of our great Dutie against the fourth Commandement both by doctrine and life by doctrine when hee warranteth his l Aquin. 2.2 q. 122. art 3. ad 4. Dominic a Soâ—o lib. 2. de Instit iure q. 4. art â— Suarez tom 1. de Relig. lib. 2. cap. 4. Rhemists in 15. Mat. §. 3. Schoolemen to teach that the Lords Day is not the lawfull Sabbath by the Law of God but onely by Tradition whereas euen by the confession of some of m Bellar. lib. 3. de Eccles triumph cap. 11. Azorius tom 2. Instit lib. 1. ca. 2. his best Learned the Lords Day is in Scripture both commended to be the n Psal 118.24 Day which God hath made that is separated from other dayes by many of his actions especially o Mat. 28.1 of his Resurrection and p Act. 2.1 sending of the Holy Ghost and therefore commanded to bee the Day of Gods Seruice wherein we may be glad and reioyce 2. By life and practice by life when they vsually on that Day either allow openly or winke at idle sports of Playes May-games and youthfull Reuels as appeareth by the Relikes of this Rudenesse yet standing in some Parishes of England where since the Reformation there hath not beene resident a Preaching Minister and as it is q Raphael Volateran lib. 22. Anthropolog ca. de Alex. 6. recorded of Alexander the sixth that vpon all Festiuall Dayes without difference hee vsed to haue acted before him Plautus his Comedies and other Interludes and many times hee was woont to retyre himselfe to the toppe of Mount Hadrian thence to behold the Courtezans minsing and ietting by him as they went into the Fields Is this your Deuotion holy Popes on the LORDS Day which should be kept so r Esay 58.12 gloriously holy that you should not doe your owne pleasures Surely no maruell if your people now Å¿ Iere. 8.6 rush into all prophanesse since you their Shepheards t Iere. 50.6 cause them to erre from Mountaine to Hill and so to forget their resting place But I hope that howsoeuer you neglect your dutie towards God yet for shame you will haue some respect of your Neighbours who esteeme so well of your high stile of holinesse Surely no such matter he that feareth not God doth not regard man and therefore against the fifth Commandement Against the fift Commandement as Antichrist was to lift vp himselfe aboue Kings and Princes so the Pope exalteth himselfe aboue all Christendome 1. By proud practices First by practice of Pride against the Emperour as u Vid. Plat. in horum omnium vitis Gregory the Third excommunicated LEO ICONOMACHVS ZACHARIE the First deposed the lawfull King to set vp Pipin to be the king of Fraunce LEO the Third created for Emperour CHARLES the Great GREGORIE the seuenth first attempted to depose the lawfull Emperour HENRY the fourth ALEXANDER x Volaterran l. 22. Anthropolog in Alex. 3. the third trode vpon the necke of the Emperour FREDERICK BARBAROSSA as ADRIAN the y Idem ibidem fourth had made him hold his stirrop yea and z Roger. Houedenus pag. 2. Annal sub Rich. 1. CAELESTINE the third was not ashamed to put the Crowne vpon the heads of HENRY the sixth and of the Empresse with his feet pushing it off againe with his foot and saying 2. By seditious doctrines I haue power to make and vnmake Emperours at my pleasure secondly by positions of doctrine wherin the Pope teacheth that a Decret Greg. li. 1. tit 33. ca. 6. there is as great difference betweene Popes and Kings as is betweene the Sunne and Moone and that b Extrauag Commun lib. 1. tit 8. cap. 1. the materiall sword is subiect to the spirituall this being put into the hands of Priests that of Kings and Princes and both of them in the power of the Church Whereupon besides the spirituall power of binding and loosing there is ascribed vnto the Pope a temporall power of setting vp or deposing Kings either directly as the c Hostieusis in Can. Quod super his c. Syluester Angelus Silmistae alij in verb. Papa Canonists the Popes parasite d Tho. Bozius l. 4. de Regno Italiae cap 5. 6. Tho. Bozius say or indirectly by force of the spirituall sword as the subtill and wicked e Bell. lib. 5. de Pont. RoÌ„ c. 5. c. Iesuits haue craftily imagined both these in truth like f Iudg. 15.4 Samsons foxes tied together by the tailes to carrie the firebrands of furious rebellion against Kings and Princes into the middest of Christendome g Vid. G. Barcklaium lib. de Potestate Papae auouching these positions against all Scripture which requireth h Rom. 13.1 euery soule to be subiect to the higher power euen the soule saith i Chrysost in Epist ad Rom. hom 23. Chrysostome of Apostle Prophet Prelate and all as therefore many Popes look k Tom. 1. 