his enemies and not to his servants and freinds Concerning whom I desire to be resolved in 7. points 1 Vpon the words long before spoken by our Saviour vobis datum est Matth. 13. To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven whether by these words he meant to signifie onely his Apostles or all his disciples and them also which as he speaketh in another place should beleeve in him through their words Iohn 17. 2 Why in these words he made no speciall mention of Peter or his successours which do now vindicate to themselvs the sole authoritie of the keyes aswell of science as of power and jurisdiction 3 whether those who by our Saviour are there signified by a vobis datum be not the same which are here called the servants of Iesus Christ and why here also there was no mention of Peter or his successours or of the Roman Church which was then in the Imperiall Cittie and doubtlesse had many godly men in it Rom. 16. and some of great dignitie 4 When our divine Evangelist writeth these things to the seven Churches of Asia whether he did not in this according to his direction and whether he doe not hereby shew who were meant by the name of the servants of God and Christ 5 what reason the Apostle had to send it to those Churches and not to the Roman church either as chief or as one of the rest was it perhaps for the reason of S. Hillarie Anne ambiguum est Antichristum in his tectis esse sessurum Or was he not an Apostle and Prophet to the Romans as well as to them of Asia or for what other reason 6 Whether in writing to those seven he did not intend to write to the whole universall Church of God as well to come as present as S. Augustine expoundeth Numero septenario vniversae Ecclesiae significata est perfectio De Civ 17 4. And onely to the Church and whether all others be not excluded by a vobis non est datum 7. And lastly whether in writing to the seven Churches and their Angels equally and indifferently he do not sufficiently shew that the state of the Church upon earth is neither in the nature of a Monarchie nor of a Democratie but of an Aristocratie where the several Angels preside in their severall Territories precincts and congregations agreeing in the unity of one faith under one eternall head the God of Truth Christ Iesus Let us not deceive our selvs Babilonians use to lisp They cannot speak the language of Canaan with a true spirit Neither onely this booke but all the Scripture is dark and obscure to them whose minde the God of this world hath blinded 2 Cor. 4. Hosh 8 12. and so much for the Persons IV. My fourth Problem is concerning the finall ende scope of this book in the verses above briefly touched to shew to his servants things which must shortly come to passe And here I must necessarily speak of the Subject which is so joyned with the end that the consideration of the one cannot be severed from the other I demand therefore what things must be shewed to the Church of God Surely takeing a generall view of this divine prophecy for my part I conceive that the most here spoken of is of the enemies of their persecutions malicious practises against the Church and of the defence and deliverance of the Church and the punishment of her enemies and so I finde S. Hieroms opinion In prologo Revelat quanta Ecclesia Christi passa et passura sit And to what end must these things be shewed unto them if not to the same for which our Euangelist in his Euangile reciteth many excellent sermons of our Saviour Christ namely to comfort and incourage the faithfull and to excite them to repentance vigilance patience and perseverance against the troubles to come Repent saith he to the Churches of Ephesus and Pergamus Fear not to Pergamus Hold fast to Thyatira c. So in the Gospell These things haue I spoken unto you that ye should not be offended So in his Epistle Let that abide in you Iohn 16. 1 Iohn 2. which ye have heard from the begining Take heed I haue foretold you Marke 13. Now if this be the end namely to arme the faythfull with those vertues against the troubles to come then what is or can be the subject of this book or what matter can it speak of but 1. it must describe the state of the Church in her severall times 2. The Head of the Church who is also her Saviour Protector in all her troubles 3 The enemies of the Church and their persecutions and practises 4. The Confusion of those Enemies and the punishments inflicted upon them in this world 5 Their Everlasting Damnation 6 The Deliverance of the Church And lastly her Everlasting Glory and felicity Whether this be not so I desire to know upon the three Problems ensuing My fift Problem therefore is concerning the Church V. whether it be not with sufficient plainenesse set forth unto us in these seven places 1 In the vision of the seuen golden Candlesticks Revel 1. in the middest whereof Christ Iesus walketh 2 In the vision of the Beasts and Elders in the midst of whom is the Throne of God and of the Lamb. Revel 4. 