Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	day_n	great_a	holy_a	12,790	5	4.8317	4	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14707	Antichrist, that is to saye: A true reporte, that Antichriste is come wher he was borne, of his persone, miracles, what tooles he worketh withall, and what shalbe his ende: translated out of Latine into Englishe. by I.O.; Antichristus. English	Gwalther, Rudolf, 1519-1586.; Old, John, fl. 1545-1555.	1556 (1556)	STC 25009; ESTC S119373	149,758	392

set furthe can not fantasye all those paynes that men take in speaking doyng against the Bishop of Romes tyrannye And yet for al that these same fyne carpet doctours make them selues woÌ„derous busye and earnest in dryuyng awaye a sorte of lowsye harlot Friers and maungie Masse-priestes In this they thinke they do gaily And yf they chaunce at auenture to hitte vpoÌ„ a newe terme of speache to floute and taunt those vngracious moÌ„stres withal Lorde so bragge they are of it But yet they wolde not haue the head chief prince of these monstres to be meddled against in no wise But I wolde haue them to answer me Doo you thinke it to be true O you saweye more than arrogaunt frierly diuinitie doters that the Apostle Paule yea that God him self hathe ordained you to be watchemen in his house Sure you will saye it is true for you can not denye it onles ye will lose all the glorie of your estimacion which ye set so muche by Than what thinke you is the office of a watchemaÌ„ Is it ynough for him to tang the watchebell whan a rascall common souldiour or twoo of the enemies bande cometh whan the chieftayn of the Armye and high Emperour him selfe approcheth with his hole hoost to make no signe at al I thinke you wil not graunt that But than chiefly shoulde the trompet sounde than should he ring alarme most of al than must the cytezins be coÌ„maunded to harnesse specially thaÌ„ is the greatest daungier of all other And except the watcheman doo thus he shall not only be called a necligent cowheardly wretche but also a false knaue and a traitour to the common wealthe What a madnesse is it than in the deuilles name for a maÌ„ not to thinke that necessarily requisite in the administracion of the churche which semeth not only profitable but also of necessitie to be done in the temporal coÌ„moÌ„ wealthe And I pray you what weapones are they that Antichrist dothe most hurte and villanye with all euen lies and craftye deceate are the thiÌ„ges that he setteth him self out most with all Bicause he is furnished with a false title he reigneth in many mennes hartes whose ignoraunt blindnesse and simplicitie he abuseth to establishe his tyrannye Shall we than suffre theÌ„ to be seduced through ignoraunce still seing it lieth in vs to deliuer them at ones from that so haynous a tyrannye by the light of the truthe Shall we be afraide to reproue that cruell rageing beast for feare of making him angrye whose vse is to do more hurt with flatterie thaÌ„ furye That may not be my brethren Naye we must plucke of thys monstres visour that he vauÌ„teth him selfe in and teare of his painted Lyons visage that men maye se what a slowche eared asse he is that all this while wolde nedes be taken for that inuincible triumphaunt Lyon of the tribe of Iuda Concerning his displeasures we ought not to be afraide of them nor adradde of his thonder clappes As for Apoca. 6. this beast he hathe allready rose coloured him self a great while with sayntes blood Ther be innumerable soules of sayntes vnder the great aultar whoÌ„ this beast hathe murthered for the worde of God and the testimonie that they bare vnto Christ And ther are serued of the same sawce euery daye moo and moo And all they crye How long Lorde thow that art holy true iudgest not nor reueÌ„gest our blood from them that dwell on earthe But the Lorde heareth their voices and is ready to come furth to execute iudgement and to be reuenged as sone as the measure of the beast is fulfilled the nombre of his martirs perfitlye made vp Let vs in the meane tyme do the partes of good thriftye stuardes and trusty watchemen as it becometh vs to doo Let vs fede the Lordes flocke with the prouauÌ„dre of his worde let vs reproue stampe vnder our fere and cast awaye poison that it do no hurte Let vs poynt thenemie and all his false craftes and weapones w e our fyngre that Christes shepe maye knowe whom they ought to flee froÌ„ And so shall we receaue the bouÌ„teous rewarde that is prepared for vs. And as for those men that suffre so muche as the simplest shepe of Christes flock to be lost through their necligence ther remayneth horrible payne in stoare for them Now being moued by these reasones I haue taken vpon me this labour not being ignoraunt what dauÌ„gier lieth vpon it to proue the Bishop of Rome to be very Antichrist And this same worke louing brethreÌ„ felowe ministers I thought good to dedicate vnto you not the I thought my self hable being a yong man to instructe myne auÌ„cientes being vnlearned my selfe to teache my betters in learnyng and being a yongling and barbarous my selfe to informe men of most famous eloquence with these my dooinges but that my mynde was to rendre a playne rekonyng of my studies vnto those men whom I sawe trauaile this many yeares lyke hartie and constaunt faythfull men in this matter and dyd muche good wtal And so I thought it not vnprofitable that this doctrine shoulde openly come to lyght beyng set furth vnder the publike priuilege of al you seyng it is necessary principally in this sorowful tyme of affliction But before I make an ende of my tale I thinke good to speake a lytell coÌ„cerning Antichristes other sweord that is his open tyrannye that men may the more easely vnderstaÌ„d what is the occasion of the crosse and persecucion and that we ought paciently to beare it But furst of al it is to be enquired by whose counsaile mocion or suffering it is that Christes churche tasteth of the smarte of the crosse Marye that doo we learne of the only and vndeniable scholemaister of the world which hathe ben in the fathers bosome from euerlasting therfore seyng he knoweth al secretes he hath opened them vnto vs as farre as it is lawful profitable for vs to know Whan he sent furthe his disciples to preache the Gospel after that he hade talked muche concerning the crosse persecucions at laste he sayeth thus Are not two sparowes solde for a farthing And yet not one of them falleth Math. 10 to the grounde without your father All the heares of your head be nombred Be not afrayde therfore you are muche more worthe thaÌ„ a great meignye of sparowes In these wordes nowe the Lorde sheweth vs the principall cause of the crosse that what so euer it is that the godly are wont to haue chaunce vnto them it cometh by the will decreed couÌ„sail of his father For although it is not the knowyng of Goddes wil that setteth those that be persecutours on worke but the luste of their owne priuate affectioÌ„ hate malice and despight of Goddes worde yea and albeit Satan the father of all murther violence stere them vp yet none of al these haue any power strengthe or force against Christes churche except the Lorde hym selfe

to al his Canones and statutes We nede not to make long rehearsal of thiÌ„ges done loÌ„g agoo but let vs beholde the state of thinges that are presently in al mennes eies in all mennes handes Almightie God our most merciful father tedring the treason ruinous state that we haue suffred hathe vouchedsafe in these our dayes to reueale vnto vs through the light of his worde al that is necessary vnto saluacion And yet here a man may fynd an infinite multitud of meÌ„ whiche being geueÌ„ to the affectioÌ„ of their owne fleshely fantasie hade rather be gouerned guyded by lies false doctrine thaÌ„ by the light of the truthe yea Hearke my gentilmen Iackes on bothe sides to this saing mary to thinteÌ„t they may frely folowe their owne affectiones filthy fleshely lustes and serue all vicious wickednesse their trade is not only to be haters of the truthe which they embraced before but also as muche as in theÌ„ lieth to psecute oppresse it But if we loke vpoÌ„ the life behaueours religioÌ„ of those same meÌ„ we shal see more clearely thaÌ„ the daye light that it is the iust iudgement of God which Paule maketh meÌ„cioÌ„ of in this place For the wicked helhoundes are dropped in to so great a folishe foÌ„denesse are so farre past theÌ„ selues that now they haue reiected dephied the true preachers of God the trade of Goddes holy worde they The praise of MaideÌ„ priestes heare those meÌ„ obey their doctrine whom they see most shameful hooremoÌ„gers cuckold makers dycers droÌ„kerdes ful of al kynde of vices yea they require to be pourged of their sines at those meÌ„nes haÌ„des whoÌ„ they knowe to be the very bonde slaues of al wicked synnes mischief They also wil be taught by those meÌ„ whom they them selues confesse to haue lesse learnyng than an asse And yet they are not coÌ„teÌ„t to be thus foÌ„dly madde but now in this dauÌ„gerous peril that al Germanie staÌ„deth pÌ„seÌ„tly in they holde with those meÌ„nes entreprises and further their inteÌ„tes with al their diligeÌ„ce power yea with their prayers bothe priuately and openly who as al meÌ„ may Italianeâ— Spanyardes Antichristes garde see are the most deadly enemyes of the common wealthe of our couÌ„trey For shall we thinke any man to be so folishe and ignoraunt that he can not perceaue what malicious heartes the Italianes and Spanyardes beare to all Germanie Is ther any man so deafe and doltishe that he neuer hearde how they raile against vs They thinke it not ynough to call vs barbarous rude beastes lowtes fooles and dogges but their maner is to burthen vs also wyth the horrible cryme of heresye yea they thinke it laufull for theÌ„ to exercice all kynde of wickednesse tyrannie and merciles So they are welcome in to England also to traitourous popishe priestes to hoores bawdes cuckoldes c. crueltie vpon the Germaynes as though they thought the Germaynes not worthy to be couÌ„ted among the nombre of men And yet we see these men the most welcome gestes that hearte can thinke vnto many in Germany yea ther be soÌ„ that beleue they shal be defended and haue a mery worlde by these mennes marcial powers which haue alwaies hitherto by so many euideÌ„t tokeÌ„s vttred their malicious heartes against all Germanes But this is the very iust iudgement of God that they which hate the light of the truthe shall not only be blynde but being robbed also of their commoÌ„ witte they shall not be hable to see that they see with their open eies nor heare that they heare wyth their owne eares Now must we diligently obserue in this place louiÌ„g brethreÌ„ in Christ what is our office to doo if we be desirous to escape this greuous hurt of so pernicious a blindenesse That is we must beware that we be not so vnthankefull we must arme our selues also wyth such faithe and diligence as maye worthily receaue the light of Goddes worde and truthe whaÌ„ God offreth it vs. Wherin aboue all thinges we must beware of this brethreÌ„ that we geue not our myndes to our owne priuate affections nor set more by them than by the knowlage of the truthe For who so euer hathe mynde to folowe his owne pleasur shall neuer com to the true faithe Therfore it standeth vs in hande to tame our affectiones and to bring theÌ„ vnder the obedience of the spirite And among other thinges this also dothe muche hurt for folkes to hunt gredily after the pleasures of carnalitie and present prosperitie of worldly thinges for that we see is the cause of the greatest wickednesse that can be the vndoing to many a one at this daye For ther be some that coulde be well content to beare the gospell and the glad tydinges of saluacion purchaced by Christ if it wanted the crosse and stormes of persecucioÌ„ But whan they see them once com they not only let the most holsom doctrine of the gospell god and greuously blaspheme it but also they dare raile most deuillishlye against Christ our Lorde him selfe But let the inuincible heartie maÌ„ful constauncie of the most holy men that were our auncettours make vs heartie in this behalfe brethren For with how glad an hearte and with what thankes to God shal we thinke that they wold haue receaued that doctrine of the gospell if any man hade preached it vnto them in the dayes of the emperour Lewis the. 4. Whan they abode the thoÌ„derclappe and most heauy burthen of Antichristes curse eightene yeares space like right hartie true men to the emperour And shall we than being perfitly instructed by the lighte of the truthe be more cowheardly afraide of this enemye the B. of Rome than they were Shall it be sene that we are more colde and faynter hearted to Christ our king and saueour than they were to their emperour that was but a mortal man And shall we passe lesse of our faithe that we haue promised to Christ than they did of their fidelitie that they promysed to a mortal man Deliuer your selues brethren from the slaunderous infamye of so great a wickednesse Thinke it a goodly thing for you to folowe the vertuous heartynesse of your elders Thinke it well done to bring mennes soules out of bondage in to libertie though you should sheade your heart blood for it Take it for a goodly mater a ioyous for you to suffre deathe for the loue of your countrey for your wyues your children and for the sauing of mennes soules and for the glorye of our saueour Christ Ther are the fotestepppes of so many martires that are gone before vs and the example of Christ him self that it is not possible for vs to shrinke without to muche shame But aboue all thinges it shal be necessary for vs to pray heartily and continually that he wolde vouchesafe to deliuer vs from the tyrannye of Antichrist and to instructe vs with his spirite and faithe that we may

