Tostatus and Thomas put the Quaere if the Queene of the Sarazens with her whole kingdome would be baptized and become Christians conditionally that some Monke may bee given her for an Husband What should bee done in this case They answer negatively That a Monke might not marry no not such a Queene licet multae animae sunt manifestò periturae although many soules should undoubtedly perish by that refusall Now what may we conceive to bee the cause of this so severe an inhibition I conjecture it to be twofold the commodity and the glory of the Church of Rome Nondum erat ecclesia dotata saith Gerson the Treasurie of their Church would bee at a low ebbe if this channell were diverted Hist Trent lib. 7. pag. 680. And Pius 4. anno 1563 blamed the legates for permitting the question to be disputed because the affections of maried priests would fall from the Church to their Country I remember a fearfull saying of Arnobius Frequentius Arnob. lib. 8. pag. 771. in Aedituorum sacerdotum aut Monachorum cellulis quam in ipsis Lupanaribus flagrans libido defungitur I will not translate his sentence nor relate my owne sentence but I will conclude The Pope is homo peccati the man of sinne for he hath law to command it To close up all with one or two memorable additions Gravius peccat si uxorem ducit quam si domi Concubinam â—â—vâ—at Costerus Coster Ench. cap. 15. Prop. 9 saith it is a more grievous crime for a Priest to marry than for him to keepe an Whore in his house And it is a ruled case of conscience Tolet Instit sacerd lib. 4. c. 21. amongst those Catholikes That a woman though she hath oftentimes lyen with other men yet she may say and sweare to her husband that she is no adulteresse with this reservation I never did commit adultery Tibi ut revelem with an intent to tell him But to put all whores and Taxa Camera cap. 13. whoremongers out of all feare they have pitched a publike price upon this Sinne. Their Taxa telleth us that a Priest might keepe a Concubine paying ten shillings and six pence and a Lay man may doe the same at the same rate If a man defloure a virgin it shall cost him Cap. 14. Cap. 15. nine shillings and seven shillings six pence must be payed by him that defileth his kinswoman Sarishariensis in Epâ—st ad Coloss 4. 5. pag. 356. Caus z. Quest 7. in Gloss I will shut up all with that quotation of our learned Bishop out of their Canonists Pro simplici fornicatione hodie nemo deponitur Now none is deposed for simple fornication Now would I see him who will not see the Sunne can any deny this conclusion The Pope is the cause of whoredome The consequence whereof will hardly be waved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Pope is The Man of sinne The third and last sin wherewith I charge the Church of Rome that it is the cause thereof is Treason Treason Did ever Englishman think that any impudent haÌ„d shold throw back this durt into our owne faces yet is there a popish pamphlet to prove the popish Church to be Hierusalem or the mother of peace and our Church to bee Babel or the Teacher and practiser of sedition Iust like Athalia who was the Arch-traitresse her selfe 2 King 11. 1. yet shee was the first and fiercest to cry treason treason against others 2 King 11. 14. But whether it be our Church or the Church of Rome which is the shop where all treason is hammered let this discourse testifie The whole Series of the Popes for many centuries might well be called by the sirname of Vrbanus the third Turbani that is the troublers of all Christendome But I will not inlarge my discourse too farre pondere non numero I will produce a few testimonies but to the purpose and I wil end only with one authority and with one example which shall satisfie any indifferent person who doth impartially desire satisfaction Aquine is an old Artist in this and goeth Aqum 2. â—â— qâ—â—st 12. Art 2. plainly to worke Principe propter Apostasiam excommunicato ipso facto subditi ejus solvuntur à juramento fidelitatis that is if any Prince be excommunicated for Apostasie or falling from Religion ipso facto by that very act his subjects are absolved from their oath of allegeance Bellarmine driveth the same naile a little further BellaÌ„r de Pont. R. lib. 5. cap. 7. sect Eâ—go â—â—ia Si Princeps aliquis ex ove aut ariete fit lupus id est ex Christiano haereticus potest Pastor Ecclesiae cum arcere per excommunicationem simul jubere populo ne eum sequatur ac proinde privare eum dominio in subditos That is If any Prince of a Sheepe shall become a Wolfe that is of a Christian an Hereticke the Pastor of the Church the Pope may expell him by excommunication and withall he may command the people to follow their Prince no more and finallie he may deprive him from ruling over his Bellar. de Pont. Rom lib. 5. ca. 7. sect Quod si subjects And hee addeth a reason why this hath not beene frequently done Quia deerant vires the Pope wanted power to put it in execution And this certainly was the cause of composing that laborious but lying libell Monarchomachia whereby the wilie author would perswade credulous persons Hierusalem Hierusalem that the Papists are the most peaceable people in our whole land but desunt vires they want power There is the cause of their quietnesse and for ever may it continue unto them Thus have I the most and most learned of the Church of Rome avouching my accusation For Thomas is the leader to all the Thomists and few of the Iesuits will sticke to follow their Cardinall Bellarmine Nay not onely the Thomists and Iesuits but if they will subscribe to the Pope all the Papists must grant the cause though the title peradventure Treason is declined by them About the yeare 1253 Pope Innocent the Math. Paris pag. 844. fourth said of King Henry the third Nonne est Rex Angliae noster vasallus is not the King of England our subject ut plus dicam mancipium nay more is he not our slave Pope Monarchomach part 2. tit 3. pag. 372. Pius 5. indeavoured the deed but God be blessed deerant vires and ever may they armed our Northerne Papists to Rebellion against our famous Queene Elizabeth as it is confessed by impudence it selfe the Babylonish author Apologia Regis Iacobi pag. 77. of their Babel Pope Sixtus the 5. uttered in the Conclave a panegyricall Oration in the praise of that traiterous Monke who murthered Henry 3. King of France And finally Pope Vrbane 8. Maij 30. 1626. dated a Bull to Bulla Vrban 8. 1626. England to exhort all English Romish Catholikes to refuse the oath of Allegiance that
sin By both hee fulfilleth that in the first to the Romans and the last He doth not onely do things worthy of Death but hath pleasure in them which doe them But who is this Man this Paterne and Patron of all impiety the Rhemists call it Blaspemy we verity We say The Pope is The Man of Sinne both by Acting it in Himselfe and by effecting it in others Anno 1562. the Archbishop Trent Hist lib 7. pag. 588. of Granada and all the Spanish Bishops desired reformation in the Trent Councill saying that the Fountaine of all abuses was the Court of Rome which is not onely corrupt it selfe but the cause of Deformation in all the Churches This truth is also confirmed by that false proselyte Radix omnium malorum Spalâ—â—â—â—â—â—s de Rep. lib. 4 c. 11. nu 11. est Romana Curia the Court of Rome is the cause of all evill For the first the personall sinnes of the Popes I passe that Onely because Suarez saith Suarez Apol. lib 5 cap. 17. nu 5. Christoph de Antichristo against Doctor Dounam Trisâ—gion lib. 3. cap. 39. that there were aliqui improbi not many and Christopherson in his catalogue doth not mention any evill persons amongst all the Popes I must therefore give a tast of other mens observations The learned author of the Trisagion saith that there sate in the See of Rome fourteene Popes which were Adulterous nine Simoniaks twelve Tyrants three and twenty Sorcerers and ten Traitors To which I must Toâ—â— Torâ—i pag 219. adde what our Bishop hath delivered out of their Platina Monstra Portenta more then twenty Monsters of Mankind which sate and more than thirty Schismes were hatched in the Chaire of Rome And for the space of one hundred fourescore yeeres for the succession of Fifty Popes hee could reckon Vix unum Pontificis nomine dignum hardly one worthy to be called a Pope and that you may not Hâ—m 2. lib. Whits 2. part sol 219 c. judge this to be a private judgmeÌ„t or mine to be a rash judgement reade the judgement of the Church of England fully to this point in the Homily for Whitsontide But I will remove my finger froÌ„ this sore which I had not touched had not their bragging Tongue coÌ„strained my Hand a little to discouer it Next to come to the life of the cause That the Pope is the cause of sinne it will be confessed if we consider onely this one thing There is a booke called Taxa Cancellariae Apostolicae where in print the Absolutions from sinne and dispensations for sinne are set at a certaine Rate Can any imagine a fitter introduction and a more imboldning incouragement for any sinfull man to commit any sinfull action This is much which I say but much more is said by one of their owne and best authors Claudius Espencaeus Liber palam ac publicè hic Cl. Espâ—â—â— in Tit. cap. 1. Digres 1. impressus hodie ut olim venalis Taxa Camerae seu Cancellariae Apostolicae inscriptus in quo plus scelerum discas licet quam in omnibus omnium vitiorum summistis ac summarijs et plurimis quidem licentia omnibus autem Absolutio empturientibus proposita That is There is a booke publikely to be sold the Taxa Camerae whereby a man may learne more wickednesse than ever was comprised in all the summists and summaries of Vices which ever were set forth and wherein some may buy leave and all pardon for any sinne The same author proceedeth in the same place and point that that booke doth dispence with Adulterers Murtherers and Sorcerers Adulteros In cantatrices Homicides yea they absolve Parricidas Incestos contra naturam cum Brutis those that kill their Fathers defile their Mothers or that are so farre past grace that they commit that foule crime against nature By name for Perjurie Cap. 4. a villaine which hath falsly and willingly forsworne himselfe shall be absolved and the price of his Absolution is printed sixe grosses Cap. 3. or nine shillings and the same price is pitched for that child of the devill who out of a diabolicall lust shall defile a woman in the holy house of God in the very Church it selfe Thus also under Alexander the sixt the Cardinall Waldenses lib. 2. cap. 3. pag. 48. of St. Xist sent into Dauphine two bulls one by which he gave absolution for Simonie Theft Murther Vsury Adultery Detension of Benefices Destruction of goods Ecclesiasticall Perjurie yea Apostasie and Heresie All which may bee established by the Bellaâ— de Pont. Rom. lib. 4 ca. 5. sect Quod. judgement of learned Bellarmine for saith he Si Papa praecipiat vitia prohiberet virtutes tenetur Ecclesia credere vitia esse bona virtutes malas nisi velit contra conscientiam peccare That is If the Pope should command vices and interdict vertues every person who would not offend against his conscience must beleeue that the vices are good and the vertues are bad And that none may surmise me to wrong Bellarmine or to wring his words beyond his meaning behold a like egge of the same bird Bellar. de Pont. Rom. lib. 4. ca. 2. sect Dein de Catholici omnes convenient pontificem aliquid statuentem sive errare possit sive non esse ab omnibus fidelibus obedienter audiendum that is all Catholikes doe accord in this that the Pope whether he may erre or no is yet to be heard with all obedience And Bellarmine doth but Blanch Bell. Recogn de Sum. Pontif. pag. 507. the Aethiop when as he would seeme to retract this paradoxe saying that hee did speake de dubijs actibus and in the last citation he hath in re dubia For the Powder Traitors propounding Abbati Antilog cap. 9. it as rem dubiam to murther a King and ruine a Kingdome at one blow from these principles if the Pope had returned the affirmative they must have obeyed him yea have beleeved that that vicious act had beene a vertue Tolet. Instr lib. 4 cap. 3. sect 7. nay as another Cardinall speaketh in another case they might have thought that bloody barbarous villany meritorious Let any patron of the Pope under heaven name any man or succession of men on the earth who have given the like incitements incouragements and commandements unto sinne And I will recant and confesse that I have done his Holinesse and the holy series of his predecessours much wrong saying that The pope is the man of sinne But principally the Pope is the cause of three sinnes hee is the cause of Ignorance of Whoredome and Treason Now if I can prove that the Pope is the cause of these 3 sins I have cause enough to conclude The pope is the man of sinne For the first If the Councill of Tolet hath defined Concil Tol. 4. cap. 24. right that Ignorantia est mater omnium errorum Ignorance is the
Protestants fiered and faggotted by the Papists with more than Pagan cruelty and inhumanitie Hereupon the Papists not to be behind Tortura Torti pag. 152. hand with them have printed and painted Legends and Legions of their Martyrs To wit that even here in England their men have been sowen in Beare skins and baited by Bandogs that their women have beene bared in their breasts for starven Mice to eate into their entralls And that the Romish Catholikes of both sexes have been haltered to eate hay with horses These are Lyes to us who know them but they make our Persons our Religion our Countrey a loathing and a detestation to those who know us not This then is a mischievous point in their mystery of iniquitie The last Countermining craft of our undermining Adversaries I meane to instance in is the Councill A Councill because it was so confidently called for by the Reformed Churches in Germany that gave great credit and countenance to their Cause It perswaded the people that certainly the Protestants were the Honest men that called for judgement and the Papists the Malefactors who trembled at the triall There by also the Duke of Saxony and the Lantsgrave of Hassia were confirmed the King of Bohemia and the Duke of Bavaria were staggered and the heat of Charles the Emperour much abated in persecuting the Protestants Yea the Popes themselves eight in number for 40 yeres together were as hardly haled to call and continue a Councill at Trent as ever old bitten Beare was dragged to a stake But when necessitie compelled them to appeare they so contrived the cariage of that Councill that whereas the world expected that by it the Pope would have been Reformed if not ruined it was inverted to the Confirmation and Exaltation of the Papacy For now the Pope who before dreaded a Councill as much as ever thiefe did a candle knowing by experience that hee can coine Decades of Italian Bishops and Centuries of Titular Bishops to extort the suffrages from all Christendome Now hee calleth for a Councill as for his Servant and Handmaid The wresting of this weapon out of our hand or rather the turning of it into our Bosome I esteeme the prime policie they ever put in practise to support the Papacie And thus have I discovered our Enemies in their Trenches how by undermining and Countermining they would ruine our Religion by their politike popish Mysterie of Iniquity Ye see the baite by which they attaine now will I shew you the Hooke by which they retaine the Papall magnificence I must obey the time and omit many particulars Concerning their undermining cunning to keepe their Greatness that is an Hooke ore trisulco with three teeth three wayes they hold it The Priests hold the people the Pope holdeth the Priests the politike Cardinalls hold the Pope 〈◊〉 and all of them hold together to hold up the Papacy Like the hooke with the three teeth 1 Sam. 2. 13. to be sure to hold whatsoever they touch for the High Priests 1. First the Priests hold the People by Auricular Confession I say not that Confession is the mint of Treason their Absolution injoyning a Resolution to undertake any thing against any man who is an Enemie to the Catholikes Nor doe I tell you it is a Discloser of State-secrets by it the Pope sitting at Rome as Elisha did at Dotham 2 Reg. 6. 12. he is informed of the verie words which the King speaketh in his Bed-chamber But by this the persons which confesse their secret sinnes are made Slaves to their Confessors For whatsoever they talke of that secret sacred Sacrament I doubt not but they will print that Sigillum Confessionis in the forehead of the Penitent and have trickes at least threats to publish his crime and shame if he dare to fall from them This is an hooke to hold thousands of their Proselytes this is no small mysterie of their popish Iniquity 2. And the Priests doe not hold the people so fast by auricular Confession but the Pope doth hold the Priests as fast by inhibiting to mary For the full streames of the Church Treasure would feele a shrewd Ebbe if they should runne out into those little branches Wives and Children And which is of more moment the dis-inheriting of the Children is a dis-heartning of the Parents to prove Traitours But where there are and can be no such Pledges of loyaltie to the Country the Church of Rome may possibly command some good Catholike to stake his life for to stabbe his King Thus single life doth hold in the Priests unto the Pope against their Prince against their lives yea against their soules This is another Hooke another rare mystery in their popish Iniquity 3. Yet this is most memorable that the Hooke is put into the nostrills of the Fisherman himselfe for the Pope is held by the Cardinall to hold up his Greatnesse I cannot imagine but some Popes have had some motions to regulate some heteroclite abuses in the Papacie But the politike Cardinalls whose pompe dependeth on his papall magnisicence to prevent any reformation forestall all information as the third Chapter of our New booke called the New man maketh it plaine that Cardinall Burghesius opened and concealed all the letters from Pope Paul 5 which should have informed him of any abuse in the Romane Church And thus abyssus abyssum invocat one instance doth occasion another to discover this mysterie of popish Iniquity To conclude with their mysteries in Countermining us In this also there are 8 things multa paucis which our Church doth approve and use These the Papists doe pervert to the ruine of our Church if Christ did not mightilie and mercifully support it 1. Obedience Is it not the perswasion of our lippes the meditation of our hearts and the Theame of our Sermons Cry we not out against refractary faction as against the Viper which will eate out the bowels of our Church Yet the strange practise of this in the Church of Rome they make their Engine to subvert the Church reformed The Iesuites leave the vowes of Poverty and Chastity unto other orders and bind themselves chiefly to the Vow of Obedience whereby they sweare to obey the Pope in omnibus per omnia caecâ obedientiâ that is to Moulins Accompl pag. 145. execute the command of their superiour without asking why This obedience prostrateth theÌ„ to practise any thing against any person Is not this a Mystery a dreadfull damned mystery of Iniquitie 2. The Scriptures Doth not every Christian Church yea every Christian man trumpet out that command of Christ Iohn 5. 39. Scrutamini Scripturas Search the Scriptures yet is not the very reading of them contrived to be a Lime-twigge of Popery They may read them but they must sweare unto the second article of their second Creed composed by the Councill of Trent coÌ„manded by Pope Pius 4 1564. Sacras Scripturas secundum sensum queÌ„ Ecclesia tenet recipâ—o that is I
