of Charles the Emperor putteth out the flaming eyes of the word of God and maketh the Scriptures to bee as darke as Sibyllaes oracles iumping herein with the heretike Tatianus Hosius the Popes Legat in the Councell c. are wholy against the authoritie of the scriptures Thus the beast and false Prophet with their armies maketh warre against the word of God who hath many crownes on his head and eyes like a flame of fire c. d Can. Trid. ses 25. de reform cap. 20. Vnder this Pope the Councell decreeth that the immunitie of the Popish Church and her iurisdiction was required to be defended by all Princes as the principall things of God for he exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God e Geneb 1167. And from hence is that league falsely called holy Anno 1566. Pius the fifth f Geneb 1168. 1169. 1179. a most seuere obseruer of the Councell of Trent he twice proscribed the realme of England and exposed it as a pray to whosoeuer would take it the force of which thunderbolt the godly papists continually do pray to see howsoeuer they doe otherwise dissemble g Buchol Ann. 1566. About 400. nobles of the low-countries make supplication to the Gouernesse the Dutchesse of Parma that the Spanish inquisition might not be brought in amongst them and that she would graunt them libertie in religion a Geneb 1170. In many places images are cast downe and here begin the warres for religion in the low countries b Annales Belgiâ— Oratio Phil. Mornix Then came the tyrant the Duke of Alua into the low countries who was sent to roote out all the Protestants there He there committed most bloudie executions cruell warres and most horrible persecutions of which he insulted when he left the countries c Christopoli Apologia Yet doe the papists blame him and exclaime vpon him for his ouer much clemencie for the scarlet beast is full of names of blasphemie and nothing but death will satisfie them d Specul Tragicunt p. 97. The King of Spaine caused his sonne Charles to be apprehended imprisoned and put to death because he suspected him to fauour the distressed estate of the low countries Gregorius the thirteenth restoreth Papistrie Anno 1572. excommunicateth Queene Elizabeth and changeth the computation of the yeare This e Histo Gallica Buchol yeare after many mercilesse murthers in France at the mariage of the king of Nauar in Paris most horrible bloudie and cruell Councels were assembled and massacres committed vpon the Admirall of France and many other Nobles of the reformed religion which were insâ—sted thither As also vpon others in diuers places to the number of 30,000 were murthered at this time in France So were the French men murthered 290. yeeres before in Sicilia for their abhominable wickednes like death but farre vnlike cause f Buchol Ibid. Arias Montanus finished that excellent worke of the Bible in foure languages After these murthers in France followed g 1574. Annales Belgi a bloudy battaile at sea neere Romerswall in the low-countries where the Spaniards were ouerthrowen that yet they can recouer no strength at sea there and the sea in a manner steyned with the blood of the slaine For thou hast giuen them blood to drinke h 1588. Mer. Gallo bel Meteranus alij The Spaniards and all the confederats of the papists sent into the narrow seas against England c. a nauie which they called inuincible i cap. 13.1 c. For the beast hath the face of a Lyon which by the great and wonderfull mercy of God strangely disposing of the windes and by the valour of the English nauie was scattered and in a manner destroyed k 15â—9 Histo Gallica The next yeere the King of France Henry the third was murthered by a Frier in the same chamber in which the massacre was concluded vpon which was committed 1572. this King being then the principall person in the deliberation and consent For now of long time religious men had learned of the l Genff de Turcorum origine lib. 3. p. 152. Saracenicall Assasines to carrie kniues in their sleeues to murther Princes in their houses as a step to paradise Then did the most sacred Queene of England vnder the leading of the mirrour of true Christian nobilitie and cheualrie Peregrine Lord Willoughby send forces into France to assist Henry the fourth King of France and Nauarra against the Duke de Maine and the league who had driuen the King to an exceeding straight at Diepe By which seruice the King so succeeded against his enemies that a Mercu. Gallo Belg. if he had followed his fortunes he had cleaâ—e ouerthrowen the league for euer b 1598. Specul Trag. Apologia Christopoli historiae de Indi occidentaâ—i c. Fox Mart. At last died Philip the second