A Briefe admonition, concerning the final consummation and end of the world. In which admoni­tion I obserue these two things: first a bare and simple affirmation, that it is not only in the staggering & declining age, but, which exceedeth dotage, at the verie vpshot, and like a sicke man which lyeth at deaths doore, ready to breath out the last gaspe, in these words: Litle children, it is the last houre. Secondly, an argument for proofe and confirmation therof, which is the com­ming of Antichrist; in these words: Ye haue heard that Antichrist shall come, euen now are there many Antichrists, whereby we know that it is the last houre,

Litle children it is the last houre Besides the common and vsuall signification, an houre is [Page] diuersly vnderstood in the holy scriptures, sometimes for the fear and horror of death, our Sauiour being in his agonie prayeth to his father in this maner: My soule is troubled: Iohn. 12. father saue me from this houre, and that porti­on of sorrow which in Saint Mathew is cal­led a cup, is also called an houre, Father if it Mar. 14. be possible let this houre passe away from me: Sometimes for the last period of mans life: Iohn 13. Rom. 13. He knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this worlde vnto his father: Thirdly for any oportunitie and fitnesse of time: now the houre is come that we should a­wake out of sleepe for our redemption draweth nearer then when we first beleeued. Fourthly, for any small moment, or instant, farre shorter than an houre, as, when he sent his Disciples as sheepe among wolues, hee ar­med them with pacience, saying: When they Matt. 10. shall deliuer you vp, take no thought, howe, or what ye shall answere, for, vobis dabitur in il­la hora, It shall be giuen you in that houre. But, in this place it is taken more largely, for houres, dayes and yeares, and all distance of time, betweene the first comming of Christ in humilitie, and his second com­ming in maiestie. For since this epistle was written, 1500, yeares are alreadie expired, [Page] and yet the hour not ended, which time see­meth to man a date very long, Which dwel­leth Iob. 4. in a house of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who shall be destroyed before the moth, whose flesh is clothed with wormes, and whose memorie may he compared to ashes: who neuer liueth the third part of the yeares of the Hart, which brayeth after the water Psal. 41. Mat. 24. Psal. 39. brooke, or the rauen which preyeth vpon the dead carkas, nay rather, Whose life is but a span long, and as nothing before God. To man I say, it seemeth long, because his life is very short, but to God which is euerlasting, a scantling verie briefe, and therefore fitly called an houre. For, what is one droppe of water to the Ocean sea? one graine of Wheate to all the corne threshed on the barne floare after haruest? one grape to all the clusters pressed in the winefatte at the time of vintage? one acre of ground in the viewe of the mappe of all the world? the life of the abortiue and vntimely fruit of a woman, to the age of Methusalem, the thoughts of a foole to the wisdome of Salomon, which had a large heart as the sandes of the sea, the knowledge of newe born babes to the experiēce of Noah, which saw two worldes, the old and the new: the [Page] center of the earth, to the Circumference of heauen a right line to a circle: one houre to many thousand yeares: the same is this last period of the world, beeing compared with eternitie, which neuer began, and ne­uer shall end. As also for two other reasons, that considering the time is so short, it may be an incitement to stirre vp the godly, and a consolation to comfort the afflicted: to make the godly watchfull; for so writeth Peter: the ende of all things is at hand, be ye 1. Pet. 4 therefore sober and watchfull in prayer, to arm the afflicted with patience, seeing they haue but a litle tribulation to endure, so saith our Sauiour: When you see these things begin Luc. 21. to come to passe, then looke vp, and lift vp your heads, for your redemption draweth neer. And rebuking the drowsinesse of Peter, Iames, and Iohn, he draweth argument of repre­hension from the breuitie of the time, say­ing: could ye not haue watched with mee one Mar. 14. houre? Seeing it is but an houre, we must not be heauie, as the Apostles which slept, nor loose as Sathan, which the neerer he is to his iudgement, the more he rageth: nor enui­ous as the euill tenant, which when his lease is almost expired, maketh wast and hauock: but patient like trauellers, which are lesse [Page] wearie being almost at their iourneys end: and vigilant as the faithfull seruant, which when he is neere his freedom, is more du­tifull in his seruice, because he hath but a short time to serue.

But for my better proceeding, and your edifying, in my two houres discourse of this one and last houre, cōcerning the first part, these four points in particular by Gods gra­cious assistance, and your christian patience are to be discussed. First, of the weaknesse of their arguments which hold this conclu­sion; that the worlde shall neuer haue an end. Secondly, their rashnesse is to bee dis­couered, which make a shew of diuinitie, but in deed set abroch their owne conceits, and priuate phantasies, and so vnaduisedly take vpon them to demonstrate when the world must haue an end. Thirdly, how far we may bee bold to determin, hauing first with iudgement and sobrietie looked into the state of this question. Fourthly, after it shall be made euident, that the kingdom of God is not now è longinquo, but è propinquo not a far off, but euen at our doores, how we ought to behaue our selues in the meane time, expecting the most blessed comming of our Sauiour Christ.

Concerning the first point, two sortes of men denie that the world shal haue an end, Philosophers and Atheists: The Philoso­phers Phys. l. 8. draw their proofes from naturall rea­son, the Atheists from Diuinitie, both are controlled by this place. The Philosophers argue out of Aristotle, that the worlde shall haue no ende, because it had no beginning; that it had no beginning, because it was al­wayes in motion; that it was alwayes in mo­tion, because God in whom all other things haue their being and mouing, euer moued it, for nothing els could be moued by him if the world were not, and if he did not alwais moue as nowe hee doth, he is not constant, and permanent in one estate, but subiect to chaunge, which is an absurditie, and may not be graunted. But, because, such curio­sitie doth not edifie, and I am not to play the Philosopher in this place, and faith is not agreeable to naturall reason, I answere Aristotle the mirrour of humaine witte, not by witte or humaine reason, for that I can not, but against him I oppose the doc­trine of Saint Paule: Where is the disputer? 1. Cor. 1. hath not God made the wisdome of this worlde foolishnesse? seeing the world by wisdome knew not God in the wisdome of God, it pleased God [Page] through the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue. Christ saith, that which is Iohn 3. flesh is fleshly. Aristotle, though the wisest a­mong the Gentiles, was a sensuall man, and therefore vnderstood not the things which were of God.

I come to the Atheists; which (as Beza In anotat. in Pet. 2. Pet. 8. writeth) are in the courts of Princes. Of thē saith Peter. This first vnderstand, that there shall come in the latter dayes mockers, which shall willbe after their owne lustes, and say: where is the promise of his comming? for since the fathers slept, ad things haue continued alike from the first creation. In the which wordes, they draw a weake argument from the long continuance of the worlde, to prooue the perpetuitie of the same, and conclude this enthymem: The worlde hath euer continued alike from the first Creation, therfore it shall alwaies so continue. The A­postle maketh answere to the antecedent two maner of wayes. First, hee denieth it to be true by a notable instance, for once (saith he) the world was destroied by a de­luge of water, therefore all things haue not continued alike from the first creation. Se­condly, Gen. 7. besides that the long continuance of the worlde, if it were graunted, were no [Page] argument to proue the perpetuitie of the same: he answereth by a distinctiō, that this long continuance were long in respect of men only, & not of God, so that these 5500 yeares, which are commonly reckoned from the first creation vntill this age, are but as fiue daies and an halfe in the sight of God, a verie short time, which saint Peter proueth by the authoritie of the Prophet, Psal. 90. who affirmeth that a thousand yeares are with God as short as one day, euen as one day with God, is as long as a thousand years with men.

