HAuing heretofore discoursed concer­ning Christ, that is, the person, the office, and the e­state of Christ; we will now entreate concerning Antichrist: that the glorie of Christ maie be somewhat the better vnderstood: because, that (according to the common saying) Things contra­rie appeare more euidently by their compa­rison.

2 Antichrist in generall is hee, who The definitiō of Antichrist in generall. doeth any waie oppose him selfe to the [Page] doctrine of Christ, whome in word he professeth to follow: or, who doeth op­pugne Christ, vnder the name and pre­tence of Christ: for thus he is described vnto vs, 1. Ioh. 2. 18. & v. 22. Chap. 4. v. 3. & 2. Ioh. 7.

3 Antichrist is of two kindes: for There be two kinds of An­tichristes. either hee is aduersarie onelie to one parte of the doctrine of Christ, or else almost to the wholl bodie thereof.

4 Of the first sorte are all heretikes, which haue beene euer since the Apo­stles 1 times, and yet continue vnto this daie: as were Cerinthus, Ʋalentinus, Marcion, Sabellius, Arius, Nestorius, Eutiches, Pelagius, and the rest: who haue opposed themselues against either the person, or office of Christ: and of this kinde speaketh 1. Ioh. 1. 2, 18.

5 Of the second kinde is some one 2 notable and principall aduersarie of Christ, who is called Antichrist, by way of primacie, superioritie, or princi­palitie: and vnto whome the Anti­christes, which are of the former sorte, haue onely (as it were his forerunners) paued and prepared the way 2. Thes. 2. 7. 1. Ioh. 4. 3.

[Page 2] 6 6 And what this Antichrist is, and who hee should be, is now chiefelie to be enquired, because at this present, the controuersie betwixt vs and the Papists concerneth him: wherein we will espe­ciallie declare, what is that which wee defend.

7 Now let it not seeme strange to any, that we doe somwhat dissent from some of the ancient fathers in former times. For before such time, as Anti­christ was come into the world, and before hee was reueiled: the interpre­tation of that prophecie, which was not then fulfilled, was verie hard. But now seeing he is come into the worlde, and remaineth and reigneth in the same: in so much, that the euent & the experience of the thing it selfe, is verie answerable to the prophecies of the Prophets and Apostles: it is more easie to determine thereof.

8 First therfore, this Antichrist (who is so termed by the way of excellencie, both in the scripture and in the wri­tings of the fathers) is also called by o­ther The names of Antichrist. names in the holie scripture: name­lie, The man of sinne, the sonne of perdi­tion, [Page] the Adversarie: Abaddon, Apolly­on [...]: the king of Locusts: the beast: the whore: the dragon: the false prophet: the Angell of the deepe, and such like, as ye maie find in the 2. Thessalonians and the second chapter: as also in the Re­uelation. Furthermore, there haue beene, as it were, certaine Types or fi­gures of him in the olde Testament: The types. as namely, Antiochus Epiphanes, by whome Daniel describeth Antichrist (whose Prophecie extendeth euen to these last daies) and diuers other, who were the principall and capitall enemies of the auncient Church, and people of God, Zachar. 11. v. 15, 16, 17, &c.

9 But thus hee is defined in the Scripure: to witte, that hee is a man, The descrip­tion of An­tichrist in speciall. who vsurpeth a kingdome, who profes­seth the name of Christ, but yet oppo­seth him selfe vnto Christ, and to the doctrine of Christ, who hath a double authoritie, and both of them supreme: the one spirituall or ecclesi­asticall, the other ciuill or secular, who vaunteth of himselfe as God, with signes, and miracles, (though [Page 3] altogether false and deceitfull) hee is an idolater, an hypocrite, a blasphe­mer, hee is ambitious, proude, and not vnder lawe, hee is a single man, and vnmarried, but yet a filthie forni­cator: hee refraineth from certaine meates, but yet aboundeth with all excesse, riotte, and deliciousnesse: hee is couetous, craftie, vaine, false, and cruell: who after the ruine and deuision of the fourth I meane the Romane) Monarchie, by little and little arising, euen out of the rub­bish and reliques thereof, is to bee situated at Rome, euen in the Tem­ple of God (that is, in the Church) by the power and effectuall operation of Sathan: finallie, he is to be reueiled in the last times of the worlde, and at the length to be vtterlie abolished at the glorious comming and appearance The declara­tion of the description. of Christ Iesus. 10 This is the defini­tion or description of that Antichrist: which wee will briefelie declare by te­stimonie of the scriptures.

11 Wherefore to proue that this Antichrist is a man, the scripture wit­nesseth it, 2. Thes. 2. 3. Dan. 7. 6. where [Page] he is verie expresselie called a man. A man.

12 And that he is not simplie any one person alone, nor any particular or singular man, but one sort or kinde of men, which (as one man, or as a cer­taine order, or companie and state of A kingdome or state. men) gouerneth and executeth the au­thoritie of the kingdome, it appeareth plainelie in the 2. Thess. 2. 3. Dan. 7. 8. Revel. 17. 1. & 18. 3. In which places in truth, this Antichrist is described, not as any one person or particular man, & (as the Logitians speake) an Individu­um: but as a corporation of men, and That is, a proper and singular person, as Leo, Pius, Iohn, Grego­rie. as it were, a certaine kingdome: wherein yet, there is alwaie some one, who ex­celleth and ruleth ouer the rest, who setteth his owne marke vpon them, Reuel. 13. 17. For first Paul mencioneth an Apostacie, that is, a generall depar­ture, & reuolting from the faith, which indeed maketh one bodie or corporati­on, and one kingdome: this is a matter which can not be effected suddenlie, but requireth many yeeres thereunto. Further he proueth verie clearely, that the misterie of iniquitie, should be com­pounded and consist of manie errours, [Page 4] & grow by little and little. Thirdlie he affirmeth, that the kingdome should continue and endure a long space, to wit, vntill it should be vtterlie aboli­shed, by the comming of the Lorde at the end of the world.

This kingdome is signified by the cruell beast and by Babylon, Reuel. 13. 11. & 18 Chapter, as Irenaeus witnesseth in his fift booke, and the thirteenth chap­ter: and Ierome is of the same minde; and Augustine in his 20 booke De Ci­vitate Dei, and the 19 chapter. Beda also and diuers others did see the same. Further it is signified by manie waters, Reuel. 17. 1. And Iohn speaketh of the chiefe and principall citizens, and sub­iects of his kingdome, saying after this maner, There shalbe Locusts, having vp­on their heades crownes like to gold. Reuel. 9. 3, 7. And againe, there shall be three vncleane spirites proceeding out of his mouth. Reuel. 16. 13. Finally, all both great ond small, rich and poore, bonde and free, shall receiue the marke of the beast in their right handes, and in their foreheads, Reuel. 13. 16.

14 Further, that which followeth, [Page] that he is aduersarie to Christ, that hee Aduersarie to Christ. denieth him in deed, whome in worde hee professeth, and that he corrupteth almost all the doctrine of Christ, or at the least defendeth very stoutly the re­uolting from the doctrine of Christ, (for which verie cause he is an Arch-here­ticke, or rather, the Patriarke and prince of heretiques) is witnessed by the Prophet Daniel chap. 7. ver. 25. saying, Hee shall speake wordes against the most High. And by Saint Paul 1. Thess. 2. 3. Where he foretelleth, that there shuld be first are volting before that the Antichrist should come: Adding further, that Anti­christ should sit in the temple of God: that is, in the Christian Church. For al­though Antichrist professe himselfe a friend and disciple vnto Christ, yet shall hee set him selfe against Christ, as it were in the name of Christ, or vnder colour and pretence of the profession of Christianitie: That is more plainelie thus: Though he doe not openlie op­pugne and resist the doctrine of Christ, but maketh profession thereof, reser­uing both the titles and names: yet shall he bring impietie into the roome [Page 5] of the doctrine of pietie, which hee dis­sembleth, and shall drawe men by little and little, out of the Kings high waie of faith, by his ordinations and traditions. And of this iudgement is Hilarie, who thus writeth against Auxentius: Hee shalbe contrarie vnto Christ, vnder the showe of preaching the Gospell: that our Lord Iesus Christ may then be denied, when men suppose that he is preached. And Chri­sostome also is of the same minde, in his 49. Homilie vpon Matthew.

15 As for his double authoritie, Spi­rituall Twofold au­thoritie. and Temporall, it appeareth by the two kinds of his names: as, first that he is called a king by Daniel, and is recko­ned amongst those ten earthlie kings (of whome consisteth the Romane Monar­chie) and must spring vp in the midst of them, arising vp frō a very low degreee, till at length hee subdue all the other kings vnto him selfe, Dan. 7. 24. & cap. 8. 11. & cap. 11. 36. Secondly, this is he whom Zacharie calleth the foolish shep­heard, cap 11. 15. And whome Iohn na­meth a false prophet, Reuel. 16. 13. &c. 19. 20. & chap. 20. 10.

16 Touching his signes and miracles, Miracles. [Page] the Apostle Paul is witnes, 2. Thes. 2. 9. & Christ, Mat. 7. 22. & Iohn, Reuel. 13. 13. & 16. 14.

17 And that he vaunteth himselfe as A vaunt as God. God, it is taught vnto vs, Dan. 7. 8. The mouth speaking presumptuous words: &c. 11. 36. He shal aduance & extoll himselfe aboue euery God. & 2. Th. 2. 4. He shal ex­alt himself aboue al that is called God, or is worshipped. And to conclude, in Dan. 7. 25. He shall imagin that he is able to chāge both times and lawes, at his owne pleasure.

18 For his idolatrie, it is taught by Dan. 11. 36. He shall doe worship vnto the His Idolatry. god Maozim, that is, the god of defences, &c: as also Reuel. 17. 2. & 18. 3. 9.

19 What his hypocrisie is, we learne Hypocrisie. Dā. 7. 8. His eyes are as the eyes of a mā: & v. 25. He shal speake words against the most high: & Reuel. 13. 11. He shall haue two hornes of a lamb, but shal speake like a dra­gon: that is, he shal couer a woolfe vnder a sheeps skinne: & 2. Tim. 3. 5. Hauing a forme or shew of godlines, &c.

20 Further, his pride & ambition is Pride. manifest, Dan. 7. 20. He had a mouth spea­king presumptuously: & ch. 8. 25. He shall extoll himselfe, &c. 1. Tim. 3. 2. There shal [Page 6] be men both arrogant and proud: & 2. Pet. 2. 10. They shall despise gouernment (that is, the ciuill magistrate, ordeined by God) bold, and presumptuous, and such as stande in their conceit: in which manner also Iude writeth, vers. 8.

21 His blasphemie: that is to say, that Blasphemie. he should be a blasphemer & anatheist; we see it, Dan. 11. 39. He shall speake a­gainst the God of gods: & Reuel. 13. 6. He shall speake blasphemie against God.

