during those fiery fiue moneths mentioned in the 5. Reuelat. 9.5 verse of the 9. chap. of the Reuelation which some of the learned doe interpret to be those last 500. yeeres before Luthers time in which Antichrist was growne vp to his full height and power and euen then did God stirre vp a great company of corragious Champions to withstand the Pope and openly and boldly to write speake and preach against him and his proceedings till well towards the rising of Luther a great part of which we will now produce as they thus follow in particular 3 About the yeare of our Lord 1158. which was almost foure hundred yeares before Luthers daies Garhardus and Dulcinus Nauarenses did earnestly preach against the Church of Rome and taught that the Pope is Antichrist that the Clergie and Prelates of Rome were reiected and were become the very whore of Babylon prefigured in the booke of the Reuelation These as the histories doe testifie came into England The two witnesses as they follow are sayd to be two because thâ—y bear witnesse to the two TestameÌ„ts and brought certaine others with them who were by the King and the Prelaetes burned in the foreheads and sent out of the Realme and afterwards were put to death by the Pope In the yeare 1160. * Waldus Waldus one of the chiefe Magistrates of the Citie of Lyons in Fraunce was terrified at the sight of one that fell downe dead suddenly he shewed great fruits of repentance both by exercising the workes of mercie in relieuing the poore and also by instructing himselfe and his family in the word of God and in exhorting all that resorted vnto him to the same and by translating certaine places of Scriptures into the French tongue which he declared vnto many He and a great number that receiued instructions by him maintained the same doctrine drawne out of the holy Scriptures which we doe now condemning the Masse to be wicked the Pope to bee Antichrist and Rome to be Babylon c. They were threatned and by violence of persecution scattered into many places and some of them remained long in Bohemia In the yeare 1212. An hundred burned in one day the Pope caused an hundred persons in the Country of Alsatia whereof diuers of them were Noble men to be burned in one day for maintaining doctrine against the Romish Church About the yeare of Christ 1230. The Graecians renounced the Church of Rome almost all the Church of the Graeciaens renounced the Church of Rome because of their execrable Simony and such like abominable wickednesse In the time of the Emperour Frederike the second about the yeare 1240. there was in the Countrey of Sweuia many Preachers which preached freely against the Pope and his Prelates affirming that they were Heretiques Simonackes and such like About the yeare 1250. rose vp Arnoldus de nona villa a Spaniard Arnoldus a man famously learned and a great Writer hee impugned the errours of the Popish Church and taught Guilielmus that the Pope led the people to hell About the same time Guilielmus de sancto Amore a maister of Paris and chiefe ruler of that Vniuersitie applied all the testimonies of Scripture which are touching Antichrist against the Popish Clergie About the yeare 1290. Laurence an Englishman Laurence and a maister of Paris mightily proued the Pope to be Antichrist and the Synagogue of Rome to be Babylon the Pope after his death caused his bones to bee taken vp and burned Robert Gallus At the same time Robert Gallus a man of noble parentage impugned the Pope of Rome and his Clergie calling the Pope an idol Robert Grostid Also about the same time Robert Grostid Bishop of Lincolne a man famously learned in three tongues wrote diuers Inuectiues against the Pope prouing him to be an heretike after his death the Pope would haue had his bones digged vp but was terrified by a Vision About the yeare 1350 the Lord raised vp diuers learned men Gregory Arminensis which openly and boldly impugned the Pope and the Church of Rome Gregory Arminensis who layed open the abuses of the Romish Synagogue and confuted the Popish doctrine of free-will In Germany a Preacher taught likewise Petracha Franciscus Petracha at the same time called Rome The whoore of Babylon the Sanctuary of heresie and Schoole of errour Johannes derupe Scissa And a little before that Iohannes derupe Scissa was cast into prison for rebuking the Popish Prelates for their detestable enormities and for that hee called the Church of Rome The Whoore of Babylon the Pope the Minister of Antichrist and the Cardinalls false Prophets And being in prison hee wrote a booke prophecying of the afflictions which hanged ouer the heads of the Romish Clergie Couradus Hager Also there was maister Conradus Hager who taught more then twenty yeares against the Masse hee was afterwards shut vp in prison Gerardus Ridder Michael Cesenas Petrus de Carbona Iohannes de Poliaco Also one Gerardus Ridder wrote a booke against the Monkes and Friers which he entituled Lachrime ecclesiae About the same time Michaell Cesenas and Petrus de Corbona and Iohannes de Poliace were condemned by the Pope and his adherents