3 In the vision of the Temple of God Revel 12. set forth to be measured and opened 4 In the vision of the woman travelling with Child which bringeth forth Christ Iesus Revel 12. and then is forced to flye into the wildernes where she must continue for a long time after 5 As Mount Sion whereupon the Lamb standeth with all his Army chap. 14. 6 As a Bride trimmed for her husband chap. 19. 7 As the City of God the new Ierusalem whose wals are founded upon the Twelve Apostles chap. 21. VI. My sixth Problem is concerning our Saviour Christ the great and mighty Lord Protectour Prince and Saviour of his Church whether he also be not as many waies described unto us viz. 1 As the great Bishop and Teacher of his Church in the midest of the seuen golden Candlesticks Râ—vel 1. 2 As the Sacrifice for his Church chap. 4. and yet the Defender Protectour in the middest of the Throne a Lamb a Lyon chap. 10. 3 As the great Lord of Heaven and Earth Land Sea Dâ—u 32 40 determining the end of Times which is not revealed to any Angell Matth. 24. 4 As the seede of the woman and yet the Sonne of God Revel 12. Revel 14. 5 As the Lamb standing on mount Sion 6. As a most mightie valiant captain chap. 19. or invincible Prince going forth to warre against his enemies himself in the forefront readie to charge them in the face 7 And lastly as an inevitable Iudge both of quick
locis ecclesiae and yet confesseth that Antichrist must continue to the end Let the whole place be considered Howsoever it be it can not be said that this question was so well ventilated in those times as it hath been of late Then for answer I demand what or how much the question will be altered if the Pope be acknowledged to be Antichrist though he be not proved to be that Antichrist what difference will it make in the end Must not all true Christians beware avoide detest everie Antichrist But to the point It is coÌ„monly known in Grammer schooles that this particle Ho in Greeke is not alwayes used significantly nor in a significant use is it alwaies taken to signifie a particular and individuall person nor yet in particulars is it alwaies used to note Eminence or singularitie Sometimes and that verie frequent it is used indefinitely many times it is joyned with a name of multitude or with a name of succession He that hath any knowledge in the Tongues may easily obserue that Ho in Greeke is not so Emphaticall as Ha in Hebrew or the in English which yet is sometimes emphaticall and sometimes not For in the same chapter where it is said Ho Antichristos in the same it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Ioh. 2. he that sayth he is in light and hateth his brother is in darknes And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The lust of the flesh the pride of life c. and the verie last word of that Epistle is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keepe your selues from Idols So in other places it is joyned with names indefinite as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in another place with the name of Christ Ephes 5. to signifie his mysticall body consisting of a multitude successiue under one head immortall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth he so is Christ Hebr. 9. Abbat in demonst And in another place it is joyned expressely with a name of personall succession 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is ever translated thé High-Priest once a yeare entred into the holy place there spoken of 1 Pet. 2 17. So in another place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Honour the King Will any man say it was meant onely of one king And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Highpriest Hebr. 13 11 And the use of Ho in these places wherein it cannot be meant of one singular Priest or King is so like and paralell to the use of it in the name of Ho Antichristos that I see not what difference can be made betweene them Yet if any will not take this for a sufficient answer let him well consider how he can answer the problems following by which I thinke it will appeare that the Pope is not onely an Antichrist but euen that Antichrist whereof the Scripture speaketh Forasmuch as the Prophecies can be verified of none but of him and that not of one alone but of the whole succession And therefore to proceede to the Names I desire the Reader to examine whether any of the six names that I shall now produce do not fully agree to the Pope and to all the Popes that haue bèen in Rome since the time of Pope Constantine and if these names do agree I must demand How it can be denied but that they and everie one of them is Ho Antichristos that Antichrist The second name therefore is Pontifex maximus or summus the Higest or Great Priest This name I am sure they will not deny to their Pope and likewise I am sure that they will deny it to any other unlesse it be to our Saviour Christ To our Lord it belongeth of right if any other take it upon himself it