Antichrist That is to saye A true reporte that Antichriste is come / wher he was borne of his Persone miracles what tooles he worketh withall and what shal be his ende Translated out of Latine into Englishe By I. D. O Lorde why haste thou broken downe the hedge of thy vyne in Englande that al they which go by plucke of her grapes The wilde Boore out of the wood dothe roote it vp and the wilde beast of the field deuoureth it Tourne thee againe thou God of hostes loke downe from heauen beholde and visite this vyne It is brent with fire and cut downe c. Psal 80. Imprinted in Sothwarke by Christophor Trutheall Cum priuilegio Regali 1556. The translatour to the reader I Commende in to thy gentil handes good reader a most notable and godly learned worke of fyue Homelies / set furthe in Latin about .ix. yeares past by the reuerende and ryght famous clearke Rodulphe Gualter of zuirik / at suche tyme as the Bishop of Rome bestowed the treasures of his blessing wyth fyre and sweorde by Italianes and Spanyardes vpon certayne partes of Germanye whych neuertheles were by the mightye power and prouidence of God so preserued in the myddes of affliction / that the more trauaile Satan by his sonne and heire Antichrist toke to haue suppressed the Gospell of Christ / the more it florisheth the more he persecuted it / the stroÌ„glyer it is confirmed / and the depelier it hathe taken roote yea and as it is Goddes wonted practise / to tourne the malice and furie of his enemies to the furtheraunce of his glorie it neuer prospered in Germanye thaÌ„kes be to the mercie of God for it as it dothe nowe And for asmuche as we Englishe meÌ„ did by solemne othe abiure his vsurped power and forged autoritie whom the said author of thys worke calleth the myghtie houge Antichrist in the dayes of Goddes lawfull appointed Ministers of famous memorie / Kyng Henry theight / and his sonne the blessed Kyng Edwarde the sixthe and seyng ther is no lesse tirannye and plage purposed / and hanging at thys present by the iuste iugemeÌ„t of God / for the peoples vnthankfulnesse / negligence / and aduised periurie ouer the noble realme of Englande / than at that tyme was attempted in Germanie I thought it good / to translate and set furthe this notable worke / into our vulgare Englishe tongue / for iij. causes Furst to stere the fauourers of the Gospell of Iesus Christ / and the weake brethren / to geue God most heartie thankes for his mercifull gifte of knowlage in this case / and with teares for the miserable condicion of our naturale countrey / now pressed with the tirannous yowke of antichrist to poure out feruent prayers to God almyghtie / that he wolde of his abundauÌ„t mercie for Christes sake vouchsafe to wythdrawe once again this deserued and iustly sent miserie Secondarely / to desire those men / which esteme measure religion and Goddes worde / by the successe of worldly thinges to beholde with indifferent consciences what wealthe and pleyntie of meate and money / the Masse the daughter of Antichrist hathe brought wyth her again into Englande and therby though they compt litell vpon Goddes worde to beholde how horrible a thing it is / to fall into the handes of the lyuyng God / by committing of wilfull periurie and in what state they stande against the dredfull daye of the Lord whose eyes and iudgement no colourable pretense can deceaue \ for receauing againe of his most blasphemous enemye / whom they hade renounced by a necessary lawfull o the / made in his holy name Thirdly / to prouoke the bringers in again / and mayntenours of his pretenced power autoritie whom this autor calleth Antichrist either to repent and reuoke their popishe damnable errours / and confesse and embrace the truth of Christes Gospel with vs or els to coÌ„fute this worke / not with mennes traditions nor vayne falsely vsurped titles of the churche / and catholike fayth but with the manifest worde of God wherupon the catholike churche of Christ / and the true christian iustifieng faithe is buylded yf they can as I knowe / they can not For their artillarie is to shorte and to weake / yea all the ordinaunce of the very gates of hell shall neuer be able to encountre it / muche lesse to preuaile against it In the meane tyme / we being established and quieted in the inuincible trueth of Goddes most holy sacred worde wherby the autor of this worke translated by my poore trauaile / dothe most learnedly muinciblye paint out vnto thee that great enemye of God / Antichrist shall by the assistence of Goddes holy spirite / patiently digeste their railyng and tirannye And considering oure former vnthankulnesse / carnalitie / and necligence in our vocacion / we shal most humbly submit our selues to our heauenly fathers rodde and correction and loke for deliueraunce at his owne mercyfull leasure / knowyng that in the myddes of his wrathe / he remembreth mercye Take paynes now to reade ouer diligently these fyue Homelies with the Autors preface / good reader And yf God lighteÌ„ thyne heart with this candle / to consent vnto the truthe wyth vs / wherof thou wast either ignoraunt before / or in case thou be already persuaded / yet yf thou be the better instructed and more soundly satled hereby in this behalfe I haue my hole desire / and full recompence God geue thee vnderstandyng in all thinges / and in hym ryght hertely well to fare The Autors owne tytle of thys boke / is thus Antichrist That is to saye fyue Homilies wherin it is proued that the Bishoppe of Rome is the ryght and myghtye houge Antichrist whom the oracles of the Prophetes Christ the Apostles tolde before shoulde come and that we shoulde beware of him Set furthe by Rodulphe Gualter of Zuirik c. Â¶ To his deare brethreÌ„ that preache the Gospell of Christ in the Countie of zuirike Rodulphe Gualter grace and peace from him which only and none but he is made vnto vs of his heauenly father peace righteousnesse wysedome redemption and sanctificacion THat chosen instrument of God and teacher of the geÌ„tiles the Apostle Paule whan he shoulde take his laste leaue of the Elders of the EphesiaÌ„s and had faithfully warned them of many maters yet amoÌ„g other thinges he thought good to geue them this lesson withall Take hede to your selues to the hole flocke of whome the holy Goost hathe set you to be ouerseers or Bishoppes to gouerne Act. 20. the churche of God whome he hath purchaced with his owne blood For I knowe this that ther shall after my departure greuous wolues entre in among you that shall not spare the flocke Which wordes ryght reuerende brethreÌ„ and felowe Ministres forasmuche as they were spoken to those men whome the self same office was at that tyme in the churche of Christe coÌ„mitted vnto which is

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

greater parte of this vision in the later Epistle to his Thessalonians in the secoÌ„de chaptre For where as the Thessalonians beyng disquieted through false doctrines of certain deceauours thought that the last daye of iudgement and the coÌ„myng of our Lorde Iesu Christ drewe nere and was than already at hande Paule a faythfull doctour of those that were his confuteth the falsely conceaued opinion touching that mater with these maner of wordes reasones Let no man deceaue you by any meanes For the Lorde shall not come except ther com a departiÌ„g furst and that the man of synne be opened the sonne of perdicion which is an aduersarie and is exalted aboue all that is called God or is wourshipped so that he dothe sytte in the temple of God as God boasting him selfe to be God Remembre ye not that whan I was yet wyth you I tolde you these thinges And now ye knowe what wythholdeth euen that he might be vttred at his tyme For the mysterie of the iniquitie dothe allready worke till he which now only letteth be taken out of the waye And thaÌ„ shall that wicked one be vttred whom the Lorde shall consume wyth the spirite of his mouthe and shall destroye wyth the appearaunce of his coÌ„myng euen him whose commyng is after the working of sathan wyth all lyeng power signes and wondres and wyth all deceaueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse among them that perishe bicause they receaued not the loue of the truthe that they might be saued And therfore God shall sende them strong delusion that they shoulde beleue lyes that all they might be demned which beleued not the truthe but hade pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Thus farre haue I rehearsed Paule thapostles wordes which coÌ„teyne the ful perfyt descripcioÌ„ of al this adoo and of the mysteries of Antichrist also the playne interpretacion of the vision that is recorded in Daniel the Prophete And after what sorte these two places agree betwene them selues and what is the true vnderstandyng of them boche it shal be declared in the Homilies folowyng by the fauour and helpe of God But out of these maters which are thus farre already sayde welbeloued brethreÌ„ in Christ this we must marke that accordyng to the oracles of goddes worde and of Iesu Christ Antichrist shall surely come which by his false prophetes shal seduce an infinite multitude of people We must therfore brethren endeauour our selues with most earnest studie and diligence that furst of all we maye be throughly perfyte in the certain true knowlage of our Lorde only saueour Iesu Christ wherin beyng instructed we must than also learne to knowe the false Christes and that great Anttchrist him selfe to thintent least we be made foles hereafter as we haue ben all ready heretofore by the most false wylye deuyses of Satan for than we shal be hable nother to knowe him ne yet to beware of him Therfore we hade nede diligently to consider the wordes of God and to call vpon him also diligently with continuall prayers that he wolde vouchesafe to open vnto vs the true vnderstaÌ„ding of his worde to leade vs in to the true knowlage of his sonne our redemour and that we be not deceaued with Antichristes lyes but continue stedfastly in Christ our saueour which is the euerlasting veritie To him be honour praise and glorie euerlastingly worlde without ende Amen Thus endeth the furst Homilie Antichrist The .ij. Homilie In this seconde Homilie we are taught what the original beginning of Antichrist is where it shal be and by what meanes and shyftes he shall attayne his so great streinghtes and so mighty power of his tyrannye OVr Lorde Iesus Christ the eternal sonne of God the only redemour and vndeniable Doctour of the world talking with his disciples concerning the later tymes and the periles of the same amoÌ„g other thinges telleth them before hande that false Christes and false Prophetes shal rise vp to the destruction and marring of many men And we are also taught by the hole mynde and consent of all the scriptures bothe of the olde testament newe that among them ther shal be a certayne peculiar head ryngleader and a most ranke aduersary of Christ our kyng and priest whom after the common custome of the faythfulles and by the apostles autoritie we doo vse to name Antichrist like as in the Homilie before it is sufficieÌ„tly declared Neuertheles these thinges are not spoken to th ende welbeloued brethreÌ„ in Christ that we should only heare knowe what shoulde be hereafter hauing in the meane tyme no larger consideracion of thinges that shall come but the Lorde dothe rather require by his faithful admonicion geuing that we should learne to knowe this chief and notable enemie of our saluacioÌ„ and to beware of his wiles least we be seduced therwith and so be made partakers with hym of eternall damnacion And therfore it is necessarily requisite for vs to marke to coÌ„ferre other places of the scriptures together also that caÌ„ with more certayntie euidence informe vs of al those maters which are as it were but in a fewe wordes set expressely furthe in this place In consideracion whereof I lately brought forth two places of scripture touching this mater the one of the olde testameÌ„t out of Daniel that ê“phetes vii chap. the other out of Paule the later to the Thessa Whiche albeit by and by at the furst syght they myght seme not to agree together in all thinges but somwhat to varie yet ther is no differeÌ„ce nor dissimilitude betwene them at al. Ther is also no contradiction nor any other varietie but that thapostle Paule wyth more playne light of wordes and sentences dothe expouÌ„de that which Daniel set furthe after the maner of a prophet vnder the mysterie of a vision like as the thinges that folowe shall more clearely beare euidence And to thintent this hole mater of Antichrist maye the more openly appeare vnto vs it shal be all throughly comprehended and assoiled in sixe questiones or proposiciones For furst inasmuche as it is euident that Antichrist is we shall inquire of his originall begynnyng that is to wete in what place he must spring out and where we must seke for him in case we intende throughly to come to the certain knowlage of him SecoÌ„darily by what meanes deuises craftes he shall atteyne suche mighty power and so highe autoritie Thirdly we shall make searche of his persone that is to saye which a one it shal be and by what markes and propreties it ought to be knowen Fourthly we must considre his workes that he shal set his studie vpoÌ„ Which consideracion euen it self dothe bring a certain and an vnfailing playne knowlage of him Fifthely it is conuenient to knowe his weapones wherwyth he shall wyth suche luckie successe fight to attayne enlarge defende and mayntene his kingdome and power wythall Sixthely how farre the limites of his wicked autoritie must be extended and vpoÌ„ what sortes of men our Lorde

