45. 46. Bellarm. de concil l. 2. c. 17. de pot Rom. lib. 2. c. 31. Ioan. de turrecre sum de eccl lib. 2. c. 27. cap. 80. R. Cupers pag. 34. num 1. Bonifac. 8. c. quoniaÌ„ de immunit in 6. Panormit For it is not sit that the Pope should reseÌ„ble Christ who now is glorified in heauen as he was conteÌ„ned but as the Pastor of the whole world supernal heaueÌ„ly as he shall come to be our iudge to whom it is certain that all men of necessity must obey For it is euident that the worke of redeÌ„ption being accoÌ„plished the power of Christ was extended as well in heauen as in earth Mat. 28. All power is giueÌ„ vnto me in heaueÌ„ in earth Which power is translated vnto his Vicar c. In respect of his office therfore he is the foundation the head the husband the Lord of the vniuersal church in vnction Christ is therfore to be called a R. Cupers de eccl Christus Domini the Lords Christ. Now if it be obiected that Christ alone is the head b Eph. t. 21. 22. 4. 15. 5. 23. Col. 1. 28. of the Catholike Church and so of the c Eph. 5. 24. Ioan. 3. 29. 2. Cor. 11. 2. 1. Cor. 3. 11. 12. rest answere is made that d R. Cupers de eccl pag. 128. num 36. Christ and the Pope in the Church are vnuÌ„ idem caput one and the same head and doe make one and the same consistorie e Idem pag. 30. num 8. for it were a monstrous thing that the Church should haue two heads And to the same purpose saith a f 1. de turrecreâ—…at summ de eccle lib. 2. c. 26. Cardinall of Rome The iudgement of the Pope is reputed the iudgement of God and his sentence and his consistory the consistory of God and therefore Christ and the Pope are not properly two heads but one as Boniface the eight declareth In extrav c. vnam sanctam But to speake more particularly of his offices For prophecie hee is the vniuersall or oecumenicall Bishop and Pastor of Pastors Orat. Cornelij episcopâ—… 〈◊〉 in concil â—…rident sub Pau. lo 3. the Ordinary or Bishop of the whole world Who is oom a light into the world but men haue loued darkenesse more then light who hath the supreme authority of interpreting the scriptures who is the supreame iudge in controuersies of religion hauing De translat epise c. quanto in gloss an heauenly arbitrement and as it were a diuine and infallible iudgement who is aboue 1 Decret Greg. l. 1. de elect 〈◊〉 oâ—… c. significaâ—… Concil Florent Tâ—…dent generall councels for 2 R. Cupers de â—…ccl pag. 31. num 23. Pigâ—… lib. 6. c. 13. although in a generall councell the vniuersall Church is represented in Cupers pag. 125 nâ—… 9. so much that nothing is greater then the Councell Tamen Papa eidem omnimoda supereminet authoritate Notwithstanding Capâ—… sol 23. C. de sumâ—… trinit l. 1. in f. the Pope surpasseth the same in all maner authority whose iudgement is to bee preferred before the iudgement of the whole worlde insomuch that if the whole worlde should determine against the Pope wee must stande to his sentence for so they say 4 R. Cupers pag. 11 〈◊〉 18. Papae sententia totius orbis plâ—…to prefertuâ—… And againe 5 1. de turrecrem lib. 3. c. 64. Si totus mundus sentiret or as the 6 In c. nemo 9. q 3. glosse readeth sentenâ—…iaret contra Papam videtur quòd sentenâ—…ae Papae standum esset vt 24. q. 1. haec est fides haec gloss 7 Baldus who is of greater authority then all the Saints and in respect thereof is of 8 1. de turrecrem summ lib. 2 cap. 26. great perfection then the whole body of the Church besides But it is not sufficient for this Antichrist to preferre himselfe aboue the whole Church which is the body of Christ vnlesse also hee sought in respect of the propheticall office to match himselfe with Christ the head of the church yea and in some respects to ouermatch him 9. He seeketh to match himselfe with Christ 1. in taking vpon him to make newe articles of Eaith and to propound doctrines not contayned in the Scriptures as necessarie vnto saluation 2. In making fiue Sacraments more then Christ appointed some whereof hee preferreth aboue baptisme and those two which Christ hath ordained he hath so altered and chaunged as that the one is scarcely the other not at all the same And whereas Christ ordained the Sacrament of his body and blood in two kindes they not withstanding his institution will haue it administred to the people but in one kind For so it is professed in the Councell of Constance that although Christ administred this venerable sacrament â—…ss 13. vnto his Disciples vnder both kinds of bread and wine and although in the primitiue church this sacrament was receiued of the faithfull in both kinds notwithstanding this custome of receiuing the bread only was vpoÌ„ good reason brought in for the auoiding of some dangers and scandales 3. In making their owne deuises decretals traditioÌ„s of equal authority with the word of God Innocentius 3. comanded that the words of the canon Ioan. Bal in eius vita of the Masse should be held equal to the words of the gospell Agatho the Pope decreed that all the constitutions of the See apostolick are to be receiued as authorized by the diuine voice D stinct 19. c. sic omnes Ioan. de turrecrem lib. 2. c. 108. of Peter himselfe And in the same distinction this is the title or argument of one chapter Inter canonic as Scripturas decretales epistolae connumerantur that is Among the Canonicall scriptures the decretall epistles are numbred Which in Dâ—…st 19. c. in canonicâ—… the chapter it selfe is absurdly proued out of Augustine misalledged And as touching traditions whereby are meant De doctr Christi l. 2. c. 8. all points of popery which as themselues confesse are not contained in the written worde the holy Councell of Trent hath ordained that they are to bee receiued and honoured Pari piâ—…tatis affectu ac reuerentia With as great affection of Sess. 4. pietie and reuerence as the written worde of God Which decree when as a certaine Bishop misliked Ceruinus the Popes Iacobus Nachiantes Clodiae follae episcopus Bal. in vita Marcellâ—… secundi legate who afterwardes was Pope called Marcellus 2. caused him to bee expelled out of the Councell And lastly least he should seeme in any thing to be inferiour to Christ our Prophet hee confirmeth his doctrines by miracles as they call them 10. And thus the Pope matcheth himselfe with Christ our Prophet let vs now consider how he aduaunceth himselfe aboue him Which he manifestly doth in preferring his owne and the churches authority aboue
the scriptures And if the Hervaeus de potest Tap. e. R. Cupers Petrus de palude de potest Papae â—…t 4. church be aboue the Scriptures then much more is he For he not onely virtualiter est tota ecclesia that is virtually the whole church but also his power alone exceedeth the power of all the whole church besides Now that the authority of the church much more of the Pope who is superior to the church is aboue the scripture it is both generally affirmed by som particulars coÌ„firmed Cardinal Cusanus entitleth his book De authoritate ecclesia concilij supra coÌ„tra scripturaÌ„ Of the authority of the Church councell aboue against the Scripture Syluester Prierias master of the Popes pallace saith That indulgences are warranted vnto vs not by the authoritie of the Scripture Contra Lutheri conclusiones de potestate Papae but by the authoritie of the Church and Pope of Rome which is greater Boniface the Archbishop of Mentz saith That all men so reuerence the Apostolicke See of Rome that they rather desire the auncient institution of Christian religion from the Pope then from the holy Scriptures This saying the Pope hath so approued that he hath caused it to be inserted into the Dist. 40. c. si Papa Canon lawe The particulars which proue the Pope to aduaunce himselfe aboue the Scriptures are these 1 Because he hath as they say authoritie to adde to the Canonicall Scriptures other bookes that are not in the Canon And that those Dist. 19. c. si Romanorum Ioan. de turrecrem l. 〈◊〉 cap. 112. which be in the Canon haue their Canonicall authority from him In the 19. distinction cap. Si Romanorum Pope Nicolas not onely matcheth their decretall Epistles with the holy Scriptures but also affirmeth that the Scriptures are therefore to be receiued because the Pope hath iudged them canonicall Another saith Whosoeuer resteth not on the doctrine of the Romane church and Bishop of Rome as the infallible rule of God Syluester Prierias contra Lutherum à qua sacra scriptura robur trabis authoritatem From which the sacred Scripture draweth strength and authority hee is an Hereticke Eckius saith Scriptura nisiecclesiae authoritate non De ecclesia est authentica The Scripture is not authenticall but by the authority of the Church For I will not tell you how some of them haue not bene ashamed to say that the Scripture without the authoritie of the Church is of it selfe no better worth then AEsopes fables Pighius saith The authority of the church Vid. Chemnit exam part 1. pag. 47. is aboue the Scriptures because the authoritie of the Church hath giuen the Scriptures canonicall authority Secondly whereas the Scriptures are not the words and syllables but the true sence and meaning thereof They teach that the scriptures are to be vnderstood according to the interpretation of the Pope and Church of Rome and that sence which the Pope assigneth to the Scriptures must bee taken for the vndoubted word of God The Pope saith one hath authority so to expound Heruauâ—… de potestate Papae the scriptures that it is not lawful to hold or thinke the contrary A Cardinall of Rome saith If any man haue the interpretation of the church of Rome concerning any place of scripture although he neither know nor vnderstand whether and Cardinal Hosius de expresso dei verbo how it agreeth with the words of the scripture notwithstanding he hath ipsimum verbum Dei the very wordof God And if the sence which they giue be diuerse according to the variety of their practise and diuersitie of times we must acknowledge that the scripture is to follow the church and not the church to follow the scriptures Whereupon Cardinall Cusanus It is no Nicol. Cusanus ad Bohem. epist. 7. maruell saith he though the practise of the church expound the scriptures at one time one way and at another time another way For the vnderstanding or sence of the scripture runneth with the practise And that sence so agreeing with the practise is the quickning spirit And therefore the scriptures follow the church but contrarywise the church followeth not the scriptures And this is that which one who was no small foole in Rome auouched The Pope saith he may change the holy gospell and may Henricus Doctor magister sacri palatij Romae ad legatos â—…ohemicos sub Felice Papa 1447. giue to the gospell according to place and time another sence And to the same purpose was the speech of that blasphemous Cardinall that if any man did not beleeue that Christ is very God and man and the Pope thought the same he should not bee condemned To conclude therefore with Cardinall Cusanus This is the iudgement saith he of all them that thinke rightlie Cardinal s. Angeli ad cosdeâ—… legatos Bohemicos that found the authoritie and vnderstanding of the scriptures in the allowance of the church and not contrariwise lay the foundation of the church in the authority of the scriptures Ad Bohemos epist. 2. 11 Thirdly the Pope challengeth authority aboue the scriptures when he taketh vpon him to dispense with the word and law of God For whosoeuer taketh vpon him to dispense with the law of another challengeth greater authority then the others and it is a rule among themselues In praecepto superioris non debet dispensare inferior the inferiour may not dispense Antonin part 3. lit 22. cap. 6. §. 2. with the commaundement of the superiour That the Pope doth dispense with the lawes of God it is euident For scarcely is there any sinne forbidden there where with he doth not sometimes dispense nay whereof hee will not if it be for his aduantage make a meritorious worke Incest is an horrible sinne forbidden by the law of God and by the lawe of nature And yet there is no incest excepting that which is committed betwixt the parents and the children which hee hath not authority forsooth to dispense with for as they say hee may dispense against the law of nature The Pope dispensed with Henrie the eightth to marie his sister in law and 25. q. 6 authoritatem in glâ—…ss with Philip the late king of Spaine to mary his owne niece Pope Martin the fift dispensed with a certaine brother that Antonin sum 3. part tit 1. cap. 11. §. quod Papa sum angel diâ—…t Papa maried his owne sister And Clement the seauenth licensed Petrus Aluaraâ—…lus the spaniard for a summe of money to marie two sisters at once c. Disobedience to parents periury that is breaking of lawfull oathes rebellion against lawfull princes murdering of a sacred prince are condemned by the lawe of God as haynous offences But if children shall cast of their parents to enter into a Sodomiticall cloister if the Pope shall absolue the subiects from their oathes and forbidde them
which they esteeme as a note of the true church they contemne and despise all other churches which doe not vaunt of miracles as they do 2. And yet notwithstanding al their miracles are nothing worth First because they serue to confirme vntruths as shal be shewed therefore are not to be regarded Secondly because the vaine brag of manifold miracles amōg those that professe the name of Christ in these later times wherein miracles need not for the confirmatiō of Gods truth which heretofore hath bin sufficiētly cōfirmed is so farre frō being a note of the true church as that rather it is a plaine signe of false teachers an euident marke of the Synagogue of Antichrist For their owne deuises indeed doctrines of men do stil need signes wonders to cōfirme thē But the truth of the gospell which we professe hath bin sufficiently confirmed by the miracles of our Sauiour Christ of his Apostles and Disciples Whosoeuer therfore will not beleeue this doctrine thus cōfirmed neither will he beleeue though one should rise frō the dead to preach vnto Luke 16. him Againe miracles are graunted not for the beleeuers but for thē that liue in infidelity And as Augustine saith Quisquis Tharasius in cōcil Nicen. 2. adhuc prodigia vt credat inquirit magnum est ipse prodigium qui mundo credeme nō credit Whosoeuer yet seeketh after wonders that hee may beleeue is himselfe a great wonder who when De ciuit Dei lib. 22. c. 8. the worlde beleeueth doth not beleeue And therfore in another place he saith Contra istos mirabiliarios cautum me fecit Deus meus c. Against these miraclemongers my God hath made Tract 13. in Ioan. me wary saying There shall arise in the last daies false prophets working signes wonders that they might bring into errour if it were possible the very elect Likewise Chrysostome or whosoeuer Chrysost homil 49. in Matth. was the authour of those learned Homilies vpon Matthew in the 49. Homily where hee proueth that the true Church of Christ cannot now bee knowne or discerned by signes or other meanes but onely by the Scriptures hee saith that now the working of signes and wonders is altogether taken away namely among the true professours and and the working of counterfeit miracles is more found among false Christians And that Peter in the history of Clement declareth that vnto Antichrist shal be graunted the power of working full that is to say profitable signes So that now wee cannot knowe the ministers of Christ by this that they worke profitable signes but because they worke no signes at all And the Papists themselues confesse yea Bellarmine would seeme to set it downe as one of his grounds that to Antichrist and his followers shal be graunted the power of working many and great signes and wonders And therefore vnlesse the Pope and his followers did vaūt of their miracles we should want one good argument to proue the Pope Antichrist And thus it appeareth that the first point concerning the miracles of Antichrist doth fitte the Pope and so fit him as that from hence he may be proued Antichrist For vnto whomsoeuer in these latter times this properly and onely belongeth to boast of their myracles they are Antichrist and the synagogue of Antichrist For the scriptures haue foretold that by Antichrist and his adherents many signes and wonders should bee wrought in these latter times But to the Pope church of Rome in these latter times this properly and onely belongeth to vaunt of their manifold and great myracles For the Iewes want them the Turkes disclaime thē professing that their religion must be propagated not by miracles but by force armes All other Christians which already beleeue the trueth seeke not signes which they know among true beleeuers to be superfluous and in others to be badges of Antichrist therefore the Pope is Antichrist and the Church of Rome the Synagogue of Antichrist 3. The second thing which the Scripture noteth is what maner of myracles they are which Antichrist was to worke This the Apostle saith Bellarmine declareth in one worde when hee calleth them Lying wonders or as the wordes are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signes and wonders of lying that is most lying 2. Thess. 2. 9. signes and wonders Now they are called lying wonders either in respect of the end which is to seduce men by confirming vntrueths or in regarde of their substaunce which is counterfeit And thus Chrysostome expoundeth the words of th'apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he In 2. Thess. 2. saith lying wonders that is either false and counterfeit or else leading into falshood Augustine likewise reciteth these two expositions that they are called lying signes and wonders because De ciuit Dei lib. 20. c. 19. he shall deceiue the senses of mortall men by counterfeite shewes and appearances that he may seeme to doe that which hee doth not or else because howsoeuer they shall bee true wonders they shall drawe vnto lyes such as shall beleeue that they could not be done but by the power of God not knowing the power of the diuell c. First I say they are called lying signes in respect of the ende which is to seduce men Mat. 24. 24. to make them beleeue lyes and to deceiue them 2. Thess. 2. 10. 11. Apoc. 13. 14. For this is the end whereunto the signes and wonders not onely of Antichrist but of all false prophets are referred Deut. 13. 1. 2. Out of which places of scripture we are to obserue that the Lord many times suffereth false prophets and Antichrists to worke strange signes and wonders for the triall of the faithfull and seducing of those that will not beleeue the truth that they might be saued If there arise among you saith the Lord a prophet or dreamer of dreames and giue thee a signe Deut. 13. 1. 2. 3 wonder and the signe wonder which he hath told thee come to passe saying let vs goe after other Gods which thou hast not knowne and let vs serue them thou shalt not hearken vnto the words of the prophet or vnto that dreamer of dreames For the Lord your God proueth you to know whether you loue the Lord your God with all your soule and with all your heart c. Our Sauiour Christ also hath forewarned vs that in these latter times Mat. 24. 24. there shall arise false Christs and false prophets which shall shew great signes and wonders so that if it were possible they should deceiue euen the very elect In like sort the Apostle 2. Thess. 2. noteth that the comming of Antichrist shall be according to the 2. Thess. 2. 9. 10. efficacie of Satan in all power and lying signes and wonders and in all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse in them that perish c. on whome God shall sende the efficacie of deceipt that they may beleeue lyes Likewise Iohn the diuine prophecieth
