Christ Iesus So that such Heresies Schismes as arise in our Churches like a Math. 13.32 Tares in the field are defended by none but by such as b 2. Tim. 3.13 waxe worse and worse deceiuing and being deceiued as appeareth either by their secret colluding vnder colourable tearmes of a true meaning craftily deuised for escaping of due punishment so was it with c Arminius in declarat sententiae Apologia Arminius d Vorstius in Oratione Responsione ad articulos Angliae Vorstius and others or by their open and shamelesse reuolting to Papists as Schioppius Iustus Caluinus Walsingham and others or to Anabaptists as Smith or to Brownists as Iohnson or to the Anti-Trinitarians as Laelius Socinus or to the most abominable Sect of Familists as Dauid George Henry Nichols and some such Phantastikes in England and the Low Countries against all which Viperous Generation and Deuillish Brood of Hellish Heretikes Our Churches pronounce f 1. Cor. 16.20 a Maran-atha and our Soueraigne Princes according to their seuerall Estates of Gouernment vnder God in Christ Iesus are carefull to execute the sentence of death thereby g Deut. 13.5 to purge out all euill from Israel and to root out the Relikes of the Great Antichrist out of their Kingdomes For what should be done else to meete with these mischiefes § XXXIII Surely The vse of the latter doctrine what meanes God Himselfe vsed against the Head the same must bee taken in hand by good Men of God to cut off the Taile I meane that against such Heretikes and Schismatikes they must put in vse the double Sword Spirituall and Temporall that for the Ministerie this for the Magistracie To Ministers For that Ministers must fight with the Sword of the Spirit h Ephes 6.16 which is the Word of God against these enemies the Apostle doth warrantize by this his prescription directed to Titus who i Tit. 1.6.9 must ordaine in euery Citie of Creete where he left him such Elders or Bishops as hold fast the faithfull Word as they haue beene taught that they may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to conuince the Gayne-sayers For as when k Math. 2.14 Christ with Ioseph and Marie flying from HEROD went downe into Aegypt l Euseb lib. 6. de Demonstr Euangelicâ ca. 20. the Images there trembled and when the Gospell began to bee preached by the Apostles the Oracles there m Vid. Zâ—huerum Adag sacr Centur. 5. Adag 63. ceased according to that Prophecie of the burden of Aegypt n Esay 19.1 Behold the Lord rideth vpon a swist cloud and shall come into Aegypt and the Idols of Aegypt shall be moued at his presence and the heart of Aegypt shall melt in the middest of it c. So when Christ shall speake by the preaching of the Gospell for reformation of Religion then Antichrist shall feare and Heresies will flye away as o Iohn 3.23 they who doe euill hate the light to the great encouragement of all Gods seruants who because the Euangelicall and Apostolike faith ouerthroweth all Heresies therefore are alwayes to be most mindfull to keepe that rule saith p Leo primus Epist â—6 cap. 1. Leo to Anatolius For to the q Esay 8.20 Law and to the Testimonie if they speake not according vnto this word it is because there is no light in them since this Word is a r 2. Pet. 1.18 light that shineth in a darke place vntill the day dawne and the Day-starre arise in our hearts But it may be this Word howsoeuer it be Å¿ Rom. 1.16 the power of God vnto saluation in them that beleeue yet cannot through the iudgement of hardening winne the Heretike although it most euidently conuinceth the Heresie and therefore the Temporall Sword must bee drawne out by the Magistrate onely t Rom. 13.4 who beareth not the Sword for nought To the Magistrate For u Prou. 20.26 a wise King scattereth the wicked and bringeth the wheele ouer them because it is a Law that x Deut. 17.12 the man that will doe presumptuously and will not harken vnto the Priest that standeth to minister there before the Lord thy God or vnto the Iudge euen that man shall dye and thou shalt put away the euill from Israel For lo a double rule fit for all Gouernours to obserue for their quietnesse against all such disturbances the former from y Tertullian lib. contra Gnostices cap. 21. TERTVLLIAN Duritia vincenda est non suadenda Stubbornenesse must by force bee ouercome and not be perswaded by any fayre meanes The latter from z Bernard BERNARD Melius est vt pereat vnus quà m vnitas It is better that one perish then that the vnitie should bee dissolued Princes are here to deale as Chyrurgions doe with ripened vlcers launce the sinners to let out sinne if not from the Offendor who it may be is incorrigible yet from the ouer-lookers and standers by who by that meanes may feare as Cyprian a Cyprian Ser. de lapsis said Plectuntur quidam quò caeteri corrigantur Exempla sunt omnium tormenta paucorum that is Some are punished that others may bee restrained for all may take example although some onely smart To the people of God Therefore if Christian Princes by that true Authoritie which they receiue from God shall seuerely punish either pernitious Heretikes or obstinate Schismatikes according to their due deserts either with Death or Exile or Proscription or Imprisonment or depriuation from Benefice or by any other course which by Law is prescribed wee my deare Brethren must not grudge or murmure thereat as the a Numb 16.41 Israelites did vpon the iust destruction of rebellious Corah and his company lest as they were so we may bee plagued with some Iudgement for our rash discontentment which if it proceede of pitty is folly since they pitty not themselues but if from a settled affection of good liking towards those wicked Imps then it is a part-taking which is as obnoxious to punishment as the sinne was of the principall Offendors seeing as the rule of b 3. Henr. 7.10 Law runneth in high Treason such as Heresie is to God-ward there is no Accessorie When c Prou. â—9 16 the wicked are multiplied transgression increaseth but the righteous shall see their fall Surely wee true Subiects vnto His Soueraigne Maiestie within these His seuerall Kingdomes and Dominions Three dueties are most entirely bound and obliged to a threefold dutie First of Gratulation Secondly of Supplication And thirdly of Obedience 1. Of gratulation Of Gratulation or most heartie thanksgiuing vnto our great and best God that hath so thorowly inflamed the good heart of our most Gracious Soueraigne Lord King IAMES with so godly a zeale for the iust defence of the True Ancient Catholike and Apostolike faith that we may as truely report of His most Sacred
Nazianzene For Iames was lowd in Herods eares who slew him c Act. 12.2 for the Iewes sake and Iohn was powerfull as an high sounding thunder according to the d Aristot lib. 2. Meteor ca. 9. in illuÌ„ Vicomercatum Senec. lib. 2. Natural Quaest cap. 27. Naturalists their distinctioÌ„ of thunder in nube ex nube in the cloud and from the cloud In the blacke cloud of his flesh wherein whiles he liued he kept the Church pure by his effectuall Preaching from hereticall contagion if wee may well beleeue the report of Hegesippus as Eusebius e Euseb lib. 4. histor Ecclesiast cap. 8. hath recorded it From the bright cloud of his doctrine when after his death he now thundreth in his writings first concerning things past in that his Gospell which where other Euangelists speake most of Christs body f Caluin in proâ—m commentar in Joh. most especially deliuereth the historie of his soule and not of his soule onely to shew Christ truely man but of his God-head also to prooue him very God Secondly of things to come in his Booke of Reuelation g Danaeus in proleg in Minor prophetas ca. 10 which is the last prophecie of the new Testament to which h Reue. 22.10 whoso addeth God will adde vnto him the plagues written therein Thirdly of things present to wit Faith and Loue Faith of sound doctrine and Loue of good workes in these his three Epistles in the first of which called by all Diuines Catholica because it is not dedicated or directed to any one man Church or Countrie in particular for i Vid Posside