Anno. 1260. of that vniuersitie called the monks and priests the subiects of Antichrist One Lawrence also an Englishman master of Paris proued the Pope to be Antichrist the synagogue of Rome the great Anno. 1290. I. Fox BabyloÌ„ About the same time Maenardus Tyrolius in a publick edict calleth the Popes effeminate Antichrists And againe if they be not Antichrists I pray you what are they Auentin annal boior li. 7. Michael Cesenas principall of the gray fryers wrote against the pride tyranny and primacy of the Pope accusing him to be Anno. 1322. 1. Fox Antichrist and the church of Rome the whore of Babylon drunken with the bloud of Saints Hayabalus a fryer in the time of Clement the sixt preached and that as he saide by Anno. 1345. Henrie de Herford in Chronic. Catalog test 1. Fox commaundement from God that the church of Rome is the whore of Babylon and that the Pope with his Cardinalles is the very Antichrist Wilhâ—…lmus Occomensis as Auentine calleth him wrote a booke against Charles and Clement the sixte wherein he calleth the Pope Antichrist Auentin annal Boior li. 7. Briget whom the Papists worship as a canonized Saint calleth the Pope a murtherer of soules more cruell then Iudas Anno. 1370. more vniust then Pilate worse then Lucifer himselfe She prophecieth 1. Fox that the See of Rome shall bee throwne downe into the deepe like a milstone according to the prophecie of Saint Iohn Apocalypse 18. 21 About the same yeere Matthias Parifiensis a Bohemian writing a booke of Antichrist proueth that he is already come and noateth him to be the Pope Franciscus Petrarch in many places of his writings calleth Anno. 1374. the court of Rome the whore of Babylon the mother of the fornications and abominations of the earth Vrhanus the sixt and Clement the seauenth two Popes at once call one the other Antichrist As Bernard before had called Baldus de vit pontif Anacletus against whom Innocentius the second was chosen as Antipope That beast saith hee in the Apocalypse to Anno 1378. Anno. 1130. Epist. 125. whom is giuen a mouth speaking blasphemies to war with the Saints meaning Antichrist occupieth the chaire of Peter as a Lyon ready for the pray But most effectually doth our godly and learned countryman Iohn Wicleffe discouer the enormities and heresyes of the Anno. 1383. Bellar. de pont Rom. lib. 3. c. 1. Pope whom he pronounced to be Antichrist Artic. 30. His iudgement as in other things so also in this that worthy Martyr of Christ Iohn Husse followed Who affirmeth in his Anno. 1405. booke de ecclesia that hee was troubled because he preached Christ and discouered Antichrist That the Censures of the Romish church were Antichristian and proceeding froÌ„ Antichrist as Gerson the Parisians obiect against him Art 16 that in those times many ages before there had bin no true Pope nor true Romane church but the Popes were Antichrists the church of Rome the synagogue of Satan Whose iudgement many in Bohemia followed Sir Iohn Oldâ—…astell the Lord Anno 1413. 1. Foxe Cobham that famous noble martyr of Christ prosessed to K. Henry the 5. that by the Scriptures he knew the Pope to be the great Antichrist the son of perdition c. Hieronimus Sauanarola taught that the Pope is Antichrist because he did attribute Anno. 1500. 1. Foxe more to his owne indulgeÌ„ces pardoÌ„s then to Christs merits About the yeare of our Lord 1517. Luther began to preach against the Popes indulgences and afterwards against other Anno. 1517. errours and abominations of the Pope and church of Rome discouering more plainely then any had done before him that Rome is Babylon and the Pope Antichrist Since whose times this truth hath beene almost generally acknowledged by the true and reformed Churches of Christ. Seing therefore we haue proued that Antichrist was to sitte in Rome professing her selfe the church of God and that after the taking away of the Romane Emperour whom hee was to succeed in the gouernment of Rome and there to be reuealed both by his owne shewing himself in his colours also by the acknowledgement of others it cannot be auoided but that the Pope is Antichrist For he and none but he sitteth that is reigneth in Rome professing her selfe the church of God and that after the taking away of the Romane Emperour not onely by the remouing of the imperiall seat but also by the dissolutioÌ„ of the Empire in the West whom hee succeedeth in the gouernment of Rome where he hath bene reuealed not onely by his owne shewing himselfe in his colours but also by the acknowledgement of others 8. Vnto the former place of the Epistle to the Thessal we will adde two other places out of th'apocalyps from whence both the place and time of Antichrist may be iointly gathered The former place is in the 13. of th'apocalips where two beasts are described signifying two estates of the Romane gouernment 2. as they are opposed vnto Christ the former representeth the persecuting Emperours the latter Antichrist Of the former he saith thus I saw a beast arising out of 〈◊〉 sea that is of many diuers peoples which it had vanquished Now the description of this beast containeth in it the resemblances of those 4. kingdoms which are described in Daniel the Romane Empire farre surpassing theÌ„ al. The first of the beasts in Daniel signifying the kingdome of the Babylonians is coÌ„pared to a Lion The 2. resembling the kingdome of the Medes and Persians to a Beare The 3. representing the monarchy of the MacedoniaÌ„s to a Leopard The 4. figuring the kingdome of the Seleucidae and Lagidae to a beast with 10. hornes resembling so many of their kings who should tyrannize ouer Iewry The Empire of Rome therfore as if it were compounded of them all is resembled to a beast hauing ten hornes with so many diademes vpon them both in respect of the ten persecuting Emperors answering the 10. Seleucedae Lagidae as also in regard of the 10. kingdoms or prouinces wherinto the Romane Empire in those times was diuided being also like a Leopard hauing the feet or pawes as it were of a Beare the rauening mouth of a LioÌ„ And besides all this is said to haue seueÌ„ heads which afterwards chapt 17. are expounded to be 7. hilles also 7. heads of gouernmeÌ„t c. to this beast was giuen authority or power ouer euery tribe Verse 7. language and nation c. al which are proper to the Empire of Rome The former beast therefore signifieth the Romane state especially as it was vnder the persecuting Emperours as Bellarmine Lib. 3. de pont R. cap. 15. confesseth The second beast described vers 11. and so forward to the end of the chapter is as Bellarmine saith all men do confesse Antichrist who also is by the coÌ„fession of the said
was burnt in the market place at Chester by the appointment of my father then Bishoppe there which was made with such a deuise that if one standing behind did pull a certaine string which was in the back part thereof it would moue the hand as if it blessed the people But that it may appeare that in the Church of Rome were lying miracles and that the Popish people were giuen ouer to beleeue lyes I will for a taste recite a fewe examples out of their owne records Their Golden Legend so called because as gold excelleth all other mettals so that Booke * Viz. in lying excelleth all other bookes in the inuentiō of the body of S. Fremin the martyr reporteth that after the Sunne had miraculously sent his beames through a stone wall vpon the graue and thereupon they had digged there to find the body there issued thence such a sweet smel as they weened they had beene in Paradise Which odour spread it selfe not onely through the citie of Amiens where the body lay but also vnto diuerse other cities The sweetnesse whereof as it moued the people of diuerse cities to bring their oblations to this glorious Saint so it cured some a farre off as the Lord of Baugency from their diseases But when this body was taken vp and caried in the citie of Amiens straunge wonders were wrought For then that I may vse the wordes of the English Legend the elemēts them moued by the miracle of this Saint The snow that was that time great on the earth was turned into powder and dust by the heat that was then and the yse that hung on the trees became flowers and leaues and the medowes about Amiens flowred became greene And the Sunne which by his nature should goe lowe that day ascended as high as shee is on S. Iohns day at noone in the s◅mmer And as men bare the body of this Saint the trees enclined and worshipped the body all maner sicke men of what malady they had they receiued health in the inuention of the blessed body of S. Fremin c. In the Legend of S. Patricke the Irish Saint by whose praier forsooth all venemous beastes were banished out of Ireland for you may not thinke it was so before wee read and reading smile that on a time a sheepe being stollen hee admonished all the people that whosoeuer had stollen it should within seuen daies restore it to the owner The 7. daies being expired the sheepe was not restored Then saith the Legend S. Patricke commaunded by the vertue of God that the sheepe should bleate and crie in the belly of him that had eaten it And so it happened that in the presence of all the people the sheepe cried and bleated in the belly of him that had stollen it 7. In the Legend of the Annunciation of our Lady wee are told of a noble Knight who betooke himselfe vnto an Abbey and because hee was vnlearned there was a Master assigned vnto him But either hee was so dull or the inuenter of the tale so doltish that in a long time hee could learne no more but these two words Aue Maria. Which words as he alwaies had in his mouth whiles he was aliue so they grew out of his mouth when hee was dead For these wordes saith the Legend he had so sore imprinted in his heart that alwaies hee had them in his mouth wheresoeuer hee was At the laste hee died and was buried in the Church-yarde of the brethren It happened after that vpon his graue their grew a right faire Flowre de lyce and in euery flower was written in letters of gold Aue Maria. Of which miracle all the brethren were marueyled and they did open the sepulchre and found that the roote of this Flowredelyce came out of the mouth of the said Knight and anou they vnderstood that our Lord would haue him honoured for the great deuotion he had to say these wordes Aue Maria. Likewise in the booke of the conformities of S. Francis which Booke I could wishe were more common that Popery might appeare vnto all in her colours there is a miracle recorded for the proofe of transubstantiation that on a time frier Frauncis saying Masse did finde a spider in the Chalice which hee would not cast out but drunke it vp with the blood Afterward rubbing his thigh scratching where it itched the spider came whole out of his thigh without any harme to either But if the bread and wine after consecration bee turned into the very body and bloud of Christ then more maruellous and I am sure more true is the story of victor the Pope and * An. 1154. William Archbishop of Yorke and Henry of Lucemburgh the Emperour all which were poisoned the two first with that which was in the Chalice and the Emperour with the hoste which a Monke had poisoned And to these many more worthy miracles of the Church of Rome may be added But you-will say that howsoeuer their are many miracles wherein the Church of Rome glorieth yet notwithstanding those speciall miracles which are assigned to Antichrist in the Scriptures haue not beene wrought by the Pope or any of his followers 8. This is indeed the third thing which Bellarmine obserueth that whereas there are three examples of Antichrist his miracles specified in the Scriptures yet none of them haue bene wrought either by the Pope or any other in the church of Rome But I answere that of these three miracles one agreeth not to Antichrist as shal be shewed hereafter and the Lib. 2. cap. 15. other two agree to the Pope For howsoeuer Bellarmine and other Papists from these groundes doe argue that the Pope The authour of the Wardword is not Antichrist yet from thence may the contrary be gathered The former of these miracles is that Antichrist or at least his ministers shall make fire come downe from heauen The second that hee shall cause the image of the beast to Apoc. 13. 13. speake These two miracles Bellarmine vnderstandeth literally and from thence argueth thus Antichrist or his ministers shall make fire come downe from heauen and shall cause the image of the beast to speake But neither the Pope of Rome at any time nor any of his followers haue caused fire to come downe from heauen nor yet made the image of the beast to speake therefore the Pope is not Antichrist The argument is grounded on Apoc. 13. 13. literally vnderstood For such is the absurde peruersenesse of the Papistes that in other partes of Scripture which are simple and playne they doe hunt after mysticall and allegoricall sences but in this Booke of the Reuelation which is moste mysticall and allegoricall without all reason they insiste in the literall sence As for example in that thirtenth chapter where the holy Ghost speaketh of the marke of the beast which the followers of Antichrist should receiue on their foreheads on their right hāds they grossely vnderstande
