coveteousnes to inrich themselues The goulden Historian Matthew Paris Aventinus and all other Histories of Christendome proclaime it is the Pope and Courte of Rome according to the Common verses Curia Romana non captat ovem sine Lana and againe Bursas exhaurit arcas and againe Roma caput mundi est omnia namque capit Ejus avaritiae totus non sufficit orbis Ejus luxuriae meritrix non sufsicit omnes Paris The Romish Cleargie haue turned the tenne commandements into two words See more in Abb. demonst and in M. Domuham Da pecuniam sayth S. Brigitt So if we aske who haue boasted themselues and in pride exalted themselues aboue all princes Kings and Emperors who hath excommunicated and cursed Christian Princes Nobles States and Nations Who haue seduced Children and Subjects to take upon them habits and vowes of Religion and so to cast off all obedience to their Parents and Superiors who haue shewed themselues most unthankfull to their Benefactors and specially to their Leige Soveraignes under whose gratious and peaceable government they were borne and bredd and haue injoyed their goods and Lands houses and Inheritance Wiues and children Liues and livings and yet haue gone about most wickedly traiterously to take away their Crownes and kingdomes yea their life and breath by whose onely mercie they injoy their owne Who haue taught men to breake their truces oathes Leagues and covenants by new trickes and devices sometimes of Equivocation mentall reservation in themselues sometimes of dispensation from their chief Bishop the Pope sometimes of false and malitious calumniations pretending that they be Heretikes and Infidels with whom no fayth is to be holden as they haue learned of their good predecessors Atreus Cie 3 offic in whose name that doctrine was first published and Laomedon that practised it according to that verse Laomedont aeae luincus perjuria Troiae Virg. Georg. â— Yet by the way I will not denye that sentence of a godly Father vouched in their Decree In malis promissis rescinde fidem Impia est promissio quae scelere adimpletur But it is one thing promittere malum and another promittere malo If we promise an evill thing it is better to breake it then to keepe it as we learne by the said Sentence and the example of Herod But if we promise to an evill man yet if the promise be not evill we are bound to performe it Ios. 9. 2 Sam. 21. as by the example of Ioshuah and king David And yet who hath giuen them such a superlatiue and supereminent prerogatiue that whomsoever they call an Heretike or Infidell he must be so yea in their owne causes contrarie to the Decree of immutable Iustice that None ought to be a Iudge in his owne cause Who haue againe by false infamous and seditious Libels accused and slandered Princes Nobles and whole nations as they did Queene Elizabeth calling her a Bastard flagitiorum servam the late Prince of Orenge calling him an Heretike and all that protest against their impieties calling them Heretikes Valdenses Hussites Lutherans Calvinists Hugonots and I know not what Finally who haue shewed themselues most intemperate fierce and cruell who haue most despised good men Who haue been most traitors who most headie and obstinate who most proud and high minded who haue most followed their pleasures and yet made most hypocriticall shewes of godlines I haue neither read nor seene much I know litle or nothing and therefore will not take upon me to say any thing but I referre it to thine owne conscience good Christian and I desire thee to consider in thine own hart whether thou do know any such men in the world or not and if thou doest then whom they serue and follow A third note of the times of Antichrist is that which the same Apostle telleth us in another place 2 Thes 2. that there should come an Apostacie first and then that man of sinne shall be revealed Consider with thy selfe whether in anie Historie of times past thou canst find any Apostasies in any degree parallell or comparable to those whereof we spake before or whether in any probabilitie the like may be expected in any time to come Or if by the word of Apostasie in that place thou wilt understand that whereof the same Apostle speaketh elsewhere that some shall apostate and fall from the fayth giving heede to seducing spirits and doctrines of divels 1 Tim. 4. speaking lyes in hypocrisie forbidding mariage and meats Consider also who they be that teach such things And who they be that forbid meats and mariage some meats to all men at some times and all mariage to some persons at all times Fourthly S. Peter giveth us another none of them 2 Pet. 2. saying They walke after the flesh and despise government speaking evill of dignities I neede not aske what these men be But I aske whether any other of any Religion countrie nation or profession either in these or in any of the former haue been like to those that professe the Roman Catholike or Popish superstition Fifthly S. Iude following S. Peter Iud. epist. describeth them thus They haue gone in the way of Cain and runne greedily after the error of Balaam and perish in the gainsaying of Core Who be those that haue most followed Cain in murther and Bloudshed not onely of private men but of princes Who haue runne after Balaam to curse excommunicate interdict not onely perticular offenders but whole nations townes citties and countries and that for coveteousnes when they refused to pay their unreasonable demands Who also haue followed Core Dathan and Abiram in opposing themselues against Magistrates and Superiours Iames â— plotting of conspiracies and raysing insurrections Sixtly S. Iames describeth a wisedome which is carnall sensuall and diuelish consisting in cursing and bitternes envie and strife Consider of these who they be that haue been most giuen to these things and whether ever any like or comparable to the Romish Synagogue Lastly as we touched before S. Iohn giveth us a speciall note He that is not of God heareth us not and hereby we know the spirit of trueth 1 Iohn 4. and the spirit of Error Who be those that flye from the Scriptures and will haue us with an implicit fayth and blinde obedience to submitte our selues to their decrees and decretals cannons and traditions Church and Pope whom they will haue to be accounted of science infallible power irresistable and judgment unquestionable Neither are these things to be shifted of with that rotten distinction that these are vitia hominum non professionis the faults of particular men and not of the whole profession ranke or order The Heathen man will refell that telling us that where all runne one way eyther by act or consent the corruption of the singulars giue a denomination to the totall Heliaca urbs simul est mendax atque ebria Talis Tota urbs est Domus