in Indic Oper. D. Augustini it is not probable that he sent it to the Parthians of whom he maketh no mention at all these points of Doctrine are handled so promiscuously as that yet they are attempered and fitly framed to the strength and capacitie of euery true faithfull one be he olde yong or babish olde by experience who k Heb. 5.14 through long custome hath his wits exercised to discerne both good and euill Yong in his best strength that l Ephes 4.26 he might no way giue place to the deuill but resist m Iam. 4.7 him rather that he may flee from him Babish as n 1. Pet. 2.2 new borne desiring the sincere milke of the word to grow thereby For as in the o Plutarch in Lacon Institut Spartan festiuals all the people reioyced but euery man in a seuerall companie with a seueral tune as old men said they haue beene strong yong men sung that they are strong and children that they may bee strong so although the faithfull performance of these dueties belong vnto all true Christians alike yet Iohn in his heauenly wisedome directeth diuers dueties to diuers ages as louing experience to ancient Fathers liuely strength to flourishing young men and sauing knowledge to tender babes by which as old and yong men take heede of the world which is contrarie to the Father so these babes especially are carefull to beware of all wicked heretikes destroyers of faith § II. For this is the end The end and summe of all and purpose of these words onely to forewarne that as olde men with yong men flee these worldly euils pride couetousnesse and luxurie so must these babes looke with a circumspect eye vnto all false seducers in these dangerous times Because that you may now see at once the summe of all to be said out of these words now it is the last age of the world wherein according to the ancient prophecies of the comming of Antichrist there are now risen many forerunners of that great one who since they are reprobates are become Apostates that may bee discerned what they are by vs who are indued with the grace of Gods holy Spirit from Iesus Christ to know all things necessarie for our saluation in this behalfe The Diuision of the whole Text. § III. Hence therefore you see two things to be obserued out of this Scripture a temptation and an issue a danger and a deliuerance The danger is twofold first in respect of time Babes it is the last time Secondly in respect of wicked teachers liuing in that time who are here described certainely to come for an euident manifestation of this last time First by the greatnesse of the head and as yee heard that Antichrist shall come Secondly by the multitude of the members euen now are there many Antichrists by which we know it is the last time yet the deliuerance is greater then the danger p 1. Cor. 10.13 our faithfull God not suffering vs to be tempted aboue that which wee are able to beare but giuing the issue with the temptation that we may be able to beare it For our deliuerance is described procureable two maner of wayes First in respect of the seducers themselues who are noted to be knowne Secondly in respect of the faithfull indued with grace for to know them The marke of these Antichrists is their Apostasie disciphered out two wayes first by the cause and secondly by the end The cause is formall or as q Zaharell de medijs demonstr cap. 5. Keckerm lib. 1. system Logic. cap. 15. Logicians call it efficiens per emanationem to wit Reprobation necessarily concluding these men to bee Apostates in this demonstration a causa propter quam whose proposition is if they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs. Assumption But they were not all of vs. Conclusion is and therefore they went out from vs. For secondly the end is that it might appeare that they were not all of vs. And therefore that by this marke we might know these Antichrists our God doth indue vs with the grace of his Spirit here liuely discribed first by this fountaine ye haue from that holy one secondly by the floud an vnction or an oyntment and thirdly from the Sea or rather from the end for which this floud floweth from this fountaine and know all things Euery word hath his weight and euery weight hath worth in the danger for a corrosiue in the deliuerance for a comfort in both for sound doctrine and true instruction which although I cannot but rudely deliuer being not accustomed to so honorable a Celebritie yet hartily in the Lord and most humbly I beseech you to heare me patiently since I will endeuour by the grace of GOD preuenting and assisting me in this present businesse to speake to the purpose and prooue what I speake concluding thus with Salomon r Prou. 8.33.34 heare instruction and be yee wise and refuse it not Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my Gates and giuing attendance at the postes of my doores For hee that findeth me findeth life and shall obtaine fauour of the Lord. And so now to the first danger in respect of the time ¶ The first part of the end of the WORLD § IIII. BAbes it is the
promised to the perseuerant vnder this good precept o Reue. 2.10 Be thou faithfull vnto death and I will giue thee a Crowne of life The Reall and full definition of Antichrist § XVII The efficient the matter the forme the end now all put together will openly discouer what is this Great Antichrist to wit a man by ordinarie substitution succeeding another in a kingdome raised vp by Satan vpon the ruine of the Romane Empire and the liberalitie of Christian Princes through the pleasures of the world who being in opinion an Hereticke and a most wicked man in life couetously seeketh to imprint his Character vpon all men whomsoeuer coozeningly endeuoureth to doe signes and wonders and cruelly persequuteth in bloodie massacres the Saints of God in the middest of the Church sitting at Rome growing mysteriously in the Primitiue time but from the sixth hundreth sixtieth and sixth yeere after Christ openly manifest till his vtter destruction at the end of the world both for the blinding of the reprobate and the triall of the elect to the glory of God Eculmo spicam By the halfe you may know what the whole tale meaneth For by this definition thus prooued in all points we may easily perceiue what now in the second place we are to make search for Who is this Great Antichrist § XVIII Some The second Question Who is this Great Antichrist The first opinion as Iodocus Clicthoueus p Clicthou Commentar in Damascen l. 4. ca. 27 reporteth thought that this Great Antichrist was that Seducer Mahomet and his succeeding bloud-suckers Saracens and Turks But Cardinall q Bellar. lib. 3. de Pontif. cap. 3. Sanders Henriq Viguer c. Bellarmine together with all our other Papists which I could as yet euer read concerning this matter vtterly reiect this opinion as most false being indeede conuicted by the strength of Truth For first Mahomet and the Turkes had neuer any place of residence in the middest of the Church at Rome secondly hee neuer was a Prince Ecclesiasticall thirdly he could not by any reason bee accounted for an Heretike or an Apostate from that faith which hee neuer professed fourthly although hee began to raigne in Arabia r An. Dom. 623. vt Genebrard lib. 3. Chronolog much about the time when Antichrist did manifest his rising at Rome yet he neuer made himselfe an vniuersall Bishop and the Vicar of Christ as Antichrist did And therefore some other must be found out to be Antichrist The second opinion and the Truth The Pope is that Great Antichrist Proofes are two 1. From the Names 2. From the Nature or causes of Antichrist From the name are two 1. Literall 2. Mysticall The Literall Name § XIX Who I pray you then can this Antichrist be but Pontifex Romanus the Bishop or as they commonly now call him the Pope of Rome For both his name and his nature agree so fitly vnto that which we haue noted of the Great Antichrist that we may well conclude them to be both one so truly and fully as that now the Pope of Rome is the onely Great Antichrist and the Great Antichrist is only the Pope The name of both is litterall and mysticall The litterall name is