteyning their Decrees and Actions holding this for a Principle inviolable that they will not confesse themselues to erre in any thing as Thuanus hath observed Thuaâ— Whereupon I demand Whether they do not all of them thereby declare themselues to be that Sonne of Perdition that exalteth himself against and aboue all that is called God or that is worshiped And I demand whether such things haue been done in any other kingdome or nation under heauen and whether we may expect such things to be done by any Turke Iewe Pagan or any other person whatsoever in Rome the place determined in any time to come Now let us see and consider of the particular actors of this Antichristian person during the time of his Raigne which from the former Period must continue for 666 yeares more or thereabout and in everie one of them I desire thee Good Christian to consider which of them all is not Homo peccati sedens in Templo Dei that man of sinne that fitteth in the Temple of God and is worshiped and exalteth himself aboue all that is called God or is worshipped c. And also what may be thought of the whole succession taken together Anno Domini 707 Constantine the Pope would haue his foote to be kissed like another Dioclesian thereby making evident demonstration King of pride if not in words yet in deede that he claymed to be his successor Onuphr And it defence of Images he openly resisted Philippicus the Emperor of Greece But Iustin and Anastasius tyrants and Murderers submitted themselues unto him and approved his Decrees Idolatrie and rebellion This adoration rebellion and Idolatrie the Popes haue continued ever since Anno 720 or thereabouts Gregorie the second and third continued the same Idolatrie and rebellion and caused all Italie to withdraw their obedience from the Emperor Leo. and to deny their Tributes because he had commanded Images to be broken and burned and for the same cause also excommunicated him tooke to themselues the Cottian Alpes Cursing Princes by colour of guift from the Lombards Anno 749 Zacharie incourageth and assisteth Pipin to depose his master Childerick king of France and to take upon him the kingdome of France which was afterwards confirmed by the Popes that followed for which the sayd Pipin gaue to the popes the Exarchat of Ravenna which belonged to the Grecian Emperor Anno 756 Stephen who cofirmed the kingdome of France to Pipin this man would be caried upon mens shoulders which his successors haue continued ever since Anno 757 a notable Schisme wherein Constantine the second gott the papacie by mony and armes This Schisme is reckoned the ninth Anno 772 Adrian the first a valiant defender of Images and ldolatrie Changing He beganne to grant priviledges and dispensations In his time there was held a counsel at Rome wherein the pope with the consent of the Counsell First horn put downe clearly to cashier the Greek Emperors thrust them out of all made Charlemain prince of the Senate Dist 63 can Adrian papa RomaÌ„ c. this was Adrian the first giving unto him the power of investing the pope And as Mornay collecteth out of Sigonius and others the pope acknowledged to hold of him Ravenna and other pieces by fealtie and alleageance adoring him after the manner that was used to the ancient princes Yet no sooner was Charlemayn dead but they wrought upon the good nature of Lewis his sonne and about Anno 816 Stephen procured himself to be chosen and consecrated without consent of the French Emperor
doubted or any other man neede to doubt of the trueth but as it should seeme being no profest Churchman he modestly disputes the point as a man that would learne himselfe and others by asking questions wisely and withall inquiring whether it can be imagined that any man can be more like Antichrist then the Pope is he concludes negatiuely that none can and plainely layes downe in everie Probleme the obstinate absurdities of such as looke for Antichrist and beleeue he shall come yet cannot now see him to be come because either he stands too neare them as a beame in their eyes and they are parte of him bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh or they expect him when he comes to be so qualified for publique observation as the Church of Rome hath cunningly and poetically described him But such an Antichrist they shall never see for the church of Rome did so paint him in policie not for the disclosing but for the concealing and clowding of his proper and personall appearance and diverting the eyes of all men from beholding the right object For my parte meeting with this Booke in a manuscript and seeing the profit it may bring to all I could doe no lesse then be a midwife for the edition of this since I am not able to be parent for procreation of the like And I haue taken the boldnes upon me to dedicate it to no lesse persons then to the Kings and Potentates of the Earth for it concernes them all especially aboue and more then others to reade and to understand this Controversie least they should be made drunke or kept drunke with the dregges of that abhominable cuppe of Inchantments wherewith diverse of their forefathers haue been intoxicated and slept to death and least they should under the appearance of Christianitse countenance and support Antichristianisme and so thinking to doe Christ good service persecute his poore members ignorantly Besides many of them haue suffred much from the hand of Antichrist and his members The Kings of France haue beene butchered by their instruments and the kingdome put in Combustion by their incendiaries of the Roman Catholique league or partie Our Queenes Father Henrie IIII. of renowmed memorie must not be forgotten his blood is yet too fresh upon their fingers to be hidden from her Majesties eyes except they force her weake sexe as they haue done manie of the masculine gender to winke by threatning to dippe their fingers as deepe in her bloud which the Lord forefend if she cast an eye towards her Fathers Funerall or so much as inquire whether or no he dyed by age or by some injurious and traiterous hand Our Kings haue beene and are still excommunicated cursed exposed to slaughter and deposition by them The King and Queene of Bohemia haue beene pursued from place to place and all Christendome imbroyled with bloodie warres for the upholding of Papall usurpation against regall Iurisdiction Other Princes haue formerly felt and may hereafter feele the strength of his Imperiall and Catholique Armes and therefore it concernes these also to knowe the man of sinne for their owne comfort that they may the better beare their Crosses considering from what head and hand they come and that they may with more courage and assurance looke up towards deliverance Luke 21 28. as Christ hath willed them who at the length will be too hard for Antichrist and giue a happie yssue to all their afflictions And as it concerns Princes especially so it concerns others also as much as their salvation may concerne them to know Christ their Saviour and Antichrist the chiefe enimie of their Saviour and of their Salvation from each other and therefore I haue dedicated it to all Christians But if any wonder why in the Title of the Dedication I use these words To all Christians Reformed and Romish as if I contradicted my selfe in calling the Romish professors Christians which in other places I terme Antichristians I answer that the Pope himselfe could not be the Antichrist except he were a Christian and tooke upon him also to be the chiefe Christian in externall profession A man may in diverse respects be a Christian and an Antichristian at once The Pope is baptized professeth the fayth in generall termes as Peter did and thus he is a Christian and one of S. Peters successors as all other Bishops are but as he chalengeth to be head of the Church universall Bishop of an infallible spirit Iudge of the Scripture c he is Antichrist that is Rev. 18. Rome as head of the church is Babylon such as so dwell in it mystically by adhering to it are in Babylō whether they be in Rome or no such as renounce this Babylonish doctrine of Romish supremacie suprelacie holding the true head which is Christ Iesus alone those are with out Babylon though they dwel in Rome for Christ in shew but against him in trueth So those of the church of Rome are Christians in outward profession but as they adhere to the Pope as to the Vicar of Christ and head of the Church they are Antichristians and such of them as belong to Gods election are called out of Babylon by the holy spirit and may come out from thence by renouncing the Babylonish doctrine of the Church of Rome though for their persons and dwellings they continue in the same place and cittie still And that these Romish Christians may be informed and all other Reformed Christians established in the trueth is the end which the Author proposed to himselfe in the collection and composition and I in the publication of this treatise All that I feare is that both this worke and my owne indeavour shall meete the greatest discouragements from some of those that should protect and countenance us who eyther from error of judgment deny the Pope to be Antichrist and yet separate from him at which I wonder or else out of humane wisedome and policie seeme still to be in doubt and will not be resolved as fearing a diminution of their worldly greatnesse and glorie if this truth should be generally acknowledged Because they suppose much of their authoritie would be found to be built upon the sandie foundation of Antichristian usurpations But shall we loose heauen for earth or looke so low as to bring temporall respects into the ballance with eternall Can there be no provision for upholding the honour and countenance of the Clergie from common contempt and for the incouraging and rewarding of learning but what Antichrist invents to uphold himselfe withall Then let me rather be still poore and despised with Christ and accounted ignorant with his Apostles then rich and respected learned with those of Rome Truth and simplicitie are the chiefe ornaments of Church-men and should be inseparable Their serpentine wisedome should not be used for this world for that naturall subtiltie which hath no mixture of doue-like simplicitie infused by grace Christ did not teach to his Apostles
truth of Gods word revealed in this and other prophecies which we see are confirmed by the testimonies of Heathen men that never heard of them These certaine Typographies plain'y also refell the idle opinions of those that take Babylon or Antichrist for the whole multitude of the ungodly 2. The second note is that it is seated upon seven hilles what cittie was ever so famous or renowmed for seven hilles as Rome hath been Quae nunc de septem totum circumspicit orbem Montibus imperii Roma deumque locus saith Ovid. and Propert. septem urbs alta jugis And the names of these hilles are common in their histories Palatinus Caelius Tarpeius which is also called Capitolinus Aventinus Esquilinus Viminalis and Quirinalis 3. Thirdly what cittie was ever so noted for seven kinds of supream governours whereof every one had the power of a king summum imperium power of life and death from which there was no provocation or appeale All of them are expresly named both by Livy and Tacitus their principall Historians Kings Consuls Dictators Decemvirs Tribunes Caesars and Pontif. Max. 4. Fourthly what cittie did ever so powerfully rule command over the kings of the earth as this hath done All other Empires and Imperiall citties had their severall Emperors kings or princes and were subject to them and ruled by them as the Assirian Persian Grecian Tartarian Turkish Cathaian Abissine Empires the Sirian Egyptian Ethiopian Parthian Median Indian and Macedonian kingdomes and all their citties the great citties of Ninive Persepolis Ecbatana Constantinople Traperus Mexico Quinzay Memphis Ocmus all other citties that we read of even Babylon it self was ruled by kings and Emperors Dion Hal. onely Rome was called Terrae marisque domina Cic. pro prodomâ— Et illa populus est dominus regum victor atque Imperator omnium gentium sayth Tully Illa inclita Roma Imperium terris animos aequavit Olimpo saith Virgil. But what need I seek or cite forrein testimonies 1 Mach. 8 13 chap. 15. The book