that you came of curtesie to see me I must thanke you and am right sorye my leisure did not serue me to haue further speches with you You deliuered vnto me two Propositions as the grounde-worke of your opinion the one that the principles of your doctrine are grounded firmelie vpon the catholike Church which antiquitie vniuersalitie and consent doe plainelie make manifest vnto you The other that the signes giuen of a true Church by theÌ„ of the reformed religion which are the sincere preaching of the worde the right administration of the sacraments religious prayers holesome discipline are no true signes of a true Church but so to affirme them is an error in Logique for that the Church is a signe of them and not they of the Church For your first proposition that the errors thereof may better appeare I will brieflie handle these 3. points First that neither the Catholike Church nor the doctrine antiquity vniuersality or consent thereof can otherwise be knowne then by the scriptures Secondly that sundry principles of your religion are not at all grounded vpon the catholike Church Thirdly that the Romaine Church vpon the which your principles are grounded is neither the Catholike Church nor a sounde member of the catholike church For your 2. proposition that the errors thereof may likewise be seene I will in few words deale with â—â—â—se three points First that of a particuler Church no better iudgement can be giuen whether it be sounde or vnsound or of two particuler Churches which is the sounder then by the worde and doctrine that they preach by the sacraments that they minister by the praiers that they vse and by the discipline that they exercise for where these are moste pureliest and perfectliest done that Church is to be thought the purest and perfectest member of the Catholike Church Where these are impurest and corruptest that Church is to be iudged the impurest and corruptest member where these are not at all there is to bee accompted no visible Church to be at all Thus to affirme is an error in Logike but a truth in diuinitie Secondly that of the truth of the doctrine of the right administration of the sacraments of the sinceritie and puritie of the praiers of the godly exercise of the discipline in any Church the onelye perfecte absolute and true touchstone is the holy scripture which ought diligently to be read of all men Thirdlie that for the true vnderstanding of the Scripture in those things that are necessarie the circumstance of the place the conference of other places the proportion of the doctrine the summary of our faith and the holy Ghost working in our harts doe sufficiently enable and enlighten vs. The holy Catholike Church wee define to bee the congregation companie and societie of all those that haue beleeued in Christ from the beginning of the world to this present time all that nowe beleeue in him and all that from henceforth shall beleue in him to the end of the world It is called Sancta holy because it is sanctified hallowed by the holy ghost it is called Catholica catholike or vniuersall because it conteyneth all ages all places al persons that beleeue it is called Ecclesia because it is a calling out or euocation of people out of ignorance and error vnto the faith and knowledge of God This Church is the misticall body of Christ who is the true and onely heade of it which gouerneth it in omnipoteÌ„cie and is ioyned vnto it in charitie Saint Augustine vpon the 56. psalme confirmeth this our definition of the Church Corpus Christi est Ecclesia non autem ista aut illa sed toto orbe diffusa nec ea quae nunc est in hominibus qui praesentem vitam agunt sed ad eam pertinentibus etiam ijs qui fuerunt ante nos ijs qui futuri sunt post nos vsque in finem soeculi tota enim Ecclesia constans ex omnibus fidelibus quia fideles omnes sunt membra Christi habet illud caput positum in coelestibus quod gubernat corpus suum si seperatum est a visione annectitur Charitate The body of Christ is the church yet not this church or that but that whiche is dispersed throughout the whole world neither yet that alone which is in men that liue at this present but that vnto which they likewise appertayned that haue bene before vs and that are to come after vs vnto the worlds end For the whole church consisteth of all the faithfull for all the faithfull are members of Christ hauing that head placed in the heauenly places which gouerneth his bodye though it be separate from the sight it is adioyned in charitie It is deuided into two parts the militant and triumphant the triumphant already in blisse and glory ineffable the militant hoping for the like happinesse and in the meane time vnder the banner of Christ Iesus warfaring heere on earth against the world the flesh and the Diuell This church for antiquitie so auncient for number so great for estate so diuers for situation so vniuersall no mans age coulde serue to knowe no mans knowledge were able to conceiue no mans conceit were of sufficieÌ„cy to comprehend if the holy Scriptures wherein the spirit of God hath deliuered these thinges for our instruction were not extant amongst vs. In them we are taught that the churche began in Adam that the first Martyr was Abel the first persecutor Cain that by the Breach of Gods commaundement mankinde fell into that miserable and corrupt estate that it was not able to performe that Law of perfect obedience and righteousnesse that GOD had giuen and grauen in the hartes and mindes of men by the accomplishment whereof they were to haue life and by the impeachment whereof they were to haue death eternall and that then GOD in his infinite goodnesse and mercie graunted a remedie for vs in the promised seed which should restore mankinde and treade down the serpents head which was the first preaching of the Gospell published by God himselfe apprehended by faithe beleeued by Adam Afterward of God reiterated to the holye Patriarches by them imbraced and taught to their children and families preached and foretolde by the Prophetes shadowed out in the Lawe written in the Leuitical ceremonies performed in Christ testified and published by the Apostles confirmed with signes and miracles beleeued of al nations maligned by the Deuill persecuted by the wicked in all ages and yet continued to the end of the worlde by Gods especiall grace prouidence These things wee plainely see conteyned from the first of Genesis to the last of the Reuelation which otherwise coulde neuer haue come to our knowledge In them wee may see the beginning increasing continuance and perpetuation of the church the estate and condition of it in tyme past at this present in time to come the doctrine deliuered by the holy Ghost to the Patriarches to the Prophets to
godly deuout and cōmendable If the discipline be according to the Law of God according to the direction of godly Magistrates according to the councel and commandements of the Apostles and according to the vse and practise of the purest churches whereof the holy scriptures are true records vnto vs we iustly may accompt it good and sincere Therefore hath God commaunded and all good men commended the studie search reading meditation of the scriptures In the 6. of Deuteronomie wee read Sunto verba ista in corde tuo eaque acutè ingerito filijs tuis ac loquitor de ijs cum sedes domi tuae cum ambulas per viam cum cubas cum surgis alligato ea in signum manui tuae inscribito ea postibus domus tuae portis tuis Let these wordes be in thy harte the same diligently teach vnto thy children and talke of them when thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest by the way when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vpp binde them for a signe vppon thine hand write them vppon the postes of thine house and vpon thy gate And of the worde of God it is saide in the 4. of Deuteronomie Haec est sapientia vestra ante oculos populorum This is your wisedome before the eyes of the people Abraham saith Habent Mosen Prophetas audiant eos They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them Christ saith Scrutamini scripturas search the scriptures S. Paule saith Tota Scriptura diuinitus inspirata vtilis est ad docendum ad arguendum ad corrigendum ad erudiendum