2. Concil apud Binnium into the Epistles of Leo Gregorie Agatho others haue willingly acknowledged the Emperor for their Liege Lord. But those were men of a moderate spirit and Antichrist was then but in the hatching For afterward that which was crushed l Esay 59.4 Against the sixth Commandement brake out into a Viper or Serpent which did not onely sting great Kings but poysoned all poore people For as against the sixth CoÌ„mandement Antichrist was to be a Murderer so is the Pope proued to bee by his practices both accomplished in sundry Princes as in m Historia de vita Henrici 4. apud Christoph Vistitium tom 1 Illustr German Scriptorum HENRY the fourth Emperour n Abbas Vrspurgens in Frederico 1. FREDERICK BARBAROSSA o Math. Paris Roger Houeden in Ioh. King IOHN of England the p Vid. French Inuentarie Process in Fr. Raualliac two HENRIES of France all slaine by the Popes and Papists procurement or happily preuented by God eyther disclosing them intended as against q Vid. English Iustice blessed Queene ELIZABETH by PARRY and other Villaines iustly executed for Traitors or turning them backe into his owne bowels as to ALEXANDER r Guicciardin lib. 5. histor the sixth who thinking to haue poysoned his Friend a Cardinall was by the mistaking of his Seruant mistaking the bottle full of Poyson dispatched himselfe Å¿ Erasm Chili sub tit Malum retortum Turdus malum sibi cacat The Pope here prouided a rod for his owne taile as t Prou. 26.26 whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein and hee that rolleth a stone it shall returne vpon him For whosoeuer u Gene. 9.6 sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shed It is a point of Gods Iustice which a priuate man must not vndertake without a publike calling set downe in the Law x Deut. 19.21 life for life eye for eye
as yet are subiect to this ambitious Antichrist and on their hands for working since neither Prince nor Priest must now adaies practise the seuerall duties of Magistracy or Ministery without an Oath of Fealtie first made vnto the Pope not Prince since he f Clement lib. 2. tiâ— 9. cap. 1. in princip is so coÌ„manded to secure his Kingdome from the Pope vnto him by the bond of an Oath the former whereof is diuersly set down but all to this purpose That the Emperour must bee subiect to the Bishop of Rome as it was taken Gratian â—ist 63. can 30. by Lewis the Sonne of Charles the Great vnto Paschalis the First by h Grat. dist 63 can 33. Otho the First to Iohn the twelfth by i Platina in Gregor 7. Henry the Fourth to Gregorie the Seuenth by k Lib. 1. Ceremon Rom. Eccle. sect 5. cap. 2. Fredericke the Third to Nicholas the Fifth by Charles the Fifth to Clement the Seuenth yea and by King Iohn m Math. Parisiens in Ioh. pag. 217. of England to Innocent the Fourth all this truly verifying the words of SALOMON l Coâ—nâ—l Agrippa in historia de Coronat Caroli 5 â—ononiae tom â— Oâ—er n Eccles 10.6 I haue seene seruants vpon Horses and Princes walking as seruants vpon the earth For this seruant of seruants is by this Oath promoted aboue his elder Brethren in Christendome Kings and Princes not Priest since his tonsure or shauing his Chrisme or anoynting giuen by the Pope and Popelings onely o Henriquez lib. 10. Moral theolog cap. 34. §. 2. in textu are ratified by an Oath of subiection vnto the Pope to bee taken in the Chapter-House before he enter the Possession of the Temporalities belonging to his Bishopricke or other like Benefice as p Idem ibidem in margine Gregory the Thirteenth of late set out the forme and whereof we find a Copie registred in the q I. Fox Martyrolog lib. 4 pa. 208. lib. 7. pag. 961. Acts and Monuments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prayse iust dealing but yet bee thou set wholly vpon gaining r Sophocles in Aiac said one in the Poet whom the Pope fitly followeth in requiring these Oathes of Magistrates and Ministers vnder the colourable pretence of maintaining true Vnitie and Vniformity in Church and Common Weale but in truth as the euent sheweth for a readie occasion and sound cause vpon which hee may gather money both of Princes who before they were admitted vnto their places by this Oath as by a posterne gate or a window did solemnely promise some one speciall Temporalitie of Earldome c. for a thankefull Beneuolence to holy Church as Caelestine Å¿ Roger Houeden in Ioh. the Third peremptorily vrged it to Henry the sixth Emperour and of Priests who if they were Archbishops were to t Vid. lib. 1. Ceremon Rom. Eccles sect 10. cap. vlt. pay a great masse of monie for their Pall if Bishops according to the rate of their Liuing Abbots Priors Deanes or any way Beneficed men u Fox Martyr lib. 4. pag. 322. were to send their first Fruits of all their Liuings vnto the Pope who was not ashamed by his Legate Otho x Math. Paris in Henr. 3. p. 316 to require out of England besides this bridle of bondage in the mouthes of the Clergie from euery Cathedrall Church two Prebends one from the Bishop and another from the Chapter from euery Abbey and Couent two Portions yea y Idem pag. 677 and many times reseruing Benefices for Strangers amongst many other grieuances and heauie burdens by the Pope in times before layd vpon this flourishing Kingdome of