of Machabees giveth us ample proofes of the high and predominant power of Rome See also Brightm in Dan. c. 11. shewing how they commanded the great Kings of Egypt and Asia Ptolomee Demetrius Arsaces Attalus and others to abstain from warre against the Iewes and that command was obayed what City ever in the world did the like Fiftly for the mysticall name of Babilon See these authors cited by Riberain Apo. recited by Paraeus Aug de civit dei lib. 18. Roma velut altera Babylon Idem Occidentalis Babylon passim See M. Downam his treat of Antichrist lib. 1 ca 2. Psal 137. I think it needlesse to dispute to whom it belongeth seeing S. Augustin S. Ierom Tertul. Theophilact Orosius Oecumenius Eusebius and many others both old and new haue expresly applyed it to Rome and so cleared that point also and that upon great reasons First in regard of the greatnesse and largenes of dominion wherein Rome and Babylon excelled the other two Monarchies Secondly for continuance for these two continued longer and immediately upon the decay of Babylon Rome began to growe Velut prioris filia saith Augustine Thirdly for cruelty against the saincts for of Babylon the first the Prophets testifie sufficiently So Rome is by Tertullian called Babylon Quia sanctorum debellatrix Fourthly for promiscuous filthines beyond others Fiftly for Idolatry Lipsius in Epist. Sixtly for confusion morum aeris linguae saith Lipsius Seuenthly for power riches whereof I haue now to speak For her power riches and glory mentioned in the text I appeale to them that haue recorded that the wealth of all the world was in Rome and called it Mundi compendium in this Inventorie of riches glorie is to be cast also the account of their innumerable victories the greatnes of their Empire their prudence and policie in government their providence fortitude industry in war their learning and eloquence the justice temperance and other morall vertues which appeared in some of them the riches of their minds aswell as of their outward estate De doct chr l. 2. cir sineÌ„ wherein they excelled all the world and so doth S. Augustin call the excellent learning morality c. of the heathen Viri pati mulichria muâ—ieres pudicitiam in propatu'o habere Salust much more in Tacit. Annal. Sueton. in vita Virgil. in priap Ovid. Inv sat 6. Tibul. Catul. Propert. Mar. Hor. sâ—r l. 2 3 â— 1 sat 2. de civ l. 3. the gold and silver of Egipt And lastly for their fornication and beastlines I desire them to speake that haue read their best authours Salust Tacitus Sueton virgil Ovid Iuvenal and others Horace confesseth of himself Mille puellaâ—uÌ„ pueroâ—uÌ„ mille furores Caesar was called omnium virorum mulier et omnium mulierum vir And who hath not heard of the beastlines of Tiberius and Caligula Claudius and Nero in a word it is almost incredible and most abhominable what they write in this kinde either of themselves or one of another But if we take fornication in this place for the spirituall adulterie which is Idolatry They that read S. Augustine de Civ Dei Livy and others of their own authours doe know that besides their Majores deos and four hundred and four and twenty Temples amongst which was the Pantheon or Temple of all Devils as Tertullian well calleth it and the Temple of the city it self 1 ips â—x â—â—tit Imperij See more iâ— Chenuâ—i exam câ—nc Trident. de magin which they worshipped as a Goddesse besides all these and their Princes whom they deified after their death every house had Penates and Minores deos so that their Idols were innumerable Hereupon as some called Rome Epitomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so some christians called it Epitomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Chron. 28 23. Religione saith Tully truly who knew no religion but Idolatry omnes gentes nationesque superavimus And with this kinde of fornication they made all nations drunk for every one seeing them so prosperous and victorious would have their gods and worship them in hope like Achaz to prosper and overcome as they did Now therefore laying all these things together I ask whether they can be applyed to any other Place in the world but onely to Rome To this also may be added consuetudo loquendi interpres optima which amongst the auncient Iewes of the Sanhedrin was Buxterâ— ex cod Sauhedr by the name of the city to understand Rome as accounting none else worthy or fit to carry that name note also that the Holy ghost in the last verse of the 17 ch of the Apoc. addeth an article of emphasis and distinction to every word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Also Magister in princip glossae epistolae ad Romanos telleth us that cum dicitur Apostolus intelligitur Paulus cum dicitur urbs intelligitur Roma which
Doth not the holy Ghost teach us to speak much more truely Marke well the Prophecie of Ezec. 7. where he speaketh of the worst of the heathen coÌ„sider by the circumstances whether it can be understood of any but the Romans when it representeth that Empire unto us under the name of Iâ—on mixt with dyrt as the Emperor Tiberius was called Lutum sanguine maceratum dyrt mixt with bloud unles you will therefore call it golden because in filthines and Idolatrie it was like the old Babylon which was figured by the head of Gold or because it is the seat of the golden Harlot But of this else-where In the mean space I demand again where was the zeale of their Bishops to reforme or correct these enormities euen of the Christians where were their decrees or decretals to restrain them where was the courage of the Priests or Clergie to reprehend or censure them was there none amongst them all but that Tertullian of Carthage and Salvianus of Massilia must rise up to speak of it Videbat hoc universa urbs patiebatur videbant Iudices acquiescebant sayth he So here was Babylon and yet I confesse there was Sion also But Sion dwelling in Babylon Whereof the Prophet Zacharie after the returne from the first captivitie seemeth to speak saying Zach. 2. Deliver thy self o Sion Rev. 18. that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon And our Evangelist repeateth Come out of her my people shewing that the prophecie of Esay and Ieremie concerning her destruction are not yet fulfilled I demand then upon all these premisses whether any place can be found in the world qualified for to be the seat of Antichrist according to these Prophesies besides the Septimontane Rome and that Christian the mountain of holynes and yet Sodome the Temple of God and yet Egypt Sion and yet Babylon which euen in her best Christianitie retained the Barbarous crueltie the abhominable filthines and horrible idolatrie of Egypt Sodom and Babylon in their publike sights and shewes Theaters solemnities ceremonies common practise And no sooner did they suppresse those old Pagan Idolatries but they fell to this new Idolatrie of worshiping of Images which they still practise defend together with their ever accustomed filthines crueltie whereupon I must propose this Problem whether by any possibilitie or imagination of man these things can be applied to any other place but Rome II. Of the state of Antichrist THE next thing after the place which offereth it self to our senses and consideration seemeth to be the subject or bodie without which no Accident can consist and therefore used in the definition of Accidents especially Relatiues which cannot be without their Correlatiues as a father cannot be so called but in respect of his sonne nor a Monarch or king but in respect of his monarchie kingdome or state Politike subject unto him And this also must be proportionable as we said before of Relatiues For as great things must haue great places so a great and mightie Monarch must haue a great state under him And as by the greatnes of the place we may measure the body so by the greatnes of the state subject to any Prince we judge of the greatnes power of the Prince himself We haue seene alreadie a great place appointed for Antichrist Let us now see the greatnes of the state and bodie politike that must be subject unto him and support him And this also hath not been neglected in the H. Scriptures but is set forth and described in divers places especially three as the best Interpreters do obserue which also do concurre and haue good correspondence with the prophecies concerning his place aboue specified First in the seuenth chap. of the prophet Daniel Secondly the 13 ch of the Rev. And thirdly the 17 ch of the Rev. which places agree in some things and differ in others and that agreement and those differences together with the reasons thereof deserue to be narrowly sifted First in Daniell we finde a great and terrible Beast with ten hornes and amongst the rest a litle horne rising up c. In the 13 of the Rev. we fynd two beasts one rising è mari out of the Sea as all the beasts in Daniel with tenne hornes c. the other rising e Terra In the 17 chap. of the Rev. we fynde a great beast with ten hornes and a whore sitting on his back Let us first consider of the description of this great beast rising out of the sea in the 13 ch of the Rev. where he seemeth to be most fully set forth positiuely and after comparatiuely Here therefore the great beast rising out of the sea is described first in his existence or parts Secondly in his power actions For his existence and parts it is first said to be a beast rising out of the sea Secondly having seauen heads Thirdly ten hornes crowned Fourthly upon his heads were names of blasphemie Fiftly his bodie like a Leopard Sixtly his feet like a beare And seuenthly his mouth like a Lion For his power and actions it is said 1 that the dragon gaue him his power and his throne and great authoritie 2 That one of his heads was wounded as it were to death but his deadly wound was cured 3 All the world wondered after the beast and worshiped the Dragon which gaue power to the beast and worshiped the beast saying Who is like to the beast Who is able to make warre with him 4 There was giuen him a mouth to speak great things and blasphemies 5 Power was given to him to doe and continue two and fortie months 6 He opened his mouth in blasphemie against God to blaspheame his name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in heauen 7 And it was giuen to him to make warre with the saints and to overcome them and power was giuen him over all kindreds tongues and nations And all that dwell upon earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the Book of Life and Loe here a strange and mightie beast Now what is meant by the name of a beast rising out of the sea the prophet Daniell telleth us For he saith plainly Dan. 7 23. that it signifyeth a kingdome rising upon the earth And the fourth Beast saith he is the fourth kingdome Which seemeth to be the same that is here spoken of The prophet Ezechiel useth the same phrase Ezce 19 17. saying Wherefore laye thy mother as a Lyonesse among the Lyons c. And againe the great Eagle c. Now if this be a kingdome which is spoken of by our Euangelist of necessitie it must be some verie great and mightie kingdome for so it appeareth by all parts of the description especially where it is said that all the world woâ—shipeth it And in the question that is asked Who is able to warre with him paralel to that question asked in another place What cittie is like to this great cittie As
