holy inquisition to finde out that sweete sinne and to pardon it which might be most profitable to the Church as having command over the purse of the partie peccant Thus it grew in time to be rightly called the Sacrament of pennance indeede for if it had not contrition at the first yet it ever ended in repentance though ever a little too late and therefore to small purpose for the pennilesse penitent The Cleargie having by these artes and infinite others as Idolatrie is full of invention for he that can once make his Creator can make all other things ingrost almost all into their owne hands they made divisions of Kingdomes and cutte them out into Bishopricks as all Countries especially Germanie can well witnesse Where the Emperor was shackled with Ecclesiasticall Officers of the Sea of Rome as with fetters of gold till the necessitie of the papacie about the rising up of Luther forced the Pope to permit the house of Austria to grow a little too great to the lessening of Antichrists immediate authoritie In so much as now the Papacie is made a servant to the House of Austria under a Catholike title as the Papacie before made both that House and all others servants to increase and support the excessiue greatnesse of that Sea under the like Catholike title and pretence But this was then and is now a violent motion and therefore not perpetuall then permitted and practised to prevent the losse of all which was justly feared upon probable grounds and now to hold what that Sea still possesseth but feareth to loose and to regaine if it be possible what she hath lost alreadie Which if ever she could regaine by this meanes she could then be content to burne the rodde of her wrath or to weare it out in her worke with whipping others In the meane time she is content to make the Spanish kingdome the Catholique sword so that the Roman Church may still be the Catholique scabberd to that sword and draw it or sheath it at the Popes pleasure But I beleeue that as by these arts that Antichristian Sea hath ascended up to that superlatiue height wherein it now sitts so it shall loose all by the same or the like meanes For whensoever the world shall be so happie as to haue an understanding Emperour who knowes his owne and is able to discover and recover Antichristian usurpations that such a man taking Henry the VIII of England for a patterne shall and may easily doe that in Germanie and so consequently in other places which that Resolute King by the advice of the Lord Cromwell and the example of Cardinall Wolsey did in his owne dominions viz. That King intending to dissolue all Monasteries made a division of part to the Nobles and Commons from whence it first came and so mette no opposition The patterne was the Popes owne who made Church-men Princes and changed the title and name of those Lands which were often by them acquired and possessed by ill arts as if he could haue changed the nature thereof and made them what he called them spirituall The King therefore did but reduce things backe to their right and former order Here onely was the error of that worke that the King did not restore the Tenths to the constant maintenance of the ministerie which portion whether it now belong to the Church or no jure divino I intend not to dispute pro or con But I dare say Gods owne order hath manifested it to be both competent and convenient for that purpose beyond all old exceptions or new inventions and so proues it to agree with the law of nature if not to flow immediately from thence deserving therefore to liue after the honourable buriall of the ceremoniall Law as it breathed long before it Had these things been better ordered and some Bishopricks broken into lesser pieces so that they might haue been sitte for honorable burthens but not too greate for the portage of one person who laden with too much temporall honour and revenue as men overgrowne with flesh and fatte become unwealdie and dishonourable burthens themselues to the Church then the undertaking had been absolute For whether it be fitt that one who will not preach the Gospell should haue power to silence such as would that one should haue power to silence a whole Diocesse of learned ministers and a whole Diocesse of these should not haue power to open the mouth of one That one should haue double honour for the single worke Nay for his wilfull idlenes and obstinate hindering the conscionable worke of others and others no honour but conzumelie and scorne for doing the double worke diligently That one should haue the provender belonging to manie labouring oxen for lying in the manger and hindering the poore asses from meate whilest divers oxen that would tread out the corne want come to eate or corne to treade out or are muzzeled whilest they treade That one should rule a place manie miles from his person as if he had both an infallible and infinite spirit and manie should not be able to rule a pettie parish or to catechise a household without helpe whether this thing be according to the patterne of the Apostolicall Hierarchie are problemes which some thinke fitt to be published amongst those of Antichrist because it may be doubted that he who would doe thus would not perhaps startle at a Cardinals cappe or the triple Crowne it they were profered or could be compassed easily and therefore such a man is no fitte instrument to be used against Antichrist in the pulling downe of Babylon or to sit for Christ and rule Obiect upon the top of Sion Object But kinges and Princes governe by substitutes farre off Answ True But it shall not be so amongst you Ans Mat 20 26. Matth. 