England which the Pope in respect of the Peter-Pence Annales Pensions Prouisions and other gainefull Iniunctions brought from hence to Rome might well terme truely z Idem pag. 683 his Garden of Delights his Bottomlesse Poole out of which since many things abound there many things from many may well be extorted euen thereby verifying of his Court at Rome both what the Fox in the Poet said of the Lions Denne a Horat. Ep. 1. lib. 1. quia me vestigia terrent Omniate aduersum spectantia nulla retrorsum I feare to goe thither being affrighted by the footings of all other Beasts looking towardes but not returning backe from this Denne of Men worse then Lions yea euen of Deuils whose Court is b Scaliger de â—tâ—litate exercitat 52. like the Sea at Paria and the Iles of Maidegascar euer flowing in but neuer ebbing out and that of old when Rome was in her Ruffe as one well rimed with reason from a strange yet true Deriuation of the word Roma thus c Ioh. Monachi apud Gowlart in Catalog test Veritat â—om â— lib. 14 pag. 494. 2. Of coozenâ—ge in his miracles Roma manus rodit quod rodere non valet odit Dante 's exaudit non dantibus ostia claudit Now to couer this Couetousnesse hee flyeth to the Coozening course of Quacksaluers in the fraudulent vse of lying Miracles the glory d Bellar. lib. 4. de Eccles Militant cap. 14. whereof is made a marke of their Church in which euen now adayes e Vid. Binderi Scâ—olasticam theolog cap. 10. they must haue a Miracle done to make a good doctrine warrantable no other wayes as may appeare in that f Bellar. in locis de Purgatorio Sanct. Eucharist Iesuicall custome of proouing their Conclusions by the vncertaine report of lying Wonders For what truth can be authentike by Miracles without Scripture Miracles may bee done g Mat. 7.20 24.24 2. Thess 2.7 by the Deuill and his Ministers being true in the act through Gods permission though false in the end which is to deceiue And yet wee doubt of the truth of their Miracles seeing Lyra reporteth h Lyra in cap. 14. Dan. great deceiuing of the people to be wrought in the Church by lying Miracles done by Priests and their Adherentâ— for temporall gaine and i Canus lib. 11. loc Com. cap. 6. Canus their owne Champion censureth Beda his English Historie Gregories Dialogues Vincentius his Speculum Antoninus his Historicall and the Leaden not the Golden Legend for vncertain Records of many idle reports concerning Miracles done by some Saints which not onely wise men but euen common people dare not beleeue k Horat. de Arte poetic Pictoribus atque Poetis Quidlibet audendi semper fuit aequa potestas Painters and Poets and Popish pardoners haue all the like priuiledge to lye for an aduantage But loe what a blocke is here layd in our way Ob. Antichrist saith the l Bellar. lib. de Pontif. ca. 15. Sanders demons 25. Eudaemon lib. 3. contra D. Abbat pag. 244. Cardinall must doe these three miracles first cause fire come downe from heauen secondly make the Image of the beast to speake thirdly faine himselfe to dye and to rise againe But the Pope doth
is Saint Bernard the worthy Abbot of Clarae-vallis who feared not to write m Ber. Epi. 125. thus vnto one GERARDVS DE LORITORIO The Beast in the Reuelation to which is giuen a mouth speaking Blasphemies and making Warre with the Saints possesseth PETERS Chaire as a Lyon readie to the prey And thus hath the Iurie giuen their verdict against which The supply against exception by a Decem tales if the Prisoner at the barre make exception by disliking of any of them as too too partiall and so worthily to be challenged we haue a Decem tales others void of exception readie vpon the call to appeare The first as amongst the Princes Fredericke Barbarossa Emperour who writing to the Cardinalls said n Albert. CraÌ„tzius in Metropoli lib. 7. cap. 53. that the authority of the Romane See had loosed the reines of boldnesse and replying vnto Hadrian the fourth protesteth o Hen. Mutius l. 18. rerum Germanic ex Chronâ—co HirsaugieÌ„s The second that hee would prouide for the peace of the Church since he seeth that the detestable beast of pride hath crept vp into Peters chaire and Lewes the Twelfth king of Fraunce who in the heroicall spirit of his most illustrious Progenitor Philip the faire p Naucler tom 2. Generat 44. Platina in Bonisac 8. the famous suppressour of that Raging Tyrant Boniface the eight caused q E Chron. Gal. apud Pet. Molin de Monarchiâ temporali Pontific Rom. ca. 15. his coyne of Gold to be stamped on the inside with these words Perdam nomen Babylonis I will destroy the name of Babylon meaning Rome the seate of Pope Iulius the second his deadly enemie and lastly our most Puissant Princes and Kings of England r Vide in horvitis Chron. Anglicana praecipuè Mat. Paris Roger. Houeden Holinshed Stow l. Fox in Martyrologio King Iohn King Edward the third King Henrie the eight King Edward the sixth blessed Queene Elizabeth all