delusion on the Christian Romanes who extinguish the light of grace Such as goe out of the way with the candle in their hand demerite to have the Candle put out and themselves to wander in unextricable darkenesse Since the Romanes Malvenda de Antich lib. 4. c. 4. doe bragge of themselves that Rome is the Arke to preserve Gods Oracles that in Rome the Gospell of Christ hath beene sealed with the blood of two Apostles seven and twenty Bishops and of three hundred thousand holy Martyrs Now that these Children of such fathers shall so degenerate and these Successours of such Predecessours shall so apostate that they transgresse the Commandements of God to observe the traditions of men that they advance the honor of their Church above their love to the Truth Is it not now Gods just judgment to cast them into the Armes of Antichrist and for this cause to send them strong delusion In a word you have the absolute accomplishment of this Prophecy Consider what the Church of Rome hath beene what it is and what Rom. 11. 33. it shall bee O altitudo Lord how unsearchable are thy judgments thy wayes past finding out To end but I must not end thus These judgements on them are for another end to cause Gods mercies unto us These things happened 1 Cor. 10. 11. to them for ensamples to admonish us upon whom the ends of world are come Wherefore Let our Church which standeth take heed that it doe not fall If the glorious Church of Rome did fall what may bee the fate of the Church of England which in old time was but an obscure part of that Body whereof the Romane Church was the most illustrious member Let us therefore consider and decline the cause of their obstinate Apostacy They did not love the Truth I would I could wipe away this blot from the face of our English people I feare I may pronounce that saying of Saint Augustine Aug. ep 121. concerning Africa Tanquam servus sciens voluntatem Domini sui non faciens multis vapulet The Church of England know their Masters Will but doe it not And therefore we deserve to bee beaten with many stripes and the Pope to gather the Rod. God may justly send on us strong delusion To which I may adde what Saint Augustine addeth in the same Epistle Attendunt quanta celeritate Evangelium praedicatur sed non attendunt quantá perversitate contemnitur that is we rejoyce because there is such plentifull preaching of the Word but wee doe not lament to behold the common contempt of the Word Require you an instance I neither flatter nor slander Clero Anglicano c. it is Campians scornefull exprobration The people of England saith hee love preaching but not their Preachers Gladly would I apprehend an Apology but the Truth must be confessed In England we have many Colossians the Word doth dwell plentiously amongst them Colos 3. 16. But very few Galatians who will give their eyes for their Pastors or that which they may spare somewhat better then their eyes And the ground of our reformed unkindnesse is the selfe-same of the Romish blindnesse custome Let not your Charity be offended at my Verity I suppose there be few Parishes through EnglaÌ„d but the Preacher if he be their Pastour and comformable then though his paines be never so great and his gaines never so small yet they thinke the phrase of Laban Genes 29. 26. will justifie their actions and Conscience in the sight of God and man Non est nostro loco consuetudinis it is our custome and it may not be broken Yet passe not your censure as if I did winch because I am galled as if a personall dislike did put mee into this passionate declamation No I thanke my God and my Parish too my Parish doth give me supplies for my labour in a poore Vicaridge But beloved this ought not to be done in Israel If men doe love the Treasure they cannot despise the Vessell although it bee earthen though their Pastours have their Personall infirmities And certainly this judgement of men shall not escape the judgements of GOD though they have custome to pleade for them I will not say with Saint Augustine Dabis impio Militi quod non dabis Sacerdoti that you take from your Preachers to treasure for souldiers I say not so the Bodie of Christendome hath bled enough already The Lord prevent future effusion for IESVS CHRIST his sake But I may tell you out of my Text Ideo mittet Deus operationem erroris for this cause God may send you strong delusion Those that will not bee perswaded by their English Preachers they may bee perverted by Popish Priests by strong delusions because indeed they doe not love the Truth It is the end of the Terme and may bee the end and Terme of our lives If I were like old Isaac Genes 27. 28. at my last end and to make my last Will and had but one Blessing to bequeath you my Beloved it should bee this blessing a blessed reciprocall affection betwixt the Pastors and people My heart could spend her last spirits in such a perswasion to leave this legacy of Love And blessed were I if I should so dye in the Lord For I should rest from my labour and that worke would follow me If it bee possible let the people and Pastours bee like Ionathan and David let them love one another as their owne soules If not so yet let them be like Abraham and Lot Let no strife bee amongst them for the Canaanites are in the Land the Papists will rejoyce and increase by our unkindnesse To stop their mouthes and to save our owne soules Let the Preachers feed the soules of the people and let the people feed the bodies of their Preachers both cheerefullie without grudging But I am a man not God I can speake to the eare not incline the heart that I must leave to the Lord. Only the Lord preserve us from a wicked custome and from all strong delusions SERMON XXIIII 2 THESS 2. 11. That they should beleeve a lye Popery supported by lyes The Primacy the Crosse â—opish lyes against the persons of Protestants Against Calvin Beza Luther B. King Q. Elizabeth Popish lyes against the profess on of Protestants Concerning the Sacraments our Government Preachers the Scriptures our Obedience to our King to our God Popish lyes concerning their Persecutions in England No Papist put to death for his Religion English Lawes against Papists THe verse containeth the passiue propertie or the punishment internall of those that imbrace Antichrist Wherein I have absolved two things I have shewed you an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one thing notable that they should bee seduced by strong delusion another admirable that they should bee so deluded as to beleeve a lye The admirable delusion is the subject of this Sermon Wherein two other things offer themselves to our admiration
mother of all Errours It will exercise the wit and learning of his best friends to quite him from being the cause of much sinne who is the cause of that which is the cause of all errour That the pope is the cause of Ignorance it is plaine because he commandeth his to heare in Latine and to pray in Latine plebis est admiraâ—â— divina secreta non Bonaventura in Luc. 1. 21. persâ—rutarâ— the common people must admire not inquire after divine secrets saith Bonaventure Math. Peresius speaketh farre more Matth Peres de Trad. pag. 44. boldly and broadly his doome is that it was the Devills invention to permit the Lay people to read the Bible But acute Richard of Ments hooketh all in handsomely by a pretty Trent Hist lib. 2. pag. 158. distinction that the doctrines of faith were now so cleered that wee ought no more to learne them out of the Scripture and therefore the scripture was read heretofore in the Church for the instruction of the people whereas now it is read in the Church onely to pray and ought to serve every one to that end onely and not to studie Finally hee doth forbid the Lay people to read the scriptures unlesse they obtaine speciall License from the Bishop or Inquisitor to do it as appeareth by the fourth rule of Prohibited bookes which is at the end of the Tridentine Councill And the granting of those Licenses is now againe taken away by Clement the 8. as may be seene by his Index of prohibited bookes printed at Paris by Laurentius Sonius And Decretal de Haeriticis ca. Quincunq in 6. for a lay Papist to dispute of the scripture is to incurre Excommunication The Popes injunction to pray in Latine hath made many of the lay people such ignorant people that they become like Melitides the naturall foole who could not define whether his Father or Mother did bring him forth So they cannot tel whether God their Lord or the Virgin their Lady should be the object of their Prayers Yea a great Divine in the Vniversity Rex Iacobus med in Orat. Dom. pag. 132. of Saint Andrewes in Scotland taught it publikely that the Lords Prayer might be said to the V. Mary which monster could never have beene teemed into this world if the Latine language had not beene the Midwife A tricke of an Apostate the Pope wanteth no precedent Iulian interdicted the meanes of knowledge to the poore Christians I involve therefore two conclusions in one short sentence The Pope is an Apostate and The man of sinne The second point is Whoredome I say The man of sinne is the cause of that sinne and the Pope is the maintainer of Fornication and maintained by Fornication Cornelius Agrippa shall Corn. Agripp de vanitate cap. 64. be one witnesse that the Whores of Rome every weeke payd a Iulius that is sixe pence each to the Pope who shal be seconded by one of our owne Countrymen The stewes are in Wats Quodlib 2. Artic. 4. Rome cum approbatione as lawfully as any Citizen of Rome saith Watson But indeed I have a cloud of witnesses for this truth To keepe a Concubine is permitted â—â—gâ—bâ—s by the lawes Duarenus de Beneficijs lib. 8. cap. 6. Lopez de ratione reg lib. 2. pâ— 58 of Rome â—aith Duarenus that learned Lawyer Stewes are to be tolerated saith Lopez ad detinendum libidinis ardorem to limit the fury of lust Strumpâ—ts inhabit Rome sciâ—â—â—â— patiente Navâ—â— manuali cap. 17. Papa the Pope knowing and suffering such inhabitants Meretriâ—â—s non sunt dignae laâ—ueis legum Whores are not worth to be corrected by the Lawes said â—â—valdus Iacobus de Graffijs propoundeth the question Quare Ecclesia permittit Lupanaria why doth the Church permit stewes and assoileth it tolerat minus malum praesens ut evitet majus futurum that is their Church doth permit the lesse evill to avert a greater Nay the same author goeth yet farther beyond our credence if a papist did not report it Lex cogit the Law doth compell publicas meretricâ—s ad fornicandum cum quocunque juxta tamen mercedem If he bring mony the law doth compell their Whores to commit Whoredome with any man Finally it is the report of a learned Convert Sheldens Mot. Law 3. pa. 151. that there are Permissive and Tolerative lawes for these stewes and strumpets in some papisticall Countreys in the City of Rome there is publike toleration and Papall permission and protection of Queanes The Pope hath Toll from them the Cardinalls and Courtiers cannot bee without them Pius the 5. once banished them but hee drave away so many Citizens and Courtiers with them that hee was contented to permit their returne Very consonant to the name Courtizane the fairest title of a Whore which arose from the Court of Rome because such were entertained day and night These women sufficiently prove that the Pope is the Man of sinne But to furnish this point with proofes to the full I adde the Church of Rome hath made a Law to constraine some to uncleannesse And therfore it may meritoriously be termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the cause of sinne If a Prince command that a whole City must wade through a deepe foord though some be of sufficient stature to wade through if the rest perish shall wee not impute it to the Prince his command that they bee drowned If a state inact a statute that all in a Countie shall beare two hundred weight 20. miles in one day Althogh a few strong men discharge it if many women and children sinke and dye under the burden may we not conclude that that Law did kill them Even so censure a Decree of the Church of Rome That all the Clergy must vow a single life Though some may have that Blessed gift of Continence yet many too many cannot but be uncleane unchast at least incontinent I inferre then Their law doth constraine them All have not that gift Math. 19. 11. Mariage is the remedy to them that have it not 1 Cor. 7. 2. Therefore those that have neither the gift nor the remedie must fall into that foule sinne of uncleannesse and their Law doth constraine them This law of such a sinfull shamefull consequence Siricius attempted about the yeare 380 but it was effected by Gregorâ—e 7. 1074. which is now so strongly supported Trent Hist lib. 6 pag. 527. that though Augustine Pavugarner petitioning to the Councill of Trent did avouch the Clergie of Bavaria infamous for lust few of them not being Concubinaries yet could he not beg permission for them to marrie indeed to be honest A strange inversion It is better to marry then to burne saith St. Paul 1 Cor. 7. 9. it is better to burne then to marrie saith the Coster Enchir. cap 17. prop. 9. Tâ—stat in 1 Sam. 17. quâ—st 45. Thom. 2. 2 aequ 88. Art 11. Popes holinesse But it is a stranger position
