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
45. 46. Bellarm. de concil l. 2. c. 17. de pot Rom. lib. 2. c. 31. Ioan. de turrecre sum de eccl lib. 2. c. 27. cap. 80. R. Cupers pag. 34. num 1. Bonifac. 8. c. quoniaÌ„ de immunit in 6. Panormit For it is not sit that the Pope should reseÌ„ble Christ who now is glorified in heauen as he was conteÌ„ned but as the Pastor of the whole world supernal heaueÌ„ly as he shall come to be our iudge to whom it is certain that all men of necessity must obey For it is euident that the worke of redeÌ„ption being accoÌ„plished the power of Christ was extended as well in heauen as in earth Mat. 28. All power is giueÌ„ vnto me in heaueÌ„ in earth Which power is translated vnto his Vicar c. In respect of his office therfore he is the foundation the head the husband the Lord of the vniuersal church in vnction Christ is therfore to be called a R. Cupers de eccl Christus Domini the Lords Christ. Now if it be obiected that Christ alone is the head b Eph. t. 21. 22. 4. 15. 5. 23. Col. 1. 28. of the Catholike Church and so of the c Eph. 5. 24. Ioan. 3. 29. 2. Cor. 11. 2. 1. Cor. 3. 11. 12. rest answere is made that d R. Cupers de eccl pag. 128. num 36. Christ and the Pope in the Church are vnuÌ„ idem caput one and the same head and doe make one and the same consistorie e Idem pag. 30. num 8. for it were a monstrous thing that the Church should haue two heads And to the same purpose saith a f 1. de turrecreâ—…at summ de eccle lib. 2. c. 26. Cardinall of Rome The iudgement of the Pope is reputed the iudgement of God and his sentence and his consistory the consistory of God and therefore Christ and the Pope are not properly two heads but one as Boniface the eight declareth In extrav c. vnam sanctam But to speake more particularly of his offices For prophecie hee is the vniuersall or oecumenicall Bishop and Pastor of Pastors Orat. Cornelij episcopâ—… 〈◊〉 in concil â—…rident sub Pau. lo 3. the Ordinary or Bishop of the whole world Who is oom a light into the world but men haue loued darkenesse more then light who hath the supreme authority of interpreting the scriptures who is the supreame iudge in controuersies of religion hauing De translat epise c. quanto in gloss an heauenly arbitrement and as it were a diuine and infallible iudgement who is aboue 1 Decret Greg. l. 1. de elect 〈◊〉 oâ—… c. significaâ—… Concil Florent Tâ—…dent generall councels for 2 R. Cupers de â—…ccl pag. 31. num 23. Pigâ—… lib. 6. c. 13. although in a generall councell the vniuersall Church is represented in Cupers pag. 125 nâ—… 9. so much that nothing is greater then the Councell Tamen Papa eidem omnimoda supereminet authoritate Notwithstanding Capâ—… sol 23. C. de sumâ—… trinit l. 1. in f. the Pope surpasseth the same in all maner authority whose iudgement is to bee preferred before the iudgement of the whole worlde insomuch that if the whole worlde should determine against the Pope wee must stande to his sentence for so they say 4 R. Cupers pag. 11 〈◊〉 18. Papae sententia totius orbis plâ—…to prefertuâ—… And againe 5 1. de turrecrem lib. 3. c. 64. Si totus mundus sentiret or as the 6 In c. nemo 9. q 3. glosse readeth sentenâ—…iaret contra Papam videtur quòd sentenâ—…ae Papae standum esset vt 24. q. 1. haec est fides haec gloss 7 Baldus who is of greater authority then all the Saints and in respect thereof is of 8 1. de turrecrem summ lib. 2 cap. 26. great perfection then the whole body of the Church besides But it is not sufficient for this Antichrist to preferre himselfe aboue the whole Church which is the body of Christ vnlesse also hee sought in respect of the propheticall office to match himselfe with Christ the head of the church yea and in some respects to ouermatch him 9. He seeketh to match himselfe with Christ 1. in taking vpon him to make newe articles of Eaith and to propound doctrines not contayned in the Scriptures as necessarie vnto saluation 2. In making fiue Sacraments more then Christ appointed some whereof hee preferreth aboue baptisme and those two which Christ hath ordained he hath so altered and chaunged as that the one is scarcely the other not at all the same And whereas Christ ordained the Sacrament of his body and blood in two kindes they not withstanding his institution will haue it administred to the people but in one kind For so it is professed in the Councell of Constance that although Christ administred this venerable sacrament â—…ss 13. vnto his Disciples vnder both kinds of bread and wine and although in the primitiue church this sacrament was receiued of the faithfull in both kinds notwithstanding this custome of receiuing the bread only was vpoÌ„ good reason brought in for the auoiding of some dangers and scandales 3. In making their owne deuises decretals traditioÌ„s of equal authority with the word of God Innocentius 3. comanded that the words of the canon Ioan. Bal in eius vita of the Masse should be held equal to the words of the gospell Agatho the Pope decreed that all the constitutions of the See apostolick are to be receiued as authorized by the diuine voice D stinct 19. c. sic omnes Ioan. de turrecrem lib. 2. c. 108. of Peter himselfe And in the same distinction this is the title or argument of one chapter Inter canonic as Scripturas decretales epistolae connumerantur that is Among the Canonicall scriptures the decretall epistles are numbred Which in Dâ—…st 19. c. in canonicâ—… the chapter it selfe is absurdly proued out of Augustine misalledged And as touching traditions whereby are meant De doctr Christi l. 2. c. 8. all points of popery which as themselues confesse are not contained in the written worde the holy Councell of Trent hath ordained that they are to bee receiued and honoured Pari piâ—…tatis affectu ac reuerentia With as great affection of Sess. 4. pietie and reuerence as the written worde of God Which decree when as a certaine Bishop misliked Ceruinus the Popes Iacobus Nachiantes Clodiae follae episcopus Bal. in vita Marcellâ—… secundi legate who afterwardes was Pope called Marcellus 2. caused him to bee expelled out of the Councell And lastly least he should seeme in any thing to be inferiour to Christ our Prophet hee confirmeth his doctrines by miracles as they call them 10. And thus the Pope matcheth himselfe with Christ our Prophet let vs now consider how he aduaunceth himselfe aboue him Which he manifestly doth in preferring his owne and the churches authority aboue the scriptures And
