locis ecclesiae and yet confesseth that Antichrist must continue to the end Let the whole place be considered Howsoever it be it can not be said that this question was so well ventilated in those times as it hath been of late Then for answer I demand what or how much the question will be altered if the Pope be acknowledged to be Antichrist though he be not proved to be that Antichrist what difference will it make in the end Must not all true Christians beware avoide detest everie Antichrist But to the point It is coÌ„monly known in Grammer schooles that this particle Ho in Greeke is not alwayes used significantly nor in a significant use is it alwaies taken to signifie a particular and individuall person nor yet in particulars is it alwaies used to note Eminence or singularitie Sometimes and that verie frequent it is used indefinitely many times it is joyned with a name of multitude or with a name of succession He that hath any knowledge in the Tongues may easily obserue that Ho in Greeke is not so Emphaticall as Ha in Hebrew or the in English which yet is sometimes emphaticall and sometimes not For in the same chapter where it is said Ho Antichristos in the same it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Ioh. 2. he that sayth he is in light and hateth his brother is in darknes And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The lust of the flesh the pride of life c. and the verie last word of that Epistle is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keepe your selues from Idols So in other places it is joyned with names indefinite as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in another place with the name of Christ Ephes 5. to signifie his mysticall body consisting of a multitude successiue under one head immortall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth he so is Christ Hebr. 9. Abbat in demonst And in another place it is joyned expressely with a name of personall succession 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is ever translated thé High-Priest once a yeare entred into the holy place there spoken of 1 Pet. 2 17. So in another place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Honour the King Will any man say it was meant onely of one king And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Highpriest Hebr. 13 11 And the use of Ho in these places wherein it cannot be meant of one singular Priest or King is so like and paralell to the use of it in the name of Ho Antichristos that I see not what difference can be made betweene them Yet if any will not take this for a sufficient answer let him well consider how he can answer the problems following by which I thinke it will appeare that the Pope is not onely an Antichrist but euen that Antichrist whereof the Scripture speaketh Forasmuch as the Prophecies can be verified of none but of him and that not of one alone but of the whole succession And therefore to proceede to the Names I desire the Reader to examine whether any of the six names that I shall now produce do not fully agree to the Pope and to all the Popes that haue bèen in Rome since the time of Pope Constantine and if these names do agree I must demand How it can be denied but that they and everie one of them is Ho Antichristos that Antichrist The second name therefore is Pontifex maximus or summus the Higest or Great Priest This name I am sure they will not deny to their Pope and likewise I am sure that they will deny it to any other unlesse it be to our Saviour Christ To our Lord it belongeth of right if any other take it upon himself it must be by usurpation and such an usurper of the right and title of our Saviour Christ must be Antichrist It was never given to any by God but to our Saviour Christ Melâ—hisedeck is called a Priest of the High God Hebr. 6 20. and 8 1. Aaron is called an High Priest our Saviour Christ the High Priest and the great Sheepheard of our soules Ecce Pontif. sum qui non eget alieno ex piarisauguine Aug. medit and such like titles but the title of the Highest or Greatest belongeth to none but peculiarly to our Saviour Christ I aske then first whether the Pope of Rome do not declare himself an enimie to Christ in that he doth exalt himself aboue all that is called God or that is worshiped in taking a name upon him higher and greater then was ever giuen to the sonnes of men not to Aaron the holy not to Phinehas the zealous not to Iehojada the worthie not to Iehoshua the noble not to Simeon the glorious not to Iohn the fore-runner nor to Melchisedek the royall and singular everie one in his time the type of our great and eternall High Priest farre aboue them all whose consecration is eternall whose Priesthood is eternall Hebr. 7 16 24. 6 8. 9 10. whose entrie into the Holy place is eternall whose oblation is eternall whose sacrifice is eternall whose mediation is eternall and whose presence in his Church is eternall Againe the Apostle proveth the excellencie and divinitie of our Saviour farre aboue all Angels because he hath received a more excellent name Doth not the same argument proue that the Pope in taking an equall name maketh himself equall in dignitie therefore never durst any of the faythfull Martyrs or Bishops of the primitiue Church take upon him this name of Summus or Maximus Pontifex never any of the Holy Patriarks or Prophets never any of the divine Euangelists never any of the most blessed Apostles for they all knew it belong onely to that great High Priest whose Priesthood is for ever And how darest thou O miserable mortall man take upon thee a name so divine as to be called the Highest or Greatest Priest whilst he is living to whom it so inseparably belongeth Why dost thou not also directly call thy selfe Christ as well as the Highest Priest which is equivalent I demand againe whether in taking this name thou dost not proclaim that thou dost deny that our Lord Christ Iesus is now the Highest or Greatest Priest and so professe thy self to be his enimie and claime to be aboue him seeing it must be confessed that if the Pope be greatest then Christ is not the greatest For two may be great but of two each of them cannot be greatest no more then two can be infinite or two principall But say they Christ is in heauen Head of the Triumphant Church Panorm the pope is onely head of the church militant upon earth O blaspheamerâ— is not Christ Iesus truly God in earth as present by his power Enter praesenter Deus est ubique potenter Ps 139 Sed familiarius in electis pergratiam to rule the church militant as in heauen How then darest thou sitting onely at Rome proclaim thy self Head of the universall
his enemies and not to his servants and freinds Concerning whom I desire to be resolved in 7. points 1 Vpon the words long before spoken by our Saviour vobis datum est Matth. 13. To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven whether by these words he meant to signifie onely his Apostles or all his disciples and them also which as he speaketh in another place should beleeve in him through their words Iohn 17. 2 Why in these words he made no speciall mention of Peter or his successours which do now vindicate to themselvs the sole authoritie of the keyes aswell of science as of power and jurisdiction 3 whether those who by our Saviour are there signified by a vobis datum be not the same which are here called the servants of Iesus Christ and why here also there was no mention of Peter or his successours or of the Roman Church which was then in the Imperiall Cittie and doubtlesse had many godly men in it Rom. 16. and some of great dignitie 4 When our divine Evangelist writeth these things to the seven Churches of Asia whether he did not in this according to his direction and whether he doe not hereby shew who were meant by the name of the servants of God and Christ 5 what reason the Apostle had to send it to those Churches and not to the Roman church either as chief or as one of the rest was it perhaps for the reason of S. Hillarie Anne ambiguum est Antichristum in his tectis esse sessurum Or was he not an Apostle and Prophet to the Romans as well as to them of Asia or for what other reason 6 Whether in writing to those seven he did not intend to write to the whole universall Church of God as well to come as present as S. Augustine expoundeth Numero septenario vniversae Ecclesiae significata est perfectio De Civ 17 4. And onely to the Church and whether all others be not excluded by a vobis non est datum 7. And lastly whether in writing to the seven Churches and their Angels equally and indifferently he do not sufficiently shew that the state of the Church upon earth is neither in the nature of a Monarchie nor of a Democratie but of an Aristocratie where the several Angels preside in their severall Territories precincts and congregations agreeing in the unity of one faith under one eternall head the God of Truth Christ Iesus Let us not deceive our selvs Babilonians use to lisp They cannot speak the language of Canaan with a true spirit Neither onely this booke but all the Scripture is dark and obscure to them whose minde the God of this world hath blinded 2 Cor. 4. Hosh 8 12. and so much for the Persons IV. My fourth Problem is concerning the finall ende scope of this book in the verses above briefly touched to shew to his servants things which must shortly come to passe And here I must necessarily speak of the Subject which is so joyned with the end that the consideration of the one cannot be severed from the other I demand therefore what things must be shewed to the Church of God Surely takeing a generall view of this divine prophecy for my part I conceive that the most here spoken of is of the enemies of their persecutions malicious practises against the Church and of the defence and deliverance of the Church and the punishment of her enemies and so I finde S. Hieroms opinion In prologo Revelat quanta Ecclesia Christi passa et passura sit And to what end must these things be shewed unto them if not to the same for which our Euangelist in his Euangile reciteth many excellent sermons of our Saviour Christ namely to comfort and incourage the faithfull and to excite them to repentance vigilance patience and perseverance against the troubles to come Repent saith he to the Churches of Ephesus and Pergamus Fear not to Pergamus Hold fast to Thyatira c. So in the Gospell These things haue I spoken unto you that ye should not be offended So in his Epistle Let that abide in you Iohn 16. 