of the church is aboue the gospell 13. To his propheticall office let vs adde his priesthood Amicij epistol dedi ad Gregor 13. For the Pope forsooth is Pontifex Optimus Maximus an epithet which the Heathen giue to their chiefe God Iupiter hee is that great priest according to the order of Melchisedec whose foote must be reuerently kissed of his Cardinals when Lib. carem sect 12. c. 5. hee rideth into any citie in his Pontificalibus and the Bishop of the citie beginning this Antheme Ecce sacerdos Magnus c. fundmenta de elect in 6. Behold the great Priest He is the Prince of Priests and head of the Christian religion He is that Priest of Priestes who remitteth both fault and punishment both to quicke and dead whereas Christ remitteth onely to the liuing and as they say forgiueth the fault but not the punishment neither doth this indulgent father graunt pardon alone for sinnes past but also for offences to come 14. But I hasten to his kingly office For hee forsooth is the 1 Paul 4 ad ducem Florentin in bulla King of Kings and Lorde of Lords the 2 Stenchus Sim. Begnius in orat in concil Lateran sess 6. Lion of the tribe of Iuda to 3 Lib. 1. carem sect 7. Pius 5. in bull ad regem reginaÌ„ matreÌ„ Galliae Antonin in sum part 3. tit 22. ca. 5. §. 1. 5. 6. Psalm 8. Heb. 2. 8. whom all power is giuen in heauen and in earth yea and vnder the earth For as hee hath a triple crowne so hee hath a triple Empire in heauen and in earth and where Christ hath none in purgatory His power is greater then all other created power extending it selfe in some sorte vnto things Coelestiall terrestriall and infernall So that of his power that may be verified which is said in the Psalme of Christ that aptly because he is Christs vicar Thou hast put al things vnder his feete The beastes of the field that is men liuing on the earth the fishes of the sea that is to say the soules in purgatory the foules of heauen that is to say the Angels and the soules of the blessed Another wrote and taught that the Pope Nicol. Egmundanus apud Balâ—…m is the Lorde of things in heauen on the earth and vnder the earth In heauen for as you haue heard he hath power ouer the Angels and Saints and soules departed Papa angelis praecipit Camotensis potestatem habet in mortuos The Pope coÌ„maundeth the Angels and hath power ouer the dead In earth for he is a Epist. ded Amicij ad Gregor 15. praefix Capistr Totius orbis Dominus the Lord of the whole earth hauing b De Maior c. vnam sanctam caelestis terrestris potestatis Monarchiam The Monarchy of the heaueÌ„ly and earthly power c Extra de statu regular pericuâ—… in gloss obtaining the kingdome of the whole world vnto whom forsooth belongeth that prophecie d Lib 1. caerem. sect 7. capistran fol. 57. Dominabitur à mari ad mare à flumine vsque adterminos orbis He shall rule from sea to sea and from the riuer vnto the endes of the world his e Capistran 〈◊〉 2. fol. 24. Antonin part 3. tit 22. §. 8. Alexander disâ—…buted the newe founde world betwixt the kings of Spaine and Portugal Lib. 1. caerem. sect 1. c. 4. Cardin. Episcopus Hostienâ—… power reacheth ouer all the faithfull principally secondarily also ouer the infidels for vnder his feete that is vnder his iurisdiction are put the beasts of the field that is the Paganes oxen that is Iewes and Heretickes and sheepe that is Christians and it extendeth it selfe vnto all the partes of the world not onely knowne but also vnknowne insomuch that the parts of the new found world are at his disposition to distribute and bestow And that the Paganes are subiect to the Pope it appeareth because the Pope ruleth the world in steede of Christ. But Christ hath ful iurisdictioÌ„ ouer euery creature Seing therfore the Pope is Christes vicar no maÌ„ may lawfully withdraw himselfe from his obedience euen as none may lawfully withdraw himselfe from the obedience of God Anton. part 3. tit 22. § 8. The Deacon which inuested the Pope was wont to vse these words I inuest thee into the Papacy Vt praesis vrbi orbi That thou mayst rule both the citie and the world And likewise the Cardinall Bishop that anointeth him vseth this forme of words Egotâ—…inungo in pontificem vrbis orbis Now this Cupers de ecâ—…les pag. 337. Empire or Monarchy which the Pope hath ouer the whole world is twofold for hee hath the two swordes as it is stoutly proued out of the gospell where one of Christs disciples saith Boniface 8. de maior c. â—…am sanctam Ecce duo gladij behold two swordes ciuill and Ecclesiasticall For as Pope Nicolas saith Christ us beato aeternae vitae clauigero terreni simul coelestis imperij iuraâ—…commisit Christ hath Dist. 22. c. 1. omnes giuen to blessed Peter the key bearer of eternall life and so to Ioâ—… de Parisijs de potestat Pap. cap. 20. Ioan. Maior 4. sent q. 2. dist 20. the Pope the right both of the carthly and heauenly Empire Ciuill as hath bene shewed ouer al Kings and rulers in respect whereof hee writeth himselfe King of Kings for all secular power is immediatly giueÌ„ to the Pope and he is aboue kings euen in temporall matters yea hee alone is the true Lorde of temporall things Wherefore Pope Boniface the eight sent vnto Philip the French king and tolde him That he was Lord Martinus Polonus in epist ad eundeÌ„ sâ—…ire te volumus quòd in spiritualibus temporalibus nobis subes Nicol Gillius annaâ—…ium gallic scriptor both in spirituall and also in temporall matters throughout the worlde And therefore that the King should holde his kingdome at his hande and honour and worshippe him Vt dominum regni sui as the Lorde of his Realme Stenchus for otherwise to thinke and holde hee said it was Heresie And as touching the Romane Empire the gouernment thereof belongeth to the Pope being Gods vicar on earth as vnto him by whom kings doe raigne And surely whosoeuer denieth the temporall sworde to be in the power of Peter doth full ill attende to the Caeremon lib. 1. cap. 2. worde of the Lorde saying vnto him Put vp thy sworde into the sheath And did not the Lorde I beseech you as some of the De maior obed cap. vâ—… sanctam Popes fauourits full soleÌ„nely dispute coÌ„mand Peter Luk. 5. 4. to launch into the deepe that he might signifie the height of power Ioan. Capistr de Pap. eccl author 1. 2. sol 21. 122. duc in alâ—… designaret altitudinem potestatis c. s. 15. in Peter And againe
this of a reall and visible marke wherewithall men of all sortes should suffer themselues to bee branded as the slaues or cattell of Antichrist Where the holy Ghost speaketh of the image of the beast which Antichrist puttoth life into and causeth to speake they vnderstand it of a materiall image animated and made to speake Where the holy Ghost speaketh of fire to come downe from heauen they vnderstande it of materiall fire brought downe from heauen Which course whosoeuer followeth in expoūding the prophecies in the Reuelation must neuer looke to see them verified in the euent The which I speake not that literally they doe not agree to the Pope but because the mysticall sence being the more like to bee true our aduersarie groundeth his argument wholy vpon the literall interpretation But I will make it plaine that both these miracles agree to the Pope not onely in the mysticall sence but also in the literall And to that purpose let vs consider these miracles seuerally 9. And first as touching that of fire which Antichrist shall cause to descende from heauen if it bee literally vnderstood you shall perceiue that it agreeth to the Pope because in diuerse Popish miracles there hath beene as they say fire brought downe from heauen But seing the place is rather to bee vnderstood mystically and allegorically as well as other prophecies of the Reuelation wee are not therefore by the comming downe of fire to vnderstand literally a reall descending of materiall fire but that which mystically in the Scriptures is meant by the cōming downe of fire from heauen You are therefore to bee infourmed that descending of fire from heauen in the Scriptures signifieth three thinges 1. Gods approuing of the religion and sacrifices of his seruaunts 2. His sending downe of the graces of his spirit vpon his children 3. His vengeaunce executed from heauen vpon his enemies For the first it is cleare that the Lorde informer times vsed to testifie his approbation of the religion and sacrifices of his seruaunts by sending fire from Heauen to consume their sacrifice in which respect hee is said to answere them by fire from heauen Leuit. 9. 24 1. Chron 21. 26. 2. Chron. 7. 1. wherunto some adde Gen. 4 4. Iud. 13. 19. Whē as therfore the people of Israel halted between Iehouah and Baal◅ Elias to proue that Iehouah whom he worshipped was the true God and his worship the true religion by praier miraculously caused fire to come downe frō heauen to cōsume the sacrifice 1. King 18. 38. Whosoeuer therefore doth by such signes and wonders confirm that doctrine and religion which 1. King 18. 38 he professeth as though God aunswered him by fire from heauen he may be said to cause fire to descend from heauen in the sight and opinion of men who thinke such miracles to bee wrought by the finger of God according to this example of Elias that is so to haue confirmed his religion in the opinion of men as if hee had with Elias fetched fire from heauen If therfore the Pope of Rome or his ministers haue by as strange signes and wonders in the opinion of men confirmed their religion as though God from heauen approued thereof as hee was woont to signifie his approbation in answering by fire frō heauen they may be sayd to haue made fire to come down from heauen although they neuer had caused materiall fire to descend But if besides many other strange signes and wonders which they call miracles they haue confirmed their superstitious religion and Antichristian doctrines by bringing fire from heauen then can it not be denyed but that this place doth most fullie and properly agree vnto them But you must remember how Saint Iohn saith in the sight of men not that they haue done so indeede but only that they haue made men beleeue so 10 As for example to proue that their sacrament of the altar after the words of consecration is the very body of Christ and to be worshipped no otherwise then Christ himselfe wee haue a narration in their festiuall which was wont solemnelie to be read in the church on Corpus Christi day the words whereof I will recite vnto you Also we find say they that in Deuonshire beside Exbridge was a woman lay sick and was nigh dead and sent after a holy person about midnight to haue her rights Than this man in all hast that he might arose and went to the church and tooke God◅ body in a box of Iuor◅ and put it into his bosome and went foorth towards this woman And as hee went through a forest i◅ a faire m◅de that was next his way it happened that his box fello◅ of his bosome into the ground and he went forth and wist it not and came to this woman and hearde her confession And then hee asked her if she would be houseled and she said yea sir. Then he put his hand in his bosome sought the box And when he found it not he was full sorie and sadde And saide dame I will goe after Gods bodie and come anon agine to you and so went foorth sore weeping for his simplenesse And so as hee came to a willow tree hee made thereof a rodde and stripped himselfe naked and beat himselfe that the bloud ranne downe by his sides and saide thus to himselfe Ah thou simple man Why hast thou lost thy Lorde God thy maker thy former and creatour And when hee had thus beate himselfe hee did on his clothes and went on foorth And then hee was aware of a pillar of fire that lasted from earth to heauen and hee was all astonied thereof yet hee blessed himselfe and went thereto And there lay the sacrament fallen out of the boxe into the grasse and the pillar shone as bright as any Sunne and it lasted from Gods bodie to heauen And all the beastes of the forrest were com◅n about Gods bodie and stoode in compasse round about it and all kneeled on foure knees saue one black horse that kneeled but on that one knee And that blacke horse was a feend of hell who had turned himselfe into that shape that men might steale him as diuerse had done and were hanged for him c. If any man obiect that all this narration is a foolish fiction I aunswere that this was as verilie beleeued as it was solemnelie read And therefore to countenaunce their abominable idole of the masse they haue in the sight that is in the iudgement opinion and beliefe of men caused fire to come downe from heauen that it might point out the body from it reach to heauen 11 To winne credite to such Saints as they haue canonized and consequently to cause men the more deuoutlie to pray vnto them to adore their images and reliques to goe on pilgrimage to them they haue coyned in the life or legend almost of euerie Saint straunge and incredible miracles And this is the ordinarie conclusion of many legendes Then let vs pray to
