Naples and Tuskany with my countrey of Hydrantum shall bee shaken in notable manner and so shall Florence be affrighted as expecting a reuenge because of her Apostate Duke with a great deale more The formerly recited Saint Vincent in most of his writings maketh as it were an agreement with the predictions which were sound in the Abbot of Clunies Library Abbot of Cluny written some 500. yeeres agoe against certaine Popes that shall follow the steps of Simon Magus and so drinke of the cup of the wrath of God and whereas there are many and large prophecies attributed to Abbot Ioachim yet they all tend to presage the reformation of the Church or confusion of her obstacles and enemies that is the Pope and his Colledge of Cardinals or the obsession and demolition of Rome There is a Prophecy of Iohannes de rupe Scissa a Francesian Diuâ—â—â— prâ—pâ—ecies Friar another of Theodoricus Bishop of Croatia another in a booke intitled Stimulus diuinae contemplationis another out of the Bishops of Limoges Library in France another of Laurentiâ—â—s Miniatensis an Astrologian of Naples and many others from as many seuerall Authours and countreys and all tending to this end and purpose that Religion must be reformed according to the Prophet Zachary where the filthy garments are to bee taken Zachary 3. away and a crowne of pure gold to bee set vpon the Priests head That Sathan shall be rebuked that is to say the hindrances of this good worke shall bee remoued that this strange exaltation of the Popes of Rome must bee abated that their pompe and supremacy must bee dissolued and that the very city shall be subiect to fire and the countrey to inuasion of enemies c. Shall tell you how Hieronymus Sauanarola expounded Sauanarola the reuelation of Saint Iohn to the people of Florence He assured them that religion must be reformed that God would accuse the Churches that were faultie their trumperies must be abolished their inuentions annihilated that God would bring a great scourge vpon all Italie especially Rome nor desisteth he so but alledgeth the cause and certaine motiues why God was so extraordinarily offended namely the pollution of the Sanctuarie the corruption of the Clergie the ill gouernment of Prelates and Priests the abuses of Officers and the pride of Bishops and Cardinals who will neither enter into heauen themselues as Christ exprobrated the Pharises nor suffer others which sinnes must needs cry from the earth vnto heauen for vengeance c. It is wonderfull to relate that Panlus secundus Grebnerus Grebnerus the German Astrologian should so long agoe for the generall foretell the vtter destruction of the Pope of Rome enlarging his inuectiues against idols temples and Churches defiled with mens inuentions authorised by humane fancies and adorned with gewgaw deuices as if they were afraid to break the necke of policy by letting her looke vp to heauen and therefore she should be troubled no further than the hangings images or painted walls of some melancholy Chappell For the particular hee prognosticated the destruction and dissipation of the fleet in 88. the murther of Henry the third of France the troubles of the King of Nauarre Henry of Burbon the preuailing of his armies and the winning of the strong towne of Groyning in Free sland But amongst others which I named before you must Abbot Ioachim needs harken vnto that famous and well reputed man Ioachimus the Italian Abbot of Flore in Calabria who foresheweth that at last both Germans and the French shall sorsake the Pope of Rome and deny the supremacie because of their monstrous corruptions and iniquities He also alledgeth that as Salomon in his age fell to idolatrie so should Rome be most contaminated when she declined and extend the violence of her filthinesse as the last act of her tragedie approached He proceedeth yet further that all Christian Princes shall not onely forsake but afflict her yea a Prince smally reputed of shall correct the Babylon of Rome Harken I pray you to a little more he resembleth the Pope to Pharo and Pilate and maketh a further comparison with her by the Babylonish whore and so concludeath that they shall all be laid in a bed of affliction and scourged againe and againe with bleeding wounds for their wickednesse and abominations I could proceed with many others but I did purpose onely an â—nchiridion and therefore I will desist from raising it to a volume yet I cannot ouerpasse those bitter inuectiues and terrible presages against Rome by Robertus a Dominican Friar who in diuers sermons likens the Pope Friar Robert to an Idoll for adoration to an Hidropick for presumption to a Beare for cruelty to a serpent which in a vision he saw in the palace of Laterane to a blacke dry and blasted body to an head of wood which was to bee cut or broken off and many other resembiances tending all to this purpose that in the end according to the time which God hath kept secret in his owne bosome Rome and the Popes of Rome shall not onely bee discouered to bee that man of sinne and Antichrist in the Scriptures but receiue the reward of adultery euen the diuorce from Iesus Christ If it bee so