Princes He had to doe with the Arrians but now the AntichristiaÌ„ Mysterie rages God hath given you power open but your eyes to leade you in the vse of it How long will it be ere yee awake to see how hee hath first led you from God in superstition and now leadeth you against God in persecuting of his Saints Consider how Maximinus the Emperour was stirred vp to persecute the Church by Pagane Priests vnder hope of great successe But when hee saw himselfe overthrowne by Licinius hee destroyed his instigators as deceavers The Pope and his Cleargie haue set you on this last bloody persecution God vvill disappoint you and turne it to your shame It were your wisedome to avenge you of your seducers Looke on other Princes who haue shaken off his yoake as England Scotland Denmark Sweden c. Their Kings know none aboue them vnder GOD They are honoured and obeyed of their Subiects without reflecting vpon any other power on earth You reigne but precario as Titulars and they count you but as Kings of the Chesse Neither dare you rule your Subiects as free Princes Neither dare your people obey you as such The terrour at least the credulitie of the Popes Transcendencie limiteth your p 〈…〉 er and looseth your people to rebell Receaue Christ in his Gospell and set vp his Throne in your lands as they haue done and then you shall finde both the sweetnesse of the Grace of the Gospell and of a free and vndependent governement Gods Trueth amongst vs Protestants maketh vs not onely to congratulate our happinesse in our free Kings and Churches but also to commisâ—rate your estate when wee see Gods image in you great Princes so shamefully abused by a deceaver You cannot be both Popish and free Princes The verie Notion of Poperie subiecteth you necessarly to Hildebrands vsurpation Renounce Antichristian tyrannie and come to Christian libertie and you shall finde both grace for your persons and glorie to your government Angment the Popesplunges and while that Iuglar knoweth not which of you to keepe let him feele the revenging power of you all You gote mâ—â—y exhortations of this kinde from Preachers and Theologues but you haue heard them with close eares Therefore God hath sent you latelie a royall premonition from the Pen of the King of great Britaine The suggestions of Subiects found little accesse and as little regard at your hands But the Counsell of a King to Kings and that in the matter of a Kinglie authoritie is more weightie Trueth is trueth and powerfull who ever speake it But Trueth in the quarrell of Kings proponed by a great and wise King will find more accesse than private suggestions The royall Genius which is one in Kings maketh them to haue a sympathie speciallie where their common cause threateneth a common danger Let none bee so simple as to thinke they will either repent their whole course or relent its extreamitie Though they haue found and ere it bee long may find a great dash yet they will but temporize and suting peace turne to more deepe and deadlie plotting They thought all their own at the Smalcaldicke warre and when God brak their forces they simulat a pacification yet they wâ—â—e ever plotting a new persecution If GOD shall disappoint them of their cruell intentions as in merâ— hee hath begunne to doe yet ere it bee long they would fire Europe with a new and greater combustion Antichrist may bee destroyed but mollified or tamed can hee not bee Their Romish temper is vncapable either of the change of repentance or the mollifying of moderation The curbing of the Popes insolencie is no more iust and necessar in it selfe than faceable to you Romes natiue crueltie caried ever the cause of her ruine in her bosome It was noted as ominous in olde Rome that when they beganne first to execute that Romane censure interdicere igni aqua their Atrium or great Court was burnt with thunder and so since Popes began to play vpon Princes with their ordinance of excommunication their state hath beene broken When Boniface the â—â—ght would take on him the Habite Sword and Ensignes of the Impyre Philip of France compâ—sced that insolencie shortlie and made him die in exile and greiefe And how much their power is broken since Luthers time the world seeth King Henrie of England devorced his Kingdome from the Pope because Clement the seventh impiouslie denyed to devorce him from his incestuous Queene to whom Iulius the second dispensation tyed him Scotland in the minoritie of her Princesse proved both Maior and masculous in shaking off the Popes yoake Denmarke Sweden and manie Princes of Germanie haue cut his wings in their Dominions What an angrie King can doe to him was latelie seene betwixt Philip the second and Sixtus the fifth Cardinall Estensis the ruler of the Consistorie promised to make him Pope if hee would never promoue Hieronymus Mattheus but beeing chosen Pope hee made Hieronymus a