must be by usurpation and such an usurper of the right and title of our Saviour Christ must be Antichrist It was never given to any by God but to our Saviour Christ Melâ—hisedeck is called a Priest of the High God Hebr. 6 20. and 8 1. Aaron is called an High Priest our Saviour Christ the High Priest and the great Sheepheard of our soules Ecce Pontif. sum qui non eget alieno ex piarisauguine Aug. medit and such like titles but the title of the Highest or Greatest belongeth to none but peculiarly to our Saviour Christ I aske then first whether the Pope of Rome do not declare himself an enimie to Christ in that he doth exalt himself aboue all that is called God or that is worshiped in taking a name upon him higher and greater then was ever giuen to the sonnes of men not to Aaron the holy not to Phinehas the zealous not to Iehojada the worthie not to Iehoshua the noble not to Simeon the glorious not to Iohn the fore-runner nor to Melchisedek the royall and singular everie one in his time the type of our great and eternall High Priest farre aboue them all whose consecration is eternall whose Priesthood is eternall Hebr. 7 16 24. 6 8. 9 10. whose entrie into the Holy place is eternall whose oblation is eternall whose sacrifice is eternall whose mediation is eternall and whose presence in his Church is eternall Againe the Apostle proveth the excellencie and divinitie of our Saviour farre aboue all Angels because he hath received a more excellent name Doth not the same argument proue that the Pope in taking an equall name maketh himself equall in dignitie therefore never durst any of the faythfull Martyrs or Bishops of the primitiue Church take upon him this name of Summus or Maximus Pontifex never any of the Holy Patriarks or Prophets never any of the divine Euangelists never any of the most blessed Apostles for they all knew it belong onely to that great High Priest whose Priesthood is for ever And how darest thou O miserable mortall man take upon thee a name so divine as to be called the Highest or Greatest Priest whilst he is living to whom it so inseparably belongeth Why dost thou not also directly call thy selfe Christ as well as the Highest Priest which is equivalent I demand againe whether in taking this name thou dost not proclaim that thou dost deny that our Lord Christ Iesus is now the Highest or Greatest Priest and so professe thy self to be his enimie and claime to be aboue him seeing it must be confessed that if the Pope be greatest then Christ is not the greatest For two may be great but of two each of them cannot be greatest no more then two can be infinite or two principall But say they Christ is in heauen Head of the Triumphant Church Panorm the pope is onely head of the church militant upon earth O blaspheamerâ— is not Christ Iesus truly God in earth as present by his power Enter praesenter Deus est ubique potenter Ps 139 Sed familiarius in electis pergratiam to rule the church militant as in heauen How then darest thou sitting onely at Rome proclaim thy self Head of the universall
Idolaters as in the Succession of so many ages she hath susteyned And if she cannot answer but as the wombe of a woman that it is altogether impossible to bring forth so many at once as she doth in tract of time then will I aske againe Whether any of the Popes be free of this and whether they be not all of them as one man guiltie of these great sinnes by act approbation consent and imitation and consequently fit to be represented under one person and called one Man And if this be so then will I demand as Salvianus doth of the consciences of all men that haue any sence or feeling of Truth Whether this be not that great Whore here described then whom never any no not the Divel himself if he ruled the Earth but three yeares and an half or for one mans life onely could practise or cause more fornication or Idolatrie to be committed And so much of the first note the Great Whore The second is that she sitteth upon manie waters Which the Angell expoundeth to signifie Peoples and Multitudes Nations and Tongues Here first I obserue the word of sitting which is used not onely here but by the Apostle 2 Thes 2. And it is a word â—â—metimes applied to Kings sometimes to Bishops Kings are said to sit on their Thrones Bishops in their Chayres or Churches Both are applied to Antichrist For in the 2 Thes 3. it is sayd He sitteth in the Temple or Church of God and here upon manie Nations The one place sheweth he must be a Bishop the other a King can this be applied to any but the Pope Now that the Pope and Church of Rome for these nine hundred yeares haue been supported by many Peoples nations and Tongues I will desire to haue none other witnesses then their owne chief Authors and Advocates who make their greatest brags of their Vniversalitie Bellarm. Staplâ—ron â—lendus c. how the power of their Pontif. extendeth it self not onely to Europe but to all euen the farthest remote parts of the world