cast it down upon the ground in token that he had power if he deserved to depose him there from and then the Cardinalls taking it up set it agayne upon the Emperours Head which made Matheus Parisiensis say of the forenamed Innocent that hee did know and many wayes had learned by experience Quod Papa super omnes mortales ambitiosus erat superbus That is That the Pope beyound all mortall men was the most ambitious and proudest As likewise made that worshipfull Gentleman and great poet in his time Gefrey Chaucer of whom we spoke before to say of the Pope as head of the Roman Church in his plow-mans tale Her head loveth all honour And to be worshipped in word deed Kings mot to him kneell cowr To the Apostles that Christ forebeed So seemeth hee aboue all And Christ aboue him nothing When he sitts in his stall Damneth saveth as him think Such pride before God doth stink Yea not onelie is it enough that Emperours and Kings be subject unto him that he exalt himself aboue them and that he make them kisse his foot and kick off their Crowns off from their heads tho he be the Emperour but lykwise when he pleaseth to treade upon their necks as Abbas Vrspergensis reporteth that Alexander the third did to the Emperour Frederick at S. MARKS church in Venice As also we haue it set down in the book of sacred Ceremonies That the Emperour or greatest Prince that is present at the Pops Coronation is to carrie his trayne that day to hold his stirrop at his leaping on and lighting and if he go in litter to carrie him on their shoulders hold the basen to him and bring in his first measse of meat Whereof I may say Is this the imitation of CHRISTS humilitie which he recommended to His disciples Or as Bernard sayd to Pope Eugenius in the like case did Peter so or played Paull such prancks when hee was reprehending Eugenius for his pompous carriage and convoy saying Thou goeth in procession glistering with gold and compast about with such a varietie of convoy and by so doing what example getteth Christs sheep or edifying If I durst say sayth he it is the Divels pasture rather which they get teaching them pride nor Christs and thou may see that all ecclesiasticall zeale is now hote onlie for defending of worldlie dignitie sayeth he all men hunting after honour but little or nothing after pietie Thus you see how the Popes pride his Clergies was painted out in Bernards time neere 500. yeares agoe Next let us see how the Pope exalteth himself aboue Angells that are likewise called gods Psal. 97.7 And first Rodevicus a Popish Bishop who was Constable of the castle of S. ANGELO in his Book called Speculum vitae humanae sayeth That the Pope is ordayned to bee aboue not onelie humane but divine principalities and not onlie to rule mortall men but immortalls not onelie men but Angells After which hee applyeth to the Pope places of scripture which speake onlie of GOD in IOB That he is one and there is not a second and againe Thou art mighty aboue the mightiest and wise in counsell and elswhere in Scripture where it is sayd by the Prophet to whoÌ„ all power and dominion is given of whom David meaned when he sayd he hath given him all power dominion that all people and languages should be subject unto him Of which blaphemous trash the reader may see more in the oration uttered before Pius the second by the Deputies of Florence registrat by Antonius bishop of that Citie as also in that of Iacobus Tecano Chamberlaine to Vrban the sixt and Alvarez Pelagius Penitentiarie to Iohn the 22. As likewise in Augustinus triumphus alias de Ancona in his Booke De potestate Ecclesiae dedicat to Iohn the 22. and thereafter to Gregorie the 13. Printed at Rome 1582. With the Popes priviledge and in Lancelotus Conradus his book of the same subject approved by Pius the 4. And the Bishop of Bitonto in his Oration before the councell of Trent with diverse others Next we see that he exalteth himself aboue Angells in respect as Iohannes Faber sayeth he permitteth himself to bee adored by religious adoration as Paulus Iovius speaketh in the place before cited which the Angell refused Revel. 