in the primitiue church neither is it altogether misliked of vs although not much vsed among vs because it was so much abused by them But this ceremonie was done without vnction or chrisme for further proofe whereof see D. Fulke his answer to the Rhemists Acts. 8. 17. And therefore notwithstanding that ancient practise of the Church this Chrisme vsed in confirmation may belong to the marke of the beast And the rather because the Papists make their confirmation with Chrisme not onely a sacrament but also a most necessary and Principall sacrament So necessary as that they haue set it downe as a law that no man is to be esteemed a Christian without it Nunquam De consecrat dist 5. C. vt iciuni erit Christianus nisi confirmatione episcopals fuerit Chrismatus He shall neuer be a Christian who is not confirmed with Chrisme by a Bishop So principall as that they preferre it before Baptisme affirming that it is maiore veneratione venerandum with greater veneration to be reuerenced Now if it be a priuiledge De consecrat dist 5. C. de his vero peculiar vnto Christ the author and bestower of grace to ordaine Sacraments of grace then must it needes be accounted a practise Antichristian if any man shall take vpon him to ordaine a Sacrament and not onely to obtrude the same vpon all as necessary to saluation but also to preferre it before that excellent Sacrament of Baptisme ordayned by Christ himselfe Therefore as the ordayning and enforcing of this Sacrament vpon men is a note of Antichrist so those which doe not onely receiue it when they are young but also retaine it when they are olde remayning in the communion of the Church of Rome may be said to haue the marke of the beast 7. Secondly that to adhere to the Romaine Church was a marke of a true Catholicke before the yeere 606. he prooueth by 2. Romanae ecclesie adhaercre the authority of Augustine Ambrose and Victor Vticensis But we speake of the Church of Rome that now is that is the apostaticall Church of Rome he argueth of the ancient Church which was apostolicall Indeed whiles the Church of Rome did cleaue vnto Christ so long might it be a note of a good Christian to cleaue vnto it although these testimonies doe scarce proue it but after that Church became apostaticall and adulterous as appeareth by their fundamentall heresies and horrible Idolatries and consequently of a faithful Church became an harlot and of the Church of Christ the synagogue of Antichrist it hath beene the marke of an Antichristian to liue in the communion of that Church Besides this great difference betwixt the present and the ancient state of the Church of Rome there is also great oddes in the manner of adhering or cleauing thereto Then as other Churches did cleaue to the Church of Rome so did the Church of Rome cleaue to them now it acknowledgeth no Church besides it selfe Then the Church of Rome was accounted but a part of the Catholicke Church and so a man might be a good Christian although he were not of the Church of Rome now the Church of Rome alone must be accounted the Catholicke Church and consequently he that is not a member of that Church must not be taken for a Catholicke or true Christian. For when the Pope got the title of vniuersall Bishop or head of the vniuersall Church then the church whereof he was head was accounted the onely Catholicke and vniuersall Church Hereunto agreeth that Glosse Constat ecclesiam ideo esse vnam quia in vniuersali ecclesia est vnum caput suprem◅ Clementin Lib. 5. ad nostrum in gloss cui omnes de ecclesia obedire tenentur seil Papae It is euident that the Church is therefore one because in the vniuersall Church there is one supreame head whom all that are of the Church are bound to obey And agreeably therunto saith a late writer whose bookes were published at Venice in the yeere 1588. Non potest quis se Christianum fateri qui curae Papae dicit se non subesse No man may Rod. Cupers 127. num 29. professe himselfe to be a Christian who doth not confesse himselfe to be subiect to the Popes cure or charge And therfore in the conclusiō of his booke he professeth himselfe to be Mancipium S. R. E. The bond seruant of the holy church of Rome Non ignorans he saith haud possehaberese deum patrem si sanctam vniuersalem Romanam ecclesiam non habuerit matrem knowing that a man cannot haue God to be his father vnlesse he haue the holy vniuersall Church of Rome to be his mother Seeing therfore the Church of Rome is become the whore of Babylon as hath bene prooued and the synagogue of Antichrist seeing the Pope compelleth all men to cleaue to the church of Rome suffering none to buy or sel or to enioy any benefits of humane society which professe not themselues to be members of the Church of Rome it followeth that this cleauing to the Apostaticall Church of Rome or liuing in the communion thereof belongeth to the marke of the beast 8. Thirdly as touching the oth of obedience and fealty 3. Iura◅ium obedientiae made to the Pope of Rome Bellarmine prooueth that it was vsed in the time of Gregory the great and therefore before the yeere 606. as appeareth in the Epistles of Gregorie I answere that although Lib. 10. Epist 31. before the yeere 606. the Bishops of Rome tooke more vpon them then became the ministers of Christ yet Bellarmine is not able out of all antiquity to alleadge one example of such an oath of fealty and allegeance imposed by the Pope vpon forraine Bishops and much lesse vpon Kings and Princes as all Catholicke Bishops as they call them Priests graduates Princes and potentates are compelled to sweare vnto the Pope of Rome That one example which as it seemeth is all that he can alledge of an oath taken not long before the yeere 606. is little to the purpose For it is not an oath of obedience and allegeance to the Pope but of faith and religion towards God conformable to the faith and religion then professed by the Bishop and Church of Rome For it is the oath of a certaine Bishop who sweareth to renounce his former heresies and to professe and maintaine that faith and religion which then the Bishop and Church of Rome did professe which oath in effect is no otherwise to be vndestood then if a minister among vs being reclaimed from Popery or some other heresie should take an oath before a Bishop that whiles he liueth he will professe and maintaine that religion which is now professed and established in the Church of England and other reformed Churches which is not to sweare allegeance to them but the like allegeance with them vnto Christ. 9. Fourthly the annointing of Priests we confesse to be as ancient as the Priesthood of Aaron from
A TREATISE CONCERNING ANTICHRIST DIVIDED INTO TWO BOOKES THE FORMER PROVING THAT THE POPE IS ANTICHRIST THE LATTER MAINTAIning the same assertion against all the obiections of Robert Bellarmine Iesuit and Cardinall of the Church of Rome By GEORGE DOVVNAME Doctor of Diuinitie and lately reader of the Diuinity Lecture in Paules Apoc. 18 4. 6. Come out of Babylon my people that you be not partakers with her in her sinnes and that you receiue not of her plagues c. Render vnto her as she hath rewarded you and repay her double according to her workes AT LONDON Imprinted for Cuthbert Burbie 1603. TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTIE MOST CHRISTIAN AND WORTHY KING IAMES by the grace of God King of England Scotland Fraunce and Ireland defender of the faith c. All prosperitie and true happinesse in this life and eternall felicitie in the life to come THE blessed dispensation of Gods most gracious prouidence towards this land for which his holy name is alwayes to be praised in his church in bringing your Highnesse vnto this kingdome in the beginning of this seuenteenth century after Christ seemeth to presage that the happy reformation of the church restitution of the Gospell consumption of Antichrist decay of Babilon happily begun in the last centenary shall in this age or century receiue a notable confirmation and increase if not a perfect consummation For howsoeuer whiles the darkenesse of Popery ouer spred the Christian world not onely the inhabitants of the earth were made drunke with the goulden cup of the whore of Babylons Apoc. 17. 2 18. 3. fornications but the Kings also and Princes of the earth hauing drunke of the same cup committed spirituall whoredome Apo. 17. 13 with her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power to support 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when as it 〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 enlighten the world with the bright beames of his glorious Gospell then Antichrist began to consume and Babylon to decay the Preachers discouering Antichrist the people comming Apoc. 1â—… 1. 14. 6. 3. out of Babylon and the Princes which before had assisted Antichrist setting themselues against him This great worke of God in the full consumption of Antichrist and confusion of Babylon the Ministers of God that is to say Princes and Preachers are Rom. 13. 4. to accomplish and bring to passe The Preachers by preaching the euerlasting Gospell at the sound whereof Babylon falleth as once Apoc. 14. 6. 7. 8. the walles of Iericho at the noise of the Trumpets sounded by the Priests and by the ministerie whereof as it were the spirit of the Ioh. 6. Lords mouth Antichrist falleth into a consumption as Dagon 2. Thes. 2. 8 once did fall before the Arke Th Princes partly by their godly example going out and in before the people in the sincere profession 2. Sam. 5. of the truth and detestation of popery partly by their authoritie prouiding faithfull Ministers countenancing their Ministerie oppugning Antichrist in his religion and in his members bereauing the whore of Babylon the Popes concubine of her meanes Apo. 17. 16 and lastly sacking her and consuming her with fire For which cause as I thought it my duety being called to read a Lecture in diuinitie when I perceiued the Papists within these few yeares I know not vpon what other hopes then of raising their fortunes out of the ruines of this whole Island growne more insolent then in former times to make the best opposition I could against them and to that end handled this maine controuersie concerning Antichrist whervpon all Popery dependeth both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proouing the affirmatiue viz. that the Pope is Antichrist and also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disproouing the negatiue against the obiections of Bellarmine the Goliath of the Papists so being now at the instance of many well disposed persons to publish this treatise I haue thought good to dedicate the same to your Maiestie as the chiefe patron and defender of the faith and Gospell of Christ vpon earth against Antichrist and his adherents For hereby not onely your royall courage may be stirred vp and your godly resolution in oppugning Antichrist according to the prophecies of the scripture foretelling the dutie of Christian Princes in this behalfe more and more confirmed but also it may most euidently appeare to all men that vpon most iust and weighty considerations you and your people renounce all communion with the Pope and church of Rome and by all good meanes doe set our selues against them For if the Pope be Antichrist which is prooued in this Booke consequently the church of Rome the whore of Babylon and synagogue of Antichrist the papists who call themselues Catholicks and vs Heretiques the limmes of Antichrist the religion and doctrine of popery the mysterie of iniquitie and meere Antichristianisme it followeth necessarily that Christian princes are not to tolerate either the religion of papists or their persons within their dominions The religion Deu. 13. 1. 5 of papistry being a Catholick Apostasie from God consisting not onely in respect of the worship of manifold superstion and most grosse idolatrie but also in respect of the doctrine of many hundred Antichristian errours and doctrines of diuels The persons of Catholick-papists being Catholick heretiques and reuolters froÌ„ God members of Antichrist palpable idolatours many of them especially the Seminarie priests and Iesuites perswaders of others to idolatry and apostasie from God Not to speake of the treason against Christian Princes which is enclosed in the bowels of popery and bosomes of papists For they teach that all Christian Princes who acknowledge not the Pope for their supreame head and Lord as no true Christians doe are Schismaticks at the least and consequently that the Pope hath authoritie to depose them and to absolue their subiects from their allegiance and that the Pope when he proceedeth to the sentence of excommunication and deposition of them as he did against your sister of blessed memorie Queene Elizabeth and doth so oft as he dareth against others he doth not erre in his definitiue sentence And therefore whatsoeuer they pretend to the contrarie it is certaine that they being the marked slaues of Antichrist wholy deuoted to his will are also willing and ready when meanes and opportunitie faile not to put in execution his Antichristian censures and diuellish designements In consideration whereof Christian Princes and people are not onely bound to come out of Babylon and to renounce Apoc. 18. 4. all communion with the Pope and Church of Rome but also they are to rewarde the where of Babylon as she hath rewarded vs Apoc. 18. 6. yea to repay her double and not onely to hate her but also to make her desolate and naked to eate her flesh and consume Apo. 17. 16. her with fire And hereof Christian Princes are to be assured that as those which ioyne with the Pope in persecuting the faithfull doe fight vnder the banner of Antichrist the beast
