Spiritualls can bee judged by none in the world no nor by the world in a Councill whereby hee professeth that none in the world is absolutely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is without Law but the Pope Finally what the Canonâ—sts speake for slattery and the Writers of Controversies out of their judgement Gunther and Tiethgaudi Archbishops of Cullen and Morn Myst Iniqu Oppos 31. Trevers spake out of experience of and to Pope Nicholaus the first Quod tibi libet licet that is thou hast no law but thy lust All which doth but amplifie this title in my text that the Pope is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lawlesse like the Iudge Luk. 18. 2. that he feareth neither God nor man Though these bee plaine yet the plainest proofe of any mens positions is their owne practice let their tongues and pennes preach and publish what they will or can to the contrary To this purpose I say lawes are of two sorts divine and humane The first are given by God the second by Man The Law given by God is either a Law of constraint Primarie imposed the Scripture or a Law of Consent secondarie collected the Creed Againe the Humane Lawes also are twofold Oecumenicall and Oeconomicall Those are Publike for all Nations these private for all Families Now if I doe not make it appeare that the Practice of the Pope is lawlesse in all these particulars I will confesse that I doe him apparent wrong to call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Out-law and The Antichrist The great law is the law of God that great law of God is that of coÌ„straint the Scriptures which shold constraine every coÌ„science to awfull obedience But the Pope hath practised the contrary to that authority was it ever credible that that law giveÌ„ w th such consternation w th thunders and lightnings and a thicke cloud and the voice of a trumpet so that all the people trembled Exodus 19. 16. confirmed with such a protestation that Heaven and earth should passe before one jot or one â—ittle should passe from the Law Matth. 5. 18. and sealed with such a Commination I testifie vnto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this booke if any man shall adde unto these things God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this booke And if any shall take away from the words of the booke of this Prophecy God shall take away his part out of the booke of life Revel 22 18. 19. So precious to the Iewes that they thought it their prerogative to keepe it Rom 3. 2. So highly esteemed by the Christians that they poured out their blood to professe it Heb. 11. Was it I say ever credible that this Sic dicit Dominus Thus saith the Lord should be changed into a Sic jubet servus servorum so commandeth the servant of servants That this Law of God should ever be vilâ—fied and nullified by a wretched man This is the Popes practice Is not the breach of Gods Law avouched by his dispensations and indulgences are not the bookes thereof checked by inhibitions and publike interdictions The Scripture indeed is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 3. 16. Gods streight rule to our crooked affections but the Pope doth bend it to his owne liking As their owne grosse phrase is he maketh it Lesbia Regula and Nasus Cereus a Leaden Hâ—â—â—us Pigâ—ius Rule and Nose of waxe which they may wrest and wring any wrong way according to their owne will and pleasure Or as Bellarmine Bellarm de P. Ro. lib. 3. c. 14. speaketh in a better phrase but to the same purpose the Pope doth Apostolorum praecepta positiva moderari ac mutare prout ecclesiae expedierit the Pope saith he doth moderate and change the positive praecepts of the Apostles as hee shall thinke it convenient for the commoditie of the Church But since that Bellarmines plaine mind Hist of Paul 5 and the Venetians lib. 4. pag. 198. is discovered by some of found judgement For anno 1606 he composed a little booke against the Treatises of Gerson wherein he aymed to exalt the authority of the Pope so farre as to make it equall to that of God That Law doth not constreine neither him nor his to keepe their bounds but he will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lawlesse They make the Scripture in their owne base phrase mutum magistrum a dumbe Teacher to say nothing as their Trent phrase speaketh more mannerly secundum sensum quem ecclesia tenet to say nothing but according as the Church will understand it that is what the Pope prompteth In old time Demosthenes said that the Oracles of Apollo did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they were taught to speake nothing but what pleased Philips Greatnes We may say in our time but God be blessed not in our Countrey not in our Church at the least that the Oracles of the Scriptures doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are taught to speake what doth please the Popes Holinesse To shut up this point with the wicked words of Hosius and with the witty words of Durandus ipsas scripturas facessere Iuell Apolog. pag. â—31 jubebimus wee will bid the Scriptures to bee packing said that blasphemous Papist But the Other speaketh in another veine male cum rebus humanis actum est ex quo Decretis alae accesserunâ— idest ex quo Decretales in ecclesia volare ausae sunt supra scripturas said that popish Canonists that is Christendome came into thraldome ever since the Law of the Lord hath beene troden downe by the Law of the Pope The last words of which sentence are too true if that Decree of Pope Steven 6 recorded by Gratian bee canonicall and categoricall Gratianus D 19 C Eniâ—â—â—râ— Quicquid Romana ecclesia statuit quicquid ordinat perpetno quidem irrefragabiliter observandum est Whatsoever the Church of Rome doth appoint whatsoever it doth ordainâ— it must be observed perpetually and without gainsaying Is not the Pope then that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that lawlesse man that man of sinne indeed that very Antichrist Next to this great Law the Law of Constraint the scriptures is the Law of Consent a great law too the Creed which being collected out of the Scriptures the whole Christian world hath submitted it self to the authority therof as to the touchstone of their assertioÌ„s Now the Pope doth not onely oppose the old but saith that he can also compose a new Creed In the old Creed hee directly thwartheth three Articles that of Christs remaining in Heaven till the judgment bringing him down daily to the Earth by that monstrous miracle of Transubstantiation That of the forgiuenesse of sinnes by his presumptuous doctrine of merits And finally the third Article of the Catholike Church by inserting the word Romane which overthroweth the sense of the Article and is contradictio in adjecto an absurd contradiction as if we should terme Lewis
sin By both hee fulfilleth that in the first to the Romans and the last He doth not onely do things worthy of Death but hath pleasure in them which doe them But who is this Man this Paterne and Patron of all impiety the Rhemists call it Blaspemy we verity We say The Pope is The Man of Sinne both by Acting it in Himselfe and by effecting it in others Anno 1562. the Archbishop Trent Hist lib 7. pag. 588. of Granada and all the Spanish Bishops desired reformation in the Trent Councill saying that the Fountaine of all abuses was the Court of Rome which is not onely corrupt it selfe but the cause of Deformation in all the Churches This truth is also confirmed by that false proselyte Radix omnium malorum Spalâ—â—â—â—â—â—s de Rep. lib. 4 c. 11. nu 11. est Romana Curia the Court of Rome is the cause of all evill For the first the personall sinnes of the Popes I passe that Onely because Suarez saith Suarez Apol. lib 5 cap. 17. nu 5. Christoph de Antichristo against Doctor Dounam Trisâ—gion lib. 3. cap. 39. that there were aliqui improbi not many and Christopherson in his catalogue doth not mention any evill persons amongst all the Popes I must therefore give a tast of other mens observations The learned author of the Trisagion saith that there sate in the See of Rome fourteene Popes which were Adulterous nine Simoniaks twelve Tyrants three and twenty Sorcerers and ten Traitors To which I must Toâ—â— Torâ—i pag 219. adde what our Bishop hath delivered out of their Platina Monstra Portenta more then twenty Monsters of Mankind which sate and more than thirty Schismes were hatched in the Chaire of Rome And for the space of one hundred fourescore yeeres for the succession of Fifty Popes hee could reckon Vix unum Pontificis nomine dignum hardly one worthy to be called a Pope and that you may not Hâ—m 2. lib. Whits 2. part sol 219 c. judge this to be a private judgmeÌ„t or mine to be a rash judgement reade the judgement of the Church of England fully to this point in the Homily for Whitsontide But I will remove my finger froÌ„ this sore which I had not touched had not their bragging Tongue coÌ„strained my Hand a little to discouer it Next to come to the life of the cause That the Pope is the cause of sinne it will be confessed if we consider onely this one thing There is a booke called Taxa Cancellariae Apostolicae where in print the Absolutions from sinne and dispensations for sinne are set at a certaine Rate Can any imagine a fitter introduction and a more imboldning incouragement for any sinfull man to commit any sinfull action This is much which I say but much more is said by one of their owne and best authors Claudius Espencaeus Liber palam ac publicè hic Cl. Espâ—â—â— in Tit. cap. 1. Digres 1. impressus hodie ut olim venalis Taxa Camerae seu Cancellariae Apostolicae inscriptus in quo plus scelerum discas licet quam in omnibus omnium vitiorum summistis ac summarijs et plurimis quidem licentia omnibus autem Absolutio empturientibus proposita That is There is a booke publikely to be sold the Taxa Camerae whereby a man may learne more wickednesse than ever was comprised in all the summists and summaries of Vices which ever were set forth and wherein some may buy leave and all pardon for any sinne The same author proceedeth in the same place and point that that booke doth dispence with Adulterers Murtherers and Sorcerers Adulteros In cantatrices Homicides yea they absolve Parricidas Incestos contra naturam cum Brutis those that kill their Fathers defile their Mothers or that are so farre past grace that they commit that foule crime against nature By name for Perjurie Cap. 4. a villaine which hath falsly and willingly forsworne himselfe shall be absolved and the price of his Absolution is printed sixe grosses Cap. 3. or nine shillings and the same price is pitched for that child of the devill who out of a diabolicall lust shall defile a woman in the holy house of God in the very Church it selfe Thus also under Alexander the sixt the Cardinall Waldenses lib. 2. cap. 3. pag. 