An exposition of the seven epistles to the seven churches together with a brief discourse of idolatry, with application to the Church of Rome / by Henry More ...

CHAP. X.

Severall important Consectaries from this clear Discovery of the gross Ido∣latry of the Church of Rome; with an hearty and vehement Exhortation to all men, that have any serious re∣gard to their Salvation, to beware how they be drawn into the Commu∣nion of that Church.

1. THus have we abundantly de∣monstrated that the Church of Rome stands guilty of gross Idola∣try according to the Concessions and Definitions of their own Council of Trent; that is to say, though we charge them with no more then with what the Council it self doth own, touching the Adoration of the Host, the Invocation of Saints, and the Worshipping of Images. But we must not forget, in the mean time, that the Crime grows still more course and palpable looking upon the particular forms of their Invocation of the Saints,

and the Circumstances of their wor∣shipping their Images, and yet rati∣fy'd by the Popes, and corroborated by the uncontrolled practice of their whole Church: Which therefore must in all reason be the Interpreter of the minde of the Council. So that there is no evasion left for them, but that they are guilty of as gross and palpa∣ble Idolatry as ever was committed by the sons of men, no lesse grosse then Roman Paganism it self.

2. From whence, in the next place, it necessarily follows, that they are the most barbarous Murtherers of the Servants of God that ever appeared on the face of the Earth. For indeed if they had had Truth on their side so far, as that the things they required at the hands of the Dissenters had been lawfull, (though not at all neces∣sary;) yet considering the expresse voice of Scripture, which must be so exceeding effectual to raise consci∣encious Scruples, and indeed to fix a man in the contrary Opinions, be∣sides the irrefragable Votes of com∣mon

Sense and Reason, and the Prin∣ciples of all Arts and Sciences that can pretend any usefulnesse to Reli∣gion in any of its Theoreticall Dis∣quisitions; I say, when it is so easie from hence, if not necessary, for some men to be born into a contrary con∣sciencious Persuasion, it had undoubt∣edly even in this case been notorious Murther in the Pontifician Party, to have killed men for dissenting from the Doctrine and Practice of their Church.

But now the Murtherers them∣selves being in so palpable an Errour, and requiring of the Dissenters to profess Blasphemies and commit gross Idolatries with them, which is open∣ly to rebell against God under pre∣tense of obeying Holy Church, as they love to be called, they murthering so many hundred thousands of them for this Fidelity to their Maker, and their indispensable Obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ, this is Murther of a double dye, and not to be parallel'd by all the barbarous Persecutions un∣der

the red Dragon, the Pagan Empe∣rours themselves.

3. From which two main Conside∣rations it follows in the third place, that, considering the fit and easie con∣gruity of the names of the Seven Churches and of the Events of the seven Intervalls (denoted by them) to the Prefigurations in the Visions, there can be no doubt but that by Ba∣laam mentioned in the Epistle to the Church in Pergamus, wherein Antipas, that is, the Opposers of the Pope, are murthered, the Papal Hierarchy is understood; as it is also by the Pro∣phetesse Jezebel in the Epistle to the Church in Thyatira, who was also a Murtheresse of the Prophets of God, and both of them expresly Patrons of Idolatry, as is manifest in the very Text.

Nor is it at all wonderfull that Ba∣laam and Jezebel, the one a man, the other a woman, should signifie the same thing. For the false Prophet and the Whore of Babylon in the follow∣ing Visions of the Apocalypse signifie

both one and the same thing, viz. The Hierarchy of Rome, from the Pope to the rest of their Ecclesiastick Body.

4. And what I have said of the Vi∣sion of those Seven Churches, the same I say of all those Expositions of the thirteenth and seventeenth Chapters of the Apocalypse, and that of the little Horn in Daniel; namely, The words of the Prophecies being so naturally applicable to the Affairs of that Church, besides the demonstration of Synchronism, that the weight of those two foregoing Conclusions being ad∣ded thereto, there cannot be the least doubt or scruple left, but that those Interpretations are true; and that the Church of Rome is that Body of An∣tichrist, that Mother of Fornications and Abominations of the Earth, that is, of multifarious Modes of grosse Idolatries, or that scarlet Whore on the seven Hills, that is also drunk with the bloud of the Saints, and with the bloud of the Martyrs of Jesus.