doubted or any other man neede to doubt of the trueth but as it should seeme being no profest Churchman he modestly disputes the point as a man that would learne himselfe and others by asking questions wisely and withall inquiring whether it can be imagined that any man can be more like Antichrist then the Pope is he concludes negatiuely that none can and plainely layes downe in everie Probleme the obstinate absurdities of such as looke for Antichrist and beleeue he shall come yet cannot now see him to be come because either he stands too neare them as a beame in their eyes and they are parte of him bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh or they expect him when he comes to be so qualified for publique observation as the Church of Rome hath cunningly and poetically described him But such an Antichrist they shall never see for the church of Rome did so paint him in policie not for the disclosing but for the concealing and clowding of his proper and personall appearance and diverting the eyes of all men from beholding the right object For my parte meeting with this Booke in a manuscript and seeing the profit it may bring to all I could doe no lesse then be a midwife for the edition of this since I am not able to be parent for procreation of the like And I haue taken the boldnes upon me to dedicate it to no lesse persons then to the Kings and Potentates of the Earth for it concernes them all especially aboue and more then others to reade and to understand this Controversie least they should be made drunke or kept drunke with the dregges of that abhominable cuppe of Inchantments wherewith diverse of their forefathers haue been intoxicated and slept to death and least they should under the appearance of Christianitse countenance and support Antichristianisme and so thinking to doe Christ good service persecute his poore members ignorantly Besides many of them haue suffred much from the hand of Antichrist and his members The Kings of France haue beene butchered by their instruments and the kingdome put in Combustion by their incendiaries of the Roman Catholique league or partie Our Queenes Father Henrie IIII. of renowmed memorie must not be forgotten his blood is yet too fresh upon their fingers to be hidden from her Majesties eyes except they force her weake sexe as they haue done manie of the masculine gender to winke by threatning to dippe their fingers as deepe in her bloud which the Lord forefend if she cast an eye towards her Fathers Funerall or so much as inquire whether or no he dyed by age or by some injurious and traiterous hand Our Kings haue beene and are still excommunicated cursed exposed to slaughter and deposition by them The King and Queene of Bohemia haue beene pursued from place to place and all Christendome imbroyled with bloodie warres for the upholding of Papall usurpation against regall Iurisdiction Other Princes haue formerly felt and may hereafter feele the strength of his Imperiall and Catholique Armes and therefore it concernes these also to knowe the man of sinne for their owne comfort that they may the better beare their Crosses considering from what head and hand they come and that they may with more courage and assurance looke up towards deliverance Luke 21 28. as Christ hath willed them who at the length will be too hard for Antichrist and giue a happie yssue to all their afflictions And as it concerns Princes especially so it concerns others also as much as their salvation may concerne them to know Christ their Saviour and Antichrist the chiefe enimie of their Saviour and of their Salvation from each other and therefore I haue dedicated it to all Christians But if any wonder why in the Title of the Dedication I use these words To all Christians Reformed and Romish as if I contradicted my selfe in calling the Romish professors Christians which in other places I terme Antichristians I answer that the Pope himselfe could not be the Antichrist except he were a Christian and tooke upon him also to be the chiefe Christian in externall profession A man may in diverse respects be a Christian and an Antichristian at once The Pope is baptized professeth the fayth in generall termes as Peter did and thus he is a Christian and one of S. Peters successors as all other Bishops are but as he chalengeth to be head of the Church universall Bishop of an infallible spirit Iudge of the Scripture c he is Antichrist that is Rev. 18. Rome as head of the church is Babylon such as so dwell in it mystically by adhering to it are in Babylō whether they be in Rome or no such as renounce this Babylonish doctrine of Romish supremacie suprelacie holding the true head which is Christ Iesus alone those are with out Babylon though they dwel in Rome for Christ in shew but against him in trueth So those of the church of Rome are Christians in outward profession but as they adhere to the Pope as to the Vicar of Christ and head of the Church they are Antichristians and such of them as belong to Gods election are called out of Babylon by the holy spirit and may come out from thence by renouncing the Babylonish doctrine of the Church of Rome though for their persons and dwellings they continue in the same place and cittie still And that these Romish Christians may be informed and all other Reformed Christians established in the trueth is the end which the Author proposed to himselfe in the collection and composition and I in the publication of this treatise All that I feare is that both this worke and my owne indeavour shall meete the greatest discouragements from some of those that should protect and countenance us who eyther from error of judgment deny the Pope to be Antichrist and yet separate from him at which I wonder or else out of humane wisedome and policie seeme still to be in doubt and will not be resolved as fearing a diminution of their worldly greatnesse and glorie if this truth should be generally acknowledged Because they suppose much of their authoritie would be found to be built upon the sandie foundation of Antichristian usurpations But shall we loose heauen for earth or looke so low as to bring temporall respects into the ballance with eternall Can there be no provision for upholding the honour and countenance of the Clergie from common contempt and for the incouraging and rewarding of learning but what Antichrist invents to uphold himselfe withall Then let me rather be still poore and despised with Christ and accounted ignorant with his Apostles then rich and respected learned with those of Rome Truth and simplicitie are the chiefe ornaments of Church-men and should be inseparable Their serpentine wisedome should not be used for this world for that naturall subtiltie which hath no mixture of doue-like simplicitie infused by grace Christ did not teach to his Apostles