which the holy Ghost in the scriptures hath foretold concerning the miracles of Antichrist do not agree to the Pope church of Rome For concerning the miracles of Antichrist the scriptures saith he mention three things 1. that Antichrist shall worke many miracles 2. what maner of miracles they shall be 3. there are recorded examples Of al which points I haue intreated heretofore prouing from Bellarmine his owne grounds that the Pope is Antichrist And first that many signes and wonders should be wrought by Antichrist his adherents which Lib. 1. cap. 7. they call miracles the scriptures testifie the euent hath proued and we do confesse And secondly that all these signes wonders howsoeuer he and his followers do boast of them and in respect thereof contemne the true professors yet are as the Apostle saith lying signes and wonders both in respect of the ende which is to seduce and to confirme lies in respect of the substance which is counterfeit For wheras Bellarmine addeth that they are also called lying signes in respect of the efficient and author of them which is the father of lyes according to whose power Antichrist was to come who as some of the Fathers affirme was to be a notable Magician or sorcerer This seemeth to be somewhat far fetched vnlesse we will take the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be masculine as none doth Notwithstanding because the Apostle ascribeth the working of these miracles to the power of Sathan we will trace him in his owne steppes not doubting to apply this note also to the Pope and church of Rome seeing it cannot be doubted but that as very many not onely of their Cleargy but euen of their Popes haue bene notable Magicians and sorcerers so also very many of the miracles in the church of Rome haue bin the operatiōs or illusiōs of the diuell As for their Cleargy who knoweth not but that there haue bin fewe learned men among thē who haue not bene knowne or at the least suspected to be coniurers and skilfull as some call it of the blacke Art But as touching the Popes because it may seeme incredible that any known Magician or sorcerer should be aduanced to the Apostolike See as they call it therefore it may be thought that the sorcery witchcraft of the most of thē who indeed were sorcerers was hidden vnknown Notwithstanding euē in their owne writers there are recorded as knowne Magicians sorcerers aboue 20. Popes diuers wherofgaue themselues wholy to the diuell that in thē the prophesie of the Apostle might be fulfilled viz. that they might come to the Papacie by the helpe of the diuell or as the Apostle speaketh 2. Thess. 2. 9. that their comming might be according to the efficacie of Satan And as this hapned often so especially about those times wherein Antichrist in the Papacie was in a maner come to his full growth that is to say in Syluestex 2. Gregory 7. and all the Popes betwixt them who were a sort of infamous sorcerers And therefore if any miracles haue bin wrought by such Popes as Saunders braggeth of many signes wonders wrought by Gregory 7. we need not doubt but that as themselues were Magicians Demonsir 20. and sorcerers so their signes and wonders were wrought by the power of the diuell 2 And thus Bellarmine through all the causes sheweth the miracles of Antichrist to be lying signes and wonders But to what ende I beseech you serueth all this discourse Will Bellarmine conclude from hence that the Pope is not Antichrist either because there are no miracles in the church of Rome which was the first point or because those miracles which they haue be not lying signes and wonders which was the second If this were his ende why then doth hee not from this proposition as it were his groundworke assume and conclude after this manner By Antichrist and his adherents many signes and wonders shall be wrought which they call miracles as the scripture testifieth By the Pope and his adherents many signes and wonders haue not bin wrought which they call miracles therfore the Pope is not Antichrist But Bellarmine durst not reason thus seeing the Papists bragge of nothing more then of their signes and wonders which they call miracles And therefore from this ground I haue heretofore inferred the contrary For if it be a peculiar note of Antichrist and his adherents in these latter times to worke many signes and wonders which they call miracles then can it not be auoyded but that the Pope of Rome is Antichrist and the church of Rome the Synagogue of Antichrist seeing they alone do bragge of miracles See the first booke chap. 7. § 1. 2. Secondly why doth hee not reason thus By Antichrist and his followers lying signes and wonders shal be wrought But by the Pope and church of Rome there haue bene no lying signes and wonders wrought therefore the Pope is not Antichrist Indeed this would Bellarmine haue the simple reader gather from his words and that is the drift of all that discourse But this he could not assume and conclude because his owne conscience doth tell him that which all the worlde knowes that their church is full of lying signes and wonders which they call miracles Therefore from Bellarmines owne ground I reason thus If it be a peculiar note of Antichrist and his Synagogue in these latter times to work many lying signes and wonders then it must be confessed that the Pope is Antichrist and the church of Rome the Synagogue of Antichrist because among them are many lying signes and wonders but the first is testified in the scriptures and therfore the latter cannot be denied seeing I haue proued that the church of Rome is full of lying signes and wonders which notwithstanding they call miracles See the first Booke Chap. 7. § 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 3 It is plaine therefore that of those three things which Bellarmine obserueth out of the scriptures concerning the miracles of Antichrist the two first doo fitly serue to proue the Pope Antichrist Neither will the three examples of Antichrist his miracles which Bellarmine setteth downe in the third place disproue the same For of these three examples to wit First that Antichrist or at least his Ministers shall make fire to come downe from heauen in the sight of men Secondly that he shall put life into the Image of the beast and cause it to speake Thirdly that he shall faigne himselfe to die and to rise againe The two first which indeed belong to Antichrist doe fitly agree to the Pope as hath bene shewed in the first booke chap. 7. from the 8. § to the ende of the chapter The third belongeth not to Antichrist From whence notwithstanding Bellarmine argueth thus The third miracle of Antichrist saith he is that he shall faigne himself to die to rise againe for which miracle especially the whole world almost shall admire him But neuer did any Pope faigne
Of Gregory they say thus in their praiers Hic nos saluet à peccatis vt in coelo cum beatis possimus quiescere That is Let him saue vs from our sinnes that in heauen wee may rest with the blessed Of Thomas Becket th'archbishop of Canterbury because he died in the Popes quarrell which like a rebell he maintained against his soueraigne king Henry the second they say full deuoutly Tu per Thomae sanguinem quem pro te impendit Fac nos Christe scandere quò Thomas ascendit That is By the blood of Thomas which he for thee did spend Make vs Christ to come whither Thomas did ascend Of Peter and Paule Concede vt amboâ—…uÌ„ meritis aeternitatis gloriam consequamur Graunt that by the meries of them Ex. Rom. Breuiar both we may obtaine eternall glory To Mary the blessed virgin whom they idolatrously cal our Ladie and the Queene of heauen they pray thus O vnica spes miserorum libera nos Ex compassionib Mariae ab omni malo O thou that art the onely hope of them that are in miserie deliuer vs from all euill And elsewhere they call her Desperatorum spem vnicam peccatorum salvatricem Innoc. in orat de 300. dier indulgent In orat de 5. vnbâ—…rib The onely hope of them which are in despaire and the Sauiour of sinners Againe Mediatrix Dei hominum salus spes in the sperantium O thou the mediatrix betwixt God and men the saluation and hope of them that hope in thee And somewhere it is said O regina poli mater gratissima proli Speâ—…ere me noli me commendo tibi soli O Queene of heauen mother most deare to thy sonne do not thou despise me vnto thee alone I coÌ„mend me And againe Cum nulla spes sit altera nisi tu virgo puerpera In missali Paristensi patris parens filia cui me reconcilia Seeing there is no other hope besides thee O virgin mother the mother and daughter of-thy father to whom I pray thee reconcile me And to conclude for innumerable such speeches might be produced they say O foelix puerpera nostra pians scelera Ibid. iure matris impera redemptori O happy mother which doest purge away our sins by thy motherly authority commaunde our redeemer So that sometimes they doe ioyne vnto our Sauiour Christ other mediatours not onely of intercession but also of redemption which indeede is presupposed in the former sometimes also they exclude our Sauiour Innocent in orat in laudem virginis Christ when as they say that Mary purgeth away the sins of all the faithfull and that she and no other is the onely hope of them that are in misery and despaire And not to speake of their blasphemous psalter wherein they turne that which is spoken in the Psalmes either of God or Christ to the virgin Mary some of them say that whereas the kingdome of Christ consisteth in two things iustice and mercie Christ reserueth iustice vnto himself mercie he hath giuen vp to his mother And therefore one saith A foro iustitiae Dei appellundum est ad Bernardinus in Marâ—…al forum misericordiae matris eius From the court of Gods iustice we must appeale to the court of his mothers mercy 10 As touching the kingdome of Christ what doth not the Pope oppugne in it The realme and kingdome of Christ is his church which he ruleth by his spirit inwardly and outwardly by his word which is both his scepter and his lawe and also by such officers and ministers as hee hath ordained both in the church and common wealth The church and people of God this sonne of perdition seeketh to destroy First by killing the bodies of the true seruants of Christ that refuse his marke in respect whereof hee may most worthilie bee called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or abaddon that is a destroyer his church the whore Apoc. 9. of Babylon which is drunke with the bloud of Saints and of the Martyrs of Iesus as shall be shewen in the second booke and seauenth chapter And as hee killeth the bodies of those that will not receiue his marke so hee murdereth the soules of them that submit theÌ„selues vnto him poysoning them with his damnable errours and making them drunke with the wine of his fornications after which they shall drinke of the cuppe of Apoc. 14. 