vpon with his trayne of daunceing lecherous ruffianes buggerours wil be vnder the iudgement of no man nor rendre accompt of his office vsing vnto no maner maÌ„ in the worlde although he bring infinite soules of men that were redemed with the precious blood of Christ and bynde innumerable people prentices with the coÌ„mon enemie of mankynde the Deuil vnto the slaughter-house of euerlasting damnacion And euen this man it is that taketh vpon him to be the head of the churche and the only and most high shephearde of Christes shepefolde Is it than the propretie of an head to rage against his owne membres and to cast them vpon sweorde and fire to be destroied Is it the propretie of a shephearde to renne madde vpon his flocke worse than a wolfe wolde If the B. of Rome hurt the bodie of such as be his if he rashly hurt the name of them that be his if he take awaye their goodes for filthie lucres sake the apostolike Canones despeche him quyte out of his office And shall all the hole churche than suffre him rageingly to renne vpon meÌ„nes soules to destroye them without correction But to thintent they might mitigate the outrage of their blasphemie by som maner of clooked pretense they deuised to adde this to Except he be depreheÌ„ded out of the waye from the faithe Forsothe a goodly addicion O you blocke headed Canonistes Will you than saye that these be the workes of faithe for the Pope to make innumerable people bonde men to the euerlasting fyre of hell Or shall we saye that he hath faith which maketh them subiectes to the tormentes of hell whom Christ the sonne of God hathe by his deathe and bloodshead deliuered free from hell But this conclusion of this Canon was not added without the prouideÌ„te of God For by this meanes it is euident that the B. of Romes faithe is not a lyuely and a healthe geuing faith whervnto iustificacion and saluacion is commonlye attributed in the scriptures but a certain other faithe farre contrary from it Which like as it is in their power to withdrawe mennes soules from saluacioÌ„ and make them bonde slaues vnto perdicion so it pulleth all them that obeye his lawes awaye from Christ the only redemour of the worlde and depryueth and danined so hathe he bounde all other that obey his voice vnto damnacion He is also that great and notable Aduersarie Which is contrary to Christ in al thinges and repugneth cleane contrary against his life and doctrine and is a tyranne most insolent most arrogaunt and most disdayneful exalted in his blasphemous hearte not only aboue miserable and mortal meÌ„ but also aboue the almightie and immortal God Let them therfore haue him in admiracion honour him reuereÌ„ce him folowe him who so euer hade rather perishe than to be saued But let vs deare brethren in Christ rendre thaÌ„kes continually to god the father and his sonne Iesus Christ our supreme king and only bishop which hathe vouchedsafe to reueale vnto vs the filthe of so exceding abominacion and to deliuer vs from his tyrannye and to set vs free by the aide of his worde Let vs also praye that he wolde bring other in to the knowlage of his truthe and to vpholde vs with such constauncie of faithe that we maye be hable to coÌ„tinue stil in the knowne truthe and to serue him constauntly in the middle of the stormes and floodes of tentacion and to cleaue vnto him inseperably without shrynking that we be not euerlastingly lost with Antichrist the sonne of perdicion but that we maye be made partakers of the saluacion and kingdome which was prepared before the making of worlde by our lorde Iesus Christ our only redemour and saueour To him be glorie praise and thankes geuing for euer worlde without ende Amen Thus endeth the thrid Homilie The .iiij. Homilie In this .iiij. Homilie are described the workes and weapones of Antichrist and whom he shall haue power to fal vpon and destroye with his workes and weapones LIke as it is not only profitable and holsome for all maner of men but also necessary to the atteynyng of saluacioÌ„ to haue the true certain and sure grounded knowlage of our Lorde and saueour Iesus Christ that they may cleaue harde vnto him with a faste and a constaunt saithe and through him to obteyne eternal saluacion and life euerlasting so is it no lesse profitable and necessary that in these later dayes we knowe them also which set out themselues falsely as though they were Iesus Christ that is to saye as though they were saueours and redemours In whose nombre specially aboue other that great and notable Aduersarie of our Lorde Christ and of all faithfull that is to wete the very right Antichrist is to be knowne that we maye auoide his wiles subtil craftes fraudes and most pernicious deuises and escape the daÌ„nacion that he purueyeth and purchaceth for those that his be Moreouer wher as ther are by the spirite of Satan many falsely feyned fables of Antichrist by reason of the which it is so farre of from vs to com in to the knowlage of him that we shall rather be blinded seduced and deceaued it is necessary for vs to respecte the vnfailing truthe of the holy scripture to thintent that being ledde by the doctrine of it we maye learne to knowe him in dede And for that cause I haue lately brought furthe of the scripture two most manifest plaine places for the declaracion of this mater wherin ther are allready three specialties declared which paynt out the disposicion and propreties of Antichrist and shewe what a maner a one he is as it were poyntyng 4. Antichristes workes him with a maÌ„nes fyngre Therfore it coÌ„sequeÌ„tly foloweth that we steppe ouer now to the fourthe specialtie or principal mater wherin are declared his most special chief workes whervnto he is geuen and by the which he vttreth him self openly And albeit these self same maters are compreheÌ„ded of the apostle Paule the desyrous maÌ„ Daniel the prophet in those places which I rehearsed before yet for asmuche as they are ouer shorte ther in playne openyng of them we must here marke the. 11. chap. of Daniel wherin many thinges right worthye to be knowne concerning the mysterie of Antichrist but specially concerning his workes are in this maner written He shall bring in men to forsake the couenaunt wickedly that they may worke by craftye wiles through hipocrisie but the people that will knowe their God shall haue the vpperhande and prospere But the king shall doo what he lusteth he shall exalte and amplifie him self against all that is God yea he shall speake maruelous thinges against the most hyghe God and he shall haue prosperous fortune so long till the wrathe be fully consuÌ„mate whaÌ„ wickednesse shal be come to the highest He shall not regarde the God of his fathers nor care for the lust of women Yea he shal not care for any God for he shall exalte

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 theÌ„ 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 maÌ„ 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 thaÌ„ 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 compreheÌ„ded 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 hiÌ„ self told before haÌ„de As we will speake nothing how their vse is to teach vs a farre other Christ thaÌ„ is purported in the holy scriptures for the scriptures beare recorde that he was only incarnate made very maÌ„ 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 thaÌ„ 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 wysedoÌ„ 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 maÌ„ wold recken vp al the hole dong hil of popishe religioÌ„ 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 eueÌ„ 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 heaueÌ„ 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 meÌ„ 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 presideÌ„t 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 commauÌ„deth them not to beleue them Now let them hearken to the decrees of fathers let them beholde the Canones of counsailes and make theÌ„ selues subiectes vnto the ymaginacions of most shameles vile men which sermore by lyes thaÌ„ by the truth and hade rather be daÌ„ned than saued For wherto doo we passe vpon them any more Wherto doo we wretches take hede to the autoritie of couÌ„sailes CaÌ„ not the autoritie of Christ deserue credence at our handes onles it be approued by the consent of meÌ„ 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

than in heauen cursed be they and let them not be beleued how gaye felowes so euer they be how fynely so euer they caÌ„ tell their tale and of how high autoritie so euer they are But if soÌ„ be so wilfully stubburne and blinde that they will rather beleue them thaÌ„ Christ our saueour geuing vs so faithfull monicion we must nedes let them alone to doo after their owne lust They shall fele like wretches one day to their owne great payne what a guyde it is that they haue folowed Secondarily the Lorde warneth Goo not furthe vs that we goo not out if they either teache a false Christ or shewe Christ any wher elles thaÌ„ in heaueÌ„ Which wordes although they may be expouÌ„ded to meane concerning the bodie that the Lorde forbiddeth all stacions and pilgrimages that are done for saluacion and religion yet they ought chiefly to be applied to our soule mynde so that the soule goo not out from Christ our Lorde and saueour nor seke saluation any wher elles but sattle it self in him wyth an assured and vndoubting faithe And herein verily are all thinges closed that make vnto our saluacion For like as a man may fynde the fauour of God the father the remission of synnes and saluacion in Christ alone eueÌ„ so as many as go out froÌ„ Christ thiÌ„ke scorne to beleue stedfastly in him can not chose but goo out quyte from life and saluacion Therfore it is very muche profitable for vs to knowe louing brethren in Christ after what sorte we may abide in the Lorde and tary with him still vnto the ende specially seing we heare him saye Not euery one that saithe Lorde Lorde shall Math. 7. entre into the kingdome of heauen but he that dothe the will of my father which is in heaueÌ„ These same wordes teache men what becometh them to doo that are desirous to abide in Christ and entre wyth him in to the kingdome of heauen We must nedes doo God the the heauenly fathers wil Mary what that is we may knowe by the wordes of Christ him self and the Apostles And furst in dede the Lorde him self speaketh of the will of the father Io. 6. chap. and saithe This is the wil The will of God is that we beleue in his Sonne of him that sent me that al that see the sonne and beleue in him haue euerlasting life Therfore the will of God is good holsom vnto vs which hathe this appointed ende that we shall haue euerlasting saluacion but with this condicion that we should knowe the soÌ„ne and beleue in him whom he vouchedsafe to sende in to the worlde for our sakes ThaÌ„ the furst point of Goddes wil requireth of vs a very a certain a perfite and an vnwauering faithe in Christ our Lorde saueour to cleaue fast vnto him withall and to seke in him alone for those thinges that are necessary to com to eternal saluacion And this faithe requireth a certain a perfite knowlage of Christ to thintent that least while we make boast of our faithe we carye in our hearte nothing but as it were a bare and a vayne faÌ„tastical opinioÌ„ but we must beleue faithfully and without al doubting those thinges that are set furthe vnto vs in the worde of euerlasting truthe by Christ our Lorde This worde describeth our saueour How the scriptures describe Christ vnto vs after this sorte Iesus Christ is the true and natural sonne of God the father of all one substauÌ„ce nature maiestie with the father froÌ„ euerlasting And at the tyme appointed he became maÌ„ for our sakes not by layeÌ„g awaye his godhead but by receauing of MaÌ„head so that he which was God from euerlasting is now bothe very God very maÌ„ in one inseperable persone And forasmuche as he became man he suffred all thinges that a man may do synne only except For he was borne as man growed waxed strong in body streynght processe of age He was weary with trauailiÌ„g he rested he suffred bothe hongre thyrst he also wept for sorowe of hearte Yea he was afrayde of deathe of the paynes of deathe yet he abode them pacieÌ„tly strongly for our sakes But before the tyme of his deathe approched his will was to haue his diuinitie knowen to men not only by miracles wonderous signes but also opening the wil of his father he gaue vs a certain and an absolute doctrine of saluacion and blessednesse He chosed disciples also that after he had instructed them with his spirite in the doctrine of the truthe he might at his asceÌ„ding in to heaueÌ„ sende them furthe in to all the wyde worlde And whan he dyed he satisfyed his fathers righteousnesse by his deathe and offring him selfe for vs once for all he made a sufficient sacrifice for the clensyng of the synnes of the worlde For by his deathe he brake the olde serpentes head all to clattred his power and toke his streynght from hym and than by his glorious resurrection he ouercame deathe it self At last whan he went vp in to heauen he set heaueÌ„ gates wyde open for vs again the which synne hade locked vs out of and wolde haue the fleshe which he toke of vs to be the earnest peny and pledge of our resurrection and saluacion in heauen And now he sitteth in heauen and is our only and supreme bishop which as he offred his body a sacrifice for our synnes euen so dothe he make intercessioÌ„ for vs continually before our heaueÌ„ly father so as we as muche endaungered with synne as we are may safely approche to the throne of grace Such a maner Christ I saye and suche a maner saueour the oracles of the scripture purporte vnto vs and the will of God the father is that we stedfastly beleue him to be such a one and that we goo not about to seke any wher elles those thinges that are geuen vs in him Now the faythe that we talke of is not a certaine bare and a vayne fantastical opinioÌ„ that consisteth in bare wordes and in nothing elles but in the speche of the mouthe but it is a quicke lyuely strong power whiche beyng by the spirite of God graffed in mennes consciences conteyneth all the hole mater of saluacion and religioÌ„ For it is necessary for vs also to know God the father that we maye be truly and faythfully grounded in Iesus Christ Goddes owne sonne If we acknowlage him rightly to be suche a one as he is we shall feare him also and not that only but also we shall loue him aboue all other thinges beyng bouÌ„den to him with suche feare and loue as children owe to their natural parentes we shal willingly obeye him in al thinges Out of the spowte of the same fouÌ„tayne shall spring what so euer can be required also vnto externall religion For in this faythe we shall not heare the ymaginacions of our owne reason but haue respecte onlye vnto