America and India which the Turke nor any other Potentate couâ—d never yet attaine unto And if this be evident and undeniable let us againe peruse over the Questions â—boue proposed Whether this may be affirmed of any Iewe or Turke And whether it be possible that the power of any Iew or Turke or any one man whatsoever should within the space of three yeeres and an half or of one mans life so far prevail or procure to haue so many Peoples Multitudes Nations and Tongues subject unto it as the Multitudes Nations and Tongues which haue served the Popes for these nine hundred yeares do amount unto Or to giue a nearer instance so many at once as within that time haue come to Rome to their Iubiles solemnities The third note of this Antichristian Harlot is that the Kings of the Earth haue committed fornication with her and the Inhabitants of the Earth haue been made druncken with the wine of her fornication And what king was there in Europe for these nine hundred yeares which did not committ or permit fornication both corporall and spirituall with the Church of Rome Which of them did not worship the same Images and use or permit the same uncleanes And I demand againe whether this can be verified of any Iew Turke or other person whatsoever past present or to come The fourth note is her exceeding great riches pompe and gorgeousnes Let me instance but in one or two particulars Majora vel certe paria c. sayth Blondus All Europe sendeth to Rome greater or surely no lesse Tributes In Roma inst urata then were payed to the Ancient Roman Emperors Pope Iohn left at his death in treasure ducentos quinquaginta Tonellos Ducatorum Bibâ—iand ex Palmerio ad ann 1334. sayth another Omnes Reges mundi non possent tantum de Thesauro reddere infra unum annum quantum fuit de Papali Palatio asportatum de Palatiis trium Cardinalium Marchionis sayth another speaking of Pope Boniface the eight R. Avesb and three Cardinals and the Marquis his nephew I demand then Whether Prince or Potentate State or person haue had the like testimonie of Riches and whether it be credible that any in three yeares an half or one mans life time should attaine to the like The fifth note She hath a name written in her forehead A Mysterie Babylon the Great Mother of Harlots and abhominations of the earth First it is called Great I demand Whether ever this title were so much giuen to any cittie besides Rome The old Babylon was never so many times called great And I thinke none will make question of any other And Whether the Bishop of Rome the Church of Rome and the cittie of Rome haue not everie one of them had a speciall title of Greatnes I referre me to the consciences of the Romans themselues to their Decrees and Canons who giue to their Bishop the Title of Pontifex Max. or Summus so Lipsius that hath written a Booke De magnitudine urbis Romae and to that other who writ a Booke De magnitudine Romanae Ecclesiae So their Church is great their cittie is great and their Bishop is greatest of all Of the name of Babylon I haue spoken sufficiently before And for the other title of Mother of Harlots or Sodomites as Scaliger and others reade and abhominations of the earth I demand of all that know Rome eyther by travelling in those countries and eye witnesse or by reading and hearesay Whether there be in any place of the world being of no greater extent so many Harlots and Sodomites and so publikely mainteyned and allowed as in Rome and the Popes Iurisdiction and where his power is acknowledged and whether any other Prince or Prelate Church or State Turke or Iew haue giuen or made such and so many faculties and dispensations pardons and Lawes for such things Let the notable booke of the Taxa and the cases reserved to Papall dispensation be perused And here is to be noted the Name that the Holy Ghost giveth to her calling her The Mother of Harlots or Sodomites and fornications which is singularly Emphaticall For it cannot be denied but there are many Harlots and Fornicators in other places neyther can it be denied but other Empires and kingdoms are called Whores as Inda and Israel by Ezekiel Ninive by Nahum Babylon by Ieremie But no other place is called the mother of Harlots or Sodomites This of all the rest seemeth to be Proprium quarto modo A propertie inseparable which agreeth to the Popes omni soli semper to them onely and everie of them ever since the Councels of Hispal and Toledo aboue mentioned For noÌ„ne but the Popes haue forbidden Mariage nor made Lawes that the Cloysters and Convents of Nunnes should be subject to monkes and Fryers and that it should be lawfull for Priests to haue Concubines No other Prince State or
