An exposition upon the thirteenth chapter of the Revelation by that reverend and eminent…

3. Phocas the Parricide about fifty years after, about the year 606. healed up the wound, granting to Boniface the third, that he should be universal Bishop, not only the first in order, but in honour also, and that all the whole world should be his Diocese: And this was the healing of his Head, which was so perfectly cured, that all the world wondered at the preservation of the head of this Church, and began by degrees more and more to adore both the Church, and the Head of it.

3. Phocas the Parricide about fifty yeares after, about the yeare 606. healed up the wound, granting to Boniface the third, that he should be universall Bishop, not only the first in order, but in honour also, and that all the whole world should be his Diocesse: And this was the healing of his Head, which was so perfectly cured, that all the world wondered at the preservation of the head of this Church, and began by degrees more and more to adore both the Church, and the Head of it.

Obj. There is an Objection made against this exposition; That by this means the Bishop of Rome should be healed before he be a head of Beast, for this was his headship when he was allowed to be chief Lord over all the Churches, and all the rest to be under him; and the Pope was not this head till the Act of Phocas.

Answ. I answer, He had not the peaceable possession of this Headship till this time, but yet it is evident in story that he did claim this supremacy before, he sought it ambitiously, and it was given him by the devotion of many Bishops, and Churches, and Nations, it was usually rendered to him long before that time. Socrates saith, that Ballo the Pope had broken forth into the Government over the Churches: And Bellarmine himself confesseth (when he is put to it) that the Bishop of Rome would never go to any Consultation in the East, but sent his Legate; for saith he, it is not meet the head should follow the members: A second reason he gives, the Emperor (saith he) is at least Vice-gerent of the East, he well may have the material Seat that was taken up by the Emperors, where shall the Bishop of Rome sit then? and this he gathers out of some of their writings: So that it is evident, that he did ambitiously desire it, and the manner was (being elderly men) all his beloved and dear children they call him Father, and so he takes in good part all their honourable Titles, and he distributes to them such parcels of respect, as may stand with his own Supremacy, and their subjection, and therefore they need not say, The wounded head was healed before he was a head of the Beast, for it was in conception long before. He did from Constantine's time seek Supremacy: They confess, little respect was had to him in Constantine's