in iustitia vt perfectus sit homo Dei ad omne opus bonum instructus The whole scripture inspired of God is profitable to teach to improue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfecte instructed vnto euery good worke Irenaeus in his thirde booke the first chap. Euangelium in Scripturis Apostoli nobis tradiderunt columnam firmamentum fidei nostrae futurum The Apostles haue deliuered vnto vs the gospell in the scriptures to be the piller and vpholder of our faith Saint Augustin de Ciuitate Dei his 3 booke and first chapter Ciuitatem Dei dicimus cuius Scriptura testis est We call that the citie of God wherof the Scripture is witnesse Saint Ambrose vpon Luke Si qua est Ecclesia quae fidem respuat nec Apostolicae praedicationis fundamenta possideat deserenda est If there bee any church which reiecteth the faithe or possesseth not the foundation of the Apostolike preaching it is to be forsaken Saint Chrysostome vpon the 2. to the Thessalonians the third homely Omnia clara plana sunt in scripturis diuinis quaecunque necessaria sunt manifesta sunt All thinges are cleare and playne in the holie scriptures what thinges soeuer bee necessary are manifest Saint Augustine in his thirde epistle Sacra Scriptura ea quae aperta continet quasi amicus familiaris sine fuco ad cor loquitur indoctorum atque doctorum the holy scripture speaketh those things which it plainelye conteineth like a familiar freind without guile to the hart both of the learned and of the vnlearned And in his booke de vnitate Ecclesiae the 13. chapter Vtrum ipsi Ecclesiam teneant non nisi diuinarum scripturarum canonicis libris ostendant quia nec nos propterea dicimus nobis credere oportere quod in Ecclesia Christi sumus quia ipsam quà m tenemus commendauit Optatus vel Ambrosius vel alij innumerabiles Episcopi aut quia nostrorum Collegarum consilijs ipsa praedicata est aut quia tanta mirabilia fiunt aut quia ille somnium vidit ille spiritu assumptus audiuit Whether they holde the church let them not showe but by the canonicall bookes of the holy scriptures for neither do wee therefore say that we ought to be beleeued because that we are in the church of Christ because Optatus or Ambrosius or other innumerable Bishops haue commended the same which we holde or because it is praised in the counsel of our fellowes or because so great strange things are wrought or because such a one hath sene a dreame or suche a one taken vp in the spirite hath heard Saint Paule writing to the Colossians doth admonish them diligently to reade the scriptures Sermo Christi habitet in vobis copiosè in omni sapientia Let the worde of God dwell in you aboundantly in all wisedome Saint Chrysostome in his 19. homely thereuppon Audite quotquot estis seculares vxori ac liberis praeestis quemadmodum vobis det in mandatis maxime scripturas legere nec leuiter negligenter sed magno studio Heare you as manie as are seculer and haue gouernment ouer wife and children how he giueth you in charge chiefly to reade the scriptures not lightly and carelesly but with great studie Ierome vpon the same place Hic ostenditur verbum Christi non sufficienter sed abundanter etiam Laicos habere debere docere se inuicem vel monere Here it is showed that the laye men also ought to haue the word of Christ not sufficientlye but aboundantly to teach or warne one another Origen vpon Esay the 2. homely Vtinam omnes faceremus illud quod scriptum est Scrutamini Scripturas Would to God we all did that is written searche the scriptures S. Chrysostome vpon Iohn the 13. homely Admoneo maiorem in modum rogo vt libros comparemus I warne and in earnest sort request that we get bookes And in an other place vpon the epistle to the Colossians the 9. homely Audite obsecro seculares omnes comparate vobis biblia animae pharmaca si nihil aliud vultis vel nouum testamentum acquirite Heare I praye you all the seculer prouide vnto your selues the bible the preseruatiue of the soule or the new testament if ye will nothing els And hom 3. de Lazaro Semper hortor hortari non desinam vt non hic tantum attendat is ijs quae dicuntur verum etiam cum domi fueris assiduè divinarum scripturarum lectioni vacetis quod quidem qui priuatim mecum ingressi sunt non destiti inculcare I stil exhorte and will not cease to exhorte that not onelye you attend heere vnto those thinges whiche are spoken but also when you shall bee at home that you would continually apply the reading of holy scriptures which thing I haue not lefte to exhorte those which haue professed themselues with me And againe Ne negligamus nobis parare libros Let vs not despise to get vs bookes And further Sume librum in manus lege historiam omnem quae not a sunt memoria te nens quae obscura sunt parumque manifesta frequenter percurre Take the book in thy hand reade al the historie and keeping in memory those thinges whiche are euident peruse often those that are obscure and lesse euident Of the
cheefe instrument in persecuting the members of the church those that haue the testimony of Iesus And to that end aduanceth his power throne and authoritie in this wicked world 3 And I sawe one of his heades as it were wounded to death and his deadly wounde was healed and all the world wondred at the beast These heades seeme vnto me to haue three significations two of them are laide downe by the Angell in the seauentienth chapter where they are expounded to bee mountaynes or hilles as heretofore we haue taken them and also kings or gouernors as hereafter we shall shewe them But in this place it semeth to bee taken neither for the one nor for the other but for a chiefe and principal parte of the estat euen for Roome and Italy it selfe Which aswell by the ciuill warres of Caesar and Pompey Augustus and Anthony as by the loose and execrable gouernments of Claudius Tiberius Caius Caligula Claudius the brother of Germanicus Nero the sonne of Domitius and Aulus Vitellius was as it were wounded and that most greeuously Which in the time of Flauius Vespasianus Titus Nerua Traiane and the Emperours succeding it recouered whereby the deadlye wound was healed And all the world wondred at the beast Such was the might and maiestie the force and fortune of the Romaine Empire that all men wondred and maruailed at it had it in admiration regarde and reuerence as an estate most happye sacred and in a manner diuine 4 And they worshipped the Dragon which gaue power vnto the beast and they worshipped the beast saying VVho is like vnto the beaste VVho is able to make warre with him By reason of the false religions and Idolatries of the Romaine Empire the Dragon that is to saye the Deuill was worshipped And by reason of the might and puissance of the forsaid estate it was of al nations feared and honored insomuch as they thought that none other was like vnto it nor any able to make warre against it 5 And there was giuen vnto him a mouthe that spake great things and blasphemies and power was giuen vnto him to doe 42. moneths The pride and blasphemye of the Romaine Emperors wee haue somewhat declared before The time of their persecuting power heere expressed by two and forty months is the same that in the former chapter is resolued and a thousand two hundred threescore daies which gathered into sabbaoths of yeares after the account of Daniell contayneth the whole time of the primitiue persecution from the first of Herod to the last of Licinius the particularities of their pride and blasphemies as to be called Gods to haue their images placed in temples and to haue diuine rites ceremonies done there in their honor The histories of their times doe disclose the sundry persecutions in great crueltye by them and their authority executed against the professors of the truth the Ecclesiasticall histories doe mention at large Whereby the interpretation of this place and of the verses following is very cleare and manifest 6 And he opened his mouth vnto blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwell in heauen The blasphemous speeches and actions of the Romaine Empire being corrupted with all kinde of Idolatry and impietie was bent first against the name of God secondly against his tabernacle thirdly against them that dwell in heauen Against the name of God