that if it were possible the very electe shoulde be brought in to errour Beholde I haue tolde you before Wherfore if they saye vnto you Beholde he is in the deserte goo not you furthe Beholde he is in the secrete places beleue it not c. Our Lorde saueour Iesus Christ as his disciples behelde the mightie noble building of the temple of Ierusalem saide vnto them See you all these thinges verily I saye vnto you ther shall not one stone be left vpon another that shall not be destroyde And wyth these wordes of Christ his disciples were excedingly amased And where as according to the custome of their auncettours and of their owne tyme they hade as yet the busye and glistering gaye ceremonies of outwarde worishipping that in tymes past were set furthe by Moses lawe in great price and euen so estemed them worthy to be honoured and obserued wyth a certain deuocion of coÌ„science they were muche afraide at this so greuous and sharpe senteÌ„ce of their Lorde and maister Christ concernyng the temple WhervpoÌ„ at the tyme that they came al one vnto him whan he taried alone in the mountayne they desyred him to solute vnto them three questiones which they propounded vnto him Furst they asked him whaÌ„ the Temple and citie of IerusaleÌ„ shoulde be takeÌ„ destroyed Secondarily wher in the ende of the 23. Chaptre after he hade so sore quereled wyth the scribes chief rulers of the Iewes he made meÌ„cion of his last commyng they questioned therof wyth him also and of the despeching of all the hole worlde whan it shoulde be Thirdely they required tokens wherby they might discerne aswell whan the destruction of the citie and temple as also the finalle ende of all the hole worlde and his commyng again shoulde drawe nere and be at hande To these three questiones therfore the Lorde maketh answere in this chaptre And wher as he being a trusty teacher of those that his are dothe truly teache those thinges that only serue vnto our saluacion he talketh nothing in this place of the appointment of the tymes ne yet sheweth what yeare moneth or daye these thinges shall chaunce that is to wete bicause the certainly perceaued knowlage therof shoulde make nothing at al to the furtheraunce of our saluation or to thamendement of life but shoulde most specially prouoke vs vnto careles slouthfulnesse and necligent leauing vndone of good workes and vertuous dedes But he instructeth them wyth euident and vnfailing signes by token wherof they might clearely discerne that these thinges shall assuredly com to passe and also he teaceth them whether they shall shortly com to passe And forasmuche as Christ the Lorde is the vniuersall teacher of all the worlde vniuersally we shall not reckeÌ„ that these tokens were geuen to non other but to the Apostles alone for it is manifest that they were geuen no lesse to vs than vnto theÌ„ to thintent vndoubtedly that we shoulde be diligently occupied in the consideration of them and that whan we see them happen we shoulde shake of all drowsinesse of our myndes and like faithfull hearty seruauntes loke for the commyng of our Lorde For this conclusion of his doctrine the Lorde him selfe dothe most diligeÌ„tly treate vpoÌ„ in this Chaptre and in the Chaptre folowing Finally wheras the disciples desired to be instructed not as touching the destruccion of the citie and temple only but also concerning the final despeche of all the worlde and the last coÌ„myng of Christ and required for that purpose tokeÌ„s of sondry kyndes wher by they might be hable to discerne the truthe and the tyme of bothe those maters the Lorde setteth furthe such maner of tokens vnto them wherof the most parte of them maye ought to be applied to bothe the questiones on either parte For like as the Lorde God in tymes past chosed the people of Israel to him selfe peculiarly out of all other naciones and people and coupled them to him self with a most holy sacred couenaunt euen so was it his will that the same people shoulde be an example to al other wher into as in a certain coÌ„mon glasse all people shoulde loke And therfore that haynous and horrible destruccioÌ„ of that same people ought to be a figure of the last coÌ„myng of Christ the saueour and thending of all the worlde which indede to all wicked persones shal be bothe haynous and horrible But in this present place which I haue now out of Christes wordes rehearced before the eleuenth token is set furthe vnto vs not wythout exceading holsom commaundement and faithfull admonicion wherwith we are informed by our saueour what is to be done of vs in this behalfe Ther shall ryse ê™ he / false Christes and false Prophetes and shall shewe great myracles and wonders in so muche that if it were possible the very electe should be brought in to errour Therfore beleue not their false promises and feyned tradicions Herein furst of al welbeloued brethren in the Lorde this is our parte to searche out that we maye knowe fully what this worde Christe is what the meanyng of it is in the scriptures and what it signifieth For therby it shall also euidently appeare vnto vs without doubte who is a false Christ who be false Prophetes that coÌ„moÌ„ly set furthe vnto vs a false Christ This worde Christ is taken out of Greke signifieth the same that the Hebrues vnderstaÌ„de by their worde Meschia soundeth in Englishe anoynted And the maner of anointing amoÌ„g the people of Israel was this that the chief Bishoppes kinges should be anoynted wyth holy oile so dedicated to their offices in so muche that as coÌ„cerning kinges anoynting was the same amoÌ„g theÌ„ that the custome of CoronacioÌ„ is among vs. Here vnto the places of scripture do bear record as Exo. 29. Leui. 7. and. 8. and also 1. Re. 10. 16. Chap. wher the anoynting of Saul Dauid is treated of And of this maner custome of anoynting of Bishoppes kinges that sede that was promysed from the furst begynnyng of the worlde euen the saueour of all maÌ„kinde is called in Hebrue Meschia in greeke Christus in Latine Vnctus in Englishe Anoynted for this cause sake that he is anoynted wyth the oile of gladnesse that is to saye wyth the spirite of God euen he that very chief Byshop and most victorious King which came in to the worlde was made man and in offring him selfe vp for our sakes toke awaye the synnes of the worlde by his deathe and deliuered vs quite from the cruel tyranny of the deuil deathe and hell and so by this meanes he is become our most mightie valeauÌ„t king that proclaymeth the lawes of euerlastyng saluacion and defendeth and reuengeth vs from al the crafty wyles and assaultes of our enemy the deuil Finally lyke as he is the onlye sonne of God that for vs was made man and is the one only redemer saueour of vs all euen

with haÌ„des which are similitudes exaÌ„ples 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 begaÌ„ne 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 geueÌ„ 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 heaueÌ„ sayeng This is my welbeloued sonne in whoÌ„ 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 froÌ„ 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 euideÌ„t 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 remissioÌ„ 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 coÌ„mauÌ„ded 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 saluacioÌ„ 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 commoÌ„ enemye of mankynde sataÌ„ setteth furthe all his streynghtes all his might all his power and operacion yea and al his endeauours deceates fraudes subtilties and couÌ„sailes 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 ypouÌ„de vnto vs al this ado throughly al his misteries most plaiÌ„ly 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 diligeÌ„t reading and knowlage Math. 24 of it And that other shal be taken out of Paule the noble and excelleÌ„t 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. 1â— of heauen wiche can not be expressed with tongue The prophet of God and desirous man Daniel being by diuine reuelacioÌ„ 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 ThaÌ„ I loked and behold ther was an other like vnto a Leoparde this had winges as a foule eueÌ„ vpoÌ„ 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

most victorious king Iesus Christ shall suffre him to haue so great autorite who at leynght wyth his iust iudgement shall slea and despeche that fearce and prowde aduersarie wyth all his membres and wyth sentence past calling again shall iudge him to be punyshed in the torment of vnqueÌ„cheable fyre Hereunto ther shal be a faithful admonicioÌ„ takeÌ„ out of Christes wordes instede of a coÌ„clusioÌ„ how the godly ones faithfull folkes ought to behaue theÌ„ selues vnder his rageing tyrannye And in dede I shall by the grace of God purpose to treate of all these maters with suche for sight and diligence as shall lye in my best possible power to doo Now as perteynyng to the furst wher Antichrist was borne question of Antichristes original begynnyng and the place of his birthe the holy goost hathe sufficiently and perfitely instructed vs by Daniel the Prophet which saithe that the litell horne by the which we hearde in the Homilie before that Antichrist was figured sprong out of the fourthe beast that is to wete out of his head as of that parte wherof hornes commonly vse to growe out Now forsomuche as this fourthe beast is a figure of the fourthe monarchie that is to saye of the empire of Rome as it is before largely ynough declared it foloweth yea it is out of all paraduenture euen by the vnfailing demonstracion of the holy goost that Antichrist shall spring out of the empire of Rome yea and out of the heade of it that is to wete out of the principal citie Rome euen ther he must be sought for Here vnto that sayeng must partly be referred that How the temple of god is to be vnderstand here Paule thapostle speaketh of the departing and that he teacheth that his seate must be placed in the temple of God For that sayeng may not in any wise be expouÌ„ded of the temple of Ierusalem but it ought to be vnderstaÌ„den of the felowship and congregacion of the faithfull which is the true and lyuing temple of God NotwithstaÌ„ding least the dulnesse of our witte might doubte somthing in this behalfe our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe dothe shewe yet more euidently and more clearly poynteth as it were wyth his fyngre that Antichrist must be borne in the very citie of Rome For in that reuelacion which he shewed to his beloued disciple Iohn the Apo. 17. great aduersarie of Christ is ment by the Image of the hoore which sytteth vpon many waters is caried vpon a mightie beast an vnknowen that gothe rageing grymmely wyth seuen headdes armed wyth ten hornes And the angell willing to interprete the mysterie of the Image to Iohn thapostle saithe that the waters wher the woman sitteth are the people and folfe and naciones tongues whom she shall beare rule ouer And that woman quam he whome thow sawest is the great citie which hathe rule ouer the finges of the earthe and the seuen heades are the seuen mountaines wher vpon it is sette Now who is it that seeth not herin the openly manifest and euident descripcion of the citie of Rome For Rome if a man considre the olde circuite of the walles comprehendeth wythin it seuen mountaynes and that of famous reporte in the monumentes of olde writours of which mountaynes bothe the tokens and the names remayne euen yet to this daye And the same Rome whaÌ„ Domitianus was Emperour ther in whose tyme Iohan thapostle being banished for the faithe of Christ in to the I le of Pathmos receaued this reuelacion of the Lorde reigned hade empire ouer the kinges of the earthe For at that tyme the power of the Romaynes hade conquered and subdued wyth their marciall powers the greatest parte of al the hole world vnder their autoritie empire By reason wher of it is vndoubtedly playne by most certain reasones argumeÌ„tes that Antichrist must be borne of the empire of Rome place his seate in the head of it that is to wete in the very citie of Rome And this I saye more ouer The B. of Rome is the great Antichrist ê“fesse frely bothe wyth mouthe mynde that the chief mightie greatest Bishop which hauing his seate in the citie of Rome chalengeth to him self the dominion name of the same citie is the very right and great Antichrist the exceding enemie of Christ our saueour like as in these that folowe we shall wyth a thicker raÌ„ke of argumentes most euidently declare Therfore those men erre and be toto muche deceaued as mani as put their coÌ„fideÌ„ce in those fals feined popishe gloses mynde to seke for the right Antichrist either in the citie of BabiloÌ„ or Ierusalem They are deceaued also no lesse begyled than the other before as many as being entaÌ„gled with the blynd folishe loue of the empire which at this why Mahomet is not the right Antichrist present is coÌ„moÌ„ly called SanctuÌ„ RomanuÌ„ imperiuÌ„ the sacred empire of Rome crye out sayeng that Mahomet the autor of the Turkish faythe and religion is that great enemie of our saueour why Mahomet is not the right Anticrist Christ and Antichrist to thinteÌ„t they might by that meane expelle the slauÌ„derous marke of Antichristes name froÌ„ that empire of theirs which they haue in so great estimacion and obedience For albeit no true faithfull person dothe doubt that Mahomete is a most pestilent wicked man a singular enemye of Christ our Lorde a most cruell persecutour of Christes churche an abominacion to be abhorred wyth all the powers of our heartes and a most pernicious seducer of very many men yet for all that we shall neuer be hable to proue that he is the notable and great Antichrist inasmuche as he was nother borne in the head of the Romayne empire that is to saye in Rome but in Arabie farre distaunt from Rome ne yet placeth nor occupieth his seate in the temple of God that is to wete in the congregacion among them that reioyce to be compted christianes but maketh a manifest departing quyte from them teareth awaye the name of Christ wyth so vehement hate and wickednesse that he can in no wise abyde to vse it to the professing of his relygion Which not withstanding are al applied by the notable sayengs bothe of the prophetes and the apostles vnto that mightie houge Antichrist Therfore in this case we nede no white tongued wordes nor groping reasones of flaterers of suche as saye as other men saye but rather if we intende to com to the certain and vnfailing knowlage of Antichrist it is requisite for vs to seke him in that place wher he is most accustomed to hauÌ„t that is to wete at Rome wherof euen our elders in tymes past not without the mocion of Goddes prouidence commonly vsed this coÌ„mon prouerbe The nerer a man cometh to the citie of Rome the farther he is of from the faithe and religion of Christ The meanyng of whiche prouerbe

