Antichrist That is to saye A true reporte that Antichriste is come / wher he was borne of his Persone miracles what tooles he worketh withall and what shal be his ende Translated out of Latine into Englishe By I. D. O Lorde why haste thou broken downe the hedge of thy vyne in Englande that al they which go by plucke of her grapes The wilde Boore out of the wood dothe roote it vp and the wilde beast of the field deuoureth it Tourne thee againe thou God of hostes loke downe from heauen beholde and visite this vyne It is brent with fire and cut downe c. Psal 80. Imprinted in Sothwarke by Christophor Trutheall Cum priuilegio Regali 1556. The translatour to the reader I Commende in to thy gentil handes good reader a most notable and godly learned worke of fyue Homelies / set furthe in Latin about .ix. yeares past by the reuerende and ryght famous clearke Rodulphe Gualter of zuirik / at suche tyme as the Bishop of Rome bestowed the treasures of his blessing wyth fyre and sweorde by Italianes and Spanyardes vpon certayne partes of Germanye whych neuertheles were by the mightye power and prouidence of God so preserued in the myddes of affliction / that the more trauaile Satan by his sonne and heire Antichrist toke to haue suppressed the Gospell of Christ / the more it florisheth the more he persecuted it / the strōglyer it is confirmed / and the depelier it hathe taken roote yea and as it is Goddes wonted practise / to tourne the malice and furie of his enemies to the furtheraunce of his glorie it neuer prospered in Germanye thākes be to the mercie of God for it as it dothe nowe And for asmuche as we Englishe mē did by solemne othe abiure his vsurped power and forged autoritie whom the said author of thys worke calleth the myghtie houge Antichrist in the dayes of Goddes lawfull appointed Ministers of famous memorie / Kyng Henry theight / and his sonne the blessed Kyng Edwarde the sixthe and seyng ther is no lesse tirannye and plage purposed / and hanging at thys present by the iuste iugemēt of God / for the peoples vnthankfulnesse / negligence / and aduised periurie ouer the noble realme of Englande / than at that tyme was attempted in Germanie I thought it good / to translate and set furthe this notable worke / into our vulgare Englishe tongue / for iij. causes Furst to stere the fauourers of the Gospell of Iesus Christ / and the weake brethren / to geue God most heartie thankes for his mercifull gifte of knowlage in this case / and with teares for the miserable condicion of our naturale countrey / now pressed with the tirannous yowke of antichrist to poure out feruent prayers to God almyghtie / that he wolde of his abundaūt mercie for Christes sake vouchsafe to wythdrawe once again this deserued and iustly sent miserie Secondarely / to desire those men / which esteme measure religion and Goddes worde / by the successe of worldly thinges to beholde with indifferent consciences what wealthe and pleyntie of meate and money / the Masse the daughter of Antichrist hathe brought wyth her again into Englande and therby though they compt litell vpon Goddes worde to beholde how horrible a thing it is / to fall into the handes of the lyuyng God / by committing of wilfull periurie and in what state they stande against the dredfull daye of the Lord whose eyes and iudgement no colourable pretense can deceaue \ for receauing againe of his most blasphemous enemye / whom they hade renounced by a necessary lawfull o the / made in his holy name Thirdly / to prouoke the bringers in again / and mayntenours of his pretenced power autoritie whom this autor calleth Antichrist either to repent and reuoke their popishe damnable errours / and confesse and embrace the truth of Christes Gospel with vs or els to cōfute this worke / not with mennes traditions nor vayne falsely vsurped titles of the churche / and catholike fayth but with the manifest worde of God wherupon the catholike churche of Christ / and the true christian iustifieng faithe is buylded yf they can as I knowe / they can not For their artillarie is to shorte and to weake / yea all the ordinaunce of the very gates of hell shall neuer be able to encountre it / muche lesse to preuaile against it In the meane tyme / we being established and quieted in the inuincible trueth of Goddes most holy sacred worde wherby the autor of this worke translated by my poore trauaile / dothe most learnedly muinciblye paint out vnto thee that great enemye of God / Antichrist shall by the assistence of Goddes holy spirite / patiently digeste their railyng and tirannye And considering oure former vnthankulnesse / carnalitie / and necligence in our vocacion / we shal most humbly submit our selues to our heauenly fathers rodde and correction and loke for deliueraunce at his owne mercyfull leasure / knowyng that in the myddes of his wrathe / he remembreth mercye Take paynes now to reade ouer diligently these fyue Homelies with the Autors preface / good reader And yf God lightē thyne heart with this candle / to consent vnto the truthe