persecute mee in my members Their Prophetesse Mathilde saith p Mathilde in a prophesie of hers They are falne from Christ and become rauening Wolues deuouring and cutting the throats of Christs Sheepe 10 And that the vnpartial Reader may yet be the more fully resolued that these Priests which haue their callings from the Pope are not the Priests of Christ their Saint Bridgit bringeth in Christ thus disclaiming them vtterly saying q Bridgit lib. 1.47 Behold such Priests are not my Priests but very traytours for they both sell mee and betray mee like Iudas Wherefore notwithstanding they carrie the name of the Priests of Christ as Iudas carried the name of an Apostle of Christ yet the Reader may plainely see they are but counterfaits and as verie traytours to Christ as Iudas himselfe was And thus much for the answering these obiections namely that their Church was the most ancient and Apostolique Church That the succession of Popes descended from Saint Peter That wee had no Church till Luthers time That our Protestant Bishops and Ministers haue no lawfull callings Now it resteth in the next Chapter to trie whether the Popes owne calling be proued a lawfull calling by generall consent of Councels and Fathers as they avow or whether it be not a meere illusion of Antichrist so to say CHAP. VII Tending to resolue all men that the Papists great boasting of their generall consent from Saint Peters time is but a very Antichristian illusion that their antiquiy of the Popes vniuersall Supremacie is but a fallacie that the succession of vniuersall Popes descended from Saint Peter is without veritie and all of them together flat forgeries euen as wee haue already proued their other Principles to be and as in this Chapter God willing we shall proue them all to be FIrst N. D. in his Wardword Bellarmines assertion the Answere to Sir Frances Hastings Watchword page 102. wherof Bellarmine is supposed to be the originall Authour to enduce vs to beleeue that from Saint Peters time the Popes vniuersall Supremacie was approued of by all Councells and Fathers saith All the Christian world hath euer made this most certaine and infallible deduction that Christ gaue not to Saint Peter these imminent prerogatiues of authoritie and superioritie for himselfe alone but for his posterity and successours also that should ensue him in his seate and charge ouer the Church of Christ to the worlds end For this cause haue they reuerenced and respected so much the Bishops of Rome as by all generall Councels and Fathers and Ecclesiasticall Histories appeare THE ANSWERE 2 First as touching the ground of his Argument namely Peters Supremacie we shall proue at large in our next Chapter that it was but the same that the other Apostles had and therefore from him the Pope cannot claime any such prerogatiue of authoritie to be called vniuersall Bishop Christs Vicar generall or head of his vniuersall Church Secondly we haue already proued in our fifth Chapter that for the first 606. yeres next after Christ there was no vniuersall Pope approued of nor established Thirdly their great Doctour Maister Harding saith a Harding Apolog cap. 4. diuis 2 affirmeth the first supreame gouernement to be by foure therefore not by one In great Cities where the Highest courts for iustice were kept and where the chiefe pagan Priests of the Latines named Primi Flamines were resident before the comming of Christ there after the comming of Christ were Patriarkes or Primates placed by whom the weighty matters of Bishops should be decided Which if they will haue vs graunt to be true then must they graunt that from the Apostles times the first supreame gouernement that was ouer Bishops and their great and weightie matters was by certaine head Bishops and not by one and how then can that be true that from Saint Peters time the Bishop of Rome was supreame head ouer all 3 The first of all the Prelates that beganne to insult ouer other were the Bishops of Rome for that more honour beganne to be giuen to the Bishop of that Sea partly because Rome was then the most famous for Religion and partly also because it was then the Seate of the Emperour of the world they beganne proudly to vsurpe authoritie ouer their fellowes the first of which was Victor whose arrogancie when other Bishops espied they opposed themselues against Amongst whom was Policrates and Irenaeus who most sharpely reprehended him for it as Eusebius witnesseth b Eusebius And this was about the yeare of Christ 189. and therefore how is the consequent of Bellarmines assertion true that by the testimonies of all Histories the Christian world euer approued of the Popes superioritie aboue all 4 To the yeare of Christ 205. Euery Bishop sateâ— chiefe in his owne Citie or neare thereabout were holden these chiefe Synodes or Councels The first in Rome the second in Caesarea the third in Pontus the fourth in France the fifth in Ostroena and the sixt in Ephesus of which if they can proue the Bishop of Rome to sit as chiefe in any but in that of his owne Citie the victorie shall be theirs But it is euident by all these testimonies of Eusebius lib. 5. cap. 21. 22. 23. 24. lib. 1.21 and other places of his bookes that the Bishop of Rome sate as chiefe onely in his and the other in theirs wherefore how can that be true that all Councels and Fathers from Saint Peters time euer approued of the Popes chiefâ—tie 5 About the yeare of Christ 254. a Councell was holden at Carthage in which Saint Cyprian being Bishop of the same Prouince sate as chiefe who openly thus inueighed against the superioritie which Stephen then Bishop of Rome beganne to claime from Saint Peter and also thus cleared himselfe and the other Bishops there assembled from that arrogancie saying c Cyprian in sententijs Concilij Carthag ad Quirinum None of vs maketh himselfe a Bishop of Bishops neyther was Peter so arrogant to take things so insolently vpon him as to aduance himselfe as Primate and one vnto whom the rest as Nouices and Punies should be subiect Now therefore seeing Peter neuer had that prerogatiue of Superioritie and that so soone after Saint Peters death this Councell condemned the Bishop of Rome for attempting to aspire to that height of pride how is Bellarmines allegation true that all Councels and Fathers euer approued of the Popes Supremacie and the rather for that Saint Cyprian reprouing Cornelius Bishop of Rome for receiuing Appeales from others iurisdictions wrote thus vnto him d Cyprian lib. â— Epist. 3. Those that be vnder vs must not runne thus about to Rome vnlesse perhappes a few desperate and loose companions take the authoritie of the Bishops of Affrica to be lesse then at Rome Now then if those in that time so neare the Apostles which counted the authority of the Roman Bishops higher then the Affrican Bishops were accounted but as the offscomes of
the Countrey why should we thinke otherwise of such now or that Bellarmines consequence can be true That the Bishop of Romes superioritie was euer aboue all 6 About the yeare of Christ 325. the first general Councell was holden by three hundred and eighteene Bishops at Bethynia in the citie of Nice which Councell finding the Bishop of Rome to intrude himselfe vpon the iurisdiction of the Patriarkes of Antioch and Alexandria to preuent his proceeding made this Decree e Nicen Councell Cannon 6. Let the old custome be of force which is in Aegypt Libia and Pentipolis that the Bishop of Alexandria haue authoritie ouer all these because the Bishop of Rome obserueth the like custome Whereby wee see that as the Bishop of Rome did gouerne his owne Patriarkedome and would not suffer his fellowes to incroch vpon his right no more would this Councell suffer him to doe vpon theirs but that euen according to the old and ancient custome their priuiledges should be like to his And hereof it is which Ruffinus who liued about the same time wrote thus f Ruffinus of the Histories of the Church lib. 1. cap. 6. It was decreed in the Councell of Nice that in Alexandria and in Rome the olde custome should be kept that the Bishop of Alexandria should rule ouer Aegypt and the Bishop of Rome ouer the Churches of his suburbes And yet more largely it is thus expounded by Nilus g Nilus in his Booke of the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome That it may the more plainly appeare that the Pope hath no gouernment ouer all other Churches reade the sixt Cannon of the Councell of Nice there it is expresly commanded that the Bishop of Alexandria shall haue the rule ouer certaine Churches and the Bishop of Rome ouer certaine and the Bishop of Antioch ouer certaine and that it should not be lawfull for any one of them to inuade anothers iurisdiction if any one not content with his owne craue dominion ouer others he ought of right to be called a breaker of the customes and also of the holy Cannons 7 Now then forasmuch as the first of all the generall Councels reduced the Bishop of Rome to his first order and thereby hedged him in to rule onely his owne Patriarkedome how is that true which Bellarmine affirmeth namely that all Councels and Fathers throughout the Christian World euer approued of the Popes vniuersall supremacy Yea or how can that be true which is so common among them namely that this Councell gaue that prerogatiue to the Bishop of Rome to be vniuersall Father of all Christian Bishops and Rome the Mother of all Christian Churches seeing that great Diuine Athanasius who as some write sate as chiefe in that Councell saith h Athanas ad solitarium vita Magentes Rome is the Mother of the Romish iurisdiction Nay seeing their owne great Doctor Master Harding saith as expresly i Harding Apologie c. 23. Diuision 2. Rome is the mother of the west Churches If but of the Romish or West Churches then not vniuersally of all Wherefore this proueth Bellarmines alligation most vntrue that all the Christian World ouer the Pope was euer held to be supreame head of all Christian Bishoppes and Rome the vniuersall mother of all Christian Churches And the rather because Aeneas Syluius a little before he was Pope Pius the second wrote these plaine and expresse words k Aenâ—as Siluius Epist 288. Before the Councell of Nice euery Bishop liued seuerally to himselfe a little regard was there then had of the Church of Rome 8 About the yeere of Christ 379. the second generall Councell was holden by 150. Bishops in the City of Constantinople where for the conseruing each Patriarkes priuiledges and other Bishops rights it was thus decreed l Councell of Constantinople cap. 2. Let not the Bishops which haue their seuerall Diocesse incroch vpon the Churches that are without their bonds neither let them confound their Churches but according to the Cannons let the Bishop of Alexandria gouerne onely those things that are in Aegypt and let the East gouerne onely the East and let the Church of Antioch retaine her dignity declared in the Nicone Synod Vpon which decree Socrates writeth thus m Socrat. lib. hist eccl 3. They confirmed the faith deliuered by the Nicene Synod and they appointed Patriarkes in the described Prouinces that Bishops being placed and set ouer a certaine Diocesse might not thrust themselues into other mens charges And a little after Notwithstanding reseruing to the Church of Antioch the chiefe degree of honour and dignity Therefore most vntrue is it that all Councels and Fathers granted the Bishop of Rome to be supreame head of all Bishops or Rome to haue the chiefe degree of dignity aboue all Churches 9 About this time liued Saint Hierome who because he saw many flatterers to ascribe vnto the Bishop of Rome to be the alone Apostolicall successour and the Bishops themselues to haue made a custome of vsurping authority ouer their fellowes and to challenge a more excellency of dignitie he wrote thus against their arrogancy n Hierome to Euagrius Neither riches nor pouerty maketh a Bishop higher or lower all Bishops are of one worthinesse and all the Apostles successours What bring you me the custome of Rome being but one City if we seeke for authority the whole World is greater then the City of Rome Now then if this worthy Priest of Rome yoaked all Bishops of the World in equality of dignity with the Bishop of Rome and affirmeth that all Bishops are the Apostles successours as well as he how can the consequent of Bellarmines assertion be true that all Councels and Fathers all the Christian World ouer euer approued of the Popes singular supremacy and acknowledged him to be the alone Apostolike successour 10 About the yeere of Christ 383. liued Saint Augustine who finding the Bishop of Rome to goe about to draw all appeales vnto himselfe and the multitude to begin to flocke vnto him for the redresse thereof he with the assent of 216. Bishops in the Councell of Affrica made this decree o Concilij Affrica cap. 9.2 If any doe appeale to tribunals abroade let none within Affrica receiue him to communion And this is that whereof Saint Cyprian an hundred yeeres before Saint Augustines dayes in the Councell of Affrica reprehended the Bishop of Rome as appeareth in the fifth Section Againe when as the Bishop of Rome had begun to take and receiue proud and haughty titles and other of the Patriarkes to follow in the same Councell wherein Saint Augustine was present it was thus decreed p The third Councell â—6 Cannon Let not the Bishops of any of the first Seas be called Prince of Priests or Highest Priest or by any other like name but onely a Bishop of a first Sea And how then is the consequence of Bellarmines assertion true that all Councels and Fathers all the World ouer euer
