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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12211	A friendly advertisement to the pretended Catholickes of Ireland declaring, for their satisfaction; that both the Kings supremacie, and the faith whereof his Majestie is the defender, are consonant to the doctrine delivered in the holy Scriptures, and writings of the ancient fathers. And consequently, that the lawes and statutes enacted in that behalfe, are dutifully to be observed by all his Majesties subjects within that kingdome. By Christopher Sibthorp, Knight, one of his Maiesties iustices of his court of chiefe place in Ireland. In the end whereof, is added an epistle written to the author, by the Reverend Father in God, Iames Vssher Bishop of Meath: wherein it is further manifested, that the religion anciently professed in Ireland is, for substance, the same with that, which at this day is by publick authoritie established therein.	Sibthorp, Christopher, Sir, d. 1632.; Ussher, James, 1581-1656.	1622 (1622)	STC 22522; ESTC S102408	494,750	610

then the Popish have the soules of men bin bought sold For be not their Priests Iesuits Friers and such other of that counterfeit holie order the men that are imployed as Merchants Factors in such wicked merchandizes Yea doth not everie 〈◊〉 among them take upon him to forgive sinnes verie boldli● I know that the Ministers of Christ have power and authorite given them to remit and forgive sinnes But these Priests of theirs bee not the Ministers of Christ whatsoever they pretend but the Ministers of Antichrist and therefore they have no such authoritie from Christ to forgive sinnes but doe onely cousen and abuse mens soules therein For the Pope from whom they derive their authoritie and ordination to that their Priesthood is the verie grand Antichrist as doth alreadie but yet more fullie afterward in good measure shal appeare And yet even the authority also which Christs Ministers themselves have received herein is to forgive sins not absolutelie as pleaseth themselves but ministerially only and declaratively that to such persons as by warrant from Gods word be allowed to receive it that is to say they are to declare pronounce remission of sins to all and everie such person or persons as unfainedlie beleeve in Iesus Christ as in their whole and onely Saviour and Redeemer renouncing utterlie all confidence in their owne merits and righteousnesse and together with a true and livelie faith have an earnest sorrow and repentance for their sinnes formerlie past and a purpose and endeavour of amendment for the time to come And so S. Hierome upon Matth. 16. expoundeth it and saith that the Ministers of Christ have received power to binde and to loose that is saith he to shew or declare who they bee that bee bound or loosed in the sentence of God and before his Tribunal and Iudgement seat And so doe the Schoolemen also interpret it and in all reason it must be so For if anie Minister shall declare or pronounce remission of sinnes to an ungodlie and impenitent or unbeleeving person or to anie whosoever whom Gods word doth not warrant remission of sinnes unto everie man will grant that such a one hath not remission of sinnes at Gods hand notwithstanding the Ministers such pronouncing of remission of them So that if they will have that to bee bound in heaven which they doe binde on earth and that to bee loosed in heaven which they doe loose on earth they must bee carefull to pronounce both remission and reteyning of sinnes to such persons onely as they bee due unto by the warrant of Gods word For if they shall binde the godlie penitent and beleeving Soule whom God looseth and absolveth or if they shall loose or absolve the wicked ungodlie impenitent and unbeleeving person whom God by the tenor of his word bindeth and forgiveth not such binding and loosing is not warranted nor ratified in heaven Howbeit most unreasonable and unsatiable hath beene the covetous merchandizing of mens soules in the Popish Rome not onelie this waie and by buying and selling of Pardons Indulgences but by buying and selling also of Popedomes Bishoprickes Cardinalships Abbathies Benefices and such like Yea from whence else arose the Proverbe so long used in Poperie viz. No penie no Pater noster but from the intolerable greedie covetousnesse of the Popish Priests and Clergie who would doe nothing without money and for money seemed to doe anie thing So that these Romish Merchants bee those that through covetousnesse with fained words doe merchandize men as S Peter foretold they should and as Claudius Espencaelus himselfe declareth But moreover whilst those their filthy Stewes be by publicke authoritie allowed or tolerated amongst them for rent or money do they not sell and merchandize both bodies and soules of men and women Be not also Masses Trentals Dirges Requiems Orizons and Praiers deliverance from supposed Purgatorie paines the supposed merits of the Saints and Martyrs the merits of Christ dispensations against Gods word yea and the Ioyes of heaven and all to be bought and sold in the Popish Church S. Bernard treating of the Psalme which beginneth VVhoso dwelleth speaketh on this manner of that Church The dignities and promotions of the Church are sought after for filthie lucres sake and to keepe revell-rout withall and for these roumes and their revenues they labour and contend in verie shamelesse manner And againe in his Sermon of the Conversion of Paul treating of the governement of the Church under the Pope of Rome hee uttereth the like matter And upon the Canticles Sermon 33. speaking further of the Romish Prelates and Clergie he saith thus of them They beare out themselves saith hee i● an honourable port with the goods of the Church vvhereunto notwithstanding themselves bring no credit or worship at all Hence commeth that whorish tricking that Stage-like attire that Prince-like pompe vvhich dayly vvee see in them