Onelie hee which nowe letteth shall let till hee be taken awaie Nowe the Emperour hath the rule ouer the worlde Let him kéepe it There shall a time come when he shall loose his possessions then Antichrist shall appeare When the Empire shall be dismembred and the kingdomes belonging to him shall departe from him then shall be the comming of Antichrist Who will looke into the storie of things and times past shall perceiue the meaning of the Apostle and how the empire of Rome being so great is consumed and brought to nothing and in what sorte Antichrist which was once so poore and simple so little regarded and obscure might growe to be so great and auaunee himselfe aboue Kings and Princes The empouerishing of the one was the enriching of the other I tolde you that the empire of Rome contained sometimes a great part of the worlde as England Fraunce Spaine Germanie c. Where is England nowe It is diuided from and is no part of the Empire Where is Fraunce Spaine Italie Illyricum where is Rome it selfe They are taken awaie from it and are now no part of the Empire Where is Macedonia Thracia Graecia Asia Armenia c. Wée can not thinke of them but with heauinesse They be nowe vnder the Turke they are taken awate and are no part of the Empire What is become of the great countenaunce which the Emperour had in al the world Hée is nowe in comparison no bodie What part of al the Empire is left vnto him Not one He hath not left him one Citie or towne What is become of al which did belong to him They are dissolued taken from him and his estate is brought to nothing In the meane while Antichrist encreased and grewe to wealth by spoile of the Empire The Bishoppe of Rome hath at this daie manie Countries and Lordshippes Poore Peter had none Howe then came he by them By the spoile of the Empire He hath the title of Forum-Iulium Where hath hée it but of the spoile of the Empire Where hath hée so manie countries beginning at Luke and onward to the Alpes but by the spoile of the Empire Hée hath Rauenna Forum Sempronij Beneuentum and Spoletum Al these he hath by the spoile of the Empire Hée claimeth the kingdome of Naples and of Sicile hée is the Lord Paramount King Philip is his vassall and paieth him tribute Hée hath Rome it selfe It did belong vnto the Emperour Howe grewe it to the Bishoppe whence hath hée it By the spoile of the Empire Wée sée then that the Emperour is abated that the Bishop is encreased and so encreased that hée hath made the Emperour to be his man to beare his traine to wait vpon him to knéele downe and to kisse his foote This could he neuer bring to passe whiles the Empire stoode whole and the Emperour was able to make his parte good But these things were doone that it might be fulfilled which was spoken The Kings of the earth shall giue their strength and power to the beast c. That they may agree together and giue their kingdome vnto the beast vntil the wordes of God be fulfilled Who that beast shall be Augustine writing vppon the Psalmes verie well declareth Ita traditur de Antichristo quod omnes reges superaturus sit solus regnum obtenturus Thus it is written of Antichrist that hee shall conquere al Kings and obtaine the kingdome himselfe alone and who it is vnto whome the Kings of the earth haue giuen their kingdome and which doth obtaine the kingdome himselfe alone if anie man doubt let him be aduised by these sayings of them which knew it well and were not enimies to the Bishoppricke of Rome Iohan. de Parisiis saith Some thinke that by reason of this donation of Constantine the Pope is the Emperour and the Lord of the world and that hereby hee hath power both to set vp and also to put downe Kings as an Emperour And if this be too little to saie thus vpon heare-saie the same saith further plainely Omnis potestas saecularis immediate data est Papae Al manner temporal power was giuen immediatly vnto the Pope What other thing is it that Innocentius saith The Emperour holdeth his empire of the Pope and therfore hee is bounde to sweare homage and fealtie to the Pope as the vassall is bound to his Lord. In this right Pope Adrian saide Behold it is in our hand to bestowe the Empire vpon whome wee liste Were not the state of the empire now decayed were not the prophecie of the Apostle nowe fulfilled were not the Emperour howsoeuer hée haue in a mysterie a bare name left taken awaie as wel in respect of the Countries which hée did holde as of the authoritie the rule and power which hée had ouer the worlde these proude spéeches could neuer haue béene suffered Now then séeing the empire is so decayed and abased and the Bishop of Rome so highly aduaunced into his seate and authoritie so highly I say that some are bold to say The Pope hath the princehoode of all the whole worlde and The Pope is king of kinges and Lord of Lords Let Gregorie who hath otherwhere giuen great light to this prophecy shew vs hereby also to knowe who is Antichrist He sayth Antichristus veniens ipsas etiam summas huius saeculi potestates obtinebit Antichrist when he shal come shal conquere the highest estates and powers of this world This whole matter is also expressed in the seuenth of Daniel The fourth beast was feareful and terrible and very strong it had great yron téeth it deuoured and brake in peeces and stamped the residue vnder his féete and it was vnlike to the beastes that were before it for it had ten hornes And beholde there came vp among them an other little horne which had eyes like a man and a mouth speaking presumptuous things This beast is the empire of Rome the greatest Empire that euer was It was diuided into tenne or into sundrie kingdomes as I shewed you and as we sée this day The little horne is Antichrist The Empire shal be diuided and weakened then Antichrist shal come He shal speak words against the most high and shal consume the Saints of the most high and thinke that he may chaunge times and lawes and they shal be giuen into his hand Daniel sayth he shal speake wordes against the most high and shal thinke he may chaunge times and lawes and they shal be giuen into his hande Wherein he sheweth not onely the pride and presumption of Antichrist but that he shal also preuaile for a time Such a one there hath béene yet is He blasphemeth God murdereth the saints hath chaunged times and lawes the lawes of God and the lawes of nature He is Antichrist To make an end of this part of knowledge of Antichrist who he shal be in what place he shal dwel and of that which should let his cōming let vs remember he
