their children nephues alliaunce and kinsfolkes ther should not of S. Petres most ample and most riche patrimonie scarce so muche as a cotage returne to their successours Wherfore seing these great and most notorious wickednesses wherwith they defile them selues are most notably knowne euen to the coÌ„moÌ„ people we nede not to be oner loÌ„g in speakig of their daily vsed naughtynesse For inasmuche as though they are the most shameles of al men yet they can not by any mouthe saye naye to this gayre what nede we to talke of their intemperauÌ„ce ruffionyng glâ—â—â—nie horekeping of their most waÌ„ton sayeÌ„ges doinges And if you lust let theÌ„ be witnesses that be the louingest fauourours of the see of Rome which haue ben not the seers of this gayre only but also a great parte theÌ„ selues And yet they shall neuer be hable either to clooke or to excuse this stynking synke of mischieues and this horrible hell of wicked doinges by any reasones that euer they can make Therfore this furst title that Paule geueth them is expounded or elles I am begyled playnly ynough and largely ynough agayne and therof also it is most manifest that the same title agreeth wyth no man in the worlde better than with the bishop of Rome forsomuche as out of his doctrine and example of lyuing all these abominacions which we haue made rehearsal of flowe as out of a most plenteously springing fouÌ„taine all which are contrarily repugnaunt against the veritie of faythe against the lawe of charitie against the innocencie of lyfe The seconde title that the Apostle Paule decketh Antichrist wythall is The sonne of perdicion that he nameth him The sonne of perdicion But this title we must nedes take twoo maner of wayes that is to saye both actiuely and passiuely so as furst he is in dede lost and daÌ„ned him selfe than he also loseth destroyeth al those that be his complices and folowers and maketh them bonde slaues to euerlasting death and damnacion But after what sorte this title also is aptely fitte for the bishop of Rome it maye be declared in fewe wordes For furst it is manifest by the autoritie of the gospelles doctrine that all they are lost and subiecte to eternall damnacion that nother beleue in Iesus Christ nor cleaue to his faythe doctrine For Christ is the waye the light the truthe And he is the onely Io. 14 10. dore by the which al we must entre in to his shepe folde that is to wete into the congregacion of saintes and who so euer seketh any other dore or coueteth to entre in any other waye he bewrayeth him selfe to be a thefe and a robber And thervpon we heare IohnÌ„ Baptist saye The father loueth the sonne and hath geuen him all thinges Io. 3. into his hande He that beleueth his sonne hath euerlasting lyfe and he that beleueth not the sonne shall not se lyfe but the wrath of God abydeth on him Nowe it is not possible that ther shoulde be any saluacion wher it is sure that the wrathe of God abydeth But for asmuche as the bishop of Rome beleueth not in the sonne of God nor hath not al his faythe truste set in Christ alone the only saueour of the worlde it must nedes be that the wrath of God abideth vpon him and that he is the lost and bonde slaue of daÌ„nacioÌ„ And the byshop of Romes hole lyfe doctrine argueth that he is most farre of from the faythe in Iesus Christ which beyng made maÌ„ for our sakes redemed vs all with his precious blood vpon the altare of the crosse brake the power and lordship of deathe through his deathe and by his glorious ascension in to heauen set open the gates of euerlasting blessednesse vnto vs wretched synners and now before God the father of heauen he appeareth our only patron and mediatour and maketh sure entraunce for vs vnto the throne of grace For if aman note the B. of Romes doctrine Obiter but euen lightly by the waye as you wold saye he teacheth not Christ to be the only waye of saluacioÌ„ but besides him he setteth out innumerable other wayes as so often repeted sacrifices of masses the hipocriticall exercice of false penaunce auricular confession the most sitte bayte of all treason conspiracie sedicion lechery and all wickednesse markettes of pardones the colde scalding fyre of purgatorie pikepurce prayeng to sayntes departed and infinite other For although he confesse Christ Iesus the saueour of the hole worlde in wordes and in mouthe and so glorieth in his name yet he denyeth him so often as he attributeth to an other whether it be saynt or worke and merite the offices that perteyne to none but Christ alone For by what reason shall we saye that he beleueth that our Lorde Iesus Christ beyng sacrificed once for all vpon the altare of the crosse offred a perpetuall sufficient sacrifice vnto God the father for our synnes whan he goeth about to offre hym dayly afreshe at the celebracion of the Masse How shall he beleue that he was deliuered and fully redemed from the filthynesse of his sinnes by Christes merite which goeth aboute to redeme him selfe wyth his owne merites of his owne workes How shall he also knowe Christ Iesus to be his onlye Mediatour Patrone intercessour whych hathe infinite other whether they be he sayntes or she sayntes instede of mediatours intercessours And yet it is certain that men are brought to that point by the B. of Romes doctrine that they folow both these many other thinges that are cleane coÌ„trari to Christ and his doctrine Therfore this is euidently manifest also that the Bis of Rome is most farre of mater in dede from the faythe in Christ although he vse to professe him with his mouthe bragge much of his name As for this mater the example of his life is not behinde also in bearing what faithe is playne recorde of For faithe is a certain lyuing and a continuall working power energie that sitteth not idle in mennes consciences and is not as many false christianes thinke a certain naked and vayne opinioÌ„ that is desritute of certain reasones but it is a good tree and nourished with perpetuall iuyce which beareth no euil nor rotten frute but is alwaies abundauntly full of good and acceptable frutes to God of innocencie and charitie But it is now proued allready by sufficient demonstracion that the bishoppes of Rome haue no charitie they haue also no innocencie of life and maners but they are most farre of bothe from the true faithe and true religion Wherupon this plainly foloweth also that they beare in no condicion that good tree of a syncere faithe in their heart but rather that euil and vnprofitable one at whose roote the are is allready set that it maye be cut of and ouerthrowne and cast in to the vnquencheable fire of hell Therfore who will hensfurthe acknowlage the bishop of Rome to be the
than in heauen cursed be they and let them not be beleued how gaye felowes so euer they be how fynely so euer they cā tell their tale and of how high autoritie so euer they are But if sō be so wilfully stubburne and blinde that they will rather beleue them thā Christ our saueour geuing vs so faithfull monicion we must nedes let them alone to doo after their owne lust They shall fele like wretches one day to their owne great payne what a guyde it is that they haue folowed Secondarily the Lorde warneth Goo not furthe vs that we goo not out if they either teache a false Christ or shewe Christ any wher elles thā in heauē Which wordes although they may be expoūded to meane concerning the bodie that the Lorde forbiddeth all stacions and pilgrimages that are done for saluacion and religion yet they ought chiefly to be applied to our soule mynde so that the soule goo not out from Christ our Lorde and saueour nor seke saluation any wher elles but sattle it self in him wyth an assured and vndoubting faithe And herein verily are all thinges closed that make vnto our saluacion For like as a man may fynde the fauour of God the father the remission of synnes and saluacion in Christ alone euē so as many as go out frō Christ thīke scorne to beleue stedfastly in him can not chose but goo out quyte from life and saluacion Therfore it is very muche profitable for vs to knowe louing brethren in Christ after what sorte we may abide in the Lorde and tary with him still vnto the ende specially seing we heare him saye Not euery one that saithe Lorde Lorde shall Math. 7. entre into the kingdome of heauen but he that dothe the will of my father which is in heauē These same wordes teache men what becometh them to doo that are desirous to abide in Christ and entre wyth him in to the kingdome of heauen We must nedes doo God the the heauenly fathers wil Mary what that is we may knowe by the wordes of Christ him self and the Apostles And furst in dede the Lorde him self speaketh of the will of the father Io. 6. chap. and saithe This is the wil The will of God is that we beleue in his Sonne of him that sent me that al that see the sonne and beleue in him haue euerlasting life Therfore the will of God is good holsom vnto vs which hathe this appointed ende that we shall haue euerlasting saluacion but with this condicion that we should knowe the sōne and beleue in him whom he vouchedsafe to sende in to the worlde for our sakes Thā the furst point of Goddes wil requireth of vs a very a certain a perfite and an vnwauering faithe in Christ our Lorde saueour to cleaue fast vnto him withall and to seke in him alone for those thinges that are necessary to com to eternal saluacion And this faithe requireth a certain a perfite knowlage of Christ to thintent that least while we make boast of our faithe we carye in our hearte nothing but as it were a bare and a vayne fātastical opiniō but we must beleue faithfully and without al doubting those thinges that are set furthe vnto vs in the worde of euerlasting truthe by Christ our Lorde This worde describeth our saueour How the scriptures describe Christ vnto vs after this sorte Iesus Christ is the true and natural sonne of God the father of all one substaūce nature maiestie with the father frō euerlasting And at the tyme appointed he became mā for our sakes not