and Mâ—gog of which I purpose not to speâ—kâ— in thâ— treatise FINIS TO AS MANY AS CALL THEMSELVES CATHOLIKES AND FOLLOW THE Church of Rome and yet doe desire to know and embrace the truth WE see and lament that the multitude of those which doe beare the name of Christians is distracted into many different and contrary opinions yeâ—â—is there none of the factions which pretendeth not that he hath the onely right way Against this multiplicity ariseth the word of God which doth constantly affirme that Ephes 4 4.5.6 there is but one God one faith c. So that though 1. Cor. 9.24 many runne at the price yet but one obtaineth it The great Question is among vs all which side hath the true God and true faith and who shall get the price In this contention none are so feruent as they who call themselues Catholikes and follow the Church of Rome and they who are called Protestants and haue departed from the Church of Rome In so great opposition it is certaine both parties are not right Wherefore you that follow Rome yet loue the truth consider with me a little how we may be satisfied which of vs is out of the way and thinke no scorne to turne into the right path when we haue found it As for the rest whom Antichrist hath deluded to stoppe their eares like deafe Adders against good counsaile and to open their mouthes to blasphemie so that they crie all is but lyes before they heare or reade a letter as God hath prouided no sacrifice for their wilfull sinne so I leaue them to him that â— Cor. 5.13 iudgeth them that are without It is confessed of vs all that our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ had the truth and that he sent his Apostles abroad to preach the same which they did in their sermone and deliuered in their writings Now it remaineth to be required whether the Doctrine by them taught and recorded in the scriptures be the onely eternal and immutable truth or no Or that the Church may in time deuise more to bee added thereto other differing from it or some contrary vnto it of like authoritie and reuerence As for the Protestants they bind themselues to the written Word as a sufficient Canon to walke by acknowledging it to be Reuel 19.16 the King of Kings and Lord of Lords The Church of Rome will not be so straighted nor so subiect but wil assume she goeth right when she walketh by her Traditions which change with the times as appeareth by their seueral and opposite decrees and institutions So that she thinketh her selfe neuer out whatsoeuer she doth in abolishing the former and in deuising and inioyning such new articles as the godly in the primitiue Church neuer knew nor their fathers before them vnto which also she holdeth all men are to be subiect on paine of damnation For the decision of this great question because it is obiected to the parties themselues that they doe not pursue their arguments with that patience as is required at the hands of Christians let vs commit the moderation to such as we all agree were both truly Christians which was the Act. first name that the Disciples were called by and truelie Catholikes which was the next title they tooke Namely Athanasius and his fellowes who though they spake in another case yet it appeareth by the waight of their arguments they would speake of our Question were they at our Conference in the same sort as they did at Ariâ—â—â—â— Let vs see to which of our parties their censure were most proper if the names of the persons which they speake of were changed into the persons of our Question Their speech is recorded by Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 29. When Vrsacius and Valent had read a confession of the faith dissenting from the Nicâ—â—â— Creede as the Papists doe from the faith and doctrine of the word of God published in the raigne of Constantius Flauius and Eusebius being Consuls as that of the Papists is instituted by diuers Popes the Catholikes that disliked it rose vp and said as we also say to the Papists We came not together with you because we were destitute of faith for wee keepe that wholy which wee receiued from the beginning but that if any did attempt any new thing of that matter we might resist him AThanasius who especially disliked this innouation wrote vnto his friends almost in these words which with changing but the names of the persons whom hee nameth and are put in the margent to the Papists will be thus What I pray you was wanting in the Catholike Church vnto the doctrine of godlines that now they should enquire of the faith and should by name prefix the Consuls Popes and Councels Which were in this present time before the words which forsooth they haue set downe of the faith For the Vrsatius Valens Germanius Popish writers haue done that which was neuer done nor heard among christians For where they wrote the things which they thought were to be beleeued they haue written Consuls the Popes Councels and places moneth and lastly the day that it might be manifest to all wise men that their faith had no beginning before the beginning of the raigne of Constantius such Popes and Councels yea that which is more all of them hauing regard vnto their owne heresie haue committed their owne sentences to writing Moreouer when they pretend to write of the doctrine of the Lord they haue named another for their Lord namely Constantius the Pope For he hath opened vnto them a window vnto all their impiety And when as they did denie the word of the Sonne of God to be eternall for so farre were these enemies of Christ cast into wickednesse they haue named the Emperor decrees of the Popes to be eternall But perchance they catch an occasion to name the Consuls Popes and Councels by the example of the holy Prophets who do set downe the time in which they liued But if they shall dare to affirme so they shall exceedingly bewray their folly For albeit there be mention of the times in the prophecies of holy men as in Esaiah and Hosea which were in the daies of Ozias and Ioatham Achaz and Ezechias as in the prophecie of Ieremie who liued in the dayes of Iesias as in the prophecies of Ezechiel and Daniel who flourished when Cyrus and Darius did raigne and lastly as in other Prophets which prophecied in other times yet doe none of them lay any first foundation of pietie and holy religion For it was before their times and alwaies and before the framing of the world which God by Christ hath prepared for vs. And as for the times in which their faith began they did not designe for before those times themselues were faithfull but those were the times of the promise pronounced by them And the promise doth especially concerne the incarnation of our Sauiour That which was annexed thereunto did clearely demonstrate those things which should befall
Lanquet Ferdinandus sent a nauie from Spaine into Italy which chased slew and vanquished the Frenchmen out of Naples Å¿ Geneb pag. 1097. 1098. Lapidanus taught the Hebrew tongue in Paris Renchulinus in Germony Galatinus in Italy and now it began to spread among Christians The Hebrew Bible called the editio complutensis with the Chaldie Greeke and Latin translations was printed by the meanes of the Archbishop of Toletum Thus the word of God rideth forward t Peuce 5. f. 253. The Emperor beginneth his warres in Bauaria in which were very many excellent men imprisoned killed and burned a Nouus Orb. Cadmustus discouereth new countries b Peuce 5. f. 259. The Duke of Gelders afflicteth the Brabanders against his oath the Brabanders suffer great losse and many of them are killed c Lanquet Ann. 1507. There began a long and cruell warre betweene the Emperor and the Venetians in which were fought many bloudy battailes and diuers mutations chanced thereupon Thou hast giuen them bloud to drinke The French King ouercommeth the Venetians d Geneb 1099. There was a Councell held in France either to prouoke the Pope to peace or to appeale to a generall Councell e Mass 20. p. 271. In that Councell were proposed and concluded these propositions First it is not lawfull for the Pope to make warre against any Prince without iust cause Secondly the Prince in defending his right against the Pope may inuade the Pope assayling him and subduce himselfe from his obedience Thirdly the Pragmaticall sanction is to be kept throughout all France Fourthly no care is to be taken for the Popes vniust censures if he happen to thunder * Peuc 5. f. 256 The Pope enraged with the report of the losse of Bononia stirred vp all Europe to armes and excommunicated the French King but the King despised his excommunication and retorted the curse vpon the Pope c. f Peuc 5. f. 257 The French armie ouerthrow the Venetians at the riuer Atlasis slew the garison of the Venetians at Brixia and tooke it fought with the Popes armie at Rauenna where the Popes forces were ouerthrowen and of them 16,000 were lost Henry g Lanquet An. 1512. the eight King of England sent an armie of 13,000 into Spaine and a nauie to sea h Mass 20. p. 271. Of this Pope Massauâ— hath this Epitaph Genna cui patrem genetricem Gracia partum Pontus vnda dedit num bonus esse potest Fallaces ligures mendax Gracia Ponto Nulla fides in te singula solus habes Leo the tenth i Mass 20. p. 271 in his first yeare was a great fight at sea Ann. 1513. betweene the French and the English and many perished on both sides k Peuc 5. f. 255. b. There was also fought a cruell and bloodie battell betweene the Emperour and the Venetians at the riuer Bachilion where the Venetians lost 9000. men some were cast headlong into the riuer that they might haue blood to drinke others were scattered beaten and killed a Peuc 5. f. 261. b. The Polonians ouercame and slue about 40,000 Mosconites at the riuer Boristhenes b 259. b. c. The Cardinall of Strigonium mooueth the people to take the crosse and to warre vpon the Turkes The people following in great multitudes robbed tooke townes and fields and tormented the Nobles and Clergie to the great horror of all these were ouercome at the riuer Temesus c 258. a. A great cruell bloodie and long battell was fought at Millaine where the French ouercame the Heluctians so that of 25,000 not halfe remained d Par. Vrsp p. 446. Ann. 1517. Leo holding the Lateran Councell Picus Earle of Mirandula made an Oration vnto the Pope and Councell that lawes should bee made and kept against lust and couetousnesse for vertue and godlinesse complaining that vice was honoured for vertue and vertue was counted vice He terrified the Pope with the example of Eli whom God most grieuously punished because hee corrected not his sonnes requiring sincere discipline for the carefull studie of both the testaments e 447. Erasmus publisheth the new testament in Greeke and Latine Thus the hostes that are in heauen follow the word of God For contempt whereof is powred out the fourth Phiall The fourth Phiall Now vnto the former three plagues is the fourth added f cap. 16.8 And is that the fourth Angell powred out his Phiall on the Sunne and it was giuen to him to torment men with heate as of fire Hereupon g 9. many times men boyled in great heate by the distemper of the Sunne and aire and fierie meteors Howbeit they stil blasphemed the name of god which hath power ouer these plagues to send them vpon the wicked And they repented not to giue him glorie but continued in their wickednesse to the dishonour of God and magnifying of themselues The Complement h Orig. praefat Ephem This sommer was exceeding much burning and drie in which many riuers were dried vp i Mass 20. p. 274. And fierie hostes were seene throughout Italie to fight in the aire Howbeit these signes wrought no repentance a Mass 20. p. 273. cum Guiec 13. p. 772. For the French king vpon reconciliation betweene the Pope and him receiued a Iubile to be published through France Yea the Pope abused too licentiously the authoritie of the Apostolicke sea to draw money from men For he dispersed throughout the world without distinction of places or times most ample indulgences with power to deliuer soules out of purgatorie Which money was so impudently demanded that the Commissioners perswaded the people that whosoeuer would giue ten shillings should deliuer the soule for which he gaue it out of purgatorie Hereby blaspheming God who teacheth vs * 1. Pet. 1.18 to know that we are not redeemed with corruptible things as siluer gold But if it were lesse than ten shillings it would profit nothing Yet were many of the Popes Ministers detected selling for a small price or set vpon a game at tables in a tauerne the power to redeeme mens soules out of purgatorie The money b Mass ibid. 8. Geneb though the shadow were to make warre vpon the Turke was notoriously knowne not to be paid to the Pope or the Apostolike chamber but was transferred indirectly to satisfie the infinite couetousnes of Magdalen the Popes sister a fraile woman This gaine displeased the holy sonnes of the Church And vnder this occasion Luther that followed the word of God began to preach against indulgences and to reprehend the authoritie of the Pope And thus is fulfilled the scripture c cap. 18.2.3 She is fallen she is fallen for the Marchants of the earth were made rich c. d Buchol ex Suriâ— For hence began that great alteration of religion which followed wihich many amongst the Papists did foresee whereof one Hilteniuâ— is reported to haue assigned the