20 25 26. Take these words of Christ as a Precept to shewe Bishops what they should doe or as a prophesie to shew all men the estate of the true Church what it shall be it is all one And doubtlesse such Princes as shall hereafter reforme will learne to mend what is amisse by the sight of other mens errors and so whensoever God shall blesse Germanie with an able and religious Emperour and shall put it in his heart to reforme the Church it is but changing those greate Bishopricks of Mentz Tryers Collen Munster and the rest into absolute Principallities and making them Hereditarie where now they are Electiue and the worke is at an end they will joyne to uphold their owne interestes and soone exclude the Papacie and mince the Prelacie somewhat finer A speedie and certaine preparation for this is the discoverie of Antichrist and it is the duetie of all men therefore that can to doe their best according to their talents in this subject and amongst others this learned Author hath done much and deserues much in this respect of the Church The Course he takes by Problemes to handle this controversie is not as if he
shall ascend to his high exaltation of power and dignitie out of the same place from whence the Seauen headed Beast was raysed or to speak plainly it shall be exalted to the highest by the divell who gaue to the first Beast his power For this cannot be meant of his first rising because it is expressely sayd in the text that this beast was before And so it seemeth that all the difficulties may be cleared touching this seuenth Head which as it is evident in the Text is sometimes called the Beast And now for a breathing I desire to know whether any person monarchie or kingdome can be found in the world or whether any can be imagined to come hereafter to whom all these Prophesies can be so fitly applyed I come to the next remarkeable circumstance which is the ten crowned hornes That the Roman Empire as well in the time of their Consuls as of their Cesars had many kings at their commaund is evident by their Histories and I haue partly proved before But in this Revelation Probl. â— and specially in the 17 chap. there are divers singularities to be observed in the description of these hornes whereof in Daniell there is no mention First because it is said that at the time of this Revelation they had not received a a kingdome 2 But they shall receaue power at one hour with the beast 3. They are crowned 4. They haue one minde to giue their power and authoritie to the Beast 5. They shall fight against Christ 6. They shall be overcome by him 7. And then they shall hate the whore and make her desolate and naked shall eate her flesh and burne her with fire Not one of these things can be truly applyed to the kings that were under the ancient Roman Empire which are indeede spoken of by Daniel For they had receaved their kingdoms before and were not to expect it in time to come 2. They are not sayd to be crowned because perhaps they held their crowns but as tenants at sufferance 3. They did not giue their power to the Romans but were conquered and subdued We do not read that they did professedly fight against Christ although they were Pagans or that they were overcome by him neither can it be said that they did hate the whore or burne her with fire Massinissa Prusias and Ptolomee gaue their kingdoms to Rome but they had receaved them long before S. Iohns time and did never hate the whore nor make her desolate or burne her with fire The Goths Vandales did burn Rome but they never gaue their power authoritie to the Romans The like differences may be shewed of all other kings that were in the time of the Roman Empire or before These ten hornes therefore spoken of in the 17 chap. of the Revelation cannot be understood of those ten which were spoken of by Daniel although they may haue somewhat in common with them But where now shall we finde these kings Look over all the world and see where they may be found When shall they receaue their kingdome and how long shall we looke for them The impediment of the Roman Empire is long since removed by the testimonies See Probl. 