Fiftly Leo whose Legates in his behalfe stood for the Title and Authority of Vniuersall Bishop in the Councell of Chalcedon which Councell would not yeeld him that prerogatiue onely because his Sea was the most auncient seate of the Emperor hee should haue the highest place in Councells and Assemblies and that was all as we proued in our thirteenth Section I say when as the Bishops of Rome saw that the Bishop of Constantinople was like to be made and established Vniuersall Bishop of Bishops which they could neuer attaine vnto then as we heard in the first Section of our fift Chapter Pelagius the second Bshop of Rome of that name decreed That no Bishop no not the Bishop of Rome himselfe should be called Vniuersall Bishop Gregory the Great when he came he made an out-crie against the Title calling it an vngodly title a title of shame and fit for no Christian but for Antichrist alone and sought to cleare all his predecessours from either receiuing or desiring the Title or Dignitie as appeareth in the fift Section of the fift Chapter where he said * Gregor lib. 4. Epist. 32.36 None of my predecessors Bishops of Rome euer consented to vse that vngodly name We the Bishops of Rome would neuer take vpon vs the name of singularitie we would neuer receiue that honour being offered vnto vs. To be briefe to induce the people to beleeue that notwithstanding these words of Gregory yet he had the vniuersall dominion ouer all Bishops Cardinall Allen biddeth them not looke to his words but to his practise I answere If the practise of Gregory was such as his owne words condemned for vngodly blasphemous and Antichristian we were best to be led by his Words and not by his Practise Againe whereas their Doctour M. Harding saith f Harding Apolog cap. 4. Diuis 3. Giue vs the Thing and we will not striue for the Name as though Gregory had had all Bishops vniuersally vnder his gouernment nothing can be made more plaine to the contrary then these words of Gregory himselfe hath made it where he found himselfe grieued that Maximus Bishop of Salona was made Bishop without his consent and maintained in his place by the Emperour notwithstanding hee was a criminall person g Gregor lib. 4. cap. 78. If said hee the faults of those Bishops which be committed to my charge be borne out by my gracious Lords c. What make I heere in this Church while that mine owne Bishops contemne me Which maketh the case cleare that he had Bishops of his owne and a peculiar charge to gouerne and not an vniuersall dominion ouer all All which proueth Bellarmines assertion most vntrue that by all Councells and Fathers the Popes vniuersall supremacie was approued of from Saint Peters time To conclude forasmuch as both by Councells and Fathers wee haue ouerthrowne the antiquitie of their Church their vniuersality the Popes supremacie Succession of vniuersall Popes and generall consent and proued that they were not approued of by generall consent nor publiquely established before Gregories decease which was in the yeere of Christ 605. nor of two yeeres after when as the great Antichrist rose in Rome let them bring neuer so many testimonies out of those Councells and Fathers which were afterwards I would wish no man to vouchsafe the answering any one of them but vtterly to disclaime them all as Antichristian For what should wee looke for vnder Antichrist but that all things should be ordered and done to vphold him and to maintaine his kingdome And thus much for this point But now for that the maine foundation whereupon all their Assertions are grounded is an imagined conceit of Saint Peters supreame and vniuersal authoritie let vs see what we can say to that point more specially CHAP. VIII Tending to resolue all men that the Apostle Saint Peters authority was but the same that the other Apostles was and therefore that supreame authority which the Pope Claymeth from Saint Peter is fabilous That Christ alone is the supreame head of the Church euen of that part that is Millitant as that which is Triumphant That Ierusalem is the most ancient Mother of the Catholique Church that the Popish is the Church of Antichrist and therefore it is blasphemy to affirme it to be the same which Saint Peter first planted in Rome That there was no Church planted in Rome till the yeere of Christ 44 before which time there were many Christian Churches planted in the World therefore Rome could not be the Mother but a Daughter of the Mother Church 1 IT hath of long time gone for currant Doctrine Christian Reader that our Sauiour Christ made Saint Peter supreame head and Prince of all the Apostles That vnto him onely he committed the Keyes of the kingdome of Heauen That vnto him hee committed the care and charge of his whole Church That vnto him onely he committed the office of feeding both Sheepe and Lambes olde and young That hee was that Rocke on which Christ said hee would build his Church and against which the gates of hell should not preuaile That for him the prayer was made Finally that he alone had an ordinary power from whence all the other Apostles receiued their powers and authority and that the Pope receiued the same ordinary power from him whereby he taketh vpon him to giue power and authority to all Bishops Pastors and Ministers All this I say during the time of Popish blindnesse went through the Romish iurisdiction for Catholique doctrine which God-willing shall be proued but fond fables 2 First then whereas they say that Christ made Saint Peter Prince and head of all the Apostles this may easily be proued a fable because there is nothing in all the Scriptures made more manifest then Saint Mathew Saint Marke and Saint Luke hath made it to the contrary Luke 22.23.24.25.26 For as Saint Luke declareth that there was a strife risen among the Apostles about principalitie and supreame dignity and that they began to enquire among themselues which of them should seeme to be the greatest So Saint Matthew and Saint Marke declareth that when their Master Christ perceiued whereabout they went he did not make so light a matter of it as to giue them leaue to determine it among themselues but with great care he called them vnto him and sate downe and as they all stood before him Matthew 20 25.26 he decided their question according to Saint Matthew thus Ye know that the Lords of the Gentiles haue domination ouer them and they that are great exercise authority ouer them but it shall not be so among you but whosoeuer will be great among you let him be your seruant According to Saint Marke thus Marke 9.33.34.35 If any desire to be first the same shall be last of all and seruant vnto all So that by this wee see it very apparant that Christ allowed no supremacy or principality at all among the Apostles therefore the
horrible blasphemer that will call it The most auncient true and holy Catholique religion Againe forasmuch as the Apostle Saint Paul 2. Thessalon 2. declareth that the comming of Antichrist shall be with great signes and wonders yea so great and wonderfull that as our Sauiour Christ saith Matthew 24. If it were possible they should deceiue the very Elect. Hee therefore that will say the Church of Rome must needes be the true Church because shee worketh miracles is a most horrible blasphemer Miracles are wrought in the Church of Rome by the spirits of Diuels as appeareth in the 16. chapter and 14. verse of the Reuelation Therefore miracles are not alwayes a true note of the true Church And this appeareth also in the thirteenth chapter of Deuteronomy where we may see that a most vile kinde of people euen such as God abhorred wrought miracles to draw others to their religion And Saint Paul also declareth 2. Thessalon 2. verse 10. that Antichrist shall worke his miracles among them that perish therefore miracles are not alwayes a true note of the true Church Againe our Sauiour Christ Matthew 7.22 declareth that at the day of Iudgement certaine Christian Ministers that were wont to confirme their doctrine by miracles when they shall see themselues cast out to be damned with reprobates they will admire and say thus to Christ Lord Lord haue we not by thy Name prophecied and by thy Name cast out Diuels and done many great workes And then saith Christ I will professe to them I neuer knew you depart from me yee that worke iniquitie Popish Ministers worke miracles our Ministers worke none they themselues therefore shall be iudges in this case to which of these sort of Ministers this Scripture may iustly be applyed Certainely the greatest iudgement that God doth lay vpon men in this life is to blinde their vnderstanding with Poperie for then they are willing to receiue any errour and to reiect the truth to be marked with the marke of the Beast and to receiue the print of his name and to perish with the Beast and the false Prophet as it is most certaine they shall For thus it is written in the nineteenth chapter of the Reuelation verse 20. But the Beast was taken and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him whereby he deceiued them that receiued the Beasts marke and them that worshipped his image These both were aliue cast into a lake of fire burning with brimstone Therefore to conclude this I say to all those that haue receiued the marke of the Beast in their forehead or on their hand that is they that haue outwardly professed with their mouthes and gestures and those also that haue defended by Armes written Bookes wrought Miracles or any way laid to their helping hand to do any thing whereby the Popes kingdome and state is maintained Damnation shall be their end For as the Angell of God in the foureteenth chapter of the same booke 9.10 and 11. verses saith If any man worship the Beast and his Image and receiue his marke in his forehead or on their hand the same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God yea of the pure wine which is powred into the Cup of his wrath and he shal be termented in fire and brimstone before the holie Angells and before the Lambe and the smoake of their torment shall ascend euermore and they shall haue no rest day nor night which worship the Beast and his image and whosoeuer receiueth the print of his name That is whosoeuer is content to be called by any such name as whereby he may be knowne to be the Popes faithfull subiect Therefore I aduertise them all in the name of God that they receiue his fatherly admonitions and call to minde how louingly the Lord in the fourth verse of the eighteenth chapter of the same Booke calleth his Elect out of Babylon that they be not partakers of her sinnes lest they should also receiue of her plagues As for those that regard not this louing fauour of God but will notwithstanding abide in her still and goe on with her in her abhominations let them goe and doe what they will He that is vniust saith the Lord in the 22. chapter let him be vniust still and he that is filthy let him be filthie still and hee that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still And behold I come shortly and my reward is with mee to giue to euery man as his worke shall be ¶ The Titles demonstrating the seuerall points contained in each of the Chapters 1 CErtaine Chapters contayning the summe and substance of the Christian Churches confutations of the Popish or Antichristian Churches errours heresies and blasphemies The first whereof tendeth to resolue all men that notwithstanding both Papists and Protestants professe but one God one faith one Baptisme and