Cant. 6.11 My soule hath set me in the chariots of my noble people From my poore house at Halton-Holgate Your Lordships in all dutie and good affection most humble William Symonds TO THE CHRISTIAN READER DEare Christian Reader As the Prophet Esay in a case not altogether different so may I iustly exclaime Esai 53.1 VVho will beleeue our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed In the Old Testament the Prophets foretold of MESSIAS describing the time place and manner of his birth life passion death resurrection and ascension and foreshewing that the Builders or chiefe Rulers of the Church should refuse him being the head corner stone The learned Priests Pharisies and Princes of the Iewes read and studied these Prophecies hauing as good meanes for vnderstanding them in all likelihood as wit and learning could affoord and yet as the Apostle saith they fulfilled the voyces of the Prophets by putting Christ to death And why they were worldly minded proud ambicious Act. 3.18 and puffed vp with the opinion of their owne knowledge they had corrupted the truth with their owne deuices and in their blinde imagination framed vnto thēselues such a Messias that when the true Christ was come they could not know him they expected a great Monarch that should restore vnto them their earthly kingdome and the pleasures of the world meane while they crucified the true Sauiour and fulfilled all things that were written of him Onely a few fisher-men and certaine poore and abiect women followed Christ and beleeued in him Psal 25.14 for the secret of the Lord vvas reuealed to them that feared him In the New Testament in like manner Christ and his Apostles foreshew the comming of the Great ANTICHRIST they paint him out in his colours what manner of one he should be declaring the time place and manner of his birth life tyrannie pride ruine and condemnation and shewing that such as make greatest shew to the contrarie should be the chiefest actors in this tragedie The Pope his Cardinals his great Prelats and Doctors of all sorts reade and studie these Scriptures and are to a naturall mans conceit as likely to attaine the true sense of them as any other they talke much of the comming of this Monster and yet themselues play all the parts in this Tragedie And why so they are as proud as the Pharisies selfe-louers ambicious they haue corrupted the holy Scriptures with the leuen of their owne doctrine they haue their fabulous inuentions touching Antichrist so that they cannot know him They looke for an indiuiduall Tyrant a Jew borne of the Tribe of Dan who shall raigne but three yeeres and a halfe in Ierusalem and worke I know not what wonders meane time themselues indeede are that true Antichrist and haue almost fulfilled whatsoeuer is written of him O Lord hovv vnsearchable are thy iudgements that hast sent them strong delusion Rom. 11.33 2. Thess 2.11.12 Reuel 3.10 that they should beleeue lies That all they might be damned vvhich beleeue not the truth Onely a few poore and contemned people vvhich haue kept the vvord of patience haue been deliuered from that houre of temptation The Papists wonder at our confidence in this point and thinke the Reuelation to be so mystical that no certainty can be concluded thence But we wish them Reuel 1.3 Matth. 24.15 if euer they will enioy the blessing promised vnto the reader of that Booke that once againe they would reade and consider then happily may they learne that those things are hid from carnall and wicked men Reuel 1.1 Coloss 1.26.27 which are shevved vnto the Saints and seruants of God whereupon they may accuse their owne blindnes and examine whether themselues be the seruants of God that see not the hidden mysteries reuealed vnto the Saints and cease to make their grosse vnderstanding the rule and square of other mens knowledge For my owne part what elsewhere I haue written concerning the certaintie of my knovvledge herein I am so farre from acknowledging to be rashly spoken as that I thanke God euery day I am more and more confirmed therein as by sundrie other meanes so especially by reading this ensuing-Tractate and often conference with the Author thereof my louing friend of whose holy life graue and moderate cariage painfulnes in his ministerie manifold learning and rare vnderstanding of Propheticall Scriptures I shall not neede to speake any thing here least I be thought too partiall N B. only for thy sake Christian Reader I willingly acknowledge that I haue profited and learned more by reading one sheere of this GOLDEN-BOOKE than euer I could by all the Interpreters that I read on the Reuelation as thou maist also do if thou wilt vouchsafe attentiuely to reade ouer but the Authors Preface only with a single eye and docile minde The Lord direct all thy studies to the glorie of his holy name and thy owne soules health Farewell Thine euer in the Lord Gabriel Powel THE PREFACE OR INTRODVCTION WHEREIN THE AVTHOR DOTH HVMBLY SVBMIT THESE his labours vnto the godly and most iudicious censure of the right Reuerend Father in God RICHARD VAVGHAN Doctor of Diuinitie and Lord Bishop of London his very honourable good Lord. HOnorable and right reuerend Father as the mercie of God hath alvvaies abounded towards his Church in giuing her Propheticall Scriptures as a light that shineth in a darke place so verie seldome haue there been wanting godly Prophets who by diligent search haue so dressed these lights that they haue shined to all that were about them for their directions in the greatest mutations and difficulties For the most part vntill the time of the Apostles this kinde of studie was so frequent and familiar not onely to the good but also to the bad that many times it seemed Elisha was not dead 2. King 6.12 that tolde the words which the King spake in his priuie chamber Howbeit though neuer Church had prophecies so particular and plaine as this of Christ hath vnder the Gospell yet am I perswaded I speake at your Lordships correction that no age hath been so ignorant in the true vnderstanding of such as concerned their times as for of long after the Apostles the Christian Church hath been For as all the Prophecies of the New Testament which are many haue been esteemed difficult so this booke of the Reuelation hath been held impregnable Now it is a part of S. Pauls apologie to the Elders of Ephesus Act. 20.27 I haue shewed you all the counsel of God The diduction from thence bindeth all the Ministerie to endeuour the like aswell in Propheticall as Dogmaticall Scriptures I haue therefore somewhat laboured in this kinde but principally in this booke and that all praise be giuen to the Father of lights to mine owne satisfaction in such sort as that many godly men haue desired to communicate in my contentment herein 1. Cor. 14.32 But the Scripture commandeth that the Spirit of
Pages 225. b. Verses 15.18.19 Pages 234. d. Verses 16.17.18 Pages 226. Verses 18. Pages 226. a. 236. a. CHAP. XII Verses 1. Pages 1. b. d. 2. m. r. u. 64. a Verses 2. Pages 2. b. c. Verses 3. Pages 3. f. l. 4. a. i. q. 5. u. Verses 4. Pages 5. c. 157. o. Verses 5. Pages 7. g. a. Verses 6. Pages 8. g. 208. c. Verses 7. Pages 11. n. Verses 7.8 Pages 15. a. Verses 8.9 Pages 16. a. Verses 9. Pages 3. f. l. 20. a. d. 48. i. Verses 10. Pages 19. h. 20. a. Verses 9.12.13 Pages 20. d. Verses 12. Pages 35. c. Verses 13. Pages 24. b. 36. a. Verses 14. Pages 33. h. 34. f. 45. c. 80. b. Verses 15. Pages 36. a. Verses 16. Pages 46. c. 64. b. Verses 17. Pages 64. c. d. 79. d. Verses 18. Pages 65. e. CHAP. XIII Verses 1. c. Pages 25. i. k. a. 26. c. 48. l. 50. h. 73. d. 259. i. Verses 2. Pages 26. e. i. m. 27. u. 80. m. 125. i. 201. h. Verses 3. Pages 46. f. 64. l. 79. e. f. Verses 3.4 Pages 100. r. Verses 5. Pages 80. 193. e. Verses 6. Pages 73. c. 103. g. l. 141. k Verses 7. Pages 103. g. 118. f. 193. c. 126. p. 177. k 178. b. 232. l. Verses 8. Pages 126. p. 177. k. Verses 9.10 Pages 199. a. 210. f. a. Verses 11. Pages 48. h. l. 50. h. a. 63. d. Verses 12. Pages 51. k. l. 104. c. Verses 13. Pages 38. f. 51. a. 52. c. Verses 14. Pages 51. a. 53. c. 70. f. Verses 15. Pages 118. h. i. k. 178. c. d 256. 258. * Verses 16. Pages 119. h. Verses 17. Pages 119. d. Verses 18. Pages 120. a. 156. b. CHAP. XIIII Verses 1. Pages 9. d. 10. * 32. g. b. 105. n. Verses 2. Pages 43. f. Verses 3. Pages 44. e. f. 45. a. 52. h. 105. n. Verses 4. Pages 124. a. d. 78. h. 105. n. Verses 5. Pages 124. f. Verses 6. Pages 78. h. 125. k. Verses 7. Pages 125. m. Verses 8. Pages 67. s 78. h. 197. l. Verses 9. c. Pages 78. h. 209. e. Verses 13. Pages 210. d. Verses 15.18 Pages 78. h. CHAP. XV. Verses 1. Pages 227. b. 234. b. Verses 2. Pages 121. i. 228. a. Verses 3. Pages 228. c. Verses 4. Pages 228. d. Verses 5. Pages 228. e. Verses 6. Pages 234. c. e. 235. b. Verses 7. Pages 235. d. Verses 8. Pages 229.235 h. CHAP. XVI Verses 1. Pages 235. i. Verses 2.3.4.8 Pages 236. k. Verses 10.12.17 Pages 236. k. Verses 2. Pages 237. f. Verses 3. Pages 239. d. Verses 4. Pages 239. a. Verses 5. Pages 239. b. 247. e. Verses 6. Pages 239. c. 247. e. Verses 7. Pages 240. d. Verses 8. Pages 244. f. Verses 9. Pages 244. g. Verses 10. Pages 247. g. 248. d. Verses 11. Pages 247. a. CHAP. XVII Verses 1. Pages 66. l. n. Verses 2.3 Pages 65. l. a. 71. c. 73. c. b. Verses 4. Pages 66. e. l. p. 79. a. Verses 5. Pages 66. l. 67. d. f. 69. g. Verses 6. Pages 79. a. Verses 8. Pages 69. a. 72. a. Verses 9. Pages 4. m. Verses 9.10.11 Pages 70. b. 72. c. Verses 12. Pages 72. d. 26. d. 39. f. 63. e. Verses 13. Pages 65. l. Verses 14. Pages 73. g. 197. k. Verses 15. Pages 25. l. Verses 16. Pages 65. g. Verses 17. Pages 80. i. Verses 18. Pages 65. m. CHAP. XVIII Verses 1. Pages 200. d. Verses 2. Pages 197. l. 245. c. Verses 3. Pages 67. s 198. a. 203. i. 245. c. Verses 4. Pages 209. g. b. 220. b. 246. h. Verses 5. Pages 209. c. Verses 6. Pages 210. g. 221. * 247. b Verses 7. Pages 210. b. Verses 8. Pages 66. d. 210. c. Verses 9. c. 15. Pages 202. e. Verses 20. Pages 202. f. Verses 21. Pages 204. l. Verses 23. Pages 51. b. Verses 24. Pages 4. b. 67. a. 73. a. 249. a. CHAP. XIX Verses 9. Pages 234. a. Verses 10. Pages 58. g. Verses 11. Pages 194. c. e. Verses 12. Pages 195. a. c. Verses 13. Pages 194. a. 196. e. a. Verses 14. Pages 196. b. d. 197. e. Verses 15. Pages 197. g. Verses 16. Pages 197. i. Verses 17.18 Pages 198. b. 253. e. Verses 19. Pages 199. b. 199. c. 254. d. Verses 20. Pages 51 * 199. b. 201. e. Verses 21. Pages 202. g. CHAP. XX. Verses 1. Pages 200. c. d. Verses 2. Pages 200. a. Verses 3. Pages 48. k. 200. c. Verses 4. Pages 201. g. a. Verses 5. Pages 202. b. Verses 6. Pages 202. c. CHAP. XXII Verses 8. Pages 58. g. FINIS PISGAH EVANGELICA BY THE METHODE OF THE REVELATION PRESENting to the publike view those Canaanites ouer whom our Lord Iesus Christ and his holy Church shall triumph after seuerall Battailes CHAP. I. The first period containing a Battaile in heauen between the Dragon and the Woman THE Reuelation cōtaineth a a cap. 1.1 ◠c. demonstration of the most glorious and eternall presence of Christ the Almightie one in his Church by his continuall b cap. 12.1 c. warre with the Dragon the diuell c cap. 1.19 both in the present time when S. Iohn did write and also in the time that succeeded afterwards In the time of S. Iohn this fight is said to be in d cap. 12.1 c heauen that is e Mat. 13.24 25.1.14 in the Church of Christ and manifest assemblie of the Saints when the persecution is directly stirred vp against Christ And this warre is described in the same f Gen. 3.15 words in which it was first denounced In this wonderfull warre we are to consider the Battaile and Successe And of the battaile the Enemies their Manner of fight the Enemies are the partie Offendent and Defendent The Defendent is the vniuersall Church of Christ shadowed vnder g cap. 1.12.20 the mysterie of seauen golden candlestickes For the Church is the h Math. 5.14 light of the world as the i Exod. 25.37 golden candlestickes in the law were the light of the Tabernacle It is also called new k cap. 3.12 Ierusalem and the l cap. 1.4 11. seauen Churches of Asia For in the time of S. Iohn the Churches of Asia in a manner alone did publikely support the profession of the Christian faith Wherefore S. Iohn is required to write to them and in them to all other Churches wheresoeuer This vniuersall Church is also called a m cap. 12.1 woman after the n Psal 45. Cant. vsuall metaphor of the scripture In her description we are to consider her ornaments and child-bearing Her first ornament is of her apparell which is said to be glorious as the o cap. 12.1 Sunne hauing put on the Lord p Malac. 4. 2. Esay 60.1 Phil. 2.15 Iesus the sonne of righteousnesse For the Christians did publikely professe themselues q Euseb 3. 17. alibi passim to be Christians which was the onely cause of the persecutions The next ornament is her Footestoole which is said to