1 Iohn 2. which ye have heard from the begining Take heed I haue foretold you Marke 13. Now if this be the end namely to arme the faythfull with those vertues against the troubles to come then what is or can be the subject of this book or what matter can it speak of but 1. it must describe the state of the Church in her severall times 2. The Head of the Church who is also her Saviour Protector in all her troubles 3 The enemies of the Church and their persecutions and practises 4. The Confusion of those Enemies and the punishments inflicted upon them in this world 5 Their Everlasting Damnation 6 The Deliverance of the Church And lastly her Everlasting Glory and felicity Whether this be not so I desire to know upon the three Problems ensuing My fift Problem therefore is concerning the Church V. whether it be not with sufficient plainenesse set forth unto us in these seven places 1 In the vision of the seuen golden Candlesticks Revel 1. in the middest whereof Christ Iesus walketh 2 In the vision of the Beasts and Elders in the midst of whom is the Throne of God and of the Lamb. Revel 4. 3 In the vision of the Temple of God Revel 12. set forth to be measured and opened 4 In the vision of the woman travelling with Child which bringeth forth Christ Iesus Revel 12. and then is forced to flye into the wildernes where she must continue for a long time after 5 As Mount Sion whereupon the Lamb standeth with all his Army chap. 14. 6 As a Bride trimmed for her husband chap. 19. 7 As the City of God the new Ierusalem whose wals are founded upon the Twelve Apostles chap. 21. VI. My sixth Problem is concerning our Saviour Christ the great and mighty Lord Protectour Prince and Saviour of his Church whether he also be not as many waies described unto us viz. 1 As the great Bishop and Teacher of his Church in the midest of the seuen golden Candlesticks Râ—vel 1. 2 As the Sacrifice for his Church chap. 4. and yet the Defender Protectour in the middest of the Throne a Lamb a Lyon chap. 10. 3 As the great Lord of Heaven and Earth Land Sea Dâ—u 32 40 determining the end of Times which is not revealed to any Angell Matth. 24. 4 As the seede of the woman and yet the Sonne of God Revel 12. Revel 14. 5 As the Lamb standing on mount Sion 6. As a most mightie valiant captain chap. 19. or invincible Prince going forth to warre against his enemies himself in the forefront readie to charge them in the face 7 And lastly as an inevitable Iudge both of quick
Idolaters as in the Succession of so many ages she hath susteyned And if she cannot answer but as the wombe of a woman that it is altogether impossible to bring forth so many at once as she doth in tract of time then will I aske againe Whether any of the Popes be free of this and whether they be not all of them as one man guiltie of these great sinnes by act approbation consent and imitation and consequently fit to be represented under one person and called one Man And if this be so then will I demand as Salvianus doth of the consciences of all men that haue any sence or feeling of Truth Whether this be not that great Whore here described then whom never any no not the Divel himself if he ruled the Earth but three yeares and an half or for one mans life onely could practise or cause more fornication or Idolatrie to be committed And so much of the first note the Great Whore The second is that she sitteth upon manie waters Which the Angell expoundeth to signifie Peoples and Multitudes Nations and Tongues Here first I obserue the word of sitting which is used not onely here but by the Apostle 2 Thes 2. And it is a word â—â—metimes applied to Kings sometimes to Bishops Kings are said to sit on their Thrones Bishops in their Chayres or Churches Both are applied to Antichrist For in the 2 Thes 3. it is sayd He sitteth in the Temple or Church of God and here upon manie Nations The one place sheweth he must be a Bishop the other a King can this be applied to any but the Pope Now that the Pope and Church of Rome for these nine hundred yeares haue been supported by many Peoples nations and Tongues I will desire to haue none other witnesses then their owne chief Authors and Advocates who make their greatest brags of their Vniversalitie Bellarm. Staplâ—ron â—lendus c. how the power of their Pontif. extendeth it self not onely to Europe but to all euen the farthest remote parts of the world America and India which the Turke nor any other Potentate couâ—d never yet attaine unto And if this be evident and undeniable let us againe peruse over the Questions â—boue proposed Whether this may be affirmed of any Iewe or Turke And whether it be possible that the power of any Iew or Turke or any one man whatsoever should within the space of three yeeres and an half or of one mans life so far prevail or procure to haue so many Peoples Multitudes Nations and Tongues subject unto it as the Multitudes Nations and Tongues which haue served the Popes for these nine hundred yeares do amount unto Or to giue a nearer instance so many at once as within that time haue come to Rome to their Iubiles solemnities The third note of this Antichristian Harlot is that the Kings of the Earth haue committed fornication with her and the Inhabitants of the Earth haue been made druncken with the wine of her fornication And what king was there in Europe for these nine hundred yeares which did not committ or permit fornication both corporall and spirituall with the Church of Rome Which of them did not worship the same Images and use or permit the same uncleanes And I demand againe whether this can be verified of any Iew Turke or other person whatsoever past present or to come The fourth note is her exceeding great riches pompe and gorgeousnes Let me instance but in one or two particulars Majora vel certe paria c. sayth Blondus All Europe sendeth to Rome greater or surely no lesse Tributes In Roma inst urata then were payed to the Ancient Roman Emperors Pope Iohn left at his death in treasure ducentos quinquaginta Tonellos Ducatorum Bibâ—iand ex Palmerio ad ann 1334. sayth another Omnes Reges mundi non possent tantum de Thesauro reddere infra unum annum quantum fuit de Papali Palatio asportatum de Palatiis trium Cardinalium Marchionis sayth another speaking of Pope Boniface the eight R. Avesb and three Cardinals and the Marquis his nephew I demand then Whether Prince or Potentate State or person haue had the like testimonie of Riches and whether it be credible that any in three yeares an half or one mans life time should attaine to the like The fifth note She hath a name written in her forehead A Mysterie Babylon the Great Mother of Harlots and abhominations of the earth First it is called Great I demand Whether ever this title were so much giuen to any cittie besides Rome The old Babylon was never so many times called great And I thinke none will make question of any other And Whether the Bishop of Rome the Church of Rome and the cittie of Rome haue not everie one of them had a speciall title of Greatnes I referre me to the consciences of the Romans themselues to their Decrees and Canons who giue to their Bishop the Title of Pontifex Max. or Summus so Lipsius that hath written a Booke De magnitudine urbis Romae and to that other who writ a Booke De magnitudine Romanae Ecclesiae So their Church is great their cittie is great and their Bishop is greatest of all Of the name of Babylon I haue spoken sufficiently before And for the other title of Mother of Harlots or Sodomites as Scaliger and others reade and abhominations of the earth I demand of all that know Rome eyther by travelling in those countries and eye witnesse or by reading and hearesay Whether there be in any place of the world being of no greater extent so many Harlots and Sodomites and so publikely mainteyned and allowed as in Rome and the Popes Iurisdiction and where his power is acknowledged and whether any other Prince or Prelate Church or State Turke or Iew haue giuen or made such and so many faculties and dispensations pardons and Lawes for such things Let the notable booke of the Taxa and the cases reserved to Papall dispensation be perused And here is to be noted the Name that the Holy Ghost giveth to her calling her The Mother of Harlots or Sodomites and fornications which is singularly Emphaticall For it cannot be denied but there are many Harlots and Fornicators in other places neyther can it be denied but other Empires and kingdoms are called Whores as Inda and Israel by Ezekiel Ninive by Nahum Babylon by Ieremie But no other place is called the mother of Harlots or Sodomites This of all the rest seemeth to be Proprium quarto modo A propertie inseparable which agreeth to the Popes omni soli semper to them onely and everie of them ever since the Councels of Hispal and Toledo aboue mentioned For noÌ„ne but the Popes haue forbidden Mariage nor made Lawes that the Cloysters and Convents of Nunnes should be subject to monkes and Fryers and that it should be lawfull for Priests to haue Concubines No other Prince State or
and unseemly not onely for the majestie of divine Truth or dignitie of Apostolike writings but euen for the gravitie of a sober man to speake so often or make such incuications of things that should either come so late or continue so small a time Therefore to speak of the first consideration I â—ske whether it be not expressely directly intimated unto us by the Holy Apostle S. Paul where he sayth 2 Thes 2. the Mysterie of Iniquitie beginneth to worke alreadie And by S. Iohn 1 Iohn 2. Euen now there are manie Antichrists And againe 2 Iohn 7. now alreadie he is in the world And againe Manie deceivers are entred into the world which confesse not that Iesus Christ is come in the Flesh 2 Pet. 2. such a one is Antichrist And S. Peter and S. Iude with many words great diligence warne the Church of God Iude epist that there were then certaine men crept in which defiled the flâ—sh and despised government Is it possible that the Apostles should be so carefull to admonish and advertise the church that there were such beginnings and such workings of Antichrist in those times and yet that he should not come in 1600 yeares after or should continue so short a time I am not ignorant that it was the opinion of some learned and godly men from whom I do not willingly dissent But I know that God doth not reveal all things to one man nor all things at one time nor in one manner Iohn 3. Everie man hath his gift and measure Everie thing hath his time and season and everie time his temper and disposition Eccles 3. It was sayd of a verie learned and excellent Doctor of the Church Non videt omnia And he that is non unus è multis See Io. Pic. Mir. in apolo sed inter omnes prope singularis held some strange opinions Yea Moses and David erred in some things It may be also that the Fathers of the Primitiue Church having other great Controversies in hand gaue themselues but little to the studie of the Apocalyps that booke being