Feudatories If we believe the Pope and Court of Rome almost all the Princes of Christendom are Vassals of the Church of Rome Vassals of the Antichristian Monarchy A bout the tenth Century there was forged at Rome a shameless Instrument call'd the Donation of Constantine in which 't is sayd That that Emperor gives to the Popes the East and West the North and South Thrace Grece Jewry Asia Africa Italy c. By virtue of this donation all the Kings of Europe are the Popes Vassals and hold their Kingdoms only as his Feudatories But the Court of Rome is since that time grown more cunning Baron in ann 324. and 1192. sect 52. Baronius asserts that this Piece is forged because Constantine was farr from giving away the Empire to Pope Silvester and his Successors And Silvester was farr from accepting it under that notion For the Empire belongs to the Pope not by virtue of any human Donation but by that of Jesus Christ In Sermone de Sto. Sylâ—cstro S. Sylvester saith Vincent of Ferrara pleaded his own Cause so well that he gained a sentence importing that all the Possessions of the World which had been in the hands of Tyrants who call themselves Emperors and Kings should be restored to their Lawful Administrators viz. the Pope and the Prelates But besides this General Title there is not a Kingdom in Christendom which the Popes do not or have not claimed upon some particular Rights as the Vicars and Lieutenants of Christ Gregory VII declares that the Kingdoms of Spain belong to the Church Baron ad ann 1073. §. 34. and 1077. §. 63. From the very beginning saith he the Kingdom of Spain is the Territory of St. Peter and the Right of it is in no Mortal The same Pope makes the like declaration to the Lords and Bishops of Corsica concerning that Island That it belongs to none but to the holy Church of Rome and that those who have possessed it without paying homage to her are guilty of Sacriledge Steuchus Bishop of Eugubium proves that the Kings of Arragon Portugal and Sardinia depend and ought to depend upon the Church of Rome as proper Feudatories England for a long space of time was reckon'd the Popes feudatorie Innocent III. forced King John to make over himself and his Kingdom to the Church of Rome And if we believe Polydore Virgil Lib. 4. Hist Angl. long before that time Ina King of that Isle made himself a Tributary of Rome laying the Tax of a penny Sterling upon every fire-hearth The same Polydore Virgil reports Lib. 3. that Pope Boneface VIII wrote to Edward I. King of England that he could not make war against Scotland because that Kingdom belonged to the Pope who alone had power to bestow and take it away If any Heathen Kingdom was Converted to Jesus Christ and the Christian Religion upon this account it hath been challenged as a Territory of the Church of Rome Upon this ground Baron ad ann 1074. Gregory VII wrote to Solomon King of Hungary that King Stephen and the Emperor Henry had given that Kingdom to the Church and that since that time it had depended upon his Apostolick Majesty The Kingdom of Poland was converted in the year 966. and was made Tributary to the Pope as soon as it was subjected to Jesus Christ And things were brought to that pass that not only were the Polonians obliged to pay Poll money without exempting the Gentry but to make their slavery visible to the whole World Benedict IX appointed them to go dressed almost like Monks Baron 1013. §. 2 3. to have their heads shaven their ears bare to wear on great Festivals a linnen garment like a Surplice Gregory VII procured a surrender of the great Empire of Muscovy by Demetrius to whom he gave it back again to hold it in Feè of the Pope The Popes have had the same pretensions to the Kingdoms of Sweden Denmark Norway and Bohemia Above all they have counted the Empire of Germany as their proper Demesnes and have done their utmost to have the same Jurisdiction over France For Boniface VIII had the insolence to write to Philip the Fair We will have thee know That thou art subject to Vs both in Spirituals and in Temporals I know nothing that this Monarchy wants to make it like those other Monarchies which are represented in the Prophecies under the Emblems of Ravenous Beasts Lyons Leopards and Bears It hath a Metropolis a Monarch a Senate a Council Senators Emhassadors Allyances Leagues Governours of Provinces Courts Judges Vassals Subjects Feudatories It receives Hommages Oathes of Allegeance Tributes in First-fruits Provisions of Benefices Tythes and a hundred other wayes It hath further its Canon Law its Laws its Codex exactly as Emperors have their Pandects their Novelles and their Civil Law. The Papists boast that their Church is a Civil state But what need so much proving of a thing which is not denyed yea is boasted of Read but