THan if any man saye vnto you: lo, here is Christ or ther, Math. 24 beleue it not. For ther shall aryse false Christes and false Prophetes, and shall shewe great miracles and wonders, in so muche that if it were possible, the very electe shoulde be brought in to errour. Beholde, I haue tolde you before. Wherfore if they saye vnto you: Behol­de, he is in the deserte, goo not you [Page] furthe: Beholde he is in the secrete pla­ces, beleue it not, &c.

Our Lorde & saueour Iesus Christ, as his disciples behelde the mightie & noble building of the temple of Ieru­salem, saide vnto them: See you all these thinges? verily I saye vnto you, ther shall not one stone be left vpon another, that shall not be destroyde. And wyth these wordes of Christ his disci­ples were excedingly amased. And where as according to the custome of their auncettours and of their owne tyme, they hade as yet the busye and glistering gaye ceremonies of out­warde worishipping (that in tymes past were set furthe by Moses lawe) in great price, and euen so estemed them worthy to be honoured and ob­serued; wyth a certain deuocion of cō ­science: they were muche afraide at this so greuous and sharpe sentēce of their Lorde and maister Christ, con­cernyng the temple. Whervpō at the tyme that they came al one vnto him, whan he taried alone in the moun­tayne, they desyred him to solute vnto them three questiones, which they propounded vnto him. Furst they as­ked [Page 20] him, whā the Temple and citie of Ierusalē shoulde be takē & destroyed. Secondarily, wher in the ende of the 23. Chaptre (after he hade so sore que­reled wyth the scribes & chief rulers of the Iewes) he made mēcion of his last commyng: they questioned therof wyth him also, and of the despeching of all the hole worlde, whan it shoulde be. Thirdely, they required tokens, wherby they might discerne, aswell whan the destruction of the citie and temple, as also the finalle ende of all the hole worlde, and his commyng a­gain shoulde drawe nere, and be at hande.

To these three questiones (ther­fore) the Lorde maketh answere in this chaptre. And wher as he being a trusty teacher of those that his are, dothe truly teache those thinges, that only serue vnto our saluacion, he talketh nothing in this place of the appointment of the tymes, ne yet sheweth what yeare, moneth, or daye these thinges shall cha­unce: that is to wete, bicause the certainly perceaued knowlage [Page] therof, shoulde make nothing at al to the furtheraunce of our saluation, or to thamendement of life, but shoulde most specially prouoke vs vnto care­les slouthfulnesse, and necligent lea­uing vndone of good workes and vertuous dedes. But he instructeth them wyth euident and vnfailing signes, by token wherof they might clearely discerne, that these thinges shall assuredly com to passe, and also he teaceth them, whether they shall shortly com to passe.

And forasmuche as Christ the Lor­de, is the vniuersall teacher of all the worlde vniuersally, we shall not reckē that these tokens were geuen to non other, but to the Apostles alone: for it is manifest, that they were geuen no lesse to vs, than vnto thē, to thintent vndoubtedly, that we shoulde be dili­gently occupied in the consideration of them, and that whan we see them happen, we shoulde shake of all drow­sinesse of our myndes, and (like faith­full hearty seruauntes) loke for the commyng of our Lorde. For this con­clusion of his doctrine the Lorde him selfe dothe most diligētly treate vpō, [Page 21] in this Chaptre, and in the Chaptre, folowing.

Finally wheras the disciples desi­red to be instructed, not as touching the destruccion of the citie and temple only, but also concerning the final despeche of all the worlde, and the last cōmyng of Christ: and required for that purpose tokēs of sondry kyndes, wher by they might be hable to dis­cerne the truthe, and the tyme of bothe those maters: the Lorde setteth furthe such maner of tokens vnto them, wherof the most parte of them maye & ought to be applied to bothe the questiones on either parte. For like as the Lorde God in tymes past, chosed the people of Israel to him sel­fe, peculiarly out of all other nacio­nes and people, and coupled them to him self with a most holy sacred co­uenaunt: euen so was it his will, that the same people shoulde be an exam­ple to al other, wher into (as in a cer­tain cōmon glasse) all people shoulde loke. And therfore that haynous and horrible destrucciō of that same peo­ple, ought to be a figure of the last cōmyng of Christ the saueour, and [Page] thending of all the worlde, which indede to all wicked persones shal be bothe haynous and horrible.

But in this present place, which I haue now out of Christes wordes rehearced before, the eleuenth token is set furthe vnto vs, & not wythout exceading holsom commaundement and faithfull admonicion, wherwith we are informed by our saueour, what is to be done of vs in this be­halfe. Ther shall ryse (ꝙ he / false Chri­stes and false Prophetes, and shall shewe great myracles and wonders, in so muche that if it were possible, the ve­ry electe should be brought in to errour. Therfore beleue not their false promi­ses, and feyned tradicions.

Herein furst of al (welbeloued brethren in the Lorde) this is our parte to searche out, that we maye knowe fully, what this worde Christe is, what the meanyng of it is in the scriptures, and what it signifieth. For therby it shall also euidently appeare vnto vs without doubte, who is a false Christ, & who be false Prophetes, that cōmō ­ly set furthe vnto vs a false Christ.

This worde Christ is taken out of [Page 22] Greke, & signifieth y ^e same, that the Hebrues vnderstāde by their worde Mes­chia, & soundeth in Englishe, anoynted. And the maner of anointing amōg the people of Israel was this, that the chief Bishoppes & kinges should be a­noynted wyth holy oile, & so dedicated to their offices: in so muche, that (as cōcerning kinges) anoynting was the same amōg thē, y ^t the custome of Coro­naciō is among vs. Here vnto the pla­ces of scripture do bear record, as Exo. 29. Leui. 7. and. 8. and also. 1. Re. 10. &. 16. Chap. wher the anoynting of Saul & Dauid is treated of. And of this ma­ner custome of anoynting of Bishop­pes & kinges, that sede that was pro­mysed from the furst begynnyng of the worlde, euen the saueour of all mākinde is called in Hebrue, Meschia: in greeke, Christus: in Latine, Vnctus: & in Englishe, Anoynted: for this cause sake, that he is anoynted wyth the oile of gladnesse, that is to saye, wyth the spirite of God, euen he (that very chief Byshop, and most victorious King) which came in to the worlde, & was made man: and in offring him [Page] selfe vp for our sakes, toke awaye the synnes of the worlde by his deathe, and deliuered vs quite from the cruel tyranny of the deuil, deathe and hell: and so by this meanes he is be­come our most mightie valeaūt king, that proclaymeth the lawes of euer­lastyng saluacion, and defendeth and reuengeth vs, from al the crafty wy­les and assaultes of our enemy the deuil. Finally lyke as he is the onlye sonne of God, that for vs was made man, and is the one only redemer & saueour of vs all: euen so must al they nedes be false Christes, that set out who is a false Christ. them selues for redemers and saue­ours of men. And than also they are false prophetes & shewe a false Christ, as many as teache men to seke salua­cion and redempcion, forgeuenesse of synnes, the waye of lyfe, the grace of God, and the true eternall blessed­nesse any wher elles, than at the fole and only sonne of God, our redemer and saueour Iesus Christ. Wherof it is in this place to be noted, that this worde Christ is vsed for redemer, sa­ueour, and reuenger, so that the mea­nyng of our Lordes wordes is this: [Page 23] Whan the destruction of the temple & citie begynneth to drawe nere (O bre­thren) ther shall ryse many that shall boast them selues to be saueours of the people, & shall wythdrawe many of the people vnto their partes, for as­muche as they also shal haue Apostles & Prophetes of their owne, that shall praise thē vnto the symple rude peo­ple. And in like case ther shall not a fewe (in the later tymes) goo before my glorious commyng, which shall boldely take vpon them to be that thing, that none is but only I: that is to saye, they shall crepingly insinuate them selues in mennes consciences, to be suche (through false setting furthe, and wicked arrogauncie) as thoughe they hade in their handes the grace of saluacion, redempcion, forgeuenesse of synnes, & euerlasting life. Beleue not these maner of men, yea although they sende furthe prea­chers of their name and doctrine ne­ue [...] so many, to praise them most highly wyth wordes and studious di­ligence: yea and though they do mira­cles and suche wonders, as haue hi­therto ben scarcely sene or knowē of. [Page] For they are deceauours, & most falselyeng seducers of the simple rude cō ­mon people. Beholde therfore I haue tolde you before, and forewar­ned you. Learne you this lesson (at least waye) to remembre my warnin­ges, and to beware, and to escape so great a mischief.

Now thā, like as Christ faithfully admonished those that his were, of these thinges: euen so the mater it self beareth recorde, that he was a true prophet, & the veritie of the de­des afterwarde proued hys sayeng true. For if a man cōsidre the destruc­cion of the citie and temple, and the thinges that went before it, he maye fynde, that ther were many of this kynde of guydes and rulers connyn­gly sene in craftie deceates: that is to wete, a sorte of magical philosophers (cōnyng in deuillishe sciences) & other wicked knackehardye felowes, amōg the nombre of whom, a certain Egip­cian is chiefly reckoned: than Caphe­don, Theodas and others: which like as (through their false ꝓmises) allu­red the people, that were (of them sel­ues) to muche inclined to sediciō, euē [Page 24] so were they Autors vnto many, of most depe miseries, and extreme so­rowes. Loke for these maters in Iose­phus, the 20 boke of antiquities, the 11. 1 [...]. and 14. chap. Furthermore, in case False Christes in the prima­tiue chur­che. we marke respectiuely the apostles tymes, and the thinges that chaūced about the primatiue churche, it shall euidently appeare, that euen at that tyme also many rose, which partly toke vpon them the office, to geue y ^e grace of God, and the giftes of salua­cion, and partly which declared, that they must be hade som wher elles, thā at our sole and only redemour Iesus Christ. For to this meanyng the texte ought to be applied, that we reade in Act. 8. the actes of Symon magus, which was so sawcye, as to name him selfe the mightie power of God. To this sayeng also y ^e swarmes of heretikes are to be accōpted, which by & by euen in y ^e apostles tymes, or sone after, aro­se & withdrewe mēnes myndes from Christ Iesus, & miserably disquieted mennes consciences, with their doc­trine. Herevnto shal worthily be re­ferred y ^e blaspemous helhoūd (the de­uilles owne mynion) that deceauour Mahomet [Page] Mahomet: who (as he is the autor of a new lawe) hath with his abomina­ble entreprise, feined also a new kingdome of heauēs not hearde of before, newe blessednesse, newe waye of sal­uacion, and a newe secte. To be short, vnto this purpose belong they, that from the lippes forewarde (as tou­chyng the title) aduaunce the religi­on and faith of Christ, and for al that, they commonly set furthe remission of synnes, the grace of God the fa­ther, eternall lyfe and saluacion, not in the only merite of our saueour Ie­su Christ, but trayne awaye mennes simple rude myndes, to other purpo­ses. Of this sorte we saye, that all the Popishe doctours are, which in dede Teachers of Popery professe Christ wyth their mouthe, but yet the maner of thē is, to teache the folowers of their doctrine & reli­gion, to put their trust, partly in their owne workes and merites, & partly to trayne them vnto Saintes meri­tes, vnto Saintes intercession, vnto Popes pardones, vnto Saintes yma­ges, and finally vnto many suche sor­tes of trifles and fantasies of mānes brayne, or rather supersticion: and [Page 25] also to seke comforte of mynde, peace and quietnesse of cōsciences, in suche gaire. For it shal appeare more clear than the daye lyght, that euen these sortes of men, are no lesse ment by Christes wordes, than the other sor­tes are, in case the thinges that are spoken of in this place, be compared with their tradicions. For they are not afrayde to declare, not only that remission of synnes and saluacion of soules must be atteyned by som other meanes, than at our saueour Christ, but also to set furth euē that same our Lorde him selfe, in sondry places con­trary to the autoritie of the scriptu­res, and of the worde of God.