Hauing answered the obiection of the Atheists, the Apostle disputeth against thē by an argument à simili in this maner. Euen as the old world (meaning the earth) which was of the water, and by the water, had her be­ing and continuance by the word of God, and by the same word of God, and the same waters it perished: so the new world (meaning both hea­uen and earth) are by the same word kept in store and reserued to fire. Asmuch as if he had said: before the floud, the world continued long, yet at length it was destroyed by the same thing of which it consisted, which was the element of water, so after the floud it hath continued longer, yet it is the second [Page] time to be destroyed of the other element of which it consisteth, which is fire. When the floud had ceased, the Lord gaue the rainbow for a token of his couenāt between Gen. 9. him and vs, but in the rainbow are especial­ly to bee obserued two things, the figure there of, and the colours whereby it is made visible vnto our eies: the figure is like a se­micircle cut off in the middle by our Hori­zon, so that to our sight it seemeth to reach from the highest arch of heauen, to the low­est foundation of the earth, to signifie, that for as much as man which dwelleth in the lowest earth, offended him which fitteth in Psal. 2. the highest heauen, Gods mercie pierced the clouds, and descended from the highest heauen to the lowest foundation of the earth vnto the sonnes of men. But the co­lours where with it is beautified, are princi­pally two; the one is a Sea-colour, which be­tokeneth Water, where with it was drow­ned, the other fierie, betokening the other Element, wherunto the world vntil the day of iudgement is reserued.

The Philosophers and Atheists beeing gainsaid, which affirme that the world shall neuer haue an ende: it followeth that wee touch the second kinde of men, which are [Page] Christians, but of two sorts, Protestants and Papists, which both expect the accōplish­ment of this last houre, but erre in this, that they go another way too far, and seeming to know that which they know not, enter into the secrets of God: the Protestants di­rectly, and the Papists by a necessary conse­quent, do define and determine when the world shall haue an end. And therefore as the Apostle saith: [...], Rom. 1. when they professed themselues wise, they became foolish. Some Protestants haue published a booke greatly esteemed of a­mongst the common people, in which is maintayned this argument: That the frame of Heauen must needes be dissolued The secōd comming of Christ. within a certainty of daies: and the princi­pall reasons whereby they vndertake the proofe of their phantasies, are these fiue which follow.

The first is a blind prophesie which they father vpō Elias, not read of in the scripturs but in the Rabbies & Talmud of the Iewes, that the worlde could last but six thousand years after the first creation, two thousand vnder nature, two thousand vnder the law, and two thousand vnder grace. The time of nature they define to be from the first crea­tion [Page] to Abraham, to whom the law of cir­cumcision was giuen: the time of the law frō Abraham to the preaching of Iohn the Baptist, which began in the 30. yeare of the incarnation of Christ: the time of grace frō the preaching of Iohn to the day of iudge­ment. And (say they) as Elias liued after the first 3000. yeares were expired, and then was taken vp aliue in his fierie chariot, so af­ter the other 3000. yeares shall be accom­plished, those that shalbe found at that time quicke on the earth, must bee taken vp in the cloudes to meete our Sauiour comming to iudgement. For answere whereof, be­sides that they erre in their computation of yeares, which is manifest to them which are conuersant in the Histories of the bible, we vtterly denie, and renounce the authori­tie of the Rabbies and Iewish Talmud as superstitious and false, not giuing credite to any thing which is written of Elias in them, more than may be proued out of the most holy scriptures, and so consequently denying that Elias euer writ anie such pro­phesie, wee displaye the weakenesse of that argument, in this manner. It is a rule Logicke, that a similitude must not holde in all things, but onely in that [Page] whereto it is applied. Wherefore forasmuch as Paul writeth: That we shall not all sleepe, 1. Cor. 15. because, as it is in the article of our Creede, Christ shall come to iudge both the quicke and the dead, true it is that Elias which was taken vp quicke, was a liuely tipe of them which shall be found quicke at the day of iudgement: for, as he was taken vp aliue, so they must bee taken vp aliue without tasting of death, onely their corrupti­ble bodies beeing chaunged: but it is no good consequent, either in Logicke or Diuinitie, that bicause Elias was a type of them in this one thing, therefore as Elias was taken vp after the first 3000. yeares, therefore they must also be taken vp, when the other 3000. yeares be ended. The vn­sufficiencie of this argument I will shewe you by the like. Henoch was a type of them which shall bee found quicke at the day of Iudgement, as well as Elias, But He­noch was taken vp aliue, and translated to a better life, in the 987. yeare of the worlde: if therefore the former argument drawne from Elias bee good, this also must follow, that the day of iudgement should haue bin nine hundred eightie seuen yeares after the translation of Henoch, so that the worlde [Page] should not haue endured in all, two thou­sand yeares after the first creation. Further­more, they affirme, that some part of the last thousand yeares must be defalcated and cut off, for the elects sake, which is a meere contradiction to that which went before, for then can not the prophesie which they father vpon Elias be true, that the worlde should continue 6000. yeares. And this defalcation of yeares they proue by the an­swere of the Angell vriel, which beeing asked whether the time to come were shor­ter then the time past? answered: As the 2. Esd. 4. raine is more than the droppes, and as the fire exceedeth the smoke, so the portion that is past hath the vpper hand. Whereas, in deede, there is no proofe of defalcation, for, be­sides that this Scripture is Apocrypha, and therefore no sufficient proofe, and they erre with the Papists, affuming that it is Canonicall: and their argumentes which they borrow of Theodorus Bibliander, a­gainst Saint Ierom, a man of greater autho­ritie than himselfe, to proue that it is Ca­nonicall, because it teacheth the euerla­sting kingdome of Christ, the reprobation of the Gentiles, and election of the Iewes, are not sufficient proofs, because the works [Page] of men do teach the same things, wheras no workes of men are Canonicall. Esdras liued about 3600 years after the creation, so that then the time to come might bee shorter than the time past, without any defalcation of yeares or dayes.

Secondly, they dispute in this maner: A thousand yeares with God, are as one day. Psal. 90. 2. Pet. But as God labored six dayes and rested the seuenth: so shal God be in action (as it were) for the preseruation of the same, and ga­thering togither of his Church sixe thou­sand yeares, proportionably to those sixe dayes, and then shall be a perpetuall Sab­both. And as in time past they began the celebration of the Sabboth, at the midst of Exod. 20. the sixt day, making halfe holy day, and so laboured the weeke daies but fiue daies and an halfe: so halfe of the last thousand years must be cut off. It shall not be needfull to answer the presumptions of men, which are not groūded vpon scripture nor sound rea­son, but the weaknes of that argument shall appeare by the like, 1500. years before god, are not so much as one hour. For so writeth the Apostle: Babes, it is the last houre. Fifteen hundred years are expired, & yet the houre 1. Iohn 2 is not ended, but 24. hours make one day, so [Page] that if 1500. years be reckoned but for one houre, sixe and thirtie thousand yeares are but one day before god, so that, if the world continue six dayes, it must indure, by that computation, two hundred and sixteene thousand yeares. This is as good a reason out of Saint John, to proue the continu­ance of the worlde two hundred and six­teen thousand yeares, as that is out of S. Pe­ter, to proue that it shall stand 6000. years.

Thirdly, thus they cōclude: Christ was ma­nifested 1. Pet. 1 Heb. 2 in the flesh in the last time. And, He was offered once in the end of the world. But, if thē were the end of the world, the middle was past, therefore but 2000. yeares were be­hind. If they take the middle for that which is intermedium, whatsoeuer is betweene the beginning and the ending, as commonly it is taken, then it was the middle immediat­ly after the creation, and the middle shall continue vntill the last consumma­tion, and, in that sense the middle is not yet past: but if they take it strictly, as in Geometrie it is defined: Medium est id quod aequè distat ab extremis, that which is of equal distance betweene the beginning and the ending: if the middle were but then past, when foure thousand yeares were expired, [Page] it is a necessarie demonstration, that there could bee no lesse than foure thousande yeares to come after Christes passion, be­cause there must bee as great distance of time from the middle to the ende, as was from the beginning to the middle.

