appeare to Calander what wrong is offred to Christ Christ is the head how Ephe. 1.22.23 when these are giuen to Peter God hath put all things vnder the feete of Christ saith the Apostle and gaue him to bee the head ouer all things of the Church which is his bodie the fulnesse of him that falleth all in all Therefore Christ is the head of the vniuersall Church not onely because hee giueth life to all the members thereof and doth poure into them all the senses and motions of spirituall graces but also because he doth rule and gouerne all things subiect vnto him with his spirit and thus the Church is the body of Christ There is therefore that reference betweene Christ and the Church as that hee cannot be said to be the head but in respect of this body nor the Church be a body but in respect of this head That it is no lesse absurd to imagine a Church with two heads then to imagine Christ to haue two bodies Therefore Paul when hee called Christ alone the head he brought all the rest Christ is head alone all others be but members both men and Angels into the ranke of members Of the Angels it appeareth vers 21. Of men chap. 4. and euen of those men whom he purposed afterward to set ouer the Church militant whereof hee hath appointed none to bee the head but hath left them all parts in the body For when as hee writ of the perpetuall gouernment of the Church by way of comparison and of set purpose Ephes 4. had gathered many vnities to preserue the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace One bodie one spirit one hope one Lord Among many vnities one visible head omitted one faith one baptisme one God and one Father of vs all hee omitted one visible head when as hee should haue made mention in this place if any where at all What shall wee thinke that Paul was altogether forgetfull of Peter when as to euery of the Apostles was giuen grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ by whom he ascended into heauen there was not one Apostle giuen who should beare rule ouer all the rest but many Apostles Prophets Euangelists Pastors Doctors whom before he called Bishops to the gathering of the Saints The gouernment left by Christ not Monarchicall but Aristocraticall the worke of the ministery and the building vp of the body of Christ So that Paul thought that the gouernment left by Christ vpon the earth was not Monarchicall by one which Bellarmine doth so greatly extoll but Aristocraticall by many And that hee thought was sufficient to preserue the vnity of the spirit and of faith to meete with them who cry out that the Church is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if it bee without a visiâ—le head appointed forsooth for the remedy of schisme And if Bellarmine had liued in those dayes he would I thinke haue put Paul in minde not to haue slipt ouer Peter the head of the vniuersall Church But now Bellarmine it is not safe for the Apostle to vse your councell And hath left in writing that wee ought all of vs to worship and adore Christ himselfe euer liuing and present with his spirit and maiestie declared to be the onely head of the Church and in this place called the onely Lord. § 156 But Christ you say is that one head by a principall meane in that he giueth life to the bodie but the Pope by the right of Peter is the ministeriall head that hee may gouerne But to appoint a double head of the Church by reason of the difference of a double duty of the head one principall that giueth life another ministeriall that ruleth this is not to diuide but to plucke in sunder the functions of the head For to direct both the inward and the outward functions of this whole bodie it is the cheife and proper duty of that head as Paul teacheth which giueth life to the bodie But you imagine that Paul hath spoken of the ministeriall head in another place When as he said the head cannot say to the feete I haue no neede of you Which cannot be vnderstood of Christ as you say for he is such a head who may say to vs I haue no neede of you which that I may grant to be true as Christ is the eternall word and perfection it selfe for so he hath no neede of men for he filleth all places and himselfe cannot be filled but as he is the head of the Church he hath need both of the head and members that hee may be a head by the nature of relation or reference For these are so knit together by that nature that it can no more be a head without a bodie than it can be a body without a head whereby the Church is called the body of Christ and the fulfilling of him that filleth all in all which is not wrought by the worthinesse of his humane nature but by the excellencie of his diuine nature Of the corruption of that place to the Corinths and of the friuolous and absurd consequencies of your argument you shall heare by and by In the meane time listen I pray in what sense Christ § 157 whome Peter confesseth to be the sonne of the liuing God is called the rocke and foundation of the Church 1 Cor 3.11 Matth 16. Another foundation none can lay besides that which is laid already Iesus Christ Christ therefore is that one foundation of the Church that one rocke whereon the whole Church ought to be founded Which is to be taken in this sense How Christ a Rocke that he is borne for vs that he died and rose againe for vs that he was taken vp into heauen made of God for vs wisdom iustice sanctification redemption satisfaction purging and to conclude saluation and glory as Paul described him in the first chap not that halfe and part of these good things but that the full accomplishment and perfection is to be sought in Christ Neither doth he say that Christ was giuen to vs for the increase and helpe to wisdome holinesse and redemption but doth attribute the sound effect of all to Christ alone Coloss 2. in whom he saith that we are perfected in which place first hee taught in what sense Christ is called the onely foundation then hee placed the only foundation of the Church that we may put our whole trust and confidence in Christ and him alone being founded on him the eternall and immoueable foundation Th'Apostles builders not foundations And it is worth the marking that Paul Cephas and other the Apostles are called builders not foundations who should build the whole Church vpon Christ alone not the foundation whereon it should be builded But the Apostle saith that the Church was builded vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets But the personall foundation is one whereof is mention in this place and the doctrinall is
