promised to the perseuerant vnder this good precept o Reue. 2.10 Be thou faithfull vnto death and I will giue thee a Crowne of life The Reall and full definition of Antichrist § XVII The efficient the matter the forme the end now all put together will openly discouer what is this Great Antichrist to wit a man by ordinarie substitution succeeding another in a kingdome raised vp by Satan vpon the ruine of the Romane Empire and the liberalitie of Christian Princes through the pleasures of the world who being in opinion an Hereticke and a most wicked man in life couetously seeketh to imprint his Character vpon all men whomsoeuer coozeningly endeuoureth to doe signes and wonders and cruelly persequuteth in bloodie massacres the Saints of God in the middest of the Church sitting at Rome growing mysteriously in the Primitiue time but from the sixth hundreth sixtieth and sixth yeere after Christ openly manifest till his vtter destruction at the end of the world both for the blinding of the reprobate and the triall of the elect to the glory of God Eculmo spicam By the halfe you may know what the whole tale meaneth For by this definition thus prooued in all points we may easily perceiue what now in the second place we are to make search for Who is this Great Antichrist § XVIII Some The second Question Who is this Great Antichrist The first opinion as Iodocus Clicthoueus p Clicthou Commentar in Damascen l. 4. ca. 27 reporteth thought that this Great Antichrist was that Seducer Mahomet and his succeeding bloud-suckers Saracens and Turks But Cardinall q Bellar. lib. 3. de Pontif. cap. 3. Sanders Henriq Viguer c. Bellarmine together with all our other Papists which I could as yet euer read concerning this matter vtterly reiect this opinion as most false being indeede conuicted by the strength of Truth For first Mahomet and the Turkes had neuer any place of residence in the middest of the Church at Rome secondly hee neuer was a Prince Ecclesiasticall thirdly he could not by any reason bee accounted for an Heretike or an Apostate from that faith which hee neuer professed fourthly although hee began to raigne in Arabia r An. Dom. 623. vt Genebrard lib. 3. Chronolog much about the time when Antichrist did manifest his rising at Rome yet he neuer made himselfe an vniuersall Bishop and the Vicar of Christ as Antichrist did And therefore some other must be found out to be Antichrist The second opinion and the Truth The Pope is that Great Antichrist Proofes are two 1. From the Names 2. From the Nature or causes of Antichrist From the name are two 1. Literall 2. Mysticall The Literall Name § XIX Who I pray you then can this Antichrist be but Pontifex Romanus the Bishop or as they commonly now call him the Pope of Rome For both his name and his nature agree so fitly vnto that which we haue noted of the Great Antichrist that we may well conclude them to be both one so truly and fully as that now the Pope of Rome is the onely Great Antichrist and the Great Antichrist is only the Pope The name of both is litterall and mysticall The litterall name is Antichrist by which although the Pope bee not called totidem sillabis in those same sillables yet in the same sense he beareth that name if we marke the true Etymologie of the word Antichrist since first hee is so opposite vnto Christ Iesus both in doctrine and life as we shall finde hereafter in the application of the formall cause And secondly since he is commonly called by his chiefest Å¿ Bell. in praefat Tom. 2. ad Sixtii 5. Azor. in dedicat Tom. 1. ad Clem. 8. Flatterers Christi in terris Vicarius Christ his Vicar on earth ouer the Church of which being but t Extrauag Cömun lib. 1. tit 8. cap. 1. vbi sic Ecclesiae vnius vnicae vnum corpus vnum caput non duo capita quasi monstrum Chrisâ—us viz. Christi Vicarius Petrus Petrique successor c. one onely there is but one body one Head not two heads as if he were a Monster to wit Christ and Christs Vicar PETER and PETERS successour c. But howsoeuer they may cauill against this application of the litterall name the mysticall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 included in the number 666 more plainely agreeth vnto the Pope For who raigneth in Latio but only u Ex fictâ— Constantini donatione vide Laur. Vallam the Pope who maketh the Scriptures translated into the Latine tongue The mysticall name to be onely the Authentique Word of God but x Con. Trident. sess 4. decret 2. the Romish Pope onely who forbiddeth the vse of the Liturgie in any other language saue the Latine tongue onely but only the y Con. Trident. sess 22. can 9. Pope Yea marke how this mysterie of this name is made plaine For at that very time when the yeeres after Christ came vp to the number of sixe hundred sixtie and sixe Vitalianus a Musicall Pope notwithstanding through z Jn bello Longobardico inter Imperator barbaros vid. Ottonem Frisingens lib. 5. cap. 11 the misery of the time when hee liued there was more neede of praying then singing yet a Fascicul Tempor compilata historia Platina Balaeus Valero in Vitalian Magdeburgens Câ—nt 7. c. 6. Osiander Câ—nt 7. lib. 3. cap 10. brought into the Church singing of the Seruice the vse of Organes commanding that the Canonicall houres the Hymnes and other Ceremonies should onely bee celebrated in the Latine tongue A matter of mayne consequence since thereupon ignorance arose amongst all people now lulled as it were asleepe by the confused noyse of many voyces in an vnknowne tongue and vpon that ignorance an easie admittance of many grosse opinions if it carried the colour of aduancing deuotion although it was no better as their case then stood then b Act. 17.23 the Altar erected to an