5. And that therefore, in the fourth place, in the Church of Rome the Poi∣son

exceeding the Antidote, there can be no reason that Salvation should be hoped for there. It is a sad and lamen∣table Truth, but being a Truth, and of such huge moment, it is by no means to be concealed. What God may doe in his more hidden ways of Providence, he alone knows. And therefore we cannot say that every Idolatrous Heathen must perish eter∣nally: But to speak no farther then we have commission, and according to the easy tenour of the Holy Scrip∣tures, we must pronounce, though with great sadnesse of heart, that we have no warrant therefrom to think or declare any of the Popish Religion, so long as they continue so, to be in the state of Salvation; and especially, since that voice of the Angel which sounded in the Intervall of Thyatira, saying expresly, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and receive not of her plagues; and the Apostle in his first Epistle to the Corinthians, Be not deceived, neither Fornicatours, nor Idolaters, nor Adul∣terers,

&c. shall inherit the Kingdome of God. And those of the Church of Rome are bound to continue Idolaters as long as they live, or else to re∣nounce their Church; and therefore they are bound to be damned by ad∣hering to the Roman Church, unless they could live in it for ever. For he that dies in such a capital sin as Idola∣try without Repentance, nay, in a blinde, obstinate perseverance in it, how can he escape eternal Damna∣tion?

6. But though we had kept our selves to the Apocalypse, the thing is clear in that Book alone, ch. 22. ver. 14, 15. where all Idolaters are ex∣presly excluded from the Tree of Life: Blessed are they that doe his Com∣mandments, (and one of them, though expunged by Rome, is, Thou shalt not worship any graven Image,) that they may have right to the tree of life, &c. For without are dogs, and Sorcerers, and Whoremongers, and Murtherers, and Idolaters, and whoso loveth and maketh a Lie. All these are excluded

the Heavenly Jerusalem, and from eating the Tree of Life. Of which who eateth not is most assuredly de∣tain'd in eternall death. As it is writ∣ten in the foregoing Chapter, that Murtherers, and Whoremongers, and Sorcerers, and Idolaters, and all Liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second Death. What sentence can be more expresse then this?

7. But besides this Divine sentence against them, they are also 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, they are self-condemned, or at least give sentence against themselves, while they so freely pronounce that no Idolaters are to be saved; which they frequently doe, to save their own Church from the reproach of I∣dolatry. For, because some Prote∣stants have declared for the Possibili∣ty of Salvation in the Romish Church, they farther improve the favour to the quitting themselves of the guilt, from others hopefull presages that by an hearty implicit Repentance of all their sins (even of those that are the

proper Crimes of that Church,) they may, through God's mercy in Christ, be delivered from the punishment.

This piece of Charity in some of our Party they turn to the fencing off all imputation of Idolatry from them∣selves, arguing thus; That no Idola∣ters can be saved: But those in the Romish Church may be saved, accor∣ding to those Protestants opinion: Therefore those in the Romish Church are no Idolaters.

But most assuredly while they thus abuse the Charity of some, even by their own Proposition they must bring the sentence of Condemnation from all the rest upon their own heads, as they have herein given it against themselves, in saying that all Idolaters are damned, or that no Idolater can be saved. For it is demonstrated as clear as the Noon-light, in this pre∣sent Discourse, that the Church of Rome are Idolaters.

8. And in that of those of our Church that say they may be saved upon a sincere and hearty implicit Re∣pentance

of all their sins, (wherein they include the Idolatries and all o∣ther Miscarriages which they know not themselves guilty of, by reason of the blinde Mis-instructions of their Church,) no more is given them by this then thus, viz. That they are sa∣ved by disowning of and dismembring themselves from the Roman Church, as much as it is in their power so to doe, and by bitterly repenting them that they were ever of that Church as such, and by being so minded, that if they did know what a corrupt Church it is, they would forthwith separate from it. So that in effect those of the Roman Church that some of ours con∣ceit may be saved, are no otherwise saved, if at all, then by an implicit re∣nouncing Communion with it, which in Foro Divino must goe for an actual and formal Separation from it.