then in question as it seemeth and not publikely received untill the Councell of Toledo which was about the yeare of our Lord 630 Vida concil Pantal. as if our Lord had provided it against that time Yet somethings they saw and where their opinions are consonant with the Scriptures they are verie much to be regarded Leaving therefore the ignorance of those godly Fathers in some points to sleepe with them in their graues and covering them with a vail of just excuse in that they saw not the successe of times and fulfilling of divers prophecies which haue since appeared and with a Robe of Honorable and Sacred Memorie for the gifts and graces of God which otherwise shined in them as Shem and Iaphet did the nakednes of their Father Let us follow with straight steppes the light of divine Trueth shining in the Scriptures whereunto the Fathers themselues do send us to guide us out of the mistie cloudes and perplexed Labyrinths of Humane Errors And let us see what the Apostles meant by the words aboue cited as where one of them sayth 2 Thes 2. The Mysterie of iniquitie worketh alreadie And againe His working is with all deceiuablenes c. And another Iohn 3. Euen now there are manie Antichrist c. and there are many deceivers gone out c. Did they meane this of Turks which were then scarce heard of in the world or of Iewes which did not then deceitfully but had long before openly and professedly shewed themselues to be the Enemies of Christ and all Christians Or of Heathenish Pagans that were also open persecutors or of any that should openly and professedly deny that Christ was come as now the Greate Patrons of the Romish cause would perswade us If so what needed they to tell us of a Mysterie Deceiveablenes Deceivers c. What Mysterie or deceit could there be in the direct and professed denying of Christ 1 Iohn 3. Or doth not S. Iohn teach us plainly that they meant it of perverted Hereticall Christians where he sayth They went out from us but they were not of us For if they had been of us they would haue continued with us They went out from the Church and they would haue continued with the Church Do not both these words signifie that they were sometimes of the Church and not Iewes Turkes or Pagans that were never of the Church So in the Epistle to the Elect Ladie where he sayth Such a one is a deceiver So S. Paul His comming is with all deceiueablenes These admonitions might seem verie impertinent if they had understood that Antichrist should haue been a Iew Turke Pagan or other professed enemie of Christ So in another place They professe that they know God but by works they deny him and are abhominable disobedient Titus 1. and to everie good worke reprâ—bate The like may be sayd of that fatherly and serious admonition and charge which the beloved Apostle giveth unto us 1 Iohn 4. that many false Prophets were gone out into the world and therefore that we should trye the Spirits What tryall neede we make of anie Turke Iew Pagan or professed enemie of Christ 2 Pet. 2. And the Apostle Peeter seemeth also to warne us of such men whom he calleth False Teachers which should privily bring in damnable Heresies denying the Lord that bought them c. He sayth Heresyes shall we say Iudaisme Turcisme Paganisme He sayth privily shall we say openly What manner of Interpretation is this to contradict the Text Surely the Ancient Fathers would not so interpret it Tertullian Qui pseudoprophetae sunt nisi falsi praedicationes De praescript qui pseudoapostoli nisi adulteri Euangelizatores qui Antichristi interim semper nisi Christi rebelles Ad Magnum Cyprian Indignandum dolendum est Christianos Antichristis assistere praevaricatores fidei atque proditores Ecclesiae intus in ipsa ecclesia contra ecclesiam stare August August Opera loquuntur verba requirimus Magis mendax est Antichristus qui ore profitetur Christum factis negat In Matth. Chrysostom Exercitus Antichristi sunt omnes Haereses praecipue ista Bern. quae obtinuit Ecclesiae locum Ministri Christi serviunt Antichristo Were these men ignorant of the Catholike veritie Or are not these ynough to proue that which Vincentius requireth Quod ubique semper ab omnibus creditum est Vincent Let us returne then to the Apostle S. Iude Iude epist. who exhorteth us earnestly to maintaine the faith against such as turne the grace of God into wantonnes and defile the flesh speaking ill of Magistrates denying the onely Lord God and our Lord Iesus Christ If we should aske upon these words who they be that deny God would not the Apostle himself answer us that they are the
plaine termes that Pope Gregorie succeeding Constantine Vide Pantal. anno 760. tooke away from the Grecian Emperor all the Empire of Italie which was not possessed by the Lumbards About the same time also there was another Councell gathered at Rome wherein was decreed that whosoever would not doe religious honour unto Images should be cut off from the body and bloud of Christ and from the unitie of the whole Church So the power of the Pontifex Max. and Idolatrie grew up together And although many Synods were held some in the East as at Nice and Constantinople others in the west as at Frankford wherein these Idolatries were condemned though both the Emperors aswell Charlemain of France as Constantine of Greece opposed themselues against these Idolatries having also the Authoritie of the Elibertin counsell Picturas ad Ecclesiis arcendas ne quod colitur aut adoratur in parietibus pingatur Yet the Popes prevailed Curavimus Babylonem non est sanata Ier. 51. sayth the Prophet The zeale of Charlemaine to haue this Idolatrie suppressed was excellent and exemplar for he not onely caused a Synod to be held within his owne Empire for that purpose but sent the booke of the Synode of Nice which is called the second wherein the worship of Images was decreed into Great Brittanie in which Booke Proh dolor sayth our Historian out alas manie things were found inconvenient Honed anno 792. and contrarie to the true fayth especially that with one consent of the Orientall Bishops three hundred or more it was inacted that Images should be worshipped Quod omnino Ecclesia Dei execratur Which the Church of God doth hold altogether execrable And the learned Albinus wrote an Epistle against it marvelously fortified with authoritie of the scripture Almaricus Gall theolog imagines altaria invocationes sanctorī◠Idololatrians censce which he presented to the Emperour So fully were the Godly of those times perswaded that the adoration of Images then newly thrust upon them by the Pope was meere and inexcusable Idolatrie And yet when the same Emperour Charles came to Rome to reforme the abuses of the Pope and began to inquire of them Bern. Lutz Pantal. anno 1205. Responsum est ab omnibus c. it was answered by all Platin Blond dec 2. Pant. that the Apostolike Sea being the Head of all Churches ought to be iudged of none especially not by a Lay man I aske then upon all these premises If Antichrist were not now sufficiently revealed when will he or how can he be revealed Rome the great cittie that ruled over the kings of the Earth the cittie of seauen Hills and that had receaved seauen kings of Soveraigne command Rome that glorious mountaine of holynes yet full of Sodomiticall filthines and Egyptian Idolatrie Rome and the Roman Empire so many times and so significantly described by the holy Apostles and Prophets had now set up her Seauenth Head the Summus Pontifex the propheticall number 666 was fulfilled as well in his time as in his name the Impediment of the Empire was removed This Summus Pontifex was become the absolute Ruler and king of that State acknowledging no superiour Controull or Countermand And hath done such and such things according also to the prophecies of Antichrist as no Iew Turke or divell can do in so short a time as they would make us beleeue is allotted for Antichrist If by these things he be not sufficiently revealed when will he come or when shall we expect him or shall we imitate the Iewes in looking as long for Antichrist as they doe for Christ To this may be added an Argument à sufficienti divisione which I propose in this manner First upon the words of Tertullian that Antichrist must be a rebell to Christ and S. Aug. that is Refuga Christi Now if a Rebell then eyther one professing Christ or not professing If you say not professing S. Augustin is against you which sayth that he doth professe Christ in words Also S. Chrysostom Exercitus Christi sunt omnes Haereses praecipue ista quae obtinuit Ecclesiae locum If a professor of Christ then either revealed or not revealed if you say not revealed then how can you answer the Apostle who sayth that he shall be revealed when the Impediment is removed And the Fathers who with great consent affirme that by the Impediment there is meant the Roman Empire And the great Consent of Divines and Chronologers upon the same place affirming that the Roman Empire is long since removed If revealed then eyther it is the Bishop of Rome whom manie godly men haue published and proclaymed to be Antichrist or else you must shew some other who is not to come but alreadie declared to be Antichrist And if you can shew none then must the Pope necessarily be that Antichrist Rev. 17. Againe either it must be he to whom the kings of the earth haue giuen their power or some other If you say some other then how do you answer the text If he then to whom haue the Kings of the Earth giuen their power but to the Pope Againe upon 2 Thes 2. and the exposition of S. Ambrose and other Fathers upon that place Antichrist shall sit in the house of the Lord in the seat of Christ If he shall so sit it must be either as a king or as a Bishop or as both or as neither If not as a King then how upon manie peoples and Nations If not as a Bishop then how in the Temple of the Lord as the Apostle sayth in the House of the Lord as S. Ambrose in the Houses and walles of the Church as S. Hilarie in Ecclesia as Theodoret in the Holy places of the church as S. Chrysostom in the chaire of S. Peter as S. Barnard sayth If as both then who hath done so but the Pope Neither neede we much to stick at the swelling words of the same S. Barnard in another place Tu es Sacerdos magnus Pontifex Summus tu princeps Episcopurum tu Haeres Apostolorum Tu primatu Abel Cubernatu Noe Patriarchatu Abraham Ordine Melchisedec Dignitate Aaron Authoritate Moses Iudicatu Samuel Potestate Petrus Vnctione Christus This sentence of S. Bernard though it seemeth he was somewhat caried away with the overflowing streame of his Eloquence yet it appeareth his purpose was to drawe the Pope to a more serious consideration of his dutie But the Popes and their followers which ought to haue tempered it with humilitie haue made it but a step and advantage to their Elation Anton. sum p 3. c. 22. as appeareth in their Decretals and Canonists where they arrogate and assume to them selues Plenitudinem potestatis scientiae See M. Down ham of Antic lib. 1. c. 5. and that they haue one and the same Tribunall with God and Christ Iesus and that Christ and the Pope are but one and the same head of the church Which titles none
