Trent which was performed by Chemnitius Examen Concil Tridē Or at least by him and others that also writ against that Councell But the Sea out of which the Beast arose was not so corrupt in it selfe but only became soe in some part thereof into which the burning mountaine was cast which corrupted it Now if one should aske me whether the Sea out of which the Beast arose were the Councill of Nice or that of Sardica I thinke that if not out of both confounded and put together by thē then rather out of that of Nice I. Because that was a generall Councell and therefore more apt for his purpose and authority as the other was not which only restrained to the person of Iulius a priueleidge soone after reuoked 2. Because that of Nice gaue him prioritie of place and this priueleidge that a law should not be imposed on the Church without his aduise out of which as he tooke it he as ye saw made greate aduantage and indeede rose out of it this beeing the originall and ground of all the power he after got 3. Because he alwaies alleadged it for his authority which it seemes he the rather did because it was generall and the more auncient more reuerenced and indeede because that Canon of Sardica was soone reuoked yea he so much desired to rise out of the Nicene Councell that in alleadging as he pretended a Canon of Nice he vseth the very words of this Canon of Sardica See Mysterie of Iniquitie written by M. du Plesses only leaueing out the name Iulius and was therefore conuicted of forgerie by the sixt Councell of Carthage 4. Because the burning mountaine signified vnder the second trumpet must needes be cast into the Sea before the fall of Constantius vpon the riuers signified vnder the third and therefore in all likelihood before the Councell of Sardica which yet gaue him power or increased it as he tooke it But by reason that Liberius who presently succeeded was an Arrian and therefore could neither chalenge power by it nor by the Nicene Councell this power as I shewed was not excercised till the time of Damasus But indeede ye haue seene that from the time of Damasus or Siricius the Pope as he vsed the matter had power to doe in things that belonged to other mens iurisdictiōs yea as an ouerseer and confirmer of Councells as he tooke the matter and what more as a kinde of head and lawgiuer as ye saw in the Epistle of Siricius to Himerius Bishop of Aragon and the Beast must needes be then risen and in action because soone after he began to receiue wounds and at last his deadly wound by the incursions of the Gothes and Vandals Thus power was giuen him to doe and thus he had it but not so soone as some haue thought So that they who reckon his time of doeing from the time that Constantine came to the Empire or when the heathen Emperour was cast out or from the time of the Nicene Councell or from the time that Constantine left Rome or from the time of Pope Iulius may beginne to soone And if not then it must needes be vnderstood as others haue obserued power was giuen him to doe fourtie and two monethes but in the time of the wound by the Gothes and Vandals or at least while it was sore and deadly he had noe power to doe therefore those yeares of the vvound vvherein he could doe nothing must not be reckoned vnlesse you allovv others for them Which yet may be fevver by many than some haue thought because the Gothes and Vandals did not raigne so longe in Rome as they say and so the time of the vvound beeing lesse then they giue vvill bringe it to the same reckoning vvee make or very neere it But indeede there is noe cause to expound it so because it is cleare enough that the Beast vvas not risen or at least had not power to doe so soone as they thinke and withall that frō the time that the Gothes first tooke Rome to theire expulsion the Pope had for the most part power enough to doe which is verrie behoofull to manifest because men may thereby see that there is noe allowance to be giuen him for the time of the wound or if any yet but litle For Rome was more than once saued and rescued and though it were taken againe yet the Popes of those times had as much power to doe as euer theire predecessors had if not more Besides the Gothes became Christians many of them were indeede but Arrians yet Baronius sheweth that they gaue the Pope much power to doe and questionles theire Kingdom did rather further the mysterie of iniquitie then hinder it as wee shall see by and by Therefore out of doubt they are much mistaken who giue 140. yeares for the time of the Gothes Kingdom begining is when Alaricus first tooke Rome which they say was aboute the yeare 415. and ending it when Narses vanquished Totilas Whereas others better skilled in historie shew that theire Kingdom lasted but 72. yeares begining the time after the first comming of Theodoricus into Italie and ending it as the former when Totilas was vanquished And yet before that extirpation of Totilas Belisares the Emperours Leiftenant had entred Rome taken Vitiges Kinge of the Gothes and carried him captiue to Constantinople and after that when the Gothes haueing chosen Totilas for theire Kinge tooke Rome againe Belisares recouered it the second time But in his absence they got strength wonne it againe then Narses wholly expelled them out of Italie Now see theire errour who begin theire Kingdom so soone and reckon the time of the wound to be 140. yeares Begining them in that time of Honorius wherein Rome was first taken For themselues confesse that during the raigne of Honorius Rome was twise taken Alaricus and Ataulphus beeing the captaines and yet the Beast had not the deadly wound