many of them But m Euseb 9. 8. vnder Maximinus was the greatest pestilence of all the people died in the streetes in great multitudes the dogges eat many of them halfe dead their carcasses lay naked open and vnburied a most lamentable spectacle to those that beheld it And as Michael the lambe with his Angels doe fight that he might ouercome so did the Dragon and his a cap. 12.7.8 Angels fight that they might preuaile and keepe their places of idolatrie and superstition The Dragon doth warre b cap. 12.10.11 first by accusing the brethren and then by shedding their blood Many grieuous accusations were laide to the charge of the Christians first that c Euseb 3. 17. Christ was King and so would dispossesse Princes Then d Epiphanius where as some heretikes did vse women in common eating horrible meates as young children and womens menstrues c. the e Euseb 4. 7◠same things were obiected to the faithfull Christians Yea the tyrants in their edicts published f Euseb 9. 5. 7. very blasphemous accusations against Christ and Christians They slaundered the Christians that when they assembled to their Sabbaths vnder the colour of seruing God they polluted themselues with promiscuous whoredomes That the iniquitie of the Christians was the cause of the famine earthquakes warre and mortalities and that the heathen gods did thereby reuenge the indulgence of the Princes towards the Christians Of these and such like slaunders they write books which they giue to the schoole-masters to teach their schollers As also they hang them vp vpon pillars in all publike places to be read of all men Yea they forbade g Polychro lib. 4. f. 169. any man that would not sacrifice to their idols to buie or sell or take vp water Besides their slaunders and disgraces they added hereunto most barbarous persecutions h Massaeus 10. P.p. 131. 133. determining and commanding to roote out the Christians The Churches in many places were i Euseb 8. 2. pulled down and the scriptures burnt and destroyed Yea k Geneb p. 543 Polych 4. c. 25. in one night twentie thousand Christians were burned as they were assembled in the Church seauenteene thousand died of most horrible and vnnaturall torments in the space of thirtie daies Euery l Euseb 8. 6. 7. 10. 12. in alijs suis libris one was the more esteemed for his wisdome and obseruance to his Prince by how much he was able to deuise and execute torments most barbarous vnnaturall horrible and painefull they spared no sexe nor age nor regarded any persons of honour nor affinitie nor consanguinitie Then was there no place of refuge The fift seale cap. 6.9 11. nor time of resting from these tyrannies Yet is the successe happie for the Saints who got the victorie and triumph and a Cap. 12.8.9 miserable to the Dragon and his angels whose place was no more found in heauen but he was cast out euen into the earth and his angels were cast out with him The victorie is first begged of God and then executed Those which obtaine the victorie get it by deprecation and are said to be the b cap 6.9 soules that is c Gen. 9.4 Numb 9.4 Leuit. 17.14 the persons and carkasses of them that had beene killed for the word of God and for the testimonie which they maintained to wit the martyrs which d 2. Tim. 4.6 were killed or offered so that e Leuit. 4.34 their blood seemed to bee poured at the foote of f cap. 11.2 Exod. 21.14 the Altar beeing slaine in the place of Gods most immediate and sincere worshippe for the Gospel and profession of Iesus Christ of whom is spoken before They crie g Gen. 4.10 Heb. 11.4 aloud for vengeance beeing slaine as Abels blood did crie against his brother Caine. They are honoured with white robes which were giuen them euery h Euseb 5. 2. godly man esteeming honourably of them that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for the Lord Iesus Christ Yea they also were honoured with the victorie ouer their persecutors For howsoeuer the estate of the Christians in the former troubles was very desperate yet the Martyrs by the power of Christ did so constantly endure all the torments of their persecutors that they ouercame them i cap. 12.11 by that word of their testimonie in that they loued not their liues vnto the death k Euseb 8. 12. 13 For whē the tyrants had made proofe of all kind of torments and were not able to augment their tortures they dispaired in themselues as not hoping to preuaile by that course Then grewe they wearie with killing them and were glutted with blood They also by reason of certain wise and iust Apologies which the Christians published in the defence of the flocke of Christ feared least the Princes should iustly incurre a publik note of infamie for the barbarous effusion of innocent blood And so the persecution did slacke Thus the victorie beeing obtained at the hands of God The sixt seale cap. 6.12 c. it was presently pursued with diligent execution by the Lambe now throughly angred To which purpose there was a great earthquake that is a a Isai 24.17.18.19.20 Ioel 2.20 generall doubtful tottering in the minds of men not knowing what to settle vpon Which grew by reason that b Ann. 311. Constantinus the sonne of Constantius who fauoured the Christians was saluted Emperour Then c Abb. Vrsp was there a great motion in the Christian world The common wealth was held by foure new Emperours which had euery one their drift to be the chiefest which caused the people to be infinitely distracted Besides that others d Mussaeus p. 132. sought partly by treason to take away Constantine as Maximinianus partly by the souldiers to place themselues as Valens in the East and Alexander at Carthage yea the Romans e Vrsp p. 79. Massaeus were so perplexed with the tyrannie of Maxentius that they called to Constantine for reliefe By the stirring of Constantine the Princes were distressed and confounded as if the Sunne were f cap. 6.12 as blacke as sackecloth of haire and the Moone was all made like blood so g Amos. 8.5 Ioel. 3.15 that their daies were vncomfortable and in the night they were in feare to be slaine For his h Euseb 8. 14. 9.9 comming offended Maximinianus much and his proceedings made Maximinus sadde Maxentius was also in exceeding feare that he durst not go out of Rome gates The Nobles and i Isai 13.10.13 7.2 principall ministers of estate such as loued the workes of darkenesse fell from their places of eminencie as k cap. 6.13 if the starres of heauen fell to the earth and so violently were they mooued out of their places as a figge tree casteth her greene figges when it was shaken of a mightie winde The publike face of l Isa
in a manner alwaies free from it And the East seemeth the third part of the Empire by a Soc. 1. 26. alii the diuiding of the Empire in three by Constātine amongst his three sonnes Constantius Constans and Constantine The manner of the fight of the woman which had brought forth the man childe is diuerse by her selfe and childe Her b Ruff. 2. 5. Soc. 3. 11. selfe keepeth her garments of the profession of Christ. Shee also treadeth still the moone vnder foote For when Iulian depriued all that would not forsake the Christian religion of their honour in his palace those which with an vpright heart did professe the Christian faith with a readie minde did put off their ornaments of ciuill honour and submitted themselues to most cruell torments rather than they would denie Christ Shee kept also her crowne For whereas libertie was often graunted to all others only c Theod. 4. 24. those which professed the doctrine of the Apostles were persecuted Now the godly would not deuise d Soc. 3. 5. 1. Ioh. 1.1.2 any new religion nor bring any such into the Church but onely confirme that which from the beginning was prescribed by Ecclesiasticall tradition that is was deliuered by the e Theod. 2. 22. Apostles and wise Christians had sought out by infallible reasons Yea shee still is fruitfull by the f Ruff. 2. 4. 6. Socrat. 4. 19. conuersion of more people where Christ was not known Her man childe also Michael the g cap. 14 1. Lambe who now is amongst his 144 000. at Mount Zijon doth wonderfully warre against these enemies by h cap. 6.2 c. his horsemen that ride on red horses c. For Arius i Socr. 1. 25. the father of the mischiefe died miserably his bowels running out and the k 2.20.27.37 Massaeus 11. p. 141. Empire was full of sedition The Persians Magnentius Britanio Nepotianus Siluanus the French Iews in the East Gallus Caesar Iulianus Caesar stirred vp warres and seditions against Constantius and the Emperour himselfe through anguish of minde died of an Apoplexie l Soc. 3. 18. The Persians proclaime open warre vpon Iulian in which warre oppressed m Mass 11. p. 146. with famine he died beeing slaine n Soc. 435. Procopius maketh insurrection against Valens yea the earth doth quake and inundations of the sea are many in diuers places shaking downe many countries and drowning diuers cities Muania the Queene of o Soc. 4. 29. Saracens maketh warre vpon him so doe the a Soc 4. 31. Gothes who pursued him into a village and burned him in the house where he was The b cap. 14.1 cum cap. 7.4 144,000 which are the number of these valiant Christians which oppose themselues against the Arians with as true fortitude as the tribes of Israel did oppose thēselues against the Cananites doe all this while accōpany the Lambe on Mount Zijon Here are they known to be by hauing their fathers name written in their foreheads that is they are marked to defend that c Ioh. 1.12 Iesus Christ is the sonne of God and in Christ themselues to be the sonnes of God By this are signified the many Councels which the Catholikes held against the Arians which denied the godhead of Christ as d Soc. 2. 16. 19. at Sardis Ierusalem e 3.5 Alexandria f Sozo 6. 12. Tyanis And also vnder Iouianus at Antiochia where the g Soc. 3. 24. most contentious Arians did subscribe to the clause of the Nicene Creede that saith that Christ is of one substance with the Father There was also one which was an Arian that denied the Godhead of Christ and a Macedonian that opposed the doctrine of the Holy Ghost by g Soc. 2. 33. 35. name Eustathius who attempted many things besides the Ecclesiasticall rites and customes For hee forbad mariage he taught to abstaine from meates and mariage whereupon hee separated many from wedlocke that had contracted matrimonie The ground of priuate masse and hee perswaded them that detested to come to Church to haue Communion in their houses He drew seruants from their masters vnder the pretext of godlinesse he ware the apparell of a Philosopher compelled his followers to vse a strange kind of apparell he forbad any prayers to be made in the houses of such as were married He commanded the publike praiers or blessings and Communion of a Minister that had a wife which hee lawfully married when he was a lay person to bee auoided as a horrible sinne c. But by a Councell held at Gangris he was depriued of his Episcopall dignitie and his opinions were accursed Yet hence doe the Papists sucke many conclusions The woman also the Church h cap 12.14 doth betake her selfe to flight from these dangers and to the woman were giuen two wings of a great Eagle that shee might flie from the presence of the monstrous beast the deputie of the Serpent For during the time i Euseb 10. 8. Soz. 1. 2. of Licinius tyrannie the godly were constrained to flie into the wildernesses and the fields woods and mountaines were their best harbor a Melan. l. 3. Constantine reedified Constantinople and translated the seate of the Empire and purity of religion thither In the time of b Ruff. 1. 7. 8. 10 20. 21. 22. 24. Carion Constantius Athanasius is a fugitiue all the world ouer there were banished Dionysius Eusebius Paulinus Rhodanus Lucifer Liberius Bishop of Rome and Miletus Bishop of Antiochia whom much people followed At that time the face of the Church was ougly to behold shee was wasted of her owne one chased another fled In the time of c Carion Iulian Athanasius and others fled again The godly and learned fathers fled from answering of the cauils which Iulian deuised and obiected against the scriptures c. and betooke themselues to praiers vnto God to deliuer the Church from so dangerous an enemie In the time of Valens the Ministers and people were banished and did flie From d Ruff. 2. 3. Alexandria 3000. fled into the wildernesse and their Pastor Peter fled to Rome Barza e Theod. 4. 16. 18. 21. 24. Pastor of Edessa beeing banished an infinite number followed him and flocked to him on all sides they all forsake the townes and meete in the fields Eleuen Aegyptian Bishops were banished c. Those of Constantinople were constrained to meete without the citie where they were beaten with the weather with stormes frost and snowe and sometimes with excessiue heate The like was the condition of the Churches in other places The successe is the safetie of the Church f cap. 12.14 who fledde for a time times and halfe a time flying not onely now but also for the most part till the time of Antichrist The godly and valiant champions called 144 000 are also safe because g cap. 7.17 the Lambe in the middest of