his Blasphemie against God Vpon which 7. considerations I demaund whether we may not safely coÌ„clude with S. Hierom S. Augustine and the other excellent expositors above cited that this Kingdom perspicuè manifestly doth belong to the Romans which is also here proved by these seven Attributes 1. His rising out of the sea of great commotions in the world like others 2. A politick state or kingdom like the others 3. More powerfull then any other for none overcame the whole earth like the Romans none had power over all kinreds tongues and nations like to them 4. None so cruell and bloudy 5. None had so many great Kings at command 6. None raised so great persecutions against the saincts and true Church of God 7. None have beene so blasphemous against God as they whereof hereafter These Attributes therefore seeme to be applyed to the Roman Empire as one body Now let us see the singularityes wherein every one of these three prophesies differeth from the other and consider whether they also do not properly belong to Rome The singularities in Daniel are such as being well considered seeme to declare unto us that it was the intention of the Holy Ghost not onely to represent unto us the Roman Empire and therein Antichrist afarre of But to shew us also a Type of Antichristian impiety in Antiochus that was then to come neare at hand both being enemies to the Church it could not be but that one should be like the other in somewhat And in the Roman Empire also to note that State wherein it stood before the Caesars and therefore tempereth his words somtimes more significantly to expresse the truth sometimes more properly to shadow the Type A thing not unusuall in sacred prophecies Aug. de civ dei lib 17. For so David speaking of our Saviour in his owne person I have sworn once by my Holynes that I will not faile David Psal 89. his seed shall indure for ever c. which properly belongeth to Christ yet addeth these words more proper to himself Thou hast broken the Covenaunt of thy Servant Let Theologians coÌ„sider the pâ—aces where David prâ—yâ—th God to confound oâ— destroy his enemies thou hast broken down all his wals c. So God in pronouncing his judgment upon the Serpent useth these words most significantly to foreshew that our Saviour should overcom the Divel The Seed of the woman shall breake the Serpents head yet these words in the same place upon thy belly shalt thou goe and dust shalt thou eate seeme more proper to the materiall serpent So it seemes in this prophesy Daniel though he speak principally of the fourth great kingdom more powerfull than any of the rest which was the Roman yet he inter-laceth somewhat concerning Antiochus the Type being though not a Roman yet an enemie of the saincts but more applyable to Antichrist the great enemie as may appeare by these seven particulars or singularities 1. In that he doth not resemble this fourth kingdom to any beast as he did the first to a Lyon The second to a Beare The third to a Leopard but of this he doth not shew of what certaine form or shape it was but onely that it was unlike to the foâ—mer most strong terrible whereupon I ask how this can possibly be applyed to Antiochus who had but a peece of Alexanders Empire and whether it do not lively expresse unto us the Roman state before it was setled in the Caesars when it had gott the Monarchie of the world as Polyb affirmeth yet had no certain form of government but was sometimes ruled by Consuls sometimes by Dictators sometimes by the Senate somtimes by the People sometimes by the Opimates Patritii sometimes by the turbulent Tribunes and seditious multitude But in the time of S. Iohn this Empire was grown to a certain though a monsterous form under the Caesars therefore we see it by him more certainly described The second singularitie in Daniel is that it is sayd to haue ten hornes which are not here said to be crowned as they in the Revelations And this much more properly signifieth the kings subject to the Roman state who made kings their ministers and servants then to the Selucidan Princes which were absolute kings crowned acknowledging no Superiour But in the Revelation these things signifyed by the name of hornes are said to haue crownes by certaine notes distinguished from the other Whereof hereafter The third singularitie in Daniel is that among these kings there arose another unlike the first And this seemeth to prefigure Antichrist whose kingdome is indeed most unlike to any of the other kings can not be applied to Antiochus The fourth note in Daniel is that before this litle Horne or king three other kings were plucked away which by some Interpreters is very hardly drawen to Antiochus but if we consider the Roman Antichrist it will appear to be easily applied and truly fulfilled For it is manifest that the Romans draue first the Grecian Empires secondly the French and thirdly the Germans out of Rome and Italy as shall be shewed hereafter So those three kings were plucked away to make roome for this little horne As for the Exarch of Ravenna which was but the Emperors Vice-Roy I cannot afford him the qualitie or title of a king and for the Lombards they never setled their state in Rome The fifth singularitie in Daniel is that this king coming up last spake presumptuous words and blasphemies And this I call a singularitie in Daniel For although blasphemie is attributed to this beast by S. Iohn also yet here it is sayd onely to be in his words but by S. Iohn in his names Now this was fulfilled in Antiochus much more it is in Antichrist as it is noted in the Revelation The sixt singularitie is that this little horne shall destroy the saints and faithfull servants of God and this was partly done by Antiochus but much more prophecied and performed by Antichrist of whom it is said Rev. 13. that he shall make warre with the Saints and overcome them The seuenth is that this little horne shall thinke to change times and lawes things which God hath specially reserved to himself Litle of this doe we read to be done by Antiochus and indeed in such things what could one man doe Lawes can verie hardly be changed in a short time but to alter times in a short time is impossible But this is verified fully in the Roman Antichrist as shal be shewed hereafter Probl. 6. Having therefore thus observed the singularities of the prophet Daniell in describing the Roman beast especially before the Caesars Let us now see the singularities observed by our Apostle describing it in the 13 chap. under the Caesars and in the 17 under Antichrist First in this 13 ch this Empire is represented under a certain form like a Leopard which Daniel doth not say 2 It hath seauen heads expounded to
that the Mountaine of Gods house shal be set in the tops of the mountains Mich. 3. and manie nations shall flow to it Which the Prophet Esay turneth to exhortation O house of Iacob Esay 2. come ye also and let us walk in the light of the Lord. And the prophet Daniel useth it by way of progression to a farther prophecie calling it first a stone cut out without hands Dan. 2. which dasheth the kingdoms of the world in peeces and grew to a mountain filling the whole earth Doubtles this Propheticall progression is most excellent and observable But I know not whether in all those heauenly writings any be so usefull or worthie of contemplation as that of our Saviour Christ whom when Moses by the dictate of the H. Ghost had first styled the seed of the woman afterward the seed of Abraham The Prophet Esay goeth forward and calleth him the roote Gen 3. Esay 11. and then the stem then the branch Hereupon again the prophet Hosea goeth forward and with most sweet loving words to comfort the people of God in their afflictions applyeth this to the mysticall bodie of our Saviour Hosh 14. I will heale their rebellion saith he I will lâ—ue them freely I will be as the dew to Israel and he shall grow as the lilly and fasten his rootes as the Caedars of Lebanon his braunches shall spread and his beutie shall be as the oliue c. Lo first a seed then a root then a stem then a braunch and now a tree bearing and spreading his braunches Yet no word is all this while of fruit it comes anon but by the way these heauenly Prophets make many excellent uses of these propheticall metaphors Esay thus He shall grow before him as a braunch Esa 53. as a root out of a drye ground noting his humiliation Ieremie thus I will raise to David a righteous braunch Ier. 23. and a king shall raigne and prosper to note his kingdome and exaltation Zacharie thus Zach. 6. behould the man whose name is the braunch he shall build the temple of the Lord. to signify his priesthood intercession and mediation Our most gratious and blessed Lord being come in the flesh to shew the fulfilling of all these prophecies calleth himself now no longer a roote or a braunch but I sayth he am the true generous and fruitfull vine Ioh. 15. Yea sayth S. Paul not onely a vine bearing fruit of it self Rom. 11. but an oliue receaving grafts of others Whereupon he inferreth a most loving and graue admonition to all Christians Be not high minded Thou bearest not the roote but the roote thee This example of propheticall progression so sweet so excellent so comfortable and so well followed I could not I would not I durst not conceal or omit To returne to our purpose Why should I not think that the prophet Daniel and our propheticall Euangelist S. Iohn in the description of these four Monarchies observed some such thing The prophet David saith that a man without understanding is like a beast He saith also that he that maketh an Image Psal 49. Psal 115. and he that trusteth in it is without sense like the Image it self Ieremy goeth forward Everie man is a beast by his skill Ier. 10 51 everie founder is confounded by the graven image Dan. 7. Lo now an Idolater is a beast The prophet Daniel taketh up that and resembleth great Monarchies unto great beasts It cannot I think be supposed but he doth it upon the same reason namely because they erected or mainteined Idolatries For which cause they were all represented before in one Image of divers mettals to shew that they all agreed in the worshiping of Idols though in divers manners Now the Prophet Daniel resteth not here but by the illumination of Gods spirit goeth forward to shew the properties of these four kingdomes under the figures of severall beasts and therefore calleth the first a Lyon the second a Beare the third a Leopard and the fourth he saith it was most strong terrible cruell and powerfull yet he findeth no name for it nor beast whereunto it is like but where he leaveth S. Iohn goeth forward saying that it was like to divers beasts in his severall parts Rev. 13. For it hath the bodie of a Leopard the mouth of a Lion the feete of a Beare c. Thus then haue we seene as I suppose a probable reason why these great Monarchies were resembled to beastes out of which this consideration may result that the last of them all which must of necessitie be that of Antichrist must exceed all the rest in Idolatrie tyrannous maintenance of Idolatrie Let us now consider the severall parts of this last kingdome Rev. 17. And first of the heads These are said to be seauen expounded by the Angel to signifie seuen kings and seauen mountains and wheresoever we finde the seuen Mountains there we must finde also the seauen kings But sayth the Angell it is the great cittie that ruleth over the kings of the earth an inseparable and individuall propertie of Rome No cittie but that was ever called Septicollis or Septimontium No mountains better known by their severall and distinct names then those seauen of Rome None did ever boast of seauen Mountaines in one cittie but the Romans Here therefore we must looke for the seauen kings and yet we need not to seek far for Livy Tacitus haue expressely named everie one of them as I shewed before namely their Kings Consuls Dictators Decemvirs Tribunes Caesars and Pontifices Max. But here by the way there is a singularitie to be observed Rev. 13. which is not mentioned in any other place but in this 13 cha namely that one of these seauen heads was wounded to death Napier but his deadly wound was healed This most aptly agreeth to the Romans as it hath been well expounded by others There be some who because it is said that this was the wound of a sword there is no sword in the scripture so well noted as that of the word Ephe. 6. do interpret this of the wound given to the Caesarean idolatrie by the preaching of the gospell which is healed and restored by the Pont. max. Let Divines judge to signifie either the wound that was giuen to the Caesarean head by the murder of Iulius which was healed by Augustus or the wound of the same head in Nero the healing of it by Vespasian Sueton. in vita Vesp of whose restoring the CoÌ„mon wealth Suetonius professedly maketh two whole chapters But a most signall singularitie of these Heads is noted in the 17 ch Fiue sayth he are fallen one is and another is not yet come This bringeth us by the hand into Rome For it is manifest that of the seauen governments of Rome fiue were fallen before the Revelation namely the fiue first named by Livy Livy l. 6.