one Lord Iesus Christ that yet there is so great a difference in the manner of their profession that it is not possible that they both should be combined and conioyned together to make one and the same true Church of Christ 2 An answere to tenne seuerall Obiections for the clearing the Pope from being Antichrist whereof Bellarmine is supposed to be the originall authour 3 That Christian Rome now in her latter dayes is that Babylon the seate of Antichrist which the Angell in the 17 chapter of the Reuelation calleth the mother of whoredomes and abominations of the earth And which the other Angel in the 18. chapter saith is fallen and become the habitation of Diuels and holde of all fowle spirits and a cage of euery vncleane and hatefull bird and out of which the Lord from Heauen calleth all his Elect lest they should be partakers of her sinnes and consequently of her plagues 4 That the Popish Church is the same idolatrous Church yet professing Christ which Saint Iohn in his 13. and 17. chapters of the Reuelation sheweth to be the Church of Antichrist 5 That for the first sixe hundred and sixe yeares next after Christ there was no Popish Church neither could be because there was not as yet an vniuersall Pope established in Rome to make it a Popish Church Therefore as no Husband no Wife so no vniuersall Pope no vniuersall spouse of the Popes 6 That in the yeare of Christ 607. the Church of Poperie and the succession of vniuersall Popes first began From whence our Church had her first beginning before Luther and how our Protestant Bishops and Ministers which they haue ordayned haue lawfull callings 7 Their generall Consent ouerthrowne by generall consent of Councels and Fathers 8 That the Apostle Saint Peters authoritie was but the same that the other Apostles were and therefore the Pope cannot iustly claime from him to be called Vniuersall head of all Christian Bishops That the title of Vniuersall Father is forbidden by Christ to be giuen to any but to his owne Father 9 That the true
the fifth Section in that when as Eulogius Bishop of Alexandria offered to Gregory in the superscription of his Letters the title of vniuersall Pope Gregory not onely flowted him for his folly but also besought his holinesse to offer it him no more for that as he said it was a title beyond all reason to be giuen to any 15 The first that I find that went about to arrogate vnto himselfe the Title of Pope The first that souâ—ht to bring in the name Pope was Leo Bishop of Rome as may appeare in that his Legates in the Councell of Chalceden contended both for the title and authority howbeit they were withstood by the whole Councell and decreed against as I shall proue in the 19. Section of the 8. Chapter 16 Well then all things being made cleare that before there was a Church planted at Rome there was a Christian Church which had then none other vniuersall head but Christ and that seeing the Church which wee haue now doth acknowledge none other head who can iustly denie our Church to be a true member of the most ancient Apostolique Church Againe forasmuch as the matter is made as apparant that the Church planted afterwards by Peter and Paul for by both of them was the Romish Church planted to Gregories dayes to wit to the yeere of Christ 605. did not approue nor tollerate any other vniuersall head who can denie the Church of Rome during that time to be a fellow member with our Church of the most ancient Catholique Church 17 But now albeit we haue proued that for want of an vniuersall Pope to be head so many hundred yeeres there could be no body or Popish Church yet forasmuch as we see that there is now such a Church and know also that it hath beene of long continuance it resteth that in the next Chapter we shew both when it first began how far and wide it did extend it selfe and how ignorantly many haue dealt in their writings to giue that title of Popish Gouernours to the successours of Saint Peter calling them Popes and more wickedly the Papists in calling them vniuersall Popes to the horrible deluding of the multitude in making them to beleeue that the Popish Church and the Church which Saint Peter planted in Rome were both one and the same which if it be true then was the founder thereof Antichrist for so saith their Saint Bernard the Pope is And so saith their Ioacham the Abbot And so saith their Auentine and so saith Gregory the Great And so saith their Saint Vincent and proueth Boniface the third to be the head as the other and diuers moe proueth his successours to be his incorporate body as appeareth in our second Chapter and as now in the next Chapter we shall more largely proue CHAP. VI. Tending to resolue all men that the Popish Church and the succession of singular vniuersall Popes had their first beginning but in the yeere of Christ 607. and that also from that time that they had a Church wee had a Church continually among them till about 20. yeeres before Luthers time And as before they had a Church which did extend it selfe farre and wide so euen then and at all times in other parts of Christendome as in Asia Affrica Macedonia Misia Valachia Russia Muschouia c. we had as great a Church as they if not greater Which being proued both their antiquity vniuersality and succession of vniuersall Popes will proue but a fond fable and a meere illusion of Antichrist 1 THE Papists haue of long time borne the World in hand that we had no Church before Luthers time howbeit as we proued in the former Chap. by sufficient testimonies that for the first 606. yeeres next after Christ they had no Church so will we now God willing in this Chapter proue that their Church had her first beginning but in the yeere of Christ 607. Note therefore Christian Reader what their Writer Vrspergensis saith his words be these a Vrspergensis in Phoca At the request and suite of Pope Boniface the Emperour Phocas appointed the Sea of the Apostolike Church of Rome to be head of all Churches Also their Writer Sabellicus saith b Sabellicus Ennead 8. l. 6. Pope Boniface the third at the first enterance into his office was an earnest suâ—ter vnto the Emperour Phocas that the Church of Rome might be head of all Churches which thing hardly and with great labour was granted to the Apostolique Sea of Rome Now Christian Reader iudge thou how true it is like to be that the Church of Rome had preeminence from Saint Peters time seeing it is granted vnto her but now in the yeere of Christ 607. as also the Popes owne Decretall and Platina doth witnesse as we shewed in the former Chapter Wherefore the Bishop of Rome being now in this yeere first made and established vniuersall Father of all Christian Bishops and Rome the mother of all Christian Churches it is cleare that in this yeere of Christ their Church first began For as before Christ was there could be no Christian Church so before there was an vniuersall Pope there could be no Popish Church But now an vniuersall Pope being made and established supreame head of the Church they may be bold to say they haue a Church and we may be as bold to say that from this yeere of Christ and no further they may demand of vs where our Church was to Luthers time and also to answere them The head of Antichrist and the body of Antichrist that so much of it as was comprehended within the Romish iurisdiction was from thence first vnder this head of Antichrist Boniface after him vnder this his incorporate body of Popes Boniface 2. Popes Callender Vitalius 1. Iohn 3. Steuen 2. Dusdedit 1. Deodatus 1. Iohn 4. Hadrian 1. Boniface 3. Domnus 1. Sisinus 1. Leo 2. Honorius 1. Agatho 1. Constantinus 1. Steuen 3. Seuerinus 1. Leo 1. Gregory 1. Paschalis 1. Iohn 1. Benedict 1. Gregory 2. Eugenius 2. Theodore 1. Iohn 2. Zacharie 1. Valentine 1. Martin 1. Cuno 1. Steuen 1. Gregory 3. Eugenius 1. Sergius 1. Paul 1. Sergius 2. Leo 3. Iohn 10. Honorius 2. Bonifacius 6. Benedict 2. Domnus 2. Inocentius 1. Benedict 8. Nicolas 1. Benedict 4. Calestinus 1. Clement 4. Hadrian 2. Boniface 5. Lucius 1. Iohn 18. Iohn 5. Benedict 5. Eugenius 3. Benedict 9. Martinus 2. Iohn 11. Anastatius 2. Clement 5. Hadrian 3. Iohn 12. Hadrian 4. Inocentius 5. Steuen 4. Iohn 13. Alexander 2. Vrbanus 4. Formosus 1. Gregory 4. Lucius 2. Gregory 10. Bonifacius 4. Siluester 1. Vrbanus 2. Vrbanus 5. Steuen 5. Iohn 14. Gregory 7. Boniface 7. Romane 1. Iohn 15. Clement 2. Inocentius 6. Theodore 2. Sergius 4. Calestinus 2. Gregory 11. Iohn 6. Benedict 6. Innocentius 2. Alexander 4. Benedict 3. Iohn 16. Honorius 3. Iohn 19. Leo 4. Benedict 7. Gregory 8. Martin 5. Christopher 1. Gregory 5. Calestinus 3. Eugenius 4. Sergius 3. Clement
approued of the Popes supreame titles and authorities See the next Chapter 19. Section whether these words doe not concerne the Bishop of Rome as well as others 11 About the yeere of Christ 410. liued Saint Chrisostome who finding the Bishop of Rome to exalt the City of Rome in excellency of dignity aboue all the Cities in the World to plucke downe her proud Peacockes-tayle wrote thus in disdaine of her pride q Chrisostome Hom. 35. the 40. distinct Multi Our Citie of Antioch is most deerest to Christ aboue all others And like as Peter did first preach among the Apostles so among Cities this had first of all the name of Christians as a certaine wonderfull Crowne and no Citie in the World hath this besides no saith hee in scorne of Rome not the Citie of Romulus Againe in that booke called Opus imperfectum which goeth vnder the name of Chrysostome the vnlawfulnesse of the Popes supremacie is in these words made manifest r Hom. 3. ad Pop. Antiche He that seeketh primacie in earth in heauen he shall finde confusion and he that doth but once intreat of primacie is not worthie to be numbered amongst the seruants of Christ Now then if the Pope for seeking supremacie in earth shall find confusion in heauen and is not worthie to be numbred amongst the seruants of Christ because of his horrible ambitious pride how is that true that all Councels and Fathers euer approued of the Popes vniuersall supremacie 12 About the yeare of Christ 431. there was a third generall Councell holden of two hundred Bishops in the Citie of Ephesus where for the preseruing the priuiledges of the other Patriarkes and prouinciall Bishops it was thus decreed ſ Councel of Ephesus last chap. It seemed good to the holy vniuersall Synod keeping to euerie Prouince pure and sound their priuiledges which by auncient custome and from the beginning belong to the same Wherefore the Patriarkes of Ierusalem Antioch and Alexandria hauing had by auncient custome the same prerogatiues which they had with Rome in the vniuersall gouernement by vertue of this Decree wee see they shall haue the same priuiledges to continue still and all Prouinciall Bishops vnder them as they had at the first by their ordination And where then as yet is to be found the Bishop of Romes singular dominion ouer all 13 About the yeare of Christ 451. the fourth generall Councell was holden by sixe hundred and thirtie Bishops in the Citie of Chalcedon in which it was thus decreed t Councel of Chalcedon chap. 28. Our fathers worthily gaue the first place of honour to the Sea of olde Rome because that Citie then raigned and vpon like consideration the one hundred and fiftie Bishops in the royall Citie of Constantinople hath giuen the like degree of honour to the same Citie being new Rome Wherefore then seeing the highest degree of honour that was giuen to the Bishop of Rome was 〈…〉 sit highest in Councels and Assemblies and that not of any right from Peter but onely because his Sea was the most auncient seate of the Emperour and that after the same Emperour was remoued from Rome to Constantinople for the same cause the like degree of honour was giuen to the Bishop of Constantinople and also for that little degree of honour seeing it was not established to the Bishop of Rome till the Councell of Nice which was aboue three hundred yeares after Christ how can that bee true that from Christ and Peter the Pope had not only the chiefest place but was Prince and ruler ouer all 14 About the yeare of Christ 540. there was a fift generall Councell holden at Constantinople in which also it was thus decreed u Councel of Constantinople chap. 35. Renewing those things which were ordayned by the one hundred and fiftie Fathers which were assembled in this Citie and by the sixe hundred and thirtie which were gathered together in Chalceden wee decree that the Sea of Constantinople haue like and equall dignitie with the Sea of old Rome So that