Steuchus Bishop of Eugubium about the Donation of Constantine Blondus in his Roma restaurata Thomas Aquinas on the 2 Chap. of the 2 Epistle to the Thessalonians Lipsius in the Preface of his Book de Magnitudine Romana They all confess take a pride in saying that the Majesty of the Roman Empire is restored in the Papal power that this new Monarchy is made up of a Religion and an Imperial Power that by means of the Church of Rome is accomplisht the Oracle which was given to old Rome Imperium sine fine dedi That the Pope is a perpetual Dictator that the old Senate is found in the Colledge of Cardinals c. That Rome still to this day receives Tributes from the whole World. Is it possible that the eyes of men should not be open'd at last to discern this How is it that God will suffer such a vail to remain on the minds of men Will men never discern that the Papacy is the head that was wounded to death which is healed again Apoc. 13.3 Will not men perceive that it is the Image of the former Beast or of the old Empire and that speaks acts commands and performs all the Actions of the old Empire What have men seen in Christ and his Apostles what have they read in the Gospel that gives any pretext to imagine that the Kingdom of Jesus Christ ought to be a Temporal one and have a Monarch a Metropolis Governours Officers about secular things Tributes Subjects and Vassals How is it possible that men should not see a Mystery of such shameful Iniquity which under the appearance and names of a Spiritual Kingdom and Ecclesiastical Power excercises a Carnal Worldly Earthly Dominion that is pompous vain and devilish and directly opposite to the Genius of Christianity Our French men with their Liberties of the Gallican Church do miserably blind themselves with the vain distinctions of the Holy See and of the Court of
Pag. 251 CHAP. XXIV The thirteenth and last Character of Antichristianism that is found in the Papacy viz. a long Peace Abundance and Prosperity Pag. 261 CHAP. XXV The Conclusion In all Ages it hath been foreseen or known that Rome and her Bishop are the Seat and Empire of Antichrist Pag. 267 A Confirmation of the Exposition of the sixteenth Chapter of the Revelation concerning the pouring out of the Vials ADVERTISEMENT There is newly Printed this Year 1688. A New Systeme of the Apocalypse or Plain Methodical Illustrations of all the Visions in the Revelation of St. John. Written by a French Minister in the year 1685. and finisht but two days before the Dragoons plundred him of all except this Treatise To which is added this Authors Defence of his Illustrations concerning the Non-Effusion of the Vials in Answer to Mr. Jurieu's Confirmation of his Exposition of the 16. Chapter of the Revelation for the Pouring out of the Vials all faithfully Englished In 12. A CONTINUATION Of the ACCOMPLISHMENT Of the SCRIPTURE PROPHECIES Or a Large Deduction of HISTORICAL Evidences Proving that the PAPACY Is the Real ANTICHRISTIAN KINGDOM CHAPTER I. The First Character of the Antichristian Kingdom which is found in the Papacy viz. a Temporal Dominion hid under the Appearance of a Spiritual One. WE have found Antichrist and the Antichristian Kingdom in the Scripture-Prophecies at present we must find them in History and prove somewhat exactly and largely that what was foretold by the Prophets concerning Antichristianism is by History found to be exactly accomplished in the Papacy We will reduce these Evidences unto some general Characters and will begin with that which is in the Title of this Chapter A singular character of the Papacy a mixâ—ure of the civil state and of Religion The Kingdom of Antichrist hath a very peculiar character upon this account that in it Religion the Church and the State are mingled and jumbled together and hid one under another This I say is nowhere else to be found neither in Mahumâ—tanism nor in Paganism nor in Judaism nor in true Christianity As for Judaism the Empire or Civil State and Religion were so widely different that the Kings durst not perform any Sacerdotal act Because Vzziah attempted to burn Incense he was stricken with a Leprosy 'T is true during the Government of the Asmoneans or Maccabees the Priesthood and Kingly Power were united but this was by a mere Accident and the Jewish Religion did not require it Mahometism is a Religion they who establisht it in the World likewise establisht Empires or civil States but these are not the same thing with that Religion the Mufâ—i and the Grand Seignior at Constantinople are two very different persons Paganism had both a Religion and a Civil State The Roman Emperors were High-priests but they did not exercise the Kingly Power under a pretence of Religion and the obedience which they challenged as Emperors was not accounted any piece