argument is there in this worthy demonstration This therefore Bellarmine maketh the question which he goeth about to prooue First by testimonies of Scripture Secondly by consent of the fathers Thirdly by reason 2. There be foure Scriptures saith Bellarmine to prooue that Enoch and Elias in their owne persons shall come against Antichrist Howbeit this is a manifest vntrueth for no place of Scripture speaketh of Enoch his returne The first Malach. 4. 5. Behold I will send vnto you Elias the Prophet before the great and fearefull day of the Lord come and he shall turne the hearts of the fathers vnto the children and the hearts of the children vnto their fathers This place maketh no mention of Enoch but onely of Elias and by Elias is meant not Elias the Thesbite but Iohn the Baptist who as the Luke 1. 17. Angel applying to him this prophecy saith should go before the Lord Iesus in the spirit and power of Elias that he may turne the hearts of the fathers vnto the children c. And our sauior Christ Mat. 11. 14 most plainely affirmeth that Iohn Baptist is that Elias who was to come and if you will receiue saith he that is if you will giue credit to my speech this is that Elias who was to come And addeth he that hath eares to heare let him heare Which sheweth that the Papists neither haue harts to beleeue Christ nor eares to heare him but haue opē both hearts to receiue and eares to heare the fables of the Iewes who as they yet looke for their Messias so they looke also for Elias to be his forerunner For as Ierome writeth vpon this place of Malachy the Iewes and Iudaizing heretickes thinke that before their Messias Elias shal come and restore all things Hence it is that vnto Christ this question is propounded in the Gospell what is that which the Pharisies say that Elias shall come to whom he answered Elias indeed shal come and if you will beleeue he is already come by Elias meaning Iohn And therefore in Ieromes iudgement it is but the opinion of a Iudaizing hereticke to expect the comming againe of Elias in his owne person Yea but saith Bellarmine this place cannot be vnderstood of Iohn Baptist but of Elias onely For Malachy speaketh of the second comming of Christ which shal be vnto iudgement For so he saith before the great terrible day of the Lord come for his first comming is not called great and terrible but the acceptable time day of saluation Whereupon it is also added least when I come I strike the earth with a curse But Christ in his first comming came not to judge but to be judged 3. Answ. Bellarmine must giue vs leaue to beleeue the Angell Luke 1. 17 Mat. 11. 14 Math. 17. of God and our Sauiour Christ rather then himselfe who is not affraid as it seemeth to giue the lie to the spirit of God speaking in both Neither can he prooue that Malachie speaketh of the second comming of Christ for therin the Papists erre worse then the Iewes For both the text it selfe also the application therof by the Angell and our Sauiour Christ do prooue that Elias was to come before the first comming of Christ which is great to the godly and terrible to the wicked And therfore in the beginning of the third Chapter the Prophet speaking most plainly of the first comming of Christ before which the Lord promiseth to send his messenger that is Iohn Baptist to prepare the way before Mat. 11. 10. Mark 1. 2. him signifieth that this comming is great and fearefull verse 2. But who may abide the day of his comming and who shall endure when he appeareth for he is like a purging fire and like Pullers Sope and he shall sit downe to trie and fine the siluer Of the same comming he speaketh in the beginning of the fourth Chapter Behold the day commeth that shall burne as an Ouen c. shewing how terrible it shall be to the wicked But vnto you that feare my name saith the Lord verse 2. shall the sunne of righteousnesse arise and health shall be vnder his wings c. And before this great day commeth he promiseth them to send them Elias that is Iohn Baptist to whom our Sauiour applieth the Prophesie of Malachie both Chapter 3. 1. and Chapter 4. 5. In like sort Iohn Baptist himselfe describeth the first comming of Christ as terrible in respect of the wicked Now saith he is the Axe laide to the roote of the trees c. Math. 3. 10. and verse 11. and 12. He that commeth after me is mightier then I he will Baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire which hath his Fanne in his hand vsing the like similitude that Malachie did and will purge his Floore and gather his Wheate into his Garner but will burne vp the Chaffe with vnquenchable fire Symeon also saith of our Sauiour that he was appointed both for the fall of the wicked and Luke 2. 34. rising of the godly And elsewhere he is called a stumbling stone and a Rocke of offence vpon which stone whosoeuer falleth Rom. 9. 33. he shall be broken in peeces but on whomsoeuer it shall fall it shall all Mat. 21. 