Whether any Prince Potentate State or person ever did the like in the changes of times as these Popes haue done and whether any can do the like especially that shall continue but three yeares and a halfe or one mans life time Again haue not the Popes and everie one of them changed lawes by establishing a New law which they call the Canon Law Haue they not added to their Decrees Decretals Extravagants Clementines and do they not still publish new Bulles Faculties and Dispensations with speciall words of Non obstante I hope no man will put me to proue any of these things unlesse it be some that will make a question whether that rule of Law be to be held which sayth that Notoria non sunt probanda or make a doubt whether the Popes Bulles Faculties Dispensations and other publike Instruments be Notoria Anton. sum part 3. t. 22. Sum. Angel tit Papa Againe do they not teach and mainteyne that the Pope may make New Religions change the ordinances of Generall Councels and dispence with all Lawes both of the Temporall State and of the Church yea with all the Laws of the second Table and with some of the first As when God in his Law sayth It is not lawfull for thee to haue thy Brothers wife Doth not the Pope say It is lawfull by my dispensation When God sayth Thou shalt not kill doth not the Pope say thou mayst kill euen thy Prince when I haue declared him to be an Heretike Is not this to change lawes 〈…〉 and haue not all the Popes for these many hundred yeares now last past with one consent and voice all making one Man of sinne or Lawlesse one arrogated this power and practised it Haue they not all maynteyned and approved the Actions of their Predecessors in doing such things And do they not still maintaine and practise the same So that I need not to say with Salvianus Etsi hoc commune omnibus non faciebat actus faciebat tamen assensus For which of them hath not done it And what else hath been the cause of so many millions of sinnes committed in the Christian world for these many hundred yeares but the Bulles Indulgences Pardons absolutions faculties and dispensations of the Pope together with the perswasion that men had of their Holines Infallibilitie and power to grant such things and that by such Bulles Indulgences Pardons and Dispensations their sinnes were forgiuen Now let any man shew me Whether ever any Prince Potentate State or man haue done the like or whether it be possible for any in time to come to doe so much in this kinde as the Popes haue done namely to make so many Lawes to break and change so many Lawes and to grant so many Bulles faculties and dispensations especially within the compasse of three yeares and an half or one mans life time Concerning their Adulteries which is the fifth I haue sayd sufficiently before onely this one question may be added viz. Where shall we finde Antichrist and Babylon the Great Whore and mother of Whoredomes but in that church and state whose chief Bishop publikely alloweth them because he hath a greate part of his Revennues from them which as some in former times haue accounted hath been to the value of fortie thousand ducats yearly Concerning their Idolatries also I haue spoken before and shall say more hereafter There resteth but the last note which S. Paul giveth 2 Thes 2. and is principally to be observed because the Fathers do agree that it is without doubt spoken of Antichrist viz. That he sitteth in the Temple of God as God boasting that he is God and exalteth himself aboue all that is called God or that is worshiped and yet working with all deceiuablenes of unrighteousnes If any man yet remain doubtfull whether the Pope be that Antichrist let him answer me upon these words Who ever was comparable to the Pope in these things Aug. de civ dei li. 20. Who ever besides him hath sitten in the outward visible Church or Temple of God as chief Bishop head or Governour thereof or upon the Church as commanding ruling and raigning over it or as the Temple of God with such a singular opinion of sanctitie and infallabilitie for all these wayes doth the Father interpret that word as the Popes haue done And whether it is credible that any shall do the like in time to come Whether is there or was there ever any Prince Potentate or person Christian or Iew Turke or Pagan so adored as he hath been and that in the verie Temple and Charch of God and that by the chief Bishops Archbishops Cardinals Patriarks and Primates of the Church Whether can they giue any greater Adoration to God himself outwardly if he were corporally present Or do they giue any greater to the Sacrament in which they affirme the bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ to be really present Again Whether hath any Prince Potentate or person Christian or Iew Turke or Pagan invented or practised such a powerfull meanes to depriue or depose Emperors Kings and Princes as the Popes haue done by their Excommunications Suspensions Interdictions and Decrees Did ever any so practise to discharge Subjects of their Alleageance and oathes to giue kingdomes away to others to crowne and uncrowne Emperors with his foote to treade upon them and yet still reteyne such an opinion of Holynes See more in the Collect. of M. Fox in the end of his first Tome and haue a Cleargie singing to