is in effect to bee Traitors Wherefore then should we be dainty to give the title which is so meritoriously atchieved Homo peccati The Pope is the man of sinne But all these instances fall short of that instar omnium of that one authority with which I promised to conclude and have reserved it to bee the complement of the whole cause Suarez ex cujus ore locutos omnes conspirasse affirmare audeam all the hearts of all the Papists speake out of his mouth saith Alphonsus a Castello Branco in his censure of his Apologie Now let us heare his and their united language Suarez Apolog. lib. 6. cap 4. First therefore in his 6 booke and 4. chapter of his Apology he proveth this proposition Papa potest Reges deponere ac occidere that is The Pope hath power to depose and to kill Kings But with five cautions 1. Se inconsulto Suarez Apolog. lib 6. cap. 4. num 17. nemo contra regem suum insurgat None may dare to rebell against his King Se incoÌ„sulto unlesse the Pope be acquainted with it 2. Ab Suarez Apolog. lib. 6. cap. 4. num 18. illis tantum potuit expelli interfici quibus ipse id commiserit None may expell nor kill their King but onely those to whom the Pope himselfe doth commit this designe 3. What pâ—rticular Suarez Ibib. person may principally performe this feat Successor his next Heire to the Crowne si sit Catholicus if he be of the Romish Religion 4. Illo negligentiâ— what if the successour doth Suarez Apolog. Ibid. make some scruple to executo the Popes pious injunction and to touch the Lords anointed Then communitas regni all the Commons may take up â—rmes Dummodo sit Catholica provided Suarez Apolog. lib. 6. cap. 4. num 19. they be Papists Finally if all â—aile Alter Rex a Forraigne Prince may invade his kingdome alwayes provided si Pontifex potestatem ei tribuaâ— invadendi â—egâ—â—m that the Pope permitteth â—â—is â—â—â—â—sioâ— So 〈◊〉 there must be no deposing nor killing of Kings but with the knowledge approbation instruction of the Pope himselfe Therefore the Pope himselfe is the root of all Treason And in this point also he is Ille homopeccati The man of sinne Disciples have not beene wanting to this Doctrine Even tlle author of the Monarchomachia himselfe I doubt not but is an excellent proficient in this Schoole though hee pretendeth that he never learned this lesson In his Monarch part 1. tit 6 pag. 272. first part and sixt title these words fall from him Who in his Realme is to judge him who in his Realme Indeed the Pope is not in the Kings Realme If he would speake out in plain English wee should find that hee that hath Hierusalem Hierusalem so much in his mouth that he hath Babel Babel as much in his heart and that with Suarez hee holdeth the Pope to bee Iudge unto the King But to winde up all in one example never to bee paralleld the Powder Treason occasioned by the Tort. Torti pag. 86. popish Religion Attempted by popish Catholikes incouraged by popish Doctors as Faux himselfe freely confessed Nay to speake in the phrase of Suarez They did not they durst not attempt it se inconsulto without the knowledge of the Pope nisi catholici unlesse they had beene Romish Catholikes et quibus ipse commiserit they had never undertaken it haâ— not the Pope himselfe given them commission 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Pope is The man of sinne But let us heare Babel plead for Rome Monarchomachia maketh this excuse That Monarchâ—m part 1. tit 1. pag. 14. Horrible project of the Gunpowder Treason was attempted by a few private Hot-spurres which in justice is rather to bee buried with the offendors then to be objected and imputed to innocent men who generally with great sorrow abhorre the Memory thereof I will answer in Monarchomâ—â— part 1. tit 1. pag. 52. his owne words touching that objection that the papists and this Author himselfe doe they doe say that the Gunpowder Treason was an horrible project and they doe say that they abhorre the memory thereof with great sorrow and this man doth preach obedience and hath printed a pamphlet which he termeth Hierusalem to that purpose But this is onely a fallacy to avoid the scandall for now they see that those Traitors did not stand nor maintaine their quarrell now they leave them in the Bryars cry out against their project pretend that they abhorre that very Memorie of them Nay would God they did so much in truth For this and all their cunning pamphlets cannot coape the lips of all their Catholikes but some of them at some time will shew their teeth As M. More censured in the Starre-Chamber anno 1623. Article 15. said That it was pitty that he who undertooke the blowing up of the Parliament that he was not hanged presently not because he did attempt it but because hee did not effect it Now that our King and Kingdome our Peeres and People our Church and Common-wealth that our Nation and very Name of England should have beene buried in one graue torne in peeces with one blast of Gunpowder And yet by no meanes se inconsulto without the approbation of the Pope This may iustly cause us to say Ecce homo peccati The Pope is the man of sinne In the year 1554 Queen Mary ordained that Trent Hist lib. 5. 385. that prayer instituted by King Henry the eight To deliver the kingdome from the Sedition Conspiracy and Tyranny of the Pope should bee razed out of the Communion Booke I thinke we may take up some such forme of prayer again and pray From Ignorance Whoredome and Treason From the killing of our King and confusion of our Common-wealth From the Man of sinne and that Pope of Rome Good Lord deliuer us SERMON V. 2 THESS 2. 3 4. The Sonne of perdition Antichrist the sonne of perdition Antichrist Iudas and the Pope paralleld Popish persecutions surpasse those of the Emperours Of the Inquisition I Have discussed the first point in this Description the time a falling away Which being taken three wayes every way it is punctally fitted to the Pope either politically for a falling from the Empire by rebellion or Ecclesiastically for a falling from the Church in Religion or Figuratively the falling away being put for the faller away the cause thereof all which are proper to the Popish Apostasie I am entred into the second point the three titles of Antichrist In the first I have observed foure particulars the Subject Antichrist is termed a man to shew that hee prevaileth in the Church by humane meanes Perswasion not improper to the Pope Secondly the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Man not one man but many a succession peculiar to them which lay such claime to succession the Popedome Thirdly the Adjunct the man of sinne that is a most sinfull wretch
the strongest weapon out of the hands of our owne side For it must follow inevitably If Rome be no church then is the Pope no Antichrist Because the text doth teach us that Antichrist must sit in the Temple of God The Papists advance on the other side as if they apprehended some great advantage by this assertion as if by yeelding them to be a true Church we must submit our selves to bee schismatickes Bellarmine speaketh plainly if Bell. de Poâ—â— Rom. lib. 3. ca. 13. the Protestants coÌ„fesse that our church is a true church then must they yeeld their church to be schismaticall because they have separated from us But I Smith more rhetorically At Rich. Smitâ—â—us de authoâ—e Protestanticâ— Religionis lib. 1. cap. 2. sect 8. â— incredibileâ—â— hominum impietatem ut qui se Christianos profitentur audeant repudiare eam ecclesiam quam fatentur esse adhuc in soedere Dei And againe Atque â— prodigiosam caecitateÌ„ ut non videant quod dum fatentur Romanam Ecclesiam esse ecclesiam Dei sponsam Christi fatentur suam esse synagogam Antichristi scortuÌ„ satanae That is O incredible wickednesse that those who professe themselves to bee Christians will forsake them whom they confesse to bee the Church of Christ O incomparable blindnesse that they see not that by granting the Roman church to be the church of God and the spouse of Christ they yeeld themselves the reformed church to be the synagogue of Antichrist and strumpet of satan And the whole Army of the Papists swarme after their Leaders in this pursuite presuming that we must either fly or yeeld if we give them this ground that the church of Rome is a true Church and thence are they ready to cry Victoria At ne sit Encomium ante victoriam let not Bell. de dâ— Eccles milit cap. 4. sect Resp variâ—â— him boast who putteth on his armour as hee may who doth put it off To Bellarmine I shape an answer in his owne syllables wee affirme the Romane to be a true church not simpliciter but secundum quid not absolutely but in some respect in which respect wee doe separate from it and not simply Simple therefore is their reason thence to inferre therefore our separation is schismaticall To D. Smith and all the rest we say we doe grant them all those glorious titles but as so many testimonies to witnesse their gracelesse wickednesse so to abuse them We grant the Romane to be a true Church to be the Church of Christ to be the spouse of Christ and to be of the body of Christ We grant it to hold the foundation of faith and to have the scriptures sacraments c. And what of all this Reatus impij est nomen pium saith one out of Salvianus godly Names doe not justifie godlesse Hooker in Hab. 1. 4. nu 7. men We are but upbraided when we are honoured with names and Titles when our lives and manners are not sutable Iudas was an Apostle and a Traitour too but the more wretched Traitour because an Apostle And so the Pope is saith he The Vicar of Christ and an Enemie but the more dangerous and devillish Enemie because the Vicar of Christ In particular Wee grant that Rome is a true Church but in regard of the verity of the Essence not of the Doctrine thereof this is corrupt and full of pollutions Wee grant it to be the Church of God so much also wee grant to the Iacobites Muscovites Arians and Nestorians Yet I suppose that none dare hazard themselves to live in these congregations who have any care of their safety soules health or eternall salvation We grant Rome to be the spouse of Christ but quoad externam Professionem not quoad internam fidem in respect of their outward profession not of their inward affections no nor of their actions neither We grant that they are of the Body of Christ his body visible noâ— mysticall And so may a Legion of Devils also incarnated bee if they will professe the name of Christ and be admitted by the baptisme of Christ We grant they hold the Foundation but is there nothing dangerous nor damnable but onely to overthrow the Foundation of Christianity Have they noâ— besides dangerous and damnable Errours Heresies and Idolatries Moreover they Answer to Fisheâ—â— Relation of tâ—â— 3. 〈…〉 â—8 have Errours which doe weaken the Foundation saith the learned Author of that laboured appendix They have Errours fundamentall reductivè by a reducement if they which imbrace them doe pertinaciously adhere unto them and have sufficient meanes to be better Deane White Ibid. pag. 71. informed Saith the Champion of our Church And sinally their errors as that of Iustification Hooker in Hab. 1. 4. doe overthrow the very foundation by consequent saith impartiall Hooker Lastly they have the Scriptures and Sacraments lawfull Ministers and a lawfull Ministry c. actually in themselves and effectually unto others but not so to themselves Notum est Cives malae civitatis administrare quosdam actus bonae civitatis it is manifest that the Burgers of Babylon doe administer some functions of Hierusalem and with effect too They can hew out an Arke for others though themselves be drowned in the Deluge And for all this is it not lawfull to separate from Rome Wee accompted our common Citizens frantick because they reviled and railed at such as fled from the infection Certainly the Papists are possessed with a more spirituall phrensie and infection At â— incredibilem impietatem Atque ô prodigiosum caecitatem O incredible wickednesse and incomparable blindnesse that those who see the Scriptures should be so seduced by strong delusion to beleeve a Lye That those who say they are the Church of God and spouse of Christ should be indeed the Synagogue of Antichrist and the strumpet of Satan I conclude and let any Papist brag or any others upbraid what they can collect out of this conclusion The Church of Rome is a true Church And the Pope of Rome is that false Antichrist who doth erect his seat therein by most foule usurpation He shall sit in the Temple saith my Text. I have done this Digression this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which it may bee some will condemne as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as an overlong and impertinent Parenthesis But I conceive it very needfull if it were onely for this to imply an Item to our owne Zelotes that transported with a strong affection and weake judgement they doe not thrust the Papists further from Christ when as Christ knoweth they are too farre off from him already I returne to the remnant of my Text yee have heard the explication what this Temple is even the very Church of Christ Now shall yee heare the Application Where this Temple is We use plaine words in a plaine cause the Church of Rome is the seat of Antichrist Now the Church of Rome hath two parts commonly called
Sive Suarez Apol. lib. 5. 6. 17. nu 7. vere sive falso sive metaphorice be he a true false or metaphoricall god such as Princes are said to be saith Suarez 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supra omne quod colitur sive superstitiose sive religiose either religiously or superstitiously saith the same Suarez 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verbum extollendi Suarez Apol. lib. 5. c. 17. nu 11 significat excessum arrogantiam usurpationem by exalting is meant an excessive arrogant usurpation over God and all things belonging to God According unto which our English Rhemists seeme to state the question and controversie Rhemists in 2 Thess 2. 4. Sect. 11. betwixt us Who exalteth himselfe above all that is called God or that is worshipped That is Antichrist shall abolish all religion of the Iewes Gentiles and Christians and shall suffer none no not God but himselfe to bee worshipped alone A most grossely absurd exposition as it may be made manifest foure wayes First it contradicteth reason in reason if a seducer should plainly professe and proclaime himselfe to be greater than God would any be so stupide and senselesse to be seduced by him If a mortall wretch should exalt himselfe above the great and true God men would rather deride him for his folly imprison him for his phrensie and stone him for his blasphemy than to follow such a foolish frantick and blasphemous Impostor Secondly it doth contradict his name who is named Antichristus that is The Adversary of Christ and not Antitheus that is the Adversary of God which should be his proper name if directly or expressely to exalt himselfe above the true God were his true propertie Thirdly this is contrary to their owne popish positions Antichrist say the Papists shall be a Iew how then shall he abolish the Iewish religion Againe they affirme that he shall be a Magician and that hee shall worship the Devill Therefore Antichrist shall not exalt himself supra omnem Deum above every God not above the god of this world And finally this interpretation is contrary to this very Text. The superlative of all his excessive properties is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he shall rule as God and shew that he is God this is the height of his audacious incomparable arrogance but that incredible impossible unlimited insolence that a man shall exalt himselfe above God we must leave this as a phrensie and fiction to wave the imputation of other franticke and fabulous paradoxes which they are unwilling to acknowledge much lesse to reclaime Having rejected their exposition we proceed to our owne Above all that is called God in the originall some read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above every thing which is called God and others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above every person which is called God The first reading is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the errour of the Printer contrary to the most Greeke copies as it is acknowledged by M. Beza himselfe With the warrant Beza in â— Thâ—s 2. 4. therefore of the most copies we follow the latter reading and the interpretation of our late Soveraigne now with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rex Iacobus Praemonit the persons whom the Scriptures doe call Gods are Princes and Magistrates Psal 82. 6. Dixi Dij estis I have called you Gods Which exposition is affirmed by a learned French Bishop Pater omnium Deus dâ—citur est at Irenâ—â—s lib 3. cap. 6. non super hunc extolletur Antichrist us sed super eos qui dicuntur quidem sed non sunt dij The Father of all things saith he is called God and is God but Antichrist shall not exalt himselfe above him but above them who indeed are called gods but are not in deed Which Exposition is also confirmed by as learned an English Bishop Ecqua nervosior consequentia quam ut dicantur Andrewes Apol. cap. 9. Dij ab Apostolo quos Deus ipse dixit dâ—os in Psalmo Can there be a more strong consequence than to collect that those are called Gods by Saint Paul in this Text whom God himselfe doth call gods in the Psalmes And if the Apostle had not alluded unto some whom the Scripture doth call gods hee might with like facility have written that Antichrist should exalt himselfe supra omne quod est vel saltem supra omne quod vel est vel dicitur Deus above all that is or at least above all that either is or that is called God Here then S. Paul saith not that Antichrist shall exalt himselfe above all that is God to wit by nature but above all which is called God to wit in title which is proper unto Kings The meaning of the first member of this distribution is this Antichrist shall exalt himselfe above all that is called God that is above all Kings and Princes The second member is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all that is worshipped which indeed doth signifie quod colitur the object of any kinde of worship or thing worshipped as Altars Idols c. as it is rightly rendred by Bellarmine out of the Acts Bell. de Pont. Rom. 314. 17. 23. and Wisdome 15. 17. This acception of the word though it be true yet it is improper to this place because the letter doth run 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supra omnem qui dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above every person not above every thing which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore in the text I take to bee a synonima signifying the same thing with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 25 of the Acts 21 and 25. where it is expounded Augustus The sense being that Antichrist shall exalt himselfe above the Emperor For he speaketh of such an exaltation whereby Antichrist should be revealed as he was to be hindered for a time by the Romane Emperour The sense of all is this Antichrist exalteth himselfe above all that is called God or that is worshipped that is Antichrist doth exalt himselfe above all Kings and above all Emperours Such an one is the Pope if there ever was is or shall bee such an one under Heaven But in so plaine a cause to deale freely with them This sense I say is true yet their owne interpretation may exactly be fitted to the Pope First take the name of God metaphorically for Bishops and Kings The Pope is avouched by all Papists to be Episcopus Oecumenicus the universall bishop of the World and by some to be solus Episcopus the Onely bishop And Suarez Apolog. li. 5. ca. 17. nu 12 his authority over Kings and Emperours Suarez calleth jus suum his right and proper indowment For false Gods those of the Heathen had power limited the Pope unlimited With them Neptune ruled the Sea Ceres the Earth Iupiter Heaven and Pluto Hell But the Pope hath three Crownes to shew his power in three places in Heaven Earth and Hell And for the
