other Leaguers at Paris were mad for the death of the Duke of Guise and railed at the King raised mony for wars against him and the Doctors of Sorbon declared the people of France free from their obedience to the King and so might take arms against him Upon this the Parliament at Bloyes dissolves and the King prepares to suppresse the rebellion at Paris To this purpose he took truce with the King of Navar by whose forces he discomfited the Leaguers and intended to besiege Paris but the Leaguers prevented him by procuring Frier Jaques to kill the King who did it in his chamber with a knife while he read a letter the Frier brought him This was done in that chamber say some wherein the massacre at Paris was formerly plotted this King being then Duke of Anjou and chiefe in the plot Mathe. How fared it then with the Protestants Phila. Henry the third before he died of that wound the Frier gave him which was not many hours after declared the King of Navar lawfull successour who after his funerall confounded the Leaguers in many Battels July 25. 1593. But he then began to halt in Religion for the Doctors of Sorbon and divers Bishops prevailed with him to hear masse in St Dennis Church But still the Leaguers hated him and sent one Peter Burrier to slay him by the instigation of a Capuchin Frier a Priest and a Jesuite but he was prevented Upon this the King published his declaration prescribing a months liberty to all that would come in and submit to his government but else they should afterwards find no favour from him By this means many Towns yielded to him and at last Paris it selfe which he entred so peaceably that within two hours the shops were all set open as if no wars had been But the wicked Leaguers again plotted his death by one John Castil Decem. 27. 1594 who came into the Kings chamber at the Louver among the Presse and strook at the King with a knife who stooping in taking leave of his Lords was strook by it on the right cheek and one of his teeth cut out This traitor as he confessed was a scholar of the Jesuits French Hist p. 874. and executed and the Jesuits banished out of France This King received many of his enemies into favour as the Duke de Mayenne and Nemours and enterteined peace with King Philip of Spain by the Popes mediation This King escaped many treasons plotted against his life And yet 1604. restored the Jesuits again and afterward admitted them to go into Navar and Berne to the great discontent of the Judges and Officers of that Country yet 1606. this King made speciall good orders in the behalfe of the reformed Religion confirming the Edict of Nantes 1598. concerning their pacification But this halting between two opinions did not certainly please God for though he suffered the Protestants to have a nationall Synod at Gap concerning their doctrin and discipline and therein to declare the Pope to be Antichrist foretold by the word of God and made it one of the Articles of their confession yet taking no warning by that stroke given on his mouth formerly he was strook to the heart by a cursed villain one Frances Ravillac riding in his Caroch even the next day after his Queens coronation day moved thereunto as he confessed by no other reason but because the King maintained two religions in France and by reading the book of Mariana the Spanish Jesuite and Bellarmins book of the Popes temporall power which books by a decree of the Colledge of Sorbon and by sentence of the Parliament were burnt as also Jasper Scoppius his book containing the same doctrine tending to the subjects rebellion against Princes 1612. This soule fact was suspected to be of the Jesuits plotting however Father Cotton endevoured to wipe off the aspersion yet the Author of the book called Anticotton refused it and proved the Jesuits to be the maintainers of that doctrine and were guilty of this Kings death by Ravilac's own confession to father Aubigny who being examined upon it said that God had given him the grace alwaies to forget what he heard in confession and so he saved his neck by that fine and false excuse But he that cals light out of darknesse brought out of this damnable act more respect to the Protestant and a check to the Pope For now the great chamber called the Tornelle made a decree against the Popes temporall power And the Protestants began an assembly of the reformed Churches at Saumur where Monsier de Bulloin told them from the King and Queen Regent that all their just requests should be favourably answered and whatsoever had been promised should be paied And the Universitie of Paris concludes against the Jesuits and propounds to them by Monsieur Servin four Articles to subscribe 1. That the Pope hath no temporall power over Kings nor can he by