in numeratioÌ„ For seeing we know what the beast it self is we might wel take that name which fitteth this nuÌ„ber any of these ways Irenaeus whose master Policarpus beene Saint Iohns disciple reporteth that those who had seen Iohn face to face did teache that the number of the name of Lib. 5. the beast according to the computation of the Greeks by the letters which be in it shall containe 666. Hee therefore setteth downe three names in greeke letters contayning that number in two whereof there is no shew of reason that either of them should be this name seeing neither of them I meane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the name of the beast The third name is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof hee writeth thus Sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nomen sexcentorum sexaginta sex numerum valde verisimile est Quoniam verissunum regnum hoc habet vocabulum Latini enim sunt qui nunc regnant But the name Lateinos also containeth the number 666. and it is verse likelie because the most true kingdome hath this name For they are Latines which now raigne Which in effect is as much as if hee had saide the name Latine is very likelie because it hath the number 666. and is the name of the beaste which figureth verissimum regnum the most true kingdome that is the Latin or Romane state The name of the beast Apoc. 13. 7. therefore in greek contayning the number is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Latine 3. In Hebrew the beasts name comprehending that number is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Romane For the beastes name beeing a nowne or name collectiue may indifferently according to the maner of the Hebrewes be vttered either in the Masculine or Foeminine gender And the Foeminine termination doth better fitte the prophecy not onely because it rendreth the iust number but also because the beast as it is subiect to Antichrist beeing the adulterous Romane state is elsewhere in the foeminine called the whore of Babylon and the mother of fornications The most vsuall name of the beast in it owne language that is the Latine tongue is Romanus which in Hebrewe characters is as Master Foxe supposeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the knowledge whereof as himselfe reporteth hee attained by earnest prayer And that the name Latine or Romane in the learned tongues is the name whereof the holy ghost speaketh it appeareth because euery thing here spoken of the name agreeth fitly and properly thereunto For first it is the name of the beast Secondly is containeth the number 666 as may appeare by this suppâ—…ion Thirdly it is such a name as he to whom all other notes of Antichrist doe agree I meane the Pope enforceth men to take vpon them as shal be shewed Fourthly because the name Latinus or Romanus is also the name of a man For Latinus was one of the auncient Kings of Italy and Romanus was one of the Popes Wherefore I doubt not to conclude that the name is Romane or Latins in the learned tongues For howsoeuer many others names may be produced which comprehend the number 666 yet either they are not the name of the beast or are such names as Antichrist was not to impose vpon men But Lib. 2. cap. 10. of this more here after 4. Now let vs see what that marke is whereof the holy Ghost speaketh Charaâ—…t or Character is as it were a cognizance a note of difference wherby men of any profession or religion are knowne and distinguished from others And it is partly in ward and partly outward The inward is that which is imprinted in the soule the outward is that which is either expressed or receiued outwardly as namely in the forehead or in the right hand In the forehead that is by outward profession and in the right hand that is by operation as the ordinary glose expoundeth As for example the character or marke of a christian or seruant of Christ is subiectioÌ„ vnto Christ and acknowledgement of him to be our head Sauiour This inwardly is the grace of a true faith wrought in the soule by the finger of Gods spirit wherby we beleeue in Christ our sauiour For those that truly beleeue are sealed or signed to saluation That which Eph. 1. 13. outwardly is expressed is either by consession of the mouth or operation of the hands In respect whereof profession of the ChristiaÌ„ faith may truely be said to be the outward marke of a Christian as also determinat us modus us viueÌ„di c. as the scholemen speake the certaine maner of liuing according to the law religioÌ„ of Christ. So that he which beleeueth with his hart coÌ„fesseth with his mouth that Iesus is Christ withal frameth his life according to the law doctrine of Christ he may be said to haue the marke of God Apoc. 9. 4. both in the heart by beleeuing in the forehead by profession in the right haÌ„d by operation See Rom. 10. 9. 10. 2. Tim. 2. 19. And furthermore the outward markes receiued to testifie our subiectioÌ„ vnto Christ our coÌ„munion with him as also to distinguish vs froÌ„ men of other religions are the SacrameÌ„ts of Christ as baptisme and the Lords supper And thus you see the marke of a Christian which is but one in substance namely the true acknowledgement of Christ is thus diuersly expessed testified 5. The like may be said of the marke of the beast which is also called the marke of his name The beast as wee haue proued Apoc. 14. 11. is the Romane state the name is Romane or Latine The marke therfore of the beast is that whereby they of the Romish or Latine religion whom we call Papists are distinguished froÌ„ others that is their subiection vnto the Pope as their head and acknowledgement of the See of Rome This inwardly in the soule is their implicite faith whereby euery Papist is bound hand ouer head to beleeue whatsoeuer the Pope or Church of Rome beleeueth and the rather because they are to be perswaded that neither of both can erre That which outwardly is expressed is either by confession of the mouth or operation of the hands So that the profession of the Romishe religion and certaine maner of liuing according to the Lawes and customes of the Pope and church of Rome may also be said to be the marke of Antichristians euen as the obseruation of the Heathenish rites is called 2. Macah. 4. 10. the Character of the Graecians Who soeuer therfore in heart beleeueth whatsoeuer the Pope church of Rome do or shall beleeue outwardly professeth the Romish religion frameth his life according to the lawes customes of the church of Rome as for exaÌ„ple to fal downe before images to adore the Eucharist to frequeÌ„t the Masse c. he may be truly said to haue the marke of the beast Moreouer the outward marks
and kingdome of Antichrist And further we haue shewed heretofore that the whole body of Apostates and heretiques professing the name of Christ is Antichrist and after a more speciall maner the head of this body Apostasie And therfore it followeth that all of this Apostasie professing the name of Christ belong to this body and kingdome of Antichrist And whereas hee saith that this Apostasie is onelie a disposition so the kingdome of Antichrist c. I answere that all the degrees of this Apostasie going before the reuelation of Antichrist were a disposition not to the being but to the reuealing of Antichrist For in the Apostasie Antichrist was as Iohn plainely sheweth neither could he be reuealed vnlesse first he were Wherupon Theodoret saith Defectionem appellat Antichristi praesentiam he calleth Apostasie the presence or comming of Antichrist But is it not very likely thinke you that there hath bene a disposition or preparation already of more then 1500. yeares in most parts of the world for the raigne of one man three yeres and an halfe 19. Fiftly and lastly although we should grant saith he that a generall Apostasie from the faith hauing now continued many yeares is the kingdome of Antichrist yet it would not follow that therefore the Pope is Antichrist For it is not yet decided who haue made this defection they or we And iâ—… were more easie to proouâ—… that they haue made this defection for they haue reuolted from that Church and religion whereof their forefathers were which we haue not done c. In the foure former answers Bellarmine turned backe vpon vs hoping therby to repell the force of our argument but those being spent in this he turneth his backe vpon vs betaketh himselfe to his feete and leauing the defence of the question in hand runneth to his chiefe hold For whereas we proue that Antichrist is not one man contrary to their assertion by this argument among others because that generall Apostacie of the visible Church continuing for many ages whereof Antichrist is the head cannot be the worke of one man or of a few yeares Bellarmine answereth thus in effect that although your argument be very good to prooue that Antichrist is not one man yet notwithstanding here of it followeth not that the Pope is Antichrist Why neuer any of vs vsed this argument Antichrist is not one man therefore the Pope is Antichrist But in this assertion of ours we answere your chiefe demonstration whereby you would prooue that the Pope is not Antichrist and where in especially you please your selues reasoning as hath beene hard after this manner Antichrist is but one man therefore the Pope is not Antichrist And after you haue prooued this by many worshipfull demonstrations and stoutly denied our contrary arguments now in the end you make this cowardes bragge Although this should be granted which you say to prooue that Antichrist is not one man yet it doth not follow that the Pope is Antichrist 20. But let vs pursue the Iesuite in his flight Although this should be granted saith he c. Yet it followeth not that therfore the Pope is Antichrist For the question yet is who hath made this Apostasie we or you Well then let vs ioyne in this issue If the Apostasie be on our side let vs be thought to belong to Antichrist if this Apostasie be in the Church of Rome whereof the Pope is head then let it be acknowledged that the Pope is the head of this Apostasie and consequently Antichrist But you saith the Iesuite haue reuoltd from the Church and religion of your forefathers that is from the Church of Rome and Latin religion And therefore when you read vnlesse there come areuolt c. it is a wonder that you doe not apply that prophesie to your selues The Apostasie whereof the Apostle speaketh is not a separation from the Church of Rome that now is nor a forsaking of Romish or Popish religion but a reuolting from God a departure from the true faith and religion of Christ vnto Antichristianisme and idolatry We in forsaking the Church of Rome haue come out of Babylon Apoc. 18. 4. according to Gods commaundement and in reuolting from the Pope haue returned to God and therefore this Apostasie toucheth not vs. But you say I to the Papists haue reuolted from the true faith and religion of Christ vnto Antichristianisme and Idolatry as besides the infinite particulars wherein your Apostasie doeth consist may briefely appeare by these notes First the Apostle speaking of the same Apostasie in another place hath these words The spirit speaketh plaincly that in the latter times some shall make an Apostasie from the faith attending to erroneous spirits and doctrines of 1. Tim. 4. 1. diuels speaking lyes in hypocrisie and hauing their owne conscience seared Now who these are that make this Apostasie the Apostle further describeth by specifying two of those doctrines of diuels as certaine notes whereby to know them Forbidding to marry and commaunding to abstainâ—… from meates which God hath created to be receiued with thankesgiuing c. But as I haue shewed heretofore these notes touch not vs and properly agree to the Papists therefore Lib. 1. Chap. 4. 3. this Apostasie is among them Secondlie this Apostasie is among those who are fallen from the true religion and worship of God into idolatry and superstition For the Apostaticall Church is the Idolatrous Church signified by the whore of Babylon the mother of fornications But the Church of Roome is strangelie addicted to idolatry and superstition and for the same deserueth to be called the whore of Babylon where as we through the mercie of God are free from idolatry and therefore the Apostásie is with them and not with vs. For the Apostasie is of them that are made drunke with the cuppe of the whore of Babylous fornications as the Papists are and wee are not who haue come out of Babylon Thirdlie the Apostasie is of those that receiue the name and marke of the beast as the Papists doe and not of those that refuse it as wee doe The fourth note or touchstone as it were to trie who haue made this Apostasie iâ—… the word of God For that is the true faith and the true religion which is contayned and prescribed in the written word of God Now our desire is that the Scriptures may be acknowledged the onelie rule of faith and manners vnto the Scriptures we appeale in all controuersies and desire to be iudged by them vnto the reading of the Scriptúres we exhort our people that they may be further edified and confirmed in that trueth which we doe teach and prosesse The Papists contrarywise not daring to stand to the Scriptures slie to their vnwritten verities traditions decretals doctrines and authorities of men both besides and against the Scriptures and in a word that the prophecie of the Apostle foretelling this Apostasie might be verified in them they haue asserted their hearing from the
in the primitiue church neither is it altogether misliked of vs although not much vsed among vs because it was so much abused by them But this ceremonie was done without vnction or chrisme for further proofe whereof see D. Fulke his answer to the Rhemists Acts. 8. 17. And therefore notwithstanding that ancient practise of the Church this Chrisme vsed in confirmation may belong to the marke of the beast And the rather because the Papists make their confirmation with Chrisme not onely a sacrament but also a most necessary and Principall sacrament So necessary as that they haue set it downe as a law that no man is to be esteemed a Christian without it Nunquam De consecrat dist 5. C. vt iciuni erit Christianus nisi confirmatione episcopals fuerit Chrismatus He shall neuer be a Christian who is not confirmed with Chrisme by a Bishop So principall as that they preferre it before Baptisme affirming that it is maiore veneratione venerandum with greater veneration to be reuerenced Now if it be a priuiledge De consecrat dist 5. C. de his vero peculiar vnto Christ the author and bestower of grace to ordaine Sacraments of grace then must it needes be accounted a practise Antichristian if any man shall take vpon him to ordaine a Sacrament and not onely to obtrude the same vpon all as necessary to saluation but also to preferre it before that excellent Sacrament of Baptisme ordayned by Christ himselfe Therefore as the ordayning and enforcing of this Sacrament vpon men is a note of Antichrist so those which doe not onely receiue it when they are young but also retaine it when they are olde remayning in the communion of the Church of Rome may be said to haue the marke of the beast 7. Secondly that to adhere to the Romaine Church was a marke of a true Catholicke before the yeere 606. he prooueth by 2. Romanae ecclesie adhaercre the authority of Augustine Ambrose and Victor Vticensis But we speake of the Church of Rome that now is that is the apostaticall Church of Rome he argueth of the ancient Church which was apostolicall Indeed whiles the Church of Rome did cleaue vnto Christ so long might it be a note of a good Christian to cleaue vnto it although these testimonies doe scarce proue it but after that Church became apostaticall and adulterous as appeareth by their fundamentall heresies and horrible Idolatries and consequently of a faithful Church became an harlot and of the Church of Christ the synagogue of Antichrist it hath beene the marke of an Antichristian to liue in the communion of that Church Besides this great difference betwixt the present and the ancient state of the Church of Rome there is also great oddes in the manner of adhering or cleauing thereto Then as other Churches did cleaue to the Church of Rome so did the Church of Rome cleaue to them now it acknowledgeth no Church besides it selfe Then the Church of Rome was accounted but a part of the Catholicke Church and so a man might be a good Christian although he were not of the Church of Rome now the Church of Rome alone must be accounted the Catholicke Church and consequently he that is not a member of that Church must not be taken for a Catholicke or true Christian. For when the Pope got the title of vniuersall Bishop or head of the vniuersall Church then the church whereof he was head was accounted the onely Catholicke and vniuersall Church Hereunto agreeth that Glosse Constat ecclesiam ideo esse vnam quia in vniuersali ecclesia est vnum caput suprem◅ Clementin Lib. 5. ad nostrum in gloss cui omnes de ecclesia obedire tenentur seil Papae It is euident that the Church is therefore one because in the vniuersall Church there is one supreame head whom all that are of the Church are bound to obey And agreeably therunto saith a late writer whose bookes were published at Venice in the yeere 1588. Non potest quis se Christianum fateri qui curae Papae dicit se non subesse No man may Rod. Cupers 127. num 29. professe himselfe to be a Christian who doth not confesse himselfe to be subiect to the Popes cure or charge And therfore in the conclusiō of his booke he professeth himselfe to be Mancipium S. R. E. The bond seruant of the holy church of Rome Non ignorans he saith haud possehaberese deum patrem si sanctam vniuersalem Romanam ecclesiam non habuerit matrem knowing that a man cannot haue God to be his father vnlesse he haue the holy vniuersall Church of Rome to be his mother Seeing therfore the Church of Rome is become the whore of Babylon as hath bene prooued and the synagogue of Antichrist seeing the Pope compelleth all men to cleaue to the church of Rome suffering none to buy or sel or to enioy any benefits of humane society which professe not themselues to be members of the Church of Rome it followeth that this cleauing to the Apostaticall Church of Rome or liuing in the communion thereof belongeth to the marke of the beast 8. Thirdly as touching the oth of obedience and fealty 3. Iura◅ium obedientiae made to the Pope of Rome Bellarmine prooueth that it was vsed in the time of Gregory the great and therefore before the yeere 606. as appeareth in the Epistles of Gregorie I answere that although Lib. 10. Epist 31. before the yeere 606. the Bishops of Rome tooke more vpon them then became the ministers of Christ yet Bellarmine is not able out of all antiquity to alleadge one example of such an oath of fealty and allegeance imposed by the Pope vpon forraine Bishops and much lesse vpon Kings and Princes as all Catholicke Bishops as they call them Priests graduates Princes and potentates are compelled to sweare vnto the Pope of Rome That one example which as it seemeth is all that he can alledge of an oath taken not long before the yeere 606. is little to the purpose For it is not an oath of obedience and allegeance to the Pope but of faith and religion towards God conformable to the faith and religion then professed by the Bishop and Church of Rome For it is the oath of a certaine Bishop who sweareth to renounce his former heresies and to professe and maintaine that faith and religion which then the Bishop and Church of Rome did professe which oath in effect is no otherwise to be vndestood then if a minister among vs being reclaimed from Popery or some other heresie should take an oath before a Bishop that whiles he liueth he will professe and maintaine that religion which is now professed and established in the Church of England and other reformed Churches which is not to sweare allegeance to them but the like allegeance with them vnto Christ. 9. Fourthly the annointing of Priests we confesse to be as ancient as the Priesthood of Aaron from