9. Gods wrath Now in making hauocke of mens soules he taketh such liberty vnto him as that if he should draw with him innumerable soules into hell yet no man may say vnto him Domine cur ita facis Syr why do you so And in the Canon Si papa dist 40. it is sayd If the Pope do cary with him innumerable Glossâ—…iur caâ—… peoples by troupes into hell no man in this world may presume to reproue his fault because he is to iudge all and to be iudged of none vnlesse he be found to erre from the faith which the Pope as he is Pope cannot doe Hereunto Bellarmine aunswereth that the words of this Canon bee not the words of any Pope Cupers pag. 18. num 12. but of Boniface the Archbishop of Mentz Yea but say I the Lib. 3. de pont Rom. cap. 21. Pope hath so approued this speeche being deliuered by another as that hee hath canonized it and appointed it for one of the canons of his law Which is more then if it had bin spoken by himselfe But Bellarmine replyeth If this sentence of Boniface be not true why do you obiect it if it be true why do you not receiue it I aunswere because it being not onely false but blasphemous also and Antichristian is notwithstanding by the Pope authorized for a Canon in his lawe Moreouer one of the chiefe works of Gods spirit the spirit of adoption which is speciall faith apprehending the righteousnesse of Christ to our iustification hee laboureth to extinguish in the hearts of men calling it presumption acknowledging no other faith Iam. 2. but such as is common to the diuells which consisteth onely of knowledge and assent and yet not requiring that in the lay people whome vnder the name of implicite faith hee nuzleth in palpable ignorance and leadeth them beeing blind as Elizeus did the Aramites euen whether it pleaseth 2. King 6. him The pure wheat of Gods word hee suppresseth and keepeth from the people in an vnknowne tongue and see deth them with the mast of their Legends and festiualls and lyes I should haue sayd liues of Saints The lawes of Christ he partly dispenseth with and partly abrogateth making them of none effect by his owne constitutions and traditions In the church in steede of the offices and functions ordayned by Christ hee hath created a new priesthoode erected an hierarchy consecrated orders and religions of his owne In the common wealth hee absolueth the people from their obedience to their princes if they shal displease him And it is a
he haue the marke or the name of the beast or the number of his name that speeche doth so fitte the Popes of Rome as that it might seeme rather to bee a narration of that which they haue done thâ—…n 〈◊〉 prophecy of that which they were to doe For Martin 5. in his bull annexed to the councill of Constance giueth straight châ—…rge to all gouernours that they should not suffer any Christians such as Iohn Wickleffe Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prage who in that bull are condemned for hereticks who acknowledge not the See of Rome nor embrace the doctrines and traditions of holy mother church not beleeuing as the church of Rome beleeueth nor liuing in the coÌ„munion of that church that is to say which haue not the marke nor the name of the beast nor number of his name they should not suffer them I say domicilia tenere larem fouere contractus inire negotiationes mercaturas quaslibet exercere aut humanit at is solatia cum Christi fidelibus habere To keepe house nor harth to make contracts to exercise any trafficke or merchandise or to haue any comforts of humane societie with other Christians In like sort Paulus 3. when Henry 8. of famous memory had shaken of his yoke and renounced his marke he forbadde al men to vse any trafficke or merchaundise or to make any contractes or couenants with him and his subiects he deposed as much as in him lay by his bull of excommunication the king disabled his posteritie absolued his subiectes from obedience exposed his subiectes and their goods to violence and spoile according to the inscription in his coyne Gens regnum quod non seruiâ—…rit mihi exterminabitur The nation or kingdome which serueth not mee shall bee rooted out The like thunderbolt Pius 5. sent out against our Soueraigne Ladie of blessed memorie Queene Elizabeth and Sixtus 5. against Henrie the king of Nauarre now king of Fraunce and Henrie prince of Condee And heereunto serue their blodie inquisitours at this day who are to suffer none to liue or to haue the benefite of humane societie who are but suspected of schisme or heresie And who is an hereticke That doth not beleeue as the Pope and church of Rome beleeueth though hee beleeue according to the scriptures And who is a schismaticke That doth not acknowledge the Antonin part 3. tit 22. c. 5. §. 11. Pope to bee the head of the church Seeing therefore the Pope of Rome causeth all sortes of men to take vpon them the marke of the beast and suffereth none to buy or sell that haue not the marke or name of the beaste or number of his name it cannot bee auoided but that hee is Antichrist 8 And these were the principall effects of Antichrist noted in the scriptures whereunto some others may bee added out of Apoc. 13. which haue in part beene touched heretofore as first that he exerciseth al the power of the former beast secondly that he causeth men to worshippe the former beast thirdly that he forceth men vpon paine of death to worshippe the image of the beast All which as well as the former agree to the Pope For as touching the first who knoweth not that the Pope hath swayed the Romane state for many hundred yeares exercising a more soueraigne and absolute authoritie ouer men of all sorts then euer the heathenishe Emperours did For hee forsooth hath the authoritie of the king Bald. in c. ecclesia vt lit pendent Bloud Rom. insâ—…aur lib. 3. of kings ouer his subiectes hee is perpâ—…uus dictator whome the princes of the worlde adore and worshippe hee is as Boniface the eightth in the greate Iubile Anno. 1300. hauing shewed himselfe the one daye in his pontificall vestimentes and the second in the imperiall robes proclaimed of himselfe I am Pope and Emperour I haue both the heauenlie and the earthly Empire and as they speake in their lawe the Monarchie of both powers hee hath the princehood of the whole world as wee haue hearde before And where doth he exercise this authority in the sight of the beast that is at Rome which is his Papall seate and in the gouernemente whereof hee succeedeth the Emperours 9 And that the Pope maketh the inhabitants of the earth to worship the former beast it is as euident seeing his main policyes and chief indeauours serue to magnifie the Romane state To this end besides many other policyes in part obserued before do his Iubileyes tend wherin he vseth to promise plenaâ—…y remission of al sinnes to all that either come on pilgrimage to Rome or miscarie in their iourney as also the incredible indulgences and pardons which hee graunteth to those which shall come as Pilgrims to Rome to visite the holie places there especially the 7. churches which are priuiledged aboue the rest To which purpose there is reported in an old English book and the reporte no doubt was currant in times Arnaldus Londinens of popery the whole pardon of Rome graunted by diuerse Popes a part whereof I will breefly recite for their behoofe to whome the absurdities of Poperie are not knowne The seauen priuiledged churches whereof not onely that Author speaketh but 〈◊〉 also of late hath wrieten a whole booke are 1. the church of Saint Peter in the Vatican 〈◊〉 the De 7. vrbis ecclesâ—… church of Saint Paul without the walles 3. the church of Saint Laurence without the walles 4. the church of holy crosse in Ierusalem 5. the church of Saint Mary Maior 6. the church of Sa it Sebastian without the city 7. the church of Saint Iohn Laterane To all them that dayly goe to the church of Saint Peter Sylâ—… graunted the third part of all then sinnes released 1. and 2800. years pardon And the 〈◊〉 of as many Lentons or Quarins Now a Quarin saith my author is to goe woolward and barefoot seuen yeare and to fast bread and water on the frydayes 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 one night where he sleepeth another 〈◊〉 coâ—… vnder no coâ—…ed place vnlesse 〈◊〉 be to heare masse in the church dore or porche 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or drinke out of no other vessell but in the same that he mede his auowe in Hee that doth all these points seuen yeares together death and â—…inneth a quarin that is to say a Lenton Besides there is an image of our Lord about the church dore hauing between his feete one of the pence that God was sold for as oâ—… as you looke vpon that pâ—…ny you haue 1400 yeares of pardon In that church be eleuen altars of which 7. are specially priuiledged with grace and pardon At the first altar is the visage of out Lorâ—… who looketh on that hath 700. yeares of pardon c. Before the quire dore stand 2. 〈◊〉 â—…rosses who kisseth the crosses hath 500 yeares pardon From the 〈◊〉 to the assumption of our Lady hangeth a cloth of our Ladies owne making before the quire and as many times 〈◊〉 a man beholdeth it
that by the Popes means For when as Leo the third called Isaurus Emperour of Greece had held a coūcel at Constantinople of 330. Bishops wherein was decreed that all images within the Empire should be destroied burnt and afterwards put the same decree in executiō the Popes of Rome first Gregory the 2. and after Gregory the 3. excōmunicate him forbidtributes to be paid him out of Italy and Rome absolue his subiects from their allegiance vnto him and hauing stirred vp not onely the Italians but Lombards also against him the exarch of Rauenna is slaine and the Emperour depriued of all his dominion reuenewes in Italy and Rome So that howsoeuer the Empire in the East stood all this while yet according to the prophecie of th'apostle he which hindred the reuelation of Antichrist that is to say the Emperour of Rome was taken out of the way First by remouing to Cōstantinople frō Rome where Antichrist could not vsurpe that dominion and soueraintie whiles the Emperour had his seate there which afterwards he did Secondly because the Empire of the west which properly was the Empire of Rome was dissolued the Emperour of the East lost his title interest in Italy and Rome 5. Of the reuelation of Antichrist there be also two degrees The first of his raigning and shewing himselfe in his colours the secōd of his acknowledgemēt Of his raigning there be 2. degrees also The first whē he challēged supreame authority ouer the vniuersal church of Christ. Which he did when he vsurped the title of vniuersal or oecumenicall Bishop or head of the vniuersall Church which was done as we said about the yeare 607. About which time besides other prodigious sights Anno. 607. there appeared a terrible comet thē we hold that Antichrist to wit the head of the Antichristiā body was borne True it is that the seeds of Antichristianisme were sowē before his time euen frō th'apostles time the mystery of iniquity that is Antichristianisme was working although more couertly preparation was made towards the birth of the great Antichrist partly by heresies some declinatiōs in the church of Rome in religion from the purity of the primitiue church partly by the ambition of diuers of the Bishops of Rome who aduauncing themselues as Socrates saith beyond the limit of priesthood into forraine dominion contended to haue the primacy aboue Lib. 7. c. 11. all other churches and that is the chiefe scope of many of their Epistles decretall and to the same end forged a Canon of the councel of Nice when their ambition was curbed by other generall councels And lastly by the indulgence of deuout Emperours and Princes who haue by great deuotions and priuiledges aduaunced that church Notwithstanding wee hold that Antichrist was not reuealed vntill he shewed himselfe by vsurping an vniuersall dominion ouer the church of God 6. But notwithstanding this great title authority Antichrist was yet but in his nonage and vnder the gouernmēt not only of the Emperor but also for a time of the Emperors Lieftenant in Italy the Eparch of Rauenna by whom the election of the Pope made by the Clergie and people of Rome was of necessitie to bee ratified and confimed vntill Benedict Anno. 684. the 2 obtained this priuiledge frō the Emperour Constantine 4. called Pogonatus that the electiō of the Pope by the clergy and people of Rome should be good without the confirmatiō of the Emperour Vpō which priuiledge obteined the Pope began to care litle for the Emperour holding himselfe hencefoorth to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rather as th'apostle speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Thess. 