amongst the Popes there beeing sometimes three at once and euery one raging against the other with cursings c. to the great griefe perplexitie and destruction of Christian men a See Fox Martyr It was also a time of great persecution of the Gospel whose professors were many learned godly and constant b Peuc 5. f. 155. c. In the yeare 1400. was proclaimed a Iubile to bee held at Rome Against which Hus did teach that the true Iubile was in preaching of Iesus Christ that the Pope and Cardinals bee not the Church the institution of Christ is to bee kept there ought not to bee any worshipping of Saints the Popes decrees are not to be admitted c. At this time was an extreame famine in Italie c Epit. Blond And thus the first resurrection appeareth CHAP XI The warres begunne at the first resurrection are continued c. And the resurrection is more manifest NOw is come that blessed time which the Prophet d Dan. 12.12 Daniel spoke of namely 1335. daies that is yeres after the destruction of Ierusalem which was in the yeare of Christ 74. At which time is a more cleare demonstration of the first resurrection For here also doe ende those e cap. 12.6 1260. daies that is yeares to be reckoned from the tenth yeare of Antonius Pius which was in the yeare of Christ 149. when the woman the Church fled into the wildernesse after shee had brought forth many contagious professors as a man childe During which time shee remained confusedly amongst the wicked as in a wildernesse full of Dragons and Ostriches But now f Dan. 12.2 many that were as sleeping and dead in the dust doe rise vp to euerlasting life and their cause doth come abroad by the reuiuing of the Gospel Here therefore is continued the first resurrection and the warre betweene the word of God and the hostes in heauen that followed him against the beast and the kings of the earth And here is that blessed time in which the witnesses doe separate themselues from the kingdome of Antichrist The meanes by which they separate themselues from Antichrist the beast is said to be that those of the spirit of Saint Iohn g cap. 18 4. heard a voyce from heauen to wit from the Church of God in the persons of his witnesses who had learned the doctrine of saluation of the God of heauen out of his word and also had spread it abroade in the world The doctrine is a commaundement from God the same which was giuen to the a Isai 48.20 Ier. 51.6 Zach. 2.6 Isralites that were in the captiuitie of Babylon Goe b cap. 18.4 out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues For now the people of God doe see that she that tooke vpon her to forgiue others their sinnes is not able herselfe to escape the damnation of hel nor those other plagues which euery man foresaw would light vpon her for her owne sinnes The cause why men should flie from her is for c cap. 18.5 that the heapes of her sinnes doe reach vp to heauen being infinit and prodigious euen fighting against the God of heauen and ascending like the sins of Sodom and Egypt As also because that God hath remembred her iniquities to take vengeance of them as he did of Sodom and Egypt For these two witnesses are Gods d Gen. 18.21 19.5 Exod. 2.7 messengers to make experience whether the sins of Antichrist be as it is reported and henceforth principally detect her sinnes and reproue them The plagues are first proclaimed and then required to be executed And this Proclamation is made as by the third e cap. 14.9 c. Angel which followed them that before first reuiued the preaching of the eternall Gospel and threatned the fall of Babylon He mightily bringeth in the doctrine of vengeance to be inflicted vpon Antichrist as if he said with a loud voyce If any man worship the beast of hereticall monarches and his image the papacie and receiue his marke in his forehead or in his hand following those superstitions henceforth the same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God yea of the pure wine which is powred into the cup of his wrath and he shall be tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lambe And the smoke of their torment shall ascend euermore and they shall haue no rest night or day that worship the beast and his image and whosoeuer receiueth the print of his name Here f 12. cap. 13.10 are the fruites of the patients of the Saints and here ar they that keepe the commaundements of God and the faith of Iesus the executioners of the fiercenes of the wrath of almighty God That which is required to be executed is that the Saints who hitherto haue been persecuted should take the sworde in hand and â—ap 18.6 reward her to wit popish Babylon as she hath rewarded them and giue her double according to her workes in the cup that she hath filled fill her the double For now beginneth the execution of that which is promised a cap. 13.10 If any leade into captiuitie he shall goe into captiuitie If any man kill with the sword he must be killed by a sword She must also be tormented for her pleasures and pride b cap. 18.7 For she saith in her heart I sit being a Queene of all other Churches and shall see no mourning the ship of Peter in which I sit may be tossed but it shall not sinke As these things are threatned so c 8. shall in due time her plagues come in one day together death sorrow and famine and she shall be burnt with fire for that God which condemneth her is a strong God During the time of which executions if any died in the cause against Antichrist they are Martyrs as it is said of all men in the Church of God d cap. 14.13 Then I heard a voyce from heauen saying vnto me write the dead that die in the Lord are henceforth fully blessed euen so saith the spirit whose testimonie is true and no lie for they rest from their labours neuer feeling the terror of the second death or purgatory by the execration of Antichrist And their workes follow them to receiue a crowne at the throne of God This testimonie beeing thus finished and continually preached by the two witnesses and of many beleeued c cap. 11.7 The beast that commeth out of the bottomlesse pit maketh warre against them and ouercommeth them for a while The beast that commeth out of the bottomlesse pit is as hath been shewed before the politike body of poperie consisting of the Pope and his Clergie assisted with those tenne kingdomes and principalities which did arise after the wounding of the Empire to death All which grew to be an vnited body by the doctrine of
of the comming of Theodosius the true Christian Prince Albeit the rest of the Arians presumed and reported Theodosius to be defeated whence the Papists haue learned to spread presumptuous lying newes Howbeit at last euen for feare they giue glorie to the God of heauen These e Fox in hunc locum things do most aptly agree vnto the times of the preaching and martyrdome of Iohn Hus and Ierom of Prage c. before and at the Councell of Constance and to the effects that followed thereupon The complement Alexander the fifth a Fox Mart. p. 531. 567. was chosen Pope to take away the schisme In his time the Boemians Anno 1409. by the preaching of Iohn Hus c encreased much in the knowledge of the Gospel for before this time by the spreading of Wickliefes bookes they began to tast and sauour of it b Peuce 5. f. 156. 