Et quo ver a fides veluti se cardine vertit The Prince of Christian men The prop of Christian Faith Commander of our life And ground of true beliefe And if we thinke that the Pope doth not by all this arrogate to hâ—mselfe and derogate from Christ sufficiently even as sufficiently as may become The Antichrist Let Pannonius absolve Pannonius in Apocalyps cap. 12. seâ—â— 5. punet 4. this concluâ—ion in his â—alse latine Who avoucheth the Pope to be Sumâ—â—us Princeps universae terrae the suprâ—me Prince of the whole world qui potest terrae Princip â—s subâ—ugare etiam Haereticos profligare put downe Kings and roote up Heretikes to which purpose he hath gladium materâ—â—le habet spâ—rituale both the swords materiall and spirituall And All power both in heaven and earth according to Matth. ult Againe the Pope is Dei charismatum Dispensator the dispencer of Gods grace the Pope Virgam directionis Pannonius in Apocal. cap. 16. sect 2. Punct 1. the Scepter of righteousnesse mentioned Psal 45. â— In a word the Pope is Parens salutis the Father of their salvation saith Pannonius and therefore The sonne of Perdition Finally as the Pope doth usurpe the Name so doth he also the worship which is peculiar unto God First by their common gesture of kneeling to the Pope they make the Pope a god and their Idoll and their very kneeling is a token thereof For as profound Zanchy doth fully Zan bâ—in praec â— cap. 17. informe us although we English did kneele to our Queene of ever blessed memory and doe and may kneele to our King her successour without any superstition because it is meerly Politicall and after the manner of our nation Yet for the Papists to kneele to the Pope who they beleeve cannot erre and in whom they are perswaded that there is a fulnesse of power to forgive sins to give Heaven and to doome to Hell ascribing those properties of God to him so farre they make him a God and to such men even their kneeling is an Idolatrous Adoration Againe the Pope doth too grosly shew himselfe Moulins 〈◊〉 sect 118. that he is God especially to the ignorant by those absurd images and pictures of the Trinity frequent in the Romish Churches and found printed in the Title pages of their Bibles set forth by Sixtus Quintus and Clemens 8 where they picture an old man sitting in a Chaire apparelled like the Pope with a tripled Crowne also with a Pigeon hanging at his beard and a Crucifixe in his armes Whereby it is not impossible that the ignorant people should either imbrace or invert the errour of the Anthropomorphites supposing either God to be the Pope or the Pope to be God Since by the Popes permission they are both expressed by one Picture Moreover certainly it is more than a play Sacrar Cerem lib. 2. sect 1. cap. 33. which they act in one of their Papall Pageants in the Popes owne presence In their solemne service upon Palme-sunday at Rome three of the Queristers of the Popes Chappell apparell themselves one in white bearing the person of the Evangelist the second in red representing a Iew and the third in blacke being in shew our blessed Saviour Toward the end of the Antheame he who acteth the part of the Evangelist praecedit sequitur Iudaeus deinde Christus They all in order the Evangelist first the Iew next and Christ last goe and kisse the Popes soot That Christ though personated shold kisse the Popes foot Surely if any indifferent person did see this shew he would thinke that the Pope did shew himselfe that he was God It will not be impertinent if to this play Sacrar Cerem lib. 1. sect 12. cap. 5. Item lib. 2 sect 1. cap. 35. of their men I annex what their Children act also when the Pope in his Pontificalibus doth enter into any city they provide a multitude of Children in imitation of Matth. 21. and if they can Hebrew Children to meet his Holinesse with their Acclamations and Palmes in their hands If they would adde what is also done in the text and cry Hosanna hee would doe more than shew himselfe that he is God To shew yet more plainly that the Pope doth plainly shew himselfe to be God Suppose we our Bezain 2 Thes 2. 4. selves to be present at the great solemnity of the popish Iubile and that there wee saw a Man whom they themselves terme terrestrem Deum an earthly god hemmed in with a throng of his creatures pompously caryed with a triple Diademe in a golden Throne on Noble mens shoulders Then in their owne phrase breaking open the gates of Paradice with a golden Hammer and the Embassadors of most mightie Princes and Potentates yea the Kings themselves and the Emperor if he be there kneeling full low and adoring him aloft reapse alterum Deum as if he were indeed another very God And withall the thronging multitude round about him expecting and praying for remission of sinnes and eternall life as a largesse from his blessed Holines What should we suppose our selves to see if we did see such a sight Certainly an ordinary man who yet never wore the spectacles of Pope-patronizing prejudice would thinke that he saw an insolent Man in an incomparably glorious pompe shewing himselfe that he is God But that they themselves may seeme to take all blanching qualifications from those Protestants who will not have the Pope to bee Antichrist the Papists make good the very Letter of my text After the Popes election they Sacr. Cer. lib. 1. fol. 17. cause him to sit upon the alter to whow all the Cardinalls with all reverence in their order exhibite their obeysance kissing first his foot next his hand and then his Cheeke And a little after this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is well done is twice done hee descendeth unto Saint Peters Church where againe the Cardinalls seat him upon the Altar with his Miter and the chiefe Cardinall pronounceth on his knees Te Deum We praise thee O God we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. Those supporters of that fiction of the Trienniall singular Antichrist what can they feine that hee shall doe more than this man hath done already Thus gloriously and grosly shewing himselfe that he is God This may suffice but I will adde a surplusage that I may adde a sufficient yea a superfluous satisfaction to any who will bee satisfied I say this Prophecy that Antichrist doth sit in the Temple of God as God shewing himselfe that he is God is literally fulfilled in the Pope If the God of Heaven should be on earth visible and incarnated in the shape of a man what solemne worship should we imagine to tender unto him The Place should it not bee in a Church The Church should it not bee the chiefe of the world The Part should it not be the highest and holyest part thereof Our gesture should it not bee
Sive Suarez Apol. lib. 5. 6. 17. nu 7. vere sive falso sive metaphorice be he a true false or metaphoricall god such as Princes are said to be saith Suarez 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supra omne quod colitur sive superstitiose sive religiose either religiously or superstitiously saith the same Suarez 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verbum extollendi Suarez Apol. lib. 5. c. 17. nu 11 significat excessum arrogantiam usurpationem by exalting is meant an excessive arrogant usurpation over God and all things belonging to God According unto which our English Rhemists seeme to state the question and controversie Rhemists in 2 Thess 2. 4. Sect. 11. betwixt us Who exalteth himselfe above all that is called God or that is worshipped That is Antichrist shall abolish all religion of the Iewes Gentiles and Christians and shall suffer none no not God but himselfe to bee worshipped alone A most grossely absurd exposition as it may be made manifest foure wayes First it contradicteth reason in reason if a seducer should plainly professe and proclaime himselfe to be greater than God would any be so stupide and senselesse to be seduced by him If a mortall wretch should exalt himselfe above the great and true God men would rather deride him for his folly imprison him for his phrensie and stone him for his blasphemy than to follow such a foolish frantick and blasphemous Impostor Secondly it doth contradict his name who is named Antichristus that is The Adversary of Christ and not Antitheus that is the Adversary of God which should be his proper name if directly or expressely to exalt himselfe above the true God were his true propertie Thirdly this is contrary to their owne popish positions Antichrist say the Papists shall be a Iew how then shall he abolish the Iewish religion Againe they affirme that he shall be a Magician and that hee shall worship the Devill Therefore Antichrist shall not exalt himself supra omnem Deum above every God not above the god of this world And finally this interpretation is contrary to this very Text. The superlative of all his excessive properties is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he shall rule as God and shew that he is God this is the height of his audacious incomparable arrogance but that incredible impossible unlimited insolence that a man shall exalt himselfe above God we must leave this as a phrensie and fiction to wave the imputation of other franticke and fabulous paradoxes which they are unwilling to acknowledge much lesse to reclaime Having rejected their exposition we proceed to our owne Above all that is called God in the originall some read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above every thing which is called God and others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above every person which is called God The first reading is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the errour of the Printer contrary to the most Greeke copies as it is acknowledged by M. Beza himselfe With the warrant Beza in â— Thâ—s 2. 4. therefore of the most copies we follow the latter reading and the interpretation of our late Soveraigne now with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rex Iacobus Praemonit the persons whom the Scriptures doe call Gods are Princes and Magistrates Psal 82. 