that is to say against the essence maiestye worde and wisedome of God Whereas in steade of the creator they honored creatures in steade of one true God they serued many false Idols and adored them in corporall rites and ceremonies in steade of him that was to be worshipped in spirit and truth against his tabernacle that is to say his church for of the church it is spoken beholde the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwel with them and they shalle his people and God himself shalbe their God with them Against them that dwell in heauen that is to say against the members of the Church for that wee are no more forrenners and strangers but citizens wtih the Saintes and of the houshould of God And therefore may be well termed dwellers in heauen For that as the Apostle saieth in the Epistle to the Hebrewes In that we are members of the misticall bodie of Christ we are come to the mount Sion and to the Citie of the liuing God the caelestiall Hierusalem and to the companie of innumerable Angels and to the congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen And to God the iudge of all and to the Spirites of iust and perfect men and to Iesus the Mediatour of the new Testament to the bloud of sprinkling that speaketh better thinges then that of Abel Wherefore as in the former chapter the Dragon that is to saye the Diuell persecuted first the man childe that is Christ Iesus Then the woman clothed with the Sunne which is the Church And lastlie the remnant of her seede which keepe the commaundementes of God and haue the testimonie of Iesus that is to saye the members of the church So this principall instrument of the Deuill the Romaine Idolatrous Empire blasphemeth gainsayeth and persecuteth first the name of God that is his worde and wisedome Christ Iesus Secondlie his tabernacle that is his church Thirdly those that dwell in heauen that is to say the faithfull that are the members and seede of the church 7 And it was giuē vnto him to make war with the saints and to ouercome them and power was giuen him ouer euerie kindred and tongue and nation They that before were tearmed dwellers in heauen are heere tearmed sainctes against whome this Romaine Empire hath made warre raysed persecution and preuailed in all cruell tormentes and rigorous kindes of death that not in one contrie or prouince alone but throughout all the worlde for the authoritie therof and power did reach in effect ouer euery kindred and tongue and nation 8 Therefore all that dwell vppon the earth shall woorshippe him whose names are not written in the booke of life of the lambe which was slaine from the beginning of the worlde Such therefore as are not the elect of God whose eyes are not illumined with his heauenly light and whose mindes are not sanctified with his holy spirit whereby they may discerne trueth from falsehoode but are whollie led with earthly conceites worldly considerations and terrestriall appetites and therin doe as it were dwel and inhabite vnwilling any way to be weaned from it They shall worshippe obey reuerence and followe in all Idolatrie and naughtinesse this Romaine Empire iudging it to bee the best way for their saftie benefit and aduauncement although in truth it worke their ruyne ouerthrowe and euerlasting destruction 9 If any man haue an eare let him heare if any leade into captiuitie he shall goe into captiuitie if any kill with a sworde he must be killed by a sworde Here is the patience and
good Lord more and more to consume her and shortlye to abolish her with thy moste glorious comming and in the meane tyme O Lord thunder into the innermoste eare of the deafe papistes the threatninges of thy thirde Aungell that if any man worship Antichrist his romish church made to the Image and representation of the olde Romayne Empire and receaue his Character or doctrine in his forehead and in his hande that is in his fayth and practise in his conceite and conuersation to be both beleeued and boulstered with his counsel and execution the same shall drinke of the Wine of the wrath of God yea of the pure wine which is powred into the Cup of his wrath and shal bee tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy angels and before thee and the smoke of their tormentes shall ascende for euermore That with the consideration hereof they may be strooken in conscience harken vnto thy voyce go out of her my people that you be not partakers in her sinnes that you receaue not of her plagues and for that O Lorde a tyme and space is required for the vtter consuming of this hideous body of antichrist during the which he and his adherentes repining at thy trueth and iudgementes with all rage and rancor maligne and persecute thy chosen and faythfull Indue vs O Lord with patience in all troubles and afflictions giue vs grace to keepe thy Commaundementes and make vs feruent and fruitefull in thy fayth and what so euer euent thou shalte giue vnto our troubles in this worlde yea though it bee thy will that the force or furie of Antichrist preuayle agaynst the mortall bodyes and worldelye estate of our selues or of our brethren yet let that thy heauenlye voyce styll recomforte our soules Blessed are the dead which hereafter dye in the Lorde euen so sayth the Spirite for they reste from theyr laboures and theyr workes followe them Wee knowe and acknowledge O Lambe of eternall light that with thee is true rest voyde of labour true life voyde of death true felicitie voyde of all trouble and miserie Wee knowe also that our workes which thorow thy grace we do according to thy wil go not before vs to make our way and passage into heauen which thy bloud and merites only haue done but that thither by thy great goodnes and fauour they followe vs to receiue reward at thy bounteous and liberall hand Lastlye for that the tyme of thy fynall iudgement doth approach and thy Aungels are shortly to be sent to reape the haruest of the earth and to cut downe the vynes of the vyneyarde thereof endue vs O Lorde with thy grace instruct vs in thy trueth that as pure Corne wee maye bee gathered into the Barnes of thy euerlasting blisse and neither as tares or wicked weedes bee throwne into the furnace of eternall fyre nor as the vngratious grapes full of vylenesse and vanytye bee cast into the Wnepresse of thy wrath which shal be trode without the citie that is executed without thy kingdome for without shalbe doggs and enchanters and whoremongers and murtherers and Idolaters and whosoeuer loueth or maketh lyes the bloud shall come euen to the horse bridles the tortures and tormentes shall reach from the meanest man to the mightiest monarch that for the space of a 1600 furlonges which is for euer and euer for rightlye may that square number of foure times foure intimate vnto vs eternitie And syth O thou second Adam and restorer of mankind thy church hath since thy natiuitie walked here on earth nowe neere sixtene hundred yeres as it were 1600 furlongs which is in hundreds of yeres proportionable to the time that was betweene the first Adam and the floud of Noe strike into our heartes with thy remembring spirite a deepe impression of thy comming that it be not with vs as in the days before the floud wherin they did eate and drinke and marrie and gaue in marriage and knewe nothing till the flould came and tooke them all away but that casting away all carelesnes and securitie we may like wise and faithfull seruantes be founde watchfull readie and diligent in fulfilling of thy will and doing of our duties earnestly praying and dayly expecting for thy comming that thou our Lorde and master so finding vs being the author and fountaine of all blessednesse mayst truely make vs blessed Come Lord Iesus Let thy mightie hande and out stretched arme O Lorde be still our defence thy mercy louing kindnes in Iesus Christ the deare sonne our saluatiō thy true and holy worde our instruction thy grace and holy spirite our comfort and consolation vnto the ende and in the end Annotations WHereas in the tenth verse of the xiij Chapter mention is made of a beast rysing vppe out of the earth hauing two hornes like the Lambe but speaking like the Dragon wee expounded the earth to be the Church militant so taking it in the better