157. The summe of his preaching was a reprehension of the fornication couetousnes and pride of the Priests c and against the magicke consecrations of the oyle water c. He prooued his assertions by the word of God the holy scriptures vnto which alone he would reduce all doctrine Hereupon grew contentions in the Vniuersitie of Prage And when those which did striue for the Pope were not able to resist the founde testimonies of the scripture alleadged by Hus they left the Vniuersitie c Fox Mart. 532 When the Pope heard of these preachings and disputations he sent his bull vnto the Archbishop requiring him to looke that no such things were maintained and cited Iohn Hus to appeare before him Iohn Hus answereth the Bull to be contrary to the doings and examples of Christ and his Apostles and to restreine or fight against the free course of the word of God Wherefore he appealeth from this mandate to the same Pope better aduised But as hee was prosecuting of his appeale the Pope died there died also the Archbishop c d cap. 11.5 by the fire that proceeded out of the mouth of Christs witnesses c. Iohn the twentieth three e Gobel aet 6. cap. 90.94 a diuell incarnate Anno 1410. and a most profound inuentor of all sorts of infamous wickednes most rigorous He receiued of the harlots of one citie viz Bâ—nenia 300. florens euery moneth for tribute of their whoredome c. The King of Sicilia brake into Rome which the Pope not forseeing with many Curtizans was spoyled Vnto f Fox Mart. p. 567. this Pope or rather beast was Hus accused for an heretike because he seemed rather willing to preach the Gospell then the bishops traditions The Pope committeth the matter to the Cardinall of Columna who monished Hus to appeare at Rome Wenceslaus King of Romanes and Boem at the suite of his wife the whole nobilitie citie and Vniuersitie of Prage sent Ambassadors to Rome crauing the Pope to remit the citation of Hus and to determine his cause in Boem Hus also sent proctors to Rome to purge him because he would auoid that dangerous iourney The Cardinall at Rome notwithstanding the Kings petition excoÌ„municateth Hus and emprisoneth some of his proctors so that the rest returne without doing any thing Howbeit Hus notwithstanding his excommunication goeth on in preaching and appealed from the Pope to Christ. Yea a Fox Mart. 569. when the Popes bull came to Prage proclaiming full remission of sinnes to all such as would fight on his side for the Pope had warre with the king of Naples Hus and his followers manifestly spake against the Bull three lay men were beheaded for speaking against these pardons whom Hus and such Priests as fauoured him interred sumptuouslie saying These be the Saints which for the Testament of God did giue their bodies At b Peuce 5. f. 168. this time were three Popes at once euery one fighting against the other with condemnations and execrations But as c Socr. 5. 22. the Arians did not striue for religion but by reason of their ouermuch desire of honour with which their mindes were wholy possessed did fight among themselues for the primacie whereupon many of the Clergie hating the contention sprung of the desire of vaine glory departed from them to the antient faith so these did not striue for the glorie of the sonne of God or for the mending of such corruptions as were in manners and doctrine but for the principalitie Wherefore many departed from them When the Emperor Sigismund did see that these euils would be more duly reformed by a Councel than by armes hee hauing runne ouer Italy Spaine France and England with incredible speede and wonderfull patience in great labours by consent of the kings caused the Counsell of Constance to bee d 1414. deceÌ„ 3. assembled which was frequented with the presence or Legates of the Princes of all the Christian world as also thither came from Bizantium and Trapezuntium a concourse of most diuerse e cap. 11.9 people and kindreds and tongues and gentiles a Geneb p. 1059 so that there were numbred of strangers of all sorts 60,500 After b Gobel 6. c. 94 the Councell assembled the whole affaires of the Councell were committed to the determination of foure Prelates chosen out of foure Nations which much displeased the Pope and his Cardinals In this Councell they proposed to reforme the Church in the head and members c Peut 5. f. 175. Wherefore Petrus de Aliaco very grauely admonished the Councell of the most corrupt conditions of the Popes the court of Rome and of al degrees of the Romane Church for the citie is Sodom He also admonished the Councell of the many superstitions and of the tyrannie then vsed for this citie is also Aegypt d Specul Minor Tract 3. f. 167. c. There were also proposed diuerse complaints against the friers for their Sodomiticall filthie life and for their pride and crueltie who were like ruffians and cutters to kill them that admonished them of their faults e Exod. 2.11.13.14 worse then the Aegyptian that wronged the Israelite or the Israelite that reproched Moses or the Sodomites that railed on Lâ—t The like was done by other that desired reformation In this Councell f Mass 18. p. 255. Gobel 6.94 the Pope g Fox Mart. p. 604. in epist Huss whom the Preachers were wonte to call the God of the earth was conuicted of more than fortie grieuous crimes for which hee was deposed Vnto h Fox in hunc locum Mar. 1575. c. this Councell came Iohn Hus vnder the safe conduct of the Emperour and there continued vnder the warrantie of the Popes promise and thither was Hierom of Prage cited Those two were shut vp in most horrible and filthie prisons farre worse then sackcloth When Hus came to the Councell he desired leaue to answere the obiections brought against him But whereas Christ was not only permitted but also required to answere for himselfe before Pilate
Prophets of Kings c. * cap. 19.20 And for these such like causes he is called The false prophet that prophesieth lies c. But he is like vnto the first monstrous beast in this that he doth k cap. 13.12 exercise the power of the first beast before him taking vpon him as an Emperor in the time presence of the Emperour labouring to be as absolute ouer the Clergie as the Emperour is ouer the temporaltie exempting his Clergie from ciuill iurisdiction * 2. Thess 5.2 Yea exalting himselfe aboue all Yea he proposeth to himselfe to be Monarch of all and therefore what euer be his pretext hee in his priuate drift causeth the l cap. 13.12 earth and them that dwell therein to worshippe the first beast whose deadly wound was healed that is to worshippe an Ecclesiasticall Monarch which he laboureth to establish in the roome of the former ciuill Monarchie which was ouerthrowen in the West by the former incursions of strangers and onely healed by the Popes The a cap. 13.13.14 meanes which he vseth to further these ambitions are great wonders and deceiptfull in the fight of men and of the beast that is seeming miracles to the Prince and people howeuer there may be a better and truer construction made of them to be deceipts These his miracles therefore are b cap. 18.23 called inchauntments wherewith all nations are deceiued c 2. Thes 2.9.10 And this is that of which S. Paul speaketh when he saith of the aduersarie of Christ Whose comming is by the effectuall working of Sathan with all power and signes of lying wonders and in all d Aug. Ciu. Dei 20. 19. deceiuablenes of vnrighteousnes Which are wonders either so seeming when they be but impostures or else if true they be the workes of the diuell to gaine credit to the great enemie of the Gospel Particularly for instance it is said that he e cap. 13.13 caused fire to come downe from heauen on the earth in the sight of men that is he seemeth to men to cause God f Isa 9.5 37 36. to send downe vengeance from heauen vpon men that doe not respect him applying all the calamities that befall them that loue him not to be iudgements of God to reuenge the contempt offered to this beast The Popes were famous far g Chro. Chr. miracles when they had once gotten purple The opposition of the Saints is something though very small contenting themselues that h cap. 14.3 they were bought from the earth hauing nothing to doe with the ambition of this beast that onely minded how to possesse the earth wincking at much corruption when they saw it About i Fasc Tem. f. 47 b. Frising Chro. 4. cap. 3. the possessions of the Church which the Prelates at this time began to haue there was often a great contention among the Doctors Some said it was iust and profitable that the Church should abound in temporalties and haue earthly honours others thought not But the Bishops of Rome accepted of these honours And they of that Church doe thinke that k Geneb p. 552 553. it much concerned God in some place to haue a visible Ecclesiasticall Monarchie which by diuine authoritie by causing fire to come downe from heauen vpon men might restraine terrifie smite with lightning and bring into obedience tyrants hereticks schismaticks c. Wherefore the Bishops of Rome which was the chiefe citie in the world endeauoured to attaine vnto that dignitie and to inrich the Church by all meanes possible These things will appeare more particularly in the stories of the Popes wherof doe follow some briefe collections The complement Siluester I. * Ann 315. admirable for l Fasc Temp. f 47 a. miracles or great wonders For he is reported to a Pet. de Nat. haue clensed Constantine of a leprosie But b Volat. 