vnknowne God And therefore where some c Bell. in Apolog. pro Resp ad Reg. cap. 12. of our Aduersaries mocke at this our applying of this number to Vitalian Ob. since hee was in their opinion a zealous good man in whose time there was no such innouation or change in the Church as we pretend We answere for Vitalian Sol. that his goodnesse shall bee iudged of at the great Day of the Lord In the meane time we know that d 2. Cor. 11.13 14. Sathan himselfe is transformed into an Angell of light and his ministers as the Ministers of righteousnesse For secondly concerning the innouation and change which fell out to bee in the dayes of Vitalian Vitalian himselfe was the onely cause thereof by those his Ordinances for playing and singing Latine Hymnes in the Church since thereby e Luke 11.52 the Key of Knowledge was hidde when common people f Vide Polydor.
by the Spirit when they fight so much against the true working thereof by denying those Truthes which the Spirit doth testifie in the Word and deluding those Workes which the Holy Ghost effecteth in the conscience for comfort by strengthening the assurance of life eternall But why doe I vrge Grace to those who either refuse it or receiue it in vaine their hearts and consciences being hardened and feared They doe not onely grieue the Spirit The ninth Article infringed 1. By false members of the Church but abuse the Bride that is the holy Catholike Church and the Communion of Saints the subiect of the ninth Article first by accounting both x Bell. lib. 3. de Eccles Militante cap. 4. Heretikes and Reprobates to bee members thereof when my Text saith plainely y 1. Iohn 2.19 They were not of vs and our Sauiour himselfe saith z Iohn 15.6 If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned For as Saints are the members of Christ so are the wicked the members of the Deuill saith a Am. in Psal 37 Ambrose secondly 2. By holding the Church to bee onely visible by b Bell. lib. 3. de Eccle. Milit. c. 11 making the Catholike Church to bee visible onely when Dauid saith that c Psal 45.16 the Kings Daughter is all glorious within and our * Luke 17.24 Sauiour that the Kingdome of God is within you For because one part of this Catholike Congregation is Triumphant now in the Heauen of the Blessed secluded from our eyes and the other part scattered into a warfare here vpon Earth some secretly amongst Iewes Turkes and Heathen others openly in a visible particular Church wherein yet the best part are the fewest and knowne to God onely therefore the good men d Interrelig Caesariana c. 9. apud L. Osiand in Epitome hist Eccles Centur. 16. tom 1. lib. 2. cap. 68. of that Deuillishly-deuised Interim or hotch-potch religion penned and published by the sole Commandement of Charles the fifth ingeniously confesse that the Church as it consisteth of those members which liue according to Charitie is onely belonging vnto the Saints 3. In affirming that the Church cannot erre and in that respect spirituall and inuisible thirdly in holding that a particular visible Church such as e Bell. vbi supra they call the Church of Rome can neither erre in faith nor faile in state when yet experience sheweth what the Prophet f Esay 1.20.21 said of Ierusalem and the Church of the Iewes the holy Citie is become an Harlot it was full of iudgement righteousnesse lodged in it but now Murtherers thy siluer is become drosse thy wine mixt with water to bee fulfilled not onely in most of the Greeke Churches g Vid. Brierw Enquiries and Knollâ— his Turkish Historie both corrupted with the Heresies of Nestorius and Eutyches and now subuerted vtterly almost by the furie of the Turkes but also in the Church of Rome it selfe by the iudgement h Apud Gowlaâ—tium in Catalog tâ—st Veritat of Petrarch who alluding to the Prouerbe in Samnio nihil Samnij said Et Româ Romae nil reperi mediâ I found nothing of Rome in Rome For the i Mat. 13.38 Deuill is alwaies ready to sow his Tares of Heresie and Iniquitie and the Church through the allurements of the flesh and the World very apt to retaine them whereupon GOD in iudgement many times remooues the k Reuel 2 4. Candlesticke out of his place that as the Moone which receiueth her Light from the Sunne sometimes shineth cleerely when the Sunne-beames are not hindred and sometimes is eclipsed and darkened in the shadow of the Earth interposed betweene the two bright bodies of the Sunne and Moone it is a similitude vsed by good l Sadeel lib. de legitima Ministorum vocatione D. Whitaker de Eccles q 3. cap. 3. arg vltimo learned men borrowing it of m Ambros lib. 4 Hexan cap. 7. August Ep. 80. ad Hesych some Ancient Fathers so the Church which receiueth all her light of Truth from the Sunne of Righteousnesse Iesus Christ sometimes flourisheth in the bright Profession of the Truth not hindered or crossed by the Cloudes of Errour and sometimes lyeth desolate vnder the darke shaddow of Hereticall Opinions interposed by the Deuill betweene Christ and his Chosen Congregation visible which when it once came vnto Christian Princes became greater in Power and Riches saith n Hieronym in vita Malchi 4. By wrong marking the Church with vnproper Notes Hierome but lesse in Vertue fourthly by assigning such notes and markes to the Church as marre her but marke her not some being false markes as the o Bellar. lib. 4. de Eccles mil. cap. 14. power of Miracles for p Tharasius in Concil Nic. 2. Actione 4. ex 1. Cor. 14.22 Signes are done for Vnbeleeuers q Math. 7.21 Autor oper Impers hom 19. many times by such some true but not fitly agreeing to the particular but to the generall onely as Antiquitie and Vniuersalitie for this is the right Catholicisme r Ex