horrible blasphemer that will call it The most auncient true and holy Catholique religion Againe forasmuch as the Apostle Saint Paul 2. Thessalon 2. declareth that the comming of Antichrist shall be with great signes and wonders yea so great and wonderfull that as our Sauiour Christ saith Matthew 24. If it were possible they should deceiue the very Elect. Hee therefore that will say the Church of Rome must needes be the true Church because shee worketh miracles is a most horrible blasphemer Miracles are wrought in the Church of Rome by the spirits of Diuels as appeareth in the 16. chapter and 14. verse of the Reuelation Therefore miracles are not alwayes a true note of the true Church And this appeareth also in the thirteenth chapter of Deuteronomy where we may see that a most vile kinde of people euen such as God abhorred wrought miracles to draw others to their religion And Saint Paul also declareth 2. Thessalon 2. verse 10. that Antichrist shall worke his miracles among them that perish therefore miracles are not alwayes a true note of the true Church Againe our Sauiour Christ Matthew 7.22 declareth that at the day of Iudgement certaine Christian Ministers that were wont to confirme their doctrine by miracles when they shall see themselues cast out to be damned with reprobates they will admire and say thus to Christ Lord Lord haue we not by thy Name prophecied and by thy Name cast out Diuels and done many great workes And then saith Christ I will professe to them I neuer knew you depart from me yee that worke iniquitie Popish Ministers worke miracles our Ministers worke none they themselues therefore shall be iudges in this case to which of these sort of Ministers this Scripture may iustly be applyed Certainely the greatest iudgement that God doth lay vpon men in this life is to blinde their vnderstanding with Poperie for then they are willing to receiue any errour and to reiect the truth to be marked with the marke of the Beast and to receiue the print of his name and to perish with the Beast and the false Prophet as it is most certaine they shall For thus it is written in the nineteenth chapter of the Reuelation verse 20. But the Beast was taken and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him whereby he deceiued them that receiued the Beasts marke and them that worshipped his image These both were aliue cast into a lake of fire burning with brimstone Therefore to conclude this I say to all those that haue receiued the marke of the Beast in their forehead or on their hand that is they that haue outwardly professed with their mouthes and gestures and those also that haue defended by Armes written Bookes wrought Miracles or any way laid to their helping hand to do any thing whereby the Popes kingdome and state is maintained Damnation shall be their end For as the Angell of God in the foureteenth chapter of the same booke 9.10 and 11. verses saith If any man worship the Beast and his Image and receiue his marke in his forehead or on their hand the same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God yea of the pure wine which is powred into the Cup of his wrath and he shal be termented in fire and brimstone before the holie Angells and before the Lambe and the smoake of their torment shall ascend euermore and they shall haue no rest day nor night which worship the Beast and his image and whosoeuer receiueth the print of his name That is whosoeuer is content to be called by any such name as whereby he may be knowne to be the Popes faithfull subiect Therefore I aduertise them all in the name of God that they receiue his fatherly admonitions and call to minde how louingly the Lord in the fourth verse of the eighteenth chapter of the same Booke calleth his Elect out of Babylon that they be not partakers of her sinnes lest they should also receiue of her plagues As for those that regard not this louing fauour of God but will notwithstanding abide in her still and goe on with her in her abhominations let them goe and doe what they will He that is vniust saith the Lord in the 22. chapter let him be vniust still and he that is filthy let him be filthie still and hee that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still And behold I come shortly and my reward is with mee to giue to euery man as his worke shall be ¶ The Titles demonstrating the seuerall points contained in each of the Chapters 1 CErtaine Chapters contayning the summe and substance of the Christian Churches confutations of the Popish or Antichristian Churches errours heresies and blasphemies The first whereof tendeth to resolue all men that notwithstanding both Papists and Protestants professe but one God one faith one Baptisme and one Lord Iesus Christ that yet there is so great a difference in the manner of their profession that it is not possible that they both should be combined and conioyned together to make one and the same true Church of Christ 2 An answere to tenne seuerall Obiections for the clearing the Pope from being Antichrist whereof Bellarmine is supposed to be the originall authour 3 That Christian Rome now in her latter dayes is that Babylon the seate of Antichrist which the Angell in the 17 chapter of the Reuelation calleth the mother of whoredomes and abominations of the earth And which the other Angel in the 18. chapter saith is fallen and become the habitation of Diuels and holde of all fowle spirits and a cage of euery vncleane and hatefull bird and out of which the Lord from Heauen calleth all his Elect lest they should be partakers of her sinnes and consequently of her plagues 4 That the Popish Church is the same idolatrous Church yet professing Christ which Saint Iohn in his 13. and 17. chapters of the Reuelation sheweth to be the Church of Antichrist 5 That for the first sixe hundred and sixe yeares next after Christ there was no Popish Church neither could be because there was not as yet an vniuersall Pope established in Rome to make it a Popish Church Therefore as no Husband no Wife so no vniuersall Pope no vniuersall spouse of the Popes 6 That in the yeare of Christ 607. the Church of Poperie and the succession of vniuersall Popes first began From whence our Church had her first beginning before Luther and how our Protestant Bishops and Ministers which they haue ordayned haue lawfull callings 7 Their generall Consent ouerthrowne by generall consent of Councels and Fathers 8 That the Apostle Saint Peters authoritie was but the same that the other Apostles were and therefore the Pope cannot iustly claime from him to be called Vniuersall head of all Christian Bishops That the title of Vniuersall Father is forbidden by Christ to be giuen to any but to his owne Father 9 That the true
and most auncient Church had but two Sacraments How the other fiue crept into the Church That the Masse by their owne confession was made by diuers Bishops of Rome long after the Apostles That it tendeth to the vtter dissoluing of the whole Harmony of the Scriptures both Propheticall and Apostolicall the ouerthrow of the power of Christs death and passion and the casting mens mindes into a doubtfull wauering of their saluation 10 That the words of Christ touching the eating his flesh and drinking his bloud as also his other words concerning the sacrament are but figuratiue speeches 11 That wee ought to pray to God alone and not to Saints And to worship God alone and not Saints That none can be mediatour betweene God and man but onely he that is partaker of the natures both of God and man 12 That the originall authours of the doctrine of Purgatory were the Heathen Philosophers How it doth confound the iudgement of the Popish writers and how it doth deny the bloud of Christ to be sufficient for the purging of sinne The Chapter of Conclusion sheweth that we are iustified in the sight of God by faith onely without workes That we possesse Heauen only by the meanes of faith and being there the fruits thereof are rewarded with the degrees of glorie That the high way to damnation is to seeke saluation by merites The Popes deadly wound Tending to resolue all Men in the chiefe and principall Points now in controuersie betweene the Papists and Vs. CHAPTER I. This Chapter tendeth to resolue all men that notwithstanding both Protestants and Papists professe but one God one Faith one Baptisme and one Lord Iesus Christ that yet there is so great a difference in the manner of their profession that it is not possible that they should be combined and conioyned together to make one and the same true Church of Christ 1 IT hath beene imagined Christian Reader that forasmuch as the Papists and wee professe one and the same God c. there might well be an vnion betweene vs and them to make one and the same Vniuersall Church but I trust through the helpe of Gods spirit it shall be made manifest to the whole Church of God that it is no more possible then by mixing with the puritie of the Gospell the Abomination of desolation by which Saint Hierome saith a Hierome in his booke vpon thâ— 24. of Saint Matth. w. We may vnderstand all manner of peruerse and false doctrine there can bee made one and the same true Christian Religion True it is that many notable Heretikes of former times haue professed one and the same God with the Church and as Saint Chrysostome saith * Chrysostome of the Worke vpon Matth. Had gotten the notes and markes of the true Church to wit sayth he Churches the Scriptures of God Bishops and other orders of Clarkes and likewise Baptisme and the Sacrament of Thankesgiuing and to conclude Christ himselfe but yet as he sheweth that the true Church of Christ would not admit them into the fellowship thereof nor take them for true members of the same The reason was for that with their profession they mingled such erronious opinions of God as made him no God according to that which Saint Hilary saith b Hilary in Ps 1. To deuise fancies of God is as horrible as to say there is no God 2 For wee beleeue and professe but one diuine God according to Deuter. 