Doth not the holy Ghost teach us to speak much more truely Marke well the Prophecie of Ezec. 7. where he speaketh of the worst of the heathen coÌ„sider by the circumstances whether it can be understood of any but the Romans when it representeth that Empire unto us under the name of Iâ—on mixt with dyrt as the Emperor Tiberius was called Lutum sanguine maceratum dyrt mixt with bloud unles you will therefore call it golden because in filthines and Idolatrie it was like the old Babylon which was figured by the head of Gold or because it is the seat of the golden Harlot But of this else-where In the mean space I demand again where was the zeale of their Bishops to reforme or correct these enormities euen of the Christians where were their decrees or decretals to restrain them where was the courage of the Priests or Clergie to reprehend or censure them was there none amongst them all but that Tertullian of Carthage and Salvianus of Massilia must rise up to speak of it Videbat hoc universa urbs patiebatur videbant Iudices acquiescebant sayth he So here was Babylon and yet I confesse there was Sion also But Sion dwelling in Babylon Whereof the Prophet Zacharie after the returne from the first captivitie seemeth to speak saying Zach. 2. Deliver thy self o Sion Rev. 18. that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon And our Evangelist repeateth Come out of her my people shewing that the prophecie of Esay and Ieremie concerning her destruction are not yet fulfilled I demand then upon all these premisses whether any place can be found in the world qualified for to be the seat of Antichrist according to these Prophesies besides the Septimontane Rome and that Christian the mountain of holynes and yet Sodome the Temple of God and yet Egypt Sion and yet Babylon which euen in her best Christianitie retained the Barbarous crueltie the abhominable filthines and horrible idolatrie of Egypt Sodom and Babylon in their publike sights and shewes Theaters solemnities ceremonies common practise And no sooner did they suppresse those old Pagan Idolatries but they fell to this new Idolatrie of worshiping of Images which they still practise defend together with their ever accustomed filthines crueltie whereupon I must propose this Problem whether by any possibilitie or imagination of man these things can be applied to any other place but Rome II. Of the state of Antichrist THE next thing after the place which offereth it self to our senses and consideration seemeth to be the subject or bodie without which no Accident can consist and therefore used in the definition of Accidents especially Relatiues which cannot be without their Correlatiues as a father cannot be so called but in respect of his sonne nor a Monarch or king but in respect of his monarchie kingdome or state Politike subject unto him And this also must be proportionable as we said before of Relatiues For as great things must haue great places so a great and mightie Monarch must haue a great state under him And as by the greatnes of the place we may measure the body so by the greatnes of the state subject to any Prince we judge of the greatnes power of the Prince himself We haue seene alreadie a great place appointed for Antichrist Let us now see the greatnes of the state and bodie politike that must be subject unto him and support him And this also hath not been neglected in the H. Scriptures but is set forth and described in divers places especially three as the best Interpreters do obserue which also do concurre and haue good correspondence with the prophecies concerning his place aboue specified First in the seuenth chap. of the prophet Daniel Secondly the 13 ch of the Rev. And thirdly the 17 ch of the Rev. which places agree in some things and differ in others and that agreement and those differences together with the reasons thereof deserue to be narrowly sifted First in Daniell we finde a great and terrible Beast with ten hornes and amongst the rest a litle horne rising up c. In the 13 of the Rev. we fynd two beasts one rising è mari out of the Sea as all the beasts in Daniel with tenne hornes c. the other rising e Terra In the 17 chap. of the Rev. we fynde a great beast with ten hornes and a whore sitting on his back Let us first consider of the description of this great beast rising out of the sea in the 13 ch of the Rev. where he seemeth to be most fully set forth positiuely and after comparatiuely Here therefore the great beast rising out of the sea is described first in his existence or parts Secondly in his power actions For his existence and parts it is first said to be a beast rising out of the sea Secondly having seauen heads Thirdly ten hornes crowned Fourthly upon his heads were names of blasphemie Fiftly his bodie like a Leopard Sixtly his feet like a beare And seuenthly his mouth like a Lion For his power and actions it is said 1 that the dragon gaue him his power and his throne and great authoritie 2 That one of his heads was wounded as it were to death but his deadly wound was cured 3 All the world wondered after the beast and worshiped the Dragon which gaue power to the beast and worshiped the beast saying Who is like to the beast Who is able to make warre with him 4 There was giuen him a mouth to speak great things and blasphemies 5 Power was given to him to doe and continue two and fortie months 6 He opened his mouth in blasphemie against God to blaspheame his name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in heauen 7 And it was giuen to him to make warre with the saints and to overcome them and power was giuen him over all kindreds tongues and nations And all that dwell upon earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the Book of Life and Loe here a strange and mightie beast Now what is meant by the name of a beast rising out of the sea the prophet Daniell telleth us For he saith plainly Dan. 7 23. that it signifyeth a kingdome rising upon the earth And the fourth Beast saith he is the fourth kingdome Which seemeth to be the same that is here spoken of The prophet Ezechiel useth the same phrase Ezce 19 17. saying Wherefore laye thy mother as a Lyonesse among the Lyons c. And againe the great Eagle c. Now if this be a kingdome which is spoken of by our Euangelist of necessitie it must be some verie great and mightie kingdome for so it appeareth by all parts of the description especially where it is said that all the world woâ—shipeth it And in the question that is asked Who is able to warre with him paralel to that question asked in another place What cittie is like to this great cittie As