his heart is girded with a threefold gable of untamed obstinatenesse who will be negligent where S. Paul doth urge us to be diligent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Remember ye not saith my Text that when I was yet with you I told you these things But to frame my conclusions from their owne conceâ—sions Sanders rendreth five causes Sanders de Antichristâ—dem 2. of Antichrist the Efficient a just God that thereby he might maâ—e knowne the malice of Satan the power of Christ and the patience of the Church The next or subordinate efficient the subtle malitious devill who maketh Antichrist his instrument to seduce miserable men The Materiall is Antichrist himselfe a meere man The Forme is the powerfull working impâ—etie of Satan And the End of Antichrists comming is that they may bee punished who will not receâ—ve the truth All which causes are contained in this chapter The Efficient in the eleventh verse God shall send them strong delusion The Suboâ—dinate in the ninth Hee commeth after the workâ—ng of Satan The Matter in the third verse hee is termed The man of sinne The Forme in the seventh Antichrâ—stianâ—sme is called the Mystery of iniquity And the End is set downe in the end of the Prophesie in the twelfth verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antichrist shall come that they all might be damned which beleeve not the truth As therfore we love God or hate the Devill as we hope for salvatâ—on or feare our damnation so are we bound to search this necessary point this point of Antichrist Finally let a Dutch Papist concurre in this concluâ—â—on with this English Papist Multa Lessius de Antichâ—isto praesat apud Damelem Paulum in Apocalypsi Iohannis de Antichristo habeantur valde sit necessaria eorum notitia Ecclesiae ut sideles possint tempestive moneri ne ab illo circumveniantur That is there are many things written by Daniel Paul and in the Revelation concerning Antichrist the knowledge whereof is very necessary for the Church whereby the faithfull may in time be admonished lest they should be intrapped by that sonne of perdition Wee therefore are lesse beholden to that learned Protestant whosoever which shall inhibite any faithfull man members of the Church from labouring to know Antichrist than wee are to the popish Iesuite Lessius who acknowledgeth that knowledge to bee very necessarie for them But it may bee objected This point is difficult and therefore it may not be searched into And it may be answered This point is difficult and therefore excellent and therefore it must be searched into Moreover the Holy Ghost did deliver this excellent matter in a difficult manner for three reasons for those who follow Christ for those who follow Antichrist and for those who follow neither Christ nor Antichrist First for those who did follow neither lest the Heathen and Romanes should have beene exasperated if they had beene informed that a Viper should have proceeded out of the Church to devoure the Dragon of their Empire Occumenius in 2 Thess 2. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Occumenius That is S. Paul uttered this prophesie thus obscurely that he might not provoke the Romans unto unnecessary enmity And it is the opinion of many of the learned that many of those heavy persecutions were commenced and continued by the Romanes against the Christians because from this prophesie they had apprehended an inkling that the Church of Rome should teeme him that should subvert the Empire of Rome The same obscurity is used because of those which follow or favour Antichrist that by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a just recompence of reward God might harden them judicially who had hardned themselves habitually This mystery of Antichrist is spoken to them in Parables that seeing they may see and not perceive and hearing they may heare and not understand Mark 4. 11 12. And finally this prophesie is penned in these darke and difficult termes for their sakes who doe truly follow Christ that true Christians might be hereby excited unto industry and invocation to reade constantly that they may know and to pray continually that they may eschew that Man of sinne and Sonne of perdition Let my heart therefore exhort you in the words of our Saviour Iohn 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for certainly these doe testifie of Christ yea and of Antichrist also Doe that noble act of those noble Bereans Acts 17. 11. Search the Scriptures daily whether these things be so I desire not to obtrude any thing upon facility or credulity but ponder every point I distrust not my ability to satisfie the hearer or to justifie the speaker in any reasonable manner or measure In the phrase of the Apostle 1 Thess 5. 21. I dare appeale to the judgment of any indifferent auditours Prove all things Hold fast that which is best Heare me Reade others Examine all I say confidently Prove all things and God grant you may hold fast that which is best The digression being dispatched in the first verse I proceed to the progression in the next to wit How the person of Antichrist was hindred to be knowne in S. Pauls time A point worthy to be commended to our consideration for on this ground doth Bellarmine build his second Bell. de P. R. lib. 3. c. 3. Demonstration The Pope saith he cannot be the Antichrist Quia impedimendum nondum sublatum est because that which hindred is not yet removed out of the way And withall Bellarmine Steuartius in 2 Thess 2. 5. following the Greeke and Latine Fathers saith that the Apostle doth here speake De Romani imperij eversione of the eversion of the Romane Empire Whereof he made mention to the Thessalonians plainly when he was present with them but being absent from them he durst not write it for feare that this prophesie might be published to the notice of the Romanes whose hatred he knew thereby hee should incurre Moreover those Fathers and Bellarmine conceived the sense of this sentence to be this Ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed that is The flourishing estate of the Romane Empire did hinder the comming of Antichrist Answerable to which exposition is the tradition of Tertullian Optatus and Lactantius Pererius in Dan. li. 14. p. 677 that it was a prime prayer in the Primitive Church Pro conservatione Romani Imperij that God would preserve the Romane Empire the Christians saith Pererius perswading themselves That Antichrist could not come so long as that did flourish The probable cause whereof is assigned by Chrysostome by way of precedents that as the Babylonian Monarchy was subverted by the Persians the Persian by the Macedonians and the Macedonian by the Romanes so in the conclusion the Romanes themselves should have their Scepter wrestled out of their Herculean fists by the Herculean labour of Antichrist And the event saith Amen to all this It seemeth that the Romane Empire by their tyranny and
persecution did hinder the rising of Antichrist For so long as the Church was under persecution the Man of sinne could not rise to his greatnesse which he did immediately upon the fall of the Romane Empire And as I touched before it is thought that the very suspition that the Christians should be the overthrow of the Romane Empire was the cause of many bloudy persecutions The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or reciprocall consent is this that the Romane Empire did hinder the comming of Antichrist and that Antichrist would come immediately on the fall thereof The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but we dissent concerning the manner thereof To borrow Bellarmines phrase we say it is inclinatio they desolatio we say a diminution they that an absolute dissolution of the Romane Empire shall be as Cyprian spake of Decius Metator Cyprian Epist 22 Antichristi the Harbinger of Antichrist Before I proceed to this point I will in two words propose foure theses and as many parentheses the first bee allowed by the Papists and the last inferred thence by the Protestants First out of the sixt and seventh verses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What with-holdeth and who letteth these articles imply rem personam both the Empire and the Emperour yet no singular person but a long succession of the one and the other Therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Antichrist and the Man of sinne signifie in like manner a succession and not one singular person Next in the seventh verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he who now letteth that is the Empire and Series or succession of those Emperours which was in S. Pauls time Therefore no Empire nor Emperour of our time is meant in this prophesie Thirdly out of the same verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who onely letteth as if he had said that the Empire was that onely impediment and so soone as it should be removed Antichrist would instantly be revealed The revelation therefore of the Popish Antichrist and Iewish Christ will bee both ad Graecas Calendas in no time future for their Revelation is long since passed already And finally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de medio tolli to be taken out of the way doth not signifie to be abolâ—shed out of the world but to be removed out of the way In this sense runneth this phrase in other places of the Scripture Thus actively Act. 17. 33. S. Paul departed de medio illorum the meaning is not that he departed out of the world or dyed but that he departed out of the way or left their company Againe passively Matt. 13. 49. the Angell shall sever the wicked de medâ—o justorum we cannot imagine that the wicked shall be abolished but only that they shall be separated Therefore it is a paradox not to be named to affirme that the very name of the Emperour must be extinguished before Antichrist can be revealed Therefore our position and exposition is warranted by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very letter of the Text Imperium esse è medio tollendum non prorsus delendum as our worthy D. Whitaker doth Whitaker in â—ell Contr. 4. qu. est 5. deliver it that is the Romane Empire must be removed out of the way not abolâ—shed out of the world before the revealing of Antichrist To adde light to the Sunne wee may annexe two reasons First the Emperour or he who letteth must be removed no farther than onely that Antichrist may have roome to seat his Throne in the City situated on seven hills which S. Iohn hath foretold to be the Metropolis of Antichrist Revel 17. 9. and is by Bellarmine acknowledged Bell. de Rom. Pâ—nt lib. 2. c. 2. to be meant of Rome Now for this it is enough that the Empire be removed into some further part not utterly to be abolished or cast out of the world Which the Pope seemeth to M. Higgâ—nsin Apoc. 182. Ser. 2. pag. 40. approve by one of his owne actions Of late time because he pretendeth some particular interest in that kingdome he installeth the Kings of Naples with this caution That they shall never take the Empire upon them Fearing the potency of so neere a neighbour to be a prejudice to his triple Crowne It is therefore the power and neighbourhood not the name and title of the Empire which is the lett to Antichrist Secondly S. Iohn saith in the third verse of Revelation the thirteenth that one head of the Beast which is interpreted to be the Romane Empire was wounded to death but so that that deadly wound was healed The Empire therefore is not to be abolished Finally that which did let was not inane nomen the bare name but the power of the Empire Now when the power was abolished that which letted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was removed Therefore the Empire was not utterly to be extinguished This experience it selfe doth abundantly testifie for the seat of the Romane Empire is removed from the City of Rome and that Imperiall imperious power is long since expelled out of Italy All which I will shut up with one singular Syllogisme shaped out of their owne assertions The old Empire of Rome was to bee divided into ten kingdomes or more this is most certaine saith Suarez But no Romane Catholike Suarez lib. 5. cap. 9 sect 15. Christoâ—â—orsâ—n part 2 pag. 49. did ever dreame that this present Romane Empire shall ever be divided into ten kingdomes this is the assumption of Michael Christophorson Therefore the Present is not the old Romane Empire That is abolished though not utterly yet so farre as it can let the kingdome of Antichrist The name thereof and title is only surviving Therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which letteth is taken out of the way What hinderance then can be in the way of this conclusion Antichrist is revealed and sitteth in that City which once was the seat of the Romane Empire Thus I conceive it to be manifest that the Romane Empire was not to be extinguished but onely to be removed Howbeit I will follow them on their owne grounds and shew them that there is a dissolution and desolation of that Romane Empire Saint Paul speaketh of in this place the bare name onely excepted I begin with Bellarmines words Desecit imperium in Bell. de R. P lib 3 cap. 5. Occidente Orientis autem imperium per Turcam destructum videtur that is The Romane Empire did faile in the West and in the East we see it destroyed by the Turkes Indeed as hee saith the westerne Empire was raised again by Charles the great therefore that Empire was once removed therefore at that time Antichrist was removed Againe when the Empire was overthrowne by the Gothes there was no Emperour in the west for the space of 325 yeares where was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that letted that long season If we bee not out of our wits wee must acknowledge that
promoting the Papacy when he laid claime to the double power both Ecclesiasticall and Temporall In insinuation whereof at his solemne Iubilie one day hee appeared unto the people in his Pontisicalibus or Popelike apparell but the next attired like the Emperour And finally more solemnly and arrogantly Extra Tit de majoritate minor obedientia C. unam Sanct. Ecclesiaâ—â— subesse Romano Pontifici omni humanae creaturae declaramus dicimus desinimus pronunciamus omnino esse de necessitate salutis he pronounceth it as his definitive sentence that No creature can be saved who is not subject to the Clementin unica de jurament Pope Anno 1325 Iohn 22 or 23 did not desire that the light which he added to the Popish blasphemous usurpations should bee put under a bushell when hee made his additions to the Decretalls and in his Extravagants or Constitutions wherein he claimeth authority superior to the Emperour and little inferiour unto God All these particular Popes have proclaimed themselves to be Antichrist and all the Papists in their generall popish Councill of Constance cry Concil Const Sess 13. Amen Etiamsi Christus instituerit administraverit sub utraque specie Sacramentum Although Christ did institute and administer the supper of the Lord in Bread and Wine Nonobstante Notwithstanding Pro lege habenda sit The Church of Rome doth command it as a Law that no Lay man shall receive it but in one kind onely Thus about the fourteene hundredth yeare of the Lord did the Man of sinne who sate in the Temple exalt himselfe to the top of the Temple Afterwards Pius the second and other active Popes did adde as it were certaine scaffolds to raise their Monarchy a little higher Especially that Pius plotted how to Epist Pij 2. ad Princ. Turcarum anno 1532. bring the Turkes also under the Popes authoritie To which purpose he presented their Emperour Mahomet with a large laboured learned letter but the barbarous Prince was not capable of such a transcendent mystery of Christianity His predecessor Eugenius the fourth attempted a little lesse and atchieved a little more when anno 1438 at the Florentine Pless Myst progress 62. Concil Florent Sess ult Synode he enforced Ioseph Patriarch of Constantinople to kisse his feet and enticed Palaeolagus the Emperour with some few Greeke Bishops to acknowledge the Pope to be the Head of the universall Church The deniall whereof Pope Pius made the maine cause of the irreconciliable Epist Pij 2. ad Princ. Turcar. Hist Papatus cap. 7. schisme betweene the Graecian and the Romane Churches The memoriall whereof I conjecture to bee the cause of that triumphant posture which the Popes to this day usurpe in their Chappell setting their feet on the brasse picture of the Constantinopolitane Patriarch But in the 1500 yeare and time of Leo the tenth the Papacy was mounted up to the pinacle of the Temple Then was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the uttermost of their growth and highest pitch of all the Papall exaltation as may appeare by these particulars Then it was disputed in his Schooles An Papa possit abrogare quod scriptis Apostolicis traditum Erasmus in 1 Tim. 1. sit Whether the Pope could abrogate what was decreed by the Apostles An posset statuere quod pugnet cum doctrina Evangelica Whether the Pope can command what is contrary to the Gospell An possit novum articulum sidei condere Whether he can make a new article of faith whether hee had equall power with or a greater than Peter Whether he can command the Angells to dissolve Purgatorie and whether he were a pure man or participated of two Natures like Christ Then was it preached before him Psal 72. 