22 His licentiousnes, to wit, that hee Licentious­nes. should be aboue all, lawlesse, making & breaking lawes at his pleasure, is taught vs, 2. Thes. 2. 4. Dan. 7. 25. He shal suppose that he is able to change both times & laws: & chap. 11. 3. He shall doe euen what he list.

23 His single life is setdown, Dan. 11. 37. Single life. He shall not regard nor vnderstand the desires of women: where is ment, as Ie­rome saith, that vnder pretence of holi­nes, he should be an enemie vnto mar­riage: so in the 1. to Tim. 4. 3. He shal for­bid to make marriages. As for his filthie fornication, and licences to vse and fol­low outragious and dissolute lusts, wee finde it, 2. Pet. 2. 10, 14.

[Page] 24 24 Concerning his abstinence from certaine meats, and his fasts, wee haue Abstinence. that also, 1. Tim. 4. 3. They shall command to absteine frō meats. Where the meaning is not simplie to be vnderstood of absti­stinence from all kind of meats: (for this would neuer haue beene effected, nor yet could possiblie be obserued) but onely of making some choice and dif­ference of meates. Yet of his excesse and effeminate and daintie life, wee are taught, Reuel. 18. 3, 9. and in 2. Pet. 10. and in the Epistle of Iude and the 8. vers.

25 Touching his couetousnes and his riches, we may read Dan. 1. 1. 39. He shall deuide the earth for gaine: as also Re­uel. 18. 3. 2. Couetousnes. Pet. 2. 3. 14.

26 Of his craftines, vanitie, lying, and impudencie, is mention made in the 8. of Dan. 25. Deceit shal prosper in his hand, Craft. and hee shall extoll him selfe in his heart: and in the 23. verse of the same, it is said that he is of a fierce, impudent, and shame­lesse countenance.

27 His crueltie (which is especially bent against the Saints) is taught, Dan. 7. 21. I saw that horne make warre against Crueltie. the Saints: and in the 25. verse. Hee shall [Page 7] grind to powder the Saints of the most high: and chap. 8. 24. & 11. Reuel. 11. 7. &c. and chap. 17. 6. & the 19. 19.

28 Concerning his founder & prin­cipall author, to wit, that he was to ap­peare by little & little, by the craft of Sa­tan; His author. who hath thought of this mysterie, and hath had it in hande, euer since the Apostles time, we doe learne in the 2. to the Thess. 2. where it is said, Whose com­ming is by the operation and working of Sa­than: and in the 1. Tim. 41. where the doctrine of Antichrist is called the do­ctrine of deuils: and in the 13. of the Re­uel. 4. where the dragon is called author and cause of the whole state of Anti­christ, which is conueyed into the Ro­mane Empire: and in the 18. where Ba­bylon, that is, the seat and kingdome of Antichrist, is called the habitation of de­uils, the house of foule spirits, and a cage of euery vncleane and foule bird, chap. 18. 2. The which the Lord will suffer and per­mit so to be, till his wrath be accompli­shed, Dan. 11. 36. The faithfull be tried, and they which are tried, be made manifest, Dan. 12. 10. & 1. Ioh. 2. 19. and that the contempt of the earth may thus be pu­nished, [Page] according to that of S. Paul, 2. Thes. 2. 10, 11.

29 Now for the time, to wit, that he should then appeare, whē the Romane The time of his appearāce Empire should be distracted & dismem­bred, it is taught, Dan. 7. 8. 24. & 2. Thes. 2. 7. For both Tertul. & Ierome, & others more, doe interpret that place of Paul of the diuision and ruine of the Romane Empire: as also Reuel. 13. 11. 12. For al­though the mysterie of iniquitie began to worke, as yet secretly vnder-hand, &, as it were, by vndermining, euen from the daies of the Apostles, 2. Thes. 2. 7. 1. Ioh. 2. 18. yet afterwards Antichrist was to issue & break forth with full streame, & euidently to shew himselfe, as it were, proceeding out of the ruines of the Ro­mane Empire, 2. Thes. 2. 7. And this time Iohn seemeth to note, Reuel. 13. 18. whē hee faith, that Antichrist should come 666 yeeres after, to wit, after the birth of Christ: His words are these, Let him that hath wisdom count the number of the yeres: for it is the number of a man, & it is 666.

30 Concerning the place, that he was His place. to spring out of the ruines of the Ro­mane Monarchie, & so should appeare in the Romane Empire; it appeareth al­so by Daniel & Paul, as we haue touch­ed [Page 8] heretofore: as also by the 17. of the Reue. 3. where the purple whore, who de­ceiueth the people, is saide, to sit vpon the beast with ten hornes. For that beast with ten hornes signifieth the fourth Monar­chie, to wit, that of Rome, Dan. 7.

31 As for his throne & seat, to wit, that His throne. he shal sit in the city of Rome: first, Dani­el witnesseth the same, when as he pla­ceth this seat betwixt 2. seas, (for Rome & Italy are situated twixt 2. seas) Adri­aticū & Tyrrhenū. Secōdly Iohn, whē he maketh mentiō of Babylō, as Rev. 14. 8. & 16. 19. & 18. 2. By which places the anciēt doctors of the Church (& especi­ally Ierome) do vnderstand Rome, as also by that place, 1. Pet. 5. 13. & further, whē Iohn doth cal it the citie with 7. hils, & the queen of al, as it is Rev. 17. 9. 18. For Rome was thē called by those names, euen by profane writers. Finally, whē as he saith, Rev. 17. 1. that the whore shal sit vpō many waters (that is, aboue much people & many nations, as him selfe in the 15. verse ex­poūdeth hīself) & in the great city which hath the rule ouer the kings of the earth.

32 Now that he should sit in the tēple of He sits in the Church. God, that is, in the Church, it is taught vs, 2. Th. 2. 4. for by this sittīg here, is not mēt corporal & bodily placing, but a certain [Page] dominion: and by temple is ment, neither that of Ierusalem (which long ago was ouerthrown & rased, & which is neuer again to be repaired, according to that prophecie in the 9. of Dan. 27.) nor yet any other externall building, but onely the Church, which is the temple & house of God. 1. Tim. 3. 15. And therefore herby is signified, that Antichrist should pub­likely vsurp the chiefe jurisdiction & au­thority in the Church of God; yet shuld he not professe any open & flat denial of Christ, but onely he should bring in ex­treame impietie, vnder the pretence of the doctrine of Christ.

33 Further, that he is to continue vn­til His conti­nuance. the very last end & day of the world, it is taught 7. Dan. 26. & 8. 25. & 11. 45. & 12. 1, 2. Rev. 19. 21. & 20. 10. In which places so soone as the end of Antichrist is rehearsed, immediatly followeth mē ­tion of the last resurrection, and not a word of any other worldly kingdome.

34 Cōcerning the euēt or issue, to wit, The event or his reuelation that he should be reueled & discouered in the last times of the world, & that his kingdō is to be battred & thrown down by the preaching of the Gospell, the A­postle [Page 8] witnesseth 2. Th. 2. 3. & Iohn mea­neth the same thing, by the ruine & fall of Babylō, Reuel. 14. 8. & 16. 19. & 18. 2. And to cōclude, Iohn prophecied the same of him, Reu. 14. where three An­gels, that is, three Teachers, are appoin­ted to reueile Antichrist, to whome are added other two in the 18 of the Reue­lation, as also in the 17. vers. 16. 17. where he saieth, The tenne hornes which thou sawest &c. that is, manie Princes and Estates of the Romane Empire, shall reuolt from the whore, and shall giue her kingdome vnto the beast.

35 For although at all times, there shall alwaies be some, who shall op­pose themselues to Antichrist, to his corruptions and idolatrie, and speake against the same, Reuel. 10. 11. & 11. 3. & 12. 7. Yet here by is insinuated, that in this last time of the worlde Anti­christ was more fullie and clearelie to be reueiled by the great and singular goodnesse of God: by men endued with the spirit of Elias and Enoch: and that the doctrine of Christ should be brought to light, and Antichrist grie­uously tormented.

[Page] 36 36 Finally, touching his destructi­on His destru­ction. and ende, that is, that he should bee vtterly abolished by Christ himselfe at the last day, at his glorious and royall appearance, (who is now indeede re­ueiled to be the Antichrist) and be pu­nished eternallie, is taught vs, 2. Thess. 2. 8. and may be gathered out of the 7. chap. of Dan. 26. & 8. 25. & 11. 45. and 12. 1. and out of the Reuelat. chap. 19. 20, 21. & 20. 10. as we also spake a little before, touching the continu­ance of the kingdome of Antichrist.

37 For although the kingdome of Antichrist shalbe shaken before the last day and comming of Christ, and shall be pulled downe, as it were, by piecemeale, by reason of thereuolting of Prouinces: yet there shall alwaie re­maine a state and forme thereof: but euen this also shall be vtterly abolished, in the last time of the worlde.

38 This is our definition of Anti­christ, and the declaration of the same definition out of the old & new Testa­ment. But the Papistes define it after a The Papistes description of Antichrist. farre other manner: to wit, that Anti­christ is one singular & particular man, [Page 9] who shoulde arise of the Tribe of Dan, and be circumcised: who (being accep­ted of the Iewes for the Messias) should reigne and tyrannize at Ierusalem the space of three yeeres and sixe moneths, and whome Christ should at the length kill in mount Oliuet, whilest he enten­deth to ascend vp into heauen: Which definition of theirs will be more exami­ned in our disputations.

That the Pope is Antichrist.

39 HItherto wee haue declared, what Antichrist is: now wee will shewe who he is, and to whome this definition before set downe will best agree.

40 Therefore wee affirme, that the Pope of Rome is that Antichrist: & thus The proofe that the Pope is Antichrist. we prooue it. For to whomsoeuer the definition of Antichrist doeth agree, it necessarily followeth, that hee is Anti­christ: but this definition of Antichrist hath agreed fitly to the Pope of Rome, euer since the death of Gregorie the great, and the slaughter of the Empe­rour Mauritius.

[Page] 41 41. For the Pope of Rome (euer since the death of Gregorie and Mau­ricius) is the man, who by continuall succession and set order, hath bene pre­sident The proofe of the assum­ption by view in particular. 1 Aman, 2 Whoruleth a state. to a certaine bodie or state of men, and hath giuen them his marke: wherein the Monkes and Cleargie shauelings, (like vnto the crowned lo­custes) haue their shauing as crownes vpon their heads, that they might signi­fie thereby, that they are kings and priestes, and their routes dispersed and spread in all places of Christendome, and those many waters, vpon which the great whore the mother of the for­nications of the earth, seemeth both to sit and reigne, Reuel. 18.