Hence proceeds the gold they use in their Bridles Saddles and Spurres insomuch as their Spurres are more glittering then their Altars Hence came their stately Tables their varietie of Dishes and qu●ffing Cups Hence issued their Iunk●tting Bankets their Drunkennesse and Surfeits Hence followed their Viols Harps and Shawmes Hence flovved their Cellars and Pantries so stuffed vvith vvines and Viands of all sorts Hence gat they their Lee pots and painting Boxes And hence had they their Purses so vvell lined vvith coyne Oh such men they vvill needs bee and yet they are our great Masters in Israel as Deanes Archdeacons Bishops and Archbishops These vvorkes of theirs are little inferior to that filthinesse vvhich they commit in Darkenesse And in his 4. Booke De Consideratione unto Eugenius Bishop of Rome after that hee hath described and detested the pompe of Romish Bishops hee shutteth up the matter in these words saying thus unto him Herein thou shevvest thy selfe to have succeeded not Peter but Constantine the Emperor Peter is hee vvho never knevv vvhat belonged to such solemne shewing of himselfe abroad in braveries of precious stones or silkes or gold or riding upon a vvhite Palfrey or being guarded vvith a troupe of attendants c. Agreeably also whereunto speaketh S. Hillary contra Auxentium of the state of Antichrist saying thus These fellowes doe ambitiously affect the continuance and maiestical port of the secular power and so thinke to uphold the flourishing estate of the Church by a shew of vvorldly Pompe Againe he saith They make great account of this to be greatly accounted of in the vvorld And therefore doth S. Bernard againe in his Epistle 230 further make this accusation and exclamation against those Bishops of Rome saying thus unto them At first indeed yee began to play the Lords over the Clergie contrary to the counsell of Peter And vvithin a vvhile after contrary to the advise of Paul Peters fellow-Apostle ye would have dominion over the faith of all men But yee stay not there yee have taken upon you more namely to have

not verie ancient as being given of later times to those Christians that have protested against the errors abuses in Poperie yet that hindreth not but that the Faith Religion by them professed may be nevertheless as it is the most ancient Apostolick Catholick Christian Divine As likewise the name of Papists is not verie ancient as being also of later times given by their adversaries unto them for that they depend so much upon the Pope his doctrine decrees designes yet do the Papists neverthelesse hold the faith and religion which they professe to be verie ancient yea the most ancient and the Apostolick Catholick and Christian. Howbeit both these Religions they being so repugnant contradictorie one to the other cannot be right but one of them must needs be wrong and that is Poperie as this Booke declareth That which wee meane and comprehend under the name of Poperie being nothing else but the errors heresies and corruptions which the Church of Rome holdeth and be accrued and growen unto it since the first institution and planting of it by the Apostles For what the Church of Rome rightly holdeth or beleeveth the Protestants impugne not nor have cause to impugne but they onely impugne her errors heresies and corruptions As for the terme of Catholicks which Papists have put upon themselves their calling themselves so doth not therfore prove them to be so for the Arrians in times past likewise called themselves Catholicks who were neverthelesse not so but Hereticks in verie deed But as we dislike not but well approve of that name of Catholicks when it is rightly used and applyed and given to those to whom it properly belongeth so doe wee preferre the name of Christians before it as being indeed the more ancient and the more honourable name it being derived from Christ himselfe the Head of his Church and the Author of the Christian religion Who be the right Catholicks and the true-Christians who not yea which be the Christian and which be the un-Christian and which be the Antichristian people doth afterward appeare that so every man may know what name doth rightly properly belong unto him and may ranke himselfe in his due place For whosoever knoweth Antichrist well wil abhorre detest him and will love honour and adhere unto Christ the puritie of his religion so much the more If then the Pope of Rome shall here appeare unto you to be as hee is the grand Antichrist foretold in the Scriptures I doubt not but you wil speedily renounce him his Antichristian Supremacie his Antichristian Religion together with all his seducing and Antichristian Teachers and wicked and Antichristian courses against the Church of God For no true-Christians ought nor will give anie better respect to Antichrist especially after that they once know him have him discovered manifested unto them God therefore open reveale his truth more more unto us all and incline all our hearts and affections to embrace it evermore to walke in the wayes of it AMEN An Alphabeticall Table of the principall matters handled in this Worke following A ANtichristianisme a mysterie of iniquitie and not any open hostilitie or professed enmitie against Christ and Christianitie pag. 208. pag. 39. p. 61.62 pa. 285.286 pag. 394 395. c. Antichristianisme began in the Apostles dayes pag. 280.321 VVhat maner of adversarie the speciall and grand Antichrist is pag. 285.286 and pag. 394 395.396 pag. 334.335 Antichrist is the false●Prophet amongst Christians and not amongst the Turkes and other Infidels of the world pag. 341. c Miracles signes and wonders done in the Antichristian Church to seduce and deceive people with all pag. 280.281 VVhat maner of miracles or vvonders they be that be done in the Antichristian Church pag. 280.281.282 pag. 306.307 pag. 341. pag. 98.99 A difference betweene Christian un-Christian and Antichristian people pag. 286 Antichrist is not one singular or particular