with the fellowshippe of honour and power but the beginning from one This therefore is proper to the person of Peter that he be the first stone set vpon the foundation vpon which c. How is it then deriued to Peters chaire whereon the Church was to be builded Let Peter bee changed into chaire and the masculine gender into the feminine Do you thinke that that Father had so weak and childish a memorie that within the compasse of nine lines he would so apparantly contradict himselfe that he would remoue the person of Peter out of his place and place Peters chaire in the roome to displace the Predecessour out of the ranke to place the successours To cast out the first stone in the building out of his order to place those that followed hee would neuer haue done it he was neuer so madde It was not therefore Cyprians ill memorie but the falshood of certaine scribes who brought that new clause of a quite other nature into Cyprians text Many popish correctors in this age and those very § 163 learned One copie of Cyprian alleaged against many and many famous Printers haue taken great paines in setting forth and printing of Cyprian they sought for all the antientest and sincerest manuscripts out of the best libraries of all Christendome they could possibly get they did very diligently compare them betweene themselues and all of them agreed in this that that clause could not be found in any of their written copies Pamelius a Canon of Bryges onely excepted who being an obscure man and of small reckoning said hee found that clause lately written in an old coppy belonging to the Abby of Cambray and brought it into the Anwerp editions printed by Stelsius when that notwithstanding he confesseth he had eight other written coppies in his handes fetcht out of diuers libraries in all which he saith this clause could not be found but only in the copie of Cambray Now let vs giue credit if wee can that one written coppy of the Abby of Cambray was vncorrupt and that all the rest were corrupted Let vs preferre one blinde copie before so many excellent copies both printed and written And let vs preferre one Pamelius Cannon of Briges before so many notable Romane writers Remboltus Cauchius Coster Erasmus Grauius Manutius Morelius Shall we think one to be of more credit then all the rest Which we must needes doe before wee must admit of such a bastardly and new deuised clause Let Saturnine packe vp and be gone let him brag that Peters chaire is the rocke of the Catholicke Church And let mee as my manner is a little consider the consequencies of this peeterly argument Peter confessed Christ the sonne of the liuing God to bee the rocke and foundation of the Church against whom the gates of hell shall not preuaile Therefore Peter is the rock and foundation of the Church against whom they haue preuailed Or thus Peter in respect of doctrine is the foundation as the rest of the Apostles Therefore in respect of his person Or thus Peter the first stone in order set in the foundation is the rocke Therefore the Pope Peters successour as it is presumed is the rocke The person of Peter Therefore the chaire of Peter He is more dull then a stone that gathereth so In one word Peter in this place holdeth the primacie of degree only and order Therefore it giueth the Pope of Rome the supremacie of iurisdiction and power Is not this making of the supremacie out of the rock like the making of a roape of sand how foolishly are these argued but that one thing how blasphemously of Bellarmine who applieth the prophecie of Esay of Christ the chosen stone pretious cheife corner stone a sure foundation to his Master the Pope Christ is the cheife foundation the Pope forsooth is a second This argument is not fetcht from disparates as Tortus plaies vpon vs but from immediate contraries for heauen is no farther distant from hell then Christ from the Pope that is from Antichrist But my good Lordes the Popes doe alwaies lurke vnder Peters cloake as the Dominicans are said to lurke vnder our Ladies frocke Wittily said Erasmus as many things What is charity it is a Monkes cloake said he for it couers the multitude of sinnes In like manner I may call Peters vertue the Byshops cloake for it couereth many a wicked man They do willingly snatch at that speech of Optatus Bellarm lib. 1. de Rom. Pont. cap. 17. Vall. decla de dona Constant who thinking the name Cephas in Siriacke a stone to signifie in greeke a head is set vpon Peter by the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Bellarmine obserues and therefore calleth Peter the head of the Apostles Which learned Valla doth wonder could euer come into any mans minde Comment in Ioh. cap. 1. and Cardinall Catetane a notable writer among the Papists refutes it out of the Gospell For hee alleageth out of the Euangelist to meete with this error that the word Cephas is interpreted to be Peter not a head Ferus in hunc l c. Papists against Papists And Ferus doth flatly say that that interpretation of this word is very foolish and ridiculous The diriuation of this name is not so ridiculous as the proofe of that which out of that § 165 place of Paul the head cannot say to the feete I haue no neede of you Bellarmine being falsly collected Bellarmine mistaketh S. Paul doth violently vrge against the scope and minde of the Apostle who taketh the head by a metaphor for any excellent part which is endewed with great graces the eyes the eares Chrysost hom viges nou◠in 1. Cor. Corinth 12. expounded the hands the feete for inferiour partes which are furnished with meaner gifts as Chrysostome expoundes saying they did excell in gifts some greater some lesse cheifly in the knowledge of tongues They which receiued the greater gifts did contemne them who had receiued lesser giftes and these againe greiued at it and enuied their betters This difference in the mysticall body he went about to compound by the example of agreement of the parts in the naturall body where the head doth not say to the feete I haue no need of you c. But all the members haue mutuall neede one of another Out of this metaphore Bellarmine dreames that the visible and ministeriall head of the whole Church is appointed Now marke the foolish consequences necessarily depending vpon this interpretation If one ministeriall head of the whole Church bee taken out of this place therefore because Paul maketh mention of eyes eares handes feete whereof there are two members it is requisite that there bee two in the Church that must haue two eyes 2. that must haue two eares 2. that may be resembled to two feete then it will be a very beautifull Church that doth consist of nine members only § 166 But how doe they vrge the likenesse of the head