to obey their princes if he shal excommunicate a lawfull prince or suborne a wicked traytour to murder his soueraigne then disobedience to parents periurie and rebellion in subiectes murthering of sacred Princes is not onelie a warrantable but also a meritorious acte For as you haue hearde Papa ex iniustitia potest facere iustitiam The Pope of sinne can make righteousnesse And that the Pope may thus dispense with the word of God his canonistes and diuines doe diuersely dispute One saith a Michael Medina Christian paraenes lib. 7. c. 17. Gratian. part 1. pag. 76. Potestas in diuinas leges ordinariè in Romano pontifice residet Power ouer the lawes of God remaineth ordinarily in the pope of Rome Others say Papa potest dispensare contra ius diuinum b 16. q. 1. de decimiâ—… in â—…loss Dist. 34. c. Lector 15 q. 6. authoritatem Priuilegium contra ius diuinum concedi potest The Pope may dispense or grant a priuiledge against the law of God c Abb. Panorm extr de d 〈◊〉 cap. sin that is as another saith hee may dispense against the law of God in particular but not in generall Papa potest dispensare contra Apostolum the Pope may dispense against the Apostle d Felin de constitut cap statuta canonum The Pope may dispense against the new testament vpon a greate cause e The Pope may dispense against the Epistles of Paule And to put this matter out of doubt which is so doubtfullie handled by some popish writers this question in summa angelica is determined and decided out of diuerse authors approued in the church of Dictione Papa Rome That as in the precepts of the second table the Pope cannot dispense vniuersally for that were not to dispense with them but wholly to abrogate the lawes themselues but in particular cases vbi ratio legis desicit where the reason of the lawe faileth so hec may dispense with all the precepts of the old and new testament But how shall wee know where the reason of the lawe faileth This may partly be knowne by those examples in the scripture where God himselfe dispensed with his lawes But where there is no example of Gods dispeÌ„sation in the like case then it appertaineth to the Pope alone to declare when and in what particular case the reason of the lawe faileth And I sirmelie beleeue saith the authour of that booke that if any man crauing a dispensation in any case against the lawe of God interpose not importunitie of reward or suite but simplie put himselfe into the hands of the Pope by declaring his case that God will not sufter his vicar to erre in dispensing So that whereas the lawes and commandements of God are to bee vnderstoode with this exception onely Nisi Deus ipse aliter voluerit vnlesse God himselfe otherwise appoint because hee alone may dispense with his owne lawes notwithstanding by the popish diuinitie they are to bee vnderstood with this exception vnlesse the Pope otherwise appoint that is wee are bound to keepe euery commaundement of God vnlesse the Pope interpose his authoritie betwixt God and vs as the tribunes of the comunalty among the Romanes were wont to intercede against other magistrates and exempt vs from the obedience thereof 12 And as the Pope may dispense with all the lawes of God so in the last place hee may and doth take away some and abrogate others Papa potest tollere ius diuinum ex Felinus de maior obed cap. sin parte non in totum the Pope may take away the law of God in part but not in whole Thus hee taketh away the second commaundement out of the decalogue because with it his Idolalatrie cannot stand and to make vp the full number of ten he diuideth the last commandement into two against all reason and authority of antiquitie But that commandement concerning images and diuerse others the Pope also abrogateth by his countermaunds God forbiddeth vs either to worshippe or to serue any but himselfe Mat. 4. 10. 1. Sam. 7. 3. Ex. 20. 3. The Pope commaundeth vs to worshippe Angells and Saints yea and the reliques of Saints God forbiddeth the making and worshipping of images the Pope commaundeth the contrary God condemneth stewes the Pope alloweth them yea Six 4. Concilâ—…trid sess 5. one of them built a famous stewes God condemneth concupiscence as a sinne the Pope alloweth it for no sinne God commaundeth all the faithfull to drinâ—… of the cup in the Lords supper the Pope forbiddeth the same God commaundeth euery soule to be subiect to the higher powers the Pope exempteth his cleargie a iugo seculari from the secular yoke God commaundeth all to mary who haue not the gift of continencie the Pope forbiddeth all his cleargie though neuer so incontinent to mary Besides it is euident that the Popes lawes in the church of Rome are in greater estimation theÌ„ the lawes of God the obedience of them beeing more straightly vrged and the disobedience thereof more seuerely punished then of Gods lawes As for example it is more safe for a man in the church of Rome to bee a meere Atheist a worshipper of no God then not to bee a worshipper of their God of bread though otherwise a good Christian better for a priest to bee a So domit then to mary better to bee a drunkard and whoremonger then to eat slesh in Lent better with the begging friers Anno. 1254. Matth. Paris 1254. to set foorth a new gospell which they called the gospell of the holy ghost and the eternall gospell wherein they taught that Christ is not God and that his gospell is not the true gospell Naâ—…r t. 2. 3â—…6 and no more to be compared with their gospell then the Bal. in lib. de vitis pontif in append 〈◊〉 Fox nutshell is to be compared with the kernel then for that learned man Guilielmus des Amore to write against them and their gospell for him the Pope disgraded and deposed from al his dignities when he would not suffer them to be disgraced him he sent into exile when hee retained them in his high fauour Yet because he had rather be Antichrist then seeme so he caused the friers Gospel when it was complained of to be burnt yet secretly that his Friers might not be disgraced nor scandalized Better for priuate men to reade any bookes of ribaldry or any villany whatsoeuer then to read any parte of the scriptures in their owne tongue To these many other particulars might be added wherin the Pope aduanceth his owne lawes aboue the commaundements of God and his owne authority aboue the authority of the Scriptures Let vs therefore humbly conclude according to the popish humilitie that as the Pope is aboue the Church so the Church is aboue the scriptures Humiliter confitemur saith a Papist ecclesiae authoritatem Ioan. Maria verractus apud Iuellum esse supra Euangelium We humbly coÌ„fesse that the authority
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
this worthie Saint or glorious martyr that he will pray to God for vs ◅hat by his merites we may haue pardon and forgiuenesse of o◅r sinnes or something to the like effecte Wee reade of diuerse of their Saints who when they haue beene beheaded haue caried their Saint Iustinian the monke Saint Osi◅a Saint Fulcien and Saint Victorice heads in their hands some one mile some two miles And it is a wonder that hasting from so sharpe a banquet they did not leaue their heades behind them for haste Among manie other miracles they tell vs of fire also which they haue caused to come downe from heauen in the sight that is iudgement and opinion of men besotted and giuen ouer to beleeue their monstruous vntruthes In the life of Prothe and Iacinct they make fire to come downe from heauen to kill Melancy the false accuser of Eugenne They haue brought downe a pillar of fire reaching from heauen vnto the earth where the bodie of Saint Edward the Martyr lay Vpon the head of Saint Martin as hee was saying masse they haue fetched downe a tongue of fire from heauen to make him equall as they say to the Apostles In the fable of Saint George they make fire to come downe from heauen to burne the idoles with their temple and priestes In the life of Barbara wee reade that when her owne father beeing her persecutour had drawne his sworde to slay her shee was miraculouslie taken vp in a stone and caried into a mountaine where two shepheades were feeding their sheepe And when one of them had bewraied her to her father and shee in her charitie had cursed him anone his sheepe became locustes and hee consumed into a stone Then her father hauing apprehended her deliuered her to the iudge who put her to death Whereupon they bring downe fire from heauen to consume her father Their doctrine of purgatorie and prayer for the dead is confirmed by manie