For as concerning Christ (which was hanged on the crosse and dyed, and after that whan he was raised vp agayne from deathe, caried his very owne true bodye into the hea­uens, in the sight of his disciples) they teache (contrary & besydes the plaine articles of our catholyke faithe, and besydes the truthe of the holy scriptu­res) that he is conteyned without all doubte, in the sacramēt of the aultare corporally, & also in y ^e same substaūce, [Page] as he was hanged on the crosse, and offred vp him selfe for vs, and that he lieth enclosed in the churches or boxes (as they call them) that are con­secrate to that ende: and so they shewe him in those same places, to the sely rude people, whom they haue wyth their tradiciones & fātasies, brought in to suche a madnesse, that they for­gette the faithful admonicion of this our Lorde Iesu Christ, and put their confidence in these mennes tryfling toyes: & a great parte of mē folowing these deceauours, goo about to seke the Lorde Christ (the saueour of the worlde) in breade, in boxes, in the aul­tare, & in other sōdry sortes of places.

And how great (and how farre out of square) this errour of y ^e world is, it shal be declared in other places more plenteously, God so willing. And for­asmuche than, as we heare, that the Lorde Christ him self in this place, nameth false Christes: And seing that mencion is made of suche maner of deceauours, which (by theyr false pro­phetes) shoulde seduce too many men: and yet in the meane tyme, this com­mon & vniforme sentence of all mē is [Page 26] hearde, which beleue, that before the last commyng of Christ, and thēding of all the worlde, a certain great An­tichrist shall rise, to the destruccion and damnacion of many folkes: me thinkes this present place dothe re­quire, that (for asmuche as it is our chaunce to see the last dayes) we shoulde searche, and weighe the hole vniuersall busynesse of Antichrist, wyth all our possible studious endea­uour: that in case we be in any daun­ger therof, we maye be hable to beware of it, and auoyde the thinges, that might hyndre our saluacion.

Wherfore to thintent the maters that make to this purpose, maye the more clearely and opēly appeare vn­to vs, it semeth, that before we goo to the mater it selfe, we must weighe three thinges. Furst we must searche, whether any Antichrist shall certayn­ly com or not. Than what the name of Antichrist meaneth, & who is Anti­christ, & also that we maye ꝑfitly ꝑcea­ue, how mē haue ben yet hitherto de­ceaued, in the knowīg of him. Thirdly what is written vnto vs in the holy [Page] scriptures, concerning Antichrist, & what is necessaire for vs to thinke, & beleue of him.

That Antichrist shall rise vp in whether ther be Antichrist the last tymes of this worlde, before the last & glorious cōmyng of Christ to iudgement, it is written wyth suf­ficient testimonie, in the kokes bothe of the olde testamēt and of the newe. For the Prophet of God Esaie in the 11. Chap. going about to describe vni­uersally, the hole busynesse of the pro­mised Messias our saueour, among o­ther of his doinges, he recordeth this also, that he shall slea the wicked one wyth the breathe of his lippes. In which place, by this word (wycked one) is not to be vnderstanden euery ad­uersarie and enemie of God, but that notable and great enemye of God, euen Antichriste: that he (as the chief head of most highe wickednesse, according to his excellencie) maye be called the wicked one. In this behalfe Paule the Apostle is our wittenesse, who in his later epistle to the Thessalonianes, speakink of the [...]leaing of Antichrist, vseth the Prophetes testimonie and wordes of this place. Here vnto shall [Page 27] the 10. Psalme of Dauid be worthily recited, who also (according to the meanyng of Saint Hierome & Augustin) vnder the title of the wicked one, dothe handsomly paynt out the par­son of Antichrist. To this purpose also maketh the godly Prophet Ezechiel, Ezech. 38. and. 39. which by Gog and Magog, dothe (in fygure) pretily set furthe the ymage of Antichrist. Besides these the most noble Prophet and most hartily desi­rous man Daniel in the 7. and 11. Chap. telleth all the busynesse of An­tichrist, wyth suche playnesse of des­cripcion, that he might seme not to prophecie of thinges to come, but to write a story of a mater all readye done. In like case also, Zacharie the Prophet in the 11. Chap. maketh men­cion of the same mōstre, wher he spea­keth of a certain folishe pastor, and an Idole rather than a Pastor, that shoulde be most farre of from all of­fice of a true Pastor. And if we goo to the bokes of the newe testament, we shall muche more euidently and more perfitely see this mater, as we shall all other maters also. For he that is the Lorde him self, and the vn­deniable [Page] teacher of the truthe Iesus Christ, nameth here false Christes: and describeth them yet more plain­ly, in the ende of the Chaptre. And the disciple whom Christ our saueour loued, vsed the very self worde Anti­christe, in his furst epistle, the se­cond Chap. writing on this maner. Babes, now is the last tyme, and as you haue hearde, that Antichrist shall com, ther begynne many Antichristes, to be euen now allready. Furthermore in his holy sacred apocalipse, which he receaued by the reuelacion of Christ, he expresseth all Antichristes busynesse, wyth such studie and dili­gence, that he sheweth the springing and furst begynnynges of this wic­ked one, his procedinges, his power, his streinghtes, his subtilties, his doinges, his ende and destruction, and also sheweth his tyme and place (by name, in a maner) and pointeth them, as it were wyth his fyngre.

The same thing dothe Paule also that great Apostle of Christ, 2. Thessa. 2. Finally to the same ende, ought the sayenges also to be applied, that are written. 1, Tim, 4. and .2. Pe. 2. and in [Page 28] many other places, wherin all the hole garde of Antichrist, that is to saye, all the rable of false Prophetes is in most ample wise painted out, in their owne colours. Therfore we must in no wise doubt, of the rysing & tyrannie of Antichrist, but rather watche & geue most diligent waiting attendaunce, whether now (seing he is strate vp) he practice y ^e same his tirā ny, y ^t the ꝓphetes haue spokē of before.

Moreouer, that other thing which we propoūded in the seconde place, is here most chiefly necessarie to be what An­tichrist is. knowne, to thīntent we may vnder­stande, what Antichrist is: wherin we shall perceaue the blyndenesse of mankynde, and the working wyly­nesse of Sathan, wherwyth he hathe made vs suche Dawepoopies, that we haue serued Antichrist with al kindes of diligent seruices, and yet we were not hable to knowe him.

Howbeit all this gaire, the most wyly craftes man hathe (after his ac­customed maner) by the darkenesse of lies, brought to passe. For in forgeing a false feyned fable of Antichrist, he hath caused so great an ignoraūce of y ^e [Page] truthe, that (by meanes of a false y­maginacion conceaued in our myn­de) we can not discerne the right An­tichrist, lurking vnder suche masking visours.

For of this mater we see it also The false forged fa­ble of An­tichrist. mencioned in writing, that the ori­nal begynnyng of Antichrist shoulde be suche, that he must necessarily be borne of the people of the Iewes, of the tribe of Dan: bicause Iacobs pro­phecie is thus. Dan shall become a Ge. 49. serpent in the waye, and an adder in the straite pathe. And that he shall so be conceaued in synnes, that incō ­tinently vpon the tyme of his con­ceauing, Sathan shall laye holde on him, lyeng in his dammes bely, & ne­uer leaue him. Than that he should be borne in Babilon, and fostred vp at Bethsaida and Corozaim, by Christ our Lordes owne witnesse, which for that Math. 11. cause is redde in the storie of the gos­pel, that he cursed those cities, & thon­dred that horrible woo vpon them. And (bicause nothing shoulde be be­hinde in that subtil fliering fable, that semeth to belong to the outward similitude of the truthe) men that [Page 29] were most fitte to deceaue, haue (by the instincte of Sathan) added many other thinges to w ^tall. For like (saye they) as he shal be brought furthe in to light, in his playne deuillishe concep­cion and natiuitie, so shall he also be streinghtned continually with swar­mes of magical philosophers, inchaū ­tours, and sorcerours, which shall in­structe him by and by in his furst tē ­dre yeares, in the exercice of such abo­minable sciences, and shal make him handsom to deuillishe seruices. But as sone as he shall com through to Ie­rusalem, his seate shal be set in the tē ­ple of God, and as many of the nom­bre of christianes and faithful people, as he coulde not begyle with his lies and wylie deceates, he shal torment with horrible kyndes of punishemēt, suche as hathe not ben hearde of, and than put them to deathe. For they write, that Salomons temple must be builded vp again by him, so as he shall sytte in it, and set furthe him sel­fe, in the title of the true Messias and sonne of God. And he shall also sende furthe his apostles, in to al the world, by wose ministerie and trauaile, he [Page] shall drawe away vnto his syde, furst the princes myndes, and than the cō ­mon people: of whom, som beyng cor­rupt with rewardes and desyre of ry­chesse, som beyng frayde with threat­nynges and feare of daungers, and the reste beyng begyled wyth newe facions of miracles, and with innu­merable deceates, shall applye vnto him. But as many as will not beleue in his forged lyes, he shall slea and de­stroy them with cruel paines: among whom bothe Helias and Enoch (the fore­rūners of y ^e last iudgemēt) shal neces­sarily be put to death. And at leinght, whā these tyrānous persecucions shal haue endured, the space of two yeares & an halfe: y ^e last day of the Lorde shall come vpon him, and make an ende of miseries.