23. f. 270. the booke of that miracle is Apocrypha manifestly dissenting from the Doctors and altogether to be reiected as a c 2. Thes 2.9 cap. 13.14 lying signe He is said to haue reuiued a dead d Pet de Nat. Ball to binde a Dragon that killed men with his breath a false miracle e Gesn l. 5. For Dragons doe not hurt with their breath hereby he laboured to gaine reputation to his profession He forbad f Caranz f. 4â— 37. a. Subdeacons to marrie heare the voice of the Dragon Hee deuised the Chrisme with which the Bishops should signe them that were baptized to confirme them against the perswasion of Heretickes The manner is this g Poly. inuent 5. 3. the Bishop maketh the signe of the crosse in the forehead of the partie to be confirmed and saith I signe thee with the character or token of the crosse and confirme thee with the chrisme of saluation i Berg. 9. He commanded that no laie man should presume to cal a Clergie man into a ciuill court nor that any Clergie man should sue before a secular Iudge and decreed that k Caranz f. 46. a. neither Emperour nor Kings nor all the Clergie may iudge the Pope exercising the power of the first beast euen before him c. Marcus appointed l Berg. 9. that no Clergie man might by any meanes be drawne vnto secular businesse Ann. 334. Hee built two Churches in Rome Constantine enriched him with many gifts The beast doth rise out of the earth Iulius reprehended the m Anno 341. Chr. Chro. Arians especially that they called a Councel at Antiochia without the authoritie of the Pope of Rome when as without his authority he said it neither ought nor could be He decreed that whosoeuer suspected his iudge might appeale to the seat of Rome the Pope Liberius was o Poâ—â—â—r banished for standing against the Arians Ann. 35â— in the meane while by his Counsell the Clergie of Rome ordained Felix Pope This Felix proceeded seuerely against the Arians Wherefore Constantius the Emperor reconciled Liberius for he seemed more easie to the Arians Liberius then being ouercome with the griefe of exile and glad that he was Pope againe assented and fell into heresie and subscribed p Massaus 11. thereto But Felix and the q Fasc Temp. s 48. b. Catholikes hauing admonished him and finding him to bee contumacious cast him out of the Church as an heretike wherefore Liberius cast Felix out of the Papacie held the Churches violently and by strength so that there was a great persecution of the faithfull and the Clergie and priests that fauored Felix were slaine in the Churches and Liberius forbad it not a Vol. 22. And Felix himselfe was slaine as defending the truth This Felix was b Geneb p. 574. also reported guiltie of heresie But such is the force of the Apostolicall chaire saith Genebrard that it would rather make a martyr than heare an heretike Here wanteth some helpe to reconcile these popish Chronologers
Anno. 369. Damasus got the seate by schisme so that the c Ruff. 2. 10. place of prayer did swim with the blood of the slaine d Danaeus in Aug. de haeres p. 259. ex Ammiano 137 carcasses of men were found in one day He e Fox Marty grew proud by a f Soz 7 4. rescript of Gratian who required that religion to bee held which Peter the Prince of the Apostles deliuered and Damasus obserued at Rome For Damasus wrote to g Caranza f. 85. b. Stephanus and an Archbishop and to the three Councels of Africa that the iudgement of the causes of Bishops and all matters of great-importance may not be determined but by the authoritie of the Apostolike seate Thus did the beast rise out of the earth But in h 1. Conc. Const can 1.2 Caranza his time it was contrarily decreed that no Bishop should confound the authoritie of bishoprickes by intermedling in another diocesse to dispose of Ecclesiasticall causes He also decreed that none should i Dist 17. huic sedi presume to vsurpe the things which were graunted to that seate k cap. 24.9.1 hac est fides It is said that to him Ierom wrote that whosoeuer should blame the faith commended by the Church of Rome should shew himselfe vnskilfull malicious and no catholike but an heretike l Plat. 〈…〉 He abolished the ancient translation of the Bible which was made by the Septuaginâ— and then was in great estimation and brought into the Church the writings of Ierome and many songs as hauing the horne of the eye of wisedome like the Lambe But it was contrarily m Con. Laâ—d can 69. Caranza decreed that no Psalmes or songes made by vulgar persons should be vsed in the Church nor any bookes read in the Church which are not of the Canonicall Scriptures of the old and new testament In this Popes time was decreed that n Con. Valen. what Clergie man confessed any mortal sinne of himselfe should be deposed an instruction for vnchaste priests * 4. Caranza Anno 388. si non castè c. Siricius the first ordained that o Berg. 9. priests should be ordered onely by Bishops In his time it was decreed that euery p 3. Con. Carth. can 49. Ecclesiasticall person that purchased any lands c. should conferre it vpon the Church It seemeth that Bishops affected very high titles For to take downe the pride of such it was decreed that q Ibid. can 26. no Bishop of the first seate should be called Princeps sacerdotum or summus sacerdos but onely the Bishop of the first seate This Pope a Plat. Berg. expelled from Ecclesiasticall offices all Clergie men that maried a widow or second wife and decreed b Cara. f. 90. b. that no Clergie man should haue knowledge of his wife because it is written those which dwell in the c Rom. 8.8 flesh cannot please God Agreeing herein with the heresies of the Maniches and superstition of the Gothes that d Stra. 7. p. 205. 206. would haue their religious persons without wiues But this his decree is contrarie to the Gangrene Councell which accuseth such as e D. 30. si quiâ— nuptiaâ— accuse the marriage bed as a let to the kingdome of heauen Innocentius the first is said to haue excommunicated the f Geneb Emperor Archadius Anno. 406. and by his Epistle to haue depriued Eudoxia the Empresse from her dignitie He as an Heracleonite decreed that g Caran f. 15â— all persons in their deadly and extreame sicknesses should be anoynted with oyle hallowed by Bishops That priests should iudge of the qualitie of the offence and penitence of men and at their discretion dismisse them He instituted the kissing of the Pax that all men might declare their consent to that which was done He after the heresie of the h Ponet Apol. pag. 105. Cataphrygians and Montanus who feigned himselfe to be the holy Ghost ordained that the custome of no Church is to be followed in diuine mysteries or doing of things but onely the Church of Rome It seemeth hee would haue Rome say as sometimes Babylon said I i Isai 47.10 am c. none else vnto whom may be said as to the Cataphrygians came k 1. Cor. 14.36 See epist Ath. 1. in Soc. 2. 