A Complete and Compendious Church History, Chapter 29
The Twenty-Ninth Plot againſt the Church, by Mahometiſm, Defeated by God.
CHAP. XXIX.
THE Devils Twenty-Ninth Plot againſt the Church was Mahometaniſm in the Eaſtern part, as Antichriſtaniſm was his Thirtieth in the Weſtern: Thoſe Two Siſter-Sins, and Born from Hell beneath, (quite contrary to Chriſtianiſm, which is Born from Heaven above, Ioh. 3. 3, 5.) were indeed Two Twins and Contemporaries, having their Birth and Beginning (much what) at the ſame time in the 6th. Century, for Mahomet (that grand Arch-Impoſtor, and Boniface, that proud purchaſer of Supremacy (by Symony) of the Parracide Phocas the Emperour) brake forth (almoſt) both together, being (both of them) appointed by God to be a Scourge, the former, to the Eaſtern-Church, and the latter to the Weſtern: Now becauſe Arrianiſm had prevailed in the Eaſtern part, and the Ceſſation thereof brought Pride, Luxury, Superſtition, and Idolatry into that Church, inſomuch that then John of Conſtantinople claimed the Title of Ʋniverſal Biſhop, which Gregory of Rome (Boniface's Immediate Predeceſſor) earneſtly withſtood: Then it was that the Spouſes Beloved had withdrawn himſelf, as aſhamed to own her, who was aſhamed to own him in the Naked Simplicity of the Goſpel, and not to be Cloathed with the goodly Coat of Humane Ceremonies, Cant. 5. 3. 6. and then it was that Chriſt (thus Offended) looſeth the four Angels, (to wit, the Mahometan Tetrarchy) the four Sultans of Aſia, Aleppo, Antioch, and Damaſcus; or thoſe four fierce and potent people, the Arabians, the Saracens, the Tartars, and the Turks, called (all) Angels, as they are Meſſengers of Gods Wrath, and Inſtruments of Chriſts Juſtice, who hath power to bind and looſe them at his pleaſure, even from the four Horns of the Altar, or from any of the four Quarters of the World, Revel. 9. 13, 14, 15. thoſe were all at an Hours Warning, at any time [for an Hour and a Day] whenſoever Chriſt would Command thoſe fierce and fell Creatures out of their Caves, (wherein he had hitherto ſhut them cloſe up like Tygers or Band-Dogs) out they go to their Spoil and Rapine, and do Drive Chriſtianity out of the Eaſt, and Deſtroy the 3d. part of Men, (to wit, of ſuch as were not Sealed, Rev. 7. 3.) with his Vaſt Armies, and great Guns, ſuch as were thoſe Two monſtrous Spet-fires, call'd, the Earth-quake, and Grand-Diabolo, or Great-Devil, ſuch were planted againſt Rhodes and Conſtantinople, &c. This is the 2d. Woe of the 6th. Trumpet, following the 1ſt. Woe of Arrianiſm, yet Differing from the 3d. Woe of Antichriſtianiſme, which wages War againſt the Sealed Ones, againſt the Saints is the Beaſts War, Rev. 13. 7. This Woe is the great Land-Leviathan (as the Whale is at Sea) that Devours all before it, Conſiderable (1) in its Author Mahomet, whom ſome Hiſtorians call the Sworn fore-runner of Antichriſt; Sure I am, he is his Fellow-runner, running in parallel Lines, the one ruining all the Eaſt and South, and the other all the Weſt and North: and 'tis as ſure that this Dirty Dog or Hell-Hound lick'd up the very Excrements of Arrius (which carry'd out his Soul in the Jakes) from Sergius the Monk, who becauſe he was an Arrian had been Baniſh'd from Conſtantinople into Arabia, where he taught Mahomet to Deride Chriſts Deity, and to make a Laughing-ſtock of the Myſtery of the Trinity; and where alſo they Club'd both their Wits with the Devil in Compoſing the Alcoran, (which ſignifies in the Arabick, The Glory) that Shameful Cento and Non-ſenſical Poiſonful Gallimafry out of Chriſtian, Jewiſh, and Heatheniſh Writers, that ſomething might be in it to Tempt the Guſt of all thoſe Three, eſpecially it being wholly accomodated to gratifie all Carnal Affections: And this Mock-Meſſiah, that he might make many Proſelytes, crys himſelf up as a greater Prophet than either Moſes or the Meſſias, and the better to Impoſe this Belief upon the Credulous People, he plays Three Legerdemain Tricks, the (1.) was, when his Debauchery had brought him into an Epilopſy, His Fits of the Falling-Sickneſs (he ſaid) were his Divine Raptures wherein he Convers'd with the Angel Gabriel: the (2) was, his Training up a Dove to pick Wheat out of his Eare: This he Blaſphemouſly profeſs'd to be the Holy-Ghoſt, which Dictated his Alcoran to him: and the (3.) was, his breeding up a tame Bull to that Familiarity with him, that no ſooner heard he his Maſters Voice, but he would Run to him and lay his Head upon his Maſters Lap after a moſt familiar manner: At a ſett time upon a Fryday He promiſeth a Miracle from Heaven to a great Aſſembly; His Bull hath the Alcoran faſten'd between his Horns, and ſet in a convenient by-place, when the Scene was Ripe, Mahomet lifts up his Voice, his Bull Immediately runs, makes his Way through the Throng, lays both his Head and the Book upon his Maſters Lap, whereby 'twas cry'd up as comming from Heaven. (2ly.) The Extent of it is conſiderable both as to Place and Time; 1. as to Place, Mahometaniſm is extenſive, having ſpread its ſelf over the Sea-Coaſts of Africa, almoſt all, ſaving ſome ſmall places, but much more in Aſia, Running down the Golden-Candleſticks, and removing them as Chriſt had threatned, Rev. 2. 5. Yea, and in Europe alſo, from ſome part of Hungary to Conſtantinople in Greece, &c. In all thoſe places thruſting out Chriſtianity, and changing the Croſs into the Half-Moon. 2. as to Time 'tis Extenſive; This Plot of the Devil hath laſted longer (to the Churches Diſquiet) than ever any of his other Deſigns aforeſaid, for this hath laſted above a 1000 Y. not only to the Grievous Vexation of the Church, but alſo to the great Diſhonour of Chriſtian-Princes, who, had they ſpent the 10th. part of that Blood and Treaſure, (which they have ſhamefully and ſinfully ſpent upon one another in their private Animoſities) might have by their Ʋnanimity and United Armies given a Stop long ago to the Growing Grandeur of this ſevere Scourge of Chriſtendom: 'Tis True, ſome Expeditions were made herein, but all were ſoon Blaſted, and no better could be Hoped, upon a Twofold Accompt, (1) from the Original, 2. from the Inſtrument of the Holy War. 1. The chief Original was the Pope's Succeſſively (though not Succeſsfully) Hopeful Promoters all, to wit, ſuch as (1ſt.) Pope Adrian, (who was Choak'd with a Fly at laſt, perhaps it was Beelzebub the King of Flyes, that flew into his Mouth, and could not be got out with Medicines) gave both his Commiſſion and his Benediction to Frederick, the 1ſt. Emperor for Undertaking this Holy War, (ſo called) yet could be ſo Incenſed againſt him, onelyonly becauſe the Emperour (being not (as he ſaid for himſelf) Us'd to that Kind of Drudgery) Held not the Popes Stirrop (Hoſtler-like) upon the Right ſide; beſides many other Injuries. (2) Pope Alexander's Indignities he put on this Emperour, were Worſe, (to ſay nothing of his Betraying Frederick into the Sultans Hand, by ſending him his Picture, &c.) who ſet his foul Foot upon the Emperors fair Neck, and ſaid the Pſalmiſts Words, [Thou ſhalt Tread upon the Serpent and Adder, &c.] and the Emperor Replying, [Non tibi, ſed Petro.] The Beaſt goes on, crying, It belongs to me, as well as to Peter: But above all, (3) Pope Ʋrbanus in Animating the Chriſtians againſt the Turks, at his Placen…ia-Synod, where Alexius (Emperor of the Eaſt) made his Complaint by his Embaſſadors, that the Mahometans had got his All in Aſia from him, yet Dealt he moſt Treacherouſly with the Weſtern Emperors Forces, by mixing Lime with their Meal to Poyſon them; and this Pope was ſo Troubleſome to the over-Obſequious Emperor, becauſe he Honour'd not his Holineſs in all his other Projects alſo, that he would needs Excommunicate him, hence got he his Name Ʋrbanus chang'd into Turbanus, for being ſo Troubleſome; yea, Frederick the 2d. fared no better than Frederick the 1ſt. aforeſaid, who though he frighted the Turks into a Peace very Advantagious to the Chriſtians, yet all this could not Content (4) Pope Honorius, (5) Pope Gregory the 9th. (6) Pope Innocent the 3d. (7) Pope Coeleſtin; but the poor Emperour, for all his good Service in the Holy War, was Excommunicated about Five times,and Sequeſtred from all his Royalties, and this muſt be Ratified by a Bull, (commanded (in ſtead of a Sermon) to be Read in every Church) beginning thus, Aſcendit … Mari Bellica Beſtia, &c. the Words of Revel. 