the doctrine and example of Christ and depende holly of it And whan we see that he hathe ê“uided so for his church that he wolde not burthen it with an vnprofitable pompe of ceremonies but contenting him self with a fewe hath appointed only those that myght be sufficient vnto saluacioÌ„ as these almost are the preaching of the worde baptisme the token of regeneracion and the Lordes supper that acceptable remembraunce of the Lordes deathe and of our redempcion And so we contenting our selues also with those same wil thinke that nothing is to be added besydes these nother will we searche any deper yf we wil beleue in him acknowlage him to be our saueour kyng priest and the faythful scholemaister of maÌ„kinde As many therfore as diligently folowe this simple playne doctrine of Christ and the oracles of Goddes worde suffre not them selues to be drawen awaye with other meÌ„nes vaine ymaginacions vnto them this faythfull admonicion of Christ is both holsome and profitable But as many as will not haue their faythe and religion hedged within these bondes but leape ouer the hedge lyke a wylde beast and iudge otherwyse of Christ than is taught in the scriptures and seke saluacion and life elles wher thaÌ„ in Christ our only saueour and also lade the churche with newe ceremonies and with a newe forme of religion they forgette this faithfull admonicion and doo contrary to Christes commaundement goo out and suffre them selues to be seduced not without the present dauÌ„ger bothe of their owne soules and other folkes And therfore I thinke al men may plainly see what the causes are that let vs holde vs backe at this daye that we can not for sake either the knowne truthe and Christ our Lorde or becom papistes and submitte our selues to the B. of Romes doctrine and religion For the commaundement of Christ holdeth vs backe which it wer not only abominable for vs to transgresse but also it is tyed vnto vs with that extreme perile of our soules And I thinke ther is no man so blynde but he seeth that the B of Romes doctrine is such a one that he pulleth awaye suche as folowe his trace with it maketh them to goo out from Christ our only saueour For he speaketh not of Christ as the scriptures purporte For his woÌ„ted maner is to shewe those thiÌ„ges which ar frely geueÌ„ vnto maÌ„kind by Christ alone elles wher yea in other places iÌ„numerable besides christ The B. of Rome reasoneth of religion aswell inwarde as outwarde farre otherwise than Christ did in tymes past He sendeth men to sayntes and pulleth them awaye from the maker of all He hathe brought a coÌ„fused muckeheape and burthen of ceremonies in to the churche a great deale heauier than the leuitical priesthood was wherwith the vnlearned coÌ„mon peoples coÌ„sciences are miserably tormented Moreouer he teacheth meÌ„ to buy those thinges out with golde and siluer that are frely geueÌ„ vs by Christ and that ought to be hade by only faith What nede many wordes he sheweth Christ and the saluacion that Christ hathe wrought in such places as nother Christ nor saluacion is Wyth what heart than and with what conscience shal we be hable to folowe the B. of R. trade seing we heare Christ with plaine wordes an open lowde voice bidde Goo not out Shal we be so hardy than as to passe the bondes of the faithe and religion that Christ hathe prefixed vnto vs God defende vs from that wicked temeritie brethren Though the prince of the worlde rage though his vicare and minister the B. of Rome stampe and stare though princes that are stered vp by their driftes playe the deuil though Cardinalles patriarkes bishoppes prelates abbottes prouostes deanes suffraganes monkes chanones friers and all the hole rable of sacrificeing massemongers and religious persones of bothe sexes renne out of their wittes for angre and though men crye euery where CouÌ„sailes Counsailes yea though the couÌ„sailes blowe and blustre lighten and thondre neuer so thicke yet that one only sayeng ought to be of more autoritie with vs than that we should be afraide of al the mennes streinghtes power and policie in all the wide worlde and for drede of them to goo out from Christ contrary to Christes commaundement For Christ is that king of glorie the most victorious triumphaunt Emperour that holy sacred Maiestie that is mightie in dede in whose sight all knees ought to bowe For he shall beate his prowde scornefull stubburne enemies in pieces with his yron rodde make theÌ„ a fotestole for hym to treade vpoÌ„ vnder his fete Let vs now steppe ouer vnto the other The wil of God is our Sanctificacion chief point of Goddes will which Paule in his 1. Thessa 4. expoundeth on this wyse This is the will of God euen your sanctificacion or holynesse that you should absteine froÌ„ hooredome that euery one of you should knowe howe to possesse his vessell wyth holynesse and honour not wyth the luste of concupiscence as the heatheÌ„ do whiche knowe not God Here O you Romishe rufflers and moste shameles papistes lende me your eares a litel You I saye that go about to bring the faythe in Christ and the holy sacred doctrine of the gospelles truthe into slaunder hatred vnder pretense as though it neuer required good workes but reiected and forbade them as vnprofitable and superfluous For where we ascribe all the glorie of our redempcion and saluacion to Christ alone and attribute nothing vnto your workes and merites by and by ye burst out in a great rage and crye that we damne al good workes and open a wyndowe for meÌ„ to committe al wickednesse But how falsely how wickedly how vnaduisedly how shamelessi ye doo this learne it not of vs whom ye hate already before hande but of Paule the Apostle that chosen instrument of Christ our saueour For albeit he dothe euery where harpe and beate vpon this one thing that men shoulde knowe they are saued by Iesus Christ and confesseth also with playne wordes that he knoweth nothing elles saue Iesus Christ that he was crucified yet he saieth not that good worckes are eyther vnprofitable or suê‘fluous nor biddeth men folowe the lust the synful affections of their owne fleshe nother doth he appoynt suche a faythe as maye make men to synne carelesly as these wicked blasphemous antichristian Papistes coÌ„clude But this sayeth he is the wyl of God euen your holynesse For seyng Christ Iesus hathe washed vs wyth his owne blood and saÌ„ctified vs and made vs the temples of his spirite the apostle wold haue vs to be after such sorte that we contynue stil in this sanctificacion or holynesse and not defile our selues wyth the filthinesse of synnes And for that cause he maketh mencion of hooredome most chiefly in this place bicause the hooremonger vnhaloweth that holy sacred temple most specially in synnyng against his owne body yet vnder the name of hooredome he will