These (I saye, welbeloued brethrē in Christ) are Satanes forged fables of Antichrist, which that wicked craf­tes maister of lyes, hath decked & gar­nished euen w ^t testimonies of scriptu­res, to thintēt vndoubtedly, that whā we haue cōceaued a false ymaginaciō, & loke an other way, he myght be ha­ble in the meane tyme; to stere vp the [Page 30] tyrāny of the right Antichrist, & with myghtie power to cōfirme it, to men­nes destruction & vndoyng. For thys same cause therfore, his drift was, to declare him to be among the infortu­nate people of Iewes, and to sende a­broade the ymaginacions of our wit­tes out to Babilon, and than to make muche pryttle pratle of Salomōs tē ­ple (which after the vndeniable sen­tence of Christ our Lorde, shall neuer be possible to be buylded vp agayne) to the intent in the meane while, he shoulde not once come in our remem­braūce, that hath exalted his heade at Rome, in the cōgregaciō of the fayth­full, & beyng (with suche abominable saucy entreprise) exalted euen against the Lorde hymselfe, hathe infected the simple & rude mennes myndes wyth most greuous errours. We had nede therfore to be in this case, so muche the more carefull and studiously dili­get, as it is cōueniēt for vs, to marke more narowly this worde, Anrichrist: and more diligently to boult out the meaning of it, so as it maye most ful­ly appeare vnto vs, to what maner man, that name ought to be imputed.

[Page] Antichristus is a Greke worde, and being compounded of Anti, which sig­nifieth contrarietie and ouerthwarte­nesse, and Christus, wherof we haue spoken before, betokeneth him that is contrarie & against the Lorde Christ, and chalengeth to him selfe, by vn­iuste title and wicked arrogauncie, the honour, glorie, and al offices elles, whiche are due to none, but to Christ our saueour. Wherupon Paule re­specting the mater rather than the name, calleth him Antikeimenon, bicause he sytteth in the temple of God, and exalteth him selfe aboue all that is worshipped, in the stede of God. And by the same compounde figure also, the Antichristian men call him Anti­papam, that is either vnlaufully chosen of others, or beyng moued of hys owne folye, obiecteth him self against the laufully chosen Pope, and wrong­fully vexeth, or elles occupieth that seate of abominacion.

To be brief, inasmuche as the na­me of Antichrist soundeth contrarie and against Christ, it behoueth vs furst of al to know & acknowlage our lorde & saueour Christ, with al those [Page 31] thinges, that ꝓprely belōg vnto him. For therby we shal openly see, who is the right Antichrist, & who ought to be rightely called Antichrist.

Now than as touching Christ Ie­sus, the holy scriptures paynt and set him out vnto vs of such sorte, as him that being from euerlasting verye God (and of all one essence and sub­staunce with his heauenly father) to­ke vpon him for our sakes (at the ty­mes appointed) the very fleshe and nature of man, being like vnto ours in all thinges, synne excepte, to thin­tēt he might be our chief hygh bishop: Whose office he hathe so accompli­shed, that in offring him selfe on the altare of the crosse, he made oblation vnto God the heauenly father, with a perfite and a sufficient sacrifice for the synnes of al the worlde. And whā he hade fynished the busynesse of our redēpciō on the altare of the crosse, he was buried, & by his owne diuine po­wer he raised vp frō deathe his body, that is to wete, the very manhead, which he hade taken, to thintent he might breake & put quyte awaye the power of deathe, which it hade ouer [Page] vs. Than after warde he caried his body in to the heauens, that he might set open vnto vs again the gates of heauē, which the transgression of our furst parent, and the synnes of vs all, hade shutte vp before: and that he might there appeare before God the father, a faithful aduocate and mediatour for vs, and might also be in ste­de of a pledge and a gage, wherby our faithe shoulde be confirmed, wherby also we beleue, that our bodies shall (through faithe) haue possession in the very same kyngdome of heauens, & euerlasting blessednesse. For which causes sake, y ^e holy scripture is accu­stomed, to name the self same Christ: our head, our highe priest, our kyng, our saueour, our redemour, our me­diatour, and euen the one only waye of life and euerlasting saluacion, which the scripture also dothe make good, with most abundaunt testimo­nies, as muche as we haue now spo­ken of. For Paule the apostle writing to his Philippianes, in the 2. Chap. saithe thus: Christ Iesus whan he was in the shape of God (that is to saye, very God) thought it no robberie [Page 32] to be equall with God: neuertheles he made him self of no reputacion, taking on him the shape of a seruaunt, and be­came like vnto men, and was founde in his apparail as a man (that is to saye, a very man, made like vnto vs in all thinges, synne except) he humbled him self, and became obedient vnto deathe, euen the deathe of the crosse. Again in his furst epistle to Timothee the. 1. Chap. Christ Iesus ( (quam) he) came in to the worlde to saue synners, of whom I am chief. &c. And in an other place Hebr. 9. he writeth on this wise: As it is appointed vnto all men, that they shall once dye, and than cometh iudge­ment, euen so was Christ once offred, to take away the synnes of many, & vnto them that loke for him, shall he appeare againe without synne, vnto saluacion. And a lytel before these wordes, we reade that the same Apostle wrote on this maner: For Christ is not entred into y ^e holy places, that are made with hādes (which are similitudes & exāples of true thynges) but is entred into very heauen, for to appeare now in the syght of God for vs, not to offre hym selfe often, as the hygh Priest entred [Page] into the holy place, euery yeare with straunge blood, for than must he haue often suffred, synce the worlde begāne. But now in thende of the worlde hath he appeared once, to put synne to flight by the offring vp of him selfe. All those sayenges belong also to this purpose, wich the apostles speake of Christ Ie­sus, in this meanyng: as these be, Christ is of God made vnto vs wisdo­me, righteousnesse, sanctification and redemption. 1. Corin. 1. God forbidde that I shoulde reioyce, but in the crosse of our Lorde Iesu Christ, by whom the worlde is crucified to me, and I to the worlde. Gal. 6. Also: Ther is one God, and one mediatour betwene God and men, the man Iesus Christ. 1. Timo. 2. If any man synne, we haue an aduoca­te with the father, Iesus Christ the righteous. And he it is, that obteyneth mercie for our synnes, not for our syn­nes only, but also for the synnes of all the worlde. 1. Ioh. 2. Ther is non other name geuē vnto men vnder the sunne, wherin they maye be saued, but only the name of Iesu. Act. 4. To this same ende, perteyneth the voice of God the heauenly father, wherwith he sounded [Page 33] once and eftesones frome heauē, say­eng: This is my welbeloued sonne, in whō I am pleased. Math. 13. &. 17. chap. Hereunto must the sayeng be refer­red, that the Lorde him self (by his holy spirite) speaketh in Esaye the prophet: I the Lorde. This is my name and I will not geue my glorie to any other. But the glorie of Christ our Lor­de is this, that he alone (w ^t his raun­somyng blood) hath set vs free frō the tirannye of synne, deathe, hell, and sathan: and is therfore the Lorde of vs all (that is to wete, whom he hathe redemed with his owne blood, which was shead for vs) and so ought to be acknowlaged of vs all. Concerning this glory and honour he saithe, and professeth, that he will geue it to none elles. Out of which wordes of Christ, it shall appeare by euidēt and stedfast demonstration, that he is Antichrist: who is Anti­christ. who so euer gothe about to robbe our Lorde and saueour Christ, of this glo­rie and honour, and take it vpon him selfe. Who so euer than taketh vpon him selfe, to geue remissiō of synnes, the benefites of the grace of God, the giftes of saluacion & the kyngdome of [Page] heauen, is Antichrist. Who so euer taketh vpon him selfe that honour of priesthode, to saye, that he sacrificeth for the synnes of the worlde, is Anti­christ. Who so euer maketh him selfe an intercessour to God the father, for the quicke and the dead, by any other reason or maner, than we are cōmaū ­ded to pray mutually one for an o­ther (according to y ^e trade of the scrip­tures) is Antichrist. Who so euer also declareth, that these giftes of our sal­uaciō which we haue now rehearced (either all together, or singularly by them selues) may be hade any wher elles, than at our Lorde Iesus Christ only: and teacheth men to seke them elles wher, than at him alone, which was offred for vs once for all, & now sitteth bodily in heauen: he setteth out vnto vs a false Christ, yea euen Antichrist, and is of the nombre of those false prophetes, whom Christ our Lord rekoneth vp here by name.

Wherupon this also shal euidently appeare vnto vs, that Antichrist is not only one man by him selfe (as we thought, whan we wandred in the darknesse of popishe supersticion) but [Page 34] that ther are many Antichristes, as we shewed a litell before out of Iohn the apostle. And yet ther is an head, & a certain chief ruler of this abomi­nacion: yea all these felowes haue a kingdome, and a chief seate of their kingdome. And he that occupieth it, is that vndoubted very great & chief Antichrist, in whom the commō ene­mye of mankynde, satā, setteth furthe all his streynghtes, all his might, all his power and operacion: yea and al his endeauours, deceates, fraudes, subtilties and coūsailes, to mennes vndoing and vtter destruction.

This mater we shall treate of, in the thrid place, so as we shall set furthe, what is contayned in the scriptures hereof, with the most playne demonstracion, that we possi­blie can.

But forasmuche as the holy sacred scripture in many places (as we ha­ue allready noted) speaketh of this abominable busynesse of Antichrist, it wolde be a worke of great labour and trouble, and a worke that should bring in more darkenesse than light, if we wolde studie to bring [Page] furth al the places of the prophetes & apostles, y ^t are touching this mater. Therfore out of al, we wil chose only two, which ypoūde vnto vs, al this a­do throughly, & al his misteries most plaīly painted out. The furst is of Daniel, whose writinges in this behalfe, ought worthely to be hade in most highe credence and autoritie with vs, inasmuche as we may see the same thinges rehearced of Christ our Lorde in this chaptre, who also dothe moue vs, to the diligēt reading and know­lage Math. 24 of it. And that other shal be taken out of Paule the noble and excellēt a­postle of Christ, which also is called the electe vessell and instrument of Act. 9. God, and being rapte in to the thrid heauen, sawe secretes of the king­dome 2. Cor. 1 [...]. of heauen, wiche can not be ex­pressed with tongue.