A LOOKING-GLASSE FOR THE POPE Wherein HE MAY SEE HIS owne Face the expresse Image of ANTICHRIST Together with THE POPES NEW CREEDE containing 12. Articles of superstition and treason set out by Pius the 4. and Paul the 5. masked with the name of Catholike Faith Refuted in two Dialogues Set forth by LEONEL SHARPE Doctor in Diuinitie And translated by EDWARD SHARPE Bachelour in Diuinitie 1. KING 18. How long will you halt betweene two religions if GOD be GOD follow him if Baal be GOD follow him LONDON Printed by EDWARD GRIFFIN dwelling in the little old Bayly neere the Kings-head 1616. THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY to the most Reuerend Clergie of ENGLAND IT must not seeme strange most Reuerend Fathers in GOD and my much beloued Brethren if seeing the Captaines of Israel be gone forth to warre against Antichrist a Souldier of a meaner rancke moued with the goodnesse of the cause enter the battaile and ioyne himselfe to the standard For all doe see the Pope renew the old warres and cannot rest quiet but assayes by all meanes Papistas nostros nostras dicerem how he may recouer the possession of GREAT BRITAINE being lost and in a vaine hope thereof our Papists in the masculine I should haue said in the feminine but that I should seem to some to haue spoken false Latine are growne more in number and farre more insolent then they were wont heretofore Who then though he be the meanest seruant of Christ borne vnder or rather with the Gospell restored without which he would not deeme Paradise it selfe to be a pleasant Country would not resist and withstand to his teeth Antichrist himselfe renewing his forces and taking courage vnto him with such earnestnesse to recouer that seat from whence aforetime he was iustly cast out I was not ignorant what labours were to bee vndertaken what wronges were to be digested by them who enter combate and maintaine fight with so cruell an enemie so that it were better for them to be silent if they thought what were auaileable rather for their owne priuate then for the publicke estate of the Church of Christ But that which vsually falles out in warre that the tried prowesse of the Captaines doth by their ensample whet on the courages of the Souldiers and doth stirre vp and pricke forward their sluggish mindes to the effecting of some exploite The very same doth happen to Gods Ministers in this spirituall warfare to whom there is abilitie giuen from God to some greater to some lesse to all some Whereby though they can adde nothing to the matters in controuersie and it may bee they ought not because not new things are to be deliuered by Diuines but after a new manner as Vincentius wrot nor with a diuers faith but with a diuers stile as Austen warneth yet notwithstanding both by the consent of their testimony with the difference of their giftes and the varietie of discourse they can and ought giue their helping hand to the Gospell That was also an encouragement that assoone as the beast wounded with the kings speare began to grunt Bellarmine Parsons Pacenius Christano Becan Coquaeus and many others it presently cast vp out of his mouth a great swarme of Iesuites who should not so much refute with arguments as traduce with slanders written with the hand of scorpions the Kings maiestie being not onely the best of Kings but the best of men and vndoubtedly the true Defender of the Faith Right Heretickes who murther men not with the sword but with their wiles as Ierome writeth for a mans style may bee counted aswell a cutthroate as a sworde drawne against Kings whose honour seemes to be more deare and tender vnto them then their liues So that Iames Clement or Francis Rauillacke were no more cruell in wounding the Kings body then Bellarmine or Pacenius in wounding the Kings name It is said that Ethnicke Rome did imprint that letter whereof Cicero makes mention not to the table of iudges as diuers interpret it but as Cicero and Pliny to the head and forehead of false accusers to the leaden head and iron forehead that they may carry countenances as stigmaticall slaues branded with the markes of those letters in disgrace of their slanderous tongues whom Plautus doth therefore tearme litered men Truely it may seeme very vniust if I doe not desire that those Iesuits should be accompted litered whom popish Rome doth nourish and cherish within her as those old geese and dogges who by their cackling and barking did pursue any that assaulted the capitall Adde that those two staues whereof Zacharie the Prophet maketh mention the authority of Magistrates and the obedience and agreement of Subiects Za cap. 1. vers 7. calling the one the staffe of beauty the other the staffe of bondes These gracelesse Iesuits endeauour to breake them both making rebellion an Arittle of their faith wherein they goe so farre that they be not only conuinced of our side but euen of their owne For of late certaine secular Priests as they are called more moderate in shew then the rest that they may the more freely disperse abroad closly among vs the seedes of superstition do cunningly inueigh against the Articles of treason brought in by the Iesuits whenas Alan and many other secular Priests do both command and practise treason Our men therefore both as good Patriottes and as faithfull Ministers being bound with the double bond of warfare euery one of them for his Graces for his time and place much more for his power ought to oppugne both these Articles whereby we may maintaine according to our vocations the liberty of the kingdome vnder which we were borne together with the truth of the Gospell by which we were borne again Wherein the most learned Byshoppe of Elye doth very iustly taxe the Ministers that are luke-warme and silent in a businesse of such importance Epist Dedicat to the KING who do not bestow their paines in writing when as this cause as hee saith is to be reckoned among those wherein he that gathereth not with Christ doth scatter abroad with the enemie of Christ wherein if any man shall not deliuer his faithfull knowledg eâ—e shall not deliuer his owne soule And doth adde this that in such a busines you were better want power then will and abilitie then faithfulnesse Which I remember was sometime tould me of that most Reuerend Archbyshoppe D. Whitgift then when the quarrell on both sides was not so hot when hee wished that in so great a plenty of excellent Diuines among vs there were more that would imploy their spare times from their duty of preaching in the paines of writing I am come therefore into the fielde being thereto prouoked with the goodnesse of the cause the ensample of the Captaines the iniury of the enemie the Oath of warfare the encouragement of the Fathers that I might somewhat daunt the enemie insulting so vnworthily To which purpose I thought good to set this taske