42 The Pope also professeth Chri­stianitie, 3 The Popes profession of Christianitie, to which hee is indeede an aduersarie. saying, that he is the follower and the Vicar of Christ: as doe also his chiefe seruants at this day, who giue themselues a newe name, Iesuites: hee also retaineth the Bible, that is, the scriptures written by the Prophets and Apostles; and the Sacraments also in­stituted by Christ, and yet hee is an aduersarie to Christ and to his do­ctrine.

[Page 10] 43 43 For though Christ alone be the heade of the Catholique or vniuersall 1 He challen­geth the offi­ces of Christ. Church, beeing alwaies present to go­uerne the same, Ephes. 1 21, 22. & 4. 15▪ & 5, 23. Coloss. 1. 8, Though he be also the onely spouse of the Church. 2. Cor. 11, 2. Ephes, 5. 29, Finally, though hee bee also the onely prince, the chiefe shephearde, and the high priest vnto his Church. 1. Pet. 2. 5. and chap. 5. 4. Heb. 6. 20. & chap. 7. 26. & chapt. 9. 11. Alway liuing to make intercession for vs. Rom. 8. 34. Heb. 7. 25. Yet not­withstanding the Pope of Rome doeth arrogate this office, and these proper­ties vnto himselfe, and vaunteth him­selfe, that hee is the chiefe head, high priest, and sacrificer, and the Oecu­menicall and generall Bishop, Pastour and doctour of the whole Church here vpon earth. For so saith Clement, Pa­storalis, de Sentent. & re Iudic. A pasto­rall charge is enioyned to vs of God over all Nations of Christendome, &c. C. 1. extravag. de empt, & vend. We being go­verners of the vniuersall Church by the Lords appointment &c. &c. reg. extra­vag. de prebend. Beeing called to the go­uernment [Page] of the vniuersall Church by hea­uenlie ordinance. &C. 1 de treuga & pa­ce. Being called to the gouernment of the vniuersall Church by the mercy of God, so disposing it. C. 3. de Elect. The holy Church of Rome, which (by the Lords appointment, being as it were the mother and mistresse of all the faithfull, which belong to Christ) hath obtained of God superioritie ouer the rest. & distinct. 22. Sacrosancta. This Apostolicallchayre, to wit, Rome, is ap­pointed the head and principall, and as it were, the Hinge: for as the doore is turned and gouerned vpon the hinge; so all Chur­ches are to bee ruled by the authoritie of this. & Cap. Ʋnam sanctam, extravag. de mator. & obed. Therefore there is one bodie of one and the same onely Church, & one bead, not two, far that were monstrous, to wit, Christ and the vicar of Christ, Pe­ter and Peters successour. & Cap. funda­ment. de elect. 6. So likewise at this day, the Pope in his bulles challengeth au­thoritie ouer all Churches of euerie people and nation. So also doeth hee call the Church his spouse and bride. C. quoniā de imminut. in 6. saying after this manner, Wee being loth to neglect the [Page 11] righteousnesse of our selues, & the Church our spouse. In like maner also hee spea­keth, cap. inter corporalia &c. licet in tantum de translat. Episc.

44 Secondly, the Pope hath viola­ted and corrupted almost all the do­ctrine 2. The Pope hath corrup­ted the do­ctrine of Christ, as ap­peareth by the opposition of these parti­culars. of Christ, so that he is not onely an heretike, but an Archheretique, the ringleader, and the Patriarke of here­tikes: for hee hath not onelie main­tained one errour onely against the foundation, but hath heaped vp manie one vpon the necke of another, and de­fended them with might and maine, as may bee plainely vnderstoode by this comparison and opposition of the do­ctrine of Christ and the Pope.

45 The scripture, or rather Christ Voluntarie worship. in the scripture teacheth, that God is in vaine worshipped with the precepts of men, Matth. 15. It condemneth voluntarie seruice. Col. 2. 2, 3. Further it declareth, that al things necessary to saluation, are committed to writing by the Apostles, & are to be sought for in theit writings, 2. Tim. 3. 6. & that he is Anathema, that is, accursed, who teacheth or bringeth any other doctrine. Gal. 18. But the Pope [Page] doeth vrge the traditions of men, brin­geth in a will-worship, and letteth not to say, that the scripture is obscure, maimed, and imperfect: as it is in the counsell of Trident. Sess. 4. 1. and else where.

46 The scripture teacheth, that there 2. One God. is but one onely God, who knoweth all things, is almightie. and the go­uernour of the worlde, and all thinges therein, Deut. 6. 4. Mark. 12. 29. 1. Kings 8. 39. 2. Cron. 6. 30. Esa. 40. 13. Rom. 16. 27. 1. Tim. 6. 15. and in o­ther places besides. But the Pope, ma­king as it were, a diuision of the diuine Maiestie, doeth transferre the same vn­to certaine petie gods, and associates vn­to him. For looke how many he hath canonized for saintes, so manie hath he erected to bee gods, and lordes, and rulers of the worlde. Amongst which, one is ouer the raine, another is for faire weather: one for diseases, another for health: finallie, one for this cause, a­nother for that, they hauing their taskes and offices assigned seuerally vnto them.

47 The scripture teacheth, that God [Page 12] alone is to be called vpon, Deut. 6. 13. 3. Invocation of God. Math. 4. 10. Act. 10. 25. & 14. 11. Re­uel. 19. 10. & 22. 9. But the Pope, hee prayeth vnto the deade, and teacheth that they are to be prayed vnto.

48 The Scripture teacheth, that we 4. Idols. should abhorte idols, Exod. 20. 4. Deut. 4. 23. 1. Ioh. 5. 21. Reuel. 18. 4. But the Pope doeth erect and set vp idols euery where to be worshipped.

49 The Scripture teacheth, that 5. One high Priest. now there is one onely high Priest and Sacrificer, to wit, Christ; and that there is but one onely Oblation, Heb. 6. 20. and 9. 26, 28. and chap. 10. 12. But the Pope hath substituted an infinite num­ber in stead of Christ, who doe euerie day offer to God a reall and propitiato­rie sacrifice, to wit, the bodie and bloode of Christ in the Masse.

50 The Scripture teacheth, that 6. One Medi­atour. there is one onely Mediatour and Inter­cessour betwixt God and man, to wit, the man Iesus Christ, 1. Tim. 2. 5. 1. Ioh. 2. 1. Rom. 8. 34. Heb. 7. 24. and 9. 24. But the Pope hath suborned almost an infi­nite number of dead men, to be media­tours, intercessours, and spokesmen, and [Page] especially the Virgine Marie in stead of Christ, as is in the Councill of Tri­dent.

51 The Scripture teacheth, that all 7. Christs power. power in heauen and earth is giuen and graunted vnto Christ, and that he is ex­alted aboue all principalities, and is ap­pointed Lord of all things, Math. 28. 18. Act. 2. 36. Ephes. 1. 21. Further, that he is the head of the militāt Church here vpon earth, as was saide before. Whereupon Gregorie the great saith, That he is the forerunner of Antichrist, who soeuer should challenge vnto him selfe the title of generall Bishop: who (that hee might leaue vnto his successours an exam­ple of humilitie) was the first that called him selfe the seruant of the seruants of God.

And likewise the Councill of Car­thage, and Pelagius the Pope, were of the mind, dist. 96. can. Nullus. But the Pope, he placeth Christ (who is now in heauen exalted vnto the right-hand of his Fa­ther) not onely inferiour to his Father (with the Arrians) but also somewhat inferiour to his mother, and willeth that shee should by her mortherly authori­tie [Page 13] and priuiledge, to commaund her Sonne, &c. And for him selfe hee stan­deth vpon it, that he is the vniuersall Bishop here vpon earth, and the head of the whole Church.

52 The Scripture teacheth, that a 8. Free-will. man beeing deade in his sinnes, is not able so much, as to vnderstande any thing of him selfe, that is, hath no free-will in those matters that be spiri­tuall, and appertaine to saluation, E­phes. 2. 1. Colos. 2. 13. Roman. 8. 6. 1. Corinth. 2. 14. 2. Corinth. 3. 5. 2. Tim. 2. 15. 1. Ioh. 13. But the Pope, he at­tributeth so much vnto free-will, that he seemeth to come very high to the heresie of Pelagius; as may be gathered out of the 28. chap. of Augustins booke, de Heresibus.

53 The Scriptures teach, that Christ 9. Satisfacti­on. onely hath satisfied for our sinne. 1. Ioh. 2. Roman. 3. 25. and 5. 8. Ioh. 1. 29. Math. 20. 28. Hebr. 10. 14. But the Pope teacheth, that wee must by our abilitie, merite, satisfie, and answer the iustice of God.

54 The Scripture teacheth, that [Page] we are onely iustified by faith in Christ, and that freely, vnto life eternall, and that our saluation is to be accounted and esteemed as obtained by the onely mercie of God, Esay 43. 25. Ioh. 3. 6. Act. 10. Eph. 2. 8. Heb. 24. But the Pope, hee teacheth that wee not onely haue not our saluation by faith alone, but that wee may merit and deserue e­uerlasting life by our workes and de­merits.

Further, that there is in the masse ap­plication 10. Justifica­tion. made of all Christes benefits, ex opere operato, that is, by the deede done, or for the workes sake. Finally, that the masse beeing applied in the be­half of others though they be vnrighte­ous persons (so that them selues put no barre, and be no hinderance of the same) doeth merite the remission both of the guilt, and of the punishment thereof.

55 The Scripture teacheth, that iu­stifying 11. Iustifying faith. faith is a sure confidence repo­sed in Christ, or els thus, a sure confidēce of the remission of our sinnes, for Christs sake, Rom. 4. 19. &c. But the Pope, he tea­cheth that faith is nothing, but a know­ledge [Page 14] of the historie, and a doubtfulnes of the remission of sinnes.

56 The Scripture teacheth, that e­uen 12. Obserua­tion of the law. the regenerate man, whilest he is in this life, can not perfectly obserue and fulfill the Lawe of God, Roman. 7. Luk. 17. 10. Philippian. 3. 12. Act. 15. 10. But the Pope affirmeth, that hee is able: consenting with the Pela­gians.

57 The Scripture teacheth, that 13. The king­dome of Christ. the kingdome of Christ is not of this world. Further, that the ministerie of the Apostles and their calling, is not ciuill and worldly, Ioh. 18. 36. Mark. 20. 25. Luk. 22. 25, 27. In like manner the Ca­nons of the Apostles commaund, that hee should be remooued and deposed from his office, who so euer should beare both ciuill and ecclesiastical iuris­diction. But the Pope who boasteth that he is the Vicar of Christ, and the Succes­sour of Peter, doth arrogate to him selfe both ciuill and ecclesiasticall authority, as hereafter we will shew more at large.