29. the word of God from you or came it to you alone In his time Rome was taken by the Gothes At the instance of the African Councell he condemned the heresie of Pelagius Anno 421. Zosimus sent l Chro. Chro. Faustinus a Bishop to the Councell at Carthage to tell them that nothing ought to be done publikely without the Bishop of Rome He absolued m Fox Marty Concilium Aphricanum Apiarius an Aphrican without any examination when he stood excommunicate by an Aphrican Councell And wrote to the Bishops of Aphrica commaunding them to receiue this Apiarius by him so absolued into their communion Pretending that the Bishop of Rome had authoritie to commaund graunted vnto him by the Councell of Nicea Thus farre was the beast risen out of the earth The African Bishops sent into the East for the originall copies of the Niceau Councel by which they found the Pope to be an impostor Whereupon they doe decree that he that is n Caranza Com. Mileuit Can. 18.22 excommunicate may appeale to the Primates and Councels of his owne prouince but he that appealeth beyond the seas shall be receiued into no communion a Concil Aphr. And the African Councell wrote to Caelestine who succeeded Zosimus requiring him to bring into the Church no such foggie types of the world Bonifacius the first got possessed the seate by b Volat. schisme Anno 423. In his time are cited the stories of c Chro. Chro. Euphrosina and Marina women who tooke on them mens apparell and entred into monasteries amongst men which though it were contrarie to the d D. 30. si qua mulier Gangrene Councell yet are they called e Pet. de Nat. Anno 426. Saints Calestinus commaunded all Clergie men to studie the f Volat. Canon law As yet it seemeth it was not commaunded that the Clergie should haue diuers apparell from the people but that it began by some to be brought in For thus writeth Caelestinus of the Clergie They are to g Caranza f. 130. a. be distinguished from the people by doctrine not by apparell by conuersation not by attires by puritie of minde not by clothing c. which I see not how it standeth with that which Genebrarde saith h Geneb p. 530. that Stephanus the first instituted priests garments c. Anno 257. Sixtus the third deposed Polytronius i Gobel at 6. cap. 25. p. 169. Bishop of Ierusalem because he affirmed himselfe to be vniuersall Bishop Anno 434. to depose in these dayes signified to pronounce deposed k
the glorified bodie of Christ Victor the second Anno 1054. p Bergom 11. in a Councell at Florence depriued many Bishops for Simonie and Fornication that is for receiuing spirituall preferments of laie men and for marriage And in a Councell the q Geneb p. 872 third time condemned Berengarius r Abb. Vrsp p. 21◠His Deacon poysoned him in the communion cuppe There was extreame famine Michael the Lambe auenging the persecution of the Gospell Stephanus the tenth ſ Geneb p. 872. Ann. 1057. reprooued the Emperour for abridging the Popes authoritie By his meanes t Volat. 22. f. 253. Anno 1058. the Church of Millaine is made subiect to Rome which it had not bin for 200. yeres before Benedictus the tenth u Berg. 12. was cast out by Hildebrand onely because hee was said not to come in by the dore but by gifts a Geneb p. 873 Hitherto the stories are darke henceforth by little and little they grow most cleare in appearance for poperie but indeed against it Ann. 1059. Nicolaus the second b Volat. 22. Fox Mart. p. 170. made Robertus Guiscardus to recieue the number of his name to bee tributarie and captaine generall of S. Peters lands to subdue by force of armes all that went from the obedience of the Church of Rome for the Pope is now a legionarie king He first made c Geneb p. 873. a solemne decree d D. 23. In nomine that thenceforth the Pope should be chosen by the Cardinals accursing them all as Antichristian which opposed themselues to this kinde of election e Geneb p. 939 But this decree tooke none effect till the time of Lucius the third Anno 1181 who was the first Pope so chosen By which is to bee seene that the Popes decrees tooke then no place when they were first made He also held a Councell against Berengarius and another against Simonie and fornication as his predecessor had done meaning such Priests as receiued spiritualties of laie men and had wiues Vnto f Paral. Vrsp p. 413. him wrote Hildericus Bishop of Ausburge a very graue man an excellent Epistle reproouing him for the forbidding of Priests marriage in which is auouched the testimonie of Paphnutius the martyr affirming marriage to bee honourable and that the vse of a mans owne wife is chastitie g Berg. 12. f. 180. a. Berengarius when he could not preuaile in his opinion of the sacrament gaue his goods to the poore and liued by the labour of his handes Ann. 1062. Alexander h Berg. 12. f. 181. b. the second as a Legionarie and Martiall king warred against the Pope whom the Emperour had placed at the request of some Italians And whē they had twice fought and much blood was shed on both sides the matter was compounded For now it is vsuall with the Popes which was sometimes the manner i Caesar bello Gal. 6. of the Druides to fight for the principalitie Certaine k Trith Hirs p. 71. 75. Bishops and others to the number of 7000. went for deuotion to Ierusalem whereof scarce 2000. returned This Pope l p. 91. was earnest against that which they called Simonie Wherefore hee sent for certaine Bishops to Rome whereof one so pleased the Pope with bribes that he returned honored with an Archbishops Pall whereby it appeareth the Pope was angrie against Simonie by others because hee was willing to haue all the bribes himselfe And as it seemeth for this cause would wrest the inuestiture of Bishops out of the Emperours hands and the gift of spiritualties from laie men The Saxons and Sueues m Abb. Vrsp p. 219. 220. 221. Oth. Fris Chro. 6.34 Cran. M. lib. 5. cap. 20. p. 333. both laie Princes and Bishops breed emotions against the Emperour and bring blasphemous and incredible complaints against him to the Pope and draw the Pope to their faction The Emperour by his Embassadours whom he sent for iustice to Rome against his seditious subiects receiueth letters commanding him to make satisfaction for Simonie c. And presently the Saxons breake forth in open rebellion The n Geneb p. 878 877. Turkes get in a manner all Asia This Pope continued the opposition of his predecessors against Berengarius and the gift of spirituall dignities by laie men and was so earnest against married Priests that o Fasc Temp. f. 73. b. d. 32. praetex hoc he required none to be present at their Masse vnder paine of excommunication There p Berg 12. f. 181 b. 182. a. was a horrible famine and lamentable pestilence q The order of monkes of Vallis Vmbrosa began of a lying miracle that the crucifixe bowed the head contrarie to the rule of the scripture which sheweth idols to r cap. 9.20 Ann. 1073. be vnsensible The first Thunder GRegorius the seauenth who a Abb. Vrsp p. 221. was called before Hildebrand was chosen onely by the Romanes without the Emperours consent b Oth. Fris 6. 34 36. Whereupon grew a most grieuous schisme and most violent stormes in the common wealth and Church to the danger of bodie and soule like the darknesse of Egypt For the Pope c Mass 16. p. 223. as a most valiant champion sent word to the Emperour Henricus the fourth that if hee would confirme him in his papacie hee would resist the errors of the Emperour For so he called the bestowing of spiritualities by a laie man But when the Emperour would not yeild to the Pope Gregorie in a Councel at Rome d 1. Tim. 4.1 c. giuing heed to spirits of errors and doctrines of diuels e Trith Hirs p. 92. forbiddeth the Clergie Bishops Priests or Deacons to marrie vnder the paine of the great curse c. and f Mat. Paris p. 8. by a new example and as many thinke inconsiderate against the sentence of holy fathers forbiddeth laie men to heare the Masse of him that was married For g Poly. Jnuen 5. 4. the lawes made before against the marriage of Priests tooke none effect amongst the Priests of the West till the time of Gregorie the seauenth He h De cons d. 5. Quia dies ibidem carnem also forbad all faithfull men to eate flesh on Saturdaies and commanded all monkes altogether to abstaine from flesh i Crant Met. 5. 20. In this Councel was the Emperour accused of Simonie was called to his answer k Frising de gestis Trid. 1. 1 But he appeared not beeing detained by many seditions and rebellions and warres of the Hungarians Saxons c. which were partly stirred by Pope Alexanders faction yet when al the breadth of the Empire was filthily wasted with sword and fire the Pope excommunicated him as forlorne and forsaken of his meanes The l ibid. Chro. 5. 35. Emperor was exceedingly mooued with this new proceeding not knowing before this time any such sentence to haue beene promulged