Anno. 369. Damasus got the seate by schisme so that the c Ruff. 2. 10. place of prayer did swim with the blood of the slaine d Danaeus in Aug. de haeres p. 259. ex Ammiano 137 carcasses of men were found in one day He e Fox Marty grew proud by a f Soz 7 4. rescript of Gratian who required that religion to bee held which Peter the Prince of the Apostles deliuered and Damasus obserued at Rome For Damasus wrote to g Caranza f. 85. b. Stephanus and an Archbishop and to the three Councels of Africa that the iudgement of the causes of Bishops and all matters of great-importance may not be determined but by the authoritie of the Apostolike seate Thus did the beast rise out of the earth But in h 1. Conc. Const can 1.2 Caranza his time it was contrarily decreed that no Bishop should confound the authoritie of bishoprickes by intermedling in another diocesse to dispose of Ecclesiasticall causes He also decreed that none should i Dist 17. huic sedi presume to vsurpe the things which were graunted to that seate k cap. 24.9.1 hac est fides It is said that to him Ierom wrote that whosoeuer should blame the faith commended by the Church of Rome should shew himselfe vnskilfull malicious and no catholike but an heretike l Plat. 〈…〉 He abolished the ancient translation of the Bible which was made by the Septuaginâ— and then was in great estimation and brought into the Church the writings of Ierome and many songs as hauing the horne of the eye of wisedome like the Lambe But it was contrarily m Con. Laâ—d can 69. Caranza decreed that no Psalmes or songes made by vulgar persons should be vsed in the Church nor any bookes read in the Church which are not of the Canonicall Scriptures of the old and new testament In this Popes time was decreed that n Con. Valen. what Clergie man confessed any mortal sinne of himselfe should be deposed an instruction for vnchaste priests * 4. Caranza Anno 388. si non castè c. Siricius the first ordained that o Berg. 9. priests should be ordered onely by Bishops In his time it was decreed that euery p 3. Con. Carth. can 49. Ecclesiasticall person that purchased any lands c. should conferre it vpon the Church It seemeth that Bishops affected very high titles For to take downe the pride of such it was decreed that q Ibid. can 26. no Bishop of the first seate should be called Princeps sacerdotum or summus sacerdos but onely the Bishop of the first seate This Pope a Plat. Berg. expelled from Ecclesiasticall offices all Clergie men that maried a widow or second wife and decreed b Cara. f. 90. b. that no Clergie man should haue knowledge of his wife because it is written those which dwell in the c Rom. 8.8 flesh cannot please God Agreeing herein with the heresies of the Maniches and superstition of the Gothes that d Stra. 7. p. 205. 206. would haue their religious persons without wiues But this his decree is contrarie to the Gangrene Councell which accuseth such as e D. 30. si quiâ— nuptiaâ— accuse the marriage bed as a let to the kingdome of heauen Innocentius the first is said to haue excommunicated the f Geneb Emperor Archadius Anno. 406. and by his Epistle to haue depriued Eudoxia the Empresse from her dignitie He as an Heracleonite decreed that g Caran f. 15â— all persons in their deadly and extreame sicknesses should be anoynted with oyle hallowed by Bishops That priests should iudge of the qualitie of the offence and penitence of men and at their discretion dismisse them He instituted the kissing of the Pax that all men might declare their consent to that which was done He after the heresie of the h Ponet Apol. pag. 105. Cataphrygians and Montanus who feigned himselfe to be the holy Ghost ordained that the custome of no Church is to be followed in diuine mysteries or doing of things but onely the Church of Rome It seemeth hee would haue Rome say as sometimes Babylon said I i Isai 47.10 am c. none else vnto whom may be said as to the Cataphrygians came k 1. Cor. 14.36 See epist Ath. 1. in Soc. 2. 29. the word of God from you or came it to you alone In his time Rome was taken by the Gothes At the instance of the African Councell he condemned the heresie of Pelagius Anno 421. Zosimus sent l Chro. Chro. Faustinus a Bishop to the Councell at Carthage to tell them that nothing ought to be done publikely without the Bishop of Rome He absolued m Fox Marty Concilium Aphricanum Apiarius an Aphrican without any examination when he stood excommunicate by an Aphrican Councell And wrote to the Bishops of Aphrica commaunding them to receiue this Apiarius by him so absolued into their communion Pretending that the Bishop of Rome had authoritie to commaund graunted vnto him by the Councell of Nicea Thus farre was the beast risen out of the earth The African Bishops sent into the East for the originall copies of the Niceau Councel by which they found the Pope to be an impostor Whereupon they doe decree that he that is n Caranza Com. Mileuit Can. 18.22 excommunicate may appeale to the Primates and Councels of his owne prouince but he that appealeth beyond the seas shall be receiued into no communion a Concil Aphr. And the African Councell wrote to Caelestine who succeeded Zosimus requiring him to bring into the Church no such foggie types of the world Bonifacius the first got possessed the seate by b Volat. schisme Anno 423. In his time are cited the stories of c Chro. Chro. Euphrosina and Marina women who tooke on them mens apparell and entred into monasteries amongst men which though it were contrarie to the d D. 30. si qua mulier Gangrene Councell yet are they called e Pet. de Nat. Anno 426. Saints Calestinus commaunded all Clergie men to studie the f Volat. Canon law As yet it seemeth it was not commaunded that the Clergie should haue diuers apparell from the people but that it began by some to be brought in For thus writeth Caelestinus of the Clergie They are to g Caranza f. 130. a. be distinguished from the people by doctrine not by apparell by conuersation not by attires by puritie of minde not by clothing c. which I see not how it standeth with that which Genebrarde saith h Geneb p. 530. that Stephanus the first instituted priests garments c. Anno 257. Sixtus the third deposed Polytronius i Gobel at 6. cap. 25. p. 169. Bishop of Ierusalem because he affirmed himselfe to be vniuersall Bishop Anno 434. to depose in these dayes signified to pronounce deposed k
his request and restored the Arians to their authoritie againe Thus the beast deceiueth them that dwell vpon the earth by reason of the signes which were giuen him to doe in the sight of the beast He at Constantinople crowned k Geneb p. 629. Iustine the Emperor who was the first Emperor that euer was crowned by the Pope so now the Pope is in the estimation of the l Morisen Papa in p. 144. Ex Caesare Druides of France that did inaugurate the Kings When the Pope returned to Rauenna Theodoricus cast him into prison and famished him to death a Massaeus 14. Greg. dial 430. Gobelinus Fasc Temp. But within ninetie eight dayes after the hangman Theodoricus died sodainly and was buried in hell A holy Eremite saw him with the hands of this Pope Iohn c. to be plagued in Vulcans pot A terror for Princes by a lying signe Ann. 527. Felix 4. as an Heracleonite commanded the b Berg. Volat. Ann. 531. sicke to bee annointed before their death belike the same thing was so often commanded because it was so little regarded that the Popes deuised c Geneb Bonifacus 2. gat the seate by schisme he decreed that in the time of diuine seruice the * Massaeus Clergie should bee in a distinct place as the quire from the people He called a Synod and decreed d Gobelinus that he might choose his successor strengthened his decree with subscriptions and oathes of others But afterwards the Bishops in a Synode dashed all Vnder this Pope many noble e Massaeus mē left the world went vnto Saint Benedict f Geneb p. 631 This Benedict famous for miracles and the supposed spirit of prophesie instituted the order of the Benedictines He despised the studie of g Greg. dial lib. 2. 1. c. good learning and deuised rules of life different from the scriptures Hee is reported to master diuels to absolue the dead c. He is compared for miracles with Moses Elias Elizeus c. h Clictonaeus homil de Benedict Him some that follow the Church of Rome doe make the father of the monkish faith as Abraham is called in scripture the father of the faithfull and doe compare the many orders and Abbies that followed him with the many nations whose father Abraham is They say that of i Volal 21. f. 239. Geneb p. 631. his order were 24. Popes 183. Cardinals Archbishops in diuers Churches 1600. Bishops 4000 Abbots famous for learning and writing 15700. From his grounds ariseth Antichrist Anno 533. Iohn 2. recured a k Geneb Greg. dial 3. 2. blinde man at Constantinople in the presence of the Emperour and people vnto him Iustinian l Sabel E◠8. 2 the Emperour sent gifts and honoured him with new dignities acknowledging him to bee in the seat of Christs onely Vicar vpon earth The Emperour seeth the Pope to haue hornes like the Lambe Ann. 535. Agapetus was m Greg. dial 3. 3. sent by Theodatus king of Gothes to the Emperour Iustinian to reconcile him whom he had displeased for killing of his Queene who was committed by her father to this Iustinians tuition In his way in the partes of Greece he healed a man that was brought vnto him dumbe and lame who neuer could speake nor goe as they say When his neighbours brought him he asked if they did beleeue that hee could cure him who answered that they hoped he could by the power of God and authoritie of Saint Peter When the Pope had prayed and celebrated Masse he stretched forth his hand vnto the lame man who presently arose in the sight of the people And putting the Hoste into his mouth had present vse of his tongue by the power of God and helpe of Saint Peter Comming therefore to the a Pet. de Nat. Sabel f. 152. Ann. 536. Emperour he was receiued with reuerence and glorie Thus is the world deceiued by her inchantments Siluerius * Massaeus was caused to be chosen by Theodotus King of Gothes wherefore he presently sent his Chancelor Vigilius to the Emperour to excuse him that he could not waite the Emperours pleasure The Empresse dealt with Vigilius for the restoring of her friend Authemius an Eutychian Vigilius answered that Pope Siluerius would in no wise consent thereto but as for himselfe hee would easily agree had hee power in his hands vz. if he were Pope The Empresse caused Siluerius to be remooued which was done by the subornation of witnesses that affirmed that Siluerius would deliuer the citie of Rome and Belifarius the Emperours Generall into the hands of the Gothes b Pet. de Nat. Ann. 537. In his banishment he miraculously healed many Vigilius vpon c Massaeus the banishment of Siluerius was thrust into the Papacie he decreed that Masse should be celebrated towards the East This manner of turning the d Polyd. Inuen 57. Ezech. 8.16 face in praier was a custome of the Gentiles and contrarie to the commandement of God In the time e Geneb of this Vigilius Rome was first taken by Belifarius After that Vitigis the f Massaeus Carion King of the Gothes doth besiege it Then there was in all the world so great a famine especially in Italie as in Lyguria in Rome now beset with enemies that the mothers were constrained to eate their children Presently followed a pestilence Thus Michael warreth when the word of God by the Benedictines was refused and the inuentions of men were adored After the citie of Rome was taken spoiled and burnt by Totilas and his Gothes c. Narses is made Generall of the warres in Italie who bringeth with him an armie of 12,000 Lombards Pelagius 1. Ann. 555. was g Caran f. 201 the first that brought into the Masse praier for the dead as an angel of the bottomlesse pit And the Pope is like h Liuid 1. lib. 1 the Pont. Max. of Numa his deuising to whom is committed the order to pacifie the Spirits in the behalfe of the dead So that now it is with the Church of Rome as the Poet saith a Virg. Eu. 5. 1. p. 230. Vinaque fundebant pateris animamque vocabant Anchisa magni manesque Acheronte remisses This Pope also b Pet. de Nat. decreed that those whom he calleth heretickes or schismaticks should be punished by the secular power as Abaddon or Apollyon c Geneb p. 643. In his time Narses the first Exarche of Rauenna finished the warres of the Gothes who brought the Lombards into Italie The successe is that d cap. 13.11 the beast doth rise out of the earth that is that the Popes by means of earthly riches and honours as also by earthly wisdome do rise to the state of such a Prince as hath the reputation to haue two hornes like the Lambe that is to seeme to represent Christ vpon earth for power and wisdome The nations also which came