excommunication deprive them of their estates or dignity 2. That the Councill is above the Pope 3. That Clergy men ought to reveal conspiracies against the King or Kingdome to the magistrate though it be revealed in confession 4. That Clergy men are subject to the secular Prince or politicall magistrate Mathe. How sped the reformed Religionnow among the Netherlands Phila. They having suffered much misery under Duke de Alva their governor History of the Netherlands who had in his time executed 1860 people beside by wars and tumults as you have heard and Don John of Austria being little better the States Generall called Matthias Arch-Duke of Austria to be their governor He appoints the Prince of Orange for his Lievtenant which much displeased the Earl of Lalain who expected that dignity so that Don John by this discontented siding defeated the Netherlands Army The Duke of Anjou offers aid to the States it is accepted and prospereth against Don John and he is chosen at last Lord of the Netherlands Yet for all these wars and troubles the reformed Religion thrived For notwithstanding the Popes Bull offering pardon of sins and life eternall to all that would take part with Don John against the Prince of Orange yet Amsterdam agreed with the States of Holland and turned all the popish magistrates and Friers Monks and Priests out of the Town and pulled down the images in the Churches and suffered only the reformed Religion to be exercised so they drove the Jesuites and Friers out of Antwerp and granted Churches to the Protestants In Gaunt they whipped and burnt Friers for committing Sodomy At last the Prince of Orange accepts the government of Flanders and in the year 1580. images and cloisters were demolished in Deventer Swool and Vtrich And being the King of Spain would allow no Religion in his dominions but the Roman the General Estates set forth an Edict whereby was declared that the King of Spain had deserted the government of the Netherlands and therefore they abjured him and took a new oath to
up some to maintain the cause of his truth As Arnoldus de nova villa a Spaniard who held in his time That the devill had seduced the world from the truth of Christ That the faith then commonly taught was the faith of devils That Christian people were led by the Pope to hell That the Cloisters had no charity and falsified the doctrine of Christ That the Ministers did not well to mix Philosophy with Divinity That masses are not to be celebrated nor that Priests ought to sacrifice for the dead All which the Protestants hold Gulielmus de Sancto Amore a Master of the University of Paris applied all the texts of Scripture that make against Antichrist to the Pope and his Clergy and proved the Friers to be false Prophets and writ against their wilfull poverty shewing that Christ when he said Mat. 19.21 Go and sell all thou hast and give it to the poor did not intend actuall but habituall poverty namely that we should not impoverish our selves when no need requireth but that in our affections we should be ready so to do when the confession of Christ and his glory shall require it that then we be ready to leave all for his sake So say the Protestants also But this man was condemned for an heretick and exiled and his books burnt So Laurence an English man and a Master of Paris 1300. and Peter John a Minorite and Robertus Gallus a Dominican Frier wrote that the Pope was Antichrist and Rome was great Babylon and that the Pope was an Idoll that had eies but would not see the abominations of his Church for desire of riches So the Protestants hold likewise Robert Gostred Bishop of Lincoln would not admit at the Popes command for an Italian boy to be one of the Prebends of his Church but writ to him that it was a devilish sin to defraud the people of the preaching of the Word by setting those in place that could not perform the Ministeriall office but only take the milke and wooll of Christs sheep He prophecied in his sicknesse that the Church should not be delivered from Romes Aegyptian bondage but by a bloody sword So think the Protestants Marsilius Patavinus affirmed that the Pope had not authority over other Bishops much lesse over the Emperour 1400. lib. defens pacis and that the Pope and the Clergy should be subject to Magistrates and that the head of the Church is Christ and that he never appointed any Vicar to be universall head thereof that Bishops ought to be chosen by the Clergy and that the marriage of Priests is lawfull and that St Peter was never at Rome that the Church of Rome is a den of theeves and that Popish doctrine leads to eternall death So hold the Protestants also Michael Cesenas Provinciall of the Grey Friers writ against the Popes pride and supremacy