and kingdome of Antichrist And further we haue shewed heretofore that the whole body of Apostates and heretiques professing the name of Christ is Antichrist and after a more speciall maner the head of this body Apostasie And therfore it followeth that all of this Apostasie professing the name of Christ belong to this body and kingdome of Antichrist And whereas hee saith that this Apostasie is onelie a disposition so the kingdome of Antichrist c. I answere that all the degrees of this Apostasie going before the reuelation of Antichrist were a disposition not to the being but to the reuealing of Antichrist For in the Apostasie Antichrist was as Iohn plainely sheweth neither could he be reuealed vnlesse first he were Wherupon Theodoret saith Defectionem appellat Antichristi praesentiam he calleth Apostasie the presence or comming of Antichrist But is it not very likely thinke you that there hath bene a disposition or preparation already of more then 1500. yeares in most parts of the world for the raigne of one man three yeres and an halfe 19. Fiftly and lastly although we should grant saith he that a generall Apostasie from the faith hauing now continued many yeares is the kingdome of Antichrist yet it would not follow that therefore the Pope is Antichrist For it is not yet decided who haue made this defection they or we And iâ—… were more easie to proouâ—… that they haue made this defection for they haue reuolted from that Church and religion whereof their forefathers were which we haue not done c. In the foure former answers Bellarmine turned backe vpon vs hoping therby to repell the force of our argument but those being spent in this he turneth his backe vpon vs betaketh himselfe to his feete and leauing the defence of the question in hand runneth to his chiefe hold For whereas we proue that Antichrist is not one man contrary to their assertion by this argument among others because that generall Apostacie of the visible Church continuing for many ages whereof Antichrist is the head cannot be the worke of one man or of a few yeares Bellarmine answereth thus in effect that although your argument be very good to prooue that Antichrist is not one man yet notwithstanding here of it followeth not that the Pope is Antichrist Why neuer any of vs vsed this argument Antichrist is not one man therefore the Pope is Antichrist But in this assertion of ours we answere your chiefe demonstration whereby you would prooue that the Pope is not Antichrist and where in especially you please your selues reasoning as hath beene hard after this manner Antichrist is but one man therefore the Pope is not Antichrist And after you haue prooued this by many worshipfull demonstrations and stoutly denied our contrary arguments now in the end you make this cowardes bragge Although this should be granted which you say to prooue that Antichrist is not one man yet it doth not follow that the Pope is Antichrist 20. But let vs pursue the Iesuite in his flight Although this should be granted saith he c. Yet it followeth not that therfore the Pope is Antichrist For the question yet is who hath made this Apostasie we or you Well then let vs ioyne in this issue If the Apostasie be on our side let vs be thought to belong to Antichrist if this Apostasie be in the Church of Rome whereof the Pope is head then let it be acknowledged that the Pope is the head of this Apostasie and consequently Antichrist But you saith the Iesuite haue reuoltd from the Church and religion of your forefathers that is from the Church of Rome and Latin religion And therefore when you read vnlesse there come areuolt c. it is a wonder that you doe not apply that prophesie to your selues The Apostasie whereof the Apostle speaketh is not a separation from the Church of Rome that now is nor a forsaking of Romish or Popish religion but a reuolting from God a departure from the true faith and religion of Christ vnto Antichristianisme and idolatry We in forsaking the Church of Rome haue come out of Babylon Apoc. 18. 4. according to Gods commaundement and in reuolting from the Pope haue returned to God and therefore this Apostasie toucheth not vs. But you say I to the Papists haue reuolted from the true faith and religion of Christ vnto Antichristianisme and Idolatry as besides the infinite particulars wherein your Apostasie doeth consist may briefely appeare by these notes First the Apostle speaking of the same Apostasie in another place hath these words The spirit speaketh plaincly that in the latter times some shall make an Apostasie from the faith attending to erroneous spirits and doctrines of 1. Tim. 4. 1. diuels speaking lyes in hypocrisie and hauing their owne conscience seared Now who these are that make this Apostasie the Apostle further describeth by specifying two of those doctrines of diuels as certaine notes whereby to know them Forbidding to marry and commaunding to abstainâ—… from meates which God hath created to be receiued with thankesgiuing c. But as I haue shewed heretofore these notes touch not vs and properly agree to the Papists therefore Lib. 1. Chap. 4. 3. this Apostasie is among them Secondlie this Apostasie is among those who are fallen from the true religion and worship of God into idolatry and superstition For the Apostaticall Church is the Idolatrous Church signified by the whore of Babylon the mother of fornications But the Church of Roome is strangelie addicted to idolatry and superstition and for the same deserueth to be called the whore of Babylon where as we through the mercie of God are free from idolatry and therefore the Apostásie is with them and not with vs. For the Apostasie is of them that are made drunke with the cuppe of the whore of Babylous fornications as the Papists are and wee are not who haue come out of Babylon Thirdlie the Apostasie is of those that receiue the name and marke of the beast as the Papists doe and not of those that refuse it as wee doe The fourth note or touchstone as it were to trie who haue made this Apostasie iâ—… the word of God For that is the true faith and the true religion which is contayned and prescribed in the written word of God Now our desire is that the Scriptures may be acknowledged the onelie rule of faith and manners vnto the Scriptures we appeale in all controuersies and desire to be iudged by them vnto the reading of the Scriptúres we exhort our people that they may be further edified and confirmed in that trueth which we doe teach and prosesse The Papists contrarywise not daring to stand to the Scriptures slie to their vnwritten verities traditions decretals doctrines and authorities of men both besides and against the Scriptures and in a word that the prophecie of the Apostle foretelling this Apostasie might be verified in them they haue asserted their hearing from the
Antichrist Hierome and Theodoret where they deliuer Hieronyâ—… ad Algas 9. 11. Theodoret in 2. Thess. 2. Epitom 1. Anselm their owne iudgement doo not affirme that he shall sit in the Temple at Ierusalem but in the Churches of Christ. 3 His third testimonie is 2. Thess. 2. 4. In so much that he sitteth in the Temple of God Of which words there be many expositions saith Bellarmine some by the Temple of God vnderstand the mindes of the faithfull in which Antichrist shall sit after he hath seduced them which interpretation agreeth fitly to the Pope who only sitteth as it were a God in the mindes of men prescribing lawes to binde the conscience and that with guilt of mortall sinne as they speake Others expound these wordes of 2 Antichrist and his whole people who is therefore said to sit in templum August de ciuit Dei because Antichrist shall professe himselfe with his people to be the true church of God which also most fitly agreeth to Dei lib. 20. cap. 19. the Pope and church of Rome which vaunt that they alone are the catholike church and that all others professing the name of Christ which are not subiect to the Pope or acknowledge not themselues members of the church of Rome are heretikes or schismatikes Others by the temple vnderstand the churches 3 of the Christians which Antichrist shall make subiect to himselfe Chrysost. c. The which as we proued it to be the most true exposition so doth it properly agree to the Pope of Rome Others by the temple 4 of God vnderstand the temple of God at Ierusalem wherin Antichrist shall sit and this saith Bellarmine is the more common more probabte and more literall opinion I doubt not but that it is an opinion more plausible to the Papists who care not what they holde concerning Antichrist so that it agree not to the Pope But of these three things which Bellarmine avoucheth in commendation of this conceit two are false and the third is to no purpose For neither is this exposition more common among the auncient Fathers then that other which by the temple vnderstandeth the churches of the Christians which heretofore we haue shewed to haue beene the iudgement of Theodoret Li. 1. ca. 4 § 15. Ierome Chrysostome Theophylact Oecumenius c. And although it were the more common exposition yet that would not proue it to be more true for truth goeth not by voices neither is to be weighed by multitude of suffrages but by weight of reason Neither is it more probable for if the temple shall neuer be reedified as hath bene shewed then is there no probabilitie that Antichrist should sit in it Neither were that materiall though it were more literall vnlesse the literall were vsuall For in all the Epistles by the temple of God is meant the Church and there is an vsuall metonymie betwixt the words which signifie either the assembly or the place of the assembly So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the place is often vsed for 1. Cor. 3. 16. 17. 2. Cor. 6. 16 Ephe. 2. 21. Apoc. 3. 12. the assembly or church and Ecclesia that is church is often vsed for the place Neither can the temple erected by Antichrist be truly called the temple of God Yea but saith Bellarmine in the scripture of the new testament by the temple of God are neuer vnderstood the churches that is to say the temples of Christians The more absurd is he to vnderstand this place of a materiall temple contrary to the vsuall acceptation of the word in the writings of the Apostles The Apostle therfore by temple meaneth not a materiall temple of wood and stone but a spirituall temple compact of liuing stones and by sitting in the temple not a corporall gesture for Antichrist is to sit there as God that is he is to rule and raigne in the church of God as if he were a god vpon earth But of this whole matter see more in the first booke chapt 2. § 13. 14. 15. 4 Now let vs come to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or disproofe of our assertion who hold that Antichrist shall sit not at Ierusalem but at Rome and in Rome professing her selfe the church of God First by a fond cauillation wherein hee greatly pleaseth himselfe he seeketh to driue vs to an absurditie For saith hee if Antichrist shall sit in the Church of God and if the Pope be Antichrist then the church wherein the Pope sitteth is the true church and consequently the Protestants and all others that be not of that church are out of the church c. This cauill is to be resolued into three syllogismes 1. Antichrist sitteth in the Church of Christ The Pope of Rome is Antichrist therfore saith Bellarmine the Pope sitteth in the true church of Christ. But hee might as well conclude thus Hee that professeth the name of Christ is a Christian the Papist the Anabaptist the Familist c. professeth the name of Christ therefore the Papist the Anabaptist the Familist is a true Christian. But hath not Bellarmine learned so much Logicke as not to foist into the conclusion that which is not contained in the premisses the word true is not coÌ„tained in the premisses and therefore sophistically thrust into the conclusion For Antichrist may sit in the church although not in the true Church Generally the Church of Christ signifieth the company of Christians that is of those that professe the name of Christ. But as of Christians some are onely in title and profession some indeed in truth so of Churches some are onely in title and profession Churches of Christ others are his true Churches Now Antichrist he was to be an Apostata and the head of the Catholike apostasie therfore the church whereof Antichrist is the head although it be in title and profession a church of Christ as being a company of them that are christened and professe the name of Christ yet it is but an apostaticall church a church which of a faithfull Citie is become an harlot and of the true Church of God the whore of Babylon But may not this absurditie rather be returned vpon the Papists who by the templeof God 2. Thess. 2. 4. vnderstand that temple which Antichrist shall build at Ierusalem Antichrist shall sit in the temple of God saith the Apostle Antichrist shal sit in that temple which himselfe shall build at Ierusalem saith the Papist therefore that temple which he shall build at Ierusalem shall be indeed the temple of God Whereas in truth according to their owne conceits it were rather to be called the temple of the diuell If any man obiect that it might after a sort be called the temple of God because the temple of God did stand there and because Antichrist will pretend to make it to the honor of God wherevnto the former temple was erected I answere by the like reason the church of Rome
that the teÌ„ple should neuer be reedified and Hierome saith that the opinion which is Ad Marcell for the restoring of the temple is a Iewish fable Whereas therfore the Papists teach that Antichrist shall cause this temple to be built and that he shall haue his seat there which they know shall neuer be what doe they else but make a mockery of all the prophecies of the holy Ghost concerning the comming of Antichrist and with Iulian goe about to giue the lie to Daniel and our Sauiour Christ. 14. Againe if th'apostle had by temple meant such a temple as should be built by Antichrist hee would not haue called it the Temple of God but rather of the Diuell Non enim templum alicuius idoli saith Augustine aut daemonis De ciuit Dei lib. 10. c. 19. templum Dei Apostolus diceret For the temple of some idoll or Diuell the Apostle would not call the temple of God Neither are wee by the temple of God to vnderstand a materiall building for such as Bellarmine truely saith are not called the temple of God in the newe Testament And therefore the more grosse is he to vnderstande it of a materiall temple and of a corporall sitting For first materiall temples in the writings of th'apostles are not called the temples of God but the congregations of Gods people are the temple of God See 1. Cor. 3. 16. 17. 2. Cor. 6. 16. Ephes. 2. 21. Apoc. 3. 12. And according to the Scriptures phrase speaketh Lactanâ—…us Solâ—… Instit. lib. 4. cap. 30. saith hee catholica Ecclesia est quae verum cultum retinet hic est fons veritatis hoc est domicilium fidei hoc templum Dei It is the catholicke Church alone which retaineth the true worship this is the welspring of trueth this is the house of faith this is the temple of God The temple of God therefore signifieth the congregation or companie of them which professe the name of Christ. In this temple Antichrist sitteth that is ruleth and raigneth For wee are not to vnderstand it of the corporal gesture as appeareth by that which followeth he shal sitte in the temple of God as God that is he shall rule and raigne as if he were a God for that is meant by Gods sitting who doth not sitte after a corporall maner In the temple Psalm 9. 5. of God therefore which is his Church Antichrist sitteth that is ruleth and gouerneth challenging a soueraigne and vniuersall dominion ouer all those that professe the name of Christ as being the head husband and Lord of the vniuersall church which agreeth most fitly and properly to the Popes of Rome Neither are we to omit the phrase of sitting For whereas princes are said to raigne so many yeares the Popes are saide to sitte and the chiefe place of his dominion is called his Sedes that is Sec or seat 15 And this our interpretation is confirmed by the testimonies of the auncient The temple of God saith Theodoret he calleth the churches wherin Antichrist shal challeÌ„ge to himselfe in 2. Thess. 2. the first seat endeuouring to shewe himselfe to be God And againe Dei autem templum vocat ecclesias The temple of God Epitom he calleth the churches Hierome in templo Dei saith he vel Hierosolymis vt quidam putant vel in ecclesia vt veriùs arbitramur Ad Algasiam quaest 11. And he shall sit in the temple of God either at Ierusalem as some thinke or in the church as we more truely suppose Chrysostome in 2. Thess. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where it seemeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put corruptly for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so the greeke scholiast whoe vsually reporteth worde for worde out of Chrysostome saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see Oecumen in 2. Thess. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the temple Hee saithe not in the temple at Ierusalem but in the churches of God And likewise Theophylact not in the temple which is at Ierusalem in 2. Thess. 2. specially but simply in the churches and in euery temple of God Augustine of these words saith But in what temple of God he shall sit as God it is vncertaine whether in that ruine of De ciuit Dei lib. 20. c. 19. the temple which king Salomon built or else in the church For the Apostle would not call the temple of an idoll or diuel the temple of God Whereupon some to whose iudgement not only Augustine in this place but Primasius also subscribeth some I say by Antichrist in this place will haue understood not the prince Bellarmine citeth it as Augustines owne iudgement cap. 13. himselfe but his whole body after a sort that is the multitude of men pertaining vnto him together with the prince himselfe And they thinke it might better be read in the latine as it is in the greeke non in templo Dei sed in templum dei sedeat tanquam ipse sit templum Dei quod est ecclesia Sicut dicimus sedet in amicum i. velut i amicus c. He sitteth not in the temple of God but as the temple of God as if he were the temple of God which is the church euen as we say sedet in amicum that is he sitteth as a friend Which exposition most fitly agreeeth to the Pope and church of Rome who esteeme themselues alone to be the catholike church and all others professing the name of Christ to be heretikes and schismaticks By this which hath bene saide it is plaine that by the temple we are to vnderstand the church of God And yet this doth no more proue the church of Rome to be the true church of God then they can proue the temple of Antichrist at Ierusalem where they say he should sit to be Of this see more in the 2. booke 13. chap. §. 4. 5. 6. the temple of God It is sufficient that the church where Antichrist sitteth hath bene the true church and still is in title and profession although in truth it bee but an Apostaticall church Eor Antichrist as he was to sit in the church so he was to be the head of the Apostasie and of those that fal from god who notwithstanding according to that exposition in Augustine shall sit in templum Dei as though they alone were the true church of God 16 But the Papists confirme their exposition viz that the temple of God signifieth the temple at Ierusalem out of the Apoc. 11. 8. eleuenth of the Apocalypse eight verse Where Iohn sheweth say they That the bodies of Enoch and Elias being slaine by Antichrist shall lie in the streets of Ierusalem Whereunto I answere that Iohn in that place neither speaketh of Enoch and Elias not yet of Ierusalem And whether he speake of the persecution of Antichrist there may be some doubt because he seemeth verse 2. and 7. to speake of the same persecution of the holy