6. Dixi Dij estis I have called you Gods Which exposition is affirmed by a learned French Bishop Pater omnium Deus dâ—citur est at Irenâ—â—s lib 3. cap. 6. non super hunc extolletur Antichrist us sed super eos qui dicuntur quidem sed non sunt dij The Father of all things saith he is called God and is God but Antichrist shall not exalt himselfe above him but above them who indeed are called gods but are not in deed Which Exposition is also confirmed by as learned an English Bishop Ecqua nervosior consequentia quam ut dicantur Andrewes Apol. cap. 9. Dij ab Apostolo quos Deus ipse dixit dâ—os in Psalmo Can there be a more strong consequence than to collect that those are called Gods by Saint Paul in this Text whom God himselfe doth call gods in the Psalmes And if the Apostle had not alluded unto some whom the Scripture doth call gods hee might with like facility have written that Antichrist should exalt himselfe supra omne quod est vel saltem supra omne quod vel est vel dicitur Deus above all that is or at least above all that either is or that is called God Here then S. Paul saith not that Antichrist shall exalt himselfe above all that is God to wit by nature but above all which is called God to wit in title which is proper unto Kings The meaning of the first member of this distribution is this Antichrist shall exalt himselfe above all that is called God that is above all Kings and Princes The second member is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all that is worshipped which indeed doth signifie quod colitur the object of any kinde of worship or thing worshipped as Altars Idols c. as it is rightly rendred by Bellarmine out of the Acts Bell. de Pont. Rom. 314. 17. 23. and Wisdome 15. 17. This acception of the word though it be true yet it is improper to this place because the letter doth run 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supra omnem qui dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above every person not above every thing which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore in the text I take to bee a synonima signifying the same thing with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 25 of the Acts 21 and 25. where it is expounded Augustus The sense being that Antichrist shall exalt himselfe above the Emperor For he speaketh of such an exaltation whereby Antichrist should be revealed as he was to be hindered for a time by the Romane Emperour The sense of all is this Antichrist exalteth himselfe above all that is called God or that is worshipped that is Antichrist doth exalt himselfe above all Kings and above all Emperours Such an one is the Pope if there ever was is or shall bee such an one under Heaven But in so plaine a cause to deale freely with them This sense I say is true yet their owne interpretation may exactly be fitted to the Pope First take the name of God metaphorically for Bishops and Kings The Pope is avouched by all Papists to be Episcopus Oecumenicus the universall bishop of the World and by some to be solus Episcopus the Onely bishop And Suarez Apolog. li. 5. ca. 17. nu 12 his authority over Kings and Emperours Suarez calleth jus suum his right and proper indowment For false Gods those of the Heathen had power limited the Pope unlimited With them Neptune ruled the Sea Ceres the Earth Iupiter Heaven and Pluto Hell But the Pope hath three Crownes to shew his power in three places in Heaven Earth and Hell And for the
lenitate tractavi I did not saith he reject him as a boy with sowre severity but I did admit and instruct him as a Christian with all courtesie and lenity And according to his owne practise hee proposed a Rule unto other Preachers Quanto melior tanto Aug. epist 28. mitior The more religious the more courteous Those Twinnes will alwayes goe together and grow together With this proviso if the nature of the people will beare it If they be not tractable then indeed Christiana charitas severitas must bee yoake-fellowes saith the same St. Augustine then Lenity and Severity must Aug. epist 19. be used interchangeably as occasion shall be offered For some Asses will not move with a spur when a good metall will speed on with the least motion of the body The Virgin Claudia Lactant. de Orig. â—â—r lib. 2 sect 7 saith Lactantius did lead on a laden Ship with her Girdle which all the men in Rome could not hale on with Gables Sometimes I suppose some Ministers may meet with both these natures it behoveth them therefore to be armed with both these qualities Severity and Lenity that they may be able to cope with either disposition But with the latter Lenity especially For God doth not alwaies appeare in the strong winde of rough reprehensions 1 King 19. 11. 12. nor in the Earthquake of bitter invections nor in the Fire of over-fervent declamations but our great God may come in a still small voice If the People be Thessalonians the Preacher must be St. Paul Then must we beseech them as brethren to beware of seducers and all other Transgressions Miserable therefore are our times and Vse our sinnes more miserable when braving heresie beginneth to trample on Lenity Severity and Authority also The Ministers words yea and the Magistrates swords also have lost their edge they doe not touch the erroneous The Owles dare looke on the Sunne and those who were wont to creepe together by night now flock together by noone day That we must Non apud Aug. Epist 109. vos verbis sed apud Deum lachrymis agere as St. Augustine once complained we must turne our preaching into prayers and teares But for you let me use the phrase of my Text. Notwithstanding all our preaching you shall have strong seducers But Oramus vos fratres We beseech you brethren by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ to beware of them I have dispatched the advent or comming of Christ now I proceed to the Event thereof wherein we are to ponder the thing and the persons The first is termed in my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gathering together The simple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifyeth the place or act of gathering together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is when other persons are added to that place or action 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I may well translate a Congregation and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Aggregation that is an addition to the Congregation St. Pauls meaning may then be thus expressed As you know that Christ will come with a company of Saints and as you hope and desire that your selves shall be added to that company Even so We beseech you brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by our gathering together that you bee not moved from the truth by any seducers Which offereth this doctrine to our consideration Doctr. All true Christians which dye shall meet together in heaven Now there is the congregation the aggregation shall bee when our happy soules shall be ioyned to those blessed Saints already departed The Angels shall gather the Elect together from the foure windes saith our Saviour Matth. 24. 31. And loving Martha comforted her selfe concerning the death of her beloved brother because shee knew that he should rise againe in the resurrection at the last day Ioh. 11. 24. This truth we cannot but conceive if we consider the end of the resurrection which is that God may bee glorified in his Saints 2 Thess 1. 10. That our poore carkeises shall be raised out of the dust how glorious will this be to our Raiser who then can doubt of our gathering together of our blessed Resurrection The Husbandman determining to fill his Granary doth scatter the seed in divers furrowes and fields the seed dyeth but afterward returneth into one roome So our bodies may be buried in divers Cities and countries and scattered on the land or in the bottome of the Sea but heaven is the Granarie there shall we at the last day have a blessed gathering together Not unlike Iacob Ioseph and the Patriarches as they by many unpleasing meanes yet met al together joyfully in one place So we Death Diseases and the Grave are indeed distastfull to flesh and blood yet are they Gods instruments for this same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to gather us all together at that blessed day of our ioyfull Resurrection A great comfort in a great affliction Our Vse friends dye there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a congregation but we shall dye after them and goe to them here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our aggregation Indeed our singular consolation Praemittuntur non amittuntur saith St. Cyprian our Friends by death goe before us not from us I shall goe to him he shall not returne to me said holy David of his childe and it may be said by every Christian of his deare acquaintance Xerxes viewing his numerous army wept because he conceived that all those were to die within a few yeares So the tender Father when his loving eyes are cast upon his bosome and his bowels upon his beloved wife and children Quis temperet à lachrymis will it not wring teares from his eyes if not sighes from his heart to thinke that they even they must dye Indeed we may doe as much in humanity but Divinity will tell us that like Iob. 42. 12. 14. The Lord will blesse our latter â—â—d more than our beginning that even death shall give back our children and friends in greater affection in greater perfection And shall not we gather comfort from such a comfortable gathering together The last point containeth two persons concurring in this act of gathering together Our gathering together unto him Vnto him this sheweth the action Our the affection concerning this gathering together The first the action of our gathering together Christ our Head will performe it when hee doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 1. 10. that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gather together all under one head This he hath done already by his first comming gathering together both Iewes and Gentiles under one Head and making them one Church militant But this he will doe in a fuller manner by his second comming gathering together all both living and dead under one Head and making them one Church triumphant That the gathering together of the Iewes and Gentiles into one Church militant was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Congregation This the gathering together of the living and dead