2. 8. without law subiect to the iudgemēt of no mā as they professe in diuers of their canons Not lōg after they began to aduāce thēselues both against aboue the Emperour Constātine the 1. suffereth the Emperour Iustmian to kisse his feet about the yeare of our Lord 710. Within three yeares after the same Anno. 710. Constantine setteth himselfe against the Emperour Philippicus Bardanes in defense of images as did his two successours Gregory the 2. and third against Leo Isaurus in the same quarel In whose three times that wee may know Rome to be the mother of spirituall fornications were helde three Councels at Rome wherein worshipping of images is approued and the oppugners there of excōmunicated And we must note that about this time saith the Author of the booke called Fasciculus temporum the Popes began aboue their woont to oppose themselues euen in temporall matters against the Emperours because of their vnsoundnesse in the faith for so he calleth their oppugning of images and to translate the Empire from nation to nation as time required As for Gregory the 2. he was the first which anouched himself supcriour to the Emperour who Anno. 723. also excommunicated Leo the 3. because he sought to abolish the idolatry of his time which they call worshipping of images But his successour Gregory the 3. not onely excommunicated the said Emperour for the same cause but also forbad any tributes or duties to be paide vnto him out of Italy Rome absolued his subiects frō their allegiance vnto him Wherupō Rome being then a Duchy with diuers other cities in Italy reuolting from the Emperour sware obediēce to the Pope Who Anno. 727. by the defection of the Italians and helpe of the Lombards dispossesseth the Emperour of all his reuenues in Italy consequently as the popish author of the booke called Fasciculus temporum saith totum regnum occidentis ab eo abstulit Hee tooke from him the whole kingdome of the West But when as the Lombards held the exarchat of Rauonna which the Pope intended to himself sought to rule ouer all Italy as the Gothes had done not exempting Rome or those other cities which had reuolted to the Pope first Gregory the 3. when Rome was besieged by Luitprendus vsed the friendship of Carolus Martellus Anno. 732. to free him from the siege Whereupon the Pope remoueth the tuition of the Church of Rome from the Emperour of Greece vnto Carolus Martellus the great Master of Fraunce to his sonne Pipinus after him Whom that the Pope might bind vnto him and finde a sufficient defence against his enimies hee namely Zacharias hauing as themselues testifie Caus. 15 quaest 6. c. alius deposed Childerick the King of Fraunce from his kingdome and absolued his subiectes from their allegiaunce because Anno. 750. forsooth he was too simple to rule maketh him namely Pipin King of Fraunce Who afterwards when his helpe was intreated by the Pope Steuen the third against Aistulphus the king of Lombards enforced the said King to yeeld vp the Anno. 754. exarchat of Rauenna and Pentapolis which hee gaue to the Pope This donation his sonne Charles the great confirmed and enlarged with a plentifull addition reseruing notwithstanding to himself the royalties of those
bubbles the fire of vengeaÌ„ce which they cause to descend in the sight of men as painted fire or as the thunder and lightning of Salmoneus who as the Poet describeth him not vnlike to the Pope Flammas Iouis Aeneid 6. sonitus imitatur Olympi Imitateth the lightenings of Iupiter and the thunder of heauen But howsoeuer it is whether this descending of fire from heauen is to be vnderstood literally or mystically the prophecy of the holy Ghost concerning this first miracle of Antichrist is verified of the Pope and church of Rome who haue caused fire to come downe froÌ„ heauen according to the literall sence according to the allegoricall interpretation they haue so confirmed their doctrines by signes wonders as if God had answered them by fire from heauen and secondly they haue taken vpon them to bring downe the fire of Gods spirite and to bestowe his grace as it pleaseth them and lastly they haue according to the example of Elias with a diuine reuenge as it were with fire from heauen taken vengeaunce of their enimies not to speake of his punishing with fire all those that will not adore him 13. And thus much may suffice to haue spoken of the first miracle The second miracle saith Bellarmine is that Antichrist or his ministers shall make the image of the beast to speake But neuer Pope nor any minister of his did make an image to speake therefore saith hee the Pope is not Antichrist But I answere that this prophecie euen according to the Popishe interpretation agreeth to the Pope and his followers among whom it hath beene an vsuall practise to put life as it were into images in the sight and opinion of simple men making them to sweate to smile to srowne to nodde to becke and many times to speake which might happeÌ„ without a miracle for the Diuels sometimes did speake in the images of the Heathen Notwithstanding wee are not after a Popishe that is to say a grosse maner but after a propheticall and spirituall maner to vnderstand this mysticall prophecy of the holy Ghost concerning the image of the beast For if wee vnderstand the beast it selfe mystically as needes wee must or else wee shall make but a beastly interpretation of it so wee are in like sort to expound the image of the beast with the life and speach thereof The beast it selfe signifieth the Romanâ—… state especially vnder the Heathenish Emperours as hath bene shewed The image therefore of the beast must signifie a state which hath some resemblaunce thereof or at least the name and title of the Romane Empire as images beare the name of that which they resemble and is indeed but an image thereof Thus besides the Popes courts both in Rome and other countreys is the Empire renewed in the West which besides the name and some titles and ornaments hath little or nothing of the olde Empire For the old Empire consisted in the gouernment of Rome and the prouinces thereunto belonging none of which the Emperour hath as a Soueraigne Prince by right of the Empire and therefore is said to bee the beast which was and is not though it be being indeed as it is Apoc. 17. here called but an image of the former beast The life of this Empire is the imperiall dignity and the speach are his edicts Whosoeuer therfore caused this Empire which in the west had lien void 325. yeares to be renewed whosoeuer at the first created this Emperour since hath taken order for the electioÌ„ of the Emperour coÌ„firmeth the electioÌ„ he may be said to haue caused the image of the beast to be made to haue put life into it to haue procured authority vnto it wherby it speaketh 14. Now to whom all this is to bee applied let Bellarmine himselfe be iudge For he in his bookes De translatione imperij Romani by many testimonies laboureth to proue first that the Empire of Rome was translated but he might better haue said renewed in the West and as it were reuiued by the authority of the Pope and that Charles the great in whom this Empire was renewed receiued the same by no other title but by the authority of the Pope And that is the summe of his first booke Secondly that the Empire of Rome was translated from the family of Charles the great and from the French nation to the family of Otho and the nation of the Saxons and Germanes and that Otho was aduaunced to the Empire by the Pope which is the scope of the second Booke Thirdly that the seuen Electours of the Empire were ordained and appointed by the Pope which is the argument of his third booke And in his first booke he setteth downe the state Chap. 4. of that controuersie thus the question is saith he who is the authour of this traÌ„slation or rather renouation for the Emperour of the East continued after vntil the yeare 1452. before this time had by the Popes meanes lost his right in Italy and Rome therfore nothing was traÌ„slated but the name title who it was that gaue the name dignity power of the Romane Emperour and Caesar Augustus in the west to Charles the great his successors We answer saith he that which the coÌ„sent of al nations proclaimeth that Pope Leo 3. was either the only or the chiefe and principall authour of this translation that the Dutch nation is to acknowledge the receipt of the Empire from the Pope Vnto the testimony of Bellarmine of all those authours whom he citeth we will adde the professioÌ„ of the Popes theÌ„selues Innocentius 3. saith the 7. Electours had their authority Decret Gregorian de electione c. venerabilem ab Apostolica sede quae RomanuÌ„ imperiuÌ„ in persona magnifici Caroli à Graecis traÌ„stulit in Germanos From the See Apostolick which traÌ„slated the Romane Empire in the person of Charles the great froÌ„ the Grecians to the Germanes Vpon which translation saith Bellarmine The Romane commonweale returned againe De traÌ„slat imper li. 1. cap. 4. to the same state wherein Constantine the great established it wherein it remained froÌ„ Valentinian the elder vnto Augustulus Likewise Adrian 4. The Romane Empire saith he was Ad archiep Treuir Moguntin Agrippin apud Auentin lib. 6. translated froÌ„ the Greekes to the Almaines that the king of the Almaines should not be called Emperour before he were crowned of the Pope Before his consecration he is king after he is Emperour Vnde igitur habet imperiuÌ„ nisi à nobis From whence then hath he the Empire but from vs By the election of his princes he hath the name of a king by our consecration he hath the name of Emperour Augustus Caesar. Ergo per nos imperat Therfore he is Emperour by vs. Call to mind Antiquities Zacharias aduaÌ„ced Charies and gaue him a great name that he should be Emperour c. Imperator quod habet totum
