Scriptures and ancient Fathers in a large discourse worthy the perusing by all louers of true Faith 4. The Pope as Pope is a most wicked transgressour of euery Commandement in the Decalogue 5. Speciall records of the Popes vile acts and deedes against the whole Law of God gathered out of the Popes owne Historians Schoolemen Canonists Casuists and Ceremonials 6. The Pope imprinteth the Character of Antichrist vpon Princes and Priests and all other sorts of people 7. The Pope doth coozen the world by lying wonders 8. SANDERS BELLARMINE and other Papists answered touching the Miracles of Antichrist 9. The Popes crueltie against Gods Saints 10. Rome Antichristian the Popes place of Residence 11. The Pope and that Great Antichrist haue all one beginning growth continuance and ending 12. When Rome shall fall in all likelihood §. XXIII 1. The end why God so long doth suffer the Pope §. XXIIII 1. The forme of the Demonstration gathered from all beforesaid and proouing the Pope to be that Great Antichrist §. XXV 1. The first exception against the Demonstration fully answered 2. How is the Gospell preached throughout the world 3. How the Romane Empire is said to stand at this day §. XXVI 1. The second exception from the iudgement of some Protestants denying the Pope to be that Antichrist fully and truely satisfied 2. How we are to take the words of the ancient Fathers in this question of the Great Antichrist §. XXVII 1. The testimonies of the Fathers prouing the Pope to bee that Great Antichrist two wayes 2. First by way of Prophecie declaring two maine points First that Antichrist shall sit at Rome vpon the ruines of the Romane Empire so Tertullian Cyrill Hierosolym Chrysostome Theophylact and Rodolphus Fluuiacensis alleadged by Coccius Secondly that Rome is Babylon the proper seat of Antichrist and to bee destroyed before the end of the World so Tertullian Hierome and Lactantius 3. Secondly by way of open verdict and proclamation where the Pope is put vpon a Iurie of twelue good men and true whereof foure are 1. Kings and Emperours 2. Archbishops and Bishops 3. Abbots and Monks together with a supply of a Decem Tales if any of the former should be challenged 4. The sufficiencie of these testimonies warranted First by three specialties the Pride the Schismes and the filthy liues of Popes Secondly by the iudgement of the Popes owne Dearlings viz. BELLARMINE and BARONIVS §. XXVIII 1. The first vse of this doctrine is to bewaile the misery of our English Papists 2. The manner of their bondage to the See of Rome 3. The dealing of Iesuites and Seminarie Priests 4. The outragious Conspiracies against our most Gracious Soueraignes the Kings and Queenes of England 5. No Papist as a Papist is a true Christian 6. No Papist as a Papist is a good Subiect 7. The suspicious courses of Papists in taking the Oath of Alleagiance most plainely detected §. XXIX 1. The second vse of the doctrine is to reioyce heartily for our gracious deliuerance from Antichrist 2. The double meanes by which God deliuered this Monarchie of Great Brittaine from the tyrannie of Antichrist 3. The libertie wee enioy now vnder our most Gracious Soueraigne Lord King IAMES 4. The Popish obiections made to scandalize our Profession of the Reformed Religion fully satisfied by declaring three things First how Temporall commodities are deare or cheape Secondly Vpon what grounds our departure from them standeth Thirdly in what case our fore-fathers were liuing in and vnder Popery 5. An Exhortation to our Iudges for the strict execution of our Lawes and Statutes made against Iesuites Seminarie Priests and Popish Recusants The third part §. XXX 1. THe diuers acceptions of the word Antichrist 2. There must alwayes be Heretikes in the Church militant till the comming of Christ to Iudgement §. XXXI 1. The vse of the former doctrine is iustly to reproue the Separatist the Brownists whose grounds and reasons are fully examined and their wickednesse discouered §. XXXII 1. All Heresies haue a necessary dependance vpon that Great Antichrist 2. What Heresie is 3. The Hereticall forerunners of Antichrist 4. The reliques of Antichristian Heresies maintained by some priuate spirits in the bosome of the Reformed Churches §. XXXIII 1. The vse of this doctrine is threefold to direct First the Ministerie to fight by the Word against Antichrist and Heresies Secondly the Magistracie to cut off Heretikes by the Temporall Sword Thirdly the People of God not to murmure at the Execution of Iustice but rather First to prayse God for His Maiesties great zeale in defending Gods Truth against all Heretikes Secondly to pray God for the strengthning of His Maiesties heart and arme against them Thirdly to auoyd them and flee from them that be Enemies to our Christian peace 2. The conclusion of all in a briefe recapitulation with a short Prayer for the Comming of Christ. And now my deare Brethren take in good part