may be called the church of God bicause once it was a true church and stil is in title professiō the church ofChrist although in truth it be but little more the church of Christ then Antichrists imaginary temple at Ierusalem would be the temple of God 5 His second syllogisme which is inferred vpon the former is this If the Pope sit in the true Church of God then the church of Rome is the onely true Church for the Church of Christ is one as Christ is one but the Pope sitteth in the true church of God as was proued in the former syllogisme therefore the church of Rome is the onely true church of Christ. First I answere to the proofe of his proposition The Catholike inuisible Church of Christ is one sheepfolde vnder one shepheard Christ but particular visible churches are more then one as the church of Corinth the church of Rome the seuen churches in the Apocalyps and all the Churches of the Gentiles mentioned Rom. 16. 4. and therefore the church of Rome although it were a true visible church yet were it but a particular church and therefore not the onely true church But now the church of Rome is not a true visible church of Christ but the whore of Babylon an adulterous and Idolatrous and Apostaticall church which once was Rome as Petrarch saith now Babylon once Bethel now Bethauen once the Church of Christ now the synagogue of Antichrist as hath bene proued And therefore there being no truth either in the proposition or the assumption I answere the proposition by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 although the Pope did sit in the true church yet it followeth not that therefore the church of Rome is the onely true Church and the assumption by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Pope doth not sit in the true church and therefore there is no shewe of reason in this cauill 6 His third syllogisme is inferred vpon the second If the Church of Rome be the onely true Church then those which are not members of this Church whereof the Pope is head as namely the Protestants are out of the Church But now say I the church of Rome is so farre from being the onely true church as that it is that Babylon Apoc. 18. 4. from which we are commaunded to seperate if wee will bee saued there being no saluation in that Church for those that receiue and retaine the marke of the beast Apoc. 14. 9. therefore this also is a fond and sophisticall cauill Notwithstanding as the adulterous and apostaticall state of Israel vnder Ieroboam and Achab so the Church of Rome vnder the Pope may be called the church of God in respect both of some notes and signes of a visible Church as the administration of some sacraments and profession of the name of the Lord and also of some reliques and remainder as it were the gleanings of the inuisible Church In Israell although an Apostaticall and Idolatrous state the sacrament of circumcision was retained so in the church of Rome the sacrament of baptisme The church of Israel professed Iehouah to be their God although they worshipped him Idolatrously so the church of Rome professeth the name of Christ but exceedeth Israel in Idolatry In Israel euen vnder Achab the Lord had reserued 7000. who neuer bowed their knee to Baal and so we doubt not but that in the corruptest times of Popery the Lord hath reserued some who haue not receiued the marke of the beast And as the church of Sardis was still called the church of Christ although greeuously fallen from Christ because they still professed the name of Christ and retained no doubt the Sacrament of Baptisme and had among them some fewe names that had not defiled themselues so I confesse with Caluin that the church of Rome may be called a church of Christ both in respect of some vestigia and outward notes of a visible church as administration of Baptisme and profession of the name of Christ and some secret reliques of the inuisible church which haue not bowed their knees to Apo. 20. 4 Baal But that which is saide to the church of Sardis may most iustly be avowed to the church of Rome Thou hast a name that thou liuest but indeed art dead thou professest Apoc. 3. 1. thy selfe to be the church of Christ but art the synagogue of Antichrist thou art called the church of Rome which once was famous for her saith but art the whore of Babylon the Apo. 3. 4. mother of all the fornications and abhominations in the christian world 7 Heere Bellarmine obiecteth two things If there remaine in the church of Rome but ruines and reliques of a true church then the church may be ruinated and the truth hath lyed who saith that the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against it Ans. The Catholike and inuisible church of Christ which is the whole company of the elect can neuer faile But visible and particular churches which consist of hypocrites many times and vnsounde christians which are in the visible church but are not of the inuisible as the greater part may faile and fall away although not one sound christian that 1. Ioh. 2. 19. is of the inuisible church doth fall away As the lamentable experience of the church of Israel seuered from Iuda the examples of Corinth Ephesus and many other famous Churches which were planted by the Apostles Againe saith Bellarmine If the Church be ruinated and the ruines remaine in Poperie then the Papists haue the Church although decayed and ruinated but the Protestants haue no Church not entyre for the entyre Church is ruinated not ruinated or decayed for the ruines are among the Papists What haue they then a new building which because it is new is none of Christs and therefore who seeth not that it is safer to liue in the church decayed then in no church at all But in this cauill there is not so much as any shew of reason vnlesse he take that for graunted which we do most confidently denie and they are neuer able to proue that the church of Rome not onely is the true church of Christ but also the onely true church For otherwise the church of Rome may fall and yet the Catholike church of Christ may stand yea shall stand maugre the force of Antichrist and malice of Sathan himselfe And as for the church of the Protestants it is no new building as Antichrist vaunteth but is a part of the Catholike church of Christ reformed and renewed according to the word of God and the example of the primitiue church euen as the Church of Iuda vnder Iosias was no new building but the olde frame as it was vnder Dauid renewed and reformed according to the lawe of God 8 The exceptions which he taketh against our arguments concluding that Rome is the seate of Antichrist I haue for the Lib. 1. cap. 2. most part taken away before It shall suffice therefore