The prophet of God, and desirous man Daniel, being (by diuine reuela­ciō) taught the ordre of y ^e thinges that shoulde happen from his tyme to the last ende of the worlde, and mynding to haue the same notified vnto them that shoulde com after him, writeth on this sorte. I sawe in my vision by Dan. 7. [Page 35] night, and beholde the foure wyndes of the heauen stroue vpon the sea, and foure great beastes came vp from the sea, not one like an other. The furst was like a Lyon, and yet had he eagles win­ges. I sawe y ^t his winges were plucte from him, and he taken awaye from the earthe, that he stode vpon his fete as a man, and that ther was geuen him a mannes hearte. Beholde, the seconde beast was like a Beare, and stode vpon the one syde. Among his tethe in his mouthe he had .iij. great long tethe, & it was saide vnto him. Arise, eate vp muche fleshe. Thā I loked, and behold, ther was an other like vnto a Leoparde, this had winges as a foule, euē vpō the backe. This beast hade foure heades, & ther was power geuen him. After this I sawe in a vision by night, & beholde, the fourthe beast was grymme and horrible, and maruelous strong. It hade great yron tethe, it deuoured and de­stroyed, and stamped the residue vn­der his fete. It was farre vnlike the other beastes that were before it, for it hade ten hornes, wherof I toke good hede. And beholde ther cam vp among them an other litel horne, before whom [Page] ther were three of the furst hornes plueked awaye. &c.

And forasmuche as by this litle horne, the mysterie of Antichrist is figu­red, as it shal herafter be declared: we must furst of all marke well, the furst parte of the prophetes vision. And ha­uing gottē an angel to interprete it to him, he learned, y ^t by these foure bea­stes, foure Kinges or Monarkes, & also foure Monarchies & kingdomes are figured: that is to saye, euen the same that the heathē writours make reporte of, in their bokes of histories: & surely they came out by the wynde of Goddes prouidence, stering the great Oceane sea of all the worlde.

The furst is the kingdome of the Babilonianes or Assirianes, vnder whose dominion and power, Daniel was than in subiectiō. And this king­dome is cōpared to the Lyon, that had eagles wynges. For like as the lyon is the noblest among the foure foted beastes, & (as a king) hathe power o­uer the residue of beastes: euen so the kingdom of Babilon, or of the Assiri­anes, excelled among all other king­domes, in streynght, valeauntnesse, nobilitie, & preeminence, & also in spe­die [Page 36] & incredible fortune of victories and successes, it ranne through all the worlde rounde about, as it hade ben a most swifte Eagle. Neuertheles bi­cause the princes of it were prowde, disdaynous, & hault, & beganne to haue God in contempt, & (to muche folishely) to chalenge all the glorie to their owne puissaunce, the winges of it were pluete awaye: & whan the for­tune of victories was taken from it, it was set on his fete as men be, in suche wise doubtles, as the kynges therof being (by Goddes iudgement throughlye tamed) shoulde knowe them selues to be men, bothe mortal & fraile. The seconde is the kingdome of the Persiās, y ^t was aduaūced to so highe power of their most victorious king Cyrus, that it wāne the monar­chie & Empire of all the worlde. This kingdome, bicause it was exceading great & houge beyond measure, & therfore very hard to be kept in subiectiō, is compared to a Beare: which is a mightie houge beast & a folishe. And it is said of him, y ^t he deuoured muche fleshe, and y ^t he helde in his tethe three great tethe. For like as Cyrus extēded [Page] the limites of his Empire farre and wide: euen so he occupied by and by at the begynnyng of his Empire, three most large kingdomes, that is to wete, of the Persianes, Medes, & Ba­bilonianes.

The thrid kingdome, is the king­dome of the Macedonians or Grekes: the furst autor wherof (we reade) was Alexandre the great. This kingdome the holy goost cōpareth to the Leopar­de, that hade foure winges, and was harnessed wyth as many hornes. Hereby is noted the wylie, subtil, and craftye natural witte of the people of the grekes, which wrought their ma­ters almost wyth subtilties & wyles, like the Leoparde, which is an exce­ding wylie beast. The wynges also betoken that notable peerles celeritie of Alexandre the great: who wythin a fewe yeares space wyth his stering of warres, went cleane ouer Asia and A­phrike, and subdued them vnder his owne dominion. But this leoparde is in sight armed wyth foure hornes, forsomuche as after the deathe of A­lexander the great, the hole Empire was diuided of his owne mē (whom [Page 37] he made gouernours) in to foure kingdomes, that is to wete, the Egip­cianes, Sirianes, Asianes, and Mace­donianes.

The fourthe kingdome is the king­dome of the Romaynes, which for victorious streynght, vnshrynking courage, shameles audacitie, power, crueltie and most merciles tyrannye, is cōpared to a newe and vnknowne beast, that hathe no certayn name. For it is manifest, that the people of the Romaynes, being most gredye of Empire and large autoritie, occupied all the kingdomes of the worlde, dila­ted the coastes of their empire farre and broade, deuoured all regiones w ^t their insaciable gredynesse, brought all naciones and people in subiection, gathered all the substaūce & richesse of the hole world in to their owne citie, and trode, tare and stroyed all nacio­nes vnder the cruell fete of their am­bicion. In these mennes empire and monarchie, Daniel describeth all the mysterie of Antichrist in these wor­des: This beast hade tē hornes, wherof I toke good hede. And beholde, ther growed out an other litle horne among [Page] them, before whō three of the furst hor­nes were broken, & plucked awaye. And behold, ther were hornes in this horne, lyke the eyes of a man, & a mouth spea­king presumptuous thinges, & semed more stoute thā the other. Which horne also (whan I loked on) made bataile with the saintes, and preuailed against them: vntil the olde aged came, & iud­gement was geuen to the saintes on hye, & til the appointed time was come, that the saintes shoulde haue the kyng­dome. Al these thinges (I say) Daniel was taught in vision, concerning the mysteries of Antichrist, and the inter­pretaciō of the same, which he himself learned of the Angell, and describeth here after in these wordes. The fourth beast signifieth the fourth Kyngdome, that shal be in the worlde, which must diffre from al kingdomes, and deuour all the earthe, & breake & al to barste it. And the ten hornes betoken that out of it, ten Kynges shal ryse, and after them ther shall ryse an other, diffring frō the farther, which shall oppresse & throwe downe three kynges. Be shall also talke of diuine maters: but he shal trappe the holy saintes, & shal chalenge to him self [Page 38] to chaunge the state of tymes & lawes, which shal be deliuered vnto his auto­ritie, whether it be a long space of tyme or a shorte. Finally the iudgemēt is set, & they haue taken his dominion from him, that he maye be vtterly wasted and destroyed. But to the people of the holy saintes shal be delyuered the kingdome, and dominion, and largenesse of kyng­domes, vnder al the heauē: & their kyngdome is an euerlasting kyngdome, & all high astates shal serue and obey him.

This verely is the interpretacion of the vision, which was geuē to Da­niel by the Angel, & teacheth by some certayn vnfallible markes, that by this litell horne the great aduersarie of our saueour Christ (euen Anti­christ) is represented. For the Pro­phete sayeth, that he shal moue batayl against the saintes: that is to saye, a­gainst the faythfulles, whome Christ hath sanctified with his owne blood. Besides this, that he shal speake pre­sumptuous thinges, and that wyth suche an insolencie, that he shall also entremeddle communicaciō of diuine maters. And yet it sufficeth not him, to haue spokē such thīges, but he must [Page] also take vpon hym power, to chaūge the state and cōdicions of tymes, and of al maters of this worlde, yea & the lawe it selfe, and the ordinaunces at his pleasure.

All which thinges can ryghtly be ascribed vnto none other, but to that myghtie and famous aduersarie of Christ our Lorde, Antichrist I meane. But of this we shall more largely and more plainly speake, in the treatise folowyng.

Nowe ther is that other place of this treatise behinde, which I promy­mised to bringe furthe of the Apostle Paule: which with more cleare wor­des, expoundeth the greater parte of this vision, in the later Epistle to his Thessalonians, in the secōde chaptre, For where as the Thessalonians (be­yng disquieted through false doctri­nes of certain deceauours) thought, that the last daye of iudgement, and the cōmyng of our Lorde Iesu Christ drewe nere, and was than already at hande: Paule a faythfull doctour of those that were his, confuteth the fal­sely conceaued opinion, touching that mater, with these maner of wordes & [Page 39] reasones. Let no man deceaue you by any meanes. For the Lorde shall not come, except ther com a departīg furst, and: that the man of synne be opened, the sonne of perdicion, which is an ad­uersarie: and is exalted aboue all that is called God, or is wourshipped, so that he dothe sytte in the temple of God as God, boasting him selfe to be God. Remembre ye not, that whan I was yet wyth you, I tolde you these thinges? And now ye knowe what wythholdeth: euen that he might be vttred at his ty­me. For the mysterie of the iniquitie dothe allready worke, till he which now only letteth, be taken out of the waye. And thā shall that wicked one be vttred, whom the Lorde shall consume wyth the spirite of his mouthe, and shall destroye wyth the appearaunce of his cōmyng: euen him whose commyng is after the working of sathan, wyth all lyeng po­wer, signes and wondres, and wyth all deceaueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse, among them that perishe: bicause they receaued not the loue of the truthe, that they might be saued. And therfore God shall sende them strong delusion, that they shoulde beleue lyes: that all they [Page] might be demned, which beleued not the truthe, but hade pleasure in vnrigh­teousnesse.

Thus farre haue I rehearsed Paule thapostles wordes, which cōteyne the ful & perfyt descripciō of al this adoo, and of the mysteries of Antichrist: & also the playne interpretacion of the vision, that is recorded in Daniel the Prophete. And after what sorte these two places agree betwene them sel­ues, and what is the true vnderstan­dyng of them boche, it shal be declared in the Homilies folowyng, by the fa­uour and helpe of God.

But out of these maters, which are thus farre already sayde (welbeloued brethrē in Christ) this we must mar­ke, that accordyng to the oracles of goddes worde, and of Iesu Christ, Antichrist shall surely come, which by his false prophetes shal seduce an infinite multitude of people.