in the head seeing it was rather a shamefull then a harmefull ouerthrow as Pomponius Laetus sheweth in the life of Honorius that when Honorius began to rouse vp himselfe Sabell En. 8. lib. 1. the Gothes were expelled out of Italie and Attalus theire Kinge led in triumph to Rome and after his right hand was cut off he was carried captiue to Lipara that so longe as Honorius and Valentinian liued the Maiestie of the Empire was defended by theire Leiftenants Constantius and Aëtius though theire Maisters were slacke and lasie Yet Valentinian raigned many yeares after Honorius The truth is that before that Alaricus had taken Rome but he gaue life to such as fled to Christian Churches and then led his armie from Rome with purpose to saile into Afrike and setle his abode there but eare longe he died After his desease Ataulphus his Kinsman returned to Rome with the Gothes resoluing to ouerthrow all there to build another citie to change the name of it call it Gothia but his wife Placidia the sister of Honorius
Finall ruin but the time could not well begin from the time of Constantine or when the Ethnick gouernment was ouerthrowen or taken out of the way For by either of theese computations the time should haue beene out many yeares agoe when indeede diuers Kingdoms were fallen from the Pope and he had noe power to doe in them as in England Denmarke and others and soe indeede as his power began in som Kingdoms before in others soe accordingly God would that he should begin to loose it in some before in others But yet he hath had and still hath much power elswhere to doe great things Which hath made some thinke that the time he hath had since and shall yet haue is giuen him for the time of the wound when say they he had noe power to doe But questionlesse they are mistaken herein as the sequell of this worke will manifest And indeede they seeme to me to beginne the time to soone I meane not soe much before he was a Beast as before he had power to doe For the words are power was giuen him to doe fourtie and two monethes Soe Beza Aretius Piseator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pareus and others reade them potestas agendi And I can not finde that either he did much or had much power to doe before the time of Damasus a Spaniard who was chosen Pope aboute the yeare 366. others say 369. and sate till after the yeare 380. then indeede he had some power to doe as wee shall see by by or at the furthest in the time of Syricius neere the yeare 386. or thereabouts to which time of Damasus in the yeare 380. if you adde 1260. yeares which seemes to be the time giuen him in the 42. monethes they may ende before or aboute the yeare 1640. or at least within a few yeares after that is if he had not this time of doeing till the dayes of Syricius or Innocent But it may be a litle sooner because Damasus might haue power to doe some yeares before the yeare 380. And howsoeuer Rome may ende much sooner then the Beast because her destruction seemeth to many to be by the fifth viall Reu. 16. his by sixth or seauenth hers is first declared chap. 18. then his chap. 19. But while wee seeme to cast vp the time set foorth in the Reuelation this is to be vnderstood to fall out thereabouts First if the time of the Beasts doeing began in the time of Damasus or Syricius and not before or after which now wee will examin as needefull to be knowne in theese lamētable times wherein the beast rageth and preuaileth as if he were to raigne for euer when indeede it is because the Deuil in him hath but a short time And secondly if Baronius and others that I haue followed reckon the yeares right as for ought that I can perceiue they doe at least they goe neere the marke and soe therefore may wee As touching the first our Lord himselfe giueth vs light in two places of the Reuelation For while he saith of the Beast Reu. 13. power was giuen him to doe fourtie and two monethes he sheweth that there is a certaine time when they should beginne which time may now at the last be neerely pointed at by any that will take the paines to search the Histories to see whē he first had power to doe The second which is more plaine and doth indeede seeme to shew when theese monethes were begunne is set downe Reu. 17. Reu. 17.12 Where it is saide of thē who are hornes of the Beast theese haue receiued noe Kingdom as yet but receiue power as Kings one howre with the Beast which at the soonest they did not before the time of Damasus Ammian Marcel lib. 28. c. 12. lib. 30. c. 4. lib. 29. c. 10.11.12.13 lib. 31. c. 10. when indeede as Ammianus Marcelinus sheweth the Almanes had theire King Marcrianus of greate puissance the Burgundians theires the Africans theires Nubel and then Firmus the Franckes theire Kinge Melobaudes and other Nations likewise had theires Valens the Emperour of the East was slaine by the Gothes who also had theire Prince Or perhaps not so soone may some man say because after that Theodosius brought them againe into some subiection to the Roman Empire which yet rather hindred then ouerthrew theire growing if not erected Kingdoms and indeede because he was an Emperour of greate puissance and both greately feared and loued therefore it may perhaps be thought by some that theese Kingdoms were not yet erected till after the death of Theodosius in the time of Pope Innocent Spanish Hist French Hist who gouerned in the dayes of the Emperour Honorius In whose time at the farthest as all the best Historians shew Kingdomes were plainely erected in Spaine and Afrike by the Gothes Speede How Chron. Vandales Sueuians Alanes one in France vnder Pharamond who