libertie In this behalfe therfore God the father of heauen seing their licenciousnesse to be bothe intolerable and incurable hathe chosen aparte some of the nombre of his ministres and hathe enlumined them wyth the lyght and shynyng beames of his spirite that knowyng the Popes tyrannye and wicked lordlynesse haue also throughlye perceaued the truthe of Goddes worde These men haue layed their haÌ„des to worke and brought light into the worlde that tuÌ„bleth in darkenesse haue reproued openly the cruel and horrible abominacions of the papacie admonishing euery body to beware of theÌ„ By meanes wherof that sea hath felt exceding great losse and where as no power of emperours was hable hitherto to dryue it to a downefall nowe beyng a great parte dyminished in it selfe and in his membres bothe in his honour and rychesse it beginneth euen already to come to nought For froÌ„ hencefurth the Germaines whome this light shone furst vnto wolde not renne gadding to Rome ther seke soule helth seing they knew Christ Iesus to be the true way of saluacion And they haue no mynde to buye Romishe pardones and bulles with money seyng they vnderstode that synnes are forgeuen by Christ that men are certified by faithe of the forgeuenesse therof What nede many wordes That most gayneful fornace of the popes pikepurce Purgatorie is quenched out with the lyuely waters of the Gospel amoÌ„g the Germaynes and al the battefowling tooles knackes of the sea of Rome are despeched quyte out of the waye Hereof those most holy fathers haue complayned in euery place And where as before they turned the deafe eare to other mennes complaintes nowe they beginne to coÌ„playne them selues with faire flattering wordes most large ê“mises and muche feyned holynesse they haue gone about to bring them that are instructed in the doctrine of the truthe and haue renounced papistrie vnder the yowke of their tyrannie agayne But whan they preuailed nothyng for all their craftes by and by they besought ayde of Emperours Kinges Princes cities and people they begonne to arme them agaynst the professours of the truthe whome they crye out on and saye they folowe a newe and an hereticall religion In this case therfore the Magistrates beyng stered vp by the popes incensementes begonne violently to rage with force of armes against the faithfull seruauntes of Christ And than a man myght haue sene them that confessed Christ to be the onlye waye of saluacion burned wyth cruell fyre hanged vpon galowes choked in waters slayne wyth sweorde and murthered wyth al kyndes of deathe Yea the mater came to so merciles a crueltie that they spared none nother man nor woman yonge nor olde And yet those noble rutterkines of the churche dyd more cruell feates than these for they enticed princes and people whome so euer they coulde for money to stere vp warres amonge them selues and to extinguishe the religion that is contrary to them wyth sweorde and fyre So that hangmen were sent out of these parties and raunged about here and there to murthre the ministers of the worde by what meane so euer they coulde And they founde and toke vp burners whom they hyred priuely to thrust vnder fyre so to spoile bothe the faythfull christianes and their cities and fieldes And yet this read purpled churche embrewed with the blood of sayntes not satisfied with all these as wicked cruell dedes as they were ceassed not before they perceaued these haynous and bloody warres brought vpon sely sorowful Germanye stered vp all them that they trusted to make batail against it Bring vs out here the frutes of charitie O you bishoppes Shewe here som special token of christen gentilnesse O you pope pleasing slaues Is it the office of charitie to murdre men whoÌ„ Christ hathe redemed with his blood to spoile cities to waste fieldes to marre corne to defile matrones and maideÌ„s and finally to renne rageing after al kyndes of iniuries and reproches with sweorde and fire vpon all ages man woman and childe But they are heretikes saye they and no true christen people that we persecute And the chaste spouse of Christ the churche is by these heretikes most impudently defiled and also the seameles coate of our saueour Iesu is by their rashenesse and false doctrines miserably torne and rent in pieces which we goo about to amende and repaire agayne Ha will you nedes be bothe most bloody tirannes and most shameles lyers to you cruell blood thirstye wolues what adoo haue you to speake of Christes coate For by you it was cutte in pieces and marred all ready a great while agoo yea and by most wicked loctecasting as it was before tyme among the souldiours of the Iewes it cam in to most filthie mennes handelinges Therfore you are not sory for tearing of Christes coate but it greueth you that the vaile of wickednesse and the clooke of impietie is through the preaching of the gospel cut in pieces which you being couered withal haue continually hitherto practiced al kynde of wickednesse and beasly lust without correction It greueth your hartes that the sackes are open and torne which you haue hitherto hidden the true Ioseph Iesus Christes cuppe and all other your church robberies in Now your sleightie shiftes are open your lies are open your false deceates are open nowe is your more than the Sicilianes tyrannye open and abhorred of all men Your tyrannye was the toole with the which you raged together by heapes not only against mennes bodies but against their soules also It is the commyng of this gaire to the open light that greueth you hereof cometh your lamenting this is the cause of your sorowe taking For as touching the horrible cryme of heresie which is alwaies in your mouthe which of our sorte is it I beseche you that you coulde coÌ„uince haue you yet hitherto proued any of them an heretike They are heretikes that make who is an heretike new articles of the faithe contrary to the truthe of the scripture and doo stiffely mayntene them This cryme is most farre from vs. For ther is none of the articles of the apostolike faithe and Crede that we denye And moreouer we deuise no newe ones we chaunge none wrongfullye we nother take from nor put to any thyng touchyng any of them But suche masking visours you hade nede of to bryng the doctrine of the truthe and of the true faythe in to hate and contempt wyth the simple and rude common people by meanes of this horrible and slaunderous reporte of vs to be heretikes But yf ye loued the churche of Christ so muche as you boaste in wordes to doo yf you cared so muche for the noble and most valeaunt nacion of the Germaynes truely you testifye this your loue and care wyth moste vniuste and most vnworthy behaueours in that you visite it wyth abominable force of armes and moste cruell haynous enemies procured out of euery countrey Did Christe our Lorde entreprise to trayne the worlde to his lore by
than in heauen cursed be they and let them not be beleued how gaye felowes so euer they be how fynely so euer they cā tell their tale and of how high autoritie so euer they are But if sō be so wilfully stubburne and blinde that they will rather beleue them thā Christ our saueour geuing vs so faithfull monicion we must nedes let them alone to doo after their owne lust They shall fele like wretches one day to their owne great payne what a guyde it is that they haue folowed Secondarily the Lorde warneth Goo not furthe vs that we goo not out if they either teache a false Christ or shewe Christ any wher elles thā in heauē Which wordes although they may be expoūded to meane concerning the bodie that the Lorde forbiddeth all stacions and pilgrimages that are done for saluacion and religion yet they ought chiefly to be applied to our soule mynde so that the soule goo not out from Christ our Lorde and saueour nor seke saluation any wher elles but sattle it self in him wyth an assured and vndoubting faithe And herein verily are all thinges closed that make vnto our saluacion For like as a man may fynde the fauour of God the father the remission of synnes and saluacion in Christ alone euē so as many as go out frō Christ thīke scorne to beleue stedfastly in him can not chose but goo out quyte from life and saluacion Therfore it is very muche profitable for vs to knowe louing brethren in Christ after what sorte we may abide in the Lorde and tary with him still vnto the ende specially seing we heare him saye Not euery one that saithe Lorde Lorde shall Math. 7. entre into the kingdome of heauen but he that dothe the will of my father which is in heauē These same wordes teache men what becometh them to doo that are desirous to abide in Christ and entre wyth him in to the kingdome of heauen We must nedes doo God the the heauenly fathers wil Mary what that is we may knowe by the wordes of Christ him self and the Apostles And furst in dede the Lorde him self speaketh of the will of the father Io. 6. chap. and saithe This is the wil The will of God is that we beleue in his Sonne of him that sent me that al that see the sonne and beleue in him haue euerlasting life Therfore the will of God is good holsom vnto vs which hathe this appointed ende that we shall haue euerlasting saluacion but with this condicion that we should knowe the sōne and beleue in him whom he vouchedsafe to sende in to the worlde for our sakes Thā the furst point of Goddes wil requireth of vs a very a certain a perfite and an vnwauering faithe in Christ our Lorde saueour to cleaue fast vnto him withall and to seke in him alone for those thinges that are necessary to com to eternal saluacion And this faithe requireth a certain a perfite knowlage of Christ to thintent that least while we make boast of our faithe we carye in our hearte nothing but as it were a bare and a vayne fātastical opiniō but we must beleue faithfully and without al doubting those thinges that are set furthe vnto vs in the worde of euerlasting truthe by Christ our Lorde This worde describeth our saueour How the scriptures describe Christ vnto vs after this sorte Iesus Christ is the true and natural sonne of God the father of all one substaūce nature maiestie with the father frō euerlasting And at the tyme appointed he became mā for our sakes not by layēg awaye his godhead but by receauing of Māhead so that he which was God from euerlasting is now bothe very God very mā in one inseperable persone And forasmuche as he became man he suffred all thinges that a man may do synne only except For he was borne as man growed waxed strong in body streynght processe of age He was weary with trauailīg he rested he suffred bothe hongre thyrst he also wept for sorowe of hearte Yea he was afrayde of deathe of the paynes of deathe yet he abode them paciētly strongly for our sakes But before the tyme of his deathe approched his will was to haue his diuinitie knowen to men not only by miracles wonderous signes but also opening the wil of his father he gaue vs a certain and an absolute doctrine of saluacion and blessednesse He chosed disciples also that after he had instructed them with his spirite in the doctrine of the truthe he might at his ascēding in to heauē sende them furthe in to all the wyde worlde And whan he dyed he satisfyed his fathers righteousnesse by his deathe and offring him selfe for vs once for all he made a sufficient sacrifice for the clensyng of the synnes of the worlde For by his deathe he brake the olde serpentes head all to clattred his power and toke his streynght from hym and than by his glorious resurrection he ouercame deathe it self At last whan he went vp in to heauen he set heauē gates wyde open for vs again the which synne hade locked vs out of and wolde haue the fleshe which he toke of vs to be the earnest peny and pledge of our resurrection and saluacion in heauen And now he sitteth in heauen and is our only and supreme bishop which as he offred his body a sacrifice for our synnes euen so dothe he make intercessiō for vs continually before our heauēly father so as we as muche endaungered with synne as we are may safely approche to the throne of grace Such a maner Christ I saye and suche a maner saueour the oracles of the scripture purporte vnto vs and the will of God the father is that we stedfastly beleue him to be such a one and that we goo not about to seke any wher elles those thinges that are geuen vs in him Now the faythe that we talke of is not a certaine bare and a vayne fantastical opiniō that consisteth in bare wordes and in nothing elles but in the speche of the mouthe but it is a quicke lyuely strong power whiche beyng by the spirite of God graffed in mennes consciences conteyneth all the hole mater of saluacion and religiō For it is necessary for vs also to know God the father that we maye be truly and faythfully grounded in Iesus Christ Goddes owne sonne If we acknowlage him rightly to be suche a one as he is we shall feare him also and not that only but also we shall loue him aboue all other thinges beyng boūden to him with suche feare and loue as children owe to their natural parentes we shal willingly obeye him in al thinges Out of the spowte of the same foūtayne shall spring what so euer can be required also vnto externall religion For in this faythe we shall not heare the ymaginacions of our owne reason but haue respecte onlye vnto