are infinite past al nombre that are dayly blustred vp of hym whiche like as he walketh about as a roaring Lyon to destroy vs so is he most craftie in layeng of snares 1. Pet. 5. and false deceaueable baytes yet we ought before al thinges to considre two maters false doctrine the griefe of the crosse and persecution which are speciall snares to ouerthrowe our weaknesse withall For the deuil knoweth the disposicion of our nature that in diuine and heauēly affaires it is wonderfull dull and drowsye and maye very easely be deceaued but in other causes in religiō specially it estemeth euery thyng accordyng to the successe and spede so it is offended at persecution and aduersite By reason wherof we se that he vseth alwaies this knacke against the flocke of Christ that either he deceaueth the simple sorte with falsly cōceaued opinions or disquieteth them with cōtentions and wrangling disputatiōs or els he feareth them with the crosse of persecution and bloody warres of cruelly procured tyrannes Yf any man wolde require examples herof he shal mete them so thick that he shall not nede to take muche paine in searching of them For the deuelishe dreames of the Nazarenes maye stande for an example whiche iomble the lawe and Christ together and make his merite of none effecte And whan those dreames were euen scarcely repressed ther was persecucion done by that monstre of nature Nero. Hervnto we maye make rehersal of Cerinthus and his successour that prodigious slaue of lechery pryde crueltie Domitianus Among these we wil reckē Arrius and the tyrānes that folowed his heretical madnesse And lyke as the nerer we drawe to th ende of the world so muche that more pernicious and more perilous is euery thing so in our tyme we see that myghtye houge Antichrist the bishop of Rome farre excede al his predecessours in tyranny and so outragiously raue wyth bothe these sweordes that a man can not wel discerne with whether he dothe hurte the churche The vertue of the Popes doctrine the sorer For he hath brought in doctrine that is cleane contrarie repugnaunt to the true doctrine For it draweth men from God maketh them to serue creatures it teacheth mē also to seke saluacion in their owne merites and to trust in their owne strenghtes He hath also forged suche a kynde of religiō as hath more twitle twatle toyes in it then the Leuitical lawe and al the supersticion that euer the gentiles vsed Yea it is patched together with parte of both of them and is most farre of frō spirite truthe Ioh. 4. And yet vnder pretense of this religion he is aduaunced to so highe power and tyranny that he is hable to compel them that repyne against it to represse them that speake against it to kil and slea them that resiste can not beleue it Therfore the lyeng spirite of errour playeth the deuil in the churche at this daye and the Bishop of Romes tyrānical swoord layeth on load withal and that not vpō priuate persons now as in tymes past long ago but vpon most myghtye Princes the most famous cyties yea vpon al sortes of people his sweorde is drawen maketh streames of blood to renne downe euery where For now we see great cities takē and throwē downe fieldes laide waste honest wemē and maydēs defiled with abominable lecherie and yong babes also either killed or elles which is the more horrible maymed of their limmes We se the flowre of youthe brought to the horrible wyckednesse of buggery and al hole Germany in the meane space euery where cruelly vexed And albeit that chosen instrumēt of Satan Antichrist rage with open tyranny yet by ioynyng lyes to his tyranny his drift is to cloke his deuillishe attemptates and the occasions therof to enueagle the vnlearned and simpler sorte with false forged causes craftily to cause many folkes to hate the truthe of the Gospel true religion Let vs awake therfore brethren seing we are placed in the watche towre let vs reproue the sweorde not that is yet commyng but presently come and layeth on loade yea and batheth it self all ready in the bowelles of the flocke For in this case ther is many a mannes faithe assayed Ther be som whych bicause they perceaue not the feate of forgeing of lies are sone begyled Ther be some which bicause they can not discerne the true doctrine ymagined supersticiō asondre take falshead for truthe And som ther be that are yet still afraide of the thōder bolt of the Romyshe curse that is to saye Antichristes curse And som ther be also which are so offended whan the crosse and heate of persecucion cometh that after that triall euery mā maye plainly perceaue they receaued the sede of the Gospell in to stonye grounde In this case therfore is our diligēt cure required good brethren In this behalfe it standeth vs necessarily in hande to shewe our selues faithful watchemen so as the people being warned by vs maye be hable to knowe false fained doctrine to beware of forged supersticion to shonne the baites snares of lies and in no wise to be offēded whā persecuciō cometh And principally it shal be our parte to geue the onsette vpon the autour of so haynous a mischief the bishop of Rome whom not only the prophetes but also Christ and thapostles according to the histories directly proclayme to be the right mightie houge Antichrist He it is therfore whom our duetie is to reproue to set him out plainly in his colours for the congregatiōs to loke vpon him that no man be amased by reason of his falsly causeles vsurped persone or title or be afrayde of his vayne gōneshotte of wordes bicause of his pratīg power And against forged supersticion lyeng doctrines ther is doutles no presenter a remedye than to knowe the truthe For where the lyght of the truthe spreadeth out his beames ther maye the deuil put vp his pypes for any hurt he can do with his darke dongeon of lyes As for the talkes of some fyne fyngred tēdrelinges they are not worth the hearing which bycause they are afrayde of their owne carcasse and pelfe wolde in no wise haue an enemye of so great myght power spokē against to be prouoked through such maner of open mouthed playne declaraciōs Is ther not vnquiet trouble ynough otherwise saye they Is ther not dissension tumultuous vproares ynough besides what auaileth it to throwe fire in to the fornace and oile in to the fire I beseche you good brethren felowe curates beare wyth me though I answer these men playnly home at fewe wordes For I coulde easily cōtemne their prittle prattle talking if ther were not som of their company that loke to be reported not only for fanonrers of the gospelles truthe but euen doctours also and that not of the cōmon sorte of doctours Who forasmuche as they wōderfully myslike this worke which I purpose to
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
