dead sitting on his Throne of majesty chap. 20. VII The seventh and last Problem therefore must needs be concerning the Enemies of the Church whether we may not understand that of them also in this booke there be named Seven viz. 1 The Divel that old Serpent the great Red Dragon with seven heads and ten horns Rev. 2 10. 12 9. and seven crowns upon his heads 2 False Apostles Hypocrites Rev. 2 2. 3 Nicholaitans Hereticks chap. 2 15. 4 The followers of Iezabel and Balaam chap. 2 20. Licentious and Idolatrous Teachers 5 The first beast rising out of the Sea chap. 13. The old heathenish Roman Empire 6 The second Beast rising out of the Earth which seemeth peculiarly to signifie Antichrist unto us chap. 13. the proper and principall subject of this our Investigation 7 Gog and Magog heathenish and open Persecutors joyned with secret and intestine enemies whereof wee have not here to speake These things seeme to me not altogether improper nor inconvenient yet seeing I am no Prophet nor the sonne of a Prophet I dare not determine of them but leave them to Theologians to consider And with favorable permission going forwards to search and find out this great enemie of the Church of God I demaund whether he be not fully described unto us in this book of the Revelation and other parts of Holy Scriptures by seven notable and notorious Attributes 1 His place 2 His state or body politick which must be subject vnto him and support him 3 His Names 4 His Rising 5 His Raigning 6 His words and actions 7 His Times Of which Christ Iesus assisting I meane to speak in order J. Of the place of Antichrist BY the rules of methode we ar taught to proceed à notioribus ad minus nota froÌ„ things better known to infer proue things not so well known of things knowen they say those are best knowen which are visible or sensible and that the outward visible sensible adjuncts accidents do very much conduce to finde out and discover the nature and essence of everie thing Euen our divine Euangelist Prophet being taught by the spirit of God seemeth to approue of these observations where he beginneth his Epistle with this protestation That which was from the beginning 1 Iohn 1. which we haue heard which we haue seene with these our eyes c. making the senses a sufficient proofe of the humanitie conjoyned with eternitie This is the cause wherfore I thought best to begin my enquirie at the Place of Antichrist For what is more cleare and evident then that everie thing which hath an existence must haue a place he that seeketh for a thing out of his proper place or element as they now speak doth as if he should seeke for a fish in the fire or a swallow in the Sea The learned Grecian Aristotle the riches of whose learning I see no cause but it may be brought into the Holy citie according to the Prophecies referreth place to the Predicament ubi which importeth a Relation defineth it verie acutely I thinke truly to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which I know not how well but thus I think it may be rendred The unmoueable and nearest confine of that which compasseth any thing about He calleth it unmoueable because in all motions it is not the place that removeth from the thing nor with the thing but the thing it self is removed from one place to another It must be nearest indeed contiguous for els it can not be the place of one thing but may contein another it must compasse it about for if it do but touch it in part it is to be called adjacent or contiguous but not a place The most learned Roman maketh place one of his four principia Varro August And the learned also of later age number it among those things which necessarily concurre to the constitution of things Existent Cajcâ—an By all agreed to be a Relatiue which therefore must haue a Correlatiue Everie place is so called in respect of the bodie placed in it Everie Continent in respect of the thing conteyned everie Principle in respect of the thing proceeding from it as a Father cannot be so called without a sonne nor a master without a servant nor a cause without his effect Herehence are derived those rules and observations of the learned Posito corpore necesse esâ— poni locum posito loco locatum poni necesse est That Places must haue a due proportion of quantitie and magnitude great things must haue greate places for else they could not be compassed or comprehended in them Litle things litle places for els there would be vacuum Things of long continuance must haue places of equall duration and places of long continuance are not appropriated to things that must soone perish or passe away Also Places must haue a due temperament of qualitie agreeable to the things placed and the things placed to the places for else the one would destroy the other and contraries can no more be and continue in one place then in one subject These Observations being discovered unto us by the ordinarie light of nature it hath pleased the God of nature whose majestie is terrible his wisdome incomprehensible and his waies past finding out who numbereth the droppes of the Sea and the sand of the shore who calleth the starres by their names and filleth heaven and earth to descend into the narrow and poore capacitie of humane intelligence and by these outward visible sensible things to teach us who is a Teacher like to him to finde out things most obscure and difficult Let us see therefore what place of what capacitie quantitie and quality the great Governour and Disposer of all things hath appointed for Antichrist And first I demand whether it be not plainly described to be Rome and that Christian upon the consideration of these seven places of Scripture that follow The first in the seventeenth chapter of the Revel where it is set forth to be 1. That great citie Revel 17. 