The said Michaell wrote a booke against the pride tyrannie and primacie of the Pope accusing him to be Antichrist and the Church of Rome Babylon That whoore drunke with the blood of the Saints He left behind him many followers of whom a great part were slaine by the Pope and some of them were burned Two Friers About the same time two Friers were put to death in Auinion for matters which they had against the Pope one of them was called Iohannes Rochetailiada who did preach that the Church of Rome is Babylon the Pope and Cardinalls Antichrist About the yeare 1360. was set forth a writing against the Pope and his Clergie The Plowmans complaint Armachanus called the Complaint of the plow man About the same time Armachanus an Archbishop in Ireland was raised vp against Antichrist he was a man of great learning and godlinesse his troubles were many and his deliuerances great by Gods prouidence In the yeare of Christ 1364. Nicolas Orme Nicolas Orme preached a Sermon before the Pope and his Cardinalls in which he rebuked the Popish Prelates and affirmed their destruction not to be farre off About the yeare 1370. liued Mathew Parisiensis a Bohemian Math. Parisiensis who wrote a large booke of Antichrist and noteth the Pope to be the same About the yeare 1384. Nilus Bishop of Thessalonica Nilus wrote also a large booke against the Romaine Church About the yeare 1390. many were put to death for the Gospell refusing the doctrine and worship of the Church of Rome as at Bringa there were burned sixe and thirty Citizens of Maguntia Many put to death for refusing the Romish religion In the prouince of Narbone there
was to the number of an hundred and fortie which chose rather to suffer all torments than to receiue the Romish religion and so to deny the truth of the most glorious Gospell And a good while before this time there was foure and twentie put to death at Paris there were foure hundred noted to be heretikes foure score beheaded Prince Armericus was hanged and the Lady of the Castle was stoned to death In the daies of King Edward the third about the yeare 1371. beganne Iohn Wickliffe of Oxenford Wickliffe openly to deale against the Pope and Popish doctrine The times were then very grieuous the Popish kingdome of Antichrist being risen vp vnto a very great strength and crueltie King Edward himselfe being very well learned a valiant Prince greatly withstood Popery hee much fauoured and defended Wickliffe and so did diuers Noble-men insomuch that M. Wickliffe and others preached against the Church of Rome the Pope and his Prelates doing what they could were not able to hurt him After the death of King Edward he was greatly supported by the Londoners and so escaped the hands of his aduersaries still proclaiming the holy and heauenly doctrine of the Gospel against the Romish Antichrist It pleased God by his preaching and by his bookes to giue light to many in the Land sundry were put to death The Lord Cobham of whom the Lord Cobham was one and diuers fled out of the Land because they would not deny the truth which they had learned of him That Popish Councell of Constance fortie one yeares after his death condemned his doctrine and caused his bones to be digged vp and burned And as Wickliffes doctrine tooke place heere in England and spread farre so were some of his Workes carried into Bohemia where they did more preuaile Iohn Husse for about the yeare 1410. rose Iohn Husse who taught in Bohemia with diuers others the holy Gospell of Iesus Christ which a multitude zealously imbraced and thereupon renounced the Church of Rome He was cited to appeare before the Pope which he auoyded and about the yeare 1414. hee was charged againe to appeare then he was excommunicated and much molestation followed but he continued a faithfull witnesse of Christ and openly impugned the Romish Church and Synagogue vntill the Councell of Constanoe where he was condemned as an heretike Hierome of ' Prage and burned In the same Councell Hierome of Prage a worthy seruant of Christ for resisting the Romish Harlot was condemned and burned These men were put to death but Antichrist and all his power could not roote out the Gospel in Bohemia God raised them vp a valiant Captaine Iohn Zisca Iohn Zisca and they put to flight great armies of the Papists that came against them About this time there followed great persecutions in England and many were put to death whom they called Lolards Veselus Gronigensis God also raised vp one Veselus Gronigensis he was so worthy a man that hee was called Lux mundi the light of the world He disputed mightily boldly against Popery and proued their doctrine false and wicked and that the Popes Keyes doe not open but shut heauen Gates This man ended his daies in the yeere of Christ 1499. Sauonarola In the yeare 1500. Hieronomus Sauonarola a Monke in Italie with two other Friers Dominicke and Siluester Dominicke and Siluester were condemned to â—eath at Florence they taught and maintained against the Popish doctrine the things which we doe now 4 And thus hauing slaine and put to death all within