him in the meane while Super Aspidem Basiliscum c. Did ever any do the like and was obeyed in such things and thought to do it lawfully and rightfully And hath he not in these things more then ever any other exalted himself as God aboue all kings and Princes which are called Gods and worshiped See much more of this in M. Downhams Treatise of Antichr l. 1. cap. 5. Yea doth he not exalt himself aboue our Lord Iesus Christ as much as man may doe when he affirmeth that not onely he himself but everie one of his Masse-priests and Friers is able to make the verie carnall bodie of our Saviour which must be worshipped as God Doth he not cause the Sacrament to be caried before him by a Pedarie or Footepriest when he himself is mounted up in a Throne of Majestie and caried upon mens shoulders Doth he not exalt himself aboue our Lord when he weareth the Crucifix which he likewise commandeth to be worshiped as God upon his shoes and pantofles Possevin◠which euen the Rude Moscovite when he heard of it utterly abhorred and detested Doth he not exalt himself aboue God when he taketh upon him to alter the Articles of Fayth and adde to those which were anciently made and declared in the times of the Apostles or soone after by the consent of the Primitiue Church For what is that they haue declared so imperiously subesse Romano Pontisici Extra Com. de
but the king of pride durst to take upon him Let us yet goe forward and see how he is further revealed in the time of his Raigne and how the prophecies of that time also were fulfilled we haue before considered the description of his raigning and how he sitteth on the seauen headed Beast Now of the time which falleth out to be likewise 666 yeares or thereabouts For that is the number of the Beast Rev. 13. sayth our Euangelist And if we adde this to the former number we come againe to another strange and wonderfull concurrence of prophecies events times and actions namely the yeare 1366 and 1400 whereof we will speak hereafter when we haue taken a view of the actions that fell out in the meane time namely in the end of the said first 666 yeares and beginning of the second and somewhat considered what manner of men raigned over the Roman state during the second terme of 666 yeares First therefore as the Apostle prophesied that there should be an Apostasie so there fell out about those times especially divers great and lamentable Apostasies such as the like were never seene neither can the like be expected in any time to come namely first about the year 760 the great and wofull rent and departure of the East Church from the West by reason of that wicked contention betweene the Patriarches for primacie and that abhominable doctrine of Idolatrie which an Historian verie Christianly calleth execrable Secondly the wofull rent and departure of the west Empire from the East by the Popes setting up of the French kings Pipin and Charles Thirdly the rent and division of the greatest part of the East Empire from their lawfull Prince by the sodaine and great victories of the wicked Saracens in Asia sent of purpose to plague Christians I thinke for their Idolatrie as they do object it unto us unto this day And fourthly the lamentable spoyle and falling away by that meanes not onely of those seauen excellent churches whom S. Iohn by his Epistles so strongly fortified and forewarned but of all the rest of the flourishing Churches of Asia which yeelded either by feare or force to the overflowing Impieties of Mahomet ô lamentable times O times never without grief and shame and teares of Christians to be remembred Within a few years and as it were with a sodaine floud and inundation of impietie blasphemie and filthines the great and mightie kingdomes of Arabia Syria Palestina Phoenicia Anatolia Persia and Media and many other Countries the famous churches of Ierusalem Antioch Ephesus Nice Galatia and all the rest of the lesser Asia which the Apostles had so diligently planted with their doctrines which the Martyrs so plentifully watered with their bloud crowned with their Confessions yeelded to the horrible blasphemies and Idolatries of Mahomet with infinite effusion of Christian bloud and murder of Soules What Apostasies were ever like to these or how can we looke for the like in any time to come Say that we should imagine an Antichrist yet to come can we haue the prophecie of the Apostle S. Paul concerning an Apostasie precedent so fulfilled Hath all the Christian world now sufficient roome or place wherein the like Apostasies may fall out What do these Summi Pontifices these Vniversall Bishops which would needs be the Head of the Catholike Church in the meane time Let us take a short view of their actions also in generall and particular and see whether it be possible for any Antichrist hereafter to do the like The first great action that we meete with of theirs is the puting downe of three kingdomes to advance themselues according to the prophesie of Daniell