Antichrist by which although the Pope bee not called totidem sillabis in those same sillables yet in the same sense he beareth that name if we marke the true Etymologie of the word Antichrist since first hee is so opposite vnto Christ Iesus both in doctrine and life as we shall finde hereafter in the application of the formall cause And secondly since he is commonly called by his chiefest Å¿ Bell. in praefat Tom. 2. ad Sixtii 5. Azor. in dedicat Tom. 1. ad Clem. 8. Flatterers Christi in terris Vicarius Christ his Vicar on earth ouer the Church of which being but t Extrauag Cömun lib. 1. tit 8. cap. 1. vbi sic Ecclesiae vnius vnicae vnum corpus vnum caput non duo capita quasi monstrum Chrisâ—us viz. Christi Vicarius Petrus Petrique successor c. one onely there is but one body one Head not two heads as if he were a Monster to wit Christ and Christs Vicar PETER and PETERS successour c. But howsoeuer they may cauill against this application of the litterall name the mysticall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 included in the number 666 more plainely agreeth vnto the Pope For who raigneth in Latio but only u Ex fictâ— Constantini donatione vide Laur. Vallam the Pope who maketh the Scriptures translated into the Latine tongue The mysticall name to be onely the Authentique Word of God but x Con. Trident. sess 4. decret 2. the Romish Pope onely who forbiddeth the vse of the Liturgie in any other language saue the Latine tongue onely but only the y Con. Trident. sess 22. can 9. Pope Yea marke how this mysterie of this name is made plaine For at that very time when the yeeres after Christ came vp to the number of sixe hundred sixtie and sixe Vitalianus a Musicall Pope notwithstanding through z Jn bello Longobardico inter Imperator barbaros vid. Ottonem Frisingens lib. 5. cap. 11 the misery of the time when hee liued there was more neede of praying then singing yet a Fascicul Tempor compilata historia Platina Balaeus Valero in Vitalian Magdeburgens Câ—nt 7. c. 6. Osiander Câ—nt 7. lib. 3. cap 10. brought into the Church singing of the Seruice the vse of Organes commanding that the Canonicall houres the Hymnes and other Ceremonies should onely bee celebrated in the Latine tongue A matter of mayne consequence since thereupon ignorance arose amongst all people now lulled as it were asleepe by the confused noyse of many voyces in an vnknowne tongue and vpon that ignorance an easie admittance of many grosse opinions if it carried the colour of aduancing deuotion although it was no better as their case then stood then b Act. 17.23 the Altar erected to an vnknowne God And therefore where some c Bell. in Apolog. pro Resp ad Reg. cap. 12. of our Aduersaries mocke at this our applying of this number to Vitalian Ob. since hee was in their opinion a zealous good man in whose time there was no such innouation or change in the Church as we pretend We answere for Vitalian Sol. that his goodnesse shall bee iudged of at the great Day of the Lord In the meane time we know that d 2. Cor. 11.13 14. Sathan himselfe is transformed into an Angell of light and his ministers as the Ministers of righteousnesse For secondly concerning the innouation and change which fell out to bee in the dayes of Vitalian Vitalian himselfe was the onely cause thereof by those his Ordinances for playing and singing Latine Hymnes in the Church since thereby e Luke 11.52 the Key of Knowledge was hidde when common people f Vide Polydor.
Pelagians what a August lib. 2. contra Pelagium Caelestium cap. 29. Saint Augustine auoucheth and the b Glossa in dist 23. can 1. Canonists repeat that as the Floud c Gene. 7.23 ouerwhelmed all men saue Noe and his family so originall corruption seazed vpon d Rom. 5.12 euery one none excepted but the very e Heb. 4.15 2. Of Christ his birth person of Christ Secondly by that grosse opinion concerning Christs Birth that f Aquin. 3. p. q. 28. art 2. q. 35. art 6. Coccius tom 1. Catholicismi lib. 2. cap. 5. D. Bishop in his answere to M. Perkins Aduertisement Vbi vide D. Abbots Replie Christ was borne of the Virgin clauso vtero the wombe being shut Directly contrary to the cause of his presentation to the Lord in the Temple recorded by g Luke 2.23 the Euangelist out of h Exod 13.2 the Law Euery male that openeth the wombe shall bee called Holy to the Lord by which yet there hapned no breach of virginitie since she i Luke 1.31 knew no man being as Tertullian k Tertull. lib. de Carne Christi cap. 23. The fourth Article vndermined by deuillish doctrines saith A Virgin and not a Virgin a Virgin as touching man and not a Virgin as touching childe-bearing The fourth Article Suffered vnder PONTIVS PILATE was crucified dead and buried hee descended into hell although he dare not deny in the thing done for feare of being found yet hee subtilly vndermineth the efficacie of these actions wrought for our saluation by sundry deuillish doctrines deliuered by his Schoolemen for the easier l Vid. Concil Trid. sess 14. cap. 8 sess 25. ca. 1 1. Of Christs sufferings bringing in of humane satisfactions and the setting open wider the gates of picke-purse Purgatorie For first they say that Christ did not properly suffer any punishment or death but m Bellar. lib. 2. de Christo cap. 8 Feuardent li. 5. Thâ—omac Caluinisticae cap. 11 of the body onely whereas if hearty griefe be a proper passion of the soule by which it is troubled and suffereth paine not by sympathie with the body only but properly in it selfe as all true n Aquin. 1.2 q. 35. art 1. 7. c. in eundem ibidem B. Medina Diuinitie and o Lodon Viues lib. 3. de Anima Philosophy doth teach vs we may rather beleeue that Christ did properly suffer in soule the p Damascen lib. 3. Orthod fid cap. 26. Aquinaâ— 3. part q. 46. art 5 6.7 Caluin Institut lib. 2. cap. 16. §. 10 c. paines of hell although not in regard of losse damnâ— but of feeling sensus and that not for euer as q Esay 66.24 Reprobates finde whose worme neuer dyeth but only for some time and this not long as r M. Luther Iohn Glouer c. apud Io. Fox some faithfull men haue endured a tryall but for a very moment and as it were at an instant euen then when he Å¿ Luke 12.49 grieued t Heb. 5.7 when he feared and when u Mat. 26.38 hee found his soule heauy vnto the death as vpon these symptomes it was concluded by x Concil Hispal 2. can 13. the Fathers of the second Councell of Seuill amongst whom were these great men Isidore and Fulgentius out of a place y Ambros in 23. Luc. of Ambrose that the soule was subiect passionibus to sufferings but the Godhead was free For as Hierome z Hieronym in Esay 53. 2. Of Christ offered said it is very plaine that as his body being beaten and torne did beare the signes of iniurie in the prints of strokes and in the blewnesse so his soule verè doluisse truly grieued lest partly the truth partly a lye should bee beleeued in Christ. Secondly they auerre a Aquin. Opuscul de sacra altaris cap. 1. that as the body of the Lord was once offered vpon the Crosse for originall sinne so it is offered continually vpon the altar for our daily transgressions whereas we are onely bound to beleeue that by one b Heb. 10.14 Offering he hath perfected for euer them that are sanctified then vpon the Crosse so c Iohn 19.29 finishing the worke of our Redemption as his bloud then shed clenseth d 1. Iohn 1.7 vs from all sinne Originall and Actuall without exception as e Eusâ—b lib. 1. Demonstr Euangel cap. 10. Eusebius therefore calleth him the atonement for the whole world the sacrifice for all soules the pure hoste for euery blot and sinne who as f Athanas orat 3. contr Arianos Athanasius saith offered a faithfull sacrifice continually induring and not falling downe For as Chrysostome g Chrysost hom 17. in Ioh. gathered vpon the word in the present tense vsed by h Iohn 1.29 S. Iohn Baptist Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world when he suffered he did not then onely take away our sinnes but from thence hithereto he taketh them away hee is not alwayes crucified for he hath offered one sacrifice for our sinnes but alwayes by that he now purgeth vs from all sinne saith i Aquinas in 1. Ioh. 1.7 3. Of Christ not meriting alone Aquinas himselfe originall actuall mortall veniall Thirdly they k Biel in lib. 3. sentent dist 19. q. 1. conclus 3. Nicholas de Orbellis in eundem ibidem hold that although the passion of Christ did merit saluation for all the sonnes of ADAM yet the working of those that are to be saued must helpe together with it as a merite of congruity or of condignity because although it be the principall yet it neuer was the whole cause nor the sole cause meritorious of opening the Kingdome of Heauen wheras we are not in any sort to acknowledge either any other way to heauen but onely Christ who is l Iohn 14.6 the Way the Truth and the Life or any meritorious worke of man to bee ioyned with Christs merit seeing first m Vid. Caluin lib. 3. Inst cap. 15 §. 