at the last The description of Antichrist whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is destroying The very Romane Antichrist himselfe destroying soules ouerthrowing common weales casting downe crownes dissipating Churches being armed with so many bloudy lawes so many conspiring Councells so many warlike Legions fetters halters gallowses rackes fires inuironed with so many Inquisitors so many cursatiue Iesuits some of them dogmaticall some pragmaticall King-killers that hee may be rightly called Abaddon and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You see Paul the fift the disposition of the Romane Antichrist by the starre that fell from heauen by the key of the bottomlesse pit which hee receiued by the pit which he opened by the smoake of the pit which he brought forth by the kingdome of smoake which hee built vp by the stinch of the smoake that he thrust out by the Locusts and Scorpions which do very liuely resemble the Monkes new and olde by their infinite swarmes whereby they do hurt their double venome which they instill their deadly sting wherewith they strike their power pride cunning cruelty which they practise very worthy subiects of their King Abaddon whom they obey CHAP. XIV Wherein is set downe actions of the Beast OF what kinde Antichrist is wee haue expounded now wee must shew whereabout hee is occupied The starre which fell from heauen doth shew his disposition The beast that rose out of the earth shall expresse his action Saint Iohn describeth two beasts one ascending out of the sea another out of the earth The first doth resemble the Romane Empire the other Antichrist properly so called Saint Iohns Sea-beast The Romane Monarchy rose out of the sea that is out of a turbulent state out of the factions and disorders of nations as out of a troublesome sea who is called a beast not in respect of his ciuill authoritie which he hath from God but of his beastly vices which hee tooke from the Dragon Saint Iohns land-beast The Prophet brings in another beast rising out of the earth not the same but diuers from it like in many things yet not the same For I saw saith Saint Iohn another beast rising out of the earth which is both the seuenth head of the Romane beast and yet a beast in it selfe for her different beginning and nature The actions of Antichrist the land-beast 1 Ascending out of the earth therefore Antichrist is the sonne of the earth Therefore from the earth being borne of earthly and sensuall concupiscence and diuelish counsell as Iames the Apostle doth ioyne these 3. Ia. cap. 3.15 signifying all one thing earthly sensuall diuelish To speake like the Dragon 2 She is said to speake as a Dragon although shee dissembles the 2. hornes of a lambe whereof I spake before And herein Bellarmine doth almost agree with vs. That by the Dragon the Deuill is vnderstood by the first beast the great number of sinners but vnder the Romane Empire as we haue set downe by the consent of all Interpreters neither doth Bellarmine greatly denie it By the later Beast Antichrist as elsewhere as also the Preachers and Apostles of Antichrist being the head of the first beast cut off and liuing againe hee doth acknowledge with vs to be the true image of that Beast 3 She is said to worke all her power in his sight She worketh in the sight of the first beast First it is certaine that one and the same seat the citie with seauen hills belongeth to them both which hath ruled ouer Kings and Princes which can bee no other then that great Lady Rome In which seate the land-beast did succeede the sea-beast and deriued all the power of the Romane Empire to herselfe so that by her owne men it is called the Kingdome of Priests shee doth shew all the power of the first beast in his sight that is at Rome 4 She doth constraine the earth and the inhabitants thereof to worship the beast how will some say when the Pope doth enforce the inhabitants of the earth not to worshippe the Emperour but himselfe So you are to vnderstand the beasts not to be the person that did raigne either in the Empire or in the Popedome but those tyrannicall powers which those beastly persons did put in practise Againe you are to consider the Papall power to bee truely imperiall and although it commend it selfe vailed with the name of Christ yet that it was brought in by the Dragon as well as the other that it might worship the Dragon and be an expresse image of the Imperial power which contained in it the Papall The actions of Pagan Emperors For the Emperor was the cheife Bishoppe Now the Emperours did belch out blasphemies against God condemne the true worshippe of God oppresse the true worshippers of God maintaine the worshippe of Deuills and did openly serue the Dragon from whom they receiued their tyrannicall power And what did the Popes The action of the Antichristian Popes Did they not with a blasphemous mouth challenge to themselues the diuine name and godhead with Domitian did they not scoffe at the grace of Christ with Iulian did they not persecute the seruants of Christ with Dioclesian did they not bring in the worship and doctrine of Deuills and while they did openly professe the name of Christ did they not closly and secretly serue the Dragon So the difference betweene the Emperours and the Popes about the manner of worshipping the Dragon was somewhat but in plaine truth nothing at all But heere is a necessarie distinction to be vsed There was in the Emperours a blinde ignorance of Christ in the first Bishoppes a true confession of Christ in their successors a fained who did in word condemne the olde Romane Idolatrie and tyrannie What popery is but did call it backe againe in deede For what is poperie indeede if you doe truely weigh many of the parts of it but refined paganisme The Authors whereof were so bewitched of the Deuill that they intended one thing and did another in intention they worshipped God in very deede the Dragon as deceiuers so deceiued the principall Authours of the Deuills worship as Saint Iohn saith of the doctrine of Deuells as Saint Paul saith What is popery else therefore whether you consider the worshippe or the doctrine but secret Draconisme 1. They thinke that they do gaily well when they call vpon other Mediators either Angells or Saints when they adore the Pictures of Saints yeelding worshippe to the Image as they say which is due to the example whenas the contrary is fit to giue no worshippe to the Image when none is due to the substance They thinke they do passing holily but indeede they worshippe the Deuill when they worshippe the Image as Iohn teacheth whence Lactantius concludeth there is no religion there where there is an Image Hence it followeth that the Romane Synagogue is voide of religion which is full of
left off to be a Paradise Paradise ouerflowne with the flood But this vniesuited Bellarmine that he might preserue that place free from the inundation of waters to be more pleasant and wholesome for Enoch and Elias hath remooued it into a place neere the circle of the Moone Paradise not neere the Moone But the Iesuite Pererius doth proue that it is the more incommodious and vnholesome and altogither inhabitable First for the neerenesse of the Sunne and other starres then for the Element of fire placed next the moone besides for the perpetuall agitation of the place being carried swiftly about with the constant motion of the heauen So that Bellarmine hath prouided very ill for those good Fathers when he placed Paradise so neere the Moone hath done great wrong to the Inhabitants of the earth as Pererius noteth pretily and pleasantly that the height of Paradise being in a place opposite to the east would keepe away the light of the Sunne It is good sport to see these two learned Iesuits wrangling together about the scituation of Paradise Papist against Papist as the Madianites wounding one another with their mutuall blowes Yet out of this their conflict the truth doth appeare that Enoch and Elias is not in the earthly Paradise And yet without all doubt they must be in Paradise then in heauenly Paradise Which when all is done he confesseth they bee not in the ethereall but aeriall heauen Aeriall Doctour who dreames that God will giue but an aeriall happinesse to these his excellent Prophets For whereas he thinkes it is a matter of religion for any to confesse that heauen gates were open for any before Christ and to the proofe therof hath gathered and bent all his forces that most learned Byshoppe of Elie hath so weakened and disperst them that he hath cleane vanquished the Sophister and driuen him out of the field Enoch and Elias are members of the sonne of man the sonne did first ascend into heauen by his owne power Enoch and Elias being members of Christ haue ascended by the power of the sonne of man so that Christ may bee rightly said to tread the way before them both Whence seeing it sufficiently appeares that Enoch and Elias doe now liue in heauen I will demand againe The second Question whether they entred heauen in their soules alone or with their bodies also For if onely in their soules as certaine learned men doe thinke they must twise rise againe if it be true that Bellarmine saith once to fight against Antichrist the second time to conuert the Iewes to Christ If with their bodies also which the greater sort and better learned on both sides do conclude that they may not deny the priuilege giuen to them for our comfort I will not curiousty inquire whether they enioy the blessed vision of God when I heare they be entred into the house of God that is the heauens wherein Christ saith that he hath many mansion places Three examples of God his glory Enoch Elias Christ. It contents me that God for the comforting of his Church vpon earth would haue three examples and shewes of his glorie to appeare Enoch before the Law Elias vnder the Law Christ vnder the Gospell that the two former by anothers Christ by his owne power entred heauen in their bodies Enoch for the comfort of married folkes Elias for the comfort of Virgins Christ for the comfort of either estate who being borne of a Virgin that was espoused did adorne both of them in his life the Virgin by his example the married by his miracle but especially that Enoch being famous for his integritie Elias for his zeale Christ for his perfection in all graces might be openly knowne to haue their entrance into heauen Hence euery faithfull man may behold the foundation of his happinesse in Christ the first fruits in Enoch and Elias in him the working cause in these a warrantable earnest of their resurrection and ascension into the highest heauen with the highest ioy and hence may we conclude against any Iewish heretike that as there was an entrance into heauen to Enoch and Elias to perfect their happinesse so a returne to the earth is denied vnto them onely Christ who ascended vp into heauen not for himselfe alone but for them and vs must come againe in the latter day that hee may bring those that belong vnto him into heauen Nor let any doubt but that Christ by which power hee shall carrie those being changed in the twinkling of an eye into heauen whom hee shall finde aliue at his comming on the earth hath with that power changed Enoch and Elias in the very moment of their translation and assumption that being made like to his glorious bodie he shall as he hath made them so also make vs fit for heauen The third Question Here I thirdly demand how Bellarmine can imagine their bodies to be mortall and corruptible who haue so many ages enioyed in the heauens immortalitie and incorruption for flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdome of heauen and corruption cannot put on incorruption as the Apostle teacheth Bellarmine contradicteth the Scripture whom the Cardinall doth contradict Enoch was translated that hee should not see death saith the Apostle he shall returne that he may see death saith the Cardinall so Bellarmine alwaies beates against the rocke so long till it be to be feared he will be beaten in peeces by the rocke But if so be that Enoch and Elias doe liue in their bodies in the heauens which is Gods house as the wiser Papists doe confesse to be agreeable to Scripture it followeth that their bodies be incorruptible and immortall The fourth Question I demand therefore in the fourth place how it can be that they should be killed by Antichrist in the latter day how they can so die that they be raised vp the third day There is no shew of truth in the inuention no probabilitie in the deuise And yet these two inhabitants of heauenly Paradise the possessors of immortalitie as Hierom calls them not that now they desire but that they now enioy immortalitie as Tertullian speaketh the marke-men and first borne of our resurrection as Epiphanius saith the most ancient inhabitants of heauen in whom the worth of grace hath changed the law of nature as Athanasius saith Immortalitie not ouercome by death euen these two this old doting Doctor Bellarmine doth imagine shall returne againe vpon the earth that they may dye by the hand of Antichrist Mortalitie shall be drunke vp of life but immortalitie shall not be drunke vp of death For God will not giue that glory to Antichrist that he triumph ouer the death of the Saints in heauen for they be immortall If they be heauenly and immortall what businesse haue they vpon the earth to fight with Antichrist whom Christ hath purposed by three meanes vtterly to destroy and abolish 1. By the effectuall ministerie of his word
long hence But the consequence is false Therfore the antecedent He proues his proposition out of the Apostle That Antichrist shall come a little before the end of the world and immediately before the second comming of Christ and then that ioyly fellow shall appeare whom the Lord Iesus shal consume with the spirit of his mouth and the brightnesse of his comming But the Apostle doth distinguish betweene the comming and the destruction of Antichrist betweene the substance of Antichrist and his appearance or reuelation betweene which and his destruction there is a great distance He lay close hidden in the daies of Saint Iohn Saint Paul as I haue said before he was therefore He did appeare after the remouing of the Empire for that did hinder that he might not appeare which happened not till many ages after Againe the Apostle distinguisheth betweene the consuming of Antichrist and his finall ouerthrow After he is reuealed he saith hee shall wast away by little and little with the spirit of the Lordes mouth but shall bee vtterly put out by the brightnesse of his comming Bellarmine a prophane Iester Heere let me a little touch Bellarmines prophane iesting Surely saith he the spirit of Christ must be very weake if it cannot dispatch Antichrist raging aboue a 1000. yeares And there it pleaseth him to distinguish betweene the word of God and his power As though there is not power in the word of God to weaken and breake Antichrist in peeces the force whereof the beast shall feele in his fall and destruction Now the thing is a working now Christ doth enfeeble Antichrist with his word afterward hee shall destroy him with his presence Hee shall kill him by weakening him that I may put off the Cardinals ridiculous distinction who doth thus distinguish Hee doth not say he shall weaken him but hee shall kill him And it pleaseth him to scoffe at vs when wee say that now Antichrist shall be ouerthrowne by the word of the Lord ☞ when as now the word of the Lord shall be ouerthrown by him May not a Christian and an old man and a Diuine blush for shame as for a Cardinall nothing will make him blush to sport and iest in a matter so weighty and serious As God himselfe so Gods word is eternall his Ministers Gods witnesses Antichrist could kill the word it selfe he could neuer kill which shall abide when he rots to nothing Yea truely as the word of God is a liuing word so the Ministers of the word Gods faithfull witnesses being slaine shall by the power of the word rise againe if not in their seuerall persons yet in a succession and kill this murthering Antichrist Christ therefore hath not a weake spirit but the Cardinall hath a weake braine who doth not as yet vnderstand the degrees and meanes which Christ vseth in the abolishing of Antichrist But he tells vs Saint Iohn saith that Antichrist shall come in the last houre What is ment by the last houre But he vnderstandeth the last houre to be all that time from the ascension of Christ to his second comming which God doth call an houre very short in respect of the Saints glory but very long in respect of their patience This testimonie I thus retort When that Antichrist commeth it shall be the last houre saith Iohn But Antichrists are