King of Spaine who made peace with the Turke the better to roote out the Gospell vnder whom in Spaine England the low-countries India c. an infinit number of pore innocents were put to death Whether his death were more strange or miserable is very hard to say For he died all his partes in a manner eaten with lice c Edict of the F. K. The French King published an edict by which the Protestants in France haue libertie to professe the Gospell and to beare offices to the great increase of the Gospell there d 1603. The kingdomes of England and Scotland were most happily vnited the crowne discending to the most godly learned and excellent King Iames by the merciful dispensation of the grace of almighty God King of Scots Who to shew that he acknowledgeth to hold his crownes of Christ hath published this Sonet Basllicon doron GOd a Psal 82.1 giues not Kings the stile of Gods in vaine For b cap. 7.17 on his throne his Scepter doe they sâ—ey And as c cap. 16.17.18 their subiects ought them to obey So d cap. 4.10 5. 8 9.10 11.16 c. Kings should feare and serue their God againe If then you would e cap. 10.1.2 11.15 enioy a happie raigne f cap. 17.16 Obserue the statutes of your heauenly King And g cap. 10.11.12 from his law make all your Lawes to spring Since h cap. 17.17 his Lieutenant here ye should remaine i cap. 11.18 〈…〉 the â—â—st he sâ—â—d fâ—â—st trâ—â— and plaine Eâ—â—resse the proud k cap. 7.17 〈…〉 are the right Walâ—â— l cap. 19.12 alwayes so at euer in his sight Who guards the godly m cap. 15.1 plaguing the prophane And n cap. 1.13 c. so ye shall in Princely vertues shine Resembling right o cap. 4.2.3 c your mightie King Diuine Hallelu-iah for the Lord that God that almightie God hath reigned Amen Hallelu-iah To the Reader THere remaine yet to be powred out the sixth and seauenth Phials The great Hallelu-iahs The waâ—â—â— of Gâ—g
against a Prince I read and read againe the gestes of the Romane kings and Emperours yet no where doe I finde any of them before this Emperour to bee excommunicated by the Pope or depriued of his kingdom wherefore it is prooued to be fabulous m Geneb p. 591 which is reported of Innocentius that he excommunicated Arcadius or degraded Eudoxia then Empresse except it were done in secret or in conceipt In this Councel was Guibertus Archbishop of Rauenna n Mass 16. 224. who staied in Rome after the Synode to be made Pope by the Emperour which when Gregorie knew hauing beene rescued from the hands of Cincius by the furie of the people he degraded all those which were in schisme against him The o Abb. Vrsp p. 221. Trith Hirs p. 93. Emperour in a Councel at Wormacia with in a manner all the Germane Bishops depriued the Pope and by the instructions of Hugo a Cardinall published their sentence thus Because thine entrance began with so great periuries and that the Church of God is so indangered by so grieuous a storme by the abuse of thy nouelties and hast dishonested thy life in thy conuersation with so manifolde infamies as wee neuer promised thee any obedience so doe we renounce to keepe any towards thee hereafter And because none of vs as thou hast publikely declaimed hath bin esteemed by thee to be a Bishop neither shalt thou henceforth by any of vs be called Apostolicall The Pope in a Councell readeth these letters and againe excommunicateth the Emperour and his fauourers beeing p Massaeus 16. p. 224. encouraged by certaine letters out of Germanie that gaue life to the beast At Openheim was a Colloquie in which most of the Princes especially Saxons and Almanes renounced the Emperours subiection pretending that hee stood excommunicated by the Pope though he were absent and not heard By a Trith Hirs 1655. this necessitie the b Gobelinus Emperour goeth humbly towards Rome to aske his pardon of the Pope but c Epit. Blond d. 2. l. 3. his humilitie was slaundered to the Pope as if hee meant some violence and finding the Pope at Canusium barefoote and woolward in a most horrible frost with his wife and sonne indured with much patience the repulse for three daies By his bitter teares hee mooued those that were with the Pope d Vrsp p. 218. Mathildis a harlot c. so that they preuaile with the Pope who absolueth him and e Gobel ae 6. 55. put the imperiall crowne vpon his head f Mat. Paris p. 9. But guile was found in his mouth falsely pretending peace for he g Abb. Vrsp p. 222. said after that he restored him to communion but not to his Empire Hee h Crant Met. 5 14. inioyned the Emperour penance to staie at Rome a yeare and visit Churches with fasting and praier And in the meane time by certaine Princes and many Bishops was Rodulph a man altogether a stranger to the Princes blood elected Emperour the i Trith p. 93. Pope so commanding it by k Fri. d◠ges Fri. 1. 