Fourthly, all the signes and tokens, which go any distance of time before the day of iudgement, are alreadie come to passe, that now no signe can bee looked for, but onely those which must be shewed immediatelie vpon his comming to iudgement. But be­sides that the accomplishment and fulfil­ling of al these prophesies, cannot shew vn­to vs how neare it is to the ende, we denie that all these tokens and signes are come to passe, for there is yet one prophesie to bee fulfilled, which is the last and generall con­uersion of the Iewes. That they must bee conuerted, Saint Paule proueth by eight reasons. The first is from the end of their Rom. 11. reiection, which is, not that they should pe­rish, but seeing the conuersion of the Gen­tiles, be prouoked to emulation. The second à minori, if their fall be riches to the world, how much more shall their reconciliation be life to the dead? The thirde from the condition of the Patriarch Abraham, if [Page] the first fruits be holy, so is the lumpe, if the roote, so are the branches. The fourth from Gods omnipotency which is able to receiue them againe. The fift à verisimili, if God ingrafted the wilde oliue contrarie to na­ture, howe much more shall the naturall branches be ingrafted into their naturall o­liue? The sixt, from the authoritie of Esay and Ieremie, which affirme the same. The seuenth, from a distinction, concerning the Gospell, they are enemies for our sake, but touching the election, beloued for their fa­thers sake. The eightreason is, ab analogia, as the Gentiles were first reiected for vn­beliefe, yet afterward receiued, so, the time shall come when the reiected Iewes shall beleeue, and so be receyued againe, [...] and all Israell shall bee saued.

But, that they shall be turned or conuer­ted so generally, being in number so many, in places so dispersed, in religion so backe­warde, in one moment, or a short time, I thinke no man of iudgement will suppose, much lesse affirme.

Lastly, Henoch and Elias were the se­uenth from Adam, Henoch in generation, Elias in computation of liues. But there is a [Page] proportion betweene them and the ages of the world, for as the death of the body raig­ned ouer these sixe, Adam, Seth, Enos, Ke­nam, Mahaleel, Iared, but the seuenth which was Henoch, neuer died, but was transla­ted, and likewise in computation of liues, Adam liued vnto Methusalem, Methusa­lem vnto Sem, Sem vnto Iacob, Iacob vn­to Amram, Amram vnto Ahia, Ahia vn­to Elias, which being the seuenth died not, but was taken vppe; so death must reigne ouer the world sixe thousand yeares, and then shall bee euerlasting life. But, to this, and such like, their presumptions, and hu­maine coniectures, because they vrge vs with the answere of the Angell vriel, I will refute them with the answere of the same Angel in the same place. Weigh me the weight of the fire measure the blast of the wind, 2. Esd. 4 or call againe the day that is past, but if no man borne can doe that, howe shall thy vessell be able to comprehende the wayes of the most highest?

The Papists, not directly, but by a ne­cessarie cōsequent, take vpon them to point at, not onely the yeare, but rather the day and houre of the last iudgement. For San­ders in one of his demonstrations, holdeth [Page] that Antichrist after hee is reueled must reigne but three yeares and sixe monethes, and then be destroyed fortie and fiue dayes before the comming of Christ, which, if it were true, Antichrist beeing once reuea­led, it were no cunning to define the day and houre of the appearance of our Sauiour Christ, which is a secrete, not re­uealed to the Angels in heauen. This doctrine refuteth it selfe, therefore I let it passe, and come to the third poynt, which sheweth howe farre wee may be bolde to determine of the propmquitie and neernes of the appearance of our Sauiour Christ.

The Angell Vriel sayeth to Esdras: If I shoulde aske thee howe deepe dwellinges 2. Esd. 4 are in the middest of the Sea, or how great Springes are in the beginning of the depth, or the stretching out of the Heauen, or which are the borders of Paradise, peraduenture thou wouldest say to mee: I neuer went downe to the deepe, I neuer descended downe into Hell, nor clymed vppe into Hea­uen: but nowe, I asked thee of fire and wind, and of the day whereby thou hast passed, and from whence thou canst not bee separa­ted, and yet thou canst giue me no aunswere of them. Howe then shall thy vessell bee able [Page] to comprehend the wayes of the highest? Why should foolish man, which is made of the Gen. 3. basest mould enter into the secretes of his God, who is wise in heart, mightie in Iob. 9. strength, who remoueth the earth out of her place, causeth the pillars thereof to shake, com­maundeth the sunne and it riseth not, closeth vp the starres as vnder a signet, createth Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the climates of the South, spreadeth out the heauens, walketh on the Iob. 11. height of the Sea, whose perfection is higher than heauen, deeper than hell, longer than the earth, broder than the Sea. Our sauiour Christ saith: Watch ye therefore, because ye know not what houre your Maister will come: And to Mat. 24. that ende may we not knowe, because wee should alwayes watch. We are taught by the Scriptures, that God hath two bookes, and both of them are written for vs to read, and in those bookes are contained al things concerning this argument, which are either conuenient for vs to knowe, or lawfull for vs to search. The one is the booke of grace, which is the volume of the olde and newe Testament, though euer lying open, yet sealed vp to many wise, learned, and dis­creete men of the world, because reading they vnderstand not, for, they read as did [Page] the Eunuch the prophesie of Esay, but it is very easie to be vnderstoode of all belee­uers, Acts 8. for whose saluation it was written by the holy Ghost, which is the finger of gods Exod. 8. hand. The other is the booke of nature, that great frame and engine of the worlde, alwayes lying open to the view of naturall men, and neuer shut vp, because it is no­thing else, but epistola scripta ad humanum genus, a long letter or a large epistle writ­ten, not to the faithfull onely, but to al man­kind, to all which bee illuminated by the light of nature, not such a letter as is sealed vp with his priuie signet Multi vocati, pau­ci Matt. 20 2. Tim. 2. electi, many are called and few are chosen, and solus deus nouit suos, only God knoweth his; but his letters patents, wherein is writ­ten, Domini est terra & plenitudo eius, the Psal. 24 Psal. 8 earth is the Lordes and all that therein is, and Quid est homo quod memor es illius? what is man that thou art so mindefull of him? alwayes lying open that euery man may read, and written in folio, that standing a far off they may reade, and in great capital letters, that running they may reade. And vpon more than we can finde written in these two bookes, wee may not presume. But, as for the third booke which is called [Page] the booke of life, and the booke sealed vp Phil. 4 Dan. 12 Exod. 32 Apoc. 22 Apoc. 5 with seuen seales, which is the secrete will of God, it is not reuealed to Angels, much lesse to men: in that booke are written gods secret counsels, concerning the election of Iacob, and reprobation of Esau, the calling of the Gentiles, and reiecting of the Iewes, which go beyond the capacitie of man, and finallie of this last and dreadfull iudgement, the time whereof the Apostles desired to knowe, but no directer aunswere was gi­uen them than this: Of the day and houre Mat. 24 knoweth no man, &c: And it is not for you to knowe the times and seasons which the Acts 1 Father hath appoynted in his owne power. Daniel desired to knowe, but it was saide Dan. 12 vnto him: But thou, O Daniel shut vp the wordes and seale vp the Booke till the ende of the time.