48. of St. Xist sent into Dauphine two bulls one by which he gave absolution for Simonie Theft Murther Vsury Adultery Detension of Benefices Destruction of goods Ecclesiasticall Perjurie yea Apostasie and Heresie All which may bee established by the Bellaâ— de Pont. Rom. lib. 4 ca. 5. sect Quod. judgement of learned Bellarmine for saith he Si Papa praecipiat vitia prohiberet virtutes tenetur Ecclesia credere vitia esse bona virtutes malas nisi velit contra conscientiam peccare That is If the Pope should command vices and interdict vertues every person who would not offend against his conscience must beleeue that the vices are good and the vertues are bad And that none may surmise me to wrong Bellarmine or to wring his words beyond his meaning behold a like egge of the same bird Bellar. de Pont. Rom. lib. 4. ca. 2. sect Dein de Catholici omnes convenient pontificem aliquid statuentem sive errare possit sive non esse ab omnibus fidelibus obedienter audiendum that is all Catholikes doe accord in this that the Pope whether he may erre or no is yet to be heard with all obedience And Bellarmine doth but Blanch Bell. Recogn de Sum. Pontif. pag. 507. the Aethiop when as he would seeme to retract this paradoxe saying that hee did speake de dubijs actibus and in the last citation he hath in re dubia For the Powder Traitors propounding Abbati Antilog cap. 9. it as rem dubiam to murther a King and ruine a Kingdome at one blow from these principles if the Pope had returned the affirmative they must have obeyed him yea have beleeved that that vicious act had beene a vertue Tolet. Instr lib. 4 cap. 3. sect 7. nay as another Cardinall speaketh in another case they might have thought that bloody barbarous villany meritorious Let any patron of the Pope under heaven name any man or succession of men on the earth who have given the like incitements incouragements and commandements unto sinne And I will recant and confesse that I have done his Holinesse and the holy series of his predecessours much wrong saying that The pope is the man of sinne But principally the Pope is the cause of three sinnes hee is the cause of Ignorance of Whoredome and Treason Now if I can prove that the Pope is the cause of these 3 sins I have cause enough to conclude The pope is the man of sinne For the first If the Councill of Tolet hath defined Concil Tol. 4. cap. 24. right that Ignorantia est mater omnium errorum Ignorance is the
a vessell of mans blood Satia inquit te sanguine quem sitisti cujusque semper insatiabilis fuâ—stâ— Cyrus was insatiable in his appetite to blood Wee may suppose the same of that whole bloody generation of the old Babylon Neither is the New Babylon free from that dropsie She is drunke with the blood of Saints Revel 17. 6. and if we looke on Calabria Languedoc Provence Bohemia Hungary and Spaine where the Protestants have beene persecuted and whence they have beene extirpated our eyes without the interposition of any Red Glasse or other artificiall medium would apprehend those Countries to bee like the Aegyptian Rivers Exod. 7. 21. all blood If we review the Resolutions of the Spanish and English and the Executions of the French the Armada Powder plot and miserable Massacres But of all if the Inquisition which is now like the sonne of Croesus tongue-tyed would utter Aâ—â— Gâ—llius lib. 5. cap 9. how many Lambes have had their throats cut in that secret shambles We should see so much that it would compell us to speake as much to Rome as Zipporah did to Moses Exod. 4. 25. Surely a bloody citie art thou unto us and therein also like old Babylon But what need we contend for arguments when our adversaries grant the conclusion That Rome is Babylon and so consequently the seat of Antichrist it is plainly confessed by many of the most learned Papists This is the Suarez Apol. lib. 5. 6. 7. nu 8. assertion of Victorinus Andreas Ribera Viegas also Bellarmine de Sum. Pontif. lib. 3. ca. 13. Sanders de Vis Monarchia lib. 8. cap. 8. and many others Roma à Iohanne saepius vâ—catur Babylon saith Lessius Si aeutem saith Suarez If Lessius de Ant-Dem 12. Suarez Apol. lib. 5. c. 7. nu 8. Malvenda de Antich lib. 4. c. 4 by Babylon we understand any particular Citie it can be no other than Rome Nay saith Malvenda since S. Iohn Revel 17. 18. doth call Babylon the Great Citie which reigneth over the Kings of the earth this saith he is as plaine as if one should veluti digitâ— Romanam Vrbem demonstrare with his very finger point at the citie of Rome Thus farre then we concurre that Rome in the Revelation is meant by Babylon and that Rome or Babylon is the seat of Antichrist But they qualifie this grant with a distinction Suarez Apolog. lib. 5. 6. 7. nu 8. It may be say they Rome is Babylon and shall be the seat of Antichrist but this must be understood de Roma ethnica non religiosa of Rome under the Pagans and not of Rome under the Pope A childish evasion not worthie a consutation It must bee Rome Christian as it appeareth from a double departure The first of Babylon from the Church Revel 17. 1. Babylon is called an Whore which doth presuppose Apostasie and an Apostasie is peculiar unto Christians no way pertaining unto Pagans The second departure is of the Church from Babylon Rev. 18. 4. Exite Come out of her my people Now wee know that many of Gods people did remaine in old Rome who would have made some scruple to reside in Babylon Againe S. Paul saith that the Temple of God is the seat of Antichrist But Rome Heathen is not the Temple of God Therefore Rome Heathen is not Babylon or the seat of Antichrist Let us try this distinction a little further and we shall discover it to be meere drosse Thus we object Rome is Babylon or the seat of Antichrist They grant it but distinguish betwixt Rome Heathen and Christian As if they should say Indeed Rome is the seat of Antichrist but Rome as it was or shall be under the Pagans and not as it is under the Pope So we dispute of the Place and they distinguish of the Time whereby they yeeld the Cause that in regard of the Place Rome is the Seat of Antichrist But for the Time that is another property which I will handle in another place For this it is sufficient that Rome is the place of Antichrist Since therefore Rome doth stand on seven hills since it did reigne over the Kings of the earth since it is aptly resembled to old Babylon and since it doth usurpe the Temple of God claiming it selfe to be the Principall yea the whole Church of Christ I conclude Rome is Babylon the City the Court and Seat of Antichrist And is Rome Babylon Now me thinkes I heare that voice from heaven Revel â—8 4. Come out of her my people that yee be not partakers of her sinnes and that ye receive not of her plagues Babylon will bring sinne to your soules plagues to your bodies perdition unto both Let us therefore come out of Babylon let us therefore keâ—pe out of Babylon Saint Iohn did runne out of the bath from Cerynthus for feare hee should have beene buried in it And Lot was haled out of Sodome for feare he should have beene burned with it But Babel is worse than Cerynthus his bath worse than Sodome we shall be burned we shall be buried in destruction if once we be bewitched with that Babylonish sorcery Popery Yea the seat of Babell is like the Furnace of Babell it will destroy those who come but neare it And Popery is like a Whirle-poole it will swallow those who come but within the brinke thereof Let us therefore Come out of Babylon and keepe us farre from the deceits of Poperie I say not Trade not with them Eate not with them Companie not with them I say not this yet Modicum non nocet Si non sumatur A little Acquaintance with Popish People will doe little harme if wee entertaine no acquaintance with any Papists at all This I say Beware of Babylon and her papisticall instruments Keepe your Children from them keepe your Servants from them keepe your Persons from them But above all keepe your Hearts and Affections from them Now the God of Hierusalem keepe you from the Man of Babylon â— that he may never prevaile upon your Persons upon your Friends upon your Children upon your Servants nor upon any thing which appertaineth unto you Amen SERMON VIII 2 THESS 2. 3 4. Who exalteth himselfe above all that is called God or that is worshipped Antichrist shall not exalt himselfe above the true God The Pope doth and above all that is worshipped The Popes Ambition The Pope exalteth himselfe above Kings Above the Emperours Papists are Traitors THis branch of this verse containeth the first property of Antichrist concerning the exposition wherof there is a great breach betwixt us and the Papists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Bellarm. Apolog cap. 9. extollit se Antichristus supra omnem Deum qui dicitur Deus sive per essentiam sive per participationem sive falsum sive verum saith Bellarmine That is Antichrist shall exalt himselfe above all that is called God either by Essence or by Participation be he a true or a false god
Sive Suarez Apol. lib. 5. 6. 17. nu 7. vere sive falso sive metaphorice be he a true false or metaphoricall god such as Princes are said to be saith Suarez 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supra omne quod colitur sive superstitiose sive religiose either religiously or superstitiously saith the same Suarez 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verbum extollendi Suarez Apol. lib. 5. c. 17. nu 11 significat excessum arrogantiam usurpationem by exalting is meant an excessive arrogant usurpation over God and all things belonging to God According unto which our English Rhemists seeme to state the question and controversie Rhemists in 2 Thess 2. 