wyth vs / wherof thou wast either ignoraunt before / or in case thou be already persuaded / yet yf thou be the better instructed and more soundly satled hereby in this behalfe I haue my hole desire / and full recompence God geue thee vnderstandyng in all thinges / and in hym ryght hertely well to fare The Autors owne tytle of thys boke / is thus Antichrist That is to saye fyue Homilies wherin it is proued that the Bishoppe of Rome is the ryght and myghtye houge Antichrist whom the oracles of the Prophetes Christ the Apostles tolde before shoulde come and that we shoulde beware of him Set furthe by Rodulphe Gualter of Zuirik c. ¶ To his deare brethrē that preache the Gospell of Christ in the Countie of zuirike Rodulphe Gualter grace and peace from him which only and none but he is made vnto vs of his heauenly father peace righteousnesse wysedome redemption and sanctificacion THat chosen instrument of God and teacher of the gētiles the Apostle Paule whan he shoulde take his laste leaue of the Elders of the Ephesiās and had faithfully warned them of many maters yet amōg other thinges he thought good to geue them this lesson withall Take hede to your selues to the hole flocke of whome the holy Goost hathe set you to be ouerseers or Bishoppes to gouerne Act. 20. the churche of God whome he hath purchaced with his owne blood For I knowe this that ther shall after my departure greuous wolues entre in among you that shall not spare the flocke Which wordes ryght reuerende brethrē and felowe Ministres forasmuche as they were spoken to those men whome the self same office was at that tyme in the churche of Christe cōmitted vnto which is
suffre them to rushe in and to haue his churche somwhat exerciced therwithall For that cause the Lorde calleth the Kyng of Assiria the rodde of his furie Esa 10. Psal 17. and Dauid calleth the wicked Goddes hande and Goddes sweorde where as nother the Kyng of Assiria hade any respect vnto the wil of God nother do the wicked regarde the couÌ„sail of Goddes prouidence But thys louing brethren is ful of comforte that nother the aduersaries haue of them selues any power against vs nor that any thing befalleth vs without the wil of God For seyng the holye scriptures declare vnto vs that Psal 11. 2. Corin. 1. God is not only a ryghteous Lorde but that he is also a most merciful father certainly what aduersitie so euer chauÌ„ceth vnto vs through his couÌ„sail it threatteneth not to destroy or vndo vs but promiseth vs saluacion For how can he mynde the vndoing of meÌ„ which is the maker of maÌ„kynd wold a father haue his owne children destroyed wolde he be content to haue them vtterly destroyed slayne No. But forasmuche as that propertie is most farre froÌ„ the nature of a mortal maÌ„ that is a father doubtles we may Luce. 11. not thinke God which is the fountayne of mercie and grace to be more vngentil and harder harted than a mortall man Why than saye they suffreth he most merciles enemies to fall vpon vs by heapes so why dothe he cast vs in to their handes and vpon their we apones than But what are you good folkes that grunt at this gaire Thinke ye it a wondre or neuer hearde you that a father shaketh the rodde at his children yea Hebre. 12. and that he clappeth them on the buttockes to for their correction Let vs rather loke vpon our selues and we shall sone see the causes of all this gayre For where we being Psal 51. conceaued and borne in synne coulde not chose but be lyke our owne original state and therfore shoulde be the slaues of deathe and damnation the father of heauen tendring vs wyth mercie by his owne sonne hathe takeÌ„ awaye our sinnes choseÌ„ vs to be his childreÌ„ hathe made vs heires of his grace kingdome This ioyfull gracious prouideÌ„â— of our saluatioÌ„ euen the doctrine of the gospell bringeth vs worde of And that is it that telleth vs how we are endetted to god again therfore It enformeth vs how we must beleue it teacheth vs howe to frame our life and it correcteth our naughtie corrupte maners Howbeit forasmuche as our fleshe can not abide to be corrected nourtured it wolde not in this case be monished rebuked corrected nor founde fault at no it abuseth the doctrins of the gospell to clooke his licencious libertie and lust wythall the more careles securitie and libertie it hathe to liue at pleasure so muche the more it foloweth his owne affections and renneth wilde wythout bridling Than therfore it standeth wyth the heauenly fathers iustice that they which wolde not amende wyth courteous warnyng of wordes must be corrected with stripes And yet he sendeth not them for any cause but that we shoulde cast awaye our careles necligeÌ„ce turne in to the right way again As for examples or testimonies of scripture ther nedeth none in this case seing euery one of vs fâ—leth in our selues this corrupt disposicioÌ„ of our owne nature Neuertheles I thinke it not amysse to note suche thinges as haue fallen in our tyme. The worde of the gospell hathe by the fauourable grace of God ben reuealed and preached to the people of Germanye now about fyue twentie yeares and more Ther hathe ben disclosed the fraudes the false sleightes subtil wiles and blasphemous deuises of Antichristes tyrannye All darkenesse hathe ben scowred awaye by the light of the truthe The endles knottes that befor tyme were indissoluble and the most sorowfull boÌ„des Hebre. 