A TREATISE CONCERNING ANTICHRIST DIVIDED INTO TWO BOOKES THE FORMER PROVING THAT THE POPE IS ANTICHRIST THE LATTER MAINTAIning the same assertion against all the obiections of Robert Bellarmine Iesuit and Cardinall of the Church of Rome By GEORGE DOVVNAME Doctor of Diuinitie and lately reader of the Diuinity Lecture in Paules Apoc. 18 4. 6. Come out of Babylon my people that you be not partakers with her in her sinnes and that you receiue not of her plagues c. Render vnto her as she hath rewarded you and repay her double according to her workes AT LONDON Imprinted for Cuthbert Burbie 1603. TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTIE MOST CHRISTIAN AND WORTHY KING IAMES by the grace of God King of England Scotland Fraunce and Ireland defender of the faith c. All prosperitie and true happinesse in this life and eternall felicitie in the life to come THE blessed dispensation of Gods most gracious prouidence towards this land for which his holy name is alwayes to be praised in his church in bringing your Highnesse vnto this kingdome in the beginning of this seuenteenth century after Christ seemeth to presage that the happy reformation of the church restitution of the Gospell consumption of Antichrist decay of Babilon happily begun in the last centenary shall in this age or century receiue a notable confirmation and increase if not a perfect consummation For howsoeuer whiles the darkenesse of Popery ouer spred the Christian world not onely the inhabitants of the earth were made drunke with the goulden cup of the whore of Babylons Apoc. 17. 2 18. 3. fornications but the Kings also and Princes of the earth hauing drunke of the same cup committed spirituall whoredome Apo. 17. 13 with her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power to support 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when as it 〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 enlighten the world with the bright beames of his glorious Gospell then Antichrist began to consume and Babylon to decay the Preachers discouering Antichrist the people comming Apoc. 1â—… 1. 14. 6. 3. out of Babylon and the Princes which before had assisted Antichrist setting themselues against him This great worke of God in the full consumption of Antichrist and confusion of Babylon the Ministers of God that is to say Princes and Preachers are Rom. 13. 4. to accomplish and bring to passe The Preachers by preaching the euerlasting Gospell at the sound whereof Babylon falleth as once Apoc. 14. 6. 7. 8. the walles of Iericho at the noise of the Trumpets sounded by the Priests and by the ministerie whereof as it were the spirit of the Ioh. 6. Lords mouth Antichrist falleth into a consumption as Dagon 2. Thes. 2. 8 once did fall before the Arke Th Princes partly by their godly example going out and in before the people in the sincere profession 2. Sam. 5. of the truth and detestation of popery partly by their authoritie prouiding faithfull Ministers countenancing their Ministerie oppugning Antichrist in his religion and in his members bereauing the whore of Babylon the Popes concubine of her meanes Apo. 17. 16 and lastly sacking her and consuming her with fire For which cause as I thought it my duety being called to read a Lecture in diuinitie when I perceiued the Papists within these few yeares I know not vpon what other hopes then of raising their fortunes out of the ruines of this whole Island growne more insolent then in former times to make the best opposition I could against them and to that end handled this maine controuersie concerning Antichrist whervpon all Popery dependeth both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proouing the affirmatiue viz. that the Pope is Antichrist and also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disproouing the negatiue against the obiections of Bellarmine the Goliath of the Papists so being now at the instance of many well disposed persons to publish this treatise I haue thought good to dedicate the same to your Maiestie as the chiefe patron and defender of the faith and Gospell of Christ vpon earth against Antichrist and his adherents For hereby not onely your royall courage may be stirred vp and your godly resolution in oppugning Antichrist according to the prophecies of the scripture foretelling the dutie of Christian Princes in this behalfe more and more confirmed but also it may most euidently appeare to all men that vpon most iust and weighty considerations you and your people renounce all communion with the Pope and church of Rome and by all good meanes doe set our selues against them For if the Pope be Antichrist which is prooued in this Booke consequently the church of Rome the whore of Babylon and synagogue of Antichrist the papists who call themselues Catholicks and vs Heretiques the limmes of Antichrist the religion and doctrine of popery the mysterie of iniquitie and meere Antichristianisme it followeth necessarily that Christian princes are not to tolerate either the religion of papists or their persons within their dominions The religion Deu. 13. 1. 5 of papistry being a Catholick Apostasie from God consisting not onely in respect of the worship of manifold superstion and most grosse idolatrie but also in respect of the doctrine of many hundred Antichristian errours and doctrines of diuels The persons of Catholick-papists being Catholick heretiques and reuolters froÌ„ God members of Antichrist palpable idolatours many of them especially the Seminarie priests and Iesuites perswaders of others to idolatry and apostasie from God Not to speake of the treason against Christian Princes which is enclosed in the bowels of popery and bosomes of papists For they teach that all Christian Princes who acknowledge not the Pope for their supreame head and Lord as no true Christians doe are Schismaticks at the least and consequently that the Pope hath authoritie to depose them and to absolue their subiects from their allegiance and that the Pope when he proceedeth to the sentence of excommunication and deposition of them as he did against your sister of blessed memorie Queene Elizabeth and doth so oft as he dareth against others he doth not erre in his definitiue sentence And therefore whatsoeuer they pretend to the contrarie it is certaine that they being the marked slaues of Antichrist wholy deuoted to his will are also willing and ready when meanes and opportunitie faile not to put in execution his Antichristian censures and diuellish designements In consideration whereof Christian Princes and people are not onely bound to come out of Babylon and to renounce Apoc. 18. 4. all communion with the Pope and Church of Rome but also they are to rewarde the where of Babylon as she hath rewarded vs Apoc. 18. 6. yea to repay her double and not onely to hate her but also to make her desolate and naked to eate her flesh and consume Apo. 17. 16. her with fire And hereof Christian Princes are to be assured that as those which ioyne with the Pope in persecuting the faithfull doe fight vnder the banner of Antichrist the beast
Thou bearest the person An. Do. 862 Annal. Boior lib. 4. of a Bishop say they but thou playest the tyrant vnder the habite or attire of a pastour wee feele a Wolfe the lying title calleth thee Father thou in thy deedes boastest thy selfe to be another Iupiter When as thou art the seruaunt of seruants thou striuest to be the Lorde of Lords c. Hee counterfeiteth the Lambe in calling himselfe the vicar of Christ and exercising the very same office which Christ himselfe had Bellarm. whiles he was vpon the earth And because by horne in the Scriptures often is meant power he may be saide to haue two hornes like the Lambe whiles he challengeth that two-fold power which is peculiar to Christ the Lambe as our King and Priest and vsurpeth both the swordes I meane both spirituall and temporall He speaketh like the Dragon in teaching those doctrines of Diuels mentioned 1. Tim. 4. 3. forbidding to mary and commaunding abstinence from meates in belching foorth most horrible blasphemies whereof wee will remember some in the next chapter in his diuellish curses against the Saints and Satannicall promises of the worlde and kingdomes thereof to them that will adore him Luc. 4. 6. Ecce in potestate nostra est imperium vt demus illud cui volumus Auentin Annal Boior lib. 6. saith Adrian the Pope Beholde the Empyre is in our power that wee may giue it to whom wee will And whereas Hierome writing of those wordes 1. Tim. 4. They speake in Hypocrisie saith he who being not continent would seeme to be so chaste as that they condemne mariage and so abstemious as that they iudge those who vse the creature sparingly whereas thēselues are giuen ouer to belly cheere what could haue bene spoken more fitly to shewe foorth the hypocrisie of the Pope Papists For do not they whiles they condēne contemne mariage vnder the shew of vowed chastity practise all vncleannesse and whiles they cōdemne all moderate eating of flesh do not they vnder a colour of fasting feast feed themselues with the choisest dainties Doe not many of them vnder the pretence of voluntary pouerty gather infinite riches And doth not all their religion stande in Opere operate in the bare performaunce of the outwarde worke that is to say in hypocrisie Neither are wee to omitte an hypocriticall pollicie which of late they haue vsed For when as they coulde not preuaile with their Sophistry that is to say with their Bookes of controuersies they hoped to preuaile among the simple with their hypocrisie that is to say with their bookes of deuotion Wherein there is a notable shewe of counterfait deuotion zeale and holinesse to bleare the eyes of the simple and vnstaied But it were to be wished that as they are so they were esteemed to be no better then baits of Antichrist seruing to allure men vnder shew of deuotion vnto idolatry apostasie from God especially if we cōsider that the principall of these bookes were set forth by Parsons other Iesuits who Quodlibet c. are plainly discouered euen by some of their owne side to be mere Machiuilians and wicked Atheists 5. Thus you see what maner of aduersary Antichrist is Now wee must shewe in particular wherein he is opposed to Iesus Christ. He is opposed vnto him as he is Christ and as he is Iesus as hee is Christ that is as he was annointed of God to be our Prophet our King and our Priest in which respect especially he is called Antichrist He is also opposed vnto him as he is Iesus that is to say as he is our Sauiour So that Antichrist opposeth himselfe both to the offices of Christ signified in the name Christ and also to the benefites signified in the name Iesus Now these things also most fitly agree to the Pope who opposeth himselfe to Christ in all these respectes not indeede aperto Marte as an open and professed enemy for so it becōmeth not Antichrist who was to be an hypocrit sitting in the Church of God c. but couertly and cunningly For we must remember that Antichristianisme is the mystery of iniquity wherin Christ was in word shew to be professed but indeed truth denied First thē to Christ our Prophet he is opposed partly as he oppugneth the prophecy of Christ and partly as himselfe is a false Prophet He oppugneth the prophecy of Christ First in denying Christ to be our onely Prophet whose voice in the canonicall Scriptures concerning matters necessarily to be beleeued vnto saluation wee ought onely to heare whiles he and his followers do teach that the scriptures are not perfect and that besides the Apocryphall writings which they haue matched with the canonical their owne traditions also are necessary and of equall authority with the scriptures Secondly by withholding from the people the scriptures which containe the whole doctrine of Christ our prophet in a strange language and also by reading and preaching vnto them their owne fancies and inuentions out of the legends and liues of saints and festiualls c. in steede of the sincere truth of God And by these two practises the Pope whiles he leaueth to Christ the name and title of beeing our prophet he taketh the thing to himselfe Againe he is opposed to Christ our prophet as himselfe is the false prophet spoken of in the Apocalypse teaching Antichristian errours and doctrines of diuells For so many errors as are taught and held by the Pope and church of Rome are so many oppositions betwixt him and Christ our prophet Of the errours of the Romish church there be many centuryes or hundreds and diuerse of them fundamentall In respect whereof wee may truly say that the catholike Apostasie for so I call the Romish religion is the common sewre of many grosse heresyes 6 But it will be said that howsoeuer the Pope holdeth diuerse errours yet he teacheth not those which the holy ghost hath noted as the peculiar doctrines of Antichrist Whereof the authour of the Wardword reckoneth vp three and Bellar-mine hath a fourth But neither of them durst mention those two doctrines of diuells which Paul assigneth to that Apostasie 1. Tim. 4. 3. whereof Antichrist is the head The first doctrine of Antichrist say they is to deny Iesus to be Christ. Which they Of this see more in the 2. booke and 14. chapter would proue out of 1. Iohn 2. 22. 4. 3. and 2. Iohn 7. But the Pope say they doth not deny Iesus to be Christ. To the prosyllogisme or proofe of the proposition I answere that these places of the Apostle Iohn doe not speake properly of the graund Antichrist who is the head of the Antichristian body but of certaine petite Antichrists or heretickes of those times which denied either of the natures of Christ for he speaketh of such as were then already come into the world and therefore from thence it cannot be proued that the great Antichrist shall
the scriptures And if the Hervaeus de potest Tap. e. R. Cupers Petrus de palude de potest Papae â—…t 4. church be aboue the Scriptures then much more is he For he not onely virtualiter est tota ecclesia that is virtually the whole church but also his power alone exceedeth the power of all the whole church besides Now that the authority of the church much more of the Pope who is superior to the church is aboue the scripture it is both generally affirmed by som particulars coÌ„firmed Cardinal Cusanus entitleth his book De authoritate ecclesia concilij supra coÌ„tra scripturaÌ„ Of the authority of the Church councell aboue against the Scripture Syluester Prierias master of the Popes pallace saith That indulgences are warranted vnto vs not by the authoritie of the Scripture Contra Lutheri conclusiones de potestate Papae but by the authoritie of the Church and Pope of Rome which is greater Boniface the Archbishop of Mentz saith That all men so reuerence the Apostolicke See of Rome that they rather desire the auncient institution of Christian religion from the Pope then from the holy Scriptures This saying the Pope hath so approued that he hath caused it to be inserted into the Dist. 40. c. si Papa Canon lawe The particulars which proue the Pope to aduaunce himselfe aboue the Scriptures are these 1 Because he hath as they say authoritie to adde to the Canonicall Scriptures other bookes that are not in the Canon And that those Dist. 19. c. si Romanorum Ioan. de turrecrem l. 〈◊〉 cap. 112. which be in the Canon haue their Canonicall authority from him In the 19. distinction cap. Si Romanorum Pope Nicolas not onely matcheth their decretall Epistles with the holy Scriptures but also affirmeth that the Scriptures are therefore to be receiued because the Pope hath iudged them canonicall Another saith Whosoeuer resteth not on the doctrine of the Romane church and Bishop of Rome as the infallible rule of God Syluester Prierias contra Lutherum à qua sacra scriptura robur trabis authoritatem From which the sacred Scripture draweth strength and authority hee is an Hereticke Eckius saith Scriptura nisiecclesiae authoritate non De ecclesia est authentica The Scripture is not authenticall but by the authority of the Church For I will not tell you how some of them haue not bene ashamed to say that the Scripture without the authoritie of the Church is of it selfe no better worth then AEsopes fables Pighius saith The authority of the church Vid. Chemnit exam part 1. pag. 47. is aboue the Scriptures because the authoritie of the Church hath giuen the Scriptures canonicall authority Secondly whereas the Scriptures are not the words and syllables but the true sence and meaning thereof They teach that the scriptures are to be vnderstood according to the interpretation of the Pope and Church of Rome and that sence which the Pope assigneth to the Scriptures must bee taken for the vndoubted word of God The Pope saith one hath authority so to expound Heruauâ—… de potestate Papae the scriptures that it is not lawful to hold or thinke the contrary A Cardinall of Rome saith If any man haue the interpretation of the church of Rome concerning any place of scripture although he neither know nor vnderstand whether and Cardinal Hosius de expresso dei verbo how it agreeth with the words of the scripture notwithstanding he hath ipsimum verbum Dei the very wordof God And if the sence which they giue be diuerse according to the variety of their practise and diuersitie of times we must acknowledge that the scripture is to follow the church and not the church to follow the scriptures Whereupon Cardinall Cusanus It is no Nicol. Cusanus ad Bohem. epist. 7. maruell saith he though the practise of the church expound the scriptures at one time one way and at another time another way For the vnderstanding or sence of the scripture runneth with the practise And that sence so agreeing with the practise is the quickning spirit And therefore the scriptures follow the church but contrarywise the church followeth not the scriptures And this is that which one who was no small foole in Rome auouched The Pope saith he may change the holy gospell and may Henricus Doctor magister sacri palatij Romae ad legatos â—…ohemicos sub Felice Papa 1447. giue to the gospell according to place and time another sence And to the same purpose was the speech of that blasphemous Cardinall that if any man did not beleeue that Christ is very God and man and the Pope thought the same he should not bee condemned To conclude therefore with Cardinall Cusanus This is the iudgement saith he of all them that thinke rightlie Cardinal s. Angeli ad cosdeâ—… legatos Bohemicos that found the authoritie and vnderstanding of the scriptures in the allowance of the church and not contrariwise lay the foundation of the church in the authority of the scriptures Ad Bohemos epist. 2. 11 Thirdly the Pope challengeth authority aboue the scriptures when he taketh vpon him to dispense with the word and law of God For whosoeuer taketh vpon him to dispense with the law of another challengeth greater authority then the others and it is a rule among themselues In praecepto superioris non debet dispensare inferior the inferiour may not dispense Antonin part 3. lit 22. cap. 6. §. 2. with the commaundement of the superiour That the Pope doth dispense with the lawes of God it is euident For scarcely is there any sinne forbidden there where with he doth not sometimes dispense nay whereof hee will not if it be for his aduantage make a meritorious worke Incest is an horrible sinne forbidden by the law of God and by the lawe of nature And yet there is no incest excepting that which is committed betwixt the parents and the children which hee hath not authority forsooth to dispense with for as they say hee may dispense against the law of nature The Pope dispensed with Henrie the eightth to marie his sister in law and 25. q. 6 authoritatem in glâ—…ss with Philip the late king of Spaine to mary his owne niece Pope Martin the fift dispensed with a certaine brother that Antonin sum 3. part tit 1. cap. 11. §. quod Papa sum angel diâ—…t Papa maried his owne sister And Clement the seauenth licensed Petrus Aluaraâ—…lus the spaniard for a summe of money to marie two sisters at once c. Disobedience to parents periury that is breaking of lawfull oathes rebellion against lawfull princes murdering of a sacred prince are condemned by the lawe of God as haynous offences But if children shall cast of their parents to enter into a Sodomiticall cloister if the Pope shall absolue the subiects from their oathes and forbidde them