first digested in a booke and commēded to the Church by many deceitfull miracles and reuelations to further the new doctrine which they say is found out of the state of the dead Herein trusting the reports of some which heard the things reported by others that some came from the dead Hereby the Poets fables become good diuinitie it beeing now acknowledged that the riuer Acherou is in hell where also a iudge sitteth like Minos Eachus and Radamanthus purgatorie in Aetna and in bathes c. that the dead might be holpen by masses burials in Churches praiers of Monkes and Priests a Lib. dial 4. cap. 41. The reason which hee rendreth why so many things are now discouered of the soules of dead men which hitherto lay hidde is that the end of the world is at hand and as it were in fight Take b 2. Thes 2.1 ◠Luk. 21.8 Isaiah 47.10 heads and be not deceiued for many will come in my name and say I am and the time draweth neere follow ye not them therefore In this booke is deliuered this doctrine As c Dial. 4. c. 5. the soule is knowne to liue in the bodie by the motion of the members so the life of the soule of the Saints when it is out of the bodie is to be esteemed by the vertue of miracles And d ibid. c. 20. that the merit of the soule sometimes is not shewed when it departeth from the body but is declared more truely after death A ready foundation for such Priests and Monkes which had the keeping of the places of burials to build vp the credit of their impostures about graues as if they were miracles And for them to obtrude vnto the world whom they liked to bee onely reputed as Saints This booke of Dialogues is so contrarie to the Reuelation of Saint Iohn that it may iustly be e 2. Thes 2.6 called the Reuelation of Antichrist This kinde of learning serued so to raise the beast out of the bottomlesse pit that some doe say that Gregory to shew this power of the beast in the bottomlesse pit recalled Traian f Pet. de Natal alij from hell baptised him and sent him to heauen A cup full of abhominations c. He was g Lib. 9. epl 9.71 angrie for breaking of images and called them lay mens bookes which were to be kept because the Gentiles vsed them to reade vpon He h Beda Eccl. hist lib. 1. C. 30. forbad to destroy the Temples of idols or to remoue the manner of the Gentiles worship i Epiph. l. 32. haeres 79. but required to continue the externall mirth to allure the people to serue God He worse then the heretikes called Collyridiani that worship the virgin Mary carried the k Mass 13. p. 180. image of the virgin Mary in procession as the Gentiles did their gods to driue away the plague He instituted the l Geneb p. 660. worship of the crosse barefoote on good friday and remitted canonicall penance and promised m Poly. inuent 8.1 cleane remission of sinnes to such as frequented Churches on set dayes that men might be allured to worship the Dragon He made a daungerous decree n Par. Abb. Vrsp in eplu Hysderi c. 1. p. 414. of this heresie that like the Maniches Electi the Clergie should not haue knowledge of their wiues but when more then sixe thousand childrens heads were brought vnto him out of his fish pond he confessed his owne decree to be the cause of this murther and condemned his owne decree He o Pet. de Nat. miraculously terrified Mauricius the Emperor by one p Otho Frist l. 5. c. 7. Mass Ab. Vrsp c. who in the habite of a Monke stoode with a drawne sworde and shaking it foretolde that he should be slaine with the sworde for persecuting of Pope Gregory from which sentence neither by almes prayers nor teares he was deliuered but was caused to drinke of the wine of the wrath of the whore and she is drunken with blood for both himselfe his wife and children were murthered by Phocas Which a Lib. 11. Epist 1. 36. 43. 44. was no sooner don but Gregory as accessary with the Clergie sung gloria in excelsis latentur cali exultet terra for ioy caried the images of Phocas and Leontia his wife into the Church of Casarius the whole Clergie shouting for ioy and singing Exandi Christe Phoca Augusto Leontia Augusta vita And as the forerunner of Antichrist wrote to Leontia to make especially S. Peter the protector and patrone of the Empire in earth and intercessor in heauen meaning that the Bishop of Rome should be in greatest estimation for the beast riseth out of the earth This Pope like the b Ang. har 46. Maniches which preferre apocrypha writings before the new Testament esteemed the foure generall Councels as the c Dist 15. sicut foure Euangelists and like Montanus the heretike d Regist lib. 12. accursed euery one which brake the least thing which the Pope commaunded and obeyed it not altogether He caused e Volat. lib. 22. f. 251. the auncient monuments in Rome to be cast into Tiber least by their beautie they should distract men from the religion newly instituted In his f Aug. Curie l. 1 Geneb p. 655. time Mahomet doth openly professe himselfe the onely Prophet of God and that whosoeuer durst gainesay his law should be slaine Many of his kinsfolkes allies friends and clients who were throughly perswaded that he was such a one indeede as he professed himselfe and would seeme to be followed him in the yeere 593. So in the West the g Geneb p. 661. Lombards English Spaniards Venetians Ligurians c. receiued the faith of the Church of Rome and followed her This Pope h Beda Eccl. hist l. 1. cap. 25.27 sent Augustine into England to conuert the English men They which were sent like those that built Babel neither vnderstoode the Scriptures nor the language of the people The first point of religion which they shewed was this They spread forth a banner with a painted crucifixe and so came in procession to the King singing the Letanie in a strange tongue and shewing some deceitfull miracles He laboured to reduce the whole land to the example of Rome as Montanus did all Churches to Pepuza and therefore became enemie to the seuen Churches of the Britones who followed the custome of the East Churches and would not submit themselues to his pride but cast him out and measured him not as a man of God because he learned not of Christ to beare his yoke who was humble and meeke He wrote to Augustine a Bed eccl hist l. 2. c. 2. dis 15. 4. denique that the Clergie should in quinquagesima abstaine from flesh milke meates and egges which b August de haeres 46. meates the Manachies electi or priests forbare There were in c Ex regist
was confirmed by the Exarch of Rauenna e Fasc Temp. Anno 637. who robbed the Lateran treasure Hee was bountifull to the Clergie diligent in the regiment of the Church which he maruelously beautified with ornaments and monuments The Almaignes f Geneb are conuerted to the Church of Rome g Geneb Iohn the fourth redeemed many captiues with the Church treasure Anno 638. Ierusalem is taken and wasted by the h VVolphgan Saracent as was Antiochia and the rest of Syria i Platina Theodorus a Bishops sonne Anno 640. he was very circumspect for the dignitie of religion The Emperor groweth vile and hatefull both for heresie and sacriledge and also because in his time the Empire of the East declined through the Saracens He easily absolued Pyrrhus the k Sab. E. 8. l. 6. fol. 178. a. Patriarke of Constantinople from his heresie gaue him a forme of profession and sent him home when Pyrrhus had platted the death of the Emperor Constantine which vpon his returne he executed with the assistance of Marina the Empresse The l Genffr de Tur. orig 3. p. 122. 123. Saracens take away from the Grecians Cilicia and became Lordes of all the countries thereabout excepting the kingdome of m Haiton Abcas which is Georgia and the countrie of Armenia which two countries are not in the catalogue of those that condemned Athanasius at Tyrus whereof see before This Pope by his a Sabellicus sentence depriued Paul of Constantinople for heresie but he kept his place by the Emperors fauour He beautified and built Churches In his time fasting in b Pantalion Geneb lent was thrust vpon the English-men Martinus the first sent c Anno 646. Geneb Legates to withdraw the Emperor and Paulus the Patriarke of Constantinople from heresie The Emperour banished his Legates sent his Exarch into Italie to peruert or take or kill Martine and spreade the heresie But the Pope d Massaeus Platina Sabellicus Bergom was so fauoured by the people and a Councell then held that he could not be hurte by the Exarch and the murtherer sent to kill the Pope as they say was stroken blind The Pope was after apprehended by fraude and banished where he died glorious for miracles He reproued e Pantaleon the heathen customes of his time which yet continued as trimming vp of houses at Newyeeres tide with greene boughes c. He f Dist 27. Diaconus would not haue Deacons ordeined except they would vow chastitie that is abstinence from mariage and required the Clergie to g Bergom bee shorne The Priests h Poly. Inuent 4. 5. shauen crownes seeme to bee taken from the Egyptians whose Priests were customably shauen in token of sorrow for the death of their god Apis. I thinke it forbidden in the i Leuit. 19.27 law The k Wolphgan Saracens subiect the greatest part of Affrica to their Empire They l Geneb much diminish the Romane Empire and encreased the Saracenical Empire Rhodes with the Iles about it is taken Sicilia wasted they inuade Europe waste Cyprus and Aradus c. Anno 651. m Pantalcon Eugenius the first decreed that no Bishop might conuert the Church goods to his priuate vse and that n Volater Geneb Bishops should haue prisons to punish the faults of the Clergie Vitalianus brought o Geneb p. 685. Songes and Organes into the Church and now God p Moris pap p. 168. is serued with like musicke Anno 6â—7 as was the image which Nabuchadnezzer set vp How it standeth with Gregories decree q Ex Regist l. 12. f. 235. against the modulation of the voice I doe not see Constans r Frising 5. 11. the Emperour forsaketh his heresie and dedicateth to Saint Peter the Gospell richly decked with precious stones He purposed to haue Å¿ Geneb p. 6â—â— translated the seate of the Empire to Rome but he could not but t Sab. En. â— l. â— f. 179. b. he spoiled Rome I could u Fasc Temp. f. 60. not hitherto finde that at any time the Church of Rome had fullie the dominion of the Citie and other things which Constantine is said to haue giuen vnto it except in the time of some few and these the most naughtie Princes Yea this Vitalianus had a greater fauour that this bad Emperour did confirme the priuiledges of the Church which notwithstanding he presentlie brake againe Then the * Geneb p. 687. Mahumetanes wasted Sicilia Cyprus threatned Italie thrust the law of Christ out of Affrica constituted their impietie through Affrica and Asia and attempted to bring it into Europe and trod vnder foote the holy land Anno 671. Adeo-datus a Geneb cured a leper with a kisse He b Platina and his successor Donus laboured to encrease the honor and magnificence of the Church and Clergie The c Geneb p. 690. Saraceus spoyle Syracuse Thracia besiege Constantinople and cary away many prisoners from Africa Doâ—â—s reconciled d Bergâ—ensis the Church Rauenna to Rome In his time it is reported that the e Plati f. 94. b. soule of Dagâ—bertus King of France was seene taken out of the hands of diuels who were carying him to hell by Dionysius Mauritius and Martine whose temples he honored while he liued newes out of the bottomlesse pit to helpe the beast to rise from thence vpon this sorcery and lying miracle 270. ships f Geneb p. 691. of the Arabians filthily waste the sea-coasts of Spaine Anno 680. Agatho clensed g Volat. a leper with a kisse He h Geneb instituted a new office for the Romane Church treasurie for this beast hath Beares feete Rauenna i Fasc Temp. gaue obedience to the Church of Rome being taught that it is not good to kicke against the pricke There k Frisin 5. 12. was held a Councell at Constantinople The Pope l Massae 14. p. 153. craued of the Emperour to stand fast in the catholike faith The Emperor requesteth the Pope that laying aside all cauils the Churches might be vnited by the vnitie of faith and commaunded the m Abb. Vrsp p. 153. Bishops that laying aside philosophicall disputations they should enquire of the faith with peaceable conference and deliuered them bookes of the Fathers out of the librarie of Constantinople In this Councell the Latine and Greeke Churches were n Geneb p. 692. reconciled The Bishop of Rome was to be called vniuersall Bishop and the Bishop of Constantinople should write himselfe vniuersal patriarke It was o Caranza Con Const 6. ca. 82 Poly. inuen 6.16 also decreed that images should be receiued into Churches and worshipped with great reuerence as a thing wherby the laity might be p Isa 44.20 Hab. 2.18 Ierem 10.15 instructed with lyes as insteede of Scripture and that incense might be burned and tapers light before them This q Polyd.