and therefore the Angell nūb eth them vers 10. Fiue saith he are fallen one is and the other is Apoc 17. 10. not yet come which is verified of these 7. regiments wherof I spake For the regiments of Kings Consulles Decemuirs Tribunes Dictators were ceassed in the Apostles time One that is of the Emperours then was and the seuenth that is to say of the Popes was not yet come And as touching the Romane Empire erected and reuiued by the Pope it is the beast that was a flowrishing imperiall state but is not Apoc. 17. 8. indeede and in trueth the Empire of Rome but rather an image of it Apocal. 13. although it bee in name and title the Empire of Rome This beast that was and is not it is also the eight head or regiment and is one of the seuen namely of Apoc. 17. 11. Emperours 5. Secondly that Rome is mysticall Babylon it may bee Hieronym in Esay cap. 47. v. 1. item in epist. ad Marcell◅ quaest 11. ad Algasiam in praef de spirit sanct ad Paulin proued by the testimonies of very good Authours Ierome saith Romanam vrbem in Apocalypsi Ioannis Epistola Petri Babylonem specialiter appellar◅ that the citie of Rome is called Babylon specially in the Reuelation of Iohn and epistle of Peter Augustine calleth Rome the second Babylon and Babylon of the West To these we may adde Tertullian Primasius Victorinus who saith the seuen heads are the seuen hilles on De ciuit Dei lib. 18. cap. 22. 27. which the woman that is the citie of Rome doth sitte Prosper and many others Sibylla also oftentimes expresly calleth Rome Babylon Lib. aduers. Indaeos 3. 6. Thirdly by the confession of our aduersaries themselues De promiss praedict For first to proue that Peter was at Rome they say that by Babylon mentioned 1. Pet. 5. 13. is meant Rome although there can no sufficient reason be giuen why the Apostle if he had meant Rome should not rather haue vsed the name of Rome then of Babylon Secondly the Rhemists conuicted with clearenesse of truth writing on the last verse of the 17. of the In Apoc. 17. 18. Apocalypse confesse that if by Babylon is meant any one citie which before we haue proued it is most like to be old Rome And on the 5. verse they doe confesse that as the persecuting Emperours which as they say were figures of Antichrist did principally sit in Rome so it may well be that the great Antichrist shall haue his seate there And againe on the 18. verse they alledge a reason For say they by the authoritie of the old Romane Empire Christ was put to death first applying the prophecie of the 11. Chapt. verse 8. to Rome thereby at vnawares confessing that Rome is that great citie which as in the 17. of the Apocalyps is called Babylon mystically so in that place is termed spiritually Sodom and Egypt where our Lord was also crucified Thirdly the authour of the Wardword not knowing how to denie this so euident trueth is content thus farre to agree with vs that Rome is Babylon For not onely S. Iohn saith he in the Apocalyps but Peter also in his Epistle doth call Rome Babylon and we doe not denie it Bellarmine also confesseth so much Per meretricem intelligi Romain that Lib. 3. de pont R. c. 13. by the whore of Babylon is to be vnderstood Rome and proueth the same by the testimonie of Tertullian and Hierome Therfore seing mysticall Babylon is the chiefe citie and See of Antichrist as our aduersaries cannot denie with any shewe of reason and seing Rome is mysticall Babylon as hath bene proued not onely by reason testimonies but also by the confession of our aduersaries the conclusion must necessarily be inferred that Rome therefore is the seate of Antichrist 7 What then what cā the Papist answer to this syllogisme Mysticall Babylon is the seat of Antichrist Rome is mysticall Babylon Therfore Rome is the seat of Antichrist It may well be ◅y the Rhemists that the great Antichrist shall haue his seate there And we doe not denie saith the authour of the Wardword but that Rome is Babylon And Bellarmine doth not onely say it but proue it How then Forsooth wee must distinguish of Rome For Rome is either Heathenish or Christened Heathenish Rome vnder the persecuting Emperours was Babylon But Rome Christened is the Apostolicke See and as it were the Ierusalem of the Christians But this cuasion of theirs howsoeuer they please themselues in it is friuolous and absurde as shall appeare by these reasons For 1. first if Rome be Babylon as now at the length they confesse and consequently the seate of Antichrist as they cannot denie with any shewe of reason I would faine know of them whether vnder the heathenish Emperours Rome could be called the seat of Antichrist because Antichrist did then sitte in Rome or because he was to sitte there after the Heathenish Emperours were remoued If they say because he sate there then their answere is ridiculous and contrary to all that themselues hold concerning Antichrist Therefore they must needs confesse that Rome is called Babylon and the seat of Antichrist not because Antichrist sate there whiles it was heathenishe but because he was to sitte there after the Emperours were remooued 8 And that the holy ghost by Babylon doth not meane Heathenish Rome vnder the persecuting Emperours either onely or principally but Rome christened vnder the Pope it may further appeare out of the whole discourse of Saint Iohn in the seuenteenth and eighteenth of the Apocalypse The whore of Babylon is the great city which in the Apostles 2. time and since vnder the Popes reigned ouer the kings of the earth called a whore and the mother of fornications not onely because her selfe hath by spirituall fornications plaid the strumpet according to that which is sayd of Ierusalem Fidelis ciuit as fact a est meretrix The faithfull city is become an Esay 1. harlot but also infected al kings and nations subiect vnto her with her superstition idolatry But Rome heathenish which neither dealt by whorish sleights and allurements but by martiall pollicy and power neither had professed her selfe to bee the Church and spouse of Christ could not so fitly be called an harlot whereby is signified an adulterous and apostaticall state And besides Heathenish Rome for the most part permitted to euery countrey their owne religion and was so far from enforcing her religion vpon other nations subiect vnto her that as in her was erected the Pantheon in honour of all the Gods which Boniface the fourth hauing obtained of Phocas Marcellin lib. 16. Rosin lib. 2. c. 9. consecrated to the virgin Mary and all the Saints so shee admitted the idoles religions and superstitions allmost of all other countries excepting the religions of the Egyptians and the Iewes because they did not forsooth beseeme the maiesty of the
