with hādes which are similitudes exāples of true thynges but is entred into very heauen for to appeare now in the syght of God for vs not to offre hym selfe often as the hygh Priest entred into the holy place euery yeare with straunge blood for than must he haue often suffred synce the worlde begāne But now in th ende of the worlde hath he appeared once to put synne to flight by the offring vp of him selfe All those sayenges belong also to this purpose wich the apostles speake of Christ Iesus in this meanyng as these be Christ is of God made vnto vs wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 1. Corin. 1. God forbidde that I shoulde reioyce but in the crosse of our Lorde Iesu Christ by whom the worlde is crucified to me and I to the worlde Gal. 6. Also Ther is one God and one mediatour betwene God and men the man Iesus Christ 1. Timo. 2. If any man synne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous And he it is that obteyneth mercie for our synnes not for our synnes only but also for the synnes of all the worlde 1. Ioh. 2. Ther is non other name geuē vnto men vnder the sunne wherin they maye be saued but only the name of Iesu Act. 4. To this same ende perteyneth the voice of God the heauenly father wherwith he sounded once and eftesones frome heauē sayeng This is my welbeloued sonne in whō I am pleased Math. 13. 17. chap. Hereunto must the sayeng be referred that the Lorde him self by his holy spirite speaketh in Esaye the prophet I the Lorde This is my name and I will not geue my glorie to any other But the glorie of Christ our Lorde is this that he alone with his raunsomyng blood hath set vs free frō the tirannye of synne deathe hell and sathan and is therfore the Lorde of vs all that is to wete whom he hathe redemed with his owne blood which was shead for vs and so ought to be acknowlaged of vs all Concerning this glory and honour he saithe and professeth that he will geue it to none elles Out of which wordes of Christ it shall appeare by euidēt and stedfast demonstration that he is Antichrist who is Antichrist who so euer gothe about to robbe our Lorde and saueour Christ of this glorie and honour and take it vpon him selfe Who so euer than taketh vpon him selfe to geue remissiō of synnes the benefites of the grace of God the giftes of saluacion the kyngdome of heauen is Antichrist Who so euer taketh vpon him selfe that honour of priesthode to saye that he sacrificeth for the synnes of the worlde is Antichrist Who so euer maketh him selfe an intercessour to God the father for the quicke and the dead by any other reason or maner than we are cōmaūded to pray mutually one for an other according to the trade of the scriptures is Antichrist Who so euer also declareth that these giftes of our saluaciō which we haue now rehearced either all together or singularly by them selues may be hade any wher elles than at our Lorde Iesus Christ only and teacheth men to seke them elles wher than at him alone which was offred for vs once for all now sitteth bodily in heauen he setteth out vnto vs a false Christ yea euen Antichrist and is of the nombre of those false prophetes whom Christ our Lord rekoneth vp here by name Wherupon this also shal euidently appeare vnto vs that Antichrist is not only one man by him selfe as we thought whan we wandred in the darknesse of popishe supersticion but that ther are many Antichristes as we shewed a litell before out of Iohn the apostle And yet ther is an head a certain chief ruler of this abominacion yea all these felowes haue a kingdome and a chief seate of their kingdome And he that occupieth it is that vndoubted very great chief Antichrist in whom the commō enemye of mankynde satā setteth furthe all his streynghtes all his might all his power and operacion yea and al his endeauours deceates fraudes subtilties and coūsailes to mennes vndoing and vtter destruction This mater we shall treate of in the thrid place so as we shall set furthe what is contayned in the scriptures hereof with the most playne demonstracion that we possiblie can But forasmuche as the holy sacred scripture in many places as we haue allready noted speaketh of this abominable busynesse of Antichrist it wolde be a worke of great labour and trouble and a worke that should bring in more darkenesse than light if we wolde studie to bring furth al the places of the prophetes apostles that are touching this mater Therfore out of al we wil chose only two which ypoūde vnto vs al this ado throughly al his misteries most plaīly painted out The furst is of Daniel whose writinges in this behalfe ought worthely to be hade in most highe credence and autoritie with vs inasmuche as we may see the same thinges rehearced of Christ our Lorde in this chaptre who also dothe moue vs to the diligēt reading and knowlage Math. 24 of it And that other shal be taken out of Paule the noble and excellēt apostle of Christ which also is called the electe vessell and instrument of Act. 9. God and being rapte in to the thrid heauen sawe secretes of the kingdome 2. Cor. 1◠of heauen wiche can not be expressed with tongue The prophet of God and desirous man Daniel being by diuine reuelaciō taught the ordre of the thinges that shoulde happen from his tyme to the last ende of the worlde and mynding to haue the same notified vnto them that shoulde com after him writeth on this sorte I sawe in my vision by Dan. 7. night and beholde the foure wyndes of the heauen stroue vpon the sea and foure great beastes came vp from the sea not one like an other The furst was like a Lyon and yet had he eagles winges I sawe that his winges were plucte from him and he taken awaye from the earthe that he stode vpon his fete as a man and that ther was geuen him a mannes hearte Beholde the seconde beast was like a Beare and stode vpon the one syde Among his tethe in his mouthe he had .iij. great long tethe it was saide vnto him Arise eate vp muche fleshe Thā I loked and behold ther was an other like vnto a Leoparde this had winges as a foule euē vpō the backe This beast hade foure heades ther was power geuen him After this I sawe in a vision by night beholde the fourthe beast was grymme and horrible and maruelous strong It hade great yron tethe it deuoured and destroyed and stamped the residue vnder his fete It was farre vnlike the other beastes that were before it for it hade ten hornes wherof I toke good hede And beholde ther cam vp among them an other litel horne before whom ther