Thou bearest the person An. Do. 862 Annal. Boior lib. 4. of a Bishop say they but thou playest the tyrant vnder the habite or attire of a pastour wee feele a Wolfe the lying title calleth thee Father thou in thy deedes boastest thy selfe to be another Iupiter When as thou art the seruaunt of seruants thou striuest to be the Lorde of Lords c. Hee counterfeiteth the Lambe in calling himselfe the vicar of Christ and exercising the very same office which Christ himselfe had Bellarm. whiles he was vpon the earth And because by horne in the Scriptures often is meant power he may be saide to haue two hornes like the Lambe whiles he challengeth that two-fold power which is peculiar to Christ the Lambe as our King and Priest and vsurpeth both the swordes I meane both spirituall and temporall He speaketh like the Dragon in teaching those doctrines of Diuels mentioned 1. Tim. 4. 3. forbidding to mary and commaunding abstinence from meates in belching foorth most horrible blasphemies whereof wee will remember some in the next chapter in his diuellish curses against the Saints and Satannicall promises of the worlde and kingdomes thereof to them that will adore him Luc. 4. 6. Ecce in potestate nostra est imperium vt demus illud cui volumus Auentin Annal Boior lib. 6. saith Adrian the Pope Beholde the Empyre is in our power that wee may giue it to whom wee will And whereas Hierome writing of those wordes 1. Tim. 4. They speake in Hypocrisie saith he who being not continent would seeme to be so chaste as that they condemne mariage and so abstemious as that they iudge those who vse the creature sparingly whereas thēselues are giuen ouer to belly cheere what could haue bene spoken more fitly to shewe foorth the hypocrisie of the Pope Papists For do not they whiles they condēne contemne mariage vnder the shew of vowed chastity practise all vncleannesse and whiles they cōdemne all moderate eating of flesh do not they vnder a colour of fasting feast feed themselues with the choisest dainties Doe not many of them vnder the pretence of voluntary pouerty gather infinite riches And doth not all their religion stande in Opere operate in the bare performaunce of the outwarde worke that is to say in hypocrisie Neither are wee to omitte an hypocriticall pollicie which of late they haue vsed For when as they coulde not preuaile with their Sophistry that is to say with their Bookes of controuersies they hoped to preuaile among the simple with their hypocrisie that is to say with their bookes of deuotion Wherein there is a notable shewe of counterfait deuotion zeale and holinesse to bleare the eyes of the simple and vnstaied But it were to be wished that as they are so they were esteemed to be no better then baits of Antichrist seruing to allure men vnder shew of deuotion vnto idolatry apostasie from God especially if we cōsider that the principall of these bookes were set forth by Parsons other Iesuits who Quodlibet c. are plainly discouered euen by some of their owne side to be mere Machiuilians and wicked Atheists 5. Thus you see what maner of aduersary Antichrist is Now wee must shewe in particular wherein he is opposed to Iesus Christ. He is opposed vnto him as he is Christ and as he is Iesus as hee is Christ that is as he was annointed of God to be our Prophet our King and our Priest in which respect especially he is called Antichrist He is also opposed vnto him as he is Iesus that is to say as he is our Sauiour So that Antichrist opposeth himselfe both to the offices of Christ signified in the name Christ and also to the benefites signified in the name Iesus Now these things also most fitly agree to the Pope who opposeth himselfe to Christ in all these respectes not indeede aperto Marte as an open and professed enemy for so it becōmeth not Antichrist who was to be an hypocrit sitting in the Church of God c. but couertly and cunningly For we must remember that Antichristianisme is the mystery of iniquity wherin Christ was in word shew to be professed but indeed truth denied First thē to Christ our Prophet he is opposed partly as he oppugneth the prophecy of Christ and partly as himselfe is a false Prophet He oppugneth the prophecy of Christ First in denying Christ to be our onely Prophet whose voice in the canonicall Scriptures concerning matters necessarily to be beleeued vnto saluation wee ought onely to heare whiles he and his followers do teach that the scriptures are not perfect and that besides the Apocryphall writings which they haue matched with the canonical their owne traditions also are necessary and of equall authority with the scriptures Secondly by withholding from the people the scriptures which containe the whole doctrine of Christ our prophet in a strange language and also by reading and preaching vnto them their owne fancies and inuentions out of the legends and liues of saints and festiualls c. in steede of the sincere truth of God And by these two practises the Pope whiles he leaueth to Christ the name and title of beeing our prophet he taketh the thing to himselfe Againe he is opposed to Christ our prophet as himselfe is the false prophet spoken of in the Apocalypse teaching Antichristian errours and doctrines of diuells For so many errors as are taught and held by the Pope and church of Rome are so many oppositions betwixt him and Christ our prophet Of the errours of the Romish church there be many centuryes or hundreds and diuerse of them fundamentall In respect whereof wee may truly say that the catholike Apostasie for so I call the Romish religion is the common sewre of many grosse heresyes 6 But it will be said that howsoeuer the Pope holdeth diuerse errours yet he teacheth not those which the holy ghost hath noted as the peculiar doctrines of Antichrist Whereof the authour of the Wardword reckoneth vp three and Bellar-mine hath a fourth But neither of them durst mention those two doctrines of diuells which Paul assigneth to that Apostasie 1. Tim. 4. 3. whereof Antichrist is the head The first doctrine of Antichrist say they is to deny Iesus to be Christ. Which they Of this see more in the 2. booke and 14. chapter would proue out of 1. Iohn 2. 22. 4. 3. and 2. Iohn 7. But the Pope say they doth not deny Iesus to be Christ. To the prosyllogisme or proofe of the proposition I answere that these places of the Apostle Iohn doe not speake properly of the graund Antichrist who is the head of the Antichristian body but of certaine petite Antichrists or heretickes of those times which denied either of the natures of Christ for he speaketh of such as were then already come into the world and therefore from thence it cannot be proued that the great Antichrist shall
directly and expresly deny Iesus to be Christ. Notwithstanding seeing they are called Antichrists not onely because they belong to the Antichristian body as inferiour members thereof but also as it may be thought because they did after a sort deny Christ as the great Antichrist also should doe although not after the same manner I doe therefore thus farre graunt the proposition it selfe that Antichrist was in some sort to denie Christ. For Iohn speaketh not of the manner how he doth denie Christ. Neither are we to thinke that Antichrist will denie him after euerie manner but in such sort as shall be most consonant to the whole mysterie of iniquitie and suteable to the rest of his lying and deceipt That is to say in outward 2. Thess. 2. shewe and semblance to professe Christ as those Antichrists did of whom Iohn speaketh but in deed and in truth to denie him To come therfore to the assumption let vs consider whether the Pope and church of Rome doe not in some sort denie Christ Christ may be denyed either in deeds or words Quisquis autem factis negat Christum is Antichrist us est And whosoeuer in deedes saith Augustine denieth Christ he is Antichrist Let vs therefore marke saith he who it is that denieth Tract 3. in Epist. Ioan. let vs not attend to his tongue but to his works I regard not what he speaketh but how he liueth Works do speake and do we require words He is the more lying Antichrist who with his mouth prosesseth Iesus to be Christ and by deeds denyeth him According to the Lawyers rule it is more to testifie a matter by deedes then by words And Tullie saith that where the things themselues Contra Salust beare witnesse words are needlesse And as Antichrist was thus to deny Christ both as he is the man of sin and an aduersary oppugning Christ and his church So doth the Pope howsoeuer in word he professeth Christ. For euen the diuells themselues haue in word confessed Christ whom notwithstanding by their deeds they deny If therefore the Pope be a man of sin which we shall proue anone and an aduersary opposed vnto Christ which now we haue in hand to proue then it cannot be denyed but that indeed he denieth Christ. 7 Secondly Christ may be de denyed in word doctrine and that either indirectly and by consequent or else directlie expresly He that denieth Christ by consequent howsoeuer openly he doth confesse him doth indeede deny him as those which deny either of his natures or any of his offices For such is the necessary coherence of truth within it selfe as nothing can by necessarie consequence be deducted from it which is not also true And therefore it is impossible that the consequent should be false the antecedent being true Whereupon it followeth that whosoeuer denieth the consequent doth indeed deny the antecedent Iesus is Immanuel and consequently God and Man He is Christ and consequently annointed of God to be our King our priest our prophet He therefore that denieth any of these denieth Iesus to be Christ. And further is Christ truly God then is he also Iehouah one that is of from himself namely as he is God theÌ„ is he also the Lord creator of al things gouerning all things with his presence and prouidence Is he truly man then hath he a true body consisting of three dimensions length bredth thicknes circuÌ„scribed visible conâ—…ined in one place at once as being but one body not discontinued Is he the true Messias Mediator betwixt God man then is he the only mediator for there is but one Wherefore 1. Tim. 2. 5. Act. 4. 12. whosoeuer saith that Christ is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God of himself he denieth him to be God or preferreth any creature before him either in heauen or in earth he denieth him to be the Lord and maker of al or assigneth a vicar vnto him to supply his absence on earth denieth his omnipreseÌ„ce Again whosoeuer saith that Christ his body doth not consist of 3. dimensioÌ„s that it is not circuÌ„scribed that it is not visible that it is not coÌ„tained in one place as al other bodies yea as al other finite natures are he denieth Iesus to be truly man consequently denieth him to be Christ. Lastly whosoeuer adioyne other mediators vnto Christ and in some respects preser others aboue him deny him to be the only mediator therfore deny him to be the true mediator for there is but one consequeÌ„tly deny Iesus to be christ And thus as the Antichrists wherof Iohn speaketh according 1. Iohn 2. 22. Lib. 3. de pont Rc. ap 14. to Bellarmin his own expositioÌ„ did as the graund Antichrist according to our coÌ„fessioÌ„ doth deny Christ not only in deed but also in word and doctrine although not openly and expressely yet indirectly and by consequent So doth the Pope and church of Rome deny Iesus to be Christ. For what a God and Lord what a creatour and gouernor of all things the Pope and Papists make our Sauiour Christ you may easily conceiue First when they deâ—…y him to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God of himselfe and consequently Iehouah For whosoeuer is Iehouah he is of and from himselfe True indeed it is that Christ is filius a patre sed Deus a se quate nus est Deus that is sonne of and from his father but God of and from himselfe namely as he is God And if he were not of and from himselfe he were not God And although in the concrete we may and must say with the councel of Nice that Christ is God of God that is Christ who is God is from the father who is God the word God beeing taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 personallio because the person of the sonne who is Deus genitus God begotten is from the person of the father who is Deus gignens God begetting yet it is not likewise true in the abstract For howsoeuer the Godhead is communicated from the father to the sonne by eternall generation and from the father and the sonne to the holy ghost by eternall procession yet the deity of the sonne and so of the holy ghost beeing the selfe same infinite eternall and indiuisible essence of the father is from and of and by and for it selfe And who knoweth not that such is the simplicity of the diuine nature as that God is the godhead and the godhead is God and consequentlie that Christ as he is God is the Godhead which is of and from it selfe And therefore to conclude Christ is God of God in respect of his person and he is also God of himselfe in respect of his essence which is of it selfe he is God of God the name God being vsed personally and relatiuely for hee is God the sonne of God the father and God begotten of God begetting and he is God of himselfe the name God beeing taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Of Gregory they say thus in their praiers Hic nos saluet à peccatis vt in coelo cum beatis possimus quiescere That is Let him saue vs from our sinnes that in heauen wee may rest with the blessed Of Thomas Becket th'archbishop of Canterbury because he died in the Popes quarrell which like a rebell he maintained against his soueraigne king Henry the second they say full deuoutly Tu per Thomae sanguinem quem pro te impendit Fac nos Christe scandere quò Thomas ascendit That is By the blood of Thomas which he for thee did spend Make vs Christ to come whither Thomas did ascend Of Peter and Paule Concede vt amboâ—…uÌ„ meritis aeternitatis gloriam consequamur Graunt that by the meries of them Ex. Rom. Breuiar both we may obtaine eternall glory To Mary the blessed virgin whom they idolatrously cal our Ladie and the Queene of heauen they pray thus O vnica spes miserorum libera nos Ex compassionib Mariae ab omni malo O thou that art the onely hope of them that are in miserie deliuer vs from all euill And elsewhere they call her Desperatorum spem vnicam peccatorum salvatricem Innoc. in orat de 300. dier indulgent In orat de 5. vnbâ—…rib The onely hope of them which are in despaire and the Sauiour of sinners Againe Mediatrix Dei hominum salus spes in the sperantium O thou the mediatrix betwixt God and men the saluation and hope of them that hope in thee And somewhere it is said O regina poli mater gratissima proli Speâ—…ere me noli me commendo tibi soli O Queene of heauen mother most deare to thy sonne do not thou despise me vnto thee alone I coÌ„mend me And againe Cum nulla spes sit altera nisi tu virgo puerpera In missali Paristensi patris parens filia cui me reconcilia Seeing there is no other hope besides thee O virgin mother the mother and daughter of-thy father to whom I pray thee reconcile me And to conclude for innumerable such speeches might be produced they say O foelix puerpera nostra pians scelera Ibid. iure matris impera redemptori O happy mother which doest purge away our sins by thy motherly authority commaunde our redeemer So that sometimes they doe ioyne vnto our Sauiour Christ other mediatours not onely of intercession but also of redemption which indeede is presupposed in the former sometimes also they exclude our Sauiour Innocent in orat in laudem virginis Christ when as they say that Mary purgeth away the sins of all the faithfull and that she and no other is the onely hope of them that are in misery and despaire And not to speake of their blasphemous psalter wherein they turne that which is spoken in the Psalmes either of God or Christ to the virgin Mary some of them say that whereas the kingdome of Christ consisteth in two things iustice and mercie Christ reserueth iustice vnto himself mercie he hath giuen vp to his mother And therefore one saith A foro iustitiae Dei appellundum est ad Bernardinus in Marâ—…al forum misericordiae matris eius From the court of Gods iustice we must appeale to the court of his mothers mercy 10 As touching the kingdome of Christ what doth not the Pope oppugne in it The realme and kingdome of Christ is his church which he ruleth by his spirit inwardly and outwardly by his word which is both his scepter and his lawe and also by such officers and ministers as hee hath ordained both in the church and common wealth The church and people of God this sonne of perdition seeketh to destroy First by killing the bodies of the true seruants of Christ that refuse his marke in respect whereof hee may most worthilie bee called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or abaddon that is a destroyer his church the whore Apoc. 9. of Babylon which is drunke with the bloud of Saints and of the Martyrs of Iesus as shall be shewen in the second booke and seauenth chapter And as hee killeth the bodies of those that will not receiue his marke so hee murdereth the soules of them that submit theÌ„selues vnto him poysoning them with his damnable errours and making them drunke with the wine of his fornications after which they shall drinke of the cuppe of Apoc. 14. 9. Gods wrath Now in making hauocke of mens soules he taketh such liberty vnto him as that if he should draw with him innumerable soules into hell yet no man may say vnto him Domine cur ita facis Syr why do you so And in the Canon Si papa dist 40. it is sayd If the Pope do cary with him innumerable Glossâ—…iur caâ—… peoples by troupes into hell no man in this world may presume to reproue his fault because he is to iudge all and to be iudged of none vnlesse he be found to erre from the faith which the Pope as he is Pope cannot doe Hereunto Bellarmine aunswereth that the words of this Canon bee not the words of any Pope Cupers pag. 18. num 12. but of Boniface the Archbishop of Mentz Yea but say I the Lib. 3. de pont Rom. cap. 21. Pope hath so approued this speeche being deliuered by another as that hee hath canonized it and appointed it for one of the canons of his law Which is more then if it had bin spoken by himselfe But Bellarmine replyeth If this sentence of Boniface be not true why do you obiect it if it be true why do you not receiue it I aunswere because it being not onely false but blasphemous also and Antichristian is notwithstanding by the Pope authorized for a Canon in his lawe Moreouer one of the chiefe works of Gods spirit the spirit of adoption which is speciall faith apprehending the righteousnesse of Christ to our iustification hee laboureth to extinguish in the hearts of men calling it presumption acknowledging no other faith Iam. 2. but such as is common to the diuells which consisteth onely of knowledge and assent and yet not requiring that in the lay people whome vnder the name of implicite faith hee nuzleth in palpable ignorance and leadeth them beeing blind as Elizeus did the Aramites euen whether it pleaseth 2. King 6. him The pure wheat of Gods word hee suppresseth and keepeth from the people in an vnknowne tongue and see deth them with the mast of their Legends and festiualls and lyes I should haue sayd liues of Saints The lawes of Christ he partly dispenseth with and partly abrogateth making them of none effect by his owne constitutions and traditions In the church in steede of the offices and functions ordayned by Christ hee hath created a new priesthoode erected an hierarchy consecrated orders and religions of his owne In the common wealth hee absolueth the people from their obedience to their princes if they shal displease him And it is a
principle among them that it is lawfull for him to depose Emperours and Kings and to absolue their sworne subiects from fidelity and allegiance towards them And thus you see how the Pope opposeth himselfe to the prophecy priesthood and kingdome of Christ. Whereunto I might adde how he is opposed to these offices of Christ not onely in these respects allreadie mentioned but as an aemulus as an antiprophet an antipriest and a counter king seeking in his Antichristian pride to match our Sauiour Christ in all those offices but hereof I shall haue occasion to speake in the next chapter Now to the benefites of Christ he is opposite as he is an enemy to the grace of god as hee taketh away Christian liberty and taketh vpon him to make new lawes to binde the conscience as he abridgeth the merites of Christ and ascribeth the merite of saluation not onelie to our owne works prescribed of God but also to such as haue beene in superstition will worship and idolatrie deuised by themselues as he teacheth men to seek saluation elsewhere then in Christ. All which oppositions of the Pope to Christ whosoeuer shall duely consider hee will not seeke further for Antichrist Chap. 5. Of the pride and ambition of Antichrist aduancing himselfe aboue all that is called God c. 1. BVt Antichrist is not onely hostis an enemy to Christ but also as our aduersaries confesse aemulus Christi that is such an aduersarie as is opposed vnto Christ in aemulation of like honour as the word Antichrist doth also signifie It remaineth therefore that wee should speake of the pride and ambition of Antichristâ—… whereby hee seeking to match Christ our Sauiour aduaunceth himselfe as the Apostle speaketh Aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped insomuch that hee sitteth in the temple 2. Thess. 2. 4. of God as God shewing himselfe that hee is God or as the Papists themselues reade as though hee were God Where for auoiding of errour we are to vnderstand the pride of Antichrist Vulgat edit â—…em to be described such as is incident to a wretched man a man of sin a sonne of perdition And the greatest pride that is incident not onely to any man but to any creature be it the diuell himselfe whose Satanicall pride Antichrist was to imitate and not to exceed is this to seeke to be as God When as Es. 14. therefore it is said that Antichrist aduanceth himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped it is not meant that hee shall seeke to aduaunce himselfe aboue God or the deitie it selfe For God being infinite in goodnesse excellencie and power there cannot bee conceiued a better a superiour a greater And therefore wee cannot imagine how Antichrist should aduance himselfe aboue God And it is euident that the height of Antichrists pride heere spoken of is noted in these words Insomuch as he shall sitte in the temple of God as God By all therfore that is called God we are to vnderstand all those to whom the name of God is coÌ„municated not essence for that cannot be communicated to any that is not god Now the name of God is communicated to Angells in heauen Psal. 8. 5. cum Heb. 2. 7. Psal. 97. 7. cum Heb. 1. 6. and to princes and magistrates on earth Exod. 22. 28. Psal. 82. 1. 6. And wheras it is said that hee shall aduance himselfe aboue all that is worshipped wee are to vnderstand by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not God himselfe but any thing that is worshipped as God or wherein God is worshipped So Wisd. 15. 17. images and Act. 17. 23 altars among the heathen are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such in the church of Rome are Saints images the crosse and reliques of Saints the eucharist c. The meaning then of the Apostle is this that Antichrist being a wicked and wretched man shall aduance himselfe aboue all that is called God as Angells and Kings or that which is worshipped as Saints and images and altars the crosse and eucharist it selfe insomuch that he shall sit in the temple of God as God that is hee shall rule raigne in the church of God challenging a soueraigne vniuersall and diuine authority ouer al those that professe the name of Christ as if he were a God vpon earth shewing himselfe whether by words or by deeds that he is god or which is all one behauing himselfe tanquam sit Deus As though he were God The like things were foretold of Antiochus Epiphanes who is thought to haue bene a type of Antichrist Dan. 11. 36. But to come to the application of this prophecie if Antiochus were comparable to the Pope in aduauncing himself aboue all that is called God or if I shal not proue out of their owne I meane popish writings that he hath lifted vp himselfe in such maner as is scarcely credible to be incident vnto a mortall maÌ„ then let not the Pope be deemed Antichrist but rather looke for some other who shall goe beyond him in Antichristian insolency and Satanicall pride 2. From this place therfore of th'apostle I argue thus Whosoeuer aduaunceth himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped insomuch that he sitteth in the temple of God as God taking vpon him as though he were a God he according to the testimony of th'apostle is antichrist that is Aemulus Christi such an enimy as in a kinde of emulation seeketh to match Christ and to be equall to him But the Pope of Rome as shal be proued aduaunceth himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped insomuch that hee sitteth in the temple of God as God taking vpon him as though he were a God vpon earth therefore according to this testimony of th'apostle the Pope is Antichrist And first that the Pope aduaunceth himselfe aboue all that is called God it is plaine because he lifteth vp himself not onely ouer Kings and Emperours on earth but also aboue the Angels in heauen Of his lifting vp himselfe aboue Kings Emperours is the testimony before alledged 2. Thess. 2. 4. Papa superioritatem habet in imperium Clemeatin Pastoralis de re Iudic. especially to bee vnderstood For he speaketh of such an aduancement whereby Antichrist should be reuealed as was to be hindered for a time by the Romane Empire Let vs then consider how he aduaunceth himselfe aboue Kings and Emperours who are called Gods The Pope if you will beleeue him his followers is the 1 Paulus 4. ad ducem Floret in bulla Rod. Cupers meritò rex reguÌ„ dominus dominantium censetur Papa reque ipsa existit pag. 43. num 39. c. solitas extr de maior obed c. per venerabileÌ„ opt qui filij sunt legitimi Antonius de Rosellis King of Kings and Lord of Lordes by 2 Lib. Carem whom Princes raigne and from 3 Clem. 5. in coÌ„cil vienn whom the