7. as well of Divines as Chronologers If the beast or these kings be not yet come when will they come Out of Rome I say again as it is said or the Roman Empire Vide Abb. demonst Antic c. 4. there note the words of the Synod cited out of Aventin ann 7 it is in vain to seeke And if these kings which shall giue their power and Authoritie to Rome haue not yet receaved their kingdome nor given it to the beast when shall they receaue it or giue it to him or when shall we see the accomplishment of this Prophecie shall we looke for it as the Iewes looke for their Messias But it is the opinion of the best soundest Interpreters Our most excellent learned Soverain king Iames holdeth this opinion in Ep. Admonit So Napier in Apo. Rensuer in Isag c. that these ten hornes do signifie the ten chief Provinces subject to the Roman Empire which at one time with the beast namely upon removing the power of the Empire receaved their power and by degrees grew up into kingdoms about the same time when also the Pope began to take upon him the title of Pontifex Max. namely about the yeare of our Lord 700 or within an hundred yeares after As it may be these Graecia Germania Gallia Brittania Asturia or Leon. Whereunto now is joyned Spaine Pannonia or Hungaria Polonia Suetia Dania and Norvegia Greece you may say was before True as a Roman Province but upon the translation of the state it became a Monarchie in it self which was not absolute as long as the chief title was giuen to Rome Now if this be so when shall we see this performed if it be not alreadie When we see that all these great Princes of Christendome heretofore did yeeld their authoritie power to the Roman Pontifex And now many of them haue forsaken him as England Scotland Denmark Sweden and others of Germanie A great parte of the Dutch Swisses and divers other which are fallen away from Rome France and Venice wavering is it to be imagined that they will againe giue their power authoritie to Rome or ever come againe to giue their power and authoritie to any other Therefore I say that this prophecie is now fulfilled or never to be expected For if we consider well the times forepast we may see that all the great kingdoms of Europe which were before subject to the Roman Empire did arise and begin to take upon them absolute soveranitie and power of the sword upon the remoue and decay of the Roman Empire which was the time foreshewed for the revealing of Antichrist And did all giue their power and authoritie to the Roman Pontifex they did all fight against Christ Iesus in persecuting the professors of his word and Scriptures by the incitement and instigation of the Pope And all those which are fallen from the Pope haue been overcome by the scripture word of God which is called the sword of Christ Iesus If these things be so then why should we looke for any other accomplishment of these Prophecies or how should we understand that they can be fulfilled if not alreadie Can it be denied but all Christian kings gaue their power and authoritie and some gaue their lands and territories also to Rome Constantine they say gaue to the Pope his diadem with the pallace of Lateran and imperiall seat Arithpertus otherwise called Herebertus the Lombard gaue the Cottia Alpes wherein standeth Genua Pipin and Charles of France gaue the principallitie of Ravenna with the Duchie of Beneventum and Spoletium Henry the IIII Emperour of Germanie and Iohn king of England gaue up their crownes to whom but to the Pope of Rome Can it be denied All the Christian kings of that part
as easie to be intreated now in heauen as he was upon earth when he did not reject Marie Magdalen that had seauen divels the woman of Canaan whom he rebuked by the name of a dog nor the man possessed with a legion Secondly how do they acknowledg him to be full of truth when they say that his H. word doth not contain all truth but it must be pieced out with the traditions Canons and expositions of their Church 3. How do they acknowledg him to be our wisdome Scriptura seipsam exponit Chris Aug 2 Tim. 3. when they will not haue his word to be sufficient to interpret it self and to instruct us make us perfect in all good works but we must resort to the Church and receiue her judgment from the mouth of their Pope 4 How do they acknowledge our Saviour Christ by himself to haue purged all our sinnes when they say that we must satisfie by good works in our life and after our death we must go to Purgatorie 5 How do they acknowledg him to be our justification when they say that we are justified before God by our good works and not onely by faith in his death and passion although it be written if thou confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and belieue in thy heart Rom. 10. Hebr. 10. that God raysed him from the dead thou shalt be saved 6 How do they confesse him to be our sanctification or that by one sacrifice he hath consecrated for ever them that are sanctified when as they teach that there must be offered up dayly sacrifices for us in the Masse And lastly how do they accept him for their Redeemer which affirm that our poenarie works Concil Trid. ses 14. Bellarm. de paenitent l. 4. truly properly do satisfie God for the guilt of our punishment which after the fault forgiuen remaineth to be expiated But these points with many others which may be produced to proue