A Complete and Compendious Church History, Chapter 30
The Thirtieth and laſt Plot againſt the Church, by Popery; Defeated by God.
CHAP. XXX.
THE Devils Thirtieth and laſt Plot, (conſiſting of many parts,) (call'd Ʋltimus Diaboli Crepitus) is Antichriſtianiſm or Popery in the Weſtern Antichriſt, which is the worſt of all, inaſmuch as, [Corruptio optimi eſt Peſſima; The Golden Church of Rome-Chriſtian is Degenerated not onelyonly into Braſs and Iron, but into Clay; yea, into the Dung and Dirt of Rome-Antichriſtian, as I have largely Demonſtrated (1) in my Chriſtian-Walk, p. 9. (2) in my Hearts Treachery, pag. 85. (3) in my Antidote againſt Popery all along: and (4) in my Diſcovery of Antichriſt, quite thorough; to all which Four Books I ſhall Referr the Reader, and therefore I ſhall ſay the leſs of this Subject (which indeed would make, up a Diſtinct Volum of it ſelf) in this place. As the Turk is that great Sea-Monſter Leviathan, ſo the Pope is that great Land-Monſter, Behemoth, Hebr. Faemin, plural, that is, Beaſts, for his prodigious Hugeneſs, as if he were made up of many Beaſts, and ſo he is cal'd the Great Beaſt in the Revelation, that hath many Beaſts in the Belly of it; And indeed this Myſtery of Iniquity (ſo called, 2 Theſſ. 2. 7. 11.) hath many Myſterious Plots in it, and is the Plot of Plots: As the Turkiſh Empire, (Quantum, quantum eſt, as Luther Phraſeth it) however Vaſt, yet is it but a poor Cruſt which God (the Maſter of the Family) caſteth to his Dog, whom he looſeth off and binds up at his pleaſure, as before: So, the whole Popedome is but a ſorry Commiſſion which the ſame God gives unto a Company or Legion of Ʋnclean Devils to Enter into an Herd of Hogs, or Swiniſh Men: As the Elephant (or Behemoth) is the chief of the ways of God, Job 40. 15, 19. the Maſter-piece among all the Beaſts: ſo this myſtical Behemoth (the Pope) is the chief of the ways of the Devil; the very Maſter-piece of all Satans Works and Wiles: Now though he hath the Strength, Cunning, and the long-Life of the literal Elephant, yet he cannot carry it againſt Chriſt in his Antichriſtianiſm, for He that made him, can make his Sword to approach unto him, Job 40. 19. though no Man dare Undertake him, or can Match him, yet the Great God (who made him as the Devil hath marr'd him) both dare and can: As God hath given an Horn to the Rhinocero's, and Poyſon to the Dragon, (both which are the Elephants mortal Enemies) that ſome Beaſts may have the better of him, who Maſters them all by his monſtrous mighty Limbs and ſtrong Trunck, (able to over turn Trees) though God hath not given him either Horns on his Head or Claws on his Feet to do Miſchief withal. So though this Behemoth, or Apocalyptick Beaſt, hath Seven Heads (to Plot with) and Ten Horns (to Puſh with) given him, yea and Clawy-Scratching Hoofs alſo; yet Chriſt hath his Chriſtian Hammer-men to Cut off and to caſt down thoſe Antichriſtian-Horns, Zech. 1.20, 21. and ſeeing thoſe Hammering Carpenters are Men, (yea, and Spirited with the Wiſdom and Power of God) they muſt be more Wiſe than all the Seven Heads, and more Strong than all the Ten Horns of him who is but a Beaſt that bears them: The Blow of an Hammer hath more force than the Puſh of an Horn. ☞ And were but Gods Iſrael Puſhed neerer to the God of Iſrael by thoſe Horns, no Doubt but God would Command his Carpenters to Cut off and caſt away thoſe Horns that do now Hit and Hurt his People, as he hath done in all Ages ever ſince the Beaſt got his Horns, which appeareth by the Sequel. God knows how to Deliver his, 2 Pet. 2. 9. not wanting either Ways or Means to Help them at a Dead lift at any time, and therein will go a way by himſelf ſometime; as when he ſets the Enemy together by the Ears among themſelves, while that the Church with all eſcaped, Pſal. 141. 