man that shall continue iust three yeares and an halfe but is a State or succession of men that is to have continuance for many hundreth yeares in the world pag. 312.313.314 315.316.317.318.319.320.321 c. Antichrist is to sit in the Temple of God that is in the Church and amongst those that professe Christ and Christianitie p. 283.284 The speciall and particular place vvhere the grand Antichrist is to sit is not Constantinople nor Hierusalem nor any other Citie but Rome pag. 283.284.285 pag. 246.247.248 p. 377. c That the Pope of Rome is the grand Antichrist shewed out of 2. Thes. 2. pag. 279.280.281 c The Pope of Rome further shewed to be Antichrist out of Rev. 13. pag. 325.326.327.328.329.330.331.332 c Againe the Pope shewed to be Antichrist and the Popish Church to be the Antichristian out of 1. Tim. 4. verses 1 2 3 4 5. pa. 353 354.355 c Sundry obiections of the Papists concerning Antichrist answered pag. 377.378.379 380 381.382 c. That Papall or Popish Rome is the vvhore of Babylon shewed out of Revel 17 pag. 244.245.246 c The Romane Empire standing in the height and glory vvas the let or impediment that Antichrist could not shew himselfe in his height untill that impediment vvas removed pag. 304.305 pag. 391.392 393 That Antichrist is come long sithence pag. 391.392.393 394. pag. 43.44 c. pag. 61.62 Antichrist the man of sinne the sonne of perdition pag. 396.397.398 399.400 c. The reason vvhy men are so seduced and misled by Antichrist pag. 307.308 The most fearefull and vvofull estate of those vvho receiving many admonitions to the contrary vvill neverthelesse live and dye in obedience to Antichrist and his religion pag. 309 and p. 397 c. Assurance of salvation in this life and how it is 〈…〉 and m●y be obteyned pag. 158.159 160.161 c B IN vvhat sense some ancient Fathers call Peter Bishop of Rome and vvhether he vvere properly so to be called pag. 90 91 92 How unlike the Bishop of Rome is to S. Peter pag 92 93 94 c VVho that Beast is that is mentioned in Rev. 13 and in diverse other places of the Revelation pag 308.309 pag 325 326 327 328 c. and pag. 249.250.251.252.253 C WHere our Church vvas during the raigne of Poperie pag. 36.37 38 Councels aswell generall as Provinciall may erre in matter of Faith as vvell as in matter of fact pag. 50 51 52 54 c. See also the Preface VVhat Church that is vvhereof it is said that it cannot erre and vvhen and how farre it may erre and how farre not pag. 81 82. See also the Preface Concerning universalitie antiquitie perpetuitie visibilitie unitie succession of Bishops and doing of miracles vvhether all these be in the Popish Church and vvhether they be inseparable markes of the true Church pag. 83.84 85. c. to the end of that chapter Chastisements and afflictions in this life be sent of God upon his children out of his love toward them for other

chiefe or supreame not onely in respect of Dukes Earles or other temporall Governors as the Rhemists would have it but in respect of all the rest likewise were they Bishops Pastors Clergie men or whosoever for hee writeth that his Epistle not to Heathens but to Christians and amongst them not to the Lay people onely but to such also as were Presbyters and did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doe the office of Bishops amongst them requiring even them as well as the rest to yeeld their subiection and submission unto him And doth not S. Paul also require the same subiection and obedience to be performed by all maner of persons to their King and Princes For thus he saith Let every soule be subiect to the higher Powers for there is no power but of God and the powers that be be ordayned of God VVhosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves Iudgement or Condemnation And againe hee saith VVherefore ye must be subiect not onely because of vvrath but also for Conscience sake Now then if every one must be subiect to Kings Princes and these higher Powers which thus beare the civill sword as both these Apostles of Christ doe here cleerly testifie it is apparant that Kings and Princes and these higher powers be and must needs be granted to be supreame to whom all the rest within their Dominions be thus required to be subiect Yea S. Paul writing that his Epistle to the Church of Rome and requiring every Soule therein to bee subiect to these higher Powers sheweth that not onely Lay people but all within the Ecclesiasticall order also even as manie as have soules should be subiect to these higher powers And therefore S. Chrysostome upon this place saith directly Sive Apostolus sive Evangelista sive Propheta sive quisquis tandem fueris c. Everie soule must be subiect to the higher powers yea though you bee an Apostle or an Evangelist or a Prophet or whosoever you be And he further addeth saying Neque enim pietatem subvertit ista subiectio For neither doth this subiection overthrow pietie or godlinesse And so saith Theodoret likewise upon this Text Sive est Sacerdo● aliquis sive Antistes sive Monasticam vitam professus us cedat quibus sunt mandati Magistratus whether he be a Priest or a Prelate or professe a Monasticall life hee must submit himselfe to those to whom Magistracie is committed Theophilact upon the same Text speaketh in like sort Vniversos erudit sive Sacerdos sit ille sive Monachus sive Apostolus ut se principibus subdant cuiusmodi subiectio nil prorsus est Dei sublatura cognitionem S. Paul instructeth all saith he whether he be a Priest or a Monke or an Apostle that they should subiect themselves to Princes which kind of subiection will in no sort take away the knowledge of God Likewise speaketh Oecumenius Instruens omnem animam audiens ut licet Sacerdos quispiam sit licet Monachus licet Apostolus potestatibus subijciatur That S. Paul teacheth and instructeth everie soule that though he be a Priest though a Monke though an Apostle he must be subiect to these higher Powers Bernard also writing to the Archbishop of Senona