and shal make him handsom to deuillishe seruices But as sone as he shall com through to Ierusalem his seate shal be set in the teÌ„ple of God and as many of the nombre of christianes and faithful people as he coulde not begyle with his lies and wylie deceates he shal torment with horrible kyndes of punishemeÌ„t suche as hathe not ben hearde of and than put them to deathe For they write that Salomons temple must be builded vp again by him so as he shall sytte in it and set furthe him selfe in the title of the true Messias and sonne of God And he shall also sende furthe his apostles in to al the world by wose ministerie and trauaile he shall drawe away vnto his syde furst the princes myndes and than the coÌ„mon people of whom som beyng corrupt with rewardes and desyre of rychesse som beyng frayde with threatnynges and feare of daungers and the reste beyng begyled wyth newe facions of miracles and with innumerable deceates shall applye vnto him But as many as will not beleue in his forged lyes he shall slea and destroy them with cruel paines among whom bothe Helias and Enoch the foreruÌ„ners of the last iudgemeÌ„t shal necessarily be put to death And at leinght whaÌ„ these tyraÌ„nous persecucions shal haue endured the space of two yeares an halfe the last day of the Lorde shall come vpon him and make an ende of miseries These I saye welbeloued brethreÌ„ in Christ are Satanes forged fables of Antichrist which that wicked craftes maister of lyes hath decked garnished euen with testimonies of scriptures to thinteÌ„t vndoubtedly that whaÌ„ we haue coÌ„ceaued a false ymaginacioÌ„ loke an other way he myght be hable in the meane tyme to stere vp the tyraÌ„ny of the right Antichrist with myghtie power to coÌ„firme it to mennes destruction vndoyng For thys same cause therfore his drift was to declare him to be among the infortunate people of Iewes and to sende abroade the ymaginacions of our wittes out to Babilon and than to make muche pryttle pratle of SalomoÌ„s teÌ„ple which after the vndeniable sentence of Christ our Lorde shall neuer be possible to be buylded vp agayne to the intent in the meane while he shoulde not once come in our remembrauÌ„ce that hath exalted his heade at Rome in the coÌ„gregacioÌ„ of the faythfull beyng with suche abominable saucy entreprise exalted euen against the Lorde hymselfe hathe infected the simple rude mennes myndes wyth most greuous errours We had nede therfore to be in this case so muche the more carefull and studiously diliget as it is coÌ„uenieÌ„t for vs to marke more narowly this worde Anrichrist and more diligently to boult out the meaning of it so as it maye most fully appeare vnto vs to what maner man that name ought to be imputed Antichristus is a Greke worde and being compounded of Anti which signifieth contrarietie and ouerthwartenesse and Christus wherof we haue spoken before betokeneth him that is contrarie against the Lorde Christ and chalengeth to him selfe by vniuste title and wicked arrogauncie the honour glorie and al offices elles whiche are due to none but to Christ our saueour Wherupon Paule respecting the mater rather than the name calleth him Antikeimenon bicause he sytteth in the temple of God and exalteth him selfe aboue all that is worshipped in the stede of God And by the same compounde figure also the Antichristian men call him Antipapam that is either vnlaufully chosen of others or beyng moued of hys owne folye obiecteth him self against the laufully chosen Pope and wrongfully vexeth or elles occupieth that seate of abominacion To be brief inasmuche as the name of Antichrist soundeth contrarie and against Christ it behoueth vs furst of al to know acknowlage our lorde saueour Christ with al those thinges that ê“prely beloÌ„g vnto him For therby we shal openly see who is the right Antichrist who ought to be rightely called Antichrist Now than as touching Christ Iesus the holy scriptures paynt and set him out vnto vs of such sorte as him that being from euerlasting verye God and of all one essence and substaunce with his heauenly father toke vpon him for our sakes at the tymes appointed the very fleshe and nature of man being like vnto ours in all thinges synne excepte to thinteÌ„t he might be our chief hygh bishop Whose office he hathe so accomplished that in offring him selfe on the altare of the crosse he made oblation vnto God the heauenly father with a perfite and a sufficient sacrifice for the synnes of al the worlde And whaÌ„ he hade fynished the busynesse of our redeÌ„pcioÌ„ on the altare of the crosse he was buried by his owne diuine power he raised vp froÌ„ deathe his body that is to wete the very manhead which he hade taken to thintent he might breake put quyte awaye the power of deathe which it hade ouer vs. Than after warde he caried his body in to the heauens that he might set open vnto vs again the gates of heaueÌ„ which the transgression of our furst parent and the synnes of vs all hade shutte vp before and that he might there appeare before God the father a faithful aduocate and mediatour for vs and might also be in stede of a pledge and a gage wherby our faithe shoulde be confirmed wherby also we beleue that our bodies shall through faithe haue possession in the very same kyngdome of heauens euerlasting blessednesse For which causes sake the holy scripture is accustomed to name the self same Christ our head our highe priest our kyng our saueour our redemour our mediatour and euen the one only waye of life and euerlasting saluacion which the scripture also dothe make good with most abundaunt testimonies as muche as we haue now spoken of For Paule the apostle writing to his Philippianes in the 2. Chap. saithe thus Christ Iesus whan he was in the shape of God that is to saye very God thought it no robberie to be equall with God neuertheles he made him self of no reputacion taking on him the shape of a seruaunt and became like vnto men and was founde in his apparail as a man that is to saye a very man made like vnto vs in all thinges synne except he humbled him self and became obedient vnto deathe euen the deathe of the crosse Again in his furst epistle to Timothee the. 1. Chap. Christ Iesus quam he came in to the worlde to saue synners of whom I am chief c. And in an other place Hebr. 9. he writeth on this wise As it is appointed vnto all men that they shall once dye and than cometh iudgement euen so was Christ once offred to take away the synnes of many vnto them that loke for him shall he appeare againe without synne vnto saluacion And a lytel before these wordes we reade that the same Apostle wrote on this maner For Christ is not entred into the holy places that are made