4. about the profession of the oath of orthodox faith annex to the Con Trent sub Innoc 3. a new Creede But shee was displeased with the foure Euangelists because they passed by their Pope as a vnknowne man And therefore she created a fift Euangelist who by the helpe of the Monkes might coyne a fift Gospell fitter for their purpose than the other They deemed the true Iesus the sonne of Marie crucified by Gods decree vpon Mount Caluarie for the saluation of men to be but halfe a Sauiour Therefore they deuised Francis Peter Barnardons sonne as if hee had beene pierced with the same wounds of Christ and in the same parts and consecrated him in the Laterane Councell to be the Typicall Iesus Shee thought the twelue articles of the faith gathered together by Christs 12. Apostles not to be sufficient for saluation And therefore published twelue new articles of the faith composed in the Councell of Trent and brought by Pope Pius the fourth into the forme of a Creede Paul the fift being the furtherer of it O holy mother the Church but ô father far more holy In the meane time she preached Christs great loue bounty toward the Pope and the Popes reuerence and obsequiousnes toward Christ But seing Babylon that old whore had learned to trimme and paint hir-selfe but to dissemble her inward affections and cunningly to cloake her hatred with loue and her loue with hatred euery wise-man is to forecast being taught by former hurt and mischiefe not any more what shee doth pretend but what shee doth intend Shee knoweth that the Scripture is a reuealer of her idolatrie luxurie couetousnes pride and crueltie Shee fretts and chafes that no portion of honour and gouernment but of labour and paines is allotted vnto the Pope by Christ his Testament Shee is greeued at the heart that shee is foretold by the Apostles to be mysticall Babylon and the Pope to be that Antichrist Shee abhorres the Scripture as a theefe doth the gallowes shee despiseth the Apostles as her accusers shee hates Christ as her Iudge but with a secret hatred as shee loueth Antichrist with a secret loue whose enemie shee doth earnestly counterfeit hir-selfe to be that shee may seeme to be at familiar enmitie with him So shee doth counterfeit hirselfe to be a most dutifull worshipper of the Scripture as of the former Councells and doth often alledge it as the Diuell doth turned to a contrary sense and doth alledge it but as a falsifier fraudulently corrupted and shee is inwardly vext that such a blow is giuen to her head by the Scriptures not as they be expounded by vs but as they be vnderstood by those Synodes But shee takes nothing more greeuously then that in the supremacie of her iurisdiction .i. in the chiefe article of her publike religion that two of their chiefest founders as shee calls them be so silent witnesses in this cause S. Peter 1 Pet 5. S. Paul S. Peter who did plainly forbid superioritie to any one Priest ouer the Clergie styled himself most truly most humbly not an Arch-priest but a fellow-priest S. Paul who when of purpose he sent an Epistle to the Romanes made no mention at all of the Pope and the prerogatiue of the Church of Rome nor of the after-borne articles of the faith which shee in great plenty brought in afterward And when as of set purpose he had reasoned of the perpetuall gouernment of the militant Church and had gathered together many vnities one God one faith one spirit one body one Lord hee ouer-past one visible head Ephes 4. being forgetfull of their Peter And no maruell when as Peter himselfe was forgetfull of himselfe He did rather diuide the gouernment of the Church among all the Bishops and would rather haue it an Aristocraticall gouernment with many vnder Christ than Monarchicall vnder one as the practise of the Church next following for many ages did approue For that the fiue Patriarches had equall authoritie both Balsamon doth witnes and the Councell of Neece doth confirme And Francis Duarene writes that Boniface the third Francis Duar. de sacris benef lib. 1. cap 10. not before the 607. yeares not without much adoe could obtayne of Phocas to be created the vniuersall Bishop The Pope then is indebted to a King-killer for all the glory of his kingdome and yet he seemeth to giue thanks to Christ as if by his word Feede my sheepe hee had ordeyned the Bishops of Rome in Peter as he writes himselfe a fellow-minister to be Kings so many ages before they were borne Cic. ad PetuÌ„ ep 9. â— 8. As Cicero when as a false decree of the Senate was brought into Armenia and Siria as made against his minde writes that thanks were giuen him from foraigne Kings because he had named them to be Kings by his consent whom he knew not that they were not onely named but not so much as to bee borne But the Nicene Councell doth greatly discontent the Romane Bishop whom he maketh but equall to the Bishop of Alexandria For therefore the Bishop had corrupted that Canon which had restreyned the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome nor being therewith content did adde many yeares after fifty false Canons to twentie true of the Nicene Councell that hee might make the whole world beleeue that his supremacie which was apparantly shortned by the Nycene Fathers being aliue were enlarged by them being dead As the same Cicero doth pleasantly sport himselfe with Antonie Philip 1. when as he had published certaine false decrees of Caesar that the Citizens that were sent into banishment of him aliue should be recalled being dead and that the Citie that was denyed them of him aliue should be granted being dead and that many immunities and priuiledges that were taken of him being aliue should bee sold of him being dead by which meanes Antonie did affect both an infinite and hurtfull power So the Pope doth publish many acts as proceeding from Christ as from the Apostles as from the Nicene Fathers whereby hee doth vsurpe most proud and cruell gouernment in the Church And he fetcheth them from the dead for they were neuer made by them when they were aliue In like manner hee bringeth in the Chalcedon Fathers being dead Coâ—up of a Can of Chalcedon denying that which they affirmed when they were aliue Iudging say the Fathers of Chalcedon that the See of Constantinople in matters Ecclesiasticall bee as well aduanced in matters ecclesiasticall as the Romane being the next vnto it Which words are falsly recited Distinct 22. Renovantes or rather filthily corrupted in the Canon Law while he addeth a negatiue to the last words which altereth the sense of the whole Canon into a cleane contrary yet notwithstanding let it not be aduanced in matters ecclesiasticall as shee but let her be the next vnto it What should I make many words The first six generall Councells which may be thought to