4.35 and one mediatour betweene God and man Euen the man Christ Iesus according to Saint Paul 1. Tim. 2.5 The Papists professe that the Lord he is God but not God onely and that Christ is mediatour but neither wholly nor only as this first Chapter shall plainly demonstrate from their owne Doctors for one writeth thus c Fel. in cap. ego N. de iureiur The Pope hath the place vpon earth not of a pure man but of a true God The Bishop of Aeix saith d Contr Bassinet vt Hist. Gallica Our holy Father the Pope is an vndoubted and true God on earth In their Extrauagants he is termed e Extra coment in glossa Our Lord God the Pope besides their Councell of Trident f Trident. in sexto de lect decreed him to be God In the Councell of Lateraine one saluted the Pope with this title g Latr. sess 4. Thou art another God on earth which the Pope accepted as his due euen as Pope Nicholas seeking authority whereby he might claime that dignitie found these words treasured vp in the Popes Library * Nicholas Dist. 96. satis euidenter It is well knowne that the Pope of the godly Prince Constantine was called God To which words Augustine Steuche the keeper of the Popes Librarie added h Steuche libr. Donat. Constant. pag. 141. Dost thou not heare that the highest Bishop was called of Constantine God and that he was taken for God and worshipped as God with diuine honour Whereby it plainely appeareth that this title is not giuen him of flatterers against his will neyther fell it out of their fingers rashly or by chance but with good consideration and therefore they ascribe also vnto him the great power and authority not of a terrestiall God but euen of a celestiall and that in foure respects 3 First in graunting to him as large commaund as to God himselfe for thus they write i Extrauag De translat-Episcopi Quinto Hostin Sinne excepted the Pope in a manner may doe all that God may doe Againe k Counsel Lat. Leo. 10. In the Pope there is all manner of power aboue all power as well of heauen as of earth Also l Extrauag De Constitu lib. Statuta The Pope hath power ouer the Angells both good and bad And m Agrippa de vanitat Scient The Pope hath power to command the Angells and hath power ouer the dead Againe n Baldus in li. Barbarius De officio praetoris The Pope is all and aboue all Furthermore o L. Sacrilegij c. de crim sacril ind c. Ecclesia vt tit pend It is sacriledge to doubt of the Popes power * for he is the cause of causes therefore we must make no question about his power seeing there is no cause of the first cause Lastly p In Bull. Clem. 6. in Ant. Flo. The Pope hath so great power both in Purgatory and also in hell that he may deliuer by his Indulgences place in the heauen and habitation of the blessed as many Soules as he will So that in his power of commaunding hee is made equall with God as if hee might be bold to say with our Sauiour Matth. 28. All power is giuen to me in heauen and in earth 4 Secondly they match him with God in giuing him priuiledge and exemption from all censure saying q Dist. Satis lib. Don. Constant. pag. 141. The Pope cannot at all be eyther bound or loosed by the Secular power
not fully sufficient to proue the Pope that great Antichrist foretolde by Saint Hierome c Hierome ad Algasia Quest 11. that should sit in the Church as if hee were Christ the Sauiour But for asmuch as they deny it and that the whole Church of Rome at this day dependeth vpon Bellarmines iudgement out of whose workes as it is verily supposed Parsons hath published to the view of the world and deluding of many tenne seueral Obiections for the clearing the Pope from being Antichrist it resteth that in the next Chapter we answere those obiections that so all doubts may be remoued And heerein as the originall Authour I will vse onely the name of Bellarmine In the meane time I demaund what hope of comfort we can looke to haue at these Popish Gods and Sauiours seeing their owne Saint Bridget whom Boniface the ninth Pope of that name canonized saith d Bridget in her first booke c. 41 All their followers and fauourers shal be cut off dis-ioynted and pulled in pieces like vnto a wall that is a casting downe where is not left one stone standing vpon an other neyther shall my loue and mercie euer warme them nor build them vp againe into eternall mansion And as we see the question resolued what will be the end of those that depend vpon these Gods and Sauiors so shall wee see heereafter what will bee the end of those Gods and Sauiours CHAP. II. Contayning tenne seuerall Obiections for the clearing if it had beene possible the Pope from being Antichrist set forth vnder the letters N. D. with answeres thereunto THou shalt vnderstand Christian Reader that whom Saint Iohn in his first Epistle chap. 1 Iohn 2.22 2. called Antichrists in the 22. verse hee declared to haue meant certaine Disciples which were fallen from the fellowship of the Apostles and others that by their meanes went abroad teaching doctrine whereby Christ was denyed to be the true Messias So that because such Antichristian teachers were then crept into the church by whom the great mystery of iniquity was begunne which when the great Antichrist should come should be fully perfected hee did not sticke to say but that Antichrist was then come whereas notwithstanding the great Antichrist was not then come 2 Thess 2.7 For as Saint Paul declared to the Thessalonians Epist 2. cha 2. there was then an impediment that did stay his comming which said He shall let till hee be taken out of the way Which as Tertullian Saint Augustine and Saint Chrysostome expoundeth was the Roman Emperor and likewise Saint Hierome in these words a Hierome to Algasia The Romaine Emperour which now keepeth all Nations in subiection must first be ouerthrowne and then shall Antichrist come the fountaine of iniquity By which it is cleare that by Saint Iohns Antichrists we cannot vnderstand the great Antichrist therefore the question is who the great Antichrist should be we say he is the Pope of Rome they say he shall be a Iew of Ierusalem but this is but our yea and their nay and how then shall it be tried who is in the right Bellarmine supposed in his Wardword the answere to Sir Francis Hastings Watchword page 91.92 hath set downe tenne seuerall Obiections to prooue him a Iew which God willing by these our Answeres shall be proued a Gentile THE FIRST OBIECTION 2 First then saith Bellarmine That the Popes of Rome be Antichrist or the man of sinne whereof the Prophet Daniel our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles do speake and that Rome is Babylon in that sense that these good fellowes doe meane that is Rome christened is a meere iest For that as the true Christ was one singular man so shall the true Antichrist be one singular man also and not a succession of men one after another as the Popes of Rome are And this is euidently gathered by the auncient Fathers out of the words of holy Scriptures namely Daniel 7. and 11. Iohn 5.2 2 Thessalonians 2. 1 Iohn 2. Apocal 13. and 17. THE ANSWERE 3 Heere Christian Reader seemeth a very great likelihood that by the great Antichrist should be meant onely one person seeing he produceth no lesse then seauen places of Scripture to testifie the same But it is a wonder to see that a man learned and seeming deuout should so apparently wrest the Scriptures For it is without all contradiction that not any one of his places doe proue his assertion The likeliest place is the 2. 2. Thess 2.3 Thessal 2. in which Saint Paul calleth Antichrist The man of sinne but doth it therefore follow that he meant onely one man no no more then by calling him in the same chapter The sonne of perdition he meant one person For in the Scriptures it is very apparant that by such like titles are not alwayes meant one singular person Esay 43.27 seeing we finde in the 43. chapter of Esay 27. verse is meant a great number of men included in the name Father Exod. 4.23 Rom. 9.27 Dan. 11. And in Exodus the 4. chap. 23. verse all the Israelites whose number Saint Paul saith Rom. 9.27 are as the sandâ— of the Sea are included in the title of a Sonne And in Daniell 11. the whole succession of Kings in their seuerall kingdomes are included in the person of one King And therefore seeing that vnder the title of a Man or a Sonne is included more thousands then the Popes are hundreds Bellarmines ignorance in the manner phrase of the Scriptures is laid open and his mouth stopped for accusing vs of ignorance in including all the Popes in the person of the man of sinne or Sonne of perdition And the rather because they themselues ordinarily vse also the like phrase of speech as when they call the whole succession of Popes that one head of Christs Church Therefore if the Scriptures had not taught vs so to speake we might yet haue learned of them how to call the whole succession of Popes that one head of Antichrists church 4 And whereas to dazle the eies of the ignorant he produceth the Fathers vpon his places of Scriptures as though they by Antichrist had meant one proper person Let him heare therefore how they haue vsed to speake of him Saint Hierome said b Hierome in his booke vpon Matth. 24. The abomination of desolation shall stand in the Church vntill the consummation of time and shew himselfe as God Now it is cleare he could not meane this of one particular person for that he knew as well as we no one man could liue to the consummation and end of time Also that auncient Writer Eusebius speaketh of Antichrist in the plurall number thus c Eusebius in his 7. book of Preparation This is a token not that he but that they hate God for that they will haue themselues called by the name of God Againe their Saint Bridget saith that she was commanded in a vision to signifie to d Bridget in her
6. booke of Reuelat chap. 8. Mathias of Sueden the Gloser of the Bible that Antichrist consisted of many persons that so he might giue Notes to the Church of Rome that Antichrist is not a singular but a pluralitie of persons By which therefore we see that the Fathers did also speake of Antichrist as well in the plurall number as in the singuler Wherefore seeing that by Antichrist they did not meane one singular person why may not all the Popes be that great Antichrist The man of sinne But they say no and who then shall be iudge betweene vs that shall these two testimonies of their writer Auentine in whose Chronicle there is extant this complaint of Fredericke the second e Auentine printed at Ingoâ—stad 1554. in the Epistle which he wrote to Otho Duke of Bauaria The Popes of Rome doe seeke after Lordship and diuine power namely that they may be feared of all no otherwise yea more then God for it is euident that there be many Antichrists among the Romanists So then we see that as there are many Popes there are many Antichrists and yet as there is at no time but one Pope there is but one Antichrist 5 Secondly in the same booke Auentine himselfe complayning of the whole incorporate body of Popes saith f Ibidem The chiefe Priests of Babylon desire to raigne alone they cannot abide any equall Thus in the plurall number and a little after in the singular number thus g Ibidem That wicked man whom commonly they call Antichrist in whose forehead is written a name of Blasphemie I am a God I cannot erre By which wee see it most euident that the whole succession of Popes and euery particular of them in their times and places one after another is that great Antichrist the man of sinne and sonne of perdition prophecied of by the Prophet Daniel our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles and therefore it is not as Bellarmine saith a iest so to say but a very stale iest to say the contrary And now whether christian Rome be Babylon in that sense that our good fellowes doe meane our next Chapter shall plainely demonstrate THE SECOND OBIECTION 6 Moreouer the Iewes shall