Cardinall and so Estensis sent his hand-writ to Philip the second to proue his periurie and Symonie herevpon Philip minded to call a Councell to processe him for these two crymes and declare the nullitie of his Election according to their Lawes But while Sixtus is grieved for the intended processe and devising a revengfull excommunication against Philip hee contracted a fever and dyed If that sturre had gone on possiblie the Pope had beene curbed or Spaine reformed to bee as eminent in true zeale as now pertinax in supperstition But Gods time is comming And seeing the republick of Venice gaue him a wound which hee can not cure What may not you great Princes doe whose glaining is greater than the vintage of Abiezer As Princes and Republickes so his owne Romans haue curbed his pride And God set vp barres to it so soone as it began to overflow for Cincius a Romane compesced Hildebrand in Rome while he was abusing the Emperor in Germanie and when Alexander the third by his Legate was disciplining Henrie the second for Beckets cause the Romans had expelled him out of Rome And Onuphrius marketh that for the space of fiftie yeares from Celestine the second to Clement the third the Romans did so intreate the Popes that some of them died for displeasure others were almost killed in tumults and a third sort were banished and that in their heate of vsurpation over Kings God hereby was both taxing the feeblenesse of Princes and teaching Posteritie the possibilitie of the Popes curbing His Brieves Bulls and Legats did more in Kingdomes farre distant than his owne presence could doe in Rome Hee domnineered absolutelie abroad while hee fought at home for the governement of the Citie and safetie of his owne life Gerson hath made his curbing problematicke and it is your part to turne his probleme in effect The Apostle descryving Antichrist taketh some part of that Description from Nero whose tyrannie hee
A LOOKING GLASSE For Princes and People Delivered in a Sermon of Thankesgiving for the Birth of the hopefull Prince CHARLES And since augmented with Allegations and Historicall Remarkes Together with a Vindication of Princes c. By M. WILLIAM STRVTHER Preacher at Edinburgh Psal. 2. Bee wise O Kings Printed at Edinburgh by the Heires of Andro Hart. 1632. TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTY KING CHARLES OF GREAT Britaine Defender of the Faith c. Most Dread Soveraigne BOth these Arguments craue your Ma. kyndlie patrocinie as Father of that Prince whose birth occasioned the Thanksgiving And Sonne of that King who went before all Kings in vindicating royall Authoritie Gods Providence over Man his last Creature in time but first in Loue is so great that his care of other Creatures comparatiuely seemeth a Neglect Hee hath distinguished him in Order and Degrees Gathered him in Societies And perfited these Societies with an supereminent power That Head giveth a natiue influence to its Bodie and the Bodie subiecteth it selfe to that Head Wee bring this Law from the Wombe written in our Hearts and Christ confirmed it by Word and Example Hee disposed so his Birth at Bethlehem that at once hee fulfilled his Fathers promise and obeyed Augustus Edict beeing taxed in his Mother The Church for ten Ages followed her Head in that Obedience Though her Worke bee Heavenly by the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven to winne Soules â—o Goâ—t and her Reward bee to sit on Thrones and judge the Tribes of Israel Yet shee gaue to Caesar the things that are Caesars And though Ambrose say that Sublimitas Episcopalis nullis potest comparationibus aequari And nihil esse in hoc sâ—câ—do sublimiius sacerdote yet hee both practised and perswaded obedience to Princes But Babâ—l confounded all And Antichrist in a more fearefull Collision of the Civill and Ecclesiastick Powers then the two Hills in Marius Sylaes time trod the honor of Princes in the dust he thought it greater to divide Lands than remit sins and thurst himselfe in their Thrones Hee exposed their Kingdomes to violence and their sacred Persons and Authoritie to contempt These insolencies might seeme tolerable in times of blindnesse as S. Austine speaketh of Romulus Apotheosing But now after so long contest they maintaine them Their Advocate affirmeth Paul the fifth approved it That he is the onelie Emperour and King the Superiour of all Kings from whom all Iurisdiction floweth What ever in danger they deny or in necesitie they mitigate this is the just Modell of their Pope and the prime Article of their faith That Luciferian pride was so eminent in Popes that it is hard to know whether to wonder more at the Impudencie of Christs Vicar vsurping or the patience of Princes suffering Poperie was never further from the Truth and meeknesse of Iesus then since it was Iesuited That name is not a denomination of a new Zeale or