Byshoppe of Rome and they had lyghtly obtayned it but that the goodnes of God hauynge pytye on the symplenesse of the people dyd dysclose thys mysterye of iniquyte to all the worlde before that it was fully fynyshed and ended to the derogacion shame of oll other false myracles I thynke that the buyldyng of these cloysters of beggynge Frerers is one porcioÌ„ of the chefe of these lyenge sygnes He shall not be beleued I know well amonge our posteryte that shulde tell them that beggers in so shorte a space had buylded so large goodly houses of the whyche eche of them are sufficiente for to receaue noryshe kynges and prynces But we se many thousandes of these buylte vp on hyghe and retched forth bothe longe and large and besydes that to haue gotten the goodlyest porcioÌ„s of lande in all contryes and cyties Yee and these deceauers theÌ„selues knowlegynge thys woÌ„der do say No prynce or kynge coulde perfourme in certayne hundredes of yeares the whyche we beggers not wythout myracle haue fynyshed in so lytle a space Yee and haue so fynyshed them the our buyldynges maye compare wyth the moost goodlyest olde places that are God hath opened by this thynge saye they that the rules of oure orders do not so greatly dysplease hym as thoughe Daniell had not sayde longe tyme before that thys shulde come to passe For thus we reade of Antichrist in the .xi. chapter Such as wyll serue hym he shall geue greate worshyppe and power yee make them Lordes ouer manye geue them the lande for naughte c. Paule addeth therevnto in all deceaueablenesse of vnryghteousnesse vnderstonde that Antichriste shall come after suche maner That is to saye when he commeth he shall brynge wyth hym all kynde of iniquite wherewyth he myghte brynge men away from the truthe equyte honestye ryghteousnesse wrappe men in ypocrysy and erroures We know therfore that by the meanes of antichrist the commune iustice all honestye holy truthe shal be moued oute of theyr place vnryghteousnesse ypocrysye vnshamefastnesse voluptuosnesse moost vayne persuasions to be set vp in theyr steade Whyche thynges he the seyth not to haue all ages and degrees in possession nowe at thys tyme lacketh both hys eyes hys wytte But all meÌ„ shall not be deceaued but the reprobate that is to saye they of whom the truthe was refused and lyes receaued that is to saye such as do wylfully peryshe And because that a secrete questyon myghte be moued Why the Antichrist hath so greate power and prosperethe so greatlye Why hathe God suffered Satan and Antichrist hys captyue to haue so great power By a solucion he preuenteth the question and sayeth because they receaued not the loue of the truthe that they myghte haue ben saued That is to saye the iustice vengeaunce of God requyreth the same thyng to be done For theyr obstynate rebellioÌ„ agaynste Christe deserueth that all they whyche receaued not Christ that of hys charyte was wyllynge to saue all men for hys truthe sake dyd opeÌ„ those thynges whyche belonged to saluacion that they myght haue ben saued shulde nowe by the sufferaunce of God for the truthe haue falshed in the steade of charyte tyranny and for a saueâ—ure haue a destroyer and that they shulde nowe beleue the lyes of a wycked man whyche wolde not beleue Christe that tolde them the truthe For our LORDE hymselfe sayeth in the Gospell of Ihon Ye wyll not come vnto me that ye myght haue lyfe I receaue not the glorye of meÌ„ but I knowe that you haue not the loue of God in you I came in the name of my father ye receaue me not yf an other shall come in his own name hym wyll ye receaue Ioh v. And oute of thys truly it semeth that that noble sentence of the commune people was takeÌ„ They that beleued not Christe shall beleue Antichriste And herevnto belonge also the wordes of Paule that followe wherwyth he maketh that whyche goeth before more clearer sayeng And therfore that is to saye because they receaued not the loue of the truthe and were not the louers and followers of true relygioÌ„ God shall sende them stronge delusioÌ„s that is to saye moost euydente seduccion and deceate that euen lyke madde persones and men rauyshed of theyr wyttes they can not chose but beleue lyes And for thys cause that all they myghte be iudged that is to saye tormeÌ„ted punyshed vvhyche beleued not the pure and symple truthe but rather approued vnryghteousnesse ypocrysy superstycion and erroure Ye haue now a reason how it coÌ„meth to passe that the worlde nowe a dayes is so readye to beleue the myracles