but the king of pride durst to take upon him Let us yet goe forward and see how he is further revealed in the time of his Raigne and how the prophecies of that time also were fulfilled we haue before considered the description of his raigning and how he sitteth on the seauen headed Beast Now of the time which falleth out to be likewise 666 yeares or thereabouts For that is the number of the Beast Rev. 13. sayth our Euangelist And if we adde this to the former number we come againe to another strange and wonderfull concurrence of prophecies events times and actions namely the yeare 1366 and 1400 whereof we will speak hereafter when we haue taken a view of the actions that fell out in the meane time namely in the end of the said first 666 yeares and beginning of the second and somewhat considered what manner of men raigned over the Roman state during the second terme of 666 yeares First therefore as the Apostle prophesied that there should be an Apostasie so there fell out about those times especially divers great and lamentable Apostasies such as the like were never seene neither can the like be expected in any time to come namely first about the year 760 the great and wofull rent and departure of the East Church from the West by reason of that wicked contention betweene the Patriarches for primacie and that abhominable doctrine of Idolatrie which an Historian verie Christianly calleth execrable Secondly the wofull rent and departure of the west Empire from the East by the Popes setting up of the French kings Pipin and Charles Thirdly the rent and division of the greatest part of the East Empire from their lawfull Prince by the sodaine and great victories of the wicked Saracens in Asia sent of purpose to plague Christians I thinke for their Idolatrie as they do object it unto us unto this day And fourthly the lamentable spoyle and falling away by that meanes not onely of those seauen excellent churches whom S. Iohn by his Epistles so strongly fortified and forewarned but of all the rest of the flourishing Churches of Asia which yeelded either by feare or force to the overflowing Impieties of Mahomet ô lamentable times O times never without grief and shame and teares of Christians to be remembred Within a few years and as it were with a sodaine floud and inundation of impietie blasphemie and filthines the great and mightie kingdomes of Arabia Syria Palestina Phoenicia Anatolia Persia and Media and many other Countries the famous churches of Ierusalem Antioch Ephesus Nice Galatia and all the rest of the lesser Asia which the Apostles had so diligently planted with their doctrines which the Martyrs so plentifully watered with their bloud crowned with their Confessions yeelded to the horrible blasphemies and Idolatries of Mahomet with infinite effusion of Christian bloud and murder of Soules What Apostasies were ever like to these or how can we looke for the like in any time to come Say that we should imagine an Antichrist yet to come can we haue the prophecie of the Apostle S. Paul concerning an Apostasie precedent so fulfilled Hath all the Christian world now sufficient roome or place wherein the like Apostasies may fall out What do these Summi Pontifices these Vniversall Bishops which would needs be the Head of the Catholike Church in the meane time Let us take a short view of their actions also in generall and particular and see whether it be possible for any Antichrist hereafter to do the like The first great action that we meete with of theirs is the puting downe of three kingdomes to advance themselues according to the prophesie of Daniell concerning the Litle Horne before whom three of the other Hornes fell For first they draue the Grecian Emperors out of Italie upon the quarrell concerning Images by the helpe of the Lombards Secondly having subdued the Lombards by the helpe of the French they draue out the French by their owne dissentions and the help of the Germans and lastly they expelled the Germans also by raysing factions amongst them selues the Histories whereof because they are too long for this place are well collected by the learned Mornay I think needlesse here to prosecute Is it possible for any Antichrist to come to doe the like Are there any such three kingdomes in the Christian world everie one of them having command of Rome and Italie to be put downe hereafter to make roome for another Antichrist And it is to be observed that this first Action containeth in it self manifest Treason and rebellion against their lawfull Princes the Emperors whom Gregorie and all the Bishops of Rome before him had acknowledged to be their gratious Lords Colimus Imp. ut hominem a Deo secundū soloque Deo eminorem Terul ad Scap. Whom they were bound to obay as those to whom God had giuen power over all men The second great action was their ambitious and Luciferian exaltation aboue all Bishops Patriarchs Princes and Emperors in taking the title of Vniversall Bishop and usurping power over them by excommunications deprivations interdictions and other sentences incouraging sometimes their Enimies and sometimes their subjects against them as they moved the Lombards against the Emperors the French against the Lombards and cherished factions and divisions amongst the French and thereby still increased their owne power and dominion And in this they advance themselues against God and our Lord Iesus Christ to whom onely the Supreame and Royall Priesthood after the order of Melchisedek is confirmed by the oath of God himself and that individually as we noted before and who hath placed Kings and Emperors in their supream places A third action is the lawlesse pardoning and dispensing with horrible and crying sinnes still to advance their owne authoritie As namely their dispencing with the horrible Parricides Treasons and Rebellions of Phocas who murdered not onely the Emperor Maurice but all his male children namely Theodosius then crowned Plessis Tiberius Paulus and Iustinian Peeter his brother Constantine a principall Senator and divers others And this is that Phocas notwithstanding whose actions they all to this day justifie and Baronius will haue us to beleeue that he was a good Catholike Although he can shew no testimonie of his repentance but that he sent his owne picture and his wiues to Rome which were presently sett up in the pallace And in this point also the Popes advanced themselues aboue God himself who never pardoneth sinnes without repentance But this Phocas three years after the murders of Maurice and his sonnes Plessis hearing that the Empresse Constantia and her daughters were kept secretly hidden in a Church sent certayne Souldjers to make them away But Cyriacus the Patriarch of Constantinople withstood them and would not deliver them till he had taken an oath of the Tyrant that he would do them no violence Whereupon this good Roman Catholike conceived a deep and inplacable hatred against
Hebrew letter Nun Ezr. 1 6. Buxtorf a termination aswell of the Feminine as of the Masculine and common gender to note that those precious and pleasant fruites belong to women aswell as to men Now this doth plainely agree with that which in the former place hath beene observed of Rome the second Babylon viz. that she abóundeth in riches delicates and wantonnes and it hath an Antithesis to the description of mount Sion as it is expressed unto us both in the 14. chap. of this Revelation and in the second Psalm Psal 2. For there saith God I haue set my King upon Sion Har-codshi the mountain of my holynes But here the Kings and Princes of the earth are gathered to Har-megeddon the mountain of the precious and pleasant fruits of the earth The companie of the Lamb upon Mount Sion Rev. 14. are such as haue not defiled themselues with women But these pleasant and precious fruits belong to women as well as men And the like Antithesis may be noted in other places of the scripture as where the Prophet prayeth to be delivered from men of this world which haue their portion in this life Psalm 17. whose bellies God filleth with his secret treasure But I sayth he will behould thy face in righteousnes So the Apostle describeth certain men whose God is their belly Phil. 3. and who minde earthly things But our conversation sayth he is in heauen so the true church of Christ is set forth to be adorned with all heauenly graces Fayth hope and charitie Rev 12. namely the Sun of righteousnes to cloth her in fayth the starres to crowne her with light of truth and hope of immortalitie preached by the twelue Apostles the moone and all mutable earthly things to supporâ— her in works of charitie or to be despised and troden under foot in respect of eternitie But the Antichristian Church sitteth like a Queene of earthly felicities clothed with purple skarlet Rev. 17. pearles gold and precious stones abounding in all pleasures delights supported by the nations of the world Neither is the other circumstance to be neglected namely the meeting and congregation of Princes Rulers of the earth noted as well in the second Psalme as here in the Revelation in regard whereof Livy duâ—in Plaâ—ma in sal 2. Rome was in ancient time called Regum urbs for the multitude and magnificent state of their Senators so did the Emperor Constance also call it in the latter time so it may be still called for the number pompe and glorie of their Cardinals who will be honoured and accounted princes Another question would I aske whether this word may not thus be distinguished Arma-geddon with the first Alpha radicall to signifie the pallace or castle of the Troupes of women as well as men Now where that pallace or castle is where women abounding in treasures and pleasures are best mainteyned and defended I would haue them to answer that haue seene Rome of late or that haue read these verses made for her commendation Qâ—ot caeâ—â—m si elias Vide Abbat dem Antiâ—h cap. 11. tot habet tua Roma puellas Pascua quotque haedos tot habet tua Roma Cynaedos And many such like or the faculties dispensations pardons and decrees flowing from the castle of S. Angelo and the pallace of Lateran in their favour And lastly upon the same word I would aske whether that the Hebrew word which in the Greek writing is Armageddon may not by an easie transposition So Moâ—ines maketh it Ha. Romagedah to signifie the