alleageth this Text Let every soule be subiect to the higher powers and addeth further Si omnis anima vestra Quic vos excepit ab universitate If everie soule must be subiect then must your soule also for who hath excepted you from this universalitie Yea Aeneas Silvius who was himselfe afterward a Pope of Rome called Pope Pius the second alleaging this Text saith Omnis anima potestatibus sublimioribus subdita sit nec excipit animam Papae Let everie soule be subiect to the higher powers neither saith hee doth he except herein the soule of the Pope himselfe And Gregory who was also himselfe a Pope of Rome in an Epistle to the Emperor Mauritius in the person of Christ saith thus unto him Sacerdotes meos manui tuae commisi I have committed my Priests to thy hand And in another Epistle hee saith that Dominari non solum militibus sed etiam sacerdotibus concessit God hath made the Emperor ruler not only over Souldiers but over Priests also Hee further calleth the Emperors his Lords saith that Potestas super omnes homines dominorum meorum pietati coelitus data est Power over all men is given from heaven to the pietie of my Lords And this supremacie doth also Optatus expresly acknowledge saying Super Imperatorem non est nisi solus Deus qui fecit Imperatorem Above the Emperor is not anie but God onely that made the Emperor And this againe did all the ancient Christian Church acknowledge in Tertullians time saying thus Colimus Imperatorem ut hominem à Deo secundum solo Deo minorem Wee Christians honour our Emperor as the man next unto God and inferior onely to God Againe hee saith that they held their Emperors to be under the power of God onely à quo sunt secundi post quem primi from whom they bee the second and after whom they be the first Kings therefore who have the like preeminence authoritie within their kingdomes that the Emperors had within their Empire must of all that will be right and Orthodox Christians bee acknowledged to have the Supremacie or which is all one the supreme government over all persons within their own kingdomes and dominions of what sort soever whether they be Lay or Ecclesiasticall And this is further confirmed by the sixt Toletan Councel which speaking of Chintillanus the King saith thus Nefas est in dubium deducere eius potestatem cui omnium gubernatio superno constat delegata Iudicio It is an heinous offence to call his power into doubt to whom it is apparant that the governement of all is committed by Gods appointment How intollerably iniurious then is the Popish Clergie which will not acknowledge this subiection but if it so fall out that anie of them be Robbers Traytors Rebels Murtherers or how great offendors soever in a Commonweale yet hold themselves neverthelesse free by reason of their Order from ●riall for those offences in Kings Courts This you see is directly repugnant to the Institution and word of God and to the opinion and practise of the Primitive and ancient Church and was moreover long sithence condemned as it was well worthie by Marsilius of Padua as a new devise and not so new as pestiferous occasioning the ruine of States and inducing a plurality of Soveraignties in one kingdome yea from hence all scandals grow and which standing saith he civill discord shall never have an end Is not then the position of such Priests and Iesuites as Emanuel Sa is iustly to bee condemned who in his Aphorismes at the word Clericus affirmeth that Clerici rebellio in

Paschall the second would have warre made upon the Emperor promising to give remission of sinnes and assurance of everlasting life to all that would doe it and on the other side to excommunicate all those that would shew obedience to him They say thus Because VVee keepe the Law of God they obiect against us that vvee transgresse their new Traditions But God saith unto them vvhy do you transgresse the commandements of God by your Traditions God commandeth to give unto Cesar the things vvhich are Cesars and to God that which is Gods which S. Peter and S. Paul doe l●kewise teach honour the King let every soule be subiect to the h●gher powers Hee that commands every soule to doe this whom doth hee exempt from this earthly power Because therefore wee honour the King and serve our Lords and Maisters in the simplicitie of our hearts are wee therefore excommunicated c vvho can reprehend a Bishop for keeping his faith and loyaltie to his Prince and yet they that teare in sunder the kingdome and Priesthood with new Schismes and new Traditions promise to absolve them from the sinne of periurie that breake their faith to their king Suppose say they our Emperor vvere an hereticke yet is he not to be repelled as such a one by us by taking armes against him yea they alledge that the Prophet Ieremy praied for Nebuchadnezzar and S. Paul for Nero and adde further VVhich of the Popes of Rome hath by his Decrees given authoritie that a Bishop should use the sword of vvarre against any offendors All from Gregory the first used the spirituall sword alone unto the last Gregory vvho was the first that armed himselfe and by his example others vvith the sword of warre against the Emperor c You say that if a man be excommunicate for vvhat cause soever if he dye in that estaete hee is damned But the Authoritie of the Church of Rome say they helpeth us in this point vvho teach that the Bishop of Rome hath power to absolve any that is uniustly excommunicated by others If then the Bishop of Rome may doe this vvho will say that God cannot absolve whomsoever the Pope hath uniustly excommunicated yea the Popes curse of Excommunication they make no reckoning of but contemne and despise it but above all say they vvee feare that which the spirit of God by the mouth of the Psalmist hath said viz. Cursed are all they that decline from his commandements That Curse of excommunication vvhich Pope Hildebrand Odoardus and this Third have by a new Tradition indiscreetely brought in vvee vvholly reiect and