11. Concil Lateran Sess 9. Omnes Reges terrae adorabunt cum inservient ei all Kings shall fall downe before him all Nations shall doe him service And that hee was Leo detribu Iudae the Lyon of the tribe of Iuda Concil â—ater Sess â— Saciar Cer. lib. 1 sect 1. c. â— Lib. 1 sect 1. c. 4 Lib. 1 sect 2. c. 3. Lib. 1. sect 3. c. 3. Lib. 1. sect 5 c. 1. â— Lib 1. sect 6. c. 3. Lib. 1. sect 7. c. 6 Then was that Synopsis of Blasphemies dedicated to him the Booke of Ceremonies wherein he is termed the Prince of all Christians the governour Vrbis Orbis of the whole world that de facto the Emperour must hold his stirrup and Kings carry him on their shoulders that Emperours and Kings must wait at his Table that the Emperor must sweare fealty unto him that Emperours and Kings must kisse his feet that hee can give a full indulgence for all mens sinnes that Dominabitur à mari usque ad mare à slumine usque ad terminos orbis that is His dominion shall be from one sea to another and from the floud unto the worlds end which was spoken of Christ Psal 72. 8. and that Omnis potestas mihi data est All power is given to me on earth and in heaven which was spoken by Christ Mat. 28. 18. and so it proceedeth in like senselesse endlesse Blasphemies Then was it concluded for him by a Councill that of Lateran Papam esse Ecclesia Whitaker contr Bell. Contr. 4. Quaest 5. generali Concilio majorem That the Pope is greater than a Generall Councill or than the whole Church And that we may collect out of the abundance of what hearts these mouths did speake Then it was said of him that it should Pless Myst Progress 65. Pless Myst Opposit 68. be said by him that the Gospell of Christ was a Fable nullum esse Deum secredidisse and that he did beleeve that there was no God Let now any incredulous English Protestant who doth deride it as an incredible paradoxe to affirme that the Pope is Antichrist let any such imagine how their imaginary Antichrist can say and doe more Antichristianly than this man And then will I revoke this assertion which I yet apprehend to be an incontroulable truth The Pope is Antichrist but personally Leo decimus was Decumanus Antichristus In the yeare 1500 hee attained to the pitch of Antichristianity above all other Since that time the Papacy hath beene somewhat eclipsed in the lustre thereof yet so as Antichrist appeareth through his actions to this day as the Sunne doth through a thinne Trent Hist lib. 2. pag. 260. cloud at noone day An hundred yeares since the prerogative of Antichrist was nobly established when their last and great Councill of Trent was transacted with these two cautions Proponentibus Legatis salva semper authoritate Ecclesiae Apostolicae that nothing might be propounded but by the Popes Legates and nothing concluded against the Popes authority Whereby that great Councill was made but an engine to fortifie their Papall greatnesse Much about that time the Pope imitating the magnificence of his Father who would have
among such Princes their agents blowing up the coales of contention which at length might flame out into an open combustion A cloud of witnesses might dissolve it selfe into a testimony of this truth but I have an instar omnium at the mouth of onely one witness it shall uncontroulably be established These are the very words of a great Pope to the great Turke of Pius the second to Mahomet As our Predecessours STEVEN ADRIAN Epist Pij 2 ad Princip Turc pag. 9. and LEO did call in PIPIN and CHARLES to their ayde against the King of the Longobards HAISTVLPHVS and DESIDERIVS and being delivered from their tyrannie they transferred the Empire from the Grecians unto these their Champions So may we in the necessity of the Church make use of your assistance vicem reddere and returne a retribution Even the translation of the Christian Empire to the Turke if his Turkish sword would make good the Popish quarrells An excellent motive to make the Turke turne Christian but more excellent to make Christians take heed of the Popes subtletie 6. Rather than their sword shall faile them Pless Myst Opposit 28. Pless Myst Opposit 40. they will sharpen it at the shop of Rebellion Gregory the fourth conspired with the Sons against the Father the Emperour Lewis Gregory the seventh instigated the Germanes to an insurrection against Henry the third the Emperour and invested Ralph the Duke of Burgundy with the interest to his Empire Paschal the second Pless Myst progress 42. Pless myst progress 51. excited Henry the sonne to rebell against Henrie the Father Gregory the ninth did infuse the same poison into the heart of Prince Henrie that hee unnaturally rebelled against his noble Father Fredericke the second All which wolvish attempts had this one Foxe-like scope that the Italian Cities by these meanes becomming free States and obtaining a new forme of government divide imperia would be lesse able to oppose the Popish affected Monarchy than if they had remained under the Emperour intire in an united subjection Seventhly to make these mysteries yet more mysticall they have Sepia-like overspred these acts with an inky darknesse forging and purging the ancient Authors that they make those old Writers to speake those things now they are dead which they abhorred when they were alive Their additions to Cyprian and Augustine Goulartius and Erasmus have declared their subtractions from other old authors their own Indices expurgatorij have sufficiently acknowledged And how they have extinguished all the writings of the Waldenses is more than notorious But their Triarij their principall corrupters are three learned men famous in their generations in three sorts of learning Gratiane who compiled all the old Canons in one body of the Decrees Peter Lumbard his brother indeed brethren in the Mystery of Iniquity who brought the Fathers sayings into his foure bookes of Sentences And Baronius who spent thirty yeares Casaub Epist Dedic Exercit. ad Baron imployment to comprise all the Ancient Historians in his Tomes All their indeavours meeting in this Center to advance the Papacy Gratiane making the Law Lumbard Divinity and Baronius History to speake what was sit for the corruption of that doctrine and ambition of those Doctors But what is the effect Notwithstanding their cunning conveyance the carefull eye of an impartiall Reader may discerne the foot-steps of Antichrist and Antichristian errours even in their writings And their labour preventeth mine it proveth my conclusion The mystery of iniquity is a working even in their writings 8. Finally the favours of Princes and Prelates hath the Pope framed to bee a rare furtherance for his Prelacy and Principality registring their voluntary actions of love and courtesie as precedents of their necessary observance and duty Thus Honoratus Bishop of Marseille and Possessor a Bishop of Africa sent Gennad de Script Eccles cap. 100. their Bookes peradventure to intreat their judgements to the Bishop of Rome the one to Gelasius and the other to Hormisda Hence Baron 1. 6. 490. Artic. 43 45 46 Bar. â— 7. an 520. Artic. 12 13 14. Duorenus de Benefic lib. 1. c. 2. Bell. de Imag. lib. 2 c. 13. init Suarez Apol. li. 4. c. 31. nu 13 â—ess de Antichr part 2 pag. 267. Bellarm. de P. R. lib. 1. cap. 8. L. Volumus C. de Epist Cler. Hist Papatus cap. 4. Pâ—ess Myster progress 64. â— Baronius constraineth a conclusion therefore the approbation or suppressing of Bookes belong to the Pope The Ancients held the judgment of the Church of Rome in high esteeme and to it even their Councills had recourse as to the most solide advisers concerning their Canons and Constitutions But the Pope hath forced this their arbitrary reverence into a rule of necessary obedience that now there is no Councill above the Pope and can bee no Councill without the Pope Charles the great granted that the Clergie should be judged by their Bishops in all causes on which pretence the Pope hath arrogated power to determine all causes concerning all persons even against the Emperours themselves who gave them these priviledges at the first To give you a taste of many in this one example The King of France Charles the 8 having forcibly entred Rome yet comming into the Vaticane on his knees he kissed the foot of Pope Alexander the sixt and on another day he held the Bason and Ewre whilest his Holinesse did wash All which that humble Pope caused to be painted in a Gallery of S. Angelo as a pattern of Princes dutie which this heroick Conquerour did out of his redundant courtesie And thus have I discovered their Quaerere the History and the Mystery of their attaining their Papall greatnesse Thus much concerning their Mysticall Art in attaining now they are no lesse artificiall in retaining their greatnesse and in inlarging it in our times For which purpose they use both baits and hookes and both by way of undermining and countermining the poore Protestants First they undermine us Machiavil saith Mach. Hist Florent lib. 2. the old Florentines had a Bell called Martinella which was rung continually for a whole month together before their Army took the field that the Enemy might prepare for defence We must dreame of no such faire warre from our Adversaries the Papists will follow Machiavils policie not his History Therefore like the Beleaguerers of strong Forts they use secret Engines to blow up when suspect nothing but are secure as upon sound ground They undermine us admirably they have Engines and baits answerable to every Sexe and Condition Women especially devout women they worke wonderfully on and by for the spreading of Poperie They doe not onely creepe into houses and captive sillie Women as Saint Paul foresaw and foretold long agoe 2 Tim. 3. 6. But moreover they stirre up honourable women to persecute professours and to expell them out of their coast as the Iewes did at Antioch Acts 15. 50. Nay they surpasse
the Pope Dr. Beard de Antich part 3. cap. 2. sect 3. and Popish Church hath beene sometimes somewhat defective in miracles to establish their Purgatory For Pope Clemens being besieged in the Castle of Saint Angelo a Gentleman of Rome was bold to say thus Hitherto have I beleeved that the Pope could deliver soules out of Purgatorie but now since he cannot free himselfe out of prison I am constrained to thinke that much lesse he can deliver soules out of that place Here certainly the Prince of Purgatorie was something wanting in his miracles But the Papists supply the want of that time with the instance of his unlimited power at another time The miracle of Immas Simpsons Hist part â— Ceâ—t 7. Immas a prisoner and Captaine of England no bands could bind because his brother being a Priest and supposing Immas had beene slaine in the battle and that his soule had beene in Purgatory he made Prayers unto God said Masse oftentime for the reliefe of his brothers soule the benefit whereof as Beda supposeth redounded to the weale of Immas soule and Bellar. de Pont. Rom. lib. 3. c. 5. Suarez in 3. part Thom. â—oâ— 4 disp 45. secâ— 1. Costeâ— Enchirid. de Purg. cap. 16. body These all seeme wonders to the Papists but it seemeth more wonderfull to the Protestants that the learned of the popish side shall not bee ashamed to support their religion by arguments drawne from such idle dreames devised in times of darknesse to delude the world withall Fourthly they follow the same course for the confirmation of the Invocation of Saints The Consistorie of Cardinalls being set against Watsons Quod lib lib 8. Art 7. Saint Thomas of Canterbury saith a Papist finding him a dinner on Saint Marks day with a Capon they would have delivered him up for a Lollard but that God bewrayed their malice by converting the Capon into a Carpe And many have beene observed to recover their health by being covered with a Coule of a Erasâ— Colliqu pag. 11. Franciscan or Dominican Frier Proper fables to prove at least to procure that Saint Thomas Saint Francis and Saint Dominicke may be prayed unto And it is to bee hoped that some such Invocation may bee purchased to St. Garnet also especially if Eudaemon can Eudaâ— advers Abbot lib. 3. f. 4. Vshâ—rs Answ Arâ—iâ— 9. perswade credit to his strawne signe and lying wonder One singular precedent to this purpose is produced by that singular and rare Basâ—l Seleâ—e de mirac San Thecla lib. 2. cap. 10. Primate Alipius a Grammarian unto whom being forsaken of the Physitians Saint Thecla did appeare by night and demanded of him what he ayled and what hee would Hee to shew his art and to winne the virgines favor with the apnes of the verse returneth for an answer unto her that verse wherwith Homer maketh Achilles to answer his mother Thetis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Iliâ—d 1. Thou knowest why should I tell thee that knowest all Whereat the Martyr smiled and being delighted partly with the man and partly with the verse and wondring that hee had answered so aptly conveyed a certaine round stone unto him with the touch whereof hee was presently set on foot from his long and perilous sicknesse we need not travell so farre for Miracles in this cause our English Legends will commend their popish Saints to our invocation The Barber of King Edmund being Matth. Paris in Heâ—r 3. informed by the spirit that God had admitted him into the Colledge of his Saints reserved the haires which he did shave from his Beard hoping they might become medicinall which when the Bishop of Durham understood being at the point of death hee commanded those Haâ—res to be given him to drinke in Holy-water which gave him a gentle vomite and a speedy perfect recoverie This for our Saint Edmund Bellarmine telleth us the like of St. Bellar. de officiâ— Princip lib. 3. vita S. 〈◊〉 Edward That good English King saith hee did cure a Irish Criple by carying him on his backe ut spiritualis fortis Asinus like a lustie spirituall Asse Bellarmine in the same booke Bellarâ—â— Ibid. addeth a second which in truth is second to no wonder The Cathedrall Church of Westminster was built by Sebert repayred by Saint Edward but consecrated by Saint Peter in his own person who descended from heaven to doe that chare onely If any English Zelote should Bell de offic Princ. lib. 3. vita Sancti Wenceslai follow Bellarmine in these legends certainely it would wonderfully warme his devotion even as Podivinus did heat his feet in a deepe Snow onely by treading bare-footed in the very footsteps of Saint Wenceslaus of Bohemia But the Franciscans with yet more affection indeare Lib. Conform St. Francisci their found Frier Francis to a Catholike devotion His wonders are many and hee cannot but give wonderfull helpe to them who call upon him because he did helpe himselfe so wonderfully This their holy Saint being pursued by the Devill fled to a Rocke where finding not place to hide himselfe in hee thrust his face close to the Rocke which softning like waxe received impression and hid him a long time from the Devill This is a new tricke to escape the devill by swiftnesse of foot and by the softning of a Rocke and surely they have stoâ—e hearts who doe not beleeve it And that the Papists should not dole out their devotion over partially to St. Francis the Dominicans devoutly tell the world of as many great wonders wrought by S. Dominicke their Patron and they have an Archbishop for his Chronicler Antoninus Antonin part â— Tit. 2â— cap. â— sect 8. saith at Venice before Dominicke was borne into the world there were in St. Markes Church two Images to be seene of all whereof one was in a very religious habit of the order of the Preachers with a Lilly in his hand the other had the similitude of St. Paul as they use to paint him over whoÌ„ was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paulus St. Paul but vnder the feet of the jmage was written Per istum itur ad Christum by this man we come to Christ Above the other was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dominicus S. Dominicke but under him facilius itur per istum the way is easier by Antonin Hist part 3. tit 23. cap. 3. this man Yea ecce nobile par fratrum those precius paire of Fryers were made yoke-fellowes by a miracle as it is in the vision of S. Dominicke whereof holy Antinine is the Historian One night at Rome St. Dominicke in his devotions saw the Son of God stand at the right hand of the Father in his fury with a full intent to kill all sinners and to destroy all the workers of wickednes in the world To which purpose he stood in the sky with a terrible countenance and shaked three speares against the world with the