of them haue beene most foule monsters as some of their owne writers call them compounded of these and other horrible crymes Such besides others were Sixtus 4. Iohn 24. Alexander 6. Clement 7. and Paule 3. c. Neither may it be obiected that although diuerse Popes haue beene men of sinne yet many of them haue beene holy men and Saints of God and consequently not Antichrists For howsoeuer all the Romane Bishoppes of the first 600. yeares are reuerenced as Saints and so called of Popish writers as Saint Syluester Saint Leo Saint Gregory c. a very few onely excepted yet a very fewe of them which haue liued this thousand yeares are euen by Popish flatterers esteemed Saints and those fewe which be are honoured among them not for any true holinesse Onuphr Pontif Romani Chronologia praefixa chatechismo Canisij but either for the Antichristian aduancing of their See or for some supposed miracles which were no better then the lying signes woÌ„ders of Antichrist But so far indeed these Apostaticall Popes haue been from being Saints in the sight of God that all of them haue deserued to be called men of sinne sons of perditioÌ„ outlawes although some of them were not so wicked as the rest Men of sin because besides those peculiar sinnes wherewithall euery of them were seuerallie infected the whole order or successioÌ„ ofthem hath been guilty of many other crimes also as coÌ„moÌ„ to them al diuerse wherof the holy ghost hath set downe as noates of Antichrist As namely those which I haue already proued to be in the Pope heresy oppositioÌ„ or enmity to Christ apostasy hypocrisy satanical pride For if the Pope be an heretick or false prophet teaching the doctrines of diuels if a notorious hypocrite if an apostate yea the head of the catholike apostasy if an aduersary opposed vnto Christ though a couert and disguised enemie if the king of pride aduancing himselfe most insolently aboue all that is called God as we haue proued him to be then wee neede not doubt but that in respect of these sins though he had no more he deserueth to be called the man of sin 7 But vnto these diuerse others may be added as first and principallie the idolatrie superstitious and counterfaite religions of the Pope and church of Rome For the whore of Babylon whereby is signified the Antichristian state is described in the scriptures not onely as a spirituall adulteresse but also as the mother of all fornications and abominations in the earth which with the golden cuppe of her fornications that is idolatries Apoc. 17. and superstitions hath made drunke the kings and inhabitants of the earth Now the idolatry of the Pope and church of Rome is manifold and grieuous As first to the bread in the sacrament which beeing a small creature they worship as their maker and redeemer neither doe they thinke that they can worshippe it enough and therefore in the worship thereof the chiefe part of their solemne seruice consisteth Secondly to the crosse and crucifix and images of the trinitie all which as they teach are to be worshipped with diuine worship and are so worshipped among them Thirdly to the blessed virgin Mary who hath beene worshipped among them as much or rather more then God Her they call their Lady and goddesse and queene of heauen In her they repose their trust and assiance to her they flie in their necessitie of her they craue all good things and from her they expect remission of sins and eternall saluation in honour of her they haue deuised and vsed diuerse seruices as offices letanies â—…osaryes psalters c. full of blasphemous idolatries Fourthly to Saints departed who haue succeeded the tutelar gods of the heathenish Romanes there beeing almost no cuntry city parish trade or profession which had not their seuerall Saints to patronize them no disease nor other calamity in themselues or their cattell for which they had not their peculiar saints as it were Auerruncos deos to turne away those euills from them In the merits of Saints they trust for remission of sinne and for eternall life Them they adore to them they pray and not onely them doe they worship but their images also and reliques Wherein the Papists are more grosse idolatours then the very heathen For the Gentiles did not worship the images themselues but the persons represented by them but the Papists hold that the very same worship is due to the image which belongeth to the person whom it resembleth To these notorious idolatries we may Papa solus nouas religiones creat approbat adde their diuerse counterfeit religions and orders deuised or authorized by the Pope which are so many by-pathes misleading men out of the onely true way which leadeth vnto heauen Antonin part 3. tit 22. cap. 5. §. 21. besides them innumerable traditions superstitions truÌ„peries and fooleries Vpon all which notwithstanding the fond people of al natioÌ„s in these parts of the world haue so straÌ„gely doted as that they may most truely be said to haue bene besotted and made drunke with the wine of the whore of Babylons fornications that is to say with the idolatries and superstitions of the Church of Rome 8. Vpon their spirituall adultery that is to say their manifolde grosse idolatry hath followed their carnall adultery vncleannesse For seing by their idolatry they had dishonoured Rom. 1. 24. God as the Gentiles did therefore the Lord hath giuen ouer them also to their harts lustes vnto vncleannesse Neither haue they onely beene guilty of vncleannesse in themselues but also the causes thereof in others whiles they extenuate the sinne of fornication as though it were but a veniall sinne and recken Cap. at si clerici extra de iudic adultery among the lesse and lighter offences whiles they dispense with these sinnes and giue men leaue to committe them without controlment or else assigne vnto them ridiculous punishments but especially whiles they forbidde mariage vnto all their clergy and mainteyne open stewes For in forbidding mariage they open a gappe to all vncleannesse Tolle de ecclesia saith Bernard honorabile coniugium thorum In Cant. serm 66. immaculatum nonne reples eam coÌ„cubinarijs incestuosis seminiâ—…uis mâ—…llibus masculoruÌ„ concubitoribus omni denique genere immundorum Take out of the Church honorable mariage and the bed vndefiled and doe you not fill it with keepers of concubines incestuous fellowes Gonorrhaeans and Sodomites in a word with all kinde of vncleane persons For proofe hereof read but the actes of English votaries who yet may not be coÌ„pared 〈◊〉 Bale with those of hotter countreis remember the suruey taken here in England before the dissolution of Abbeyes Vid. praesat I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 libri sui de actiâ—… Pontif. wherein our irreligious houses were found to be little better theÌ„ stewes of both sorts not to speake of their secular Priests who were knowne for the most parte to
supreame iudge in all causes Antonin sum part 3. tit 22. cap. 5. §. 17. and controuersies that to him lieth appeale from all iudges whatsoeuer and that immediately By which chanels haue flowed abundance of riches into the sea of the Popes treasurie And fitly is it compared to the 11 Theodoric Niem tract 6. c. 37. sea whereunto all riuers flow and yet doth not ouerflowe It is lawfull saith one of their owne lawyers to appeale from any to the Pope immediatelie which saith he they haue prouided that they might drawe controuersies Petr. Ferrariens inform sent indesin §. sed ad queÌ„cunque vnto their court and so might satisfie their owne auarice which notwithstanding they shall neuer doe noting that it is vnsatiable And heereunto appertaineth that acclamation of one of their owne chronographers for hauing shewed that searcely there was any spirituall promotion which was not Abbas vrsperg pag. 321. become litigious the cause brought to Rome but not with empty hand Reioyce saith he our mother Rome for the floud-gates of the treasures in the earth are opened that vnto thee may flowe riuers and heapes of money in great abundance Reioyce oâ—…er the iniquity of the sonnes of men because in recompence of so great ouills there is a price or roward giuen vnto thee Be glad for thy helper discord which hath burst out of the bottomlesse pilte of hell that vnto thee many rewards of mony might be gathered in heapes Thou hast that which thon alwayes thirsted after sing a song for by the wickednesse of men and not by thy religion thou hast vanquished the world Vnto thee doth not the deuotion of men or pure conscience drawe them but the committing of manifold crimes and the decision of controuersies procured by mony Furthermore with fained words they haue taught that there is a pâ—…gatory wherein the soules of many of the elect are tormented for a time that out of this purgatory the soules may be deliuered by the prayers of the liuing especially by the satisfactorie prayers of those whome they call religious by masses and trentalls of masses by the works of supererogation and merites of others applied vnto them By this conceipt which was the foundation of religious houses the Popes cleargie had gotten the chiefest possessions of all Europe into their hands Monasteryes saith one of their owne writers were founded in times past for deuotion Petr. Ferrariensâ—…in form libell quo agâ—…tur ex substit §. ex suo corpore though now adayes for rapine and couetousnesse insomuch that they haue at this day destroyed the world and brought to nothing the state of the Empire and of all lay men Wherefore all such places as are or shall be made may worthilie bee called â—…ettes framed to catch lay mens goodes In this small land of ours the reuenewes of the irreligious houses which were dissolued did arise according to the olde rents which are scarce the tenth part of the true valewe to the summe of a hundred thirtie foure thousand six hundered and three pounds two shillings fourepence halfepennie Neither are the Popes owne reuenewes arising from these grounds to be omitted For purgatory forsooth is his peculier and the merites of Saints and works of supererogation which are the treasure of the church are in his disposition So that by his applying thereof to whom â—…ee pleaseth hee can either shorten their time in purgatorie or wholy set them at libertie by his indulgences and pardons accordingly as hee is paide for the same And yet there are many more deuises and sained words whereby the Pope maketh merchandise of men for the enriching of himselfe and his clergie As by his iubileyes and canonizing of Saints by his promising of remission of sinnes and eternall life to those that will fight his battailes or execute his wicked designes by his doctrines of merites and works of supererogation of inuocation of Saints of adoration of images and reliques of pilgrimages and in a word by all the doctrines almost of Poperie I meane those which bee peculier to the Pope and church of Rome which are fayned words douised in diuellish pollicie to mainetaine their vnsatiable lust ambition and couetousnesse By all this which hath beene saide it plainelie appeareth that the Pope most worthilie deserueth to bee called the man of sinne especiallie if you consider that in respect of diuerse of the aforesaide sinnes hee is such a sinner as Ieroboam was who caused all Israell to sinne For hee is not onelie an apostate but also the heade of the catholike apostasie not onelie an hereticke but the false prophet and brocher of popish heresyes not onelie an idolatour and adulterer but also the cause and authour of these abominations in all the Christian world making all sorts of men drunke with the wine of his fornications 12 It remaineth therfore that we should consider whether the other two titles of Antichrist do belong to the Pope namely that he is the sonne of perdition and the outlaw or lawlesse person As touching the former there is no questioÌ„ to be made but that if he be the man of sin as hath been proued hee is also the child of perdition in that sence that Iudas is so called Iohn 17. 12. And that hee deserueth most iustlie to bee called the outlawe or lawlesse person it is most euident Not onelie because hee is a transgressour of the lawe for seeing euerie sinne is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A transgression of the law therefore hee that is the man of sinne must needs be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the outlawe but also because he professeth himselfe to be the sonne of Beliall that is to say a man without yoke who taketh himselfe to be bound to no law but chalengeth authority to break al lawes or at least to dispense with them For first as touching the lawes authority of men Papa solutus est omni lege humana that is the Pope is not bound to any humane lawe Legi non Casus Papales apud Hostiensem c. Innocent 3. extr de concess praebend c. pro. posuit Bald. in c. caâ—… super de causi proprict possess subiacet vlli he is subiect to no law And according to the fulnes of power he may as himselfe professeth de iure supraius dispensare dispense with the law aboue lawe yea hee may doe all things supraius contraius extraius aboue lawe against lawe and without lawe And therefore of all others most worthilie called the outlawe And as for humane authority he is to iudge all but to be iudged of none Nec totus Clerâ—…s nec totus mundus potest Papam iudicare aut deponere Not the Petr. de palude de potestate Papae art 4. whole cleargie nor the whole world may iudge the Pope or depose him Neither doth he indeede subiect himselfe to the lawe of God For hee not onely taketh vpon him to dispense with the word and law of God as you
this of a reall and visible marke wherewithall men of all sortes should suffer themselues to bee branded as the slaues or cattell of Antichrist Where the holy Ghost speaketh of the image of the beast which Antichrist puttoth life into and causeth to speake they vnderstand it of a materiall image animated and made to speake Where the holy Ghost speaketh of fire to come downe from heauen they vnderstande it of materiall fire brought downe from heauen Which course whosoeuer followeth in expoūding the prophecies in the Reuelation must neuer looke to see them verified in the euent The which I speake not that literally they doe not agree to the Pope but because the mysticall sence being the more like to bee true our aduersarie groundeth his argument wholy vpon the literall interpretation But I will make it plaine that both these miracles agree to the Pope not onely in the mysticall sence but also in the literall And to that purpose let vs consider these miracles seuerally 9. And first as touching that of fire which Antichrist shall cause to descende from heauen if it bee literally vnderstood you shall perceiue that it agreeth to the Pope because in diuerse Popish miracles there hath beene as they say fire brought downe from heauen But seing the place is rather to bee vnderstood mystically and allegorically as well as other prophecies of the Reuelation wee are not therefore by the comming downe of fire to vnderstand literally a reall descending of materiall fire but that which mystically in the Scriptures is meant by the cōming downe of fire from heauen You are therefore to bee infourmed that descending of fire from heauen in the Scriptures signifieth three thinges 1. Gods approuing of the religion and sacrifices of his seruaunts 2. His sending downe of the graces of his spirit vpon his children 3. His vengeaunce executed from heauen vpon his enemies For the first it is cleare that the Lorde informer times vsed to testifie his approbation of the religion and sacrifices of his seruaunts by sending fire from Heauen to consume their sacrifice in which respect hee is said to answere them by fire from heauen Leuit. 9. 24 1. Chron 21. 26. 2. Chron. 7. 1. wherunto some adde Gen. 4 4. Iud. 13. 19. Whē as therfore the people of Israel halted between Iehouah and Baal◅ Elias to proue that Iehouah whom he worshipped was the true God and his worship the true religion by praier miraculously caused fire to come downe frō heauen to cōsume the sacrifice 1. King 18. 38. Whosoeuer therefore doth by such signes and wonders confirm that doctrine and religion which 1. King 18. 38 he professeth as though God aunswered him by fire from heauen he may be said to cause fire to descend from heauen in the sight and opinion of men who thinke such miracles to bee wrought by the finger of God according to this example of Elias that is so to haue confirmed his religion in the opinion of men as if hee had with Elias fetched fire from heauen If therfore the Pope of Rome or his ministers haue by as strange signes and wonders in the opinion of men confirmed their religion as though God from heauen approued thereof as hee was woont to signifie his approbation in answering by fire frō heauen they may be sayd to haue made fire to come down from heauen although they neuer had caused materiall fire to descend But if besides many other strange signes and wonders which they call miracles they haue confirmed their superstitious religion and Antichristian doctrines by bringing fire from heauen then can it not be denyed but that this place doth most fullie and properly agree vnto them But you must remember how Saint Iohn saith in the sight of men not that they haue done so indeede but only that they haue made men beleeue so 10 As for example to proue that their sacrament of the altar after the words of consecration is the very body of Christ and to be worshipped no otherwise then Christ himselfe wee haue a narration in their festiuall which was wont solemnelie to be read in the church on Corpus Christi day the words whereof I will recite vnto you Also we find say they that in Deuonshire beside Exbridge was a woman lay sick and was nigh dead and sent after a holy person about midnight to haue her rights Than this man in all hast that he might arose and went to the church and tooke God◅ body in a box of Iuor◅ and put it into his bosome and went foorth towards this woman And as hee went through a forest i◅ a faire m◅de that was next his way it happened that his box fello◅ of his bosome into the ground and he went forth and wist it not and came to this woman and hearde her confession And then hee asked her if she would be houseled and she said yea sir. Then he put his hand in his bosome sought the box And when he found it not he was full sorie and sadde And saide dame I will goe after Gods bodie and come anon agine to you and so went foorth sore weeping for his simplenesse And so as hee came to a willow tree hee made thereof a rodde and stripped himselfe naked and beat himselfe that the bloud ranne downe by his sides and saide thus to himselfe Ah thou simple man Why hast thou lost thy Lorde God thy maker thy former and creatour And when hee had thus beate himselfe hee did on his clothes and went on foorth And then hee was aware of a pillar of fire that lasted from earth to heauen and hee was all astonied thereof yet hee blessed himselfe and went thereto And there lay the sacrament fallen out of the boxe into the grasse and the pillar shone as bright as any Sunne and it lasted from Gods bodie to heauen And all the beastes of the forrest were com◅n about Gods bodie and stoode in compasse round about it and all kneeled on foure knees saue one black horse that kneeled but on that one knee And that blacke horse was a feend of hell who had turned himselfe into that shape that men might steale him as diuerse had done and were hanged for him c. If any man obiect that all this narration is a foolish fiction I aunswere that this was as verilie beleeued as it was solemnelie read And therefore to countenaunce their abominable idole of the masse they haue in the sight that is in the iudgement opinion and beliefe of men caused fire to come downe from heauen that it might point out the body from it reach to heauen 11 To winne credite to such Saints as they haue canonized and consequently to cause men the more deuoutlie to pray vnto them to adore their images and reliques to goe on pilgrimage to them they haue coyned in the life or legend almost of euerie Saint straunge and incredible miracles And this is the ordinarie conclusion of many legendes Then let vs pray to