7. manifest and secret letters and receiueth his crowne from the Pope Hee l Geneb p. 882. absolueth the Princes and people from the oath of subiection which they had taken to the Emperour and commandeth them not more holily but traiterously to cleaue to Rodulphus and decreeth that all m 15. q. 6. Nos mē were absolued from obedience to him whom the Pope should excommunicate The n Wigor Ann. 5. E. Ann. 1100. Princes and Bishops fortifie the Alpes against the Emperour who was in Italie Howbeit o Cran. M. 5. 15 ex annalibus knowing of this treason by the Bishop of Auspurge his friend that sought him out in Italie he returned by Aquileia and gathered an armie against Rodulph After p Fri. ges Fr. 1. 7. much bloodshed and that the Emperor could get no fauour of the Pope against Rodulph but was againe excommunicated the q Trith Hirs p. 98. 99. Emperour in a Councel at Brixia setteth vp another Pope and deposeth Gregorie as a firebrand of sedition c. as a Necromancer and one vsing familiar spirits to get the papacie c. The Pope excommunicateth with a curse terrible enough the Emperour his Pope and Councell But the Emperour pursuing his warre r Cran. Metro 5. 16. Rodulph is wounded and before his death with griefe and sighing complaineth of them that had induced him to periurie and to seeke his masters crowne In his ſ Fris ges F. 1. 2 roome Hermanus was elected against the Emperour by the Popes commandement The t Crantz Met. 5. 17. Emperour goeth with an armie into Italie and in Rome inuesteth his Antipope and is crowned by his Pope Gregorie flieth and renueth the excommunication At u Trith Hirs p. 108. Mogunce in a great Synode Gregorie is deposed againe and all of them sweare obedience to the Pope called Clement the same yeare died Gregorie at Salerna when * Wigor Anno 1106. Mat. Paris p. 11. he had confessed to a Cardinall that he had troubled the Church by the perswasion of the diuell and sent to absolue the Emperour and all Christian people quicke and dead the Clergie and laitie This x Geneb Gregorie is said to worke diuers miracles and to haue the gift of prophecie but falsly For y Abb. Vrsp p. 223. ex Bruone when he so farre arrogated vnto himselfe to be a prophet that he did cry out of the deske at Easter esteeme me not for Pope but pull me from the Altar if the Emperor die not before Whitsontide he hired some by treasonable practises to kill him at his prayers in the Church a Mat. Paris p. 10. He also prophecied of the death of a false King meaning Henry the Emperor but that yeere Rodulph the false King that he had set vp died b Abb. Vrsp p. 222. In his time the whole world was moued He c Geneb p. 881. excommunicated the King of Polonia and the d Epit. Blond 2. 3. Emperor of Constantinople which was the cause of great stirres In e Mat. Pari. p. 8. Geneb 887. 886. 888. his time and by reason of the contentions which hee stirred vp the state of the Church was lamentable the Priests were of most vile conditions and the people despised holy things The Turkes preuaile in the East The f Fasc Temp. order of the Carthusian Monkes of a most rigorous abstinence from flesh began because of the apparition of a dead man in his funerals For those Papists g Deut. 18.11 are great consulters with the dead which was forbidden in the law of God These are Ebeonites in abstaining from flesh Victor the third corrupted h Frisin Chr. 7.1 the watch men with money Anno 1087. entred the citie was consecrated in the night He i Geneb p. 189. condemned the Emperour by his excommunication
exhausted the King of Englands treasure k P. 882. 891. 895. 904. He also continued strange exactions of mony in England binding Monasteries c. to pay his creditors vpon paine of interdiction c. l P. 897. This exaction cooled mens affections towards the Pope m P. 910. In his time the preaching Friers had much dammaged the Christian saith by preaching Reade more hereof before Anno 1200. reading teaching certaine doctrines new dotings taken out of the book of Abbas Ioachim condēned by Gregorius the ninth They also had composed a booke which it pleased them to intitle The euerlasting or eternall Gospel which now they inforced to roote out the Gospell of Christ written by the foure Euangelists They also vrged many other things not to be spoken Hereupon grew so many and great scandales one preaching against the other that the vniuersitie of Paris with great counsaile and deliberation sent sixe men very excellent for learning and of noble blood to the Pope in commission for the