and cals him Antichrist and Rome Babylon the great whore drunk with the blood of the Saints that there were two Churches one of the wicked very flourishing wherein the Pope reigned the other of godly men afflicted over whom Christ reigned So hold the Protestants This man had many followers The Pope cursed him and burned many of them as they did also the Protestants John Wickliffe a Professor of Divinity in Oxford in King Edward the thirds time wrote many learned books of Logick and Philosophy Morality and Divinity and of the speculative Art He discovered the error of the Papists about Sacraments and so made himselfe many enemies But he had many friends and followers beyond the seas as John Huss and Jerome of Prague In whose defence fifty four Nobles of Moravia writ sharp reprehending the popish party for taxing Bohemia and Moravia with heresie Mr Moor. And many Nobles of England about the year 1385. did maintain Wickliffs doctrine namely Lord Montague Lord Clifford Earle of Salisbury Lord Latimer and Nevill Mathe. What were the points of Wickliffs doctrine Phila. That the substance of bread and wine remained in the Sacrament of the Altar after the words of consecration 2. That it is not found that Christ instituted or confirmed a Masse 3. That it is presumption to affirm that the children of the faithfull dying unbaptized are damned 4. That in St Pauls time there were but two orders of Clerks namely Elders and Deacons 5. That the causes of divorcement for spirituall consanguinity or affinity are not founded on the Scriptures 6. That he which is in the Church most serviceable and humble is Christ neerest Vicar in the Church militant 7. That if extrme or corporall unction were a Sacrament neither Christ nor his Apostles would have omitted it 8. That whatsoever the Pope commandeth without a cleare deduction from the Scriptures is to be accounted hereticall 9. That it is folly to beleeve the Popes pardons 10. That it is not necessary to beleeve the Church of Rome to be the supreme head of other Churches 11. That a Priest may preach the Word of God with authority from the Pope 12. That the Church of Rome is the synagogue of Satan nor is the Pope the Vicar of Christ nor of his Apostles 13. That if any man enter into a private Religion he is made thereby the more unfit to serve God The Protestants follow these positions John Huss the Bohemian followeth Wickliffe in time and doctrine for which he was burnt by the Councill of Constance though he was promised safe conduct His great offence was that he appealed to Jesus Christ which they took for a contempt of the Apostolike See Some report of this good Martyr that though they burnt the Goose for so Huss signifieth yet out of his ashes should rise a Swan so Luther signifieth that should trouble them worse then he had done So Luther did indeed Jerom of Prague died also as did John Huss about the year 1415. Hieronymus Savonarala an Italian Monk was a great adversary to the popish Clergy yet preaching nothing but the plain word of God as touching 1. The free justification in Christ through faith 2. That the communion ought to be administred in both kinds 3. That popish pardons were of no effect 4. Denied the Popes supremacy 5. Preached against the filthinesse of the Cardinals and Clergy 6. That the Keies were not only given to Peter 7. That the Pope did neither follow the life nor doctrine of Christ and that he attributed more to his own pardons then to Christs merits and therefore was Antichrist 8. That the Popes excommunications are not to be feared and he that doth fear them is excommunicated of God 9. That auricular confession is not necessary All which he stood unto with two Friers who were all three hanged openly and then burned And now began the Art of Printing which did ruine the Pope more then preaching Martin Luther was by the speciall providence of God called forth to fight the cause of truth against the Pope even out of the Cloister of Augustinian Friers in the
speaks well saying They become masters of the unlearned before they have been schollers of the learned and so are more ready to speak then to hear and apt to teach that they never learned and pour out before they have any thing poured into them It is true that it is prophecied Joel 2.28 I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh yet that was not meant upon all alike for when it was fulfilled in Acts 2.15 it was not given to all but to the Apostles only yet there was under the Gospell a greater measure of knowledge given to teachers and hearers then under the Law yet it followeth not that all sheep should be shepherds So we read of some extraordinarily called as Amos was an Herdsman but such things cannot be brought into ordinary