receiued to testifie their coÌ„munion with the church of Rome are certaine sacraments of their holy mother church which as they say do imprimere charactereÌ„ indelebilem imprint a character that cannot be done away and therfore are not to be iterated as namely their sacrameÌ„ts of coÌ„firmatioÌ„ orders In the former wherof which they prefer before baptisme all youÌ„g ones are anointed in the forehead with oile which they cal Chrisma salutis The Chrisme of saluatioÌ„ without which they will haue none to be accoÌ„pted christians NunquaÌ„ erit Christianus say they in their law nisi coÌ„firmatione De consecrat dist 5. c. vt iciuni episcopali fuerit Chrismat us In the latter those of their clergy besides their shauing on their heads are anointed also on their heads as Bishops or on their hands as Priests Thus you see also how the Characteristicall note or marke of Antichristians which is one in substance namely subiectioÌ„ to the Pope acknowledgmeÌ„t of the See of Rome is diuersly expressed testified Whosoeuer therfore since the reuelation of Antichrist is a Romane or Latine in respect of his religioÌ„ acknowledging the Popes supremacy professing himselfe a meÌ„ber of the church of Rome that is to say in one word euery resolued Papist hath the marke of the beast his name and number of his name 6. Now it remaineth that by application of this prophecy to the Pope I should shewe that hee causeth all both small and great rich and poore free and bonde that hee should giue them a marke in their right hand or in their foreheads And that no man might buy or sell saue hee that had the marke or the name of the beast or the number of his name Whereby thus much is meant that Antichrist by his vsurped dominion and tyranny should make all sortes of men subiect vnto him and to testifie their subiection both by wordes and deed and that hee should suffer none to liue among them or to enioy the benefites of humane society but such as acknowledge the See of Rome professe themselues members of the Romane church and vse the Latine religion and seruice All which doth fully and only agree to the Pope of Rome For he by his diuelish policy vsurped authority lying woÌ„dâ—…rs al deceiueablenes of vnrightâ—…ousnesse had not onely brought all men both high lowe into subiection but also perswaded theÌ„ that vpon necessity of saluation and paine of damnation they were to subiect theÌ„selues vnto him both by word and deed to testifie their subiection Hereunto beloÌ„geth that oracle for so sometimes they cal their their decrees of Boniface 8. Subessâ—… saith he Romanâ—… pontâ—…fici omni humana creaturae declaramus Extr. de Maior obed c. vnaÌ„ sanctam dicimus definimus pronunciamus omninò esse de necessitate salutis To euery humane creaturâ—… wee declare affirme define and pronounce that to be subâ—…ect to the Pope of Rome it is a matter altogether necessary to saluation Whereupon the glosse saith Quic quid saluatur est sub Romano pontifice Whatsoeuer is saued is subiect to the Pope The same is concluded by Thomas Aquinas and others That to be subiect to the Pope is of the necessitis Lib. de error Graecor c. 72. Antonin sum 3. part tit 22. c. 6. §. 5. An. 884. of saluation Stephanus 5. alià s 6. decreed that such Canons as were concluded vpon and giuen out by the See of Rome are of necessity vnto saluation to bee obserued Calixtus 2. straitly forbad any to dissent from the Church of Rome for as the Sonne came to doe the will of his Father so Christians must do the will of their mother the church of Rome Ex. 1. Bal. act pontiâ—… Rom. Capistran fol. 26. For to gainâ—…say the Church of Rome is Heresie Those which denie the Pope to haue both powers deny the Gospell and they which deny the Pope to haue the primacy of the vniuersall Cuperâ—… pag. 46. in summar num 9. Church their errour is equall to the errour of the Grecians who deny the holy Ghost to proceed both from the Father and the Cupers pag. 56. num 21. Sonne If therfore thou wilt not be an Heretike this must be thy faith that as there is one God immutable so there is one vicar general of God vpon earth namely the vicar of Rome whose Capistran fol. 32. sâ—…ip is stable For seing in the triumphant church there is one supreame Clementin lib. 5. de hareticis cap. ad nostrum in Gloss. prince to whose obedience all that church is most perfectly subiect to wit God it followeth necessarily that one supreme prince is preâ—…nt ouer the whole militant Church towit the Pope whose 〈◊〉 all are bound to obâ—…y And this priuiledge Christ Anton. part 3. tit 22. cap. 6. §. 5. hath giueÌ„ to the church of Rome that al must be obedâ—…t vnto it aâ—… vnto Christ. Therfore he susteineth the sentence of condeÌ„natioÌ„ Ibid. cap. 5. §. 17. ex Gloss. ordin Papae appliâ—…ta qui conteâ—…it fâ—…i pontificis is obedientiaÌ„ tanquaÌ„si contemneret Dei 〈◊〉 wâ—…o 〈◊〉 the Popes obedience aâ—… if he coÌ„temned Gods omnipotency And to coÌ„clude as I began with an other oracle or canon of their law Peccatum igitur paganitatis 〈◊〉 quisquis dum Christianum se esse asserit sedi apostolica Dist. 81. c. si qui sunt obâ—…dire contâ—…it He incurreth therfore the sinne of Paganiâ—… whosoeuer professing himselfe to be a Christian renounceth obedience to the Sâ—… apostolicke 7 And as he hath made all to subiect themselues vnto him all I meane whose names are not written in the booke of the lambe for this is the vniuersality that the Papists bragge of so he hath caused all both small and great rich and poore c. to testifie their subiection as namely by pinning their faith on his sleeue and binding themselues to beleeue as he beleeueth by professing his Antichristian faith and religion of poperie by obseruing his popish that is to shy superstitious and idolatrous rites and customes as frequenting masses adoring images and reliques worshipping the crosse and Eucharist praying to Saintâ—… yea to stocks and stones going on pilgrimage praying in latine and that on beades c. by taking his marke both on the forehead in the sacrament of confirmation and on the hand in the sacrament of orders but especially by taking an oath of fidelity and obedience vnto him For therein especiallie they receiue his mark both in the forehead by solemne profession and in the right hand which they lay on the booke This oath not onely graduates priestes Bishoppes but Kings also and Emperours were compelled to take And whereas it is Vid. Meditat. 1. Foxij in 14. cap. Apoc. Decret Gregor libro 2. tit 24. de iureiur c. Ego N. Clementin lib. 2. de iureiur c. Romani said that Antichrist should take order that none might buy or sell vnlesse
Empire in the west they together with Antichrist diuide the Romane Empire among them raigning by soueraigne authority he in Rome and part of Italy they in the other prouinces Of these ten hornes it is said that they for a time should giue their power and strength vers 13. to the beast meaning Antichrist and that in his quarell they shall fight against Christ the lambe in his members But the v. 14. bloud of Martyrs being the seede of the Church and the truth preuailing when it is most oppugned Christ by the constancie of his Martyrs and preaching of his word ouercommeth For though in respect of the manner of his resistance hee seemeth a meeke lambe yet hee shall be sure to ouercome because he is the king of kings and Lord of Lords being able by weake and foolish things as they are esteemed in the world to ouercome the wise and strong And howsoeuer those fewe in comparison that stoode with him were condemned for hereticks and schismatickes yet are they the called chosen and faithful seruants of the Lord. Whereas contrarywise the generall multitudes whereof the catholicke apostasy consisteth are the slaues of Antichrist and subiect to the whore of Babylon For the waters whereon she sitteth are peoples and multitudes nations v. 15. and tongues But when as our Sauiour Christ shall discouer Antichrist and by the ministery of the word as it were the breath of his mouth waste and consume him then shal the ten kings which before had ioyned with him set thēselues against him and those which before had committed fornicatiō with the v. 2. whore of Babylon shall hate her and make her desolate and naked v. 16. and shal eate her flesh and shall burne her with fire And that this decay of the Antichristian state doth follow vpō the preaching of the gospell it appeareth Apoc. 14. 6. 7. 8. where it is said that vpon the preaching of the euerlasting Gospell an angell saith It is fallen it is fallen Babylon that great city for shee gaue to all nations to drinke the wine of the wrath of her fornication v. 17. For vntill this time that Christ discouer Antichrist and in some measure consume him with the spirite of his mouth the ten kings are giuen ouer of God to support with one consent the beast and purple harlot whome after Antichrist is discouered they shall hate and oppugne 2 But let vs come to the application For euen as from this place I proued before that Antichrist is already come so may I now from hence conclude that the Pope is that Antichrist That Antichrist is come it is as certaine as that the prouinces of the Empire are not ruled by deputyes of the Emperour but by soueraigne princes who haue together with Antichrist diuided the Empire among them And that the Pope is that Antichrist it is as certaine For he it is who as well as the kings hath risen by the decay of the Empire in the west he it is and no other to whome these kings haue with one consent giuen their strength and power submitting themselues vnto him as his vassalls swearing to mainetaine and support him fighting his battailes and drawing their sword at his becke And being made drunke with the cuppe of his fornications they fought against the lambe and persecuted those seruaunts of Christ whom Antichrist condemneth as hereticks and schismaticks who notwithstanding are in truth the called chosen faithfull though few and despised in the world When as contrarywise the vniuersality of people whereon the whore of Babylon sitteth and whereof the adulterous church of Rome consisteth are but the branded slaues of Antichrist But howsoeuer these kings whiles they were besotted and giuen ouer of God in his iust iudgement that they should submit themselues to the Antichrist of Rome did seeke by all meanes to support him yet when Christ had discouered him to be Antichrist and by the preaching of his word as it were the spirit of his mouth began to waste consume him and more and more since the times of Luther to abate the opinion which men had conceiued of him then these princes not al but some of them began to reuolt from Antichrist and to hate the Antichristian whore See chap. 2. §. 11. of Babylon the city and church of Rome and as much as in them lyeth haue left her desolate and naked and the rest in Gods good time shall accomplish his will For this prophecie concerning that which Antichrist was to suffer is as yet fulfilled but in part And still there remaineth to bee fulfilled the finall destruction of Rome the seat of Antichrist before the end of the world soretold Apoc. 18. and the finall ouerthrowe of Antichrist at the glorious appearing of Christ at his second comming prophecied 2. Thess. 2. 8. Apoc. 19. 20. Seeing therefore Antichrist the great enemy of Christ and his church is to be ouerthrowne by these three meanes by the powerfull ministery of the word by the puissaunt strength and power of Christian princes by the glorious comming of Christ to iudgment all faithfull ministers are to bee stirred vp seriouslie and earnestly to oppose themselues against Antichrist that by their ministery as it were the spirite of Christs mouth he may bee more and more wasted and consumed All true Christian princes are to be excited not onely to hate the whore of Babylon but also according to the prophecie of the holy ghost to make her desolate and naked to eate her flesh and burne her with fire to do to her children as she hath done to the seruants of Christ. And finallie all sound Christians are to be exhorted earnestly Apoc. 18. 6. and continuallie to pray that the Lord Iesus would not onely consume Antichrist giuing successe to the ministerie of his seruants but also that he would hasten his second coming and destroy him at his glorious appearing Euen so Lord Iesu come quicklie And thus haue I shewed that the prophecyes of Ap. 22. 17. 20. the holy ghost in the scriptures concerning Antichrist Conclus do most fitly and properly agree to the Pope of Rome whereupon I doe necessarily conclude that therefore the Pope of Rome is the graund Antichrist described in the scriptures FINIS THE SECOND BOOKE maintaining that the Pope is Antichrist The first Chapter answering Bellarmine his first argument concerning the name Antichrist HAuing in the former Booke sufficiently prooued by euident demonstration out of the worde of God that the Pope of Rome is Antichrist it remaineth that we should maintaine this our assertion against the arguments of the Papists For as the force euidence of our proofes may perswade vs to embrace this truth so the weakenesse and sophistry which appeareth in the obiections of our aduersaries may confirme vs in this perswasion And the rather if we consider either the weight of this controuersie it selfe or their will and skil to maintaine their part or lastly the
this interpretatioÌ„ is signified by Apostasie doth not signifie one man but the whole body and company of those that doe reuolt that is the whole body and kingdome of Antichrist which we haue prooued to be the Apostaticall Church of Rome And so Augustine whom Bellarmine alledgeth in the very same place which he citeth reading in the concrete nisi venerit refuga primum vnlesse the Apostate first come and expounding what is meant by De ciuit Dei lib. 20. cap. 19. the temple not the temple at Ierusalem but rather the Church of God because the Apostle would not call the temple of the diuell the temple of God propoundeth the opinion of some which hee doth not mislike Vnde nonnulli non ipsum principem c. Whereupon some vnderstand in this place not the Prince himselfe but his whole body as it were that is the company of men pertaining vnto him together with their Prince to be Antichrist and they thinke that it might more rightly be said in Latine as it is in the Greeke that he sitteth non in templo dei sed in templum dei not in the Temple of God but as the Temple of God as though he were the Temple of God which is the Church Which as hath beene shewed notably sitteth the Pope and Church of Rome And here we are by the way to note whereas Bellarmine saith that Antichrist shall be such a notable Apostate as that he may be called the Apostasie it selfe that seeing none can be an Apostate which hath not beene a Christian by this assertion therefore of Bellarmine Antichrist shall not be a Iew but a backslyding and reuolted Christian 16. Secondly he saith by Apostasie we may vnderstand a reuolt from the Romane Empire as many of the Latin fathers doe expound To omit the dissension of the fathers which prooueth that their exposition can be no good rule of interpreting the Scriptures we doe confesse that before the manifest reuelation of Antichrist there was to go noâ—… onely a defection from the faith but also a reuolt from the Romane Empire But as the reuolting from earthly kingdomes is neuer in the Scriptures termed Apostasie so is it not here signified but as the word elsewhere is vsed and by the most and best writers here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a falling away from God a defection or departure from the true faith as heretofore I haue shewed Augustme saith quem refugam vocat vtique a domino Deo whom he calleth a Lib. 20. cap. 19. §. 2. runnagate namely from the Lord God Neither can it be denied but that this Apostasie is that which afterward the Apostle calleth the mystery of iniquity which was working in and by the heretiques of those times whom also Bellarmine calleth the forerunners of Antichrist because they peruerted the faith and therefore the defection caused by Antichrist is an Apostasie from the faith according to the prophesies of the Apostle that in these latter times diuers should make an Apostasie 1. Tim. 4. 1. 2. Tim. 4. 4. from the faith and should turne away their hearing from the truth and shal be turned vnto fables 17. Thirdly although we should grant saith he that by Apostasie is to be vnderstood a defection or reuolt from the true faith and religion of Christ yet it is not necessary that it should be an Apostasie of many yeares For it may be that the Apostle speaketh of one great Apostasie which shal be onely in that most short time of Antichrists raigne that is of three yeares and a halfe But this bare ghesse of Bellarmine ought not to be of so great waight with vs as the plaine speech of the Apostle compared with the euent And therefore it is but vaine to tell vs what might be seeing we haue seene the contrary to be which the Apostle foretold should be For as the Apostle tolde vs that there should be an Apostasie so he saith that the mysterie of iniquity whereby many were seduced did worke already euen in his time and insinuateth that it should worke vntill the full reuelation of Antichrist And the euent hath shewed how by degrees this Apostasie hath bin wrought euen from the primitiue Church vntill it came to that height wherein it continued vntill Antichrist began to be acknowledged And surely as this generall Apostasie could not grow at once but by degrees so can it not be abolished at once but by degrees and therefore was not like to be an Apostasie of three yeares and an halfe onely Neither is it credible that by one man the greatest part not onely of Christians but also of the Iewes should be seduced in three yeares and an halfe seeing Christ in the like space of time could not as he was a man and minister of the circumcision conuert many of the Iewes notwithstanding that his doctrine was more effectuall and his miracles more admirable then those of Antichrist can be yea the Apostlès some other of the disciples who for so long time scarce went out of Iewry were able to preuaile but with a few of the Iewes in coparison of those which reiected their doctrine And shall wee thinke that Antichrist who as the Papists hold shal be but one man shall in three yeers an halfe seduce the remnant of the Iewes and al the visible Church of God dispersed into so many parts of the world And wheras he alledgeth Augustine as a fauourer of this ghesse therein he abuseth the authority of that learned father to seduce the ignoraÌ„t who onely deliuereth the Iudgement of others concerning the mysterie of iniquity that to this effect That the mystery of iniquity worketh in De ciuit Dei lib. 20. cap. 19. euill men in the Church and counterseit Christians when as they reuolt from the truth and that vnto this mystery belongeth the reuolting of those of whom S. Iohn speaketh They went out from vs but 1. Ioh. 2. 19 were not of vs c. And that this mystery should stil worke that is that vnsound men in the Church should more and more reuolt vntill they make a sufficient number for Antichrist But there is neuer a word of this defection caused either by one man or in so short a time but rather the contrary as hath beene shewed 18. Fourthly he answereth that although it should be granted that this Apostasie is of many ages which he saith cannot well be denied seeing th'apostle saith it began to worke in his time yet it is not necessary that it should appertaine to one body vnder one head neither that it appertaineth to the kingdome of Antichrist but rather is a disposition thereunto happening in diuers dominions vpon undry occasions c. But this fourth answer is ouerthrowne by the first wherein this Apostasie was made so proper to Antichrist as that by it Bellarmine thought we might most fitly vnderstand Antichrist himselfe or rather as we shewed the whole body