44. to grind him If notwithstanding all this which hath beene alledged any man shall thinke the first comming of the Lord not so fitly to be called terrible I further answer that the Hebrew word Norah signifieth also reuerend to be feared or had in reuerence as Gen. 28. 17. Deut. 7. 21. and so is translated by Tremelius and Iunius in this place of Malachie And thus both that word and others of the same roote are vsed in the signification Psal. 130. 4 of reuerence or filiall feare And whereas it is added that Elias should be sent to conuert the people Least when I come saith the Lord I should strike the earth with a curse the meaning is that the Lord would send his messenger to prepare the way before him that some of the people at the least might be ready to receiue our Sauiour Christ least if all should reject him he should be prouoked to strike the land for at his second comming he shall without peraduenture strike the earth And in this exposition of Malachie besides others Arias Montanus the most learned writer among the Papists doth wholy agree with In Malach. vs expounding this Prophesie of Iohn Baptist whom he calleth another Elias and of the first comming of Christ. Thus therefore I answer First that Malachie speaketh not of Enoch but of Elias onely and secondly of Elias his comming not with Antichrist but before Christ thirdly that before the first comming of Christ fourthly and consequently not of Elias literally but of Iohn Baptist who came in the spirit and power of Elias 4. The second place is Ecclesiastic 48. 10. 44. 16. In the former place it is said of Elias That he was appointed to
foretold do now come to passe The king of pride meaning Antichrist is at hand and that which is horrible to be spoken an army of priests is prepared for him Whereby he would also insinuate that he should be the prince of priests Now this is a principle in the church of Rome that the Pope especially such a Pope as Gregory the great speaking definitâ—…uelie and confidentlie can not erre And if this be true as they may not deny the Pope being the foundation of all their trueth then must they needs confesse that Antichrist was come almost a thousand yeers since and that the Pope their prince of priests who not onely succeedeth Iohn of Constantinople in that Antichristian title but also farre exceedeth him in all Antichristian pride challenging a soueraigne and vniuersall authority not onely aboue all other Bishops and priests but also aboue all kings and Emperours is that Antichrist 5 To this testimony of Gregory I might adde diuerse other witnesses But my purpose is not to draw mine arguments from the writings and as it were the cisternes of men who liued before the reuelation of Antichrist and therefore except themselues had bene prophets could not fully expound these prophecies but from the pure fountaines of holy scriptures expounded by the history and euent the best interpreters of prophecies For as Daniell saith of the like or rather as the Papists say of these same Dan. 129. prophecies concerning Antichrist The words are closed vp and sealed vntill the appointed tyme. And accordingly was it said by Augustine prophetias citiùs impleri quà m intelligt that prophecies are fulfilled sooner then vnderstood and by Irenaeus whome Bellarmine also alleadgeth to the same purpose omnes prophetiae Lib. 〈◊〉 aduers. haeres c. 43. Bell. de pont R. lib. 3 c. 10. saith he priusquam habeaÌ„t efficaciam aemgmata sunt ambiguitas hominibus All prophecies before they haue their complement are vnto men darke and doubtfull speeches And therefore speaking of some part of the prophecies concerning Antichrist hee Apoc. 13. saith Certius sine periculo est sustinere adimplet ionem prophetiae quà m suspicari c It is more sure and safe to wait for the fulfilling of the prophecie then before hand to deliuer vncertaine ghesses Lib. 5. advers hares pag. antepenult Omitting therefore the vncertaine coniectures of men for such are diuerse opinions of the fathers concerning Antichrist as Bellarmine confesseth of some from the sacred scriptures the Lib. 3. de pont R. c. 10. vndoubted oracles of God I frame this demonstration 6 Vnto whomesoeuer the prophecies of holy scripture describing Antichrist the head of the Antichristian body doe wholy and onely agree hee is that graund Antichrist who is foretold in the scriptures Vnto the Pope of Rome the prophecies of holy scripture concerning Antichrist the head of the Antichristian body do wholy and onely agree therefore the Pope of Rome is that graund Antichrist which is foretold in the scriptures The proposition I take for graunted For seeing the holy ghost hath of purpose in diuerse places of the scripture taken vpon him fully and sufficiently to describe Antichrist and that to this end that he might bee knowne we neede not doubt but that this description of Antichrist is so perfect and so proper vnto him as to whome that description agreeth not he is not Antichrist contrarywise whom it wholy and onely fitteth hee must be held and acknowledged to be that Antichrist All the controuersie therefore is concerning the assumption namely whether the descriptions of Antichrist in the scriptures agree to the Pope or not Antichrist is described by the holy ghost especially in three places viz. in the second chapter of the second epistle to the Thessalonians in the thirteenth of the Reuelation from the eleuenth verse to the end and in the seuenteenth chapter of the same booke For I omitte those places in the prophecie of Daniel which vsually are alleaged because they speake properly of Antiochus Epiphanes Chap. 7. 