they no place at all in determining of the second point Who is this great Antichrist because they liued before the time wherein that great Antichrist who lurked in those Fathers dayes vnder a mysterie was to be detected disclosed and found to sit at Rome and by his deeds to fulfill all those Prophecies which the holy Ghost had deliuered concerning him in the Scriptures So that our holy Brethren who yet expect a more full expressement of Antichrist in some one particular vile Monster that should if it were possible surpasse the Pope in villany are not so much against vs as they seeme to bee in show seeing it is not any good liking they haue of the Pope whom they confesse to be Antichrist but onely the iust detestation of so wicked a Monster as is Antichrist that draweth them to imagine the further deferring of his most dangerous and accursed approach They are in hope Wee are in faith and both in loue They expect a farre off Wee behold euen at hand the end of all these miseries by the fore-past reuealing the present rage and raigning the future happy ruine of Antichrist and his Kingdome now settled in Rome Wee agree both in the maine not much differing in the Bye As wee yeeld to them in the iust execration of the odious nature of this abominable Antichrist so farre as they prooue what they speake from the Scriptures euen so in like manner are they bee they neuer so learned and wise with patience and loue to heare and to iudge vs their deare Brethren speaking with some knowledge in true zeale concerning the maner of the reuealing of Antichrist which they hold yet to be in futuro We finde to be fully finished in praeterito in praesenti both in times before and now If any x 1. Cor. 14.30 31. thing bee reuealed to another that sitteth by let the first hold his peace For yee may all prophesie one by one that all may learne and all may be comforted y Homer 2. Odyss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 weake men combined may worke much good since z Ouid. quae non prosunt singula multa iuuant what one cannot many may Proofes of our Assertion from the ancient Fathers § XXVII And yet I speake not this in diffidence of our cause For wee want not the authoritie of ancient Fathers either prophesying beforehand or zealously publishing vpon his appearance that the Great Antichrist is alreadie come and the Pope of Rome is hee I will produce no Babes but onely such as without exception are either produced by a Canis Catechis cap. de nouiss quaest 3. Canisius and b Coccius tom 2. Catholicism lib. 10. art 30. 1. Prophesying before Coccius as if they were on their side or else registred for eye-witnesses by good Historians For those who beforehand prophesied of Antichrist and of his seat or kingdome agree vpon these two points The first that Antichrist shall sit at Article 1 Rome rearing vp his Kingdome vpon the ruines of the Romane Empire For to this Article speaketh First Tertullian when c Tertullian in Apâ—loget cap. 32. hee saith that Christians pray for the safetie of the Romane Empire because by the course thereof the great Persecutions which must come by Antichrist are put off and hindred Secondly Cyrill of Hierusalem when d Cyrill Hierosolymitan Catechesi 15. hee saith that Antichrist shall violently take vnto himselfe the power of the Romane Empire Thirdly Ambrose when e Ambros in 2. Thes 2. hee saith that Christ shall not come till the Romane Empire faile and Antichrist appeare who must kill the Saints giuing libertie to the Romanes yet vnder his owne name Fourthly f Chrysost hom 4. in 2 Thes 2. Chrysostome followed by g Theophylact. in 2. Thes 2. Theophylact h Oecumenius in 2. Thes 2. Oecumenius and i Radulphus Fluuiac lib. 18. in Leuit cap. 1. Rudolphus Fluuiacensis when both he and they after him ioyntly affirme that Antichrist by trecherie must destroy the Romane Empire The second that Rome is Babylon the proper seate of Antichrist which shall be destroyed before the end of the World For to this Article Article 2 speaketh First Tertullian who in full assurance of what he speaketh oftentimes k Tertullian lib. in Iudaeos cap. 9. lib. 3. in Marcion cap. 13. vseth these words Babylon in our Apostle Saint IOHN beareth the figure of the Citie of Rome therefore great and proud by her Kingdome and a destroyer of the Saints Secondly Hierome who liuing at that time when Rome was wholly Christian vnder Constantius Iulian and Valentinianus the First yet in foresight of future Apostasie therein there beginning vnder a Mysterie but afterward openly to be complemented very l Hierony tom 1. Ep. 17. ad Marcellum Ep. 151. ad Algosiam qu. 11. in Praefat. ad translat Dydimi de spirit Sanct. Omnia secund Editionem Parisiens 1609. often termeth that Citie Babylon and the purple Whoore spoken of in the Reuelation wherein sometimes hee was an inhabitant Now this cannot bee spoken of Babylon in Mesopotamia which then was desolate and where Hierome neuer liued Thirdly Lactantius who m Lactant. li. 7. Instit cap. 25. alluding to the Sybilline Oracle saith that when that head of the World shall fall and beginne to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is but a street or Impetus for it is deriued either of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sluo or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 traho who can doubt but that an end is at hand vpon all humane affaires and vpon all the World The words of the Sybill to which he alludeth are these as learned n Xistus Betuleius in Annot. in Lactantium Betuleius doth cite them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Rome shall bee a street and Delus vnknowne c. But let vs leaue these Prophesies and come to performances For Antichrist did no sooner appeare in his likenesse but God in his mercie to wards his Elect sent forth his faithfull Witnesses of euery sort Publishing his present approach by open Verdit to publish abroad vnto the World that the Mystery was reuealed and Antichrist was then come and seated in Rome It is odious to say it and idle if wee prooue it not Therefore that Papists especially in England may at length see and marke how their Pope was reputed off in former times euen before Iohn Wickliffe spake against him in Oxford the Pope shall haue faire play his Cause shall bee tryed by a Grand Inquest of twelue good men and true according to the o Sir Thom. Smith de rep Anglor l. 2. c. 18. onely most laudable custome of the Common-wealth of England whereof foure shall be Kings and Princes foure shall be Arch-bishops A Iurie Impanneled and Bishops and foure shall bee Abbots or Monkes Behold now the Prisoner standing at the Barre who because hee is become a Peere in the World shall
need shall not want a Scribe well taught vnto the Kingdome of God for perfecting the Saints for the worke of the Ministerie and for the edifying of the bodie of Christ Because that some either planting PAVL or watering APOLLOS shall be sent from God into the World as into the Vineyard at euerie houre till the end of the day For haue there not beforetimes for the space of these sixteene hundred yeeres together many Prophets and Righteous men appeared in the World May not wee find by the delightfull perusall of the Stories Ecclesiasticall how good men were appointed from God either by an extraordinarie calling to reforme things amisse or in ordinarie function to preserue things well settled Surely if this present Generation wil harken neither to the piping nor to the mourning of their play-fellowes in the streets that is c Hieron Hilar Aquin. in Matth. 11. if so they will not attend either to the Gospell or to the Law that comforting this correcting in the preaching thereof then are they cleane without excuse then must they expect from the mightie hand of God most iust and seuere punishment for their so wilfull a Rebellion and resistance of Christs raigning ouer them Indeed the Haruest is great but the Labourers are few if we regard who are fit for these things Yet since one of a thousand may by casting out the draw-net gather very many of euery kinde as PETER wanne two thousand at once and since of those many but a few may be chosen as all the bidden guests had not on a wedding garment the Church may haue choice enough of faithfull Pastors if she seeke them â—hâ—re they may bee found in Naioth or Mount Ephraim in our blessed Vniuersities where the abundance of Godâ— Spirit most comfortably appeareth in the multitude of Prophets and the profitable variety of refined conceits in Prophets ChildreÌ„ some excelling in doctrine others in exhortation this man in the gift of tongues that man in discussing of doubts one in sweetnesse another in soundnesse and euery one in some degree indued with such graces as may iustly giue occasion to any carefull Christian of doubt and distraction in making a good choice of such a fit man of God as may faithfully dispose the secrets of God Yea and further as some may presently vpon the touch of the coale from the Altar in the zeale of Gods glory say with the Prophet Here am I send mee so other may offer their seruice vnseasonably being either young Schollers rather puffed vp in pride then furnished with fit learning or an ouer-worne Seniour superanited from paines and soaked so in ease that he cannot well endure the watchfull labours of a faithfull Pastour or lastly a Wolfe in a Sheepes clothing who in his Colledge might be like a young Serpent not hardened in sâ—ing and harmelesse onely by the most wholsome restraint of Collegiate discipline but comming abroad may appeare in his likenesse eyther of a politike-Popish Time-seruer or of a peeuish-pepusian disturber of the Churches peace And therefore the holy Ghost had good cause and great reason to lay downe plainely in sundry places of sacred Scriptures the readiest meanes and truest marks of Teachers and Guides those for finding these for tryall and both together for our direction who are first to search that we may finde and then to try what we haue found whether he be a seeing or a blinde Guide a Shepheard or a Wolfe For we must try all things and not beleeue till we haue tryed the spirits that are come into the world seeing as SALOMON d Prou. 14.15 obserued The simple beleeueth euery word but the prudent man looketh well to his goings as did good IEHOSHAPHAT in hearing AHABS prophets and the noble Beraeans in trying by the Scriptures the words of Saint PAVâ— A Christian dutie so absolutely necessary that I the least and meanest of all Christs seruants being called by Gods prouidence at the godly appointment of your good Lordship signified vnto me by my most faithfull friend M. THOMAS KYFFIN your Lordships Chapleine to preach at Welch-poole before your Lordship vpon the next Sabbath after your Lordships Visitation there holden before could not thinke of any other better subiect then of this spirituall tryall which the Church thought fittest to bee taught to Gods people at that time by this Text of Scripture which I then expounded being a part of the Gospell appointed to be read in the Church that day For I thanke God for his mercy those my poore labours were by his onely blessing so well accepted first by your good Lordship secondly by my learned and most religious brethren of the Ministerie and lastly by all Gods people then hearing mee that vpon the earnest request of diuers godly Christians for the sight of my notes I haue I feare too boldly enterprised to publish them vnto the world somewhat enlarged in forme more then in matter as the iudicious then hearing but now reading will beare me witnesse Treasure hidden and sealed fountaines are vnprofitable said e Apud Epiphanium lib. de ponder mensuris PHILADELPHVS exhorting the Iewes to turne the Scriptures into other Languages and NERO f Sueton. in Neron could apologize his presumptuous piping by the Greeke Prouerbe There is no respect of secret Musicke For a candle must not be put vnder a bushell neither should the talent be hid g Horat. lib. 4. Od. 9. Paulùm sepultae distat inertiae celata virtus Onely now my feare is in the disproportion of my poore gift no manner of way worthy to be offered to your good Lordship whose dignitie requireth the liueliode of a learned tongue for the true expressement of that due thankefulnesse wherunto I stand for euer obliged by the strength and sweetnesse of your Lordships great fauours both generally declared by your Lordships good proofe of my poore endeuours and particularly demonstrated by your good Lordships late beneficence collating most freely vpon mee a further good meanes for my greater encouragement in liberall studies and the better maintayning of my comfortable charge For vnthankfulnesse is a great sinne and the least suspition thereof is a great griefe to a true honest man who will not be like a Cullinder letting all slip thorow reseruing nought for thankfulnesse which is a binding vertue vnto three good duties h Aquin. 22. q. 18. act 2. in c. first of acknowledgement for the receite secondly of readinesse in giuing of thanks and thirdly of recompence by an honest requitall according to his abilitie Yet since as SENECA i Lib. 5. de Beneficijs cap. 5. well determined it is no shame for inferiours to bee ouer-matched by their superiours in the entercourse of beneficence here is my comfort that your good Lordship according to that great measure of Gods Image in you will accept my willing minde according to that I haue For in the offering of Purification the poore womans Pigeons were as well accepted as the