4. Sect. 11. betwixt us Who exalteth himselfe above all that is called God or that is worshipped That is Antichrist shall abolish all religion of the Iewes Gentiles and Christians and shall suffer none no not God but himselfe to bee worshipped alone A most grossely absurd exposition as it may be made manifest foure wayes First it contradicteth reason in reason if a seducer should plainly professe and proclaime himselfe to be greater than God would any be so stupide and senselesse to be seduced by him If a mortall wretch should exalt himselfe above the great and true God men would rather deride him for his folly imprison him for his phrensie and stone him for his blasphemy than to follow such a foolish frantick and blasphemous Impostor Secondly it doth contradict his name who is named Antichristus that is The Adversary of Christ and not Antitheus that is the Adversary of God which should be his proper name if directly or expressely to exalt himselfe above the true God were his true propertie Thirdly this is contrary to their owne popish positions Antichrist say the Papists shall be a Iew how then shall he abolish the Iewish religion Againe they affirme that he shall be a Magician and that hee shall worship the Devill Therefore Antichrist shall not exalt himself supra omnem Deum above every God not above the god of this world And finally this interpretation is contrary to this very Text. The superlative of all his excessive properties is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he shall rule as God and shew that he is God this is the height of his audacious incomparable arrogance but that incredible impossible unlimited insolence that a man shall exalt himselfe above God we must leave this as a phrensie and fiction to wave the imputation of other franticke and fabulous paradoxes which they are unwilling to acknowledge much lesse to reclaime Having rejected their exposition we proceed to our owne Above all that is called God in the originall some read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above every thing which is called God and others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above every person which is called God The first reading is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the errour of the Printer contrary to the most Greeke copies as it is acknowledged by M. Beza himselfe With the warrant Beza in â— Thâ—s 2. 4. therefore of the most copies we follow the latter reading and the interpretation of our late Soveraigne now with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rex Iacobus Praemonit the persons whom the Scriptures doe call Gods are Princes and Magistrates Psal 82. 6. Dixi Dij estis I have called you Gods Which exposition is affirmed by a learned French Bishop Pater omnium Deus dâ—citur est at Irenâ—â—s lib 3. cap. 6. non super hunc extolletur Antichrist us sed super eos qui dicuntur quidem sed non sunt dij The Father of all things saith he is called God and is God but Antichrist shall not exalt himselfe above him but above them who indeed are called gods but are not in deed Which Exposition is also confirmed by as learned an English Bishop Ecqua nervosior consequentia quam ut dicantur Andrewes Apol. cap. 9. Dij ab Apostolo quos Deus ipse dixit dâ—os in Psalmo Can there be a more strong consequence than to collect that those are called Gods by Saint Paul in this Text whom God himselfe doth call gods in the Psalmes And if the Apostle had not alluded unto some whom the Scripture doth call gods hee might with like facility have written that Antichrist should exalt himselfe supra omne quod est vel saltem supra omne quod vel est vel dicitur Deus above all that is or at least above all that either is or that is called God Here then S. Paul saith not that Antichrist shall exalt himselfe above all that is God to wit by nature but above all which is called God to wit in title which is proper unto Kings The meaning of the first member of this distribution is this Antichrist shall exalt himselfe above all that is called God that is above all Kings and Princes The second member is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all that is worshipped which indeed doth signifie quod colitur the object of any kinde of worship or thing worshipped as Altars Idols c. as it is rightly rendred by Bellarmine out of the Acts Bell. de Pont. Rom. 314. 17. 23. and Wisdome 15. 17. This acception of the word though it be true yet it is improper to this place because the letter doth run 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supra omnem qui dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above every person not above every thing which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore in the text I take to bee a synonima signifying the same thing with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 25 of the Acts 21 and 25. where it is expounded Augustus The sense being that Antichrist shall exalt himselfe above the Emperor For he speaketh of such an exaltation whereby Antichrist should be revealed as he was to be hindered for a time by the Romane Emperour The sense of all is this Antichrist exalteth himselfe above all that is called God or that is worshipped that is Antichrist doth exalt himselfe above all Kings and above all Emperours Such an one is the Pope if there ever was is or shall bee such an one under Heaven But in so plaine a cause to deale freely with them This sense I say is true yet their owne interpretation may exactly be fitted to the Pope First take the name of God metaphorically for Bishops and Kings The Pope is avouched by all Papists to be Episcopus Oecumenicus the universall bishop of the World and by some to be solus Episcopus the Onely bishop And Suarez Apolog. li. 5. ca. 17. nu 12 his authority over Kings and Emperours Suarez calleth jus suum his right and proper indowment For false Gods those of the Heathen had power limited the Pope unlimited With them Neptune ruled the Sea Ceres the Earth Iupiter Heaven and Pluto Hell But the Pope hath three Crownes to shew his power in three places in Heaven Earth and Hell And for the
true God no Power can dispence with any Law but the same or a greater authority Now the Pope doth dispence with the Scripture of God therefore he exalteth himselfe above God Againe whilest the Pope doth make that to be lawfull which God hath made unlawfull as the exemption of Clerkes from their Soveraigne Rom. 13. 4. and those things to bee unlawfull which God hath made to be lawfull as the exception of Clerkes from mariage Heb. 13. 4. But principally whilest he doth make the whole State of Religion to depend upon the Oracle of his resolution hereby he doth exalt himself above God himselfe Thus the Pope doth exalt himselfe above all that is called God metaphorically falsely or truely that is above Kings Bishops Idols or the Authour of the Scripture And thus farre from their owne Popish premises wee may conclude that the Pope is The Antichrist The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or things worshipped in the Romane Church are these five the Saints Angels Altar Crosse and Host Above all which all men know that the Pope doth exalt himselfe He sheweth himselfe superiour to Bell. de Sanctâ— Beat. cap 8. the Saints quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in regard of their Canonization he doth Canonize or make men departed to be Saints and to bee worshipped Where the argument of Athanasius is strong Athanasius Ora. contra Gentes 〈◊〉 â— col 9. and evident 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Efficiens effecto melius esse oportet the maker must bee more excellent than the worke of his hands The Angels are commanded by the Pope Corn. Agrâ—p de vanit sciâ—â—t cap. 61. Clemens 6 to take such soules as dyed by the way going to the Iubilie out of Purgatory and to cary them immediately into Heaven This he commanded and this commandement is an argument that the Pope doth exalt himselfe above Angels yea that he doth shew himselfe to be God For by this very argument doth Saint Paul prove Christ to be God because he Sacrar Cerem lib. 1. fol. 16. is above the Angels Heb. 1. 4 5. Thirdly the Popes Throne is placed above Gods Altar Argue from the thing to the persons and wee shall sinde them not much inferiour to any thing which is worshipped Fourthly the Crosse is laid at the Popes feet evidence enough that he doth exalt himselfe above it And finally in his solemne Processions the Host that is to them Christ God is caried on an Horse but the Pope on mens shoulders But to bring all within the infinite orbe of his unlimited Arrogance Tibi genua â—urventur Aug. Triumph Epist Ded. ad Ioh. 22. caelestium terrestrium inferorum To the Pope every knee shall bow of things in Heaven and things in earth and things under the earth saith their Augustine de Ancona And I thinke Saint Paul could say not much more of our Saviour Christ Phil. 2. 10. The Pope therefore doth honour himselfe aboue the Saints Angels Altars Crosse and the Host In their owne sense Hee exalteth himselfe above all that is worshipped I doe not then decline their owne interpretation that Antichrist doth exalt himselfe above the very God in some sense But I deferre that Property unto his proper place the third point where I must shew that Antichrist doth shew himselfe that he is God In the meane time ex ungue Leonem you may guesse by this who it is which doth exalt himselfe above all that is called God or that is worshipped Even by their owne interpretation But to insist more particularly upon the proper meaning of the words Three points I propose to passe through the Act who exalteth himselfe exercised on a Double object above all that is called God or that is worshipped that is above all Kings and Emperours The Act 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who exalteth hmselfe is an incomparable ambition which is incomparably in the Pope and Papacy For the Pope was first a Bishop over many Priests in one Citie Secondly a Metropolitane over many Bishops in one Province Thirdly the Pope was a Patriarke over many Metropolitans in one Diocess for amongst the Romanes there were seven Provinces in one Diocesse Fourthly he usurped the title of Oecumenicus to be the universall Bishop of the whole world Fiftly he is stiled Laynez Iesuiâ—â— Trent Hist lib. 7. 610. Trent Hist li. 7. pag. 655. solus Pastor the onely shepheard or Bishop And finally that Pius Pope the fourth of that name in the yeare 1563 signified to the Councell of Trent by his Legates that hee was the Master of all Christendome Pretty steps of ambitious incroaching and yet here is not the height of his ambition The Tower of Babel must touch the Heavens the Pope doth exalt himselfe yet farther To which purpose Marta doth expound Tortura Torti pag. 177. that saying of the Psalmist very laudably Psal 8. 6 7. Thou hast put under his feet oves boves that is under the feet of the Pope Christianos Saracenos all Christians and Saracens saith that Glosse of Orleance For For every Extrav de Major Obedient tit â— humane Creature to be subject to the Pope omnino sit de necessitate salutis it is necessary to their salvation saith the popish extravagant In the yeare 1585. in the yeeld-Hall of St. Domingo in India our English observed the Spanish Cambden â—nno 1585. Armes under which was planted a Globe or Map of the whole world and on it the picture of an Horse Prauncing and spreading his fore-feet beyond the verge of the Globe or compasse of the world with this inscription Non sufficit Orbis i. the world is too little for me An exact embleme of the Popes insatiable ambition non sufficit orbis all the world is too Antonin sumnia 1. Dist 22. cap. 5. little for him whereof his owne Antoninus giveth an ample testimony expounding the following verses of the forenamed Psalme Thou Psal 8. 7 8. hast put under the Popes feet the beasts of the field that is all men the Fowles of the Ayre that is the Angels and the Fishes of the Sea that is aâ—imas in Purgatorio the Soules in Purgatorie So Heaven Earth and Hell Men Angels and the Spirits must all be subject to his Holinesse if holy Antonine may bee beleeved But durst ever man imagine that any man durst usurpe upon Christs owne Peculiar Matth. 28. Sacrar Cerem lib. 1. sect 7. c. 6. 18. Omnis potestas all Power is given mee in Heaven and in Earth Yet this was the saying of Sixtus Quartus in the solemnitie of his sacred Ceremonies Adde that their whole indeavor is onely to support this Papall Omnipotence and that the other points of controversie concerning religion are but onely Pretences To that purpose Trent Hist li. 1. pag. 94. consider that anno 1541. at the Diet of Ratisbon Paul 3 sent his Legate Iasper Cardinall Contarine with all manner of power to agree with the Protestants