8. 11. 12. who was but a type of Antichrist as Bellarmine also confesseth and the ninth of the Apocalypse because it is by some expounded Lib. 3. de pont R. c 18. 21. of the Turks 7 And that the description of Antichrist in the scriptures fitly agreeth to the Pope it appeareth by this induction For whereas all the arguments and notes whereby Antichrist is described in the scriptures may be reduced to these heads to wit the place or seat where we are to find him the time when we were to looke for him his condition and qualities that he is an aduersary opposed vnto Christ in aemulation of like honour a man of sinne in generall and more particularly an horrible Idolatour his actions and passions that is such things as he shall either do or suffer I will make it euident by the helpe of God whose all-seeing spirit I humbly beseech to guide me into the truth that all and euery one of them doe so fitly and properly agree to the Pope of Rome that in the descriptions of Antichrist in the scripture the Pope may behold himselfe as it were in a glasse Chap. 2. Of the place or seate of Antichrist 1. ANd first as touching the place or seate of Antichrist I reason thus Mysticall Babylon spoken of in the seuenteenth and eighteenth of the Apocalypse is the seat of Antichrist Rome is Mysticall Babylon spoken of in the seuenteenth and eighteenth of the Apocalypse Therefore Rome is the seat of Antichrist As touching the proposition you are to vnderstand that Babylon in the scriptures is taken sometimes literally and sometimes mystically literally for Babylon either in Chaldaea or in Egypt Babylon in Chaldaea was the Metropolis or imperiall city of the Babylonian and Assyrian Monarchy Babylon in AEgypt is called Babylis and Cayrus of which some vnderstand the Apostle Peter to speake 1. Epist. 5. 13. Babylon mysticall in the Apocalypse is the seat or chiefe city of Antichrist resembling the 1. Pet. 5. 13. Apoc. 17. 5. Assyrian Babylon in pride idolatry filthinesse and especiallie in most cruell persecution of the church of God And for the same causes Apoc. 11. 8. is called spiritually Sodom and Egypt Sodom Ap. 11. 8. for pride and filthinesse Egypt for idolatrie and for cruelty towards the Israel of God And as the church of Christ in the Apocalypse is called Ierusalem mysticallie or the holy city so the church especially the Metropolis or chiefe city of Antichrist is mysticallie called Babylon This as it is the receiued opinion of the faithfull so may it euidently be gathered out of the seuenteenth and eighteenth of Apocalypse which without all doubt are prophecies concerning Antichrist and the Antichristian city and seat as the Papists themselues often confesse Bellarm. lib. 3. de Pâ—…t R. c. 2. Sander demonstr 13. 18. c 2 For that which the Papists sometimes obiect That by Babylon is
the answering in his fourth Chapter 6. For to what purpose should I tell you of his argument which notwithstanding he saith it was now no time to prooue to wit that before the comming of Antichrist the Gospel should be preached throughout the world because the cruel persecutioÌ„ of Antichrist should hinder al publicke exercises of trus religion therfore was to be preached generally throughout the world either before the time of Antichrist or not at al which we shall in part finde time to answer in his fourth demonstratioÌ„ In the mean time we answer first that the greeuous tribulation before which our Sauiour saith the Gospel was to be preached in al the world is not the persecution vnder Antichrist but the affliction of the Iewes at and before the destruction of Ierusalem by the Romanes as I haue manifestly prooued And secondly that if the generall preaching of the Gospell were made a signe of Antichrists comming as it is not but of the end yet is it not necessary that it should be preached generally throughout the world at one time for it might suffice that in one age it were preached to one nation and in another age to another people And therefore although during the persecution of Antichrist the Gospell were not preached generally and at once to all nations yet in that time it might be preached to some nations where it had not formerly beene preached and therefore