2 which was set upon seven hills 3. which had seven heads or governours 4. And ruled over the kings of the earth 5 which in a mysterie is called Babylon And 6. Most aboundant in riches glory 7 Yet most filthy in all fornication and uncleannes Let us examine these words every one by it self It is first a great Citie A city is by some considered as it consisteth of howses and buildings neare joyning together so Ninivie Tyrus the old Gen. 10. Babylon and others in the Scripture are called great citties So Tully calleth Pergamus and Smirna cities pro Flacco li. 1 de bell li. and Caesar also calleth Rome Civitatem taking that for a principall cause of his Parricidial warrs ut Trib. plebis ex civitate expulsos restitueret that he might restore the Tribunes of the people that were driven out
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
Rome for the most part of that time namely untill the yeare of our Lord 540 Consuls which represented the Imperiall power and were elected and created with Heathenish and Idolatrous rites and Auguries See Helviens Rensuerus other chronologers as Salvianus aboue cited doth testifie Were not the Emperors themselues many times made Consuls of Rome in that time And yet were not the Idolatrous Stageplayes with Bestiall filthines still celebrated in Rome as the same reverend and Godly Author and not he alone but the irrefutable Doctor S. Augustin witnesseth De civ Dei lib. 1. ca. 23. See also Blondus That pestilent corruption sayth he did infect the soules of miserable men with so great deformitie that euen now the cittie of Rome being spoyled men possessed with that pestilence flying from thence to Carthage dayly play the mad men upon stages And this wrote he about the year of our Lord 413 fully an hundred yeeres after Silvester and after that the cittie of Rome was governed by Christian Bishops agreeable to that which I proved before out of Salvianus Besides did not the Emperor Constantine and his successors for an hundred yeeres after him reteyn the name of Pont Max. Pless ex Zosum Baron and use the Robes Ornaments So then here was the first Beast still continuing both in Idolatrie and Majestie Yet notwithstanding I thinke no Papist will deny but that the Bishops of Rome after Silvester had the Imperiall sea and exercised the same principalitie and did the same things which the Emperors or Consuls were wont to doe For so is their decree Dist. 96. And what else do they clayme or pretend by the Donation of Constantine which they so stoutly maintayn but that they had that power lawfully which they exercised apparantly And yet this was not in any certaine form of government or resolute manner but sometimes by schisme and faction and sometimes by flatteries obteyning the consent or connivence of the Emperors When they saw the Emperors able to please or displease then by and by they were their good Lords and Masters and they caused men to worship them But when they would get it by faction or otherwise the Emperor was but a Cypher in Augrim as appeareth by the Histories and records of that time Sometimes the Consuls governed sometimes the Exarches and sometimes the Roman Bishops were opposed by other great Bishops So the Rising of this second beast was not altogether at once but by degrees and this second Beast in his Rising was as hath been sayd of an uncertaine forme And this being so the other points will consequently be confessed For what can they deny Will they deny that this principally which the Bishops of Rome held after Silvester was a Monarchie or state governed by one onely at once which is the second point or thirdly will they denye that it went in succession Fourthly will they say that it was like to any of the former Beasts This being a state Ecclesiastick all the former Saecular Fiftly will they affirme that these Bishops had any setled and absolute forme of Soveranitie during the time aforesaid Will they deny that they were at Rome in the presence of the Consular and Imperiall Authoritie or that they caused men to adore the Emperors Seuenthly or lastly will they deny the Testimonies of S. Augustin and Salvianus that the Idolatrous Rites Superstitions Auguries Stage-playes were still exercised at Rome I will here set downe a short Catalogue of the Bishops of Rome