the earth haue committed fornication being made drunke and intoxicated with the golden cuppe of her fornications that is of her glorious idolatries and Antichristian heresies who as she is cloathed with Scarlet so is she died red and Apoc 17. 4. 6. drunke with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Iesu as being that citie and church wherin the two witnesses of Christ are put to death Apoc. 11. And cā she then be the whore of Babylon and not the Antichristian citie and state especially considering these two thinges which the Papists themselues are forced to confesse first that the state of Rome is here figured as it shal be in the time of Antichrist secondly that Antichrist shal be one of the seuen heads namely the last head of the Romane beast and consequently shall haue Rome for his principall seat Let vs see then whether the Iesuit be able to bring so much as a shew of reason against this truth For it may be you expect his proofe Antichrist saith he Lib. 3. de pont Rom. cap. 13. making his collection out of Apoc. 17. 16. shall hate Rome and shall fight with her and shall make her desolate and burne her Whereupon it followeth manifestly that Rome shal not be the seat of Antichrist But it should seeme the Iesuit was in a dreame when he framed this argument For it is euident that not Antichrist but the ten hornes that is the ten Kings shal hate the whore that is the Antichristian city president therof accordingly Tertullian Prostituta illa ciuitas à decemregib dignos exitus referet That city which hath prostituted her selfe to De resurrect carn c. 25. play the harlot shall frō the ten Kings receiue her deserued end And so in another place himselfe being better awaked reasosoneth from that place The ten kings saith he which shall diuide among them the Romane Empire and in whose time Antichrist shall come shall hate the purple harlot that is Rome and make her desolate how then shall shee be the seat of Antichrist Whereunto I answere that the very contrary is to be inferred vpon that place where it is said that the 10. hornes that is the 10. kings which shall diuide among them the Romane Empire shal in deed for a time ioyne with Antichrist and giue their power vnto him But when as Christ shall begin to waste and to weaken him with the spirit of his mouth that then these 10. Kings shall oppose themselues against the Antichristian citie and the head thereof Which euent and experience in parte hath proued to bee true in some of these 10. Kings as hath before beene shewed From that place therefore wee §. 11. may reason thus The purple harlot which the 10. Kings shall assault is the city of Antichrist Rome is that purple harlot as the aduersarie himselfe confesseth therefore Rome is the citie of Antichrist 19. Their last refuge is this that Rome Christian where the Pope sitteth doth not stande vpon 7. hilles but is remoued from the seuen hilles into the plaine of Campus Martius and that the Pope sitteth on the other side of the riuer vpon the mount Vatican Saunders therefore thought it to bee but a childish argument to proue from the 7. hilles that the seate of Antichrist is at Rome But we would knowe of him whether it be the same Rome where they say Peter sate or not If it be the same then it standeth on seuen hilles if it bee not the same how is it then the Apostolicke seate and chaire of Peter True in deede it is that in the time of the Emperours the Pomarium of the citie was enlarged so that it enclosed a good parte of Campus Martius and that since some more auncient partes of the citie being decaied the greatest parte of priuate buildings stande in the plaine Yet notwithstanding euen to this day the seuen hilles are enclosed within the walles of the citie and vpon them there doe yet remaine besides some of the Popes palaces and courts diuers churches and houses of religion and other buildings of note as that learned diuine of blessed memory D. Fulke particularly sheweth In Apoc. 17. 9. in his answere to the Rhemists Neither doth the enlarging of the citie in one parte and the decaying of it in another proue it not to be the same citie And although the Pope doth liue in the Vatican or in any other pallace of his whersoeuer yet who knoweth not that Rome is the Papal or as they cal it the Apostolick seat appointed as they a Rod. Cupers de eccles pag. 37. num 1. say by Christ himself Neither can the Pope as b Cupers dae eccles p. 226. num 16. they teach chaunge his seate or if he should he should ceasse to be the successour of Peter For whosoeuer is chosen Bishop of the citie of Rome he say they is the successor of S. Peter the vicar of Christ and Bishop of the world And as Rome in generall is the Popes seat or See Cupers pag. 37. num 4. so more specially the cathedrall church of Laterane whereof more properly the Pope is Bishop as the husband of one wife Cupers pag. 221. n. 31. In which respect they say that as S. Peter and his successours bee the head of the whole church or vniuersitie of the faithfull so the Laterane church being referred to other materiall Cupers pag. 106. num 11. churches is the head of all churches of the world Vnto this church was adioyned the chiefe pallace of the Pope which was inhabited by them vntill the time of Boniface the 9. as Onuphrius testifieth that is to say 1400. yeares almost after De 7. vrb eecl Christ howsoeuer since the time of Leo the 10. who lodged therein it is within these last hundred yeares decaied Now it is well knowen that the pallace and church of Laterane standeth on the mount Coelius in the most remote part of the citie and furthest distant from the Vaticane So that all these shifts and euasions of the Papists notwithstanding it is euident that Rome which we haue now proued to be the seat of the Pope is by the former reasons alleadged the seat of Antichrist CHAP. 3. Concerning the time of the Reuelation of Antichrist 1. AS from the place we gather the Pope to be Antichrist because the seat of Antichrist is Rome christned or professing her selfe the church of Christ So the consideration of the time ioyned with that of the place doth make this trueth much more euident Rome Christned is the seate of Antichrist but when doth Antichrist sitte that is raigne there I answere that he could not exercise Antichristian dominion there whiles the Emperours had their seat in Rome But when the Emperours were remoued and the Empire in the West dissolued then did Antichrist succeed them in the seat that is in the gouernmēt of Rome And this may be proued first by