receiue the true Antichrist for their Messias as they refused Christ and so Christ saith plainely Iohn 5.43 I came in my fathers name and yee receiued me not if another come in his owne name him shall yee receiue but it is not likely that the Iewes will receiue the Popes of Rome for their Messias and much lesse so many Popes as are already dead THE ANSWERE 7 These words of Christ Christian Reader wee see hee would apply to the Iewes of the latter end of the world to proue that a little before his comming to iudgement they should receiue the great Antichrist for their Messias and that we should belieue Antichrist to be one singular person hee citeth those words of Christ in Iohn chap. Iohn 5.43 5. as though Christ by those words had meant some one singular person whereas indeed the word Him is an indiffinit speech like as in Esay 57.17.18.19 Esay 57.17.18 Hosea 13.13 and 14.5 Hosea 13.13 and 14.5 where the word Him doth include an infinite number or many persons So Christ sheweth vnder the word Him that they would be more ready to receiue any him that would goe about to seduce and draw them from him then to receiue him whom the Father had sent to draw them vnto him that they might be saued But if they will haue those words to be vnderstood in their sence namely that Christ therein did appose himselfe against Antichrist and that hee should seduce the Iewes onely yet must they of force vnderstand it to be of that seducement that was in the Apostles times and of Saint Iohns Antichrists who were the chiefe meanes of keeping backe the Iewes from imbracing Christ and of bringing their whole posteritie into the state of infidelitie into which they fell yea of force I say because the Scriptures not any where at all mentioneth any other alteration of the Iewes state to come but that onely which Saint Paul speaketh of in Romanes the 10.19 Rom. 10.19 and 11.11 and 11.11 which there hee sheweth shall be their conuersion to Christ in which state all sides doe graunt they shall continue to the end Againe Saint Paul 2 Thess 2. 2 Thessa 2. declareth as plainely that the great Antichrist shall not with-hold Iewes from receiuing Christ and the Christian faith but shall cause Christians to fall from the faith they had receiued as wee shall proue at large in our third Chapter the Pope hath done so that hee shall not delude Iewes but Christians And this is it which S. Chrisostome saith h Chrisost 49. Hom. vpon the vnperfect work Matthew Antichrist is therefore called the abomination of desolation because hee shall cause the soules of many Christians to be desolate and forsaken And which S. Hillarie saith contra Auxentium Antichrist shall bee contrarie to Christ vnder a colour of preaching the Gospel Ergo c. 8 But whereas we say that in our third Chapter wee will proue the Pope to be that seducer and deluder in the meane time they will deny it and who then shall be Iudge betweene vs that shall these three learned Doctors Erasmus their Bishop Cornelius and their Albertus Magnus Erasmus saith i Erasmus on the 13. chap. of the Reuela This Kingdome of the Papacie whereof the Pope is the Head tooke vpon it all the power of the first Beast the Romane Emperour and compelled the Christians to Idolatry and seruice of false gods vnder a priuate colour and secret pretence as to further the true Faith Cornelius saith k Cornelius Oratio Cornelij Epist bitonti 3. dominica aduent in Concil Trid. habita Would to God they were not falne with one consent from Religion to Superstition from Faith to Infidelitie and from Christ to Antichrist Albertus saith l Albertus in Iohn cap. 10. Those which now rule in the Church be for the most part theeues and murtherers rather oppressours then feeders rather spoylers then tutors rather killers then keepers rather peruerters then teachers rather seducers then leaders These be the Messengers of Antichrist and the vnder-miners of the flocke of Christ And for the Pope himselfe which is the Ring-leader in this horrible seducement I will conclude this poynt with these words of Saint Bridget spoken vnto Pope Gregorie the Eleuenth in the person of Christ m Brigit in her 4. Booke 142. chap. Thou pluckest from me violently innumerable Soules and sendest to Hell-fire almost all those that come to thy Court. And in another place speaking also in the person of Christ she saith n In her 6. Booke of Reuela 15. chap. They doe say and boast that they vnderstand my Law and yet it is but for the deceiuing of others By which then wee see the Pope that spirituall Head-gouernour
wrought Ergo c. THE ANSWERE 20 Heere hee noteth out Antichrist by three speciall miracles which he saith he shall worke which because no Pope hitherto hath wrought they cannot be Antichrist Touching the first namely that he shall make fire descend from heauen wee say That forasmuch as there is no time set downe when that miracle shall be wrought and that there remayneth a Pope and how many shall succeede him who can tell all which make the great Antichrist therefore till the full end and terme of their reigne and that it can be proued that not any one Pope euer wrought that miracle none of the predecessours are cleared from being Antichrist for we find throughout the whole Scriptures that whatsoeuer is done by any one of them is imputed vnto all 21 But as touching the true sense of those words diuers of the Learned doe conclude that by making fire descend from heauen is meant that he should doe such miracles and so great wonders as should as greatly preuaile to draw the people from God to himselfe as the fire that came downe from heauen at the prayer of Elias did preuaile to draw the people from Baall to God 1. Kings 18â—â— 38.39 and that it is no more meant that Antichrist should cause fire really to descend from heauen then in the eleuenth chapter that materiall fire should proceede out of the two witnesses mouthes and destroy their enemies or in the ninth chapter that out of horses mouthes should issue fire smoake and brimstone to deuoure men 22 Secondly he saith that Antichrist shall make the Image of a beast to speake We answere The text saith not of a beast but of The beast That is as the verse going before saith The Image of the beast which had the wound of a sword and did liue Which as Erasmus expoundeth was the Heathenish domination vnder the Heathenish Emperours of Rome Whose heathenishnesse was almost stricken cleane dead by the sword of the Spirit which Saint Paul Ephes 6. Ephes 6.17 calleth the Word of God which wound was afterwards salued but fully healed by that spirituall beast which the 11. and 12. verses of the 13. chapter of the Reuclation declareth rose vp in the Roman kingdome resembling Christ the Lambe for as the Text saith He did all that the first beast could doe before him Whereby hee brought the latter Domination so liuely to resemble the former as any picture or image could possibly be made to resemble any beast therefore by the second Domination vnder the Popes is meant that image which Antichrist should make to speake that is should cause to publish and proclaime that as many as would not be conformable to all the heathenish ordinances thereof as in the former Domination should be killed By which means it came to passe as who so will reade the latter end of the thirteenth chapter shall see that all were brought to be subiect to his Lore Now therefore whether we may vnderstand this great worke to be accomplished by a painted picture or carued image and that by that same image which Antichrist should make to speake should be meant the image of some carnall beast or whether this be not a meer carnall interpretation of theirs let the discreete Reader iudge 23 Thirdly he saith Antichrist shall faine himselfe to die and rise agayne which thing if any one of his places doe proue I doe heere promise to recant Wherefore as the Popes not working those three miracles actually are not thereby cleared from being Antichrist so do not these miracles proue Bellarmines Iew to worke them to proue him to be Antichrist Therefore let vs come to some further triall with them for the better finding out of Antichrist by the miracles which he shal work in which no better course can be taken then by searching out the place where he shal worke them for if he shall worke them in that one City or Nation of the Iewes then it is likely he shall be a Iew but if all the world ouer in the Cities and Nations of the Gentiles then it is more likely he shall not be a Iew but a Gentile Now as the 13. verse of the 13. chapter of the Reuel Reu. 13.13 saith of Antichrist Hee made fire come downe from heauen so the next verse saith By the signes which were permitted for him to doe hee deceiued them that dwell on the earth By which it is most apparent that Antichrist shall not worke his wonders in that one City of Ierusalem nor yet in that one nation of the Iewes but ouer a great part of the whole earth among the Gentiles therefore this proueth he shall not be a lew but a Gentile Againe Saint Iohn in his 16. chapter of the same Booke speaking of Antichrist and his miracle-monger and the place where they should worke their miracles saith And I saw three vncleane spirits like frogges Reu. 16.13 come out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet for they are the spirits of diuels working miracles to goe vnto the Kings of the earth and of the whole world Also in the eighteenth chapter that Angell speaking there of Babylon the seate of Antichrist saith With thine inchantments were deceiued all Nations By which then wee see that the case standeth cleare that Antichrists miracles shall not be wrought in that corner of the world among the Iewes but all the world ouer among the Gentiles therefore Antichrist shall not bee a Iew but a Gentile Also seeing wee our selues in this our age doe see how the Papists euery where incline themselues to miracles and that the Pope doth daily send his Seminaries abroad to worke his wonders all the world ouer by plaine experience wee may be bolde to say the Pope is that Gentile But they say no and who then shall decide the matter that shall hee whom they confesse to bâ—e indifferent betweene both Erasmus who hath thus written vpon the same place of the Reuelation k Erasmus What wonderfull tokens sayth hee haue beene wrought in the Papacie and to what end Christ himselfe did prophecie long agoe vnto his Disciples and gaue them warning of them Againe touching those three vncleane spirits which should deceiue the Kings of the earth and the greatest part of the world by their miracles he sayth l Erasmus vpon the 16. chap. The first is the diuellish Dragon the second is the beast at Rome the very right Antichrist the third is the false Prophet not one person but a whole order and multitude of Bishops and religious persons Monks Friers c. And a little after These are three such foule and vncleane spirits as none can be found more vncleane and yet do they worke miracles Wherefore then seeing that Antichrists great miracles are wrought in the Papacie the Sea of Rome and else where by the authority of the father of Perdition the Dragon of