goodnesse but the maske of exquisite craft and crueltie and the tincture of impenitencie And as the Apostle maketh the opposition of Christus and Antichristus and Cyprian of Spiritus and Antispiritus somay wee of Iesus and Anti-Iesus But God by Reformation hath mended that confusion The light of the Gospel hath at once revealed his heresie in Doctrine and tyrannie in Vsurpation This is a tryall of Princes for they are free and happie Princes who haue shaken off his Yoak and reformed themselues and their Kingdomes to the Gospel of Christ But thrise miserable are they who lye still drunke in her fornications God in mercie hath put your Ma. in the first ranke The Titles of Defender of the Church from King William of Scotland and of Defender of the Faith from Henrie 8. of England are both Ensignes of your profession and remembrancers of your royall Duetie to defend the true Church and the true Faith your Ma. devotion testifies the peaceable part of the discharge And doth promise the other part by the Sword when GOD shall honour Kings to execute his will on the Whore And in GODS time they who now adhere to her shall count it their happinesse to follow your Ma. Example Behold now your Ma. Happinesse in their miserie Their common end to destroy Protestants hath made them Confederats But God hath divided them by their privat ends like Sechem and Abimelech And juggling Proteâ—s of a bloodie Dragon it turned a craftie Serpent and seeketh his saftie by wynding betwixt the Iealousies of these great Princes Hee is carried violentlie as hope and feare canvasse him Rut fire will breake out from Abimelech and devoure Sechem And these Princes shall dwell in brotherlie loue when they receiue the Gospel of peace This private offering is a fruit and testimonie of a commoun joy the Flowre of the States of this land present in this Citie at the glad newes of the Princes birth were overjoyed And this citie expressed their loyaltie in all significations so that no place of these three Kingdomes could exceede It was S. Austines discretion to Macedonius a Iudge taken vp with publick affaires not to deteine him with long Epistles What shall wee doe to so great a KING Almightie GOD who hath set your Ma. on these three Thrones multiplee royall gifts on your sacred person and make You a King of many Royall blessings That great Britaine vnder you and your clement Name may more and more be a terrour to Anti-christ a comfort to the Saints and a Land wherein GOD delighteth to dwell AMEN Your Ma. most humble Subject and Servant M. WILLIAM STUTHER The Table of the Thanksgiving THE Preface of the Princes Birth Pag. 1 1. The first part King David a Supplicant 4. 2. The second part Of a Monarchie 6. The Author of it 7. 2. The Necessitie 8. The Excellencie 11. The Character of K. 12. Their Limitation 13. Monarchie the best Government 15. Affectation of Divinitie is a frensie 16 The PoPe taken with that frenesie 17. Errours about Magistracie 19. 20. Wee should pray for Kings 21. And obey them in the Lord. 21. Three wayes to come to a Kingdome 1. Conquest 24. 2. Election 26. 3. Succession is better than both 28. Womens Governement lawfull 29 Queene Elizabeths instance determineth the question 30. King IAMES instance 30. A new borne Prince a great blessing 31. 3. The third part of the Royall Gift 1. The habite of Iustice. 33. Religion falleth vnder the care of Kings 37. Popes debarred them from it 38. Hee gulled them by Cannonizing 39. Some Princes abused Religion Reformation a blessing to Princes and People 40. Popes tye God to themselues and loose themselues from God 43. 2. The worke of the royall Gift is Government 44. 1. The rule of it good Lawes 45. Difficultie of iudgement in cause parties witnesse 46. The necessitie and danger of Forture 50. Princes Difficulties and Dangers 52. Flatterers of Princes are Pests 54. It is faintnesse to lay downe their Crownes
Bellarmines nicenes of potestas in temporalibus non potestas temporalis Carerius calleth him and other mitigators by the name of profaine politicks so doe the two Bozii and Azorius professeth a simple mislike of their mitigations Mihi non placet modus loquendi quo utuntur Victoria Sotus Bellarminus In iure enim Can absolutè simpliciter dicitur c. I like not the manner of speach which Victoria SoTus Bellarmine c. Doe vse to insinuat that the Pope hath onelie spirituall power and not a temporall And Sixtus the fifth was so angrie at Bellarmine for his distinction of direct and indirect power that hee was minded to cause burne all his Bookes as Barcklay obiecteth to him And when hee commeth to answere that part of Barcklayes Booke hee passeth it in silence Wherevpon Barcklayesâ—onne â—onne in his replye to Bellarmine taketh that silence or preterition of so weightie a challenge for a confession Like to the Remonstrants in our time â—hen they are challenged of