58 The Scripture saith, there are 15. The two Sacraments. onely two Sacraments of the new Te­stament, properly so called: Baptisme, [Page] and the Supper of the Lord: of which the one is ordained, Math. 28. and Mark. 16. The other, Math. 26. Mark. 14. Luk. 22. 1. Cor. 11. But the Pope holdeth that they be seuen.

59 The Scripture teacheth, that 15. The vul­gar tongue to be vsed in the Church. the vulgar tongue with an euident, significant, a loud and distinct pronun­tiation is to be vsed in the Church, or the meetings of the godly, that whatsoe­uer is spokē, might be easily vnderstood, and approoued by the people. 1. Cor. 14. 9. And Lustinian doeth make a de­cree very agreeable to the Scripture in this behalfe, in Constit. 123. & 146. But the Pope will haue all things read in the latine tongue.

60 The Scripture teacheth, that men 16. Who are to be baptized are to be baptized for the remission of sinnes. Mat. 28. 19. not bruit creatures, and things without life. But the Pope doeth not onely baptize men, but also wood, and stones, and bells, &c.

61 The Scripture teacheth, that the bread both is, & remaineth in the Lords 17. the bread in the Lordes Supper. Supper. 1. Cor. 10. 16. & 11. 26, &c. But the Pope teacheth, that it is transubstan­tiated, and chaunged into the bodie [Page 15] of Christ.

62 The Scripture teacheth, that 18. The lords supper is no sacrifice. bread in the Lords Supper is a token of remembrance, or a signe of the bodie of Christ, once offred vp as a sacrifice for vs, and that the body of Christ once giuen for vs, and his blood shed, is not offered againe vpon the alter by vs in the sup­per, but is eaten and drunken for the confirmation of our faith in Christ, and for to stirre vp thankesgiuing in vs, Hebr. 9. 28. and 10. 12. Make 26. 26. Luke 22. 19. But the Pope conuer­teth this Sacrament into a sacrifice, externall, reall, and propitiatorie: And hee daylie in his masse offereth vp this breade, turned into the bodie of Christ vpon the alter, for the quicke and the deade: and beeing offered, hee shuts it vp in a boxe, and carri­eth it about and worshippeth it. Cap. peract. dist. 2. de Consecrat. and as in the Councill of Trident, and the Iesuites Catechisme is to be seene. Further, hee offereth this sacrifice, or permit­teth it to be offered for corporall ne­cessities: Whereupon it is, that there bee Masses for them that [Page] sayle vpon the sea, or trauell vpon the lande, either on foote, or horsebacke, women with childe and in trauell, for them which are barren, or are sicke of tertian or quartern agues, for mar­chants that they may haue prosperous traffique.

63 The Scripture teacheth, that Christ in the institution and celebrati­on 19. Christs bodie. of the holie Supper, had and retai­ned, and still hath and retaineth, a true bodie of the same substance with ours, Matth. 26. 26. Luk. 24. 39. 1. Cor. 11. 26. But the Pope feigneth, that the bo­die of Christ is inuisible, and insensible, and so altogether diuerse and vnlike vnto ours, and such a one as may be in many places at one time, that is to say, that a bodie is present, but not as a bodie in deede.

64 The Scripture teacheth, that not 20. All ought to take, eate, and drinke. onely the Ministers of the worde, but others also which be faithfull, ought to take, eate, and drinke, the breade and wine in the Lordes Supper, Luk. 22. 17. 1. Corinth. 11. 20. But the Pope will, that onely the Priestes shall take, eate, and drinke, the rest are [Page 16] onely to be spectatours, and to looke on; as in the priuate Masse.

65 The Scripture teacheth, that in the Lords supper the wine as well as the 21 The bread and wine are to be distri­buted to all. bread is to be administred and distribu­ted, 1. Cor. 11. 26. But the Pope bar­reth the laytie from the vse of the Cha­lice, and of the wine, as in the Councill of Const. 13.

66 The scripture teacheth, that there be onely two places appointed for the 22 Two pla­ces for the soules, soules of the dead after this life: to wit, heauen for the faithfull, hell for the vn­beleeuers. Mark. 16. 16. Luc. 16. 22. Ioh. 3. 18. & 4. 36. & 5. 24. &c. But the Pope hee feigneth a thirde place, where the soules of them that are defiled with veniall, that is, with small sinnes, are to be purged before they ascende vp into heauen: which for this cause he calleth the fire of purgatorie. Concil. Trident. Sess. 6. cap. 30. & Sess. 22. cap. 2. & cap. 3. & Sess. 25.

67 The scripture teacheth, that ma­riage 23. Mariage honourable for all men. is not onely seemely and honou­rable for all sorts of men; but also euen almost necessarie for the auoiding of fornication. Heb. 13. 4. 1. Cor. 7. 2. & 9. [Page] Againe, it woulde haue a Bishop to be the husband of one lawfull wife & not to haue concubines. 1. Tim. 3. 2. But the Pope forbiddeth mariage to his clergie & Nuns, & bindeth them with an othe vnto perpetuall single life.

68 The scripture teacheth, that the vse of all meates is now free, Col. 2. 16. 24. Meates are free. Rom. 14. 1. Tim. 4. 3. &c. and that also there is flesh of fishes, 1. Corinth. 15. 39. But the Pope teacheth that the eating flesh vpon certaine daies is for­bidden since the comming of Christ. Dist. 35. And that they doe not eate flesh who doe eate fish. Further he do­eth (as did Montanus the heretique) appoint lawes concerning certaine fa­sting daies, and that without eyther prayer or repentance.

69 To conclude, histories doe re­cord, Popes haue erred. that Pope Honorius fell into the heresie of the Monothelites. 2. Tom. Con. 8. Syn. Constant. act. 17. that Gregorie the seuenth fell from the true faith. Lib. 1 Alphonsi de Castro Minonta contra Heres. in the Cronicle of Abbas Vrbergens. that Pope Liberius was an Arrian. And that Pope Anastasius [Page 17] fauoured the Nestorians, and erred from the faith. Lib. 1. Alphonsi de Ca­stro. Minonta contra Heres. That Iohn the 22 helde and maintained that the soules were mortall, and died with the bodies, vntill the daie of the resurrecti­on, in Sermone quodam pascali Ioh. Ger­son. For which cause that Pope is cal­led a deuill incarnate. In Concil. Con­stant. Sess. 7. Lastly, that Marcellinus the Pope sacrificed vnto Idols. C. nunc autem. dist. 21.

70 Furthermore, the Pope is the 4. The Pope hath two swordes. man who vaunteth vpon his twofolde supreme authoritie, spirituall and tem­porall, and of both his swords, spiritu­all and temporall or materiall: and do­eth arrogate vnto himselfe both Iuris­dictions. As touching them both, thus they are ioyntly proued by that which is said. C. vnam sanctam extra vag. de maior & obed. Wee are instructed by the worde of the Gospell that there be two swordes, the one spirituall, the other tem­porall; in this power and authoritie of the Pope. Againe, therefore both the swords are in the power of the Church, that is, both the spirituall and the materiall [Page] sword, &c. Fundament. de elect in 6. The Pope of Rome hath the Monarchie or sole gouernment of both the Iurisdictions spirituall and temporall. Whereof wee haue a notable example in Boniface the 8. who in the first yere of his Iubile in the yere of our Lorde 1300, hauing vpon him both the Emperours robe, and the Priestes attyre, and shewing himselfe openly in the Church of Peter and Paul, and hauing both a key and a sword, hee cried as loude as he coulde, Beholde, here bee two swordes. c. vnam sanct. Extravag. de maiorit. & obed. as also in Iulius the second, who was a better souldier then a Priest, and of whom Mantuan writeth thus:

which is in English.

Concerning his spirituall authoritie, Spirituall. are these testimonies, Clement. in Pasto­ral. desent. & re Iud. &c. Primum extra­vag. [Page 18] de empt. & vend. and others, of which we spake before: & for the tem­porall Iurisdictions, these are witnesses Temporall. sufficient, as Cap. Constan. dist. 96. where the ensignes, titles, pallace, citie, pro­uince, right and power of the Empe­rours are bestowed vpon the Pope of Rome: that hee hath the rule of all the West partes. Et cap. 1. in fine extravag. de matorit. & obed. Where it is said with­out doubt, whosoeuer denieth that the temporall sword is in the power of Pe­ter, doeth giue small heede vnto the word of the Lord, which saith, Put vp thy sword into the sheath.

71 Hee also vaunteth of himselfe, with signes and miracles, as is well 5. The Popes miracles. knowne both by the bookes and pra­ctise of the Papistes, but they are lying & deceitfull, as the Apostle speaketh, and are wrought to seduce and drawe men into errour and superstition: and further they are either meere fables, or else, iuggling sleights: Fables, as those which are reported of Mary of Lauri­tane, as they call her, which a certaine Iesuite hath declared to bee false and feigned in a certaine booke, set foorth [Page] at Lipsia after that hee had denounced Iesuitisme: so also they which are reci­ted in the bookes of the Franciscans & Dominicans, & especially in the bookes which are of the conformities of the Franciscans. Iuggling sleights; as those which are wrought, either by the de­lusion of Sathan, or by the close and craftie conueyances of the Monkes: as in the apparitions of soules, which made report of purgatorie, and desired that Masses might be said and celebra­ted for them, and in the healing of dis­eases at the Chappels I or images of saintes, and in coniurations. For Sathan (God in his iust iudgement so permit­ting it to be) afflicted men with pecu­liar diseases, and againe ceased to af­flict them, when they were making their vowes at the Chappels or images of saintes, so that they were supposed to bee cured by the making of their vowes, and deliuered by the helpe of the saintes. And thus hee, playing with the exorcistes, doeth voluntarilie yeeld vnto them, though he seeme to be cast out by force, and hee ceaseth to tor­ment a man, who is bodily possessed, [Page 18] that by this meanes (these errours bee­ing confirmed) he may instead of their bodies besiege, win, and possesse their soules.

72 He boasteth himselfe as God, 6. The Pope as God. whilest that hee chalengeth vnto him selfe the name and authoritie and the workes which are proper vnto God.

73 Hee arrogateth to himselfe the He chalen­geth Gods owne name. name of God, Cap. satisf. dist. 96. where he saieth, It is euident enough that the Pope neither is as all, neither can be ei­ther freed or bounde by any temporall authoritie, who (as it is verie mani­fest) was caled God by the godly prince Constantine: Sith that it is euident, that God can not bee iudged of men. Et cap. quanto. & seq. extr. de translat. E­piscopi. For no man but God doeth se­parate them, whome the Pope of Rome doeth separate, not by hu­mane, but rather by diuine authoritie. So likewise the Pope is God on earth, according as Baldus hath it, hee is a certaine diuine power, and hath, as it were, the resemblance of a visible God; and what he doeth, he doeth it as God, not as man according to [Page] Gomazius: of which there is a more large discourse in the booke which is called Recusatio concilij Trident. publi­shed in the name of the protestant princes and states. Anno 64.