the description also of this beast here is almost the same with that which is expressed in the 17 chap. of this Book I ask then what kingdome or Empire can be understood in this place Surely he that will say that this beast here and the beast in the 17 chap. do signifie any other kingdom beside Rome must produce some other great Empire to whom the seaven heads and the other attributes there given unto it may be applied aswell as to the Roman which no man yet could ever do Let us therefore see the description of this mightie Empire comparatiue and wherein it doth agree or differ from that which is described by the Prophet Daniel and by this our Euangelist in the 17 ch The fourth Beast saith the Prophet comming out of the sea was fearfull and terrible and verie strong It had great Iron teeth it devoured and brake in peeces and stamped the residue under his feet it was unlike the other beasts for it had ten horns there came up among them another little horne before whom three of the first hornes were plucked away and in this horne were eyes like a man and a mouth speaking presumptuous things And this fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdome and shall be unlike to all kingdomes and shall devour the whole earth and tread it downe and breake it in peeces and the teene hornes out of this kingdome are ten kings and another shall arise after them and he shall be unlike the first and shall subdue three kings And shall speak words against the Most High and think that he may change times and lawes and they shall be given into his hands untill a time times and half a time But the judgment shal sit and they shall take away his dominion to consume and destroy it unto the end This is Daniels description of the fourth Monarchie Let us heare again how the Euangelist describeth it in the 13 chap. I saw a beast rising out of the sea having seuen heads Rev. 13. and ten hornes so Daniell and upon his hornes ten crownes upon his heads the names of blasphemie And the Beast which I saw was like a Leopard and his feete were as the feete of a Bear his mouth as the mouth of a lyon and the dragon gaue him his throne and great authoritie and I saw one of his heads as wounded to death but the deadly wound was healed and all the world wondred and followed the beast and they worshiped the dragon which gaue power to the beast saying Who is like to the beast who is able to make warre with him so Daniell it shall devour the whole earth c. And there was giuen unto him a mouth that spake great things blasphemies power was giuen him to continue 42 months And he opened his mouth in blasphemie against God to blaspheme his name his Tabernacle and them that dwelt in heauen And it was giuen unto him to make warre with the Saints and to overcome them and power was giuen him over everie kindred tongue and nation Therefore all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the booke of life of the lambe which was slayn from the beginning of the world In the 17 chap. of the Revelation it is thus The woman sate upon a scarlet beast full of names of blasphemie Rev. 17. which had seuen heads and ten hornes so in the former prophecies And the beast which thou hast seene was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pitte and shall goe into perdition And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world when they behold the beast that was and is not and yet is Here is the minde that hath wisdome The seuen heads are seuen mountains they are also seuen kings fiue are fallen one is another is not yet come and when he cometh he must continue a short space And the beast that was and is not is the eight is of the seuen and shall go into destruction And the ten hornes which thou sawest are ten kings which yet haue not receaved a kingdome but shall receaue power as kings at one houre with the beast These shall haue one minde and shall giue their power athoritie to the beast These shall fight with the Lamb and the Lambe shall overcome them the ten hornes shall hate the whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and shall burne her with fire They that be of indifferent Iudgment may see in that Prophecie of Daniell many things that cannot be applyed to Antiochus or to the kingdome of the Seleucidae Vide Brightmâ— in Dan. 11. As first the great power of this fourth kingdome which the Prophet setteth forth in more terrible dreadfull manner then any of the former But was the kingdome of the Seleucidae more terrible or more powerfull then the Assirian and Caldean the Median and Persian or the Grecian Monarchie was Antiochus any way comparable to Nabuchadnezzar Cyrus or Alexander Did he devour the whole earth Also this fourth kingdom shall think to make changes of times or lawes Dan. 7. c. did Antiochus so Besides by the words of Daniel it may seem that the fourth kingdom shall continue untill the finall judgment which cannot agree to the Seleucidans Letting therefore that opinion passe as a Iewish conceit approved by none of the ancient that I can finde Hieron in Daâ— but Porphyry some few of late that are too much addicted to the Rabbins I thinke there is litle doubt to be made but although some things may be applyed to Antiochus Hieron in Dan 2 4. Quartum regu perspic ue pertinet ad Rom. August Nich de Lyra. Antoninus Marsil Fic Sleidan Napier in Apoc. Abbat demonstr Antâ—chr Pâ—raeus Not. Geneven c yet this beast here signifieth the Roman Monarchie and the little horne signifieth Antichrist shadowed in some things by Antiochus And so I finde the opinion of the ancient and best interpreters Then to goe forward and see what points these two excellent and divine Prophets apply to the Roman Empire and wherein they agree or differ And truly to my understanding they seeme to agree in seuen points verie materiall 1. In the rising of this beast which both affirm to be out of the sea 2. In the name a Beast that is a Kingdom as the Angel expoundeth it not one King individuall although if he did say a King we may understand well enough the whole succession as where he saith Thou o King art that head of Gold 3. In the attribute which they give unto him Great strength and power unmatchable and unresistable 4. In his disposition most cruell and bloudy 5. In the instruments of his power Ten horns that is ten Kings 6. In his Warre against the saincts prevailing against them 7. In
of one bodie so is Christ for by one spirit we are all baptised into one bodie c. And this that divine Apostle himself learned of the words of our Saviour Christ from heauen Saul Saul Act. 9. why persecutest thou me Now according to these different acceptions of these two words let us consider of the word Antichrist and to whom it may be applied And first for the name of Vicarship The Pontifex max. of Rome who is the seauenth head or king of the Roman state and confesseth and professeth himself to be head Governour of Rome he also confesseth and professeth himself to be the Vicar of Christ and of God and in this sense the name agreeth unto him and so his advocates and followers affirme him to be But as the word Antichrist signifieth an enimie to Christ it is by them all stoutly denied that the Pope is that Antichrist Let us come therefore to the touch that is the text where Antichrist is named and thereby learne how the word is to be understood The first place where it is expresly named is in this our Apostle S. Iohn Who is a lyer sayth he but he that denyeth that Iesus is the Christ 1 Iohn 2 22 The same is the Antichrist And againe 1 Iohn 4. Everie spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God 2 Iohn 7. but this is the spirit of the Antichrist These be all the places where I can finde the verie name used in the New Testament It may percase seeme strange to finde it in the old and yet there it is to be found and that in a most excellent prophecie though not the same in letters yet the same in sence and signification Psal 2. The kings of the earth set themselues sayth the Prophet and the princes assembled against the Lord and against his Anoynted This Psalme if we marke it well conteyneth in brief words the summe and effect of all the Prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation concerning the enemies of the Church and namely