and therefore the Angell nūb eth them vers 10. Fiue saith he are fallen one is and the other is Apoc 17. 10. not yet come which is verified of these 7. regiments wherof I spake For the regiments of Kings Consulles Decemuirs Tribunes Dictators were ceassed in the Apostles time One that is of the Emperours then was and the seuenth that is to say of the Popes was not yet come And as touching the Romane Empire erected and reuiued by the Pope it is the beast that was a flowrishing imperiall state but is not Apoc. 17. 8. indeede and in trueth the Empire of Rome but rather an image of it Apocal. 13. although it bee in name and title the Empire of Rome This beast that was and is not it is also the eight head or regiment and is one of the seuen namely of Apoc. 17. 11. Emperours 5. Secondly that Rome is mysticall Babylon it may bee Hieronym in Esay cap. 47. v. 1. item in epist. ad Marcell◅ quaest 11. ad Algasiam in praef de spirit sanct ad Paulin proued by the testimonies of very good Authours Ierome saith Romanam vrbem in Apocalypsi Ioannis Epistola Petri Babylonem specialiter appellar◅ that the citie of Rome is called Babylon specially in the Reuelation of Iohn and epistle of Peter Augustine calleth Rome the second Babylon and Babylon of the West To these we may adde Tertullian Primasius Victorinus who saith the seuen heads are the seuen hilles on De ciuit Dei lib. 18. cap. 22. 27. which the woman that is the citie of Rome doth sitte Prosper and many others Sibylla also oftentimes expresly calleth Rome Babylon Lib. aduers. Indaeos 3. 6. Thirdly by the confession of our aduersaries themselues De promiss praedict For first to proue that Peter was at Rome they say that by Babylon mentioned 1. Pet. 5. 13. is meant Rome although there can no sufficient reason be giuen why the Apostle if he had meant Rome should not rather haue vsed the name of Rome then of Babylon Secondly the Rhemists conuicted with clearenesse of truth writing on the last verse of the 17. of the In Apoc. 17. 18. Apocalypse confesse that if by Babylon is meant any one citie which before we haue proued it is most like to be old Rome And on the 5. verse they doe confesse that as the persecuting Emperours which as they say were figures of Antichrist did principally sit in Rome so it may well be that the great Antichrist shall haue his seate there And againe on the 18. verse they alledge a reason For say they by the authoritie of the old Romane Empire Christ was put to death first applying the prophecie of the 11. Chapt. verse 8. to Rome thereby at vnawares confessing that Rome is that great citie which as in the 17. of the Apocalyps is called Babylon mystically so in that place is termed spiritually Sodom and Egypt where our Lord was also crucified Thirdly the authour of the Wardword not knowing how to denie this so euident trueth is content thus farre to agree with vs that Rome is Babylon For not onely S. Iohn saith he in the Apocalyps but Peter also in his Epistle doth call Rome Babylon and we doe not denie it Bellarmine also confesseth so much Per meretricem intelligi Romain that Lib. 3. de pont R. c. 13. by the whore of Babylon is to be vnderstood Rome and proueth the same by the testimonie of Tertullian and Hierome Therfore seing mysticall Babylon is the chiefe citie and See of Antichrist as our aduersaries cannot denie with any shewe of reason and seing Rome is mysticall Babylon as hath bene proued not onely by reason testimonies but also by the confession of our aduersaries the conclusion must necessarily be inferred that Rome therefore is the seate of Antichrist 7 What then what cā the Papist answer to this syllogisme Mysticall Babylon is the seat of Antichrist Rome is mysticall Babylon Therfore Rome is the seat of Antichrist It may well be ◅y the Rhemists that the great Antichrist shall haue his seate there And we doe not denie saith the authour of the Wardword but that Rome is Babylon And Bellarmine doth not onely say it but proue it How then Forsooth wee must distinguish of Rome For Rome is either Heathenish or Christened Heathenish Rome vnder the persecuting Emperours was Babylon But Rome Christened is the Apostolicke See and as it were the Ierusalem of the Christians But this cuasion of theirs howsoeuer they please themselues in it is friuolous and absurde as shall appeare by these reasons For 1. first if Rome be Babylon as now at the length they confesse and consequently the seate of Antichrist as they cannot denie with any shewe of reason I would faine know of them whether vnder the heathenish Emperours Rome could be called the seat of Antichrist because Antichrist did then sitte in Rome or because he was to sitte there after the Heathenish Emperours were remoued If they say because he sate there then their answere is ridiculous and contrary to all that themselues hold concerning Antichrist Therefore they must needs confesse that Rome is called Babylon and the seat of Antichrist not because Antichrist sate there whiles it was heathenishe but because he was to sitte there after the Emperours were remooued 8 And that the holy ghost by Babylon doth not meane Heathenish Rome vnder the persecuting Emperours either onely or principally but Rome christened vnder the Pope it may further appeare out of the whole discourse of Saint Iohn in the seuenteenth and eighteenth of the Apocalypse The whore of Babylon is the great city which in the Apostles 2. time and since vnder the Popes reigned ouer the kings of the earth called a whore and the mother of fornications not onely because her selfe hath by spirituall fornications plaid the strumpet according to that which is sayd of Ierusalem Fidelis ciuit as fact a est meretrix The faithfull city is become an Esay 1. harlot but also infected al kings and nations subiect vnto her with her superstition idolatry But Rome heathenish which neither dealt by whorish sleights and allurements but by martiall pollicy and power neither had professed her selfe to bee the Church and spouse of Christ could not so fitly be called an harlot whereby is signified an adulterous and apostaticall state And besides Heathenish Rome for the most part permitted to euery countrey their owne religion and was so far from enforcing her religion vpon other nations subiect vnto her that as in her was erected the Pantheon in honour of all the Gods which Boniface the fourth hauing obtained of Phocas Marcellin lib. 16. Rosin lib. 2. c. 9. consecrated to the virgin Mary and all the Saints so shee admitted the idoles religions and superstitions allmost of all other countries excepting the religions of the Egyptians and the Iewes because they did not forsooth beseeme the maiesty of the
the earth haue committed fornication being made drunke and intoxicated with the golden cuppe of her fornications that is of her glorious idolatries and Antichristian heresies who as she is cloathed with Scarlet so is she died red and Apoc 17. 4. 6. drunke with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Iesu as being that citie and church wherin the two witnesses of Christ are put to death Apoc. 11. And cā she then be the whore of Babylon and not the Antichristian citie and state especially considering these two thinges which the Papists themselues are forced to confesse first that the state of Rome is here figured as it shal be in the time of Antichrist secondly that Antichrist shal be one of the seuen heads namely the last head of the Romane beast and consequently shall haue Rome for his principall seat Let vs see then whether the Iesuit be able to bring so much as a shew of reason against this truth For it may be you expect his proofe Antichrist saith he Lib. 3. de pont Rom. cap. 13. making his collection out of Apoc. 17. 16. shall hate Rome and shall fight with her and shall make her desolate and burne her Whereupon it followeth manifestly that Rome shal not be the seat of Antichrist But it should seeme the Iesuit was in a dreame when he framed this argument For it is euident that not Antichrist but the ten hornes that is the ten Kings shal hate the whore that is the Antichristian city president therof accordingly Tertullian Prostituta illa ciuitas à decemregib dignos exitus referet That city which hath prostituted her selfe to De resurrect carn c. 25. play the harlot shall frō the ten Kings receiue her deserued end And so in another place himselfe being better awaked reasosoneth from that place The ten kings saith he which shall diuide among them the Romane Empire and in whose time Antichrist shall come shall hate the purple harlot that is Rome and make her desolate how then shall shee be the seat of Antichrist Whereunto I answere that the very contrary is to be inferred vpon that place where it is said that the 10. hornes that is the 10. kings which shall diuide among them the Romane Empire shal in deed for a time ioyne with Antichrist and giue their power vnto him But when as Christ shall begin to waste and to weaken him with the spirit of his mouth that then these 10. Kings shall oppose themselues against the Antichristian citie and the head thereof Which euent and experience in parte hath proued to bee true in some of these 10. Kings as hath before beene shewed From that place therefore wee §. 11. may reason thus The purple harlot which the 10. Kings shall assault is the city of Antichrist Rome is that purple harlot as the aduersarie himselfe confesseth therefore Rome is the citie of Antichrist 19. Their last refuge is this that Rome Christian where the Pope sitteth doth not stande vpon 7. hilles but is remoued from the seuen hilles into the plaine of Campus Martius and that the Pope sitteth on the other side of the riuer vpon the mount Vatican Saunders therefore thought it to bee but a childish argument to proue from the 7. hilles that the seate of Antichrist is at Rome But we would knowe of him whether it be the same Rome where they say Peter sate or not If it be the same then it standeth on seuen hilles if it bee not the same how is it then the Apostolicke seate and chaire of Peter True in deede it is that in the time of the Emperours the Pomarium of the citie was enlarged so that it enclosed a good parte of Campus Martius and that since some more auncient partes of the citie being decaied the greatest parte of priuate buildings stande in the plaine Yet notwithstanding euen to this day the seuen hilles are enclosed within the walles of the citie and vpon them there doe yet remaine besides some of the Popes palaces and courts diuers churches and houses of religion and other buildings of note as that learned diuine of blessed memory D. Fulke particularly sheweth In Apoc. 17. 9. in his answere to the Rhemists Neither doth the enlarging of the citie in one parte and the decaying of it in another proue it not to be the same citie And although the Pope doth liue in the Vatican or in any other pallace of his whersoeuer yet who knoweth not that Rome is the Papal or as they cal it the Apostolick seat appointed as they a Rod. Cupers de eccles pag. 37. num 1. say by Christ himself Neither can the Pope as b Cupers dae eccles p. 226. num 16. they teach chaunge his seate or if he should he should ceasse to be the successour of Peter For whosoeuer is chosen Bishop of the citie of Rome he say they is the successor of S. Peter the vicar of Christ and Bishop of the world And as Rome in generall is the Popes seat or See Cupers pag. 37. num 4. so more specially the cathedrall church of Laterane whereof more properly the Pope is Bishop as the husband of one wife Cupers pag. 221. n. 31. In which respect they say that as S. Peter and his successours bee the head of the whole church or vniuersitie of the faithfull so the Laterane church being referred to other materiall Cupers pag. 106. num 11. churches is the head of all churches of the world Vnto this church was adioyned the chiefe pallace of the Pope which was inhabited by them vntill the time of Boniface the 9. as Onuphrius testifieth that is to say 1400. yeares almost after De 7. vrb eecl Christ howsoeuer since the time of Leo the 10. who lodged therein it is within these last hundred yeares decaied Now it is well knowen that the pallace and church of Laterane standeth on the mount Coelius in the most remote part of the citie and furthest distant from the Vaticane So that all these shifts and euasions of the Papists notwithstanding it is euident that Rome which we haue now proued to be the seat of the Pope is by the former reasons alleadged the seat of Antichrist CHAP. 3. Concerning the time of the Reuelation of Antichrist 1. AS from the place we gather the Pope to be Antichrist because the seat of Antichrist is Rome christned or professing her selfe the church of Christ So the consideration of the time ioyned with that of the place doth make this trueth much more euident Rome Christned is the seate of Antichrist but when doth Antichrist sitte that is raigne there I answere that he could not exercise Antichristian dominion there whiles the Emperours had their seat in Rome But when the Emperours were remoued and the Empire in the West dissolued then did Antichrist succeed them in the seat that is in the gouernmēt of Rome And this may be proued first by