the testimonie of S. Paule 2. Thess. 2. 8. And then that outlaw meaning Antichrist shal be reuealed And wheÌ„ 2. Thess. 2. 8. is that When he that hindereth shal be taken out of the way And who is that which hindereth the reuelation of Antichrist for a time that he might be reuealed in his due time Who this was 2. Thess. 2. 6. 7. the Apostle had told the Thessal by word of mouth and therfore forbare for iust causes to tell them by writing which they knew already to wit that he might not incurre the needlesse 2. Thess. 2. 5. 6. hatred of the Romanes But that which he had told them in all likelyhood was continued in the church For although this place in it selfe be most difficult yet generally it is vnderstood of the Empire and Emperours of Rome by most of the auncient writers of the Church Tertullian who shall be takeÌ„ out of the way but the Romane state whose departure being diuided De resurrect carn among ten Kinges shall bring in Antichrist Ambrose After the decay of the Romane Empire Paule saith that Antichrist In 2. Thess. 2. shall appeare Chrysostome on these wordes Onely hee that holdeth that is as hee expoundeth hindereth now vntill he In 2. Thess. 2. be taken out of the way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Empire of Rome when it shall bee taken out of the way then he meaning Antichrist shall come and worthily For whiles men shall be in awe of the Empire none will hastily be brought in subiection to Antichrist But when the Empire shall be dissolued he shall seize vpon the vacancie and shall challenge to himselfe the Empire or rule both humane and diuine Hierome speaking of these words And now what hindereth you know that he Ad Algas quaest 11. might be reuealed in his time that is saith he what the cause is why Antichrist commeth not yet you know very well Neither could he plainelie say that the Romane Empire is to be destroyed which the Emperours thinke is aternall Wherefore according to the Apocalypse of Iohn there is written in the forehead of the harlot cloathed with purple a name of blasphemy that is Romae aeternae to Rome aternal And afterwards these words onelie he which holdeth now must hold vntill hee bee taken out of the way and then that out law shall be reuealed hee expoundeth thus onelie that the Romane Empire which now holdeth that is gouerneth all nations depart and be taken out of the way and then Antichrist shall come Cyrill Antichrist shall come when the Catech. 15. times of the Romane Empire shall be fulfilled Primasius The kingdome of the Romanes shall bee taken out of the way before in 2. Thess. 2. Antichrist be reuealed Theophylact when the Romane Empire shall be taken out of the way then shall Antichrist come The in 2. Thess. 2. greeke scholiast on those words that which holdeth c. hee in 2. Thess. 2. 6. meaneth saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which letteth and hindereth And what is that Many vnderstand the holy ghost others the Romane Empire whose iudgement is the better For vntill that be dissolued Antichrist shall not come And for this cause blessed Paul spake so obscurelie because he would not incur vnseasonable enmitie with the Romans For when they should heare that the Empire of the Romanes shall be dissolued they would persecute him and al the faithful as being such as looked for the dissolution of the Empire But if he had spoken of the holy ghost what letted him to haue said plainelie that the grace of the holie ghost did hinder him that he should not appeare To which we may adde that in the sixt verse the Apostle speaketh in the newter gender and in the seauenth in the masculine the former whereof may signifie the Empire the latter the Emperour of whom the holy ghost speaketh as of one man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he vseth to speak sometimes of Antichrist and wee of the Pope although both by the one and the other is signified not one man but a state or succession Augustine in deede saith of De ciuit Dei lib. 20. c. 19. these words but he that hindereth shall hinder I do confesse that I am vtterly ignorant what he saith Some think that this is spoken of the Romane Empire and that Paul the Apostle would not therefore write it plainelie least he should incur this slaunder that he was an ill willer to the Romane Empire which men hoped to be aternall Notwithstanding this seemeth to haue bin his iudgement also for afterwards he thinketh those words may thus be expouÌ„ded of the Empire of Rome tanâ—…uÌ„ qui modò imperat imperet c. only he which reigneth must raigne for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also may signify to the same purpose Primasius expouÌ„deth those words tantuÌ„ vt qui tenet nunc sc. imperiuÌ„ only he which holdeth now to wit the Empire vntil he be done that is taken out of the way and then that outlaw shall be reuealed whome no man doubteth to signifie Antichrist 2 But what need I to be so diligent in gathering testimonies for the coÌ„firmation of this truth seeing it is not only confirmed by the former assertioÌ„ for how could Antichrist raign in Rome while the Roman Emperors remaind or raignd there but also is confessed by Bellarmine himself namely that by this let is to be vnderstood the Empire of Rome Rather let vs coÌ„sider whe ther the Empire that hindred be taken out of the way or not Beliarmine vnderstandeth this taking away of an vtter abolishing Cap. 5. of the Romane Empire so that there should not remaine so much as the name of the Emperor or King of the Romanes FroÌ„ wheÌ„ce he would proue that Antichrist is not yet come because the Romane Empire is not yet abolished Wee confesse that the Romane Empire which hindred the reuelatioÌ„ of Antichrist was to be dissolued and also diuided among ten that is many kings for so this number of ten is ofteÌ„ vsed indefinitly Num. 14. 22. Iob. 19. 3. Nehem. 4. 12. which is all that can be gathered either out of the scriptures or fathers But that there should be such an vtter abolishment of the Romane Empire as that there should not remain so much as the name or title of the Emperor or King of the Romanes we do vtterly deny It is sufficient that the Emperor was so far See a. book chap. 5. forth taken out of the way as it hindred the Reuelation or dominion of Antichrist And so much the phrase of the Apostle seemeth to import 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vntil hee be done out of the way or as the Rhemists themselues do read vntill he be taken out of the way as may appeare by conference of like places Let vs then consider in what sence the Romane Empire did Mat. 13. 49.