this senteÌ„ce conteyned in the worde of God and in the holy articles of our faithe For we learne by bothe that our Lorde Iesus Christ is the only waye the only doore and gate of saluacion wherby we may entre in to the kingdome of heauen Furthermore they teache vs that Christ Iesus is the only head of his churche the only and chief priest the only sacrifice for the synnes of the worlde and the only mediatour and aduocate vnto God the father for maÌ„kinde so that as many as vouchesafe to beleue in him shall lyue for euermore and as many as will not receaue and acknowlage him to be their saueour shal be vtterly cast awaye Hereof we haue testimonies occurraunt in euery place of the scriptures For Christ our Lorde speaketh alowde saieth with plaine wordes I am the life the light and the truthe No maÌ„ cometh to the father but by me Io. 14. Also Io. 10. Verily I saye vnto you I am the dore of the shepe Al euen as many as came before me are theues and murtherers but the shepe hearde them not I am the dore by me if any man shall entre he shal be saued and go in and come out and shal fynde pasture And a litel after I am that good shepheard A good shepehearde geueth his life for his shepe To the same purpose are many other such like sayenges in other places as these Come to me all ye that labour and are heauy laden and I shall geue you rest Math. 11. If any man thirst let him com to me drinke He that beleueth in me as the scripture saithe ther shal flowe ryuers out of his bely of lyuing water Io. 7. Also This is the worke of God that you beleue in hym whom he hathe sent I am the bread of life He that cometh to me shal hongre no more and he that beleueth in me shall thirste no more Io. â— To the same effecte we must referre the wordes that we reade the apostles spake and wrote by the inspiracion of the same spirite Petre speaking of Christ before the priestes Act. 4. saithe This is the stone that was refused of you builders which is the chief of the corner and ther is saluacion in non other For ther is noÌ„ other name vnder heauen geueÌ„ vnto meÌ„ wherin we most be saued And the apostle Paule iudgeth hym self to knowe nothing but Iesus Christ eueÌ„ him that was crucified 1. cor 2 And in an other place God forbyd that I should reioyce but in the crosse of Iesu Christ Gala. 6. Also Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners of whom I am chief 1. Tim. 1. And agayne For Christ was not offred vp often but once for all to take awaye the synnes of many Hebr. 9 Ther is one God and one mediatour betwene God and men the man Iesus Christ 1. Timo. 2. c. And what doo all these places reporte els but that Iesus Christ alone is geuen vnto vs of God the father that we might be saued in hym setting all our hole fayth assuredly on him seyng by only fayth we haue free accesse vnto hym Hereof than this must nedes folowe that we must recken them vndoubtedly cast awaye from saluacion and as Iohan baptist sayeth vnder the wrathe of God that will not beleue in him Finally yf we will beleue in Christ Iesus we must of necessitie acknowlage hym to be the only saueour of the worlde after suche sorte as the scriptures purporte hym to be But that shalt thou neuer doo nor neuer shalt be hable to doo yf thou wilt folowe the bishop of Rome and receaue his faythe and doctrine For howe shalt thou acknowlage Christ to be the only heade of the churche yf thou say the bishop of Rome is the heade of the same also How shalt thou also confesse Iesus Christ truly to be the chief highe Priest of all the hole worlde yf thou wilt acknowlage the bishop of Rome also to be the head and vniuersall bishop or priest of all churches How shalt thou beleue Christ to be thy only righteousnesse and satisfaction yf thou seke to be saued by the ryghteousnesse of thyne owne workes merites How shalt thou be hable to beleue Christ to be the only sacrifice for the synnes of all the hole worlde and that he beyng offred vpon the aultare of the crosse made full satisfaction vnto his fathers righteousnesse yf thou wilt confesse that he in his owne naturall humane body is offred vp daily by dronkeÌ„ hooremoÌ„ging filthy varlettes I meane the greasy masse priestes for the synnes both of the quicke of the dead How shalt thou beleue that Christ Iesus is the only mediatour and aduocate of al men if thow praye and call vpon the sayntes departed coÌ„tinually to be mediatours for thee Finally with what faithe shalt thow acknowlage Christ to be the only waye of saluacioÌ„ and the doore of true blessednesse if thou stryue to goo to heauen by the merites of thyne owne workes that is to say by fasting shryuing masses staciones and by the protectioÌ„ and aide of popishe bulles and pardones or by broiling in the burnyng colle pitte of the popes purgatorie Doest thow not see that this gaire is cleane contrary repugnauÌ„t to that faithe which teacheth vs to sticke to Christ alone Therfore thow must of necessitie confesse that thow cannest not chose but be most farre of from beleuing faithfully in Christ if thow wilt folowe the doctrine of the B. of Rome and embrace the faithe that he setteth furthe And if thow be voide of faithfull beleuing in Christ doubtles the wrathe of God abideth vpon thee in that thow wilt not geue credence to the sonne of God So that in case thow goo on still in thy infidelitie once receaued and contynue still a membre of the popishe faith and of that popishe churche thow cannest loke for non other iudgement but to be cast with thy head Antichrist at the last daye in to vnqueÌ„ceable fire For here appeareth no maner of meane for vs but either we must be saued by him which only hathe saluacion in him felf or be excluded from him and be damned for euer more Therfore the papistical faithe and religion must not be reckoned a certain light ignoraunce and tryfling errour which thow maiest easily excuse nother must we beleue that any man in all the world can be saued in case he sticke stubbernly vnto it In this behalf most louing brethren in Christ our soules are in hasarde it is their cause that is in hande yea and so in hande that we may make them bounde slaues through our wilfull stubburnesse vnto eternall damnacion And therfore the mercifull and most gentill harted doctour of all the worlde Iesus Christ as he instructeth vs in al other thinges so he geueth vs faithfull warnyng in this behalf For in Matthewe he biddeth Matth. 7. vs beware diligently of these false ê“phetes that we should obserue them and note them in
were three of the furst hornes plueked awaye c. And forasmuche as by this litle horne the mysterie of Antichrist is figured as it shal herafter be declared we must furst of all marke well the furst parte of the prophetes vision And hauing gottē an angel to interprete it to him he learned that by these foure beastes foure Kinges or Monarkes also foure Monarchies kingdomes are figured that is to saye euen the same that the heathē writours make reporte of in their bokes of histories surely they came out by the wynde of Goddes prouidence stering the great Oceane sea of all the worlde The furst is the kingdome of the Babilonianes or Assirianes vnder whose dominion and power Daniel was than in subiectiō And this kingdome is cōpared to the Lyon that had eagles wynges For like as the lyon is the noblest among the foure foted beastes as a king hathe power ouer the residue of beastes euen so the kingdom of Babilon or of the Assirianes excelled among all other kingdomes in streynght valeauntnesse nobilitie preeminence also in spedie incredible fortune of victories and successes it ranne through all the worlde rounde about as it hade ben a most swifte Eagle Neuertheles bicause the princes of it were prowde disdaynous hault beganne to haue God in contempt to muche folishely to chalenge all the glorie to their owne puissaunce the winges of it were pluete awaye whan the fortune of victories was taken from it it was set on his fete as men be in suche wise doubtles as the kynges therof being by Goddes iudgement throughlye tamed shoulde knowe them selues to be men bothe mortal fraile The seconde is the kingdome of the Persiās that was aduaūced to so highe power of their most victorious king Cyrus that it wāne the monarchie Empire of all the worlde This kingdome bicause it was exceading great houge beyond measure therfore very hard to be kept in subiectiō is compared to a Beare which is a mightie houge beast a folishe And it is said of him that he deuoured muche fleshe and that he helde in