the Romish iurisdiction that did any way gaine say them The two witnesses are both slaine they haue now gotten all in quiet possession leauing none that would not be conformable to Antichrists lore And this is it which Saint Augustine did find by the Scriptures the great Antichrist should bring to passe as may plainely appeare by these his words For that wee beleeue that Antichrist shall come vnto such an height of vaine-glory it shall be lawfull for him to doe such things both towards all men and also towards the Saints of God that many weake men shall thinke God hath forsaken the care of the world And also wee see that prophesie heere fully verified in the 13. chapter of the Reuelation which saith thus of the Romish spirituall gouernour He caused that as many as would not worship the Image of the beast should be killed That is all that would not be conformable to al the old Heathenish ordinances set vp againe by the Pope and preach and professe the same should be killed So that herein also is fulfilled that prophesie in the eleauenth chapter of the same booke concerning the killing the two witnesses whom the tenth verse of the same chapter declareth The 9. and 10. verses sheweth that by the 2. Witnesses are meant all the Preachers that should vex Antichrists vvholâ— kingdom which in the sixt verse of the 14. chap. are included in the person of one Angell with all other throghout Christendome should vexe Antichrists whole kingdome for which cause hee should slay them But whereas Bellarmine would haue them to be onely two persons and that they should containe themselues within that one nation of the Iewes the Text is plaine to the contrarie in that it saith And they of the people and kinreds and tongues and Gentiles shall see their corpes three dayes and an halfe and shall not suffer their carkeises to be put in graues and they that dwell on the earth shall reioyce ouer them and be glad and send gifts one to another for these two Prophets vexed them that dwelt on the earth Now in that the text declareth that the two witnesses were slaine among the Gentiles in diuers nations of the earth and that those nations euery where saw their dead corpes lie among them which they counted not worthie to be buried in Christian mens moulde as they call it it is cleare they were not two persons but all those Preachers which euery where bare witnesse to the truth of the two Testaments whereby they vexed Anticâ—rist and the Antichristians wheresoeuer they did inhabite vpon the face of the whole earth 5 But now in that it is said They lay dead three dayes and an halfe and in the words following After three dayes and an halfe the spirite of life comming from God shall enter into them and they shall stand vpon their feete This is to be vnderstood of the time from the killing the last of the witnesses to the rising againe of the first of them and not of the 1260. dayes the whole time of Antichrists reigne mentioned in the third verse of the 11. chapter of the Reuelation as some doe vnderstand it for it is very absurd to say that the witnesses should lie dead during the whole time of their prophecying and yet prophecie too Now for that we finde that the next that rose after their death to oppose themselues against
as the mouth of a Lyon The spirituall Beast is onely said to haue two Hornes like the Lambe Vnder the first Beast Verse 11 was our Sauiour Christ and all his Apostles put to death as also many thousand Christians after them and almost all the Bishops of Rome for the space of neere three hundred yeares This corporall Beast was Heathenish Rome and Regiment which the Papists would make the World to beleeue the Angel in the seauenteenth Chapter onely called Babylon 2 The first Beast wee see is set forth in a visible shape to our corporall eyes the second in no shape therefore to be discerned with spirituall eyes onely it is said to haue two Hornes like the Lambe that is to say to seeme to haue the two Testaments the Law of God and Gospel of Christ to be the onely strength of his Kingdome and Priesthood as Christ himselfe had By which it is certaine that by this second Beast so resembling Christ is meant Christian Rome and her Regiment Now the first beast they confesse was well worthie the name of Babylon for that it did as well resemble old Babylon in tyranny Idolatrie and all manner of abominations as if it had beene the verie same therefore if wee can prooue that the second beast became so liuely to resemble the first beast as the first beast did the first Babylon then the case will stand cleare that the second beast is as well worthie the same name Now for proofe hereof what better Author can wee bring then the Angel himselfe who of the second beast saith thus * Some of our Writers haue doubted that because it is said he did all that the first beast did before him or in his sight that this cannot be meant of the Popes spirituall Regiment but the 20. verse of the 19. Chap. will shew them it is And he did all that the first beast could doe before him and he caused the Earth and them that dwelt