Nowe out of the booke of nature, con­cerning this time, though we cannot disci­pher vnto you the houre, day, moneth or yeare, because it is not there reuealed, yet in that booke we do read that it is very neare. For, nature beginneth generally to inter­mit her woonted course, the mother Ele­ments of the worlde, whereof things in this lower world are made, doe loose their [Page] qualities and naturall vigour which they had before, the Starres and Planets of hea­uen waxe dimme and olde, not so well a­ble to preserue our earthly bodies, the ce­lestiall spheres bee almost wearie of their woonted motions and regular volubilitie, the prince of the lights of Heauen, which Psal. 19 before came as a bridegroome trimmed out of his chamber dooth not looke vppon vs with so chearefull an aspect, and that gi­ant, which before did runne his vnwea­ried race, dooth as it were by a langui­shing faintnesse beginne to stand and rest himselfe, the times and seasons of the yeare doc blend themselues with disordered and confused mixture, the windes are in a rea­dinesse to breath out their last gaspe, our mother the earth defeated of that aboun­dance of heauenly influence which at the first shee had, is out of heart, waxeth bar­ren and dead like the wombe of Sara: the herbes and simples which are appointed Gen: 11 Rom. 4 for medicines for mans bodie, haue almost lost their operation and vertue, and man himselfe, whom all these things do serue, is of lower stature, lesse strength, shor­ter life than at the first he was, so that there is a generall decay of natures, and in euerie [Page] leafe of that booke it is written, that the frame of that heauenly arch erected ouer our heads must very shortly lose & dissolue it selfe. In the other booke, which is the ho­ly Bible, are many prophesies concerning that last houre, and all the signes and tokens which in these prophesies are foretold to go any distance of time before the day of iudg­ment, are already come to passe, onely one excepted, which is the last and generall vocation of the Iewes, which when, and in how short space it shalbe fulfilled, the Lord onely in his wisdome knoweth. But among all those tokens, this is principally to be no­ted, which Christ foretold. As the dayes of Noah were, so shal the comming of the son of mā be. In the daies of Noah I note two things, Matt. 24 Gen. 6. first, great oppressiō, in that there were gi­ants vpon the earth, secondly, a general cor­ruption of all flesh, insomuch that God re­pented him that he had made man vpō the earth, and he was sory in his heart. And by that prophesie it is plaine, that the sonne of man now standeth knocking at our doores, because the like times to the daies of Noah are come againe. Touching the first, the gi­ants are nowe more in number, prouder in heart, loftier in their lookes, stouter in their [Page] gate and pace, than they were in the dayes of Noah: for almost euery rich man is a gy­ant in the place where he dwelleth. The potters vessell said to the brazen caldron. Tua mihi vicinitas non placet soror: I will not come nigh thee for feare of a knocke, nei­ther dareth the poore man dwell by the rich for feare of a check. It is not safe for the poore man to cōtend with the rich though his cause be good, no more than it is for the earthen pitcher to iustle with the brazen cauldron swimming down the streame, lest it be broken all to potsherds. Better it is to lose his right, with peace and quietnes. Re­port is made of an Emperor which desired to marry his owne daughter, he asked coun­sell of the lawyers, whether the marriage were lawfull or not? they aunswered, that they knew no law in particular which al­loweth a father to marry his daughter, but neuerthelesse they had found out a law in generall which would permit the same, be­cause euery mighty mā might do what him listed. I wish that all men to whō the sword of iustice is committed, would remember the prophesie of the poet Chaucer.

We reade of Nimrod which was a great hunter vpon the earth. But I feare least in Gen. 10 our dayes, in stead of that one, we haue ma­ny Nimrods, which hunt as the Lion did with foxes and asses, which when they had taken their prey, the Lion beeing able by force to take all to himselfe, woulde seeme verie iust, and take no more than by right was due vnto him, and to impart the rest to his fellow hunters. Wherefore, because it is a rule: Cuius est partitio, eius non est e­lectio: The same may not bee both a di­uider and a chooser, he caused the Asse to diuide the spoyle. The Asse like a sim­ple animal, as an Asse would doe, diuided it verie iustly into three equall portions, the Lion misliking the diuision, tore the Asse in peeces, then he bid the Fox mend the diuision; the Foxe allotted the grea­test part to the Lion, and little or nothing to himselfe: whereupon, the Fox was com­mended to be the best geometrician. As for the second, God may now repent him, as he did in the dayes of Noah, that hee made [Page] man vppon the earth, for the prophesie of Christ is fulfilled: Charitie waxeth colde, Luke 13 Mat. 24 iniquitie doth abound: faith is not found vp­on the earth. There is a ripenesse of sinne, Apoc. 14 and what can bee expected but an haruest, that the Angell thrust his sharpe sickle on the earth and cutte downe the clusters of the Vineyard, and cast them into the great wine fatte of the wrath of God. Sinne is not now Peccatum habitans, but regnans, not making his abode with vs, but raig­ning ouer vs, it hath gotten a longer and larger iurisdiction ouer the world, than Iu­lius Caesar had ouer the Senat, which obtai­ned Perpetuam Dictaturam: An euerlasting Dictatorship, the like not heard of before. The sinnes which now raigne are so gene­rall, that it may well be said: Vir bonus est a­nimal rarum: He which will find a iust and vpright man vpon the earth, must take a candle at noone dayes, and seeke in the rushes as it were for a pinne or a needle that is lost, and say with Diogenes: Quaero ho­minem, I seeke a man. And which is more, they be Clamantia peccata, Crying sinnes, because the crie of them ascendeth vp into Gen. 4. heauen, as did the bloud of Abell for vengeance against vs, and the soules of the [Page] martirs vnder the altar, vsury, simony, bribe­rie, Apoc. 6 Gen. 3 Psal. 32 and contempt of the ministers of God, & pride which was the first cause of the fal of man. The prophet Dauid said, beati quorū iniquitates sunt tectae, &c: Blessed are they whose iniquities are couered, and to whom the Lord hath imputed no sin, but now it is become a prouerbe among vs, Happy is that child whose father goeth to the deuill. The Iewes which were accounted the extremest vsurers in the world, tooke interest only of strangers, and not of their owne nation, but our countrimen worse than Iewes, spare none, and which is the greatest hypocrisie, no man maketh more account outwardly of them which preach against vsury, than doth the vsurer, and those which wil hear 3. Ser­mons in a day, thinke thirty pounds interest in the hundred to be too little. And, how­soeuer they seeme outwarly zealous, yet haue they within them, that I may vse the speach of the apostle, conscientiam cauteria­tam, a conscience feared with an hot iron, 1. Tim. 4 and, notwithstanding their diligence in fre­quenting sermons, and reading the Scrip­tures, they forget what is written there, that it shall be harder for any rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen, than it shalbe [Page] for a camell to passe through the eie of a Luke 18 needle, but, that no vsurer shall dwell in the Lords tabernacle, nor rest vpō his holy hill. Psal. 15 William Rufus, once king of England, is no­ted for pride, which pride in respect of these dayes were great humilitie. His chamber­laine brought him in the morning a newe pair of breeches, the best that could be got­ten, the price was foure shillings. The king swore no small oath, that he would haue a paire which should cost him a marke in sil­uer: no breeches were thē of so high a price, the chamberlaine to satisfie the kings mind, brought a worse paire then the first, affir­ming that they cost a marke. I mary, quoth Rufus, here are a pair of breeches for a king. Four shillings thē sufficed for a pair of bree­ches for a king, but I feare shortly it will be a prouerbe: 500. pounds for a paire of pan­taples for a subiect. Euery man can bee con­tent to goe in soft rayment, as they doe in Luke 16 the courts of princes, & to be clothed with purple, as was the rich glutton which is bu­ried in hell, euery man can take delight in the Babilonian garmēt, which is framed ac­cording to the fashiō of this world, but few will put on the wedding garment, which is Mat. 12 charitie, and a good conscience; men will be [Page] clothed like women, and women like men, not regarding the curse denounced of the Lord. But as for the girdle of truth, the brest Deut. 22 Ephe. 6 plate of righteousnesse, the shield of faith, the helmet of saluation, the sworde of the spirit, and the shooes of peace, they are layde aside as olde shooes, and neuer come within our Wardrops. You will not bee clothed as the kings daughter which is glo­rious Psal. 41 within, but like painted sepulchres which are faire without, and within are full of dead mens bones.