by layēg awaye his godhead but by receauing of Māhead so that he which was God from euerlasting is now bothe very God very mā in one inseperable persone And forasmuche as he became man he suffred all thinges that a man may do synne only except For he was borne as man growed waxed strong in body streynght processe of age He was weary with trauailīg he rested he suffred bothe hongre thyrst he also wept for sorowe of hearte Yea he was afrayde of deathe of the paynes of deathe yet he abode them paciētly strongly for our sakes But before the tyme of his deathe approched his will was to haue his diuinitie knowen to men not only by miracles wonderous signes but also opening the wil of his father he gaue vs a certain and an absolute doctrine of saluacion and blessednesse He chosed disciples also that after he had instructed them with his spirite in the doctrine of the truthe he might at his ascēding in to heauē sende them furthe in to all the wyde worlde And whan he dyed he satisfyed his fathers righteousnesse by his deathe and offring him selfe for vs once for all he made a sufficient sacrifice for the clensyng of the synnes of the worlde For by his deathe he brake the olde serpentes head all to clattred his power and toke his streynght from hym and than by his glorious resurrection he ouercame deathe it self At last whan he went vp in to heauen he set heauē gates wyde open for vs again the which synne hade locked vs out of and wolde haue the fleshe which he toke of vs to be the earnest peny and pledge of our resurrection and saluacion in heauen And now he sitteth in heauen and is our only and supreme bishop which as he offred his body a sacrifice for our synnes euen so dothe he make intercessiō for vs continually before our heauēly father so as we as muche endaungered with synne as we are may safely approche to the throne of grace Such a maner Christ I saye and suche a maner saueour the oracles of the scripture purporte vnto vs and the will of God the father is that we stedfastly beleue him to be such a one and that we goo not about to seke any wher elles those thinges that are geuen vs in him Now the faythe that we talke of is not a certaine bare and a vayne fantastical opiniō that consisteth in bare wordes and in nothing elles but in the speche of the mouthe but it is a quicke lyuely strong power whiche beyng by the spirite of God graffed in mennes consciences conteyneth all the hole mater of saluacion and religiō For it is necessary for vs also to know God the father that we maye be truly and faythfully grounded in Iesus Christ Goddes owne sonne If we acknowlage him rightly to be suche a one as he is we shall feare him also and not that only but also we shall loue him aboue all other thinges beyng boūden to him with suche feare and loue as children owe to their natural parentes we shal willingly obeye him in al thinges Out of the spowte of the same foūtayne shall spring what so euer can be required also vnto externall religion For in this faythe we shall not heare the ymaginacions of our owne reason but haue respecte onlye vnto
Antichrist That is to saye A true reporte that Antichriste is come / wher he was borne of his Persone miracles what tooles he worketh withall and what shal be his ende Translated out of Latine into Englishe By I. D. O Lorde why haste thou broken downe the hedge of thy vyne in Englande that al they which go by plucke of her grapes The wilde Boore out of the wood dothe roote it vp and the wilde beast of the field deuoureth it Tourne thee againe thou God of hostes loke downe from heauen beholde and visite this vyne It is brent with fire and cut downe c. Psal 80. Imprinted in Sothwarke by Christophor Trutheall Cum priuilegio Regali 1556. The translatour to the reader I Commende in to thy gentil handes good reader a most notable and godly learned worke of fyue Homelies / set furthe in Latin about .ix. yeares past by the reuerende and ryght famous clearke Rodulphe Gualter of zuirik / at suche tyme as the Bishop of Rome bestowed the treasures of his blessing wyth fyre and sweorde by Italianes and Spanyardes vpon certayne partes of Germanye whych neuertheles were by the mightye power and prouidence of God so preserued in the myddes of affliction / that the more trauaile Satan by his sonne and heire Antichrist toke to haue suppressed the Gospell of Christ / the more it florisheth the more he persecuted it / the strōglyer it is confirmed / and the depelier it hathe taken roote yea and as it is Goddes wonted practise / to tourne the malice and furie of his enemies to the furtheraunce of his glorie it neuer prospered in Germanye thākes be to the mercie of God for it as it dothe nowe And for asmuche as we Englishe mē did by solemne othe abiure his vsurped power and forged autoritie whom the said author of thys worke calleth the myghtie houge Antichrist in the dayes of Goddes lawfull appointed Ministers of famous memorie / Kyng Henry theight / and his sonne the blessed Kyng Edwarde the sixthe and seyng ther is no lesse tirannye and plage purposed / and hanging at thys present by the iuste iugemēt of God / for the peoples vnthankfulnesse / negligence / and aduised periurie ouer the noble realme of Englande / than at that tyme was attempted in Germanie I thought it good / to translate and set furthe this notable worke / into our vulgare Englishe tongue / for iij. causes Furst to stere the fauourers of the Gospell of Iesus Christ / and the weake brethren / to geue God most heartie thankes for his mercifull gifte of knowlage in this case / and with teares for the miserable condicion of our naturale countrey / now pressed with the tirannous yowke of antichrist to poure out feruent prayers to God almyghtie / that he wolde of his abundaūt mercie for Christes sake vouchsafe to wythdrawe once again this deserued and iustly sent miserie Secondarely / to desire those men / which esteme measure religion and Goddes worde / by the successe of worldly thinges to beholde with indifferent consciences what wealthe and pleyntie of meate and money / the Masse the daughter of Antichrist hathe brought wyth her again into Englande and therby though they compt litell vpon Goddes worde to beholde how horrible a thing it is / to fall into the handes of the lyuyng God / by committing of wilfull periurie and in what state they stande against the dredfull daye of the Lord whose eyes and iudgement no colourable pretense can deceaue \ for receauing againe of his most blasphemous enemye / whom they hade renounced by a necessary lawfull o the / made in his holy name Thirdly / to prouoke the bringers in again / and mayntenours of his pretenced power autoritie whom this autor calleth Antichrist either to repent and reuoke their popishe damnable errours / and confesse and embrace the truth of Christes Gospel with vs or els to cōfute this worke / not with mennes traditions nor vayne falsely vsurped titles of the churche / and catholike fayth but with the manifest worde of God wherupon the catholike churche of Christ / and the true christian iustifieng faithe is buylded yf they can as I knowe / they can not For their artillarie is to shorte and to weake / yea all the ordinaunce of the very gates of hell shall neuer be able to encountre it / muche lesse to preuaile against it In the meane tyme / we being established and quieted in the inuincible trueth of Goddes most holy sacred worde wherby the autor of this worke translated by my poore trauaile / dothe most learnedly muinciblye paint out vnto thee that great enemye of God / Antichrist shall by the assistence of Goddes holy spirite / patiently digeste their railyng and tirannye And considering oure former vnthankulnesse / carnalitie / and necligence in our vocacion / we shal most humbly submit our selues to our heauenly fathers rodde and correction and loke for deliueraunce at his owne mercyfull leasure / knowyng that in the myddes of his wrathe / he remembreth mercye Take paynes now to reade ouer diligently these fyue Homelies with the Autors preface / good reader And yf God lightē thyne heart with this candle / to consent vnto the truthe wyth vs / wherof thou wast either ignoraunt before / or in case thou be already persuaded / yet yf thou be the better instructed and more soundly satled hereby in this behalfe I haue my hole desire / and full recompence God geue thee vnderstandyng in all thinges / and in hym ryght hertely well to fare The Autors owne tytle of thys boke / is thus Antichrist That is to saye fyue Homilies wherin it is proued that the Bishoppe of Rome is the ryght and myghtye houge Antichrist whom the oracles of the Prophetes Christ the Apostles tolde before shoulde come and that we shoulde beware of him Set furthe by Rodulphe Gualter of Zuirik c. ¶ To his deare brethrē that preache the Gospell of Christ in the Countie of zuirike Rodulphe Gualter grace and peace from him which only and none but he is made vnto vs of his heauenly father peace righteousnesse wysedome redemption and sanctificacion THat chosen instrument of God and teacher of the gētiles the Apostle Paule whan he shoulde take his laste leaue of the Elders of the Ephesiās and had faithfully warned them of many maters yet amōg other thinges he thought good to geue them this lesson withall Take hede to your selues to the hole flocke of whome the holy Goost hathe set you to be ouerseers or Bishoppes to gouerne Act. 20. the churche of God whome he hath purchaced with his owne blood For I knowe this that ther shall after my departure greuous wolues entre in among you that shall not spare the flocke Which wordes ryght reuerende brethrē and felowe Ministres forasmuche as they were spoken to those men whome the self same office was at that tyme in the churche of Christe cōmitted vnto which is