therein to worship the first Beast that is commaunded all vpon the earth within his Dominions to lay to their helping hands with him to bring the Christian state into the first beasts forme and order and also to bring all the inhabitants within his iurisdiction to conforme themselues in reuerence and humble obedience vnto the same and so to worship the first beast in honouring his old Heathenish Ordinances by which it is without all contradiction the second beast is no whitlesse worthie the same name 3 But yet for more plainer proofe that by the second beast is meant the spirituall Regiment of Christian Rome let vs heare how Erasmus doth interpret those words of the Angel in the thirteenth Chapter his words bee these a Erasmus vpon the 13. Chap. 5. Sect. When as the Roman Kingdome after the time of Iulianus began to be diuided into East and West and to diminish for a season then began a new Roman Kingdome and iurisdiction namely the Popes pompe And a little after b Jbidem This Kingdome of the Papists tooke vpon it all the power of the first beast the Roman Emperour and compelled the Christians to Idolatrie and seruice of false gods vnder a pretence of honouring Christ and Saints By which it is most apparant that by the second beast is meant the Popish Christian Regiment of Rome And this is very sufficient for the prouing that by the two beasts in the thirteenth Chapter is meant the Heathenish Roman Regiment and the Popish Christian Regiment Now it requireth that we proue also whether by the beast mentioned in the seauenteenth Chapter which the Angel called Babylon the Mother of whoredomes and abominations of the earth bee meant Heathenish Rome and her Regiment vnder the Pagan Emperours or of Christian Rome and of her Regiment vnder the Popes 4 Erasmus hauing discoursed at large of the matters contained in the thirteenth fourteenth fifteenth and sixteenth Chapters comming to the seauenteenth Chapter he saith thus c Erasmus vpon then 7. chap. Sect. 1. One of the seauen Angels which spake of the second Kingdome and of the iurisdiction of Rome and of the beast with two Hornes commeth now againe and will speake more plainely So that he giueth vs to vnderstand The spirituall beast in the 13. chap. and that in the 17. chap. are one that the same beast in the thirteenth Chapter and that in the seuenteenth Chapter are both one Now we heard before by what sufficient arguments hee proued that by the second beast was meant Christian Rome and her Regiment but let vs also see by what inducements he is lead to affirme that that beast in the seauenteenth Chapter is the same The first motiue I take to bee this namely for that the same beast which the Angel in the fift verse called Babylon the Mother of whordomes and abominations of the Earth in the 8. verse he saw he had expounded to Iohn to be a Citie Euident notes to proue Christian Rome Babylon and in the ninth verse to be that onely Citie that compasseth within her seauen speciall Hills which was sufficient to perswade him that by the beast in the seauenteenth Chapter the Angel meant Rome Secondly to induce him to vnderstand that the Angel meant Christian Rome he saw the Angel spake of Romes estate in her latter daies for that so soone as he had declared vnto Iohn the beast to bee a Citie and with one and the same breath to adde these words which raigneth ouer the Kings of the Earth And also for that he saw him to preuent Iohn before in the twelfth Verse for vnderstanding them of Kings in his dayes in saying thus of them Which yet haue not receiued a kingdome but shall receiue power at an houre with the beast As also for that by these very words he declared vnto him that he did not speake of the first beast because that beast was then in his full power and raigned ouer both Iewes and Gentiles 5 Thirdly for that hee saw the Angell had declared vnto Iohn that those Kings which afterwards should rise vp with the beast should continue with her to the end of her dayes and should grow into so great hatred against her that they should pursue her to her vtter destruction For as in the twelfth verse he described those Kings by the similitude of tenne hornes so in the sixteenth and seuenteenth verses hee said vnto Iohn thus of those hornes And the tenne Hornes which thou sawest vpon the beast Reuelat. 17. are they that shall hate the Whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eate her flesh and burne her with fire for God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will and to doe with one consent for to giue their kingdome vnto the beast vntill the words of God be fulfilled Fourthly the fourth verse of the seauenteenth Chapter inforced him to vnderstand the beast which the Angel there calleth Babylon the Mother of whordomes and abominations of the Earth to