his tethe three great tethe For like as Cyrus extēded the limites of his Empire farre and wide euen so he occupied by and by at the begynnyng of his Empire three most large kingdomes that is to wete of the Persianes Medes Babilonianes The thrid kingdome is the kingdome of the Macedonians or Grekes the furst autor wherof we reade was Alexandre the great This kingdome the holy goost cōpareth to the Leoparde that hade foure winges and was harnessed wyth as many hornes Hereby is noted the wylie subtil and craftye natural witte of the people of the grekes which wrought their maters almost wyth subtilties wyles like the Leoparde which is an exceding wylie beast The wynges also betoken that notable peerles celeritie of Alexandre the great who wythin a fewe yeares space wyth his stering of warres went cleane ouer Asia and Aphrike and subdued them vnder his owne dominion But this leoparde is in sight armed wyth foure hornes forsomuche as after the deathe of Alexander the great the hole Empire was diuided of his owne mē whom he made gouernours in to foure kingdomes that is to wete the Egipcianes Sirianes Asianes and Macedonianes The fourthe kingdome is the kingdome of the Romaynes which for victorious streynght vnshrynking courage shameles audacitie power crueltie and most merciles tyrannye is cōpared to a newe and vnknowne beast that hathe no certayn name For it is manifest that the people of the Romaynes being most gredye of Empire and large autoritie occupied all the kingdomes of the worlde dilated the coastes of their empire farre and broade deuoured all regiones with their insaciable gredynesse brought all naciones and people in subiection gathered all the substaūce richesse of the hole world in to their owne citie and trode tare and stroyed all naciones vnder the cruell fete of their ambicion In these mennes empire and monarchie Daniel describeth all the mysterie of Antichrist in these wordes This beast hade tē hornes wherof I toke good hede And beholde ther growed out an other litle horne among them before whō three of the furst hornes were broken plucked awaye And behold ther were hornes in this horne lyke the eyes of a man a mouth speaking presumptuous thinges semed more stoute thā the other Which horne also whan I loked on made bataile with the saintes and preuailed against them vntil the olde aged came iudgement was geuen to the saintes on hye til the appointed time was come that the saintes shoulde haue the kyngdome Al these thinges I say Daniel was taught in vision concerning the mysteries of Antichrist and the interpretaciō of the same which he himself learned of the Angell and describeth here after in these wordes The fourth beast signifieth the fourth Kyngdome that shal be in the worlde which must diffre from al kingdomes and deuour all the earthe breake al to barste it And the ten hornes betoken that out of it ten Kynges shal ryse and after them ther shall ryse an other diffring frō the farther which shall oppresse throwe downe three kynges Be shall also talke of diuine maters but he shal trappe the holy saintes shal chalenge to him self to chaunge the state of tymes lawes which shal be deliuered vnto his autoritie whether it be a long space of tyme or a shorte Finally the iudgemēt is set they haue taken his dominion from him that he maye be vtterly wasted and destroyed But to the people of the holy saintes shal be delyuered the kingdome and dominion and largenesse of kyngdomes vnder al the heauē their kyngdome is an euerlasting kyngdome all high astates shal serue and obey him This verely is the interpretacion of the vision which was geuē to Daniel by the Angel teacheth by some certayn vnfallible markes that by this litell horne the great aduersarie of our saueour Christ euen Antichrist is represented For the Prophete sayeth that he shal moue batayl against the saintes that is to saye against the faythfulles whome Christ hath sanctified with his owne blood Besides this that he shal speake presumptuous thinges and that wyth suche an insolencie that he shall also entremeddle communicaciō of diuine maters And yet it sufficeth not him to haue spokē such thīges but he must also take vpon hym power to chaūge the state and cōdicions of tymes and of al maters of this worlde yea the lawe it selfe and the ordinaunces at his pleasure All which thinges can ryghtly be ascribed vnto none other but to that myghtie and famous aduersarie of Christ our Lorde Antichrist I meane But of this we shall more largely and more plainly speake in the treatise folowyng Nowe ther is that other place of this treatise behinde which I promymised to bringe furthe of the Apostle Paule which with more cleare wordes expoundeth the
what so euer is committed what Synne is against the will of God the heaueÌ„ly father and the autoritie of his holy worde either concerning faithe and religion or concerning the office of charitie either yet concerning the innocencie and purenesse of life For in these three specialties the hole life of a faithfull christen man and what so euer be customly required therunto are comprehended And if we wold a litel more diligently more narowly marke the hole papacie wyth his head membres we shall fynde them to be suche as ought worthyly to be called most filthyly polluted men wyth synnes and euen the very right Men of synne For as touching the faithe and religion which is obserued and set furthe in the papacie it is euidently apparent to be cleane contrary vnto the true and right faithe and religioÌ„ seing it was not taken out of the regestre of the holy sacred scripture wherout the doctrine of all faithe and religion ought to be taken of which mater we shal more fully treate whaÌ„ we com to the exposicion of the thrid title To be brief albeit we wold graunt them in this behalfe that coÌ„cerning the doctrine of their faithe religion all thinges were pure and set furthe according to the sentence of Goddes worde yet it can in no wise be denyed that the popes and their complices doo greuously offende coÌ„cerning the same if we doo considre the abominable sinne of Symonie by Symony the which they do so many robberies one vpoÌ„ an other wyth suche shamelesnesse gredinesse in those maters of God For we se theÌ„ come at lenght to so highe wickednesse by the shameles practise of symonie that they bestowe not only benefices and the rentes of Colleges and Monasteries and other suche like goodes of the church to the possessioÌ„ of most vnworthy persones that is to wete of suche as be of counsail of theyr viciousnesse messagiers coll cariers bawdes horse kepers mule dryuers cokes infinite others beyng nother of honest coÌ„uersacion nor good learnyng and all for money or elles for priuate fauour or auauÌ„tage but also set a sale and offre to be bought for euery mannes money the holy sacred gyftes of the holy Goost remission of synnes the grace of God the heauenly father the communion of the sacramentes the lauer of Baptisme yea and their owne God made of bread wyth the kingdome of heauens and euerlasting blesse and that with suche shamelesnesse that their owne most gredy chapmen brokers are not ashamed with a loud a shoutig voice to praise their wares and to require for the same al maner of money whether it were goteÌ„ in warres or by thefte or by rauine or yet by bloodsheading For they haue called the pelfe goten wyth these craftes no lesse holy than other is if they be all shuffled together Yet all men knowe euen as many as are madded wyth their