might be preached to all nations before the destruction of Antichrist though it were not before his comming Or to what end should I spend any time in answering the testimonies of the fathers who supposed that the Gospell should be preached in all the world before the comming of Antichrist seeing according to the meaning of our Sauiour Christ it was to be preached in al the world before the destruction of Ierusalem Or what account should we make of his obiections wherein he alledgeth that the Gospel hath not as yet beene preached throughout the world seeing our Sauiour who cannot he hath prophecied and the Apostle by the same spirit of truth hath testified that before the destruction of Ierusalem the Gospell of the kingdome was preached in all the world And therefore the Papists in this point whiles they study to contradict vs are not afraide to giue the lye to our Sauiour Christ. Neither are his cauillations wherby he indeuouteth to auoide elude those testimonies of Scripture which doe testifie that the Gospell was in the Apostles times preached in all the world worth the mentioning For whereas Paul saith No doubt their souÌ„d went out through all the earth their words into the ends Rom. 10. 1â—… of the world Bellarmine cauilleth that the Apostle vseth the time past insteed of the future as if he had said no doubt their sound shal goe through all the earth But say I the Apostle prooueth that the Iewes had heard the Gospel because the sound of the Preachers thereof was gone through all the earth and therefore they from whom the Gospell proceeded to other nations could not be ignorant thereof And againe whereas the same Apostle saith that the Gospell in his time was in all the world and addeth that Col. 1. 6. it did bring forth fruite euen as it did among the Colossians Bellarmine answereth that the Apostle would not say that it was actually but virtually as they say in all the world But how could it bring forth fruite vnlesse it were actually and besides the Apostle in the same Chapter saith the Gospell had been preached 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod agit est non solum actu primo sed etiam actu secundo Col. 1. 23. to euery creature vnder heaueÌ„ which is a more large speech then this prophesie of our Sauiour Mat. 24. 14. To conclude if by the end in that place is to be vnderstood the end of the world as Bellarmine will needs haue it contrary to the text yet the Gospell before the and might be preached throughout the world and yet not before the comming of Antichrist If by the end is to be vnderstood the end of Ierusalem as I haue manifestly prooued then according to our Sauiours prophesie the Gospell was preached in all the world in the Apostles times But that the generall preaching of the Gospell should be a signe of Antichrists comming the Scripture hath neuer a word The 5. Chapter maintaining against Bellarmine his second demonstration that Antichrist is already come 1. THe second signe going before Antichrist is as Bellarmine saith he vtter desolatioÌ„ of the Romane Empire From whence this demonstration is raised If the Roman Empire be not yet vtterly destroyed then is not yet Antichrist come for the vtter desolation of the Romaine Empire is a certaine signe going before his comming But the Roman Empire is not yet vtterly destroied therfore Antichrist is not yet come We coÌ„fesse that before antichrist could be reuealed by exercising a soueraigne dominion in Rome it was necessary that the Emperour so farre forth as he hindred this reuelation of Antichrist should be taken out of the way But that there should be such an vtter desolatioÌ„ of the Empire as that there should not remaine so much as the name of the Emperor or king of the Romans that we doe vtterly dony He that hindred was taken out of the way partly when the imperiall seate was remooued from Rome to Constantinople and that to this end as they haue set downe in the donation of Constantine that the City of Rome might be left to the Pope but especially when as after the diuision of the Empire into two parts the Empire in the West which properly was the Empire of Rome was dissolued and lay voyde for many yeares All which was accomplished before Boniface 3. attained to the Antichristian title Neither doth the reuiuing of the Westerne Empire in Charlemaine after it had bin voide 325. yeares hinder the reuelation or dominioÌ„ of Antichrist but rather proueth that Antichrist was then come For this new Empire erected by the Popes meanes it is the image of the beast that is of the old Empire which Antichrist Apoc. 13. the second beast causeth to be made putteth life therinto It is the beast wheron the whore of Babylon sitteth therfore is so far froÌ„ hindring Antichrist that it supporteth him This beast which was an imperiall state but is not indeed though in title it be as being but an image of the old Empire is said to be the eight head of the beast yet one of the seuen wheras Antichrist Apo. 17. by the confessioÌ„ of papists is the seueÌ„th Wherfore although the old Empire in the West which hindred was done out of the way and indeed dissolued before the reuelation of Antichrist yet euen with and vnder Antichrist there was to be an imperial state in name and title which is the beast whereon the whore of Babylon sitteth as I haue heretofore prooued Lib. 1.