of those times out of their owne Historians and let it be shewed in which of these things they will differ from me and whether it were not with great opposition contention and schisme that they got their supremacie Silvester who had the Imperiall Sea and Principalitie of Rome by donation as some of them affirm or Cession Platin. Onuph Baâ—â—â— c. as others Marcus about the yeare of our Lord 335 tooke upon him the Title of universall Bishop in Epist Iulius tooke upon him by absolute Authoritie He warreth against the saints to restore certaine Bishops of the Easterne Churches deposed by their owne Synods Liberius an Arrian Heretike Platin. Pautal c. excommunicated the godly Athanasius and therefore was excommunicated by the godly S. Hilary Faelix the second a Schismatike and perjured Onuph Contention and slayn by sedition of Liberius as some say Schisma 2. Damasus a Schismatik advanced by violence murder and that in the church in time of divine service Plessis ex Matcellin Platin. Pantal. c. where there were found in one day 137 bodies slayne Siricius about the yeare of our Lord 396 or as some say 383 Ambition Contention ambitiously claymed the superioritie over the bishops of Spaine and Afrik and contended with them for it Anastasius 1. anno Dni 398 continued but few yeers Innocentius 1. anno Dni 402 still urgeth and mainteyneth his superioritie and the Apostolike honor of his Sea for so they called it In his dayes Rome was spoyled by the Gotts and Vandales Zosimus anno 417 seeketh to draw all causes to Rome Contention A wisedome earthly sensuall divelish Iames 3. Bonifacius 1 anno 420 getteth the Papacie by contention with Eulatius in a Schisme which is accounted the third Schisme in that Church Caelestinus 1. anno Christi 423 contendeth with the bishops of Africa amongst whom was S. August and other godly men Xistus 3. anno 432 continueth his claym of supremacy Leo Magnus anno 440. magnifieth S. Peter c. In his dayes the Roman Empire was grievously spoiled by Attila the Hunn Idolatrie The cause whereof Salvianus imputeth to the continuance of their Heathenish Idolatries with other sinnes in Rome Hilarius anno 461 continueth c. Simplicius anno 467. This man greatly laboured to advance his supremacie Heresiâ— and for that purpose tooke upon him the Patronage of Eutiches the Heretike Faelix anno 483 continueth c. Gelasius anno 492. Heathen Idolatries still continue in Rome Anomos Pantal. yet this man Se successores a nemine in terris judicandos asserit he will be iudged by no man Anastasius 2. anno 469. An Heretike and Patron of the Eutichians Reprobatus Dist. 19. and Nestorians Schisma 4. Symmachus anno 498. advanced by faction sedition and murder Paul Diac. Sabel Hormisda anno 513. In his time Cassiodorus composed the schisme between the Pontif. Ioannes I. anno 523. Faelix 4. anno 526. Bonifacius 2. anno 530. created by Schisme and Sedition Schisma 5. Ioannes 2. anno 532. Agapetus anno 534. Sylverius anno 535. a Magician put down by schisme Schisma 6. Vigilius anno 537. A seditious Schismatike and Eutichian whom Baron also calleth Antichrist Pelagius 1. anno 555. Ioannes 3. anno 566. in policie to crosse the Constantinopolitan decreed that none should be called chief Bishop Benedictus 1. anno 576. Pelagius 2. contended with the Archbishop of
coveteousnes to inrich themselues The goulden Historian Matthew Paris Aventinus and all other Histories of Christendome proclaime it is the Pope and Courte of Rome according to the Common verses Curia Romana non captat ovem sine Lana and againe Bursas exhaurit arcas and againe Roma caput mundi est omnia namque capit Ejus avaritiae totus non sufficit orbis Ejus luxuriae meritrix non sufsicit omnes Paris The Romish Cleargie haue turned the tenne commandements into two words See more in Abb. demonst and in M. Domuham Da pecuniam sayth S. Brigitt So if we aske who haue boasted themselues and in pride exalted themselues aboue all princes Kings and Emperors who hath excommunicated and cursed Christian Princes Nobles States and Nations Who haue seduced Children and Subjects to take upon them habits and vowes of Religion and so to cast off all obedience to their Parents and Superiors who haue shewed themselues most unthankfull to their Benefactors and specially to their Leige Soveraignes under whose gratious and peaceable government they were borne and bredd and haue injoyed their goods and Lands houses and Inheritance Wiues and children Liues and livings and yet haue gone about most wickedly traiterously to take away their Crownes and kingdomes yea their life and breath by whose onely mercie they injoy their owne Who haue taught men to breake their truces oathes Leagues and covenants by new trickes and devices sometimes of Equivocation mentall reservation in themselues sometimes of dispensation from their chief Bishop the Pope sometimes of false and malitious calumniations pretending that they be Heretikes and Infidels with whom no fayth is to be holden as they haue learned of their good predecessors Atreus Cie 3 offic in whose name that doctrine was first published and Laomedon that practised it according to that verse Laomedont aeae luincus perjuria Troiae Virg. Georg. â— Yet by the way I will not denye that sentence of a godly Father vouched in their Decree In malis promissis rescinde fidem Impia est promissio quae scelere adimpletur But it is one thing promittere malum and another promittere malo If we promise an evill thing it is better to breake it then to keepe it as we learne by the said Sentence and the example of Herod But if we promise to an evill man yet if the promise be not evill we are bound to performe it Ios. 9. 