supersticion and haue thought good to buye their wares that I feyne not these maters either of enuye or malice but euen the truthe of the mater it selfe is more cleare than nedeth any further declaracion in this bebalfe What shall we thaÌ„ saye in this case welbeloued brethren in Christ Must we not nedes confesse that they which haue done suche thinges were in that chief and principal point of al the hole life touching faithe and religion very wretches in all thinges playnly blynded men of synne For furst wyth most arrogaunt temeritie they haue taken vpon them selues the thinges that they neuer hade nor were deliuered to them of Christ Iesu that is to saye remission of sinnes the grace of God the kingdome of heauens and euerlastyng lyfe and blessednesse All which thynges the hole scripture teacheth were redemed with nothing elles but with the precious blood of Iesu Christ alone ThaÌ„ making sale of the giftes of the holy goost they made of the temple of God not the house of prayer but a certayn marte yea euen a tauerne of cheopping and chaunging Thirdely they haue made all religion to be a cloke of naughtynesse and iniquitie vnder which cloke euery body might frely entreprise and doo what so euer he wolde For might not a man vnder this false shewe of religion not only wythout punyshement but also no maÌ„ sayeng wrong he did be an horemongre breake wedlocke be a rybaulde haunt naughty games sportes be dronkeÌ„ fight robbe steale oppresse Christes poore seruauntes sheade innoceÌ„t blood finally to doo all mychief with sweorde and fyre Might not a man that were burthened ouerlayde with all these vices be made free clensed out of hande assone as a sacrificeing hyred priest hade saide masse for him or hade goteÌ„ him assoiled for money The sayeng therfore of Christ our king and priest ought rightefully and according to their owne desertes to be thondred in their eares My house shal be called a house of prayer but you haue made it a denne of theues Among these we Math. 21. maye recken the pilling and rauine that they vse openlye wyth to muche shamelesnesse For the moste rauenyng marchauntes are not content to haue spoiled men of their goodes while they were alyue but they go about to robbe and pille mennes heires their wyues and children also whan they are deade and in another lyfe For to this ende they haue ymagined trentalles sacrifices of Massing for the dead anniuersaries and infinite suche like and vnto them men must nedes either bequeath perpetuall rentes and reuenues in their testament vpon their death bedde or elles their heires must prouide and geue them And what a thing is this elles but the same that Christ obiecteth to the Scribes and Pharisees of the Iewes where he sayeth that they deuoured and robbed poore folkes and wydowes houses vnder pretence of long prayer And who is it that shal in this case acquite them from synne and trespace seyng they bewray them selues by their owne dedes yea and euen by the testimonye of their owne mouthe to be theues and sacrileges For yf the pardon bulles which they offre to sell for large money to men whaÌ„ they were yet lyuyng were sufficient for remission of synnes as they make boast of what nede is it to buye it dayly afreshe wyth newe sacrifices for them whaÌ„ they be dead And forasmuche as they saye men haue nede of this ware that dead mennes soules can not be delyuered wythout them they doo verily shewe themselues to be deceauours in that they deceatfully fraudulently wyped their money from them whaÌ„ they were alyue promisyng perfite remission of synnes whych they them selues saye afterwarde is vnperfite and hath nede of moo and that newe wares To be shorte the B. of Rome is the autor and inuentour of al this gaire with his mysterie workers of his owne religion which haue plaÌ„ted the sedes of suê‘sticioÌ„ that he hath sowed after a woÌ„derful ymaginacion of feynyng and lyeng And therfore we will saye that this furst title that Paule decketh
his father wyth besieging him he enuyroned him toke him by treason he robbed him of his empire and so taking him prisoner suffreth him miserably and sorowfully to dye And these prankes were not played by the commaundement of any barbarous tyraÌ„ne nor by the inceÌ„semeÌ„t of any Phalaris but by the couÌ„sail of the Phalaris was a tyranne in Agrigentine most holy father in the deuilles name Reioyce nowe you Caligulaes be mery you Neroes as many as haue hade the famous reporte of crueltie For you haue one which though he lefte The. B. of Rome is more cruell than either Caligula Nero. Friderich the. 1. you a long space behinde him yet he acquieteth you froÌ„ the infamie remeÌ„braunce of a cruel name euen the bishop of Rome which commauÌ„deth the sonne to bathe his sweorde in the fathers blood And God wotteth the noble feates of Adriane the. 4. and Alexander the. 3. may be also coupled to these rehearsalles which they practiced with most high wickednesse against the very godly and most valeaunt prince Friderike whose sirname was Barbarousse For albeit he hade the vpper hande ouer al his enemies yet it was not in his power either to auoide or to breake the tyraÌ„nie of the popes but after haynous batailes most lameÌ„table flaughtres he was coÌ„pelled ê‘force to fall huÌ„bly to the popes fete to laye downe his necke for Antichristes filthie fete to treade vpon Now who is it that wolde seke any charitie at their handes which haue not learned so much as to beare fauourably with the dignitie of an Emperour After that about the yeare of our Lorde Friderike the. 2. MCCxx Friderichus the secoÌ„de suffred no lesse wickednesse false head of theÌ„ also For whan he made warres against the Turkes they with most spiteful vilany abominable force of armes resisted him and as he with luckie successe warred against the enemies of Christes crosse they with their false driftes droue him backe and layeng at him with their thonderboltes they depryued him also of the communioÌ„ of faithfull christen people and of his Empire and chosed other emperours agaiÌ„st him Which thing was in dede the cause of most greuous batailes engeÌ„dred innumerable muche bloodsheading Morouer in the year of our lorde M. CCC whan Albert the duke of Austrike was choseÌ„ emperour Pope Bonesace the. 8. of that name wold nother confirme him nor crowne Boniface the. 8. him except he wolde furst promise that he wolde make warre against Philippe the FreÌ„che king and dryue him out of his realme And the cause of that warre was this that Philippe whaÌ„ he espied the sleightie shiftes of the sea of Rome denyed the pope al his reuenues of the realme of Fraunce And for that cause that holy father hauing goodly in mynde the precept of charitie to thintent he might prouide for his owne priuate commoditie purposed to set twoo the mightiest naciones of christendome FrauÌ„ce and Germanye together to warre cruelly the one against the other and glad to geue the loking on him self of the destroyeng of cities wasting of fieldes slaughter of men and al the myschief besides that warre bringeth with it so that it turne to his owne aduauÌ„tage But the father of heauen prouydeth better for mennes maters For he put those kinges in suche mynde that they forgate the pope and layeng downe their weapones conuerted the lamentable warres in to a ioyous mariage And here it is not to be omitted that the bishopes of Rome being of the same spirite did vnto Ladislaus king of Vngarie and Polone He hade Ladislau ouercome with wonderfull luckie