this worthie Saint or glorious martyr that he will pray to God for vs ◅hat by his merites we may haue pardon and forgiuenesse of o◅r sinnes or something to the like effecte Wee reade of diuerse of their Saints who when they haue beene beheaded haue caried their Saint Iustinian the monke Saint Osi◅a Saint Fulcien and Saint Victorice heads in their hands some one mile some two miles And it is a wonder that hasting from so sharpe a banquet they did not leaue their heades behind them for haste Among manie other miracles they tell vs of fire also which they haue caused to come downe from heauen in the sight that is iudgement and opinion of men besotted and giuen ouer to beleeue their monstruous vntruthes In the life of Prothe and Iacinct they make fire to come downe from heauen to kill Melancy the false accuser of Eugenne They haue brought downe a pillar of fire reaching from heauen vnto the earth where the bodie of Saint Edward the Martyr lay Vpon the head of Saint Martin as hee was saying masse they haue fetched downe a tongue of fire from heauen to make him equall as they say to the Apostles In the fable of Saint George they make fire to come downe from heauen to burne the idoles with their temple and priestes In the life of Barbara wee reade that when her owne father beeing her persecutour had drawne his sworde to slay her shee was miraculouslie taken vp in a stone and caried into a mountaine where two shepheades were feeding their sheepe And when one of them had bewraied her to her father and shee in her charitie had cursed him anone his sheepe became locustes and hee consumed into a stone Then her father hauing apprehended her deliuered her to the iudge who put her to death Whereupon they bring downe fire from heauen to consume her father Their doctrine of purgatorie and prayer for the dead is confirmed by manie wonders and strange apparitions of soules departed begging masses for their deliuerance out of purgatorie And in like manner it is reported that when Birstan the Bishoppe of Winchester staying all night in the churchyard as his manner was said ouer his psalmes for the soules departed comming to these words requ◅scant in pace let them rest in peace he heard the voice of an infinit number out of the graues crying Amen But to this purpose also in their legend they haue made fire to descend from heauen When as they tell vs of a certaine Bishoppe who appearing in the clouds of heauen to another here vpon earth did let some fire drop vpon him to giue him a tast of the torments in purgatorie Besides these examples many other might bee found if they were woorth the seeking in their fabulous writings as also in some other of their storyes which testifie that diuerse times in the church of Rome fire hath beene brought downe from heauen But these which I Ioan. Linturius in appead ad fascic tempor haue recited may suffice in seeking and setting downe wherof I should haue thought my time and paines not wel bestowed such are the ridiculous fooleries of popery wherewith the churches in the time of darknesse haue beene pestered sauing that I considered that the more incredible the report is of Popish miracles the more euidently it is proued both that the Pope is Antichrist and the Papists the followers of Antichrist vpon whome God hath sent strong illusions that they might beleeue lyes In the first sence therefore the prophecy Reuel 13. doth fitte the Pope and church of Rome who by greate signes and wonders do so confirme their Antichristian errours and superstitions in the sight that is in the iudgement opinion and beliefe of men besotted and made drunke with the whore of Babylons cuppe of fornications as though God did seeme to approoue thereof in aunswering by fire from heauen And this interpretation seemeth to be confirmed by the words for it is not directly said that Antichrist should cause fire to come downe from heauen but onely thus that he doth great signes insomuch that fire descendeth from heauē in the sight of men That is insomuch that in the iudgement of men God seemeth to answere him by fire from heauen and to beare witnesse to his doctrines by miracles wrought by the finger of God 12 But descending of fire signifieth also the bestowing of the grace of Gods spirit which is called fire Mat. 3. 11. Act. 2. 3. In which sence the Pope may bee saide to make fire come downe from heauen but wee must adde before men that is in their opinion and conceipt For he forsooth as the church of Rome beleeueth giueth not onely the graces of the spirite to men but also the power of sanctification both to men and also to some creatures of his owne as to his Ag◅ Del and his holy water sprinckle c. And in this sence doth Primasius expound this place Thirdly the comming downe of fire signifieth the wrathfull vengeaunce of God executed vpon his enemies which often in the Scriptures is called fire to wit the Apoc. 20. 9. fire of Gods wrath As Elias therefore brought fire from heauen to consume the two Captaines and their fifties so Antichrist according to this interpretation shall with a diuine reuenge as it were with fire from heauen take vengeance vpon his aduersaries but here also we must adde before men who shall thinke that those against whom Antichrist shal send the thunderbolt of his wrath are punished with a Diuine reuenge and as it were with fire from heauen This also is verified of the Pope of Rome who with a diuine reuenge as he forsooth is Deus vindictae The God of reuenge pursueth his R. Cupers de eccl pag. 61. num 52. enemies but especially with the thunderbolt of excommunication as themselues doe call it Which as it is terribly sent from this Iupiter of Rome so is it fearefully executed with Gregor 7. in ep◅st ad German apud Auentin lib. 5. putting out and casting downe of lights from aboue as if the fire of Gods wrath were at their commaunde or as if with Gregory the seuenth they could shake it out of their sleeues And well may this be reckened among the wonders of Antichrist For it were more then a wonder that Kings and Emperours should by excommunications from the Pope bee either so daunted in themselues or abandoned of their subiectes as some haue beene but that the Popes haue professed and their followers haue beleeued that God himselfe doth whatsoeuer is done by the Pope who being Canonically elected is a God vpon earth and hath the same consistory and iudgement seate with God himselfe whose vicar he would seeme to be consequently that those Kings and Emperours were deposed of God who were excommunicated by the Pope whereas other Princes and people that are not made drunke with the cuppe of their fornications haue esteemed their bulles of excōmunication as Bullas that is
Now whereas he saith that Iohn did not restore all things which as Christ saith Elias should doe I answer that Christ speaketh according to their vnderstanding and therefore that Iohn Baptist did restore all things in that sense that Elias was according to their conceit to restore al things But by restitution in this place we are to vnderstand the reformation of the people and Church of the Iewes to whom the messenger and forerunner is promised not to heretickes and seduced catholickes wherein Iohn Baptist was another Elias Neither is this restitution ascribed to the Baptist as though it had beene perfected by him but because he began that which Christ was to bring to perfection So that Iohn Baptist may truely be said to haue made this restitution Inchoatiuè 6. The fourth place is Apoc. 11. 3. I will giue to my two witnessesâ—… and they shall prophecie 1260. dayes Which words he affirmeth but without all reason are to be vnderstood of Enoch and Elias who are not once meÌ„tioned in al that chapter Neither can those two witnesses signifie Enoch Elias because they are to be killed by the beast and their bodies shall lie dead in the streets of the great Citie three dayes and an halfe For Enoch and Elias they were taken vp into heauen where in soule at the least they enioy the glorious presence of God For otherwise their estate were worse then of the rest of the faithfull departed and so their translation should rather haue biâ—… a punishment then a blessing or prerogatiue vnto them without question therefore their soules at the least are in heauen But whether they be there in soule alone or in soule body there may be some question but if they be there in body it cannot be that their body is mortall as the Papists would haue it subiect to death For how can corruption inherit incorruption or how can it be truly said that Enoch was translated that he should not see death if notwithstanding his translation 1. Cor. 15. 50. he shall suffer death If therfore their bodies be in heauen vndoubtedly they were in the translation changed and by that change became immortal as the bodies of them shall who shal be aliue vpon the earth at the second comming of Christ. If their 1. Cor. 15. 51. 53. 1. Thes. 4. soules alone be in heauen their bodies being dissolued and returned into dust then either they must come in their owne bodies or in others If in others then must we hold the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or flitting of soules into diuers bodies if in their owne then shall they not onely rise before the resurrection but also after their resurrection die againe All which absurdities plainely shew that the Popish opinion concerning the comming of Enoch and Elias is a meere fable whereby men are kept in security that they should not with vigilancie waite for the coÌ„ming of Christ because as yet forsooth Enoch and Elias are not returned The two witnesses therefore cannot signifie Elias and Enoch But if I should adde that Bellarmine caÌ„not proue that this place intreateth of Antichrist but rather of the beast with 7. heads arising out of the sea that is the Roman state either generally or especially vnder the Emperours as may be gathered by comparing verse 2. and 7. of the 11. chap. with the 1. and 5. of the 13. I would then know to what purpose he alledgeth this text to prooue that Enoch and Elias shall come against Antichrist if neither the one nor the other be here meant 7. Vnto these testimonies of Scripture he addeth the consent of the fathers who hold that Enoch Elias shal in their own persons come in the time of antichrist And to this purpose he nameth many but yet among al the ancieÌ„t which he citeth only Gregory is alledged to the purpose who in his morals expouÌ„ding the words of Lib. 14. c. 12. Bildad the Suhite as spokeÌ„ of Antichrist testifieth that in his time Enoch and Elias shal come which is as true as that Bildad spake of Antichrist Of the rest some speake of the returne of Elias only and that to conuert the Iewes without mention of his resisting Antichrist being deceiued by the corrupt translatioÌ„ of the 72. who in Malachy 4. v. 5. read Elias the Theibite and therby gaue occasion to the readers to expouÌ„d those words of Elias literally whereas in the Hebrew also in other translations we read Elias the Prophet which may truly be applied to Iohn who was a Prophet by the testimony of our sauiour Christ more then a Prophet Mat. 11. 