When Paule disputed and exhorted the Iewes and the Graecians at Corinthus and found little fruite of his labour and that there were few or none that liked his doctrine and manie enimies which resisted and blasphemed it hée purposed to depart and goe awaie from them Then the Lorde saide vnto Paul in the night by a vision Feare not but speake and holde not thy peace for I am with thee and no man shall laie handes on thee to hurt thee for I haue much people in this citie They shall heare thée if not now yet they shall heare thée at some other time They shall beare thy sayings in minde I will be with thée I will open their hearts and make them obedient to the Gospell and they shall be turned vnto me Thou shalt sée the fruite of thy labour and that thy comming vnto them hath not béene in vaine Verse 2. But euen after that we had suffered before and were shamefully intreated at Philippi as ye know we were bolde in our God to speake vnto you the Gospell of God with much striuing The story of these his persecutions is written in the 16. of the Acts. He was stript naked and scourged with rods and cast into prison and put in hazarde of life Yet notwithstanding he were thus euill entreated at Philippi when he came to Thessalonica he was nothing discouraged but procéeded more boldly than before and went into the Synagogue of the Iewes and disputed thrée Sabbaoth daies and taught them that Christ is that Messias euen the sonne of God But that wée maie the better conceiue howe mightily GOD worketh and what great strength he giueth to weake creatures when he appointeth them to set foorth his glorie let vs beholde this boldnesse of the Apostle in speaking the Gospell vnto them To whome did he speake To the Iewes the enimies of the crosse of Christ. Where Not in hucker mucker and in corners but openly in their synagog for he feared no maÌ„ What time those he TheÌ„ when al the Iewes were assembled togither How often 3. sabboth daies togither In what citie In Thessalonica y e greatest and most famous Citie of all that Countrey How was hée entreated There arose great trouble contention They resisted him spake against him and sought to destroy him For what cause what had he deserued what had he taught the gospel of God and of Christ of the kingdome and of the life to come the gospell in which God offereth his grace and reconciliation and comfort and peace and saluation Who woulde thinke such ioifull tidings shoulde not be welcome what eie would not willingly open it selfe to behold the brightnes of the sunne what eare will refuse to heare God speake but it hath alwaies bin so There haue euer bene some that haue loued darknes rather than light The worlde shall neuer be without some Annas or Caiaphas or Iudas or Pilate The children of the Diuel shal alwaies set themselues against the children of God The cause of tumults and troubles procéedeth not from the Gospell The Gospell of Christ is the Gospell of peace But the enemies of the Gospel are stirrers of â—…quietnes and inflamers of war Abel was simple Caine spitefull Iacob smooth Esau rough and hairie Dauid gentle Saul cruel Ioseph innocent his brethren wicked and fell vpon him The Apostles humble in heart and peacemakers the Pharises bloudthirstie and sought to put them to death The like examples are before vs this daie The whole worlde is in an vproare and great troubles and afflictions are in al places No man is able to declare the misery thereof Let no man therefore slaunder or forsake the Gospel It hath bene so from the beginning and from time to time Such troubles confusion and miserie are wrought not by the gospel or them that receiue the gospel but by those which resist it they practise all meanes and turne all things vpside downe rather than it should take place The wicked are angrie there with they gnaâ—…h their téeth and consume awaye This is the cause for which the children shall rise against their parentes and shal cause them to die Cain murthered Abel because God had respect vnto Abel and to his offring Esau could not abide Iacob because Isaac had giuen him his blessing The brethren of Ioseph sought to make him away because God had a fauour vnto him Saul was wrothfull against Dauid because God gaue him great gifts of courage and strength and wisdome The Aegyptians loathed the childreÌ„ of Israel because they were Gods people The Galathians resisted Paul because he preached the trueth Therefore saith S. Paul we labor and are rebuked because we trust in the liuing God which is the sauiour of al men Speciallie of those which beleue Likewise saith our sauior They shall excommunicate you yea the time shal come that whosoeuer killeth you wil think he doth God seruice And these things wil they do vnto you because they haue not knowen the father nor me Euen so standeth it with the Church of God this day There is nothing new that is vnder the sunne Whatsoeuer is done nowe hath béene done afore Who wil lift vp his eyes and looke to the