aduantage which they seeme to haue in this controuersie For first the controuersie it selfe is of such consequence as that if our assertion be true then is all Popery ouerthrowne and all controuersies betwixt vs and them easily decided then are all Papists limmes of Antichrist and all their doctrines peculiar to them errours of Antichrist And if you respect their will you neede not doubt but that they being wholy deuoted vnto the Pope haue done their best endeuour to free their head and Lord from all imputation of Antichristianisme And for their skill they beeing men of great learning and much reading you may bee well assured that they haue scarcely omitted any thing which may be said in so waighty a cause And questionlesse they haue no small aduantage in this controuersie being to prooue the negatiue part For whereas we cannot prooue the affirmatiue but by the concurrence of those manifold properties and markes which the holy Ghost hath assigned vnto Antichrist they on the other side haue libertie to disprooue the same and to prooue the negatiue if they can but shew plainly euidently that any one seuerall and essentiall marke ascribed vnto Antichrist in the Scriptures dooth not agree to their Lord God the Pope For if the Scriptures foretell vs as touching the place that Antichrist shall haue his seat in Babylon that is Rome which being situated on seauen hils had in the Apostles time vnder the Emperour and since vnder the Pope dominion ouer the Kings of the earth and that in Rome professing her selfe the Church of God because it is said that Antichrist shall sitte in the Temple of God as concerning the time that he should sit in Rome after the remoouing and taking away of the Emperours whom hee was to succeed in the gouernement of Rome as hath beene shewed out of these places 2. Thes. 2. 7. 8. Apoc. 13. and 17. and in respect of his conditions and qualities that he should be for opposition an aduersary although a disguised enemy for pride and ambition aduancing himselfe aboue all that is called God for his other vices a man of sinne in generall and more specially an horrible idolatour in regard of his effects that he and his followers should be workers of signes and wonders in the sight of men that he should compell all sorts of men to receiue the marke or name of the beast or number of his name and lastly for that which he was to suster that Christ shall consume him with the breath of his mouth that is the Ministerie of the Gospell and that thereupon the ten hornes which first assisted him shall afterwards assault him It followeth therefore that vnto such as we affirme to be Antichrist all these notes are to be applied as we haue applied them all to the Pope of Rome whereas contrariwise the deniall of any one essentiall propertie is an argument sufficient to prooue the negatiue As for example if any man will â—…ake vpon him to prooue that the Turke is Antichrist because some of the markes seeme to fitte him he shall neuer bee able to prooue it because all the properties doe not agree vnto him For neither hath he his seat in Rome neither dooth he sit in the Church of God neither is he a couert and disguised but an open and professed enemie neither may he be matched with the true Antichrist either in aduancing himselfe aboue all that is called God or in idolatrie or in lying signes and wonders c. And from any of these we may reason thus Antichrist was to haue his seat in Rome which is mysticall Babylon the Turke hath not his seat there therefore he is not Antichrist Antichrist sitteth in the Church of God the Turke dooth noâ—… c. wherefore much more easie it were to prooue the negatiue if it were true then the affirmatiue If therefore the Papists hauing bent all their forces and imploied the vttermost of their skill to prooue that which were most easie to prooue if it were true shall notwithstanding be found vnable to produce any one sound and sufficient argument to cleare their Pope from Antichristianisme haue not we just cause to confirme our selues in that truth which before hath beene demonstrated viz. that the Pope is Antichrist 2. Let vs therefore consider their arguments and conceits whereupon their arguments are grounded not as they are propounded by the elder Papists which liued in the daies of our forefathers for their conceits concerning Antichrist were meere dotages but as they are deliuered by the refiners of Poperie the Jesuits and namely by Bellarmine whose bookes are as it were a shot whereunto many of them as it seemeth haue contributed Bellarmine therefore in his third booke De pontifice Romano reduceth all his arguments to nine heads 1. Concerning the name Antichrist 2. Concerning his person whether he be but one man or a state and succession of men 3. Concerning the time of his comming and death 4. Of his proper name 5. Of his nation followers 6 Of his seat 7. Of his doctrine and maners 8. Of his miracles 9. Of his reigne battels From all which he hopeth although in vaine to prooue that the Pope is not Antichrist 3. And first from the name he argueth thus Antichrist is hostis aemulus Christi that is such an enemy as is opposed vnto Christ in emulation of like honour The Pope is not an enemy nor opposed vnto Christ in emulation of like honour therefore the Pope is not Antichrist The proposition which we not onely graunt but also take to be the grouÌ„d of some of our proofes that he laboureth to prooue in that proofe spendeth almost the whole first chapter But the à ssumption wherein is all the controuersie betwixt vs and them that in a manner he See lib. 1. cap. 4. §. 1. taketh for graunted In both playing the part of a right sophister For which of our writers euer denied that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth hostem et aemulum Christi what though Musculus also saith that Antichrist Loc. Comm. cap. de potestate Ministrorum is he who being an enimy vnto Christ professeth himselfe to be his vicar and saith that the word may signifie so much yet he denieth not the former signification but retaineth the same with this addition That Antichrist is such as one as challengeth vnto himselfe the office and authoritie of Christ himselfe and being indeed an enemie a counter-Christ professeth himselfe to be the Vicar or Vicegerent of Christ vpon earth And this may be prooued by the signification of the name For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in composition commonly signifieth three things opposition equality substitution Opposition as in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equality as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 substitutioÌ„ as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Preconsul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Propraetor or Legatus Praetoris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the putting of one case for another and in this sense the sacraments
the ciuill warres in France Flanders It may be that the Protestants in these ciuill warres vnder-taken for their owne defence that they might be free from such outrages haue slaine in lawfull battaile many of the Papists as contrariwise many of themselues haue beene slaine But what is this to the purpose Thus many in the armies of Antiochus Epiphanes the most cruell persecutor of the Church of the Iewes were slaine in Iewrie in the time of the Macchabees as well as they had slaine many of the Iewes But I say againe what Catholicks as they call them haue beene put to death for religion As for those fewe that haue beene executed among vs what one was put to death that was not found guiltie eyther of treason or rebellion or some such capitall crime And yet the Papists report and in Bookes doe publish that I cannot tell how many of them are martyred here in England for their religion Neither are they ashamed to write and in Rome to publish that some of them haue beene put into Beares Ecclefiâ—… Anglic. Trophâ—… Printed at Rome An. 1584. cum priuileg Gregor 13 skinnes and baited with Dogges which also they haue set out in tables But compare I beseech you with those many that were martyred in Queene Maries fiue yeeres those few that haue beene executed in Queene Elizabeths fortie fiue yeares Compare the causes which make persecution in the agents and martyrdome in the patients What one put to death of those which were burnt in Q. Maries time for any crime but onely for religion which they cal heresie what one of the Catholicks as they call them in Q. Elizabeths time executed who was not found guiltie of some capitall crime Compare the estate of Papists liuing among Protestants at this day as namely in England with the estate of Protestants liuing among Papists as namely in Spaine Is any one suffered to liue among them that is but once suspected to be of our religion Is not euery such a one either priuately murdered or publickly brought to the stake Among vs who is not suffered to liue although he be knowne to be of the Romish religion To liue did I say Nay God be mercifull vnto vs that suffer them so to liue as they doe to the encouragement and infection of others I speake not onely of ordinarie Papists and those that are at liberty but of the ring-leaders also that be in custodie whose life hath beene more easie and pleasant and maintenance more plentifull then of the Let the Casâ—…les of UUisbich and Fremingham be witnesse most students or ministers among vs. Yea but there is cause will they say that we should deale worse with you then you with vs. Nothing lesse They object to vs onely heresie and that as truely as the Iewes did to Paul which we doe truely object vnto them and in regarde thereof might nay should doe to the children of Babylon as they haue done to vs. But besides Apoc. 18. 6 many grosse and capitall heresies which race the foundation we truely object vnto them that their religion bringeth with it treason against the Prince and rebellion against God Treason against the Prince not onely because of their confederacie with the chiefe enemies of our state the Pope and Spaniard in regard whereof those Iesuites and Priests which come among vs from beyond-Seas as also those which harbour them are worthy of death but also because more generally they holding the Popes supremacie and authoritie to depose Princes and withall beleeuing that the Pope in his definitiue sentence cannot erre they cannot but approoue the Bull of excommunication wherein Pius the fift as much as was in him deposed our Queene of famous memory and absolued her subjects from all allegeance to her Rebellion against God because it perswadeth an Apostasie and falling away from God into grosse and palpable idolatrie Of which fault whosoeuer are found guiltie that is to perswade others to idolatrie by the law of God they ought not be suffered to liue because they haue perswaded an Apostasie from God Deut. 13. All this notwithstanding Deut. 13. 5. 8. 9. we deale too remissely with them and they most barbarously with vs. And yet forfooth if there be or hath beene any persecution in the Church in these latter times the Catholicks are they which suffer it and not the Protestants Alas poore Wolues how cruelly they haue beene handled among the sheepe of Christ 5. But to proceed As the persecution vnder Antichrist saith Bellarmine shall be most grieuous so shall it be most manifest For thus he reasoneth The persecution vnder Antichrist shall be most manifest this vnder the Pope is not manifest therefore this is not the persecution of Antichrist The proposition is prooued because then all the wicked shall aperto marte oppugne the whole church and not onely those that be Infidels and open sinners but the hypocrites also and false brethren shall then joyne themselues to Antichrist and discouering themselues openly assault the Church And is not this well gessed thinke you contrary to the word of truth vttered by our Sauiour Christ For whereas our Sauiour hath said that the good and bad shall growe together like Wheate and Tares vntill the day of the great haruest Bellarmine telleth vs that when Antichrist commeth there shall such a separation be made that there shall not an hypocrite be left in the Church but all the wicked without exception shall be together Omnes prorsus impios simul futuros in exercitu Antichristi in Antichrists hoste and shall openly oppugne the whole Church of the Saints But such separation is not to be looked for vntill Christ shall seuer the Lambes from the Goates And therefore if we must not beleeue that Antichrist is come vntill such a separation be made assuredly Christ will come vpon vs to judgement whiles we looke for Antichrist Yea but Augustine saith That now there be many false bretheren in the De ciuit Dei lib. 20. c. 11. Church At tunc erumpent omnes inquit Augustinus in apertam persecutionem ex latebris odiorum But then all shall burst forth saith Augustine out of their couert hatred into open persecution If Augustine had said so we might wel haue esteemed his speech to haue beene but a humane conjecture rather then a Prophecie diuine But Bellarmine without all shame falsifieth his words For Augustine in that place speaking of those words Apoc. 20. 7. Soluetur Satanas de custodia sua exibit ad seducendas nationes Satan shall be let loose out of his warde and shall goe forth to seduce the nations Exibit autem dictum est saith he in apertam persecutionem de latebris erumpet odiorum Now it is said that he shall goe forth viz. into open persecution he shall breake forth of the couerts of hatred speaking of the diuell alone and not of all the wicked And thus was his proposition doughtily prooued being neuerlesse according to