doctrynes and rytes of Antichriste It is the iudgemeÌ„te of God whyche hath shewed myracles ynoughe by hys sonne by hys prophetes and Apostles and hath also prescrybed vs doctrynes and rytes clearlye and sufficiente ynough But all these thynges set asyde we had rather be deceaued Therefore these prestes and monkes Antichristes knyghtes deceaued vs by gettynge awaye our moneye and neuer ceassed to thruste in theyr lyes vnto vs vntyl that they had emptyed all mens cofers Suche thynges as myghte be brought out of the Byble semed olde forworne thynges â–ª all men daylye desyred to heare new matters and therfore was it fre for euery man that wold for to inuente euery thynge that he lyfte He was best alowed that had brought in ony new thynge into the churche and so throughe theyr vnshamefastnesse and our curyosyte and foolyshnesse it came to passe by the ryghteous iudgemente of God that all truthe was banyshed many yeares sence and errour hath raygned myghtelye thorow oute the coÌ„gregacions Nowe though it be thus and that experience it selfe do proue these thynges to be ouer true yet are ther certayne euell occupyed persones whyche go about to boulster vp the corrupte captayns of the moost corrupte relygion whyche are bente to dostroye the sprete of the mouth of God But the truthe which is inuyncible shall ouercome bothe those vayne prelates of the churche and also theyr foolyshe defenders and shall also ouerthrowe them and bruse them all to peces excepte they conuerte vnto the LORDE Hetherto haue we disputed more at large then we thought to haue done at the begynnyng of the commynge of Antichriste of hys kyngdome and confusion for the readers pleasure and for the erudycion and warnynge of the symple people Nowe wyll we returne vnto Paule and the Thessalonyans For Paule hymselfe after he hath fynyshed hys dysputacion of Antichriste turneth hym vnto the Thessalonyans But vve are bounde to geue thankes alvvayes to God for you brethren beloued of the LORDE because that God hath from the begynnynge chosen you to saluacion thorovve sanctifyenge of the sprete and thorovv beleuynge the truthe vvhereunto he called you by oure Gospell to optayne the glorye of our LORDE Iesu Christ A notable place of the election Theophylactus knyttynge these thynges verye goodly with those that are gone
but turne vnto prayer And he prescrybeth the pryncypall thynges whyche they shuld aske of God by theyr contynuall prayer Fyrste that the worde of God myghte runne abrode and be glorifyed amonge all other nacyoÌ„s euen as it was dyuulgate amonge the Thessalonians and receaued of godlye meÌ„ wyth an holy reioycynge And all the scrypture beareth wytnesse that thys was the perpetuall moost feruenteste wyshe or desyre of all saynctes And in the fourth chapter of the Actes of the Apostles the Apostolyke church dyd aske thys one thynge of God that he wolde geue the apostles grace strengthe to speake the worde of God wyth boldnes We offende greatly nowe a dayes that we do aske these thynges so coldlye of God yee and I wolde to God that we dyd not vtterlye forgette to aske them at all Nowe where as he sayde to runne abrode he spake it after the commune speche and he mente that it might encreasse and spreade abrode apace wyth oute ony lette And the worde is gloryfyed when it is receaued of men and all the glorye geuen vnto God onely The secoÌ„de thynge that he teacheth to be asked wyth prayer is that we maye be delyuered from vnreasonable and euell men that is from inordynate and frowarde men Who vs vnreasonable euâ—ll men whyche do nothynge in theyr tyme and place but all thynges peruerslye And the Apostle mente the enemyes of Gods worde whoÌ„ nothynge can please and yet in the meanseason they can do nothynge well themselues They fynde fautes and peruerte all thynges and depraue those thynges whych are well sayd and done and do lade them and defyle them wyth shamefull suspycions They are also called shrewde malycious and peruerse meÌ„ And Dauid in hys psalmes dothe desyre very ofte to be delyuered froÌ„ them And our LORDE dyd adde vnto the ende of that holy prayer Delyuer vs froÌ„ euell not alonly from the deuell but also from all hys armye and bodye and specially from that spyrytuall wyckednesse those crafty deceauers For ther is more ieopardye in a false frende and one that dissembleth all thynge theÌ„ in an opeÌ„ enemye Al meÌ„ haue not faythe And herevnto belongeth that which followeth For all men haue not fayth For this meaneth Paul All they are