SACRAE HEPTADES OR SEAVEN PROBLEMS concerning ANTICHRIST 1. Of his Place 2. Of his State 3. Of his Names 4. Of his Rising 5. Of his Raigne 6. Of his words and actions 7. Of his times Necessarie to be read and knowne of all men who professe Christ Iesus and hope to be saved by no other Name By G. S. Mal. 4 5 6. Behold I will send you Elias the Prophet before the comming of the great and dreadfull day of the Lord. And he shall turne the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers least I come and smite the earth with a curse 2 Thes 2 3 4. Let no man deceiue you by any meanes for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sinne be revealed the sonne of perdition Who opposeth and exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God that is worshiped so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God Printed in the yeare M.D C. XXV To all Kings Princes and Potentates especially to King Charles Defendor of the Fayth and to the King and Queene of Bohemia professing the Fayth and therefore persecuted Also to all other Christians whether Reformed or Romish AMongst all those controversies which like cloudes overcast the Church of Christ at this present so that many stumble at noone day as at night and but a few are truely resolved of their owne aright walking with God according to knowledge there is none more necessarie to be generally understood then that of Antichrist both because this Egiptian darknesse which is in the land of Goshen proceeds from his inchantments to hold Pharoh still in the hardnesse of heart and also because the externall splendor and glorie of his seate supported with the countenance of Magicall science bellish unitie carnall succession corrupt custome ragged antiquitie Idolatrous universalitie Counterfeit miracles hypocriticall sanctitie stupenduous amplitude blinde devotion formidable tyrannie Catholique power and worldly felicitie as Salomons throne was with lyons cunningly carved doe much dazle vulgar judgments 1 Kings 10 19 20. and amaze the sillie Lambes of Christ But if this Magitian were fully discovered to be but an Impostor and onely to bumbast his reputation with lyes forgeries and usurpations like a spirituall Quack-salver then the more that Princes and people had doted upon him and deified him the more they would hate him Rev. 17 16 17. as those Kings shall who out of godly indignation hate strip eate the flesh of the whore and burne her with fire This the learned Limbs of Antichrist understand verie well and therefore eyther terrifie all men from looking into the booke of God where Antichrist is described at least from looking into the Revelation where he is set out to the life or else as the Scribes and Pharises did with their corrupt glosses and Comments made upon the Prophets darken the comming of Christ and denye him being come putting off the time of their Messias hitherto deferring and dallying as the Turkes doe with their Mahomet yea fayning his person to be humaine onely and his Office temporall thereby to hold the Iewes still in spirituall Captivitie by causing them to deny the Sonne of God their Saviour so doe these waue the comming of Antichrist and with their corrupt glosses and misapplications turne the truth of God into a lye causing the world to embrace the Sonne of perdition by telling them of an Antichrist that must be a singular person and not a succession as if we designed such a succession This they would proue by the names giuen him in the singular number 2 Thes 2 3. As also by the article â— or ille being demonstratiue particles But Gramarians say that not onely proper names and words that signifie individuall things but names that signifie a multitude or succession nownes appellatiue collectiue and successiue are both in Greeke and Latin expressed in the singular number and joyned with that demonstratiue particle As hic populus ille rex in aggregation succession or collection 1 Pet. 2 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philosopher say that â—num one may be taken not onely singulatim but congregatim and summatim And that a thing may be idem numero not onely as the sunne but as a heape of corne a flock of sheepe a river whose parts it may be may increase or diminish and be in continuall motion and alteration some going away and others comming in place and yet continue one and the same singular heape flock river to which both the singular number and demonstratiue particle are joyned Divinitie sayth that Antichrist is not onely opposed to Christ the Head who is one but to Christians the bodie the members who are a succession of kings priests annointed or a royall priesthood 1 Pet. 2 9. And for the use of a demonstratiue particle or the singular number or name they referr us to 1 Pet. 2 17. Dan. 2 38. Thou O King art this head of gould Thou thy predecessors thou and thy successors though per excellentiam thou aboue all before or after So 1 Pet. 5 8. ho Antidicos not one adversarie or one divell onely but all Rev. 13 2. and 2 Thes 2 7. with divers other places Thus neither Grammer Philosophie nor Divinitie will teach me what these new Roman Pithagorians wou'd force me to beleeue But ipse dixit is sufficient in the schole of Antichrist to silence not onely his schollers but Grammer rules the Logicall rules of reason the Scripture yea Christ himself But he that will not heare Christ Christ will not heare him though he crie Lord Lord never so loud as did not admitte and containe singulars a Iewe and perhaps of the Tribe of Dan the sonne of a Divell or of an Incubus of a virgin or of a Whore or of some bodie that he shall raigne three yeares and an halfe sitte in the Temple of God in Ierusalem kill Enoch and Elias with much other strange legionarie stuffe concerning Antichrist his person office Raigne warre and overthrow And least men should examine and so finde their falsehood they obtrude these opinions aforehand upon the Church to be beleeved as Articles of Fayth by all their members viz. That the Church is for the Head or principall part Romish and so particular for the bodie Catholique That the Pope is the Head of the Church and so as Head of the Church Judge of the Scripture and the onely true expounder of it having that infallible and universall spirit which directs the whole in all truth That his seate is the Rock immoueable to which in all stormes the shipwrackt soule should resort for safeguard That Salvation is no where else to be found And that his Decrees are to be believed and obeyed not to be questioned or examined in the least Loe thus he hath made sure not to be discovered except out of good nature he will confesse