directed to discerne them and your wils by Gods Spirit are preserued to auoide them Reade Scriptures aske Grace know them keepe this and although the imminent dangers bee great by the approch of the last time and raigning of most vile Men Antichrist and Heretikes yet shall it neuer equalize or match the great benefit of most comfortable Deliuerances procurable to you two wayes first in respect of Antichrist and his followers by their plaine discouerie vpon their Apostasie secondly in regard of our good estate who shall know all things necessarie for our Saluation by the most soueraigne Vnction the working of the Holy Ghost as it now remaineth to bee declared from the words following in the two next Verses of my Text. But the handling of the Remnant as behoofefull to bee spoken of as what hath beene said The Conclusion of all recapitulating the chiefe head or points before deliuered because through present plentie I could not attempt I leaue to be performed either by some other more perfect Scribe or else by my selfe if by Gods prouidence at any time hereafter I shall bee called againe vnto this High and fearefull Place now in the meane time most humbly beseeching your Honours further patience for the briefe recognizing in these few Propositiōs what now you haue heard spoken rudely but yet truely in trigono per tetragonum as Geometricians talke in a triplicitie of Quaternions first concerning the end of the World secondly touching that Great Antichrist thirdly of the deduction and continuall propagation of Heresie from that Antichrist Concerning the end of the World wee deliuered these foure things First that the World shall end Partis primae Propositio 1. and that by fire although we know not how it shall end so Secondly that it shall end quickly since all the signes are almost fully complete Thirdly that therefore we must bee sober both in opinion especially concerning the time of the last Day and in life by well getting and right vsing of these worldly goods Fourthly that together with this sobrietie we must be most watchfull in the settled course of an holy life 2. Partis Touching that Great Antichrist you Propositio 1 haue heard First what is Antichrist defined by his causes efficient materiall formall and finall only as they are expressed in seuerall Texts of holy Scripture Propositio 2 Secondly Who this Antichrist is euen the Bishop or Pope of Rome as wee prooued both largely and truely First by a true demonstration drawne from the former causal definition of Antichrist in all points sitted vnto the Pope and then by a cloud of Witnesses not only prophesying as the Ancient Fathers did but also pronouncing that the Pope was that Antichrist as the Iury of the Kings Bishops and Monkes gaue open Verdict Thirdly in what captiuitie and slauery all Papists especially in England are implunged by their Prison their Irons their Dyet their Iaylors by all which they are become neither true Christians nor good subiects Fourthly that the libertie which wee the faithfull of England enioy by the free vse of the double Sword Spirituall and Temporall is so great in all due respects both inward and outward that none of vs should any way either pittie them in heart or helpe them in action whiles they continue so stubborne and peruerse 3. Partis as we dayly find them Of the deduction and continuall propagation of Heresie from that Propositio 1 Antichrist it was declared First that Heresie must continue in the World from the first vntill the second Propositio 2 Comming of Christ Secondly that therefore the Separatist Brownist hath no ground at all for his Propositio 3 wicked Schisme from vs Thirdly that all Heresies whatsoeuer depend vpon that Great Antichrist either in his rising or at his height or in his declining Fourthly that therefore they are all to be cut off by Propositio 4 the right vse both of Spirituall and Temporall Sword vnder one Christ by one King commanding that and handling this for the onely true good both of Church and Common-wealth to the glory of God Lord we beseech thee make haste to an end Oratio conclusiua that thou mayst abolish Antichrist for thy Churches full deliuerance and the perfect restoring of all thy creatures vnto the glorious libertie of the Sonnes of God through our onely Lord and blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ to whom one only wise powerfull and mercifull God with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory now and for euermore Amen AMEN Lord Iesu come quickly AMEN FINIS THE TRIAL OF GVIDES By the touchstone of teachers JESVS CHRIST In a Sermon Preached vpon the fourth SVNDAY after TRINITIE By THOMAS THOMSON Bachelor in Diuinitie ROM 2.21 Thou which teachest another teachest thou not thy selfe AMBROS lib. de dignit Sacerd. cap. 6. Ipsum magis credunt homines esse laudabile quicquid Episcopus habuerit delectabile Men beleeue that thing to bee more praise-worthie what a Bishop reputeth delightfull LONDON Printed by William Stansby for RICHARD MEIGHEN and are to be sold at his Shop at Saint Clements Church ouer-against Essex House and at Westminster Hall 1618. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER In God RICHARD by Gods most gracious prouidence Lord Bishop of Saint Asaph mine Honourable Patrone and Diocessan Grace Mercie and Peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Sauiour Iesus CHRIST HOw necessarie it is my Honourable good Lord for a true Christian Congregation to haue set ouer them a fit man of God who by his learned tongue may minister a word in due season to the wearie and by his good example of life guide the wandring and wilfull Sinners vpon their true Repentance into the way of Peace I neede not demonstrate since daily experience hath well approoued that where no Prophesie is the people perish or as some a Pagnine Arias Montanus in 29. Pr. 18 well learned men interpret the Originall the people are idle spending the Lords Day and other good times vainly if not villanously in idle sports of fleshly lusts which fight against the soule like the olde Gentiles carryed vnto dumbe Idols euen as they were led For like people like priests they must needs bee lost sheepe when their Shepheards in the times before caused them to erre and goe astray by turning them away vpon the Mountaines either to wander like b Math. 12.44 the dispossessed restlesse spirit from the Church or if they come neere it to worship what they know not But albeit the murdering and the lying Deuill in his oldworne hatred against mans soule seeketh still to deuoure and darken all vision and knowledge of God by the stoppage or hinderance of the seasonable settling of powerfull Preachers of Gods most holy Word amongst Gods people euen c Zach. 3.2 as Satan stood at Ioshuah his right hand to resist him from building the Temple yet God in his mercy so visiteth his holy Ones that they at their
last time Time here in the originall is called * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. Illyriâ— in voc Hoca an houre both for opportunitie since considering Å¿ Rom. 13.12 the season it is now time we should arise from sleepe For t 2 Cor. 6.2 behold now the accepted time behold now the day of saluation and for breuitie for which cause it is here called the last houre as by Saint Paul in another u 1. Cor. 10.11 Vid. Zaâ—ch Miscellan lib. 2. lect de fine saeculi place it is tearmed the end of the World in a double respect first of qualitie because all things necessarie for mans redemption are consummate in Christ fulfilling the Law and abolishing the ceremonies with the types and shadowes that at length he might bring in the truth of the Gospell as he said x Luk. 16.16 The Law and the Prophets endured vntill IOHN and since that time the kingdome of God is preached and euery man presseth vnto it Videntur enim minora compleri cum maiora succedant saith y Ambros lib. 8 Commen in Luc. Ambrose vpon that place lesser things seeme to be fulfilled when greater things succeede them secondly of quantitie because as saith Saint Peter z 1. Pet. 4.7 The end of all things is at hand and as Saint Paul said a Philip. 4.5 also the Lord is at hand first in his Godhead b Iere. 22.23.24 filling heauen and earth a God neere hand and a God farre off secondly in his Spirit which c 1. Ioh 3.18 he hath giuen vs that he might abide in vs and thirdly in his comming For behold saith he d Reue. 22.14 I come shortly Shortly to vs who are dayly to expect him since e Heb. 10. yet a little while and he that commeth will come and will not tarrie Shortly in himselfe who f Mat. 24.22 will hasten these euill dayes for his elects sake and shortly to the world it selfe which is now in the old age For as we may read this often in Saint Augustine g Vid. Praecipuâ— lib. 83. quaest cap. 50. the world is as a man whose ages are sixe Infancie Childhood Youth Strength Grauitie and Old age the first age of the world is from Adam to Noah the second which is Childhood from Noah to Abraham the third which is Youth from Abraham to Dauid the fourth is strength from Dauid vnto the Captiuitie of Babylon the fifth which is Grauitie from that Captiuitie to the comming of Christ the sixth from the first comming of Christ in the flesh vnto the end of the world is called Old age ob incertitudinem because of vncertaintie in the finall approach For as Olde age in a man beginning at his sixtieth yeere may be longer or shorter but alwaies vncertaine in the last period when it shall come So the last age of the world may bee either further protracted or presently contracted into fewer dayes according to the onely good pleasure of God but alwayes to vs both vnknowne and not found quibus generatiònibus computetur saith the same Father by how many generations it may be accounted So that here may be made a true reconciliation of some opposition in appearance onely betweene the two blessed Apostles Saint Paul and Saint Iohn For S. h 2. Thes 2.3 Paul denieth the day of the Lord to be at hand in his dayes i Bucanus Instit loc 38. quoad vltimum temporis according to the last instant of time before which approaching many things were to be done Whereas Saint Iohn saith here that the last time is come quoad vltimum tempus according to the last time so here said to bee last both in respect of Ages past and because there shall bee no time after this vnto which succeedeth that heauenly k Heb. 3.9 Sabaoth which remaineth for Gods children Wherefore since no time followeth after this time which Iohn calleth the last time hence ariseth a double doctrine and from them a double vse of good instruction The first doctrine is this The doctrine of the first part that there shall bee an end of time and of all things in time The latter this that this end is euen now very neere at hand Proofes of the former doctrine § V. Concerning the former it is an Assumpsit amongst all sorts of men both Christians and Heathens Christians who beleeue this both by Scripture and Fathers Scripture both of the old Testament prophecying that they that is the heauens and the earth l Psal 102.26 shall perish where God endureth for euer and of the New Testament preaching m 2. Cor. 4.17.18 that the things which are seene are temporall where the things which are not seene are eternall Fathers both Greekes as n Clem. lib. 5. Stromat Clemens Alexandrinus with o Euseb lib. 11. de â—rap Euang. cap 17. Eusebius Caesariensis and Latines as p Lactant. lib. 7 Iustit per totum Lactantius and Saint q August li. 20. de Ciuit. â— cap. 4 5. Augustine For all these together most certainely demonstrate that the world shall end not onely from Scripture to informe true Christians but also from Philosophers to reforme Heathens who are compelled to confesse the worlds end by a double strength of arguing first from Authoritie and secondly from Reason For the Authoritie which bindeth them is a double cord of true consent plainely to be found in their Poets Philosophers Their Poets such as their Sybille in r Lactant. lib 7. Institut cap. 23. Lactantius who reporteth this from them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is There shall be a confusion of the earth and mortall men Their Philosophers as Pythagoras Stoickes Epicures Academickes yea and Peripatetickes if wee will beleeue the faithfull report either of the fore alleaged Fathers or of Plutarch himselfe who saith Å¿ Plutarch li. 2. de plac Phylosop cap. 4. that all Philosophers teach the end of the World yea and the Peripateticks confesse the end of the sublunary World that is of those bodyes that are vnder the Moone For reason euinceth it first from their owne grounds and secondly from experience Their own grounds who deny t Arist lib. 3. Physic cap. 5. Infinitum actu that is any thing to bee actually infinite and therefore must necessarily renounce that their u Arist lib. 1. de Caes cap. 9. opinion of the Eternitie of the world since if there bee giuen an eternall addition of yeeres to the infinite yeeres past then must x Valesius ca. 1. de sacr Philosq it needes follow both that there is Infinitum actu an infinite thing in act in respect of time past and that by continuall addition of yeeres there is something more then that which is infinite against their owne best y Arist lib. 3. Phys cap. 6. Beda in axiomat tit s axiomes and rules Infinito nihil est maius Nothing is more then an Infinite