or keepe open doores or haue any contract or businesse or haue any comfortable society with Christs faithfull seruants as Martin the fift in the bull annexed to the counsell of Constance did word for word declare 8. The name of the Beast or of Antichrist doth follow in the last place it is not a proper but a common name For if we know what the Beast is we shall quickly know what his name is CHAP. XVIII Of the name and number of the second Beast THe Beast with seauen heads as I sayd is the state of the Romane and Latine Empire whose sixe Heads or Kings were called Romane or Latine The seuenth is Antichrist called likewise Romane or Latin Therefore Antichrist is the seuenth King of the Romane or Latine Empire But the Pope is the seuenth King of the Romane Empire The Pope therefore is Antichrist 9. But hee must not onely beare the name of the Beast but the number of his name not the number of time but of his name for so saith Saint Iohn no man may buy or sell but he that hath the mark and name of the Beast or number of his name He doth not say the number of the time wherein Antichrist was to bee reuealed but the number of his name which he was to stampe vpon his But the number of the name is the number of the yeeres 666. which is contained The number of the Beast both in the Hebrew name in which language the Prophesie was deliuered to S. Iohn or in Greeke in which language it was written by S. Iohn Romanus in the Hebrew Latinos written in Greeke maketh vp that number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Ireneus witnesse Romanus by Fox his accompt There the common name of Antichrist is Romanus or Latinus It is the name of a man also which is very fitting for Latinus was the name of a King in Italy Romanus of a Pope Heere is wisdome saith S. Iohn hee that hath vnderstanding let him count the number of the Beast for it is the number of a man and his number is 666. It is an olde tradition not to bee reiected of them that bee addicted to traditions that Irenaeus tooke the the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from Ignatius Ignatius from Polycarpus Polycarpus from S. Iohn There be other names that containe the same number as Euandas and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but none of these bee the name of the Beast nor the name of a man none such which Antichrist doth imprint vpon his and to whom all the notes of Antichrist doe agree Whosoeuer doth compell those that bee vnder his iurisdiction to take on them the marke and name of the Beast the number of his name and the number of a man is Antichristrist But the Pope of Rome doth compell those that be vnder his iurisdiction to take vpon them the mark and name of the Beast and the number of his name and the number of a man as I haue demonstrated before Therefore the Pope is Antichrist CHAP. XIX Wherein is shewed the place where Antichrist sitteth The Pope sits in Rome which is Babylon WEe haue seene the actions the marke and the name of the Beast Let vs see his seat I haue expounded the starre which fell from Heauen I added somewhat of the Beast which rose out of the earth now hearken to the whore which sitteth on the Beast Ere while the falling starre did represent Antichrist now the whore of Babylon doth represent the seat of Antichrist A falling starre because hee left his place a whore because she broke her troth ere while the Land-Beast did poynt out Antichrist so called not onely because she tooke a surer and a stronger beginning out of rest and idlenesse but because shee being a slaue to her beastly affections sauours nothing but earth and flesh Now the whore of Babylon doth shadow out by your owne confessions the seate and Church of Antichrist Aug. de ciuit Dei lib. 16 cap. 17. cap. 22. lib. 18. Sic Hieron in Esa cap 47. v. 1. and else vvhere often Demonst 13. 18. for they are not afraid to call Rome Babylon as the Rhemists Parsons and Bellarmine and mysticall Babylon as Augustine cals Babylon as it were first Rome and Rome as it were the second Babylon and the daughter of the first Babylon whereupon your owne men grant that Rome is that whore of Babylon described by S. Iohn yea they proceede farther for your Saunders calleth it the seat and â—ity of Antichrist We take that you grant for it followes by your grant that not Heathenish Rome but the Bishops Rome is mysticall Babylon for the state of Antichrist being the seauenth head doth follow the state of the Empire being the sixt head of the Beast And therfore Heathenish Imperiall Rome could not be the seat city of Antichrist Therefore Christian Rome the Popes Rome Wherby it is broght to passe that not Heathenish Rome but the Popes Rome is mysticall Babylon For this is the summe of my conclusion Mysticall Babylon is the seat and city of Antichrist described in the Apocal. chap. 17. But Rome is mysticall Babylon there described Rome therfore is the seat and city of Antichrist But they distinguish of Rome in the assumption and they enforce it to be Heathenish and the Imperiall Rome which then gouerned persecuted the Saints Not this Christian and Popish described by S. Iohn It is a very waighty and euident prophesie 1. It had beene a colde and a weake prophesie Reasons to shew it was not Heathenish Rome but the Popish if he had prophesied of that persecution which he saw in others and felt in himselfe Prophesies looke not to the present but the future times 2. If he had meant that Ethnicke Rome had beene Babylon which did afflict the Saints at that time hee had not spoken as of a mystery for that could not seem to him so mysticall that Pagans should persecute Christians That was a plaine mysticall euill that Christians should oppresse Christians 3. Neither would he haue called Ethnicke Rome a whore in that sense which had not giuen her faith to Christ and therefore had not as yet broken it neither did shee deceiue the nations with whorish trickes and daliances but had vanquisht them with military force and weapons Hee doth therefore call Rome a whore after it left off to be a faithfull city which daunted the nations not as Bellona but enchanted them as Circe 4. Neither would he haue made her marchants the Sales-men of soules or that all nations had beene deceiued by her venemous baits if he had meant Ethnick Rome which subdued nations by force did not infect them with poyson For that kept a shambles for bodies not a market for soules And among all the negotiations of Popish Rome none is so gainefull as the trafficke of soules whereof S. Iohn which Ethnicke Rome neuer practised Therfore the Christian Popish Rome is that Babylon Popish Rome