regula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apud Aristot lib. 1. Poster cap. 4. of the whole Church from the beginning of the World lastly others being both true and fit to a particular visible Congregation but not well vnderstood as Succession which Å¿ Bellar. lib. 4. de Eccles mil. cap. 8. they take to bee personall whereas it is the succession of Doctrine that t Tertullian lib. de praescript aduers haer cap. 21. prooueth a Church to be Apostolicall But what need I so strictly examine their markes They u Vid. D. Whitaker q 5. de Eccles cap. 1. B. Keck rm system theolog lib. 3. cap. 6. make indeed so many that a reasonable man may well thinke that they haue not one true marke amongst them some reckoning foure as Costerus some sixe as Sanders some twelue as Cunerus some fifteene as Bellarmine and some full twentie as Socolouius whereas if this bee a true rule which all the x Hieronym in Psa 133. August lib. 11. de Ciuit. Dei cap. 1. Albert. Magnus Comment in Luc. 13. best Diuines allow for a maxime in Theologie that nothing marketh out a Church but that which maketh vp a Church the Church shall haue but one onely proper and essentiall marke to wit the Word of God effectually preached vnto which if we adde the true administration of the two Sacraments Baptisme and the Eucharist as Seales to an Indenture we haue the full marke of a particular visible Congregation of Christ if besides diuers Ancients wee stand to the iudgement of y Apud T.M. celeber Doctor p 1. Apolâ—g lib. 2. cap. 28.39 c. learned Papists who conuicted in conscience subscribe to this truth deliuered in the z Interrelig Caesarian
full like the Sunne euer shining like the Sea alwayes flowing like the Fountaine euerlasting h Horat. ad Carn sedul beâ—tâ— pleno copia cornu a blessed plentie from the i Psal 132.16 budâ—ing horne of saluâ—tion k Luke 1 6â— raised vp by the mightie God of Israel for vs in the house of his seruant Dauid Reason drawne from the proportion of faith enforceth our consent vnto this truth because in this Supremacie there cannot be either a fellow equall or a deputie substituted to our Sauiour Christ For he alone is first in respect of his person the l Iohn 1.14 only begotten Sonne of God both as God in the forme m Phil. 2.6 of God thinking it no robberie to be equall with God with whom n Iohn 17.5 before the world was he had that glorie o Esay 42.8 which he will not giue vnto another no creature being capeable of that glorie since p Exod. 33.20 no man can see God and liue and as Man only coÌ„ceiued q Luke 1.35 by the ouershaddowing of the Holy Ghost onely r Matth. 1.23 borne of the pure Virgin Mary only receiuing Å¿ Iohn 3 34. the Spirit without measure only like to t Heb. 4.15 man in all things sinne only excepted secondly in regard of his office as he is the u Heb. 9.15 Mediator of the New Testament both for Redemption since x Esay 63.2 hee hath trodden the Winâ—-presse alone and for Intercession since he y Rom. 8.35 alone sitteth at the right hand of God making continuall Intercession for vs. For this his Office of a Mediatour he himselfe alone performeth First as he is the only Prophet who z Iohn 6.68 hath the words of eternall life being the only a 1. Pet. 5.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe of the Sheepe Secondly as hee is the only Priest of the New Testament after the b Psal 110.4 order of MELCHISEDECH c Heb. 7.24 continuing for euer in an vnchangeable Priesthood in that first d Heb. 10.14 by one offering once offered hee hath perfected for euer them that are sanctified and then e Heb. 7.25 liueth for euer to make intercession for vs. Thirdly as he is a King who for f Psal 93.1 euer raigneth alone g Reuel 17.14 King of Kings they h Prou. 8.14 raigning by him and Lord of Lords who for him decree iudgement i Lucan lib. 1. Pharsal Nulla fides regni socijs omnisque potestas Impatiens consortis erit Kings will haue no Copartners The Heauen k Plutarch in Apophthegmat said ALEXANDER hath but one Sunne to shine and the Church yea and the World hath but one l 1. Cor. 8.6 God who is Father of all and one Christ who is Lord of all So that well might the Ancient Fathers of the Primitiue Church 3. Regula vpon these good grounds assent vnto this Truth As first for the Greek Church three namely Clement of Alexandria m Clement Alex lib. 3. Paed. cap. 12. who plainely auoucheth that Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The onely Master 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The good Counsell of the good Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The proper true Wisedome the sanctification of our knowledge n Origen lib. 6. contr Celsum tom 2. p. 762. Origen who from the same great Schoole disputing against Celsus aptly resembleth the Church to a Body Christ the Sonne of God to the Soule and all the faithfull to the members of this vniuersall Body because as the soule quickneth and mooueth the body which of it selfe hath no liuely motion so That Word stirring vp the body by a wonderfull force vnto those things which it ought to doe mooueth altogether euery member of the Church doing nothing without reason And Gregorie Nyssen who expounding that sentence in the Canticles His o Cantic 5.11 head is as the most fine gold concludeth it p Gregor Nyssen in Cantic or 13. to be Christ not as God only but also as Man the Branch of virginitie without blot of sinne since the Head of the body the Church and the first fruits of all our nature is pure gold and farre from all mixture of vitiousnesse Secondly for the Latine Church three other as good and great men as the former to wit Cypâ—ian q Cyprian in Concil Carthaginensi thus speaking in the Councell of Carthage of the