Divines Fox and Paraeus So also Dux Cleri by the godly Walter Brute a scholer of Wicleue our Country-man Vicarius Dei generalis in terris in Latin taking onely the numerall letters Ecclesia Italica in Greek letters And what shall we say to the names of divers Popes conteyning the same letters in effect sound which are used to expresse the said number of 666 in the Apocalyps In the name of Calixtus is there not the perfect sound of all those Greeke letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And may not the same be easily conceited in the name of Sixtus And was not Calixtus whom they call the second but indeed the first of that name that was called Summus Pontifex he that forbad mariage to Priests which S. Paul calleth the Doctrine of Divels The ancient verse may serue for a sufficient testimonie O bone Calixte nunc totus Clerus odit te O lim Presbyteri poterant uxoribus uti Hoc destruxisti postquam tu Papa fuisti And was not Calixtus the second of that name that was called Pont. Max. he that made such a terrible and solemn vow to persecute the Turkes by war curses c. and by colour thereof levied a tenth of the Clergie put all into his purse And when as afterwards the noble Vaivod of Hungarie Hunniades had obteyned a glorious victorie against that publike enemie at Belgrade was it Calixtus that ever helped to advance the Christian cause or to prosecute such a good beginning Or did he not rather set his minde upon his own profit by drawing to himself not onely the chiefe Bishopriks but the whole kingdome of Naples after the death of Alfonsus and so labour to disinherit his sonne Frederike if the incomparable Prince Scanderbeg had not assisted him And what shall we say of Sixtus Do not the Latin letters X. T. being joyned together yeeld the same sound as all the said three numerall letters would do if they were put in the same place And was not Sixtus who by them is called the fourth but indeed the first that was called Pont. Max. for those before him were called Xisti had no greater title then bishop of Rome was not that he that raised so many wars in Italie to advance his kinred and in stead of a church or Hospitall built the famous Lupanar the bitcherie house at Rome Vtrique Veneri for which cause Agrippa called him the great bawde Was it not he that upon a Petition exhibited unto him for the use of Sodomie Homicus Agrippa subscribed Fiat ut petitur Let be as is desired and raised the rents of the Stewes to so high a Rate that it is now accounted for a principall revennue of their church O excellent Father and chast Vicar of Christ The Primitiue Christians were half perswaded that Nero was to come againe and be Antichrist And haue not we reason to belieue that this is he of whom also it is written for his Elogium Gaude Prisce Nero vincit te crimine Sixtus Paedico insignis praedo fucosus Adulter Qui moriens nullos credidit esse Deos. And was not Sixtus the 2. who is by them called the 5. he that sent out his blasphemous Bulles against the late King of France Henrie the third who was shortly after most villanously murdered by one of their breeding And was not he the same Sixtus who most highly commended that wicked Parracide in a solemne Panegyrick before his Cardinals Was not he the same that excommunicated the noble Henry the fourth of France when he was but King of Navarre who was afterwards also murdered by one of their Sectaries Was not he the same who animated the Spaniards to invade this kingdome of England in the year 1588 In setting forth of which action it is worth the Observation Cicarell in vita Sixti how carefull the Parasite is to perswade us that the English and the Spaniards never came ad justam pagnam to a just fight as if the English did affirm any such matter No Cicarella Farre be it from us to challenge the glorie of that victorie to our selues That God who gaue us the grace upon the newes of the approch of that navie to humble our selues before him with fasting and prayer a thing howsoever neglected or forgotten by some of our Historians yet most true and registred by others and remembred by many yet living witnesses That God who detected and defeated the Treasons and Rebellions of Sanders Parrie Ballard Lopas the Powderplot and many others was he that fought for us as he did sometimes against Sisera and for Theodosius and Sic conjurati venere ad classica venti Witnesse our most excellent Soveraine a witnesse aboue all exception in his Sonnet worthie to be remembred The Nations banded gainst the Lord of might Prepar'd a force and set them in the way Mars drest himself in such an awfull plight The like whereof was never seen they say They forward came in such a strange array Both sea and land beset us everie where Their brags did threat our ruine and decay What came thereof the issue did declare The windes began to tosse them here and there The sea began in foaming waues to swell The number that escapt it fell them faire The rest were swallowed up in gulfes of hell But how were all these things so strangely done God lookt on them from out his heauenly Throne This Sonnet publisht with the consent and applause of all the ancient Brittain Nation inhabitants of this kingdome truly euen of verie ancient time Polydore both by a king and a Saint intituled the kingdome of God shall be