which they did beleeve sor their pride did withhold them So in the Church of Rome doubtlesse there are many who seare the Pope to be Antichrist and know themselves to be erroneous but the pride of themselves and praise of others withhold them to confesse it As S. Iohn speaketh 5. 44. They receive honour of one another and therefore they receive not the truth and reforme not their errour In Italy their Cardinalls Churchmen equall to Princes they could not subsist if the Pope or his pompe should fall and therefore they must uphold him In France if the Clergie should turne they should turne admirable immunities and dignities to undoubted poverty peradventure necessity and therefore they will never reforme but nourish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implacable hatred against the Protestants Some even Protestants can tell how an argument will sway with men which is drawne ab utili from praise profit and promotion And therefore it is no paradoxe to conclude Many learned Papists are obstinate in their errours for pride doth detaine them Fourthly the Iudgement of God is the cause that so many learned men are so ignorant that they doe not or will not know Antichrist though plainely discovered to the whole world Thus Deut. 29. 4. the Israelites fell from God though miracles were ever before their eyes the reason is there rendred The Lord gave them not eyes to see nor an heart to conceive Againe as it is in Isa 44. 16 17. that Idolaters should be so grossely gracelesse as to take a blocke to burne one piece and to adore another is it not a wonder but that we are there told by God himselfe that God himselfe did shut their eyes that they could not see and their hearts that they could not understand At the comming of Christ his own City Ierusalem did reject their Messias they bragd of Doth not Christ give the cause it was hid from their eyes Luk. 19. 42 In like manner at the comming of Antichrist the most glorious part of the Church of Christ doth serve the enemy of Christ the reason whereof is evident out of the verse following this Text God doth send them strong delusions Thus their Study Pride Prejudice and the just Iudgement of God I conceive to be the soure great causes that so many great learned men are the slaves of that great Antichrist These are the meanes that according to the working of Satan in all power he so admirably prevaileth upon them But that he may never in like manner prevaile upon any of us the Lord of heaven prevent for Iesus Christ his sake There remaineth the principall the person supporting Antichrist The mystery of Iniquity is vpheld by the working of Satan 1 Tim. 4. 1. the working of Satan is called the doctrine of devills and that doctrine of Devills is there named vers 5. to be forbidding of meats and mariage But the Church of Rome doth forbid meats and mariage Therefore the Church of Rome doth teach the doctrine of devills Therefore the Church of Rome is supported by the working of Satan Therefore the Church of Rome is the Church of Antichrist I will exercise them a little to untwine these plaine connexions Here appeareth the erroâ—â— to say no more of our Reconcilers of those who undertake to reconcile the Protestants to the Papists That worke is a Chimaera in their intention and will be abortive in the execution When there can bee no atonement betwixt God and Satan Christ and Belial the Christians and Antichristians In a word when truth may bee reconciled unto falshood which is supported by all power after the working of Satan then will I imagine that there may be atchieved a reconciliation betwixt the Church of Rome and the Church Reformed Till then I must susspect all pretence of reconciliation to bee an errour in them if not a trap for us Psal 120. 6. The best that I ever heard or read any speaking Relat. of the Religion in the West sect 48. to this point is that learned Gentleman who proposeth his project of Vnion by the distribution of Vnity Whether poore Christendome may hope for Vnity of Verity or Vnity of Charity or Vnity of Perswasion or Vnity of Authority or Vnity of Necessity Yet nunquam magis dubit at am de finibus quà m quum legebam Ciceronem de sinibus his discourse hath confirmed me more that Reconciliation is impossible For he himselfe confesseth that it is a thing to be wished not to bee effected To which I adde that sentence of our divine Seneca Sooner may God create a new Rome than reforme Dr. Hall No Peace with Rome sect 22. the old Grant that which all the world is never able to prove Suppose the Pope be not Antichrist Notwithstanding we must suppose reconciliation unto Popery to be impossible First these Reconcilers have beene alwayes fruitlesse in their indeavours and sometime fatall unto Christendome As the learned insist in the Trent Hist lib. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Zeno the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Heraclius the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Constance and the Interim of Charles the fift all which did not reunite but rend the division wider And what effect produced the laborious treatise of that learned Papist set on worke by two severall Emperours Ferdinand and Maximilian to compose the Quarrells of the Church Onely of Cassander hee became Cassandra although hee spake as a Prophet yet no body would beleeve him Hereupon politike Pope Paul the third did laugh at Charles the fift who attempted a reconciliation betwixt the Papists and the Protestants anno 1548. and it standeth with great reason For the most cautelous phrases of the most câ—riâ— us Reconcilers when they come to the scanning will bee ambiguous Superficially considered they may receive good sense but seriously sifted they containe the old errours And the effect was as the Pope presaged the Emperor indevoring to reconcile two contrary opinions he made them both agree to impugne his and each more obstinately to defend his own Then consider the parties and Reconciliation will appeare on our side to be improbable on their side impossible God knoweth some of our side are intractable and obstinate enough For mine owne part I professe I love peace next to truth and for the injoying thereof I would submit my selfe to any thing that doth not evidently infringe a good conscience I could bee contented First that the Pope should injoy those Temporall dominions which the skill of his Ancestours hath left unto him Secondly with our King with God I would be content to acknowledge him the Patriark of the West and Prime Bishop of the World so that he keepe him within the compasse of his owne Dioces Thirdly that in deepe disputes of Election Freewill Reall not Carnall Presence and such like Vnusquisquis abundet sensu suo that every man might enjoy the freedome of his owne judgement without any bitter invections or uncharitable censuring Fourthly I could
whether this be not a most partiall judgement Secondly wee all concurre that the sense of the Scriptures is more than the letter of the Scripture but the Pope giveth the sense thereof and God onely the letter Concerning the Scriptures therefore the Papists ascribe more to the Pope than they doe to GOD himselfe Which was wisely concluded at the conclusion of the Councill of Trent by Hugo Bishop Trent Hist lib. 8. Bestice that no law doth consist in the termes but in the meaning not in that which the Vulgar or Grammarians give it but in that which Vse Authority doe confirme that Lawes have no power but that which is given them by him who governeth and hath the care to execute them that he by his exposition may give them a more ample or a more straite sense yea a contrary vnto that which the words import This certainly cannot bee to love the Gospell but to use the Gospell to serve their owne turnes I retort their owne words on their owne Dutif Consid 3. cap. 2. persons It commeth to passe that that Word which was given as a Pillar of fire to direct lighten them in all Verity is turned into a Piller of Smoake so darkening and infatuating their Vnderstanding that they rush headlong into all kinde of Heresie As Areas the Spartan Generall by the smoake of Houses which Iust Hist lib. 24. Sect. 1. himselfe had fired blinded himselfe and his owne Souldiers Conspectum sibi suisque abstulit saith Iustin in that History Even so the Church of Rome rejecting the love of the Gospell being blinded with the love of their owne errours have cast themselves into the armes of Antichrist and are inextricably inthralled by the deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse I have discovered the minde of those that embrace Antichrist they have the Gospell but they have no minde to it they doe not love the Gospell Next followeth the end why they love Antichrist but not the Gospell Negatively Ne salvi fierent the neglect of their salvation Their salvation doe they neglect not absolutely but comparatively As before they did not absolutely reject the Gospell but the love of the Gospell that is they did love some earthly commodity better then this heavenly treasure So here they doe not grosely reject their salvation but there is some Person Profit Pompe Pleasure or Preferment There is something which they preferre before it or the meanes thereof They receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved To propose an authenticall exposition I will take the sense as it is expounded by a learned Papist Dr. Steuard on this place Saint Paul saith he doth speake of such men Steuartius in 2 Thes 2. at are mentioned by our Saviour Iohn 5. 44. How can yee beleeve which receive honor of one another seek not the honor which cōmeth of God only Quasi diceret Dominus perditionis multorum causam esse Ambitionem ne Christo credentes ad veritat is lumen pervenient That is Ambition is the cause that many receive not the Truth that they might be saved Which hee confirmeth out of Hilary Immoderati animi affectus saepe mentem de suo statu deijciunt ne veritatem agnoscant neque cognitam sequantur That is the immoderate affections such as Ambition doe put the minde out of frame that it cannot know the truth nor follow it being knowne To which wee may adde woefull examples Pappus de Haeresibus pag. 194. c. Thebutes refused the love of the truth and did spread his Errours in Iury Valentinus in Egypt Novatus in Affrica Aetius in Antiochia Donatus in Numidia and Arius throughout the World All forgetting Damnosum lucrum Erasmus in Luk. 4. est quod pietatis jactura emitur What advantage will it bee for a man to gaine the whole world and to lose his owne soule Mat. 16. 26. Yet to them was Honour what the Sparrowes dung was to old Tobit 2. 10. It put out their eies whereby they could not see or would not see the Truth at least the love of the Truth that they might be saved Such and so Ambitious is the See of Rome as any that ever the Sunne showne on To make this plaine ponder what the Pope was and what he is The Pope of Rome was a Bishop at first over many Ministers in one City next a Metropolitane over many Bishops in one Province after that a Patriarke over many Metropolitanes in one Diocesse for the Romanes had seven Provinces in one Diocesse Finally hee attained to bee Occumenicall Patriarke of the whole world But now hee is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 climed higher then the top of the Ladder Ecce duo gladij hic hee doth usurpe a double Supremacy both Ecclesiasticall and Temporall He will be Lord Paramount in all Causes and over all Persons under the cope of heaven Now when our English tooke Saint Domingo Cambden anno 1583. in India amongst many memorable things they sound in the Towne-house the Armes of the King of Spaine under them was painted an Orbe or Picture of the World with a pransing Horse spreading his fore-feet over the Verges thereof with this Motto Non sufficit Orbis that is the World is too little for me A Posie passing fit for the Pope Non sufficit Orbis the World cannot suffice his Ambition Nay the Latine appetite doth equall that Chrysin 1 Thes 1. 8. Gracian Dropsie even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a world of worlds cannot content him So that we may speak of the Pope what a Pope once spake of his Cardinalls Benedict the 12. being on a time moved to create more Cardinals answered that he was prest to performe their petition provided Si modo novum mundum creare posset provided that it were in his power also to create a new world for the world which now was would hardly suffice those Cardinals who were now In a word the world will not suffice the Popes Ambition This therefore I suppose sufficient to shew that the Pope is Ambitious To adde plenty of proofes to the plainnesse thereof I suppresse the grosse sayings of his Clawbacks and Canonists I will quote onely the Controversie-writers who we know can and doe blanch the most notorious absurdities of the Papacie Thus they speake Primatus Pontificis est Bell. de Rom. Pont. Praef. summa totius rei Christianae Bellarmine placeth the summe of our Christian Religion in the Superiority of the Pope Suarez doth professe Suarez Apol. Prooem as much in his Preface to his Apologie On the Popes dignity doth depend Salus Ecclesiae the safety of the Church Martinus Alphonsus M. Alphons Praef. Apol. Suaris a Mello raiseth this one note higher Sumi Pontificis est potestas supranaturalis it is saith he a Supernaturall power which wee must acknowledge to bee in the Pope Yea saith Lessius it Lessius de Ant. Dem. 14. is granted by the Princes
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all in one minde impossible to bee reclaimed All these make good this phrase of my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were besotted with a strong delusion I have alreadie inverted my Methode I must moreover alter it againe that I may proceed in order as the points offer themselves naturallie to bee considered The next point is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the Papists are the Deluded which indeed is a probable conjecture if not a plaine Demonstration that they are the limmes of Antichrist Bestiae character intelligi potest obstinata malitia Aquine saith that by the marke of the Beast wee may understand Obstinate malice Aquin. Su. 3. qu. 63. Art 3 ad 3. But none under heaven are more Obstinate for their side nor more malitious against their gainesayers that the Papists And Aquine saith this is the marke of the Beast let the Papists mark this This also doth S. Paul prophecie of the Papists in the 8 verse Marke saith our blessed Bishop Iewell marke S. Paul saith Antichrist Iewell in 2 Thes 2. 12. shall be Consumed not Converted From whence wee may conceive what hope there is of Reconciliation and Reformation from Rome which is the censure not of that Bishop alone but of all the Church of England The errour of Poperie Homilie of good works part 1 was so spred abroad that not onely the unlearned people but also the Priests and teachers partlie by glory and Covetousnes were corrupted and partlie by Blindnesse deceived with the same abominations that as Ahab having but one Elias but one Teacher to perswade him to the Truth of God but 450. false prophets to perswade him unto Baal So of the Papists both Priest and people are strongly deluded with Idolatrie This is the judgement of Our Church concerning their Church Wee may say of all Papists of our English Papists especiallie in them is fulfilled that fearefull prophecie Reuel 17. 6. They are made Drunke with the Golden cup of the whore of Babylon Idolatrie is spirituall whoredome And it is a Catholike grant that Rome is the Head of Image Adoration Concedimus Catholicae Suarez Apolog lib. 5. cap 18 num 20. doctrinae de Cultu Adoratione Imaginum Ecclesiam Romanā caput esse saith Suarez Whence wee inferre Therefore it is the Fountaine of Spirituall whoredome Againe the Pope doth not Sext. Decret lib 3. tit 23. de Jmmunitate Ecclesiae onelie terme himselfe the Head Caput but sponsum ecclesiae the Husband of the Church Which thing alone is a sufficient cause to cal Rome meretricem Babylonicam the whore of Babylon because the Romanists do teach that there is another Husband of their Church besides Christ the Pope By which inchanting Circe the ordinarie Papists are so bewitched that they take themselves to bee the Best of men the onely Catholikes when as indeed they are verie Homer Odys lib. 10. Beasts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made Drunk with palpable Idolatrie But so drunk and so stronglie deluded that wee may ignatius Epist 5 speake to the Romist that phrase of the greek father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lactantius may Lactantius lib. 7. cap 1. translate that of Ignatius into Latine ij sunt homines qui contra veritatem clausis oculis quoquo modo latrant these are the men who shut their eyes and then open their mouths in any manner to bark against the Truth Should wee in the yearning bleeding bowells of Christian compassion by Sermons Bookes or Arguments indeavour to draw them from Idolatrie Wee know our intertainement 2 Chron. 30. 10. They will laugh us to scorne mock the messengers of God and despise his words and misuse his Prophets Now this as I take it I may terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a strong delusion But that you may not suspect that I delude you by faining this Popish delusion when as they haue no such stupide obstinatnesse I will both referre the reader to the large and laboured treatise of Dr. Beard on this point And also render him present satisfaction by a present briefe catalogue of their owne Confessions Dr Beard of Antichrist part 3. Lessius de Antich part 1. Dem. 11. From Boniface to Vitaliane for the space of three score yeers the Church of Rome was wofully perplexed with a perpetuated misery by Plagues Famines Inundations Earthquakes and the Invasion of the Persians wherein fourescore and ten thousand Christians were slaine at one time by Seditions in the East the Heresie of the Monothelites and the Captiuitie and banishment of St. Martine the sacrilegious robbing of the Church Treasurie which had beene manie yeeres a gathering Finally in the time of Vitaliane Rome it selfe was Ransacked and the greeke Emperour tooke away all the Ornaments thereof Where note that the Beginning of the miserie of the Church of Rome was about the beginning of that arrogant usurpation of that title of Oecumenicall Bishop Well how was that Boniface moved with this Bonerges This Thundering Preaching by those Destroying miseries which smote them as thick and swift as Lightning prevailed not with the Pope to lay aside the pontificall title of Vniversall Bishop But to shew of whom St. Iohn did prophecie Rev. 9. 20. The Pope by these plagues repented not yet But from Pride they proceeded to superstition Boniface beganne with the Vniversall title and Vitaliane added unto it the Vniversall Latine Service And all these Plagues which went betweene for 60 yeeres of Fire Famine Blood c. could preach neither Penitence for the first nor Prevention for the later But still they persisted in their pride and superstition This I suppose is somewhat semblable to the phrase in my text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Strong Delusiō The particular profession of particular Philip. Nicolaus de Antich c. 15. papists is yet more pregnant thus writeth Luther of his Popish Devotion before hee was Converted The Authoritie of the Pope sayd hee was so potent with me that I thought it a crime demeriting Damnation vel in minimo dissentire ab illo to differ from him euen in the least thing And that conceit carryed me so farre that I esteemed Iohn Husse to bee so cursed an Heretike vt vel de eo cogitare sceleratum ducerem that I held it to bee a sinne but to thinke of him And in defence of the Popes authoritie I my selfe would haue carryed fire and faggots to have burned that heretike and therein I did perswade my selfe me summum praestare obsequium Deo that I shold have done God singular seruice His passion might bee built on that Catholike position Nullus homo potest se asserere in veritate christianum aut esse Turrecre lib. 3. c. 30. in statu salutis qui subesse renuit Romano Pontifici that is no man can affirme that hee is a true christian or that hee is in the state of saluation if he refuse to bee subject to the Pope of Rome Neither is
