ye shal haue tribulation ten daies be thou faithful vnto death I wil giue thee the crowne of life Thus god suffereth his seruants to be sifted to be tried as pure golde in the furnace receiueth them as a swéete smelling sauour of burnt sacrifice And this is it whereof the Apostle putteth the Thessalonians in remembraunce that they are strengthned by the holy ghost not only to abide such afflictioÌ„s as they suffer because they haue receiued the gospel but also to reioice because they are assured whatsoeuer shal happen vnto them they be the children of God V 7. So that you were as ensamples to all that beleeue in Macedonia and Achaia 8 For from you sounded out the word of y e Lord not in Macedonia and Achaia only but your faith also which is toward God spread abroade in all quarters that wee neede not to speake any thing 9 For they themselues shewe of you what maner entring in wee had vnto you and howe you turned from idols to God to serue the liuing and true God 10 And to looke for his sonne from heauen whome hee raised from the dead Iesus whiche deliuereth vs from the wrath to come The countries rounde about them were drawen by the example of the Thessalonians to beléeue the Gospel preached vnto them You are sayth he as y e bright sunne beames They beholde you and reioyce of you euen as of the morning light You are an holy Citie sette vppon an hil you cannot be hid your saith is a paterne of saith your life is a patern of life vnto them They haue learned of you howe to guide their wayes You haue called them backe from errour and from vngodiâ—…nesse to serue the true and liuing God You are made vnto them a swéete smelling sauour of life vnto life For so it hath pleased God to make his Gospel knowne in al places through you to make you the builders of his church When they beholde your godly conuersation which is in Christ they are ashamed of themselues When they behold your light they find fault with their owne darkenesse O say they this is a holy people this is a people that feareth God Let vs heare them what they teach let vs leade our liues in holinesse and righteousnesse as they doe Let vs by hearing these wordes enter into our selues God hath giuen his light to â—…hine vppon vs hee hath blessed vs with the knowledge of his Gospel Let vs take héede we turne not the light into darkenesse nor the truth of God into lies Manie thousande eyes are set vpon vs to looke vpon and beholde vs. Let vs be an example of godlinesse Let vs be as a light to them that yet abide in darkenes Let not the name of GOD be euil spoken of through vs. His name is holy Woe be vnto the worlde sayth Christ because of offences for it must needes be that offences shal come but woe be vnto that man by whome the offence commeth Whosoeuer shal offende one of these little ones it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea It were better for that man if hee had neuer béene borne For the bloud of them that perishe by his offence shal be required at his handes The wrath of God is reueiled from heauen against those that are such because they withholde the truth in vnright conâ—…sse The kingdome of God shal be taken away from them and giuen to a nation that wil bring foorth the fruites thereof It followeth From you sounded the word of the Lord not in Macedonia Achaia only c. If a man carrie in his hande a light burning candle it giueth not light to him only that carrieth it but to al those which be in the house and they also sée it which are without Euen so if any be the child of knowledge and carrie about him the light of-God he doth not onely tast of the comfort thereof himselfe and worke comfort to those that appertaine to the Church of God but lightneth also the hearts of Paganes and Jâ—…dels which are abroade Such as are bathed or persumed with precious ointments or pouders haue not only the pleasure to themselues but the sauour therof casteth if selfe out and is pleasant to al those which stande by The Gospel is the light of God It shineth in the darkenesse of this worlde It is the swéete incense and sauour of God Wheresoeuer the breath thereof is receiued it bringeth life But your faith also which is toward God spredde abroade in al quarters As the lightning is séene from one part of the ayre to the other and as the sounde of great noise spreadeth it selfe farre and wide so deeth the light of good conuersation in the godly shewe if selfe foorth And therefore he telleth them they haue filled al the Countrie of Macedonia with knowledge with wonder at their faith and â—…nesse in the truth As if he had saide great is the renowme of your king Alexander and your countrey is famous He hath ouerrun the