rocke was Christ that is signified Christ. 3. There is a metaphor in the word head which signifieth the antiquitie and prioritie of that kingdome and the knowledge and wisdome of that nation 4. An other figure there is in that he is likened to gold which betokeneth their riches prosperitie and flourishing estate 41. Quest. Of the largenesse of the Empire and dominion of Nabuchadnezzer v. 38. In all places where the children of men dwell the beasts of the field and the foules of heauen c. hath he giuen into thine hand 1. The Scripture doth euidently testifie what large dominions the king of Babel had Ierem. 27. 6. I haue giuen all these lands into the hand of Nabuchadnezzer king of Babel my seruant and the beasts of the field haue I also giuen him to serue him and all nations shall serue him c. And the Prophet Abacuck saith of the Chaldeans They shall gather the captiuitie as the sand and they shall mocke the kings and the Princes shall be a scorne vnto them c. c. 1. 9 10. 2. Forren writers also haue ginen the like testimonie of the greatnes of the Babylonian Empire Berosus who wrote of the Chaldean affaires preferreth him before all kings that were before him Megasthenes lib. 4. de reb Indicis witnesseth that Nabuchadnezzer beside the Prouinces of the East subdued Egypt Africa Spaine and maketh him in courage and magnanimitie superiour to Hercules so likewise Strabo lib. 15. Geograph writeth that this Nabuchadnezzer was the mightiest of all other kings and held of the Chaldeans to haue exceeded Hercules Tertullian saith that his dominion extended from India to Ethiopia 3. But whereas it is said that God had made him ruler in all places this is not so to be taken strictly according to the letter for neither Nabuchadnezzer or any other Monarch euer had the dominion and rule of the whole world as witnesseth the altar of Alexander the pillars of Hercules and Ctesiphon the boundes of the Romane Empire toward the East 1. Some therefore thinke that this is spoken in respect of the opinion of the Chaldeans who held him to be an absolute Monarch ouer all the world 2. or that all according to the Scripture is taken for the most or many as Gen. 22. 18. the Lord saith that all nations should be blessed in Abraham that is many as c. 17. 5. the Lord saith A father of many nations haue I made thee Perer. But this example is vnfitly alleadged for in the one place the Lord speaketh of Abrahams carnall generation in the other of the spirituall benediction which in Christ should come indeede vpon all nations 3. some take it therefore for an hyperbolicall speech Pintus 4. Hugo thus expoundeth it he is said to rule ouer all quia nihil ei resistebat because no countrey resisted him 5. Lyranus taketh all places for all kind of places as the cities where men dwelt the fields where beasts ranged and the woods where the foules made their aboad and therefore both men beasts and foules are said to be giuen into his hand 6. Some admit here a synecdoche that part is taken for the whole all for a great part Lyranus also 7. But this vniuersall particle all must be restrained vnto all the regions next adioyning as it is taken Gen. 41. 57. All countries came to Egypt to buiâ— corne of Ioseph that is all the countries neare vnto them And so here all the regions in those East parts were subdued vnder the kingdome of Nabuchadnezzer 42. Quest. Whether Nabuchadnezzers dominion were at that time the greatest in the world It will be here obiected that the Empire of the Medes was at this time very mightie as Herodotus lib. 1. maketh mention of the greatnes of Cyaxares king of the Medes who ruled ouer all Asia and subdued the Assyrians the Babylonians onely excepted And it is euident by Herodotus Chronologie that Cyaxares raigned about this time for from the beginning of his raigne vnto the first of Cyrus he counteth 75. yeares 40. yeares vnder the raigne of Cyaxares and 35. vnder Astyages so if the Babylonian captiuitie tooke beginning from the 19. yeare of Nabuchadnezzer as Pererius reckoneth Cyaxares began his raigne in the 14. yeare of Nabuchadnezzer but if the 70. yeares captiuitie be counted from the carrying away of Iechonias captiue which is the more probable which was in the 8. yeare of Nabuchadnezzer 2. king 24. 12. then Cyaxares beganne his raigne 5. yeares before about the 3. yeare of Nabuchadnezzers raigne they raigned then much about the same time Nabuchadnezzer in Babylon and Cyaxares among the Medes 2. Pererius giueth this solution that the kingdome of the Medes was much wasted by the other Nabuchadnezzer father vnto this king who warred against Arphaxad king of the Medes and tooke the chiefe citie thereof Ecbatane as is set forth in the storie of Iudith and beside by the incursion and inuasion of the Scythians those parts of Asia were kept vnder the space of 28. yeares so that all that time Cyaxares was of no great power which was during the raigne of Nabuchadnezzer then after his death the Scythians beeing destroied and expelled Cyaxares kingdome flourished for the space of 12. yeares 3. Contra. 