Antichrist and that appeareth in seauen particulars First the rage and furie of the enemies 2 their joyning together against God and Christ and their intention to shake off the yoke of Christ Iesus 3 the providence of God for his church sitting in heauen as in a watch-tower watching over his enemies laughing them to scorne 4 the meanes which God useth to defend them by setting Christ to raigne in his church 5 the anoynting of our Saviour in his eternall generation and arming him with regall and soveraigne power to suppresse all his enemies 6 a loving and serious advise to all Princes and Rulers of the earth to beware to whom they cleaue and adhere either to Christ or to his enimies And lastly an assured promise of happines to all those that trust in him Behold then an excellent Prophecie and the same is touched againe in the 89 Psalme and other places Psal 89 51. But to our purpose Psal 2 2. The word in this Psalme is Al-Meshico against his Anoynted wherein Messhiah as it is commonly known signifieth Annointed or Christ And the preposition Al or Gnal in Hebrue is taken as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke not onely for adversus but for juxta or secundum and sometimes super In the second signification that is juxta or secundum it is accepted by the Pope neither is it denyed by him or his followers in the third signification which is super if we take the name of Christ either for his mysticall bodie for therein he affirmeth himself to be aboue the Church to be head thereof of if we take the name Christ for all that are anoynted namely kings prophets and priests he affirmeth himself to be superiour and aboue them also which is a speciall note of Antichrist as S. Paul sayth He shall exalt himself aboue all that is called God or that is worshiped Neither do I finde 2 Thes 2. that ever any Emperor Prince Prelate or Potentate but onely the Pope tooke upon him the names either of Vicarius Dei or Christi Generalis or Caput ecclesiae catholicae or to be super ecclesiam catholicam not the Emperors of Rome not the Turke nor any other But the onely thing that they stand upon is as I said before that he is not adversarius Christi personally and therefore not Antichrist But how can this be For Christ is in heauen and Antichrist for all his malice power cannot touch him there Let us therefore examine the places of Scripture aforesaid where the name of Antichrist is used and we shall easily perceiue that the name of Christ cannot neither ought to be taken for his person For Christ cannot be found personally present upon earth but either spiritually according to his graces or sacramentally in the Sacrament or appellatiuely as the name is communicated to others or mystically as to the Church So therefore must the name of Antichrist be taken for an enimie to the graces Sacraments or ministers of Christ and that not individually in one person but spiritually in his works or appellatiuely in succession For otherwise it can not expresse the true intention or effect of the thing for the Emphasis or principall force of the sentence in all the places aforesaid resteth upon the word Christ that is Anointed as in the first place He that denyeth our Saviour is the Anointed he is Antichrist 1 Ioh. 2 so in the second and third places 1 Ioh. 4 He that denyeth that the Anointed Saviour is come into the world is Antichrist So in the Psalme The kings and princes set themselues against the Lords Anointed Now the ointment wherewith our Saviour was anointed was the fulnes of the graces of the H. Ghost as the scripture testifieth 1 that he was full of grace Iohn 1. Hebr. 1. 2 that he was full of truth 3 that by himself he purged our sinnes 4 that he is made to us wisedome 1 Cor. 1. 5 Iustification 6 sanctification And 7 redemption such like Now he that denieth these graces in our Saviour and fighteth against those that ascribe these graces unto him he or none must be the Antichrist for other warres against Christ who sitteth in heauen at the right hand of God cannot be made Who then are those that send us to other Mediators and Intercessors namely to the virgin Marie the Apostles and Saints to speak and pray for us if it be the Pope his followers then I aske them why or for what reason they will haue us so to do if they do acknowledg our Saviour to be full of grace why do they send us to others if our sinnes make us unworthie to goe to him that calleth us to himself how many we go to the virgin Marie or the H. Apostles who do not call us Is he not as full of grace that calleth us as they that call us not Is he not
locis ecclesiae and yet confesseth that Antichrist must continue to the end Let the whole place be considered Howsoever it be it can not be said that this question was so well ventilated in those times as it hath been of late Then for answer I demand what or how much the question will be altered if the Pope be acknowledged to be Antichrist though he be not proved to be that Antichrist what difference will it make in the end Must not all true Christians beware avoide detest everie Antichrist But to the point It is coÌ„monly known in Grammer schooles that this particle Ho in Greeke is not alwayes used significantly nor in a significant use is it alwaies taken to signifie a particular and individuall person nor yet in particulars is it alwaies used to note Eminence or singularitie Sometimes and that verie frequent it is used indefinitely many times it is joyned with a name of multitude or with a name of succession He that hath any knowledge in the Tongues may easily obserue that Ho in Greeke is not so Emphaticall as Ha in Hebrew or the in English which yet is sometimes emphaticall and sometimes not For in the same chapter where it is said Ho Antichristos in the same it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Ioh. 2. he that sayth he is in light and hateth his brother is in darknes And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The lust of the flesh the pride of life c. and the verie last word of that Epistle is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keepe your selues from Idols So in other places it is joyned with names indefinite as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in another place with the name of Christ Ephes 5. to signifie his mysticall body consisting of a multitude successiue under one head immortall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth he so is Christ Hebr. 9. Abbat in demonst And in another place it is joyned expressely with a name of personall succession 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is ever translated thé High-Priest once a yeare entred into the holy place there spoken of 1 Pet. 2 17. So in another place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Honour the King Will any man say it was meant onely of one king And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Highpriest Hebr. 13 11 And the use of Ho in these places wherein it cannot be meant of one singular Priest or King is so like and paralell to the use of it in the name of Ho Antichristos that I see not what difference can be made betweene them Yet if any will not take this for a sufficient answer let him well consider how he can answer the problems following by which I thinke it will appeare that the Pope is not onely an Antichrist but euen that Antichrist whereof the Scripture speaketh Forasmuch as the Prophecies can be verified