Law by the said Councill under Pope Eugenius and the Emperour Sigismund anno 1484. Against which the opposition was so famous that the opposers were called the Subutraque Thus have they falne from the first institution of this holy Sacrament And this is the first point of their Apostasie That the Pope is Vniversall Bishop the universall Scripture doth afford not one tittle to avouch this title Nay 600 yeares after Christ this great attribute was condemned by a great Pope to be Nomen Antichristianum an Attribute Greg lib. 4. Epist 31. 39. of Antichrist and those who consent to that title doe Fidem perdere Fall from the faith said the same Gregory Yet instantly after him did Pope Cyriacus assay it and anno 606 did Pope Bonifacius atchieve it Wee therefore can assigne the Time and Persons when the Pope even in the judgement of the Pope did fall into this second point of Antichristian Apostasie Against adoration of Images wee produce Preesius de Trad part 3. de Imag. Câ—ssâ—nd consult titâ—le Imag. two and those domesticall witnesses These are the words of Peresius and Cassander confesseth the very same Neque Scripturam neque Traditionem Ecclesiae neque Communem Sensum Sanctorum neque Concilij Generalis determinationem aliquam neque Rationem qua efficaciter hoc suaderi potest adducunt That is No man say these men our adversaries can produce either Scripture or Tradition or consent of Fathers or definition of any generall Councill or any found Reason whereby they can plainly prove the lawfulnesse of the worshipping of Images Greg. lib 9. ep 9. A Pope also doth condemne this Popish errour more than six hundred yeares after Christ Imagines Sanctorum in Ecclesias non ad adorandum sed ad instituendum collocantur saith Gregory he permitted them for instruction but their adoration hee utterly condemned Yet was Image-adoration established anno 789 by the second Councill of Nice under Eirene the Emperesse by the assistance of Adrian the Pope But with the heaviest opposition that ever the earth saw or the heavens permitted Besides the gainsaying of those great Bishops Serenus of Marcellis Claudius of Turin Hincinarus of Rhemes and Agobardus of Lions Besides those Libri Carolini and the two Councills the Constantian in the East and that of Frankford in the West Besides those infinite injuries and insolencies which were offered and suffered under the reignes of Leo Isaâ—rus Constantinus Copronymus Leo Armenius Michael Bardus and Yheophilus whom Bellarmine calleth Bell de Imag. lib 2. â— 6. Homil of Iâ—el part 2. pag. 36. Iconomachi the enemies of Images The Sunne was darkned seventeene dayes and the Emperour murthered when the Images were established by Eirene Therefore here also have we the Time when and the Person by whom was performed the thirdpoint of their Popish Idolatrous Apostasie That all men in generall and therefore the Pope in particular should be subject unto Princes it was the doctrine of S. Peter 1 Pet. 2. 13. and of S. Paul Acts 25. 10. the doctrine of their Master Matth. 22. 21. and it was the doctrine of their Disciples Reges esse à Deosecundos That Princes were under no man but God alone this was an ordinary Aphorisme of Tertullian Chrysostome Augustine Gregory and of all the old Fathers But in the yeare 1076 Pope Gregory the seventh surnamed Hildebrand Baron an 1076. nu 26. de facto did depose Henry the Emperour and that it might seeme afterwards to bee done de jure too he confirmed the same by a Councill held at Rome in the same yeare 1076. Bin tom 3. â—oâ—â— pag. 1â—8â— Thus we insist in the Time and Name in the punctuall particulars of this fourth falling from the faith of this Arrogant Antichristian Apostasie It was the common Catholike conclusion of all Christians for full fourteene hundred yeares that the Pope was not the supreme Iudge of the earth but that he was subject to a Councill Their owne Councill of Constance doth Concil Const Sess 4. Concil Basil Sess 2. 33. conclude it and their other Councill of Basil doth call it Fidei Catholica veritas a point of Faith But in the yeare 1516 Pope Leo the tenth did reverse that Decree and did decree in his Laterane Synode that the Pope was supreme Concil Lateran Sess 11. Bell. lib. 2. de Concil cap. 17. Sect. Deâ—que Iudge and superiour to a Councill This is the grand Apostasie whereby the Pope did declare himselfe to be the Grand Antichrist The sixt point of the Popish Apostasie is the first part of that falling from the Faith foretold by S. Paul 1 Tim. 4. 1 3. and branded for the Doctrine of Devils is the forbidding of mariage A motion of forbidding Priests to marry was in the Councill of Nice anno 325 but stayed Socrates lib. 1. cap. 8. by the perswasion of Paphnutius Siricius did set it on foot againe and restrained some Priests from marying in the yeare 380 in the yeare 1076 Gregory the seventh no singular chaste Pope inforced single life by Canons and persecutions And anno 1119 Calixtus 2 did Matthew of Westminster Trent hist lib. 7. p. â—80 prosecute it as a Decree but Pope Pius 4 an 1563 would not permit it so much as to bee propounded by way of Disputation To these six I will adde a seventh prayers in a knowne language that all the people may say Amen was at the first practised by the Primitive Cranmer in a Pamphlet to Q. Mary printed 1556 pag. 13. 1â— Church and preached by S. Paul 1 Cor. 14. So is S. Paul understood in the Civill Law more than a thousand yeares past where Iustinian in a Synode writeth Iubemus clarâ voce ut à fideli populo exaadiantur celebrent c. hee commandeth that publike prayers should be celebrated that the people might understand them It a enim divus Paulus docet in Epâ—st ad Corinthios This saith he is the doctrine of S. Paul 1 Cor. 14. and thus was St. Paul understood of all Interpreters Greeke and Latine old and New Schoole Authors and others till thirty yeares before Queene Maries reigne at which time one Eckius did devise a new exposition understanding S. Paul of preaching onely But when a good number of the best learned on both sides were gathered together at Windsor for the reformation of the Church Service It was agreed by both without controversie not one saying the contrary That the Service of the Church ought to be in the mother tongue and that S. Paul in the 1 Cor. 14. was so to be understood This memorable discourse was written by the Martyr Cranmer from a prison in Oxenford to Queene Mary in a Pamphlet printed 1556. Here then again the Romish Church hath falne from the primâ—tive Church and this is the seventh point of the Popish Apostasie This is plaine enough of their falling from faith whereby I have shewed the Times and Names producing
most palpable apostasie These seven particulars are sufficient to shew that point they so impetuously presse us to in what time and under whose reigne this Apostasie was acted Although I suppose that I may undeniably conclude That an old man hath an hoary head when I see it gray although I be not able to shew the very day when every haire did turne colour One word for our practice and so I end To fall from the truth the text tells us it is the time of Antichrist the signe of Antichrist and the worke of Antichrist indeed the very Essence and Quintessence of Antichrist Apostasie hath beene a thing ever and most abhorred in the Church of God Peter did fall from Christ but Christ knoweth it cost him deare He wept Cypria epist 52. for it bitterly Matth. 26. 75. Trophimus a Minister fell from the truth afterwards he repented and returned and was received into the Church but Cyprian would never suffer him to execute the function of the Ministry any more Fortunatianus a Bishop fell from the Cyprian epist 64 68. Church but Cyprian and Cornelius and many others denyed him his Bishopricke although he repented and recanted his wicked Apostasie Marcellinus a Bishop of Rome for feare of the Pappus pag. 108. tyrant Maximian revolted but he returned with remorse sought out the persecuted Christians in a Crypta a Conventicle at Suessa in Campania and did voluntary penance in sackcloth and in ashes and in abundant teares in the open Congregation Our noble Archbishop Fox Acts and Monuments Anno 1556. pag. 2067. Cranmer thrust that hand first into the fire which had subscribed unto Popery And the most disgracefull name that ever was fastned on a gracelesse wretch was the sirname of Iulian Iulian the Apostate or Revolter from the Christian Religion Nay the very Apostates themselves cannot indure Apostasie but if the tortures of the Inquisition doe extort recantation from any fraile consessour sometimes they dyed notwithstanding most times bore Tapers in their hands and wore Halters on their neckes and Sambenitos that is coats painted with Devils on their backes and all times suffered shame for such a crime and so shamefull a transgression For our selves know we that Antichrist hath his instruments of Apostasie at this day amongst us also Laborious Papists who will Math. 23. 13. compasse sea and land to make one Prosylite Subtile Iesuites who creepe into houses and lead captive silly women And many an Elimas many an audacious Seducer that will pervert Paulus Sergius and seeke to turne away even Noblemen from the truth But know Facilis est descensus averm It is easie to fall from the truth but Hic labor hoc opâ—s infinite labour and dolour to returne to the truth A garden is most weedy if once undigged and a Christian most savage if once revolted Remember Luke 9. 26. Whosoever denyeth Christ on earth before men Christ will dâ—ny him before God and his holy Angels in heaven Remember Hebr. 10. 