against a Prince I read and read againe the gestes of the Romane kings and Emperours yet no where doe I finde any of them before this Emperour to bee excommunicated by the Pope or depriued of his kingdom wherefore it is prooued to be fabulous m Geneb p. 591 which is reported of Innocentius that he excommunicated Arcadius or degraded Eudoxia then Empresse except it were done in secret or in conceipt In this Councel was Guibertus Archbishop of Rauenna n Mass 16. 224. who staied in Rome after the Synode to be made Pope by the Emperour which when Gregorie knew hauing beene rescued from the hands of Cincius by the furie of the people he degraded all those which were in schisme against him The o Abb. Vrsp p. 221. Trith Hirs p. 93. Emperour in a Councel at Wormacia with in a manner all the Germane Bishops depriued the Pope and by the instructions of Hugo a Cardinall published their sentence thus Because thine entrance began with so great periuries and that the Church of God is so indangered by so grieuous a storme by the abuse of thy nouelties and hast dishonested thy life in thy conuersation with so manifolde infamies as wee neuer promised thee any obedience so doe we renounce to keepe any towards thee hereafter And because none of vs as thou hast publikely declaimed hath bin esteemed by thee to be a Bishop neither shalt thou henceforth by any of vs be called Apostolicall The Pope in a Councell readeth these letters and againe excommunicateth the Emperour and his fauourers beeing p Massaeus 16. p. 224. encouraged by certaine letters out of Germanie that gaue life to the beast At Openheim was a Colloquie in which most of the Princes especially Saxons and Almanes renounced the Emperours subiection pretending that hee stood excommunicated by the Pope though he were absent and not heard By a Trith Hirs 1655. this necessitie the b Gobelinus Emperour goeth humbly towards Rome to aske his pardon of the Pope but c Epit. Blond d. 2. l. 3. his humilitie was slaundered to the Pope as if hee meant some violence and finding the Pope at Canusium barefoote and woolward in a most horrible frost with his wife and sonne indured with much patience the repulse for three daies By his bitter teares hee mooued those that were with the Pope d Vrsp p. 218. Mathildis a harlot c. so that they preuaile with the Pope who absolueth him and e Gobel ae 6. 55. put the imperiall crowne vpon his head f Mat. Paris p. 9. But guile was found in his mouth falsely pretending peace for he g Abb. Vrsp p. 222. said after that he restored him to communion but not to his Empire Hee h Crant Met. 5 14. inioyned the Emperour penance to staie at Rome a yeare and visit Churches with fasting and praier And in the meane time by certaine Princes and many Bishops was Rodulph a man altogether a stranger to the Princes blood elected Emperour the i Trith p. 93. Pope so commanding it by k Fri. d◠ges Fri. 1. 7. manifest and secret letters and receiueth his crowne from the Pope Hee l Geneb p. 882. absolueth the Princes and people from the oath of subiection which they had taken to the Emperour and commandeth them not more holily but traiterously to cleaue to Rodulphus and decreeth that all m 15. q. 6. Nos mē were absolued from obedience to him whom the Pope should excommunicate The n Wigor Ann. 5. E. Ann. 1100. Princes and Bishops fortifie the Alpes against the Emperour who was in Italie Howbeit o Cran. M. 5. 15 ex annalibus knowing of this treason by the Bishop of Auspurge his friend that sought him out in Italie he returned by Aquileia and gathered an armie against Rodulph After p Fri. ges Fr. 1. 7. much bloodshed and that the Emperor could get no fauour of the Pope against Rodulph but was againe excommunicated the q Trith Hirs p. 98. 99. Emperour in a Councel at Brixia setteth vp another Pope and deposeth Gregorie as a firebrand of sedition c. as a Necromancer and one vsing familiar spirits to get the papacie c. The Pope excommunicateth with a curse terrible enough the Emperour his Pope and Councell But the Emperour pursuing his warre r Cran. Metro 5. 16. Rodulph is wounded and before his death with griefe and sighing complaineth of them that had induced him to periurie and to seeke his masters crowne In his ſ Fris ges F. 1. 2 roome Hermanus was elected against the Emperour by the Popes commandement The t Crantz Met. 5. 17. Emperour goeth with an armie into Italie and in Rome inuesteth his Antipope and is crowned by his Pope Gregorie flieth and renueth the excommunication At u Trith Hirs p. 108. Mogunce in a great Synode Gregorie is deposed againe and all of them sweare obedience to the Pope called Clement the same yeare died Gregorie at Salerna when * Wigor Anno 1106. Mat. Paris p. 11. he had confessed to a Cardinall that he had troubled the Church by the perswasion of the diuell and sent to absolue the Emperour and all Christian people quicke and dead the Clergie and laitie This x Geneb Gregorie is said to worke diuers miracles and to haue the gift of prophecie but falsly For y Abb. Vrsp p. 223. ex Bruone when he so farre arrogated vnto himselfe to be a prophet that he did cry out of the deske at Easter esteeme me not for Pope but pull me from the Altar if the Emperor die not before Whitsontide he hired some by treasonable practises to kill him at his prayers in the Church a Mat. Paris p. 10. He also prophecied of the death of a false King meaning Henry the Emperor but that yeere Rodulph the false King that he had set vp died b Abb. Vrsp p. 222. In his time the whole world was moued He c Geneb p. 881. excommunicated the King of Polonia and the d Epit. Blond 2. 3. Emperor of Constantinople which was the cause of great stirres In e Mat. Pari. p. 8. Geneb 887. 886. 888. his time and by reason of the contentions which hee stirred vp the state of the Church was lamentable the Priests were of most vile conditions and the people despised holy things The Turkes preuaile in the East The f Fasc Temp. order of the Carthusian Monkes of a most rigorous abstinence from flesh began because of the apparition of a dead man in his funerals For those Papists g Deut. 18.11 are great consulters with the dead which was forbidden in the law of God These are Ebeonites in abstaining from flesh Victor the third corrupted h Frisin Chr. 7.1 the watch men with money Anno 1087. entred the citie was consecrated in the night He i Geneb p. 189. condemned the Emperour by his excommunication
exhausted the King of Englands treasure k P. 882. 891. 895. 904. He also continued strange exactions of mony in England binding Monasteries c. to pay his creditors vpon paine of interdiction c. l P. 897. This exaction cooled mens affections towards the Pope m P. 910. In his time the preaching Friers had much dammaged the Christian saith by preaching Reade more hereof before Anno 1200. reading teaching certaine doctrines new dotings taken out of the book of Abbas Ioachim condēned by Gregorius the ninth They also had composed a booke which it pleased them to intitle The euerlasting or eternall Gospel which now they inforced to roote out the Gospell of Christ written by the foure Euangelists They also vrged many other things not to be spoken Hereupon grew so many and great scandales one preaching against the other that the vniuersitie of Paris with great counsaile and deliberation sent sixe men very excellent for learning and of noble blood to the Pope in commission for the repaire of the decay in faith The Friers sent speedy messengers to resist these great men to their faces before the Pope At length after much a doe their new Gospell is commaunded to be burned secretly without any scandall to the Friers And so was that Gospel abolished that by a false Prophecy threatned the cessation of the Gospell written by the foure Euangelists The n Geneb p. 978. Mass 17. pag. 238. Fo◠Marty 326. Speculum minorum tract 1. f. 10. b. Pope also commaunded that the booke which Gulielmus de sancto amore had written of pouertie against the Friers going vnder the name of the masters of Paris intituled a treatise of the perils of the latter times should be abolished publikely and banished him France For this Pope much fauored the Friers and o Spec. min. tract f. 7. b. wrote his bull requiring all that had disputed or preached against them to recant teach