74 Furthermare, he doeth chalenge the power and the workes of God: as 2. Gods pow­er and au­thoritie. he will be both indeed and estimation as hee is also accounted of verie many, not only the head of the whole Church as was before saide: but also the head and lord of all kings and Monarches Head of the Church. of the worlde. Extravag. de maiorit. & obed. in the end. Moreouer, we declare to euerie humane creature, that hee is subiect to the Pope of Rome: this wee doe professe, determine, & pronounce, that it is altogether a matter necessarie to saluation. Cap. super gentes extra. de consuet. The Bishop of Rome is appoin­ted by the Lorde aboue all nations and kingdomes. Cap. si Imperatore dist. 96. Gods will is, that the powers secular should be subiect vnto the Church, or the Priests. Cap. nunquam eadem. dist. 96. It is a custome, that princes shoulde submit their heads vnto the Bishops girdle, and not iudge of their liues. Cap. [Page 19] solita. de maiorit. & obed. God made two great lights in the firmamēt, the greater light to rule the day, & the lesse light to rule the night: both of thē great, but the one greater. Therefore hath God made two great lightes for the firmament of heauen, that is, the vniuersall Church, to wit, he hath appointed two high states or dignities, which are these, the autho­rity of the Pope, & the power of the king. But that which ruleth the day, that is, in matters spiritual, is the greater: that which gouerneth carnall affaires, that is, the lesse: That it may appeare, that looke what difference there is betwixt the sunne & the moone, so great oddes there is betwixt Popes & Kings. C. fundament. de elect. in 6. Papa nulli homini subest. Fi­nally, the Emperour is bound to take an oath of alegiance & obedience vnto the Pope: the forme whereof is extant, cap. 1. de jurejurando. &c. tibi domino. dest. 63. & clement. vnica. de jurejurando. And so it is said lib. 1. ceremoniarum Pontificia­lium. cap. 7. The Pope in the night of the birth of our Lorde doeth hallowe the sword, which he afterward giueth vnto some Prince, in token of the infinite [Page] power which is giuen vnto the Pope, ac­cording to that saying, All power is giuen vnto me in heauen & in earth: & that also, He shal rule frō seato sea, & frō the riuer to the ende of the earth. So it is also in the Glosse of the Canon law, to wit, that the Pope is al things, & aboue all thīgs: that he is the lord of lords, & hath the right of the king of kīgs ouer his subiects: that he may turn roūd into square: that he is the cause of causes; & therfore no inquirie is to be made into his authoritie, because there is no cause of the first cause, that the whole world is the Popes diocesse: that his authority extēdeth vnto things in heauen & earth, and vnder the earth: that he may command the Angels: that he hath so great power both in Purga­torie & also in hell: that hee can by his pardons, deliuer as many soules as hee will which are in those places, & place them presently in heauen, & in the seats of them which be blessed: as it is saide in the Bull of Clement the sixt: that hee hath such power in heauen, that hee may canonize whome hee will that is dead for a saint, though all Byshops and Cardinals were against it. And who can [Page 20] recken vp all his blasphemies? To con­clude, Sixtus quintus, to omit the rest, doth at this day thus begin in one of his Bulles. The authoritie graunted to blessed Peter, and to all his successours, by the in­finite power of the everlasting King, ex­celleth the power of all earthly kings and Princes.

75 Secondly, for that he will be ac­counted the highest iudge, who neither 2 The Pope the highest Iudge. can erre in making decrees concerning faith, or lawes concerning manners: neither yet ought to be iudged of any. And for that hee setteth vp himselfe aboue all euen the generall councels, and ordaineth new sacraments, and transformeth and altereth those which Christ did institute. He imposeth new lawes vpon mens conscienees, as for those which Christ made, hee doeth ratifie and repeale at his pleasure. as Cap. nunc autem. dist. 21. The chiefe seate, that is, the chayre of Rome, is not indeede of any. Can. si Papa. dist. 40. If the Pope should drawe by heapes innumerable people with him into hell, no mortall man presumeth or ta­keth vpon him to reprehend his faults: [Page] for that he is to iudge all men, and him­selfe to be iudged of none. Can. cuncta. & seq. 9. q. 3. Euery Church in the worlde knoweth, that the holy Church of Rome hath authoritie to iudge of all persons, & no man may censure her iudgement. Can. nemini. 17. 4. It is permitted to no man to iudge of the Apostolicall seat, or to retract that sentence, because of the primacie of the Church of Rome. cap. proposuit. de concept. praebend. According to the largenes of our authority, we may dispense with & aboue law. cap. significa­sti. de elect. & elect. potest. Al councils both are called, & haue their strength by the authoritie of the Church of Rome: & the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome is ma­nifestly excepted in their cōstitutiōs. cap. regula. dist. 17. No council is, or shal euer be established, which shall not be cōfir­med & supported by the Popes authori­ty. And so the Glosse saith again, that the Popes pleasure is heauenly: and for this cause, he may chāge the nature of thigs, by applying those things which are sub­stantial in one thing, vnto another. That he hath allaws in the closet of his brest: that he hath the same consistory, which [Page 21] God hath, and the same iudgement seat with Christ: that he can make any thing of nothing, and make that to be a sen­tence or iudgement, which is none: that in what so euer he pleaseth, his will is to him in steade of reason, and yet no man may say: Why dost thou thus? that he may dispense beyond law, & make iustice of iniustice, by concealing and altering the laws: that he can do all things (sinne ex­cepted) whatsoeuer God himself cā do: that he must be iudged of none: that if he should throw downe heaps of soules into the hels, yet none may demand of him, Why doest thou it? that he may dis­pense against both Apostle, and Apo­stolicall Canon: that he is aboue lawe: that what soeuer is done of the Pope, is to be supposed is done of God: that he is all, and aboue all: that hee may doe all things aboue law, contrarie to law, and without lawe. ad cap. quanto de translat. Episcopi, & cap. proposuit. de concess. praeb. and else where, &c.

76 Thirdly, for that he taketh and v­surpeth 3. He dispo­seth king­domes. power & authoritie, to transferre kingdoms, which is the onely worke of God as Clement. vnica de jureiur ando, in priu. The Romane Emperours haue the [Page] approbation of the B. of Rome, for the person which is to be preferred vnto the dignity of the Emperiall M^ie: as also the anointing, cōsecratiō, & the crown of the Empire. Clem. Past. de sent. & re iudic. in fine. The Pope hath superiority ouer the Empire, & whē the Empire is void suc­cee deth the Emperour. C. venerabilē de elect. The right & authoritie to choose a king to be Emperor, appertaineth vnto the Bishop of Rome. & cap. 2. de sent. & re iudic. in 6. The Pope may depose the Emperour. Can. alius 15. quaest. 6. Zacha­rie the Pope deposed the French king from his kingdome, & substituted Papin into his roome. So Pope Hadrian saith as Arentinus reporteth, Lib. 6. in Epist. ad Archiepisc. Trevicens. Mogunt. & Colo­niens. From whence hath the Emperour his Empire vnlesse it be frō vs? therefore he ruleth by vs. Againe, whatsoeuer the Emp. hath, he hath it wholly frō vs. Fur­ther, behold, the Empire is in our power to giue it, to whōsoeuer we wil. There­fore are we appointed of God, aboue nations & kingdoms, that we may de­stroy & pull down, build & plant. And thus say the Canonists, that the Emp. is the Popes vassall, and that hee hath the [Page 22] Empire of him in name of Homage.

The acts of the Bishops of Rome af­ford vs plentifull exāples; who haue ei­ther proclaimed as deposed & at their Examples. pleasure tūbled them frō their thrones, or else crowned Emperors, & kings, and princes. So dealt Innocentius with Otho the 4 Emperour of that name: Gregorie the 7 with Henry the 4. Paschalis the 2 with Henry the fift: Hadrian the 4 and Alexander the 3, with Frederick the first: Innocentius the 3 with Philip the son of Frederick: Gregory the 9 with Frederick the 2: Innocentius the 4 with Conrad the 4: Alexander the 2 with W. king of En­glād: Boniface the 8 with Philip Pulcher the K. of France: whom they did excom­municate, & either did depose, or labo­red to depose them frō their Empire & kingdoms. And at this day Sixtus the 5 doeth depriue the king of Navar and prince of Condie of their kingdome, pre­rogatiue, & all hope of successiō, & ab­solueth the subiects from the oth of alle­giāce & obediēce, & inciteth the French king to persecute them with violence, fire, and sworde. So Leo the third cre­ated Charles the great Emperour, hee annointed him, and sate the diademe [Page] vpon his head, & so transferred the Em­pire vnto the Frenchmē frō the Grecians, among whō it had cōtinued 500 yeres. Iohn the ninth, made three Emperours one after another, & gaue the Emperiall crown vnto Carolous, Calons, to Ludovi­cus Bulbus his sonne, and to Charles the third, sonne to Ludovicus Germanicus. Iohn the thirteenth, created Otto; and Clement the fift created Henry Empe­rour & called him Augustus. But aboue all, the acte of Gregorie is famous, who tooke away the Empire from Henricus the Emperour, & gaue it to Rodolphus, adding this verse,

77 The same Pope is an idolatour, He is an ido­latour. worshipping strange gods, that is, such a thing for God, which is no God. First, in the bread of the Eucharist: where Inno­centius the fourth, was the first who esta­blished transubstantiatiō, & the worship of that bread. Honorious the 3, vouchsa­fed it a peculiar place where it should be set, that the God of bread might haue a Breaden God. temple & palace. To conclude, least any thing should be wanting vnto idolatrie, Ʋrbanus the fourth, Anno Christ. 1263. [Page 23] appointed a feast vnto the body of Christ, and the carying about of the Eu­charist in procession, and gaue verie large indulgences there withal. Second­ly, in the calling vpon the saintes de­parted. For he persecuteth the saintes whilest they liue on earth, and killeth them, whom being dead, hee worship­peth in heauen. Wherein he is like vn­to hunters, who do therefore hunt that they may kill and eate, and eating doe commend the meate, and are encoura­ged to follow their game againe. And also he is like to eraftie and close mar­chants, who whilest they are to buy, dispraise that which afterward they do commend, when they haue bought it, according as it is said, Prov. 20. 14. It is nought, it is nought, saith euery buy­er. Finally, he is like to the Scribes and Pharises of whome mention is made, Mat. 23. 29. 30. Thirdly, in the wor­ship of images and monuments & re­likes of Christ, and the saintes, in that which they call holy water: in the hal­lowed and consecrated oyle, and waxe candles: in the signe of the crosse: in the baptizing of belles: in Amulets [Page] & Pomanders, & such like. The which Idolatrie is gone so farre, that there hath not bin greater, no not amōg the heathē

78 The Pope is also an hypocrite, worshipping the true God indeed; but His hypocrisy onely in externall rites, perfourmed ex opere operato, by the worke done, and instituting new kinds of worship: as in the sacraments, in the sacrifice of the Masse, in the vigils or saintes euens, in Canonicall houres, in chaunting in the Church, in fastes, in choice of meates, single life, religious pilgrimages, anoin­ting, the order of Monasticall life, (whereof there be more kindes (if they were tolde) then there are of fowles (which yet also haue differēce by their colours, & so great multitudes (if they were mustered together) that they wold seeme to bee the armie of Xerxes) In workes of supererrogation, in almes, in mumbling of praiers, and in the number of them, in their apparell, or holy ha­bites, in the shauing their haire, their burning tapers, the ornaments of the Churches, the multitude of feasts, wher­of there is neither measure nor end. But yet he is indeed prophane, wicked, & an Atheist, because he getteth this king­dome [Page 24] by magique or Symonie, or else by threats, sedition, and tumult, & both he himselfe beareth & also suffereth o­thers to beare the titles & names of holy offices, without the thing itselfe. For if you do take a view either of the ministe­rie of the word & sacraments, or of the whole gouernmēt of the Church, it ap­peareth that the bishops & others be­sides, doe not execute any part of their owne function, but are wholly emploi­ed about temporall affaires, contrarie to the word of God & the ancient canons.

