Sicilian Bishop supplicated to Nicholas the third in the words of Bartimaeus Marke 10. 47. Miserere mei sili David O sonne of David have mercy upon me Paulus the fourth Paulus 4 Bulla â—d Duâ—em Florent doth usurpe that royall title of Christ in the Rev. 19. 16. stiling himselfe Regem Regum the King of Kings Iansenius doth expound that Iansen Harâ— cap. 66. Matth. 18. 16. Vpon this rocke will I build my Church of the person of Peter and of the Pope his successour Augustine de Ancona attributeth Aug. de Anco epist Dedicat. ad Iohn 22. that of Saint Paul to the Philippians 2. 10. To him shall bow the knees of every thing in heaven and earth and under the earth unto Pope Iohn 22. Bellarmine doth apply that Prophecy of Bell. de Pont. Rom Praefat. Isaiah 28. 16. I lay in Sion a stone for a foundation to the Pope And elsewhere he doth apply Bell. de Chr. lib. 1. cap. 4. the same words to Christ proving thereby that Christ is true God By the same argument therefore doth hee imply that his Pope is his God Of which blasphemy he seemeth not to Bell. de Concil Auth. li. 2. c. 17. be very nice avouching That all the Names in the Scriptures which are attributed unto Christ may be ascribed to the Pope also As also Sixtus Sixtus Senensis in praef Biblioth Sanctae Senensis doth involve the application of many texts peculiar unto Christ to the Pope speaking to Pius the fift as unto God saith That he hath adopted him for his sonne and regenerated him by his spirit But of all other that golden Bâ—â—â— tom 11. anno 1073. num 16. Legend of Baronius may not be passed by that Pope Hildebrand being a Carpenters sonne and playing where his father wrought did by chance frame letters which expressed the eight verse of the 72 Psalme His dominion shall be from the one Sea to the other And to helpe Sacrâ—â—â—â— lâ—b 1. sect 7. cap. 6. fol. 35. them out the Pope himselfe Sixtus the fourth doth arrogate that of Christ in Matth. 28. 18. Data est mihi omnis potestas in coelo in terrâ all power is given to me in heaven and in earth Moreover this Seraphicall Divinity of the Papall Deity is not consined to the Latine onely but they have English Doctors who preach these Italian instructions What good doe wee say we receive from God principally yea onely a threefold The Church in which we live the faith by which we live and the Commandements according to which we live All these we asscribe unto God all these they ascribe unto the Pope First the Church is the visible congregation George Dowly in his Instruction cap. 3. of all true Christians and Catholikes which are scattered over the world whose head next under God is the Pope Secondly Faith is a gift of Greg. de Valent. in Thom. t. 3. p. 24. God in our soules with the which we doe firmely and Catholikely beleeve all that God hath revealed unto us according as it is taught us by our holy Mother the Church By the Church we understand Suarez Apolog. lib. 4. cap. 6. whom they understand è Cathedra indeed the Pope Thirdly the worke of a Christian Trent Hist lib. 4. pag. 321. George Dowâ—ey his Instruct cap. 12. is to know well the Commandements of God and those of our mother the Church Observe the Commandements of God and the commandements of the Church that is of the Pope are members of the same division therefore equally enjoyned To which purpose as hee hath made the whole seventh Chapter to teach the ten Commandements of God so hee spendeth the eight Chapter in teaching the five Commandements of the Church to wit to heare Masse on sundayes and holydayes to confesse once a yeare to communicate at Easter to Fast when the Church commandeth and to pay Tithes To which he addeth the sixt not to celebrate mariages prohibited by the Church So then without the Pope no Church no Faith and the Commandements of the Pope ranked with the Commandements of God The Church Faith and CoÌ„mandements all these we ascribe unto our God all these they ascribe unto their Pope The Pope permitteth this doctrine therefore from his owne permission I hope I may bee permitted to pronounce my conclusion The Pope doth shew himselfe to bee God Therefore The Pope is the Antichrist Notwithstanding these plaine evidences Bell. de Pontif. Rom. lib. 3 c. 14. Lessi de â—ntiâ—â— Dem. 7. evictions this truth is not acknowledged because say they Antichrist will say plainly that he is God This sense is not suteable to the text which saith He shall shew not say that he is God Howsoever I will follow them into this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 starting hole also and beat them with their owne weapons I say therefore The Pope doth plainly professe himselfe Dr Beard de Antichristo to be god Of late Pope Paulus Quintus and the Cardinall his cousin caused every peece of their plate to be marked with this inscription Burghesianae eternitati dicatuÌ„ that is this is consecrated to the Eternity of the Burghesian family What more godlike Title could they ingrave Thom. Stapleton in Prinâ—ip Fid. praefat on a Challice Our English Stapleton uttereth this blasphemy somewhat more plainly styling Pope Gregory 13 Optimum Maximum supremum Numen in terris that is their most great most gracious and most soveraigne god on earth Lessâ—â—s de Antichristo Dem. 7. Lessius doth acknowledge that the Pope is called by the Papists Deus interris Their god on earth but saith he metaphorice it is by a figure poore fig-leaves to cover their apparent blasphemies Others are downe-right and mince Gratian Dist â—6 cap. 7. Satis Evidenter not the matter Pope Nicholas boasteth Pontificem à Constantino Deum appellatum that the Emperour did call the Pope a God and from thence inferreth Deum non posse ab hominibus judicar that no men may judge the Pope because he is a God Whence also Augustine Aug. Steuchus de Donatione Constant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1547. pag 141. Steuchus doth tell us praeclaro illo edicto eum adoravit ut Deum that by that egregious edict Constantine did adore the Pope as God Et divinos honores ei quoad ejus potuit contulit and that to utmost of his ability hee tendered to him divine honours Againe one Pope in the Concil Later sâ—ss 4 sâ—b â—â—â—â— 2. Laterane Councill is saluted by the Name of God In the yeare 1514 in the last Laterane Concil Later Sess 9. Moulins Accom pag 89. Councill one of the Popes Secretaries called Leo 10 his divine Maâ—esty Vpon the gates of Tolentum in Italy is this inscription To Paul the third the most high and mighty God on earth A booke also was printed with this inscription Tort. Torti pag. 361. PaV Lo Vâ—â— VICc
in the principall part of the Temple of God as Adrian did once erect his statue in the Sanctum Sanctorum in the most holy place of the holy Temple of Hâ—erusalem He shall sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Temple of God saith my Text. Antichrist shall sit in the Temple of God Concerning the seat of Antichrâ—st I will propose two points to be handled the Explication and the Application thereof First I will declare what and secondly where this Temple is The Temple is taken three wayes Materially Suarez Apolog. lib. 5 cap 15. num 6. 7. Metaphorically and Formally Materially it is taken for the place for the Temple of the Iewes Metaphorically for the persons or congregation of Antichristians and Formally for the persons or congregation of true Christians The first to take the Temple materially in my text is the setting of the Romish Mint on worke to coine a new fiction like the old fable of the Earthly Paradise both in Eutopia neither extant in rerum natura Such is the assertion of those who say the Temple of the Iewes is the seat of Antichrist The second is the opinion of S. Augustine who held that Antichrist Aug. de Civit. Dei and the Antichristians should sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not in but for and instead of the Temple of God Now who they be which of all the world doe most cry Templum Domini the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Bell. de Pont. Rom. lib. 3. c. 13. Suarez Apolog. lib. 3. ca. 16. Malvenda de Antich lib. 7. c. 7 Lessius de Antichristo part 1. Dem. 12. Monarchomach his Touchstone Christo hoâ—soâ— in Down lib. 1. Spalatensis Concil Red. pag. â— 9. Lord would have none to be true Catholike Christians but onely the Romish Christians I leave this to the conjecture of any ordinary capacity In the third place the Temple is taken formally for the Church of Christ and upon this doe I insist But the maine difference consisteth in this distinction whether by this Temple of God we are here to understand the Temple of the Iewes or the Church of the Christians We affirme the latter and prove it three wayes First from the Text secondly from the Scripture and thirdly from their confession First the phrases of my Text doe not sit this interpretation by the Temple of God to understand the materiall Temple of the Iewes The first phrase sedere to sit is not here taken materially for the gesture of the body Hilarius doth expresse it well Antichrist shall sit in the Temple Potestate regiminis by his power and governing not actu praesentiae corporalis not by the actuall presence of his body And mee thinketh our adversaries should not boggle at their owne phrase They themselves know that for the Pope to sit and the King to reigne are both synonima's both signifie to rule and governe Againe that other phrase tanquam Deus as it were God cannot be expounded materially because God is immateriall and incorporeall and it is the errour of the Anthropomorphites to ascribe a bodily position unto God God cannot be said to sit materially nor any creature neither if he doth sit tanquam Deus as it were God Let therefore the phrases proceed in a just proportion and wee conclude the temple is not here to be taken materially for the temple of the Iewes but formally for the church for the coÌ„pany congregation of christians The Church of Christ shall be the seat of Antichrist Secondly the current of the Scripture phrase runneth strongly for this interpretation that the temple of God doth now signifie the Church of Christ not the Temple of the Iewes Know ye not that ye are the temple of God 1 Cor. 3. 16. what agreement is there betwixt the temple of God 2 Cor. 6. 16. In whom all the building being sitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord. Eph. 2. 21. And finally 1 Tim. 3. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the House of God which is a synonima unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Temple of God is there termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Church of God and no where the Temple of the Iewes I meane after the razing of the Iewish temple For it is the B. Andrewes Apol. in Bell. c 9. observation of the learned that after the temple of Salomon was ruinated the Holie Ghost in the Scripture did never ascribethe title of the temple of God to any thing but to the church only Yet the best is the last interpretation from their owne confession Indeed Bellarmine de R. Pontif. 3. 13. Christophorsonne his Succenturiatus lib. 1. Lessius Demonst 12. and divers others dispute it eagerly that Antichrists seat shall be in the Temple of the Iewes and not in the Church of Christ But as many and as good Schollers yea more and better of their side are of our side in this point that the Seat of Antichrist shall be in the Church of God and not in the Temple of Hierusalem The Rhemists on this verse are irresolute Rhemists in 2 Thess 2. 4. In the eleventh verse they would gladly maintaine that the Seat of Antichrist shall be at Hierusalem But in the twelfth verse they dare not deny but that hee shall rather sit in our Christian Church than in their Iewish Temple-Suarez also is no more resolute in the fist Suarez Apol. lib. 5 cap. 16. booke and sixteenth chapter of his Apology In the first number he would decline this point of the place of Antichrist Facilius quid non sit quam quid sit cognoscitur it is no easie matter to demonstrate that the seat of Antichrist shall be at Hierusalem But in the third number hee doth define it yet so coldly as if his conscience had checkt him for a voluntary gainsaying of the manifest truth Verisimilius est it is most probable that S. Paul meaneth the Temple of the Iewes A probability no demonstration where is Lessius then with his 12 demonstratioÌ„ But Sanders plainly Verius arbitratur qui dicit Sander de Antich Dem. 18 Templum Dei apud Paulum non de Templo Hierosolymitano sed potius de Ecclesia accipiendum esse that his opinion is the truer who doth thinke that the Temple of God in this place doth not signifie the Temple of Hierusalem but rather the Church And as Sanders doth approve this of S. Ierome by his citation so doth Germanus Hervetus the like of S. Chrysostome Chrysost in 2 Thess 2. by his translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sedebit Germani Herveti versio Suarez Apolog. lib. 5. cap. 15. num 5. Peâ—er in Dan. lib. 14. in Templo Dei non quod Hierosolymis Antichrist shall sit in the Temple of God not at Hierusalem so Hervetus Pererius as plainly Sedebit in Templo Dei id est in Templis Christianorum haec enim sola vere dici possunt
not be so vncharitable We say of those and this that the very Church of Rome is a true Church Which will appeare onely from the definition of the Church If I should proceed no farther The Church is a company which professe Christ and are baptized This is the definition of the Hooker Politie lib. 3. num 1. Bish Abbot de Ant. cap. 3. nu 4. Deane Whites reply to Fisher pag. 49. Dr. Beard de Antich cap. 4. num 6. Dr Crakenthorp in Spal c. 16. 21. Answer to Fishers relat of the 3. cons Church according to the common current consent of our most and most learned Divines So the essentiall difference of the Church of Christ from all other companies congregations or societies consisteth in these two points Profession and Baptisme For the first Revel 2. 13. the spirit testified that the congregation of Pergamus was not fallen from being a Christian Church because thou keepest my Name Therefore keeping or professing the Name of Christ is one essentiall part of a Christian Church Next upon the acknowledging of the name of Christ the Eunuch was baptised by Philip Act. 8. 38. Therefore Baptisme is another and profession with baptisme are the two things which absolutely constitute a Church Consider moreover 2 Tim. 2. 20. and Math. 13. 47. To amplifie and honour this point with Hookers Politic lib 3. sect â— the very words of that incomparable learned man in that unanswerable learned booke For want of this profession and baptisme it is that Iewes Infidels and pagans are excluded out of the bounds of the Church Others we may not deny to be of the visible Church so long as these things be not wanting to them For apparent it is that all men of necessity must either be Christians or no Christians If by externall profession they be Christians then are they of the visible Church of Christ And Christians by externall profession they are all whose marke of recognisance hath in it these things which wee have mentioned Yea although they be impious Idolaters wicked Heretikes persons excommunicable yea cast out for notorious improbitie Such withall we deny not to be theimpes and limmes of Satan even as long as they continue such From these premises I frame these arguments the first from the definition of the Church A Company which professe Christ and are baptised are a Church But the Romanes are a Company which professe Christ and are baptised Therefore The Romanes are a Church Adde also out of the amplification Although the papists be impious Idolaters wicked Heretikes or excommunicable persons Although for their persons they be the limmes of Satan their profession bee the deceiveablenesse of Satan their City bee the Throne of Satan and their Head bee the sonne of Satan yet whilest they professe Christ and imbrace the Christian Baptisme they are notwithstanding the Church of Christ But if any interpose that Rome indeed is a Church but not a true Church such must know that Ens verum Beeing and true are convertible So if they grant the Romane to be a church they must confesse withall that it is a true Church Videlicet in regard of the Essence not of the goodnesse thereof And a thiefe is a true man in regard of the truth of his Essence as he is a creature indued with Reason yet is he not a true man in regard of the truth of his goodnesse his equity and honesty So the popish Church is a true Church in regard of the truth of the Essence of a Church as a Church is a company which professe Christ and are baptised yet is it not a true Church in respect of the truth of the goodnesse of a Church That is it is not a true holy Church neither in doctrine nor in manners In a word the Church of Rome is a true Church in respect of the Essence but a false Church in respect of the doctrine thereof To prove that the Church of Rome is a true Church in our sense and its Essence I will make it good by two sorts of arguments Artificiall and inartificiall But these inartificiall arguments shall be interlaced with many artificiall ones also The Testimonies are lined with their severall Reasons Reverend Calvin Hoc rationibus satis validis Calvin Epist 104. me probasse puto Ecclesiam licet semiruptam imo si libet diruptam ac deformem aliquam tamen manere in Papatu I suppose saith hee that in the Papacy some Church remaineth a Church crazed or if you will broken quite in pieces forelorne mishapen yet some Church And his Reason is my Text because Antichrist must sit in the Temple of God Learned Zanchie I Zanchius praesat de natura Dei acknowledge the Church of Rome Nec potuit Satan c. Maugre the Devills malice for a true Church of Christ His reason because the Church of Rome holdeth the doctrine of truth concerning Christ that he is the Redeemer and shall be the Iudge of the world baptizing in the Name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Buchanus loc 44. quaest 5. Ghost Buchane Caetus Pontificiorum sunt Ecclesiae sicut homo lepra corrupt us mente captus non desinit esse homo The Frenzie maketh not a man cease to be a man no more doth Heresie make Rome to cease to be a Church Moreover Hooker in Abâ—k 2. 4. 〈◊〉 27. as the Frenzie though it selfe take away the use of Reason it doth notwithstanding prove them reasonable creatures which have it because none can be frantike but men So Antichristianitie being the bane and plaine overthrow of Christianity may neverthelesse argue the Church wherein Antichrist doth sit to be Christian That Rex Iacobus oratione ad ordines Nou. 9. 1605. patterne and Patron of learning King Iames confesseth Rome to bee a Church and concludeth from hence because some in Rome may be saved Charitable Hooker although saith Hooker in Hab. 1. â— nu 16 17 25. he the Church of Rome hath played the Harlot worse than ever did Israel yet are they not as now the Synagogue of the Iewes which plainly deny Christ Iesus quite and cleane excluded out of the Covenant But as Samaria compared with Hierusalem is termed Aholah a Church or Tabernacle of her owne contrariwise HierusaleÌ„ Aholâ—bah the resting place of the Lord. So whatsoever we terme the Church of Rome when we compare her with reformed Churches still wee put a difference as then betweene Babylon and Samaria so now betweene Rome and Heathenish assemblies He doth render his Reason also Bishop Andrewes Tort. prope sinem B. Morton Apol. lib 4. ca. 2. sect 5 B. Abbot de Antiâ—b lib. 3 nu 4. Deane Whites Reply pag. 49 Dr. Whites Defence cap. 37. Dr. Whitak Contr. 4. quaest 5. cap. 3. Dr. Sharpe spâ—culo c. 5. Dr Beard cap. 4. num 6. Answer to Fishers Relation of the 3. conser because Rome doth overthrow the foundation of Christianity