22.9 because he was Iohn's fellow-servant yet the Pope hypocriticallie calleth himself the servant of GODS servants As also wheras the Angells are only called holie yet hee is called in the abstract Holienesse it self Thirdlie In the bull of Clement the sixt in favours of these who should happen to die comming to his jubile these were his words Wee command the Angells to carrie their soules into Abrahams bosome which bull is extant registrat in the treatise of Iohannes Phofferus Professour of divinitie in Friburg DE MATERIA INDULGENTIARUM anno 1472. From all the which former we frame this argument hee who exalteth himself aboue all that is called GOD is the Grand Antichrist man of sin foretold of 2. Thess. 2.4 But the Pope doth this as hath beene clearelie proven by Romanists themselves Therefore the Pope is that Grand Antichrist and man of sinne foretold of 2. Thess. 2.4 CHAP. XI Of Antichrists sitting in the Temple of GOD as GOD Showing himself that he is GOD 2. Thess. 2.4 And of his Names of blasphemie Revel. 17.3 HAving shown how Antichrist exalteth himself aboue all that is called GOD Wee come next to his sitting as GOD in the Temple of GOD showing himself that he is GOD as the Apostle speaketh 2. Thess. 2.4 That is so farre as any mortall man can in the hight of pride equall himself with GOD which the Pope doeth 1. By usurping not only the Tytle of CHRISTS vicar upon earth that is as it is sayd of Moyses being to Aaron in stead of GOD Exod. 4.16 But also 2. In usurping blasphemouslie the verie name of GOD in the singular which in the plurall onelie is communicated to Kings and Princes Psal. 82.6 As it was written upon that Triumphall Arch at Rome Oraculo vocis mundi moderaris habenas Et merito in terris diceris esse Deus Therefore Panormitan calleth him Dominus Deus noster Papa And of late Stapleton in the Dedicatorie Epistle of his Treatise De principiis Doctrin calleth Gregorie the 13. Supremum Numen in terris or the Supreame GOD upon earth therefore sayth Frossardus in his fourth â—ome and tenth Chapter That as there is but One GOD in Heaven so there is no reasen but there ought in like manner to be but one god onelie upon earth to wit the Pope Wherefore as Platina recordeth Pope Paull the second used to say That hee had all Lawes in the cabinet of his owne breast could rescind or approve the actions of all meÌ„â— according to his pleasure Whence also that worshipfull Gentleman forenamed Gefrey Chaucer
Antichrist in whose fore-head the name of Blasphemie is written that is I am God and cannot erre he I say sits now in the Temple of GOD sayth he farre and wyde doeth raigne And tho hee calleth himselfe the servant of servants yet as if hee were GOD sayeth hee Hee will bee Lord of Lords Thus wee see how this apocalyptick Antichristian beast speaketh like the dragon of whose blasphemous dragon mouth we shal speak more herafter CHAP. VI How Antichrist is described by Iohn REVEL. 17.11.12 c. IN that place Antichrist is described by the Apostle to be the last head or soveraign goverment which should raigne or rule over that Great Citie Which in Iohn's dayes did raigne over the Kings of the earth by which City Rome is understood by the consent of all For so sayth Bellarmin Vrbs illa magna sedens super septem montes habens imperium super Reges terrae Roma est That is that great Citie that fits on seven hills and hath dominion over the Kings of the earth is Rome so likewise sayeth the Iesuit Ribera yea further Hoc in nullam urbeÌ„ aeque convenit ac in Romam That is this cannot agree to no other towne or citie sayeth hee as to Rome By this great Citie then so situate and discribed seing that it is granted that it is Rome Wee are to consider who is the the last head or soveraigne governement over the same under which it shall go to utter ruine As wee see REVEL. 18.19 is foreprophecyed of her and to showe this is the papacie IT is showne unto us 1. By the origine and rysing thereof to wit that this head or soveraigne governement over that citie should arise by the decay and fall of the old RomaÌ„ empyre and at the same time also when by the same decay other Kings should arise to Monarchik Dignitie with her which verse 12. is called at one houre as 1. Iohn 2.18 the last houre is taken for the last time Neyther is it to bee understood that at one precise period of time the papacy over Rome and the rising of other Kings should bee whose kingdoms before were tributarie provinces onelie to the old Roman Empyre but as Iohn's last houre includeth some ages so this some difference of time neither by ten Kings is a precise number of such to bee understood but a definite number put for an indefinite as we see usuall in scripture Gen. 31.7 Numb. 14 22. and as likewise BELLARMIN