that by the Popes means For when as Leo the third called Isaurus Emperour of Greece had held a coūcel at Constantinople of 330. Bishops wherein was decreed that all images within the Empire should be destroied burnt and afterwards put the same decree in executiō the Popes of Rome first Gregory the 2. and after Gregory the 3. excōmunicate him forbidtributes to be paid him out of Italy and Rome absolue his subiects from their allegiance vnto him and hauing stirred vp not onely the Italians but Lombards also against him the exarch of Rauenna is slaine and the Emperour depriued of all his dominion reuenewes in Italy and Rome So that howsoeuer the Empire in the East stood all this while yet according to the prophecie of th'apostle he which hindred the reuelation of Antichrist that is to say the Emperour of Rome was taken out of the way First by remouing to Cōstantinople frō Rome where Antichrist could not vsurpe that dominion and soueraintie whiles the Emperour had his seate there which afterwards he did Secondly because the Empire of the west which properly was the Empire of Rome was dissolued the Emperour of the East lost his title interest in Italy and Rome 5. Of the reuelation of Antichrist there be also two degrees The first of his raigning and shewing himselfe in his colours the secōd of his acknowledgemēt Of his raigning there be 2. degrees also The first whē he challēged supreame authority ouer the vniuersal church of Christ. Which he did when he vsurped the title of vniuersal or oecumenicall Bishop or head of the vniuersall Church which was done as we said about the yeare 607. About which time besides other prodigious sights Anno. 607. there appeared a terrible comet thē we hold that Antichrist to wit the head of the Antichristiā body was borne True it is that the seeds of Antichristianisme were sowē before his time euen frō th'apostles time the mystery of iniquity that is Antichristianisme was working although more couertly preparation was made towards the birth of the great Antichrist partly by heresies some declinatiōs in the church of Rome in religion from the purity of the primitiue church partly by the ambition of diuers of the Bishops of Rome who aduauncing themselues as Socrates saith beyond the limit of priesthood into forraine dominion contended to haue the primacy aboue Lib. 7. c. 11. all other churches and that is the chiefe scope of many of their Epistles decretall and to the same end forged a Canon of the councel of Nice when their ambition was curbed by other generall councels And lastly by the indulgence of deuout Emperours and Princes who haue by great deuotions and priuiledges aduaunced that church Notwithstanding wee hold that Antichrist was not reuealed vntill he shewed himselfe by vsurping an vniuersall dominion ouer the church of God 6. But notwithstanding this great title authority Antichrist was yet but in his nonage and vnder the gouernmēt not only of the Emperor but also for a time of the Emperors Lieftenant in Italy the Eparch of Rauenna by whom the election of the Pope made by the Clergie and people of Rome was of necessitie to bee ratified and confimed vntill Benedict Anno. 684. the 2 obtained this priuiledge frō the Emperour Constantine 4. called Pogonatus that the electiō of the Pope by the clergy and people of Rome should be good without the confirmatiō of the Emperour Vpō which priuiledge obteined the Pope began to care litle for the Emperour holding himselfe hencefoorth to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rather as th'apostle speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Thess. 2. 8. without law subiect to the iudgemēt of no mā as they professe in diuers of their canons Not lōg after they began to aduāce thēselues both against aboue the Emperour Constātine the 1. suffereth the Emperour Iustmian to kisse his feet about the yeare of our Lord 710. Within three yeares after the same Anno. 710. Constantine setteth himselfe against the Emperour Philippicus Bardanes in defense of images as did his two successours Gregory the 2. and third against Leo Isaurus in the same quarel In whose three times that wee may know Rome to be the mother of spirituall fornications were helde three Councels at Rome wherein worshipping of images is approued and the oppugners there of excōmunicated And we must note that about this time saith the Author of the booke called Fasciculus temporum the Popes began aboue their woont to oppose themselues euen in temporall matters against the Emperours because of their vnsoundnesse in the faith for so he calleth their oppugning of images and to translate the Empire from nation to nation as time required As for Gregory the 2. he was the first which anouched himself supcriour to the Emperour who Anno. 723. also excommunicated Leo the 3. because he sought to abolish the idolatry of his time which they call worshipping of images But his successour Gregory the 3. not onely excommunicated the said Emperour for the same cause but also forbad any tributes or duties to be paide vnto him out of Italy Rome absolued his subiects frō their allegiance vnto him Wherupō Rome being then a Duchy with diuers other cities in Italy reuolting from the Emperour sware obediēce to the Pope Who Anno. 727. by the defection of the Italians and helpe of the Lombards dispossesseth the Emperour of all his reuenues in Italy consequently as the popish author of the booke called Fasciculus temporum saith totum regnum occidentis ab eo abstulit Hee tooke from him the whole kingdome of the West But when as the Lombards held the exarchat of Rauonna which the Pope intended to himself sought to rule ouer all Italy as the Gothes had done not exempting Rome or those other cities which had reuolted to the Pope first Gregory the 3. when Rome was besieged by Luitprendus vsed the friendship of Carolus Martellus Anno. 732. to free him from the siege Whereupon the Pope remoueth the tuition of the Church of Rome from the Emperour of Greece vnto Carolus Martellus the great Master of Fraunce to his sonne Pipinus after him Whom that the Pope might bind vnto him and finde a sufficient defence against his enimies hee namely Zacharias hauing as themselues testifie Caus. 15 quaest 6. c. alius deposed Childerick the King of Fraunce from his kingdome and absolued his subiectes from their allegiaunce because Anno. 750. forsooth he was too simple to rule maketh him namely Pipin King of Fraunce Who afterwards when his helpe was intreated by the Pope Steuen the third against Aistulphus the king of Lombards enforced the said King to yeeld vp the Anno. 754. exarchat of Rauenna and Pentapolis which hee gaue to the Pope This donation his sonne Charles the great confirmed and enlarged with a plentifull addition reseruing notwithstanding to himself the royalties of those
of himselfe sheweth what kind of defection hee speaketh of For afterwards in the same chapter he noteth this Apostasy 2. Thess. 2. 10. 11. 12. to be of those who because they haue not loued nor beleeued the truth that they might be saued but haue taken pleasure in vnrigteousnes are therefore giuen ouer by the iust iudgement of God to beleeue the lies of Antichrist to their damnation But more plainely the same Apostle speaking of that Apostasie which in these later times was to accompany the reuelation of Antichtist he saith 1. Tim. 4. 1. 2. The spirit speaketh euideÌ„tly 1. Tim. 4. 1. 2. that in the latter times some shall make an Apostasie from the faith attending to erronious spirits and doctrines of diuells speaking lyes in hypocrisie hauing their owne conscience seared 3 Now the Papists are as ready to obiect this Apostasy to vs as wee to them How then shall we discerne whether we or they haue made this reuolt The Apostle in the same place setteth downe two of those doctrines of diuells as certaine notes whereby those which make this Apostasie may be discerned Forbidding saith hee to marry and commaunding to abstaine 1. Tim 4. 3. from meats which God hath created to bee receiued with thanksgiuing The former where of Hierome also hath noated to bee a In Dan. 11. marke of Antiehrist Nota est Antichristi prohibere nuptias But these notes agree not vnto vs who neither forbid mariage nor commaund abstinence from any meats for religion sake As for the Papists especiallie since the times of Gregory the seauenth they forbid mariage to some men at all times and certaine meats to all men at sometimes and that for religion sake esteeming of mariage in their clergie worse then adultery or Sodomy and eating of flesh in Lent or other forbidden times as a mortall sinne And as touching the falling away of the Church certaine it is that although neither the inuisible 1. Iohn 2. 19. church in generall nor any one sound member thereof caÌ„ fall away from faith either totally or finally yet not onely the members of visible churches but also the churches themselues consisting of hypocrites as of the greater part may fall away As the Church of England which was in King Edwards daies reuolted in Queene Maries time from Christ to Antichrist So hath the church of Rome which once was famous for her Rom. 1. faith as may appeare not onely by those notes set downe by the Apostle 1. Tim. 4. 3. and some others which hereafter See the 2. boke chapt 2. shal be noted but also in those innumerable particulars both in doctrine and maners wherein they haue reuolted from the purity of the primitiue Church And of this catholicke Apostasie the Pope is head 4. Secondly Antichrist is not an open and outward but a couert disguised enimy oppugning Christ his church not by open violeÌ„ce but with all deceiueablenes of vnrighteousnes 2. Thess. 2. 10. For he is not so foolish as to professe himself to be Antichrist Neither could that be which the Apostle testifieth as Radulphus FlauiaceÌ„sis saith that Antichrist should attaine vnto ecclesiasticall In Leuit. lib. 18 cap. 1. apud Magdeburg centur 10. honours and in the temple of God that is the society of the faithfull should take the chaire of honour vnlesse hauing first pretended a kind of coÌ„formity with the faithful he should deceiue those of whom he is to be ordained Therfore Antichristianisme is called the mystery of iniquitie whereupon the Glose saith 2. Thess. 2. 7. The impiety of Antichrist is mysticall that is cloaked vnder the In 2. Thess. 2. name of godlinesse And as in the Popes miter was wont so also in the whore of Babylons forehead is written a mystery Apoc. 17. 2. Thess. 2. 