which they esteeme as a note of the true church they contemne and despise all other churches which doe not vaunt of miracles as they do 2. And yet notwithstanding al their miracles are nothing worth First because they serue to confirme vntruths as shal be shewed therefore are not to be regarded Secondly because the vaine brag of manifold miracles amōg those that professe the name of Christ in these later times wherein miracles need not for the confirmatiō of Gods truth which heretofore hath bin sufficiētly cōfirmed is so farre frō being a note of the true church as that rather it is a plaine signe of false teachers an euident marke of the Synagogue of Antichrist For their owne deuises indeed doctrines of men do stil need signes wonders to cōfirme thē But the truth of the gospell which we professe hath bin sufficiently confirmed by the miracles of our Sauiour Christ of his Apostles and Disciples Whosoeuer therfore will not beleeue this doctrine thus cōfirmed neither will he beleeue though one should rise frō the dead to preach vnto Luke 16. him Againe miracles are graunted not for the beleeuers but for thē that liue in infidelity And as Augustine saith Quisquis Tharasius in cōcil Nicen. 2. adhuc prodigia vt credat inquirit magnum est ipse prodigium qui mundo credeme nō credit Whosoeuer yet seeketh after wonders that hee may beleeue is himselfe a great wonder who when De ciuit Dei lib. 22. c. 8. the worlde beleeueth doth not beleeue And therfore in another place he saith Contra istos mirabiliarios cautum me fecit Deus meus c. Against these miraclemongers my God hath made Tract 13. in Ioan. me wary saying There shall arise in the last daies false prophets working signes wonders that they might bring into errour if it were possible the very elect Likewise Chrysostome or whosoeuer Chrysost homil 49. in Matth. was the authour of those learned Homilies vpon Matthew in the 49. Homily where hee proueth that the true Church of Christ cannot now bee knowne or discerned by signes or other meanes but onely by the Scriptures hee saith that now the working of signes and wonders is altogether taken away namely among the true professours and and the working of counterfeit miracles is more found among false Christians And that Peter in the history of Clement declareth that vnto Antichrist shal be graunted the power of working full that is to say profitable signes So that now wee cannot knowe the ministers of Christ by this that they worke profitable signes but because they worke no signes at all And the Papists themselues confesse yea Bellarmine would seeme to set it downe as one of his grounds that to Antichrist and his followers shal be graunted the power of working many and great signes and wonders And therefore vnlesse the Pope and his followers did vaūt of their miracles we should want one good argument to proue the Pope Antichrist And thus it appeareth that the first point concerning the miracles of Antichrist doth fitte the Pope and so fit him as that from hence he may be proued Antichrist For vnto whomsoeuer in these latter times this properly and onely belongeth to boast of their myracles they are Antichrist and the synagogue of Antichrist For the scriptures haue foretold that by Antichrist and his adherents many signes and wonders should bee wrought in these latter times But to the Pope church of Rome in these latter times this properly and onely belongeth to vaunt of their manifold and great myracles For the Iewes want them the Turkes disclaime thē professing that their religion must be propagated not by miracles but by force armes All other Christians which already beleeue the trueth seeke not signes which they know among true beleeuers to be superfluous and in others to be badges of Antichrist therefore the Pope is Antichrist and the Church of Rome the Synagogue of Antichrist 3. The second thing which the Scripture noteth is what maner of myracles they are which Antichrist was to worke This the Apostle saith Bellarmine declareth in one worde when hee calleth them Lying wonders or as the wordes are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signes and wonders of lying that is most lying 2. Thess. 2. 9. signes and wonders Now they are called lying wonders either in respect of the end which is to seduce men by confirming vntrueths or in regarde of their substaunce which is counterfeit And thus Chrysostome expoundeth the words of th'apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he In 2. Thess. 2. saith lying wonders that is either false and counterfeit or else leading into falshood Augustine likewise reciteth these two expositions that they are called lying signes and wonders because De ciuit Dei lib. 20. c. 19. he shall deceiue the senses of mortall men by counterfeite shewes and appearances that he may seeme to doe that which hee doth not or else because howsoeuer they shall bee true wonders they shall drawe vnto lyes such as shall beleeue that they could not be done but by the power of God not knowing the power of the diuell c. First I say they are called lying signes in respect of the ende which is to seduce men Mat. 24. 24. to make them beleeue lyes and to deceiue them 2. Thess. 2. 10. 11. Apoc. 13. 14. For this is the end whereunto the signes and wonders not onely of Antichrist but of all false prophets are referred Deut. 13. 1. 2. Out of which places of scripture we are to obserue that the Lord many times suffereth false prophets and Antichrists to worke strange signes and wonders for the triall of the faithfull and seducing of those that will not beleeue the truth that they might be saued If there arise among you saith the Lord a prophet or dreamer of dreames and giue thee a signe Deut. 13. 1. 2. 3 wonder and the signe wonder which he hath told thee come to passe saying let vs goe after other Gods which thou hast not knowne and let vs serue them thou shalt not hearken vnto the words of the prophet or vnto that dreamer of dreames For the Lord your God proueth you to know whether you loue the Lord your God with all your soule and with all your heart c. Our Sauiour Christ also hath forewarned vs that in these latter times Mat. 24. 24. there shall arise false Christs and false prophets which shall shew great signes and wonders so that if it were possible they should deceiue euen the very elect In like sort the Apostle 2. Thess. 2. noteth that the comming of Antichrist shall be according to the 2. Thess. 2. 9. 10. efficacie of Satan in all power and lying signes and wonders and in all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse in them that perish c. on whome God shall sende the efficacie of deceipt that they may beleeue lyes Likewise Iohn the diuine prophecieth
receiued to testifie their coÌ„munion with the church of Rome are certaine sacraments of their holy mother church which as they say do imprimere charactereÌ„ indelebilem imprint a character that cannot be done away and therfore are not to be iterated as namely their sacrameÌ„ts of coÌ„firmatioÌ„ orders In the former wherof which they prefer before baptisme all youÌ„g ones are anointed in the forehead with oile which they cal Chrisma salutis The Chrisme of saluatioÌ„ without which they will haue none to be accoÌ„pted christians NunquaÌ„ erit Christianus say they in their law nisi coÌ„firmatione De consecrat dist 5. c. vt iciuni episcopali fuerit Chrismat us In the latter those of their clergy besides their shauing on their heads are anointed also on their heads as Bishops or on their hands as Priests Thus you see also how the Characteristicall note or marke of Antichristians which is one in substance namely subiectioÌ„ to the Pope acknowledgmeÌ„t of the See of Rome is diuersly expressed testified Whosoeuer therfore since the reuelation of Antichrist is a Romane or Latine in respect of his religioÌ„ acknowledging the Popes supremacy professing himselfe a meÌ„ber of the church of Rome that is to say in one word euery resolued Papist hath the marke of the beast his name and number of his name 6. Now it remaineth that by application of this prophecy to the Pope I should shewe that hee causeth all both small and great rich and poore free and bonde that hee should giue them a marke in their right hand or in their foreheads And that no man might buy or sell saue hee that had the marke or the name of the beast or the number of his name Whereby thus much is meant that Antichrist by his vsurped dominion and tyranny should make all sortes of men subiect vnto him and to testifie their subiection both by wordes and deed and that hee should suffer none to liue among them or to enioy the benefites of humane society but such as acknowledge the See of Rome professe themselues members of the Romane church and vse the Latine religion and seruice All which doth fully and only agree to the Pope of Rome For he by his diuelish policy vsurped authority lying woÌ„dâ—…rs al deceiueablenes of vnrightâ—…ousnesse had not onely brought all men both high lowe into subiection but also perswaded theÌ„ that vpon necessity of saluation and paine of damnation they were to subiect theÌ„selues vnto him both by word and deed to testifie their subiection Hereunto beloÌ„geth that oracle for so sometimes they cal their their decrees of Boniface 8. Subessâ—… saith he Romanâ—… pontâ—…fici omni humana creaturae declaramus Extr. de Maior obed c. vnaÌ„ sanctam dicimus definimus pronunciamus omninò esse de necessitate salutis To euery humane creaturâ—… wee declare affirme define and pronounce that to be subâ—…ect to the Pope of Rome it is a matter altogether necessary to saluation Whereupon the glosse saith Quic quid saluatur est sub Romano pontifice Whatsoeuer is saued is subiect to the Pope The same is concluded by Thomas Aquinas and others That to be subiect to the Pope is of the necessitis Lib. de error Graecor c. 72. Antonin sum 3. part tit 22. c. 6. §. 5. An. 884. of saluation Stephanus 5. alià s 6. decreed that such Canons as were concluded vpon and giuen out by the See of Rome are of necessity vnto saluation to bee obserued Calixtus 2. straitly forbad any to dissent from the Church of Rome for as the Sonne came to doe the will of his Father so Christians must do the will of their mother the church of Rome Ex. 1. Bal. act pontiâ—… Rom. Capistran fol. 26. For to gainâ—…say the Church of Rome is Heresie Those which denie the Pope to haue both powers deny the Gospell and they which deny the Pope to haue the primacy of the vniuersall Cuperâ—… pag. 46. in summar num 9. Church their errour is equall to the errour of the Grecians who deny the holy Ghost to proceed both from the Father and the Cupers pag. 56. num 21. Sonne If therfore thou wilt not be an Heretike this must be thy faith that as there is one God immutable so there is one vicar general of God vpon earth namely the vicar of Rome whose Capistran fol. 32. sâ—…ip is stable For seing in the triumphant church there is one supreame Clementin lib. 5. de hareticis cap. ad nostrum in Gloss. prince to whose obedience all that church is most perfectly subiect to wit God it followeth necessarily that one supreme prince is preâ—…nt ouer the whole militant Church towit the Pope whose 〈◊〉 all are bound to obâ—…y And this priuiledge Christ Anton. part 3. tit 22. cap. 6. §. 5. hath giueÌ„ to the church of Rome that al must be obedâ—…t vnto it aâ—… vnto Christ. Therfore he susteineth the sentence of condeÌ„natioÌ„ Ibid. cap. 5. §. 17. ex Gloss. ordin Papae appliâ—…ta qui conteâ—…it fâ—…i pontificis is obedientiaÌ„ tanquaÌ„si contemneret Dei 〈◊〉 wâ—…o 〈◊〉 the Popes obedience aâ—… if he coÌ„temned Gods omnipotency And to coÌ„clude as I began with an other oracle or canon of their law Peccatum igitur paganitatis 〈◊〉 quisquis dum Christianum se esse asserit sedi apostolica Dist. 81. c. si qui sunt obâ—…dire contâ—…it He incurreth therfore the sinne of Paganiâ—… whosoeuer professing himselfe to be a Christian renounceth obedience to the Sâ—… apostolicke 7 And as he hath made all to subiect themselues vnto him all I meane whose names are not written in the booke of the lambe for this is the vniuersality that the Papists bragge of so he hath caused all both small and great rich and poore c. to testifie their subiection as namely by pinning their faith on his sleeue and binding themselues to beleeue as he beleeueth by professing his Antichristian faith and religion of poperie by obseruing his popish that is to shy superstitious and idolatrous rites and customes as frequenting masses adoring images and reliques worshipping the crosse and Eucharist praying to Saintâ—… yea to stocks and stones going on pilgrimage praying in latine and that on beades c. by taking his marke both on the forehead in the sacrament of confirmation and on the hand in the sacrament of orders but especially by taking an oath of fidelity and obedience vnto him For therein especiallie they receiue his mark both in the forehead by solemne profession and in the right hand which they lay on the booke This oath not onely graduates priestes Bishoppes but Kings also and Emperours were compelled to take And whereas it is Vid. Meditat. 1. Foxij in 14. cap. Apoc. Decret Gregor libro 2. tit 24. de iureiur c. Ego N. Clementin lib. 2. de iureiur c. Romani said that Antichrist should take order that none might buy or sell vnlesse
the ciuill warres in France Flanders It may be that the Protestants in these ciuill warres vnder-taken for their owne defence that they might be free from such outrages haue slaine in lawfull battaile many of the Papists as contrariwise many of themselues haue beene slaine But what is this to the purpose Thus many in the armies of Antiochus Epiphanes the most cruell persecutor of the Church of the Iewes were slaine in Iewrie in the time of the Macchabees as well as they had slaine many of the Iewes But I say againe what Catholicks as they call them haue beene put to death for religion As for those fewe that haue beene executed among vs what one was put to death that was not found guiltie eyther of treason or rebellion or some such capitall crime And yet the Papists report and in Bookes doe publish that I cannot tell how many of them are martyred here in England for their religion Neither are they ashamed to write and in Rome to publish that some of them haue beene put into Beares Ecclefiâ—… Anglic. Trophâ—… Printed at Rome An. 1584. cum priuileg Gregor 13 skinnes and baited with Dogges which also they haue set out in tables But compare I beseech you with those many that were martyred in Queene Maries fiue yeeres those few that haue beene executed in Queene Elizabeths fortie fiue yeares Compare the causes which make persecution in the agents and martyrdome in the patients What one put to death of those which were burnt in Q. Maries time for any crime but onely for religion which they cal heresie what one of the Catholicks as they call them in Q. Elizabeths time executed who was not found guiltie of some capitall crime Compare the estate of Papists liuing among Protestants at this day as namely in England with the estate of Protestants liuing among Papists as namely in Spaine Is any one suffered to liue among them that is but once suspected to be of our religion Is not euery such a one either priuately murdered or publickly brought to the stake Among vs who is not suffered to liue although he be knowne to be of the Romish religion To liue did I say Nay God be mercifull vnto vs that suffer them so to liue as they doe to the encouragement and infection of others I speake not onely of ordinarie Papists and those that are at liberty but of the ring-leaders also that be in custodie whose life hath beene more easie and pleasant and maintenance more plentifull then of the Let the Casâ—…les of UUisbich and Fremingham be witnesse most students or ministers among vs. Yea but there is cause will they say that we should deale worse with you then you with vs. Nothing lesse They object to vs onely heresie and that as truely as the Iewes did to Paul which we doe truely object vnto them and in regarde thereof might nay should doe to the children of Babylon as they haue done to vs. But besides Apoc. 18. 6 many grosse and capitall heresies which race the foundation we truely object vnto them that their religion bringeth with it treason against the Prince and rebellion against God Treason against the Prince not onely because of their confederacie with the chiefe enemies of our state the Pope and Spaniard in regard whereof those Iesuites and Priests which come among vs from beyond-Seas as also those which harbour them are worthy of death but also because more generally they holding the Popes supremacie and authoritie to depose Princes and withall beleeuing that the Pope in his definitiue sentence cannot erre they cannot but approoue the Bull of excommunication wherein Pius the fift as much as was in him deposed our Queene of famous memory and absolued her subjects from all allegeance to her Rebellion against God because it perswadeth an Apostasie and falling away from God into grosse and palpable idolatrie Of which fault whosoeuer are found guiltie that is to perswade others to idolatrie by the law of God they ought not be suffered to liue because they haue perswaded an Apostasie from God Deut. 13. All this notwithstanding Deut. 13. 5. 8. 9. we deale too remissely with them and they most barbarously with vs. And yet forfooth if there be or hath beene any persecution in the Church in these latter times the Catholicks are they which suffer it and not the Protestants Alas poore Wolues how cruelly they haue beene handled among the sheepe of Christ 5. But to proceed As the persecution vnder Antichrist saith Bellarmine shall be most grieuous so shall it be most manifest For thus he reasoneth The persecution vnder Antichrist shall be most manifest this vnder the Pope is not manifest therefore this is not the persecution of Antichrist The proposition is prooued because then all the wicked shall aperto marte oppugne the whole church and not onely those that be Infidels and open sinners but the hypocrites also and false brethren shall then joyne themselues to Antichrist and discouering themselues openly assault the Church And is not this well gessed thinke you contrary to the word of truth vttered by our Sauiour Christ For whereas our Sauiour hath said that the good and bad shall growe together like Wheate and Tares vntill the day of the great haruest Bellarmine telleth vs that when Antichrist commeth there shall such a separation be made that there shall not an hypocrite be left in the Church but all the wicked without exception shall be together Omnes prorsus impios simul futuros in exercitu Antichristi in Antichrists hoste and shall openly oppugne the whole Church of the Saints But such separation is not to be looked for vntill Christ shall seuer the Lambes from the Goates And therefore if we must not beleeue that Antichrist is come vntill such a separation be made assuredly Christ will come vpon vs to judgement whiles we looke for Antichrist Yea but Augustine saith That now there be many false bretheren in the De ciuit Dei lib. 20. c. 11. Church At tunc erumpent omnes inquit Augustinus in apertam persecutionem ex latebris odiorum But then all shall burst forth saith Augustine out of their couert hatred into open persecution If Augustine had said so we might wel haue esteemed his speech to haue beene but a humane conjecture rather then a Prophecie diuine But Bellarmine without all shame falsifieth his words For Augustine in that place speaking of those words Apoc. 20. 7. Soluetur Satanas de custodia sua exibit ad seducendas nationes Satan shall be let loose out of his warde and shall goe forth to seduce the nations Exibit autem dictum est saith he in apertam persecutionem de latebris erumpet odiorum Now it is said that he shall goe forth viz. into open persecution he shall breake forth of the couerts of hatred speaking of the diuell alone and not of all the wicked And thus was his proposition doughtily prooued being neuerlesse according to