no way worthy to beare haue written many large and learned Volumes concerning this subiect that it may seeme to the discreete nothing could or should bee spoken more then what they haue said yet n Plato in Phil. Goâ—g lib. 6. de leg 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good Tale may bee twice told multitude of witnesses giue greater assurance to a matter in question and although that veritie be in vnitie yet the abundance of Gods Spirit affoordeth much variety in handling the one and the selfe-same thing both to take away tediousnesse accrewing of identitie or plodding still on one point and to satisfie the diuers humours of men desirous of noueltie which although we cannot exhibit in respect of the matter that is to bee handled For nihil o Terent. Eunuch in prolog dictum erit quod non sit dictum prius Yet the learned shall finde it in the manner of handling whiles first they shall see another order secondly they may marke if not more proper yet some stricter proofes of our conclusions Our order of proceeding in this discourse of Antichrist And our seuerall kinds of proofe For the order must be to seeke out first what is this great Antichrist Secondly who hee is The proofes of the former must be onely the Scriptures out of the fore-named places and some other Texts of this Epistle of Saint Iohn but the euidences of the latter must be such scripts monuments as are to be found plainly in the acts and monuments of Papists themselues deliuering them vnto vs eyther in their owne proper Histories or in their Popes owne Decrees bound vp for better carriage in p Ex Editione Grego 13. the body of their Canon law and Bookes of q Libritres Cerem Rom. Eccl. Missale Breuiar The first Question What is the Great Antichrist First in his Name and that first his literall Name Antichristus Ceremonies vsed in the Church of Rome § XI Now to answere the former question That we may find out this Monster What is this great Antichrist let vs seeke out first his Name and then secondly his Nature His name is two-fold Literall and Mysticall The literall name is Antichristus Antichrist so called first because he is contrary and an enemie to Christ as all Writers with one consent doe affirme out of these words of S. Iohn r 1. Ioh. 2.22 He is Antichrist that denyeth the Father and the Sonne Secondly for that Å¿ Wolsan Mosc loco de Minist Eccles yet to couer his enmitie hee behaueth himselfe pro Christi Vicario for the Vicar of Christ For this latter Etymologie may be and is made good against the foolish cauilling of t Bellar. lib. 3. de Pontif. Rom. cap. 1. Cardinall Bellarmine and the witlesse wrangling of his wilfull Ape u Andr. Eudaem lib 2. in Rob. Abbat de Antich §. 4. Andreas Eudaemon by the true vse of this Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which both in apposition and in composition signifieth Pro For first in the Scriptures and secondly in many of the most Classical Authors that are extant in the Greeke tongue In the Scriptures as where Archelaus is said to raigne x Mat. 2.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the roome of his father HEROD and where Sergius Paulus is called y Act. 13.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proconsull or Propraetor as wee say well in English The Deputie of the Countrey For as in the free state of the people of Rome these Officers were sent into the Prouinces in stead of the Consuls or Praetors quorum z L. Fenestella lib. 2. cap. 11. vice functuri essent whose place or course they were to supply So after it became a Monarchie Augustus Caesar as Dio a Dio lib. 53. reporteth called his Lieutenants Propraetores men vnder him in the Prouince to execute that same office euen as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to deriue it according to the true composition thereof doth signifie One next supplying the place of the chiefest as not onely b Plutarch de praecep Politicis Plutarch but also S. c Act. 18.12 Luke sheweth by the vse of the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which noteth the execution of the office of a Vicegerent In Classicall Writers as in Homer d Jlliad 9. Spond ibi videas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is That man is in stead of many people whom God shall loue in his heart and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in e Hesych in lexic. Steph. in Thesaur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesychius which growing in stead of an Acorne is called by f Plin. lib. 16. cap. 7. Pliny himselfe Galla Galls as some thinke and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in g Apud H. Stepha in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strabo an vnder-minister as we h Vid Innoc. 3. lib. 1. de Miss c. 4 say in the Church discipline a Subdeacon and i Budaeus in Comment in Annotat. in Pandect Prior. Budaeus his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against which they so much except For although in Thucydides and in Plutarch it signifyeth a Captaine of the contrary part Yet in Demosthenes and other Orators it is taken for one who supplieth the place of the chiefe Captaine as a Lieutenant note equall as saith Bellarmine for then hee doth not supply another mans place but onely his owne as a chiefe man but a substitute to him whose place hee beareth as the word k H Stephan in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not interrex let Eudaemon still belye his lexicon wherein no such signification is mentioned but prorex a Viceroy So that wee may conclude concerning the true deriuation of this name out of these generall words of S. l August lib. 2. contra aduers legis Proph. cap. 12. Augustine that he sheweth himselfe to be an Antichrist who sub nomine Christi quod est nomen Dei vnder the name of Christ which is the name of God hoc est Christianum se videri volens that is desiring himselfe to be thought a Christian superextollitur contra Christum is lifted vp against Christ For m 2. Cor. 11.14 such are false Apostles deceitfull workers transforming themselues into the Apostles of Christ as doe now the great Fox and his little Cubs Antichrist and Hereticks for I take the words to be generally spoken of all whatsoeuer wicked Seducers such as is Eudaemon so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being a right 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prettie young Diuell euen as all of them seeke n Mat. 24.22 if it were possible to deceiue the very Elect by signes and wonders done it may be in the very name of Christ and yet proouing in the end to be nothing at all but as the Apostle speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 o 2. Thes 2.10 seductionem aut deceptionem For all is one to vs
limiting Article metaphorically as Champions may be called Lyons Actors Roscij and Tyrants Nerones So that we need not much trouble our selues to answere their oppositions if we would but marke diligently their owne contradictions in other points as much as in this concerning Antichrist whom they can neuer prooue to be one onely person Objection 2 How then will they shew the second of their Problemes that hee shall bee a Iew by Nation The z Pellar lib. 3. de Pontif. ca. 12. Cardinall bringeth no place of Scripture but what hath beene answered before out of Saint Iohn so basely begging the question Onely his reason is all which any of them can say to wit that he must needs be a Iew because that the Iewes will neuer receiue any one for their Messias who is not a Iew or vncircumcised since they looke for a Messiah out of the Linage of DAVID and Tribe of IVDAH Sol. And yet it commeth short a great deale of their marke since it is not prooued that the Iewes will receiue Antichrist or if they shall receiue Antichrist whether they will take him for their Messiah onely or how they can expect one of the Tribe of Dauid and yet receiue a Counterfeit comming from the Tribe of Dan and borne in the Citie Babylon not Rome but that place properly in Mesopotamia as a Henriq lib. vlt. ca. 23. §. 7. Henriquez and b Viguer Instit cap 21. §. 3. v. 3. Viguerius doe falsely suppose But if he be from the Tribe of Dan he must needes be a Iew. Surely it followeth not since Dan for their Idolatry was accounted by the Holy Ghost rather Gentiles then Iewes And yet it is to bee prooued that hee must bee Objection 3 borne of the Tribe of DAN For Bellarmine c Vid. Bellarm. lib. 3. cap. 12. himselfe doth truely and ingenuously confesse that this opinion concerning Antichrists originall from the Tribe of DAN is verie probable becuase of the authority of so great Fathers such as were IRENAEVS HYPPOLITVS c who doe affirme it But yet it is not altogether certaine both because Solution 1 most of those Fathers doe not say that they know it but onely intimate it to be probable and because none of the Scriptures alleadged doe conuince it For first d Gene. 49.16 IAACOB seemeth litterally to speake of SAMSON when he saith DAN shall be a Serpent by the way an Adder in the path that biteth the Horse heeles so that his Rider shall fall backward For SAMSON was of the Tribe of DAN and was truely vnto the Philistims as a Serpent by the way for euery where hee withstood them and vexed them and so HIEROME expoundeth it in his Hebrew Questions and it seemeth truely that IAACOB did wish well vnto his Sonne when he spake these words and therefore that hee did not foreshew ill but good Yea if it be allegorically applyed vnto Antichrist there can but a probable Argument be thence deriued such as is drawne from mysticall meanings Secondly where some alleadge these words of Solution 2 the e Iere. 8.16 Prophet the snorting of his Horses was heard from DAN the same Cardinall answereth that IEREMIE without doubt doth not speake of Antichrist neither of the Tribe of DAN but of NABVCHODONOSOR who was to come to destroy Hierusalem through that Countrie which is called DAN as HIEROME there doth rightly expound it Solution 3 Lastly where some f Riber Viegas in 7. Apocalyps 14. make it a great matter of moment to draw Antichrist from DAN that DAN is not reckoned amongst the elect Tribes this great Cardinall doth thus lightly passe ouer this proofe Why DAN is omitted it is not yet known especially since EPHRAIM which is one of the greatest Tribes is not set downe An answere sufficient to stop the mouthes of our arrogant Aduersaries although for the satisfying of all good Christians our most learned Diuines g Apud Marlaorat in 7. Apoc. deliuer this reason for the omission of DAN because DAN so quickly reuolted vnto Gentilisme that he was not thought worthy to bee accounted amongst the twelue Tribes of Israel So that now to conclude this Discourse concerning the materiall cause of Antichrist let vs passe ouer all these vnwritten fopperies of blearing Phantastickes touching the certaine Nation and Tribe whence Antichrist shall rise and hold this truth for certaine that Antichrist must be a man of what Nation soeuer as hee may bee of any succeeding a Predecessor in all his abominations which he himselfe shall leaue vnto a Successour in one onely place as now the forme of Antichrist to bee sought out shall plainly demonstrate The formall cause cōsisting in these three 1. Qualities 2. Place 3 Time § XV. The forme shall appeare first by the qualities of his person secondly by the place of his residence thirdly by the time of his beginning and continuance The qualities of his person are first inward habits and secondly outward actions The Qualities of Antichrist are two 1. Habits 2. Acts. The Habits of Antichrist are two 1. Heresie 2. Iniquitie Antichrist an Heretike The habits are many but all comprehensible vnder these two heads onely first of heresie in doctrine secondly of iniquitie in life For because of heresie in doctrine he is called h 2. Thes 2.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or an Aduersarie because like i Beza in Annot maior his owne Father Satan hee opposeth himselfe k Aquinas in 2. Thes 2. against all good Spirits teaching true Doctrine by that his earnest imbracing of all manner of heresies which violate the cōmon faith expressed in our Creed as plainly appeareth by this one marke of Antichrist which S. Iohn l 1. Iohn 4.3 setteth downe Euery spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God and this is that spirit of Antichrist of which yee haue heard c. For vnder m Vid. Fern. Piscat in hunc locum this deniall of Christs Incarnation all the Articles of our faith in the Creed are renounced whether they be concerning the person or the office of Christ Concerning his person as he is both God and man God n Phil. 2.7 coequall to his Father and to the Holy Ghost Man like o Heb. 4.15 vnto vs in all things sinne onely excepted conceiued by the Holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary Concerning his office first of Prophecie wherein he teacheth vs being our onely p Mat. 23.8 Doctor secondly of his Priesthood wherein he suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried and descended into Hell thirdly of his Regalitie or Kingly office wherein he is not onely personally exalted by the Resurrection of his body the third day from the dead his ascension into Heauen his sitting at the right hand of God the Father Almightie and his comming againe to iudgement of the quicke and dead but also ruleth ouer his Church in the