possessions when he had at the intreaty of Adrian the Pope ouerthrown the kingdome Anno. 773. of the Lombards in Italie For which cause as also for that hee assisted the Pope Leo the third against the insurrections of the people of Rome punished his aduersaries and caused the people of Rome to sweare alleagiance to the Pope The Pope namely Leo the third crowned him Emperour of Rome translating Anno. 800. that title from the Emperour of the East to him and in him renewing the Empire of the west which had beene voide since the time of Augustulus And as he made him Emperour so to him was committed by Adrian and Leo the confirmation of those which were elected to the Papacy Which yoke as the Popes following oft strugled against so at the last they shooke it off And whereas in former times the Pope was subiect to the Emperour being elected was confirmed by him Adrian 3. an 883. afterwards it came to passe that as the Empire was renewed in Charlemaigne and after reuiued in Otto the great and that to this end that it might support the Papacy so the Pope namely Anno. 960. Iohn the 12 aliâs 13. causeth the Emperour to sweare vnto him to that end taketh order for the election of the Emperour Gregory 5. appointing 7 electors reseruing the coronatioÌ„ of the Emperor Anno. 995. and confirmation of the election vnto himselfe and at the length subiecteth the Emperour vnto him as his vassall challenging both swords and vsurping an vniuersal dominion and soueraignty ouer all the christian world not onely ouer ecclesiasticall persons as Bishops and Priests but also ciuil as princes Kings Emperours whome he esteemeth as his vassals and maketh them kisse his feete as we shall shew more fully when we come to speake of his Antichristian pride Vnto this Monarchy C. Fundamenta de elect in sexto as they call it not onely of spirituall but also of temporall power they long aspired but neuer fully attained vntill the time of Gregory the seauenth in whom Antichrist was Anno. 1073. come to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or full growth wherein hee flourished vntill our Sauiour Christ the king of kings and Lord of Lords began to waste and consume him with the breath of his mouth This is that which Auentine saith Hildebrand who also is called Lib. 5. annal Boior Gregory the seauenth first established the Pontificall Empire which his successours for the space of 450. yeares that is to Auentine and also Luthers time so held in spite of the world and maugre the Emperours that they haue brought all both in heauen hel into boÌ„dage c. at their pleasure they cast men headlong from heauen to hel and again from hel aduance to heauen The Emperour from henceforth is nothing but a bare title without body or shew 7 But no sooner was Antichrist come to his full growth wherby he plainly reuealed discouerd himself but straightwaies he began to be acknowledged which is the 2. part of his reuelation wherof also there are degrees For first hee was acknowledged particularly dy diuerse learned godly men in the time of Gregory the 7. and in euery age since vntil the time of Luther As for example the Bishops of Germany affirme Gregory the 7. to be Antichrist AntichristuÌ„ esse praedicaÌ„t Vnder the name title of Christ say they he coÌ„triueth the businesse of Antichrist he sitteth in Babylon in the temple of God he extolleth AueÌ„tin annal Boior lib. 5. himselfe aboue all that is worshipped as if he were a God he boasteth that he caÌ„not erre And afterward Auentin either in his owne name or in the persoÌ„ of Sigeberius speaking of the times Lib. 5. annal Boior of Gregory the 7 All men almost saith he that were good open-hearted iust ingenuous and single hearted haue left in writing that the Empire of Antichrist did then begin because they saw those things which our Sauiour Christ so many yeares before had prophecied vnto vs to happen in that time The Bishop of Florence in the time of Paschalis the second preached that Antichrist was come meaning the Pope Anno. 1119. Catalog test Anno. 1120. Catalog test Magde centur 12. Honorius Augustudonensis applieth the prophecies in the Apocalypse concerning Antichrist to the Pope and church of Rome Dialog de lib. arb praedest Bernard in his time acknowledgeth a general apostasie and complaineth of the state of the church as Antichristian Anno. 1140. Serm. 33. in Cant. in conuers Pauli serm 1. Ioannes Sarisburiensis taught that the pope is Antichrist and the city of Rome the whore of Babylon About the same time Petrus Blesensis wrote that Rome is that very Babylon whereof Iohn speaketh in the Apocalypse Anno. 1157. Polan in Dan. Anno. 1158. Gerhardus and Dulcinus Nauarrensis preach that the Pope is Antichrist and that the cleargy and prelates of Rome were the very whore of Babylon prefigured in the Apocalypse Ex I Fox In the time of Alexander the third the Waldenses teach that Anno. 1170. Ex I. Fox catal test Roger Houeden in Ricardi 1. Bal. centur 3. c. 35. in appeÌ„d Anno. 1189. Catalog test the Pope is Antichrist and Rome Babylon Ioachim the abbot beeing demaunded of Richard the first king of England now going towards the holie land concerning Antichrist aunswered thus Antichrist is alreadie borne in the citie of Rome and is aduaunced in the See Apostolicke And in certaine Germane verses also published at Francofurt he affirmeth that the Pope and his priests are Antichrists Eberhardus archiepiscopus Iuuacensis Hyldebrand saith he about an hundred and 70. yeares ago did first vnder the shewe Anno. 1241. Auentin annal Boior lib. 7. of religion lay the foundation of Antichrists kingdome And straightwaies after those priests of Babylon saith he couet to reigne alone they cannot endure an aequall Neither will they ceasse vntill they haue troden all vnder their feet and do sit te in the temple of God and be extolled about all that is worshipped Their hunger afterwealth and thirst for honour is insatiable c. he that is the seruant of seruants desireth to bee the Lord of Lords as if he were a God And againe hee wasteth and spotleth he deceiueth and killeth I meane that man of perdition whome they call Antichrist in whose forehead a name of blasphemie is written I am God I cannot erre he sitteth in the temple of God he ruleth farre and wide Robert Grosthead the worthie Bishoppe of Lincolne on his deathbed complaining of the Pope and bewailing the losse of Anno. 1253. Mat. Paris in Henr. 3. soules which happened through the auarice of the Popes court with sighs he said Christ came into the world to gaine soules therefore if any feare not to destroy soules is not he worthily to be called Antichrist Guilieâ—…s de sancto amore a master of Paris and chiefe ruler
