Saint Hermaâ— this purpose that the Catholike Church shall by degrees fall into diuers deformities and corruptions farre from her primitiue integritie and virginall puritie for which she should vndergoe great vengeance and punishment yea suffer a pressure that shall crush her to peeces and lie vnder a furie that shall lash her sides and throw fire into the walls of that citie which needeth purging and was so ambitious proud and prophane Amongst the predictions or prophecies of S. Methodius St. Methodius Bishop of Tirus he foretelleth that the Clergie shall in a manner burne vp and destroy the holy things of God yea trample the sacred Scriptures vnder feet to aduance and set vp their owne inuentions not leauing vnnamed ceremonies customes and traditions Yea he threatneth a neighbour King for taking part with the whore of Babylon which also a Francesian Frier Philippus Boskierus alledgeth and Bartholomeus de la Casas a Spanish Bishop remembreth to King ' Philip. Yet such is the corruption of time and power of the Inquisition that these bookes must not be talkt of and to publish them for Gods glory and propagation of true Religion is among them heresie and a matter of difficulty or weakening of policy In the library of Saint Victor at Parâ— some 600. yeeres Saint Victor since there was a prediction beginning thus Vae tibi â—iuitas Septicollis and proceedeth thus that the letter K. shall threaren the walles of Rome and then shall woe bee to the city of bloud full of lying falshood and violence For the fall and destruction of the mighty men is at hand the voice of scourges wheeles and warres shall make her to tremble the colour of the gold shall be darkned and changed with diuers such passages of wonderment and obseruation If you looke into the predictions that were found in Palace of Wisâ—dome the palace of Wisedome at Rome it selfe you shall finde it thus Caesar regnabit vbique Sed quo tunc vani cessabit gloria cleri With a strange inuectiue fearefull effectuall prodigious and full of matter absolutely against the present gouernment both of Church and Commonwealth so that a man would wonder that some Herculean Pontifician arme as he did strangle the serpents in the cradle did not at their first discouery thrattle and suppresse them or ouerthrow their authoritie when they began to take vp roome against Rome in mens hearts and apprehensions but such is the will of God and wonderfulnesse of his power and prouidence that both the Scriptures themselues and other writings sauoring the sweetnesse of their taste haue beene preserued in despight of Tyrants Iewes Turkes Infidels Fire Sword and the Deuill himselfe and prospered the more when the attempts of corrupted men would either discredit or suppresse the truth For looke as in persecutions sanguis martyrum proued semen Ecclesia so in these prohibitions according to the Prouerbe men did euez repute it a thing worthy their endeuours searches and knowledge when it was rare to be gotten or perillous to be disputed vpon If you reade the Prophecie of Saint Scuerus Archbishop Saint Scuerus of Rauenna you shall finde it thus Woe vnto thee thou citie of the Gentiles thou citie of riches thou citie of Philosophers Woe vnto thee Lombardie for thy towers of ioy shall be broken downe c. Cataldus Fimus Bishop of Trent hath a very rare Prophecie Cataldus Fimus accordâ—ng to the letter When Rome beginneth to heare the loud bellowing of the fat Cow Italie shall languish with dissention and ciuill warres for there shall be great emulation and hatred betweene the winged serpent or Dragon and the lilly bearing Lion with much other such stuffe But then he followes Alas Alas weepe thou vnhappy Babylon for the daies of affliction shall come vpon thee and like ripened corne thou must suffer a threshing for thine in quitie Kings from the foure corners of the earth shall rise against thee and thou shalt be brought downe for presuming to sit so high c. In a Prophecie of Saint Vincent a Dominican Frier the Saint Vincent Church of God is compared to the foure ages of the world Gold Siluer Brasse and Iron speaking of the Romish Church and Prelates full of Pride Vanitie Pompe Simonie Auarice and Luxurie concluding with that monstrous vice of Simonie to which not long after the learned Monke Baptista Mantuanus alluded in many inuectiues especially this Venalianobis Mantuan Templa sacerdotes altaria sacra coronae Ignis thura preces calum est venale Deusque You haue likewise Prophecies of Telesphorus the Hermit Telesphorus Cataldus Amatus Gamalio Saint Cataldus Ioannes Amatus and Gamalio inserted in an Epistle to Pope Boniface the ninth and all concerning the wicked liues of the Priests the enormities of the Clergie the destruction of Rome and the ouerthrow of the Papacie But if you looke into the exposition of the 17. of Ieremie by Ioaehimus the Abbot you shall finde there that The Abbot Ioaâ—him the Empire of Germanie shall depart from the obedience of the Church of Rome and that the said Church with the Colledge of Cardinals should be destroyed yea this Ioaehim out of the Oracle of Sibyll Erithea foretelleth that God will stirre vp the haughtie Germans against the Church because the Roman Clergie trusted more to the Ierem. 