25 26 27. If we forsake the assemblies and sinne wilfully after wee have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne but a certaine fearfull looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devoure the Adversary Remember that Apostasie and revolting from Religion is the pledge of Hell and Badge of Antichrist Christ therefore confirme us and make us constant in his Truth without Hypocrisie Apostasie or Backsliding SERMON IV. 2 THESS 2. 3 4. And that Man of sinne be revealed Antichrist not one person The Man of sinne The Pope the cause of Ignorance of Whoredome and of Treason The Powder Treason ANd tha◠〈◊〉 of sinne bee revealed I have 〈◊〉 the first of these five points which I propounded in the description of Antichrist I have shewed you the Antichristian Apostasie The second succeedeth His Titles which are three The first of them followeth in these words of my Text And Suarez Apoloâ— lib. 5. c. 17. â—â— 1. that Man of sinne be revealed Suarez in the fift booke of his Apology and seventeenth Chapter in the beginning thereof disliketh our Kings discourse because hee omitted this clause Therefore to satisfie those that follow Suarez I will discusse this point largely And indeed there is ample matter in this short sentence In it I commend foure points to your consideration the Subject Article Adjunct and Accident First Antichrist is here termed a man secondly the man thirdly the man of sinne and finally the man of sinne to be revealed First Antichrist is here called a man as I conjecture to imply the manner of his invading the Church which is by subtlety and Policy That whereas other persecutors have bin compared to Beasts because they assaulted the Church with a brutish violence Antichrist is termed a man to shew that hee fighteth not onely with the horne of a Beast Hostility but also with the tongue of a Man Subtlety Both Os gladij and gladius or is both the sword and the word also shall be his instruments to cut downe true Professors Howsoever this quencheth that errour which was a little kindled by Hyppolitus that Hyppolitus â—e Consum mundiâ— Antichrist should be Daemon in corpore phantastico a Devill in a phantasticall body This opinion is a phantasticall assertion for Antichrist shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man saith S. Paul in my text Oecumen in â— Thess 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an absolute man saith Oecumenius on my text The second point 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ille homo The man of sinne This article of the word the Papists urge as an Article of their faith that the Pope cannot be Antichrist Hence is Suarez his Suarez Apol. lib. 5. c. 2. nu 3. admiration and Lessius his demonstration The former doth wonder Quis sedem Regni hominem peccati appellare solet that any should call a Kingdome by the name of a man And the latter deriveth his third demonstration ab unitate Less de Ant. Dem. 3. Antichristi Antichrist is one man therefore the Pope is not Antichrâ—st Our Rhemists say this Rhemistâ— in 2 Thess 2. Bell. de P. R. lib. 3. c. 2. article or the signifieth one singular man Et. sane mirum est saith Bellarmine nullum adversariorum quâ—tamen jactant linguarum peritiam hoc non ammadvertisse I wonder saith hee that none of the Protestants who professe themselves great Linguists could observe this property of the Greeke language where this articleâ— or the doth signifie one singular person Surely the Rhemists might be right English and Bellarmine a true Italian but neither of them good Graecians their argument I may shape into this Syllogisme The article doth signifie one singular person The Pope is not one singular person ergo The article doth not signifie the Pope Ergo The Pope is not the Antichrist The answer is easie First I aske any Divine wherefore may not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Man in
Trent Laynez the Iesuites Generall delivered it for a generall conclusion that the Pope and Christ have the same Tribunall and the same Authority and the same assertion is avouched by Capistranus The first degree of Capistran so 124 correcting their disobedient is by way of Excommunication Concerning which this is the opinion of Withrington a moderate Papist in Withring◠of the Oath of Allegiance preface his Admonition to the Reader concerning the Oath of Allegtance The Church saith he hath power to impose a Temporall punishment by way of command if it bee necessary for his soules health not by way of coertion So that if hee will not obey the command of the Church imposing such a temporall punishment on him she can onely for our disobedience punish finally with spirituall punishments as by inflicting censures not by depriving our lands or lives This is the judgement of Withrington our learned and excepting his errours our honest Adversary He calleth himselfe a Romish Catholike I am sure his opinion in this point is Catholike but not Romish And I am perswaded if Rome did sway the Land where hee doth live he should feele the Romish fire for this Catholike opinion Howsoever the first punishment for disobedience is Excommunication But we esteeme this to be but brutum fulmen the Protestants reject the Popes Excommunications like Sampsons cords like a threed of tow which toucheth the fire What do they to such From such if they be in their power he taketh away their liberty they cannot buy and sell in safety as I feare some of our owne Merchants have found it Next hee raketh from them their lands forcing them to flie their native country as the poore French have felt in our dayes Then their lives as our wofull English could witnesse in Queene Maries reigne And finally he will take from them that which is dearer unto them then their lives their Names Thus did the Papists to Calvine whom they published to have died desperate when as many years he survived that presumptious calumny Yea hee will saevire in cineres punish their carkeises and command their bones to be raked out of their graves as he did to Paulus Fagius Neither shall Kings disobey the Pope uncorrected For he hath authoritie to take away their Scepters and lives also sayth Suarez in the sixt booke of his Apology But for that fatall Inquisition It is a correction like the fourth Beast in the seventh of Daniel and the seventh verse It is dreadfull and terrible devouring all but it hath no Name Although Gonsalvius hath in some sort discovered it yet I am perswaded that none living but the tormentours and the tormented can fully tell what the intralls are of that Bull of Phalaris it is the very embleme of Hell none returne from thence to tell the torments thereof And certainly whosoever is caught within the compasse of that engine of cruelty if he bee fortified with courage from Heaven in a rare measure hee may alter the Prayers of the old Leturgie they prayed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Save us by those unknowne torments these may pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Lord save us from those unknowne torments And thus doth this Tyrant both usurpe out strip the correcting power of a King The Pope as Christ doth rule in the Church of Christ in the phrase of my Text Antichrist as God sitteth in the Temple of God I adde briefly Me thinkes the Empire of Christ in his Church is most briefly and emphatically expressed by Christ himselfe Iohn 14. 6. Ego sum Via Veritas Vita that is saith Calvine I am the beginning the meanes and the end of saving knowledge Or as Saint Augustine Christ is Via sine errore the Way without errour Veritas sine falsitate the Truth without falshood Vita sine morte the Life without death Others interpret these words otherwise that Christ sheweth the meanes descryeth the things and giveth the end concerning eternall felicity All these doth the Pope usurp First that he is Via the Way that hee cannot erre a property of Christ never communicated but to some persons and at some times onely Secondly that he is Veritas the Truth His Councill of Trent commanded all credere to beleeve that and only that to be Truth which he taught And lastly he arrogateth himselfe to bee Vita to be the Life No salvation except a man bee a member of the Church say Christians not unlesse he be a member of the Pope say the Papists And therefore Bellarmine in his third Booke de Ecclesia and the second Chapter maketh the Pope to be an essentiall part in the definition of the Church So No Pope no Church and no salvation but in the Church and under the Pope Hence some beginne to thinke that the name of a Papist is more honourable than the name of a Catholike because the last doth imply a communion but with the Body but the first with the Head And how farre this Tyranny hath prevailed on the consciences of the blinded Papists you may perceive by this proverbe which they say is familiar in Italy I beleeve God and the Pope And thus doth hee dominiere in the highest nature The Pope as Christ doth rule in the Church of Christ that is Antichrist as God sitteth in the Temple of God Thus hath the Pope exalted himselfe Give me leave to exalt him one step higher and in the words of a Papist Qui desiderat Primatum interris inveniet confusionem in coelis that is He that will reigne as Christ on earth shall never reigne with Christ in heaven This is the period of the Popes primacy and this is the censure of Stella upon Luke 9. 48. Can notwithstanding all these premises any protest with Cupers that he is mancipium Romanae Ecclesiae that he is a professed Slave of the Church of Rome inthralling himselfe by a servile inflexible obedience in any case and against any person where a spirituall Soveraignty Tyranny doth command man and countermand God imposing injunctions uncontroulable exacting subjection unutterable or inflicting correction unsufferable ruling in the Church of Christ as Christ urging his owne Lawes with more severity than Christs Lawes I hope I know No servant of Christ will bee can be such a slave to Antichrist This truth have I delivered plainly painfully impartially even in the sight of a great God and of an innocent conscience I have done my duty I have delivered it For your duty to beleeve it I must leave that to him who is the Author and finisher of your faith Now the God of all truth give you all his holy Spirit that you may fulfill all his holy will SERMON X. 2 THESS 2. 3 4. Shewing himselfe that he is God Antichrist shall not call himselfe the true God The Pope doth shew himselfe to be God The Pope doth shew himselfe to be God plainly THis fourth verse containeth three properties of Antichrist