his sense repugnant to the Scriptures which describe Antichrist not as an open enemy but as a secret and decipher antichristianisme not as a professed hostilitie but as a mysterie of iniquitie as hath beene shewed 6. Come we to his assumption This manifest persecution hath not bin neither is as yet why First because there are now so many false brethren in the church as neuer were more speaking of the church of Rome wherin it is hard indeed to finde a true christiaÌ„ But shal not Antichrist come whiles there are false brethreÌ„ in the church or rather shall we not thinke that the Apostasie of false brethren in the church of Rome pretended Christians wherof Antichrist is the head is a good argument of his comming Secondly because no man can tell when this persecution began That if it were true doth not disprooue the greatnesse of the persecution but argue the length Yea but vnder Nero Domitian the rest of the persecuting Emperours it was well knowne when the persecutions began and when they ended That happened because there was some intermission of those persecutions but these persecutions vnder Antichrist they haue no end nor yet intermissioÌ„ except it be when they haue none to persecute But how doth it appeare that none know when these persecutions of Antichrist began For sooth because some of vs say that Antichrist came in the yeere 200. others in 606. others in 773 others in 1000 others in 1200. The vanity of which objection which now like a twice-boâ—…de Colewurt he setteth before vs againe hath bin shewed before For of these opinions onely two belong to vs and those not different For we hold that as the whole soueraigntie and tyranny of the Pope consisteth in his two swords which he did not attaine at once but by degrees so we make two degrees of Antichrist his comming first with the spirituall sword in the yeere 607. secondly with the temporall after the yeere 1000. which was more fully obtained then before in Gregorie the seuenth In whom as hath bin said Antichrist was come to his full growth Since which time he hath been more and more reuealed and by some acknowledged Vpon which acknowledgment there hath followed separation from him according to the coÌ„mandement of God and refusall of his marke whereupon persecution hath ensued and neuer hath ceased where any such haue been found where the Pope hath to do Neither are we with Bellarmine ignorantly to confound the time of his comming with the beginning of his persecution For he began not to persecute vntil men began to forsake him and men did not forsake him vntill he was discouered what he was and acknowledged neither was he acknowledged vntill he came to his full growth 7. And thus the two first parts of this demonstration concerning the persecution of Antichrist how great and manifest it should be are already answered although in truth not worth the answering The third part is concerning the publike seruice of God and ceremonies of the church which he saith in the time of Antichrist by reason of that grieuous persecution shall wholy cease His reason is thus framed When Antichrist is come the publicke seruice of God and daily sacrifice of Christians meaning the sacrifice of the Masse shall cease but as yet the publicke seruice of God and daily sacrifice of Christians hath not ceased therefore as yet Antichrist is not come To the proposition I answer that Antichrist being an hypocrite and pretended Christian as hath bin prooued shall not abolish all worship of God much lesse at his first coÌ„ming For Bellarmine maketh this interruption of Gods seruice a fruite of his greatest persecutioÌ„ his persecution as I said is a consequent of mens for saking him and that of his acknowledgement and that of his shewing himselfe in his colours when he was come to his full growth whereunto he attained not at the first but by degrees But this proposition is prooued saith Bellarmine out of Daniel chap. 12. verse 11. From the time when the daily sacrifice shall be taken away are dayes 1290. Where saith he Daniel speaketh of the time of Antichrist For the expositioÌ„ of this place we need not with Bellarmine run to the Fathers seeing by conference thereof with some other places in Daniel whereunto it hath reference it may most plainly be shewed who it is that taketh away this daily sacrifice and what that sacrifice is In the eight chapt vers 11. and chapt 11. vers 31. it is affirmed that by Antiochus Epiphanes and his armies the daily worship of God should be taken away When as therfore Daniel asked when there should be an end of these things the Holy-ghost answereth that from the time that the daily sacrifice was taken away and the abomination of desolation placed whereof he had spoken chap. 11. 31. there should be 1290. dayes For of the restitution of Gods seruice and deliuerie of the Iewes from the tyranny of Antiochus there are foretold diuers degrees at diuers times which agreeably to these Prophecies of Daniel are noted in the histories of Iosephus and of the Maccabees for from the interruption of Gods seruice to the first restitution thereof by Iudas Macchabeus were three yeeres and ten daies namely from the 15. of the moneth Casteu In memorie hereof the Encaenia that is the feast of the dedication Iohn 10. 22. was celebrated on the 25. of Casteu 1. Macca 4. 59. in the 145. yeere of the Seleucida 1. Maccab. 1. 57. vnto the 25 of the moneth Casteu in the yeere 148 1. Maccab. 4. 52. which terme Daniel calleth chap. 7. 25. a time and times and parcell of time Vnto the victorie obtained by the Macchabees whereby the forces of Antiochus were expelled out of Iewry and thereby the restitution before begun established were three yeeres and a halfe as Iosephus testifieth which Daniel cha 12. 7. calleth a time times halfe a time vnto the time that Antiochus being stricken with the hand of God after his discomfiture and flight from Persâ—…polis promised to restore the religion of the Iewes what else they desired were 1290. dayes vnto the time of his death 1335. And that these are Prophecies coÌ„cerning Antiochus I will hereafter shew more at large In the meane time to the present Chap. 16. objection I answer that by the daily worship or sacrifice here mentioned we are to vnderstand not the sacrifice of Christians to be taken away by Antichrist but the daily sacrifice of the Iewes which was interrupted and taken away by Antiochus Epiphanes It was the custome of the Iewes saith Chrysostome to offer a sacrifice to God euery morning and euening which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sacrifice was taken away by Antiochus and the same is testified by Iosephus and the author of the first booke of the Macchabees 8. To this place of Daniel although nothing at all to his purpose Bellarmine trusteth so much that vpoÌ„ it as it
of the world Yea we further confesse that his destruction shall concurre with the consummation of the world for Christ at his coÌ„ming shall destroy him But this proueth not that his coÌ„ming shal be within three yeers a halfe before the end of the world For Iohn saith He was come in his time Paul saith he should be reuealed wheÌ„ that which hindered was done out of the way which was done many hundred yeeres ago Therfore though his end concur with the end of the world yet there shall be a greater distance then Bellarmine imagineth betwixt his comming and the end of the world This Bellarmine foreseeing perceiued very well that iâ—… this demonstration by it selfe alone there is no force at all And therfore he joyneth it with the fift of both which together he saith an vnanswerable demonstration may be made to prooue that Antichrist is not yet come that the Pope is not Antichrist For saith he if presently after the death of Antichrist the world shall haue an end and Antichrist shall dye after he hath raigned but three yeeres a halfe then it followeth that Antichrist shall not appeare nor begin â—…o raigne til within 3. yeers a halfe before the end of the world But the Pope hath raigned longer then 3. yeers an halfe and yet the world coÌ„tinueth therfore the Pope is not antichrist The vanity of the former demonstratioÌ„ which is made the grouÌ„d of the last I haue sufficiently shewed before therfore that which is said of two ciphers in ciphering the same may be said of these two demonstrations ioyned together that naught to naught makes naught For now I will not stand to tell you how the three yeares and a halfe which in the former demonstration were 1260. dayes precisely are now growne to 1335. dayes For Antichrist shall not begin to reigne saith Bellarmine vntill within three yeares and a halfe before the end and yet from the beginning of his reigne vntill the end of the world shall be 1335. dayes so that in Bellermines precise account of halfe a yeare 75. dayes that is 10. weekes and 5. dayes are nothing Thus haue we answered these sixe demonstrations which we haue shewed to haue beene farre from proouing demonstratiuely either that Antichrist is not yet come or that the Pope is not Antichrist Wherefore to conclude if the Papists demonstrations in so weighty a cause whereupon all Poperie dependeth be such trifling trumperie as is scarse worth the answering what shall we thinke be their ordinary arguments in other causes of lesse importance And this was his third principall argument wherein he hath spent seauen whole chapters The 10. Chapter Concerning the name of Antichrist 1. NOw followeth his fourth disputation concerning the name marke of Antichrist From the name he fetcheth this vnanswerable argument as he calleth it If the Insolubile argumentum name of Antichrist spoken of Apoc. 13. be yet vnknowne then is not Antichrist as yet come and consequently the Pope is not Antichrist But Antichrists name spoken of Apoc. 13. is yet vnknowne therefore Antichrist is not yet come c. Of this vnanswerable argument there is no part sound as shall appeare The proposition he proueth because when Antichrist is once come his name shal be câ—…only knowne Which he prooueth first by a similitude As NotissimuÌ„ Christs name before his comming was vnknowne although the Prophets had foretold many things concerning Christ and Sibylla had prophecied that his name should conteine 888. but after he was