Antichrist and to set vp the Gospell againe in his kingdome was that man of God Luther therefore in him did the two witnesses first begin to rise againe for it is cleare it is not meant that the same should rise againe in their owne persons but that euen as Elias was reuiued in Saint Iohn Baptist not in the same person Luke 1.17 but as Saint Luke saith chap. 1.17 in the same spirit and power so should they after a little moment rise in power and spirit in the persons of others And this first rising was about the yeare of Christ 1520. So that counting from those three last which were put to death in the yeere of Christ Wee had a Church among the Papists till about twentie yeares before Luther 1500. we had no appearing Church left in the Romish iurisdiction for the space of twenty yeares before the rising of Luther which time is called but three dayes and an halfe in respect of the three Angels yeares and an halfe the time of Antichrists reigne wherefore seeing they had their Church alone without our Church but twenty yeares before Luther how wickedly doe they delude the multitude in making them to beleeue they had the Romish Church and all other Christian Churches vniuersally from Saint Peters time and that wee had no Church till Luthers time whereas we see it proued most apparently that for the first 606. yeares next after Christ our Church was and theirs had no being at all and that the very first beginning of their Church was the entrance vpon our Church in the Romish iurisdiction of which wee see a part continued in view till about twenty yeares before Luther which if wee had not had yet will wee now proue that continually from the Apostles time to Luthers time we had else-where as great a Church as they if not greater 6 Vnderstand therefore Christian reader that albeit the whole Christian Church was one yet afterwards it was diuided into two parts to wit East and West so till the Councell of Florence which was about fourteene hundred yeeres after Christ they possessed but the West part The Councell of Florence And notwithstanding Michael Paleolgus Emperour of the East in hope of some aide of the Pope and the Princes of the West against the Turke did his good will to haue brought the East part in subiection to the Popes of Rome yet as their Paulus saith d Paul Aemil. in Philippo 4. his people so detested him for it that after his death they would not admit him common Christian buriall Againe it is certaine that the Greekes counted the Romanes a most polluted and an infectious people for in their late Councell of Lateran it is said e Jn Concil Lateranen Cap. 4. The Greekes began so much to abhorre the Romanes that if it had happened the Lattine Priests to haue ministred vpon their Alters they would not offer any oblation vpon them before they had washed the same Againe albeit the Legates of the East in the Councell of Florence was perswaded to yeeld to be subiect to the Pope yet doubting it would not be well taken at their returne home they halfe recanted and said f The Councell of Florence We haue no leaue nor commission to speake these words And notwithstanding at their returne home they laboured so with the Greekes that they consented to yeeld yet this continued not for as their Platina saith g Platina in Eugenio Not long after they fell to their olde bent againe But had it continued to this day without reuolting yet had it come too too late to haue maintained the antiquitie of the Popes vniuersalitie yea too late by at the least 1300. yeeres And therefore it was that Illyricus which dwelt vpon the borders of Grecia wrote thus h Illyricus Testibus Veritatis page 5. The Churches of Grecia and the Churches of Asia Macedonia Misia Valachia Russia Muschouia and Affrica ioyned thereunto that is to say saith he in a manner all the whole world or at the least the greatest part thereof neuer graunted the Pope his supremacie 7 So that Christian reader thou seest that howsoeuer the Emperour Phocas did giue that prerogatiue to the Bishop of Rome to be vniuersall head of all Christian Bishops and Rome to be chiefe of all Christian Churches it doth not therefore follow that all Christian Churches were content therewith or did yeeld thereunto or that Rome euer attained thereunto onely she obtained to be vniuersall superiour ouer the West Churches as is plainely confessed by their Doctor M. Harding in his Booke of Confutation of the Apologie i Harding Apolog chap. 23. diuision 2. where he saith Rome is the Mother of all the West Churches If but of the West then not vniuersally of all both East and West therefore by M. Hardings owne confession here falleth to the ground the Popes vniuersalitie And therefore as we saw proued in the former Chapter that for the first sixe hundred and six yeares their Church had not any being at all so here we see proued as plainely that after they had a Church they had it but by measure and not vniuersally as they fondly fable Wherefore christian Reader whensoeuer they shall hereafter demaund of thee where our Church was before Luthers time answer them thus It was by Gregory the Greats confession sixe hundred and fiue yeeres before there was an vniuersall Pope to make a Popish Church hauing then none other but onely the same vniuersall head that now the true Christian Catholique and vniuersall Church hath of which we are now apart and that