part as conferred and layde opposite to the sea from whence the former beast did proceede taking the sea for gentilisme and the earth for Christianisme Jf it shall better please any to take the earth in that place in the worser part then doth it signifie corruption superstition terrestriall appetites and earthly conceiptes of heauenly matters and in whether soeuer part the worde be interpreted the designation of the person there expressed is the same and receiueth no alteration Whereas in the thirde verse of the xiij Chapter there beeing mention made that one of the seauen heades of the Romaine Empire was as it were wounded to death but the deadly wounde thereof was healed we there expounde that heade to be Rome and Jtalie and the wounde to bee ciuill warres which interpretation is iustified by truth of historie yet considering the course of this prophesie and the exposition of the Angell in the xvij chapter in these wordes the seauen heades are seauen hilles whereon the woman sitteth they are also seauen Kinges fiue are fallen one is another is not yet come and when hee commeth he shall continue but a short time and the beast that was and is not is the eight and one of the seauen We incline rather to this interpretation that followeth and one of his heades was as it were wounded to death and his deadlie wounde was healed The seauen heades signified seauen Kinges or soueraigne gouernours that haue ruled and borne chiefe authoritie within the citie of Rome The first were Kinges the seconde Consulles the thirde Dictators the fourth decem viri the fift were Tribunes Militare the sixt Romaine Emperours the seuenth French Emperours the head that had the deadly wound but was healed was the sixt which receiued that wounde in the death of Iulius Caesar and which wounde was twelue yeares after cured by Augustus for in Iulius Caesar the Emperours beganne and in him that heade had like to haue ended but that the deadly wounde thereof was cured by Augustus as for the triumuirate it
A LETTER WRITTEN BY A TRVE CHRISTIAN Catholike to a Romaine pretended Catholike Wherein vppon occasion of controuersie touching the Catholike Church the 12.13 and 14. Chap. of the Reuelations are breifly and trulie expounded Which conteine the true estate thereof from the birth of Christ to the end of the world REVEL CAP. 6. 7 Veni vide Lege perlege intellige crede viue Veni vt videas Vide vt legas Lege vt perlegas perlege vt intelligat Jntellige vt credas Crede vt viuas IESVS CHRISTVS ERO MOâ—SVS INFERNI TVVS OSE 13 CONFINTE VICI MVÌ„DVÌ„ IOA. 1â— VEâ—Tâ—â—â—ORS VICTORIA 1 COR. â—â— Imprinted at London by Iohn Windet dwelling in Adling streete at the signe of the white Beare neere Baynards Castle 1586 FORTITVDINE ET PRVDENTIA A LETTER WRITten by a true Christian Catholicke to a Romane pretended Catholike AS it hath pleased Almightie God in these latter daies with the spirite of his mouthe to waste and consume the Kingdome of Antichrist and to erect and reestablishe the Church and Kingdome of Christ deliuering both to the Magistracie the sworde and to the Ministery the worde for that purpose so hath the Diuell and his adhaerents in no age beene more forward or furious either to sustaine the tottring towers of the one or to hinder and suppresse the increase and augmentation of the other to which end he now most carefullie armeth as it were for the last conflict with malice fraude and force his Liuetenant generall the Bishop of Rome with his freindes and confederates the fauorites of that Babilonian strumpet who seing her self forsaken her painted shewes her deceitfull toyes and trash both desciphered and despised by al sounde iudgements stormeth like another Iuno enraged with malice and madnesse carying alta mente repostum Iudicium Paridis spretaeque iniuriae formae Layd vp in deepest thought The doome of Paris and the wrong of bewty set at nought This her malice that she may the more furiouslye execute against this realme of England sometime her darling but now her infest she putteth all meanes in proofe practise that either fraude or force may minister vnto her She frameth vnto her selfe instruments of our owne nation to wreak her wrath vppon their natiue countrie she bewitcheth them with the sleights and sorceries of error and superstition and so sendeth them to allure seduce others she maketh them brokers of her bewtie extollers of her power publishers of her praises and ministers of her practises They tearme her the Sea of holines the Catholike Church the spouse of Christ the mother of the faithfull Quisquis amat ranam ranam putat esse Dianam Who so a frog doth loue loe he That frog Diana thinks to be Whereas in truth shee is the chaire of pestilence the seate of Antichrist the forge of treasons the receptacle of traitors the cage of euery filthie and vncleane bird the hell of the liuing and a seconde Babylon as it was well noted by Petrarch comparing her with the former in an epistle writteÌ„ vnto a frend Fuit illa omnium pessima eaque tempestate foedissima haec vero iam non ciuitas sed laruarum a clemurum domus est vt breuiter dicam scelerum atque omnium dedecorum sentina Viuentium etiam infernus tanto ante dauidico ore notatus quam fundalus aut cognitus Quicquid de Assiria vel Aegiptia Babilone quicquid de quatuor Labyrinthis quicquid de Averno limine deque Tartareis siluis sulphureisque paludibus legisti huic Tartaro admodum fabula est Hic Turrificus simul terrificus Nimrhod hic pharetrata Semiramis hic inexorabilis Minos hic Rhadaman thus hic Cerberus vniuersa consumens hic Tauro suppositae Pasiphae mixtumque genus quod Maro ait prolesque biformis Minotaurus inest Veneris monimenta nephandae Hic postremo quicquid confusum quicquid atrum quicquid horribile vsquam est aut fingitur aspicias c. That was of al other the worse and in that age the most filthy This nowe is not a cittie but the house of terrefiing spirits and deuils and that I may speake breiflie the sinke of all wickednesse and shameful dishonesty the hell of the liuing noted by the mouthe of Dauid so long before it was either knowne or the foundations thereof were laid Whatsoeuer thou hast reade of the Assirian or Egiptian Babylon whatsoeuer of the foure Laberinths whatsoeuer of the fal of Auernus of the hellie woods and Brimstonie marishes is vnto this Hell but as it were a fable Heere that toureformer and terrifier Nimrhod Here is the warlike harlot Semiramis Here is the vntreatable Minos here is Rhadamanthus here is Cerberus deuouring all things here is the beastlie bullouer Pasiphae and the mixed kinde that Maro speaketh of and the biformed issue Minotaurus the moniment of a wicked lust finally here thou maist behold what thing soeuer is lothsome and what horrible thing soeuer is either found or feyned But this will they not see that blinded with affection and banded into faction labor and indeuour to blinde and bewitche others seducing the ambitious with promises of honor the simple and ignorant with ostentation of learning who conceaue their hipocrisie to be pietie their superstition to bee religion their falsehoode to be faithfulnesse their reconcilement to the Romain Church and Prelat to be neither treacherie to their prince nor treason to their countrie but a safetie to their soules quietnes to their consciences and an vniting of themselues to the misticall bodie of Christ But in this Viridi latet anguis in herba Within the grasse that showes so greene An adder lurks that is not seene For in truth this their reconciliation which they perceaue not cutteth them off from the Church of Christ and maketh them the limmes and members of Antichrist vnfaithfull to God disloyall to theyr prince treacherous to their countrie as hauing vowed their obedience to the mortall enimie of all three It is a misterie replenished with mischiefe a clowd couering many cruell intentes a Troian horse full of Greekish or rather Romish Reamish wiles and wickednesse a diuelish and Popish practise a Massesecreate prouided for the Massacring of England By these meanes treasons are conspired forces are prepared monies collected euill minds vnited fires kindled within our owne bowels to the whiche forraine flames will soone bee added to coÌ„sume vs the ministers of these mischiefes are crept vnto our Dioces they haue peruerted manye they haue reconciled many and now of late in this countrie they haue trauelled much I knowe they are not vnknowne to you and that either their woordes or writings or both haue very much preuailed with you As a gentleman I do fauour you as a seduced man I doe pitty you as a reconciled man if suche a one you be I must detest you sith thereby you haue abandoned the misticall body of Christe and haue ioyned your selfe to the mischieuous body of Antichrist In