that the Pope and his Church if not expresly yet by consequence which is equivalent doth deny the fulnes of all graces to be in our Saviour Christ I leaue to our learned Divines of whom some haue urged these things alreadie and others I doubt not will prosecute them more at large hereafter The summe of all this may be reduced to this Problem Whether any may more properly be called Antichrist or may be called an adversarie to Christ then he that thus denieth the graces of our Saviour Let us come to that which is not onely easie to our understanding but evident to our senses which may be seen with our eyes and felt with our hands For if we take the name of Christ here as he is in the sacrament who hath been a greater enimie to Christ theÌ„ the Popes one of them poysoning it another casting it into the fire all changing adding or diminishing it But take the name as it is communicated to Kings Priests and Prophets and so Antichrist to be an enimie to them I demand who hath in secret as Antichrist must be deceiueable been a greater enimie to all christian kings and Princes then the Popes sometimes incensing them to fight with Pagans and Saracens abroad as de did Godfry of Bulleyn many Princes with him in the meane space neglecting their Christian subjects at home our king Richard the first and the Emperor Frederike sometimes stirring up seditions and rebellions at home as he did against the Emperor Henry the IIII. Henry the IIII. king of France and Queen Elizabeth sometimes ministring occasions to make wars betwixt themselues as Pope Iohn did by crowning another Emperor while the first was living sometimes by giving away their kingdomes as Navarre and England sometimes leaving them destitute of succour and open to the universall professed enimie of all Christians the Turke as they did the Grecian Emperors sometimes setting secret Traitors to murder them and sometimes procuring open enimies to invade them ever excommunicating cursing and interdicting one or other of them Let the histories of late times be perused and see whether their ende and drift hath not been continually for these 900 yeeres and upwards to maintaine and advance their own power riches jurisdiction and preeminence by holding christian princes alwaies obnoxious to them and to make them obnoxious and to keepe them under awe by such meanes as aforesaid So likewise for Priests and Prophets is he not an adversarie to all that will not submit themselues unto him as namely to the Greek Church and all the bishops and learned pastors of the same to the godly Valdenses Albigenses Wicklevites and others Lastly if we take the name of Christ here for his mysticall body which is the Church this is also a speciall note of Antichrist For so it is plainly said that the woman was drunke with the bloud of Saints and Martyrs And who hath shed more bloud of godly men professing the word of Christ Iesus then the Popes haue done for these last nine hundred yeares I referre my self to the histories and Chronicles of those times See Abbâ—t demonst antich In that one warr which they caused Christian Princes to undertake for Ierusalem under Godfry of Bollen it is recorded that there were slayn two thousand millions of Christians In Merindall Cabriers and other places held by the poore Valdois they murdered all men women and sucking children In the Massacre of France Anno 1572 within eight daies were murdered a hundred thousand beside many other at other times in England and else where So that howsoever we take the name of Antichrist either as Vicar to Christ or as adversarie eyther denying his graces or suppressing his Liuetenants and ministers or persecuting his members I finde this name most agreeable to Rome and I demand Whether it can be so well applied unto any other But here will be demanded of me a question how this name Ho Antichristos that Antichrist as they expound the Greeke Article which they would perswade is to be understood of one man can be applied to a succession of men especially seeing some of the Fathers seeme to speake of him but as one man For the Fathers to clear that first it must be confessed that quaestionibus non dum motis Pâ—â—k in Prob. they spake sometimes impropriè incautius as Bellarm. confesseth or securius as S. August sometimes Rhetoricè as S. Ierom. sometimes populariter as others do affirm This question concerning Antichrist was not appointed for them but for us upon whom it must needs be confessed that the uttermost ends of the world are fallen neither did they much labour in it And yet we see not all of them runne in one straine Hilarie seemeth to speak more largely He that refuseth the judgment of the Scriptures Antichristus est Chrysoft in opere imperfecto doth not restraine himself to one man but we sayth he videmus abominationem desolationis jam stantem in loco sancto id est populum Antichristi in