13. 1. ſo well his Holineſs could point out the Accompliſhment of that very Prophecy: The Benediction of ſuch Popes (as thoſe) was more like to bring a Curſe than a Bleſſing upon the Undertakers in this Holy War, eſpecially conſidering Four things. (1.) The Deſign of thoſe Popes in ſending thoſe their Humble Servants (the Emperors) abroad into the Holy Land; was, that they, being not onelyonly abſent, but alſo Weakened by War, might give unto them a better Opportunity of Uſurping their Deſired Dominion and Tyranny at Home. (2) Beſides, that Expedition into the Holy Land hath been notoriouſly Hindred by the Damnable Diſſentions and Contentions of the Popes one with another for Peters Chair, inſomuch, that the Emperors have been ſundry times ſent for into Italy, and there found it a very Difficult Work to keep the Peace among the Popes, without whoſe Mediation, the very Popes themſelves (by their many Schiſms and Animoſities) would Infallibly have pull'd the Infallible Chair all to pieces. (3) There was likewiſe another Avocation from that Expedition, to wit, The Deadly Fewd (that then was in its Height and Predominancy) betwixt the Guelphs (the Popes party) and the Gibellines, (the Emperors) the former Mortally hateing the latter, and had a more willing mind to Imbrue their Hands in the Blood of the French, (as they did in the Sicilian Veſpers) and of the Imperialiſts, than of the Mahometan-Turks; Now while the Black and the White (as thoſe Two Factions were called) made all Red about them with Blood at home, the Holy War abroad was not likely to Proſper. (4) Such was the Notorious Extravagancy of the Popes in all manner of Villany, that it is a juſt Matter of Inquiry, whether the Grand Seignior with all his Mahometan-Saracens, did not leſs Hurt to the Church and Chriſtianity in the Eaſt, than the Popes Ʋnholy Holineſs with his Cruel Croyſado's did in the Weſt: thus for the Original. The 2d. Accompt is from the Inſtrument, which was Peter the Hermite, the grand Trumpet to this Holy War, who was better Acquainted with Sounding Alarums to War, than with lifting up his Voice like a Trumpet in Preaching the Goſpel of Peace; In a word, If he were not the ſame Man, yet was he very like that ſame Peter the Hermite, whom (the Centuriſts ſay) was a Magician, who told King John of England, That upon Aſcenſion-Day he ſhould be caſt out of his Kingdom, and he Pawn'd his own Life to aſſert the Truth of his Prophecy: for an Experiment hereof the Hermite is Impriſoned from January to June the 24th. and then nothing Happening to K. John according to his Prediction, he was taken at his Word, and Hang'd up for a Fool, &c. Much more concerning this may be ſeen in Fuller's Holy War, which I have not by me to Conſult with. No Wonder then, If this Expedition, againſt the Turks, (both the firſt Five and all others after) had no better Succeſs: When the Roman-Biſhop (who was the Grand Promoter of it) did Pollute both the Eaſtern (yea, Jeruſalem it ſelf) and the Weſtern Church with all kinds of Idolatry, which the very Turks Abhorr; yea, and chang'd the Eccleſiaſtical Office of Epiſcopacy every where, into a meer Political or Civil Adminiſtration, and the people generally (in that Day) Loved to have it ſo. Jer. 5. 31. This drew on the Curſe of God upon them, and not a Bleſſing, eſpecially when that Bloody Beaſt or Biſhop Delighted more in Drinking the Blood of the poor Waldenſes and Albingenſes, (for Differing from him in ſome Popiſh points) than the Blood of the Saracens (who were profeſs'd Enemies to the Chriſtian Religion) in the 11th. Century, and the Blood of the Pauperes De Lugduno, the poor Men of Lions in the 13th. Century, when there had been no leſs than Twenty-Eight ſeveral Schiſms in the Romiſh Church, all which could not but exceedingly Hinder the Succeſs of the Popes Holy War.