In which Position if there were any Truth, it will reach the honest-min∣ded Pagans as well; but it can shelter neither, unless in such Circumstances, that they had not the opportunity to

learn the Truth, which since the Re∣formation, and especially this last Age, by the mercy of God, is abun∣dantly revealed to the world. So that all men, especially those that live in Protestant Nations or Kingdoms, are without all excuse; and therefore be∣come obnoxious to God's eternall wrath and Damnation, if they relin∣quish not that false Prophetesse Jeze∣bel, as she is called in the Epistle to the Church in Thyatira, who by her cor∣rupt Doctrines deceives the people, and inveigles them into gross Idola∣trous Practices.

9. Thus little is conceded by those of our Reformed Churches that speak most favourably of those in the Church of Rome. And yet this little must be retracted, unless we can make it out, that any of that Church are capable of sincere and unfeigned Re∣pentance while they are of it. For to repent as a Thief, because he is a∣fraid to be hanged, is not that saving Repentance. But to repent as a true Christian none can doe, unlesse he

has the Spirit of God, and be in the state of Regeneration.

For true Repentance arises out of the detestation of the uglinesse of Sin it self, and out of the love to the pul∣chritude and amiablenesse of the Di∣vine Life and of true Vertue, which none can be touched with but those that are Regenerate or born of God. Now those holy and Divine Senti∣ments of the new Birth are so contra∣ry to the Frauds and Impostures, to the grosse Idolatries and bloudy Mur∣thers of the Church of Rome, which they from time to time have perpe∣trated upon the dear Servants of Christ, that it is impossible for any one that has this holy sense, but that he should incontinently fly from that Church with as much horrour and af∣frightment as any Countrey-man would from some evil Spectre, or at the approach of the Devil.

10. He that is born of God sinneth not, saith S. John: How then can they be so born whose very Religion is a Trade of sin, and that of the highest

nature, they ever and anon exercising grosse acts of Idolatry? besides that they are consenting (by giving up their belief and suffrage to the mur∣therous Conclusions of that Church) to all the barbarous and bloudy Per∣secutions of the Saints that either have happened or may happen in their own times, or ever shall happen, by that Church; they become, I say, guilty thereof by adjoyning them∣selves to this bloud-thirsty Body of men, with whom the Murther of those that will not commit Idolatry with them, and so rebell against God, is become an holy Papal Law and Statute.

And therefore, I say, how can any man conceive that those men are born of God who are thus deeply defiled with Murtherous and Idolatrous Im∣purities, but rather that they are in a mere blinde carnal condition, and uncapable, while they are thus, of any true and sincere Repentance, and consequently of repenting of their daily Idolatries which they commit,

and ordinarily (to make all sure) in ipso articulo mortis, and therefore are out of all capacity of Salvation while they are members of that Church? As plainly appears both by this pre∣sent Reason fetch'd from the nature of Regeneration, as also from the judgement of the Romanists them∣selves touching the state of Idolaters after this life, and chiefly from the ex∣presse sentence of the Spirit of God in Scripture, as I intimated before.

11. And therefore, in the fifth and last place, it is exceeding manifest how stupid and regardless those Souls are of their own Salvation, that con∣tinue in the Communion of the Church of Rome; and how desperate∣ly wilde and extravagant they are who, never having been of it, but having had the advantage of better Principles, yet can finde in their hearts to be reconciled to it. This must be a sign of some great defect in Judgement, or else in their Sincerity, that they ever can be allured to a Re∣ligion that is so far removed from God and Heaven.

12. But this Church, as the woman in the Proverbs, is, I must confess, both very fair of speech and subtil of heart, and knows how to tamper with the simple ones right skilfully. She knows how to overcome all their carnal sen∣ses by her luxurious Enticements. She has deck'd her bed with coverings of Tapestry, with carved works, with fine linens of AEgypt. She has perfumed her bed with Myrrh, Aloes and Cinna∣mon. She entertains her Paramours with the most delicious strains of Mu∣sick, and chants out the most sweet and pleasing Rhymes, to lull them secure in her lap: Such as those Ido∣latrous forms of the Invocation of the Virgin Marie, and of other Saints, which I have produced, of which she has a numerous store. Unto which I conceive the Prophet Isay to allude in that passage touching the City of Tyre, representing there mystically the relapsing Church of Rome: Take an harp, goe about the City, thou harlot that hast been forgotten, make sweet Melody, sing many Songs, that thou

mayst be remembred. See Synopsis Pro∣phetica, Book 2. ch. 16.