yet is saide to succeede Marcomir Sumo and Melobaudes In whose time also the Picts Scots and others preuailed in Britaine so that after the Britaine 's had elected diuers other Gouernours they were faine at last to choose Vortiger theire Kinge and to call in the Saxons who chased the Picts and Scots but succeeded them in power and crueltie Other Barbarous Nations of those times preuailed in Thracia Hungarie Austria Sclauonia Panonia Dalmatia and other countries Thus though the Beast might perhaps haue some litle power to doe a litle before the rising of theese Kings yet they who had noe Kingdom before while the Empire floorished doe now receiue power as Kinge one howre with the Beast that is to say whether he beganne to haue that more Kingly power to doe in the time of Pope Damasus or soone after in the time of Siricius or Innocent which truly is somwhat hard to determin yet it seemes to me to be in the time of Damas And the Reader may also giue a good guesse thereat when he shall see how power was first giuen to theese Popes more then to any other Patriarch or as a Kinde of head ouer all Which power yet was not giuen him by any plaine and lawfull act of a councell as both the sixth councell of Carthage aboute the yeare 420. and the councell of Chalcedon aboute the yeare 450. proued against him neither indeede did he get it of many yeares after nor by consequence iustly therefore the thinge is not to finde when he had it giuen him lawfully for that the Antichrist could not haue but when some things fell out which gaue it him as it were accidentally when first he tooke hold of such occasion and thenceforth openly vsed and maintained it Which at the soonest for ought I can finde was not before the time of Damasus but he indeede stroue to attaine it and to that ende laide hold of euery litle occasion and made vse of it For haueing damned the heresie of Apollinaris in a Councell held ad Rome Theod. lib. 5. cap. 9. aboute the yeare
with perswasions diuerted him and the Gothes then departed and addressed themselues toward France and Spaine Soe that it seemes the deadly wound was not yet giuen nor the Popes power of doeing taken short by them For indeede Zozimus Boniface Celestine tooke much on them in this time And the Emperour Valentinian who raigned longe after that in the west couenanted with the Vandals assigned them bounds in Afrike to dwell in And soe in his time Sixtus succeeded Celestine in the papacie and ruled 8. yeares free enough from this wound and after him Leo was in quiet enough for a longe time but in his dayes indeede Attilas King of the Hunnes inuaded Rome and so did Gensericus Kinge of the Vandals shortly after but Leo by his eloquence redeemed Rome from fire when both Attilas and Gensericus would haue burned it The later was neere aboute the yeare 450 and it hath beene thought a terrible blow but it seemed the deadly wound was not yet giuen till the time of Odoacer and Theodoricus For Gensericus departed into Afrike and the Popes after this had but too much power as wee shall see by and by Odoacer indeede inuaded it tooke it and besides the greatest part of Italie slew Orestes Anno 472. and compelled his Sonne Augustulus to denude himselfe of Imperiall honours whereby the westerne Empire of Rome was for a time extinct Baron Vol. 6. an 476. art 1.2.3 while that Odoacer now raigned there Yet as Baronius and others shew he did not molest the Pope Clergie Theodoricus killed him raigned alone in Italie for many yeares But eare longe after his death the Gothes were beaten out of Rome by Belisares and Narses Some perhaps will thinke that the deadly blow vvas not giuen till the time of Totilas after Belisares had recouered Rome because Totilas tooke it againe aboute the yeare 547. And this vvas indeede the most fearefull desolation that euer it had in so much that this Kinge vvas called Flagellum Dei that is the scourge of God He cast dovvne part of the vvalls burned the hovvses killed the Citizens so that neither man nor vvoman remained therein for 40. dayes I ansvver if this vvere the vvound it lasted not for he vvas soone vanquished by Narses And if the vvound vvere before in the time of Odoacer or Theodoricus or sooner yet the matter is not to see hovv longe the vvound lasted vnhealed but vvhether it hindred the Popes povver of doeing for all that time Wee haue seene already to Leo vvho ruled 21. yeares indeede tooke much on him as appeared to the Councell of Chalcedon but the Papists are ready enough to boast and shevv you vvhat greate povver he had to doe After him Hilarius continued 7. yeares Simplicius succeeded continued 15. yeares What power theese had may appeare by theire Successour vvho liued in a more dangerous time This vvas Foelix the III. vvho continued neere 9. yeares He gouerned the Church of Rome in the time of the Emperour Zeno vvhen Odoacer and Theodoricus contended for the Superioritie of Italie He vvas nothing inferiour to his Antecessors in zeale to aduance the Supremacie of the Roman Chaire For he was so bold as to excomunicate Acatius Patriarch of Constantinople because when Petrus Moggus gaue testimonie of his repentance and the recantation of his errour Acatius absolued him and did not craue the aduise of Foelix when he receiued him like as he craued his aduise before when he excomunicated him though now there was lesse neede while Moggus testified his repentance and recantation And herevpon Gelasius Gelas in Epis ad Dardanos who succeeded Foelix grew so insolent as to depriue Constantinople of the right of Patriarchship and to pronounce that the See of Rome might without