then answer a Gods name you that must answer before the iudgement Throne of the Lambe how comes this about if the Papacy shall not come to ruine and Rome it selfe be destroied sceing Antichrist is thus reuealed and that sonne of perdition manifested whom God will consume with the breath of his nostrils If not so shew wherein either I haue gone beyond limitation or my Authors haue failed in their computation and I will answer both for them and my selfe what is befitting to satisfaction if God haue made your hearts pliable to a modest and humble impression Antichrists punishment and Romes destruction from holy women I Perceiue For as in Peters vision the sheet was let downe and proposed vnto him full of cleane and vncleane beasts so in the Church of God the women as well as the men haue not onely beene admitted but admired for their sanctity yea as ftom the examples of Scripture the Idolatrous nations assumed a patterne of imitation falsifying Abrahams offering his sonne Isaac to the inuention of slaughtering men to the Deuill out of Samsons story they haue iustified the life of Hercules from Moses and Aarons Priesthood and Salomons Temple they haue raised their superstitious adoration of idols and Hecatombs of beasts with such like so hath the Church of Rome in resemblance of Miriam Debora Hulda Anna and many others named Prophetesses and holy women in Scripture canonized Saints of Nuns and other deuotresses whom they haue not onely reuerenced for their liues but adored for their vertues doctrine and piety amongst whom I will only name you fiue eternized to memory by the Papists themselues who shall furnish this our present banquet of predictions with the dainties and accates of the best taste
A GAGGE FOR THE POPE AND THE IESVITS OR THE ARRAIGNEMENT AND EXECVTION OF ANTICHRIST Shevving plainely that Antichrist shall be discouered and punished in this VVorld to the amasement of all obstinate PAPISTS LONDON Printed by I. D. for Edward Blackmore and are to be sould at his Shop at the Great South-dore of Paules 1624. Lucan lib. 7. Pharsal Hoe placet ô superi cum vobis vertere cuÌ„cta propositum nostris erroribus addere crimen TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE VVILLIAM EARLE of PENBROOK Lord Chamberlaine to his Maiesties Houshold and one of his most honourable Councell c. RIGHT HONOVRABLE AS I intend nothing by this Discourse but the glory of God the good of my Country the obseruation of Princes and the seasoning of humors so doe I propose no man fitter to Patronise the same then your selfe sprung from so illustrious a family that our moderne Stories reioyce againe in the illustration of the name and actions of Herbert but aboue all my motiues arise from your Noble disposition toward Englands glory and pious zeale to propagate the cause of Religion which at this day is set vpon by viperous calumniation as if either God meant not to performe his promise concerning the stripping the Strumpet naked Apoc. 18. 3. who hath made drunke the Kings of the earth with the cup of abomination or pollicie determined like Prometheus his Vulture to feed vpon the heart of Religion and eat out the bowels of sanctitie and truth But O thou God of heauen thou laughest the Psalme deuises of men to scorne and wilt maintaine thy owne cause in despight of Apostacy and O â—ee Princes of the earth looke yee Psal 2. 12. kisse the sonne least he be angry and yee perish in the Way when his wrath shall suddenly burne Wherefore great Lord made so much the greater by all the Concomitants of Noble birth and remarkeable deseruing accept I pray you of this poore Tractate wherein though I come strangely toward you with a dutie from an vnknowne name and vnfortunate man as we prophanely abuse the Character yet with so good a heart that in regard of the cause which is Gods and your selfe who haue answered reputation with sufficiency I am cheerfully animated to wade out of this streame by the supportation of so noble an arme which can keep me from sinking though there were some whirlepoole to fall into As for aspersion of presumption stepping out of my own Circle medling with transcendent matters tenuity of wit or deficiency of knowledge I wipe all away with a Principle in Euripidâ—s Nullus sibi similis in periculis Iphigenia in Tauris homo quoties ad audaciam ex metu venerit But indeed what should I be affrighted with the Popes fulmination or curses Lucan answers Tollite signaduces fatorum impellite cursum Lib. 5. Pharsâ—l spem vestram prestate diis fortunaque tantos det vobis animos quantos fugientibus hostem causa dabat The blastings of opinion or windy censures Impia laetatur vulgatae nomine famae Thessaliis Luc. oâ— Lib. 5. The displeasure or contracted brow of a Prince No no. Caesaris aduentu tuta gladiator arena Lib. 6. de Pontâ— Ovid. exit auxilium non leue vultus habet The imputations of iudicious men Simplex oratio veritatis est Neque variarum habet vtrinque interpretationum Eurip. Phaenissae habet enim ipsa congruentiam sed iniquus sermo aegrotans in seipsum medicamimum habet opus sapientiam The desertion of friends who be they Amicos in rebus aduersis