4. Augustin Primasâ—… glossâ—…in Apoc. 13. And Antichrist himselfe is deciphered as an hypocrite sitting in the teÌ„ple of God professing himselfe and his followers to be the onely true church of God vsing the two Testaments pretending himselfe as Hierome saith to bee the Prince of the couenant And consequently head of the Church deceiuing vnsounde In Dan. 11. Christians with a glorious profession of religioÌ„ signified by the Apo. 17. golden cup with a shew of couÌ„terfait holinesse otherwise he could neuer so effectually deceiue many christiaÌ„s as that the elect Mat. â—…4 24. should be in any dauÌ„ger to be seduced speaking lies in hypocrisie oppugning Christ his truth vnder the outward shew 1. Tim. 4. 2. profession of Christian religion hauing two hornes like the Apoc. 13. 11. lambe couÌ„terfeiting in some things the humility meekenes of Christ yet challeÌ„ging that double power both spirituall teÌ„porall which belongeth to Christ the laÌ„be as our chief priest and king and not onely that but speaking also like the dragon Which is to be vnderstood partly of his blasphemous speaches which he doth vtter partly of the doctrines of diuels which he 1. Tim. 4 1. doth teach partly of those hellish curses which he thundreth against the true professors of the faith partly of those great promises which like the prince of the world he maketh to those Mat. 9 4 that will adore him These things need no application for those to whom the disguising more then pharisaical hypocrisie of the Pope Papists is knowne For must not his holines be called sanctissimus most holy wheÌ„ he is most wicked doth not he call himself SeruuÌ„seruoruÌ„ the seruaÌ„t of seruants wheÌ„ in truth he maketh himself the King of Kings and Lord of Lords And as Faber hath obserued the Pope in word saith that he is the seruant of seruaÌ„ts but in deed he permitteth himselfe to be adored Praesat instit which the Angel in th' Apocalyps refused FroÌ„ which fact of the Pope as if it were a rule of iustice Antoninus concludeth that Suâ—… part 3. there is no lesse honour due to the Pope then to the Angels Wherupon â—…it 22. 〈◊〉 4. saith he he receiueth from the faithfull adorations prostration or falling downe before him and the kisses of his feete which the Angell permitted not to be done vnto him by Iohn the Euangelist Neither was Bernards complaint either vniust or Apoc. 22. Serm. in conuers Pauli vntrue Heuheu Doâ—…ine Deus c. Alas Lord God that they be first in thy persecution which seeme to loue the primacie in thy Church and to beare rule And else where A silihy contagion saith he spreadeth it selfe now adaies through the whole In cant seâ—…m 33. body of the Church c. All are louers and all enemies all friends al aduersaries all domesticall or of the houshold and none peaceable all neighbours and yet all seeke their owne they are ministers of Christ and they serue Antichrist And such was the complaint of diuerse Bishoppes in their Epistle to Pope Nicolas recorded in Auentine
Thou bearest the person An. Do. 862 Annal. Boior lib. 4. of a Bishop say they but thou playest the tyrant vnder the habite or attire of a pastour wee feele a Wolfe the lying title calleth thee Father thou in thy deedes boastest thy selfe to be another Iupiter When as thou art the seruaunt of seruants thou striuest to be the Lorde of Lords c. Hee counterfeiteth the Lambe in calling himselfe the vicar of Christ and exercising the very same office which Christ himselfe had Bellarm. whiles he was vpon the earth And because by horne in the Scriptures often is meant power he may be saide to haue two hornes like the Lambe whiles he challengeth that two-fold power which is peculiar to Christ the Lambe as our King and Priest and vsurpeth both the swordes I meane both spirituall and temporall He speaketh like the Dragon in teaching those doctrines of Diuels mentioned 1. Tim. 4. 3. forbidding to mary and commaunding abstinence from meates in belching foorth most horrible blasphemies whereof wee will remember some in the next chapter in his diuellish curses against the Saints and Satannicall promises of the worlde and kingdomes thereof to them that will adore him Luc. 4. 6. Ecce in potestate nostra est imperium vt demus illud cui volumus Auentin Annal Boior lib. 6. saith Adrian the Pope Beholde the Empyre is in our power that wee may giue it to whom wee will And whereas Hierome writing of those wordes 1. Tim. 4. They speake in Hypocrisie saith he who being not continent would seeme to be so chaste as that they condemne mariage and so abstemious as that they iudge those who vse the creature sparingly whereas thēselues are giuen ouer to belly cheere what could haue bene spoken more fitly to shewe foorth the hypocrisie of the Pope Papists For do not they whiles they condēne contemne mariage vnder the shew of vowed chastity practise all vncleannesse and whiles they cōdemne all moderate eating of flesh do not they vnder a colour of fasting feast feed themselues with the choisest dainties Doe not many of them vnder the pretence of voluntary pouerty gather infinite riches And doth not all their religion stande in Opere operate in the bare performaunce of the outwarde worke that is to say in hypocrisie Neither are wee to omitte an hypocriticall pollicie which of late they haue vsed For when as they coulde not preuaile with their Sophistry that is to say with their Bookes of controuersies they hoped to preuaile among the simple with their hypocrisie that is to say with their bookes of deuotion Wherein there is a notable shewe of counterfait deuotion zeale and holinesse to bleare the eyes of the simple and vnstaied But it were to be wished that as they are so they were esteemed to be no better then baits of Antichrist seruing to allure men vnder shew of deuotion vnto idolatry apostasie from God especially if we cōsider that the principall of these bookes were set forth by Parsons other Iesuits who Quodlibet c. are plainly discouered euen by some of their owne side to be mere Machiuilians and wicked Atheists 5. Thus you see what maner of aduersary Antichrist is Now wee must shewe in particular wherein he is opposed to Iesus Christ. He is opposed vnto him as he is Christ and as he is Iesus as hee is Christ that is as he was annointed of God to be our Prophet our King and our Priest in which respect especially he is called Antichrist He is also opposed vnto him as he is Iesus that is to say as he is our Sauiour So that Antichrist opposeth himselfe both to the offices of Christ signified in the name Christ and also to the benefites signified in the name Iesus Now these things also most fitly agree to the Pope who opposeth himselfe to Christ in all these respectes not indeede aperto Marte as an open and professed enemy for so it becōmeth not Antichrist who was to be an hypocrit sitting in the Church of God c. but couertly and cunningly For we must remember that Antichristianisme is the mystery of iniquity wherin Christ was in word shew to be professed but indeed truth denied First thē to Christ our Prophet he is opposed partly as he oppugneth the prophecy of Christ and partly as himselfe is a false Prophet He oppugneth the prophecy of Christ First in denying Christ to be our onely Prophet whose voice in the canonicall Scriptures concerning matters necessarily to be beleeued vnto saluation wee ought onely to heare whiles he and his followers do teach that the scriptures are not perfect and that besides the Apocryphall writings which they haue matched with the canonical their owne traditions also are necessary and of equall authority with the scriptures Secondly by withholding from the people the scriptures which containe the whole doctrine of Christ our prophet in a strange language and also by reading and preaching vnto them their owne fancies and inuentions out of the legends and liues of saints and festiualls c. in steede of the sincere truth of God And by these two practises the Pope whiles he leaueth to Christ the name and title of beeing our prophet he taketh the thing to himselfe Againe he is opposed to Christ our prophet as himselfe is the false prophet spoken of in the Apocalypse teaching Antichristian errours and doctrines of diuells For so many errors as are taught and held by the Pope and church of Rome are so many oppositions betwixt him and Christ our prophet Of the errours of the Romish church there be many centuryes or hundreds and diuerse of them fundamentall In respect whereof wee may truly say that the catholike Apostasie for so I call the Romish religion is the common sewre of many grosse heresyes 6 But it will be said that howsoeuer the Pope holdeth diuerse errours yet he teacheth not those which the holy ghost hath noted as the peculiar doctrines of Antichrist Whereof the authour of the Wardword reckoneth vp three and Bellar-mine hath a fourth But neither of them durst mention those two doctrines of diuells which Paul assigneth to that Apostasie 1. Tim. 4. 3. whereof Antichrist is the head The first doctrine of Antichrist say they is to deny Iesus to be Christ. Which they Of this see more in the 2. booke and 14. chapter would proue out of 1. Iohn 2. 22. 4. 3. and 2. Iohn 7. But the Pope say they doth not deny Iesus to be Christ. To the prosyllogisme or proofe of the proposition I answere that these places of the Apostle Iohn doe not speake properly of the graund Antichrist who is the head of the Antichristian body but of certaine petite Antichrists or heretickes of those times which denied either of the natures of Christ for he speaketh of such as were then already come into the world and therefore from thence it cannot be proued that the great Antichrist shall
Of Gregory they say thus in their praiers Hic nos saluet à peccatis vt in coelo cum beatis possimus quiescere That is Let him saue vs from our sinnes that in heauen wee may rest with the blessed Of Thomas Becket th'archbishop of Canterbury because he died in the Popes quarrell which like a rebell he maintained against his soueraigne king Henry the second they say full deuoutly Tu per Thomae sanguinem quem pro te impendit Fac nos Christe scandere quò Thomas ascendit That is By the blood of Thomas which he for thee did spend Make vs Christ to come whither Thomas did ascend Of Peter and Paule Concede vt amboâ—…uÌ„ meritis aeternitatis gloriam consequamur Graunt that by the meries of them Ex. Rom. Breuiar both we may obtaine eternall glory To Mary the blessed virgin whom they idolatrously cal our Ladie and the Queene of heauen they pray thus O vnica spes miserorum libera nos Ex compassionib Mariae ab omni malo O thou that art the onely hope of them that are in miserie deliuer vs from all euill And elsewhere they call her Desperatorum spem vnicam peccatorum salvatricem Innoc. in orat de 300. dier indulgent In orat de 5. vnbâ—…rib The onely hope of them which are in despaire and the Sauiour of sinners Againe Mediatrix Dei hominum salus spes in the sperantium O thou the mediatrix betwixt God and men the saluation and hope of them that hope in thee And somewhere it is said O regina poli mater gratissima proli Speâ—…ere me noli me commendo tibi soli O Queene of heauen mother most deare to thy sonne do not thou despise me vnto thee alone I coÌ„mend me And againe Cum nulla spes sit altera nisi tu virgo puerpera In missali Paristensi patris parens filia cui me reconcilia Seeing there is no other hope besides thee O virgin mother the mother and daughter of-thy father to whom I pray thee reconcile me And to conclude for innumerable such speeches might be produced they say O foelix puerpera nostra pians scelera Ibid. iure matris impera redemptori O happy mother which doest purge away our sins by thy motherly authority commaunde our redeemer So that sometimes they doe ioyne vnto our Sauiour Christ other mediatours not onely of intercession but also of redemption which indeede is presupposed in the former sometimes also they exclude our Sauiour Innocent in orat in laudem virginis Christ when as they say that Mary purgeth away the sins of all the faithfull and that she and no other is the onely hope of them that are in misery and despaire And not to speake of their blasphemous psalter wherein they turne that which is spoken in the Psalmes either of God or Christ to the virgin Mary some of them say that whereas the kingdome of Christ consisteth in two things iustice and mercie Christ reserueth iustice vnto himself mercie he hath giuen vp to his mother And therefore one saith A foro iustitiae Dei appellundum est ad Bernardinus in Marâ—…al forum misericordiae matris eius From the court of Gods iustice we must appeale to the court of his mothers mercy 10 As touching the kingdome of Christ what doth not the Pope oppugne in it The realme and kingdome of Christ is his church which he ruleth by his spirit inwardly and outwardly by his word which is both his scepter and his lawe and also by such officers and ministers as hee hath ordained both in the church and common wealth The church and people of God this sonne of perdition seeketh to destroy First by killing the bodies of the true seruants of Christ that refuse his marke in respect whereof hee may most worthilie bee called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or abaddon that is a destroyer his church the whore Apoc. 9. of Babylon which is drunke with the bloud of Saints and of the Martyrs of Iesus as shall be shewen in the second booke and seauenth chapter And as hee killeth the bodies of those that will not receiue his marke so hee murdereth the soules of them that submit theÌ„selues vnto him poysoning them with his damnable errours and making them drunke with the wine of his fornications after which they shall drinke of the cuppe of Apoc. 14. 