hereby we see still continued and confirmed the Bishop of Constantinoples equallitie with the Bishop of Rome onely whensoeuer it should happen that they were both in place the Bishop of Rome should haue the highest place But I demaund what was here now for him to challenge an vniuersall dominion by It is one thing for some one Noble man to haue that honour in Councels and Assemblies to sit in the highest roome and another thing to take vpon him therefore to be supreame head of all the Kings Dominions if any should bee found so presumptious should he not soone be conuicted of high Treason yea verily and well worthie Also what is here to be found by these Councels and Fathers to proue the Popes vniuersall supremacie approued of by generall consent or not the contrarie Againe if the truth thereof would haue serued their turne what needed they then to haue sought such shifts by flat forgeries as they haue done For whereas these words are further added in that Cannon Forgerig And in ecclesiasticall matters the Sea of Constantinople bee aduaunced as farre forth as the Sea of elder Rome The Popes Lawe hath put in bee not as appeareth in Distinction 22. Renouantes turning the affirmatiue into a negatiue thereby vtterly peruerting the true sense to their great shame Againe because some when they were excommunicated in Affrica to shift off their punishment appealed to Rome the Councell of Affrica made this decree * Caus 2. quaest 6. placuit If any within Affrica offer to appeale ouer the Seas let none within Affrica receiue him to the communion they haue foysted in these words Except they appeale to Rome And so that which the Councell did to keepe men chiefly from Rome their Law peruerteth to draw them to Rome Caus 2. quest 6. placuit Againe whereas to draw vniuersall authoritie to Rome for the hearing all appeales Zozimus then Bishop of Rome when the Councel was holden at Affrica Councell of Affrica chap. 101.102.103.104.105 whereat Saint Augustine was present alledged for himselfe a Cannon of the Councell of Nice But the Councell withstanding his claime of vniuersall authoritie answered We haue the Councell of Nice in which wee finde no such Cannon And therefore Alypius who was also present at the same Councell being then Bishop of Tagasta finding himselfe greatly grieued at such iugling by the Bishop of Rome said thus x Councel of Carthag 6 chap. 4. This thing moueth me much that when we laid together and examined the originalls of the Nicene Councell written in Greeke these things concerning the superioritie of the Pope we found not there And thus Christian Reader thou seest that saying of Bellarmine to bee but a fond fable to wit that all the Christian World ouer the Popes vniuersall supreame authoritie was approued of by all Councels and Fathers Now it remaineth that wee answere an Obiection which the Iesuites
made to mee in their late answere whereby notwithstanding they would proue the Popes vniuersall supremacie to bee vniuersally approued of before this our prescribed time and the rest which we say was not till two yeares after Gregories death These be their wordes * The Iesuites answere to me page 4. Besore his time the Doctrine of the Popes supremacie was current And for proofe they bring in Iustinian the elder Emperour of the East and Valentinian the Emperour of the West both which gaue to the Bishop of Rome the title of vniuersall Bishop But what of this doth it therefore follow that because these two Emperours did so the one of the East the other of the West they may conclude that the Popes vniuersall supremacie was approued of by generall consent of Councels and Fathers from East to West Mauricius would haue had his Bishop of Constantinople to be supreame Fredericke counted the Popes supremacie Antichristian in Epist to Otho If this be a sound conclusion then is this also as sound namely that because two Emperous Mauricius the Emperour of the East and Fredericke the second the Emperour of the West denied the Bishop of Rome supremacie therefore it was denied by generall consent of Councels and Fathers from East to West and then what haue they gained by their two Emperours 15 True it is that Iustinian at the first gaue that title to the bishop of Rome and sought meanes to aduance his Sea a degree aboue his fellowes the Patriarkes as may appeare by these words y Cod. de summa Trinita Fide cath Inter â—â—aras Wee labour to aduaunce the honour of your Sea and the authoritie thereof Wee labour to subdue and to ioyne all the Priests of the East part vnto the Sea of your holinesse Thus shall the authority of your Sea encrease Then which nothing can make it more manifest that albeit hee gaue him the title of vniuersall Bishop as yet he was not so from East to West which was well towards sixe hundred yeares after Christ Also the effect doth plainly proue that the title which Iustinian gaue to the Bishop of Rome and the supreame dignitie which hee seemed to labour to aduance him vnto was onely but in pollicie euen to lift him vp a degree aboue his place and fellow Patriarkes that he might place his Bishop of Constantinople in his roome to be established a commissioner among the Patriarkes which thing when he had accomplished he thus reioyced thereat and said z Cod. de sacrosan Eccles omninouation Now our Citie of Constantinople enioyeth the prerogatiues of elder Rome Also it may appeare that he did it onely but for that very same purpose for that when as he had effected that matter immediately he tooke from him both the title and authoritie as doth euidently shew in that first he made his title common with the other Partriarkes when he said a Iustinian 230. Nouel Wee commaund the most blessed Patriarkes that is the Pope of Rome and of Constantinople and of Alexandria and of Antioch and of Ierusalem seeing it is acustome Secondly in that as soone as his aforesaid Councell was dissolued a Letter was sent to the Bishop of Rome with this commaundement b Genaâ—ius ad omnes Metropol ad Papam Roman Let your Holynesse see vnto your owne cures and to the Bishops that be subiect vnto you As also afterwards he making another new Patriarke gaue vnto him as great authoritie as he gaue before to the Bishop of Rome And this appeareth by these his owne words c Iustinian Nouel 131. Let the Bishop of the first Iustiniana haue vnder him the Bishops of Dacia c. and let him be consecrated by them and let him haue the same priuiledges ouer them which the Bishops of Rome hath ouer the Bishops that are placed vnder him And thus we see this Emperour to make so little for the Popes vniuersall supremacie as that he maketh directly against it Now let vs come to Valentinian the Emperour of the West 16 Thou shalt vnderstand Christian Reader that what titles or dignities hee gaue to the Bishops of Rome was as little materiall for he being a very simple minded man was neuer willing to trouble his head with any matter of controuersie as may well appeare in that when as the Bishope of Hellespontus and Bithynia besought him to haue the hearing and disputing of a matter in question betweene the Arrians and them he refused and said d Sozmen lib. 6. cap. 6. cap. 7. For me that am but a Lay man I thinke it not lawfull to search curiously into such deepe matters Therefore wee see hee might easily be seduced to giue any manner of Titles to the Bishops of Rome which they challenged for their due And therather for that as their Doctour Maister Harding declareth plainely e Harding Apolog cap. 6. Diuis 10. that from the beginning of the first Christian Emperours they were taught by the Bishops themselues what titles they should giue vnto them Therefore what can be effectually drawne from these two Emperours to proue that the Popes vniuersall supremacie was approued of by all Councels and Fathers from East to West or rather who seeth not that Iustinians words directly proue the contrary in shewing that the Bishop of Rome had but a patticular Cure in which onely those Bishops were subiect vnto him And now being come within the compasse of lesse then one hundred yeeres of our full number of six hundred and sixe let vs see how the rest were accomplished 17 Briefly in a word after this it fell out that as by giuing to the Romaine Emperours Bishop a degree aboue his fellow Patriarkes he sought to be vniuersall head ouer all so by making the Greeke Emperours Bishop his fellow Patriarke and his equall hee also sought to be supreame head ouer all Hence it was that that great contention grew betweene him and the Bishop of Rome which fell out for the Christian Churches great good for euen therby it pleased God to bring the truth of our cause to light For when as the Bishops of Rome who from the time of Irenaeus sought to aspire to that dignitie as first Victor whom as wee proued in our third Section was reproued for the same by Irenaeus and Polycrates as also by diuers others Secondly Stephanus whom we proued in our fift Section was reprehended by Saint Cyprian and other Bishops in the Councell of Affrica Thirdly Cornelius as we proued in the same Section for receiuing Appeales from the iurisdictions of others was reprehended by Cyprian Fourthly Sozimus and Bonifacius who for seeking superioritie ouer Affrica was withstood by Saint Augustine and two hundred and sixteene Bishops in the Councell of Carthage where it was proued the Bishop of Rome not to haue vniuersall authoritie nor his Title which he claimed from Peter to be called Prince of Priests or Highest Priest to be lawfull as appeareth in the tenth Section
who as appeareth euidently was called of the most godly Prince Constantine God seeing it is manifest God cannot bee iudged of men Another saith r Baldus in c. Eccles vt tit pend The Pope may doe all things aboue Law contrary to Law and without Law Moreouer Å¿ Bonis Distinct. 40. Si Papa If the Pope be found to neglect the saluation of his brethren vnprofitable and slacke in his office silent in that which is good hurtfull to himselfe and all others yea though hee leade with him innumerable soules by heapes to the diuell of hell yet may no mortall man finde fault with him or presume to reprooue him for so doing For as another saith t C. inter in corpor de translat Praela car Paris in conc 63. num 162. vol. 4. Those things hee doth hee doth them as God So that they say little lesse of him then what Saint Paul Rom. 9. saith of God Who art thou that pleadest against God Or that which Iob saith of God chap. 9. Who shall say vnto him What dost thou 5 Thirdly in authorising his Decrees equall with Gods saying thus v Alexander to Philip King of France That which the Pope doth is to be receiued as Canonicall Againe * Adrian caus 25. qâ—â—st i.q. generaâ—â— It is not lawfull to adde or diminish any thing the Pope hath done Also x Ibidem Whosoeuer shall violate or break the Popes Decrees shall be accursed Againe y Ibidem Who so offendeth in breaking the Popes Lawes shall neuer be forgiuen And lastly z Herâ—â—ans de poâ—â—â—â— papa cap. 23. The Pope is by power and vertue the whole Church wee may not swarue from his iudgement neyther to the right hand nor to the left * Iara in Deut. cap. 17. Though hee tell thee that thy right hand is thy left or that thy left hand is thy right hand such a sentence must bee held for good Thus are his Lawes in their account like those of which Christ speaketh in the Gospell Matthew 5. Whosoeuer shall breake one of these least commaundements and teach men so hee shall bee called the least in the Kingdome of Heauen 6 Fourthly in subiecting Gods word and holy Scriptures vnto his censure as thus a Summa Angelan Dist. Pap. The Pope may dispence for any Commaundement of the Old or New Testament b 6. q. 1. Quicunque in glossa The Popes priuiledges may be graunted against the Lawe of God c Nicola Cusan ad Bohaemos epist. 