repaire of the decay in faith The Friers sent speedy messengers to resist these great men to their faces before the Pope At length after much a doe their new Gospell is commaunded to be burned secretly without any scandall to the Friers And so was that Gospel abolished that by a false Prophecy threatned the cessation of the Gospell written by the foure Euangelists The n Geneb p. 978. Mass 17. pag. 238. Fo◠Marty 326. Speculum minorum tract 1. f. 10. b. Pope also commaunded that the booke which Gulielmus de sancto amore had written of pouertie against the Friers going vnder the name of the masters of Paris intituled a treatise of the perils of the latter times should be abolished publikely and banished him France For this Pope much fauored the Friers and o Spec. min. tract f. 7. b. wrote his bull requiring all that had disputed or preached against them to recant teach and preach the contrary vnder paine of suspension and excommunication For he esteemed the Friers as the a cap. 11.4 two golden candelstickes and two great lights that shined in the Church of God b Fox Marty 326. Yet did Laurentius a master of Paris strongly and stoutly teach preach and write in the defence of the said Gulielmus against the Popes and their Friers This Pope exceedingly encreased the bloudie lawes made against them which the Church of Rome calleth heretikes c Dec. 5. tit 2. cap. 2. He decreed that whosoeuer wittingly should bury heretikes or their beleeuers receiuers defenders or fauorers should bee excommunicate till with his owne hands openly he cast those dead bodies out of their graues againe Hee forbad lay men priuately or publikely to dispute of the Catholike faith vnder paine of excommunication as d Carion Mahomet did of his law vnder paine of death He also furnished the inquisition with many bloudy and vnmercifull lawes e 6. Dec. 5. tit 2. c. 4. denying mercy to the penitent and confiscating the goods of such as died before sentence f Par. Vrsp p. 332. One beyond the seas called himselfe Iesus by magicke he wrote prodigious miracles and many armies being vnited to him he subdued many kingdomes vnder him g Geneb p. 979 Ludouicus King of France instituted many things to the profit of the kingdome He would not haue offices and dignities sold and branded them in the forehead with a hot yron that blasphemed or sware by God in vaine he forbad stewes he thrust stage players out of his court Anno 1261. Vrbanus the fourth h Trith p. 249. Clemen 3. tit 16. de reliquijs ven instituted the feast of Corpus Christi day and to encourage the people to keepe it he gaue pardons to such as were present at the seruice a cup of abhominations i Geneb p. 982. c. The host was caryed about in a box as the arke in the time of the law and the booke of the law is among the Iewes or rather k Moris pap p. 58. as Iupiter and Isis were caryed among the Gentiles and it was worshipped l Geneb p. 982. Thomas Aquinas composed the office of this feast This m Part. 3. q. 25. an 31. Thomas wrote that images must be worshipped with the same worship as is due to them whose images they be n Trith p. 249. The Pope conferred the kingdome of Sicilia which Monfred held vpon Charles the French Kings brother and by Legates called him into Italy who draue out Monfred and possessed Sicilia not without much bloodshed The Pope also o 6. Dec. 5. tit 2. cap 9. decreed that the lawes of no place should hinder the proceedings of the inquisition In his time the p Curio Saracens draue the Christians cleane out of Syria yet q Geneb p. 985 granted the free preaching of Christ in Aphryca Anno 1265. Clemens the fourth r Trith 250. p. 251. in his time the monasteries of the order of Benedict in Germanie were filthily corrupted the Monkes and Abbots rushed violently into the very sinke of all vices Carolus the French kings brother whom Vrbane the fourth had made king and a Geneb 986. Clement annointed at Rome vnder condition to paie to the Pope yearely 42,000 crownes in name of a tribute cruelly killed Monfrede And when after him b Par. Vrsp p. 243. Conradine the next heire a very gallant gentleman went to take his inheritance in Apulia by Clement and Charles he was iniuriously repulsed taken by treason derided and by the commandement of the Pope was put to death miserably by c Carion a common executioner That as many as would not worship the beast should be killed Hee d Decr. 5. Tit. 2 c. 10. c. informeth the inquisitors to feare no man but to proceede rigorously to censure with the aide of the secular arme any preachers religious persons vniuersities or other priuiledged places that are impediment to their inquisitiō To cause all