'Tis True, Mahometaniſm hath already Afflicted the Church longer than (1) the Aegyptians did, which was at moſt but 430 Y. or (2) the Aſſyrians, which (from firſt to laſt) was not above 300 Y. or (3) the Pagan-Roman from Nero to Conſtantine, which was about 260 Y. or (4) by the Arrians, which laſted about 300 Y. (to ſay nothing of other ſmaller terms of time) for it hath laſted above a 1000 Y. (as before) already, and how long it may ſtill laſt, the Lord alone knoweth, yet (for the Comfort of the Church) he maketh her to know, not onelyonly in the general, that it ſhall not laſt for Ever, but more particularly, that (1) it is Limited as to Time; the ſame Divine Power that (firſt) Bound up thoſe Band-Dogs, and (2ly.) Looſed them out of their Chains and Muzzels, both can and will (3ly.) Call them off from their Worrying Work, and Bind them faſt up again in his Chain and Muzzel at his own due time, the Rod of the Wicked ſhall not always Reſt upon the lot of the Righteous, Pſal. 125. 3. Though this 29th. Plot of the Devil againſt the Church hath been a long-laſting Plot, as Hiſtory ſheweth, yet Prophecy plainly Prognoſticates its End, and ſo it ſhall not be Ever-laſting; the Devil will loſe this Game alſo at laſt, for God hath Limited the time of it, how long thoſe Four Evil Angels, or Meſſengers of his Juſtice (being indeed Incarnate Devils) ſhall be loſed, to wit, for an Hour and a Day, a Month and a Year, Revel. 9. 15. from which Words Mr. Brightman gathereth, that the Turkiſh Empire ſhall laſt no longer than about 1696. (See my Diſcovery of Antichriſt, Pag. 115. line 12. for that Y. and Pag. 21.) However it holds out, that there is a Divine Determination in particular, even to a Year, a Month, a Day, and an Hour, when this Plot and Plague ſhall be Determined: And if Gog and Magog (mentioned Ezek. 38. and 39. and Rev. 20. 8.) have Relation to the Great Turk, as is ſuppoſed, then we have an Account of his End: Ezekiel is bid to ſet his Face againſt Gog, and ſay to him again and again, (for the better Support and Comfort of the Church) All thy Poſſeſſion in the Lords Land ſhall be a Grave onelyonly, Ezek. 38. 2, 14. and 39. 11. One of the laſt Enemies of the Church before Chriſts firſt Comming, was, that Heathen Antiochus, and God brought him down to his Grave: So one of the laſt Enemies of the Church before the 2d. Comming of Chriſt is this Mahometan Adverſary, and as ſure as God Dispatch'd the former, he will the latter alſo. (2) God would have his Church to know alſo, that the Great Turk is not Abſolute, to do all what he will, but onelyonly what God will; he cannot Conquer beyond his Commiſſion, nor Kill beyond it; his Commiſſion was Limited, not onelyonly 1. as to Time, as before, but 2. as to Perſons, he muſt not Kill all before him as he would do, no, 'tis onelyonly a 3d. part of Men, to wit, onelyonly ſuch as were not Scaled, Revel. 7. 3. God would Hide his Sighing ones from him, Ezek. 9.4. and 6. Come not near any upon whom is the Mark, what ever is Sealed is excellent in its kind, as Hordeum Signatum is Excellent Barley, Iſa. 28. 25. Theſe Sealed and Sighing Ones (that Sighed both out of Pitty and out of Piety for the Abomination of the Times) were the Precious Sons of Sion, and the Excellent Ones of the Earth, Lam. 4. 2. and Pſal. 16. 3. they are Gods Darlings, and Heavens Favourites, therefore the Turk muſt not Touch thoſe Anointed Ones, Pſal. 105. 15. they are Sacred Perſons, to Touch theſe is to Touch the Apple of Gods Eye, Zech. 2. 8. and that is a tender part, God will not ſuffer it. ☞ 'Tis very Obſervable, that as yet, the Turk hath not done much Harm to the Reformed Churches, (thoſe Sealed Ones,) all the Hurt he hath done is moſtly upon the Supercilious Greeks, and the Superſtitious Romiſts, They both Providentially lying betwixt the Proteſtants and the Turk: and 'tis Italy, Italy (from whence Principally the Popes Holy War was Promoted againſt him) is the main Mark he Shoots at.