notable victorie Amurathes the most mightie prince of the Turkes and scatred the turkishe armye and obteyned perforce such condiciones of peace as were harde to be obteyned of the enemye But whan the Turkes hade the ouerthrowe in that skyrmyshe they were fayne perforce and bicause of the condicions of peace to medle no longer with inuading Vngarie and beganne to make new roades in to Italie to stere vp daungers against the pope Eugenius the bishop of Rome to deliuer him self and Italie from Eugenius pope all daungier sent Cardinal Iuliane to Laudislaus to condemne his league with the Turkes as wicked and vnworthy and to persuade with all that christianes are in no wise bounden to kepe promise with infideles And he gaue not ouer counsailing and prouoking till he hade persuaded the king compelled him to breake the league and so to become a promyse breaker Anon than by the forwardenesse of the most holy father and the legate Iuliane the apostatalike apostlelike I wold saye blowing to the fielde ther was most cruell batail renewed which hauing vnluckye successe king Ladislaus was slayne and Amurathes caried awaye a large and a gorgeous victorie This was done in the year of our Lorde M. CCCC xliiij Lo this is the most holy fathers charitie this is the loue that he beareth to the Lordes flocke by the couÌ„sail wherof he teacheth the Kyng rashly to violate his promise of peace and shamelesly to faile his fidelitie that he hade made and not that only but he also casteth both such as be very good to muche simple kinges the people ouerlight of belefe vpon the most cruel weapons of Christes enemies the Turkes so as he him selfe maye lyue safe and sure at Rome To be shorte least through aboundauÌ„ce of examples my tale growe out to ouer great a mater it semeth not necessarie that we should set furth with a busye paynted shewe of wordes the thinges that the Bishoppes of Rome haue in tymes past done against the lawe of charitie seyng that these our owne dayes can euidently ynoughe beare witnesse of the same For loke you dearly beloued brethreÌ„ in Christ vpoÌ„ these present hurly burlies warres of Germany at home wtin theÌ„ selues which is vndoubtedly occasioned by the trauaile deuise of pope Paule the iii. of his meÌ„bres And searche diligeÌ„tly Paule the 3. if it please you whether so much as one token or sparke of charitie be shewed in this dede doing For who knoweth not that the greater parte of christendome especially the hole flocke of them that are right wise and learned men haue allready complayned these many yeares of the tyrannye and intolerable yowke of popes And Emperours haue ben in the same thought which haue with most earnest faithfulnesse and godly aduise admonished them bothe to amende their owne maners and restrayne the ecclesiastical ministers and their lasciuious lyues and to exercice a worthye discipline among them to frame their hole life by But all is in vayne For they like most naughty me wold nother heare the coÌ„playntes of the congregacions nor doo after the admonishementes of emperours bicause they haue alwaies loued their owne lust more than all the discipline and honestie in the worlde Whervpon all thinges set aparte they haue vsed their owne lustes and vicious demeanour with al losenesse of
libertie In this behalfe therfore God the father of heauen seing their licenciousnesse to be bothe intolerable and incurable hathe chosen aparte some of the nombre of his ministres and hathe enlumined them wyth the lyght and shynyng beames of his spirite that knowyng the Popes tyrannye and wicked lordlynesse haue also throughlye perceaued the truthe of Goddes worde These men haue layed their haÌ„des to worke and brought light into the worlde that tuÌ„bleth in darkenesse haue reproued openly the cruel and horrible abominacions of the papacie admonishing euery body to beware of theÌ„ By meanes wherof that sea hath felt exceding great losse and where as no power of emperours was hable hitherto to dryue it to a downefall nowe beyng a great parte dyminished in it selfe and in his membres bothe in his honour and rychesse it beginneth euen already to come to nought For froÌ„ hencefurth the Germaines whome this light shone furst vnto wolde not renne gadding to Rome ther seke soule helth seing they knew Christ Iesus to be the true way of saluacion And they haue no mynde to buye Romishe pardones and bulles with money seyng they vnderstode that synnes are forgeuen by Christ that men are certified by faithe of the forgeuenesse therof What nede many wordes That most gayneful fornace of the popes pikepurce Purgatorie is quenched out with the lyuely waters of the Gospel amoÌ„g the Germaynes and al the battefowling tooles knackes of the sea of Rome are despeched quyte out of the waye Hereof those most holy fathers haue complayned in euery place And where as before they turned the deafe eare to other mennes complaintes nowe they beginne to coÌ„playne them selues with faire flattering wordes most large ê“mises and muche feyned holynesse they haue gone about to bring them that are instructed in the doctrine of the truthe and haue renounced papistrie vnder the yowke of their tyrannie agayne But whan they preuailed nothyng for all their craftes by and by they besought ayde of Emperours Kinges Princes cities and people they begonne to arme them agaynst the professours of the truthe whome they crye out on and saye they folowe a newe and an hereticall religion In this case therfore the Magistrates beyng stered vp by the popes incensementes begonne violently to rage with force of armes against the faithfull seruauntes of Christ And than a man myght haue sene them that confessed Christ to be the onlye waye of saluacion burned wyth cruell fyre hanged vpon galowes choked in waters slayne wyth sweorde and murthered wyth al kyndes of deathe Yea the mater came to so merciles a crueltie that they spared none nother man nor woman yonge nor olde And yet those noble rutterkines of the churche dyd more cruell feates than these for they enticed princes and people whome so euer they coulde for money to stere vp warres amonge them selues and to extinguishe the religion that is contrary to them wyth sweorde and fyre So that hangmen were sent out of these parties and raunged about here and there to murthre the ministers of the worde by what meane so euer they coulde And they founde and toke vp burners whom they hyred priuely to thrust vnder fyre so to spoile bothe the faythfull christianes and their cities and fieldes And yet this read purpled churche embrewed with the blood of sayntes not satisfied with all these as wicked cruell dedes as they were ceassed not before they perceaued these haynous and bloody warres brought vpon sely sorowful Germanye stered vp all them that they trusted to make batail against it Bring vs out here the frutes of charitie O you bishoppes Shewe here som special token of christen gentilnesse O you pope pleasing slaues Is it the office of charitie to murdre men whoÌ„ Christ hathe redemed with his blood to spoile cities to waste fieldes to marre corne to defile matrones and maideÌ„s and finally to renne rageing after al kyndes of iniuries and reproches with sweorde and fire vpon all ages man woman and childe But they are heretikes saye they and no true christen people that we persecute And the chaste spouse of Christ the churche is by these heretikes most impudently defiled and also the seameles coate of our saueour Iesu is by their rashenesse and