17. 5. power of man than of God therefore shall the ship of Saint Peter be tossed and troubled with hostile incursions and terrible assaults c. If you ouer-looke the Prophecies of Ioannes Lichtenberg Germany against Rome and Reynardus Lollerus you shall finde that the Germans shall make a league with France by vertue whereof the Church shall be brought to beare the Crosse with sorrow and tribulation vpon her owne backe In the Oracle of Cassandra the Sibyll Tiburtina collected Sibyll Cassandra by Godfridus Viterbiensis and Baptista Nazarus you haue a prediction that by the valour and power of certaine German Princes whose names should begin with H. and P. Rome should be destroied and Iohannes Wolphius in his sixteenth Centenary alledgeth that Hydaspes an ancient Hydaspes King of the Medes did foretell the lamentable desolation of Rome subuersion both of their greatnes and superstition In the yeere 1593. Petrus Paulus an Abbot of Calabria casting downe an old wall in his Monastery found a Sepulcher of stone by digging deepe to lay a new foundation wherein was a corps almost consumed holding in his hand a plate of siluer with this inscription This is the body of the Abbot of Werde of Hydrantum buried the 17. Abbot of Werde of October 1279. and saying thus Cum sancta ciuitas fulgebit splendore none stellae Sol iterâ—m me videbit and vnder the head was a little marble chest wherein a leaden box contained a parchment with this Prophecie In those daies many famous cities shall perisâ— fearefull and terrible things shall come to passe and in Italy Rome
that the common people flie to their bookes shewing there is no mention of such a prohibition nor doe they any other then the mother Church commandes O vnheard-of madnes O irreligious Apostacy In the first to the Hebrewes the Originall hath it thus Heb. 13. and bearing vp all things by his mightie word hath by himselfe or onely Purged our sinnes Now behold what dares not By himselfe put out Sathan doe deride God in the 2 of Genes and tempt God in the 4. of Math. alleadging Scripture in both to serue his turne yea drawing the bow home of sacred truth to hit the marke of his aime but what dares not the Pope doc euen more then the diuell himselfe dash away or quite extinguish such places of Scripture as may seeme to contradict his fictions and lay his filthines to ouerture and the hissing of the passengers For in this text hee hath quite put out by himselfe and presumed to put in merits by-workes both satisfactory and supererogatiue trentalls Masses Dirges and other trumperies full of Leprous steines and corruption which I passe ouer because they rather appertaine to the second inditement In the 1 of Timothy 2. 5. The words are plaine neither 1 Timoth. 2. 5. one Mediator patible of other construction and I am sure vnsufferable of contradiction For there is one God and one mediator betweene God and man which is the man Christ Iesus But what dares not the Pope doe quite reiect this and with conceited elegancy by way of comparison argue thus that as the necke is betweene the head and the body so the Virgin Mary is betweene Christ and his Church no graces or spirituall â—nfluences are granted from Christ but they passe by the hands of his mothers intercession and thus there is an Aue mary still to obtaine present and future blessings miracles are done indeed in the Church but by her meanes through Christs power they haue afforded her attributes of redemption sauing protection defence ruling commanding for which purpose Leoes vision is a fearefull and prodigious Atheisme wherein such as ascended the red ladder vnder Christ fell downe from diuers steppes but such as went vp the white ladder vnder the Virgin entred heauen without difficulty If I should proceede with Rom. 8. Rom 8. 34. Heb. 7. 25. Math. 11. 28. 34. Hebrewes 7. 25. Math. 11. 28. in which places Christ is our onely Mediator and maketh intercession for vs I must needes impute arrogancy nay blasphemy vnheard-of to the Papacy either to make â—er a Mediatrix or pray to Saints for their assistance but harken to more impietie they haue deuised her to bee such a boundles Ocean of goodnes that shee many times entertaineth such whom Christ refuseth yea they goe further in the glorifying of Saints and crying to the Popes themselues to make intercession for them O vnlimitable audaciousnes and ridiculous foppery yet so manifest and absurdly entertained that whole volumes are written in the defence and as many about the discouery of the falshood In the 5 of Iohn 39. It is plainely sayd Search the Scriptures Iohn 5. 39. Reading the Scriptures Act. 17. 11. for in them you thinke to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of me whereupon it is recorded Act. 17. 11. that the noble men of Thessalonia and Berea receiued the word with all readines and searched the scriptures daily to which purpose the holy Ghost yeeldeth a reason 2 Tim. 3. 2 Tim. 3. 