were his groud-worke he buildeth three conclusions as you shall heare after we haue also considered of his assumption The assumption he proueth by experience as though it did testifie that the publicke seruice of God had not beene taken away vnder the Pope 〈◊〉 the sacrifice of Christians ceased But if by the publicke seruice of God he meaneth his true worship and seruice in spirit and truth assuredly it hath beene taken away in the Papacy except will-worship superstition and Idolatry be the true worship of God As touching Christian sacrifices we acknowledge the sacrifice of praise the sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart the Heb. 13. 15 Psal. 51. 17 Rom. 12. 1. Heb. 13. 16. sacrifice of obedience wherein we offer our selues the sacrifice of almes wherby we offer our goods these sacrifices no Antichrist can wholy take away As for the sacrifice of the masse we holde it to be a moâ—…strous abomination wherein the holy sacrament of the Lords supper is turned into an abominable Idoll Seeing therfore there is no soundnesse of truth either in the proposition or assumption must we not needes thinke that the question in hand is soundly concluded And yet vpon these grounds Bellarmine doth not only infer the question in hand but two more also From hence saith he three things may be gathered First that Antichrist is not as yet come becà use the daily sacrifice yet continueth He might as well haue concluded with the Iewes that Christ is not yet come for he was to abolish the daylie sacrifice Dan. 9. 27. partly by his owne sacrifice vnto which the shadowes of the Law were to giue place and partly by the ouerthrow of the temple in which and not elsewhere it was to be offered His second conclusion is that the Pope of Rome is not Antichrist but rather an aduersary vnto him seeing hee doth adore and maintaine this sacrifice which Antichrist is to abolish Nay rather by ordaining this propitiatory sacrifice and erecting a new priesthood to offer the same the Pope sheweth himselfe to be Antichrist For by this Priesthood Christ is denyed to bee our onely Priest by this Sacrifice his sacrifice on the Crosse is supposed not to be sufficient in this sacrifice the humanity of Christ as hath beene shewed is ouerthrowne and a God of bread set vp in his roome to be worshipped and adored In this sacrifice Christ alter a sort is made inferiour to euery masse-monger who as they can make their creatour by breathing out a few words hoc est corpus meum so when they haue made him in their conceit they offer him vp to God to be a sacrifice propitiatory both for the quicke and the dead His third conclusion is that the heretickes of this time aboue all others are forerunners of Antichrist because they desire nothing more then the ouerthrow of this sacrifice of the masse Nay rather as appeareth by the former answer they shew themselues the limmes of Antichrist who ouerthrowing the sacrament of the Lords supper which we haue reduced to the first institution seeke to vphold this masse and heape of all abominations and sacrilegious Idolatry And how are all these things prooued forsooth because Daniel hath prophecied that Antiochus was to take away for a time the daily sacrifice of the Iewes therefore Antichrist is not yet come therefore the Pope is not Antichrist therefore those that mislike the masse are forerunners of Antichrist And so with these three conclusions as it were so many roapes of sand he knitteth vp his fourth demonstration Chapter 8. Answering his fift demonstration concerning the terme of Antichrists raigne viz. 3. yeeres and a halfe 1. THere remaine two demonstrations as he calleth them proouing that Antichrist is not yet come taken from those signes which follow Antichrist to wit the death of Antichrist after three yeers an halfe and the end of the world Where Bellarmine teacheth vs not to looke for Antichrist vntill he be gone not to expect his comming vntill the world haue an end For if these be signes that Antichrist is not yet come as Bellarmine maketh them then may we argue now and so may argue euen vntill the end of the world Vntill Antichrist be dead and the world haue an end Antichrist commeth not but at yet may we say now and so may say vntill the end Antichrist is not dead neither as yet hath the world an end therefore as yet Antichrist is not come By this argument therefore you see how fitly these two signes are made the ground of two demonstrations that Antichrist is not yet come Now as