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
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
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
men to pay Tribute to Kings Princes as he doth in the Sent. a stirrer up of Treason and Rebellions by excommunicating princes and absolving their subjects from their alleagiance as he did the French An Heretick in denying the soule to be immortall an Incest with two of his owne Neeces and a confederate with the publike and professed enimies of our Saviour Christ the Saracenes whom he intertained in pay against the Christians in Sicilia Can there be any more in a lawlesse man in the man of sinne in Antichrist Yet this mans Acts and Decrees all his successors haue and yet do maintaine defend and imitate as occasions are offered so making themselus one with him Then followed Clement the fifth not onely in publishing the Clementine decretals as his predecessor did the Sext but in excommunicating of Princes and Free states Cursing nations Balaam namely the Venetians Florentines and Luccanes and after him Iohn the 21 22 or 23 for they cannot agree upon the reckoning an open Heretick denying that the soules of good men should see God before the last day He published Septimum Clementinarum he also excommunicated the Emperor and stired up rebellions against him Tell me good Christian and giue me Instance but in one of these which of them was not the man of sinne sitting in the Temple of God advancing himself aboue all that is called God Which of them was not Rex superbiae And if in this Catalogue I haue omitted any it is but some few which continued but for short times and so could not do much but that they did was like their predecessors Now shortly after the time of the said Iohn last spoken of followed that noble schisme which lasted fortie or fiftie yeares together one pope sitting at Avinion in France the other at Rome in Italie continually cursing and excommunicating one the other and in this time sayth the Carthusian I know not who was Pope Where then was the Succession Where was the infallible chaire How can we now know who is pope seeing they knew it not themselues And by this notable schisme we are brought to the fulfilling of many prophecies propheticall numbers accompanied with so many and such great actions as the like are no where againe to be found but in this Antichristian succession But if any will object that these things were not done by all of them I answer still with Salvianus Neque homicidae semper occidunt And againe Etsi hoc commune omnibus non faciebat actus commune tamen omnibus faciebat assensus For which of them reformed or reproved any of these things Which of them shewed any disallowance or dislike of them Which of them hath refused the adoration giuen to Constantine Which of them hath restored the Townes and Provinces Traiterously and rebelliously gotten from the Emperors their Liege Lords to whom they had sworne fealtie Which of them abrogated the decree de Majoritate the Idolatrous worship of Images or other decrees or decretals made by Innocent Boniface Clement or Iohn Which of them I say hath put downe the great Baudie house of Sixtus or reproved the Incests Rebellions Negromancie Sodomie unjust excommunications or other sinnes of their predecessors And I demand Whether any man Iew Turke Infidell or divell can be imagined or any time hereafter can be expected wherein such a consent and concurrence of Prophecies and events with the judgments of godly learned men can be imagined to come For if we take Daniels aera that is the ceasing of the dayly Sacrifice by the destruction of Ierusalem and the Temple which was in the yeare of our Lord 70 and adde unto 70 that number 1290 limited by the same Prophet Dan. 12. it cometh to the yeare of our Lord 1360 about which time the excellent Iohn Wicklieue in England and shortly after Iohannes de Rupescissa in France whose labours upon the Apocalyps are said to be extant prophecied or rather declared many prophecies out of the Apocalyps concerning Antichrist amongst which that is notable which the Carthusian recordeth that there should arise two Antichrists c. And in the verie next leafe the same Author sheweth that within few yeares after there did arise two popes one at Rome the other at Auinion each of them called Pont. Maximus and exercising all manner of Antichristian impieties having mouthes full of cursing as the Prophet speaketh and so making that greevous schisme like to the which was never heard of in any Christian Church whatsoever And this schisme began about the yeare of our Lord 1378 and continued fiftie yeares as some do account namely to the yeare of our Lord 1428 or thereabouts Within the compasse of which fiftie yeares the number of many other prophecies were accomplished accordingly many other things verie obserueable were done in the Church of Christ whereof some shall be remembred For besides that number of 1290 the number of 1335 to which the Prophet Daniell giues a blessing is also fulfilled For account that from the desolation of the Temple and ceassing of the dayly sacrifice which happened about the said yeare of our Lord 70. Add I say to that 70 the number 1335 and it commeth fully to the yeare of our Lord 1405. Againe if we take the Apocalyptik number 666 double it makes 1332 adde that to 70 it maketh 1402 or take the Apocalyptick number of 1260 and adde that to S. Iohns aera which is the ascention of our Lord and was in the yeare of our Lord 34 or 35 and it maketh 1394 or 1395 which is also within tenne yeares of the former numbers The like may be sayd of the number of 42 moneths which yeeldeth 1620 dayes and of three dayes and a halfe which accounting twelue houres in the day as our Saviour Christ doth yeeldeth 42 houres and everie houre to be reckoned according to propheticall accounts a sabbath of yeares or seauen yeares ariseth to l260 yeares So a time two times and half a time everie of these reckoned from the Ascention of our Lord cometh to the same yeare 1394 all concurring within the fiftie yeares aboue mentioned and making a great concurrence and consonance of Propheticall yeares So that here we may boldly say that seauen thunders namely many Prophets uttered their voices that is to say Psal 29. the voyces of God mightie in operation like to the thunder as the Psalmne speaketh in a time doubtlesse which the All-seeing spirit of God to whom all times are present would not haue so marked out but for some speciall purpose Let us then consider the actions of these times and see whether they also be not sutable to these prophecies The actions of the popes we haue briefly touched before Now let us see the works of God in these times which truly are wonderfull Psal 111. and most worthy to be remembred For shortly upon that yeare of our Lord before remembred 1405 God assembled his whole church of Europe Italie Britanie Germanie
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