imitation no more then souldiers can expect to batter down wals with rams horns or rout their enemies with breaking of pitchers as Gideon did the Midianites But if Anabaptists calling to preach be ordinary let them prove it by Scripture if immediate from God by a miracle Mathe. I remember for the fifth Question about an oath you have in some measure satisfied me yet I shall be willing to hear farther of the lawfulness of it Phila. Surely if it be a part of Gods worship as I have proved then sure it may be taken 2. It may be and ought to be the end of controversie saith St Paul God commands it Heb. â—â—â— Deut. 6.13 and the 10.20 and rewards are promised for so doing in truth righteousness and judgement Jer. 4.2 See Jer. 12.16 and Psal 63.11 It is Christ saith Mat. 5. swear not at all but that is meant by ordinary and customary swearing common in those times not religious oaths Calvin instr cont Anab. but swearing by the creatures I know the chief they deny is called ex officio whereby in a criminall businesse one is bound even to betray himselfe yet God imposed this upon the Jewes Exod. 22.11 and Christ obeied it before the High Priest Mat. 26.63 c. It is meant that by law no man is bound to betray himselfe true but that is to go to the Magistrate and accuse himselfe but if he be brought to him and urged by oath to clear or else to betray himselfe I know not how he can refuse it Mathe. Concerning the lawfulness of taking upon a man the office of a Magistrate which is the sixth Question hath been declared before except you please to add any thing more Phila. I say no more but I think with St Peter and St Iude that such are presumptious and selfe-willed and under a shew of humility and declining authority Calv. instr adv Anab. do despise government and dominion because as they despaire to attain dignity themselves they would have them despised that have it but such saith St Iude shall perish in their own corruptions Deut. 17.8 For Magistracy was ordained of God to decide controversies to punish the evill and maintain the good Rom. 13. and we have as much need of them among Christians as the Jewes ever had because the same lusts do strive in our members whereby we should be too apt to transgresse both Law and Gospell by avenging our selves Rom. 13. if there were not a magistrate appointed to be the avenger of wrath Beside we find God to abet magistrates both by his title given to them Gods and also by his providentiall presence among them Psa 82.1 6. and by his direction of them in the execution of their office saying you judge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in judgement 2 Chron. 19.6 7. As also by a blessing promised to the Church by them Isa 49.23 Kings shall be thy nursing fathers and to want magistrates hath been threatned as a great judgement to a land as Iudg. 17.6 Isa 3.2 Hosea 3.4 and though the Anabaptists would perswade you that the reason of magistrates being over the Jewes was because they were a stubborn people yet if you examine the Anabaptists seditions and tumults you will find them to have as much need of governors as any people for their commotions in Germany have been the death of one hundred and fifty thousands Portanus Catal. Heres and at any time if they got any peace or security even nature and reason leads them to set up a superior Lamb. Hort. p. 31. and so Iohn of Leyden was made King of Zion by themselves and one Cniperdolling and Tuscocuver false Prophets And beside we find the authority of Magistrates though heathens established by the Gospell Tit. 3.1 and Christians charged to pray for them 1 Tim. 2.1 and therefore certainly their office is lawfull since we must pray for them that we may live a godly and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty And therefore much more may Christians have and pray for their proper magistrates Psal 2. and Christian men may entertain the office of a magistrate and be not only subject to Christs scepter but also may be a great means to advance the Kingdome of Christ And though Christ say my Kingdome is not of this world yet he means only that his Kingdome is spirituall ruling in the hearts of men or glorious in heaven not on earth not by that speech intending that Kings should have no temporall government no more than he intends that Christians should have neither houses nor lands because the Foxes had holes and the birds had nests but he had not where to lay his head And what though Christ refused to be made a King so to be a Judge between brethren nor to condemn the woman taken in adultery yet those acts of Christ warrants no man to refuse magistracy For first Christ refused to be made a King because the Messiah Kingdome was not to be temporall and also because