dooinges of men shal sée Cain rise vp against Abel Esau against Iacob the cruel brethren against Ioseph Saul against Dauid Pharao against Moses the Aegyptians against the people of God the High Priests and the Pharisees against Christ and al that wil be his disciples they change peace into warre they turne iudgement into gal and the fruit of righteousnesse into wormewood they resist the truth of God to establish deuises and doctrines of men But blessed be God they shal not preuaile Hee giueth vs peace He hath made vs turne our swords into mattocks He hath taught vs altogether with one mouth and one heart to praise him euen the father of our Lorde Jesus Christ. His truth is mightie and shal preuaile V. 3. For our exhortation was not by deceit nor vncleannesse nor by guile 4. But as we were allowed of God that the Gospel should be committed vnto vs so wee speake not as they that please men but God which tryeth our hearts God sayth he hath chosen me from my mothers wombe and set me apart to the office of an Apostle He hath appointed me to carrie his name before the Gentiles Therefore as he hath giuen mée charge to preach the Gospel and to bring the people vnto him from the power of Satan so I speake truely faithfully sincerely not as the words of men but as the wordes of God I haue vsed no deceit nor taught you to folow traditions of men in â—…de of the commaundements of God In like sort saith he to the Corinthians I haue receiued of the Lorde that which I also haue declared vnto you And againe We are ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you thorough vs. For this cause he sayth vnto them Seing that we haue this ministery
your sakes What coulde you aske of me moreâ—… what greater gift coulde I bestowe vppon you V. 11. And ye know how that we exhorted you and comforted and besought euerie one of you as a father his children 12. That ye would walke worthie of God who hath called you to his kingdome and glorie I tooke care of you as of mine owne soule and dealt with you by alwayes of comfort and erhortation that you would take héede vnto your selues and your calling I did put you in minde that you were placed in the middest of the vnfaithfull people which knewe not God and that they watched you and your doing that their eye was vpon your housholde your wiues your seruauntes and your children vpon your selues and your words to espie if they might finde any occasion to speake euil of you I did beséech you by the glorious comming of our Lorde and sauiour Jesus Christ that the name of God might not be il spoken of through you You can not denie this You must néedes confesse you haue thus béene taught Ignorance can not be your excuse What remaineth then but that you performe it For the seruaunt that knoweth his maisters wil and doth it not shal be beaten with many stripes As a father his children What maner care is it that the father taketh of his children Many men are fathers of children but what man taketh the care he ought to take for them pastours or teachers of the people should be affected towardes their people as fathers are to their natural children Let such as are fathers and haue children knowe in what sort they must be careful Your children are a good blessing of God they bée members of the bodie of Christ the sonnes of God The kingdome of heauen belongeth to them God hath appointed his Angels to guide and leade them and to â—…ield them from euil and their Angels be in the presence of God and doe beholde the face of their father which is in heauen They be fresh plantes of the Church Who knoweth what necessarie instruments they may be in the common wealth and in the house of God It is not ynough to féede them and to nourish theyr bodies with necessarie sustenaunce For this do the heathen that knowe not God and the sauage and brute beastes and the birdes which haue no vnderstanding They bréede vp their young ones and are tender and paineful to prouide for them The asse though she be dul the Beare and Lion though they be wilde and cruel yet séeke they farre and néere to get wherewith to helpe their young Therefore if there be anie or can bee any which doeth forsake and leaue his owne he is more beastly than the foolish Asse and more vnnatural than most cruel Beares and Lions and Tigres But in this part men are for the most part ouer careful For this cause many build their houses with bloud and séeke possessions by iniquitie they ioyne house to house and fielde to fielde and wil dwel alone vpon the earth they oppresse the poore and néedie and doe wrong to the widowe and the fatherlesse they make money their God and spoyle one an other and al to prouide for their children This is the couer and cloake for al their misthiefe they may not leaue their children vnprouided Unhappie are the fathers which in this sort care for their children by the ruine spoyle of the néedy and innocent and so breake the commandement of God because their portion shal be with the wicked in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone And vnhappie are their children because they are partakers of their fathers wickednesse and therefore shal also be partakers of punishment with them The Prophet Dauid sayth I haue seene the wicked strong and spreading himselfe like a greene Bay tree Yet hee passed away and loe he was gone and I sought him but hee could not be found His roote was déepe his stocke strong his braunches broade he spread ouer and shadowed the whole countrey yet he passed away He departed his sonnes died his house soone decayed and his name was in little time quite forgotten Oh howe much better then is it to furnish the mindes of your children and to instruct them in godlinesse to teach them to knowe God to leade their life