of them to their power renouncing the Pope as the very Antichrist but especially our most Gracious Soueraigne King Iames concerning whose most Å¿ Apolog. cum praef Medita in Apocalyps 20 Diuine Discourses of this argument well knowne to all the world yea and carped at by t Bell. Parsons Suarez Coquaeus Schioppius c. Popelings but not corrected admired at but not answered we may most truely take vp that prouerbe u Prou. 31.29 The fourth c Many haue done vertuously but thou surmountest them all Secondly amongst the Bishops x Nilus Thessalonic li. 2. de primatu Papae Nilus of Thessalonica pulling downe the Popish Primacie and y Apud Auent lib. 7 p. 573. Probus Tullenses shewing the Popes Legats to be Antichrists seruants and Honorius z Hono. Angustod dial de praedest et l. arbitrio Augustodunensis auouching the seate of the beast to be in the Pope and Cardinalls yea and all a CoÌ„cil Turonensi sub Lodouico 12. the Bishops of Fraunce in the dayes of Lewes the twelfth and of England in the Raigne of Henrie b Vid. Fox Mart. sub Hen. 8 Edwar. 6. The eight c. the eight and Edward the sixth renouncing the Pope Lastly amongst the Monks Henrie c Petrus CluniaceÌ„s l. 1. Ep. 1. 2 the Scholler of Petrus de Bruis calling Rome Sodome and Babylon and d Rob. Gallus l. de vaticinijs apud Posseuinum to 2. Apparatus Robertus Gallus a Dominican describing the Pope for Antichrist vnder the figure of a Serpent and e Guido Carmelâ—t Bern. de Luzenburg in Catalog haeres Bell. in ChroÌ„ ad annum 1191. Petrus Iohannis Bitterensis a Franciscan in his Postills vpon the Reuelation prouing the Pope to be that Antichrist to conclude if all this thicke cloud of witnesses will not cast him we can produce whole Churches as f Catalog test verit lib. 3. at Leodium whole Synods as those g Ap. AueÌ„ l. 7. c of Rome vnder Otho Fredericke and Lewes Bauarus and a great many such Councels holdeÌ„ in h Sub Philippo Pulchro Lodouico 12. France yea whole peoples in Countreys who euer reiected the bondage of this Antichrist as in England those faithfull ones whome i Fox Martyrolog â—ub Rich. 2. Henrie 5. they wickedly nickenamed for Lollords in France k Reinerius de Waldensiâ—us the Waldenses in Italie the l Naueler tom 2. Gen. 44. Fratricellians in Bohemia m Iacob Misnensis de aduent Antichr apud Catalogum test Ver. lib. 1â— the Melitzians all before Iohn Wickleffs time yea and in the Mountaines of Rhetia aboue Sauoy the n Ioh. Nicho's his Recantation Mornaeus de Mysterio Iniquitatis pa. 730. An exception against these truely answered faithfull Inhabitants of Vallis and Telina who had from their first conuersion to Christ alwayes their owne true Pastors neuer subiect to the bondage of Babylon and Antichrist Rome and the Pope But me thinks I heare some Papists except against all these voyces as giuen by their enemies and by Heretikes condemned by the Catholique Church But to these men I cannot make a better reply then such as that of o Reg. 18.13 Elijah vnto wicked Ahab proudly demaunding Art thou he that troubleth Israel when he said I haue not troubled Israel but thou and thy Fathers house in that yee haue forsaken the Commandements of the Lord and thou hast followed Baalim For none of these were otherwaies their enemies but as true men are to theeues neither did the Catholike Church their Mother at any time condemne them for Heretikes who mainteined no doctrine contrary to Scripture neither followed other discipline then at that time was vsed Indeed the Pope and his adherents in hatred of that truth which God reuealed by them to the world did enterprise to condemne them and persecute them with Fire and Faggot sword and desolation onely to fulfill the Prophecies giuen out concerning the crueltie of the wicked Antichrist But yet their cause is neuer the worse since the great side doth many times ouersway the better neither is the credit of their verdict thereby any whit impaired in the iudgement of the wisest and most godly since time hath brought that truth to light which in that Darke world yet these faithfull saw clearely Three specialties enforcing good Men vnto this sharpe censure of the Pope to bee that Antichrist and the Pope hath proued their words to be true by three sundry specialties of most liuely proofe which enforced not onely the forenamed witnesses but euen the Popes owne deare dearlings and best friends to confesse that Antichrist was euen then come and amongst them The first The first specialtie was his pride in vsurping vpon the secular power by the deposing of Princes first p Vid. Bellar. cap. 1. in Barklae Reuerend D. Roffensem Episc in Bellar. lib. 1. cap. 2. attempted by Pope Hildebrand Gregorie the