paritie of Bishops concludeth Let vs all expect the Iudgement of our Lord Iesus Christ who one alone hath power both to preferre vs in the gouernment of the Church and to iudge of our actions Ambrose who discoursing vpon that place in the Prouerbs The r Prou. 8.28 Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old thus reasoneth By this Å¿ Ambros lib. 3. de sid cap. 4. Christ proueth himselfe to be God eternall because he is the beginning of all things and the Authour of euery vertue because hee is the Head of the Church And lastly Saint Augustine next vnder t Vid Kemnit in orat de Lecti Patrum Christ and his holy Apostles amongst the Doctors of the Church the greatest Pillar of Christianitie who many times sweetly redoubleth vpon this point saying Quia u August conâ— 3. in Psal 37. caput nostrum Christus est corpus capitis illius nos sumus Because Christ is our Head we are the Body of that Head Omnes qui ab initio saeculi fuerunt iusti caput Christum habent All the righteous who haue liued euer since the World began haue Christ for their Head And in another place thus x Idem in Psal 139. If Christ be an Head Christ is the Head of some Body the Body of that Head is the holy Church in whose members we are if we loue our Head But against this truth some may oppose these words of S. Paul Ob. y 1. Cor. 3.9.10 Wee are labourers together with God yee are Gods husbandry yee are Gods building according to the grace of God which is giuen vnto mee as a wise Master-builder I haue layd the foundation and another buildeth thereon For here it seemeth that Christ hath the Apostles both for his fellow-labourers and to be Master-builders as well as he But yet Christ is all in all and the Apostles Sol. with other his faithfull Seruants rightly called first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fellow-labourers secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Master-builders For first they are z Vid. Keckerman lib. 1. syst Log. cap. 15. pag. 135. Fellow-labourers onely as they are Instrumenta animata Liuely Instruments as Seruants to their Master Souldiers to their Captaine moouing onely of themselues as they are directed by their first moouer according as all other second causes mooue not vnlesse they be mooued by an higher cause as the a Aristotel lib. 8 Physic cap. 5. Philosophers axiome is
Pelagius maketh this plaine conclusion of as the third m Gloss 10. Fan. ibid. principall point of that distinction Vniuersalis autem nec etiam Romanus Pontifex appelletur The Bishop of Rome must not bee called vniuersall But marke a distinction Ob. n Bellar. vbi supra Sanders li. 7 de Vis Monarch num 447. the name of vniuersall Bishop is to be vnderstood two wayes first so as he that is vniuersall Bishop be vnderstood to bee the onely Bishop of all Christian Cities so that the rest are not Bishops but onely his Vicars who is called the vniuersall Bishop and so this name is truely prophane and sacrilegious as Gregorie thought but secondly he may be called vniuersall Bishop who hath a generall care of the whole Church so as hee doth not exclude particular Bishops as in GREGORIES opinion the Bishop of Rome may bee called vniuersall Bishop Sol. But to answere him and all their Crue who euer vnderstood vniuersall for one only singular man but they who might well know that IOHN sought not to be Bishop alone but as Gregorie expoundeth the Title o Gregor lib. 4. Ep. 38. to put all Christs members vnder him by the name of vniuersall Bishop and so to bee the chiefe of Bishops or to speake us IOHNS language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Bishop of all the habitable World a proud Title for one man there being by the order p Concil Nicaen 1. Can. 6. Constantinopolit 1. Can. 5 vid. Iunij Animaduers in Bellar. contr 3. lib. 2. cap. 12. nota 46. of the Church foure Patriarchs who had this name equally according as their Iurisdictions were equall in their parts allotted to them as the Romane Bishop had Italie and the West the Bishop of Antioch had Syria and the East the Bishop of Alexandria had Afrike and the South and the Bishop of Constantinople had Thrace Greece Asia-Minor and the North the Patriarch of Hierusalem being more for honour then neede and yet somewhat conuenient to decide doubts by an odde voice if it were so required For wee find not only this name of vniuersall Bishop giuen by q Iustinian Cod. lib. 1. tit 5. l. 7. Emperours to the other Patriarchs as well as to the Bishop of Rome but also by the Bishop of Rome himselfe thus writing r Concil Nicaeno 2. act 2. THARASIO Generali Patriarchae ADRIANVS seruus seruorum Dei To THARASIVS Generall so hee readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patriarch ADRIAN seruant of the seruants of God Wherfore as Iohn transgressed the bounds of modestie and order by his affection so doth the Pope swarue farre from all humanitie by his vsurpation of this title which neither could Å¿ Platina in Bonifac 3. Phocas giue nor Boniface take nor other Popes after assume as their right without preiudice to the other three Patriarchs as t Apud Gratia vbi supia Pelagius reasoned yea and as it is proued afterward when vpon this Chiefedome the Pope did not onely ouersway the other three Patriarchs but all Bishops besides not fearing to bee called by his u August Anconitanit q. 19. art 3. Flatterers Immediatum Episcopum cuiusque Ecclesiae The immediate Bishop of euery Church Is this to preach Christ Iesus the Lord Is this to follow Peter who did not x Act. 10.26 suffer Cornelius to fall downe before him because he was a man No no it is with proude y Act. 12.20 Herod to take to him the name of GOD. But what saith their z Gratian. dist 