of none but of him and that not of one alone but of the whole succession And therefore to proceede to the Names I desire the Reader to examine whether any of the six names that I shall now produce do not fully agree to the Pope and to all the Popes that haue bèen in Rome since the time of Pope Constantine and if these names do agree I must demand How it can be denied but that they and everie one of them is Ho Antichristos that Antichrist The second name therefore is Pontifex maximus or summus the Higest or Great Priest This name I am sure they will not deny to their Pope and likewise I am sure that they will deny it to any other unlesse it be to our Saviour Christ To our Lord it belongeth of right if any other take it upon himself it must be by usurpation and such an usurper of the right and title of our Saviour Christ must be Antichrist It was never given to any by God but to our Saviour Christ Melâ—hisedeck is called a Priest of the High God Hebr. 6 20. and 8 1. Aaron is called an High Priest our Saviour Christ the High Priest and the great Sheepheard of our soules Ecce Pontif. sum qui non eget alieno ex piarisauguine Aug. medit and such like titles but the title of the Highest or Greatest belongeth to none but peculiarly to our Saviour Christ I aske then first whether the Pope of Rome do not declare himself an enimie to Christ in that he doth exalt himself aboue all that is called God or that is worshiped in taking a name upon him higher and greater then was ever giuen to the sonnes of men not to Aaron the holy not to Phinehas the zealous not to Iehojada the worthie not to Iehoshua the noble not to Simeon the glorious not to Iohn the fore-runner nor to Melchisedek the royall and singular everie one in his time the type of our great and eternall High Priest farre aboue them all whose consecration is eternall whose Priesthood is eternall Hebr. 7 16 24. 6 8. 9 10. whose entrie into the Holy place is eternall whose oblation is eternall whose sacrifice is eternall whose mediation is eternall and whose presence in his Church is eternall Againe the Apostle proveth the excellencie and divinitie of our Saviour farre aboue all Angels because he hath received a more excellent name Doth not the same argument proue that the Pope in taking an equall name maketh himself equall in dignitie therefore never durst any of the faythfull Martyrs or Bishops of the primitiue Church take upon him this name of Summus or Maximus Pontifex never any of the Holy Patriarks or Prophets never any of the divine Euangelists never any of the most blessed Apostles for they all knew it belong onely to that great High Priest whose Priesthood is for ever And how darest thou O miserable mortall man take upon thee a name so divine as to be called the Highest or Greatest Priest whilst he is living to whom it so inseparably belongeth Why dost thou not also directly call thy selfe Christ as well as the Highest Priest which is equivalent I demand againe whether in taking this name thou dost not proclaim that thou dost deny that our Lord Christ Iesus is now the Highest or Greatest Priest and so professe thy self to be his enimie and claime to be aboue him seeing it must be confessed that if the Pope be greatest then Christ is not the greatest For two may be great but of two each of them cannot be greatest no more then two can be infinite or two principall But say they Christ is in heauen Head of the Triumphant Church Panorm the pope is onely head of the church militant upon earth O blaspheamerâ— is not Christ Iesus truly God in earth as present by his power Enter praesenter Deus est ubique potenter Ps 139 Sed familiarius in electis pergratiam to rule the church militant as in heauen How then darest thou sitting onely at Rome proclaim thy self Head of the universall
himselfe to be the thiefe and restore the stollen goods to the right owner But as the acknowledgement of error and of injurie is not to be expected from him or his who loue the world the pompe glorie and power thereof a little too well to resigne their Soveraigntie So in all these courses whilst he thinkes cunningly to hide himselfe he bewrayes himselfe the more to be ANTICHRIST unto such as haue spirituall eyes illuminated by grace from aboue to discerne trueth from falsehood Thus you see their Egiptian wisedome and what paines they take with those Magicall Iuglers Iannes and Iambres 2 Tim. 3 8. to conceale themselues and how much it concerns them so to doe On the other side it concernes us with Moses to relye upon the Hebrew simplicitie and sinceritie for our salvation but withall to be learned in all the Egiptian wisedome Act. 7 22. the better to discover Antichrist his clowdie walking that so diverse Controversies may be at an end For were he fully discovered then all that belieue in Christ and loue him and desire his glorious comming would hate this Monster who is like Iudas amongst the twelue a counterfeit Apostle carrying the bagge an Hypocrite playing the parte of a Vicar a Deputie a Substitute but from the stage appearing a naked ragged beggerly vacabond And doubtlesse his person being thus discovered his lawes and decrees would be rejected and Kings Princes and people would cast the Egiptian yoake from their overgalled neckes Yea such as thinke they doe now God good service in murthering the poore Lambs of Christ in all places for him would leaue him come out of his Babylonish profession and not so much as trade or trucke with him in the least exchange of those doubtfull commodities or touch any of those garments spotted with the flesh It cannot be denyed but Iesabell was once young and Chast and faire But this proues not that she is so now It cannot now be denyed but that she is full of wrinckles and a royall whore the Mother of fornication Rev. 2 20. fitte for all commers and withall painted to uphold her rotten reputation And we doubt not but God will stirre up some Iehu zealous perhaps for his owne interest if not for Gods to cause her owne Eunuchs those Fryars Monks and other Votaries 2 King 9 30 to throw her out of the windowe that he may treade her under his horses feete And doubtlesse as this shall in time come to passe by the powerfull preaching of the word which shall wast him by degrees 2 Thes 2. so as an effect of the word preached first the usurped authoritie of the Papacie and Roman Cleargie over Kings and Princes shall be broken and reformation shall begin where deformation came first into the Church So that Antichrist shall say as Hanniball once did Eadem arte qua prius cepimus Tarentum amisimus And this is with Iehu to treade Iesabel under foote Bellarmine confesseth that Constantine the Greate gaue the Pallace of Laterane Bellarm. li. 2 cap. 17. de Rom. Pontif. multa alia temporalia to the Pope Ditionem tamen spiritualem neque dedit ullam neque dare potuit So the spirituall dition made way for the temporall donation and then was poyson powred into the Church when the bountie of Princes sought to satisfie the ambition of Priests The Priests then grew downwards towards the earth and Princes then began to climbe upwards towards heauen And the coveteous Clergie finding the fayth of fewe for the faythfull are but fewe a verie little flock and oftentimes not very rich in wooll not to be so fruitfull as the superstition of many they nourished that profitable and liberall humour by their uttermost arte and from hence got S. Peter a rich patrimonie being