ita se ad diuinae legis studia conuertit Quis nostrum it a operam dedit quis tāto studio ac labore diuina quaerit studia quanto quaesiuit humana Et quid conquerimur si quod non discimus ignoramus aliqui vestrum vt recitari audierint quae leguntur statim discedunt nulla ex his quae dicta sunt inquisitio ad inuicem nulla collatio which of vs doth so addict himselfe to the studie of the lawe of God what one of vs geueth such diligence who with so great studie and labor followeth diuine meditations and studies as wherewith he hath sought after humane things And why then do we complaine sithence we remain yet ignorant of that which we will not or els neglecte to learne Some of you so sone as ye heare some things recited which are reade doe immediately depart so farre is it off that any inquisition and examination is made of those things which are vttered or any conference vsed or collation The proportion of the doctrine we call that vniformitie and conformitie that is betweene the faith embraced by the Patriarches by the Prophets by the Apostles and by the faithfull of all ages whereof the holy scriptures are witnesses vnto vs that doctrine of God in all pointes absolute in nothing contrarie to it self wil soone discouer anie erronious doctrine that shall be produced if wee carrie the true modell of it in our minds as in the scriptures it is expressed and set foorth Hereof S. Ierome notably ad normam omnia diriguntur vtrum praua rectaue sint cum regula apposita fuerit arguuntur ita doctrina Dei quaedam quasi norma sermonis est quae inter iusta iudicat iniusta quam qui secutus fuerit habebit pacem in semetipso quae superat omnem sensum post pacem misericordiam quae praecipua est in Deo Israel All thinges are directed and ordered according to rule and whether in deede they bee euill or good crooked or straight when the rule or line is applied vnto them they are prooued and found out In like manner also the doctrine of God is as it were an exact rule and perfect square of speech which iudgeth and discerneth betweene those things which are iust and those which are vniust which whosoeuer truely followeth and cleaueth vnto hee shall haue peace in himselfe which surmounteth and exceedeth all vnderstanding and consequently after this peace of conscience mercie which is most chiefe in the God of Israel S. Augustine of the bodie of the doctrine hic prius per Prophetas deinde per seipsum postea per Apostolos quantum satis esse Iudicauit locutus etiam scripturam condidit quae Canonica nominatur eminentissimae autoritatis cui fidem habemus de ijs rebus quas ignorare non expedit nec per nos ipsos nosce idonei sumus He first by his Prophetes then by himselfe afterwarde by his Apostles speaking so much as he knewe to be sufficient hath framed and made the Scripture which is named Canonicall being of most excellent and effectuall force and authoritie vnto the which we giue credite concerning those thinges which it is not expedient that we be ignorant of neither are we apt or able of our selues to know and conceaue The summarie of our faith and that which faith requireth we call the Apostolicke Creede the tenne Commandements and the Lordes prayer wherein a certaine rule or methode is deliuered vs how to beleeue how to liue howe to pray this also will well lighten our vnderstanding that it fall not vnto vndecent vncharitable monstrous conceits whereof S. Augustine verie well Si preceptiua locutio est aut flagitium aut facinus vetans aut vtilitatem beneficentiam iubens non est figurata Si autem flagitium aut facinus videtur iubere aut vtilitatem aut beneficentiam vetare figurata est nisi manducaueritis inquit carnē filij hominis sanguinem biberitis non habebitis vitam in vobis facinus vel flagitium videtur Iubere figura est ergo precipiens passioni Domini esse communicandum suauiter atque vtiliter recondendum in memoria quod pro nobis caro eius crucifixa vulnerata sit If it be a precept forbidding wickednesse and enormitie or commanding vertue and goodnesse it is no figuratiue speech But if it seemeth to command a wicked deede and enormitie or to forbid goodnesse and vertue it is figuratiue Except you eate saith he the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud you shall not haue life in you He seemeth to commaund a wicked enormitie it is figuratiue Therefore commaunding vs to communicate to the passion of the Lorde and profitably to call to remembrance that his flesh was crucified and wounded for vs. Had the Romish Church obserued this rule it had neuer fallen to that blasphemous doctrine of transubstantiation which contrarieth the articles of our Creede wherefore we may rightly say with S. Augustine In principio cauendum est ne figuratam locutionem ad literam accipias ad hoc enim pertinet quod ait Apostolus litera occidit spiritus autem viuificat Cum enim figurate dictum sic accipitur tanquam proprie dictum sit carnaliter sapitur neque vlla mors animae congruentius appellatur ea demum est miserabilis animae seruitus signa pro rebus accipere supra creaturam corpoream oculum mentis ad hauriendum eternum lumen leuare non posse First heede is to be taken that thou shalt not take a figuratiue speech according to the letter For to that pertaineth it which the Apostle sayth the letter killeth but the spirite geueth life For when the figuratiue speech is so taken as though it were properly spoken it tasteth of the flesh neither can anie thing be more fitly called the death of the soule To be short it is a miserable bondage of the soule to take the signes for the thinges signified and not to be able to lift vp the eye of the soule aboue the bodily creature to receaue the eternall light Of prayer and meditation we reade in Origen Ostenditur non studium solum nobis adhibendum esse ad discendas literas sacras Verum supplicandum Domino diebus ac noctibus obsecrandum vt veniat agnus ex tribu Iuda ipse accipiens librum signatum dignetur aperire It is shewed that not onely study is to be vsed for to learne the holy scriptures But also wee ought to pray to God and to craue day and night that the lambe of the tribe of Iuda will come that he taking in hand the booke sealed will vouchsafe to open it And in Saint Hillarie non ergo ex nobis est quod intelligimus sed ex eo qui quae innoscibilia erant fecit intelligi Itaque ab eo speranda intelligentia est qui pulsantibus aperiet querentibus demonstrabit petentibus
deliuered HEERE is first laid downe vnto vs by the holye Apostle a description of the true Church of God the true spouse of Christ the true mother of all the faithful which hath bene one and the very same euen from the beginning of the world vnto this day she is described in the forme of a woman clothed with the Sunne this sunne is the sunne of righteousnesse Christ Iesus the whiche the church his spouse hath put on with whom only she thinketh her selfe adorned beautified in so much that she nether seeketh nor coueteth any other mans righteousnesse to clothe her or deck her withall but accompteth her self in him and by him to haue sufficient beauty and purity the which she knoweth acknowledgeth to haue altogether of his mercy and goodnesse and not by her desart or merit And the Moone was vnder her feete By the moone may be vnderstood al worldly earthly things which are subiecte to changes and alterations whiche haue their diminishinges and increasings their waxines and wanings as honor riches power authoritie dignitie and suche like with all the vaine pleasures and delightes of this world all the which this true church and spouse of Christ doth despise contemne and treade vnder her feete The Moone also may put vs in remembrance of the chāges and