is armies bringing desolation partly by the greeuousnesse of the destruction verse 21. To this prophecie also he admixeth counsel and consolation Counsell that they which shal be in Iewry prouide for their selues by flight verse 16. 17. 18. in respect whereof he both pitieth the women and such as giue sucke and biddeth them pray that their flight be not in winter nor on the Sabboth day verse 19. 20. His consolation is that for the elects sake the time of the siege shal be shortned for otherwise none of the Iewes could escape as Chrysostome also expoundeth verse 22. This exposition is plainely confirmed by conference of this Chapter of Mathew with Luke 21. where the same question being propounded verse 7. concerning the end of Ierusalem alone receiueth an answer peculiar to the destruction of Ierusalem vnto the 25. verse And whereas Mat. 24. 15. Christ vseth these words when you shall see the abomination of desolation which in Daniell is called the abominable wings bringing desolation standing in the holy place this in Luke is thus expounded When you see Ierusalem Luk. 21 20 besieged with armies which Daniel foretold should bring desolation vpon it then vnderstand that the desolation thereof is neare and therefore he aduiseth them which shall be in Iewry to flie so soone as Ierusalem shall be besieged c. Because there shall be great affliction in those dayes namely in Iewry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Ierusalem as Luke restraineth it For there shal be great destresse Luk. 21. 23 24. in the land and wrath in this people and they shall fall on the edge of the sword and shal be carried away captiue into all nations Luk. 22. 25 and Ierusalem shal be troden vnder foot of the Gentiles vntil the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled and then shal be the end of the world the signes whereof be addeth in the next words 4. By this analysis of the text conference with Luke it euidently appeareth that all these predictions from the 6. ver to the 23. in Mat. in the 21. of Luke frō the 7. vers to the 29. concerne the destruction of Ierusalem which hapned within forty yeares after this prophecie was deliuered Neither may we thinke that our sauiour Christ would intermingle the prophecies concerning the destruction of Ierusalem and the end of the world therby to nourish the aforesaid errour of his disciples who imagined that the end of Ierusalem should not be before the end of the world as appeareth by their question For euen afterward ver 34. where seemeth the greatest mixture our Sauiour Christ speaketh distinctly For wheras our Sauiour had spoken first of the end of Ierusalem and then of the end of the world seuerally had giuen signes of both wherby they might know the approching of eyther as by the budding of the fig tree they gather summer to be neare he defineth the time of the one the other he leaueth indefinit Verily I say vnto you this generatiō shall not passe vntil al those things saith he pointing as it seemeth towards Ierusalē as he sat in the moūt Oliuet be fulfilled And as touching the end of the world he noteth both the certainty therof the vncertainty of the time of the former he saith Heauē earth shal passe away that with a noise as Peter saith but my words shall not passe away howbeit of that day houre namely wherin the sonne 2. Pet. 3. 10 of man shal come and wherin the heauens shal passe away none knoweth no not the Angels of heauē but the father only Whatsoeuer the Papists therefore alledge out of the former part of the Chapter as fauouring any of their fancies concerning Antichrist as namely the preaching of the Gospel before the comming of Antichrist the abomination of desolation the most greeuous tribulation in the time of Antichrist c. may easily be answered 5 But if these prophecies be compared with the history and euent we shall finde this trueth to be more euident seeing all these predictions had their complement at or before the destruction of Ierusalem For to omit the rest the Apostle testifieth Colos. 1. 6. 23. Rom. 1. 8. 10. 18. that the Gospell was in his time preached in all the world and therefore before the desolation Euseb. lib. 3 of Ierusalem which hapned about two yeare after his death From whence also euidently appeareth how false Bellarmines assumption is as being contradictory both to the prophecie of Christ in this place as also to the testimony of the Apostle testifying the fulfilling thereof in his time according to the commission giuen to the Apostles that they should goe into all the world and teach all nations Mat. 28. 19. Mar. 16. 15. which was accordingly performed Mar. 16 20. And thus Homil. in Mat. 24. Chrysostome also expoundeth this place that before the end that is the destruction of Ierusalem the Gospell was to be preached throughout the world and prooueth by the same testimonies of Paul that this prophecie was fulfilled before the taking of Ierusalem But if it seeme incredible vnto any that the Gospell should be preached throughout the world in so short a time he must consider first that by the whole world is not to be vnderstood euery small corner and vnknowne part of the world but by a Synecdoche the greatest part of the world then knowne and inhabited as Luke 2. 1. And by all nations not all and euery nation but all sorts that is both Iewes and Gentiles For both here and elsewhere there seemeth to be an opposition made betwixt the whole world and the land of Iewry betwixt all nations and the Iewes For wheras before the Church was contained in Iewry the word preached to the Iewes our Sauiour sheweth that before the desolation of Ierusalem the Gospell should be preached commonly in all parts of the world not only in Iewry indifferently to all other nations not peculiarly to the Iewes Secondly he is to consider both the multitude of the preachers dispersers of the Gospell and also the infinit power of Gods spirit and miraculous efficacie of his word preached in that it could in so short a time spread it selfe so far as it did Thirdly a distinction is to be made betwixt preaching the Gospell and receiuing it For it was preached in all the world but not receiued euery where And that our Sauiour signifieth where he saith it should be preached in all the world for a testimony to all nations to leaue those which embrace it not without excuse If then the preaching of the Gospell throughout the world be not made by Christ our Sauiour a signe of Antichrists comming and yet notwithstanding it be most true that according to the prophecie of Christ the Gospell was preached in all the world before the desolation of Ierusalem what shew of reason is there in this demonstration And this is all that I thinke worth
the ciuill warres in France Flanders It may be that the Protestants in these ciuill warres vnder-taken for their owne defence that they might be free from such outrages haue slaine in lawfull battaile many of the Papists as contrariwise many of themselues haue beene slaine But what is this to the purpose Thus many in the armies of Antiochus Epiphanes the most cruell persecutor of the Church of the Iewes were slaine in Iewrie in the time of the Macchabees as well as they had slaine many of the Iewes But I say againe what Catholicks as they call them haue beene put to death for religion As for those fewe that haue beene executed among vs what one was put to death that was not found guiltie eyther of treason or rebellion or some such capitall crime And yet the Papists report and in Bookes doe publish that I cannot tell how many of them are martyred here in England for their religion Neither are they ashamed to write and in Rome to publish that some of them haue beene put into Beares Ecclefiâ—… Anglic. Trophâ—… Printed at Rome An. 1584. cum priuileg Gregor 13 skinnes and baited with Dogges which also they haue set out in tables But compare I beseech you with those many that were martyred in Queene Maries fiue yeeres those few that haue beene executed in Queene Elizabeths fortie fiue yeares Compare the causes which make persecution in the agents and martyrdome in the patients What one put to death of those which were burnt in Q. Maries time for any crime but onely for religion which they cal heresie what one of the Catholicks as they call them in Q. Elizabeths time executed who was not found guiltie of some capitall crime Compare the estate of Papists liuing among Protestants at this day as namely in England with the estate of Protestants liuing among Papists as namely in Spaine Is any one suffered to liue among them that is but once suspected to be of our religion Is not euery such a one either priuately murdered or publickly brought to the stake Among vs who is not suffered to liue although he be knowne to be of the Romish religion To liue did I say Nay God be mercifull vnto vs that suffer them so to liue as they doe to the encouragement and infection of others I speake not onely of ordinarie Papists and those that are at liberty but of the ring-leaders also that be in custodie whose life hath beene more easie and pleasant and maintenance more plentifull then of the Let the Casâ—…les of UUisbich and Fremingham be witnesse most students or ministers among vs. Yea but there is cause will they say that we should deale worse with you then you with vs. Nothing lesse They object to vs onely heresie and that as truely as the Iewes did to Paul which we doe truely object vnto them and in regarde thereof might nay should doe to the children of Babylon as they haue done to vs. But besides Apoc. 18. 6 many grosse and capitall heresies which race the foundation we truely object vnto them that their religion bringeth with it treason against the Prince and rebellion against God Treason against the Prince not onely because of their confederacie with the chiefe enemies of our state the Pope and Spaniard in regard whereof those Iesuites and Priests which come among vs from beyond-Seas as also those which harbour them are worthy of death but also because more generally they holding the Popes supremacie and authoritie to depose Princes and withall beleeuing that the Pope in his definitiue sentence cannot erre they cannot but approoue the Bull of excommunication wherein Pius the fift as much as was in him deposed our Queene of famous memory and absolued her subjects from all allegeance to her Rebellion against God because it perswadeth an Apostasie and falling away from God into grosse and palpable idolatrie Of which fault whosoeuer are found guiltie that is to perswade others to idolatrie by the law of God they ought not be suffered to liue because they haue perswaded an Apostasie from God Deut. 13. All this notwithstanding Deut. 13. 5. 8. 9. we deale too remissely with them and they most barbarously with vs. And yet forfooth if there be or hath beene any persecution in the Church in these latter times the Catholicks are they which suffer it and not the Protestants Alas poore Wolues how cruelly they haue beene handled among the sheepe of Christ 5. But to proceed As the persecution vnder Antichrist saith Bellarmine shall be most grieuous so shall it be most manifest For thus he reasoneth The persecution vnder Antichrist shall be most manifest this vnder the Pope is not manifest therefore this is not the persecution of Antichrist The proposition is prooued because then all the wicked shall aperto marte oppugne the whole church and not onely those that be Infidels and open sinners but the hypocrites also and false brethren shall then joyne themselues to Antichrist and discouering themselues openly assault the Church And is not this well gessed thinke you contrary to the word of truth vttered by our Sauiour Christ For whereas our Sauiour hath said that the good and bad shall growe together like Wheate and Tares vntill the day of the great haruest Bellarmine telleth vs that when Antichrist commeth there shall such a separation be made that there shall not an hypocrite be left in the Church but all the wicked without exception shall be together Omnes prorsus impios simul futuros in exercitu Antichristi in Antichrists hoste and shall openly oppugne the whole Church of the Saints But such separation is not to be looked for vntill Christ shall seuer the Lambes from the Goates And therefore if we must not beleeue that Antichrist is come vntill such a separation be made assuredly Christ will come vpon vs to judgement whiles we looke for Antichrist Yea but Augustine saith That now there be many false bretheren in the De ciuit Dei lib. 20. c. 11. Church At tunc erumpent omnes inquit Augustinus in apertam persecutionem ex latebris odiorum But then all shall burst forth saith Augustine out of their couert hatred into open persecution If Augustine had said so we might wel haue esteemed his speech to haue beene but a humane conjecture rather then a Prophecie diuine But Bellarmine without all shame falsifieth his words For Augustine in that place speaking of those words Apoc. 20. 7. Soluetur Satanas de custodia sua exibit ad seducendas nationes Satan shall be let loose out of his warde and shall goe forth to seduce the nations Exibit autem dictum est saith he in apertam persecutionem de latebris erumpet odiorum Now it is said that he shall goe forth viz. into open persecution he shall breake forth of the couerts of hatred speaking of the diuell alone and not of all the wicked And thus was his proposition doughtily prooued being neuerlesse according to
may be called the church of God bicause once it was a true church and stil is in title professiō the church ofChrist although in truth it be but little more the church of Christ then Antichrists imaginary temple at Ierusalem would be the temple of God 5 His second syllogisme which is inferred vpon the former is this If the Pope sit in the true Church of God then the church of Rome is the onely true Church for the Church of Christ is one as Christ is one but the Pope sitteth in the true church of God as was proued in the former syllogisme therefore the church of Rome is the onely true church of Christ. First I answere to the proofe of his proposition The Catholike inuisible Church of Christ is one sheepfolde vnder one shepheard Christ but particular visible churches are more then one as the church of Corinth the church of Rome the seuen churches in the Apocalyps and all the Churches of the Gentiles mentioned Rom. 16. 4. and therefore the church of Rome although it were a true visible church yet were it but a particular church and therefore not the onely true church But now the church of Rome is not a true visible church of Christ but the whore of Babylon an adulterous and Idolatrous and Apostaticall church which once was Rome as Petrarch saith now Babylon once Bethel now Bethauen once the Church of Christ now the synagogue of Antichrist as hath bene proued And therefore there being no truth either in the proposition or the assumption I answere the proposition by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 although the Pope did sit in the true church yet it followeth not that therefore the church of Rome is the onely true Church and the assumption by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Pope doth not sit in the true church and therefore there is no shewe of reason in this cauill 6 His third syllogisme is inferred vpon the second If the Church of Rome be the onely true Church then those which are not members of this Church whereof the Pope is head as namely the Protestants are out of the Church But now say I the church of Rome is so farre from being the onely true church as that it is that Babylon Apoc. 18. 4. from which we are commaunded to seperate if wee will bee saued there being no saluation in that Church for those that receiue and retaine the marke of the beast Apoc. 14. 9. therefore this also is a fond and sophisticall cauill Notwithstanding as the adulterous and apostaticall state of Israel vnder Ieroboam and Achab so the Church of Rome vnder the Pope may be called the church of God in respect both of some notes and signes of a visible Church as the administration of some sacraments and profession of the name of the Lord and also of some reliques and remainder as it were the gleanings of the inuisible Church In Israell although an Apostaticall and Idolatrous state the sacrament of circumcision was retained so in the church of Rome the sacrament of baptisme The church of Israel professed Iehouah to be their God although they worshipped him Idolatrously so the church of Rome professeth the name of Christ but exceedeth Israel in Idolatry In Israel euen vnder Achab the Lord had reserued 7000. who neuer bowed their knee to Baal and so we doubt not but that in the corruptest times of Popery the Lord hath reserued some who haue not receiued the marke of the beast And as the church of Sardis was still called the church of Christ although greeuously fallen from Christ because they still professed the name of Christ and retained no doubt the Sacrament of Baptisme and had among them some fewe names that had not defiled themselues so I confesse with Caluin that the church of Rome may be called a church of Christ both in respect of some vestigia and outward notes of a visible church as administration of Baptisme and profession of the name of Christ and some secret reliques of the inuisible church which haue not bowed their knees to Apo. 20. 4 Baal But that which is saide to the church of Sardis may most iustly be avowed to the church of Rome Thou hast a name that thou liuest but indeed art dead thou professest Apoc. 3. 1. thy selfe to be the church of Christ but art the synagogue of Antichrist thou art called the church of Rome which once was famous for her saith but art the whore of Babylon the Apo. 3. 4. mother of all the fornications and abhominations in the christian world 7 Heere Bellarmine obiecteth two things If there remaine in the church of Rome but ruines and reliques of a true church then the church may be ruinated and the truth hath lyed who saith that the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against it Ans. The Catholike and inuisible church of Christ which is the whole company of the elect can neuer faile But visible and particular churches which consist of hypocrites many times and vnsounde christians which are in the visible church but are not of the inuisible as the greater part may faile and fall away although not one sound christian that 1. Ioh. 2. 19. is of the inuisible church doth fall away As the lamentable experience of the church of Israel seuered from Iuda the examples of Corinth Ephesus and many other famous Churches which were planted by the Apostles Againe saith Bellarmine If the Church be ruinated and the ruines remaine in Poperie then the Papists haue the Church although decayed and ruinated but the Protestants haue no Church not entyre for the entyre Church is ruinated not ruinated or decayed for the ruines are among the Papists What haue they then a new building which because it is new is none of Christs and therefore who seeth not that it is safer to liue in the church decayed then in no church at all But in this cauill there is not so much as any shew of reason vnlesse he take that for graunted which we do most confidently denie and they are neuer able to proue that the church of Rome not onely is the true church of Christ but also the onely true church For otherwise the church of Rome may fall and yet the Catholike church of Christ may stand yea shall stand maugre the force of Antichrist and malice of Sathan himselfe And as for the church of the Protestants it is no new building as Antichrist vaunteth but is a part of the Catholike church of Christ reformed and renewed according to the word of God and the example of the primitiue church euen as the Church of Iuda vnder Iosias was no new building but the olde frame as it was vnder Dauid renewed and reformed according to the lawe of God 8 The exceptions which he taketh against our arguments concluding that Rome is the seate of Antichrist I haue for the Lib. 1. cap. 2. most part taken away before It shall suffice therefore