as yet are subiect to this ambitious Antichrist and on their hands for working since neither Prince nor Priest must now adaies practise the seuerall duties of Magistracy or Ministery without an Oath of Fealtie first made vnto the Pope not Prince since he f Clement lib. 2. tiâ— 9. cap. 1. in princip is so coÌ„manded to secure his Kingdome from the Pope vnto him by the bond of an Oath the former whereof is diuersly set down but all to this purpose That the Emperour must bee subiect to the Bishop of Rome as it was taken Gratian â—ist 63. can 30. by Lewis the Sonne of Charles the Great vnto Paschalis the First by h Grat. dist 63 can 33. Otho the First to Iohn the twelfth by i Platina in Gregor 7. Henry the Fourth to Gregorie the Seuenth by k Lib. 1. Ceremon Rom. Eccle. sect 5. cap. 2. Fredericke the Third to Nicholas the Fifth by Charles the Fifth to Clement the Seuenth yea and by King Iohn m Math. Parisiens in Ioh. pag. 217. of England to Innocent the Fourth all this truly verifying the words of SALOMON l Coâ—nâ—l Agrippa in historia de Coronat Caroli 5 â—ononiae tom â— Oâ—er n Eccles 10.6 I haue seene seruants vpon Horses and Princes walking as seruants vpon the earth For this seruant of seruants is by this Oath promoted aboue his elder Brethren in Christendome Kings and Princes not Priest since his tonsure or shauing his Chrisme or anoynting giuen by the Pope and Popelings onely o Henriquez lib. 10. Moral theolog cap. 34. §. 2. in textu are ratified by an Oath of subiection vnto the Pope to bee taken in the Chapter-House before he enter the Possession of the Temporalities belonging to his Bishopricke or other like Benefice as p Idem ibidem in margine Gregory the Thirteenth of late set out the forme and whereof we find a Copie registred in the q I. Fox Martyrolog lib. 4 pa. 208. lib. 7. pag. 961. Acts and Monuments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prayse iust dealing but yet bee thou set wholly vpon gaining r Sophocles in Aiac said one in the Poet whom the Pope fitly followeth in requiring these Oathes of Magistrates and Ministers vnder the colourable pretence of maintaining true Vnitie and Vniformity in Church and Common Weale but in truth as the euent sheweth for a readie occasion and sound cause vpon which hee may gather money both of Princes who before they were admitted vnto their places by this Oath as by a posterne gate or a window did solemnely promise some one speciall Temporalitie of Earldome c. for a thankefull Beneuolence to holy Church as Caelestine Å¿ Roger Houeden in Ioh. the Third peremptorily vrged it to Henry the sixth Emperour and of Priests who if they were Archbishops were to t Vid. lib. 1. Ceremon Rom. Eccles sect 10. cap. vlt. pay a great masse of monie for their Pall if Bishops according to the rate of their Liuing Abbots Priors Deanes or any way Beneficed men u Fox Martyr lib. 4. pag. 322. were to send their first Fruits of all their Liuings vnto the Pope who was not ashamed by his Legate Otho x Math. Paris in Henr. 3. p. 316 to require out of England besides this bridle of bondage in the mouthes of the Clergie from euery Cathedrall Church two Prebends one from the Bishop and another from the Chapter from euery Abbey and Couent two Portions yea y Idem pag. 677 and many times reseruing Benefices for Strangers amongst many other grieuances and heauie burdens by the Pope in times before layd vpon this flourishing Kingdome of England which the Pope in respect of the Peter-Pence Annales Pensions Prouisions and other gainefull Iniunctions brought from hence to Rome might well terme truely z Idem pag. 683 his Garden of Delights his Bottomlesse Poole out of which since many things abound there many things from many may well be extorted euen thereby verifying of his Court at Rome both what the Fox in the Poet said of the Lions Denne a Horat. Ep. 1. lib. 1. quia me vestigia terrent Omniate aduersum spectantia nulla retrorsum I feare to goe thither being affrighted by the footings of all other Beasts looking towardes but not returning backe from this Denne of Men worse then Lions yea euen of Deuils whose Court is b Scaliger de â—tâ—litate exercitat 52. like the Sea at Paria and the Iles of Maidegascar euer flowing in but neuer ebbing out and that of old when Rome was in her Ruffe as one well rimed with reason from a strange yet true Deriuation of the word Roma thus c Ioh. Monachi apud Gowlart in Catalog test Veritat â—om â— lib. 14 pag. 494. 2. Of coozenâ—ge in his miracles Roma manus rodit quod rodere non valet odit Dante 's exaudit non dantibus ostia claudit Now to couer this Couetousnesse hee flyeth to the Coozening course of Quacksaluers in the fraudulent vse of lying Miracles the glory d Bellar. lib. 4. de Eccles Militant cap. 14. whereof is made a marke of their Church in which euen now adayes e Vid. Binderi Scâ—olasticam theolog cap. 10. they must haue a Miracle done to make a good doctrine warrantable no other wayes as may appeare in that f Bellar. in locis de Purgatorio Sanct. Eucharist Iesuicall custome of proouing their Conclusions by the vncertaine report of lying Wonders For what truth can be authentike by Miracles without Scripture Miracles may bee done g Mat. 7.20 24.24 2. Thess 2.7 by the Deuill and his Ministers being true in the act through Gods permission though false in the end which is to deceiue And yet wee doubt of the truth of their Miracles seeing Lyra reporteth h Lyra in cap. 14. Dan. great deceiuing of the people to be wrought in the Church by lying Miracles done by Priests and their Adherentâ— for temporall gaine and i Canus lib. 11. loc Com. cap. 6. Canus their owne Champion censureth Beda his English Historie Gregories Dialogues Vincentius his Speculum Antoninus his Historicall and the Leaden not the Golden Legend for vncertain Records of many idle reports concerning Miracles done by some Saints which not onely wise men but euen common people dare not beleeue k Horat. de Arte poetic Pictoribus atque Poetis Quidlibet audendi semper fuit aequa potestas Painters and Poets and Popish pardoners haue all the like priuiledge to lye for an aduantage But loe what a blocke is here layd in our way Ob. Antichrist saith the l Bellar. lib. de Pontif. ca. 15. Sanders demons 25. Eudaemon lib. 3. contra D. Abbat pag. 244. Cardinall must doe these three miracles first cause fire come downe from heauen secondly make the Image of the beast to speake thirdly faine himselfe to dye and to rise againe But the Pope doth
former acts of Couetousnesse and Coozenage he draweth out in Crueltie against the Saints of God thereby both deuouring and massacring whole Townes as f Fox Martyrâ—log tom 2. pag. 859. August Thuames lib. 52. Cabriers and Merindoll in Piemont many thousands of people in all parts of Europe yea and diuers Christian Princes as g Collyuâ—ts Historie of the Ciuill Warres in France IONE Queene of Nauarre poysoned Henry the Third and Henry the Fourth Kings of France most treacherously murdered and animating vile Traitors vnto wicked designes against the liues and states of good Princes as how many waies hee made against Queene Elizabeth and in them all was wonderously defeated all the world hath beene astonished assenting in heart to those censures which diuers well learned men haue giuen foorth against the Pope for his raging crueltie both in generall of them all and in speciall of some most remarkeable Panthers h Aelian lib. 5. de histor animal cap. 40. drawing vnto them by the sweet smell of their outward faire skinne and shew of fleshly fashions in outward Ceremonies a multitude of silly soules and simple-hearted people whom they without mercy consume and bring to nothing For of the Pope in generall his owne chiefe Secretary i Theodoric à Neim lib. 1. de Schismate apud Gowlart in Catalogo test verit lib. 19. p. 850. Theodoricus a Neime said I truely assent as the Canonists dispute that Popes are neyther gods nor men but Deuils incarnate and of some in particular wee haue these witnesses first Machiauell k Machiauell cap. 18. de Princ. against his Patron Alexander the sixth whom he termeth an Impostor or Deceiuer of all mortall men exercising his mind in nothing but vnto fraud and malice secondly Bellarmine against his Master Sixtus Quintus whom although in flatterie hee l Bellar. Epist praefixa tom 2. Oper. acknowledgeth to bee both a learned a godly and a bountifull Prince yet in priuate hee thus iudged of him after his death if we may beleeue m Watson Quodlib q. 3. art 2. pag. 57. one Locust now stinging another Qui sine poenitentiâ viuit sine poenitentiâ moritur proculdubiò ad infernum discendit and Conceptis verbis quantum capio quantum sapio quantum intelligo discendit ad infernum n Quidam Poeta in Alex. 6. apud Gowlart in Catalog test verit lib. 20. c. 93â— De vitio in vitium de flammâ transit in ignem Roma sub Hispano deperit Imperio Sextus TARQVINIVS Sextus NERO Sextus isle Semper sub Sextis perdita Roma fuit that is From sinne to sinne from flame to fire Rome still fals vnder Spaines Empire Sixt TARQVINE Sixt NERO this Sixt they call For vnder Sixtus rule Rome still doth fall And thus now by comparing the Qualities of Antichrist expressed in Scripture with these lewd tricks of Popes made knowne by time through wofull experience wee see what the Pope is 2. His seate or place of residence euen that Great Antichrist as now his seate or place of Residencie shall euidently demonstrate For it is agreed amongst the best both of o Lod. Viues in lib. 18. August de Ciuitate Dei cap. 22. Rhemenses in 17. Apoc. §. 5. Learned Papists and of Zealous p Iun. Danaeus Whitaker Abbot vbi supra Protestants that the place of Antichrists Kingdome is that Rome where the Pope now sitteth as hee thinketh in Peters Chaire but in truth vpon the stoole of Wickednesse in the middest of Babylon if wee may beleeue Petrarch thus iustly exclayming against the bloudie q Francis Petrarcha Ep. 16. Citie Olim Roma nunc Babylon falsa nequam Once Rome now Babylon false and wicked 3. His time And therefore we may quickly passe from the place to the time concerning which also wee need not adde much to that Of beginning which hath beene spoken before seeing both the beginning and continuance of Antichrist and the Papacie is altogether one For first the Pope began to worke like Antichrist in the Primitiue times by infinite superstitions such as are r Epist Telesphori the forbidding of Meales and Å¿ Ep. 2. Clement Marriages t Ep. 1. Euaristi the exemption of the Clergie u Ep. 3. Anacleti the Supremacie of the Romane Bishop x Ep. 1. Alexan. the necessary vse of holy Bread and holy Water and many such like recorded in those Epistles which they vsually call Decretall and which well may conuince the Popes of Antichristianisme seeing they are allowed by them howsoeuer wee haue iust cause vtterly to reiect them for a Bastard-brood both by their rude stile not any way correspondent y Qibus vixerunt Liuius Tacitus Seneca Lucan Silius Italic Plinij Quintilian Martialis alij classici linguae Latinae autores to those pure times of Latine speech and by the bad matter not any way well agreeable to the proportion of faith albeit z Turrian lib. 1 in Magdeburg Turrian a Baron tem 1. Annal. Bisciola in Epitome Baronius b Binnius tom 1. Conciliorum Binnius and c Genebrard lib. 3. Chronolog others labour neuer so much to proue them Authentike d Sophocl apud Erasm in Chili ad sub titulo Inanis Opera * Labor by Labour bringeth Labour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly the Pope was hindred from vsurping this Temporall power by the Emperour for a time as we may see plainly by the Epistles of e Leo Ep. 53. ad Leon. August Leo f Agath act 4. Agatho and g Synodi in superscript Gregor lib 4. Regifiri Ep. 32.33 c. Gregory the Great vnto the Emperours whom according to their due Alleageance they intitled Soueraigne Lords Thirdly then the Pope was manifested to be the Great Antichrist when the Roman Empire fel into ruine and vtter decay first h Naucler generat 11. tom 2. by the fatall translation of the Imperiall Seate from Rome vnto Constantinople secondly by the i Eutrop. Procopius Paulus Diacon c. miserable deuastation of Italie and the Westerne Empire by the Gothes Vandalls Hunnes Longobardes and other like barbarous people issuing out of the North as swelling flouds thirdly by the k Platina in Zachar. 1. Steph. 2. calling of Frankes into Italie to whom craftie Popes adhered for aduantage like the Iuy to the Oke till they had suckt out from them all the sap of their power both Spirituall and Temporall For first they got the Spirituall Iurisdiction partly by that purchase which l Platina in Bonifacio 3. Boniface the Third made with Phocas the Parricide for the title of Vniuersall Bishop then in controuersie betweene the Bishops of Rome and Constantinople about the yeere of our Lord six hundred and sixth and partly by that plot of policie which m Bisciola ad Annum 684. Benedict the First contriued secretly against the