Hell and his Sonne of Perdition the Pope of Rome with what impudencie can Bellarmine say the Pope cannot be Antichrist But now Christian Reader whereas they will haue their Church to be the true Christian Church because she worketh Miracles and our Church the counterfeit because she worketh none it is cleare wee could not iustly prooue their Church to be the Church of Antichrist did shee not worke miracles 2. Thessal 2. Antichrist worketh miracles For wee finde 2. Thessalonians 2. where Saint Paul speaking of Antichrist the head of their Church sayth thus of him Euen he whose comming is by the working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders and in all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse among them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued And therefore God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies that all they might be damned which beleeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse 25 At the day of Iudgement Christian Reader when many of those that professe themselues Christians shall see themselues cast out to be damned will obiect against Christ and say Matth. 7. Lord Lord haue wee not by thy name prophesied and by thy name cast out diuells and by thy name done many great workes Yet for all their miracles done in his name seeing they were done but to confirme false doctrine whereby soules were drawne from Christ to Antichrist Christ sayth he will then say thus vnto them Depart from me ye workers of iniquity I know you not Therefore it was not without cause that Saint Augustine opposed himselfe against such miracle-mongers saying m Augustine in Iohn tractat 13. Matt. 24. Against these Mongers of miracles my God hath armed me saying In the latter dayes there shall rise vp false prophets working signes and wonders to deceiue the Elect of God if it be possible True it is as Saint Chrysostome saith n Chrysost in Matt. Hom. 49. In olde time meaning in the time of the Apostles it was knowne by Miracles who were the true Christians and whom the false but now the working of miracles being taken away is rather found among them that be false Christians Againe to fore-warne vs of the latter age of the world to take heed of being deluded by workers of Miracles he sayth o Chrysostome in Matt. 49. hom In the end of time power shall be giuen to the diuell to worke profitable signes and Miracles so that then we cannot know the Ministers of Christ by that they worke profitable Miracles but by that they worke no Miracles at all To conclude this point Saint Augustine reprooâ—ing those of his time that would not beleeue without Miracles sayd p August De ciuitate Dei lib. 22. cap. 8. Whosoeuer yet requireth Miracles to bring him to the Faith is himselfe a great Miracle that the world beleeuing remayneth still in vnbeliefe Now therefore what vse can there be of Miracles among those which generally beleeue in Christ but to drawe them to a new christ euen to Antichrist as all men may apparently see Popish Miracles wholy tendeth vnto THE EIGHT OBIECTION 26 Antichrist when he commeth shall reigne but three yeares and an halfe as is gathered by the auntient Writers out of the Prophet Daniel 7. and 12. and out of the twelfth chapter of the Apocalypse where it is sayd That he shall reigne a time times and halfe a time for so Saint Iohn himselfe interpreteth the matter chap. 11. and 13. saying it shall be for forty two moneths which make iust three yeares and an halfe but the Popes of Rome haue reigned for more ages then these are yeares and consequently cannot be Antichrist THE ANSVVERE 27 Heere now by the time of Antichrists reigne hee would prooue the Pope not to be Antichrist which hee might very well haue done if those three yeares and an halfe had beene to be vnderstood of our common yeeres but that cannot possibly be for that so many so mighty and so marueilous are the Acts which Antichrist shal effect as that it is not possible they should be effected in three Reuel 9.11 2 Thes 2.4 nor yet in three hundred of our yeares and an halfe For amongst many other things which would be ouer-tedious heere to recite he shall attaine to be made Ring of the Clergie and this is proued in the 9. chapter of the Reuelation 11. verse and 2. Thessal 2. chap. 4. verse and by these words of Gregory the Great q Gregory lib. 4. Epist 34. Antichrist is the King of pride r Lib. 4.38 Reuelat. 17. cap. 2 verse and 18 verse The vniuersall Bishop of Bishops Secondly he shall bring a great part of the Christian world into subiection to his Heathenish Idolatrous and Antichristian Religion and almost all true Religion to be corrupted by his power And this is proued in the seauenteenth chapter of the Reuelation verse 2 and chap. 18. verse 3. and by these expresse words of Saint Hierome Å¿ Hierome to Algasia Antichrist shall cause Religion to be subiect to his power Thirdly hee shall attaine to a superioritie ouer the kingdome of all the kingdoms of the world which was the Romain Empire and this is proued in the thirteenth chapter of the Reuelation and by these words of Saint Chrysostome t Chrisostome in his 4. Hom. vpon the 2 Thes 2. cap. When that the Empire shall stand voyd Antichrist shall inuade the state and shall labour to pull vnto himselfe the Empire both of God and man and also by these words of Saint Augustine v Augustine vpon the 9. Psal It is written of Antichrist hee shall conquer all Kings and obtayne the kingdome himselfe alone So that by these three accomplishments omitting all the rest wee see the Pope is sufficiently proued to be Antichrist And whether it be a thing likely that a new vpstart fellow a Iew of but three yeares standing should attaine to so great power and dignitie in three of our yeares and an halfe whereby he might be proued Antichrist let all that are not out of their right wittes be Iudges betweene vs. But forasmuch as the Pope himselfe did not accomplish so mightie matters in three of our yeares and an halfe we must search further to see what kinde of yeares the holy Ghost meant 28 Andrew Osiander writing vpon this point affirmeth them to be Angels yeares which the Angell in the twelfth chapter of the Reuelation calleth A Time times Reuelat. 12. and halfe a time which some doe call Propheticall yeares because the Prophets in times past did vse to count by them which are to be searched out by Angels dayes and moneths Now an Angels day as we finde in the ninth chapter of Daniel Angels daies and moneths is a yeare for there both in the seuentie weekes and sixty two weekes a day is a yeare And euen after this manner is the spirituall counting
the Countrey why should we thinke otherwise of such now or that Bellarmines consequence can be true That the Bishop of Romes superioritie was euer aboue all 6 About the yeare of Christ 325. the first general Councell was holden by three hundred and eighteene Bishops at Bethynia in the citie of Nice which Councell finding the Bishop of Rome to intrude himselfe vpon the iurisdiction of the Patriarkes of Antioch and Alexandria to preuent his proceeding made this Decree e Nicen Councell Cannon 6. Let the old custome be of force which is in Aegypt Libia and Pentipolis that the Bishop of Alexandria haue authoritie ouer all these because the Bishop of Rome obserueth the like custome Whereby wee see that as the Bishop of Rome did gouerne his owne Patriarkedome and would not suffer his fellowes to incroch vpon his right no more would this Councell suffer him to doe vpon theirs but that euen according to the old and ancient custome their priuiledges should be like to his And hereof it is which Ruffinus who liued about the same time wrote thus f Ruffinus of the Histories of the Church lib. 1. cap. 6. It was decreed in the Councell of Nice that in Alexandria and in Rome the olde custome should be kept that the Bishop of Alexandria should rule ouer Aegypt and the Bishop of Rome ouer the Churches of his suburbes And yet more largely it is thus expounded by Nilus g Nilus in his Booke of the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome That it may the more plainly appeare that the Pope hath no gouernment ouer all other Churches reade the sixt Cannon of the Councell of Nice there it is expresly commanded that the Bishop of Alexandria shall haue the rule ouer certaine Churches and the Bishop of Rome ouer certaine and the Bishop of Antioch ouer certaine and that it should not be lawfull for any one of them to inuade anothers iurisdiction if any one not content with his owne craue dominion ouer others he ought of right to be called a breaker of the customes and also of the holy Cannons 7 Now then forasmuch as the first of all the generall Councels reduced the Bishop of Rome to his first order and thereby hedged him in to rule onely his owne Patriarkedome how is that true which Bellarmine affirmeth namely that all Councels and Fathers throughout the Christian World euer approued of the Popes vniuersall supremacy Yea or how can that be true which is so common among them namely that this Councell gaue that prerogatiue to the Bishop of Rome to be vniuersall Father of all Christian Bishops and Rome the Mother of all Christian Churches seeing that great Diuine Athanasius who as some write sate as chiefe in that Councell saith h Athanas ad solitarium vita Magentes Rome is the Mother of the Romish iurisdiction Nay seeing their owne great Doctor Master Harding saith as expresly i Harding Apologie c. 23. Diuision 2. Rome is the mother of the west Churches If but of the Romish or West Churches then not vniuersally of all Wherefore this proueth Bellarmines alligation most vntrue that all the Christian World ouer the Pope was euer held to be supreame head of all Christian Bishoppes and Rome the vniuersall mother of all Christian Churches And the rather because Aeneas Syluius a little before he was Pope Pius the second wrote these plaine and expresse words k Aenâ—as Siluius Epist 288. Before the Councell of Nice euery Bishop liued seuerally to himselfe a little regard was there then had of the Church of Rome 8 About the yeere of Christ 379. the second generall Councell was holden by 150. Bishops in the City of Constantinople where for the conseruing each Patriarkes priuiledges and other Bishops rights it was thus decreed l Councell of Constantinople cap. 2. Let not the Bishops which haue their seuerall Diocesse incroch vpon the Churches that are without their bonds neither let them confound their Churches but according to the Cannons let the Bishop of Alexandria gouerne onely those things that are in Aegypt and let the East gouerne onely the East and let the Church of Antioch retaine her dignity declared in the Nicone Synod Vpon which decree Socrates writeth thus m Socrat. lib. hist eccl 3. They