2. There be no commaundements of Christ in the Gospell but such onely as are taken and holden by the Church d Syluester Prierias contra Lutherium The doctrine of the Scriptures take their force and authority of the Pope and his doctrine e Ibidem The authority of the Church of Rome and of the Popes is aboue the authority of the Scriptures Lastly f Pighnus in contro De Ecclesia The Scriptures are a nose of waxe a dead letter and dumbe Iudges Whereupon another sayth g John Maria verracties Editius est Anno 1561. Wee most humbly confesse that the authority of the Church is aboue the authority of the Gospell 7 So that by all these testimonies out of the mouthes of their grauest Writers wee see plainely that the Romish church holdeth and esteemeth the Pope to be not a terrestiall Good but rather a celestiall God For in that they will haue him called God in a diuine sense and taken not for a pure man but for a true God and will haue him to be worshipped with diuine honours as God and to haue power in heauen earth and hell ouer Angells Diuells and men and to be able to deliuer from hell and to giue the kingdome of heauen and free him from all censure and controlement of any and make his Decrees not onely equall with Gods but aboue them they will haue him to bee a celestiall god euen in the highest degree For it is cleare that his Lawes and decrees that are the most highest aboue all lawes and decrees is the most highest aboue all gods And heerein they prooue him to be indeede that great Antichrist The man of sinne mentioned by Saint Paul 2 Thes 2. 2. Thessal 2. That should sit as God in the temple of God shewing himselfe that hee is God and exalting himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped That is not onely aboue all Princes and Maiestrates which in some sense are called Gods but aboue the three persons vnto whom all diuine worship and honour is only due and so we may conclude but they say no and who then shall be Iudge betweene vs that shall these sixe vnpartiall Iudges Ioacham Abbas Iraeneus Anselmus Saint Hierome Gregory the Great and Erasmus Ioacham saith h Joacham Abbas Hee it is that exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped which is called Holy Lord and most Holy Pope Iraeneus sayth i Iraeneus lib. 5. lest chapter saue one Antichrist notwithstanding he be but a slaue yet he will be worshipped as if he were God and proclaimed as a King Anselmus sayth k Anselmus 2. Thessal 2 Antichrist shall faine himselfe to be holy that hee may deceiue men vnder the colour of holinesse Yea and hee shall call himselfe God and shall cause himselfe to be worshipped and shall promise the Kingdome of heauen Saint Hierome sayth l Hierom. in Zachar. 11. This shepheard is so wicked that hee is not called a worshipper of Idols but an Idol it selfe because he calleth himselfe God and will be worshipped of all men Gregory the Great sayth m Gregory in his 25. booke vpon the 34. 14. chapter of Iob. Whereas hee is a damned man and not a spirit liuing he faineth himselfe to be God To conclude Erasmus sayth thus of the Pope n Erasmus vpon the 16. hap of the Râ—u lat 2. Sect. That beast at Rome of whom we spake before is the very right Antichrist which worketh against the Gospell of Christ. And yet for a more full resolution that the Pope is the same great Antichrist which Saint Paul calleth The man of sinne and sonne of perdition that should exalt himselfe aboue God their Saint Hildigard a Nunne o Hildig in her third â—ook the 11. Vision giueth the Pope these very same titles The man of sinne and sonne of perdition And their prophâ—â— Paracelsus in his twelft figured Prediction directed to the Pope prooueth him also to be the same For saith â—â—e p Paras 12. Prediction Thou hast lifted thyselfe on high And a little after Thou hast exalted thy selfe aboue God and he shall returne vnto thee the reward thou hast sought Now then whereas some haue doubted whether the Pope be that great Antichrist for that the great Antichrist should come vnto such an exceeding great height of pride and vaine-glory as that none before him could neyther after
may be called before the comming of Christ to iudgement yet all men may see plainely that Antichrist is alreadie come and that the Pope and euerie Pope in his time and place is hee Yea this is the Luciferiall aspiring fellow of whose rise and fall their Paracelsus saith * Parasel in his twelfth figured Prediâ—â— on directed to the Pope Oftentimes one doth place himselfe well but it is in vaine except his seat be such as cannot fall together with him that sitteth thereon And behold thou hast lifted vp thy selfe on high but it is not thy place neyther shalt thou abide aboue for thou are a yoake and a burthen vnfit to be borne hence it is holy Father S.P. that thou fallest Thou hast placed thy selfe aboue God and hee shall returne vnto thee the reward thou hast sought to wit worldly glorie and praise which thou hast greedily heaped vpon thine head but as all worldly things doe so shalt thou perish So that who seeth not but that Antichrist is come THE FOVRTH OBIECTION 11 The proper Antichrist by all reason and likelihood must be a Iewe borne and circumcised and will professe at least for a while to keepe the Iewes Sabbath and other Ceremonies of the olde Lawe to draw them after him and they shall accept of him for their Messias as before hath beene shewed out of Christs owne words which they would neuer doe except he were a Iewe both by generation and profession which two things can neyther bee verified of the Popes of Rome to wit that they are eyther Iewes by birth or doe professe the Iewes Doctrine THE ANSWERE 12 Here Christian Reader is a long circumstance including many properties of Antichrist but not so much as any one Scripture or Father to confirme any one point therefore I may sufficiently answere him by bare denying all that he affirmeth and thereupon conclude that by all reason and likelihood Antichrist shall neither bee a Iew by birth nor yet by profession but a Gentile and a Romane Howbeit for as much as bare negatiues no more disprooue any thing then bare affirmatiues prooue any thing of eyther side the matter shall not so passe First then as concerning Iewish Ceremonies who knoweth not how full of them their Church is as abstenance from certaine meates washings purifyings and sacrificing for sinne As also the retayning certaine ceremoniall garments as the Myter the Cope the Ephod sensing the Priests with Incense holy Oyle holy Bread the Wafer-kake Arons Bell and to many such like too tedious to repeate and for Iewish Doctrine in the maine poynt for the ouerthrow of manssaluation they rightly agree with them who held of iustification by the workes of the Law as they doe Secondly whereas he saith that Antichrist shall be a Iew both by generation and profession it is neither his yea nor my nay that shall serue but wee will haue indifferent Iudges betweene both and who shall these be euen S. Ireneus who they may not refuse and their Abbot Ioacham who they cannot refuse Ireneus out of the number of the Letters Apoccalips 13. saith x Jreneus in his fift Booke and Epistles of Antichrist Antichrist is Zatinos a Roman y Ioacham Abbas Ioacham saith Antichrist long since was borne in Rome and shall be higher aduanced in the Apostolicke Sea So then Antichrist shall be a Romane not a Iew and the same that shall bee exalted into Peters Chaire which he cannot deny to bee the Pope onely therefore he cannot denie the Pope onely to bee the great Antichrist THE FIFT OBIECTION 13 Antichrist when he commeth shall pitch his Kingdome in the Citie of Ierusalem and goe about to restore the Temple of Salomon as is plainely gathered out of Saint Iohns words Apocal. 11. where he saith that the bodies of Henoch and Elias that shall be slaine by him shall lie vnburied in the streetes of the great Citie where their Lord was crucified And the same is deduced out of the same Booke cap. 17. and out of Saint Paules wordes 2. Thessal 2. and by many ancient Writers And how then can the Popes of Rome be Antichrist THE ANSWERE 14 Here now to induce vs not to looke for Antichrist in Rome he telleth vs he shal pitch his kingdome in Ierusalem and for proofe he citeth three places of Scripture the first out of the 8. verse of the 11. chap. of the Reuela which hee abuseth most damnably For all men may see by the Text that the Holy Ghost purposely to preserue the sense put in the middle of the verse these words Which spiritually is called Sodome and Aegypt Which words hee hath left out and cunningly closed vp both ends of the verse together in Roman Letters as though those words had not beene in the originall Tongue which caused mee to haue the Greeke Coppies searched and also to see their owne translation in the Remish Testament in both which these words are extant So that it appeareth that because he saw that neither according to the expresse words of the Text as the Holy Ghost had set them downe nor yet according to the sense the place would proue Ierusalem properly to be the seate of Antichrist he therfore fraudulently omitted those words to frame the rest for his purpose which if he had done the like in the 17. chap. these words A mysterie great Babylon And also these words The seuen heads are seuen Mountaines whereon the woman sitteth all the Diuines in the World could neuer haue found out the great Antichrist nor his seate But the case is cleare that forasmuch as the place where Christ was crucified is there noted to be the seate of Antichrist but in a spirituall signification the Holy Ghost did not meane Ierusalem but Rome because Rome then raigning ouer Ierusalem Christ was put to death in her iurisdiction and by her onely authoritie Iohn 18.31 for Pilate Romes deputie was his Iudge who finding Christ guiltlesse would faine haue shuffeled him off into the Iewes hands to haue condemned him but they refusing said Wee haue no authoritie to put any man to death Whereupon Pilate proceeded and gaue sentence of death vpon him therefore Rome may well be said to be the place where Christ was crucified and the Citie where the Holy Ghost meaneth Antichrist should pitch his Kingdome But they say no and who then shall be Iudge betweene vs that shall that notable Diuine Erasmus who saith thus of Rome z Erasmus vpon the 11. chap. of the Reuela This Citie is in sigure and similitude the Citie of Ierusalem 15 Secondly Sect. 2 out of the same verse he would proue that Antichrist should goe about to build againe the Temple of Ierusalem in which there is not any one word to be found that doth proue it But this glosse also he setteth vpon the Text to blind the eyes of the ignorant and to make them beleeue that that should be the Temple of God in which S Paul 2 Thessal
Christ himselfe first planted that Faith and Religion which afterwards by meanes of his Apostles should be made Catholique 14. yeeres before Peter came to Rome So that hereby wee shall see the Antiquity of their Church ouerthrowne and Ierusalem to be the most ancient and true figure of the vniuersall Mother Church to wit heauenly Ierusalem and not Rome 1 THeir Cardinall Cusanus saith a Cusanus ad Behemos Epist 2. The members vnited to the Chaire and ioyned to the Pope make the Church By which he granteth that without an vniuersall Pope there could be no Popish Church Now that for the first 605. yeeres next after Christ there was no vniuersall Pope approued of nor publikely allowed to be the head of the members of the body of Christ these testimonies of Pelagius the second and Gregory the first will make it most manifest Pelagius in his dayes perceiuing that Mauricius the Emperour went about to make and establish an vniuersall Pope very bitterly inueighed against it and not onely so but thus Decreed against it b Pelagi Distin 99. an 580. No Bishop no not the Bishop of Rome himselfe ought to be called vniuersall Bishop Gregory the successour of Pelagius likewise finding the Emperour to persist in his enterprise wrote diuers Epistles vnto him to let him vnderstand that he went about an vnlawfull thing amongst which in one Epistle he sought to disswade him by this reason because said he c Greg. lib. 4. Epist 32. Peter is not called vniuersall Apostle inferring that seeing Peter was not none of the other Apostles were and then how could it be lawfull for any Bishop to take that title vpon him Againe when as he perceiued the Emperours Bishop which was then Iohn of Constantinople willing to take that title and supreame authority vpon him he thus inueighed against his arrogancy and saide d Greg. lib. 4. Epist 38. What wilt thou answer to Christ the head of the vniuersall Church at the last iudgement that thus goest about by the name of vniuersall Bishop to make all his members subiect to thee Whom doest thou imitate in this so peruerse a name but Lucifer that would haue beene singular and alone ouer all his fellow Angels Againe he saith e Greg. lib. 6. Epist 30. I speake it boldly whosoeuer calleth himselfe vniuersall Bishop or desireth so to be called is in the pride of his heart the fore-runner of Antichrist because he preferreth himselfe before all others and would be alone without any equall Now by the best Authours we find that this Gregory ended his