Emperour Mauricius blood But what maner men they should become our Lordes wil was to shewe by thys tokeÌ„ that they should be most diligent folowers of theyr founder and through conspiracie treason warres hyndre the godly and holy endeauours of Emperours Which thing we shall a litell after shewe by more euident profe Nowe then the litel horne which in Daniel is a figure of Antichrist was growen out and wyth an exceding proude gay glisteryng title was named the head of the churche Howbeit he florished not al this while with so great streynghtes nor atchieued so mightie highe power as the forcast of so weightie a mater did necessarily require For wher the bishops being chosen of the cleargie people of Rome must nedes be confirmed either of the Emperour him selfe or elles of his lieutenaunt the Exarche of Rauenna the bishoppes by them confirmed were not hable to obteyne any power against the emperours of Rome and therfore they durst not for their eares ymagine any thing that might be in any condicion derogatorious either against the power or honour of the emperours So that the bishoppes thought it not good for them to rest vntill about the year of our saueour CoÌ„staÌ„tine the. 4. Benedicte the. 2. DClxx the mater was brought to that passe that Constantine the fourthe emperour of that name endued bishop Benedicte the seconde with this priuilege that whom so euer thensfurth the cleargie and people of Rome should haue made bishop the same should also be acknowlaged of al meÌ„ as the head of the churche and Christ our saueours vicare wythout any meane confirmacioÌ„ either of the Emperour him self or of his lieutenaunt the Exarche of Rauenna But anon as the prowde ambicious Bishoppes of Rome hade obteyned this their maters begaÌ„ne to succede euen after their owne purpose by this meanes so great streynght might and autoritie happened to that litell horne which yet hitherto appeared in all mennes sight to be but vile weake and naught set by that afterwarde it became intolerable euen to the Emperours them selues by whose counsailes and helpe it was promoted so high that it made batail and preuailed euen against them their selues And ther wanted not at that tyme signes and wondres wherby the heauenly father admonished wretched mortal folkes of the periles which shoulde be brought in by Antichrist For as Platina who out of all paraduenture was bothe the Bishoppes owne secretarie and also their trusty Oratour beareth record a fearfull and an vnwont blasing starre appeared and so vehement a fyre brake out of Vesuuius a mount Vesuuius of Compaigne that the places rouÌ„de about were brent vp By these tokens it was vndoubtedly the father of heauens will to shewe vnto all men that Antichristes fire began allready to burne in Italie which wyth a sore burnyng flame should consume and disquiete the consciences of many men For euen at the furst whan the Bishop of Rome was aduaunced to so highe power ther past scarcely fourtie yeares but he beganne to set out all his streinghtes and autoritie against the very Emperours them selues not wythout their greuous sore damage and perile For in the yeare of our saueour Christes birthe DCCxij Philippicus the Emperour of the Monothelites was infecte wyth the heresie of them which holde opinion that ther is but one only wil in Christ Iesu By reasoÌ„ wherof pope Constantine stryketh him wyth the Striuing about ymages thonderbolt of his curse and maketh this decree and statute wythall that the ymages of the holy fathers which were present at the sixe furst and general counsailes should be painted in S. Petres porche But this mater bredde newe stryfe and newe hurly burlies For vpoÌ„ that the bishop hade also occasion geuen him wherby he might throwe downe and ouerwhelme the three hornes or kingdomes that Daniel maketh mencion of For the bishoppes of the greke churches set their fote with most eagre stomackes against the bishoppes decree For in asmuche as they sawe God hade by his owne mouthe forbidden the vse of ymages in teÌ„ples with so earnest and so perfite a commaundemeÌ„t they affirmed that no ymages at all ought either to be hade or suffred in christen mennes temples But wher as the most parte folowed the Monothelites heresie they were also ouercome and ouerthrowen from this godly and holy sentence of abolishing of ymages so that vse of ymages being confirmed by the bishop Emperour Leo the third banished ymages of Romes autoritie brought a newe parte of supersticioÌ„ in to the churche Than foure yeares after that in that year of our saueour Christes birthe DCCxvi the emperour Leo that thrid of that name begaÌ„ne his reigne which being instructe in that knowlage of God des lawe caused al the ymages staÌ„ding in the teÌ„ples through out all the coastes of the empire to be abolished taken awaye and sent lettres to the bishop of Rome Gregorie the seconde commaunding Gregorie the. 2. him that he should also do the same But ther was kyndled a great greuous coÌ„tencioÌ„ a sore fraie For the Pope that most holy father in the wanyauÌ„t had wyth so great studie diligeÌ„ce dronkeÌ„ of the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes wherw t the Lorde condeÌ„neth forbiddeth ymages that he was so sawcy as to call Leo theÌ„perour by a most odious name wicked ymage quellour yea also set him in so deadly an hate with the people of Italie bringeth him in suche a conteÌ„pt with al men that som wold haue gone about to chose a new Emperour And albeit ther purpose toke none effect for euen Gregorie him self could not allowe it the cause why was that the bishops ambicion could not awaye with any Emperour in Italie seing they wolde be lordes of al thinges theÌ„ selues yet the people of Rauenna stered vp a great mightie sedicion wherin the emperours lieutenaunt Paule the Exarche and his sonne were bothe slayne of the sedicious multitude of the commoÌ„s But forasmuche as that vproare coulde not moue Leo his mynde but he wold most constauntly goo on forewarde wyth his purposed intent he was at leynght strikeÌ„ wyth the curse of pope Gregorie the thrid of that name and depryued bothe of the communion of Gregorie the. 3. the churche and of his empire Besides this whaÌ„ he hade purposed to haue sent an other Exarche to Rauenna to ordre the maters of Italie the Pope also resisted him and wythstode him that he coulde not by reason of the Lumbardes whom he hade drawne on his parte against the Emperour For they wyth a strong power besieged Rauenna bette it and at leynght toke it and therwythall depryued the Emperour of al his iurisdiccioÌ„ in Italie Here now we see the furst horne throwen downe For al the Emperours power which he hade yet vnto The greke Emperours this tyme holden in Italie was opprest at the popes settyng on by force of armes of the Lumbardes and the dryueÌ„ out of Italie Emperour him selfe was all

maye be playnly ynough perceaued of the othe that he was constrayned to bynde him self in to pope IohnÌ„ that monstre of hooredome For his successours enrolled the forme of it in their Canones and decrees on this wyse To thee Lorde Pope IohnÌ„ I Kyng Otthoes othe Ottho doo promyse and sweare by the father the GoÌ„ne and the holy Goost by this tree of the quickening crosse and by these reliques of sayntes that yf by the sufferaunce of God I shal come to Rome I shal exalte the holy churche of Rome and thee the gouernour of the same according to my power lyfe and membres and thou shalt nor lose the honour that thow haste by my will or by my couÌ„sail or by my coÌ„sent or by myne exhortacion and in Rome I shall make no pleaye nor ordinaunce in al the thinges that perteyne to thee or to the Romaynes And what so euer shall come to our possession of G. Petres lande I shall rendre it to thee againe And to whom so euer I shallcommytte the gouernaunce of Italie I shall make him sweare to be thy helper to defende G. Petres lande according to his power Lo welbeloued brethren in christ this is the soleÌ„ne excellent othemaking of the emperour Ottho which othe dothe well beare witnesse that Ottho hade non other rewarde geueÌ„ him for his most large good turnes shewed to the pope and for the deliueraunce of all Italie but that he was constrayned to bynde him selfe to the popes seruice and become a mayntenour a defeÌ„dour of that hoore of Babilon and of her wicked tyranny Besydes this assone as he came furst in Apo. 17. to the citie he was commaunded to subscribe with his owne hande to the donacion of king Lewis wherof we haue spoken a litell before to this ende you must vnderstande that he should by no clayme chalenge to the Empire either the citie of Rome or other places belonging to the Empire out of the popes handes and that the bishoppes of Rome might vse their wickedly goteÌ„ goodes with the more ease and securitie These maters as they are now set out the historie wrytours make meÌ„cioÌ„ were done about the yeare of Christes birthe DCCCC lxij Furthermore albeit the FreÌ„che men toke it very euil that the title and dignitie of the empire was taken from them and translated to the Germaynes yet the bishoppes of Rome considered that suche mightie emperours of the Germaynes which hade bounden them selues by a sore othe vnto their will as it is allready declared should not be reiected And for that cause they set their myndes with diligent studie to this ende the rather that by som haÌ„dsom meane they might confirme the Empire to the Germaynes and reserue the clayme and dignitie of it in their owne hande And in this case pope Gregorie the. 5. Gregorie the. 5. shewed his sleightye witte which helped and set forewarde this deuise very mightyly For he inasmuche as he was borne in Sarone and was kynsman also to Emperour Ottho the thrid of that name toke this establishement for chosing the emperour Ottho him self not denyeng but coÌ„senting to it rather that it should be lauful froÌ„ thensfurthe to the Germaines alone to chose the emperour And he ordayned sixe Electours which at the deceasse of euery Emperour should of duetie haue the charge of that mater that is to wete three Prelates of the bishoppes noÌ„bre as many princes The Emperour chosen by 6. Electours of Germany And vnto theÌ„ he added a seuenthe the king of Boheme to sattle the discorde of the ê‘tes But although he wold seme to haue coÌ„mitted al the power of chosing the emperour vnto them yet he hathe bouÌ„den both them al the Germaynes with this condicion that whom so euer they should haue chosen he should than be taken for emperour and Auguste in case the bishop of Rome hade comfirmed him These appeare euidentlie to be done in the year of our Lorde M. II. But in this place also it is to see the popes craftes and deceates to be in a maner vnauoideable wherby they confirmed their supremacie and power in more ample wise than afore with a newe addicion For furst of al he placed amoÌ„g the Princes Electrours three bishoppes who seing they are straitly bouÌ„deÌ„ to the sea of Rome by an othe they dare chose non other man to be Emperour but whoÌ„ they perceaue maye be allowed by the popes good will And moreouer although the election succede not all after the popes mynde yet hathe he reserued the confirmacion coronacion to himself which if he denye to him that is chosen he shall nother be called Emperour nor August Wherof it is manifestly apparent that the electours haue nothing geueÌ„ them but bare titles of honour and that the popes by this contrefaicte colour wolde cloke their ambicion and tyraÌ„nye which they are ashamed to practice more openly Hereof their owne Canons beare witnesse which saye that like as the secular sweorde wherby the armed Emperour reigneth ought to be in subiection to the spiritual that is to saye to the bishop of Rome him selfe so they clayme that power to the bishop also that he alone by his owne autoritie with out al consent either of the hole Counsail or any prelate maye depryue the Emperour of his dignitie yf he perceaue him to be in displeasure with him And verily they haue alwaies foughten with this their autoritie against euery of the most holy empeperours not wtout greuous losse of al Germanye like as the actes of HeÌ„ry ye. 4. Lewis ye. 4. Friderich Barbarosse others make meÌ„cioÌ„ of which maters it shal be treated more pleynteously and more clearely in the homilies folowyng Of these thinges now which hitherto haue ben reckoned vp I suppose it appeare sufficieÌ„tly opeÌ„ ynough with what beginninges they clymbed vp aloft vnto so highe estate of dignitie power wherof they vse euen at this daye so prowdely so shamelesly to boast that is to saye that they haue conueyed these maters to their owne haÌ„des through most wicked craftes treasoÌ„ robberies periuries falshead For furst of al they obteyned at Phocas that most cruel tyraÌ„nes haÌ„des the proude title of general vniuersal bishop not wtout stiffe striuing had with the bishoppes of ConstaÌ„tinopole And they vsed Phocas autoritie power furst of al against the emperours of the grekes which were their benefactours For wher they wolde not abide to haue ydolles nor maintenaunce of Idolatrie in their temples the popes layde at them with the cruell thoÌ„derbolt of cursyng expulsed them froÌ„ the coÌ„munioÌ„ of the church were so bolde as ê‘tly to kil their Exarches in Italie ê‘tly to driue theÌ„ out of Italie so as whaÌ„ they had draweÌ„ it al together to the Departing they plucked it cleane out of the emperours power FroÌ„ thece they ranne sawcely into FrauÌ„ce oppressed the kynges blood aduauÌ„ced such to the crowne of the realme as