4. of deathe were let lose and cutte in pieces wyth this most kene two edged sweorde the Gospell And whan this gaire was ones losed all that euer Antichrist hade buylded in mennes consciences fell sodaynly downe and the vayne dredes of conscience vanished away like smoke That made the Bishop of Rome sory for it straight at the furst begynnyng And right myghty Emperours Kinges Princes and people were greued at that Yea they laide their heades together at sondry counsailes wherby they wolde fayne haue troden downe the corne of the gospell which was than but grene newly sprongen vp But al wolde not serue No. we haue sene theÌ„ fall out among them selues and horribly torne and arayed wyth making warres one against an other which intended to make warre against Christ And now euen the same are at hande ready to cheoppe of our neckes now they set vpon vs wyth fyre and sweorde now they make hauocke of euery thing wyth murthering and smothering But what is the cause Is Christ more weake and lesse skilfull in his science than he hathe ben before tyme Is it bicause he is not hable to restrayne that he hathe restrayned and kepte of all this while vnto these dayes No That is not the mater But we haue deserued this miserie through our owne synnes We haue prouoked him vnto wrathe through our vnthankefulnesse Our aduersaries are weaponed wyth our owne wickednesses and therwith they make batail against vs. And bicause we haue synned in that we haue shamefully abused the quiete rest that God hathe geuen vs now a great while he loketh vpoÌ„ vs his necligeÌ„t naughty children wyth this his present sharp rodde Howbeit this we maye comforte our selues in that seing he is our father he desireth not the destruccioÌ„ nor the death nother the vndoing of vs his childreÌ„ but wold haue vs to ameÌ„de to be saued and to lyue And the very cause of the warres and persecutioÌ„ which the Bishop of Rome him selfe preteÌ„deth in euery place by his bulles is an vndeniable proofe of this mater For he crieth out to haue vs burned bicause he saithe we are heretikes But what heresie is it Mary Sir this bicause we will none of the Romishe supersticion we trust not to what is heresy wyth the Papistes our owne merites we layne to none but only Christ Him we acknowlage to be our head our king our Bishop our only sufficieÌ„t sacrifice bicause we accordingly as the Apostle Paule did knowe nothing sauing Christ Iesus and that he was crucified And although by reasoÌ„ of our wickednesses which forasmuche as we are infected wtall we frame not our selues according to the ê“fession of our faith our heauenly father suffreth vs to be plagued yet that is not the mater that they which are a great deale wickeder thaÌ„ we are angrye with vs for but for this only cause they are horne woode against vs that we holde vs to Christ alone are gone quite froÌ„ their filthy faithles God seruice For where som fynde fault at vs for a disobedience I wotte not what it is a most
Lumbardes restoring it to her auncient peace and libertie Than Pipine not forgetting the good turne that he hade receaued of Bishop Zacharie before allowed Pope Stephanes peticion and promisyng him aide against his enemie gathered out of hande a myghtie valeaunt power of French-men He wente wyth Pope Stephan beyonde the Alpes and at the straite of the mountaynes geuing the onlette vpon the Lumbardes he wanne the victorie and ranne through the fielde and vehemently besieged their king Aistulphus lyeng in Papia for his sauegarde and at leynght he compelled Aistulphus perforce by marcial power to graunt these condiciones that he should graunt peace and obedience to the churche of Rome and also to sende ouer to Pipine fourtie men to be pledges in confirmacioÌ„ of the mater By reason wherof Pipine him selfe retiered in to Fraunce and sent Pope Stephan wyth Folradus the kinges chaplayne and a doughtie coÌ„panie of FrenchemeÌ„ to Rome These thinges were done in the year of our saueours birthe DCCLV Notwythstanding bicause Aistulphus king of the Lumbardes perfourmed nothing that he hade promised to Bishop Stephane and hade coÌ„firmed by an othe being constrayned therto by Pipines force of armes Pipine immediatly the next yeare folowing weÌ„t agayn in to Italie wyth a mightie rowte of Frenchemen to deliuer the Pope from the LuÌ„bardes armye And assone as he passed the alpes cam downe in to Italie Gregorie themperour CoÌ„stantine the fourthes chief secretorie with other of them perours embassadours mette him and admonished him in themperours name that he shoulde not meddle wyth the Exarcheship of Rauenna whom the Lumbardes hade possessioÌ„ of themperour being letted of the Saracenes either to chalenge it for him self