alterations which the church is subiect vnto in this world some times being in quiet sometimes in prosperity sometime in aduersity sometime consisting in many sometime in few Further it geueth vs to vnderstand that as the Moone receaueth all her lighte and beautye from the Sunne so the churche receaueth all her puritie righteousnesse and glorye from Christ Thus the Moone was vnder her feete and vppon her head a crown of twelue starres This number of twelue is the number of perfection or fulnesse and by the starres shynings in the church are ment the Patriarches the Prophets the Apostles the Martirs the godly ministers of al ages which shine in the church both in life and doctrine which all doe receaue their lighte of the sunne of righteousnesse wherewith the church is clothed 2 And shee was with childe and cried trauelling in birthe and was pained ready to be deliuered This place is to bee referred to those times of the church that were before the incarnation of Christ When as the congregation of the faithful that is to say the church did maruelously longue and as it were trauailed in minde to haue that promised seed borne and brought to light that should repaire the miserable ruine of mankinde and treade downe the serpents head the which seed was our Lorde and Sauiour Christ Iesus who was born within the church and of a blessed member of the church 3 And there appeared another wonder in heauen and behold a great red dragon hauing seuen heads and tenne hornes and seuen crownes vpon his heads 4 And his taile drew the third part of the starres of heauen and cast them to the earth Hauing described the church now he falleth to the description of the principall enemie of the church which is Sathan he is described in the forme of a dragon that is to say full of venome full of poyson wherewith he infecteth corrupteth the world of a red colour to declare his bloudines his cruelty his spite and malice hauing seauen headdes that is to saye being full of deuises subtilties craftes and deceipts to entrappe and destroy men withall He hath also ten hornes seuē crownes his hornes signify his mighty force power and violence his crownes his dignity honor and authority in this wicked world wherof he is called Prince and chiefe potentate of this darkenes 4 And his taile drew the third part of the stars of heauen and cast them to the earth The dragons taile are false prophets hypocrites and such as by a shew of holines deceaue men teaching false doctrine drawing men from heauen to earth from worshipping God in Spirite and trueth to earthlye adorations Imaginations and conceiptes Of this tayle were the Scribes and Pharisyes and other religious folke of the Iewes of the same also are all such as by false doctrine haue drawen any out of the firmament of Christes church that were once there placed as stars by baptisme and regeneration Hereunto the Prophet Esay doth allude saying the false prophet is a verye tayle but such starres were not fixed in the firmament therefore the dragons tayle had power ouer them And the dragon stoode before the woman which was ready to be deliuered to deuoure her childe when she had brought it forth So she brought a man childe which shoulde rule all nations with a rodde of yron and her sonne was taken vp vnto God and to his throne This childe that the church brought foorth whom the Dragon sought to deuoure was Christ our Sauiour against whom the Dragon stirred first Herode then the chiefe of the Iewes the Scribes the Pharesies the highe Priestes lastlye the whole multitude to the ende to deuour this man childe that the church had brought foorth to her euerlasting comforte and to the Dragons eternall ruine 5 She brought forth a man childe which should rule all nations with a rodde of yron This was that childe whom Dauid by the spirite of prophesie speaketh of in the second Psalme I will preach the law whereof the Lord hath sayde vnto me thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee desire of me and I shall giue thee the heathen for thine inheritaunce and the vttermost partes of the earth for thy possession thou shalt bruse them with a rodde of yron and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell And her Sonne was taken vp vnto God and to his throne Thus when the Dragon had spitte all his venome had vsed all the deuises and subtilties of his seauen heads al the force and violence of his ten hornes all the authority dignity of his seuen crownes finally when he had shewed al his spite crueltye malice he preuailed no whit at all for the childe whiche hee persecuted Christ Iesus ascended into heauen was taken vp vnto God and to his throne and there sitteth at the right hand of the father in most glorious and eternal maiestie 6 And the woman fled into the wildernes where she hath a place prepared of God that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and three score daies And the woman that is to say the church the cōgregation of the faithfull fledde and was dispearsed into the wildernes of the world among the Gentils in that huge and waste forrest wherof the Romaine Emperour was chiefe Foster who is the beast that in the beginning of the next chapter is described there remained the church in this wildernes subiect to the iniuries of the Emperours and other his vnder officers yet notwithstanding fedde by Gods especiall prouidence in myddest of all persecution with heauenly and spiritual foode by godly and sincere ministers And this state did she continue in a
Senate seemeth to bee adorned that is they shall bee made counsellers and consulles and shall farther be decored with all other dignities imperiall and that as the imperiall warfare is decked so also the cleargie of the holy Romaine church shall be adorned and that as the imperiall poysance is garnished with diuers offices of chamberlaines of porters of watchmen and garders so the holye Romaine church shall likewise bee beautified and that the pontificall brightnesse maye shinne most amplye and largelye hee doth ordaine that the houses of the cleargye of the holye Romayne church shall bee garnished with skarfes and with lawnes that is of bright white and that they shall so ryde And that as the Senate doth vse showes with drawynges out that is to say decked with fyne whyte lynnen so the cleargy in lyke sort may vse And farther decreeth that Syluester and his successors shall vse the diademe that is to saye the Crowne of moste pure golde and precious stones which from his head he had graunted vnto him And for that the sayde moste blessed Pope was vnwyllyng vppon the Crowne of his Priesthoode which he weare to the glorye of Sainct Peter to vse that crowne of golde hee had put a miter shynynge with whyte bryghtnesse with his owne handes vppon his head ordayning that euerye one of the Popes successours in particular shall vse the same miter In their proceedinges to the imitation of the Empire which is all one as if hee had sayde as an Image of the Empire this I finde in effecte worde for worde in the Popes decrees collected certayne hundred yeares synce by Gratian and now lately with prefaces and priuileges recommended to the world by Pope Gregorie the thirtenth and printed in Paris the yeare of our Lord 1582. although this donation bee a very falsehood and forgerie in the opinions iudgements of sundry wise and learned men as Cardinall Cusanus Hieronimus Paulus Otho Frisingensis Krantzius Platina Laurentius Valla Carolus Molinaeus Andreas Alceatus and others Yet is it apparant to the eye that sith from the stampe of the Romayne cleargye this counterfecte did proceede they had hereby a good desire to make their Romayne Church an Image and representation of the olde Romayne Empire which is the beast that had the wounde of a sworde and did liue neither did they onelye endeuour to resemble it in dignitie authoritye and ceremonies of honor and maiestie but also in forme and manner of religion which is not vnknowne in the olde Romaine Empire to haue consisted in the multiplicitye of goddes they hauing a god for euerye countrie for euerye prouince for euery Citye for euery place and for euery thing and for these they had alters and Idols and sacrifices and oblations and ceremonies in