and therefore the Angell nūb eth them vers 10. Fiue saith he are fallen one is and the other is Apoc 17. 10. not yet come which is verified of these 7. regiments wherof I spake For the regiments of Kings Consulles Decemuirs Tribunes Dictators were ceassed in the Apostles time One that is of the Emperours then was and the seuenth that is to say of the Popes was not yet come And as touching the Romane Empire erected and reuiued by the Pope it is the beast that was a flowrishing imperiall state but is not Apoc. 17. 8. indeede and in trueth the Empire of Rome but rather an image of it Apocal. 13. although it bee in name and title the Empire of Rome This beast that was and is not it is also the eight head or regiment and is one of the seuen namely of Apoc. 17. 11. Emperours 5. Secondly that Rome is mysticall Babylon it may bee Hieronym in Esay cap. 47. v. 1. item in epist. ad Marcell◅ quaest 11. ad Algasiam in praef de spirit sanct ad Paulin proued by the testimonies of very good Authours Ierome saith Romanam vrbem in Apocalypsi Ioannis Epistola Petri Babylonem specialiter appellar◅ that the citie of Rome is called Babylon specially in the Reuelation of Iohn and epistle of Peter Augustine calleth Rome the second Babylon and Babylon of the West To these we may adde Tertullian Primasius Victorinus who saith the seuen heads are the seuen hilles on De ciuit Dei lib. 18. cap. 22. 27. which the woman that is the citie of Rome doth sitte Prosper and many others Sibylla also oftentimes expresly calleth Rome Babylon Lib. aduers. Indaeos 3. 6. Thirdly by the confession of our aduersaries themselues De promiss praedict For first to proue that Peter was at Rome they say that by Babylon mentioned 1. Pet. 5. 13. is meant Rome although there can no sufficient reason be giuen why the Apostle if he had meant Rome should not rather haue vsed the name of Rome then of Babylon Secondly the Rhemists conuicted with clearenesse of truth writing on the last verse of the 17. of the In Apoc. 17. 18. Apocalypse confesse that if by Babylon is meant any one citie which before we haue proued it is most like to be old Rome And on the 5. verse they doe confesse that as the persecuting Emperours which as they say were figures of Antichrist did principally sit in Rome so it may well be that the great Antichrist shall haue his seate there And againe on the 18. verse they alledge a reason For say they by the authoritie of the old Romane Empire Christ was put to death first applying the prophecie of the 11. Chapt. verse 8. to Rome thereby at vnawares confessing that Rome is that great citie which as in the 17. of the Apocalyps is called Babylon mystically so in that place is termed spiritually Sodom and Egypt where our Lord was also crucified Thirdly the authour of the Wardword not knowing how to denie this so euident trueth is content thus farre to agree with vs that Rome is Babylon For not onely S. Iohn saith he in the Apocalyps but Peter also in his Epistle doth call Rome Babylon and we doe not denie it Bellarmine also confesseth so much Per meretricem intelligi Romain that Lib. 3. de pont R. c. 13. by the whore of Babylon is to be vnderstood Rome and proueth the same by the testimonie of Tertullian and Hierome Therfore seing mysticall Babylon is the chiefe citie and See of Antichrist as our aduersaries cannot denie with any shewe of reason and seing Rome is mysticall Babylon as hath bene proued not onely by reason testimonies but also by the confession of our aduersaries the conclusion must necessarily be inferred that Rome therefore is the seate of Antichrist 7 What then what cā the Papist answer to this syllogisme Mysticall Babylon is the seat of Antichrist Rome is mysticall Babylon Therfore Rome is the seat of Antichrist It may well be ◅y the Rhemists that the great Antichrist shall haue his seate there And we doe not denie saith the authour of the Wardword but that Rome is Babylon And Bellarmine doth not onely say it but proue it How then Forsooth wee must distinguish of Rome For Rome is either Heathenish or Christened Heathenish Rome vnder the persecuting Emperours was Babylon But Rome Christened is the Apostolicke See and as it were the Ierusalem of the Christians But this cuasion of theirs howsoeuer they please themselues in it is friuolous and absurde as shall appeare by these reasons For 1. first if Rome be Babylon as now at the length they confesse and consequently the seate of Antichrist as they cannot denie with any shewe of reason I would faine know of them whether vnder the heathenish Emperours Rome could be called the seat of Antichrist because Antichrist did then sitte in Rome or because he was to sitte there after the Heathenish Emperours were remoued If they say because he sate there then their answere is ridiculous and contrary to all that themselues hold concerning Antichrist Therefore they must needs confesse that Rome is called Babylon and the seat of Antichrist not because Antichrist sate there whiles it was heathenishe but because he was to sitte there after the Emperours were remooued 8 And that the holy ghost by Babylon doth not meane Heathenish Rome vnder the persecuting Emperours either onely or principally but Rome christened vnder the Pope it may further appeare out of the whole discourse of Saint Iohn in the seuenteenth and eighteenth of the Apocalypse The whore of Babylon is the great city which in the Apostles 2. time and since vnder the Popes reigned ouer the kings of the earth called a whore and the mother of fornications not onely because her selfe hath by spirituall fornications plaid the strumpet according to that which is sayd of Ierusalem Fidelis ciuit as fact a est meretrix The faithfull city is become an Esay 1. harlot but also infected al kings and nations subiect vnto her with her superstition idolatry But Rome heathenish which neither dealt by whorish sleights and allurements but by martiall pollicy and power neither had professed her selfe to bee the Church and spouse of Christ could not so fitly be called an harlot whereby is signified an adulterous and apostaticall state And besides Heathenish Rome for the most part permitted to euery countrey their owne religion and was so far from enforcing her religion vpon other nations subiect vnto her that as in her was erected the Pantheon in honour of all the Gods which Boniface the fourth hauing obtained of Phocas Marcellin lib. 16. Rosin lib. 2. c. 9. consecrated to the virgin Mary and all the Saints so shee admitted the idoles religions and superstitions allmost of all other countries excepting the religions of the Egyptians and the Iewes because they did not forsooth beseeme the maiesty of the
the earth haue committed fornication being made drunke and intoxicated with the golden cuppe of her fornications that is of her glorious idolatries and Antichristian heresies who as she is cloathed with Scarlet so is she died red and Apoc 17. 4. 6. drunke with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Iesu as being that citie and church wherin the two witnesses of Christ are put to death Apoc. 11. And cā she then be the whore of Babylon and not the Antichristian citie and state especially considering these two thinges which the Papists themselues are forced to confesse first that the state of Rome is here figured as it shal be in the time of Antichrist secondly that Antichrist shal be one of the seuen heads namely the last head of the Romane beast and consequently shall haue Rome for his principall seat Let vs see then whether the Iesuit be able to bring so much as a shew of reason against this truth For it may be you expect his proofe Antichrist saith he Lib. 3. de pont Rom. cap. 13. making his collection out of Apoc. 17. 16. shall hate Rome and shall fight with her and shall make her desolate and burne her Whereupon it followeth manifestly that Rome shal not be the seat of Antichrist But it should seeme the Iesuit was in a dreame when he framed this argument For it is euident that not Antichrist but the ten hornes that is the ten Kings shal hate the whore that is the Antichristian city president therof accordingly Tertullian Prostituta illa ciuitas à decemregib dignos exitus referet That city which hath prostituted her selfe to De resurrect carn c. 25. play the harlot shall frō the ten Kings receiue her deserued end And so in another place himselfe being better awaked reasosoneth from that place The ten kings saith he which shall diuide among them the Romane Empire and in whose time Antichrist shall come shall hate the purple harlot that is Rome and make her desolate how then shall shee be the seat of Antichrist Whereunto I answere that the very contrary is to be inferred vpon that place where it is said that the 10. hornes that is the 10. kings which shall diuide among them the Romane Empire shal in deed for a time ioyne with Antichrist and giue their power vnto him But when as Christ shall begin to waste and to weaken him with the spirit of his mouth that then these 10. Kings shall oppose themselues against the Antichristian citie and the head thereof Which euent and experience in parte hath proued to bee true in some of these 10. Kings as hath before beene shewed From that place therefore wee §. 11. may reason thus The purple harlot which the 10. Kings shall assault is the city of Antichrist Rome is that purple harlot as the aduersarie himselfe confesseth therefore Rome is the citie of Antichrist 19. Their last refuge is this that Rome Christian where the Pope sitteth doth not stande vpon 7. hilles but is remoued from the seuen hilles into the plaine of Campus Martius and that the Pope sitteth on the other side of the riuer vpon the mount Vatican Saunders therefore thought it to bee but a childish argument to proue from the 7. hilles that the seate of Antichrist is at Rome But we would knowe of him whether it be the same Rome where they say Peter sate or not If it be the same then it standeth on seuen hilles if it bee not the same how is it then the Apostolicke seate and chaire of Peter True in deede it is that in the time of the Emperours the Pomarium of the citie was enlarged so that it enclosed a good parte of Campus Martius and that since some more auncient partes of the citie being decaied the greatest parte of priuate buildings stande in the plaine Yet notwithstanding euen to this day the seuen hilles are enclosed within the walles of the citie and vpon them there doe yet remaine besides some of the Popes palaces and courts diuers churches and houses of religion and other buildings of note as that learned diuine of blessed memory D. Fulke particularly sheweth In Apoc. 17. 9. in his answere to the Rhemists Neither doth the enlarging of the citie in one parte and the decaying of it in another proue it not to be the same citie And although the Pope doth liue in the Vatican or in any other pallace of his whersoeuer yet who knoweth not that Rome is the Papal or as they cal it the Apostolick seat appointed as they a Rod. Cupers de eccles pag. 37. num 1. say by Christ himself Neither can the Pope as b Cupers dae eccles p. 226. num 16. they teach chaunge his seate or if he should he should ceasse to be the successour of Peter For whosoeuer is chosen Bishop of the citie of Rome he say they is the successor of S. Peter the vicar of Christ and Bishop of the world And as Rome in generall is the Popes seat or See Cupers pag. 37. num 4. so more specially the cathedrall church of Laterane whereof more properly the Pope is Bishop as the husband of one wife Cupers pag. 221. n. 31. In which respect they say that as S. Peter and his successours bee the head of the whole church or vniuersitie of the faithfull so the Laterane church being referred to other materiall Cupers pag. 106. num 11. churches is the head of all churches of the world Vnto this church was adioyned the chiefe pallace of the Pope which was inhabited by them vntill the time of Boniface the 9. as Onuphrius testifieth that is to say 1400. yeares almost after De 7. vrb eecl Christ howsoeuer since the time of Leo the 10. who lodged therein it is within these last hundred yeares decaied Now it is well knowen that the pallace and church of Laterane standeth on the mount Coelius in the most remote part of the citie and furthest distant from the Vaticane So that all these shifts and euasions of the Papists notwithstanding it is euident that Rome which we haue now proued to be the seat of the Pope is by the former reasons alleadged the seat of Antichrist CHAP. 3. Concerning the time of the Reuelation of Antichrist 1. AS from the place we gather the Pope to be Antichrist because the seat of Antichrist is Rome christned or professing her selfe the church of Christ So the consideration of the time ioyned with that of the place doth make this trueth much more euident Rome Christned is the seate of Antichrist but when doth Antichrist sitte that is raigne there I answere that he could not exercise Antichristian dominion there whiles the Emperours had their seat in Rome But when the Emperours were remoued and the Empire in the West dissolued then did Antichrist succeed them in the seat that is in the gouernmēt of Rome And this may be proued first by
that by the Popes means For when as Leo the third called Isaurus Emperour of Greece had held a coūcel at Constantinople of 330. Bishops wherein was decreed that all images within the Empire should be destroied burnt and afterwards put the same decree in executiō the Popes of Rome first Gregory the 2. and after Gregory the 3. excōmunicate him forbidtributes to be paid him out of Italy and Rome absolue his subiects from their allegiance vnto him and hauing stirred vp not onely the Italians but Lombards also against him the exarch of Rauenna is slaine and the Emperour depriued of all his dominion reuenewes in Italy and Rome So that howsoeuer the Empire in the East stood all this while yet according to the prophecie of th'apostle he which hindred the reuelation of Antichrist that is to say the Emperour of Rome was taken out of the way First by remouing to Cōstantinople frō Rome where Antichrist could not vsurpe that dominion and soueraintie whiles the Emperour had his seate there which afterwards he did Secondly because the Empire of the west which properly was the Empire of Rome was dissolued the Emperour of the East lost his title interest in Italy and Rome 5. Of the reuelation of Antichrist there be also two degrees The first of his raigning and shewing himselfe in his colours the secōd of his acknowledgemēt Of his raigning there be 2. degrees also The first whē he challēged supreame authority ouer the vniuersal church of Christ. Which he did when he vsurped the title of vniuersal or oecumenicall Bishop or head of the vniuersall Church which was done as we said about the yeare 607. About which time besides other prodigious sights Anno. 607. there appeared a terrible comet thē we hold that Antichrist to wit the head of the Antichristiā body was borne True it is that the seeds of Antichristianisme were sowē before his time euen frō th'apostles time the mystery of iniquity that is Antichristianisme was working although more couertly preparation was made towards the birth of the great Antichrist partly by heresies some declinatiōs in the church of Rome in religion from the purity of the primitiue church partly by the ambition of diuers of the Bishops of Rome who aduauncing themselues as Socrates saith beyond the limit of priesthood into forraine dominion contended to haue the primacy aboue Lib. 7. c. 11. all other churches and that is the chiefe scope of many of their Epistles decretall and to the same end forged a Canon of the councel of Nice when their ambition was curbed by other generall councels And lastly by the indulgence of deuout Emperours and Princes who haue by great deuotions and priuiledges aduaunced that church Notwithstanding wee hold that Antichrist was not reuealed vntill he shewed himselfe by vsurping an vniuersall dominion ouer the church of God 6. But notwithstanding this great title authority Antichrist was yet but in his nonage and vnder the gouernmēt not only of the Emperor but also for a time of the Emperors Lieftenant in Italy the Eparch of Rauenna by whom the election of the Pope made by the Clergie and people of Rome was of necessitie to bee ratified and confimed vntill Benedict Anno. 684. the 2 obtained this priuiledge frō the Emperour Constantine 4. called Pogonatus that the electiō of the Pope by the clergy and people of Rome should be good without the confirmatiō of the Emperour Vpō which priuiledge obteined the Pope began to care litle for the Emperour holding himselfe hencefoorth to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rather as th'apostle speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Thess. 2. 8. without law subiect to the iudgemēt of no mā as they professe in diuers of their canons Not lōg after they began to aduāce thēselues both against aboue the Emperour Constātine the 1. suffereth the Emperour Iustmian to kisse his feet about the yeare of our Lord 710. Within three yeares after the same Anno. 710. Constantine setteth himselfe against the Emperour Philippicus Bardanes in defense of images as did his two successours Gregory the 2. and third against Leo Isaurus in the same quarel In whose three times that wee may know Rome to be the mother of spirituall fornications were helde three Councels at Rome wherein worshipping of images is approued and the oppugners there of excōmunicated And we must note that about this time saith the Author of the booke called Fasciculus temporum the Popes began aboue their woont to oppose themselues euen in temporall matters against the Emperours because of their vnsoundnesse in the faith for so he calleth their oppugning of images and to translate the Empire from nation to nation as time required As for Gregory the 2. he was the first which anouched himself supcriour to the Emperour who Anno. 723. also excommunicated Leo the 3. because he sought to abolish the idolatry of his time which they call worshipping of images But his successour Gregory the 3. not onely excommunicated the said Emperour for the same cause but also forbad any tributes or duties to be paide vnto him out of Italy Rome absolued his subiects frō their allegiance vnto him Wherupō Rome being then a Duchy with diuers other cities in Italy reuolting from the Emperour sware obediēce to the Pope Who Anno. 727. by the defection of the Italians and helpe of the Lombards dispossesseth the Emperour of all his reuenues in Italy consequently as the popish author of the booke called Fasciculus temporum saith totum regnum occidentis ab eo abstulit Hee tooke from him the whole kingdome of the West But when as the Lombards held the exarchat of Rauonna which the Pope intended to himself sought to rule ouer all Italy as the Gothes had done not exempting Rome or those other cities which had reuolted to the Pope first Gregory the 3. when Rome was besieged by Luitprendus vsed the friendship of Carolus Martellus Anno. 732. to free him from the siege Whereupon the Pope remoueth the tuition of the Church of Rome from the Emperour of Greece vnto Carolus Martellus the great Master of Fraunce to his sonne Pipinus after him Whom that the Pope might bind vnto him and finde a sufficient defence against his enimies hee namely Zacharias hauing as themselues testifie Caus. 15 quaest 6. c. alius deposed Childerick the King of Fraunce from his kingdome and absolued his subiectes from their allegiaunce because Anno. 750. forsooth he was too simple to rule maketh him namely Pipin King of Fraunce Who afterwards when his helpe was intreated by the Pope Steuen the third against Aistulphus the king of Lombards enforced the said King to yeeld vp the Anno. 754. exarchat of Rauenna and Pentapolis which hee gaue to the Pope This donation his sonne Charles the great confirmed and enlarged with a plentifull addition reseruing notwithstanding to himself the royalties of those