40. c. 12. Canon Law out of Chrysostome a In oper Imperfect in Mat. homil 43. Whosoeuer desireth Primacie in earth shall finde confusion in heauen neither shall he be reckoned amongst the seruants of Christ that dealeth for supremacie For b Prou. 16.5 all the proud in heart are an abomination vnto the Lord and amongst men they shall finde that c Prou. 25.27 to seeke their glory is no glory since glory is d Beza emblemat 32. like the Crocodile it will follow them that flee it and flee them that follow it that Bernard might well exclaime thus against this vanitie in the Prelates of his time e Bernard lib. 3 de Consid ad Eugen. O ambitio ambitientium crux quomodo omnes torquens omnibus places O ambition the Crosse of proud men how dost thou please all and yet torment all Wherefore I conclude this iust correction of Popish pride too cleerely made knowne to the World by these titles with the words of Saint CYPRIAN f Cyprian lib. de Vnitate Ecclesiae Nemo fraternitatem mendicio fallat Let no man deceiue the brotherhood by a lye Nemo sidei veritatem perfidâ praeuaricatione corrumpat Let no man corrupt the truth of faith by faithlesse deceiuing Episcopatus vnus est cuius a singulis in solidum pars tenetur There is one Bishopricke of which part is holden by euery one wholly Yet secondly hence that Christ Iesus is the onely supreme Head of the Catholike Church 2. Of Caution wee are not onely to correct Popish errour but also to giue good Caution to our selues for the right vnderstanding of the Kings most Royall Maiestie his Title which we most lawfully and iustly ascribe vnto his most Excellent Person and vnto all and euery his lawfull Heyres and Successors in the Oath of Supremacie when we acknowledge g Vid Oath of Supremacie in 1. Eliz. cap. 1. apud Rastall tit Crowne his Maiestie to be Supreme Gouernour of this Realme and of all other his Highnesse Dominions and Countreyes as well in all Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall things and causes as Temporall For hereby wee giue but h Matth. 22.21 Caesar his due euen vnder Christ such a power and authoritie as not onely Scripture assigneth him when it willeth vs i 1. Pet. 2.13 to submit our selues to the King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 k B. Tonstal in his Sermon before K. Henrie the eight as vnto him who hath aboue all others a Chiefedome or Headship such as Dauid l Psal 18.43 had ouer the Nations yea and m 1. Sam. 15.17 Saul ouer the Tribes but also reason enforceth vs to yeeld in regard both of his Name of his Nature as hee is a King For what is his name In Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as some n Auenar in Lexic thinke of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that it is the Kings Office o Pet. Martâ—â— in 1. Reg. 3.7 to goe in and out before his people in all good gouernment as Salomon desired p 2. Chro. 1.10 Wisedome therefore In Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q Etymolog con 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the foundation of the people because on him is settled their safetie being r 2 Sam. 18.3 worth ten thousand of them In Latine Princeps Å¿ Gregor Tholosanus lib. 6. de
neere at hand although euery z Deut. 19.19 man blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace though I walke in the imagination of mine heart to adde Drunkennesse to thirst as if a Esay 28.15 they had made a couenant with death and with hell were at an agreement But certainly when b 1. Thes 5.3 they shall say Peace and safetie then sudden destruction commeth vpon them as trauaile vpon a woman with childe and they shall not escape For c Prou. 16.5 euery one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord though hand ioyne in hand he shall not bee vnpunished Thirdly concerning the Reuelation of Antichrist we shall hereafter in this Discourse find him painted out in his colours by the Spirit of God In the meane time wee may obserue the neerenesse of the last end by the complement of the fourth signe to wit the Conuersion and restoring of the Iewish Nation vnto the faith of Christ For although in the iudgement of many d Zegedin loc comm pa. 36. Bucan Instit loc 38. q. 15. godly and learned men it is not yet knowne when and how this Conuersion of the Iewes shall be accomplished because it is not reuealed in the Word of God whether it shall be a Conuersion visible or inuisible totall or partiall made all at once or by succession yet is this certaine that many thousand Iewes by Iames his e Act. 21.20 report in the time of the Apostles beleeued and f Vid. Act. Monument pag. 886. that in euery age of the Church some of them haue bin baptized into Christ g Vid. Marlar in Rom. 11.25 that vnto the end of the World some of them shall daily be conuerted that so our Sauiour might fulfill in due time that his Prophesie h Ioh. 10.16 Other sheepe I haue which are not of this sold them also must I bring and they shall heare my voice and there shall be one Folde and one Shepheard Neuerat eos in turba furentium praeuidebat eos in pace credentium saith i August Tract 47. in Ioh. Saint AVGVSTINE hee knew them in the company of the madly roging and foresaw them in the peace of the godly beleeuing For howsoeuer their moderne Synagogues be most Satanicall and deadly Aduersaries to the truth of Christianitie as appeareth by their doctrine and customes discouered by the learned man k Buxtorf in Synagog Iudaic. Buxtorfius yet some may be true Israelites and in their time also bee truely conuerted vnto the faith of Christ since as Petrus l Galat. lib. 1. de arcanis sid Cathol cap. 4. Galatinus hath well distinguished the condition of the Iewes after Christs