57 Christe saieth The Gospell of the kingdome shall bee Preached in all the world for a witnesse vnto all nations and then shall the ende come Antichrist saieth I and my Complices the Cardinalls Bishops Priestes Monkes Fryers Lawyers c. will to the vttermost of our power suppresse the preachyng of the Gospell and so many as either preach it or professe it that the end of this worlde may not come And so shall wee still continue in pleasure ioye and myrthe For that is our portion 58 Christ saieth Whosoeuer shall giue vnto one of these little ones to drinke a cup of colde water onely in the name of a Disciple verely I say vnto you he shall not loose his rewarde Antichrist saieth What haue I to doe with the poore Euery man for himself the Deuill for vs all Whosoeuer giueth any thyng to this fraternitie or that fraternitie to this Guilde or that Guilde to this Cloisture or that Cloisture to thys Chauntry or that Chauntry to this pardon or that pardon to this altare and that altare to this morowe Prieste and that morowe Prieste c. He shall not loose his rewarde And the more hee giueth the greater shall be his rewarde 59 Christ saith Beware of men for they shall deliuer you vp too the counsels and shall scourge you in their Sinagoges And ye shal be brought to headrulers and kinges for my sake c. Antichrist saith Ye my Shauelinges with the reast of myne Adherentes feare no manne liuyng For they shall not once touche you Is it not written Nolite tangere Christos meos in Prophetis meis ne malignemini Are ye not my greased my sineared and mine holy annointed Are not ye my Prophettes and Preachers Doe not ye execute my wil and pleasure Who then may be bolde to touch you I haue made a decree to curse all them that laye violente hande either of Prieste or Clerke and that they shal not be assoiled but onely at my hande and where I appoint Therefore feare ye not neither be he dismaide And as for any bringing of you before the head rulers take no thought I haue enfraunchised you and made you free from all their power and aucthority so that they haue nothyng to do with you in any matter I haue made you a pecular kingdome by your selues You may conuent all menne before you and summone them to appeare before you in your spirituall courtes to lay to their charge whatsoeuer shall please you but with you they shall haue nothyng to doe No they shall reuerence you thei shall crouch and knele vnto you They shall Maister you They shall Lorde you They shall Grace you Yea the basest among you all thei shall salute with Domine that is to saie Lorde or Sir. 60 Christe saieth Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Antichrist saith Blessed are they that heare my decrees and obserue them 61 Christ saith Beware of the Scribes whiche will go in long clothing and loue greetinges in the markets and highest seates in the Sinagoges and the chiefe roumes at Feastes whiche deuoure Widowes houses by fainyng long praiers the same shall receaue the greater damnation Antichrist saieth Though my Choploches Chaplens and chapmen be in this behalfe like vnto the sausy Scribes fine Pharesies lustye Lawyers patterynge priestes braggyng Bishops liyng Leuites satanicall Saduces and suche other whiche liued amonge the Iewes in the daies of Christe so that they also goe in long gownes loue gretinges in the markets and the hiest seates in the Sinagoges and the chiefe roumes at feastes and deuour widdowes houses vnder the pretence of long praier c yet see that ye neither contemne nor condemne theym but make much of them reuerence them worship them and honour them for they are in dignitie more excellent than Angels in honour farre passyng Kynges Princes Emperours or any other mortall creature although neuer so noble For they are the makers of hym that made them and the whole worlde 62 Christ in his Sermons cried wreck woe and damnation vpon those Scribes Pharesies and Hipocrites whiche tithed Mynte and Anyse and Comyn and lefte the weighty matters of the Lawe iudgement mercie and faith Antichrist saith What haue I to doe with iudgement mercie and faith Bring in your Tythes Paye your Offeringes Geue your Dirige groates your Masse pence and your Confessional pence with al your other good and godly deuotions Bye my Pardons Geue ten shillings for a trentall fortie pence to the hye Altare twelue pence to the Sepulchre light sixe pence too Lampes Euer bee geuyng of somwhat though it be but a Cheese or a peece os Bacon to the holy order of swete Sainct Fraunces or to any other of my Fryers Monkes Chanons c. Holy Churche refuseth nothyng but gladly taketh whatsoeuer commeth 63 Christ by the parable of the ten Uirgines wherof fiue were wise and fiue foolishe declareth twoo thynges manifestly One is that no man hath good dedes sufficient for hym selfe The second is that after this life no good deedes doone can profite vnto saluation Antichrist teacheth the contrary and saieth Some men in this worlde growe vp vnto suche perfection in doyng good workes that they haue not