once come all men know that his name is Iesus so although before Antichrists comming his name be vnknowne yet after he is once come there will be no more question what his name is then of the name of Christ which all euen Turks and Iewes and Pagans know to be Iesus Secondly from a common adiunct of all prophecies to be doubtfull and obscure vntill they be fulfilled as Irenaeus teacheth and prooueth Lib. 4 Chap. 43. For answer first I deny the proposition and the Hypothesis whereupon it is grounded contrariwise affirme that the name of Antichrist meaning the name which Antichrist shall impose vpon men spoken of Apoc. 13. might be vnknowne for a time yea was to be vnknowne for a long time after his comming For the name of Antichrist cannot be knowne as the name of Antichrist vntill Antichrist himselfe be knowne and acknowleged But Antichrist himselfe was not commonly to be knowne acknowleged at his first comming For then he could not be able to seduce many few or none being so desperately madde as to follow him whom they know to be Antichrist First therefore the mysterie of iniquity was to worke secretly to the seducing of many afterwards Antichrist was to be reuealed first by his manifest appearing and shewing himselfe more plainely and openly after by his acknowledgement whereof also there are degrees first by some particularly secondly by whole Churches generally and yet neuer in this world to be acknowleged of those that receiue and retaine his marke Againe the name of Antichrist is a mysterie Antichristianisme is a mysterie of iniquity In the whore of Babylons forehead In Apoc. 17 5. is written a mysterie And so far is it froÌ„ the vnderstanding of all to tell the name of the beast that the holy Ghost speaking of this name saith Here is wisdoÌ„ he that hath vnderstaÌ„ding let him reckon the number of the beast meaning the number of his name Apoc. 13. 18. 2. In the similitude taken from Christ there is no likene howbeit Beâ—…armine taketh great felicity in coÌ„paring Christ with Antichrist Christ as he was one particular man so at the time of his circumcision a proper name was giuen vnto him Antichrist as he Luke 2. 21. is not one particular person as hath bin proued but a state could not haue a proper name giueÌ„ vnto him And accordingly it is said to be the name of the beast which beast as hath bin shewed signifieth not one particular man but a whole state Againe Christ comming to saue his name Iesus the name of the Sauiour was tâ—… be made knowne that he might the rather be embraced Antichrist comming to deceiue to destroy was according to his diuellish pollicie to conceale that name whereby he should be known to be Antichrist least being knowne he shold be forsaken of all And as touching Sâ—…bylla she did not only foretel that the name of Christ should coÌ„taine the nuÌ„ber 888. as indeed the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iesus doth but also setteth downe certaine Acrostiches that is verses the first letters whereof containe this sentence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iesus Christ the sonne of God the Sauior which are also cited by Augustine But of antichrist she speaketh nothing De ciuit dei lib. 18. Chap. 23. so plainly Howbeit she plainly calleth Rome BabyloÌ„ as Iohn doth and in the 8. booke describing antichrist as
the Iewes doo The Iewes looke for him with ioy as for their Messias but the Christians with feare I answere as true Christians looke not at all for the expected Messias of the Iewes to be Antichrist but acknowledge him that is come so Papists but that they cannot see the wood for trees might in stead of looking for Antichrist looke vppon him 10 The second thing which Bellarmine deliuereth concerning Antichrist for a certaine truth is That Antichrist shall be a Iew both by Nation and Religion that is he shall be a Iew borne hee shall be circumcised hee shall be an obseruer of the Iewes Sabboth and other Iewish ceremonies But how is this certaine truth proued forsooth from the premisses For the Iewes will not receiue one for their Messias that is not a Iew borne nor circumcised Nay it is not to bee doubted but that as the Iewes looke for their Messias out of the family of Dauid so hee will faigne himselfe to be of the Tribe of Dauid although indeed he be of the Tribe of Dan. But this Popish conceit built vpon their owne vaine imaginations needeth no answere For seeing I haue ouerthrowne their former assertion wherevpon this is grounded therefore this building of it selfe falleth to the ground Whosoeuer saith hee shall be receiued of the Iewes for their Messias he shall be a Iew borne and circumcised but Antichrist shall be receiued of the Iewes for their Messias as hath bene proued therefore Antichrist shall be a Iew borne c. The proposition is not altogether true for the Herodians receiued Herod for Epiphan lib. 1. de haeresi Iudaeor 7. their Messias and thence had their name But I will not stand vpon that The assumption I haue alreadie disproued shewing that Antichrist was not to be receiued of the Iewes for their Messias and therefore there is no validitie in this argument In the next place therefore for want either of reason or authoritie of scripture he vnderproppeth this tottering wall with testimonies of Fathers but such as either himselfe before hath reiected or else in this question may by the same reason be little regarded The twelue Fathers saith hee which affirmed that Antichrist shall be of the Tribe of Dan doo therefore holde that hee should be a Iew borne But himselfe hath tolde vs that we are not to beleeue them because their opinion cannot bee prooued out of the scriptures and therefore by the same reason neither they nor the rest are to be beleeued in this point which hath no ground in the word of God And thus his most euident demonstration is come to nothing For although the Iewes receiue not the Pope for their Messias but rather esteeme of him as of an other Pharao and withall apply vnto him all that is spoken either of Antichrist as the Papists say or of the type of Antichrist R. Ieuâ—… Gerson Antiochus as we say Dan. 7. 11. this hindereth not but that the Pope may bee Antichrist Yea this may bee some inducement to perswade vs that if those thinges which bee spoken of Antichrist or his type may in the iudgement of the Iewes who are no parties be applyed properly to the Pope that then the Pope is that Antichrist that in Daniel is figured and in other places of scripture not vnlike to that figure described Chap. 13. Of the seate or See of Antichrist 1 OVr aduersaries sixt disputatioÌ„ is concerning the seat or See of Antichrist concluded in this syllogysme Antichrist shall sit at Ierusalem and not at Rome the Pope sitteth at Rome not at Ierusalem therefore the Pope is not Antichrist The proposition concerning which all the coÌ„trouersie is is first proued by testimonies of scriptures afterwards defeÌ„ded against our obiectioÌ„s His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or proofe standeth on three testimonies of scripture The first Apoc. 11. 8. where Iohn saith that Enoch Elias shal be slaine of Antichrist in Ierusalem And their bodies shal lie in the streets of the great Citie which is called spirituall Sodome or Egypt where our Lord also was crucified But what if Iohn speaketh neither of Antichrist nor of Enoch Elias nor of IerusaleÌ„ that hee speaketh not of Antichrist it may bee doubted For verse 7. hee saith that the beast which ascendeth out of the deepe which seemeth to bee the former beast described in the beginning of Chap. 13. shall kill the two witnesses And verse 2. it is said that the court of the Temple should be giuen to the Gentiles and that they should tread vpon the holy Citie 42. moneths which is the time allotted to the persecution of the beast with seuen heads Apoc. 13. 5. Besides the Papists teach that Antichrist shall bee the Prince of the Iewes and counterfeit Christians therefore by their owne doctrine this persecution of the Church by the Gentiles should not be the persecution vnder Antichrist And that Enoch and Elias be not here spoken of it hath bene shewed before thirdly that the holy Ghost doth not meane Ierusalem I haue heretofore proued But suppose that S. Iohn did speake both of Antichrist as it Chap. 6. Lib. 1. caâ—… 2. § 17. seemeth he doth not and also of Ierusalem which I am sure hee doth not yet notwithstanding this followeth not that wheresoeuer the witnesses of Christ are put to death by him or by his authoritie that there should be his principall seate Whereas therefore Bellarmine argueth thus Where the two witnesses are put to death there is the seate of Antichrist at Ierusalem the two witnesses are put to death therefore at Ierusalem is the seate of Antichrist I answere first to the proposition that it being generally vnderstood is false if particularly then Bellarmines argumentation is not a syllogisme but a paralogisme And to the assumption I answer negatiuely that answer I haue heretofore made good prouing that not Ierusalem is here meant but ciuitas Romana the Citie and Empire of Rome which euery where in the Apocalyps is called the great Citie wherein and by authoritie wherof our Lord was crucified See the first booke chap. 2. § 16. 17. 2 His second testimonie is Apoc. 7. 16. wherevnto I haue answered before in the second chapter of the first booke § 18. But as from that place hee would proue that Rome is not the seate of Antichrist so by another argument which he addeth he proueth that it is Ierusalem For saith hee If Antichrist be a Iew and professe himselfe to be the Messias and King of the Iewes then no doubt he will sit in Ierusalem but the former of these I haue disproued in the former chapter and therefore further answere needeth not Yea but foure of the Fathers auouch that Antichrist shall sit at Ierusalem Although they did yet Bellarmine hath taught vs that we are not bound to beleeue them vnlesse their assertioÌ„ can be proued out of the scriptures And yet of these foure Fathers which he alledgeth Lactantius speaketh not of