a Synod of himselfe either absolue those whome a Synod had wrongfully condemned or condemne such as had deserued it and so setteth vp his See aboue all Councells And againe The Canon Ibid. saith he hath ordained that all Churches ought to appeale to this See and from this See to none because this See iudgeth of all Churches and noe Church of it as beeing without spot or wrinkle Yet as God iustly permitted after this vaine boasting his next Successor Anastatius had secret communion with the Accatian Hereticks Liber pontif as the Pontificall booke sheweth adding That therefore many Preists and others of the Clergie withdrew themselues from his communion c. Symachus succeeded though not by full or plaine election for many held for Laurence and each Faction kept quarter apart till some beeing wiser thē some the matter was referred to Theodorik the King who preferred Symachus and yet 4. yeares after Laurence was called home againe the Factiōs fell fairely to blowes wherein were infinite spoiles and murders committed Paulus Diacō lib. 15. Nicephor lib. 16. c. 35. as Paulus Diaconus and Nicephorus shew After Symachus succeeded Hormisda who would loose noe time If we may beleeue his Epistles he made diuers Bishops his Vicars in sundrie Prouinces of the West as Auitus Bishop of Vienna in the Prouince of Narbona Iohn of Arragon in Spanie on this side the riuer Betis and on the otherside Salust Bishop of Seuill Theese Bishops desiring precedencie and superioritie accepted of this title and soe gaue the Pope much power to doe in those times at least by his Substitutes And indeede howsoeuer some thinke that the Gothes Kingdom tooke away or hindred the Popes power of doeing as it might seeme at some times for a litle while Yet to say truth for the most part it furthered and increased it For the Emperours power was now bounded in the East and yet to recouer authority in the West they thought fit to hold intelligence with the Popes of Rome and to make faire wether with them by theire meanes to finde a doore open into Italie And therefore whereas diuers Emperours had fauoured some herecies which the Popes had opposed Iustine the Emperour to be more pleasing to the Pope was contented to send to consult with him vpon certaine points of faith which though it were no verrie greate matter seeing diuers Emperours haue donne as much with some Preists and Monkes that haue beene famous for learning iudgement and integritie as Charles the greate with Bertram a Preist aboute transubstantiation Yet the Popes ye may be sure would in time make greate matters of theese presidents Wherefore Baronius maketh much of a certaine sentence taken out of a letter which Iustine wrote to Hormisda Baron vol. 7 an 519. art 98. which sentence he causeth to be printed in greate letters Wee beleeue and hold for Catholike that which was intimated to vs by youre religious answer Soe dangerous it is to deale fairely with theese men For Baronius thinks he hath gotten a greate ground of Supremacie in that the Emperour Iustine and after him Iustinian sent vnto the Popes a confession of theire faith which though they often did
as much to other Bishops and might haue donne it to Preists also without any giueing of supremacie yet as the Popes were pleased to take the matter it gaue them power to doe After Hormisda came Iohn 1. Theodoric the Kinge sent him Ambassodor to Iustine to craue that the Arriā Bishops whome he had bainshed might be restored to theire places againe else the Catholike Bishops in Italie should expect the like at his hands Liber Fontif in Iohan. 1. which made Pope Iohn with teares to perswade the Emperour to condescend Here the Emperour still willing for a further ende to please the Pope did him some honour which yet as they take the matter gaue him power But it soe displeased Theodoric that at his retourne he clapt him in prison where he ended his life Platina Foelix the 4. succeeded and ruled 4. yeares He excomunicated Athanasius Patriarch of Constantinople for heresie he ordained that Christians before theire departure out of this life should be anointed with oyle This is theire Sacrament of extreme vnction instituted as ye see by him Whome Boniface the second succeeded though not without schisme for Dioscorus was competitor while he liued In his time Eulalius Bishop of Carthage submitted himselfe vnto the chaire of Rome whereupon Boniface tooke occasion of insolent insulting and that so far that he is not ashamed to write of Aurelius Bishop of Carthage Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo and of the rest of the Fathers which were present at the sixt Councell of Carthage that they through the instigation of the deuill in the time of our Predecessours Boniface and Celestine began to exalt themselues against the Church of Rome But Eulalius saith he now Bishop of Carthage seeing himselfe through the sinne of Aurelius to stand seperated from the communion of the Roman Church hath repented him thereof intreating to be receiued c. This indeede gaue them greate power to doe as they insolently tooke it Iohn the second succeeded whenas the Emperour Iustinian beeing newly come to the crowne that he might please the Pope and get freinds in Italie sent to him to assure him of his true faith Baronius here obserueth that in his Epistle he saith in this manner Wee are all carefull to aduertise youre holinesse of all such things as concerne the estate of the Church wee indeauour to submit and to vnite vnto youre holinesse all the Bishops of the East Which words Pope Iohn laide hold on with both his hands in his answer to this letter