of himselfe sheweth what kind of defection hee speaketh of For afterwards in the same chapter he noteth this Apostasy 2. Thess. 2. 10. 11. 12. to be of those who because they haue not loued nor beleeued the truth that they might be saued but haue taken pleasure in vnrigteousnes are therefore giuen ouer by the iust iudgement of God to beleeue the lies of Antichrist to their damnation But more plainely the same Apostle speaking of that Apostasie which in these later times was to accompany the reuelation of Antichtist he saith 1. Tim. 4. 1. 2. The spirit speaketh euideÌ„tly 1. Tim. 4. 1. 2. that in the latter times some shall make an Apostasie from the faith attending to erronious spirits and doctrines of diuells speaking lyes in hypocrisie hauing their owne conscience seared 3 Now the Papists are as ready to obiect this Apostasy to vs as wee to them How then shall we discerne whether we or they haue made this reuolt The Apostle in the same place setteth downe two of those doctrines of diuells as certaine notes whereby those which make this Apostasie may be discerned Forbidding saith hee to marry and commaunding to abstaine 1. Tim 4. 3. from meats which God hath created to bee receiued with thanksgiuing The former where of Hierome also hath noated to bee a In Dan. 11. marke of Antiehrist Nota est Antichristi prohibere nuptias But these notes agree not vnto vs who neither forbid mariage nor commaund abstinence from any meats for religion sake As for the Papists especiallie since the times of Gregory the seauenth they forbid mariage to some men at all times and certaine meats to all men at sometimes and that for religion sake esteeming of mariage in their clergie worse then adultery or Sodomy and eating of flesh in Lent or other forbidden times as a mortall sinne And as touching the falling away of the Church certaine it is that although neither the inuisible 1. Iohn 2. 19. church in generall nor any one sound member thereof caÌ„ fall away from faith either totally or finally yet not onely the members of visible churches but also the churches themselues consisting of hypocrites as of the greater part may fall away As the Church of England which was in King Edwards daies reuolted in Queene Maries time from Christ to Antichrist So hath the church of Rome which once was famous for her Rom. 1. faith as may appeare not onely by those notes set downe by the Apostle 1. Tim. 4. 3. and some others which hereafter See the 2. boke chapt 2. shal be noted but also in those innumerable particulars both in doctrine and maners wherein they haue reuolted from the purity of the primitiue Church And of this catholicke Apostasie the Pope is head 4. Secondly Antichrist is not an open and outward but a couert disguised enimy oppugning Christ his church not by open violeÌ„ce but with all deceiueablenes of vnrighteousnes 2. Thess. 2. 10. For he is not so foolish as to professe himself to be Antichrist Neither could that be which the Apostle testifieth as Radulphus FlauiaceÌ„sis saith that Antichrist should attaine vnto ecclesiasticall In Leuit. lib. 18 cap. 1. apud Magdeburg centur 10. honours and in the temple of God that is the society of the faithfull should take the chaire of honour vnlesse hauing first pretended a kind of coÌ„formity with the faithful he should deceiue those of whom he is to be ordained Therfore Antichristianisme is called the mystery of iniquitie whereupon the Glose saith 2. Thess. 2. 7. The impiety of Antichrist is mysticall that is cloaked vnder the In 2. Thess. 2. name of godlinesse And as in the Popes miter was wont so also in the whore of Babylons forehead is written a mystery Apoc. 17. 2. Thess. 2. 4. Augustin Primasâ—… glossâ—…in Apoc. 13. And Antichrist himselfe is deciphered as an hypocrite sitting in the teÌ„ple of God professing himselfe and his followers to be the onely true church of God vsing the two Testaments pretending himselfe as Hierome saith to bee the Prince of the couenant And consequently head of the Church deceiuing vnsounde In Dan. 11. Christians with a glorious profession of religioÌ„ signified by the Apo. 17. golden cup with a shew of couÌ„terfait holinesse otherwise he could neuer so effectually deceiue many christiaÌ„s as that the elect Mat. â—…4 24. should be in any dauÌ„ger to be seduced speaking lies in hypocrisie oppugning Christ his truth vnder the outward shew 1. Tim. 4. 2. profession of Christian religion hauing two hornes like the Apoc. 13. 11. lambe couÌ„terfeiting in some things the humility meekenes of Christ yet challeÌ„ging that double power both spirituall teÌ„porall which belongeth to Christ the laÌ„be as our chief priest and king and not onely that but speaking also like the dragon Which is to be vnderstood partly of his blasphemous speaches which he doth vtter partly of the doctrines of diuels which he 1. Tim. 4 1. doth teach partly of those hellish curses which he thundreth against the true professors of the faith partly of those great promises which like the prince of the world he maketh to those Mat. 9 4 that will adore him These things need no application for those to whom the disguising more then pharisaical hypocrisie of the Pope Papists is knowne For must not his holines be called sanctissimus most holy wheÌ„ he is most wicked doth not he call himself SeruuÌ„seruoruÌ„ the seruaÌ„t of seruants wheÌ„ in truth he maketh himself the King of Kings and Lord of Lords And as Faber hath obserued the Pope in word saith that he is the seruant of seruaÌ„ts but in deed he permitteth himselfe to be adored Praesat instit which the Angel in th' Apocalyps refused FroÌ„ which fact of the Pope as if it were a rule of iustice Antoninus concludeth that Suâ—… part 3. there is no lesse honour due to the Pope then to the Angels Wherupon â—…it 22. 〈◊〉 4. saith he he receiueth from the faithfull adorations prostration or falling downe before him and the kisses of his feete which the Angell permitted not to be done vnto him by Iohn the Euangelist Neither was Bernards complaint either vniust or Apoc. 22. Serm. in conuers Pauli vntrue Heuheu Doâ—…ine Deus c. Alas Lord God that they be first in thy persecution which seeme to loue the primacie in thy Church and to beare rule And else where A silihy contagion saith he spreadeth it selfe now adaies through the whole In cant seâ—…m 33. body of the Church c. All are louers and all enemies all friends al aduersaries all domesticall or of the houshold and none peaceable all neighbours and yet all seeke their owne they are ministers of Christ and they serue Antichrist And such was the complaint of diuerse Bishoppes in their Epistle to Pope Nicolas recorded in Auentine
Of Gregory they say thus in their praiers Hic nos saluet à peccatis vt in coelo cum beatis possimus quiescere That is Let him saue vs from our sinnes that in heauen wee may rest with the blessed Of Thomas Becket th'archbishop of Canterbury because he died in the Popes quarrell which like a rebell he maintained against his soueraigne king Henry the second they say full deuoutly Tu per Thomae sanguinem quem pro te impendit Fac nos Christe scandere quò Thomas ascendit That is By the blood of Thomas which he for thee did spend Make vs Christ to come whither Thomas did ascend Of Peter and Paule Concede vt amboâ—…uÌ„ meritis aeternitatis gloriam consequamur Graunt that by the meries of them Ex. Rom. Breuiar both we may obtaine eternall glory To Mary the blessed virgin whom they idolatrously cal our Ladie and the Queene of heauen they pray thus O vnica spes miserorum libera nos Ex compassionib Mariae ab omni malo O thou that art the onely hope of them that are in miserie deliuer vs from all euill And elsewhere they call her Desperatorum spem vnicam peccatorum salvatricem Innoc. in orat de 300. dier indulgent In orat de 5. vnbâ—…rib The onely hope of them which are in despaire and the Sauiour of sinners Againe Mediatrix Dei hominum salus spes in the sperantium O thou the mediatrix betwixt God and men the saluation and hope of them that hope in thee And somewhere it is said O regina poli mater gratissima proli Speâ—…ere me noli me commendo tibi soli O Queene of heauen mother most deare to thy sonne do not thou despise me vnto thee alone I coÌ„mend me And againe Cum nulla spes sit altera nisi tu virgo puerpera In missali Paristensi patris parens filia cui me reconcilia Seeing there is no other hope besides thee O virgin mother the mother and daughter of-thy father to whom I pray thee reconcile me And to conclude for innumerable such speeches might be produced they say O foelix puerpera nostra pians scelera Ibid. iure matris impera redemptori O happy mother which doest purge away our sins by thy motherly authority commaunde our redeemer So that sometimes they doe ioyne vnto our Sauiour Christ other mediatours not onely of intercession but also of redemption which indeede is presupposed in the former sometimes also they exclude our Sauiour Innocent in orat in laudem virginis Christ when as they say that Mary purgeth away the sins of all the faithfull and that she and no other is the onely hope of them that are in misery and despaire And not to speake of their blasphemous psalter wherein they turne that which is spoken in the Psalmes either of God or Christ to the virgin Mary some of them say that whereas the kingdome of Christ consisteth in two things iustice and mercie Christ reserueth iustice vnto himself mercie he hath giuen vp to his mother And therefore one saith A foro iustitiae Dei appellundum est ad Bernardinus in Marâ—…al forum misericordiae matris eius From the court of Gods iustice we must appeale to the court of his mothers mercy 10 As touching the kingdome of Christ what doth not the Pope oppugne in it The realme and kingdome of Christ is his church which he ruleth by his spirit inwardly and outwardly by his word which is both his scepter and his lawe and also by such officers and ministers as hee hath ordained both in the church and common wealth The church and people of God this sonne of perdition seeketh to destroy First by killing the bodies of the true seruants of Christ that refuse his marke in respect whereof hee may most worthilie bee called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or abaddon that is a destroyer his church the whore Apoc. 9. of Babylon which is drunke with the bloud of Saints and of the Martyrs of Iesus as shall be shewen in the second booke and seauenth chapter And as hee killeth the bodies of those that will not receiue his marke so hee murdereth the soules of them that submit theÌ„selues vnto him poysoning them with his damnable errours and making them drunke with the wine of his fornications after which they shall drinke of the cuppe of Apoc. 14. 9. Gods wrath Now in making hauocke of mens soules he taketh such liberty vnto him as that if he should draw with him innumerable soules into hell yet no man may say vnto him Domine cur ita facis Syr why do you so And in the Canon Si papa dist 40. it is sayd If the Pope do cary with him innumerable Glossâ—…iur caâ—… peoples by troupes into hell no man in this world may presume to reproue his fault because he is to iudge all and to be iudged of none vnlesse he be found to erre from the faith which the Pope as he is Pope cannot doe Hereunto Bellarmine aunswereth that the words of this Canon bee not the words of any Pope Cupers pag. 18. num 12. but of Boniface the Archbishop of Mentz Yea but say I the Lib. 3. de pont Rom. cap. 21. Pope hath so approued this speeche being deliuered by another as that hee hath canonized it and appointed it for one of the canons of his law Which is more then if it had bin spoken by himselfe But Bellarmine replyeth If this sentence of Boniface be not true why do you obiect it if it be true why do you not receiue it I aunswere because it being not onely false but blasphemous also and Antichristian is notwithstanding by the Pope authorized for a Canon in his lawe Moreouer one of the chiefe works of Gods spirit the spirit of adoption which is speciall faith apprehending the righteousnesse of Christ to our iustification hee laboureth to extinguish in the hearts of men calling it presumption acknowledging no other faith Iam. 2. but such as is common to the diuells which consisteth onely of knowledge and assent and yet not requiring that in the lay people whome vnder the name of implicite faith hee nuzleth in palpable ignorance and leadeth them beeing blind as Elizeus did the Aramites euen whether it pleaseth 2. King 6. him The pure wheat of Gods word hee suppresseth and keepeth from the people in an vnknowne tongue and see deth them with the mast of their Legends and festiualls and lyes I should haue sayd liues of Saints The lawes of Christ he partly dispenseth with and partly abrogateth making them of none effect by his owne constitutions and traditions In the church in steede of the offices and functions ordayned by Christ hee hath created a new priesthoode erected an hierarchy consecrated orders and religions of his owne In the common wealth hee absolueth the people from their obedience to their princes if they shal displease him And it is a
of them haue beene most foule monsters as some of their owne writers call them compounded of these and other horrible crymes Such besides others were Sixtus 4. Iohn 24. Alexander 6. Clement 7. and Paule 3. c. Neither may it be obiected that although diuerse Popes haue beene men of sinne yet many of them haue beene holy men and Saints of God and consequently not Antichrists For howsoeuer all the Romane Bishoppes of the first 600. yeares are reuerenced as Saints and so called of Popish writers as Saint Syluester Saint Leo Saint Gregory c. a very few onely excepted yet a very fewe of them which haue liued this thousand yeares are euen by Popish flatterers esteemed Saints and those fewe which be are honoured among them not for any true holinesse Onuphr Pontif Romani Chronologia praefixa chatechismo Canisij but either for the Antichristian aduancing of their See or for some supposed miracles which were no better then the lying signes woÌ„ders of Antichrist But so far indeed these Apostaticall Popes haue been from being Saints in the sight of God that all of them haue deserued to be called men of sinne sons of perditioÌ„ outlawes although some of them were not so wicked as the rest Men of sin because besides those peculiar sinnes wherewithall euery of them were seuerallie infected the whole order or successioÌ„ ofthem hath been guilty of many other crimes also as coÌ„moÌ„ to them al diuerse wherof the holy ghost hath set downe as noates of Antichrist As namely those which I haue already proued to be in the Pope heresy oppositioÌ„ or enmity to Christ apostasy hypocrisy satanical pride For if the Pope be an heretick or false prophet teaching the doctrines of diuels if a notorious hypocrite if an apostate yea the head of the catholike apostasy if an aduersary opposed vnto Christ though a couert and disguised enemie if the king of pride aduancing himselfe most insolently aboue all that is called God as we haue proued him to be then wee neede not doubt but that in respect of these sins though he had no more he deserueth to be called the man of sin 7 But vnto these diuerse others may be added as first and principallie the idolatrie superstitious and counterfaite religions of the Pope and church of Rome For the whore of Babylon whereby is signified the Antichristian state is described in the scriptures not onely as a spirituall adulteresse but also as the mother of all fornications and abominations in the earth which with the golden cuppe of her fornications that is idolatries Apoc. 17. and superstitions hath made drunke the kings and inhabitants of the earth Now the idolatry of the Pope and church of Rome is manifold and grieuous As first to the bread in the sacrament which beeing a small creature they worship as their maker and redeemer neither doe they thinke that they can worshippe it enough and therefore in the worship thereof the chiefe part of their solemne seruice consisteth Secondly to the crosse and crucifix and images of the trinitie all which as they teach are to be worshipped with diuine worship and are so worshipped among them Thirdly to the blessed virgin Mary who hath beene worshipped among them as much or rather more then God Her they call their Lady and goddesse and queene of heauen In her they repose their trust and assiance to her they flie in their necessitie of her they craue all good things and from her they expect remission of sins and eternall saluation in honour of her they haue deuised and vsed diuerse seruices as offices letanies â—…osaryes psalters c. full of blasphemous idolatries Fourthly to Saints departed who haue succeeded the tutelar gods of the heathenish Romanes there beeing almost no cuntry city parish trade or profession which had not their seuerall Saints to patronize them no disease nor other calamity in themselues or their cattell for which they had not their peculiar saints as it were Auerruncos deos to turne away those euills from them In the merits of Saints they trust for remission of sinne and for eternall life Them they adore to them they pray and not onely them doe they worship but their images also and reliques Wherein the Papists are more grosse idolatours then the very heathen For the Gentiles did not worship the images themselues but the persons represented by them but the Papists hold that the very same worship is due to the image which belongeth to the person whom it resembleth To these notorious idolatries we may Papa solus nouas religiones creat approbat adde their diuerse counterfeit religions and orders deuised or authorized by the Pope which are so many by-pathes misleading men out of the onely true way which leadeth vnto heauen Antonin part 3. tit 22. cap. 5. §. 