touching the former Bellarmine reasoneth thus The fift demonstration viz. to proue that Antichrist is not yet come is taken from the continuance of Antichrist Antichrist shall not raigne but three yeeres and a halfe But the Pope hath raigned spiritually in the Church aboue 1500. yeerâ—…s neither can any be assigned that hath bene taken for Antichrist who hath raigned precisely three yeers and a halfe The Pope therfore is not Antichrist Wherefore Antichrist is not yet come His reason is thus to be resolued If neither the Pope be Antichrist nor any other who hitherto hath beene taken for Antichrist then is not Antichrist as yet come But neither the Pope is Antichrist nor any that hitherto hath beene taken for Antichrist therefore as yet Antichrist is not come Where you see by a circular disputatioÌ„ the Iesuit for want of better arguments bringeth the maine question namely whether the Pope be Antichrist as an argument to proue that Antichrist is not yet come and consequently that the Pope is not Antichrist The Pope is not Antichrist why because Antichrist is not yet come and why is not Antichrist yet come because the Pope is not Antichrist He may as well goe on for there is no end in a circle and why is not the Pope Antichrist because Antichrist is not yet come and why is not Antichrist yet come because the Pope is not Antichrist And thus Bellarmine as you see danceth in a round 2. But to come to the purpose how doth he prooue that neither the Pope is Antichrist nor any other that hath beene taken for Antichrist by this syllogisme Antichrist shall raigne but three yeeres and a halfe precisely but neither the Pope nor any other that hath beene taken for Antichrist hath raigned three yeers and a halfe precisely therefore neither the Pope is Antichrist nor any other that as yet hath bene taken for Antichrist The assumption which he might haue proued by a truth he chooseth to proue by a falsehood For whereas he might haue said and that truely that the Pope hath raigned spiritually in the church aboue 900. yeeres and therfore aboue three yeers a halfe he saith he hath raigned meaning an vniuersall raigne ouer the whole Church or else he proueth not his assumption aboue 1500. which is vntrue For he could not obtaine this vniuersall raigne before the yeere 607. But all the controuersie is
I haue proued and the church of Rome that now is Babylon the Synagogue of Antichrist then all other controuersies betwixt vs and them may be easily decided their chiefe ground being the authoritie of their church and of the See Apostolike For then it is to be presumed that those doctrines which are peculiar to the Pope and Church of Rome are the errours of Antichrist yea and as the Apostle calleth 1. Tim. 4. 2. them doctrines of diuels 2 If the Romish church be Antichristian then our seperation froÌ„ it is warranted yea commanded by the word of God and all returning to it forbidden Apoc. 18. 4. Come out of her my people least pertaking with her in her sinnes you partake also in her punishment 3 If the Pope be Antichrist then those that embrace that religion and ioyne themselues to that church acknowledging the Pope to be their head receiue the marke of the beast And those that do receiue the beasts marke especially after he is reuealed shall drinke of the wine of Gods wrath and shall bee punished with fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lambe Apoc 14. 9. This therefore must serue as a serious admonition and necessary caueat both to reclaime all tractable Papists and to confirme all wauering and vnstayed Protestants The former as they tender their saluation so to come out of Babylon The latter as they will auoid their endles confusion to keepe out of Babylon For not onely to retaine the marke of the beast wilfully after he is discouered but to reuolt from the profession of the truth vnto Antichristian religion it also is a fearefull signe of reprobation For it is impossible that the elect should finally be seduced by Antichrist Math. 24. 24. And the Apostle Paul obserueth that Antichrist shall effectually deceiue them that perish with all deceitfulnes of iniquitie because they haue not receiued the loue of the truth that they might be saued And therefore God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies that al they might be damned which beleeued not the truth but delighted in vnrighteousnesse 2. Thess. 2. 10. 11. 12. Whervpon Chrysostome also writing hath these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antichrist preuaileth with Castawayes or such as perish And Ierome likewise Ad AlgasiaÌ„ quest 11. They shall be seduced saith hee by the lies of Antichrist who are prepared vnto perdition But on the other side those which renounce the Pope and church of Rome and rise sroÌ„ the graue of Antichristianisme and Popery and follow our Sauiour Christ in the sincere profession of the truth Blessed and holy are they for they hauing part in the first resurrection shal be freed from the second Apoc. 20. 