confirmed the faith deliuered by the Nicene Synod and they appointed Patriarkes in the described Prouinces that Bishops being placed and set ouer a certaine Diocesse might not thrust themselues into other mens charges And a little after Notwithstanding reseruing to the Church of Antioch the chiefe degree of honour and dignity Therefore most vntrue is it that all Councels and Fathers granted the Bishop of Rome to be supreame head of all Bishops or Rome to haue the chiefe degree of dignity aboue all Churches 9 About this time liued Saint Hierome who because he saw many flatterers to ascribe vnto the Bishop of Rome to be the alone Apostolicall successour and the Bishops themselues to haue made a custome of vsurping authority ouer their fellowes and to challenge a more excellency of dignitie he wrote thus against their arrogancy n Hierome to Euagrius Neither riches nor pouerty maketh a Bishop higher or lower all Bishops are of one worthinesse and all the Apostles successours What bring you me the custome of Rome being but one City if we seeke for authority the whole World is greater then the City of Rome Now then if this worthy Priest of Rome yoaked all Bishops of the World in equality of dignity with the Bishop of Rome and affirmeth that all Bishops are the Apostles successours as well as he how can the consequent of Bellarmines assertion be true that all Councels and Fathers all the Christian World ouer euer approued of the Popes singular supremacy and acknowledged him to be the alone Apostolike successour 10 About the yeere of Christ 383. liued Saint Augustine who finding the Bishop of Rome to goe about to draw all appeales vnto himselfe and the multitude to begin to flocke vnto him for the redresse thereof he with the assent of 216. Bishops in the Councell of Affrica made this decree o Concilij Affrica cap. 9.2 If any doe appeale to tribunals abroade let none within Affrica receiue him to communion And this is that whereof Saint Cyprian an hundred yeeres before Saint Augustines dayes in the Councell of Affrica reprehended the Bishop of Rome as appeareth in the fifth Section Againe when as the Bishop of Rome had begun to take and receiue proud and haughty titles and other of the Patriarkes to follow in the same Councell wherein Saint Augustine was present it was thus decreed p The third Councell â—6 Cannon Let not the Bishops of any of the first Seas be called Prince of Priests or Highest Priest or by any other like name but onely a Bishop of a first Sea And how then is the consequence of Bellarmines assertion true that all Councels and Fathers all the World ouer euer
made to mee in their late answere whereby notwithstanding they would proue the Popes vniuersall supremacie to bee vniuersally approued of before this our prescribed time and the rest which we say was not till two yeares after Gregories death These be their wordes * The Iesuites answere to me page 4. Besore his time the Doctrine of the Popes supremacie was current And for proofe they bring in Iustinian the elder Emperour of the East and Valentinian the Emperour of the West both which gaue to the Bishop of Rome the title of vniuersall Bishop But what of this doth it therefore follow that because these two Emperours did so the one of the East the other of the West they may conclude that the Popes vniuersall supremacie was approued of by generall consent of Councels and Fathers from East to West Mauricius would haue had his Bishop of Constantinople to be supreame Fredericke counted the Popes supremacie Antichristian in Epist to Otho If this be a sound conclusion then is this also as sound namely that because two Emperous Mauricius the Emperour of the East and Fredericke the second the Emperour of the West denied the Bishop of Rome supremacie therefore it was denied by generall consent of Councels and Fathers from East to West and then what haue they gained by their two Emperours 15 True it is that Iustinian at the first gaue that title to the bishop of Rome and sought meanes to aduance his Sea a degree aboue his fellowes the Patriarkes as may appeare by these words y Cod. de summa Trinita Fide cath Inter â—â—aras Wee labour to aduaunce the honour of your Sea and the authoritie thereof Wee labour to subdue and to ioyne all the Priests of the East part vnto the Sea of your holinesse Thus shall the authority of your Sea encrease Then which nothing can make it more manifest that albeit hee gaue him the title of vniuersall Bishop as yet he was not so from East to West which was well towards sixe hundred yeares after Christ Also the effect doth plainly proue that the title which Iustinian gaue to the Bishop of Rome and the supreame dignitie which hee seemed to labour to aduance him vnto was onely but in pollicie euen to lift him vp a degree aboue his place and fellow Patriarkes that he might place his Bishop of Constantinople in his roome to be established a commissioner among the Patriarkes which thing when he had accomplished he thus reioyced thereat and said z Cod. de sacrosan Eccles omninouation Now our Citie of Constantinople enioyeth the prerogatiues of elder Rome Also it may appeare that he did it onely but for that very same purpose for that when as he had effected that matter immediately he tooke from him both the title and authoritie as doth euidently shew in that first he made his title common with the other Partriarkes when he said a Iustinian 230. Nouel Wee commaund the most blessed Patriarkes that is the Pope of Rome and of Constantinople and of Alexandria and of Antioch and of Ierusalem seeing it is acustome Secondly in that as soone as his aforesaid Councell was dissolued a Letter was sent to the Bishop of Rome with this commaundement b Genaâ—ius ad omnes Metropol ad Papam Roman Let your Holynesse see vnto your owne cures and to the Bishops that be subiect vnto you As also afterwards he making another new Patriarke gaue vnto him as great authoritie as he gaue before to the Bishop of Rome And this appeareth by these his owne words c Iustinian Nouel 131. Let the Bishop of the first Iustiniana haue vnder him the Bishops of Dacia c. and let him be consecrated by them and let him haue the same priuiledges ouer them which the Bishops of Rome hath ouer the Bishops that are placed vnder him And thus we see this Emperour to make so little for the Popes vniuersall supremacie as that he maketh directly against it Now let vs come to Valentinian the Emperour of the West 16 Thou shalt vnderstand Christian Reader that what titles or dignities hee gaue to the Bishops of Rome was as little materiall for he being a very simple minded man was neuer willing to trouble his head with any matter of controuersie as may well appeare in that when as the Bishope of Hellespontus and Bithynia besought him to haue the hearing and disputing of a matter in question betweene the Arrians and them he refused and said d Sozmen lib. 6. cap. 6. cap. 7. For me that am but a Lay man I thinke it not lawfull to search curiously into such deepe matters Therefore wee see hee might easily be seduced to giue any manner of Titles to the Bishops of Rome which they challenged for their due And therather for that as their Doctour Maister Harding declareth plainely e Harding Apolog cap. 6. Diuis 10. that from the beginning of the first Christian Emperours they were taught by the Bishops themselues what titles they should giue vnto them Therefore what can be effectually drawne from these two Emperours to proue that the Popes vniuersall supremacie was approued of by all Councels and Fathers from East to West or rather who seeth not that Iustinians words directly proue the contrary in shewing that the Bishop of Rome had but a patticular Cure in which onely those Bishops were subiect vnto him And now being come within the compasse of lesse then one hundred yeeres of our full number of six hundred and sixe let vs see how the rest were accomplished 17 Briefly in a word after this it fell out that as by giuing to the Romaine Emperours Bishop a degree aboue his fellow Patriarkes he sought to be vniuersall head ouer all so by making the Greeke Emperours Bishop his fellow Patriarke and his equall hee also sought to be supreame head ouer all Hence it was that that great contention grew betweene him and the Bishop of Rome which fell out for the Christian Churches great good for euen therby it pleased God to bring the truth of our cause to light For when as the Bishops of Rome who from the time of Irenaeus sought to aspire to that dignitie as first Victor whom as wee proued in our third Section was reproued for the same by Irenaeus and Polycrates as also by diuers others Secondly Stephanus whom we proued in our fift Section was reprehended by Saint Cyprian and other Bishops in the Councell of Affrica Thirdly Cornelius as we proued in the same Section for receiuing Appeales from the iurisdictions of others was reprehended by Cyprian Fourthly Sozimus and Bonifacius who for seeking superioritie ouer Affrica was withstood by Saint Augustine and two hundred and sixteene Bishops in the Councell of Carthage where it was proued the Bishop of Rome not to haue vniuersall authoritie nor his Title which he claimed from Peter to be called Prince of Priests or Highest Priest to be lawfull as appeareth in the tenth Section
fall before any of the rest tooke the more care of him and paines with him and vsed greater motiues to incourage him to constancie it doth not therefore follow Peter Peter none but Peter Nay we see it most euident to be altogether no such matter onely it was a subtill illusion whereby they did cunningly conueigh all power in the Romish iurisdiction to the Pope and by which they labour still to retaine it and not onely that power which they faine Peter to haue had aboue the other Apostles but euen that also which God himselfe hath aboue all for thus doe they write * See Chap. 1. Sect. 3. In the Pope there is all manner of power aboue all power as well of heauen as of earth Againe * Ibidem The Pope hath power ouer the Angels both good and bad Againe * Ibidem The Pope hath power to commaund the Angels and hath power ouer the dead Againe * Ibidem The Pope hath so great power both in Purgatory and also in Hell that hee may deliuer by his Indulgences and place in the heauen and habitation of the blessed as many soules as he will Againe * Ibidem The Pope is all and aboue all By which what else will they proue but that the Pope is the God of all power and consequently an almighty God Moreouer thus doe they write * Ibidem It is sacriledge to doubt of the Popes power for he is the cause of causes therefore we must make no question about his power seeing there is no cause of the first cause And hereby they will proue him to be an eternall God But forasmuch as they fain the Pope to haue receiued al his power from Peter let them shew vs first in what place of Scripture they find Peter to haue receiued this power froÌ„ Christ secondly