or geue it to the pope or to the Romaynes but forasmuche as they were of the empire and not the popes he shoulde cause them to be restored to Constantine agayne Hereunto Pipine saide naye and affirmed that he wolde not serue either Constantine or any man elles sauing the churche of Rome protesting that he hade put on harnesse for that intent to deliuer the sea apostolike from the iniurie of all men on the earthe and therupon that he wolde doo the best for the commodities of it that shoulde lye in his vttermost possible power to doo And so assone as he hade wonne the victorie and ouerthrowne the power of the Lumbardes he gaue to the sea of Rome the Exarcheship of Rauenna and what so euer places elles hade before that tyme ben in subiection to the Emperour and Empire WhervpoÌ„ it came to passe that the Grelie Emperour beyng before dryuen out of Italie by the Lumbardes force of armes yet not cleane spoiled of his ryght and title of iuste possession hathe nowe lost them altogether and beyng dryuen out of al hole Italie hathe loste al the Empire that before he had in it Nother was he hable to resiste the Popes wicked endeauours ne reuenge the wronges done vnto him bicause he was letted by the Saracenes warres which disquieted the east Empire with coÌ„tinual inuasions of batailles And surely it is to see the Popes subtile wylynesse to be suche that they haue ê“uided for their owne maters at that tyme specially as they haue sene the inperours and other kinges that were against theÌ„ occupied with other warres so as they should be the lesse hable to wythstande their endeauours But Pipine for doyng these his so large good turnes for the bishoppes of Rome hade worthily for his labour the excellent highe title of Most Christian Kyng Most christian king bothe to him his successours which the Frenchekinges are prowde of eueÌ„ at this daye for this one cause you must vnderstande that they toke the places which belonged to the Emperour in Italie out of the Lumbardes handes restored not them to the emperours agayne as ryght was but gaue them to the churche of Rome Notwithstanding al this gaire the Popes ambicion couetousnesse was not satisfied as long as they sawe the Lumbardes whose powers were at that tyme exceading great in Italie not al together ouerthroweÌ„ extinct King Desiderius Pope Adriane And therfore whaÌ„ their last king Desiderius began to attempte some thing against Pope Adriane the furst of that name by by he also besought Charles that sonne of Pipine who afterward for his nobly done dedes receaued the name of Charles the great for the defense of the sea Apostolike And he easyly Charlemayne obteyned his desyre For Charles renneth through by by into Italie with an hoost of men whan he mette Desiderius wyth his armie of Lumbardes he cruelly bette them downe in the fielde he hade all their townes yelded vp vnto him and sent the king prisoner wyth his wife and children awaye in to Fraunce as banished folkes And in dede thus was the reigne of the Lumbardes which they hade possessed in Italie more than CC. yeares all together despeched And therfore the thrid horne was through Antichristes subtilties and violence smytten of also in the yeare of our Lorde DCClxxvi Than Charles the Frenche king which was Pipines sonne after this gaire was done came in to a perpetuall league wyth the Bishoppes of Rome and what his father Pipine hade geuen before to Stephane the seconde of the landes that he hade violently taken from the Emperour he coÌ„firmed the same also wyth more ample priuileges and with a solenne othe to make sure worke Hitherto now it hathe with cleare euideÌ„t exposicion ben declared welbeloued brethren in Christ that the olde notable saienges of the holy goost which are in Daniel be most truly fulfilled by the Bishoppes of Rome that the B. of Rome is that littell horne which figureth vnto vs the emperial autoritie of Antichrist which in dede at the furst begynnyng of his reigne was but vile naught set by but anon he ouerlaide three very mightie kingdomes with his wyly fatches and deceates and wyth their powers which he claymed to him selfe he was aduaunced to so great a height of reignyng Now it remayneth dearely beloued brethren that we consideratyuely weighe out of the Emperours histories wyth what craftes he made sure and augmented his streinght and power and how he became superiour and aboue euen the emperours them selues The bishoppes of Rome being not The translating of the empire to the Frenche men wythout cause afraide of the greke emperours powers for the many and sondry wroÌ„ges and most mysheuous losses that they hade occasioned vnto theÌ„ least padueÌ„ture the Saracenes other eastren enemies being wel tamed the emperours hauing leasure wolde set vpoÌ„ Italie goo about to clayme to them selues again the Exarcheship of Rauenna other places beloÌ„ging to the empire which Pipine and Charles hade violently takeÌ„ from theÌ„ and bestowed vpoÌ„ the churche of Rome by by they beganne as they are myschieuous wylie felowes to bende their for casting studies to this ende that they might plucke all the greke Emperours power force awaye from