Offices are commonly solde, and there­fore it is no maruaile though the officers be corrupt. Whosoeuer can bee entertay­ned in the seruice of a noble man, is in re­putation for his maisters sake, be he neuer so base; but the ministers of Gods worde, which serue the king of kings and Lord of Lords, whose seruice is perfect freedome, in whose house it is better to bee a doore keeper, than to dwell in the tabernacles of princes, euen him whome all other kings and lords ought to serue, are despised for their seruice sake, be they neuer so nobly discended. But I haue text for them: Whoso­euer Mat. 10 Iohn 10 Luke 13 Luke. 21 heareth you, heareth me: and whosoeuer de­spiseth you, despiseth me, and hee that despiseth [Page] me, dispiseth him that sent me. Our Sauiour Christ tolde his Apostles that they should be hated of all men for his sake, and at that time it was no great marvaile, because they liued among Iewes and infidels; but nowe we are in maner hated of christians, & most of al of them which make the greatest shew of zeale, and profession of religion, and are the greatest frequenters of sermons. They are as cruell as Pharao of Egypt which Exod. 5 woulde compell the children of Israel in their bondage to make brickes and tyles, but denied them straw and morter to work withall, so they call vpon vs for hospitali­tie, but detaine from vs our tithes and com­modities, which are as due to vs as their lands are to them, and without which it is as vnpossible to keepe hospiralitie, as it was for the Hebrues to woorke without straw. I deny not, but in som sort, the reue­nues of the church are competent, but they are in the hands of lay mē to maintain their pride: we beare the name, and they reape the commodity, and yet slander vs, because we keepe not hospitalitie. Wil. Rufus was wont to say, that the Church breade was sweet bread, and Iulian the apostata would rob the ministers pretending conscience, [Page] because so much liuing was a burden vnto them, & an hinderance vnto their ministe­rie, we haue many as hungry as Wil. Rufus, and as conscionable as Iulian the Apostata, vpon whom, though God doth not present­ly shew tokens of his wrath as he did vpon them, which caused one to be stroken with a dart vpon earth, and the other with an ar­row from heauen, yet, there is an heauie iudgement reserued for them, & their dam­nation sleepeth not. I beseech you pardon me though I refrain not to speak, for I feare least being silent, I should be guilty of their sins, and incur the reprehension of the pro­phet Dauid: When thou sawest a theefe, thou Psal: 50 didst run with him. Salomon though a king, not ashamed to bee a preacher, sheweth vs that all things haue a time. But one thing e­specially I note, where he saith: There is a time to gather stones, and a time to cast stones a­way. Eccle. 3 The time of gathering stones was a time of deuotion, and it continued in Eng­land about 900. yeares, and now that time is ended, the time of casting away stones is gaped after, to suppres that in one age which was, not erected in many: which time, in vaine do they looke for, as long as our most gracious lady and mistresse, our dread soue­raine [Page] Queene Elizabeth reigneth, and most humbly I beseech God, that if it be his most blessed will, she may reigne ouer vs to the worlds end. But, when that time shall come, it will be manifest to all the world, that ini­quity hath got the vpper hād, that nothing can then be expected, but fire and brimston to raine from heauen as it did vpon Sodom, or else, it wil be high time for vs to crie: Etiā Gen. 19. Apoc. 22. veni Domine Iesu, venicito, Come Lord Iesus, come quickly. I know my sharp reprehension doth offend them which be guiltie, but I consider that I am sent as a sheepe to hunt after wolues, and I know the worst that ra­uening wolues can do; they can but deuour. I must do my maisters message, and if you Matt. 10 Acts. 12. and 8 regard it not. I shake the dust off my feet a­gainst you, and your blood bee vpon your owne heads, I am cleare, I feare not man which hath power ouer the bodie only, but God which is able to destroy both body and Matt. 10 soule in hell fire. The crying sin of simonie reigneth euery where, and patrōs of benefi­ces chuse their ministers, not as the gods chose their trees into their patronage for good qualities: Iupiter the oke, because it was good for building: Neptune the pine because it serued to make ships: Apollo the [Page] bay, because it was greene: Hercules the popple, because it was streight and tall like himself, notwithstāding all these trees were without fruit, because the gods were hono­rably minded, and would not Fructu honorē vendere, sell promotions for commoditie: but as the goddesse Minerua, which chose the oliue tree, because it was fat. At the first the patronage of benefices was committed to Gentlemen vpon trust, because great confidence was in them reposed, but nowe they haue gotten it into their hands, they do as it was said of pope Alexander:

They accōpt the lords portion their own fee simple and inheritance, they bought the patronage, & therfore they wil sell the pre­sentation, so that they which vpō especiall trust reposed in thē aboue other men were chosen patrōs & defenders, are become rob­bers & spoilers of the church. They cry out for a learned ministery, wheras in deed they pick but quarels with vs, intending nothing les thā a learned ministery, for they wil wil­lingly present none, but such as are base, ig­norāt, & beggerly, because such persons wil easily accept of benefices vpō vnlawful cō ­ditiōs. Many painful studēts do earnestly de­sire [Page] to enter into the lords haruest, but they cānot be set a worke, for they know no way but one, to be set ouer a flocke, which is in right, the gift of the holy ghost, but by the sorcery of St. Magus, whose art magick is so common throughout the land, that there be few patrons which are not bewitched with the same, they haue forgot the text: he that taketh counsell of a sorcerer shall die the death. Leui. 20 The voice of Iudas to the high priests, whē he sold Christ, is cōmon in their mouthes, Mat. 24 quid mihi dabitis, & ego tradā vobis? What wil you giue, & I wil giue you the presenta­tion, but they remēber not the answer of Si. Peter to Si. Magus, thy mony perish with thee, Acts 8 which thinkest, &c. This corruptiō wilbe the decay of al religiō. Wherfore it is now high time that Moses assist his brother Aaron. But haue ye not hard the fable of the hors & the asse, which were loded togither & ready to go their iourny? the asse being ouerladen made his mone to the horse that he would ease him, but was neied at by the horse that caried the lighter burdē: the Asse tired & died by the way: wherupō the husbandman laid the dead asses pack vpō the hors, so that wheras before he bore but I. burdē, he was constraind to cary 2, & when his backe was broken, hee could but lament his miserie. [Page] The horse betokeneth the nobility, because he is fit for warre, and is generosum animal, a noble beast. The sily asse because he is sim­ple, fit by nature to beare heauy burdens, beaten, kicked, & spurned at by euery one, doth represent the cleargie, which are sore loaded with slanders and manifest wrongs, being strooken on the right cheeke turne Mat. 5 the left, being robbed of their cote, giue al­so their cloke, being cursed, they blesse, re­uiled, reuile not againe. I need not tell you the morall of this fable, for Verbum sapienti dictum sat est, A word spoken to a wise man will suffice.

Ye haue heard how the sonne of man stan­deth knocking at your doores, and that now it is not an houre to his comming to iudge­ment, and come he will suddenly when he is not looked for. What then? Shall the foo­lish Mat. 25 virgins slumber in the darke while the bridegroom passeth by? Shal Sampson snort in Dalilaes lap in the middest of the Phili­stins? Iud. 16 Mat. 3 Luke 12 Shall the disciples suffer Christ to sleep while the ship is couered with waues? shal the couetous man enlarge his barnes & say to his soule take thy rest for many years, whereas that night his soule shall be taken from him? shall Loth build stately towers [Page] in Sodom being warned by the Angell to depart thence with speed, because it shalbe destroyed with brimstone from heauen? why then doe we purchase lands as if wee would dwell alone, and lay vp money as if we would liue alone vpon the earth? why do we erect such loftie buildings, the groundworke whereof is laid of strife and discord, the morter whereof is tempered with the tears of widowes, the windowes beautified with the spoile of Orphanes, the beams and supporters, of the fal of good yeomē? Why do we say (with the Idumeās) of gods house, Downe with it, downe with it, to the ground. Psal. 137 Rase it vp, rase it vp to the pauement, and raise our own houses as high as the wals of Troy, or rather, if it might be, as the tower of Ba­bel? seeing that we cannnt inioy them lon­ger than an houre. Galen maketh mention of a melancholy man, which reading in po­ets, how Atlas supported heauen with his shoulders, receiued so deepe an impression of the same in his mind, that he was in a bo­dily feare least Atlas should faint, and let heauen fall vpon our heads. And, shall we which be Christians liue in such carnall se­curity, that when we see, as it were with our eies, and heare dayly with our eares, that [Page] heauen cracketh, haue so little feeling as to think heauē would stand for euer? let vs ra­ther with Noah enter into the arke, let vs with Lot depart speedily out of Sodom, & that as Lot himself did, which wēt forward, not as his wife which looked backe, and was turned into a pillar of salt, let vs with Eze­chias prepare our selues to die, and bid the world adue. Let vs as Christ willeth vs gird vp our loines, haue our lamps lighted in our hands, that we may be ready to meete the bride. Let vs rather folow the example of sir Tho. More, of whom it is said, that being of­fered a petition by a woman, as hee went to his execution, aunswered: Woman, I am now going about the kings busines, I haue no leysure to read petitions; than of Richard the third in Bosworth field, who being him selfe as a deadman, prepared to execute the L. Standlies son, his friends told him, it was not then any time to do execution, but high time to looke to himselfe. I wish that the great Polititians and Wizards of this world, who intend as much sacriledge as he did murther, would begin to be as wise to­wards God, as they are towards the world, and at the last consider, that it is nowe no time to cōmit sacriledge, but it is high time [Page] for them to think on their owne saluation. S. Peter putteth them in mind of two god­ly meditations far more fit for these times, and most profitable for the health of their soules, Frst, saith he, Seeing all those things 2. Pet. 3 must be dissolued, what maner of persons ought you to be in holy conuersation and godlines, loo­king for, & hastning to the comming of the day of God, by the which the heauens being on fire must be dissolued, and the elements shall melt with heat? Secondly, we must looke for a new heauen and a newe earth, according to his pro­mise, wherein righteousnes doth dwel: land see­ing that wee looke for such things, wee must bee diligent, that we may bee found without spot or blamelesse.