where he telleth him that amonge other his vertues this was most eminent that he subiected all things to the See of Rome whereas the Emperour meant only to indeauour that the Hereticks of the East should submit to the faith and soe be vinted to Iohn and other Bishops that professed it Besides he and other Emperours had saide as much to the Patriarch of Constantinople and other Bishops Plesses myst Iniquit prog 17. as Mounseire du Plesses hath proued Yet thus the Gothes Kingdom rather furthered the Popes power then hindred it while in those times the Emperour to regaine Italie gaue him fairer words then otherwise he would haue donne Agapetus succeeded Iohn and was presently sent by Theodatus the Kinge to Iustinian to pacifie him for the slaughter of Amalasuntha his wife a fit commission for a Pope When he came a Councell was called at Constantinople wherein Anthimius the Patriarch thereof beeing an Eutichean Heretick was deposed And the truth is that Agapete beeing then at Constantinople presided in the Councell wherein Anthimius was deposed and Menas placed in his roome which as Popes would take it gaue them much power he died there And then Siluerius the Sonne of Hormisda somtime Bishop of Rome succeeded He gouerned when Iustinian sent Belisares to fight against Vitiges Theodora the Empresse sent to Siluerius desiring him to yeeld to the restoring of Anthimius and deposing of Menas Siluerius refused wherefore Theodora sent to Belisares to Banish Siluerius Baron vol. 7. an 538. art 20. and to appoint Vigilius Bishop of Rome who had promised to fulfill her desires which was donne accordingly Wherefore Baronius speaking of the entrie of Vigilius calleth him a theife a wolfe a false Bishop an Antichrist Yet soone after he calleth him the Vicar of Christ because he did not keepe promise in restoring Anthimius the Heretike But therefore as also for diuers greate crimes laide to his charge by the Romans Anastas in Vigilio he was apprehended led violently away the people persuing him with cursings and Stones He wast cast into prison at Constantinople and then deliuered againe While he was in the Citie the fift generall Councell was held there but he would not be present at it lest the dignity of the Roman chaire should be impaired if he sate there For first Menas Patriarch of Constantinople Bellar. lib. de concil c. 19. and after him Euticheus Bishop of the same See presided there Neither doth Bellarmine deme it So Nicephorus saith when Eutichius was by the Emperour put in the roome of Menas lately deceased Vigilius though agreeing with him in points of doctrine yet refused to sit by him Baron an 553. But yet Baronius obserueth that this Eutichius when he was chosen in the roome of Menas tendred the profession of his faith vnto Vigilius which though it were a thinge vsually practised amonge Bishops and Pelagius the next Pope did as much to the Bishops of Italie yet as Popes and Papists take the matter it gaue him power Thus wee see that in almost all the yeares of the Gothes Kingdom the Pope had power to doe and was seldom hindred but oft times furthered by it Pelagius the first who succeeded Vigilius had the worst time of it for a while because the Tirant Totilas then raged and triumphed in Rome which he vnpeopled for 40. dayes but he was soone vanquished and therefore the time of the Beasts doeing was litle hindred by them and consequently he must needes be verrie neere his ende may expire within 10. or 12. yeares at least within lesse then 16. or 20. yeares from this present or soone after yea though his time of doeing began not till the dayes of Syricius or Innocent because the yeares may be Egyptian yeares as some haue thought probable Howsoeuer though he may endure to doe a litle longer as some thinke yet it doth not follow that Rome shall stand soe longe seeing it is in a manner cleare by the holy Scriptures that he shall suruiue her destruction Reu. 16. For after the fifth Angell hah powred his viall on the throne or seate of the Beast and thereupon his Kingdom waxeth darke by which deede as some thinke may be meant the destruction of Rome seeing that is the throne or seate and by her ruin his Kingdom must of necessity waxe darke because it doth most of all consist off and rest on the supposed chaire of Peter to remaine therefor euer and a
so in theire warre against vs. The Pope bestoweth his false blessings on them and they shew theire greate thankfulnes for theese false benefits in fighting manfully to aduāce his Kingdom and giueing moneyes and other helpes to further the same Christ hath bestowed more yea greater and truer benefits on vs euen all wee haue in heauen and earth by them to binde vs to be as true vnto him and who then can escape his wrath that is not faithfull and thankfull 2 King 19. chap. 20.1 Hezekia was in danger of enemies and after sicke vnto the death And the Lord saued Hezekia * 2. Chro. 32.25 But Hezekia rendred not againe according to the benefit donne vnto him for his heart was lifted vp therefore there was wrath vpon him and vpon Iudah and Ierusalem He hearkened to the flatteries of the Assirians the enemies of God was to conuersant with them and did not refuse them and trust in God who saued him which was vnthankfulnes chap. 16.7 c. A fault that was also in Asa who at first relied on the Lord and was mightely deliuered afterwards he relyed on the Kinge of Syria and not on the Lord and was therefore punished with warres Who then would not be more thankfull and cleaue more fast vnto Christ then Papists doe to the Pope and that because they that follow Christ shall assuredly be Victors Reu. 17.14 chap. 19.18.20 * vers 9. For the eyes of the Lord runne to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himselfe stronge in the behalfe of them Tortus pag. 51. whose heart is perfit toward him Tortus saith In our supernaturall birth in baptisme wee are to conceiue of a secret and implied oath which wee take at our new birth to yeelde obedience to the spirituall Prince which is Christs Vicar As if he saide that in theire Baptisme they receiued the marke of the Beast for * See the Character of a Christian pag. 282. 