of that Worship which was due to the Gods. Nay in substance this Name of High-priest was nothing but an empty Title yea so insignificant that the Christian Emperors did bear it untill Gratian who refused it Lastly nothing is so contrary to the genius of true Christianity as this Union of the Civil state and Religion Jesus Christ saith expresly My Kingdom is not of this world Joh. 18.36 if my Kingdom were of this world then would my servants fight c. The Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them but ye shall not be so St. Peter said Luc. 22.25 26. Feed the flock of God which is among you not as being Lords over Gods Heritage Jesus Christ when on earth refused to perform any office of a Prince a Judge or a King. Who said he made me a Judge or a Divider betwixt you He styles the acts of his Ministers Feeding Guiding Exhorting Entreating but never Reigning Appointing Commanding And if Christ is called a King and his Ministers the Embassadors and Agents of this great King 't is a Kingdom wholly spiritual a Goverment that hath nothing Temporal in it But that which is nowhere else to be found is found in Antichristianism It is an Empire and a Religion a State and a Church atemporal Kingdom hid under the name of a Church a Tyranny raging under the appearance and comely name of Religion Let us see how this was noted in Scripture Prophecies and afterward we will see it verisyed in History Evidences that Antichristianism must be a Religion First we find this in that famous Oracle of Prediction in the second Chapter of the second Epistle of St. Paul to the Thessalonians Antichristianism is there called a Mystery for the Mystery of iniquity doth already work Now Mysteries do belong to a Religion Every body hath heard of the Mysteries of Ceres of Bacchus and a hundred others which made up the Pagan Religion In the same place Antichristianism is styled a falling away or an Apostacy that day shall not come except there come a falling away first and the Man of Sin be revealed Now all Apostacy in sacred matters does import a Religion a false Religion And the same Apostle in the fourth chapter of the first Epistle to Timothy saith more expresly that this Apostacy must be a Religion in which shall be taught Doctrines of Demons and in which the Teachers shall recommend themselves by their Abstinences and unmarried state In the latter times 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits doctrines of Devils or Demons * V. Medes Apostacy of the latter times speaking lyes in hypocrisie having their Conscience seared with a hot iron Forbidding to Marry and commanding to Abstain from Meats There is no Controversie about this that Antichristianism must be a Religion That it must be a Civil State according to the Prophecies And 't is not less evident by the Predictions in scripture that it must be a Civil state for 't is said that Antichrist exalts himself above all that is call'd God or that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the Temple or throne of God Which signifies that he must exalt himself above all other Principalities and challenge divine Honours as if he were a God upon earth In the Prophetick Visions Beast signifies a Monarchy or State as all do agree Now Antichristianism is thus represented V. 1. And I saw a Beast rise up out of the sea having seven Heads and ten horns c. V. 11. And I beheld another Beast coming out of the Earth and he had two horns like a Lamb c. V. 12. And he exerciseth all the power of the first Beast before him c. V. 14. Saying to them that dwell on the Earth that they should make an Image to the Beast which had the wound by a Sword and yet did live This plainly signifies that Antichristianism must exercise a Temporal Power resembling that of
A CONTINUATION OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE Scripture-Prophesies OR A Large Deduction of Historical Evidences Proving that the PAPACY Is the Real Antichristian Kingdom To which is added A CONFIRMATION of the Exposition of the sixteenth Chapter of the Revelation concerning the pouring out of the VIALS Written in French by PETER JURIEU Professor of Divinity one of the present Ministers of the French Church at Rotterdam Faithfully Englished LONDON Printed in the Year 1688. THE TRANSLATOR'S ADVERTISEMENT THE learned Author hath given the world an account of the Occasion and Original of his Legal Exceptions or Lawful Prejudices against Popery in the Preface to that Book of which this is an abridgment 'T is evident that in both he principally designed the advantage of his Country-men among whom the greatest wits have been employd to cover the deformity and paint over the foulness of Popery and consequently some Citations and passages will seem obscute to an ordinary English Reader But