10. Thus God made Nebuchadnezzar (who was himſelf the Churches Enemy) to fall foul upon all her other many and Mighty Adverſaries, and ſo God by him as by his Mall, or Hammer, broke the Reſt of thoſe Horrible Horns in pieces at that time: Accordingly in this Day God makes Uſe of the Great Turk, (as before) to Mall the Pope in ſo many Battels of his Holy War,) ſo now to be as a Bridle to hold him (and all his Popelings) in, from any Univerſal Proceeding againſt the Proteſtants, who are (by a marvellous Providence) the more ſecure from the Turk, inaſmuch as Popiſh Countreys lay betwixt him and them, or their Countreys (as Denmark, Sweedland, &c.) Coaſting ſo much towards the North, lay out of his way, and (at preſent) no part of his aim: by an over-ruling Hand of God Rome is his Grand Eye-ſore, though ſhe think her ſelf out of the Reach of Gods Rod, ſo Repenteth not, Revel. 9. 20, 21. the Turk may Repent, (if the Turkiſh-Prophecy [That as ſoon as their Sultan hath taken the Red-Apple, (or the Red-Letter City Rome,) they ſhall then become Chriſtians,] may be believed; However the Word ſeems not to Seal them up under Impenitency, (as here the Romaniſts are) being neither ſuch Notorious Hypocrites, nor ſuch Bloody Perſecutors: 1. not ſuch Hypocrites, for they are open Enemies, as the Papiſts are Cloſe and Covert, (as Gog and Magog ſignifies) We Read not in Scripture of the Converſion of any Hypocrite, and no Wonder, inaſmuch as after Sin, Converſion is left as a Means to Cure all other Sins, but no means can Cure and recover him who Converteth Converſion it ſelf into Sin, as the Romiſh Hypocrites do: 2. nor ſuch Perſecutors. The Turkiſh Hiſtory tells indeed of their Savageneſs, yet 'tis in the way of War, and not upon the Account of Religion; they have no Bloody Inquiſition to Compel Men into Conformity, but they ſay, Whether Men ſerve Chriſt or Mahomet, ſo they lead good Lives, they may be Saved. Hence it is, our Martyrologiſt (that Writes of all the Churches Perſecutions) names the Perſian, the Julian, the Arrian, &c. but not a Word of the Turk or Mahometan Perſecution, ſo that this Romiſh Beaſt (above all Name, Dan. 7. 7. as above all Natures, even of the moſt Savage of Beaſts) hath out-done all in Blood, yet lyes ſhe in Impenitency, not laying to Heart, that her Neighbours Houſe (the Eaſtern Church) was Fired by the Turks, though leſs Guilty. ☞ Oh Rome, thou Weſtern Church, look to thy ſelf, that art more Guilty; Chriſt may ſoon ſay, Looſe the Four Angels, and Kill the 3d. part of Men; or he may put it into the Hart of the firſt (that roſe) of the Ten Horns to make Roaſt-meat of thee. ☞ Now the Pope was not Born a Beaſt, but was at firſt a good Biſhop, and above Thirty of them Succeſſively Shone as Stars, and ſuffer'd Martyrdom for Chriſt, until Conſtantine came to give a Calm and Halcyon Days to the Church, which indeed (through Satans Temptation drawing out Mens Corruption) proved Poyſon to her. * 'Tis a Thouſand pitties ſuch fair Weather ſhould bring forth any ſuch foul Fruits: Then began the Roman-Star to Dwindle, and Degenerate into a Meteor or Blazing-Comet, and gradually lifting himſelf (like proud Lucifer) up above his Brethren, (his Fellow-Miniſters) he gradually falls from Heaven, he began to fall under the 3d. Trumpet, Rev. 8. 10. as ſome ſenſe it, but under the 5th. [foreign] he was faln effectually: This Star was falling by Degrees from Conſtantine in the 3d. Century, until Phocas in the 6th. Sylveſter was the firſt that did Degenerate in the 3d. Century, burdening the Church with Jewiſh and Heatheniſh Ceremonies, but 'twas Phocas that ſet up Boniface in the Chair of Peſtilence in the 6th. then was the Star faln from Primitive Integrity, into the Deepeſt Gulph of all Impiety, Revel. 9. 1. and this Star was well called Wormwood, Ch. 8. 