Iudea's Kingdome by Gods permission was swallowed by the Roman conquest and turned into provinces Likewise if he had accepted of it the people had no power to perform it but he had made himselfe and them guilty of sedition and so brought scandall upon the Gospell and the peoples lives to danger if not destruction Beside he came to be as a servant not a King and therefore in accepting Kingship he had overthrown his own design so he refused to judge between the two brethren Luke 12.13 because he was not called thereunto for saith he who made me a judge or a divider not but that it was a blessed office to make peace Mat. 5.9 and warrantable enough to end controversies in St Pauls judgement 1 Cor. 6.2 But Christ was not sent to that end and therefore refused to do it teaching us ministers especially to follow our calling and all men not to meddle in secular affairs without lawfull commission And again he refused to judge the woman taken in adultery First to avoid the Pharisees snare laied to catch him either as a contemner of Moses Law if he had not
This swelling title of head of the Church and Christs Vicar and Universall Bishop was a forerunning signe of Antichrist as said Gregory the great who was Pope in his seventh Book Greg. M. lib. 4. Ep. 36. and Epist 39. to Mauritius the Emperor and therefore he much declined and waved such titles Mathe. I pray what think you of Antichrist what or who is he Phila. You know St John tels you there were many Antichrists in his time 1 John 2.18 that is some that were contrary to the Gospell of Christ in faith or manners or both Jerom. in Mat. 24. Some account all the heads of Heresies to be Antichrists Others say that they be such as overthrow all good manners and so one describes the state of the Church of Rome saying that the Princes and Judges are the beasts seale Papa Honorius in dial de libero arbit the Clergy his pavilion the Monasteries his Tabernacle the Nunneries his bedchamber and the people to bear his image This he spake of the second Beast Rev. 13.11 And Bernard the Abbot saith plainly Bern. ad Gaufrid Lorat Epi. 125. who writ about 546 years since that the Beast in the Revelation to whom a mouth is given speaking blasphemies is he that sits in Peters chair The other Beast is more subtle as this is cruell yet both joine against Christ So many other conclude the Pope and Papacy to be that man of sin and son of perdition that hath laied an opposite foundation to Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Thes 2.3 4. politickly pretending Christian profession and yet overturning his truth Indeed if one would be lead by Chronograms or the numerall letters in the word Lateinos Pet. Mart. in 2 Reg. 4. Iren. l. 5. c. 25. or Ecclesia Italica or in the Hebrew word Romiith or in Maometis one may find the number of the Beast Rev. 13.18 which is 666. about which time after Christ the Pope was made supreme and universall Bishop in the West and Mahomet chiefe Prophet in the East And though I will not build my faith on numbers in names nor do I think that all names be imposed inevitably by the influence of the stars yet this is not altogether to be despised since Nimrods name included his nature i. an apostate rebell and Cyrus his name in Hebrew was like himselfe wh was an head to the people and in the Persian language a glorious Sun This Antichristianity is called the mysterie of iniquity 2 Thes 2.7 for it is a secret wickednesse in the name and nature of it for Antichrist may signifie one that is a vicegerent for Christ As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a Deputy or a Lievetenant for him and thus the Pope would be thought Christs Vicar because he sitteth in the Temple of God or a part of the Church visible corrupted and exalts himselfe above all earthly power that hath given to it the title of God or Lord and shewing himselfe as God 2 Thes 2.4 both in placing and displacing Kings and forgiving sins So is the nature of his doctrine opposed to Christ very subtilly namely because faith must appear by works therefore to set up works to justifie our persons which works the popish writers call also the works of faith not of the law though they be but works of mens inventions and so they prefer works before the formall righteousnesse of Christ imputed to man for justification Mahomet speaks also very well of Christ but he enjoins externall works of his own collection by which men must be saved So the Pope and Mahomet join in one against Christ in this and also in holding that the holy Scriptures are not sufficient for salvation but their canons and rules of obedience have more attributed to them for performance then the obedience of faith which devices are like the locusts that came out of