where any of all the Apostles haue thus written of Peters power if they can shew none then it is certaine Peter neuer had that power and therefore the Pope could not receiue it from him and yet notwithstanding doe they further write thus * Cha. 1. Sect. â— The Pope hath the place vpon earth not of a pure man but of a true God Againe * Ibidem Our holy Father the Pope is an vndoubted and true God on earth Therefore * Sect. 4. Those things hee doth hee doth them as God * Sect. 2. And is to be taken for God and worshipped with diuine honour as God And to ratifie the truth heereof they close vp the whole with this title * Sect. 2. Our Lord God the Pope Therefore forasmuch as none is to be found in any part of all the Christian Churches in the vniuersall world that doth claime to himselfe the essentiall properties and prerogatiues of God but the Pope it is without all contradiction none but the Pope is that Antichrist The man of sinne and sonne of perdition fore-told by Saint Paul 2 Thessalonians 2. That should sit as God in the Temple of God shewing himselfe to be God To be briefe as they cannot shew any one Scripture by the authoritie whereof the Pope may iustly claime from Peter these essentiall prerogatiues of God or the title of God so can they not shew by any one place of Scripture that Christ cuer gaue to Peter any such titles or dignities as the Pope yet further claimeth from him as to be called the Vicar of Christ Supreame head of the Church or Prince of Priests Nay albeit the contrary may be directly proued in that when as the strife was risen amongst the Apostles about supreame principalitie Luke 22. Christ himselfe tooke in hand the matter and thus resolued them saying Luke 22.24 Matth. 20.25 Marke 10.24 Matth. 20. Marke 10. It shall not be so among you but whosoeuer will be great among you shall be your seruant and whosoeuer will be chiefe of you shall be seruant to all the rest yet will they haue Peter to be the Prince of all the Apostles that so they might deriue that dignitie to the Pope to make him Prince of all Priests Therefore for the knitting vp of all that hitherto we haue intreated of and the manifest opening and clearing of the whole matter and of all that we haue said concerning this point this I say that forasmuch as wee haue proued this maine fundamentall principle not to stand vpon a sound ground whatsoeuer is built thereon can not stand For seeing Christ gaue no greater principalitie to Peter then hee did to any of the other Apostles it was not possible that Peter could be the supreame head of Christs vniuersall Church And that it may also appeare how vnlawfull it was for Peter or any but Christ alone so to be Gregory the Great Bishop of Rome himselfe plainely proueth from Saint Paul as may appeare where hee reprehending Iohn Bishop of Constantinople for attempting to be supreame head of the Church gaue him to vnderstand that therein he declared himselfe to be the fore-runner of Antichrist And to shew him that he was neuer able to answere that iniurie done to Christ he demaunded of him this question saying z Gregor lib. 4. Epist. 38. If Saint Paul would not haue the members of the Lords body to bee subiect to any head but to Christ no not to the Apostles themselues what wilt thou answere to Christ the head of the vuiuersall Church at the last iudgement that thus goeth about by the name of Vniuersall Bishop to make all his members subiect to thee Whom doest thou immitate in this so peruerse a name but Lucifer that would haue beene head ouer all the Angels in heauen By which hee proueth this saying of Cardinall Cusanus a Cusanus ad Bohemos epist 2. The members vmted to the Chaire ioyned to the Pope make the Church to be but an Antichristian delusion and the Pope for taking vpon him to be supreame head of Christs vniuersall Church to be that great Antichrist which the Church of Rome should take for her other husband besides Christ whereby she should proue her selfe to be indeed the whoore of Babylon mentioned by the Angell in the seauenteenth chapter of the Reuelation For it is manifest by Saint Paul Romans 7.2 That she that hath two husbands at once is an whoore And therefore this maketh the case to stand cleare that Rome cannot be the Mother of all Christian Churches vnlesse wee may conclude that all Christian Churches are the children of an whoore which God forbid 13 The Church of God vnder the Law The Church vnder the Law had God onely to her husbaÌ„d as the Church vnder the Gospel hath Christ onely had none other Head or husband but God himselfe as appeareth by the Pâ—ophet Esay 45.5 where hee said to the Church of the Iewes Hee that made thee is thine husband whose name is the Lord of Hostes So by the words of Saint Paul it appeareth as plainely that vnder the Gospell
Gentiles to offer vnto him in euery place whereas it is cleare it is meant of the whole spirituall worship and seruice of GOD vnder the Gospell which consisteth of preaching praying and thankesgiuing as may plainely appeare by these auncient Fathers interpretations vpon the same place of the Prophet Tertullian saith z Tertullian in his Exhortation vnto Chastitie The pure Sacrifice that Malachie speaketh of that should be offered in euery place is the preaching of the Gospell to the ende of the World Saint Hierome saith a Hierome vpon the first of Malachie The Prophet Malachie meaneth heereby that the prayers of holy people should be offered to God not onely in Iewrie but also in all places Also Iustinus Martyr saith b Iustinus Martyr in Dialoguo cum Triphone Esaias promised not the restoring of a bloudy Sacrifice but the true and spirituall Sacrifice of Praise and Thankesgiuing Therefore we see that the spirituall Sacrifice vnder the Gospel is preaching praying and thank esgiuing To conclude whereas they would haue made the world to belecue that their Masse and the vse thereof is but the application or applying of the Sacrifice of Christs Death and Bloud vnto vs wee see it tendeth to the vtter destroying of Christs Sacrifice for that they make their Sacrifice of the Masse the very substance of the thing it selfe CHAP. X. Tending to resolue all men that the words of Christ in the sixt Chapter of Saint Iohns Gospell touching the eating his flesh and drinking his bloud are onely but figuratiue speeches as also those his other words when he instituted the Sacrament and deliuering the Bread to his Apostles said Take eate this is my body which is giuen for you 1 OVR Sauiour Christ Iohn 6.59 teaching in the Synagogue at Capernaum deliuered these words vnto the Iewes saying I am the liuing Bread that came downe from heauen If any man eate of this Bread hee shall liue for euer and the Bread that I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world Verse 51. Againe Except yee eate the flesh of the Sonne of Man Verse 53. Verse 54.55.56.57 and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you And againe Whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day For my flesh is meate indeede and my bloud is drinke indeede he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in him As the liuing Father hath sent me so liue I by the Father and he that eateth me euen he shall liue by me 2 Now in these words Christian Reader we are chiefly to obserue these three things First that the scope and drift of our Sauiour Christ was to enduce the Iewes to haue vnderstood that he was the second person in the Godhead equall with the Father and that it was of necessity vnto saluation that they should eate and feede on him as he was God And this is it which he said I am the liuing bread which came downe from heauen If any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer Secondly he would they should haue knowne that he being the second person in the God-head had taken into his diuine nature flesh and bloud and that it was also of as great a necessity vnto saluation that they should eate and drinke the same and feede on his flesh and bloud And this is it which he also said Christ must be eaten as he is God as hee is man and as he is both God man Except ye eate the flesh of the Son of man and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you Thirdly he would they should haue perceiued that as he was both God and man so it was also of as great a necessity vnto saluation that they should feede on both his natures vnitedly together And this is it which hee further said vnto them He that eateth me euen he shall liue by me By which we see it euident and plaine that none can be saued but those that doe eate Christ not onely as hee is God but also as hee is man and also as he is both God and man Eaten then he must be of necessity as both the Papists and we confesse but the manner how hee must be eaten is all the matter in question whether spiritually by faith or corporally with the mouth and teeth 3 The Iewes supposing Christ had beene man onely when they heard him say hee was the bread of God that came downe from heauen to giue life vnto the World To eate feed on Christs flesh is to beleeue that by the suffering in his flesh hee tooke away the sinne of our flesh and that he that did eate thereof should not die they were offended but when he added further and said And the bread that I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the World of which whosoeuer shall eate shall haue euerlasting life they raged and murmured among themselues saying How can this man giue vs his flesh to eate This is an hard saying who can heare it But when our Sauiour perceiued their carnall vnderstanding in which they so grossely erred in the manner of eating by imagining they should haue eaten him with their mouthes and teethes as their Fathers did eate Manna then in the 58. verse fully to resolue them that he meant no such kinde of eating he said The Iewes erring in the māner of eating could profit nothing by the matter they should eate Not as your Fathers did eate Manna And yet more fully to resolue them that indeede he meant a spirituall kinde of eating in the 57. verse he said plainely thus As the liuing Father hath sent me so liue I by the Father and he that eateth me euen he shall liue by me By which words he declared vnto them that as he did not liue carnally by the Father but spiritually so should they liue spiritually by him Howbeit The cause was they would none of his interpretations such was their peruersenesse that they would none of his interpretations but because he had said they must eate his God-head they would no otherwise vnderstand but that hee meant they should eate it carnally and also because hee had said they must eate his man-hood they would no otherwise but that they should eate his flesh corporally then said Christ further vnto them It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing Meaning as they vnderstood it should bee eaten for otherwise his flesh was as profitable as his Godhead vnto those that did eate it after that manner as hee meant else would he not haue said Whosoeuer eateth my flesh hath eternall life and except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you But therefore they failing in the manner could profit nothing by the matter they should eate The manner wherein