at this daye committed vnto vs by lawful vocacion we shall thinke them also spoken vnto vs yea vnto vs most specially whome the last seasons of the worlde 1. Cor. 10. are come vpon whyche not only the prophetes but also Christ and the Apostles haue tolde before hande certainly shal be of al others the most perilous seasons by reason of rauenyng wolues false greasye anointed ones and false prophetes It standeth vs therfore necessarily in hande to pondre this gaire diligently that we may knowe what an office it is that the Lorde hath committed vnto our charge what care studie and diligence we ought to vse in the same For yf it be the maner of suche men as are geuen vnto the worlde to priuate pleasures to applie theyr diligece vnto those thynges that earthye princes coÌ„mitte vnto their charge it shal become vs with muche more studious endeauour to geue attendaunce vpoÌ„ that office which the most highe Kyng of Kinges and Lorde of Lordes Iesus Christ hath layde vpon our shoulders and shall one daye require a reconyng of it at our handes Math. 24 and. 25. whaÌ„ he shal come in his glorie wyth all his Angels vnto iudgement But now thapostle Paule sayeth that we are ordeyned Bishoppes or ouerseers not promisyng vs a certain Empire or realme as we se almost al the Bishoppes of our tyme chalenge to them selues by the autoritie of this title but admonishing vs of our office For asmuche as the Greke worde Episcopus which is englished a Bishop signifieth in latine Speculator that is in englishe a Watcheman And where Paule sayeth we are ordayned to be Episcopi Bishoppes that is to say watchmen he vseth the same maner of speache that God dyd whaÌ„ he ordeyned Ezechiel to be a watcheman ouer the Ezech. 33. house of Israel chargeyng him most diligently to warne the people before hande of the sweorde that shoulde come for their sinnes wickednesses with his faythful preaching to saue the wretched synful people from destruction And in dede me thinkes that Paule espied the proude abuse of this name Bishoppe before hande wher he sayeth Take hede to your selues and to the hole flocke For like as he coÌ„mitteth the Lordes flocke that is to saye the congregacion or churche to the ministers charge euen so biddeth he him also to beware and take hede to him selfe that he set not his mynde vpoÌ„ priuate honours and pastimes neclecting them that he hathe taken charge of and so worke his owne destruction Yea Paule thoÌ„dreth at him also with the Lordes owne sayeng vnto Ezechiel Except thou speake plainly and dissuade the wicked from his wicked Ezech. 33. waye that he maye lyue the wicked indede shall dye in his wickednesse but his blood I wil require at thy haÌ„des The Apostle byddeth vs also take hede vnto the hole florke allowyng here no respect of persones for vs either not to regarde any persone for basenesse pouertie or to beare with any for his estate or wealthes sake But he byddeth vs gouerne or rather fede not contrarieng Christes wordes whiche forbadde his disciples to rule and reigne as earthy princes do but chargeyng vs to ministre the worde faythfully whych prescribeth the waye and the vnfailyng rule of saluacion and ther withal carieth meÌ„ into the pleasauÌ„t pastures of the soule wherin they fynd that meate whiche Psal 23. Ioh. 6. only fedeth and filleth vnto eternall lyfe after suche sorte that it is not possible for them after the digesting of it to fele either hungre or thurste any more And least we should for any cause recken the office committed vnto vs a smal trifling mater he teacheth vs how chargeable a flocke it is that we are bounden to gouerne and fede euen the selfe same flocke that the sonne of God hathe vouchedsafe to deliuer froÌ„ destructioÌ„ with his owne blood And that one reason yf ther were non but it is of so highe autorite brethreÌ„ that it were hable alone to dryue all lustlesnesse sluggish drowsynes out of our myndes For who knoweth not that in safe keping of a worldlye thing that a maÌ„ is put in trust withall ther is speciall great fidelitie and diligence required Than how muche more faithful and diligent ought meÌ„ to be in Goddes maters and namely in safekeping of that flocke which the Lorde hath rauÌ„somed with his owne blood and layde vp in stoare in our custodye Nother maye we saye that oure office is out of daunger by reason of the presence and ayde of him that is the chiefe good shepehearde in dede and vnder that preteÌ„se we to take the lesse hede trauaile For Paule speaketh before haÌ„de of horrible and sore daungiers For I knowe this ê™ he that after my departure ther shall greuous wolues come in amoÌ„g you which shall not spare the flocke He saithe wolues shall com and that sore greuous ones whiche will not spare so worthie a flocke so dearely a bought flocke so noble a flocke And in an other place wher he painteth them out with more circuÌ„staunces of wordes he saithe The spirite speaketh euidently that in the later daies 1. Tim. 4. som shall departe froÌ„ the faithe and geue eare to deceaueable spirites and doctrines of Deuilles ThaÌ„ ther shall deceauours rise vp yea such ones as shall disquiete and make hauocke of this flocke not only with mennes lyeng commentaries but also with doctrines of very deuilles bothe false and pernicious The same mater also hathe Christ testified who like as he sendeth out his disciples as shepe among wolues so dothe he tell vs that false anoynted greasye ones and false prophetes shal starte vp to the vndoing of a great meanye their studie shal be to peruerte and corrupte the doctrine of the truthe He warneth vs also that warres Math. 24. Luc. 19. shal be stered vp by their procurement to assault and destroye faithfull mennes bodies withall Moreouer the heade and prince of 2. Thes 2. all this rable is in an other place declared euen the great Antichrist him selfe whiche shall geue the onsette vpon this sely flocke of Christ thicke and three folde bothe with false forged lyes and open tyraÌ„nye of cruel weapon All whych sayenges if we compare them with those thinges that haue happened in our tyme and doo daily happen still we shall confesse Christ to be true in his sayeng that Paule also spake out of the spirite of truthe yea it shall furthermore manifestly appeare who be those false anoynted ones and false prophetes and who that myghtie houge Antichrist is whome our flocke ought to beware of Now to thintent we maye set our myndes considerately vpoÌ„ our office and aswel take hede to our selues as to se to and asmuche as lyeth in our weake nature to prouide for the flock committed vnto our charge we must nedes haue a rype knowlage of the perilles that are woÌ„t to be most troublous most noysome to the churche Which albeit they
are infinite past al nombre that are dayly blustred vp of hym whiche like as he walketh about as a roaring Lyon to destroy vs so is he most craftie in layeng of snares 1. Pet. 5. and false deceaueable baytes yet we ought before al thinges to considre two maters false doctrine the griefe of the crosse and persecution which are speciall snares to ouerthrowe our weaknesse withall For the deuil knoweth the disposicion of our nature that in diuine and heauēly affaires it is wonderfull dull and drowsye and maye very easely be deceaued but in other causes in religiō specially it estemeth euery thyng accordyng to the successe and spede so it is offended at persecution and aduersite By reason wherof we se that he vseth alwaies this knacke against the flocke of Christ that either he deceaueth the simple sorte with falsly cōceaued opinions or disquieteth them with cōtentions and wrangling disputatiōs or els he feareth them with the crosse of persecution and bloody warres of cruelly procured tyrannes Yf any man wolde require examples herof he shal mete them so thick that he shall not nede to take muche paine in searching of them For the deuelishe dreames of the Nazarenes maye stande for an example whiche iomble the lawe and Christ together and make his merite of none effecte And whan those dreames were euen scarcely repressed ther was persecucion done by that monstre of nature Nero. Hervnto we maye make rehersal of Cerinthus and his successour that prodigious slaue of lechery pryde crueltie Domitianus Among these we wil reckē Arrius and the tyrānes that folowed his heretical madnesse And lyke as the nerer we drawe to th ende of the world so muche that more pernicious and more perilous is euery thing so in our tyme we see that myghtye houge Antichrist the bishop of Rome farre excede al his predecessours in tyranny and so outragiously raue wyth bothe these sweordes that a man can not wel discerne with whether he dothe hurte the churche The vertue of the Popes doctrine the sorer For he hath brought in doctrine that is cleane contrarie repugnaunt to the true doctrine For it draweth men from God maketh them to serue creatures it teacheth mē also to seke saluacion in their owne merites and to trust in their owne strenghtes He hath also forged suche a kynde of religiō as hath more twitle twatle toyes in it then the Leuitical lawe and al the supersticion that euer the gentiles vsed Yea it is patched together with parte of both of them and is most farre of frō spirite truthe Ioh. 4. And yet vnder pretense of this religion he is aduaunced to so highe power and tyranny that he is hable to compel them that repyne against it to represse them that speake against it to kil and slea them that resiste can not beleue it Therfore the lyeng spirite of errour playeth the deuil in the churche at this daye and the Bishop of Romes tyrānical swoord layeth on load withal and that not vpō priuate persons now as in tymes past long ago but vpon most myghtye Princes the most famous cyties yea vpon al sortes of people his sweorde is drawen maketh streames of blood to renne downe euery where For now we see great cities takē and throwē downe fieldes laide waste honest wemē and maydēs defiled with abominable lecherie and yong babes also either killed or elles which is the more horrible maymed of their limmes We se the flowre of youthe brought