resolution of the two proposed Questions concerning Antichrist What is Antichrist and Who is Antichrist I may boldly frame this most proper Demonstration vnder this plaine and direct forme after this manner Whosoeuer is to be a man by ordinarie substitution succeeding another in a kingdome reared by Satan The Proposition vpon the ruines of the Romane Empire through the liberalitie of Christian Princes and the pleasures of the world in which kingdome he both as an Heretique denying all the articles of the Christian faith and as a most wicked Impe violating all the Commaundements of the Decalogue or Morall law first couetously imprinteth his character both inward of implicit faith and outward of an oath and priestly vnction vpon all men whomsoeuer he can delude then fraudulently endeuoreth to doe many miracles and lastly most cruelly persequuteth the Saints of God sitting in the middest of the Church at Rome mysteriously in the Primitiue times but plainly reuealed about and after the sixe hundreth sixtieth and sixth yeere of our Lord and so to continue for a time in his ruffle vntill he be destroyed by little and little through the Preaching of the Gospell but fully and wholy by the comming of Christ he till then tyrannizing thus for the blinding of the Reprobates and for the triall of Gods children to the glory of God is that Great Antichrist described in Scripture The Assumption But the Pope is a man by ordinarie substitution succeeding another in a kingdome reared by Satan vpon the ruines of the Romane Empire through the liberality of Christian Princes and the pleasures of the world in which kingdome be both as an Heretique denying all the Articles of the Christian faith and as a most wicked Impe violating all the Commaundements of the Decalogue or Morall law first couetously imprinteth his character both inward of implicit faith and outward of an oath and Priestly vnction vpon all men whomsoeuer he can delude then fraudulently endeuoureth to doe many miracles and lastly most cruelly persequuteth the Saints of God sitting in the middest of the Church of God at Rome mysteriously in the Primitiue times but plainely reuealed about and after the sixe hundredth sixtieth and sixth yeere of our Lord and so to continue for a time in his ruffle vntill he be destroyed by little and little through the Preaching of the Word but fully and wholly by the comming of Christ he till then tyrannizing thus for the blinding of the Reprobates and for the tryall of Gods children to the glory of God Therefore the Pope is that Great Antichrist described in Scripture A Demonstration n Aristotel lib. 2 Post cap. 10. Keckerman lib. 3. system Logici cap. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which according to the direct rules of Logicke medium est definitio matoris extremi Minoris proponuntur tùm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tùm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that now if we would know what is that Great Antichrist we may answere It is the Pope and if we inquire further What the Pope should be Wee may affirme plainely that the Pope is that Great Antichrist described so plainely and so fully in the Scriptures For the Maior proposition is taken out of the plaine text of Scripture and the Assumption from the acts and deeds of Popes themselues as they are Popes in cathedra What then I pray you can hinder the Inference of our conclusion Surely in reading our Aduersaries before cited I haue not found any thing as yet vnto which we haue not giuen a direct and iust answere if we now make satisfaction vnto two speciall doubts The former Popish exception against our demonstration § XXV The former of which is o Bellar. lib. 3. de Pontific Romano cap. 4. 5 Bellarmines first and second Demonstration stolne or borrowed out of the fourth fifth of those rabblements which Sanders p Sanders lib. 8 de visibilâ— Monarchâ—â— had raked out of the stinking sinke of hellish inuention vnder this forme of a negatiue sillogisme The Gospell must be preached throughout the world â— Their Proposition in two parts and the Romane Empire must be taken away before Antichrist come But the Gospell is not yet preached throughout the world for as yet there remain many great Countries and Regions in India Easterne and America Westerne 2. Their Assumption correspondent and to adde more to their instance the South continent and Northerne Samoedds with other places about the riuer of Ob and in Tartaria in which the sound thereof was yet neuer heard and the Romane Empire doth flourish yet and stand in the house of Austria Our answere Therefore Antichrist is not yet come But all this is easily taken away if we will weigh the weakenesse of euery Proposition in euery part For first in the Maior there plainely appeareth a double collusion To the Proposition 1. Collusion discouered the former by wresting of our Sauiour his words quite away from their true meaning For our Sauiour doth not say that the Gospel must be preached throughout the world before the comming of Antichrist but that it q Mat. 24.14 must be preached in all the world for a witnesse vnto all nations and then shall the end come the end to wit eyther of the world as r Aquinas in Catena Marlâ—orat in locum most take it or of Hierusalem as Å¿ Chrysost hem 76. in Math. 2. Collusion discouered Chrysostome expoundeth it the later by mis-interpreting the words of the Apostle saying that t 2. Thes 2.7 he who now letteth will let vntill he be taken out of the way For the u Vide in hunc locum Ambros Theophyloct Theodorit Aquinatem Romane Empire or Romane Emperour or the seate of Maiestie in that Empire then in the Apostles time settled at Rome and hindering then the pompous appearance of the great Antichrist was to be taken out of the way not simply and wholly but onely in respect of Italy out of which the seate Imperiall was to be translated into Greece or into Germanie or into any other Countrie else that the Citie of Rome and the Territories thereunto belonging might the more easily be vsurped by Antichrist as it is now possessed onely by the Pope who thrust out the Emperour into some corner of the Romane world as Hadrian the Fourth wrote in an x Apud Auentinum lib. 6. Annal Boiorum pag. 506. edit Basilens Epistle to the Bishops Princes Electors of Germanie Romae nostra sedes est Imperatoris est Aquis in Arduenna quae est silua Galliae Our Seate is at Rome but the Emperours is at Aquae in Arduenna which is a Wood in France And therefore secondly wee make this our answere vnto the Minor first To the Assumption that the Gospell must be preached throughout the World by the Apostles Part. 1 and their Successors taking the y Maldonatus in 24. Math. word world either by
Synechdoche for all the knowne World by its habitation since euen through all the habitable World then knowne to Geographers the sound of the Gospell hath passed by z Rom. 10.18 the Apostles after their dispersion abroad from Hierusalem if we may relye vpon the report of a Euseb lib. 3. Eccles hist cap. 1 Nicephor lib. 2. per totum ancient and b Genebrard lib. 3 Chronolog Bisciola ad Anaâ—â— Christ 44. late Historians or truely and plainely for the whole World indeed which although it now doth not professe the faith of Christ scarce in c M. Edw. Brierwood in his Enquiries touching Languages and Religions cap. 14. the sixth part for it is neere the ending when faith will bee growne very scant vpon the earth yet might haue had and holden this word of faith long before this time d Luke â—8 8 since it is not ouer-clouded in e Hieronym in Math. 24. any part thereof with inuincible ignorance God being so kinde and mercifull to all men as to send them some light of Truth either by the works of Nature ordinary and extraordinary or by the word of grace preached f Vid. Witaker in resp ad 5. demonsh at Sanderi qu. 5. de Pontif. Rom. ca. 2 euen in China and in the Indians by those three who were called Thomas so much praysed and celebrated for their generall preaching of the Word throughout the World by that great learned man Mr. Doctor Stapleton in his Booke De tribus THOMAS Secondly Part. 2 wee answere vnto their latter part of the Minor that the name of the Romane Empire is yet remayning but the Kingdome is abolished and quite defaced since first there is not scarce one Acre of ground which properly and absolutely belongeth to the Emperour as hee is called Emperour of the Romanes because what he now hath in possession in Hungarie Bohemia Carinthia Silesia c. g Vid. Sleidan lib. 5. 6. Commentar is by right of inheritance from his most illustrious Progenitors of Austria and Hungaria yee and the free Cities in Germanie are not subiect to the Emperours absolutely but according to certaine conditions and couenants expressed and contayned in their seuerall Charters h Vid. Onuphr lib. 3. Rom. Antiquitat qui est de Jmper Romano most of them being situated without the Ancient Pale of the Romane Empire vnder which they continued but a small time being the last conquered and the first recouered Secondly there is not now a Romane Emperour by our Aduersaries owne report for till the Pope i Aurea bulla Caroli Quarti cap. 2. crowne him who is by the seuen Princes Electors chosen and called King of the Romanes they might more truely say of the Germanes they k Clementin li. 2. tit 9. de Iuram lib. 1. Câ—rem Rom. Eccles §. 5. cap. 1. â—ellar lib. 3. de translat Iâ—â—erâ— ca. â— 3 c. account him no Emperour Now since CHARLES the Fifth the Pope hath not set the Crowne Imperiall vpon any mans head neither is it likely that either hee will or shall since there is a barre betweene Germanie and Rome which is not passable by the Emperours Forces euen the power of the Venetians and the King of Spayne in Italie who with the great Duke of Tuscia and other petty Potentates haue vsurped vpon the Rights of the Empire so long a time that they l Iuxta leges Imperiales ss de diuers tâ—mâ—or possess l. 3. longae Cod. lib. 7. tit 31. l. 1. may now prescribe against the right owner Wherefore the wise Bononians m Apud Cornel. Agripp in historâ—aÌ„ de duptici Caesaris Coronat cap. 5. might very well ominate by the breach of that Bridge vpon which Charles the Fifth entred into the great Church there vnto his coronation that not any man euer after should be crowned for Emperour yea and Lypsius n J. Lipsius in praefat lib. de magnitudine Rom. Imperij might very truely hold that all what remaines of the Romane Empire standeth onely vnder the Pope whose Imperiall both Seate and Senate is at Rome So that their former doubt opposed against our Demonstration is so throughly cleered that we may notwithstanding their wrangling allegations of the Gospell not published throughout the World and the present state of the Germane Empire well conclude the Pope to bee that great Antichrist § XXVI The latter exception against our demonstration But now the later scruple is of greater difficultie and indeede very much preiudiciall to our assertion since it is as some thinke contrarie to the iudgement of some of our best and deepest Protestant Diuines such as o Zanchius lib. 2. Miscellan Zanchius and others who deny the Pope to bee that great Antichrist described in Scripture Our answere yet I must needs say againe that since these great and good men be worthy of all true and most reuerent respect for their profound learning and sincere life they are not to be brought forth as opposites to that truth which p Luther lâ—b de Captiuit Babylon Caluin lib 4. Iustit cap. 7.15 Hâ—shâ—sius lib. de sâ—xcentis Papistorum error ca. 23 others of as great learning and sound iudgement haue deliuered out of the most sacred Scriptures especially for that they deliuer nothing against vs demonstratiuely but vpon meere probabilities as q Zanch. vbi supra in Confessione themselues confesse while they professe plainely that this is their opinion concerning Antichrist to wit 1. That the Pope is Antichrist and his Kingdome Antichristian 2. That this hindreth not but that there may come in the end of the world some one notorious Antichrist who may doe Miracles and other such great things as are probably collected from the Scriptures and firmely asserted by the ancient Fathers A graue and good sentence agreeable to the Truth if we respect the matter howsoeuer in the manner of the reuealing of this Antichrist they seeme to runne into Popish Tents onely vpon a peaceable minde and zealous affection towards some of the Ancient Fathers especially for the Greekes r Damascen li. 4. Orthodox sid cap. 27. DAMASCENE and for the Latines Å¿ August lib. 20 de Ciuitate Dei per totum AVGVSTINE who liuing before the sixe hundredth yeere after Christ defined this matter onely vpon coniectures according to that tradition which is recorded in t Hyppolyt Orat de consummat saec Antichristo tom 2. Biblioth sanct Patrum Hyppolitus his Oration concerning Antichrist an Author most iustly u Sixtus Senens lib. 4. Bibli suspected to be counterfeited and yet if hee were true he is no sound warrant for vs to build our faith vpon concerning Antichrist For although the authoritie of ancient Fathers bee of great force in the litterall exposition of the Scriptures out of which wee haue most fully declared the former question What is that great Antichrist yet haue