Socinianisme about the state of the dead and desired to declare themselues heerein they passe that weightie challenge with silence and neete it with an impertinent Recrimination which is in effect a taking with that imputation silence in such a case is to plead guiltie CHAP. XIX Of their fourth Ludification of Kings In glorious Titles FOurthlie they mocke Princes with glorious Titles So Charles the Great gote the name Christianissimus And King William of Scotland was called Defensor Ecclesiae Defender of the Church which stile the Councell of Mentz had long before given to Ludovicus And Iames 4. of Scotland was called Protector Christianae religionis protector of the Christian religion by Iulius the second Henry eight of England was called defensor fidei defender of the faith by Leoâ—0 â—0 Ferdinand was called Rex Catholicus the Catholicke King which Alfonsus many ages before him had vsed And the Helvetians were called Defensores libertatis Ecclesiasticae Defenders of the Church libertie by Iulius the second The ground of such denomination was some benefite receaved Charles inlarged their patrimonie King William inriched their Church with the Abbacie of Aberbrothoke Henrie the eight wrote against Luther The Helvetians at Iulius the seconds desire scattered the Councell of Pisa when it was gathered to reforme the Church And Ferdinand was fiâ—te for their purpose by his Catholicke Monarchie to build their Hierarchie The end of this denomination was to proue their Superioritie over Princes and please them with that Title while they were pulling their honours from them and to ingage them more to a base subjection But there is also some presage heerein for these Titles were some-what Propheticall that the Kings of these Kingdomes should â—eâ— in Gods tyme reformers of the Church to purge her from that superstition which raigned in her when these titles were given them For even Caiaphas serving his owne humour and preiudice will some-tymes Prophetically light vpon a trueth It hath also proven true in some part The Kings of England proue now defenders of the Ancient and Apostolicke faith So the Kings of Scotland proue also defenders of the Church and France and Spaine will follow in that same worke in Gods tyme. This is like another conceate when the Pope sendeth to Princes Roses or Swords consecrate in the day of Christs Nativitie So Pius the second sent a sword to King Iames the second of Scotland And Sixtus the fifth sent another to the Prince of Parme for to overthrow the Hollanders c. Tiberius gaue great honours to Seianus while he feared his greatnesse and plotted his ruine So the Pope sendeth childish toyes to please Princes while hee pulleth their honour and power from them CHAP. XX. Of their last Ludification In Canonizing Kings LAstlie they mocke Princes by Canonizing and a long list of the Names of canonized Kings is set out as a Glasse to them to looke in but in effect to let them see their reward if they will serue the Pope They haue learned it from the olde Senate with whom divinitie was weighed with humane pleasures as sayeth Tertullian For except God pleased man hee was not made a God and man was propitius to God And as it now practised amongst them it is but a noveltie and their Patrone bringeth not a practise of it before the eight age The Church till then was destitute of canonized patrons and had none in Heaven but Iesus Christ for their Advocate First sayeth hâ—e they were worshipped by custome and thereafter came formall canonizing But when Idolatrie grew they ioyned patrons to him as though hee alone sufficed not And this conceate they turned also to Kings and sancted them at their pleasure as they found them superstitious in religion or obsequious to Rome Augustine observed that Aesculapius was made a God but not the Philosophers because men felt the benefite of bodily health by medicine but not the health of their soule by Philosophie and hee avouched that Plato was more worthie to bee deifyed than any of their gods So Popes being sicke of ambition and avarice canonized such Kings as cured their diseases No good and auncient Pope did so but when they turned monsters and were fardest from God they tooke on them to make Gods by canonizing they resigned holinesse to Kings or rather declared that they were more holy than themselues They distribute their charitie with discretion and gaue to Kingdomes their kyndlie titular Kings the pride of Spaine and policie of Italie either affoorded not or admitted not many such Saints but the simplicitie of the Transalpine people was more plyable to the Popes they filled them with Saints while at Rome they were drowned in Atheisâ—e I demaund if these canonized Kings â—â—â—e holyer than Melchisedecke Moses David Ezekiah Iosiah before Christ Or then Constantine Theodosius after him I thinke they will not call them so If they