an everlasting testimonie for us that we never challenged the glorie of that action to our selues The same also will be confirmed by the ordinarie remembrances and thanksgivings which our Preachers usually make thereof in their prayers and Sermons The same also is proved by the Paper lately set forth so well accepted and bought up by all sorts of people amongst us wherein the defeating of that invincible Armada and the Powderplot is represented expressed Behold then you Iesuites Romanists against whom you fight and who it is that fights for us It was God who then pleaded the cause of Religion against superstition of Pietie against Idolatrie of Christ against Antichrist It was he onely for he onely searcheth ruleth and moveth the Hearts who then put it into the heart of our Zenobia and of her servants to send out those Peti-fierbotes that made the grear Sea-castles to cut their cables loose their Anchors and flye away It was he that stirred up the courage of our seamen and inflamed the hearts of our nation with incredible loue and zeale to defend their Countrie religion Now also our drummes and trumpets sound nothing else against you but God and Christ Iesus our Martiall cryes are nothing else but Christ Iesus our gunnes thunder out nothing but Christ Iesus against you For him we fight in
notorious Fornication adulterie and Sodomie as the pope hath done and whether it be possible for any in time to come to do the like 6. whether any Iew Turke or Infidell haue so wilfully obstinately erected and mainteyned so manifold Idolatrie so many severall Idols as the popes haue done and whether it be possible for any in time to come to do the like 7. whether any Iew or Turke did ever sitte in the Temple of God boasting himselfe to be God as the Popes hath done and whether it be possible for any to do the like to be believed therein as the Pope hath ben Summa If all the prophecies concerning the words actions of Antich be fulfilled in the Pope and cannot be fulfilled in any other then he is Antichrist VII Probl. Of the times of Antich how they be fulfilled and to what Period they are come 1. Of the first working of the Mysterie of iniquitie how long it continued 2. Of the time of the rising of Antich when it was fulfilled 3. Of the Revelation of Antichrist and how that is fulfilled 4. Of the signes of the times of Antich how they are fulfilled 5. Of the times of the raigne of Antich how long it continued 6. Of the Consumption of Antich to what point that is come 7. Of the end abolition of Antich which must be by the brightnes of the coming of our L. Christ who is God blessed for ever Summa tot Si probatur propositum non probatur contrarium quid amplius desideramus If all the prophecies of Antich be fulfilled in the pope and cannot be fulfilled otherwise then the Pope is Antichrist Caeli faciem nostis discernere signa temporum non novistis Matt. 16. SACRAE HEPTADES OR SEVEN PROBLEMS concerning ANTICHRIST That the Apocalyps is to be searched THose that are taken to be masters of learning teach us in everie subject and matter proposed first to aske the question An sit whether it be whether it be possible to be known and attained unto least spending our time in things impossible or imperceptible we both loose our labour become ridiculous The same is taught us by our greatest master in the parables of the man intending to build and the king going to warre Desiring therefore to finde out and discover that great enemie of the Church of Christ Antichrist who it is Luke 14. and whether he be come or not after the grace and mercie of our Lord and master Christ Iesus most humbly devoutly implored without whom we can do nothing I think it not amisse to consider first of the difficultie obscuritie of the Book of the Apocalyps or Revelation wherein by the consent of all learned Christians Antichrist is understood to be most spoken of and his Place State Actions and other circumstances most largely described and discovered unto us Seeing there can be no doubt made but there must be such a person as the Scripture speaketh of by that name and he must be such a one as is there intimated howsoever obscurely yet by him that knoweth all things truly and sufficiently described not intending neverthelesse to make any exposition of the said book which being but a simple Laick I dare not enterprise of anie part of Scripture but onely to examine some parts thereof which may seem pertinent to the matter in hand thereupon to propose some questions wherein I desire to be resolved And first to speake somewhat of this booke of the Apocalyps in generall Iunius which is by all men confessed to be full of mysteries and that it is by reason thereof verie darke and obscure is by manie affirmed yet I see this hath neither disswaded the mindes nor discouraged the industrie of godly men in all ages from searching to find out the true sence and meaning thereof amongst which Iustinus Philosophus and Irenaeus godly Martyrs S. Ierom S. Austin excellent Fathers Haimo Iohannes de Rupescissa Ioachimus Abbas and others of the former age Luther Balaeus Fox Iunius in our fathers time the learned Abbat bishop of Salesburie Paraeus Napier and others of our own time Alcasir Ribera Romanists and aboue all our most Gracious learned Soveraign King Iames deserveth to be remembred