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

of this Romishe head euen so dothe it not knowe him to be his shepehearde inasmuche as Christ Iesus which is the head of the church is also the best shepehearde of his flocke Ephe. 5. Io. 10. But let vs loke a littel nerer vpon your wares O you right valeauÌ„t defendours of the popes dignitie For how shall this stande together if you will affirme the B. of Rome to be the head of Christes churche yet wil not saye that he either conteyneth wtin him self the spirites of life very life it self â—e yet that he distributeth them in to the bodye of the churche and the membres therof Shall not the head than be a dead head if it want the spirite power of life And what shall we than say of his church o you good gentilmen Woo is vnto that feble weake body wo vnto those membres halte out of ioynt whose head lacketh life spirite For how shall we saye that churche is alyue and lustye whose head you your selues confesse wanteth spirite of life to be distributed in to the rest of the meÌ„bres Will you not now reknowlage your errours you very folishe dotypolles Do you not now vnderstande you folyshe sophisters blynder than any molle to what purpose these your wares teÌ„de whan ye saye that the B. of Rome is the head of the hole vniuersal churche For in thus sayeng you either make him a God so by this meanes you set him furthe to be Antichrist or if you fayne him to be a certain head out of whom no spirite of life stilleth downe in to the other membres you knowlage your selues to be a churche feble sickly that hathe no whitte of the spirite of life in it at all And if you haue not the spirite of life truly you shal not be the churche of Christ For the churche of Christ hathe in possession bothe the spirite of Christ life in him But the B. of Ro. will neuer acknowlage him self to be a dead head therfore as long as he like a right folishe insolent man is prowde of that title he sitteth in the temple of God boasteth him self to be God Now ther foloweth an other mater wherin the B. of Rome boasteth him self no lesse than in the other before to be God and exalteth him self aboue the only true God For he reioyceth to be called holy father yet not conteÌ„ted with this to muche arrogauÌ„t title he taketh vpoÌ„ him also to be called holynesse In this case we wil be reported to as many as be the most deuoute reuereÌ„cers of that sea who whaÌ„ they talke of him name the popes holynesse with a woÌ„derful aduised grauitie thinkiÌ„g it nother good maner nor godly done if they call him but playne pope But if he be holynesse as they call him as he wil be called it behoueth of necessite that he maye sanctifie or make other holy yea as many as are and be called holy shal be saÌ„ctified or made holy of him But we be taught a farre contrary iudgement froÌ„ theÌ„ out of the holy scriptures O brethreÌ„ For the scriptures teache that the one only God is proprely by him self and of him self holye and very holynesse it self and also that as many as are called holy for faithes sake are not sanctified that is are not pourged froÌ„ the filthynesse of synnes and consecrated vnto God of them selues nor of their owne power but of Christ Iesus by the holy goost And in this mater ther maye many thinges be brought out of the bokes of the holy scripture which most euidently reporte the same For in dede Christ as Iohan maketh mencion coÌ„monyng Io. 3. wyth Nicodemus concernyng the mysterie of regeneracion wherby we must nedes be borne a newe sanctified saithe that we must necessarily be borne of water and the spirite And that ther is nothing elles vnderstanden therby but the grace of God and the operacion of the holy goost it is more euidently knowen than nedeth long demoÌ„stration Of this same sentence and argument be the sayenges that S. Paule in his furst Epistle to the Corinthianes writeth in these wordes You are washed you are sanctified you are iustified by the name of the Lorde Iesu and by the spirite of our God What can be spoken more briefly thaÌ„ these wordes are What thing also can be spoken more openly plainly concernyng our sanctificacioÌ„ For he taketh quyte awaye all maner reason of sanctificacion that can be ymagined of meÌ„ to coÌ„ by any other meanes elles and teacheth that we are washed iustified and sanctified of non other but of our Lorde saueour Iesus Christ alone and that by the holy spirite of our God which also is very God him selfe And hereof it cometh that the holy goost is often tymes in the scriptures coÌ„pared to water bicause in dede like as water washeth awaye the filthinesse of the body euen so dothe the holy goost scowre and clense the soule For the same cause sake the holy goost is compared also vnto fyre because he enlumineth not only our coÌ„sciences with his power but also coÌ„sumeth what soeuer earthly carnal or other thing is in vs disposed to sinne And as this is the power of none but of the holy goost alone so is ther none other saÌ„ctificatour meÌ„cioned vnto vs in any place of the hole scripture but he alone which is also very God him selfe and of one selfe same substauÌ„ce power with God the father and the sonne In asmuche than as the B. of Rome being a man most impure and the very slaue of al lecherous lustes and wickednesse taketh vpoÌ„ him the name of Holynesse he doth also therw t take vpon him and vsurpe the power and operation of the holi gost by the same arrogauncie so sheweth him selfe to be God as Paule saythe This also beloÌ„geth to the same title that he taketh vpon him the grace to blesse and geue benediction it selfe with no lesse shamelesse foly than the other before and setteth it out galauÌ„tly in al his lettres whaÌ„ he vseth with great grauitie to wishe vnto his wel beloued childreÌ„ Health benedictioÌ„ But the autoritie of the holy scriptures maketh reporte of non other blessing Gen. 3. 2â— Gala. 3. of healthe but of that one only blessing which is set out bothe vnto theÌ„ of olde tyme and vnto vs in the promised sede Iesus Christ And therfore wher the B. of Rome prowdely aduauÌ„ceth his blessiÌ„g he taketh vpoÌ„ him the glorie of Christ Iesu also in this case so with the statelynesse of his intolerable shameles folye he exalteth him self against the very true only God To this title ther maketh an other mater also that is to saye forgeuing of synnes which is so euideÌ„tly proued in al the hole scriptures to be the worke of non other but of the only grace mercy of God that the very scribes priestes of the Iewes as blynde as stubburne as they were were

dedes with these external maters he shall see them countrefaict al that they ê“fesse so goodly that lady Hipocrisie her self could not handle that mater more fittly They saye they haue forsaken the world whan no maÌ„ in all the worlde lyueth more drowned Their wilful Pouertie with the worlde the forcastes of the worlde than they doo For they doo not only flowe in all kyndes of voluptuous pleasure but also they set al their hole myndes studies vpoÌ„ al thinges that this worlde desireth or dothe I wold fayne haue theÌ„ answer me whether they caÌ„ shewe me in al the wyde worlde wher is more enuye more hatred more euill will more pride more contencion ambicioÌ„ bralling stryuing than in monasteries which as they saye are disseuered from the worlde But what is their pouertie want of propretie Forsothe this that they walowe in most pleynteous habundaunce of wealthe and like most mightie princes haue al the worlde to welde at coÌ„maundement nother fele they any pynching of pouertie ne yet want of thinges necessarie Yea a maÌ„ maye fynde of them which wher they had either a very small or elles no lyuyng of enheritaunce nor substaunce at al thrust them selues in to one monastery or other and professe wilfull pouertie but there hauing habundaunce of al thinges they leade a lyfe without wante of any thing and at leynght beyng made eyther Abbotes or Priours or Prouincialles either Bishoppes and Cardinalles yea and Popes to they clymbe to the most highe These holy men can clymbe no higher except they chauÌ„ce to clymbe to the galowes estate of wealthe pleasure and empire And yet for al that they saye they vowe pouertie where as they catche holde of suche maner of occasiones that they maye be made superiours to the most mightie princes kinges vpon earthe Therfore are they most subtil sleightie Siomedes which whaÌ„ Glaucus that is to saye the rude coÌ„mon people taketh no hede chaunge copper for golde And a maÌ„ shal fynde no great differeÌ„ce froÌ„ this gaire yf he marke their obedieÌ„ce that they vowe For by reason of that obedience they loke aloft euen against all Magistrates Cloistre obedience and gouernours openly bicause they boast them selues to be exempte that no man in al the worlde hathe ought to do to meddle with them If the lauful Magistrate that is ordayned of God demaunde any thing of them they laye for theÌ„ selues streight wayes their exempcion priuilege of the churche which setteth them fre froÌ„ al charges that the coÌ„mon people and publike state are burthened wtal But in case any man wolde go about to coÌ„straine them to frame theÌ„ in to an ordre by by they make warre agaiÌ„st him laye at him with cursing thoÌ„dre boltes of Romishe excoÌ„municacions wherw t euen emperours them selues haue ben so ofteÌ„ so shreudly haÌ„pred that they are taught to their cost to be afraid of it yet stil to this day Therfore what shall we cal their obedience elles but that for asmuche as they are lordes ouer all men they passe not a pynne of the Magistrates they make all people their seruauntes and lyke Penelopes wowers and an vnprofitable burthen of the common wealthe they deuoure and coÌ„sume in loytring idlenesse those thinges that can scarcely be earned and goten together with the toyle and trauaile of a great sorte of sore labouring meÌ„ And after the same rate if we wil speak Cloistre Chastitie the truthe we must speake of their Continence and chastitie which will not suffre theÌ„ in any wise to be called fathers without a cause For with their chastitie they are wont to fill all the worlde ful of bastardes to laye baites to deflowre honest maydens in euery place and to entice all other women of what place ordre or condicion so euer they were vnto hooredome and that with suche shamelesnesse that they will not let to play the hooremoÌ„gres partes euen at their holy seruice tyme. For to this vse serue so many drinkes and sibber sawces that they charme by the deuilles connyng in their masses to make women madde vpon their loue To this ende are so many maidens and matrones entired in their whispering eare shrifte To this purpose serue som mennes feyned sickenesses that haue geuen masse priestes friers and cloisterers occasion to rauishe both maydeÌ„s and maried women And doubtles this rule is so notablye knowne to al meÌ„ that a man can scarce fynde any so beggerly a suburbe or so pelting a village which hathe not ben garnished with som example of horedome by these kynde of men I talke not here of their filthier and more abominable trickes which we shal speake somwhat of in their owne place But who is that brethreÌ„ that hath brought in these sortesof men Who is he that hathe layde suche a burtheÌ„ and heauy weight vpon sely wretche people Euen the B. of Rome which hathe not only coÌ„firmed their ordres rules with the autoritie of his testimonie and priuilege but also bicause no quicke spurre Magistrate maye correcte theÌ„ nor robbe him of this his so honourable a baudie barne teame he nameth them in al his wrytinges most deare children Than the B. of Rome is euen he that according to Danieles sayeng hathe made right stowte and notable mightie hipocrites which haue done all thinges concerning faithe religion and outwarde conuersacion of life by subtile fleightes with false colour able pÌ„teÌ„ces Hereunto perteyneth not only the life and behaueours of them that are called spirituall persones which in euery thing are like to the state of MoÌ„kerye as the right childreÌ„ of al one father but all the hole religioÌ„ of al maner of folkes lyuing vnder the papacie ought also to be referred hereunto For it is nothing elles but a certain mere hipocrisie as to let many other thinges passe the only forme of their popishe penauÌ„ce if ther were nothing elles is hable to proue to be true For although a maÌ„ were soiled in the synke of al the synnes that are in the worlde and ledde a life full of al myschief and wickednesse all the hole yeare long yet the only tyme of lent though a man contynue still in synnes were hable to make him holy righteous For if a man faste from fleshe that space assone as he hathe goten him a massemonging priest to be his goostly father as verteous a man as him selfe Nay his goostly enemye and therfore the more gentil hathe ones whispered out all the raggemanrolle of his synnes in his care and greased his fiste with some peÌ„ce and bought a masse or twoo by by he hathe full forgeuenesse of al his synnes and may fall again to the same trade of life and geue him self to the same vices and filthye synnes that he did before Besydes this it is more cleare than the sunne light that ther can non so outrageous none so cruel non so haynous non so abominable a synne be committed

In Boheme God by Ioh. Hus. his decreed prouideÌ„ce stered vp Iohn Hus a singular famous maÌ„ bothe of learning and of godly life which whan he hade diligently searched the mysteries of the holy scripture sone espied also the B. of Romes tyrannie and abominable ambicioÌ„ in the church and disclosed it vnto many meÌ„ of his tyme. But assone as he like a godly a blessed man begonne to attempte this mater these purpled fathers and ambicious ruffliÌ„g lusty guttes being afraide least their power dignitie wolde decaye neuer ceassed layeng baites to catche him till they hade throughe false flatring promises brought him wtin their clowches at the counsail of Constaunce ther contrarie to their open fidelitie yea contrary to the emperours faithfull promise also they burned him and for non other cause but for the truthes sake And yet not being content with that haynous crueltie vniust doing and falsehead they also moued muche cruell warres against the Bohemies stered vp the force and power of the hole empire sondry tymes against them But what nede we to rehearse olde exaÌ„ples Let vs marke their doinges in our dayes and we shal sone knowe the batailes that Antichrist maketh against the Lordes sayntes For euery man knoweth that his tyraÌ„nie hathe ben so cruell now for these 20. yeares and more that no man lyuing might so hardye fynde fault at their abominable popishe supersticion no maÌ„ might also affirme that Christ our Lorde is the only king the only priest and the only saueour of the worlde but he should be had by the backe for it For assone as any man confessed Christ to be the only head of the churche and the only saueour of the worlde he was hade straightwaies to prison and laden wyth as many fetters as he could beare and either he died ther miserably wyth the stynke of the prison or elles he was hanged or slayne or elles burned and suffred as muche torment as could be deuised so that the lightest punyshement was to be banished And if any prince abhorriÌ„g suche horrible crueltie wold not be their slaughterman vpon his owne subiectes by and by he began also to be suspecte of heresye and was layde watche for by these gaye goostly fathers In this behalf I reporte me to those faithfull christianes that lye yet still in prison I reporte me to the swordes to the halters and ryuers wherwyth they were murthered most cruelly I reporte me to the galowes stakes in euery place wher their dead bodies heng I reporte me to the feldes and grouÌ„des wher an infinite nombre of them were slayne for they are moo than any true christian man can thinke vpoÌ„ wtout weping teares And yet for all this the cruell beast not contenting him self to be filled with so bocherly a slaughter of sayntes whan he perceaueth that the doctrine and faithe of Christ is stroÌ„ger than all his tormeÌ„tes punyshementes thought good to stere vp the most cruell people in all the worlde the most deadly foes of the name of Germanie to destroye with fire sweorde theÌ„ that take Christ for their only saueour wil not be conteÌ„t to worship the B. of Rome nor his God Mayzim In this place we ought also to Antichrist shall preuaile against the Sayntes marke this well most louyng brethreÌ„ in Christ that the prophet Daniel saithe that Antichrist shall not only make batail against the Lordes sayntes but also that he shal haue the vpperhande of them For he speaketh not thus to thintent we shoulde be afraide cast downe our heartes al together but he vttreth meaneth by these his wordes after the sorte that Christ our Lorde speaketh of in Iohn The time shal com that who so euer killeth you shal thinke he dothe God seruice Io. 16 Io. 16. For what so euer is spokeÌ„ coÌ„cernyng Antichristes successe and victories it must be vnderstandeÌ„ but of the bodies and externall goodes of the sayntes or faithfull people For God our heauenly father dothe somtymes permyt either Antichrist or other aduersaries of his name and of his people to haue som power and to spoile his flocke of life and goodes bicause wher they which ought to haue serued him were geueÌ„ to muche vnto the worlde and neclected those thinges that are diuine heaueÌ„ly And this we reade hathe ben the principal cause almost of all persecucioÌ„s Howbeit the Lorde dothe not neclecte to saue those that his be for all that but defendeth theÌ„ vnder his owne fatherly protection most safely And whan his people be tried with the crosse and blustring stormes of persecucious as Gold and siluer are tried in the fire they are â— Pe. 1. scowred cleane from all drosse of maÌ„nes infirmitie and of fleshly desires so that their soules departe not only without any harme but also more holy and muche the perfiter Wherfore it is conuenient for vs not to be afraide in any wise of this present ê‘secucion which we see raised by Antichristes drift and false fetches But as it becometh hearty souldiours let vs rather reioyce that ther is occasione offred vs to shewe a specialtie and a perfite lesson of our faithe and with lusty courages to beate Antichrist backe by the aide of so noble a captain Christ our most victorious king but not with outward marcial weapones which Antichrist is smally afraide of but with true repentauÌ„ce with the amendement of life with constaunt faithe with pacience and with continual feruent prayers for as these be most acceptable vnto god euen so their custom is to burst asondre all the violent force that satan beÌ„deth against vs and also to ouerthrowe the couÌ„sailes of Christes enemies For these are the weapones that the Lord hath deliuered vnto his churche and he hathe promised to be present him self to assiste it Therfore brethren Christ seeth the daungers that his churche is in he beholdeth the painfull labours of his people he seeth the cruell and horrible deuises and doinges of Antichristian meÌ„ he seeth his enemies and the wolues that vexe his churche yea he not only seeth them but he also brydleth theÌ„ ruleth theÌ„ nother dothe he suffre theÌ„ to rauine any farther thaÌ„ he seeth it profittable for vs al his faithfull flocke Necligent forgetfull childreÌ„ must nedes taste of the rodde and the rebellious stubburne fleshe must nedes be walked with a good cudgell in a staues ende The Lordes rodde staffe is the crosse of persecucioÌ„ which he sendeth by the cruell enemies of his name As for them they folowe theyr owne lust and are geuen al together to the seruing of the filthie fleshe and euen theÌ„ the Lorde vseth as a meane to chastise our fleshe wtall And in case God fynde that in vs by their meanes that he is desirous to doo he is hable in a moment bothe to deliuer vs to tame their tirannie surely ynough This mater is witnessed by the vngracious ende of Pharao the shamefull deathe of