13. She gilds her self over also with the goodly and specious Titles of U∣nity, Antiquity, Universality, the power of working Miracles, of San∣ctity likewise, and of Infallibility; and boasts highly of her self, that she has the power of the Keys, and can give safe conduct to Heaven by Sacerdo∣tal Absolution; and, if need be, out of the Treasury of the Merits of Holy men of their Church, which she has the keeping and disposing of, can adde Oyl to the Lamps of the unprovi∣ded Virgins, and so piece out their Deficiency in the works of Righte∣ousnesse. Such fair speeches and fine glozing words she has to befool the judgements of the simple.

14. But as to the first, it is plain that that Unity that is by Force is no fruit of the Spirit, and therefore no Sign of the true Church: nor that which is from free Agreement, if it be not to good Ends. For Salomon describes an Agreement of Thieves

or Robbers, heartening one ano∣ther to spoil and bloudshed, and to enter so strict a society as to have but one purse. And therefore for a com∣pany of men, under the pretense of Spirituality, to agree in the inventing or upholding such Doctrines or Ficti∣ons as are most serviceable for a worldly design, and for the more ea∣sily riding and abusing the credulous and carnal-minded, thereby to be masters of their Persons and Wealth, this is no holy Unity, but an horrid and unrighteous Conspiracy against the deluded sons of Adam.

15. And for Antiquity and Univer∣sality, they are both plainly on the Protestants side, who make no Fun∣damentals of Faith but such as are manifestly contained in the Scripture; which is much more ancient, and more universally received, then any of those things upon whose account we separate from the Church of Rome, which are but the fruits of that Apostasie which, after four Hun∣dred years or thereabout, the Church

was to fall into according to Divine Prediction. So that we are as ancient and universal as the Apostolick Church it self, nor do we desire to appear to be the members of any Church that is not Apostolicall.

And for their boast of Miracles, which are produced to ratifie their crafty Figments, they are but Fictions themselves framed by their Priests, or Delusions of the Devil, according as is foretold concerning the coming of Antichrist, that Man of Sin, (which the Pope and his Clergy most assu∣redly is,) namely, that his coming is after the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders. So that they glory in their own shame, and boast themselves in the known Character of Antichrist, and would prove themselves to be Holy Church by pretending to the Privi∣leges of that Man of Sin, and by ap∣pealing to the palpable signs of the Assistence of the Devil. For from thence are all Miracles that are pro∣duced in favour of Practices that

are plainly repugnant to the Doctrines of the Holy Scriptures.

16. But now, as for their Sanctity, what an holy Church they are, any one may judge upon the reading of the Lives of their Popes and History of their Cardinals, and other Religious Orders of that Church of Rome; how rankly all things smell of Fraud and Imposture, of Pride and Covetous∣nesse, of Ostentation and Hypocrisy; what monstrous examples of Sensua∣lity their Holinesses themselves have ordinarily been, of Fornication and Adultery, of Incest and Sodomie; to say nothing of Simonie, and that infer∣nall sin of Necromancy. But for Mur∣ther and Idolatry, those horrid Crimes are not onely made familiar to them, but have passed into a Law with them, and are interwoven into the very Essence of their Religion. Judge then how holy that Church must be, whose Religion is the establishment of Idolatry and Murther. Of the latter of which Crimes the holy In∣quisition is an Instance with a witness.

And yet that Den of Murtherers, whose Office it is to kill men for not committing Idolatry, with the Church of Rome must needs bear the title of Holy.

17. And for their pretense of Infal∣libility, it is expresly predicted in the Apocalypse of S. John, as well as their laying claim to Miracles. For as the two-horned Beast is said to doe great Wonders, and to bring fire from Hea∣ven, which two-horned Beast is the Pope and his Clergy; so Jezebel, which is the same Hierarchy, is called the Woman that gives to her self the title of a Prophetesse, whose Oracles you know must be infallible. For she does not mean that she is a false Pro∣phetesse, though indeed and in truth she is so. And the Pope with his Clergy is judged to be so by the Spi∣rit of God, in that he is called the false Prophet, as well as the two-horn∣ed Beast, in those Visions of S. John.