afterwards when an vniuersall Pope was ordained and made supreame head of the Church and had gotten dominion ouer the West part thereof yet euen there was our Church in reasonable quietnesse till about foure hundred yeares when as Pope Hildebrand began to be a fire-brand For indeed about that time Antichrist began to lay himselfe open to the world by his tyrannie which he began then to exercise against those that did withstand him and afterwards when as hee was growing vp to the full measure of iniquitie and that our Church among them could no longer beare his detestable enormities then during the next fiue hundred yeares following through their grieuous persecutions it was driuen into holes and corners and as many as they found they destroyed and the rest would haue destroyed had they not fled into those other parts of our Church before mentioned where they were preserued by Gods prouidence from the sonne of perditions tyrannie according to the prophesie in the fourteenth verse of the twelfth Chapter of the Reuelation which saith But to the woman to wit the true Church were giuen two wings of the great Eagle that shee might flie into the wildernesse into her place where she is nourished for a time and times and halfe a time from the presence of the Serpent The Church of Rome is proued to be a persecuter of the true
the sinnes of others Thirdly to stay their soules from death Fourthly to purchase Heauen And lastly to lift vp and place their soules in Heauen They will haue all by their owne deseruings or they will haue none all by merits or else no bargaine therefore let vs see what wee can say further vnto them touching this point 25 Our Sauiour Christ Matthew 5. saith Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of Heauen Now this word Poore is a metaphor taken from a man that is so very poore as that hee hath not wherewith to sustaine his owne life but is faine to seeke to others for succour And such are they which finde themselues so greatly destitute of soules sustenance as that they are glad to seeke to others for reliefe euen to God for his mercy and to Christ for his merites 26 Such a blessed poore man was Saint Basil as may appeare by these his words h Basil vpon the 32. Psalm He that trusteth not in his owne good deeds nor hopeth to be iustified by his workes hath the onely hope of his saluation in the mercies of God Also such a blessed poore man was Saint Augustine as appeareth by these his words i Aug. vpon the 142. Psal Lord for thy name sake shalt thou quicken mee in thy righteousnesse Not in mine not because I haue deserued it but because thou hast mercy on me Also such a blessed poore man was Saint Hierome as appeareth by these his words k Hier. 64. of Esay If we behold our owne merits wee shall be driuen to desperation Yea and notwithstanding Saint Bernard acknowledgeth himselfe also to be one of these poore Publicans in that he saith of himselfe l Ber. vpon the Psal qui habitat My merites is the mercy of God yet they will rather be condemned with the proud Pharises then be iuslified with the poore Publicans To be briefe whereas their Master Harding saith m D. Harding in his booke A direction of sundry soule errours lies c. in fol. 357. Wee are iustified freely without workes that may deserue the grace that God giueth Here he hath condemned their doctrine of iustification by workes to be most false and erroneous but in that that hee includeth that workes may deserue the grace that God giueth he hath proued himselfe a notable heretique For as Saint Augustine saith n Aug. in his 46. Epistle Vnderstand that the forenamed Epistle to Sixtus an Elder of the Church of Rome is written against the Pelagians the new heretiques which affirme the grace of God to be giuen according to merits that he that glorieth should not glorie in the Lord but in himselfe that is in man and not in the Lord. And therefore in another place hee saith o In the same Epistle Let no man say that for the merits of his workes or for the merits of his prayers or for the merit of his faith the grace of God is giuen vnto him And so that which those heretiques say be counted true namely that according to our merits the grace of God is giuen then the which nothing can be more false But as he saith in another place p In his booke of predestination of Saints chap. 9. They that glorie should not glorie in their owne merits which they perceiue to be like vnto the merits of them that shall be damned but should glorie in the Lord. Whereupon saith Saint Ambrose q Ambrose in his 1. booke and 5. chapter of the calling of the Gentiles Like as there is none so detestable outragious as can restraine the free gift of grace so can there be no worke so excellent that this which is freely giuen should be due vnto them by action of debt for then the redemption of Christ should in deed be no thing worth neither should the worthinesse of mans workes be inferiour to the mercie of God Whereupon their Writer Waldensis saith r Walden in his booke against Wilelesse I take him therefore to be the sounder Diuine the faithfuller