whole world and subdued it He hath conquered Graecia Asia Arabia Phrygia Armenia Scythia and India Kings and princes sel downe before him The whole world stoode in awe of his name Yet Alexander had but the power force of men He had great treasures of golde and siluer He had numbers of horses and camels and Elephants He had sworde bils speares and dartes and such like artillerie and armor These were the things wherewith he ouercame his enemies Hereby both he and his people were renowmed What then may be said of the battaile which you haue fought or of the victorie which you haue gpttâ—… you haue won y e Alexander could neuer win You haue ouercome your selues You haue ouercome the world He conquered the bodies of many had them at coÌ„maundement But their soules stoode out would not be conquered You haue subdued your soules brought them to the obedience of the Gospel You haue ouerrun al the countrie and triumphed among the people And al this is brought to passe without force without policie without arâ—…ur without artilerie onely by your patience and suffering for the Gospel sake That wee neede not to speake any thing To make the commendation of their faith more euident he telleth thenâ—… the same of their zeale and constancy is kno 〈◊〉 in al places Whither seener I go saith he they know you and speake of you and bearken to you Hereby appeareth how néedeful it is that chief townes and cities he wel gouerned that vice in them be senerely punished that â—…tne and godlinesse be maineteined and the people instructed because the examples of such places spread abroad in al quarters nigh them They themselues shewe of you what maner of enteraunce wee had vnto you After what sort you receiued me and ginedeare I was vnto you Al places were laide and beset for me to séeke my life but
reformation of the abuses and errours of the church of Rome They haue béene aduertised of them not only by the professours of the gospel but also many of themselues haue spoken for reformatioÌ„ of sundrie abuses They haue kept many counsailes and assemblies They haue promised redresse They haue sit in consultation many yeares What one thing haue they reformed sée looke ouer their aâ—…es and sessions They be abroad in print Hitherto they haue reformed nothing no not their pardons no not their srâ—…ws they haue hardned their heartes and set themselues against the highest Therefore shal the glorie of the Lord shew it selfe in their destruction With the breath of his lippes they shal be consumed and brought to nothing And shal abolish with the brightnesse of his comming The Lord shal come and shal make his enemies his footstoole Then the sunne shal be black as a sackcloth the moone shal be like blood There shal be an earthquake Kinges great men and rich men and euery bond man and frée man shal hide themselues in dennes they shal say to the hils and mountaines and rockes fal vpon vs hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe Then shal Antichrist be quite ouerthrowen Then his kingdome shal be vtterly abolished and haue an end Then it shal appeare who hath sought the glorie of Christ who hath followed the doctrine of the gospel and who hath done the true endeuor of a faithful shepheard theÌ„ it shal appeare who is the woolfe who scattereth spoileth the flocke S. Hierome sayth Circumdabit â—…um calix dextere domini c. The cuppe of the Lordes right hande which is the Lorde and sauiour shal compasse him about when hee shal staie him with the breath of his mouth and shal destroie him with the brightnes of his comming Then al the ignominie and shame which hee hath heaped vp vppon himselfe with thoughtes deedes and wordes shal fal vppon his glorie and pompe in so much that he shal be afterwarde as vile and contemned of al men as he was before reputed or highly esteemed of them This might suffise touching the ruine and fal of Antichrist Yet I wil adde to that hath béene spoken the maner of the sight and of the victorie and of the triumphe which shall followe The fight is doubtful and daungerous the victorie shal be glorious the triumph shal be ioyful Heare let vs cal to remembraunce the warres which tyrantes and vngodly princes haue made against the people of God and what hath followed Scuacherib the great king of the Assirians came vp against Ierusalem with horses chariots and infinite nuÌ„bers of pickt souldiers The whole countrey of Iewrie was in an agonie al the people were astonied with feare to sée so many enemies and themselues so fewe to sée the enemies so strong and themselues so weake They knewe not neither where to séeke aide nor how to escape the present danger Sodainly the Lord sent his Angel from heauen