breathed vpon his disciples and gaue theim the holy ghoste saiyng Take ye the holy ghoste that they beyng endued with his Spirite might brynge forth the fruites of the same and be therby knowen to his Apostles Antichrist doth breath the spirit of Sathan into his shauelinges and will that they shall be knowen to be his chaplaines by their long gownes shauen crownes horned cappes flaryng tippets c. 119 Christ sent forthe his disciples for to preache vnto all nations Antichrist sendeth forth his chaplaines to be Massemongers soule cariers Purgatory rakers Godmakers coniurers of salte water bread fyre c. 120 Christ commaunded his disciples to preache not mennes traditions but the Gospell that is to say repentaunce and remission of sinnes in his name to all creatures Antichrist commaundeth his praters to set forthe to the people his lawes and decrees and to entermedle them with tales out of Legenda aurea and narrations out of Festiuall Martyrologe c. He sendeth forth also his Pardoners to publike fables and lyes vnto the people and therto graunteth he Letters and Seales and many daies of Pardon and all for money 121 Christ willed his disciples to say vnto their hearers that whosoeuer beleueth and is Baptised he shall be saued But he that beleueth not shall be damned Antichrist commaundeth his Trompetters too blowe abroad into the eares of the people that whosoeuer will buye his pardons shall be absolued a paena culpa toties quoties and then must he needes be saued And he that teacheth otherwise is an heretike This his Bulles and Pardons do plainly testifie 122 Christe charged his Disciples diligently to teach the people to obserue and kepe those thynges that he commaunded theim and so doyng he promised to bee with thē vnto the very ende of the world meanyng not bodily but ghostly Antichrist giueth a great charge to his Chapelaines to inculcke and beate into the peoples heades vnder paine of deadly synne and euerlastyng damnation the keepyng of his Canons and Lawes and in so dooyng he promiseth to assiste them continually with the Spirite of Errour and falshode 123 Christe a little before his Ascension into the Kyngdome of his Father gaue a greate charge to Peter and his fellowe Apostles that thei with al diligēce should feede his Lambes and Sheepe with the moste wholsome pasture of his most swete woorde saiyng Pasce pasce pasce Feede feede feede Antichriste giueth straight commaundemente to his Captiues that thei shall poison the people with the Pharisaicall Leauen of his Lawe and by no meanes teache them the truthe of Gods woorde least thei should spie out his falsehod and aboue all thynges plaie Tolle Tolle Tolle Poll Poll Poll pill pill 124 Christe commaunded his Apostles not to departe from Ierusalem but to waite for the promes of the Father Antichrist thrusteth forthe into the ministerie his Greaslynges and Shauelinges without any consideration or motiō of Goddes Spirite If thei can Masse it or Mattens it he careth for no more 125 Christe when he should departe and goe vp into Heauen lifted vp his hande and blessed his Apostes that is to say wished well vnto them Antichrist lifteth also vp his hāde and blesseth the people that is to saie waggeth his fingers ouer them But whether he curseth or blesseth that is vncertaine 126 Christe by the power of his Deitie Ascenden into heauen perfecte God and perfect man. Antichrist through the multitude of his moste detestable synnes and vile wickednesse descendeth into hell bothe body and soule and hath his portion with Idolatours Witches Theefes Adulterers Whoremongers cursed speakers c. in that Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone where he and all his shall bee tormented with moste intollerable paines worldes without ende Hetherto of the life of Christe and of Antichriste ¶ Of the doctrine of Christe and of Antichrist FIrste Christe saieth that he came for this purpose into the worlde euen to testifie beare witnesse of the truth and that his woorde is the Truthe Againe that the holie Ghoste shall leade vs into all Truthe hereby manifestly declaryng that in his holie woorde is contained sufficiente doctrine for our saluation as saincte Paule saieth All Scripture giuen by inspiration of GOD is profitable to teache to improue to amende and to instructe in righteousnesse that the manne of GOD maie bee perfecte and prepared vnto all good woorkes Likewise saied the woman of Samarie to Christe I knowe that Messias shall come whiche is called Christ When he is come he shall tell vs all thynges And the Apostle in his exhortation to the Elders of Ephesus said I haue kepte nothyng backe that was profitable vnto you c. Againe I haue shewed you all thynges Antichriste saieth that though it bee truthe that is contained in the Bible yet all truthe necessarie to saluation is not there to bee founde but there are other truthes as necessarie to bee beleued vnder paine of damnation as those that bee contained in the holie scripture and thei bee called vnwritten verities He saieth moreouer that his Decrees