1. The historie of Iudith could not fall out in the raigne of the Elder Nabuchadnezzar for at that time the Apocryphal storie saith that the Temple had not beene cast downe Iudith 5. 18. but the Temple was not destroied till the 19. yeare of this Nabuchadnezzer which was about 12. yeares after he had this dreame which was in the 5. yeare of his raigne as is before shewed Qu. 1. 2. Cyaxares could not suruiue Nabuchadnezzer so long but it seemeth rather that Nabuchadnezzer suruiued him for Nabuchadnezzer raigned 45. yeares 8. yeares before Iecouias captiuitie 2. king 24. 12. and 37. yeares after 2. king 25. 27. Cyaxares raigned 40. yeares and beganne in the 3. yeare of Nabuchadnezzer as is prooued before then his raigne must determine in the 43. yeare of Nabuchadnezzer therefore neither of these answers are sufficient 4. The best solution then is this 1. that Cyaxares might be a king of power in the remote parts of Asia beyond the Medes toward the Indians Eastward and yet Nabuchadnezzer about Babylon and those countries extending North and South as in Egypt Tyrus and in the regions of Asia minor might be of the greatest command 2. If otherwise Herodotus affirme more credit is to be giuen to the sacred storie then to his vncertaine report 43. Quest. v. 39. Of the second Monarchie described by the armes and breast of siluer what it was 1. The Rabbins because they would auoid this so manifest a prophesie of the comming of Christ doe ioyne two Monarchies together of the Persians and Grecians Calvin so confounding the histories whereas they were two kingdomes one succeeding an other but here Daniel pointeth out but one kingdome After thee shall rise an other kingdome c. 2.
therein was Iohns error 2. And Iohn was not ignorant that it was an Angel and not Iesus himselfe for he saith c. 22. v. 6. the Lord God of the holy Prophets sent his Angel to shewe vnto his seruants the things which shortly must come to passe and againe v. 16. I Iesus haue sent mine Angel to testifie vnto you these things 3. Polanus thinketh that Iohn did not commit this error twice in seeking to worship the Angel but that it is a repetition of that before mentioned c. 19. But it may appeare by comparing the places that Iohn fayled herein twice for as Peter not twice but thrice together offended in denying his master so might Iohn thorough forgetfulnesse beeing astonished with the preseuce of so glorious an Angel once againe shewe his infirmitie herein 3. Controv. That Christ is the onely Mediator v. 17. Heare the prayer of thy seruant c. for the Lords sake that is for thy Christs sake But this place is corrupted by the Iewes and by the Romanists 1. the Rabbines some of them as R. Moses R. Saadiah doe here vnderstand Abraham But the faithfull of the old Testament vsed not to call Abraham beeing dead their Lord and the Prophet I say saith c. 63. 16. that Abraham is ignorant of vs how could he then be a mediator for them whose affaires he knewe not Some other of them doe say that the noune is put here for the pronoune as it is vsuall in the Scriptures so that for the Lords sake is as much as for thine owne sake But this phrase is vsed to take away ambiguitie as Gen. 1. 27. God created man after his image after the Image of God created he him for if he had said after his image it had beene doubtfull whether it had beene Gods or mans image but there is no such occasion of doubt here 2. The Romanists here also following the Latine translation read propter teipsum for thy selfe or for thine owne sake But they corrupt the text euidently the word is Adonai Lord. 3. Thus Christ was acknowledged to be the Mediator in the old testament as Psal. 80. 15. the Church prayeth that God would visite his vine which he had planted and that for his sonnes sake whom he had made strong for himselfe for so it is in the originall and so in that place read Montanus Iunius and the Latine interpreter howsoeuer he fayleth here there readeth right Thus Dauid desireth to be heard for thy words sake meaning Christ 2. Sam. 7. 21. And it is said he called the name of Salomon Iedidiah beloued of God propter Iehouam for Iehouahs sake 4. Thus also in the newe Testament there is the same confession of Christ to be the Lord and Mediator as S. Peter Act. 2. 36. whom God hath made both Lord and Christ. And Heb. 1. 2. he is called the heire of all things and Elizabeth confesseth him to be her Lord Luk. 1. 