4 fixth and seventh Centuries, called a Meeting of Counsellors and Bishops in his Palace, A. C. 726, and by their Advice put out an Edict against that Worship, and wrote to Pope Gregory II. that a Council might be called: But the Pope thereupon called a Council at Rome, confirmed the Worfhip of Images, excommunicated the Greek Emperor, abfolved the People from their Allegiance, and forbad them to pay Tribute, or otherwife be obedient to him. Accordingly the People of Rome, Campania, Ra venna and Pentapolis, with the Cities under them, revolted against the Emperor, killed the Exarch of Ravenna, and took an Oath to preferve the Life of the Pope, to defend his State, and to be obedient to his Authority in all things. Thus Rome with its Dutchy, including part of Tuscany, and part of Campania, revolted in the Year 726, and became a free State under the Government of the Senate of this City: The Authority of the Senate in civil Affairs was henceforward abfolute, the Authority of the Pope extending hitherto no farther than to the Affairs of the Church only. At that time the Lombards being zealous for the Worship of Images, and pretending to favour the Caufe of the Pope, invaded the Cities of the Exarchate, and at length, A. D. 752, took Ravenna, and put an end to the Exarchate and this was the firft of the three Kingdoms, that fell before the little Horn. Aiftulphus, King of the Lombards, having befieged Rome the Pope fent Letters to Pe pin, King of France, wherein he told him," that if he came not speedily against the Lomat pakke LT 2 bards, Sigonius de regn: Ital. ad Ann. 726, 752. 6 A. C. 755. J bards, pro data fibi potentia, alienandum fore a Regno Dei & Vita æterna, he fhould be excommunicated. Pepin therefore, fearing a Revolt of his Subjects, came with an Army into Italy, raifed the Siege, befieged the Lombards in Pavia, and forced them to furrender the Exarchate, and Region of Pentapalis to the Pope for a perpetual Poffeffion. Thus the Pope became Lord of Ravenna: This was in the Year of Chrift 755. And henceforward the Popes being temporal Princes, left off in their Epiftles and Bulls to note the Year of the Greek Emperors, as they had hitherto done P.. AFTER this, the Lombards invading the Pope's Countries, Pope Adrian fent to Charles the Great, Son and Succeffor of Pepin, to come to his affiftance. Accordingly Charles enter'd Italy with an Army, invaded the Lombards, overthrew their Kingdom, became Master of their Countries, and restored to the Pope, not only what they had taken from them, but also the reft of the Exarchate, which they had promifed Pepin to furrender to him, but had hitherto detained, and alfo gave him fome Cities of the Lombards; these things were done in the Years 773 and 7749. This Kingdom of the Lombards was the fecond which fell before the little Horn; but Rome, which was to be the Seat of his Kingdom, was not yet his own: the Senate and People had ftill the Authority and Power in all civil Matters. In the Year 796, Leo III, being made Pope, defired Charles the Great, to fend fome of his Princes to Rome, who might fubject the Roman People to him, and Id. ibid. ad Ann. 755 Sig, ib. ad Ann. 773. and bind them by Oath, in fide & fubje&tiones in Fealty and Subjection, as his Words are recited by Sigonius. Hence arofé a Mifunder? ftanding between the Pope and the City: the Romans, two or three Years after, raised fuch Tumults against him, as gave occasion to a new State of things in all the Weft: for two of the Clergy accufed him of Crimes, and the Ro mans, with an armed Force, feized him, strip'd him of his facerdotal Habits, and imprifoned him in a Monaftery: but by the Affistance of his Friends he made his Efcape, and fled into Germany to Charles, to whom he complained of the Romans, for acting against him out of a defign' to throw off all Authority of the Church and to recover their ancient Freedom. Charles fent the Pope back to Rome with a large Re tinue; and tho' a Council was held to inquire into the Accufation, and to examine both Parties; yet when the Pope's adverfaries expected to be heard, the Council declar'd that he, who was the fupreme Judge of all Men, was above being judged by any other than himself: whereupon the Pope made a folemn Declaration of his Innocence before all the People, and by doing fo was looked upon as acquitted. Soom after, upon Christmas-day, the Ramans, who had hitherto elected their Bishop, and reckoned, that they and their Senate inherited the Rights of the ancient Senate and People of Rome, voted Charles their Emperor, and fubjected themfelves to him in fuch a manner as the old Roman Em→ pire and their Senate were fubjected to the old Roman Emperors. The Emperor was also made Conful, and was prayed for in the Churches of Rome. His Image was henceforward put upon the Coins of Rome. The Enemies of the Pope, to the number of three hundred Romans, and two or three of the Clergy, were fentenced to death. The three hundred Romans: were beheaded in one day in the Lateran-. Fields; but the Clergymen, at the Interceffion of the Pope, were pardoned, and banished into France. After thele things, Charles gave the City and Dutchy of Rome to the Pope, fubor-> dinately to himself as Emperor of the Romans; and returned the next Summer into France, leaving the City under its Senate, and both under the Pope and himself. Now the Senate, and People, and Principality of Rome our Author takes to be the third King the little Horn overcame, and even the chief of the three: For this People elected the Emperor; and now, by electing the Emperor and making him Conful, was acknowledged to retain the Authority of the old Roman Senate and People. This City was the Metropolis of the old Roman Empire, reprefented in Daniel by the fourth Beast; and by fubduing the Senate, and People, and Dutchy, it became the Metropolis of the little Horn of that Beaft, and compleated Peter's Patrimony, which was. the Kingdom of that Horn. Befides, this Vicory was attended with greater Confequences than those over the other two Kings: for it feti up the Western Empire, which continues to: this day; it fet up the Pope above the Judica-; ture of the Roman Senate, and above that of a Council of Italian and French Bishops, and even above all human Judicature; and gave him the Supremacy over the Western Churches, and their Councils in a high degree; it gave him an Look more ftout than bis Fellows; fo that when T I this new Religion began to be established in the Minds of Men, he grappled not only with Kings, but even with the Western Emperor himself. It is obfervable alfo, that the cuftom, of kiffing the Pope's Feet, an Honour fuperior, to that of Kings and Emperors, began about this time. Let it be obferved, that this, third Horn is none of the ten before-mention'd. CHAP. VIII. Treats of the Power of the eleventh Horn of Daniel's fourth Beaft, to change Times and Laws. In the Reign of the Greek Emperor Justinian, and again in the Reign of Phocas, the Bishop of Rome obtained fome, Dominion over the Greek Churches, but of no long continuance. His standing Dominion was only over the Nations of the Western Empire, represented by Daniel's fourth Beast, and this Jurifdiction was fet up by an Edict of the Emperors Gracian and Valentinian Our Author y gives us an Abstract of this Edict, but it is toov long to be inferted here. The granting of this Jurifdiction to the Pope, gave feveral Bishopst occafion to write to him for his Refolutions upon doubtful cafes; whereupon he anfwered by decretal Epiftles; and henceforward he gave Laws to the Western Churches by fuch Epi- t ftles; out of which our Author quotes feveral Paffages, by which this legiflative Authority of the Pope's appears. By the Influence of the Imperial Edict we mentioned, not only Spain and Gallia, but alfo Illyricum became fubject to the Pope; this is proved here by the Epiftles of feveral Popes; for which we must refer our T Readers to the, Book itfelf, for fear of makingur this Abftract long. Our Author gives us nexti an Edict of the Emperors Theodofius and Valen I 4 A. C. 378, or 379. tinianus |