of them haue beene most foule monsters as some of their owne writers call them compounded of these and other horrible crymes Such besides others were Sixtus 4. Iohn 24. Alexander 6. Clement 7. and Paule 3. c. Neither may it be obiected that although diuerse Popes haue beene men of sinne yet many of them haue beene holy men and Saints of God and consequently not Antichrists For howsoeuer all the Romane Bishoppes of the first 600. yeares are reuerenced as Saints and so called of Popish writers as Saint Syluester Saint Leo Saint Gregory c. a very few onely excepted yet a very fewe of them which haue liued this thousand yeares are euen by Popish flatterers esteemed Saints and those fewe which be are honoured among them not for any true holinesse Onuphr Pontif Romani Chronologia praefixa chatechismo Canisij but either for the Antichristian aduancing of their See or for some supposed miracles which were no better then the lying signes woÌ„ders of Antichrist But so far indeed these Apostaticall Popes haue been from being Saints in the sight of God that all of them haue deserued to be called men of sinne sons of perditioÌ„ outlawes although some of them were not so wicked as the rest Men of sin because besides those peculiar sinnes wherewithall euery of them were seuerallie infected the whole order or successioÌ„ ofthem hath been guilty of many other crimes also as coÌ„moÌ„ to them al diuerse wherof the holy ghost hath set downe as noates of Antichrist As namely those which I haue already proued to be in the Pope heresy oppositioÌ„ or enmity to Christ apostasy hypocrisy satanical pride For if the Pope be an heretick or false prophet teaching the doctrines of diuels if a notorious hypocrite if an apostate yea the head of the catholike apostasy if an aduersary opposed vnto Christ though a couert and disguised enemie if the king of pride aduancing himselfe most insolently aboue all that is called God as we haue proued him to be then wee neede not doubt but that in respect of these sins though he had no more he deserueth to be called the man of sin 7 But vnto these diuerse others may be added as first and principallie the idolatrie superstitious and counterfaite religions of the Pope and church of Rome For the whore of Babylon whereby is signified the Antichristian state is described in the scriptures not onely as a spirituall adulteresse but also as the mother of all fornications and abominations in the earth which with the golden cuppe of her fornications that is idolatries Apoc. 17. and superstitions hath made drunke the kings and inhabitants of the earth Now the idolatry of the Pope and church of Rome is manifold and grieuous As first to the bread in the sacrament which beeing a small creature they worship as their maker and redeemer neither doe they thinke that they can worshippe it enough and therefore in the worship thereof the chiefe part of their solemne seruice consisteth Secondly to the crosse and crucifix and images of the trinitie all which as they teach are to be worshipped with diuine worship and are so worshipped among them Thirdly to the blessed virgin Mary who hath beene worshipped among them as much or rather more then God Her they call their Lady and goddesse and queene of heauen In her they repose their trust and assiance to her they flie in their necessitie of her they craue all good things and from her they expect remission of sins and eternall saluation in honour of her they haue deuised and vsed diuerse seruices as offices letanies â—…osaryes psalters c. full of blasphemous idolatries Fourthly to Saints departed who haue succeeded the tutelar gods of the heathenish Romanes there beeing almost no cuntry city parish trade or profession which had not their seuerall Saints to patronize them no disease nor other calamity in themselues or their cattell for which they had not their peculiar saints as it were Auerruncos deos to turne away those euills from them In the merits of Saints they trust for remission of sinne and for eternall life Them they adore to them they pray and not onely them doe they worship but their images also and reliques Wherein the Papists are more grosse idolatours then the very heathen For the Gentiles did not worship the images themselues but the persons represented by them but the Papists hold that the very same worship is due to the image which belongeth to the person whom it resembleth To these notorious idolatries we may Papa solus nouas religiones creat approbat adde their diuerse counterfeit religions and orders deuised or authorized by the Pope which are so many by-pathes misleading men out of the onely true way which leadeth vnto heauen Antonin part 3. tit 22. cap. 5. §. 21. besides them innumerable traditions superstitions truÌ„peries and fooleries Vpon all which notwithstanding the fond people of al natioÌ„s in these parts of the world haue so straÌ„gely doted as that they may most truely be said to haue bene besotted and made drunke with the wine of the whore of Babylons fornications that is to say with the idolatries and superstitions of the Church of Rome 8. Vpon their spirituall adultery that is to say their manifolde grosse idolatry hath followed their carnall adultery vncleannesse For seing by their idolatry they had dishonoured Rom. 1. 24. God as the Gentiles did therefore the Lord hath giuen ouer them also to their harts lustes vnto vncleannesse Neither haue they onely beene guilty of vncleannesse in themselues but also the causes thereof in others whiles they extenuate the sinne of fornication as though it were but a veniall sinne and recken Cap. at si clerici extra de iudic adultery among the lesse and lighter offences whiles they dispense with these sinnes and giue men leaue to committe them without controlment or else assigne vnto them ridiculous punishments but especially whiles they forbidde mariage vnto all their clergy and mainteyne open stewes For in forbidding mariage they open a gappe to all vncleannesse Tolle de ecclesia saith Bernard honorabile coniugium thorum In Cant. serm 66. immaculatum nonne reples eam coÌ„cubinarijs incestuosis seminiâ—…uis mâ—…llibus masculoruÌ„ concubitoribus omni denique genere immundorum Take out of the Church honorable mariage and the bed vndefiled and doe you not fill it with keepers of concubines incestuous fellowes Gonorrhaeans and Sodomites in a word with all kinde of vncleane persons For proofe hereof read but the actes of English votaries who yet may not be coÌ„pared 〈◊〉 Bale with those of hotter countreis remember the suruey taken here in England before the dissolution of Abbeyes Vid. praesat I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 libri sui de actiâ—… Pontif. wherein our irreligious houses were found to be little better theÌ„ stewes of both sorts not to speake of their secular Priests who were knowne for the most parte to