and preach the contrary vnder paine of suspension and excommunication For he esteemed the Friers as the a cap. 11.4 two golden candelstickes and two great lights that shined in the Church of God b Fox Marty 326. Yet did Laurentius a master of Paris strongly and stoutly teach preach and write in the defence of the said Gulielmus against the Popes and their Friers This Pope exceedingly encreased the bloudie lawes made against them which the Church of Rome calleth heretikes c Dec. 5. tit 2. cap. 2. He decreed that whosoeuer wittingly should bury heretikes or their beleeuers receiuers defenders or fauorers should bee excommunicate till with his owne hands openly he cast those dead bodies out of their graues againe Hee forbad lay men priuately or publikely to dispute of the Catholike faith vnder paine of excommunication as d Carion Mahomet did of his law vnder paine of death He also furnished the inquisition with many bloudy and vnmercifull lawes e 6. Dec. 5. tit 2. c. 4. denying mercy to the penitent and confiscating the goods of such as died before sentence f Par. Vrsp p. 332. One beyond the seas called himselfe Iesus by magicke he wrote prodigious miracles and many armies being vnited to him he subdued many kingdomes vnder him g Geneb p. 979 Ludouicus King of France instituted many things to the profit of the kingdome He would not haue offices and dignities sold and branded them in the forehead with a hot yron that blasphemed or sware by God in vaine he forbad stewes he thrust stage players out of his court Anno 1261. Vrbanus the fourth h Trith p. 249. Clemen 3. tit 16. de reliquijs ven instituted the feast of Corpus Christi day and to encourage the people to keepe it he gaue pardons to such as were present at the seruice a cup of abhominations i Geneb p. 982. c. The host was caryed about in a box as the arke in the time of the law and the booke of the law is among the Iewes or rather k Moris pap p. 58. as Iupiter and Isis were caryed among the Gentiles and it was worshipped l Geneb p. 982. Thomas Aquinas composed the office of this feast This m Part. 3. q. 25. an 31. Thomas wrote that images must be worshipped with the same worship as is due to them whose images they be n Trith p. 249. The Pope conferred the kingdome of Sicilia which Monfred held vpon Charles the French Kings brother and by Legates called him into Italy who draue out Monfred and possessed Sicilia not without much bloodshed The Pope also o 6. Dec. 5. tit 2. cap 9. decreed that the lawes of no place should hinder the proceedings of the inquisition In his time the p Curio Saracens draue the Christians cleane out of Syria yet q Geneb p. 985 granted the free preaching of Christ in Aphryca Anno 1265. Clemens the fourth r Trith 250. p. 251. in his time the monasteries of the order of Benedict in Germanie were filthily corrupted the Monkes and Abbots rushed violently into the very sinke of all vices Carolus the French kings brother whom Vrbane the fourth had made king and a Geneb 986. Clement annointed at Rome vnder condition to paie to the Pope yearely 42,000 crownes in name of a tribute cruelly killed Monfrede And when after him b Par. Vrsp p. 243. Conradine the next heire a very gallant gentleman went to take his inheritance in Apulia by Clement and Charles he was iniuriously repulsed taken by treason derided and by the commandement of the Pope was put to death miserably by c Carion a common executioner That as many as would not worship the beast should be killed Hee d Decr. 5. Tit. 2 c. 10. c. informeth the inquisitors to feare no man but to proceede rigorously to censure with the aide of the secular arme any preachers religious persons vniuersities or other priuiledged places that are impediment to their inquisitiō To cause all ciuill and militarie magistrates to sweare and cause all them that were vnder them to sweare to obserue the lawes made against heretickes their fauourers hearers defenders their sonnes and their nephewes Thus the beast with his hornes maketh warre with the Saints f Geneb p. 986. In his time Antioche was sacked by the Sultan And Ludouicus king of France signed with the crosse in the siege of Tunetum and one of his sonnes died of the pestilence and so the siege was raised Gregorius the tenth g Trith p. 252 worthy the honour Ann. 1271. if a mortal man can be worthy to be Christs vicar in earth who raigneth in heauen Hee h Westmon p. 403. held a Councell at Lugdunum for the holy land to which purpose he decreed that all Ecclesiasticall liuings for seauen yeares space should paie a tenth There i Geneb p. 989. was also handled the reconciliation of the Greeke Churches which was
of Christian iustice the true administration thereof according to the word of God first S. Iohn doth say g cap. 20.4 And I saw thrones for iudgement and they that were fit sate vpon them administring iustice in iudgement according to the truth and not according to appearance or partialitie contrarie to Antichrist h cap. 13.2 to whom the dragon gaue his power and his throne and great authoritie that after the i 1. Pet. 5.8 example of the diuell hee by his inquisitors c. might goe about seeking whom he might deuoure Before these thrones the principal question that is handled is the cause of such godly men called by the scripture phrase soules a Act. 7.14 cap. 20.4 that were as capitally punished as if they were beheaded not for treason but for the witnesse of Iesus and for the word of God as also because that following the word of God they did not worship the beast the ciuill tyrannie nor his image the Hierarchie of Rome neither had taken his marke of superstition which causes the iniquitie of the times held equall to treason if not worse The sentence that was giuen at these iudgement seats of this cause was first that they which haue suffered as the Martyrs of Christ and for the word of God and because they would not worship the beast nor his image nor take the superstitious marke of Antichrist shall liue in the persons of such as hereafter shall professe the same things For the cause shall be adiudged to deserue life and not death and therefore shall be defended from the tyrannie of Antichrist by such as truely administer iustice Yea such also shall raigne with Christ as worthy that office honour and soueraigntie which is fitting a true Christian man The second member of the iudgement is b cap. 20.5 that the rest of the dead men which haue died in the defence of the tyrannie of the Antichristian Popes shall not liue againe in the Church but shall bee iustly reputed to be in hell for their sinnes of treason c. whereas such as professe the cause of the Martyrs c cap. 20.6 are blessed and holy hauing their part in the first resurrection of the Gospel from the darkenes in which it was buried by Antichrist for on such the second death hath no power howsoeuer Antichrist doe threaten no lesse than purgatorie and hell to such Yea they shall bee as the holy people of God who are called a d Exod. 19.6 1. Pet. 2.9 royall Priesthood For they shall be kings and Priests vnto God and of Christ and shall raigne with him Hereupon the e cap. 18.9 c. 15. Princes and Merchants and Ship-men namely the officers of the popish gaine shall lament and howle but yet shall prouide for their safetie standing farre off from the danger But f 20. c. the Saints shall reioyce and triumph for the destruction of Antichrist that is cast into hel like a milstone into the sea The g cap. 19.21 remnant also shall be slaine with the sword of him that sate vpon the horse namely the Turkes shall be conuicted by the power of the scriptures when Antichrist is cast to hell and then shall be fulfilled that which is written The h Dan. 8.14 7.27 sanctuaries shall be clensed and againe And the kingdome and dominion and greatnesse of the kingdome vnder the whole heauen shall be giuen to the holy people of the most high whose kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome and all powers shall serue and obey him The continuance of this period from the reuiuing of the Gospel to the next enemies is 1000. yeare so long shall the Gospel come abroad get the victory and flourish in his due season and so long shall men condemne the crueltie of Antichrist And these 1000. yeares are to beginne where the a Dan. 12.11 1290. yeres spoken of by Daniel doe ende namely in the yeare of Christ 1364. whence we are to reckon the first resurrection The Complement b Geneb p. 1034. 