religion or so mad as to incurre a Praemunire for such a Consecration and the truth is they were all Consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury at his Pallace at Lambeth Mr Nowell and Mr Pearson preaching at their severall consecrations But I will not adde a Candle to the Sunne This foule lye is unmasked to the full by the Patterne of Ministers and Patron of our Ministry Master Mason Mason de Min. Angl. l. 3. c. 8. in Append. Bell. de Amiss Grat. l. 3. c. 8. in his most learned Treatise on that theame Onely I will adde out of him Bellarmine might well maintaine officious lyes to be but veniall sinnes otherwise I cannot see how any can spie out not so much as a shadow no not of a Stasse of Reed to support their officious yea pernicious Calumnies In all which against whom doe you sport your selves against Jsay 57. 4. whom make you a wide mouth and draw out your tongue are yee not the Children of transgression a seed of falshood and at length they shall know lying lips are an abomination to the Prov. 12. 22. Lord. Concerning the holy Scriptures they would beare the world in hand that we so trample Eud. de Ant. l. 3. them under our feet as that wee stick not to preferre Luther before all the Apostles Saint Paul onely accepted And our conscionable countryman shameth not to avouch it to our Dut Consid Consid 2. c. 1. Sect. 28. Frar Or. Lov. 1565. King that the Protestants use the Scriptures as a Visard Both being as probable as that prodigious calumnie fastened by the Papists on the Protestants in France that they poysoned all the wels about Lyons to bring innumerable innocents to an inevitable destruction 5. In regard of our obedience to our King their lyes would make us seeme to bee what truth hath showne them to bee very Rebels The Protestants teach saith Campian Christiani liberi Camp Rat. 8. a statut is hominum that Christians are free from the lawes of men And it is the drift of the Calvinist Ministers by their bookes Less de Ant. ep Dedic Frâ—r Or. Lâ—v. 1565. de Antichristo to cause warre and kindle rebellion saith Lessius And Frarinus fathers it upon the French Protestants that they poysoned King Frances 2. and digging up his heart which was buryed in the Church of Saint Crosse at Orleance that they put it on a Gridiroâ— and broyled it to ashes A Popish pamphlet printed at Turnay Monarch part 2 Tit. 3. 1623. termeth our English Ministers Bouteseus that is sowers of sedition because they they say that the Romish Catholikes hold Pag. 410. Protestants as heretikes and Excommunicated But he is told of this loud lye by Doctor Boucher Approbatio calce libeâ—â—i Chancellour of Turnay who licensed this Libell for this cause because he did herein dexterously discover quam perniciosa fuerit Angliae professio Haeresis what a pernicious Heresie was professed in England Accordingly that Author frameth a double Title to that Book terming the first part Babel or Monarchomachia meaning the Protestants and the other Hierusalem order or obedience to wit the Romish Religion Blood and Murther farre be it from our thoughts Happy were we if it were so farre from theirs also 6. Lastly for our obedience to God they report vs meere Libertines and Epicures Nil nisi fidem requirunt Lessius saith that the Protestants Less de Ant. part 2. Comp. 10. Suar. Ap. â— 10. require nothing but faith Suarez more fully and foully too Quocunque modo vivant per solam fidem gloriam sibi promittunt neque mandatorum observationem neque panitentiam esse necessariam praedicant the Protestants preach saith the Iesuite that it is no matter how men live promising glory by faith alone accounting both the keeping of the Commandements and repentance to be unncessary Legem ad salutem nequaquam esse necessariam impiè dicere non veriti sunt their Trent Cat. Trid. de Decalog Catechisme saith that wee are not afraid to say impiously that the law of God is not necssary to salvation Our owne Countreymen are as confident in this shamelesse calumnie Decalogus nil ad Christianos Campian doth charge Camp Rat. 8. us with this prophane paradoxe who may aptly be translated by George Dowly They Dowlie cap. 8. have saith he no other scope of their whole life and religion but meere liberty and sensualitie Against which loud lewde lye wee appeale to our GOD to our Conscience to our Bookes to our Sermons to our Hearers to our very Children in their Catechismes who never were taught one sylable of such damnable Doctrine Lord let their lying lips bee put to silence which cruelly disdainfully dispightfully speak against Psal 31. 20. the righteous Heare all these slanders falling in one breath from the mouth of Malvenda Omnes Malv l. 2. c. 6. fidei articulos omnia capita Christianae religionis sacramenta omnem ordinem usum ac sensum communem ecclesiae loco movit concussit miscuit convulsâ—â—t evertit destruit Nil denique est in republica Christiana seu sacrum seu politicum quod Lutherus per se aut per suas proles non distorserit corruperit ac depravaverit that is All the Articles of the saith all the grounds of Christian Religion the Sacraments all order custome and common sence of the Church is removed shaken confounded plucked downe plucked up plucked in pieces and destroyed In a word there is nothing in the Christian common-wealth neither Ecclesiasticall nor Politicall which Luther hath not either by himselfe or his followers wronged corrupted or depraved I say therefore The Papists like Plinies Camels Plin. 8. 18. which troubled the water with their feet that they might not see their owne ougly shape so they raise mudde by slandering our religion lest in our integrity they should behold their owne deformed impietie and Apostasie But I Nehem. 6. 8. will answere our Adversaries as Nehemiah did Sanballat There are no such things done as thou sayest but thou fainest them of thine owne heart If their foule tongues have thus forced our reputation publishing unto the world that both our persons in particular and our profession in generall are thus impious Defamed England may take up the complaint of defiled 2 Sam. 13. 13. Thamar and I whether shall I cause my shame to goe Neverthelesse they desist not here In regard of our Persons and profession their tongues have wipped us with scourges but with Scorpions in regard of our practice The practice of the Church of England they proclame Gen. 34. 25. to be like Simeon and Levi that the instruments of cruelty are in our habitation that wee have murthered the Papists as they did the Shechemites even under the pretence of religion And they doe this to make England like Israell to make our land stinke among the Cananites For if the phrase of
my Text were not true that Antichristians shall lye if they wronged us not by their reports then were the reformed Church but our English Church in a superlative degree not onely like their Romish Pope Alexander 6. Spongia sanguinis a Sponge of blood But like the Romane Emperour Nero 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clay not mingled but macerated with blood Yea Cosroes Totilas and Domitian were but Grashoppers compared to us Anakins and Giants in Cruelty If their writings were not incredible Lyers concerning their incredible Martyrs here in England I meane to insist especially in the infinite impudent aspersions wherewith they charge our Church of England Only I will give you a Frar Or. habita Lovanij 1565. taste out of one Authour onely Frarinus of their usage of their beyond sea Protestants whom I could wish to have beene tyed to his owne conditions he relateth this history Amongst the Locrenses there was this statute if any should attempt to bring in any innovation hee should motion it to the people out of a high Roome ea lege ac conditione that hee did speake unto them with a Rope about his necke so that if his advice did appeare to bee profitable to the Common-wealth he was to bee dismissed with Honour but if it were a vaine fancy of his owne braine for his owne ends the Rope should be the reward of his rashnesse So for himselfe if his accusations be true let him ride on with honour and let the Honour of the Protestants be buried in perpetuall ignominy and everlasting shame But if this inditement be false and forged as full of malice as empty of truth His owne Rope had beene a condigne reward for so false a witnesse These are his Articles That the French Protestants in Paris ranne up and downe the streets thereof with drawne swords crying Frar Or. Lov. 1565. Evangelium Evangelium the Gospell the Gospell Answerably saith hee they proceeded Pag. 12. unto execution A Priest stealing away in the Frar p. 46. Habit of a Beggar they examining and discovering him led him backe bound into the towne where they set him to sale for money but the Inhabitants abhorring such Merchandize they tooke the Priest beate him with Cudgels Plucked out his eyes cut off his two forefingers fleyed away his skinne of his shaven crowne and so led him through the towne to bee laughed at by the Potestants And when they had glutted themselves with scorning him they bound him to a tree and shot him to death with Harquubuses At Paris a Protestant being hanged for such bloody villanies on the Gallowes told it with great delight that hee had made him a Chaine which he wore about his necke ex Auriculis Sacerdotum of the Eares of Priests exhorting all his Brethren of the religion therein to follow his religious example Which it seemeth by him they did for they said hee Fraâ— pâ— 50. pag. 49. did hang two innocent Priests one on the right another on the left side of the Crosse of Christ in contempt thereof A holy Priest passing betwixt Paris and Orleance the Hugonots dragged him into their Inne where they shamefully cut off his Privities plucked out his Guts whilest he was yet alive and slung them about the house And saith he that ye should not suspect mee to feigne this barberous cruelty I was told it by an honest Canon of Saint Crosses in Orleance quem honoris causa nominarem si nomen occurrerit and I would name the reverend Clerke but indeed I have forgot it who good man all this while lay himselfe in a chest through a crany whereof hee was an eye witnesse of this woefull action They familiarly did bury the Papists when they were alive and did dig them up againe when they were dead and buried Nay quoth hee like the Anthropophagi the Protestants did usually eate the Papists Pretty bold assertions but that which beareth away the Bell hee thus relateth Certaine Frar â— 50. Roman Veronensij l. 2. p. 70. Protestants caught a poore Papist him they compelled to cut off his owne privities and to eate them broyled on a Gridiron and then ripped up his belly to see whether his stomack had put over that sweet Morsell with a faire concoction Wee may conclude with a compendium of all his Calumnies and our cruelties from his Preface In our age saith he those Sectaries have ravished Vigines cut children Frar ep Dedic p. 7. in sunder with their swords tryed their strength by hewing the bodies of men cleaved the heads of Priests in pieces fleyed off the skins and worne the eares of Priests for bracelets Thus frantikly farre the French Protestants if there be any faith in Frarinus that flemish Papist But why boastest thou thy tongue imagineth mischiefe Ps 52. and with lyes thou cuttest like a sharpe Rasor Thou lovest unrighteousnesse more then goodnesse and to talke of lyes more then righteousnesse Thou hast loved to speake all words that may doe hurt O thou false tongue Therefore God shall pluck thee up and root thee out and destroy thee for ever But as for these slandered innocents They shall bee like a greene Olive tree in the house of God Their trust shall bee in the tender mercy of God for ever and ever All the intolerable infamies against the French are very tolerable compared to the Cruelties wherewith they charge the Church of England 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cle. Alex. Protr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To make the Church a Stage and Religion a feigned Tragedy sure this cannot bee commendable let it bee acted never so handsomely Attend to Baronius pronouncing the Prologue out of the mouth of Suarez Macte animo macte virtute Anglicanorum Suar. Apol. l. 6. c. 11. nu 5. nobilissime ac gloriosissime caetus qui tam illustri malitiae I acknowledge this is misprinted but the Printer hath not wronged them so much as they have done us by the misprinted acclamation qui tum illustri malitiae nomen dedisti ac sacramento sanguineÌ„ spospondisti Nobilissime caetus a noble army of English Martyrs What English man ever saw those English Martyrs I would not willingly that wee should answere them as they answere us Persecutio Les de Ant. part 2. Deut. 9. in haereticos nâ—â— turbat pacem mundi sed tollit faces seditionum tranquilitatem mundi conservat unde nemo sentit persecutioneÌ„ illud esse nisi eo modo quo punitio Furum Latronum Proditorum ac Seditiosorum It is no more persecution to kill a Protestant than to hang a Theefe or a murtherer saith that charitable Iesuite Lessius I will not retort that phrase no Let their Church have the honor of cruelty But this I say where is that Army of English Martyrs Indeed I have heard of Story Sherwine Campian Watson Garnet Vaux Catesby the cause of their ignominious death is knowne to have bin their ignominious actions Treason But that ever any
one Professour of the Romish Religion was put to death for hearing their Masse or refusing our Church c. Mine eares and eyes have impartially inquired after these men but Gyges is revived this glorious Army of Romish Martyrs doth march invisibly not one precedent can be produced That parallell of Popish and Protestant Persecutions Ab. in Eud. c. 6. proposed by the Lord Coke is plaine and to the purpose In the five yeares of Queen Maries raigne three hundred Protestants were put to death onely for religion But under Queene Elizabeth and shee raigned forty and foure yeares not fully thirty were put to death and some five who concealed them and all for Treason not one onely for religion Where we distinguish of the Popish religion The plaine Popish religion which consisteth in those cases controverted betwixt the Romish and Reformed Churches as concerning Purgatory Pilgrimages Prayer for or to the dead c. besides there is a Gregorian Popery or the Papacy rather brought in by Hildebrand and borne up by the Iesuites concerning the Popes power over Princes Never did any die for the former For the latter these thirty did dye and meritoriously being therin ipso facto notorious Traitors And whereas Eudaemon maketh the objection in his Apology that wee make their meere points of Religion to be Treason as to bee made a Roman Priest to reconcile or to bee reconciled to the Romish Church to bring into our land Agnus Dei's Holie Beads c. The learned Bishop of Sarisbury doth Abb. in Eud. c. 6. render a full satisfaction in his Apologie who answereth that these also call not their lives into question dummodo per se sunt if they goe no further But when under the pretence of them the people were incited to rebellion the Crowne and Kingdomes hazarded then such persons were arrested and Suffered for Treason Which is most apparent both because many of Queene Maries Priests lived without any danger of death under Queene Elizabeth also because Hart Bosgrave Horton and Rishton learned and through Papists injoyed their lives in as much as they medled not with those publike affaires But the others who preached that the Pope had authority above the Queene in her own Dominions that the Pope had Authoritie to depose her that the Pope could give authority to her Subjects to take up Armes against her that those Priests did perswade the Papists not to take the Oath of the allegiance herein they became actuall Traytors and were put to death for palpable treason But for meere religion and plaine popery never did any one papist dye in all the raigne of Queene Elizabeth no nor of King Iames nor of King Charles neither Where then is extant that glorious army of Popish English