my poore endeuours wholly bent and imployed for the good of his Elect in the Seruice of his Church wherein I labour as a weake and vnworthy Minister of Gods Word It may be some will require an Index Alphabeticall of the Contents But that Table should be framed by the Leaues and Page and I am farre from the Presse Only therefore marke the method and your memories will bee an Index sufficient for finding out any matter in this Booke contained Reade all before you for your better vnderstanding Trust mee not before you try mee in the pith of my proofes not taken vp at the second hand but sought and brought out of the Store-house it selfe of holy Wisdome to wit the Canonicall Scriptures the Ancient Fathers and other good Authours of humane Learning God open their eyes and touch their hearts that are otherwise minded God increase and strengthen our faith who are right minded that in the peace of Hierusalem our hearts may bee comforted with a full assurance of euerlasting happinesse in Iesus Christ AMEN From my Studie in Mountgomerie in Wales this sixth day of Ianuarie being the Feast of EPIPHANY Anno Dom. 1618. Your Brother in the Lord Christ Iesus Thomas Thompson ANTICHRIST ARRAIGNED THE TEXT IS 1. Iohn 2. 18. Babes it is the last time and as yee haue heard that Antichrist shall come euen now are there many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time 19. They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs. But this commeth to passe that it might appeare that they are not all of vs. 20. But yee haue an oyntment from him that is holy and yee haue knowne all things IAMES and Iohn the sonnes of Zebedee most Honourable right Worshipfull and dearely beloued men fathers and brethren in our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ are called by our Sauiour a Marke 3.17 Boanarges sonnes of thunder because of the powerfull voice of their preaching saith b Nazianz. 19. Gregorie
denied by those Arian Popes Foelix the second and Liberius he being vpon Liberius his banishment made Bishop of Rome by Constantius the Emperour at the instance of Acacius and so continuing till his dying day if we beleeue either k Hieronym in Catalog sub nomine Acac. Hierome before l Platina in Foelice Platina or Onuphrius m Onuphr in Annot. in Platin. his old Monument recording him a Schismatike and an Opposite to Liberius then as yet truely Orthodoxe before Bellarmines n Bellar. lib. 4. de Pontif. Rom. cap. 9. false Epitaph found or rather counterfeited by some cunning Knaue at that very time when they made him a Saint this to wit Liberius being drawne vpon Foelix his death for the re-obtayning of his place to subscribe to Arianisme to communicate with Arians in the Councell of Sirmium and after his re-instalment all his life afterward to bee a professed Arian if wee may relye vpon the constant report of o Athanas in Epist ad solitar vit agentes Athanasius p Hieronym Catal. in Fortunatiano Hierome q Sozomen lib. 4 cap. 15. Sozomene and all the r Regino lib. 1. Hermannus Gigas c. tom 1. illustr scriptoruÌ„ apud Ioh. Pistor 2. As Christ is Man latter Histories And for his Man-hood how it was vndermined by Vigilius the Manophysite and Honorius the Monothelite I need not insist since Bellarmine and Baronius are here beaten downe with their owne best weapons by the Å¿ D. Rainolds in Apolog thesium pag. 39.40 c. D. Whitaker contr 4. q. 6. c. 3. 2. Of Christs Office 1. As Christ is a Prophet two great Worthies of our Israel not yet answered For the Popes coozening close-play against Christ his Office is at this day more detestable in that he impugneth first the Propheticall Office of Christ by his wicked allowance of vnwritten Verities and humane Traditions which hee t Catechism Trident. Coloniae 8.1581 pag. 11. maketh one part of the Word of God like the blasphemous Iewes u Apud Petrum Galatin lib. 1. de Arâ—an Cathol fidei cap. 1. now deuiding the Law into two parts the one in writing the other in speaking whereas wee are not bound to acknowledge any other word of God but what is written in the Canonicall Bookes of Scriptures by Damascen x Io. Damascen lib. 1. Orthodox sid cap. 1. his iudgement vnlesse wee will incurre Pauls y Glaâ— 1.8.9 Anathema for receiuing another Gospell 2. As Christ is a Priest secondly Christ his Priesthood not onely by appointing z Concil Trident sess 22. c. 3. the Masse to be a Sacrifice propitiatorie for quicke and dead against the Apostles Doctrine by which we are taught that a Heb. 10.14 by one offering Christ hath perfected for euer them that are sanctified but also by ordayning a Shaueling Priest to be Mediator betweene God the Father and Christ his Sonne as when vpon the Popes prescription b Jn Missali edit iussu Pij Quinti the Priest must offer the body of Christ for a Sacrifice to God vsing this c In Canone Missae Prayer after the words of Consecration d Placeat tibi Sancta Trinitas obsequium seruitutis