vvee hold and reverence those first holy Fathers unto this day vvho by the motion of Gods spirit not carried vvith their owne affections have otherwise ordeyned c. forasmuch therefore as vvee sticke to the Ancient rule and are not carried away vvith every winde of Doctrine we are called Excommunicates false Clerkes c. Howbeit let Pope Paschall lay aside his spirit of presumption and let him advisedly consider vvith his Counsaylors how from Silvester to Hildebrand the Popes have obtayned the chaire at Rome vvhat and how manie outrages have beene committed by the Ambition of that Sea c. As for those Legats à latere vvho run through the world to fill their purses vve say they wholly reiect them according to those Councels of Affricke held in the times of Zozimus Caelestinus and Boniface for that vve may know theraby their fruits there proceeeds from their legations no correction of manners or amendment of life but the slaughters of men and the spoyle of Gods Church c. That there should be such desolation of the Church such oppression of the poore and vvidowes such crueltie such rapine and vvhich is worse such effusion of bloud without respect of good and evill and all this and worse then all this Done by the Commandement of the Pope vvho would beleeve it if his owne mouth had not spoken it VVee remayne astonished at the novelty of these things and vvee enquire from vvhence this new Example should come That the Preacher of peace with his owne mouth and the hand of another man should make vvarre against the Church of God c. Where further they directly affirme Rome to be Babylon and say that the Apostle so calleth it as foreseeing by a Propheticall spirit The confusion of that dissention vvherewith the Church at this day is torne in pieces c. And a great deale more is spoken in that Epistle of theirs which though it be long and large is worthie the reading over And this no doubt moved the Bishop of Florence also in the yeare 1106 publiquely to preach that Antichrist was borne and then in Esse which Pope Paschall understanding of and being much grieved therewith tooke the paines to goe himselfe in person to Florence to stop the mouth of this Bishop And fearing as it seemes to stirre in the matter too much contented himselfe onely to admonish him to desist from this bold enterprise lest otherwise indeed the truth of that matter should more strongly breake out But yet further about the yeare 1150. The letters of the Emperor Fredericke Barbarossa to the Princes of Germany be sufficiently knowne wherein he sheweth unto them that the Pope had no other drift but to set his foot upon the Emperors head that so hee might the more easily overcome the members And upon this it was saith Radevicus That the Pope vvas not ashamed to maintaine that the Emperor vvas his man and held the Empire of him Yea the Popes are gone so farre saith Aventinus that they affect both domination and deitie so that they vvill be feared of all as God yea more then God pretending that they are not bound to give account of their Actions to any That amongst them be many Antichrists and that indeede there be none more pernicious to the Christian Religion then the Popes The same Emperor in his letters to King VVencislaus saith that the high Bishops of Babylon that is of Rome doe sit long over the Temple of God and seise upon the divinity that to please the desire of these false Christs th● Princes doe ruinate one another and all states be in a combustion That they be blinde vvhich see not that they be cruel vvolves which under sheepes cloathing spoyle the flocke of Christ. And that this was the Iudgement also even of sundry of the Germane Church as wel as of the Emperor appeareth by the oration of an Archbishop to the States of the Empire for saith he He that is the servant of servants as if he vvere God coveteth to be the Lord of Lords hee disclaymeth the counsell of his brethren or rather of his Lords He feareth lest hee should be forced to give account of that vvhich he doth and usurpeth every day over the lawes Hee uttereth great things as if he vvere God Hee coyneth new devises in his minde to appropriate the Empire to himselfe

yee cannot so much as shew the points of your religion wherein yee differ from us by the testimonie of the sacred and Canonicall Scriptures to have beene in the Apostles times and taught or approved by them as wee can doe ours And as touching Perpetuitie your Church hath it not but ours verie clearely hath it as having beene not onely in the times of the Apostles but in all succeeding ages also and posterities as is before sufficiently and plainely declared in the first part of this booke Chap. 2. For the true Church is builded upon so strong and invincible a Rocke namely upon Christ Iesus himselfe whom Peter confessed as that the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it If all the power of hell and divels as is here manifest cannot prevaile against the Church of God that is the companie of Gods Elect and the number of his true and right Worshippers It is evident that this Church that is a companie of right and true worshippers of him must be granted to be perpetuall and to have continued throughout all ages and generations especially considering what God himselfe further speaketh saying thus I will mak● this my covenant with them my spirit that is vpon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy Seede nor out of the mouth of thy Seedes seede saith the Lord from henceforth even for ever Yea that our Church was in Esse and had continuance even during the hottest rage of the raigne of that Romish Antichrist besides all other arguments this is a manifest one namely because the Popish Church still molested pursued and persecuted our Church under the names of Berengarians VValdenses Albigenses VVick●evists Lutherans Calvinists Lollards Heretickes Scismatickes and such like And yet very true it is that such may be sometime in some place the