liuing that they know not what we doe euen as our care is for the dead that wee know not what they doe And therefore it is which in another place he saith b In his Booke of free-will We are not commanded to goe to any creature that we might be made blessed but to the Creator and maker of all things of whom if wee be perswaded otherwise then the truth is we are deceiued with a damnable errour Saint Chrisostome likewise hauing to deale with the same kinde of heretikes that supposed they could not come to GOD but by the meanes and mediation of Saints thus reproued their errour saying c Chrysost in his Serm. of going forward of the Gospell There is no neede of a Porter or Mediatour say onely Lord haue mercy vpon me we haue no neede of an Aduocate with God nor of any running or gadding about for to speake saire vnto others for although thou be alone and without an Aduocate and pray vnto God by thy selfe thou shalt obtaine thy petition For God doth not so easily heare vs when others pray for vs as when wee pray our selues although we be full of much euill and vnrighteousnesse And yet to proue that we are indeede sooner heard when we pray our selues then when others pray for vs he bringeth the example of the woman of Canaan of whom he saith vnto vs thus d In his 2. Hom. of the woman of Canaan Thou seest how Christ denied and put her backe when other men prayed for her meaning the Apostles but as soone as shee cried for her boone and gift he granted it Behold saith he the wisedome of the woman shee prayeth not to Iames shee intreateth not Iohn shee goeth not to Peter shee did not get her selfe to the company of the Apostles shee sought for no Mediatour By which he giueth vs to vnderstand that the most surest way for the obtaining our requests is to pray to God our selues and not to trust to spokesmen for as Saint Ambrose saith e Ambrose in his Book vpon the 1. Chap. t. the Romans To obtaine Gods fauour from whom nothing is secret as knowing what euery man is meete to haue we neede no spokesman but a deuout minde for wheresoeuer such a man speaketh to God God will heare him By which we see how vaine a thing it is to say We cannot come to God but by the mediation of Saints Yea the same Father in the words going before doth proue such speeches but vaine and to proceede out of the mouthes not onely of vaine men but of a peruerse Sect past shame For saith he f Ibidem Men through shame vse accustomably euery where this miserable excuse why they neglect to come to God saying that by them we goe to God as by Noble men we goe vnto a King Ambrose accounted it treason to God to make Saints intercessours vnto him for vs. And then flouting them for their foolery he thus finisheth vp his speech saying Well said is there any man so mad or so vnmindfull of his health to giue vnto a Noble man the honour due vnto a King onely for that if any in such sort behaue themselues they are iustly condemned as guilty of treason And saith he shall these men not thinke themselues guilty which giue the honour of the name of God vnto a creature and forsaking their Lord doe worship their fellow seruant as though there were any thing greater then God to whom a man might doe seruice For therefore saith he doe we goe to a King by tribunes and Noble men because the King is a man and knoweth not whom he may be sure to trust And indeed for diuers causes it is not meete that euery man should haue free accesse into the Kings priuy Chamber and chiefly for feare of treason against his person as experience doth plainely teach vs and as no doubt it would soone be seene if our inuocators of Saints might haue free passage Neuerthelesse where is there any such decree made that no man may speake to the King but by some Noble man Doth not the King allow any man or woman to deliuer their Petitions vnto him with their owne hands wheresoeuer they meete him and is there any other decree made by God to debar any from deliuering their Petitions vnto him by their mouth Therefore what ground of truth haue they to debarre men from going to God without hauing some one Saint or other to be their Aduocate Mediatour or intercessour 4 All the Principles of Popish Religion Christian Reader they say they hold by antiquity The antiquity of this heresie of which this is one for we see it was sprung vp twelue hundred yeeres agoe and therefore no maruell though they claime it by antiquity Neuerthelesse it was not so ancient but that as we see it was as anciently confuted and condemned for sacriledge and treason to Gods owne person both by the Scriptures and Fathers No Patriarke Prophet or Apostle euer prayed one to another Neither yet was it so ancient as that they can proue that any one Patriarke Prophet or Apostle euer prayed one to another which if they had done we see they had beene condemned by the ancient Fathers for theeues and traytors to God as they condemned those heretikes of their time and the counterfet Catholiques of our time who most peruersely withstand the manifest truth of the Scriptures which allow no more Aduocates Mediatours or Intercessours then there are Gods which is but one and hee onely which is partaker of the natures both of God and man as we shall now see euidently proued Saint Paul 1 Timothie 1 Tim. 2.5 2 Chapter saith For there is one God and one Mediatour between God and man the Man Christ Iesus Vpon which words Saint Augustine wrote thus g August lib. 2. cap. 8. to Paermeni Paul saith he maketh not himselfe a mediatour betweene God and the people but willeth them to pray one for another Also in another place to shew that none can be Mediatour betweene God and man but he that is both God and man he saith h Vpon the 134. Psalm Thou O man couldest not come to God vntill God became man that thou being a man mayest come to God and he was made Mediatour of God and man the man Christ Iesus Againe in another place he faith i In his Hom. of Sheepe the 12. Chap. One Mediatour betweene God and man c. and he was God with the Father and was man with men The manhood is no Mediatour without the God-head And in another place thus k In his Enchiridion to Laurence the 108 Chap. We could neuer haue beene deliuered by that onely mediatour of God and man the Man Christ Iesus vnlesse he had beene God also So that who seeth not but that he that is not both God and man is not allowed to be Mediatour betweene God and man And thus much out of the words of Saint
Paul and Saint Augustine vpon his words Now let vs heare some others vpon this point 5 Theophilact writing vpon the same words of Paul saith thus l Theophi vpon 1 Tim. 2. Chap. That the Mediatour should be the Sonne of God it was requisite for he should be the reconciliation and perfect mediatour for he is a mediatour of two for hee put himselfe as a meane or middle thing to ioyne contrary things together Therefore he is the Sonne of God and Mediatour of men for he is partaker of both natures And hereof it is which Saint Chrisostome saith m Chrisost vpon 1 Tim. a Chap. The Mediatour ought to be ioyned by society of them both of whom he is Mediatour for it is the part of a Mediatour to be partaker of them both of whom he is Mediatour And a little after he concludeth thus For it was requisite that such a Mediatour should speake with God Also hereof it is which Saint Cyrill saith n Cyrill in his 12 Booke 10. Chap. of Treasure Christ Iesus is Mediatour betweene God and man not onely because he hath reconciled man vnto God but also because hee is naturally and substantially both God and man in one person And after this manner saith he God hath reconciled vs vnto him for otherwise how could Saint Paul say that there is one Mediatour Christ Iesus Wherefore then seeing that none can be Mediatour betweene God and man but hee that is both God and man no Saint can be Mediatour And thus much of Saint Paul now let vs heare what Saint Iohn saith and the ancient Fathers vpon his words 6 Saint Iohn in his 1. Epistle 2. Chapter saith 1 Iohn 2 Cha. 2 verse If any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the Iust and he is the reconciliation for our sinnes Vpon which words Saint Augustine saith o August in his first Treatise vpon the Epistle of S. Iohn He did not say ye haue an Aduocate with the Father but we haue Neither did he say ye haue me for your Aduocate But brethren we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and hee is the reconciliation for our sinnes He that hath holden this saith he hath holden no heresie he that hath holden this hath committed no schisme And a little after speaking of Saint Iohn hee saith thus He had rather put himselfe in the number of sinners that he might haue Christ his Aduocate then put himselfe an Aduocate whereas Christ should be his Aduocate and be found among the proud men that shall be damned And for conclusion of Saint Iohns words thus he saith in another place p August in his 2. Booke 8. Ch. against Parmenian If Saint Iohn would say this haue I written vnto you that ye sinne not and if you sinne ye haue me your Aduocate before God and I will entreate for you what good and faithfull Christian could abide him as the Apostle of Christ or rather not thinke him to be Antichrist And thus Christian Reader thou seest that to allow any other then Christ to be an Aduocate Mediatour or Intercessour betweene God and man is to allow hereticall Antichristian and damnable doctrine And to affirme the Saints in heauen to take this office of Christ vpon them is a part of that blasphemie mentioned Reuel 13.6 euen to blaspheme them that dwell in heauen 7 That ancient Father Epiphanius describing the alone and true Mediatour saith q Epiphanius fol. 433. For the Mediatour of God and man is thus being God and made man not hauing changed his nature but according to both of them hee is Mediatour But what should wee stand to cite any more testimonies out of the Fathers seeing some of their great Doctors and canonized Saints affirme the same Their Abbot Saint Bernard saith thus r Bernard in his 3. Serm. of the Annuntiation of the Virgin Mary This Christ Iesus is the true and faithfull Mediatour as in one person of God and man Also their Saint Thomas of Aquine saith Å¿ Thomas of Aquine vpon the 1. Tim. 2 Chap. It may be said that Christ is a Mediatour according to both natures that is to say as touching his God-head and man-hood inasmuch as he is God and man for because that he that is a Mediatour ought to take part of both natures and these are God and man Now therefore if there had beene no one ancient Father to haue proued our assertion yet these two their canonized Saints had been sufficient Wherefore we see how vaine the Papists are to pray to Saints and to make them their Mediatours to God 8 It is a world to see that men so wise and learned should be so besotted in their senses as to imagine that Christ himselfe should not be all and altogether fully sufficient by his onely intercession to reconcile men vnto God seeing the Authour to the Hebrewes saith Chapter 7. Hebrewes 7.25 He is able also perfectly to saue them that come to God by him seeing hee liueth euer to make intercession for them Doubtlesse if Christ had not knowne himselfe wholly sufficient he would not haue said Iohn 14. No man commeth to the Father but by me Iohn 14.6 Iohn 16.23 Neither would he haue said Iohn 16. Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you Wherefore seeing Christ is sufficiently able to saue by his intercession those that come to God by him and that none can come to God but by him and that those things which we aske in his name wee shall obtaine why should we delude our selues in seeking reconciliation by the intercession of others Nay we now see plainely that those are deceiued which hold not Christ all-sufficient but will therefore goe to God by others and that seeke to obtaine their requests in the names of others But I maruell what hope they can haue to obtaine their Petitions which pray to God in the name of others seeing Christ commanded them to pray in his name Saint Cyrill saith t Cyrill in hâ—e Book vpon the r. of Esay We must pray in the name of our Sauiour if wee will looke to be heard of the Father And in another place he rendereth his reason saying u In his Booke of right faith For why is it more meete to giue Saints their asking and grant them their petitions then for him which is onely by his owne nature and truly God Saint Augustine saith * August in 108. Psalme All prayers that are not made vnto God by Christ not onely doth not put away sinne but also are turned into sinne So then if to pray in the name of any but Christ be to cause our prayers to be turned into sinne and so to prouoke God to wrath why should we nay how dare wee pray in the name of others Yea and why will wee be made such fooles as to aske any thing of the dead Saints which can
the sinnes of others Thirdly to stay their soules from death Fourthly to purchase Heauen And lastly to lift vp and place their soules in Heauen They will haue all by their owne deseruings or they will haue none all by merits or else no bargaine therefore let vs see what wee can say further vnto them touching this point 25 Our Sauiour Christ Matthew 5. saith Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of Heauen Now this word Poore is a metaphor taken from a man that is so very poore as that hee hath not wherewith to sustaine his owne life but is faine to seeke to others for succour And such are they which finde themselues so greatly destitute of soules sustenance as that they are glad to seeke to others for reliefe euen to God for his mercy and to Christ for his merites 26 Such a blessed poore man was Saint Basil as may appeare by these his words h Basil vpon the 32. Psalm He that trusteth not in his owne good deeds nor hopeth to be iustified by his workes hath the onely hope of his saluation in the mercies of God Also such a blessed poore man was Saint Augustine as appeareth by these his words i Aug. vpon the 142. Psal Lord for thy name sake shalt thou quicken mee in thy righteousnesse Not in mine not because I haue deserued it but because thou hast mercy on me Also such a blessed poore man was Saint Hierome as appeareth by these his words k Hier. 64. of Esay If we behold our owne merits wee shall be driuen to desperation Yea and notwithstanding Saint Bernard acknowledgeth himselfe also to be one of these poore Publicans in that he saith of himselfe l Ber. vpon the Psal qui habitat My merites is the mercy of God yet they will rather be condemned with the proud Pharises then be iuslified with the poore Publicans To be briefe whereas their Master Harding saith m D. Harding in his booke A direction of sundry soule errours lies c. in fol. 357. Wee are iustified freely without workes that may deserue the grace that God giueth Here he hath condemned their doctrine of iustification by workes to be most false and erroneous but in that that hee includeth that workes may deserue the grace that God giueth he hath proued himselfe a notable heretique For as Saint Augustine saith n Aug. in his 46. Epistle Vnderstand that the forenamed Epistle to Sixtus an Elder of the Church of Rome is written against the Pelagians the new heretiques which affirme the grace of God to be giuen according to merits that he that glorieth should not glorie in the Lord but in himselfe that is in man and not in the Lord. And therefore in another place hee saith o In the same Epistle Let no man say that for the merits of his workes or for the merits of his prayers or for the merit of his faith the grace of God is giuen vnto him And so that which those heretiques say be counted true namely that according to our merits the grace of God is giuen then the which nothing can be more false But as he saith in another place p In his booke of predestination of Saints chap. 9. They that glorie should not glorie in their owne merits which they perceiue to be like vnto the merits of them that shall be damned but should glorie in the Lord. Whereupon saith Saint Ambrose q Ambrose in his 1. booke and 5. chapter of the calling of the Gentiles Like as there is none so detestable outragious as can restraine the free gift of grace so can there be no worke so excellent that this which is freely giuen should be due vnto them by action of debt for then the redemption of Christ should in deed be no thing worth neither should the worthinesse of mans workes be inferiour to the mercie of God Whereupon their Writer Waldensis saith r Walden in his booke against Wilelesse I take him therefore to be the sounder Diuine the faithfuller Catholique and more agreeable to the holy Scriptures that vtterly denieth all such kinde of merits And thus much for the conclusion of the twelue Chapters referring the whole matter to be iudged by all that shall reade them Whether they can possibly be true Catholique Christians which in stead of one God will haue hundreds as appeareth in our first Chapter and in stead of one Sauiour to haue many thousands as appeareth in the same Chapter That will haue the Pope to be the very Vicar of Christ whom in our second Chapter wee proued to be that great Antichrist shewed by Saint Paul 2 Thessa 2. to be the Arch-enemie of Christ and all true Christians That will haue Rome to be the Mother of all Christian Churches which in our third Chapter we proued to be that Babylon which the Angel in the seauenteenth Chapter of the Reuelation calleth The mother of Whordomes and abhominations of the earth That will haue his Church as it is now Christian to be the true Church of Christ Which in our fourth Chapter we proued to be the same idolatrous Church professing Christ mentioned by the Angell in the 13. Chapter and 17. Chapter of the Reuelation That will haue their Church to be the most auncient Apostolique and Catholique Church which in our fifth Chapter we proued had no being at all for the space of sixe hundred and sixe yeares next after Christ That will haue the succession of Vniuersall Popes to descend from Saint Peter which we proued in our sixth Chapter to descend but from Boniface the third Bishop of Rome of that name made Vniuersal Pope by that Murtherer Phocas â—he Emperour in the yeare of Christ 607. In which yeare the first Vniuersall Pope being made the Popish Church must needes first begin For as before Christ was there could be no Christian Church so before there was an Vniuersall Pope there could be no Popish Church Therefore their Church hauing her first beginning but sixe hundred and seauen yeares after Christ the antiquity thereof is ouerthrowne our Church proued to be more ancient by sixe hundred and sixe yeares That will haue the Popes supreame title and dignitie approued of by generall consent of Councells and Fathers which in our seauenth Chapter we proued to be gain said and withstood by Councells and Fathers till the yeare of Christ 607. That will haue Peter to be made supreame Head of all the Apostles by Christ himselfe the contrary whereof wee proued in our eighth Chapter by Christs expresse Commaundement and therefore the Pope cannot claime his Supremacie from Peter That will haue the true Church knowne by retaining seauen Sacraments which in our ninth Chapter we proued that to Saint Chrisostomes time which was about foure hundred yeares after Christs Incarnation it was knowne by retaining onely two Sacraments and afterwards no Christian Church knowne by the iust number of seauen till Antichrist was borne in Rome That will haue the idolatrous Masse to be the ordinance of Christ which in the same Chapter we proued cannot be because it tendeth to the vtter ouerthrow of the power of Christs death and passion as also because it was not begun to be framed till about one hundred and nineteene yeares after Christ and not finished of more then sixe hundred yeares after And confessed by their Iohannes Boemos to be inuented by certaine Bishoppes of Rome whose names wee haue produced in the same Chapter as himselfe nominated them That will haue those words in the sixt chapter of Saint Iohns Cospel touching the eating his flesh and drinking his bloud to bee meant of a corporall kinde of eating which heresie wee proued in our tenth Chapter Christ reproued the carnall Capernaites for As also will haue those words in the sixe and twentieth Chapter of Saint Matthews Gospel Take eate this is my Body to be literally vnderstood that they might worship the bread for Christ and make an Idoll of it That will haue Saints prayed vnto and worshipped which as we proued in our eleuenth Chapter is to robbe God of two speciall parts of his glory Lastly that will haue men to make a better satisfaction for sinne then Christ hath made for them be better purged from their sinne in the fire of Purgatory then Christ hath by his bloud or be holden from life and libertie for euer which as we proued in our twelfth Chapter tendeth to the vtter ouerthrow of all that Christ hath done for the saluation of man kinde To conclude we see in this Chapter of Conclusion they will haue men to seeke iustification by the workes of the Law that so they might be brought vnder the curse and condemnation of it for not fulfilling all that the Law requireth They will haue men to purchase heauen by their owne deseruing thereby to proue his death to be needlesse and faith in him of none effect And notwithstanding that case to stand cleare that these be paâ—â— of those Antichristian lies wherewith Saint Paul 2 Thess 2. shewed the great Antichrist should deceiue those that loued not the truth But had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse They bash not to say The Pope cannot be holden with any Religion of a lie FINIS