onely plentie and enough for their owne saluation but they haue also sufficient for other where as we be taught in the worde of God that no man liuyng can iustifie himselfe in the sight of god He teacheth also that the good deedes done of other for theym that are departed profite them greatly either vnto the diminishyng of their paine if they be in hell or vnto the aduauncement of their glory if they be in heauen or vnto the dispatchyng of their tormentes if they be in purgatory 64 Christ in his doctrine teacheth that whosoeuer beleueth in hym may bee sure to haue euerlastyng life as it is written He that beleueth on the Sonne of God hath euerlastyng life But hee that beleueth not on the Sonne of God shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth vpō hym Againe euery on that putteth his trust in hym that is to saie Christe shall not bee confounded And our Sauioure Christe hymselfe saieth I am the resurrection and the life He that beleueth on me yea though he were dead yet shall hee liue And whosoeuer liueth and beleueth in mee he shall neuer dye Sainct Paule beyng certaine of his saluation thorowe faithe in Christe saieth I am now readie to bee offered and the tyme of my departyng is at hande I haue fought a good fight I haue fulfilled my course I haue kepte the faithe From henceforthe there is laied vp for me a croune of righteousnesse whiche the Lorde whiche is a righteous Iudge shall giue me at that daye not to me onely but vnto all theim also that loue his commyng Again I knowe and am sure that he in whom I haue put my truste is able to
The Actes of Christe and of Antichriste concernyng bothe their life and doctrine diligently gathered and now taken out of his workes by Thomas Becon 2. Corin. 6. ¶ What fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse Or what cōpanie hath light with darkenesse Or what concorde hath Christ with Beliall Or what parte hath he that beleueth with an Infidell The Actes of Christ and Antichriste concernyng bothe their life and doctrine Of their life FIrste Christe as touchyng his deitie is the true and naturall Sonne of the liuyng and immortall God and as cōcernyng his humainitie he is the true and naturall Soonne of Marie the Uirgine Antichrist bothe bodie and soule is the childe of wrathe and the Sonne of perdition yea and that synfull man whiche is an aduersarie to God and all godlinesse to Christ and to all christianitie 2 Christe beyng borne brought into the worlde greate ioye high peace and euerlastyng saluation as the Aungell saied to the Shepheardes Beholde I bryng you tidynges of greate ioy whiche shall come to all people For vnto you is borne this daie in the Citee of Dauid a Sauiour whiche is Christe the Lorde Again Glory be to God on hie and peace on the yearth and vnto God a good will. Antichrist beyng borne bringeth with him not ioy but greef of minde not peace but trouble of bodie not Saluation but plaine distructiō bothe of bodie and soule to so many as embrace hym 3 Christ when he should be borne could haue no roume in the Iune and therefore was borne in a Stable and beyng wrapped in poore and homely swadlyng cloutes he was laied in a maunger Antichrist before he bee borne hath a gorgious richely apparelled house prepared for him with all suche furniture as becōmeth suche a wicked worldlyng 4 Christ when he was borne was not ioyfully receiued of the worlde no not of thē to whom he was promised sent but rather hated persecuted moste cruelly Antichrist beeyng borne is moste tenderly embraced loued kissed and coulled and in all pointes warely kepte and circumspectly attēded that no greef or misfortune chaunce vnto hym so deare is he to the children of this worlde 5 Christ when accordyng to his age he ought to haue been bothe tenderly and quietly norished was compelled through the crueltie of Tyrauntes to bee caried from countrey to countrey and yet hardly founde he reste at any tyme so in all pointes did the Crosse followe hym euen from the verie cradle as thei vse to saie Antichrist is bothe delicately and tenderly fostered and brought vp without al noise and disquietnesse All Epicures and worldlynges delight in hym Thei seeke to pleasure hym He is free at all tymes from all Crosse. 6 Christ when he was borne had little resorte vnto hym for to releeue his poore and miserable state beside the Shepheardes and the wise men of the Easte with a verie fewe other Antichrist hath the whole worlde flockyng to hym which cease not to giue and offer vnto hym greate precions giftes although otherwise ouerflowyng with the aboundance of all thynges 7 Christ beyng but twelue yeres of age was studious of Goddes worde and so desirous of the knowledge thereof that forgettyng his carnall freendes and their companie he remained in the Temple of Salomon at Ierusalem sittyng in the middes of the Doctours hearyng them and posyng them Antichriste hateth the knowledge of Goddes worde and so many as fauour it forasmuche as it is contrarie to his filthy will and beastly pleasure