now come meaning the whole bodie together with Antichrist that head which elsewhere he affirmeth is come Therefore now is the last houre And if then was the houre of the comming of Antichrist he is not to be destroyed three yeeres and a halfe before the end of the world CHAP. XLI Of the sixt and last Note BVt he proues it out of Daniel Cap 12.12 that after Antichrist hath raigned three yeeres and a halfe hee shall be destroyed 45 dayes before the day of iudgement For when he had continued 1290 dayes he addes happy is he that shall liue to see 1335 dayes Daniel mistaken This place is properly to be vnderstood of Antiochus of his death and of the deliuerance of the Iewes But grant that the place be to be vnderstood of the kingdome of Antichrist and the end of the world then it would follow Three absurdities first that the kingdome of Antichrist lasted not 1260 daies which make three yeeres and a halfe but 1290. Againe it followes that Antichrist is to be destroyed 45 dayes before the end of the world whom the Apostle saith must be destroyed at the comming of Christ Thirdly it would follow that the time of Christs comming should be knowne to men which Christ doth assure vs is vnknowne vnto Angells If these consequences be absurd then the Antecedent is absurd from whence they arise You haue Paul the fift Bellarmines six demonstrations making small proofe that Antichrist is not yet come Now seeing I haue dilated about Antichrist all the questions whether he be what he is of what kinde what is his kingdome and retinue what hee doth and wherein he is busied the name wherewith he is termed the marke wherewith he is branded What Antichrist is the seate wherein he ruleth the time wherein he is reuealed and withall what he is not It is not requisite that I tell you in many words who it is when you your selfe seeme to haue Antichrist wholy in your breast and to carrie him in your bosome Antichrists sufferings You haue heard what hee hath done now heare what hee shall suffer For wee are so farre from doubting of his comming that wee thinke of his destroying foretold of the Angells in Iohn Apoc. 14.7 The first Angell I saw saith he an Angell flying in the middest of heauen hauing the eternall Gospell to preach vnto them that are vpon the earth and to euery nation tribe tongue and people speaking with a loude voice Feare the Lord and giue honor to him because the time of his iudgment is at hand and worship him who made heauen and earth the sea and all that are therein This Sermon of the Angell what is it else but a briefe summe of all those Sermons which Luther and Caluin The Angell and the Protestants prâ—â—ch alike and other Preachers of the Gospell preached in all the coasts of the Christian world that they might bring the people to the faith of Christ the feare of God and the worship of him alone He onely that made heauen and earth is to be worshipped he only is to be serued God only made heauen and earth Therefore we must worship and serue God only This syllogisme of the Angell as a Ramme is aduanc't by our men to batter ouerthrow and expell out of the consciences of men all those forces of Idolls which Antichrist hath erected And there followed another Angell saying The second Angell Apoc 14.8 Babylon is fallen Babylon that great Citie is fallen because she hath made all nations drunke with the wine of the wrath of her fornication Here the spirituall fall
like to the Asse and her colt whence they are wont to draw another argument for the temporall gouernment of Christ An argument drawne from the Asse for the Popes power Hee sent his disciples that they should bring him the Asse and her colt whereon according to the prophecie the humble King might sit when hee entred into Ierusalem and commanded them to tell the owners of the Asses the Lord had neede of them whence they conclude that Christ was the temporall Lord of the whole world very foolishly for whereas hee borrowed the Asse it sheweth Christs pouertie and whereas hee rode on it when he went into Ierusalem it sheweth his humilitie and meeknes as the Fathers expound it Therefore they that gather from thence the dignitie and excellencie of a temporall Prince the Lord hath neede of them that I may not seeme to speake more sharply against them And if the authoritie of a Prince might haue beene gathered out of this place hee would not haue said the Lord had neede of them but the Lord commandes that you send them Whose humilite when Celestine the Byshoppe of Rome peruersly desiring to follow was caried through the Citie vpon an Asse The Asse sate vpon the Pope not the Pope vpon the Asse and enioyned his Cardinalles to doe the like was laught at by them who beleeued that the Asse rather sate vpon the Pope then the Pope vpon the Asse because when hee would resemble Christ his humilitie hee should haue cast off the Popes statelinesse And yet they are so blockish that they thinke that Christ when he rid into Ierusalem after his manner in triumph that hee exercised temporall power Did they then thinke this manner to bee scarce papall in Celestine doe they thinke it Regall in Christ And that which they thought vilde in Christ doe they thinke triumphant in him And that which they thought a signe of weakenesse in him doe they count it a shew of power in Christ Christ assuredly is the King of heauen and earth and he hath a kingdome both spirituall and eternall But his kingdome is not of this world though it be in this world as hee professed before Pilate How Christ stood before Pilate He stood therefore before Pilate both the Emperors Lord and Subiect afterward to iudge him now to be iudged of him God to be feared by his inuicible maiestie man to bee pittied by his visible humilitie in whose person the power of the spirit lay hid vnder the frailety of the flesh that he might teach Peter and in him the Pope to reioyce at heauenly graces not to waxe proude at earthly titles and euer to beare in minde the glory of a Kingdome not outward and decaying but inward and eternall § 209 But now let vs vrge the argument out of the scriptures aboue alleaged and let vs enforce it more closly out of the interpretations of the antient Fathers Christ had no kingdome of the world Therefore Peter had none vnlesse hee could giue that to Peter he had not himselfe The Pope decreaseth by the same degrees hee encreased Christ is the Emperours subiect as he is man how therefore can Peter be his Lord vnlesse the Disciple may be aboue his Master And if Peter be a subiect how can the Pope be a Lord Peter was not aboue the rest of the Apostles Therefore the Pope is not aboue other Byshoppes Peter was inferiour to the Councell Therefore the Pope is inferiour to the Councell By the same degrees that the Pope did increase by the same if you please let him decrease First he was aduanced aboue Byshoppes as Boniface the third afterward aboue Kings and Emperours as Gregorie the seuenth then hee tooke vpon him the imperiall and pontificall dignitie and that by the right of his Popedome as Boniface the 8. Last of all hee was lifted aboue all Councells that all the remedies for mischiefe might be taken away and that the Christian people might happily lament their miseries but not cure them But Peter was not aboue the rest of the Apostles Cyprian That were saith he the rest of the Apostles that Peter was endued with the same fellowship of honour and power There was a paritie of power among all the Apostles where was then the superiority of Peter The Carthaginian Fathers therefore decreed in the Councell that the Byshoppe of the first sea should not be called Prince of Priests or chiefe Priest Chap. 42. or haue any such title but onely the Byshoppe of the first sea where is then the spirituall principality of the Pope whereof Bellarmine dreameth Afterward Gregorie the first did not onely detest the title of vniuersall Byshoppe in Iohn of Constantinople Lib. 4. Epist. cap. 32. Gregorie the first did detest the title of the vniuersall Byshoppe but in himselfe and all others as new wicked a name of singularity to be a generall plague of the Church the corruption of faith against the Cannons against Peter the Apostle against the sense of the Gospell against all Churches against God himselfe That neuer any holy man vsed any such title Lib. 4. Epist 34 Epist 38 39. that none of his Predecessors did giue their consents it should be vsed and that whosoeuer did vse it hee was the Messenger and forerunner of Antichrist This is a notable title the vniuersall Byshoppe of the Church proper to the Byshoppe of Rome as Bellarmine saith Therefore new prophane wicked c. as Gregorie saith § 210 Lib. 2. de Rom. Pont. cap. 31. Bellarmines obiection against Pope Gregorie But here Bellarmine doth distinguish there is one sense of this title that he who is called the vniuersall Byshop of all Christian cities so that other be not Byshoppes but onely his Vicars and in this sense it is a prophane word as Gregorie speaketh So that according to blessed Gregories minde the vniuersall Byshoppe seemes to take authoritie from all other that an vniuersall Byshoppe be one and an only Byshoppe as Bellarmine doth expound in Tortus as if Gregorie had iudged that all other Byshoppes had beene put out of office by Iohn of Constantinople who would needes be stiled the vniuersall Byshop Bellarmine doth crosse the historie Wherein Bellarmine doth crosse the historie which sheweth that all the Greeke Byshoppes did consent to Iohn of Constantinople that hee should take to him the title of vniuersall Byshoppe which they would neuer haue done if by the grant of that title they had thought all Byshop like authoritie should haue been taken from them And Platina sheweth that Boniface the 3. tooke to him that place of preheminency which Iohn chalenged Bellarmine contradicteth himselfe Besides that in the very said place he doth contradict himselfe where he writeth that the Greeke Byshops would not onely preferre the Constantinopolitane sea before the sea of Alexandria and Antioch but make it also equall to Rome and vniuersall Which how can it agree with that which he said before for hee did
the Tridentine heresie a Colos 1.29 God the Father did decree by the testimonie of Paul that his only begotten sonne from all eternitie b Heb. 1.10 the Creator of heauen and earth c Colos 1.16 of Angells and men d Heb. 1.3 the brightnesse of his glorie and Character of his person e Heb. 2.16 should take on him not the nature of Angells but of men f Heb. 7.25 wherein he alone without any fellow helpers might fully finish the whole saluation of man God the sonne g Rom. 9.5 God aboue all blessed for euer though Arrius reuiued burst for griefe h 1. Tim. 3.16 reuealed in the flesh approued in the spirit True God true man brought forth without a father By a maide whom God begate without a mother i Heb. 7.3 As he was shadowed out by Melchisedech and therefore k 1. Tim. 2.5 the onely one Mediator betweene God and man in the fulnesse of time fulfilled the decree of his Father reconciling God displeased with man that was lost by his owne accord The meanes whereby saluation is procured to man by the excellencie of his person the sanctitie of his nature obedience of his life and sacrifice of his death did alone deserue eternall saluation not infusing into him so much grace wherby man himselfe might merit saluation to himselfe m Rom. 4.24.25 but imputing the merit of his death which he might lay hold on with a thankefull and holy minde God the holy Ghost proceeding from them both did lay open to the minde of man saluation which the Father decreed the Sonne deserued and sealed it vp in his heart n Ephes 1.14 giuen not as a pledge but as an earnest which Austin obserueth out of the Apostle o Austin in this place because that mony which was borrowed when it is paide againe the pledge is restored but the earnest when the price is paide againe is not restored because it is part of the price which is not to be taken away but is to be supplied as p Aquin. in this place Aquine teacheth out of Austin Therefore the spirit of Christ giuen to man the earnest of heauenly inheritance is not paide backe againe So the Apostle hath set three foundations of mans saluation more sure then heauen and earth 1. The eternall decree of the Father 2. The infinite merit of the Sonne 3. The irreuocable earnest of the spirit So the worke of our saluation is from God alone the knowledge of saluation from the word of God alone hence he is called the word of saluation q Gal. lib. 2. de sanitate tuenda Galen writeth that the cause of many diseases in the body as hereditarie proceedes from corrupt seede and from putrified nourishment The disease of the soule is hereditarie from corrupt seede as Iob saith which is encreased by custome of sinning as with impure nourishment Now as the diseases of the bodies are cured by contraries so the diseases of soules which God being r Pet. 1.23.2.2 dead begetteth againe by immortall seede being againe begotten feedeth them with pure nourishment being sicke diseased healeth them with holesome medicines that is with the pure word of God who is to be accounted the true Father Pastor and Phisition of the soule Yet he vseth men to that purpose as instruments whom he sendeth and moueth that first they preach forgiuenesse and absolution from all their sinnes promised freely by faith in Christ to the penitent and after enioyne two things to him that is forgiuen One that he pay backe againe the dutie of holinesse to the blessed trinitie alone for so vnspeakeable a blessing of saluation The other that he afford all the helpe of charity to man for Gods sake being the liuely Image of God setting before the obedient at the last inward peace vpon the earth and an eternall inheritance in the heauens So the men of God doe raise vp a man that is sorrowfull with the promise direct a man that goeth astray with the commandement comfort him that is fainting with the reward but the men of God doe speake outwardly the spirit of God doth worke inwardly They do beate these things into their eares the spirit doth ingender faith hope and loue in the heart faith which doth apprehend the promise hope which looketh for the reward loue which keepeth the commandement Å¿ Colos 1.12 For God doth not finde man fit but maketh him fit to participate the inheritance of the Saints in light whom he draweth being vnwilling and tooke him resisting out of the power of darkenesse and placed him being thus deliuered in the kingdome of light the kingdome of the sonne of his loue t Ephes 2.1 For hee found man not yet regenerated dead in sinnes not halfe dead but starke dead not like to the man with the palsie who lay sicke on his couch but to Lazarus who lay foure daies stinking in his graue So that euery sinner before he heare the powerfull voice of Christ speaking inwardly to him lyeth putrified and consumed in the graue of his sinnes Whence a sinner riseth and commeth forth as Lazarus for the power of the Lord is in both not the power of the dead u Austin in tracta of Iohn 49. as Austin doth expound Saint Paul So that hee hath neede not of helping grace whereby hee recouereth health but creating grace whereby he is againe brought to life And a sinner is meerely passiue and can bring no more help to his conuersion then Lazarus brought to his rising againe In whom Christ doth not helpe his weake wil but create a new x Galat. 6.15 Ephes 2.10 hence the conuersion of a sinner is called new creation not in respect of the naturall faculties and of morall virtues which sinne only corrupteth but of spirituall graces which sinne hath blotted out as the master of the sentences obserued out of Austin Therefore the image of God imprinted in the soule in respect of the substance is deformed in respect of the qualities is cleane put out y Greg. Nyss de orat Dom. Serm 5. as Gregorie Nyssen teacheth The restoring then of the image blotted out is the rising againe of man being dead This is the nature this is the disposition of the Apostles doctrine it doth depresse man that it may extoll God it doth cast off corrupt nature that it may bring in sauing grace A man therefore must liue in God yea farther by God before he can either will or thinke any good a meere passiue subiect of grace at the first while being as it were made warme by the spirit of Christ hee beginneth to will his owne conuersion and is made a voluntarie instrument of grace by no imbred or infused force of the will but by the power of the seede of grace and of the new life which hee had from God Paul doth thus distinguish betweene a man to be converted and converted He maketh him