if he said I am Christ. To the assumption I answere that although the Pope doth not plainly directly say I am Christ but forbeareth the name of Christ as Caesar did the name of a King yet notwithstanding in that he challengeth the office authoritie of Christ it is as much in deed and in truth although indirectly and by consequent as if he made himself Christ Christ being a name of office For certainly whosoeuer professeth himselfe to be y e foundatiō the head the husband Lord c. of y e vniuersal church he maketh himself Christ althogh he do abstain frō the name For who is the head and Lord c. of the vniuersall church but Christ who hath authoritie to ordain sacramēts to prescribe lawes to the conscience to deliuer doctrines and articles of faith as necessary to saluation to forgiue the sinnes of the quicke and the dead who is the Prince of Priests the great Priest after the order of Melchizedec the Pastor of Pastors the King of Kings and Lord of Lords by whom Kings and Emperours do raigne who hath authoritie to commaund the Angels to bestow the kingdome of heauen on whom he pleaseth Finally vnto whom is all power giuen in heauen and in earth but onely to Christ But the Pope doth challenge al this to himselfe and much more as hath bene shewed He forsooth is the foundation the head husband and Lord of the vniuersall Lib. 1. cap. 5. Church c. And to conclude if you respect his nature Atquè ac Christus Deus est ens secundae intentionis compositum ex Deo homine As well as Christ he is God an essence of the second intention compounded of God and man if his office vnctione Christus est he is by annointment Christ hauing the very same office which Christ had when he was vpon the earth And therfore Bellarm. de pontif Rom. lib. 5. cap. 4. if this be a propertie of Antichrist to leaue vnto our Sauiour the name and title of Christ to take to himselfe the dignitie office and authoritie of Christ it cannot be auoyded but that the Pope is Antichrist 9 The third doctrine of Antichrist saith Bellarmine is this He shall affirme himselfe to be God and will require that hee may be worshipped as God From whence he reasoneth thus Antichrist will affirme that he is God and will be worshipped for God The Pope of Rome doth not affirme himselfe to be God neither would be worshipped as God therefore the Pope is not Antichrist The proposition is proued out of 2. Thess. 2. 4. So that he sitteth in the temple of God shewing himself as though he were God Answ. The meaning of the Apostles words is thus much that Antichrist shall sit in the Temple of God as God that is he shall rule and raigne in the church of God as if he were a God vpon earth shewing himselfe not so much by words as by deedes that hee is a God Or as the vulgar Latine edition and English translation of the Rhemists doe reade tanquam sit Deus as though he were God And thus Chrysostome Theophylact and Oecumenius expounde this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith shewing himself he said not saying but endeuouring to shewe for he shall worke great workes and shall shewe forth wonderfull signes and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shewing as Beza obserueth is answerable to the Hebrew Moreh faciens se apparere prae se ferens or as we say taking vpon him as if he were a God It is not therefore necessary that Antichrist should in worde plainly openly professe himselfe to be God it is sufficient if in deed and behauiour hee taketh vpon him as if hee were 〈◊〉 God As for example if he shal be content to be acknowledged saluted and called God If he shall cause nay if he shal but willingly suffer himselfe to be worshipped as God if he shall challenge vnto himselfe those titles attributes and workes which are proper peculiar to the Lord. But Bellarmine perceiuing that this place in this sense may fitly be applied to the pope therefore he contendeth that it is not sufficient that Antichrist should indeed shew himselfe to be God as the Pope doth but that he shall openly name himselfe God and that he shall vsurpe not only some authoritie of God as the Pope doth but also the very name of God And that he saith is prooued out of these words of the Apostle 2. Thess. 2. in so much that he sitteth in the temple of God shewing himselfe tanquā sit Deus as though he were God Where saith he Paul doth not onely affirme that Antichrist shall sit in the temple for we also sit in temples and yet are no Antichrists but also expoundeth his maner of sitting namely that he shall sit as God to whō alone a tēple is properly erected And this hesaith is more cleerly set down in the Greek text for it is not said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as God but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hee is God But in this cauill are contained diuers errours 1. by temple which as we haue proued signifieth the church of God he vnderstandeth a materiall temple which should be built at Ierusalem 2. by sitting in the temple which signifieth his raigning in the church he vnderstandeth the corporall gesture of sitting in that materiall temple 3. by his sitting in the temple of God as God which signifieth his ruling ouer the church as if he were God hee vnderstandeth thus much that the materiall temple should be erected and consecrated to his honor as if he were God As though that temple which should be erected to his honour as if he and no other were the true God were called of the Apostle the temple of God or as though he pretending himselfe to be the Messias of the Iewes sent from God would not also pretend the building of that temple to the honour of God 4. Whereas he saith that the Greek text hath not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is plaine that the text hath both In so much that he sitteth in the temple of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as God shewing himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he is God Now Antichrist may sit in the temple of God as God and by his deedes and demeanour beare the world in hand that he is a God vpon earth and yet not professe himselfe openly and plainely to be God 10 And in this sense to come to his assumption doth this place properly agree to the Pope of Rome who sitteth in the temple of God as God that is ruleth in the church of God as if he were a God vpon earth and in his behauiour and course of life taketh vpon him as if he were a God and so would be reputed of others For first in their owne lawe the Pope is not Dist. 96. c.
satis euidenter obscurely called God The Canonists call him DominuÌ„ Deum nostrum Papam Our Lord God the Pope But for further proofe of this point I referre you to the former booke chap. 5 § 6. c. where I intreated of the Antichristian pride of the Pope To which former testimonies I will adde one practise of the Pope in his great yeare of Iubile when as in solemne procession he is carried in a seate of gold vpon noble mens shoulders his god of bread being carried before him vpon an backeney as his attendant and at length commeth to the gates of Paradise which hee beateth open with a golden hammer at which time he is worshipped of all sorts present as a God from whoÌ„ they expect indulgence remission of sinnes and eternal life according to his large promises made to all those which shall come to Rome to celebrate the Iubiley In a word he is numen quoddam visibilem quendam Deum preâ—…se ferens a certaine diuine maiestie shewing himselfe to be a certaine visible God The premisses therefore considered together with my allegations in the place before named this argument may be returned vpon our aduersary after this manner whosoeuer sitteth Lib. 1. ca. 5 §. 6. 7. in the temple of God as God that is ruleth and raigneth ouer the church as if he were a God vpon earth and declareth himselfe either by word or deed that he is God for example if he shall challenge vnto himselfe those titles attributes and workes which are proper vnto God and shall be willing to be saluted acknowledged and adored as God he vndoubtedly is Antichrist But the Pope of Rome ruleth ouer the church as if he were a God vpon earth and declareth himselfe both by word and deed that he is God challenging vnto himself those titles attributes and workes which are peculiar vnto the Lord c. as hath bene proued therefore the Pope is Antichrist yea but the Pope saith Bellarmine doth not declare himselfe to be God for he acknowledgeth himselfe to be the seruant of the Lord. Hee might as well conclude that the Pope neuer calleth himselfe regem reguÌ„terrae ac DominuÌ„ Dominorum the king of the kings of the earth and Lord of Lordes because he acknowledgeth himself seruuÌ„ seruoruÌ„ Dei the seruant of gods seruants Neither doth his verball professioÌ„ ouersway his reall practise But he should haue remembred that the second beast which is Antichrist Apoc. 13. 11. as hee speaketh like the dragon belching out blasphemies against God so hee hath two hornes like the lambe as a dissembling hypocrite imitateth in some things the humilitie of Christ. And therefore that the Pope could not be such an Antichrist as is described in the scriptures vnlesse he were an hypocrite who doth by open profession pretend himselfe to be the seruant of God when as in truth he aduanceth himselfe against him And yet this is all that our aduersary alledgeth to proue his assumption that the Pope doth not shewe himselfe to be God 11 The fourth and last doctrine saith the Iesuite is this he shall not onely affirme that he is God but that he onely is God and shall oppugne all other Gods both true and false and shall suffer no Idols But this absurd conceit of the papists is not onely repugnant vnto the truth but also contradictory to their owne doctrines coÌ„cerning Antichrist For is it credible either that a mortall man shall affirme himselfe alone to be the true God and none but he or if he shall so affirme of himselfe that Christians and Iewes and all the world almost will acknowledge and worship him as the onely true God Againe the Antichristian seate is figured by the whore of Babylon which because of her owne idolatrie is called a whore and because she infecteth all nations that adhere vnto her with her idolatries Apoc. 17. 2. 5. and superstitions she is said to make them drunke with the cup of her fornications and also to be the mother of all the fornications that is idolatries of the earth Yea the Papists themselues expound Deut. 11. 38. where Antiochus Epiphanes is described as an Idolater as properly spoken of Antichrist And do not themselues teach that Antichrist shall professe himselfe to be the Messias of the Iewes and consequently that he is sent and annointed of God Now if he shall professe himselfe sent from God shall we thinke that he wil say there is no God besides himselfe Or if hee being but a mortall man shall say there is no God besides himselfe may we not well thinke that either they will hisse at him as a foole or stone him to death as a blasphemer Nay do not themselues teach that he shall be in religion a Iew an obseruer of the Sabboth and other Iewish ceremonies And do they not alledge Ierome to proue that Antichrist shall faigne himselfe to be the chiefe of the couenant and a In Dan. 11 chiefe maintainer of the lawe and testament of God And are not his two hornes like the Lambe expounded by some approued In Apo. 13 Authors among them of the two testaments which hee shall seeme to professe 12 But let vs see how this wise conceit is proued Forsooth by testimonies of the scriptures and the Fathers Out of the scripture hee alledgeth two places the former 2. Thess. 2. 4. Who is extolled aboue all that is called God or worshipped As if hee should say Antichrist shall bee aduanced aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped therefore hee shall auouch that hee alone is God and will suffer no other God either true or false to bee worshipped besides himselfe I denie the consequence For first Antichrist may aduance himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped and yet suffer yea require them to bee worshipped Iupiter was supposed among the Heathen to aduance himself aboue all other Gods and yet suffered them to be worshipped as Gods Antichrist the second beast aduanceth himselfe aboue the Image of the Apoc. 13. former beast which is the Empire renewed whereon he sitteth as the rider death vpon a beast and yet requireth the same to be worshipped The Pope aduanceth himselfe aboue Angels Apoc. 17. Kings and Princes who are called Gods aboue the Saints the Host the Crosse and whatsoeuer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the church of Rome and yet requireth them all to be worshipped Secondly Antichrist may aduance himself aboue or against al that is called God or is worshipped and yet not professe himselfe to be the only God For so Antiochus Epiphanes aduanced himselfe against euery God yea against the God of Gods Dan. 11. 36. and yet he was neuer so mad as to professe himselfe the only God Thirdly seeing Antichristianisme is not open Atheisme but a mystery of iniquity Antichrist is described in the scriptures as an hypocrite pretended ChristiaÌ„ we may be assured that although in deed in truth
which the holy Ghost in the scriptures hath foretold concerning the miracles of Antichrist do not agree to the Pope church of Rome For concerning the miracles of Antichrist the scriptures saith he mention three things 1. that Antichrist shall worke many miracles 2. what maner of miracles they shall be 3. there are recorded examples Of al which points I haue intreated heretofore prouing from Bellarmine his owne grounds that the Pope is Antichrist And first that many signes and wonders should be wrought by Antichrist his adherents which Lib. 1. cap. 7. they call miracles the scriptures testifie the euent hath proued and we do confesse And secondly that all these signes wonders howsoeuer he and his followers do boast of them and in respect thereof contemne the true professors yet are as the Apostle saith lying signes and wonders both in respect of the ende which is to seduce and to confirme lies in respect of the substance which is counterfeit For wheras Bellarmine addeth that they are also called lying signes in respect of the efficient and author of them which is the father of lyes according to whose power Antichrist was to come who as some of the Fathers affirme was to be a notable Magician or sorcerer This seemeth to be somewhat far fetched vnlesse we will take the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be masculine as none doth Notwithstanding because the Apostle ascribeth the working of these miracles to the power of Sathan we will trace him in his owne steppes not doubting to apply this note also to the Pope and church of Rome seeing it cannot be doubted but that as very many not onely of their Cleargy but euen of their Popes haue bene notable Magicians and sorcerers so also very many of the miracles in the church of Rome haue bin the operatiōs or illusiōs of the diuell As for their Cleargy who knoweth not but that there haue bin fewe learned men among thē who haue not bene knowne or at the least suspected to be coniurers and skilfull as some call it of the blacke Art But as touching the Popes because it may seeme incredible that any known Magician or sorcerer should be aduanced to the Apostolike See as they call it therefore it may be thought that the sorcery witchcraft of the most of thē who indeed were sorcerers was hidden vnknown Notwithstanding euē in their owne writers there are recorded as knowne Magicians sorcerers aboue 20. Popes diuers wherofgaue themselues wholy to the diuell that in thē the prophesie of the Apostle might be fulfilled viz. that they might come to the Papacie by the helpe of the diuell or as the Apostle speaketh 2. Thess. 2. 9. that their comming might be according to the efficacie of Satan And as this hapned often so especially about those times wherein Antichrist in the Papacie was in a maner come to his full growth that is to say in Syluestex 2. Gregory 7. and all the Popes betwixt them who were a sort of infamous sorcerers And therefore if any miracles haue bin wrought by such Popes as Saunders braggeth of many signes wonders wrought by Gregory 7. we need not doubt but that as themselues were Magicians Demonsir 20. and sorcerers so their signes and wonders were wrought by the power of the diuell 2 And thus Bellarmine through all the causes sheweth the miracles of Antichrist to be lying signes and wonders But to what ende I beseech you serueth all this discourse Will Bellarmine conclude from hence that the Pope is not Antichrist either because there are no miracles in the church of Rome which was the first point or because those miracles which they haue be not lying signes and wonders which was the second If this were his ende why then doth hee not from this proposition as it were his groundworke assume and conclude after this manner By Antichrist and his adherents many signes and wonders shall be wrought which they call miracles as the scripture testifieth By the Pope and his adherents many signes and wonders haue not bin wrought which they call miracles therfore the Pope is not Antichrist But Bellarmine durst not reason thus seeing the Papists bragge of nothing more then of their signes and wonders which they call miracles And therefore from this ground I haue heretofore inferred the contrary For if it be a peculiar note of Antichrist and his adherents in these latter times to worke many signes and wonders which they call miracles then can it not be auoyded but that the Pope of Rome is Antichrist and the church of Rome the Synagogue of Antichrist seeing they alone do bragge of miracles See the first booke chap. 7. § 1. 2. Secondly why doth hee not reason thus By Antichrist and his followers lying signes and wonders shal be wrought But by the Pope and church of Rome there haue bene no lying signes and wonders wrought therefore the Pope is not Antichrist Indeed this would Bellarmine haue the simple reader gather from his words and that is the drift of all that discourse But this he could not assume and conclude because his owne conscience doth tell him that which all the worlde knowes that their church is full of lying signes and wonders which they call miracles Therefore from Bellarmines owne ground I reason thus If it be a peculiar note of Antichrist and his Synagogue in these latter times to work many lying signes and wonders then it must be confessed that the Pope is Antichrist and the church of Rome the Synagogue of Antichrist because among them are many lying signes and wonders but the first is testified in the scriptures and therfore the latter cannot be denied seeing I haue proued that the church of Rome is full of lying signes and wonders which notwithstanding they call miracles See the first Booke Chap. 7. § 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 3 It is plaine therefore that of those three things which Bellarmine obserueth out of the scriptures concerning the miracles of Antichrist the two first doo fitly serue to proue the Pope Antichrist Neither will the three examples of Antichrist his miracles which Bellarmine setteth downe in the third place disproue the same For of these three examples to wit First that Antichrist or at least his Ministers shall make fire to come downe from heauen in the sight of men Secondly that he shall put life into the Image of the beast and cause it to speake Thirdly that he shall faigne himselfe to die and to rise againe The two first which indeed belong to Antichrist doe fitly agree to the Pope as hath bene shewed in the first booke chap. 7. from the 8. § to the ende of the chapter The third belongeth not to Antichrist From whence notwithstanding Bellarmine argueth thus The third miracle of Antichrist saith he is that he shall faigne himself to die to rise againe for which miracle especially the whole world almost shall admire him But neuer did any Pope faigne