Deo that is To Paul the fift a Demi god where I may not silence the remarkeable observation of our most learned Bishop that the letters in this title doe exactly even the Number of the name of Antichrist recorded in the 13 of Revel and the last verse 666. Vpon one of the gates of Rome was â—unius in Râ—v 17. 13. written to Pope Sixtus Quartus Et merito in terris crederis esse Deus that is we doe certainly beleeve that Thou art our God on earth Bell. de Pontif. Râ—â— lib. 2. c. 16. Decim tertius Yea Bellarmine himselfe who doth use to blanch the blasphemies and broad assertions of the Romish synagogue saith of the Pope Thou art the great Priest in power Peter and in vnction Christ Here the very Name of Christ is given by Bernard to Eugenius accepted by the Pope allowed by Bellar. But the most grosse Extrav Ioh 22. c. Cum intâ—r blasphemy of all is that popish glosse of their Canon Law Credere Dominum Deum nostrum Papam conditorem hujus Decretalis non potursse statuere prout statuit Haereticum censeatur that is it is hereticall for a man to beleeve that our Lord God the Pope had not power to Eudâ—â— contra Abbaâ—um lib. 1. sect 9. decree as he did decree I know how Iohannes Eudaemon doth indeavour to blurre this evidence saying that this word Deum God was erratum Typographum that it crept into the glosse through the fault of the Printer whereby he discovereth himselfe to bee a true Cretian For it is cleared by the Coryphaeus of all coÌ„batants against Antichrist by the Bishop of Dr. Downam de Antichristo lib. 4 cap. 10. sect 4. Derie whose answer is this Pope Gregory the thirteenth imployed enioyned certaine of the Cardinalls to revise and correct the Glosse of the Canonists When as many editions thereof had this word Deum God and yet some had it not they set forth a new Copy and by the authority of Pope Gregory they restored that word Deum which before had beene wanting in some few of their editions Neither in the Censures of the Glosse set out by the command of Pope Pius the fift nor yet in the Index Expurgatorius is the least mention made of any mutation or alteration of the word Deum for which wee challenge theÌ„ Let no Papist therefore be offended if I conclude from the Approbation of so many Popes The Pope doth shew nay say that he is God I inferre therefore The Pope is The Antichrist Furthermore I will finish this section with other apt instances observed by my learned friend Master Boswell Pastor of Saint Lawrence London while he resided in Spaine To which I will onely premise one odde disticke out of Zanchie concerning the Pope Angelicum nomen solvit pius ipse Michael Nam tanquam Deus est qui ante Michael erat Let others riddle these Aenigmaticall Hyperbolicall verses that here they stile him Tanquam Deus Michael is enough for my assertion too much for his Holinesse That transcendent inscription on their triumphall Arch when Pope Alexander the sixt entred Rome is worth my friends observation and all mens admiration Caesare magna fuit nunc Roma est maxima Sextus Bernardiro Corio Hist de 〈◊〉 part 3. pag. 452. Regnat Alexander Ille vir Iste Deus Our Rome was great Great Caesar made it such By Alexander now it s greater much Why great by him great reason give I can The Pope was God Th' Emperour but a Man That day was borne a twinne in prose to this meeter This was another inscription to the same Pope Alexandro invictissimo Alexandro pientissimo Alexandro magnificentissimo Alexandro in omnibus maximo Honor gloria that is to Alexander the most invincible to Alexander the most holy to Alexander the most magnificent to Alexander in all things the greatest of all be Honor and Glory What greater inscription could be consecrated to the greatest God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such singular inscriptions they suffer not to bee single a third speaketh the same language Viventibus aeternitatem laetam danti aeternam gloriam To him who giveth immortality hee given immortall glory Againe Vide Sarium Libertas pia Iustitia Pax aurea Opes quae Sunt tib Roma novus fert Deus iste tibi Thy Freedome Iustice Wealth Peace O Rome From thy new God the Pope alone they come Finally to this Pope I will give a Vale in that Salve whereto the Papists were so solemnly invited Accumulant fora laetitiam testantia flammas Scit venisse suum Patria grata Deum In every street huge Bonfires great The Pope approaching to them For Rome knoweth well this day to dwell Their God is come amongst them A fourth Prisca novis cedant rerum nunc aureus ordo est Invictoque Iovi est Gloria primus Honor. The former times fall short of ours In golden age we live Vnto our God Iehovah great We Praise and Honor give And that this may not seeme to bee a personall but a successive usurpation upon God we shall see the same godlike attributes ascribed unto Pope Gregory the thirteenth And first that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both God and Man and therefore The man of sinne This is the Iesuites Elogie indeed Elegie Laurea Christiadum quâ—m totus praedicat orbis Laetitia publica Iesuitarum Matriti Mart 1â— 1579. Demi Deumque viruÌ„ Sâ—â—â—virumque Deum Cum tâ—aâ—a est â—s nullis 〈◊〉 or is Cumque regas terram sydâ—râ—umque Polum O Crown of Christians whoÌ„ the world doth preach â—o be both God and Man Pope-Christ because Thy boundlesse power above the earth doth reach For Heaven it selfe obeyes thy Papall Lawes The like to the same Sancte Pater Cusâ—os Ovium qui Tibridis arces Vnus imperijs fraenas calestibus orbem Qui verbo obstructi port as recludis Olimpi Et sontes damnas tenebris carcere caeco Cum tua se extguo non claudâ—â— fine potestâ—â—s Proque Deo sis pene Deus pro Numine Numen c. Holy Father great Shepheard of the sheepe Thou who alone the Romane Lordly State And the whole world besides doest guide and keepe And with thy heavenly reines doest moderate O thou who with thy word Heaven gates dost ope And by thy word damn'd soules sendst down to hell Since such thy power is most blessed Pope Thou art almost a God in thee doth dwell A Godlike Deâ—â—ie To peece up that blasphemy they put to this parcell of prophannesse Has tu divitias Pater O mortalibus aegriâ— Cum lubet indulges vitaeque piacula donans Communes esse tuis These rich indulgences O Father thou dost give For every grievous sin wherein poore men do live Which is conferred by him whom they stile Christiadum Princeps fidei custodia nostrae Cujus adimperium rerum se machina curvat
promoting the Papacy when he laid claime to the double power both Ecclesiasticall and Temporall In insinuation whereof at his solemne Iubilie one day hee appeared unto the people in his Pontisicalibus or Popelike apparell but the next attired like the Emperour And finally more solemnly and arrogantly Extra Tit de majoritate minor obedientia C. unam Sanct. Ecclesiaâ—â— subesse Romano Pontifici omni humanae creaturae declaramus dicimus desinimus pronunciamus omnino esse de necessitate salutis he pronounceth it as his definitive sentence that No creature can be saved who is not subject to the Clementin unica de jurament Pope Anno 1325 Iohn 22 or 23 did not desire that the light which he added to the Popish blasphemous usurpations should bee put under a bushell when hee made his additions to the Decretalls and in his Extravagants or Constitutions wherein he claimeth authority superior to the Emperour and little inferiour unto God All these particular Popes have proclaimed themselves to be Antichrist and all the Papists in their generall popish Councill of Constance cry Concil Const Sess 13. Amen Etiamsi Christus instituerit administraverit sub utraque specie Sacramentum Although Christ did institute and administer the supper of the Lord in Bread and Wine Nonobstante Notwithstanding Pro lege habenda sit The Church of Rome doth command it as a Law that no Lay man shall receive it but in one kind onely Thus about the fourteene hundredth yeare of the Lord did the Man of sinne who sate in the Temple exalt himselfe to the top of the Temple Afterwards Pius the second and other active Popes did adde as it were certaine scaffolds to raise their Monarchy a little higher Especially that Pius plotted how to Epist Pij 2. ad Princ. Turcarum anno 1532. bring the Turkes also under the Popes authoritie To which purpose he presented their Emperour Mahomet with a large laboured learned letter but the barbarous Prince was not capable of such a transcendent mystery of Christianity His predecessor Eugenius the fourth attempted a little lesse and atchieved a little more when anno 1438 at the Florentine Pless Myst progress 62. Concil Florent Sess ult Synode he enforced Ioseph Patriarch of Constantinople to kisse his feet and enticed Palaeolagus the Emperour with some few Greeke Bishops to acknowledge the Pope to be the Head of the universall Church The deniall whereof Pope Pius made the maine cause of the irreconciliable Epist Pij 2. ad Princ. Turcar. Hist Papatus cap. 7. schisme betweene the Graecian and the Romane Churches The memoriall whereof I conjecture to bee the cause of that triumphant posture which the Popes to this day usurpe in their Chappell setting their feet on the brasse picture of the Constantinopolitane Patriarch But in the 1500 yeare and time of Leo the tenth the Papacy was mounted up to the pinacle of the Temple Then was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the uttermost of their growth and highest pitch of all the Papall exaltation as may appeare by these particulars Then it was disputed in his Schooles An Papa possit abrogare quod scriptis Apostolicis traditum Erasmus in 1 Tim. 1. sit Whether the Pope could abrogate what was decreed by the Apostles An posset statuere quod pugnet cum doctrina Evangelica Whether the Pope can command what is contrary to the Gospell An possit novum articulum sidei condere Whether he can make a new article of faith whether hee had equall power with or a greater than Peter Whether he can command the Angells to dissolve Purgatorie and whether he were a pure man or participated of two Natures like Christ Then was it preached before him Psal 72. 