2. D. Fulke in 13. Heb. § 15 in Answere to Greg. Martin touching haeret translat cap. 9. no Scripture at all no not in any translation euer made mention of the word Merit secondly no man can plead for any such perfection as thereby to merit being n Gal. 5.17 troubled with his rebellious flesh Thirdly Christs merit is not so weake as to bee supplied by the helpe of our merit his merit being able to redeeme a thousand worlds so effectuall for vs that thereby now o Rom. 8.35 not any thing can be layd to our charge so that against this blasphemie besides these grounds of faith in Scripture we may oppose the iudgement both of ancient Fathers of some moderat learned Papists those both iointly agreeing in the second CouÌ„cel of Orenge against the Pelagians to these Canons p Concil
Bellar. lib. 4. de Christo cap. 6. Bellarmines owne graunt but to make answere vnto their second forgerie we admit it into the summe of our faith all agreeing in the matter that Christ descended into hell howsoeuer there is amongst our learned men in priuate such diuersitie of iudgement onely in deliuering the manner of Christs descension into hell as may by distinction of time wherein all those actions were fully complete in my poore opinion be easily couched into one sound corps of necessary truth For some as i Caluin Instit lib. 2. ca. 16. §. 10 Master Caluin and the k Catechism Ecclesiae Geneuensis inter opuscula Caluini Church of Geneua say that then did our Sauiour descend into hell when he suffered in his Soule those hellish torments that were due for our sinnes expressing his humiliation vnder so great a burden by his griefe by his heauinesse and by his crying on the Crosse my God my God why hast thou forsaken me Others as l Oleuian in Symbol De substant foederis art de descens Oleuian and the m Palatin Belgiae in Catechismis Vrsmi Bastingij Churches of Germany holding against the reall bodily presence of Christs body in the Sacrament say that then did Christ descend into hell when vpon the dissolution of his soule from his body by death he entred into the state or condition of the dead which is nothing else but that the body lyeth in the graue and the Soule is with God separated from the bodie as Christ was till the third day vnder the lowest degree of his humiliation Lastly the ancient Fathers followed by the best and most learned n Vid nostros vt D. Hill B. Bilson M. Sparke D. Abbots in his Answere to D. Bishop against M. Perkins Aduertisment Diuines of the Church of England with whom the o L. Hutter in explic lib. de Concord art 9. Eckardus in Enchirid. Controu cap. 3. q. 30 31. Lutheranes also accord hold that then did Christ descend into hell when his soule being separate from his bodie then buried went really and locally downe into hell as a King into the prison to declare his power in it and therein to triumph ouer Satan and all the gates of hell which from thenceforth should not any way * Mat. 16.18 preuaile against his Church Opinions all true though it may be all of them cannot so fitly be applied to this article as the onely proper meaning thereof Wherefore with that most blessed and renowned seruant of Christ p Bucanus loco 25. Institut q. 6. Vrsinus Catechism p. 2 q. 45 pag. 315. Bucanus we thus reconcile them all into one by the true and necessarie distinction of times wherein our Sauiour first suffered in his soule those griefes and paines which were due to our soules both in all his life time but especially a little before and at his death in the state and condition of which death secondly he continued from the time that he gaue vp the ghost vntill his resurrection in which space of time thirdly his bodie was buried and his soule now being separated from the body returned vnto God that gaue it so as that it first went into Paradise where it was with the theefes soule and after by the power of his Godhead really and locally descended into the place of the damned it may be about the time of the earthquake which hapned a little before his resurrectioÌ„ there to make a defiance against Satan in his owne kingdome For all these assertions are seuerally true by the assent of diuers q Aquin. Opusculan Symbolii Colonienses in Instit super huÌ„c artic Ferus in Mat. 27. learned Papists themselues what reason then is there why they may not be as orthodox being ioyned together by way of reconcilement to make peace amongst brethren in whose diuisions as in r Iudges 5.15 those of Reuben there are great thoughts of heart For holding fast the matter we haue more freedome of saith concerning the manner in the opening of which if there be any difference it onely sheweth Å¿ 1. Cor. 12.7 the abundance of Gods Spirit in the Seruants of God who swim towards heauen their last and euerlasting Hauen through the waters of the Scriptures t Ezech. 47.1 2 3. that issue out of the Temple by diuers channels and seuerall depths So that against these wrongs of our Aduersaries thus clearely wiped away from our faces by the euidence of truth it selfe and their owne assent also we conclude with those words of S. Augustine u Aug. Ep. 174. ad Pascentium If men sometimes were not one according to diuersities of their wills and pleasures and according to the vnlikenesse of their opinions and manners yet shall they be one when they come to that end that God may be all in all The fift Article vndermined 1. By their practice Now to proceed from this fourth Article whereon wee haue insisted the longer that wee might the more fully discouer the very bottome of the filthy sinke of Popery the fifth concerning Christs Resurrection on the third day is secretly vndermined first by that Popish practice of going in Pilgrimage to visite the Sepulchre of Christ at Hierusalem both authorized by their x Synod Moguntina sub Sebastiano c. 44 Mediolanensi 4. An. Dom. 1573. c de Peregrinat apud â—inium tom 4. Concil Councels and confirmed by those Letters testimoniall which the y Vti vidi daâ—as cuidam Eduardo Long Generoso Anno Dom. 1609. Prior of the Couent now being at Hierusalem giues to the superstitious Pilgrimes our English PhaÌ„tasticks who vpon money let out to receiue some fiue for one vndertake that idle Iourney for if we beleeue it what need wee see it z 2. Cor. 5.7 Wee walke by faith and not by sight Gregorie Nyssen a Gregor Nyssen in Epist ad Cappadoc Graecolat apud Catalog testium verit tom 1. li. 4. p. 163 saith of this abuse that since locall motion doth not bring God neerer to vs to whom hee will come wheresoeuer we be we must labour to trauaile from the body to the Lord and not from Cappadocia or from any other Countrey else vnto Palestina which is not to be called aboue others b Innocent 3. apud Platinam an Holy Land being c Mat. 27.25 2. By their Doctrine subiect yet to the curse for the death of Christ as they wished His bloud vpon themselues and their children Secondly by that most strange assertion that d Iodic Coccius tom 1. Catholic lib. 2. art 5. Christ should rise clauso Monumento The Sepulchre being shut whereas the e Mat. 28.3 Angell came downe to roll away the stone not as some f Maldonatus in Matth. 28. of them say after his Resurrection onely that the woman might see it but before his rising as LEO g Leo 1. Ep. 83. cap.