dead sitting on his Throne of majesty chap. 20. VII The seventh and last Problem therefore must needs be concerning the Enemies of the Church whether we may not understand that of them also in this booke there be named Seven viz. 1 The Divel that old Serpent the great Red Dragon with seven heads and ten horns Rev. 2 10. 12 9. and seven crowns upon his heads 2 False Apostles Hypocrites Rev. 2 2. 3 Nicholaitans Hereticks chap. 2 15. 4 The followers of Iezabel and Balaam chap. 2 20. Licentious and Idolatrous Teachers 5 The first beast rising out of the Sea chap. 13. The old heathenish Roman Empire 6 The second Beast rising out of the Earth which seemeth peculiarly to signifie Antichrist unto us chap. 13. the proper and principall subject of this our Investigation 7 Gog and Magog heathenish and open Persecutors joyned with secret and intestine enemies whereof wee have not here to speake These things seeme to me not altogether improper nor inconvenient yet seeing I am no Prophet nor the sonne of a Prophet I dare not determine of them but leave them to Theologians to consider And with favorable permission going forwards to search and find out this great enemie of the Church of God I demaund whether he be not fully described unto us in this book of the Revelation and other parts of Holy Scriptures by seven notable and notorious Attributes 1 His place 2 His state or body politick which must be subject vnto him and support him 3 His Names 4 His Rising 5 His Raigning 6 His words and actions 7 His Times Of which Christ Iesus assisting I meane to speak in order J. Of the place of Antichrist BY the rules of methode we ar taught to proceed à notioribus ad minus nota froÌ„ things better known to infer proue things not so well known of things knowen they say those are best knowen which are visible or sensible and that the outward visible sensible adjuncts accidents do very much conduce to finde out and discover the nature and essence of everie thing Euen our divine Euangelist Prophet being taught by the spirit of God seemeth to approue of these observations where he beginneth his Epistle with this protestation That which was from the beginning 1 Iohn 1. which we haue heard which we haue seene with these our eyes c. making the senses a sufficient proofe of the humanitie conjoyned with eternitie This is the cause wherfore I thought best to begin my enquirie at the Place of Antichrist For what is more cleare and evident then that everie thing which hath an existence must haue a place he that seeketh for a thing out of his proper place or element as they now speak doth as if he should seeke for a fish in the fire or a swallow in the Sea The learned Grecian Aristotle the riches of whose learning I see no cause but it may be brought into the Holy citie according to the Prophecies referreth place to the Predicament ubi which importeth a Relation defineth it verie acutely I thinke truly to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which I know not how well but thus I think it may be rendred The unmoueable and nearest confine of that which compasseth any thing about He calleth it unmoueable because in all motions it is not the place that removeth from the thing nor with the thing but the thing it self is removed from one place to another It must be nearest indeed contiguous for els it can not be the place of one thing but may contein another it must compasse it about for if it do but touch it in part it is to be called adjacent or contiguous but not a place The most learned Roman maketh place one of his four principia Varro August And the learned also of later age number it among those things which necessarily concurre to the constitution of things Existent Cajcâ—an By all agreed to be a Relatiue which therefore must haue a Correlatiue Everie place is so called in respect of the bodie placed in it Everie Continent in respect of the thing conteyned everie Principle in respect of the thing proceeding from it as a Father cannot be so called without a sonne nor a master without a servant nor a cause without his effect Herehence are derived those rules and observations of the learned Posito corpore necesse esâ— poni locum posito loco locatum poni necesse est That Places must haue a due proportion of quantitie and magnitude great things must haue greate places for else they could not be compassed or comprehended in them Litle things litle places for els there would be vacuum Things of long continuance must haue places of equall duration and places of long continuance are not appropriated to things that must soone perish or passe away Also Places must haue a due temperament of qualitie agreeable to the things placed and the things placed to the places for else the one would destroy the other and contraries can no more be and continue in one place then in one subject These Observations being discovered unto us by the ordinarie light of nature it hath pleased the God of nature whose majestie is terrible his wisdome incomprehensible and his waies past finding out who numbereth the droppes of the Sea and the sand of the shore who calleth the starres by their names and filleth heaven and earth to descend into the narrow and poore capacitie of humane intelligence and by these outward visible sensible things to teach us who is a Teacher like to him to finde out things most obscure and difficult Let us see therefore what place of what capacitie quantitie and quality the great Governour and Disposer of all things hath appointed for Antichrist And first I demand whether it be not plainly described to be Rome and that Christian upon the consideration of these seven places of Scripture that follow The first in the seventeenth chapter of the Revel where it is set forth to be 1. That great citie Revel 17. 2 which was set upon seven hills 3. which had seven heads or governours 4. And ruled over the kings of the earth 5 which in a mysterie is called Babylon And 6. Most aboundant in riches glory 7 Yet most filthy in all fornication and uncleannes Let us examine these words every one by it self It is first a great Citie A city is by some considered as it consisteth of howses and buildings neare joyning together so Ninivie Tyrus the old Gen. 10. Babylon and others in the Scripture are called great citties So Tully calleth Pergamus and Smirna cities pro Flacco li. 1 de bell li. and Caesar also calleth Rome Civitatem taking that for a principall cause of his Parricidial warrs ut Trib. plebis ex civitate expulsos restitueret that he might restore the Tribunes of the people that were driven out
