Gratiani i.e. under the shelter, and under the defence of a Part 2. cutting off by a Curfe, or an Anathema) but the orders, laws, and falfe Oracles of the Popedom, and the Antichriftian head? 'Tis known that there is a Curfe and a Armageddon at the end of every Canon. 'Tis known that the Canon Law faith, We Decret. declare to be anathema, and accur fed for ever before caufa 2. God, and a prevaricator against the Catholick Faith, queft. every King, Bishop, or other Magiftrate, who shall gen. violate and fuffer to be violated in any kind, the Cenfures of the Popes of Rome. Behold, the feale of all the papal Laws. Laftly, 'tis known, that through one of the foreft judgements of God that ever was felt, the fubjects of the Popedom fuffer'd themselves to be feized with fuch a fear of these Armageddons, or Excommunications with a Curse, that this very thing was a rampart, and an inviolable afylum to protect all the attempts, and all the crimes of the Clergy. The whole ftrength of the Ecclefiafticks confifted in Armageddon; but this supply never fail'd them whatever they did, whatever they undertook, men endured every thing, out of fear of the Anathema and the Curfe. Toavoid these imaginary thunderbolts, Subjects revolted and broke their Oath of Allegiance, Kings abandoned their Crowns, as John King of England did, who that he might obtain of Innocent III. the taking off of an Excommunication or Interdict laid upon England, furrendred himself and all his Subjects to be the Popes flaves. All publick fervice of God was made to cease in a great Kingdom, Churches were fhut up, the fick died without Sacraments, the dead remained unburied; Excommunicated perfons, through a ridiculous fillyness of the people, became odious to all that were not. It matter'd not whether the Excommunications were unjuft or no, Part 2. no, From whence unclean fpirits do come, 'twas enough that they were denounced. B means of this the Clergy defended their plunder and robberies: as Father Paul hath excellently re markt in his Treatife of Benefices. The people (fait he) were so afraid of Cenfures, that nothing did ter rify them more. 'Twas even amazing to fee, that Ca ptains and Souldiers, who plunder'd any man, with out the least concern at the fin committed against God; as defperate and profligate wretched as they were, ye with great refpect spared whatever belonged to the Church, only from the dread which they had of its Cenfures. And on this gound many ordinary people,gave their goods to the Church, that fo they might shelter themfelves from the rapine of the Souldier. Thus the Laws and Ordinances, and goods, and crimes, and enterprises of the Church, were all under fhelter and in a place of fafety, in Armageddon. I do not think, that there can arife any doubt in any ones mind, concerning what we have now faid. Butto give the fuller confirmation to these truths, let us go over all the expreffions used in this Prophecy. And I faw three unclean spirits like froggs come out thefe three of the mouth of the Dragon, and out of the mouth of the Beast, and out of the mouth of the falfe Prophet. The Dragon is the Devil, the Beast is the Empire of the Popedom, and the falfe Prophet is the Pope; these are the three fprings of falie Oracles. The Devil is he, who infpires them; all those decrees, and those Canons, which overthrow the true Religion of Jefus Chrift can come from none but him. They likewife come out of the mouth of the Beasts for 'tis the Church of Rome that makes them : hence they are called the Canons of the Church, the Laws of the Church and its decifions. And lastly, they come from the falfe Prophet; for the Pope is the mouth of the Church, he is infallible when he speaks x Cathedra; all his decifions are feafed with the Part 2. word Armageddon, and of the grand Excommuni zation. These spirits or Oracles are three in number, not why three of the number feven, for this number is facred, and unclean fpirits. proper to fignify the facred perfection of the Divine Oracles, which thing the Holy Ghoft intimates not only by feven fpirits, but alfo by feven thunders. Nevertheless, feeing the Oracles of the falfe Prophet, of Antichrift, are perfect in their kind, i.e. they are at the height of impurity, there must have been a number denoting perfection af figned to them; now no other could be found, but that of three. Befides, thefe unclean spirits are of the number three, because of the three fprings, or fources, the Dragon, the Beast, and the falfe Prophet, as if every one must have one of his own. And further, 'tis a wonderful providence of God, that the body of the Canon Law, which is the heap