11. Concil Lateran Sess 9. Omnes Reges terrae adorabunt cum inservient ei all Kings shall fall downe before him all Nations shall doe him service And that hee was Leo detribu Iudae the Lyon of the tribe of Iuda Concil â—ater Sess â— Saciar Cer. lib. 1 sect 1. c. â— Lib. 1 sect 1. c. 4 Lib. 1 sect 2. c. 3. Lib. 1. sect 3. c. 3. Lib. 1. sect 5 c. 1. â— Lib 1. sect 6. c. 3. Lib. 1. sect 7. c. 6 Then was that Synopsis of Blasphemies dedicated to him the Booke of Ceremonies wherein he is termed the Prince of all Christians the governour Vrbis Orbis of the whole world that de facto the Emperour must hold his stirrup and Kings carry him on their shoulders that Emperours and Kings must wait at his Table that the Emperor must sweare fealty unto him that Emperours and Kings must kisse his feet that hee can give a full indulgence for all mens sinnes that Dominabitur à mari usque ad mare à slumine usque ad terminos orbis that is His dominion shall be from one sea to another and from the floud unto the worlds end which was spoken of Christ Psal 72. 8. and that Omnis potestas mihi data est All power is given to me on earth and in heaven which was spoken by Christ Mat. 28. 18. and so it proceedeth in like senselesse endlesse Blasphemies Then was it concluded for him by a Councill that of Lateran Papam esse Ecclesia Whitaker contr Bell. Contr. 4. Quaest 5. generali Concilio majorem That the Pope is greater than a Generall Councill or than the whole Church And that we may collect out of the abundance of what hearts these mouths did speake Then it was said of him that it should Pless Myst Progress 65. Pless Myst Opposit 68. be said by him that the Gospell of Christ was a Fable nullum esse Deum secredidisse and that he did beleeve that there was no God Let now any incredulous English Protestant who doth deride it as an incredible paradoxe to affirme that the Pope is Antichrist let any such imagine how their imaginary Antichrist can say and doe more Antichristianly than this man And then will I revoke this assertion which I yet apprehend to be an incontroulable truth The Pope is Antichrist but personally Leo decimus was Decumanus Antichristus In the yeare 1500 hee attained to the pitch of Antichristianity above all other Since that time the Papacy hath beene somewhat eclipsed in the lustre thereof yet so as Antichrist appeareth through his actions to this day as the Sunne doth through a thinne Trent Hist lib. 2. pag. 260. cloud at noone day An hundred yeares since the prerogative of Antichrist was nobly established when their last and great Councill of Trent was transacted with these two cautions Proponentibus Legatis salva semper authoritate Ecclesiae Apostolicae that nothing might be propounded but by the Popes Legates and nothing concluded against the Popes authority Whereby that great Councill was made but an engine to fortifie their Papall greatnesse Much about that time the Pope imitating the magnificence of his Father who would have
〈◊〉 the comming of the Lord which interpreters take for the last comming of Christ to judge the quicke and the dead mentioned in the Creed In this sense is this phrase used 1 Thess 2. 19. and 1 Thess 3. 13. the same signification is established from the epithete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the brightnesse of his comming Which Saint Paul to Titus 2. 13. doth terme the glorious appearance of the great God So also is it expounded by Saint Augustine De Civitate Dei lib. 18. c. 4. The meaning then is Antichrist shall bee destroyed utterly at the comming of Christ unto judgment Concerning this great question the finishing and finall destruction of Antichrist I must speake both briefly and very cautelously For this point is future And prophetare non praesumimus nec de futuris contingentibus scientiam Dounam Derensis de Antichr part 2. Dem. 16. Sect. 1. assumimus wee neither assume to foresee nor presume to foretell things future contingent to come saith our judicious Bishop The destruction therefore of Antichrist being to come I cannot dispute nor define particulars thereof I disclaime all curiosities in this discourse I dare not wade so farre as some Papists who describe the very circumstances thereof For the Place Occidetur in Oliveto he shall bee slaine in Mount Olivet saith Hoveden The person slaying him Occidetur ab Archangell Raphaelc the Archangell Raphael shall be the Matth. Westm aetat 4 c. 16. Executioner saith their Sibyl in our Matthew of Westminster The maner Ascendente Antichristo Steuartius in 2 Thess 2. 8. per aera audietur vox Christi coelo missi morere confestim fulmine percussus interibit saith the Vicechancelor of Ingolstade When Antichrist saith he shall slye in the ayre there shall this voice be heard from heaven Morere Dye wretch in which moment he shall be shattered in pieces with a thunderbolt But these are groundlesse predictions and grosse contradictions to the truth therefore onely to name these fictions is enough if not too much Neither dare I follow some Protestants who are too confident in defining of Antichrists fal and finall overthrow Iohannes Aventrotus assigneth Iohan. Aventrot ad Regem Hisp pag 43. the Popes universall overthrow unto the very yeare 1621 experience hath confuted his over-confident conclusion Napeir doth precisely determine the utter destruction Napeir in Apoc. cap. 14. of Rome to fall out anno 1639. The Pamphlet set out under the title of T. L. is T. L. dedicated to Q. Elizabeth pag. 108. peremptory that the period of Antichrists reigne shall pitch upon the yeare of our Lord 1666 unto which hee maketh that number 666 Revel 13. to accord Learned Moulin is as punctuall The persecution under the Pope Peter Moulin Accomplâ—shment pag. 412. 250. shall have an end in the yeare 1689. And the Epocha and full point of his Hierarchicall Empire must be in the yeare of our Lord 2005. I dare not subscribe to any of these no nor to those who dare desine any time saying that Rome the Pope or Antichrist must be destroyed within such a compasse Prophetiae non intelligantur donec compleantur Time is the only interpreter of Prophecies We therefore who are before them cannot declare them In two words take notice of two things there is Romana sedes and Romana sides that is there is the Seat or possession of Antichrist and the Service or profession of Antichrist The last doubtlesse shall continue to the last day Papistry shall not utterly be extinguished but as the Text speaketh by the brightnesse of Christs comming But for the seat of Antichrist for Rome it selfe it may bee said boldly that that Citie shall have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an vtter subversion before that day Revel 18. 19. and 21. it is said there shall be a cry that in one houre shee is made desolate And an Angell cast a great Milstone into the Sea saying that with violence the great Citie Babylon shall be throwne downe and shall be found no more Which Babylon if it be a particular City Suarez doth acknowledge Suarez Apol. lib. 5. cap. 7. Malvenda de Antich lib. 4. cap. 4. that it can be no other than Rome And Malvenda more positively and pereâ—ptorily Non potuit manifestius Romanam urbem veluti digito demonstrari he saith that Saint Iohn doth as it were point at Rome with his finger Both concurring that there shall bee a fearfull subversion and finall eversion thereof So that the prophecie of Valerius Probus may be verified R R R and F F F that is Regnum Romae Ruet the Republike of Rome shall be Ruined Ferro Flamma Fame with Famine Fire and sword And Suarez seems to anticipate some Suarez Aâ—olog lib 1 cap. 5. num 5. such eveÌ„t by a suppositioÌ„ he maketh althogh he muffleth it up in a piè credenduÌ„ that it shal never be so posset particularis Ecclesia Romana deficere Episcopum suum abijcere that is the Pope of Rome may be forced out of the City of Rome It may be that old Iesuite did dreame of some new Prophecy answerable to our old Proverbe Avignon was Rome is and Toledo shall be The Summe is this The Papacy may be ruinated but Popery retained the pompe may be diminished extinguished but the profession of the Church of Rome shall remaine so long on earth as the Sunne doth in heaven The Text saith the man of sinne shall not bee utterly destroyed but by the brightnesse of Christs comming The Agent which doth use his Spirit to diminish and will use his brightnesse to finish the force and fury of Antichrist is the Lord. The Lord is the ordinary epiâ—hete of Iesus implying that that Lord is now our extraordinarie Saviour Hee did save us from our sinnes Matth. 1. 21. he doth save us from our enemies also from our grand enemy Antichrist The Lord doth consume and will destroy that wicked one saith my Text. At this time the Church christaÌ„ may truly be termed the Church militant And we may suppose us all as it were incamped in the valley of 1 Sam. 17. 2. Elah The Papists having pitched on the one side like the Philistims and the Protestants on the other like the Israelites They approach us in the guise of Goliah with Swords and Verse 44 45. Speares and shields to give our slesh to the fowles of the ayre and beasts of the field And we encourage our selves in that phrase of David The Lord saveth not by sword nor speare that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel All our comfort and courage against Antichrist is in our Captaine The Lord will consume him Alexander was so great a Captaine that Iustine Iustin hist l 12. reporteth three rare things of him First Cum nullo hostium unquam congressus est quem non vicerit He never sought battell but hee wonne the field Secondly Nullam urbem obsedit