And while he pretends himself to be a Prophet, even without Divine Revelation, one may plainly demon∣strate

that he is a false one from this one notorious. Instance of Transub∣stantiation; which is a Doctrine re∣pugnant to common Sense and Rea∣son, and all the Faculties of the Mind of man, and bears a contradiction to the most plain and indubitable Prin∣ciples of all Arts and Sciences, as I have proved above. So that we may be more sure that this is false, then that we feel our own bodies, or can tell our toes and fingers on our hands and feet. Judge then therefore whe∣ther is more likely, that the Church of Rome should be infallible, or Tran∣substantiation a mere Figment, espe∣cially it being so serviceable for their worldly Advantages, and they being taken tardy in so many Impostures and Deceits. So that Infallibility is a mere Boast.

18. And now for their Sacerdotal Absolution, that they can so safely dis∣misse men to Heaven or secure them from Hell thereby, this power of their Priest is such another vain Boast as that of Transubstantiation. Except

a man be born again, he cannot enter in∣to the kingdome of God. And the form of words upon one's Death-bed can no more regenerate any one, then their Quinqueverbiall Charm can transubstantiate the Bread and Wine into the Body and Bloud of Christ. Where the form of Absolution has any effect, it must be on such persons as are already really regenerate and unfeignedly and sincerely penitent: which I have shewn to be incompe∣tible to any one so long and so far forth as he adheres to the Roman Church. So that in this case one AEthio∣pian does but wash another, which is labour spent in vain.

There must be a change of Nature, or no externall Ceremonie nor words can doe any thing. For the form of Absolution is not a Charm, as I said, to change the nature of things, but onely a Ticket to passe Guards and Scouts, and to procure safe Conduct to the Heavenly Regions. But if by Regeneration and due Repentance one has not contracted an alliance and

affinity with the Saints and Angels, but is really still involved in the im∣pure and Hellish nature, the grim Of∣ficers of that dark Kingdome will most certainly challenge their own, and they will be sure to carry that Soul captive into a sutable place, let the flattering Priest have dismissed her hence with the fairest and most hope∣full circumstances he could. This is the most hideous, the most dangerous and the most perfidious Cheat of that Church of Rome that ever she could light on for the damning of poor cre∣dulous Souls, that thus superstitiously depend on the vain breath of their Priest for the security of their Salva∣tion.

19. And yet they are not content with this Device alone to lull men se∣cure in wickednesse, but besides their pretense of singing them out of Pur∣gatory by mercenary Masses, and pe∣cuniarie Redemptions by Pardons and Indulgences, and I know not what Trumperies, they allure men to come into their Church as having

that great Store and Treasury of the Merits of Holy men and women, their works of Supererogation, which they pretend to have the keeping and dis∣posing of. So that a poor Soul that is bankrupt of her self, and has no stock of Good works of her own, may suf∣ficiently be furnished for love or mo∣ney by the Merchants of this Store∣house. Which, besides that it is a blasphemous Derogation to the Me∣rits of Christ, is the grossest Falshood that ever was uttered.

For these Holy men, as they are called, and Virgins, were, God wot, themselves most miserable Sinners, and died in most horrid Idolatries, as dying in the Practices of that Church; and he that comes to that Church does necessarily become a grosse I∣dolater himself; besides that he sets to his seal and makes himself accessory to all that innocent bloud, the bloud of those many hundred thousands of Martyrs for the Protestant Truth, which that Woman of bloud that sits on the Seven Hills has with the

most execrable Circumstances imagi∣nable so frequently murthered. So that a Soul otherwise passable of her self would be necessarily drown'd in this one foul Deluge of Guilt: so far is she from having any relief or ad∣vantage by reconciling her self to the Church of Rome.

20. Wherefore who-ever thou art that hast any sense or solicitude for thy future state and Salvation, be∣lieve not this Woman of subtil lips and a deceitfull heart, and give no credit to her Fictions and high Pre∣tensions; but the more she goes a∣bout to magnifie her self, do thou humble her the more, by shewing her her ugly hue in the glasse of the Holy Scriptures.