to relieue his people In one night he smote in the campe of the Assyrians an hundred foure score and fiue thousand which were al dead coarses The residue were scattered and ranne away stragling they knewe not where to hide their head King Senacherib went his way and returned And when he was in 〈◊〉 at home and woorshipping his God Nisroch in the temple Adramelech and Sharezer his sonnes slew him Remember the cruel warres which Nabuchodonozer King of Babilon made against Gods people He tooke their citie spoyled their Temple sacked Ierusalem and gaue the pray to his souldiers He tooke the Nobles and gentlemen and marchants and yeomen and led them captiues Some of them he tooke with him to Babilon and some he sold for money so great and so terrible was his victorie In the middest of al his pompe God bereft him of his wit and astonied him with deadly madnesse He was driuen from men and did eate grasse as the Oxen and his bodie was wet with the dewe of heauen til his hayres were growen as Eagles feathers his nayles like birds clawes He imagined that he was an Oxe that he had hoofe and horne and haire as Oxen. Hée therefore forsooke his palace his princely apparel and daintie fare and lay abroade and fed with beastes So did God auenge the cause of his people Who hath not heard of the war which Pharao had against the Israelites the battaile was strange and the victory sodaine The people of god was beset with dangers on euery side the wildernesse had shut them in Before their faces they saw the raging sea that they could not scape it behinde their backes they did beholds Pharao with his army march after theÌ„ if they went forward they must néedes be drowned if they retired they must néedes be slaine Their enemies were mightie and they were weake Sodainly God deuided the waters made the sea dry land so that the children of Israel went through the middest of the sea vpoÌ„ dry ground safely as through a medow Pharao followed after with his sword and speare to worke his fury Then the sea returned to his course and drowned the chariots horsemen and al the host of Pharao there remained not one of them aliue Their carkases lay afloat vpon the water and were cast in heapes vppon the shoare Such shal bee the ende of those that hate the Lorde So shal he make his name triumph ouer al the world Let vs imagine a battaile of two mightie princes both of great power and of great â—…ourage they méete togither in the fielde they ioyne battaile both sides encounter together either part is bent to beate downe the other what an horrour is it to heare the braying of Horses the sounde of trumpets the thunder of drummes the roaring of guns the clashing of swords the groning and mournful voice of them which are slaine and the crying trembling of the people nowe let vs by this make some resemblance of the battaile betwéene Christ and Antichrist betwéene Christ the sonne of God and Antichrist the sonne of the diuel Either of them is wel prepared They are both mightie and haue both of them souldiers and knightes to attende vpon them Antichrist shal come from the earth for al his glorie is vpon the earth his power shal be the power of Satan Christ shal come from the heauens aboue euen from the bosome of his father What cognisance shal they giue how by what difference shal their souldiers be discerned the ensigne of Christ shal be enerlasting truth the ensigne of Antichrist shalbe falshood and vanitie and al deceitfulnesse By these markes shal either be knowen With what souldiers shal they make their fielde they that shal follow Christ are poore and simple who haue forsaken themselues their goods and their liues and tremble at the worde of God The men of warre which fight with Antichrist and followe him shal bee
When Paule disputed and exhorted the Iewes and the Graecians at Corinthus and found little fruite of his labour and that there were few or none that liked his doctrine and manie enimies which resisted and blasphemed it hée purposed to depart and goe awaie from them Then the Lorde saide vnto Paul in the night by a vision Feare not but speake and holde not thy peace for I am with thee and no man shall laie handes on thee to hurt thee for I haue much people in this citie They shall heare thée if not now yet they shall heare thée at some other time They shall beare thy sayings in minde I will be with thée I will open their hearts and make them obedient to the Gospell and they shall be turned vnto me Thou shalt sée the fruite of thy labour and that thy comming vnto them hath not béene in vaine Verse 2. But euen after that we had suffered before and were shamefully intreated at Philippi as ye know we were bolde