21. besides them innumerable traditions superstitions truÌ„peries and fooleries Vpon all which notwithstanding the fond people of al natioÌ„s in these parts of the world haue so straÌ„gely doted as that they may most truely be said to haue bene besotted and made drunke with the wine of the whore of Babylons fornications that is to say with the idolatries and superstitions of the Church of Rome 8. Vpon their spirituall adultery that is to say their manifolde grosse idolatry hath followed their carnall adultery vncleannesse For seing by their idolatry they had dishonoured Rom. 1. 24. God as the Gentiles did therefore the Lord hath giuen ouer them also to their harts lustes vnto vncleannesse Neither haue they onely beene guilty of vncleannesse in themselues but also the causes thereof in others whiles they extenuate the sinne of fornication as though it were but a veniall sinne and recken Cap. at si clerici extra de iudic adultery among the lesse and lighter offences whiles they dispense with these sinnes and giue men leaue to committe them without controlment or else assigne vnto them ridiculous punishments but especially whiles they forbidde mariage vnto all their clergy and mainteyne open stewes For in forbidding mariage they open a gappe to all vncleannesse Tolle de ecclesia saith Bernard honorabile coniugium thorum In Cant. serm 66. immaculatum nonne reples eam coÌ„cubinarijs incestuosis seminiâ—…uis mâ—…llibus masculoruÌ„ concubitoribus omni denique genere immundorum Take out of the Church honorable mariage and the bed vndefiled and doe you not fill it with keepers of concubines incestuous fellowes Gonorrhaeans and Sodomites in a word with all kinde of vncleane persons For proofe hereof read but the actes of English votaries who yet may not be coÌ„pared 〈◊〉 Bale with those of hotter countreis remember the suruey taken here in England before the dissolution of Abbeyes Vid. praesat I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 libri sui de actiâ—… Pontif. wherein our irreligious houses were found to be little better theÌ„ stewes of both sorts not to speake of their secular Priests who were knowne for the most parte to
this of a reall and visible marke wherewithall men of all sortes should suffer themselues to bee branded as the slaues or cattell of Antichrist Where the holy Ghost speaketh of the image of the beast which Antichrist puttoth life into and causeth to speake they vnderstand it of a materiall image animated and made to speake Where the holy Ghost speaketh of fire to come downe from heauen they vnderstande it of materiall fire brought downe from heauen Which course whosoeuer followeth in expoūding the prophecies in the Reuelation must neuer looke to see them verified in the euent The which I speake not that literally they doe not agree to the Pope but because the mysticall sence being the more like to bee true our aduersarie groundeth his argument wholy vpon the literall interpretation But I will make it plaine that both these miracles agree to the Pope not onely in the mysticall sence but also in the literall And to that purpose let vs consider these miracles seuerally 9. And first as touching that of fire which Antichrist shall cause to descende from heauen if it bee literally vnderstood you shall perceiue that it agreeth to the Pope because in diuerse Popish miracles there hath beene as they say fire brought downe from heauen But seing the place is rather to bee vnderstood mystically and allegorically as well as other prophecies of the Reuelation wee are not therefore by the comming downe of fire to vnderstand literally a reall descending of materiall fire but that which mystically in the Scriptures is meant by the cōming downe of fire from heauen You are therefore to bee infourmed that descending of fire from heauen in the Scriptures signifieth three thinges 1. Gods approuing of the religion and sacrifices of his seruaunts 2. His sending downe of the graces of his spirit vpon his children 3. His vengeaunce executed from heauen vpon his enemies For the first it is cleare that the Lorde informer times vsed to testifie his approbation of the religion and sacrifices of his seruaunts by sending fire from Heauen to consume their sacrifice in which respect hee is said to answere them by fire from heauen Leuit. 9. 24 1. Chron 21. 26. 2. Chron. 7. 1. wherunto some adde Gen. 4 4. Iud. 13. 19. Whē as therfore the people of Israel halted between Iehouah and Baal◅ Elias to proue that Iehouah whom he worshipped was the true God and his worship the true religion by praier miraculously caused fire to come downe frō heauen to cōsume the sacrifice 1. King 18. 38. Whosoeuer therefore doth by such signes and wonders confirm that doctrine and religion which 1. King 18. 38 he professeth as though God aunswered him by fire from heauen he may be said to cause fire to descend from heauen in the sight and opinion of men who thinke such miracles to bee wrought by the finger of God according to this example of Elias that is so to haue confirmed his religion in the opinion of men as if hee had with Elias fetched fire from heauen If therfore the Pope of Rome or his ministers haue by as strange signes and wonders in the opinion of men confirmed their religion as though God from heauen approued thereof as hee was woont to signifie his approbation in answering by fire frō heauen they may be sayd to haue made fire to come down from heauen although they neuer had caused materiall fire to descend But if besides many other strange signes and wonders which they call miracles they haue confirmed their superstitious religion and Antichristian doctrines by bringing fire from heauen then can it not be denyed but that this place doth most fullie and properly agree vnto them But you must remember how Saint Iohn saith in the sight of men not that they haue done so indeede but only that they haue made men beleeue so 10 As for example to proue that their sacrament of the altar after the words of consecration is the very body of Christ and to be worshipped no otherwise then Christ himselfe wee haue a narration in their festiuall which was wont solemnelie to be read in the church on Corpus Christi day the words whereof I will recite vnto you Also we find say they that in Deuonshire beside Exbridge was a woman lay sick and was nigh dead and sent after a holy person about midnight to haue her rights Than this man in all hast that he might arose and went to the church and tooke God◅ body in a box of Iuor◅ and put it into his bosome and went foorth towards this woman And as hee went through a forest i◅ a faire m◅de that was next his way it happened that his box fello◅ of his bosome into the ground and he went forth and wist it not and came to this woman and hearde her confession And then hee asked her if she would be houseled and she said yea sir. Then he put his hand in his bosome sought the box And when he found it not he was full sorie and sadde And saide dame I will goe after Gods bodie and come anon agine to you and so went foorth sore weeping for his simplenesse And so as hee came to a willow tree hee made thereof a rodde and stripped himselfe naked and beat himselfe that the bloud ranne downe by his sides and saide thus to himselfe Ah thou simple man Why hast thou lost thy Lorde God thy maker thy former and creatour And when hee had thus beate himselfe hee did on his clothes and went on foorth And then hee was aware of a pillar of fire that lasted from earth to heauen and hee was all astonied thereof yet hee blessed himselfe and went thereto And there lay the sacrament fallen out of the boxe into the grasse and the pillar shone as bright as any Sunne and it lasted from Gods bodie to heauen And all the beastes of the forrest were com◅n about Gods bodie and stoode in compasse round about it and all kneeled on foure knees saue one black horse that kneeled but on that one knee And that blacke horse was a feend of hell who had turned himselfe into that shape that men might steale him as diuerse had done and were hanged for him c. If any man obiect that all this narration is a foolish fiction I aunswere that this was as verilie beleeued as it was solemnelie read And therefore to countenaunce their abominable idole of the masse they haue in the sight that is in the iudgement opinion and beliefe of men caused fire to come downe from heauen that it might point out the body from it reach to heauen 11 To winne credite to such Saints as they haue canonized and consequently to cause men the more deuoutlie to pray vnto them to adore their images and reliques to goe on pilgrimage to them they haue coyned in the life or legend almost of euerie Saint straunge and incredible miracles And this is the ordinarie conclusion of many legendes Then let vs pray to
Papacie by the helpe of the diuell after whom followed in the Antichristian seat a succession of notable sorcerers 2. That the thousand yeeres begin about the 73. yeare of Christ at which time the people of the Iewes being destroyed and the Church of Christ of a particular became catholick dispersed throughout all nations the diuell as it is in the end of the 12. Chap. seeketh by all meanes to ouerthrow the seede borne of the Church Apoc. 12. of the Iewes that is the Churches of Christ begotten vnto God by the ministry of the Apostles and Disciples of Christ. Whereupon it is said Chap. 20. where the former story as some thinke is continued the Angel bindeth Satan for a thousand yeares which end in the yeare 1073. which being expired the diuell is loosed and Gregory 7. alias Hildebrand a notable sorceres and murtherer in whom Antichrist came to his full growth was installed in the Papacie Augustine beginneth this account much about De ciuit Dei Lib. 20 cap. 8. this time 3. That these 1000. yeares take their beginning from the time of the reuelation which was about the yeare of our Lord 96. and consequently ended about the yeare 1096. in which yeare those vniuersall wars were raised for the recouery of Ierusalem and the holy land out of the hand of the Saraâ—…s which the holy Ghost here seemeth to speake of betwixt the nations of the earth In this expedition there met at Ierusalem 600000. footmen and 100000. horsemen out of Christendome besides eight or nine other expeditions afterwards for the recouerie forsooth of the holy-land 4. Others begin this account at the beginning of Constantines reigne which happened not long after the yeere 300. who being the first Christian Emperour gaue peace to the Church of God and according to this account the thousand yeeres expired about the yeere 1300. in which yeere the Turkish Empire began in Ottoman and Pope Boniface the eight most insolently and Antichristianlie challenged especially in that his yeere of Iubilee an vniuersall dominion ouer the world both spirituall and temporall All which opinions being seuerally probable it is more then probable that those 1000. yeeres are already expired and consequently that Antichrist is already come For as Bellarmine teacheth the diuell was to be loosed in the time of Antichrist and the Text plainely sheweth that before the expiration of the thousand yeares and loosing of the diuell many were slaine by Antichrist So that the testimonies which he alledgeth are against his purpose For the great tribulation whereof Christ speaketh is already past and the thousand yeeres whereof Iohn speaketh already expired and therefore if Bellarmines allegations be to the purpose then Antichrist is come 3. But supposing his proposition to be thus farre true that the persecution of the church vnder Antichrist shal be very great and grieuous for that vnder him shal be the greatest tribulation that euer was or shal be I dare not auouch because our Sauiour hath said that the calamities of the Iewes at the destruction of Ierusalem were the greatest that euer were or shal be to the end of the world let vs come to his assumption and consider whether there hath not bin great and grieuous persecution of the church vnder the Pope Bellarmine confesseth that many of our religion haue bin put to death by them but he maketh it a matter of nothing First because this persecution if it were so to be called is not comparable with the persecutions vnder the Heathenish Emperours and especially vnder Dioclesian by whose authority 17000. Christians were slaine in 〈◊〉 moneth And secondly because more of them haue beene slaine by Protestants in France and Flanders within 10. or 15. yeeres before Bellarmine read these controuersies which was Anno. 1577 then had beenâ—… burnt of our men by the Inquisitours in an hundred yeeres and thirdly if there hath beene any persecution in these latter times the Catholicks haue suffered it rather theÌ„ the Protestants To which I answer that I cannot tell whether the Papists in persecuting the faithfull haue beene more cruell and barbarous or he in cloaking their cruelty shamelesse For to omit the spirituall calamities inflicted by the Pope and fearefull hauock of mens soules wherein he taketh such libertie to himselfe that if he cary whole troopes of soules into hell no man may say vnto him sir why do you so omitting I say these spirituall calamities which are most greeuous and in respect whereof the tribulation of Christian people hath bin more grieuous vnder the Pope then vnder any Heathenish tyrants and to speake onely of outward troubles why are not the persecutions of the Protestants vnder the Pope comparable with those in the Primitiue church For durance they haue beene longer and more continuall for number more flaine in France alone vnder the name of Alâ—…igenses Waldenses Hugonotes for refusing the marke of the beast then were sâ—…aine in any one of the ten persecutions throughout the world besides infinite more as Saunders confesseth in other countries Demonstrat 34. on whom the Papists haue practised most sauage cruelty The Duke of Alba in the Low-countries alone caused within a very few yeares 36000. to be executed Yea but in Dioclesians time saith Bellarmine there were in one moneth 17000. Christians martyred Yea but in France alone say I vnder Charles the ninth within one moneth were slaughtered in the Massacre at Paris Lyons some other places as some say 40000 as others aboue thirty thousand that is to say twise as many as in Dioclesians moneth without all order of law but with most perfidious treacherie and barbarous cruelty And this bloody Massacre applauded by the Pope and his Cardinals was committed within fiue or six yeeres before Bellarmine read these controuersies concerning the Pope that is to say Anno. 1572. And yet this cruell Cardinall of the purpled harlot the church of Rome which is embrued and as it were died redde with the blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Iesu is not ashamed to say that within 10. or 15. yeeres there haue bin slaine more Catholicks in France and Flanders then had bin burnt by the Inquisitours these 100 yeeres As touching the Inquisitours they can kill but all that they finde of the religion and that I am sure they spare not to doe Vergerius who could 1. Bal. de act Pontific well tell witnesseth that within the space of 30. yeeres there were put to diuers fearfull deaths by the bloody Inquisition a hundred fiftie thousand Christians But we speake not onely of those which haue bin burnt or by other more exquisiâ—…e torments martyred by their meanes although the number of them in all countries cannot be reckoned but we speake also of those that haue beene in great multitudes by outragious Massacres most butcherly murthered 4. But what Catholicks I beseech you haue bin put to death by protestants for their religion Bellarmine answereth that manie of them haue died in