acknowledgeth Whence it is as sure that Antichrist is come and not to come as papists fancy and hath the soveraigne governement over Rome as it is visible to the whole World that there are Kings now in the severall kingdomes of Europe which before were tributarie provinces onelie to the old Roman now decayed Empire seing that at one time he was to rise to his soveragnitie over Rome with them 2. As it is showne unto us who shall be the last Head over Rome by the time of his rising to be so when even so it is showne unto us verse 8. Who he shall be by the place from which he ariseth or whence in these words The beast that thou sawest was and is not and speaking in the future shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit where first we must remember that by the beast in generall is understood in this prophecie the Roman Iurisdiction whereof the Apostle or rather the Angell maketh foâ—re estates 1. That hee was to wit before Iohn's dayes in the person of fyve kings that is severall sorts of governements as the Iesuit Ribera and others do expound And which fyve verse 10. are said to bee fallen which were Kings Consuls Decemuirs Tribuns and Dictators 2. Is not sayeth the Angell in Iohn's dayes to wit as before under any of the former governements 3. And yet is to wit under the imperiall governement which then stood and therefore in the present time is the sixt Head spoken of verse 10. Whereof the angell sayeth and one is And 4. Speaking in the future and of the last sort of governement over that citie hee sayeth and shall ascend out of the Bottomlesse pit c. Where hee setteth down three things concerning the papall governement 1. Whence it commeth 2. The generall subjection thereto and 3. The last totall ruine therof and of Rome over which the same is chieflie exercised First then hee sayeth that this beast or last Head shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit having reference heerein to that fallen starre spoken of Chap. 9. Who verse 11. is called the Angell of the bottomlesse pit agreed by all to be Antichrist and expounded by Romanists themselves as I haue shown Chapter 4. To bee some eminent Bishop who shal haue Monarchik soveragnity therfore is called the King that shal be over the Locusts there described which Beda calleth the disciples of Antichrist Lyra his priests over whom he is Prince and Pope Gregorie calleth The Armie or swarme of Priests which were prepared for the King of Pride who in his â—yme was neere at hand a thousand yeares ago as hee playnlie affirmeth 2. The generall subjection that shall bee to this last Head or sort of pâ—pall governement over Rome is set down in these words That they that dwell upon the earth shall wonder whose names are not written in the booke of life when they behold the beast Reference being had to that which is said Chap. 13.3 of the generall subjection to the old Roman empire That all the World wondered at the beast which generall subjection also is set down verse 13. Where it is said That the Kings who received power as Kings at one houre with the beast meaning the European kings and as verse 2. Who had committed spirituall Fornication with the Whoore being idolatrous and having one minde with her they should giue their power and strength unto the beast as his secular arme To make warre against the Lamb That is to persecute the professours of the Trueth of CHRIST but at last The Lamb should overcome them to wit by conversion or eversion And therefore 3. The last and totall ruine of Head and state under him is set down in these words that as Antichrist is called The sonne of perdition 2. Thess. 2.3 So Hee should go into perdition Having thus spoken of the beast as the eight and last Head of Rome The seventh being that of the Gothes which continued onelie 70 yeares and therefore is said verse 10. to continue but a short space The better yet to know him wee haue to consider the mysterie of the woman that is born up and supported by this beast that is by the papacie which is the Roman Clergie whom they call the Church or their Church-men First then this is a woman by which a Church is meaned as wee see Revel. 12 1. 2. Shee is a Whoorish woman that is heere spoken of like AHOLAH and AHOLIBAH