Hebrew letter Nun Ezr. 1 6. Buxtorf a termination aswell of the Feminine as of the Masculine and common gender to note that those precious and pleasant fruites belong to women aswell as to men Now this doth plainely agree with that which in the former place hath beene observed of Rome the second Babylon viz. that she abóundeth in riches delicates and wantonnes and it hath an Antithesis to the description of mount Sion as it is expressed unto us both in the 14. chap. of this Revelation and in the second Psalm Psal 2. For there saith God I haue set my King upon Sion Har-codshi the mountain of my holynes But here the Kings and Princes of the earth are gathered to Har-megeddon the mountain of the precious and pleasant fruits of the earth The companie of the Lamb upon Mount Sion Rev. 14. are such as haue not defiled themselues with women But these pleasant and precious fruits belong to women as well as men And the like Antithesis may be noted in other places of the scripture as where the Prophet prayeth to be delivered from men of this world which haue their portion in this life Psalm 17. whose bellies God filleth with his secret treasure But I sayth he will behould thy face in righteousnes So the Apostle describeth certain men whose God is their belly Phil. 3. and who minde earthly things But our conversation sayth he is in heauen so the true church of Christ is set forth to be adorned with all heauenly graces Fayth hope and charitie Rev 12. namely the Sun of righteousnes to cloth her in fayth the starres to crowne her with light of truth and hope of immortalitie preached by the twelue Apostles the moone and all mutable earthly things to supporâ— her in works of charitie or to be despised and troden under foot in respect of eternitie But the Antichristian Church sitteth like a Queene of earthly felicities clothed with purple skarlet Rev. 17. pearles gold and precious stones abounding in all pleasures delights supported by the nations of the world Neither is the other circumstance to be neglected namely the meeting and congregation of Princes Rulers of the earth noted as well in the second Psalme as here in the Revelation in regard whereof Livy duâ—in Plaâ—ma in sal 2. Rome was in ancient time called Regum urbs for the multitude and magnificent state of their Senators so did the Emperor Constance also call it in the latter time so it may be still called for the number pompe and glorie of their Cardinals who will be honoured and accounted princes Another question would I aske whether this word may not thus be distinguished Arma-geddon with the first Alpha radicall to signifie the pallace or castle of the Troupes of women as well as men Now where that pallace or castle is where women abounding in treasures and pleasures are best mainteyned and defended I would haue them to answer that haue seene Rome of late or that haue read these verses made for her commendation Qâ—ot caeâ—â—m si elias Vide Abbat dem Antiâ—h cap. 11. tot habet tua Roma puellas Pascua quotque haedos tot habet tua Roma Cynaedos And many such like or the faculties dispensations pardons and decrees flowing from the castle of S. Angelo and the pallace of Lateran in their favour And lastly upon the same word I would aske whether that the Hebrew word which in the Greek writing is Armageddon may not by an easie transposition So Moâ—ines maketh it Ha. Romagedah to signifie the destruction of Rome onely of one letter and a prick in the Hebrew be read and taken for Romageddon so by name lead us to Rome that high cittie for so the word Rom also in Hebrew signifieth and their own Authors call it septem urbs alta jugis Hieron atque altae maenia Romae where princely men as the Cardinals and women abounding in treasures and pleasures as the Cortesanaes are gathered together Which transposition of a letter is verie usuall in the Hebrew and warranted by many examples of the holy Scripture And upon all these precedent places circumstances I demand Dan. 7 1. passim alibi whether it be possible to apply these prophecies to any cittie or place in the world besides Rome True sayth the Babylonian it is to be understood of Rome for so they confesse of late 1 Pet. 5. upon the word of S. Peter but Heathen not Christian To omit that answer which is obvious that the old Ethnick Empire of Rome was the impediment therefore could not be the seat of Antichrist and that another Ethnick Empire should be erected there towards the end of the world is incredible and if it should yet it could not fulfill the Prophecies for many reasons which may be produced and to instance because Antichrist must be one of the seauen heads of Rome whereof fiue were fallen in S. Iohns time and the Empire was one and the seuenth must be reveled after the impediment removed yet to passe by all these consider of two textes more which shall not come single but eyther of them fortified with an Authenticall contestis The sixth scripture then speaking of the Place of Antichrist telleth us plainly 2 Thes 2. August de civ dei l. 20 cap. 19. Nulli dubliim est cum de Antichristo ista dixisâ—â— c. Antichristus in domo domini in sede Christi sedebit Ambros in locum Male Ecc'esiam Dei in tectis aedificiisque veneramini Anne ambiguum est Antichristum in his esse sessurum Hilar. contra Aux that it must be the Temple of God It is the word of S. Paul which would never haue called the Ethnike state of Rome the Temple of God It must therefore be understood of the church of God so the Fathers take it without all doubt or question that in Rome for out of Rome it is in vain to seeke as by the former places may fully appear And yet this text goeth not single but seemes to be drawn out of an ancient prophecie of the Euangelicall Prophet where he bringeth in the prince of the first Babylon a tipe of the second using these words I will ascend into heauen Esa 14. and exalt my throne aboue beside the starres of God I will sit also upon the mount of the Church or Congregation so farr the Prophet Now lay the words of the Apostle to them That man of sinne exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshiped so that he doth sit in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God On the mount of the Church sayth the one In the Temple of God sayth the other The Temple of God was in Ierusalem saith the Babylonian Object Answ But that is excluded by all the former places of Scripture most signall and significant I demande then how this place can