9. Gods wrath Now in making hauocke of mens soules he taketh such liberty vnto him as that if he should draw with him innumerable soules into hell yet no man may say vnto him Domine cur ita facis Syr why do you so And in the Canon Si papa dist 40. it is sayd If the Pope do cary with him innumerable Glossâ—…iur caâ—… peoples by troupes into hell no man in this world may presume to reproue his fault because he is to iudge all and to be iudged of none vnlesse he be found to erre from the faith which the Pope as he is Pope cannot doe Hereunto Bellarmine aunswereth that the words of this Canon bee not the words of any Pope Cupers pag. 18. num 12. but of Boniface the Archbishop of Mentz Yea but say I the Lib. 3. de pont Rom. cap. 21. Pope hath so approued this speeche being deliuered by another as that hee hath canonized it and appointed it for one of the canons of his law Which is more then if it had bin spoken by himselfe But Bellarmine replyeth If this sentence of Boniface be not true why do you obiect it if it be true why do you not receiue it I aunswere because it being not onely false but blasphemous also and Antichristian is notwithstanding by the Pope authorized for a Canon in his lawe Moreouer one of the chiefe works of Gods spirit the spirit of adoption which is speciall faith apprehending the righteousnesse of Christ to our iustification hee laboureth to extinguish in the hearts of men calling it presumption acknowledging no other faith Iam. 2. but such as is common to the diuells which consisteth onely of knowledge and assent and yet not requiring that in the lay people whome vnder the name of implicite faith hee nuzleth in palpable ignorance and leadeth them beeing blind as Elizeus did the Aramites euen whether it pleaseth 2. King 6. him The pure wheat of Gods word hee suppresseth and keepeth from the people in an vnknowne tongue and see deth them with the mast of their Legends and festiualls and lyes I should haue sayd liues of Saints The lawes of Christ he partly dispenseth with and partly abrogateth making them of none effect by his owne constitutions and traditions In the church in steede of the offices and functions ordayned by Christ hee hath created a new priesthoode erected an hierarchy consecrated orders and religions of his owne In the common wealth hee absolueth the people from their obedience to their princes if they shal displease him And it is a
the scriptures And if the Hervaeus de potest Tap. e. R. Cupers Petrus de palude de potest Papae â—…t 4. church be aboue the Scriptures then much more is he For he not onely virtualiter est tota ecclesia that is virtually the whole church but also his power alone exceedeth the power of all the whole church besides Now that the authority of the church much more of the Pope who is superior to the church is aboue the scripture it is both generally affirmed by som particulars coÌ„firmed Cardinal Cusanus entitleth his book De authoritate ecclesia concilij supra coÌ„tra scripturaÌ„ Of the authority of the Church councell aboue against the Scripture Syluester Prierias master of the Popes pallace saith That indulgences are warranted vnto vs not by the authoritie of the Scripture Contra Lutheri conclusiones de potestate Papae but by the authoritie of the Church and Pope of Rome which is greater Boniface the Archbishop of Mentz saith That all men so reuerence the Apostolicke See of Rome that they rather desire the auncient institution of Christian religion from the Pope then from the holy Scriptures This saying the Pope hath so approued that he hath caused it to be inserted into the Dist. 40. c. si Papa Canon lawe The particulars which proue the Pope to aduaunce himselfe aboue the Scriptures are these 1 Because he hath as they say authoritie to adde to the Canonicall Scriptures other bookes that are not in the Canon And that those Dist. 19. c. si Romanorum Ioan. de turrecrem l. 〈◊〉 cap. 112. which be in the Canon haue their Canonicall authority from him In the 19. distinction cap. Si Romanorum Pope Nicolas not onely matcheth their decretall Epistles with the holy Scriptures but also affirmeth that the Scriptures are therefore to be receiued because the Pope hath iudged them canonicall Another saith Whosoeuer resteth not on the doctrine of the Romane church and Bishop of Rome as the infallible rule of God Syluester Prierias contra Lutherum à qua sacra scriptura robur trabis authoritatem From which the sacred Scripture draweth strength and authority hee is an Hereticke Eckius saith Scriptura nisiecclesiae authoritate non De ecclesia est authentica The Scripture is not authenticall but by the authority of the Church For I will not tell you how some of them haue not bene ashamed to say that the Scripture without the authoritie of the Church is of it selfe no better worth then AEsopes fables Pighius saith The authority of the church Vid. Chemnit exam part 1. pag. 47. is aboue the Scriptures because the authoritie of the Church hath giuen the Scriptures canonicall authority Secondly whereas the Scriptures are not the words and syllables but the true sence and meaning thereof They teach that the scriptures are to be vnderstood according to the interpretation of the Pope and Church of Rome and that sence which the Pope assigneth to the Scriptures must bee taken for the vndoubted word of God The Pope saith one hath authority so to expound Heruauâ—… de potestate Papae the scriptures that it is not lawful to hold or thinke the contrary A Cardinall of Rome saith If any man haue the interpretation of the church of Rome concerning any place of scripture although he neither know nor vnderstand whether and Cardinal Hosius de expresso dei verbo how it agreeth with the words of the scripture notwithstanding he hath ipsimum verbum Dei the very wordof God And if the sence which they giue be diuerse according to the variety of their practise and diuersitie of times we must acknowledge that the scripture is to follow the church and not the church to follow the scriptures Whereupon Cardinall Cusanus It is no Nicol. Cusanus ad Bohem. epist. 7. maruell saith he though the practise of the church expound the scriptures at one time one way and at another time another way For the vnderstanding or sence of the scripture runneth with the practise And that sence so agreeing with the practise is the quickning spirit And therefore the scriptures follow the church but contrarywise the church followeth not the scriptures And this is that which one who was no small foole in Rome auouched The Pope saith he may change the holy gospell and may Henricus Doctor magister sacri palatij Romae ad legatos â—…ohemicos sub Felice Papa 1447. giue to the gospell according to place and time another sence And to the same purpose was the speech of that blasphemous Cardinall that if any man did not beleeue that Christ is very God and man and the Pope thought the same he should not bee condemned To conclude therefore with Cardinall Cusanus This is the iudgement saith he of all them that thinke rightlie Cardinal s. Angeli ad cosdeâ—… legatos Bohemicos that found the authoritie and vnderstanding of the scriptures in the allowance of the church and not contrariwise lay the foundation of the church in the authority of the scriptures Ad Bohemos epist. 2. 11 Thirdly the Pope challengeth authority aboue the scriptures when he taketh vpon him to dispense with the word and law of God For whosoeuer taketh vpon him to dispense with the law of another challengeth greater authority then the others and it is a rule among themselues In praecepto superioris non debet dispensare inferior the inferiour may not dispense Antonin part 3. lit 22. cap. 6. §. 2. with the commaundement of the superiour That the Pope doth dispense with the lawes of God it is euident For scarcely is there any sinne forbidden there where with he doth not sometimes dispense nay whereof hee will not if it be for his aduantage make a meritorious worke Incest is an horrible sinne forbidden by the law of God and by the lawe of nature And yet there is no incest excepting that which is committed betwixt the parents and the children which hee hath not authority forsooth to dispense with for as they say hee may dispense against the law of nature The Pope dispensed with Henrie the eightth to marie his sister in law and 25. q. 6 authoritatem in glâ—…ss with Philip the late king of Spaine to mary his owne niece Pope Martin the fift dispensed with a certaine brother that Antonin sum 3. part tit 1. cap. 11. §. quod Papa sum angel diâ—…t Papa maried his owne sister And Clement the seauenth licensed Petrus Aluaraâ—…lus the spaniard for a summe of money to marie two sisters at once c. Disobedience to parents periury that is breaking of lawfull oathes rebellion against lawfull princes murdering of a sacred prince are condemned by the lawe of God as haynous offences But if children shall cast of their parents to enter into a Sodomiticall cloister if the Pope shall absolue the subiects from their oathes and forbidde them
which they esteeme as a note of the true church they contemne and despise all other churches which doe not vaunt of miracles as they do 2. And yet notwithstanding al their miracles are nothing worth First because they serue to confirme vntruths as shal be shewed therefore are not to be regarded Secondly because the vaine brag of manifold miracles amōg those that professe the name of Christ in these later times wherein miracles need not for the confirmatiō of Gods truth which heretofore hath bin sufficiētly cōfirmed is so farre frō being a note of the true church as that rather it is a plaine signe of false teachers an euident marke of the Synagogue of Antichrist For their owne deuises indeed doctrines of men do stil need signes wonders to cōfirme thē But the truth of the gospell which we professe hath bin sufficiently confirmed by the miracles of our Sauiour Christ of his Apostles and Disciples Whosoeuer therfore will not beleeue this doctrine thus cōfirmed neither will he beleeue though one should rise frō the dead to preach vnto Luke 16. him Againe miracles are graunted not for the beleeuers but for thē that liue in infidelity And as Augustine saith Quisquis Tharasius in cōcil Nicen. 2. adhuc prodigia vt credat inquirit magnum est ipse prodigium qui mundo credeme nō credit Whosoeuer yet seeketh after wonders that hee may beleeue is himselfe a great wonder who when De ciuit Dei lib. 22. c. 8. the worlde beleeueth doth not beleeue And therfore in another place he saith Contra istos mirabiliarios cautum me fecit Deus meus c. Against these miraclemongers my God hath made Tract 13. in Ioan. me wary saying There shall arise in the last daies false prophets working signes wonders that they might bring into errour if it were possible the very elect Likewise Chrysostome or whosoeuer Chrysost homil 49. in Matth. was the authour of those learned Homilies vpon Matthew in the 49. Homily where hee proueth that the true Church of Christ cannot now bee knowne or discerned by signes or other meanes but onely by the Scriptures hee saith that now the working of signes and wonders is altogether taken away namely among the true professours and and the working of counterfeit miracles is more found among false Christians And that Peter in the history of Clement declareth that vnto Antichrist shal be graunted the power of working full that is to say profitable signes So that now wee cannot knowe the ministers of Christ by this that they worke profitable signes but because they worke no signes at all And the Papists themselues confesse yea Bellarmine would seeme to set it downe as one of his grounds that to Antichrist and his followers shal be graunted the power of working many and great signes and wonders And therefore vnlesse the Pope and his followers did vaūt of their miracles we should want one good argument to proue the Pope Antichrist And thus it appeareth that the first point concerning the miracles of Antichrist doth fitte the Pope and so fit him as that from hence he may be proued Antichrist For vnto whomsoeuer in these latter times this properly and onely belongeth to boast of their myracles they are Antichrist and the synagogue of Antichrist For the scriptures haue foretold that by Antichrist and his adherents many signes and wonders should bee wrought in these latter times But to the Pope church of Rome in these latter times this properly and onely belongeth to vaunt of their manifold and great myracles For the Iewes want them the Turkes disclaime thē professing that their religion must be propagated not by miracles but by force armes All other Christians which already beleeue the trueth seeke not signes which they know among true beleeuers to be superfluous and in others to be badges of Antichrist therefore the Pope is Antichrist and the Church of Rome the Synagogue of Antichrist 3. The second thing which the Scripture noteth is what maner of myracles they are which Antichrist was to worke This the Apostle saith Bellarmine declareth in one worde when hee calleth them Lying wonders or as the wordes are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signes and wonders of lying that is most lying 2. Thess. 