they no place at all in determining of the second point Who is this great Antichrist because they liued before the time wherein that great Antichrist who lurked in those Fathers dayes vnder a mysterie was to be detected disclosed and found to sit at Rome and by his deeds to fulfill all those Prophecies which the holy Ghost had deliuered concerning him in the Scriptures So that our holy Brethren who yet expect a more full expressement of Antichrist in some one particular vile Monster that should if it were possible surpasse the Pope in villany are not so much against vs as they seeme to bee in show seeing it is not any good liking they haue of the Pope whom they confesse to be Antichrist but onely the iust detestation of so wicked a Monster as is Antichrist that draweth them to imagine the further deferring of his most dangerous and accursed approach They are in hope Wee are in faith and both in loue They expect a farre off Wee behold euen at hand the end of all these miseries by the fore-past reuealing the present rage and raigning the future happy ruine of Antichrist and his Kingdome now settled in Rome Wee agree both in the maine not much differing in the Bye As wee yeeld to them in the iust execration of the odious nature of this abominable Antichrist so farre as they prooue what they speake from the Scriptures euen so in like manner are they bee they neuer so learned and wise with patience and loue to heare and to iudge vs their deare Brethren speaking with some knowledge in true zeale concerning the maner of the reuealing of Antichrist which they hold yet to be in futuro We finde to be fully finished in praeterito in praesenti both in times before and now If any x 1. Cor. 14.30 31. thing bee reuealed to another that sitteth by let the first hold his peace For yee may all prophesie one by one that all may learne and all may be comforted y Homer 2. Odyss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 weake men combined may worke much good since z Ouid. quae non prosunt singula multa iuuant what one cannot many may Proofes of our Assertion from the ancient Fathers § XXVII And yet I speake not this in diffidence of our cause For wee want not the authoritie of ancient Fathers either prophesying beforehand or zealously publishing vpon his appearance that the Great Antichrist is alreadie come and the Pope of Rome is hee I will produce no Babes but onely such as without exception are either produced by a Canis Catechis cap. de nouiss quaest 3. Canisius and b Coccius tom 2. Catholicism lib. 10. art 30. 1. Prophesying before Coccius as if they were on their side or else registred for eye-witnesses by good Historians For those who beforehand prophesied of Antichrist and of his seat or kingdome agree vpon these two points The first that Antichrist shall sit at Article 1 Rome rearing vp his Kingdome vpon the ruines of the Romane Empire For to this Article speaketh First Tertullian when c Tertullian in Apâ—loget cap. 32. hee saith that Christians pray for the safetie of the Romane Empire because by the course thereof the great Persecutions which must come by Antichrist are put off and hindred Secondly Cyrill of Hierusalem when d Cyrill Hierosolymitan Catechesi 15. hee saith that Antichrist shall violently take vnto himselfe the power of the Romane Empire Thirdly Ambrose when e Ambros in 2. Thes 2. hee saith that Christ shall not come till the Romane Empire faile and Antichrist appeare who must kill the Saints giuing libertie to the Romanes yet vnder his owne name Fourthly f Chrysost hom 4. in 2 Thes 2. Chrysostome followed by g Theophylact. in 2. Thes 2. Theophylact h Oecumenius in 2. Thes 2. Oecumenius and i Radulphus Fluuiac lib. 18. in Leuit cap. 1. Rudolphus Fluuiacensis when both he and they after him ioyntly affirme that Antichrist by trecherie must destroy the Romane Empire The second that Rome is Babylon the proper seate of Antichrist which shall be destroyed before the end of the World For to this Article Article 2 speaketh First Tertullian who in full assurance of what he speaketh oftentimes k Tertullian lib. in Iudaeos cap. 9. lib. 3. in Marcion cap. 13. vseth these words Babylon in our Apostle Saint IOHN beareth the figure of the Citie of Rome therefore great and proud by her Kingdome and a destroyer of the Saints Secondly Hierome who liuing at that time when Rome was wholly Christian vnder Constantius Iulian and Valentinianus the First yet in foresight of future Apostasie therein there beginning vnder a Mysterie but afterward openly to be complemented very l Hierony tom 1. Ep. 17. ad Marcellum Ep. 151. ad Algosiam qu. 11. in Praefat. ad translat Dydimi de spirit Sanct. Omnia secund Editionem Parisiens 1609. often termeth that Citie Babylon and the purple Whoore spoken of in the Reuelation wherein sometimes hee was an inhabitant Now this cannot bee spoken of Babylon in Mesopotamia which then was desolate and where Hierome neuer liued Thirdly Lactantius who m Lactant. li. 7. Instit cap. 25. alluding to the Sybilline Oracle saith that when that head of the World shall fall and beginne to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is but