We must therfore (brethren) en­deauour our selues, with most earnest studie and diligence, that furst of all, we maye be throughly perfyte in the certain true knowlage of our Lorde & only saueour Iesu Christ: wherin be­yng [Page 40] instructed, we must than also learne to knowe the false Christes, and that great Anttchrist him selfe: to thintent least we be made foles hereafter, as we haue ben all ready heretofore, by the most false wylye deuyses of Satan, for than we shal be hable nother to knowe him, ne yet to beware of him.

Therfore we hade nede diligently to consider the wordes of God, and to call vpon him also diligently, with continuall prayers, that he wolde vouchesafe to open vnto vs the true vnderstāding of his worde, & to leade vs in to the true knowlage of his sonne our redemour: and that we be not deceaued with Antichristes lyes, but continue stedfastly in Christ our saueour, which is the euerla­sting veritie. To him be ho­nour, praise, and glorie euerlastingly, worlde without ende.

Amen

OVr Lorde Iesus Christ the eternal sonne of God, the only redemour and vnde­niable Doctour of y ^e world, talking with his disciples, concerning the later tymes, and the periles of the same (amōg other thin­ges) telleth them before hande, y ^t false Christes and false Prophetes shal rise vp, to the destruction and marring of many men. And we are also taught by the hole mynde and consent of all the scriptures, bothe of the olde testa­ment & newe, that among them ther shal be a certayne peculiar head ryng­leader, and a most ranke aduersary of Christ our kyng and priest, whom af­ter the common custome of the fayth­fulles, [Page 41] and by the apostles autoritie, we doo vse to name Antichrist: like as in the Homilie before it is sufficiētly declared. Neuertheles these thinges are not spoken to thende (welbeloued brethrē in Christ) that we should only heare & knowe, what shoulde be here­after, hauing in the meane tyme no larger consideracion of thinges that shall come: but the Lorde dothe ra­ther require (by his faithful admoni­cion geuing) that we should learne to knowe this chief and notable enemie of our saluaciō, and to beware of his wiles, least we be seduced therwith, and so be made partakers with hym of eternall damnacion. And therfore it is necessarily requisite for vs to marke, & to cōferre other places of the scriptures together also, y ^t cā w ^t more certayntie & euidence, informe vs of al those maters, which are as it were but in a fewe wordes set expressely furthe in this place. In consideracion whereof, I lately brought forth two places of scripture, touching this ma­ter: the one of the olde testamēt out of Daniel y ^t ꝓphetes vii. chap. & the other out of Paule the later to the Thessa. [Page] Whiche albeit by and by at the furst syght, they myght seme not to a­gree together in all thinges, but som­what to varie, yet ther is no differēce nor dissimilitude betwene them at al. Ther is also no contradiction, nor any other varietie, but that thapostle Paule, wyth more playne light of wordes and sentences, dothe expoūde that which Daniel set furthe (after the maner of a prophet) vnder the mysterie of a vision, like as the thin­ges that folowe, shall more clearely beare euidence. And to thintent this hole mater of Antichrist, maye the more openly appeare vnto vs, it shal be all throughly comprehended and assoiled, in sixe questiones or proposi­ciones. For furst, inasmuche as it is euident that Antichrist is, we shall in­quire of his originall begynnyng, that is to wete, in what place he must spring out, and where we must seke for him, in case we intende throughly to come to the certain knowlage of him. Secōdarily, by what meanes, de­uises, & craftes, he shall atteyne suche mighty power and so highe autoritie.

Thirdly, we shall make searche of [Page 42] his persone: that is to saye, which a one it shal be, and by what markes and propreties it ought to be knowen. Fourthly, we must considre his wor­kes, y ^t he shal set his studie vpō. Which consideracion euen it self, dothe bring a certain and an vnfailing playne knowlage of him. Fifthely, it is con­uenient to knowe his weapones (wherwyth he shall wyth suche luckie successe fight) to attayne, enlarge, de­fende and mayntene his kingdome and power wythall. Sixthely, how farre the limites of his wicked auto­ritie must be extended, and vpō what sortes of men, our Lorde & most victo­rious king Iesus Christ shall suffre him, to haue so great autorite: who at leynght wyth his iust iudgement, shall slea and despeche that fearce and prowde aduersarie wyth all his mem­bres, and (wyth sentence past calling again) shall iudge him to be punyshed in the torment of vnquēcheable fyre. Hereunto ther shal be a faithful admo­niciō takē out of Christes wordes, instede of a cōclusiō, how the godly ones & faithfull folkes ought to behaue thē selues vnder his rageing tyrannye. [Page] And in dede I shall (by the grace of God) purpose to treate of all these maters, with suche for sight and diligen­ce, as shall lye in my best possible po­wer to doo.

Now as perteynyng to the furst wher An­tichrist was borne. question of Antichristes original be­gynnyng, and the place of his birthe, the holy goost hathe sufficiently and perfitely instructed vs by Daniel the Prophet, which saithe, that the litell horne (by the which we hearde in the Homilie before, that Antichrist was figured) sprong out of the fourthe beast: that is to wete, out of his head, as of that parte, wherof hornes com­monly vse to growe out.

Now forsomuche as this fourthe beast is a figure of the fourthe mo­narchie, that is to saye, of the empire of Rome (as it is before largely y­nough declared) it foloweth, yea it is out of all paraduenture, euen by the vnfailing demonstracion of the holy goost, that Antichrist shall spring out of the empire of Rome, yea and out of the heade of it, that is to wete, out of the principal citie, Rome: & euen ther he must be sought for. Here vnto that [Page 43] sayeng must partly be referred, that How the temple of god is to be vnder­stand here Paule thapostle speaketh, of the de­parting, and that he teacheth, that his seate must be placed in the temple of God. For that sayeng may not in any wise be expoūded of the temple of Ie­rusalem, but it ought to be vnderstā ­den of the felowship and congrega­cion of the faithfull, which is the true and lyuing temple of God. Notwith­stāding least the dulnesse of our witte might doubte somthing in this be­halfe, our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe dothe shewe yet more euidently and more clearly, & poynteth (as it were wyth his fyngre) that Antichrist must be borne in the very citie of Rome. For in that reuelacion, which he she­wed to his beloued disciple Iohn, the Apo. 17. great aduersarie of Christ is ment by the Image of the hoore, which sytteth vpon many waters, & is caried vpon a mightie beast & an vnknowen, that gothe rageing grymmely wyth seuen headdes, & armed wyth ten hornes.

And the angell willing to inter­prete the mysterie of the Image to Iohn thapostle, saithe: that the waters wher the woman sitteth, are the peo­ple [Page] and folfe, and naciones, & tongues, whom she shall beare rule ouer. And that woman ( (quam) he) whome thow sa­west, is the great citie, which hathe rule ouer the finges of the earthe: and the seuen heades are the seuen moun­taines, wher vpon it is sette.

Now who is it, that seeth not her­in, the openly manifest and euident descripcion of the citie of Rome? For Rome, (if a man considre the olde cir­cuite of the walles) comprehendeth wythin it seuen mountaynes, and that of famous reporte in the monu­mentes of olde writours: of which mountaynes bothe the tokens and the names remayne euen yet to this daye. And the same Rome, whā Do­mitianus was Emperour ther (in whose tyme Iohan thapostle being banished for the faithe of Christ, in to the Ile of Pathmos, receaued this re­uelacion of the Lorde) reigned & hade empire ouer the kinges of the earthe. For at that tyme, the power of the Romaynes hade conquered and subdued wyth their marciall powers, the greatest parte of al the hole world, vnder their autoritie & empire. By rea­son [Page 44] wher of it is vndoubtedly playne (by most certain reasones & argumē ­tes) that Antichrist must be borne of the empire of Rome, & place his seate in y ^e head of it, y ^t is to wete, in y ^e very citie of Rome. And this I saye more o­uer, The B. of Rome is the great Antichrist & ꝓfesse frely (bothe wyth mouthe & mynde) that y ^e chief & mightie grea­test Bishop, which hauing his seate in the citie of Rome, chalengeth to him self the dominion & name of the same citie, is the very right and great Anti­christ, & the exceding enemie of Christ our saueour, like as in these that fo­lowe we shall (wyth a thicker rāke of argumentes) most euidently declare. Therfore those men erre, and be toto muche deceaued, as mani as put their cōfidēce in those fals feined popishe gloses, & mynde to seke for the right Antichrist either in the citie of Babilō or Ierusalem. They are deceaued also, & no lesse begyled, than the other before, as many as being entāgled w ^t y ^e blynd & folishe loue of y ^e empire, which at this why Ma­homet is not the right An­tichrist. present, is cōmōly called Sanctū Romanū imperiū, the sacred empire of Rome, crye out sayeng, that Mahomet (the autor of the Turkish faythe and religion) [Page] is that great enemie of our saueour why Ma­homet is not the right An­ticrist. Christ, and Antichrist: to thintēt they might by that meane, expelle the slaū ­derous marke of Antichristes name frō that empire of theirs, which they haue in so great estimacion and obe­dience. For albeit no true faithfull person dothe doubt, that Mahomete is a most pestilent wicked man, a sin­gular enemye of Christ our Lorde, a most cruell persecutour of Christes churche, an abominacion to be abhor­red wyth all the powers of our hear­tes, and a most pernicious seducer of very many men: yet for all that, we shall neuer be hable to proue, that he is the notable and great Antichrist: in­asmuche as he was nother borne in the head of the Romayne empire, that is to saye, in Rome, but in Arabie farre distaunt from Rome: ne yet placeth nor occupieth his seate in the temple of God, that is to wete, in the congregacion among them that re­ioyce to be compted christianes, but maketh a manifest departing quyte from them, & teareth awaye the name of Christ wyth so vehement hate and wickednesse, that he can in no wise [Page 45] abyde to vse it to the professing of his relygion: Which not withstanding are al applied by the notable sayengs bothe of the prophetes and the apost­les, vnto that mightie houge Anti­christ. Therfore in this case we nede no white tongued wordes, nor gro­ping reasones of flaterers, & of suche as saye as other men saye: but rather if we intende to com to the certain and vnfailing knowlage of Anti­christ, it is requisite for vs to seke him in that place, wher he is most accusto­med to haūt, that is to wete, at Rome: wherof euen our elders in tymes past (not without the mocion of Goddes prouidence) commonly vsed this cō ­mon prouerbe: The nerer a man co­meth to the citie of Rome, the farther he is of, from the faithe and religion of Christ. The meanyng of whiche prouerbe although they lytel conside­red, yet it is a most true sayeng. For the nerer we are vnto Antichrist, so muche the farther of we must nedes be from Christ Iesu, vnto whom it becomed vs to cleaue with a con­staūt vndisseuered faithe. Let this be sufficiently ynoughe sayde, of the ma­ter [Page] y ^t we propoūded in the furst place.