A PLAINE EXPOSITION VPON THE FIRST part of the second Chapter of Saint Paul his second Epistle to the THESSALONIANS Wherein it is plainly proved that The Pope is The Antichrist Being Lectures in Saint Pauls by IOHN SQVIRE Priest and Vicar of Saint LEONARDS Shordich Sometime Fellow of IESVS Colledge in CAMBRIDGE August Epist 89. Hilario Melius exponant ist a meliores Nam ego paratior smu discere quam docere Psalm 115. 10. Attamen ipse credidi propter quod locutus sum LONDON Printed for Philip Waterhouse and are to be sold at his Shop at the signe of St. Pauls Head in Canon street neare London Stone 1630. TO THE RIGHT Honourable EDVVARD Viscount CONVVAY Lord President of his Majesties Honorable privie Counsell My most honored Lord. MY LORD THese Lectures I laboured principally to satisfie mine own conscience in this great point But understanding that some conscionable persons have received some small satisfaction by hearing them I print them And presume to present theÌ„ to your Honor to read them or some of them at your Lordships leasure That I may publish to the world how I am assured of your Honors sincere affection to the Church of England as it standeth now in opposition to the Church of Rome VVhich that it may be daily confirmed and increased in your Honour and in the rest of our Honorable English Nobilitie shall be the daily and sincere prayer of Your most unworthy yet most humble Chaplaine IOHN SQVIRE To the READER CHristian Reader Let me commend these briefes to thy Christian Charitie For this Booke If my small judgement and the eyes of many of my judicious friends have not failed me it may have some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some slips no grosse Errours For the Quotations though some may seeme perhaps to have bin alleaged judicio errante yet animo reluctante not one I may misunderstand some but I mis report not one Author by a voluntary falsification For the Author he is a thorough conformable member Minister of the Church of England And for the Scope it is for the information and salvation of thy soule and his owne soule Take the Treatise and give prayers for Thy fellow-member in Christ Iesus IOHN SQVIRE To the Papists or popishly affected I Beseech you by our Christ performe this Christian duty whereto my Practice doth invite you by a Precedent Read my Treatise As I doe and will the learnedst Authors on your side If your impartiall judgement censure it as Erronâ—ous reject it refute it But if my arguments be strong love not the name of the Church more than you doe the Truth of the Church Magna est veritas Christ grant that his Truth may prevaile on either partie Yours in the Truth IOHN SQVIRE The Contents of this Treatise SERMON 1. OBstinacy an error dangerous to salvation 6 Ministers should win their people by lenity 8 Of the Resurrection 10 Blessings bind us to be constant in Religion 14 Of Vnion 7 15 SERMON 2. The comming of Christ may not be defined 18 The authoritie of the Fathers 21 The errours of the understanding terrours to the Conscience 22 Six meanes to avoid errour 26 Three Fountaines of Errour 28 Of Enthysiasme 29 Of the use and abuse of eloquence 31 Of false quotations and corrupting Authors 32 The meanes of seducing to Popery 34 SERMON 3. The point of Antichrist may be handled 38 The name of Antichrist 43 The Fathers not the best Expositers in this point 46 The Apostasie 47 Whether the Church was ever extinguished 55 When was the Apostasie 57 Communion in both kinds 60 The Primacie 60 Image worship 61 Deposing Kings 62 The Pope above a Councill 62 Priests mariage 63 Apostates to Poperie 63 Latine Service 65 SERMON 4. Antichrist not one man 68 The man of Sinne. 76 The Pope the cause of Ignorance 83 The Pope the cause of Whoredome 85 The Pope the cause of Treason 90 The Powder Treason 94 SERMON 5. Antichrist the sonne of Perdition 97 Antichrist and Iudas parallell'd 99 Antichrist Iudas and the Pope parallell'd 101 The Pope may erre 105 Popish Persecutions passe those of the Emperours 106 Of the Inquisition 121 Rome Destroyed 135 Whether all Papists be damned 136 Popish threatnings to draw men to Popery 137 SERMON 6. Antichrist not an open Adversarie 140 The Pope doth oppose Christ 145 Fundamentally 147 Vniversally 149 Six plaine propositions where Christ is plainly opposed by the Pope 153 The Pope the worst Adversary that ever the Church had 154 SERMON 7. 〈◊〉 Temple 159 Antichrists seat 159 Not thâ—â—â—teriall Temple 159 Rome the seat of Antichrist 167 Whether Rome be a true Church 168 A Parallel betwixt Rome and Babylon 185 SERMON 8. Antichrist shall not exalt himselfe above the true God 197 The Pope doth 200 And above all that is worshipped 202 The Popes Ambition 204 The Pope doth exalt himselfe above Kings 207 Above the Emperour 216 Papists are Traitors 226 SERMON 9. Antichrist shall not sit corporally in the Temple 288 The Pope usurpeth the same power with Christ 232 The same titles 233 That he is above Councills 238 That he can make a Creed 240 The Pope is not the head of the Church 234 The King is the Head of the Church of England 235 The Pope countermands all the Commandements 244 SERMON 10. Antichrist shall not call himselfe the true God 257 The Pope doth shew himselfe to be God 259 The Pope doth shew himselfe to be God plainly 268 SERMON 11. What hindred the Revelation of Antichrist 289 The Ro Empire not to be abolished 294 It is removed ibid. Of Travellers and travelling to Rome 301 SERMON 12. The time of the Revelation of Antichrist 305 Where our Church was before Luther 326 Affected ignorance of Antichrist 328 SERMON 13. The Mystery of Iniquitie 335 Popish mysteries to advance the papacie 343 Popish mysteries to advance poperie 360 Baits to catch papâ—sts 369 Hookes to hold papâ—sts 373 SERMON 14. The Pope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the lawlesse person 381 In regard of Scriptures 391 Of the Creed 395 Of humane Lawes 396 Of Oaths 397 Of nationall Lawes 402 The Exemption of the Clergie 404 Of Childrens obedience 408 Of Mariages 409 Of his owne Constitutions 411 SERMON 15. The destruction of Antichrist 414 The beginning of the Reformation 416 Poperie may returne into England 417 Poperie may not be put downe by force of Armes 418 The finall destruction of the Pope uncertaine 428 Popery shall not be extinguished till the last day 432 The destruction of Rome 434 SERMON 16. Of lying miracles 440 Of Popish miracles 343 The miracle Rev. 13. 13. explained 465 Whether Papists doe any miracles 467 Whether miracles should perswade unto Poperie 470 SERMON 17. Of the Antiquity of the Church of Rome 478 Vniversalitie 478 Vnitie 478 Infallibilitie 478 Of disputations with Papists 487 The care of the Popish Church for Controversie Writers 488 Of Popish perswasions 491 Devotions
most palpable apostasie These seven particulars are sufficient to shew that point they so impetuously presse us to in what time and under whose reigne this Apostasie was acted Although I suppose that I may undeniably conclude That an old man hath an hoary head when I see it gray although I be not able to shew the very day when every haire did turne colour One word for our practice and so I end To fall from the truth the text tells us it is the time of Antichrist the signe of Antichrist and the worke of Antichrist indeed the very Essence and Quintessence of Antichrist Apostasie hath beene a thing ever and most abhorred in the Church of God Peter did fall from Christ but Christ knoweth it cost him deare He wept Cypria epist 52. for it bitterly Matth. 26. 75. Trophimus a Minister fell from the truth afterwards he repented and returned and was received into the Church but Cyprian would never suffer him to execute the function of the Ministry any more Fortunatianus a Bishop fell from the Cyprian epist 64 68. Church but Cyprian and Cornelius and many others denyed him his Bishopricke although he repented and recanted his wicked Apostasie Marcellinus a Bishop of Rome for feare of the Pappus pag. 108. tyrant Maximian revolted but he returned with remorse sought out the persecuted Christians in a Crypta a Conventicle at Suessa in Campania and did voluntary penance in sackcloth and in ashes and in abundant teares in the open Congregation Our noble Archbishop Fox Acts and Monuments Anno 1556. pag. 2067. Cranmer thrust that hand first into the fire which had subscribed unto Popery And the most disgracefull name that ever was fastned on a gracelesse wretch was the sirname of Iulian Iulian the Apostate or Revolter from the Christian Religion Nay the very Apostates themselves cannot indure Apostasie but if the tortures of the Inquisition doe extort recantation from any fraile consessour sometimes they dyed notwithstanding most times bore Tapers in their hands and wore Halters on their neckes and Sambenitos that is coats painted with Devils on their backes and all times suffered shame for such a crime and so shamefull a transgression For our selves know we that Antichrist hath his instruments of Apostasie at this day amongst us also Laborious Papists who will Math. 23. 13. compasse sea and land to make one Prosylite Subtile Iesuites who creepe into houses and lead captive silly women And many an Elimas many an audacious Seducer that will pervert Paulus Sergius and seeke to turne away even Noblemen from the truth But know Facilis est descensus averm It is easie to fall from the truth but Hic labor hoc opâ—s infinite labour and dolour to returne to the truth A garden is most weedy if once undigged and a Christian most savage if once revolted Remember Luke 9. 26. Whosoever denyeth Christ on earth before men Christ will dâ—ny him before God and his holy Angels in heaven Remember Hebr. 10. 25 26 27. If we forsake the assemblies and sinne wilfully after wee have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne but a certaine fearfull looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devoure the Adversary Remember that Apostasie and revolting from Religion is the pledge of Hell and Badge of Antichrist Christ therefore confirme us and make us constant in his Truth without Hypocrisie Apostasie or Backsliding SERMON IV. 2 THESS 2. 3 4. And that Man of sinne be revealed Antichrist not one person The Man of sinne The Pope the cause of Ignorance of Whoredome and of Treason The Powder Treason ANd tha◠〈◊〉 of sinne bee revealed I have 〈◊〉 the first of these five points which I propounded in the description of Antichrist I have shewed you the Antichristian Apostasie The second succeedeth His Titles which are three The first of them followeth in these words of my Text And Suarez Apoloâ— lib. 5. c. 17. â—â— 1. that Man of sinne be revealed Suarez in the fift booke of his Apology and seventeenth Chapter in the beginning thereof disliketh our Kings discourse because hee omitted this clause Therefore to satisfie those that follow Suarez I will discusse this point largely And indeed there is ample matter in this short sentence In it I commend foure points to your consideration the Subject Article Adjunct and Accident First Antichrist is here termed a man secondly the man thirdly the man of sinne and finally the man of sinne to be revealed First Antichrist is here called a man as I conjecture to imply the manner of his invading the Church which is by subtlety and Policy That whereas other persecutors have bin compared to Beasts because they assaulted the Church with a brutish violence Antichrist is termed a man to shew that hee fighteth not onely with the horne of a Beast Hostility but also with the tongue of a Man Subtlety Both Os gladij and gladius or is both the sword and the word also shall be his instruments to cut downe true Professors Howsoever this quencheth that errour which was a little kindled by Hyppolitus that Hyppolitus â—e Consum mundiâ— Antichrist should be Daemon in corpore phantastico a Devill in a phantasticall body This opinion is a phantasticall assertion for Antichrist shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man saith S. Paul in my text Oecumen in â— Thess 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an absolute man saith Oecumenius on my text The second point 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ille homo The man of sinne This article of the word the Papists urge as an Article of their faith that the Pope cannot be Antichrist Hence is Suarez his Suarez Apol. lib. 5. c. 2. nu 3. admiration and Lessius his demonstration The former doth wonder Quis sedem Regni hominem peccati appellare solet that any should call a Kingdome by the name of a man And the latter deriveth his third demonstration ab unitate Less de Ant. Dem. 3. Antichristi Antichrist is one man therefore the Pope is not Antichrâ—st Our Rhemists say this Rhemistâ— in 2 Thess 2. Bell. de P. R. lib. 3. c. 2. article or the signifieth one singular man Et. sane mirum est saith Bellarmine nullum adversariorum quâ—tamen jactant linguarum peritiam hoc non ammadvertisse I wonder saith hee that none of the Protestants who professe themselves great Linguists could observe this property of the Greeke language where this articleâ— or the doth signifie one singular person Surely the Rhemists might be right English and Bellarmine a true Italian but neither of them good Graecians their argument I may shape into this Syllogisme The article doth signifie one singular person The Pope is not one singular person ergo The article doth not signifie the Pope Ergo The Pope is not the Antichrist The answer is easie First I aske any Divine wherefore may not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Man in