6 death And howsoeuer they are esteemed of the followers of Antichrist as heretickes schismatickes which are to be persecuted with fire and faggot yet are they happie in their life whiles they ioyne with Christ against Antichrist for such are called elect and faithfull and redeemed out of the world and they are also blessed in their death dying in the quarrell of Christ Apoc. 17. 14. against Antichrist for of those specially doth the holy Ghost speake Apoc. 14. 13. Blessed are those that dye in the Apoc. 14. 4. Lord c. 4 If the Pope be Antichrist then those that are found to be resolute Antichristians that is recusant Papists but especially Iesuites and Seminary Priests which are sent to reconcile men vnto the Pope and Church of Rome that is as hath bene proued to set on them the marke of the beast consequently to brand them to destruction and all such as seeke to peruert seduce others ought not to be fauoured or spared in a Christian common wealth First because they are limmes of Antichrist and therfore by the commandement of God we should do to them as they haue done to vs. Apoc. 18. 6. Secondly because they are enemies to God and traitors to Christian Princes They are enemies to God not onely because themselues are Idolaters and consequently such as hate God Exod. 20. 5. but also because they labour to withdrawe others from the true worship of God vnto superstition and idolatrie and therfore in no case ought to be spared Deut. 13. 5. 8. They are traitors also to ChristiaÌ„ Princes being sworne vassals to the Pope their capitall enemie For hee esteemeth all Christian Princes that do not acknowledge him to be their head as schismatikes or heretikes And as he vseth so oft as he dareth to proceede Antonin sum part 3. tit 22. cap. 5. §. 11. against such foure wayes viz. by excommunication deposition depriuing them of their temporall goods possessions and raising warre against them so all Papists acknowledging the Popes supremacie do hold both that he hath authoritie so to proceede against Christian Princes and also that in his definitiue sentence hee Antonin sum part 3. tit 22. cap. 5. §. 10 cannot erre And therforé if they put not in execution the sentence of their holy Father it is not for want of treasonable will and rebellious affection towards their Prince but for lacke of meanes and oportunitie As for example when Pius 5. had sent his Bull of excommunication against our late Soueraigne Cupers pag. 182. num 8. Queene of happie memorie therein deposing her from her crowne and absoluing her subiects from their alleageance towards her it is most certaine that whatsoeuer many hollow hearted Papists pretended yet fewe of them did acknowledge her for their lawfull Queene and many of them thought it a meritorious worke to take away her life And surely if not their persons then much lesse ought their Antichristian religion the mysterie of iniquitie be tolerated in the Church of Christ. For what fellowship can there bee betwixt light and darkenesse or what agreement can the Temple of God haue 2. Cor. 6. with Idols 5 If the Pope be Antichrist and his Church Antichristian then can there be no reconciliatioÌ„ betwixt vs the church of Rome we being as often hath bene proued the true church of God For what agreement can there be betwixt Christ and Antichrist Such neuters therefore shewe themselues to be nâ—…llifidians and politicke Atheists who would perswade men that both wee and they are the true church of Christ and that the difference betwixt vs being in words rather then in substance may easily be composed but they might as well say that there is but a verball difference betwixt the Gospell of Christ and the doctrine of Antichrist 6 Lastly if the church of Rome which because of her largenesse calleth her selfe the Catholike that is to say the vniuersall church bee notwithstanding the Synagogue of Antichrist What infinit thankes doo wee owe to our good and gracious God who hath not suffred vs to be carried away with that Catholike Apostasie as it were an vniuersall deluge but hath gathered vs into the arke of his true church making vs with the rest of his true professors his peculiar people It remaineth therefore that seeing God hath bene so gracious to vs wee should not be vnthankful to him but rather should walke worthy our calling as it becommeth the children of the light adorning the profession of the glorious Gospel of Christ by a godly conuersation to the ende that by the plentifull fruites of righteousnesse and true holinesse wee may glorifie God our heauenly Father stoppe the mouthes of our aduersaries and gather assurance vnto our owne soules of our iustification and saluation by Iesus Christ our bessed Lord and Sauiour To whom with the Father and the holy spirit be all praise and thankes-giuing both now and euermore Amen FINIS