were not why are they canonized and no the other Why suffer they these who are honoured by Scripture and true histories to stand amongst the people without respect while as the other are in the Roll of Heavenlie Advocats and honoured with Temples Dayes Altâ—â—s Services c And if these other bâ—e holyer as they aâ—â— indeede why is the Church defrauded of their intâ—â—câ—ssioâ— They are lyke their forefathers the Romans who apotheosed manie wicked men but did not so to Cato of whom Velleius sayeth that he was in all things nearer to gods than men and that hee was free of all humane vices Neither did they referre in the number of their gods Sâ—ipâ—o Nasâ—ca their high Priest whom Augustine calles better than all the gods So of some of the Popes gods the common speach is verified that manie mens bones are worshipped on earth whose soules are tormented in hell But heerein the Popes would proue their superioritie over Princes for hee that deifies setteth himselfe aboue that that is deified
that hee is that man of sin that exalteth himselfe aboue authoritie And this one point of Antichrist may resolue all the questions betweene them and vs. For it is an infinite labour to cast over all the Controversies but this one virtuallie hath all Some haue thought to bee resolved of all by the Question of Scripture because it containes the places of arguments Others from the question of the Church because of her authoritie c. But this one of the Pope hath all because hee is both Church Scripture and all to them and when it is clearlie proven that he is that Antichrist it will follow necessarlie that in all questions controverted they haue the worst part So that the point of Antichrist proponed by the Apostles mysticallie and knowne by the first Ages coniecturallie by the doctrine and practice of Rome is made now so cleare that wee may say with reverend Iuell Multi quidem loci de Antichristo obscuri erant iam verò Ecclesiae Romanae doctrina institutis effectum est ut quibus oculi non desunt ne Sol ipse clarior fiet Though many places of Scripture concerning Antichrist were of olde obscure and ambiguous because as then it appeared not to what policie they should apply them Yet now by the doctrine and practice of the Church of Rome it is come to passe that the Sunne himselfe is not clearer to such as want not eyes For which cause the Pope when hee saw that his person estimation was touched by the things that were spoken of Antichrist he discharged straitlie all Preachers that none of them should so much as surmise any thing of the comming of Antichrist This is nothing else but secret conviction that the notes of Antichrist appertaine to him And that same Leo the tenth more fullie in his Bull discharges that same the yeare preceeding Luthers kything Therefore it galleth them at the heart to call the Pope Antichrist and Maximilian Duke of Bavere tooke occasion thereof to dissolue a Dispute at Ratisbone betweene the Theologues of Saxonie and the Iesuits of Bavere Hee saw his Iesuits failing in the matter while they cryed continuallie ad formam ad formam and sought but a colour to breake the Dispute And when Hunnius occasionallie called the Pope Antichrist he fretted and discharged any further proceeding Baronius railes against vs in vaine for that same cause saying that the vile Novators vse reproachfull names and pictures to the disgrace of the Apostolicke Sea but they neede not for the Pope endeth the plea and bee vsurping on Princes exalting himselfe aboue them and putting them out of the way by excommunication and tyrannie giveth a iust Commentar of the Apostles words proclaimeth himselfe to be that great Antichrist hee expresseth more vyle lineaments than the Protestants can attribute vnto him And it was the prime question that the Emperours Commissioners for the reformation or rather the deformation of Germanie proponed to the Preachers of Augsburgh To declare if they counted the Bishop of Rome to bee Antichrist adhâ—ret capiti lethalis arundo The deadlie dart of their discoverie hath wounded their head grievouslie that they can not heare of it CHAP. XXV Of the fourth fruite of their folie Their just destruction THe fourth fruite of this vsurpation is their destruction The Apostle descryveth it in two degrees consumption and abolition The Lord will consume him by the Spirit of his mouth and abolish him by the brightnesse of his comming This consumption is by the word of God a most powerfull meanes to destroy poperie for it is a worke of darknesse begunne increased and perfected by the graduall obscuring and depressing of Scripture And therefore the graduall revealing and manifesting of Scripture is sufficient to banish that darknesse So the Waldenses began with a private vse of Scripture and thereby troubled Antichrists Kingdome VVicliffe brought it to Lectures in the Schoole and wrought