I haue proued and the church of Rome that now is Babylon the Synagogue of Antichrist then all other controuersies betwixt vs and them may be easily decided their chiefe ground being the authoritie of their church and of the See Apostolike For then it is to be presumed that those doctrines which are peculiar to the Pope and Church of Rome are the errours of Antichrist yea and as the Apostle calleth 1. Tim. 4. 2. them doctrines of diuels 2 If the Romish church be Antichristian then our seperation froÌ„ it is warranted yea commanded by the word of God and all returning to it forbidden Apoc. 18. 4. Come out of her my people least pertaking with her in her sinnes you partake also in her punishment 3 If the Pope be Antichrist then those that embrace that religion and ioyne themselues to that church acknowledging the Pope to be their head receiue the marke of the beast And those that do receiue the beasts marke especially after he is reuealed shall drinke of the wine of Gods wrath and shall bee punished with fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lambe Apoc 14. 9. This therefore must serue as a serious admonition and necessary caueat both to reclaime all tractable Papists and to confirme all wauering and vnstayed Protestants The former as they tender their saluation so to come out of Babylon The latter as they will auoid their endles confusion to keepe out of Babylon For not onely to retaine the marke of the beast wilfully after he is discouered but to reuolt from the profession of the truth vnto Antichristian religion it also is a fearefull signe of reprobation For it is impossible that the elect should finally be seduced by Antichrist Math. 24. 24. And the Apostle Paul obserueth that Antichrist shall effectually deceiue them that perish with all deceitfulnes of iniquitie because they haue not receiued the loue of the truth that they might be saued And therefore God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies that al they might be damned which beleeued not the truth but delighted in vnrighteousnesse 2. Thess. 2. 10. 11. 12. Whervpon Chrysostome also writing hath these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antichrist preuaileth with Castawayes or such as perish And Ierome likewise Ad AlgasiaÌ„ quest 11. They shall be seduced saith hee by the lies of Antichrist who are prepared vnto perdition But on the other side those which renounce the Pope and church of Rome and rise sroÌ„ the graue of Antichristianisme and Popery and follow our Sauiour Christ in the sincere profession of the truth Blessed and holy are they for they hauing part in the first resurrection shal be freed from the second Apoc. 20. 6 death And howsoeuer they are esteemed of the followers of Antichrist as heretickes schismatickes which are to be persecuted with fire and faggot yet are they happie in their life whiles they ioyne with Christ against Antichrist for such are called elect and faithfull and redeemed out of the world and they are also blessed in their death dying in the quarrell of Christ Apoc. 17. 14. against Antichrist for of those specially doth the holy Ghost speake Apoc. 14. 13. Blessed are those that dye in the Apoc. 14. 4. Lord c. 4 If the Pope be Antichrist then those that are found to be resolute Antichristians that is recusant Papists but especially Iesuites and Seminary Priests which are sent to reconcile men vnto the Pope and Church of Rome that is as hath bene proued to set on them the marke of the beast consequently to brand them to destruction and all such as seeke to peruert seduce others ought not to be fauoured or spared in a Christian common wealth First because they are limmes of Antichrist and therfore by the commandement of God we should do to them as they haue done to vs. Apoc. 18. 6. Secondly because they are enemies to God and traitors to Christian Princes They are enemies to God not onely because themselues are Idolaters and consequently such as hate God Exod. 20. 5. but also because they labour to withdrawe others from the true worship of God vnto superstition and idolatrie and therfore in no case ought to be spared Deut. 13. 5. 8. They are traitors also to ChristiaÌ„ Princes being sworne vassals to the Pope their capitall enemie For hee esteemeth all Christian Princes that do not acknowledge him to be their head as schismatikes or heretikes And as he vseth so oft as he dareth to proceede Antonin sum part 3. tit 22. cap. 5. §. 11. against such foure wayes viz. by excommunication deposition depriuing them of their temporall goods possessions and raising warre against them so all Papists acknowledging the Popes supremacie do hold both that he hath authoritie so to proceede against Christian Princes and also that in his definitiue sentence hee Antonin sum part 3. tit 22. cap. 5. §. 10 cannot erre And therforé if they put not in execution the sentence of their holy Father it is not for want of treasonable will and rebellious affection towards their Prince but for lacke of meanes and oportunitie As for example when Pius 5. had sent his Bull of excommunication against our late Soueraigne Cupers pag. 182. num 8. Queene of happie memorie therein deposing her from her crowne and absoluing her subiects from their alleageance towards her it is most certaine that whatsoeuer many hollow hearted Papists pretended yet fewe of them did acknowledge her for their lawfull Queene and many of them thought it a meritorious worke to take away her life And surely if not their persons then much lesse ought their Antichristian religion the mysterie of iniquitie be tolerated in the Church of Christ. For what fellowship can there bee betwixt light and darkenesse or what agreement can the Temple of God haue 2. Cor. 6. with Idols 5 If the Pope be Antichrist and his Church Antichristian then can there be no reconciliatioÌ„ betwixt vs the church of Rome we being as often hath bene proued the true church of God For what agreement can there be betwixt Christ and Antichrist Such neuters therefore shewe themselues to be nâ—…llifidians and politicke Atheists who would perswade men that both wee and they are the true church of Christ and that the difference betwixt vs being in words rather then in substance may easily be composed but they might as well say that there is but a verball difference betwixt the Gospell of Christ and the doctrine of Antichrist 6 Lastly if the church of Rome which because of her largenesse calleth her selfe the Catholike that is to say the vniuersall church bee notwithstanding the Synagogue of Antichrist What infinit thankes doo wee owe to our good and gracious God who hath not suffred vs to be carried away with that Catholike Apostasie as it were an vniuersall deluge but hath gathered vs into the arke of his true church making vs with the rest of his true professors his peculiar people It remaineth therefore that seeing God hath bene so gracious to vs wee should not be vnthankful to him but rather should walke worthy our calling as it becommeth the children of the light adorning the profession of the glorious Gospel of Christ by a godly conuersation to the ende that by the plentifull fruites of righteousnesse and true holinesse wee may glorifie God our heauenly Father stoppe the mouthes of our aduersaries and gather assurance vnto our owne soules of our iustification and saluation by Iesus Christ our bessed Lord and Sauiour To whom with the Father and the holy spirit be all praise and thankes-giuing both now and euermore Amen FINIS
kinde as 1. Pet. 2. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 honour the king not this king onely but any whosoeuer is king 1. Tim. 3. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it behoouâ—…th therefore the Bishop not this or that Bishop but euery one that hath that calling to be without reproofe Mat. 6. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The light of the body is the eye See 1. Cor. 12. 15. 16. Mat. 12. 34. c. So when we say the good man or the wicked man we meane either generally al or indefinitely any that be such Mat. 1â—… 35. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The good man out of the good treasure of the hart bringeth forth the goodthings and the euill man c. 4. Sometimes againe the article is vsed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie that which is most notable in that kinde and therefore most worthily or as we say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deserueth that name And of this vse is Epiphanius his rule to be vnderstood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where the article is added vnto some definite and notable thing there is alwayes confirmation by the article namely that the word is not to be vnderstood indefinitly or indifferently of any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but without the article it is to be takeÌ„ of any one indefinitely Which latter part of the rule if it be true prooueth that the speech of our Sauiour Iohn 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if any other come is indefinit But neither doth the article vsed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwayes point out a certaine and singuler thing though sometimes it doe As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a Christians mouth signifieth the true God onely as Epiphanius saith So when we say the Apostle meaning Paul the Poet meaning among the Greekes Homer among the Latines Virgil the Oratour Demosthenes or Tullie the wiseman Salomon But when we say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is another of Epiphanius his examples and meane therby not indifferently any king but by an Emphasis that Prince to whom we are subiect we doe not alwayes nor for the most part vnderstand one certaine king but all or any to whom the soueraignty of our conutrey doth appertaine whether he be king or Queene As when we say the king supreme gouernour of the church no time prescribeth against the king the kings high-way the Princes lawes c. In like manner wheÌ„ we say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is Epiphanius his third example or as the Apostle more distinctly speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man of God For although by this Emphasis not any man is meant but the minister of 2. Tim. 3. 17. God yet it signifieth not one certaine minister but any one of that function called thereunto of God And in this sense is the Pope called the Antichrist the Antichrist in the same sense is called the man of sinne the sonne of perdition the outlaw But this prooueth not that therefore the Antichrist is but one certaine and singuler man For euen as the diuel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vncleane spirit although there Luk. 11. 24 be many wicked ones is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the euill and yet there be many diuels and as the Bishop of Rome since the ti me of Boniface the third is called the Pope whereas before the name Pope was attributed to other Bishops and yet there haue beene many Popes so although al heretickes deserue to be called Antichrists al profane men men of sinne all reprobates sonnes of perdition all sonnes of Belial 1. Ioh. 2. 18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or outlawes yet not withstanding the Pope of Rome since the time of Boniface the third deserueth to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichrist the man of sinne the sonne of perdition the outlaw Which as it doth not prooue that the Pope signifieth but one singuler person so See Lib. 1. c. 6. neither doth it euince that the Antichrist signifieth one certaine man For looke what they can say of the Antichrist in this case the same may be said of the Pope 5. The third place is like to the second and therefore a short answer may serue 1. Iohn 2. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You haue heard that the Antichrist commeth and euen now there are many Antichrists where the article is prefixed before Antichrist so properly called but the name of Antichrist generally taken is vttered without an article which most plainely sheweth that Antichrist properly taken is but one man but generally taken it signifieth all heretickes As if he had said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth but one certaine man because the article is prefixed The Antichrist so properly called is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore the Antichrist so properly called is but one certaine man The prosyllogisme or proofe of the proposition I haue already prooued to be most false when as I shewed that whereas there are foure vses of the article at the least Bellarmines obseruation holdeth onely in one and that the least vsuall namely when the article is vsed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is for a demonstratiue particle And that the article added to a word doth not alwaies signifie one certaine and singuler thing I will shew by some other examples which will sit neerer the Papists In 2. Thes. 2. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that hindreth is expounded by the fathers and acknowledged by the Papists to signifie the Emperour 2. Thes. 2. 7 of Rome not any one particular but the state and succession of Emperours Againe Mat. 16. 18. where there is not onely the article but also the pronounce demonstratiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vpon this rocke the Papists would haue vnderstood by that rocke which Pâ—…ter confessed which is Christ or faith in him not onely Peter himselfe but also although most falsely the whole succession of Popes And therefore by their owne doctrine the article doth not alwayes no not when it is ioyned with a demonstratiue particle signifie one certaine and particular thing or person Thirdly in the place before alledged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man of sinne the son of perdition is vnderstood by some to signifie not onely the head of the AntichristiaÌ„ 2. Thes. 2. 3 body but the whole multitude of those who ioyne with Antichrist Augustine reciteth this opinion and is so farre from misliking it that Bellarmine alledgeth it as Augustines Neither are we to thinke this interpretation to be dissonant from the manner of speech vsed in the Scriptures seeing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the woman Apoc 12. 6. signifieth the Church of Christ and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the harlot and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the woman Apoc. 17. 1. 18. the city Church of Antichrist And that I may come to the proposition it selfe and omit other examples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes signifieth the Antichristian body or company of Antichristian heretikes 6. For better proofe whereof let vs
consider the acceptation of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichrist in the place alledged and elsewhere 1. Ioh. 2. 18 in the Epistles of Iohn in which onely it is vsed and not elsewhere in the scriptures In the place which Bellarmine citeth th'apostle seemeth to reason thus When the Antichrist is come it is the last houre Now Antichrists are come therefore now is the last houre 1. Ioh. 2. 28 Where either the Antichrist and Antichrists signifie the same or else there be foure termes in the Apostles argument which Bellarmine dareth not auouch And afterwards v. 22. he plainly sheweth that euery one that denieth Iesus to be the Christ as many Antichrists 1. Ioh. 4. 3. 4 or heretickes did of which he spake verse 18. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichrist In the same Epistle Chapter 4. he biddeth them try the spirits that is their teachers because many false prophets were come into the world and giueth them this note whereby to try them Euery spirit saith he which confesseth Iesus Christ to be come in the flesh is of God and euery spirit which doth not confesse that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God And this is the spirit of the Antichrist which you heard was to come and euen now 2. Iohn 7. already is in the world Likewise in the second Epistle Many decâ—…iuers are come into the world which dâ—… not confesse that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh this is the deceiuer and the Antichrist By which testimonies it is euident that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not only signifie the head of the Antichristian body which is not one singuler man but is continued in a succession of many but also sometimes any hereticke that oppugneth the natures or offices of Christ and sometimes the whole body or company of heretickes opposed vnto Christ. For Iohn 1. Ioh. 2. 22. plainely affirmeth that those many heretickes and deceiuers of his time are the Antichrist And whereas Paul prophecieth of Antichrist that he should come into the world and should be destroyed at the second comming of Christ Iohn affirmeth that Antichrist of whom they had heard that he should come was then already come into the world From which places I argue thus If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichrist in the Epistles of Iohn and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man of sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the outlaw in the Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians doe signifie one certaine and singuler man as the Papists affirme then it will follow necessarily that one and the same man who was come into the world in Saint Iohns time shall be in the world at the second comming of Christ for Iohn saith that the Antichrist was come in his time and Paul saith that the out-law shall be consumed with the spirit of Christs mouth and destroyed at his glorious appearing But the latter is incredible for since the time of Saint Iohn there are already 1500. yeeres expired and therefore the former which is the assertion of the Papists is absurde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore signifieth sometimes the whole body of Heretickes from the ascension of Christ vntill his second comming sometimes any heretickes which are lims of that body somtimes the graund antichrist who is the head of that body is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichrist Wherfore in respect of those heretickes and lims of Antichrist in the Apostles times Antichrist is then said to haue entred and as it were to haue set his foote into the world And accordingly the Apostle Paul saith 2. Thes. 2. 7 that euen in his time the mystery of iniquity that is Antichristianisme was working namely by those which belonged to the body of Antichrist although couertly and vnderhand vntill the head of that body was reuealed as he was after the Empire in the West was dissolued and the Emperour which hindred was done out of the way according to the prophecie of the Apostle 2. Thessalonians 2. 7 8. And thus you see what a slender argument this is taken from the article although it be vsed as one of the principall demonstrations generally of all the Papists that write of this argument but more especially of Bellarmine who thinking it too good to goe for one argument hath deuided it into two 7 His fourth testimonie is taken out of Daniel chap. 7. 11. 12. Where Antichrist is called a King and not a Kingdome who of the ten Kings which he shall finde in the worlde shall take away three and shall make the other seauen subject to himselfe But I answer that Daniel speaketh not of Antichrist at all but of Antiochus Epiphanes and therefore this allegation is impertinent For the learned of our times haue made it euident that the foure kingdomes whereof Daniel speaketh were ended before the incarnation of Christ and that the fourth kingdome which many haue taken to be the monarchie of the Romanes was the kingdome of the Seleucidae and Lagidae in Syria and Egypt so farre forth as the people of Iewrie was subject thereunto and is therefore described as the most terrible of all the foure because it was most trouble some to the Iewes And that the ten hornes were ten Kings of Syria and Egypt which successiuely tyrannized ouer the people of the Iewes Antiochus Epiphanes being the tenth and the last of those Kings which tyrannized ouer Iewrie But because in outragious cruelty and cursed hostility not onely against the people but also against the religion of the Iewes he surpassed all that went before him of him therefore Daniel speaketh so plainely and distinctly that he hath seemed to some rather to write an Historie of him then a Prophesie as shall hereafter more fully be shewed when as Chap. 16. we shall also manifestly declare that this which Bellarmine addeth concerning Antichrists killing of three Kings and subduing of the other seauen is but a dreame which is indeed so farre from all probability of truth as that it cannot be verified of that party whom Daniel describeth Daniel describeth him as the tenth Bellarmine maketh him the eleuenth as if it were a beast of eleuen hornes Daniel speaketh of ten Kings which successiuely ruled ouer the Iewes Bellarmine maketh him speake of ten who together with the eleuenth should be at one time in the world Of those ten Daniel saith that three were pluckt vp before the teÌ„th as it may seeme by his means but of the other sixe either all or the most were dead before he was borne Bellarmine maketh him to kill three and subdue the other seauen which indeed liued not in his time as shall be shewed hereafter out of the eleuenth of Daniel where the succession of these ten Kings and the affaires of the tenth who can be no other but Antiochus Epiphanes are particularly and fully described This argument drawne from the misconstruing of Daniel Bellarmine although he knew it to be nothing