9. Others who besides Elias mention the coÌ„ming of another agree not among themselues Victorinus refuting the opinion of in Apoc. 11 some who thought the two witnesses to be Elias Elizâ—…us or Elias Moses saith all our Ancestours by tradition haue deliuered that it is Elias and Ieremie Hilary refelling those which thought the two witnesses to be Elias Enoch or Elias and Ieremy contendeth that they must be Moses and Elias Hippolytus to Enoch in Mat. con 20. Elias addeth Iohn the Diuine who as he saith shal come with theÌ„ before the comming of Christ. All which opinions of the fathers giue vs a sufficient proofe into what vncertainties men are carried wheÌ„ they wil be wise aboue that which is written For seeing the holy Ghost hath not named these two witnesses it is hard especially for them who liued as themselues thought before the fulfilling of this prophecie to define whether by these two witnesses is not meant a sufficient though a smal number of Gods witnesses whom â—…he shall raise to testifie his trueth euen in the hottest persecution of the beast or if they be two and no more to determine particularly and by name who they are 8. Vnto these restimonies in the last place he addeth a reason to make vp this demonstration which may thus be concluded If Enoch Elias were taken vp before their death yet â—…iue in mortall bodies wherein once they shall die then shall they come in the time of Antichrist to set themselues against him But Enoch and Elias being taken vp before death doe yet liue in mortalâ—… bodies wherein they are once to die therefore they shall come in the time of Antichrist to set themselues against him The proposition is vnnecessary and the assumptioÌ„ vntrue For though we should grant that they yet liue in mortall bodies and that their death is yet deferred yet how doth this follow that they liue to resist Antichrist and to be slaine of him Yea but saith Bell armine there can nâ—…ne other reason be giueÌ„ Of their translation there is this reason that there might be euident examples of reward and happinesse laid vp both for the vpright in Enoch and for the zealous in Elias Of their yet liuing in mortall bodies if they did so according to the opinion of some of the fathers that reason might
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 essentially absolutely namely as he together with the father and the holy ghost is one and the same eternall Iehouah and onely true God In which respect if the Papists deny Christ to be God of himselfe as they do when they accuse this our doctrine of heresie and deny him so to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God of himself as we affirm they do also deny him to be God SecoÌ„dly when as not onely in heauen they set aboue him his mother whom they cal the Queene of heauen desiring her to coÌ„maund him to shew her selfe to be a mother as though Christ were as they paint him a baby vnder his mothers gouernmeÌ„t for so they say Iube natuÌ„ iure matris impera againe monstra te esse matreÌ„ c. but also on earth when euery shaueling priest caÌ„ by breathing out a few words out of his vnclean mouth create his maker for so they teach Sacerdos est creator creatoris sui that is the priest is maker of his maker And againe Qui creauit Stella clericor serm discip serm 111. apud Iuellum vos dedit vobis creare se Hee which made you gaue you power to make him when he hath so done offer him vp to his father Wherein euery priest amoÌ„g theÌ„ being the sacrificer is after a sort preferred aboue Christ who is the sacrifice Thirdly when as they appoint vnto Christ a vicar to supply his absence vnto whom they assigne all power which is in heaueÌ„ and earth yea Vid. Cap. 5. infinit power which they say is translated froÌ„ Christ vnto him what do they else but make Christ a titular king and with the Epicures an idle God who hath as it were resigned al his right authority to the Pope What a man they make our Sauiour Christ who knoweth not when they hold with fire fagot persecute those that will not hold the same that his body is multipresent that is present in many or rather infinit places at once and that discoÌ„tinued for they say that it being in heauen is also present really and corporally vpon the earth wheresoeuer their Masse is celebrated or their hoste reserued howsoeuer it is not in the space betwixt heauen and earth nor in those places where the host is not which is to assigne many or rather innumerable bodies to our Sauiour Christ. And further that his very body which they say is really preseÌ„t in the Masse is void of quantitie qualitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not circuÌ„scribed not visible nor any way sensible coÌ„sequently no body The which in effect is as much as to denie that Christ is come in the flesh which is the doctrine of that Antichrist whereof John speaketh And here by the way note the absurditie of Papists 1. Iohn 4. 3. 2. Iohn 7. who circumscribe the deity of the father whiles they resemble the same by pictures or images and denie the humanitie of the sonne to be circumscribed consequently against all reason make the deitie finit and the humanitie infinit The office of Christ is his mediation Now what a mediatour they make him you may easily iudge wheÌ„ they ioyne infinit others with him For the Apostle saith that there is but one mediatour 1. Tim. 2. 5. betwixt God and man and this one alone our Sauiour Christ is or else he is none at all 8. Again Christ may be denied directly expresly that may be done either secretly in priuate or else opeÌ„ly in publick profession After the latter sort Antichrist was not to denie our Sauiour Christ because he was to be an hypocrite a disguised enemy as hath bene proued Neither was it necessary that he should deny Christ expresly directly yet this also may bee proued of diuerse Popes Who howsoeuer they professed publickly that Iesus is Christ which is all that our aduersaries alledge in this case and yet that all is nothing for the Diuels theÌ„selues haue publickly professed Iesus to be Christ yet priuately and among their fauourets they haue denied Christ not that onely but haue shewed theÌ„selues also to haue bene meere Atheists diuels incarnat For to omit Iohn the 22. who denied the immortality of the soule of some is called the 23. of others 24. were not Alexander the 6. Sixtus the fourth Iulius 2. and Paulus 3. besides diuers others very Atheists were not more then twenty of them knowne Necromancers and sorcerers not to speake of them which were not knowne which renouÌ„cing Christ our Sauiour betooke theÌ„selues to the Diuel As namely Siluester 2. Benedict 9. Gregory 5. Gregory the 7. who also in a rage cast the Eucharist that is according to their opinion the very body of Christ into the fire because it did not answere to his questions when as he consulted therewith And what may we thinke of Clement the seueÌ„th who when he was at deaths doore said he should now be certified of three things wherof he had doubted al his life viz. whether there be a God whether the soule be immortall and whether there be a life after this life Or of Iulius the 3. who being forbidden by the Physitians the vse of Porke commaunded his porke to be set before him Al dispette di Dio In despite of God As for Pope Leo the 10. hee did plainely enough denie Christ when as more then once he called the Gospell the fable of Christ For wheÌ„ he had receiued an incredible summe of money for indulgences he said to Bembus O quantum nobis Ex. Sibrand â—…ull de pap Rom. l. 10. c. 18 profuit illa de Christo fabula O how much that fable of Christ hath profited vs And another time when Bembus alledged for his comfort a testimonie out of the Gospell he answered Quid mihi narras fabulamillaÌ„ de Christo What doest thou tell me of that fable of Christ If therefore this bee a property of Antichrist to denie Christ then it cannot be auoided but that according to our aduersaries owne groundes the Pope who so many waies denieth Christ is Antichrist And so much of his opposition to the Prophecie of Christ. For of the other three doctrines which the Papistes assigne to Antichrist See booke 〈◊〉 chap. 14. we are to intreat when wee come to answere the obiections of the Papists 9. To the Priesthood of Christ our only priest and mediatour who according to the Scriptures with the oblatioÌ„ of himselfe once made hath perfectly redeemed vs are opposed 1. Heb. 10. 12. 14 Their priesthood whereby Christ is daily offred and his sacrifice repeated in their abominable sacrifice of the Masse propitiatory as they say both for the quicke and the dead 2. Their owne satisfactions as prices of sinne opposed to the satisfactioÌ„ of Christ 3. Their adioyning vnto Christ other intercessours and mediatours by whose not onely intercession they hope to be heard but also merites hope to be saued