vertuously and to rebuke them and correct them for dealing il The beginning of wisedome is the feare of God Let them then learne what that good and acceptable wil of God is Shewe them the way in which they should walke that they goe neither to the right hande nor to the left The worde of God is pure and giueth vnderstanding to the simple it is a light to their footesteps it teacheth those that are young to amende their wayes When Christ came into Ierusalem the young children receiued him They cryed Ozanna to the sonne of Dauid Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lorde Christ giâ—…eth witnesse of them By the mouth of babes and sucklinges hast thou set foorth thy praise The wordes of the little and simple children were able to confounde the wisedome of the Pharise is Thus were they taught from their cradle so careful were their godly parents for them Contrariwise they can not haue any wisedome that despise the lawe of the Lord. They become blinde and wicked abhominable in al their waies They haue no sense nor féeling of the wil of God They cannot know light froÌ„ darkenesse nor God from Belial Such were the little children that mocked the Prophet Elizeus and said to him Come vp thou baulde head come vp thou bauld head Their bringing vp was no better Their wicked fathers had taught theÌ„ nothing elâ—… but waÌ„tonnes But the wrath of God fel vppon them and there were destroyed by two Beares two and fortie of them An other care which a father ought to haue of his children is to leade them vp in the studie of vertue and of godly life Blessed are the pure in heart for they shal see God They which kéepe not this way are the children of wrath Herein standeth the whole profession of a Christian life For God hath not called vs to vncleanesse but vnto holinesse This is the wil of God and this is our promise made vnto him that wee serue him in holynesse and righteousnesse al the dayes of our life that we encrease in vertue and growe from grace to grace A good and louing father which sendeth his sonne to a daungerous iourney either by sea or lande first instructeth him with aduise and telleth him in what sort hée shal auoyde perils Take héede sayth he the way is perilous which thou must passe The sea is terrible The waues rise vp as high as heauen and by and by thou shalt sée a pit as lowe as hel The sandes may swallowe thée the rockes may destroy thée Thou shalt passe by huge mountaines and through wildernesse where théeues wil assault thée Thy heart wil quake
constant For you continued stedfast in the middest of persecution you haue béene tormented and iuffred afflictions in your bodie by the handes of tyrauntes yet could they neuer remoue you from your faith in our sauiour Iesus Christ nor from your obedience to the wil of God You knowe that al which wil liue godly in Christ Iesus shal suffer persecution Yet are you comforted and say as the prophet Dauid The Lord is with me therefore I wil not feare what man can doe vnto me You cannot forget who it is that saide Whosoeuer shal confesse me before men him wil I confesse also before my father which is in heauen But whosoeuer shal denie mee I wil also denie him before my father which is in heauen He that loseth his life for my sake shal finde it He that endureth vnto the ende he shal be saued And â—…gnien Blessed shal ye be wheÌ„ men reuite you and persecute you and saie al maner of euill against you for my sake falsely Reioice and be glad for great is your reward in heauen For so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you V. 5 Which is a manifest token of the righâ—…eous iudgement of God that ye may be counted worthie of the kingdome of God for the which ye also suffer 6 For it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you 7 And to you which are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shal shew himself from heauen with his mightie Angels 8 In flaming fire rendring vengeance vnto them that doe not knowe and which obey not the gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ. 9 Which shal be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glorie of his power 10 When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be made maruelous in al them that beleeue because our testimonie towards you was beleeued in that daie Many are the troubles which the righteous men do suffer but the Lord wil deliuer them After-Paul and Barnabaâ—… had preached the glaâ—… tidings of the gospel they confirmed the diâ—…ples hearts and exhorted them to conâ—…inue in the faith and said that we must through manie afflictions enter into the kingdom of God We must not therefore be afraid for anie terror of them which trouble vs for righteousnes sake but rather looking ouer and beyond them we must reioice and giue thankes to God who hath made vs worthie not onelie to beléeue in him but also to suffer for his sake For wee know that if our earthlie house of this tabernacle be destroied we haue a building giuen of God an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens These persecutions and tribulations which you suffer are a manifest token saith the Apostle of Gods loue towards you For whom the Lord loueth he chastneth and he scourgeth euerie son that he receiueth The Prophets and Apostles and Martires which were not onlie reuiled and scourged but beheaded cut in péeces drowned in the waters consumed in the the fire or by anie other deâ—…ises of tyrants cruelly put to death did by this waie receiue the manifest token of their happie and blessed estate and by this way did enter into the kingdome of God Athanasius an antient father teckâ—…neth the suffering of persecution to be a special note of a Christian mâ—… saying Cadâ—… ChristianoruÌ„ proprium est câ—…dere