the bottomlesse pit of their inventions Rev. 9. having the face of a reasonable creature but a scorpions sting which gives no rest to the soule but poisons it yet if hue and cry were made after the Pope and Mahomet a man might justly stop the Pope upon suspicion of being the more proper Antichrist for these reasons First because the name of Antichrist agreeth most properly to him and his seat yea all the descriptions of Antichrist in Scripture doth so likewise But by the Pope we mean not every Bishop of Rome from the Primitive times for many of them were Confessors and Martyrs till the time of Sylvester neither was Antichrist discovered much till Boniface the third took from the Emperor Phocas the name of Universall Bishop and his See of Rome to be called the supreme head of all Churches After this we find in the Pope and Church of Rome all the marks of Antichrist for he sets in the Temple of God like an Hornet in a Bee hive driving out the labouring Bees and devouring their hony The popish writers make this an argument of their Church being the true Church and Temple of God because Antichrist sits there It is true that they have the name and shew of a Church Christian but have neither true Doctrine nor Sacraments in their simplicity as the Scripture sets them forth and hath delivered them to the Church so that they have only the name of a Church as Sardis had that she was living but indeed was dead Rev. 3.1 And in this Church Antichrist sitteth as a usurping Tyrant over Gods ordinances abusing them and changing them at his pleasure and over all authority Ecclesiasticall and Civill that beareth any similitude of Elohim even as St Paul foretold 2 Thes 2.3 4. And this may be proved from their own writers some of them saying that it is not lawfull for any man to reprove what the Pope approves for all men ought to be judged by him Zodericus Zamorra lib. 2. cap. 1. but he by none and that he hath all power in heaven and earth so assuming to himselfe the right of Christ as well as his title King of Kings and Lord of Lords which made him so bold as to let Emperors kisse his feet Alexand. pap 3 and to set his foot upon the neck of the Emperor Frederick abusing the 91 Psalm saying thou shalt tread upon the Lion and the Dragon as also Pius the fift did when he deposed Queen Elizabeth abused Jer. 1.10 Behold I have appointed thee this day over Nations and Kingdomes Beside is not he right Antichrist that arrogates to himselfe power over Gods word and his law and saith Gratia in gloss that he can dispense with the law of nature and contrary to the Apostles and therefore hath dispensed with Princes to marry their brothers wives which St John Baptist would not allow to Herod and make parricides saints and forgives sins to the unrepentant yea sins before they are committed yea they say it is lesse dangerous to break Gods Commandements then the Popes
it is as simple to say that Antichrist must deny that Jesus Christ in plain words for then every man would detect him and detest him neither could then his doctrine be called the mystery of iniquity nor could the great whore bear on her forehead properly the name Mystery Rev. 17.5 which in former time was written upon the Popes Myter however it is now taken away and put on the front of their religion It is as vain to think that the Turk is Antichrist for he is understood to be signified in Magog whose interpretation is Uncovered but the Papacy by Gog which signifieth covered or secret because he is not as the Turk an open enemy but a close enemy of Christs An earthly minded beast having horns like a lamb but a voice like a dragon Rev. 13.11 seeming like Christ but teaching like the devill making great shew of religion with a golden chalice but it is full of soule poison Rev. 17.4 The chiefe tokens that this Antichristian whore must be taken for Rome the Popes seat is plain First because the ruine of Rome was the forerunner of Antichrist and while the Empire was setled at Rome it hindred the delection of Antichrist which many learned men do write that it was the meaning of St Paul 2 Thes 2.7 he that now letteth will let till he be taken out of the way Indeed the Emperour Constantine departing from Rome to Constantinople gave the Pope the first inlet to Romes state and government But then the Goths and Vandals invasions of Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hindred him again in the years 414. and 459. and 549. by turning it to ruine This was the head of the first Beast which was wounded Rev. 13.3 as able Divines write but was healed again by Popes repairing the ruines of Rome and taking on himselfe the image of the first beast and getteth as much honor to the Roman Bishop as before was given to Roman