We haue exāples herof in Gregory the 5, who being caried with a deuilish de­sire of authority, did first by bribes ob­tain the Archbishoprick of Rhenes, and afterwarde got by the deuils assistance the Popedome itselfe: on this cōdition, that after his death the deuil shoulde wholly haue him, as Platina recordeth. In Gregory the 7, who being a Magitiā, caused that stones fell downe frō aboue when Henry the 3 Emperor was pray­ing in the tēple: & whē he was seeking answers from God against the Emp. he cast the sacramēt of the body of the lord into the fire, as Platina doeth witnesse. [Page] In Iohn the eight, or rather Ione, a wo­man, who dissembling her sexe, obtained and exercised the Popedome, vntil such time, as her tranell did bewray what shee was: as againe Platina and verie manie others doe witnesse. In Iohn the thirteene who gaue himselfe vnto Sa­than corporally, as it is registred in Fas­ciculo Temporum. In Sylvester the se­cond, of whome Iohannes Stella the Ve­netian writeth, that hee was appointed Pope by the assistance of the deuill, on this condition, that after his death hee might haue him whollie, both soule & bodie, by whose subtiltie he attained to so great promotion. In Benedictus the ninth and Gregorie the sixt: and moreouer in Sixtus the fourth (as the said Cardinall Benno witnesseth) who being at Florence in the Church, when (after a watch word giuen) the Eucha­rist was taken away, hee would (by his conspiratours) haue killed the two bre­thren Iulianus and Laurentius Medi­ces: and did indeede slay the one and wound the other: as Raphael Volateran recordeth in the 5 of his Geographie. In Leo the tenth, who is reported to haue [Page 25] answered vnto Peter Bembus, when hee alledged a saying out of the Gospell: What doest thou alledge or tell me of that fable?

79 Hee is also blasphemous, in that he claimeth for his owne that which His blasphe­mie. is Gods, doeth speake against God: namely, when he saieth, that he is God, and of equall power with Christ, & the head and spouse of the Church: the which we haue more fully opened be­fore Further, when he affirmeth that the Scripture is obscure, and imperfect, and doubtfull: and that hee may inter­prete it as he listeth, and may make new articles of faith, and yet he neither er­reth herein nor is to be controlled by any, As also when he boasteth, that he can graunt indulgences and pardons, and remission of all sinnes to whom soe­uer he will.

80 He is also ambitious and proud, both in his wordes and deedes, because His ambitiō. hee, beeing euen sicke of an vnsaciable thirst after honour, and vnlawfull de­sire of lordlinesse, doeth set vp himselfe aboue the Church, aboue councils, a­boue all magistrates, and accounteth [Page] all Emperours, kings and princes which are in Europe, to be but his vassals, his tenauntes, and almost his slaues and drudges hee treadeth them vnder his feete. Of which pride and arrogan­cie of his, we before brought testimo­nies euen out of the Canon lawe: but nowe wee will bring others like vnto them, out of the booke which is called Liber ceremoniarum Romanae curiae: Where it is saide, that all men of what honour or preheminence soeuer they be, so soone as they come within the sight of the Pope, ought to bowe their knees thrise, obseruing equall distance of pace, and to kisse his feete. Further, when the Pope doeth get vp on horse-backe, the greatest prince of them which be present though he be a king or Emperour must hold the Popes stir­rup, & then lead the horse by the bri­dle a little on the way. But if that the Pope be not carried on horsebacke but on his chaire, whether hee be king or Emperour that is present it skilleth not, they must cary the seate it selfe with the Pope in it, a while vpon their shoulders. Againe, that the prince of the city (into [Page 26] which the Pope shall enter) though he be a king, shall leade the popes horse by the bridle: or if the pope be caried in his chaire, shall (together with the chiefe of his Nobles) carry the same a good way: then, when the pope com­mandeth him, the king shall take his horse & ride according vnto his place. Further, the Emperor must at the baket holde water for the pope to wash his hands. And moreouer, when the pope hath a feast, the Emperor or els the king of the Romans must cary the first messe or seruice. And to conclude, the pope doth no reuerence at all to any mā, only he raiseth vp himselfe when the Empe­rour kisseth him. For examples these are chiefly to be noted: first of the pope in generall, who offreth his feet to be kis­sed of the Emperor, kings princes, Car­dinals, Examples of his ambition. bishops, & the rest. Then speci­ally of pope Sylvester of whome it is re­ported that (for the honour of S. Peter) Pseudoconstantinus or that feigned Con­stātine helde his horse bridle in his hād when he tooke horse and plaid the gen­tleman vsher or sergeant before him. Dist. 96. Thirdly of pope Hadrian the fourth, who was very angry with [Page] Fredericke the Emperour, and did in re­proch obiect vnto him, that when as hee woulde haue helde his stirrup at his lighting downe from his horse, he came and helde not the further stirrup as hee should, but the other. And that he also had set the Emperours name before the popes in certain letters which were sent vnto him. Fourthly of Alexander the third, who set one foote in the necke of Fredericke the Emperour, when he was prostrate and suppliant at his feet in the Cathedrall Church of Ʋenice, that he might haue his excommunication re­leased, and commanding, that the verse of Psalme should be song of his priests, Thou shult walke vpon the Serpent, and the Basiliske: thou shalt tread vnder foote the Lyon and the Dragon. Fiftly, of Boni­face the eight, Anno 1300, who shew­ed himselfe at Rome in a great assem­bly of the people (by reason of a Iubile then solemnized) the first day of the solemnitie with all the ornaments of the Pope, and the next day hee came foorth clad with the Emperours robe, or coate armour, and commaunded a drawne sword to be caried before him, [Page 27] himselfe crying with a loud voice, I am both Pope, & Emperor, & haue autho­ritie both in heauen & earth: & within few dayes after did proudly reiect Al­bertus, who was created Emp. by the e­lectours of the Empire, & desired to be confirmed by him: Affirming moreouer that no election could be authenticall, which was made without his authority, sith that he alone had the authoritie of both the swords, which when Albertus Crautzius superintendent of the church of Hanburgh reciteth, hee maketh this exclamation; O Peter, behold thy suc­cessour, &, O Sauiour Christ, behold thy Vicar: beholde the pride of the feruant of thy seruants, vnto what height he is now come.

81 He is also lawlesse, because hee doeth what he listeth, he abolisheth the The Pope is lawlesse. lawes which Christ hath made, & ma­keth new at his owne pleasure: and be­cause he will be iudged of no man but aduanceth himselfe aboue lawe, as wee shewed heretofore. Whereof we haue example in the forbidding of the mari­age of Priestes, and certaine meats, & of the chalice in the Lords supper, which [Page] is contrary vnto the reuealed will of God and of Christ our Lord. Further, in dispensing with degrees contrarie to the lawe of God and nature: as that Pope Martin the fift gaue dispensati­on that a man might take his owne si­ster to wife: And that others haue dis­pensed, that any man might mary two sisters, his fathers sister, or his mothers, or any woman two brethren, her vn­cle by her fathers side or by her mo­thers, and that (which some al­so of the schoolemen doe teach vpon the 4. sent. dist. 34. & Caietan secunda secundae. Thomae. quaest. 154 Art. 9. (to wit that the Pope may dispense with all degrees, excepting the mariage of the father and the sonne, with the daughter and the mother.

82 He is also a single man but yet a filthy fornicatour, because that, hee in forbidding mariage vnto his clergie, & the Nuns, commandeth single life. The authous & defenders of the which law, are these especially. Siricius the pope. C. plurimos. dist. 82. Greg. 7. Calixtus 6. Presbyteris. dist. 27. Leo. dist. 32. per totū. Innocentius c. proposuisti. dist. 82. &c. Sa­cerdoticus. [Page 28] & seq. dist. 31. Leo the tenth & other more. But on the contrary, hee permitteth concubines, brothel houses, whoredomes, & filthie lustes, or at least doeth tollerate them, & filleth all Chri­stendome with whores, with Bastards, with buggerers, and others more of the same stampe, as it is knowne full well, and yet further by giuing dispensation, he permitteth incestuous mariages: and that which is more then all the rest, he maketh a gaine and raiseth a yerely rent of the common stewes.

So Iohn 13 being found with a queane was run through of the husband of the same harlotte. Further, how great was the chastitie and honestie of Alexander the sixt, it appeareth by this epitaph made for his daughter.

So Iohn Casus Archbishop of Bene­ventum the popes legate among the Venetians, hath cōmended & published in print that horrible kind of lust and ve­nerie, [Page] which is not at all to be reported: yea, & that who is called P. Iohn the 8, was both a woman and an harlot, & as she went to the palace of Laterane, shee traueiled in the third yere of the Pope­dome, & died of that trauell in the same place, whereupon Mantuan in his time writeth after this maner:

83 He also abstaineth from certain meates, & yet exceedeth in all kinde of excesse: because he forbiddeth flesh & all things which haue generation by seede, or doe sauour of flesh, as milke, cheese & egges to be eaten on set daies, vnderpain of deadly sinne, to satisfie for sinne, & to deserue the grace of God, & life euerlasting: but he granteth all the dainties & delicates whatsoeuer, de con­sec. dist. 3. de esu carnium. & dist. quia. & eadem dist. 5. quadr. & dist. 4. c. deni (que) &c. & 13. quaest. 2. animae. And yet he will for mony dispēse for the self samething.