greater parte of this vision in the later Epistle to his Thessalonians in the secoÌ„de chaptre For where as the Thessalonians beyng disquieted through false doctrines of certain deceauours thought that the last daye of iudgement and the coÌ„myng of our Lorde Iesu Christ drewe nere and was than already at hande Paule a faythfull doctour of those that were his confuteth the falsely conceaued opinion touching that mater with these maner of wordes reasones Let no man deceaue you by any meanes For the Lorde shall not come except ther com a departiÌ„g furst and that the man of synne be opened the sonne of perdicion which is an aduersarie and is exalted aboue all that is called God or is wourshipped so that he dothe sytte in the temple of God as God boasting him selfe to be God Remembre ye not that whan I was yet wyth you I tolde you these thinges And now ye knowe what wythholdeth euen that he might be vttred at his tyme For the mysterie of the iniquitie dothe allready worke till he which now only letteth be taken out of the waye And thaÌ„ shall that wicked one be vttred whom the Lorde shall consume wyth the spirite of his mouthe and shall destroye wyth the appearaunce of his coÌ„myng euen him whose commyng is after the working of sathan wyth all lyeng power signes and wondres and wyth all deceaueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse among them that perishe bicause they receaued not the loue of the truthe that they might be saued And therfore God shall sende them strong delusion that they shoulde beleue lyes that all they might be demned which beleued not the truthe but hade pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Thus farre haue I rehearsed Paule thapostles wordes which coÌ„teyne the ful perfyt descripcioÌ„ of al this adoo and of the mysteries of Antichrist also the playne interpretacion of the vision that is recorded in Daniel the Prophete And after what sorte these two places agree betwene them selues and what is the true vnderstandyng of them boche it shal be declared in the Homilies folowyng by the fauour and helpe of God But out of these maters which are thus farre already sayde welbeloued brethreÌ„ in Christ this we must marke that accordyng to the oracles of goddes worde and of Iesu Christ Antichrist shall surely come which by his false prophetes shal seduce an infinite multitude of people We must therfore brethren endeauour our selues with most earnest studie and diligence that furst of all we maye be throughly perfyte in the certain true knowlage of our Lorde only saueour Iesu Christ wherin beyng instructed we must than also learne to knowe the false Christes and that great Anttchrist him selfe to thintent least we be made foles hereafter as we haue ben all ready heretofore by the most false wylye deuyses of Satan for than we shal be hable nother to knowe him ne yet to beware of him Therfore we hade nede diligently to consider the wordes of God and to call vpon him also diligently with continuall prayers that he wolde vouchesafe to open vnto vs the true vnderstaÌ„ding of his worde to leade vs in to the true knowlage of his sonne our redemour and that we be not deceaued with Antichristes lyes but continue stedfastly in Christ our saueour which is the euerlasting veritie To him be honour praise and glorie euerlastingly worlde without ende Amen Thus endeth the furst Homilie Antichrist The .ij. Homilie In this seconde Homilie we are taught what the original beginning of Antichrist is where it shal be and by what meanes and shyftes he shall attayne his so great streinghtes and so mighty power of his tyrannye OVr Lorde Iesus Christ the eternal sonne of God the only redemour and vndeniable Doctour of the world talking with his disciples concerning the later tymes and the periles of the same amoÌ„g other thinges telleth them before hande that false Christes and false Prophetes shal rise vp to the destruction and marring of many men And we are also taught by the hole mynde and consent of all the scriptures bothe of the olde testament newe that among them ther shal be a certayne peculiar head ryngleader and a most ranke aduersary of Christ our kyng and priest whom after the common custome of the faythfulles and by the apostles autoritie we doo vse to name Antichrist like as in the Homilie before it is sufficieÌ„tly declared Neuertheles these thinges are not spoken to th ende welbeloued brethreÌ„ in Christ that we should only heare knowe what shoulde be hereafter hauing in the meane tyme no larger consideracion of thinges that shall come but the Lorde dothe rather require by his faithful admonicion geuing that we should learne to knowe this chief and notable enemie of our saluacioÌ„ and to beware of his wiles least we be seduced therwith and so be made partakers with hym of eternall damnacion And therfore it is necessarily requisite for vs to marke to coÌ„ferre other places of the scriptures together also that caÌ„ with more certayntie euidence informe vs of al those maters which are as it were but in a fewe wordes set expressely furthe in this place In consideracion whereof I lately brought forth two places of scripture touching this mater the one of the olde testameÌ„t out of Daniel that ê“phetes vii chap. the other out of Paule the later to the Thessa Whiche albeit by and by at the furst syght they myght seme not to agree together in all thinges but somwhat to varie yet ther is no differeÌ„ce nor dissimilitude betwene them at al. Ther is also no contradiction nor any other varietie but that thapostle Paule wyth more playne light of wordes and sentences dothe expouÌ„de that which Daniel set furthe after the maner of a prophet vnder the mysterie of a vision like as the thinges that folowe shall more clearely beare euidence And to thintent this hole mater of Antichrist maye the more openly appeare vnto vs it shal be all throughly comprehended and assoiled in sixe questiones or proposiciones For furst inasmuche as it is euident that Antichrist is we shall inquire of his originall begynnyng that is to wete in what place he must spring out and where we must seke for him in case we intende throughly to come to the certain knowlage of him SecoÌ„darily by what meanes deuises craftes he shall atteyne suche mighty power and so highe autoritie Thirdly we shall make searche of his persone that is to saye which a one it shal be and by what markes and propreties it ought to be knowen Fourthly we must considre his workes that he shal set his studie vpoÌ„ Which consideracion euen it self dothe bring a certain and an vnfailing playne knowlage of him Fifthely it is conuenient to knowe his weapones wherwyth he shall wyth suche luckie successe fight to attayne enlarge defende and mayntene his kingdome and power wythall Sixthely how farre the limites of his wicked autoritie must be extended and vpoÌ„ what sortes of men our Lorde
libertie In this behalfe therfore God the father of heauen seing their licenciousnesse to be bothe intolerable and incurable hathe chosen aparte some of the nombre of his ministres and hathe enlumined them wyth the lyght and shynyng beames of his spirite that knowyng the Popes tyrannye and wicked lordlynesse haue also throughlye perceaued the truthe of Goddes worde These men haue layed their haÌ„des to worke and brought light into the worlde that tuÌ„bleth in darkenesse haue reproued openly the cruel and horrible abominacions of the papacie admonishing euery body to beware of theÌ„ By meanes wherof that sea hath felt exceding great losse and where as no power of emperours was hable hitherto to dryue it to a downefall nowe beyng a great parte dyminished in it selfe and in his membres bothe in his honour and rychesse it beginneth euen already to come to nought For froÌ„ hencefurth the Germaines whome this light shone furst vnto wolde not renne gadding to Rome ther seke soule helth seing they knew Christ Iesus to be the true way of saluacion And they haue no mynde to buye Romishe pardones and bulles with money seyng they vnderstode that synnes are forgeuen by Christ that men are certified by faithe of the forgeuenesse therof What nede many wordes That most gayneful fornace of the popes pikepurce Purgatorie is quenched out with the lyuely waters of the Gospel amoÌ„g the Germaynes and al the battefowling tooles knackes of the sea of Rome are despeched quyte out of the waye Hereof those most holy fathers haue complayned in euery place And where as before they turned the deafe eare to other mennes complaintes nowe they beginne to coÌ„playne them selues with faire flattering wordes most large ê“mises and muche feyned holynesse they haue gone about to bring them that are instructed in the doctrine of the truthe and haue renounced papistrie vnder the yowke of their tyrannie agayne But whan they preuailed nothyng for all their craftes by and by they besought ayde of Emperours Kinges Princes cities and people they begonne to arme them agaynst the professours of the truthe whome they crye out on and saye they folowe a newe and an hereticall religion In this case therfore the Magistrates beyng stered vp by the popes incensementes begonne violently to rage with force of armes against the faithfull seruauntes of Christ And than a man myght haue sene them that confessed Christ to be the onlye waye of saluacion burned wyth cruell fyre hanged vpon galowes choked in waters slayne wyth sweorde and murthered wyth al kyndes of deathe Yea the mater came to so merciles a crueltie that they spared none nother man nor woman yonge nor olde And yet those noble rutterkines of the churche dyd more cruell feates than these for they enticed princes and people whome so euer they coulde for money to stere vp warres amonge them selues and to extinguishe the religion that is contrary to them wyth sweorde and fyre So that hangmen were sent out of these parties and raunged about here and there to murthre the ministers of the worde by what meane so euer they coulde And they founde and toke vp burners whom they hyred priuely to thrust vnder fyre so to spoile bothe the faythfull christianes and their cities and fieldes And yet this read purpled churche embrewed with the blood of sayntes not satisfied with all these as wicked cruell