Dewly's Instruct c. 6. Hisp Conversus pag. 10. come to comparisons this must be odious paralleling Vbera and Vulnera they make the milke of Mary to be as precious as the Blood of Christ so much is related by a Spanyard in Lewis Owen of Eugl. Seminarie England And it is not much lesse which is reported of the English in Spaine I saw saith a traveller in the English Colledge at Valladolid a Picture of the blessed Virgin Mary spreading out her Mantle with both her haÌ„ds over many Iesuites that kneeled unto her with this superscriptioÌ„ over her head Anglia dos Mariae England is the dowry of the Virgin Mary and the Iesuites presenting a Paper in her hands wherein was written Sub umbra alarum tuarum manâ—bimus donec transeat iniquitas that is Vnder the shadow of thy wings we will remaine til this Tyranny be overpassed Notwithstanding al these are surpassed by the superlative blaspheming Idolatry broached by Bernardine de Busto There was saith he a Vision Bern. de Busto Marial part 9. Serm. 2. â—ssiâ— â— shewed to Saint Francis wherein he saw two Ladders that reached from earth to heaven the one Red on which Christ leaned from whence many fell back ward and could not ascend The other White upon which the Holy Virgin leaned the helpe whereof such as used were received with a cheerfull countenance and so with facility entred into heaven Ludâ—lph de Viâ—a Christi part 2 cap. â—6 Their positions are of the same stampe Velocior est nonâ—unquam salus memorato nomine Mariae quam invocato nomine Domini Iesu Vnici filij sui that is A more present reliefe is sometimes found by commemorating the name of Mary Machiavel hist Flor. lib. 7. then by calling on the name of the Lord Iesus her onely sonne which they have so graffed in the Eares if the Popish people while they lâ—ve that it is rooted in their Hearts even when they dye also Thus Galeazzo the unfortunate Duke of Millan when he was stabb'd in the Church closed up his life with this cry onely O Lady helpe me This is indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such an Adoration to a woman as never could bee imagined by a man till that Man of sinne had intoxicated the men of the world and made them impudent in idolatry and to take pleasure in unrighteousnesse Concerning the fourth instance of intolerable idolatry Adoration of images I will spare some labour in this point because I have spent so much therein already in my Treatise on the second Commandement which I composed for that purpose And if any Papist can render a sufficient answere to the arguments therein composed I will recant and confesse that the Pope is not Antichrist nor the Popish Religion Antichristian idolatrous hereticall or any way Erronious Briefly I say that this fourth kinde of idolatry is more soule then all the former because directed unto a more grosse Object Images I may exclaime against this Heathenish idolatry Clem. Alex. Prâ—trept as Clemens Alexandrinus did against the heatheÌ„ for the very same thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to adore a Blocke is it not a blockish Idolatrie There is a double cause of Idolatrie saith Aquine Vna ex parte hoâ—inuâ— altera Aquin 2 â— quâ—st 94. 4. ex parte daemonum Men and Devils concur in the generation of this Viper In the phrase of my Text the working of Satan deceiveth men that perish plainly prophesied by S. Iohn Rev. 9. 20. that Antichristians should worship idols of gold and silver and of brasse and stone wood Things most palpâ—bly and literally performed in the Papacie Where it is worth our observation that the Papists plead for their Idols in the same tearmes wherein the Pagans did Tell a papist what a grosse absurditie they act who adore an image Oh say they mistake us not it is repraesentativè not determinativè wee doe not worship the Image but the Saint in the Image Iulians owne distinction Non Lapidem sed Iovem Zanch. Tom. 4. cap. 15 thes 3. in lapide that he did not worship the Statue but Iupiter in the Statue If we object Quae amentia est aut ea fingere quae timeant aut ea timere quae sinxâ—rint What a frensie is it either to make those things which they worship or to worship those things which they have made They reply in the Pagans owne-phrase recorded by Lactantius Non ipsa timemus sed Lactant. Just lib. 2. cap. 2. Eos quorum nominibus sunt consecrata We do not said the Pagans worship the Images but the Persons to whom those Images are consecrated Object againe even our eyes can censure those Images to be senslesse and therfore they are senslesse who adore them The old Pagans Arnobius lib. 6. wil put an answer into the mouths of our modern Papists Deos per simulacra veneramur we adore the saints by those Images Nay more if wee should oppose them with the same instances that the Antients objected against the Heathens I beleeve it would exercise their Logicke to acquite them Quid si coli se nesciunt said the christians in Arnobius what if the saints Arnobius l. 6. do not see this worship which the papists perform to their Images Is not then that image-worship blind idolatry Cur invocat is deorum nominibus oculos in coeluÌ„ non tollitis sed lapides et ligna spectatis Lactant. l. 2. c. 2. If you worship not the images on the wal but the saints in heaven why do ye not lift up your eies to heaven but fasten theÌ„ on the picture before you These were objected by the fathers to the heathen concerning their idols and I beleeve our idolaters cannot easily and ingenuously assoile them But to put all out of doubt What is an heathenish idol Shall Gods owne description stand for authentical Then The images of the heathen are silver gold the works of mens hands which have mouths speak not eyes and see not eares and heare not Ps 135. 15 16 17. What branch of this description concurreth not with their popish images And if the Italian men in their Carnival should deale with the Lady of Loretto as the Arcadian boyes did with Diana in Clem. Alex. Protrept their pastimes put an Haltar about the necke of the Image might they not cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that that Picture had not power enough to put the Rope from her throate as those Boyes did and be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Haltred Goddesse Finally to prove this Popish Image-Adoration to bee more Paganish then that of the Pagans themselves I adde the Pagans were never interdicted from such a kind of worship by their gods But our God hath expresly inhibited it unto Christians Deut. 4. The Observation is proposed in the 12. verse You saw no similitude The Illation annexed in the 15.
a tricke of an Harlot 1 Rog. 3. And to give unconsecrated Wine according to their phrase dead Wine in stead of the living blood of Christ unto the people whether this be a chaste act of that Woman of Babel I leave this conclusion to their owne confideration A fift instance is inferiour to none of the 4 former but is damnable beyond comparison and short of excuse this is Idolatry or Image-worship Consider how cautelous God is to prevent it how copious to reprove it how hee doth comparatively condemne it and plainly damne it Abundans causa God aboundeth in admirable caveats concerning the worshipping of Images in the fourth chapter of Deuteronomy 1. He doth propound the duty or inhibition in an exact enumeration in the sixteenth seveÌ„teeth eighteenth nineteenth verses Make you no graven Image nor similitude of any figure nor likenesse of male nor female not the likenesse of any beast that is in earth nor of any winged foule that flyeth in the ayre nor the likenesse of any thing that creepeth on the ground nor the likenesse of any Fish that is in the waters beneath the earth nor shalt thou worship the Sunne or the Moone or the Starres or all the host of heaven 2. God doth confirme this interdiction of Idolatry by five strong arguments First in the fifteenth verse from reason for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day the Lord spake to you in Horeb out of the middest of the fire Secondly from an unreasonable absurditie in the nineteenth that thereby they worship or serve those Creatures which God had divided or made servants to the world Thirdly a beneficio in the twentith verse Because the Lord had brought them out of Egypt from the yron furnace to be unto him a people of Inheritance Fourthly a servitio because God had declared unto them his Covenant which hee commanded them to performe verse 13. And finally in the 12 15 23 and 24 verses à supplicio Take heed animabus vestris as Master Calvin translateth it to your soules for God spake unto you out of the Fire and God is a Fire Praedictum cave how cautelous was God to prevent Idolatry Next he interdicteth the same in the second Commandement which is as large as eight of the other put together so copious is GOD to reprove it Thirdly when Samuel would brand that iâ—pudent iniquitie which causeth that double rejection both Active and Passive which causeth men to reject the Lord and the Lord to reject men hee calleth it Idolatry 1 Sam. 15. 23. Idolatry therefore maketh men reprobates and causeth their damnation And when Saint Paul would aggravate that sinne which maketh the way to heaven as narrow as the eye of a Needle he calleth Covetousness simulacrorum servitus Idolatry Idolatry therefore doth wholy damme up the way to heaven indeed a damned sinne Finally David denounceth their doome Psalme 97. 7. Confounded bee all those that worship carved Images Where I conceive the curse of God and confusion to bee little lesse then Damnation A damnable offence is Idolatry And this spirituall Adultery is like Davids corporall Adultery 2 Sam. 12. 4. It giveth occasion to the enemy of the Lord to blaspheme Both Turkes and Iewes justly reproach our Christian Religion for the Religious Adoration of Images Since therefore it excludeth others from Heaven and casteth the Authors into Hell I may call idolatry a damnable errour They wave this imputation of idolatry by Costerus Euchâ—r distinguishing of idolum and imago an idol and an image and in the image materiale formale the matter and forme thereof And againe that non in eâ honorem sigunt sed per eam transferunt in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is They doe not worship the image representing but the Saint represented I say their sophisticall heads may be cast into hel with those subtle distinctions in their mouthes without a drop of water to coole that tongue which shall frie in Tophet for blaspheming by blanching such idolatrie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall bee damned let them elude that also by a distinction Advantagious is this also to the Popish Church Idolatry is the Nebuchadnezzar of Rome and it may speake his phrase Dan. 4. 