auâ—… christionos Pilati Caiphae officia sunt It is the part of Christians to be persecuted but to persecute the Christians it is the verie office of Pilate and Caâ—…aphas The Lord is not vniust but al his workes are righteousnesse truth Their little short tribulation in this life prepareth an eternall excéeding weight of glory vnto his seruants Though they sow in teares they shal reape in ioâ—…e They shal be taken vp into heauen and shal sée God face to face and shal be crowned with glorie and honour As for the vngodlie it is not so with them they may flourish for a time and haue great power and authoritie in this worlde but the lamb shal ouercome them and their â—…nd shalbe according to their works Dauid saith Vpon the vngodly he shall raine snares fire and brimstone storme and tempest this shal be their portion to drinke When the Lorde Iesus shall shewe him selfe from heauen There are many which are ashamed of Christ and of his word in the presence of such as are enimies to the Crosse of Christ and haue countenance and auctoritie in this worlde But a time shall come when Christ will shewe himselfe from heauen accompanied with his holie Angels Then will â—…e also be ashamed of them and put them from his presence then will he render bengeauncâ—… to them that haue hated his trueth they shall then know whose members they haue killed and whose word and gospel it was which they so despitefully reproched Then the sâ—…ake of their torments shall ascend euermore and they shall haue no rest daie nor night In this maner shal God triumph in victorie ouer the wicked by iudging them to euerlasting destruction and wil shew himselfe wonderful in giuing rest and ioie and glorie and euerlasting blessednesse to all those which loue his trueth and beléeue in him V. 11 Wherefore wee also praie alwaies for you that our God maie make you worthie of this calling and fulfil al the good pleasure of his goodnesse and the worke of faith with power 12 That the name of our Lord Iesus Christ may be glorified in you and you in him according to the grace of our God and of the Lord Iesus Christ. God blesse that good thing which he hath begun in you and kéepe you stedfast in the truth that you looke not backe nowe after you haue put your hand to the plough and that you giue no place to their dangerous and subtle persuasions who persecute you take héede to your selues and beware that you put not the word of God from you He hath shewed you his goodnesse and mercie in that he hath deliuered you â—…rom the power of darkenesse and hath tranâ—… you into the kingdome of his deare son I make my praier to God without ceasing for you alwaies that he wil make you worthie of this â—…eauenly calling and that he will euer more more fil you with the riches and abunâ—…nce of his goodnes and mercie that through him you may be made perfect in al good works CHAP. 2. NOwe I beseech you brethren by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ and by our assembling vnto him 2 That yee be not sodainely mooued from your mind nor troubled neither by spirite nor by word nor by letter as it were from vs as though the daie of Christ were at hand YOu are the children of those fathers which haue fallen from their stedfastnesse and haue béene led into errour beware least you also be carried away with euery blast of
their faces This was done vnto them that so they might be rooted out and their name quite put out from the â—…arth It was high time for the Lord to put to his hand They called vpon him in their troubles and he heard them Then sent he Moses and Aaron and deliuered them he opened the redde sea and gaue them passage When the Philiâ—…ines oppressed them GOD sent them Gedeon Barac Iehu Debora and Sampson whom he endued with wisedome and courage and pâ—…wer to ouercome their enimies and to sette them at libertie What should I speake of Nabuchodonosor Anâ—…ochus Nero Iulian and other tyrants They opprâ—…ssed the seruants of GOD and kept them in great miserie But God looked downe from heauen and was their helper in the time of néede he brake the â—…ords asunder and delinered them The more â—…ie was extended or practised against them the more glorious did GOD sheiâ—… himselfe in the 〈…〉 of Antichrist By him the Church of God shall suffer great tribulation such as was not from the beginning of the world And then shal his surie encrease and his tyranic be the greater when his kingdome shall decay and the daies of his desolation shall be at hande Primasius saith Tunc cadet Babylon quando nouis sime potestaâ—…em persequendi sanctos acceperit Then shall Babylon come to the ground when she shall last of al take power to persecute the Saints of God For then wil God arise and will iudge his owne cause he wil deliuer the afâ—…icted and will slaie Antichrist with the breath of his mouth Hereof S. Gregorie saith thus The Church after these daies of her affliction shall afterwarde notwithstanding be â—…rengihned with great power and might of preaching Except there come a departing first There must first be a departing from faith in the Church of God and then shall be the comming of the Lorde There was one general departing in the daies of Noah Al flesh had corrupt their waies there was not aniâ—… that did seeke after righteousnesse Then came the daie of the Lorde vpon them he powred out the waterâ—… and they preuailed vpon the earth so that both man and cattel and worme the soule of the heauen were destroied There was a general departing of the Iewes people of God at Hierusalem They made the house of God a denne of théeues they saued a théefe and crucified the Lord of glorie God had no delight in them neither regarded their sacrifices Christ said vnto them O Ierusalem Ierusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them which haue beene sent vnto thee howe often woulde I haue gathered thy children togither euen as a henne gathereth her chickens vnder her wings and yee woulde not Beholde your house is left vnto you desolate They shall not leaue in thee one stone vpon another because thou knowest not the time of thy visitation Such a departing it shall be whereof the Apostle speaketh and so general that the sonne of man when he commeth shall hardly finde faith vpon the earth But this departing is diuersly taken Some vnderstaÌ„d it of the empire that the kingdomâ—… and countries which were before in subiection to that estate shal depart from it and that then Antichrist shal spring vp Others thinke that this is spoken of that departing wherein the godlie haue carried themselues from the obedience of the church of Rome But others more truly say it is the departure from the doctrine and religion and loue and obedience of the gospel of Christ wherof in another place he saith In the latter times some shall depart from the faith and shal giue heede to spirites of errour and doctrines of Diuels forbidding to marrie and commaunding to abstaine from meates which God hath created to be receiued with giuing thankes of them which beleeue and know the truth These men shall haue a forme of godlinesse but shall denie the power thereof They shall turne their eares awaie from the truth and wil encline their hearts to heare fables The wordes of the Apostle are plaine to shew that there shal be a departing But as we sée it is not agréed vppon what maner of departing this shal be nor by whome it shall be wrought Our aduersaries lay it vnto vs saying you haue wrought this departing you haue departed from the Church of Rome you are they of whome S. Paule hath spoken you are the founders of Antichrist so say they But would to God they and their fathers and the Church of Rome had not wrought this departure Bernard behelde the state and pride and disorders of the Church of Rome in his time therefore saide Superest vt reueletur homo peâ—…cati filius perditionis non modo demonium diâ—… sed meridianum quod non solum transfiguratur in angelum lucis sed extollitur supra umne quod dicitur Deus aut quod colitur It remaineth that the man of sinne that is the sonne of perdition be reueiled euen the diuel which flieth not onely in the day but destroyeth in the noone day which is not only changed into an angel of light but is exalted aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped And Gregorie did sée who they were that should worke this departing and make way for Antichrist therefore sayde Ego fidenter deco c. I speake it boldly Whosoeuer calleth himselfe the vniuersal priest or desâ—…reth so to be called as doth the Pope in the pride of his heart he is the forerunner of Antichrist Now that we may yet better know what maner of departure that shal be let vs consider what Saint Paule speaketh of the Church of God which was in his tune Vnto the Coriâ—…thinans he sayeth If al prophecie and there come in oneÌ„ that beleeueth not or one vnlearned he is rebuked of al men he is iudged of al men and so are the secrets of his hâ—…art made manifest and so wil he fal downe on his face and worship God and say plainly that God is in you in deede How is it then brethern When you come together euerie one of you hath a psalme hath a doctrine hath a tongue hath a reuelation hath an interpretation let al things be done vnto edifying c. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace as we see in al the churches Blessed were they of God Al thinges among them were done to edifying The holy scriptures were read openly in the presence of the people the people rcuerently kept silence and gaue eare and vnderstood the wil of God and submitted themselues vnto it The prayers were in a knowne tongue to that â—…e vnlearned might vnderstand them and say Amen The holis misteries were duly ministred The people receiued the sacrament of the Lordes supper vnder both kindes as Christ had instituted and did al communitate together Chrisostoine writing vppon that chapter sayth Vere tum Ecclesia coelum fuit c. Verely the church then was a
light They forsake the light and delight in darkenesse and this is their condemnation They wil not vnderstande nor séeke after God that they may be reformed The Prophet saith Because he loued cursing it shal come vnto him and because he loued not blessing so shal it be farre from him God will strike them with blindenesse They shal be asâ—…onied They shal fall into rebuke and the snares of the Diuell They shal be drowned in perdition and destruction So great shal be the power of errour Men shal not onely be deceiued but shal be deâ—…iued mightilie and stronglie They shal desire to be deceiued and shal beare a deadly hatred against him who so euer shal séeke to reforme them They shal harden their heartes against God and his holy worde they shal stop their eares and not hearken to his counsell they shal not open their eyes to beholde the destruction which is to come vpon them So great and so mightie shal be the delusion So deadly shal be the cloud and blindnesse of their hearts They shal bee giuen ouer into a reprâ—…bate minde They shal be filthie and increase in filthinesse Such shall be the power of Satan such shall be the power of errour and deceitfulnesse They shall despise the glorions Gospell of Christ therefore GOD shall forsake them and giue them ouer to followe Antichrist God hath this daie sent the light and comfort of his holie word into the worlde Manie godlie men haue desired to sée that we sée and to heare that we do heare Blessed be the name of the Lorde which hath in mercie visited vs. We beséeth him to blesse