e Trith 273. 274. 275. entred when the Empire was distracted by two which the Princes deuided into factions did set vp The greater part elected Ludouicus Banarus the lesse Fridericus Duke of Austria f Par. Vrs 352. Fridericus was fauored by the Pope the French King c. It seemeth the Pope willing to aduance Fridericus whose election was not good thought to declare the Empire to be voyde that he might weaken Ludouicus of such offices in Italy c. that might stand him in stead For in his first yeere he decreed g Extr. Iho. 22. Si fratum that in the vacancie of the Empire which he said then was by the death of Henry the seuenth the regiment iurisdiction and disposing of the Empire deuolued to the Pope vnto whom in the person of Saint Peter God committed the rights of the earthly and heauenly Empire He also accursed all Imperiall offices as well spirituall as temporall that in the vacancie were not authorised by the Pope After h Par. Vrs 353. Trith p. 278. many conflicts Fridericus is ouercome and taken and by capitulation yeeldeth all to Ludouicus At this time i Trith p. 277. 278. Walter Lolliard the chiefe teacher of many against the popish Church who had written diuers treatises in the Dutch tongue applying the Scriptures to his opinions was apprehended he sharpely defended his opinions for which he was burned a Mass 18. p. 246. Michael Cesenas Generall of the order of the Minorites with the Fratricelli of the habit of Saint Francis preached that Christ and his Aopstles possessed nothing of their owne Against whom the Pope published his decree that b Extr de ver fig. tit 14. Cum inter whosoeuer held that Christ and his Apostles possessed nothing were heretiks They also taught that the Emperor is not subiect to the Pope but in spirituall causes which the Emperor beleeued and c Trith 279.280 despising the Pope who by admonition and commination required him to come to Auinion to be crowned by the Pope went into Italy requested the Pope to send some Cardinals into Italy to crowne him as Clement did for Henry the seuenth The Pope refusing so to doe d Par. Vrs 353. at Millaine the Emperor receiued his second crowne And the Emperors Chancellor vnknowne to the Emperor wrote to the Pope calling him e Reuel 13.1 the beast arising out of the sea c. Michael Cesenas wrote that the Pope was Antichrist f Fox Marty and Rome Babylon in the Reuelation Also Petrus de Carbano Iohannes de Poliaco and William Occam wrote against the Pope and his vsurped authoritie in aduancing Friers decaying purish Churches c. The * Mass 18.246 Emperor goeth to Rome and is crowned by an Antipope whom he set vp The Pope hearing hereof g Gob. aet 6. c. 68. Mass 18. excommunicated the Emperor for taking vpon him as Emperor in Italy without the Popes approbation and excommunicated Michael and all their adherents sent an armie against the Fratricelli Many were burned There h Trith 285. was a very great mortalitie euery where and such a dearth that many were famished The Syrians tooke many thousands of Christians prisoners The i Mass 18.247 Gob. ae 6. c. 71. p. 246. Pope also preacheth heresie that the soules departed did not enioy the sight of God till the last iudgement an k Geneb 1002. heresie of the Fratricelli He sent a Dominican and a Minorite to Paris l Mass 18. p. 247. to preach his heresie there Thomas Walleis an Englishman herein resisted the Pope in his publike sermons For which he was imprisoned and vexed with famine The m 246. Emperor held a Councell vnto whom Iendinus and Marcellus students of Paris doe come and comfort him confirming that the Emperor is not subiect to the Pope n Trith 279. Occam also said to the Emperor Defend me with thy sword against the iniuries of the Pope and I will defend thee with words and writing with indissoluble arguments And o Par. Vrs 354. Marsilius Patauinus wrote to the Emperour a booke called Defensor pacis maintaining that the Pope is subiect to the Emperor In this a Trith 280. Councell the Emperor deposeth the Pope as an heretike and schismatike and b Par. Vrs 354 setteth vp his appeale against the Pope c Geneb 1015. The Pope reuoked his heresie by the authoritie of the faculty of Paris He d Volat. 21. instituted a new order of Knights in Portugall of Iesus Christ and granted them the Templars goods that they might be ready to resist the irruptions of the Saracens that were next their colours were Sables a crosse gewles In the same countrie c. were the Knights of Alcantara with a greene crosse He e Extr. Con. l. 1. Supra gentes excommunicated ipso facto those that hindered the Popes Legats and messengers from being entertained and interdicted their land as long as they should stand contumacious f Trith p. 284. When he died he left an inestimable summe of gold behind him in the treasuries Anno 1335. Benedictus the twelfth g Par. Vrs 354. Geneb p. 1025. though he desired to absolue the Emperor yet for feare of the French King confirmed the censure of his predecessor * Par. Vrsp p. 355. The Emperor reiecteth the acts of Iohn the twentith two against him looking to the Canon Imperator where is required that neither the Emperor shall vsurpe the rights of the Pope nor the Pope of the Emperor and that the Emperor hath not his Empire of the Pope but of God At Franckeford in an assemblie of Princes was decreed that if the Emperor be good and Catholicke c. and that the Pope refuse to crowne him he may be consecrated by any other Catholike Bishop c. h Mass 8.447 He sent his Orator to Rome who perswaded them to administer the dignity of the senate in the name of the Church and not in the name of the King or Emperor as they had done of long How was then Rome the Popes He i Geneb p. 1027. caused the King of Hungary to restore the kingdome of Naples to Ioane from whom he had taken it because she had strangled her husband the Kings brother In reward of which restitution she gaue the city Auinion to the Pope for euer He k 1026. published a decree against this heresie of Iohn his predecessor determining against his opinion l Extr. Con. 5. de haeres c. 1. This Pope made the inquisitors the receiuers of heretikes goods and rents and to be accountable to none but the Pope * Par. Vrs 354. Dulcinus and Durandus are held to bee heretikes m Fox Marty Hagar imprisoned for preaching against the Masse Iohannes de Rupe scissa imprisoned for writing and preaching Rome was Babylon and the Cardinals were false prophets n Geneb pag. 116. Occam writeth
cap. 18.1 Angel came downe from heauen hauing great power so that the earth was lightened with his glory that is the glorious Gospel which now was excluded by all men came by the mighty hand of God to be published and preached to the dispelling of the darkenes which Antichrist brought into the earth as if it had been brought from heauen by the ministery of a mighty Angel to enlighten men In the parable of this Angel by whom is signified the Lambe Iesus Christ who is preached to the world first is set downe the description of himselfe and his retinue and then his warres The parable is of a e cap. 19.11 horse and his rider as before in the sixth chapter The horse doth signifie the speedy posting abroade of the Gospel euen like lightning And this horse is white for the honour and good opinion and reputation the rider and those that followed him did get among persons of honour c. He that sate vpon this white horse was called and reputed faithfull and true euery way sincere Contrary to the dissimulation of Antichrist the Popes who were so vnfaithfull in their actions and so false in their words and writings that no man could safely trust what they said or did He is also said to iudge and fight righteously dealing vprightly with all men and iustly contending with his enemies by word and deede so that he decideth all questions truely and rightly and confuteth and impugneth his aduersaries according to the precise rule of equitie Contrary to the Popes who decide all doubts and fight all their battailes as may best serue their onely partialities and profites without respect to iustice and hereof are notoriously knowen to be guilty His ability to iudge righteously appeareth by this that a cap. 19.12 his eyes are as a flame of fire by his cleere and piercing insight truely discerning the very secrets of all things which he looketh vpon euen as they be Contrary to the Popes whose ignorance or malice maketh them vnable throughly to perceiue and see much lesse to foresee things as they be as appeareth by their continuall accusing of innocents and acquiting of vngodly persons And contrary to the popish Clergie who know nothing but what is reuealed to them by confession of such as neither will nor can tell all whereas b Heb. 4.12.13 all things are naked and manifest to him with whom we haue to doe to wit the word of God As an argument of the iustnes of his warres and iudgement he hath c cap. 19.12 many crownes on his head signifying the supreme authority of the Scriptures to bee such as that all Kings and Princes and people are in right subiects therevnto and so in this period shall acknowledge themselues to be so that when he fighteth it is to subdue his rebels Affronting the wicked Antichristian Popes who arrogantly weare a triple crowne vsurping authoritie and tyrannising ouer such as they haue no interest in but are and ought to be subiects of the word of God Of the name of this rider it is said he hath a name written which no man knew but himselfe to shew that when the Popes or others do arrogate to themselues alone the sense and vnderstanding of the Scriptures as if they were to iudge thereof alone d Specul Mino. tra 3. f. 135. b. pretending to haue all knowledge and law in the cabenet of their owne breasts they lie For the written Scriptures which are subiect to no Iudge cannot be vnderstoode but by the helpe of themselues speaking elsewhere more euidently that which seemeth darke in any place And hereof great persecution is to rise Furthermore he is said e cap. 19.13 to be clothed in a garment dipt in blood to signifie the great effusion of bloud by the martyrdome of such which should stand for the authority of the word of God against the beast Antichrist For from henceforth the great question is of the authoritie sufficiency and vnderstanding of the Scriptures about which are great contentions and persecutions His garment is also dipt in blood to teach that at last f Isai 63.1.2.3 he shall victoriously triumph ouer his enemies so as his garments shall be red with the blood of the slaine This wonderfull person in plaine tearmes is a cap. 19.13 the word of God which though lately buried by the traditions and ignorance and malice of men now commeth abroade againe The retinue of this great and most mighty Generall are said to be the b cap. 19.14 hostes that are in heauen that is such godly men as are come forth into Christian warfare and c Phil 3.20 haue their conuersation in heauen and therefore those of his side d cap. 17.14 are called chosen and faithfull professing the truth of the doctrine of vocation election and faith contrary to the vocation election and faith of those which followed Antichrist and therefore fought a good fight vnder persecutions These followed him keeping themselues in all doctrines to the steppes of the word of God speedily and honorably as vpon white horses e cap. 19.14 clothed in fine linnen white and pure hauing put on the righteousnes of Christ and f Dan. 12.10 being purified in the furnace of affliction Of the manner of this riders fighting it is said that his weapons are sure and his confidence full of all assurance Concerning his weapons it is said that g cap. 19.15 out of his mouth went a sharpe sworde so mighty and strong that with it he should smite the heathen signifying both the sharpe and feruent and mighty confutations of the wicked which should be taken from the word of God sufficient to conuince all the policy and superstition of the Gentiles the papists by a word of his mouth and also the hot warres which the preaching of the word should raise against Antichrist and the remnant c. His confidence in this warre is so great that he doth giue assurance to all that in the end He h Psal 2.9 shall rule the heathen with a rod of yron keeping them vnder by seuere and mortall lawes The reason of which assurance is that He it is that by the ordinance of almighty God treadeth the winepresse as a seuere executioner of the fiercenes and wrath of almighty God against all his enemies First in token of his confidence to triumph ouer all authority so that Kings and Lords c. shall be his subiects and seruants he i cap. 19.16 hath vpon his horsemans coate or garment a name written k cap. 17.14 The King of Kings and Lord of Lords Secondly to encourage his souldiers and terrifie his enemies he causeth it to be generally proclaimed or preached as if l cap. 14.8 18.2 there followed an Angel saying Babylon that great citie is fallen it is fallen to that basenes that whereas it was esteemed the seate and crowne of Kings and Princes now it should become the habitation