principle among them that it is lawfull for him to depose Emperours and Kings and to absolue their sworne subiects from fidelity and allegiance towards them And thus you see how the Pope opposeth himselfe to the prophecy priesthood and kingdome of Christ. Whereunto I might adde how he is opposed to these offices of Christ not onely in these respects allreadie mentioned but as an aemulus as an antiprophet an antipriest and a counter king seeking in his Antichristian pride to match our Sauiour Christ in all those offices but hereof I shall haue occasion to speake in the next chapter Now to the benefites of Christ he is opposite as he is an enemy to the grace of god as hee taketh away Christian liberty and taketh vpon him to make new lawes to binde the conscience as he abridgeth the merites of Christ and ascribeth the merite of saluation not onelie to our owne works prescribed of God but also to such as haue beene in superstition will worship and idolatrie deuised by themselues as he teacheth men to seek saluation elsewhere then in Christ. All which oppositions of the Pope to Christ whosoeuer shall duely consider hee will not seeke further for Antichrist Chap. 5. Of the pride and ambition of Antichrist aduancing himselfe aboue all that is called God c. 1. BVt Antichrist is not onely hostis an enemy to Christ but also as our aduersaries confesse aemulus Christi that is such an aduersarie as is opposed vnto Christ in aemulation of like honour as the word Antichrist doth also signifie It remaineth therefore that wee should speake of the pride and ambition of Antichristâ—… whereby hee seeking to match Christ our Sauiour aduaunceth himselfe as the Apostle speaketh Aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped insomuch that hee sitteth in the temple 2. Thess. 2. 4. of God as God shewing himselfe that hee is God or as the Papists themselues reade as though hee were God Where for auoiding of errour we are to vnderstand the pride of Antichrist Vulgat edit â—…em to be described such as is incident to a wretched man a man of sin a sonne of perdition And the greatest pride that is incident not onely to any man but to any creature be it the diuell himselfe whose Satanicall pride Antichrist was to imitate and not to exceed is this to seeke to be as God When as Es. 14. therefore it is said that Antichrist aduanceth himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped it is not meant that hee shall seeke to aduaunce himselfe aboue God or the deitie it selfe For God being infinite in goodnesse excellencie and power there cannot bee conceiued a better a superiour a greater And therefore wee cannot imagine how Antichrist should aduance himselfe aboue God And it is euident that the height of Antichrists pride heere spoken of is noted in these words Insomuch as he shall sitte in the temple of God as God By all therfore that is called God we are to vnderstand all those to whom the name of God is coÌ„municated not essence for that cannot be communicated to any that is not god Now the name of God is communicated to Angells in heauen Psal. 8. 5. cum Heb. 2. 7. Psal. 97. 7. cum Heb. 1. 6. and to princes and magistrates on earth Exod. 22. 28. Psal. 82. 1. 6. And wheras it is said that hee shall aduance himselfe aboue all that is worshipped wee are to vnderstand by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not God himselfe but any thing that is worshipped as God or wherein God is worshipped So Wisd. 15. 17. images and Act. 17. 23 altars among the heathen are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such in the church of Rome are Saints images the crosse and reliques of Saints the eucharist c. The meaning then of the Apostle is this that Antichrist being a wicked and wretched man shall aduance himselfe aboue all that is called God as Angells and Kings or that which is worshipped as Saints and images and altars the crosse and eucharist it selfe insomuch that he shall sit in the temple of God as God that is hee shall rule raigne in the church of God challenging a soueraigne vniuersall and diuine authority ouer al those that professe the name of Christ as if he were a God vpon earth shewing himselfe whether by words or by deeds that he is god or which is all one behauing himselfe tanquam sit Deus As though he were God The like things were foretold of Antiochus Epiphanes who is thought to haue bene a type of Antichrist Dan. 11. 36. But to come to the application of this prophecie if Antiochus were comparable to the Pope in aduauncing himself aboue all that is called God or if I shal not proue out of their owne I meane popish writings that he hath lifted vp himselfe in such maner as is scarcely credible to be incident vnto a mortall maÌ„ then let not the Pope be deemed Antichrist but rather looke for some other who shall goe beyond him in Antichristian insolency and Satanicall pride 2. From this place therfore of th'apostle I argue thus Whosoeuer aduaunceth himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped insomuch that he sitteth in the temple of God as God taking vpon him as though he were a God he according to the testimony of th'apostle is antichrist that is Aemulus Christi such an enimy as in a kinde of emulation seeketh to match Christ and to be equall to him But the Pope of Rome as shal be proued aduaunceth himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped insomuch that hee sitteth in the temple of God as God taking vpon him as though he were a God vpon earth therefore according to this testimony of th'apostle the Pope is Antichrist And first that the Pope aduaunceth himselfe aboue all that is called God it is plaine because he lifteth vp himself not onely ouer Kings and Emperours on earth but also aboue the Angels in heauen Of his lifting vp himselfe aboue Kings Emperours is the testimony before alledged 2. Thess. 2. 4. Papa superioritatem habet in imperium Clemeatin Pastoralis de re Iudic. especially to bee vnderstood For he speaketh of such an aduancement whereby Antichrist should be reuealed as was to be hindered for a time by the Romane Empire Let vs then consider how he aduaunceth himselfe aboue Kings and Emperours who are called Gods The Pope if you will beleeue him his followers is the 1 Paulus 4. ad ducem Floret in bulla Rod. Cupers meritò rex reguÌ„ dominus dominantium censetur Papa reque ipsa existit pag. 43. num 39. c. solitas extr de maior obed c. per venerabileÌ„ opt qui filij sunt legitimi Antonius de Rosellis King of Kings and Lord of Lordes by 2 Lib. Carem whom Princes raigne and from 3 Clem. 5. in coÌ„cil vienn whom the
right of Kings dependeth For you must know that as they full solemnely dispute the 4 R. Cupers pag. 251. nuÌ„ 62. Empire or temporall rule as well as the priesthood or ecclesiasticall dominioÌ„ is translated vnto the successours of Peter that the 5 Idem pag. 52. num 28. p. 1. 251. n. 63. 64. right of rule direct dominioÌ„ of the Empire and kingdoms belongeth to the Pope howbeit he coÌ„mitteth the exercise therof to Emperours Kings that 6 Idem pag. 28 num 7. Emperours Kings all Princes receiue their right of gouerning their kingdoms from the Pope that by him they are confirmed by him deposed that to him Emperors Kings as being but his vassals are bound to sweare 7 c. tibi domino dist 63. c. 1. de iuretur allegiaunce and sidelity that hee so farre surpasseth the 8 c. solitae de maior obed Emperour as the Sunne excelleth the Moone that is according to their Astronomy 9 Gâ—…oss ibid. Staâ—…st Orichovius quantum Deus praestat sacerdoti tantuÌ„ sacerdos praestat regi qui regé anteponit sacerdoti is anteponit creaturaÌ„ creatori Apud Iuellum seuen and fiftie times or rather as the creatour is superiour to the creature Therefore Kings and Emperours 10 Li. â—…erem 1. sect 5. cap. 3. lib. 3. sect 1. cap. 3. when they come into the presence of his holinesse must after obeysance done in three seuerall distances fall downe before him and kisse his foote euen as Mantuan saith of him Ense potens gemino cuius vestigia adorant Caesar aurato vestitimurice reges And if they be in preseÌ„ce when he taketh 11 Lib. 1. câ—…ereÌ„ sect 2. c. 3. horse the Emperor or chiefest Prince that is present must hold his right stirrop when he is mouÌ„ted must hold the bridle play the lackey for a certaine space likewise wheÌ„ he lighteth off must hold the right stirrop which if he happen to mistake as being not vsed to seruice he must looke for a check as we read 12 Helmoldus Chron. Slauor l. 1. c. 81. Bal de vit pont of Hadrian the 4. who bitterly checked Frederick the Emperor for holding the stirrop on the wrong side Or if it be his pleasure to be caried alost on mens shoulders 13 lib. caerem. 1. sect 2. 5. de processione pontifiâ—…s Caesaris per vrbem Lib. 1. c. 8. caerem the Emperour kings princes that are present must put vnder their shoulder helpe to cary his holinesse for a space and whiles he is on foote the Emperour or chiefest Prince must beare vp his traine If the Emperour be at the Popes 14 Lâ—…b caerem. 1. sect 3. Antonin sinn part 3. â—…it 22. cap. 5. §. 13. E. venerabilem de elect feast his duetie is before dinner to hold the Pope water to washe his hands and to bring in the first messe For in deed Imperator est minister Papae The Emperour is the Popes minister 3. These are but matters of ceremony But as he vaunteth that all the right of kings dependeth on him so he challengeth authority and power to translate kingdoms to create depose Kings to translate the Empire from nation to nation and to giue the same to whom it pleaseth him The Emperour saith 1 Hadrian apud Auentâ—…n lib. 6. he is Emperour by vs. Whence hath hee the Empire but from vs Behold the Empire is in our power to giue it to whom wee well And accordingly he hath 2 Bellarm. de pont Rom. lib. 3. cap. 16. deposed diuerse Kings and Emperours and created others as I shall not need to prooue for both they and their followers boast thereof And if you desire some other examples of their insolent and Antichristian behauiour towardes Emperours and Kinges did not Gregory the seuenth make Henry the Emperour who came in all humilitie to submitte himselfe vnto him with his wife and childe daunce attendaunce at his gate bare-foote and bare-head by the space of three daies before he would graunt them any accesse vnto him When as the Emperour Fredericke Naucler generat 40. Barbarossa was excommunicated by the Pope and his sonne taken prysoner in Venice hee came to the Pope Alexander the third into the Churche of Saint Marke there to the ende that hee might bee absolued and his sonne restored Where before all the people the Pope hauing commaunded the Emperour to prostrate himselfe vpon the grounde and so to aske pardon he setteth his foote in the necke of the Emperour saying it is written Super aspidem basiliscum ambulabis conculcabis Leonem Draconem Thou shalt walke vpon the Aspe and Cockatrice and shalt tread vpon the Lion and the Dragon Which indignity when the Emperour being not well able to brooke made answere Not to thee but to Peter the holy father treading on the Emperours necke replied Et mihi Petro Both to mee and to Peter And when as Henry the sixt came to bee crowned Emperour and to that ende kneeled before Celestin the third sitting in his pontisicall chaire did not hee after hee had sette the imperiall Diademe on his head and as some say with his feete kicke it of with his foote againe What should I tell you of Innocent the second how hee caused his owne with the Emperours picture to bee set vp in the Palace of Laterane himselfe sitting in his pontificall throne and the Emperour kneeling before him and holding vp his hands as vnto God with these verses subscribed Rexvenit ante sores iurans prids vrbis honores Pòst homo sit Papae sumit quo dante coronam That is The King of the Romanes commeth before the gates swearing first to the honours priuileges of the citie afterward he becommeth the Popes man of whose gift he receiueth the imperiallcrowne 4. And thus hath the Pope lifted vp himself aboue al that is called God vpoÌ„ earth that is to say Kings Emperours let vs now coÌ„sider whether he exalteth himself aboue those which are called Gods in heauen that is to say the Angels First in generall it is auouched by himselfe his approued writers that the power of the Pope is greater then all other created power a Antonin sâ—…m pact 3. lit 22. c. 5. Potestas Papaemaior est omni alia potestate creata b Concil LateraneÌ„s sub Leo. 10. sess 10. That vnto him is giuen all power aboue all powers as wel of heauen as of the earth Qui totum dicit nihil excludit Hee that saith all excludeth nothing c Innocent Papa extr de constit R. Cupers pag. 28. num 5. that to the vicar of the creatour that is the Pope euery creature is subiect and more particularly that he hath d Felinus apud IuelluÌ„ viâ—…riatum Christi Christes vicarship not onley about things in heaueÌ„ in earth in hel but also aboue the Angels both good