Templa Dei Antichrist saith he shall sit in the Temple of God that is in the Temples or Churches of Christians for these alone may truly be termed the Temples of God Baronius more plainly yea Baron anno 72. sect 28. as peremptorily as any Protestant that ever set pen to paper in this point This yeare saith he the Iewes were subdued to the Romanes Nunquam posthaec servire desierunt aut desinent usque ad sinem mundi after which they shall live in perpetuall servitude even to the end of the world Neque spes est aliqua restituendae iterum Hierosolymae vel Templi denuo excitandi Neither is there any hope that that City shall be ever restored or that Temple ever built againe According quoth he to that Prophesie of Daniel 9. 27. He shall make it desolate even unto the consummation Also hee confirmeth it by a second argument drawne from Experience When as saith he the Apostate in hatred of the Christians and the Iewes in contempt of Christ hoping 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sâ—zâ—menus lib. 5 cap. ult to make Christ a lyar and a false Prophet indeavored to re-edifie the Temple the workmen were terrisied with hideous apparitions and dreadfull fires issuing out of the earth which forced them to desist from that building To his judgement may be added this reason the Temple was a type of the Dounam de Ant. part 1. lib. 1 cap. 2 sect 1. Church of Christ and therefore when the Church of Christ was once planted like other Types and Figures the Temple of the Iewes was utterly to be abolished And this seemed to be no singular opinion of any private person but the universall Tenent of the most and best Divines of that age Hence S. Chrysostome composed an Oration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Orat. 2. contra Iudaeos tom 6. onely to prove this point That the Temple of the Iewes should never be repaired Yea Suarez himselfe more plentifully and as substantially Suarez Apolog. lib. 5. cap. 5. nu 5. as if Truth did extort confession from the mouth of that Adversary who doth labour to contradict it and suppresse it He speaketh so to the purpose that I now purpose to shut up my interpretation of this place only in his owne words Quod Paulus per Templum Dei Ecclesiam intellexerit probabile est sic interpretatur Hieronimus Hugo Chrysostomus Occumenius Theophylactus Theodoreti verba haec sum Templum Dei appellavit Ecclesias in quibus Antichristus primam sedem arripiet I will English it for no Englishman can speake more plainly to our conclusion That S. Paul saith Suarez by the Temple of God doth mean the Church it is probable for this is the exposition of Hierome Hugo Chrysostome Occumenius Theophylact and Theodoret hath these words Saint Paul doth call the Temple the Church in which Antichrist will usurpe the chiefe See I conclude from the Phrases of my Text from the Testimonies of the Scripture and from their owne Confession The Papists themselves alledging the authority of the most and best of the Fathers and establishing this assertion with reason That the Temple shall not be built againe Therefore The Man of sinne shall sit in the temple of God and the verie Church of Christ shall be the seat and place of Antichrist Thus have ye the Explication What this Temple is I proceed to the Application Where it is The last sentence I quoted I will make my first entrance into the second point This is the saying of Theodoret cited by Suarez templum Dei appellat Ecclesias in quibus Antichristus arripiet primam sedem that is Paul doth call the temple of God the Church in which Antichrist shall usurpe the prime See Hence I argue The prime See of the Church is the seat of Antichrist But Rome is the prime See of the Church Therefore Rome is the seat of Antichrist Therefore the Pope the other properties of this Text and Chapter being his by a just application is Antichrist sitting in Rome the principall Church of Christ But here the Papists oppose a plausible objection Bell. de Pont. Rom. lib. 3. ca. 13 that by this we confesse the Church of Rome to be the Church of Christ I answer we doe so with these limitations First the Church of Rome may be termed Vhitak Contr. 4. Quaest 5. the Church of Christ because heretofore it hath beene a true Church As they themselves call the Host Bread because it was bread before the consecration And Isay 1. 21. wicked Hierusalem is called the faithfull City because it had beene so Secondly the Church of Rome doth usurp the name of the Church of Christ Thirdly it is the Church of Christ in the opinion of the Papists And finally it doth still retaine the relicks of the Church in that respect therefore wee may call it the Church of Christ Or to answer in the very words of Suarez himselfe Congregatio in quae Antichristus adorabitur Suarez Apol. lib. 5. cap. 15. nu 8. vocabitur Ecclesia templum quia antequam perverteretur erat ecclesia templiâ— Dei That is the Congregation of Antichrist is called the Church and Temple of God because it was the Church and Temple of God before their Apostasie Or yet more acurately with acute Tilenus Tilen syntag part 2. disp 36. thes 25. c. We say that the Church of Christ may be considered two wayes Vel ratione externae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel internae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in regard of the outward profession of the truth or of the inward possession of the truth The Pope or Antichrist may sit in the Church of Christ in the first sense but according to the second only the servant of Christ can sit in the Church of Christ I will divert a little to discusse one great point Whether the Romane Church be a true Church In which discourse I will insist on these foure particulars First I will declare What the Church is Secondly the reasons to affirme the proposition Thirdly the restrictions limitatioÌ„s therof And finally I will remove away some stones whereat the Protestants do stumble and pluck away some plumes wherewith the Papists doe magnifie themselves Both from this one ground because wee yeeld them to be Templum Dei a true Christian Church Such indeede is the charity of the Popish Spalatens Cons Red. pag. 12. Bell. de Notis Eccl. lib. 4. ca. 8. Dico secundo Church that they peremptorily pronounce Ecclesias Haereticas ne Ecclesias quidem omnino esse all hereticall Churches to bee indeed no Churches yea precisely to name the very particular As namely that the great Church of the Graecians is also no Church Whereby they also define all those infinite soules to bee also damned For extra Ecclesiam nulla est salus There is no saluation out of the Church But nobisnon licet esse tam impios we dare
not directly but by consequent onely In respect whereof we condemne it as Erroneous although for holding the foundation we doe and must hold them Christians To the judgement of these sound Divines subscribe many other at this day famous in our generation And I find this their opinion opposed by very few Reverend Authors and for preserving of their reverence I will suppresse their Names proceeding to the remnant of my arguments The first and foundation of all my arguments is the argument drawne from the foundation The Church of Rome doth hold the true foundation of Christianity it is therefore a true Christian Church As a man is in the shippe although tempests have torne away the Tacklings Pyrats have shot the maine Mast over-boord and they themselves have blowne up the Decke and nothing be remaining but the Carine the bulke and very Carkasse of the ship and that also upon the point of sinking Now the foundation of Christianity is twofold fundamentum quo fundamentum quod the foundation whereby a Christian doth know his salvation and the foundation whereby hee doth obtaine it Fundamentum quo the fundamentall Writings which doe declare the salvation of of Christians are the Scriptures in them wee have eternall life and they testifie of Christ Ioh. 5. 39. Fundamentum quod the fundamentall meanes and cause which hath purchased and doth give it is Christ Christ is the Saviour of the world Ioh. 4. 42. and other foundation can no man lay 1 Cor. 3. 11. Both which foundations are held by the Church of Rome The holy Scriptures they have and acknowledge yea even in the Originall And Christ they confesse to be the onely Saviour of the world ioyning nothing with Christ in the worke of Redemption but onely in the Application thereof Which although it be too much yet it is not enough to raze the Foundation Till then that the Papists doe reject the Scriptures or rather till they reject Christ wee must not exclude them from the Christian Church because they yet do hold the Foundation of Christianity I will recompence the length of this first argument with the brevity of foure following Foure wayes in two words will I plainly prove that The Church of Rome is a true Church From the Professors Pastors Patterne and Propertie of a true Church Their children wee doe baptise and their men baptised wee doe not rebaptise I suppose we should make a question of the one and no question of the other if they were absolutely out of the Church Let the Protestants grant that the Papists have true baptisme and the Papists will eaâ—ily and truly inferre that then They are a true Church The Papists have True Pastours This is acknowledged Whitak Contr. 4. qu 5. c. 3. Mason de Ordin minist ca. 12 by our Doctors approved by our Practise wee doe admit Proselyte Priests and did in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths reigne desire Consecration of our Bishops from theirs and Luther himselfe was a Popish Priest All these remaine so without Iteration But there are no true Pastours out of the true Church Therefore we granting them the one we must yeeld them also the other Suppose thirdly that a Pagan should pursue a Papist unto death eo nomine only because he is a Christian Can wee deny such a man the glory of Martyrdome yet this honour to be a Martyr wee all know to bee proper to the Church If therefore the Papists have true Martyrs they are also a true Church And for Examples wee may be sufficiently furnished out of the Scriptures Israel when the people did worship the calfe Exod. 32. 1. when they did burne incense to the brazen serpent 2 King 18. 4. when they bowed to Baal 1 King 19. 18. when they burned incense to other Gods 2 Kings 22. 17. yea when the Prophets did condemne them as the seed of a whore Esa 57. 3. as wicked wretched miscreants who had forsaken God Ier. 13 11. and were of him forsaken Isaiah 60. 15. Even then retaining the Law of God and the holy seale of his covenant they continued to be his visible Church As Hookers Politic lib. 3. sect 1. profound Hooker speaketh acutely God had his Church amongst them not onely because he had there thousands which did never bow their knees to Baal but whose knees were bowed to Baal even they also were the visible Church of God 1 King 18. 21. The Corinthians denyed the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. 19. The Galathians admitted Circumcision Gal. 5. 2. Thyatira suffered Iezabel Rev. 2. 20. Laodicea was luke-warme Rev. 3. 16. Philadelphia had but a little strength Rev. 3. 8. and Sardi was quite dead Rev. 3. 1. yet were all these Churches Nay it is the Temple of God though the Throne of Antichrist be pearched therein 2 Thes 2. 4. Wee cannot say more of Rome than what is here said of these that it is an Adulterous Idolatrous feâ—ble Lukewarme dead generation of temporizing Antichristian miscreants Nor can we say lesse of Rome than the holy Scripture doth here speake of these Notwithstanding all this because they retaine the Law of God and the seale of the covenant because they retaine the Scripture and the Sacraments Therefore The Church of Rome is a true Church of God The Restrictions and Objections are of neere affinity unà ergo fidelià I will handle them joyntly But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this assertion doth place mee as a souldier betwixt two armies ready to give the onset Our friends force me out of their ranks fearing me to be a Neuter or rather a favourer of the Enemie The Enemie advanceth himselfe to turne my weapons upon our side Some Protestants say I yeeld the enemy too much and that which is too false also Is it possible say they that the selfe same man should belong both to the Synagogue of Satan and to the Church of Iesus Christ That Rome should bee both Babel and the church Sub Ajacis clypeo I will sheild Hooker Polit. lib. 3. sect 1. my selfe under the arme of that old souldier of Iesus Christ who like an old souldier was never sufficiently rewarded for his service to our true English and truely Militant Church It is not possible that they should belong unto that church which is the mysticall body of Christ because that body consisteth of none but true Israelits true sonnes of Abraham true Saints and servants of God Howbeit of the visible body and Church of Iesus Christ these may be and oftentimes are in regard of the maine parts of their outward Profession who in regard of their inward disposition of mind yea of externall conversation yea of some parts of their very profession are most worthily hatefull in the sight of God himselfe and in the eyes of the sounder part of the visible Church most execrable To his words let mee adde one They thinke that my assertion doth put weapons into the hands of our Adversaries but I know that their contradiction doth plucke
a vessell of mans blood Satia inquit te sanguine quem sitisti cujusque semper insatiabilis fuâ—stâ— Cyrus was insatiable in his appetite to blood Wee may suppose the same of that whole bloody generation of the old Babylon Neither is the New Babylon free from that dropsie She is drunke with the blood of Saints Revel 17. 6. and if we looke on Calabria Languedoc Provence Bohemia Hungary and Spaine where the Protestants have beene persecuted and whence they have beene extirpated our eyes without the interposition of any Red Glasse or other artificiall medium would apprehend those Countries to bee like the Aegyptian Rivers Exod. 7. 21. all blood If we review the Resolutions of the Spanish and English and the Executions of the French the Armada Powder plot and miserable Massacres But of all if the Inquisition which is now like the sonne of Croesus tongue-tyed would utter Aâ—â— Gâ—llius lib. 5. cap 9. how many Lambes have had their throats cut in that secret shambles We should see so much that it would compell us to speake as much to Rome as Zipporah did to Moses Exod. 4. 25. Surely a bloody citie art thou unto us and therein also like old Babylon But what need we contend for arguments when our adversaries grant the conclusion That Rome is Babylon and so consequently the seat of Antichrist it is plainly confessed by many of the most learned Papists This is the Suarez Apol. lib. 5. 6. 7. nu 8. assertion of Victorinus Andreas Ribera Viegas also Bellarmine de Sum. Pontif. lib. 3. ca. 13. Sanders de Vis Monarchia lib. 8. cap. 8. and many others Roma à Iohanne saepius vâ—catur Babylon saith Lessius Si aeutem saith Suarez If Lessius de Ant-Dem 12. Suarez Apol. lib. 5. c. 7. nu 8. Malvenda de Antich lib. 4. c. 4 by Babylon we understand any particular Citie it can be no other than Rome Nay saith Malvenda since S. Iohn Revel 17. 18. doth call Babylon the Great Citie which reigneth over the Kings of the earth this saith he is as plaine as if one should veluti digitâ— Romanam Vrbem demonstrare with his very finger point at the citie of Rome Thus farre then we concurre that Rome in the Revelation is meant by Babylon and that Rome or Babylon is the seat of Antichrist But they qualifie this grant with a distinction Suarez Apolog. lib. 5. 6. 7. nu 8. It may be say they Rome is Babylon and shall be the seat of Antichrist but this must be understood de Roma ethnica non religiosa of Rome under the Pagans and not of Rome under the Pope A childish evasion not worthie a consutation It must bee Rome Christian as it appeareth from a double departure The first of Babylon from the Church Revel 17. 1. Babylon is called an Whore which doth presuppose Apostasie and an Apostasie is peculiar unto Christians no way pertaining unto Pagans The second departure is of the Church from Babylon Rev. 18. 4. Exite Come out of her my people Now wee know that many of Gods people did remaine in old Rome who would have made some scruple to reside in Babylon Againe S. Paul saith that the Temple of God is the seat of Antichrist But Rome Heathen is not the Temple of God Therefore Rome Heathen is not Babylon or the seat of Antichrist Let us try this distinction a little further and we shall discover it to be meere drosse Thus we object Rome is Babylon or the seat of Antichrist They grant it but distinguish betwixt Rome Heathen and Christian As if they should say Indeed Rome is the seat of Antichrist but Rome as it was or shall be under the Pagans and not as it is under the Pope So we dispute of the Place and they distinguish of the Time whereby they yeeld the Cause that in regard of the Place Rome is the Seat of Antichrist But for the Time that is another property which I will handle in another place For this it is sufficient that Rome is the place of Antichrist Since therefore Rome doth stand on seven hills since it did reigne over the Kings of the earth since it is aptly resembled to old Babylon and since it doth usurpe the Temple of God claiming it selfe to be the Principall yea the whole Church of Christ I conclude Rome is Babylon the City the Court and Seat of Antichrist And is Rome Babylon Now me thinkes I heare that voice from heaven Revel â—8 4. Come out of her my people that yee be not partakers of her sinnes and that ye receive not of her plagues Babylon will bring sinne to your soules plagues to your bodies perdition unto both Let us therefore come out of Babylon let us therefore keâ—pe out of Babylon Saint Iohn did runne out of the bath from Cerynthus for feare hee should have beene buried in it And Lot was haled out of Sodome for feare he should have beene burned with it But Babel is worse than Cerynthus his bath worse than Sodome we shall be burned we shall be buried in destruction if once we be bewitched with that Babylonish sorcery Popery Yea the seat of Babell is like the Furnace of Babell it will destroy those who come but neare it And Popery is like a Whirle-poole it will swallow those who come but within the brinke thereof Let us therefore Come out of Babylon and keepe us farre from the deceits of Poperie I say not Trade not with them Eate not with them Companie not with them I say not this yet Modicum non nocet Si non sumatur A little Acquaintance with Popish People will doe little harme if wee entertaine no acquaintance with any Papists at all This I say Beware of Babylon and her papisticall instruments Keepe your Children from them keepe your Servants from them keepe your Persons from them But above all keepe your Hearts and Affections from them Now the God of Hierusalem keepe you from the Man of Babylon â— that he may never prevaile upon your Persons upon your Friends upon your Children upon your Servants nor upon any thing which appertaineth unto you Amen SERMON VIII 2 THESS 2. 3 4. Who exalteth himselfe above all that is called God or that is worshipped Antichrist shall not exalt himselfe above the true God The Pope doth and above all that is worshipped The Popes Ambition The Pope exalteth himselfe above Kings Above the Emperours Papists are Traitors THis branch of this verse containeth the first property of Antichrist concerning the exposition wherof there is a great breach betwixt us and the Papists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Bellarm. Apolog cap. 9. extollit se Antichristus supra omnem Deum qui dicitur Deus sive per essentiam sive per participationem sive falsum sive verum saith Bellarmine That is Antichrist shall exalt himselfe above all that is called God either by Essence or by Participation be he a true or a false god