of Europe which was subject heretofore to Rome gaue him authoritie and power to do what he lift in their kingdoms Was ever the like done to any Monark Prince Potentate or Man heretofore or may we expect or looke for the like to be done to any in time to come True it is we see not yet the Whore made naked and desolate nor burnt with fire Psal 31. the time is in Gods hands and he that beleeveth will not be too hastie Leaving therefore that which is to come Hab. 2 3. unto the disposition of the great disposer of times Let us goe as far as men may in the description of this mightie Empire to see what is fulfilled alreadie The next note or circumstance here observed is that upon his heads were the names of blasphemie but in the 17 ch it is said that the Beast is full of names of Blasphemie A difference not to be neglected For the understanding whereof it is necessarie for us to see how the word Blasphemie is taken in scripture and thereby we shall see how this also agreeth to Rome the Pontifical First I demand whether it be not blasphemie Vide Thom. 2 2. q. 13. when infinite power or infinite knowledge or other inseperable incommunicable properties of God Antonin sum par 2. t. 8 c. 7. are attributed unto men In which respect the Iewes hearing our Saviour say Sum. Angel t. blasphem Marc 14. Destroy this temple and I will raise it againe in three dayes accused him of Blasphemie as claiming infinite and divine power to himself whom they thought to be but a man Him they accused falsely but such in truth was the Blasphemie of Sennacharib and Rabsake Who are they among all Gods that haue delivered their Lands 2 Reg. 1◠that the Lord should deliver Ierusalem out of my hands So that of Holofernes Iudit 6. But the Blasphemie of Nebuchadnezzar king of the first Babel seemeth to goe a step farther Dan. 3. who not onely asked the same Question Who is the God that can deliver you from me But upon the wicked perswasion of his own power presumed to make an Image commanded it to be worshiped as a God And shall a man make Gods sayth the Prophet is not this a blasphemie beyond all blasphemies Ier. 16. in asmuch as he that saith he can make a God doth not onely make himself equall to God but greater better more powerfull and mightie as the efficient cause is alwaies better and more powerfull then the effect Now in this kinde of Blasphemie I demand who ever went beyond the Romans who not onely made many Gods and commanded them to be worshiped but onely such as were made by them or received by the publike authoritie of their common wealth or Senate by pretence of which Law they refused our Saviour Christ although recommended to the Senate by Tiberius Rival in Hist Iud. Eusebius Tertull. with a prerogatiue of his own voice as some report So then by the Lawes of the Romans they would haue such Gods as they made themselues would haue none other to be worshiped And whether this were not most horrible abhominable blasphemie I desire to be answered If it were let us see how it was used in the old time when Rome was Ethnick and how it hath ben used since In the Ethnike Rome none were made Gods but by the Senate as appeareth by the Law aforesaid and none were worshiped as Gods but publicè asciti such as were publikely accepted And the Senate made no Gods but their king Romulus the murtherer of his brother and the Caesars which were the heads of that fourth beast or Monarchie But now in the time of Christianitie all degrees are Canonised and worshiped by the Popes authoritie namely Munkes and Friers Nunnes and Priests as well as kings or princes popes or patriarkes So that now we may see the whole bodie of this Popish Empire full of names of blasphemy Again do they not hold affirm that everie priest and frier in celebrating the Masse doth make God and that a God to be worshiped as not onely the reall but the carnall body of our Lord and the verie same that was borne of the virgin Marie See more of their blaspemies in D. Willet of the 4 Pillets I ask whether this be not Blasphemie and whether these names of Blasphemy are not now spread over all the bodie of the beast If they be then whether this difference betweene the Beast in the 13 chap. and in the 17 of the Revelation be not herein most precisely and plainly fulfilled Having observed this difference let us returne againe to the description of this great beast representing the old Roman Empire It is said it hath the bodie of a Leopard the feet of a Beare and the mouth of a Lyon This hath been verie well expounded by the learned Napier and others to signifie that it hath all the Instruments of tyrannie of all the former Monarchies viz. the Leopard in swiftnes and eagernes of the Macedonians Polyb. lib. 3. For within three and fiftie yeares as Polib noteth from verie small beginnings it got the Monarchie of the world The Bearelike pawes of the Persians that is innumerable armies apt to march everie where to take hold of everie thing as the Beare doth with the pawes And the Lion-like mouth of the Babylonian not onely to devour men but to roare out blasphemies against God as by the instance aforesaid may appear Who is that God that can deliver you out of my hands said the Babylonian so the Assirian before him and so the Roman after him by reason whereof they did not onely reject our Saviour Christ as I said before but stirred up nine or ten horrible persecutions against Christians Onuph in Plat. in vit Silvest Vid. Aug. de civ dei l. 8 the first by Nero. 2 by Domitian 3 by Trajan 4 by Antoninus the 5 by Severus the 6 by Maximinus the 7 by Decius the 8 by Valerianus and the 9 by Dioclesian to which they adde the 10 by the Arrians which was also by the power of the Roman Empire No lesse cruelties haue they exercised since Rome was Pontifical but of these elswhere And thus haue we seene this beast in his essence parts Whereupon for a pause let us demaund againe the question whether these things can be verified of any other person Monarchie or state in the world but onely of the Roman And so let us proceed and consider of the same beast in his power and actions and see whether they also do not most aptly agree to the same state And here again we finde seuen things noted in this Beast 1 That the Dragon gaue to this beast Rev. 1. his power and his throne and great authoritie doth not Tully say the same in effect of Rome though in other words Omnis Deorum immortalium potestas aut translata est ad
Prophet as they loue their own prejudicate opinion not because it is truer but because it is their own For otherwise they would in like manner and measure loue and approue the true sentence of another as I also loue that which they say when they speak truth not because it is their sentence but because it is truth Therefore to returne to our purpose whichsoever of these two interpretations we take or if we take a third more unlikely then eyther considering whereof we speak namely of the continuance of the power of the Ethnike Roman Monarchie that these 42 moneths making 1260 dayes are to be taken for so many yeares from the incarnation of our Lord it must needs be that they are long since expired and consequently that the power and time of that first beast and Monarchie is long since ended For to take them literally for three yeeres and an half as that godly Father from whom I do not willingly dissent doth in another place limit the continuance of Antichrist upon the words a time two times and a half To take them I say literally that is for three yeeres and an half I thinke to all that haue eyther read or heard of their actions will seem to favour of much mistaking I might say of much ignorance but that reverence to that good Father who had not then the help and light which we now haue makes me forbeare other mens affected and obstinate and wilfull blindnes in this point which deserveth the whipping post But of this more hereafter Let us come therefore to the sixth note which is of his Blasphemie against God and his Church But of this I neede not speak any more having said so much alreadie The seuenth is of his warres against the Saints whereof also I need speak but little seeing the said ten horrible persecutions and many others stirred up by the Roman Emperors against the godly christians of the primitiue church are notorious and known to all men and never the like to be found in any kingdome or nation whatsoever no not under the Turkes But I proceed this Beast or Empire had power over all nations As to giue instance but in one we may read of Dioclesian that within a verie short time he obteyned mightie and great victories in all parts of the world then known namely in Africk over Egypt in Asia over Persia in Europe over France and Brittanie Vpon all which premises I conclude with this Problem Whether these things can be applyed to any person kingdome state or monarchie besides Rome And whether any other can be the Antichrist according to these prophecies but onely he that is the seauenth Head king or Commander of the Roman state And thus we see the place of Antichrist and the state or bodie politique which he must haue Let us now come a little nearer to consider of his names III. The Names No men est per quod quidque noscitur The name of everie thing is that whereby it is known or as it were not a men it is that whereby everie thing is noted or distinguished The authoritie to giue names belongeth primarily to God as Gen. 1 Gen 1. Secondarily to princes and superiours as Adam Gen. 2. Gen. 2 19. Thirdly to the people by consent as Ioh. 13 13. Ioh. 13.13 The conditions required in the imposition of names to make them answerable to the definition and notation aforesaid are veritie congruitie certaintie Vide Platon in Cratyl Thus being imposed and approved they are not to be changed For they are notes of our notions notions of things limits of distinctions and dignities signes of truth and measures of certaintie which being violated or neglected all knowledg turneth to error and confusion all justice to injurie all vertue to villanie as Cato in Salust well noteth In Con. Cat. I am pridem nos vera rerum vocabula amissimus And Seneca complayning of the wickednes of times Prosperum faelix scelus virtus vocatur And hereby may we see the force of the Apostles argument Heb. 1. Hebr. 1 4. and the ignorance and presumption of Heretikes Schismatikes who dare take to themselues new names and leaue the common name of Christians giuen by oracle from God most certainly approved by God Now if in names giuen by men Acts 11 26. certaintie ought to be observed shall we think that the Spirit of God giveth uncertaine names or will call darknes light or light darknes Esa 5. Questionlesse he doth not giue idle or uncertain names Hebr. 4 12. but in this as in all things els useth words liuely and significant And herein is to be noted a difference betweene the names giuen by God the names instituted by men For men giue names a posteriori because things are so and men conceiue them to be so therefore they call them so But the names giuen by God are a priori because God the Almightie maker of all things hath ordeyned that they shall be so therefore he calleth them so and because he calleth them so therefore they must be so Let us see therefore what names are giuen to this great enemie of Christ and his Church and how these names are used and applied in the Scripture And first of the name Antichrist This name as all men though but meanely learned in the Greeke tongue do know is a word composed of the preposition Anti and the word Christ Anti is used in Greeke sometimes to signifie an adversarie sometime a Deputie or Vicar as many learned men haue heretofore observed and proved That it signifieth an adversarie is confessed by all that it signifieth a deputie substitute or vicar appeareth by the word Anthupatos which is expounded by some Proconsull Act. 19 38. 18 12. by others Deputie Now the names of Christ So AntiStrategos signifieth either a lieutenant or the adverse capteyns which in Hebrue is Messiah and in English signifieth anointed is diversly taken in the holy Scripture First properly personally and Individually for our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ who is God blessed for evermore Secondly Aug. de civ dei l. 17 c. 4. appellatiuely for all that haue a similitude with him by their unction as Kings Priests and Prophets in which sence it is used in the Psalme Psal 105 15 Touch not mine annointed and doe my Prophets no harme and David of king Saul sayth The Lord keep me from doing that unto my master 1 Sam. 24 the Lords annointed to lay mine hand upon him for he is the annointed of the Lord. Thirdly the name of Christ is used mystically for the mysticall bodie of our Saviour Christ 1 Cor. 6. which is his church In which sence the Apostle speaketh Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ 1 Cor. 11. And again Christ is the head of everie man for as the bodie is one 1 Cor. 12. and hath many members and all members