not faythfull and true whyche wolde seme to be faythfull For faythe in thys place is vsurped in the same sygnifycacion that the Poete taketh it when he sayeth Nusquam tuta fides a man woteth neare whome he maye truste Yf ye wyll not grauÌ„t this maner of speakynge then thys is the meanynge Touchynge the I do requyre your prayers so greatlye that we myght be delyuered from vnreasonable and froward men it is because I knowe that ther are many false brethren amonge you For all they whyche pretende fayth and professe it wyth theyr mouthe haue not the true fayth in dede For oure LORDE sayeth in the Gospell Math. xx Many are called but fewe are chosen And althoughe these two sences dyffer not muche yet the fyrste lyketh me better Nowe ther followeth But the LORDE is faythfull vvhyche shall stablyshe you and kepe you from euell For leste he shulde dyscoÌ„forte the myndes of the saynctes through the vnfaythfulnes of manye althoughe sayeth he that ther be many vnfaythfull amonge you yet the LORDE is faythful and true whyche wyll kepe hys promyse wyth vs and be wyth hys for euer They do resyste the Gospell but they shall not ouercome it they lette it that it can not go much abrode but they shall not dryue it cleane backe They do betraye the fauourers of the truthe but yet they shall not vtterlye oppresse the truth For Iesus Christ whyche is faythfull is euer at haÌ„de for to fyghte for hys He shall streÌ„ghthen hys agaynste the vnhappynesse of these men and shall kepe theÌ„ from euell For as much as he is true he wyll luckly perfourme those thynges whyche he hath begonne in vs. These wordes that are so full of consolacion shulde be often layde forth to such as are in perrell are greatlye aferde also of vnreasonable and euell men Nowe to mytygate and as it were to correcce that whyche he sayde before he sayeth But vve haue good hope of you throughe the LORD c. As though he wolde saye We saye not these thynges because that we doute of your constauncy no we do rather hope of you by the helpe of the LORDE Iesus that those thynges whyche I commaunde you of prayer of watchynge and stedfastnesse ye both do and hereafter wyll do And it hath muche grace wyth it yf that in oure admonycion we do reioyce of the thynge whyche we desyre to receaue optayne as it were receaued optayned already Agayne leste that ony man shulde attrybute ouermuche vnto theyr owne strengthe but that rather we shulde all knowe that euery gyfte is geuen vs of God from heaueÌ„ the LORDE sayth he guyde youre hartes into the loue of God and lokynge after Christe To the wyhche Erasmus dothe adde Charite shall cause you for to studye to do good vnto all men euen as God is benefycyal towarde all men The lokynge for the coÌ„mynge of Christe shall cause you to suffer all afflyccions manfully Therfore in all trubles and perylles we haue these two styltes for to beare vs vp prayer stedfaste fayth BrethreÌ„ let vs remembre these thynges I praye you in as muche as our tymes also are mooste corrupte troublesome and that for thys cause it is not possible but the sayntes shuld be vexed let vs praye to God and constauntly beleue that he wyl neuer fayle vs although that in the meanseason many vnreasonable and euell men do ether persecute or betraye the truthe God is true fayth full whyche can not denye hymselfe and the truthe shall remayn euermore inuincyble let vs cleue therfore vnto the truthe and we shall haue the vyctory althoughe that when we be ouerthrowen of the worlde we seme to be ouercome Vve commaunde you brethren in the name of our LORDE Iesus Christe that ye vvythdravve your selues from euery brother that vvalketh inordynately and not after the instytucion vvhyche he receaued of vs. It is manyfeste in the fourth chapter of the fyrste Epystle He condemneth deliâ—es exhort the men to laboure what gaue hym an occcasion of thys commaundemente That is to saye because that immediatlye after the tyme of the Apostles certayn curious men beganne to thruste themselues into the church of God and vnder the pretence of relygion or euell sciences and slouthfull ydelnes dyd gette them a swete lyuynge And where as befor in his fyrst epistle he dyd but easlye as it were bycker or skyrmyshe wyth them he dothe nowe comme in open felde vpon them ouerthrowe them and put theÌ„ to flyghte Fyrste of all he settethe forthe the matter generally and sayeth I wyll not that you haue ony conuersacion wyth inordynate fellowes and suche as ordre themselues otherwyse then we dyd ordeyne And he speaketh not