long hence But the consequence is false Therfore the antecedent He proues his proposition out of the Apostle That Antichrist shall come a little before the end of the world and immediately before the second comming of Christ and then that ioyly fellow shall appeare whom the Lord Iesus shal consume with the spirit of his mouth and the brightnesse of his comming But the Apostle doth distinguish betweene the comming and the destruction of Antichrist betweene the substance of Antichrist and his appearance or reuelation betweene which and his destruction there is a great distance He lay close hidden in the daies of Saint Iohn Saint Paul as I haue said before he was therefore He did appeare after the remouing of the Empire for that did hinder that he might not appeare which happened not till many ages after Againe the Apostle distinguisheth betweene the consuming of Antichrist and his finall ouerthrow After he is reuealed he saith hee shall wast away by little and little with the spirit of the Lordes mouth but shall bee vtterly put out by the brightnesse of his comming Bellarmine a prophane Iester Heere let me a little touch Bellarmines prophane iesting Surely saith he the spirit of Christ must be very weake if it cannot dispatch Antichrist raging aboue a 1000. yeares And there it pleaseth him to distinguish betweene the word of God and his power As though there is not power in the word of God to weaken and breake Antichrist in peeces the force whereof the beast shall feele in his fall and destruction Now the thing is a working now Christ doth enfeeble Antichrist with his word afterward hee shall destroy him with his presence Hee shall kill him by weakening him that I may put off the Cardinals ridiculous distinction who doth thus distinguish Hee doth not say he shall weaken him but hee shall kill him And it pleaseth him to scoffe at vs when wee say that now Antichrist shall be ouerthrowne by the word of the Lord ☞ when as now the word of the Lord shall be ouerthrown by him May not a Christian and an old man and a Diuine blush for shame as for a Cardinall nothing will make him blush to sport and iest in a matter so weighty and serious As God himselfe so Gods word is eternall his Ministers Gods witnesses Antichrist could kill the word it selfe he could neuer kill which shall abide when he rots to nothing Yea truely as the word of God is a liuing word so the Ministers of the word Gods faithfull witnesses being slaine shall by the power of the word rise againe if not in their seuerall persons yet in a succession and kill this murthering Antichrist Christ therefore hath not a weake spirit but the Cardinall hath a weake braine who doth not as yet vnderstand the degrees and meanes which Christ vseth in the abolishing of Antichrist But he tells vs Saint Iohn saith that Antichrist shall come in the last houre What is ment by the last houre But he vnderstandeth the last houre to be all that time from the ascension of Christ to his second comming which God doth call an houre very short in respect of the Saints glory but very long in respect of their patience This testimonie I thus retort When that Antichrist commeth it shall be the last houre saith Iohn But Antichrists are now come meaning the whole bodie together with Antichrist that head which elsewhere he affirmeth is come Therefore now is the last houre And if then was the houre of the comming of Antichrist he is not to be destroyed three yeeres and a halfe before the end of the world CHAP. XLI Of the sixt and last Note BVt he proues it out of Daniel Cap 12.12 that after Antichrist hath raigned three yeeres and a halfe hee shall be destroyed 45 dayes before the day of iudgement For when he had continued 1290 dayes he addes happy is he that shall liue to see 1335 dayes Daniel mistaken This place is properly to be vnderstood of Antiochus of his death and of the deliuerance of the Iewes But grant that the place be to be vnderstood of the kingdome of Antichrist and the end of the world then it would follow Three absurdities first that the kingdome of Antichrist lasted not 1260 daies which make three yeeres and a halfe but 1290. Againe it followes that Antichrist is to be destroyed 45 dayes before the end of the world whom the Apostle saith must be destroyed at the comming of Christ Thirdly it would follow that the time of Christs comming should be knowne to men which Christ doth assure vs is vnknowne vnto Angells If these consequences be absurd then the Antecedent is absurd from whence they arise You haue Paul the fift Bellarmines six demonstrations making small proofe that Antichrist is not yet come Now seeing I haue dilated about Antichrist all the questions whether he be what he is of what kinde what is his kingdome and retinue what hee doth and wherein he is busied the name wherewith he is termed the marke wherewith he is branded What Antichrist is the seate wherein he ruleth the time wherein he is reuealed and withall what he is not It is not requisite that I tell you in many words who it is when you your selfe seeme to haue Antichrist wholy in your breast and to carrie him in your bosome Antichrists sufferings You haue heard what hee hath done now heare what hee shall suffer For wee are so farre from doubting of his comming that wee thinke of his destroying foretold of the Angells in Iohn Apoc. 14.7 The first Angell I saw saith he an Angell flying in the middest of heauen hauing the eternall Gospell to preach vnto them that are vpon the earth and to euery nation tribe tongue and people speaking with a loude voice Feare the Lord and giue honor to him because the time of his iudgment is at hand and worship him who made heauen and earth the sea and all that are therein This Sermon of the Angell what is it else but a briefe summe of all those Sermons which Luther and Caluin The Angell and the Protestants prâ—â—ch alike and other Preachers of the Gospell preached in all the coasts of the Christian world that they might bring the people to the faith of Christ the feare of God and the worship of him alone He onely that made heauen and earth is to be worshipped he only is to be serued God only made heauen and earth Therefore we must worship and serue God only This syllogisme of the Angell as a Ramme is aduanc't by our men to batter ouerthrow and expell out of the consciences of men all those forces of Idolls which Antichrist hath erected And there followed another Angell saying The second Angell Apoc 14.8 Babylon is fallen Babylon that great Citie is fallen because she hath made all nations drunke with the wine of the wrath of her fornication Here the spirituall fall