as easie to be intreated now in heauen as he was upon earth when he did not reject Marie Magdalen that had seauen divels the woman of Canaan whom he rebuked by the name of a dog nor the man possessed with a legion Secondly how do they acknowledg him to be full of truth when they say that his H. word doth not contain all truth but it must be pieced out with the traditions Canons and expositions of their Church 3. How do they acknowledg him to be our wisdome Scriptura seipsam exponit Chris Aug 2 Tim. 3. when they will not haue his word to be sufficient to interpret it self and to instruct us make us perfect in all good works but we must resort to the Church and receiue her judgment from the mouth of their Pope 4 How do they acknowledge our Saviour Christ by himself to haue purged all our sinnes when they say that we must satisfie by good works in our life and after our death we must go to Purgatorie 5 How do they acknowledg him to be our justification when they say that we are justified before God by our good works and not onely by faith in his death and passion although it be written if thou confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and belieue in thy heart Rom. 10. Hebr. 10. that God raysed him from the dead thou shalt be saved 6 How do they confesse him to be our sanctification or that by one sacrifice he hath consecrated for ever them that are sanctified when as they teach that there must be offered up dayly sacrifices for us in the Masse And lastly how do they accept him for their Redeemer which affirm that our poenarie works Concil Trid. ses 14. Bellarm. de paenitent l. 4. truly properly do satisfie God for the guilt of our punishment which after the fault forgiuen remaineth to be expiated But these points with many others which may be produced to proue that the Pope and his Church if not expresly yet by consequence which is equivalent doth deny the fulnes of all graces to be in our Saviour Christ I leaue to our learned Divines of whom some haue urged these things alreadie and others I doubt not will prosecute them more at large hereafter The summe of all this may be reduced to this Problem Whether any may more properly be called Antichrist or may be called an adversarie to Christ then he that thus denieth the graces of our Saviour Let us come to that which is not onely easie to our understanding but evident to our senses which may be seen with our eyes and felt with our hands For if we take the name of Christ here as he is in the sacrament who hath been a greater enimie to Christ theÌ„ the Popes one of them poysoning it another casting it into the fire all changing adding or diminishing it But take the name as it is communicated to Kings Priests and Prophets and so Antichrist to be an enimie to them I demand who hath in secret as Antichrist must be deceiueable been a greater enimie to all christian kings and Princes then the Popes sometimes incensing them to fight with Pagans and Saracens abroad as de did Godfry of Bulleyn many Princes with him in the meane space neglecting their Christian subjects at home our king Richard the first and the Emperor Frederike sometimes stirring up seditions and rebellions at home as he did against the Emperor Henry the IIII. Henry the IIII. king of France and Queen Elizabeth sometimes ministring occasions to make wars betwixt themselues as Pope Iohn did by crowning another Emperor while the first was living sometimes by giving away their kingdomes as Navarre and England sometimes leaving them destitute of succour and open to the universall professed enimie of all Christians the Turke as they did the Grecian Emperors sometimes setting secret Traitors to murder them and sometimes procuring open enimies to invade them ever excommunicating cursing and interdicting one or other of them Let the histories of late times be perused and see whether their ende and drift hath not been continually for these 900 yeeres and upwards to maintaine and advance their own power riches jurisdiction and preeminence by holding christian princes alwaies obnoxious to them and to make them obnoxious and to keepe them under awe by such meanes as aforesaid So likewise for Priests and Prophets is he not an adversarie to all that will not submit themselues unto him as namely to the Greek Church and all the bishops and learned pastors of the same to the godly Valdenses Albigenses Wicklevites and others Lastly if we take the name of Christ here for his mysticall body which is the Church this is also a speciall note of Antichrist For so it is plainly said that the woman was drunke with the bloud of Saints and Martyrs And who hath shed more bloud of godly men professing the word of Christ Iesus then the Popes haue done for these last nine hundred yeares I referre my self to the histories and Chronicles of those times See Abbâ—t demonst antich In that one warr which they caused Christian Princes to undertake for Ierusalem under Godfry of Bollen it is recorded that there were slayn two thousand millions of Christians In Merindall Cabriers and other places held by the poore Valdois they murdered all men women and sucking children In the Massacre of France Anno 1572 within eight daies were murdered a hundred thousand beside many other at other times in England and else where So that howsoever we take the name of Antichrist either as Vicar to Christ or as adversarie eyther denying his graces or suppressing his Liuetenants and ministers or persecuting his members I finde this name most agreeable to Rome and I demand Whether it can be so well applied unto any other But here will be demanded of me a question how this name Ho Antichristos that Antichrist as they expound the Greeke Article which they would perswade is to be understood of one man can be applied to a succession of men especially seeing some of the Fathers seeme to speake of him but as one man For the Fathers to clear that first it must be confessed that quaestionibus non dum motis Pâ—â—k in Prob. they spake sometimes impropriè incautius as Bellarm. confesseth or securius as S. August sometimes Rhetoricè as S. Ierom. sometimes populariter as others do affirm This question concerning Antichrist was not appointed for them but for us upon whom it must needs be confessed that the uttermost ends of the world are fallen neither did they much labour in it And yet we see not all of them runne in one straine Hilarie seemeth to speak more largely He that refuseth the judgment of the Scriptures Antichristus est Chrysoft in opere imperfecto doth not restraine himself to one man but we sayth he videmus abominationem desolationis jam stantem in loco sancto id est populum Antichristi in
Emperor in Constantine the Pope This Rising is described by seauen adjuncts 1 His kinde or Existence Revel 13. another beast 2. The place from whence he came comming out of the earth 3 Having two hornes like a lambe 4 He spake like the Dragon 5 His actions seauen fold as shall be shewed hereafter 6 His Marke 7 And lastly his Name Whereas he is called another beast and yet not resembled to any Beast working in the presence of the first seauen things are again to be observed 1 The time of his rising 2 That this which is here described must be an Empire or monarchie which is signified by the name of a Beast as all the former were and as the Angell in Daniel hath taught us to interpret 3 It must consist not of one particular man but of a Succession For so all the former did or else it should not haue the name of a Beast without distinction as it hath and as they had 4 It is not like any of the rest For if it were like in any part it would be so expressed as it is said that the first was like a Lyon the second like a beare the third a Leopard the fourth in severall parts like everie one of them but this like none of them 5 It is not onely unlike to them but it is of no certaine forme And herein our Apostle in the description of this last Beast observeth the same caution Dan. 7. that was before by the Prophet Daniell in the Description of the fourth beast saying it was unlike any of the former and yet not expressing whereunto it was like So indeed was the Roman Empire in its Rising for that after the kings who were as the nursing Fathers of that state were expelled it held for a long time no certain form of government So it seemeth our Propheticall Apostle intendeth that the kingdome of Antichrist in his Rising must be of an uncertaine forme 6 It must arise in the presence of the first beast And this agreeth with the words of S. Paul 2 Thes 2. who sayth not that he which withholdeth must be abolished destroyed determined or ended but that he must be removed or set out of the way in some other place So this Beast or Monarchie must arise after the Roman Monarchie not ended for sayth Daniel that fourth Beast or Monarchie must continue till the judgment be set but removed out of the way from Rome the place appointed for Antichrist 7 It must still be a Beast that is a Monarchie of Idolatrie as all the rest were Now let us see how and to whom these Prophecies may be applied wherein we must so goe forward that we do not forget that which went before By the former Problems I suppose it hath appeared that the place of Antichrist must be the Great cittie Rome and that in time of Christianitie that the State subject unto him must be the state of Rome and that he must be Summui Pontifex one of the seauen Heads of that state In this part of his description we may see not onely a further point revealed unto us which is the time and manner of his Rising but a further confirmation of those former points And first for the time a most materiall circumstance to be considered I demand Whether it be not here sufficiently and plainly expressed in the Text that this second beast must arise while the former is yet in being and that not altogether but in tract of time seeing it is sayd that he doth all that the first could do in the presence of the first or before his face and causeth the first Beast to be worshipped And seeing it is confessed that the place of the first Beast was Rome it must follow that the place of the second must be Rome and seeing the second must worke before the face of the first and cause the first to be worshipped it followeth evidently that both these Beasts that is to say the first Beast departing and the second arising must be at one time in Rome This therefore confirmeth that which hath been sayd before concerning his place And this being compared with the words of the Apostle to the Thess 2 Thes 2. that Antichrist must be destroyed by the brightnes of our Lords comming is a strong proof of his times viz. that he must arise before the Emperor be quite departed out of Rome must continue to the end of the world which cleerly overthroweth the opinions of all Demiseptennians and Ho Antichristians For if he began then to work and must be in Rome in the presence of the first Beast that is of the Old Empire must continue till the comming againe of our Lord How can it be imagined that he should be but one man or that he should continue but three yeares a halfe or that he is not yet come or such like dreames c. Or let any man shew me with consent of Scriptures who besides the old Roman Empire can be meant by the first Beast who besides Antichrist can be meant by the second For to say that these two beasts are to be taken for one thing is verie absurd and contrarie to the Text which calleth the second Beast another To say that by the first is meant Antichrist can hardly stand with the Text for then what is meant by the second If you say his bodie or Clergie how can that be admitted when it is sayd first that it is another therefore no part of the same Also it riseth from another place viz. the Earth whereas the first rose from the sea Also it doth all those things which the first Beast could do before his face But that is verie absurd to say that the Body doth as much as the Head or the Clergie as the chief Prelate By the same or like reasons are refelled the opinions of those that take the first beast for the Divell For how can that stand with the Text that the Dragon gaue him his Throne and great power c. So the opinion of those that take Antichrist or the first beast pro caetu impiorum for the multitude of the wicked may be refelled by the Text. For then why should it be distinguished into two severall Beasts the one rising after the other and why should there be so many severall attributes applied unto it Therefore not intending to stand long upon the refutation of other mens opinions but following the counsell of the excellent learned Scholler of S. Paul Dion Ar. to finde out that which may be most agreeable to the Text of the Scripture and the Truth of Historie I aske whether this Prophecie of the rising of Antichrist in this second Beast were not fully performed in the Roman Bishops who succeeded Silvester from the yeare of our Lord 313. untill the time of Constantine the Pope in anno 707 Was not the old Empire continued in Rome for the most part of that time Were there not in