Emperour Mauricius blood But what maner men they should become our Lordes wil was to shewe by thys tokē that they should be most diligent folowers of theyr founder and through conspiracie treason warres hyndre the godly and holy endeauours of Emperours Which thing we shall a litell after shewe by more euident profe Nowe then the litel horne which in Daniel is a figure of Antichrist was growen out and wyth an exceding proude gay glisteryng title was named the head of the churche Howbeit he florished not al this while with so great streynghtes nor atchieued so mightie highe power as the forcast of so weightie a mater did necessarily require For wher the bishops being chosen of the cleargie people of Rome must nedes be confirmed either of the Emperour him selfe or elles of his lieutenaunt the Exarche of Rauenna the bishoppes by them confirmed were not hable to obteyne any power against the emperours of Rome and therfore they durst not for their eares ymagine any thing that might be in any condicion derogatorious either against the power or honour of the emperours So that the bishoppes thought it not good for them to rest vntill about the year of our saueour Cōstātine the. 4. Benedicte the. 2. DClxx the mater was brought to that passe that Constantine the fourthe emperour of that name endued bishop Benedicte the seconde with this priuilege that whom so euer thensfurth the cleargie and people of Rome should haue made bishop the same should also be acknowlaged of al mē as the head of the churche and Christ our saueours vicare wythout any meane confirmaciō either of the Emperour him self or of his lieutenaunt the Exarche of Rauenna But anon as the prowde ambicious Bishoppes of Rome hade obteyned this their maters begāne to succede euen after their owne purpose by this meanes so great streynght might and autoritie happened to that litell horne which yet hitherto appeared in all mennes sight to be but vile weake and naught set by that afterwarde it became intolerable euen to the Emperours them selues by whose counsailes and helpe it was promoted so high that it made batail and preuailed euen against them their selues And ther wanted not at that tyme signes and wondres wherby the heauenly father admonished wretched mortal folkes of the periles which shoulde be brought in by Antichrist For as Platina who out of all paraduenture was bothe the Bishoppes owne secretarie and also their trusty Oratour beareth record a fearfull and an vnwont blasing starre appeared and so vehement a fyre brake out of Vesuuius a mount Vesuuius of Compaigne that the places roūde about were brent vp By these tokens it was vndoubtedly the father of heauens will to shewe vnto all men that Antichristes fire began allready to burne in Italie which wyth a sore burnyng flame should consume and disquiete the consciences of many men For euen at the furst whan the Bishop of Rome was aduaunced to so highe power ther past scarcely fourtie yeares but he beganne to set out all his streinghtes and autoritie against the very Emperours them selues not wythout their greuous sore damage and perile For in the yeare of our saueour Christes birthe DCCxij Philippicus the Emperour of the Monothelites was infecte wyth the heresie of them which holde opinion that ther is but one only wil in Christ Iesu By reasō wherof pope Constantine stryketh him wyth the Striuing about ymages thonderbolt of his curse and maketh this decree and statute wythall that the ymages of the holy fathers which were present at the sixe furst and general counsailes should be painted in S. Petres porche But this mater bredde newe stryfe and newe hurly burlies For vpō that the bishop hade also occasion geuen him wherby he might throwe downe and ouerwhelme the three hornes or kingdomes that Daniel maketh mencion of For the bishoppes of the greke churches set their fote with most eagre stomackes against the bishoppes decree For in asmuche as they sawe God hade by his owne mouthe forbidden the vse of ymages in tēples with so earnest and so perfite a commaundemēt they affirmed that no ymages at all ought either to be hade or suffred in christen mennes temples But wher as the most parte folowed the Monothelites heresie they were also ouercome and ouerthrowen from this godly and holy sentence of abolishing of ymages so that vse of ymages being confirmed by the bishop Emperour Leo the third banished ymages of Romes autoritie brought a newe parte of supersticiō in to the churche Than foure yeares after that in that year of our saueour Christes birthe DCCxvi the emperour Leo that thrid of that name begāne his reigne which being instructe in that knowlage of God des lawe caused al the ymages stāding in the tēples through out all the coastes of the empire to be abolished taken awaye and sent lettres to the bishop of Rome Gregorie the seconde commaunding Gregorie the. 2. him that he should also do the same But ther was kyndled a great greuous cōtenciō a sore fraie For the Pope that most holy father in the wanyaūt had wyth so great studie diligēce dronkē of the cōmaūdemētes wherw t the Lorde condēneth forbiddeth ymages that he was so sawcy as to call Leo thēperour by a most odious name wicked ymage quellour yea also set him in so deadly an hate with the people of Italie bringeth him in suche a contēpt with al men that som wold haue gone about to chose a new Emperour And albeit ther purpose toke none effect for euen Gregorie him self could not allowe it the cause why was that the bishops ambicion could not awaye with any Emperour in Italie seing they wolde be lordes of al thinges thē selues yet the people of Rauenna stered vp a great mightie sedicion wherin the emperours lieutenaunt Paule the Exarche and his sonne were bothe slayne of the sedicious multitude of the commōs But forasmuche as that vproare coulde not moue Leo his mynde but he wold most constauntly goo on forewarde wyth his purposed intent he was at leynght strikē wyth the curse of pope Gregorie the thrid of that name and depryued bothe of the communion of Gregorie the. 3. the churche and of his empire Besides this whā he hade purposed to haue sent an other Exarche to Rauenna to ordre the maters of Italie the Pope also resisted him and wythstode him that he coulde not by reason of the Lumbardes whom he hade drawne on his parte against the Emperour For they wyth a strong power besieged Rauenna bette it and at leynght toke it and therwythall depryued the Emperour of al his iurisdicciō in Italie Here now we see the furst horne throwen downe For al the Emperours power which he hade yet vnto The greke Emperours this tyme holden in Italie was opprest at the popes settyng on by force of armes of the Lumbardes and the dryuē out of Italie Emperour him selfe was all