haue an open Verdict seuerally deliuered by euery Iuror where according to our p Idem ibidem cap. 28. custome also we will demand sentence first of those who are of least account with the Pope beginning first with Princes then proceeding to the Bishops but lastly striking all downe flat with the Monkes of the Westerne Orders who q Reuel 9.11 are the Popes owne creatures and greatest Dearelings being sworne Slaues to their King The first Man the Angell of the bottomlesse pit And now to the businesse The first Man of the Princes is Fredericke the Second Emperour of Rome who in iust execration of Popish Tyrannie plainely auouched that r In Epist ad Ordin Germaniae apud Auentin lib. 7. Annal. Boâ—or pag. 542. edit Basil there were many Antichrists amongst those Romane Bishops neither were there any other hurt to Christian Religion but onely they as their Workes doe shew For saith he Å¿ In Epist ad Wenceslaum Regem Bohemiae apud Auen ibid. The second man in another place they who sit ouer the Temple of God at Babylon that is at Rome affectate Diuinitie The second is Otto at that time Duke of Bauaria who confesseth t In Orat. ad Episâ— Germaniae apud Auentinâ— pag. 550. The third man his assent vnto the Bishops who affirmed that the Pope was Antichrist and ratifieth his settled iudgement by his iust reproofe of their inconstancie The third is Menardus that thrice Noble Earle of Tyrolis who in his u Apud Auentinum ibid. p 577 Apologie against the vniust dealing of Pope NICHOLAS the Fourth saith plainely that the Popes are nothing else but Antichrist The fourth man The fourth and the last Prince is Lodouicus Quartus Bauarus Emperour of the Romanes who in the Decree x Apud Auentinum pag. 616. made and divulged by a Councell gathered of all the States in the Empire at Rome plainely auoweth of the Pope then being Iohn the two and twentieth that as hee was a counterfeite Shepheard so he was the Mysticall Antichrist So haue the Princes giuen their Verdict Now call in the Bishops The fifth man and the first that speaketh here is a certaine Arch-Bishop of Florence who vsed y Platina in Pasâ—hali 2. to affirme in his Sermons and other his speeches that Antichrist was borne I need not for I cannot tell his name Pope Paschal the Second proceeded against him by vniust prosecution euen vnto Deposall The sixth man The second Bishop dealeth more plainely and boldly being President of a Synode called by the King of France then Hugo Capet and holden at Rhemes by all the Bishops of that Kingdome in the yeere of our Lord nine hundred ninetie and second howsoeuer Baronius z Baron tom 10 Annal. ad annuÌ„ 992. Bisciola ibâ—d and a Binnius tom 3. part 2. sub Ioh. 15. Binnius would haue the truth thereof suppressed by a short relation of partiall Eginaldus against the true report and large narration of all things there passing made by b Magdiburgensis Centur. 10 cap 9. Gowlart tom 2. Catalog â—est veritat lib. 15. cap. de Synodiâ— Gerbertus after that called Pope Syluester the Second c Platina in Syluestro 2. thought to bee a Magician but defended by d Onuphrius in Annâ—tat in Platinam vbi supra Onuphrius for an honest man and this Bishops name is Arnulphus of Orleance who thus speaketh of the Pope then Iohn the Fifteenth e Jn oratione apud praedict D. Mornaeum in Mysterio Iniquit ad ann 992. The seuenth Man O Reuerend Fathers what thinke yee him to bee who sitteth in the high Seate shining in a Purple and Golden Garment Surely because hee is void of Charitie and puffed vp and extolled onely by knowledge hee is Antichrist sitting in the Temple of God and shewing himselfe as if he were God c. The third of the Bishops is Eberardus Bishop of Salzburge who in f Apud Auentinum l. 7. AnnaliuÌ„ Boior pag. 547. an Oration deliuered to the Bishops of Germanie then assembled in a Councell at Ratissone mightily inueigheth against the Pope applying vnto him all the foresaid Prophecies of Daniel Saint Paul and Saint Iohn in the Reuelation plainly auouching that Hildebrand first layd the foundation of Antichrist his Kingdome vnder a colour of Religion and that the Pope is vsually called Antichrist of whom the SYBILS olde HYDASPES and others did prophecie The eight man The fourth and the last Bishop but not of the least learning is Robert Grosthead the good Bishop of Lincolne who a little before his death in the yeere of our LORD one thousand two hundred and fiftieth euen when this Realme of England was most of all oppressed with Popish Tyrannie did demonstrate g Apud Math. Parificusem in Henrico 3. pag. 847.848 the Pope to be the Great Antichrist by that heauie destruction which the Pope brought vpon many Christian soules concluding all with these words against that Monster Eius auaritiae totus non sufficit orbis Eius luxuriae Meretrix non sufficit omnis that is Not all the World can well suffice His greedy hearts desire Nor all the Worlds Harlots quench His lustfull burning fire Well the Bishops haue dealt plainely and truely to the discharge of a good Conscience Let the Monkes be produced The first is Ioachim Abbas The ninth man that most famous Clerke who h Roger. Houeden in Richardo primo in conference with Richard the First then King of England going in his iournie towards Hierusalem said plainely that Antichrist was then borne in the Citie of Rome and should bee set vp in the Apostolike See The second is Nodbertus The tenth man or Norebertus the i Hospinian lib. 6. de Orig. Monach cap. 11. superstitious Founder of the Praemonstratenses who about the yeere of our Lord one thousand one hundreth and nineteenth affirmed euen to * Trithem in Chron. Hirsaâ—giensi anno 1125. the face of Pope Honorius the Second and vnto k Bernardus Epi. 56. ad Gaufridum Carnotentem The eleuenth man Saint Bernard that Antichrist was neere and in that very Generation to be reuealed and that he should liue to see the generall persecution of the Church which indeed he being aduanced to the Dignitie of the Arch-Bishopricke of Magdeburge afterward saw inflicted by the Pope vpon the good Waldenses and Albigenses The third is one Hay-abalus a Monke who taught l Henricus de Erphordia ad annum 1345. Gowlart in Catalog test Verit. lib. 18. publikely at Auimon that he was bound to preach this Doctrine to the World that Rome was Babylon and the Pope with his Cardinals were the Great Antichrist for which his Doctrine howsoeuer most true he was put into Prison by the commandement of Pope Clement the Sixth and there most cruelly murdered The twelfth man The fourth and the last and yet of greatest authoritie and renowne amongst all Popelings
by our blessed Sauiour thus denouncing t Matth. 23.15 Woe vnto you Scribes and Pharises Hypocrites for ye compasse Sea and Land to make one Proselite and when he is made yee make him two-fold more the childe of hell then your selues Thirdly by S. Paul maruelling u Galat. 1.5 that the Galatians were so soone remooued from him that called them into the grace of Christ vnto another Gospell which yet is not another albeit there bee some that trouble them and would peruert the Gospell of Christ. For as x Prou. 25.19 Salomon saith Confidence in an vnfaithfull man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth y Vid. Zeâ—ner lib. sacr similitud simili 56.57 which is more cause of griefe then gaine and a foote out of ioynt that will paine vs and hinder our way because a faithlesse friend such as all blinde Leaders are to the blinde is iust like z Esay 36.6 to the staffe of the broken reed of Aegypt whereon if a man leaue it will goe into his hand and pierce it yea rent a Ezech. 