bad e Nicolaus EgmuÌ„danus apud Bal. de vit poÌ„l. Pontificem RomanuÌ„ habere imperium in angelos ac daemonas That the Pope hath rule ouer the Angels and Diuels That he hath power to command the Angels for so they say f Gregor Haimburg in appellat Sigism apud Iuell Papa Angelis habet imperare g Camotensis Papa angelis praecipit And according to these testimonies which auouch his right is the Popes practise For not onely he callengeth greater honour reuerence to be done to himselfe then is due to the angels for he admitteth of adorations fallings downe before him which the angels refuse because they are our fellow seruants but also he taketh vpon him to coÌ„maund the holy Angels at his pleasure to remoue soules departed out of purgatory into heauen Clement the 6. in his bull concerning those which should come to Rome to celebrate the Iubile he coÌ„maundeth the Angels of heauen that if any of theÌ„ should die in that lourney to bring their soules being wholy freed from Purgatory into the glory of Paradise His words be these Prorsus mandamus angelis paradisi quatenus animam à purgatorio penitus absolutam in paradisi gloriam introducant 5. It remaineth that I should shew how the Pope aduanceth himselfe aboue the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the thinges wherein God is worshipped or which are worshipped as God in the church of Rome as namely the Saints the crosse the altar and their God of bread As for the saints they are subiect to the Antonin part 3. lit 22. cap. 5. §. 5. Pope quoad canonizationem standing at the curtesie and free disposition of the Pope whether to bee deified that is as they speake to bee canonized or to be deposed For such is his authority Troilus Maluil in tract de canonis sanct 3. dub if you will beleeue him in canonizing of Saints that hee can canonize whom he will yea of a damned person cast into hell he can make a saint in heauen and contrariwise hee Antoninus part 3. lit 22 c 5. §. 6. can vnsaint those which before wore canonized The crosse which they say is to bee worshipped with diuine worshippe is notwithstanding made an ensigne of the Popes authoritie Traianum Gregorius per orationem sud a poena infâ—…rni quae infinita est absoluit and is borne before him as the mace before the magistrate or the sword before the prince when their procession is at an end it is laid vnder his feet And that he may be knowne euen literally so to sitte in the material temple as if he were a God it is to be noated that his seat in the church is aboue the altar But their chiefe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is their God of bread which because they imagine it to be Christ himselfe it is worshipped among them as their maker and redeemer notwithstanding in the Popes processions and iourneyes it is made an attendaunt on his holinesse For I shall not neede to tell you now which you heard before how Pope Hildebrand when it did not answere his demands as being not vsed to speake did cast it into the fire It is worthy to bee remembred which is reported by Ioannes Monlucius the Bishop of Valence who was the french Lib de religione ad Reginam matrâ—… Fulmen brut pag. 12. 13. kings Embassadour at Rome testified by others that when the Pope is to trauell abroad three or foure dayes before hee sendeth the Eucharist that is Christ their maker on horseback accompanied with muletors and horsekeepers and courtisants and cookes with sumpterhorses and all the baggage of his court Afterwards the Pope who professeth himselfe his vicar followeth attended with Cardinalls Primates Bishops and Potentates And when he commeth neere to the place whether he trauelleth their Christ is brought to meete him on the way that it may be caried before him into the towne But with what difference of honour is hee and his attendant caried in such solemne processions The Pope either rideth on a goodly white horse vnder a stately canopie or else is caried aloft vpon noble mens shoulders in a chaire of golde when the Christ of the Papists the Popes attendaunt is caried vpon a simple hackney in comparison with no such magnificence yet that hackney is the Popes vicar appointed in his steed to Stapleton in epist. ded cat ante pâ—…incip doâ—…in caâ—…ie the Monstrame In a word he is supremuÌ„ numen in terris the chiefe or supreme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to be worshipped on earth 6 But let vs come to the height of Antichrists pride For it is not sufficient for the Pope to be lifted vp aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped vnlesse he take vpon him as if he were God and seeke to match himselfe with Christ as the name Antichrist importeth that vnto him the height of Antichrists a In c. ecclesia vt lite peâ—…dente in Concil Lateran sub Iuâ—…o Bald. in l. barbar de off praet pride may also be applied which is described in these words insomuch that hee sit teth in the temple of God as God behauing himselfe as if he were god or which is all one shewing himselfe that he is god For of his followers and flatterers hee is said to be all and aboue all the cause of causes and the first b Gomesius de regul cancell cause Bald. in c. ecclesia vt lite pendente that hee is numen quoddam visibilem quendam Deum praese serens a certaine diuine maiesty shewing himself to be a certaine visible God Agreeable to the prophecy 2. Thess. 2. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as Beza translateth praese ferens hebr moreh i. facrens se apparere of some he is called c Decius c. 1. de constitutionib Caâ—…dill pro concil trident Bald. Cod. sentent rescindendi 1. vit de electione Felin c. ego N de iureius terrenus Deus or Deus in terris a God vpon earth In the councel of Laterane it was said to him he heard it willingly d Christoph. Marcellan conâ—…l Lateran sess 4. In arca triumph Impress Lugâ—…uni 〈◊〉 1555 Tu es alter Deus in terris thou art another God vpon earth in honour of that hellhound Sixtus the 4. it was written and presented to his view that he is worthilie beleeued to be a God vpon earth Orac'lo vocis mundi moderaris habenas Et meritò in terris crederis esse Deus By the oracle of thy voice thou gouernest the world and worthily art thou beleeued to be a god vpon earth The Canonists call him Our Lord God the Pope For so it is written not onely in diuerse old editions but also in that newe edition which by the authority of Pope Gregory 13. was corrected and published Credere dominum Deum nostrum Papam conditorem dictae
45. 46. Bellarm. de concil l. 2. c. 17. de pot Rom. lib. 2. c. 31. Ioan. de turrecre sum de eccl lib. 2. c. 27. cap. 80. R. Cupers pag. 34. num 1. Bonifac. 8. c. quoniaÌ„ de immunit in 6. Panormit For it is not sit that the Pope should reseÌ„ble Christ who now is glorified in heauen as he was conteÌ„ned but as the Pastor of the whole world supernal heaueÌ„ly as he shall come to be our iudge to whom it is certain that all men of necessity must obey For it is euident that the worke of redeÌ„ption being accoÌ„plished the power of Christ was extended as well in heauen as in earth Mat. 28. All power is giueÌ„ vnto me in heaueÌ„ in earth Which power is translated vnto his Vicar c. In respect of his office therfore he is the foundation the head the husband the Lord of the vniuersal church in vnction Christ is therfore to be called a R. Cupers de eccl Christus Domini the Lords Christ. Now if it be obiected that Christ alone is the head b Eph. t. 21. 22. 4. 15. 5. 23. Col. 1. 28. of the Catholike Church and so of the c Eph. 5. 24. Ioan. 3. 29. 2. Cor. 11. 2. 1. Cor. 3. 11. 12. rest answere is made that d R. Cupers de eccl pag. 128. num 36. Christ and the Pope in the Church are vnuÌ„ idem caput one and the same head and doe make one and the same consistorie e Idem pag. 30. num 8. for it were a monstrous thing that the Church should haue two heads And to the same purpose saith a f 1. de turrecreâ—…at summ de eccle lib. 2. c. 26. Cardinall of Rome The iudgement of the Pope is reputed the iudgement of God and his sentence and his consistory the consistory of God and therefore Christ and the Pope are not properly two heads but one as Boniface the eight declareth In extrav c. vnam sanctam But to speake more particularly of his offices For prophecie hee is the vniuersall or oecumenicall Bishop and Pastor of Pastors Orat. Cornelij episcopâ—… 〈◊〉 in concil â—…rident sub Pau. lo 3. the Ordinary or Bishop of the whole world Who is oom a light into the world but men haue loued darkenesse more then light who hath the supreme authority of interpreting the scriptures who is the supreame iudge in controuersies of religion hauing De translat epise c. quanto in gloss an heauenly arbitrement and as it were a diuine and infallible iudgement who is aboue 1 Decret Greg. l. 1. de elect 〈◊〉 oâ—… c. significaâ—… Concil Florent Tâ—…dent generall councels for 2 R. Cupers de â—…ccl pag. 31. num 23. Pigâ—… lib. 6. c. 13. although in a generall councell the vniuersall Church is represented in Cupers pag. 125 nâ—… 9. so much that nothing is greater then the Councell Tamen Papa eidem omnimoda supereminet authoritate Notwithstanding Capâ—… sol 23. C. de sumâ—… trinit l. 1. in f. the Pope surpasseth the same in all maner authority whose iudgement is to bee preferred before the iudgement of the whole worlde insomuch that if the whole worlde should determine against the Pope wee must stande to his sentence for so they say 4 R. Cupers pag. 11 〈◊〉 18. Papae sententia totius orbis plâ—…to prefertuâ—… And againe 5 1. de turrecrem lib. 3. c. 64. Si totus mundus sentiret or as the 6 In c. nemo 9. q 3. glosse readeth sentenâ—…iaret contra Papam videtur quòd sentenâ—…ae Papae standum esset vt 24. q. 1. haec est fides haec gloss 7 Baldus who is of greater authority then all the Saints and in respect thereof is of 8 1. de turrecrem summ lib. 2 cap. 26. great perfection then the whole body of the Church besides But it is not sufficient for this Antichrist to preferre himselfe aboue the whole Church which is the body of Christ vnlesse also hee sought in respect of the propheticall office to match himselfe with Christ the head of the church yea and in some respects to ouermatch him 9. He seeketh to match himselfe with Christ 1. in taking vpon him to make newe articles of Eaith and to propound doctrines not contayned in the Scriptures as necessarie vnto saluation 2. In making fiue Sacraments more then Christ appointed some whereof hee preferreth aboue baptisme and those two which Christ hath ordained he hath so altered and chaunged as that the one is scarcely the other not at all the same And whereas Christ ordained the Sacrament of his body and blood in two kindes they not withstanding his institution will haue it administred to the people but in one kind For so it is professed in the Councell of Constance that although Christ administred this venerable sacrament â—…ss 13. vnto his Disciples vnder both kinds of bread and wine and although in the primitiue church this sacrament was receiued of the faithfull in both kinds notwithstanding this custome of receiuing the bread only was vpoÌ„ good reason brought in for the auoiding of some dangers and scandales 3. In making their owne deuises decretals traditioÌ„s of equal authority with the word of God Innocentius 3. comanded that the words of the canon Ioan. Bal in eius vita of the Masse should be held equal to the words of the gospell Agatho the Pope decreed that all the constitutions of the See apostolick are to be receiued as authorized by the diuine voice D stinct 19. c. sic omnes Ioan. de turrecrem lib. 2. c. 108. of Peter himselfe And in the same distinction this is the title or argument of one chapter Inter canonic as Scripturas decretales epistolae connumerantur that is Among the Canonicall scriptures the decretall epistles are numbred Which in Dâ—…st 19. c. in canonicâ—… the chapter it selfe is absurdly proued out of Augustine misalledged And as touching traditions whereby are meant De doctr Christi l. 2. c. 8. all points of popery which as themselues confesse are not contained in the written worde the holy Councell of Trent hath ordained that they are to bee receiued and honoured Pari piâ—…tatis affectu ac reuerentia With as great affection of Sess. 4. pietie and reuerence as the written worde of God Which decree when as a certaine Bishop misliked Ceruinus the Popes Iacobus Nachiantes Clodiae follae episcopus Bal. in vita Marcellâ—… secundi legate who afterwardes was Pope called Marcellus 2. caused him to bee expelled out of the Councell And lastly least he should seeme in any thing to be inferiour to Christ our Prophet hee confirmeth his doctrines by miracles as they call them 10. And thus the Pope matcheth himselfe with Christ our Prophet let vs now consider how he aduaunceth himselfe aboue him Which he manifestly doth in preferring his owne and the churches authority aboue