to the horrible wyckednesse of buggery and al hole Germany in the meane space euery where cruelly vexed And albeit that chosen instrumēt of Satan Antichrist rage with open tyranny yet by ioynyng lyes to his tyranny his drift is to cloke his deuillishe attemptates and the occasions therof to enueagle the vnlearned and simpler sorte with false forged causes craftily to cause many folkes to hate the truthe of the Gospel true religion Let vs awake therfore brethren seing we are placed in the watche towre let vs reproue the sweorde not that is yet commyng but presently come and layeth on loade yea and batheth it self all ready in the bowelles of the flocke For in this case ther is many a mannes faithe assayed Ther be som whych bicause they perceaue not the feate of forgeing of lies are sone begyled Ther be some which bicause they can not discerne the true doctrine ymagined supersticiō asondre take falshead for truthe And som ther be that are yet still afraide of the thōder bolt of the Romyshe curse that is to saye Antichristes curse And som ther be also which are so offended whan the crosse and heate of persecucion cometh that after that triall euery mā maye plainly perceaue they receaued the sede of the Gospell in to stonye grounde In this case therfore is our diligēt cure required good brethren In this behalfe it standeth vs necessarily in hande to shewe our selues faithful watchemen so as the people being warned by vs maye be hable to knowe false fained doctrine to beware of forged supersticion to shonne the baites snares of lies and in no wise to be offēded whā persecuciō cometh And principally it shal be our parte to geue the onsette vpon the autour of so haynous a mischief the bishop of Rome whom not only the prophetes but also Christ and thapostles according to the histories directly proclayme to be the right mightie houge Antichrist He it is therfore whom our duetie is to reproue to set him out plainly in his colours for the congregatiōs to loke vpon him that no man be amased by reason of his falsly causeles vsurped persone or title or be afrayde of his vayne gōneshotte of wordes bicause of his pratīg power And against forged supersticion lyeng doctrines ther is doutles no presenter a remedye than to knowe the truthe For where the lyght of the truthe spreadeth out his beames ther maye the deuil put vp his pypes for any hurt he can do with his darke dongeon of lyes As for the talkes of some fyne fyngred tēdrelinges they are not worth the hearing which bycause they are afrayde of their owne carcasse and pelfe wolde in no wise haue an enemye of so great myght power spokē against to be prouoked through such maner of open mouthed playne declaraciōs Is ther not vnquiet trouble ynough otherwise saye they Is ther not dissension tumultuous vproares ynough besides what auaileth it to throwe fire in to the fornace and oile in to the fire I beseche you good brethren felowe curates beare wyth me though I answer these men playnly home at fewe wordes For I coulde easily cōtemne their prittle prattle talking if ther were not som of their company that loke to be reported not only for fanonrers of the gospelles truthe but euen doctours also and that not of the cōmon sorte of doctours Who forasmuche as they wōderfully myslike this worke which I purpose to
with hādes which are similitudes exāples of true thynges but is entred into very heauen for to appeare now in the syght of God for vs not to offre hym selfe often as the hygh Priest entred into the holy place euery yeare with straunge blood for than must he haue often suffred synce the worlde begāne But now in th ende of the worlde hath he appeared once to put synne to flight by the offring vp of him selfe All those sayenges belong also to this purpose wich the apostles speake of Christ Iesus in this meanyng as these be Christ is of God made vnto vs wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 1. Corin. 1. God forbidde that I shoulde reioyce but in the crosse of our Lorde Iesu Christ by whom the worlde is crucified to me and I to the worlde Gal. 6. Also Ther is one God and one mediatour betwene God and men the man Iesus Christ 1. Timo. 2. If any man synne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous And he it is that obteyneth mercie for our synnes not for our synnes only but also for the synnes of all the worlde 1. Ioh. 2. Ther is non other name geuē vnto men vnder the sunne wherin they maye be saued but only the name of Iesu Act. 4. To this same ende perteyneth the voice of God the heauenly father wherwith he sounded once and eftesones frome heauē sayeng This is my welbeloued sonne in whō I am pleased Math. 13. 17. chap. Hereunto must the sayeng be referred that the Lorde him self by his holy spirite speaketh in Esaye the prophet I the Lorde This is my name and I will not geue my glorie to any other But the glorie of Christ our Lorde is this that he alone with his raunsomyng blood hath set vs free frō the tirannye of synne deathe hell and sathan and is therfore the Lorde of vs all that is to wete whom he hathe redemed with his owne blood which was shead for vs and so ought to be acknowlaged of vs all Concerning this glory and honour he saithe and professeth that he will geue it to none elles Out of which wordes of Christ it shall appeare by euidēt and stedfast demonstration that he is Antichrist who is Antichrist who so euer gothe about to robbe our Lorde and saueour Christ of this glorie and honour and take it vpon him selfe Who so euer than taketh vpon him selfe to geue remissiō of synnes the benefites of the grace of God the giftes of saluacion the kyngdome of heauen is Antichrist Who so euer taketh vpon him selfe that honour of priesthode to saye that he sacrificeth for the synnes of the worlde is Antichrist Who so euer maketh him selfe an intercessour to God the father for the quicke and the dead by any other reason or maner than we are cōmaūded to pray mutually one for an other according to the trade of the scriptures is Antichrist Who so euer also declareth that these giftes of our saluaciō which we haue now rehearced either all together or singularly by them selues may be hade any wher elles than at our Lorde Iesus Christ only and teacheth men to seke them elles wher than at him alone which was offred for vs once for all now sitteth bodily in heauen he setteth out vnto vs a false Christ yea euen Antichrist and is of the nombre of those false prophetes whom Christ our Lord rekoneth vp here by name Wherupon this also shal euidently appeare vnto vs that Antichrist is not only one man by him selfe as we thought whan we wandred in the darknesse of popishe supersticion but that ther are many Antichristes as we shewed a litell before out of Iohn the apostle And yet ther is an head a certain chief ruler of this abominacion yea all these felowes haue a kingdome and a chief seate of their kingdome And he that occupieth it is that vndoubted very great chief Antichrist in whom the commō enemye of mankynde satā setteth furthe all his streynghtes all his might all his power and operacion yea and al his endeauours deceates fraudes subtilties and coūsailes to mennes vndoing and vtter destruction This mater we shall treate of in the thrid place so as we shall set furthe what is contayned in the scriptures hereof with the most playne demonstracion that we possiblie can But forasmuche as the holy sacred scripture in many places as we haue allready noted speaketh of this abominable busynesse of Antichrist it wolde be a worke of great labour and trouble and a worke that should bring in more darkenesse than light if we wolde studie to bring furth al the places of the prophetes apostles that are touching this mater Therfore out of al we wil chose only two which ypoūde vnto vs al this ado throughly al his misteries most plaīly painted out The furst is of Daniel whose writinges in this behalfe ought worthely to be hade in most highe credence and autoritie with vs inasmuche as we may see the same thinges rehearced of Christ our Lorde in this chaptre who also dothe moue vs to the diligēt reading and knowlage Math. 24 of it And that other shal be taken out of Paule the noble and excellēt apostle of Christ which also is called the electe vessell and instrument of Act. 9. God and being rapte in to the thrid heauen sawe secretes of the kingdome 2. Cor. 1◠of heauen wiche can not be expressed with tongue The prophet of God and desirous man Daniel being by diuine reuelaciō taught the ordre of the thinges that shoulde happen from his tyme to the last ende of the worlde and mynding to haue the same notified vnto them that shoulde com after him writeth on this sorte I sawe in my vision by Dan. 7. night and beholde the foure wyndes of the heauen stroue vpon the sea and foure great beastes came vp from the sea not one like an other The furst was like a Lyon and yet had he eagles winges I sawe that his winges were plucte from him and he taken awaye from the earthe that he stode vpon his fete as a man and that ther was geuen him a mannes hearte Beholde the seconde beast was like a Beare and stode vpon the one syde Among his tethe in his mouthe he had .iij. great long tethe it was saide vnto him Arise eate vp muche fleshe Thā I loked and behold ther was an other like vnto a Leoparde this had winges as a foule euē vpō the backe This beast hade foure heades ther was power geuen him After this I sawe in a vision by night beholde the fourthe beast was grymme and horrible and maruelous strong It hade great yron tethe it deuoured and destroyed and stamped the residue vnder his fete It was farre vnlike the other beastes that were before it for it hade ten hornes wherof I toke good hede And beholde ther cam vp among them an other litel horne before whom ther
greater parte of this vision in the later Epistle to his Thessalonians in the secoÌ„de chaptre For where as the Thessalonians beyng disquieted through false doctrines of certain deceauours thought that the last daye of iudgement and the coÌ„myng of our Lorde Iesu Christ drewe nere and was than already at hande Paule a faythfull doctour of those that were his confuteth the falsely conceaued opinion touching that mater with these maner of wordes reasones Let no man deceaue you by any meanes For the Lorde shall not come except ther com a departiÌ„g furst and that the man of synne be opened the sonne of perdicion which is an aduersarie and is exalted aboue all that is called God or is wourshipped so that he dothe sytte in the temple of God as God boasting him selfe to be God Remembre ye not that whan I was yet wyth you I tolde you these thinges And now ye knowe what wythholdeth euen that he might be vttred at his tyme For the mysterie of the iniquitie dothe allready worke till he which now only letteth be taken out of the waye And thaÌ„ shall that wicked one be vttred whom the Lorde shall consume wyth the spirite of his mouthe and shall destroye wyth the appearaunce of his coÌ„myng euen him whose commyng is after the working of sathan wyth all lyeng power signes and wondres and wyth all deceaueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse among them that perishe bicause they receaued not the loue of the truthe that they might be saued And therfore God shall sende them strong delusion that they shoulde beleue lyes that all they might be demned which beleued not the truthe but hade pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Thus farre haue I rehearsed Paule thapostles wordes which coÌ„teyne the ful perfyt descripcioÌ„ of al this adoo and of the mysteries of Antichrist also the playne interpretacion of the vision that is recorded in Daniel the