Divines Fox and Paraeus So also Dux Cleri by the godly Walter Brute a scholer of Wicleue our Country-man Vicarius Dei generalis in terris in Latin taking onely the numerall letters Ecclesia Italica in Greek letters And what shall we say to the names of divers Popes conteyning the same letters in effect sound which are used to expresse the said number of 666 in the Apocalyps In the name of Calixtus is there not the perfect sound of all those Greeke letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And may not the same be easily conceited in the name of Sixtus And was not Calixtus whom they call the second but indeed the first of that name that was called Summus Pontifex he that forbad mariage to Priests which S. Paul calleth the Doctrine of Divels The ancient verse may serue for a sufficient testimonie O bone Calixte nunc totus Clerus odit te O lim Presbyteri poterant uxoribus uti Hoc destruxisti postquam tu Papa fuisti And was not Calixtus the second of that name that was called Pont. Max. he that made such a terrible and solemn vow to persecute the Turkes by war curses c. and by colour thereof levied a tenth of the Clergie put all into his purse And when as afterwards the noble Vaivod of Hungarie Hunniades had obteyned a glorious victorie against that publike enemie at Belgrade was it Calixtus that ever helped to advance the Christian cause or to prosecute such a good beginning Or did he not rather set his minde upon his own profit by drawing to himself not onely the chiefe Bishopriks but the whole kingdome of Naples after the death of Alfonsus and so labour to disinherit his sonne Frederike if the incomparable Prince Scanderbeg had not assisted him And what shall we say of Sixtus Do not the Latin letters X. T. being joyned together yeeld the same sound as all the said three numerall letters would do if they were put in the same place And was not Sixtus who by them is called the fourth but indeed the first that was called Pont. Max. for those before him were called Xisti had no greater title then bishop of Rome was not that he that raised so many wars in Italie to advance his kinred and in stead of a church or Hospitall built the famous Lupanar the bitcherie house at Rome Vtrique Veneri for which cause Agrippa called him the great bawde Was it not he that upon a Petition exhibited unto him for the use of Sodomie Homicus Agrippa subscribed Fiat ut petitur Let be as is desired and raised the rents of the Stewes to so high a Rate that it is now accounted for a principall revennue of their church O excellent Father and chast Vicar of Christ The Primitiue Christians were half perswaded that Nero was to come againe and be Antichrist And haue not we reason to belieue that this is he of whom also it is written for his Elogium Gaude Prisce Nero vincit te crimine Sixtus Paedico insignis praedo fucosus Adulter Qui moriens nullos credidit esse Deos. And was not Sixtus the 2. who is by them called the 5. he that sent out his blasphemous Bulles against the late King of France Henrie the third who was shortly after most villanously murdered by one of their breeding And was not he the same Sixtus who most highly commended that wicked Parracide in a solemne Panegyrick before his Cardinals Was not he the same that excommunicated the noble Henry the fourth of France when he was but King of Navarre who was afterwards also murdered by one of their Sectaries Was not he the same who animated the Spaniards to invade this kingdome of England in the year 1588 In setting forth of which action it is worth the Observation Cicarell in vita Sixti how carefull the Parasite is to perswade us that the English and the Spaniards never came ad justam pagnam to a just fight as if the English did affirm any such matter No Cicarella Farre be it from us to challenge the glorie of that victorie to our selues That God who gaue us the grace upon the newes of the approch of that navie to humble our selues before him with fasting and prayer a thing howsoever neglected or forgotten by some of our Historians yet most true and registred by others and remembred by many yet living witnesses That God who detected and defeated the Treasons and Rebellions of Sanders Parrie Ballard Lopas the Powderplot and many others was he that fought for us as he did sometimes against Sisera and for Theodosius and Sic conjurati venere ad classica venti Witnesse our most excellent Soveraine a witnesse aboue all exception in his Sonnet worthie to be remembred The Nations banded gainst the Lord of might Prepar'd a force and set them in the way Mars drest himself in such an awfull plight The like whereof was never seen they say They forward came in such a strange array Both sea and land beset us everie where Their brags did threat our ruine and decay What came thereof the issue did declare The windes began to tosse them here and there The sea began in foaming waues to swell The number that escapt it fell them faire The rest were swallowed up in gulfes of hell But how were all these things so strangely done God lookt on them from out his heauenly Throne This Sonnet publisht with the consent and applause of all the ancient Brittain Nation inhabitants of