to be burned as Heretikes which refuse to worship these Images For what cause 〈◊〉 moved Sabinian to burne the bookes of Gregorie but because he had defaced Images howsoever Platina goeth about to blanch the matter What else did they object against the Emperors of Greece What else did they urge against the Valdenses and Wicklevites but that they refused to worship the Roman Pontifex and his images What else did they object to Cranmer Ridley Latimer Hooper Sanders Bradford and other godly men in Queene Maries time that I may speak of England not of other countries but that they refused to acknowledge the reall presence and so to worship the Sacrament other of their images I demand also whether the Turke or any other Idolater do command and compell men to worship images under such capitall and Tyrannous paynes Whether any Idolater do compell men to worship so many Images or set up so many to be worshipped And whether any do proceed so cruelly against those that refuse to worship their Images The Popes in their lawes declare them to be Heretikes and excommunicate which do not worship their images and consequently depriue them not onely of lands and goods but also of their liues yea if it be a Prince they absolue his subjects from obedience and alleagiance givin his subjects power libertie to kill their Natiue king and giue away his kingdome to another Did ever any Iew Turke Infidel or Pagan attempt to doe the like If they should is it credible or likely that they should be believed and obeyed as the Popes haue been Thus therefore their actions being so agreeable to the Rising of this second Beast I demande againe How these Prophecies can be otherwise performed by any Monarch Prince Potentate State or person whatsoever past present or to come And if not then Whether this be not that Antichrist or whether we may expect any other And so we come to the description of Antichrist mounted upon the Roman State and raigning in his glorie which is the fifth generall parte of his description V. The Raigne of Antichrist IT is not unworthie of our observation that the Holy Ghost in setting forth the kingdome of Antichrist useth no such forme of speech as when he speaketh of particular men but such as is commonly used applied in scripture to signifie greate kingdomes and Monarchies When he prophecieth of particular men for the most part he noteth them by some proper Adjunct As of Iohn Baptist Esay 40. A voyce cryeth in the wildernes prepare the way of the Lord. c. So of our Saviour Christ My Righteous servant shall justifie many and againe He was broken for our sinnes c. Sometimes by the name of some other man as Mal 4. Behold I send you the Prophet Elijah c. Sometimes he calleth them by their proper names as that He sayth to Cyrus my Sheepheard Esay 44. c. and I will call Eljakim and so he prophecieth of Iosiah and against Shallum Coniah The king of Babel and Tyrus Esay 22. Ier. 22. But when he speaketh of great kingdomes or Monarchies he figureth them sometimes under the names of Great Beasts as all the four Monarchies in Daniel sometimes under the names of women â—zech 23. as Ezechiel calleth the two kingdomes of Ierusalem and Samaria Two women Nahum calleth Niniveh Esay 47. the beautifull harlot Esayah and Ieremie resemble Babylon sometimes to a woman tender and delicate sometimes to a Queene Iu. 51. sometimes to an Harlot whose words and Phrases our Apostle delighteth much to use It is no marvell therefore that having here to speak of the state of two Great kingdomes namely the Kingdome or Church of Christ and the kingdome or Synagogue of Antichrist He describeth one of them as a Chaste and undefiled spouse prepared for her husband and the other as a sumptuous glorious luxurious proud and intising Harlot alluring kings princes and all sorts of people to come unto her Wherein although it be true that Contraries compared layd together do illustrate one the other yet I will not here prosecute that glorious and heauenly description of the true Church of our Lord Christ Iesus able to take up all my thoughts and meditations but strictly following my former course obserue seuen Attributes in the Description of the Antichristian state and power Revel 17. now mounted upon the back of the Roman state First it is called the Great Whore Secondly which sitteth upon many waters Thirdly with whom the kings of the earth haue committed fornication and the Inhabitants of the earth haue been made druncken with the wine of her fornication Fourthly most richly and gorgeously cloathed and adorned with purple and scarlet gold and pearles having a golden cup in her hand full of her fornications Fiftly shee hath a name written in her forehead a Mysterie Babylon The great Mother of Harlots abhominations of the earth Sixtly She is druncken with the bloud of the Saints and Martyrs of Christ Iesus And lastly to make all plaine who this is It is sayth our Prophet the Great Cittie that ruleth over the kings of the earth Of some parts of which Description I haue spoken before both in the first and second Problem For which cause I shall not neede to speak much here but onely of such things as haue not been touched before And to speake a word by the way of that which is most plain and evident which is last mentioned that it is called the Great cittie by which name we commonly understand the king Prince or Prelate thereof as in the Prophecies against Iuda Israell Babell Ninive we understand many times their Princes and principall men and in our common speech we call Prelates by the names of their Seas as Canterburie London Magunce Trever c. So here by the most proper Adjunct we understand Rome and by Rome her Prince Prelate or Governour It will be in vaine therefore to aske whether this be hee seeing the Holy Ghost sayth this is he But it will be I thinke worth our labour to consider how these qualities may be applied to the chief Pontifex of Rome and whether they may be applied to any other And if to them alone then whether to one more then to another or to the whole succession Let us therefore peruse them in order The first qualitie is The Great Whore Whoredome in Scripture as hath been sayd is understood sometimes literally for the corporall filthines sometimes mystically for the spirituall whoredome which is Idolatrie Now for this later it is evident not onely by the Testimonie of Salvianus aboue recited but of their own histories that the verie Heathen Idols continued undefaced in Rome and worshiped untill the time of Boniface the fourth who having obteyned the Pantheon of the Emperor Phocas did consecrate that Temple to the honour of the Virgin Marie and of all martyrs Platina Fasc Temp. ejectis prius
Gentium siâ—ulachris First casting out of it the Images of the Heathen Now if he first cast them out then consequently they remayned unto his time unremoved And although S. Gregorie is sayd by some Authors in a zeale to Christian Religion to haue broken defaced some of these divelish moniments and that therefore Sabinian his Deacon next Successor was so much offended with him that he was about to burne his bookes In vita Sabin yet Platina stiffely denyeth that either Gregorie did deface Images or that that was the cause of Sabinians malice against him although he himself sheweth no other cause for it But howsoever it was whether Gregorie did so or not so yet both by the testimonie of Platina and by the Action of Boniface we may see that the Romans still continued those heathen abhominations And no sooner had Boniface who succeeded next but one after Sabinian cast out the Heathen Idols but shortly after they erected the Images of Saints and commanded and compelled men to worship them about the yeer 625. that with such eagernes and furie of contention that they deprived the Grecian Emperors and tooke from them all Italie because they resisted them namely Leo whom they called in scorne Iconomachus that is a fighter against Images This worshipping of Images was then and ever since condemned by godly men and held to be direct Idolatrie unexcusable whatsoever distinctions they pretend which indeed are but Glosses of their schoolemen and haue no ground nor evident proofe in the Scripture For what Scripture warranteth us to giue the worship of Doulia to any Image or Saint whatsoever I am sure the Text in one place sayth Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue where the word is the same that signifieth Doulia What warrant haue we in Scripture to giue the same worship to the picture Image or Crosse of Christ that we giue to Christ Iesus What warrant haue we to set up Images for remembrances Yea what shall we say also those grosse and Heathenish superstitions and Rites in observing the Calends of Ianuarie the dayes Egiptiacall and the course of the starres all which S. Augustine held to be Idolatrous and yet continued in Rome till the dayes of Pope Martin Can. 2â— quâ— 7. which was about the yeare of our Lord 640. yea untill the dayes of pope Zacharie Where then was the zeale godlines of the Romish prelates before to reforme these things And yet no sooner were they condemned by the sayd pope Martin but that shortly after euen by the same pope Martin was commanded both the adoration of Images and the vow of Chastitie to be observed by Monks and priests which was the beginning of the Corporall Fornication also in that that under the name pretence of chastitie they restrayned them from lawfull mariage Which when they had thus taken away from the Monkes shortly after that is to say in the yeare of our Lord 660 or thereaboutes the pope with his Councell decreed that the Cloysters of Nunnes should be subject to Monks and Fryers Concâ—l Hispa contrarie to the Synod Agath Vide Tom. 1. Concil ciroa ann 475. Pantal. then which nothing in the world could be devised more forcible and opportune to induce increase common whoredome betwixt them And about the yeare 697. a king of Spaine gaue publike libertie to priests that everie one of them might keepe as many Concubines as he would which eyther he durst not haue done or the priests durst not haue put in practise without the popes consent And by the counsel of Toledo about the same time Priests were licenâ—ed to keepe everie one a Concubine May we not then here plainly see the power of the Greate Whore beginne to shew it self about the year of our Lord 666 when as these three great things were in that time publikely established first the Popedome or universall Pontificate in Boniface the fourth Secondly the adoration of Images And thirdly this corporall fornication But of the power of the pope how it grew and increased Problem 7. I shall speak more hereafter In the mean space let us take a Review of these things and compare them to the first Attribute and Notation here giuen to Antichrist by the Holy Ghost when he representeth him and his estate to a Great Whore And let us aske the Questions before touched First Whether the Popes for these nine hundred yeares last past haue not continually mainteyned these two kindes of Fornications by their lawes faculties dispensations and practises Secondly Whether all of them haue mainteyned them or whether any one of them hath reformed any of these sinnes during that time Thirdly Whether any other Prince Potentate State or person haue done the like Fourthly And if not then whether they may not well be comprehended and understood under the name of one Man as the whole succession of the princes of Iudah and Israel is called Iuda Iacob Israel Ephraim c. And here although to any that well considereth the places of Scripture aboue cited it may seeme idle and impertinent to seeke for Antichrist in any place out of Rome or to imagine that he should be any other then the seauenth Ruler of that Septimontane cittie yet because there are some which thinke the Turke to be Antichrist others that think Antichrist must be a Iew and of the Tribe of Dan and such like vayn opinions I demand Whether ever any Turke or Iew commanded mainteyned or suffred the worshiping of Images and the publique use of whoredome so much and in such open manner as the Popes haue done And seeing both the Iewes and Turkes by the grounds of their Religions do abhorre and detest Images Whether it be likely that any Iewe or Turke will ever suffer such Idolatrie as is common amongst the Papists And yet further because some do thinke that the Raign of Antichrist must continue but three yeares and an half and some thinke he must be one particular man and such like fantasies I demande Whether it be possible that there should be so much whoredome and Idolatrie committed within that short space of time or in the life of one particular man though he liue an hundred yeares as hath been committed within the Popes kingdome and Iurisdiction during the sayd nine hundred yeares last past I demand I say Whether it be possible that there should be so many millions of Fornicators Whores and Idolaters in the life of one man as in the time of these Popes Item Whether it be possible in so short a time for any man or divell to establish use and practise such powerfull meanes for the increase of whoredome and Idolatrie And if the Sectaries of the Roman Pontif. will not answer I will aske the Earth as Esra is called to do Whether within the compasse of such a time she be able to bring forth or beare so many millions of whores Fornicators 2 Ezdâ—u â—â— and
Whether any Prince Potentate State or person ever did the like in the changes of times as these Popes haue done and whether any can do the like especially that shall continue but three yeares and a halfe or one mans life time Again haue not the Popes and everie one of them changed lawes by establishing a New law which they call the Canon Law Haue they not added to their Decrees Decretals Extravagants Clementines and do they not still publish new Bulles Faculties and Dispensations with speciall words of Non obstante I hope no man will put me to proue any of these things unlesse it be some that will make a question whether that rule of Law be to be held which sayth that Notoria non sunt probanda or make a doubt whether the Popes Bulles Faculties Dispensations and other publike Instruments be Notoria Anton. sum part 3. t. 22. Sum. Angel tit Papa Againe do they not teach and mainteyne that the Pope may make New Religions change the ordinances of Generall Councels and dispence with all Lawes both of the Temporall State and of the Church yea with all the Laws of the second Table and with some of the first As when God in his Law sayth It is not lawfull for thee to haue thy Brothers wife Doth not the Pope say It is lawfull by my dispensation When God sayth Thou shalt not kill doth not the Pope say thou mayst kill euen thy Prince when I haue declared him to be an Heretike Is not this to change lawes 〈…〉 and haue not all the Popes for these many hundred yeares now last past with one consent and voice all making one Man of sinne or Lawlesse one arrogated this power and practised it Haue they not all maynteyned and approved the Actions of their Predecessors in doing such things And do they not still maintaine and practise the same So that I need not to say with Salvianus Etsi hoc commune omnibus non faciebat actus faciebat tamen assensus For which of them hath not done it And what else hath been the cause of so many millions of sinnes committed in the Christian world for these many hundred yeares but the Bulles Indulgences Pardons absolutions faculties and dispensations of the Pope together with the perswasion that men had of their Holines Infallibilitie and power to grant such things and that by such Bulles Indulgences Pardons and Dispensations their sinnes were forgiuen Now let any man shew me Whether