Church At the last he calleth Luther that falling starre That falling starre not Luther and the Lutheranes Heretikes and the Protestants Locusts whose armie he brought out of the bottomelesse pit when hee fell Of that anone now I demand how an abiect silly Fryer as they call him out of his cloyster that examineth all things by Scriptures can bee that starre falling from heauen not that great Lucifer much lesse that little Luther can be called the falling starre but some great Byshop as loftie as the starres Lucifers mate who a good while since hath forsaken heauenly doctrin and holy life and hath betaken himselfe to earthly businesses and wicked manners that is hath fallen from heauen to earth For then are Byshops said to stand in heauen What the fall of a star meaneth when they performe their duties and then fall to the earth when forsaking holy life and doctrin they seeke after worldly matters But this doth not agree with the Pope onely for many other starres hauing beene pulled downe by the Dragons taile are falne to the earth The Popes key and the effects of it True But none besides the Pope is of that power as holy Iohn ascribes vnto him For the key of the bottomlesse pit was giuen to this falling starre This great Byshoppe while he shined as a starre in the Church that is in heauen he vsed the key of heauen committed to him as he ought but after he fell from heauen he tooke to himselfe the key of the bottomlesse pit Therefore Antichrist the Angell of the bottomlesse pit is the key keeper of hell Apoc. 9.1 1. Tim. 4.1.3 Whereof blessed Paul giueth a double reason One that by that his key hee brought into the Church the doctrine of Diuells in forbidding meates and marriages Another that lifting vp himselfe aboue all that is called god that is aboue Kings and Emperours hee doth shut them out of their kingdomes and thereby hath brought the darkenesse of the bottomlesse pit into the common wealth Is not this the liuely image of the Pope who assoone as he left of to be a starre by his fall began afterward to be a foolish fire Ignis satuus Whose key is now no longer the key of heauen but of hell For his hatred to that doctrine and gouernment that proceede from God is a most certaine brand of Antichrist Of the key I shall speake more hereafter in the Creede CHAP. VI. Wherein Antichrist is proued an Apostata and vniuersall Bishop WHom Saint Iohn tearmeth a falling starre Saint Paul tearmeth an Apostata from the faith and makes him a Captaine not of a particular but an vniuersall Apostasie whom he so sets downe with his proper markes that he seemeth to haue pointed his finger at the Church of Rome to whom euery way they doe agree She forbiddeth marriages and meates not in open blasphemie as some old Heretickes did but in hidden hypocrisie as the forenamed Apostataes as the Apostle noteth Whence I inferre thus The head of the vniuersall and generall Apostasie is Antichrist The Pope is the head of the vniuersall and generall Apostasie Therefore the Pope is Antichrist Therefore Antichrist is not a Iew or head of the Iewes who cannot be said to haue departed from Christ before they came to him but an Apostaticall Christian Lib. 4. Epist 32.34.38 And as it is obserued by Gregorie the great A Bishoppe beleigerd with an armie of Priests not a Bishop onely but an vniuersall Bishop Not that hee alone for that cause did depose all other Bishops but that he aduanc'd himselfe before all others Whence againe I argue thus An Apostaticall Christian an vniuersall Bishop is Antichrist The Pope is an Apostaticall Christian and an vniuersall Bishoppe The Pope therefore is Antichrist And that title of vniuersall Bishop Pope Gregorie calleth wicked prophane sacrilegious Whereunto to consent is nothing else saith he but to lose the Faith As hee writ to Anianus and thereby to aduance himselfe in honour aboue the Empire as he writ to Mauritius which whosoeuer doth as Iohn Bishop of Constantinople did already and Ciricius did afterward he doth pronounce him confidently to be the follower of Lucifer and the fore-runner of Antichrist The Pope first vniuersall Bishop Pope Gregory was a true Prophet alas too too true a Prophet for within fiue yeers after that King of pride whom he foretolde to be so neere at hand with his army of priests did vsurpe that chaire from whence Gregory did deliuer that Oracle and hath held it now aboue 1000. yeeres being first called the vniuersall Bishop Then vniuersall Prince because he hath the iurisdiction ouer all Bishops As first Boniface that falling starre After that vniuersall Prince created out of himselfe because he had the soueraignty ouer all Kings and Emperours as Gregorie the seuenth So that the Bishop of Rome is by a Bishop of Rome prophetically concluded to bee for his treason Lucifer Lastly Lucifer and Antichrist for the losse of his faith Antichrist But the Bishop as themselues affirme cannot erre in his definitiue sentence for hee hath the Spirit assistant and tied to the Chaire The Bishop therefore is Antichrist for that I may cast vp all into a short summe Antichrist is a falling starre a degenerating shepheard a domineering Bishop CHAP. VII Antichrist within the Church in stead of God and how he lifts vp himselfe against God DOe you not behold your selfe in this Looking-glasse Paul the fift suffer not your selfe to bee deceiued by those men who imagine Antichrist to be an outward aduersarie whom the Apostle doth make an homebred stubborne Traytor for as he doth abuse the name of a King against a King so he doth oppugn Christ in the name of Christ Whom therefore Paul doth place within the Church not without it and sitting not in a bodily gesture but in a spirituall gouernement Besides that Theod. in 2. Thess 2. the thrones of Kings are called the seats of Bishops And he sitteth not in a materiall Temple for Temple is not any where so taken in the new Testament as Bellarmine confesseth therefore in the spirituall Church for the which the Temple of God is alwaies taken as the Fathers expound it Chrysostomus Oecumenius Hieronimus ad Algasium quae 11. who all affirm he shall sit in the Church not in the Temple of Ierusalem Antichrist hee sitteth in the Temple of God not in the Temple which hee shall re-edifie in Ierusalem as is imagined for that should not bee called the Temple of God but of the Diuell Againe he is said to sit against the Temple as Augustine did well translate it out of Greeke as if he were the Temple of God that is the Church Wherein the wretched man bearing rule doth not thinke himselfe to bee God much lesse God alone as Bellarmine dreameth Antichrist is not such a foole but in stead of God for he sitteth as God and taketh vpon him as he were God
not Christ but for Christ a Substitute to his Person and an Opposite to his Glory for in many things hee makes himselfe equall to Christ The Pope wherein he makes himself equall to Christ carrying himselfe like God forgiuing sinnes redeeming soules making new articles of the faith the Iudge of all men himselfe to be iudged by no man That although hee call not himselfe God yet he makes a shew as if he were God as the Apostle teacheth Is not this the liuely picture of the Pope Doth it not present him vnto vs almost palpable Not so saith Bellarmine For Antichrist doth thinke himselfe to be God alone wherein he doth not agree with himselfe Bellarmines Antichrist is the Messias of the Iewes who doth brag that he is sent from God He doth not therefore bragge that he is God alone for God that doth send is one and God that is sent is another Againe he saith The Pope doth not sit as God but as a Bishop but yet as he that hath all the power of God both in heauen and in earth as he saith in another place He sitteth therefore at the least as a Bishop deified But he doth not call himselfe Christ But hee taketh to him if not the name yet the power of Christ This therefore I inferre Who sitteth as God in the Church and makes a shew as if he were God the same is Antichrist The Pope hath done and doth this The Pope therefore is Antichrist How the Pope lifteth vp himselfe against God For doe not thinke Paul the fift that Antichrist is so foolish to lift vp himselfe aboue God or doth swell with greater pride then doth befit a miserable mortall man He is sayd therefore Not to lift vp himselfe against euery God true and false as Bellarmine supposeth Wherin he doth contradict himselfe For a Magician doth not lift vp himselfe aboue all that is God For he doth not lift vp himselfe aboue the Diuell who is the God of this world Bellar. de Pont. lib. 3. cap. 14. But Antichrist is a Magician as Bellarmine saith Therefore Antichrist doth not lift vp himselfe aboue all that is God as the Cardinall saith But hee doth lift vp himselfe aboue all that is called God as the Apostle teacheth To whom not the essence of God The name of God to whō imputed in the Scripture but the name of God is attributed for the name of God in the Scripture is giuen to the Angels in heauen and the Princes on the earth for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not only signifie Maiesticall or Maiesty but it is also any thing which is worshipped as God or wherein God is worshipped And therefore the images alters among the Heathens were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now when as the Pope beareth rule ouer the Angels in heauen and ouer the Princes in the earth and ouer holy things in the Church it cannot be but hee needes must be Antichrist CHAP. VIII How Antichrist doth denie Christ NEither suffer your selfe Pope Paul the fift to be deluded by them who shal tell you that Christ is not openly expressely and directly denied by Antichrist so properly called For Antichrist was not so blockish that hee would openly and directly denie Christ by whose name and profession hee saw so much profit and honour to come vnto him you may bee sure hee was not so madde It was therefore requisite that he might both satisfie his owne hatred and serue his owne turne he should denie Christ secretly by consequent indirectly for could Antichrist possibly haue held his gouernment so manie yeeres in the Church if he had openly denied Christ certainely hee could neuer haue held it for all those Christians ouer whom he gouerned would either haue hist him out for a foole or burnt him vp for a blasphemour It was not therefore for Antichrists profit to deny Christ after this manner Adde moreouer that hee is described by the Apostle to be a cunning and a crafty companion and that he shall come with all deceit of iniustice Popery is a mystery of Iniquity Besides all his religion is not called iniquitie but the mystery of iniquity And the glosse hath noted that the mysticall impiety of Antichrist shall bee cloakt ouer with the name of piety It had beene therefore very absurd to haue denied Christ plainely openly and expressely for that did no whit agree either with the good of his kingdome or the humour of Antichrist or the mystery of Iniquity It followeth therefore that he denied Christ secretly implicitly and indirectly and retaining the name of Christ did abolish his faith and doctrine But that belongeth to petty Antichrists to denie Christ secretly and indirectly but to that great Antichrist directly and openly wherevpon his comming is called a Reuelation as Bellarmine doth sophistically gather By which words is expressed not the manner of the deniall of Christ but the manner of vsurping his kingdome For if you consider the manner of doctrine the apostacie of the great Antichrist is called mysticall and so is his opposition as of all the rest but that their apostacie from Christ ought to be counted particular his vniuersall And therefore for all Bellarmines words that Antichrist doth denie Christ secretly and indirectly as the Pope who though hee doth in word expresly and directly confesse Christ to be God and man yet he doth closely and indirectly denie hoth Christs Diuinitie and his Humanitie CHAP. IX The Pope taketh away the properties of ech nature in Christ. FOR hee taketh away the properties of ech Nature The Godhead is infinite the Humanitie finite The Pope doth set out the Deitie of the Father in pictures and images and doth imagine the humanitie of Christ to be present in many places at once and therefore doth forge a finite Diuinitie and an infinite Humanitie He doth confesse directly in word that Christ is iust and mercifull but in deed doth indirectly denie both for perfect iustice doth not admit imperfect satisfaction that is humane and perfect mercy doth not grant imperfect pardon it doth not remit the fault and retayne the punishment The Pope doth teach that imperfect satisfaction and pardon is performed by Christ to the faithfull he doth therefore denie vnto Christ perfect iustice and mercy and so makes Christ a plaine I doll CHAP. X. The Pope denieth the three offices of Christ HE doth in word acknowledge the three offices of Christ but indirectly denieth them his Prophecie his Priesthood and his Kingdome His prophesie First his Prophecie while hee telleth vs that the Canonicall Scriptures wherein the voice of our Prophet in all things necessarie to saluation is fully conteyned whether they be principles of faith or precepts of life to be very imperfect And therefore doth account his Decretall Epistles among the Canonicall Scriptures Distinc 9. Sic omnes Fie vpon such blasphemie and intolerable pride Herein he is a very Iew in that he abrogateth
Christ is a Prophet dost in very deed indirectly denie and ouerthrow the Prophecie of Christ More then that the Pope doth indirectly ouerthrow his Priesthood and his kingdome His priesthood whereon dependeth the sacrifice and intercession of Christ 2 His Priesthood while hee doth erect another priesthood which doth either offer another propitiatorie sacrifice or doth reiterate the sacrifice of Christ as imperfect When as the Apostle doth proue throughout the whole Epistle to the Hebrewes that the propitiatorie sacrifice of Christ if you seeke for the number is but one if for the time is but once offered Heb. 10.14 Well expounded if for the Priest by himselfe if for the place vpon the Crosse if for the manner bloudily if for the vertue exceeding effectuall to make holie the faithfull With what face therefore doth the Pope either deuise another propitiatorie sacrifice or cause that to be often repeated of prophane Priests vnbloudily vpon the Altar as though the bloudy sacrifice of Christ were not sufficient to make perfect the beleeuers wherein he sheweth himselfe an vtter Aduersarie vnto Christ But they doe daily sacrifice Christ say they that they may apply him to the faithfull But the Apostles did not sacrifice Christ but propounded him in the word and sacraments that they might apply him to the faithfull Out of the sacrifice of Christ the redemption of the Church is the first part of his priesthood which the Pope of Rome hath communicated with the Saints Thus they speake of Gregorie Let him saue vs from our sinnes that in heauen with the Saints we may rest You would thinke that Gregorians not Christians spake Of Peter and Paul Grant that by both their merits wee may obtaine the glory of eternitie Out of the Romane Breuiarie It is true that it is said that the Lord can hardly be discerned from his Apostles O blessed mother In the Parisian Missal Satisfying for our sinneâ— By the right of a mother Command the redeemer Bâ—rnard in Mart. lib. 1. So that the Iesuites doe thinke meete to saluation to mingle the mothers milke with the sonnes blood and they do appeale from the seate of Gods iustice to the seate of his mothers mercy whom they call the goddesse and Queene of heauen So that poperie is no more to be called Christianisme but Marianisme Now if the Pope doe communicate the office of redemption with the Saints what maruell is it if they impart the office of intercession with them whereas the Apostle doth affirme 1. Tim 2.5 there is but one God so but one mediator betweene God and men the man Christ Iesus one mediator of intercession who doth offer vp our prayers to God as he that alone doth pay the price of redemption for vs all sith the efficacie of his intercession dependeth vpon the merit of his redemption 3 His kingdome Last of all they professe Christ to be a King in word in deede they deny him And whereas Christ doth walke in the middest of the 7. golden candlestickes and is not onely present in his Church but President of his Church this exorbitant Priest made a Vicar by himselfe and a voluntarie Prince doth raigne and supplie his turne as if hee were absent and taking vnto him the whole power of Christ in heauen and earth makes Christ but a titulare King and an idle God so that hee seemeth againe with the Iewes to mocke him in setting a crowne of thornes vpon his head and giuing him a