Gene. 16.12 Euery mans hand against her and hers against euery man and at home in contempt like degenerating IEHORAM k 2. Chron. 21.20 not being desired They were rich she poore they were famous she forlorne they were loued she lothed they were peaceable she peeuish they were bountifull she bloudie they wanne and kept what she spent and lost God in truth l 2. Chro. 15.2 forsaking her who forsooke him For as Nazianzen m Nazianz. orat 21. quae est de Athanasio speaketh to the prayse of IOVINIAN The Prince that giueth strength vnto Religion receiueth from Religion strength againe Wherefore now there is no reason why n Stapleton lib. 4. cap. 10. doctrinal princip Bristow 10. Motiue Kellison lib. 2. cap. 4. c. Ob. Papists should terme and call our Prince and his people Schismatikes and Apostates for departing from them who depart from Christ Sol. Since if the Pope be Antichrist as we before haue prooued at large we the true members of the Catholike Church of Christ in England by this our departure from the Romish Synagogue doe nothing else at all but what Scripture commandeth Reason perswadeth Ancient Fathers preached and some learned Papists doe allow The Scripture commandeth it both in the Olde and New Testament In the Olde both by the Law o Exod. 23.32 Thou shalt make no couenant with them meaning the Canaanites nor with their gods and by the p Hos 4.15 Prophet saying Though thou Israel play the Harlot yet let not Iudah sinne goe not vp to Gilgâ—l neither goe vp to Beth-auen In the New both by the q 2. Cor. 6.14 Apostle forbidding vs to bee vnequally yoked together with vnbeleeuers and by the voyce from Heauen crying r Reuel 18 4. Come out of her my people that ye be not partaker of her sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues For the Reason which perswadeth this departure is twofold first the infection of sinne which like a plague spreadeth as the Satyrist expressed it Å¿ Iuuenal Satyr 14. dedit hanc contagio labem Et dabit in plures sicut grex totus in agris Vnius scabiem cadit porrigine porci that is Infection gaue this spot and will giue it to more Like one scabd sheepe corrupting all And one swine mesling sore agreeing herein with the t 1. Cor. 5.6 blessed Apostle who therefore will haue vs to shunne bad companie because a little leuen leueneth the whole lumpe The second the infliction of like punishment vpon the like offenders as the u Rom. 6.23 wages of sinne is death to bee inflicted according to this true rule of Iustice which Bernard deliuered x Bernard Meditat cap. 4. Vna poena implicat quos vnus amor in crimine ligat the same punishment entangleth those together whom the same loue doth binde in the same kind of sinne as our English Prouerbe is Like sinne like smart And therefore well might the Ancient Fathers in their zeale for true puritie both in doctrine and life preach for this departure from hereticall association as to name but two for all the rest in the Greeke Church Ignatius thus exhorteth the Philadelphians y Ignat. Epist ad Philadelph Abstaine from all those hurtfull herbes which Christ Iesus hath not planted but that wild beast that reioyceth in mans bloud shed and amongst the Latines Hilarie z Hilar. li. contra Auxentium thus earnestly vrgeth against the Arrian AVXENTIVS One thing I warne you take heed of Antichrist for the loue of those wals meaning of the Church where Arrians taught doe wickedly hold you and yee doe wickedly yeeld reuerence to the Church of God in the houses and buildings badly yee imbrace the name of Peace vnder the colour of these things For euen the learned Papists themselues doe allow yea and vrge vnto their Pseudocatholikes a departure from Heresie and Heretikes as not to trouble you with the cautions of their a Tolet. lib. 1. Instr cap. 9. Iacobus à Graphâ—is p. 1. lib. 4. cap. 18. Azor. p. 1. lib. 8. cap. 11 curious Casuists concerning the auoyding of hereticall companie it is a point of purpose handled by diuers concerning the Fauourites and Defenders of Heretikes adiudged for Heretikes as by b Felisius in 8. p. cap. 18. Felisius c Henriq lib. 9. n. or theol cap. 15. §. 4. Henriquez d Viguer Instit cap. 10. §. 3. vers 2. Viguerius e Henr. Grauius in Annotat. super c. 20. August lib. contra Donatistas post Collat. Grauius and our owne good Countrimen f Stapleton in Or. de officio Pij viri aduers haereticos Stapleton and g Bristons Motiu Antihaeretic 23. Brisâ—ow who set all those earnest and heauie exhortations which they make for Recusancie vnto their Disciples vpon this only chiefest ground that wee must not haue any communion with Heretikes They grant the generall concerning the flying from the companie of Heretikes they would lay that in particular to our charge which we well proue vpon them only because they are in subiection vnder the Great Antichrist from whose heauie yoke our happie departure is throughly iustified by those fore-alleaged places of Scripture in the iudgement of Tertullian h Tertullian lib. de Coron Milit. cap. 13. Ob. who saith that wee Christians are remooued from dwelling in that Babylon mentioned in the Reuelation of Iohn albeit not as yet from the suggestion But our i Stapleton orat quam vocat Apolog. Recentior Ecclesiae Aduersaries here would presse vs with an hard obiection as they iudge of it drawne from our Ancestors and naturall Parents liuing in times before vnder the darknesse and slauerie of Antichrist as if either we must condemne those our forefathers vnto Hell with Infidels and Heretikes or approuing them condemne our selues Sol. But our k Mornaeus de Eccles cap. 10. answere to this their poore Dilemma is such as Cyprian vpon this like alleadged prescription gaue against the Aquarians l Cyprian Epist 63. If any of our fore-Elders eyther ignorantly or simply hath not obserued and holden this which God himselfe hath taught vs to doe by his owne Example and Mastership there may be pardon granted vnto his simplicitie by Gods indulgence but wee cannot be pardoned who are taught and instructed of God seeing our m Luke 12.49 Sauiour hath giuen sentence that the seruant who knoweth his Masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes For this charitable Iudgement we conceiue of our fore-Elders in that we doe not single out any vnto damnation but onely conclude vnder these or the very like generall and indefinite termes First that they might hold sure the foundation of true Religion albeit they erred much in matters of circumstance ceremonie or in some not so waightie or momentanie Doctrines of faith Secondly that they erred more vpon ignorance then obstinacie
it is said The third part of all other Heretikes § XXX EVen now there are many Antichrists The Exposition of the latter part concerning many Antichrists which are Heretikes whereby wee know that it is the last time As the name of Christ in Scripture is taken either particularly for the Messiah himselfe or generally for those who are either his Types forerunning as were all the Prophets Priests and Kings liuing vnder the Law of all whom it is x Psal 105.15 said Touch not mine Anointed or Deputies following being consecrated to his Seruice by the vnction of his Spirit the Church with all the faithfull therein contained being therefore called by the Name y 1. Cor. 12.12 of Christ so the poysonous name of Antichrist is vsed by the Holy Ghost either particularly for the great Fox himselfe as the Article expresseth in this Text before or generally for all his cubs together who either forerunne him as Types or shaddowes in the first sixe hundred yeeres after Christ or else succeed him as his Deputies or Lieutenants seeking to maintaine his standing in those particular visible Churches out of which he was eiected by the force of Gods Word as we find the word vsed in all those places where the name of Antichrist is put either in the plurall number as in my Text or in the singular number collectiuely for any one Seducer whatsoeuer he be as where Saint Iohn saith z Ioh. Ep. 2.7 He that is such an one is a Seducer and an Antichrist For as the Types and Deputies of Christ are so called not onely because of the outward anointing but also for the inward and true ministration of the Grace of Christ vnto them Who a Coloss 2.19 hold of the head whereof all the bodie furnished and knit together by ioynts and bands increaseth with the increasing of God because they b Coloss 2.9.10 are complete in him who is the head of all principalitie and power receiuing c Iohn 1.16 of his fulnesse grace for grace euen so the forerunners and followers of this wicked Beast which is the Great Antichrist carrie the name and marke of their Master not onely because of that outward opposition which they all make against Christ by seuerall wayes but also for that inbred communion betweene them by which the forerunners prepare the way for Antichrist through the secret transfusion of their Poyson into the Papall Sea which through the strength of stomake doth perfectly digest it and deliuer it to such Sectaries as depending wholly vpon that See through the vigour of their venome with the Pharises in the Gospell d Math. 23.15 compasse Sea and Land to make one of their profession whom being so made they stuffe him vp with stubbornenesse and line him through with all manner of lewdnesse to make him twofold more the childe of perdition then themselues So that Saint Iohn from the multitude of these men thus opposed to Christ doth most aptly demonstrate the approch of the last times vnder this true forme of argument When Antichrist shall come it is the last time But Antichrist is come Therefore it is the last time For the name of Antichrist hath the same signification in both the Premises noting thereby vnto vs a bodie of Heresie intirely consisting of an vnhappy head and many bad members forerunning or following the approch of their head by opposing themselues against Christ Iesus and his holy Congregation either in faith or manners euen as both Augustine and Aquinas with all the approoued Writers both of Papists and Protestants whom I could yet see or peruse expound this place whence now concerning Heresie The doctrines drawne from this Text thus expounded The former the verie soule of Antichrist we may learne these two most certaine Problemes the former that from the first comming of Christ in the flesh vntill his last comming to Iudgement in this last Age of the World there shall alwayes be Heresies crept into the Church of Christ Militant here vpon Earth The latter The latter that all those Heresies whatsoeuer they be shall alwayes haue some necessarie dependance vpon the Great Antichrist The former prooued The former point appeareth true first from the Scriptures in e Math. 13.30 the Parable of the tares which must grow amongst the wheate vntill the Haruest For God to f Rom. 9.22 shew his wrath and to make his power knowne suffereth with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction secondly from the strength of a double Reason the first of necessitie since Heresies are if not essentiall yet very proper markes of these last times wherein all things g 2. Tim. 3.13 grow worse and worse as well in faith as in manners the wicked deceiuing and being deceiued For h Luke 18.8 when the sonne of man shall come shall he find faith on the Earth The question implyeth this negatiue i 2. Thes 3.2 All men haue not faith And k Luke 17.28 as in the dayes when LOT came out of Sodome so shall it bee in the dayes of the Sonne of man then there were l Gene. 18.32 not tenne Righteous for whose sake the Citie might haue beene saued as now and hereafter there shall be scarce any that may be thought worthy m Mat. 24.12 Charitie cooling and Iniquitie abounding The second of vtilitie which the Apostle deliuereth when hee saith n 1. Cor. 11.19 There must be Heresies also among you that they which are approoued may be made manifest among you For it must o Math. 18.7 needs be that offences come but woe to that man by whom the offence commeth Because as in a Fornace the Gold is purged but the drosse consumed so God permitteth Heresies alwayes in the World that the faithfull by their tryall may bee truely purged when the wicked by their wilfull Apostasies shall bee knowne as Tertullian p Tertullian de praescript aduersus haeres cap. 1. therefore said very well Haereses ad hoc sunt vt fides habendo tentationem habeat etiam probationem that is Therefore are heresies that faith by them hauing a triall might receiue an approofe For turne yee thorow all the Histories Ecclesiasticall either written by the ancient Fathers and Orthodox Scribes the Churches Pen-men q Euseb lib. 10 histor Eccles Eusebius r Sozomen lib. 9 Sozomene Å¿ Socrates lib. 7 Socrates t Theodor. lib. 5. Theodorite u Prosper in appendice ad Chronolog Euse Prosper x Victor in historia Vandalica Victor y Euagrius lib. 6 Euagrius and z Alij vt Epipâ—an Schol. lib. 1 part hist. Nicephor lib. 18. other such or digested into Centuries for distinction of times by the a Magdeburg tom 10. Magdeburgenses b Baron tom 10 Baronius c Osiand Epitome pa. Centur. 16 Osiander d Bisciola Epitome Baron tom 3. Bisciola and e Alij vt Illyricus