dayes about the yeere of Christ 605. therefore we see this point standeth cleare that during so many hundred yeeres and odde after Christ there was not an vniuersall Pope approued of nor allowed by the Bishops of Rome themselues to be head of the members of Christ and therefore as yet there could be no Popish Church 2 But now to cast a must before the eyes of the ignorant they come in with this blinde distinction and say Notwithstanding this be spoken both by Pelagius and Gregory against the hauing an vniuersall Pope to be head of the vniuersall Church yet the question is what manner of Popes or vniuersall Bishops they meant whether such as the Bishops of Rome who allowed other Bishops vnder them or such as the Bishop of Constantinople The B. of Constantinople no more sought to exclude all other Bishops then the Bishop of Rome euer did who would haue had none other in all Christendome but himselfe I answer this is but a deluding distinction for that the Bishop of Constantinople no more sought to exclude all other Bishops then the Bishop of Rome euer did for had he of Constantinople once attempted that that had beene nuttes for Gregory for then might he in some one Epistle or other haue charged him therewith but we finde not any such matter neither in any of these Epistles doth hee charge him with any such thing onely he condemneth him of arrogancy for preferring himselfe before all other Bishops and for seeking to bring them into such subiection vnder him as whereby he might haue raigned ouer them as Lord and King And euen herein onely was it that hee charged him to imitate Lucifer Therefore this distinction of titles is but a meere misty matter Yea their owne records and some of their owne English Doctors plainely confesse that the same title and dignity which the Bishop of Constantinople sought to obtaine was onely one and the same which Boniface Bishop of Rome attained vnto by the meanes of Phocas the Emperour two yeeres after Gregories death and which they haue holden euer since For in their Booke called Chronicon f Chroni Euscbij An. 607. they are proued both one Also their Writer Sabilicus g Sabilicus Ennead 8. lib. 6. affirmeth them to be one and the same Likewise their Writer Vrspergensis h Vrspergensis in Phoca acknowledgeth the same And that which is more the chiefe of their adherents here in England in their answere returned to me Page 4. in these plaine and expresse words confesse the same The Emperour Phocas defended the righteous and ancient title of the Popes supremacy and iurisdiction ouer the vniuersall Church of Christ and suppressed the arrogancy of the Patriarke of Constantinople who challenged to be vniuersall Bishop And thus we see how themselues haue confounded their subtile distinction of titles 3 But yet for all this they will proue that the Bishop of Constantinople would haue had excluded all other Bishops because Gregory wrote thus to some of the chiefe of them i Gregory lib. 7. Epist 69. If one be vniuersall Bishop it remaineth that you be no Bishops Howbeit it is very apparant that Gregory meant by these words that if one should be admitted to be vniuersall head ouer all Bishops their powers then consisting onely in that one they by a consequent should be as none For to the very same effect are these his owne words k Gregory lib. 4. Epist 36. If one Patriarke be called vniuersall he derogateth from the other Patriarkes And a little after If this name may goe currant honour is taken away from all the Patriarkes But farre may it be from any Christian minde that any man should desire to take that vnto himselfe whereby the honour of his brethren should seeme in the least wise to be diminished By which it is most manifest that hee did not meane that Iohn of Constantinople would haue excluded all Bishops neither his fellow Patriarkes but that by diminishing their titles and honours hee would make them as no Bishops euen as all Bishops vnder the Popes are made by tollerating an vniuersall head ouer them For as their Cardinall Sabarella saith l Sabarella Citanture ad Illyrico De Sectis The Pope hath inuaded and entered vpon the right of all the inferiour Churches so that all the inferiour Bishops may goe for naught And vnlesse God helpe
1. Inocentius 3. Nicholas 5. Anastatius 1. Damassus 1. Alexander 3. Calistus 2. Lando 1. Leo 8. Vrbanus 3. Pius 1. Iohn 7. Victor 1. Clement 3. Paul 2. Leo 5. Steuen 8. Gregory 9. Xistus 1. Steuen 6. Nicolas 2. Inocentius 4. Inocentius 7. Iohn 8. Alexander 1. Haedrian 5. Alexander 5. Leo 6. Gregory 6. Iohn 17. Pius 2. Steuen 7. Victor 2. Nicolas 3. Iulius 1. Martinus 3. Vrbanus 1. Martin 4. Leo 9. Agapitus 1. Paschalis 2. Honorius 4. Â Iohn 9. Gelasius 1. Nicholas 4. Â Leo 7. Gallistus 1. Calestinus 4. Â 2 These euen from the very time of the decease of their predecessour and head began to put in practise their Antichristian authority receiued from him for the subduing of all Churches that did resist them amongst which the Church of Rauenna was one which as the Popes Decretall testifieth thought scorne to be brought in subiection to Rome neuerthelesse the same Decretall declareth that in the end Pope Domnus made her to yeeld And this was about 64 yeeres after the first vniuersall Pope Also the same Decretall declareth that the Church of Aquila resisted but yet about some 20. yeeres after the other Pope Sergius got the victory and forced her to yeeld And thus did they continue vanquishing all Churches in the West part till neere Luthers time But yet not so but that maugre the heads of all the Popes we had a Church continued in the Romish iurisdiction till within some 20. yeeres before Luthers rising though not alwaies a standing state but a dispersed company scattered here and there by meanes of persecution Reuelat. 12.14.15.16 wherein that prophecie was fulfilled Reuel 12. which testifieth that in the time of Antichrists reigne the Church of Christ within his dominions should be driuen into the wildernesse of this world and great floods of persecution sent after her to ouerwhelme her but as the Text saith The earth opened her mouth and swallowed vp the floud That is she was preserued by meere temporall and earthly people for amongst the spiritualtie both she and her seed were holden as heretiques and that chiefly for these causes First for that when as they saw that vniuersall dominion which the Pope had gotten ouer the Clergie they affirmed him to be that Angell of the Bottomlesse Pit prophecied of in the 11. verse of the 9. chap. of the Reuelation that should attaine to be king of the Clergie whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greeke named Appolyon which in English signifieth a destroyer Secondly for that when as they saw the Pope to bring into the Church and establish for Principles of Religion his Heathenish vnwritten verities The Pope reuealed himselfe to be Antichrist and those olde heresies wherewith the false Apostles and other Heretiques had corrupted the puritie of the Gospell and that he did offer them to the Church in the name of Christs Gospell they affirmed him to be that whore of Babylon foretold in the 4. verse of the 17. chap. of the Reuelation that should offer to the world The abhomination and filthinesse of her fornication in a golden Cup to wit in the name of Christ Thirdly for that when as they saw the Pope gotten aboue the Secular powers and that Emperours and Kings did yeeld him such subiection as to fall downe before his footstoole to kisse his feete to carrie him vpon their shoulders to leade his horse to hold his stirhop whiles hee gets on horse-backe yea euen to become his Vassalles they affirmed him to be the same great Antichrist mentioned in the 13. verse of the same chap. vnto whom the Text declareth The Kings of the earth should giue their power and authoritie Fourthly for that when as they saw the Pope to be come to that great height of pride as we plainely did demonstrate in our first Chapter namely to take vpon him the title of God and to suffer himselfe to be called our Lord God the Pope An vndoubted and true God on earth And to suffer men to prostrate themselues before him and to crie vnto him O thou our Sauiour which takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon vs. And to exalt his power ouer the Angels in heauen diuels in hell and ouer the dead and his decrees aboue the decrees of God and to haue power to fetch out of hell as many soules as he will and place them in heauen they affirmed him to be same Man of sinne and sonne of perdition foretold by S. Paul 2 Thes 2. That should sit as God in the Temple of God shewing himselfe to be God and exalting himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshiped Lastly for that when as they saw that with tooth and naile he laboured to frame and fashion all things to the similitude of the first beast The Heathen Empire they affirmed him to be that second beast mentioned in the 11. and 12. verses of the 13. cap. of the Reuel which should arise in the Romane kingdome after the Romane Emperours of whom S. Iohn saith thus And I beheld another beast Reuel 13.11.12 comming vp out of the earth which had two hornes like the Lambe but he spake like the Dragon and he did all that the first beast could doe before him and hee caused the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast That is by bringing them to honour reuerence and obserue all the former Heathenish and Idolatrous ordinances set vp againe by him Whereunto because that part of our Church among them would not yeeld it grew into contempt with them and was most grieuously persecuted and the faithfull Christians driuen from place to place and from countrie to countrie being of the most part among them taken and holden for notorious heretiques such as they hold vs to be at this day And because they grounded all their assertions vpon those and such like places of Scriptures whereby the Popes calling began to be called into question the Scriptures were forbidden to be written any longer in a knowne tongue and for that cause also it was that they so blasphemously depraued the Scriptures calling them c Pigghius Hierar lib. 3. cap. 3. fol. 203. A nose of waxe an inkie letter a dead letter and a blacke Gospell and that they are none otherwise to be vnderstood then the Pope and his Church will interpret them and that they must follow the Church and not the Church them and that the authority of the Pope and Church of Rome is aboue them Asoius Hosius Hence it was also that Lay men were forbidden to reade the Scriptures perswading them that they did but leade men into errour and that ignorance is the mother of deuotion howbeit all this did nothing preuaile for the faithfull in euery Coast and Countrey among them did the more diligently follow Christs commandement Iohn 5. Search the Scriptures Ioh. 5.39 and that euen in the greatest heate of persecution which was