false doctrines miserably torne and rent in pieces which we goo about to amende and repaire agayne Ha will you nedes be bothe most bloody tirannes and most shameles lyers to you cruell blood thirstye wolues what adoo haue you to speake of Christes coate For by you it was cutte in pieces and marred all ready a great while agoo yea and by most wicked loctecasting as it was before tyme among the souldiours of the Iewes it cam in to most filthie mennes handelinges Therfore you are not sory for tearing of Christes coate but it greueth you that the vaile of wickednesse and the clooke of impietie is through the preaching of the gospel cut in pieces which you being couered withal haue continually hitherto practiced al kynde of wickednesse and beasly lust without correction It greueth your hartes that the sackes are open and torne which you haue hitherto hidden the true Ioseph Iesus Christes cuppe and all other your church robberies in Now your sleightie shiftes are open your lies are open your false deceates are open nowe is your more than the Sicilianes tyrannye open and abhorred of all men Your tyrannye was the toole with the which you raged together by heapes not only against mennes bodies but against their soules also It is the commyng of this gaire to the open light that greueth you hereof cometh your lamenting this is the cause of your sorowe taking For as touching the horrible cryme of heresie which is alwaies in your mouthe which of our sorte is it I beseche you that you coulde coÌ„uince haue you yet hitherto proued any of them an heretike They are heretikes that make who is an heretike new articles of the faithe contrary to the truthe of the scripture and doo stiffely mayntene them This cryme is most farre from vs. For ther is none of the articles of the apostolike faithe and Crede that we denye And moreouer we deuise no newe ones we chaunge none wrongfullye we nother take from nor put to any thyng touchyng any of them But suche masking visours you hade nede of to bryng the doctrine of the truthe and of the true faythe in to hate and contempt wyth the simple and rude common people by meanes of this horrible and slaunderous reporte of vs to be heretikes But yf ye loued the churche of Christ so muche as you boaste in wordes to doo yf you cared so muche for the noble and most valeaunt nacion of the Germaynes truely you testifye this your loue and care wyth moste vniuste and most vnworthy behaueours in that you visite it wyth abominable force of armes and moste cruell haynous enemies procured out of euery countrey Did Christe our Lorde entreprise to trayne the worlde to his lore by
head of the sayntes and faithfull people Who will cal him holy father yea rather holynesse it selfe Finally who can saye that he is the leader vnto saluacion and the portour of heauen gate whan by the example of his owne life and preceptes and decrees of his wicked doctrine he bewrayeth him self according to the apostle Paules sentence to be bothe Antichrist and the sonne of perdiciō Hereof also that other mater is gathered that like as he him self is lost euen so dothe he make all the disples of his religion and secte boūde slaues to perdicion and euerlasting deathe For how cā it possibly be that they shal be hable to com to the heauēly hal of blessednesse which folowe a guyde that gothe with straight and stedfast steppes the hye waye to hell How shall we also saye it maye be that they should be vnited to Iesu Christ the only redemour of vs all which haue chosen suche a one to be their guyde that is against Christ in al thinges and robbeth him of his honour and shamelesly attributeth the same to other In this case therfore it is necessary to vse most diligent circūspection In this behalfe it standeth vs in hande strongly to sharpen oure wittes Herein it behoueth vs to open the eyes of our minde most dearly beloued brethren in Christ For it is no flyrting mater as many men thinke to sticke stil in the B. of R. wayes so to holde harde the popishe religion to the naile The saluacion of soules is in hasarde dearly beloued For either we must be vnited to the heauēly father by the intercessiō and benefite of one only Christ so lyue for euer or elles be drawen awaye from him perishe with Antichrist for euer And ther is so much the more greuous presēt daūgier henging ouer our soules that the Lorde wold haue the knowlage of his worde to be opened vnto vs. For inasmuche as the lyght of Goddes worde hathe discussed and wyped away those greuous and horrible darkenesses of Antichristianitie so as the health geuing face of Christ and also the compasse of this cruell beastes mouthe and the seate of abominacions is shewed openly before our eyes we maye neuer from hensfurthe eyther pretende ignoraunce to clooke our vnbelefe or excuse it wyth the godlynesse and feruencie of our zele or good intent For God hathe prescribed the rule of his worde vnto vs for this ende that we shoulde honour hym according to his owne commaundement and that we shoulde not folowe that folishe carnall zele of ours which is wythout knowlage of all truthe The stubburnesse of suche men is muche lamentably therfore to be bewailed brethren which whā they heare Goddes worde wyth their eares and are conuicte with the truthe therof in their consciences so as they may see their errours and fele the intolerable burthen of suche exceding tyrānie yet had rather sticke stiffely to their knowen supersticion than to folowe Christ the only waye of saluacion But whā men most myserably become to that poīt that a mā may warne exhorte them all but lost labour we must permitte them to their owne appetite For they shal surely fele that their stubbernesse shal-be ones a great deale to their cost Now are we come to the thrid title An aduersary wherwyth Paule painteth out the persone of Antichrist which conteyneth the self same propretie and the disposiciō of so mightie abominablenesse the certain sure marke for the which he is called Antichrist For he calleth him an aduersary that is he myndeth to set him out to be-suche a one that shoulde be against cōtrary and in al thinges as it were vtterly sette foranempst Christ of whose name title he only braggeth The right vnderstanding of this worde Aduersary It is plaine that he glorieth in the name of Christ Wherupon euen the right vnderstanding of this worde teacheth this that he shal be an aduersary to Christ our Lorde and gayne-saye all those thinges that are set out by Christ either in doctrine or in example of life wyth the statutes of his doctrine and wyth the example of his life Than if we can geue the bishop of Rome this title also wyth sufficient demonstracion as his owne propre good as in dede we haue ouercome all that we toke in hande to proue yet hitherto it shall also manifestly appeare that the B. of Rome is necessarily that very right and great Antichrist altough the autoritie of all the worlde crye out against it which if it wolde contrary the worde of God were non autoritie at all And forasmuche as all thinges that are in Christ our saueour maye be comprehended in his life doctrine as in two most general chaptres it behoueth that we considre them bothe that it maye therby euidently appeare that the B. of Rome dothe contrarie to Christ both in life and in doctrine and therfore is his aduersarie and very Antichrist And furst of all we will speake of bothe their lyues that is to saye of Christ and Antichrist Christ Iesus ordred his life so as The difference betwene