Prophet as they loue their own prejudicate opinion not because it is truer but because it is their own For otherwise they would in like manner and measure loue and approue the true sentence of another as I also loue that which they say when they speak truth not because it is their sentence but because it is truth Therefore to returne to our purpose whichsoever of these two interpretations we take or if we take a third more unlikely then eyther considering whereof we speak namely of the continuance of the power of the Ethnike Roman Monarchie that these 42 moneths making 1260 dayes are to be taken for so many yeares from the incarnation of our Lord it must needs be that they are long since expired and consequently that the power and time of that first beast and Monarchie is long since ended For to take them literally for three yeeres and an half as that godly Father from whom I do not willingly dissent doth in another place limit the continuance of Antichrist upon the words a time two times and a half To take them I say literally that is for three yeeres and an half I thinke to all that haue eyther read or heard of their actions will seem to favour of much mistaking I might say of much ignorance but that reverence to that good Father who had not then the help and light which we now haue makes me forbeare other mens affected and obstinate and wilfull blindnes in this point which deserveth the whipping post But of this more hereafter Let us come therefore to the sixth note which is of his Blasphemie against God and his Church But of this I neede not speak any more having said so much alreadie The seuenth is of his warres against the Saints whereof also I need speak but little seeing the said ten horrible persecutions and many others stirred up by the Roman Emperors against the godly christians of the primitiue church are notorious and known to all men and never the like to be found in any kingdome or nation whatsoever no not under the Turkes But I proceed this Beast or Empire had power over all nations As to giue instance but in one we may read of Dioclesian that within a verie short time he obteyned mightie and great victories in all parts of the world then known namely in Africk over Egypt in Asia over Persia in Europe over France and Brittanie Vpon all which premises I conclude with this Problem Whether these things can be applyed to any person kingdome state or monarchie besides Rome And whether any other can be the Antichrist according to these prophecies but onely he that is the seauenth Head king or Commander of the Roman state And thus we see the place of Antichrist and the state or bodie politique which he must haue Let us now come a little nearer to consider of his names III. The Names No men est per quod quidque noscitur The name of everie thing is that whereby it is known or as it were not a men it is that whereby everie thing is noted or distinguished The authoritie to giue names belongeth primarily to God as Gen. 1 Gen 1. Secondarily to princes and superiours as Adam Gen. 2. Gen. 2 19. Thirdly to the people by consent as Ioh. 13 13. Ioh. 13.13 The conditions required in the imposition of names to make them answerable to the definition and notation aforesaid are veritie congruitie certaintie Vide Platon in Cratyl Thus being imposed and approved they are not to be changed For they are notes of our notions notions of things limits of distinctions and dignities signes of truth and measures of certaintie which being violated or neglected all knowledg turneth to error and confusion all justice to injurie all vertue to villanie as Cato in Salust well noteth In Con. Cat. I am pridem nos vera rerum vocabula amissimus And Seneca complayning of the wickednes of times Prosperum faelix scelus virtus vocatur And hereby may we see the force of the Apostles argument Heb. 1. Hebr. 1 4. and the ignorance and presumption of Heretikes Schismatikes who dare take to themselues new names and leaue the common name of Christians giuen by oracle from God most certainly approved by God Now if in names giuen by men Acts 11 26. certaintie ought to be observed shall we think that the Spirit of God giveth uncertaine names or will call darknes light or light darknes Esa 5. Questionlesse he doth not giue idle or uncertain names Hebr. 4 12. but in this as in all things els useth words liuely and significant And herein is to be noted a difference betweene the names giuen by God the names instituted by men For men giue names a posteriori because things are so and men conceiue them to be so therefore they call them so But the names giuen by God are a priori because God the Almightie maker of all things hath ordeyned that they shall be so therefore he calleth them so and because he calleth them so therefore they must be so Let us see therefore what names are giuen to this great enemie of Christ and his Church and how these names are used and applied in the Scripture And first of the name Antichrist This name as all men though but meanely learned in the Greeke tongue do know is a word composed of the preposition Anti and the word Christ Anti is used in Greeke sometimes to signifie an adversarie sometime a Deputie or Vicar as many learned men haue heretofore observed and proved That it signifieth an adversarie is confessed by all that it signifieth a deputie substitute or vicar appeareth by the word Anthupatos which is expounded by some Proconsull Act. 19 38. 18 12. by others Deputie Now the names of Christ So AntiStrategos signifieth either a lieutenant or the adverse capteyns which in Hebrue is Messiah and in English signifieth anointed is diversly taken in the holy Scripture First properly personally and Individually for our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ who is God blessed for evermore Secondly Aug. de civ dei l. 17 c. 4. appellatiuely for all that haue a similitude with him by their unction as Kings Priests and Prophets in which sence it is used in the Psalme Psal 105 15 Touch not mine annointed and doe my Prophets no harme and David of king Saul sayth The Lord keep me from doing that unto my master 1 Sam. 24 the Lords annointed to lay mine hand upon him for he is the annointed of the Lord. Thirdly the name of Christ is used mystically for the mysticall bodie of our Saviour Christ 1 Cor. 6. which is his church In which sence the Apostle speaketh Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ 1 Cor. 11. And again Christ is the head of everie man for as the bodie is one 1 Cor. 12. and hath many members and all members