wonders and strange apparitions of soules departed begging masses for their deliuerance out of purgatorie And in like manner it is reported that when Birstan the Bishoppe of Winchester staying all night in the churchyard as his manner was said ouer his psalmes for the soules departed comming to these words requ◅scant in pace let them rest in peace he heard the voice of an infinit number out of the graues crying Amen But to this purpose also in their legend they haue made fire to descend from heauen When as they tell vs of a certaine Bishoppe who appearing in the clouds of heauen to another here vpon earth did let some fire drop vpon him to giue him a tast of the torments in purgatorie Besides these examples many other might bee found if they were woorth the seeking in their fabulous writings as also in some other of their storyes which testifie that diuerse times in the church of Rome fire hath beene brought downe from heauen But these which I Ioan. Linturius in appead ad fascic tempor haue recited may suffice in seeking and setting downe wherof I should haue thought my time and paines not wel bestowed such are the ridiculous fooleries of popery wherewith the churches in the time of darknesse haue beene pestered sauing that I considered that the more incredible the report is of Popish miracles the more euidently it is proued both that the Pope is Antichrist and the Papists the followers of Antichrist vpon whome God hath sent strong illusions that they might beleeue lyes In the first sence therefore the prophecy Reuel 13. doth fitte the Pope and church of Rome who by greate signes and wonders do so confirme their Antichristian errours and superstitions in the sight that is in the iudgement opinion and beliefe of men besotted and made drunke with the whore of Babylons cuppe of fornications as though God did seeme to approoue thereof in aunswering by fire from heauen And this interpretation seemeth to be confirmed by the words for it is not directly said that Antichrist should cause fire to come downe from heauen but onely thus that he doth great signes insomuch that fire descendeth from heauē in the sight of men That is insomuch that in the iudgement of men God seemeth to answere him by fire from heauen and to beare witnesse to his doctrines by miracles wrought by the finger of God 12 But descending of fire signifieth also the bestowing of the grace of Gods spirit which is called fire Mat. 3. 11. Act. 2. 3. In which sence the Pope may bee saide to make fire come downe from heauen but wee must adde before men that is in their opinion and conceipt For he forsooth as the church of Rome beleeueth giueth not onely the graces of the spirite to men but also the power of sanctification both to men and also to some creatures of his owne as to his Ag◅ Del and his holy water sprinckle c. And in this sence doth Primasius expound this place Thirdly the comming downe of fire signifieth the wrathfull vengeaunce of God executed vpon his enemies which often in the Scriptures is called fire to wit the Apoc. 20. 9. fire of Gods wrath As Elias therefore brought fire from heauen to consume the two Captaines and their fifties so Antichrist according to this interpretation shall with a diuine reuenge as it were with fire from heauen take vengeance vpon his aduersaries but here also we must adde before men who shall thinke that those against whom Antichrist shal send the thunderbolt of his wrath are punished with a Diuine reuenge and as it were with fire from heauen This also is verified of the Pope of Rome who with a diuine reuenge as he forsooth is Deus vindictae The God of reuenge pursueth his R. Cupers de eccl pag. 61. num 52. enemies but especially with the thunderbolt of excommunication as themselues doe call it Which as it is terribly sent from this Iupiter of Rome so is it fearefully executed with Gregor 7. in ep◅st ad German apud Auentin lib. 5. putting out and casting downe of lights from aboue as if the fire of Gods wrath were at their commaunde or as if with Gregory the seuenth they could shake it out of their sleeues And well may this be reckened among the wonders of Antichrist For it were more then a wonder that Kings and Emperours should by excommunications from the Pope bee either so daunted in themselues or abandoned of their subiectes as some haue beene but that the Popes haue professed and their followers haue beleeued that God himselfe doth whatsoeuer is done by the Pope who being Canonically elected is a God vpon earth and hath the same consistory and iudgement seate with God himselfe whose vicar he would seeme to be consequently that those Kings and Emperours were deposed of God who were excommunicated by the Pope whereas other Princes and people that are not made drunke with the cuppe of their fornications haue esteemed their bulles of excōmunication as Bullas that is
singuler person Therefore the Pope is not Antichrist To the proposition I answere that as the Pope is one so is Antichrist The Pope is one person not in number and nature as one certaine and singuler man but one at once by lawe and institution though successiuely so many as haue enjoyed the Papacie For euen as the Papists when they say that the Pope hath beene the head of the Church and Vicar of Christ these 1500. yeares doe not meane See lib. 1. cap. 1. 〈◊〉 4. any one Pope but the order and succession so we when we say that the Pope hath beene Antichrist almost these thousand yeeres wee meane not any one Pope onely but the whole rowe or rabble of them since the yeere 607. And thus Antichrist that is the head of the Antichristian body which was reuealed after the taking away of the Romane Empire is to continue after a sort vntill the end of the world is one person one I say at once ordinarily but continued in a succession of many The proposition thus denied by vs Bellarmine laboureth to confirme by authoritie of the Scriptures and testimonies of the Fathers Out of the Scriptures he produceth fiue testimonies The first out of the Gospell of Iohn chapter 5. verse 43. I am Iohn 5. 43. come in my Fathers name and you receiue mee not if another shall come in his owne name him will you receiueâ—… In which wordes Bellarmine vnderstandeth Christ to speake of Antichrist as of one singuler person And that he would prooue by testimonies of the Fathers and foure reasons But Bellarmine and the rest of the Papists which make this collection out of this place either ignorantly mistake or wilfully depraue this text For first whereas our Sauiour Christ speaketh indefinitely of any false teacher which should come vnto them in his owne name that is not sent of God they expound him as if he had spoken definitely of one singuler Antichrist Secondly whereas Christ speaketh not onely indefinitely but also conditionally If another come they expound him as if in a simple and proper axiome or proposition he had prophecied of the comming of Antichrist as if he had said that other counterfeit Messias that is to say that singuler Antichrist sha'l come in his owne name and him you will receiue And thirdly whereas Christ speaketh of those Iewes to whom he speaketh they vnderstand him to speake of those which shal be in the end of the world But let vs consider his proofes The Fathers saith he doe testifie that these words are spoken de vno Antichristo of one Antichrist First I answer that although diuers of the Fathers expound these words of Antichrist yet none of them hath that word Vno one and therefore the Iesuites collection is absurde The Fathers vnderstand this place of Antichrist therefore Antichrist is one singuler person For the Fathers also vnderstand that place Mat. 24. 