a street or Impetus for it is deriued either of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sluo or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 traho who can doubt but that an end is at hand vpon all humane affaires and vpon all the World The words of the Sybill to which he alludeth are these as learned n Xistus Betuleius in Annot. in Lactantium Betuleius doth cite them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Rome shall bee a street and Delus vnknowne c. But let vs leaue these Prophesies and come to performances For Antichrist did no sooner appeare in his likenesse but God in his mercie to wards his Elect sent forth his faithfull Witnesses of euery sort Publishing his present approach by open Verdit to publish abroad vnto the World that the Mystery was reuealed and Antichrist was then come and seated in Rome It is odious to say it and idle if wee prooue it not Therefore that Papists especially in England may at length see and marke how their Pope was reputed off in former times euen before Iohn Wickliffe spake against him in Oxford the Pope shall haue faire play his Cause shall bee tryed by a Grand Inquest of twelue good men and true according to the o Sir Thom. Smith de rep Anglor l. 2. c. 18. onely most laudable custome of the Common-wealth of England whereof foure shall be Kings and Princes foure shall be Arch-bishops A Iurie Impanneled and Bishops and foure shall bee Abbots or Monkes Behold now the Prisoner standing at the Barre who because hee is become a Peere in the World shall
haue an open Verdict seuerally deliuered by euery Iuror where according to our p Idem ibidem cap. 28. custome also we will demand sentence first of those who are of least account with the Pope beginning first with Princes then proceeding to the Bishops but lastly striking all downe flat with the Monkes of the Westerne Orders who q Reuel 9.11 are the Popes owne creatures and greatest Dearelings being sworne Slaues to their King The first Man the Angell of the bottomlesse pit And now to the businesse The first Man of the Princes is Fredericke the Second Emperour of Rome who in iust execration of Popish Tyrannie plainely auouched that r In Epist ad Ordin Germaniae apud Auentin lib. 7. Annal. Boâ—or pag. 542. edit Basil there were many Antichrists amongst those Romane Bishops neither were there any other hurt to Christian Religion but onely they as their Workes doe shew For saith he Å¿ In Epist ad Wenceslaum Regem Bohemiae apud Auen ibid. The second man in another place they who sit ouer the Temple of God at Babylon that is at Rome affectate Diuinitie The second is Otto at that time Duke of Bauaria who confesseth t In Orat. ad Episâ— Germaniae apud Auentinâ— pag. 550. The third man his assent vnto the Bishops who affirmed that the Pope was Antichrist and ratifieth his settled iudgement by his iust reproofe of their inconstancie The third is Menardus that thrice Noble Earle of Tyrolis who in his u Apud Auentinum ibid. p 577 Apologie against the vniust dealing of Pope NICHOLAS the Fourth saith plainely that the Popes are nothing else but Antichrist The fourth man The fourth and the last Prince is Lodouicus Quartus Bauarus Emperour of the Romanes who in the Decree x Apud Auentinum pag. 616. made and divulged by a Councell gathered of all the States in the Empire at Rome plainely auoweth of the Pope then being Iohn the two and twentieth that as hee was a counterfeite Shepheard so he was the Mysticall Antichrist So haue the Princes giuen their Verdict Now call in the Bishops The fifth man and the first that speaketh here is a certaine Arch-Bishop of Florence who vsed y Platina in Pasâ—hali 2. to affirme in his Sermons and other his speeches that Antichrist was borne I need not for I cannot tell his name Pope Paschal the Second proceeded against him by vniust prosecution euen vnto Deposall The sixth man The second Bishop dealeth more plainely and boldly being President of a Synode called by the King of France then Hugo Capet and holden at Rhemes by all the Bishops of that Kingdome in the yeere of our Lord nine hundred ninetie and second howsoeuer Baronius z Baron tom 10 Annal. ad annuÌ„ 992. Bisciola ibâ—d and a Binnius tom 3. part 2. sub Ioh. 15. Binnius would haue the truth thereof suppressed by a short relation of partiall Eginaldus against the true report and large narration of all things there passing made by b Magdiburgensis Centur. 