Bishop of Rochester Yea the same Fisher did perswade the sayd Bishops to consent unto that Title as Sanders doth witnesse Sanders de schism pag 77. We also remembring the sense may retaine the title without any scruple So Saul is termed the Head of the Tribes of Israel 1 Sam. 15. 17. and the Husband the Head of the Wife Bin. tom 3. 363. Ephes 5. 23. Anno 813 in the Councill of Mentz their Preface did intitle Charles the great Religionis Rector the Ruler of their Religion no lesse than if they had called him The Head of their Church Againe 847 the same Bin. Tom. 3. pag. 631. Title was given to another Emperour by another Councill at Mentz Lewis also was called Rector Religionis An hundred yeares before both these the Bin. Tom. 2. pag. 1183. Councill of Emerita anno 705 acknowledged that King Reccesuinthus did regere secularia Ecclesiastica that is governe them in things both Civill and Ecclesiasticall the formall phrase of our Soveraigne I may therefore Bell. Apolog. cap. 1. invert this argument ad homâ—nem and say the Papists cannot gainsay this Title of our King because they themselves did give it him which he doth yet retaine but with two maine differences from the Papall usurpation both in regard of the intent and extent thereof First he hath it and doth use it onely quoad externum regimen to settle the Truth Prohibite Error reward or punish Church Ministers Not to define matters of Faith much lesse to administer Suarez Apolog. lib. 5. cap. 17. lib. 6. prooemio Champnaeus in Mason 573 594 Masonus de min. Angliâ—ano lib. 4. cap. 2. the holy Sacraments as the Papists scandalously and shamelesly charged our Princes withall We answer with our most learned Country-man now with God The power of our Prince is spirituall Objectivè because it is imployed about a spirituall matter or things Ecclesiasticall scil the establishing of Religion in their dominions But it is spirituall not formaliter formally because it is not exercised in things spirituall modo spirituall that is in a spirituall manner as Preaching Administring the Sacraments Excommunicating c. Nay wee can wipe away this imputation with Bellarmines Bell. de Pont. Rom. lib. 1. c. 8. owne syllables Respondemus reges nostros esse Custodes non Interpretes legum divinarum that our Princes are Maintainers not Explainers of Gods true Religion Whereof our late incomparable learned Leige Lord printed a publike protestation That hee never did nor Iacob Rex Aâ—oâ—g pro juram Fidei ever would take upon him to make any new article of faith neither would he presume to make himselfe the Iudge of any Article But that hee would bee a Patterne of obedience and submit himselfe to all the Articles of the faith with as much humility and modesty as the meanest of his subjects A profession plaine enough to stop the mouth even of Malice it selfe but that some mens Throates are open Sepulchers And secondly our King is stiled Caput Ecclesiae Britannicae The Head of the sole Church which is within his Dominios But the Pope doth term himselfe Caput Ecclesiae Occumenicae the Head of the whole Church of Christ No lesse a difference than is betwixt One little Iland and the whole world or universe Next Gladius Delphicus Their common distinction is that the Pope is the Head of the Church Ministeriall not Principall To display the weaknesse of this Rome-coyned distinction let us consider but thus much That ever any Monarch made One Vice-roy i. Ministerial head over all his Provinces I beleeve it will exercise the best Antiquary to alledge but one precedent Therefore an Head Ministeriall and Occumenicall are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 termes incompatible Especially to arrogate the Prime title of his Lord as the Head is of Christ such an arrogance would be suspected if not censured for some Traiterous usurpation But to wave word-contentions and to cleare all cavills If the Pope doth usurpe the thing signified by the Title then can they not but confesse that he is The Head Imperiall not Ministeriall Now the Head saith Plato is the Emperour of the members And all the power of any Head Ministeriall Spirituall or Politicall commeth within the compasse of these distributions It is either in direction or correction directing either by Command or Countermand the command is either given injunction or obeyed which is subiection But the Pope doth exercise exact and atchieve equall injunction and subjection equall commanding and countermanding power equall power directing or correcting with Christ himselfe The Pope therefore as the Head as Christ ruleth in the Church of Christ That is as God he sitteth in the Temple of God and him I take to be The Antichrist First for Direction the Pope is the grand Directour indeed the very Steere-man of the Church commanding all Christians to saile by Sacrar Cer. lib. 1. sect 8. cap. 6. fol. 94. his Compasse Which may seeme no mervaile because he doth stile his Cardinalls Senatores Vrbis the Counsell of the Citie Conjudices orbis with him the Iudges of the world And alluding to the Etymology Cardinales from Bell. de Pont. Rom. 4. â— 56. Ioh. de Turrier lib. 2. â— 109. 110. Cardines he termeth them persons super quos militantis ecclesiae ostium volvendum revolvendum upon whom the whole Church must be moved Now Christ is the onely un-erring Teacher and that the Pope cannot Erre is a common popish assertion Pontisicis verba cum è Cathedra docendo desinit the words of the Pope when he doth desine any thing and teach it out of the Chaire that desinition is of equall certaintie with the doctrine of Christ himselfe sayth Suarez Yea his Translations in Latine are preferred Suarez Apolog. lib. 1. c. 22. 1. essi de Antich Demonst 15. Innocent 4. iâ— cap. Supâ—â—o de Big nu 2. Aug. de 〈◊〉 quaest 67. art 2. Nicholaus Dist 19. Si Romanorâ—â— Antonin Sum. part 3 ca 22. Cupers 124. nu 9. Ioh de Turrier lib. 2. cap. 101. Cupers pag. 42. nu 15. Isâ—dâ—r Moscon pag. 27. Ioh. Cephal lib. 1 Cons 97. nu 10. Aventin lâ—b 7. pag. 547. before Christs owne Originall before the very Scripture in Greeke and Hebrew avouched by Lessius It is his prerogative non solum interpretari sed etiam condere not onely to interpret but also to make Scriptures And that the Scriptures are to bee received by vertue of the Papall Decrees Incredible popish blasphemies did not the Pope and Popish Doctors publish and print them Hence they conclude that he hath Plenitudinem potestatis scientiae the fulnesse of knowledge That hee hath judicium coeleste infallibile indefectibile an Indefective infallible and heavenly judgement And if the whole world define against the Pope yet the Popes desinitions are rather to be imbraced than that of the whole world Thus they conclude I conceive another conclusion
Trent Laynez the Iesuites Generall delivered it for a generall conclusion that the Pope and Christ have the same Tribunall and the same Authority and the same assertion is avouched by Capistranus The first degree of Capistran so 124 correcting their disobedient is by way of Excommunication Concerning which this is the opinion of Withrington a moderate Papist in Withring◠of the Oath of Allegiance preface his Admonition to the Reader concerning the Oath of Allegtance The Church saith he hath power to impose a Temporall punishment by way of command if it bee necessary for his soules health not by way of coertion So that if hee will not obey the command of the Church imposing such a temporall punishment on him she can onely for our disobedience punish finally with spirituall punishments as by inflicting censures not by depriving our lands or lives This is the judgement of Withrington our learned and excepting his errours our honest Adversary He calleth himselfe a Romish Catholike I am sure his opinion in this point is Catholike but not Romish And I am perswaded if Rome did sway the Land where hee doth live he should feele the Romish fire for this Catholike opinion Howsoever the first punishment for disobedience is Excommunication But we esteeme this to be but brutum fulmen the Protestants reject the Popes Excommunications like Sampsons cords like a threed of tow which toucheth the fire What do they to such From such if they be in their power he taketh away their liberty they cannot buy and sell in safety as I feare some of our owne Merchants have found it Next hee raketh from them their lands forcing them to flie their native country as the poore French have felt in our dayes Then their lives as our wofull English could witnesse in Queene Maries reigne And finally he will take from them that which is dearer unto them then their lives their Names Thus did the Papists to Calvine whom they published to have died desperate when as many years he survived that presumptious calumny Yea hee will saevire in cineres punish their carkeises and command their bones to be raked out of their graves as he did to Paulus Fagius Neither shall Kings disobey the Pope uncorrected For he hath authoritie to take away their Scepters and lives also sayth Suarez in the sixt booke of his Apology But for that fatall Inquisition It is a correction like the fourth Beast in the seventh of Daniel and the seventh verse It is dreadfull and terrible devouring all but it hath no Name Although Gonsalvius hath in some sort discovered it yet I am perswaded that none living but the tormentours and the tormented can fully tell what the intralls are of that Bull of Phalaris it is the very embleme of Hell none returne from thence to tell the torments thereof And certainly whosoever is caught within the compasse of that engine of cruelty if he bee fortified with courage from Heaven in a rare measure hee may alter the Prayers of the old Leturgie they prayed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Save us by those unknowne torments these may pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Lord save us from those unknowne torments And thus doth this Tyrant both usurpe out strip the correcting power of a King The Pope as Christ doth rule in the Church of Christ in the phrase of my Text Antichrist as God sitteth in the Temple of God I adde briefly Me thinkes the Empire of Christ in his Church is most briefly and emphatically expressed by Christ himselfe Iohn 14. 6. Ego sum Via Veritas Vita that is saith Calvine I am the beginning the meanes and the end of saving knowledge Or as Saint Augustine Christ is Via sine errore the Way without errour Veritas sine falsitate the Truth without falshood Vita sine morte the Life without death Others interpret these words otherwise that Christ sheweth the meanes descryeth the things and giveth the end concerning eternall felicity All these doth the Pope usurp First that he is Via the Way that hee cannot erre a property of Christ never communicated but to some persons and at some times onely Secondly that he is Veritas the Truth His Councill of Trent commanded all credere to beleeve that and only that to be Truth which he taught And lastly he arrogateth himselfe to bee Vita to be the Life No salvation except a man bee a member of the Church say Christians not unlesse he be a member of the Pope say the Papists And therefore Bellarmine in his third Booke de Ecclesia and the second Chapter maketh the Pope to be an essentiall part in the definition of the Church So No Pope no Church and no salvation but in the Church and under the Pope Hence some beginne to thinke that the name of a Papist is more honourable than the name of a Catholike because the last doth imply a communion but with the Body but the first with the Head And how farre this Tyranny hath prevailed on the consciences of the blinded Papists you may perceive by this proverbe which they say is familiar in Italy I beleeve God and the Pope And thus doth hee dominiere in the highest nature The Pope as Christ doth rule in the Church of Christ that is Antichrist as God sitteth in the Temple of God Thus hath the Pope exalted himselfe Give me leave to exalt him one step higher and in the words of a Papist Qui desiderat Primatum interris inveniet confusionem in coelis that is He that will reigne as Christ on earth shall never reigne with Christ in heaven This is the period of the Popes primacy and this is the censure of Stella upon Luke 9. 48. Can notwithstanding all these premises any protest with Cupers that he is mancipium Romanae Ecclesiae that he is a professed Slave of the Church of Rome inthralling himselfe by a servile inflexible obedience in any case and against any person where a spirituall Soveraignty Tyranny doth command man and countermand God imposing injunctions uncontroulable exacting subjection unutterable or inflicting correction unsufferable ruling in the Church of Christ as Christ urging his owne Lawes with more severity than Christs Lawes I hope I know No servant of Christ will bee can be such a slave to Antichrist This truth have I delivered plainly painfully impartially even in the sight of a great God and of an innocent conscience I have done my duty I have delivered it For your duty to beleeve it I must leave that to him who is the Author and finisher of your faith Now the God of all truth give you all his holy Spirit that you may fulfill all his holy will SERMON X. 2 THESS 2. 3 4. Shewing himselfe that he is God Antichrist shall not call himselfe the true God The Pope doth shew himselfe to be God The Pope doth shew himselfe to be God plainly THis fourth verse containeth three properties of Antichrist
his heart is girded with a threefold gable of untamed obstinatenesse who will be negligent where S. Paul doth urge us to be diligent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Remember ye not saith my Text that when I was yet with you I told you these things But to frame my conclusions from their owne conceâ—sions Sanders rendreth five causes Sanders de Antichristâ—dem 2. of Antichrist the Efficient a just God that thereby he might maâ—e knowne the malice of Satan the power of Christ and the patience of the Church The next or subordinate efficient the subtle malitious devill who maketh Antichrist his instrument to seduce miserable men The Materiall is Antichrist himselfe a meere man The Forme is the powerfull working impâ—etie of Satan And the End of Antichrists comming is that they may bee punished who will not receâ—ve the truth All which causes are contained in this chapter The Efficient in the eleventh verse God shall send them strong delusion The Suboâ—dinate in the ninth Hee commeth after the workâ—ng of Satan The Matter in the third verse hee is termed The man of sinne The Forme in the seventh Antichrâ—stianâ—sme is called the Mystery of iniquity And the End is set downe in the end of the Prophesie in the twelfth verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antichrist shall come that they all might be damned which beleeve not the truth As therfore we love God or hate the Devill as we hope for salvatâ—on or feare our damnation so are we bound to search this necessary point this point of Antichrist Finally let a Dutch Papist concurre in this concluâ—â—on with this English Papist Multa Lessius de Antichâ—isto praesat apud Damelem Paulum in Apocalypsi Iohannis de Antichristo habeantur valde sit necessaria eorum notitia Ecclesiae ut sideles possint tempestive moneri ne ab illo circumveniantur That is there are many things written by Daniel Paul and in the Revelation concerning Antichrist the knowledge whereof is very necessary for the Church whereby the faithfull may in time be admonished lest they should be intrapped by that sonne of perdition Wee therefore are lesse beholden to that learned Protestant whosoever which shall inhibite any faithfull man members of the Church from labouring to know Antichrist than wee are to the popish Iesuite Lessius who acknowledgeth that knowledge to bee very necessarie for them But it may bee objected This point is difficult and therefore it may not be searched into And it may be answered This point is difficult and therefore excellent and therefore it must be searched into Moreover the Holy Ghost did deliver this excellent matter in a difficult manner for three reasons for those who follow Christ for those who follow Antichrist and for those who follow neither Christ nor Antichrist First for those who did follow neither lest the Heathen and Romanes should have beene exasperated if they had beene informed that a Viper should have proceeded out of the Church to devoure the Dragon of their Empire Occumenius in 2 Thess 2. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Occumenius That is S. Paul uttered this prophesie thus obscurely that he might not provoke the Romans unto unnecessary enmity And it is the opinion of many of the learned that many of those heavy persecutions were commenced and continued by the Romanes against the Christians because from this prophesie they had apprehended an inkling that the Church of Rome should teeme him that should subvert the Empire of Rome The same obscurity is used because of those which follow or favour Antichrist that by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a just recompence of reward God might harden them judicially who had hardned themselves habitually This mystery of Antichrist is spoken to them in Parables that seeing they may see and not perceive and hearing they may heare and not understand Mark 4. 