Church And bid them now bragge of the visibilitie of their Church and of the standing state it alwaies had since it was a Church because thou canst not deny it them but withall giue them to vnderstand that euen thereby is our Church proued that true Church which the Angel in that chapter foretold should be driuen from home and dispierced abroad and theirs to be the tyrannicall and persecuting Church which should driue it out of her Countrie And thus much for the prouing when their Church first began and how farre it did extend it selfe as also the first beginning of vniuersall Popes to bee sixe hundred and sixe yeares after Christ whereby both their antiquitie and vniuersalitie is vtterly ouerthrowne Now to the conclusion of all 8 Forasmuch as we which now are distinguished from them by the title of Protestants confesse that in this their Romish iurisdiction we had no Church left at the rising of Luther they demaund of vs from whence our Bishops had their callings and how our Ministers which they haue ordained euer since can haue lawfull callings seeing there was then no Protestant Bishops to ordaine them neither that by the Apostles euer any Christians had that title giuen them We answer For the title Protestant wee stand not vpon for wee graunt that in the time of the Apostles there was not any Christians called by that name no more then there was any called by that name Catholique The onely title proper to the professours of Christ was giuen by the Apostles in the Citie of Antioch which was to be called Christians as appeareth in the 11. of the Acts of the Apostles but afterwards when as counterfait professours of Christ as the Arians Macedonians Eunâ—nians were growne to be Sectaries and Heretiques and each of them to challenge vnto themselues the title of the true Church There was another sort in Rome called Homousians which were indeede of the true Church these to distinguish themselues from those counterfait Christians intituled themselues Christian Catholiques Whereupon as Socrates testifieth k Socrates lib. 5. cap. 10. that worthie Prince Theodosius hearing thereof caused these foure sorts of Christians to be brought before him and euery Sect to bring their seuerall opinions in writing which when hee and his Bishops there assembled had throughly pervsed and examined he tore in pieces the Papers of the three Heretiques and approued onely of the Homousians finding it onely to agree with the Doctrine of the Scriptures And thereupon made this Decree All people subiect to our Empire How and when the name Catholique was giuen to Christians we will haue to continue in that Religion which Saint Peter the Apostle deliuered to the Romans as the faith kept from his time to this day doth declare and the which it is euident Bishop Damassus and Peter Bishop of Alexandria a man of Apostolique sanctitie doe professe to wit that according to the Apostolique and Euangelique Doctrine wee beleeue one Godhead of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost of like maiestie in sacred Trinitie The obseruers of this Law we commaund to be taken for Christian Catholiques the rest as mad and frantike we adiudge to beare the reproach of Heretiques which must looke to feele first the vengeance of God and next such penalties as the motion of our hearts directed from aboue shall appoynt And this was about two hundred yeares before the Papists had a Church therefore this act being done onely in our Church it is without all contradiction we onely must needs be of that sort of Christians vnto whom the title Catholique was then giuen and consequently of the true and most auncient Catholique and Apostolique Church So likewise afterwards when as the West part of the Church did vnder the title of Christian Catholiques professe Christ after an Antichristian manner then certaine true Christians withstanding them protested a contrary manner of Christian profession agreeable to the auncient Catholique Faith and Religion and by their protesting did distinguish themselues from that counterfait companie which they then saw as we now haue declared at large in our former Chapters were cleane swarued from the true Faith and Religion And from thence we following their true Faith and religion retain the same title to distinguish our selues from our most counterfait Christian Catholiques But would God both these new titles were laid away and that both sorts might be called by their owne proper titles to wit Christians and Antichristians for so the Church of Christ should the better be knowne from the Church of Antichrist 9 Now for the lawfulnesse of our Bishops callings wee say that when the time drew neere that the Gospel which Antichrist had suppressed in the Romish iurisdiction should be set vp againe according to that old Romish prophesie intituled Stimulus diuinae contemplationis written I know not how many hundred yeares agoe bearing that after the yeare of Christs Incarnation 1534. In an olde Booke Good Law good Religion good peace together with Faith Truth and sound Doctrine should returne againe into the World in their proper shape and true likenesse then about that time when by the meanes of that man of Cod Luther some Bishops were conuerted to true Christianitie againe and that others had time to conuerse with them concerning the present necessitie of electing and ordaining Christian Ministers then they entered by the olde ordinances of those Christian Bishops which were before Poperie was and so ordained ministers by the rules and authoritie of the first Apostolicke order which had alwaies continued in those other parts of our Churches which as wee shewed were neuer members of the Popish Church For otherwise had they not bin first conuerted they and all the Ministers which they haue ordained should haue been the seruants of Antichrist euen as those were before and at this day are which haue their calling from Antichrist the Pope For so their S. Bernard speaking of Bishops and Ministers which haue their calling from and by the Popes ordination saith l Bernard supra cant Serm. 33. They serue Antichrist Also their Albertus Magnus saith m Albert in Jehn 10. They bee the Ministers of Antichrist and the vnderminers of the flocke of Christ. And therefore whether it be likely that our Ministers which be ordained by Bishops of an ordinarie calling from the Apostles of Christ haue lawfull callings or such as haue their calling from Antichrist the Pope let the Christian Reader iudge And the more to inlighten his iudgement and better discerning the truth hereof let him consider these fruits and effects of their calling Their Saint Bridgit bringeth in Christ thus complayning of the Romish Clergie n Bridgit lib. 1. cap. 56. They faine themselues to be mine and in the meane time they worke wickedly against mee Their Saint Elizabeth bringeth in Christ thus reporting of them o Elizabeth against the corruptions of Rome lib. 3. cap. 14. They that walk vnder my name doe not feare to
ouer into Asia there haue ye the Church of Ephesus If ye border neere to Italie there haue ye the Church of Rome * Tertullian De praescription Cotra Haereticos These so many and so great Churches are all that same one first Church planted by the Apostles from whence issued all the rest And so are they all first Churches and all Apostolike in that they all follow one vnitie And thus we see that albeit at this present time when Tertullian wrote this Ierusalem was destroyed by enemies Rome was yet then but a chiefe part of the Church and not as they write The mother and mistresse of all neither as they write that c 24. q. 1. c. Rogamas c. Sacro sancta therefore all Churches are subiect to the Sea of Rome because Peters Sea was tranflated from Antioch to Rome seeing Saint Cyprian in the open Councell of Affrica reprehending Stephanus Bishop of Rome for seeking that subiection said d Cyprian ad Qairâ—um Peter was neuer so insolent or arrogant as to aduance himselfe as Primate and one vnto whom nouices and punies should be subiect But here they haue marred their whole matter and ouerthrowne the antiquity of the Sea of Rome which they of long time haue borne the World in hand was established by Christ himselfe and that Peter was installed therein immediately vpon the death of Christ in that they affirme Peters first Sea to be at Antioch where Eusebius witnesseth c Anton. chro part 1. tâ—â— 6. cap. 4. paraâ— 1. Eliseb 〈◊〉 lib. 3. cap. 1.4 He was Bishop and resident vpon that charge seauen yeeres euen as Gregory the Great also witnesseth before he came to Rome And thus we see how wickedly they haue deluded the World touching Peters supreamacy and the Antiquity of the Church of Rome 19 But now whereas they alledge succession of vniuersall Popes and will proue it both by Saint Ireneus and Saint Augustine in that they numbred the Bishops of Rome from Peter Irenaeus they say * In their Callendar numbred the Successours by name from Peters time thirteene but let them proue that any one of them was by him or any other before him called vniuersall Pope and the victory shall be theirs if they can proue none then it is certaine that to his time there was none Also whereas their Doctor Master Harding saith f Harding Apol. cap. 5. Diuisio 1. Augustine Epist. 165. Saint Augustine hauing reckoned vp in order the Bishops of Rome to Anastasius Successour to Siricus who was the eight and thirty after Peter saith that in all that number role of Bishops there is not found one that was a Donatist and therefore he concludeth Ergo the Donatists be not Catholique So we say by the same rule that forasmuch as Saint Augustine found in all that rolle not one that was or had the title of vniuersall Pope but Bishop onely it is cleare that vniuersall Popes cannot be Catholique Againe that it may appeare that Saint Augustine did not approue of any such haughty titles nor allowed any lawfull but the name of Bishop He with the assent of 215. Bishops in the third Councell of Carthage made this decree g Councel Carthage Cannon 26. It hath liked vs that a Bishop of a First See be not called Prince of Priests or Highest Priest or any such like but onely a Bishop of a First See Which words albeit their Doctor Master Harding h Harding Apolog cap. 4. Diuis 2. would not haue to extend to the Bishop of Rome yet in the words following by a consequence he granteth it doth For saith he By these two words Prima Sedes those Fathers vnderstood any City in which a Patriarke or Primate hath his See I call it a First See or rather if it might be permitted a Primate See In great Cities where the Highest Courts were kept for Iustice and where the chiefe Pagan Priests of the Latines named Primi Flamines were resident before the comming of Christ there after Christs comming were Patriarkes or Primates placed by whom the weighty matter of Bishops should be decided And we proued in our 5. Chapter and 8. Section that the foure first Patriarkall Cities were these Ierusalem Antioch Rome and Alexandria Therefore the words of the Councels Decree must of force as well concerne the Patriarke of Rome as any of the other three Patriarkes And that it may appeare they doe their Gration alledging the words of that Councell applyeth them to the Bishop of Rome Also in the glose are these words i Dist 99. Prime This is the third part of this distinction wherein it is said that the Pope ought not to be called vniuersall Bishop And as to this Councell I finde not in any Prouinciall Councell the name of Pope so neither in the first second nor third generall Councell doe I finde the name of Pope once mentioned but the name Bishop onely True it is that in the fourth generall Councell holden at Chalcedon Councell of Chalcedon Action 16. about the yeere of Christ 451. the name Pope was giuen to the Bishop of Rome but not by the Councell but onely by the Bishop of Romes Legate Lucentius as appeareth in the 16 action Who when hee saw that the Councell had set downe a Decree for the restraining the Bishop of Rome from the vniuersall authority which he challenged and would not reuerse it he said in the behalfe of himselfe and Paschasinus his fellow Legate If ye will not put the matter againe to voyces yet let our protestation against it be set downe in record that we may know what to informe the Pope of the vniuersall Church The Iudges answered That which we pronounced the whole Councell hath approued The title which this Councell gaue to the Bishop of Rome as appeareth in the beginning of this 16. Action was the same which they there gaue to the Bishop of Constantinople which was Archbishop and not Pope 20 And now whereas their Master Harding saith k Harding Apolo cap. 4. Diuision 3. that Gregory the Great affirmeth that this Councell did offer to Leo then Bishop of Rome the title of vniuersall Pope and he refused it this we see not to be so but had it beene as they say that this Councell did offer it vnto him and he refused it it maketh as well to proue the title not lawfull nor to descend from Saint Peter as that the Councell refused to giue it vnto him For if the Title had descended successiuely from Peter and beene a lawfull Title what cause had he to refuse it Againe if the Title bad beene a lawfull Title why did Gregory himselfe refuse it when Eulogius Patriarke of Alexandria did offer it vnto him and not simply refused it but thus flowted him for his folly l Gregory lib. 7. Epist 30. Ecce saith he Behold euen the Title of your Letter ye haue written the proud poefie meaning me the vniuersall