and deliteth only in that doctrine whiche serueth his voluptuous appetite 8 Christe was obediente to Marie his mother and to Ioseph her houseband shewyng hereby a good example of submission and obedience to all children Antichrist will obeye no man but rule ouer all men giuyng hereby an example of pride and disobedience to all men 9 Christe as some affirme from the tyme of twelue yeres of age till he was thirtie yere old accompanied Ioseph his Mothers housebande whiche was a Carpenter by his occupation and laboured diligently in that arte by this meanes gettyng his liuyng with the trauaile of his hādes and with the sweate of his browes accordyng to the commaundemente of his heauenly Father giuyng a good example in this behalf to all that professe his name that none in a Christian Common weale ought to liue idlely but euery manne woorke some good thyng that he maie haue not onely whereof to liue hym self but also to giue vnto the needie And hereof commeth it that Christe is called a Carpenter in the Scripture Antichrist is altogether otherwise affected For he vseth no exercise that godly and profitable is but liueth altogether idlely of the labour of other mennes handes and of the sweate of other mennes browes contrary to the commaundemēt of God beyng in deede a verie vnprofitable clod of the yearth And as he hym self is estraunged from all Godlie and vertuous exercises So likewise doeth he enfraunchise and make free from all worke and laboure all his spirituall smered shauelynges appointyng thē not to preache the woorde of God nor to administer the Sacramente of Christe purely and sincerely accordyng to Christes Institution but to saie Mattens Masse and Euensong and to sette forthe his ordinaunces and decrees c. that thei maie seem at the least to doe somewhat although that somwhat in deede be nothyng 10 Christ as he prospered in age so likewise did he in wisedome and fauour with God and men Antichriste the older he waxeth the worse he is hated both of God and of all Godly men 11 Christ disdained not to bee Baptised of Iohn Baptiste a poore man and a priestes sonne Antichrist will haue nothing ministred vnto hym but of great princes mightie prelates and such as be famous honourable and of greate glory in the worlde As for poore menne hee regardeth not and as touchyng the lawfull children of priestes he can by no meanes abyde them as a matter condempned in his deuilishe decrees and Luciferlike lawes 12 Christe although sente doune for that purpose tooke not on hym the office of preaching till he was openly called of his heauenly father hauing his vocation confirmed by a visible signe of the holy ghost which came doune from heauen vpō hym in the likenesse of a Doue Antichrist thrusteth hymselfe in the ministery without any certaine callyng yea and that not to doe good whiche is contrary to his nature but to doe euill euen to corrupt the congregation of God with his pestilente doctrine and corrupte maners and vnfruitfully to eate the Milke of the sheepe and to bee apparelled with their wolle by this meanes defraudyng both the true Ministers and also the pore members of Christ of their liuyng being of the number of them of whom God by the Prophet speaketh on this maner I spake not vnto theym and they prophecied
Christe will all menne to searche the Scriptures and to leane vnto them in all matters of controuersie as faithfull witnesses of the Lordes truthe Antichriste commaundeth that when any question arise aboute matters of Religion menne should haue recourse vnto the Canons and generall Councels but spicially vnto the See of Roome where all doubtfull matters are to bee decided As for the Scripture it hath no more aucthoritie then it pleaseth the Churche that is to faie the Pope and his adherentes to giue vnto it 4 Christe teacheth that all mennes traditions oughte to giue place vnto the woorde of God and that whatsoeuer is decreed of menne although of neuer so greate ancthoritie and wisedome contrary to the woorde of God is vtterly to bee neglected reiected and caste awaie Antichriste teacheth plainely that all suche constitutions and ordinaunces of men as bee decreed and set forthe by the aucthoritie of Counselles and holie Fathers whiche are alwaies gathered together by the instincte and consent of the holy ghost although thei are not nor can not bee grounded on Goddes worde are notwithstādyng good and profitable and menne are bounde vnder paine of deadly synne to obtaine and keepe them For the Churche can not erre 5 Christe teacheth that there is but one onely true liuyng and euerlastyng God whiche alone is to be honoured worship ped and called vpon by whose name also alone we ought to sweare Antichriste also after a certaine sorte confessed also one God with vs and that he is to be honoured and called vpon but not alone For he teacheth that the sainctes in heauen bothe maie and ought to be honoured and called vpō yea and that we maie also sweare by their names 6 Christe in his holie Lawe bothe by Moses the Prophetes