Some what remaineth to be spoken of the second part, which is, of the cōming of An­tichrist, whose cōming the Apostle taketh for a most sure ground to prooue that it is the end of the world, where hee saith: Yee haue heard that Antichrist shal come: euen now there are many Antichrists, whereby wee knowe that it is the last houre. In my discourse of the comming of Antichrist, first, because that name hath many significations, I will by foure distinctions take away the ambi­guitie of the word. Secondly, I will define [Page] what Antichrist is. Thirdly, I will descend to particulers, to discouer vnto you that mā of sinne, and to point out who is that Anti­christ whom the Apostle meaneth in this place, which shalbe a sufficiēt proof against our countrimē of Rhemes, that his cōming is not now to be expected, but that he was 900. yeares since reueled to vs. Such as haue learned the rudiments of Grammer, are not ignorant, that this proposition [...], signifi­eth these things: likenesse and equalitie, in which sense no man can be Antichrist, be­cause no man can be like him, or equal with him: any one which is in the place & steed of another, according to which signification the pope falsly taketh vpon him that he is Antichrist, which is, Christs deputie, or vi­car generall ouer his Church: contrarietie, and so euery one is Antichrist, which is an aduersarie vnto Christ, & of this Antichrist only the Apostle speaketh, which maintai­neth doctrine contrary to that which our sa­uiour Christ hath taught, and therfore is an aduersarie vnto him. And this Antichrist which is Christs aduersary, is takē two ma­ner of wayes in the scriptures, as Saint Iohn hath distinguished in this place, either ge­nerally for any aduersary of the truth, or [Page] more especially for such an enemy as is ca­pital, & notorious aboue the rest. For, where he saith, Euen now there are many Antichrists, he speaketh not of any one person, or state, or succession, or kingdome, aboue the rest, but generally of all, which oppose thēselues against any point of Christs doctrine. But, where he saith: Ye haue heard that Antichrist shal come, he speaketh [...], of one which is eminent, and notoriously opposeth him­selfe, not in one point, but in the chief que­stions of Christian religion.

Againe, this famous and notorious Anti­christ, is either political, or ecclesiastical, for Apoc. 13 1 Iohn. 4. Apoc. 13 Apoc. 17 the old empire of Rome vnder the heathēs, which Iohn calleth a beast with seuē heads and ten hornes, is the politicall Antichrist, which flourished in the Apostles time, of which he said: he is now alreadie in the world, but the ecclesiasticall Antichrist, which is called by 3. names, as the beast ascēding out of the earth with 2. horns, &, the harlot sit­ting vpon the first beast, and the beast that was, & is not, is the eight, & is one of the se­uen, which 3. names signifie one thing, that is, the state of Popes raigning in the place of the Emperors (for, that is to sit vpon the beast with seuen heads) and they are called a [Page] beast for their crueltie, a woman for their Ezec: 23 Hosea. 2 2. Thes. 2 pride, an harlot for their idolatrie, which is spirituall fornication. And this Ecclesiasti­call Antichrist is taken also two manner of waies by S. Paule, either properly, or figu­ratiuely, properly for an whole bodie, or kingdome, or state, which is opposite to Christ, where he saith: There must come a departure or a reuoltment first, and, the miste­rie of iniquitie doth alreadie worke. In which words he speaketh of a generall Apostacie from sound religion. For, in Diuinitie con­trary to the rules of Logick, indefinite pro­positions in matter contingent, are almost vniuersall, not to bee vnderstoode of some few, but either of all, or else of the greatest part, as for example: Iniquitie shall abound, Luke 18 Matt. 24 charitie shall waxe cold faith shal not be found vpon the earth: not the iniquitie, or faith, or charity of a few, is to be vnderstood, but almost of all the inhabitants of the earth. Againe, with the whore haue committed for­nication Apoc. 17 the inhabitants of the earth, the pro­position is indefinite, yet generally to bee vnderstoode, for so it is interpreted in the Chapter following: All nations haue drunk Apo. 18 of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. But, where he saith: An aduersarie that ex­alteth [Page] himselfe aboue all that is called God, and sitteth as god in the temple of god, by the figure Synechdoche, he meaneth only the head and prince of that Apostacie and reuoltment from Christ: Wherfore, Antichrist is to be vnderstoode in this place, in the first diui­sion, according to the third signification, on­ly for him that is opposed against Christ, and an aduersarie vnto his truth, not euerie aduersarie, but one more singular and noto­rious than the rest, not politicall, but Eccle­siasticall, not in the proper signification, for the whole bodie or kingdome, but by a Sy­nechdoche, for the head & prince of that An­tichristian Apostacie and rebellion.

Hauing by distinctions vnfolded vnto you the ambiguitie of this name Antichrist, and shewed howe it is to be vnderstood in this place, I define him in this maner: An­tichrist is a succession of Bishops, disciphe­red out by certaine notes and marks in the holy Scriptures, which professing the name of Christ, doe oppose themselues agaynst him in many chiefe points of Christian re­ligion. That he is not one particular man but an whole succession of many men, I prooue by these two reasons: first, it was prophecied that Antichrist that purple [Page] harlot, should make drunke with the wine Apo. 18 of her formicatiō, al the nations of the earth. And that Antichrist, that two horned beast. should giue life to the Image of the beast Apoc. 13 which was destroied, that is, he should re­store the decaied state of the Roman Em­pire, by setting vp new Emperours in the West, which in respect of the former Em­perors are but Images, and very shadowes: that he should make many peoples & king­doms subiect vnto himself. But these things could not bee brought to passe in one mans age, therefore Antichrist is not one man, but a succession of many. Secondly, no one Methusalem could liue from the Apostles time vnto the end of the world, but Anti­christ is described in the Scriptures to bee such a one as must liue from the Apostles time vntill the end of the world, as it is eui­dent by S. Paul. For, of his beginning, hee saith, The misterie of iniquitie doth alreadie worke, so that albeit he was not then reuea­led, Thes. 2. 2 because that same [...] that obstacle or hinderance, which was the Roman Em­perour, was not then remoued from Rome to Cōstantinople, that he might giue place to the Pope, the time was not accompli­shed when the head of iniquitie should be [Page] ioined to the body, and so made perfect: yet S. Paul doth acknowledge that he was al­readie come, when he himselfe liued: and, of his ende, he faith: Hee must be consumed with the breath of Gods mouth, and abolished with the brightnes of his comming. But, the breath of Gods mouth is his word, and the prea­ching of the Gospel.