â—eed for a Scepter into his hand But Christ is a king inuisible the Pope visible But Christ although inuisible yet he is really in the Eucharist yea carnally as the Pope teacheth falsly yet he teacheth it but in the reall presence of the greater that is Christ there is no reall presence of the lesser that is the Pope so the reall presence of Christ in the Eucharist doth take away the visible and spirituall King out of the Church Now seeing in deede he denieth the offices of Christ which he professeth in word The benefits of Christ diminished what maruell is it if he diminish the benefits which spring out of the offices if making of the crosse he weaken the merit of the crosse if teaching his death hee abolish the power of death if granting the spirit he extenuate the force of the spirit if preaching the Gospell he put out the light of the Gospell while he doth confound free will with Gods grace mans satisfaction with Christ his bloud inherent iustice with imputed obedience in iustification that part of saluation being attributed to man part to God may diuide the glory of so excellent a worke betweene God and man Wherein I cannot rightly determine whether Antichrist hath offered more contumely to God or wrong to man Out of the premises I argue briefly thus Whosoeuer doth denie Christ closly and indirectly is Antichrist The Pope of Rome doth deny Christ closly and indirectly and taketh away his natures his properties his offices his benefits The Pope therefore is Antichrist Wherein he doth alwaies one thing and pretendes another He is therefore a cunning craftie Antichrist CAHP. XI Wherein the smoakie Kingdome of Antichrist is plentifully described out of Iohn SAINT Iohn saith that the key of the bottomlesse pit is giuen to the starre that fell from heauen Apoc. 9. The Pope the key Keeper of Hell Now marke in this hellish businesse how diligent this Angell of darkenesse sheweth himselfe 2 For assoone as he receiueth the key hee presently vseth it to opening of the bottomles pit as it followeth in Saint Iohn from whence ascended the smoke of the pit as the smoake of a great furnace and the sun and the aire were darkned with the smoake of the pit 3. Therefore Antichrists kingdome is darke and smoakie The darknesse vnder Antichrist I doe not thinke that any who knoweth but his letters much lesse any learned man to be so weake an Interpreter of the Apocalips as to think the outward darkenesse is here meant and that the darknesse of this sunne which we see or of this ayre which wee breath and not rather the darkenesse of soules and mindes is here vnderstood or that smoake out of a furnace rather then out of hell is heere described Now the kingdome of Christ is the kingdome of light and therefore the kingdome of Antichrist is the kingdome of darkenesse Apoc. 8.12 At the sound of the fourth trumpet Saint Iohn saith No comparison betweene the old Heretikes and Antichrist that the third part of the sunne the Moone and the starres were darkned When Marcion destroyed Christs humanity Arrius denied his diuinitie so that the world was turned Arrian Eutiches confounded his natures Nestorius diuided them when Pelagius obscured the grace of Christ but all these were nothing to those vniuersall darknesses brought in by Antichrist For hee tooke some contagion from each of these and added much of his owne When he commanded the Scriptures
to be shut vp in an vnknowne tongue lest the people might vnderstand God speaking vnto them when hee commanded prayers to be made in an vnknowne tongue Scriptures in an vnknowne tongue that the people might not speake to God with vnderstanding when he taught implicite faith that is brutish ignorance whereby hee blinded their mindes with incredulity Implicite faith Images to be adored when hee set pictures before them not to be gased on onely but to bee adored that he might feede their eyes with vanities and choake their soules with idolatrie Doe you not perceiue the bottomlesse pit to be wide open you do not see the smoake rising out of the pit for the darknesse which hath darkned the sunne and the aire For the kingdome of lyes is the kingdome of darknesse While hee hath taken away the Scriptures as pearles from Swine Scriptures as pearles for Swine Prayers as chaâ—tering for Parots Faith for asses Images for Idiots and prescribed prayers as pratings for parrets and deliuered faith as an instruction for asses and allowed images as books for ideotes So Antichrist hath obscured the eternall Gospell of Christ more cleare and bright then the Sun it selfe with the thicknesse of hellish darkenesse being worthy to be choaked vp with the smoake of the pit that selleth nothing else but smoake as is euident by the doctrine of Antichrist A short description of Christian religion cleane contrarie to the doctrine of Christ For the doctrine of Christ doth bring foorth 4. principall effects 1. It doth cast downe the corrupt nature of man 2. It doth aduance the sauing grace of God 3. It doth weaken the strength of concupiscence 4. It begetteth peace of conscience 1. So it settles true humilitie in a sinner 2. Right faith toward God in him being humbled 3. Holinesse in him being faithfull 4. And security in him being holy Whereby 1. displeasing himselfe 2. and trusting in God 3. And liuing holily 4. hee is secure in his way and triumpheth ioyfully in his end The doctrine of Antichrist doth bring foorth effects cleane contrarie 1. It doth extoll the corrupt nature of man A short description of popery 2. It doth diminish the free grace of God 3. It addeth matter to encrease concupiscence 4. It withdraweth peace of conscience For 1. it maketh a sinner proud with a conceit of his owne strength 2. Vngratefull by the diminishing Gods grace 1. Inwardly filthy outwardly glorious 4. Doubtfull in the way and fearefull in the end That 1. neither he knoweth himselfe truly 2. Nor beleeueth in God rightly 3. Nor liueth holily 4. Nor dieth quietly You haue Paul the fift the very forme and face of Christianitie and Antichristianitie set before you and yours that they might loue the one and detest the other No Egyptian darknesses are more grosse no Cymmerian to bee compared with these darkenesses of the Popes kingdome which Antichrist the Angell of Hell hath fetcht out of the smoake of the pit CHAP. XII Antichrist his ministers are Locusts whose properties are described WHose ministers the Locusts and Scorpions being ingendred of smoake and darknes it makes well for them that the world is full of darknes Blinde superstition will be more bountifull to them then quick-fighted religion Apoc. 9.3 What a Locust is 4 The Locusts came out of the smoake as S. Iohn saith the Locust is bred of corrupt smoake an Antichristian Monke out of peruerse doctrine who neither can flie aloft by heauenly contemplation nor walke beneath according to Gods ordinance but being lifted vp by certaine Luciferian speculations into heauen falleth downe againe to the earth and when he hath deliuered many things truly and grauely about the Trinitie doth presently fall backe to prate of idle traditions mingling some truth with much falshood like the Deuill who makes true premisses to inferre false conclusions The Locusts spring out of the ignorance of the people as it were out of smoake The diuision of Locusts The Locusts are either elder or younger The elder out of the familie of Francis Dominicke Bennet c. The younger out of the house of lymping Loyola these be more learned and polished who after they had translated the Bible into the English tongue they of Rhemes the New and those of Doway the Ould they adde certaine smoakie interpretations whereby they bring obscuritie to a for or translation So the translation intricate enough in it selfe is made more intricate by their notes As you may see in this very mysterie Places of Scripture obscured by popish interpretations 1 Ioh 2.18 whose parts being plaine enough by the text euent is much obscured by the darknesse rising out of the Glosse and Commentarie of the Iesuites 1. S. Iohn saith that that Antichrist was in his time whom Paul saith shall continue till the comming of Christ what can be more cleare To this place they bring obscuritie out of the Glosse when they imagine that Antichrist shall be one man of three yeeres continuance 2. S. Paul makes him an Apostata not from the name of Christ but from the faith of Christ and doth describe the Apostacie by two euident notes This place they darken with their Glosse which tels vs that he is a Iew who neuer came to Christ and therefore can neuer depart from Christ 3. What is more cleare then that the Citie with seuen Hills that dominiering Citie is the seat of Antichrist as S. Iohn sets it now made the Temple and Church of God as S. Paul will haue it Matth 24.14 that is Rome by their owne confessions and yet this light is darkned with another Glosse that Ierusalem is his seate whose finall destruction Christ did foretell should be after the preaching of the Gospel ouer the whole world the Prophet Daniel that the desolation of the Temple shall continue to the consummation and end that is the end of the world Luc 21.22.24 as not onely Ierome but Christ himselfe hath expounded Yet they giue the lye both to Daniel and Christ when they outface the matter saying that Ierusalem shall be builded againe by Antichrist together with the Temple wherein hee shall sit and raigne 4. What is more euident then that Enoch was translated that he should not see death Heb 11.5 yet to this plaine Text they put a darke and contrary Glosse when they say that he shall returne againe and see death and be killed forsooth by Antichrist Doe you not perceiue that the Locusts doe spring out of the smoake of the pit which doe darken with their Glosses certaine places of the Scripture that be as cleare as the Sunne beames So that all their endeuours are to darken nor enlighten this mysterie They feare nothing more then that Antichrists hood should be pluckt ouer his eares out of which now like Democritus he laugheth at all the world The Pope like Democritus which hee hath deceiued with his smoake As the Poet brought sorrowfull Agamemnon
Purgatorie is growne very gainefull and the bargaines about sinnes very profitable Then could the Images walke a foote then could the Bells strike alone without helpe then could the Angells like Quoristers chant it out in Canterburie Minster and play vpon Dunstans Harpe then could the Apostles come downe from heauen to helpe Basill to say Masse These lying miracles were faigned by cheating knaues to confirme strange lyes and to cozen simple people of their coine For how often hath a spirit being apprehended by the Magistracie and an Angell stript and our Ladie sent to her Cell been all of them notably whipt Soules so whipt with rodds that they had rather beene in Purgatorie So they couerd all their tricks and conueyances their kinde of deceit and their manner of working with the feare of punishment Of these miracles Paul spake which being meerely false had a shew of miracles but not the power being the deuises of cogging companions There were other miracles of deceiueable spirits which were wrought partly by the force of naturall causes partly by the power of Satan So that that Synagogue seemed to be another Canidia Antichrist doth make fire to descend from heauen in the view of men saith S. Iohn that is in the opinion of men as they imagine Whether that be taken mystically or literally let vs in a word consider Fire according to the Scripture descends mystically either when God doth approue the religion and sacrifices of his seruants How fire descends from heauen in the Scripture as of Abel and Elias or when God doth by an extraordinarie fashion send downe the graces of the Spirit into their hearts as in the fiery tongues or when God did cast downe fire from heauen moued by the prayers of his seruants as of Elias to destroy his enemies Three sorts of fire 1. Is the fire of sacrifice 2. The fire of grace 3. The fire of Reuenge In all these Antichrist is Gods Ape For he hath confirmed and approued the sacrifice of the Masse and Transsubstantiation with miracles The Masse confirmed by a false miracle witnesse that pillar of fire from heauen falling to the earth euen vpon that place where by the negligence of the Priest as the Legend reports the bodie of God fell out of the pixe vpon the grasse that pillar of fire shining like the Sunne was about the bodie of God so that all the beasts of the field except a blacke Horse which bended but one of his leggs bended all their foure leggs to the bodie Which miracle I haue brought out of the Legend that I might gratifie Bellarmine who knowes that beasts then were well nurtured like to his leane iade that forgetting to eat his meat did adore the sacrament vpon his knees which the beasts had not done if God forsooth had not brought downe the fiery pillar from heauen whereby they might haue discerned the bodie of God lying vpon the grasse Adde hereto that Antichrist doth bestow the grace of the spirit sanctification vpon his Agneit Dei his hallowed graines his holy water and his bells as Primasius hath it Further hee striketh his enemies with vengeance from God as it were with fire fallen from heauen but that in the conceit of men that they whom Antichrist his furie doth daunt may seeme to be wounded with heauenly reuenge as it were with fire falne from aboue Which whether it be true of the flash of excommunication which the Pope who is called the God of reuenge casts abroad let Kings looke to it whose kingdomes haue been often set on fire by such popish lightning But to excommunicate a King is say they no miracle But so to excommunicate a King that you cast him out of his kingdome and release subiects from the obedience of their Kings it is a great miracle that either Kings are so patient to endure or Subiects so madde to beleeue Wherefore this is not materiall fire but mysticall brought downe from heauen by Antichrist in the sight of men not that he doth so indeed but that he seemeth so to doe Although if the literall sense doe more content you I haue found out Gregorie the seuenth Gregor the 7. miracle that notable enchanter who could strike fire out of his bosome as oft as he listed Thus I infer Whosoeuer in the conceits of simple men doth seeme to bring downe reuenging fire out of heauen is Antichrist This the Pope doth and hath done Therefore the Pope is Antichrist CHAP. XVII Of the Popes Character I Proceede The Beast is sayd to imprint his character vpon all both great and small to bee carried either in their fore-head or their right hand Wherein he doth peruersly follow Christs character which GOD doth imprint vpon his seruants subiection to Christ and the acknowledging of him to bee their head and Sauiour And it is partly inward partly outward Christs character of two sorts The inward character is true faith imprinted vpon the soule by the spirit of God whereby we beleeue that Christ is our onely Redeemer The outward character is the confession of the mouth the operation of the hands And therfore a Christian doth beare the marke of God in his heart by faith in his fore-head by profession Rom. 10. in his hand by working as S. Paul hath expounded besides that the two sacraments are the seales of faith the witnesses of profession and the practises of holinesse The diuers characters of the Pope In like sort Antichrist hath a marke proper to himselfe of his owne which he doth imprint and brand the Antichristians withall Which character hangs vpon his name and his name vpon his state Of the first Beast that is of the Romane or Latine monarchie The seauen formes of gouernment among the Romanes there were seauen heads that is seuen kingly formes of gouerning the common-weale 1. Kings properly so called 2. Consuls 3. Decemviri 4. Tribunes of souldiers 5 Dictators 6. Emperors properly called 7 Antichrist The state of the Beast is Romane or Latine Therefore the character of the Beast is a note of difference whereby all they are discerned from all other who are of the Romane or Latine Religion whom we tearme Papists And the subiection to the Pope of Rome as to their head and the acknowledging of that See the inward and outward marke of Antichrist The double marke or character of Antichrist The inward marke is that implicite faith which I toucht before The outward marke is that outward profession of the mouth and the conformity of life to the Popes lawes as the obseruation of the heathenish rights was called the character of the Greekes which is made perfect by the sacraments of confirmation and order inuented by the Pope And Antichrist doth so imprint all his with the marke of the Beast that hee will suffer none to buy or sell except they be branded with the Beasts marke So euery Papist is a stigmaticke otherwise he cannot hold his house