state of the Church by reason of rageing persecution against it as that even a right godly man and true worshipper of God may thinke himselfe to bee left alone without anie followers or copartners with him there in the right service of God As for example Elias complained in his time and of that place where he then lived that hee was left alone and That they sought to take avvay his life also And yet for all that was not Elias left alone although he so supposed and spake for God told him that he had even there namely in Israell where Elias then was reserved unto himselfe Seven thousand right worshippers of him which had not bowed their knee to Baal If the Companie of Gods chosen Church and elect people and right Worshippers of him be as is here evident sometime in some place unknowne even to a right godly man and Prophet of God no marvell is it though they sometimes lye hid and be unknowne to their enemies and persecutors to whose devowring pawes and bloodie hands without urgent cause they had no reason to shew themselves It is therfore no good argument which Papists make when they say that at some times during the raigne of Poperie they neither saw nor knew nor could heare of anie Protestants for if it were so as they say that they could finde none nor knew of anie at sometimes yet even then might there bee and were there also some such true and right worshippers of God albeit they lay hid from them and kept themselves as they had reason from their knowledge and mercilesse crueltie The reason then which they make against the continuance and perpetuitie of our Church because it was not as they say at all times seene of the world nor had their exercises of Religion at all and singular times publikely knowne to the world appeareth to be verie idle and of no force As for the answer which the Rhemists make to the former complaint of E●ias that the faithful in his time were forced to keep close by reason of the persecution of Achab Iesabel which was onely in the Kingdome of the ten Tribes that is in Israell and yet neverthelesse that at the verie same time in Ierusalem and in all the Kingdome of Iudah the externall worship and profession of faith was openly observed well known even to Elias himselfe Admit all this were true which is not proved yet what will they then say to this that the Church at other times hath beene so hidden that there was no open or publike exercise of Religion to be s●ene no not in Iuda or Ierusalem it selfe no more then in those ten Tribes of Israell as namely in the daies of Ahas the sonne of Iotham King ●f Iuda of whom it is said that hee walked in the way of the Kings of Isra●ll yea and made his Sonne to goe through the fire after the abhominations of the Heathen and in whose time the Altar of God was removed and an Idolatrous altar by the high Priests consent 〈…〉 Yea in the daies also of Hoseah King of Israell it is testified that not onely Israell but Iuda also kept not the Commandements of the Lord their God but walked according to the fashion of Israel vvhich they vsed How was the Church then visible in that sort and sense that wee speake of that is to say was it such a Church as had publike exercises of Gods religion splendently seene and openly apparant to the world Againe in the daies of Manasseth King of Iuda when Hee did evill in the sight of the Lord after the abhomination of the Heathen and erected altars for Baall and worshipped all the hoast of heaven and served them and when hee also built Idolatrous altars in the house of the Lord yea when it was recorded that this King Manasseh led the people out of the way to doe more wickedly then did the heathen and made Iuda also sinne vvith his Idols I say when Iuda became thus corrupted and Idolatrous aswell as Israell Had then the Church her outward practise of Religion according to Gods commandement and appointment to bee openly seene of the world And was it not so likewise in the daies of Amon King of Iuda Sonne and successor to Manasseh vvho did evill in the sight of the Lord as his father Manasseh did for he walked in all the waies his father walked in and served the Idols that his father served and worshipped them Thus you see that the Church of God was sometimes not openly seene but lay hidden and that as well in Iuda and Ierusalem as in the ten Tribes But perceiving this Church of Iuda and Israell to make against them then they flie to another devise and say that the Christian Church hath better promises then the Church of the Iewes Howbeit they can shew none as touching this point better for the one then for the other Yea for the Church of the Ievves to continue untill the first comming of Christ there be as strong as good promises to be seene as for

not then a shame for him if he had any shame in him thus to intrude himselfe into such an high and soveraigne Authoritie without anie commission or warrant from Christ the King of his church Besides themselves acknowledge and that rightly that the companie of the glorious and invisible Saints in heaven and the companie also of the visible Saints on earth do all make but one church and one Bodie to Christ Iesus though their states be differing that is to say though the one sort be triumphant and the other militant Inasmuch then as they all make but one church one bodie unto Christ Iesus how can it be shifted or avoided but that Christ Iesus must be the head aswell of the saints on earth as of the saints in heaven aswell of the visible militant company as of the invisible triumphant Yea Bellarmine himselfe will not allow anie Christian to bee tearmed or called a member of the Pope How then can the Pope rightly be the head of the church for if all true Christians vpon earth bee and be to be termed the members of Christ and not of the Pope it must be granted that not the Pope but Christ onely is their head for the head and the members be relatives And whereas in this matter they talke of a ministeriall head which