24. of Antichrist where our Sauiour Christ speaketh in the plurall number of false Christs and false Prophets which should arise and confer that place with this And therefore they may seeme to vnderstand this speech of our Sauiour as if he had said If another come Mat. 24. 5. 24. in his owne name as many indeed shall come such will you receiue And sure it is that the Iewes haue receiued more then one of such as haue come in their owne name And secondly I answer that the Fathers had no reason to restraine these words vnto Antichrist alone as though Christ had prophecied of the Iewes receiuing of Antichrist for their Messias seeing his speech is neither simple nor definite but conditionall and indefinite Whereby our Sauiour Christ would shew the vntoward disposition of the Iewes who as they rejected him who was sent of God so they would be ready to receiue any other that should come in his owne name not sent of God And so Nonnus in his Paraphrase vpon this place expoundeth these words Ei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But if any other come c. And lastly if these answers will not suffice let the aduersary conclude his argument drawne from the authoritie of the fathers in a Syllogisme and when he hath so done let him prooue the proposition which must be this whatsoeuer those fathers write concerning Antichrist is true and then the assumptioÌ„ which is to this effect but this those fathers write that Christ speaketh those words de vno Antichristo of one singuler Antichrist then which will neuer be I will yeeld to the conclusion 2. But omitting his testimonies let vs come to those arguments which he draweth out of the text to proue that Christ in these words speaketh of one singuler Antichrist First saith he Christ opposeth vnto himselfe another man that is person to person as appeareth by these words I another c. His reason is thus to be framed where these two words I and another are opposed one to the other we are to vnderstand that as I signifieth one singuler person so also another but in this place I and another are opposed therfore c. I answere where the other is taken definitely for that other as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vsed Iohn 18. 16. and 20. 2. 3. 4. there the proposition may be true But where it is vsed indefinitely as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another in this place it is most false for in such speeches to a certaine and definite person is opposed an indefinite and vncertaine As for example Iob. 31. 8. What I sowâ—… let another reape meaning any other 1 Cor. 3. 10. I haue laide the foundation another buildeth thereon but let euery one take heed how he buildeth thereon Such examples are ordinary As if I shoud say this argument I call a childish reason another would call it a dotage and so I let it passe His second reason is this Whom the Iewes shall receiue for their Messias he is but one particular man Antichrist shall be receiued of the Iewes for their Messias as Christ here saith therefore Antichrist is but one singuler man Answer Christ dooth not here foretell that Antichrist shal be receiued of the Iewes for their Mesias For first his speech is conditional therefore not a prophecie Neither doth he foretel what they were to do but sheweth them what in respect of their present disposition they were ready to doe if any false teacher should obtrude himselfe vnto them Secondly it is indefinite and therfore not to be restrained to a certaine person Thirdly he doth not say that they shall receiue another for their Messias coÌ„ming in his owne name but onely that they shall receiue him Fourthly those Iewes to whom of whom our Sauior speaketh were not to be aliue at the comming of the great Antichrist according to the opinion of the Papists themselues therefore our Sauiour speaketh not of the Iewes receiuing of Antichrist much lesse of Antichrist as one particular person Thirdly saith he all false
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
signification of a curse And I adde that they might with as good reason alledge that Antichrist shal be of the Tribe of Beniamin of whom it is said verse 27. that he shal rauin as a Wolfe Ieremy vndoubtedly speaketh not of Antichrist nor yet as Bellarmine saith of the Tribe of Dan but of Nabuchadonosor who was to come by the coast or countrey called Dan to destroy Ierusalem as Ierome rightly expoundeth Why Dan is omitted in Apoc. 7. it is not wel knowne saith Bellarmine especially seeing Ephraim also which was one of the greatest Tribes is left out But here Bellarmine doth praeuaricari and by trifling betray the truth For it is not true that Ephraim is left out for seeing Manasses is mentioned Verse 6. wee must needes by the Tribe of Ioseph mentioned Verse 8. vnderstand the Tribe of Ephraim Neuer thelesse this may truly be said that there are other causes of this omission then that which is alledged concerning Antichrist For else we may say as well that Antichrist should come of the Tribe of Simeon because he is not mentioned in the blessing of Moyses Deut. 33. The truth is that where the holy Ghost numbreth the 12. Tribes and mentioneth Leui which for the most part is not As Apoc. 17. reckned among the 12. Tribes because it was scattered among them all some one of the other Tribes is left out otherwise where 12. are named 13. should be reckned The mentioning therfore of Leui is the cause why some one of the rest is not expressed but either comprehended vnder an other that is mentioned as Simeon vnder Iuda Deut. 33. Ephraim Manasses being two seuerall great Tribes vnder Ioseph Deut. 27. 12. Ezec 48. 32. are altogether omitted as Dan. Apo. 7. Now Dan seemeth to be omitted rather then any other because that was the first Tribe which fel from God vnto Idolatry for the same cause as some thinke the genealogie of that Tribe is omitted in the first booke of the Chronicles 3 These opinions therfore though countenanced with the authoritie of the Fathers Bellarmine dareth not deliuer as matters of truth because they cānot be proued out of the scriptures The which in truth is the cause why we reiect all the fancies of the Papists concerning Antichrist wherin they differ from vs because that although many of thē were also the opiniōs of the auncient writers who could but ghesse at the meaning of prophecies not then fulfilled yet they cannot be proued out of the word of God wherein Antichrist is sufficiently described This libertie therefore which Bellarmine lawfully taketh vnto himself in reiecting the testimonies of the Fathers in this point not warranted by the scriptures must in equitie also be graunted vnto vs. For vpō the same principle or ground which Bellarmine here setteth downe we reason against the Popish conceits after this maner Those opinions concerning Antichrist which cannot be proued out of the scriptures are not to be held as certaine truthes or beleeued as matters of faith although they haue the testimony of the Fathers But all the Popish cōceits cōcerning Antichrist are such as cannot be proued out of the scriptures therefore none of the Popish conceits concerning Antichrist are to be receiued for certaine truthes though diuers of them haue the testimony of the Fathers 4 Now let vs heare in the third place what those things are which Bellarmine would haue vs to take vpon his word for certaine and sound in this point There be two things saith hee most certaine one that Antichrist shall come for the Iewes especially and shal be receiued of them for their Messias The other that he shall be borne of the Nation of the Iewes and shall be circumcised and shall at the least for a time obserue the Sabbath On which two points the propositiō of the syllogisme before rehearsed doth consist the which Bellarmine thought to set out as true by setting by §. 