11 12. And finally this prophesie is penned in these darke and difficult termes for their sakes who doe truly follow Christ that true Christians might be hereby excited unto industry and invocation to reade constantly that they may know and to pray continually that they may eschew that Man of sinne and Sonne of perdition Let my heart therefore exhort you in the words of our Saviour Iohn 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for certainly these doe testifie of Christ yea and of Antichrist also Doe that noble act of those noble Bereans Acts 17. 11. Search the Scriptures daily whether these things be so I desire not to obtrude any thing upon facility or credulity but ponder every point I distrust not my ability to satisfie the hearer or to justifie the speaker in any reasonable manner or measure In the phrase of the Apostle 1 Thess 5. 21. I dare appeale to the judgment of any indifferent auditours Prove all things Hold fast that which is best Heare me Reade others Examine all I say confidently Prove all things and God grant you may hold fast that which is best The digression being dispatched in the first verse I proceed to the progression in the next to wit How the person of Antichrist was hindred to be knowne in S. Pauls time A point worthy to be commended to our consideration for on this ground doth Bellarmine build his second Bell. de P. R. lib. 3. c. 3. Demonstration The Pope saith he cannot be the Antichrist Quia impedimendum nondum sublatum est because that which hindred is not yet removed out of the way And withall Bellarmine Steuartius in 2 Thess 2. 5. following the Greeke and Latine Fathers saith that the Apostle doth here speake De Romani imperij eversione of the eversion of the Romane Empire Whereof he made mention to the Thessalonians plainly when he was present with them but being absent from them he durst not write it for feare that this prophesie might be published to the notice of the Romanes whose hatred he knew thereby hee should incurre Moreover those Fathers and Bellarmine conceived the sense of this sentence to be this Ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed that is The flourishing estate of the Romane Empire did hinder the comming of Antichrist Answerable to which exposition is the tradition of Tertullian Optatus and Lactantius Pererius in Dan. li. 14. p. 677 that it was a prime prayer in the Primitive Church Pro conservatione Romani Imperij that God would preserve the Romane Empire the Christians saith Pererius perswading themselves That Antichrist could not come so long as that did flourish The probable cause whereof is assigned by Chrysostome by way of precedents that as the Babylonian Monarchy was subverted by the Persians the Persian by the Macedonians and the Macedonian by the Romanes so in the conclusion the Romanes themselves should have their Scepter wrestled out of their Herculean fists by the Herculean labour of Antichrist And the event saith Amen to all this It seemeth that the Romane Empire by their tyranny and
persecution did hinder the rising of Antichrist For so long as the Church was under persecution the Man of sinne could not rise to his greatnesse which he did immediately upon the fall of the Romane Empire And as I touched before it is thought that the very suspition that the Christians should be the overthrow of the Romane Empire was the cause of many bloudy persecutions The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or reciprocall consent is this that the Romane Empire did hinder the comming of Antichrist and that Antichrist would come immediately on the fall thereof The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but we dissent concerning the manner thereof To borrow Bellarmines phrase we say it is inclinatio they desolatio we say a diminution they that an absolute dissolution of the Romane Empire shall be as Cyprian spake of Decius Metator Cyprian Epist 22 Antichristi the Harbinger of Antichrist Before I proceed to this point I will in two words propose foure theses and as many parentheses the first bee allowed by the Papists and the last inferred thence by the Protestants First out of the sixt and seventh verses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What with-holdeth and who letteth these articles imply rem personam both the Empire and the Emperour yet no singular person but a long succession of the one and the other Therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Antichrist and the Man of sinne signifie in like manner a succession and not one singular person Next in the seventh verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he who now letteth that is the Empire and Series or succession of those Emperours which was in S. Pauls time Therefore no Empire nor Emperour of our time is meant in this prophesie Thirdly out of the same verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who onely letteth as if he had said that the Empire was that onely impediment and so soone as it should be removed Antichrist would instantly be revealed The revelation therefore of the Popish Antichrist and Iewish Christ will bee both ad Graecas Calendas in no time future for their Revelation is long since passed already And finally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de medio tolli to be taken out of the way doth not signifie to be abolâ—shed out of the world but to be removed out of the way In this sense runneth this phrase in other places of the Scripture Thus actively Act. 17. 33. S. Paul departed de medio illorum the meaning is not that he departed out of the world or dyed but that he departed out of the way or left their company Againe passively Matt. 13. 49. the Angell shall sever the wicked de medâ—o justorum we cannot imagine that the wicked shall be abolished but only that they shall be separated Therefore it is a paradox not to be named to affirme that the very name of the Emperour must be extinguished before Antichrist can be revealed Therefore our position and exposition is warranted by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very letter of the Text Imperium esse è medio tollendum non prorsus delendum as our worthy D. Whitaker doth Whitaker in â—ell Contr. 4. qu. est 5. deliver it that is the Romane Empire must be removed out of the way not abolâ—shed out of the world before the revealing of Antichrist To adde light to the Sunne wee may annexe two reasons First the Emperour or he who letteth must be removed no farther than onely that Antichrist may have roome to seat his Throne in the City situated on seven hills which S. Iohn hath foretold to be the Metropolis of Antichrist Revel 17. 9. and is by Bellarmine acknowledged Bell. de Rom. Pâ—nt lib. 2. c. 2. to be meant of Rome Now for this it is enough that the Empire be removed into some further part not utterly to be abolished or cast out of the world Which the Pope seemeth to M. Higgâ—nsin Apoc. 182. Ser. 2. pag. 40. approve by one of his owne actions Of late time because he pretendeth some particular interest in that kingdome he installeth the Kings of Naples with this caution That they shall never take the Empire upon them Fearing the potency of so neere a neighbour to be a prejudice to his triple Crowne It is therefore the power and neighbourhood not the name and title of the Empire which is the lett to Antichrist Secondly S. Iohn saith in the third verse of Revelation the thirteenth that one head of the Beast which is interpreted to be the Romane Empire was wounded to death but so that that deadly wound was healed The Empire therefore is not to be abolished Finally that which did let was not inane nomen the bare name but the power of the Empire Now when the power was abolished that which letted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was removed Therefore the Empire was not utterly to be extinguished This experience it selfe doth abundantly testifie for the seat of the Romane Empire is removed from the City of Rome and that Imperiall imperious power is long since expelled out of Italy All which I will shut up with one singular Syllogisme shaped out of their owne assertions The old Empire of Rome was to bee divided into ten kingdomes or more this is most certaine saith Suarez But no Romane Catholike Suarez lib. 5. cap. 9 sect 15. Christoâ—â—orsâ—n part 2 pag. 49. did ever dreame that this present Romane Empire shall ever be divided into ten kingdomes this is the assumption of Michael Christophorson Therefore the Present is not the old Romane Empire That is abolished though not utterly yet so farre as it can let the kingdome of Antichrist The name thereof and title is only surviving Therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which letteth is taken out of the way What hinderance then can be in the way of this conclusion Antichrist is revealed and sitteth in that City which once was the seat of the Romane Empire Thus I conceive it to be manifest that the Romane Empire was not to be extinguished but onely to be removed Howbeit I will follow them on their owne grounds and shew them that there is a dissolution and desolation of that Romane Empire Saint Paul speaketh of in this place the bare name onely excepted I begin with Bellarmines words Desecit imperium in Bell. de R. P lib 3 cap. 5. Occidente Orientis autem imperium per Turcam destructum videtur that is The Romane Empire did faile in the West and in the East we see it destroyed by the Turkes Indeed as hee saith the westerne Empire was raised again by Charles the great therefore that Empire was once removed therefore at that time Antichrist was removed Againe when the Empire was overthrowne by the Gothes there was no Emperour in the west for the space of 325 yeares where was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that letted that long season If we bee not out of our wits wee must acknowledge that
of the Church Christian Nay some say that at this day some of the Popish Church vid. divers in France doe hold The Pope to be Antichrist Thus these Ancients had a glimmering twilight of Antichrist the elder were before him the later under him To the first hee was as an object too distant from the eye to the other as an object too neere the eye Therefore neither could see him clearly as wee may and doe at this day Of them I may speake that sentence of our Saviour Matth. 13. 17. Verily I say unto you many Prophets and righteous men have desired to see these things which you see and have not seene them But to shew that he is and how he is revealed in our time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saint Paul saith Hee shall then be revealed to wit when the Emperour is ruined then shall Antichrist bee revealed This is Saint Hieromes prediction Quitcnebat Hieron â—â—ist ad Geront de Monogamiâ— de medio sit non intelligimus Antichristum appropinquare Hee who did with-hold is taken out of the way and conceive wee not that Antichrisâ— is at hand And this is Machiavells 〈◊〉 Hist Flo. cat lâ—â—â— collection The falling of the Emperour was the rising of the Pope Moreover betwixt the desolation of the Empire and the revelation of Antichrist Saint Paul ponit nullum medium as Niâ—â— Orâ—mus Biblia Pâ—◠〈◊〉 Orem well observeth no distance of time But the Emperour who heretofore had the power of Election Investiture Calling of Councills and Leâ—e 27 â—e Episc â—â— â— â—â— theodos of imposing Lawes on the Popes hath now nothing left him but nomen sinere the bare Name of the Emperour As the Emperour himselfe acknowledged Fredericke by name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Radevicus lib 2. cap. 31. it followeth then that Antichrist is come already Now I must reveale to you how God hath revealed him to us Revelabitur id est regnabit saith Carthusian Dimysius 〈◊〉 in 2. â—hes 2. 〈◊〉 in Bâ—ll 〈◊〉 4. Quaest 5. he shall bee revealed to the Church that is hee shall reigne in the Church Concerning which we must consider 3 points Quando Antichristus erat Natuâ— Revelatus Adornatus the Preparation RevelatioÌ„ ExaltatioÌ„ of his kingdome All Errours generally Prepared the way and â—shered in Antichrist In the 7 verse Saint Paul saith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichristian mysterie was even then a working And Saint Iohn that there were many Antichrists in his time 1 Iohn 2. 18. who did prepare for the Comming of the maine Antichrist in our time Yet principally that errour of ascribing so much too much to St. Peter confounding Petra Petrus expouÌ„ding Mat. 16. 18. of the person of Peter which occasioned such arrogance to the pretended successours of Peter And this point decaÌ„tatur in versibus Ambrosij August Retract cap. 21. it was published in the Poems of S. Ambrose saith St. Augustine but St. Augustine did retract it as Erroneous At the least hee preferreth our exposition as Bellarmine himselfe confesseth Bell. de Pont. Ro. lib. 1. cap. 10. ad August c. in that same place where he laboureth to retract this retraction of Saint Augustine Thus the Errour of the Church of Christ and the Pride of the Church of Rome were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the preparation to the birth of Antichrist in the first foure hundred yeares yea immediately after the birth of Christ The Elephant is said to goe with yong ten intire yeares but this Monster was halfe ten centuries 600. yeres before she teemed before Antichrist was borne into the world His Revelation could not but succeed his Preparation Et ecce duo gladij hic Luc. 22. 38. The Revelation of Antichrist hath two degrees or Times in regard of the twofold Monarchie he aspired unto Spirituall and Temporall In regard of his spirituall Monarchy the Pope was revealed to be Antichrist about 606 yeeres after Gregor lib. 4. epist 38. Christ Gregory a Pope called Iohn of Constantinople the Fore-runner of Antichrist onely because he did claime the Title of Vniversall Bishop Fidenter dico said hee in the fourth booke of his Epistles I conclude confidently and definitively the desinitive senteÌ„ce of a Pope could not be erroncous Erroncous therfore it caÌ„not be if we say that he who atchived that Title of vniversall Bishop was more than a Forerunner even Antichrist himselfe And I may annex the words of the same Pope in the same place Sacerdotum exercitus ei praeparatur an Army of Priests serve Antichrist as their Generall Hereupon sidenter diâ—o I peremptorily pronounce it that Antichrist began to be revealed about the yeare 606 when Phocas conferred upon Pope Boniface 3 the title of Vniversall Bishop that thereby hee might regaine the love of the people which he had lost by the murthering of his Master Mauritius so that Policy not Pietie or Equity gave it him But the Pope pretended sor this a certaine Constitution of the Emperor Iustmian wherin he commanded that the Bishop of Rome should have the Precedâ—nce and Prime Place in their Clergy-Convocations Which Preheminence of the Pope was afterwards ratifyed by the Pope in a solemne Synode celebrated at Rome under the said Boniface 3 in the yeare 607. After that also about 646 the Pope was saluted with as illustrious a title from a Councill out of Africa Rolloch in 2 Thes 2. Domino Apostolico culmini sublimato Sancto Patrum Patri â—heodoro Papae summo omnium Praesulum Principi That is To the Apostolicall Lord the â—â—â— best top and tip of the Church the holy Father of the Fathers the Prince of all Prelates Theodore the Pope Adde to this that observation of the religious and reverend Bishop Dounam Eâ—iâ—c Derensis de Antichrist lâ—â— 2. cap. 8. sect 5. of Dery The name Pope which before was communicated to all Bishops at this time began to be appropriated to the Bishop of Rome I may conclude in this time was the beginning of the Papacy In this time Antichrist beganne to be revealed In regard of his temporall Monarchy there are 2 famous numbers in the Revelation of S. Iohn and both in the Revelation of the Pope to bee Antichrist The first is in the last verse of Rev. 13. where the number of the Beast is said to be 666. And the second is in the second verse of Rev. 20. The Devill is bound a thousand years For the first whether it be the number of a name or of a time or of both I dispute not but it is admirable when in all senses it shall concurre in one man I say therefore the Pope was revealed to usurpe an Antichristian temporall Monarchy about the 666 when under Constantine the third Pope Vitaliane who in former times had beene Ambassador for the Emperour shaking off the yoake of a superiour authority usurped the government of Rome Then also began the Masse to be celebrated