2 Sam. 21. as by the example of Ioshuah and king David And yet who hath giuen them such a superlatiue and supereminent prerogatiue that whomsoever they call an Heretike or Infidell he must be so yea in their owne causes contrarie to the Decree of immutable Iustice that None ought to be a Iudge in his owne cause Who haue againe by false infamous and seditious Libels accused and slandered Princes Nobles and whole nations as they did Queene Elizabeth calling her a Bastard flagitiorum servam the late Prince of Orenge calling him an Heretike and all that protest against their impieties calling them Heretikes Valdenses Hussites Lutherans Calvinists Hugonots and I know not what Finally who haue shewed themselues most intemperate fierce and cruell who haue most despised good men Who haue been most traitors who most headie and obstinate who most proud and high minded who haue most followed their pleasures and yet made most hypocriticall shewes of godlines I haue neither read nor seene much I know litle or nothing and therefore will not take upon me to say any thing but I referre it to thine owne conscience good Christian and I desire thee to consider in thine own hart whether thou do know any such men in the world or not and if thou doest then whom they serue and follow A third note of the times of Antichrist is that which the same Apostle telleth us in another place 2 Thes 2. that there should come an Apostacie first and then that man of sinne shall be revealed Consider with thy selfe whether in anie Historie of times past thou canst find any Apostasies in any degree parallell or comparable to those whereof we spake before or whether in any probabilitie the like may be expected in any time to come Or if by the word of Apostasie in that place thou wilt understand that whereof the same Apostle speaketh elsewhere that some shall apostate and fall from the fayth giving heede to seducing spirits and doctrines of divels 1 Tim. 4. speaking lyes in hypocrisie forbidding mariage and meats Consider also who they be that teach such things And who they be that forbid meats and mariage some meats to all men at some times and all mariage to some persons at all times Fourthly S. Peter giveth us another none of them 2 Pet. 2. saying They walke after the flesh and despise government speaking evill of dignities I neede not aske what these men be But I aske whether any other of any Religion countrie nation or profession either in these or in any of the former haue been like to those that professe the Roman Catholike or Popish superstition Fifthly S. Iude following S. Peter Iud. epist. describeth them thus They haue gone in the way of Cain and runne greedily after the error of Balaam and perish in the gainsaying of Core Who be those that haue most followed Cain in murther and Bloudshed not onely of private men but of princes Who haue runne after Balaam to curse excommunicate interdict not onely perticular offenders but whole nations townes citties and countries and that for coveteousnes when they refused to pay their unreasonable demands Who also haue followed Core Dathan and Abiram in opposing themselues against Magistrates and Superiours Iames â— plotting of conspiracies and raysing insurrections Sixtly S. Iames describeth a wisedome which is carnall sensuall and diuelish consisting in cursing and bitternes envie and strife Consider of these who they be that haue been most giuen to these things and whether ever any like or comparable to the Romish Synagogue Lastly as we touched before S. Iohn giveth us a speciall note He that is not of God heareth us not and hereby we know the spirit of trueth 1 Iohn 4. and the spirit of Error Who be those that flye from the Scriptures and will haue us with an implicit fayth and blinde obedience to submitte our selues to their decrees and decretals cannons and traditions Church and Pope whom they will haue to be accounted of science infallible power irresistable and judgment unquestionable Neither are these things to be shifted of with that rotten distinction that these are vitia hominum non professionis the faults of particular men and not of the whole profession ranke or order The Heathen man will refell that telling us that where all runne one way eyther by act or consent the corruption of the singulars giue a denomination to the totall Heliaca urbs simul est mendax atque ebria Talis Tota urbs est Domus