is not vitall it is also but a phantasticall and vaine distinction For there can be no head in true and proper appellation to this one bodie of Christ which is his Church but that which is vitall The Pope as appeareth even by this their owne distinction is but a dead head and hath no life in him to give to anie of the members of Christ or wherby vertue grouth nourishment or increase may distil or be derived from him as from the head to anie of the members What then should the bodie of Christ doe with such a livelesse and dead head or what good profit or benefite can anie reape or receive from thence A dead bodie is fittest for such a dead head but the living and mysticall bodie of Christ hath and requireth another manner of head namely that which is vitall which is Christ Iesus onely of whose fulnesse they have all received as S. Iohn speaketh Neither is there anie such necessitie as they also vainely fancie for the visible and militant Church to have such a visible head for albeit Christ Iesus be absent from his church militant here upon earth in respect of his bodily presence which he hath carried with him into heaven yet in his Deitie and by the power of his spirit is he alwaies present with the same his church For so himselfe witnesseth saying I am with you alwayes unto the end of the world And therefore alwaies doth S. Iohn testifie that notwithstanding the manhood and bodily presence of Christ be in heaven and there remaining yet neverthelesse by his almightie power and spirit he walketh and is in the midst of the seven golden Candlestickes that is In the midst of the seven Churches for so the text it selfe expoundeth the Candlestickes saying thus The seven Candlestickes be the seven Churches Vnder the name of which seven churches be also all other churches upon earth shadowed out unto us as Augustine Primasius Haymo Beda Thomas Aquinas and others affirme Seeing then that Christ Iesus notwithstanding his bodily presence remaining in heaven is neverthelesse by his almightie power and spirit present with all the true Christian churches in the world and walketh in the midst of them to guide governe comfort teach order rule susteine uphold and direct them and give all gifts and graces requisite It is manifest that he is sufficiently present with them in the church militant to doe all the offices of an head unto them so that they need not in anie sort the Pope to become an head unto them for anie of those uses or ends Yea is it not a verie great absurditie for anie to suppose or imagine that the Pope or anie one man mortall whosoever being on earth can better rule order guide and governe the whole militant church then Christ Iesus himselfe can doe being in heaven by his wisdome almightinesse and power of his Spirit But yet further when Christ in his manhood was to ascend up into heaven he promised neither the Pope nor anie one Bishop over all the rest to be his Vicar on earth or to supplie his roome and absence but the holy Ghost onely For thus he saith I tell you the truth It is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe not away that Comforter will not come unto you And this comforter is the Holy Ghost the spirit of truth as is there expresly affirmed And againe he saith that After his departure they shall have another Comforter that shall abide with them for ever even the spirit of Truth vvhom the vvorld cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him Doe not these texts verie plainely shew that the holy Ghost is and is to be accounted Christs Vicar upon earth ever since his departure into heaven that is to say is in his stead and place unto the militant Church and to abide with it for ever And therefore doth Tertullian say accordingly that Christus misit Vicariam vim spiritus sancti qui credentes agat Christ sent the power of the holy Ghost to be his Vicar or in his steed to leade and direct the beleevers Howbeit if some Bishop will needes be so intituled namely Christs Vicar as being an Ambassador for Christ and in Christs steade yet let him then know that he is not so alone but that all godly and faithfull Bishops and Ministers be so likewise For which cause it is that the ancient Fathers doe call them all alike Vicarios Christi the Vicars of Christ But S. Paul yet further sheweth that not Christ himselfe tooke upon him this honour to be head of the church without his fathers appointment and constitution If therefore the Pope will take it upon him it is good reason he should likewise shew where God hath so constituted and appointed him which he is not able to doe Yea S. Paul sheweth againe That onely he is head of the Church vvhich is farre above all principalitie and povver and dominion and might and every name that is named not onely in this vvorld but in the vvorld to come And therefore this is such a high peerelesse and supereminent an honour and prerogative as that it is proper to Christ Iesus onely and not communicable to anie creature Lastly you may perceive by S. Paul that Christ is so the head of the Church as the husband is the head of his wife And is there anie honest wife that will bee content to have two heads that is two husbands though for distinction sake you should terme the one a ministeriall head or howsoever else you would please to call him 6 Now touching Miracles