Prophete And after what sorte these two places agree betwene them selues and what is the true vnderstandyng of them boche it shal be declared in the Homilies folowyng by the fauour and helpe of God But out of these maters which are thus farre already sayde welbeloued brethreÌ„ in Christ this we must marke that accordyng to the oracles of goddes worde and of Iesu Christ Antichrist shall surely come which by his false prophetes shal seduce an infinite multitude of people We must therfore brethren endeauour our selues with most earnest studie and diligence that furst of all we maye be throughly perfyte in the certain true knowlage of our Lorde only saueour Iesu Christ wherin beyng instructed we must than also learne to knowe the false Christes and that great Anttchrist him selfe to thintent least we be made foles hereafter as we haue ben all ready heretofore by the most false wylye deuyses of Satan for than we shal be hable nother to knowe him ne yet to beware of him Therfore we hade nede diligently to consider the wordes of God and to call vpon him also diligently with continuall prayers that he wolde vouchesafe to open vnto vs the true vnderstaÌ„ding of his worde to leade vs in to the true knowlage of his sonne our redemour and that we be not deceaued with Antichristes lyes but continue stedfastly in Christ our saueour which is the euerlasting veritie To him be honour praise and glorie euerlastingly worlde without ende Amen Thus endeth the furst Homilie Antichrist The .ij. Homilie In this seconde Homilie we are taught what the original beginning of Antichrist is where it shal be and by what meanes and shyftes he shall attayne his so great streinghtes and so mighty power of his tyrannye OVr Lorde Iesus Christ the eternal sonne of God the only redemour and vndeniable Doctour of the world talking with his disciples concerning the later tymes and the periles of the same amoÌ„g other thinges telleth them before hande that false Christes and false Prophetes shal rise vp to the destruction and marring of many men And we are also taught by the hole mynde and consent of all the scriptures bothe of the olde testament newe that among them ther shal be a certayne peculiar head ryngleader and a most ranke aduersary of Christ our kyng and priest whom after the common custome of the faythfulles and by the apostles autoritie we doo vse to name Antichrist like as in the Homilie before it is sufficieÌ„tly declared Neuertheles these thinges are not spoken to th ende welbeloued brethreÌ„ in Christ that we should only heare knowe what shoulde be hereafter hauing in the meane tyme no larger consideracion of thinges that shall come but the Lorde dothe rather require by his faithful admonicion geuing that we should learne to knowe this chief and notable enemie of our saluacioÌ„ and to beware of his wiles least we be seduced therwith and so be made partakers with hym of eternall damnacion And therfore it is necessarily requisite for vs to marke to coÌ„ferre other places of the scriptures together also that caÌ„ with more certayntie euidence informe vs of al those maters which are as it were but in a fewe wordes set expressely furthe in this place In consideracion whereof I lately brought forth two places of scripture touching this mater the one of the olde testameÌ„t out of Daniel that ê“phetes vii chap. the other out of Paule the later to the Thessa Whiche albeit by and by at the furst syght they myght seme not to agree together in all thinges but somwhat to varie yet ther is no differeÌ„ce nor dissimilitude betwene them at al. Ther is also no contradiction nor any other varietie but that thapostle Paule wyth more playne light of wordes and sentences dothe expouÌ„de that which Daniel set furthe after the maner of a prophet vnder the mysterie of a vision like as the thinges that folowe shall more clearely beare euidence And to thintent this hole mater of Antichrist maye the more openly appeare vnto vs it shal be all throughly comprehended and assoiled in sixe questiones or proposiciones For furst inasmuche as it is euident that Antichrist is we shall inquire of his originall begynnyng that is to wete in what place he must spring out and where we must seke for him in case we intende throughly to come to the certain knowlage of him SecoÌ„darily by what meanes deuises craftes he shall atteyne suche mighty power and so highe autoritie Thirdly we shall make searche of his persone that is to saye which a one it shal be and by what markes and propreties it ought to be knowen Fourthly we must considre his workes that he shal set his studie vpoÌ„ Which consideracion euen it self dothe bring a certain and an vnfailing playne knowlage of him Fifthely it is conuenient to knowe his weapones wherwyth he shall wyth suche luckie successe fight to attayne enlarge defende and mayntene his kingdome and power wythall Sixthely how farre the limites of his wicked autoritie must be extended and vpoÌ„ what sortes of men our Lorde
his father wyth besieging him he enuyroned him toke him by treason he robbed him of his empire and so taking him prisoner suffreth him miserably and sorowfully to dye And these prankes were not played by the commaundement of any barbarous tyraÌ„ne nor by the inceÌ„semeÌ„t of any Phalaris but by the couÌ„sail of the Phalaris was a tyranne in Agrigentine most holy father in the deuilles name Reioyce nowe you Caligulaes be mery you Neroes as many as haue hade the famous reporte of crueltie For you haue one which though he lefte The. B. of Rome is more cruell than either Caligula Nero. Friderich the. 1. you a long space behinde him yet he acquieteth you froÌ„ the infamie remeÌ„braunce of a cruel name euen the bishop of Rome which commauÌ„deth the sonne to bathe his sweorde in the fathers blood And God wotteth the noble feates of Adriane the. 4. and Alexander the. 3. may be also coupled to these rehearsalles which they practiced with most high wickednesse against the very godly and most valeaunt prince Friderike whose sirname was Barbarousse For albeit he hade the vpper hande ouer al his enemies yet it was not in his power either to auoide or to breake the tyraÌ„nie of the popes but after haynous batailes most lameÌ„table flaughtres he was coÌ„pelled ê‘force to fall huÌ„bly to the popes fete to laye downe his necke for Antichristes filthie fete to treade vpon Now who is it that wolde seke any charitie at their handes which haue not learned so much as to beare fauourably with the dignitie of an Emperour After that about the yeare of our Lorde Friderike the. 2. MCCxx Friderichus the secoÌ„de suffred no lesse wickednesse false head of theÌ„ also For whan he made warres against the Turkes they with most spiteful vilany abominable force of armes resisted him and as he with luckie successe warred against the enemies of Christes crosse they with their false driftes droue him backe and layeng at him with their thonderboltes they depryued him also of the communioÌ„ of faithfull christen people and of his Empire and chosed other emperours agaiÌ„st him Which thing was in dede the cause of most greuous batailes engeÌ„dred innumerable muche bloodsheading Morouer in the year of our lorde M. CCC whan Albert the duke of Austrike was choseÌ„ emperour Pope Bonesace the. 8. of that name wold nother confirme him nor crowne Boniface the. 8. him except he wolde furst promise that he wolde make warre against Philippe the FreÌ„che king and dryue him out of his realme And the cause of that warre was this that Philippe whaÌ„ he espied the sleightie shiftes of the sea of Rome denyed the pope al his reuenues of the realme of Fraunce And for that cause that holy father hauing goodly in mynde the precept of charitie to thintent he might prouide for his owne priuate commoditie purposed to set twoo the mightiest naciones of christendome FrauÌ„ce and Germanye together to warre cruelly the one against the other and glad to geue the loking on him self of the destroyeng of cities wasting of fieldes slaughter of men and al the myschief besides that warre bringeth with it so that it turne to his owne aduauÌ„tage But the father of heauen prouydeth better for mennes maters For he put those kinges in suche mynde that they forgate the pope and layeng downe their weapones conuerted the lamentable warres in to a ioyous mariage And here it is not to be omitted that the bishopes of Rome being of the same spirite did vnto Ladislaus king of Vngarie and Polone He hade Ladislau ouercome with wonderfull luckie notable victorie Amurathes the most mightie prince of the Turkes and scatred the turkishe armye and obteyned perforce such condiciones of peace as were harde to be obteyned of the enemye But whan the Turkes hade the ouerthrowe in that skyrmyshe they were fayne perforce and bicause of the condicions of peace to medle no longer with inuading Vngarie and beganne to make new roades in to Italie to stere vp daungers against the pope Eugenius the bishop of Rome to deliuer him self and Italie from Eugenius pope all daungier sent Cardinal Iuliane to Laudislaus to condemne his league with the Turkes as wicked and vnworthy and to persuade with all that christianes are in no wise bounden to kepe promise with infideles And he gaue not ouer counsailing and prouoking till he hade persuaded the king compelled him to breake the league and so to become a promyse breaker Anon than by the forwardenesse of the most holy father and the legate Iuliane the apostatalike apostlelike I wold saye blowing to the fielde ther was most cruell batail renewed which hauing vnluckye successe king Ladislaus was slayne and Amurathes caried awaye a large and a gorgeous victorie This was done in the year of our Lorde M. CCCC xliiij Lo this is the most holy fathers charitie this is the loue that he beareth to the Lordes flocke by the couÌ„sail wherof he teacheth the Kyng rashly to violate his promise of peace and shamelesly to faile his fidelitie that he hade made and not that only but he also casteth both such as be very good to muche simple kinges the people ouerlight of belefe vpon the most cruel weapons of Christes enemies the Turkes so as he him selfe maye lyue safe and sure at Rome To be shorte least through aboundauÌ„ce of examples my tale growe out to ouer great a mater it semeth not necessarie that we should set furth with a busye paynted shewe of wordes the thinges that the Bishoppes of Rome haue in tymes past done against the lawe of charitie seyng that these our owne dayes can euidently ynoughe beare witnesse of the same For loke you dearly beloued brethreÌ„ in Christ vpoÌ„ these present hurly burlies warres of Germany at home wtin theÌ„ selues which is vndoubtedly occasioned by the trauaile deuise of pope Paule the iii. of his meÌ„bres And searche diligeÌ„tly Paule the 3. if it please you whether so much as one token or sparke of charitie be shewed in this dede doing For who knoweth not that the greater parte of christendome especially the hole flocke of them that are right wise and learned men haue allready complayned these many yeares of the tyrannye and intolerable yowke of popes And Emperours haue ben in the same thought which haue with most earnest faithfulnesse and godly aduise admonished them bothe to amende their owne maners and restrayne the ecclesiastical ministers and their lasciuious lyues and to exercice a worthye discipline among them to frame their hole life by But all is in vayne For they like most naughty me wold nother heare the coÌ„playntes of the congregacions nor doo after the admonishementes of emperours bicause they haue alwaies loued their owne lust more than all the discipline and honestie in the worlde Whervpon all thinges set aparte they haue vsed their owne lustes and vicious demeanour with al losenesse of