We must now therfore passe ouer to the secōde question: y ^t is to were, we must searche, by what meanes & rea­sons, Antichrist shal occupie y ^t so large & so mightie an Empire of his. Howbeit we shal knowe euen y ^t same, by y ^e notable sayenges, bothe of Daniel the prophet, & Paule thapostle: which cō ­sidered, we will compare the bishop of Rome, and his empire and tirānye with them, to thintent it maye euidēt­ly appeare vnto vs, whether it be he, whom they haue set furthe in their writinges. Daniel therfore mencio­neth, that y ^e fourthe beast had ten hor­nes, & as he marked wel the hornes, y ^e litel horne, by whom (as I haue sayd) Antichrist is figured, growed vp: whi­che whā it had taken away .iii. of the furst hornes, it occupied their roume. And y ^e interpretour of these sayenges (the angel) teacheth, that by the ten hornes, ten kinges are represented which shoulde spring vp in y ^e fourthe Empire, that is to say, the Empire of Rome. Howbeit as sone as they are risen vp, he saithe that Antichrist shoulde growe vp also, which (euen [Page 46] at the furst begynnyng of his king­dom) shoulde oppresse three kinges, and with their streingthes and sub­staūces, (which he shal chalēge to him self) shoulde confirme his owne king­dom. Hereunto the sayenges of Paule agree in euery cōdiciō, which sayeth, that a Departing shall com furst, and than the man of synne, the childe of perdicion shal be reuealed. And a litell after he signifieth y ^e very same thing, sayeng: For euen now the mysterie of iniquitie dothe worke: and that only 2. Thes. 2. is behinde, vntil he that hindreth him, be taken out of the waye: & thā that wicked one shal be opened. &c. Which wordes of thapostle, y ^e eldest & most catho­like doctours of y ^e churche saye, ought to be vnderstandē of y ^e Empire of Ro­me: that is to wete, bicause whan it is takē out of the waye, Antichrist should starte vp, which thā was holdē backe through the myghtie power of it. For in dede Antichrist coulde not chalege to him self, the Dominion of the citie of Rome, nor reigne in it, as long as the empire yet florished and increaced his power. And for that cause the pro­phete Daniel maketh mencion, that [Page] the empire of Rome must be diuided in to ten (that is to saye, many) king­domes. And Paule maketh reporte of a Departing, by the which many na­ciones and people shoulde departe frō the empire of Rome, & create kinges & princes of their owne. Than whan the empire of Rome (throughe suche scismes and departinges) shronke in to decay, Antichrist hade occasion and place, to burst out in to the same his Empire. In this behalfe, reade the sayenges of. S. hierome to Algasia, and of S. Austē in his. 20. boke intitled De Ciuitate Dei, the. 19. chap. & also the say­enges that Tertullian before them set furthe, cōcerning the Resurrection of the bodie: and it shall openly appeare, that I dashe in no newe nor straun­ge sense, vpon this place. But how this gaire hathe (according to the say­engs of the scripture) come to passe, & after what sorte they haue ben fulfil­led in dede by the bishoppes of Rome we shall now shewe out of the most credible & approued historie writers, bothe of the greke and the latine.

At the tyme that (whā the greuous and horrible persecuciones of Chri­stes [Page 47] churche were slaked, which the The historie of the beginnyng & successe of the Bis­shoppes of Rome. most cruell emperours of Rome had stered against it) y ^e administratiō of y ^e Romane empire came vnto Constāti­ne the great, Helenes sonne: who whā he hade graūted peace to the faithful christianes, which they hade long wi­shed for: in the. 25. yeare of his Em­pire, which was al most the .CCC. xxxvi. year from Christ our saueours birthe, he ordayned the citie of Bizantiū to be the seat of his Empire, which whan he hade builded and garnished with many roiall buildinges, he cal­led it after his owne name, Constanti­nopole. And that was the occasion of the furst diuision of the Empire of Rome: and shortly after, it engendred also a very scisme in dede. For the mightie chief emperour and monar­ke of the worlde reignyng at Constā ­tinopole, was called the king or the emperour of the easte. And Cesar his felowe in office which bare y ^e swynge at Rome, they called the emperour of the west. And this furst diuisiō of the Empire endured cōtinually vnto the tyme of Valentinianus, y ^e thrid about .Cxx. yeares, that is to wete, vnto the yeare of our Lorde .CCCC. lvi. But in the [Page] meane while, ther beganne a certain of nacions to conspire newe maters: and in rising against the empire of Rome, to set them selues at libertie: by reasō wherof, the Departing came by and by, whiche we haue read in Daniel, and Paule the apostle. For ther rose vp the most warlike people of the Vadalianes, Gotthianes, Frēche men, Lumbardes, and Herulanes, and many other besydes, which as sone as they had created them kinges of their owne people, they got on harnesse, & rebelled against the empire of Rome. But as sone as Valentinianus the .iii. of that name, was slayne at Rome of his owne folkes, and ended his lyfe and west Empire al at once, one Max­imus a cytezen of Rome maried Valentinianus wyfe Eudoxia to hym selfe, a­gainst her will. Than commeth by & by Gensericus the kyng of the Vandali­anes, beyng called out of Aphrica: he inuadeth the cytie of Rome, and whā the tyraūt Maximus was slayne, pul­led in pieces, and cast into Tiberis: he caried Eudoxia (Valentinianus the Emperours wyfe) ouer into Aphrica. And after him, many inuaded y ^e Em­pire [Page 48] of Rome. Howbeit ther was none that reigned stably nor long, se­yng one slewe an other, so as it myght trulier haue ben called a warfaryng, thā a reigning. The last of them was Augustulus, hauing a name of an vnlucky fortune: who whan he had catched holde of the west Empire, Odoacer king of the Herulanes gathered a great & an huge exceding furnished armye of people out of Germanie, and through he gothe into Italie. And at Ticinum Ticinū is a citie in Lumbar­die which now is called Pauia Orestes the father of Augustulus mette him, and was ouercome and slayne in notable manly fightyng. By reason wherof Augustulus threwe away his robes & Imperial dignitie for feare, and fled away from Rome. Odoacer oc­cupieth al Italie, he entreth the cytie Rome cal­led Odoa­cria. lyke a conquerour, and hauyng chaū ­ged the name of it, he called it after him selfe, Odoacria. And in dede after this sorte, the empire of Rome (whose myghtie power had letted Antichrist, [...]s Paule sayeth, that he coulde not burst out) was despeched, oppressed, and all together decaide, about the yeare of our saueour Christes birthe CCCC. LXXI. For Odoacer orday­ned [Page] the seate of his reigne in the cy­tie of Rome, and reigned in it four­tene yeares, and that with so mygh­tye a power and great puyssaunce, that he coulde not be gotten out, for no deuise nor force of warre, that Zeno the Emperour of Constantinopole could do. Howbeit within a fewe yea­res after, that is to wete, in the yeare of our Lorde Iesu Christ .CCCCC. LXX. Iustinianus the Emperour orday­ned Iustinia­nus. a new Magistrate in Italie, whō men called the Exarche. But he laye at Rauenna, & not at Rome, bicause it was miserably throwen downe, wasted & spotled, by the Barbarians breaking into it. To conclude whilest the weste The con­tencion for the Supre­macy of Churches. Empire fadeth in the cytie of Rome, & is after this maner vtterly dispat­ched: that litel prety horne which Da­niel speaketh of (that is, the Bishop of Rome) beganne out of hande to thrust furthe hym selfe, & to worke the mi­stery of Antichrist. For in the tyme of Odoacers reigne in the citie of Rome the yeare of our Lorde .CCCC. lrxx. Achatius the Bisshop of Cōstantinopole Note. wrote to Simplicius the bishop of Rome, desyryng that he wolde also cōdemne [Page 49] Perre bishop of Alexandria of heresie, for folowing Eutices: this Achatius being bishop of the head churche, whose au­toritie was very muche regarded with all men.

But takyng occasion herby, a sorte of ambicious persones began anone to reason, of the dignitie of the church of Rome, & the autoritie of the Bishop of Rome, and stil went on with disputacions so farre, that they contended, that the Sea of Rome was the heade of all churches, and that the Bishop of Rome was the head of all Bishoppes, and euen the catholike or vniuersall bishop ouer al. Howbeit those bishop­pes of Constantinopole that succeded Achatius, obiected them selues agaīst these mennes ambicion. For they cō ­tended, that the supremacie belonged vnto their churche, inasmuche as the Emperours of Rome hade made Cō ­stantinopole the seate of their empire: and for that cause this honour ought to be graunted to the bishop of Constā tinopole, that he maye be called the v­niuersal of all prelates and the bishop of bishoppes. And this same so vnworthye a contencion, and so ambicious a [Page] strife continued a long season, that is to saye, an .Cxij. yeares, vntill that horne of Antichrist (yet litel & weake) burst out wyth bigger streinghtes, & growed out not a litel. For in y ^e yeare of Christ our saueours birthe DC, ther was one Iohan bishop of Con­stantinopole, a notable prowde arro­gaunt man, and excedingly ambici­ous. The bi­shop of Constantinopole made the Supreme head. This man, whā Mauricius was emperour, called the Greke bishoppes together vnto Constātinopole, to kepe a counsail: wherin it was decreed and ordayned, that the bishop of Constan­tinopole should be called the general or vniuersal bishop of al churches. And whan Mauricius the Emperour Gregori­us mag­nus. sent ouer the decree of the counsail vnto the bishop of Rome Gregorie (which afterwarde was called Gre­gorius magnus) meaning to obteyne of Gregorie, that he wolde also sub­mitte him self & his churche, to Iohn, the bishop of Constantinopole: Gregorie wyth a great aduisednesse and a singular constauncie, refused and contraried him: not that he thought him self superiour and of more digni­tie than Iohan, but that he so vehe­mentlye [Page 50] abhorred the insolent state­lynesse, and prowde ambicion of the cleargie, which than begonne to growe vp by litell and litell. Where­vpon among certain other thinges to Gregories answer to the supre­macie. the Emperour Maurice: Be is the forrennyng messagier of Antichrist (ꝙ he) who so euer he be, that coue­teth to be called the vniuersal Bi­shop. And in an other place, the same Gregorie writting to Anastasius, Bi­shop of Antioche, and Eulogius Bishop of Alexandria, against the ambi­cion of the Bishop of Constantino­pole, saithe thus: Your reuerende holynesse knoweth, that this name (v­niuersal) was offred by the sacred counsail of Chalcedon, vnto the Bi­shop of the sea Apostolike, whych (by Goddes disposicion) I serue: howbeit none of my predecessours consented to vse that so lewde a worde to be called by. For (you must vnderstande) if one Patriarke alone be called the vniuersal patriarke, the name of patriarkes is taken away from the residue. But farre be it from a christian mynde, to scratche that thing from any man [Page] to him self, wherby he might seme ne­uer so litell to minishe the honour of his brethren.