speaketh thus of the Pope in his tyme in his Plow-mans tale And to Popes hest's such take more heed Then to keepe Christs Commandement Of gold silver mot be â—is weed They hold him whole Omnipotent Whence it is likewise that their own Cassander of late sayth Pontificem vero Romanum quem Papam dicimus tantum non Deum faciunt ejusque authoritatem non modo supra totam Ecclesiam sed supra ipsam scripturam divinam efferunt sententiam ejus divinis oraculis parem imo infallibilem fidei regulam constiâ—â—â—nt That is They make the Roman Bishop whom wee call the Pope little lesse nor GOD extolleth his authoritie not onelie aboue the whole Church but also aboue the holie Scriptures which is to be aboue GOD and maketh his sentence or decree equall to the Oracles of GOD consequentlie himself to bee equall to GOD yea to be the infallible Rule of Fayth 3. Hee showeth Himself to be GOD and sit as GOD in the Temple of GOD whill as he usurpeth the other Tytles that are onelie proper to GOD aâ— 1. To be Head of the Church of GOD as Bellarmin styleth him ascribing that unto him with other tytles as followeth which as it is contrar to holie scripture 2. Cor. 11.2 Where CHRIST is called the One and onely Husband of His Church and consequentlie her onelie Head so Gregorie the first calleth it A divelish usurpation under pretence of humilitie by pride of a pompaticke tytle sayeth hee to attempt so the subjecting of Christs members to himself as Head of the Church quae omnia uni soli capiti cohaerent sayeth hee That is all which cohere to one onelie head thereof to wit CHRIST and againe writting to Iohn patriark of Constantinople who began first to usurpe the same he sayeth If Paull eschewed that the members of the LORDS bodie should be particularlie subiected unto other heads beside CHRIST altho they were Apostles what will thou be able to answere at the strick Tryall of the last judgement to CHRIST the Head of His Vniversall Church who preasseth by the tytle of Vniversall Bishope to subject all these his members unto thee as head which wickednes sayeth hee what else is it but thereby to imitaâ— him to wit Lucifer who despysing the Legions of his follow Angels joyned with him in one societie did attempt to mount above them to such a hight of singularity That hee lykewyse would bee vnder none but hee alone would bee aboue all others which is indeed to sit as God in the Temple of God And therefore such Style Gregorie declareth to bee not onlie prowd and prophane but also Antichristian And which none of my Predecessours sayeth hee Bishops of Rome would ever consent to haue Neither I my self would consent thereto for what were this else but to lose the Fayth sayeth hee and to make ship-wrack thereof 2. BELLERMINE styleth the Pope The Husband of CHRISTS Church contrarie to the place forecited 2. Cor. 11.2 Of which sayeth BERNARD to Pope EUGENIUS when hee had told That Christ is the onlie Husband of His Church Wherefhre sayeth hee call not his Beloved Spouse Thyne and challenge thou nothing as proper to thee over her And which Title their canonized AQUINAS LYRA LOMBARD on 2. Cor. 11.2 showeth to bee proper onlie to CHRIST alone and without blasphemie is not communicable to anie 3. Bellarmine also calleth the Pope Generall Father A Title proper onlie to GOD Therefore sayeth Pope Gregorie to Iohn of Constantinople who first attempted to usurp that Style How wilt thou answer in the Day of that Terrible Examination of CHRIST the Iudge who is to come who deserveth to bee called not onlie Father sayeth hee but also The Generall Father of all 4. By the same Bellarmine in the place forecited hee is called That Corner Stone spoken of by Isai. cap. 28. proved and precious which Title to be onlie proper to CHRIST and without grosse blasphemie to bee communicable to none these Romanists beareth witnesse To wit Hugo de S. Charo Pintus and Perusin on this place rendring these Reasons 1. Because he and hee onlie as a corner stone coupled together both Iew and Gentile in one unitie of Fayth 2. Hee is called PROVED by the Passion of His Crosse which Hee onlie indured 3. As also Hee is called PRECIOUS In respect both of the Infinit Worth and Excellencie of His Person being GOD and MAN As lykewyse by the Merit of His Sufferinges whereby the world is redeemed Hee was called That Light that came into the World And which the World receaved not by Cornelius Mùs Bishop of Bitonto in a publick Oration before the Councell of Trent which is extant and printed at Rome in Platea Parionis which is spoken Iohn 1.9 onlie of CHRIST And which Tytle their own Lyra Carthusian and Ferus showeth to