they contende and labour with all their possible policie diligence to drawe all other people in to that same pitte of wickednes that they theÌ„ selues are fallen into it chauÌ„ced by the inspiracion of the holy goost that our most deare sonne in Christ the most valeaunt most religious prince Charles emperour of Rome alwaies Augustus purposed to take weapon in hande against the same bothe Goddes enemies his rebelles whose godly laudable purposes excellent deuises for the christen coÌ„mon weale we shall ayde with all the treasures that we the holy churche of Rome haue for the healthe of the godly for the defense of religion for the honour of God and for the publike peace and tranquillitie In dede these be the beastes owne wordes which as they meane bloodily so with certaiÌ„ foxlike wylynesse they clooke the bloody meanyng vnder the holy and honourable names of the churche of God of peace of religion and of traÌ„quillitie But if any man thinke this vnauaileable to proue his tirannie withall let vs marke the mater it self brethreÌ„ and the subtil fatches of this bloody tragedie CaÌ„ the miserable murther of the right blessed Io. Diasius maÌ„ IoaÌ„nes Diasius the Spanyarde be nowe out of mynde whoÌ„ his owne brother slewe with his hande here in the myddle of Germanie this yeare the. 26. daye of Marche And yet the most cruell brother murtherour and thief escaped quyte awaye and suffred not according to his desartes Open your eies therfore brethren knowe the abominable ê“cedinges and driftes of Antichrist and all his ympes by one mannes wicked dede The B. of Rome hathe whetted Diasius axe for your heades The Spanyardes com vpon you Your cause the cause of your wyues and your children is in hande and Antichrist layeth about him so woodly he is so furious he is so desirous to haue vs destroied that he maketh it laufull for a man to murther his owne brother and geueth such murtherers hyre for their labour Therfore Antichrist fighteth with bothe those sweordes that Paule ascribeth vnto him For he hathe theÌ„ that are desirous to ouercome by flattery prouoke by promises and â—o enueagle by persuasiones whoÌ„ so euer they perceaue to knowe the truthe of the mater and to be ouermuche vnfrendely to the B. of Rome But for al that in the meane tyme they make hotte warres the enemies sweorde slasheth Germanie is on fire in euery corner Antichristes power rageth in euery place Therfore let vs watche brethreÌ„ let vs holde vp our heades praye continually that our Lorde wold vouchesafe to help his churche to deliuer it from that haÌ„des of the furious rageing enemie Now forasmuche as in this fifth point we haue learned by ê‘fite tokens proues that the B. of Rome is that right mightie houge Antichrist 6. Vpon whom how farre Antichrist hathe power to rage before we make an ende of this place ther is an other mater also to be knowen I meane that we may vnderstaÌ„d vpon whoÌ„ Antichrist hathe power to rage wyth his weapones how farre God permitteth his furie to exteÌ„de against the sayntes This dothe Paule teache in few wordes in the ij epistle to his Tessalonianes writing thus His comming is after the working of sathaÌ„ with al power lieÌ„g signes woÌ„ders with al deceaueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse in them that perishe bicause they receaued not that loue of the truthe that they might haue ben saued And for that cause God shall sende theÌ„ strong delusion that they shoulde beleue lies that all they might be daÌ„ned which beleued not the truthe but hade pleasure in vnrighteousnesse These wordes of Paule are full of comfort For like as Christ our saueour dothe in Matthewe make playne significatioÌ„ that Antichristes miracles shal smally yea nothing auaile to deceaue the electe eueÌ„ so Paule also teacheth that God suffreth his tiraÌ„nie to be exerciced only vpoÌ„ them whom the iustice of God iudgeth to be destroied daÌ„ned But least we shoulde thinke that God dothe saue some daÌ„ne some wtout certain discrete iudgemeÌ„t like a tiraÌ„ne he telleth by by in the wordes folowing who they be saith they be those that hate the truthe wil not receaue it nor doo after it haue more delyte in the darkenesse of lies thaÌ„ in the light of the truthe And they that be suche persones are vsed to be blinded by the iust vpright iudgemeÌ„t of God that being deceaued with lies false deceates they may be in subiectioÌ„ to the yowke of Antichristes tiraÌ„nie yea they rather thrust theÌ„ selues vnder his subiectioÌ„ for their owne pleasures For seing all maner of vnthankfulnesse is odious before God and worthy of punishement yet that kynde of vnthankfulnesse wherby the most bouÌ„teous benefite of Goddes grace that is to saye the knowlage and playne declaracion of his worde and truthe is wont to be contemned and reiected dothe iustly deserue of all other the most sore punishement This mater hathe exaÌ„ples ynowe in euery place of the scriptures Yet the most notable and most horrible example hereof is in Pharao For while he did not only not receaue nor allowe the truthe of Goddes worde the most holsom warnynges of God but also reiecte them wyth an vnthankful heart and wyth threattenyng blasphemous wordes he was cast in to so great a folye and blyndenesse by the iust iudgement of God that he could not considre his present miserable destructioÌ„ but threwe him self and his in a wilful lust of wickednesse headloÌ„g in to the rageing reade sea And it dothe not muche diffre froÌ„ this that we reade chaunced to wicked Achab which while he dephieth the holsom monicions of Micheas the prophet dothe after the pestilent counsailes of the false prophetes he falleth in to pÌ„sent destruction The like iudgement of the righteous God fell vpon al Israel whan they were seduced wyth the lies of the false prophetes in the daies of king Zedechias and of the prophet Ieremie while they renouÌ„ced the courteous monicioÌ„ of the Lorde God And in dede if we beholde the furst springing vp of Antichristes tirannie we shall see that the same mater chauÌ„ced at that tyme also in euery poynt For while the people mynding to gratifie the B. of Rome were better content to receaue the vse of ymages and to be instructed and taught by them in the mater of Christian faithe and of christian life than by the holy scriptures they were taught suche lessones by their ymages as the deuil is vsed to teache his scholares I meane supersticion abominable and wicked Godseruice and ther vpon as the case was amoÌ„g the heatheÌ„ Idolaters in tymes past ther folowed al kynde of vice wickednesse yea that errour by littel and littel crept vp so high that at lenght we were made subiectes to Antichristes yowke in al maters were coÌ„pelled mawgre our heades to allowe al his trynkettes for good ware to be obedieÌ„t

our heartes diligeÌ„tly and neuer forget that in any case which he vouchedsafe to warne vs of with such earnest fidelitie Moreouer whan he should expouÌ„de in his holy sacred reuelacioÌ„ which it was his pleasure to shewe vnto his entierly beloued disciple IohnÌ„ the sore and dredefull payne of Antichristianitie which he wold haue figured in the name of Babilon among other thinges he speaketh thus in great sadnesse Get you our from her my people be not partakers of her synnes that Apo. 18. you be not partakers also of her plagues Christ our faithfull schole maister biddeth vs get out froÌ„ thence that we be not made partakers of her wickednesse idolatrie and supersticion Yea and onles we doo so he threatteneth the payne to heng ouer our neckes Wold to God those men wolde poÌ„dre and thinke vpoÌ„ this in their heartes which for feare of losing of a litel paltring pelfe or elles for a muckering vile aduauntage sake hade rather he vnder the tirannie of Antichrist than to abyde stil in the feloweship of Christ and of his churche Yea and they also which witting and willing and with circumspecte aduisement deliberate for sight put their children in subiection to the churches of the popishe religion wher they are compelled to worship Idoles yea and though they knowe the true faithe yet dare they not confesse it I knowe what many will obiecte against me in this behalf if thow Note well make all them damned say they that folowe the trade of Antichrist that is of the B. of Rome thaÌ„ must our fathers auncetours nedes be damned also In dede this is the coÌ„mon querel of the papistes which they are alwaies prating and beating in to the rude vnlearned common peoples heades and trouble many folkes myndes therwithall which thinke it were a most vnworthye mater for them to beleue that their elders were the children of damnacion And this their meanyng is to gather hereof that if our auncettours which lyued vnder the popishe religion were saued than they may be saued by the same meanes also As for me I will speake somwhat sobrely of these maters nother will I searche nor rippe the iudgementes of God to depely For to what purpose were it to searche what maner of iudgemeÌ„t almightie God vsed towardes our auncettours which departed this life befor the truthe came to light Howbeit touching his grace and mercie we will not hope but the best in euery coÌ„dicion namely seing it were not impossible for him to lighten them that erred and were deceaued with a common ignoraunce euen at the last breathe of their life that they might acknowlage receaue the true faithe in Christ and so be saued But in the meane space this we are sure of that if they were saued as we trust they were they were saued by non other reason nor waye but by the merite of Christ and not by the helpe of popishe supersticion Ther is no cause therfore why you should goo about to clooke your errours and supersticion with the exaÌ„ples of our elders O you most shameles protectours of the Romishe abominacion For ther is no like comparison nor agrement in them Our elders could not see the light of the truthe which shyneth most brightly at this daye although they were men otherwise nother wilfully stubburne nor opeÌ„ly wicked Besides this Christ our Lorde calleth them daÌ„ned lost which whan they hearde the worde of the gospel disdayne to be leue it or to heare it whaÌ„ it is brought to them Wherfore seing our elders nother hearde nor could heare the gospell you shall neuer be hable to noÌ„bre them among the rable of you which synne against the holy goost him self in that you wil nother heare the truthe whaÌ„ it is offred you nor geue credeÌ„ce to it whan it is playnly knowne And this so manifest a wickednesse dothe presse you so heauily that we may truly frely saye by the autoritie of Goddes worde that as many as at this daye in so great a light of the truthe doo folowe and defende the tirannie of Antichrist contrary wise doo wickedly persecute the health geuing worde of the gospell and the faithe that men haue in Christ shall at leynght be tormented with their head the Romishe Antichrist in the payne of euerlastiÌ„g damnacion except they learne to renounce their wickednesse in tyme turne their heartes to God with a true faithe And that they may so do spedily by the light of Goddes grace it shal be our partes continually to praye Let these now suffice to be spoken coÌ„cerning the abominable cruel perilous tyrannye of Antichrist Secondely this is to be noted louing brethren in Christ that by Paules sayeng Antichrist shall endure til the last coÌ„myng of Christ vnto iudgemeÌ„t reigne by one maner or other For albeit he be dead flayne by the breathe of Goddes mouthe and with the sweord of Goddes worde in many folkes coÌ„sciences yet he lyueth through his sleightes false wiles in many Antichrist abideth til the Lord's commyng peoples heartes yet still and bicause he abuseth their power against faithfull christianes he stereth vp batail continually Therfore we shall neuer be quyte ridde of him for good all as long as the worlde abideth in this state but he shal alwaies haue seruauntes and complices of his owne to rage playe the tyranne against vs withall So that it standeth vs in hande to watche coÌ„tinually and fight like tal felowes night and daye that he ouercome vs not and pull vs vnder his fete Now brethren we haue sene the hole mysterie of that mighty houge Antichrist We haue sene that the B. of Rome is only worthy of this name and title and ought to be taken for Antichrist We haue sene how great haynous his abominacion is and how perilous a thing his religion is We shall therfore geue thankes vnto God from the botom of our heartes in that he hath vouchedsafe to reueale vnto vs so great an enemye to open his false snares vnto vs. And we shall pray vnto God also that it will please him to defende vs wyth the protectioÌ„ of his grace from all this enemies tiranny Now remayneth the last faithfull admonicioÌ„ of Christ wherby he teacheth vs diligently what we ought to doo in this last tyme of Antichrist For wher he hathe declared that periles shall aryse hereof he warneth vs to beware of them in these wordes Than if they shall saye vnto you Lo Matth. 24 he meanyng Christ is in the deserte goo not furthe Lo he is in closettes or secrete places beleue them not For like as the lightenyng cometh from the caste and shyneth in to the west euen so shall the commyng of the sonne of man be For wher so euer the dead carcasse is ther also shall the eagles resorte In these wordes most louing brethren in Christ we are taught three thinges which it is conuenient for vs during the reigne of