Resurrection some of them follow Christ fide opere both in saith and in worke as old m Act. 5.39 Gamaliel in the Talmud famous and the great Rabbi Haccanas Nehumiae filius other some cleaue to him fide nō opere by faith not by work because they are zealous of the Law withall as the Iewes in the n Act. 21.20 Acts and the Historian Iosephus but others will not follow Christ nec side nec opere neither by faith nor by worke although they cannot deny the Truth which they seeing to bee fulfilled will yet in the obstinacie of their hearts conceale And may not some of these last sort returne Lodouicus Carettus Iohannes Isaacus Immanuel Tremellius and diuers other most famous Conuerts of the Iewish Nation are euident proofes of a present reconciliation of Israel vnto Christ euen in these last dayes wherein the Gentile fulnesse is past since Mahomets Musulmans doe now possesse the middest true Christians being extruded into the outmost parts of this our Hemisphere as is plaine by the o Apud Petr. Plaut Io. Magin in Tabul Ptolom de Asia Africa Maps both of the Turkish and Persian Kingdomes But howsoeuer this Conuersion of the Iewes shall be the end is neere since the first signes are past and the second sort begin to approch in the first of them that now wee may daily looke for the complement of the two last to wit the amazement of the Reprobates and wrapping vp of the visible Heauens for our happy deliuerance out of this miserie that we may bee partakers of the onely blessed Kingdome in greatest glory as p Titus Bostre in Luc. 21. Aquin in Caten ibid. one said well Ipse aduentus Domini climinans omnium principatum potestatem praeparat Regno Dei The comming of Christ destroying the rule or chiefedome of all others prepareth a power for the Kingdome of God § VII Wherefore hence I conclude with the Apostle Saint Peter that now q 1. Pet. 4.7 since the end of all things is at hand we therefore must bee sober and watch vnto Prayer For this is the double vse of the Doctrines proposed first for Sobrietie and secondly The first vse of the two former doctrines and the first part of it for Watchfulnesse For Sobrietie both in opinion and life In opinion and iudgement as the Apostle doth warne that r Rom. 1◠3 No man thinke of himselfe more highly then he ought to thinke but that hee thinke soberly according as God hath dealt to euery man the measure of faith For as Salt seasoneth euery thing and therefore by the ſ Leuit 2.13 Law they were to season with Salt euery Oblation of the meate Offering euen so a sober discretion in iudgement is the most wholesome condiment to all our Meditations since it maketh the minde peaceable and the tongue seasonable as therefore our Sauiour speaketh for the former Haue t Mark 9.50 Salt in your selues and haue peace one with another and Saint Paul for the latter u Coloss 4.7 Let your speech be alwayes with grace seasoned with Salt that yee may know how yee ought to answere euery man For as x Bernard Ser. 3. de Circumcis Dom. Bernard sayth well The light of discretion is the Mother of Vertues and the consummation of perfection when according to the y Horat. de Arte poetic Poets rule Singula quaeque locum teneant sortita decenter Every thing keepeth his owne proper place in a comely sort as z Prou. 16.23 The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth and addeth learning to his lips For that we may apply these things vnto this very particular a question is made when our Sauiour shall come at the end of the World but omnino importunè altogether vnseasonably saith Saint a August lib. 18 de Cim Dei c. 53 Augustine because if it had beene expedient for vs to haue knowne it of whom should it haue beene spoken better then of God himselfe the Master to his Disciples demanding the question since he plainly professed vnto his Disciples that b Ioh 15.15 because they were his friends all things that he had heard of his Father he had made knowne vnto
Synechdoche for all the knowne World by its habitation since euen through all the habitable World then knowne to Geographers the sound of the Gospell hath passed by z Rom. 10.18 the Apostles after their dispersion abroad from Hierusalem if we may relye vpon the report of a Euseb lib. 3. Eccles hist cap. 1 Nicephor lib. 2. per totum ancient and b Genebrard lib. 3 Chronolog Bisciola ad Anaâ—â— Christ 44. late Historians or truely and plainely for the whole World indeed which although it now doth not professe the faith of Christ scarce in c M. Edw. Brierwood in his Enquiries touching Languages and Religions cap. 14. the sixth part for it is neere the ending when faith will bee growne very scant vpon the earth yet might haue had and holden this word of faith long before this time d Luke â—8 8 since it is not ouer-clouded in e Hieronym in Math. 24. any part thereof with inuincible ignorance God being so kinde and mercifull to all men as to send them some light of Truth either by the works of Nature ordinary and extraordinary or by the word of grace preached f Vid. Witaker in resp ad 5. demonsh at Sanderi qu. 5. de Pontif. Rom. ca. 2 euen in China and in the Indians by those three who were called Thomas so much praysed and celebrated for their generall preaching of the Word throughout the World by that great learned man Mr. Doctor Stapleton in his Booke De tribus THOMAS Secondly Part. 2 wee answere vnto their latter part of the Minor that the name of the Romane Empire is yet remayning but the Kingdome is abolished and quite defaced since first there is not scarce one Acre of ground which properly and absolutely belongeth to the Emperour as hee is called Emperour of the Romanes because what he now hath in possession in Hungarie Bohemia Carinthia Silesia c. g Vid. Sleidan lib. 5. 