betraye them notwythstondynge ony othe In ouerchargynge Italy wyth trybutes was neuer none so bolde Greate ryches he had but departe from ony he was lothe Thys is he whyche hys owne contrey wyth cruell warres dyd oppresse And fylled all the earthe full of Christen mens bloude He spoyled many cytyes thrustynge out both more and lesse Oh cruell persone who euer redde that he dyd ony good Infinyte other thynges of thys sorte I do ouerpasse leste I shuld make the godly reader for to vomyte And surely no man althoughe he were verye eloquente can sufficientlye declare what multitude of wyckednesse hath crepte from suche heades of the churche amonge all the people of Christe so that I haue not offended in expoundynge thys prophecye of Paule of the Byshopes of Romes kyngdom I wyll speake nothynge nowe of the ypocrysye synnes and wyckednes of Monkes Nonnes Prestes and the spiritualte as men call them because that experience itselfe doth set forth all these thynges more clerlye then ony mā cā descrybe thē For here is the thynge fulfylled of whyche S Paule dyd prophycy They shall resyste the truth men of corrupte myndes reprobate as touchynge the faythe but they shall preuayle no lenger for theyr madnes shal be euydent vnto all men .ii. Timo. iii. Secondlye Paule calleth Antichriste Aduersarium that is to saye an aduersarye and he calleth hym an aduersarye or Antichriste as though one shuld saye set playn contrarye agaynste Christe as one whose wytte maners lyfe doctryne dedes lawes and institucions do fyghte agaynste Christe A comparison betwene Christe and Antichriste Christ came to shewe peace to all the worlde as of whose commynge the Prophetes had shewed before that thē moost cruell nacions shulde turne theyr sweardes into coulters theyr speares into sythes Nowe Machomet doth boaste hymselfe to be sente of God in the power of armoure Christe taught that men are not defyled wyth those thynges that go into the mouth But Mahomet hath forbyddē hys wyne and other meates whiche god ordeyned to be receaued wyth geuynge of thankes He hath also geuen vnto his circumcision and admitteth Polygamiam that is moo wyues at once then one the whyche Christ hath abrogate and taught out of the olde lawe that one fleshe onely not two or mo ought to be in matrymony To be shorte al the lyfe and doctryne all the lawes institucions and dedes of Mahomet are agaynste Christe Nother do the sayenges dedes doctrynes and rytes of the Byshope of Rome wyth all hys bodye agree ony better wyth Christe Christe hath geuen vs in the Prophetes and by the preachyng of the Apostles an absolute and perfecte doctryne which alone is sufficient ynoughe to gette euerlastyng lyfe But the Byshope of Rome sayeth that vnto that perfeccion we must haue tradycions of fathers I wote not what as thynges wythoute whyche no man can be saued and as though those holy mē whyche lacked them were damned Christ taught that one onely God ought to be worshypped and called vpon and that by the meanes and intercession of hys name But the Byshope of Rome hathe thruste in to the churches the prayenge and worshyppyng of sayntes more diligentlye then the true relygyon of God The Apostles oute of the tradycion and spirite of Christ taught that ther was but one onely hye preste one euerlastynge sacrifyce onely that is Iesus Christe But the Byshop of Rome subuertynge that order of Melchisedech hath consecrated innumerable sacrifyces for to sacrifyse daylye for the synnes of the quycke and the deade The Apostelles taught that God onely doth remytte synnes and that to hym onely men ought to confesse them But the Byshope of Rome hath set forth vnto the churches wonderous lyes of the power of the keyes of auricular confession of cases reserued and of the market of pardones The Apostles dyd commende vnto the churches the grace of God they taught that the beleuers were iustifyed by fayth But the Byshop of Rome hath boasted the merites of sayntes yee and hath solde thē to What nede is therof many wordes trueth doth not so much repugne lyes nor lyghte darknes as Antichrist is contrarye to Christe Christ dyd abrogate ceremonyes he sette in theyr steade a fewe sacramētes the rest he wolde haue vs to serue him in sprete and truthe and requyred fayth and charite of vs. But the Byshope of Rome as one forgettyng these thynges hathe stuffed the churche wyth ceremonyes yee and wyth mooste foolyshe rytes superstycions And those thynges whyche Christe by hys example wordes and dedes had