and Apostles forbiddeth to make sette forthe or kepe any Image to bee worshipped But aboue all thinges he forbiddeth vs to make any Image of God. Antichrist saieth it is lawfull not onely to haue images and to sette them vp in Temples Chapels Oratories c. but also to worshippe theim to kneele before theim to kisse them to praie before them yea to them to knele before them to set candels before them to decke and trimme them to offer vnto them to sense them to put of our cappes vnto them and at the laste what not Antichriste also diggeth out of the ground the olde rotten bones or reliques of sainctes translateth them encloseth them in Golde keepeth them in precious shrynes and costly Clausures and setteth them forth to the people to be kissed and worshipped Moreouer he is not ashamed contrarie too the manifeste woorde of God to make the Image of the blessed Trinitie He formeth and frameth God the father like an old broken backed man with a white head winckled forehed holow eied slender cheeked sharpe nosed tothlesse wide mouthed hangyng doune lipped crooke chinned graye bearded small necked leane handed and in fine altogether monstrous GOD the Sonne Antichrist setteth forth as a lusty younge younker with his yelow lockes and God the holy Ghost he maketh like a yong lustie White flickeryng Doue But this blasphemous image causeth hee to be set in Churches and in all other places not onely to be considered but also to be worshipped vnto the greate dishonour of god the slaunder of the Christen religion the offence of all good men and vnto the glorie of all Gods ennemies But what dareth not Antichrist doe 7 Christ teacheth that the true worshippers muste worshippe God in spirite and trueth againe that they worship God in vaine whiche honour hym after the traditions of men Antichrist affirmeth that it is lawfull to worship God any maner of waie so it commeth of a good entent good mynde good zeale good deuotion c. For God casteth awaie the good intent of no man Antichrist therefore teacheth vs to worship God with Golde Siluer precious stones sumpteous vestures candels palmes Ashes bread water Salt c. With long patteryng curious singyng pleasaunt pipyng loude ringyng c. With Surplesses Copes Uestimentes Caps Coules c. with Massyng with Pilgrimage goyng with Pardons biyng with Beades saiyng c. And all these thinges he taught to be more precious and acceptable in the sight of GOD than to helpe the poore or to doe any worke of mercie For that is done but to manne the other vnto God. 8 Christ in his sweete Sermon that hee made in the mount saieth that he came to fulfill the Lawe that is to saie to accomplishe whatsoeuer was prefigured of him in the ceremonies of the olde Testament so that by his comming he hath put away and vtterlie abolished all Ceremonies euen as the shadow is remoued by the entrance of the light For as the Apostle saieth The lawe he meaneth the ceremoniall law was nothyng els than a shadow of good thinges to come The good thinges are come and geuen therfore the shadow ceaseth wherby we euidently learne that the Christians are nowe free from suche cloudy lawes darke ceremonies Antichrist teacheth that although the Ceremonies of the olde law be abolished by the commyng of Christ yet that hindreth nothing but that the Church which is the spouse of Christ may appoint what Ceremonies she wil without any offence of her husband Christ whiche delighteth in her and in her doynges as in himselfe yea and that so muche the more bicause among the christians there are many rude grosse and thei must be rudely and grossely handled and brought by little and little vnto perfection thorowe suche Ceremonies and outward obseruaunces whiche Ceremonies and Ordinaunces of Christes spouse the Churche are with no lesse reuerences to bee obserued than if they had beene commaunded of Christe her husbande 9 Christ Iesus in his doctrine teacheth that he alone is our Sauiour our Redeemer our Bishop or Pastour our head our reconciliatour our peacemaker and in fine all our hope and comfort in so muche that whosoeuer beleueth in hym shall not perishe but haue euerlastyng life Antichriste in his doctrine teacheth that saluation and remission of synnes is to bee obtained also at his handes at his Pardons Indulgences yeres of Iubile Masses Coules Pilgrimages c. Againe that he is heade of the vniuersall Churche of Christendome Christes Uicare Peters Successour the higheste Bishop the greatest Priest the moste holie and moste blessed Father to whom aboue all other the keyes of the kyngdom of heauē are committed fo that whatsoeuer he bindeth in yearth is also bounde in heauen and whatsoeuer he looseth in yearth is in like maner loosed in heauen so that whosoeuer cleaueth vnto hym can not perishe but haue life euerlastyng 10 Christe taught vs that whensoeuer wee will desire any thyng of God the Father wee should aske it in his name For no manne commeth to the Father but by hym And in the writynges of the Apostles wee reade that Christe alone is our