conuenit amicis adesse Eurip. Orestes Nam cum Deus faelicitatem dederit Quid opus est amicis Sufficit ipse Deus prodesse volens In a word so I haue your fauour and my owne ends I am startled at nothing but insufficiency in so great aduenture and vnworthines to put polluted handes into the waters of life which as I hope the God of heauen will pardon because of my honest desires to magnifie his greatnes so your Honor will graciously admit because of my willing heart to exemplifie your goodnesse THE ARRAIGNEMENT AND EXECVTION OF ANTICHRIST I Would faine act my owne Scean and with a modest zeale enter into a Discourse that shall show you the hand of God writing on the wall more fearefull and terrible to hard-hearted Papists then euer Belshazzers fatall night to Daniel 5. himselfe and his people I beseech you then if you can discrectly auoyd or charitably confute ignorant Papists and penurious Newes-mongers vnderstand what I purpose in my following Treatise meerely to show you that these troubles of Europe be but the beginnings of Romes desolation and the Beast with seauen heads and ten hornes must Apoc. 12 be discouered as she walloweth in the den of abomination and filthinesse of corruption after which she shall be rowsed and hunted out of breath â—aken and lashed with stripes bound and stripped of her pompe and at last forsaken and consumed with fire which although it may haue relation to the euerlasting horror of hell yet in the iudgement of learned Diuines must be explicated by some effectuall humiliation on earth Wherin if repentance remorse and compunction of spirit cannot frame the master peece of Conuersion the Catastrophe shall be wrought by the violence of a stronger arme and that from a secular Prince And if in this the Emperours of Germany or other potent Kings haue fayled as too-too basely prostrating themselues to the power of Antichrist no question God will punish them for vnder-valuing his glory or diuiding and participating that greatnes which he hath giuen to euery King intire in his owne Kingdome Now that the Pope hath vnder sanctified titles both abused Religion and deceiued the world and that God is incensed against such pride blasphemy and hypocrisie yea offended with such Princes as still adore the Beast is apparant by many relations Especially a large Letter written and printed long since in the Spanish tongue to King Philip the second in the dayes of Queene Mary wherein is not onely the Genealogie of Antichrist but a delicate Picture of the Pope and his Cardinals kneeling before the Deuill sitting in a chayre of State who deliuers him an Indenture or Commission with many seales allowing him to be Antichrist and so to execute his authoritie this was composed by one Alonso de Penna Fuertes an Italian and out of this with many other Classick Authors this Enchiridion is extracted and I hope to make all I proiect apparant as farre as man may coniecture or fals to my poore proportion of discouery The Method then which I would obserue ariseth from the 1. Discouery 2. Arraignement 3. and execution of Antichrist In the discouery you shall haue some obseruations taken from 1. effectuall contingents 2. and probable coniectures In the Arraignement the indiâ—ements are framed 1. from contradicting the word of God 2. from dishonouring the truth with false doctrines 3. and from abusing the
people with lying miracles In the sentence of condemnation and execution the Bonarges is deliuered 1. from the mouth of God 2. the predictions of Sybels 3. the inuectiues of their owne canonized Fathers 4. and reuelations of blessed Women of all which in order or as orderly as I can The discouery of Antichrist COncerning the discouery of Antichrist how euer I need goe no further then Daniels weekes and times or his foure beasts Ezekiels visions the Epistles of S. Paul the Reuelation of S. Iohn and those wonderfull Expositions of learned men coÌ„cerning the subiect in hand yet you shall haue other observations namely that concerning the yeere 1666. a time wherin the glory of Antichrist year 1666 must be ecclipsed or at least so darkened that it shall neuer shine with outward glory nor eminent maiesty many haue set downe that the numerall letters of all Alphabets amount to this number and denotate the same as if it were a thing purposed from the beginning and like a Propheticall Hierâ—gliphicke representing the name and marke of the Beast in the Apocalyps for example c. signifies a 100 d. 500. Alphabâ—ts nâ—merall letters i. one l. 50. m. a 1000. v. fiue and x. 10. all which summed together make a 1666. Others out of the name of Paulus vice Deus borrowing a little libertie to make the first v a double collect the same number from l. v. v. i. c. d. v. which Letters likewise amount to 666. Others take the name of the Beast out of Papa Vicarius Dei generalis in terris where there are six Vnites two v. which make 10. l. 50. c. a 100. and d. 500. all which amount to 666. Others desâ—ant vpon the triple Crowne of the Pope and some other tearmes more significant as in all the learned Expositors of the Reuelation is apparant Last of all they haue played with the