the present circumstances of our Nation abundantly justify the Translating and publishing a work of this design For tho the learned writers of the Church of England have sufficiently discovered the falsehood and danger of the Popish Doctrines yet the threatning Infection of our Age calleth for a stronger Antidote 'T is found by experience that the clearest Notions about these things are too weak to preserve from Apostacy in a time of Tryal Nothing can do this but deep Impressions on the Conscience which can produce an invincible Antipathy against Popery And I know nothing so effectual to work this as a due Consideration of the Characters of Antichrist that are to be found in the Roman Church If once a man is satisfied of this and withal hath a due concern for his own salvation tho he wants learning to plead against Popery yet he will be able chearfully to lay down his life in the Combat against it It hath been on this Principle that such numbers of antient and modern Witnesses have with admirable constancy suffered in the defence of the Gospel against the Tyranny of Rome 'T is therefore much to be lamented that our Author is somewhat mistaken in his charitable sentiments concerning the modern English divines whom in the conclusion of the Book he supposeth all to tread in the steps of their Predessors Whereas 't is manifest that the Example and Influence of a late Prelate A. B. Laâ—â— hath made many to for-bear the terms of Babylon and Antichrist in their Controversies with the Church of Rome So that of late these have past for rayling Expressions not fit to be used by Genteel Writers I heartily wish that such a Complaisance had not been attended with very pernitious effects Sure 't is no time now to manage and compliment such a declared Enemy of Christ and the Souls of men The Church doth therefore owe much to the Courage and Zeal of our Author who hath entred the lists against her with the Spirit and Weapons of a true Combatant and hath so effectually discovered the nakedness and deformity of the Apocalyptick Harlot that it must be madness for any either to fall in love with her or have any kind thoughts for her The Reader will find many passages of this Book to have an air of pleasantness and diversion as indeed 't is a hard matter to forbear laughter when the Objects are extravagantly ridiculous but I earnestly request this from him that he would take heed of jesting in so serious a matter 't is by no means enough to laugh and tell stories against Popery 't is alwayes to be remembred with what design these ridiculous passages are related which is not to make the Reader merry but to convince the Conscience that the Roman Church is the Babylon the Apostate Society which hath establicht herself by the most abominable Lyes and Fables as well as by the most barbarous Cruelty The Reader is entreared to make this Application of the whole otherwise the Labour of writing and Translating the Book will be lost The Lord grant it may not THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE A short Description of the Papacy TO divert and entertain Monsr Arnaud I shall once more act the part of a Mountebank as he is pleas'd to term it he shall have the Satisfaction to see a second Preservative of my writing and this may afford him a new Subject of raillery to imploy his wit as he formerly did in his Reflections upon the first Preservative which I publisht against the Catholick Exposition of the Bishop of Meaux But withal it will displease and vex him to review sometimes the passages quotedout of Father Crasset and the sorry scribbles of such Jesuites as he who are not at all to his liking and he would be glad never to see or hear any thing of ' em In this piece we give the true picture and representation of the Papacy as genuine and faithful as that is false and flattering which is of late made to the new Converts by the Gentlemen imployed in the famous Conversions in France It is composed of these thirteen lineaments which compleat the picture or so many Characters which describe Popery considering it in it self as distinct from the Common Christianity that doth yet remain in the Roman Church Let us then see what it is I. First 't is a Kingdom altogether Earthly and after the Spirit of the World. This Beast is as other Beasts which in the stile of Prophetick Scripture signifies Kingdoms and Empires It hath its Capital City its Monarch Provinces Governours Arms Cittadels Tributes c. and in one thing doth go beyond all other Tyrants that whereas their power reaches only to the Bodies of men the Papacy usurps an Authority over the Conscience and the Souls of men II. 