dedes as they were ceassed not before they perceaued these haynous and bloody warres brought vpon sely sorowful Germanye stered vp all them that they trusted to make batail against it Bring vs out here the frutes of charitie O you bishoppes Shewe here som special token of christen gentilnesse O you pope pleasing slaues Is it the office of charitie to murdre men whoÌ„ Christ hathe redemed with his blood to spoile cities to waste fieldes to marre corne to defile matrones and maideÌ„s and finally to renne rageing after al kyndes of iniuries and reproches with sweorde and fire vpon all ages man woman and childe But they are heretikes saye they and no true christen people that we persecute And the chaste spouse of Christ the churche is by these heretikes most impudently defiled and also the seameles coate of our saueour Iesu is by their rashenesse and false doctrines miserably torne and rent in pieces which we goo about to amende and repaire agayne Ha will you nedes be bothe most bloody tirannes and most shameles lyers to you cruell blood thirstye wolues what adoo haue you to speake of Christes coate For by you it was cutte in pieces and marred all ready a great while agoo yea and by most wicked loctecasting as it was before tyme among the souldiours of the Iewes it cam in to most filthie mennes handelinges Therfore you are not sory for tearing of Christes coate but it greueth you that the vaile of wickednesse and the clooke of impietie is through the preaching of the gospel cut in pieces which you being couered withal haue continually hitherto practiced al kynde of wickednesse and beasly lust without correction It greueth your hartes that the sackes are open and torne which you haue hitherto hidden the true Ioseph Iesus Christes cuppe and all other your church robberies in Now your sleightie shiftes are open your lies are open your false deceates are open nowe is your more than the Sicilianes tyrannye open and abhorred of all men Your tyrannye was the toole with the which you raged together by heapes not only against mennes bodies but against their soules also It is the commyng of this gaire to the open light that greueth you hereof cometh your lamenting this is the cause of your sorowe taking For as touching the horrible cryme of heresie which is alwaies in your mouthe which of our sorte is it I beseche you that you coulde coÌ„uince haue you yet hitherto proued any of them an heretike They are heretikes that make who is an heretike new articles of the faithe contrary to the truthe of the scripture and doo stiffely mayntene them This cryme is most farre from vs. For ther is none of the articles of the apostolike faithe and Crede that we denye And moreouer we deuise no newe ones we chaunge none wrongfullye we nother take from nor put to any thyng touchyng any of them But suche masking visours you hade nede of to bryng the doctrine of the truthe and of the true faythe in to hate and contempt wyth the simple and rude common people by meanes of this horrible and slaunderous reporte of vs to be heretikes But yf ye loued the churche of Christ so muche as you boaste in wordes to doo yf you cared so muche for the noble and most valeaunt nacion of the Germaynes truely you testifye this your loue and care wyth moste vniuste and most vnworthy behaueours in that you visite it wyth abominable force of armes and moste cruell haynous enemies procured out of euery countrey Did Christe our Lorde entreprise to trayne the worlde to his lore by
they contende and labour with all their possible policie diligence to drawe all other people in to that same pitte of wickednes that they theÌ„ selues are fallen into it chauÌ„ced by the inspiracion of the holy goost that our most deare sonne in Christ the most valeaunt most religious prince Charles emperour of Rome alwaies Augustus purposed to take weapon in hande against the same bothe Goddes enemies his rebelles whose godly laudable purposes excellent deuises for the christen coÌ„mon weale we shall ayde with all the treasures that we the holy churche of Rome haue for the healthe of the godly for the defense of religion for the honour of God and for the publike peace and tranquillitie In dede these be the beastes owne wordes which as they meane bloodily so with certaiÌ„ foxlike wylynesse they clooke the bloody meanyng vnder the holy and honourable names of the churche of God of peace of religion and of traÌ„quillitie But if any man thinke this vnauaileable to proue his tirannie withall let vs marke the mater it self brethreÌ„ and the subtil fatches of this bloody tragedie CaÌ„ the miserable murther of the right blessed Io. Diasius maÌ„ IoaÌ„nes Diasius the Spanyarde be nowe out of mynde whoÌ„ his owne brother slewe with his hande here in the myddle of Germanie this yeare the. 26. daye of Marche And yet the most cruell brother murtherour and thief escaped quyte awaye and suffred not according to his desartes Open your eies therfore brethren knowe the abominable ê“cedinges and driftes of Antichrist and all his ympes by one mannes wicked dede The B. of Rome hathe whetted Diasius axe for your heades The Spanyardes com vpon you Your cause the cause of your wyues and your children is in hande and Antichrist layeth about him so woodly he is so furious he is so desirous to haue vs destroied that he maketh it laufull for a man to murther his owne brother and geueth such murtherers hyre for their labour Therfore Antichrist fighteth with bothe those sweordes that Paule ascribeth vnto him For he hathe theÌ„ that are desirous to ouercome by flattery prouoke by promises and â—o enueagle by persuasiones whoÌ„ so euer they perceaue to knowe the truthe of the mater and to be ouermuche vnfrendely to the B. of Rome But for al that in the meane tyme they make hotte warres the enemies sweorde slasheth Germanie is on fire in euery corner Antichristes power rageth in euery place Therfore let vs watche brethreÌ„ let vs holde vp our heades praye continually that our Lorde wold vouchesafe to help his churche to deliuer it from that haÌ„des of the furious rageing enemie Now forasmuche as in this fifth point we haue learned by ê‘fite tokens proues that the B. of Rome is that right mightie houge Antichrist 6. Vpon whom how farre Antichrist hathe power to rage before we make an ende of this place ther is an other mater also to be knowen I meane that we may vnderstaÌ„d vpon whoÌ„ Antichrist hathe power to rage wyth his weapones how farre God permitteth his furie to exteÌ„de against the sayntes This dothe Paule teache in few wordes in the ij epistle to his Tessalonianes writing thus His comming is after the working of sathaÌ„ with al power lieÌ„g signes woÌ„ders with al deceaueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse in them that perishe bicause they receaued not that loue of the truthe that they might haue ben saued And for that cause God shall sende theÌ„ strong delusion that they shoulde beleue lies that all they might be daÌ„ned which beleued not the truthe but hade pleasure in vnrighteousnesse These wordes of Paule are full of comfort For like as Christ our saueour dothe in Matthewe make playne significatioÌ„ that Antichristes miracles shal smally yea nothing auaile to deceaue the electe eueÌ„ so Paule also teacheth that God suffreth his tiraÌ„nie to be exerciced only vpoÌ„ them whom the iustice of God iudgeth to be destroied daÌ„ned But least we shoulde thinke that God dothe saue some daÌ„ne some wtout certain discrete iudgemeÌ„t like a tiraÌ„ne he telleth by by in the wordes folowing who they be saith they be those that hate the truthe wil not receaue it nor doo after it haue more delyte in the darkenesse of lies thaÌ„ in the light of the truthe And they that be suche persones are vsed to be blinded by the iust vpright iudgemeÌ„t of God that being deceaued with lies false deceates they may be in subiectioÌ„ to the yowke of Antichristes tiraÌ„nie yea they rather thrust theÌ„ selues vnder his subiectioÌ„ for their owne pleasures For seing all maner of vnthankfulnesse is odious before God and worthy of punishement yet that kynde of vnthankfulnesse wherby the most bouÌ„teous benefite of Goddes grace that is to saye the knowlage and playne declaracion of his worde and truthe is wont to be contemned and reiected dothe iustly deserue of all other the most sore punishement This mater hathe exaÌ„ples ynowe in euery place of the scriptures Yet the most notable and most horrible example hereof is in Pharao For while he did not only not receaue nor allowe the truthe of Goddes worde the most holsom warnynges of God but also reiecte them wyth an vnthankful heart and wyth threattenyng blasphemous wordes he was cast in to so great a folye and blyndenesse by the iust iudgement of God that he could not considre his present miserable destructioÌ„ but threwe him self and his in a wilful lust of wickednesse headloÌ„g in to the rageing reade sea And it dothe not muche diffre froÌ„ this that we reade chaunced to wicked Achab which while he dephieth the holsom monicions of Micheas the prophet dothe after the pestilent counsailes of the false prophetes he falleth in to pÌ„sent destruction The like iudgement of the righteous God fell vpon al Israel whan they were seduced wyth the lies of the false prophetes in the daies of king Zedechias and of the prophet Ieremie while they renouÌ„ced the courteous monicioÌ„ of the Lorde God And in dede if we beholde the furst springing vp of Antichristes tirannie we shall see that the same mater chauÌ„ced at that tyme also in euery poynt For while the people mynding to gratifie the B. of Rome were better content to receaue the vse of ymages and to be instructed and taught by them in the mater of Christian faithe and of christian life than by the holy scriptures they were taught suche lessones by their ymages as the deuil is vsed to teache his scholares I meane supersticion abominable and wicked Godseruice and ther vpon as the case was amoÌ„g the heatheÌ„ Idolaters in tymes past ther folowed al kynde of vice wickednesse yea that errour by littel and littel crept vp so high that at lenght we were made subiectes to Antichristes yowke in al maters were coÌ„pelled mawgre our heades to allowe al his trynkettes for good ware to be obedieÌ„t