or keepe open doores or haue any contract or businesse or haue any comfortable society with Christs faithfull seruants as Martin the fift in the bull annexed to the counsell of Constance did word for word declare 8. The name of the Beast or of Antichrist doth follow in the last place it is not a proper but a common name For if we know what the Beast is we shall quickly know what his name is CHAP. XVIII Of the name and number of the second Beast THe Beast with seauen heads as I sayd is the state of the Romane and Latine Empire whose sixe Heads or Kings were called Romane or Latine The seuenth is Antichrist called likewise Romane or Latin Therefore Antichrist is the seuenth King of the Romane or Latine Empire But the Pope is the seuenth King of the Romane Empire The Pope therefore is Antichrist 9. But hee must not onely beare the name of the Beast but the number of his name not the number of time but of his name for so saith Saint Iohn no man may buy or sell but he that hath the mark and name of the Beast or number of his name He doth not say the number of the time wherein Antichrist was to bee reuealed but the number of his name which he was to stampe vpon his But the number of the name is the number of the yeeres 666. which is contained The number of the Beast both in the Hebrew name in which language the Prophesie was deliuered to S. Iohn or in Greeke in which language it was written by S. Iohn Romanus in the Hebrew Latinos written in Greeke maketh vp that number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Ireneus witnesse Romanus by Fox his accompt There the common name of Antichrist is Romanus or Latinus It is the name of a man also which is very fitting for Latinus was the name of a King in Italy Romanus of a Pope Heere is wisdome saith S. Iohn hee that hath vnderstanding let him count the number of the Beast for it is the number of a man and his number is 666. It is an olde tradition not to bee reiected of them that bee addicted to traditions that Irenaeus tooke the the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from Ignatius Ignatius from Polycarpus Polycarpus from S. Iohn There be other names that containe the same number as Euandas and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but none of these bee the name of the Beast nor the name of a man none such which Antichrist doth imprint vpon his and to whom all the notes of Antichrist doe agree Whosoeuer doth compell those that bee vnder his iurisdiction to take on them the marke and name of the Beast the number of his name and the number of a man is Antichristrist But the Pope of Rome doth compell those that be vnder his iurisdiction to take vpon them the mark and name of the Beast and the number of his name and the number of a man as I haue demonstrated before Therefore the Pope is Antichrist CHAP. XIX Wherein is shewed the place where Antichrist sitteth The Pope sits in Rome which is Babylon WEe haue seene the actions the marke and the name of the Beast Let vs see his seat I haue expounded the starre which fell from Heauen I added somewhat of the Beast which rose out of the earth now hearken to the whore which sitteth on the Beast Ere while the falling starre did represent Antichrist now the whore of Babylon doth represent the seat of Antichrist A falling starre because hee left his place a whore because she broke her troth ere while the Land-Beast did poynt out Antichrist so called not onely because she tooke a surer and a stronger beginning out of rest and idlenesse but because shee being a slaue to her beastly affections sauours nothing but earth and flesh Now the whore of Babylon doth shadow out by your owne confessions the seate and Church of Antichrist Aug. de ciuit Dei lib. 16 cap. 17. cap. 22. lib. 18. Sic Hieron in Esa cap 47. v. 1. and else vvhere often Demonst 13. 18. for they are not afraid to call Rome Babylon as the Rhemists Parsons and Bellarmine and mysticall Babylon as Augustine cals Babylon as it were first Rome and Rome as it were the second Babylon and the daughter of the first Babylon whereupon your owne men grant that Rome is that whore of Babylon described by S. Iohn yea they proceede farther for your Saunders calleth it the seat and â—ity of Antichrist We take that you grant for it followes by your grant that not Heathenish Rome but the Bishops Rome is mysticall Babylon for the state of Antichrist being the seauenth head doth follow the state of the Empire being the sixt head of the Beast And therfore Heathenish Imperiall Rome could not be the seat city of Antichrist Therefore Christian Rome the Popes Rome Wherby it is broght to passe that not Heathenish Rome but the Popes Rome is mysticall Babylon For this is the summe of my conclusion Mysticall Babylon is the seat and city of Antichrist described in the Apocal. chap. 17. But Rome is mysticall Babylon there described Rome therfore is the seat and city of Antichrist But they distinguish of Rome in the assumption and they enforce it to be Heathenish and the Imperiall Rome which then gouerned persecuted the Saints Not this Christian and Popish described by S. Iohn It is a very waighty and euident prophesie 1. It had beene a colde and a weake prophesie Reasons to shew it was not Heathenish Rome but the Popish if he had prophesied of that persecution which he saw in others and felt in himselfe Prophesies looke not to the present but the future times 2. If he had meant that Ethnicke Rome had beene Babylon which did afflict the Saints at that time hee had not spoken as of a mystery for that could not seem to him so mysticall that Pagans should persecute Christians That was a plaine mysticall euill that Christians should oppresse Christians 3. Neither would he haue called Ethnicke Rome a whore in that sense which had not giuen her faith to Christ and therefore had not as yet broken it neither did shee deceiue the nations with whorish trickes and daliances but had vanquisht them with military force and weapons Hee doth therefore call Rome a whore after it left off to be a faithfull city which daunted the nations not as Bellona but enchanted them as Circe 4. Neither would he haue made her marchants the Sales-men of soules or that all nations had beene deceiued by her venemous baits if he had meant Ethnick Rome which subdued nations by force did not infect them with poyson For that kept a shambles for bodies not a market for soules And among all the negotiations of Popish Rome none is so gainefull as the trafficke of soules whereof S. Iohn which Ethnicke Rome neuer practised Therfore the Christian Popish Rome is that Babylon Popish Rome
that dangerous wound by the Gothes it was afterward cured and restored to health Besides the Angell doth adde that the destruction of the whore shall be for euer which although it doe agree with Rome Ethnicke yet that you may see it likewise agreeth with Rome popish the woman saith the Angell which is the great Citie together with her false Prophet shall be cast into the lake of fire Let the litle froggs take heed to themselues those foule spirits the Iesuites which issue daily out of the mouth of the Dragon the beast and the false Prophet Bellarmine Becan and the rest of those frogs may merrily scoffe and laugh at our men but with a Sardonian laughter because the Citie and Antichrist as they write to vs are both one as the street Iosephus for the woman which is the great Citie together with her false Prophet shall be cast into the lake of fire Here is no distinction of destruction for both the seat and he that holdeth the seat shall perish for euer But Christian Rome shall not perish say they True if the truth agreed with the name but the Antichristian whore shall be vtterly ouerthrowne Therefore the Angell cryeth out Come out of Babylon my people lest as yee be partakers of her sinnes you be likewise partakers of her plagues which place Hierome doth alledge in his Epistle to Marcella whom he perswadeth to come out of Rome now not heathenish but popish because it is Babylon which the very Papists themselues do grant to be the seat of Antichrist I demand therefore at the last whether they make Ethnicke Rome to be the seate of Antichrist because hee then sate at Rome when the Ethnicke Emperours gouerned there or whether he should sit afterward when they were worne out If they say he sate at Rome with the Ethnicke Emperors they ouerthrow all the tale of Antichrist vtterly whom they imagine shall come in the end of the world if they say he shall sit after the Emperours be cleane gone Popish Rome the seat of Antichrist it followeth that Rome is Babylon and the seat of Antichrist not the former heathenish but the latter popish For whereas they goe about to proue out of the Apocalyps that Ierusalem is the seat of Antichrist thereof I shall haue occasion to speake more properly in another place Now out of these premisses doth arise that principall syllogisme which I tooke in hand to proue Mysticall Babylon is the seat and Citie of Antichrist described in the 17 and 18 of the Apocalyps by the confession of the Aduersaries But Rome christian in name and popish is that mysticall Babylon as the exposition of the Angell doth manifestly convict Rome therefore in name christian and popish is the seat and citie of Antichrist This is the Angells exposition Paul the fift not mine this exposition if you haue any sense at all pierceth to the quicke it galls and wounds exceedingly This syllogisme doth inwardly lanche and wound these your worthy Aduocates though they seeme to haue litle sense made like a darte by the exposition of the Angell to be cast and aymed at them For what are they else but the shamelesse bawdes of the whore what do they else but with their cunning netts of words and with their learned snares deceiue and catch simple people Papists deceiue the people that they may bring them to that withered and ouerworne whore whom they paint out with all their boxes of their slaberments But as Chrysostome said of a woman that coloured her face with painting that God would not acknowledge her in the resurrection for his creature that may more truly be said of this same hagged and painted whore of whom we speake CHAP. XXIV Wherein is set downe the time when Antichrist is reuealed I Haue spoken much of the seat wherein shee doth gouerne now somewhat of the time when shee shall be reuealed For Antichrist lurkt closely a long time and closely grew by degrees as an earth-quake A notable similitude of an earth-quake which doth not shew it selfe straight way but beginneth first by a litle winde and then being shut vp and kept in in certaine hollow caues of the earth making no motion or sound but by litle and litle gathering great strength at last violently breaketh out The degrees of an earth-quake teares the earth in pieces shatters rocks casts downe mountaines ouerturnes Towers subuerts Cities swallowes vp Riuers inflames the ayre bringeth forth lightning filleth the heauens with dreadfull noyse and the world with terrible feare Such is the working of an earth-quake small litle and hidden at the first great and terrible after it breakes out Such for all the world is the working of Antichrist In the beginning like a litle winde it lyeth hid in certaine hollow cells of the Church afterward by degrees growing bigger and gathering strength it doth agaste the world Insinuating himselfe at the first with a fained cloake of sanctitie creepeth secretly into mens mindes at the last shall appeare and breake out openly to their destruction after that which hindreth is taken away as the Apostle teacheth It is agreed on both sides that which S. Paul saith hindreth What hindred the reuealing of Antichrist De resur car 2 Thess 2.6 that Antichrist which then was might not be reuealed was the Roman Empire as all the Fathers thought Tertullian Ambrose Chrysostome Cyrill Primasius Theophylact vpon this place Hierom to Algasia quest 11. vnlesse better you know what deteyneth the comming of Christ that Antichrist should first be reuealed in his time as that learned Iewell doth expound out of the former words The day of Christ saith the Apostle shall not come vnlesse there come a falling away first and vnlesse Antichrist be reuealed ver 7. hee teacheth who doth keepe backe the comming of Christ onely he which deteyneth shall deteyne till he be cleane taken away which all the Fathers almost as I said vnderstand of the Romane Emperour about the end of whose fall they say that Antichrist shall come The Apostle vsed first the newter gender v 6. then the masculine v 7. By the one some thinke he meant the Romane Empire by the other the Romane Emperour For so long as the Rom Empire florished or the Romane Emperour bare rule Antichrist could not sit domineere in that seat he lay close at that time and durst not shew himselfe The Emperour who hindred him was to be taken out of the way that Antichrist might openly gouerne at Rome that the Popes chaire might there be placed in stead of Caesars throne But herein the Aduersaries dissent from vs That the Rom Empire they say should be vtterly ouerthrowne and ended so as not so much as the name of the Rom Empire should remaine before Antichrist came Which as soone as Bellarmine had said he denied in which contradiction as in many others that great learned Bishop of Ely takes him tardie Truly that which hee said neither the Apostle
foyst in a new deuised Canon of the counsell of Neece detected and reiected by the Bishops of Carthage But that small winde kept in I know not how in the heart of the Church it did not all breake out before Boniface the third had extorted that proud title from Phocas the Emperour by his importunate entreaty But yet Antichrist was but a Pupill as it were in his nonage not onely being subject to the Emperour for a time but the Emperours Vice Gerent in the gouernment of Rauenna by whom the election of the Pope first made by the Cleargie and people of Rome was necessarily confirmed vntill Benedict the second obtained this priuiledge of the Emperour Constantine the fourth Pogonotus that the Pope should be created without the confirmation of the Emperour And then Antichrist beganne to bee his owne man liuing after his owne law or rather without law as the Apostle speaks Not long after as Boniface the third did extoll himselfe aboue all Bishops so Gregorie the second vaunted that hee was aboue the Emperour Gregorie the third did spoyle Leo the third being first excommunicated by Gregory the second because hee went about to abolish images did spoyle I say him of all his reuenues in Italy and absolued his subiects from their oath of fealty And so took from him all the gouernment of the West as a Popish Authour doth testifie in his booke called The bundle of times Faesciculus tempâ—rum At last that we may not follow after the meane passages in the history seuerally Gregorie the seueuth like an Earth-quake brake out and shattered both the Church and the Empire For hee first settled the Popish gouernment as Auentinus doth witnesse which his successours continued 450. yeeres in despite of the Emperours so that they made the Emperour his vassall After that Antichrist was come to his height being reuealed by his two degrees and domineering in the Church first be began to be acknowledged of many holy and learned men in particular but from the time of Gregorie the seuenth to the happy age of Luther and then in generall Rome was acknowledged to be Babylon the Pope Antichrist in all the Reformed Churches I am not ignorant that this assertion of the Reformed Church of our owne men is thought doubtfull of yours madde and doting but if they doe seriously marke those conclusions following our men will feele that scruple taken from them and your men a sting fastened in them For thus I will dispute from all the premisses To whomsoeuer all those essentiall notes of Antichrist set downe by blessed Paul and Iohn do onely agree he is onely that great Antichrist But all those essentiall notes do agree to the Pope of Rome onely Therefore the Pope of Rome onely is that great Antichrist CHAP. XXVI A recapitulation of that which went before NOw that the assumption may plainely appeare we will set out as in one view all those propositions shortly which haue beene before more largely and soundly concluded I tolde you first what Antichrist was 1. Chap. 3. That Antichrist is not one singular and indiuiduall person but a state and a succession of persons 2. That hee is in a conterfeit shew Chap. 4. a Vicar or Vicegerent in presumption a fellow-mate in purpose an aduersary Afterward of what kinde Antichrist was Chap. 5. 