296. that is to receiue and obey his law as on the contrarie to receiue obey and professe Gods Word is to haue Gods marke but wee are baptized in the name of the Trinitie not of the Pope And if they thinke that they owe so much to the Pope what owe wee to God and his Christ What owe wee to our Sauiour and our Brethren which are members of his mysticall body When wee were baptized wee receiued the promise and consequently the marke of God promising to fight manfully vnder his Banner against all his enemies and to be Christs faithfull Seruants and Souldiers vnto our liues ende such as trust in him that he shall ouercome all enemies Psal 2. Let not Princes therefore be like them that goe downe to Egypt for helpe and stay on horses and trust in Charets Isa 31.1.2.3.4 but looke not to the holy one of Israel neither seeke the Lord yet he is also wise and will bringe euill and not call back his words Let therefore noe Protestant Prince seeke leauge with Papists as Asa did with Syrians who thereby displeased the Lord as also by relying on them For the Papists as the Egyptians are men and not God and theire horses flesh and not spirit When the Lord shall stretch out his hand both he that helpeth shall fall and he that is holpen for the Lord of hosts shall come downe to fight for Mount Sion Let vs therefore looke into the Word of God and see what God would haue to be donne against them not to ioyne first against the Turke with them who haue the marke of the Beast Doth Christ seeke the helpe of his enemies that is the helpe of Antichrist or of them who haue the marke of the Beast there can be noe more safety nor good in mingling and ioyning with them then was vnto the Israelites in mingling with the heathen Psal 106.28.85 and in ioyning vnto Baal Peor or with the Egyptians Isa 30.2 And if Papists ioyne with Protestants they will worke and haue hope to bringe them to theire religion they are verrie subtill in perswading working a thousand wayes and will not sticke to compell if it lie in theire power They vvould cast to haue the Generall of theire religion and if they could be persvvaded to fight vnder a Protestant Generall yet the Scriptures shevv that in Christs armie there shall be none that haue the marke of the Beast Reu. 17.14 chap. 19.14 chap. 14.1 for they that are with him are called and chosen and faithfull They follow him clothed in fine linnen white cleane and haue his Fathers name written in theire forheads and consequently are not Papists defiled with the marke name of the Beast Neither shall there be any Papists in Christs warre against the Turke when he is ouerthrowen For as I shewed the Saints doe first fight against the Beast and the Kings with him the Beast and the Kings and people that are with him are ouerthrowen some of them are slaine in battaile chap. 19.23 the Beast and false Prophet are taken but the remnant were slaine with the sword of him that sate vpon the horse which sword proceedeth out of his mouth that is conuerted to Christ by his Word And then and not before they come to be of Christs armie against the Turke chap. 20. therefore Christ vvill not haue Protestants to ioyne vvith Papists against the Turke but rather to ioyne themselues first against Antichrist his aftervvards against the Turke neither can mortall man be vviser then God that they should finde a better vvay then God hath determined reuealed vvho out of doubt vvill neuer prosper any other contrarie designe how religiously soeuer it may seeme to be vndertaken Wee see they indeauour wholly to roote out all Protestants to come into Christs inheritance where he raigneth and that where the Lord was lately serued there the Pope is now worshipped idollatrie erected and our Brethren afflicted with miserie and death neither are they moued to helpe rightly and speedily whose duty it is which pleaseth the Papists that so when such haue suffered theire Brethren to perish they may also roote out them Which I write not to stirre vp any priuate man to lift vp his hand against any perticular Papist whatsoeuer nor yet to animate the Subiects of theese Popish Tirants to rise and fight for theire religion after the exemple of the Iewes vnder Antiochus Epiphanes of whome it is saide z Dan. 11.32 the people that doe know theire God shall be stronge and doe exploits I rather wish them to suffer and waite his leisure who saith a Rom. 12.19 Vengeance is mine and I will repay as he hath denounced against theese Tirants the Champions of Antichrist saying b Reu. 13.10 He that leadeth into captiuitie shall goe into captiuitie he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword Here is the patience and the faith of the Saints Patience in waiting for this and faith in beleeuing