43. So Christ is the Lord both by his naturall right as the Lord and Creator of all and iure acquisito by the right of purchase which is threefold by the right of inheritance because God the father hath giuen vs as an inheritance to his sonne as Psal. 2. v. 8. Aske of me and I will giue thee the nations for thy possession c. by the right of redemption we are Christs because he hath redeemed and purchased vs with his blood as S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 6. 19. 20. You are not your owne ye are bought for a price And Christ is our Lord by the right of his spiritual marriage for the husband is Lord and head of his wife and so Christ is of his Church 5. But it will be obiected that in the old Testament this phrase is often vsed for Dauid my seruants sake as 1. king 11. v. 12. 13. and 2. king 19. 34. Hereunto it may be answered that the meaning is not that for the worthinesse of Dauid or by his mediation and intercession God would haue respect vnto them but because of the Promises which the Lord made vnto Dauid as Psal. 89. 50. where are the auncient mercies which thou swarest vnto Dauid in thy truth and Psal. 132. v. 11. The Lord hath swore in truth vnto Dauid and he will not shrinke from it Polan 4. Controv. Against prayer and invocation of the dead v. 18. Whereupon thy name is called that is which is called by thy name for so this phrase is vsed as Isay 4. 1. seuen women shall take hold of one man saying we will eat our owne bread c. onely let thy name be called vpon vs. And so is that place to be vnderstood Gen. 48. 16. where Iacob saith of Ephraim and Manasses let my name be invocated or called vpon ouer them which words the Romanists doe wrest as though Iacob would haue them to pray vnto him whereas he meaneth nothing else but that they should be counted among his sonnes and called by the name of Israel as the other of Iacobs sonnes So in this place though the name of God were indeede invocated and called vpon in Ierusalem yet the meaning here onely is that they were called by the name of God they were counted his citie and people Polan 5. Controv. Of the name of the Catholike Church that it is but vsurped by the Romanists As it was not enough for Ierusalem to be called by the name of God but their profession and couersation also must be agreeable thereunto for otherwise while they said the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord and yet did steale murther commit adulterie c. the Prophet saith they did trust in lying words Ierem. 7. 8. And therefore because of their idolatrie and other sinnes the Lord suffered his own Temple to be defiled and destroyed by the Chaldeans So neither now is it a sure note to know the Church of God by to be called Chatholike if the Catholike faith be not held and maintained The Romanists thē are but vsurpers of this name Catholike seeing they are departed from the Catholike faith He is not a Catholike that dependeth vpon the Pope of Rome but he which professeth the holy Catholike doctrine of Christ which they that corrupt and denie are no more Catholikes then a dried sceleton the bones of a dead man hanging together is to be counted a man And as there is great difference betweene a painted woman such as Iezabel was and a faire woman by her naturall complexion euen so a Catholike in name differeth from a Catholike in deed 6. Controv. That no man is perfect in this life v. 20. While I was speaking and praying and confessing my sinne The interlinearie gloss here hath this note this he saith either because in many things we offend all or ex humilitate of humilitie he ioyneth himselfe with the people But it was better inferred and concluded out of this place in the Mileuitane Councell c. 7. that euen Daniel confessed his own sinne for Daniel saith confessing
the persecution of Antiochus and after the citie was recouered they returned againe as out of their sepulchers And by the writing in the book they meane such as faithfully stood in the defence of the lawe this exposition also followeth Pellican But Theodoret confuteth this interpretation by two sufficient reasons 1. they which fled away and hid themselues in the caues were all faithful men they fledde because they would not be forced to forsake the lawe but these that awake out of the dust arise some to life some vnto shame so it would follow in their sense eosdem fuisse pios impios that the same men were both godly and vngodly 2. these doe rise vp to eternall life but they which so returned from their dennes and caues died againe 3. wherefore though hitherto Porphyrie hath followed the sense of this prophesie well in applying it vnto Antiochus yet here he faileth 4. But it is no maruell that he beeing an enemie to the Christian faith doth obscure by his gloases so cleare a place for the resurrection of the dead it may seeme strange that Pellican a Christian interpreter should approoue that sense This was the heresie of Philetus and Hymeneus which said that the resurrection was past alreadie 2. Timath 2. 