Keach - Houston-Packer Collection BS537 .K4 1779

THE c H u R c H OF R 0 M E, Book IV; METAPHOR. PARAL L EL fion , and Weaknefs of the Empire, the Biihop of Rome took his Advantage, to make his Advance, and rofe up to regal Power, enaCting Laws, raifing Taxes, and levying Soldiers; by which means he frruck in with Parties, and encroached upon Italy, and the Parts adjacent. I!. This Power arifing upon the ¥leakening and Divifion of the old State of the fourth Monarchy or Kingdom, is called a little Horn, becau!e truly fo at its firfr Begin– ·ning, Dan. vii. 8. And behold there came up among them another little HorJ<, &c. II. The Papal Power, or Biihop of Rome, be– fore this Divil•on, was but I•Jw and ln1all, being confined to hi; epifcopal Power over the Church, till by his Arts he had got up gradually to the re– gal Seat, and Power of the temporal Sword, which he managed with fo much Craft and Policy, that af[erwards he enlarged his Dominions; bU[ is very righttully in his Infancy !tiled a little Prince, Pow– er, or Horn, arifing up amongft, or after the reft, which began prefently after the Death of Julian, about the Yea:· 365, in which Time was a. mo!t ftarfu l Earthquake, the like never known befr,re, betokening the Decay of the fourth Kingdom, in its civil State or Power, by a Divilion or Falling of I\anons., who fet them!elves againlt the Power of Rome, and harraffed, wafted and defhoyed the Provinces thereof, for near forty-five Years together. ::Oee JVfede, lib. 3· p. 6s9lll. This little Horn, after his 1II. The Papal Power having gained the remRife to temporal Power, plucks up poral Sword, though but a little •Jorn at his be– three of the ten Horns by the ginning, did practile and profper fo, that betwixt Roots. D mz. vii. 8. Before whom the Ye"r 365, and the Year 456, or foon after, there <cere three of the jirft llorns when Rome was facked by Ge;zjeriws, he gained .plucked up by the Roots. fuch Enlargements, that he came to poifcfs abom three Parts of ten of the former or old Roman Dominions, according to the Rules or Meafure of the Co·11p.als; as we find in Mr. JVfede, lib. 3· p. 658. and famous Du-Nfoulin ubi fupra. Upon which three Charaders of the little Horn, we frame rh is fho rt Argument. If the Pope of Rome did arife to temporal Power, upon the Weakening of the Cef1rean Dominion, which before did hinder him in his ?.fj,ii mg Ufurparion, was but ltrrle in his firf1: Rife and Appearance, did enlarge, and.' ·ow to a Poffeffion of ab<Jut a third Part of the old Roman Dominion: Thr·n the l'upe of Rome is the little Horn, .the wicked Power, and vile Perfun, fet forth by the Prophet Daniel. But the Antecedent is true :---Ergo, fo is the Conlcqt.ent. JV. This little Horn hath Eyes -like the Eyes of a Man, &c. JV. The Pope of Rome lwh Eyes like the Eyes of a M•n, the Refemblance of a human Look, but a Heart like the Dragon, out of "hich foul Mouth he utters prefumpruous Things. His Predeceffors had i· yes like a Leopard, a Be_ar, a Lion, a Dragon; but rbi'l harh Eyes like a Man. In which rhere are three Things to be noted : I. He looks higher; 2. Sees further; and, 3· h more enriong, than rhofe that went before him. ( r.) Hl' looks higher, that is, makes a ptc:teHn; of Piety, and Deogn for Heaven. (z.) Sees fun her, t!Jat Deceit, Flaw r''• and J:'oliry, will do more rhan Strength. (3.) Is more enticing to Kings and Peopk, than the Eyes ~of a Leopard, Lion, or Ur.1gon, or rht former Powers in rheir_Heathtn State. V. Thrs little Hcrn hath a V. The.Pope of Rome hath a Mouth (peaking Mou th fpeaking great or prefumpgreat or prefumptuous Thing~, above the Gidinary ruous Things, above the rare of rate of Mtn. This is evident in many refpeCts, ordinary Me.n, Da11. vri. 8. of which we !hall give vou but a few Jnltances out of many. ( 1.) That he is the highelt Deputy cf God, above all the Kings of the Earth. (2 .) That he. i~ infallibk, and caonot err, which is an incommunic?.bie Attribute of the Mofl: High. (3-) That he is univerfal Head and Biihop of the Catholic Church. (4-l He a!Tumes the Att ibutes of his llolinefs, and holy Father; fuch an Oracle, that has Right or Power to give Laws to the World, to which all ou~ht w lubfcribc, and yield 0Dedience, and none ought to difpure. Greater and more loftily can no Man !peak, unlefs he wrll fay, I am the fupreme lleing, and there i' no God in Heaven or Earth above myfelf, which would be fo highly ndrcdous, that every Idiot would be able to detect it. VI. l'be little H orn had his VI. The Pope of Rome h1s Looks more fl'out Looks more f'cout than his Fellows: than the Horns tha~ have been eo-temporary with him;

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