of the papal Laws, is divided into three parts, which appear'd in the World at three different times. The Decree, of Gratian is the first part, and it was Threeparts compiled in the twelfth Century. After this, came non Law, the fecond part, under the title of the Decretals of that answer Gregory IX. The third part is made up of the Bulls to these of Popes, called Clementines, publifht at the Coun- clean spicil of Lions, by Clement V. of others called Extravagants, others called common, and common extravagants. These are the three parts of the Canon Law, which are in truth three unclean fpirits; for there is nothing fo monftrous, and so contrary unto the spirit of Christianity. in of the Ca three un rits. The papal three un- Laftly, thefe papal Laws are fet forth by the number of three unclean fpirits, because there are effect three fpirits of impurity, that do reign in covetous them; Pride, Covetousneß and Unchastity. rits, pride, nefs, unchastity. Part 2. First part, chap. 28. for the Reform. Pride: for firft, nothing is more proud then th defign of the Popes in general, to give Laws to the World, to make Emperors, to give a body of Law which all shall use, to call themselves infallible, t pretend to pronounce Oracles, to thunder ou Bulls upon the heads of Kings, and of all men. Covetousness: for in the papal Laws, every thing tends to profit; the Rules of the Roman Chancery and Penetenciary, do make up a part of the Roman Laws, and in them every thing is fold, not the most abominable crimes excepted. If we would examine the Laws of the Popedom, they are all for gain, and tend to the exercise of a moft abominable fimony. They that will, may confult the first part of our prejud. against popery, without reckoning up many other books, where the fame matter is treated. Unchafity hath its fhare: for in these Laws fuch filthiness is to be found, as cause horror; the rules of the Penitenciary do enough prove this: This fame is found in the Decree of Gratian, in Buchard the famous Canonift, and in fuch like Authors. I have given fome fpecimen's in my Prejugd, and in my Apology for Theodore Beza. Vvhy-the Tistor this reason, that the Oracles of the falfe Oracles of Prophet are compared to Froggs; the Oracles of compared God are Eagles, that flye in pure air; but the Ora10 Froggs. cles of popery and falfe Religion, are creatures that popery are love the dirt, that defcend into pits,and live there. They make a great noyfe in times of darkness, as Froggs do in the night, but will immediately be filent as foon as the Sun of grace is rifen, that is, when it fhall diffipate all the fhadows of false Religion. These are the fpirits of Devils, working miracles. For thefe papal decifions, these orders of the Anti chriftian shriftian Kingdom, that they may eftablish the ado- Part 2. ration of idols, the invocation of Creatures, the idoatry of bread, are fupported by figns, and a thoufand lying miracles. But 'twill be objected, thefe decifions do not work miracles; whereas the Text here faith, that these three unclean fpirits work miracles: A very flight difficulty! For feeing the Holy Ghoft reprefents thefe Laws of the Popedom, as fpirits, i. e. as perfons, and as intelligent exifting fubftances; there must be actions afcribed to them: Actiones funt fuppofitorum, fay the Schools. Thus Saint John ought neceffarily to fpeak of miracles, wrought in favour of the papal Laws and Papists, as of miracles that are wrought by them. They go forth unto the Kings of the Earth and of the whole World, to gather them to the battel of that great day of God Almighty. The Bulls of Popes are as fo many thundering meffengers, who are fent to Princes, and who threaten, order, and command them to make Croisades, to deftroy pretended hereticks; and to employ temporal weapons, to execute the orders of the Spiritual Authority: and alfo command them to enjoyn the obfervation in all placesof idolatrous worship, wicked Canons, and the proud government which the Popedem hath establisht by its decrees. All this unites together, and gathers the Kings of the Earth, makes one body, one army of perfons Toyn'd in a bond of a moft real confpiracy, who fight against God, and feek to rob him of his honour and glory. Interpreters have entertain'd The day of a falfe notion, in imagining that by the day of battel battel is is to be understood, the very time in which Anti- duration of chrift must be deftroy'd. For 'tis the whole time of the Antithe Antichriftian Idolatry and Tyranny, though Kingdom. efpecially of the laft period of Antichrift, i, e. of Antichrift declining or approaching to his fall. Hh This the whole |