29.6 the shoulder and make their loynes be at a stand For such relying vpon lyers both benummeth the hands to hinder the nimble practice of good things and setteth both shoulders and loynes out of ioynt to shake their constancie in the settled profession of spotles Truth that the old b Apud Erasm Chiliad tit Jgnorantia Graecians might wel aduise their younglings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neyther to vse a blinde Guide nor yet a witlesse Counsellour For as saith TERTVLLIAN c Tertull. lib. de praescript aduers haeres cap. 14. Tu qui proinde quaeris spectans ad eos qui ipsi quaerunt dubius ad dubios certus ad incertos caecus ad caecos in foueam deducaris necesse est Thou who therefore searchest to finde looking to them who also seeke doubtfull to the doubtfull certaine to the vncertaine blinde to the blinde it must needs be that thou must be led into the ditch Wherefore for Vse of this truth The Vse We are to giue most diligent attendance to a double exhortation which the holy Ghost much presseth the former is for caution the latter for tryall The former is 1. For Caution that wee should all beware what Guides wee follow or what Teachers we learne by as it is said d Matth. 7.15 Beware of false prophets and take heed beware e Matth. 16.6 of the leuen of the Pharises and of the Sadduces and I beseech you f Rom. 16.17 brethren marke them which cause diuisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which yee haue learned and auoyd them and g Philip. 3.2 beware of dogges beware of euill workers beware of the concision And so in many other places For if we be Shepheards of the Flocke and Ministers of the Gospell by the calling of Christ Iesus wee are not to propose for our imitation vnto our selues the lewd example of Idoll h Zach. 11.17 shepheards which feede themselues and not the Flocke lest thereby wee bee vtterly depriued eyther of our places as God i Ierem. 23.4 will then prouide him other Shepheards or of true comfort in those places wherein through idlenesse we doe no good â—laying not feeding killing not leading not sauing the soule but shewing the skinne of a wandring sheepe to the dangerous aggrauation of that great account which wee must make to him who k Ezech. 34.10 will require his sheepe at our hands when those nominall Rabbies whom we placed before our eyes for patternes in the vse of our Pastorall charge shal feele the same smart for this sinne of bringing in a skinne without a carkasse For as S. l August lib. de Pastor cap. 10. Augustine saith What shall it profit him that he bringeth the marked skinne The good Man of the house enquireth for the life of the sheepe But a bad shepheard bringeth the skinne Or if we be Sheepe yet are wee to beware what Shepheard we follow lest he proue either a Thiefe or an Hireling either an intruder or an idle loyterer or which is worst of all a rauenous Wolfe For m Iohn 10.5 the good sheepe because they know not the voyce of a stranger will not follow but flee a stranger as the n Theodorit lib. 4. histor Eccles cap. 19. 20. Orthodox Christians of Alexandria in Aegypt forsooke the Church wherin the vile Arian Lucius did preach after the death of good Athanasius and vpon the most iniurious disturbance of the Reuerend Bishop PETER The o Prou. 20.12 hearing eare and the seeing eye the Lord hath made euen both of them that the p Iob 34.3 eare may try words as the mouth tasteth meat For the q Prou. 14.15 simple beleeueth euery word but the prudent man looketh well to his going And the latter exhortation of the Holy Ghost is 2. For Tryall that we should most diligently try out who are the good Guides whom we may follow rightly as Saint Paul sayth r 1. Thes 5 23. Proue all things hold fast that which is good And S. Iohn secondeth him more particularly Å¿ 1. Iohn 4.1 Beleeue not euery spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God because many false prophets are gone out into the world For all is not Gold that glistereth nor Siluer that shineth and therefore t Prou. 17.3 the Fining-pot is for Siluer and the fornace for Gold all doctrines are not Orthodox albeit they are set forth with the most entising words of mans wisedome neither yet are all Doctors right disposers of the secrets of God and therefore Gods Word is as the touch-stone our faith therein is as the file by which wee may make good tryall and proofe both of Doctrine and Doctor u Plutarch lib. de solert animal Plutarch reporteth of the Foâ—es in Thrace a cold Countrey subiect to much frost and so to be couered in Winter with much Ice that when they are to passe ouer any frozen poole they come to it very sizely and lay downe their eare vnto the ground to harken if any streame of water run bubbling vnderneath the Ice which if they finde then backe they goe as from an vnsound and dangerous passage otherwise if they heare nothing they passe ouer boldy as vpon solid ground This naturall subtiltie of warie Foxes is of vs to be followed who in this cold world wherein zeale is quenched haue very many Icie glassie and slipperie wayes to passe I meane many dangerous conclusions both for Doctrine and manners to admit of for x 1. Cor. 14.10 there are many kinds of voyces in the world and none of them without signification Our best course then is to lay downe our eares and vnderstandings vnto the ground and foundation of all positions that if there be any vnder-water that is any subtill streames of erronious doctrine cunningly conueyed vnder smooth
5.11 from sinners But such then are openly knowne for secret tares must x Math. 13.30 stand till haruest If some aske Why so Sol. I answere Because man may in partialitie plucke vp wheate for tares and let tares grow for wheate Therefore God who is neuer deceiued neither can be corrupted reserueth that iudgement vnto himselfe to be reuealed sometimes in this world by some notorious iudgement but certainely hereafter in the world to come as Gregorie Nyssen y Gregor Nyss lib. de Resurrect anima ad sor pag. 193. hath worthily expounded that point of the Parable Let them grow till the haruest saying The Husbandman letteth alone amongst vs some adulterous seedes not that they should alwayes preuaile against the more precious Corne but that the ground by its inward strength may wither and dry vp some of the branches and make others of them flourishing and fruitfull which if it be not done here then doth he reserue the discerning of the fruit of the field vnto the fire But be it so that the Church is here spotlesse the second point is most false that their Churches and Congregations or Conuenticles rather and Satanicall Synagogues are pure and perfect For to rake vp this Sinke a little and make knowne their filthynesse and abominations marke their doctrine They z Vid. L. Osian M. Barnard vbi supra denie the old Testament they hold it vnlawfull for any man to take an Oath before a Magistrate they forbidding the Baptisme of children allow rebaptizing and sebaptizing as SMITH baptized himselfe they hold Iustification by the works of Regeneration they hold all things to be common euen Wiues whom they diuorce without iust cause they deny Magistracie pretending libertie but practising licenciousnesse For looke into their liues a little Are they not phantasticall depending vpon Enthusiasmes Are they not schismaticall making rents without reason Are they not Coozeners deluding the simple Are they not proud deriding the godly Are they not debauched in all filthy Venerie Are they not disobedient to all good Order by confused Anarchie I neede not send you further to seeke how these men liue then to Amsterdam and the Low Countries where they a Esay 59.4 hatch Cockatrice egs and weaue Spiders webs b Vid Sleidan lib. 5. 