in our God to speake vnto you the Gospell of God with much striuing The story of these his persecutions is written in the 16. of the Acts. He was stript naked and scourged with rods and cast into prison and put in hazarde of life Yet notwithstanding he were thus euill entreated at Philippi when he came to Thessalonica he was nothing discouraged but procéeded more boldly than before and went into the Synagogue of the Iewes and disputed thrée Sabbaoth daies and taught them that Christ is that Messias euen the sonne of God But that wée maie the better conceiue howe mightily GOD worketh and what great strength he giueth to weake creatures when he appointeth them to set foorth his glorie let vs beholde this boldnesse of the Apostle in speaking the Gospell vnto them To whome did he speake To the Iewes the enimies of the crosse of Christ. Where Not in hucker mucker and in corners but openly in their synagog for he feared no maÌ„ What time those he TheÌ„ when al the Iewes were assembled togither How often 3. sabboth daies togither In what citie In Thessalonica y e greatest and most famous Citie of all that Countrey How was hée entreated There arose great trouble contention They resisted him spake against him and sought to destroy him For what cause what had he deserued what had he taught the gospel of God and of Christ of the kingdome and of the life to come the gospell in which God offereth his grace and reconciliation and comfort and peace and saluation Who woulde thinke such ioifull tidings shoulde not be welcome what eie would not willingly open it selfe to behold the brightnes of the sunne what eare will refuse to heare God speake but it hath alwaies bin so There haue euer bene some that haue loued darknes rather than light The worlde shall neuer be without some Annas or Caiaphas or Iudas or Pilate The children of the Diuel shal alwaies set themselues against the children of God The cause of tumults and troubles procéedeth not from the Gospell The Gospell of Christ is the Gospell of peace But the enemies of the Gospel are stirrers of â—…quietnes and inflamers of war Abel was simple Caine spitefull Iacob smooth Esau rough and hairie Dauid gentle Saul cruel Ioseph innocent his brethren wicked and fell vpon him The Apostles humble in heart and peacemakers the Pharises bloudthirstie and sought to put them to death The like examples are before vs this daie The whole worlde is in an vproare and great troubles and afflictions are in al places No man is able to declare the misery thereof Let no man therefore slaunder or forsake the Gospel It hath bene so from the beginning and from time to time Such troubles confusion and miserie are wrought not by the gospel or them that receiue the gospel but by those which resist it they practise all meanes and turne all things vpside downe rather than it should take place The wicked are angrie there with they gnaâ—…h their téeth and consume awaye This is the cause for which the children shall rise against their parentes and shal cause them to die Cain murthered Abel because God had respect vnto Abel and to his offring Esau could not abide Iacob because Isaac had giuen him his blessing The brethren of Ioseph sought to make him away because God had a fauour vnto him Saul was wrothfull against Dauid because God gaue him great gifts of courage and strength and wisdome The Aegyptians loathed the childreÌ„ of Israel because they were Gods people The Galathians resisted Paul because he preached the trueth Therefore saith S. Paul we labor and are rebuked because we trust in the liuing God which is the sauiour of al men Speciallie of those which beleue Likewise saith our sauior They shall excommunicate you yea the time shal come that whosoeuer killeth you wil think he doth God seruice And these things wil they do vnto you because they haue not knowen the father nor me Euen so standeth it with the Church of God this day There is nothing new that is vnder the sunne Whatsoeuer is done nowe hath béene done afore Who wil lift vp his eyes and looke to the dooinges of men shal sée Cain rise vp against Abel Esau against Iacob the cruel brethren against Ioseph Saul against Dauid Pharao against Moses the Aegyptians against the people of God the High Priests and the Pharisees against Christ and al that wil be his disciples they change peace into warre they turne iudgement into gal and the fruit of righteousnesse into wormewood they resist the truth of God to establish deuises and doctrines of men But blessed be God they shal not preuaile Hee giueth vs peace He hath made vs turne our swords into mattocks He hath taught vs altogether with one mouth and one heart to praise