banyshed oute of the churche he once receaued them agayne holdeth thē fast by the tethe Christ flyeth kyngdomes washeth hys disciples fete taught humylite The kynges of the Gentyles beare rule sayeth he but so shall not ye But the Byshoppe of Rome persueth not after kyngdomes onely but the chefe Empyre it selfe getteth it by crafte and beareth rule ouer kynges that are subiect vnto him yee and profereth hys fete vnto kynges to be kyssed and suche kynges as kycke agaynste hym wyll not worshyp this beaste he stryketh them wyth the thonder bolte of hys excommunicacion putteth them out of theyr kyngdome setteth other kynges in theyr rowme assoyleth theyr subiettes of theyr othe of obedience Christe ware a crowne of thorne was clothed wyth a purple garmente But the Byshope of Rome decked wyth a tryple crowne as it were Darius of Persia cōmeth forth glysterynge in hys golde and precyous stones compassed aboute wyth an hoost of men Christ payed toll But the Byshope of Rome doth exempte his from it condempnynge and persecutynge the holy authorytye that requyreth ony trybute of thys anoynted secte Christe beareth a crosse The Byshope of Rome is borne vpon the shulders of moost couetous mē Christe was poore he fedde the shepe wente mekely into the towne and caste oute of the temple both byers and sellers But thys mā boasteth hymselfe to be the Lorde ouer all the Weste partyes he spoyleth and deuoureth the shepe and closed in wyth an hoost of men is caryed proudly in a tryumphe he receaueth into the temple of God all byers and sellers and thē that wyll not receaue them he excommuntcateth and pronoūceth them heretykes To be shorte he hath suffered all the temples of Christ to be made so prophane that nowe they be lyke to a well trymmed market For yf I shulde speake nothynge at all of the choppynge and chaungyng and byeng of benefyces of the pardoners or rather the deuelles marchaundise of the fayers of sacramentes masses and indulgences Ther stande ready before the churche dores tabernacles tables chayres and settelles in them are set forth to selle fygures of waxe lytle ymages fete and hādes of yron and waxe hennes ans cockes and innumerable muche of suche kynde of oblacions and in the churches themselues stande Idolles wyth stretched out hādes and because they be domme they haue an interpreter by that lacketh no tunge For he standynge by the aulter and by the Idoll
of Rome for to inuade and gette the Empyre For yf the one had not broken the strength of the Empyre of Rome the other had not raygned But we haue expounded all these thynges more at large in the hystory here before Nowe followeth the ruyne destruccion of Antichrist Of the destruccion of Antichrist He shall not fall by and by after that he is stryken wyth a stroke or weapon but by lytle and lytle after he hath bene made weake by many battaylles he shall at the laste peryshe But he shall not be caste down with mans hande nother yet by the multytude of hoostes nor strēgth of souldyers or gonne strokes but by the hande and power of God For Christ shall fyrste consume hym wyth the sprete of hys mouthe and after that shall he put hym cleane out of the waye wyth hys moost gloryous commynge into iudgemēt The fyrste of these two dyd Paule take oute of the eleuenth chapter of Isaie whose wordes are these With ryghteousnes shall he iudge the poore and wyth equite shall he contende for the meke of the earthe he shall stryke the worlde wyth the rodde of hys mouthe and wyth the sprete of hys lyppes shall he slaye the wycked Nowe the sprete of the mouthe or of the lyppes of God is the true exposycion of the worde of god For the worde of God is the same swearde wherewyth the heade of thys proude Golyas shall be stryken of For Antichrist speaketh on the syde of the moost hyghest and he sayeth that all that he doth is deduced or taken out of the Decrees of the holy scrypture For vnder the pretence of this hath he hetherto raygned safely But when that thoroughe the goodnes of God the lyght of the Gospell that is Goddes worde begynneth to shyne the clowdes of thys deceauer do strayght waye vanyshe awaye For it is playne vnto all men that thys fellowe in hys maners and lawes is clene contrarye to Christe Therefore it commeth to passe that all godlye wytted men the truthe once knowen do abhorre and forsake hym Therfore the swearde wherwyth this man is slayne is the word of God for thē is he moost surely slayne when that hys nature and dysposyciō are manyfestly knowen by the doctryne