Christes life and Antichristes the B. of Rome most lowe humilitie proceding from the hearte might appeare most clearly in all his sayenges and doinges For we reade that he vsed so muche lowlynesse and modestie that he was cōuersaunt among his disciples not like a maistre or a Doctour but as a seruaunt and a waitour As it is proued in that he serued their cōmodities not in teaching them only in refreshing and defēding them and in other thinges innumerable but also in that solemne last supper whiche he hade with thē he washed al their fete But from this spirite of christian humilitie the B. of Rome is so farre of that lyke the most cruel tyrannes the mencion of whom euen the gentiles take for hainous and filthie he setteth out his fete to be kissed not of the cōmon rascal sorte of people only but also of very princes kinges and emperours yea is not ashamed to treade the Lordes anointed neckes vnder his abominable fete which insolent foile the right valeaunt Emperour Friderichus Barbarossa was compelled per force to susteyne Christ was the most studious seker of his fathers glorie wēt about Ioh. 5. and. 12. only to aduaunce it But the B. of Rome neclecting that in al thinges setteth his studie vpō his priuate glorie his owne propre honour after suche sorte that he thinketh he must not spare extreme force of armes yf any man offende him in any condicion Christ spent the better parte or tyme of his lyfe among the cōpanies of the poore nedy sicke afflicted he him selfe also was borne in extreme pouertie became poore for our sakes in so muche that he hade not wher he myght hyde his head susteined the greuous burthē of pouertie paciently to make vs ryche with the benefites treasures of euerlasting blessednes But the B. of Rome folowing farre wyde other
Antichrist not only to knowe but also to folowe And furst he repeteth the same that he hade spoken before and biddeth vs beleue Beleue thē not them not that saye Christ is here or there that is to saye that goo about to shewe vs a false Christ or tel vs that the giftes of God which are geuen vs by non but by only Christ are to be hade elles where Now that we may vnderstande folowe this warnyng as we should doo it is necessary for vs to call to remembraunce that sayenges that are spoken in the Homilies before bothe of the true Christ I meane the only saueour of this worlde also of the false Christes He is the true Christ whom the autoritie of the holy scripture describeth to be very God and very mā the only saueour of the worlde the only priest the only sacrifice for the synnes of the worlde yea the only head of the churche and mennes intercessour in heauen As many thā as shewe this Christ any wher elles than in heauen as many as appoint other heades of the churche other redemers of the worlde other sacrifices for the synnes of the worlde and other aduocates intercessours and mediatours are comprehēded in these wordes of Christ and those be euen they whom it is not laufull for vs to beleue or to geue credence vnto And this is so openly done in the papacie of the pope him self and his membres that no man can say naye to it For furst they are not wont to shewe Christ our Lorde in heauen which was crucified for vs and died which rose again and ascended in to heauen according to the articles of the apostles Crede but to tell folkes that he is either conteyned in a prety litel white cake or in churches consecrated for that purpose which they are not afraide to dresse with these written wordes Hic Deum adora Here worship God Are not these they than that shewe Christ our Lorde in closettes or secret places as he hī self told before hāde As we will speake nothing how their vse is to teach vs a farre other Christ thā is purported in the holy scriptures for the scriptures beare recorde that he was only incarnate made very mā for our sakes But these men not contenting them selues with that feyne him also to be impanate or embreaded Yea and they ymagine him to be such a one that he may be called euery daye in to a piece of breade by the priestes enchauntementes as though he were a certain new Elicius Iupiter Furthermore if they purpose to speake of those thinges that Christ our Lorde hathe purchaced with the merite of his owne death as of remission of synnes the grace of God the father iustice right of adopcion and the possession of euerlasting blessednesse than their maner is with such open wickednesse shamelesnesse to shewe them elles where thā in Christ alone that they can not denie it though they wolde neuer so fayne The Apostle Paule sayeth that Christ is made of 1. Cor. 1. and. 2. God vnto vs wysedō righteousnes sanctificacion redempcion that he knewe nothing els but Iesus Christ euen him that was crucified And in an other place declaring the certaintie of his doctrine he sayeth Although we Gal 1. or an Angel from heauen shall preache vnto you any other gospel than that we haue preached vnto you cursed be he But we heare the popishe shauelinges greasye doctours preache a farre other maner of Gospell than the Apostles haue sent vnto vs in their writynges For they teache righteousnes to be in mennes owne workes merites They teache folkes to seke forgeuenesse of synnes at the handes of wicked and hooremonging yea most filthie rakehell masse priestes As for the grace and fauour of god they ascribe it against Goddes commaundement vnto ymages that they set vp and therfore they vse to name them gracious as Our lady of grace such other Tushe yf a mā wold recken vp al the hole dong hil of popishe religiō vnto these he shal see that they ascribe al that is necessary vnto saluation to externall toyes and trifles And wher the scriptures shewe vs one only patron mediatour euē Iesus Christ very God very man they haue deuised as many mediatours patrones and intercessours besides him as they beleue ther be sayntes soules in heauē Therfore wil we nyl we we must nedes saye that they be the same that the redemour vndenyable scholemaister of the worlde maketh mencion of in this place What must we doo now in this behalfe you mē and brethren Christ saithe Beleue them not Lo our saueour geueth a shorte symple playne commaundement which is a present medicine against all the obiectiones that man can deuise Thow shalt take them to be deceauours as many as goo about to bring in this maner of doctrine and therfore thow shalt not beleue their sayenges Here therfore lieth all the autoritie The B. of Rome of the bishoppes of Rome of fathers and of the counsailes in the Dust which they holde them most chiefly by For if they wolde obiecte the B. of Rome as though men must nedes beleue him bicause he is with to ambicious a name and title called the head of the churche yet ther is no cause why we should be afrayd of hys autoritie For here we do heare the true and supreme head of the church and our chief priest saye Beleue them not Nother is ther any cause why they Counsailes fathers should vaunt of the canones of counsailes and decrees of fathers For the autoritie of them is spoken against by this counsaile which is the holiest counsaill that maye be hade or deuised and the presidēt and head of this counsail is the only begoten sonne of God and the eternal truthe of God who hauing communicacion in the presence of his welbeloued apostles of the deceauours that should com in the later age of the worlde commaūdeth them not to beleue them Now let them hearken to the decrees of fathers let them beholde the Canones of counsailes and make thē selues subiectes vnto the ymaginacions of most shameles vile men which sermore by lyes thā by the truth and hade rather be dāned than saued For wherto doo we passe vpon them any more Wherto doo we wretches take hede to the autoritie of coūsailes Cā not the autoritie of Christ deserue credence at our handes onles it be approued by the consent of mē Nay let vs rather heare Christ him self him that Christ ordayned to be the doctour of the gentiles If an angel from heauen preache any gospel besides that we haue preached cursed be he And If they saye vnto you Lo here is Christ or ther is Christ beleue them not Who so euer therfore dare be so sawcye as to declare forgeuenesse of synnes righteousnesse the grace of God and saluacion any wher elles than in Iesus Christ alone and to shewe him any wher elles