Vpon great reason and judgment surely haue all these entred into this waightie work well knowing that being sent unto us by God and our Lord Iesus Christ we as duetifull servants ought to search out the understanding thereof Deut. 6 7. and to talke of them as of a message sent unto us from our chief Lord master who hath given it to be shewed to his servants and hath annexed a blessing unto it For blessed is he that readeth and heareth Apoc. 1 3. keepeth the words of this Prophecie That therefore which God will haue to be opened Math. 25. no man ought to shut that which he will haue to be shewed forth no man ought to conceale that which he will haue to be knowne none ought to neglect For he giveth not his gifts to be buried in the earth nor his talents to be tied up in a napkin Luke 8. neither do men saith he light a candle and put it under a bedde or a busshell Wherefore neither I howsoever unworthie durst altogether suppresse these my poore meditations concerning Antichrist much spoken of in this book but having obteyned grace of God adventured to put them in writing thereby to giue occasion the questions being thus opened to the learned that shall vouchsafe to read them the better to consider of them and instruct others to the unlearned the better to inquire and learn beseeching the great Bishop of our soules Illuminator of all men Christ Iesus to instruct inlighten us all And for the same cause I thought it best to propose them under the name forme of Problems or Questions reduced to the number of seven in a due observation of that mysticall number so manie times observed in this heavenly booke which by the opinion of some learned men ought to be used as the key to open these divine mysteries But before I come to the main question I think it necessarie to say somewhat touching the difficultie of this booke and of the end and subject of it for a further declaration whereof I haue conceived these seven Problems ensuing upon the two first verses of that Book which are as followeth The Revelation of Iesus Christ c. 1. Vpon these two verses standing like the two-leaved gates of the Temple which must be opened before we can goe any further with fear and reverence 1 Reg. 6. as at the gates of Gods owne house Ezâ—ch 41. I demand whether they do not present seven things to our consideration 1. first the name given to this book by the Author Apocalypsis A Revelation or Discoverie not Apocrypsis a Concealment or covering 2. The first originall Author God who gaue both the
Constant for Primacie and Supremacie Gregorius Magnus anno 590 condemneth the title of Vniversall Bishop in the Patriarch of Constant yet if we beleeue Baron and some others was contented to hold the Supremacie and for that purpose wrote letters of great flatterie to Phocas the Murderer Sabinianus anno 604 did so much malice his Predecessor and advance Gregorie that he could hardly conteyne himself from burning his books Platina and after him Boniface the 3 4 5 and others all mainteyned their Supremacie the power of that Sea untill Constantine of whom we shall haue cause to speake hereafter Lo these were the Roman Prelates of those times whose Histories diligently collected and layd together Plessis are more at large to be seen in that excellent worke De Mysterio Iniquitatis Whereupon I demand Whether they do not fully answer the description made of this Beast rising out of the earth Out of earthly desires of Honour c. First here is another Beast or Monarchie unlike to any of the former and yet not of any certaine forme of Government alwayes ascending and striving to get supremacie sometimes by one meanes sometimes by another stirring up schismes and seditions patronising Heretikes contending with other Bishops yea with those heauenly Doctors and Lights of the world whom they could no way countervaile Athanasius Hilarius Augustin Aurelius and two hundred Bishops of Africa with him And yet pretending great humulitie and subjection to the Emperor as appeareth by the letters not onely of Vigilius to Anthinius and other principall Heretikes at the command of the Empresse but of Gregorie the Great also to Phocas the Murderer Yet by Schisme and faction seeking to get the place as oft as they could without their consent See more at large of these things in that Booke of Philip Marnay Where also you may reade what S. Hierom writeth of Rome in his time expressely calling it Babylon and the purple whore And telling them of their Riches covetousnes lewdnes and Lupercatia There are the Trophees of the Apostles and Martyrs there is the confession of Iesus Christ sayth he but there is also ambition and Tyrannie which keep men back from doing good Neyther he onely but Marcellinus I do not sayth he marvail considering the braverie of that cittie that men ambitious of that place set up their Rest for the purchasing of it For having once aspired thereunto they are sure to be inriched with the offrings of Ladies and Noblemen to be carried in their coaches sumptuously attyred and so magnificent in their feastes as passeth any kings table Many such testimonies collected are to be read in the discourse of that Learned Lord. But especially is to be observed what he hath diligently drawn out of Baronius where he sayth that Constantine in the 24 year of his raigne ordeyned