1 it other opinions more absurd then it is But although there be degrees of falsehood in all these opinions yet all of them are false as being grounded vpon this false supposition that Antichrist 1 is but one singular man And secondly by the same reason that moued Bellarmine to reiect the former opinions may 2 these also be reiected namely because they cannot be proued out of the scriptures but contrariwise may be disproued thereby For Antichrist shall sit in the Temple of God that is shall raigne in the church of Christ and shall be an Apostate 3 and the head of the Apostasie as Bellarmine confesseth and therfore not the head of the Iewes who cannot be said to make an Apostasie before they be called but of back-sliding Christians Againe Antichrist is one of the seuen heads of the beast mentioned Apoc. 17. that is of the Romaine state hauing his 4 seate in Babylon that is in Rome in the gouernment whereof hee succeedeth the Emperour who whiles hee ruled in Rome hindered the reuelation of Antichrist as it hath beene shewed heretofore out of Apoc. 17. 13. 2. Thess. 2. All which do sufficiently proue that Antichrist was not to be a Iew either by nation or religion but a Latine or Romaine which name with the marke therof he causeth all sorts of men to take vpon thē And lastly for as much as the Papists themselues hold the calling of the Iewes it would be knowne whether they shall reuolt after their calling from Christ to Antichrist or whether they shall be called after the destruction of Antichrist or during the time of Antichrists raigne which shal be as they say the terme of three yeares a halfe precisely or 1260. daies But themselues denie that the Iewes shall reuolt after their calling or that they shal be called in the time of Antichrists raigne that they shal be called after the destruction of Antichrist which shall not be before the ende of the world it is absurd 5 But let vs see how he proueth these things which he saith are most certaine sure from whence he draweth his most euident demonstration First that Antichrist shall be receiued of the Iewes for their Messias he proueth by testimonies of scripture by authoritie of Fathers and by reason Out of the scripture he produceth two testimonies the former Ioh. 5. 43. which place I haue heretofore freed frō the corruptiōs of the papists shewing that our Sauiour Christ doth not speake absolutely Another shal come but cōditionally If an other shal com therfore doth not foretel what they were afterwards to do but telleth them what in respect of their present dispositiō they were readie to do if an other should come in his owne name vnto them not sent of God 2. Neither doth he speake definitely of Antichrist but indefinitly of any false teacher 3. he speaketh of those Iews to whō he speaketh who could not be the receiuers of Antichrist vnlesse he were come aboue 1500. yeares agoe 6 His second
the Iewes doo The Iewes looke for him with ioy as for their Messias but the Christians with feare I answere as true Christians looke not at all for the expected Messias of the Iewes to be Antichrist but acknowledge him that is come so Papists but that they cannot see the wood for trees might in stead of looking for Antichrist looke vppon him 10 The second thing which Bellarmine deliuereth concerning Antichrist for a certaine truth is That Antichrist shall be a Iew both by Nation and Religion that is he shall be a Iew borne hee shall be circumcised hee shall be an obseruer of the Iewes Sabboth and other Iewish ceremonies But how is this certaine truth proued forsooth from the premisses For the Iewes will not receiue one for their Messias that is not a Iew borne nor circumcised Nay it is not to bee doubted but that as the Iewes looke for their Messias out of the family of Dauid so hee will faigne himselfe to be of the Tribe of Dauid although indeed he be of the Tribe of Dan. But this Popish conceit built vpon their owne vaine imaginations needeth no answere For seeing I haue ouerthrowne their former assertion wherevpon this is grounded therefore this building of it selfe falleth to the ground Whosoeuer saith hee shall be receiued of the Iewes for their Messias he shall be a Iew borne and circumcised but Antichrist shall be receiued of the Iewes for their Messias as hath bene proued therefore Antichrist shall be a Iew borne c. The proposition is not altogether true for the Herodians receiued Herod for Epiphan lib. 1. de haeresi Iudaeor 7. their Messias and thence had their name But I will not stand vpon that The assumption I haue alreadie disproued shewing that Antichrist was not to be receiued of the Iewes for their Messias and therefore there is no validitie in this argument In the next place therefore for want either of reason or authoritie of scripture he vnderproppeth this tottering wall with testimonies of Fathers but such as either himselfe before hath reiected or else in this question may by the same reason be little regarded The twelue Fathers saith hee which affirmed that Antichrist shall be of the Tribe of Dan doo therefore holde that hee should be a Iew borne But himselfe hath tolde vs that we are not to beleeue them because their opinion cannot bee prooued out of the scriptures and therefore by the same reason neither they nor the rest are to be beleeued in this point which hath no ground in the word of God And thus his most euident demonstration is come to nothing For although the Iewes receiue not the Pope for their Messias but rather esteeme of him as of an other Pharao and withall apply vnto him all that is spoken either of Antichrist as the Papists say or of the type of Antichrist R. Ieuâ—… Gerson Antiochus as we say Dan. 7. 11. this hindereth not but that the Pope may bee Antichrist Yea this may bee some inducement to perswade vs that if those thinges which bee spoken of Antichrist or his type may in the iudgement of the Iewes who are no parties be applyed properly to the Pope that then the Pope is that Antichrist that in Daniel is figured and in other places of scripture not vnlike to that figure described Chap. 13. Of the seate or See of Antichrist 1 OVr aduersaries sixt disputatioÌ„ is concerning the seat or See of Antichrist concluded in this syllogysme Antichrist shall sit at Ierusalem and not at Rome the Pope sitteth at Rome not at Ierusalem therefore the Pope is not Antichrist The proposition concerning which all the coÌ„trouersie is is first proued by testimonies of scriptures afterwards defeÌ„ded against our obiectioÌ„s His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or proofe standeth on three testimonies of scripture The first Apoc. 11. 