to sit as God can be no bodily sitting To say therefore that Antichrist shall sit bodily in a Temple to be worshipped religiously is a sense implying nothing but Absurdity Impossibility and Blasphemie The Protestants exposition remaineth to be propounded which I suppose to bee uncontroulable First in the Temple I will expound this phrase by that of Occumenius upon this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by the name of the Temple in this text we must not understand the Temple of Hierusalem but the Churches of God Secondly he sitteth that is he ruleth or reigneth in which sense God himselfe is said to sit in his throne Psal 9. 4. and their Aquine on this place rendreth our interpretation Sedeat id est principetur dominetur Hee sitteth that is saith he he governeth and domimereth Nay as if he would digito demonstraner ac dicier hic est as if the Pope would point at his owne person to bee prophesied of in this place hee doth appropriate this phrase to his owne stile whereas Kings are said to reigne and not to sit the Popes are said to sit and not to reigne as if they would verifie this prophesie to the letter Thirdly He shall sit as God to wit as God incarnated that is as Christ Tanquam Deus scilicet incarnatus i. tanquam Christus His name implyeth as much the man of sinne being called Antichristus non Antitheus that is Antichrist and not an Anti-God The true sense is this The man of sinne doth sit in the Temple of God as God that is Antichrist doth rule the Church of Christ usurping the very power of Christ I frame this Syllogisme as the foundation of my following discourse Whosoever doth rule the Church of Christ pretending the same power with Christ hath this property of Antichrist or rather is the very Antichrist But the Pope doth rule the Church of Christ pretending the same power with Christ Ergo the Pope hath this property of Antichrist Or rather Therefore The Pope is the very Antichrist The proposition hath beene proved by the premises The proofe of the minor now remaineth to bee proposed Which also may seeme to bee superfluous if that Sermon of Steven Archbishop of Patras which hee made Concil Lateran sub Leone 10. in Concione Stephani Arâ—b Patracensis Sess 10. at the Councill of Laterane bee authenticall Where he preached publikely of the Pope and to the Pope that the Pope had potestatem supra omnes potestates tam coeli quam terrae that is Power above all power either in Heaven or in Earth And therefore the same if not superiour to that of Christ Or that Treatise of Augustus Ambomitanus in the 45 question whereof he delivereth Idem esse Dominium Dei ac Papae Gods Dominion and the Popes is all one As the Iurisdiction of the Delegant and Delegat is one Especially where the delegation is plenary and totall as he presumeth it is in the Pope But to proceed in our proofes though we have their open confession All the power of Christ over the Church is expressed in his Titles by which hee doth approach to him yea incroach on him very palpably Let that passe but for a formall preface unto his more pompous stile which their Sacred Ceremonies Sacrar Cerem lib 1. â—ect 1. cap 3. fol. 10. doe solemnly invest him with That the Pope is the Vicar of Iesus Christ the Successour of Saint Peter the Pastour of the Lords Flocke the Key-keeper of the Court of Heaven and the Prince of all Christendome But Bellarmine lest any of Bell. de Con. Auth. lib. 2. c. 17. them should be defective either to our plain proofe or to his plainer pride teacheth directly That all the Titles which the Scriptures give to Christ are by them given unto the Pope His words are these Quae in Scripturis tribuuntur Christo unde constat eum esse supra Ecclesiam cadem omnia tribuuntur Pontifici Furthermore the Titles including the power will make it appeare yet more particularly The Pope doth usurpe the one and therefore he doth usurpe the other Christ principally hath three Titles He is called Princeps Pastorum 1 Pet. 5. 4. Our Chiefe Shepheard Pontifex Our High Priest Heb. 3. 1. and finally Caput Ecclesiae The Head of the Church Ephes 5. 23. And all these it is generally knowne that the Pope doth ordinarily assume Yea more than these Is Christ termed Princeps Pastorum the Chiefe Shepheard the Pope hath beene stiled Solus Pastor Is Christ called Pontifex the High Priest Vah Parum est the Pope is called Pontifex maximus the Highest High Priest Is Christ called Caput Ecclesiae the Head of the Church the Pope hath the same Name yea and more also Hee is Caput fidei the Head of our Faith a strange title Tortura pa. 329. saith Bellarmine Nay he is not onely Caput but Vertex capitis the very Top and Tip of the Head saith Schioppius that impostume of scurrilitie Thus then the Pope doth arrogate the same Titles with some addition also which are ascribed unto our Saviour Saint Paul doth prove the Excellency of our Saviour to be farre above the Nature of Angels because he hath received a more excellent Name The Pope likewise doth inferre that he hath the same Excellency and Power because he hath the same Name with our Saviour Nay wherefore doth he not directly call himselfe Christ as well as High Priest Chiefe Shepheard and Head of the Church which are equivalent thereunto When Edward of England intended Warre against Philip of France hee assumed his Prime Title and proclaimed himselfe King of France So the Pope assuming the Principall Titles of Christ maketh even a ProclamatioÌ„ against Christ that He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The adversary who as God sitteth in the Temple of God that is ruleth in the Church of Christ pretending the same power with Christ But indeed the whole power of Christ in ruling the Church is comprised in this one Title The Head of the Church the Pope therefore arrogating that one doth usurpe all To cleare the way by a briefe digression Two things they reply to this point First they urge argumentum ad hominem and prove the Pope to be Suarez Apolog lib. 5. c. 17. nu 5. their Head from our Tongues The English protestants say they call the King the Head of the Church therefore the Romish Catholikes may Monarchomachia part 2. tit 3 pag. 323. likewise call the Pope the Head of the Church We reply who gave our King this Title Even the Romish Bishops themselves in the eight and twentieth yeare of Henry the eight Statute 1 which was afterward explained by the words Supreme Governor 1. Elizabethae But the former Lib. M S Sacr. Syn Guil. Warâ—h 11. Feb. 1530. pag. 115. title Head of the Church did a Synode of Romish Bishops give to our King Henry the 8 amongst whom also was that grand Romanist Iohn Fisher
First He exalteth himselfe above all that is called God or that is worshipped Secondly He as God sitteth in the Temple of God Thirdly He sheweth himselfe that he is God I may call them the three degrees of Antichrists pride amongst the which this third is the superlative By the first he doth tyrannize over the estates of men by the second over the consciences of men and by the third hee doth usurpe to be the God of men Before he ruled and appeared as God in one particular here he insinuateth himselfe to be God in many particulars Or to follow Bellarmines phrase Bell. de Pont. Rom. lib. 3. c. 14 There he tooke upon him authoritatem Dei the authority of God here nomen Dei the name of God The Text saith He sheweth himselfe that he is God In the matter that Antichrist shall vaunt himselfe to be God Papists and Protestants all consent they dissent in the manner We say he shall attempt this secretly and cunningly by his insolent God-like actions They say he shall doe it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plainly and openly Professing himselfe to be the true and onely God Se jactabit Lessius de Antichristo demon 7. verum Deum He shall vaunt himselfe to be the true God saith Lessius And Bellarmine as acutely more falsely Antichristus se non solùm Deum Bell. de pont Rom. lib 3. c. 14 sed etiam solum se Deum esse dicet that is He shall not onely say he is God but moreover he shall say that he is the onely God Contrary to the properties practice and person of Antichrâ—st and therein contradicting himselfe also Bellarmine himselfe doth teach that Antichrist shall pretend himselfe to bee the Messias but there must be some difference betwixt the Messias that is God which is sent and God which doth send him Therefore this may passe for one of their incredible fictions That Antichrist shall call himselfe the true and onely God Moreover it is contrary to the property of Antichrist who is confessed by the Papists to bee an Hypocrite but to say plainly that he is the onely God is not hypocrisie but blasphemy Secondly his practice shall be to seduce the Iewes say they the Christians say wee indeed all say all But who would be seduced by such an open Atheist And therefore Lessâ—us our Lass de Antich part 2. dem 2. adversary acknowledgeth that Antichrist the Adversary in fighting against the Militant Church shall use rationabili aliquo pretextu specie quadam rationis ac pietatis ut homines decipiat that is hee shall use some pretext of piety and shew of reason to deceive But to proclaime himselfe to be the onely God is both impious and unreasonable and therefore his practice shall be to no purpose None will bee deceived by him Finally for his person Antichrist is a man Now Nero and Nebuchadnezzar though they would be adored as gods yet did they not deny other gods Nor can we imagine that a man shall depose the God of Heaven although hee would Exalt himselfe to be a God on earth Thus they But we say or rather the Text saith so to us and by us that Antichrist shall not say but shew that he is God For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the arrogance of workes and not of words And if any such blasphemous word shall fall from him or from his flatterers they will have a pretext for that blasphemy Alexander Iustin hist lib. 11 would bee called a God but how Not of himselfe but under the pretence of being the Sonne