this kingdome truly euen of verie ancient time Polydore both by a king and a Saint intituled the kingdome of God shall be an everlasting testimonie for us that we never challenged the glorie of that action to our selues The same also will be confirmed by the ordinarie remembrances and thanksgivings which our Preachers usually make thereof in their prayers and Sermons The same also is proved by the Paper lately set forth so well accepted and bought up by all sorts of people amongst us wherein the defeating of that invincible Armada and the Powderplot is represented expressed Behold then you Iesuites Romanists against whom you fight and who it is that fights for us It was God who then pleaded the cause of Religion against superstition of Pietie against Idolatrie of Christ against Antichrist It was he onely for he onely searcheth ruleth and moveth the Hearts who then put it into the heart of our Zenobia and of her servants to send out those Peti-fierbotes that made the grear Sea-castles to cut their cables loose their Anchors and flye away It was he that stirred up the courage of our seamen and inflamed the hearts of our nation with incredible loue and zeale to defend their Countrie religion Now also our drummes and trumpets sound nothing else against you but God and Christ Iesus our Martiall cryes are nothing else but Christ Iesus our gunnes thunder out nothing but Christ Iesus against you For him we fight in
greater abhominations Anno 998 Silvester the second got the Popedome by the helpe of the Divell to whom he did homage Kingdome of the Divell Fasc Temp. Volat. Plessis ex Pantal. Quid ais Suares which was so well knowne that divers of his Successors made those diuelish Artes their profession Was this the Chaire of S. Peter are these his Successors If these be not who are their Successors Benet the eight and Iohn the one and twentieth And of these Necromantick popes there were 22. saith Napier one of Zegedin And this being now the seat of the beast the divel how hath it been recovered from them since Responde both Magicians Benet the ninth otherwise called Theophilact the scholler of Silvester This Benet sacrificed to Divels in woods and mountains and by Magick practised to gette himselfe the loue of women sayth Cardinall Benno Silvester the third and Gregorie the sixth also Magicians And at this time being about 1046 the Sea of Rome began to shew it self like the Divell having three heads like Cerberus namely Silvester the third Benet the ninth and Gregorie the sixth Anno 1048 Damasus gott the popedome by poysoning his predecessor and intrusion shortly after whom followed two Schismes more Yet the kingdome of the divell and so we come to the renoumed Gregorie the seauenth otherwise called Hildebrand famous for Negromancie Blasphemie Sacrilege He also threw the holy sacrament into the fire sic Benno Responde Suarez Perjurie Simonie Treason and murther the Trumpet of Sedition and firebrand of Civill warres who ruled all things at his pleasure in the times of divers of his predecessors untill he had gotten the papacie to himself which is sayd to be in anno 1073. Anno 1080 followed another notable schisme for one and twentie yeares together O abominaâ—ionem de olatonis Plessis ex Lamperto Herveld Responde Sua Anno 1103 Anselmus Archbishop of Canterburie in a Synod publikely declared that by forbidding Priests to marrie Sodomie became frequent amongst them Anno 1118 followed another Schisme in number accounted to be the two and twentieth Schisme of that Sea and that was no sooner ended But anno 1124 another Schisme being the three and twentieth and anno 1130 the four twentieth schisme and so for many yeares one schisme followed another which continued till the year 1138 〈◊〉 of cursing Psal 10. vid. Hâ—eron in iocum the Popes still curssing and excommunicating one the other whereby arose manie factions and seditions in Rome in the time of Innocent the second which continued still to 1188. Anno 1154 Hadrian the fourth thundered out excommmunications against the Romans untill they had driuen their Consuls out of the cittie and likewise against the Emperor Frederick for holding his left stirrop and putting his owne name before the Popes and thereupon sowed the seeds of Rebellion in the Empire Anno 1177 Pope Alexander most insolently treadeth upon the necke of the Emperor Platâ—n Biblian Pless ex Pant. c. when he had submitted himself to him his Cleargie singing in the meane time Super aspidem Basiliscum c. Anno 1181 Lucius the third of whom that moderate Elogium which I will recite for a breathing recreation to the Reader Lucius est piscis rex atque tyrannus aquarum A quo discordat Lucius iste parum Devorat hic homines hic piscibus insidiatur Esurit hic semper hic aliquandò satur Amborum vitam si lanx aequata notaret Plus rationis habet qui ratione caret Which may be thus Englished Lusy the fish a tyrant is or king of fish by title From him Pope Lucy differeth in nature but a litle The fish hunts fish men to devour the man doth exercise