3. That Antichrist is the head of a generall Apostasie from the faith Chap. 6. 4. That Antichrist is an Apostaticall Christian and an vniuersall Bishop 5. That Antichrist is not an outward and a professed but an homebred and hypocriticall aduersary 6. That Antichrist is subtill denying Christ indirectly Chap. 7. 7. Hee that sits in the Temple of God as God and makes a shew as if he were God the same is Antichrist 8. Hee that lifts vp himselfe aboue all that is called God or soueraignty aboue the Angels in Heauen aboue Princes on the earth aboue holy things in the Church the same is Antichrist Chap. 8. 9. 10. 9. He that taketh away the natures properties offices benefits of Christ by consequent and indirectly is Antichrist Chap. 11. I haue shewed what kinde of kingdome and attendance belongs to Antichrist 10. Antichrist is the key-keeper of hell 11. Antichrist is the head of that smoaky and dark kingdome Chap. 12. 13. 12. Abaddon or Apollyon is the King of the Locusts i. Antichrist is the eldest sonne of the Diuell Chap. 14. I shewed what the Beast doth that riseth out of the earth 13. That Antichrist is the sonne of the earth 14. That Antichrist hath two hornes of a Lambe but vttereth the voyce of the Dragon 15. He that sheweth all the power of the first Beast in his sight is Antichrist 16. The image of the first Beast is Antichrist 17. He that compelleth men to adore the image of the first Beast is Antichrist Chap. 15. 18. The restorer of the old Rom. Empire is Antichrist Chap. 16. 19. Hee that commeth with lying signes and wonders is Antichrist 20 The seauenth King of the Romaine or Latine Empire is Antichrist Chap. 17. 21 He that compelleth all vnder his rule to take on them the Character and name of the beast and the number of his name and the number of a man is Antichrist I haue shewed where he sits 22 Who so sitteth in that imperiall city scituated on 7. hills and 7. kingly formes of gouernment Chap. 19. neere to the bankes of Tyber and is a Latine Bishoppe and possesseth Peters chaire and is called most holy Pope is Antichrist 23 Whos 's seat is mysticall Babylon i Rome in name Christian and Bishoply the same is Antichrist 24 Who so sitteth vpon the whore that is blasphemous idolatrous lustfull proud selling soules bloody Chap. 20 and is the same in all things for wit and disposition is Antichrist I haue shewed at what time he is reuealed 26 He that after the fall of the Romane Empire and the departure of the Romane Emperour out of the city of Rome sitteth gouerning in the city of Rome being made the temple and the Church of God is Antichrist None of all these notes belong to Luther very few of them to the Turke But to the Pope of Rome both euery of them seuerally and all of them ioyntly and to him alone as it is euidently proued before Therefore the Pope of Rome only is that great Antichrist You haue Paul the fift a glasse wherein you may behold all your selfe but that you haue certaine about you more desirous of your momentany reputation then your eternall saluation who haue cast a certain mist vpon the Glasse that you might not know your selfe therein To whom I thinke good breefly to answere CHAP. XXVII Wherein is shewed what kinde of one Antichrist is not VVE haue shewed what kinde of one Antichrist is now what kinde of one he is not let vs likewise set downe Although that which is straight is the rule both of it selfe
thought of Bellarmine and Julian alike who with Iulian the Apostata will fasten a lye vpon Christ while together with him he will as it were carrie stones to the building of it he in a mocke to Christ this in the honor of Antichrist That Bellarmine may feare fire from heauen to disturbe the worke which as the storie reporteth Iulian suffred Theodoret. lib. 3 cap 20. Sozom lib. 5. cap. vlt. Cic de orat 3. One thing I greatly feare that Antichrist will not take it in good part that such a mightie Monarch of the world as he is like to be must sit in a Temple bâ—â—â—ded in part Cicero did pretily set out the praise of the Capitol wherein Latine Iupiter doth reside that the roofe was not onely good for vse and necessitie but for ornament and beauty that although the Capitoll were builded vp as high as the heauen where the raine was not engendred yet it would haue no name if it had no roofe But Bellarmine although he caried morter and stone to the Temple of Ierusalem by the helpe of Antichrist wherein so great a Prince should sit so farre of he was for tendring his Masters honour that he did not supply necessitie for hee left the Temple with out beames or roofe hee left it on the earth where many showres doe gather many stormes doe sodenly fall that he may seeme to haue exposed the great Prince to the pleasure of the vnmercifull heauen in the middest of his stately Palace But let vs make vp the rest of the tale of this imagined Prince gouerning in an imagined place For hee addeth many things of his kingdom and his victories whereof the Scripture hath not one word It is a very conceited dreame that is fetcht out of Daniel mis-vnderstood who prophecied of Antiochus Epiphanes the sonne of great Antiochus the brother of Seleucus Philopater the successor of that namelesse beast the tenth horne literally and properly as of nine others which went before cap. 11. which Bellarmine himselfe confesseth and yet concludeth 1. That Antichrist rising out of a most base stocke by fraud and guile shall obteyne the kingdom of the Iewes 2. That he shall fight with three Kings of Aegipt Lybia and Ethiopia and shall possesse their kingdomes themselues being vanquished which was not true of Antiochus himselfe being the figure of Antichrist 3. That he shall make captiue seuen other Kings and shall enioy the Monarchie of the whole world O noble conqueror to be preferred before all the Pompeis Caesars and Alexanders who shall doe so great acts in the compasse of three yeeres and a halfe 4. With his mightie armie he shall persecute the Christians and these be the warres of Gog and Magog Doe you thinke these to be the oracles of the Scriptures or Bellarmines owne dreames grant that Antiochus was Antichrists type in many things what then if we should apply all those things Antiochus Antichrist vnlike to make them the same many absurdities do follow which were proper to the person of Antiochus to Antichrist in respect whereof he was not the type of Antichrist and shall inferre from them not the like but the same thing Let Antiochus be fetcht out of hell and let his soule passe into Antichrist that he may performe all those things And although Antichrist be a most vilde beast as Antiochus yet he must come not out of a most vilde but a most honorable stocke that he the sonne of Antiochus the Great the brother of Seleucus Philopater and successor in the kingdome of Syria as Antiochus is plainly set downe by Daniel cap 11. v. 21. in whose place one that is very vilde shall arise Platoes great yeere must returne againe that Antiochus againe must be an hostage at Rome before he come to his kingdome and kill his Nephew Demetrius as Richard the third King of England did and make three voyages into Egipt And great Achilles must be sent againe to Troy Let Antiochus make warre againe let him in his returne plague the Iewes and let Antichrist do all the acts of Antiochus which Daniel the Prophet doth so liuely describe that to Porphery who knew not with what spirit he wrote he seemeth to haue compiled an historie rather then a prophecie whereof more hereafter Now let vs pursue the rest of the pretty passages of this tale Enoch and Elias must come againe from heauen to earth to wit those two witnesses who preach the Gospell in their owne persons and fighting with Antichrist shall be killed by him and shall rise againe after three daies and a halfe and the rest which out of the 11 of the Apocalyps they miserably by force presse out by wringing the letter so that they seeme to play the Iewes in no place more Although in that place neither Enosh nor Elias The second beast mistaken for the first nor Antichrist as certaine learned men thinke is vnderstood for the beast that makes warre against these witnesses of God is said to ascend out of hell which seemes to be the first beast which is said to rise out of the sea cap 13. v. 1. when as the second is said to rise out of the earth Againe the floore of the Church is said to be giuen ouer to be trampled on by the Gentiles 42 monthes v 2. which time is assigned to the persecution of the first beast cap 13. v. 5. Againe it is to be troden on by the Gentiles not the Iewes whose Prince Antichrist is faigned to be Now they which precisely take the two witnesses to be two men The two witnesses Apoc. 11. not agreed on could neuer yet agree among themselues about the persons Some that they were Elias and Moses some Elias and Elizeus some not Elias but Ieremie others together with Elias and Moses thinke that Iohn the Diuine is added as a witnesse aboue number of Enoch none of the Fathers make any reckoning of the two Testaments as two witnesses and the diuers sincere Interpreters of the two Testaments who expound the place they doe more easily shift themselues as it shall be vnderstood afterward who being clad with sackcloth in great sorrow and griefe did preach repentance to the Gentiles at whose hands in steed of reward Persecution committed they receiued most cruell death The cruell persecution of the first beast wherein they deuoured the most faithfull witnesses of God lasted 294 yeeres which made the 42 monthes according to Daniels weekes whereof more anon Neither did God suffer his witnesses to die vnreuenged Persecution reuenged if wee compare the storie to the Prophecie For God did punish those bloody Emperors for his two witnesses sake so that the Nations were consumed by sharpe and quicke diseases growing by long drought and too great heat of the Sunne which bred such plagues that often deuoured whole Cities and consumed whole armies So happily the two witnesses may be said to haue shut heauen that it should not raine and to haue opened
the like destruction Apoc. 16. 17. c. This the seuenth Angell which powred out his viall into the aire doth notably set out There went a great voyce from heauen out of the throne saying It is finished And there were made lightnings and sounds and thunders and a mighty earth-quake such an one as was not since men inhabited the earth And the great city was diuided into three parts and the cities of the Heathen fell and great Babylon came into remembrance with God to giue vnto it the cup of the indignation of his wrath And euery Iland did flie away and the hils were not found and a great haile like talents fell downe from heauen vpon men and men did blaspheme God for that great plague of haile What maruell if when the Creator is offended all the creatures be likewise offended for as then the stars abiding in their order course did fight from heauen against Sisera for Deborrah so now the lightnings and thunders and wonderfull earth-quakes and the mighty talentary haile shall when God is angry fight for his Church against great Babylon And as then the victory at the waters of Megiddo so these now shall not bee attributed to the force of men but the powers of heauen So likewise in the 20 of Iohn when Sathan shall be loosed after a thousand yeeres by whom Gog and Magog shall bee mustered to battell the tents of the Saints and the beloued city shall bee besieged but hee addeth that fire shall issue out of heauen from God which shall consume the enemies In which place Iohn doth not vnderstand those enemies whom Ezechiel describeth the Seleucidae inhabitants of Syria and Asia the lesse For Gog doth signifie Asia the lesse deriuing the name from Giges their king Magog is Hierapolis the chiefe seat of Idolatry in Syria builded by the Scythians by them so called So that in Ezechiel Gog is taken for Asia the lesse and Magog for Syria now because the Seleucidae were the most outragious cruell enemies of the Iewes by whom after their captiuity and before the comming of the Messias they were to endure most greeuons afflictions therefore by a vsuall prouerbe among the Iewes the cruell enemies of the Church are called Gog and Magog The enemies of God called Gog Magog And why which Iohn did apply to the setting out of the enemies of the Christian Church whom Sathan in the latter dayes vnder the conduct of Antichrist should stirre vp to warre against the Saints Not therefore the same whom Ezechiel describes but the like called Gog and Magog consumed and deuoured by fire sent from God out of heauen that the conquest being got not by earthly but by heauenly powers might take away courage from the Antichristians and encrease it in the Saints In the meane time one of the seuen Angels chap. 17. had conference with Iohn saying Come and I will shew thee the condemnation of the great whore which sits vpon many waters that is people nations and tongues with whom the Kings of the earth haue committed fornication and the people haue beene drunke with the wine of her fornication who after they haue a long time fought on the beasts side a against the Lambe at last being conquered by the Lambe who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords shall ioyne their forces against the Beast The order in destroying of Antichrist and shall deuoure and consume by fire the Babylonish whore left naked forsaken of all men And marke in what order the victory shall proceede First Antichrist is consumed with the spirit of the Lords mouth that is with the ministery of the word but with the brightnesse of the Lords comming is cleane abolished So saith Paul so Iohn After the preaching of the eternall Gospell by the second Angell followeth the spirituall fall of Babylon denounced by the third Angell chap. 14. Babylon is falne Afterwards Gods decree of Antichrists ruine being published by the seuenth Angell his destruction followes shewed by one of the seuen Angels and the outward ouerthrow of Babylon procured by Princes That prophesie is fulfilled this is to bee fulfilled let that which is fulfilled win credit to that must be fulfilled There followeth at the last the last condemnation and euerlasting destruction of the whore chap. 18. proclaimed from heauen by another Angell Babylon that great city is falne is falne Antichrists Metropolitane seat is now become a dwelling place for Diuels An exhortation to come out of Babylon and a cage for euery vncleane spirit and euery vncleane bird There is ioyned by him an heauenly admonition to them who as yet abide in Babylon Come out of her my people lest as you bee partakers of her sinnes you likewise be partakers of her plagues Heere the Angell speaketh to all Papists cheefely to them that be simple and ingenuous that they be careful of their saluation if the words of God cannot mooue them let his deedes moue them if they will not hearken to men let them hearken to Angels if they feare not temporall punishments let them feare eternall let them come out of Babylon with all speede lest as they be found partners of her sinnes they be found partners likewise of her plagues which the Angell doth describe very liuely in the verses following While at the last the last Angell being of great strength tooke vp a stone as it were a mill stone and cast it into the sea saying with such force shall Babylon that great city bee cast and shall neuer be found againe Where the most bitter lamentations of her louers and the exceeding ioy and triumph of the Saints is described In which battell whereof the Angels prophesie there is no cause Comforts for Gods children in respect of the Captaines why the Antichristians should lift vp their mindes or Christians deceiue theirs For if wee looke vpon the captaines of either side on that side the Lambe on this Antichrist on that side the inuincible lion on this a silly beast shal fight If we look vpon the subsidiary souldiers on that side Souldiers most valiant Princes conuerted by Christ shall fight on this side with old doating Priests forsaken by Christ If we look for souldiers from heauen we shal haue the Angels fellow-souldiers in this battell whom we had fellow-witnesses of the Gospell So heauenly bands shall fight with earthly forces If we look for the authors of this war God on this side shal fight with the Diuell Authors powre and eternity with weaknesse and rottennesse If we looke to the causes of this warre the truth and the pure worship of that one euerliuing God Causes written religion sound faith heauenly magnanimity shall fight with deceipt with idolatry with superstition with perfidiousnesse and feare And if God doe suffer some of his souldiers to fall in the quarrell that they may rise againe and come to him will hee suffer his cause to be lost will he suffer his