If she boast that she is that holy Jerusalem, a City at Unity within it self, whenas the rest of the World are so full of Sects and Factions; tell her that she is that carnal Jerusalem, wherein Christ in his true Members hath been so barbarously persecuted and murthered, and that the Stones

of her buildings are no living stones, but held together by a mere iron vio∣lence, and the Cement of her walls tempered with the large effusion of innocent bloud; forasmuch as she is that two-horned Beast that gave life to the Image of the Beast, and caused him to decree that as many as would not obey his Idolatrous Edicts should be slain. This is the power of your Unity, which is not from the Spirit of God, but from the spirit of the Devil, who was a Murtherer from the beginning. But the Division of us Protestants is both a sign of our sincere search after the Truth, and a more strong Testimony against you of Rome, in that we being so divided amongst our selves, yet we so unani∣mously give sentence against you: your Miscarriages and Crimes being so exceeding grosse, that no free eye but must needs discern them.

21. If she vaunts of her Antiquity; give her enough of it, and tell her she derives her pedigree from that great Dragon, the old Serpent, that

is called the Devil and Satan, that Murtherer of mankinde. Ye are of your father the Devil, saith our Savi∣our, and the works of your father will ye doe. We grant that the Visage and Lineage of your Church reaches even beyond the times of the Apostles, the two-horned Beast reviving the I∣mage of the Pagan Beast, the great red Dragon, by bringing up again his old bloudy Persecutions and Ido∣latries. It suffices us, that our Church began with the Apostles.

If she glories in her Universality, and in her large Territories; tell her, she is that GREAT City which spiri∣tually is called Sodom and AEgypt, where our Lord was crucified: And that she is Babylon the GREAT, the mother of Fornications and the Abo∣minations of the Earth.

If she boast of the power of the Keys, and of Sacerdotal Absolution; tell her that he that is holy, he that is true, he that has the Key of David, he that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth, that is to

say, our Lord Jesus Christ, will never part with these Keys to his invete∣rate Enemy, that notorious Man of Sin, or Antichrist.

If she spread before thee her good∣ly wares of mercenary Masses, of Pardons and Indulgences, of the mu∣tuatitious Good works of their pre∣tended Holy men and women; or the Wealth and externall Glories of their Church, and varieties of rich Pre∣ferments and Dignities; say unto her; that she is that City of Trade of whom it is written, that no man bui∣eth her merchandise any more; and again, Alas, alas! that great City that was cloathed in fine linnen and purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls: For in one hour so great riches are come to nought. For her Merchants were the great men of the Earth, and by her Sorceries were all Nations de∣ceived. And in her was found the bloud of Prophets, and of Saints, and of all that were slain upon the Earth.

22. If she would amaze thee with

the stories of the wonderfull Miracles done by her; tell her that she is that two-horned Beast that doth great won∣ders, and that deceiveth them that dwell on the Earth by means of those Miracles which he had power to doe in the sight of the ten-horn'd Beast; or that false Prophet working Miracles, and de∣ceiving them that receive the mark of the Beast, and worship his Image, who together with the Beast is to be ta∣ken, and cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone; or lastly, that Man of Sin and Son of perditi∣on, whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders.

If she would inveagle thee with her pretenses of Infallibility; tell her that she is that Woman Jezebel, that calleth her self a Prophetesse; or the Prophet Balaam, that insnared the Israelites in Idolatry; and that very false Prophet that together with the Beast is to be cast alive into the lake of burning brimstone.

23. And lastly, if she would gull

thee with that specious and much∣affected Title of Holy Church; tell her that the Spirit of Truth in the Di∣vine Oracles, let her commend her self as much as she pleases, gives no such Character of her, but quite con∣trary, declaring the See of Rome to be the Seat of Satan, and their Church a his Synagogue; the Pope and his Clergy to be b Balaam the son of Bozor, who loved the wages of unrighteousnesse, and who was the Murtherer of Christ's faithfull Mar∣tyr Antipas; to be that c Woman Jezebel who calls her self a Prophe∣tesse, but was indeed a Sorceresse, and a murtherer of the true Prophets of the Lord; to be also that d false Prophet, that is to be taken alive, and cast into the lake of fire and brimstone; to be that e great City that spiritually is called Sodom and AEgypt, where our Lord was crucified; to be f the Beast that has the horns of a Lamb, but the voice of the Dra∣gon, decreeing Idolatries and cruel Persecutions against God's people;

to be that g Babylon the great, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth; the Woman on the seven Hills, that is drunk with the bloud of the Saints and with the bloud of the Martyrs of Jesus; and, lastly, to be that h Man of Sin, that notorious Antichrist, that oppo∣seth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or is worshipped, whose coming is with all deceivableness of unrighteousnesse in them that perish, because they receive not the love of the truth that they may be saved. For which cause God sends them strong de∣lusion, that they believe a lie. That they all might be damned that believe not the truth, but have pleasure in un∣righteousnesse. As well 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as well all they that love the Romish Lies and Impostures, as all they that invent them, are here plainly declared in the state of Damnation.