of truthe The knowlege of hym dothe kyll hym and cast him downe and the clokyng and ignoraūce of hym doth sette hym vp For they that knowe hym not do beleue that he is an Apostolycall prophete yee a god to but they that knowe him trulye are sure that he is Antichriste The latter of these two dyd Paul take out of the .vii. chapter of Daniell where we reade I loked tyll the seates were prepared and the olde aged satte hym downe and beholde ther came in the cloudes of the ayre one lyke the sonne of man and he came vnto the olde aged and the iudgemente was sette and the bokes opened Then toke I hede therevnto because of the voyce of the proud wordes whyche that horne spake And I behelde styll tyll that the beaste was slayne and hys bodye destroyed and geuen ouer to be burnte in the fyre And therfore sayeth Paule Whom the LORDE shall destroy wyth the bryghtnes of hys cōmynge that is to say with his moost gloryous cōmyng For our LORDE sayde in the Gospell Euen as the lyghtenynge commeth oute of the Easte and appeareth vnto the Weste so shall the commynge of the sonne of man be For he shall come in the cloudes of heauen wyth greate power and glory Math. xxiiii And euen as darknes as sayeth S. Ierome is dryuen away at the cōmynge of the Sonne The battail vanquyshyng of Antichriste so shall the LORDE destroy and put hym awaye wyth the bryghtnes of hys commynge Thys glorye and vyctorye is reserued vnto Christe onely For they are deceaued whyche thynke the Antichriste before the daye of iudgemēte shall by abolyshed by the strength of armes But thys battayll betwene Christe Antichriste shall rather endure vnto the ende of the worlde And he beynge bolde of the strength of armes shall breake a sondre treade vnder hys fete the sayntes of the moost hyest but the membres of Christe shall wythstonde hym and shall sette vpō hym with the swearde of the worde of God shall bewraye hys deceate shall accuse his wyckednes and so slaye hym For by thys meanes shall he be put oute of mens hartes and hys authoryte shall fall The vyctory of the Christen stādeth in the truth of Goddes worde and constauncy And in the meāseason although he be ouercome yet shall he take on vntyll Christe the iudge shall putte hym quyte down And therfore my brethren our vyctorye must stande alonly in the truth of Gods worde in the constanucy of our fayth Therfore let vs betake our lyues vnto our faythfull creator go forward in the affyrmyng of the canonical truth glory of Christ ourredemer LORD agaynst the blasphemies of this vnpure draggō Christ wyll be presēt with hys although he delyuer vs into hys handes Vvhose cōmynge is by the vvorkynge of Satan vvyth all povver and lyenge sygnes and vvonders and in all deceueablnes of vnryghteousnes amōg thē that perysh because they receaued not the loue of the truth that they might haue bene saued And therfore god shal sende thē strōge delusiō that they shuld beleue lyes that all they myght be dāned vvhych beleued not the truthe but had pleasure in vnryghtousnes Antichriste raygneth by power and lyes Hetherto hath the Apostle entreated of the reuelacion of Antichrist of the ruyne and confusion of hym he hath spoken also of hys kyngedome and propertyes nowe he turneth hym from that and descrybeth hys strengthe and workes more at large That deceauer shal come sayeth he prepared wyth the sprete and power of Satan the whyche shall shewe forth them selfe in hym moost manyfestly For thys maner of speakynge Vvhose cōmynge is by the vvorkynge of Satan is so much to saye Nowe the strength and workynge of Satan ar chefely murther and lyes as our saueoure sayeth He was a manslayer from the begynnynge and abode not in the truthe because the truthe is not in hym Whan he speaketh a lye he speaketh of hys owne because he is a lyer and the father of it And Paule in this place shewynge the workes of Satan by partes doth teken vp power and sygnes that is lyenge wonders and the deceaueablenesse of vnryghteousnesse also For Mahomet sayeth that he is sente of God in the strength of armoure for thys cause doth he destroye all thynges wyth fyre and swearde And the Byshope of Rome hath abused the armour of al kynges and prynces persecuteth and slayeth the sayntes ether callynge vpon the secular arme or els by excercysynge hy◠owne strength The greate destruccion of moost stronge nacions nowe in our dayes do testifye what he maye do by strength and what murthurs yee and betrayēge of kyngdomes and robberyes the deuell hath done in the world by