him euen the father of our Lorde Jesus Christ. His truth is mightie and shal preuaile V. 3. For our exhortation was not by deceit nor vncleannesse nor by guile 4. But as we were allowed of God that the Gospel should be committed vnto vs so wee speake not as they that please men but God which tryeth our hearts God sayth he hath chosen me from my mothers wombe and set me apart to the office of an Apostle He hath appointed me to carrie his name before the Gentiles Therefore as he hath giuen mée charge to preach the Gospel and to bring the people vnto him from the power of Satan so I speake truely faithfully sincerely not as the words of men but as the wordes of God I haue vsed no deceit nor taught you to folow traditions of men in â—…de of the commaundements of God In like sort saith he to the Corinthians I haue receiued of the Lorde that which I also haue declared vnto you And againe We are ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you thorough vs. For this cause he sayth vnto them Seing that we haue this ministery
it from Manilius Maternus Albumazar or Haly. What is Manilius Maternus Albumazar and Haly What are they but Heathens Painims and Jnsidels Were they not voide of all knowledge of God were they not the enimies of the crosse of Christ these neuer beléeued in God howe could they then know that day when he would iudge the world Let thy common reason reforme thée Can Saturne and Mars knowe this when the Angels of God cannot knowe it To what end write they thus to giue a token of their knowledge nay hereby they proclaime and publish their sollie and want of knowledge These two hundred yeares there haue euer béene some which haue aduentured to tell such newes and to saie in this yeare or that yeare you shal haue doomes daie Such a daie will Christ come to iudgement and the world shall haue an end They haue appointed many such yeares and daies and houres The yeares be gone the daies be past the houres be slipt away but the world abideth and giueth witnesse of their follie But the meaning of these men is good Hereby they moue the people to repentance For when men thinke the ende of the world is at hand they wil beare the lesse affection of the things of this world This is not the waie to teach repentance and amendment of life The people may not be taught by lies fables If this had béen good for theÌ„ God himselfe would haue vsed it God graunt them grace to repent which thus presume of knowledge and reach so high and yet know nothing Let vs yet reason further with them How haue they this knowledge of certaintie or by coniecture if of certaintie then it must néedes be so it cannot faile nothing can let it But you wil say it is a coniecture it may so bée and it is likely for such a day shal be a Coniunction of Saturne and Mars in a fierie house and therefore al things shal be consumed with fire Alas what hath Saturne or Mars to doe with the day of the Lorde They are but creatures they are no Goddes They are starres made to giue vs light why should they leade vs into darkenesse in the day of the Lorde they shal be melted and perish with fire Why then trouble they the worlde with such vanities and set those thinges downe for trueth whereof they haue no certaintie but onely a gesse and coniecture And what time chose they to cast abroade these newes the same in which the Gospel through the mercie of God is wel knowen of most men Euen nowe tel they these tales when all men knowe that Christ sayeth the Angels in heauen knowe not of that day and houre The Angelles beholde the face of God and stand in his presence yet know they not the day of the Lorde This is a secret which God reuealeth not vnto any Children can reprooue this follie in them and say Mitte arcana dei caelúmque inquirere quid sit Seeke not to knowe the secretes of God nor what manner thing the heauen is Know thy self that thou art but a mortal man crawling on the grounde like a worme Hée that wil stare vpon the sunne may be blinde and loose his eyes God hath giuen thée knowledge in measure thou canst not knowe as much as thou wouldest Knowe that is fit for thée to knowe and speake that is laweful to be spoken Thinke of the commaundementes of God to followe them Search not into his workes to be curious in them For he that is curious in searching the maiestie of God shal be oppressed and confounded by his glorie Thus much we may wel knowe that the Lorde wil come that al fleshe shal appeare before him that the worlde the heauen the earth the sunne and the moone shal haue an ende that the day of the Lorde shall come sodainely as a Théefe in the night This warning GOD hath giuen vs that we shoulde not be taken vnwares