17. as Porphyrie here affirmeth the same vnderstanding this so euident a place for the resurrection metaphorically 2. Some thinke that mention is made here of the resurrection because it shall followe immediately after those troublesome times before spoken of of this opinion are all they which doe applie the times of trouble before spoken of to the last persecution vnder Antichrist as Lyranus Perer. Pintus with the rest of that side likewise Melancthon statim post haec certamina fiet resurrectio mortuorum streight after these combates shall be the resurrection of the dead so also Osiander huic postremae reformationi Ecclesiae sinis mundi imminet streight after this last reformation of the Church the ende of the world shall be at hand But it is at large shewed before quest 3. that the times of trouble before spoken of were those which fell out vnder Antiochus Epiphanes 3. Iunius in his commentarie maketh this to be the coherence that the Angel hauing spoken of the first comming of Christ before doth now ioyne thereunto his second comming declared by the effects the resurrection of the dead so also M. Calvin But it hath beene shewed before likewise that Christs first comming in the flesh is not here intended by the Angel 4. This then is the reason of the connexion that whereas before the Angel spake of the deliuerance of the people of God so many as were written in the booke of life because many of the Saints should be put to death the Angel addeth an other comfort that they should rest in the hope of the resurrection Polan And that place Heb. 11. 35. may serue fitly to expound this some were racked and would not be deliuered that they might receiue a better resurrection this also is further shewed by the example of such as suffred then how they comforted themselues in the hope of the resurrection as Razis when he pulled out his owne bowels which act of his cannot be commended called vpon the Lord of life and spirit that he would restore them againe vnto him 2. Macchab. 14. 46. Quest. 9. Why it is said many of them that sleepe c. shall awake and not all 1. Lyranus thinketh the reason to be this because of infants which shall rise againe but they cannot be said properly to awake because they shal neither haue sensum poenae vel gloria sense of paine or of glorie But this is an idle conceit for in the resurrection our bodies shall rise in perfection corruption shall put on incorruption 1. Cor 15. 53. then if our bodie shall rise perfect and incorruptible they shall haue perfect sense and other qualities of the bodie 2. Some thinke it is said many and not all in respect of the wicked of whom it is said non resurgent impij in iudicio Psal. 1. the wicked shall not rise in iudgement because they shall not rise vnto life Pintus But the vulgar Latine translateth not that place well the true reading is non consistent in iudicio the wicked shall not stand in iudgement And againe in this place the wicked are a part of this many some shall awake vnto shame 3. Wherefore these answeares may better serue 1. Augustine saith ponit aliquando scriptura pro omnibus vocabulum multis the Scripture putteth sometime for all this word many and he giueth instance of Abraham of whom the Lord saith in one place I haue made thee a father of many nations Gen. 17. and yet in another he saith in thy seede shall all nations be blessed Gen. 22. But this example is not so fit for in the one place the Lord speaketh of Abrahams carnall generation in the other of his spirituall seede namely Christ in whom all the nations of the world should be blessed that other instance giuen by Theodoret is more to the purpose Rom. 5. 18. by the offence of one the fault came on all men to condemnation and after in the next verse following the Apostle saith by one mans disobedience many were made sinners Here it is euident that many is taken for all 2. An other answer is that many are saide to rise because all indeede shall not rise againe because all shall not sleepe but they shall all be changed 1. Cor. 15. 51. Bulling Vatab. and againe in another place the Apostle saith we which liue and are remayning in the comming of the Lord shall not preuent those which sleepe Osiander 3. And otherwise it may be yet answered that this word rabbim many as it appeareth by the accent Zakeph ghadol is taken distributiuely that many should awake vnto life and many vnto shame Iun. in commentar Polan Quest. 