Antichrist they both make them thinke it is feare of theire strength and also so puffe them vp with conceite thereof that as time serues they will be the more desirous of warre and all occasions thereof Yea it causeth that while such a peace lasteth they will not cease to encroach demaund and obtaine either by flatteries or threats till they may by peace get more to themselues and theire religion then they could haue donne by warre Nor is it likely that such will longer hold it then theire aduantage increaseth therein Neither is it alwaies sufficient before God to say wee desire peace espetiallie where it is quarrell enough against thē that they haue the marke of the Beast are the Souldiers of Antichrist and members of the greate whore whose destruction is commanded For as a famous Diuine saith B. Hall Contemp on the Gibeonites He that calls himselfe the God of peace proclaims himselfe the God of hosts and not to fight where he hath commanded is to breake the peace with God whiles wee nourish it with men And who euer got by angring him to please others or by loosing his fauour to get the momentarie and vncertaine freindship of others vncertaine I call it because God that hath iniurie thereby may therefore suffer it to be turned into deceite hatred and greater damage That which men doe vniustly to preuent an euill though it seeme greate polecie is by Gods iust iudgement often turned into a cause that bringes the same euill vpon them as appeareth Gen. 11.4 Isa 30.1.2.3 Ioh. 11.48 I know that in many places causes times that place may verrie well be alleadged If it be possible as much as in you lieth Rom. 12.8 liue peaceably with all men But when God would that the whore should be burned and that the seauen Angels haue begunne to powre out theire vials full of the wrath of God yea when theese things are alreadie in theire progresse who is there who if he be a true Protestant and Seruant of Christ will say that this or the like place is congruently alleadged betweene free Princes of so contrarie Religions to hearken is at that time better then sacrifice and Christ to be heard Mat. 16.24.25.26 Ioh. 12. If any man serue me Ioh. 12.25.26 let him follow me and where I am there shall also my Seruant be If in warre then with him if in peace then with him When diuers Kingdomes forsooke the Beast and whore to follow the Word it was saide The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. Reu. 11. Since that time Christ and they that follow him haue continually skirmished against Antichrist and his followers and should continue so doeing till Rome and Antichrist should be destroyed as is shewed Reuel 14. chap. 15. chap. 16. c. And will Princes and States then that are his Leiftenants suffer the Beast and his to recouer or spoile any of theese Kingdoms either by force or fraude surely if they doe those Princes will condemne them who with all theire might defend and extend the dominion of Antichrist and so will they also who at the Popes becke led greate Armies to recouer Palestina and that though God in Scripture require no such thinge but rather shewes that it shall lie vnder the curse till the restauration of the Iewes Reu. 11.15 whereas he saith the contrarie of theese Kingdoms And yet the Iesuits Preists and other Papists goe aboute with the firebrands of errour and sedition that like Sampsons foxes they may at least spoile theese vines garnaries which are Gods and not as his foxes did the enemies Now they that are in authority may know if they will that Christ our d Can. 8.11 Salomon had a vineard he let it out vnto keepers and that therefore they should thinke of that e chap. 2.15 Take vs the foxes the litle foxes that spoile the vines Espetially seeing theire cunning Preists are such as the wonderworking dreamer and false Prophet of whome God saith f Deut. 13.8.9 and chap. 17.7 Thou shalt not consent vnto him nor hearken vnto him neither shall thine eye pitie him neither shalt thou conceale him But thou shalt surely kill him g Num. 25.16 Vexe the Madianites and smite them for they trouble you with theire wiles h Gal. 5.12 I would they were cut off that trouble you For theese indeede are the riuers and fountaines through which the waters of errour which come from the Romish Sea are conueied into euery corner of the Land to the destruction of Soules Theese fountaines and riuers are also as it were the dougs by which that Sea is nourished as they by it And indeede theese are they that venture to conuey floods of those waters of errour and treason into those Lands where Poperie is thrust out hopeing thereby to bringe people backe from the obedience of theire Princes and indeede of Christ himselfe vnto the obedience of the Pope theire Maister For which they haue beene iustly punished with death as is signified Reu. 16. The third Angel powred out his viall vpon the riuers and fountaines of waters and they became blood Which viall was indeede powred out aboute the yeare 1581. when in England it was ordained by publick authoritie that all they that should indeauour by any meanes to draw the mindes of the subiects from theire obedience toward theire lawfull and naturall Prince to the Pope or for that purpose should draw them to theire religion should be put to death as traitors the good example of which Edict was in some measure followed against the Iesuits in other Kingdoms And questionlesse this is that which is signified by that viall For indeede herein the Lord gaue them blood to drinke because they that brought theese waters of Rome brought them with the danger of theire liues and therefore they were not only turned to blood to those that sent them nor only to blood in themselues beeing apprehended but also if they escaped a while to conuey them they were also turned into blood to those that receiued them as Dauid saide of the water of Bethlehem which the three mightie men fetched him through the host of the Philistines 2. Sam. 23.17 is not this the blood of the men that went in Ieopardie of theire liues Thus the righteous God gaue the Preists and Iesuits blood to drinke who as wee know haue caused many good Christians to be killed by the Inquisition and by animating Popish Princes to make warre against Protestants This is that therefore vvhich the Angell of the waters saith there Thou art righteous ô LORD which art and wast and shall be because thou hast iudged thus for they haue shed the blood of Saints and Prophets and thou hast giuen them blood to drinke for they are worthy If Gods Word say they be worthy vvhat Christian vvill pleade for them that such lavves should not be executed on them Will they doe