dead who when he lived had scarse a house wherein to hide his head This temporall patrimonie graced with so holy a patronage as the reverenced name of S. Peter did speedily and mightily increase in all places especially where superstition was interteyned in the name and stead of true Religion and where Clergie men knew how cunningly to raise questions and quarrels under hand and then to intrude themselues as equall arbitrators and impartiall umpires but ever to manage and determine all for the advantage of the Catholike cause as they called it and for the ruine of particulars as it is reported of that Lawyer who decided the difference betwixte the lame man and the blinde concerning their oyster that each of them should haue a shell and he the meat Thus dealing for the Church by pretence themselues being mostly single and unmarried and so unsuspected to trade for the world and posteritie they had oportunitie to inrich themselues and their particular fraternities and to performe such actes with commendation because they pretended S. Peter and the Church not themselues as would haue been counted cousenage treacherie exaction oppression injustice and perhaps forgerie and Robberie if perpetrated by any other persons or to any other ends But the generall opinion of their Cause and Persons supposed and stiled sacred made all passe currant without question or controule Thus in a short time where they were lately glad to be graced by Kings Kings were now glad to be graced by them And where Kings had persecuted their predecessors for the trueth they now persecuted Kings for falsehood and chalenged the investiture of such Princes by right upon whom their predecessors out of the opinion of their pietie and the superstitious desire to be inaugurated by so blessed an omen had been sometimes formerly invited or admitted to lay their holy hands Now therefore they began to cutte out large cantles of the earth for their owne share and made so manie sanctuaries and Citties of refuge that they incouraged malefactors who ought to haue represt them and gotte well by the bargaine too For they so mightily grew by this meanes that the world and the wealth of it was found with Priests and pietie was onely found with the poore the secular was onely regular according to Christ and the Regular was master of misrule in all secular affaires Marchandize forraigne negotiations and the Government civill and ecclesiasticall first by the civill and imperiall lawes after by the Cannon Law a Law of their owne was wholly moderated and managed by them Kings were made their wardes and deposed for Hereticks as soone as they once thought themselues of age to rule themselues and their people aright without their helpe Yea Mars himselfe was interteyned into their service and the Crosse of tribulation fayth and patience which was at first but a staffe in the hand of the Cleargie to support them in their constant sufferings was now perverted in the use and turned upwards in prosperitie and spirituall pride and so became a sword in everie Cleargie mans hand to invade and disturbe the peace of Christendome and Confession served as a secret racke or torture of Conscience a kinde of
church as well which is in Brittanie Germanie France Spaine Africa America and India parts where thou art not as at Rome and yet confine him to heauen as if he were wholly excluded from the earth who is here as present as there But they say againe the Pope claymeth onely as Vicar to Christ O still blaspheamer answer againe what hath a Vicar to doe in the presence of his superiour yea of such a Superiour who filleth heauen and earth and hath bound himself by speciall promise Ier 23. Matth. 28. to be with his church for ever Dost thou not in making thy self his Vicar deny his presence and in denying the presence of our Lord and Saviour Christ in his church deny him to be truly God Quid verba audiam cum facta videam Againe I aske whether thou dost not in this name usurpe the rights of our Saviour and so also declare thy self to be his enimie When the valiant King Edward the third of England intended warr against Phillip the French King he proclaymed himself King of France that was the beginning of the warr so everie Prince taketh it for a denuntiation of war when his neighbour Prince taketh his title And shall not we say that this is a publike proclamation of war by the Pope against our Saviour Christ when he taketh upon him the stile of Pont. Max. that properly belongeth to our Saviour and was never giuen truly to any man but to him yea doth he not exalt himself aboue Christ For Christ did not take it to himself but received it of his Father But the Pope taketh it to himself without the gift of any unlesse it were of Phocas the Murtherer of whom we shall speake hereafter Neyther yet doth he onely take this title to himself but other titles also not inferiour as caput and sponsus ecclesiae c. which onely belong to our Saviour I demand further whom doth he follow in this title Doth he follow Melchisedek or Aaron They were both called High Priests and they were indeede Types of our Saviour Christ the onely true High-Priest and ordeined by God for certeine signes that he should come and so had a lawfull calling But when the truth was come then all types were abolished yea and they also are abolished from Christ fallen from grace whosoever do use them Whereupon the godly Fathers do affirme that the Céremonies of the Law are now not onely mortuae but mortiferae not onely in use dead but to be used deadly And the reason is apparant for that whosoever doth use them doth deny that our Saviour is come in the flesh namely by using those Ceremonies which were Instituted to shew that he was not then come but to be expected But the Pope using the title of High Priest after the order of Melchisedek or of Aaron doth use a Ceremonie instituted to shew that Christ was not come in the flesh but was to be expected Therefore I aske Whether he doth not denye that Christ Iesus is come in the flâ—sh and so also declare himself to be Antichrist But if they will say that in taking this title upon him he followeth our Saviour Christ I aske by what authoritie or who calleth him to it No man sayth the Apostle taketh this title upon him saue he that is called of God as was Aaron And againe the Priesthood of Christ cannot passe from one to another The reason because Christ is God eternall who can haue no successor in his offices and therefore he that will take upon him to succeed Christ doth deny his divinitie as he that will be his Vicar by pretence of his absence Well if the Pope can shew no calling then I ask by what example or precedent if it were a title lawfull to be used why did none of the Apostles nor of the Disciples use it not Tuus not Timothie not Paul nor Peter not Iames the brother of our Lord Bishop of Ierusalem President of the counsell of the Apostles nor yet our Apostle S. Iohn which outlived all the rest and therefore might best do it In a word I finde none to whom this title of Summus or Maximus Pontifex hath any wayes ben applied but either Melchisedek or Aaron or to our Saviour Christ nor any that hath taken it upon them by humain authoritie but onely the Idolatrous Pontifex Maximus that was in Rome of whom I haue spoken before And if the Pope cannot justifie his highest and greatest Pontificalitie by some title from one or other of the three first it will fall out inevitable