in the primitiue church neither is it altogether misliked of vs although not much vsed among vs because it was so much abused by them But this ceremonie was done without vnction or chrisme for further proofe whereof see D. Fulke his answer to the Rhemists Acts. 8. 17. And therefore notwithstanding that ancient practise of the Church this Chrisme vsed in confirmation may belong to the marke of the beast And the rather because the Papists make their confirmation with Chrisme not onely a sacrament but also a most necessary and Principall sacrament So necessary as that they haue set it downe as a law that no man is to be esteemed a Christian without it Nunquam De consecrat dist 5. C. vt iciuni erit Christianus nisi confirmatione episcopals fuerit Chrismatus He shall neuer be a Christian who is not confirmed with Chrisme by a Bishop So principall as that they preferre it before Baptisme affirming that it is maiore veneratione venerandum with greater veneration to be reuerenced Now if it be a priuiledge De consecrat dist 5. C. de his vero peculiar vnto Christ the author and bestower of grace to ordaine Sacraments of grace then must it needes be accounted a practise Antichristian if any man shall take vpon him to ordaine a Sacrament and not onely to obtrude the same vpon all as necessary to saluation but also to preferre it before that excellent Sacrament of Baptisme ordayned by Christ himselfe Therefore as the ordayning and enforcing of this Sacrament vpon men is a note of Antichrist so those which doe not onely receiue it when they are young but also retaine it when they are olde remayning in the communion of the Church of Rome may be said to haue the marke of the beast 7. Secondly that to adhere to the Romaine Church was a marke of a true Catholicke before the yeere 606. he prooueth by 2. Romanae ecclesie adhaercre the authority of Augustine Ambrose and Victor Vticensis But we speake of the Church of Rome that now is that is the apostaticall Church of Rome he argueth of the ancient Church which was apostolicall Indeed whiles the Church of Rome did cleaue vnto Christ so long might it be a note of a good Christian to cleaue vnto it although these testimonies doe scarce proue it but after that Church became apostaticall and adulterous as appeareth by their fundamentall heresies and horrible Idolatries and consequently of a faithful Church became an harlot and of the Church of Christ the synagogue of Antichrist it hath beene the marke of an Antichristian to liue in the communion of that Church Besides this great difference betwixt the present and the ancient state of the Church of Rome there is also great oddes in the manner of adhering or cleauing thereto Then as other Churches did cleaue to the Church of Rome so did the Church of Rome cleaue to them now it acknowledgeth no Church besides it selfe Then the Church of Rome was accounted but a part of the Catholicke Church and so a man might be a good Christian although he were not of the Church of Rome now the Church of Rome alone must be accounted the Catholicke Church and consequently he that is not a member of that Church must not be taken for a Catholicke or true Christian. For when the Pope got the title of vniuersall Bishop or head of the vniuersall Church then the church whereof he was head was accounted the onely Catholicke and vniuersall Church Hereunto agreeth that Glosse Constat ecclesiam ideo esse vnam quia in vniuersali ecclesia est vnum caput suprem◅ Clementin Lib. 5. ad nostrum in gloss cui omnes de ecclesia obedire tenentur seil Papae It is euident that the Church is therefore one because in the vniuersall Church there is one supreame head whom all that are of the Church are bound to obey And agreeably therunto saith a late writer whose bookes were published at Venice in the yeere 1588. Non potest quis se Christianum fateri qui curae Papae dicit se non subesse No man may Rod. Cupers 127. num 29. professe himselfe to be a Christian who doth not confesse himselfe to be subiect to the Popes cure or charge And therfore in the conclusiō of his booke he professeth himselfe to be Mancipium S. R. E. The bond seruant of the holy church of Rome Non ignorans he saith haud possehaberese deum patrem si sanctam vniuersalem Romanam ecclesiam non habuerit matrem knowing that a man cannot haue God to be his father vnlesse he haue the holy vniuersall Church of Rome to be his mother Seeing therfore the Church of Rome is become the whore of Babylon as hath bene prooued and the synagogue of Antichrist seeing the Pope compelleth all men to cleaue to the church of Rome suffering none to buy or sel or to enioy any benefits of humane society which professe not themselues to be members of the Church of Rome it followeth that this cleauing to the Apostaticall Church of Rome or liuing in the communion thereof belongeth to the marke of the beast 8. Thirdly as touching the oth of obedience and fealty 3. Iura◅ium obedientiae made to the Pope of Rome Bellarmine prooueth that it was vsed in the time of Gregory the great and therefore before the yeere 606. as appeareth in the Epistles of Gregorie I answere that although Lib. 10. Epist 31. before the yeere 606. the Bishops of Rome tooke more vpon them then became the ministers of Christ yet Bellarmine is not able out of all antiquity to alleadge one example of such an oath of fealty and allegeance imposed by the Pope vpon forraine Bishops and much lesse vpon Kings and Princes as all Catholicke Bishops as they call them Priests graduates Princes and potentates are compelled to sweare vnto the Pope of Rome That one example which as it seemeth is all that he can alledge of an oath taken not long before the yeere 606. is little to the purpose For it is not an oath of obedience and allegeance to the Pope but of faith and religion towards God conformable to the faith and religion then professed by the Bishop and Church of Rome For it is the oath of a certaine Bishop who sweareth to renounce his former heresies and to professe and maintaine that faith and religion which then the Bishop and Church of Rome did professe which oath in effect is no otherwise to be vndestood then if a minister among vs being reclaimed from Popery or some other heresie should take an oath before a Bishop that whiles he liueth he will professe and maintaine that religion which is now professed and established in the Church of England and other reformed Churches which is not to sweare allegeance to them but the like allegeance with them vnto Christ. 9. Fourthly the annointing of Priests we confesse to be as ancient as the Priesthood of Aaron from