the doctrine and example of Christ and depende holly of it And whan we see that he hathe ê“uided so for his church that he wolde not burthen it with an vnprofitable pompe of ceremonies but contenting him self with a fewe hath appointed only those that myght be sufficient vnto saluacioÌ„ as these almost are the preaching of the worde baptisme the token of regeneracion and the Lordes supper that acceptable remembraunce of the Lordes deathe and of our redempcion And so we contenting our selues also with those same wil thinke that nothing is to be added besydes these nother will we searche any deper yf we wil beleue in him acknowlage him to be our saueour kyng priest and the faythful scholemaister of maÌ„kinde As many therfore as diligently folowe this simple playne doctrine of Christ and the oracles of Goddes worde suffre not them selues to be drawen awaye with other meÌ„nes vaine ymaginacions vnto them this faythfull admonicion of Christ is both holsome and profitable But as many as will not haue their faythe and religion hedged within these bondes but leape ouer the hedge lyke a wylde beast and iudge otherwyse of Christ than is taught in the scriptures and seke saluacion and life elles wher thaÌ„ in Christ our only saueour and also lade the churche with newe ceremonies and with a newe forme of religion they forgette this faithfull admonicion and doo contrary to Christes commaundement goo out and suffre them selues to be seduced not without the present dauÌ„ger bothe of their owne soules and other folkes And therfore I thinke al men may plainly see what the causes are that let vs holde vs backe at this daye that we can not for sake either the knowne truthe and Christ our Lorde or becom papistes and submitte our selues to the B. of Romes doctrine and religion For the commaundement of Christ holdeth vs backe which it wer not only abominable for vs to transgresse but also it is tyed vnto vs with that extreme perile of our soules And I thinke ther is no man so blynde but he seeth that the B of Romes doctrine is such a one that he pulleth awaye suche as folowe his trace with it maketh them to goo out from Christ our only saueour For he speaketh not of Christ as the scriptures purporte For his woÌ„ted maner is to shewe those thiÌ„ges which ar frely geueÌ„ vnto maÌ„kind by Christ alone elles wher yea in other places iÌ„numerable besides christ The B. of Rome reasoneth of religion aswell inwarde as outwarde farre otherwise than Christ did in tymes past He sendeth men to sayntes and pulleth them awaye from the maker of all He hathe brought a coÌ„fused muckeheape and burthen of ceremonies in to the churche a great deale heauier than the leuitical priesthood was wherwith the vnlearned coÌ„mon peoples coÌ„sciences are miserably tormented Moreouer he teacheth meÌ„ to buy those thinges out with golde and siluer that are frely geueÌ„ vs by Christ and that ought to be hade by only faith What nede many wordes he sheweth Christ and the saluacion that Christ hathe wrought in such places as nother Christ nor saluacion is Wyth what heart than and with what conscience shal we be hable to folowe the B. of R. trade seing we heare Christ with plaine wordes an open lowde voice bidde Goo not out Shal we be so hardy than as to passe the bondes of the faithe and religion that Christ hathe prefixed vnto vs God defende vs from that wicked temeritie brethren Though the prince of the worlde rage though his vicare and minister the B. of Rome stampe and stare though princes that are stered vp by their driftes playe the deuil though Cardinalles patriarkes bishoppes prelates abbottes prouostes deanes suffraganes monkes chanones friers and all the hole rable of sacrificeing massemongers and religious persones of bothe sexes renne out of their wittes for angre and though men crye euery where CouÌ„sailes Counsailes yea though the couÌ„sailes blowe and blustre lighten and thondre neuer so thicke yet that one only sayeng ought to be of more autoritie with vs than that we should be afraide of al the mennes streinghtes power and policie in all the wide worlde and for drede of them to goo out from Christ contrary to Christes commaundement For Christ is that king of glorie the most victorious triumphaunt Emperour that holy sacred Maiestie that is mightie in dede in whose sight all knees ought to bowe For he shall beate his prowde scornefull stubburne enemies in pieces with his yron rodde make theÌ„ a fotestole for hym to treade vpoÌ„ vnder his fete Let vs now steppe ouer vnto the other The wil of God is our Sanctificacion chief point of Goddes will which Paule in his 1. Thessa 4. expoundeth on this wyse This is the will of God euen your sanctificacion or holynesse that you should absteine froÌ„ hooredome that euery one of you should knowe howe to possesse his vessell wyth holynesse and honour not wyth the luste of concupiscence as the heatheÌ„ do whiche knowe not God Here O you Romishe rufflers and moste shameles papistes lende me your eares a litel You I saye that go about to bring the faythe in Christ and the holy sacred doctrine of the gospelles truthe into slaunder hatred vnder pretense as though it neuer required good workes but reiected and forbade them as vnprofitable and superfluous For where we ascribe all the glorie of our redempcion and saluacion to Christ alone and attribute nothing vnto your workes and merites by and by ye burst out in a great rage and crye that we damne al good workes and open a wyndowe for meÌ„ to committe al wickednesse But how falsely how wickedly how vnaduisedly how shamelessi ye doo this learne it not of vs whom ye hate already before hande but of Paule the Apostle that chosen instrument of Christ our saueour For albeit he dothe euery where harpe and beate vpon this one thing that men shoulde knowe they are saued by Iesus Christ and confesseth also with playne wordes that he knoweth nothing elles saue Iesus Christ that he was crucified yet he saieth not that good worckes are eyther vnprofitable or suê‘fluous nor biddeth men folowe the lust the synful affections of their owne fleshe nother doth he appoynt suche a faythe as maye make men to synne carelesly as these wicked blasphemous antichristian Papistes coÌ„clude But this sayeth he is the wyl of God euen your holynesse For seyng Christ Iesus hathe washed vs wyth his owne blood and saÌ„ctified vs and made vs the temples of his spirite the apostle wold haue vs to be after such sorte that we contynue stil in this sanctificacion or holynesse and not defile our selues wyth the filthinesse of synnes And for that cause he maketh mencion of hooredome most chiefly in this place bicause the hooremonger vnhaloweth that holy sacred temple most specially in synnyng against his owne body yet vnder the name of hooredome he will

haue vs vnderstande all vncleanesse that man is spotted wythall For he saith moreouer That euery one of you knowe how to possesse his vessell that is his bodye with holynesse and honour I meane so as the name of God may be sanctified and halowed in vs and in our conuersacioÌ„ and not to lyue like the heathens which are most farre from the knowlage of God But this sanctificacion or holynesse is the frute of faithe yea such a frute that faithe can not possibly be wythout it For yf thow doest beleue that thow art redemed from the tiraÌ„nye of synne and from the fire of damnacioÌ„ by the bitter deathe most painfull sorowes of Christ and haste this only hope of thy saluacion life suerly thow wilt not cast awaye nor set so light by this thy saluacioÌ„ which is redemed with so deare a price by the soÌ„ne of God that thow wilt lose it for that pleasures of thy carnall affectiones which shal vanishe away eueÌ„ in a moment Besides this if thow hast put on Iesus Christ truly by faithe thow wilt not soile him that is so noble a garmeÌ„t of more value thaÌ„ al the treasures of golde precious stones with the filthie workes of synnes but though thow be ouercomeÌ„ fall through the frailtie of mannes nature yet thow wilt vp agayne quickly bewaile thy fall bitterly And for that cause the scriptures saye that faithe is the good tree that can not bring furthe euil frutes For inasmuche as faithe is the worke of the holy spirit of God it must nedes also bring furthe the frutes of the spirite double loue that is of God and a maÌ„nes neighbour hope coÌ„forte iustice innocencie purenesse pacience all the company of other vertues Therfore we learne by this brethren furst that they are most principal blasphemers against the true faithe and religion that is buylded vpon Christ alone as many as saye that the doctrine of the gospel is an enemie to good workes secondly that they truly abyde in Christ and cleaue coÌ„stauÌ„tly vnto him that boaste of their faithe not only in their wordes and bragge not in the only speaking of faithe but geue them selues vnto holynesse of life and applye them selues to this ende only that they may kepe their vessell which is washed with the precious blood of Christ pure cleane For he can not be called a membre or a disciple of Christ which forgetteth christian purenesse and holinesse and maketh him self the bonde slaue of synne and an instrument for the deuil to pype in Therfore in this admonicion and couÌ„sail of our saueour Christ is secretly comprised that true eternall lawe and vnfailing rule that he wolde haue common to al his disciples and with singular forsight requireth them to frame their life and religion according to this rule Mary it is a prety shorte rule a plain rule easie to be perceaued For he coÌ„manÌ„deth vs not to beleue them that either shewe a false Christ or teache vs to seke Christ him self and the thinges that are geuen vs by his merite in any place elles but to sticke fast to the scriptures and not to starte froÌ„ them one ynche but in all thinges that perteyne either to God him self or to the seruice of God he biddeth vs haunt those thinges with a constauÌ„t and vnwauering faithe in charitie and in purenesse and innocencie of life that we be taught in the holy scriptures to doo Vnto this rule it is necessary that al the constitucions and rules of moÌ„kes chanones friers and nonnes geue place which they are toto proude of in the papacie For who so euer they be that walke according to this rule as Paule saithe peace and mercie be Gal. 6. vpon them and vpon the Israel of God And contrary wise they shal one daye fele that they haue gone to farre out of the waye as many as considre not so faithfull a monicionar and deuise an other rule of life and faithe for them selues to folowe Now are we come to the thrid Of the lordes last coÌ„ming and last speciall point of this admonicion wher in Christ maketh playne mencion of his last commyng Furst he teacheth vs in what sorte forme facion and glorious royaltie he shall come and than he expoundeth the condicion and state of the sayntes and faithfull people which they shall receaue at the tyme of the last iudgement Concerning the furst he speaketh these wordes As the lightenyng gothe from the east and shyneth to the west so shal the commyng of the sonne of man be Here we are taught brethreÌ„ that the Lorde shall com at a sodayn cheoppe like lightenyng and at such a tyme as men shall thinke that of all other tymes they are like than to haue most peace securitie and worldly wealthe For so dothe Paule in his furst epistle to the Thessalonianes expouÌ„de Christes wordes sayeng Concerning the tymes and seasones brethren I nede not to write vnto you For you knowe plainly that the daye of the Lorde shal come like a thefe in the night For whan they shall saye peace and all thing is cocke sure than hengeth ouer them sodayn destruction like the trauaile of a woman labouring of childe and they shall not escape it These wordes are spoken and written to this ende brethren to stere vs vp to watche and prepare our selues that we may be fouÌ„de ready like thriftye seruauntes at the Lordes coÌ„myng Moreouer the Lorde vseth also the similitude of lightenyng to shewe the maner and facion of his commyng And therby he geueth warnyng that he wil not coÌ„me in a poore estate bassely nor as a coÌ„temned persone or like a cast awaye as he was whan he lyued in the fleshe whan he spake these wordes but with a mightie trayne in great shynyng brightenesse glorie power and maiestie so as all his enemies shall treÌ„ble and shake for feare at the sight of it Hereunto serue Danieles wordes also that I rehearsed before but they are worthy to be rehearsed and rehearsed agayn wherwyth he dedescribeth the Lordes last iudgement on this wise I loked till the seates were prepared and till the olde aged sate Daniel 7. him downe his clothing was as white as snowe the heares of his head like the pure wolle His throne was like the fyrie flame and his wheles as the burnyng fire Ther drewe furthe a fyrie streame and went out from him A thousaunt tymes a M. serued him ten thousaunt times X. M. stode before him c. And the Lorde speaketh like vnto these wordes Matth. 25. Whan the sonne of man shall come in his glorie al his angels with him thaÌ„ shal he sitte vpoÌ„ the seate of his glorie al nacions shal be gathered together before hiÌ„ c. Howbeit these are written brethren not as though the Lorde wold make vs afraide like a tyranne but that we should print these wordes in our myndes and frame all our life after such sorte that at the same

Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Text snippets containing the quad