(3) This Eaſtern Antichriſt is Limited as to Place alſo, for though he be that Land-Leviathan, who hath Swallow'd up many Countries, (as the Whale doth Fiſhes) to wit, (1) the Name and Empire of the Saracens, (2) the moſt Glorious Empire of Greece, (3) the Renowned Kingdoms of Macedonia, Peloponeſus, Epirus, Bulgaria, Servia, Boznia, Armenia, Cyprus, Syria, Aegypt, Judea, Tunis, Argiers, Media, Meſopotamia, with a great part of Hungary, as alſo ſome part of Perſia, all Chaldea, &c. in a Word, a great part of Aſia, Africa, and Europe, as before; Yea, Keckerman ſaith, Mahometaniſm is more and larger ſpread than Chriſtianity, yet never could he yet ſet his Foot upon any part of America, God puts an Hook into this Leviathan's Noſe, Job 41. 1, 2. ſo that he cannot Conquer the Gold Mines of the Indies, nor the Golden Gospel of Chriſtendom: The Great Power of God hath ſet Barrs and Bounds to him, ſaying, Thus far ſhalt thou go, and no further, and here ſhall thy proud Waves be ſtayed, Job 38. 10, 11. and in Due time God will break the Head of this proud Leviathan in pieces, and give him to be Meat to his People Inhabiting the Wilderneſs, Pſal. 74. 14.
(4) God would have his Church to know, that the Grand Seignior is Limited alſo as to things, he cannot do every wicked thing he would do, he would Undoubtedly Blow out the Light of the Gospel, and leſſen the Limits of the Church of God, but this God will not permit him, ſaying to thoſe Churches of Aſia, Repent, or I will Remove thy Candleſtick, Revel. 2. 5. 'Tis Chriſts Work, not the Turks to do, and though this be done now by the Turk, not onelyonly to them Seaven, but to all the other mentioned in Scripture, (except the Roman, which He Dayly Threatneth) yet all this is done by Commiſſion from Chriſt, as a Puniſhment for their Apoſtacy, (which Paul both told and foretold, 2 Tim. 1. 15. Act. 20. 29, 30.) yet was it onelyonly a Blowing away the Goſpel, and not a Blowing it out, The Candle was not put out, onelyonly the Candleſtick was Removed, The Kingdom of Heaven was taken from them, Matth. 21. 43. It was not Loſt or Deſtroyed, but Given to another place: Thus the Church is ſtill like the Sea, what it loſes on one ſide, it gains upon the other; what ever it loſt in Aſia then, it hath Gained in America ſince, It goes with the Sun from Eaſt to Weſt.
(5.) And to know, that though the Weſtern Church were not waſted by the Turk, (as the Eaſtern was for Idolatry) yet would ſhe not be Warn'd thereby, nor Repent of her Idolatry, Revel. 9. 20. (that muſt be meant of Romaniſts, for neither Jews nor Turks (much leſs Proteſtants) make Images for Worſhip) and therefore Reſerved for the Seventh Trumpet, Revel. 11. 15. that brings in the Seven Vials upon it, and while the Pope Stands, the Turk cannot Fall, as more Tolerable of the Two in theſe Reſpects: 1. He Hates Images: 2. He Forces none in Matters of Religion; Hence our Martyrologies mentions no Perſecutions by him. 3. He is a Bridle to the Pope, (as to Proteſtants in general) but when he falls upon the True Church, then Fire from Heaven falls upon him, Rev. 20. 8, &c.