satis euidenter obscurely called God The Canonists call him DominuÌ„ Deum nostrum Papam Our Lord God the Pope But for further proofe of this point I referre you to the former booke chap. 5 § 6. c. where I intreated of the Antichristian pride of the Pope To which former testimonies I will adde one practise of the Pope in his great yeare of Iubile when as in solemne procession he is carried in a seate of gold vpon noble mens shoulders his god of bread being carried before him vpon an backeney as his attendant and at length commeth to the gates of Paradise which hee beateth open with a golden hammer at which time he is worshipped of all sorts present as a God from whoÌ„ they expect indulgence remission of sinnes and eternal life according to his large promises made to all those which shall come to Rome to celebrate the Iubiley In a word he is numen quoddam visibilem quendam Deum preâ—…se ferens a certaine diuine maiestie shewing himselfe to be a certaine visible God The premisses therefore considered together with my allegations in the place before named this argument may be returned vpon our aduersary after this manner whosoeuer sitteth Lib. 1. ca. 5 §. 6. 7. in the temple of God as God that is ruleth and raigneth ouer the church as if he were a God vpon earth and declareth himselfe either by word or deed that he is God for example if he shall challenge vnto himselfe those titles attributes and workes which are proper vnto God and shall be willing to be saluted acknowledged and adored as God he vndoubtedly is Antichrist But the Pope of Rome ruleth ouer the church as if he were a God vpon earth and declareth himselfe both by word and deed that he is God challenging vnto himself those titles attributes and workes which are peculiar vnto the Lord c. as hath bene proued therefore the Pope is Antichrist yea but the Pope saith Bellarmine doth not declare himselfe to be God for he acknowledgeth himselfe to be the seruant of the Lord. Hee might as well conclude that the Pope neuer calleth himselfe regem reguÌ„terrae ac DominuÌ„ Dominorum the king of the kings of the earth and Lord of Lordes because he acknowledgeth himself seruuÌ„ seruoruÌ„ Dei the seruant of gods seruants Neither doth his verball professioÌ„ ouersway his reall practise But he should haue remembred that the second beast which is Antichrist Apoc. 13. 11. as hee speaketh like the dragon belching out blasphemies against God so hee hath two hornes like the lambe as a dissembling hypocrite imitateth in some things the humilitie of Christ. And therefore that the Pope could not be such an Antichrist as is described in the scriptures vnlesse he were an hypocrite who doth by open profession pretend himselfe to be the seruant of God when as in truth he aduanceth himselfe against him And yet this is all that our aduersary alledgeth to proue his assumption that the Pope doth not shewe himselfe to be God 11 The fourth and last doctrine saith the Iesuite is this he shall not onely affirme that he is God but that he onely is God and shall oppugne all other Gods both true and false and shall suffer no Idols But this absurd conceit of the papists is not onely repugnant vnto the truth but also contradictory to their owne doctrines coÌ„cerning Antichrist For is it credible either that a mortall man shall affirme himselfe alone to be the true God and none but he or if he shall so affirme of himselfe that Christians and Iewes and all the world almost will acknowledge and worship him as the onely true God Againe the Antichristian seate is figured by the whore of Babylon which because of her owne idolatrie is called a whore and because she infecteth all nations that adhere vnto her with her idolatries Apoc. 17. 2. 5. and superstitions she is said to make them drunke with the cup of her fornications and also to be the mother of all the fornications that is idolatries of the earth Yea the Papists themselues expound Deut. 11. 38. where Antiochus Epiphanes is described as an Idolater as properly spoken of Antichrist And do not themselues teach that Antichrist shall professe himselfe to be the Messias of the Iewes and consequently that he is sent and annointed of God Now if he shall professe himselfe sent from God shall we thinke that he wil say there is no God besides himselfe Or if hee being but a mortall man shall say there is no God besides himselfe may we not well thinke that either they will hisse at him as a foole or stone him to death as a blasphemer Nay do not themselues teach that he shall be in religion a Iew an obseruer of the Sabboth and other Iewish ceremonies And do they not alledge Ierome to proue that Antichrist shall faigne himselfe to be the chiefe of the couenant and a In Dan. 11 chiefe maintainer of the lawe and testament of God And are not his two hornes like the Lambe expounded by some approued In Apo. 13 Authors among them of the two testaments which hee shall seeme to professe 12 But let vs see how this wise conceit is proued Forsooth by testimonies of the scriptures and the Fathers Out of the scripture hee alledgeth two places the former 2. Thess. 2. 4. Who is extolled aboue all that is called God or worshipped As if hee should say Antichrist shall bee aduanced aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped therefore hee shall auouch that hee alone is God and will suffer no other God either true or false to bee worshipped besides himselfe I denie the consequence For first Antichrist may aduance himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped and yet suffer yea require them to bee worshipped Iupiter was supposed among the Heathen to aduance himself aboue all other Gods and yet suffered them to be worshipped as Gods Antichrist the second beast aduanceth himselfe aboue the Image of the Apoc. 13. former beast which is the Empire renewed whereon he sitteth as the rider death vpon a beast and yet requireth the same to be worshipped The Pope aduanceth himselfe aboue Angels Apoc. 17. Kings and Princes who are called Gods aboue the Saints the Host the Crosse and whatsoeuer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the church of Rome and yet requireth them all to be worshipped Secondly Antichrist may aduance himself aboue or against al that is called God or is worshipped and yet not professe himselfe to be the only God For so Antiochus Epiphanes aduanced himselfe against euery God yea against the God of Gods Dan. 11. 36. and yet he was neuer so mad as to professe himselfe the only God Thirdly seeing Antichristianisme is not open Atheisme but a mystery of iniquity Antichrist is described in the scriptures as an hypocrite pretended ChristiaÌ„ we may be assured that although in deed in truth
set vp in the temple of God the Idoll of Iupiter Olympius to be worshipped as it is recorded 2. Mac. 6. who was a God whom his fathers knew not that is acknowledged Strabo geograph lib. 16. not nor worshipped For the Syrians worshipped Apollo and Diana And the munitions of Mahuzzim that is Ierusalem and other cities of Iewry which had bene as it were the munitions and cities of God hee committed them to the tuition of a strange God namely Iupiter Olympius The same prophesie in effect was before deliuered Dan. 7. 25. See Tremell in Dan. 7. 8. 8. 11. by conference of which places with this in hand it is manifest that by the God Mahuzzim is meant the true God 17 This prophesie therefore being meant of Antiochus Epiphanes fulfilled in him cannot properly belong to Antichrist or any other Notwithstanding as in some other things so in the premisses Antiochus may not vnsitly be thought to haue bene a type or figure of Antichrist In so much that both the auncient Fathers haue vnderstood these prophesies of Antichrist and many also of the late writers besides the Iewes haue applyed the same particularly to the Pope For besides that it is most true of the Pope that hee doth what he will seeing Legi non subiacâ—…t vlli hee is subiect to no lawe and no man may say to him Sir why doo you so The rest also after a sort may be verified of him that both hee setteth himselfe against the Idols of the Gentiles and also hath abrogated the true worship of God And that in stead of Christ the Almightie God he hath set vp in his churches besides many other Idols the abhominable Idoll of the Masse a God which his fathers the first Bishops of Rome knew not which notwithstaÌ„ding he honoreth with gold and siluer and precious stones and hath committed the churches cities and countries of Christendome to the tuition and patronage of diuers Saints who as they are indeed so are they called by Paulus Ionius a Popish Bishop the tutelar Gods of the Papists Hist. lib. 24. in fine 18 And these were his testimonies of scripture In the next place for want of better proofes he slyeth to the authoritie of the Fathers as his last refuge as though they testified that Antichrist shall not be an Idolater nor one that will suffer Idols But I answer that the Fathers do either speake of the Idols and Idolatry of the Gentiles onely and in that sence their speeches are verified in this behalfe of the Pope who neither honoreth nor suffereth the Idols of the Gentiles or else if they speake of all Idols and Idolatry in generall when they say Idola seponet as Ireneus or adidololatriam non admittet as Hippolitus or idola odio habebit as Cyrill or adidololatriaÌ„ non adducet ille as Chrysostome they deserue such an Antichrist as in this behalfe is better then the Pope But indeed as the Pope is so Antichrist in the scriptures is described to bee an Idolater as hath bene shewed 19 Hauing thus doughtily proued this Popish conceit the Iesuit proceedeth to the disproofe of our assertioÌ„s expositions of some places of scripture and especially that of 2. Thess 2. Our assertion concerning the doctrine of Antichrist hee saith is onely built vpon the scriptures falsely expounded by new glosses In token whereof saith hee they alledge not one Interpreter or Doctor for them But this is a malicious slaunder witnesse this place which he mentioneth 2. Thess. 2. where we proue by the consent of many of the Fathers that by the Temple is meant the church of God and that in the church of God Antichrist was to be reuealed after the Romane Empire which hindered was taken out of the way c. Our assertions concerning Antichrist are grouÌ„ded on the prophesies of scriptures expounded by the euent which is the best expóunder of prophesies And with our assertions the opinions of the Fathers agree where they are consonant to the scripture and the euent Contrariwise the assertions of the Papists concerning Antichrist as they are repugnant to the scriptures and the truth of the euent so are they wholy grounded either vpon the vncertaine and many times misalledged coniectures of the Fathers who were no Prophets and therefore being not able to foresee the euent did not many times vnderstand the Prophesies or else on the blinde conceits of Popish writers who being deceiued with the efficacie of illusion and made drunke with the whore Babylons cuppe of fornications were giuen ouer to beleeue lyes And whereas our writers expounding those wordes of the Apostle 2. Thess. 2. 4. who is lifted vp aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped doo apply the same vnto the Pope vpon very good and sufficient proofes and from thence do plainely conclude the Pope to be Antichrist for euidence whereof I referre the Reader to the 5. chapter of my former booke He culleth out some stragling sentences out of some one of the vnsoundest writers of our side as their maner is which he may best hope to answere As though we had no more nor no better arguments to proue that the Pope aduanceth himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped then these two First because he professeth himselfe to bee the Vicar of Christ And secondly whereas Christ subiected himselfe willingly vnto the scriptures the Pope challengeth authoritie to dispense with the scripture Howbeit the former of these two reasons hee depraueth and the latter he is not able to satisfie For Illyricus his reason to proue that the Pope aduanceth himselfe aboue all that is called God is not because he maketh himselfe the Vicar of Christ but this because hee vaunting himselfe to be the Vicar of Christ doth notwithstanding vsurpe greater authoritie then the sonne of God claimed vnto himselfe of which that which Bellarmine Catalog test pag. 3. alledgeth as a second reason is by Illyricus added as a proofe Wherevnto Bellarmine is no otherwise able to answer then by impudent and shamelesse deniall either that Christ subiected Contrary to Galat. 4. 4. Luke 2. 51 himselfe to the lawe and word of God or that the Pope taketh vpon him to dispense with the scriptures or that any Catholike meaning Popish writer hath said that he may dispense with diuine precepts both which notwithstanding I haue heretofore proued by many instances and most euident allegations See the first booke chap. 5. § 10. 11. 12. For that which hee addeth of Christs subiecting himselfe to the prophesies and not to the precepts as though Illyricus had spoken of the one in his proposition and of the other in the assumption it is partly false and partly ridiculous and indeede not worth the answering Chap. 15. Of the miracles of Antichrist 1 WEe are now come to the eight maine argument which Bellarmine vseth to proue that the Pope of Rome is not Antichrist because forsooth those things