Emperours and more for he hath made Kings and Emperors to kisse his feet Rev. 13.11 and hath brought Rome into as much respect of the world as any Emperor could And as this second beast made fire to come down from heaven so doth the Pope by making that heavenly censure of excommunication and absolution stoop to his earthly pleasure and places of heavenly Scripture to serve his sensuall desires It is he that gave life to the image of the beast that is to that shape which he left to the Emperours which he made to speak what and when he pleased for they became but his creatures for he made them and caused the people to make them at his pleasure yet but as images of Emperours to what they had been The seat of this Beast is Rome which in St Johns time was built on seven hils and if it be not so now Virgill Propertius it matters not so long as it stands for old Rome And the City of Rome is called the great whore sitting and her religion spirituall fornication and her dominion very vast as extending it selfe over many nations by power and wicked policy She is likewise called Babylon Rev. 17.5 Babel was a Tower and after a City called Babylon The Tower was built by certain families that schismed from the family of Shem Gen. 11.1 2 3. Gen. 10.8 of which the apostate Nimrod was the head and therefore Micah calleth that soile the land of Nimrod Micah 5.6 Here God confounded their language and they left off to build the Tower yet afterward men built a City there which in processe of time became a great Monarchy of which Nebuchadnezzar was a famous King which City and Kingdome was a great adversary to the people of God the Jews In all which respects it was a type of Rome which at first as it was built for vain glory and to get a name as Babels tower was and next became the greatest Monarchy as Babylon did and opposed the true Church by idolatry and persecution so hath Rome done and therefore hath been esteemed as a second Babylon by authentick Writers as Tertul. adv Judeos cap. 9. Rhenanus in his ancient Copy though Pamelius the Romanist blots Babylon Roma out of the margent Heir Fabiolae de veste sacerdot Andreas in Apocal. cap. 53. Ausbert in Rev. 13. But this spirituall Babylon Rome will have a fearfull fall Grostead Bishop of Lincoln said it must fall by a bloody sword which indeed St John foretold him Rev. 17. and the 18. chap. But first by him that sate upon the white horse chap. 19. who is called the word of God King of Kings and Lord of Lords as in opposition to the titles of the man of sin and son of perdition The wals of this spirituall Babylon have been falling a long time First by divers Kings falling from them Rev. 17.16 who in time will be Romes ruine Secondly by their slit tongue and divided languages in divinity as may be found in Ferus Granatensis and Pintus and many others I will name but a few as Orkam that writ against the Decretals and in defence of the Emperour about 1333. Next Armachanus the Irish Bishop writ against Friers 1363. Then Wickliffe discharged against Rome wals two hundred volumes of books like so many vollies of shot to stop whose doctrine was called the Faedifragus Councill of Constance who contrary to their covenant burnt John Husse and also Jerom of Prague and digged up Wickliffs bones and burned them in spight as the dog that bites the stone because he cannot him that flung it Then one Walter Brut in the time of Richard the second did affirm that the 1260 daies Fox his Martyrology DVX CLERI spoken of by St John in the Revelation were prophetically so many years and that the Pope being head Captaine of the Clergy appeared to have the number of the Beast in that title Now as God stirred up many faithful Christians in England so he did abundance in forrein parts as Marsilius Patavinus Joannes de Gunduno Luitpoldus Vlricus Hargenor Dante 's Aligerus Gregorius Ariminensis Andreas de Castro Franciscus Petrarcha Joannes de rupe scissa Michael Cesenas Gulielmus Ockam Petrus de Corbaria and Matthias Parisiensis with abundance more many of whom were persecuted by the Beast and many were by Gods providence preserved who have set such a fire in Rome that will never be quenched but she must burn and the smoke rise up for ever Rev. 19.3 Mathe. But if the Pope be this great Antichrist why is St Paul and St John so close in the describing of him Phila. Not because they were fearfull of persecution but because they would prove faithfull to the Church as Daniel to save the Jews from hatred and dangers penned some things that concerned their enemies the Persian and the Grecian in a language least known to them and many things that concerned the Jewes glory or troubles he writeth in close hidden terms calling the Son of God the Prince of Princes