that he is the true and undoubted successor of the last And that is most consonant and agreeable to the words of our prophecie that Antichrist should be one of the seauen heads of Rome and namely that head of whom S. Iohn sayth He was and is not and yet is as is before proved Probl 2. The same also may be proved by his name Papa whereof divers haue made divers derivations but for my part I thinke none more probable then to say it cometh from one of the titles used or usurped by the old Roman Emperors which upon their coines were wont to stampe Pa. Pa. for Pater Patriae and now the Roman Prelate as he succeedeth them in the name of Pont. Maximus so he taketh that title of Papa likewise to proue himself their undoubted Successor I will not therefore stand here further to confute their pretence and claime to be Vicarius Christi although I might say that it cannot stand with the celsitude of a Pontifex max. to be but a Vicar neither can a Vicar dispense with the lawes of his superiour nor will I answer to Tu es Petrus and such like which haue been so many times answered by our learned divines neither do I think my self bound to refute the immoderate titles giuen to the Pope by S. Barnard or other late Doctors a pointe of this weight is not to be carried away with swelling phrases of Rhetorick but by evident testimonies of undoubted truth Certain it is that he who said Tu es Petrus never sayd Tu eris Pontifex Maximus nor Tu eris meus vicarius Chrysost no nor super hunc Petrum aedificabo c. neither did he giue any keyes to him more then to the rest of the Apostles But if I may speak my opinion this name Pontifex max. is the verie name of blasphemie written in the forehead of that purple whore euen that Antichrist c. So much therefore be spoken of this name of Pontifex Max. which the Pope taketh to himself A third title is Servus servorum Dei This attribute the Pope also and he alone accepteth acknowledgeth and useth it But this title was never giuen to any but by the godly prophet and patriarch Noah to the cursed Canaan whose Father was the scorner of that godly patriarch and his posteritie the mortall enimies of our Saviour Christ in his Church of Israell and so a type
the steps and degrees Nemo repente fuit turpissimus sayth the learned Poet but more learnedly ad summum non per saltus sed per gradus pervenitur sayth a Reverend Bishop so this Removing of the Empire was not all at once no more was the rising of the Pontificate but by degrees as by that which followeth may appear Therefore to obserue the proceedings of this remoue of the one and rising of the other I demande upon the 13 chap. of the Revelation whereof we haue spoken before Whether the time of that Rising be not there precisely pointed out when he sayth that Antichrist there signified by the second Beast shall worke before the face of the first Beast that is of the Roman Empire And I demande also Whether we may not well say that the Roman Empire began then sensibly to be removed when the Emperor Constantine removed the Imperiall Sea from Rome to Constantinople yet no man can say but the Imperiall power and the Majestie of an Empire continued still in Rome in the Consuls which dignitie the Emperors also themselues many times tooke upon them as I haue noted before This therefore may be well taken for a beginning of the Remoue of the one and Rising of the other which was about the yeare of our Lord 327 and but a beginning For the better assurance whereof let us first consider the Prophecies of the Scripture concerning the continuance of the Roman Empire and then see by Histories how they were fulfilled By the Euangelist we are taught that the first Beast that is Revel 13. the Heathenish Roman Empire should continue and make warr against the Saints two and fortie Months Rev. 12. So it is sayd in another place that the Holy cittie whereby we understand the Church of Christ should be trode under foote of the Gentiles two and fortie moneths and that the two witnesses of God should prophecie in sackcloth one thousand two hundred and sixtie dayes that these Prophets should be slayne Rev. 12. and rise againe after three dayes and an halfe and that the woman figuring the Church fled into the wildernes where she hath a place prepared of God a thousand two hundred and sixtie dayes and that there she should be nourished for a time times and a halfe time All which places do manifestly speak of the persecutions of the Church of the Paucitij Povertij of the Preachers and Teachers of Christian religion in those times and of the flight of Christians into the wildernes and other secret places to avoide the furie of those persecutions Deut. 18. 22 Nothing can better expound a prophecie then the event and fulfilling of it But it is manifestly and certeynly knowne that the persecutions of the church by the Heathenish Roman Empire ended about the yeare of our Lord 326. about which time the last Heathen persecuting Emperor Licinius was slaine and Constantine calling the Church out of the wildernes as in a Triumph caused that great and reverend Councell of Nice the first to be held wherein the Nicene Creede was publikely proclaymed to the utter condemnation and profligation of all Heathen superstitions and confutation of the great Heresie of Arius which then was newly begunne This time falleth out so agreeable to the prophecies on the one side and to the events on the other that it seemeth no doubt can be made but that here begann the Remoue For if we follow M. Foxes computation in the severall times aboue mentioned we shall finde that those severall Notations of time as they speake but of one thing that is the persecutions of the Church by the Roman Emperors so they signifie but one time namely two hundred ninetie four yeares the ende of which falling so certeyne in the dayes of Constantine do shew that the beginning must be accounted from the Ascention of our Lord in the yeare of Grace four and thirtie or there abouts For first a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes Note this limitation of a time two times and half a time in severall places seemeth to signifie severall times for in Dan. 7 25 26. it seemes to intend a cōtinuance of the time of the Roman state under the litle Horne unto the ende of the world But in Rev. 12.14 compared with Rev. 12 6. and Rev. 11.2 and Rev 13 6. it seemeth rather to signifie the time of the persecutions of the Church under the Heathen Roman Empire See the places make two and fortie moneths take everie moneth for seauen yeares as everie one of Daniels weekes were to be counted it maketh two hundred ninetie four yeares Secondly three dayes and an halfe or a time two times and halfe a time Reckon as our Saviour doth twelue hours to everie day and we finde two and fortie hours then account everie hour to be a sabbath of yeares and it maketh also two hundred ninetie and four yeares which being added to the yeares of our Saviours life upon earth being four and thirtie maketh 328 from his Nativitie Of the other side if we account the beginning of these yeares to be certaine Rev. 12. the continuance and end also will fall out evident But by the twelfth chapter of the Revelation it is manifest that the Dragon went out to persecute the Church when After that our Saviour was taken up into heauen so then reckoning these 294 yeares to beginne at the Ascention of our Lord we must adde the yeares of our Saviours life