84 He is couetous, because he vseth He is cove­tous. [Page 29] Symonie, that is, buying, selling, & ma­king a marchaudise of things spirituall: he giueth nothing, but selleth al things, as, the grace of God, the sacraments, good works, heauen, & life euerlasting, & out of all of them he piketh out gold and siluer, and raiseth his gaine for hea­uen, hell, the earth, yea time itselfe, and all creatures whether they haue life or be without life, as wine, bread, oyle, lin­nen, milke, butter, cheese, water, salt, fire, perfumes, the stewes, &c. So that, there was neuer hearde of either any greater, or more abominable marchan­dise. Whereupon his marchants & bro­kers, that is, the Monkes, the Bishops, & Cardinals, are not onely become rich, but are euen princes vpon the earth. So likewise doeth he make a gaine of Mas­ses, satisfactions, pardons, burials, and Church liuings: to wit, by selling of be­nefices, annats, or vacations: preuenti­ons, resignations for fauour, commen­datus, dispensations for age, for orders, for irregularity, for blemish of body, for redemptions of the Bishops pall and the Bulls. Further, by reseruation of cases, by mariage causes, by sinnes and offences, [Page] to wit, when as license for sinnes and all kind of mischiefes are bought and sold after a certaine price and rate: and by o­ther cases and causes of the like na­ture: which, if wee shoulde recken vp one by one, would be very tedious, be­cause they want both measure and mo­destie: and there is no great necessitie so to doe: for that there is a booke extant of these things, which hath this title. Taxae Cancellariae Apostolicae, & Taxae sacrae Poenitentiariae, itidem Apostolicae cum not abilibus iuxta stylum hodiernum curiae Romanae. In which book thus there is a sentence worthy the remembrance set downe in these wordes. And marke this diligently, that such immunities and dispensations are not graunted vnto them which be poore: For they, because they bee not rich, can not be comforted. Hereof commeth it to passe, that an infinite masse of gold and siluer is brought vnto Rome, which afterward the Pope, Car­dinals, and the rest of the same rable do consume in their stewes and brothel­houses, and doe riotouslie spend, as it were in the bottomles gulfe of their vn­saciable gluttonie & sensualitie, to the [Page 30] great shame & ignominie of Christiani­tie: So Franciscus Petrarch hath left it in record, that in the treasure house of Pope Iohn the 22, there was founde (when hee was dead) by his heires, 25 thousand thousand crownes, that is, 250 tunne of gold. And of Boniface the eight (who was taken prisoner & spoi­led at the commandement of Philippus Pulcher, the French King) wee finde it registred, that all the kings of the world were not able to disburse so much out of their treasurie within the compasse of one yere, as was taken and caried out of the Popes palace: wherefore there haue alwaies beene some at all times, who both detested that in satiable hun­ger, and vncontented desire, and gree­dines of riches, and also lotted not to enueigh against the same: hereupon Mantuan saith thus:

which is in English thus.

[Page] And another thus.

which may be thus translated.

And againe another speaketh after this manner: The treasure house Apo­stolicall is like vnto the sea, into which all flouds doe runne, and yet it doeth not ouerflowe: for euen so thousand waightes of golde are brought into this out of diuers partes of the worlde, and yet it is not filled.

85 Hee is also craftie, deceitfull, His craftines and false dea­ling. false, and giuen to lying: craftie hee is, for that hee blindeth trueth and falshoode together: deceitfull and a lyar hee is, in that his feigned ser­uice, to witte, when as hee entituleth his lordlinesse with a name of seruice, (that is, when hee calleth himselfe the seruant of seruants) vnder pretence of humilitie, according to the example [Page 31] of Gregorie the great, who for this ende called himselfe the seruant of the ser­uants of God, that hee might giue his successours a patterne of lowli­nesse: and yet in words and deede, hee proudely exalteth himselfe aboue all kings and princes, desiring to bee the lorde of lordes, as wee declared at large heretofore: in so much, that hee indeede retaineth the bare name and title, but vsurpeth a statelinesse, alto­gether disagreeing from the title: so further in the fained donation of Con­stantine, as is mentioned in Cap. Con­stantinus, dist. 96. hee produceth a for­ged instrument of Constantine his deede of gift, in which hee affirmeth, that the citie of Rome, with Italie, Sicilie, Sardinia, Spaine, Germanie, and Bri­taine, were giuen vnto him by that Em­perour.

Againe, he is taken in manifest con­tradictions, in that hee sometime af­firmeth, His lying and contradictiōs The deede of gift for his Iurisdiction and authori­tie. that the same deed of gift was made vnto Sylvester the Pope by Con­stantine, sometime before Sylvester by the same Constantine, sometime by Lu­dovicus Pius sonne to Charles the great, [Page] cap. Constantinus. dist. 96. & cano. futu­ra 12. quaest.

In that he saith, sometime that Con­stantine, sometime that Christ, some­time that Peter, gaue vnto him that power and authoritie, as in the same place. cap. Constant. dist. 96. & cap. sa­crosancta. dist. 22. &c. vnam sanctam. extrav. de maiorit, & obed.

In that sometime he auoucheth, that principalitie is graunted vnto him by Primatie. Constantine, that he should be the head ouer all Churches and Priestes: cap. Constantinus. dist. 96. Sometime hee affirmeth, that no man is to be called the prince of the Priests, or high priest, or vniuersall bishop. Cap. multi dist. 40. & cap. primae sedis, & duobus. ce. seqq. dist. 99. In that somtime he saith, that Apo­stles, and especially Peter and Paul are equall and alike, 2. q. 7. Can. 33. & can. 37. & 24. q. 1. can. 18. Sometime that both he preferreth Peter before the rest of the Apostles, and ascribeth the pri­macie to him alone, & cap. sacrosancta. dist. 22. and else where.

In that hee saieth, that the election Dignitie. of the Pope ought to be made by the [Page 32] consent and approbation of the Empe­rour, and that the Pope is in subiection to the Emperours lawes and statutes, and that the Emperour excelleth him in temporalities, c. 22. & 22. dist. 63. &c. 9. & 3. dist. 10. & 2. q. 7. can. 1. Nos si incompetenter, & 25. q. 1. sat agendum, & c. solitae de mai orit. & obeà. Sometime he subiecteth the Emperour vnto him­selfe, aduanceth himselfe aboue him, & aboue all kings, & exempteth himselfe from all iudgement of men, as was said before.

In that hee sometime denieth, that Succession. succession is ordinarie & tyed to a cer­taine place, bringing this place out of Ierome: They are not the sonnes of the saintes, who possesse the places of the saintes, but they which doe the workes of the saintes, &c. c. 1, 3, & 4. dist. 40. &c. 2. Sometime he auoucheth the con­trarie, as c. 2. dist. 40.

In that somtime he wils, that priests & bishops shuld only be occupied in mat­ters The matters in which hee dealeth. spiritual, not tēporal. dist. 36. & 38. cōmanding also, that he shuld be remo­ued frō his functiō, who bereth both ci­uil & Ecclesiastical magistracy, at one & [Page] the same time in Can. Ap. quos approbat, Can. 8. Sometime he chalengeth both the powers, and both the swordes vnto himselfe and to his Bishoppes, as was shewed heretofore.

In that he graunteth sometimes, yea commaundeth mariage vnto Priestes. Mariage of Priestes. C. si quis docuerit. dist. 28. &C. quoniam Dist. 31. &C. si quis nuptias. dist. 3 Som­times hee doth altogether forbid them mariage, as we shewed before.

In that sometime hee commandeth the entire and perfite vse of the Sacra­ment Vse of the sa­crament in both kinds. of the supper of the Lord: excom­municating them also which otherwise shall doe. De Consec. c. comperimus. dist. 2. Sometimes hee forbiddeth the peo­ple to receiue the Cuppe. In Concil. Con­stant. sess. 13.

In that he willeth sometime, that all Communi­cation. should communicate in the supper of the Lorde, that is, should take, eate, and drinke, and doeth excommunicate them who doe otherwise. De consecrat. c. per Acta dist. 2. sometimes hee de­barreth the Laity, and defendeth, that this is onely lawfull for the priests, vt inprivata Missa.

[Page 33] In that he saith, that the Pope is to be iudged of no man, vnlesse he be founde The Pope not to be iudged. to erre from the faith. c. si papa. dist. 40. Sometimes he saith, that the Pope Dis­corus is excommunicate, though hee hath not erred in the faith. Quaest. 2. Can. sane profertur. vers. item Romanorū. Furthermore, in that hee maketh his Promise breaking. promise, but keepeth it not: saying, that promise is not to bee kept with here­tikes, as in concil. Constant.

In that he sometime affirmeth, nowe Of Pope Ioan denieth verie impudently by the Iesu­ites and others, that Pope Iohn the eight was a woman, & that the chaire of in­quirie, (by which the Pope created is Sedes testi­culatrix. pronoūced capable or vncapable) was vsed since that time, which is contra­rie vnto so many euident testimonies of Hystoriographers, (and euen of them who haue bene Papists) both olde and newe: as Marianus Scotus, Anno 1080 orthereabout, Sigebert the Monke. an­no 1110. Martinus surnamed Polonus, Anno 1278. Martinus Minorit. Anno 1350. Franciscus Petrarch, Anno 1370. Iohannes Bocatius, who liued at the same time. Raphael Ʋolateran. Anno 1490 [Page] or there abouts. Further, of Platina, Sa­bellicus, Aeneid. 9. Tritem. in hist. Mo­naster. Hirsaugiensis. Iohan. Stella of Ve­nice, Nauclerus, Albertus, Crantzius, and the authour of Fasciculus Tempo­rum. Baptista, Mantuan, Caelius Rhodig­nius, and of others, who doe beare witnesse of this feminine or woman Pope, whose entire recordes are not long since put forth into print.

In that he hath not onely put coun­terfeits in stead of the right bookes (es­pecially in the Monuments of the Fa­thers) but doeth also corrupt, cancell, chop and change them, as may appeare both in that hee corrupteth the Latine Bible, and obstinately defendeth the corruptions: which do many times dis­agree from the Hebrewe and Greeke copies: and in that he now altereth and changeth the writings of the fathers, which being thus made vnperfect, hee setteth foorth, and alledgeth them as they are set forth according to these Edi­tions. Example wherof (to omit others, which might plentifully be brought in this place, and haue bene also alledged by others heretofore) wee haue affor­ded [Page 34] vnto vs by Iohn Gibbons an English Iesuite doctour of diuinitie, and pro­fessour at Triens, in disputatione de san­ctis. Thes. 207. alledging a place out of Augustine, Lib. 8. cap. 27. de civitate Dei. for his owne purpose, but as it seemeth out of an imperfect and counterfeit copie: in this manner. Wee appoint Churches, and orders of Priestes, and holy rites, and sacrifices vnto the martyrs, not for that they be good, but because their God is ours, &c. Whereas other editions are thus. Yet doe not wee appoint temples, orders of Priestes, holy rites, and sacrifices vnto the saintes, &c. And the scope and drift of Augustine will not admit of that sense which the Iesuite woulde haue: but doeth necessarily require this which is all in all our Copies.