With this Nosegay of Rue and Wormwood antidote thy self against the Idolatrous infection of that strange

Woman's breath, whose lips yet drop as an hony-comb, and her mouth is more smooth then oyl. And be assured that that cannot be the true Holy Church wherein Salvation is to be ex∣pected, which the Spirit of God has marked with such unholy and hellish Characters, let her boast of her own Holiness as much as she will.

24. And if she return this Answer to thee, That this is not to argue, but to rail in phrases of Scripture; do thou make this short Reply, That whiles she accuses thee of railing a∣gainst sinfull and obnoxious men, she must take heed that she be not found guilty of blaspheming the holy Spirit of God. I confesse these Propheti∣call Passages apply'd to such persons as to whom they do not belong were an high and rude strain of Railing in∣deed, and quite out of the road of Christianity and common Humanity: But to call them Railings when they are apply'd to that very Party to whom they are really meant by that Spirit that dictated them, is indeed to

pretend to a sense of Civility towards men, but in the mean time to become a down-right Blasphemer against the Holy Ghost that dictated these Oracles.

And that they are not mis-apply'd, any impartial man of but an ordinary patience and comprehension of wit may have all assurance desirable from that demonstration of the truth compriz'd in the eight last Chapters of the first Book of Synopsis Propheti∣ca; to say nothing of the present Ex∣position of the Seven Epistles to the Seven Churches in Asia.

25. Wherefore, O serious Soul, whoever thou art, be not comple∣mented out of the Truth and an ear∣nest pursuance of thine own Salvation from a vain sense of the Applauses or Reproaches of men, or from any con∣sideration what they may think of thee for attesting or standing to such Verities as are so unwelcome to ma∣ny ears, but of such huge importance to all to hear. For no lesse a Game is at stake in our choice of what Church we adhere to, that of Rome or the

Reformed, then the Possession of Hea∣ven and eternall Life.

Wherefore stand stoutly upon thy guard, and whensoever thou art ac∣costed by the fair words and sugar'd speeches of that cunning Woman, (who will make semblance of great solicitude for thy future Happinesse, most passionately inviting thee to re∣turn into the bosome of Holy Church,) be sure to remember what an Holy Church she is according to Divine de∣scription; and that if thou assentest to her smooth Persuasions and crafty Importunities, thou dost ipso facto (pardon the vehemence of expres∣sion) adventure thy self into the jaws of Hell, and cast thy self into the arms of the Devil.

God of his mercy give us all Grace to consider what has been spoken, that we may evermore escape these Snares of Death.

Amen.

Notes

• Chap. 6. 9.
• Apoc. 21. 8.
• 1 John 5. 18.
• Prov. 7. 16, 17.
• Isa. 23. 16.
• Prov. 1. 14.
• Synops. Prophet. lib. 2. c. 5.
• 2 Thess. 2. 9.
• Apoc. 13. 13.
• Apoc. 2. 20.
• Apoc. 16. 13.
• John 3. 3.
• Psal. 122. 3.
• Apoc. 13.
• Apoc. 12. 9.
• John 8. 44
• Apoc. 11.
• Apoc. 3.
• A••••c. 18.
• Apoc. 13. 13, 14.
• Apoc. 19. 20.
• 2 Thess. 2. 9.
• Apoc. ••. 20.
• Apoc. 2. 14.
• Apoc. 19. 20.
• Apoc. 2. 13.
• a

  Apoc. 3. 9.
• b

  Apoc. 2. 13, 14.
• c

  Apoc. 2. 20.
• d

  Apoc. 19. 20.
• e

  Apoc. 11. 8.
• f

  Apoc. 13. 11.
• g

  Apoc. 17.
• h

  2 Thess. 2.
• Prov. 5. 3.
• Matth. 23. 15.