our heartes diligētly and neuer forget that in any case which he vouchedsafe to warne vs of with such earnest fidelitie Moreouer whan he should expoūde in his holy sacred reuelaciō which it was his pleasure to shewe vnto his entierly beloued disciple Iohn̄ the sore and dredefull payne of Antichristianitie which he wold haue figured in the name of Babilon among other thinges he speaketh thus in great sadnesse Get you our from her my people be not partakers of her synnes that Apo. 18. you be not partakers also of her plagues Christ our faithfull schole maister biddeth vs get out frō thence that we be not made partakers of her wickednesse idolatrie and supersticion Yea and onles we doo so he threatteneth the payne to heng ouer our neckes Wold to God those men wolde pōdre and thinke vpō this in their heartes which for feare of losing of a litel paltring pelfe or elles for a muckering vile aduauntage sake hade rather he vnder the tirannie of Antichrist than to abyde stil in the feloweship of Christ and of his churche Yea and they also which witting and willing and with circumspecte aduisement deliberate for sight put their children in subiection to the churches of the popishe religion wher they are compelled to worship Idoles yea and though they knowe the true faithe yet dare they not confesse it I knowe what many will obiecte against me in this behalf if thow Note well make all them damned say they that folowe the trade of Antichrist that is of the B. of Rome thā must our fathers auncetours nedes be damned also In dede this is the cōmon querel of the papistes which they are alwaies prating and beating in to the rude vnlearned common peoples heades and trouble many folkes myndes therwithall which thinke it were a most vnworthye mater for them to beleue that their elders were the children of damnacion And this their meanyng is to gather hereof that if our auncettours which lyued vnder the popishe religion were saued than they may be saued by the same meanes also As for me I will speake somwhat sobrely of these maters nother will I searche nor rippe the iudgementes of God to depely For to what purpose were it to searche what maner of iudgemēt almightie God vsed towardes our auncettours which departed this life befor the truthe came to light Howbeit touching his grace and mercie we will not hope but the best in euery cōdicion namely seing it were not impossible for him to lighten them that erred and were deceaued with a common ignoraunce euen at the last breathe of their life that they might acknowlage receaue the true faithe in Christ and so be saued But in the meane space this we are sure of that if they were saued as we trust they were they were saued by non other reason nor waye but by the merite of Christ and not by the helpe of popishe supersticion Ther is no cause therfore why you should goo about to clooke your errours and supersticion with the exāples of our elders O you most shameles protectours of the Romishe abominacion For ther is no like comparison nor agrement in them Our elders could not see the light of the truthe which shyneth most brightly at this daye although they were men otherwise nother wilfully stubburne nor opēly wicked Besides this Christ our Lorde calleth them dāned lost which whan they hearde the worde of the gospel disdayne to be leue it or to heare it whā it is brought to them Wherfore seing our elders nother hearde nor could heare the gospell you shall neuer be hable to nōbre them among the rable of you which synne against the holy goost him self in that you wil nother heare the truthe whā it is offred you nor geue credēce to it whan it is playnly knowne And this so manifest a wickednesse dothe presse you so heauily that we may truly frely saye by the autoritie of Goddes worde that as many as at this daye in so great a light of the truthe doo folowe and defende the tirannie of Antichrist contrary wise doo wickedly persecute the health geuing worde of the gospell and the faithe that men haue in Christ shall at leynght be tormented with their head the Romishe Antichrist in the payne of euerlastīg damnacion except they learne to renounce their wickednesse in tyme turne their heartes to God with a true faithe And that they may so do spedily by the light of Goddes grace it shal be our partes continually to praye Let these now suffice to be spoken cōcerning the abominable cruel perilous tyrannye of Antichrist Secondely this is to be noted louing brethren in Christ that by Paules sayeng Antichrist shall endure til the last cōmyng of Christ vnto iudgemēt reigne by one maner or other For albeit he be dead flayne by the breathe of Goddes mouthe and with the sweord of Goddes worde in many folkes cōsciences yet he lyueth through his sleightes false wiles in many Antichrist abideth til the Lord's commyng peoples heartes yet still and bicause he abuseth their power against faithfull christianes he stereth vp batail continually Therfore we shall neuer be quyte ridde of him for good all as long as the worlde abideth in this state but he shal alwaies haue seruauntes and complices of his owne to rage playe the tyranne against vs withall So that it standeth vs in hande to watche cōtinually and fight like tal felowes night and daye that he ouercome vs not and pull vs vnder his fete Now brethren we haue sene the hole mysterie of that mighty houge Antichrist We haue sene that the B. of Rome is only worthy of this name and title and ought to be taken for Antichrist We haue sene how great haynous his abominacion is and how perilous a thing his religion is We shall therfore geue thankes vnto God from the botom of our heartes in that he hath vouchedsafe to reueale vnto vs so great an enemye to open his false snares vnto vs. And we shall pray vnto God also that it will please him to defende vs wyth the protectiō of his grace from all this enemies tiranny Now remayneth the last faithfull admoniciō of Christ wherby he teacheth vs diligently what we ought to doo in this last tyme of Antichrist For wher he hathe declared that periles shall aryse hereof he warneth vs to beware of them in these wordes Than if they shall saye vnto you Lo Matth. 24 he meanyng Christ is in the deserte goo not furthe Lo he is in closettes or secrete places beleue them not For like as the lightenyng cometh from the caste and shyneth in to the west euen so shall the commyng of the sonne of man be For wher so euer the dead carcasse is ther also shall the eagles resorte In these wordes most louing brethren in Christ we are taught three thinges which it is conuenient for vs during the reigne of
shoulde seduce too many men and yet in the meane tyme this common vniforme sentence of all meÌ„ is hearde which beleue that before the last commyng of Christ and theÌ„ding of all the worlde a certain great Antichrist shall rise to the destruccion and damnacion of many folkes me thinkes this present place dothe require that for asmuche as it is our chaunce to see the last dayes we shoulde searche and weighe the hole vniuersall busynesse of Antichrist wyth all our possible studious endeauour that in case we be in any daunger therof we maye be hable to beware of it and auoyde the thinges that might hyndre our saluacion Wherfore to thintent the maters that make to this purpose maye the more clearely and opeÌ„ly appeare vnto vs it semeth that before we goo to the mater it selfe we must weighe three thinges Furst we must searche whether any Antichrist shall certaynly com or not Than what the name of Antichrist meaneth who is Antichrist also that we maye ê‘fitly ê‘ceaue how meÌ„ haue ben yet hitherto deceaued in the knowiÌ„g of him Thirdly what is written vnto vs in the holy scriptures concerning Antichrist what is necessaire for vs to thinke beleue of him That Antichrist shall rise vp in whether ther be Antichrist the last tymes of this worlde before the last glorious coÌ„myng of Christ to iudgement it is written wyth sufficient testimonie in the kokes bothe of the olde testameÌ„t and of the newe For the Prophet of God Esaie in the 11. Chap. going about to describe vniuersally the hole busynesse of the promised Messias our saueour among other of his doinges he recordeth this also that he shall slea the wicked one wyth the breathe of his lippes In which place by this word wycked one is not to be vnderstanden euery aduersarie and enemie of God but that notable and great enemye of God euen Antichriste that he as the chief head of most highe wickednesse according to his excellencie maye be called the wicked one In this behalfe Paule the Apostle is our wittenesse who in his later epistle to the Thessalonianes speakink of the â—leaing of Antichrist vseth the Prophetes testimonie and wordes of this place Here vnto shall the 10. Psalme of Dauid be worthily recited who also according to the meanyng of Saint Hierome Augustin vnder the title of the wicked one dothe handsomly paynt out the parson of Antichrist To this purpose also maketh the godly Prophet Ezechiel Ezech. 