2. 9. signes and wonders Now they are called lying wonders either in respect of the end which is to seduce men by confirming vntrueths or in regarde of their substaunce which is counterfeit And thus Chrysostome expoundeth the words of th'apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he In 2. Thess. 2. saith lying wonders that is either false and counterfeit or else leading into falshood Augustine likewise reciteth these two expositions that they are called lying signes and wonders because De ciuit Dei lib. 20. c. 19. he shall deceiue the senses of mortall men by counterfeite shewes and appearances that he may seeme to doe that which hee doth not or else because howsoeuer they shall bee true wonders they shall drawe vnto lyes such as shall beleeue that they could not be done but by the power of God not knowing the power of the diuell c. First I say they are called lying signes in respect of the ende which is to seduce men Mat. 24. 24. to make them beleeue lyes and to deceiue them 2. Thess. 2. 10. 11. Apoc. 13. 14. For this is the end whereunto the signes and wonders not onely of Antichrist but of all false prophets are referred Deut. 13. 1. 2. Out of which places of scripture we are to obserue that the Lord many times suffereth false prophets and Antichrists to worke strange signes and wonders for the triall of the faithfull and seducing of those that will not beleeue the truth that they might be saued If there arise among you saith the Lord a prophet or dreamer of dreames and giue thee a signe Deut. 13. 1. 2. 3 wonder and the signe wonder which he hath told thee come to passe saying let vs goe after other Gods which thou hast not knowne and let vs serue them thou shalt not hearken vnto the words of the prophet or vnto that dreamer of dreames For the Lord your God proueth you to know whether you loue the Lord your God with all your soule and with all your heart c. Our Sauiour Christ also hath forewarned vs that in these latter times Mat. 24. 24. there shall arise false Christs and false prophets which shall shew great signes and wonders so that if it were possible they should deceiue euen the very elect In like sort the Apostle 2. Thess. 2. noteth that the comming of Antichrist shall be according to the 2. Thess. 2. 9. 10. efficacie of Satan in all power and lying signes and wonders and in all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse in them that perish c. on whome God shall sende the efficacie of deceipt that they may beleeue lyes Likewise Iohn the diuine prophecieth
in numeratioÌ„ For seeing we know what the beast it self is we might wel take that name which fitteth this nuÌ„ber any of these ways Irenaeus whose master Policarpus beene Saint Iohns disciple reporteth that those who had seen Iohn face to face did teache that the number of the name of Lib. 5. the beast according to the computation of the Greeks by the letters which be in it shall containe 666. Hee therefore setteth downe three names in greeke letters contayning that number in two whereof there is no shew of reason that either of them should be this name seeing neither of them I meane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the name of the beast The third name is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof hee writeth thus Sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nomen sexcentorum sexaginta sex numerum valde verisimile est Quoniam verissunum regnum hoc habet vocabulum Latini enim sunt qui nunc regnant But the name Lateinos also containeth the number 666. and it is verse likelie because the most true kingdome hath this name For they are Latines which now raigne Which in effect is as much as if hee had saide the name Latine is very likelie because it hath the number 666. and is the name of the beaste which figureth verissimum regnum the most true kingdome that is the Latin or Romane state The name of the beast Apoc. 13. 7. therefore in greek contayning the number is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Latine 3. In Hebrew the beasts name comprehending that number is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Romane For the beastes name beeing a nowne or name collectiue may indifferently according to the maner of the Hebrewes be vttered either in the Masculine or Foeminine gender And the Foeminine termination doth better fitte the prophecy not onely because it rendreth the iust number but also because the beast as it is subiect to Antichrist beeing the adulterous Romane state is elsewhere in the foeminine called the whore of Babylon and the mother of fornications The most vsuall name of the beast in it owne language that is the Latine tongue is Romanus which in Hebrewe characters is as Master Foxe supposeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the knowledge whereof as himselfe reporteth hee attained by earnest prayer And that the name Latine or Romane in the learned tongues is the name whereof the holy ghost speaketh it appeareth because euery thing here spoken of the name agreeth fitly and properly thereunto For first it is the name of the beast Secondly is containeth the number 666 as may appeare by this suppâ—…ion Thirdly it is such a name as he to whom all other notes of Antichrist doe agree I meane the Pope enforceth men to take vpon them as shal be shewed Fourthly because the name Latinus or Romanus is also the name of a man For Latinus was one of the auncient Kings of Italy and Romanus was one of the Popes Wherefore I doubt not to conclude that the name is Romane or Latins in the learned tongues For howsoeuer many others names may be produced which comprehend the number 666 yet either they are not the name of the beast or are such names as Antichrist was not to impose vpon men But Lib. 2. cap. 10. of this more here after 4. Now let vs see what that marke is whereof the holy Ghost speaketh Charaâ—…t or Character is as it were a cognizance a note of difference wherby men of any profession or religion are knowne and distinguished from others And it is partly in ward and partly outward The inward is that which is imprinted in the soule the outward is that which is either expressed or receiued outwardly as namely in the forehead or in the right hand In the forehead that is by outward profession and in the right hand that is by operation as the ordinary glose expoundeth As for example the character or marke of a christian or seruant of Christ is subiectioÌ„ vnto Christ and acknowledgement of him to be our head Sauiour This inwardly is the grace of a true faith wrought in the soule by the finger of Gods spirit wherby we beleeue in Christ our sauiour For those that truly beleeue are sealed or signed to saluation That which Eph. 1. 13. outwardly is expressed is either by consession of the mouth or operation of the hands In respect whereof profession of the ChristiaÌ„ faith may truely be said to be the outward marke of a Christian as also determinat us modus us viueÌ„di c. as the scholemen speake the certaine maner of liuing according to the law religioÌ„ of Christ. So that he which beleeueth with his hart coÌ„fesseth with his mouth that Iesus is Christ withal frameth his life according to the law doctrine of Christ he may be said to haue the marke of God Apoc. 9. 4. both in the heart by beleeuing in the forehead by profession in the right haÌ„d by operation See Rom. 10. 9. 10. 2. Tim. 2. 19. And furthermore the outward markes receiued to testifie our subiectioÌ„ vnto Christ our coÌ„munion with him as also to distinguish vs froÌ„ men of other religions are the SacrameÌ„ts of Christ as baptisme and the Lords supper And thus you see the marke of a Christian which is but one in substance namely the true acknowledgement of Christ is thus diuersly expessed testified 5. The like may be said of the marke of the beast which is also called the marke of his name The beast as wee haue proued Apoc. 14. 11. is the Romane state the name is Romane or Latine The marke therfore of the beast is that whereby they of the Romish or Latine religion whom we call Papists are distinguished froÌ„ others that is their subiection vnto the Pope as their head and acknowledgement of the See of Rome This inwardly in the soule is their implicite faith whereby euery Papist is bound hand ouer head to beleeue whatsoeuer the Pope or Church of Rome beleeueth and the rather because they are to be perswaded that neither of both can erre That which outwardly is expressed is either by confession of the mouth or operation of the hands So that the profession of the Romishe religion and certaine maner of liuing according to the Lawes and customes of the Pope and church of Rome may also be said to be the marke of Antichristians euen as the obseruation of the Heathenish rites is called 2. Macah. 4. 10. the Character of the Graecians Who soeuer therfore in heart beleeueth whatsoeuer the Pope church of Rome do or shall beleeue outwardly professeth the Romish religion frameth his life according to the lawes customes of the church of Rome as for exaÌ„ple to fal downe before images to adore the Eucharist to frequeÌ„t the Masse c. he may be truly said to haue the marke of the beast Moreouer the outward marks
receiued to testifie their coÌ„munion with the church of Rome are certaine sacraments of their holy mother church which as they say do imprimere charactereÌ„ indelebilem imprint a character that cannot be done away and therfore are not to be iterated as namely their sacrameÌ„ts of coÌ„firmatioÌ„ orders In the former wherof which they prefer before baptisme all youÌ„g ones are anointed in the forehead with oile which they cal Chrisma salutis The Chrisme of saluatioÌ„ without which they will haue none to be accoÌ„pted christians NunquaÌ„ erit Christianus say they in their law nisi coÌ„firmatione De consecrat dist 5. c. vt iciuni episcopali fuerit Chrismat us In the latter those of their clergy besides their shauing on their heads are anointed also on their heads as Bishops or on their hands as Priests Thus you see also how the Characteristicall note or marke of Antichristians which is one in substance namely subiectioÌ„ to the Pope acknowledgmeÌ„t of the See of Rome is diuersly expressed testified Whosoeuer therfore since the reuelation of Antichrist is a Romane or Latine in respect of his religioÌ„ acknowledging the Popes supremacy professing himselfe a meÌ„ber of the church of Rome that is to say in one word euery resolued Papist hath the marke of the beast his name and number of his name 6. Now it remaineth that by application of this prophecy to the Pope I should shewe that hee causeth all both small and great rich and poore free and bonde that hee should giue them a marke in their right hand or in their foreheads And that no man might buy or sell saue hee that had the marke or the name of the beast or the number of his name Whereby thus much is meant that Antichrist by his vsurped dominion and tyranny should make all sortes of men subiect vnto him and to testifie their subiection both by wordes and deed and that hee should suffer none to liue among them or to enioy the benefites of humane society but such as acknowledge the See of Rome professe themselues members of the Romane church and vse the Latine religion and seruice All which doth fully and only agree to the Pope of Rome For he by his diuelish policy vsurped authority lying woÌ„dâ—…rs al deceiueablenes of vnrightâ—…ousnesse had not onely brought all men both high lowe into subiection but also perswaded theÌ„ that vpon necessity of saluation and paine of damnation they were to subiect theÌ„selues vnto him both by word and deed to testifie their subiection Hereunto beloÌ„geth that oracle for so sometimes they cal their their decrees of Boniface 8. Subessâ—… saith he Romanâ—… pontâ—…fici omni humana creaturae declaramus Extr. de Maior obed c. vnaÌ„ sanctam dicimus definimus pronunciamus omninò esse de necessitate salutis To euery humane creaturâ—… wee declare affirme define and pronounce that to be subâ—…ect to the Pope of Rome it is a matter altogether necessary to saluation Whereupon the glosse saith Quic quid saluatur est sub Romano pontifice Whatsoeuer is saued is subiect to the Pope The same is concluded by Thomas Aquinas and others That to be subiect to the Pope is of the necessitis Lib. de error Graecor c. 72. Antonin sum 3. part tit 22. c. 6. §. 