Why did the Lorde sende Peter onely to the Sea to fishe with an angle or hooke but that he would insinuate that he intended to set Peter ouer the whole surging Sea of this tempestuous worlde and why doth he commaunde him to fishe with an iron hooke but that he was disposed to commit vnto him the sworde both of the spirituall and temporall Empire Hereunto wee may adde that worthy dispute of Antoninus Archbishop of Florence part 3. tit 22. cap. 5. § 17 That the Similiae argumenta habet 〈◊〉 de turrâ—… in sum alâ—… Subtiliss Pope being the vicar of Iesus Christ in the whole world hath in stead of the liuing God the vniuersal iurisdictioÌ„ both of spiritual temporal things But the immediat administration of temporal things he receiueth not vnlesse in the regioÌ„s of the Westerne Empire by reason of the graunt made to the church by Constantine Now that he vseth not the temporal administratioÌ„ in other countries but onely in the parts of Italy c. this is not for want of authority but that hee would nourish in his sonnes the bond of peace and vnity For since the Empire was diuided and of diuerse in diuerse partes diuersly and tyrannically vsurped the Church to auoid the scandal of the Iewes hath made her selfe tributarie with Peter c. And as touching those which say the Pope hath dominion ouer the whole world not in temporall matters but in spirituallonely they are like the counsellers of the king of Syria who said 1. King 20. their goddes are goddes of the mouÌ„taines and not of the valleis For so they say the Popes are goddes of the mountaines that is of spiritaull goods but they are not goddes of the valleys because they haue not the dominion of temporall goods And in the same place he addeth That from the sentence of all Kings and Princes men may appeale to the Pope Astouching his ecclesiasticall authority which as some Th. Aquin. in 2. sent in fine Antonin part 3 tit 22. cap. 6. §. 6. say is the foundation of the Church hee is superiour and greater then all the residue of the vniuersall Church and this is proued by seuen arguments 1. Because hee is the Pastor of the vniuersall Church 2. Because hee is the head of the 1. de turrecrem in summ de eccles lib. 2. cap. 80. vniuersall Church 3. Because he is that prelate which hath authority ouer the whole Church 4. Because he is the prince of the vniuersall church 5. Because he hath supreame power in the Church 6. Because he alone hath fulnesse of power in the Church 7. Because he is Christes vicar generall in the whole vniuersall Church For in the Apostolicke See the Lord Dist. II. c. nolite errare hath placed the princehood of the whole Church and therefore worthily is he called Ecclesiae princeps ac rex reguÌ„ torra 1 I. de turrecrem lib. 3. summ cap. 9. The prince of the church king of the kings of the earth yea 2 Amicij epist. dedic ad Gre gor 13. praefix Capistr Princeps optimus maximus 3 Dâ—…st 40. c. si Papa et R. Cis. pers pag. 29. Ioan. Andreas in c. quanto de translat Panorm c licet de elect Of whoÌ„ the saluatioÌ„ of the church vniuersall after God dependeth He is the head the roote the Monarch the fouÌ„taine of ecclesiastical power hauing the same consistory with God iudgemeÌ„t seat with Christ For so they write 5 I. de turrecrem summ lib. 2. cap. 8. R. Cupers pag. 29. n. 16. 42. n. 14. Idem tribunal Christs Papâ—…â—…erris Inter Papam Deum vnum idem fit tribunal vnumque idem consistorlum Hee maketh lawes which bind the conscience and that with guilt of mortall sinne 7 R. Cupers pag. 62. n. 66. de constitut c. licet in sexto R. Cupers pag. 29. n. 1. he is the liuing lawe yea he hath all lawes in the closet of his breast and hee can dispose aboue lawe and retaineth the fulnes of power so as hee needeth no addition 9 I de turrecrem l. 3. c 64. he alone hath the fulnesse of power as beeing the prince of the churches lawes And euen as the first moouer 10 R. Cupers de eccl pag 166 n. 28. gouerneth the church triumphant so doth the Pope rule the church militant For seeing in the church 11 Clement lib. 5. de haereticis c. ad nostrum in gloss triumphant there is one soueraigne prince to whose obedience that whole church is most perfectly subiect that is to say God it followeth necessarilie that one soueraigne prince ruleth ouer the whole militaÌ„t church that is to say the Pope whose coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts all are bound to obey And thus much of the Popes power in heauen and in earth in respect whereof it is saide that the iurisdiction and care of the Antonin sum part 3. tit â—…2 §. 1. whole world is committed to the Pope not onely as by the name of the world is imported the earth but also as by the name of the world is imported heauen because he hath receiued iurisdiction ouer heauen and earth 16 There remaineth the third part of his kingdome which hee hath in purgatorie For as one of their approued authours Angelus Parisiensis saith Purgatorium est peculium Papae Purgatorie is the Pope's peculiar where as also in hell he hath so great authority as that by his indulgences he is able to deliuer thence so many soules Fulm brut ex bulla Clement 6. as it pleaseth him and to place them in heauen and in the seats of the blessed Insomuch as this is become a probleme in the church of Rome whether the Pope may empty all purgatorie wholy and at once and by Antoninus the Archbishoppe of Floence it receiueth this determination vnder a threefold distinction namelie that in respect of his absolute iurisdiction the Antonin part 3. tit 2â—… cap. 5. §. 6. 7. Pope may be communicating his indulgences absolue all that are in purgatory from that paine and so make a gaole deliuery For seeing Gregory the Pope by his prayer absolued Traian from the paine of hell which is infinite therefore much more may the Pope by communication of indulgenoes absolue all that are in purgatorie from that punishment which is but finite And forasmuch as Christ may take away all paine therefore the Pope also who is his vicar may This the Pope may doe in respect of his absolute power But if you regard the orderlie execution thereof in that respect the Pope may not nor ought so to doe Neither in deede is hee pleased to let out any from the paines of purgatorie vnlesse he bee well pleased for his indulgences and pardons Howbeit I must needs confesse it was a cheape yeare of soules when Leo the tenth sent Torelius about with Bal. in vita Leonis 10. 1. Fox his pardons
offering to euerie one for the payment of ten shillings but not a penny vnder to sette at libertie the soule of any one which they should name in purgatory And lastly if you respect Gods acceptation that is whether God would take it well that the Pope should release all that bee in purgatory at once or not Antoninus answereth he cannot tell And to conclude this kingly office of the pope with that venerable acclamation of the reuerend fathers in the councell of Laterane Thou art all and aboue all a Sess. 10. in orat Steph. Patracensis to thee all power is giuen in heauen and in earth And againe a Sess. 10. in orat Steph. Patracensis In the pope is all power aboue all powers in heauen and in earth And thus it appeareth euidently that the Pope is Antichrist not onely because he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an aduersary opposed vnto Christ as was proued in the former chapter but also because he is aemulus and as it were a counterchrist who seeking to match our Sauiour Christ aduanceth himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped insomuch that he sitteth in the temple of God as god shewing and demeaning himselfe as though he were a God vpon earth Chap. 6. Of other vices or sinnes of Antichrist 1. NOw are wee to intreate of other vices and sinnes of Antichrist For albeit by the application of the two former noates concerning the opposition of Antichrist vnto Christ and his incredible ambition in aduancing himdelfe aboue all that is called God it plainely appeareth that the Pope of Rome meriteth to be called by that peculiar title of Antichrist the man of sin because those two notes wherein the Apostle insisteth as sufficient 2. Thess. 2. 3. 4. proofes thereof doe most properly agree vnto him notwithstanding many other notorious sinnes of the Popes may be produced for the further euidence of this truth Of which sins some are common to very many of them and some are common to them all For howsoeuer the crimes and enormities of such deepe dissemblers as these Antichristian Popes haue beene were many times either not commonly knowne to the world or beeing knowne were not communicated to posterity the writers of those times being for the most part the seruile flatterers of Antichrist yet notwithstanding many of them were knowne of those which were knowne many are recorded to haue beene guilty of fearefull crimes besides those which either were not knowen or not recorded For to begin with their horrible impiety towards God haue not many of these most holy fathers bewraied themselues to be very Atheists and scorners of religion Such were those which before I Chap. 4. §. 