that the Bishops of the Christian Law should from that time forward haue the same Priviledges which the Idolatrous Priests had in time past They had sayth he their Rex Sacrificulus and Pontifex Maximus And who can think that Constantine would long indure that they should exceed the Christians in Pompe and glorie So Baron their Cardinall and learned Annalist yeeldeth unto us freely confesseth a point of no small moment that this their Pontifex Maximus who now is in Rome succeedeth in priviledge Pompe and glorie to the Heathen Pont. Max. which was before in Rome Yet the same Baron sheweth also that Constantine first tooke the name of Pont. Max. to himself and giveth a reason for it namely that the Senate and people of Rome those that were yet of the Heathenish faction might not so easily be drawen to conspire against the Christian Emperors was it not a verie Christian policie think you And yet sayth he the Pope had the power of supreame judge in all causes So that this standeth most consonant with all Prophecies histories that these two Beasts were at one time both together in Rome and that the new Pont. Max. of Rome hath the power of the Pagan Pontif. But that his power appeared very slowly and that the Pontificall name in Temporall causes was for a long time verie base and obscure appeareth by the testimonie of the learned Guicciardin Guicc l. 4. and other Histories I demand therefore Whether we may not here see the manifest performance of this prophecie I Another Beast arising after the first in Rome and in the presence of the first 2 Arising by degrees out of the earth that is out of the earthly lusts and desires of riches luxurie Pompe and pride 1 Iohn 2. Iames 3. and also by earthly wisedome strife and envie 3 Having two hornes indeed that is a power temporall spirituall but short and weake and as Guicciardin sayth obscure and almost invisible as the Hornes of a lambe 4 Speaking like the Dragon that is contrarie to the Commandements of God Revel 13. as the Serpent did to our mother Eue but equivocally as Vigilius whom Baron himself calleth Antichrist did equivocate with Sylverius his Predecessor and Theodora the Empresse See the Historie in Platina And divers others of them did flatter equivocate with the Emperors The fifth consideration therefore is of his Actions The 6 of his works And the 7 of his Name But of his name I haue spoken before and of his marke I might referre the Reader to the writings of the Excellent Paraeus Napier Iunius upon the Apocalyps But I cannot omit the greate and learned Archbishop Antonin In summa where he sheweth that everie one that entreth into their Holy Orders receiveth a Character p. 3. t. 14. p. 4. t. 13. which he interpreteth to be principale instrumentum ordinis But in another place upon the place of the Apocalyps now in hand Apoc. 13. he expoundeth the Character of the Beast to be cultum Bestiae the worship of the Beast in his right hand that is sayth he in his spirituall works as fasting Almes prayer c. or in his forehead in outward appearance at the least and in outward conformitie We may also obserue that if we subscribe to the opinion of Irenaeus that the name of the beast is Latinus this is observed in all their prayers But considering well and comparing the opinion of Napier with Antonin both with the Text I cannot chuse but thinke the Character is expressed unto us in the superstitious use of the crosse which they make upon the forehead or otherwise with their right hands But for his Actions they are here somewhat largely set forth in this 13 chap. For first it is sayd that he exerciseth all the power of the first Beast before his face So did the Popes before the Emperors as I haue shewed before Secondly he causeth the earth and earthly minded men to worship the first beast So did the Popes to the Emperors while they were in power and continued Pontifices Max. Thirdly he doth great wonders making fire to
to be burned as Heretikes which refuse to worship these Images For what cause 〈◊〉 moved Sabinian to burne the bookes of Gregorie but because he had defaced Images howsoever Platina goeth about to blanch the matter What else did they object against the Emperors of Greece What else did they urge against the Valdenses and Wicklevites but that they refused to worship the Roman Pontifex and his images What else did they object to Cranmer Ridley Latimer Hooper Sanders Bradford and other godly men in Queene Maries time that I may speak of England not of other countries but that they refused to acknowledge the reall presence and so to worship the Sacrament other of their images I demand also whether the Turke or any other Idolater do command and compell men to worship images under such capitall and Tyrannous paynes Whether any Idolater do compell men to worship so many Images or set up so many to be worshipped And whether any do proceed so cruelly against those that refuse to worship their Images The Popes in their lawes declare them to be Heretikes and excommunicate which do not worship their images and consequently depriue them not onely of lands and goods but also of their liues yea if it be a Prince they absolue his subjects from obedience and alleagiance givin his subjects power libertie to kill their Natiue king and giue away his kingdome to another Did ever