Sibilla the prophetesse, foretold that he should be destroyed with linnen, and paper (you knowe) is made of rags of linnen, and the Gospell is written in paper, and this Gospel weakeneth his kingdome, but he is not to be vtterly abolished, but by the pre­sence of Christ. Therefore he is [...] not one man, but an whole succession. The Papists of Rhemes argue against vs out of this very text, where he saith [...], that Antichrist, to proue that he is but one par­ticular man, and not a succession, as though this article: should necessarily point at one, and demonstrate some certaine man. But I will shew by two instances, how their argument doth not follow. First, this article: doth not alwayes demonstrate, for it is v­sed three maner of wayes in the holy Scrip­ture, either [...], or [...], or [...], de­monstratiuely to point at one particular, or [Page] emphatically, as in this place, or idlely, and to no purpose, as it is often and in euery page of the Greeke text. Let one example among a thousande suffice, [...]. 2. Iohn. 3 He that sinneth is of the di­uell not any one in particular, but euery one in a generalitie that sinneth. Secondly if it were granted, (as it is denied) that this arti­cle doth necessarily import some one speci­al man, according to the Grammatical sense, yet doth it not follow, that one man there­fore were to be vnderstood, because it is the maner of the scriptures to speake of whole successions as if it were but of one. Daniel Dan. 7 describeth three Monarchies, euery one cō ­teining diuerse successions of kings, by the names of three beasts, the Empire of the Ba­bylonians by one Lion, of the Persians by one Beare, of the Macedonians by one Leo­pard, he speaketh of many as if he spake but of one: wherefore, although his maner of speaking importeth but one, not one, but many are to be vnderstood.

That Antichrist is a succession of Bi­shops, not of Turkes or Pagans, or secular princes, it is plaine out of the text, he must 2. Thes. 2. sit in the Temple of God, not in the materiall temple of Salomon, which is now no more [Page] a temple, but the spirituall temple which is the Church, as S. Augustine doth inter­pret De ciuit: Dei. li. 20 cap. 19 it: and he must assume vnto himselfe Ecclesiasticall authoritie, to excommuni­cate, to teach the worde, to ordaine Mini­sters, which no succession of secular princes euer did. The markes and tokens whereby Antichrist is disclosed, are to be discussed in the particularizing and discouering vnto you who is Antichrist that son of perdition, of whom the Apostle speaketh.

Littleton, a common lawier, in an Epilogue annexed to his booke, disableth himselfe, and detracteth from his owne learning, say­ing, that he cannot warrant all to bee lawe which he hath written. Howsoeuer I haue not attayned vnto that measure of know­ledge in Gods booke which hee had in the lawes of this land, yet I am more confident and I dare warrant you against all papists in the world, my soule for yours, that albeit some learned protestants being ouer-much modest, make a doubt whether Antichrist be yet reuealed or not, affirming that if he be reuealed, he is the Bishop of Rome: this doctrine which I shall deliuer you, is sound and currant diuinitie, that the succession of the Bishops of Rome, which hath cōtinued [Page] about nine hundred yeeres, is that Anti­christ which is mētioned in the holy scrip­tures. For confirmation of this conclusion, I will alledge no other proofes than the au­thoritie of the Scriptures, which do suffici­ently set down all the misteries of his reue­ation. As for the Fathers, though far lear­nedder than any which liue in our dayes, their iudgements are different one from a­nother, that no certaintie can bee gathered out of their writings, neither could they at­taine to anie certaine knowledge heereof, for as much as Antichrist which hath al­readie disclosed himselfe to vs, was not re­uealed when they liued, and it was vnpossi­ble to know him but by the euēts of things which now are, but then were not come to passe. Wherefore I admit no interpretation of scriptures concerning this prophesie, but onely the euent which is the most faithful interpreter of all prophesies. For, I am sure there cannot be a more euident demōstra­tion than this: wee see it alreadie come to passe, that all the prophecies concerning the reuelation of Antichrist, are fulfilled in the Bishops of Rome, and can al be verified of none else, therfore the Bishops of Rome are Antichrist. My antecedent I prooue in [Page] this manner: All the prophecies wherein he is described, are contained in the 2. Thes. 2. and the Reuelation of S. Iohn. As for Daniel, though som of the learned haue al­legorically applied his prophecies vnto an­tichrist, which are properly ment of Anti­ochus, I deny that he euer writ of antichrist at all. As for S. Paul, he prophesieth in this maner: That day shall not come, vnles there be a departure first, & that man of sin be disclosed, euen the son of perdition, which is an aduersa­ry, & exalteth himself against all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he doth sit as God in the temple of God shewing himself that he is God, & now ye know what with-holdeth that bee might be reuealed in his time, for the mistery of iniquity doth already work, only that which with-holdeth shal hinder still, vntil it be taken away, and then shall the wicked one be re­uealed, whom the Lord shall destroy with the breath of his mouth, & abolish with the brightnes of his comming, euan him, whose cōming is by the work of a Sathan, with al power & signes, & lying wonders. In which words, I obserue 4. things which disclose antichrist vnto vs; his pride, He exalteth himselfe aboue God, a Esay 14 Lucifer did; his seat; He sitteth in the temple of God, as if he were God, the time when he [Page] shuld begin to reigne, when that which with holdeth should be taken away, which was the politicall Antichrist, the Roman Emperors should depart frō Rome: the maner how he should establish his kingdome, by signes and delusions of Satan, & lying wonders. But that the Bishops of Rome take vpon them to be gods, and which is more, take to themselues authoritie aboue God, it appeareth by the Laterane Counsell holden vnder Leo the tenth. wherein thus we reade: In Papaest omnis potestas supra ownes potestates tam caeli quam terrae, the popes power is aboue all powers both in heauen and earth. That he sitteth in the Temple of God, it cannot be denied, because his seat is Rome. The Rhe­mists can not prooue vnto vs that the mate­riall temple of Salomon is heere to be vn­derstood, for that temple is destroyed, and that temple with the vse wherevnto it was ordained, is vtterly abolished by the lawe of God, so that if it were reedified, it were no more the temple of God, but a place of idolatry & abomination, and if any suspect that that temple may be builded againe, let him call to remembrance how the Iewes once obtained leaue of Iulian the Apostata to reedifie it, but God shewed manifest [Page] signes of his displeasure, which caused the foūdation therof to be shakē a sunder with Ruff. li. 10 38. & 39. earthquakes, and that which was builded in the day, to bee burnt vp with lighthing from heauen by night, Wherefore the tem­ple which is the seate of Antichrist is spiri­tually to be vnderstood, as also, by reason of the wordes which goe before, where hee speaketh of an Apostacie and reuoltment from true religion, which could not bee a­mong the Iewes, among whome true reli­gion then was not, and now is not profes­sed, so that Antichrist sitteth in the church, and indeede hee hath chosen that Church for his seate, which was then most famous for the profession of the Gospell, as S. Paul himselfe gaue testimony, when hee writ to the Romans, that their faith was heard of Rom. 1 through the whole worlde. And, which is more than that, he sitteth in the Church of God, as if he were God, intituling himselfe Christs vicar general ouer the earth, which belongeth only to the holy Ghost which is God, whome Christ did substitute in his roome at his departure from vs, that hee might continue with vs, during the time of his absence, saying: The Comforter which is the holy Ghost, the father will send in my name, Iohn 14 [Page] he shall teach you al trueth: the Father shall giue you a Comforter which shal abide with you for euer. As for the time of his reuelation, hee was then to be reuealed, when the hinde­rance was taken away, which hinderance was the abode of the Emperours at Rome, which the Apostle spared to expresse in writing for these two reasons: first, because he made it sufficiently knowen by word of mouth vnto the faithful: secondly, because it might haue bin dangerous to the church, for the Emperours taking offence there at, would haue persecuted the Christians as busi-bodies in matters of state. But the hin­derance was the Romane Emperors, which were first to depart from Rome, and giue place to the Popes, because both Emperors and Popes could not reigne togither in one city. And that hinderance was taken away long since, when Constantine the great, translated his imperiall seate to Constanti­nople, and indowed the Popes with the ci­tie of Rome, and a great part of Italy lying about it. The emperours then being farre off, and by reason of continuall warres with Saracens and enimies in the East, not able to maintaine their own right in the West, the Popes incroched vpon them too farre, and [Page] vsurped so much authoritie, that they dis­carded them cleane in Italy, and at their pleasure set vp other Emperours in the Weast, but such as would take an oathe to be subiect to the Apostolike See of Rome, and acknowledge the Popes to be vniuer­sall Bishops. So the hinderance was taken away when Constantine remoued to Con­stantinople, and Antichrist was manifestly disclosed not long after, when Boniface the third obtained the title of vniuersal Bishop, which was 900. yeares agoe, for as Grego­rie Lib. 4. e­pist. 38. saith: none but Antichrist would assume vnto him such a title. As for the power of sathan, and signes, and wonders, whereby his kingdome was established, and the ig­norant people deceiued. I referre you vnto their owne legends of lies. Al the prophe­cies of saint Iohn, concerning the disclosing of Antichrist, are comprehended in the 13. and 17. chapters of his Reuelation. In his 13. chapter he describeth two Antichrists, the one Politicall, which flourished in his time, the other Ecclesiasticall, which was not then disclosed, but now reigneth, and beganne his dominion when the politicall Antichrist was taken away. The politicall Antichrist he describeth in this maner: By [Page] the figure Senecdoche, taking Rome which was caput imperij, the chiefe Citie for the whole Empire. He calleth it a beast, follow­ing the example of Daniel, which called 4. Dan. 7. Monarchies foure beasts.