38. and. 39. which by Gog and Magog dothe in fygure pretily set furthe the ymage of Antichrist Besides these the most noble Prophet and most hartily desirous man Daniel in the 7. and 11. Chap. telleth all the busynesse of Antichrist wyth suche playnesse of descripcion that he might seme not to prophecie of thinges to come but to write a story of a mater all readye done In like case also Zacharie the Prophet in the 11. Chap. maketh mencion of the same moÌ„stre wher he speaketh of a certain folishe pastor and an Idole rather than a Pastor that shoulde be most farre of from all office of a true Pastor And if we goo to the bokes of the newe testament we shall muche more euidently and more perfitely see this mater as we shall all other maters also For he that is the Lorde him self and the vndeniable teacher of the truthe Iesus Christ nameth here false Christes and describeth them yet more plainly in the ende of the Chaptre And the disciple whom Christ our saueour loued vsed the very self worde Antichriste in his furst epistle the second Chap. writing on this maner Babes now is the last tyme and as you haue hearde that Antichrist shall com ther begynne many Antichristes to be euen now allready Furthermore in his holy sacred apocalipse which he receaued by the reuelacion of Christ he expresseth all Antichristes busynesse wyth such studie and diligence that he sheweth the springing and furst begynnynges of this wicked one his procedinges his power his streinghtes his subtilties his doinges his ende and destruction and also sheweth his tyme and place by name in a maner and pointeth them as it were wyth his fyngre The same thing dothe Paule also that great Apostle of Christ 2. Thessa 2. Finally to the same ende ought the sayenges also to be applied that are written 1 Tim 4. and .2 Pe. 2. and in many other places wherin all the hole garde of Antichrist that is to saye all the rable of false Prophetes is in most ample wise painted out in their owne colours Therfore we must in no wise doubt of the rysing tyrannie of Antichrist but rather watche geue most diligent waiting attendaunce whether now seing he is strate vp he practice the same his tiraÌ„ny that the ê“phetes haue spokeÌ„ of before Moreouer that other thing which we propouÌ„ded in the seconde place is here most chiefly necessarie to be what Antichrist is knowne to thiÌ„ntent we may vnderstande what Antichrist is wherin we shall perceaue the blyndenesse of mankynde and the working wylynesse of Sathan wherwyth he hathe made vs suche Dawepoopies that we haue serued Antichrist with al kindes of diligent seruices and yet we were not hable to knowe him Howbeit all this gaire the most wyly craftes man hathe after his accustomed maner by the darkenesse of lies brought to passe For in forgeing a false feyned fable of Antichrist he hath caused so great an ignorauÌ„ce of the truthe that by meanes of a false ymaginacion conceaued in our mynde we can not discerne the right Antichrist lurking vnder suche masking visours For of this mater we see it also The false forged fable of Antichrist mencioned in writing that the orinal begynnyng of Antichrist shoulde be suche that he must necessarily be borne of the people of the Iewes of the tribe of Dan bicause Iacobs prophecie is thus Dan shall become a Ge. 49. serpent in the waye and an adder in the straite pathe And that he shall so be conceaued in synnes that incoÌ„tinently vpon the tyme of his conceauing Sathan shall laye holde on him lyeng in his dammes bely neuer leaue him Than that he should be borne in Babilon and fostred vp at Bethsaida and Corozaim by Christ our Lordes owne witnesse which for that Math. 11. cause is redde in the storie of the gospel that he cursed those cities thondred that horrible woo vpon them And bicause nothing shoulde be behinde in that subtil fliering fable that semeth to belong to the outward similitude of the truthe men that were most fitte to deceaue haue by the instincte of Sathan added many other thinges to wtall For like saye they as he shal be brought furthe in to light in his playne deuillishe concepcion and natiuitie so shall he also be streinghtned continually with swarmes of magical philosophers inchauÌ„tours and sorcerours which shall instructe him by and by in his furst teÌ„dre yeares in the exercice of such abominable sciences
head of the sayntes and faithfull people Who will cal him holy father yea rather holynesse it selfe Finally who can saye that he is the leader vnto saluacion and the portour of heauen gate whan by the example of his owne life and preceptes and decrees of his wicked doctrine he bewrayeth him self according to the apostle Paules sentence to be bothe Antichrist and the sonne of perdiciō Hereof also that other mater is gathered that like as he him self is lost euen so dothe he make all the disples of his religion and secte boūde slaues to perdicion and euerlasting deathe For how cā it possibly be that they shal be hable to com to the heauēly hal of blessednesse which folowe a guyde that gothe with straight and stedfast steppes the hye waye to hell How shall we also saye it maye be that they should be vnited to Iesu Christ the only redemour of vs all which haue chosen suche a one to be their guyde that is against Christ in al thinges and robbeth him of his honour and shamelesly attributeth the same to other In this case therfore it is necessary to vse most diligent circūspection In this behalfe it standeth vs in hande strongly to sharpen oure wittes Herein it behoueth vs to open the eyes of our minde most dearly beloued brethren in Christ For it is no flyrting mater as many men thinke to sticke stil in the B. of R. wayes so to holde harde the popishe religion to the naile The saluacion of soules is in hasarde dearly beloued For either we must be vnited to the heauēly father by the intercessiō and benefite of one only Christ so lyue for euer or elles be drawen awaye from him perishe with Antichrist for euer And ther is so much the more greuous presēt daūgier henging ouer our soules that the Lorde wold haue the knowlage of his worde to be opened vnto vs. For inasmuche as the lyght of Goddes worde hathe discussed and wyped away those greuous and horrible darkenesses of Antichristianitie so as the health geuing face of Christ and also the compasse of this cruell beastes mouthe and the seate of abominacions is shewed openly before our eyes we maye neuer from hensfurthe eyther pretende ignoraunce to clooke our vnbelefe or excuse it wyth the godlynesse and feruencie of our zele or good intent For God hathe prescribed the rule of his worde vnto vs for this ende that we shoulde honour hym according to his owne commaundement and that we shoulde not folowe that folishe carnall zele of ours which is wythout knowlage of all truthe The stubburnesse of suche men is muche lamentably therfore to be bewailed brethren which whā they heare Goddes worde wyth their eares and are conuicte with the truthe therof in their consciences so as they may see their errours and fele the intolerable burthen of suche exceding tyrānie yet had rather sticke stiffely to their knowen supersticion than to folowe Christ the only waye of saluacion But whā men most myserably become to that poīt that a mā may warne exhorte them all but lost labour we must permitte them to their owne appetite For they shal surely fele that their stubbernesse shal-be ones a great deale to their cost Now are we come to the thrid title An aduersary wherwyth Paule painteth out the persone of Antichrist which conteyneth the self same propretie and the disposiciō of so mightie abominablenesse the certain sure marke for the which he is called Antichrist For he calleth him an aduersary that is he myndeth to set him out to be-suche a one that shoulde be against cōtrary and in al thinges as it were vtterly sette foranempst Christ of whose name title he only braggeth The right vnderstanding of this worde Aduersary It is plaine that he glorieth in the name of Christ Wherupon euen the right vnderstanding of this worde teacheth this that he shal be an aduersary to Christ our Lorde and gayne-saye all those thinges that are set out by Christ either in doctrine or in example of life wyth the statutes of his doctrine and wyth the example of his life Than if we can geue the bishop of Rome this title also wyth sufficient demonstracion as his owne propre good as in dede we haue ouercome all that we toke in hande to proue yet hitherto it shall also manifestly appeare that the B. of Rome is necessarily that very right and great Antichrist altough the autoritie of all the worlde crye out against it which if it wolde contrary the worde of God were non autoritie at all And forasmuche as all thinges that are in Christ our saueour maye be comprehended in his life doctrine as in two most general chaptres it behoueth that we considre them bothe that it maye therby euidently appeare that the B. of Rome dothe contrarie to Christ both in life and in doctrine and therfore is his aduersarie and very Antichrist And furst of all we will speake of bothe their lyues that is to saye of Christ and Antichrist Christ Iesus ordred his life so as The difference betwene Christes life and Antichristes the B. of Rome most lowe humilitie proceding from the hearte might appeare most clearly in all his sayenges and doinges For we reade that he vsed so muche lowlynesse and modestie that he was cōuersaunt among his disciples not like a maistre or a Doctour but as a seruaunt and a waitour As it is proued in that he serued their cōmodities not in teaching them only in refreshing and defēding them and in other thinges innumerable but also in that solemne last supper whiche he hade with thē he washed al their fete But from this spirite of christian humilitie the B. of Rome is so farre of that lyke the most cruel tyrannes the mencion of whom euen the gentiles take for hainous and filthie he setteth out his fete to be kissed not of the cōmon rascal sorte of people only but also of very princes kinges and emperours yea is not ashamed to treade the Lordes anointed neckes vnder his abominable fete which insolent foile the right valeaunt Emperour Friderichus Barbarossa was compelled per force to susteyne Christ was the most studious seker of his fathers glorie wēt about Ioh. 5. and. 12. only to aduaunce it But the B. of Rome neclecting that in al thinges setteth his studie vpō his priuate glorie his owne propre honour after suche sorte that he thinketh he must not spare extreme force of armes yf any man offende him in any condicion Christ spent the better parte or tyme of his lyfe among the cōpanies of the poore nedy sicke afflicted he him selfe also was borne in extreme pouertie became poore for our sakes in so muche that he hade not wher he myght hyde his head susteined the greuous burthē of pouertie paciently to make vs ryche with the benefites treasures of euerlasting blessednes But the B. of Rome folowing farre wyde other