10. A description of the resurrection of both good and bad vers 2. The resurrection of the dead is here described 1. in generall that many that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake 2. the particular euents are shewed that some shall awake vnto life some vnto shame In the first part 1. in that they are said to sleepe the beeing and remaining of the soule after death is signified as the soule liueth when the bodie is layd a sleepe 2. and by this phrase is also noted the naturall affection which the soule hath to the bodie that although they be sundred and separated a while by death yet they both make but one man as the soule and bodie are vnited together in naturall sleepe for the vnion of the soule and bodie is essentiall but the dissolution by death is accidentall by reason of sinne and therefore cannot hinder for euer the naturall and essentiall vnion Iun. 3. in that mention is made of the dust of the earth it putteth vs in minde of the first creation of man which was out
then one should as well haue such dreames as an other for in the time of rest euery mans soule is free from the busines of the day 4. Porphyrius thinketh that the notions which are naturally in the soule which it brought with it into the bodie are the causes of dreames which notions shew more freely in the night then in the day But Christian religion acknowledgeth no such former notions or pre-existence of the soule before it came to the bodie for the Lord formeth the spirit of man within him Zachar. 12. 1. 5. Synesius maketh the phantasticall part of the soule to be the cause of dreames that as the representations of diuers things are raised in the phantasie so the soule thereupon conceiueth dreames and therefore Pythogoras going to bed vsed to fall asleepe with the sound of the harpe and so prepared himselfe to haue quiet and pleasant dreames But yet the cause appeareth not why such imaginations and representations should be raised vp in the phantasie the phantasie affecteth the soule but how commeth the phantasie to be so affected first 6. Hippocrates maketh two causes of dreames the diuine and supernaturall instinct which is infused of God and the naturall disposition of the bodie for as the humours are affected if there be emptines or fulnesse or any distemperature in the bodie the dreames are answerable But as these are the true causes of diuine and naturall dreames so of other dreames other causes must be found out Hippocrates then toucheth the true causes of some but not of all dreames 7. Gregorie maketh sixe causes of dreames 1. the fulnes or emptines of the bodie 2. the diuâ—ne cogitations 3. the illusion of Satan 4. the illusion of Satan and mans thoughts together 5. the diuine reuelation 6. the diuine instinct and humane thoughts concurring together But as Hippocrates alleadged not all the causes so Gregorie maketh more causes then he needeth as now shall be shewed 8. As then there are fowre sort of dreames as hath beene before declared Quest. 42. so there are fowre causes of the same 1. Naturall dreames proceede of naturall causes as cholerike men dreame of fire phlegmatike of water melancholike men of darknes and blacknes and any distempered humour or affected part of the bodie often raiseth a dreame agreeable as Galen reporteth of one that dreamed that one of his legges was made of stone and presently after he was taken with a palsie and nummenesse in that legge And Plinie writeth how P. Cornelius Ruffinus in his sleepe thought that he suddenly became blind and when he awaked he was blind in deede 2. Of humane dreames humane affaires are the cause which leaue a strong impression in the minde whereby such like dreames are engendred in the night as the thoughts were in the day so mariners dreame of the sea and fish husbandmen of the fields shepheards of their sheepe of this kind was Hannibals dreame who hauing now swallowed Italie in his desire as he transported his armies from Spaine thither he had a dreame wherein he saw a most hideous serpent destroying and deuouring all where he went this dreame was answerable to his desire and seemed to issue forth of his former thoughts 3. The third sort of dreames is Diabolicall which Satan casteth into mens mindes to seduce and deceiue them and of these the Deuill is the author who is the third generall cause of dreames for if some dreames were not caused by Satan why should the Lord condemne such dreamers of dreames which should goe about to seduce and deceiue the people Deut. 13. 