5. An. 884. of saluation Stephanus 5. alià s 6. decreed that such Canons as were concluded vpon and giuen out by the See of Rome are of necessity vnto saluation to bee obserued Calixtus 2. straitly forbad any to dissent from the Church of Rome for as the Sonne came to doe the will of his Father so Christians must do the will of their mother the church of Rome Ex. 1. Bal. act pontiâ—… Rom. Capistran fol. 26. For to gainâ—…say the Church of Rome is Heresie Those which denie the Pope to haue both powers deny the Gospell and they which deny the Pope to haue the primacy of the vniuersall Cuperâ—… pag. 46. in summar num 9. Church their errour is equall to the errour of the Grecians who deny the holy Ghost to proceed both from the Father and the Cupers pag. 56. num 21. Sonne If therfore thou wilt not be an Heretike this must be thy faith that as there is one God immutable so there is one vicar general of God vpon earth namely the vicar of Rome whose Capistran fol. 32. sâ—…ip is stable For seing in the triumphant church there is one supreame Clementin lib. 5. de hareticis cap. ad nostrum in Gloss. prince to whose obedience all that church is most perfectly subiect to wit God it followeth necessarily that one supreme prince is preâ—…nt ouer the whole militant Church towit the Pope whose 〈◊〉 all are bound to obâ—…y And this priuiledge Christ Anton. part 3. tit 22. cap. 6. §. 5. hath giueÌ„ to the church of Rome that al must be obedâ—…t vnto it aâ—… vnto Christ. Therfore he susteineth the sentence of condeÌ„natioÌ„ Ibid. cap. 5. §. 17. ex Gloss. ordin Papae appliâ—…ta qui conteâ—…it fâ—…i pontificis is obedientiaÌ„ tanquaÌ„si contemneret Dei 〈◊〉 wâ—…o 〈◊〉 the Popes obedience aâ—… if he coÌ„temned Gods omnipotency And to coÌ„clude as I began with an other oracle or canon of their law Peccatum igitur paganitatis 〈◊〉 quisquis dum Christianum se esse asserit sedi apostolica Dist. 81. c. si qui sunt obâ—…dire contâ—…it He incurreth therfore the sinne of Paganiâ—… whosoeuer professing himselfe to be a Christian renounceth obedience to the Sâ—… apostolicke 7 And as he hath made all to subiect themselues vnto him all I meane whose names are not written in the booke of the lambe for this is the vniuersality that the Papists bragge of so he hath caused all both small and great rich and poore c. to testifie their subiection as namely by pinning their faith on his sleeue and binding themselues to beleeue as he beleeueth by professing his Antichristian faith and religion of poperie by obseruing his popish that is to shy superstitious and idolatrous rites and customes as frequenting masses adoring images and reliques worshipping the crosse and Eucharist praying to Saintâ—… yea to stocks and stones going on pilgrimage praying in latine and that on beades c. by taking his marke both on the forehead in the sacrament of confirmation and on the hand in the sacrament of orders but especially by taking an oath of fidelity and obedience vnto him For therein especiallie they receiue his mark both in the forehead by solemne profession and in the right hand which they lay on the booke This oath not onely graduates priestes Bishoppes but Kings also and Emperours were compelled to take And whereas it is Vid. Meditat. 1. Foxij in 14. cap. Apoc. Decret Gregor libro 2. tit 24. de iureiur c. Ego N. Clementin lib. 2. de iureiur c. Romani said that Antichrist should take order that none might buy or sell vnlesse
and kingdome of Antichrist And further we haue shewed heretofore that the whole body of Apostates and heretiques professing the name of Christ is Antichrist and after a more speciall maner the head of this body Apostasie And therfore it followeth that all of this Apostasie professing the name of Christ belong to this body and kingdome of Antichrist And whereas hee saith that this Apostasie is onelie a disposition so the kingdome of Antichrist c. I answere that all the degrees of this Apostasie going before the reuelation of Antichrist were a disposition not to the being but to the reuealing of Antichrist For in the Apostasie Antichrist was as Iohn plainely sheweth neither could he be reuealed vnlesse first he were Wherupon Theodoret saith Defectionem appellat Antichristi praesentiam he calleth Apostasie the presence or comming of Antichrist But is it not very likely thinke you that there hath bene a disposition or preparation already of more then 1500. yeares in most parts of the world for the raigne of one man three yeres and an halfe 19. Fiftly and lastly although we should grant saith he that a generall Apostasie from the faith hauing now continued many yeares is the kingdome of Antichrist yet it would not follow that therefore the Pope is Antichrist For it is not yet decided who haue made this defection they or we And iâ—… were more easie to proouâ—… that they haue made this defection for they haue reuolted from that Church and religion whereof their forefathers were which we haue not done c. In the foure former answers Bellarmine turned backe vpon vs hoping therby to repell the force of our argument but those being spent in this he turneth his backe vpon vs betaketh himselfe to his feete and leauing the defence of the question in hand runneth to his chiefe hold For whereas we proue that Antichrist is not one man contrary to their assertion by this argument among others because that generall Apostacie of the visible Church continuing for many ages whereof Antichrist is the head cannot be the worke of one man or of a few yeares Bellarmine answereth thus in effect that although your argument be very good to prooue that Antichrist is not one man yet notwithstanding here of it followeth not that the Pope is Antichrist Why neuer any of vs vsed this argument Antichrist is not one man therefore the Pope is Antichrist But in this assertion of ours we answere your chiefe demonstration whereby you would prooue that the Pope is not Antichrist and where in especially you please your selues reasoning as hath beene hard after this manner Antichrist is but one man therefore the Pope is not Antichrist And after you haue prooued this by many worshipfull demonstrations and stoutly denied our contrary arguments now in the end you make this cowardes bragge Although this should be granted which you say to prooue that Antichrist is not one man yet it doth not follow that the Pope is Antichrist 20. But let vs pursue the Iesuite in his flight Although this should be granted saith he c. Yet it followeth not that therfore the Pope is Antichrist For the question yet is who hath made this Apostasie we or you Well then let vs ioyne in this issue If the Apostasie be on our side let vs be thought to belong to Antichrist if this Apostasie be in the Church of Rome whereof the Pope is head then let it be acknowledged that the Pope is the head of this Apostasie and consequently Antichrist But you saith the Iesuite haue reuoltd from the Church and religion of your forefathers that is from the Church of Rome and Latin religion And therefore when you read vnlesse there come areuolt c. it is a wonder that you doe not apply that prophesie to your selues The Apostasie whereof the Apostle speaketh is not a separation from the Church of Rome that now is nor a forsaking of Romish or Popish religion but a reuolting from God a departure from the true faith and religion of Christ vnto Antichristianisme and idolatry We in forsaking the Church of Rome haue come out of Babylon Apoc. 18. 4. according to Gods commaundement and in reuolting from the Pope haue returned to God and therefore this Apostasie toucheth not vs. But you say I to the Papists haue reuolted from the true faith and religion of Christ vnto Antichristianisme and Idolatry as besides the infinite particulars wherein your Apostasie doeth consist may briefely appeare by these notes First the Apostle speaking of the same Apostasie in another place hath these words The spirit speaketh plaincly that in the latter times some shall make an Apostasie from the faith attending to erroneous spirits and doctrines of 1. Tim. 4. 1. diuels speaking lyes in hypocrisie and hauing their owne conscience seared Now who these are that make this Apostasie the Apostle further describeth by specifying two of those doctrines of diuels as certaine notes whereby to know them Forbidding to marry and commaunding to abstainâ—… from meates which God hath created to be receiued with thankesgiuing c. But as I haue shewed heretofore these notes touch not vs and properly agree to the Papists therefore Lib. 1. Chap. 4. 3. this Apostasie is among them Secondlie this Apostasie is among those who are fallen from the true religion and worship of God into idolatry and superstition For the Apostaticall Church is the Idolatrous Church signified by the whore of Babylon the mother of fornications But the Church of Roome is strangelie addicted to idolatry and superstition and for the same deserueth to be called the whore of Babylon where as we through the mercie of God are free from idolatry and therefore the Apostásie is with them and not with vs. For the Apostasie is of them that are made drunke with the cuppe of the whore of Babylous fornications as the Papists are and wee are not who haue come out of Babylon Thirdlie the Apostasie is of those that receiue the name and marke of the beast as the Papists doe and not of those that refuse it as wee doe The fourth note or touchstone as it were to trie who haue made this Apostasie iâ—… the word of God For that is the true faith and the true religion which is contayned and prescribed in the written word of God Now our desire is that the Scriptures may be acknowledged the onelie rule of faith and manners vnto the Scriptures we appeale in all controuersies and desire to be iudged by them vnto the reading of the Scriptúres we exhort our people that they may be further edified and confirmed in that trueth which we doe teach and prosesse The Papists contrarywise not daring to stand to the Scriptures slie to their vnwritten verities traditions decretals doctrines and authorities of men both besides and against the Scriptures and in a word that the prophecie of the Apostle foretelling this Apostasie might be verified in them they haue asserted their hearing from the