'T is the effect of the most subile and yet the most detestable Poâ—icy by which any Worldly Empire was ever erected or preserved Their Temporal Tyranny is vailed under the appearance of Spirituality and at the same time 't is assisted and supported by it As Magicians to make up their Charms bring in the names of God and sometimes of Baptism and the Eucharist so doth the Roman Church make use of the words Religion Sacraments Church Censures Confession of sins the several degrees of the Ministry c. as the Means to establish a Kingdom and Government that is meerly Humane and Worldly and to exercise a power over the Bodies the estates the lives and Consciences of men III. 'T is a Proud Tyrant who is seated on a magnifick Throne and from thence cries aloud to the whole Earth that he is the Prophet of the Living God the mouth which Speaks Oracles Saying I am Queen and shall see no sorrow I am seated in the Eternal City Rome I am Infallible and of my Dominion there shall be no end It belongs to me to bestow the crowns of Paradise and I am the Soveraign Minister of the Living God upon Earth as to Temporals I am the only
orders and comply with them no farther than they think good If after this we should examin the whole conduct of the Papacy it will appear altogether conformable to that spirit of humane policy whereby the whole body is compounded and all its parts united When any difference in Religion comes to be determin'd provided that the persons whose different Opinions are under examination are favorable to the Court of Rome all their Heresies are but trivial Mistakes but if they are less bigotted for the Pope all their Opinions deserve an Anathema Grace by it self efficacious is sound doctrine in the Jacopins but down-right Heresy in the Jansenists the plain reason is because these latter are enemies to the Pelagianism of the Church of Rome as well as to its Tyranny Because the Protestants are Adversaries to the Pope they must be Hereticks in the Article concerning the Trinity and that of the Incarnation of Christ They must err mortally when they say that Concupiscence is a sin notwithstanding Baptism and the marriage bond is dissolved by Adultery Let us look into the Popish Councils and we shall evidently discover this Spirit of Human Policy there we may see all the Arts and Tricks and Devices that are in use in the World for men to gain what they desire and reach the ends they aim at All the world hath observ'd this in the Council of Trent 't is every where complain'd of and all men consent to the truth of what was said by the Marquis of Lansac the French Ambassador that the Holy-Ghost who was invok't at the opening of that Council came every week from Rome in a Cloak-bag with the post letters It hath often been observ'd that the conduct of that Councill was altogether by the spirit of Worldly Bolicy and had nothing at all of the Character of a Divine spirit and yet those Canons which were forg'd by the Tricks of Humane Policy must be obtruded on us as Divine Decisions from the Spirit of God. In a word if we would see the Politiques of the Roman Church in the source and fountain and upon the Threne we need but go to Rome All the Courts in the World how refined and subtle soever are but meer Blockishness and Stupidity in comparison of that of the Pope Cardinal Pallavicin mentions this to the honour of his Religion pretending that Policy is the Principal of all moral vertues and that the Church ought to be govern'd according to the Politicks of Aristotle and after the Maxims of the Pagan Common-wealths CHAPTER III. The Pretence of Infallibility and eternal Duration The third Character of the Antichristian Kingdom HEre is an Example that will teach us how much we ought to be on our guard with respect to fair Pretences and Appearances that we be not surpriz'd and deceiv'd by ' em Doubtless if there be any strength in any thing of the Papacy it must be in their pretence of Infallibility For nothing can be more specious and glittering than their Arguments about the Necessity of an Infallible Judge upon Earth They have had recourse to this Article as their last refuge for twenty five or thirty years last part There is good reason they should make it an Idol because 't is their Tutelar God and if men could once be brought off from this Chimaera of the Infallibility of the Roman Church she were utterly lost 'T is her only Foundation by the removal whereof she tumbles to the ground But this Principle which appears so comely so useful so necessary is the most Pernicious the most false and the most absurd that was ever alledg'd This makes me say that we ought to stand upon our guard with respect to the fairest Appearances Rome the Eternal and Infallible is the name of Blasphemy of the Beast The first fault I find with this Principle is that it is one of the Characters of the Antichristian Kingdom according to the Prophets When