This beast hath the shape of a Beare, a Leopard, and a Lion, because it consisted of three other Empires, of the Persians Macedonians, and Babilonians before de­stroyed, which by these three beasts were represented. This beast had ten hornes, and seuen heads: the ten hornes are interpreted in the seuenteenth chapter to be ten kings or kingdomes, into which the old Empire was to bee diuided after the decay thereof, which afterward came to passe: the number of ten, which is certaine, beeing vsed for an vncertaine number, according to the maner of the Scriptures. The seuen heads, chap­ter seuenteene, are interpreted to be seuen hils, and seuen kings or orders of supreme Gouernours. But Rome hath seuen heades, whether you take them for hils or Kings, The hils which it was builded vppon, are these, Capitolinus, Palatinus, Auentinus, Celius, Exquilinus, Viminalis, Quirinalis. The orders of Gouernours by whom it was ruled at seuerall times by reason of alterati­ons, [Page] were Kings, Consuls, Dictators, De­cemuiri, Triumuiri, Emperours of the aun­cient Nobilitie of Rome, and lastly, Empe­rors of strange families. Vpon those heads, whether yee talke them for hils or Kings, were the names of blasphemie: for, vpon the hils were builded Temples, dedicated to Minerua, Saturne, and heathen gods, and the Gouernors or Kings themselues, were heathens, and worshipped Idols of the Gentiles.

One of the seuen heads, which was the race of the Emperours of the auncient Ro­man Nobilitie, was wounded in the person of Nero: which beeing the last of the Fa­mily of Iulius, flue himselfe; after whose death, the whole estate of the Empire was in ieopardy, by reason of disention among them that did affect the Empire. But that deadly wound was healed againe by Ves­pasran, which appeased all strife, and him­selfe sustained the burden of the Empyre: Fiue of those kings, saith the Angel, are fal­len, one is, the other is yet to come, and when he commeth, he must continue but a short space. Those fiue which were fallen, were Kings, Consuls, Dictators, Triumuiri, Decem­uiri: which order of Gouernours were [Page] abrogated before S. Iohns time: the sixt, which was of the Emperours of the aunci­ent Nobilitie of Rome, was then remay­ning when S. Iohn liued, Domitian being Emperour; the seuenth, which was of the Emperors of straunge families, was then to come: and when it came, it continued not long after the departure of Constantine into the East. To which hee addeth, The beast which was and is not, is the eight, and is one of the seuen, and shall go into destruction. By which eight, hee meaneth the order of the Popes. Of the beast, meaning the whole Empire, hee speaketh in this man­ner: The beast which thou sawest, was and is not, and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit: meaning that the Empire was, & it was not. In the time of Domitian, it was, because it stood, & it was in the power of the Roman Nobility, but it was not in the same state in which it was before, because, from Iulius to Nero, it was hereditary, and tied vnto one familie, but Nero the last of that family be­ing dead, it was deuolued to Emperours of an other stocke and kindred: and it was to ascend out of the bottomles pit, not in the former state vnder the Emperours, but in another state, vnder the Popes.

Lastly, he sheweth the destruction of the political Antichrist, saying: If any leade a­way captiue, he must be led into captiuitie, if a­ny kill, he must be killed. Wherefore, nowe that hinderance is taken away which Paul speaketh of 2. Thess. 2. the Emperors giue place to the popes, and the Ecclesiasticall Antichrist is described in this maner: I saw another beast with two hornes ascend out of the earth, &c. This beast with two hornes, is all one with the purple harlot, Apocal. 17. for both be token the state of the popedome, the ecclesiasticall Antichrist. This beast ascendeth out of the earth, that is, it com­meth of base parentage, hath two horns like like the lambe, for Antichrist taketh vp­on him to be Christes vicar: speaketh like the dragon, for he teacheth lies which pro­ceed from the old dragon the deuill, which was a liar from the beginning: giues life to the image of the first beast: for, notwith­standing the ancient emperours are decea­sed, the popes haue ordained new emperors in the west, which keep the same name and title, although being compared with them, they be but images or rather shadows. And the number of the name of this Antichrist is 666. which number, both in Greeke and [Page] Hebrew, doth agree with the bishops of Rome. In the Hebrew name Romijth, is the same number, for Resh signifieth 200 Vau, 6 Mem, 40. double Iod, 20. Tau, 400, which being put together, make the number of the beast 666. Likewise, the Latine name Romanus written in Hebrue characters, maketh the same numbers, for Resh signifi­eth 200. as it did before, Mem, 40. Gnaiin 70. Nun 50. Vau 6. Schin 300, which make 666. Likewise, in Greeke, this name [...], (which also is the name of the Bi­shops of Rome) by adding to, according to the maner of the Greeks, in such names as are made Greeke, as [...], for Casa­rea, [...], for Nepthalim, signifieth 30. α 1. τ 300. [...] 5. [...] 10. [...] 50. ο 70. [...] 200 which make 666. Lastly, concerning the place where this Ecclesiasticall Antichrist doth reign, that same beast with two horns, Which is called the whore, Apo. 17 (which whore in the same place, is interpreted to be a great Citie, which reigneth ouer the Kings of the earth) sitteth vpon the beast with seuen heads and ten hornes, which re­presenteth the Empire of Rome vnder the old Emperors: wherein it is manifest, that the Ecclesiastical Antichrist, succeedeth the [Page] politicall, and sitteth in the place of the Ro­man Emperors: so that Antichrist further than Rome is not to be sought for.

Thus haue you heard, how all the pro­phesies concerning the disclosing of Anti­christ are fulfilled in the Bishops of Rome, and, that all those prophesies can not bee verified of any else, it is most euident for as much as no other Bishops or secular Prin­ces take vpon them to bee Christs Vicars generall ouer all the world: which is, to sit as God in the Temple of God. No other States ascribe vnto themselues power a­boue all powers in heauen and earth, which is, to exalt themselues aboue God. No other States haue set vp Emperours in the West, which is, to giue life to the image of the beast. Finally, no States beare sway in a Citie builded vpon seuen hils, which Ci­tie reigneth ouer the Kings of the earth, but they. Therefore I may safely make this conclusion: The succession of the Bishops of Rome, which hath beene since Boniface the third, and continued these nine hun­dred yeares, is that Antichrist which Saint Iohn speaketh of in this place. Wherefore, seeing the comming of Antichrist, is an ar­gument of the latter end of the world, and [Page] this great and notorious Antichrist hath beene reuealed vnto vs so long agoe: what remaineth, but that nowe wee lift vp our heads, for our Redemption draweth neere? and that we looke for a newe Heauen, and a new Earth, and the holy citie newe Ieru­salem, comming downe from God out of Heauen, prepared as a beide trimmed for her husband? Against which comming, God grant we may be readie, our nakednes being clothed with wedding garments, our loynes girded, our steps lightned with our Lamps in our hands, for the Lambe Christ Iesus his sake, to whom with the father and the holy Ghost, be ascribed all honour, power, and glorie, both now and euer­more, Amen.