The fish is sometimes satisfied the man will nought suffice If both their liues were laid in scale weighed with equall hand More reason would be found in him that none doth understand Anno 1188 Clement the third filled all things with robberies and murthers while he sought to get the kingdome of Sicily by armes as escheted unto him Anno 1198 Innocent the third excommunicated King Iohn of England Full of cursing psal 10 7. another speâ—â—all mark of Antich and filled England with Rebellions and murders till he had forced the poore King to yeeld up his crowne and yet so he could not be in quiet The same pope also excommunicated the Emperor Phillip and published the fiue first bookes of the Decretals Anno 1215 Transubstantiation was decreed and confirmed in the councell of Lateran consisting of 1300 Praelates whereupon insued the Idolatrous worship of the Sacrament Anno 1223 Gregorie the ninth excommunicated the Emperor Frederick He loved cursing psal 109 and sent him to warre against the Saracens and in the meane time tooke Apulia from him absolved the Emperor for a great somme of mony and then excommunicated him twise againe He canonized Francis and Dominick whom their followers compare with our Saviour Christ and are by the Pope allowed Anno 1243 Innocent the fourth excommunicated the Emperor Frederick the second againe and corrupted some of his houshold servants to poyson him The Popes succeeding for many yeares continued in most disloyall and wicked practises against the Emperors of whom I will not speake particulerly because me thinks I stay too long from the most excellent and renowned pope Boniface the eight anno 1290 or 1300. Who commeth in with a pageant of Antichristian pride fulfilling all the prophecies concerning the Revelation and Raigne of Antichrist the place Rome and the state of Rome the thousand two hundred and three score dayes in the Apocalyps being fulfilled and the 1290 dayes of Daniell also being expired Dan. 12. the time drawing neare to the 1335 dayes of the same Prophet which conteyneth fully twise 666. Another great concurrence of prophecies The actions suteable first he reneweth the Iewish Ceremonie of a Iubile by consequent denying Responde Suarez that Christ Iesus coming in the flesh had ended all Iewish Ceremonies and brought in an eternall Sabboth and Iubile By the same he maketh a change of times and by his Indulgences he dispenceth with lawes He sheweth himself one day in Pontificalibus as Pontifex Max. the next day in Imperialibus with a naked sword before him as an Emperor and absolute head of the Roman Empire arrogating to himself in his Decretals and namely in the Sent which he published fulnes of knowledge and power and so boasting that he is God Claiming supreame power and dominion over all princes Kings and Emperors and so advancing himselfe against and aboue all that is called God Pronouncing full remission of all sinnes not poenitentibus as our Lord Iesus Christ did but visitantibus Apostolorum limina These things doth this man a Murderer of his Predecessors if we beleeue Collenucius a nourisher of intestine warres amongst Christians as he did in Greece a rebell to his Soveraigne the Emperor forbiding all Cleargie
France Spain In this order they are named Consil Basil Sess 1. consisting of fiue great and worthie Nations three severall times in three great and generall Councels and in everie one of them notwithstanding all the power of the Popes a thing not a little to be wondred at it was decreed that the generall Councell was and ought to be aboue the Pope and that whosoever denyed that Trueth was an Heretike Anathema And thereupon in the Councell of Pisa being first of the three the two popes then standing in schisme were both declared to be Heretikes and unworthie and compelled to abdicate and another was made pope namely Alexander the fifth And to this councell there came learned men out of this our Countrie of England as well as out of other nations and were entertayned by that famous and excellent learned Chancelour of Paris Gerson who declared the consent of the Church of France with the English church in that matter Shortly after this the Papall Church had againe three popes together and so became Triceps like to Cerberus and so the great cittie sayth Luther was divided into three parts according to the prophecie Apoc. 16. Soone after that therefore was assembled the second great councell of the said fiue Nations at Constance And therein it was againe with great consent namely of 900 Bishops and learned men fully concluded and decreed against the Popes Law that the Councell is aboue the Pope and hath authoritie immediately from Christ unto which all of whatsoever state or dignitie etiamsi Papalis albeit the Papall is bound to obey And yet in the same councell the pope shewed himself in his Antichristian pride riding to Church on horseback the Emperor of the one side and one of the Princes Electors on the other side leading his horse yet in the same Councell the godly Bohemians Iohannos