8. named Iohn the 24. Alexander the 6. Sixtus 4. Paulus 3. Clement 7. Iulius 2 3. Leo 10. and besides them Iohn 12. alià s 13. who vsed to blaspheme God at his dice to call vpon the Luitprandus lib. 6. Fascic temp diuell in his feasts to drinke vnto him Many of them also as coÌ„monly those which renouÌ„ce god betake theÌ„selues to the diuell haue bin knowne sorcerers necromancers besides those which were not known It is recorded euen by Popish authors of Syluester the 2. that he did homage to the diuell that by the diuel he was placed in the Papacy to which end he had be Fascic tempo Stella Platina c. taken himselfe both in body solue to the diuell Such a one was Gregory 7. as Cardinal Benno testifieth such also were al the Popes froÌ„ Syluester the 2. to Gregory the 7. But amoÌ„g them Benedict 8. alià s 9. who before his Papacy was called Theophylact is most worthy to be remeÌ„bred For he was wont in woods mountaines to sacrifice to the diuell by magicall art to allure women vnto him he kept a sparrow which brought him newes froÌ„ alcoasts And when he had sold the Papacy to Gregory the 6. for 1500. pound thought by soloery to recouer it againe as he first had gotten it and to that end consulted with the diuell he had his neck wrung in sunder his successor Gregory the sixt beeing a sorcerer as well as he and now as it may seeme in greater fauour with the diuell then hee and to these three which I haue named some twentie more may be added But now I come to speake of their sinnes against the second table 2 For many of them haue beene murtherers and otherwise barbarously cruell As for example Gregory the seauenth who poisoned six Popes to make himselfe a way to the Papacie and sought to murther Henry the Emperour as hee was at his Bal. ex Mario Mat. Paris in Henr. 3. prayers in the church Innocentius the fourth sought to poison Conrade the Emperour Clement 6. caused the Emperour Lewis of Bauaria to be poisoued King Iohn was poisoned by a monk when the Pope had giuen sentence that he should be deposed and so was Henrie of Lucemburgh euen in the eueharist and that as some report by the appointment of the Pope By the Gregory 13. Pope was Parry suborned to murther our gracious Queene Elizabeth so was the Iacobine that murthered Henry the third Sixtus 5. king of Fraunce In the church at Florence a massacre was intended and Iulianus Medices murthered by the appointment Volaterran geograph lib. 5. Politianus de coniâ—…ratione Pactiana of Sixtus the fourth the eleuation of the sacrament beeing made the signe or watchword when this murther should begin Alexander the sixt for 200000. crownes poisoned the great Turks brother who was at Rome he also or as some say his sonne appointed his seruaunts to minister poyson to certaine Cardinalls and Senatours whom he had inuited but the seruitors mistaking the cuppes and giuing him of the same dispatched him together with the rest Paulus the third poisoned his mother and his nephew that to him might descend the Bal. de Rom. Poâ—…t actis whole inheritance of the Farnesian family Hee poisoned his sister whome he vsed as his harlot because shee fancied others more then himselfe and that he might more freely abuse his owne daughter Constantia hee poisoned Bosius Sfortia her husband He poisoned one Bishop and two Cardinalls because they inclined to the gospell I might be long in this argument but these may serue for a tast But if besides these you desire to heare some other examples of their cruelty you may remeÌ„ber how Stephen the 6. caused the body of Formosus the Pope to be taken out of the graue and hauing cut of two of his fingers cast them into the Tiber he buried the body amoÌ„g the Laity which body eight yeares after Sergius the 3. causeth againe to be taken out of the graue and hauing cut of the other 3. fingers he casteth theÌ„ the body it self into the said riuer condemned him and all his actes which other Popes not withstanding as Romanus 1. Theodorus 2. Iohn
is armies bringing desolation partly by the greeuousnesse of the destruction verse 21. To this prophecie also he admixeth counsel and consolation Counsell that they which shal be in Iewry prouide for their selues by flight verse 16. 17. 18. in respect whereof he both pitieth the women and such as giue sucke and biddeth them pray that their flight be not in winter nor on the Sabboth day verse 19. 20. His consolation is that for the elects sake the time of the siege shal be shortned for otherwise none of the Iewes could escape as Chrysostome also expoundeth verse 22. This exposition is plainely confirmed by conference of this Chapter of Mathew with Luke 21. where the same question being propounded verse 7. concerning the end of Ierusalem alone receiueth an answer peculiar to the destruction of Ierusalem vnto the 25. verse And whereas Mat. 24. 15. Christ vseth these words when you shall see the abomination of desolation which in Daniell is called the abominable wings bringing desolation standing in the holy place this in Luke is thus expounded When you see Ierusalem Luk. 21 20 besieged with armies which Daniel foretold should bring desolation vpon it then vnderstand that the desolation thereof is neare and therefore he aduiseth them which shall be in Iewry to flie so soone as Ierusalem shall be besieged c. Because there shall be great affliction in those dayes namely in Iewry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Ierusalem as Luke restraineth it For there shal be great destresse Luk. 21. 23 24. in the land and wrath in this people and they shall fall on the edge of the sword and shal be carried away captiue into all nations Luk. 22. 25 and Ierusalem shal be troden vnder foot of the Gentiles vntil the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled and then shal be the end of the world the signes whereof be addeth in the next words 4. By this analysis of the text conference with Luke it euidently appeareth that all these predictions from the 6. ver to the 23. in Mat. in the 21. of Luke frō the 7. vers to the 29. concerne the destruction of Ierusalem which hapned within forty yeares after this prophecie was deliuered Neither may we thinke that our sauiour Christ would intermingle the prophecies concerning the destruction of Ierusalem and the end of the world therby to nourish the aforesaid errour of his disciples who imagined that the end of Ierusalem should not be before the end of the world as appeareth by their question For euen afterward ver 34. where seemeth the greatest mixture our Sauiour Christ speaketh distinctly For wheras our Sauiour had spoken first of the end of Ierusalem and then of the end of the world seuerally had giuen signes of both wherby they might know the approching of eyther as by the budding of the fig tree they gather summer to be neare he defineth the time of the one the other he leaueth indefinit Verily I say vnto you this generatiō shall not passe vntil al those things saith he pointing as it seemeth towards Ierusalē as he sat in the moūt Oliuet be fulfilled And as touching the end of the world he noteth both the certainty therof the vncertainty of the time of the former he saith Heauē earth shal passe away that with a noise as Peter saith but my words shall not passe away howbeit of that day houre namely wherin the sonne 2. Pet. 3. 10 of man shal come and wherin the heauens shal passe away none knoweth no not the Angels of heauē but the father only Whatsoeuer the Papists therefore alledge out of the former part of the Chapter as fauouring any of their fancies concerning Antichrist as namely the preaching of the Gospel before the comming of Antichrist the abomination of desolation the most greeuous tribulation in the time of Antichrist c. may easily be answered 5 But if these prophecies be compared with the history and euent we shall finde this trueth to be more euident seeing all these predictions had their complement at or before the destruction of Ierusalem For to omit the rest the Apostle testifieth Colos. 1. 6. 23. Rom. 1. 8. 10. 18. that the Gospell was in his time preached in all the world and therefore before the desolation Euseb. lib. 3 of Ierusalem which hapned about two yeare after his death From whence also euidently appeareth how false Bellarmines assumption is as being contradictory both to the prophecie of Christ in this place as also to the testimony of the Apostle testifying the fulfilling thereof in his time according to the commission giuen to the Apostles that they should goe into all the world and teach all nations Mat. 28. 19. Mar. 16. 15. which was accordingly performed Mar. 16 20. And thus Homil. in Mat. 24. Chrysostome also expoundeth this place that before the end that is the destruction of Ierusalem the Gospell was to be preached throughout the world and prooueth by the same testimonies of Paul that this prophecie was fulfilled before the taking of Ierusalem But if it seeme incredible vnto any that the Gospell should be preached throughout the world in so short a time he must consider first that by the whole world is not to be vnderstood euery small corner and vnknowne part of the world but by a Synecdoche the greatest part of the world then knowne and inhabited as Luke 2. 1. And by all nations not all and euery nation but all sorts that is both Iewes and Gentiles For both here and elsewhere there seemeth to be an opposition made betwixt the whole world and the land of Iewry betwixt all nations and the Iewes For wheras before the Church was contained in Iewry the word preached to the Iewes our Sauiour sheweth that before the desolation of Ierusalem the Gospell should be preached commonly in all parts of the world not only in Iewry indifferently to all other nations not peculiarly to the Iewes Secondly he is to consider both the multitude of the preachers dispersers of the Gospell and also the infinit power of Gods spirit and miraculous efficacie of his word preached in that it could in so short a time spread it selfe so far as it did Thirdly a distinction is to be made betwixt preaching the Gospell and receiuing it For it was preached in all the world but not receiued euery where And that our Sauiour signifieth where he saith it should be preached in all the world for a testimony to all nations to leaue those which embrace it not without excuse If then the preaching of the Gospell throughout the world be not made by Christ our Sauiour a signe of Antichrists comming and yet notwithstanding it be most true that according to the prophecie of Christ the Gospell was preached in all the world before the desolation of Ierusalem what shew of reason is there in this demonstration And this is all that I thinke worth
be giuen which they alledge to wit to conuert the Iewes But the assumption also is false For it is vntrue that they liue in mortall bodies or that they shall euer dye For where I beseech you doe they liue in mortall bodies in the earthly Paradice or in the heauenly In the earthly say the Papists but that was defaced either at or before the floud so that although the place remaine yet no Paradice remaineth as Bellarmine else where confesseth And if they were Lib. 1. de Sanctor beatitud C. 3 liuing in the earthly Paradise how is it said they were taken vp as it is plainely said of Elias that he was taken vp into heauen Or what priuiledge or reward haue they aboue others if all this 2. Kin. 2. 12 while they haue wanted Gods glorious presence which others enioy and hereafter are to be slaine of Antichrist Or how was Enoch translated that he should not see death if notwithstanding his translation he must dye the death If in the celestiall Paradise that is the third heauen as Paul speaketh it may first be 2. Cor. 12. doubted whether they be there in body because it may be thought that Christ was the first that in body ascended into heauen or if their bodies â—…o there we must hold that in the translation they were changed into immortall and incorruptible bodies as theirs shall who shall be found liuing vpon the earth as the second comming of Christ and shal be rapt vp into the aire 1. Cor. 15. 51. For this I say with Paule that flesh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdome of heauen neither doth corruption inherit incorruption 1. Thes. 4. 17. 9. But will you see vnder one view how farre this slender 1. Cor. 15. 