of christian purenesse consisteth in outwarde eating and hath also brought in a great deale greater rable of ceremonies bothe in these maters many other than the Iewes were bounden in tymes past to obserue lyuing vnder the bondage of the lawe Christ confirmed with the autoritie Math. 19. Hebr. 13. of his doctrine the state of mariage ordayned of his heauenly father And the apostles being instrucce by his spirite taught that wedlocke is honourable among al meÌ„ and the mariage bedde vndefiled Whervpon they And yet he maketh more bolde entrâ—prises gothe about to dryue Christ our Lord out of his church and kingdome in that he calleth him self Christes vicare For if the B. of Rome be Christes vicare it must nedes be that Christ is not preseÌ„t with his churche The false boast of the B. of Rome to be christes Vicare For he that any where occupieth an office and kepeth residence presently vpoÌ„ it as apperteyneth hathe no nede of any vicare But Christ Iesus inasmuche as he is the head of his owne churche can in no wise be disseuered from his body which is the churche but is inseperably present with his churche spiritually contynually to the worldes ende Therfore the B. of Rome is not moued by any warrauÌ„t of the truthe but of a wicked lust to blaspheme to boast him self to be Christes vicare Hitherto therfore I suppose it be sufficiently ynough declared that the B. of Rome deserueth this thrid title wherwith Paule painteth him out after such sorte that he may by al meanes be called An aduersarie that is to saye coÌ„trary and against Christ in all thinges inasmucheas all his conuersacioÌ„ his doctrine are cleane contraryly repugnaunt against the doctrine and conuersacion of Christ Now remayneth the fourthe title wherwith Paule decketh Antichrist Exalted aboue God whom he dothe not comprehende in one only worde but describeth it in moo For he saithe he shal be stately prowde and exalte him self with notable arrogauncie aboue all that is either called or worshipped by the name of God Yea his folie shall procede so farre saith he that he shal place his seate in the Temple of God as God and shewe him self as though he were a God To these wordes of Paule the desirous man Daniel consenteth who speaking of Antichristes misteries saith that the litel horne by whoÌ„ Antichrist is figured hade a mouthe wherwith he spake certain presumptuous thinges that is to saye in talking of diuine maters of chaungeing of lawes and tymes of other maters infinite which it is plaine are in the power of none but God alone And again in the. 11. chap. Dauiel speaking of the same saithe thus And the king shall do what he lusteth and exalte and enlarge him self aboue all Goddes and shal speake maruelous thinges against the most high God And a litel after He shall not also care for the Goddes of his forefathers no he shall care for no God at all for he shall preferre him felf aboue all Now if we compare all these thinges which are spoken by the apostle Paule and Daniel the prophet together the vnderstaÌ„ding of this fourthe title which is attributed vnto Antichrist shal appeare manifest vnto vs. For this is the will of the spirite to saye that Antichrist shal be a man of most high arrogauncie and swelling folishe insolencie which with prowde bolde enterprise shall take vpon him self those offices which are mete to be attributed to none but to God alone and are to be applyed to none but only God This is not ment by Paules wordes and the literall sense of the same Noman at all can make him self a God nor also ther is none other God but that one only eternall God al though any man hauyng autoritie to persuade ioyned with arrogauncie come to so highe a pride and statelynesse as to be honored worshipped of a sorte of leude persons fooles as we reade that Caligula and Domicianus were We must therfore marke well the B. of Romes maters whether we can be hable to fynde any suche as take vpon them selues this most arrogaunt title also to the intent the hole perfite descripcion of Antichristes persone may be euidently manifest vnto vs. And that ther are suche in The B. of R. taketh vpon him the honour of God head what God is dede it shall appeare of their owne sayenges and writinges And furst of al God is naturally he that is the essence and life of al thinges of whoÌ„ also al thinges haue receaued haue life to be that they are And therof it is that our Lorde Iesus Christ the sonne of God the father of the virgine Mary very God maÌ„ is coÌ„monly called in the scriptures the head of his churche bicause they that are endued with faithe in him obteyne life of him not teÌ„poral life only but the life also that neuer shall ende For like as out of a maÌ„nes head as it were out of the pype of a fouÌ„tayne the nourishemet of life floweth downe in to the hole bodie and all the meÌ„bres froÌ„ thence is distrubuted as it is nedefull to euery membre euen so out of Iesu Christ all the meÌ„bres of his bodie that is to saye all faithfull people receaue the spirite of life and that streinght of faithe by whose mocion and instincte they ordre their life according to the heaueÌ„ly fathers will and whan they are departed this temporall life they lyue wyth him euerlastingly This is the plaine vndoubted office of the head Christ the head of his churche ê‘fourmeth the same abundauntly Than if we marke well the B. of Rome whom we cal Antichrist it shal appeare more cleare than the daye light that this arrogauÌ„cie is in him by that which be openly boasteth him self to be the head of all the hole churche And if he as he is a most insoleÌ„t man glorie of the title of the head surely he saithe that the body of the church euery of the meÌ„bres receaue the spirites of life very life it self of him this he can not saye except he clayme Goddes offices to him self so shewe him self proudly in name as though he were God In this mater we passe not greatly vpoÌ„ the papistes obiectiones that thinke they can auoide the note of so great an infamie with this one refuge in the they saye we expounde to subtillie the B. of Romes title wherby he braggeth him self to be the head of the churche that we sucke out therof ouer much mater to argue vpoÌ„ For the B. of Ro. saye they teacheth not that he is the head of the churche to that ende as though he wolde take vpon him ouer muche insoleÌ„tly either the spirite of life or life it self but that he might like the most highe shepehearde of the christiaÌ„ flocke beare witnesse of his autoritie ouer Christes shepe O vayne defense eueÌ„like the figge tree For like as Christes churche hathe no nede
vpon with his trayne of daunceing lecherous ruffianes buggerours wil be vnder the iudgement of no man nor rendre accompt of his office vsing vnto no maner mā in the worlde although he bring infinite soules of men that were redemed with the precious blood of Christ and bynde innumerable people prentices with the cōmon enemie of mankynde the Deuil vnto the slaughter-house of euerlasting damnacion And euen this man it is that taketh vpon him to be the head of the churche and the only and most high shephearde of Christes shepefolde Is it than the propretie of an head to rage against his owne membres and to cast them vpon sweorde and fire to be destroied Is it the propretie of a shephearde to renne madde vpon his flocke worse than a wolfe wolde If the B. of Rome hurt the bodie of such as be his if he rashly hurt the name of them that be his if he take awaye their goodes for filthie lucres sake the apostolike Canones despeche him quyte out of his office And shall all the hole churche than suffre him rageingly to renne vpon mēnes soules to destroye them without correction But to thintent they might mitigate the outrage of their blasphemie by som maner of clooked pretense they deuised to adde this to Except he be deprehēded out of the waye from the faithe Forsothe a goodly addicion O you blocke headed Canonistes Will you than saye that these be the workes of faithe for the Pope to make innumerable people bonde men to the euerlasting fyre of hell Or shall we saye that he hath faith which maketh them subiectes to the tormentes of hell whom Christ the sonne of God hathe by his deathe and bloodshead deliuered free from hell But this conclusion of this Canon was not added without the prouidēte of God For by this meanes it is euident that the B. of Romes faithe is not a lyuely and a healthe geuing faith whervnto iustificacion and saluacion is commonlye attributed in the scriptures but a certain other faithe farre contrary from it Which like as it is in their power to withdrawe mennes soules from saluaciō and make them bonde slaues vnto perdicion so it pulleth all them that obeye his lawes awaye from Christ the only redemour of the worlde and depryueth and danined so hathe he bounde all other that obey his voice vnto damnacion He is also that great and notable Aduersarie Which is contrary to Christ in al thinges and repugneth cleane contrary against his life and doctrine and is a tyranne most insolent most arrogaunt and most disdayneful exalted in his blasphemous hearte not only aboue miserable and mortal mē but also aboue the almightie and immortal God Let them therfore haue him in admiracion honour him reuerēce him folowe him who so euer hade rather perishe than to be saued But let vs deare brethren in Christ rendre thākes continually to god the father and his sonne Iesus Christ our supreme king and only bishop which hathe vouchedsafe to reueale vnto vs the filthe of so exceding abominacion and to deliuer vs from his tyrannye and to set vs free by the aide of his worde Let vs also praye that he wolde bring other in to the knowlage of his truthe and to vpholde vs with such constauncie of faithe that we maye be hable to cōtinue stil in the knowne truthe and to serue him constauntly in the middle of the stormes and floodes of tentacion and to cleaue vnto him inseperably without shrynking that we be not euerlastingly lost with Antichrist the sonne of perdicion but that we maye be made partakers of the saluacion and kingdome which was prepared before the making of worlde by our lorde Iesus Christ our only redemour and saueour To him be glorie praise and thankes geuing for euer worlde without ende Amen Thus endeth the thrid Homilie The .iiij. Homilie In this .iiij. Homilie are described the workes and weapones of Antichrist and whom he shall haue power to fal vpon and destroye with his workes and weapones LIke as it is not only profitable and holsome for all maner of men but also necessary to the atteynyng of saluaciō to haue the true certain and sure grounded knowlage of our Lorde and saueour Iesus Christ that they may cleaue harde vnto him with a faste and a constaunt saithe and through him to obteyne eternal saluacion and life euerlasting so is it no lesse profitable and necessary that in these later dayes we knowe them also which set out themselues falsely as though they were Iesus Christ that is to saye as though they were saueours and redemours In whose nombre specially aboue other that great and notable Aduersarie of our Lorde Christ and of all faithfull that is to wete the very right Antichrist is to be knowne that we maye auoide his wiles subtil craftes fraudes and most pernicious deuises and escape the dānacion that he purueyeth and purchaceth for those that his be Moreouer wher as ther are by the spirite of Satan many falsely feyned fables of Antichrist by reason of the which it is so farre of from vs to com in to the knowlage of him that we shall rather be blinded seduced and deceaued it is necessary for vs to respecte the vnfailing truthe of the holy scripture to thintent that being ledde by the doctrine of it we maye learne to knowe him in dede And for that cause I haue lately brought furthe of the scripture two most manifest plaine places for the declaracion of this mater wherin ther are allready three specialties declared which paynt out the disposicion and propreties of Antichrist and shewe what a maner a one he is as it were poyntyng 4. Antichristes workes him with a mānes fyngre Therfore it cōsequētly foloweth that we steppe ouer now to the fourthe specialtie or principal mater wherin are declared his most special chief workes whervnto he is geuen and by the which he vttreth him self openly And albeit these self same maters are comprehēded of the apostle Paule the desyrous mā Daniel the prophet in those places which I rehearsed before yet for asmuche as they are ouer shorte ther in playne openyng of them we must here marke the. 11. chap. of Daniel wherin many thinges right worthye to be knowne concerning the mysterie of Antichrist but specially concerning his workes are in this maner written He shall bring in men to forsake the couenaunt wickedly that they may worke by craftye wiles through hipocrisie but the people that will knowe their God shall haue the vpperhande and prospere But the king shall doo what he lusteth he shall exalte and amplifie him self against all that is God yea he shall speake maruelous thinges against the most hyghe God and he shall haue prosperous fortune so long till the wrathe be fully consūmate whā wickednesse shal be come to the highest He shall not regarde the God of his fathers nor care for the lust of women Yea he shal not care for any God for he shall exalte