S. John describes it under the image of a Beast he saith that on his heads was writ a name of Blasphemy All the Ancients and moderns ever since S. Jerom hold it for certain that the name of Blasphemy there is that of Rome the Eternal and I cannot question it The City of Rome hath alaways pretended to an endless Duration Virgil makes Eternity to be one part of her Destiny and makes Jupiter say Imperium sine fine dedi Now this is blasphemy because unchangeableness is one of the divine Perfections incommunicable to a Creature All things under the Sun are subject to change Modern Rome is much more guilty of Blaspheray than Rome Pagan was of old Not only doth she say that her Monarchy shall never cease shall not be destroyed untill three years and an half before the end of the world but declares that her faith can never be changed that the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against it So that now more than ever doth Rome carry the name of Blasphemy on its fore-head Rome the Eternal This is that which is afterwards exprest by those words of S. John And there was given him a Mouth Rev. c. 13. v. 5. speaking great things and Blasphemies For those great things can be nothing else than the great Encomiums and glorious Titles she gives her self of being the Queen of all other Churches the seat of Infallibility the Eternal Temple of the H. Ghost the Fountain of Oracles the Infallible Interpreter of the H. Scripture the Judge of the Prophets and Apostles the soveraign Decider of all Controversies who makes and discovers the Authority of the sacred Writings without whom they deserve no credit All these great things which she speaks of herself what are they but so many Blasphemies against God for none can ascribe that to themselves which belongs only to God without Blasphemy Rev. c. 18. v. 7. But this Character of Antichristianism doth most plainly appear in those words of the Apostle She hath glorified herself and lived deliciously she saith in her heart I sit as a Queen and am no Widow and shall see no sorrow 'T is Babylon who speaks thus or the H. Ghost who introduceth Babylon thus boasting of her self She hath glorified her self This the Church of Rome doth by assuming to her self the most glorious Titles that can be given to a Society she hath said in her heart I am Queen the Mistress of the world the Chair of the Vniverse the Metropolis of the Catholick Church God hath establisht me to be an Head unto all Christians He hath intrusted his own Power in my Hands the happiness or misery the good or evill Destiny of Mankind is at my dispose I shall never be a Widow the Holy spirit whose spouse I am will never abandon me he will love me forever and continually guide me in the Way of Truth and be with me to the end of the world I shall never see Sorrow or Mourning I shall never fall into Error or know what it is to dye I shall allways
that this occasion'd the revolt of Zuinglius and Luther and disposed the spirits of the people to separate from a Clergy that was guilty of such dismal Disorders Besides we have the Confessions of the Papists of the same Age of Pope Adrian VI. of Cornelius Musse Bishop of Bitonto who in the midst of the Council of Trent said That there was no Filthyness how monstrous soever no Villany no Impurity with which the People and Clergy were not defiled We have the Testimony of the famous Mantuan and of the learned Espensaus who make such dismal and affrighting descriptions of the manners of the Roman City and Church in general that one cannot forbear trembling as he reads them After this we need not the testimony of the Lutherans and of the Hundred Grievances which were drawn up at the Diet of Norimberg 1522. wherein the Abominations of the Clergy of that time are set down with exact Fidelity The Priests and Monks have always been guilty of the greatest Corruption Observe I pray you that this dismal Corruption of Manners in all the Ages which we have been mentioning hath always been charged more particularly on the Clergy than on the People And this is a sensible Character of Antichristianism that is found in the Papacy We know that the Clergy and Monks are the principal Members of the Papacy its Spirit and Soul resides in them so that if Popery were Christianity the spirit of this later would be found in these two Orders of men we should perceive some marks of the Christian Religion to shine forth in them But by a righteous Judgment God hath permitted them to contract the very greatest corruption to convince those whom God will save that the Papal Empire cannot be the Kingdom of J. Christ The Corruption of the Priests Monks and Nuns hath always been worse than that of the Laity that so it might appear that the farther a man goes in Popery the more he partakes of