10. Commentar Swenckfeldians were manifest in the rebellious rusticks of Germanie Anabaptists by those who were suppressed at Mounster and our English Brownists discouer themselues too farre by their manifold exorbitancies against God King Church Common-wealth and their owne fellowes if we may beleeue c Tho. White his discouerie of Brownists Master White and others who haue seene them and conuersed with them Therefore pleade they for perfection as much as they please we know that all is not Gold which glistereth we find that they are d Prou. 30.12 not cleane from their wickednesse but that they are the very broode of the auncient Montanists Manichees Nouatians Donatists and Priscillianists making shew without substance and as they began idlely so ending odiously by the iudgement of God who will not suffer them to raigne any long time that Truth may preuaile So that now deare brethren leauing these three kind of Perfectists vnto Gods iust correction let vs in the feare of God take direction the second vse of our doctrine hereby vnto spirituall growth and proceeding in pietie 2. For direction as wee are very often mooued thereunto first by S. Paul e Ephes 4.15 following the truth in loue grow vp vnto him in all things which is the head euen Christ Secondly by S. Peter f 2. Pet. 3.18 grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ For as Leo well g Leo Ser. 8. de Pass dom cap. 8. obserued Qui non proficit deficit qui nihil acquirit nonnihil perdit He that goeth not forward runneth backward and he that getteth nothing loseth some-what because his loue chilleth his hope halteth and faith faileth who runneth not forward to gaine the Crowne For no h Luke 9.62 man hauing put his hand to the plow and looking backe is fit for the kingdome of God since as Tertullian i Tertull. lib. de Idololatr cap. 12 iudged well sepelire patrem tardum fuit fidei to pretend for excuse against spirituall proceeding the buriall of our father is a slowing of faith that should be alwayes liuely And therefore as the old Romanes k Apud Plin. lib. 18. cap. 19. vsed to say Arator nisi incuruus praeuaricatur The plow-man vnlesse he lye hard vpon the Plow-stilt may make balks in goodland So may we say of a Christian that vnlesse he presse very hard towards the marke he l 1. Cor. 9.26 beareth but the aire he cannot attaine to what he seeketh since we m Luke 13.21 must striue against flesh and bloud to enter in at the strait gate It may be that many blocks are laid in our way some by aduersitie some by prosperitie But what saith holy Dauid The n Psal 92.12 righteous shall flourish like a Palme tree he shall grow like a Cedar in Libanon like a Palme tree in aduersitie and like a Cedar in prosperitie For as the o Gellius lib. 3. cap. 6. Palme groweth higher and spreadeth it selfe broader the greater the waight is which is laid vpon it so the truly godly the more they are pressed with afflictions for the Gospels sake the more they grow in the goodnesse thereof as Hilarie p Hilar. lib. 7. de Triuit said very well of the Church Hoc Ecclesiae proprium est vt tum vincat cum laeditur tum intelligatur cum arguitur tum obtineat cum descritur This is the propertie of the Church then to ouercome when it is hurt then to be vnderstood when it is reprooued then to obtaine when it is forsaken And as the Cedar q Plin. lib. 16. cap. 40. wheresoeuer it grow neuer feeleth the worme but alwayes is found so a good man wheresoeuer he liue yet carrieth a sound conscience without a gnawing worme no pleasure either pussing or pampering him vp who r Phil. 4.12 can want and abound taking euery thing for an help to set him forward vnto all perfection Are we men in nature Be not Dwarfes in Grace God my brethren hath in his goodnesse towards vs his children in Great BRITAINE giuen many many Motiues and meanes to this perfection but especially foure as first the Word preached neuer before so plentifully or so purely as it hath been of late yeers to our wonderfull comfort while we profit thereby as to their vtter ouerthrow and condemnation who bring not foorth fruites worthy of it For it is as desperate Physicke as euer Parâ—celsus gaue Å¿ 2. Cor. 2.16 either the sauour of life vnto life or else the sauour of death vnto death Secondly good examples of many great and good Worthies of Israel who going before prouoke
limiting Article metaphorically as Champions may be called Lyons Actors Roscij and Tyrants Nerones So that we need not much trouble our selues to answere their oppositions if we would but marke diligently their owne contradictions in other points as much as in this concerning Antichrist whom they can neuer prooue to be one onely person Objection 2 How then will they shew the second of their Problemes that hee shall bee a Iew by Nation The z Pellar lib. 3. de Pontif. ca. 12. Cardinall bringeth no place of Scripture but what hath beene answered before out of Saint Iohn so basely begging the question Onely his reason is all which any of them can say to wit that he must needs be a Iew because that the Iewes will neuer receiue any one for their Messias who is not a Iew or vncircumcised since they looke for a Messiah out of the Linage of DAVID and Tribe of IVDAH Sol. And yet it commeth short a great deale of their marke since it is not prooued that the Iewes will receiue Antichrist or if they shall receiue Antichrist whether they will take him for their Messiah onely or how they can expect one of the Tribe of Dauid and yet receiue a Counterfeit comming from the Tribe of Dan and borne in the Citie Babylon not Rome but that place properly in Mesopotamia as a Henriq lib. vlt. ca. 23. §. 7. Henriquez and b Viguer Instit cap 21. §. 3. v. 3. Viguerius doe falsely suppose But if he be from the Tribe of Dan he must needes be a Iew. Surely it followeth not since Dan for their Idolatry was accounted by the Holy Ghost rather Gentiles then Iewes And yet it is to bee prooued that hee must bee Objection 3 borne of the Tribe of DAN For Bellarmine c Vid. Bellarm. lib. 3. cap. 12. himselfe doth truely and ingenuously confesse that this opinion concerning Antichrists originall from the Tribe of DAN is verie probable becuase of the authority of so great Fathers such as were IRENAEVS HYPPOLITVS c who doe affirme it But yet it is not altogether certaine both because Solution 1 most of those Fathers doe not say that they know it but onely intimate it to be probable and because none of the Scriptures alleadged doe conuince it For first d Gene. 49.16 IAACOB seemeth litterally to speake of SAMSON when he saith DAN shall be a Serpent by the way an Adder in the path that biteth the Horse heeles so that his Rider shall fall backward For SAMSON was of the Tribe of DAN and was truely vnto the Philistims as a Serpent by the way for euery where hee withstood them and vexed them and so HIEROME expoundeth it in his Hebrew Questions and it seemeth truely that IAACOB did wish well vnto his Sonne when he spake these words and therefore that hee did not foreshew ill but good Yea if it be allegorically applyed vnto Antichrist there can but a probable Argument be thence deriued such as is drawne from mysticall meanings Secondly where some alleadge these words of Solution 2 the e Iere. 8.16 Prophet the snorting of his Horses was heard from DAN the same Cardinall answereth that IEREMIE without doubt doth not speake of Antichrist neither of the Tribe of DAN but of NABVCHODONOSOR who was to come to destroy Hierusalem through that Countrie which is called DAN as HIEROME there doth rightly expound it Solution 3 Lastly where some f Riber Viegas in 7. Apocalyps 14. make it a great matter of moment to draw Antichrist from DAN that DAN is not reckoned amongst the elect Tribes this great Cardinall doth thus lightly passe ouer this proofe Why DAN is omitted it is not yet known especially since EPHRAIM which is one of the greatest Tribes is not set downe An answere sufficient to stop the mouthes of our arrogant Aduersaries although for the satisfying of all good Christians our most learned Diuines g Apud Marlaorat in 7. Apoc. deliuer this reason for the omission of DAN because DAN so quickly reuolted vnto Gentilisme that he was not thought worthy to bee accounted amongst the twelue Tribes of Israel So that now to conclude this Discourse concerning the materiall cause of Antichrist let vs passe ouer all these vnwritten fopperies of blearing Phantastickes touching the certaine Nation and Tribe whence Antichrist shall rise and hold this truth for certaine that Antichrist must be a man of what Nation soeuer as hee may bee of any succeeding a Predecessor in all his abominations which he himselfe shall leaue vnto a Successour in one onely place as now the forme of Antichrist to bee sought out shall plainly demonstrate The formall cause cōsisting in these three 1. Qualities 2. Place 3 Time § XV. The forme shall appeare first by the qualities of his person secondly by the place of his residence thirdly by the time of his beginning and continuance The qualities of his person are first inward habits and secondly outward actions The Qualities of Antichrist are two 1. Habits 2. Acts. The Habits of Antichrist are two 1. Heresie 2. Iniquitie Antichrist an Heretike The habits are many but all comprehensible vnder these two heads onely first of heresie in doctrine secondly of iniquitie in life For because of heresie in doctrine he is called h 2. Thes 2.