ciuill and militarie magistrates to sweare and cause all them that were vnder them to sweare to obserue the lawes made against heretickes their fauourers hearers defenders their sonnes and their nephewes Thus the beast with his hornes maketh warre with the Saints f Geneb p. 986. In his time Antioche was sacked by the Sultan And Ludouicus king of France signed with the crosse in the siege of Tunetum and one of his sonnes died of the pestilence and so the siege was raised Gregorius the tenth g Trith p. 252 worthy the honour Ann. 1271. if a mortal man can be worthy to be Christs vicar in earth who raigneth in heauen Hee h Westmon p. 403. held a Councell at Lugdunum for the holy land to which purpose he decreed that all Ecclesiasticall liuings for seauen yeares space should paie a tenth There i Geneb p. 989. was also handled the reconciliation of the Greeke Churches which was
of Christian iustice the true administration thereof according to the word of God first S. Iohn doth say g cap. 20.4 And I saw thrones for iudgement and they that were fit sate vpon them administring iustice in iudgement according to the truth and not according to appearance or partialitie contrarie to Antichrist h cap. 13.2 to whom the dragon gaue his power and his throne and great authoritie that after the i 1. Pet. 5.8 example of the diuell hee by his inquisitors c. might goe about seeking whom he might deuoure Before these thrones the principal question that is handled is the cause of such godly men called by the scripture phrase soules a Act. 7.14 cap. 20.4 that were as capitally punished as if they were beheaded not for treason but for the witnesse of Iesus and for the word of God as also because that following the word of God they did not worship the beast the ciuill tyrannie nor his image the Hierarchie of Rome neither had taken his marke of superstition which causes the iniquitie of the times held equall to treason if not worse The sentence that was giuen at these iudgement seats of this cause was first that they which haue suffered as the Martyrs of Christ and for the word of God and because they would not worship the beast nor his image nor take the superstitious marke of Antichrist shall liue in the persons of such as hereafter shall professe the same things For the cause shall be adiudged to deserue life and not death and therefore shall be defended from the tyrannie of Antichrist by such as truely administer iustice Yea such also shall raigne with Christ as worthy that office honour and soueraigntie which is fitting a true Christian man The second member of the iudgement is b cap. 20.5 that the rest of the dead men which haue died in the defence of the tyrannie of the Antichristian Popes shall not liue againe in the Church but shall bee iustly reputed to be in hell for their sinnes of treason c. whereas such as professe the cause of the Martyrs c cap. 20.6 are blessed and holy hauing their part in the first resurrection of the Gospel from the darkenes in which it was buried by Antichrist for on such the second death hath no power howsoeuer Antichrist doe threaten no lesse than purgatorie and hell to such Yea they shall bee as the holy people of God who are called a d Exod. 19.6 1. Pet. 2.9 royall Priesthood For they shall be kings and Priests vnto God and of Christ and shall raigne with him Hereupon the e cap. 18.9 c. 15. Princes and Merchants and Ship-men namely the officers of the popish gaine shall lament and howle but yet shall prouide for their safetie standing farre off from the danger But f 20. c. the Saints shall reioyce and triumph for the destruction of Antichrist that is cast into hel like a milstone into the sea The g cap. 19.21 remnant also shall be slaine with the sword of him that sate vpon the horse namely the Turkes shall be conuicted by the power of the scriptures when Antichrist is cast to hell and then shall be fulfilled that which is written The h Dan. 8.14 7.27 sanctuaries shall be clensed and againe And the kingdome and dominion and greatnesse of the kingdome vnder the whole heauen shall be giuen to the holy people of the most high whose kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome and all powers shall serue and obey him The continuance of this period from the reuiuing of the Gospel to the next enemies is 1000. yeare so long shall the Gospel come abroad get the victory and flourish in his due season and so long shall men condemne the crueltie of Antichrist And these 1000. yeares are to beginne where the a Dan. 12.11 1290. yeres spoken of by Daniel doe ende namely in the yeare of Christ 1364. whence we are to reckon the first resurrection The Complement b Geneb p. 1034. 