and Lawes are necessarily to bee kepte as the Commaundementes of God and addeth moreouer that thei bee of equall aucthoritie with the worde of God. 2 Christe saieth that no man can come vnto hym except his Father drawe hym Againe that all shall bee taught of God Signifiyng hereby that no man can vnderstand and perceiue the misteries contained in the woorde of God excepte thei bee reueled and opened vnto hym by the Spirite of God whiche alone is the aucthour thereof for asmuche as a naturall manne can not come vnto the vnderstandyng of those thynges that belong vnto the Spirite of God. And as sainct Peter saith that the Scripture is not a priuate interpretation that is to saie not to bee expounded after the iudgemente of reason and as euery man of his owne braine fantaketh but as GOD is the alone aucthour of the worde so is the true vnderstandyng thereof to bee begged of God alone by feruent praier and by diligente conference of the scriptures Dauid consideryng this praied to God on this maner Open thou myne eyes that I maye see the wonderous thynges of thy lawe Make me to vnderstande the waie of thy Commaundementes and so shall I talke of thy wonderous woorkes O learne me true vnderstandyng and knowledge O giue me vnderstādyng that I may learne thy commaundementes c. And Sainct Paule writyng to Timothe saieth God giue thee vnderstandyng in all thynges Antichriste saieth that the interpretation of the Scripture hangeth of the iudgement of the Fathers and old auncient writers and of the aucthoritie and consente of the Churche of Rome whiche is the true Churche and mother of all churches and can by no meanes erre without the approbation of the whiche no interpretation of the Scripture can bee good and catholike 3
was giuen by the inspiration of the holy ghost so did the same spiritie infuse it aboundauntly into the heartes of the Apostles and likewise doth at this present with the faithfull and of the same spirite hath this holy Scripture his endurance and true interpretation Antichrist is not ashamed too bragge that hee is Lorde ouer the Scripture to alowe or disalowe it For of me saith he it taketh his full authoritie And for a token of this the Scripture of Christe is laied vnder his fete when he is at Masse 57 Christe commaunded by his Apostle sainct Paule that a bishop should be apte to teache and that hee ought to bee well learned that he may be able by his wholsome doctrine both to exhort and to ouercome all theym that resiste and be against the faith Antichrist will neither teache nor dispute with any man in the holy scripture for the maintainaunce of the Christen faith but onely for to augment his owne kingdom and to stablish his owne lawes And if any dispute with him they shall be cast first into prison where he and his ministers haue deuised and inuented proper engins too wryng their fingers so sore that the bloud shall braste out of their fingers endes Moreouer he will peine them and scourge them and with infinite other tormentes punishe theim to make theim forsake the trueth and afterwarde make them sweare on a booke that they shall tell no man of it Thus cruelly doth Antichrist entreate man for the truthes sake againste all iustice And if he can not subdue them to his will then either he murdereth theim priuely in Prison or els hee committeth them vnto the seculer power as vnto his Hangmen or Butchers to be burned And thus is the disputation ended and Antichrist hath gotten the victorie Sed viuit dominus qui custodit veritatem in seculum seculi facit iudicium iniuriam patientibus 58 Christe cursed the Figge tree vppon whiche he found no fruite and forthwith the Figge tree wethered and neuer bare fruite after Antichrist hath cursed and enterdited Landes and Realmes and yet did not the people dye but they prospered well and the earth brought forth her fruite and encrease no lesse then before yea much more aboundauntly thankes be vnto God that this saiyng may bee founde true Maledicent illi tu autem benedices They shall curse but thou shalt blesse 59 Christ calleth hymselfe the good shepheard saiyng I am the good shepheard The good shepeheard geueth hys life for his sheepe Antichrist saieth that he is a good sheepeheard and yet he pollet and pilleth hee sheareth and scrapeth the sheepe so neare that he leaueth not one locke of wolle on their backes And thinke ye not that hee is in al pointes the selfe same shepeheard of whom Zacharias prophecied whiche saieth in the persone of God Behold ▪ I will raise vp a Shepheard in the Lande whiche shall yot seeke after the thinges that be lost nor care for such as go astray He shall not heale the wounded He shall not nourishe the thyng that is whole but he shall eate the fleshe of suche as be fatte and teare their clawes in peeces c. Hee shall nourishe hymselfe and not the shepe And this Prophete criyng out on hym saieth O thou shepheard and Idoll forsakyng the flocke As though hee shoulde say thou bearest the name of a shepheard but thou arte an Idoll and counterfaite Thou art called a Shephearde but