theyr honour This the Romayne church represented in the multiplicitye of sainctes they hauing a sainct for euery countrie for euerye prouince for euery parishe for euerye place and for euerye thing and for these they had churches and Images and offeringes and prayers and kneelinges and what soeuer establisheth a diuine adoration Hence it was that they turned the temple of Pantheon to the church of all Sainctes Diana to our Ladie Mars into sainct George Aesculapius to S. Roche Romulus and Remus to Peter Paule and euery other god of the Romayne Empire to some other Sainct of the Romayne church Lastlye touching the lawes and manner of gouernment there is a verye great representation betweene the one the other the forme of the pollicy of the romaine empire seemed at the first sight to be an Arastocracie by reason of the autoritie of the Senate but in trueth was a most absolute monarchie by reason of the supreme power of the Emperours The forme of the policy of the Romaine church seemeth likewise to be an aristocracie by reason of the authoritie both of the Cardinals and councels but in verie deed it is a most absolute monarchie by reason of the most high and circumspect power of the Popes The lawes Imperiall by the which the Romaine Empire endeuoured to appease the controuersie that happened amongst men may appeare by the pandectes collected by Tri-bonian by the code of Iustinian and by the bookes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The lawes Papall by the which the Romaine church proceeded likewise to ende variaunces may be seene in the decretall Epistles writen to the verie likenesse and similitude of the Emperiall rescriptes being an Imitation repetition rehearsall and representation of the selfe same lawes that bare swaye in the Romaine Empire and so confessed by the Canonistes themselues If any will wade farther in the consideration hereof let them reade the collections of Iohannes Berthaclinus firmanus called his repertorie which treateth in seuerall great volumes of an infinite number of things wherein the lawes Ciuill and Canon doe accorde And although in his second to me there be inserted the collection of one Gwalnanus vnder the worde differentia touching the differences in diuers pointes betweene the Ciuill law and the Canon Yet are they so fewe in number in respect of the rest that they are nothing in comparison and such also as differ rather in matter of circumstance then of substaunce and some of them such sort of differences as may very well be betweene a body and his Image As for example the last difference sauing one by him is noted thus Secundum ius Ciuile in libello accusatorio ponuntur nomina Imperatoris consulum secundum ius Canonicum loco illorum ponuntur nomina Papae Episcopi 2.9.4 lib. ibi no. gl 1. per Archi. According to the Ciuill lawe in a libell of accusation the names are put of the Emperor and of the Consuls according to the Canon law in stead of thē the names are put of the Pope of the byshop 15 And it was permitted him to giue a spirite vnto the Image of the beast so that the Image of the beast should speake and should cause that as many as would not worship the Image of the beast should be killed Euery bodie Politique and euerie state that is established to continue amongest men liue by their lawes and constitutions Insomuch that lawes are rightly tearmed the life of the common wealth And in al well ordered common wealthes these lawes are made and ordained by the assent of the most parte of the inhabitants and members of the same For as in the naturall bodie of lyuing creatures out of an harmonie and consent of euerie part and member there resulteth a certaine vitall spirite and vigor that giueth life and motion to the whole bodie and so long continueth the same in good health and estate as it enioyeth free and vninterrupted passage into euerie part and member thereof So in the bodie politicke of common wealthes and estates out of a consent and agreement of the partes and members therof there are produced lawes and ordinances which giue life and strength vnto the common wealth and so long continue
the good estate and prosperitie thereof as they enioye by their thorough execution free and cleare passage into euery part and member of the same And as in monarchies and absolute gouernments the lawes obtaine no force or vigor till they receaue the same by the royall assent of the Prince and soueraigne so the Romaine church being framed and fashioned to the Image and imitation of the Romaine Empire and thereby a monarchie whereof the Pope is soueraigne and chiefe hath no life strength or force in her lawes and decrees vntill shee receaue the same by the soueraigne assent of the Pope which he yeelding thereby giueth life and spirite to the image of the beast So that the image of the beast can speake and cause that as many as will not worshippe the Image of the beast shal be killed That is the church of Rome can by her lawes decrees pronounce and commande that as manie as will not worshippe honour and obey her shall be killed and destroyed with fire and sworde from the face of the earth 16 And he made all both smal and great rich and poore free and bond to receaue a marke in their right hand or in their foreheades 17 And that none might buye or sell saue he that had the marke or the name of the beast or the number of his name This marke or name of the beast or the number of his name wee finde in the next verse to be 666. which number Ireneus in his 5. booke and 25. chapter noteth to be contained in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For if the letters therof be numbered which are all numerall it containeth perfectly that account of sixe hundred sixtie sixe Λ 30 Α 1 Τ 300 Ε 5 Ι 10 Π50 Ο 70 Σ 200 666. This most auncient obseruation of Ireneus who had both seene Policarpus and ben scholer vnto Papias who were both disciples vnto Saint Iohn may giue vs very great light for the vnderstanding of this place which signifieth vnto vs that in the Romaine church which is the seate and kingdome of Antichrist neither small nor great rich nor poore free nor bonde that is no kinde or sorte of people may without this marke buy or sell that is to say praye vnto God or prayse God For when wee pray vnto him we doe as it were buy with our prayers that at his hande that we would haue Hereof it is that God councelleth the church of Laodicea to buye of him golde tryed with the fire that is to praye vnto him for the gift of constancie strength of faith which may endure the fire of aduersitie and persecution But when we prayse God we doe as it were sell vnto him for his goodnes that which he would haue therfore saith Dauid in 50. Psalme Offer vnto God thankesgiuing and againe in the person of God who so offereth me thankes and prayse he honoreth me but neither pray vnto God nor prayse God that is neither buye nor sell might they in the Romaine church of what nation soeuer they were vnlesse they had this marke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the latine tongue either in their foreheade or in their right hande that is eyther by rule or by rote eyther in their minde or in their booke either by memorie or by reading 18 Here is wisedome let him that hath wit count the number of the beast for it is the number of a man and his number is 666. It is verie cleare that this number is maruelous misticall and therefore it requireth wisdome before it can thoroughly be searched and dissiphered Irenaeus his obseruation we haue aboue noted in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He also findeth the same number in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche signifieth the Sunne and that howe the former worde agreed vnto Antichriste we haue a little before declared Τ 300 Ε 5 Ι 10 Τ 300 Α 1 Π50 666 How this appertaineth vnto him Gregory the ninth in his decretals doth teach vs in the title de Maioritate Obedientia in these wordes Praeterea nosce debueras quod fecit Deus duo magna luminaria in firmamento coeli luminare maius vt praeesset diei luminare minus vt praeesset nocti vtrumque magnum sed alterum maius Ad firmamentum igitur coeli hoc est vniuersalis Ecclesiae fecit Deus duo magna luminaria id est