belong onlie and is competent to CHRIST So lykewyse as Antoninus Archbishop of Florence reporteth in his Historie when the Sicilian Ambassadours asking pardon of Pope Martin the fourth delyvered their Ambassage in these terms saying Agnus DEI qus tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis The Pope accepting of this Tytle replyed disdaynfully saying In the terms whereby the Souldeours mocked CHRIST Ave Rex Iudeorum dabant illi alapas So that by assuming such Tytles proper onlie to GOD and CHRIST IESUS GOD and MAN wee see hee sitteth as God in the Temple of God All which being so manie Blasphemies it is no marvell therefore that That Scarlet coloured Beast spoken of Revel. 17.3 Is sayd to bee full of the names of blasphemies Amongst which in expresse terms Gregorie calleth the Tytle of Vniversall Bishop Nomen Blasphemiae tho there were no more than that name alone to proue the Pope to bee Antichrist From all which former wee reason thus he that sitteth in the teÌ„ple of God as God that is as in Gods stead claiming to be his vicar generall and who usurpeth alike Tytles with God which are only proper to God and in him are the names of blasphemie spoken of Revel. 17.3 Who also equalleth his decrees traditions with the verie oracles of God hee is the Antichrist But the Pope doth all this as we haue proven in all this preceeding Chapter by the witnessing of Romanists themselves Therefore it followeth that the Pope is Antichrist CHAP. XII Of the Popes not onlie equalling himself with GOD But extolling himself aboue GOD himself Which is the hight of Antichristian Pryde and Matchlesse Impietie HAving shown how the Pope exalteth himself against all that is called GOD by participation onlie of name And equalleth himself also with him who is GOD onlie in Essence Followeth to show How lyke Lucifer in his Meridian or highest ascension hee extolleth himself aboue GOD 1. Extolling his Authoritie over the Scriptures which are the WORD of GOD And consequentlie aboue GOD himself 2. Making himself Iudge over GODS WORD And what it
GOD willing they shall see both who hee is and where hee is Next whence hee came and when hee came And last what are his marks and whither hee goeth CHAP. II. That Antichrist is not one onlie individuall person but a continued succession of manie FIrst then wee are to consider that the name Antichrist as it is generallie or more largelie taken signifieth all that are anie wyse enemies to CHRIST or the Trueth as wee see it taken 1. Ioh. 2.18 But as it is taken more properlie and peculiarlie or by way of emineÌ„cy it signifieth that man of sinne and sonnâ— of perdition of whom the Apostle speaketh 2. Théss. 2.3 Whom Iohn also Revel. 9.11 calleth that King or Monarch over these Locusts that came forth out of the smoak of the bottomlesse pit And Revel. 13.11 That Beast that arose out of the earth horned lyke the Lamb But speaking lyke the Dragon And whome all agree to be that Grand fore-prophecied Antichrist And whom wee take not to bee anie one onlie individuall person but a continued succession ef manie So that when wee say That the Pope is Antichrist Wee mean not individuallie this or that Pope onlie But collectivelie that the whole succession from Boniface the rhird downwards is such who about the year 607. obtayned from the Emperour Phocas that Antichristian Title as Gregorie calleth it Of Vniversall Bishop or Head of the Church Which none of his Predecessours ever assumed And of whome the same Gregorie foretold saying The king of Pryde is at hand meaning Antichrist and which is fearfull scarce to bee spoken sayeth hee an armie of priests is prepared for him So that here wee have who are the Locusts of whom Iohn speaketh and who is their king over them who is called ABADDON and who by a Popes own declaration is to bee a Prince of Priests as the Pope is styled And seing this is a Principle That the Pope can not erre Especiallie such a Popâ— as Gregorie the Great speaking definitivelie Then they must confesse that Antichrist is come a thousand years ago And being a Prince of Priests consequentlie is a person Ecclesiasticall Neither is it vnusuall in Scripture sayeth their Iesuit Ribera that by one many alyke and of the same incorporation are signified Which hee proveth out of Matth. 