concerning the Litle Horne before whom three of the other Hornes fell For first they draue the Grecian Emperors out of Italie upon the quarrell concerning Images by the helpe of the Lombards Secondly having subdued the Lombards by the helpe of the French they draue out the French by their owne dissentions and the help of the Germans and lastly they expelled the Germans also by raysing factions amongst them selues the Histories whereof because they are too long for this place are well collected by the learned Mornay I think needlesse here to prosecute Is it possible for any Antichrist to come to doe the like Are there any such three kingdomes in the Christian world everie one of them having command of Rome and Italie to be put downe hereafter to make roome for another Antichrist And it is to be observed that this first Action containeth in it self manifest Treason and rebellion against their lawfull Princes the Emperors whom Gregorie and all the Bishops of Rome before him had acknowledged to be their gratious Lords Colimus Imp. ut hominem a Deo secundū soloque Deo eminorem Terul ad Scap. Whom they were bound to obay as those to whom God had giuen power over all men The second great action was their ambitious and Luciferian exaltation aboue all Bishops Patriarchs Princes and Emperors in taking the title of Vniversall Bishop and usurping power over them by excommunications deprivations interdictions and other sentences incouraging sometimes their Enimies and sometimes their subjects against them as they moved the Lombards against the Emperors the French against the Lombards and cherished factions and divisions amongst the French and thereby still increased their owne power and dominion And in this they advance themselues against God and our Lord Iesus Christ to whom onely the Supreame and Royall Priesthood after the order of Melchisedek is confirmed by the oath of God himself and that individually as we noted before and who hath placed Kings and Emperors in their supream places A third action is the lawlesse pardoning and dispensing with horrible and crying sinnes still to advance their owne authoritie As namely their dispencing with the horrible Parricides Treasons and Rebellions of Phocas who murdered not onely the Emperor Maurice but all his male children namely Theodosius then crowned Plessis Tiberius Paulus and Iustinian Peeter his brother Constantine a principall Senator and divers others And this is that Phocas notwithstanding whose actions they all to this day justifie and Baronius will haue us to beleeue that he was a good Catholike Although he can shew no testimonie of his repentance but that he sent his owne picture and his wiues to Rome which were presently sett up in the pallace And in this point also the Popes advanced themselues aboue God himself who never pardoneth sinnes without repentance But this Phocas three years after the murders of Maurice and his sonnes Plessis hearing that the Empresse Constantia and her daughters were kept secretly hidden in a Church sent certayne Souldjers to make them away But Cyriacus the Patriarch of Constantinople withstood them and would not deliver them till he had taken an oath of the Tyrant that he would do them no violence Whereupon this good Roman Catholike conceived a deep and inplacable hatred against
consitet Ambros Quisquis Christum qualis ab Apostolis predicatum est negat Antichristus est Hill in such manner as by the said rules we are taught So when we beleeue in the H. ghost who spake by the prophets who is the spirit of trueth that shall leade us into all truth whom God promised to poure out upon all flesh Ioel 2. Act. 2. Acts 10. our Saviour Christ would haue not onely his Apostles but Captaines and Souldjours Iewes and Gentiles to be baptised with that spirit and hath promised to giue it to everie one that beleeveth Io. 7 38 39 Luc. 11 13. and to everie one that prayeth for it Is it a small addition to say that that spirit is now not to be found neither in any particular beleevers nor in any Christian Church nor in anie Nationall Councell nor in the Prelates who are called the Angels of the church nor in all the Churches gathered together in a generall Councell but onely in the Pope of Rome and his Church Without whom no Decree of any Generall councell must be held firme or lawfull When we beleeue the holy Catholike Church is it a small addition to say that this Catholike Church is now confined to Rome When we beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes is it a small addition to say that we haue this forgiuenes by the Popes pardons and indulgences eyther for ever or for so manie thousand yeares Doth this agree with that article wherein we beleeue that Christ shall judge the quick and the dead shall he judge when the Pope hath pardoned or shall he judge according to these pardons Is it a small detraction from the commandements to leaue out a parte of the first Is it a small addition to the