generall Councell directed by Gods Spirit the explanation of the will of God to which all and euery Christian is to agree and as good Saint Augustine e August lib. 1. de Baptis contra Donatist cap. 18. tearmed the sentence of a generall Councell to be the consent of the whole Church 2. Meanes But to passe forward lest this good gift of discerning spirits might bee or seeme to bee a delusion therefore a second meanes is added hereunto which is the written Word of God comprised in Canonicall Scriptures For this is a most sanctified soueraigne meanes thus ratified by the Prophet f Esay 8.20 To the law to the testimonie if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them thus reckoned of by the Apostle g 1. Tim. 3.15.16.17 the holy Scriptures are able to make thee wise vnto saluation through faith which is in Christ Iesus for all Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable see the vses thereof for doctrine to wit of truth for reproofe of error for correction of a bad life for instruction in righteousnesse vnto a good life that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished vnto all good workes For the old and new Testament is as sayth h Basil de rectâ fide Basill the treasure of the Church the holy books of diuine Scriptures are as saith i Isidor Pelusiot lib. 1. Ep. â—69 Isidorus Pelusiota 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very ladders by which we climbe vp to God because k August tom 4 lib. de bâ—no viduitat cap. 1. the holy Scripture hath fastned a rule vnto our doctrine lest we should presume to vnderstand more then it behooueth vs to vnderstand but that as he saith we may vnderstand according to sobrietie as God hath giuen to euery man the measure of faith therefore it is not my part to teach you any other thing but to expound vnto you the words of the Teacher and to dispute of those things as God hath giuen Ob. But here againe Doctor Stapleton is l Stapleton vbi supra carping against this meanes also granting what we say to be true yet adding three things first that the Word of God is not the Scripture only secondly that the common sort of the faithfull doth not vnderstand this Word of God so exactâ—y as that they can iudge of euery new doctrine by the same Word of God and in the causes and grounds thereof thirdly that the proportion of faith which ruleth against new doctrine is the now approued and receiued faith of the Church Sol. All which exceptions are but beggerly crauings of what will not be granted neither to him nor to any Papist now liuing in the world For the first point is most false and a flat derogation to the sufficiencie of the Canonicall Scriptures which only conteine the whole reuealed will and Word of God as besides the Scripture it selfe which m Deut. 4.2 Reuel 2â— 18 curseth those that adde thereunto and Fathers alleadged by n Morn in praefat de Eucharist Polan cap. 1. symboâ— Theolog. c. our side and yet not answered by any of their Wranglers euen o Aquin. 1. p. Aquinas and Catetane their owne great Rabbies haue plainely auouched hee saying that our faith relyeth vpon the reuelation made to the Apostles and Prophets who writ the Canonicall bookes but not vpon the reuelation if any be made to any other Doctors this p Caietan in 2. Tim. 3.16 expounding the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by diuine inspiration as the speciall difference betweene Gods written Word and all humane inuentions And the second point is no better being an vncharitable debasement of Gods children who may be as S. Paul was q 2. Cor. 11.6 rude in speech but not in knowledge For since Gods Spirit r Iohn 16.13 which is the Spirit of Truth leading into all truth may be in Amos as wel as Esay may be in vnlettered Idiots as well as in a learned Rabbie we cannot with any godly reason debar simple men from the knowledge of the Scriptures which are not the Å¿ Esay 13.12 sealed booke but t Habbac 2.1 written so plaine that a man may runne and read them And therefore albeit they cannot out of Scripture exactly decide like a learned Schooleman a point of Controuersie yet may they by Gods enlightning grace attaine to so much knowledge of godlinesse out of the reading and hearing of the holy Scriptures as may through Gods acceptance suffice for their saluation according to their measure as the Apostle exhorteth u Col. 3.16 Let the Word of God dwell in you plenteously For hereby saith x Hieronym in 3. Coloss Hierome is declared that Lay men must haue the Word of Christ not onely sufficiently but abundantly and so teach and warne themselues mutually But thirdly where he seemeth to tye the proportion of faith to the Church not to the tenor of the Scriptures I maruell how hee dare so swarue from the Scriptures which y Clem. Alex. lib. 6. Strom. August lib. 2. contra Cresconium Grammatic all the Fathers call The Ecclesiasticall Rule both of faith and manners For what is this analogie or proportion of faith but z Vid. Hyperium lib. 2. de Theol cap. 35. the true agreement which one part of the Scriptures hath with another to make vp one faith Fides a Tertull. lib. de praescript aduer hâ—r cap. 14. saith TERTVLLIAN in regula posita est Faith is placed vnder a rule to wit of Law and Gospell that it should not depend vpon Man but vpon God and that it should be made knowne by it owne onely principles which are the Bookes of Canonicall Scriptures the onely best and Authentique b Iohn 5.39 Witnesses of Iesus Christ the c Heb. 12.2 Authour and finisher of our faith As then the Law-giuer is the best Interpreter of himselfe so let God in the Scriptures haue the place both of Text and of glosse d Psal 51.4 Rom. 3.4 that he may be iustified in his sayings and cleere when he is iudged For e Irenaeus lib. 3 aduers haer c. 12. ostensiones quae sunt in Scripturis non possunt ostendi nisi ex ipsis Scripturis saith IRENIE Doctrines in Scriptures cannot be declared but out of the Scriptures Whereupon f Tertull. lib. de veland virginib cap. 3. Tertullian thus cutting off all customes or prescriptions which seeme vpon pretence of antiquitie to derogate from truth cryeth out Exurge Veritas Arise vp Truth quasi de patientiâ erumpe and breake forth out of thy patience nullam volo consuetudinem defendas I will not haue thee to maintaine any custome Ipsa Scripturas tuas interpretare quas consuetudo non nouit Doe thou interpret thy Scriptures which custome hath not knowne si enim nosset nunquaÌ„ esset for if it
Fathers whom wee are to reade that from them we may fully perceiue what was the tenour of the Faith in the Primitiue Church and examine how these Teachers agree thereunto For remooue not l Prou. 22.28 saith SALOMON the ancient Land-marke which thy Fathers haue set that is as m Apud Hieron in appendice BEDA n Tomo 2. Ortho dograph SALONIVS and o Lauater Morcer Remus Wilcockes c. all our Interpreters doe expresse the Allegorie transgresse not the limits of faith which the Catholike Doctors haue set downe from the beginning because no p Luke 5.39 man hauing drunke olde Wine straight-wayes desireth new for he saith The olde is better But this meanes is common and challenged by the Papists as making most for them Ob. who seeme to hold most of the ancient Fathers whom they vsually alledge for maintenance of whatsoeuer they hold yea compiling whole Volumes only stuffed with sayings of ancient Doctors as q In Aug. Confessione Torrensis r Canis in Catechismo M. Canisius and Å¿ Cocc in Catholicismo Coccius haue gathered Therefore to cleere the points of this prescription Sol. it shall not bee amisse for any who will try the Truth by the testimonies of ancient Fathers as did that most Reuerend Father and strong Man of Israel t In his Sermon at Pauls Crosse in 26. Articl Bishop Iewel to take these three Rules for his direction in iudgement of Fathers The first is that the Father alleaged 1. Regula bee no Bastard that is no counterfeite Worke foysted into amongst his other Bookes by some coozening Babylonish Marchant that vnder the name of such a good â—ather it may bee more saleable and of better admittance For how many false Writs haue come forth oâ— this kind and are alleaged by craking Coccius I neede not goe farre to finde their owne u Sixt. Senens lib. 2. Biblioth Sixtus Senensis x Baronius passin in Annal. Baronius and y Bellar. lib. de illustr scriptorib Bellarmine discouering more falsehood in this tricke falshood in counterfeiting of Authours then I list to rippe vp seeing two helpes wee haue to discerne true Fathers from bastardly Brats viz. z Hieronym lib. descriptor illust in Minulio Felice August Epist 48. Hyper lib. 4. Theolog cap. 9. obseruat 3. first phrase or stile secondly matter or argument agreeing to their age and time For euery Age of the Church had their seuerall Controuersies which ministred occasion of writing to the Learned accordingly 2. Regula The second Rule is that wee must looke to the Edition of the Fathers Workes that they bee not corrupted and wrested to say more or lesse then they say For how wickedly the Papists haue of late yeeres and yet doe abuse the Writings of the ancient Fathers their Index Expurgatorius and their Copijsts as Azorius calleth them doe too too manifestly demonstrate that a Vid Tho. Iames p. 4 cap. Mysteries of â—ndex Exâ—urgator being but a Table made by the Inquisitors of what they will haue put in or taken out of any Authour as appeareth by those fiue seuerall Editions in Rome Naples Lisbone Madril and Antwerpe now of late to their vtter shame discouered these b Vid. Azâ—rium tom â— Institution lib. 1. cap. 2â— being certaine skilfull Writers of olde hands set in the Vatican to copie out olde Manuscripts into any hand as neere the olde hand as may bee by the direction of the Master of the Palace or the Cardinals of the Congregation in truth thereby as it is iustly feared to make the Vatican Librarie which before-times was accounted a Treasurie of true Bookes now a shop of shamelesse shifts whiles for olde good Monuments wee shall finde foysted into their seuerall Deskes a masse of new base Miniments But be the Fathers true and truely printed as the oldest print is best and most voide of villanie Yet here wee haue a third Rule 3. Regula to examine the wordes of any Father alleaged by these three seuerall Touchstones the first whereof is the Word of God for c Galat. 1.8 If any man preach any other Gospell vnto you then that ye haue receiued let him be accursed the second is the Orthodoxie or right iudgement in faith of the former Fathers For that saith d Tertullian de praescript cap. 31 TERTVLLIAN is the Lords and true which is first deliuered but that is strange and false which is afterward intruded the third is himselfe For e Ausonius in Catonis distichis Conueniet nulli qui secum dissidet ipsi Hee will not agree with any who varieth with himselfe A great assurance then it must needs bee of credit to that Father who is constant in his tenent being agreeable to Scripture and his Predecessors where f Iames 1.8 a wauering minded man is vnstable in all his wayes So that let them now boast as much as they please of the Fathers on their side all their wordes are but winde their Fathers being either Counterfeits or corrupted or not well agreeing to Scripture to their Ancients or vnto themselues as if wee would examine all Coccius his Conclusions wee could now prooue as much as the most famous Thomas g Vid. Doctiss pijss D. Morton his Encounter lib. 1. cap. 12. Morton hath declared against Parsons in the question of Purgatorie 5. Meanes The fift and the last meanes of trying out good Ministers is conference with good men concerning those things which we either heare spoken or see done by Ministers For it is no tricke of a Busie-body or Whisperer but a godly care arising from zeale lest wee should be through a light beliefe seduced into error cunningly couched vnder soft and smooth tearmes as h 1. Cor. 14.35 Women are to aske their Husbands at home if they will learne any thing and the Spouse in the Canticles is thus admonished i Cantic 1.7 If thou knowest not O fayrest among women goe thy way forth by the footsteps of the flocke and feede thy Kids besides the Shepheards Tents For this generall good counsell giuen to the Church by Christ is sit as say k Gregor Nyssen orat 2. in Canticâ— Nysseene and l Psellus apud Theodoretum in Cantic Psellus for euery good soule in the Church which being ignorant of her owne estate albeit by the m 1. Iohn 1.7 Marke bloud of Christ being clensed from all her sinnes she is made of a black a comely creature must follow the counsell of Gods faithfull Children who are n Psal 100.3 his flock sheep of his pasture walking o Psal 84.7 from strength to strength in this vayle of miserie till they meete with God in Zion because as saith p Gregor Magnus in 1. Cantic GREGORIE Whiles shee neglecteth to imitate euery wise man shee followeth reprobate acquaintance whom foolishnesse hath made like vnto brute beasts Wherefore to helpe out of this