them that was yet lefte in the west parte of the empire and to translate it from them som whider elles and that they might get suche Emperours whose powers they shulde haue the lesse nede to be adradde of and by whose autoritie and empire they shoulde be defended from the driftes and conspiracies of their foes For which cause Leo the thrid sake pope Leo the thrid being endued wyth very large benefites of Charles the great and seing euidently his valeaunt courage of stomacke his notable boldenesse his ioyous successe of victories his redy good wil wythal towardes the churche of Rome the Bishoppes of the same toke vpoÌ„ him so bolde an entreprise to doo so great a feate as none of his pÌ„decessours euer did greater nor aueÌ„tured with more perile that was to traÌ„slate the empire Than to thintent he might get the most men to fauour his purpose and the more easily bring the mater to passe that he wolde he complayned long many tymes to the people and cleargie of Rome of the decayed streynght of the empire and of the vnprofitablenesse of the greke emperours For they ê™ he dwelling being so very farre of can be hable in no wise to assiste sely Italie being many wayes distressed especially seing they were daily vexed with newe and that most haynous batailes And therfore sauegarde peace and freedome can not be better restored to Italie again than if a newe chosen emperour in the west take vpon him all the dignitie of the empire and the charge of the same These wordes in dede moued many meÌ„nes heartes which being ledde wyth the likelyhode of the wordes perceaued not manifestly what the popes drift was Than perceauing the greatest parte of the people to incline to his purpose in the yeare of our Lorde Iesu Christ DCCCiij he brought the mater to ful effecte For in Petres churche after the solemne seruice by the sentence and at the besechinges of the people of Rome the pope ordayned Charles with a great lowde voice emperour gaue him the crowne Imperial and ther vnto the people of the Romaynes shouted three tymes aloude To Charles the mightie crowned of God the great and peacemaking Emperour be life and victorie And albeyt the greke emperours toke these maters right greuously yet they were not hable to leste these thinges froÌ„ doing bothe in that they were turmoiled with innumerable warres and also bicause the empresse Hirene being polluted with the cruel murthering of her sonne stered vp newe hurly burlies and exceding great stormes of busynesse for she can in nowise seme to haue ben vnknowing of this dede seing Charles now made emperour went about to mary her she her selfe not being discoÌ„tented So the bishoppes of Rome vsing these knackes promoted the Frenche kinges their most earnest defendours and most trusty aiders with wonderful sleyght subtiltie to the highe dignitie of the empire by whose helpe and mayntenaunce they became afterwarde of higher power than all their enemies Than after Lewis that was called Pius gaue Rome to the Pope emperour Charles the great Lewis his sonne succeded who also for his great liberalitie was very dearely beloued of the bishoppes of Rome for that cause they named him Pius godly or deuout For he did not only coÌ„firme the gifte of his progenitours that is to saye of Pipine his grandfather and of his father Charles but he also wonderfully augmented it and gaue them ouer those thinges they hade before the citie of Rome with his iurisdicioÌ„ and al the landes rouÌ„de about with the cities hauens and sea coastes of Hetruria Wher vpon bishop Antichrist is encreaced agayn with newe streynghtes is become Lorde of the olde auncient seat of the Empire that is to wete Rome Ther is no cause welbeloued christian brethren why we shoulde maruaile that the bishop of Romes dignitie and power growed vp on such an heyght that he hade all the bishops not only of Italie but also of Fraunce Germanye and Spayne vnder their daungier and in subiection to their sea seing they coulde fynde out such men to be their defendours and patrones which hade the administracion of all those naciones and the power of the empire it self in their owne handes Nowe though all these maters which we haue hitherto made rehearsall of are muche vnworthye and also full of wickednesse and falsehead yet the bishoppes of Rome not conteÌ„t herewith thought they might be bolde to doo more vnworthye more wicked entreprises thaÌ„ al those And to thintent they might vse their dignitie and power with the more ease quietnesse they were nothing ashamed at all to mocke the Frenchemen also with the same falshead that they practiced before against the greke emperours For they thought to chearishe and make muche of Princes and peoples freÌ„dship so farre as it might serue to mayntene their pleasur idlenesse Kyng Beringarius And for that cause wher as Berengarius whych at that tyme bare the rule in the LuÌ„bardes landes greued al Italie very muche with his power disquieted