Paul that Christ hath loued thee or giuen himselfe for thee Gal. 2. 20. Must thou beleeue that Christ is thy Sauiour redeemer theÌ„ must thou beleeue that thou art redeemed by Christ and shalt be saued by him Must thou beleeue that thou hast redemption by Christ then must thou also beleeue that by him thou hast remission of sinnes Ephe. 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. But this to beleeue without speciall and extraordinary reuelation is damnable presumption saith the Papist Therefore they professe Christ but they receiue him not Nay they are so farre from receiuing Christ by a lustifying faith that they might be saued that they haue not so much as the historicall faith which consisteth in knowledge of the truth assent thereto For the most of them haue no knowledge pleasing themselues in their implicite faith vnder which name grosse palpable ignorace is commended in the laitie of the church of Rome And the rest assent not to the truth but set themselues against it So that whereas all the faith which they professe themselues to haue is but that faith which is also in the diuels yet they haue not euen that little which they do professe But the Apostle saith Bellarmine speaketh in the pretertence which haue not receiued the loue of the truth c. not in the future therefore this speech cannot be vnderstood of any other but those who before the Apostle wrote this had refused to beleeue the preaching of Christ his Apostles that is to say the Iewes Answ. The Apostle speaking both of the sinne of the Antichristians and of their punishment which presupposeth their sin going before he expresseth their sin in the pretertence which is to be referred not to the time of the Apostles writing but to the time of their punishment Antichrist shal be receiued of those that perish But why shal they perish because they haue not receiued the loue of the truth c. But this appeareth more plainly ver 12. God shal send theÌ„ stroÌ„g illusioÌ„s to beleeue lies that al may be condemned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that haue not beleeued that is that shall not haue beleeued the truth Qui non crediderint veritati but haue delighted that is but shall haue delighted in iniquitie Sed acquieuerint in iniustitia Conferre with this place Mar. 16. 16. Goe preach the Gospell saith our Sauiour Christ to euery creature baptising them as it is in Mathew 28. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hâ—… that hath Qui crediderit bap tizatus sueâ—…it c. beleeued and hath beene baptised shall be saued that is shall haue beleeued and shall haue bene baptised but he that hath not beleeued that is shall not haue beleeued shall be condemned Otherwise if Bellarmine will needes vrge the pretertense as though the Apostle meant that Antichrist should bee receiued onely of those who before that time had reiected the truth he must with all hold that Antichrist shall be receiued in the end of the world of those who died aboue 1500. years since 8 To these testimonies of scripture he addeth the authoritie of diuers Fathers who supposed that Antichrist was to be receiued of the Iewes and accordingly expound the place alledged out of 2. Thess. 2. 10. 11. Ans. So they held that Antichrist should come of the Tribe of Dan accordingly expounded some places of scripture which no man now vnlesse he will be too ridiculous can vnderstand of Antichrist Therefore as Bellarmine in that point answered a whole dozen of Fathers so may I answere here with as good reason that although this opinion might seeme probable to the Fathers in their time liuing before the reuelation of Antichrist yet now there is no probabilitie in it seeing it cannot onely not be proued out of the scripture but as you heard is confuted both by the scripture and the euent 9 Let vs therefore in the third place consider his reason Antichrist shall without doubt ioyne himselfe first and chiefly to those who are readie to receiue him But the Iewes are readie to receiue him not the Christians nor the Gentiles therefore Antichrist first and principally shall ioyne himselfe to the Iewes First to the proposition I answere that Antichrist shall ioyne himselfe not to any whatsoeuer but to those in the Church that are readie to receiue him For as Cyprian truly noteth They be the seruants of Epist. 1. lib. 1. God whom the diuell troubleth and they are Christians whom Antichrist impugneth Neque enim quaerit illos quos iam subegit aut gestit euertere quos iam suos fecit For he seeketh not those whom he hath alreadie subdued or desireth to ouerthrowe those whom hee hath already made his owne the enemie aduersary of the church whome hee hath estraunged and kept foorth of the Church them he neglecteth and passeth by as captiues and ouercome those he assaulteth in whom he perceiueth Christ to dwell If therefore Antichrist be ledde by the spirit of Sathan then no doubt he shall passe by both Iewes Insidels set himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Thess. 2. 4. that is both in the Church of God and against it that the vnsound he may seduce and the sound he may persecute The assumption standeth on two parts 1. affirmatiue that the Iewes are readie to receiue Antichrist 2. negatiue that the Christians and Gentiles are not readie to receiue him The former hee proueth because the Iewes do yet looke for their Messias who shall be a temporall King such a one as Antichrist shall bee But this reason is built on false suppositions First that Antichrist shall be one particular man which we haue proued to be false Secondly that Antichrist shall professe himselfe to be the Messias of the Iewes which as it hath bene disproued out of the scriptures so can it not with any colour of reason be proued out of the same For as hath bene shewed Antichrist is the head of the Catholike Apostasie or Apostate Christians sitting in BabyloÌ„ that is Rome professing her selfe the church of God being one of the seuen heads of the Romane state succeeding the â—…mperours in the gouernment of Rome c. Thirdly as Antichrist shall not be such a one as the expected Messias of the Iewes so there is no necessitie that there should such a one come to the Iewes as they expect The second part also of his assumption is false For although sound and constant Christians bee not readie to receiue Antichrist but alwayes haue bene readie to resist him euen vnto the death yet vnsound and back-sliding Christians who embrace not the loue of the truth that they might be saued either are as readie to receiue Antichrist as they are apt and prone to decline from the truth a searefull caueat to those which waxe wearie of the Gospell or alreadie haue reuolted from Christ to Antichrist haue receiued the marke of the beast Yea but Christians saith he doo not expect Antichrist as