Papacie by the helpe of the diuell after whom followed in the Antichristian seat a succession of notable sorcerers 2. That the thousand yeeres begin about the 73. yeare of Christ at which time the people of the Iewes being destroyed and the Church of Christ of a particular became catholick dispersed throughout all nations the diuell as it is in the end of the 12. Chap. seeketh by all meanes to ouerthrow the seede borne of the Church Apoc. 12. of the Iewes that is the Churches of Christ begotten vnto God by the ministry of the Apostles and Disciples of Christ. Whereupon it is said Chap. 20. where the former story as some thinke is continued the Angel bindeth Satan for a thousand yeares which end in the yeare 1073. which being expired the diuell is loosed and Gregory 7. alias Hildebrand a notable sorceres and murtherer in whom Antichrist came to his full growth was installed in the Papacie Augustine beginneth this account much about De ciuit Dei Lib. 20 cap. 8. this time 3. That these 1000. yeares take their beginning from the time of the reuelation which was about the yeare of our Lord 96. and consequently ended about the yeare 1096. in which yeare those vniuersall wars were raised for the recouery of Ierusalem and the holy land out of the hand of the Saraâ—…s which the holy Ghost here seemeth to speake of betwixt the nations of the earth In this expedition there met at Ierusalem 600000. footmen and 100000. horsemen out of Christendome besides eight or nine other expeditions afterwards for the recouerie forsooth of the holy-land 4. Others begin this account at the beginning of Constantines reigne which happened not long after the yeere 300. who being the first Christian Emperour gaue peace to the Church of God and according to this account the thousand yeeres expired about the yeere 1300. in which yeere the Turkish Empire began in Ottoman and Pope Boniface the eight most insolently and Antichristianlie challenged especially in that his yeere of Iubilee an vniuersall dominion ouer the world both spirituall and temporall All which opinions being seuerally probable it is more then probable that those 1000. yeeres are already expired and consequently that Antichrist is already come For as Bellarmine teacheth the diuell was to be loosed in the time of Antichrist and the Text plainely sheweth that before the expiration of the thousand yeares and loosing of the diuell many were slaine by Antichrist So that the testimonies which he alledgeth are against his purpose For the great tribulation whereof Christ speaketh is already past and the thousand yeeres whereof Iohn speaketh already expired and therefore if Bellarmines allegations be to the purpose then Antichrist is come 3. But supposing his proposition to be thus farre true that the persecution of the church vnder Antichrist shal be very great and grieuous for that vnder him shal be the greatest tribulation that euer was or shal be I dare not auouch because our Sauiour hath said that the calamities of the Iewes at the destruction of Ierusalem were the greatest that euer were or shal be to the end of the world let vs come to his assumption and consider whether there hath not bin great and grieuous persecution of the church vnder the Pope Bellarmine confesseth that many of our religion haue bin put to death by them but he maketh it a matter of nothing First because this persecution if it were so to be called is not comparable with the persecutions vnder the Heathenish Emperours and especially vnder Dioclesian by whose authority 17000. Christians were slaine in 〈◊〉 moneth And secondly because more of them haue beene slaine by Protestants in France and Flanders within 10. or 15. yeeres before Bellarmine read these controuersies which was Anno. 1577 then had beenâ—… burnt of our men by the Inquisitours in an hundred yeeres and thirdly if there hath beene any persecution in these latter times the Catholicks haue suffered it rather theÌ„ the Protestants To which I answer that I cannot tell whether the Papists in persecuting the faithfull haue beene more cruell and barbarous or he in cloaking their cruelty shamelesse For to omit the spirituall calamities inflicted by the Pope and fearefull hauock of mens soules wherein he taketh such libertie to himselfe that if he cary whole troopes of soules into hell no man may say vnto him sir why do you so omitting I say these spirituall calamities which are most greeuous and in respect whereof the tribulation of Christian people hath bin more grieuous vnder the Pope then vnder any Heathenish tyrants and to speake onely of outward troubles why are not the persecutions of the Protestants vnder the Pope comparable with those in the Primitiue church For durance they haue beene longer and more continuall for number more flaine in France alone vnder the name of Alâ—…igenses Waldenses Hugonotes for refusing the marke of the beast then were sâ—…aine in any one of the ten persecutions throughout the world besides infinite more as Saunders confesseth in other countries Demonstrat 34. on whom the Papists haue practised most sauage cruelty The Duke of Alba in the Low-countries alone caused within a very few yeares 36000. to be executed Yea but in Dioclesians time saith Bellarmine there were in one moneth 17000. Christians martyred Yea but in France alone say I vnder Charles the ninth within one moneth were slaughtered in the Massacre at Paris Lyons some other places as some say 40000 as others aboue thirty thousand that is to say twise as many as in Dioclesians moneth without all order of law but with most perfidious treacherie and barbarous cruelty And this bloody Massacre applauded by the Pope and his Cardinals was committed within fiue or six yeeres before Bellarmine read these controuersies concerning the Pope that is to say Anno. 1572. And yet this cruell Cardinall of the purpled harlot the church of Rome which is embrued and as it were died redde with the blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Iesu is not ashamed to say that within 10. or 15. yeeres there haue bin slaine more Catholicks in France and Flanders then had bin burnt by the Inquisitours these 100 yeeres As touching the Inquisitours they can kill but all that they finde of the religion and that I am sure they spare not to doe Vergerius who could 1. Bal. de act Pontific well tell witnesseth that within the space of 30. yeeres there were put to diuers fearfull deaths by the bloody Inquisition a hundred fiftie thousand Christians But we speake not onely of those which haue bin burnt or by other more exquisiâ—…e torments martyred by their meanes although the number of them in all countries cannot be reckoned but we speake also of those that haue beene in great multitudes by outragious Massacres most butcherly murthered 4. But what Catholicks I beseech you haue bin put to death by protestants for their religion Bellarmine answereth that manie of them haue died in
the ciuill warres in France Flanders It may be that the Protestants in these ciuill warres vnder-taken for their owne defence that they might be free from such outrages haue slaine in lawfull battaile many of the Papists as contrariwise many of themselues haue beene slaine But what is this to the purpose Thus many in the armies of Antiochus Epiphanes the most cruell persecutor of the Church of the Iewes were slaine in Iewrie in the time of the Macchabees as well as they had slaine many of the Iewes But I say againe what Catholicks as they call them haue beene put to death for religion As for those fewe that haue beene executed among vs what one was put to death that was not found guiltie eyther of treason or rebellion or some such capitall crime And yet the Papists report and in Bookes doe publish that I cannot tell how many of them are martyred here in England for their religion Neither are they ashamed to write and in Rome to publish that some of them haue beene put into Beares Ecclefiâ—… Anglic. Trophâ—… Printed at Rome An. 1584. cum priuileg Gregor 13 skinnes and baited with Dogges which also they haue set out in tables But compare I beseech you with those many that were martyred in Queene Maries fiue yeeres those few that haue beene executed in Queene Elizabeths fortie fiue yeares Compare the causes which make persecution in the agents and martyrdome in the patients What one put to death of those which were burnt in Q. Maries time for any crime but onely for religion which they cal heresie what one of the Catholicks as they call them in Q. Elizabeths time executed who was not found guiltie of some capitall crime Compare the estate of Papists liuing among Protestants at this day as namely in England with the estate of Protestants liuing among Papists as namely in Spaine Is any one suffered to liue among them that is but once suspected to be of our religion Is not euery such a one either priuately murdered or publickly brought to the stake Among vs who is not suffered to liue although he be knowne to be of the Romish religion To liue did I say Nay God be mercifull vnto vs that suffer them so to liue as they doe to the encouragement and infection of others I speake not onely of ordinarie Papists and those that are at liberty but of the ring-leaders also that be in custodie whose life hath beene more easie and pleasant and maintenance more plentifull then of the Let the Casâ—…les of UUisbich and Fremingham be witnesse most students or ministers among vs. Yea but there is cause will they say that we should deale worse with you then you with vs. Nothing lesse They object to vs onely heresie and that as truely as the Iewes did to Paul which we doe truely object vnto them and in regarde thereof might nay should doe to the children of Babylon as they haue done to vs. But besides Apoc. 18. 6 many grosse and capitall heresies which race the foundation we truely object vnto them that their religion bringeth with it treason against the Prince and rebellion against God Treason against the Prince not onely because of their confederacie with the chiefe enemies of our state the Pope and Spaniard in regard whereof those Iesuites and Priests which come among vs from beyond-Seas as also those which harbour them are worthy of death but also because more generally they holding the Popes supremacie and authoritie to depose Princes and withall beleeuing that the Pope in his definitiue sentence cannot erre they cannot but approoue the Bull of excommunication wherein Pius the fift as much as was in him deposed our Queene of famous memory and absolued her subjects from all allegeance to her Rebellion against God because it perswadeth an Apostasie and falling away from God into grosse and palpable idolatrie Of which fault whosoeuer are found guiltie that is to perswade others to idolatrie by the law of God they ought not be suffered to liue because they haue perswaded an Apostasie from God Deut. 13. All this notwithstanding Deut. 13. 5. 8. 9. we deale too remissely with them and they most barbarously with vs. And yet forfooth if there be or hath beene any persecution in the Church in these latter times the Catholicks are they which suffer it and not the Protestants Alas poore Wolues how cruelly they haue beene handled among the sheepe of Christ 5. But to proceed As the persecution vnder Antichrist saith Bellarmine shall be most grieuous so shall it be most manifest For thus he reasoneth The persecution vnder Antichrist shall be most manifest this vnder the Pope is not manifest therefore this is not the persecution of Antichrist The proposition is prooued because then all the wicked shall aperto marte oppugne the whole church and not onely those that be Infidels and open sinners but the hypocrites also and false brethren shall then joyne themselues to Antichrist and discouering themselues openly assault the Church And is not this well gessed thinke you contrary to the word of truth vttered by our Sauiour Christ For whereas our Sauiour hath said that the good and bad shall growe together like Wheate and Tares vntill the day of the great haruest Bellarmine telleth vs that when Antichrist commeth there shall such a separation be made that there shall not an hypocrite be left in the Church but all the wicked without exception shall be together Omnes prorsus impios simul futuros in exercitu Antichristi in Antichrists hoste and shall openly oppugne the whole Church of the Saints But such separation is not to be looked for vntill Christ shall seuer the Lambes from the Goates And therefore if we must not beleeue that Antichrist is come vntill such a separation be made assuredly Christ will come vpon vs to judgement whiles we looke for Antichrist Yea but Augustine saith That now there be many false bretheren in the De ciuit Dei lib. 20. c. 11. Church At tunc erumpent omnes inquit Augustinus in apertam persecutionem ex latebris odiorum But then all shall burst forth saith Augustine out of their couert hatred into open persecution If Augustine had said so we might wel haue esteemed his speech to haue beene but a humane conjecture rather then a Prophecie diuine But Bellarmine without all shame falsifieth his words For Augustine in that place speaking of those words Apoc. 20. 7. Soluetur Satanas de custodia sua exibit ad seducendas nationes Satan shall be let loose out of his warde and shall goe forth to seduce the nations Exibit autem dictum est saith he in apertam persecutionem de latebris erumpet odiorum Now it is said that he shall goe forth viz. into open persecution he shall breake forth of the couerts of hatred speaking of the diuell alone and not of all the wicked And thus was his proposition doughtily prooued being neuerlesse according to