thou art a plaine murderer Thou arte named a feeder but thou art a destroyer Is it to bee thought that this Shephearde will giue his life for his Shepe 60 Christ chargeth Peter three tymes to keepe well and nourishe his Shepe Antichrist chargeth his Officers to keepe well his money And as for the Shepe he hymself taketh paines to shere theim and to keepe theim lowe with iufinite exactions 61 Christ gaue a commaundement that a manne should forsake his wife or putte her awaie for no cause but onely for adulterie Antichrist if he bee well monied will make diuorces for what soeuer cause a manne will haue hym yea and for money he will ioyne theim together whom the Lawe of GOD by no meanes suffereth to marrie 62 Christe beside the twelue Disciples sent forthe to Preache seuentie and twoo other Disciples whiche freely promised heauen to theim that would beleue in the name of Christe Antichriste sendeth out his Preachers and Pardoners whiche teache the people to beleue his power and to truste to his Pardons for their saluation addyng that thei can not otherwise bee assoiled nor come to heauen And all for money 63 Christe tooke awaie from his Disciples all temporall iurisdictiō and worldly power saiyng vnto them The kynges and Princes of the Gentiles haue rule power ouer them but ye shal not so haue Antichriste lifteth vp hym self aboue al power and saieth Emperours Kynges and Lordes bee my Subiectes This is daiely read in his Bulles wherein he cōmaundeth the Nobilitie like as a Master doeth commaunde his seruaunt 64 Christ gaue commaundement to his Disciples saiyng Looke whiche emong you will bee greatest let hym bee the lowest of all Antichrist saieth The Emperour must sweare vnto me as vnto his Lorde that he will bee my subiect and exalt and worship me with honour as his owne Lawe testifieth 65 Christe in all places of the holie Scripture reiecteth and casteth awaye mennes Traditions and Decrees Thei worshipp me in vaine saieth he teachyng doctrines that are the commaundementes of menne Antichriste magnifieth the Traditions and Decrees of his Canon Lawe and saieth that thei ought to bee kept as duely as if GOD hymself had commaunded them Or as if sainct Peter had preached them hym self 66 Christe wishyng no man to erre no manne to bee deceiued no manne to perishe or to bee damned called hym self in his Sermons the waie the truthe and the life I am saith he the waie the truth and the life Beleue in me and folowe me in my learning and rule you by the scripture For that shall bee your Iudge Antichrist saieth ye shall in all thinges followe the Churche of Rome meanyng thereby hym self and his Cardinalles as appeareth in his owne Lawe And as for the Scripture saith he it standeth in my power and aucthoritie For I maie make of it whatsoeuer pleaseth me 67 Christe loued them that were his ennemies blessed theim that cursed and did good to them that hated hym Antichrist can not finde in his harte to loue and blesse his ennemies nor to dooe good to his aduersaries but suche as in any point be against hym he curseth with the great cursse and will not absolue them till thei haue made perfect submission and paied greate sommes of money 68 Christe commaunded his Disciples that thei should not resiste euill but if a manne strike them vpon the one cheeke that thei
the aucthour of all mischief and abhomination so that whatsoeuer followeth hym and his Antichristian doctrine may be sure to come vnto damnation 102 Christ praied to his heauenly father that Peters faith might not fayle Antichrist praieth that Peters patrimony as they call it may neuer fayle 103 Christ refuseth no paine to doe good to his congregation Antichrist refuseth no payne so that he may haue lucre and gaine 104 Christ went vp willingly to Ierusalem to suffer death for the elect people of God. Antichrist hateth nothyng more then the crosse As for Gods people he regardeth them not except they bring money 105 Christ when he might haue escaped and gone awaie from his enemies freely gaue himselfe into their handes to be crucified for the saluation of other Antichriste resisteth his enemies with tothe and nayle with hande and Sword and with all that euer he is able to make neither suffereth he gladly any aduersity except it be for the maintainaunce of hys owne pompe and glory and for the enrichement of Saint Peters patrimonie 106 Christ was striped out of his clothes and was all to beaten and scourged and false witnes brought in against hym Antichrist is well clothed with precious garments and hath chaunge for euery day and commaundeth other to be beaten and sore puished and false witnesse to be brought in to testifie whatsoeuer hee will haue against the poore innocent christen people 107 Christ being most vniustly wrongfully accused and hauyng many vntruthes obiected againste hym as a Lambe dum before his shearer opened not his mouth When he was reuiled he reuiled not againe when he suffred â–ª he threatned not but committed the vengeance to him that iudgeth righteously Antichrist being iustly accused both