meae prâ—sâ—a vt sacrificium quod oculis Maiestatis tuae indignus obtulit c. Let the obedience of my seruice please thee O holy Trinitie and grant that the Sacrifice which one vnworthy hath offered in the eyes of thy Maiestie may be acceptable vnto thee and thou shewing mercie helpfull to me and to those for whom I did offer it by Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen which all his chiefe Liturgists cannot free from the blot of Blasphemie since the Sacrifice being as their e Of Transubstantiation Concil Trident. sess 13. cap 4 Doctrine enforceth it Christ himselfe whom the Priest doth offer the Priest must needs be a Mediator vpon whose worth the Sacrifice is acceptable so that they cannot excuse it from a plaine intrusion into the Office of Mediatorship and a lifting vp of the Priest aboue Christ his Sauiour and therefore f Titleman Durand Durantus in exposit Missae some of their Ceremonists passe it ouer in silence as a Mysterie and others g Iodoc. Clicthoueus lib. 3. Elucidator Ecclesiastici ad finem glosse it as if the Priest did desire it to bee accepted as well for the giuer as for the worth of the gift whereas we are not to acknowledge any other Mediator then h 1. Tim. 2.5 one which Christ in i Ephes 1.6 3. As Christ is a King whom alone wee are accepted thirdly Christs Kingly Office by that wicked vsurpation of a Supremacie ouer the Church whose Head and whose Husband the Pope k Extrauagant Commun lib. 1. tit 8. plainely calleth himselfe when if he bee an Head not mysticall which is l Ephes 5.29 Christ nor Ciuill as the m 1. Sam. 15.18 lawfull Magistrate is but as n Rhemist in 1. Eph. 2â— Bellar. lib. 2 de Ponti Rom. c. 17 they call him an Head Ministeriall then both the Church shall bee like Cerberus a Triple-headed Monster the Pope but like a Wen or an Head for no vse but for an odious and tedious burden since Christ for matter spirituall and the Magistrate vnder Christ for Ciuill Causes doth wholy and only gouerne the Church which cannot haue the Pope to be her Head Ministeriall without some contradiction since n Ioh. Patriarch Antiochen in appendi Concilij Basiliensis if hee bee an Head to the Church he is her Master or if hee be but a Minister as they call themselues o In suis bullis à Gregor 1. seruos seruorum then shee is his Mistresse and therefore not his Spouse vnlesse p Vid. D. Abbat in Antilogiâ ad Apologiam Eudaen cap. 3. he be an Adulterer and shee an Adulteresse since Christ her q 2. Cor. 11.2 only Husband r Heb. 13.8 is yet aliue and euer Å¿ Matth. 28.20 The third Article is impugned in respect 1. Of the Virgin Marie her selfe with her to the end of the World The third Article Which was conceiued by the Holy Ghost borne of the Virgin MARIE is by him impugned two seuerall wayes first by that proper assertion of the Franciscans allowed by t Extrauag Comm. lib. 3. tit 12. cap. 2. Sixtus quartus and the u Concil Trident sess 5. can 5 Councell of Trent that the Virgin MARIE was conceiued without originall sinne For thereby they conclude that Christ is not a lonely so holy as x Luke 1.35 the Angell pronounced him and that hee was not a y 1. Tim. 4.10 Sauiour for all men as the Apostle auoucheth since Marie had no need of him if She were without sinne whereas of the contrary Shee her-selfe z Luke 1.48 confessed Him for her Sauiour the Fathers vniformely holding this for an Axiome against the
generall Councell directed by Gods Spirit the explanation of the will of God to which all and euery Christian is to agree and as good Saint Augustine e August lib. 1. de Baptis contra Donatist cap. 18. tearmed the sentence of a generall Councell to be the consent of the whole Church 2. Meanes But to passe forward lest this good gift of discerning spirits might bee or seeme to bee a delusion therefore a second meanes is added hereunto which is the written Word of God comprised in Canonicall Scriptures For this is a most sanctified soueraigne meanes thus ratified by the Prophet f Esay 8.20 To the law to the testimonie if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them thus reckoned of by the Apostle g 1. Tim. 3.15.16.17 the holy Scriptures are able to make thee wise vnto saluation through faith which is in Christ Iesus for all Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable see the vses thereof for doctrine to wit of truth for reproofe of error for correction of a bad life for instruction in righteousnesse vnto a good life that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished vnto all good workes For the old and new Testament is as sayth h Basil de rectâ fide Basill the treasure of the Church the holy books of diuine Scriptures are as saith i Isidor Pelusiot lib. 1. Ep. â—69 Isidorus Pelusiota 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very ladders by which we climbe vp to God because k August tom 4 lib. de bâ—no viduitat cap. 1. the holy Scripture hath fastned a rule vnto