of Iupiter Ammon So Antichrist if he shall call himselfe God he will sweeten this blasphemy with some hypocrisie As that he is not so simply but as he is the Sonne of God as Bell. Apolog. p. â—60 Less de Antich part 1. dem 7. he is the Servant of God as he is the Vicar of God or as he is the Vicegerent of God c. In a word in plaine words Antichrist will never say that he is God Thus I frame my argument Whosoever doth shew himselfe that he is God hath this property of Antichrist or rather is the very Antichrist But the Pope doth shew himselfe that he is God Therefore the Pope hath this property of Antichrist or rather is the very Antichrist The Major is apparent from the opening of the phrase indeed it is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very syllables of my Text. The Minor I must make good by this insuing Sermon Which I will make to appeare by foure particulars The Pope doth shew himself that he is God either hypocritically by way of insinuation or openly by plaine profession He doth insinuate it by what he doeth or by what he doth permit he doth professe it both by assuming the very name of God and the very worship of God Now when I have made it plaine that the Pope doth shew himselfe that he is God both cunningly and plainly both by his actions and permissions both by arrogating the Name of God and the worship due to God I thinke this will bee no injurious conclusion Therefore The Pope is the Antichrist By that which he hath done the Pope hath shewed enough that he is god I will borrow of Baronius my preface to this point Baronius Baronius an 364 to shew the pride of Donatus citeth this saying out of Optatus Cum super Imperatorem non sit nisi solus Deus qui fecit Imperatorem dum Donatus super Imperatorem se extollit jam quasi hominum meâ—as excesserat ut se ut Deum non ut hominem aestimaret Mutato nomine changing the Africane name into a Latine thus I English it Since none is above the Emperour but God because the Pope doth extoll himselfe above the Emperour as I have plentifully proved Sermon 8. before therefore as if he had exceeded the bounds of man he seemeth to esteeme himselfe as God not as man To proceed It was the suspition of Fredericke the second that the Pope did affectare Aventin 7. Divinitatem that the Pope did seeke to be esteemed a god That suspition is now made evident by the Popes owne actions things proper unto God First the Pope doth dispence against the Concil Trid. Sess 24. Caâ— 8. Scriptures permitting and admitting Mariages pronounced by Gods Law unlawfull and incestuous Levit. 18. But he who doth controll the word of God by that act doth shew that hee is God Againe hee doth command Christians credere to beleeve but to command Faith Conâ— Trid. Sess 3. sub Iul. 3. Item prooemio ad Sess â— sub Piâ— 4. is the worke of God not of Man Thirdly if Tertullians judgement and argument be good against the Senate of Rome wee may use it against the Pope of Rome Qui facit Does Divosque Deo major est that is Hee that maketh gods or Saints is greater than the gods or the Saints But the Pope doth make Saints saith
Sicilian Bishop supplicated to Nicholas the third in the words of Bartimaeus Marke 10. 47. Miserere mei sili David O sonne of David have mercy upon me Paulus the fourth Paulus 4 Bulla â—d Duâ—em Florent doth usurpe that royall title of Christ in the Rev. 19. 16. stiling himselfe Regem Regum the King of Kings Iansenius doth expound that Iansen Harâ— cap. 66. Matth. 18. 16. Vpon this rocke will I build my Church of the person of Peter and of the Pope his successour Augustine de Ancona attributeth Aug. de Anco epist Dedicat. ad Iohn 22. that of Saint Paul to the Philippians 2. 10. To him shall bow the knees of every thing in heaven and earth and under the earth unto Pope Iohn 22. Bellarmine doth apply that Prophecy of Bell. de Pont. Rom Praefat. Isaiah 28. 16. I lay in Sion a stone for a foundation to the Pope And elsewhere he doth apply Bell. de Chr. lib. 1. cap. 4. the same words to Christ proving thereby that Christ is true God By the same argument therefore doth hee imply that his Pope is his God Of which blasphemy he seemeth not to Bell. de Concil Auth. li. 2. c. 17. be very nice avouching That all the Names in the Scriptures which are attributed unto Christ may be ascribed to the Pope also As also Sixtus Sixtus Senensis in praef Biblioth Sanctae Senensis doth involve the application of many texts peculiar unto Christ to the Pope speaking to Pius the fift as unto God saith That he hath adopted him for his sonne and regenerated him by his spirit But of all other that golden Bâ—â—â— tom 11. anno 1073. num 16. Legend of Baronius may not be passed by that Pope Hildebrand being a Carpenters sonne and playing where his father wrought did by chance frame letters which expressed the eight verse of the 72 Psalme His dominion shall be from the one Sea to the other And to helpe Sacrâ—â—â—â— lâ—b 1. sect 7. cap. 6. fol. 35. them out the Pope himselfe Sixtus the fourth doth arrogate that of Christ in Matth. 28. 18. Data est mihi omnis potestas in coelo in terrâ all power is given to me in heaven and in earth Moreover this Seraphicall Divinity of the Papall Deity is not consined to the Latine onely but they have English Doctors who preach these Italian instructions What good doe wee say we receive from God principally yea onely a threefold The Church in which we live the faith by which we live and the Commandements according to which we live All these we asscribe unto God all these they ascribe unto the Pope First the Church is the visible congregation George Dowly in his Instruction cap. 3. of all true Christians and Catholikes which are scattered over the world whose head next under God is the Pope Secondly Faith is a gift of Greg. de Valent. in Thom. t. 3. p. 24. God in our soules with the which we doe firmely and Catholikely beleeve all that God hath revealed unto us according as it is taught us by our holy Mother the Church By the Church we understand Suarez Apolog. lib. 4. cap. 6. whom they understand è Cathedra indeed the Pope Thirdly the worke of a Christian Trent Hist lib. 4. pag. 321. George Dowâ—ey his Instruct cap. 12. is to know well the Commandements of God and those of our mother the Church Observe the Commandements of God and the commandements of the Church that is of the Pope are members of the same division therefore equally enjoyned To which purpose as hee hath made the whole seventh Chapter to teach the ten Commandements of God so hee spendeth the eight Chapter in teaching the five Commandements of the Church to wit to heare Masse on sundayes and holydayes to confesse once a yeare to communicate at Easter to Fast when the Church commandeth and to pay Tithes To which he addeth the sixt not to celebrate mariages prohibited by the Church So then without the Pope no Church no Faith and the Commandements of the Pope ranked with the Commandements of God The Church Faith and CoÌ„mandements all these we ascribe unto our God all these they ascribe unto their Pope The Pope permitteth this doctrine therefore from his owne permission I hope I may bee permitted to pronounce my conclusion The Pope doth shew himselfe to bee God Therefore The Pope is the Antichrist Notwithstanding these plaine evidences Bell. de Pontif. Rom. lib. 3 c. 14. Lessi de â—ntiâ—â— Dem. 7. evictions this truth is not acknowledged because say they Antichrist will say plainly that he is God This sense is not suteable to the text which saith He shall shew not say that he is God Howsoever I will follow them into this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 starting hole also and beat them with their owne weapons I say therefore The Pope doth plainly professe himselfe Dr Beard de Antichristo to be god Of late Pope Paulus Quintus and the Cardinall his cousin caused every peece of their plate to be marked with this inscription Burghesianae eternitati dicatuÌ„ that is this is consecrated to the Eternity of the Burghesian family What more godlike Title could they ingrave Thom. Stapleton in Prinâ—ip Fid. praefat on a Challice Our English Stapleton uttereth this blasphemy somewhat more plainly styling Pope Gregory 13 Optimum Maximum supremum Numen in terris that is their most great most gracious and most soveraigne god on earth Lessâ—â—s de Antichristo Dem. 7. Lessius doth acknowledge that the Pope is called by the Papists Deus interris Their god on earth but saith he metaphorice it is by a figure poore fig-leaves to cover their apparent blasphemies Others are downe-right and mince Gratian Dist â—6 cap. 7. Satis Evidenter not the matter Pope Nicholas boasteth Pontificem à Constantino Deum appellatum that the Emperour did call the Pope a God and from thence inferreth Deum non posse ab hominibus judicar that no men may judge the Pope because he is a God Whence also Augustine Aug. Steuchus de Donatione Constant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1547. pag 141. Steuchus doth tell us praeclaro illo edicto eum adoravit ut Deum that by that egregious edict Constantine did adore the Pope as God Et divinos honores ei quoad ejus potuit contulit and that to utmost of his ability hee tendered to him divine honours Againe one Pope in the Concil Later sâ—ss 4 sâ—b â—â—â—â— 2. Laterane Councill is saluted by the Name of God In the yeare 1514 in the last Laterane Concil Later Sess 9. Moulins Accom pag 89. Councill one of the Popes Secretaries called Leo 10 his divine Maâ—esty Vpon the gates of Tolentum in Italy is this inscription To Paul the third the most high and mighty God on earth A booke also was printed with this inscription Tort. Torti pag. 361. PaV Lo Vâ—â— VICc