he was commaunded to hold his peace Wherefore in that confusion hee cried out confirming his assertions by scripture and appealed from that wicked synagogue to Christ He reproued the corrupt manners of this assembly and had the same regard which Lot had in Sodom when he reprooued their violence Howbeit contrarie to the Emperours safe conduct and to the Popes promise he was condemned to the fire Beware of men for they shall deliuer you vp to the Councels For now is fulfilled the prophecie of the a 2. Tim. 3.1.3 Peucer 5. f. 176. c. last time i Mat. 10.17 which should bee perilous for truce-breakers His garments were taken from him as Christ had his he was crowned with a paper Miter * Mat. 10.25 with painted diuels as Christ was with thornes If they call the master of the house Beelzebub how much more them of the householde The principall cause of his condemnation was the same that the Arians obiected to Athanasius b Soc. 2. 5. Athanasius was accused because when he was remoued from his ministerie he tooke it againe without the consent of the Councell And Hus c Fox Mart. p. 603. was not onely accused by this Councell the liuely image of the Arians but also condemned because he continued preaching when he was excommunicated Also Ierom of Prage was likewise vsed Before their death they prophecied For Hus who in the Boemian tongue doth signifie a Goose prophecied that after him should come a Swan whoÌ„ they should not burne so easily And Ierom cited the Councell after an hundred yeres to answere God and him These prophecies doe seeme accomplished in Luther Before their execution d Orig in Ephe. was a fearefull eclipse of the Sunne For the Starres were seene as in the night and the birds by the suddaine darknes fell to the grounde Hus e Buchol ann 1415. and Prage were condemned by the Councell and by them committed to the ciuill Magistrate to be put to death For they themselus as the f Ioh. 18.31 Iewes cried to Pilate might not lawfully put any man to death But when they were dead they would not grant as much fauour to their ashes as g Ioh. 10 1â— Pilate did to the bodie of Christ to be put in graues but h Eus 5. 1 p. 62. they strawed their ashes in the Rhine as the Gentiles did the Christians into the riuer of Rhodanus to take away all hope of their resurrection The memorie also of Iohn Wickleife was condemned For it was decreed that his bones should bee taken out of his graue herein shewing themselues more cruell and vnnaturall then were the Arians against the Catholiques i Mass 18. p. 255 Pope Martine and the Emperour reioyced together because that at the last peace was restored to the Church For these two vexed them that dwell vpon the earth So did the k Theod. 4. 22. Arians reioyce when they had oppressed the innocent Catholiques The l Fox Mart. p. 575. Pope gaue gifts also For he gaue full absolution to all that were present at the Councell and also hee gaue another indulgence at the houre of death to the masters and household But so as the pardons must bee procured vnder seale that they may giue gifts one to another In a Gob. ae 6. cap. vlt. this Councell was no reformation of doctrine and manners b Caranza The institution of Christ and practise of the Primitiue Church in the ministration of the Sacrament of both kinds was antiquated yet do they boast of antiquitie It c Mass 10.19 was decreed that faith is not to be kept with heretikes and other blasphemers This d Geneb pag. 1059. c. 11.9 Councell continued three yeere and a halfe which the Scriptures call in a propheticall speech three dayes and a halfe This Pope Martine is reported to haue dispensed with a man to marrie his sister e Fasc Temp. p. 87. 88. So corrupt were the times that of them it is said that conscience according to the feare of God abounding in times past in the Prelates did by laudable manners and examples set vp and aduance the Church of Christ In processe of time abounding with temporalties forgetting conscience they trusted vpon science which maketh proud palliating the holy Scriptures with diuers impostures not fearing to falsifie the iustice of the Lord c. But O abhomination con and sci are raised out of conscience and onely entia vnsensible creatures which neither haue knowledge nor conscience doe gouerne the spouse of Christ c. At f Geneb 1060. this time the Turkes recouer that which Tamerlane had taken from them remoue their seate into Greece come ouer Danubium and get much When g Par. Vrsp p. 381. these Martyres were killed by the Councell the spirit of life comming from God entred into the witnesses For first threescore then fifty foure of the Nobles of Boem wrote to the Councell by their letters patents shewing themselues to be wronged in the death and cause of Hus and testified that they would defend the preaching of the word of God with the hazard of their liues c. and so fulfill the precept h cap. 18.4 Goe out of her my people c. But i 1419. Bucholcer Fox Maâ—t p. 621. 622. c. after three propheticall dayes and a halfe the three yeeres and a halfe in which the Councell was helde the nobles and people of Boem enter into a sure league and the cause of the witnesses doth againe stand on foote whereupon the Pope and Princes feare The Boemians assemble and celebrate the memorie of Hus and Prage as of great Martyres ascended to heauen and decree the same yeerely to be kept And because the Pope had thundred and that with the Princes hee resolued to send armies against them the Boemians chose Zisca for their Generall and so began the Boemians warre for Hus c. which may iustly be compared to a great earthquake In this emotion Zisca winneth much a 1420. Bucholcerus The citie of Prage defecting from the Emperor ioyneth with Zisca and his Thaborites who by stratagems ouercommeth his enemies and hath the word of God faithfully preached and the Sacraments duely administred publikely And that he might execute the commaundement * cap. 1â— 6 reward her as she hath serued you c. he b Peuc 5. f. 169. b. persecuted in hostile manner the Monkes their patrones and defenders punishing those whom they gat exiling them that fled pulling downe the Monasteries and casting downe and burning their idols with fire c Chro. Chro. where many were slaine d 1421. Bucholcerus Sigismund the Emperor yeelded ground for feare and shamefully fled while Zisca was marching towards him e 1422. Sigismund with a new great army recouering some places by force or surrender but when Zisca now blinde rushed vpon him he fled with feare and trembling many of his nobles
yeere So did Danie But especially Iohn hus and Ierom of Prage e Geneb p. 1109 Elias Leuita a Iew publisheth his Hebrue Grāmar to the great benefit of Christians Luther f Par. Vrsp p. 447. writeth to the Pope of indulgences Ann. 1518. complaining that the pardon-preachers to the scandall and mockerie of the Ecclesiasticall power and blasphemie of God did write and preach with insatiable couetousnesse the like whereof was neuer heard of before requiring the confessors by oth to enioyne them that confesse to them to buy their pardons terrifying all men with the name of the Pope threatning fire and the reproch of heresie to them that refused to buie their pardons He shewed that with his schedule of articles which he had set vp he onely purposed to prouoke the learned to disputations That it seemed miraculous to him that his propositions were so soone gone abroade as vpon a white horse posted in all the earth That against his will he made himself so publike that he could not recall his propositions a Par. Vrsp p. 448. Hee also answered a dialogue of Siluester Pierius teaching that b 1. Thess 5. All things are to be tryed c Galat. 1. an Angell must teach no other doctrine Fathers may erro and concludeth thus Let opinions remaine opinions and no burthens to the Church Opinions may not be equall to scripture Let the diuines be ashamed of these and such like speeches which they bolt out Thus would I speak in schooles but yet doe not tel any bodie it cānot be prooued by scripture c. Luther before the Legate a Cardinall d Par. Vrs p. 449. iustifieth his doctrine Wherefore the Pope citeth Luther to Rome and commandeth the Princes to deliuer him prisoner to the Legate excommunicating and accursing all Princes and interdicting their landes which would not bee assistant excepting none but the Emperour and giuing plenarie indulgences to them that obeyed e Mass 20. p. 273. Luther appealeth from the Pope not well informed to the Pope to be better informed and after that to a general Councell f Nou. Orb. Cortesius discouereth to the south By g Peuc 5. f. 266. b. Luthers bookes and sermons when godly men in monasteries did heare that idols were to be fled from they according to the commaundement h cap. 18.4 Come out of her my people and be not partakers of her sinnes c began to depart from that wicked seruitude and so were the monasteries left emptie i Par. Vrs 250. c. Anno 1520. There was a disputation of the Popes authoritie c at Lipsia Luther auoucheth his articles which were condemned by the Popes bull k 454. 455. and wrote against the three fortifications of poperie which are 1. The ciuill Magistrate hath no power ouer the spirituall but the spirituall Magistrate hath power ouer the ciuill 2. If they be vrged with scripture they say None can expound the scripture but the Pope c. 3. If they be vrged with a Councell they faigne that none can call a Councell but the Pope c. Erasmus writeth to the Archbishop of Mogunce of Luthers cause saying that the Monkes and Diuines doe condemne the things in Luthers bookes for heresie which in the bookes of Bernard and Augustine are read as true and godly c. They were heretofore heretikes that dissented from the Euangelists and from the Articles of faith c. Now if any dissent from Thomas hee is an heretike Whatsoeuer pleaseth them not what they vnderstand not is heresie to vnderstand Greeke to speake good Latine is heresie with them The * Buchol Ann. 1520. Geneb 1106. diuines of Louane and Colen doe adiudge many of Luthers bookes to the fire to be burned which the same yeere by the commaundement of the Pope and Charles the Emperor was done in Germany a Mass 20. p. 273. Luther at Wittenberge openly burneth the Popes lawes the decretals and decrees with the Popes bull saying b cap. 18.6 I haue done to them as they haue done to me rewarding her as she hath rewarded me c Buchol c. 1521. Luther among other bookes which hee published wrote an exhortation to the nobilitie of Germany of the reformation of the Christian affaires Luther answereth before the Emperour at Wormes where the Emperour proscribed him d Geneb 1110. This yeere began that long and bloudie warre betweene Charles the Emperour and Francis the French King both Papists and this lasted 38. yeres Thou e cap. 16.5.6 Geneb p. 11 10. Lord hast giuen them blood to drinke because they killed thy Saints f Par. Vrs p. 457. Ignatius Layolo a Spaniarde began the order af the fellowship of Iesus and Luthers bookes are burned at Antwerpe and Gant Pope Leo died as it was thought by poison And now is powred forth the fifth Phiall The fifth Phiall Henceforth to the former foure Plagues the fifth Angell powreth out the plague which he was to inflict g cap. 16.10 And the fifth Angell powred out his Phiall vpon the throne of the beast that popish Antichrist and the wonted glorious administration of his kingdome waxed darke and obscured being regarded euery day lesse then other Wherefore the Gentiles the Papists are angrie and gnaw their tongues for sorrow and griefe Yea whereas the Lord plagued them also by the other Phials a cap. 16.11 1521. they blasphemed the God of heauen for their paines and for their plague sores and repented not of their workes but became as cruell proud couetous and euery way as wicked as before though they saw their sinnes The Complement When b Eucholce the Emperor had proscribed Luther c Slei lan 1. f. 18. a. Fridericus the Elector of Saxonie consulted with Erasmus about the doctrine of Luther and standing at the glassie sea mingled with fire protested to despise all dangers for the truth Beeing satisfied by Erasmus that Luther had the truth hee committed Luther to certain Nobles whom he trusted to bring him safe to a castle where he might be vnknowne d cap. 16.10 Thus was the kingdome of the popish beast obscured Here Luther wrot many bookes and calleth the place his Patmos or wildernesse so that in him e cap. 10.11 S. Iohn doth preach againe Ann. 1522. Adrian f Par. Vrsp p. 458. the sixt acknowledging the faults of his time attempteth reformation at Rome g Lanquet ann 1522. Hee sent his letters to the Councell at Argentine charging them to see that none of Luthers bookes were printed and that they which were alreadie printed should bee burned Hee also by his Bull required Fridericke the Elector of Saxonie to maintaine the Church of Rome and by his Legate hee commanded the Princes of Germanie Lanquet anno 1523. assembled at Norimberge to proceed against Luther and his fellowes as against men alreadie heard and condemned Howbeit because the Phiall was powred on