the spirit of Antichrist We may view over again Alvares Pelagius Petrach Nicholas de Clemangis Fasciculus Temporum and add to them Walter Mapes an English Doctor Arnold de Villâ novâ Leonard Aretine and an infinite number of others and we shall see that their most bitter Invectives the lively Descriptions and affrighting Representations of the Corruption they speak of do principally relate to the Court of Rome the Priests the Clergy the Monks and Nuns This is not a matter that needs to be proved 'T is notorious even in our dayes for all who have had a mind to collect filthy and obscene stories even among the Papists themselves scarce relate any thing besides the enormous Crimes of the Priests and Monks this hath made the Name of a Fryar odious and the Proverbs which are in use among the vulgar make these the Instances of impurity such a one they say is Lazy fat and leacherous as a Friar Hence those who write Satyrs fall especially on the Monks as may be seen in the writings of Rablais and the Apologie for Herodotus Nor are they only obscure writers who have attacht them with violence The Bishop of Bellay in the present age hath omitted nothing that might make them odious And yet not one passage in him can be cited where he hath spoken without truth Consequences that ought to be drawn from â—â—nâ—e Here I conjure those who have any care of their own salvation to bestow their attention on this subject For in my judgment 't is the most proper to awaken those who have not quite lost even Common sense How can it possibly enter into the mind of any man that the only true Church should be found in a Society which for eight hundred years together hath been guilty of so abominable a corruption of manners that that of the Heathens has not equall'd it I grant indeed that we may find in Heathen History some passages as dismal as those which are seen in the History of the Papacy But I am bold to say that we cannot find such a long series of Villanies and abominable Practices so long continued For about a thousand years a Church is made up of Drunkards Whoremongers Incestuous Wizzards Magicians Sodomites Luxurious Unclean Wretches without Shame without Virtue without Modesty without Bounds without Masque These are the main body and community there are scarce honest men enough to complain of the Disorders of the rest A man I say must be resolved to damn himself in cool Blood if he digests this Absurdity and is persuaded that 't is possible for Jesus Christ to abandon his true Church at this rate and suffer her to sink into such a Corruption What can be replyd to this The Vanity of the Papists excuses 'T will perhaps be reply'd that in all Ages of the Church the H. Fathers have complain'd of Corruption of Manners and that we must not condemn the whole for the Faults of some particular men But 't is an intolerable Affront to the Primitive Church to make the Comparison between some Disorders that the Fathers complain'd of and the horrid Enormities of the Papacy At least the Clergy of those times complain'd therefore they were not guilty of the Disorders that they reproacht in others Some will say That there were great Corruptions sometimes in the people of Israel which was the only people of God. 'T is true but then they did not last so long God never sufferd this people to persevere constantly for seven or eight Ages in the Vices of the Heathen and in the Abominations which they borrowed from the Gentiles 'T is sayd that however these Disorders are past and that we cannot any longer justly charge the Church of Rome with them But First if this were true it doth not contradict the Truth of what I have alledg'd 'T is a certain Truth that the Church of Rome for seven or eight Ages was sunk into this extreme Corruption And I say it over again There is none who retains any Liberty of Mind who can possibly believe that the true Church could lye under this dismal Infamy for so long a time thro the permission of God. But besides where is this Reformation of Manners which they so much glory in In all the Countreys where there are no Protestants to inspect the Deportment and Manners of the Papists things are almost at the same pass We have Historians Travellors and Writers of Travells who tell us that in Italy and Spain Convents are places of Prostitution the Monks are employ'd to execute the worst of Villanies and the Priests are the most notorious Pimps We may consult A Relation of the Commonwealth of Venice writ by M. de S. Didier a Papist and a thousand other Books that are in every ones hands 'T is true in some Countries the outside is somewhat alter'd especially in France where for these twenty years past the Court being set upon the design of Reunion hath judg'd it necessary in order to gain the Protestants