Verily these are Gregorie y ^e bishop­pes wordes, wherwith he so earnestly taunteth those prowde and ambici­ous titles of bishoppes, abhorring & dephyeng those titles as cursed and abominable: whom at this daye their endeauour is with force of armes and most cruell policies, to chalenge to them selues. Notwithstanding al­beit Gregorie wrote thus vpō a god­ly zele and syncere mynde: and imme­diatly to the intent to brydle those am­bicious spirites of the bishoppes, he was the furst (as some saye) that na­med him selfe (Seruum Seruorum) the ser­uaunt of seruaūtes: Yet his successours by and by forgette all this gaire, and folowed their owne sondry deuises.

For wher that most arrogaunt slaue of ambicion, Iohn the bishop of Constantinopole after Gregories deceasse, wolde not only not geue ouer his begonne purposes, but ra­ther with the greatest forcasting fatches that he might, he entreprised to chalēge to him self that title of vni­uersal, [Page 51] and the supremacie of all the hole churche: anon Boniface of Rome Boniface the. 3. the thrid of that name steart vp. Who being puised vp with like folie and ambicion, set his fote against him, and sought meanes to conueye the same title and honour of the highest autoritie vnto him selfe and to the churche of Rome. And whan he hade once taken in hande that deuise of Phocas ordayned Rome to be the head of al churches. stryfe and ambicion, he stiffely set it forewarde stil, and gaue not ouer, till he hade obteyned of y ^e emperour Pho­cas that Rome shoulde be called the head of all churches.

In this behalfe we must note (wel­beloued brethren in Christ) what a man this Phocas was. Euen he that kept the Empire by treason and rob­bery. For he toke Mauricius the em­perour (being a good man and a god­ly) and than his wife and his children by sedicion: and in his wicked man­fulnesse, slewe furst his wife, and than his children before Mauricius owne face, and last of all he also slewe the Emperour him selfe, being a man of good age, as a man is, that is aboue three score and three yeares. [Page] This man was the furst (I saye) that ordayned the Bishop of Rome to be head of the churche, and graunted to those ambicious and insolent Bishoppes of Rome, the tyran­nous power that they hade long wi­shed for.

Those most holy fathers therfore haue to boast goodly of (in the De­uilles name) in that they are promo­ted to so highe dignitie and power, by suche a mannes autoritie: who, lyke as he caryed an heart infected wyth treason and falsehead, euen so he was not afrayde to defile his han­des also in the Emperour Mauricius blood.

But what maner men they should become, our Lordes wil was to shewe by thys tokē, that they should be most diligent folowers of theyr founder, and through conspiracie, treason, & warres, hyndre the godly and holy endeauours of Emperours. Which thing we shall a litell after shewe, by more euident profe.

Nowe then the litel horne, which in Daniel is a figure of Antichrist, was growen out, and wyth an exceding [Page 52] proude & gay glisteryng title, was na­med y ^e head of the churche. Howbeit he florished not al this while w ^t so great streynghtes, nor atchieued so mightie highe power, as y ^e forcast of so weigh­tie a mater did necessarily require: For wher the bishops being chosen of the cleargie & people of Rome, must nedes be confirmed either of the Em­perour him selfe, or elles of his lieute­naunt the Exarche of Rauenna, the bishoppes by them confirmed, were not hable to obteyne any power a­gainst the emperours of Rome: and therfore they durst not (for their ea­res) ymagine any thing, that might be in any condicion derogatorious either against the power or honour of the emperours. So that the bishop­pes thought it not good for them to rest, vntill about the year of our saue­our Cōstātine the. 4. Benedicte the. 2. DClxx. the mater was brought to that passe, y ^t Constantine y ^e fourthe emperour of y ^t name, endued bishop Benedicte the seconde with this priuilege, that whom so euer thensfurth the cleargie and people of Rome should haue made bishop, the same should also be acknowlaged of al mē, [Page] as the head of the churche, and Christ our saueours vicare, wythout any meane confirmaciō, either of the Em­perour him self, or of his lieutenaunt the Exarche of Rauenna.

But anon as the prowde ambici­ous Bishoppes of Rome hade obtey­ned this, their maters begāne to suc­cede euen after their owne purpose: & by this meanes so great streynght, might, and autoritie happened to that litell horne, (which yet hitherto appeared in all mennes sight, to be but vile, weake, and naught set by) that afterwarde it became intolera­ble, euen to the Emperours them sel­ues, by whose counsailes and helpe it was promoted so high, that it made batail, and preuailed euen against them their selues. And ther wanted not at that tyme signes and wondres, wherby the heauenly father admo­nished wretched mortal folkes, of the periles which shoulde be brought in by Antichrist. For as Platina (who out of all paraduenture was bothe the Bishoppes owne secretarie, and also their trusty Oratour) beareth record: a fearfull and an vnwont blasing [Page 53] starre appeared, and so vehement a fyre brake out of Vesuuius a mount Vesuuius. of Compaigne, that the places roūde about were brent vp.

By these tokens it was vndoubted­ly the father of heauens will, to shewe vnto all men, that Antichristes fire began allready to burne in Italie, which (wyth a sore burnyng flame) should consume and disquiete the con­sciences of many men.

For euen at the furst, whan the Bishop of Rome was aduaunced to so highe power, ther past scarcely fourtie yeares, but he beganne to set out all his streinghtes and autoritie, against the very Emperours them selues, not wythout their greuous sore damage and perile. For in the yeare of our saueour Christes birthe DCCxij. Philippicus the Emperour of the Monothelites, was infecte wyth the heresie of them, which holde opinion, that ther is but one only wil in Christ Iesu. By reasō wherof pope Constantine stryketh him wyth the Striuing about ymages. thonderbolt of his curse, and maketh this decree and statute wythall, that the ymages of the holy fathers, which [Page] were present at the sixe furst and ge­neral counsailes, should be painted in S. Petres porche. But this mater bredde newe stryfe, and newe hurly burlies. For vpō that, the bishop hade also occasion geuen him, wherby he might throwe downe and ouerwhel­me the three hornes or kingdomes, that Daniel maketh mencion of. For the bishoppes of the greke churches set their fote with most eagre stomac­kes against the bishoppes decree. For in asmuche as they sawe, God hade by his owne mouthe forbidden the vse of ymages in tēples, with so ear­nest and so perfite a commaundemēt, they affirmed that no ymages at all, ought either to be hade or suffred in christen mennes temples.

But wher as the most parte folo­wed the Monothelites heresie, they were also ouercome and ouerthrow­en, from this godly and holy sentence of abolishing of ymages: & so y ^t vse of ymages being confirmed by y ^e bishop Emperour Leo the third ba­nished ymages. of Romes autoritie, brought a newe parte of supersticiō in to the churche.

Than foure yeares after that, in y ^t year of our saueour Christes birthe [Page 54] DCCxvi. the emperour Leo y ^t thrid of that name, begāne his reigne: which being instructe in y ^t knowlage of God des lawe, caused al y ^e ymages stāding in the tēples through out all y ^e coastes of the empire to be abolished, & taken awaye: and sent lettres to the bishop of Rome Gregorie the seconde, com­maunding Gregorie the. 2. him, that he should also do the same. But ther was kyndled a great greuous cōtenciō, & a sore fraie. For y ^e Pope, that most holy father (in the wanyaūt) had wyth so great studie & diligēce dronkē of the cōmaūdemē ­tes, wherw ^t the Lorde condēneth & for­biddeth ymages, y ^t he was so sawcy, as to call Leo thēperour (by a most o­dious name) wicked ymage quellour: yea & also set him in so deadly an hate w ^t the people of Italie, & bringeth him in suche a contēpt w ^t al men, that som wold haue gone about to chose a new Emperour. And albeit ther purpose toke none effect, for euen Gregorie him self could not allowe it (the cause why was, that the bishops ambicion could not awaye with any Emperour in Italie, seing they wolde be lordes of al thinges thē selues) yet y ^e people of [Page] Rauenna stered vp a great mightie sedi­cion, wherin the emperours lieute­naunt Paule the Exarche, and his sonne were bothe slayne, of the sedi­cious multitude of the commōs. But forasmuche as that vproare coulde not moue Leo his mynde, but he wold most constauntly goo on forewarde wyth his purposed intent, he was at leynght strikē wyth the curse of pope Gregorie, the thrid of that name, and depryued bothe of the communion of Gregorie the. 3. the churche, and of his empire. Besi­des this whā he hade purposed to ha­ue sent an other Exarche to Rauenna, to ordre the maters of Italie, the Pope also resisted him, and wythstode him, that he coulde not, by reason of the Lumbardes, whom he hade drawne on his parte against the Emperour. For they wyth a strong power be­sieged Rauenna, bette it, and at leynght toke it, and therwythall depryued the Emperour of al his iurisdicciō in I­talie. Here now we see the furst horne throwen downe. For al the Empe­rours power, which he hade yet vnto The greke Empe­rours this tyme holden in Italie, was op­prest at the popes settyng on, by force [Page 55] of armes of the Lumbardes: and the dryuē out of Italie. Emperour him selfe was all together throwne out of Italie.