10 cap 9. Gowlart tom 2. Catalog â—est veritat lib. 15. cap. de Synodiâ— Gerbertus after that called Pope Syluester the Second c Platina in Syluestro 2. thought to bee a Magician but defended by d Onuphrius in Annâ—tat in Platinam vbi supra Onuphrius for an honest man and this Bishops name is Arnulphus of Orleance who thus speaketh of the Pope then Iohn the Fifteenth e Jn oratione apud praedict D. Mornaeum in Mysterio Iniquit ad ann 992. The seuenth Man O Reuerend Fathers what thinke yee him to bee who sitteth in the high Seate shining in a Purple and Golden Garment Surely because hee is void of Charitie and puffed vp and extolled onely by knowledge hee is Antichrist sitting in the Temple of God and shewing himselfe as if he were God c. The third of the Bishops is Eberardus Bishop of Salzburge who in f Apud Auentinum l. 7. AnnaliuÌ„ Boior pag. 547. an Oration deliuered to the Bishops of Germanie then assembled in a Councell at Ratissone mightily inueigheth against the Pope applying vnto him all the foresaid Prophecies of Daniel Saint Paul and Saint Iohn in the Reuelation plainly auouching that Hildebrand first layd the foundation of Antichrist his Kingdome vnder a colour of Religion and that the Pope is vsually called Antichrist of whom the SYBILS olde HYDASPES and others did prophecie The eight man The fourth and the last Bishop but not of the least learning is Robert Grosthead the good Bishop of Lincolne who a little before his death in the yeere of our LORD one thousand two hundred and fiftieth euen when this Realme of England was most of all oppressed with Popish Tyrannie did demonstrate g Apud Math. Parificusem in Henrico 3. pag. 847.848 the Pope to be the Great Antichrist by that heauie destruction which the Pope brought vpon many Christian soules concluding all with these words against that Monster Eius auaritiae totus non sufficit orbis Eius luxuriae Meretrix non sufficit omnis that is Not all the World can well suffice His greedy hearts desire Nor all the Worlds Harlots quench His lustfull burning fire Well the Bishops haue dealt plainely and truely to the discharge of a good Conscience Let the Monkes be produced The first is Ioachim Abbas The ninth man that most famous Clerke who h Roger. Houeden in Richardo primo in conference with Richard the First then King of England going in his iournie towards Hierusalem said plainely that Antichrist was then borne in the Citie of Rome and should bee set vp in the Apostolike See The second is Nodbertus The tenth man or Norebertus the i Hospinian lib. 6. de Orig. Monach cap. 11. superstitious Founder of the Praemonstratenses who about the yeere of our Lord one thousand one hundreth and nineteenth affirmed euen to * Trithem in Chron. Hirsaâ—giensi anno 1125. the face of Pope Honorius the Second and vnto k Bernardus Epi. 56. ad Gaufridum Carnotentem The eleuenth man Saint Bernard that Antichrist was neere and in that very Generation to be reuealed and that he should liue to see the generall persecution of the Church which indeed he being aduanced to the Dignitie of the Arch-Bishopricke of Magdeburge afterward saw inflicted by the Pope vpon the good Waldenses and Albigenses The third is one Hay-abalus a Monke who taught l Henricus de Erphordia ad annum 1345. Gowlart in Catalog test Verit. lib. 18. publikely at Auimon that he was bound to preach this Doctrine to the World that Rome was Babylon and the Pope with his Cardinals were the Great Antichrist for which his Doctrine howsoeuer most true he was put into Prison by the commandement of Pope Clement the Sixth and there most cruelly murdered The twelfth man The fourth and the last and yet of greatest authoritie and renowne amongst all Popelings
conceit of meritorious actions as if they could climbe vp to Heauen alone of themselues when the Apostle doth teach vs that it ſ Ephes 2.8.9 is the gift of God not of Workes lest any man should boast himselfe Miserable Fathers which giue vnto your hunger-starued Children for Bread t Mat. 7.9.10 Stones for Fish Scorpions But who are they Surely your Iaylors sent by the Man of sinne Of their Iaylors eyther from Rome or Rhemes Salamanca Vallidolid Conimbricum or some such other strong Towre of Iebus where stand u 2. Sam. 5.6 the Blind and Lame in as high respect as was the x Pompon Laetus in Constantino Magno Palladium in the Castle of Troy Men I say of monstrous shape furnished by their Teachers such as y Quodlib Watson pag. 108.109 236. c good Robin Cowbucke aliâs Parsons with all Craft and Crueltie Craft to deceiue both vs and you vs by word and deed only to escape vs like the Saepia and the Polypus For z Ouid. in Halientico Plin. lib. 9. cap. 29. as the Saepia lest hee should be caught casteth out a blacke Inke to darken the water so these men to escape the hands of Iustice vnder words of a double meaning collude with their Examiners as a Epistola Campiani ad Mercurialem Generalem Iesuitarum Campian did with the Maior of Douer and Garnet in the b Vid Acts of H. Garnets Arraignment whole course of his Examination when Gods Word wisheth vs c Ephes 4.24 not to lye lest they d Wisd 1.11 destroy their Soules for e Iohn 8.44 lying is the Deuils Art But what care they for that For who else is their Master but the dissembling Deuill that teacheth them to counterfeit euery shape of mē in the world contrary to the Apostle his rule who f Rom. 12.2 will not haue vs