and shal make him handsom to deuillishe seruices But as sone as he shall com through to Ierusalem his seate shal be set in the teÌ„ple of God and as many of the nombre of christianes and faithful people as he coulde not begyle with his lies and wylie deceates he shal torment with horrible kyndes of punishemeÌ„t suche as hathe not ben hearde of and than put them to deathe For they write that Salomons temple must be builded vp again by him so as he shall sytte in it and set furthe him selfe in the title of the true Messias and sonne of God And he shall also sende furthe his apostles in to al the world by wose ministerie and trauaile he shall drawe away vnto his syde furst the princes myndes and than the coÌ„mon people of whom som beyng corrupt with rewardes and desyre of rychesse som beyng frayde with threatnynges and feare of daungers and the reste beyng begyled wyth newe facions of miracles and with innumerable deceates shall applye vnto him But as many as will not beleue in his forged lyes he shall slea and destroy them with cruel paines among whom bothe Helias and Enoch the foreruÌ„ners of the last iudgemeÌ„t shal necessarily be put to death And at leinght whaÌ„ these tyraÌ„nous persecucions shal haue endured the space of two yeares an halfe the last day of the Lorde shall come vpon him and make an ende of miseries These I saye welbeloued brethreÌ„ in Christ are Satanes forged fables of Antichrist which that wicked craftes maister of lyes hath decked garnished euen with testimonies of scriptures to thinteÌ„t vndoubtedly that whaÌ„ we haue coÌ„ceaued a false ymaginacioÌ„ loke an other way he myght be hable in the meane tyme to stere vp the tyraÌ„ny of the right Antichrist with myghtie power to coÌ„firme it to mennes destruction vndoyng For thys same cause therfore his drift was to declare him to be among the infortunate people of Iewes and to sende abroade the ymaginacions of our wittes out to Babilon and than to make muche pryttle pratle of SalomoÌ„s teÌ„ple which after the vndeniable sentence of Christ our Lorde shall neuer be possible to be buylded vp agayne to the intent in the meane while he shoulde not once come in our remembrauÌ„ce that hath exalted his heade at Rome in the coÌ„gregacioÌ„ of the faythfull beyng with suche abominable saucy entreprise exalted euen against the Lorde hymselfe hathe infected the simple rude mennes myndes wyth most greuous errours We had nede therfore to be in this case so muche the more carefull and studiously diliget as it is coÌ„uenieÌ„t for vs to marke more narowly this worde Anrichrist and more diligently to boult out the meaning of it so as it maye most fully appeare vnto vs to what maner man that name ought to be imputed Antichristus is a Greke worde and being compounded of Anti which signifieth contrarietie and ouerthwartenesse and Christus wherof we haue spoken before betokeneth him that is contrarie against the Lorde Christ and chalengeth to him selfe by vniuste title and wicked arrogauncie the honour glorie and al offices elles whiche are due to none but to Christ our saueour Wherupon Paule respecting the mater rather than the name calleth him Antikeimenon bicause he sytteth in the temple of God and exalteth him selfe aboue all that is worshipped in the stede of God And by the same compounde figure also the Antichristian men call him Antipapam that is either vnlaufully chosen of others or beyng moued of hys owne folye obiecteth him self against the laufully chosen Pope and wrongfully vexeth or elles occupieth that seate of abominacion To be brief inasmuche as the name of Antichrist soundeth contrarie and against Christ it behoueth vs furst of al to know acknowlage our lorde saueour Christ with al those thinges that ê“prely beloÌ„g vnto him For therby we shal openly see who is the right Antichrist who ought to be rightely called Antichrist Now than as touching Christ Iesus the holy scriptures paynt and set him out vnto vs of such sorte as him that being from euerlasting verye God and of all one essence and substaunce with his heauenly father toke vpon him for our sakes at the tymes appointed the very fleshe and nature of man being like vnto ours in all thinges synne excepte to thinteÌ„t he might be our chief hygh bishop Whose office he hathe so accomplished that in offring him selfe on the altare of the crosse he made oblation vnto God the heauenly father with a perfite and a sufficient sacrifice for the synnes of al the worlde And whaÌ„ he hade fynished the busynesse of our redeÌ„pcioÌ„ on the altare of the crosse he was buried by his owne diuine power he raised vp froÌ„ deathe his body that is to wete the very manhead which he hade taken to thintent he might breake put quyte awaye the power of deathe which it hade ouer vs. Than after warde he caried his body in to the heauens that he might set open vnto vs again the gates of heaueÌ„ which the transgression of our furst parent and the synnes of vs all hade shutte vp before and that he might there appeare before God the father a faithful aduocate and mediatour for vs and might also be in stede of a pledge and a gage wherby our faithe shoulde be confirmed wherby also we beleue that our bodies shall through faithe haue possession in the very same kyngdome of heauens euerlasting blessednesse For which causes sake the holy scripture is accustomed to name the self same Christ our head our highe priest our kyng our saueour our redemour our mediatour and euen the one only waye of life and euerlasting saluacion which the scripture also dothe make good with most abundaunt testimonies as muche as we haue now spoken of For Paule the apostle writing to his Philippianes in the 2. Chap. saithe thus Christ Iesus whan he was in the shape of God that is to saye very God thought it no robberie to be equall with God neuertheles he made him self of no reputacion taking on him the shape of a seruaunt and became like vnto men and was founde in his apparail as a man that is to saye a very man made like vnto vs in all thinges synne except he humbled him self and became obedient vnto deathe euen the deathe of the crosse Again in his furst epistle to Timothee the. 1. Chap. Christ Iesus quam he came in to the worlde to saue synners of whom I am chief c. And in an other place Hebr. 9. he writeth on this wise As it is appointed vnto all men that they shall once dye and than cometh iudgement euen so was Christ once offred to take away the synnes of many vnto them that loke for him shall he appeare againe without synne vnto saluacion And a lytel before these wordes we reade that the same Apostle wrote on this maner For Christ is not entred into the holy places that are made