Senacherib king of the Assirianes and the most wofull ende of many suche tirannes as they were Now let these suffice to be spoken in the fourth place concernyng Antichristes workes and practices Wherby it appeareth most manifestly as it dothe by the other sayenges that are meÌ„cioned before that the B. of Rome is that notable and mightie houge Antichrist whom God wold haue reuealed in the oracles of his worde by Daniel and the rest of the prophetes Now therfore let vs passe ouer vnto the fifthe special poiÌ„t of that we 5. Antichristes weapones haue in hande that we maye considre with what weapones Antichrist shal obteyne enlarge mayntene his kingdom And these it is necessary for vs to haue skilful knowlage of that we maye the more handsomly beware of them and arme our selues the more strongly against his tirannie For as in feates of warre it is a good piece of the victorie if a man can knowe his enemies weapons put by the strokes euen so the same is specially requisite for vs in this sore fraye of Christ our king And as for the hole furniture and all the weapones wherwith Antichrist dothe bothe defende him self make batail against other the apostle Paule in his seconde epistle to the Thessalonianes comprehendeth them all in fewe wordes sayeng that Antichrist shall come after the working of sataÌ„ with all power and with lyeng signes and wondres and with all deceaueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse In these wordes we must note brethren that the apostle saithe all Antichristes power al his streynght and all his weapones shal be deuillishe so that he teacheth vs that Antichrist shall ordre all his affaires after the working of sathan Therfore if we marke what kynde a thing the what the power of Sathan is power of sathan is we shall also most perfitly perceaue what Antichristes streynght and weapones be And albeit Paules wordes might suffice to make this mater playne yet let vs hear Christ the eternal wisdoÌ„ of God the father speake which talketh thus of sathan the prince of the worlde He was a murtherour from the begynnyng Io. 8. and stode not in the truthe for the truthe is not in him Whan he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his owne for he is a lyer and the father of lies Christ here comprehendeth all the streynght and all the weapones of the deuile in two kyndes murther lyeng By this worde Lyes he vnderstandeth Lieng al that is contrarie to the truthe and also his sleightes his giles his false fraudes and deceaueablenesse aswell in wordes dedes as in miracles doctrine And this terme Murther coÌ„teyneth al wrongful violeÌ„ce Murther al temerarious atteÌ„ptates al the force al the tirannie and all the power that men are violeÌ„tly pressed withal And that these haue ben alwaies that deuilles tooles weapones it is manifest by many examples sence the begynnyng of the worlde For thus he deceaued our furst pareÌ„tes with false ê“mises robbed them of paradise of their blessed state asmuche as in him laye he spoiled theÌ„ also of euerlasting life And afterwarde through murther he made warre bi their furst begoteÌ„ soÌ„ne Cayn against true religioÌ„ the folowers therof euer sithence he hathe shewed him self such a one as his furst frutes hade shewed that he wolde be Now seing the holy goost reporteth that Antichrist shal be armed with the deuilles weapons LyeÌ„g and murther it standeth vs in hande to trye these also to be in the B. of Rome whom scripture they haue for their trinkettes they are not ashamed to saye that they lacke that but they rather heape lies vpon lies and bring out a certain new lyeÌ„g blasphemous glose Tushe saye they al is not coÌ„teined in that scriptures that is necessary for man to obteyne saluacion by As for the autoritie of the holy goost they are not afraide of it which making answer to their blasphemous sayeng speaketh by the apostle S. Paule in plaine wordes All scripture geuen by inspiracion 2. Timo. 3. of God is profitable to teache to reproue to amende and to informe in righteousnesse that the man of God may be hole or perfite prepared to all good workes What can be spoken more clearely more pithily more euideÌ„tly thaÌ„ these wordes be The apostle Paule the chosen instrument of God being endued with the spirit of Christ saieth that all the scripture is inspired of God and that therfore it is profitable and effectuall not only to teache to monishe and amende but to this vse that also the man of God may be hole perfite and fitte to doo all thing that God iudgeth to be good is good in dede Howbeit those most shameles and most lyeng deceauours without reuerence to the autoritie of these wordes wher they dare not denye but the scripture is inspired of God yet they saye it is vnperfite and prate that all thinges are not conteyned in the scripture that man hathe nede of to saluacion and to religion And is God vnperfite O shameles impudencie Shall we cal that vnperfite which is set furth by god through the spirit of truthe and thinke that perfite and absolute which was inueÌ„ted by the rashe reason of man But Note well Paules wordes teache vs a greater mater yet thaÌ„ al this For if the scriptures make a man perfite fitte vnto all good workes than can it not be a good worke that is required hauing Good workes non autoritie of the scriptures to beare it therfore they shall neuer worthily be called good workes which they require besides the autoritte of the scriptures Let these vayne helhoundes lose and ridde them selues out of this knotte if they can But they must nedes fight with lyes the very owne propre weapons of satan that in thus speaking they may both plucke the vnlearned rude coÌ„mon people from the truthe of the scriptures and also to tye them to the licke peny tradicions of mennes deuising Yet to vttre them selues more openly they doo not only set vp these kinde of lies but also they fight with false tokens and lyeng woÌ„ders wherof Paule maketh mencioÌ„ here Christ hath biddeÌ„ vs to beware of theÌ„ For who is it that knoweth not the endles heape of tokens that flyering friers muÌ„myng massepriestes were wont to prate openly of in the papacie For somtyme they feyne that soules appeare make mone vnto them somtyme they declare miracles wrought by ymages somtyme they preache of wonders wrought by the bread God of the aultare infinit suche other trickes they ymagine dayly wherby they maye the more easily cheoppe men downe into the kyngdome of darkenesse hold theÌ„ downe surely whaÌ„ they haue them once ther. Therfore brethren to thintent we be False tokens not begiled herein we must note that ther be false signes wonders that by two maner of false meanes For furst ther are oftentymes signes feyned that are false in dede
to al his Canones and statutes We nede not to make long rehearsal of thīges done lōg agoo but let vs beholde the state of thinges that are presently in al mennes eies in all mennes handes Almightie God our most merciful father tedring the treason ruinous state that we haue suffred hathe vouchedsafe in these our dayes to reueale vnto vs through the light of his worde al that is necessary vnto saluacion And yet here a man may fynd an infinite multitud of mē whiche being geuē to the affectiō of their owne fleshely fantasie hade rather be gouerned guyded by lies false doctrine thā by the light of the truthe yea Hearke my gentilmen Iackes on bothe sides to this saing mary to thintēt they may frely folowe their owne affectiones filthy fleshely lustes and serue all vicious wickednesse their trade is not only to be haters of the truthe which they embraced before but also as muche as in thē lieth to psecute oppresse it But if we loke vpō the life behaueours religiō of those same mē we shal see more clearely thā the daye light that it is the iust iudgement of God which Paule maketh mēciō of in this place For the wicked helhoundes are dropped in to so great a folishe fōdenesse are so farre past thē selues that now they haue reiected dephied the true preachers of God the trade of Goddes holy worde they The praise of Maidē priestes heare those mē obey their doctrine whom they see most shameful hooremōgers cuckold makers dycers drōkerdes ful of al kynde of vices yea they require to be pourged of their sines at those mēnes hādes whō they knowe to be the very bonde slaues of al wicked synnes mischief They also wil be taught by those mē whom they them selues confesse to haue lesse learnyng than an asse And yet they are not cōtēt to be thus fōdly madde but now in this daūgerous peril that al Germanie stādeth p̄sētly in they holde with those mēnes entreprises and further their intētes with al their diligēce power yea with their prayers bothe priuately and openly who as al mē may Italiane◠Spanyardes Antichristes garde see are the most deadly enemyes of the common wealthe of our coūtrey For shall we thinke any man to be so folishe and ignoraunt that he can not perceaue what malicious heartes the Italianes and Spanyardes beare to all Germanie Is ther any man so deafe and doltishe that he neuer hearde how they raile against vs They thinke it not ynough to call vs barbarous rude beastes lowtes fooles and dogges but their maner is to burthen vs also wyth the horrible cryme of heresye yea they thinke it laufull for thē to exercice all kynde of wickednesse tyrannie and merciles So they are welcome in to England also to traitourous popishe priestes to hoores bawdes cuckoldes c. crueltie vpon the Germaynes as though they thought the Germaynes not worthy to be coūted among the nombre of men And yet we see these men the most welcome gestes that hearte can thinke vnto many in Germany yea ther be sō that beleue they shal be defended and haue a mery worlde by these mennes marcial powers which haue alwaies hitherto by so many euidēt tokēs vttred