6. Commentar is by right of inheritance from his most illustrious Progenitors of Austria and Hungaria yee and the free Cities in Germanie are not subiect to the Emperours absolutely but according to certaine conditions and couenants expressed and contayned in their seuerall Charters h Vid. Onuphr lib. 3. Rom. Antiquitat qui est de Jmper Romano most of them being situated without the Ancient Pale of the Romane Empire vnder which they continued but a small time being the last conquered and the first recouered Secondly there is not now a Romane Emperour by our Aduersaries owne report for till the Pope i Aurea bulla Caroli Quarti cap. 2. crowne him who is by the seuen Princes Electors chosen and called King of the Romanes they might more truely say of the Germanes they k Clementin li. 2. tit 9. de Iuram lib. 1. Câ—rem Rom. Eccles §. 5. cap. 1. â—ellar lib. 3. de translat Iâ—â—erâ— ca. â— 3 c. account him no Emperour Now since CHARLES the Fifth the Pope hath not set the Crowne Imperiall vpon any mans head neither is it likely that either hee will or shall since there is a barre betweene Germanie and Rome which is not passable by the Emperours Forces euen the power of the Venetians and the King of Spayne in Italie who with the great Duke of Tuscia and other petty Potentates haue vsurped vpon the Rights of the Empire so long a time that they l Iuxta leges Imperiales ss de diuers tâ—mâ—or possess l. 3. longae Cod. lib. 7. tit 31. l. 1. may now prescribe against the right owner Wherefore the wise Bononians m Apud Cornel. Agripp in historâ—aÌ„ de duptici Caesaris Coronat cap. 5. might very well ominate by the breach of that Bridge vpon which Charles the Fifth entred into the great Church there vnto his coronation that not any man euer after should be crowned for Emperour yea and Lypsius n J. Lipsius in praefat lib. de magnitudine Rom. Imperij might very truely hold that all what remaines of the Romane Empire standeth onely vnder the Pope whose Imperiall both Seate and Senate is at Rome So that their former doubt opposed against our Demonstration is so throughly cleered that we may notwithstanding their wrangling allegations of the Gospell not published throughout the World and the present state of the Germane Empire well conclude the Pope to bee that great Antichrist § XXVI The latter exception against our demonstration But now the later scruple is of greater difficultie and indeede very much preiudiciall to our assertion since it is as some thinke contrarie to the iudgement of some of our best and deepest Protestant Diuines such as o Zanchius lib. 2. Miscellan Zanchius and others who deny the Pope to bee that great Antichrist described in Scripture Our answere yet I must needs say againe that since these great and good men be worthy of all true and most reuerent respect for their profound learning and sincere life they are not to be brought forth as opposites to that truth which p Luther lâ—b de Captiuit Babylon Caluin lib 4. Iustit cap. 7.15 Hâ—shâ—sius lib. de sâ—xcentis Papistorum error ca. 23 others of as great learning and sound iudgement haue deliuered out of the most sacred Scriptures especially for that they deliuer nothing against vs demonstratiuely but vpon meere probabilities as q Zanch. vbi supra in Confessione themselues confesse while they professe plainely that this is their opinion concerning Antichrist to wit 1. That the Pope is Antichrist and his Kingdome Antichristian 2. That this hindreth not but that there may come in the end of the world some one notorious Antichrist who may doe Miracles and other such great things as are probably collected from the Scriptures and firmely asserted by the ancient Fathers A graue and good sentence agreeable to the Truth if we respect the matter howsoeuer in the manner of the reuealing of this Antichrist they seeme to runne into Popish Tents onely vpon a peaceable minde and zealous affection towards some of the Ancient Fathers especially for the Greekes r Damascen li. 4. Orthodox sid cap. 27. DAMASCENE and for the Latines Å¿ August lib. 20 de Ciuitate Dei per totum AVGVSTINE who liuing before the sixe hundredth yeere after Christ defined this matter onely vpon coniectures according to that tradition which is recorded in t Hyppolyt Orat de consummat saec Antichristo tom 2. Biblioth sanct Patrum Hyppolitus his Oration concerning Antichrist an Author most iustly u Sixtus Senens lib. 4. Bibli suspected to be counterfeited and yet if hee were true he is no sound warrant for vs to build our faith vpon concerning Antichrist For although the authoritie of ancient Fathers bee of great force in the litterall exposition of the Scriptures out of which wee haue most fully declared the former question What is that great Antichrist yet haue
5.11 from sinners But such then are openly knowne for secret tares must x Math. 13.30 stand till haruest If some aske Why so Sol. I answere Because man may in partialitie plucke vp wheate for tares and let tares grow for wheate Therefore God who is neuer deceiued neither can be corrupted reserueth that iudgement vnto himselfe to be reuealed sometimes in this world by some notorious iudgement but certainely hereafter in the world to come as Gregorie Nyssen y Gregor Nyss lib. de Resurrect anima ad sor pag. 193. hath worthily expounded that point of the Parable Let them grow till the haruest saying The Husbandman letteth alone amongst vs some adulterous seedes not that they should alwayes preuaile against the more precious Corne but that the ground by its inward strength may wither and dry vp some of the branches and make others of them flourishing and fruitfull which if it