Further, in that hee feigneth many reliques of the saintes, which neither are nor possibly can be true, vnlesse we would graunt that there be many bo­dies, many heades, many armes, of one saint or holie man. For if so bee that all the reliques of the Saintes [Page] were brought together, the bodies of the saintes would not be onely verie vaste for their quantitie of huge big­nesse, and verie monstrous for the num­ber of the members: but also often­times there woulde bee more bodies then one of one and the same Saint.

In that hee counterfaiteth miracles, which neither are, nor haue beene wrought, as was shewed before.

In that hee pretendeth the name of Christ & the saluation of the Church: But indeede doeth seeke his owne ho­nour and commoditie. For he calleth them the Riches of the Church, and Patrimonie of Christ. But did Christ possesse any such things? Thou bearest the name and title of Bishops, but alto­gether voide of the substance. Thou hearest the name of Patriarkes, Super­intendentes, Abbats: but if thou take away the outwarde visard and ceremo­nie, what will remaine? Thou hearest the names of the Fraternities: and they are schismes or diuisions. Thou hearest of the orders and contemplatiue life: what is it but confusion and senseles­nesse? Thou hearest of continencie: [Page 35] and it is nothing but riotousnesse. Thou hearest of the pouertie, especially of the Monkes, and what is it but delici­ousnes? Thou hearest of chastitie and single life, and what is this but filthie lecherie? Thou hearest of humilitie, and it is pride and arrogancie. Finally thou seest the sheepes skinne, but there is a wolfe lurking within it. For hee indeed professeth humilitie, but exalteth him­selfe aboue all others: hee voweth cha­stitie, but vseth adulterie: yea and more is further from all honestie: no man (as it is full well knowne vnto all men) doth more defile himselfe with all kinde of villanie: hee celebrateth a feast, and yet he playeth the glutton in the same.

86 Againe, hee is cruell, as those terrible excommunications and edicts do shew, which His crueltie. he maketh against Emperors, kings, & others: as do also his factions, his warres, his butcherly massacres, with the persecutions and most ex­treme torments of the faithfull: which are in truth more then I am able to rehearse in any short space. For how many factions, warres, & massacres hath the Pope of Rome caused a­mong Christian princes, in all partes of Chri­stendom within these 500 yeres, for the main­tenance & encrease of his power? How much blood hath he shed? when as he in the meane [Page] season like to a Fencer hauing set others togi­ther by the eares, is a beholder of these bloo­die sports: Or as another Nero, beholding in his turret the citie set on fire, which himselfe had fired, doth feede and please his mind, and delight his eies with such a hidious and pitiful spectacle. What mischiefe did he work in that voyage to Ierusalem, for the recouerie of the sepulchre of the Lorde, the citie Ierusalem, and the holy lande? which was first begun by Gre­gorie the 8: one, who was more cruell and abominable then Nero himselfe: and after pro­secuted by Vrbanus, the deare and most neare friend which Gregorie had: wherein the West fought against the East verie dangerouslie, & the Christian souldiers so vsed the matter by spoiling & killing Christians, Iewes, & others, & by committing other outrages, that all the warres which were made by the Romanes be­ing Gentiles, may (in comparison of that) bee called Christian, godly, and holy.

Howe madly and furiously haue the Coun­ter popes raged together, euen that they might dispatch one another, onely to serue their owne ambition? To conclude, how many and how great persecutions hath the Pope caused within this 60 yeeres? what torments hath he inflicted vpon men faithfull, and holy, whome he proclaimed as heretiques, especial­ly in France, and the low Countries. For be­cause that he is cruell, he doeth persecute the saintes, but he worshippeth them when they be placed in heauen. For this is the propertie [Page 36] of a bloody and cruell man, to iniurie those which are his equals, or them who are his in­feriours & whom he may hurt: but as for them who are his betters, & whom he can not hurt, but feareth lest himselfe be hurt by them, these he reuerenceth.

87 He also appeared by little & litle by the His appea­rance. craft of the deuill, which mingleth truth and falshood together, which is a cunning coze­ning and sophisticall subtilty. For a lie is weake of it selfe & can not stand: therfore these coze­ning mates do vnderprop their lies with such propositions & assertions, as be either true, or els haue a shew of trueth. Therfore sathan by litle & litle brought in the corruptions of do­ctrine & maners, & confirmed them more and more by sophistrie & hypocrisie, till at length this kingdome did fully appeare.

Hee also hath bin extant since the diuision His time. & ouerthrow of the Romane Monarchie, and since the expiring & date of those 666 yeeres: that is since the death of Mauritius the Empe­rour: when the Emperour Phocas (who slewe his father) made this decree, that the Church of Rome should be head ouer all other Chur­ches, and that the Bishop of Rome (who then was Boniface the third) should be head ouer all Bishops, & be the Catholique and general Bi­shop. And alway since, especially since the time of Charles the great, hee hath gotten strength and growne greater and greater.

He appeared in the temple of God. that is, in the Churches, and there he still sitteth and His place. [Page] ruleth, feigning that hee is the Vicar of Christ and the successour of Peter: for there was the true Church where the Pope of Rome first ap­peared as Antichrist, and afterward there re­mained the name, the title, & the print of the Church, there was the bible, that is, the booke of the Prophets & Apostles, there remained the true doctrine concerning God, concerning the trinitie of the deuine persons, & concer­ning the person of Christ, there remained bap­tisme together with the creed of the Apostles: and though the Popedome was not then, no more then in trueth it is now the Church, yet the Church was, and did as it were, lie hid in the Papacie.

90 He sitteth at Rome betwixt two seas, Tyrrhenum & Adriaticum, for here is the seate of the Pope, wherein oftentimes, (for some­times the place is changed) he dwelleth bodily.

91 He is discouered in these last daies of the world, first by Iohn Hus, secondly by Martin Lu­ther, The discove­ry of the pope. & other excellent men, whom God raised vp, who hauing found out Antichrist euen in the time of his marchandise, and as we say, with the manner, haue put him to shame, by shewing his impietie and indeauour against Christ, and haue kindled the light of the gos­pell in all places, especially in Germany though the Pope & other the Lords of Christendom, being vtterly against it, haue threatened ba­nishments, punishments, warres and ouer­throwe: who would not suffer the religion (which had continued so many ages) to [Page 37] be ouerthrowen, to the great trouble & destru­ction of all Europe. For so soone as men which were not giuē vnto pleasures (as Epicures are) did see but a spark of light shining vnto them, they being verie much grieued with that dark­nes & seruitude (wherewith they had beene so manie yeres oppressed) and being intised with the beautie & sweetnes of trueth, they ioyned themselues vnto the sincere teachers of truth, not hauing regard of other matters whatsoe­uer. By which meanes, the puritie of doctrine was euerie where propagated & spred abroad, the Churches were established & restored vn­to their former beautie, first in Germanie, Swit­serland, then in England, Scotland, France, Flan­ders, Denmarke, & other prouinces. And though that vnluckie contention concerning the sup­per of the Lorde, did straightwaie beginne, a­mongst the preachers of the Gospell, euen in the beginning thereof, and continueth also vnto this day (Satan endeauouring thereby to hinder and staie the cause of the gospell) yet we are to thinke thus: First, that Sathan hath not now begun, but hath practised long agoe, to set at variance the holy seruants of God, as Paul and Barnabas, and againe the same Paul and Peter with others more: secondlie, that as concerning the foundation of the doctrine & religion of Christ, & all things necessarie vnto saluation, there hath alwaies bene and still is, an agreement betwixt those men, who are the restorers of this gospell which now beginneth to take life againe. For hauing consuted merit, [Page] and trust reposed in workes wherwith misera­ble men were bewitched in time of Poperie, both parties agreed, that our whole saluation consisteth in the merites of Christ: onely the difference is in the supper of the Lorde, con­cerning the corporall presence, and the bodily eating, and that the same is common vnto the godlie and the wicked (as the one part defen­deth) and so not necessarie vnto saluation. Thirdly, it is no great maruell, if in the begin­ning of reformation, & as it were, in the daw­ning of the day, all things were not at the first well considered: for it can scarsely be declared what a deep gulfe of ignorance was in popery, and what an horrible darkenesse by reason of errours. And doubtlesse, it was a verie great miracle wrought by God, that those first do­ctours of the gospell could arise from thence, in so litle and short space. And although the Iesuites which are lately sprong vp, indeauour to heale this wounde of Antichrist, yet shall they neuer fullie cure the same.

93 Finally, he shalbe destroied in the last daie of Christ, when he returneth to iudge­ment, The destru­ction of the Pope. and shalbe cast into the lake of fire and brimstone according vnto the prophecie be­fore declared. In the meane season, we are pa­tiently to beare that persecution wherwith he oppresseth vs, and we must not for his tyranie leaue or forsake the profession of the truth.

94 Which things sith they are all true, it followeth, that the Pope since the death of The conclusi­on. Gregorie the great, and the murther of Mauri­tius [Page 38] the Emperour, is that Antichrist whome we haue before described out of the Prophe­cies of the Prophets and Apostles. For whe­ther they consider the doctrine or behold the maners and actions of the Pope, they all agree vnto these prophecies: and though heretofore there were controuersie touching primacie, & there were diuers errours (and they not small) concerning the doctrine: yet afterwarde, the desire of bearingsway, did more breake forth, Idolatrie, and impietie was encreased, and at the length Boniface the third obtained of Pho­cas the Emperour, that whosoeuer should be the Bishop of auncient Rome, should also bee esteemed as vniuersall Bishop, that Rome shoulde be accounted the heade of all Chur­ches, and that this priuiledge might be tradu­ced to their successours: and within a while after, others of them chalenged both the swords for themselues, established this by de­cree, that the Masse was a sacrifice propitia­torie for the liuing and the dead: and to con­clude, they made Rome a sanctuarie for Idols.

95 Hitherto wee haue shewed, who this great Antichrist is. But as in the former que­stion, the Papistes doe differ from vs, what Antichrist should be, so likewise in this latter, who Antichrist should be: for as they doe de­fine Antichrist otherwise then we, so doe they vtterly denie that the Pope of Rome is that Antichrist. For the Pope with his adherents (now playing the part of Antichrist) doeth feigne another Antichrist, and teacheth that [Page] he is yet to come, least he himselfe should bee thought to be the Antichrist indeed. Of whose opinion and their reasons we will say more as occasion shall be offered: for the manner of our positions will not now permit vs to speake of the same.

God the Father graunt for our Lorde Iesus Christes sake, that men may learne to knowe and to abhorre that Antichrist, the most dan­gerous enemie of Christ and the Church: and may likewise learne more and more to loue and worship Christ.