ants ever had done before them.

At last Satan declar'd for the _Roman_ Pontiff, and that upon excellent
Conditions, in the Reign of the Emperor _Mauritius_; for _Boniface_, who
had long contended for the Title of Supreme, fell into a Treaty with
_Phocas_, Captain of the Emperor's Guards; whether the Bargain was from
Hell or not, let any one judge, the Conditions absolutely entitle the
_Devil_ to the Honour of making the Contract, _viz._ That _Phocas_ first
murthering his Master (the Emperor) and his Sons, _Boniface_ should
countenance the Treason, and declare him Emperor; and in Return,
_Phocas_ should acknowledge the Primacy of the Church of _Rome_, and
declare _Boniface_ universal Bishop. A blessed Compact! which at once
set the _Devil_ at the Head of Affairs in the Christian World, as well
Spiritual as Temporal, Ecclesiastick and Civil. Since the Conquest over
_Eve_ in Paradise, by which Death and the DEVIL, Hand in Hand,
establish'd their first Empire upon Earth, the _Devil_ never gain'd a
more important Point than he gain'd at this time.

He had indeed prospered in his Affairs tolerably well for some time
before this, and his Interest among the Clergy had got Ground for some
Ages; but that was indeed a secret Management, was carried on privately,
and with Difficulty; as in sowing Discord and Faction among the People,
perplexing the Councils of their Princes, and secretly wheedling in with
the dignified Clergy.

Also he had raised abundance of little Church-Rebellions, by setting up
Hereticks of several Kinds, and raising them Favourers among the Clergy,
such as _Ebion_, _Cerinthius_, _Pelagius_, and others.

He had drawn in the Bishops of _Rome_ to set up the ridiculous Pageantry
of the KEY; and while he, the DEVIL, set open the Gates of Hell to
them all, set them upon locking up the Gates of Heaven, and giving the
Bishop the Key; a Cheat which, as gross as it was, the DEVIL so gilded
over, or so blinded the Age to receive it, that like _Gideon's Ephod_,
all the Catholick World went a whoring after the Idol; and the Bishop of
_Rome sent_ more Fools to the _Devil_ by it than ever he pretended to
let into Heaven, though he open'd the Door as wide as his Key was able
to do.

The Story of this Key being given to the Bishop of _Rome_ by St.
_Peter_, (who, by the way, never had it himself,) and of its being lost
by Somebody or other, (the _Devil_ it seems did not tell them who) and
its being found again by a _Lomba