and yet the vvarre is still continued chap. 19. vvhere vvee see that the armies called against Antichrist are saide to follow Christ chap. 19. vvho is theire Leader or Generall Is he then in the feild and are vvee affraide to follovv him or doe vvee thinke that all the vvarre is for a Kingdom not vvorth the labour or vvhere the Generall beeing victour doth diuide no spoile amonge his follovvers If it vvere so yet methinkes vvhen Christ Iesus is the Generall there should vvant no follovvers The Popes Kingdom is of this vvorld and therefore his follovvers fight for him because he giues them temporall revvards and promises spirituall though indeede he can not performe promise Christs Kingdom is not of this vvorld therefore men fight not for him Ioh. 18.36 as he saith My Kingdom is not of this world if my Kingdom were of this world then would my Seruants fight This he spake vvhen he vvas to suffer and did not desire that any should fight to rescue him But novv as you haue seene he is to subdue enemies by the sword and therefore lookes for followers to fight though his Kingdom be not of this World Yet besides spirituall honours and blessings our Sauiour and Generall offers greate temporalites to his followers vvhen he saith Reu. 17.16 they shall eate her flesh that is indeede her riches and reuenues and againe Come and gather youre selues together vnto the supper of the greate God viz. vnto a feast that he should make them as Isa 25.9 Chap. 19.17 18. That ye may eate the flesh of Kings and the flesh of Captaines and the flesh of mightie men c. that is indeede to take theire riches pofessions and reuenues Howsoeuer the time beeing come it will not suffice to say vvee are like to haue no pay Reu. 18.1 or vvee haue not yet had any such speciall commandement to goe foorth For vvithout doubt those places of an a Vers 4. Angel descending from heauen of a b Chap. 19. voice from heauen of an c Chap. 14. Angell standing in the Sunne are not to be taken literallie but in those places is signified the voice of God in some Princes Ministers or others standing in the light and confidence of the truth to theese other Seruants of Christ hearken and are hereby saide d Chap. 17.14 to follow the Lambe withersoeuer he goeth and to be truly e Ioh. de Rada par 2. Theol. controu inter Scotum Tho. cont 20 act 2. conclus 6. Parcl de potest Pap. cap. 41. p. 341. called and chosen and faithfull The Papists boldly teach that f Lice praeceptum Praelati sit irrationale pro tale meritò quandâ—que haberi potest tenetur tamen subditus illud obseruare though the commandement of the superiour be vnreasonable and may well enough be thought to be so yet the inferiour is bound to obey it that men are bound Papae sententiam exequi to put the Popes sentence in execution And so wee perceiue the Iesuits and Preâ—sts to go foorth perswading Princes people by diuers meanes to roote out the Protestants and wee see them labouring what they can to do soe so truly do they worship the beast and his Image and shall they then that are Christs and pretend to loue him be more afraide to doe the commandements of God in rooting out them espetially seeing that harlot is the common destruction of soules There is no feare in loue 1. Ioh. 4.18 but perfect loue casteth out feare he that feareth is not made perfect in loue Why then should they feare Doe they thinke that Christ will without theire labour reuenge them he can indeede but his purpose is not so to doe seeing he saith to them of the whore which sitteth on many waters Reward her as she hath rewarded you fill her double c. Reu. 18. Num. 25.17 As of old he saide Vexe the Midianites and smite them for they vexe you with theire wiles Ioh. 13.17 And as he saith If ye know theese things happy are ye if ye do them O daughter of Babylon who art to be destroyed happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast serued vs. Psa 137. Ioh. 14.24 But as he saith He that loueth me not kepeth not my sayings If therefore theese things be not donne let vs not laie the fault on God but rather say vnto him Psal 60.4.5 as psa 60. Thou hast giuen a banner to them that feare thee that it may be displaied because of the truth That thy beloued may be deliuered * psa 68.1 Let God arise let his enemies be scattered The comfort is here as Psa 110. The people shal be willing in the day of thy power Psa 110.3 Faithfull is he that hath promised who will also doe it And though wee haue not beleeued 2. Tsm 2.13 yet he abideth faithfull he can not denie himselfe Theese things are indeede to be more espetiallie considered in theese last times of Antichrist wherein wee see or heare that our brethren haue beene in many places led captiue and slaine Reu. 13.10 as was prophesied Reu. 13.10 and that therefore wee are to expect with confidence that recompence which for our comfort is there assured to the aduersaries Here is the patience and the faith of the Saints FINIS