The ruin of RomeThe ruine of Rome

But we are to observe, that as Satan was bound by degrees, through the ministry of Christ, and his Apostles, and their immediate successors: so also he was loosed by degrees, by the prevailing of heresies, till the great Antichrist was hatched, and brought into the possession of his cursed chair. For Satan was not fully loosed, till the year of our Lord 998. At what time Sylvester the second, came to be Pope, who was in league with the Devil. Stories do report, that at his death he called for the Cardinals, ⟨p. 277⟩and confessed that he had familiarity with the Devil, and how he had given himself unto him body and soul, so that he might come to the papal dignity.

But wee are to obserue, that as Sathan was bound by degrees, through the ministery of Christ, and his Apostles, and their immediat successors: so also he was loosed by degrees, by the preuailing of heresies, till the great Antichrist was hatched, and brought into the possession of his cursed chaire. For Sathan was not fully loosed, till the yeere of our Lord 998. At what time Siluester the second, came to bee Pope, who was in league with the Diuell. Stories doe report, that at his death hee called for the Cardinals, ⟨p. 277⟩and confessed that hee had familiaritie with the Diuell, and how hee had giuen himselfe vnto him body and soule, so that hee might come to the papall dignitie.

After him succeeded sundry other Popes, which were notorious monsters, some of them murderers, some poisoners, some sorcerers, some conjurers. By whom the devil was fully loosed, all light of the gospel, and true religion being in a manner clean put out, & most abominable Idolatry, & all manner of villainy spreading over the face of the earth, & therefore S. John saith, that Satan being thus fully loosed, he went forth to deceive the people, which were in the four corners of the earth, even Gog and Magog, &c. This seducing by Satan, here spoken of, is the same with that which is spoken Chapter 13. only this excepted, that this of Gog and Magog is more general. We read there how all nations, kindreds, and tongues, were made to worship the image of the beast, and to receive his mark: but that is to be extended no further, then to those kingdoms which were subject to the papacy. But here by these armies of Gog and Magog, are understood all the chief enemies of the Church, in these last days, since the loosing of Satan, both open and secret, both Turk and Pope: for the Turk is an open enemy: the Pope a more close enemy. Gog signifieth covered, Magog uncovered, whereby is noted the Pope & the Turk. For the Pope cometh covered under the name of Christ, and Christs vicar, Peters successor &c. But