but it may be clooked by the popes Bulles and pardoned quyte remitted by the autoritie of his sea Than seing this gaire is commōly thus all the papistes must nedes confesse in despight of their noses that the B. of Rome is the chief autor of al hipocrisie and the most frutefull father of hipocrites and that he wyth all trusty diligence and studious endeauour dothe also accomplishe that other worke of Antichrist and therfore according to Danieles prophecie he is to be taken for the very right Antichrist him self Daneil describing the thrid worke manship of Antichrist saithe thus He shall not regarde the God of his fathers yea he shall not care for any tie and strong God that is he hathe deuised for him self suche a God by whose seruice and religion he is aduaunced with great abundaunce of richesse honour and glorie And to vnderstande this mater the more fully thus we must take it good brethren If we marke the B. of Rome he will professe with his mouthe the self same God whom we acknowlage in the articles of the apostles Credet howbeit playeng the hipocrite in this poynt as he dothe in all other maters he beleueth him not to be suche a God as he vseth to professe him to be For if a man marke his tradicions and strayne him a litell harder he shall see that he beleueth not that God the father hath a sonne which became man for our sakes and being offred vp once for all on the altare of the crosse for vs obteyned forgeuenesse of synnes righteousnesse and saluacion for mankynde But he ymagineth a farre other maner of God that is daily coniured by massemonging priestes enchauntementes to come downe in to breade or in to the forme of breade and the substaunce of bread being chaunged in to the very substaunce of Christes body to be offred euery daye by the priestes vpon the altare for the synnes of the quicke the dead In what poīt is this prety Cake God like vnto him whom we saye in our Crede rose again from the deade ascended in to heauen and ther sitteth on the right hande of God the father almightie vntil he come to iudge the quicke and the deade Doo we not see him plainly to be a new God cleane cōtrarie from the God of our fathers elders For these are plaine contraries to be incarnate and to com downe in to a cake of bread to be offred vp once for all on the aultare of the crosse many tymes vpon the popishe priestes aultares to be offred only once by hym self and euery daye a thousaunt tymes by other priestes to be ascended in to heauen and to lye locked in a golden Pixe to sytte on the fathers right hāde in the kingdome of heauen vnto the daye of iudgement and to com downe daily at the priestes coniuring in his bodily presence in to a piece of breade And yet this is euen that strong and mightie God by whose seruice and helpe Antichrist is promoted vnto most highe power and dignitie For after that the rude ignoraūt people were persuaded that Iesus Christ very God and very man was called out of heauē by the priestes wordes and that they handled him with their consecrated handes and offred him for mennes synnes anon they were in suche autoritie with all men that euery man hade them in most highe honour yea ther was none almost so euil aduised that thought not him worthye to be punyshed who so euer attempted any thing against them And this augmēted their dignitie and power also that whan they hade made this their God with their owne wordes they deliuered him to other also to be eatē howbeit not vnto euery body at auēture but vnto such only as were contented to shryue them before hande vnto them of all that they hade synned either by worde or dede For by this secrete Legier demayne of Confession that they haue deuysed they could knowe the botom of all mennes heartes they could learne out all mennes purposes they could boult out what al mē thought yea they could by those gostly fathers of their owne making knowe the most secrete intentes and pryuie coūsailes of kinges and princes For this was the othe of them all that they were boundē to the sea of Rome by that they should to the vttermost of their possible power withstande al mennes purposes and entreprises and by all possible meanes to lette those thinges which they knewe to be noysō to the B. of Rome and his sea By reason wherof assone as the B. of Rome beganne to haue any king or prince in suspicion that he bare but small good will to his popishe dignitie or power anon these gostly fathers wold grope him with crafty trickes hādle him so that ther were no remedie but he must nedes shryue hym poure into their bosoms not only all that he had done but also al his intentes purposes Thā whan they sawe any daūger like to rise or already in hāde against the sea of Rome they were bounden by their othe to open all the hole mater to their ordinary And the ordinarie must shewe it to his superiour and bidde him declare it to his bishop or to the archebishop by whose meanes it came at leynght to the pope him selfe And whan he once knewe the mater he could sone make shifte to turne vp syde downe al the attemptates that any prince hade intended against him And by this meanes brethren we see it come to passe by experience that ther is no king nor prince no nor yet emperour that coulde be founde either so prudent or so valeaunt a man in compassing of his maters that yf he were offended at the tyrannye of the bishoppes of Rome was hable yet either to suppresse it or to escape it no mary a great sorte of them haue ben conquested and oppressed by the driftes and craftie conueyaunces of the bishoppes of Rome For the God Mayzim hathe a myghtier power thā they are hable to abide whan so euer they dare once attempt any thyng against the tyrannye of Antichrist the bishop of Rome This can Emperour Henry the seuenth of that name among many Emperour Henry the 7. poisoned with the Sacrament other well testifie who whan he hade purposed to haue made the bishop of Rome not very pleasaunt tarieng in Italye was by poison ministred vnto him in the sacramēt of the aultare by a blacke frier of Senes quycklye ridde out of the worlde in the Castell of Bonecouent as they call it This we reade was done the yeare from Christes birth M. CCC XIII wel lyke as the B. of Rome hathe begoten vs this newe God out of the ymaginacion of his owne braine euen so hathe he ordayned newe maner of god seruice for him For he worshippeth not nor serueth him as the true lyuyng God ought to be serued and worshipped in spirite and truthe but as the prophete Daniel spake before-hāde with golde siluer precious
Senacherib king of the Assirianes and the most wofull ende of many suche tirannes as they were Now let these suffice to be spoken in the fourth place concernyng Antichristes workes and practices Wherby it appeareth most manifestly as it dothe by the other sayenges that are meÌ„cioned before that the B. of Rome is that notable and mightie houge Antichrist whom God wold haue reuealed in the oracles of his worde by Daniel and the rest of the prophetes Now therfore let vs passe ouer vnto the fifthe special poiÌ„t of that we 5. Antichristes weapones haue in hande that we maye considre with what weapones Antichrist shal obteyne enlarge mayntene his kingdom And these it is necessary for vs to haue skilful knowlage of that we maye the more handsomly beware of them and arme our selues the more strongly against his tirannie For as in feates of warre it is a good piece of the victorie if a man can knowe his enemies weapons put by the strokes euen so the same is specially requisite for vs in this sore fraye of Christ our king And as for the hole furniture and all the weapones wherwith Antichrist dothe bothe defende him self make batail against other the apostle Paule in his seconde epistle to the Thessalonianes comprehendeth them all in fewe wordes sayeng that Antichrist shall come after the working of sataÌ„ with all power and with lyeng signes and wondres and with all deceaueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse In these wordes we must note brethren that the apostle saithe all Antichristes power al his streynght and all his weapones shal be deuillishe so that he teacheth vs that Antichrist shall ordre all his affaires after the working of sathan Therfore if we marke what kynde a thing the what the power of Sathan is power of sathan is we shall also most perfitly perceaue what Antichristes streynght and weapones be And albeit Paules wordes might suffice to make this mater playne yet let vs hear Christ the eternal wisdoÌ„ of God the father speake which talketh thus of sathan the prince of the worlde He was a murtherour from the begynnyng Io. 8. and stode not in the truthe for the truthe is not in him Whan he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his owne for he is a lyer and the father of lies Christ here comprehendeth all the streynght and all the weapones of the deuile in two kyndes murther lyeng By this worde Lyes he vnderstandeth Lieng al that is contrarie to the truthe and also his sleightes his giles his false fraudes and deceaueablenesse aswell in wordes dedes as in miracles doctrine And this terme Murther coÌ„teyneth al wrongful violeÌ„ce Murther al temerarious atteÌ„ptates al the force al the tirannie and all the power that men are violeÌ„tly pressed withal And that these haue ben alwaies that deuilles tooles weapones it is manifest by many examples sence the begynnyng of the worlde For thus he deceaued our furst pareÌ„tes with false ê“mises robbed them of paradise of their blessed state asmuche as in him laye he spoiled theÌ„ also of euerlasting life And afterwarde through murther he made warre bi their furst begoteÌ„ soÌ„ne Cayn against true religioÌ„ the folowers therof euer sithence he hathe shewed him self such a one as his furst frutes hade shewed that he wolde be Now seing the holy goost reporteth that Antichrist shal be armed with the deuilles weapons LyeÌ„g and murther it standeth vs in hande to