it many wayes the Frenchemen cam not whan they were called but gaue ouer their aide froÌ„ the defeÌ„ce of Italie of the church of Rome ne yet folowed the example of their auÌ„cettours forewardenesse in that behalfe Bishop Agapetus and after him Iohn the. 13 of that name wrote lettres to Ottho which thaÌ„ being king of Germanye Prince of SaxoÌ„ was after warde made emperour and garnished wyth this syrname Augustus humbly beseching him for the loue of God the apostles Petre Paule to de liuer the holy churche of Rome out of the daungier of Berengarius and his coÌ„plices In this mater Ottho being a very mightie Prince and moued Ottho also by other meÌ„nes instaunt desires and lettres tendred the bishoppes peticiones And therupon he gathered a great armye of Germaynes cam in to Italie He ouercame Berengarius and whan he hade takeÌ„ him prisoner he banished him away wyth his wife and Albert his sonne in to Babenberge and so deliuered all Italie from the feare and tyrannye of him And than like a conquerour he entred the citie of Rome and was most honourably receaued of pope IohnÌ„ and crowned in the title of the Empire of Germany Pannonye To be brief this IohnÌ„ through whose crafte and deuise the empire was translated was he that as the Italian writours recorde being euen froÌ„ his springing youthe tyme spotted with al the villanye in the worlde and all filthynesse and geuen more to hunting if he hade any spare tyme from hooring than to praier shamed the churche of Rome wonderfully with his lyuing polluted that sea in many behalfes and at leynght being takeÌ„ in the abominable synne of hooredome was slayne and suffred worthie paynes of his wickednesse and hooreoome But how muche either of honour or profite in the wanyaunt came hereof vnto king Ottho being otherwise a very good and a right noble man it
coÌ„trary purposes setteth his delyte to haue a do with them that be of the most wealthy the most myghty astates He playeth he baÌ„ketteth he kepeth all maner of voluptuous cheare with the most delicate companies of the most fyne meÌ„ Besydes this least his statelynesse rufflyng riote yea aboue the ryote of Siracuse should bring him into pouertie at any tyme his custome is either by false countrefaicte supersticion or elles by open force armes to get the rychesse of al nacions into his owne handes Christ whaÌ„ the people wolde haue geuen him the title crowne to haue Ioh. 19. ben a King fledde away mynding so to auoyd that honour said with plaine purposed wordes that his kingdom was not of this world But the b. of R. chaleÌ„geth to him selfe the title of a King wickedly coueteth the kingdome that is of this worlde and to that purpose he hathe alwaies applied him selfe with all his forcast and wyth al the powers bothe of his witte and of his bodie vntill he became not aboue kinges only but also aboue emperours and made them fayne perforce to fall downe like an houÌ„de kisse his fete Yea he boasteth him selfe to be heire of the empire if an emperour dye as ye shall fynde ClemeÌ„tines the 2. boke the 11. title and 2. chaptre Christ vsed a more diligent studie to excute his fathers will which he was seÌ„t for thaÌ„ to promote encreace such as were his kinsfolkes as coÌ„cerning the fleshe with worldly wealthe and honours But the B. of Rome studie forcaste for the most parte how they maye endue suche as be either their kinsfolkes or their alliauÌ„ce or elles their bastardes with greatest pleintie of richesse to aduauÌ„ce them to the most high honours And that they maye that more easily bring that to passe they vse many tymes to put awaye the treasures of the churche which they call with to muche shamelesnesse S. Petres patrimonie to bestowe them vpon their owne frendes Which thing like as many other haue in tymes past done eueÌ„ so is our Paule the thrid not afrayd also to do the like opeÌ„ly wtout blushing Christ was coÌ„tet to submitte hiÌ„ self to the autoritie lawes of the laufull magistrate payed with a good will the reuenues of the taxes tributes being asked of others he taught that those were due to theÌ„ Matth. 17. 22. But the B. of Rome thinking to ê“uide better for him al his hathe forged a certain immunitie for the churche which maketh al those that are marked with his marke free froÌ„ al lauful publike burtheÌ„s setteth theÌ„ in suche case that sence they owe naught to no maÌ„ they geue theÌ„selues to do what they lust serue their bely vicious carnalitie wherin the meane while al meÌ„ aswel magistrates as subiectes are occupied busy how they maye with their sweat substauÌ„ce vpholde mayntene those most holy fathers intentes Christ led a life al together geueÌ„ to the notable Matth. 