their malicious heartes against all Germanes But this is the very iust iudgement of God that they which hate the light of the truthe shall not only be blynde but being robbed also of their commō witte they shall not be hable to see that they see with their open eies nor heare that they heare wyth their owne eares Now must we diligently obserue in this place louīg brethrē in Christ what is our office to doo if we be desirous to escape this greuous hurt of so pernicious a blindenesse That is we must beware that we be not so vnthankefull we must arme our selues also wyth such faithe and diligence as maye worthily receaue the light of Goddes worde and truthe whā God offreth it vs. Wherin aboue all thinges we must beware of this brethrē that we geue not our myndes to our owne priuate affections nor set more by them than by the knowlage of the truthe For who so euer hathe mynde to folowe his owne pleasur shall neuer com to the true faithe Therfore it standeth vs in hande to tame our affectiones and to bring thē vnder the obedience of the spirite And among other thinges this also dothe muche hurt for folkes to hunt gredily after the pleasures of carnalitie and present prosperitie of worldly thinges for that we see is the cause of the greatest wickednesse that can be the vndoing to many a one at this daye For ther be some that coulde be well content to beare the gospell and the glad tydinges of saluacion purchaced by Christ if it wanted the crosse and stormes of persecuciō But whan they see them once com they not only let the most holsom doctrine of the gospell god and greuously blaspheme it but also they dare raile most deuillishlye against Christ our Lorde him selfe But let the inuincible heartie māful constauncie of the most holy men that were our auncettours make vs heartie in this behalfe brethren For with how glad an hearte and with what thankes to God shal we thinke that they wold haue receaued that doctrine of the gospell if any man hade preached it vnto them in the dayes of the emperour Lewis the. 4. Whan they abode the thōderclappe and most heauy burthen of Antichristes curse eightene yeares space like right hartie true men to the emperour And shall we than being perfitly instructed by the lighte of the truthe be more cowheardly afraide of this enemye the B. of Rome than they were Shall it be sene that we are more colde and faynter hearted to Christ our king and saueour than they were to their emperour that was but a mortal man And shall we passe lesse of our faithe that we haue promised to Christ than they did of their fidelitie that they promysed to a mortal man Deliuer your selues brethren from the slaunderous infamye of so great a wickednesse Thinke it a goodly thing for you to folowe the vertuous heartynesse of your elders Thinke it well done to bring mennes soules out of bondage in to libertie though you should sheade your heart blood for it Take it for a goodly mater a ioyous for you to suffre deathe for the loue of your countrey for your wyues your children and for the sauing of mennes soules and for the glorye of our saueour Christ Ther are the fotestepppes of so many martires that are gone before vs and the example of Christ him self that it is not possible for vs to shrinke without to muche shame But aboue all thinges it shal be necessary for vs to pray heartily and continually that he wolde vouchesafe to deliuer vs from the tyrannye of Antichrist and to instructe vs with his spirite and faithe that we may
Antichrist not only to knowe but also to folowe And furst he repeteth the same that he hade spoken before and biddeth vs beleue Beleue thē not them not that saye Christ is here or there that is to saye that goo about to shewe vs a false Christ or tel vs that the giftes of God which are geuen vs by non but by only Christ are to be hade elles where Now that we may vnderstande folowe this warnyng as we should doo it is necessary for vs to call to remembraunce that sayenges that are spoken in the Homilies before bothe of the true Christ I meane the only saueour of this worlde also of the false Christes He is the true Christ whom the autoritie of the holy scripture describeth to be very God and very mā the only saueour of the worlde the only priest the only sacrifice for the synnes of the worlde yea the only head of the churche and mennes intercessour in heauen As many thā as shewe this Christ any wher elles than in heauen as many as appoint other heades of the churche other redemers of the worlde other sacrifices for the synnes of the worlde and other aduocates intercessours and mediatours are comprehēded in these wordes of Christ and those be euen they whom it is not laufull for vs to beleue or to geue credence vnto And this is so openly done in the papacie of the pope him self and his membres that no man can say naye to it For furst they are not wont to shewe Christ our Lorde in heauen which was crucified for vs and died which rose again and ascended in to heauen according to the articles of the apostles Crede but to tell folkes that he is either conteyned in a prety litel white cake or in churches consecrated for that purpose which they are not afraide to dresse with these written wordes Hic Deum adora Here worship God Are not these they than that shewe Christ our Lorde in closettes or secret places as he hī self told before hāde As we will speake nothing how their vse is to teach vs a farre other Christ thā is purported in the holy scriptures for the scriptures beare recorde that he was only incarnate made very mā for our sakes But these men not contenting them selues with that feyne him also to be impanate or embreaded Yea and they ymagine him to be such a one that he may be called euery daye in to a piece of breade by the priestes enchauntementes as though he were a certain new Elicius Iupiter Furthermore if they purpose to speake of those thinges that Christ our Lorde hathe purchaced with the merite of his owne death as of remission of synnes the grace of God the father iustice right of adopcion and the possession of euerlasting blessednesse than their maner is with such open wickednesse shamelesnesse to shewe them elles where thā in Christ alone that they can not denie it though they wolde neuer so fayne The Apostle Paule sayeth that Christ is made of 1. Cor. 1. and. 2. God vnto vs wysedō righteousnes sanctificacion redempcion that he knewe nothing els but Iesus Christ euen him that was crucified And in an other place declaring the certaintie of his doctrine he sayeth Although we Gal 1. or an Angel from heauen shall preache vnto you any other gospel than that we haue preached vnto you cursed be he But we heare the popishe shauelinges greasye doctours preache a farre other maner of Gospell than the Apostles haue sent vnto vs in their writynges For they teache righteousnes to be in mennes owne workes merites They teache folkes to seke forgeuenesse of synnes at the handes of wicked and hooremonging yea most filthie rakehell masse priestes As for the grace and fauour of god they ascribe it against Goddes commaundement vnto ymages that they set vp and therfore they vse to name them gracious as Our lady of grace such other Tushe yf a mā wold recken vp al the hole dong hil of popishe religiō vnto these he shal see that they ascribe al that is necessary vnto saluation to externall toyes and trifles And wher the scriptures shewe vs one only patron mediatour euē Iesus Christ very God very man they haue deuised as many mediatours patrones and intercessours besides him as they beleue ther be sayntes soules in heauē Therfore wil we nyl we we must nedes saye that they be the same that the redemour vndenyable scholemaister of the worlde maketh mencion of in this place What must we doo now in this behalfe you mē and brethren Christ saithe Beleue them not Lo our saueour geueth a shorte symple playne commaundement which is a present medicine against all the obiectiones that man can deuise Thow shalt take them to be deceauours as many as goo about to bring in this maner of doctrine and therfore thow shalt not beleue their sayenges Here therfore lieth all the autoritie The B. of Rome of the bishoppes of Rome of fathers and of the counsailes in the Dust which they holde them most chiefly by For if they wolde obiecte the B. of Rome as though men must nedes beleue him bicause he is with to ambicious a name and title called the head of the churche yet ther is no cause why we should be afrayd of hys autoritie For here we do heare the true and supreme head of the church and our chief priest saye Beleue them not Nother is ther any cause why they Counsailes fathers should vaunt of the canones of counsailes and decrees of fathers For the autoritie of them is spoken against by this counsaile which is the holiest counsaill that maye be hade or deuised and the presidēt and head of this counsail is the only begoten sonne of God and the eternal truthe of God who hauing communicacion in the presence of his welbeloued apostles of the deceauours that should com in the later age of the worlde commaūdeth them not to beleue them Now let them hearken to the decrees of fathers let them beholde the Canones of counsailes and make thē selues subiectes vnto the ymaginacions of most shameles vile men which sermore by lyes thā by the truth and hade rather be dāned than saued For wherto doo we passe vpon them any more Wherto doo we wretches take hede to the autoritie of coūsailes Cā not the autoritie of Christ deserue credence at our handes onles it be approued by the consent of mē Nay let vs rather heare Christ him self him that Christ ordayned to be the doctour of the gentiles If an angel from heauen preache any gospel besides that we haue preached cursed be he And If they saye vnto you Lo here is Christ or ther is Christ beleue them not Who so euer therfore dare be so sawcye as to declare forgeuenesse of synnes righteousnesse the grace of God and saluacion any wher elles than in Iesus Christ alone and to shewe him any wher elles