1035. Buchelcerus Iohn Wickleife Anno 1364. who was a Professor of diuinitie in Oxford wrote many things against the receiued opinions of his time He c Fox Mart. 42◠b. seeing the true doctrine of Christs Gospel to be adulterate and defiled determined with himselfe to helpe d 423. a. He affirmed the simple and plaine truth to appeare and consist in the scriptures and that all humane traditions what euer they be must be referred thereunto Thus commeth the word of God abroad e Geneb p. 1034. He wrote more than 200. volumes against the times f 1038. Many wrot against him and g Fox Mart. 422. 423. the Bishops c. did him much trouble like beasts depriuing him of his benefices But he found some quiet by the meanes of certaine principall Noble men that fauoured him In the time of this Wickleife Ann. h 411. 412. 413 in signis 7. 1364. on the fourth sonday in Aduènt Nicolaus Orem preached at Rome before the Pope and his Cardinals that the tribulation i cap. 18.3.23 and fall of the Church was at hand for her excessiue wickednesse hauing gotten the face of an harlot that cannot blush For that her Marchants which sell both Church and Sacraments were the great men of the earth exceeding all Princes of the earth For pride tyrannie for despising correction and hating them that tell the truth euen the professors of the Gospell and that therefore the people were in commotions and many thinke to doe sacrifice to God if they may robbe and spoile certaine fatte Priests c. for the fowles are called to eate the flesh of kings c. k 415. Bridget whose order Pope Vrbane confirmeth calleth the Pope and his Clergie more abhominable than the Iewes that crucified Christ more cruell than Iudas more vniust than Pilate worse than Lucifer himselfe The Sea of Rome shee prophecieth shall bee throwne downe into the deepe like a milstone l cap 18.21 Ier. 51 63. and shall be found no more m Fasc Temp. f 85. Iohannes de rupe scissa a Minorite foretold many things shortly to come of two Antichrists Which came to passe when there were two Popes at once Of the desolation of lands and general treading vnder feete of the Clergie and reducing the whole world to the faith of Christ a Fox Mart. p. 414. The king of England tooke the offices of the Lord Chancelour Lord Treasurer and of the Priuie seale from the vngodly and vnrighteous Clergie and gaue them to the Lords temporall shee is fallen shee is fallen Carolus b Par. Vrsp p. 362. the fourth the Emperour in an assembly of many of the Princes of the Empire answered the Popes Legate my Lord Legate the Pope hath sent you into Germanie where you scrape together much money for her marchants are waxed rich but you reforme nothing in the Clergie Then hee said to
the Archbishop of Mogunce My Lord Archbishop we command you vpon your oath of fidelitie that you reforme your Clergie c. And if they will not be reformed that you command the fruits of their benefices to be taken from them and presented to our Exchequer and we will conuert it to more godly vses Ann. 1367. Gregorie the eleuenth c Geneb p. 1040. 1041. remooued the Popes court from Auinion to Rome Edward king of England laid a grieuous paine vpon those that thenceforth would receiue any benefices of the Bishop of Rome shee is fallen Carolus the French king coÌ„manded â—he Bible to be faithfully traÌ„slated into the French tongue d Fox Mart. p. 415. 416. 417 Militzius sometimes a Canon vrged by the holy Ghost to finde by the scriptures the comming of Antichrist was compelled by the holy Ghost to preach at Rome before the Inquisitor and said publikely that the same great Antichrist prophecied of in the Scripture was already come He conuerted many from their vngodly life and held a congregation Catharina Senensis spake of the reformation of the Church Mathew Paris noteth the Pope to be Antichrist Henricus de Iota Henricus de Hassia who writeth out of a prophecie of Hildegrade that the diuell spake of the Priests of this time daintie bankets and feastes wherein is all voluptuousnesse doe I finde among these men c. Hee saith further that they clime with Lucifer til with him they fall deeper and deeper This Pope very violently persecuted such as were against him as namely Militzius Wickleife c. But e 425. Wickleife continued and interpreted the articles obiected against him and finished his testimonie Vrbanus the sixt Ann. 1378. a Gobel aet 6. cap. 27. in his time were great seditions in all places and there began a most grieuous schisme amongst the Popes as Rupe scissa prophecied For there were then two Popes the other was called Clemens the seauenth and this schisme lasted almost 40. yeare b Fasc Temp. f. 86. From Vrbane the sixth to Martine the fifth I know not who was Pope c Gobel at 6. c. 76.81 This Pope was very rigorous he tormented Cardinals to death buried them in a stable by Carolus the bastard he strangled in prison Ioan the Queene of Sicilia Against the Antipope hee was very violent d Fox Mart. p. 441. For hee proclaimed to all that would fight for him against any of his enemies as large pardons as were granted to them that fight against the Turke And whereas e Caran A. 33. p dist 50. clericus Nicolaus the first maketh the Clergy that fighteth irregular he contrarily f Gob. 6. cap. 70. proclaimed that the Clergie of all sortes that should kill or maime any of the Popes enemies should both bee free from irregularitie and inioy the same priuiledges which are granted to them that warre vpon the infidels g Peucer 5. f. 157. Neither was Clement the Antipope of a more gentle disposition for he spared not the Embassadors of Emperours and Princes which were sent vnto him to perswade him to concord for some he killed in prison and others hee tormented to death vpon the racke h Fox Mart. p. 440. 567. 4â—0 446. Wickleife escapeth the hands of his persecutors his books suddainly spread abroad by such which came from Boemia with the Queene of England c. i 416. 417. Mountzigger Rector of the Vniuersitie of Vlme taught against reall presence but was resisted by the monks and friers Nilus Archbishop of Thessalonica chargeth the Pope to be the only cause of the schisme betweene the East and West Churches 36. were burned at Bringa for the opinions of the Waldenses k Geneb 1044. Hus spreadeth Wickleife opinions in Boem This Pope maketh more superstitious feasts vz. the feast of the visitation and reduceth the Iubile to 33. yeares The Iesuites begin The Turke entred Greece and made Constantinople subiect to tribute Anno 1389. Bonifacius the ninth l Gob. aet 6. cap. 84. 85. 86. 87. of an incredible thirst of money monstrous in his deuises to get it He graunted reuersed antedated c. diuers of his graces for money He increased the fees of Archbishops for their Pall c. aboue tenne folde some paide 80,000 florens for it and hee that would giue most had what he would Hee dispensed for money against the Apostles and Euangelists For money he made Iubiles to be held not onely in great cities but also in base places a Geneb p. 1048 The king of England bounded the Popes authoritie at the Ocean sea so that no English man vnder paine of perpetuall imprisonment should deale with the Pope to excommunicate any in England Against this Pope sate Benedict the thirteenth vnto whom b Vincent prog part 1. 2. Saint Vincentius submitted his booke and doctrine of his prognostication of Antichrist and of the ende of the world In which booke though there be many things fabulous and false after the manner of all the Friers in their prophecies yet there be also some things worth the marking as of the ruine of the popish Prelates of Antichrist mixt which must be a Pope of the abhominable life of the Friers and the falshood of Francis prophecie of his order c. In c Fox Mart. p. 446. c. 456. 