11. studie of al peace softenesse coÌ„meÌ„ded the same vertues to vs also But the B. of Rome is fearre swelling rageing in malice desire of reueÌ„gemet He passeth not also to moue horrible batailes to set al folkes together by the eares amoÌ„g theÌ„ selues for light tryfling causes which thing they haue so shamelesly practiced these v. hundred yeares euen vnto our tymes that it nedeth no further declaracion Christ led an innoceÌ„t a blameles Io. 8. Matth 26 an vnreprouerable life so as his enemies could nother fynd nor ymagine any thing worthie of deathe in him for al the lies that the false witnesse made But the B. of Rome being most farre of froÌ„ this studie of innoceÌ„cie is the maÌ„ of synne drowned in synne geueÌ„ in al thiÌ„ges to al kynd of vicious liuing as I haue alredy declared Christ toke to be his disciples suche as were poore Matth. 4. 1. Cor. 1. vile of no reputacioÌ„ meÌ„ of simple witte But the childe of this world the B. of Rome mynding to seme wyser in his generacioÌ„ choseth men out of the most noble houses of Italie FrauÌ„ce Spayne other naciones to be Bishoppes Cardinalles to thinteÌ„t being afterwarde supported by their autoritie fauour he might not nede to passe vpoÌ„ his enemies threattes and mightie powers Christ seÌ„t out his disciples to preache the Gospell But the Matth. 10 28. B. of Rome suffreth none of his to go any whidre froÌ„ him but loueth to be waited vpoÌ„ with their preseÌ„ce rufling or if he send out any he biddeth them not preache the gospell nor teache faith to wynne some to Christ but with their false wyles fraudes lyes deceates to begyle princes the people to stere vp hurly burlies ciuile mocions of warres Christ was diligeÌ„t to care for his shepe vsed the office of a most Io. 10. faithfull shepeherde in that he fedde theÌ„ taught theÌ„ continually But the B. of Rome being geueÌ„ to the wealthe of richesse delicacies pilleth of the shepes wolle yea the skynnes the fleshe to as for fediÌ„g of theÌ„ he maketh litel mater Christ neuer enforced any man vnwillingly to cleaue either to him or to Luce. 9. Matth. 26 his doctrine nor coÌ„pelled euer any maÌ„ by violeÌ„ce to grauÌ„t on his syde but with freÌ„dely faithful teaching he studied to moue the heartes of meÌ„ But the B. of Rome as a right warlike emperour yea like a yong Salmoneus rather and as a newe countrefaicte Iupiter shaketh the thondre of excomunicacion the thonderbolt of cursing externe gonneshote also and weapones at all men as many as goo about to slyppe from his doctrine and supersticion as the horrible vproare of this present warring dothe most euidently proue it Christ sent out such Apostles to preache the gospel as were most readyly Act. 2. instructe in the ample large giftes of the holy goost in the vnderstanding of tongues in the knowlage of the scriptures But the B. of Rome not caring for the prouision of Christes shepe but mynding to gratifie his owne secte folowers committeth the cure of the congregacions almost to none but to his Curtisanes bawdes cokes huÌ„tors and mule dryuers which though they be cleane voide of all maner of learning bothe diuine prophane yet they are connyngly skilled in abominable sciences lecherous lustes corrupt filthye maners Christ hauing coÌ„flicte with sathan his enemie wonne not the victorie with the Matth. 4. weapones of this worlde but with the sweord of the spirite the worde of God But the Bishop of Rome mystrusting Christ setteth vpoÌ„ his enemies wyth worldly weapones conspiracies treasones robberies poysonynges also wyth sweorde and fire Christ our Lorde oftentymes seing Matth. 6. Luc. 19. the dispersed shepe of the house of Israel and pitieng them euen from the botome of his heart wepte ouer their
In Boheme God by Ioh. Hus. his decreed prouideÌ„ce stered vp Iohn Hus a singular famous maÌ„ bothe of learning and of godly life which whan he hade diligently searched the mysteries of the holy scripture sone espied also the B. of Romes tyrannie and abominable ambicioÌ„ in the church and disclosed it vnto many meÌ„ of his tyme. But assone as he like a godly a blessed man begonne to attempte this mater these purpled fathers and ambicious ruffliÌ„g lusty guttes being afraide least their power dignitie wolde decaye neuer ceassed layeng baites to catche him till they hade throughe false flatring promises brought him wtin their clowches at the counsail of Constaunce ther contrarie to their open fidelitie yea contrary to the emperours faithfull promise also they burned him and for non other cause but for the truthes sake And yet not being content with that haynous crueltie vniust doing and falsehead they also moued muche cruell warres against the Bohemies stered vp the force and power of the hole empire sondry tymes against them But what nede we to rehearse olde exaÌ„ples Let vs marke their doinges in our dayes and we shal sone knowe the batailes that Antichrist maketh against the Lordes sayntes For euery man knoweth that his tyraÌ„nie hathe ben so cruell now for these 20. yeares and more that no man lyuing might so hardye fynde fault at their abominable popishe supersticion no maÌ„ might also affirme that Christ our Lorde is the only king the only priest and the only saueour of the worlde but he should be had by the backe for it For assone as any man confessed Christ to be the only head of the churche and the only saueour of the worlde he was hade straightwaies