upon earth which was about four and thirtie yeares and it commeth fully to the yeare 328 about which time the said great Nicene Counsell was celebrated And so taking the beginning of our computation from the end of the persecutions in the time of Constantine about the yeare of our Lord 328 and reckoning backwards 294 yeares we come to the same yeare of grace 34 wherein was the Ascention of our Lord. So that both wayes whether that we expound the prophecie by the event or measure the event by the prophecie we are brought to the same yeare of our Lord 328. Now therefore no longer was the holy Cittie troden under foot of the Gentiles Now the Martyrs of God which had so long time prophecied in sackcloth and were slayne were againe revived in their Doctrine Now the two Witnesses of God the Old and New Testaments So expounded by his Majestie in Praefat. admonit with consent of the best Interpreters which were so long time hidden and as it were layd dead were brought to light and ascended into heauen that is in the Church which is called the kingdome of Heauen For now the Church of God returned out of the wildernes now the power of the Heathenish state of Rome to make warre against the Saints was ended though their Idolatrie as Baronius confesseth continued long after namely unto the end of another period whereof we haue spoken partly before and shall speake somewhat hereafter Not long before that time also arose that great Heretike
Constant for Primacie and Supremacie Gregorius Magnus anno 590 condemneth the title of Vniversall Bishop in the Patriarch of Constant yet if we beleeue Baron and some others was contented to hold the Supremacie and for that purpose wrote letters of great flatterie to Phocas the Murderer Sabinianus anno 604 did so much malice his Predecessor and advance Gregorie that he could hardly conteyne himself from burning his books Platina and after him Boniface the 3 4 5 and others all mainteyned their Supremacie the power of that Sea untill Constantine of whom we shall haue cause to speake hereafter Lo these were the Roman Prelates of those times whose Histories diligently collected and layd together Plessis are more at large to be seen in that excellent worke De Mysterio Iniquitatis Whereupon I demand Whether they do not fully answer the description made of this Beast rising out of the earth Out of earthly desires of Honour c. First here is another Beast or Monarchie unlike to any of the former and yet not of any certaine forme of Government alwayes ascending and striving to get supremacie sometimes by one meanes sometimes by another stirring up schismes and seditions patronising Heretikes contending with other Bishops yea with those heauenly Doctors and Lights of the world whom they could no way countervaile Athanasius Hilarius Augustin Aurelius and two hundred Bishops of Africa with him And yet pretending great humulitie and subjection to the Emperor as appeareth by the letters not onely of Vigilius to Anthinius and other principall Heretikes at the command of the Empresse but of Gregorie the Great also to Phocas the Murderer Yet by Schisme and faction seeking to get the place as oft as they could without their consent See more at large of these things in that Booke of Philip Marnay Where also you may reade what S. Hierom writeth of Rome in his time expressely calling it Babylon and the purple whore And telling them of their Riches covetousnes lewdnes and Lupercatia There are the Trophees of the Apostles and Martyrs there is the confession of Iesus Christ sayth he but there is also ambition and Tyrannie which keep men back from doing good Neyther he onely but Marcellinus I do not sayth he marvail considering the braverie of that cittie that men ambitious of that place set up their Rest for the purchasing of it For having once aspired thereunto they are sure to be inriched with the offrings of Ladies and Noblemen to be carried in their coaches sumptuously attyred and so magnificent in their feastes as passeth any kings table Many such testimonies collected are to be read in the discourse of that Learned Lord. But especially is to be observed what he hath diligently drawn out of Baronius where he sayth that Constantine in the 24 year of his raigne ordeyned that the Bishops of the Christian Law should from that time forward haue the same Priviledges which the Idolatrous Priests had in time past They had sayth he their Rex Sacrificulus and Pontifex Maximus And who can think that Constantine would long indure that they should exceed the Christians in Pompe and glorie So Baron their Cardinall and learned Annalist yeeldeth unto us freely confesseth a point of no small moment that this their Pontifex Maximus who now is in Rome succeedeth in priviledge Pompe and glorie to the Heathen Pont. Max. which was before in Rome Yet the same Baron sheweth also that Constantine first tooke the name of Pont. Max. to himself and giveth a reason for it namely that the Senate and people of Rome those that were yet of the Heathenish faction might not so easily be drawen to conspire against the Christian Emperors was it not a verie Christian policie think you And yet sayth he the Pope had the power of supreame judge in all causes So that this standeth most consonant with all Prophecies histories that these two Beasts were at one time both together in Rome and that the new Pont. Max. of Rome hath the power of the Pagan Pontif. But that his power appeared very slowly and that the Pontificall name in Temporall causes was for a long time verie base and obscure appeareth by the testimonie of the learned Guicciardin Guicc l. 4. and other Histories I demand therefore Whether we may not here see the manifest performance of this prophecie I Another Beast arising after the first in Rome and in the presence of the first 2 Arising by degrees out of the earth that is out of the earthly lusts and desires of riches luxurie Pompe and pride 1 Iohn 2. Iames 3. and also by earthly wisedome strife and envie 3 Having two hornes indeed that is a power temporall spirituall but short and weake and as Guicciardin sayth obscure and almost invisible as the Hornes of a lambe 4 Speaking like the Dragon that is contrarie to the Commandements of God Revel 13. as the Serpent did to our mother Eue but equivocally as Vigilius whom Baron himself calleth Antichrist did equivocate with Sylverius his Predecessor and Theodora the Empresse See the Historie in Platina And divers others of them did flatter equivocate with the Emperors The fifth consideration therefore is of his Actions The 6 of his works And the 7 of his Name But of his name I haue spoken before and of his marke I might referre the Reader to the writings of the Excellent Paraeus Napier Iunius upon the Apocalyps But I cannot omit the greate and learned Archbishop Antonin In summa where he sheweth that everie one that entreth into their Holy Orders receiveth a Character p. 3. t. 14. p. 4. t. 13. which he interpreteth to be principale instrumentum ordinis But in another place upon the place of the Apocalyps now in hand Apoc. 13. he expoundeth the Character of the Beast to be cultum Bestiae the worship of the Beast in his right hand that is sayth he in his spirituall works as fasting Almes prayer c. or in his forehead in outward appearance at the least and in outward conformitie We may also obserue that if we subscribe to the opinion of Irenaeus that the name of the beast is Latinus this is observed in all their prayers But considering well and comparing the opinion of Napier with Antonin both with the Text I cannot chuse but thinke the Character is expressed unto us in the superstitious use of the crosse which they make upon the forehead or otherwise with their right hands But for his Actions they are here somewhat largely set forth in this 13 chap. For first it is sayd that he exerciseth all the power of the first Beast before his face So did the Popes before the Emperors as I haue shewed before Secondly he causeth the earth and earthly minded men to worship the first beast So did the Popes to the Emperors while they were in power and continued Pontifices Max. Thirdly he doth great wonders making fire to