plaine termes that Pope Gregorie succeeding Constantine Vide Pantal. anno 760. tooke away from the Grecian Emperor all the Empire of Italie which was not possessed by the Lumbards About the same time also there was another Councell gathered at Rome wherein was decreed that whosoever would not doe religious honour unto Images should be cut off from the body and bloud of Christ and from the unitie of the whole Church So the power of the Pontifex Max. and Idolatrie grew up together And although many Synods were held some in the East as at Nice and Constantinople others in the west as at Frankford wherein these Idolatries were condemned though both the Emperors aswell Charlemain of France as Constantine of Greece opposed themselues against these Idolatries having also the Authoritie of the Elibertin counsell Picturas ad Ecclesiis arcendas ne quod colitur aut adoratur in parietibus pingatur Yet the Popes prevailed Curavimus Babylonem non est sanata Ier. 51. sayth the Prophet The zeale of Charlemaine to haue this Idolatrie suppressed was excellent and exemplar for he not onely caused a Synod to be held within his owne Empire for that purpose but sent the booke of the Synode of Nice which is called the second wherein the worship of Images was decreed into Great Brittanie in which Booke Proh dolor sayth our Historian out alas manie things were found inconvenient Honed anno 792. and contrarie to the true fayth especially that with one consent of the Orientall Bishops three hundred or more it was inacted that Images should be worshipped Quod omnino Ecclesia Dei execratur Which the Church of God doth hold altogether execrable And the learned Albinus wrote an Epistle against it marvelously fortified with authoritie of the scripture Almaricus Gall theolog imagines altaria invocationes sanctorī◠Idololatrians censce which he presented to the Emperour So fully were the Godly of those times perswaded that the adoration of Images then newly thrust upon them by the Pope was meere and inexcusable Idolatrie And yet when the same Emperour Charles came to Rome to reforme the abuses of the Pope and began to inquire of them Bern. Lutz Pantal. anno 1205. Responsum est ab omnibus c. it was answered by all Platin Blond dec 2. Pant. that the Apostolike Sea being the Head of all Churches ought to be iudged of none especially not by a Lay man I aske then upon all these premises If Antichrist were not now sufficiently revealed when will he or how can he be revealed Rome the great cittie that ruled over the kings of the Earth the cittie of seauen Hills and that had receaved seauen kings of Soveraigne command Rome that glorious mountaine of holynes yet full of Sodomiticall filthines and Egyptian Idolatrie Rome and the Roman Empire so many times and so significantly described by the holy Apostles and Prophets had now set up her Seauenth Head the Summus Pontifex the propheticall number 666 was fulfilled as well in his time as in his name the Impediment of the Empire was removed This Summus Pontifex was become the absolute Ruler and king of that State acknowledging no superiour Controull or Countermand And hath done such and such things according also to the prophecies of Antichrist as no Iew Turke or divell can do in so short a time as they would make us beleeue is allotted for Antichrist If by these things he be not sufficiently revealed when will he come or when shall we expect him or shall we imitate the Iewes in looking as long for Antichrist as they doe for Christ To this may be added an Argument à sufficienti divisione which I propose in this manner First upon the words of Tertullian that Antichrist must be a rebell to Christ and S. Aug. that is Refuga Christi Now if a Rebell then eyther one professing Christ or not professing If you say not professing S. Augustin is against you which sayth that he doth professe Christ in words Also S. Chrysostom Exercitus Christi sunt omnes Haereses praecipue ista quae obtinuit Ecclesiae locum If a professor of Christ then either revealed or not revealed if you say not revealed then how can you answer the Apostle who sayth that he shall be revealed when the Impediment is removed And the Fathers who with great consent affirme that by the Impediment there is meant the Roman Empire And the great Consent of Divines and Chronologers upon the same place affirming that the Roman Empire is long since removed If revealed then eyther it is the Bishop of Rome whom manie godly men haue published and proclaymed to be Antichrist or else you must shew some other who is not to come but alreadie declared to be Antichrist And if you can shew none then must the Pope necessarily be that Antichrist Rev. 17. Againe either it must be he to whom the kings of the earth haue giuen their power or some other If you say some other then how do you answer the text If he then to whom haue the Kings of the Earth giuen their power but to the Pope Againe upon 2 Thes 2. and the exposition of S. Ambrose and other Fathers upon that place Antichrist shall sit in the house of the Lord in the seat of Christ If he shall so sit it must be either as a king or as a Bishop or as both or as neither If not as a King then how upon manie peoples and Nations If not as a Bishop then how in the Temple of the Lord as the Apostle sayth in the House of the Lord as S. Ambrose in the Houses and walles of the Church as S. Hilarie in Ecclesia as Theodoret in the Holy places of the church as S. Chrysostom in the chaire of S. Peter as S. Barnard sayth If as both then who hath done so but the Pope Neither neede we much to stick at the swelling words of the same S. Barnard in another place Tu es Sacerdos magnus Pontifex Summus tu princeps Episcopurum tu Haeres Apostolorum Tu primatu Abel Cubernatu Noe Patriarchatu Abraham Ordine Melchisedec Dignitate Aaron Authoritate Moses Iudicatu Samuel Potestate Petrus Vnctione Christus This sentence of S. Bernard though it seemeth he was somewhat caried away with the overflowing streame of his Eloquence yet it appeareth his purpose was to drawe the Pope to a more serious consideration of his dutie But the Popes and their followers which ought to haue tempered it with humilitie haue made it but a step and advantage to their Elation Anton. sum p 3. c. 22. as appeareth in their Decretals and Canonists where they arrogate and assume to them selues Plenitudinem potestatis scientiae See M. Down ham of Antic lib. 1. c. 5. and that they haue one and the same Tribunall with God and Christ Iesus and that Christ and the Pope are but one and the same head of the church Which titles none