16. 16. For the whole scripture is giuen by inspiration and is profitable to improue to correct and to instruct in righteousnes Now what Barbarous tyrany is this of the Church of Rome worse then Turkish crueltie not onely to locke vp these pretious treasures from the very eyes of ouer-looking with a supposition of pollution by ignorance but to affright the people with death as by their bloody Inquisition is apparant if any daring hand or hungry soule outreach at this heauenly Manna and looke with cheerfulnes toward mount Sion for their saluation so that no lay man may presume at all nor others to read the word of God in the vulgar tongue In the 1 Corinth 14. the inhibition is not barely set 1 Cor. 14. Against an vnknowne language downe for vsing an vnknowne language in the Church or if you will in publike congregations but illustrated with Similes and excellent enforcements to diuert vs from such absurditie and irregular abuses in edifying But alas how are our soules entangled how is an insupportable burthen of traditions thrust vpon vs how are we inforcered with a tedious Catalogue of principles and Canons of the mother Church And although the Apostles iustified the obeying of God before men yet now Non cuiuis licitum est dicere Papae cur hoc faecis Nay we must not aske a question for conscience sake nor say a prayer in our mother tongue for seare of Lutherano diauoto Heretico and in the inquisition to be clothed with the Sambenito a punishment as vituperious as the carting of Bawdes in England Nay if a modest sinner should but reueale those diurnall liftings vp of the soule which Saint Austin and other fathers call ciaculationes and that to be done in their natiue speech it were sufficient to bring them within the griping reaches of accusation and vnsatisfied ielousie of alteration in religion or repugnancy of the mother Church O intollerable mischiefe and neuer heard of frency to runne away with such madnes against God and his truth In the 20. of Mathew ver 20. the storie of the mother Math. 20. 20. Against ambition in the Câ—ergy of Zebedcus children with that sweete reprehension of ambitious tumors is recorded at large But how not as barely exhortatory by way of defence of righteousnes humillitie loue patience and other spirituall graces but with forcible interdiction of With you it shall not bee so although the Lords of the Gentiles and other corrupt worldlings defiled with contaminating pride and â—nsatiable affectings of authority hunted after popular estimation and eminency before others yet would not Christ haue so much as elation of hart among his disciples nor desire of superioritie ouer their brethren for any assumpted gift or grace whatsoeuer Nay though it were true that God had made their faith the rocke of foundation for his Church and themselues the Pillers and Lampes of his temple But now behold the error of the Church of Rome the error said I the intollerable pride and Antichristian impietie vsurpation and insatiable supremacy hee must not onely exalt himselfe aboue his brethren and make that Conclauc of Cardinalls an vndeniable Court of his greatnes and authoritie but stand like a Colossus ouer the neckes of Princes and as their own stories haue enlarged presumed to ouerturne the Crownes of Emperors with his feete nay more then so the Pope is carried on mens shoulders and hath reached at heauen it selfe and as the commentaries report of Prometheus that
shall ascend Apoc. 17. 8. out of the bottomlesseâ—pit and goe into perdition and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder whose names were not written in the booke of life from the foundation of the world when they behold the Beast that was and is not and yet is And he cried mightily with a strong voice saying Babylon Apoc. 18. 2. â— reade the whole Chapter the great is fallen is fallen and is become the habitation of Deuils and the bold of euery foule spirit and a cage of euery vncleane and hatefull bird The Merchants of these things which were made rich verse 15. by her shall stand afarre off for the feare of her torment weeping and wailing And saying alas alas that great city that was clothed Apoc. 18. 16. in fine linnen and purple and scarlet and decked with gold and pretious stones and pearles For in one houre so great riches is come to nought and verse 17. euery Ship-master and all the company in ships and Sailers and as many as trade by sea stood afarre off And cried when they saw the smoake of her burning verse 18. what city is like vnto this great city c. Come and gather your selues together vnto the Supper Apoc. 19. 