Hus and Hieronimus Pragensis openly protested against the Pope saying that if he did not follow Christ in his life he was not Christs Vicar for which other like sentences they were condemned and burned contrarie to the publike fayth and safe conduct of the Emperor and to the eternall condemnation of all Popish faith and fidelitie And yet in the same Councell God himself overruled their voices and caused them to decree against the Popes canon law as aforesaid Thirdly within the same compasse of yeares there followed another great Councell at Basil of the same fiue Nations Sess 38. Fasc tem 88 Carleton of Iurisd pa. 276. Wherein after much contention and disputation it was decreed again contrarie to the Popes comon law and his great Proctor Panormitane that the Councell is aboue the Pope and that the Pope hath not power to dissolue prorogue or transfer it to another time or place And whosoever denyed that veritie should be judged an Heretike Yet against all these Councels the popes and all their Successors ever since haue and to this day doe oppose themselues in mainteining their Antichristian power Articulos solvit synodumque facit geveraâ—em elation and authoritie affirming That the Pope onely may make a generall Councell and cannons and that to him a man may appeale from the generall councell and that the Councell can determine nothing without the Pope and so that he is aboue all generall councels still continuing also in their abhominable Idolatrie filthines and wicked practises And so all the Popes since that Councell of Basil stand openly declared Hereticks by the consent of all the Christian Churches of Europe in three great Councels Clemangis But to crosse these the Pope gathered another councell at Rome wherein after a solemne Masse of Veni Creator Spiritus If thâ— be denyed let them shew forth but one act or decâ—ee of that Councâ—ll there appeared a hideous and dreadfull owle and the Councell shortly after without any thing done dissolved Neyther hath the Antichristian Sect any thing to object against the Decrees of those three former Councels See the historie of this câ—uÌ„sell set forth by Pet. Scave judge whether it were any thing else but a saction unlesse it be a Conventicle and conspiracie of their owne faction at Trent where the fiue Nations did not meete What then shall we say to these things Were not these extraordinarie great actions or are not these actions sutable to the Prophecies or may we ever expect the like againe Whether then may we not here safely rest and fixe the eyes of our attention and contemplation upon this notable periode so manie times pointed out and defined by God himself and accompanied with so great and notable events as happened within this one Centure of yeares or litle more namely from the time of Boniface the eight till the Councell of Basill In the beginning we see the Pope like a God proclaiming a Iubile and thereby changing times and lawes renewing a Iewish Ceremonie and thereby denying that Christ is come in the flesh clayming the absolute Lordship and command of all the world as well in temporall as in spirituall things excommunicating great and vertuous Princes for small faults and yet he himself weltring and wallowing in Egyptian filthines and incest with his owne Neeces Then great schismes in the church his Successor mounted on horseback the Emperor Prince Elector leading his Palfrey by the bridle with many such like notes of more pride and elation then was ever read or heard of to be used by any mortall man whatsoever And in the end the Pope notwithstanding all his pride and Luciferian exaltation by three great and generall Councels gathered out of all Christendome declared to be an Heretike which in respect of the greatnes of his Sea his followers his long continuance and other circumstances must needs be understood the greatest Heretike of all that ever were or can be and so by undeniable consequence declared to be Antichrist Not so will some Babylonian peradventure say It is not any of those circumstances nor all of them can make him the greatest Heretike no more then Arius in his time was therefore accounted the greatest Heretike because the whole world as it is sayd became an Arian but because he denied one of the greatest points of our fayth namely the equalitie of God the Sonne with his Father and therefore was called Christomachus Be it so yet I thinke no man will deny but caeteris paribus the circumstances aforesaid will both augment and aggravate the Heresie But let us consider first the greatnes and extent of that point which the said three generall Councels condemned for Heresie secondly what other Heresies and how manie and great the Pope doth maintaine and if either that point so condemned be great yea verie great or that he mainteyneth more or greater then any other then will I leaue it to thine owne Conscience Christian reader to judge and determine whether the Pope be the greatest Heretike that ever was or not And because it is not my meaning either to build