Sacraments to make seauen in stead of two to adde spittle and other such trash to baptisme Is this literally to be found in the rules aforesaid is it knowne is it certaine Is it a small addition to giue to the Sacrament of the bodie of our Lord devine adoration or is it a small detraction to make it private and so to take it away from the common people except set and solemne times and the cup alwaies Finally when we are agreed that the litterall sense of the Scripture is the most certaine and safe rule of our beleefe and that it hath in it selfe an incredible harmonie and consent and is the sense of the Holy Ghost is it a small addition to this point also to say that the Pope is the supreame interpreter thereof and judge of fayth and manners And that he cannot erre If this be knowne and certaine then why did none of the rules aforesaid expresse and say so Why is it not expressed in the Scripture why did no ancient generall Councell decree it yea why did the three generall Councels aforesaid decree contrarie that the generall councell is aboue the pope Admitte the case to be that the pope judge contrarie to the litterall sense of the Scripture must it be no error Admitte that he maintaine that the Scripture is to be received by vertue of his authoritie that he may dispence with the commandements of God that he is the generall Commissarie of God assumed into the plenitude of power are these small additions to the rules aforesaid The like may be sayd of manie other points upon all which I thus propose and referre it to thine owne soule and conscience good Christian to judge if these be great additions and detractions and more greater then ever any other Heretike made to those Rules of fayth before mentioned and if they haue been oftentimes reproved and admonished for them and yet still maintaine the same then I say I leaue it to thine owne soule to judge Whether the Pope be not the greatest Heretike that ever was And whether we may not well affirme him to be that Antichrist then whom never any was nor can be greater Dan. 12. and with the Prophet Daniel say that they are happie and blessed that lived unto these times to see so great an Enemie of Christ his Church and yet so disguised so holy in name and yet lawlesse indeede so great a Prelate in show and yet in deede so great an Heretike Such a Vicar generall of Christ and yet indeede Antichrist to be discovered and declared by three such great and generall assemblies of the Church It will percase be demanded how I can call him an Heretike that maketh the same confession of Fayth as we doe And I aske if we confesse the same fayth why doth he call us Heretikes But I thinke it appeareth sufficiently by that which hath beene sayd that in making so great additions to the true Catholike and Apostolike fayth he hath declared himself to be the greatest Heretike that ever was and consequently that Antichrist Let us then consider the signes of the times of Anti-Christ and see whether they also do not concurre in discribing men fit for such times and actions fit to be ministers unto Antichrist and who those men may be but the Roman Cleargie First our Saviour Christ giveth us a short but notable and notorious signe importing blasphemie which is such a propertie of Antichrist as no man can doubt of Many sayth he shall come in my name and shall say I am Christ or annointed Mat. 24. for so the word signifieth is not this litterally fulfilled Haue not all the popish Cleargie taken this title upon them And what not for any good or godly purpose but to defend themselues in their most heynous and flagitious crimes against the sword of secular justice by alledging that place of the Psalme Nolite tangere Christos meos Psalm 105. touch not mine annointed I appeale to the consciences of all men that haue beene any whit though meanly conversant in the Histories of late times or observed their actions if any will say that this text may be used as it is in that Psalme for the defence of godly Prophets I will not deny it so it be not used for their protection in wicked actions for to use it in the protection of sinne is no lesse a blasphemie then to make our Saviour Christ the protector and Author of sinne and wickednes A second notable description of men of those times is made by S. Paul For sayth he In the last dayes which S. Iohn calleth the times of Antichrist men shall be lovers of themselues 2 Tim. 3. coveteous boasters proud cursed speakers disobedient to parents unthankefull unholy without naturall affection truce breakers false accusers intemperate feirce dispisers of good men Traytors headie high minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God having a shew of godlynes but haue denied the power thereof So farre the Apostle And these men who they haue been and who they be is not hard to be discerned For who be they that now for many hundred yeares haue laboured onely under the title of the church with unmeasurable and unsatiable