17. of the great God That â—ee may eat the flesh of Kings and the flesh of Captaines verse 18. and the flesh of mighty men c. Oh read more read more read all for Gods sake your selues and remember that hee that writ this prediction and Prophesie did not liue 500. yeeres after the Assirians Babylons destruction and therefore it could not meane that which was past but must questionlesse haue relation to something to come so that these seuerall descriptions and other fearefull prophesies can aime at nothing but new Rome in Italy the Antichristian supremacy of the Pope and the filthy abomination of such an absurd religion so that a man would wonder at their daring confidence to continue in such exorbitant courses of falsity and filthines when the end will be the trembling of Christian hearts at the terrour of the iudgements to be denounced In the meane while who can be so infatuated to beleeue that true Religion will suffer her selfe to be bespotted bedurtied and deformed with the filthy corruptions of mens inuentions and idle foolish and ridiculous trumperies of colluding popish Prelates and so I leaue the honest Christian to that Spirit which shall be operatiue in them to worke their conuersion or confirme their calling seeing they see one way a stranger warre betweene Christ and Antichrist than the Gigantomachia wherein Typhaeus and his brethren tooke vp mountaines in their hands to throw against Iupiter and another way haue more cause of laughter than euer Democritus had at Epictetus deformation of the world when he couered it with a coxcombe and set the globe on the table to be derided by the Philosophers as for the obstinate Papists I say no more but answer a Gods name you that must answer before the iudgement throne of the Lambe what say you to this fearfull sentence of terror and punishments from Gods owne mouth or what euasion can there be to auoid the condemnation seeing the Apocalyps was written of purpose to denotate the state of the Church from Christ to the end of the world Antichrists punishment and Romes destruction from the Sibyls ALthough the Scriptures were sufficient according to You must ouerlooke the whole bâ—stnâ—ie of the Sibylâ— both â—â— Gâ—ecke and Laâ—â—ne the former texts in the Reuelation and many others in the Prophets Apostles and bookes of God to declare his will and denounce his iudgements and so there were no more disputing on the authoritie and infallibilitie of the same yet because the naturall man is transported with shewes and ceremonies rather than substance and that affecting humours are seldome pacified without varietie or noueltie I claspe once againe the bookes of holy Mysteries and seale vp the Prophecies of Scripture lest some call for an interpreter and still cry out the mother Church must be the interpreter of these mysteries and spread you a carpet of such Prophecies that no man shall traduce their credit and renowne nor the obstinate and refractarie Papist oppose their valuation for though he could with the prophane Atheist and irreligious foole deny there Psal 14. were a God yet shall he confesse that former times haue been like vberant springs to send forth flowing streams of truth into the world so that now he must needs be afrighted in drawing so neere the time wherein these predictions are likely to be consummated as personating Rome that citie of Rome in Italie and hunting the Pope and his Cardinals with full crie into the desart of desolation and fatall confusion I will then begin with the Sibyls but both my beginning and ending with them and others shal be but a kinde of Epitomising referring you to the larger volumes with whom I onely play as the dogs with the water of Nâ—lus lap as they run and dare not tarry to drinke for feare of the Crocadiles In the second booke of the Oracles of the Sibyls Lib. 2 Oraculorâ—â—n Sibyl you shall finde it thus Hâ—minum cum denique saeclum c. In the tenth age of the world the imagerie of Rome raised on her seuen hills shall extinguish the loue of true religion for which her strength shall faile and the people tremble when they shall see her power beaten downe and her riches taken away yea her citie consumed with fire through the wrath of God In the fifth booke it beginneth thus De coelo vâ—niet sydus Lib 5. As a great starre fell from heauen into the sea and burnt vp the third part of the same with the creatures so shall Babylon of Italie be destroyed that hath murthered the Saints and troden the truth of Gods word vnder feet that hath delighted in poisoning whoredome and adultery that hath nourished buggerie against nature that hath beene a towne of ease and filthinesse wicked vniust defamed amongst the Latines and vnworthy of the tiâ—le she assumed she shall therefore sit as a widow mourning desolate as a viper fell and venomous and the floud Tiber shall weepe for his spouse because of her destruction that was so mad when her heart burned for bloud She misinterpreted Gods minde and boasted that she was onely of the earth to be exalted Therefore shall God ruine her and there shall be no memory of her exaltation yea she shall be throwne downe into hell and consumed with euerlasting fire In another place of the said fifth booke it beginneth Italia infoelix thus Italia infoelix O cursed and vnhappy Italie thou shalt be made as barren as a wildernesse and no man shall pittie thy desolation for thou hast beene a murtherer of mothers and hast hands and hearts polluted with fllthinesse buggering of boies and lying with beasts defiling of women and mingling incestuous bloud yea