destruction of Rome onely of one letter and a prick in the Hebrew be read and taken for Romageddon so by name lead us to Rome that high cittie for so the word Rom also in Hebrew signifieth and their own Authors call it septem urbs alta jugis Hieron atque altae maenia Romae where princely men as the Cardinals and women abounding in treasures and pleasures as the Cortesanaes are gathered together Which transposition of a letter is verie usuall in the Hebrew and warranted by many examples of the holy Scripture And upon all these precedent places circumstances I demand Dan. 7 1. passim alibi whether it be possible to apply these prophecies to any cittie or place in the world besides Rome True sayth the Babylonian it is to be understood of Rome for so they confesse of late 1 Pet. 5. upon the word of S. Peter but Heathen not Christian To omit that answer which is obvious that the old Ethnick Empire of Rome was the impediment therefore could not be the seat of Antichrist and that another Ethnick Empire should be erected there towards the end of the world is incredible and if it should yet it could not fulfill the Prophecies for many reasons which may be produced and to instance because Antichrist must be one of the seauen heads of Rome whereof fiue were fallen in S. Iohns time and the Empire was one and the seuenth must be reveled after the impediment removed yet to passe by all these consider of two textes more which shall not come single but eyther of them fortified with an Authenticall contestis The sixth scripture then speaking of the Place of Antichrist telleth us plainly 2 Thes 2. August de civ dei l. 20 cap. 19. Nulli dubliim est cum de Antichristo ista dixisâ—â— c. Antichristus in domo domini in sede Christi sedebit Ambros in locum Male Ecc'esiam Dei in tectis aedificiisque veneramini Anne ambiguum est Antichristum in his esse sessurum Hilar. contra Aux that it must be the Temple of God It is the word of S. Paul which would never haue called the Ethnike state of Rome the Temple of God It must therefore be understood of the church of God so the Fathers take it without all doubt or question that in Rome for out of Rome it is in vain to seeke as by the former places may fully appear And yet this text goeth not single but seemes to be drawn out of an ancient prophecie of the Euangelicall Prophet where he bringeth in the prince of the first Babylon a tipe of the second using these words I will ascend into heauen Esa 14. and exalt my throne aboue beside the starres of God I will sit also upon the mount of the Church or Congregation so farr the Prophet Now lay the words of the Apostle to them That man of sinne exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshiped so that he doth sit in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God On the mount of the Church sayth the one In the Temple of God sayth the other The Temple of God was in Ierusalem saith the Babylonian Object Answ But that is excluded by all the former places of Scripture most signall and significant I demande then how this place can
as easie to be intreated now in heauen as he was upon earth when he did not reject Marie Magdalen that had seauen divels the woman of Canaan whom he rebuked by the name of a dog nor the man possessed with a legion Secondly how do they acknowledg him to be full of truth when they say that his H. word doth not contain all truth but it must be pieced out with the traditions Canons and expositions of their Church 3. How do they acknowledg him to be our wisdome Scriptura seipsam exponit Chris Aug 2 Tim. 3. when they will not haue his word to be sufficient to interpret it self and to instruct us make us perfect in all good works but we must resort to the Church and receiue her judgment from the mouth of their Pope 4 How do they acknowledge our Saviour Christ by himself to haue purged all our sinnes when they say that we must satisfie by good works in our life and after our death we must go to Purgatorie 5 How do they acknowledg him to be our justification when they say that we are justified before God by our good works and not onely by faith in his death and passion although it be written if thou confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and belieue in thy heart Rom. 10. Hebr. 10. that God raysed him from the dead thou shalt be saved 6 How do they confesse him to be our sanctification or that by one sacrifice he hath consecrated for ever them that are sanctified when as they teach that there must be offered up dayly sacrifices for us in the Masse And lastly how do they accept him for their Redeemer which affirm that our poenarie works Concil Trid. ses 14. Bellarm. de paenitent l. 4. truly properly do satisfie God for the guilt of our punishment which after the fault forgiuen remaineth to be expiated But these points with many others which may be produced to proue that the Pope and his Church if not expresly yet by consequence which is equivalent doth deny the fulnes of all graces to be in our Saviour Christ I leaue to our learned Divines of whom some haue urged these things alreadie and others I doubt not will prosecute them more at large hereafter The summe of all this may be reduced to this Problem Whether any may more properly be called Antichrist or may be called an adversarie to Christ then he that thus denieth the graces of our Saviour Let us come to that which is not onely easie to our understanding but evident to our senses which may be seen with our eyes and felt with our hands For if we take the name of Christ here as he is in the sacrament who hath been a greater enimie to Christ theÌ„ the Popes one of them poysoning it another casting it into the fire all changing adding or diminishing it But take the name as it is communicated to Kings Priests and Prophets and so Antichrist to be an enimie to them I demand who hath in secret as Antichrist must be deceiueable been a greater enimie to all christian kings and Princes then the Popes sometimes incensing them to fight with Pagans and Saracens abroad as de did Godfry of Bulleyn many Princes with him in the meane space neglecting their Christian subjects at home our king Richard the first and the Emperor Frederike sometimes stirring up seditions and rebellions at home as he did against the Emperor Henry the IIII. Henry the IIII. king of France and Queen Elizabeth sometimes ministring occasions to make wars betwixt themselues as Pope Iohn did by crowning another Emperor while the first was living sometimes by giving away their kingdomes as Navarre and England sometimes leaving them destitute of succour and open to the universall professed enimie of all Christians the Turke as they did the Grecian Emperors sometimes setting secret Traitors to murder them and sometimes procuring open enimies to invade them ever excommunicating cursing and interdicting one or other of them Let the histories of late times be perused and see whether their ende and drift hath not been continually for these 900 yeeres and upwards to maintaine and advance their own power riches jurisdiction and preeminence by holding christian princes alwaies obnoxious to them and to make them obnoxious and to keepe them under awe by such meanes as aforesaid So likewise for Priests and Prophets is he not an adversarie to all that will not submit themselues unto him as namely to the Greek Church and all the bishops and learned pastors of the same to the godly Valdenses Albigenses Wicklevites and others Lastly if we take the name of Christ here for his mysticall body which is the Church this is also a speciall note of Antichrist For so it is plainly said that the woman was drunke with the bloud of Saints and Martyrs And who hath shed more bloud of godly men professing the word of Christ Iesus then the Popes haue done for these last nine hundred yeares I referre my self to the histories and Chronicles of those times See Abbâ—t demonst antich In that one warr which they caused Christian Princes to undertake for Ierusalem under Godfry of Bollen it is recorded that there were slayn two thousand millions of Christians In Merindall Cabriers and other places held by the poore Valdois they murdered all men women and sucking children In the Massacre of France Anno 1572 within eight daies were murdered a hundred thousand beside many other at other times in England and else where So that howsoever we take the name of Antichrist either as Vicar to Christ or as adversarie eyther denying his graces or suppressing his Liuetenants and ministers or persecuting his members I finde this name most agreeable to Rome and I demand Whether it can be so well applied unto any other But here will be demanded of me a question how this name Ho Antichristos that Antichrist as they expound the Greeke Article which they would perswade is to be understood of one man can be applied to a succession of men especially seeing some of the Fathers seeme to speake of him but as one man For the Fathers to clear that first it must be confessed that quaestionibus non dum motis Pâ—â—k in Prob. they spake sometimes impropriè incautius as Bellarm. confesseth or securius as S. August sometimes Rhetoricè as S. Ierom. sometimes populariter as others do affirm This question concerning Antichrist was not appointed for them but for us upon whom it must needs be confessed that the uttermost ends of the world are fallen neither did they much labour in it And yet we see not all of them runne in one straine Hilarie seemeth to speak more largely He that refuseth the judgment of the Scriptures Antichristus est Chrysoft in opere imperfecto doth not restraine himself to one man but we sayth he videmus abominationem desolationis jam stantem in loco sancto id est populum Antichristi in
