CAP.13. 4evetation of'tiie ApoeaZypre. 45r in the name of the firft, feeing this fecondBeaft is no other but the fame with thefirft? This is the angular fetch of this moft crafty hp- pocrite, to counterfeit the name of Antiquity, that fo he might be better efteemedofin the world. For this fhould be all his dritt and labour, that the firftBeaft fhould beadored, as if hechallenged no newmatter unto himfelf, but that only which his Predeceflbrs left him by inheritance. Hereupon it is, that we have the Epiftles of the moft ancient Topes, moft impudently corrupted,baftardly ones fiubor- ned for true,andwholly changed fortheir own advantage,with addi- tions and detradions,that be ofa very new edition. Out of the fame forge came the feigned donation of Confantine:Alfo Decrees that do carry greater Chew ofAntiquity in their Titles then the truth will beare, and fix hundred other filch forgeries as thefe. Neither is there any other thing fogreatly belaboured, among the Popes Champions at this day, as that the Pope may have the ancient honour given untohim, that is, that thefirft Beaft fhouldbe adored. It would be thought to be flunking pride and ambition to hoyfe up Sail, as it were, and to traffiqueopenly for his own honour, (and yet the Pope is not afhamed of this neither ( and therefore he. cloth .fet in his roome the firft Beaft, in whofe name he may more clofely ferve his own turn. Verf. 13. And he Worketh great Wonders. Now he declareth by what means he inticethand deceiveth men, and thereby obtains that adoration, for whichhe fighteth as forheaven & earth,and that is by working ofmiracles,wherewith Antichrift shouldbecome admirable. As Whofe cominó is by the efficacie ofSatan, With allpower, andfsgnes, and /yin Wonders, as S.Paul foretold ofhim, a Thcf2. 9. The which thing, if- renews had confidered, he would not have called this Beaft the EfquireofAnt-id/rigs body, or his Page to carry his weapons af- ter him, as he Both, Book, g. (hap. a8. but rather Antichrift himfelf. There are no miracles of the former Beaft fpoken of, but only his proweffe and'great power, the force wherof may bea diftin t thing from his wonders. Now it is manifeft to all men, how this Beaft bathbeen extolled for his crafts-mafter in working wonders, ftraightwayes after he was whole ofhis wound and everfince. Take one or two for .ex- ample, for it were infinite to reckon up every one of them. The Chriftians were wonderfully protected from the Devill, after that Boniface the 4. had confecrated a Temple forall Saints,whichhe cal- ledPantheon. Theodetus that followed next after hiìn,healed the Le- N n n Proie
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=