1035. Buchelcerus Iohn Wickleife Anno 1364. who was a Professor of diuinitie in Oxford wrote many things against the receiued opinions of his time He c Fox Mart. 42◠b. seeing the true doctrine of Christs Gospel to be adulterate and defiled determined with himselfe to helpe d 423. a. He affirmed the simple and plaine truth to appeare and consist in the scriptures and that all humane traditions what euer they be must be referred thereunto Thus commeth the word of God abroad e Geneb p. 1034. He wrote more than 200. volumes against the times f 1038. Many wrot against him and g Fox Mart. 422. 423. the Bishops c. did him much trouble like beasts depriuing him of his benefices But he found some quiet by the meanes of certaine principall Noble men that fauoured him In the time of this Wickleife Ann. h 411. 412. 413 in signis 7. 1364. on the fourth sonday in Aduènt Nicolaus Orem preached at Rome before the Pope and his Cardinals that the tribulation i cap. 18.3.23 and fall of the Church was at hand for her excessiue wickednesse hauing gotten the face of an harlot that cannot blush For that her Marchants which sell both Church and Sacraments were the great men of the earth exceeding all Princes of the earth For pride tyrannie for despising correction and hating them that tell the truth euen the professors of the Gospell and that therefore the people were in commotions and many thinke to doe sacrifice to God if they may robbe and spoile certaine fatte Priests c. for the fowles are called to eate the flesh of kings c. k 415. Bridget whose order Pope Vrbane confirmeth calleth the Pope and his Clergie more abhominable than the Iewes that crucified Christ more cruell than Iudas more vniust than Pilate worse than Lucifer himselfe The Sea of Rome shee prophecieth shall bee throwne downe into the deepe like a milstone l cap 18.21 Ier. 51 63. and shall be found no more m Fasc Temp. f 85. Iohannes de rupe scissa a Minorite foretold many things shortly to come of two Antichrists Which came to passe when there were two Popes at once Of the desolation of lands and general treading vnder feete of the Clergie and reducing the whole world to the faith of Christ a Fox Mart. p. 414. The king of England tooke the offices of the Lord Chancelour Lord Treasurer and of the Priuie seale from the vngodly and vnrighteous Clergie and gaue them to the Lords temporall shee is fallen shee is fallen Carolus b Par. Vrsp p. 362. the fourth the Emperour in an assembly of many of the Princes of the Empire answered the Popes Legate my Lord Legate the Pope hath sent you into Germanie where you scrape together much money for her marchants are waxed rich but you reforme nothing in the Clergie Then hee said to
Exod. â—â— â—â— expedition with great honour And what they must doe is committed vnto them For one of the d cap. 15.7 foure beasts or Cherubines which beareth vp the throne of God gaue vnto the seuen Angels seuen golden Phials or Censors full e Exod. 10.2 of the hot burning coles of the wrath of God which liueth for euermore as Alpha and Omega to whom is no variablenes nor changing And by their ministerie the temple the profession of the Gospell is as truly sanctified as was the f Exod. 40.34 35. tabernacle which Moses made or the g 1. King 8.10.11 temple which Salomon built when it was filled full of smoke of the glory of God and of his power which there was in Sacrament and Type but here is in deede and truth And as there Moses nor the Priests were able to enter into the tabernacle of the congregation because of the cloude so here the luster of the glory of God doth keepe men h cap. 19.8 N. B. that none can enter into the temple till the seuen plagues of the seuen Angels be fulfilled All things being thus prepared now followeth the effusion of those plagues In the prophecie whereof first is set downe the speciall vocation of these Angels to the effusion and then their powring of them out Their vocation is from the Church the godly which doe sincerely professe the Gospell newly restored and because of the manifold and grieuous persecutions they crie for and daily threaten vengeance vpon all their Antichristian foes For therefore it is said that that I Iohn and those of my spirit i cap. 16.1 heard a great voyce of such which suffered affliction and vnderstoode the word of God crying out of the temple where they worshipped God and saying to the seuen Angell which are the executioners of Gods wrath Goe your wayes and powre out the Phials of the wrath of God vpon such Antichristian enemies as labour to possesse the earth rather than heauen The particular