trye these also to be in the B. of Rome whom scripture they haue for their trinkettes they are not ashamed to saye that they lacke that but they rather heape lies vpon lies and bring out a certain new lyeÌ„g blasphemous glose Tushe saye they al is not coÌ„teined in that scriptures that is necessary for man to obteyne saluacion by As for the autoritie of the holy goost they are not afraide of it which making answer to their blasphemous sayeng speaketh by the apostle S. Paule in plaine wordes All scripture geuen by inspiracion 2. Timo. 3. of God is profitable to teache to reproue to amende and to informe in righteousnesse that the man of God may be hole or perfite prepared to all good workes What can be spoken more clearely more pithily more euideÌ„tly thaÌ„ these wordes be The apostle Paule the chosen instrument of God being endued with the spirit of Christ saieth that all the scripture is inspired of God and that therfore it is profitable and effectuall not only to teache to monishe and amende but to this vse that also the man of God may be hole perfite and fitte to doo all thing that God iudgeth to be good is good in dede Howbeit those most shameles and most lyeng deceauours without reuerence to the autoritie of these wordes wher they dare not denye but the scripture is inspired of God yet they saye it is vnperfite and prate that all thinges are not conteyned in the scripture that man hathe nede of to saluacion and to religion And is God vnperfite O shameles impudencie Shall we cal that vnperfite which is set furth by god through the spirit of truthe and thinke that perfite and absolute which was inueÌ„ted by the rashe reason of man But Note well Paules wordes teache vs a greater mater yet thaÌ„ al this For if the scriptures make a man perfite fitte vnto all good workes than can it not be a good worke that is required hauing Good workes non autoritie of the scriptures to beare it therfore they shall neuer worthily be called good workes which they require besides the autoritte of the scriptures Let these vayne helhoundes lose and ridde them selues out of this knotte if they can But they must nedes fight with lyes the very owne propre weapons of satan that in thus speaking they may both plucke the vnlearned rude coÌ„mon people from the truthe of the scriptures and also to tye them to the licke peny tradicions of mennes deuising Yet to vttre them selues more openly they doo not only set vp these kinde of lies but also they fight with false tokens and lyeng woÌ„ders wherof Paule maketh mencioÌ„ here Christ hath biddeÌ„ vs to beware of theÌ„ For who is it that knoweth not the endles heape of tokens that flyering friers muÌ„myng massepriestes were wont to prate openly of in the papacie For somtyme they feyne that soules appeare make mone vnto them somtyme they declare miracles wrought by ymages somtyme they preache of wonders wrought by the bread God of the aultare infinit suche other trickes they ymagine dayly wherby they maye the more easily cheoppe men downe into the kyngdome of darkenesse hold theÌ„ downe surely whaÌ„ they haue them once ther. Therfore brethren to thintent we be False tokens not begiled herein we must note that ther be false signes wonders that by two maner of false meanes For furst ther are oftentymes signes feyned that are false in dede
the office of teaching monishing exhortyng reprouing correcting and comforting which be all comprehended in the ministerie of the worde which as it manifestly appeareth Matth. 28. was not committed to Petre alone but to all the apostles wtall This is also manifest that the Lorde neuer graunted vnto Petre the apostle any supremacie ouer the rest of his disciples but that he rather repressed with sore sharpe wordes al their ambicion and desire of rule bearing if they began once to be ouercomen with the infirmitie of the fleshe and stryue who should be chief aboue the rest Matth. 18. 20. Luc. 22. Io. 13. Concerning the keyes it is euidētly declared also that they signifie not what the keyes signifie the thonderbolt of the popes curse or his pelting pardones but the vertue and power of the gospell and worde of God which proclaymeth forgeuenesse of synnes to all them that trust faithfully in Christ and are hartily repentaunt for their synnes and it sealeth vp and confirmeth their consciences with the promises of God And on the contrary parte it threatteneth the punishement of euerlasting damnacion to them that are vnfaithfull and can not repent These maters and infinite others such like whan men hade learned by the light of Goddes worde and on the other parte whan they therby hade once espied the B. of Romes sleighty iuggling deceates and lies than was Antichrist slayne wyth the breathe of the Lordes mouthe and laye dead in their consciences For after that tyme they passed not vpon him but beganne to esteme his blessinges for cursinges and his cursinges for blessinges as for the thonderboltes of his excommunicacion they laught them to scorne and reckoned all his power to be nothing elles but wicked and blasphemous tirannie Therfore as Golias was in the olde worlde vnder Dauid so doo we see that the B. of Rome is now slayne wyth his owne sweord I meane with that same places of scripture by the which being miserably and violently wrasted he hath established his tirannie And thus we see it truly fulfilled that the Apostle Paule being inspired wyth the spirite of Christ spake before hande concerning Antichrist For although he rage horriblye in his membres and blustre out threatteninges and thōderclappes yet those people are nothing moued with his procedinges which are true faithfull christianes in dede and haue their Bishop king and priest and their only head and mediatour in hauen vnto whom hauing their myndes lifted vp vnto those thinges that are in heauen they doo obey and passe not a pynne of the popes masking visours nor the procedinges of the hoore of Babilon for all that she is rose coloured with many a sayntes blood Now vnto this furst parte Paule Antichrist shal be despeched at the Lordes commyng addeth also the other poynt cōcerning Antichristes destruetion and saith the he shall vtterly be despeched at the glorious cōmyng of our saueour Christ This he dothe speake of the last daye and final iudgement whan Christ the sonne of God and of Mary shall geue vnreuocable sentence vpon all fleshe and thus the Apostles mynde is to teache vs with what iudgement Antichristes wickednesse shal be than punished and that Daniel the prophet dothe more pleyntifully and more clearely describe in these wordes I loked till the seates were prepared till Daniel 7. the olde aged sate him downe His clothing was as white as snowe and the heares of his head like the pure wolle His throne was like the fyrie flame his wheles as the burnyng fyre Ther drewe furthe a fyrie streame and went out from him a thousaūt tymes a thousaunt serued him X. M. tymes X. M. stode before him The iudgement was set and the bokes opened Than I toke hede ther vnto bicause of the voice of the prowde wordes which that horne spake I behelde til the beast was slayne and his body destroied and geuen ouer to be brent in the fire In these wordes is described Antichristes payne and the punishemēt that he shall suffre And in dede Damel dothe furst paynt out almightye God the iudge with all his maiestie to teache vs that it is God of whose power name and autoritie Antichrist braggeth which shall punishe Antichriste More ouer he saithe that the iudgement shal be iuste vpright wherin the bokes of goddes prouidence iustice shal be necessarily opened which no priuileges no bulles no seales or any such other mater shal be hable to coūtrepaise Last of all he reporteth that the hole beast with this litle horne is cast in to the burnyng streame or burnyng rooke of fyre that is in to the fyre of euerlasting damnacion as that welbeloued disciple of Iesu Christ teacheth Apoca. 〈◊〉 and. 20. chaptres Therfore must Antichrist the head of wickednes and abominacion with all his membres that is with al them that beleue his doctrine cleaue vnto him and serue him be nedes cast holly into the eternall fire of euer lasting damnaciō accordingly as the prophetes Christ and the apostles haue tolde before I am not ignoraunt that it is a sore and dredfull sentence I knowe that to vttre this sentence is not only odious vnto many but it is also exceding daungerous Howbeit we must nedes speake that which the spirite of truthe hathe spoken before vs that Christ wolde haue to be in stede of a faithfull warning vnto vs. therfore it shall stande vs in hāde most louing brethren in Christ to considre diligētly this last final iudgemēt that Antichrist his mēbres shal receaue herin we shal note two chief specialties The abominable condicion of the popishe religion Furst what a hainous and abominable pestilēce the papacie the Pope him self is whō I haue all this while declared to be that ryght and myghty houge Antichrist For in this behalfe are some simple that otherwise are no euill men very muche deceaued which cōfesse in dede the popishe fayth and religion to be false and contrary to the truthe yet in the meane while they take it but for a common ignoraunce and a tryfling errour and an errour that is easie to be pourged whithe they may folowe yet be saued to And forasmuche as they are brought in to a fooles paradise with this opinion they do not muche abhorre the wares of the Antichristian fayth nother do they thinke it wicked or much daungerous for them to sticke still within the filthe therof or for aduauntages sake to turne to that vomite agayne eyther yet to make their children subiectes to the yowke of Antichristes tirannye by bondes of mariage or other suche lyke meanes But we are tolde an other maner of tale farre wyde from their myndes by the oracles of Christ and the Prophetes which testifye with one accorde that Antichrist euen the bishop of Rome with all his membres shal be cast hole into the vnquencheable fire of ouerlasting damnacion This are we taught not only by oracles reporting this mater but ther are vnfallible reasonos of