to prison and laden wyth as many fetters as he could beare and either he died ther miserably wyth the stynke of the prison or elles he was hanged or slayne or elles burned and suffred as muche torment as could be deuised so that the lightest punyshement was to be banished And if any prince abhorriÌ„g suche horrible crueltie wold not be their slaughterman vpon his owne subiectes by and by he began also to be suspecte of heresye and was layde watche for by these gaye goostly fathers In this behalf I reporte me to those faithfull christianes that lye yet still in prison I reporte me to the swordes to the halters and ryuers wherwyth they were murthered most cruelly I reporte me to the galowes stakes in euery place wher their dead bodies heng I reporte me to the feldes and grouÌ„des wher an infinite nombre of them were slayne for they are moo than any true christian man can thinke vpoÌ„ wtout weping teares And yet for all this the cruell beast not contenting him self to be filled with so bocherly a slaughter of sayntes whan he perceaueth that the doctrine and faithe of Christ is stroÌ„ger than all his tormeÌ„tes punyshementes thought good to stere vp the most cruell people in all the worlde the most deadly foes of the name of Germanie to destroye with fire sweorde theÌ„ that take Christ for their only saueour wil not be conteÌ„t to worship the B. of Rome nor his God Mayzim In this place we ought also to Antichrist shall preuaile against the Sayntes marke this well most louyng brethreÌ„ in Christ that the prophet Daniel saithe that Antichrist shall not only make batail against the Lordes sayntes but also that he shal haue the vpperhande of them For he speaketh not thus to thintent we shoulde be afraide cast downe our heartes al together but he vttreth meaneth by these his wordes after the sorte that Christ our Lorde speaketh of in Iohn The time shal com that who so euer killeth you shal thinke he dothe God seruice Io. 16 Io. 16. For what so euer is spokeÌ„ coÌ„cernyng Antichristes successe and victories it must be vnderstandeÌ„ but of the bodies and externall goodes of the sayntes or faithfull people For God our heauenly father dothe somtymes permyt either Antichrist or other aduersaries of his name and of his people to haue som power and to spoile his flocke of life and goodes bicause wher they which ought to haue serued him were geueÌ„ to muche vnto the worlde and neclected those thinges that are diuine heaueÌ„ly And this we reade hathe ben the principal cause almost of all persecucioÌ„s Howbeit the Lorde dothe not neclecte to saue those that his be for all that but defendeth theÌ„ vnder his owne fatherly protection most safely And whan his people be tried with the crosse and blustring stormes of persecucious as Gold and siluer are tried in the fire they are â— Pe. 1. scowred cleane from all drosse of maÌ„nes infirmitie and of fleshly desires so that their soules departe not only without any harme but also more holy and muche the perfiter Wherfore it is conuenient for vs not to be afraide in any wise of this present ê‘secucion which we see raised by Antichristes drift and false fetches But as it becometh hearty souldiours let vs rather reioyce that ther is occasione offred vs to shewe a specialtie and a perfite lesson of our faithe and with lusty courages to beate Antichrist backe by the aide of so noble a captain Christ our most victorious king but not with outward marcial weapones which Antichrist is smally afraide of but with true repentauÌ„ce with the amendement of life with constaunt faithe with pacience and with continual feruent prayers for as these be most acceptable vnto god euen so their custom is to burst asondre all the violent force that satan beÌ„deth against vs and also to ouerthrowe the couÌ„sailes of Christes enemies For these are the weapones that the Lord hath deliuered vnto his churche and he hathe promised to be present him self to assiste it Therfore brethren Christ seeth the daungers that his churche is in he beholdeth the painfull labours of his people he seeth the cruell and horrible deuises and doinges of Antichristian meÌ„ he seeth his enemies and the wolues that vexe his churche yea he not only seeth them but he also brydleth theÌ„ ruleth theÌ„ nother dothe he suffre theÌ„ to rauine any farther thaÌ„ he seeth it profittable for vs al his faithfull flocke Necligent forgetfull childreÌ„ must nedes taste of the rodde and the rebellious stubburne fleshe must nedes be walked with a good cudgell in a staues ende The Lordes rodde staffe is the crosse of persecucioÌ„ which he sendeth by the cruell enemies of his name As for them they folowe theyr owne lust and are geuen al together to the seruing of the filthie fleshe and euen theÌ„ the Lorde vseth as a meane to chastise our fleshe wtall And in case God fynde that in vs by their meanes that he is desirous to doo he is hable in a moment bothe to deliuer vs to tame their tirannie surely ynough This mater is witnessed by the vngracious ende of Pharao the shamefull deathe of