Martyrs Thinke not now that these are single reports and that Baronius and Suarez are singular in charging our Church with persecutions You shall finde an Army of Writers who chronicle this Army of Martyrs The foresaid Suarez hath a large disputation in two Chapters An vexatio quam in Anglia patiuntur Catholici sit Suar. Apol. l. 6. c. 10 11. vera Christianae religionis persecutio that is Whether the vexation which the Catholikes do suffer in England be a true persecution of Christian Religion Malvenda saying that the persecutions Malv de Ant. l. 8. c. 1. which the Papists do sustain under the Protestants but under the English especially exceed all that ever Christians did suffer in the world before breakes out O Christe stupeo patientiam tuam O Christ I am amazed at thy patience Baronius in his Martyrology hath this Prosopopoeia Baron Mart. 29. Dec. Festo sancti Thomae Cantuariensis to Papists in England persecuted and martyred amongst us O moriatur anima meamorte Iustorum siant novissima mea horum similia O let my soule dye the death of the righteous and let my end be like to theirs Hath not all Europe talked of our English persecutions quoth Watson In the yeare 1621. The Papists put up a Petition to the Parl. 1621. Petition unto the Parliament pleading against their persecution But above all their Propheticall Psalmist who surely lived about the Gunpowder Treason In the first Psalme of the seven sparkes of the soule thus devoutly doe they pray to God and slander man Persecution followeth us like thuÌ„dring lightning The seven Sparkes of the soule p. 16. Fire Haile and Brimstone More cruell are our foes than Vnicornes More outragious then swift Tygers As David sought to death by Saul as the Israelites in the bondage of Aegypt As innocent Susanna in the hands of her Accusers As Daniel in the Lyons Den Such is our case O Lord. Can any English man understand this English Psalme when did England seize on the Papists like Tigers and Vnicornes What this obscure Psalmist speaketh to our God ChristophersoÌ„ Christ in Down ep Dedic speaketh somewhat more plainly to our King in his treatise against Dr Dounam What insolences and vexations are they constrained to endure And to omit the generality and severity of this persecution from which neither frailty of Sexe nor Lawes of Matrimony nor Nobility of birth can exempt any How many things lye hid and unkowne which would astonish and amaze the world if they were open to the view thereof Againe in the page following How many have beene beaten and tormented even to death in private houses without publike triall some Prentises in London can give good testimonies thereof And in the Treatise it selfe hee shameth not Christopheron part 1. c. 7. The Picture of which is in Oxens Library to avouch that shamefull shamelesse lye That some Catholikes have beene baited by Dogs in Beares skins That wee may therefore heare them utter their persecutions in plaine English let us passe froÌ„ these generall accusations to their particular instances Heare their complaint in two languages from two Authors these two alone doe I quote in this cause and Sermon which are not their owne yet their witnesse will be sufficient the one being the most learned King and the other the most learned Bishop of the world thus writeth that Bishop In Tortura Torti p. 152. Oxens Librarie Legenda illa c. In your Legend of our English persecution which is so frequent among you you may read and see the Pictures of English Papists some in the skins of beasts and torne in pieces by Bandogs others having Basins closed to their Breasts within which are mice inforced to eate into their intrals and others tyed to Mangers to eate hay or to starve The King hath the like in his conclusion to Christian Kings The Wals saith hee of their Monasteries and Iesuâ—te Colledges are filled and their bookes farced with the painted lying histories of the innumerable torments which their Martyrs are put to in England viz. some torne with foure horses some sowne in Beares skinnes and then killed with Dogs nay women have not
this opiniō of merits is like the pale Horse Rev. 6. 8. Death sits on it and Hell followeth with it It is a damnable assertion without peradventure Cardinall Bellarmine was once a Ringleader in this path for a long time and a tedious labour throughout his large Treatise of Iustification Bell. de Iustific l. 5. c. 7. But at the end of his journey he espied Tutissimū a safer way to tread in the very footsteps of poore Protestants reponere totam fiduciam in sola misericordia Dei that is to repose his whole trust in the onely mercy of God Now no opera as before no nor operatincta according to that trick of Campian for justifying faith betwixt mercy and merits is like the Infant betweene the two mothers 1 Reg. 3. if divided it must be destroyed Now I say even with Belarmine himselfe upon a more advised revising of this damned opinion no more opera nor tincta opera that is no workes neither by amplification nor yet by extenuation but to place our whole cōsidence in the sole mercy of God For indeed to hold salvation by workes in thesi by way of disputation that some men may be so saved I suppose that this may bee done and the defendants not damned But in hypothesi by way of application for a man to hold of himselfe that he hath doth or will merit his salvation This I dare define to bee a damnable assertion The conclusion therfore must be All Papists must either end their lives as Bellarmine did his bookes of Iustification renouncing this point of Popery Merits or else they shall meritoriously purchase this phrase of my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They will be damned for such an arrogant assertion Moreover this third point is second to none in furthering the building of Babel Good workes have beene a good Net which have drawne many good quillets to the Court of Rome That donation called from Constantine the great but indeed given by Charles the great I suppose merits was the motive to that magnificent action Many a sick body for his soules health tooke from his Childs Portion to adde to Peters Patrimonie From the Pharises Talent to the Widowes mite all Oblations make the Center of their motion to be the Church because the Church doth teach them to be meritorious and that they may purchase heaven with gold and Silver A very Character of Antichrist The Antichristian Babylonians Revel 18. 13. are said to make merchandize of the soules of men And surely the soules of seduced men are bought and sold in the Church of Rome by this advantagious Doctrine but it will bring bitternesse in the end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is a profitable but a damnable delusion A fourth instance is their miserable and damnable mangling of the Sacram nt compelling the people to Communicate by the Halfe. That I may not seeme to spie a Mote in the Eye of the Head of the Church I will discover this to be a Beame by a threefold consideration Consider the institution injunction and emphaticall imposition of the blessed Sacrament all the workes of our blessed Saviour First this Sacrament was instituted to bee received in both kindes Christ tooke bread and gave it and hee tooke the Cup and gave it to his Disciples Matth. 26. 26 and 27. Secondly the Church was injoyned to receive it in both kinds Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eat of that bread and drinke of that Cup 1 Cor. 11. 28. And thirdly Christ did single out the Cup as it were with a Propheticall Cave drinke ye all of this Matth. 26. 27. For the sirst although the Church hath great authoritie to alter the manner and Circumstances of Gods worship yet we cannot but acknowledge that it is the best way to walke if it be possible in the very footsteps of the first institution And all alteration must bee on good grounds and for good causes For the second if the circumstances of time and gesture were injoyned If Christ had ever said eat this sitting and in the evening then could wee not but yeeld to the Reformers that our kneeling and to the Anabaptists that our morning Communions were unlawfull and damnable But thirdly where God himselfe doth as it were point with his singer wee are bound especially direct our eye to that Object as here Drinke ye all Mee thinketh this Emphasis maketh this signe like the forbidden fruit Genesis 3. 3. Moriendo morieris it is death to touch it and none dare lay hands on it but by the Serpents instigation Howbeit notwithstanding this institution Concil Const Sess 13. injunction and Emphaticall imposition the Church of Rome doth institute injoyne and impose by two solemne decrees of two Vniversall councils the direct contrary Drinke ye all of this Concil Trident. Sess 21. cap 1. saith Christ drinke ye none of this saith the Pope This is a Superlative prerogative of man to oppose a non obstante to the Statute of GOD. Though God saith Drinke ye all of this yet Concil Trid. sub Pio. 4. Proam ad 5. Sess the Pope commandeth all his Church that they shall not beleeve credere that they may Drinke Surely this is slavery in the inferiours tyranny in the superiours damnable in both But in divers degrees The Peoples damnation is like Cains phrase Gen. 4. 15. sevenfold but the Prelates damnation is like Lamechs phrase Gen. 4. 24. it shall be seventy and seven fold but in both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is a damnable practise Neither is this onely an unchristian but also an Antichristian errour out of it Babell sucketh no small advantage How advanceth it the power of the Pope when we oppose obsignatis Tabulis and they answere obsignat is Tabulis Wee alleage Gods Commands that we may have the Cup and they alleage the Churches command that they may not have Cup in the Sacrament The people must thinke that this is a wonderfull Authority which can so trench into Gods injunction Againe that the Priests onely Concil Trid. Can. 2. Sess 5. those Priests who are Consicients as they call them must drinke of the blessed blood of our blessed Saviour Is not this a rare Honour and Prerogative to that Calling Finally there is a mystery in this iniquitie The Church of Rome to make up their full number against the day of Accounts acteth the skilfull Arithmetician As by substraction they take from the Decalogue leauing out the words of the second Commandement lest the plaine people should perceive their plaine Idolatry so by addition they supply to the Sacrament and give the people Wine but there is the mistery unconsecrated Wine in the Communion for feare that even sense should informe the people if they be not even senselesse that the Pope doth rob them of their fathers portion the cup in the Sacramēt Now to put a dead child into the bosome of the poore mother in stead of a living Infant this was but
the Head of the Church say all the Papists Christ in regard of his infallible ruling the Church is a Rocke Matth. Suarez Apolog. lib. 1. cap. 6. sect 15. 16. 18. Pontifex docens est Petra the Pope is the same Teaching the Church he is the very rocke thereof saith Suarez All power that Christ can have is power over all things in heaven earth Math. 28. 18. The Pope doth equall himselfe Sacrar Cer. lib. 1. Concil Trid. Sess 24. Can. 3. in that also He claimeth Christs owne power in Christs owne words Data mihi est omnis potestas in coelis in terris said Sixtus Quintus Finally hee sheweth himselfe to be God also 1 Canningly by his Godlike actions to wit by dispensing against the Scriptures by commanding Concil Trid. Sess 3. sub Jul. 3. Christians credere to beleeve by making Saints by arrogating jus creandi Apostolos Power to make Apostles as Baronius is quoted and confuted Casaubon Exerc. 14. Sect. 14. by Casaubone and finally by calling his Decrees Oracles that is the very word of God all which are Godlike actions peculiar to God alone 2 Literally at the Iubile hee is borne in a golden Throne wearing a Golden Crowne and with a Golden Hammer hee breaketh open the Gates of Paradise forgiving sinnes to all the people the people adoring him and craving eternall life from him And at his Election they place his Throne on the Altar in the chiefe Church kissing his feet and bending their knees they sing before him Te Deum laudamus We praise thee O God What more can we imagine or he desire if hee were Deus in templo Christ himselfe incarnated in the shape of man To proceed As the Pope is described in the Description of Antichrist so is hee revealed in the Revelation of Antichrist The Papacy and Primacy was and is a Mysterie Secretly a working even in the Apostles time Even then were the Romanes high minded Rom. 12. 20. Although their high minds were over-topped by one Higher than they by the Emperour as it is in the 6. verse but so soone as the Emperor of Rome was removed instantly was the Pope of Rome revealed that he advanced himselfe but still in a Mysterie Desiring to be called servus servorum the servant of servants but to be Dominus dominantium the Lord of Lords And now since this Revelation he is discovered to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lawlesse person According to his Canonists Legi non subjacet ulli hee is under no Law And according to his Controversie-writers he can moderari mutare praecepta Apostolorum prout Ecclesiae expedierit qualifie and alter the precepts of the Apostles as shall seeme expedient for the Church In a word whatsoever his words are by his deeds he is revealed to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of groundlesse and boundlesse ambition After the Pope was revealed to bee Antichrist through Gods permission hee did proceed to an high pitch of Antichristian Pride And being at the height it pleased God to destroy him and his pride in some part The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his Antichristian Greatnesse and growth was about 1500 under Pope Leo the tenth Then he domineered without controule there being none but a few impotent and illiterate Hussites in Bohemia and such like to oppose him Then the Westerne Church was like a great Barne having all the Corne thrashed out Little graine some light corne but infinite chaffe and straw being in the Floore of the Lord yet then it pleased the Lord to consume Poperie by preaching and by the breath of his mouth to shake Germaine like an aspen Then Luther caused Saxony the Palatinate Hassia and Helvetia to fall from Rome And since his Successors Bellar. de R. P. 3. 21. as Bellarmine confesseth have snaken if not exiled Popery in almost all Germanie Denmarke Norway Suevia Gothland Hungaria Pannonia France England Scotland Bohemia Hâ—lvetia yea and in part of Italie it selfe Thus hath the Preaching of the word consumed Antichrist and Popery already in part The Lord consume it every day more and more by Christs mouth and for Christs sake if it bee his blessed will Now that Poperie is a consuming the Pope doth imploy his instruments to prolong though not to cure that consumption Instruments I say are imployed to support Popery inabled by miracles none in these dayes but Antichrist and the Papists laying claime to that facultie and furnished with the bravest learning that ever gave life to falshood or probabilitie to the deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse And that you may know that these Teachers are set on worke by Satan The Papists are the men who of all men doe teach the doctrine of devills and most impiously forbid meats and mariage as Saint Paul prophecied long agoe 1 Tim. 4. 1. But this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these Engines of Poperie shall not fight for falshood against the truth unpunished because though they have the Letter of the truth yet they have not the love of the truth but for the pompe of their Church take pleasure in unrighteousnesse and delight in grosse â—dolatry in Images which are exploded by the Protestans Turkes and Iewes and all the world besides Rome onely excepted For this cause hath God sent them strong delusion that the Papists our English Papists especially are obstinate in their Errors that nolumus scientiam they will take an oath and take the Sacrament that they will not be converted though they be confuted that they beleeve a lye that a man cannot erre a monstrous monstrous lye and palpable impossibility and that in morality they will relate and beleeve such lyes that modest men cannot repeat them without the blushing of their browes nor Christians without the bleeding of their bowells Labor improbus improborum They take great paines And verily they shall have their reward The conclusion of my text implyeth the Confusion of obstinate Papists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may be damned The Popish inhibition of Scriptures obscuring of prayers mingling of Christ merits mangling of his Sacrament and open Idolatrie can bee no other then damnable assertions Their practises descensus averni the downfall of Hell But the Lord of Heaven reduce our seduced Countreymen if it be his blessed will from these damnable errours And now through the goodnesse of my great God I am come to the end of my great question Concerning which imployment I render hearty thankes to this Auditory to the worthy Deane and Prebendaries and to my Reverend and Reverenced Predecessour To you for hearing mee to them for accepting me and to Him for incouraging me in the discharging of these exercises One favour I must further intreat you and them to vouchsafe me Doe not suspect that I am puffed with my imployment in this so eminent a place And to cleare all suspition that I neither undertooke nor discharged this Lecture for any