to al his Canones and statutes We nede not to make long rehearsal of thīges done lōg agoo but let vs beholde the state of thinges that are presently in al mennes eies in all mennes handes Almightie God our most merciful father tedring the treason ruinous state that we haue suffred hathe vouchedsafe in these our dayes to reueale vnto vs through the light of his worde al that is necessary vnto saluacion And yet here a man may fynd an infinite multitud of mē whiche being geuē to the affectiō of their owne fleshely fantasie hade rather be gouerned guyded by lies false doctrine thā by the light of the truthe yea Hearke my gentilmen Iackes on bothe sides to this saing mary to thintēt they may frely folowe their owne affectiones filthy fleshely lustes and serue all vicious wickednesse their trade is not only to be haters of the truthe which they embraced before but also as muche as in thē lieth to psecute oppresse it But if we loke vpō the life behaueours religiō of those same mē we shal see more clearely thā the daye light that it is the iust iudgement of God which Paule maketh mēciō of in this place For the wicked helhoundes are dropped in to so great a folishe fōdenesse are so farre past thē selues that now they haue reiected dephied the true preachers of God the trade of Goddes holy worde they The praise of Maidē priestes heare those mē obey their doctrine whom they see most shameful hooremōgers cuckold makers dycers drōkerdes ful of al kynde of vices yea they require to be pourged of their sines at those mēnes hādes whō they knowe to be the very bonde slaues of al wicked synnes mischief They also wil be taught by those mē whom they them selues confesse to haue lesse learnyng than an asse And yet they are not cōtēt to be thus fōdly madde but now in this daūgerous peril that al Germanie stādeth p̄sētly in they holde with those mēnes entreprises and further their intētes with al their diligēce power yea with their prayers bothe priuately and openly who as al mē may Italiane◠Spanyardes Antichristes garde see are the most deadly enemyes of the common wealthe of our coūtrey For shall we thinke any man to be so folishe and ignoraunt that he can not perceaue what malicious heartes the Italianes and Spanyardes beare to all Germanie Is ther any man so deafe and doltishe that he neuer hearde how they raile against vs They thinke it not ynough to call vs barbarous rude beastes lowtes fooles and dogges but their maner is to burthen vs also wyth the horrible cryme of heresye yea they thinke it laufull for thē to exercice all kynde of wickednesse tyrannie and merciles So they are welcome in to England also to traitourous popishe priestes to hoores bawdes cuckoldes c. crueltie vpon the Germaynes as though they thought the Germaynes not worthy to be coūted among the nombre of men And yet we see these men the most welcome gestes that hearte can thinke vnto many in Germany yea ther be sō that beleue they shal be defended and haue a mery worlde by these mennes marcial powers which haue alwaies hitherto by so many euidēt tokēs vttred their malicious heartes against all Germanes But this is the very iust iudgement of God that they which hate the light of the truthe shall not only be blynde but being robbed also of their commō witte they shall not be hable to see that they see with their open eies nor heare that they heare wyth their owne eares Now must we diligently obserue in this place louīg brethrē in Christ what is our office to doo if we be desirous to escape this greuous hurt of so pernicious a blindenesse That is we must beware that we be not so vnthankefull we must arme our selues also wyth such faithe and diligence as maye worthily receaue the light of Goddes worde and truthe whā God offreth it vs. Wherin aboue all thinges we must beware of this brethrē that we geue not our myndes to our owne priuate affections nor set more by them than by the knowlage of the truthe For who so euer hathe mynde to folowe his owne pleasur shall neuer com to the true faithe Therfore it standeth vs in hande to tame our affectiones and to bring thē vnder the obedience of the spirite And among other thinges this also dothe muche hurt for folkes to hunt gredily after the pleasures of carnalitie and present prosperitie of worldly thinges for that we see is the cause of the greatest wickednesse that can be the vndoing to many a one at this daye For ther be some that coulde be well content to beare the gospell and the glad tydinges of saluacion purchaced by Christ if it wanted the crosse and stormes of persecuciō But whan they see them once com they not only let the most holsom doctrine of the gospell god and greuously blaspheme it but also they dare raile most deuillishlye against Christ our Lorde him selfe But let the inuincible heartie māful constauncie of the most holy men that were our auncettours make vs heartie in this behalfe brethren For with how glad an hearte and with what thankes to God shal we thinke that they wold haue receaued that doctrine of the gospell if any man hade preached it vnto them in the dayes of the emperour Lewis the. 4. Whan they abode the thōderclappe and most heauy burthen of Antichristes curse eightene yeares space like right hartie true men to the emperour And shall we than being perfitly instructed by the lighte of the truthe be more cowheardly afraide of this enemye the B. of Rome than they were Shall it be sene that we are more colde and faynter hearted to Christ our king and saueour than they were to their emperour that was but a mortal man And shall we passe lesse of our faithe that we haue promised to Christ than they did of their fidelitie that they promysed to a mortal man Deliuer your selues brethren from the slaunderous infamye of so great a wickednesse Thinke it a goodly thing for you to folowe the vertuous heartynesse of your elders Thinke it well done to bring mennes soules out of bondage in to libertie though you should sheade your heart blood for it Take it for a goodly mater a ioyous for you to suffre deathe for the loue of your countrey for your wyues your children and for the sauing of mennes soules and for the glorye of our saueour Christ Ther are the fotestepppes of so many martires that are gone before vs and the example of Christ him self that it is not possible for vs to shrinke without to muche shame But aboue all thinges it shal be necessary for vs to pray heartily and continually that he wolde vouchesafe to deliuer vs from the tyrannye of Antichrist and to instructe vs with his spirite and faithe that we may
be hable to persiste manfully in the truthe that we haue receaued and finally to be saued in Christ To him be honour glorie and praise for ouer and euer Amen Thus endeth the fourthe Homilie The .v. Homilie In this .v. Homilie is described the ende and final destruction of Antichriste and what christen faithfull peoples duety is to doo in the rage of Antichristes tyrannye IN these other foure Homilies louing brethren in Christ I haue hitherto playnly declared those scriptures that serue to knowe the feate the springing vp the persone the workes and the weapones of Antichrist by which if they be compared with the seate starting vp persone workes and weapones of the bishop of Rome we must nedes confesse that what so euer is spoken of Antichrist by the prophet Daniel and the apostle S. Paule agreeth rightly with the B. of Rome in euery condicion And therfore this must of necessitie folowe that the B. of Rome which delyteth to be named the head of the churche Christes vicare the portour of heauen gate yea and holynesse it self is that vndoubted and mightie houge enemie of our saueour Christ that is to saye Antichrist the manne of synne the sonne of perdicion that highe abominacion whiche nestleth his seate in the tēple of God and exalteth him selfe aboue al that is named God in that he to muche sawcely taketh that vpon him selfe which belongeth to none but to the only grace and power of God Nowe remayneth the last mater which maketh mencion of the fal and destructiō of Antichrist which also is to be knowen by the places before rehearsed wherof we may sucke not only excellent good learnyng but also exceadyng muche comforte But the Apostle Paule speaking of the ende destruction of this vngracious The ende and destructiō of Antichrist wicked monstre sayeth The Lorde shal destroy him with the breathe of his mouthe shall despeche him with the brightnesse glorie of his cōming that is to saye at his bright glorious cōming Two thinges therfore the apostle wold haue vs to note cōcerning the destructiō of Antichrist Furst he sayeth that he must be destroyed and slayne with the breath of the Lordes mouth which saieng is takē out of Esay as I sayd a litel before For Esay speaking of Christ our Lorde of his workes reporteth the self same mater in the very same wordes And ther we must more depely marke the meanyng of that wordes Antichrist is destroyed with the breathe of the Lordes mouthe wherby we maye the more easely vnderstande that these are also fulfilled The breathe of the Lordes mouthe is that eternall almightie worde of God by the which it is manifest that al creatures were made at the beginnyng of the worlde are conserued euē vnto this daye And this worde the Apostle sayeth shal be the sweorde wherwith Antichrist must nedes be destroyed And in dede the same Apostle calleth the worde of God a swcorde writyng thus to the Hebrewes in the. 4. Chap. The worde of God is quicke and mightie in operacion sharper than any two edged sweorde and pearceth through euen vnto the diuiding asondre of the soule and the spirite and of the ioyntes and the marye and iudgeth the thoughtes and intentes of the hearte Surely they that haue their synnes opened reproued by this worde perceaue by experience that it is suche a maner of sweorde in dede Furthermore whan the same apostle armeth vs and trymmeth vs against our cōmon enemye he reacheth vs the sweorde of the spirite which is the worde of God wherwith Christ our saueour him self hathe taught vs to fight by his owne example For whā sathā that wicked temptour came to him being as he was very man in dede Christ dothe warde and stryke by all Satanes blowes with this one only sweorde holding out against euery assault of temptacion suche fitte textes of goddes worde as he might put him to flight and breake his weapones withall Wherfore seing we see the deuil him self ouercomen with Goddes worde long agoo we shall thinke that Paule hade good mater to saye teache vs that Antichrist the chosen instrument of the deuill shall also be ouercome and destroyed with the breathe of Goddes mouthe that is by the worde of God But the mysterie of this sentence we must more depely searche out Paule in the same place treating of Antichristes weapones and workes said that his power and working shal be deuillishe that being trymlye furnished in false wyles and lies he shall doo all that the prophetes reporte of him yea that he shall reigne like a king in mennes consciēces through the power of lies For ther wolde neuer a man in all the worlde receaue so haynous an abominacion that knewe perfitly what it were But forasmuche as he crepeth in to mennes consciences with wylie craftes and false sleightes he dissēbleth him self to be an other maner a felowe thā he is in dede Yea by the reason of false citing and expounding of places of the scriptures he knoweth the cast howe to couer his monstrous face Anone after they whome with his false doinges he hathe made tame fooles haue once receaued him he reigneth ruleth the rost in their cōsciences after suche sorte that they geue credence to him and doo what so euer he biddeth them and refuse what so euer he forbiddeth them yea they passe their tyme being all together addicte to hym Now seing all Antichristes tirannie and emperious kingdome hathe none other sure foundacion but only lyes and false craftes it must nedes haue a downefall also assone as the lyght of Goddes worde that is the lyght of eternall truthe shyneth into mennes consciences and reproueth craftye sleyghtes and lyes For it is not possible for men to geue credence to lyes any more which knowe them to be lyes but it maketh them rather to be abashed to be so shamefully deceaued and to beare a deadly hate vnto them that made thē to do amysse by their deceauyng Than therfore Antichrist hathe lost bothe his lyfe his royaltie through the sweorde of Goddes worde albeit he lyue yet still in bodye and reigne still in very many of his membres But that we maye perceaue this gayre more certainly we must note the mater it self that is how it dothe fittlye accorde to the condicion of the B. of Rome Whan the bishop of Rome began to be desirous to beare the bell he set out himself al his purposes for men to see not to be suche as they were in dede but painted florished ouer with sondry countrefait colours For at the furst that simple rude cōmō people must nedes be persuaded that Petre had the supremacie yea the principalitie among Christes Apostles at leynght was brought to Rome and there preached the Gospel and that he was the furst bishop of the church of Rome By this reason the supremacie of other churches myght be translated to the churche of Rome this