the order to the spiritualties as very learned and holy Catholicke fathers haue deliuered I am not ignorant what was attempted lately by George Blackwell the Archpriest with certaine answeres of his to weaken and cut in sunder all the sinewes of ecclesiasticall excommunication Neither that onely Blackwell accompted an Apostata but hath broken and cut off as it were the ioyntes of the Popes two armes not that of his supreame authoritie spirituall and ecclesiasticall but of his ciuill and imperiall power which the Romane Byshop hath receiued from Christ and hath exercised vpon the earth vnder Christ But the timerous old man and wretched Apostata did not so much hurt by his fact as by his example which gaue occasion of a very foule schisme to you the Catholicke laickes whose constancie the Christian world did much commend Heere Calander you are too testie said he Saturnine § 75 who strait-way call me a Renegate when I neuer fell from the Catholicke faith onely because I refused and reiected certaine false Catholicke errors brought in by a companie of factious fellowes certaine claubackes of the Pope But because your heate hath carried you so farre to accuse the reuerend old man George Blackwell as a wretched Apostata and a Captaine of schisme I will intreat Velbacellus that hee answere somewhat not for mee only but much more for our Archpriest his antient friend Then Velbacellus Truly said hee when I am vnwilling § 76 at any time to dissent from my brethren then neuer more vnwilling then at this time when ill happe hath made our aduersaries beholders of our disorders But because I thinke it not fit Calander to neglect your authoritie and withall haue purposed to satisfie both your conscience and mine in this worthy businesse of religion I will doe as you aduise me Two popish meanes to ouerthrow Princes These are as you say Saturnine the two ingines the Romane Byshoppes haue vsed to ouerthrow Princes the one ecclesiasticall excommunication the other ciuill and imperiall authoritie What was the force and nature of excommunication they were not Ignorant they knew it was giuen to binde sinnes not scepters as Patriotta did truely dispute out of our own men Which first when Gregorie the 7. was Pope as he did rightly obserue out of Frisingensis Sigebert and Vincentius all ours brought foorth those monstrous effectes the deposing of Kings the absoluing of subiectes and the styrring of them vp to take armes against their Prince with which this present Oath of allegeance doth meete Whose successours fearing that ecclesiasticall excommunication in processe of time would loose not that natiue and inherent power but that vnnaturall and borrowed in the opinion of men they assumed that ciuill as you call it and imperiall power giuen by the Canonists for the increase of their owne authoritie as if it had beene bestowed by Christ himselfe § 77 For the old Canonists did first make them Lords of all the temporalties and sayd that the supreame iurisdiction not in spirituall things onely but in temporall things also did belong to Peters successours whose worme eaten assertions and such as long agoe were hist out by the more sober Papists certaine men not vnlearned haue lately renued and haue set them out publikely in printed bookes for found and Catholike doctrine and haue very stoutly defended them Whereof some a Franci Bozius de temp eccles monarch lib. 1. cap. 3. fol. 98. as you say defend the Bishop of Rome to bee directly Lord of things temporall one and the same to bee the Ruler and Monarch of the world That b Baron annal tom 1. ann 57. pag. 423. 433. Christ as hee receiued all Iudiciall power from the Father and vnited it with his Preist-hood when he meant to settle a Kingly Preist-hood in the Church put it ouer to Peter and his successours and that as Christ was King of Kings and Lord of Lords so the Church ought to be Queene and Lady of all and if the husband must be Lord of all the temporalties the spouse must be Ladie of all likewise that all temporall Princely power did first reside in the soule of Christ then in the Church the Queene of the world and from thence it did flow to others that were faithfull or vnfaithfull as from a fountaine c Thom. Bozi de iure statu praefat ad Aldobran That this spouse of Christ Queene of the world as often as the order of the vniuersall doth require it can transferre the proper right of one to another as a secular Prince for the adorning of a city may plucke downe priuate mens houses and may doe it by Law although hee haue not erred by whom such rights were translated to others So the Pope gaue the Indies to the Spaniards d Isodor Mosco de maiest mili Eccles pag. 670 All dominion do hold of the Church and of the Pope the head of the Church And that authority is to be considered in the Pope power in Emperours and Kings for power doth depend of authority that true e Care de potest Rom. Pont. pag. 9. Difference betweene power and authority Idem pag. 111. iust and ordinate from God and meere dominion as well in spirituall things as in temporall is fetcht by Christ and the same is committed to S. Peter and his successours that Christ was Lord of all these inferiour things not onely as hee was God but also as he was man hauing at that time dominion in the earth and therefore as the dominion of the world both diuine and humane was then in Christ as man so now it is in the Pope the Vicar of Christ As God may be called by a secondary meanes the temporall Gouernour and Monarch of the world though in himselfe principally hee bee neither temporall nor of the world Idem pag. 112. so the Pope may bee sayd to bee the temporall Lord and Monarch although his power be a certaine spirituall thing That Christ when hee had performed the mysterie of our redemption as a King gaue Peter the gouernment of his kingdome and that holy Peter did vse that power against Ananias and Sapphira That Christ as he is directly the Lord of the world in temporall things and therefore that the Pope Christs Vicar is the like that hee set out an immutable truth by the sole comming of Peter to Christ vpon the water Pag. 151. and that the vniuersall gouernment which is signified by the sea was committed to Peter and his successors that diuers powers and authorities were giuen of God but that all did depend vpon the supreme authority of the Pope and that they take their light from thence as the starres doe from the Sunne § 78 And as God is the supreme Monarch of the world productiuely and gubernatiuely Pag. 145. although of himselfe he be neither of the world nor temporall so the Pope although originally and from himselfe hee haue dominion ouer all things temporall yet he hath
it not by an immediate execution and committeth that to the Emperour by an vniuersall iurisdiction That the Romane Bishop is the cheefe father and man in the world and that all hang on him as on the cheife workeman he should haue sayd foundation otherwise if any should appoint an Emperour by himselfe I thinke he should say a substantiue in respect of his temporalties should make two principles which heresie that he might auoyd he makes the Emperour an adiectiue Isodor Mos pa. 22. de maiest mil. Eccles As another saith that the holie writer in the olde Law made the Priest-hood an adiectiue to the kingdome but that S. Peter made the kingdome an adiectiue to the Priesthood g Tho Boz de iure sta lib. 1. cap. 6. fol. 137. That kings are not immediately from God but by the interposing of the Church and the cheefe Preist thereof That there is a warlike and compulsiue power giuen to the Church aboue Kings and Princes that Constantine gaue nothing that was his owne but restored what was vniustly and tyrannously taken from the Bishops § 79 That Christ committed to Peter the key-keeper of eternall life Isido Mos de maiest pag. 27. the right of earthly and heauenly gouernment and that in his place the Pope is the vniuersall Iudge the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and therefore that hee is consecrated as a cheefe Bishop and crowned as a King Because hee hath each power that hee vseth that power either absolutely or ordinarily absolutely when he doth abrogate such lawes as he please ordinarily when hee vseth lawes When he will liue vnder lawes to vse the counsel of Cardinals when he will not to rule without counsell because his power is from God not from the Colledge of Cardinals I thinke not onely Asses but Lyons also That all the faithfull and the vnfaithfull and euery naturall creature for so he speaketh is subiect to the Popes gouernment and that therefore the Pope doth all men to worship him prostrate themselues before him and kisse his feete that the adoration of Dulia seruice is giuen to him as to Images and Saints in respect of his kingdome hee hath a crowne of his Preisthood a myter That Emperours and Kings may bee compelled to obserue their oathes taken at their coronations and confirmations because by the vertue of their oath they bee made the Popes vassals That by the Law of God and nature the Preâ—sthood is more eminent then the Empire That secular powers are not necessarie but that Princes should performe that by the terrour of discipline August triump apud Carer p. 130. 132. which a Preist cannot doe by vertue of his doctrine And if the Church could punish offenders the Imperiall and Kingly gouernment should not be necessary because potentially it is included in the Apostolicall gouernment Celsus Mancinê° ib 3. cap. 1. Et Care p. 133. That it may bee auowed of Christs Vicar by a certaine similitude which Plato in Time us spake of God for being demanded what God was answered he is not man he is not heauen nor good but somewhat that is better if a man shall demand whether the cheefe Bishop be a Duke a King or an Emperour Isodor Mosc pag. 80. hee shall answer warily if he shall affirme by denying that the Pope is something more excellent something more eminent That all temporall Iurisdiction is to bee exercised Fâ—e vpon flattery not at the Popes commandement but at his becke Princes will and command God the Lord doth all things with his becke agreeable to that He spake and with his becke made all Olympus quake And that Christ had all plenarie iurisdiction aboue all the § 80 world and all creatures and that therefore the Pope Christs Vicar hath it To what end I pray you to what end As they make Christ Leli Zeâ—h tract Theol. pag. 81. Franc. Bozius lib. 2 cap. 14. so they make the Pope the absolute Lord of the world out of those wordes Behold two swordes which signifie the power spirituall and temporall and from them I will giue you the keies The keyes of heauen are giuen therefore of the whole earth And from those wordes all power is giuen to me in heauen and in earth therefore the right both of the heauenly and earthly Empire is committed to the Pope who is Christs Vice gerent vpon earth To what end say I But that Christian Kings and Emperours should acknowledge that they hold their kingdomes and Empires of him forsooth and that as oft as they doe any great hurt to the Church they may be depriued by the Pope and the right of their kingdome may rightly be conueied ouer to others or if they doe not acknowledge it they may be constrained by armes either of their owne subiects or of outward Catholicke Princes if the Pope will haue it so to part with their kingdome and life § 81 Here Patriotta I beleeue truly said hee that your Doctours did striue among themselues by aduancing the dignitie of the Popes and suppressing Emperours and Kings whether of them with a more grosse or with a more spruisse kinde of flatterie might set foorth the pride of the Popes court But the very naked recitall of these toyes seemes to bee a sound refutation of them Then Velbacellus I doe said hee and haue much greiued that the withered and decayed opinion of the Canonists disproued long since and reiected of good Catholickes should bee now taken vp againe and brought in as a thing forlorne by so many excellent wittes the chiefe whereof both for place and learning was Cardinall Baronius who did very stubbornly and obstinately defend the direct ordinarie and inherent authoritie of the Pope whereby as a Lord of the world in temporall matters hee may at his pleasure depose Emperours and Princes Is it not necessarie to adde his many other reasons They are extant in his bookes that are in many mens hands there they may fetch them that will haue them There is sprung vp on the other side Cardinall Bellarmine § 82 a man of no lesse credite with our men Bellarmine and as well deseruing of the Church who did ouerthrow that ordinarie direct and inherent gouernment of the Pope in temporalties as left by Christ with so sound arguments of scripture that in my minde neither the aduersaries nor himselfe afterward could with his most exquisite skill of distinctions dissolue them But that hee may seeme somewhat to gratifie the Pope although saith he he be not the Lord of all temporalties directly neither hath inherent and ordinarie authoritie as hee is Pope to disthronize temporall Princes yet bee is Lord of the temporalties indirectly in order to the spiritualles as hee vsually speaketh and hath an extraordinarie and a borrowed authoritie as he is chiefe spirituall Prince to alter kingdomes to take them from one and giue them to another if it be necessarie to the saluation of soules i. in order
and the feete I would faine know whom they vnderstand to be the feete of the Church Some take them to bee Kings Inquitie after the inferiour members as Cardinall Poole some for learned men as Turriane most of all the Iesuits of his owne order Kinges who with their gouernment may sustaine this putrified head Iesuites who may doe the like with their wittes and may carrie it ouer among the Indies to domineer in the new found world To the which feete the Pope cannot truely say I haue no neede of you and therefore he giueth greater credit to the Iesuites then to those idle paunches the Monkes who in their howerly praiers spend their whole time in mumbling on their beads That that also may agree with the argument of your head which Paul hath in the same place that the greatest honor is put vpon the dishonestest members hence it may be other orders will conclude that the Iesuites are more dishonest then all the rest of the Monkes But I demand why there should not be many ministeriall heades when there be many ministeriall feete where be the two eyes wherby this metaphoricall head without braines may prye into the secrets of Kinges where be the two eares whereby they may listen after all reports where be the two hands whereby they may rake and gather in all mens monies if you answere that two are not necessarie for the head when the head hath many more we confesse that it is better for your head to encrease his treasure then to make good the argument For a duality of these members are more necessarie to make the vnitie of the head that a fit proportion may be reserued But this so honorable a title the head of the Church § 167 the head of faith being proper to Christ who liueth and raigneth in the heauens To make the Pope head is blasphemie so that hee bee present in earth with his Church with his maiestie and spirit yea that hee is within his Church to giue life and gouerne the same with his word to haue this communicable with a mortall man and a sinner cannot bee done without blasphemous contumelie Some thinges in Bellarmine are blasphemous some are friuolous these are both blasphemous and friuolous as this argument drawne from a metaphoricall head whereon the supremacy the cheifest foundation of their catholike religion doth depend And here see I pray you what discreet men may suspect who think the Cardinal to be learned they yeld so much to his wit that rather then they will thinke him to be a foolish disputer they take him as it seemes to be a secret betrayer of the cause He defends his head with so withered forces and ridiculous arguments that without any resistance of the Aduersarie hee will fall to the ground by his owne weaknesse That which the Oratour said to Mar. Callidius Cicer. in Bruto negligently and coldly defending the cause of his owne head and life Thou Mar. Callidius vnlesse thou dissemblest thou wouldst not thus plead This may more rightly bee spoken to this worthy patron of his head Thou Bellarmine if thou thoughtst as thou speakest wouldst thou handle a case of such importance so lazily so loosely For whereas out of the premisses Saturnine you gather a different beginning with Bellarmine of Ecclesiasticall and secular gouernment and from the diuers beginning of each power