22.11 Where by one man manie are signified and out of Daniell 7. and the Angels interpretatioÌ„ of the Ramme that hee saw having horns Which Ramme sayeth the Angell is the king of the Medes Persians Quibus verbis sayeth the Iesuit vt recte Hieronymus exposuit non hic aut ille Rex designatur sed omnes reges Medorum atque Persarum sibi ordine succedentes quasi vnum corpus efficientes That is by which words as Ierom rightlie expoundeth is designed not this or that king but all the kings of the Medes and Persians succeeding each one to another in Order And making all up one bodie Therefore also sayeth Aquinas accordinglie that Antichrist is the whole bodie of such And not one man so also speaketh the ordinar glosse and Cardinall Hugo calling Antichrist the Vniverse or whole succession of such Yea the Papists themselves when they say That the Pope is the Vicar of CHRIST and head of the Church They mean not anie one Pope onlie But the whole succession of such which they deryve from PETER Thus having shown that Antichrist is not one onlie individuall person but a succession of manie Wee come next to consider how hee is in holie Scripture descrybed And before wee anie furder proceed wee are to frame this irrefragable Argument and playn Demonstration thus Unto whom the Prophecies of holie Scripture descrybing Antichrist doe sole and onlie agree hee is that Grand Antichrist foretold in the Scriptures But unto the Pope of Rome the Prophecies of the holie Seripture descrybing Antichrist do sole and onlie agree Therefore it followeth That the Pope of Rome is that Grand Antichrist foretold in the Scriptures The Major is undenyable all the Controversie therfore is onlie in the probation of the Minor which I shall GOD willing labour to prove by the Induction of the Prophecies themselves and their Application all of them to the Pope And that being taken collectivelie or joyntlie they are applyable to none else but to him CHAP. III. What manner of person Antichrist is and how hee is described by Paul 2. Thessalon 2.3 and proved to bee the Pope FIrst then The Apostle Paull descryveth him that hee shall bee the head of a falling away or Apostasie from the Fayth For so Bellarmin himselfe speaketh saying By this falling away most rightlie may Antichrist be understood For he shall bee so an Apostate that hee may bee called Apostasie himselfe Whence it followeth That hee shall not bee as the Papists fancie an Obstinate Iew who never professed the Christian Fayth And therefore can not bee sayd to have made Apostasie from the Trueth thereof But an Apostate christian Who still retayning the Christian name shall notwithstanding make defection froÌ„ the Trueth of Christian doctrine Therefore sayeth Augustine upon his resemblance of the hornes of the LAMB Sub Nomine Christiano agnum praefert vt draconis veneua latentur infundat That is Under the Christian name hee resembleth the LAMB sayth he that the more secretlie hee may powre in the poison of the dragon And agayn in the same place Hee would not counterfit the lyknesse of the Lamb sayeth hee if hee did openlie speake agaynst him But doeth counterfit Christianitie That the more craftilie hee may deceave the simple So lykewyse speaketh Origen on Matth. 11.27 and others And to make us the more clearly to know this Apostasie whereof the Apostle speaketh hee instanceth two doctrines thereof which hee calleth the doctrines of devils Which the Pope and his adherents doe teach Thereby showing that of â—im hee meaneth this Apostasie To wit the forbidding of marriage which under the name of uncleannesse contrarie to GODS Word calling it the Bed undefyled hee forbiddeth to the Cleargie And commanding to abstaisn from meates at certayn forbidden tymes as unlawfull and for conscience sake Which in the contrarie according to Chtistian libertie GGD hath created sayeth the Scripture to bee receaved with thanks giving Where lykewyse it is to bee noted That to show his deep dessembling in opposing the Trueth of CHRIST under the Christian name it is sayd thaâ— hee shall speake lies in hypocrisie And therefore getteth Iudas style being called the sonne of perdition To show us that as Iudas was the chiefe ring-leader of those who came agaynst CHRIST Yet professing him selfe a Disciple of His and saluting Him Master with a kisse So is Antichrist the chiefe ring-leader of these t hat are against Christs Trueth Yet professing him selfe a chiefe Disciple Yea CHRISTS owne Vicar Therefore doeth their own famous Florentine And so much extolled Petrarcha say what other is done continuallie there to