his father wyth besieging him he enuyroned him toke him by treason he robbed him of his empire and so taking him prisoner suffreth him miserably and sorowfully to dye And these prankes were not played by the commaundement of any barbarous tyraÌ„ne nor by the inceÌ„semeÌ„t of any Phalaris but by the couÌ„sail of the Phalaris was a tyranne in Agrigentine most holy father in the deuilles name Reioyce nowe you Caligulaes be mery you Neroes as many as haue hade the famous reporte of crueltie For you haue one which though he lefte The. B. of Rome is more cruell than either Caligula Nero. Friderich the. 1. you a long space behinde him yet he acquieteth you froÌ„ the infamie remeÌ„braunce of a cruel name euen the bishop of Rome which commauÌ„deth the sonne to bathe his sweorde in the fathers blood And God wotteth the noble feates of Adriane the. 4. and Alexander the. 3. may be also coupled to these rehearsalles which they practiced with most high wickednesse against the very godly and most valeaunt prince Friderike whose sirname was Barbarousse For albeit he hade the vpper hande ouer al his enemies yet it was not in his power either to auoide or to breake the tyraÌ„nie of the popes but after haynous batailes most lameÌ„table flaughtres he was coÌ„pelled ê‘force to fall huÌ„bly to the popes fete to laye downe his necke for Antichristes filthie fete to treade vpon Now who is it that wolde seke any charitie at their handes which haue not learned so much as to beare fauourably with the dignitie of an Emperour After that about the yeare of our Lorde Friderike the. 2. MCCxx Friderichus the secoÌ„de suffred no lesse wickednesse false head of theÌ„ also For whan he made warres against the Turkes they with most spiteful vilany abominable force of armes resisted him and as he with luckie successe warred against the enemies of Christes crosse they with their false driftes droue him backe and layeng at him with their thonderboltes they depryued him also of the communioÌ„ of faithfull christen people and of his Empire and chosed other emperours agaiÌ„st him Which thing was in dede the cause of most greuous batailes engeÌ„dred innumerable muche bloodsheading Morouer in the year of our lorde M. CCC whan Albert the duke of Austrike was choseÌ„ emperour Pope Bonesace the. 8. of that name wold nother confirme him nor crowne Boniface the. 8. him except he wolde furst promise that he wolde make warre against Philippe the FreÌ„che king and dryue him out of his realme And the cause of that warre was this that Philippe whaÌ„ he espied the sleightie shiftes of the sea of Rome denyed the pope al his reuenues of the realme of Fraunce And for that cause that holy father hauing goodly in mynde the precept of charitie to thintent he might prouide for his owne priuate commoditie purposed to set twoo the mightiest naciones of christendome FrauÌ„ce and Germanye together to warre cruelly the one against the other and glad to geue the loking on him self of the destroyeng of cities wasting of fieldes slaughter of men and al the myschief besides that warre bringeth with it so that it turne to his owne aduauÌ„tage But the father of heauen prouydeth better for mennes maters For he put those kinges in suche mynde that they forgate the pope and layeng downe their weapones conuerted the lamentable warres in to a ioyous mariage And here it is not to be omitted that the bishopes of Rome being of the same spirite did vnto Ladislaus king of Vngarie and Polone He hade Ladislau ouercome with wonderfull luckie notable victorie Amurathes the most mightie prince of the Turkes and scatred the turkishe armye and obteyned perforce such condiciones of peace as were harde to be obteyned of the enemye But whan the Turkes hade the ouerthrowe in that skyrmyshe they were fayne perforce and bicause of the condicions of peace to medle no longer with inuading Vngarie and beganne to make new roades in to Italie to stere vp daungers against the pope Eugenius the bishop of Rome to deliuer him self and Italie from Eugenius pope all daungier sent Cardinal Iuliane to Laudislaus to condemne his league with the Turkes as wicked and vnworthy and to persuade with all that christianes are in no wise bounden to kepe promise with infideles And he gaue not ouer counsailing and prouoking till he hade persuaded the king compelled him to breake the league and so to become a promyse breaker Anon than by the forwardenesse of the most holy father and the legate Iuliane the apostatalike apostlelike I wold saye blowing to the fielde ther was most cruell batail renewed which hauing vnluckye successe king Ladislaus was slayne and Amurathes caried awaye a large and a gorgeous victorie This was done in the year of our Lorde M. CCCC xliiij Lo this is the most holy fathers charitie this is the loue that he beareth to the Lordes flocke by the couÌ„sail wherof he teacheth the Kyng rashly to violate his promise of peace and shamelesly to faile his fidelitie that he hade made and not that only but he also casteth both such as be very good to muche simple kinges the people ouerlight of belefe vpon the most cruel weapons of Christes enemies the Turkes so as he him selfe maye lyue safe and sure at Rome To be shorte least through aboundauÌ„ce of examples my tale growe out to ouer great a mater it semeth not necessarie that we should set furth with a busye paynted shewe of wordes the thinges that the Bishoppes of Rome haue in tymes past done against the lawe of charitie seyng that these our owne dayes can euidently ynoughe beare witnesse of the same For loke you dearly beloued brethreÌ„ in Christ vpoÌ„ these present hurly burlies warres of Germany at home wtin theÌ„ selues which is vndoubtedly occasioned by the trauaile deuise of pope Paule the iii. of his meÌ„bres And searche diligeÌ„tly Paule the 3. if it please you whether so much as one token or sparke of charitie be shewed in this dede doing For who knoweth not that the greater parte of christendome especially the hole flocke of them that are right wise and learned men haue allready complayned these many yeares of the tyrannye and intolerable yowke of popes And Emperours haue ben in the same thought which haue with most earnest faithfulnesse and godly aduise admonished them bothe to amende their owne maners and restrayne the ecclesiastical ministers and their lasciuious lyues and to exercice a worthye discipline among them to frame their hole life by But all is in vayne For they like most naughty me wold nother heare the coÌ„playntes of the congregacions nor doo after the admonishementes of emperours bicause they haue alwaies loued their owne lust more than all the discipline and honestie in the worlde Whervpon all thinges set aparte they haue vsed their owne lustes and vicious demeanour with al losenesse of