ever any Prince Potentate State or man haue done the like or whether it be possible for any in time to come to doe so much in this kinde as the Popes haue done namely to make so many Lawes to break and change so many Lawes and to grant so many Bulles faculties and dispensations especially within the compasse of three yeares and an half or one mans life time Concerning their Adulteries which is the fifth I haue sayd sufficiently before onely this one question may be added viz. Where shall we finde Antichrist and Babylon the Great Whore and mother of Whoredomes but in that church and state whose chief Bishop publikely alloweth them because he hath a greate part of his Revennues from them which as some in former times haue accounted hath been to the value of fortie thousand ducats yearly Concerning their Idolatries also I haue spoken before and shall say more hereafter There resteth but the last note which S. Paul giveth 2 Thes 2. and is principally to be observed because the Fathers do agree that it is without doubt spoken of Antichrist viz. That he sitteth in the Temple of God as God boasting that he is God and exalteth himself aboue all that is called God or that is worshiped and yet working with all deceiuablenes of unrighteousnes If any man yet remain doubtfull whether the Pope be that Antichrist let him answer me upon these words Who ever was comparable to the Pope in these things Aug. de civ dei li. 20. Who ever besides him hath sitten in the outward visible Church or Temple of God as chief Bishop head or Governour thereof or upon the Church as commanding ruling and raigning over it or as the Temple of God with such a singular opinion of sanctitie and infallabilitie for all these wayes doth the Father interpret that word as the Popes haue done And whether it is credible that any shall do the like in time to come Whether is there or was there ever any Prince Potentate or person Christian or Iew Turke or Pagan so adored as he hath been and that in the verie Temple and Charch of God and that by the chief Bishops Archbishops Cardinals Patriarks and Primates of the Church Whether can they giue any greater Adoration to God himself outwardly if he were corporally present Or do they giue any greater to the Sacrament in which they affirme the bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ to be really present Again Whether hath any Prince Potentate or person Christian or Iew Turke or Pagan invented or practised such a powerfull meanes to depriue or depose Emperors Kings and Princes as the Popes haue done by their Excommunications Suspensions Interdictions and Decrees Did ever any so practise to discharge Subjects of their Alleageance and oathes to giue kingdomes away to others to crowne and uncrowne Emperors with his foote to treade upon them and yet still reteyne such an opinion of Holynes See more in the Collect. of M. Fox in the end of his first Tome and haue a Cleargie singing to him in the meane while Super Aspidem Basiliscum c. Did ever any do the like and was obeyed in such things and thought to do it lawfully and rightfully And hath he not in these things more then ever any other exalted himself as God aboue all kings and Princes which are called Gods and worshiped See much more of this in M. Downhams Treatise of Antichr l. 1. cap. 5. Yea doth he not exalt himself aboue our Lord Iesus Christ as much as man may doe when he affirmeth that not onely he himself but everie one of his Masse-priests and Friers is able to make the verie carnall bodie of our Saviour which must be worshipped as God Doth he not cause the Sacrament to be caried before him by a Pedarie or Footepriest when he himself is mounted up in a Throne of Majestie and caried upon mens shoulders Doth he not exalt himself aboue our Lord when he weareth the Crucifix which he likewise commandeth to be worshiped as God upon his shoes and pantofles Possevin◠which euen the Rude Moscovite when he heard of it utterly abhorred and detested Doth he not exalt himself aboue God when he taketh upon him to alter the Articles of Fayth and adde to those which were anciently made and declared in the times of the Apostles or soone after by the consent of the Primitiue Church For what is that they haue declared so imperiously subesse Romano Pontisici Extra Com. de
Arius who by the common voice of Godly christians in those dayes was called Christomachus and Principium Antichristi Arius affirmed that the HGhost was Creatura silij si ium non esse ejusdem cum patte substantiae Pantal. ex Hilar Ruf. Epiph alijs the Holy Ghost as it seemeth giueing out that for a watch-word to stirre up the Christians at that time to expect the comming of the great Antichrist About the same time rose up Macedonius the Heretike who affirmed the Holy Ghost to be a creature against which Heresies it seemeth that not onely the Creedes of Nice and Athanasius but also the verse Gloria patri c. and Veni Creator Spiritus and the beginning of the Letanie was instituted About the same time also the seat of the Empire was removed from Rome to Constantinople and shortly after a godly Emperor making a graue and Christian exhortation to the Bishops to agree together in peace and unitie Hilar in libro quem Constātio ipsi tradidit and to determine their controversies by the Scriptures it is answered againe by a learned and godly Father 1 Ioh. 4 6. Hoc qui repudiat Antichristus est He that refuseth this is Antichrist therein also giving us another speciall signe or marke whereby to judge of Antichristian Doctrine About the same time also or shortly after rose up the Heretike Pelagius who affirmed freewill and the merits of human works also Eutiches who defended that the flesh of Christ Iesus was not like ours and that he was not truly borne of the Virgin and many others So that here we may see a great concurrence consent of prophecies with events and with the Iudgements of godly Christians upon the corruptions of true Doctrine in those times that now Antichrist was beginning to rise And certaine it is that the Bishops of Rome from this time forward sometimes by flatterie sometimes by sedition sometimes by patronising Heretikes sometimes by opposing the godly did incroach to themselves dayly more and more authoritie untill they had obteyned the full and absolute government of the Septimontane cittie the seat of the first Beast driuen the Emperors out of Italie and so become Heads of that cittie appointed to be the seat of Antichrist What the Roman Bishops were from Silvester untill Boniface the third I haue shewed before Pantal. Bibliand Baron About the yeare of our Lord 333 the Temples of Heathen Idols were commanded to be shut up by Constantine yet that Command as it seemeth was not executed the Empire was setled in Constantinople Salviamiss and the Romans euen then began lesse to regard it yet the title of Pontifex Max. was reteyned by Constantine and Consuls were still made in Rome with Heathen rites and Ceremonies and many of the Senators and Nobles continued still in their Pagan Idolatrie Constantine therefore againe commanded the Heathen Temples to be shut up about the yeare of our Lord 348. But the sacrifices and abhominable Auguries by the entrals of Beasts and such like were forbidden God tit 〈◊〉 de Pagan first by Theodosius and then by Gracian and Valentinian about the yeare of our Lord 387. Yet long after this their Idols and Heathenish Auspices and Rites in the creation of the Consuls remayned Salvianus and likewise their Idolatrous abhominable playes and shewes in their Circis Gymnasiis and Theatris as witnesseth Salvianus But in the yeare 533 or thereabouts Consuls began to cease and were no more made with such abhominable auguries which bringeth as fully to the end of another Period of 1260 from the fiue and twentienth yeare of Romulus whereof I spake before in the second Problem So that we may see how by many degrees the Heathenish Idolatrie and Roman Empire were removed In the same times also the seauenth head of Rome arose Aug. Steuch de Donat. Const and the kingdomes of Christendom signified by the tenne Hornes began to take their power namely in Brittanie France Spayne Greece Germanie Pannonia Denmarke Polonia Suetia and Norway All which in time gaue their power to the Pope 2 Thes 2. and were subject unto him About those times also was the great Schisme between Silverius and Vigilius Platina Onuphr for the Papacie the one an Heretike the other a Schismatike and perjured at least And shortly after about the yeare 580 Pelagius was made Pope by Election of the Cleargie without any licence from the Emperor and Iohn Patriarch of Constantinople tooke upon him the title of Vniversall Bishop whereby was kindled the great contention for Primacie which continued untill the time of Boniface of whom I will speake hereafter Thus I say the old Idolatrie was by degrees suppressed and the second Beast began to worke in presence of the first But here by the way a question may be moved because we haue entered into a consideration of the times limited in the holy Scripture for the accomplishing of Prophecies whether those times are to be alwayes accounted by an exact Astronomicall Calculation as some learned men haue laboured to doe casting up Minutes Seconds of time which are scarce sensible or apprehensible with more curiositie then profit or whether we may content our selues with a vulgar computation onely observing signa temporum the signes of times the neglect whereof our Saviour in many places objecteth to the Pharisees For answer whereunto it must needs be confessed in common sense and experience as the Philosopher also noteth that things of great moment cannot be removed in a minute Neyther can I choose but thinke it was for some cause that our Saviour when he forewarned his Disciples of the destruction of Ierusalem though it were then neare at hand yet did not tell then of the certayne day moneth or yeare but gaue them a signe of it Luc. 21. When ye shall see Ierusalem compassed about with armies then know that the destruction thereof is at hand Luc. 12. So when he reprehendeth the Scribes and Pharisees he doth not reprehend them for not making the precise computation of the seauentie weekes of Daniel but for not marking signa temporum so he teacheth his Disciples to judge of summer by the greennesse of the leaues and of harvest by the whitenes of the corne Matth. 24. and of the ende of the world by the signes that shall goe before it And what to call signum temporis Luc. 2◠the Apostle teacheth us when he sayth that in the last dayes there shall come perilous times For men shall be lovers of themselues Ioh. 12. c. So our Saviour when his Apostles told him that certayne Graecians desired to see him answered that the time was come that he should be glorified amongst the Gentiles intimating thereby that the inclinations dispositions and works of men are evident signes of the times But the ancient oracle delivered by God unto Abraham is most of all remarkable Gen. 15. for sayth God thy
Second Horne put downe and so Paschatis and others after him Whereupon followed Schismes Seditions and Murthers in the times of Eugenius Gregorie Sergius and Leo. Anno 854 pope Ioane The kingdome of the whoore Sexum mentita veritatem faemina To whom also it is sayd that the Divell answered in verse Papa pater patrum papissae pandito partum A storie omitted by some for the filthines of the fact sayth Rainulphus but averred by so many and so learned authors that it will never be blotted out Polychron whereof I haue spoken before Anno 856 Benet the third Schisma 12. Anno 860 vid. dist 19. Si Romanor Blasphemie pope Nicholas who admitteth that the Old and New Testament were to be received by vertue of the papall decrees And if any man will say that this was but by way of argument let him consider of some other of his Decrees As that that none presume to reprehend his judgment nor to judge of it 9. q. 3. patet That the pope may not be bound or loosed by any secular power Dist. 96 satis evident He boasteth that he is God because he is called God and God cannot be bound or loosed by any man Dist. 19. That all the popish Decretals be observed c. All these Decrees haue his Successours mainteyned and do mainteyn them to this day Anno 868 Adrian the second This man caused a Counsell to be gathered wherein it was decreed Dist 63 Adrian 2. that no Lay Prince or Potentate should intermeddle with the election of any Patriarch So here the French Emperors were quite cashierd Rensu alij Metropolitan c. are these pettie-matters or are these proofs insufficient Anno 872 Ioannes who crowned three severall Emperors all liuing at one time thereby giving occasion to most grievous civill warres to the infinite effusion of Christian bloud Exalting himselfe aboue God And this man granted pardons to them that were dead After him Martinus Adrianus Stephanus followed in the same steppes Anno 891 Formosus made Pope by a great schisme Anno 896 Boniface by tumult and faction About this time Sanctimonia Pietas omnis Pontifices dereliquit Platina RespoÌ„de Suares Pantal. c. Anno 897 Stephen by Schisme He caused the carcasse of his Predecessor Formosus to be taken out of his graue comdemned of Symonie and cast into the river of Tibris And so they continued in Schismes and tumults between the Factions of Formosus and Sergius from the yeare 891 untill 907. Anno 906 Sergius a notable Schismatike Famous for abhominable filthines with the Noble Strumpet Marozia Kingdome of the Whoore. by whom he had issue Iohn who afterward obteyned the papacie And about this time the impudent and filthie whoore Theodora and her sonne Albericus with her two daughters Marozia and Theodora in filthines like their Mother governed all things in the Church of Rome Whereupon Baronius beginning the storie of these times confesseth it was an Iron age barren of all goodnes and a Leaden age abounding with all wickednes