among such Princes their agents blowing up the coales of contention which at length might flame out into an open combustion A cloud of witnesses might dissolve it selfe into a testimony of this truth but I have an instar omnium at the mouth of onely one witness it shall uncontroulably be established These are the very words of a great Pope to the great Turke of Pius the second to Mahomet As our Predecessours STEVEN ADRIAN Epist Pij 2 ad Princip Turc pag. 9. and LEO did call in PIPIN and CHARLES to their ayde against the King of the Longobards HAISTVLPHVS and DESIDERIVS and being delivered from their tyrannie they transferred the Empire from the Grecians unto these their Champions So may we in the necessity of the Church make use of your assistance vicem reddere and returne a retribution Even the translation of the Christian Empire to the Turke if his Turkish sword would make good the Popish quarrells An excellent motive to make the Turke turne Christian but more excellent to make Christians take heed of the Popes subtletie 6. Rather than their sword shall faile them Pless Myst Opposit 28. Pless Myst Opposit 40. they will sharpen it at the shop of Rebellion Gregory the fourth conspired with the Sons against the Father the Emperour Lewis Gregory the seventh instigated the Germanes to an insurrection against Henry the third the Emperour and invested Ralph the Duke of Burgundy with the interest to his Empire Paschal the second Pless Myst progress 42. Pless myst progress 51. excited Henry the sonne to rebell against Henrie the Father Gregory the ninth did infuse the same poison into the heart of Prince Henrie that hee unnaturally rebelled against his noble Father Fredericke the second All which wolvish attempts had this one Foxe-like scope that the Italian Cities by these meanes becomming free States and obtaining a new forme of government divide imperia would be lesse able to oppose the Popish affected Monarchy than if they had remained under the Emperour intire in an united subjection Seventhly to make these mysteries yet more mysticall they have Sepia-like overspred these acts with an inky darknesse forging and purging the ancient Authors that they make those old Writers to speake those things now they are dead which they abhorred when they were alive Their additions to Cyprian and Augustine Goulartius and Erasmus have declared their subtractions from other old authors their own Indices expurgatorij have sufficiently acknowledged And how they have extinguished all the writings of the Waldenses is more than notorious But their Triarij their principall corrupters are three learned men famous in their generations in three sorts of learning Gratiane who compiled all the old Canons in one body of the Decrees Peter Lumbard his brother indeed brethren in the Mystery of Iniquity who brought the Fathers sayings into his foure bookes of Sentences And Baronius who spent thirty yeares Casaub Epist Dedic Exercit. ad Baron imployment to comprise all the Ancient Historians in his Tomes All their indeavours meeting in this Center to advance the Papacy Gratiane making the Law Lumbard Divinity and Baronius History to speake what was sit for the corruption of that doctrine and ambition of those Doctors But what is the effect Notwithstanding their cunning conveyance the carefull eye of an impartiall Reader may discerne the foot-steps of Antichrist and Antichristian errours even in their writings And their labour preventeth mine it proveth my conclusion The mystery of iniquity is a working even in their writings 8. Finally the favours of Princes and Prelates hath the Pope framed to bee a rare furtherance for his Prelacy and Principality registring their voluntary actions of love and courtesie as precedents of their necessary observance and duty Thus Honoratus Bishop of Marseille and Possessor a Bishop of Africa sent Gennad de Script Eccles cap. 100. their Bookes peradventure to intreat their judgements to the Bishop of Rome the one to Gelasius and the other to Hormisda Hence Baron 1. 6. 490. Artic. 43 45 46 Bar. â— 7. an 520. Artic. 12 13 14. Duorenus de Benefic lib. 1. c. 2. Bell. de Imag. lib. 2 c. 13. init Suarez Apol. li. 4. c. 31. nu 13 â—ess de Antichr part 2 pag. 267. Bellarm. de P. R. lib. 1. cap. 8. L. Volumus C. de Epist Cler. Hist Papatus cap. 4. Pâ—ess Myster progress 64. â— Baronius constraineth a conclusion therefore the approbation or suppressing of Bookes belong to the Pope The Ancients held the judgment of the Church of Rome in high esteeme and to it even their Councills had recourse as to the most solide advisers concerning their Canons and Constitutions But the Pope hath forced this their arbitrary reverence into a rule of necessary obedience that now there is no Councill above the Pope and can bee no Councill without the Pope Charles the great granted that the Clergie should be judged by their Bishops in all causes on which pretence the Pope hath arrogated power to determine all causes concerning all persons even against the Emperours themselves who gave them these priviledges at the first To give you a taste of many in this one example The King of France Charles the 8 having forcibly entred Rome yet comming into the Vaticane on his knees he kissed the foot of Pope Alexander the sixt and on another day he held the Bason and Ewre whilest his Holinesse did wash All which that humble Pope caused to be painted in a Gallery of S. Angelo as a pattern of Princes dutie which this heroick Conquerour did out of his redundant courtesie And thus have I discovered their Quaerere the History and the Mystery of their attaining their Papall greatnesse Thus much concerning their Mysticall Art in attaining now they are no lesse artificiall in retaining their greatnesse and in inlarging it in our times For which purpose they use both baits and hookes and both by way of undermining and countermining the poore Protestants First they undermine us Machiavil saith Mach. Hist Florent lib. 2. the old Florentines had a Bell called Martinella which was rung continually for a whole month together before their Army took the field that the Enemy might prepare for defence We must dreame of no such faire warre from our Adversaries the Papists will follow Machiavils policie not his History Therefore like the Beleaguerers of strong Forts they use secret Engines to blow up when suspect nothing but are secure as upon sound ground They undermine us admirably they have Engines and baits answerable to every Sexe and Condition Women especially devout women they worke wonderfully on and by for the spreading of Poperie They doe not onely creepe into houses and captive sillie Women as Saint Paul foresaw and foretold long agoe 2 Tim. 3. 6. But moreover they stirre up honourable women to persecute professours and to expell them out of their coast as the Iewes did at Antioch Acts 15. 50. Nay they surpasse
Receive the scriptures according to the sense which the Church giveth them They must take the Letter from God but the sense from the Pope though that sense be contrarie to the Letter yea to God too Is not this a slavery is not this a Mysterie of Iniquity 3. An Oath Doe not all Christians all men imbrace it as an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the uncontroulable umpire of Controversies and the vnsoluble Gordian knot of Contracts and Covenants yet we see it is a popish trappe to insnare poore Relation of the Religion in the West sect 16. Protestants Whence all Protestants feare iustly that the Pope will play fast and loose betwixt us and the Papists Romish Catholikes as father Parsons did with his owne punies Pretending to make peace betwixt the English Schollers and the Iesuites at Rome First hee sware the Schollers then he left the Iesuites unsworne Is it not a miserable advantage that in all Contracts the Protestants are fettered by an oath and that the Papists can be assoyled ad placitum That we dare trust a Turke rather than a Christian if he sweare to us Is not this treacherie perjurie a deepe point in the mysterie of Iniquity 4 Interdicting of hereticall bookes at least the Consining of them to the learned languages we approve and would God we did practise it also On this ground have they built the maine mystery of Popery In the Popish DominioÌ„s in Italy especially all Protestant Authors are interdicted yea Bellarmine Gregory de Valentia and their owne Authors are not permitted Nay in their ordinary Sermons not so much as a Text is read in their native language The very sound Relation of the Religion in the West sect 35. of the truth is kept from those miserable people whose poore soules are like to perish through this politike working of this mysterie of Popish Iniquity 5. But the nemo sâ—it of all mysteries I conceive to bee that engine of inhumanitie and shame of Christianitie that Pejerarium a secret Cyprian epist 22 Lactant. 5. 1. crueltie indeed the secret of crueltie surpassing the invention of Domitius and the execution of Domitian the Romish Inquisition The Institution thereof was commodious commendable conscionable to discover not to Torture it may be to expell not to kill the Maurani and the Mahometans which swarmed in the south part of Christendome But now the edge of that implement of destruction is turned upon the poore Protestants and there is not onely a cruelty but also a Mystery in the execution thereof I beleeve there shall bee few fires to burne the Protestants any more Publikely but the Inquisition shall catch them and examine them and affright them and torture them and kill them in secret where no eye but the eye of God can see them This is a secret and a mysterie of their cruell iniquitie 6. There are other projects lesse mischievous but as mysticall namely to disclaime those unchristian and unnaturall assertions of Aequivocation Sharp Epist Dedic and lying to men of Excommunication and killing of Kings we approve it exhort it and commend it Yet it is the suspicion of some men of judgement that some of those Papists whom we terme moderate secular Priests doe declaime against the Iesuits for these opinions that thereby they may insinuate themselves with more freedome and lesse suspicion into acquaintance and so worke men unto the Romish Religion This is a mystery worthy of our observation and of our caution too 7. Another thing wee all approve that children of Papists should be brought up by Protestants This I also wish though I dare not avouch the taking of them without the consent of their Parents But it is reported that some subtle Papists for some secret drift doe voluntarily put their children unto Protestant Tutors Here is a depth which my dulnesse cannot dive into I wonder at this mysterie yet I wish that it were an History That if our necessitie and necessary labours would give us leave that they would put their Children even to my selfe and to such as I am And then let them prove what their mysticall projects could produce when their children are under our Education 8. It is our common call and cry that the Papists should come to Church some of them doe it But so as that they haue occasioned a proverbe The Church Papists the worst Papists The more heavie Papist who goeth to Church as he sendeth his daughter to a Nunnery to save charges in the fulnesse of his devotion hee falleth fast a sleepe and dreameth not of one point in the whole sermon But the active spirit the learned Lay man it may be a Priest or a Iesuit Hee intertaineth his neighbour with talking to divert his owne Pew to disturbe the next pew and industriously to discontent the whole congregation Otherwise if the Preacher be but of slender gifts hee will heare him to deride him if he be learned to intrappe him And it is thought yea said that there are some of those Assyrians daily at these our Lectures as they did to the King of Israel 1 Reg. 20. 33. so these Papists Politicians Priests or Iesuites or all they observe diligently whether any thing doe fall from us and they catch at it But let them come and then Catch in Gods name While they come to Catch us by their Policy we may catch them by our Veritie This indeed were a Great mystery Thus according to the shortnesse of my time and smalnesse of my ability omitting many abreviating all I have showne you some mysteries of the politike Popish Religion You have heard the Papacy hath beene Hammering from Saint Pauls time to our time 1600 yeeres The shop of those Politicians hath beene at Rome from that forge the sparkes of their mysticall policies have flowne throughout the world They have cunningly apprentised our owne Countrymen our kinsmen yea our Wives and yoke-fellowes to worke in their mint and to spread the projects which they have coyned They tyrannize on the bodies of their foes by the Inquisition and they tyrannize on the soules of their friends of their owne children by Auricular Confession Their insinuating mysticall Agents creepe into our houses to inveagle our people into our Churches to intangle our Preachers What now Can we say lesse than my Text a mystery yea more Legion There are a thousand thousand sly subtleties and secret cruelties Now the mystery of the blessed Trinity Blesse us all from the mysterie of their cursed iniquity SERMON XIV 2 THESS 2. 7. That wicked one The Pope is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Lawlesse Person in regard of the Scriptures Creed Oathes Lawes humane Nationall Childrens Obedience Mariages And in regard of his owne Constitutions Exemption of the Clergy IN the two verses before my Text wee have heard Antichrist described here wee have heard him discovered Wherein I have unfolded three particulars How hee was hindered when revealed and what the thing was which was hindered
would demand but this if an Arrian should say the Lords Prayer would they refuse to say Amen If they should eate with a multitude of Turkes and that they should thanke the Creatour for feeding them with his good creatures would a good Christian refuse to joyne with them If they were with Pagans in a ship like Ionah in the shippe of Tarshish would they not pray with them to be delivered from the shipwracke Nay according to their owne Legends of Bellarmine Surius and Francis if horses sheepe and oxen should worship God would they not do what they exhort us to doe to adore God even for the company of those bruit creatures Yet either so miserable are we or so uncharitable are they that they will not vouchsafe that to us which they deny not to Arrians Turkes Pagans and the beasts themselves They will not joyne with us in the worship of our common God The effect whereof is admirable for the strengthning of Popery two wayes First they can never be informed by us Secondly they will ever be inflamed against us By the first they remaine in ignorance of our positions and beleeve as their Teachers slander us that our Preachers are Coblers Tailors Tradesmen Stella in Luc. 9. 16. Stella in Luc. 3. 11. Artisans and that our Preaching is magnifying Faith onely and then that men may live as they list By the second they are made to hate us worse than the Turkes whereupon their Crusadoes are published as well against the Protestants as against the Sarasins Now that ever Religion should ever worke such an hatred in men towards their Country-men Kinsmen yea Friends and Parents that they will not joyne with them in any thing concerning Gods worship though never so farre from offence or scandall I take this to bee a strange mystery of iniquity perswaded in all power after the working of Satan A feat not of man but of the Devill himselfe Here I take just occasion to satisfie one scruple which is perpetually objected If the Pope be that grand Antichrist and Popery so grossely erroneous how then are so many learned men of the Romish Religion the very phrase of my text is answer sufficient The comming of Antichrist is after the working of Satan in all power and therefore learned men may bee entangled Againe Matth. 24. 24. If it were possible the very Elect should bee deceived therefore for the learned to be deceived is no impossibility Againe Rev. 17. â— 2. Antichrist is termed a Whore which maketh men drunke Now a gracelesse yongster who is corporally inticed by uncleannesse and intangled by drunkennesse how will he defend himselfe and despise the plaine advice of his understanding friends to enjoy his bewitching beauty And hath not spirituall drunkennesse and uncleannesse equall power to beat downe all perswasions Sampson though hee had many gaine-saying strugglings yet could he not deny his Dalilah So am I perswaded that great learned men of the Romish Religion have many checks of conscience but the magnificence of that Synagogue doth extinguish them I will inforce and inlarge this answer in the words of Pope Pius the second with a very little alteration Sciunt Christiani c. The Protestants doe know that Pius 2. Epist ad Morbisan their Religion is sincere holy and saving nor can they be removed from it quamvis aliqui aut libidine ducti aut avaritia tracti aut voluptate illecti aut metu mortis attoniti aut cruciatu superati although some either allured by licentiousnesse or intangled by covetousness or astonished by the feare of death or vanquished by tortures are shaven doe abjure and turne Papists Quorum corda si possis inspicere but if you could search the hearts of those Apostates you should see that there is not one of them who doth forsake the Gospell upon advised motives and serious deliberation In a word this may suffice Antichrist is come after the working of Satan in all power And therefore many learned are of the Romish Religion For suller satisfaction Foure causes I conceive wherefore so many learned are of the Antichristian Roman Religion their Study Prejudice Pride and Gods just judgement to blinde them First they study the Scriptures in generall this prophecy in particular depending upon their wit learning languages and reading of the Fathers These meanes externall I acknowledge to be excellent and pray that all our side may excell in them But these without the meanes internall Humility and Invocation are like the stasse of Elishah without the presence of Elishah they will give no true life to the understanding for it is written I will destroy the wisedome of the wise and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent 1 Cor. 1. 19. And the naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can they know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14. A presuming upon their owne learning I conceive to be the first cause that so many learned are ignorant in this point of Antichrist Secondly at the comming of Christ who did or could speake more of his comming than the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Scribes and Pharises the Learned and yet who farther from the apprehension of the evident arguments of his comming than those Lawyers than those learned men The reason Prejudice They had beforehand perswaded their expectation to attend a temporall Messias that when Christ came the spirituall Messias all plaine signes which were apparent to Children were riddles to those Rabbies For prejudice had possessed them with a contrary expectation So concerning the comming of Antichrist the Rabbies of Rome their learned men prescribing to their expectation that Antichrist must be a Iew an open Tyrant against the Church and to tyrannize three yeares onely If you now tell them that Antichrist is a Christian a famous Bishop in the Church and that he hath tyrannized therein many hundreds of yeares If now an Angell from heaven should say Oh come out of Babylon yet would hee seeme to their learned as Lot did to his Sonnes in Law Gen. 19. 14. He would seeme as one that mocketh They mocke at all arguments proving the Pope to be Antichrist So potent is preiudice to keep even learned men in ignorance But herein I could wish that all Papists and some Protestants also would practise the advice of a Pope Pius the second Noli falsum dicere nisi Pius 2. Epist ad Moâ—bisan cognoveris esse doe not say that our reasons are false before you know them to be so Deride not our obiections besore you can cleare them by plaine solutions Thirdly in the Iewish Church there were many who did beleeve on Christ Iohn 12. 42 43. but they did non confesse him lest they should be put out of the Synagogue and they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God They would not confesse the truth