to be burned as Heretikes which refuse to worship these Images For what cause 〈◊〉 moved Sabinian to burne the bookes of Gregorie but because he had defaced Images howsoever Platina goeth about to blanch the matter What else did they object against the Emperors of Greece What else did they urge against the Valdenses and Wicklevites but that they refused to worship the Roman Pontifex and his images What else did they object to Cranmer Ridley Latimer Hooper Sanders Bradford and other godly men in Queene Maries time that I may speak of England not of other countries but that they refused to acknowledge the reall presence and so to worship the Sacrament other of their images I demand also whether the Turke or any other Idolater do command and compell men to worship images under such capitall and Tyrannous paynes Whether any Idolater do compell men to worship so many Images or set up so many to be worshipped And whether any do proceed so cruelly against those that refuse to worship their Images The Popes in their lawes declare them to be Heretikes and excommunicate which do not worship their images and consequently depriue them not onely of lands and goods but also of their liues yea if it be a Prince they absolue his subjects from obedience and alleagiance givin his subjects power libertie to kill their Natiue king and giue away his kingdome to another Did ever any Iew Turke Infidel or Pagan attempt to doe the like If they should is it credible or likely that they should be believed and obeyed as the Popes haue been Thus therefore their actions being so agreeable to the Rising of this second Beast I demande againe How these Prophecies can be otherwise performed by any Monarch Prince Potentate State or person whatsoever past present or to come And if not then Whether this be not that Antichrist or whether we may expect any other And so we come to the description of Antichrist mounted upon the Roman State and raigning in his glorie which is the fifth generall parte of his description V. The Raigne of Antichrist IT is not unworthie of our observation that the Holy Ghost in setting forth the kingdome of Antichrist useth no such forme of speech as when he speaketh of particular men but such as is commonly used applied in scripture to signifie greate kingdomes and Monarchies When he prophecieth of particular men for the most part he noteth them by some proper Adjunct As of Iohn Baptist Esay 40. A voyce cryeth in the wildernes prepare the way of the Lord. c. So of our Saviour Christ My Righteous servant shall justifie many and againe He was broken for our sinnes c. Sometimes by the name of some other man as Mal 4. Behold I send you the Prophet Elijah c. Sometimes he calleth them by their proper names as that He sayth to Cyrus my Sheepheard Esay 44. c. and I will call Eljakim and so he prophecieth of Iosiah and against Shallum Coniah The king of Babel and Tyrus Esay 22. Ier. 22. But when he speaketh of great kingdomes or Monarchies he figureth them sometimes under the names of Great Beasts as all the four Monarchies in Daniel sometimes under the names of women â—zech 23. as Ezechiel calleth the two kingdomes of Ierusalem and Samaria Two women Nahum calleth Niniveh Esay 47. the beautifull harlot Esayah and Ieremie resemble Babylon sometimes to a woman tender and delicate sometimes to a Queene Iu. 51. sometimes to an Harlot whose words and Phrases our Apostle delighteth much to use It is no marvell therefore that having here to speak of the state of two Great kingdomes namely the Kingdome or Church of Christ and the kingdome or Synagogue of Antichrist He describeth one of them as a Chaste and undefiled spouse prepared for her husband and the other as a sumptuous glorious luxurious proud and intising Harlot alluring kings princes and all sorts of people to come unto her Wherein although it be true that Contraries compared layd together do illustrate one the other yet I will not here prosecute that glorious and heauenly description of the true Church of our Lord Christ Iesus able to take up all my thoughts and meditations but strictly following my former course obserue seuen Attributes in the Description of the Antichristian state and power Revel 17. now mounted upon the back of the Roman state First it is called the Great Whore Secondly which sitteth upon many waters Thirdly with whom the kings of the earth haue committed fornication and the Inhabitants of the earth haue been made druncken with the wine of her fornication Fourthly most richly and gorgeously cloathed and adorned with purple and scarlet gold and pearles having a golden cup in her hand full of her fornications Fiftly shee hath a name written in her forehead a Mysterie Babylon The great Mother of Harlots abhominations of the earth Sixtly She is druncken with the bloud of the Saints and Martyrs of Christ Iesus And lastly to make all plaine who this is It is sayth our Prophet the Great Cittie that ruleth over the kings of the earth Of some parts of which Description I haue spoken before both in the first and second Problem For which cause I shall not neede to speak much here but onely of such things as haue not been touched before And to speake a word by the way of that which is most plain and evident which is last mentioned that it is called the Great cittie by which name we commonly understand the king Prince or Prelate thereof as in the Prophecies against Iuda Israell Babell Ninive we understand many times their Princes and principall men and in our common speech we call Prelates by the names of their Seas as Canterburie London Magunce Trever c. So here by the most proper Adjunct we understand Rome and by Rome her Prince Prelate or Governour It will be in vaine therefore to aske whether this be hee seeing the Holy Ghost sayth this is he But it will be I thinke worth our labour to consider how these qualities may be applied to the chief Pontifex of Rome and whether they may be applied to any other And if to them alone then whether to one more then to another or to the whole succession Let us therefore peruse them in order The first qualitie is The Great Whore Whoredome in Scripture as hath been sayd is understood sometimes literally for the corporall filthines sometimes mystically for the spirituall whoredome which is Idolatrie Now for this later it is evident not onely by the Testimonie of Salvianus aboue recited but of their own histories that the verie Heathen Idols continued undefaced in Rome and worshiped untill the time of Boniface the fourth who having obteyned the Pantheon of the Emperor Phocas did consecrate that Temple to the honour of the Virgin Marie and of all martyrs Platina Fasc Temp. ejectis prius
Whether any Prince Potentate State or person ever did the like in the changes of times as these Popes haue done and whether any can do the like especially that shall continue but three yeares and a halfe or one mans life time Again haue not the Popes and everie one of them changed lawes by establishing a New law which they call the Canon Law Haue they not added to their Decrees Decretals Extravagants Clementines and do they not still publish new Bulles Faculties and Dispensations with speciall words of Non obstante I hope no man will put me to proue any of these things unlesse it be some that will make a question whether that rule of Law be to be held which sayth that Notoria non sunt probanda or make a doubt whether the Popes Bulles Faculties Dispensations and other publike Instruments be Notoria Anton. sum part 3. t. 22. Sum. Angel tit Papa Againe do they not teach and mainteyne that the Pope may make New Religions change the ordinances of Generall Councels and dispence with all Lawes both of the Temporall State and of the Church yea with all the Laws of the second Table and with some of the first As when God in his Law sayth It is not lawfull for thee to haue thy Brothers wife Doth not the Pope say It is lawfull by my dispensation When God sayth Thou shalt not kill doth not the Pope say thou mayst kill euen thy Prince when I haue declared him to be an Heretike Is not this to change lawes 〈…〉 and haue not all the Popes for these many hundred yeares now last past with one consent and voice all making one Man of sinne or Lawlesse one arrogated this power and practised it Haue they not all maynteyned and approved the Actions of their Predecessors in doing such things And do they not still maintaine and practise the same So that I need not to say with Salvianus Etsi hoc commune omnibus non faciebat actus faciebat tamen assensus For which of them hath not done it And what else hath been the cause of so many millions of sinnes committed in the Christian world for these many hundred yeares but the Bulles Indulgences Pardons absolutions faculties and dispensations of the Pope together with the perswasion that men had of their Holines Infallibilitie and power to grant such things and that by such Bulles Indulgences Pardons and Dispensations their sinnes were forgiuen Now let any man shew me Whether ever any Prince Potentate State or man haue done the like or whether it be possible for any in time to come to doe so much in this kinde as the Popes haue done namely to make so many Lawes to break and change so many Lawes and to grant so many Bulles faculties and dispensations especially within the compasse of three yeares and an half or one mans life time Concerning their Adulteries which is the fifth I haue sayd sufficiently before onely this one question may be added viz. Where shall we finde Antichrist and Babylon the Great Whore and mother of Whoredomes but in that church and state whose chief Bishop publikely alloweth them because he hath a greate part of his Revennues from them which as some in former times haue accounted hath been to the value of fortie thousand ducats yearly Concerning their Idolatries also I haue spoken before and shall say more hereafter There resteth but the last note which S. Paul giveth 2 Thes 2. and is principally to be observed because the Fathers do agree that it is without doubt spoken of Antichrist viz. That he sitteth in the Temple of God as God boasting that he is God and exalteth himself aboue all that is called God or that is worshiped and yet working with all deceiuablenes of unrighteousnes If any man yet remain doubtfull whether the Pope be that Antichrist let him answer me upon these words Who ever was comparable to the Pope in these things Aug. de civ dei li. 20. Who ever besides him hath sitten in the outward visible Church or Temple of God as chief Bishop head or Governour thereof or upon the Church as commanding ruling and raigning over it or as the Temple of God with such a singular opinion of sanctitie and infallabilitie for all these wayes doth the Father interpret that word as the Popes haue done And whether it is credible that any shall do the like in time to come Whether is there or was there ever any Prince Potentate or person Christian or Iew Turke or Pagan so adored as he hath been and that in the verie Temple and Charch of God and that by the chief Bishops Archbishops Cardinals Patriarks and Primates of the Church Whether can they giue any greater Adoration to God himself outwardly if he were corporally present Or do they giue any greater to the Sacrament in which they affirme the bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ to be really present Again Whether hath any Prince Potentate or person Christian or Iew Turke or Pagan invented or practised such a powerfull meanes to depriue or depose Emperors Kings and Princes as the Popes haue done by their Excommunications Suspensions Interdictions and Decrees Did ever any so practise to discharge Subjects of their Alleageance and oathes to giue kingdomes away to others to crowne and uncrowne Emperors with his foote to treade upon them and yet still reteyne such an opinion of Holynes See more in the Collect. of M. Fox in the end of his first Tome and haue a Cleargie singing to him in the meane while Super Aspidem Basiliscum c. Did ever any do the like and was obeyed in such things and thought to do it lawfully and rightfully And hath he not in these things more then ever any other exalted himself as God aboue all kings and Princes which are called Gods and worshiped See much more of this in M. Downhams Treatise of Antichr l. 1. cap. 5. Yea doth he not exalt himself aboue our Lord Iesus Christ as much as man may doe when he affirmeth that not onely he himself but everie one of his Masse-priests and Friers is able to make the verie carnall bodie of our Saviour which must be worshipped as God Doth he not cause the Sacrament to be caried before him by a Pedarie or Footepriest when he himself is mounted up in a Throne of Majestie and caried upon mens shoulders Doth he not exalt himself aboue our Lord when he weareth the Crucifix which he likewise commandeth to be worshiped as God upon his shoes and pantofles Possevin◠which euen the Rude Moscovite when he heard of it utterly abhorred and detested Doth he not exalt himself aboue God when he taketh upon him to alter the Articles of Fayth and adde to those which were anciently made and declared in the times of the Apostles or soone after by the consent of the Primitiue Church For what is that they haue declared so imperiously subesse Romano Pontisici Extra Com. de