the worke that hée hath begunne Saint Paul saith The grace of God that bringeth saluation to al men hath appeared And to the Colossians he saieth The Gospel is come vnto you euen as it is vnto all the worlde And againe Haue they not heard no doubt their sounde went through all the earth and their wordes into the endes of the worlde The poore receiue the glad tidings of the gosped GOD hath visited and redéemed his people But yet the Apostle saieth They haue not al beleeued our Gospel For Esaâ—…as saieth Lord who shall beleeue our reporte And againe saieth the Prophet Esay I'haue spred out my handes al the daie vnto a rebellious people which walked in a waie that was not good Wisedome crieth in the stréetes 〈◊〉 I haue called and ye refused I haue stretched Prouâ—… out mine hande and none woulde regarde Such is the power of Satan so shall hée stoppe their eares that they shall not vnderstande what is spoken in the name of the Lord. Paul is a true Prophet and foretold long before that which we maie nowe beholde with our eies In the latter times some shall giue heede vnto spirites of errour They shall be as men without sense or féeling they shall forsake the truth and betake themselues to followe lies and fables Euen they shall doe this which shall sitte in the Church of God who shall professe and carrie the name of Christ. Christ ministred his last supper in both kindes Saint Paul telleth the Corinthians As often as yee shall eate this bread and drinke this cup yee shall shew the Lords death till hee come That this institution of Christ should be kept in the Church vntil the ende of the worlde The Apostles receiued this order the holie fathers and martires vsed it But nowe manie euen too too manie wil not so haue it nor so vse it They will not followe the example of the Fathers nor of Martires nor of the Apostles nor kéepe the ordinance of Christ so strong a delusion hath bewitched them The people of God were taught to praie in the vulgare tongue that their heartes might giue consent and their mouth saie Amen This order did Peter and Paul and Iohn and Iames and the godlie fathers kéepe There is not one of them that tooke order for the contrarie but nowe there are some risen vp which in spite of Christ and his Apostles saie praiers shall be made in a strange tongue either Latine or Gréeke The people shall not vnderstand what they heare They shall not knowe what it is which they themselues saie their hearts cannot giue consent thereto their mouths cannot saie Amen The example of the Apostles the commaundement of Christ the comforte of the people the confusion of the Church nothing mooueth them so great and mighty is the power of error The people worshippe a creature in stéede of the creator who is GOD ouer all blessed for euer They sée they doe amisse yet continue in it and finde no faulte They sée wherein their Fathers were deceiued yet they saâ—… they coulde not be deceiued They sée manie and fowle abuses yet séeke not to redresse them For they saie wée will walke in the waies of our forefathers wée will belieue as they beléeued howsoeuer they belieued Wée will doe as they did whatsoeuer they did they will not heare the worde of the Lord. Thus shall they delight in darkenesse and loath the light they wil be deceiued and will not sée the trueth So mightie and so terrible is the power of errour They be learned in Philosophie and in the tongues they be learned in the lawes they be learned in Phisicke learned in the Doctours and learned in stories They are skilfull to buie and sell to purchase land to enrich themselues and to prouide for their children They haue knowledge in al things else But themselues and the trueth of God and the way to saluation they haue not knowne A théese when he is taken blusheth A harlot is ashamed of her filthinesse and a drunkard of his beastlinesse But they that are such haue hardned their faces they cannot blush Whatsoeuer they haue saide or doone either openly or in secret by hipocrisie or crueltie by rauin or treacherie in offering pardons to sale in deceiuing the people of God in accusing the righteous and condemning the innocent they cannot repent they knowe no shame So great is the power of errour Christ saith vnto them The Publicanes and the harlots shall go before you into the kingdome of God They consider that they haue done amisse but you are wilfull in your blindenesse Oh the depth of the wisedome and knowledge of God Who is wise and considereth this They striue against the manifest truth they striue against their owne conscience they striue against the spirite of God This is that sinne which shall neuer be forgiuen neither in this worlde nor in the world to come Therefore saith Paul that al they might be damned which beleeued not the truth Al shal be damned which beléeued not Then let no man saie I will follow the example of my fathers I wil doe as the greater part doth So manie and so manie for so manie yeares in so manie places haue bin on this side The iudgement of God standeth not in the multitude but in the truth Whosoeuer