any Iew Turke Infidel or Pagan attempt to doe the like If they should is it credible or likely that they should be believed and obeyed as the Popes haue been Thus therefore their actions being so agreeable to the Rising of this second Beast I demande againe How these Prophecies can be otherwise performed by any Monarch Prince Potentate State or person whatsoever past present or to come And if not then Whether this be not that Antichrist or whether we may expect any other And so we come to the description of Antichrist mounted upon the Roman State and raigning in his glorie which is the fifth generall parte of his description V. The Raigne of Antichrist IT is not unworthie of our observation that the Holy Ghost in setting forth the kingdome of Antichrist useth no such forme of speech as when he speaketh of particular men but such as is commonly used applied in scripture to signifie greate kingdomes and Monarchies When he prophecieth of particular men for the most part he noteth them by some proper Adjunct As of Iohn Baptist Esay 40. A voyce cryeth in the wildernes prepare the way of the Lord. c. So of our Saviour Christ My Righteous servant shall justifie many and againe He was broken for our sinnes c. Sometimes by the name of some other man as Mal 4. Behold I send you the Prophet Elijah c. Sometimes he calleth them by their proper names as that He sayth to Cyrus my Sheepheard Esay 44. c. and I will call Eljakim and so he prophecieth of Iosiah and against Shallum Coniah The king of Babel and Tyrus Esay 22. Ier. 22. But when he speaketh of great kingdomes or Monarchies he figureth them sometimes under the names of Great Beasts as all the four Monarchies in Daniel sometimes under the names of women â—zech 23. as Ezechiel calleth the two kingdomes of Ierusalem and Samaria Two women Nahum calleth Niniveh Esay 47. the beautifull harlot Esayah and Ieremie resemble Babylon sometimes to a woman tender and delicate sometimes to a Queene Iu. 51. sometimes to an Harlot whose words and Phrases our Apostle delighteth much to use It is no marvell therefore that having here to speak of the state of two Great kingdomes namely the Kingdome or Church of Christ and the kingdome or Synagogue of Antichrist He describeth one of them as a Chaste and undefiled spouse prepared for her husband and the other as a sumptuous glorious luxurious proud and intising Harlot alluring kings princes and all sorts of people to come unto her Wherein although it be true that Contraries compared layd together do illustrate one the other yet I will not here prosecute that glorious and heauenly description of the true Church of our Lord Christ Iesus able to take up all my thoughts and meditations but strictly following my former course obserue seuen Attributes in the Description of the Antichristian state and power Revel 17. now mounted upon the back of the Roman state First it is called the Great Whore Secondly which sitteth upon many waters Thirdly with whom the kings of the earth haue committed fornication and the Inhabitants of the earth haue been made druncken with the wine of her fornication Fourthly most richly and gorgeously cloathed and adorned with purple and scarlet gold and pearles having a golden cup in her hand full of her fornications Fiftly shee hath a name written in her forehead a Mysterie Babylon The great Mother of Harlots abhominations of the earth Sixtly She is druncken with the bloud of the Saints and Martyrs of Christ Iesus And lastly to make all plaine who this is It is sayth our Prophet the Great Cittie that ruleth over the kings of the earth Of some parts of which Description I haue spoken before both in the first and second Problem For which cause I shall not neede to speak much here but onely of such things as haue not been touched before And to speake a word by the way of that which is most plain and evident which is last mentioned that it is called the Great cittie by which name we commonly understand the king Prince or Prelate thereof as in the Prophecies against Iuda Israell Babell Ninive we understand many times their Princes and principall men and in our common speech we call Prelates by the names of their Seas as Canterburie London Magunce Trever c. So here by the most proper Adjunct we understand Rome and by Rome her Prince Prelate or Governour It will be in vaine therefore to aske whether this be hee seeing the Holy Ghost sayth this is he But it will be I thinke worth our labour to consider how these qualities may be applied to the chief Pontifex of Rome and whether they may be applied to any other And if to them alone then whether to one more then to another or to the whole succession Let us therefore peruse them in order The first qualitie is The Great Whore Whoredome in Scripture as hath been sayd is understood sometimes literally for the corporall filthines sometimes mystically for the spirituall whoredome which is Idolatrie Now for this later it is evident not onely by the Testimonie of Salvianus aboue recited but of their own histories that the verie Heathen Idols continued undefaced in Rome and worshiped untill the time of Boniface the fourth who having obteyned the Pantheon of the Emperor Phocas did consecrate that Temple to the honour of the Virgin Marie and of all martyrs Platina Fasc Temp. ejectis prius