very Character of Papa as if there were a mystery in the Papa Letters and that Papa did signifie Poculum aurcum plenumâ— abominationis the golden cup full of abomination and such is the will of God that as Ahabs little Cloud increased to a great storme so out of these triuiall animaduersions sufficient matter might be gathered for the discouery of Antichristian Prelacy Effectuall Contingents Protestants NOw let vs come forward to Effectuall Contingents which are apparant from the progression of the Gospell in all the Countries of Europe and discontentments of Papists themselues in their owne Papisticall Prouinces First then concerning Religion now called Reformed Protestants who knowes not what England Scotland Denmarke Norway Sweden the low Countries and many great townes and Provinces both in Germany and France haue done and that with resolution neuer to returne to the vomit againe Who sees not the prosperitie of Holland Zealand and the rest who for Religions sake and to oppose that monstrous Hydra the Inquisition displayed by the Duke of Alâ—a haue euer since maintained such Warres that the world is at a gaze at their Protector Who confesseth not what France bringeth forth such Protestant Armies such defensiue townes that their faith is as strong as their walls such glorious troopes worthy Congregations zealous ministers and religious people that for all the State allowes them not publicke exercise of Religion yet such is their estate that many thousands are resolued to maintaine the cause of the Gospell Who vnderstands not how Switzerland is diuided and for the most part affected to the Reformed Religion Whose heart doth not leape for ioy especially if his name be written in the booke of life to apprehend how the spacious Germany hath her seuerall Protestant Prouinces and reformed Citties how-euer the Popes aduocates mistearme them Lutherans or Hereticks O Geneua Geneua I blesse thy name for blessing the God of all blessing who hath washed thee cleane from the filthinesse of superstition and thou hast kept thy white garments vnspotted yea by demonstration shewed plainely that the wings of the Cherubines haue ouer-shadowed thee Shall I bring into this number the Prouinces of Austria Stiriâ— Carmola Carinthia why the Emperor himselfe knowes they are most of them Protestants and within three myle of Vienna Englishmen haue seene fiftie Carosses at a Protestant Sermon yea they haue told the Fryers within the walles to their faces that they would do as the men of Berea did examine their doctrine by the Word of God As for the terrible affrightings of hostilitie whereby the countenances of Bohemia the Palatinate and other Prouinces are euen sadded againe and seeme bloodles with impietie of soule to thinke vpon their ruines and deuastation although the Iesuits runne vp and downe with the Popes fulmination in their mouthes fire and sword in their handes malice and revenge in their hearts death and destruction in their actions and that the voice of Rachel is euery where heard mourning for her children Iereâ—s yet are there thousandes that haue not bowed their knees to Baal and are humbled with Iob to cry out though Kingâ— Iob. thou kill me I will not forsake thee and could all this be done without the speciall providence of God and his all-searching eye that will at last discouer the pollution of this Antichristian den and the deceit of the Strumpet answere a Gods name you that must answer before the Iudgement throne of the Lambe how comes this about if the Papacâ— shall not come to ruine and thus much for the Protestant Papists COncerning Papists how many Statutes in France England Papists and other places haue beene enacted diuers hundred yeeres since against the pride auaâ—ice and vsurpation of the Sea of Rome What pasquils and inuectiues haue beene set vp euen in Rome it selfe traducing the Popes and Cardinalls for their vicious liues and abominable impiâ—tie What outrages haue beene committed to the sacking of Rome and irreligious prophanation of such things as were reputed sacred and all this by Catholickâ— Souldiers What discontentments beganne betweene Philip the 2. of Spaine and the Pope not long after the death of Charles the fift when the Duke of Alua in his Masters behalfe exprobrated the Conclaue of Cardinals for proclaiming the King an enemy to the Church that a man would wonder how he was afterward diuerted to bend his forces against them in the low Countries How often haue the Grandes of Spaine repined at the welath and ambition of the Clergie With what fearefull out cryes haue the people murmured at the tyranny of the Inquisition Are not the Fryers at this instant I meane the Dominicans and Franciscans at variance about the originall sinne of the Virgin Mary Did not Sauoy a while agoe protest against the tenths of the Church and beganne to startle at some peremptory proceedings of the Clergie Was not Venice resolued to moderate the bountie of men defunct who enfeoffed the Church with extraordinary donatiues and attempted to deny the Popes secular iurisdiction when they proclaimed Fryer Paule of the order of Serui Theologo disignato