vpon with his trayne of daunceing lecherous ruffianes buggerours wil be vnder the iudgement of no man nor rendre accompt of his office vsing vnto no maner mā in the worlde although he bring infinite soules of men that were redemed with the precious blood of Christ and bynde innumerable people prentices with the cōmon enemie of mankynde the Deuil vnto the slaughter-house of euerlasting damnacion And euen this man it is that taketh vpon him to be the head of the churche and the only and most high shephearde of Christes shepefolde Is it than the propretie of an head to rage against his owne membres and to cast them vpon sweorde and fire to be destroied Is it the propretie of a shephearde to renne madde vpon his flocke worse than a wolfe wolde If the B. of Rome hurt the bodie of such as be his if he rashly hurt the name of them that be his if he take awaye their goodes for filthie lucres sake the apostolike Canones despeche him quyte out of his office And shall all the hole churche than suffre him rageingly to renne vpon mēnes soules to destroye them without correction But to thintent they might mitigate the outrage of their blasphemie by som maner of clooked pretense they deuised to adde this to Except he be deprehēded out of the waye from the faithe Forsothe a goodly addicion O you blocke headed Canonistes Will you than saye that these be the workes of faithe for the Pope to make innumerable people bonde men to the euerlasting fyre of hell Or shall we saye that he hath faith which maketh them subiectes to the tormentes of hell whom Christ the sonne of God hathe by his deathe and bloodshead deliuered free from hell But this conclusion of this Canon was not added without the prouidēte of God For by this meanes it is euident that the B. of Romes faithe is not a lyuely and a healthe geuing faith whervnto iustificacion and saluacion is commonlye attributed in the scriptures but a certain other faithe farre contrary from it Which like as it is in their power to withdrawe mennes soules from saluaciō and make them bonde slaues vnto perdicion so it pulleth all them that obeye his lawes awaye from Christ the only redemour of the worlde and depryueth and danined so hathe he bounde all other that obey his voice vnto damnacion He is also that great and notable Aduersarie Which is contrary to Christ in al thinges and repugneth cleane contrary against his life and doctrine and is a tyranne most insolent most arrogaunt and most disdayneful exalted in his blasphemous hearte not only aboue miserable and mortal mē but also aboue the almightie and immortal God Let them therfore haue him in admiracion honour him reuerēce him folowe him who so euer hade rather perishe than to be saued But let vs deare brethren in Christ rendre thākes continually to god the father and his sonne Iesus Christ our supreme king and only bishop which hathe vouchedsafe to reueale vnto vs the filthe of so exceding abominacion and to deliuer vs from his tyrannye and to set vs free by the aide of his worde Let vs also praye that he wolde bring other in to the knowlage of his truthe and to vpholde vs with such constauncie of faithe that we maye be hable to cōtinue stil in the knowne truthe and to serue him constauntly in the middle of the stormes and floodes of tentacion and to cleaue vnto him inseperably without shrynking that we be not euerlastingly lost with Antichrist the sonne of perdicion but that we maye be made partakers of the saluacion and kingdome which was prepared before the making of worlde by our lorde Iesus Christ our only redemour and saueour To him be glorie praise and thankes geuing for euer worlde without ende Amen Thus endeth the thrid Homilie The .iiij. Homilie In this .iiij. Homilie are described the workes and weapones of Antichrist and whom he shall haue power to fal vpon and destroye with his workes and weapones LIke as it is not only profitable and holsome for all maner of men but also necessary to the atteynyng of saluaciō to haue the true certain and sure grounded knowlage of our Lorde and saueour Iesus Christ that they may cleaue harde vnto him with a faste and a constaunt saithe and through him to obteyne eternal saluacion and life euerlasting so is it no lesse profitable and necessary that in these later dayes we knowe them also which set out themselues falsely as though they were Iesus Christ that is to saye as though they were saueours and redemours In whose nombre specially aboue other that great and notable Aduersarie of our Lorde Christ and of all faithfull that is to wete the very right Antichrist is to be knowne that we maye auoide his wiles subtil craftes fraudes and most pernicious deuises and escape the dānacion that he purueyeth and purchaceth for those that his be Moreouer wher as ther are by the spirite of Satan many falsely feyned fables of Antichrist by reason of the which it is so farre of from vs to com in to the knowlage of him that we shall rather be blinded seduced and deceaued it is necessary for vs to respecte the vnfailing truthe of the holy scripture to thintent that being ledde by the doctrine of it we maye learne to knowe him in dede And for that cause I haue lately brought furthe of the scripture two most manifest plaine places for the declaracion of this mater wherin ther are allready three specialties declared which paynt out the disposicion and propreties of Antichrist and shewe what a maner a one he is as it were poyntyng 4. Antichristes workes him with a mānes fyngre Therfore it cōsequētly foloweth that we steppe ouer now to the fourthe specialtie or principal mater wherin are declared his most special chief workes whervnto he is geuen and by the which he vttreth him self openly And albeit these self same maters are comprehēded of the apostle Paule the desyrous mā Daniel the prophet in those places which I rehearsed before yet for asmuche as they are ouer shorte ther in playne openyng of them we must here marke the. 11. chap. of Daniel wherin many thinges right worthye to be knowne concerning the mysterie of Antichrist but specially concerning his workes are in this maner written He shall bring in men to forsake the couenaunt wickedly that they may worke by craftye wiles through hipocrisie but the people that will knowe their God shall haue the vpperhande and prospere But the king shall doo what he lusteth he shall exalte and amplifie him self against all that is God yea he shall speake maruelous thinges against the most hyghe God and he shall haue prosperous fortune so long till the wrathe be fully consūmate whā wickednesse shal be come to the highest He shall not regarde the God of his fathers nor care for the lust of women Yea he shal not care for any God for he shall exalte
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