you for all the sorrowes they haue endured For what else could haue extorted that Law from so mercifull a Queene which you ere-while blamde as bloody For your Iesuites after the sending in of Pius the fifts Bull came swarming into England as Campion Parsons and many others and did mightily labour to put that Bull in execution and did propound it as the thirteenth Article of their faith That there was no more obedience to be shewed to a Queene excommunicated The seditious doctrine of Iesuites gaâ— that seuere law when it came to practise and deposed then presently followed the rebellion in the North. It was therefore your seditious doctrine that begat so seuere a law Your schoole hath made the Catholike doctrine of Rome a Catechisme of rebellion Your Logicke first made a Papist and a Traytor to be all one your Societie was the first ouerthrow of the Roman-Catholikes estate For your Papists behaued themselues quietly for the first eleuen yeeres while Pius the fift that old credulous dotard was induced by the false whisperings of the English Catholikes as they call them shewing that their powers were so strong that they could resist the Queenes forces had excommunicated the Queene by his Bull and depriued Her of her kingdome and had released her subiects from the Oath of their Allegeance and being so released stirred them vp to take armes against Hir. But the old man quickly found his error and corrected it with his dispensation that the Papists to redeeme their troubles so hee speaketh should shew outward obedience to Queene Elizabeth but restreyned with two conditions one things so standing thother while the publike execution of the Bull might be performed that is to say while they had so much power as by force they might ouercome the Queene Rebellion among Iesuites is an article of faith Hence among the cases of conscience brought into England by you sprang out the 55 Article Where a Catholike being demanded Doe you beleeue that the Pope can put the Queene from her authoritie he is taught to answer notwithstanding any feare of death I do beleeue it For this question doth appertaine to faith and requires a confession of faith Behold your Catholike faith which this present oath is said by the Pope to crosse it is the chiefe head of Iesuitisme which we may call the marrow of Poperie And are you now in a chafe Saturnine that a few Iesuites are hangde vp for Traytors who make treason an article of their faith And doe you not thinke the King hath a iust cause to take away their heads Alaâ—us who haue with such coniuring bewitched the consciences of subiects that they thinke that warre holy iust and honorable which is raised against their Prince But what if they were not only messengers and masters § 8 but authors and actors of rebellion The Iâ—suites and authors and actors of rebellion and haue entred into the most cruellest conspiracy that euer was since the creation not onely to depose the King and absolue his subiects but to rase out the King and Kingdome and to blot out the English nation and to root out the men out of the earth for euer and that not the guilty onely but the innocents also according to that olde tyrannicall practise Cicero pro Diatore Let our friends perish so our enemies perish also And they would haue the Catholikes with heretickes The Martyrdome of the Kingdome of England as wee seeme to you the noble with the ignoble and the fathers to bee Martyrs with their sonnes For what else was that gun-powder treason deuised by you but the Martyrdome of the King and Kingdome § 9 Then Saturnine you doe great wrong to the Iesuites saith he whom you faine to bee the Authors of Catesbies conspiracy for that which they heard onely vnder the seale of confession thought it was meet to bee concealed about the martyrdome of the kingdome as you call it which God wote hurt no body being only deuised and not performed Garnet therefore the chiefe Iesuite did wrong to the Iesuites saith Patriotta who when himself had nourished that euill humor in Catesby whom hee would haue to bee the head and heart of the whole conspiracy a right Cateline and an apt scholler who concluded by a very wicked consequence out of the bull of Clement the eight wherein the Pope had excluded the King being an hereticke as hee writ from entrance into the Kingdome concluded I say that being entred he was by all meanes possibly to bee expelled out of that wicked proposition which now is in question hee suckt out that most pestilent poyson of that vnheard-of treachery But when Garnet would haue him the cheife worke-man in this conspiracy hee ioyned vnto him diuers other counsellers out of his owne tribe nay out of his owne bosome And lest that liuing messe of Iesuites being singularly inspired with the spirit of the Pope of Rome Garnet Greenwell Gerard. Parsons should lay the whole fault vpon a Lay-traitor now dead let it be vnderstood that it was confest by Garnet being now ready to die vnder his hand by a voluntarie confession Hee writ that Greenwell with Catesby was heard of him The Traytor betraies himselfe not confessing but consulting That Greenwell with Gerard were not onely authors but actors who declared their guiltinesse of the fact by their flight That Baldwine and Parsons were acquainted with it whereof he set on Fauxe that Fire brand in Germany The other made acquainted by him of the villanous treachery came flying against the day out of Italie into Lyons in France as it were on pilgrimage to S. Winefreds well as a crow to carrion that like another Nero hee might with a detestable pleasure neerer behold the fire most furiously consuming each part of his country But this Martyrdome of the King and Kingdome as you call it was not brought to effect What then As though we are ignorant that Antichrist doth deliuer many to death and doth assigne many more That hee doth thirst after more blood then he doth spill We were all Martyrs in your intention but not in execution That the mischeefe was deuised we attribute it to your malice that it tooke no effect to Gods mercy Which mooued the neuer-suspecting heart of the King the most mildest of all that are haue beene or shall be that out of those letters whereof little reckoning was made he smelt out the kind of danger and I may almost say the verie gun-powder it selfe and so was made an instrument of the publike safetie Hence riseth a double bond one that bindeth the King to God the other that more neerely for euer bindeth vs to the King There is no want either of counsell and care to the King and his prudent and faithfull Counsellers but when neither care nor counsell can preuent such blinde and secret conspiracie both thankes are to be giuen to God for our deliuerance past whereof I doubt wee