be not done here then doth he reserue the discerning of the fruit of the field vnto the fire But be it so that the Church is here spotlesse the second point is most false that their Churches and Congregations or Conuenticles rather and Satanicall Synagogues are pure and perfect For to rake vp this Sinke a little and make knowne their filthynesse and abominations marke their doctrine They z Vid. L. Osian M. Barnard vbi supra denie the old Testament they hold it vnlawfull for any man to take an Oath before a Magistrate they forbidding the Baptisme of children allow rebaptizing and sebaptizing as SMITH baptized himselfe they hold Iustification by the works of Regeneration they hold all things to be common euen Wiues whom they diuorce without iust cause they deny Magistracie pretending libertie but practising licenciousnesse For looke into their liues a little Are they not phantasticall depending vpon Enthusiasmes Are they not schismaticall making rents without reason Are they not Coozeners deluding the simple Are they not proud deriding the godly Are they not debauched in all filthy Venerie Are they not disobedient to all good Order by confused Anarchie I neede not send you further to seeke how these men liue then to Amsterdam and the Low Countries where they a Esay 59.4 hatch Cockatrice egs and weaue Spiders webs b Vid Sleidan lib. 5. 10. Commentar Swenckfeldians were manifest in the rebellious rusticks of Germanie Anabaptists by those who were suppressed at Mounster and our English Brownists discouer themselues too farre by their manifold exorbitancies against God King Church Common-wealth and their owne fellowes if we may beleeue c Tho. White his discouerie of Brownists Master White and others who haue seene them and conuersed with them Therefore pleade they for perfection as much as they please we know that all is not Gold which glistereth we find that they are d Prou. 30.12 not cleane from their wickednesse but that they are the very broode of the auncient Montanists Manichees Nouatians Donatists and Priscillianists making shew without substance and as they began idlely so ending odiously by the iudgement of God who will not suffer them to raigne any long time that Truth may preuaile So that now deare brethren leauing these three kind of Perfectists vnto Gods iust correction let vs in the feare of God take direction the second vse of our doctrine hereby vnto spirituall growth and proceeding in pietie 2. For direction as wee are very often mooued thereunto first by S. Paul e Ephes 4.15 following the truth in loue grow vp vnto him in all things which is the head euen Christ Secondly by S. Peter f 2. Pet. 3.18 grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ For as Leo well g Leo Ser. 8. de Pass dom cap. 8. obserued Qui non proficit deficit qui nihil acquirit nonnihil perdit He that goeth not forward runneth backward and he that getteth nothing loseth some-what because his loue chilleth his hope halteth and faith faileth who runneth not forward to gaine the Crowne For no h Luke 9.62 man hauing put his hand to the plow and looking backe is fit for the kingdome of God since as Tertullian i Tertull. lib. de Idololatr cap. 12 iudged well sepelire patrem tardum fuit fidei to pretend for excuse against spirituall proceeding the buriall of our father is a slowing of faith that should be alwayes liuely And therefore as the old Romanes k Apud Plin. lib. 18. cap. 19. vsed to say Arator nisi incuruus praeuaricatur The plow-man vnlesse he lye hard vpon the Plow-stilt may make balks in goodland So may we say of a Christian that vnlesse he presse very hard towards the marke he l 1. Cor. 9.26 beareth but the aire he cannot attaine to what he seeketh since we m Luke 13.21 must striue against flesh and bloud to enter in at the strait gate It may be that many blocks are laid in our way some by aduersitie some by prosperitie But what saith holy Dauid The n Psal 92.12 righteous shall flourish like a Palme tree he shall grow like a Cedar in Libanon like a Palme tree in aduersitie and like a Cedar in prosperitie For as the o Gellius lib. 3. cap. 6. Palme groweth higher and spreadeth it selfe broader the greater the waight is which is laid vpon it so the truly godly the more they are pressed with afflictions for the Gospels sake the more they grow in the goodnesse thereof as Hilarie p Hilar. lib. 7. de Triuit said very well of the Church Hoc Ecclesiae proprium est vt tum vincat cum laeditur tum intelligatur cum arguitur tum obtineat cum descritur This is the propertie of the Church then to ouercome when it is hurt then to be vnderstood when it is reprooued then to obtaine when it is forsaken And as the Cedar q Plin. lib. 16. cap. 40. wheresoeuer it grow neuer feeleth the worme but alwayes is found so a good man wheresoeuer he liue yet carrieth a sound conscience without a gnawing worme no pleasure either pussing or pampering him vp who r Phil. 4.12 can want and abound taking euery thing for an help to set him forward vnto all perfection Are we men in nature Be not Dwarfes in Grace God my brethren hath in his goodnesse towards vs his children in Great BRITAINE giuen many many Motiues and meanes to this perfection but especially foure as first the Word preached neuer before so plentifully or so purely as it hath been of late yeers to our wonderfull comfort while we profit thereby as to their vtter ouerthrow and condemnation who bring not foorth fruites worthy of it For it is as desperate Physicke as euer Parâ—celsus gaue Å¿ 2. Cor. 2.16 either the sauour of life vnto life or else the sauour of death vnto death Secondly good examples of many great and good Worthies of Israel who going before prouoke