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or an Aduersarie because like i Beza in Annot maior his owne Father Satan hee opposeth himselfe k Aquinas in 2. Thes 2. against all good Spirits teaching true Doctrine by that his earnest imbracing of all manner of heresies which violate the cōmon faith expressed in our Creed as plainly appeareth by this one marke of Antichrist which S. Iohn l 1. Iohn 4.3 setteth downe Euery spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God and this is that spirit of Antichrist of which yee haue heard c. For vnder m Vid. Fern. Piscat in hunc locum this deniall of Christs Incarnation all the Articles of our faith in the Creed are renounced whether they be concerning the person or the office of Christ Concerning his person as he is both God and man God n Phil. 2.7 coequall to his Father and to the Holy Ghost Man like o Heb. 4.15 vnto vs in all things sinne onely excepted conceiued by the Holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary Concerning his office first of Prophecie wherein he teacheth vs being our onely p Mat. 23.8 Doctor secondly of his Priesthood wherein he suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried and descended into Hell thirdly of his Regalitie or Kingly office wherein he is not onely personally exalted by the Resurrection of his body the third day from the dead his ascension into Heauen his sitting at the right hand of God the Father Almightie and his comming againe to iudgement of the quicke and dead but also ruleth ouer his Church in the
communion of Saints both for the forgiuenesse of sinnes in this life onely for as Cyprian q Cyprian lib. contra Demetrianum saith after death there is no place for repentance and for the Resurrection of the bodie vnto life eternall Antichrist r Reuel 16.13 the false prophet must denie all these points of Christian beliefe not openly for then he should be conuicted publiquely in the Councels by the Orthodox Fathers but by secret conueyances and colourable pretences for which he is Å¿ Reuel 13.11 said to haue two hornes like a Lambe but to speake as a Dragon because as Gregorie t Gregor lib. 33 Mor. cap. 36. the great and after him many learned euen u Rich. de sancto Victore lib. 4 in Apocal c. 5. Viegas Ribera in 13. Apocal. Papists expound it Vnder the shew of a Lambe he infuseth into his reprobate hearers the poyson of a serpent hauing the two Testaments by knowledge of learning not by holinesse of life he agreeth with the Deuill by wicked perswasion 2 Secondly for his Iniquitie Antichrist by the holy Apostle is called Antichrist in Iniquity most hainous in respect both of his owne wicked person and of other vile miscreants whom he seduceth x 2. Thes 2.3 the man of sinne the sonne of perdition yea y Reuel 9.11 Abaddon Apollyon both actiuely to others and passiuely in himselfe since there is not one commaundement in the whole Decalogue which wittingly and willingly he doth not infringe as to giue in euery one of them a speciall instance he breaketh the first by Atheisme and Magicke by which as Antiochus Epiphanes otherwise called Epimanes a right tipe of Antichrist z Dan. 11.36 magnified and exalted himselfe against euerie God speaking marueilous things against the God of gods so Antichrist shall a 2. Thess 2.4 exalt himselfe against all that is called God or that is worshipped the second by Idolatrie and superstition by which as Antiochus b Dan. 11.38 shall honour his God Mauzzin a God whom his fathers knew not so must Antichrist c Reuel 17.4 be full of all abominations and filthinesse of fornications the third by blasphemies whereof d Reuel 17.3 he must be full the fourth by prophanation of the Sabbath and other festiuall dayes through e Reuel 9.1 smoke of the pit which darkened sunne and aire that is through f Ribera in hunc locum the darknesse of errors and lusts of ignorance which blinded the minds of simple Christians the fifth by pride ouer the Kings of the earth g Reuel 13.12 causing them to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed the sixth by h Reuel 17.6 murdering the Saints of God the seuenth by i Reuel 17.2 fornications and foule adulteries yet k Dan. 11.37 seeming not to care for women by l 1. Tim. 4.2 forbidding Marriages the eight by thefts m Dan. 11.39 in deuiding the land for gaine the ninth by o 2. Thess 2.11 lies and false wonders as one possessed with a spirit of delusion the tenth by the indulgence of raging concupiscence p 2. Tim. 3.4 louing pleasures more then God and q 2. Pet. 2.14 exercising himselfe in couetous practices as a cursed child So is this vile Monster habituated on each side Can we looke for better acts r Mat. 12.34 O generation of vipers how can yee being euill speake good things The acts of Antichrist are 3. Couetousnesse Coozenage Crueltie His Couetousnesse knowne by his Character imprinted For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh The tree saith Å¿ Clem. Alex. li. 5. Strom. Clemens Alexandrinus is known by his fruits not by flowers and blossomes For lo now the Acts proceeding from these habits The first is of Couetousnesse in his Character The second of Coozenage in his miracles The third the last of crueltie in his warres For the Character which is nothing els but as Dionysius t Dionys Carthusâ—n 13. Apoc. Carthusianus saith a conformitie to the life and doctrine of Antichrist or as u Aquin. par 3. q. 63. art 3. Aquinas defineth it a profession of an vnlawfull worship ioyned with an obstinate malice whether expressible by some outward signe and marke or inuisible or both as it is eyther an inward conformitie or an outward profession all is one to x Vid Petrum Molins 3. parte Apolog. cap 4. vs who take it for a marke of a reprobate doth demonstrate his incroaching and coueteous humour since first he y Reu. 13.16.17 causeth all both small and great rich and poore free and bond to receiue the marke secondly it is to be imprinted in their right hand and in their foreheads thirdly no man may buy or sell saue he that hath the marke or the name of the beast or the number of his name For first when he causeth all of all sorts of men both Laitie and Clergie as z Bellar. lib. 1. de membr Ecclesiae cap. 1. they wickedly distinguish Gods people to debarre them from this lot inheritance in Iesus Christ that is a Aquin. part 3. q. 63. art 3. ad 3. either men in an order vnto a coÌ„mon life of ignoraÌ„t superstition or in an order of a speciall calling for propagating and defence of the same superstition when I say he seeketh to put all into his own marke doth he not well resemble that wretched worldling who b Psal 10.10 croucheth and boweth that heapes of the poore may fall into his strong parts Secondly hee must haue the marke set on their foreheads c Gloss ordinar Lyra in 13. Apoc. 17. for shew of profession and vpon their right hand also for strength of operation that both like a false Apostle d Gal. 6.12 he might glory in their flesh and with the most tyrannous Ammonite Nahash e 1. Sam. 11.2 put out the right eyes of their vnderstanding to lay it if he can possibly for a reproch vpon all the Israel of God For thirdly he bewraieth his greedie desire of this generall subiection to be for his owne aduantage onely by restrayning the power of buying and selling vnto those alone which haue his marke For what else is this buying and selling but a making of marchandize of the soules of men through couetousnesse with fained words as f 2. Pet. 2.3 Peter calleth it And what is this restrayning of this market to some onely but a speciall motiue to them who thinke to grow rich by such a gainefull trade of seeking to procure this marke as a letter of Mart to themselues alone by which they may securely enioy the benefit of such a Monopolie Babylon as g Nah. 3.4 Niniueh is a Mistresse of Witchcrafts that selleth Nations through her Whoredomes and Families through her Witchcrafts in which as in the corrupted h Mic. 3.11 Ierusalem the Heads iudge for reward the Priests