For this Theodora gotte the kingdome of Rome See Plessis ex Leithpr Pantal. sayth the Historie by whoredome with Pope Sergius and continued it to her posteritie by advancing her Paramours and her daughters Paramours or Bastards to the papacie and prostituting her daughters to the Popes succeeding one another Proh dolor Sic Baronius Quid ad haee Suares eâ—quid pudet proh dolor sayth Baron Here thou mayst see the abhomination of desolation in the church So proclaimeth our great papall Annalist How then hath it been removed therehence since that time Yet behold greater abhominations Anno 932 Iohn called of some the eleuenth In reckoning of these Iohns there is great difference among Chronâ—l of others the twelfth the Paramour of Theodora as some say Anno 938 Stephen the eighth made Pope by the power of Marozia and Hugo king of Artes her husband Anno 956 Octavian otherwise Iohn sonne of Marozia by Sergius was made pope by Aberik the sonne of Theodora This Iohn was made pope Monstrum hoÌ„minis Platin. being but a childe and after grew to be most beastly in Adulterie making the pallace of Lateran Prostibulum Au. Incest Plessis ex Pantal laâ—â—th a Stye or Brothell house sayth the author He used adulterie with Raineria Stephana and many others and committed rapes with such violence and outrage euen in the most holy places that women durst not come to the Church for feare of him This is he that caroused in wine an health to the Divell and playing at dice used to call Iupiter Venus and all the Divels to help him and at length was slayn by the divell being taken in adulterie as some write And so the Rule of these Harlots and their children in the open sight of all the world continued in Rome almost an hundred yeares What pope what Cardinals what succession from Peter was here and where shall we find the Whoore where shall we find Antichrist if this were not he Is there any Historie or record whatsoever of any prince or Monark Salvage or Barbarous Iew Turke or Pagan of ancient or later time that can shew measure of such abhominable and horrible practises and yet see more Anno 964 Leo the eigth was made pope in whose time a Synod was held Plessis ex Albert Crants wherein Pope Leo with all the Cleargie and people of Rome to avoid the French as they had before the Grecians granted and confirmed to Otho the first King of the Germans and his successors authoritie to elect and ordaine the Bishop of Rome pronouncing Anathema and banishment or death to them that should doe the contrarie and confirming by oath to him and his successors all that which they held by donation or otherwise from Iustinian Charles Pipin or Arithpertus declaring that whosoever should hinder the effect thereof should by the Law Iulia incurre the punishment of high Treason So now they were become subjects to the Germane Emperors How long did they hold it Otho was no sooner dead but that in the yeare 974 Boniface the seauenth contrarie to the Law and to their oathes was made Pope by sedition and murther having strangled his predecessor Benet the eigth and put out the eyes of Iohn that was chosen against him And so the Popes and Clergie of Rome who first rebelled against their Leige Lords the Graecian Emperors and after against the French Third Home put downe Go up against the land of rebels Ier. 50.1 became now perjured Traitors and Rebbels against the Germans usurping their Rights and invading their territories Anno 995 Gregorie and Iohn Schismatikes And thus haue I runne over about three hundred years of the raigne of Antichrist from the time that the Pope was become universall Bishop had set up his kingdome of Idolatrie and dispossessed the Emperors of all Italie And if these seeme not evill inough Behold yet
Ran Ran like a trumpet the Grecians Trac Trac like a drumme and so in the Text it is sayd that they goe forth to the kings of the earth to gather them to battail Concerning the Hebrew name I would saine learne of the learned whether it may not be taken for a word compounded of two words whereof the one signifieth to make hast the other Defection or destruction so signifieth hasting to destruction or defection which agreeth with the Text. Their nature as we see by dayly experience â—â—nimalia amphibia is to leape on the land swimme in the water spoyling polluting and corrupting in both And to whom this may be applied I leaue it to learned Divines to consider The fifth thing to be considered is the joyning of the Beast Rev. 19. and the Kings of the earth and the gathering of their armies The sixth is the gathering of Gog and Magog together Rev. 20. and whether this be the same battail which is spoken of in the former chapter The last is the glorious and triumphant victories of our Lord Iesus Christ who is God blessed for evermore But of these things I dare not speake but onely moue them desiring to learne and not thinking it altogether unlawfull to search so it be done with Christian modestie and humilitie no more then the ancient Prophets did thinke it unlawfull for them to search 3 Pet. 1. what time the sufferings of Christ should be accomplished the glorie to follow But for the manner of the consumption of Antichrist that also seemeth to be two fold The one by the preaching of the Gospell the other by the open falling away of peoples nations countries from Antichrist Of both which other godly learned men haue sufficiently spoken at large namely M. Fox in his Martirologe the two learned Bishops Abbat and Downham in their severall bookes of Antichrist also Catalogues Testium the learned Morney in his booke De Mysterio Iniquitatis and many others And concerning the last time which must be the second comming of our Lord Iesus Christ because God hath reserved it to himselfe Act. 1. I therefore rest in the prayer prescribed to the Church by our Apostle Apoc. 22. Euen so come quickly Lord Iesus The Conclusion VPon all these premises for a conclusion I would desire the Christian Reader to consider of these seauen short Problems first concerning these prophesies before touched as I haue demanded of them everie one in particuler so now of them all in generall If they be not fulfilled alreadie I demand how they can be accomplished or how long when we shall expect their accomplishment There are now almost 1600 yeares past since they were giuen Rev. 1. And the Holy Ghost testifieth both in the first and last Chapter of his Revelation that the time was not long but shortly to come Rev 22. and by another that the mysterie of Iniquitie beganne euen then in the Apostles time to worke Secondly 2 Thes 2. if these prophesies be fulfilled as hath beene shewed and if the Pope be indeed that Antichrist spoken of in the Scriptures and all the prophesies concerning Antichrist do concurre in him and can be applied to no other so aptly as unto him then I aske why should we halte any longer betweene two opinions why should we flatter our selues 1 Reg. 10. or dallie with idle distinctions of the Antichrist and an Antichrist as if any Antichrist might be admitted to stand in competition with our Soveraigne Lord Christ Iesus If that distinction must yet still be observed as well at this time as in the dayes of S. Iohn unlesse the distinguisher can shew some other that may be called the Antichrist besides the Pope I demand whether it may not be inferred that The Pope is The Antichrist and that everie Papist is an Antichrist O deare Christians let us at length awake and if God be God serue him if Rome be Babylon let us flye out of her and if the Pope be Antichrist let us utterly forsake him For to follow both serue both cleaue to both or relie upon both is absolutely impossible Thirdly if these things be so I aske in what case they be that take parte with Antichrist or entertaine him eyther by way of Obedience conversation assistance permission connivence or howsoever seeing it is written that if any man worship the Beast the same shall drinke of the pure wine of the wrath of God And what concord can Christ haue with Belial Fourthly upon the same grounds I demand what power this Pontifex Max. which is Antichrist can haue over Christian Kings Princes Magistrates or other persons whatsoever to excommunicate interdict depose or depriue any of them Fiftly I aske what authoritie he hath to interpret the Scriptures or what he hath to doe with them or to pardon or dispence with sinnes namely incest murther treason Idolatrie c. or to make Canons Decrees or Decretals to bind Christians Sixthly seeing the Monarchie of the Pope is directly holden of the Divel by homage actually performed by some of them and assented unto by all their Successors in approving and maintaining their succession from and by them which did it I demand whether all that follow the Pope or take parte with him do not thereby submit themselues to the Divell in approving of that horrible Act and withall renounce and forsake our onely true and rightfull Lord and Soveraigne Christ Iesus And lastly all the premises considered whether it may stand with the policie safetie or peace of any Christian kingdome state or common wealth to permit and suffer Antichristian and diuelish practises of filthines infidelitie murther treason Idolatrie blasphemie and superstition to increase amongst them And whether it be not high time for all Christians to awake and betime to flye out of Babylon least they be taynted with her sinnes so made partakers of her punishments and for Christian Kings to reward her according to Gods commandements as shee hath rewarded the servants of Iesus Christ Saue thy selfe O Sion that dwellest with the Daughter of Babylon Zach. 2 7. Ecclesiae querela Woe is me that I sojorne in Meshec that I dwell in the tents of Kedar My soule hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace I am for peace but when I speake they are for warre Psal 120. Arise O Lord let not man prevaile Let the Nations be judged in thy sight Sententia divina Put your selves in aray against Babell round about All yee that bend the bow shoote at her spare no arrowes for she hath sinned against the Lord. Shoute against her round about she hath giuen her hand Her foundations are fallen her walls are throwne downe for it is the vengeance of the Lord. Take vengeance upon her as she hath done doe to her Ier. 50. Babylon is fallen it is fallen Apoc A Problem what successe is to be expected by Christians in any action joyning with Antichristians or Idolaters
Iosh 7. THus sayth the Lord God of Israhel there is an accursed thing in the midest of thee O Israell You cannot stand before your enimies untill you haue taken away the cursed thing from among you 2 Chron. 16. 13. Asa made a covenant with Benhadad king of Syria then Hanani the Seer came to him said Because thou hast relied on the King of Syria and not relied on the Lord thy God therefore is the Host of the King of Syria escaped from thee Herein thou hast done foolishly Therefore from hence forth thou shalt haue warre 2 Chron. 19. Iehoshaphat King of Iuda helped Ahab against the King of Syria and Iehu the sonne of Hanani the Seer went out to meete him and said to King Iehoshaphat Shouldest thou helpe the wicked and loue them that hate the Lord therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. And shortly after the Moabites and Ammonites came against him 2 Chron. 20. Iehoshaphat joyned with Ahaziah King of Israel who did verie wickedly and he joyned with him in making ships to go to Tarshish Then Eliezer the sonne of Dodavah prophesied against King Iehoshaphat saying Because thou hast joyned thy selfe with Ahaziah the Lord thy God hath broken thy works And the ships were broken 2 Chro. 21. Iehoshaphat had taken Ahabs daughter for a wife to his sonne Iehoram hoping perhaps to draw back the kingdome of Israell but it proved the overthrow of his posteritie 2 Chro. 23. Amazia hired an hundred thousand mightie men out of Israel for an hundred tallents of silver But there came a man of God to him saying O King Let not the armie of Israel go with thee For God is not with Israel c. Esa 48. Ier. 51. Rev. 18. Flye out of Babylon my people that ye be not partakers of her sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues See more Esa 20 5.30 1 2. Ier. 17. c. and consider of all the leagues and treaties made by the Kings of Iuda with the Syrians Egyptians Assirians Babylonians c. what came of them What good gott Salomon by his affinitie with the Egyptians was not his sonne spoyled by them What gotte Hezekiah by his courtesie shewed to the Babylonian Embassadors Esa 39. c. It were a worke not unworthie the vacation of a learned man to adde unto this a consideration of all the Leagues Pacifications and Treaties that haue been made by the Romish Catholikes with other Christians as namely with the Graecians the Albigenses Valdois Bohemians Lutherans Calvinists Huguenots Protestants c. How they haue observed their covenants and fayth and what hath beene the ende and successe of everie of them What good the Grecian Emperors what good the Albigenses under the E. of Tontons what the Valdois Bohemians and others gotte by submitting or yeelding to the Romanists and what fayth those Romish Catholikes haue held with them also what is come of all the great warres that Christian Princes haue undertaken by the instigation and procurement of the Pope as namely those of ancient time for Ierusalem and those of late in France Also what good hath come to Christendome by all the victories gotten by Romish Catholikes against the Turkes haue they enlarged or defended Christendome haue they not lost a great part of it Yet they hold some part True taking Christendome in their sense who admitte none to be Christians but those that are subject to the Pope But for other Christians it is much worse For the Grecian Christians though grievously oppressed are suffred in some sorte to liue under the Turke but Protestants in no sort under the Pope c. FINIS