And forasmuche as al men are not Antichrist fighteth wyth open force so ignoraunt blynde that all doo suffre them selues to be deceaued and blynded wyth this furst sweorde of Antichrist that is lies and false miracles Paule ascribeth vnto him that other sweorde of sathan also that is open violent force and power to doo wrong wherwyth he may openly laye vpon them that resiste him and oppresse and make them to couche that speake against him And this we may see as playnly in the Bishoppes of Rome as we doo their lies and falfe craftes For furst they are furnished well ynough wyth their owne streynght and their owne power They haue great cities obedient at their commaundement They haue great countreyes and great menne vnder their subiection and autoritie they haue great hostes of valeaūt and wel furnished warlike mē they haue also harnesse and weapones for the warres and al that can be required vnto marciall affaires and to make warres withal yea they not only haue them but also they occupie them openly against kynges princes cities and people that refuse to be vnder their subiection and dare be so hardy as to withstande their lawes Notwithstanding bicause they haue perceaued by experience the chaunce of warres to be vncertain and doubtfull the myschieuous subtil helhoundes haue made them newe kynde of armour and a newe sweorde so kene that they haue strikē downe euē most mightie kinges and emperours with the edge of it Excommunicacion I meane which a man may call rather a thonderbolt that they vse to strike and to curse suche princes withall as be not their frendes and to depryue them of their princely dignities and whan they haue put downe them to set other in their places And to thintent their tyrannye should want nothing they haue made their power so strōg wyth other mennes marcial force that they neuer myssed of som either princes or cōmō people which were content to put their iudgementes sentences in execuciō against suche as were enemies of the sea of Rome to hasarde them selues in most daungerous warres for the mayntenaunce of it Of this tirannie ioyned with wonderfull muche politike falshead the Greke Emperours felt their parte For the B. of Rome procured the Lumbardes in to Italie to make warres vpō thē till he hade wiped them besides the Empire of al Italie And yet the lumbardes them selues tasted of the like falshead and tirannie For whan they beganne to wexe to sore vpon the Bishoppes of Rome and to couet the empire of Italie and Rome wher the Bishop durst not meddle wyth them him self he calleth the Frenche kinges to helpe him by whose power he furst repressed the Lumbardes and at last he ouerlaide them so by Charles the great that he lefte them nothing of their realme which they hade kept in possession CC. yeares saue only the bare name And in our tyme we haue sene the B. of Rome doo to muche wronge to the Frenche men For he droue them also after his owne practiced maner by other mennes power namely by the armies of the Heluecianes at that tyme out of al Italie In dede these are the craftye trickes of this bawdye hoore of Babilon yea she is so connyng in these wilye knackes and can brewe madde loue cuppes so fynely that she can get her louers in euery countrey so trusty and so constraunt that they wil not sticke to put their owne lyues in hasarde so they may defende and mayntene her maistresship Yet least she should be constrayned to seke her newe louers and defendours or rather protectours euery daye afreshe she is crept so depe in to the bosomes of emperours that they suffre them selues to be bounden by their solēne othe to defēde this beast against all her foes who so euer they be as we maye vnderstande by the forme of the othe lately prescribed vnto the emperour Ottho and as it is somwhat more euidently recorded in other of the popes owne Canones For in the Extrauagauntes Com. li. 1. Tit. De Maioritate obedientia he writeth thus We are taught by the wordes of the Gospel that in this churche meanyng the churche of Christ which he vnderstādeth to be the churche of Rome and in the power of the same ther be twoo sweordes a spirituall sweorde and a temporall sweorde For whā the apostles saide Lo here are two sweordes that is to saye in the churche the Lorde answered them not that they were to many but ynowe Doubtles he that denyeth the tēporal sweorde to be in Petres power dothe marke euil the worde that the Lord speaketh Put vp thy sweord again in to the scaberde Therfore the churche hath power of both sweordes that is to saye the spirituall sweorde the material sweorde But the material sweord must be exercited for the churche the spiritual sweorde of the churche The spiritual sweorde is in the priestes owne hande and the material sweorde in the hande of kinges and knyghtes howbeit at the appointement and sufferaunce of the priest Marke here now brethren Antichristes external power and his bloody murthering sweorde which the B. of Rome chalengeth to him selfe by so playne wordes hauyng no grounded reason of the scriptures but wrasteth them so blasphemously so violently For he sayth ther be two sweordes in the churche that is the Ecclesiasticall power the Emperours power he maketh them bothe subiecte to the B. of R. And he sayeth that they misunderstande Christes wordes which denye the Emperours power to be subiecte to the B. of Romes pleasure And herein in dede the beast sayeth moste true For they that denye this do the greatest displeasure that can be to the sea of Rome while they wolde set the Emperours power at libertie wype the sea of Rome besyde so great autoritie to appoint and commaunde But let it suffice vs to haue learned thus muche hereout that it is out of question that the B. of Rome hathe snatched to him selfe that other kynde of Antichristes weapones And what nede we to beate any longer vpō this mater seyng experience telleth plainly that I saye the truthe For is not the Emperours sweord drawen now at the B. of Romes berke Doth it not rage and make hauocke alreadye of the Lordes saintes And I thinke ther is no man but he knoweth for what cause the B. of Ro. cōmaundeth this sweord to be drawne Ther be bulles that came frō Rome which testifye the same Mary that the Germanes muste be brought agayne to the obedience of the churche of Rome with fire and sweorde and be spoiled quyte of the ioyous cōfortable fodder of the Gospell Yet to bring vs the more out of doubte let vs heare what the beast him selfe sayeth The wordes of the Indulgence Idibus Iulii 1546 Therfore wher we vtterly despered of their amendement meanyng the Germanes and seyng that they were open enemies to the holy churche of God and at vtter dephyaunce with all godly men and that