8. where Iohn saith that Enoch Elias shal be slaine of Antichrist in Ierusalem And their bodies shal lie in the streets of the great Citie which is called spirituall Sodome or Egypt where our Lord also was crucified But what if Iohn speaketh neither of Antichrist nor of Enoch Elias nor of IerusaleÌ„ that hee speaketh not of Antichrist it may bee doubted For verse 7. hee saith that the beast which ascendeth out of the deepe which seemeth to bee the former beast described in the beginning of Chap. 13. shall kill the two witnesses And verse 2. it is said that the court of the Temple should be giuen to the Gentiles and that they should tread vpon the holy Citie 42. moneths which is the time allotted to the persecution of the beast with seuen heads Apoc. 13. 5. Besides the Papists teach that Antichrist shall bee the Prince of the Iewes and counterfeit Christians therefore by their owne doctrine this persecution of the Church by the Gentiles should not be the persecution vnder Antichrist And that Enoch and Elias be not here spoken of it hath bene shewed before thirdly that the holy Ghost doth not meane Ierusalem I haue heretofore proued But suppose that S. Iohn did speake both of Antichrist as it Chap. 6. Lib. 1. caâ—… 2. § 17. seemeth he doth not and also of Ierusalem which I am sure hee doth not yet notwithstanding this followeth not that wheresoeuer the witnesses of Christ are put to death by him or by his authoritie that there should be his principall seate Whereas therefore Bellarmine argueth thus Where the two witnesses are put to death there is the seate of Antichrist at Ierusalem the two witnesses are put to death therefore at Ierusalem is the seate of Antichrist I answere first to the proposition that it being generally vnderstood is false if particularly then Bellarmines argumentation is not a syllogisme but a paralogisme And to the assumption I answer negatiuely that answer I haue heretofore made good prouing that not Ierusalem is here meant but ciuitas Romana the Citie and Empire of Rome which euery where in the Apocalyps is called the great Citie wherein and by authoritie wherof our Lord was crucified See the first booke chap. 2. § 16. 17. 2 His second testimonie is Apoc. 7. 16. wherevnto I haue answered before in the second chapter of the first booke § 18. But as from that place hee would proue that Rome is not the seate of Antichrist so by another argument which he addeth he proueth that it is Ierusalem For saith hee If Antichrist be a Iew and professe himselfe to be the Messias and King of the Iewes then no doubt he will sit in Ierusalem but the former of these I haue disproued in the former chapter and therefore further answere needeth not Yea but foure of the Fathers auouch that Antichrist shall sit at Ierusalem Although they did yet Bellarmine hath taught vs that we are not bound to beleeue them vnlesse their assertioÌ„ can be proued out of the scriptures And yet of these foure Fathers which he alledgeth Lactantius speaketh not of
set vp in the temple of God the Idoll of Iupiter Olympius to be worshipped as it is recorded 2. Mac. 6. who was a God whom his fathers knew not that is acknowledged Strabo geograph lib. 16. not nor worshipped For the Syrians worshipped Apollo and Diana And the munitions of Mahuzzim that is Ierusalem and other cities of Iewry which had bene as it were the munitions and cities of God hee committed them to the tuition of a strange God namely Iupiter Olympius The same prophesie in effect was before deliuered Dan. 7. 25. See Tremell in Dan. 7. 8. 8. 11. by conference of which places with this in hand it is manifest that by the God Mahuzzim is meant the true God 17 This prophesie therefore being meant of Antiochus Epiphanes fulfilled in him cannot properly belong to Antichrist or any other Notwithstanding as in some other things so in the premisses Antiochus may not vnsitly be thought to haue bene a type or figure of Antichrist In so much that both the auncient Fathers haue vnderstood these prophesies of Antichrist and many also of the late writers besides the Iewes haue applyed the same particularly to the Pope For besides that it is most true of the Pope that hee doth what he will seeing Legi non subiacâ—…t vlli hee is subiect to no lawe and no man may say to him Sir why doo you so The rest also after a sort may be verified of him that both hee setteth himselfe against the Idols of the Gentiles and also hath abrogated the true worship of God And that in stead of Christ the Almightie God he hath set vp in his churches besides many other Idols the abhominable Idoll of the Masse a God which his fathers the first Bishops of Rome knew not which notwithstaÌ„ding he honoreth with gold and siluer and precious stones and hath committed the churches cities and countries of Christendome to the tuition and patronage of diuers Saints who as they are indeed so are they called by Paulus Ionius a Popish Bishop the tutelar Gods of the Papists Hist. lib. 24. in fine 18 And these were his testimonies of scripture In the next place for want of better proofes he slyeth to the authoritie of the Fathers as his last refuge as though they testified that Antichrist shall not be an Idolater nor one that will suffer Idols But I answer that the Fathers do either speake of the Idols and Idolatry of the Gentiles onely and in that sence their speeches are verified in this behalfe of the Pope who neither honoreth nor suffereth the Idols of the Gentiles or else if they speake of all Idols and Idolatry in generall when they say Idola seponet as Ireneus or adidololatriam non admittet as Hippolitus or idola odio habebit as Cyrill or adidololatriaÌ„ non adducet ille as Chrysostome they deserue such an Antichrist as in this behalfe is better then the Pope But indeed as the Pope is so Antichrist in the scriptures is described to bee an Idolater as hath bene shewed 19 Hauing thus doughtily proued this Popish conceit the Iesuit proceedeth to the disproofe of our assertioÌ„s expositions of some places of scripture and especially that of 2. Thess 2. Our assertion concerning the doctrine of Antichrist hee saith is onely built vpon the scriptures falsely expounded by new glosses In token whereof saith hee they alledge not one Interpreter or Doctor for them But this is a malicious slaunder witnesse this place which he mentioneth 2. Thess. 2. where we proue by the consent of many of the Fathers that by the Temple is meant the church of God and that in the church of God Antichrist was to be reuealed after the Romane Empire which hindered was taken out of the way c. Our assertions concerning Antichrist are grouÌ„ded on the prophesies of scriptures expounded by the euent which is the best expóunder of prophesies And with our assertions the opinions of the Fathers agree where they are consonant to the scripture and the euent Contrariwise the assertions of the Papists concerning Antichrist as they are repugnant to the scriptures and the truth of the euent so are they wholy grounded either vpon the vncertaine and many times misalledged coniectures of the Fathers who were no Prophets and therefore being not able to foresee the euent did not many times vnderstand the Prophesies or else on the blinde conceits of Popish writers who being deceiued with the efficacie of illusion and made drunke with the whore Babylons cuppe of fornications were giuen ouer to beleeue lyes And whereas our writers expounding those wordes of the Apostle 2. Thess. 2. 