50. coniecture taken from the comming of Enoch and Elias is from being a demonstratiue proofe First he cannot prooue necessarily that they are yet in their bodies Secondly if they be in their bodies he cannot proue that their bodies are mortall Thirdly if their bodies be mortal it is not necessary that they should returne into the world and die because at the end of the world they might be changed with the rest that then shal be liuing as some also haue thought Fourthly if they should returne into the Iustin. q. 85 ad orthodoxos world and dye there is no necessity that they should come in the time of Antichrist Fiftly if it should be granted that they are to come against Antichrist yet it would not follow that therefore Antichrist is not yet come but this only would follow that Antichrist is not yet destroyed which we doe not deny And this was his third demonstration whereby he proueth that Antichrist is not yet come and consequently that the Pope is not Antichrist To conclude therefore must not this needs be a good cause that by so learned a man is so stoutly proued The 7. Chapter answering his fourth demonstration concerning the most greeuous persecution vnder Antichrist 1. THe second signe accompanying Antichrist from whence Bellarmine draweth his fourth demonstration is the most greeuous notorious persecutioÌ„ of the Church in so much that the publicke seruice of God shall wholy cease His demonstration is thus to be framed When Antichrist is come there shal be the most greeuous and manifest persecution that euer was insomuch that the publicke seruice of God shal wholy cease But as yet there hath bin no such persecution neither hath the publicke seruice of God wholy ceased therefore Antichrist is not yet come Of his third argument and consequently of the proposition and assumprion there are three partes which seuerally are to be considered that the persecution vnder Antichrist is 1. Most greeuous 2. Most manifest 3. Such as shall cause all Gods worship to cease As touching the first he reasoueth thus Vnder Antichrist shal be the most greeuous persecution as yet this most greeuous persecution hath not bin especially vnder the Pope therefore Antichrist is not yet come neither is the Pope Antichrist The proposition namely that the most grieuous persecution is vnder Antichrist he proueth by two testimonies The first Mat. 24. 21. And then shal be great tribulation such as hath not bin since the beginning of the world neither shal be The other Apoc. 20. 7. Then shall Satan be let loose namely after the thousand yeeres are expired Answer We doubt not but that the persecution vnder Antichrist was to be very greeuous because the holy Ghost testifieth so much Apoc. 17. 6. Where the whore of Babylon is said to be drunke with the bloud of the Saints and with the bloud of the Martyrs of Iesus But his proofes are not to the purpose For the place in Mathew as heretofore hath beene shewed and as appeareth by the text it selfe is to be vnderstood of the calamities which at the destruction of Ierusalem by the Romanes the Iewes sustained For when you see saith our Saulour Christ the abomination Mat. 24. 15 of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet standing in the holy place that is as Luke expoundeth when you see Ierusaelem Luk. 21. 20 compassed about with armies which Daniel calleth the abominable Dan. 9. 27. wings of desolation then let those which are in Iewry flye vnto the mountaines c. And his reason is because then there Mat. 24. 2â—… shal be great affliction such as hath not beene from the beginning of the world vntill now neither shal be Which Luke expresseth thus for there shall be great distresse in the Land and wrath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Luk. 21. 23. 24. this people and they shall fall by the edge of the sword and shall be carryed captiue into all nations and Ierusalem shall be troden vnder fâ—…ote of the Gentiles vntill the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled 2. As touching the thousand yeers mentioned Apoc. 20. After which Satan was to be loosed although the expiration of them fal in Antichrists raigne yet we are not to begin his raigne thereat as appeareth plainely Apoc. 20. v. 4. Neither is that letting loose of Sathan to be vnderstood of the persecution onely vnder Antichrist for it is manifest by the text that within those thousand yeares many martyrs were put to death by Antichrist for refusing to receiue his marke and that the greatest part la dead in Antichristian errours and superstition verse 4. 5. and by the 8. verse that Satan was let loose not onely to stirre vp persecution against the faithfull but also and that principally to stir vp vniuersall wars betwixt the nations of the world betwixt Gog and Magog that is as some expound the Papists and Mahometans Now I would gladly know of Bellarmine when these thousand yeeres began and when they expired for hereof there be diuers opinioÌ„s but I wil touch the principall 1. That these thousand yeeres begin with the incarnation of Christ and determine accordingly when as Siluester the second had obtained the
Epiphanes was that he shall make three expeditions into Egypt and in his returne homeward euery time shall hee afflict the land of Iury especially in the second expedition when being hindred by the shippes of Chittim Ioseph antiq lib. 12. cap. 6. that is the Romans he wreaked his malice vpō the Iewes chap. 11. 30. and all the rest of the particulars which properly belong to the person of Antiochus all which Daniel doth so fully and particularly describe that hee hath seemed to some which knew not with what spirit he did write to haue written a story rather then a prophecie of him Chap. 7. 8. 11. 12. 4 But now let vs examine seuerally the particular instances from whence Bellarmine wold proue that the Pope is not Antichrist From the first he argueth thus Antichrist arising from most base estate ex humilimo loco shall by fraud deceit obtaine the kingdome of the Iewes The Pope of Rome ariseth not from base estate neither obtaineth the kingdome by fraude and deceit therfore the Pope is not Antichrist The proposition is after his manner proued out of Dan. 11. 21. And in his place shall stand a vile person and they shall not giue vnto him the honor of a king but he shall come secretly and obtaine the kingdome by fraude I answere first that Daniel speaketh not of Antichrist and secondly that this proposition is not true of him of whom Daniel speaketh and therfore that this allegatiō is both impertinent vntrue That Daniel speaketh not of Antichrist it shall appeare out of Daniel himselfe For Daniel speaketh of him that immediately in the kingdome of Syria succeeded Seleucus Philopater For so he saith in his place who was described vers 20 shall stand vp a vile person meaning thereby Antiochus who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but properly as Polybius calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto whom that which is cited out of the 21. verse and all the rest of the chapter vnto the end doth wholy and properly agree 5 For the better vnderstanding of this place the rest of Daniel we are to know that excepting one propheticall comfort of the resurrection cha 12. his whole prophecie is of those things which happened within lesse then 700. yeares that is to say from the taking of Ierusalem by the Chaldeans vnto the finall destructiō thereof by the Romanes and his prophecie concerneth those kingdomes which should in the meane time be in the worlde And those are either such terrestriall kingdomes vnto whose tyrannie the Iewes were subiect before the comming of the Messias or else the spirituall kingdome of Christ the Messias king of the Iewes before which all the former kingdoms were to haue an end Da. 2. 4. 〈◊〉 7. 11. 26 27. The time wherof as also of the desolatiō of Ierusalē is foretold cap. 9. 25. 26. 27. according to which time this Messias and king is by the wise men acknowledged to be born Mat. 2 and his kingdom by Iohn Baptist the forerunner of Christ was said to be at hand Mat. 3. 2. and in like sort preached our Sauiour Christ Mat. 1. 15. his apostles Ma. 10. 7. Christ also a litle before his death confessed that he was a king and in his death his title was the king of the Iewes After his death resurrection he professeth that all power was giuen him in heauen and in earth and therevpon ascendeth into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God which is noted in Daniel chap. 7. 13. that after Christ the son of man was come into the worlde he went vnto the auncient of dayes and to him was giuen power glory and kingdome that all people nations and tongues should serue him Of both these sorts of kingdomes Daniel intreateth chap. 2. and 7. And as touching the terrestriall kingdomes which tyrannized ouer the Iewes before the comming of Christ in the flesh they are noted to be foure the first of the Babylonians the second of the Medes and Persians the third of the Macedonians the fourth of the Seleucidae and Lagidae And of these foure Daniel prophecieth either ioyntly of all together or seuerally of some of them In the second seuenth chapters of them all together resembling them in the second chapter by an Image the golden head whereof figureth the Babylonians the breast and armes of siluer the Medes and Persians the belly and sides of brasse represent the Macedonians his legges of yron and his feete part of yron and part of clay resemble the Seleucidae Lagidae and in the seuenth chapter the same foure kingdomes are figured by 4. beastes the Babylonians by a Lyon the Medes and Persians by a Beare the Macedonians by a Leoparde the Seleucidae and Lagidae by the beast with tenne hornes 6 Seuerally he prophecieth either of the Babylonian Monarchy or of the rest His prophecies concerning the Babylonian Monarchy which also were fulfilled in his time are set downe chap. 4. and 5. Of the three other and especially of the last because that especially was to afflict the people of the Iewes he prophecieth againe in the 8. and 11. chapters In the 11. chapter to omit the rest the Angell promiseth vers 2. Dan. 11. 2. to declare the truth that is the true and proper sense meaning of the aforesaid visions concerning the three kingdomes which yet remained recorded chap. 2. 7. 8. And first as touching the kingdome of the Medes Persians he mentioneth but foure Kings because the rest did nothing memorable against Iuda verse 2. In the third verse he prophecieth of Alexander Verse 3. the great the mightie Monarch of the Graecians and of the diuision of that Empire into soure principall parts vers 4. Verse 4. which before was foretold chap. 8. 22. Of which diuision Ierome writeth thus Quo sc. Alexandro tricesimo secundo aetatis In Dan. 8. suae anno mortuo in Babylone surrexerunt pro eo quatuor duces eius qui sibi imperium diuiserunt Aegyptum enim Ptolemeus Lagi filius tenuit c. Alexander being dead in Babylon in the 32. yeare of his age there arose in his stead foure of his captaines who diuided the Empire among them For Ptolemy Lagides held Egypt Philip who also is called Arideus the brother of Alexander held Macedonia Seleucus Nicanor held Syria and Babylon and all the kingdomes of the East Antigonus ruled ouer Asia minor These foure kingdomes were by mutuall conflicts reduced to two vnder Seleucus Nicanor Ptolemy Lagides from whom did spring the kingdom of the Lagidae kings of Egypt on the South and of the Seleucidae or kings of Syria Babylon in the North. These two vsed to contend for Iudaea which lying in the midst betwixt them became a prey to the conquerers and was greeuously afflicted by them These two are the two legges and feete of the Image chap. 2. and also the fourth beast with tenne hornes chap. 7.