at all suffer either the truth of Gods Testament to be so corrupted by such wicked Impostors or the maiestie of kingly gouernment to bee so defaced For the dissolution of gouernment springeth out of the corruption of Gods Testament Wherefore if they would admit of wholesome counsail they would iudge these deceitfull Iuglers who make controuersies last for euer by the pernicious quirkes and trickes were to bee supprest by armes not to be refuted by arte for certainely these will neuer leaue off to offer dishonour to God and wrong to Kings § 153 Then Saturnine you are too hot and earnest sayd he Patriott against that most learned Cardinall and light of our age And you must leaue off said he to praise your Cardinall and prooue the supremacie For your Popish writers could neuer yet agree vpon a text whereon the supremacie was plainely grounded Then Saturnine what is more plaine and euident saith hee then that Peter is called the head of the Apostles Ephes 1. The Popish diuision of the head and the rocke whereon Christ promised he would build his Church Matth. 16. for although S. Paul do call Christ the principall and inuisible head of the Church which giueth life to the whole bodie of the Church yet it is euident that there is a ministeriall and a visible head appointed by Christ that may outwardly gouerne the whole Church Cor. 12. whereof hee maketh mention Corinth 12. The head cannot say to the feete I haue no neede of you which cannot be vnderstood of Christ the principall head For Christ the eternall word of God can say to vs It followeth not but might haue beene aswell spoken to Iohn or Iames. I haue no neede of you it followeth then that it is to bee vnderstood of a ministeriall head that is Peter and Peters successour the Bishop of Rome And although Paul doe affirme Christ to bee that one onely cheife foundation of the Church 1 Cor. 3 1◠yet when he saith in another place that the Church is builded vpon the foundation of the Apostles therfore vpon the person of Peter the Prince of the Apostles as Christ did first call him the Rocke and Esay when in the spirit of prophesie he spake in the person of God Behold I will lay in Sion a stone a tried stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation A text peculiarly proper to Christ blasphemously applied to Peter as hee vnderstandeth Christ the cheife foundation whereof the Apostle speaketh Another foundation 1. Cor. 3. so hee did foreshew Peter whom Christ called the rocke and the Pope that precious corner stone that surefoundation but a second foundation Bellarm in praefat de Rom. Pont. cap. 1. As was likewise prophesied of one head which the sonnes of Iuda and the sonnes of Israel being assembled should appoint to themselues Whereby it appeareth that there ought to be one vniuersall Bishop of the whole Church Saunders of the visib Monar l. 4. c. 5 and that Christ and his Vicar make one head one visible and ministeriall head whereon all the Church should depend for the remedy of schisme one rocke one secondarie foundation euen the person and chaire of Peter whereon the Church might rest for feare of slipping and falling Let vs aske after the fathers the sincere interpreters of § 154 the Scripture Optatus who thinketh that the word Cephas as it signifieth a head taken from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore calleth Peter the head of the Apostles For the word stone in the Syriake signifieth head in the Greeke Ad Marcel tom Epist 2. each prerogatiue of Peter is described by that word Now that the person of Peter was both called and laid the rocke of the Church by Christ Ierome is a witnesse who doth plainely affirme that Peter was he vpon whom the the Lord founded the Church And to Damasus tom Epist 2. August in Psal contra part Donat. I am ioyned in communion with your blessednesse that is to the chaire of Peter I know that the Church is builded vpon that rocke And Austin when hee maketh mention of the seat of Peter saith that that is the rocke Cypria de vnica Ecces Cathol And Cyprian Whosoeuer doth forsake the chaire of Peter whereon the Church is builded doth hee trust to bee in the Church It would bee too long to reckon vp all the fathers who haue written that the person of Peter was called and placed the rocke by Christ whereon hee promised not only to build the Church at that time but would build it after And therefore I alleadged three who called it not the person of Peter only but called the chaire the rocke that I might note downe in the Bishop of Rome the perpetuall building of the Church according to the words of Christ Now bee packing Patriott and deny if you can this cheife article of the Catholike faith that the supremacie and principallity of Peter is plainly grounded vpon the Scriptures Whence a diuers beginning and excellency may bee gathered both of the Ecclesiasticall and secular gouernment that the Pope as spirituall Prince as Peter hath deriued his power immediately from Christ to gouerne his subiects But secular Princes haue receiued their power mediately to gouerne their subiects either by the means of election as the Emperour and King of Polonia or of hereditary succession as the Kings of Spaine France England or of grant and donation as the free Princes or of iust warre and conquest as Godfrey heeretofore and other Lords held the holy land Therefore to the Pope as to Peter ordained the cheife spirituall Prince immediately from Christ in the Church as to the head and rocke of the Church spiritual obedience for conscience sake is to be giuen of all Christians But to secular Kings ordained mediately by humane titles onely secular obedience for policies sake to preserue good order and manners is to bee performed obedience to the higher power alway being preserued which I would haue you know I speake to that end that I might call to your remembrance Calander that whereof you cannot bee ignorant that you doe so sweare fealty to the King that you abiure not your fealty to the Vicar of Christ The vse of which article I thought good shortly to set before all Catholikes in respect of their Princes § 155 Then Patriots you haue spoken much in few words sayd he Saturnine and almost all I am sure the cheifest points which your men doe alleadge out of the Scripture for the supremacy so that you seeme to haue placed them in the rereward as your best soulders at the push of the pike whom if I shall by Gods grace ouerthrow I trust I shall more easily defeat the rest of your broken and scattered forces And first wee must shortly see in what sense Christ the eternal sonne of God is said to be the head the rock and foundation of the Church and so it shall easily