them more harme Hus broght it to the Pulpit and made it shine clearer But Luther Calvine and other VVorthies of reformation made that Light to shine clearer in manie places at once and so brought a great destruction vpon Antichrists kingdome and made many Nations forsake him and turne to the Lord. The Light of the Gospell discovered two thinges at once the Popes heresie and tyrannie by the first discoverie it looseth the bands that formerly held people in awe Superstition so puddled their consciences that they indured his verie tyrannie as equitie But when the shining truth discovered him to bee an Antichristian seâ—ucer their irritation was doubled to avenge themselves on him both for his misleading of them and vsurpation Doubtlesse this is the secret cause why so farre they abuse Scripture they accuse it of insufficiencie and forbid the translating of it in vulgar tongues and reading of it to people because Sathan maketh them presagious of their destruction to come by it Their adoring of the Nailes the Speare and weapons that killed Christ argues their sympathie with Sathan the Iewes that crucified him And their abhorring of the Sword of Gods word argues their Antipathie to it as a malefactour abhorreth the Sword of the Magistrate And the three Bishops at Bononia who gaue advise to Paul the third for reformation besought him to put the Bible out of the way because it was the Booke that wrought them most woe This their consumption they acknowledge with griefe for who is ignorant sayeth Bellarmine That the Lutheran Trueth which hee calleth a Pest arose in Saxonie and thereafter occupyed almost all Germanie Thence it went to the North and to the East and consumed Denmarke Norraway Swaden Gothland Panonia and Hungarie Thereafter with the like swiftnesse to the West and the South and in a short time destroyed France England Scotland some time floorishing Kingdomes And lastlie that it passed over the Alpes and pearced into Italie it selfe The Gospel preached into these places was like the sounling of the Trumpets about Iericho to throw downe mightilie the abominations of Babel And Cotton confesseth further that the authoritie of the Pope is incomparablie lesse than it was and now the Romane Church is but a diminitiue of that it was as may bee seene in the ardidinals who were wont to meete oftner but now meete oneâ— onelie once a weeke because the businesse of the Court of Rome decressed The order of their consumption is verie considerable that such Nations for sooke the Pope first who were most abuâ— sed by his vsurpation They abused Germanie pittifullie in the dayes of the Henries and Fridericks No reason could content them the Emperors found more patience to suffer than the Popes tyrannie found measure to bound it selfe England also was to them a Paradise of delight and an inexhaustable fountaine at every occasion they sent Legats to presse that Kingdome for money as a sponge is pressed for water and imposed the
provision of some hundreth at their pleasure Henrie the third in a survey of the Church-rents found sixtie thousand merkes sterling to bee provided for Romanes Wherevpon with his Nobles hee supplicat Innocent the fourth at the Councell of Lions to ease that burthen They got faire promises but their burthen doubled ' For a new survey within six yeares found tenne thousand merkes more was yearelie assigned vnto them They whipped Henrie the second by Discipline as a Boy for Beckets punishment and canvased King Iohn so fearefullie that hee found no rest at home but sought desperate courses with Mahumetan Princes and in end was forced to resigne his Kingdome to the Pope and take it holden of him and lastlie was poysoned in the Eucharist Navarre also found the like crueltie and when their King was excommunicate and cast out of his Kingdome by Iulius the second his Subiects deserted him when hee was invaded by Ferdinand But their first blowes came from these abused Nations Everie people hath their owne Genius I meane neither of the Platonicke conceats of attending Spirits nor Paredri Daemones but a Gentilitious disposition of a Nation It is not mortall with persons and therfore neither so soone irritate nor appeased Persons lay their quarrels at their death but the surviving Genius or Spirit of a Nation liveth longer than persons and in the owne time doeth resent olde iniuries and revenge them Therefore long oppressed Germanie finding a light in Luthers time gaue such a blow to Antichrist that hee could not as yet cure It had beene good if they had not run on the other extremitie about Church maintenance but they fearing that the Cleargie would againe abuse authoritie did spoyle the Church of her Patrimonie and defyled the the reformation of Religion with horrible sacriledge As Germanie began so England followed and shook off his yoak vnder Henrie the eight brought