duas instituit dignitates quae sunt pontificialis authoritas regalis potestas Sed illa quae praeest diebus id est spiritualibus maior est quae vero carnalibus minor vt quanta est inter solem lunam tanta inter Pontifices reges differentia cognoscatur Heereupon the glose saith Cum terra igitur sit septies maior Luna Sol autem octies est maior terra restat vt Pontificalis dignitas quadragesies septies sit maior dignitate regali Haymo byshop of Alberstaten in an exposition vppon the Reuelation he liued about the yeare of our Lord 840. besids the words before alleadged noteth the greeke wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gothick worde Genserikos and the latine worde Diclux each of them contayning that number of 666. I wil not heere discusse how right Greek these words are only I will laye them downe as I finde them so particularly consider of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Haymo signifieth in Greke Honori contrarius and contayneth the number of 666. So that whosoeuer is most contrary to the honor of god and honor of princes he is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is honori contrarius Α 1 Π50 Τ 200 Ε 5 Μ 40 Ο 70 Σ 200 666 But how is more contrary to the honor of God then he that diminisheth the glorye of God he that the scripture teacheth vs the beginning of our saluation to bee from the grace of God the substance of our saluation to consist in the righteousnesse of Christ and the ende of our saluation to bee referred to the glorye of God professeth farre otherwise yeelding parte of the beginning to the power of nature parte of the substance to the merits of man part of the ende to the honor of creatures This is he that permitteth himselfe to bee called DOMINVS DEVS PAPA That imparteth vnto manye the honor due vnto God alone that treadeth vppon the neck of Emperors that insulteth vppon kings that disposeth of Empires and kingdomes that iudgeth all men and is iudged by none That whatsoeuer he doeth no man may say vnto him Domine cur ita facis That cōtaineth all lawes within the cheast of his brest That holdeth for a sufficient reason of his doings Stet pro ratione voluntas That taketh the Emperor for his steward his bailiffe and his man That saith Omne ius Regum pendet à Papa This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this is Antichrist Prince of the whole world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Haymo
was no heade but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hauing iust in the deadly wound of the sixt head of these seauen heads when Saint Iohn wrote this prophesie fiue were fallen that is the Kinges Consulles Dictators Decem viri and Tribunes militare one was which was the Romaine Emperours an other was not yet come that is the French Emperours And when he came he was to continue but a short time it continued not the eight part of the time of the former and the beast that was that is the Popedome which was prefigured in Aegypt and Babylon and is not that is had not yet attayned to that power and authoritie Is the eight that is the eight soueraigne gouernour of Rome and is one of the seauen that is to saye Romaine Emperour This Pope Boniface the eight well declared when as in a great Iubilie at Rome he went one day in his pontificall attire as Romaine Byshoppe and the next day in his robes Jmperiall as Romayne Emperour in the one he shewed himselfe as the eight in the other as one of the seauen They that mislike this interpretation will affirme that there were either fewer soueraigne gouernours of Rome or more if they saye there were fewer they will be conuinced by the auncient histories of Rome by the which wee shall proue the first fiue so precisely as the occasion of their beginning the time of their continuance the cause of their ceasing the perticular persons that gouerned in euerie of them shall manifestly appeare Jf farther to lesser the number they shall confounde the sixth and seauenth heade that is the Romaine and the French Emperours they shal attribute more to the French then euer themselues claimed or had either in power or dignitie for Charles the great first founder of that Empire claimed but the Empire of the West and in his time the Romaine Emperours dwelling in Constantinople and gouerning Rome and Italie by an exarchant partly by the treacherous practises of Rome and Italie partly by the forces and armes of the Kinges of Lumburdie was depriued first of his tributes and after of his territories in Italie so that the King of Lumbardes possessing and inuading all the Byshoppe of Rome for his owne benefite imployed the ayde of Charles the great who accordingly came into Italie ouerthrew the Lumbardes was made Emperour of the West and gaue Rome to the Pope not to bee saueraigne of it but to hold it of him and his heires in fee. But after the line of Charles the great was extinguished which continued not aboue a hundred yeeres a shorte time inrespect of the former the Popes attained the suffraintie of Rome both as Byshoppes and Emperours so became they the eight and one of the seauen as Boniface the eight manifestlie declared A prayer and that 〈◊〉 giuing for the deliuerie of her most excellent Maiestie from the pernitious practises of Antichrist and his counterfeit Catholickes O Eternall God and heauenly Father whose might is ineffable whose mercies inestimable we thy poore creatures most vnprofitable seruants in all humblenes of minde do prostrate our selues before the throne of thy maiestie yelding vnto thee with most feruent harts and faith vnfained the Sacrifice of prayse thanksgiuing Thy might did make vs when we were nothing our lewdnesse lost vs when we were made thy mercie saued vs when we were lost thy grace preserueth vs nowe we are saued thou art our God and great is thy goodnes we are thy people but great is our weakenes thou in thy giftes art gratious and bountifull Lord let thy grace make vs as thankefull Thou openest our eyes whereby we may see thou enlightnest our mindes whereby we may iudge thou feedest our soules wherby we may liue thou giuest vs peace whereby we may rest the light of thy gospell thou makest to shine a gratious Queene thou giuest vs to raigne thou rulest in her she raigneth in thee by these thinges thou comfortest our bodies and soules Lord herein the wicked do enuy our blisse the roaring lyon would faine vs deuour and Antichrist seeketh to cut off our head that then he may tread vs vnder his feete but thou of thy mercies hast bridled his rage his shame is discouered his purpose disclosed this is the worke of thy mighty hand his nets are broken and we are escaped preserue thine annoynted O Lorde of thy grace confounde thou thy foes and comfort thy flocke let Antichrist waste with the worde of thy mouth Illumine mens mindes that al nowe may see that murther is counted religious at Rome Thy name be praysed with hymnes of our heartes the notes of obedience most pleasing to thee In thoughtes wordes and deedes let vs still resounde for this thy great goodnes so gratiously shewed Defende O most mercifull father thy seruant our Soueraigne from all such wicked and pernitious attemptes Turne the Counsailes of all Achitophels to foolishnes sustaine her with thy mightie hande in her Royall estate enrich her dayly more and more with the treasures of thy heauenly wisedome Indue her aboundantly with thy most holy spirite and to thy glorie and our gladnesse make her an olde mother in Israell Graunt these thinges O Lorde for Iesus Christ his sake thy only sonne our onely Sauiour to whom with thee the holy Ghost three persons and one God be all honor glory prayse and power world without end Amen FINIS Reuel 12. Cus ep 2. 7. Lib. 6. cap. 9. Lib. 1. de â—ri Lib. 4 Lib. 5. Lib. 9 Lib. 8. cap. 2. in Ioan. Lib. 2. de doctr Chr. cap. 6. In Epist 3. ad volus Lib. 3. de doctr Chr. cap. 28. hom 12. cap. 34. Con. in cap. sextum Ep. ad Gal. H. 11. de ciuit Dei cap. 3. De doctr Chr. lib. 3. cap. 16. Lib. 3. de doctr Chri. cap. 5. Supr exod hom 12. cap. 34. In psal 125. Iohn 2. 1. Corin. cap. 2. Daniel 7. Ioseph de bello iuda ico lib. 2. cap. 3. Cap. 10. v. 13. Durandus Roffensis Zach. 11.12 Gen. 36. 35 Esvy 66. Paul 2. Thes 2.3.8 Re. cap. 14. vers 7.8