CAP;13-.' 41@elation"fat .Apocalypfe. 447 chicle of them , who although he had formerlygranted to theFor great jurifdifiionover the Clergy, yet did he put him and keephim downe withWs Majclty, till that time , and that as it were, with a certain waight that was heavier then the Hill Etna, that fo he might Set up his proud. crelts, above the Emperour. But now the earthly dignity alto giveth place to the Beaft, being at lit come to bè trod- den under his feet , who hadgrown fo high onlyby the favour and bountyofthe Emperours. And therefore that it might appear openly unto all men , that the Popes were now let loofe out ofthis fame Prifon-houle ofbeing under earthly anthority,Zacharj the next Pope depofedChilderickjhe Kingofthe Frankf,& commanded that Pipine the Father of Charles thegreat, fhouldbe created King in his Rcome. But this loth more evidently Phew it felfe inLeo the third. Who transferred the Empite from the Grecians to the Germans , and an- nointed Charles the mat to beEmperonr; what more evident argu- ment can therebe o `having the higheft powerupon earth,then for a man to be able to take away theEmpire tiôwhom he lift,and to con- fer it again on whom it pleafeth him. ThePopes that fucceeded trod in the fame Reps, toiling the Emperourslike Tennis-balls, putting them downe, and Petting them upat their pleafure. With which things Bellarmine being perfvaded hath writtenvery truly and a- greeably to this Prophefie , That all the Emperours, that knit been from the time ofCharles thegreat, are beholding to the Popefor their. Empire. Book 5. Chap.8. ofthe Pope ofRome. For from that time the Reaft arofe up out ofthe earth, becomming . fnperiour to any earthly Potentate, for the helping.whereofforward thofe earthly Dominions and poJJeions of Land did ferve, which . were joyned with thisnew beginning, the which the Pope wadted before altogether,at haft thofe whichhe enjoyed werebutfmall mo. dicasms, fuch as only futiiced to maintain a Bithop, not fuchas carri- ed any {hewofa Kingdome. For in former ages, Italywas tributary to the Emperours, the which the Goths poffetling at IA, made it to pay tribute tothemfelves. When thefewere vanduifhed, it returned againe to the Empire under 74inian, being governed by thofe they called Exarchi. The Pope of Rome had as yet no Provinces, till this earthly originali furnifhed himwitdearthly poffeffions. For is it likely that the Pope by whole inftigation others revolted from the Emperour, & fogrewmore wealthy, did not augment his efface also by fpoilingofhim ? Wouldhe not trow ye providea gobbet or two for himfelfe and Saint Peter ? But this isargument enough to }rove
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