30. Is not this great Babel which I have built by the might of my power Philo Iudaeus relateth in the Temple of Hierusalem to have beene Trabem ex auro solido a Beame of massie Gold Image-adoration is such a Beame a golden Principall in the Church of Rome Shake it and the whole building will totter The Lady of Loretto bringeth much Tribute to the Lord of Rome and infinite other images by reason of their Ornaments Oblations Processions c. are Tagi are infinite golden Rivers issuing out flowing full spring-tides of Treasures to the Sea of Rome But it is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St Iames his Fountaine 3. 11. Sending forth at the same fountaine both sweet and bitter water Idolatry and Image-worship is a profitable but a damnable assertion I will leade you no further forward in these instances but intreat you to reflect your eye backward and compendiously to consider the premises If a man may bee sure that hee may goe to heaven without the Scriptures without prayers with halfe CHRISTS Sacrament with a piece of Christs merits and plaine idolatry Then let him repaire to Rome the Romane Church will direct him But if an understanding man may suspect that the inhibition of the Scriptures the obscuring of Prayers the mingling of mans merits the mangling of Christs Sacrament and the very image-adoration forbidden in the second Commandement If an understanding man may suspect that these things may bee dangerous to damnation then let mee advise you not to take your faith on trust but to examine the Roman Religion Know moreover that this fearfull terme of damnation wee mutually lay at one anothers doores but with this difference The Papists charge us with damnation principally because wee have forsaken their Church Non Trident. Catech. in Artic. 9. enim ut quisquis primum in fide peccarit Haereticus dicendus est sed qui Ecclesiae authoritate neglectâ impias opiniones pertinaci animo tuetur that is Every person is not presently to be termed an Heretike so soon as he shall erre in faith but he that shall obstinately maintaine his wicked errours neglecting the Authority of the Church Or else they charge us with damnation consequently because they say we erre in one Article of faith On no such partiality or Niceity doe wee pronounce damnation against them Not because they are against our Church but because they are against the Scriptures because their positions have formall contradictorie syllables to the Scriptures and their practice the realty of abominable Idolatry And herein I submit my selfe to the severe law of Severus Si aliquis Duaraenus de Decimis l 4 c. 1. quis praepositum accusaret manifestis rebus probaret aut capitis poenam subiret
and imagination 9. Antichrist shall collect the Iewes 10 Conquer the Heathen 11 cruelly persecute the Christians 12 Kill Enoch and Elias 13 become Monarch of the whole world 14 and have more power and riches and wives than any Monarch from the Creation as famous atchievements as any can wish or imagine From whence Bellarmine and Lessius draw many a delicate Demonstration 15. But the worst is they put a long sword into a short scabberd They will have all those Conversions Persecutions Conquests Mariages and incomparable innumerable actions to be done in the compass of three yeares an halfe Eudaemon taketh great paines to fit them but Eudaemon in Abâ—at 1. sect 5. he commeth a little too short for all his good reckoning 16. The Temple of Hierusalem must bee his Throne 17 therein actually to be adored Fortie and sixe yeeres was the Temple heretofore a building and will Antichrist reare it in lesse than sixe and fortie moneths O admirable expedition More Baronius saith and proveth that it shall never be reared againe That Antichrist therefore shall be adored in the materiall Temple this is an impossible assertion 18 and 19. Antichrist shall take his Rise from Mount Olivet and with his army of Devills transformed into Angells he shall soare in the ayre till that voice from heaven bee heard morere Et confestim fulmine percussus interibit he shall be smote through with a Thunderbolt in the middest of his glorious flight saith Steuartius But perchance what pleased Steuaâ—tius iâ— 2 Thes â— Malvenda lib. 10. cap. 15. him at Ingolstade did not relish Malvenda in Italie For hee saith that Christ shall come downe from heaven simplici verbo by word of mouth shall command Michael the Tutelar Angell to the Christians to destroy Antichrist Then that Michael with lightning shall burne down the Tent of Antichrist into ashes and so Antichrist and his Achates shall be swallowed quicke into the Earth Peracta est Fabula Plaudite That Antichrist shall bee consumed by the breath of Christs mouth and destroyed by the brightnesse of his comming I have heard verse 8. But of flying in the ayre crying from Heaven burning of Tents opening of the earth thunder lightnings These are tragicall inventions without any truth to support them To make good my promise to make it appeare that the popish opinion concerning Antichrist implyeth yea involveth many improbable impossible incredible and incompatible assertions I will present unto your attention onely six points which I have observed out of Malvenda who hath bestowed most labour in this cause of any man that ever set pen to paper Consider the Buildings Marryings and Persecutions of Antichrist his Countreymen Confederates and Kingdomes 1. In his 1â— booke and 6. cap. Antichrist shall Malvenda de Antichristo lib. 11. cap. 6. build the Temple of Hierusalem more sumptuous than the former besides many other goodly and glorious Palaces 2. Antichrist shall have farre more wives than Malvenda 6 22. ever Solomon had although Solomon had a competent number a thousand 1 Reg. 11. 9. 3. All the ten persecutions under the Heathen Malvenda 8 11. Emperours all the persecutions under the Persians Arrians Goths and Vandalls Parvae velitationes sunt are but light skirmishes compared to the bloody warre which the Militant Christians must sustaine under Antichrist Moreover He shall rob spoile and plucke downe all the Churches in the world converting them into Alehouses and Stables 4. An infinite Rabble of the Iewes from all the Malvenda 5 17. Corners of the earth shall swarme to Antichrist 5. Gog and with him the Scythians Tartarians Malvenda 5 17. Cappadocians the inhabitants of Pontus and of the East Countreys of the Euxine sea and Matis the Iberians Albanians Circassians Persians Lybians Aethiopians Galatians Phrygians Turks Sarmatians Arabians of Arabia foelix Dedaneans of Arabia the desert Cilicians and the Inhabitants of Asia the Lesse shall all have a confluence unto Antichrist 6. The whole world which hath been discovered Malvenda 5 17. in the East unto the outmost Chineses and Tartarians in the North to the inmost Muscovites and Gronelanders in the South to the farthest Cafrians Zanzibarians and the Inhabitants of the Cape Bonae Spei and in the West to the farthest parts of Spaine Cuncta dextrâ lavâque Antichristi portentosa Monarchia complectetur Whatsoever is within the compasse of the old world shall be comprised within the territories of Antichrists prodigious Monarchy Yea America also and all those infinite Ilands And we thinke that Antichrist shall bee Totius orbis Monarcha the Emperour of the whole world Collect and conclude to build a more glorious Temple thaÌ„ that which was 46. yeers a building and infinite other buildings in 3 yeers To marrie a thousand wives and more in three yeares To martyr all the Christians and to prophane all their Christian Churches in three yeeres To gather together all the Iewes scattered through the whole world in three yeares To strike a league with Gâ—g the Scythians Tartarians c. in three yeares To subject from Spaine to India and from Muscovie to America in 3. yeares To conclude when as I thinke no Popish person dare undertake to goe through the world in three yeares yet that the Popish Antichrist shal gleane up all the Riches Conquer all men Defile almost all women and possesse all Lands both Ilands and Continent in all the world and all this onely in three yeeres If these appeare not monstrous improbable impossible incredible incompatible paradoxes Then must I confesse that nothing is false and that the Romane is no Antichristian but a true Religion But such as have either Eyes in their Heads or hearts in their Bodies such as are either reasonable men or religious Christians Such as are indued either with the Wisdome of the Spirit or but with the Spirit of Wisedome cannot but see this Palpable Delusion There is a remarkeable discourse in an Epistle The French Anthour translated by Dr. Beard of Pope Leo 9 to Michael Bishop of CoÌ„stantinople that the report was that those of Constantinople being accustomed to behold Eunuchs sitting in the Patriarchall seat at the last they advance thereunto a Woman A fine invention to make the memory of Pope Ioan to vanish by diverting this infamie upon Constantinople where all know never any such thing came to passe The like doe they in this subject for to the end that the true Antichrist may not be knowne they cast out a report that he shall be a Iew c. that men in this vaine expectation may sleepe under his Tyrannie Or as Michal 1 Sam. 14. 13. did put an Image into the bed with a Pillow of Goates-haire c. that David might escape So the Church of Rome doth dresse out to our view an Imaginarie Trienniall Antichrist that so the Pope the true Antichrist may escape our observation Againe and againe therefore I beseech you open