plagues are seuen k cap. 16.2.3.4 8.10.18.17 First Sores secondly death by sea thirdly death by land or riuers fourthly heate of the sunne fifthly the obscuring of the throne and kingdome of the beast sixthly inuasion and slaughter by the kings of the easte seuenthly the declaration of the truth and proceeding accordingly by prayer destruction c. The manner of the opposition of the beast is a cap. 11.18 cap. 16.9.10 21. that the gentiles be angrie gnaw their tongues for sorrow blasphemies c. but cannot mend themselues The speciall plagues shall be shewed in their proper places when their execution beginneth to be accomplished The complement Anno 1492. Alexander the sixth b Guicciard lib. 1. entring his papacie c Jouius hist sui tem lib. 1. the world was quiet and not beaten with any tempests of warres Especially Italy enioyed the best peace that euer it did from the time of Augustus in any mans memorie d Crantz Met. lib. 12 1. p. 814 Diuers men were in great expectation what would bee the successe of things euen many that followed the Pope as e f 262. b. in Pio 3. Volateran c. But the godly foresaw the vengeance to come For besides others elsewhere g Guies 2. p. 82. Sauanorola a man continually exercised for many yeares in the publicke preaching of Gods word at these times when there was in Italy no other appearance in mans reason then of common tranquillitie would in his sermons prophecy of the comming of forreigne armies with so great astonishment of men that neither walles nor campes could withhould them from comming to heare him h Fox Mart. p. 706. He held and preached iustification by faith for the arke of the couenant is seene and also threatned Italy with the wrath and indignation of God and prophecied before vnto them that the land should be ouerthrowne for the pride and wickednesse of the people and for the vntruth and falshood of the Clergie which God would not leaue vnreuenged i Par. Vrsp 437 That Italy was to be purged with the whipes of God for the manifolde sinnes of the Princes both Ecclesiasticall and secular and so bid the Angels powre out f their Phials For besides the sinnes of other Princes the Pope Alexander the sixth was k Jouius lib. 2 a man of too high a witte and that alwaies craftily liberall was elected for his bribes when beaten men were put by For a Guicc 1. p. 4. he brought by the consent and knowledge of euery one partly for money and partly with promises of offices and dignities many voices of the Cardinals who reiecting the instruction of the Gospel were not ashamed to passe to him by sale an authoritie power to make Marchandise of the holy treasures b Volat. 22. But hee was cruellie vngratefull to the Cardinals that elected him Hee chiefely sought by the example of Innocent to aduance his bastards buâ— with farre greater honours He c Moris papatu p. 95. approued the order of the flewes in Paris which was instituted by a Minorit and d Guicc 3. 179 himself liued incestuouslie with Lucreca his bastard daughter who was likewise common to her two bastard brethren And as e Jouius lib. 1. he defiled the Papacie with diuerse corruptions so he greatly troubled the ciuill estate of the Italian affaires And here is powred out the first Phiall The first Phiall f cap. 16.2 The first Angell therfore according to the commination which came out of the Temple went forth and powred out his Phiall vpon the men that sought only the possession of the earth The effect whereof is there fell a * Deut. 28.35 â—aysome and a grieuous sore vpon the men which had the marke of the beast being as superstitious as any of the Gentiles and vpon them that worshipped his image the Pope the very image of the heathen ciuill Monarchie And here is no mention of the number of his name because these vpon whom the plague first fell were not souldiers to the vse of the Papacie but went to gaine the countries to their owne subiection The complement Charles the eighth g Iouius 1. p. 66 king of France made an expedition into Italie to get Naples At Asta in Italy Ludowick Sforee the regent of Millan met him bringing with him his wife and the choicest women of that countrie knowing the young King to be delighted with such There fell vpon him a vehement sicknes of sores and paines which not somely afflicted his face and armes After his sicknes recured he h 2 89. c. 94. 86. marcheth to Rome with great pompe vpon his vowe to visit the temples at Rome and to worship the altars of Peter and Paul for his health and felicitie and so hee hath the marke of the beast As also humbly to adore the Pope which being the image of the beast held the highest dignitie of pietie and