wrought Ergo c. THE ANSWERE 20 Heere hee noteth out Antichrist by three speciall miracles which he saith he shall worke which because no Pope hitherto hath wrought they cannot be Antichrist Touching the first namely that he shall make fire descend from heauen wee say That forasmuch as there is no time set downe when that miracle shall be wrought and that there remayneth a Pope and how many shall succeede him who can tell all which make the great Antichrist therefore till the full end and terme of their reigne and that it can be proued that not any one Pope euer wrought that miracle none of the predecessours are cleared from being Antichrist for we find throughout the whole Scriptures that whatsoeuer is done by any one of them is imputed vnto all 21 But as touching the true sense of those words diuers of the Learned doe conclude that by making fire descend from heauen is meant that he should doe such miracles and so great wonders as should as greatly preuaile to draw the people from God to himselfe as the fire that came downe from heauen at the prayer of Elias did preuaile to draw the people from Baall to God 1. Kings 18â—â— 38.39 and that it is no more meant that Antichrist should cause fire really to descend from heauen then in the eleuenth chapter that materiall fire should proceede out of the two witnesses mouthes and destroy their enemies or in the ninth chapter that out of horses mouthes should issue fire smoake and brimstone to deuoure men 22 Secondly he saith that Antichrist shall make the Image of a beast to speake We answere The text saith not of a beast but of The beast That is as the verse going before saith The Image of the beast which had the wound of a sword and did liue Which as Erasmus expoundeth was the Heathenish domination vnder the Heathenish Emperours of Rome Whose heathenishnesse was almost stricken cleane dead by the sword of the Spirit which Saint Paul Ephes 6. Ephes 6.17 calleth the Word of God which wound was afterwards salued but fully healed by that spirituall beast which the 11. and 12. verses of the 13. chapter of the Reuclation declareth rose vp in the Roman kingdome resembling Christ the Lambe for as the Text saith He did all that the first beast could doe before him Whereby hee brought the latter Domination so liuely to resemble the former as any picture or image could possibly be made to resemble any beast therefore by the second Domination vnder the Popes is meant that image which Antichrist should make to speake that is should cause to publish and proclaime that as many as would not be conformable to all the heathenish ordinances thereof as in the former Domination should be killed By which means it came to passe as who so will reade the latter end of the thirteenth chapter shall see that all were brought to be subiect to his Lore Now therefore whether we may vnderstand this great worke to be accomplished by a painted picture or carued image and that by that same image which Antichrist should make to speake should be meant the image of some carnall beast or whether this be not a meer carnall interpretation of theirs let the discreete Reader iudge 23 Thirdly he saith Antichrist shall faine himselfe to die and rise agayne which thing if any one of his places doe proue I doe heere promise to recant Wherefore as the Popes not working those three miracles actually are not thereby cleared from being Antichrist so do not these miracles proue Bellarmines Iew to worke them to proue him to be Antichrist Therefore let vs come to some further triall with them for the better finding out of Antichrist by the miracles which he shal work in which no better course can be taken then by searching out the place where he shal worke them for if he shall worke them in that one City or Nation of the Iewes then it is likely he shall be a Iew but if all the world ouer in the Cities and Nations of the Gentiles then it is more likely he shall not be a Iew but a Gentile Now as the 13. verse of the 13. chapter of the Reuel Reu. 13.13 saith of Antichrist Hee made fire come downe from heauen so the next verse saith By the signes which were permitted for him to doe hee deceiued them that dwell on the earth By which it is most apparent that Antichrist shall not worke his wonders in that one City of Ierusalem nor yet in that one nation of the Iewes but ouer a great part of the whole earth among the Gentiles therefore this proueth he shall not be a lew but a Gentile Againe Saint Iohn in his 16. chapter of the same Booke speaking of Antichrist and his miracle-monger and the place where they should worke their miracles saith And I saw three vncleane spirits like frogges Reu. 16.13 come out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet for they are the spirits of diuels working miracles to goe vnto the Kings of the earth and of the whole world Also in the eighteenth chapter that Angell speaking there of Babylon the seate of Antichrist saith With thine inchantments were deceiued all Nations By which then wee see that the case standeth cleare that Antichrists miracles shall not be wrought in that corner of the world among the Iewes but all the world ouer among the Gentiles therefore Antichrist shall not bee a Iew but a Gentile Also seeing wee our selues in this our age doe see how the Papists euery where incline themselues to miracles and that the Pope doth daily send his Seminaries abroad to worke his wonders all the world ouer by plaine experience wee may be bolde to say the Pope is that Gentile But they say no and who then shall decide the matter that shall hee whom they confesse to bâ—e indifferent betweene both Erasmus who hath thus written vpon the same place of the Reuelation k Erasmus What wonderfull tokens sayth hee haue beene wrought in the Papacie and to what end Christ himselfe did prophecie long agoe vnto his Disciples and gaue them warning of them Againe touching those three vncleane spirits which should deceiue the Kings of the earth and the greatest part of the world by their miracles he sayth l Erasmus vpon the 16. chap. The first is the diuellish Dragon the second is the beast at Rome the very right Antichrist the third is the false Prophet not one person but a whole order and multitude of Bishops and religious persons Monks Friers c. And a little after These are three such foule and vncleane spirits as none can be found more vncleane and yet do they worke miracles Wherefore then seeing that Antichrists great miracles are wrought in the Papacie the Sea of Rome and else where by the authority of the father of Perdition the Dragon of
Hell and his Sonne of Perdition the Pope of Rome with what impudencie can Bellarmine say the Pope cannot be Antichrist But now Christian Reader whereas they will haue their Church to be the true Christian Church because she worketh Miracles and our Church the counterfeit because she worketh none it is cleare wee could not iustly prooue their Church to be the Church of Antichrist did shee not worke miracles 2. Thessal 2. Antichrist worketh miracles For wee finde 2. Thessalonians 2. where Saint Paul speaking of Antichrist the head of their Church sayth thus of him Euen he whose comming is by the working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders and in all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse among them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued And therefore God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies that all they might be damned which beleeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse 25 At the day of Iudgement Christian Reader when many of those that professe themselues Christians shall see themselues cast out to be damned will obiect against Christ and say Matth. 7. Lord Lord haue wee not by thy name prophesied and by thy name cast out diuells and by thy name done many great workes Yet for all their miracles done in his name seeing they were done but to confirme false doctrine whereby soules were drawne from Christ to Antichrist Christ sayth he will then say thus vnto them Depart from me ye workers of iniquity I know you not Therefore it was not without cause that Saint Augustine opposed himselfe against such miracle-mongers saying m Augustine in Iohn tractat 13. Matt. 24. Against these Mongers of miracles my God hath armed me saying In the latter dayes there shall rise vp false prophets working signes and wonders to deceiue the Elect of God if it be possible True it is as Saint Chrysostome saith n Chrysost in Matt. Hom. 49. In olde time meaning in the time of the Apostles it was knowne by Miracles who were the true Christians and whom the false but now the working of miracles being taken away is rather found among them that be false Christians Againe to fore-warne vs of the latter age of the world to take heed of being deluded by workers of Miracles he sayth o Chrysostome in Matt. 49. hom In the end of time power shall be giuen to the diuell to worke profitable signes and Miracles so that then we cannot know the Ministers of Christ by that they worke profitable Miracles but by that they worke no Miracles at all To conclude this point Saint Augustine reprooâ—ing those of his time that would not beleeue without Miracles sayd p August De ciuitate Dei lib. 22. cap. 8. Whosoeuer yet requireth Miracles to bring him to the Faith is himselfe a great Miracle that the world beleeuing remayneth still in vnbeliefe Now therefore what vse can there be of Miracles among those which generally beleeue in Christ but to drawe them to a new christ euen to Antichrist as all men may apparently see Popish Miracles wholy tendeth vnto THE EIGHT OBIECTION 26 Antichrist when he commeth shall reigne but three yeares and an halfe as is gathered by the auntient Writers out of the Prophet Daniel 7. and 12. and out of the twelfth chapter of the Apocalypse where it is sayd That he shall reigne a time times and halfe a time for so Saint Iohn himselfe interpreteth the matter chap. 11. and 13. saying it shall be for forty two moneths which make iust three yeares and an halfe but the Popes of Rome haue reigned for more ages then these are yeares and consequently cannot be Antichrist THE ANSVVERE 27 Heere now by the time of Antichrists reigne hee would prooue the Pope not to be Antichrist which hee might very well haue done if those three yeares and an halfe had beene to be vnderstood of our common yeeres but that cannot possibly be for that so many so mighty and so marueilous are the Acts which Antichrist shal effect as that it is not possible they should be effected in three Reuel 9.11 2 Thes 2.4 nor yet in three hundred of our yeares and an halfe For amongst many other things which would be ouer-tedious heere to recite he shall attaine to be made Ring of the Clergie and this is proued in the 9. chapter of the Reuelation 11. verse and 2. Thessal 2. chap. 4. verse and by these words of Gregory the Great q Gregory lib. 4. Epist 34. Antichrist is the King of pride r Lib. 4.38 Reuelat. 17. cap. 2 verse and 18 verse The vniuersall Bishop of Bishops Secondly he shall bring a great part of the Christian world into subiection to his Heathenish Idolatrous and Antichristian Religion and almost all true Religion to be corrupted by his power And this is proued in the seauenteenth chapter of the Reuelation verse 2 and chap. 18. verse 3. and by these expresse words of Saint Hierome Å¿ Hierome to Algasia Antichrist shall cause Religion to be subiect to his power Thirdly hee shall attaine to a superioritie ouer the kingdome of all the kingdoms of the world which was the Romain Empire and this is proued in the thirteenth chapter of the Reuelation and by these words of Saint Chrysostome t Chrisostome in his 4. Hom. vpon the 2 Thes 2. cap. When that the Empire shall stand voyd Antichrist shall inuade the state and shall labour to pull vnto himselfe the Empire both of God and man and also by these words of Saint Augustine v Augustine vpon the 9. Psal It is written of Antichrist hee shall conquer all Kings and obtayne the kingdome himselfe alone So that by these three accomplishments omitting all the rest wee see the Pope is sufficiently proued to be Antichrist And whether it be a thing likely that a new vpstart fellow a Iew of but three yeares standing should attaine to so great power and dignitie in three of our yeares and an halfe whereby he might be proued Antichrist let all that are not out of their right wittes be Iudges betweene vs. But forasmuch as the Pope himselfe did not accomplish so mightie matters in three of our yeares and an halfe we must search further to see what kinde of yeares the holy Ghost meant 28 Andrew Osiander writing vpon this point affirmeth them to be Angels yeares which the Angell in the twelfth chapter of the Reuelation calleth A Time times Reuelat. 12. and halfe a time which some doe call Propheticall yeares because the Prophets in times past did vse to count by them which are to be searched out by Angels dayes and moneths Now an Angels day as we finde in the ninth chapter of Daniel Angels daies and moneths is a yeare for there both in the seuentie weekes and sixty two weekes a day is a yeare And euen after this manner is the spirituall counting