Et quo ver a fides veluti se cardine vertit The Prince of Christian men The prop of Christian Faith Commander of our life And ground of true beliefe And if we thinke that the Pope doth not by all this arrogate to hâ—mselfe and derogate from Christ sufficiently even as sufficiently as may become The Antichrist Let Pannonius absolve Pannonius in Apocalyps cap. 12. seâ—â— 5. punet 4. this concluâ—ion in his â—alse latine Who avoucheth the Pope to be Sumâ—â—us Princeps universae terrae the suprâ—me Prince of the whole world qui potest terrae Princip â—s subâ—ugare etiam Haereticos profligare put downe Kings and roote up Heretikes to which purpose he hath gladium materâ—â—le habet spâ—rituale both the swords materiall and spirituall And All power both in heaven and earth according to Matth. ult Againe the Pope is Dei charismatum Dispensator the dispencer of Gods grace the Pope Virgam directionis Pannonius in Apocal. cap. 16. sect 2. Punct 1. the Scepter of righteousnesse mentioned Psal 45. â— In a word the Pope is Parens salutis the Father of their salvation saith Pannonius and therefore The sonne of Perdition Finally as the Pope doth usurpe the Name so doth he also the worship which is peculiar unto God First by their common gesture of kneeling to the Pope they make the Pope a god and their Idoll and their very kneeling is a token thereof For as profound Zanchy doth fully Zan bâ—in praec â— cap. 17. informe us although we English did kneele to our Queene of ever blessed memory and doe and may kneele to our King her successour without any superstition because it is meerly Politicall and after the manner of our nation Yet for the Papists to kneele to the Pope who they beleeve cannot erre and in whom they are perswaded that there is a fulnesse of power to forgive sins to give Heaven and to doome to Hell ascribing those properties of God to him so farre they make him a God and to such men even their kneeling is an Idolatrous Adoration Againe the Pope doth too grosly shew himselfe Moulins 〈◊〉 sect 118. that he is God especially to the ignorant by those absurd images and pictures of the Trinity frequent in the Romish Churches and found printed in the Title pages of their Bibles set forth by Sixtus Quintus and Clemens 8 where they picture an old man sitting in a Chaire apparelled like the Pope with a tripled Crowne also with a Pigeon hanging at his beard and a Crucifixe in his armes Whereby it is not impossible that the ignorant people should either imbrace or invert the errour of the Anthropomorphites supposing either God to be the Pope or the Pope to be God Since by the Popes permission they are both expressed by one Picture Moreover certainly it is more than a play Sacrar Cerem lib. 2. sect 1. cap. 33. which they act in one of their Papall Pageants in the Popes owne presence In their solemne service upon Palme-sunday at Rome three of the Queristers of the Popes Chappell apparell themselves one in white bearing the person of the Evangelist the second in red representing a Iew and the third in blacke being in shew our blessed Saviour Toward the end of the Antheame he who acteth the part of the Evangelist praecedit sequitur Iudaeus deinde Christus They all in order the Evangelist first the Iew next and Christ last goe and kisse the Popes soot That Christ though personated shold kisse the Popes foot Surely if any indifferent person did see this shew he would thinke that the Pope did shew himselfe that he was God It will not be impertinent if to this play Sacrar Cerem lib. 1. sect 12. cap. 5. Item lib. 2 sect 1. cap. 35. of their men I annex what their Children act also when the Pope in his Pontificalibus doth enter into any city they provide a multitude of Children in imitation of Matth. 21. and if they can Hebrew Children to meet his Holinesse with their Acclamations and Palmes in their hands If they would adde what is also done in the text and cry Hosanna hee would doe more than shew himselfe that he is God To shew yet more plainly that the Pope doth plainly shew himselfe to be God Suppose we our Bezain 2 Thes 2. 4. selves to be present at the great solemnity of the popish Iubile and that there wee saw a Man whom they themselves terme terrestrem Deum an earthly god hemmed in with a throng of his creatures pompously caryed with a triple Diademe in a golden Throne on Noble mens shoulders Then in their owne phrase breaking open the gates of Paradice with a golden Hammer and the Embassadors of most mightie Princes and Potentates yea the Kings themselves and the Emperor if he be there kneeling full low and adoring him aloft reapse alterum Deum as if he were indeed another very God And withall the thronging multitude round about him expecting and praying for remission of sinnes and eternall life as a largesse from his blessed Holines What should we suppose our selves to see if we did see such a sight Certainly an ordinary man who yet never wore the spectacles of Pope-patronizing prejudice would thinke that he saw an insolent Man in an incomparably glorious pompe shewing himselfe that he is God But that they themselves may seeme to take all blanching qualifications from those Protestants who will not have the Pope to bee Antichrist the Papists make good the very Letter of my text After the Popes election they Sacr. Cer. lib. 1. fol. 17. cause him to sit upon the alter to whow all the Cardinalls with all reverence in their order exhibite their obeysance kissing first his foot next his hand and then his Cheeke And a little after this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is well done is twice done hee descendeth unto Saint Peters Church where againe the Cardinalls seat him upon the Altar with his Miter and the chiefe Cardinall pronounceth on his knees Te Deum We praise thee O God we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. Those supporters of that fiction of the Trienniall singular Antichrist what can they feine that hee shall doe more than this man hath done already Thus gloriously and grosly shewing himselfe that he is God This may suffice but I will adde a surplusage that I may adde a sufficient yea a superfluous satisfaction to any who will bee satisfied I say this Prophecy that Antichrist doth sit in the Temple of God as God shewing himselfe that he is God is literally fulfilled in the Pope If the God of Heaven should be on earth visible and incarnated in the shape of a man what solemne worship should we imagine to tender unto him The Place should it not bee in a Church The Church should it not bee the chiefe of the world The Part should it not be the highest and holyest part thereof Our gesture should it not bee
were mine owne Apostasie this must bee mine owne judgement It were better that a milstone were tyed about my necke and that I were cast into the bottome of the sea Luk. 17. 2. But beloved I hope better things of you Even such as accompany sanctification and foregoe yea foretell salvation Thus as God hath shewed me have I shewed you that Antichrist is revealed Concerning which point concerning all points God himselfe reveale the truth unto you all by the illumination of his holy spirit It is time to End here is the End of this point here is the End of this Sermon here is the End of this Terme and here may be the End of our Lives Wee are mortall and wee are not sure to returne to another Sermon Howsoever I End this Sermon as if it were the End of my Life I will speake a few words plainely and heartily Some labour yee see I have bestowed on a great question wherein the event hath answered my expectation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am thought to have erred in both the Extreames Some say my sermons have beene excessive that they have beene too hot some say they have been deficient too cold against the Papists That they say I am in both extreames mee thinketh they conclude that I am in neither but that I am in the middest without Partiality To answer them and to satisfie you I say to the one my Sermons have not beene Extreame for I doe not hate the Papists I say to the other they have not beene deficient for I doe not love the Papists I doe noâ— hate the Papists because I know they are Men. I doe not love the Papists because I know they are Erroneous And indeed I desire to separate the men from their Error not by a mathematicall abstraction in my discourse onely but I would make such a Reall separation that if it lay in my power I would bring their Persons to Heaven but send their Errours to the Pit of Hell to the Devill who hatched them I say to both Againe I renew my old protestation I doe so speake to you as I meane to speake to God as I must accompt my Sermons at that dreadfull day of Iudgement And in truth that I should bee partiall any way I can imagine no motive to lead mee thereunto Surely it can be neither ambition nor covetousnesse no covetousnes to discharge such a labour no ambition to follow such a labourer And if I understand mine owne Heart surely by these labours I am covetous of nothing but to inrich you with knowledge and ambitious of nothing but to promote you to be the heires of the kingdome of Heaven Now I hope you will pardon such a Covetousnesse I hope you will not bee angry with such an Ambition To purchase both which for your behoofe you see my labour the Talent which God hath given to mee I imploy for you Part of this Talent you have had alreadie the remnant I will now cary home with me There I will not bury it nor hide it in a Napkin but I will indevour to increase it that I may returne it with abundance for your future benefit In the meane time wee are to depart all of us for many dayes some of us for many Miles also One thing therefore at parting I will leave you till it please God we meet againe either in this place or in a better I will bequeath that to you at the End of my Exercise which Saint Paul did bequeath to these Thessalonians at the End of this Epistle The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all Amen SERMON XIII 2 THESS 2. 7. The Mysterie of Iniquity doth alreadie worke The Mystery of Iniquitie Popish Mysteries to advance the Papacy Popish mysteries to advance Popery Baites to catch Papists Hookes to hold Papists THat I might breathe a little before I entred this great point I craved leave and have taken it But thereby inopem me copia fecit Fluent matter furnished my meditations in such abundant manner that I feared this Exercise would resemble your Cisternes runne at wast One houre cannot suffice for so many particulars But I remember a story in Tacitus Atcius Capito fearing the overflowing of Tiber diverting the streame into other branches prevented the Inundation of the maine River So here the mysteries of Antichrist being so many I will reserve some of these points unto the 11 verse where Antichrists working is called efficacia deceptionis strong delusion to the 10 where it is termed seductio iniquitatis deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse to the 9 where his comming is said to bee potentia prodigijs in all power and signes and lying wonders and unto the 8 verse where Antichrist is stiled iniquus that is the Fountaine of iniquity All these doe containe Mysteries but now I will deliver and discover mysteria iniquitatis Onely such things as are plainly and primely mysticall above all other A Mysterie Weake blowes are mortall fastned on a feeble adversary And in a plaine case to speake but superficially is to disclose it sufficiently Here it may stagger even a sound Papist to see how sitly the Pope may be invested with this word mystery Hee is apparelled with it whatsoever he weareth is Povel de Antichristo lib. 1. cap. 25. sect 7. mysticall His white linnen Surplesse Rochet or Vestiment they say is to signifie the whitenesse of the Popes Innocence and Chastity there is one mystery His two-horned Mâ—ter signifieth his knowledge in the two Testaments there is another mystery In his triple Crowne is involved a treble mystery First it signifieth the three Graces Faith Hope and Charity Secondly his Three Kingdomes of Heaven Earth and Hell Thirdly yet more mystically more majestically it shadoweth the mystery of the Trinity Baculus his Crosier importeth the rod of Moses and Aaron with which hee doth correct the Erring people another mystery Annulus his ring is pignus desponsationis cum Ecclesia a pledge of his contract with the Church a strange mysterie Chirothecae his Gloves are signes that his hands are cleere from corruption and bribery would this were true and no mysterie Yea the very name of the mystery the brand of Antichrist which is written in the forehead Danaus de Antichristo C. 11 Dounamus de Antichristo lib. 1 cap. 7 Sect. 10. of the whore of Babylon Rev. 17. 5. hath beene written above the forehead of the Pope in his Miter And the mystery of the Name Rev. 17. 4. Poculum aureum plenum abominationum that is a Golden cup full of abominations implying how the mystery of iniquity shall intoxicate miserable seduced people The mysterie of this Name is involved in the Popes Name Papa P Poculum a Cup A Aureum of gold P Plenum full A Abominationum of Abominations So that both according to the Letter and sense also that word falleth to the Pope as an indiuiduall property But I desist from these Velitations come to grapple with