foâ—rth at last that great and ever-memorable fact which overcome with oppression for manie Ages shee had conceived with great sorrow And what ever personall disposition they alledge to haue beene in Henrie the eight yet GOD had his hand in the worke And though hee had not beene at all yet God would haue provided him meanes to doe that that was done Therefore in the reformation of England we should not looke to the time of Henrie alone but to fiue or six Ages preceeding wherein that Kingdome was long grievouslie oppressed by the Popes but the fulnesse of the Popes cup and Gods iust anger to breake his power in that Kingdome did meete together in that time In like maner the King of Navarres Posteritie payed the Pope home againe for his excoÌ„munication they were stirred vp with privat hatred syded with them who coÌ„spyred against the Sea of Rome By their forwardnesse the truth was first spread abroad in France and to this day they haue beene shaking France from the obedience of Rome and who knoweth but some branch of that stemme shall helpe to giue the Pope his fatall stroke in France also Let vs heare from a bygot Papist what vantage Pops haue made by their tyrannie over Kings Event us rerum sayeth hee satis docent nihil proficere Pontifices dum hac via incedunt The event hath clearelie proven to this day that the Popes haue profited little while they walke in this high slipperie and steepe way But they rather make broyles schismes and wars in Christian Nations then propagate the Faith of Christ c. And when hee hath reakoned out the pernicious course of Gregorie the seventh against Henrie the Emperour of Boniface the eight against Philip of Iulius the second against Lodowicke the twelth of Clement the seventh and Paul the third against Henrie the eight of Pius the fifth against Elizabeth c. Then hee inferres Did not all these Princes contemne and mocke the Papall Impyre as an intolerable pride nonne hi omnes Principes papale illud Imperium ut meram arrogantiam riserunt And concludeth that that tyrannie was the cause of the overthrow of Poperie And in another place hee affirmeth that the strength of the Protestants in France and Britaine is hatched of the miserable heate of the Popes temporall power This testimonie is true and out of their owne bosome This is like the ruine of olde Rome shee forced out her tyrannie on farre Countries and her furthest extension met with the greatest opposition of mightie Nations and had in it the period both of her furthest reach and the beginning of her ruine as the sea marke is both the point of the highest flowing and the beginning of the ebbe So when she streached out her selfe to Britain Saxonie Persia c. In Gods time shee beganne to find her stresses there was compelled to call home her Legions to guard her head and heart Italie and Rome it selfe from the incâ—ersion of the Barbarians So now Rome stretching out her ambition to farre Countries hath found her curbing to beginne there and in Gods time by reformation which is her consumption shee will bee put to the defence of her Antichristian Seate which in end shall fullie bee destroyed This is the measure of his cup Hee is called the child of perdition first actiuelie because hee destroyeth mens Soules by herefie and their bodies by persecution and soundeth nothing but destruction Santarellus the Iesuite discovered a secret when citing the Apostles text that hee had power to Edification but not to destruction hee left out the word of Edification to tell that the Popes power is onelie for destruction And though he was justlie censured by the Sorbone yet their practice goeth broad according to his reading and they inculcate for that same end the words of Ieremie I haue sent thee to roote out and destroy Next hee is the childe of perdition passiuelie because God will destroy that Destroyer Doe to her as shee hath done to other It is his doome that Kings shall eate vp her flesh and burne her with fire And yet he is so blinded that hee falleth in controversies with Kings and by that provocation sharpeneth them as Gods instruments to his owne destruction But in this time their prevailing against the Protestants seemeth to stay the course of their destruction But indeede it is a furtherance of it God is iustlie punishing Protestants for their contempt and abuse of the restored Light And their sinnes are now greater than in the time of darknesse Yet the Pope also therein is filling his cup and like Pharaoh hardning his heart both to hold Gods people in thrall and to pursue them when they depart God hath charged his people to come out of Babel and manie haue alrea lie obeyed This inrageth the Pope for hee seeth that his lies and deceit by Iesuits and Emissaries cannot recall them who haue departed from him therefore hee vseth the force of Armes to destroy them and in so doing hasteneth his owne