Catholique and more agreeable to the holy Scriptures that vtterly denieth all such kinde of merits And thus much for the conclusion of the twelue Chapters referring the whole matter to be iudged by all that shall reade them Whether they can possibly be true Catholique Christians which in stead of one God will haue hundreds as appeareth in our first Chapter and in stead of one Sauiour to haue many thousands as appeareth in the same Chapter That will haue the Pope to be the very Vicar of Christ whom in our second Chapter wee proued to be that great Antichrist shewed by Saint Paul 2 Thessa 2. to be the Arch-enemie of Christ and all true Christians That will haue Rome to be the Mother of all Christian Churches which in our third Chapter we proued to be that Babylon which the Angel in the seauenteenth Chapter of the Reuelation calleth The mother of Whordomes and abhominations of the earth That will haue his Church as it is now Christian to be the true Church of Christ Which in our fourth Chapter we proued to be the same idolatrous Church professing Christ mentioned by the Angell in the 13. Chapter and 17. Chapter of the Reuelation That will haue their Church to be the most auncient Apostolique and Catholique Church which in our fifth Chapter we proued had no being at all for the space of sixe hundred and sixe yeares next after Christ That will haue the succession of Vniuersall Popes to descend from Saint Peter which we proued in our sixth Chapter to descend but from Boniface the third Bishop of Rome of that name made Vniuersal Pope by that Murtherer Phocas â—he Emperour in the yeare of Christ 607. In which yeare the first Vniuersall Pope being made the Popish Church must needes first begin For as before Christ was there could be no Christian Church so before there was an Vniuersall Pope there could be no Popish Church Therefore their Church hauing her first beginning but sixe hundred and seauen yeares after Christ the antiquity thereof is ouerthrowne our Church proued to be more ancient by sixe hundred and sixe yeares That will haue the Popes supreame title and dignitie approued of by generall consent of Councells and Fathers which in our seauenth Chapter we proued to be gain said and withstood by Councells and Fathers till the yeare of Christ 607. That will haue Peter to be made supreame Head of all the Apostles by Christ himselfe the contrary whereof wee proued in our eighth Chapter by Christs expresse Commaundement and therefore the Pope cannot claime his Supremacie from Peter That will haue the true Church knowne by retaining seauen Sacraments which in our ninth Chapter we proued that to Saint Chrisostomes time which was about foure hundred yeares after Christs Incarnation it was knowne by retaining onely two Sacraments and afterwards no Christian Church knowne by the iust number of seauen till Antichrist was borne in Rome That will haue the idolatrous Masse to be the ordinance of Christ which in the same Chapter we proued cannot be because it tendeth to the vtter ouerthrow of the power of Christs death and passion as also because it was not begun to be framed till about one hundred and nineteene yeares after Christ and not finished of more then sixe hundred yeares after And confessed by their Iohannes Boemos to be inuented by certaine Bishoppes of Rome whose names wee haue produced in the same Chapter as himselfe nominated them That will haue those words in the sixt chapter of Saint Iohns Cospel touching the eating his flesh and drinking his bloud to bee meant of a corporall kinde of eating which heresie wee proued in our tenth Chapter Christ reproued the carnall Capernaites for As also will haue those words in the sixe and twentieth Chapter of Saint Matthews Gospel Take eate this is my Body to be literally vnderstood that they might worship the bread for Christ and make an Idoll of it That will haue Saints prayed vnto and worshipped which as we proued in our eleuenth Chapter is to robbe God of two speciall parts of his glory Lastly that will haue men to make a better satisfaction for sinne then Christ hath made for them be better purged from their sinne in the fire of Purgatory then Christ hath by his bloud or be holden from life and libertie for euer which as we proued in our twelfth Chapter tendeth to the vtter ouerthrow of all that Christ hath done for the saluation of man kinde To conclude we see in this Chapter of Conclusion they will haue men to seeke iustification by the workes of the Law that so they might be brought vnder the curse and condemnation of it for not fulfilling all that the Law requireth They will haue men to purchase heauen by their owne deseruing thereby to proue his death to be needlesse and faith in him of none effect And notwithstanding that case to stand cleare that these be paâ—â— of those Antichristian lies wherewith Saint Paul 2 Thess 2. shewed the great Antichrist should deceiue those that loued not the truth But had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse They bash not to say The Pope cannot be holden with any Religion of a lie FINIS