same who turn the Grace of God into wantonnes defiling the flesh and speake ill of Magistrates Such perhaps as the Nicholaitans Ebion and Cerinthus were which at first were Christians and would be called Christians and yet fell to teach Heresies in Doctrine and loosenes of life Cerinthus did not deny in word that Christ was come in the flesh but taught that the works and Ceremonies of the Law were necessarie to Salvation Whereupon the Apostle inferreth Gal. 2. Then Christ dyed in vayne So by consequent he denyed Christ in denying the effect of his death and passion to be such as the Apostles teach us So the Primitiue Fathers teach us to understand the denying of Christ Hilar. Quisquis Christum qualis ab Apostolis praedicatus est negat Antichristus est Ambros Christum negat qui non omnia quae Christi sunt confitetur See more of these in that learned Demonstration of Antichrist set forth by Doctor Abbat Ca. 12. For in Charitie indeede we must hold that He that is not against us is with us Lucae 9. but in Fayth He that is not with us is against us Ebion did not denye Christ to be come but denyed him to be verie God Luc. 11 and so denied him to be such as the Apostles taught and therefore against him S. Iohn wrote his Gospell The Nicholaitans did not deny the comming of Christ verbally but in turning the grace of God into wantonnes holding that wiues ought to be common and using Promiscuous filthines and adulteries they denyed that great and inseparable effect of his comming to call us to repentance and holynes of life and to be a Saviour to saue us from committing sinne as well as from the punishment of sinne committed So the Simonites and Menandrians which were also in the Apostles time in holding that the graces of God were to be purchased by mony denyed by consequent the effect of Christs comming namely the free giveing of the Grace of God as it is written He ascended up on High and gaue gifts unto men Nazianz. Ephes 4. And so it may be sayd of all other Heretikes which professing Christianitie do affirm and teach any thing contrarie to the Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets For there are two kinds of denying God In Tetrast Tit. 1. sayth Nazianzen out of the Apostle Verbo Opere in Word or in Works Or as David Ore Corde Ps 53. Naz. or as by another is proved Expresly or by Consequent Non tantum divinam Authoritatem habent fide tenenda sunt ea quae in sacris Scripturis expresse continentur sed etiam ea omnia quae ex illis necessaria evidenti consequentia deducuntur sayth the Father By all which testimonies layd together I thinke it may easily appeare what the Apostle meaneth when he sayth that manye Antichrists are gone out into the world which deny that Christ Iesus is come in the Flesh And His comming is with deceitfulnes c. Not any Iew Turke Pagan or other that should expressely directly and verbally deny the coming of our Saviour but such as professing Christianitie teach any false Doctrine and so by consequent denie him to be such as the Scripture hath taught us This also agreeth with other parts of the Description as with his place in the Temple of God with his names to be Vicarius Christi as well as Adversarius to be the Successor of Iudas c. I demand then if the name of Antichrist was so intended by the Apostles and Primitiue Fathers and if that were then held the denying of Christ to denie him by works or by consequent what warrant haue we to hold that the Great Antichrist must be a Iew Turke Pagan or any other that should verbally expresly or directly deny Christ Iesus as now the Romanists would haue us to beleeue And if these Prophesies must be understood of Christians that were Heretikes and these were the preparations or workings of iniquitie then surely the Great Antichrist himself must be of like qualitie and he that is held to be the highest and chiefest of all Christians if he be an Heretike he must be That Antichrist For so sayth Chrysostom The greatnes of sinne is considered eyther by the Magnitude of the offence or by the Altitude of his dignitie that committeth it So of all Christians Dist. 40. he that most excelleth in dignitie and most turneth the grace of God into wantonnes He that is most advanced and yet most defileth the flesh and despiseth government speaking ill of them that are in Authoritie he must and none else can be that Antichrist And who that is I referre it to thine owne conscience Christian Reader Who is it that being in dignitie among Christians most supereminent doth yet most defile the Flesh and despise government Who is it amongst Christians most High and yet most preacheth Christ otherwise then the Apostles teach us as where the Scripture sayth that the Spirit quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing I aske whether they which teach that the flesh carnally taken doth conferr Grace Ioh. 6. opere operato may be sayd to confesse such a Christ to be come as the Scripture setteth forth So he that affirmeth that the Picture of Christ or the Crosse or the Virgin Marie is to be worshiped with divine adoration I aske whether he do confesse that such a Christ is come as the Apostles haue preached if yea then where did our Saviour Christ or his Apostles teach any such thing And so of other points of doctrine and manners which I leaue to learned Divines to prosecute And how the Pope hath been declared to be an Heretike not onely by some particular men or congregations but by the whole Christian Church in Europe and that in three great and generall Councels shall be shewed hereafter So much therefore be spoken of the beginnings or preparations of Antichrist which the Apostle plainly affirmeth was in his time adding this 2 Thes 2. Onely he which now withholdeth shall let till he be taken away and then shall that lawlesse man be revealed This concerneth our second consideration Hierom Lact. 〈◊〉 Theo. Cecum Ambros August Tertul Abb. in demonst c. 4 alij Then the ea◠of the Dragon Rev. 13 2. wherein we haue first to speak of the Withholder or Impediment secondly of the Remoue and thirdly of the revelation Concerning the Impediment The most learned and best Interpreters both old and new do agree it to be the Roman Empire which as the Apostle sayth shall withhold donec e medio fiat untill it be removed out of the way or out of the midest he saith not till it be abolished Marke And then sayth the Apostle shall that wicked man be revealed But when that was or how it should be removed it is not so well explayned although comparing the Scriptures and times well together it seemeth to me that we may well understand it if we marke
and therefore here ought the Catalogue of Popes to beginne and not as they doe with S. Peter or Silvester For it appeareth manifestly by Gregorie that none of the former Bishops of Rome had the title of Vniversall giuen to him I aske therefore whether here were not an evident beginning of the Revelation of Antichrist The Emperour was removed out of Rome the making of the Consuls was discontinued the tenne Kings began to receiue their kingdomes The Pope tooke upon him to rule in Rome and was Summus or Maximus Pontifex onely the Exarches remayned at Ravenna with little power I aske then Who was now revealed to be the seaventh Head or Governour of the Roman State but this Vniversalis and Summus Pontifex Let us see then how by degrees this Antichrist was dayly more more revealed Platina Fasc Temp. About the yeare 608 the Pope obteyned of Phocas the Pantheon or Temple of all Divels and consecrated the same to the honour of the Virgin Marie and all Saints So sayth the Carthusian Vbi impij colebant Daemones ibi Christiani colunt omnes Sanctos sic ars deluditur arte About the same time the Pope gathered a Synod at Rome for the confirmation of his primacie About the yeare 618 Boniface the fifth succeeded who ordeyned that churches should be Sanctuaries for theeues and murderers About the same time began the great Apostacie and departure of the Greeke Church from the Roman of the East Church from the west the Greeke church not yeelding to the Roman supremacie and the Easterne churches receiuing the damnable doctrine of Mahomet so the prophesies by litle and little began to be fulfilled The Empire it self was now almost wholly removed the Kings were risen that after gaue their power to the Pope The Apostasie was come the pope was called Summus Pontifex one of the seauen dignities which had long before been of greatest power and authoritie in Rome and which the Heathen Emperors had used and so the seauenth Head of the Roman state began to appear Three things yet lacked One to haue their supremacie fully confirmed and acknowledged by the Emperor which yet was questioned as well by the Exarches as by the Emperors for in the yeare 647 Pope Martin one of the best of them that succeeded Gregorie was taken by Theodorus the Exarch Pantal. anno 650. and sent prisoner to Constantinople and from thence banished into Pontus A second thing was after such confirmation obtained to shake of all subjection and all signes of subjection to the Emperor And a third to make this an Empire of Idolatrie and as it were the