Take heed therefore that you make not any Image And the Commination threatned in the 24. The Lord is a consuming fire as if Hell fire were the reward of image-worshippers Againe in the second Commandement very bowing to an image is forbidden Whereupon the Church of Rome fearing that by the light of this evident inhibition their Mystery of iniquity should be discovered they leave this Commandement out of their bookes and Catechismes which come to the hands of the Common people And Vasques to shew his love to the truth goeth yet Vasq de Ador. l. 2. disp 4. c. 4. farther and affirmeth that the second Commandement is Ceremoniall and ought to be abolished Lactantius his words shall bee my conclusion for this point Non est dubium quin religio nulla est ubicunque simulacrum est According to whom thus I conclude Without peradventure they have no religion who worship images But the Church of Rome doth worship Images Therefore without peradventure the Church of Rome hath No Religion But are the Apostates Who do not receive the love of the Truth but take pleasure in unrighteousnesse The fift is the worshipping of the Crosse a worship altogether unknowne to the Heathen and therein therefore more then Heathenish Cruces etiam nec colimus nec optamus vos plane Arnobius lib. 8. qui Ligneos Deos consecratis Cruces ligneas forsitan adoratis ut deorum vestrorum partes saith Minutius that is Wee neyther wish nor worship Crosses but you who doe plainly hallow wooden gods peradventure you adore wooden Crosses as parts of your gods The Christians apologie is absolute that they did not worship wooden Crosses their recrimination to the Heathens that they did worship Crosses is qualified with a peradventure It is therefore without peradventure that the worshipping of a wooden Crosse was abhorred as abominable both by the Christians and Heathens Indeede some hereticall Christians have Pappus Hist pag. 345. beene knowne and taxed for that Idolatrie The Armenij thence were termed Charinzarij that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the worshippers of the Crosse And since in the dotage of the Church and nonage of Antichrist that Idolatry hath crept in amongst Christians Aquine undertooke a Aquin. 3. 25. 4. solemne disputation of the worship of the Cross And Cornelius Mussus is transported with the Corn. Mussus to 1. 662. adoration admiration of that wooden Idolatry O Crux admiranda O Salus Vita Resurrectio Salus animarum Vita coporis Resurrectio animae simul corporis that is O admirable Crosse O Health Life and Resurrection Health of the soule Life of the body and Resurection of both soule and body And that these may not be put off as private opinions of some particular persons heare the universall practice of their whole Church O Crux ave All Haile O Crosse Spes vnica Our onely Hope Hoc Passionis tempore This time of the passion Auge pijs justitiam Augment the godlies devotioÌ„ Reisque dona veniam And forgive the ungodlies transgression Never could I conceive the just cause of such senselesse idolatry till my text suggested it They have not the love of the truth but take pleasure in unrighteousnesse The sixt is the Sacrament Bee that blessed Bread as Sacred as the most sanctified heart can conceive yet it is but Bread notwithstanding Howbeit the Papists give unto it cultuÌ„ latriae that worship which is due to God DominuÌ„ DeuÌ„ tuuÌ„ Concil Trident. Sess 13. Can. 5. Costerus Enchir. cap. 7. adorabis Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God saith Costerus speaking of the Sacrament The whole Church doth cry to it Agnus Dei qui tollis peccatamundi O thou Lambe of God which takest away the sins of the world According to which is that stupendious superscription of our Sanders to his Treatise on the Lords Supper To the Body and blood of our Saviour Iesus Christ under the forme of Bread and Wine all Honour Praise and thankes be given for ever and ever Now wee knowing that the Carnall presence is but a carnall conceit and that the tricke of Transubstantiation is as true as any of Ovids Metamorphoses Wee cannot but pronounce the words of Costerus which he delivereth by way of supposition Colere frustum panis pro Deo to worship a peece of bread is worse then to worship viva animalia the brute Beasts as the Egyptians did or Imagines images as the Heathen did or to worship rubrum Stannum inhasâ—am elevatum a red Clout clapped on a Pole as the Lappians doe Nay it is saith hee such a grosse idolatry qualis in Orbe terrarum non fuit as the like whereof was never in the world never seene among all the Heathens Those stupid Idolaters did absurdly-execrably The first did make their god furthermore they did worship it But these to shew that they are superlative goe a degree farther 1. They make their god 2. They worship it 3. They eate it Now that men should make their god and eate their god none can beleeve it but those that doe not receive the love of the Truth but have pleasure in unrighteousnesse Thus the Papists doe make this Holy Sacrament a prophane Idol acording to our positions and they may make it so also according to their owne opinions It is their opinion yea a ruled case confirmed by a Canon of the Councill of Florence That three things are required Conc. Flor. in Dec. Euchar. sect Quinto to the perfect celebrating of the Sacrament Materia Forma Persona 1. That there bee a right matter 2. A right Forme that they use the words belonging therunto 3. That the Minister doe celebrate that Sacrament cum intentione faciendi quod facit Ecclesia with an intention to doe what the Church doth quarum si aliquid desit non perficitur Sacramentum if any of those three be wanting it is no Sacrament I assume but it is possible that the Priest may forget to have the same intention with the Church possible therefore it is that the Sacrament which hee administreth may be no Sacrament And therefore it is possible that the Papists may worship a meere peece of Bread which in the judgement of their owne Dr Costerus is the most absurd and abominable Cost Enchir. c. 7. idolatry that ever was in the world They will therefore be constrained unto Gersons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to adore the Host with this Caution Scilicet si recte consecrat a sit that is I adore thee O Host must the Papists say if thou beest consecrated aright Otherwise they cannot escape that concession and confession which our Doctor Featly extorted from their Dr Featly's Cons with Mr Musket touching transub die 1. Mr. Musket That the Popish Communicant may sometime commit Idolatry materially Salva res est erubescit Finally the World is their Pantheon and according to some Papists every Creature therin is an Object of their religious adoration The opinion
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all in one minde impossible to bee reclaimed All these make good this phrase of my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were besotted with a strong delusion I have alreadie inverted my Methode I must moreover alter it againe that I may proceed in order as the points offer themselves naturallie to bee considered The next point is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the Papists are the Deluded which indeed is a probable conjecture if not a plaine Demonstration that they are the limmes of Antichrist Bestiae character intelligi potest obstinata malitia Aquine saith that by the marke of the Beast wee may understand Obstinate malice Aquin. Su. 3. qu. 63. Art 3 ad 3. But none under heaven are more Obstinate for their side nor more malitious against their gainesayers that the Papists And Aquine saith this is the marke of the Beast let the Papists mark this This also doth S. Paul prophecie of the Papists in the 8 verse Marke saith our blessed Bishop Iewell marke S. Paul saith Antichrist Iewell in 2 Thes 2. 12. shall be Consumed not Converted From whence wee may conceive what hope there is of Reconciliation and Reformation from Rome which is the censure not of that Bishop alone but of all the Church of England The errour of Poperie Homilie of good works part 1 was so spred abroad that not onely the unlearned people but also the Priests and teachers partlie by glory and Covetousnes were corrupted and partlie by Blindnesse deceived with the same abominations that as Ahab having but one Elias but one Teacher to perswade him to the Truth of God but 450. false prophets to perswade him unto Baal So of the Papists both Priest and people are strongly deluded with Idolatrie This is the judgement of Our Church concerning their Church Wee may say of all Papists of our English Papists especiallie in them is fulfilled that fearefull prophecie Reuel 17. 6. They are made Drunke with the Golden cup of the whore of Babylon Idolatrie is spirituall whoredome And it is a Catholike grant that Rome is the Head of Image Adoration Concedimus Catholicae Suarez Apolog lib. 5. cap 18 num 20. doctrinae de Cultu Adoratione Imaginum Ecclesiam Romanā caput esse saith Suarez Whence wee inferre Therefore it is the Fountaine of Spirituall whoredome Againe the Pope doth not Sext. Decret lib 3. tit 23. de Jmmunitate Ecclesiae onelie terme himselfe the Head Caput but sponsum ecclesiae the Husband of the Church Which thing alone is a sufficient cause to cal Rome meretricem Babylonicam the whore of Babylon because the Romanists do teach that there is another Husband of their Church besides Christ the Pope By which inchanting Circe the ordinarie Papists are so bewitched that they take themselves to bee the Best of men the onely Catholikes when as indeed they are verie Homer Odys lib. 10. Beasts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made Drunk with palpable Idolatrie But so drunk and so stronglie deluded that wee may ignatius Epist 5 speake to the Romist that phrase of the greek father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lactantius may Lactantius lib. 7. cap 1. translate that of Ignatius into Latine ij sunt homines qui contra veritatem clausis oculis quoquo modo latrant these are the men who shut their eyes and then open their mouths in any manner to bark against the Truth Should wee in the yearning bleeding bowells of Christian compassion by Sermons Bookes or Arguments indeavour to draw them from Idolatrie Wee know our intertainement 2 Chron. 30. 10. They will laugh us to scorne mock the messengers of God and despise his words and misuse his Prophets Now this as I take it I may terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a strong delusion But that you may not suspect that I delude you by faining this Popish delusion when as they haue no such stupide obstinatnesse I will both referre the reader to the large and laboured treatise of Dr. Beard on this point And also render him present satisfaction by a present briefe catalogue of their owne Confessions Dr Beard of Antichrist part 3. Lessius de Antich part 1. Dem. 11. From Boniface to Vitaliane for the space of three score yeers the Church of Rome was wofully perplexed with a perpetuated misery by Plagues Famines Inundations Earthquakes and the Invasion of the Persians wherein fourescore and ten thousand Christians were slaine at one time by Seditions in the East the Heresie of the Monothelites and the Captiuitie and banishment of St. Martine the sacrilegious robbing of the Church Treasurie which had beene manie yeeres a gathering Finally in the time of Vitaliane Rome it selfe was Ransacked and the greeke Emperour tooke away all the Ornaments thereof Where note that the Beginning of the miserie of the Church of Rome was about the beginning of that arrogant usurpation of that title of Oecumenicall Bishop Well how was that Boniface moved with this Bonerges This Thundering Preaching by those Destroying miseries which smote them as thick and swift as Lightning prevailed not with the Pope to lay aside the pontificall title of Vniversall Bishop But to shew of whom St. Iohn did prophecie Rev. 9. 20. The Pope by these plagues repented not yet But from Pride they proceeded to superstition Boniface beganne with the Vniversall title and Vitaliane added unto it the Vniversall Latine Service And all these Plagues which went betweene for 60 yeeres of Fire Famine Blood c. could preach neither Penitence for the first nor Prevention for the later But still they persisted in their pride and superstition This I suppose is somewhat semblable to the phrase in my text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Strong Delusiō The particular profession of particular Philip. Nicolaus de Antich c. 15. papists is yet more pregnant thus writeth Luther of his Popish Devotion before hee was Converted The Authoritie of the Pope sayd hee was so potent with me that I thought it a crime demeriting Damnation vel in minimo dissentire ab illo to differ from him euen in the least thing And that conceit carryed me so farre that I esteemed Iohn Husse to bee so cursed an Heretike vt vel de eo cogitare sceleratum ducerem that I held it to bee a sinne but to thinke of him And in defence of the Popes authoritie I my selfe would haue carryed fire and faggots to have burned that heretike and therein I did perswade my selfe me summum praestare obsequium Deo that I shold have done God singular seruice His passion might bee built on that Catholike position Nullus homo potest se asserere in veritate christianum aut esse Turrecre lib. 3. c. 30. in statu salutis qui subesse renuit Romano Pontifici that is no man can affirme that hee is a true christian or that hee is in the state of saluation if he refuse to bee subject to the Pope of Rome Neither is