is not the name of Antichrist properly the second beast but the name of the former beast which name of the former beast Antichrist the second beast causeth men to take vpon them And so Latinus is not the name of Antichrist properly but of the beast that is the Latine or Romane state Neither was it Irenaeus his meaning that the name of the beast is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because Antichrist was to subdue the Latines but because the Latines then had Verissimum regnum the most true and soueraigne kingdome and therefore most truely were the beast described Apoc. 13. 7. If therefore the Latines then had the greatest kingdome and were the beast whose authority the second beast that is Antichrist was to take vpon him Apoc. 13. 12. this coniecture that the name of the beaâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was probable before the prophecie was fulfilled Apo. 13. 12 is now more then probable the prophecie being verified in the euent And the decay or rather dissolution of the Latine or Romane Empire before which Antichrist was not to be reuealed is so farre from making this coniecture lesse probable that it rather confirmeth it Neither doe we read in the Scriptures that Antichrist should be a most mighty King or should sease vpon the most mighty kingdomes only this we read that he should exercise the power of the former beast which most fitly agreeth to the Pope 2 As touching the agreement of the number 666. Bellarmine obiecteth first that the number agreeth not with the names propounded and secondly although it did yet it followeth not that any of these is the name of the beast That the number agreeth not he sheweth because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if it be written with a simple Iota as it ought to be it wanteth fiue of that number I answere that the ancient Latines vsed to write and pronounce i long by ei diphthong and the Graecians vsually expresse i long by ei And it is to be obserued that Irenaeus setting downe these two names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as containing the number 666 taketh it for granted that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may so be writteÌ„ wheras of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith that it maketh that number if it be written writh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diphthong Against the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Romane he objecteth that it is not masculine vnlesse the last letter signifiyng 400. be taken away I answere that collectiue names in Hebrew are indifferently expressed in either gender And suppose the name were feminine yet that hindereth not but that it may be the name here spoken of For the Holy-ghost speaketh of the name of the beast that is the Romane state which else-where is called the whore of Babylon and foemina a woman And therefore well may the name be feminine But although the number agreed saith Bellarmine yet iâ—… followeth not that either Romane or Latine should be the name First because neither of them is his proper name but commune Neither ought it seeing it is the name of the beast which signifieth a whole state Secondly because many other â—…es make this number And therefore it followeth not that any of these is the name here spoken of because they containe the number 666. For diuers Authours haue noted diuers other names as Hippolytus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which indeed maketh not that number but rather prooueth the authour alledging 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be counterfeit neither is it a Nowne and much lesse a name Aretas seauen others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which maketh not that number but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 barbarous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Primasius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rupertus and Haymo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Picâ—…x Vnto these he addeth out of lying Lindanus Martin Lauer for Luther in Latin letters taken as they neuer were for numbers after the maner of the Greeke out of Gâ—…ebrard Lithers name in Hebrew viz Lultor to which Bellarmine in his wisdome addeth Dabid Chitreiu for Dauid Chytreus and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Saxon to signifie Luther Which latter names shew the Papists to be fraught with malice and voide of judgement forcing these mens names as they might their owne to this purpose But we answer that although there are many names which containe 666. yet notwithstanding none can be the name here spoken of vnlesse also it be the name of the beast that is the Latine or Romane state and vnlesse it be such a name as he to whom all other notes of Antichrist doe agree causeth men to take vpon them Consider therefore with what conscience Bellarmine would perswade vs that any of these may bee the name here spoken of as well as Latine or Romane Seeing first either of these is the name of the beast whereas none of those is or can be Secondly seeing those are such names as Antichrist will not cause men to take vpon them whereas the Pope whom we haue prooued to be Antichrist inforceth either of these names vpon men suffering none to buy or sell or to liue among them vnlesse he professe himselfe to be a Romane or Latine in respect of his religion And thirdly whereas these names agree fitly to him to whom all other markes of Antichrist agree many of those doe not and those which doe as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an euill guide which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agreeth to the Pope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. yet cannot be this name for the reasons before alledged And thus I hope this Gordian knot is vntied and this vnanswerable argument answered by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The name of the beast is not yet knowne therefore saith he Antichrist is not yet come I answer although the name were vnknowne yet might Antichrist become But now the name of the beast is knowne how farre then is Billarmine from proouing by this argument that Antichrist is not yet come The 11. Chapter Concerning the marke which Antichrist shall impose vpon men 1. COncerning the marke of Antichrist Bellarmnine reciteth three opinions vnto which he addeth a fourth of his owne coyning The first of the Protestants who teach that the marke of Antichrist is some â—…ne of obedience and conjunction with the Pope The second opinion is of some Catholicke Papists who thinke this marke to be the letters of Antichrists name The third of Hippolytus and some others who imagine that this marke of the beast is not to vse the signe of the crosse but rather to detest and 〈◊〉 it The first opinion viz of the Protestants he detesteth as râ—…sh and â—…irde The second of the Catholicks he rejecteth as false which he signifieth when he saith they were deceiued The third he would willingly embrace because it seemeth to make against vs but the authour is counterfeit and his testimonie falsified by Bellarmine And although indeed he do reject it
adore the sacrament as if it were Christ himselfe as the Papists doe deifiyng a piece of bread and adoring it with such a worship as indeed belongeth not I say not to the man Christ but to the humanity of Christ whereof alone and not of the deity the bread is a sacrament For the bread is a sacrament of the body of Christ crucified and the wine of his blould-shed But if Bellarmine would haue read but fiue or sixe lines further he should haue sound a better testimony against their adoration of Saints and images then this was for the adoration of the sacrament For Ambrose proouing that the holy Ghost was to be adored because he is adored that according to the flesh was borne of the holy Ghost Ac ne quis h◅c deriuet saith he ad Mariam virginem Maria erat templum dei non deus templi et ideo solus ille adorandus qui operabatur in templo And least any should deriue this to the virgine Mary Mary was the Temple of God not God of the Temple and therefore he alone is to be adored who did worke in the Temple Augustine vnderstanding In Psal. 98. by the footestoole mentioned Psalme 99. 5. the flesh of Christ saith Ipsam carnem nobis manducandam ad salutem dedit Nemo autem ◅arnem illam manducat nisi p◅us adorauerit He gaue his flesh it selfe to be eaten of vs to saluation but no man eateth that flesh vnlesse he first haue adored it Where Augustine speaketh no more of the sacrament or of the bodily eating of the flesh then Christ himselfe doth Iohn 6. therfore this allegation is impertinent or if it were not yet is it one thing to adore the flesh of Christ and another thing to adore a piece of bread which by the testimony of Christ Iohn 6. and of Augustine is prooued not to be turned into the body of Christ because both doe signifie that the wicked doe not eate the body of Christ. To conclude therefore whereas Bellarmine argueth thus These things were vsed before the yeere 606. therfore they belong not to the marke of the beast the summe of my answere is this that they were not vsed in the first 600. yeers and againe if they had bene vsed then yet they may belong to the marke of the beast now for the reasons before alledged The 12. Chapter Of the generation and nation of Antichrist 1. THe Iesuits fift disputation is concerning the generation and nation of Antichrist whereof he shall come and of which he shal especially be receiued From whence as he vainely supposeth is gathered a most euident demonstration that the Pope is not Antichrist For Antichrist shall be receiued of the Iewes for their Messias and consequently he is to be a Iew both by nation and religion But none of the Popes since the yeere 607. hath boene receiued of the Iewes as their Messias neither hath any one beene a Iew either in nation or religion therefore the Pope is not Antichrist or rather as hee ought to conclude from the premisses therefore not any one of the Popes is Antichrist For in all this disputation Bellarmine presupposeth that to be true which we haue prooued to be most false that Antichrist is but one singular person and accordingly reasoneth as if we held that this or that Pope were the Antichrist We holdeindeed that euery Pope for his time as he is the head of the catholicke Apostasie so is an Antichrist but the Antichrist is the whole rowe and order of them from Boniface the third downeward If therefore Bellarmine argueth vpon a false supposition we are like to haue but a simple demonstration of it But let vs examine his disputation Before he proposeth his proposition as the basis or ground of his demonstration he dealeth with vs as cunning tradesmen who being desirous to vtter their bad wares at a good price first shew those that are worse that the naughtinesse of the worse may commend and set foorth those that be not so bad So he bringeth forth diuers opinions concerning the generation of Antichrist and first those that are false and absuide as namely that Antichrist should be borne of a virgine by the operation of the diuell as Christ was borne of a virgin by the operation of the holy Ghost Which opinion is propounded by the author of the treatise concerning Antichrist falslie ascribed to Augustine Secondly that the diuell himselfe is Antichrist who shall fayne himsefe to haue taken flesh of a virgine at Christ truely did which is the conceit of Hippolytus vpon whose counterfeit authority the Papists in other points concerning this controuersie doe so much relie Thirdlie that Antichrist shall bee a true man but withall a Diuell by the incarnation of the Diuell euen as Christ who is God by incarnation became man which opinion saith Bellarmine Origen thought to bee possible These opinions shew into what absurdities men doe fall when as they will needes be comparing Christ with Antichrist as the Papists in many things do Fourthly that Nero who died aboue 1500. yeares agoe should come againe in his owne person to be Antichrist 2 But these wares are all so corrupt that Bellarmine will not for his credit sake cōmend them vnto vs. And therefore he maketh a second shew of such opinions as are more probable viz. That Antichrist shall be borne in fornication and not in marriage which is the opinion of Damascen and some others And secondly That be shal be borne of the Tribe of Dan which is the iudgement of twelue of the Fathers other approued Authors amōg the Papists and generally of all Papists almost besides Bellarmine himselfe But although these opinions be as he saith very probable the latter cōmended by a whole Iury of auncient writers yet because they cannot be proued out of the scriptures he will not put thē into our hands as though he meant to warrant thē So that now we must needes thinke that we shall be well dealt withall and that no corrupt or counterfeit stusse shall be commended vnto vs but that which is currant and warrantable by the word of God But what say you Bellarmine cannot this opinion that Antichrist shall be of the Tribe of Dan be proued out of the scripture what say you then to those three places of scripture which are to this purpose vsually alledged in the Church of Rome the first Gen. 49. 17. Dan shal be a serpent in the way c. The second Ier. 8. 16. The neying of his horses was heard frō Dan. The third Apoc. 7. where 12000. of euery Tribe being sealed to saluation the Tribe of Dan is leftout because Antichrist was to come of that Tribe To the first of these places Bellarmine answereth with vs that the propheticall blessing of Iacob was verisied in Sampson who was of the Tribe of Dan that Iacob meaning in these words to blesse Dan his meaning cannot without absurditie be peruerted to the
sort be applied to the tenth Prince of the Romanes 5. By conference of that which is written of the little horne chap. 7. with those thinges which are more plainly recorded of Antiochus chap. 8. 23. c. and chap. 11. 21. c. to the end of the chapter it appeareth euidently that he no other is that litle horne For wheras Daniel in the 7. chap had described 3. kingdomes besides the Babylonian which should tyrannize ouer the Iewes by three beasts in the 8. chap. he figureth the same 3. kingdomes by 2. beasts For the kingdome of the Medes Persians which before was resembled by a Beare is here signified by the Ramme with 2. hornes the kingdome of the Macedonians Seleucidae which before were represented by two seuerall beasts are heere figured by the Goate Bucke containing them both for both the Macedonians and Seleucid◅ were Iauan that is the Greekes Daniel 8. 21. And as in the 7. chapter the kingdome of the Macedonians was signified by a Leopard which had foure heads so here it is saide that after the great horne signifying Alexander the great was broken off there grewe foure hornes in stead thereof meaning the foure Princes among whom the Macedonian Monarchy was diuided The fourth kingdom figured chap. 7. by the beast with 10. hornes is here signified to be that kingdome which was chiefly erected by one of those foure hornes namely Seleucus that is the kingdome of the Seleucidae and from him namely in the end of their kingdome ouer the Iewes came forth a little horne that is the king with the impudent face chap. 8. verse 9. 23. which is Antiochus Epiphanes who was the tenth horne of the fourth beast And in the eleuenth chapter without figures of beastes the same three kingdomes are described the same tenne hornes reckned vp the same tenth horne more particularly deciphred 6. The people pusht at and oppressed by these hornes is Daniels people the people of the Iewes yet remaining and inhabiting in Tzeby that is in Iury and Ierusalem not onely before the desolation of Ierusalem but also before the reformation vnder Iudas Macchabaeus But Antichrist if we will beleeue the Papists shall be the counterfeit Messias of the Iewes neither shall hee afflict the Iewes but by them the Christians and that in the ende of the worlde c. 7. The times of afflicting the people of God assigned to the little horne doe precisely agree to the persecution vnder Antiochus But these times are diuersly to be reckened in respect either of the beginning or the end of the account For as touching the beginning we recken either from the defection and reuolt of the people wrought by Menelaus the priest in the yeare 142. the sixt moneth and sixt day vnto the restitution of Religion in the yeare 148. and 25. day of the ninth moneth and this space is 2300. dayes that is 6. moneths 3. yeares 18. dayes foretold Dan. 8. 14. or else we recken from the pollutiō of the temple and erection of the new altar abolishing of the daily sacrifice to wit in the 145. yeare of the Seleucidae on the 15. of Casleu diuersly in respect of the ende viz. either to the restitution begunne by Iudas Machabaeus Ioseph antiq lib. 12. cap 6. in the 25. of the same moneth Casleu in the year 148. which space is called a time and times and parcell of time that is three yeares and tenne daies or if we reade a time and times 1. Mac. 1. 57. and halfe a time we may recken vnto the time of that victorie which Macchabaeus and the Iewes had against the Armies 1. Mac. 14 52. of Antiochus whereby his instauration of Religion was secured and confirmed and Antiochus his Armies were expelled Dan 7. 25. Dan. 127. De bello Iud. lib. 1. cap. 1. out of Iury which as Iosephus noteth was done after three yeares and sixe moneths or if we recken to the time that Antiochus hauing heard of these and some other ouerthrowes of his Armies after his owne discomsiture and slight from Persepolis was striken by the hand of God and promised all good things to the Iewes it is 1290. dayes if Dan. 12. 11. 12. to his death 1335. By all which considerations it appeareth that Daniel by the fourth beast vnderstandeth not the Romane Monarchy but the kingdome of the Seleucidae and Lagidae nor by the tenth horne Antichrist properly but Antiochus Epiphanes 11 Thus much therefore may suffice to haue spoken of his proposition now let vs briefly consider of the assumption The Pope saith he ariseth not from base estate neither by deceit obtaineth his kingdome As touching the former I answere that although it were false of Antiochus yet is it true of the Pope whether you consider the meane estate of the first Bishops of Rome or the base birth and obscure parentage of diuers Popes For that which Bellarmine alledgeth in commendation of the Primitiue religion and auncient church of Rome is but a vaine flourish nothing appertaining to this purpose 2. That the Pope hath not attained to his kingdome by fraude and deceit Bellarmine had rather it should be taken for graunted then once called in question and therefore cunningly passeth it ouer with silence But if this were set downe in the scriptures as a badge of Antichrist to attain to his greatnes by fraude deceit I would make it manifest that neuer in any estate more deep policy and diuellish deceit hath bene vsed then in the See of Rome wherby they haue obtained their supremacy and maintained their soueraigntie ouer the Christian world Yea their whole religion of Popery and mystery of iniquitie seemeth to be nought else but a packe of policy deuised by worldly men to deisie the Pope and to enrich the popish cleargy For wherevnto else I beseech you tended their Indulgences and Pardons their Iubelies their doctrines of merits supererogation their purgatory their trentalls of Masses and praier for the dead their pilgrimages and adoration of Saints Images and reliques their licences and dispensations their thunderboults of excommunication their oathe of allegeance and fealtie imposed on Princes and potentates subiection to the Pope enforced vpon all sorts as absolutely necessary to saluation their wilfull deprauations of scriptures forgeries of Canons counterfeit donations of Constantine and others to proue the double supremacy of the Pope Whervnto tended his often maintaining of quarelles among Christian Princes his warres inioyned them for the recouery of the holy lande but that they being by these meanes weakened might be the more easily subdued vnto himselfe his Croisades and promises of heauen to all those that sight such battailes as like him Haue not their cleargy come to their riches and the Pope to his greatnes by these and such like meanes But because the comming to his greatnes by fraude and deceit is not set downe in the scriptures as a note of Antichrist vnlesse it be by way of type and