respect of his office● though not directly yet indirectly and by way of Consequent and in such manner and forme as becommeth Antichristianisme is before shewed in divers particulars Obiect 5 Antichrist is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 2. Thes. 2. The man of sinne the Sonne of perdition and the lawlesse person This Greeke article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth shew him to bee some one singular man or particular person onely and no moe Ans. You are much deceived in so concluding or thinking by reason of the Greeke Article For although it bee true that the Greeke Article there hath his Emphasis or force to point at some certaine thing yet this certaine thing may be aswell a certain kinde of men as namely of Popes going in succesiō one after another as one singular or particular person Neither doth Epiphanius haeresi 9 quae est samaritanorū teach otherwise concerning this Greeke article then other learned men doe For thus he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Vbi enim adiungitur articulus ad unum aliquod definitū clarissimū omnino quaedam Emphasis propter articulum sine verò articulo sumendum est vocabulum indefinitè de re aliqua vulgari Quemadmodum si dixerimus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nomen quidem expressimus sed non perspicuè monstravimus definitum aliquem Regem enim dicimus Persarum Thedorum Elamitarum Sin verò cum appositione ar●iculi dixerimus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extra dubium quid significetur subindicatur enim per articulum ipse Rex quaesitus vel de quo sermo fuit vel qui notus est vel qui dominatur in Regione aliqua c. So that it is true that Epiphanius will by the Greeke Article added have some certaine or definite thing to bee noted or pointed out and so say wee also but what that certaine or definite thing is before appeareth Learned men doe wonder that so learned a man as Bellarmine is should so farre bee mistaken in so plaine a matter For doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Ioh. 10.10 12.13 because of the Greeke Article added denote onely one particular man and no more that is to say but onelie one in all the world to bee a Theese or an hireling or when Christ saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. in Mat. 12.35 doth hee meane that onely some one good m●n out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things and that onely one evill man out of the evill treasure of his heart bringeth forth evill things or doth hee not rather meane in a generalitie or communitie every or anie good man whosoever or anie evill man whosoever in that case Againe when it is said in Luk. 4.4 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 liveth not by bread onely but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God It is not meant of one Individuum or singular person onelie but in a generalitie or communitie of anie or every one that hee liveth by that meanes So againe S. Paul would that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man of God should be perfect instructed to every good work 2. Tim. 3 17 he doth not meane because of the Greeke article added that only one man of God but in a generality or community that everie or anie man of God whosoever should bee so perfect and so well instructed Againe when it is said that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the high Priest alone went once everie yeare into the second Tabernacle it is meant not of one particular high Priest onely but of the whole order of high Priests And so by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hinderer and that which hindered Antichrist from appearing in his height is not meant because of the addition of the Greeke article that onelie one Emperour but the whole succession of the Emperors of Rome even the State of the Romane Emperors which was then florishing was the hinderer of that his revealing or appearing and so also doe the ancient fathers themselves expound it as is before declared Neither is this anie unwonted or unusual speech For wee speake so commonly and say that the Emperor goeth before Kings meaning thereby not one particular Emperor onely but the whole State and succession of Emperors And when wee say likewise The King goeth before all Dukes and Earles it is not meant onely of this King or that King but generallie of all Kings of the verie State and succession of Kings So also when our Adversaries themselves doe say The Pope is head of the Church they meane not this Pope or that Pope onely in Individuo but generally the whole Order State and succession of Popes And therfore when the grand Antichrist that is the Pope of Rome is thus called The man of sinne c. Thereby likewise is and may verie well bee intended not one singular man onely or this Pope or that Pope in Individuo but generally the whole State Ranke Order of the Popes succeeding one another Obiect 6. Antichrist shall call himselfe in expresse termes god ostendens se 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod sit Deus shewing himself that he is God as it is in the Greeke Ans. But your latin translation which you hold for the only Authentical which agreeth in sense with our translation is Ostendens se tanquam sit Deus shewing himself as though he were God Howbeit beause you urge the Greeke Text which we ever allow We therunto answer first with Aecumenius that Non ait Dicens sed ostendens hoc est operibus signis ac miraculis nitens ostendere quod sit Deus The Apostles words concerning Antichrist be not as you suppose That hee shall say that hee is God but shewing that is by his workes signes and miracles endeavouring to shew that hee is god And secondly wee answer that the Pope is in expresse termes called god well alloweth of that title and thereby proveth that hee cannot bee iudged by men in the Canon Satis the 96 Distinct. Againe the Glosse of the Extravagant Cum inter hath these words To thinke that our Lord God the Pope the author of the foresaid Decretal of this had no power to decree as he hath decreed would bee iudged an heresie Here likewise you see that they call him Our Lord God the Pope in expresse termes In Italy also upon the gate of Tolentum is this inscription To Paul the third the most high and migh●ie God upon earth In the Councell of Lateran and 9 Session in the yeare 1514 one of the Secretaries of the Popes chamber speakes thus to Leo the 10 The lookes of your Divine Maiestie with the beame-darting splendor of which my weake eyes are dimmed Stapleton in the Preface of his Booke of the Principles