Image of the old Idolatrie used by the Pagans All three followed shortly after For about the yeare 663 the Emperor Constans comming to Rome confirmed their priviledges and prerogatiues and about the year 684 Benet the Pope obtained of the Emperor that whosoever should be chosen by the Cleargie Plaâ—iâ— Rensu people and Armie of Rome to be Pope he should be Pope without any further confirmation of the Exarch or Emperor Marke he nameth the Cleargie People and Armie of Rome claiming thereby as well the Temporall as the spirituall state which before he had not Then came the yeare 700 which was but 666 Rev. 12 5 6 after the ascention of our Lord which is properly S. Iohns aera Ioh. 16 19 20. and so foretold by Christ that the sorrows of the Church should beginne when the Bridegrome was taken away Luke 5 35. Therefore about the same time as Bellarmine collecteth Pantal. anno 700. namely in the yeare 699 Aripertus the usurping Tirant gaue to the Pope the Cottian Alps where now Genua standeth and soone after that is to say in the yeare 707 the Emperor Iustinian the second falleth downe before Pope Constantine and kisseth his feete Platin. Naâ—cl Bibliand Rensuer thereby acknowledging him to be the absolute Head of Rome And about the yeare 712 the Pope now in fulnesse of power commandeth of his owne authoritie Images to be worshiped and when the Emperor Philip resisted the Pope pronounced him excommunicate and likewise when the Emperor Leo and Constantine after him in a zeale of godlynes and detestation of Idolatrie commanded Images to be defaced the Pope On up in Plat. Paul Diac. Sigiber Rens Polidor Paul anno 710 725. not secretly or under hand but palam in os openly and to their faces resisted them sayth Onuphrius and forbadde all Italy to pay them Tributes discharging the Italians from their oathes and alleagiance and so in the ende deprived the Grecian Emperours of all the Empire of the west And soone after that is to say about the yeare of our Lord 755. the Pope by colour of the guift of King Pipin usurped the Exarchate of Ravenna with a great part of Italie I aske therefore what accomplishment of the Prophecie concerning the Revelation of Antichrist may we looke for or can we expect if it be not here fully accomplished Whether was there not here in the open sight of the world another Head of the Roman cittie and state Whether was not the Impediment of the Empire now fully and wholly removed And whether had not the second Beast now giuen life sufficient to the Image of the first Beast or Idolatrous Monarchie Neyther was this by Tumult but with an orderly proceeding For the Pope gathering an Armie of Priests as S. Gregorie calleth it namely a counsell of a thousand Fathers or rather Step-fathers at Rome decreed that Images should be worshiped Blund Palâ— Sigiber Anton Biblian Reus Here therefore both Chronologers and Divines Hermanus coÌ„tract Paul Diac. Biblian Avent Lyra in 2 Thes Staputens Fasc Temp with great concent do end the supputation of the Roman Empire And with great reason for now they saw the Summus Pontifex was set upon the back of the Roman State Romanorum Imperium sayth the Author circa haec tempora ubique in orbe terrarum caepit deficere irrecuperabiliter And a little after Et sic jam omnes quatuor Monarchiae defecerunt non restat alia nisi Antichristi The Roman Empire began to faile about this time without recoverie And so all the four Monarchies are decayed and none other remaineth but that of Antichrist The Romans sayth Baron about this time tooke a solemne oath to be obedient in all points In anno 726 and to all purposes to the Pope And here sayth he was an end of those Dukes and Governours which the Emperors were wonte to seeme to command in Rome and the places thereabouts So also sayth Sigonius that Rome vide Sigon li. 4. de regno Italiae and the Dukedomes of Rome the Exarchate of Ravenna the Duchies of Perusia Tuscia and Campania were giuen to the Pope and Mornay out of Zonaras and Cedrenus setteth downe particularly Pless in myst progress 27. what Townes and Territories fell to the Pope upon this revolt Also Onuphrius telleth us in
consitet Ambros Quisquis Christum qualis ab Apostolis predicatum est negat Antichristus est Hill in such manner as by the said rules we are taught So when we beleeue in the H. ghost who spake by the prophets who is the spirit of trueth that shall leade us into all truth whom God promised to poure out upon all flesh Ioel 2. Act. 2. Acts 10. our Saviour Christ would haue not onely his Apostles but Captaines and Souldjours Iewes and Gentiles to be baptised with that spirit and hath promised to giue it to everie one that beleeveth Io. 7 38 39 Luc. 11 13. and to everie one that prayeth for it Is it a small addition to say that that spirit is now not to be found neither in any particular beleevers nor in any Christian Church nor in anie Nationall Councell nor in the Prelates who are called the Angels of the church nor in all the Churches gathered together in a generall Councell but onely in the Pope of Rome and his Church Without whom no Decree of any Generall councell must be held firme or lawfull When we beleeue the holy Catholike Church is it a small addition to say that this Catholike Church is now confined to Rome When we beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes is it a small addition to say that we haue this forgiuenes by the Popes pardons and indulgences eyther for ever or for so manie thousand yeares Doth this agree with that article wherein we beleeue that Christ shall judge the quick and the dead shall he judge when the Pope hath pardoned or shall he judge according to these pardons Is it a small detraction from the commandements to leaue out a parte of the first Is it a small addition to the Sacraments to make seauen in stead of two to adde spittle and other such trash to baptisme Is this literally to be found in the rules aforesaid is it knowne is it certaine Is it a small addition to giue to the Sacrament of the bodie of our Lord devine adoration or is it a small detraction to make it private and so to take it away from the common people except set and solemne times and the cup alwaies Finally when we are agreed that the litterall sense of the Scripture is the most certaine and safe rule of our beleefe and that it hath in it selfe an incredible harmonie and consent and is the sense of the Holy Ghost is it a small addition to this point also to say that the Pope is the supreame interpreter thereof and judge of fayth and manners And that he cannot erre If this be knowne and certaine then why did none of the rules aforesaid expresse and say so Why is it not expressed in the Scripture why did no ancient generall Councell decree it yea why did the three generall Councels aforesaid decree contrarie that the generall councell is aboue the pope Admitte the case to be that the pope judge contrarie to the litterall sense of the Scripture must it be no error Admitte that he maintaine that the Scripture is to be received by vertue of his authoritie that he may dispence with the commandements of God that he is the generall Commissarie of God assumed into the plenitude of power are these small additions to the rules aforesaid The like may be sayd of manie other points upon all which I thus propose and referre it to thine owne soule and conscience good Christian to judge if these be great additions and detractions and more greater then ever any other Heretike made to those Rules of fayth before mentioned and if they haue been oftentimes reproved and admonished for them and yet still maintaine the same then I say I leaue it to thine owne soule to judge Whether the Pope be not the greatest Heretike that ever was And whether we may not well affirme him to be that Antichrist then whom never any was nor can be greater Dan. 12. and with the Prophet Daniel say that they are happie and blessed that lived unto these times to see so great an Enemie of Christ his Church and yet so disguised so holy in name and yet lawlesse indeede so great a Prelate in show and yet in deede so great an Heretike Such a Vicar generall of Christ and yet indeede Antichrist to be discovered and declared by three such great and generall assemblies of the Church It will percase be demanded how I can call him an Heretike that maketh the same confession of Fayth as we doe And I aske if we confesse the same fayth why doth he call us Heretikes But I thinke it appeareth sufficiently by that which hath beene sayd that in making so great additions to the true Catholike and Apostolike fayth he hath declared himself to be the greatest Heretike that ever was and consequently that Antichrist Let us then consider the signes of the times of Anti-Christ and see whether they also do not concurre in discribing men fit for such times and actions fit to be ministers unto Antichrist and who those men may be but the Roman Cleargie First our Saviour Christ giveth us a short but notable and notorious signe importing blasphemie which is such a propertie of Antichrist as no man can doubt of Many sayth he shall come in my name and shall say I am Christ or annointed Mat. 24. for so the word signifieth is not this litterally fulfilled Haue not all the popish Cleargie taken this title upon them And what not for any good or godly purpose but to defend themselues in their most heynous and flagitious crimes against the sword of secular justice by alledging that place of the Psalme Nolite tangere Christos meos Psalm 105. touch not mine annointed I appeale to the consciences of all men that haue beene any whit though meanly conversant in the Histories of late times or observed their actions if any will say that this text may be used as it is in that Psalme for the defence of godly Prophets I will not deny it so it be not used for their protection in wicked actions for to use it in the protection of sinne is no lesse a blasphemie then to make our Saviour Christ the protector and Author of sinne and wickednes A second notable description of men of those times is made by S. Paul For sayth he In the last dayes which S. Iohn calleth the times of Antichrist men shall be lovers of themselues 2 Tim. 3. coveteous boasters proud cursed speakers disobedient to parents unthankefull unholy without naturall affection truce breakers false accusers intemperate feirce dispisers of good men Traytors headie high minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God having a shew of godlynes but haue denied the power thereof So farre the Apostle And these men who they haue been and who they be is not hard to be discerned For who be they that now for many hundred yeares haue laboured onely under the title of the church with unmeasurable and unsatiable