〈◊〉 that is the Empire the Emperour did hinder Antichrist but how could they hinder Nero who was the one and had the other In the eight the prophecy is that Antichrist shall be destroyed by the breath of the Lords mouth that is by the Word and Scriptures But his Instruction was not from the mouth of the Lord neither shall his destruction be from the mouth of the Lord. Therefore The mouth of the Lord saith Nero cannot bee the Antichrist because he hath no Communion with the Holy Scriptures Finally in the ninth tenth eleventh and twelfth verses Antichrist is foretold to be a wonderful seducer from the truth of God But what man can dream this ever to have been fulfilled in Nero an alient from the Truth Neither is it lesse ridiculous which others affirme that he shall in the end of the world be raised from the dead for this must be wrought either by himselfe or by God Not by himselfe resurrection being a worke beyond the ability of any Creature Nor yet by God as it is well concluded by Suarez for Suar. Ap. l. 5. c. 10. nu 4. saith hee Resurrection being the proper worke of God non siet propter iniquitatem operandum it cannot be performed for the producing of any impiety but propter altiores honestiores fines c. but for more holy and honest purposes becomming God and beseeming his heavenly Wisedome and Providence I conclude therefore with Bellarmines phrase which hee Bell. de Pont. Rom. l. 3. cap. 12. borroweth out of Augustine Hanc scientiam esse meram praesumptionem to say that Nero shall be revived and received as Antichrist it is a presumptuos folly Or with Suarez Anilem esse Suar. Ap. l. 5. c. 10. nu 4. fabulam that it is a follish fable a very Legend de futuro And so I bury this assertion of Nero with Nero let such a fancy have no second Resurrection The third point proposed in the third place is Antichrist shall be a Iew I will alter my order a little and referre it to the sift place which shall bee the last point in this Sermon The fourth assertion then followeth The Turke is Antichrist This is said to bee the opinion of Annius Clictovaeus Fevardentius and some others of Papists and Protestants Bellarmine and the best learned of the Papists wonder and are sorry that any of their and my wonder and sorrow is no lesse that any of our side should bee of such a groundlesse opinion A very Bogge they have no foundation for it They pretend some of the properties of Antichrist which they apply to the Turke namely these three his Time Name and Seat Mahomet the Arch-Turke say they arose about the yeare 666. and him they therfore conjecture to bee the Antichrist His name say they Mahometes doth contain the number of the Beast Revel 13. 18. 666. and his Seate is Constantinople a City scituated on seven hils Revelation 17. 9. To the first let Bellarmine answere 666 is Bell. de P. R. lib. 3. 3. the Number not of the Time but of the Name of Antichrist But suppose that his time were anno 666. yet Mahomets birth was abortive before that time For he was borne in the yeare 597. he began to terme himselfe a Prophet 623. and finally he dyed 637. All chronicles concurring that hee did not live to that time 666. and our usual saying is that the year 606 60 years short of 666 teemed tria teterrima Malv de Ant. l. 2. c. 5. Monstra Mahomet who did invade the Church with his Sword Boniface who did usurpe the Church by his Pride and Carolus Martellus who did rob the Church by his Impropriations Secondly the name of Mahomet doth indeed containe the number of the name and so doe other names also especially that Propheticall name Lateinus so long agoe foretold by Irenaeus But if from the name of Mahomet they will conclude Mahomet to be Antichrist the conclusion will hold upon the person of Mahomet onely But that the very man Mahomet was the very Antichrist I suppose no man will avouch it experience having taught the contrary Thirdly Constantinoâ—le it may bee is seated on seven hils but not on seven hils which are the seventh part so famous as the seven Hils of Rome Aventinus Palatinus c. notorious by their names celebrated by their Poets chronicled by their Historians and attributed as the renowned title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto the city of Suar. apol l. 5. c. 10. nu 8. Rome But the words of Suarez give a full answere Licet unum aut alterum signum Antichristi in Mahomete reperire valeant c. that is Although men may be able to finde one or two of the properties of Antichrist in Mahomet it is no wonder because there is no Adversary of Christ who doth not participate of some of the properties of Antichrist and therefore all are called by the generall name of Antichrists But it is necessary to shew Omnium signorum collectionem the concurrence of all the properties of Antichrist in that one person whom wee conclude to bee proprium Antichristum that very Antichrist Finally this Prophecy is the plainest consuter of this errour that the Turke cannot be Antichrist it appeareth first from the third verse Venit Apostasia the great Antichrist saith S. Paul shal be a great Apostate Now Mahomet was a mungrell in religion by birth an Arabian and some say by education a Manichie and a Iew He was no true Christian and therefore no true Apostate Secondly from the fourth verse sedebit in Templo Dei Antichrist shall sit in the Temple of God Take the phrase either materially for the Temple of the Iewes that was ruinated before his time or metaphorically for the Churches of Christians thus Constantinople is a Temple but Rome the Temple the Metropolis of Christendome or formally for the persons professing Christ and Mahomet doth not sit in the Temple of God that is hee doth not rule over the Consciences of Christians and therefore he is not the Antichrist Thirdly in the seventh verse Antichristianisme is called a mystery and Antichrist is a mysticall that is a secret adversary unto Christ but the Turke professeth himselfe to be a professed Enemy unto Christ Christianity and therefore he cannot be the Antichrist Fourthly in the eighth verse Antichrist is foretold to be consumed Spiritu oris Domini that is by the preaching of the Gospell The preaching of the Gospell hath converted some persons and Provinces among the Indians say the Papists and some persons Provinces among the Papists know the Protestants But amongst the Turkes few persons no Provinces have bin converted by the Preaching of the Gospell therefore this property also sutethnot w th the Turk Fiftly in the ninth verse a maine signe of Antichrist is this that he shall come with signes and lying wonders But apud nos solos fiunt miracula saith Eudaemon The Pope
your eyes and behold if in the manie particulars of this plentifull prophesie there be any one point which can bee applyed to the Trienniall Antichrist which the Pope teacheth or any part which may not be applyed to the Pope the true Antichrist Resolve this Chapter and see if all the parts thereof bee not like the parts of the Earth lifted from the Globe See if they returne not to the Pope and Papacy as to their proper Center naturally and without any forced application I say therefore I beseech you open your eyes and as you know you shall be saved by your owne Faith and as you beleeve that you shall answer for your owne knowledge so I beseech you fasten your eyes on this Prophecie In the expounding whereof my Conscience telleth me my God telleth me and the plaine sense of this plaine Prophecy doth tell me that in some measure I have discovered the Very Truth unto you Now the Lord of Truth open your eyes to see it and open your Hearts to imbrace it SERMON XXVIII 2 THESS 2. 3 ad 13. The summe of the whole Treatise The Paraphrase of the whole Text. The Parallell to the Pope The conclusion Dehortation from Popery SIxe opinions I proposed last day concerning Antichrist Five wherof I have related and resuted The fift now remaineth to bee confirmed and then the whole cause is concluded wherein I wil passe through these three particulars the Points Paraphrase and Parallell of the Person to the Prophecie whereby I hope I shall satisfie the indifferent and it may be stumble the Opinionative That the Pope is the Antichrist In this Prophecy concerning Antichrist from the third to the thirteenth verse I have set out five points Antichrist described in vers 3 4. revealed 5 6 7 in part of the 8. destroyed in the 8. confirmed in the 9. part of the 10. and received in the remnant of the 10. and in the 11 and 12 verses Antichrist is described in the third and fourth foure wayes by his Time Titles Place and Properties His Time is an Apostasie which is threesold Ecclesiasticall from the Church in Religion Politicall from the Empire by rebellion and figurative the Apostate for the Apostasie His Titles are 3. The man of sin here the Genitive for the Adjective is very significative A man of sinne that is a most sinfull man and so both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both a practiser and a causer of sinne The sonne of perdition filius perditionis by an Hebraisme as much as perditissimus that is one prepared to destruction both Actively Passively whence hee is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is destroying and destroyed And he is termed an adversary which is the Title of the Devill implying that Antichrist is a devillish adversary but per amici fallere nomen a secret adversary and so an adversary both fundamentally and universally His place the Temple taken two wayes either materially for the Temple of the Iewes or formally for the Churches of the Christians The Text cannot be understood of the first because the materiall Temple of Hierusalem is ruinated never to bee re-edified as it is confessed by Baronius and the best learned on both sides Therefore the place of Antichrist is the prime Church of Christendome His properties are three First Antichrist exalteth himselfe above all that is called God or that is worshipped which is expounded either essentially or metaphorically Essentially the name of GOD cannot be here used for if Antichrist should so proclaime himselfe who would bee deceived Therfore the name of GOD must be here understood metaphorically Metaphoricall gods are mentioned Psalme 82. 6. to wit Magistrates and Kings And that which is worshipped 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath affinitive with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying the Emperour Acts 25. 21. The meaning then of the phrase is this Antichrist shall advance himselfe above all Kings and Emperours Secondly Antichrist shall so advance himselfe that he as god shall sit in the Temple of God Consider here three phrases in the Temple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saint Paul saith Occumenius doth not meane the Temple of Hierusalem but the Churches of God Hee shall sit that is He shall reigne so is sedebit used for reget Psalme 9. 4. and shewing himselfe that hee is God tanquam Deus Christus Incarnatus God Man Christ Iesus for that adversary is called Antichristus an enemy to CHRIST not Antitheus an enemy to GOD. The sense is this Antichrist shall rule the Church of Christ usurping the very power of Christ And finally Antichrist shall sit in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that hee is god that is secretly not openly For the Text saith not that Antichrist shall say but shew that he is god 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying rather the arrogance of workes than of words implying that Antichrist shall shew himselfe to bee God cunningly by insolent God-like action Antichrist revealed is the next point in the fift sixt and seventh verses and in part of the eighth out of which three things have beene handled how when and what 1. How Antichrists revelation was hindered 2. When Antichrist was to bee revealed 3. What was the thing then hindred afterwards to be revealed 1. How Antichrist was hindred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all concurre it was the Empire and the Emperour called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the fourth and sixt verses who was to be taken è medio to be removed so is the phrase used Acts 17. 33. and Matth. 13. 49. the meaning is The Emperour hindred Antichrist to bee revealed 2. When was Antichrist to be revealed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely as if he said This was the onely impediment or that when the Emperour is removed Antichrist shall immediately bee revealed 3. What was then to bee revealed the Apostle termeth it a mystery of iniquitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a secret and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a secret sinne which is now a working even in Saint Pauls age The sense being That the beginnings of Antichrists Doctrine were secretly undermining the Church of Christ even in the Apostles time Here I declared another Title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exlex that is a lawlesse person Like the Type Antiochus Dan. 11. 36. He shall doe according to his will The sense is Antichrist shall be confined by no law he shall be altogether lawlesse We are taught in part of the 8 verse how Antichrist shall be destroyed of whom he foretelleth a double destruction the diminishing and the finishing of Antichristianisme In each wee are to observe two things the agent and the instrument destroying him The instrument is first the breath of his mouth and finally the brightnesse of his comming The agent in both is one the Lord Whom the Lord shall consume c. The meaning is this The Doctrine of Antichrist shall be confuted by the Preaching of the Word and the
obedience to God and in unfained innocence to Man Such an heart is murus ahene us a coat of maile against all the hands of Rome yea and their tongues also Now he that hath given us all our hearts give such an heart such a true heart to every one of us Amen Amen SERMON XII 2 THESS 2. 5 6 7 8. He shall be revealed The Time of the Revelation of Antichrist Where our Church was before Luther Affected Ignorance of Antichrist I Have discoursed on the Digression in the fift verse and on the first point in the Progression what hindered that the man of sinne could not be revealed I proceed unto the second point in the 8 verse when he shall be revealed The third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mystery of iniquitie in the seventh I must reserve to another exercise it is a point of much moment and more materiall then any that hath yet or shall be hereafter handled in this controversie Neverthelesse this also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suarez Apolog. lib. 5. cap. 5. Bell. de P. Rom. 3. 3. He shall be revealed is very necessary Suarez maketh it an argument Bellarmine a demonstration and Lessius argueth in the same manner Lessius de Antichr Dem. 8. that The Pope is not Antichrist because Antichrist is not yet revealed Againe to know Antichrist is the end of all Controversies to know Antichrist revealed is the end of this controversie Matth. 3. 10. Psal 90. 17. Here I lay the Axe to the roote of the Tree In the performance whereof Prosper the workes of our hands O Lord prosper thou our handie worke In the eight verse we have it He shall be revealed That we doe not shut our eyes we may take notice that the Ancients did alwayes open their eyes to observe this thing The Revelation of Antichrist Even within 200 yeeres after Christ the Christians had even then an expectation of the revealing of Antichrist saith Nicephorus in the time of Al Severus About Nicephorus lib. 4. cap 39. Baron 10. 2. pag. 533. 250 Gallus being Emperour the same expectation was revived saith Baronius After 300 sprang Arrius by the common voice of the Christians in those dayes called Christomachus Principium Antichristi the Adversary of Christ and of spring of Antichrist this being as it were a watch-word to expect the grand Antichrist After three hundred fifty yeares under Valens and Valentinianus the militant Baronius tom 4. 296. Church was rouzed by the same Alarum as if Antichrist had beene approaching About 400 Hieron epist ad Geront de Morogamia Epist Episc Gallâ—â— Germ. ad Anast 2. Saint Hierome did put it beyond peradventure that Antichrist was at hand About 500 diverse French and Germane Bishops did imply unto Pope Anastasius the second that Antichrists throne was expected to bee erected in Goldastum in Constitut Imperialium Rationali part 1. fol. 48. Greg. lib. 4. epist 38. Hilar. adversus Arianos pag. 311 Baronius Anno 900 sect 1 2 3. Italy About 600 Gregory wrote Rex superbiae prope est that Antichrist followed at his heeles And Hilary mentioned imminentis Antichristi praevios the Harbingers of Antichrist who come immediately before him But in the yeare 900 even Baronius professeth visurum se abominationem desolationis in Templo tum a Daniele tum a Domino ipso praedictum that in that age of those wicked Popes hee saw the Abomination of Desolation in the Temple mentioned by Daniel and by Christ himselfe After Epist Episcopo Germaniae Belg. ad Nicholaum 2. apud Goldastum in Constitutionum Imperalium part 1. fol. 50. Author vitae Henrici 4. Aventinus lib. 5. a thousand yeeres after our Saviour the Bishops of Germanie wrote to Pope Nicholas the second that Rome was Babylon and the Romish Bishop the person who made himselfe as if he were God subject to no errour Fiftie yeeres after this Henry 4 Emperour complained of the tyranny of the Pope Gregory 7 calling him Antichrist The same Henry 4 according to some Henry 3 published the same thing to all the Princes of Christendome concerning Pope Pascall the second that he laboured to sit more Antichristi in templo Dei as Antichrist in the Temple of God Towards 1150 the Bishop Magdeburg Cent. 12. cap. 9. of Florence did preach publikely that Antichrist was come against whom Pope Paschal 2 called the Councill of Florence Yea in that Bernard â—p 125 Serm. 33. in Cant. Serm. 6 7. in Psalm 91. Baronius Anno 1130. Artis 6. age no phrase was more familiar to Bernard than Bestiam Apocalyp 13 S ti Petri Cathedram occupare that that Beast Revel 13. did sit in the Chaire of Peter Where Baronius his answer is not solide that Bernard spake this against schismaticall Antipopes for hereby Bernard acknowledgeth that Antichrist may sit at Rome which is enough for this present although Bernardus non vidit omnia About 1200 yeeres after our Saviour Everard Archbishop of Saltzburgh made an oration in the presence of Otho Duke of Bavaria at the synode of Ratisbone wherein he avouched Pope Gregory 9 to be Antichrist In the same age the Emperour Petr. de Viâ—cis lib. 1. â—p 31. Fredericke 2 in an Epistle directed to all the Prelates of Christendome called the same Pope the Father of distord the Dragon the 2 Balaam and Antichrist So did their Ioachim Roger Hovend Annal part post Bell. de P. R. lib. 3. cap. â— Avent lib. 6 of Calabria saith our Hovenden So did our Wickliffe saith their Bellarmine Gerochus Bishop of Richemburg put forth a pamphlet to that purpose and called it De Antichristo Hellen queene mother to Richard the second Petrus â—â—esâ—â—s epist 14â— of England spared not Pope Caelestine 3 but stiled him The sonne of Perdition and his City Babylon Anno 1300 arose Marsilius Patavinus Franciscus Pless myst Oppos 53. Petrarcha the Prophecies of Hildegarde Petrus Cassiodorus and principally Iohannes Bitterensis a Franciscane Fryer who composed Postills on the Apocalypse calling the Pope the mysticall Antichrist who being dead hee was digged out of his Grave for his labour Anno 1350 our William of Ockame accused Clemens 6 to be Antichrist and Nicholas Orem said as much of and to Pope Vrbane 5. Towards Avent lib. 7. 1400 many Bulls were set forth by the Popes and Antipopes whereby each denounced other Biblia Pâ—uperuÌ„ Anno 1363. Pless Progr 58. to bee Antichrist If it bee an infallible truth which the Pope pronounceth è Cathedra it may goe for a probability that an Antipope at the least may be the Antichrist for so their owne Bulls have defined it Finally in the 1500 arose Hieronimus Savanarola Mantuanus and many other who spaâ—e more boldly and broadly that the Pope was Antichrist till Luther and the Lutherans did fully accomplish the revelation of the Church Antichristian and happily begin the Relation of the Religion in the West reformation