of false doctrine and corrupt manners and admonished to amend will by no meanes geue eare but seeketh al meaâ—es possible to bee reuenged He will bee iudge of all menne but iudged of none He will condemne whom he lust and he will not once be touched His doctrine although neuer so vnpure he defendeth with fyre and fagot with sworde and halter Whosoeuer disdaine to embrace and maintaine it all theim hee excommunicateth cut of from the body of Christ appointeth them vnto euerlastyng damnation interditeth their Landes Realmes and countreys wheresoeuer they dwell as experience in these our daies teacheth aboundantly As concernyng hys life and maners although neuer so wicked and detestable no man may once reproue except he will feele the bitter boltes of the most bitter curse 108 Christ had a crowne of sharpe thornes set vpon his head with so great violence that the bloud runne doune ouer all his amiable face and boystrous nayles driuen thorowe his precious handes Antichrist weareth vpon his head three crownes of gold richly set with precious stones and hath his handes and finger all royally decked with owches and ringes He passeth poore Christe farre farre 109 Christ tooke the crosse of painefull affliction vpon hymselfe and commaunded his Disciples likewise to follow him saiyng He that will not take his Crosse and folow me is not meete for mee Antichrist taketh the Crosse of pryde and hath it borne before hym well gilte and ameled to sette forthe his pride and pompe before the worlde like vnto Lucifer As for other crosse he knoweth none 110 Christ praied his Father to forgiue them that trespassed against hym yea he praied for them that put him to death Antichrist commaundeth both kynges and princes and Emperours to auenge his quarell and to slea all them that resist his mynde promisyng theÌ„ that if thei die in his quarel thei shall die glorious martyrs in the sight of God straight waies come vnto heauen yea before their bloud bee colde As touchyng forgeuenesse he hath none acquaintaunce therewith 111 Christ aproued his Lawe and confirmed it with his owne death Antichrist is full busy to destroye the law of Christ and to maintaine his owne decrees and that with the death of all them that will say the contrary 112 Christ was buried in a poore monument Sepulchre or graue without any funerall pompe Antichrist is buried in a glorious toÌ„be well gilt and very gorgious set out with many torches and greate solemnitie and with Angelles gloriously portured that beare his soule to heauen when notwithstandyng it is to be feared that hee goeth to suppe with the Diuell whom he hath so diligeÌ„tly serued al the daies of his life 113 Christ suffred death for our sinnes rose againe for our iustification or els al we should haue perished and been damned Antichrist for the forgeuenesse of oure sinnes and of our iustification sendeth vs to his Pardons and Bulles to his yeres of Iubile and Masses of Scala celi yea he sendeth vs to a Grayefryers Coule and willeth vs to be buried in that promising vs by that meanes both remission of synnes and euerlastyng life Is not this too treade vnder foote the sonne of God and to count the bloud of the Testament as an vnholy thing yea and to doe dishonour to the Spirite of grace Is not this that beast whiche opened his mouth to speake blasphemies againste the moste highest God against his most glorious name Is not this that sinnefull man that sonne of perdition that aduersary whiche exalteth hymself aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he doth sit in the Temple of God boastyng hymselfe to be God O Antichrist 114 Christ after his resurrection appeared to his Disciples and brought vnto them peace and greate ioy Antichriste when hee commeth abroad and sheweth himselfe vnto men commeth like a game player in his Papalibus full gloriously and gorgiously and bringeth to the beholders blessynges that is crossinges and wagginges of fingers with suche other vaine and triflyng toyes 115 Christ reproued in his Disciples vnfaithfulnesse and hardnesse of hearte Antichrist findeth faulte with his captiues if they be vnfaithfull and disobedient to his decrees and slacke in paiyng of money 116 Christ sought all meanes possible to confirme the faithe of his disciples in the article of his resurrection Antichrist seketh all maner of waies to plant confirme and stablishe in the hartes of men his authority and primacie aboue not only all Bishops but also all kinges Princes and Emperours 117 Christ so talked with certaine of hys Disciples by the waie that their heartes burned within them so swetely and louingly did he open vnto theim the true right vnderstandyng of the Scriptures Antichrist doeth so talke and vttereth suche doctrine that it enflameth not but apalleth the heartes of the hearers it quickeneth not but rather dismaieth For it is not the word of the spirite but of the fleshe not of light but of darkenesse not of life but of death and in fine not of conuersion and saluation but of desperation and eternall damnation 118 Christe