they contende and labour with all their possible policie diligence to drawe all other people in to that same pitte of wickednes that they theÌ„ selues are fallen into it chauÌ„ced by the inspiracion of the holy goost that our most deare sonne in Christ the most valeaunt most religious prince Charles emperour of Rome alwaies Augustus purposed to take weapon in hande against the same bothe Goddes enemies his rebelles whose godly laudable purposes excellent deuises for the christen coÌ„mon weale we shall ayde with all the treasures that we the holy churche of Rome haue for the healthe of the godly for the defense of religion for the honour of God and for the publike peace and tranquillitie In dede these be the beastes owne wordes which as they meane bloodily so with certaiÌ„ foxlike wylynesse they clooke the bloody meanyng vnder the holy and honourable names of the churche of God of peace of religion and of traÌ„quillitie But if any man thinke this vnauaileable to proue his tirannie withall let vs marke the mater it self brethreÌ„ and the subtil fatches of this bloody tragedie CaÌ„ the miserable murther of the right blessed Io. Diasius maÌ„ IoaÌ„nes Diasius the Spanyarde be nowe out of mynde whoÌ„ his owne brother slewe with his hande here in the myddle of Germanie this yeare the. 26. daye of Marche And yet the most cruell brother murtherour and thief escaped quyte awaye and suffred not according to his desartes Open your eies therfore brethren knowe the abominable ê“cedinges and driftes of Antichrist and all his ympes by one mannes wicked dede The B. of Rome hathe whetted Diasius axe for your heades The Spanyardes com vpon you Your cause the cause of your wyues and your children is in hande and Antichrist layeth about him so woodly he is so furious he is so desirous to haue vs destroied that he maketh it laufull for a man to murther his owne brother and geueth such murtherers hyre for their labour Therfore Antichrist fighteth with bothe those sweordes that Paule ascribeth vnto him For he hathe theÌ„ that are desirous to ouercome by flattery prouoke by promises and â—o enueagle by persuasiones whoÌ„ so euer they perceaue to knowe the truthe of the mater and to be ouermuche vnfrendely to the B. of Rome But for al that in the meane tyme they make hotte warres the enemies sweorde slasheth Germanie is on fire in euery corner Antichristes power rageth in euery place Therfore let vs watche brethreÌ„ let vs holde vp our heades praye continually that our Lorde wold vouchesafe to help his churche to deliuer it from that haÌ„des of the furious rageing enemie Now forasmuche as in this fifth point we haue learned by ê‘fite tokens proues that the B. of Rome is that right mightie houge Antichrist 6. Vpon whom how farre Antichrist hathe power to rage before we make an ende of this place ther is an other mater also to be knowen I meane that we may vnderstaÌ„d vpon whoÌ„ Antichrist hathe power to rage wyth his weapones how farre God permitteth his furie to exteÌ„de against the sayntes This dothe Paule teache in few wordes in the ij epistle to his Tessalonianes writing thus His comming is after the working of sathaÌ„ with al power lieÌ„g signes woÌ„ders with al deceaueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse in them that perishe bicause they receaued not that loue of the truthe that they might haue ben saued And for that cause God shall sende theÌ„ strong delusion that they shoulde beleue lies that all they might be daÌ„ned which beleued not the truthe but hade pleasure in vnrighteousnesse These wordes of Paule are full of comfort For like as Christ our saueour dothe in Matthewe make playne significatioÌ„ that Antichristes miracles shal smally yea nothing auaile to deceaue the electe eueÌ„ so Paule also teacheth that God suffreth his tiraÌ„nie to be exerciced only vpoÌ„ them whom the iustice of God iudgeth to be destroied daÌ„ned But least we shoulde thinke that God dothe saue some daÌ„ne some wtout certain discrete iudgemeÌ„t like a tiraÌ„ne he telleth by by in the wordes folowing who they be saith they be those that hate the truthe wil not receaue it nor doo after it haue more delyte in the darkenesse of lies thaÌ„ in the light of the truthe And they that be suche persones are vsed to be blinded by the iust vpright iudgemeÌ„t of God that being deceaued with lies false deceates they may be in subiectioÌ„ to the yowke of Antichristes tiraÌ„nie yea they rather thrust theÌ„ selues vnder his subiectioÌ„ for their owne pleasures For seing all maner of vnthankfulnesse is odious before God and worthy of punishement yet that kynde of vnthankfulnesse wherby the most bouÌ„teous benefite of Goddes grace that is to saye the knowlage and playne declaracion of his worde and truthe is wont to be contemned and reiected dothe iustly deserue of all other the most sore punishement This mater hathe exaÌ„ples ynowe in euery place of the scriptures Yet the most notable and most horrible example hereof is in Pharao For while he did not only not receaue nor allowe the truthe of Goddes worde the most holsom warnynges of God but also reiecte them wyth an vnthankful heart and wyth threattenyng blasphemous wordes he was cast in to so great a folye and blyndenesse by the iust iudgement of God that he could not considre his present miserable destructioÌ„ but threwe him self and his in a wilful lust of wickednesse headloÌ„g in to the rageing reade sea And it dothe not muche diffre froÌ„ this that we reade chaunced to wicked Achab which while he dephieth the holsom monicions of Micheas the prophet dothe after the pestilent counsailes of the false prophetes he falleth in to pÌ„sent destruction The like iudgement of the righteous God fell vpon al Israel whan they were seduced wyth the lies of the false prophetes in the daies of king Zedechias and of the prophet Ieremie while they renouÌ„ced the courteous monicioÌ„ of the Lorde God And in dede if we beholde the furst springing vp of Antichristes tirannie we shall see that the same mater chauÌ„ced at that tyme also in euery poynt For while the people mynding to gratifie the B. of Rome were better content to receaue the vse of ymages and to be instructed and taught by them in the mater of Christian faithe and of christian life than by the holy scriptures they were taught suche lessones by their ymages as the deuil is vsed to teache his scholares I meane supersticion abominable and wicked Godseruice and ther vpon as the case was amoÌ„g the heatheÌ„ Idolaters in tymes past ther folowed al kynde of vice wickednesse yea that errour by littel and littel crept vp so high that at lenght we were made subiectes to Antichristes yowke in al maters were coÌ„pelled mawgre our heades to allowe al his trynkettes for good ware to be obedieÌ„t