upon weake foundations or to make long work of that which is readie at hand I desire thee to consider of the termes of this disputation ut constet quid sit id qou de agitur First I say I desire to know whether thou dost hold that there is a Rule of the Catholike fayth whereby to judge of Heresies which rule ought to be certaine and knowne to us as not onely the Fathers De verbo dei l. 1. c. 2. but we at this day do all agree and Bellarmine the great Champion of the Romish Church affirmeth For sayth he if it be not knowne it connot be a rule unto us and if it be not certaine it can be no rule at all So sayth the Scripture Prov 22 21 The words of trueth are certaine and therefore was the Scripture written Luc. 1.4 that we might knowe the certaintie of that we haue learned Secondly Summa provi dentia carere fuco voluit ca quae divina sunt ut omnes intelligerent quae ipse omnibus loquchatur Lailant De verbo dei l. 3. c 2. 2 Tim. 2. I aske how it is knowne whether it be not knowne according to the literall sense out of which effectuall arguments ought to be drawne as we also are agreed For certaine it is sayth the same Bellarmine that that sense which is immediately gathered of the words is the sense of the Holy Ghost which I thinke he intendeth so as it stand with other plaine places For in the Word of God no contradiction is to be admitted God cannot denye himselfe But the senses mysticall and spirituall which may be gathered out of the Scriptures are various and therefore cannot be used for arguments to confirme points of Fayth because we are not certaine that they are intended by the Holy Ghost as the said Bellarmine affirmeth out of S. Augustine Lastly then it resteth to know what that rule is and where to be found Of which because thou mayst see that I will not hide or disguise any thing from thee I finde four opinions Whereof none in my understanding can justly be reproved for they all agree together in substance The first is of the most ancient Tertullian De praescript who goeth no further for the rule of fayth then to the Vulgar Creed The same as it seemeth is followed by Diony Ar. commonly called the Creede of the Apostles which sayth he amongst us hath no questions but such as Heresies bring in and make Heretikes To know nothing but this is to know all that we ought to know And they that do not beleeue this are not faythfull are not Christians are not to be admitted to dispute of the Scriptures sayth he In Enchirid. ad Laur. The second is that of August who affirmeth this rule to be conteyned in the Creede and the Lords prayer For sayth he therein is the whole summe of all Christian religion namely whatsoever concerneth fayth hope or charitie A third opinion is that of the common Catechistes which adde to the two before named the Decalogue and the doctrine of the Sacraments The fourth is that which is now commonly imbraced which maketh the Scripture in generall to be the rule of fayth And in this Bellarmine also consenteth My question therefore is whether thou do not approue these rules or any of them if thou do and do acknowledge that these Rules or any of them be certeyne and knowne to us and to be litterally understood as Bellarmine confesseth it followeth then to consider who by these Rules shall be said an Heretick and whether that be not clearly defined unto us by Moses S. Iohn Deut. 12. Rev. 22. and S. Paul to be such a one as doth adde any thing to the true fayth expressed in these Rules Tit. 3 10. or taketh any thing from them and will not be reformed by due admonition To this agreeth Vincent Lirinen c. 32. Christi Ecclesia sedula depositorium apud se dogmatum custos nihil in iis unquam permutat Haeresis graece Electio latine est sententia humano sensu electa verbo dei contraria palam docta pertinaciter de sensa Grossetest Episâ— Lincoln in Mat. Paris nihil minuit nihil addit Then to the point I aske first concerning that Article by the councels aforesaid decreed That the holy Catholike church being the body of our Saviour Christ represented in a generall Councell is aboue the Pope and hath authoritie immediately from Christ unto which the Pope himselfe as a member to the whole ought to obey whosoever denieth that verily is an Heretike Doth not the Pope as I said and haue not all the Popes since the making of that decree mainteyned themselues to be aboue the generall Councell and so denyed that veritie and that no decree of a generall Councell is able to binde them neither is lawfull if it be made without the authoritie of the Roman Pontifex Aske Bellarmine their Advocate Do they not maintaine that he is the head of the Church that he cannot erre in matters of fayth and that all are bound to obey him ex necessitate salutis Are these things expresly and literally to be found in the Creede the Lords prayer the tenne Commandements the Sacraments or any part of the Scripture If they be why did all the Christian Churches of Europe so manie times determine against these Prerogatiues of the Pope If not then whether are not these most great additions to that Rule to which none must adde and from which none must deminish If we will truly judge of the greatnes of this Heresie let us consider the greatnes of the buildings erected upon it For great buildings must haue great foundations First therefore upon this Supremacie over the Church of Christ represented in the generall Councell they haue grounded their absolute power to call beginne determine ende prorogue and transfer generall Councels at their pleasures and also to confirme and allow or to abrogate and disanull them Which point if it be granted they are sure that nothing can be determined against them in any such Councell Then an absolute power over all not onely Bishops and Prelates but kings and princes will easily be inferred For it standeth with reason that he who is aboue the whole is aboue everie parte in toto pars continetur Then followeth their power to adjudge and condemn that for Heresie whatsoever he thinketh fit Then the power to excommunicate Nations and Countries to depriue and depose kings and princes to giue their lands for an Heritage to whom they will And in a word their absolute Anomy and lawlessenes that no man may judge of him no man may dispute of his judgment or call it in question though he draw millions of soules with him into hell a prerogatiue which the Scripture never intimateth to be claymed by any but Antichrist and never claymed by any but the pope wherein all the authoritie power and states of Christian