but that wee repent and stande in readinesse and watch and pray that wee may bee caught vp into the cloudes to méete our redéemer V. 4. But you brethren are not in darkenesse that that day shoulde come on you as it were a theese 5 Yee are al the children of light and the children of the day wee are not of the night neither of darkenesse 6 Therefore let vs not sleepe as doe other but let vs watch and be sober 7 For they that sleepe sleepe in the night and they that be drunken are drunken in the night 8 But let vs which are of the day be sober putting on the breaste-plate of Faith and Loue and the hope of saluation for an helmet 9 For God hath not appointed vs vnto wrath but to obtaine saluation by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ. 10 Which dyed for vs that whether wee wake or sleepe wee should liue togither with him Your conuersation is in heauen from whence you looke for the sauiour euen the Lorde Iesus Christ. Ye were once darkenesse but nowe you are light in the Lorde walke as children of light approouing that which is pleasing to y e Lord. That day shal be dreadful and come sodainely vpon the wicked but to you it shal not séeme sodaine which feare the Lorde and put your trust in him and take al care to be in readines at his comming Arme your selues strongly the enemie séeketh to ouerthrowe you Your enemie is the Deuill with al his force Your strength standeth not in your owne prowes or manhoode but in the mightie power of God put on therefore the breast-plate of faith and loue he that beléeueth shal be saued he that abydeth in loue abideth in God whosoeuer putteth his trust in him shal not be confounded Here I may take occasion to say somewhat of the troubles of warre howe Sathan séeketh by it to disquiet the Church of God Who hath not hearde what force is this day raised in this realme who hath not hearde of it but let it not trouble you God wil turne al to his glory I loue not to speak of such things Yet somewhat I must speake thereof the time enforceth me This is the first disturbance and breach of that blessed peace in which God hath so long and so quietly preserued this realme since the time that hir Maiestie came to the Crowne It giueth great occasion to the enemie to breake in vppon vs it is the spoyling of our Countrey The barbarous souldiours rush into mens houses and take out what they list They drawe their sworde bende their force ioyne themselues to warre against the Lord and against his annointed They haue â—…orne and defaced burnt in fire the holy Bible the Gospel of our saluation and woulde set vp the loathsome seruice of the Masse What hath the worde of God offended why should it be torne in péeces why shoulde it be burnt what worde is in it which is not the worde of life it is the power of God vnto saluation to them that beléeue And
Onelie hee which nowe letteth shall let till hee be taken awaie Nowe the Emperour hath the rule ouer the worlde Let him kéepe it There shall a time come when he shall loose his possessions then Antichrist shall appeare When the Empire shall be dismembred and the kingdomes belonging to him shall departe from him then shall be the comming of Antichrist Who will looke into the storie of things and times past shall perceiue the meaning of the Apostle and how the empire of Rome being so great is consumed and brought to nothing and in what sorte Antichrist which was once so poore and simple so little regarded and obscure might growe to be so great and auaunee himselfe aboue Kings and Princes The empouerishing of the one was the enriching of the other I tolde you that the empire of Rome contained sometimes a great part of the worlde as England Fraunce Spaine Germanie c. Where is England nowe It is diuided from and is no part of the Empire Where is Fraunce Spaine Italie Illyricum where is Rome it selfe They are taken awaie from it and are now no part of the Empire Where is Macedonia Thracia Graecia Asia Armenia c. Wée can not thinke of them but with heauinesse They be nowe vnder the Turke they are taken awate and are no part of the Empire What is become of the great countenaunce which the Emperour had in al the world Hée is nowe in comparison no bodie What part of al the Empire is left vnto him Not one He hath not left him one Citie or towne What is become of al which did belong to him They are dissolued taken from him and his estate is brought to nothing In the meane while Antichrist encreased and grewe to wealth by spoile of the Empire The Bishoppe of Rome hath at this daie manie Countries and Lordshippes Poore Peter had none Howe then came he by them By the spoile of the Empire He hath the title of Forum-Iulium Where