is but of one priuate man but the Church maketh it Generall by their publike approbation For I suppose they print nothing but permissu Superiorum by the allowance of Authority It is the assertion of Vasquez in his treatise Vasq de adâ—r l. 2. Disp 1. c. 2. seâ—t 5 8 10. of Adoration That any thing in the nature of the thing and if the matter be discreetly handled may bee adored with God His instances are odious God saith he may bee worshipped even in a Wisp of straw Yea God saith he may be Tortura Torti pag. 312. Dr. Coll. contra Eudâ—m part 3. cap. 93. lawfully adored in the apparition of the Devil as it is avouched by our learned Bishop and confirmed by his Avoucher Nay if the World bee barren of Creatures they will feigne phant asies of their own Heads Saint George and Saint Christopher were Allegories not Histories Their own Authors dare not ventvre their Credits that there were ever such men Is it not monstrous then that they should be Saints How often have our old deluded Forefathers of England cryed God and Saint George at the onset of their Battles And how many have called on Saint Christopher in the perill of Shipwracke and yet these potent Saints were according to Saints Pauls phrase 1 Cor. 8. idolum nihil est in mnÌ„do plain Idols there were never any such creatures in the world Thus mightily are they mislead by the working of Sathan not to receive the love of the Truth but to take pleasure in unrighteousnesse At length to wade out of this Ocean of idolatry concerning the measure whereof I confesse Popery to be fadomelesse and compared even to Paganisme it is like the Sea resembled to a little River The ignorant Pagans did adore Images as gods peradventure and some of them But that ever their learned Doctors did teach that an Image made with hands was to bee adored in the same kinde and height of worship with that God whom they professed to be the Maker of heaven and earth Herein are they out-stripped by the Papists in an incomparable exorbitance An Image is to bee worshipped with the same worship wherewith God himselfe is to bee worshipped this is the Catholike Doctrine of the Romane Church Imagini Christi Latria debetur Aquine saith Aqu. 2 2. qu. 94. Art 2. ad Arg. 1. that to the image of Christ is due Latria or the proper worship of God And although Aquine was a private Doctor yet can they not inferre this to bee a private Doctrine because hee is Pater DoctornÌ„ the father of their Doctors saith Malvenda And I suppose the Thomists will not easily gainsay or unsay what Thomas hath affirmed Heare the naturall Doctrine of this Popish Father Cruci exhibemus Latriae cultum quia in Cruce Christi ponimus spem salutis that is We exhibit Latria or Divine worship unto the Crosse because in the Crosse of Christ we place the hope of our salvation And hee confirmeth this from the consent of the Church sic cantat Ecclesia And that hee may insanire cumratione he rendreth two reasons for this affertion Crux Christi tum propter representationem tum propter membrorum contactum est adoranda Latria the Crosse of Christ is to bee adored with Divine worship both because it doth represent and because it did touch the members of Christ And Pares cum paribus like will to like to couple blasphemy with idolatry he addeth Crux Aquin. 3. quaest 25. Artiâ— 4. Christi fuit unita verbo aliquo modo that is the Crosse was in some sort united to the Word All this we may read in Aquine To exclude all evasions Constans est Theologorum Azor. Inst mor. part 1. lib. 9. c. 6. sententia imaginem eodem cultu honore coli honorari quo id colitur cujus est imago Azorius affirmeth it to be the constant opinion of all Popish Divines that an image is to bee worshipped with the same worship wherewith the thing whereof it is the Image is worshipped Pontificale Romanum And this determination of this question must bee infallible unto them because a Pope hath defined it Crux legati erit a dextris quia debetur ei Latria that is The Crosse of the Legat must be placed on the right hand because Latria or Divine worship is due to it These are the words of the Roman Pontificall published by the Authority of Pope Clement 8. Now whether they be not idolaters who communicate that worship to an Image which they themselves acknowledge to bee due to God alone let themselves give sentence Hereupon as some have called Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Abstract of the World so may wee terme it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Compendium of Idolatry Pardon my peremptory conclusion Revel 22. 11. He that is filthy let him bee filthy still and he who is a Papist let him be a Papist still But let him know that hee is poysoned with the most filthy Idolatry that was ever supported on the face of the earth Wofull is their estate who receive not the love of the Truth But have such pleasure in unrighteousnesse SERMON XXIII 2 THESS 2. 11. God shall send them strong delusion Precedents of obstinatenesse The Papists obstinate and deluded No reconciliation with Rome The Papists are deluders Want of provision for Converts an hindrance to reformation Pronenesse of People to be deluded by Popery GOD doth send delusion A caveat to the Church of England against obstinatenesse IN this verse followeth one of the Passive properties the punishment internall of those that embrace Antichrist A strange blindnesse videlicet that God shall send men such strong delusions that they should beleeve a lye Whose blindnesse our Apostle doth declare by two degrees thereof First per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of admiration in the first words God shall send them strong delusion Secondly per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of amplification in the last That they shall beleeve a lye Blinded in both The first clause is my Text for this time God shall send them strong delusion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Theodoret With what sinne men are affected by that sinne men are afflicted In this cause and clause never did the impression of Wax render the image of any Seale more exactly then here the punishment of God doth the offence of Man In generall culpa poena the sinne committed and shame admitted are both one Ignorance In particular first they scorned the Truth and are scourged with a delusion Next They received not the love of the Truth that is they heard it not effectually therefore they are deluded effectually even with strong delusions Thirdly these Swine trampled on Pearle and they contemned the very Word of God God therefore doth revenge his owne Cause For this cause saith my Text God shall send them strong delusion To support your memory and
and imagination 9. Antichrist shall collect the Iewes 10 Conquer the Heathen 11 cruelly persecute the Christians 12 Kill Enoch and Elias 13 become Monarch of the whole world 14 and have more power and riches and wives than any Monarch from the Creation as famous atchievements as any can wish or imagine From whence Bellarmine and Lessius draw many a delicate Demonstration 15. But the worst is they put a long sword into a short scabberd They will have all those Conversions Persecutions Conquests Mariages and incomparable innumerable actions to be done in the compass of three yeares an halfe Eudaemon taketh great paines to fit them but Eudaemon in Abâ—at 1. sect 5. he commeth a little too short for all his good reckoning 16. The Temple of Hierusalem must bee his Throne 17 therein actually to be adored Fortie and sixe yeeres was the Temple heretofore a building and will Antichrist reare it in lesse than sixe and fortie moneths O admirable expedition More Baronius saith and proveth that it shall never be reared againe That Antichrist therefore shall be adored in the materiall Temple this is an impossible assertion 18 and 19. Antichrist shall take his Rise from Mount Olivet and with his army of Devills transformed into Angells he shall soare in the ayre till that voice from heaven bee heard morere Et confestim fulmine percussus interibit he shall be smote through with a Thunderbolt in the middest of his glorious flight saith Steuartius But perchance what pleased Steuaâ—tius iâ— 2 Thes â— Malvenda lib. 10. cap. 15. him at Ingolstade did not relish Malvenda in Italie For hee saith that Christ shall come downe from heaven simplici verbo by word of mouth shall command Michael the Tutelar Angell to the Christians to destroy Antichrist Then that Michael with lightning shall burne down the Tent of Antichrist into ashes and so Antichrist and his Achates shall be swallowed quicke into the Earth Peracta est Fabula Plaudite That Antichrist shall bee consumed by the breath of Christs mouth and destroyed by the brightnesse of his comming I have heard verse 8. But of flying in the ayre crying from Heaven burning of Tents opening of the earth thunder lightnings These are tragicall inventions without any truth to support them To make good my promise to make it appeare that the popish opinion concerning Antichrist implyeth yea involveth many improbable impossible incredible and incompatible assertions I will present unto your attention onely six points which I have observed out of Malvenda who hath bestowed most labour in this cause of any man that ever set pen to paper Consider the Buildings Marryings and Persecutions of Antichrist his Countreymen Confederates and Kingdomes 1. In his 1â— booke and 6. cap. Antichrist shall Malvenda de Antichristo lib. 11. cap. 6. build the Temple of Hierusalem more sumptuous than the former besides many other goodly and glorious Palaces 2. Antichrist shall have farre more wives than Malvenda 6 22. ever Solomon had although Solomon had a competent number a thousand 1 Reg. 11. 