violence and disgrace both to the Cardinals and to all men and women The spoile was infinite and the ransomes of the great men was more The Pope was as a prisoner and him the souldiers derided setting some drunken fellowe to be carried like a Pope c. and among hand crying and terrifying the Pope and Bishops with the name of Luther i Geneb p. 1117. Lanquet Fox Mart c. The same yeare was a disputation at Berne where no Papists would appeare the next yeare the Bernites Geneua and diuers of their neighbours abolished poperie A k Par. Vrsp p. 469. 473. great pestilence was at Genua and a great famine in and about Venice of which many died A great famine is in Germanie for three yeares There was also the sweating sicknesse in England Braband and Germanie a Lanquet Stransbrough laieth away the masse and Basil is reformed b Par. Vrsp p. 471. Geneb p. 1118. At Spires the Princes assembled where a Papist preached that he rather would depart from the Gospel than from the ceremonies of the Church Thus the beast blasphemeth God and maketh warre against his word The Princes and certaine cities protested that they could not agree to certaine things concluded in that Councell because they were contrarie to the doctrine of pietie and Christian faith Anno 1530. thereupon arose the name of Protestants c Fox Mart. Then followed the most Antichristian and horrible persecution of Merindol and Cabriers d Par. Vrsp p. 474 475. The Emperour at Augusta commanded the Princes which were Protestants to bring in their confessions of their faith which they did The papists would answer them but cleane without scripture and so that they might be allowed to load the innocent cause with horrible reproches and blasphemies for the beast openeth his mouth to blaspheme There followed a fearefull inundation of the sea which destroied many in Braband Holland Flaunders and Zealand And at Rome besides most fearefull thundrings and much heate and many fires such a power of water fell from heauen that men thought they should haue perished with a second flood houses and people were carried downe the riuer Tybur In the lower places of the citie the water was 33. or 34. foote high The e Geneb p. 1119. French king erecteth Lectures in Paris for the tongues giuing reward to the Prophets Florence by fire and sword was ouerthrowne by the armies of the pope and Emperour For they killed the Prophets of the Lord Sauanorola c. f Fox Mart. The Heluetians fight one against the other the papists against the protestants but presently after enter league of perfect amitie The Turkes make an irruption into Hungarie and Austria Paulus the third m Morise papa p. 95. had a register of 45,000 harlots Ann. 1534. that paid him weekely tribute for their whoredome As yet the harlots pay euery one a Iuly by the weeke which amounteth for the most part to 45,000 Ducates by the yeere Henry n Geneb 1121. the eighth king of England defecteth from the Pope whereby the kingdome of the beast is obscured in England o Par. Vrsp. p. 478. Diuerse cities in Germany erect stipends for students of diuinitie and good artes In p Lanquet France they cruelly persecuted all such as they called Lutherans a 1535. Lanquet At this time were giuen to the King of England by the consent of the Abots all such religious houses which were vnder 300. Markes for the foules eate the flesh of great and small The Emperour rebuketh the Protestantes for taking away the goods and lands of the Clergie b Bucholcer Pomeranus reformeth the Churches in Denmark The c Par. Vrsp. p. 480. Protestants which heretofore differed in the doctrine of the supper do now accord d 1538. Lanquet Fox c. Abbies were suppressed in England and all Friers Monkes Canons Nunnes and other sorts of religious persons were rooted out of the Realme and the liuings distributed by gifte or sale to Noblemen Gentlemen and all sorts that would buy them e cap. 19.17.18 for al the foules that do flie through the middest of heauen are called to come to eate the flesh of Captaines c. f 1539. Fox But the king declined to Poperie and set forth sixe articles which caused many godly men to loose their liues The g Sleidan Lanquet same time the Emperour obiected to the Princes of Germany that they became Protestants not for religion but for the desire of the spirituall liuings and that they delighted in discord and enclined vnto his enemies Hereby the Protestants feared war and diuerse Princes and Bishops enter into a league in dispite of the Protestants There followed presently a h Lanquet yere of great heate drowght in England many gaue halfe their corne for grinding the other halfe diuerse great Riuers were dried vp many died of burning agues boyling in heate i Orig. Ephemerid In other places also was like heate drought great Riuers might be ridden ouer small Riuers were dried vp diuers woodes were burned with the heate of the Sunne There were in Germany and Boem many fiers so that at Prage the kings principall pallace was consumed with fier k Geneb 1130. The greatest part of Germany leauing the Pope desolate by forsaking his religiō begin to neglect the authoritie of the Emperour that laboured to abolish the Protestants religion l Buchol Ann. 1541. The Emperour intending to conquere Algiers in Affrica is repelled by shipwrack at sea and by stormie weather which the Emperour did iudge to be the wrath of God against him m 543. Ibid. Hermannus Archbishop of Colen attempteth the reformation of religion in his countries The n 545. Geneb p. 1130. Anno 1546. Councell of Trent began against Luther c. This Councell taking all prerogatiue and superioritie from the word of God which the Lord hath crowned a Ses 4. p. 8. 10. a. 130. 131. doth receiue and adore with like affection of piety and reuerence as well the traditions of the Church as the old and new testament and doth holde that none may interpret the Scriptures against that sense which the Church of the time holdeth b Geneb pag. 1132. 1127. Charles the Emperor hauing concluded a peace with the Turke and with the French King the better to roote out the Gospel by the instigation and with the confederacie of Pope Paul the twentie sixth of Iune maketh warre vpon the protestants who defende themselues with their swords Yea c Sleidan 17. pag. 315. b. Fernesius the Generall of those aydes which the Pope sent to the Emperor against the Protestants is reported to say that he would make such a slaughter in Germany that his horse might swim in the blood of the Lutherans d cap. 19.19 Thus the beast and the Kings of the earth and their hosts are gathered together to make battaile against the
word of God and against his armie that followeth him e Lanquet f. 232. b. 233. a. But the seuenth of August at Mechlin the Emperors pallace was set on fire by lightning the plague of heate and by that meanes were burned 600. vessels of gunpowder which were prepared for these warres against the Protestants and with the same were burned 800. houses and 18,000 men women and children f Sleid. 17. Sleidan doth report it somewhat otherwise g Buchol Ann. 1547. Apr. 24. In these warres the Emperor tooke the Duke of Saxony prisoner and also the Duke of Brunswick Wherefore in the h Apr. 27. principall Church of Misna publike thankes were giuen The same day was the same Church by a phiall of the wrath of God consumed with fire from heauen Hermannus the Archbishop of Colen who had reformed his diocesse by the commandement of the Pope and Emperor was remoued from his place l Specul Traâ— p. 61. For he refusing the pleasures of sinne and following the Lambe was content to leade a priuate life rather then that his Churches should not be reformed m Geneb 1128 Edward the sixth King of England abolished the sixe articles which his father made against the Lutherans and abrogated the Masse n Fox alij and the Gospel was againe restored in England that the kingdome might be our Lords o Buchol Ann. 1548. The Emperor made a booke to reconcile the Papists and Protestants in some sorts intituled Interiâ—a which like the sixe articles of Henry the eight bread much trouble Hereupon arose a schisme amongst the Ministers of the Gospel called the warre for indifferent things by their deliberations whether and how the booke of Interim was to be receiued or refused Vergerius who had been the Popes Legate going about to confute the Protestants became a Protestant Iulius the third a p Fox Mart. p. 1477. monster for blasphemie Anno 1550. in a rage calling for porke he said he would haue it in despite of God and defended his like rage for a Peacocke by the example of God that was angry with Adam for eating the forbidden fruite a Geneb pag. 1134. 1137. In this time the warres were hot against the Protestants There came a Nestorian out of Syria c. to be admitted by the Pope The Nestorians are reported to ascribe to the Pope many high and great titles that they also might be knowen in some sort to follow the beast b Concil Trid. This Pope continued the Councell of Trent c Geneb 1136. 1552. Sleid. lib. 22. At this time also the Protestants contend very egarly about the question of Iustification for the arke of the couenant is seene d Buchol Ann. 1552. Mauritius Duke of Saxony made warre against the Emperor for religion and for the Landgraue in these warres the Councell of Trent was scattered peace giuen to the religion and the Princes are set at libertie which had been prisoners for the beast is taken and with him the false prophet Paulus the fourth c 1553. Geneb p. 1133. Queene Mary recalled papistry into England and a grieuous persecution was moued by her against such as professed the Gospel f 1555. Fox Marty There were also most strange and cruell persecutions and warres raised vp against the Waldenses in Angroine Lucerne Saint Martin Perouse and Piedmont And g Lanquet f. 367. in England was made an act for the punishing of such as they called heretikes and for the confirmation of the Popes power From this time to the end of her raigne were burned in a manner an infinit number of godly learned constant and faithfull martyres h Bucholcer In two yeeres about eight hundred men died by diuers kinds of punishment in England for the Gospell i Lanquet f. 377. a. In August the last yeere of this Queene after the dangerous feuers which began a yeere or two before was so great a pestilence through out England that three quarters of the people were consumed in it k Buchol Ann. 1557. At Wormes was a conference betweene the catholike Clergie and the Ministers of the Gospel In the beginning they disputed learnedly of the rule which the Church was to keepe cap. 13.15 in iudging of controuersies The Catholikes as they be called said the perpetuall consent of the time was the rule for the image of the beast is permitted to speake The Ministers affirmed the writings of the Prophets and Apostles with the Creedes to be the onely rule of iudgement For the word of God hath the crowne set vpon his head and iudgeth righteously l Ex Com. Gall. lib. 1. The same time in Salâ—e Iames streete in Paris 120. faithfull Christians following the word of God were assembled in the night for diuine exercise of preaching and Sacraments where being discouered they were by the beast and false prophets most cruelly persecuted here there were many warres for religion in France the faithfull standing vpon their garde m 155â— There raigned in England the most gracious mighty and most Christian Queene Elizabeth who abolished popery called home exiles gaue reward to the prophets reduced the feare of God and by her continuall opposition against the enemies of the Gospel declared her selfe the most sincere defender of the faith a Fox Mâ—â—t p. 911 a. One Mâ—lius a gray Frier interpreting and defending in Italy by Lecture and disputations the doctrine of Saint Paul to the Romans was answered by certaine Cardinals that it was true which he affirmed but the same was not meete for the present time because it could not bee taught nor published without the detriment of the Apostolike seate that had giuen it selfe to deceiue Pius the fourth b Geneb 1156. entring the Scots receaue the Gospell Anno 15â—â— c Hunij Labyriâ— Iâ—iriti Clauis Scriptura At this time were diuerse bookes in estimation amongst the Papists which were published against the authoritie of the scriptures As the writings of Cusanus that said that the scriptures are to bee fitted to the times and diuersly to bee vnderstood So that at one time it is to bee interpreted according as the vniuersall state of the time shall runne and when the rite of the time is chaunged the sense of the scripture is also changed for these men hold not that Gospell to bee eternall the commandeeÌ„nt Search the scriptures to iudge the time is turned into Search the time to iudge the scripture Ludouicus also maketh an oration to the Councell of Trente in which he affirmeth that the Pope the traditions customes and antient fathers of the Church haue authoritie aboue the scriptures or al that is called God Verrâ—â—â—i â—â—iteth to the Pope that the Pope and Councels are aboue the scriptures and blasphemeth that hee may determine without aboue and contrary to the scriptures * cap. 13.15 for the image of the beast must speake Peresius in the court