come downe from heauen in the sight of men So the Popes in fulminating their Excommunications out of the Church which is commonly called Heauen in this Apocalyps Fourthly he deceiveth men with these wonders So the Popes for they are but ignes fatui Prov. 26. causeles curses and so forcelesse Fiftly He sayth to earthly men that they should make the image of the first beast So the Popes in setting up another Pontificate with like power to the first Sixtly it was permitted to him to giue a spirit to the image of the Beast that he should speake So do the Popes animate this image of the first Pontificate And seauenthly to cause that as many as would not worship the image of the Beast should be killed Regall power of life death And whether the Popes haue not exercised that power let all men judge What part or point then of this description is not fully accomplished in the actions of the Popes aboue named Is it not manifest that the popes did exercise all the power and authoritie of the old Idolatrous Pont. Max. in Rome before the Emperors face who for a while held that title of Pont. Max. If we should deny it doth not Baronius himself affirme it The power of the first Beast is sayd to haue been in making warre with the Saints and prevayling against them Rev. 13. and over everie kindred tongue and nation And did not the Popes most stifly contend both with other Christians and with the godly Bishops of the Graecian and Easterne churches for appeales Supremacie untill they had obteyned it Did not Iulius enter into contention with the Orientall Bishops and amongst them S. Athanasius and reprehend them for holding a Counsell without his leave to confute the Heresie of Arrius Did not Liberius excommunicate the same worthie Father and saint Athanasius which made the godly Father S. Hilarie so bitterly to cry out The Pope in his first rising excommunicated by S. Hillarie Anathema to thee O Liberius and all thy Companions Anathema againe and againe to thee thou false hearted double dealing Liberius Doth not S. Hierom complain of the senate of Pharisees saying that there was not so mean a scribe of that faction of Ignorance but did conspire against him which made him to forsake Rome and returne to Ierusalem Did not Celestinus seeke with force and armes to restore Antonius a Bishop of Africa deposed by the Bishops of that countrie amongst whom were those Excellent bishops Aurelius Alipius S. Augustine which caused that godly and learned Father verie earnestly to put him minde of the words of S. Peter that he should not domineer over his Bretheren And did not most of them contend with the Patriarchs of Constantinople for Supremacie What was all this but warring against the Saints And when did these Contentions cease but when the Pope had prevailed against gotten the Supremacie over all these Christian Nations And after he had subjugated all Bishops how they haue continually made warre against other godly Christians namely the Valdenses Albigenses Wicklevites Hussites Bohemians and others everie man may read in the Histories of these later times Now if these things be so How can these prophecies be otherwise fulfilled then they haue been in these Roman Bishops To whom else can they be applied how may we expect any in time to come that may accomplish these prophecies if they be not alreadie It is not amisse here a litle to stay our contemplation and as far forth as the Sunne of Righteousnes and most pure light of truth shall illumine our understanding to search out the cause why the same blessed and all seeing spirit to whom all times are present would not onely represent the four Monarchies or Great Beasts of Idolatrie by four severall mettals but also why it pleased him to make choise of those Mettals viz. Gold Silver Brasse Iron and none other saue with the last there is mixed earth or clay Although the Prophet Daniel hath already shewed the chief principall reason yet if we finde any other reason thereof which is agreeable to the truth and no way repugnant to that holy prophecie I hope it will not seem unworthie of our consideration That the Babylonians Persians Greekes and Romans were all Idolaters is confessed and therefore they were aptly joyned together in one Image But why is this Image made of these severall mettals Surely somewhat may be found if we search into it He that hath commanded us to seek hath promised that we shall finde Thou O King art that Head of Gold Dan. 2. sayth Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar thou and thy Successors kings of Babel Why for you in your Idolatrous services use Gold Herod l. 1. Not. Genev. in Esa 46. Dan. 3. Thou worshippest an image all of gold the table before him is all of gold the Altar is gold and thou makest a Statue of gold to be worshipped And we may well thinke the Prophet Esay had some respect to this in calling it the Golden Babel The Persian Monarchie is resembled to Silver Esay 14. Why They and all the rest of Asia worshiped Diana with silver shrines The Grecians are likened to Brasse Act. 19. Why They made Statues of Brasse Herod l. 9. and dedicated presents of Brasse as the Brasen Triped Natal Comes li. 7. which gaue occasion to that great civill sacred warre The Romans Idolatrie is represented by Iron Why They for the most part offred Iron Armours as Romulus offred his Opima spolia being the Armour which Livy l. 1. he being Generall tooke from the Generall of his Enemies Which examples the Romans did much emulate as Virgil witnesseth of Marcellus Tertiaque arma patri suspendit capta Quirino Aâ—neid 6. Yea so eagerly were his examples followed that Rome was filled with bloudie armours Plutarch in Marcell making a very horrid spectacle sayth Plutarch Yet they had many Images of Earth as Iuvenall maketh mention of Fictitis Iupiter Petr. Crinitus hon dis l. 14. Non dubium est Romanorum regum temporibus lignea simulachra fictilia in urbe fuisse sayth another Their Great goddesse Vesta or Cybete the mother of their Gods was nothing but the Earth or focus urbis the hearth of the citie sayth Tully Matremque Deorum tellurem sayth Virgill S. Augustin also sheweth that Iupiter was nothing but the world Proserpina and Ceres the Earth And Arnobius witnesseth that their Images many of them were of earth Jeâ—â—g 2. such as perhaps Virgil speaketh of in that verse Oscilla ex alta suspendunt mollia pinu And now I demand whether doth not the Summus Pont. which the Romans haue now set up with Pompe and glorie like to the former Pagan Pontifex maintaine and command such images also to be worshipped And whether are not many of their Images now in use made of Playster of Paris and such like stuffe And doth he not now command them