do draw a diuers nature of obedience due to each power and doe propound the twofold vse of this article to bee considered of all Catholikes because all this discourse doth so neerely touch the Kings crown dignity I leaue it to be discussed by Regius our Counseller wherefore Calander you are to entreat him that he would tell vs what he thinks in this matter and ease me of the labor of farther disputing § 168 Then Calander truely said hee when I diligently marke all the parts of your answer I perceiue little or nothing making for this our vniuersall Ecclesiasticall Prince to be in the text For if Christ gaue the key not a scepter as well to all the Apostles and Ministers as to Peter and gaue a Bishops staffe not a sword and ordained Peter not to bee the head but a member and not the foundation of the building but a worke man as not onely many ancient but Popish interpreters of the Scripture doe teach with one consent where I pray you shall I finde grounded plainely vpon the text that vniuersall Church gouernment as they call it vnlesse peraduenture we may call Peter the Prince of the Apostles as we call Homer the Prince of Poets Demosthenes the Prince of Oratours and Plato the Prince of Philosophers Wherefore my good friend Charles I entreat thee that as Patriott hath layd open the truth of God obscured by diuers sophismes so you would free the dignity of Princes being defaced by Popish vsurpation as it becommeth one that is of counsell with the King which I euer held more deere to mee then my life euen then when I was most nousled vp in popery Then Regius All power said he is from God it is Either Ordained And that two fold Ecclesiasticall § 169 Secular The diuision of power Tolerated The Ecclesiasticall 1. If you respect Christ it is Monarchicall or gouerned by one for all power is giuen to him alone by the father both in heauen and earth 2. If you respect men is is Aristocraticall or gouerned by many and those the cheifest as Patriott confirmed out of Paul Therefore this your spirituall Prince Saturnine chosen a Monarch by himselfe a King at his owne pleasure a supposed Vicar of Christ an vniuersall Bishop ordained not by Christ the maintainer of Kings but by Phocas the murtherer of kings at that very time when as Mahomet that false Prophet his brother came into the world successor not of Peter but of Romulus what power hee hath immediately to rule ouer Kings when Peter himselfe had none at all I vnderstand that it is but tolerated As the Dragon hath from whom the two horned beast tooke all his power as Iohn testifieth in the Apocalyps Therefore this power is not ordained but tolerated not for the comfort of the world but for the plague not an holy ordinance but to bee a scourge for the Saints But there is a certaine spirituall power immediately from God True but that which promotes the Kingdome of light not that which promotes the Kingdome of darknesse which is immediately from the Diuell such as the wofull experience of many ages hath proued you Popish power to be Therfore to your spirituall Prince holding the seate of the Dragon spirituall obedience is no more due to him then to the Dragon § 170 But secular power whether it consist in many in few or in one although it be in Nero yet it is immediately ordained of God as Paul hath taught and to that purpose is called by him the ordinance of God But that Secular power from God will some say
iustification and of the saluation of the Elect by the grace of Christ before Peter gaue his sentence and that not sitting but arising and that very modestly and gently Afterward Iames did onely yeeld his opinion but pronounced and set downe in writing the decree it selfe which all the assembly of Apostles and Preists did follow It seemed good also not to Peter alone but to the Apostles and Preists with the whole Church to send certaine choice men to Antioch with the Apostle Paul and Barnabas and the Synodall Epistle did not beare the name of Peter but of all the Apostles Preists and Brethren And if Peter had receiued the primacy of iurisdiction from Christ the other Apostle had done him great wrong that suffered not Peter to bee President of the Councell that they sent Peter as inferior into Samaria that they took accompt of his doing that they met not together by his appointment that they suffered him not to sit aboue others to propound the decree to send Legates and to seale vp the Synodall Epistle in his owne name But the Apostles did no wrong to Peter It followeth then that Peter receiued no primacy of iurisdiction from Christ but was equall to the rest of the Apostles and inferiour to the whole Councell The Papists doe grant a double gouernment to Peter § 201 Peters double pretended gouernment Galat. 2. Paul nothing inferiour to Peter They make him Lord of the spirituals and temporals Therefore the Apostle Paul did ill bee it spoken with reuerence who made himselfe equall to Peter and gaue out that he was inferiour in nothing vnto Peter and which was more reprehended him sharpely to his face as his equall and fellow-seruant and that publikely when hee tooke him in a fault For the Gospell saith he was committed to me ouer the Gentiles as it was to Peter ouer the Iewes For hee that was powerfull through Peter in the Apostleship of the Iewes the same was powerfull in mee ouer the Gentiles And when as Iames Cephas and Iohn who seemed to bee pillers knew that grace was giuen me then they gaue the right hands of fellowship to me and Barnabas See Cephas doth acknowledge Paul his fellow hee had him not for a subiect neither did hee challenge to himselfe the highest top of gouernment but gaue the right hand of fellowship which was done by Peter not only in respect of humilitie of minde but for equalitie of office Farre be it from vs to thinke it was written by Paul for pride of minde but for the truth of the matter And if Christ had appointed Peter the vniuersall Bishop Prince of his Church how durst Peter and Paul couenant betweene them-selues in the 18. yeare after Christ his passion that Peter should exercise the Apostleship ouer the Iewes and Paul ouer the Gentiles not only but chiefly whereby Paul by the Antients is called the Prince of the Apostles as well as Peter But the equall hath no gouernment ouer his equall Peter would be are no rule ouer the clergie 1 Pet 5. Neither could Peter himselfe beare rule ouer the Clergie that he might not seem to permit that to other which he would not take to himselfe when hee called himselfe not a chiefe Priest but a fellow Priest Much lesse did he vse the sword and ciuill gouernment and iudge Caesar to be subiect vnto him but admonished himselfe with all other Christians to submit themselues to Caesar as to the most excellent and to other Magistrates as sent from him neither did at any time exercise ciuill gouernment He had it not therefore for that is not a power which is neuer brought into act Therefore Peter was no more ouer Kings than hee was ouer Apostles § 202 Nay Christ himselfe as a man was not aboue the Emperour Christ himselfe as man not aboue Emperors As he is God he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords as he was man he did not only submit himselfe to Tiberius but to Pilate Tiberius Deputie in Iurie You had no power said he ouer me if it were not giuen you from aboue Againe he saith that his kingdome was not of this world when he was demanded of Pilate what kingdome he laid claime vnto Whereby it appeareth that Christ was to haue not a temporall August in Psal 47. but a spirituall kingdome as Austin gathereth out of those words Harken to this ô yee Kings and enuy not Christ is a King after another fashion than you are who said my kingdome is not of this world Feare not therefore if the kingdome of this world be taken from you you shall haue another giuen vnto you and that a heauenly one whereof he is King If Christ had not a temporall kingdome was it for Peter to haue it what is this else but to make the seruant aboue his master and the embassador aboue him that sent him and if it did not belong neither to Christ nor to Peter do you thinke that not only the temporall kingdome but the chiefe gouernmēt ouer all temporal kingdoms was giuen to the Pope Christs supposed Vicar Peters counterfeit successor fie vpon such foolish pride fie vpon such loftie vanitie which Christ did reprehend in many places in the the Apostles when he said the Kings of the earth beare rule ouer them but you not so And as my father sent me so I send you And my kingdome is not of this world And yet Bellarmine dares to write Bellarmine contrary to Christ that the supreme temporall power was giuen to the chiefe Bishop which Christ himself by his owne confession did not exercise Christ saith the Kings of the earth beareth rule ouer them but you not so Bellarmine contrary but you so Christ as my Father sendeth me so I send you Bellarmine contrary not as my Father sendeth me do I send you The Father sent me in humilitie and ignominie I send you in pompe and maiestie Christ my kingdome is not of this world Bellarmine contrary yea it is of this world and of all this world So manifestly doth the Cardinall contradict Christ But although Christ as man did not exercise temporall § 203 power he might if he had so liked saith Bellarmine Here the question is not what Christ could haue done but what he did Neither is the authoritie of Peter to be grounded vpon that which Christ could haue done but vpon that which Christ did indeed Christ could if he had pleased haue made the world in an instant but he would not the Scripture witnesseth he would not because it is said that hee tooke to him six daies to bring forth that worke He could if he would haue redeemed the world with one drop of blood without death but he would not that hee would not the Scripture beareth witnes wherein it is said that he must die for vs. So he could if hee would as man exercise the dominion of temporall things but hee would not that hee would not truth it selfe
that is a Bishop aboue an Apostle wee will laugh at it if they denie it it followeth that either the supremacie died with Peter or that it came not to Linus the Bishop but to Iohn the Apostle as suruiuor Where is then the succession of the Pope to resolue this doubt Caietaen de di in instit Pont. cap. 13. Bellarm. lib. 2. de Pont. cap. 12 certaine great Papists doe answer that the succession of the Pope in so much as Peter was Bishop of Rome tooke the beginning from the fact of Peter not from the institution of Christ Therefore this is matter of fact not of faith Goe to and what was Peters fact they answer that he appointed his seat Rome and there ended his life Caietane doth adde that the death of Peter did not simply giue the succession of Rome but that hee there died by the especiall appointment of Christ which Caietan proued by a certain historie Peters supremacy depends on a reuelation which shewes that Peter thinking for feare of persecution to leaue Rome and being now gone foorth part of the way Christ met him to whom Peter sayd whither goest thou Lord Christ made him answer I goe to Rome that I may be there crucified whereby Peter being admonished returned that hee might die at Rome Therfore the Popes succession dependeth vpon Peters fact and hath the beginning from thence and out of this fact they take all this as granted that Peter was at Rome that Peter was Bishop of Rome that Peter was put to death at Rome and that by Christ his appointment What certainty was in all these vnles we giue credit to a few humane histories which are subiect to many humane errours such as that errour is cheifly whence notwithstanding Caietane saith the succession was granted to the Pope Acta Petr. Pan. Baron 69. about the returne of Peter by the occasion of the vision § 218 The first founder of the tale was Linus a foolish counnterfet writer Loco Theo. lib. 6. cap. 8. Linus a counterfet writer as it is obserued by Baronius himselfe But be it a historie it comes not from the reuelation of the holy Ghost but from tradition as Canus telleth vs. Againe how doth it appeare that it was the purpose of Christ and Peter so to confirme the succession by this fact so that the Church should bee alwayes bound vnder paine of damnation to be beleeue it for when they say it is of the necessity of saluation to bee subiect to the Romane Bishop as to Peters successour and that by the power of that succession they contend that in all points of faith and saluation hee is set ouer by God himselfe it had beene meete that the succession of the Pope had beene more cleerely and euidently confirmed vnto vs then by a blinde and vncertaine vision the author whereof themselues condemne for a bastard and a foole Francis Vict. relect 2. de potesta Eccles Besides that the election of the Pope is an humane ordination which were absurd if Christ had appointed the succession proper to Rome by Peters fact to alter the forme of the election Therefore none is bound to beleeue that this or that pope imagine Clement the eighth De here lib. 2. cap. 9. or Paul the fift to be Peters true successour as Alphonsus writeth So that it is lawfull for any and at his pleasure to cast off the pope of whose canonicall election he doubteth Wherefore seeing the succession of the pope is so vncertaine he should doe better if as the Emperour doth not write himselfe Caesars successour but Caesar so the pope would not name himselfe Peters successour but Peter himselfe as pope Stephen sometime called himselfe For we will as easily beleeue that Paul the fift is Peter himselfe as Peters true successour Now that I may gather all into a short summe you see most noble Calander in Saturnine Bellarmine himselfe polishing and refining certaine olde arguments of his owne side whereby he doth vnderpropt the supremacie staggering and falling almost to the ground but in vaine doth the Cardinall hope that such silly sleights can deceiue a learned age which cozened a rude and ignorant age For first he alleadged so many corrupt interpretations of certaine places that they may be refuted not of the ancient and our owne but of the new and such as be their owne Doctors Out of whom notwithstanding he bringeth forth certaine figuratiue arguments which necessarily inferre such foolish and damnable consequences that the wise seeme to laugh at and the religious detest Such an one was that interpretation and argumentation § 219 of Boniface the eighth out of the first of Genesis In the beginning not in the beginnings Bonif. 8. extrauag Concil tit de maior de chedi God created heauen and earth when Boniface vnderstood that the pope was vnderstood by the Beginning Hence he doth thus argue Foolish interpretation and worse consequence The Sunne the Pope the Moone the Emperour He therefore that doth not submit himselfe to the Pope doth deuise two principles with the Manichees as Boniface deuised Such another was that out of the same chapter God made two great lights in the firmament when therefore the Pope brought this sense into the text that by the Sunne the Pope by the Moone the Emperor was vnderstood thence he concludeth that the Pope was so farre greater than the Emperor as the Sunne was greater than the Moone What Mathematicall Archimedes could better describe the quantitie of the Sunne and the Moone Such be the interpretations and the arguments drawne from thence by Bellarmine Hee beateth the keyes of the earth out of the keyes of heauen Hee gathereth the honour of ruling out of the labour of feeding he vnderstands Peter for the rocke a metaphoricall head for the visible head of the vniuersall church And out of these allegoricall expositions Arist 1. Metaphys he thinks he can make orderly syllogismes for Peters supremacie Pythagoras was said so to instruct his schollers in the speculatiue science of numbers and to haue imprinted such deepe notions into their mindes that after when they came to the consideration of naturall things they thought that the works of nature consisted of the principles of number So this Pythagoras hath so deepely wouen his symbolicall diuinitie in the mindes of his auditors that out of the metaphors of holy scripture they beleeue that the height of ecclesiasticall Monarchie is erected Whether is hee more craftie that so perswadeth or he more simple that so beleeueth nay more then that this Rom Aduocate doth endite him as guilty of heresie that doth not beleeue so It is well the plaintife not prouing as the Lawyers say he that is accused is set free § 220 You demand further Calander of the iudgement of the primitiue Church whereof the most learned Fathers assembled in the first six generall Councells did not only not acknowledge this supremacie but stroke it dead