1. Of this kinde may be thought Alexanders dreame to haue beene who comming to Ptolome the next king of Egypt after beeing sore wounded by a venemous dart and of that wound like to die fell asleepe by him and in his sleepe saw a serpent bringing a roote in his mouth shewing the place where it grew whereby Ptolome was healed These Sathanicall dreames are of two sorts for some of them doe prognosticate of things to come which Sathan can foretell two waies either by naturall causes he can foresee the euents or he doth foretell such things as he knoweth he is permitted of God to doe the other kind of Diabolicall dreames tendeth to the inciting and stirring vp of men to sinne as murder lust or other vngodlines 4. The fourth cause of dreames is God himselfe who by dreames and visions in the night diuersly instructeth men and teuealeth vnto them things to come ex Perer. Quest. 46. How Diabolicall and Diuine dreames may be discerned 1. Diabolicall dreames are discerned 1. by the matter if they be vnchast and vncleane dreames prouoking vnto any vice or impietie 2. by the ende if one shall haue a reuelation in a dreame of things to come whereof there is no profitable ende but onely the feeding of mens curiositie or the maintaining of superstition 3. by mens persons also a coniecture may be made as if vncleane and corrupt dreames be offered vnto godly and righteous men therein they are to suspect the craft of Satan that he goeth about to assault and tempt them 2. Concerning Diuine dreames they are two waies principally discerned by the excellencie of the matter as when things to come are reuealed the knowledge whereof onely belongeth vnto God or the Lord discouereth mans secret thoughts which he onely can descrie the other way is by the illumination of the minde when the Lord doth so euidently reueale himselfe vnto the soule and minde of man that he nothing doubteth of the author of those dreames but knoweth assuredly that the Lord spake vnto him in a dreame such were the dreames which Abraham Ioseph Daniel Paul had for like as naturally the soule hath light to discerne of the first notions and principles so the minde in this case is illuminate to acknowledge the diuine instinct 3. In diuers manners and to diuers purposes doth the Lord speake vnto men in dreames 1. sometime he terrifieth and feareth them as he staied Abimelek and Laban by fearefull dreames that they should doe no hurt the one to Abraham the other to Iaakob 2. sometime the Lord encourageth men by dreames to enterprise some great worke as he did Gedeon Iudg. 7. 9. 3. he admonisheth some by dreames what they should doe as Paul Act. 16. and Ioseph Matth. 1. 4. God instructeth by dreames concerning things to come as he did in Pharaohs and Nabuchadnezzers dreames 4. And as the endes and purposes are diuers why the Lord sendeth dreames so also the kinds are diuers 1. some diuine dreames are plaine and manifest and neede no interpretation such were the dreames of Ioseph of the starres and the sheaues 2. sometime God speaketh with them himselfe in their dreames as with Abimelech Gen. 20. sometime an Angel appeareth as to Ioseph Matth. 1. sometime a man as to Paul Act. 16. 3. sometime God sendeth dreames not expected or desired such were Pharaohs and Nebuchadnezzers dreames sometime they are first craued and
not the Romane Empire but the kingdom of the Seleucians in Syria and of the Ptolomies in Egypt as hath beene prooued at large before qu. 49 50. 2. the kingdome of Christ here prophecied of is not his second but his first comming as hath bin also before shewed q. 55. 9. Controv. v. 45. Whether the virgin Marie be the mountaine out of the which the stone was cut Pererius applieth this to the virgin Marie 1. because it is not vnusuall in Scripture to expresse the generation of man by this phrase as Isa. 51. 1. Looke vnto the rocke whence ye are hewen and to the hole of the pit whence ye were digged c. 2. And she is compared to a mountaine propter excellentiam virtutum because of the excellencie of her vertues cuius fundamenta super culmina sanctorum locata sunt c. whose foundations are placed vpon the toppe and height of the Saints 3. he applieth vnto the virgin Marie those places in the Psalmes as Psal. 68. 15. The mountaine of God is a fat mountaine c. God delighteth to dwell in it yea the Lord will dwell in it for euer and Ps. 87. 1. His foundation is among the hills Contra. 1. The Prophet in that place by the rocke vnderstandeth Abraham and by the hole of the pit Sarah as it followeth in the next verse Consider Abraham your father and Sarah that bare you but Christ had no father out of whose loynes he should be taken forth and as it were cut out therefore this phrase of speach nothing helpeth his conceit of the virgin Marie 2. The question is not how Marie may be said to be a mountaine in respect of other Saints and yet it may be doubted of whether Marie doe so farre excell in vertue all the Saints that euer liued but the doubt is whether Marie can be saide to be a mountaine in comparison of Christ who is the stone cut out of this mountaine to make Marie the mountaine and Christ the little stone cut out thence is a presumptuous comparison for so Marie should be greater then Christ. 