457. c. the time of this Pope Boniface were many constant confessors of the truth as Swinderbie who was persecuted for beeing earnest against the wicked liues of Friers and Priests of his time refused the popish iudgement appealed to the kings iustice because the Pope was Antichrist And Water Brute who most excellently interpreteth the mysticall numbers in Daniel and prooueth the Pope to bee Antichrist The d Fasc Temp. opinions of Wickleife in England Hus and Ierom of Prage in Boemia doe spread amongst many The heresie of the Adamites sprung vp in Boem but was presently suppressed by the Hussites e Geneb 1048. The Greeke tongue which had exiled seauen hundred yeares is brought into Italie by Chrysoleras c. f Buchol Anno 1399. Yea all good artes and tongues began to spring and to be husbanded and to growe fresh againe whereas for 700. yeares all learning was troden vnder foot and defiled with horrible barbarousnesse c. And here beginneth a happie age of all skilfull learning in Italie which farre and wide did spread abroad the glistering light thereof into other kingdomes A g Mass 8. Pp. 253. 254. Priest came from the Alpes to whom were gathered 70,000 they sharpely reprehended vice c. The Pope apprehended and tormented him Some said that there was no euill found in him others thought that he sought to be Pope that whom the Pope commanded to be burned should not bee said to be burned without cause From h Peâ—e 5. f. 157. c. 168. this time to the Councell of Constance continued the schisme
supper of the Lord vnder one or both kindes Podiebrachius who was next vnto the King was moued by a parasite why he liked not their religion of popery required by the example and authoritie of so many and great Princes rather then the Hussites He answered we doe those sacrifices which we beleeue are pleasing to God neither is it in our owne choyce to beleeue what we list The minde is ouercome with great reasons c. I am perswaded of my ministers religion If I follow thy religion I may perchance deceiue men contrary to my soule I cannot deceiue God which looketh into the hearts of men c. p Bucholcer Par. Vrsp 406. Calistus the third in his second yeere Mahomet with a 150,000 beseeged Belgrade Capistranus a Minorite Frier stoode to encourage the Souldiers But he vsed not any superstitions For crying out he said Iesus looke on vs be present with thy people that suffereth for thee where are thy mercies of old Come and defend thy people least they say among the Gentiles where is now their God c. The Christians got a rich and noble victory In memory whereof the Pope according to his wonted superstition foolishly instituted the feast of the transfiguration of Christ Hunniades who had been a noble victor ouer the Turkes after this his last battaile fell sicke but hee would not haue the Sacrament brought to him as the superstitious manner was but commaunded himselfe to be carried to the Church where after the confession of his sinnes he receiued the Eucharist c. Thus much of the two witnesses and the things which fell out vpon their death and resurrection Thus the remnant giueth to glory to God And now the q cap. 11.14 second woe to the inhabitants of the earth by the Turkes c. seemeth to be past But the third woe will come anon CHAP. XII Of the third a cap. 11.14 woe to the inhabitants of the earth by Kings conuerted to Christ WE are now come to speake of the third woe which shal be inflicted vpon the inhabitants of the earth namely such which doe rather desire to possesse the earth then to inherit heauen And this containeth the abolishing of the kingdome of Antichrist and the victorious reigne and triumph of the word of God That which is spoken hereof is comprehended in the doctrine which came abroad when b cap. 11.15 the seuenth Angell blew the trumpet The summe whereof is manifestly knowne and euidently spoken by all godly men as if there were great voyces in heauen expressing their assurance of the things that are to come to passe And the summe is this that certainelie it can not be but the kings will also be conuerted to the Gospell by whose onely and holy administrations The kingdomes of this world are to be our Lords and his Christs and he shall reigne for euermore Hereupon all godly magistrates and ministers called by the name of the c cap. 11.16 foure and twentie elders which make any consciecne of their places as those which sit before God on their seates First doe humble themselues euen falling on their faces and subiecting themselues to this kind of administration Secondly they doe also leaue the seruice of idols and men and in their places worship God both with praises and administration of iustice As for their praises they do in effect say d cap. 11.17 we giue thee thankes Lord God almightie which art and which wa st and which art to come euen the same God which art euerlasting for that taking the power out of the hands of mortall weake and mutable men who of long time haue trodden thy sanctuarie vnder foote thou hast receiued the entrance and possession of thy great might and hast obtained thy kingdome in due time to bee fully and alone administred by thee As for their sincere administration of iustice they shew that they so regard the faithfull profession of the Gospell that thereupon such which rather professed the vanitie of the Gentiles then Christ euen the Antichristian Papists were a cap. 11.18 angrie The cause of their anger is first that the time is come of the wrath of God to be inflicted vpon whosoeuer shall deserue it without respect of persons Secondly because they see that the time is come of the dead which haue been martyred for the witnes of Iesus that they should be iudged whether they died as innocents or not so that the proceedings against such come to be looked into and examined againe by iustice faithfully which they are angrie should be knowen Thirdly because that God hath raised vp Christian Kings that God by them should giue rewarde vnto his seruants the prophets which doe sincerely speake the truth from the Lord whereas Antichrist did tread them vnder foote Yea because the time was come that he by Princes should giue reward also to the Saints and to them that in deede doe feare his name to small and great whom Antichrist exposed to death and confiscation loading them with reproches c. Fourthly because the time is come that God by Princes should vtterly destroy them which destroy the earth be they Turkes or Papists The aduancement of the godly and destruction of the wicked according to the exact rule of iustice in the word of God being thus drifted by godly Gouernors those of the spirit of Saint Iohn b cap. 15.1 saw another great and marueilous signe in heauen the Church of God Namely that God hath prepared seuen Angels hauing the seuen last plagues which he would inflict vpon his enemies for not by men but by them euen by a diuine hand is now to be fulfilled the wrath of God Of these plagues we are to consider the place whence these Angels doe receiue them and the powring of them forth These plagues are deliuered vnto them in the temple which after the godly doe put on zeale and thankesgiuing is opened Concerning the zeale of the godly first is declared how the true doctrine of Christian baptisme is restored namely that Christians ought to be vndefiled and zealous in the cause of Christ For the lauer of regeneration is now figured a cap. 15.2 by a glassie sea mingled with fire godly Princes and people being baptised b Mat. 3.11 with the holy Ghost and fire whereas hitherto they were baptised vnto repentance with patience Here therefore stand the Boemians which had gotten the victorie ouer the beast the ciuell estate which beareth vp the whore of Babylon and of his image the Ecclesiasticall policie and his marke of superstitious ceremonies and of the number of his name his armies which he sent against them These I say stand constantly at the glassie sea mingled with fire continuing sincere and zealous professors being so farre from being ouercome that contrarily they haue the harpes of God to sing praises vnto their God for their deliuerance from Antichrist And they being deliuered from the kingdome of Antichrist which spiritually