4. who is lifted vp aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped doo apply the same vnto the Pope vpon very good and sufficient proofes and from thence do plainely conclude the Pope to be Antichrist for euidence whereof I referre the Reader to the 5. chapter of my former booke He culleth out some stragling sentences out of some one of the vnsoundest writers of our side as their maner is which he may best hope to answere As though we had no more nor no better arguments to proue that the Pope aduanceth himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped then these two First because he professeth himselfe to bee the Vicar of Christ And secondly whereas Christ subiected himselfe willingly vnto the scriptures the Pope challengeth authoritie to dispense with the scripture Howbeit the former of these two reasons hee depraueth and the latter he is not able to satisfie For Illyricus his reason to proue that the Pope aduanceth himselfe aboue all that is called God is not because he maketh himselfe the Vicar of Christ but this because hee vaunting himselfe to be the Vicar of Christ doth notwithstanding vsurpe greater authoritie then the sonne of God claimed vnto himselfe of which that which Bellarmine Catalog test pag. 3. alledgeth as a second reason is by Illyricus added as a proofe Wherevnto Bellarmine is no otherwise able to answer then by impudent and shamelesse deniall either that Christ subiected Contrary to Galat. 4. 4. Luke 2. 51 himselfe to the lawe and word of God or that the Pope taketh vpon him to dispense with the scriptures or that any Catholike meaning Popish writer hath said that he may dispense with diuine precepts both which notwithstanding I haue heretofore proued by many instances and most euident allegations See the first booke chap. 5. § 10. 11. 12. For that which hee addeth of Christs subiecting himselfe to the prophesies and not to the precepts as though Illyricus had spoken of the one in his proposition and of the other in the assumption it is partly false and partly ridiculous and indeede not worth the answering Chap. 15. Of the miracles of Antichrist 1 WEe are now come to the eight maine argument which Bellarmine vseth to proue that the Pope of Rome is not Antichrist because forsooth those things
writings before to be the scriptures Why then Ierome saith so vpon Daniel 11. 24. where Daniel speaketh of Antiochus his dealings in Egypt that he did that which his forefathers neuer did Nullus Iudaeorum absque Antichristo in tot◅ vnquam or be regnauit These be Bellarmines scriptures But where do the scriptures indeede say that Antichrist shall subdue seuen of the tenne Kings Nay the contrary may rather bee gathered out of the scriptures The tenne hornes whereof Daniel speaketh were tenne Kings which successiuely raigned ouer Iudaea as hath bene shewed And although Antiochus Epiphanes might helpe away three of his next predecessors yet hee could not hurt the other sixe for there were but nine besides himselfe which were all dead and gone before he came to yeares Yea but this opinion of the Fathers is plainely enough deduced out of Apoc. 17. 12. where we reade and the tenne hornes which thou sawest are tenne Kings these haue one minde and they shall giue their power and authoritie to the beast No maruell though some of the Papists call the scripture a nose of waxe seeing they can frame and fashion it at their pleasure and giue vnto it what sense they list Doth Iohn speake of Antichrist his either killing three or subduing seuen Or doth Iohn speake of the same tenne hornes wherof Daniel doth Daniel speaketh of tenne Kings which were to bee dead and gone before the comming of the Messias Iohn speaketh of such as in his time had not yet attained to their kingdome verse 12. Daniel speaketh of tenne Kings of the Seleucidae and Lagidae which succeeded one an other Iohn of tenne Kings among whom the Romane Empire was to be diuided who also were to haue their kingdome together with the beast Daniel telleth vs what the little horne which was one of the tenne should doo to three of the other nine without mention of the rest Iohn sheweth what all the tenne hornes should doo to Antichrist which is none of the tenne hornes but one of the heades of the beast If therefore Bellarmine can proue from hence that these are the same tenne hornes spoken of in Daniel and that Antichrist shall kill three of them subdue the other seuen he may hope to proue any thing But what other scriptures hath hee forsooth Chrysostome and Cyrill For Chrysostome on 2. Thess. 2. saith that Antichrist shall bee a Monarch and shall succeede the Romanes in the Monarchy as the Romanes succeeded the Greekes the Greekes succeeded the Persians and they the Assyrians And Cyrill saith that Antichrist shall obtaine the Monarchy Catech. 15 which was the Romanes I answere that for substance these Fathers held the truth For what Monarch hath there bene in the West these fiue or sixe hundred yeares besides the Pope who calleth himselfe King of Kings and Lorde of Lords to whom all power is giuen in heauen and in earth who hath as they say the double Monarchy both of spirituall and temporal power who forsooth is Lord of the whole earth in so much that he taketh vpon him authoritie to dispose of the new found world And that he succedeth the Emperors in the Alexand. 6. gouernment of Rome as it becommeth Antichrist who is the second beast Apoc. 13. and the 7. head of the beast Apoc. 17. whereof the Emperour was the sixt I shall not neede to proue 15 There remaineth the fourth argument Antichrist shall persecute with an innumerable army the Christians throughout the world and this is the battell of God and Magog but this agreeth not to the Pope therefore the Pope is not Antichrist I answere to the proposition that no such thing can be proued out of the scripture Hee alledgeth Ezech. 38. 39. Apoc. 20. 7. 8. 9. 10. But Ezechiel speaketh not of Antichrist nor of the persecution of the Christian Church by him But hauing foretold chapter 37. the restitution of the Iewes from the Babylonian captiuitie and also prophesied of the comming of Christ in those chapters hee foretelleth of the afflictions and troubles which the people of the Iewes should sustaine in the meane time to wit after their returne out of captiuitie before the comming of the Messias and withall denounceth the iudgemēts of God against the Seleucidae who were the kings of Syria and Asia minor and their adherents who should be the chiefe enemies of the church and people of the Iewes after their returne For Gog signifieth Asia minor hauing that name from Gyges the King thereof Magog is Hierapolis the chiefe seate of Idolatry in Syria built by the Scythians and frō them hath that name So that by the land of Magog wee are to vnderstand Syria and by Gog Asia minor And the rest of the peoples that Plin. lib. 5. cap. 23. are named in Ezechiel were such as assisted the Seleucidae who were the kings of Syria and Asia minor in their warres either as their subiects or as their friends or as their mercenary souldiers And for as much as the princes and people of Syria and Asia minor were the most grieuous enemies of the Iewes by Ad Tremell Iun. in Ezech 38. 