11. becauſe he (himſelf) was in the Gall of Bitterneſs, and became as bitter as Wormwood to the Church, far more bitter than Arrius, (the Star of that Trumpet fore-mentioned) who was but Antichriſts forerunner, of whoſe bitter Potions the Church hath been long Drinking-ſtill is ſo, and not yet come to the Dregs thereof: Here began the Devils general Game after the Declining Age, (wherein the Thirty-Three Biſhops of Rome (Sylveſters Succeſſors) can ſcarce paſs for Tolerable, much leſs Laudable,) When the Star (which was Wormwood foreign by way of Eminency) did fall to the Earth and ſet up the Earthly Kingdom of the Apocalyptick Beaſt: When the firſt of the Uſurping Nimrods (to wit, Boniface the 3d.) began with his [Volumus & Jubemus] We Will and Command, inſtead of the Holy Apoſtles Stile, [We Beſeech you Brethren.] ☞ (1) Mark all along 1. the Churches Malady by Satan, 2. the Churches Remedy by Chriſt: and (2) Mark alſo, How the Prophecy in the Revelation ſhows the Progreſs of the Church all along to the 2d. Comming of Chriſt: (3) Mark likewiſe how the Pillar of Divine Providence hath both Secured and ſafely Conducted the Sealed Ones (his Church) to this preſent Day, and will do ſo to the end of the World; and all this, ſweetly and exactly Concurring all along with the Revelation-Prophecy, As this Book will ſhew at the End, in Chapter the laſt. The 1ſt. Malady of the Church at that time, Y. 606. (preſaged by a prodigious Comet as well as by Mahomets then publiſhing his Alcharon) was, when the Key of the Bottomleſs-Pit was given to this faln Star, (uſher'd in by that Blazing-Star aforeſaid) to wit, Boniface, and his Succeſſors, who pretend to a power of Damning or Delivering whom they will; Here the Pope is made the Angel of the Bottomleſs-pit, Revel. 9. 1, 11, or the Devils Lieutenant-General, call'd Abaddon, or Abadone, as the Devil (his Lord-General) is a bad Angel: Hereupon the Pope caſts away the Key, that Chriſt gave to his Holy Predeceſſors, (of binding and looſeing according to the Word) and takes up the Devils Ʋſurped Key with his Tripple Crown, and therewith opens Hell, (which the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apoſtles had hitherto ſhut) then Aroſe the Smoak of thoſe Doctrines of Devils, and of that Black and Diabolical Divinity Preach'd and Practic'd in the Church of Rome ever ſince, which ſo Darkened [the Sun and the Ayr] the Doctrine of Chriſt of the Church, and of the Scriptures; and then came out of that Smoak thoſe Devouring Locuſts, the Monks and Fryars, the Prieſts and Jeſuits, &c. call'd ſo, both for their Numeroſity, (the laſt of which alone hath ſometimes maintained Two Hundred Thouſand Schollars, Oh what Swarms of thoſe Locuſts are there then in all?) and for their Votacity, thoſe Popiſh Fleſh-Flyes do ſo peſter many Princes Houſes which do receive them, that not onelyonly the Duke of Bavaria's Court (notwithſtanding his Vaſt Revenue) but many other Princes and places are kept poor by them, that lye Lurking (as Scorpions) in their Cells and Obſcure Reſidencies, Revel. 9. 2, 3. and which is worſt of all, Stinging Incureably the Souls of Men, &c. Yet 2ly. Chriſt hath his Antidote and Remedy againſt this Diveliſh Malady; for though God permitted this bad Angel or Apollyon to puniſh thoſe that Obey'd not the Truth, Rom. 1. 24, 26. 2 Theſſ. 2. 10, 11. Inſomuch that this Key of the Bottomleſs-pit, was ſo notably Improved by all the Ʋſurping Nimrods, Luxurious, Sodomites, and Aegyptian Magicians, (unto Hildrebrand or Brand of Hell in the 10th. Century) as that in his Popedome, Letters were ſet forth, as ſent from Hell, wherein the Devil and his Angels gave the Popiſh Clergy many Thanks for ſending them ſo many Souls, as they never had ſent them in any Age before. Though the Devil and his Locuſts play'd Fluſh in this general Game, yet the Lord limits them both in their Task, and in their Time, and in their Torments. (1) In their Task, Thoſe Locuſts or Scorpions muſt not Sting whom they will, but whom Chriſt will; none of his Sealed ones muſt be Stung by them, 'twas Commanded them not to hurt the Graſs of the Earth, nor any Green thing, Ch. 9. 