9. 3. All the ten persecutions under the Heathen Malvenda 8 11. Emperours all the persecutions under the Persians Arrians Goths and Vandalls Parvae velitationes sunt are but light skirmishes compared to the bloody warre which the Militant Christians must sustaine under Antichrist Moreover He shall rob spoile and plucke downe all the Churches in the world converting them into Alehouses and Stables 4. An infinite Rabble of the Iewes from all the Malvenda 5 17. Corners of the earth shall swarme to Antichrist 5. Gog and with him the Scythians Tartarians Malvenda 5 17. Cappadocians the inhabitants of Pontus and of the East Countreys of the Euxine sea and Matis the Iberians Albanians Circassians Persians Lybians Aethiopians Galatians Phrygians Turks Sarmatians Arabians of Arabia foelix Dedaneans of Arabia the desert Cilicians and the Inhabitants of Asia the Lesse shall all have a confluence unto Antichrist 6. The whole world which hath been discovered Malvenda 5 17. in the East unto the outmost Chineses and Tartarians in the North to the inmost Muscovites and Gronelanders in the South to the farthest Cafrians Zanzibarians and the Inhabitants of the Cape Bonae Spei and in the West to the farthest parts of Spaine Cuncta dextrâ lavâque Antichristi portentosa Monarchia complectetur Whatsoever is within the compasse of the old world shall be comprised within the territories of Antichrists prodigious Monarchy Yea America also and all those infinite Ilands And we thinke that Antichrist shall bee Totius orbis Monarcha the Emperour of the whole world Collect and conclude to build a more glorious Temple thaÌ„ that which was 46. yeers a building and infinite other buildings in 3 yeers To marrie a thousand wives and more in three yeares To martyr all the Christians and to prophane all their Christian Churches in three yeeres To gather together all the Iewes scattered through the whole world in three yeares To strike a league with Gâ—g the Scythians Tartarians c. in three yeares To subject from Spaine to India and from Muscovie to America in 3. yeares To conclude when as I thinke no Popish person dare undertake to goe through the world in three yeares yet that the Popish Antichrist shal gleane up all the Riches Conquer all men Defile almost all women and possesse all Lands both Ilands and Continent in all the world and all this onely in three yeeres If these appeare not monstrous improbable impossible incredible incompatible paradoxes Then must I confesse that nothing is false and that the Romane is no Antichristian but a true Religion But such as have either Eyes in their Heads or hearts in their Bodies such as are either reasonable men or religious Christians Such as are indued either with the Wisdome of the Spirit or but with the Spirit of Wisedome cannot but see this Palpable Delusion There is a remarkeable discourse in an Epistle The French Anthour translated by Dr. Beard of Pope Leo 9 to Michael Bishop of CoÌ„stantinople that the report was that those of Constantinople being accustomed to behold Eunuchs sitting in the Patriarchall seat at the last they advance thereunto a Woman A fine invention to make the memory of Pope Ioan to vanish by diverting this infamie upon Constantinople where all know never any such thing came to passe The like doe they in this subject for to the end that the true Antichrist may not be knowne they cast out a report that he shall be a Iew c. that men in this vaine expectation may sleepe under his Tyrannie Or as Michal 1 Sam. 14. 13. did put an Image into the bed with a Pillow of Goates-haire c. that David might escape So the Church of Rome doth dresse out to our view an Imaginarie Trienniall Antichrist that so the Pope the true Antichrist may escape our observation Againe and againe therefore I beseech you open
the Head of the Church say all the Papists Christ in regard of his infallible ruling the Church is a Rocke Matth. Suarez Apolog. lib. 1. cap. 6. sect 15. 16. 18. Pontifex docens est Petra the Pope is the same Teaching the Church he is the very rocke thereof saith Suarez All power that Christ can have is power over all things in heaven earth Math. 28. 18. The Pope doth equall himselfe Sacrar Cer. lib. 1. Concil Trid. Sess 24. Can. 3. in that also He claimeth Christs owne power in Christs owne words Data mihi est omnis potestas in coelis in terris said Sixtus Quintus Finally hee sheweth himselfe to be God also 1 Canningly by his Godlike actions to wit by dispensing against the Scriptures by commanding Concil Trid. Sess 3. sub Jul. 3. Christians credere to beleeve by making Saints by arrogating jus creandi Apostolos Power to make Apostles as Baronius is quoted and confuted Casaubon Exerc. 14. Sect. 14. by Casaubone and finally by calling his Decrees Oracles that is the very word of God all which are Godlike actions peculiar to God alone 2 Literally at the Iubile hee is borne in a golden Throne wearing a Golden Crowne and with a Golden Hammer hee breaketh open the Gates of Paradise forgiving sinnes to all the people the people adoring him and craving eternall life from him And at his Election they place his Throne on the Altar in the chiefe Church kissing his feet and bending their knees they sing before him Te Deum laudamus We praise thee O God What more can we imagine or he desire if hee were Deus in templo Christ himselfe incarnated in the shape of man To proceed As the Pope is described in the Description of Antichrist so is hee revealed in the Revelation of Antichrist The Papacy and Primacy was and is a Mysterie Secretly a working even in the Apostles time Even then were the Romanes high minded Rom. 12. 20. Although their high minds were over-topped by one Higher than they by the Emperour as it is in the 6. verse but so soone as the Emperor of Rome was removed instantly was the Pope of Rome revealed that he advanced himselfe but still in a Mysterie Desiring to be called servus servorum the servant of servants but to be Dominus dominantium the Lord of Lords And now since this Revelation he is discovered to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lawlesse person According to his Canonists Legi non subjacet ulli hee is under no Law And according to his Controversie-writers he can moderari mutare praecepta Apostolorum prout Ecclesiae expedierit qualifie and alter the precepts of the Apostles as shall seeme expedient for the Church In a word whatsoever his words are by his deeds he is revealed to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of groundlesse and boundlesse ambition After the Pope was revealed to bee Antichrist through Gods permission hee did proceed to an high pitch of Antichristian Pride And being at the height it pleased God to destroy him and his pride in some part The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his Antichristian Greatnesse and growth was about 1500 under Pope Leo the tenth Then he domineered without controule there being none but a few impotent and illiterate Hussites in Bohemia and such like to oppose him Then the Westerne Church was like a great Barne having all the Corne thrashed out Little graine some light corne but infinite chaffe and straw being in the Floore of the Lord yet then it pleased the Lord to consume Poperie by preaching and by the breath of his mouth to shake Germaine like an aspen Then Luther caused Saxony the Palatinate Hassia and Helvetia to fall from Rome And since his Successors Bellar. de R. P. 3. 21. as Bellarmine confesseth have snaken if not exiled Popery in almost all Germanie Denmarke Norway Suevia Gothland Hungaria Pannonia France England Scotland Bohemia Hâ—lvetia yea and in part of Italie it selfe Thus hath the Preaching of the word consumed Antichrist and Popery already in part The Lord consume it every day more and more by Christs mouth and for Christs sake if it bee his blessed will Now that Poperie is a consuming the Pope doth imploy his instruments to prolong though not to cure that consumption Instruments I say are imployed to support Popery inabled by miracles none in these dayes but Antichrist and the Papists laying claime to that facultie and furnished with the bravest learning that ever gave life to falshood or probabilitie to the deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse And that you may know that these Teachers are set on worke by Satan The Papists are the men who of all men doe teach the doctrine of devills and most impiously forbid meats and mariage as Saint Paul prophecied long agoe 1 Tim. 4. 1. But this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these Engines of Poperie shall not fight for falshood against the truth unpunished because though they have the Letter of the truth yet they have not the love of the truth but for the pompe of their Church take pleasure in unrighteousnesse and delight in grosse â—dolatry in Images which are exploded by the Protestans Turkes and Iewes and all the world besides Rome onely excepted For this cause hath God sent them strong delusion that the Papists our English Papists especially are obstinate in their Errors that nolumus scientiam they will take an oath and take the Sacrament that they will not be converted though they be confuted that they beleeve a lye that a man cannot erre a monstrous monstrous lye and palpable impossibility and that in morality they will relate and beleeve such lyes that modest men cannot repeat them without the blushing of their browes nor Christians without the bleeding of their bowells Labor improbus improborum They take great paines And verily they shall have their reward The conclusion of my text implyeth the Confusion of obstinate Papists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may be damned The Popish inhibition of Scriptures obscuring of prayers mingling of Christ merits mangling of his Sacrament and open Idolatrie can bee no other then damnable assertions Their practises descensus averni the downfall of Hell But the Lord of Heaven reduce our seduced Countreymen if it be his blessed will from these damnable errours And now through the goodnesse of my great God I am come to the end of my great question Concerning which imployment I render hearty thankes to this Auditory to the worthy Deane and Prebendaries and to my Reverend and Reverenced Predecessour To you for hearing mee to them for accepting me and to Him for incouraging me in the discharging of these exercises One favour I must further intreat you and them to vouchsafe me Doe not suspect that I am puffed with my imployment in this so eminent a place And to cleare all suspition that I neither undertooke nor discharged this Lecture for any