39. whom they sustained the chiefest calamities after their returne before the comming of Christ therefore by an vsuall speech in the Iewish language the mortall and deadly enemies of the church are called Gog and Magog And in this sense Iohn the Diuine vseth these names Gog and Magog to signifie the enemies of the church meaning not the same enemies whereof Ezechiel speaketh but the like enemies of the Church which should afflict the true Christians as Gog and Magog afflicted the Iewes Neither doth Iohn in this place speake of the persecution of Antichrist properly but of Sathan after he was loosed his inciting the enemies of the Church to battell and of Gods iudgements against them signified by fire And so much shall suffice to haue answered to this argument For after so long a Treatise I will not trouble the Reader with the tenne seuerall opinions which Bellarmine reciteth cōcerning Gog and Magog neither yet with any further answere to his cauillations and exceptions against some of the arguments of diuers Protestants which he thought were more easie to answere seeing in the former booke I haue sufficiently cleared those arguments whereby the Pope is more euidently proued to be Antichrist neither is the controuersie betwixt vs whether euery argument that hath bene produced by euery one doth necessarily conclude the Pope to be Antichrist That discourse therefore being rather personall then reall I let it passe Chap. 17. Being the conclusion of the whole Treatise HAuing therefore both by sufficient arguments manifestly proued that the Pope is 1. Antichrist and by euidence of truth maintained the same assertion against the arguments of the Papists let vs now consider in the last place what conclusions may vpon this doctrine be necessarily inferred for our further vse For first if this be true that the Pope is Antichrist as
of the church is aboue the gospell 13. To his propheticall office let vs adde his priesthood Amicij epistol dedi ad Gregor 13. For the Pope forsooth is Pontifex Optimus Maximus an epithet which the Heathen giue to their chiefe God Iupiter hee is that great priest according to the order of Melchisedec whose foote must be reuerently kissed of his Cardinals when Lib. carem sect 12. c. 5. hee rideth into any citie in his Pontificalibus and the Bishop of the citie beginning this Antheme Ecce sacerdos Magnus c. fundmenta de elect in 6. Behold the great Priest He is the Prince of Priests and head of the Christian religion He is that Priest of Priestes who remitteth both fault and punishment both to quicke and dead whereas Christ remitteth onely to the liuing and as they say forgiueth the fault but not the punishment neither doth this indulgent father graunt pardon alone for sinnes past but also for offences to come 14. But I hasten to his kingly office For hee forsooth is the 1 Paul 4 ad ducem Florentin in bulla King of Kings and Lorde of Lords the 2 Stenchus Sim. Begnius in orat in concil Lateran sess 6. Lion of the tribe of Iuda to 3 Lib. 1. carem sect 7. Pius 5. in bull ad regem reginaÌ„ matreÌ„ Galliae Antonin in sum part 3. tit 22. ca. 5. §. 1. 5. 6. Psalm 8. Heb. 2. 8. whom all power is giuen in heauen and in earth yea and vnder the earth For as hee hath a triple crowne so hee hath a triple Empire in heauen and in earth and where Christ hath none in purgatory His power is greater then all other created power extending it selfe in some sorte vnto things Coelestiall terrestriall and infernall So that of his power that may be verified which is said in the Psalme of Christ that aptly because he is Christs vicar Thou hast put al things vnder his feete The beastes of the field that is men liuing on the earth the fishes of the sea that is to say the soules in purgatory the foules of heauen that is to say the Angels and the soules of the blessed Another wrote and taught that the Pope Nicol. Egmundanus apud Balâ—…m is the Lorde of things in heauen on the earth and vnder the earth In heauen for as you haue heard he hath power ouer the Angels and Saints and soules departed Papa angelis praecipit Camotensis potestatem habet in mortuos The Pope coÌ„maundeth the Angels and hath power ouer the dead In earth for he is a Epist. ded Amicij ad Gregor 15. praefix Capistr Totius orbis Dominus the Lord of the whole earth hauing b De Maior c. vnam sanctam caelestis terrestris potestatis Monarchiam The Monarchy of the heaueÌ„ly and earthly power c Extra de statu regular pericuâ—… in gloss obtaining the kingdome of the whole world vnto whom forsooth belongeth that prophecie d Lib 1. caerem. sect 7. capistran fol. 57. Dominabitur à mari ad mare à flumine vsque adterminos orbis He shall rule from sea to sea and from the riuer vnto the endes of the world his e Capistran 〈◊〉 2. fol. 24. Antonin part 3. tit 22. §. 8. Alexander disâ—…buted the newe founde world betwixt the kings of Spaine and Portugal Lib. 1. caerem. sect 1. c. 4. Cardin. Episcopus Hostienâ—… power reacheth ouer all the faithfull principally secondarily also ouer the infidels for vnder his feete that is vnder his iurisdiction are put the beasts of the field that is the Paganes oxen that is Iewes and Heretickes and sheepe that is Christians and it extendeth it selfe vnto all the partes of the world not onely knowne but also vnknowne insomuch that the parts of the new found world are at his disposition to distribute and bestow And that the Paganes are subiect to the Pope it appeareth because the Pope ruleth the world in steede of Christ. But Christ hath ful iurisdictioÌ„ ouer euery creature Seing therfore the Pope is Christes vicar no maÌ„ may lawfully withdraw himselfe from his obedience euen as none may lawfully withdraw himselfe from the obedience of God Anton. part 3. tit 22. § 8. The Deacon which inuested the Pope was wont to vse these words I inuest thee into the Papacy Vt praesis vrbi orbi That thou mayst rule both the citie and the world And likewise the Cardinall Bishop that anointeth him vseth this forme of words Egotâ—…inungo in pontificem vrbis orbis Now this Cupers de ecâ—…les pag. 337. Empire or Monarchy which the Pope hath ouer the whole world is twofold for hee hath the two swordes as it is stoutly proued out of the gospell where one of Christs disciples saith Boniface 8. de maior c. â—…am sanctam Ecce duo gladij behold two swordes ciuill and Ecclesiasticall For as Pope Nicolas saith Christ us beato aeternae vitae clauigero terreni simul coelestis imperij iuraâ—…commisit Christ hath Dist. 22. c. 1. omnes giuen to blessed Peter the key bearer of eternall life and so to Ioâ—… de Parisijs de potestat Pap. cap. 20. Ioan. Maior 4. sent q. 2. dist 20. the Pope the right both of the carthly and heauenly Empire Ciuill as hath bene shewed ouer al Kings and rulers in respect whereof hee writeth himselfe King of Kings for all secular power is immediatly giueÌ„ to the Pope and he is aboue kings euen in temporall matters yea hee alone is the true Lorde of temporall things Wherefore Pope Boniface the eight sent vnto Philip the French king and tolde him That he was Lord Martinus Polonus in epist ad eundeÌ„ sâ—…ire te volumus quòd in spiritualibus temporalibus nobis subes Nicol Gillius annaâ—…ium gallic scriptor both in spirituall and also in temporall matters throughout the worlde And therefore that the King should holde his kingdome at his hande and honour and worshippe him Vt dominum regni sui as the Lorde of his Realme Stenchus for otherwise to thinke and holde hee said it was Heresie And as touching the Romane Empire the gouernment thereof belongeth to the Pope being Gods vicar on earth as vnto him by whom kings doe raigne And surely whosoeuer denieth the temporall sworde to be in the power of Peter doth full ill attende to the Caeremon lib. 1. cap. 2. worde of the Lorde saying vnto him Put vp thy sworde into the sheath And did not the Lorde I beseech you as some of the De maior obed cap. vâ—… sanctam Popes fauourits full soleÌ„nely dispute coÌ„mand Peter Luk. 5. 4. to launch into the deepe that he might signifie the height of power Ioan. Capistr de Pap. eccl author 1. 2. sol 21. 122. duc in alâ—… designaret altitudinem potestatis c. s. 15. in Peter And againe