4. Whatever charge Satan gave thoſe Locuſts, Sure I am this was Chriſts Charge in the behalf of His Redeemed; not unlike unto Davids Charge to his Captains, [Deal kindly with the Young-man Abſolom.] So, and much more than ſo Sollicitous is Chriſt (the Son of David) for the Safety of all his Sons and Servants, none of thoſe whoſe Names were Written in the Lambs Book of Life were ſtung, no, not thoſe young Chriſtians who were as Tender as Graſs, nor any Green Plant though never ſo weak: Chriſt Secured his Church, and the Kernel of Chriſtianity, maugre the Malice of that Man of Sin. 2. In their Time, Thoſe Locuſts muſt not laſt ſo long as they liſt, but as the Lord liſteth, who hath limited them to Five Months, v. 5. which is juſtly the Life time of the Natural Locuſts, that are Bred in April, and Dye in September; and though thoſe be Craftier (in having a King over them, ver. 11.) than they, Prov. 30. 27. ſo might better ſecure themſelves over Winter, yet Five Months muſt be their Term, which they cannot exceed: The Queſtion is, How long is that? (1.) Anſw. Suppoſe a Definit and Certain time be ſet down for an Indefinite and Uncertain Here, however it holds out this Comfort, 1. that it ſhall not be for Ever, 2. it ſhall be onelyonly for a ſhort Time, as this phraſe (Five Months) plainly Imports. (2.) Anſw. 'Tis True, Antichrists Leaſe is much longer than Five Months, (even Forty-Two Months, Rev. 13. 5.) and his beaſtly biting hath laſted much longer, yet this term may hold out the five Ages of the Beaſts biting Life, 1. Infancy, 2. Childhood, 3. Youth, 4. Middle-Age, 5. Old, Decrepit, or Dote-age, and ſo, his laſt Bite is not yet over. 3d Anſw. by the five Months may be Underſtood the five Hundred Y. wherein the Pope ſtood in his prime pride and plenary power, that is, from the 6th. Century to the 11th. when God ſtirr'd up the Waldenſes, &c. to call the Pope Antichriſt (which is exactly 500 Y.) and Bellarmin (himſelf) confeſſeth, that ever ſince the Pope was ſo called, [Non Modò non Crevit ejus Imperium, ſed Magis ac Magis Decrevit,] He hath loſt a great part both of his Command and of his Commodity more and more Dayly, De pap Rom. lib. 3. cap. 1. So long was he Trump and Triumphant in the World, and why his Term is Reckon'd by Months. See my Diſcovery of Antichriſt, p. 200. 4th. Anſw. Thoſe five Months hold an Exact Correſpondency with the time of Noah's Deluge prevailing over the Earth, which was 150 Days, which make up five Months Compleat, Gen. 7. 24. Now Noah's Deluge and this (which the Dragon powr'd out of his mouth to Drown the Church, Revel. 12. 15) do Symbolize together after a moſt ſingular manner in ſundry particulars; 1. as that was a General Flood over all the Habitable World, ſo is this over all the Chriſtian World. 2. As that began in April, and laſted to September, (in the prevalency of it,) Gen. 7. 11, 24. and 8. 3, 4. ſo thoſe Locuſts here do prevail juſt the ſame Term of Time, and then it ſhall be ſaid [The Waters are abated,] or Abating: 3. As Noah and his Family (the Church) onelyonly, were Deliver'd from that Deluge, ſo Gods Sealed Ones onelyonly, are Saved from this Antichriſtian Deluge in the Ark or Church. 3ly. They were limited in their Torment which they put others to, their Commiſſion reach'd not to Torment any to Death: [to them it was given,] this is oft repeated in the Revelation, to ſhew, that Antichriſt and his Auxiliaries (though Bandying and Bending all their fraud and force for Deſtroying Souls) are ſo Butted and Bounded by the great God, that they all can do no more than is given them from above: The Popiſh Locuſts are ſo Confined in their Commiſſion, that as they muſt not Hurt whom they will ſave onelyonly thoſe that are not Sealed, as in the firſt Limitation, ſo they muſt not Hurt as much as they pleaſe, they have power onelyonly to Hurt, but not to Kill, ver. 5. 10. This was all in the 1ſt. Commiſſion, onelyonly to Torture and Torment the Conſciences of Men by their Penances, Pilgrimages Purgatory, &c. And though larger power was given after, of Killing the Witneſſes, Chap. 11. 7. and the Saints, Chap. 13. 7. Yet while they Killed their Bodies, they could never Kill the Souls of any of Gods Sealed Ones, as they did of the Ʋnſealed.