to be conformed to this world For as the g Ouid. Plin. vbi supra Polypus to auoyd the hands of fishers will turne himselfe into the colour of euery thing he lyeth next so these dissembling wretches to shun the danger of apprehension take vpon them any whatsoeuer habit of men in the world as now they will goe h Boast Bishop Gerard Dudley and other such Renegado disguised doe proue this true like swaggering Gentlemen now like Pedanticall Schoole-masters now like officious Seruing-men now like a rich Farmer now like a poore begger Rat-catcher Glasse-man Pedlar or in other such disguisement both contrarie to their zeale of their falsly so called Catholique faith which at i Allens Apologie of the English Seminaries at Rome and Rhemes their admission into their Seminaries and dismission backe againe into England they sweare to preach without feare publiquely in all places wheresoeuer they come and repugnant to their vow k Bell. lib. 2. de Monach. ca. 4. of Regular obedience wherein they are bound by solemne oath to keepe and not to change the habit of their order I know l Tortus p. 366. Ob. their Great Cardinall would here excuse thē by the example of Eusebius Samosatenus who m Tripart hist lib. 7. cap. 16. in the Arian-persecution went about through Phaenicia Syria Sol. and other places in a souldiers habit to teach Gods people the Catholique truth But one example is no generall warrant especially to them who are bound by vow where he was free who n Tortura Torti ibid. teach falsehood where he spake truth who vnder a colour of Catholique doctrine infuse the poyson of treasonable Designes into the heads hearts of their hearers where hee was in all things carefull to obey superiour Powers so farre as they commanded things not repugnant to the Word of God Yet all this their secret packing is onely say o Tortus vbi supra they to deceiue such as with whom they are not to keepe any faith or promise Indeed so was it taught in the Councell p Concil Constant sess 15. of Constance against all truth both of Religion and of ciuill honestie But alas whom doe they hood-winke Not vs who know them too well but you poore soules whom they entangle by auricular Confession and sensuall Absolution their prettie ginne for Gentlewomen that they may be enriched by your possessions either kept or sold as you well find by the cunning dealing of one Man onely Iohn Gerrard by name whose knauerie discouered by the Author of those venemous q Wats Quod. lib. p. 89.90 c. Quodlibets doth sufficiently assure vs of the like way taken not onely by the Iesuites but also euen by the Secular Priests who are as iealous r Gal. 4.18 ouer you as the false apostles were ouer the Galatians that you might onely loue them excluding all others Their Craft can no longer bee concealed for their Crueltie practised vpon you and intended against vs. For doe not you find by their haunt vnto your Houses a bondage in your soules to vnnecessary obseruations of Fasting and other Abstinences a butchering of your bodies by Flagellations and other Exercises an emptinesse in your Purses by ordinarie Pensions and extraordinary Contributions for the pretended furtherance of the Catholike Cause How many Nobles how many Gentlemen and others of Note haue beene brought as we say to a Staffe and a Wallet euen to begge of others what they had of their owne I need not recount the Countrie is ful of such Dilapidatiōs occasion'd only by their own too simple gentlenesse and these Cormorants too vnsatiable greedinesse whereby they make as great a prey of their poore seduced simple and besotted Followers as Kites doe of Carkasses torne piece-meale amongst them And yet they will not be accounted cruell although to saue themselues they thrust you out into desperate designes of deepest danger as to murder your Soueraigne to ransacke your Countrie to neglect your kinred not ſ Catesbies conceite for the Catholike cause to care for your friends so your enemies perish with them Surely I cannot but feare and quake to thinke of the mischiefe intended against this flourishing Kingdome of England by Pope and Papists set on fire by Hellish Iesuites and Seminarie Priests How eager were they against blessed t Quodlibet p. 260.261 c. Queene Elizabeth first to procure an Excommunication of Pius Quintus renewed by Sixtus Quintus then to conspire against her Sacred Person by open Rebellions in the North and priuie Treasons of Parrie and others thirdly to poyson her best Nobles and Friends by Lopez fourthly to procure an Inuasion by Spaniards in the yeere 1588. fifthly to intitle the Infanta to this Crowne sixthly to procure Breeues from Rome to hinder His Maiestie when time should serue seuenthly to enter into Conspiracie by Secular Priests as Watson c. at the very first Inte of his Maiesties happie Raigne eightly to plot the Powder Treason a Designe beyond all example for hainousnesse since which how they haue