the great citie the harbor and palace of Antichrist and is become the habitation of Diuels and the hold of al foule spirites And I heard an other voice from heauen say â—…o out of her my people beléeue her not do not as she commaundeth you that ye be not partakers in her sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues For her sinnes are come vp into heauen and God hath remembred her iniquities Reward her euen as she hath rewarded you giue her double according to her works and in the cup that she hath filled vnto you fill her the double In as much as she glorified her selfe and liued in pleasure so much giue you to her forment and forrow For she saith in her heart I sit being a Quéene the world is mine no ill shal touch me Therefore shal her plagues come at one day death and sorow and famine and she shal be burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God which will condemne her And the kings of the earth which haue committed fornication and liued in pleasure with her shall bewaile her when they shall sée the smoake of her burning and shall stand a far off for feare of her torment saying alas alas the great ciâ—…ie Babylon the mightie citie for in one houre is thy iudgement come And the Marchants of the earth shal wéepe and waile ouer her for no man buieth their ware any more the ware of gold siluer and of pretions stone of pearls and of fine linnen of purple and of silke of scarlet and of al maner of Thime wood of al maner of Yuorie of al vessels of most pretious wood of brasse and of yron of marble and of cinamome and odours and ointments and frankencense and wine and oile and fine flower and wheat and beasts and shéepe and horses and chariots and seruants and soules of menâ—…o man anie more shall buie her parchment waxe and seales no man shall buie her orders her dispensations pluralities totquot non residence Perinde valere no man shal buie her concubines her oile salt holie water holie bread no man shal buie her palles her agnos dei her iubilees masses trentals and pardâ—…ns no man shall any more buie of her forgiuenes of their sins and life euer lasting no man shall regard her no man shall buie or séeke to get this marchandise of her anie more The marchants of these wares shal stand a far off for feare of her plagues and saie alas that great city that was clothed in reines and scarlet and purple and golde and diamonds and pretious stones in one houre is al thy glorie stript from thée O what city vnder heauen was like vnto thée Thou wast the great citie the noble and the holie citie Then a mightie Angel tooke vp a stone like a great milstone cast it into the sea saying With such violâ—…nce shal the great citie Babylon be cast and shal be found no more She shall be out of remembrance they shall séeke the place where shée stood and not find it The voice of harpers and musitions shal be no more heard in her The light of a candle shal shine no more in her her marchants officers and dataries were the great men of the earth and by her enchauntments were al nations deceiued And in her was found the bloud of the Prophets and of the saints of al that were staine vpon earth Then I heard a great voice of a great multitude in heauen saying Halleluiah saluation and glorie and honour and power be to the Lorde our God For he hath condemned the great whore which did corrupt the earth with her fornication and hath auenged the bloud of his seruants shed by her hand And againe they saide Halleluiah and the smoake rose vp for euermore and the foure and â—…nentie elders fel down worshipped god that safe on the throne saying Amen Halleluiah Then a voice came out of the throne saying praise our God al ye his seruants both small great And I heard like y e voice of a great multitude and as the voice of manie waters and as the voice of strong thunderings saying Halleluiah for our Lord God almightie hath raigned Let vs be glad and reioice giue glorie to him for she is fallen she is fallen Babylon that great citie there she lieth the mother of filth and fornication There lieth Antichrist the man of sin the son of perdition which is an aduersarie which hath sit in the temple of God and exalted himselfe aboue al that is called God that wicked lawlesse man lieth there The Lamb the roote of Iesse the lion of the tribe of Iuda hath ouercome and gotten the victorie He is worthy to receiue glorie and honor Then shal the Apostles and the Prophets the Angels saie praise and honor and glorie be vnto him that sitteth vpon the throne and vnto the lamb for euermore We thank thée we giue thanks to thée O God which art and was and shal be Thou hast auenged the bloud of the Prophets and Martyres thou hast destroyed them that haue defiled the earth Thy name be blessed for euer Amen Halleluiah Such glée and triumph shall be in heauen for the ouerthrow of Antichrist Thus haue I by occasion of the Apostles words spokeÌ„ of the comming and of the kingdome of Antichrist And least we might be deâ—…eiued as touching his person I haue saide what hée should bée what thinges he shal doe of what estate he shal bée what countenaunce he shal carie in what place he shal sit at what time shal be his comming by what meanes he shal preuaile who they be that shal beléeue in him what power shal beate him downe what ende hee shal haue what triumph shal followe vpon his fal I haue tolde you that he shal be the ouerthrowe of the worlde the confusion of the Church the sonne of perdition that he shal destroye himselfe and be the destruction of others I haue tolde you he shal be a reuerend father and weare a myter and be a Bishop and a Bishop of Bishoppes So saith Gregorie so Ierome so Augustine and Barnard and others And can not we tel who it is that calleth himselfe an vniuersal Bishop the Bishoppe of al Churches Doe we not heare of such a one Doe we not know him What soeuer he be wheresoeuer he dwel what countenaunce soeuer he beare he is Antichrist I haue tolde you he shal sit in the temple of God in the consciences of the people that the people shal heare credite follow and honor him as if he were God and thinke it sinne and daâ—…aioon to breake his loare I haue tolde you where hee shal be stalled where his chiefe place shal be whence hée may be séene Saint Iohn sayth he shal sit in a Citie built vpon seauen hils that citie is the citie of Rome Rome is so built Rome is set vpon seauen hils Dame Sybilla sayth Antichrist shal sit by the