I haue proued and the church of Rome that now is Babylon the Synagogue of Antichrist then all other controuersies betwixt vs and them may be easily decided their chiefe ground being the authoritie of their church and of the See Apostolike For then it is to be presumed that those doctrines which are peculiar to the Pope and Church of Rome are the errours of Antichrist yea and as the Apostle calleth 1. Tim. 4. 2. them doctrines of diuels 2 If the Romish church be Antichristian then our seperation froÌ„ it is warranted yea commanded by the word of God and all returning to it forbidden Apoc. 18. 4. Come out of her my people least pertaking with her in her sinnes you partake also in her punishment 3 If the Pope be Antichrist then those that embrace that religion and ioyne themselues to that church acknowledging the Pope to be their head receiue the marke of the beast And those that do receiue the beasts marke especially after he is reuealed shall drinke of the wine of Gods wrath and shall bee punished with fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lambe Apoc 14. 9. This therefore must serue as a serious admonition and necessary caueat both to reclaime all tractable Papists and to confirme all wauering and vnstayed Protestants The former as they tender their saluation so to come out of Babylon The latter as they will auoid their endles confusion to keepe out of Babylon For not onely to retaine the marke of the beast wilfully after he is discouered but to reuolt from the profession of the truth vnto Antichristian religion it also is a fearefull signe of reprobation For it is impossible that the elect should finally be seduced by Antichrist Math. 24. 24. And the Apostle Paul obserueth that Antichrist shall effectually deceiue them that perish with all deceitfulnes of iniquitie because they haue not receiued the loue of the truth that they might be saued And therefore God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies that al they might be damned which beleeued not the truth but delighted in vnrighteousnesse 2. Thess. 2. 10. 11. 12. Whervpon Chrysostome also writing hath these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antichrist preuaileth with Castawayes or such as perish And Ierome likewise Ad AlgasiaÌ„ quest 11. They shall be seduced saith hee by the lies of Antichrist who are prepared vnto perdition But on the other side those which renounce the Pope and church of Rome and rise sroÌ„ the graue of Antichristianisme and Popery and follow our Sauiour Christ in the sincere profession of the truth Blessed and holy are they for they hauing part in the first resurrection shal be freed from the second Apoc. 20. 6 death And howsoeuer they are esteemed of the followers of Antichrist as heretickes schismatickes which are to be persecuted with fire and faggot yet are they happie in their life whiles they ioyne with Christ against Antichrist for such are called elect and faithfull and redeemed out of the world and they are also blessed in their death dying in the quarrell of Christ Apoc. 17. 14. against Antichrist for of those specially doth the holy Ghost speake Apoc. 14. 13. Blessed are those that dye in the Apoc. 14. 4. Lord c. 4 If the Pope be Antichrist then those that are found to be resolute Antichristians that is recusant Papists but especially Iesuites and Seminary Priests which are sent to reconcile men vnto the Pope and Church of Rome that is as hath bene proued to set on them the marke of the beast consequently to brand them to destruction and all such as seeke to peruert seduce others ought not to be fauoured or spared in a Christian common wealth First because they are limmes of Antichrist and therfore by the commandement of God we should do to them as they haue done to vs. Apoc. 18. 6. Secondly because they are enemies to God and traitors to Christian Princes They are enemies to God not onely because themselues are Idolaters and consequently such as hate God Exod. 20. 5. but also because they labour to withdrawe others from the true worship of God vnto superstition and idolatrie and therfore in no case ought to be spared Deut. 13. 5. 8. They are traitors also to ChristiaÌ„ Princes being sworne vassals to the Pope their capitall enemie For hee esteemeth all Christian Princes that do not acknowledge him to be their head as schismatikes or heretikes And as he vseth so oft as he dareth to proceede Antonin sum part 3. tit 22. cap. 5. §. 11. against such foure wayes viz. by excommunication deposition depriuing them of their temporall goods possessions and raising warre against them so all Papists acknowledging the Popes supremacie do hold both that he hath authoritie so to proceede against Christian Princes and also that in his definitiue sentence hee Antonin sum part 3. tit 22. cap. 5. §. 10 cannot erre And therforé if they put not in execution the sentence of their holy Father it is not for want of treasonable will and rebellious affection towards their Prince but for lacke of meanes and oportunitie As for example when Pius 5. had sent his Bull of excommunication against our late Soueraigne Cupers pag. 182. num 8. Queene of happie memorie therein deposing her from her crowne and absoluing her subiects from their alleageance towards her it is most certaine that whatsoeuer many hollow hearted Papists pretended yet fewe of them did acknowledge her for their lawfull Queene and many of them thought it a meritorious worke to take away her life And surely if not their persons then much lesse ought their Antichristian religion the mysterie of iniquitie be tolerated in the Church of Christ. For what fellowship can there bee betwixt light and darkenesse or what agreement can the Temple of God haue 2. Cor. 6. with Idols 5 If the Pope be Antichrist and his Church Antichristian then can there be no reconciliatioÌ„ betwixt vs the church of Rome we being as often hath bene proued the true church of God For what agreement can there be betwixt Christ and Antichrist Such neuters therefore shewe themselues to be nâ—…llifidians and politicke Atheists who would perswade men that both wee and they are the true church of Christ and that the difference betwixt vs being in words rather then in substance may easily be composed but they might as well say that there is but a verball difference betwixt the Gospell of Christ and the doctrine of Antichrist 6 Lastly if the church of Rome which because of her largenesse calleth her selfe the Catholike that is to say the vniuersall church bee notwithstanding the Synagogue of Antichrist What infinit thankes doo wee owe to our good and gracious God who hath not suffred vs to be carried away with that Catholike Apostasie as it were an vniuersall deluge but hath gathered vs into the arke of his true church making vs with the rest of his true professors his peculiar people It remaineth therefore that seeing God hath bene so gracious to vs wee should not be vnthankful to him but rather should walke worthy our calling as it becommeth the children of the light adorning the profession of the glorious Gospel of Christ by a godly conuersation to the ende that by the plentifull fruites of righteousnesse and true holinesse wee may glorifie God our heauenly Father stoppe the mouthes of our aduersaries and gather assurance vnto our owne soules of our iustification and saluation by Iesus Christ our bessed Lord and Sauiour To whom with the Father and the holy spirit be all praise and thankes-giuing both now and euermore Amen FINIS
Empire But Popish Rome of Bethel is become Bethauen and of a faithfull city an harlot exceeding all others in whorish entisements cousenages impudencies cruelties and all filthines insomuch that we may truely say with Mantuan Roma est iam tota lupanar Rome wholy is become a stewes and with Petrarch that shee is scelerum aetque dedecorum omnium sentina The sinke and sewre of all villantes and shamefull practises and hath not onely plaid the harlot her selfe but is become the mother of all fornications that is idolatry and superstitions and the fountaine of all other abhominations in the christian world With which the cup of her fornications inebriateth which more argueth the sottishnes of the Romish religion all kings and people that consent vnto her and with fire sword obtrudeth her superstitions and Idolatrous religion vnto all nations that they can make subiect to that See 9 Againe if Iohn had spoken of old Rome which then openly persecuted the saints then had he not spoken of a mysterie 3. as he doth neither would he so greatly haue wondred to Apoc. 17. 5. 7. see the whore of Babylons eitheir idolatry or cruelty against the Saints as he doth vers 6. if by the whore were meant old Rome whose Idolatrie and crueltie to Iohn was not strange And further that the holy ghost by Babylon meaneth Popish 4. Rome it may be proued out of the rest of the 17. chapter beginning at the 8. verse where the Angell declareth vnto Iohn the mysterie of the beast whereon the woman sitteth which hath the 7. heads and ten horns For although this beast as appeareth by conference with the thirteenth chapter may signifie in generall the Romane state as it is opposed to Christ Apoc. 13. 1. 2. c. which in respect of the regiment hath been subiect to seauen heads of gouernement in respect of the imperiall citie is seated on seauen hilles and in respect of the Empire was diuided in the Apostles time into ten prouinces or kingdoms as Strabo and others testifie yet here the Angell speaketh especiallie of the Romane state and Empire renewed and as it were reâ—…ed by the Pope To the which as also to the Papacy which is the second beast in the 13. of the Apocalypse though they be either of them but seuerall heads of the beast vers 10 11. yet the holy ghost giueth the name of the beast For this beast saith he on which the woman sitteth was is not and shall arise out of the depth and again that it is the beast which was and is not though it be And vers 11. hauing shewed that the 7. heads of this beast signifie both the imperiall seat standing on 7. hils also 7. kings that is 7. chiefe gouernments he saith that this beast which was and is not is the eight namely head of gouernment or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for he speaketh in the masculine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is one of the seauen namely of Emperors All which cannot be vnderstoode of the Romane Empire as it was heathenish but as it is Popish For this head which had bene and after was not for it lay voide from the time of Augustulus vnto Charlemaigne the space of 325. yeers viz from the yeer 475 vnto the yeere 800 was after to arise for so hee saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being reuiued by the Pope who was to put Ap. 13. life into the image of the former beast For this Empire erected by the Pope although it hath the name of the beast ascribed vnto it yet it is but the image of the former beast therfore is not in truth imperiall authority dominion the Empire of Rome although in title it be And further it is said that this beast is the 8. head is one of the 7. which cannot be vnderstood of the heathenish Emperors but of the Popish If therfore this beast whereupon the whore of Babylon sitteth ruling guiding the same as the rider doth the beast on which he sitteth be not the old Empire but the new erected by the Pope then the whore of Babylon is not old Rome vnder the heathenish Emperors but Rome christened vnder the Pope But the first is true therefore the last 10 And siftly the ten homes saith the Angel which thou sawest are ten kings that is the chiefe gouernors of the ten prouinces 5. or kingdomes who before the dissolution of the Empire in Apoc. 17. 12. the west had not as yet receiued the kingdome because they stil remained as procoÌ„suls or propraetors that is deputies lief tenaÌ„ts vnder the Emperor But after the Empire was dissolued in the west they receiued power as kings about the same time with the beast i. Antichrist the Pope for so Antichist both in the 13. chap. in the 17. is coÌ„sidered 1. as a head of the beast 2. as a beast by it selfe For albeit neither hee could raigne in Rome nor they in the prouinces by soueraign authority while the Empire stood in the west and flourished yet when it was once decaied but especially when the Emperour also of the cast had by the Popes meanes lost his title in Italy and Rome and was by him bereaued as the authour of the booke called fasciculus temporum saith of the westerne Empire then he seizeth on Rome and a great part of Italie and they on the seuerall prouinces And that these ten hornes are the heads of ten kingdomes which together with the beast meaning Antichrist shall diuide among them the Romane Empire for that is signified when it is saide that they receiue power as kings that is soueraigne authoritie the same houre with the beast it is the receiued opinion of the best writers Yea Bellarmine himselfe saith Ioannes dicit decem reges qui sibi diuident Rom. imperium odio habituros purpuratam meretricem i. Romam Lib. 3. de Pont. R. cap. 13. et eam desolatam facturos Iohn doth say that the ten kings which shall diuide among them the Romane Empire shall hate the harlot arayed with purple that is saith he Rome and shall make her desolate And therefore the holy ghost in that place speaketh not of Rome as it was vnder the Heathenish Emperours nor of the Empire as it was Heathenish for then it was not dissolued and long before the dissolution had Rome ceassed to be Heathenish but of the Empire erected and renewed by the Pope which although it neither enioyeth Rome it selfe the imperiall seate nor yet the prouinces which in times past belonged to the Empire yet hath the name and title therof And consequently he speaketh of Rome as she should bee not onely after the dissolution of the old Empire in the west but also after the erection of the new that is to say of Rome Popish 11 Of these ten hornes it is further said that they haue all 6. one minde being all of the same Popish religion al
of them Apoc. 17. 13. with one consent wholie deuoted to the Pope and sworne vnto him To whome for a time they giue ouer themselues and their whole power to helpe and support the beast thinking themselues bound as hee hath perswaded them to exercise their temporall sword that is their ciuill power for the De maiorit c. unam sanctam church meaning himselfe and at his beck and commandement And being ioyned to him vnited one with another by holy leagues as they call them make holy warres forsooth against Apoc. 17. 13. 14. Christ the lambe in his true members But when as Christ shall begin to consume Antichrist with the preaching of his worde as he is sure to ouercome because he is the Lord of Lords then these ten hornes which before had ioyned with Antichrist and had committed spirituall fornication with the whore shall begin to hate the whore and to leaue her desolate and naked Which cannot be vnderstood of old Rome but of Apoc. 17. 2. that which now is wherof this Prophecy already is in part fulfilled For since the reuelatiō of Antichrist in these latter times the Pope hath lost as Bellarmine cōplaineth magnā Germaniae partem Suetiam Gothiam Noruegiam Daniā vniuersam bonā Lib. 3. de pont R. cap. 21. Angliae Galliae Heluetiae Poloniae Boemiae ac Pānoniae partem that is a great part of Germany al Sueuia Gothland Norway Denmarke a good part of England but he might as well haue said all England and thereunto added Scotland and Ireland a good part of Fraunce Heluetia Polonia Boemia Pannonie So that diuerse of these 10. Kings haue already forsaken the whore of Babylon and haue bereaued her of a great part of her maintenance and left her as much as in them lieth naked the rest in Gods good time will accomplish his will 12. Seuenthly It is apparāt that Iohn his treatise of Rome 7. extendeth vntill the destruction thereof If therfore by Babylon Apo. 17. 18. is meant only heathenish Rome vnder the persecuting Emperours then the destruction which the holy Ghost denounceth against the whore of Babylon did befall Rome whiles it was heathenish But it is absurde to say that this destruction befell heathenish Rome For first this destruction is an vtter finall destruction Apocal. 18. 21. 22. 23. And before this destruction the Empire was to be diuided into ten kingdomes which first should ioyne with Antichrist and afterward oppugne him Which is vtterly false of Rome heathenish but yet is begunne to bee fulfilled of Rome Popishe and will in due time be accomplished And againe it is most plaine that Iohn 8. intreateth of the state and conditiō of Rome as it shal be in the time of Antichrist But Antichrist as the Papists themselues confesse was not to come whiles Rome was heathenish but after the dissolution of the Romane Empire And lastly Hierome and other of the fathers in whose times Rome was not Heathenish doe notwithstanding call it Babylon Not that 9. then it was or had beene before but because it should be according to the Prophecies of the holy Ghost the seat of Antichrist whose comming he and other of the fathers supposed not to be farre of and therefore Hierome in his Epistle to Marcella vseth this argument as the principall to perswade her to come from Rome which then was not Heathenish because it is Babylon 13. These arguments might suffice to proue that not Rome Heathenish vnder the Emperours but Rome Christened vnder the Popes is mysticall Babylon the chiefe citie and See of Antichrist But yet for better euidence of this trueth and for the clearer manifestation of Antichrist I will further proue vnto you that Rome Christened and professing her selfe to be the Church of Christ is the seate of Antichrist For if Antichrist shall sitte at all in Rome then shall hee sitte in Rome Christened professing her selfe to bee the Church of Christ. But he shall sitte in Rome as hath beene proued in parte and shall further bee cleared therefore in Rome christned and professing her selfe to be the Church of God The proposition is built vpon this foundation that Antichrist shall sitte in the Churche of God and therefore if Antichrist shall sitte at Rome he shall sitte in Rome professing her selfe the Church of God Now then that Antichrist shall sitte in the Church of God I proue by the testimonie of Saint Paule affirming 2. Thessal 2. 4. that Antichrist shall sitte in the temple 2. Thess. 2. 4. of God But because the Papistes labour by might and maine to extort this place from vs as seruing rather to proue their conceipt that Antichrist shall sitte in the temple of God at Ierusalem I will therefore deliuer the place from their corruptions and also make good our interpretation For first the temple at Ierusalem and citie it selfe as it was a type of the church of Christ so when the church of Christ was once planted by the preaching of the gospell throughout the worlde it was vtterly and finally to be abolished according to the Prophecie of our Sauiour Christ Mat. 24. 14. And then shal be the end namely of the temple and citie of Ierusalem For after the tēple was once vtterly destroied by Titus Vespasian as Christ Mat. 24. 2. had foreshewed it is neuer to be reedified For as Daniel saith according to the vulgar translation which with the Papists is the onely authentike Text of Scripture Chap. 9. 27. Et erit Dan. 9. 27. in templo abominatio desolationis vsque ad consummationem finem perseuerabit desolatio And there shal be in the temple the abomination of desolation and vnto the consummation and end the desolation shall continue or as Hierome speaketh In Dan. 9. more plainely Vsque ad consummationem finem mundi perseuerabit desolatio The desolatiō shall cōtinue vnto the cōsummation and end of the world Our Sauiour Christ also Luo. 21. 22. 24. foretold that Ierusalem being destroied by the Luc. 21. 22. 24. Romanes should be troden vnder foote by the Gentiles vntill the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled that is vntill the second comming of Christ which in the next wordes is described Wherefore when as Iulian the Apostata endeuoured by the Iewes to reedifie the temple that hee might conuince the preaching of Christ of falshood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 3. cap. 20. Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 20. Sozom. lib. 5. cap. vlt. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Theodoret speaketh which hee could not doe vnlesse Christ had taught that it should not be reedified Our Sauiour Christ by fire first from heauen and after out of the earth and by a feareful earthquake hindered this enterprise thereby approuing his godhead and shewing that he was not pleased as Sozomen saith with the renewing of the temple It seemeth also to haue bene the iudgement of Cyrill with many others in the primitiue church