of Beades in an Heathenish d Matth. 6.7 Battologie Pharisaically e Matth. 23.14 deuouring Widdowes houses vnder colour of long Prayers So cunningly can they collogue and vnder sheepes clothing hide woluish rauenousnesse For loe both Craft and Crueltie in Papists Craft first in compassing a Nouice seduced to bee a Recusant from our Christian Communion by setting him in the fore-front of some dangerous Schisme such as the f Vid Watsons Quodlibets q. 2. art 6. Iesuits had of late against the Secular Priests to their owne deserued ouerthrow as g Matth. 12.25 an House or Kingdome deuided against it selfe cannot stand for Babels confusion h Gene. 11.11 must bee by diuision secondly in keeping him in the desperate course of Hereticall obstinacie by the iniunction of that exercise which * Vid. Watsons Quodlibets q 3. artic 10. Iesuites haue inuented to the vtter vndoing of many silly soules and simple Gentles who thinking all sooth that such men say set Houses Lands Goods and all yea euen their Alleageance vnto their Soueraigne at sixe and seuen i Catalog test Verit. p. 2. lib. 20 pag. 31. De vitio in vitium de flammâ transit in ignem Crueltie first in bereauing their Disciples of all true vnderstanding k Matth. 23.15 by hiding the key of Knowledge that is l Concil Trid. Sess Clem. 8. in Append. ad 4. in Indice lib. prohibitorum by keeping the Scripture in an vnknowne language forbidding all whatsoeuer Translations into vulgar Tongues and so by necessary consequence the Rhemish Translation whereas m Esay 45.23 Rom. 14.11 Euerie tongue must confesse Christ secondly in captiuating their wils by enforcing vpon their Consciences a consent to their doctrine whatsoeuer it be n Bellar. lib. 1. de Iustifiâ— cap. 7. through implicit faith that so they only may be the men of Learning and Truth whereas CHRIST willeth vs o Iohn 5.39 to search the Scriptures in which we shall not only find Christ but also the Church p August Ep. 166. as Saint Augustine thinketh And therefore seeing the outside seemeth so faire and the inside is so filthie we may conclude of a Popish Rabbie or Doctor as of an vncased Hypocrite q Esay 32.5 The vile person shall be no more called liberall nor the Churle said to bee bountifull For their acts discouer their habit too plainely as appeareth first by their cunning conueyances to compasse wickednesse happily still discouered to their owne confusion as their r Vid vitam R. Elizabethae often defeated Conspiracies against Christian Princes especially the blessed Queene ELIZABETH and our most gracious Å¿ In Powder Treason Lord King IAMES and godly Ministers as t Vid. Act. Monuments Bezam de vit Caluin Master Luther Master Caluin and diuers others doe verifie what Eliphaz said of Gods great working he u Iob 5.12 disappointeth the deuices of the craftie so that their hands cannot performe their enterprize Secondly by their ends and scope well found out to their shame in their euident issues to bee First the maintenance of their pompous pride For why else did the Pope so mainely still resist the Emperour his Soueraigne as sometime to depose him as Hildebrand x Platin. in Gregor 7. did Henrie the Fourth sometimes to treade him vnder his foote as Alexander y H. Mutius lib. 18. rerum Germaniâ— the Third did Fredericke Barbarossa Secondly the embondaging and keeping vnder of all the World as appeareth by their crueltie exercised both against their enemies the godly z Vid. Act. Monuments passâ—m lac Vsserium de Eccles Occidental cap. 8.9 c. Albigenses Waldenses and the faithfull of Reformed Churches which to their power they would vtterly subuert and vpon their friends whom they tye to as great obseruance as Adonibesech a Iudg 1.7 did the seuentie Kings first lamed then fed vnder his table For they cut short their power and iurisdiction b Vid. Breuia Paul 5. ad Anglo-Papistas by their Popes Supremacie and feede c Vid. Missale c. Catechism Vaux c. them with the crummes of superstitious Rites to their small comfort either of soule so vnsettled by diuersitie of opinions or of bodie so brought low by violent and strict vsage Thirdly the fulfilling of their filthy lusts and pleasures too well knowne to the World by their keeping of d Platin. in Alexand 6. Mantuan lib. 3. Calamitatum Ariost in 7. satyr Concubines nourishing of Bastardie vnder the name of Nephewes keeping of Stewes in Rome and other places yea vsing of Ganymeds and Catamits and all such like Sodomitrie whereof their owne Fauourites are the most liuely Witnesses especially Ariosto in his excellent Satyres Wherefore deare Brethren since by this direct application of the marks before giuen to all false teachers and blind guides wee finde that Prouerbe prooued vpon Popish Prelates and Preachers which c Athen. lib. 7. cap 33. Athenaeus hath * Perca sequitur saepiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Like will to like as the Deuill said to the Collyer We here for our part haue good cause first to reioyce and prayse our good God for f Reuel 19.2 thus iudging the great Whore which did corrupt the earth with her fornications For g Matth. 4.16 now the people which sate in darknesse seeth great light and to them which sate in the region and shaddow of death Light is risen euen such as many h Math. 13.17 Prophets and righteous Men desired to see and did not see God i Heb. 11.40 in Truth prouiding better things for vs that they without vs should not bee made perfect Secondly to lament the miserable estate of our Brethren in the flesh whose diuisions cannot but bee to euery good man as Reubens was to other Tribes k Iudg. 5.15 great thoughts of heart because this Schisme is not only a weakning of the whole bodie Ecclesiasticall and Politicall in this flourishing Empire but also a most necessarie cause of certaine ruine and vtter vndoing of the parts disioyned be they neuer so strong seeing they are vnperfect by themselues and drawne by Deluders out l Prou. 27.8 of their owne place as a Bird from her nest being in a snare m 2. Tim. 2.26 led captiue by the Deuill at his will Thirdly to endeuour a reconciliation of them to their Mother-Church from whom they are â—ent like vnnaturall Bastards to sucke the brests of the Babylonish Whore For it is the Law of Charitie to pull out of the ditch n Exod. 23.5 a loden Asse such as all those are who o Psal 32.9 haue no vnderstanding being blinded in Poperie and whose mouthes must be held with bit and bridle lest they come neere vs to hurt vs either by secret Trecherie or open Rebellion Therefore as a good Physician first gently prepareth by some moderate Potion before
enioy in the life to come with Christ in heauen of which I cannot make any explanation further then vnder such metaphoricall termes as the Scripture vseth onely to let vs see a glimpse of that glory which we shall enioy fully as when it is called a u Luke 12.32 Kingdome for our raigning there a x Act. 3.21 refreshing for our comfort there a y Reuel 14.13 rest for our quiet there a z Luke 23.43 Paradise for our pleasure there a Iohn 14.2 the house of our Father b Psal 16.11 the fulnesse of ioy the c Matth. 25.21 ioy of the Lord d Reuel 21.10 the holy Citie e Heb. 12.21 the heauenly Ierusalem f Rom. 3.23 the glorie of God Abrahams g Luke 16.21 bosome h 1. Cor. 2.7 our glorie i Luke 1.9 our peace k Dan. 12.2 our eternall happinesse such as l 1. Cor. 2.9 neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor euer entred into the heart of man For if S. Paul m 2. Cor. 12.3 being rauished in spirit could not vtter what he saw there how can we expresse what God hath reserued for present faith and future sight as we n 2. Cor. 5.7 walke by faith and not by sight o Colos 3.1 Let vs seeke it and set our affections vpon it as vpon the p Matth. 6.21 onely treasure of our hearts since q Mic. 2.10 this is not our rest who r Heb. 12.13 hauing here no continuing Citie must looke for one to come that ſ 1. Cor. 13.10 when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part may be done away But in the meane time since we finde now what this perfection is which our Sauiour speaketh of to wit a true conformitie vnto himselfe in that which is perfect not personall but communicable both in the way of grace not only as it is prescribed by the Law but performed by the Gospell in the nature and actions of the regenerate and in the life of glory let vs diligently search the depth of this latter question how farre can any man here liuing proceede in this perfection The latter Question how farre here A maine point of perfect knowledge easily found by the due consideration of the three-fold estate of man in this world as first in his nature secondly in his fall thirdly in his new birth For first in his nature he was created t Eccles 7.31 good u Gene. 1.26 Ephes 4.24 according to Gods Image of holinesse and righteousnesse yet is he not therefore any way with God to be compared in perfection For x Esay 45.9 woe vnto him that striueth with his Maker y Iob 4 17.18.19 Shall mortall man be more iust then God Shall a man be more pure then his Maker Behold he put no trust in his seruants and his Angels he charged with folly How much lesse in them that dwell in houses of clay whose foundation is in the dust 1. Conclusion which are crushed before the moth Therefore our first conclusion is this we can neuer attaine to the inherent perfection of Christ as he is either God or man not as he is God because so he is infinite and z Beda in axiomat there is no proportion betweene the infinite Creator and finite creatures not as he is man because though he be like vs so yet here we come farre short of him who is vnchangeable in his innocencie where we in Adam receiued only grace by which we might not haue sinned if we had would but not that grace by which we would not or could not haue sinned being made with a free will either to good or ill that he might shew thereby saith a August lib. de Corrept grat cap. 11. c. S. Augustine first what mans free will can doe and then what the benefit of his grace and iudgement of his iustice can Secondly in his fall he is wholy corrupted and become so b Psal 14.3 abominable that his very best parts yea and all his c Esay 64.10 righteousnesse is but as filthy rags 2. Conclusion So that if Christ prescribe perfection from the Law our second conclusion is that wee can neuer attaine to that legall perfection since it requireth so much and we can performe so little or nothing that the Apostle maketh it an axiome d Rom. 3.19 By the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be iustified in his sight Thirdly in his new birth he is but as in store aut germine in the bud or flowre e Heb. 5.13 a milke-sop babe altogether vnskilfull in the Word of righteousnesse foreslowed by the flesh in spiritual proceedings f Rom. 7.23 the law of his members rebelling against the law of his minde and leading him captiue vnto the law of sinne which is in his members And therefore hence we determine in a third conclusion two things first 3. Conclusion 1. Part. that we are not yet come to the perfection of life being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 framed or fitted towards it but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fastened in it For now g 1. Iohn 3.2 wee are the sonnes of God and yet it doth not appeare what we shall be For being yet in growing we are not at our last period of perfection the end is the last and best thing saith the Great h Aristotel lib. 2. Physic cap. 3. Philosopher for as the good Father i Iustin Martyr q. 113. Iustine Martyr giueth the reason The perfection of God is in God and no other beeing can increase it because when we are come so farre then shall we rest Secondly that therefore 2. Part. since we are yet in continuall motion our perfection present is only of the way Euangelicall wherein we are alwayes bound to walke k Heb. 6.1 forward from the beginning of the doctrines of Christ For we are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the disposition not in the habit perfect quoad l M. Perkins vpon Mat. 5.48 partes according to the seuerall parts of perfection but not quoad gradus according to the seuerall degrees thereof as a sucking childe is a perfect man in regard of his substantiall parts although he is not yet at his full growth So m Psal 101.2 DAVID walked within his House with a perfect heart and yet hee n 2. Sam. 11.2 sinned therein with Bath-shebah so o 2. Chron. 17.15 AS A his heart was perfect all his dayes yet the high places were not taken away so Saint PAVL p Philip. 3.12 was conformable but not alreadie perfect Omnes imperfecti sumus ibi perficiemur vbi omnia perfecta sunt saith S. q August hom 34. ex 50. hom cap. 9. AVGVSTINE We are all vnperfect there shall wee be perfected where all things are perfect For Modò