3. It is euident that the Psalmist speaketh there of the hillie countrey of Canaan and specially of mount Sion where the Lord had made choice to make his habitation and so Psal. 87. he expoundeth himselfe in the second verse The Lord loueth the gates of Zion aboue all the habitations of Iaakob glorious things are spoken of the citie of God c. Wherefore it is a fond exposition to appropriate that to Marie which is spoken of the whole Church of God neither can they shew how Marie beeing a mortall woman could be the habitation of God for euer 4. This mountaine then is not vnderstood of Marie 1. she can not be likened to a mountaine and Christ to a little stone as greater then he 2. this stone is cut out without hands that is without any humane helpe at all but in the incarnation of Christ woman was an instrument though not man therefore it was not without hands 3. Marie doth make her selfe of low degree Luk. 1. 52. she was then more like a valley then a mountaine see more of the true meaning of this place before qu. 54. 10. Controv. Whether Christ verily encreased in the gifts and graces of his soule Pererius handling this point how Christ compared here vnto a stone which grew into a mountaine and filled the earth encreased affirmeth that in respect of the graces of his soule he encreased not quam inde ab exordio sui conceptus tantam habuit quam iam nunc habet c. which he had as great from the beginning of his conception as now he hath it Contra. Though we also agree that this growing and encreasing of Christ is not meant of his personall growing in respect of his bodie or soule in the daies of his incarnation but of the growth of his Church in the world yet Pererius assertion is false for the Scripture is euident that Christ encreased in the gifts and faculties of the soule as he did in stature of bodie Luk. 2. 52. Iesus encreased in wisdome and stature As it pleased him to take vpon him an infants statute and bodie which still encreased so also he encreased in wisdome and other graces of the soule see more hereof Synops. Controv. 5. err 2. 11. Controv. That the Pope is not to be reuerenced honoured and worshipped through the world Pererius in the same place shewing how Christ hath filled the earth not onely with the knowledge of himselfe preaching of the Gospell fame of his miracles but also with the worshipping and reuerencing of his name addeth further and of that man who is his Vicar the high Bishop quem vniuersus Christianus Catholicus orbis honorat colit veneratur c. whome the vniuersall Christian Catholike Church doth honour worship reuerence and his answers and decrees receiueth with no lesse reuerence then the diuine oracles c. Contra. 1. It is a friuolous application to expound that of the fame of a mortall man whose kingdome is transitorie and temporall which is vnderstood of Christ whose kingdome shall stand for euer 2. If the Pope be to be honoured no otherwise then Christs Vicar then he must not be honoured at all for Christs Vicar he neither is nor can be as is before shewed Controv. 7. 3. Neither is it true that the vniuersal Catholike Church doth so honour and reuerence him for neither the Greeke Church doth giue him such honour and well-nie the third part of Christendome doth hold him to be Antichrist he is in deede honoured of the Romane Church but that is not the Catholike Church for a particular and vniuersall Church which is signified in the word Catholike are diuers The Pope if he were a good Bishop which now were a miracle in that seat of pestilence should be reuerenced as other good Bishops are but not as hauing any superioritie aboue the rest 4. But to receiue his decrees as the oracles of God as holding them to be equall thereunto unto is an horrible blasphemie to equalize the corrupt and erring decrees of ignorant prophane erroneous if not hereticall Popes to the most sacred rule of truth 12. Controv. That it can not be prooued out of Daniels prophesie that the Pope is not Antichrist v. 44. It shall breake and destroy all these kingdomes Bellarmine taking it for graunted that the fourth kingdome here mentioned is the Romane Empire which must be dissolued before Antichrist shall come as S. Paul sheweth 2. Thessal 2. 7. Onely he which now withholdeth shall let till he be taken out of the way but the Romane Empire is not yet dissouled for the Emperours of the West doe still remaine one succeeding an other therefore Antichrist is not yet reuealed to the world to this purpose Bellar. l. 3. de Rom. Pont. c. 5. Contra. 1. Bellarmine taketh that for graunted which is denied as that the Romane Empire is the fourth kingdome which is prooued to