our doctrine lest we should presume to vnderstand more then it behooueth vs to vnderstand but that as he saith we may vnderstand according to sobrietie as God hath giuen to euery man the measure of faith therefore it is not my part to teach you any other thing but to expound vnto you the words of the Teacher and to dispute of those things as God hath giuen Ob. But here againe Doctor Stapleton is l Stapleton vbi supra carping against this meanes also granting what we say to be true yet adding three things first that the Word of God is not the Scripture only secondly that the common sort of the faithfull doth not vnderstand this Word of God so exactâ—y as that they can iudge of euery new doctrine by the same Word of God and in the causes and grounds thereof thirdly that the proportion of faith which ruleth against new doctrine is the now approued and receiued faith of the Church Sol. All which exceptions are but beggerly crauings of what will not be granted neither to him nor to any Papist now liuing in the world For the first point is most false and a flat derogation to the sufficiencie of the Canonicall Scriptures which only conteine the whole reuealed will and Word of God as besides the Scripture it selfe which m Deut. 4.2 Reuel 2â— 18 curseth those that adde thereunto and Fathers alleadged by n Morn in praefat de Eucharist Polan cap. 1. symboâ— Theolog. c. our side and yet not answered by any of their Wranglers euen o Aquin. 1. p. Aquinas and Catetane their owne great Rabbies haue plainely auouched hee saying that our faith relyeth vpon the reuelation made to the Apostles and Prophets who writ the Canonicall bookes but not vpon the reuelation if any be made to any other Doctors this p Caietan in 2. Tim. 3.16 expounding the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by diuine inspiration as the speciall difference betweene Gods written Word and all humane inuentions And the second point is no better being an vncharitable debasement of Gods children who may be as S. Paul was q 2. Cor. 11.6 rude in speech but not in knowledge For since Gods Spirit r Iohn 16.13 which is the Spirit of Truth leading into all truth may be in Amos as wel as Esay may be in vnlettered Idiots as well as in a learned Rabbie we cannot with any godly reason debar simple men from the knowledge of the Scriptures which are not the Å¿ Esay 13.12 sealed booke but t Habbac 2.1 written so plaine that a man may runne and read them And therefore albeit they cannot out of Scripture exactly decide like a learned Schooleman a point of Controuersie yet may they by Gods enlightning grace attaine to so much knowledge of godlinesse out of the reading and hearing of the holy Scriptures as may through Gods acceptance suffice for their saluation according to their measure as the Apostle exhorteth u Col. 3.16 Let the Word of God dwell in you plenteously For hereby saith x Hieronym in 3. Coloss Hierome is declared that Lay men must haue the Word of Christ not onely sufficiently but abundantly and so teach and warne themselues mutually But thirdly where he seemeth to tye the proportion of faith to the Church not to the tenor of the Scriptures I maruell how hee dare so swarue from the Scriptures which y Clem. Alex. lib. 6. Strom. August lib. 2. contra Cresconium Grammatic all the Fathers call The Ecclesiasticall Rule both of faith and manners For what is this analogie or proportion of faith but z Vid. Hyperium lib. 2. de Theol cap. 35. the true agreement which one part of the Scriptures hath with another to make vp one faith Fides a Tertull. lib. de praescript aduer hâ—r cap. 14. saith TERTVLLIAN in regula posita est Faith is placed vnder a rule to wit of Law and Gospell that it should not depend vpon Man but vpon God and that it should be made knowne by it owne onely principles which are the Bookes of Canonicall Scriptures the onely best and Authentique b Iohn 5.39 Witnesses of Iesus Christ the c Heb. 12.2 Authour and finisher of our faith As then the Law-giuer is the best Interpreter of himselfe so let God in the Scriptures haue the place both of Text and of glosse d Psal 51.4 Rom. 3.4 that he may be iustified in his sayings and cleere when he is iudged For e Irenaeus lib. 3 aduers haer c. 12. ostensiones quae sunt in Scripturis non possunt ostendi nisi ex ipsis Scripturis saith IRENIE Doctrines in Scriptures cannot be declared but out of the Scriptures Whereupon f Tertull. lib. de veland virginib cap. 3. Tertullian thus cutting off all customes or prescriptions which seeme vpon pretence of antiquitie to derogate from truth cryeth out Exurge Veritas Arise vp Truth quasi de patientiâ erumpe and breake forth out of thy patience nullam volo consuetudinem defendas I will not haue thee to maintaine any custome Ipsa Scripturas tuas interpretare quas consuetudo non nouit Doe thou interpret thy Scriptures which custome hath not knowne si enim nosset nunquaÌ„ esset for if it