hath hée it but of the spoile of the Empire Where hath hée so manie countries beginning at Luke and onward to the Alpes but by the spoile of the Empire Hée hath Rauenna Forum Sempronij Beneuentum and Spoletum Al these he hath by the spoile of the Empire Hée claimeth the kingdome of Naples and of Sicile hée is the Lord Paramount King Philip is his vassall and paieth him tribute Hée hath Rome it selfe It did belong vnto the Emperour Howe grewe it to the Bishoppe whence hath hée it By the spoile of the Empire Wée sée then that the Emperour is abated that the Bishop is encreased and so encreased that hée hath made the Emperour to be his man to beare his traine to wait vpon him to knéele downe and to kisse his foote This could he neuer bring to passe whiles the Empire stoode whole and the Emperour was able to make his parte good But these things were doone that it might be fulfilled which was spoken The Kings of the earth shall giue their strength and power to the beast c. That they may agree together and giue their kingdome vnto the beast vntil the wordes of God be fulfilled Who that beast shall be Augustine writing vppon the Psalmes verie well declareth Ita traditur de Antichristo quod omnes reges superaturus sit solus regnum obtenturus Thus it is written of Antichrist that hee shall conquere al Kings and obtaine the kingdome himselfe alone and who it is vnto whome the Kings of the earth haue giuen their kingdome and which doth obtaine the kingdome himselfe alone if anie man doubt let him be aduised by these sayings of them which knew it well and were not enimies to the Bishoppricke of Rome Iohan. de Parisiis saith Some thinke that by reason of this donation of Constantine the Pope is the Emperour and the Lord of the world and that hereby hee hath power both to set vp and also to put downe Kings as an Emperour And if this be too little to saie thus vpon heare-saie the same saith further plainely Omnis potestas saecularis immediate data est Papae Al manner temporal power was giuen immediatly vnto the Pope What other thing is it that Innocentius saith The Emperour holdeth his empire of the Pope and therfore hee is bounde to sweare homage and fealtie to the Pope as the vassall is bound to his Lord. In this right Pope Adrian saide Behold it is in our hand to bestowe the Empire vpon whome wee liste Were not the state of the empire now decayed were not the prophecie of the Apostle nowe fulfilled were not the Emperour howsoeuer hée haue in a mysterie a bare name left taken awaie as wel in respect of the Countries which hée did holde as of the authoritie the rule and power which hée had ouer the worlde these proude spéeches could neuer haue béene suffered Now then séeing the empire is so decayed and abased and the Bishop of Rome so highly aduaunced into his seate and authoritie so highly I say that some are bold to say The Pope hath the princehoode of all the whole worlde and The Pope is king of kinges and Lord of Lords Let Gregorie who hath otherwhere giuen great light to this prophecy shew vs hereby also to knowe who is Antichrist He sayth Antichristus veniens ipsas etiam summas huius saeculi potestates obtinebit Antichrist when he shal come shal conquere the highest estates and powers of this world This whole matter is also expressed in the seuenth of Daniel The fourth beast was feareful and terrible and very strong it had great yron téeth it deuoured and brake in peeces and stamped the residue vnder his féete and it was vnlike to the beastes that were before it for it had ten hornes And beholde there came vp among them an other little horne which had eyes like a man and a mouth speaking presumptuous things This beast is the empire of Rome the greatest Empire that euer was It was diuided into tenne or into sundrie kingdomes as I shewed you and as we sée this day The little horne is Antichrist The Empire shal be diuided and weakened then Antichrist shal come He shal speak words against the most high and shal consume the Saints of the most high and thinke that he may chaunge times and lawes and they shal be giuen into his hand Daniel sayth he shal speake wordes against the most high and shal thinke he may chaunge times and lawes and they shal be giuen into his hande Wherein he sheweth not onely the pride and presumption of Antichrist but that he shal also preuaile for a time Such a one there hath béene yet is He blasphemeth God murdereth the saints hath chaunged times and lawes the lawes of God and the lawes of nature He is Antichrist To make an end of this part of knowledge of Antichrist who he shal be in what place he shal dwel and of that which should let his cōming let vs remember he