But assone as this was brought to passe, anon newe mociones stered vp newe vproares, and newe contenci­ons: by meanes wherof ther was occasion geuē to the Bishoppes of Rome, to throwe downe also that other two hornes, and to enlarge the limites of their owne Empire. For Luithprande king of Lumbardie (being a in ā am­bicious and desirous to reigne alofte) chalenged that parte of Italie, which was before tyme in subiection to the Emperours of Constantinopole, to him selfe and his kingdome, in des­pight of the popes nose. Wher vpon the mater at leynght cam to that pas­se, that whan he hade taken the cities of the bordres rounde about, he pres­sed euen the citie of Rome it selfe, with layeng of siege to it, and was wonderfully greuous to the pope and his. But in this case pope Bregorie did, as the Bishoppes of Rome hade Note the practise of these pre­lates. not ben before that tyme wont to do, he desired aide and defēce against his foes, at the Emperour of Cōstantino­poles [Page] hādes, euē the same emperour, whom a litell before he hade excom­municated for casting ymages out of the temples. And he sent also embassa­dours to Charles Martellus, Maister Charles Martellus of the Frenche kinges householde, de­siring him to be good to the citie of Rome, and to the churche now being y ^t furst tyme in trouble. Wel, Charles cast not of the bishoppes desires, but with louing exhortacion withdrewe king Luithprande his frēde and god­father, from the siege of the citie, and set the bishop and all the Romaynes at libertie, from the daungerous sore perile that they were in. And than in dede was the furst tyme, that the de­fence of the churche was (by the bi­shoppes newe and vnwōt entreprise) translated from the greke emperours to the princes of Fraunce.

This good turne of Charles Mar­tellus was so thankefully accepted of the bishop of Rome, that very great profyte came therof to his posteritie, by meanes of the bishoppes. For wheras the Frenchemen were wont, to haue kinges of the olde stocke of kinges, it came to passe (through [Page 56] lythernesse of the last sorte of kyn­ges) that they bare the name of king, and the honour and state of the real­me: but the treasure and al the power of the realme should be in the gouer­nours handes, whom they called Ma­iores Domus, the rulers or grand officers of y ^e house: in somuche that they should administre what so euer were to be done, either at home or from home.

And whā Charles Martellus was dead, his sonne Pipine was aduaunced Pipine. to so high dignitie and power, that wher he walowed altogether in pride and ambicion, he beganne treatou­rously to stere again his owne king, named Chilperichus: and to ymagine denises against him, and griedyly to Chilperī ­chus. couet the hole kingdome to him selfe. And wheras he coūsailed sōdry waies vpon this mater, now with the no­bles of the courte and of the realme, and anon with the bishoppes thē sel­ues: at leynght he thought it good, y ^t a mater of so weightie importaunce should worthyly be referred to y ^e head of al churches, Rome. For y ^t wylye & subtyle witted mā cōceaued an hope, that the bishoppes of Rome wolde [Page] remembre his fathers good turne, & that they wolde thankefully geue sentence on his syde, against the kyng. So embassadours were sent to Zacha­rie bishop of Rome, Burcharde bishop of Herbipola, and Folradus an abbot. And the summe of their embassage was on this sorte: Forasmuche as Zacharie is bishop of that church, which is worthi­ly called the head of al churches, let him geue sentence, according to his autori­tie: whether is to be compred more worthy the kynges crowne, he that is King only in name, & is hable to do nothing, either with his counsailes, or paine ta­king: or he that alone can susteyne the hole burthen of the realme.

Pope Zacharie smelled the subtile question, and remēbring his fathers good turne, pronounced with purpo­sely deuised wordes, that Pipine (vpō whose shoulders all the trauailes and burthen of the realme did heng) was more worthy the kinges rowme, than Chilpericus: mynding by this mea­nes, not only to recompense his fa­thers good turne, but also to purchace a trusty and a valeaunt Patrone and defendour, bothe to him self, and to [Page 57] the churche of Rome. Pipine than by At the cōpassing of euery treason or myschief, a Bishop or a preest i [...] euer in the one ende. reason of the bishoppes sentence, ad­uaunced him selfe the more stowtly. And whan he hade getten it allowed of the bishoppes, and certain of the nobles of the court with all, he was crowned in a citie of the Suessiones, by the diligence of Boniface the bi­shop of Mens, and so he toke the re­alme in to his owne handes. And in­continētly he deposed Chilperichus, his soueraigne liege lorde and king, being a simple man in dede (but of no euill disposition) from his regall power and dignitie: and hauing de­posed him, he thrust him in a mo­nastery to lyue like a monke. But whan the king (hauing suffred so muche iniurious wrong) desired the publike fidelitie, and ther wanted not good mē and fauourours of equitie, which were excedingly muche dis­pleased at Pipines so wicked attemp­tate, and wold not withall receaue Pipine, being so notable a ranke trai­tour, bicause (you must vnderstande) of their othe made before to king Chilperichus: marke, Pope Zacharie cometh again, and wher he did before [Page] make wicked entreprises, he dothe now an other as euil or elles a worse. For least that man shoulde haue ben iustlye reiected of the Frenchemen, whom he hade most vniustly made a king, he assoiled bothe Pipine and all the realme, from the othe and foyaltie that they hade made to king Chilperi­chus, and commaunded al men to ac­knowlage Pipine to be their king, & so to obeye him. And al this gaire (as we reade) was done about the yeare of our saueour. DCCliij.

Nowe who is he, that can not see here the secōde horne throwen downe also by the popes wickednesse? For he that was borne of a kinges blood, and lawfully chosen king, & reigned ouer the Frenchemen, is depryued of his realme: and one is put in his rowme, that was nother borne of the kinges blood, nor lawfully made king, but a fitte man for the bishop of Rome in al pointes, and his maters he applied studiously: by whose trauaile and be­nefite we shall hereafter heare, that the thrid Horne also was throwen downe.

For where the Lumbardes, who [Page 58] (as we haue sayde) were gredily desi­rous a litel afore of the Empire of I­talie, wolde in no wise geue ouer their begonne entreprises, but rather be­came the Popes enemies: and vnder king Aistulphus, disquieted the Ro­maynes groundes and coastes, wyth continuall warres, so that the Ro­maynes were not hable to resiste their enemy, his power was so great: Pope Stephane being at leynght en­forced wyth extreme necessitie, fied Pope Ste­phan. to Pipine into Fraunce, humbly be­seching hym to ayde the churche of Rome, than being in daungier, and to deliuer it from the tyrannye of the Lumbardes, restoring it to her aunci­ent peace and libertie. Than Pipine not forgetting the good turne that he hade receaued of Bishop Zacharie be­fore, allowed Pope Stephanes peti­cion: and promisyng him aide against his enemie, gathered out of hande a myghtie valeaunt power of French-men. He wente wyth Pope Stephan beyonde the Alpes, and at the straite of the mountaynes, geuing the on­lette vpon the Lumbardes, he wanne [Page] the victorie, and ranne through the fielde, and vehemently besieged their king Aistulphus, lyeng in Papia for his sauegarde: and at leynght he compel­led Aistulphus perforce by marcial power to graunt these condiciones, that he should graunt peace and obe­dience to the churche of Rome, and also to sende ouer to Pipine fourtie men, to be pledges in confirmaciō of the mater. By reason wherof, Pipine him selfe retiered in to Fraunce, and sent Pope Stephan wyth Folradus the kinges chaplayne, and a doughtie cō ­panie of Frenchemē to Rome. These thinges were done in the year of our saueours birthe. DCCLV.

Notwythstanding bicause Aistul­phus king of the Lumbardes perfour­med nothing that he hade promised to Bishop Stephane, and hade cōfirmed by an othe (being constrayned therto by Pipines force of armes) Pipine immediatly the next yeare folowing wēt agayn in to Italie, wyth a migh­tie rowte of Frenchemen, to deliuer the Pope from the Lūbardes armye. And assone as he passed the alpes, & cam downe in to Italie, Gregorie, [Page 59] themperour Cōstantine the fourthes chief secretorie with other of them pe­rours embassadours, mette him, and admonished him in themperours name, that he shoulde not meddle wyth the Exarcheship of Rauenna (whom the Lumbardes hade possessiō of, themperour being letted of the Saracenes) either to chalenge it for him self, or geue it to the pope or to the Romaynes: but forasmuche as they were of the empire and not the popes, he shoulde cause them to be re­stored to Constantine agayne. Here­unto Pipine saide naye, and affirmed that he wolde not serue either Con­stantine or any man elles, sauing the churche of Rome, protesting that he hade put on harnesse for that intent, to deliuer the sea apostolike from the iniurie of all men on the earthe, and therupon that he wolde doo the best for the commodities of it, that shoulde lye in his vttermost possible power to doo. And so (assone as he hade wonne the victorie and ouerthrowne the po­wer of the Lumbardes) he gaue to the sea of Rome the Exarcheship of Rauenna, and what so euer places [Page] elles hade (before that tyme) ben in subiection to the Emperour and Em­pire.

Whervpō it came to passe, that the Grelie Emperour beyng before dry­uen out of Italie, by the Lumbardes force of armes, & yet not cleane spoi­led of his ryght and title of iuste pos­session, hathe nowe lost them altoge­ther: and beyng dryuen out of al hole Italie, hathe loste al the Empire, that before he had in it. Nother was he ha­ble to resiste the Popes wicked endea­uours, ne reuenge the wronges done vnto him, bicause he was letted by the Saracenes warres; which disquieted the east Empire with cōtinual inua­sions of batailles. And surely it is to see, the Popes subtile wylynesse to be suche, that they haue ꝓuided for their owne maters, at that tyme specially, as they haue sene the inperours and other kinges (that were against thē) occupied with other warres, so as they should be the lesse hable to wyth­stande their endeauours. But Pipine for doyng these his so large good tur­nes for the bishoppes of Rome, hade worthily for his labour the excellent [Page 60] highe title of Most Christian Kyng, Most christian king. bothe to him & his successours: which the Frenchekinges are prowde of euē at this daye: for this one cause (you must vnderstande) that they toke the places, which belonged to the Empe­rour in Italie, out of the Lumbardes handes, & restored not them to the em­perours agayne (as ryght was) but gaue them to the churche of Rome.

Notwithstanding al this gaire, the Popes ambicion & couetousnesse was not satisfied, as long as they sawe the Lumbardes (whose powers were at that tyme exceading great in Italie) not al together ouerthrowē & extinct. King De­siderius. Pope Adriane. And therfore whā their last king Desi­derius began to attempte some thing a­gainst Pope Adriane the furst of that name: by & by he also besought Char­les y ^t sonne of Pipine (who afterward for his nobly done dedes, receaued the name of Charles the great) for the de­fense of the sea Apostolike. And he ea­syly Charle­mayne. obteyned his desyre.

For Charles renneth through by & by into Italie, with an hoost of men: & whan he mette Desiderius wyth his armie of Lumbardes, he cruelly bette [Page] them downe in the fielde: he hade all their townes yelded vp vnto him, and sent the king prisoner (wyth his wife and children) awaye in to Fraunce as banished folkes. And in dede thus was the reigne of the Lumbardes, which they hade possessed in Italie more than .CC. yeares all together despeched. And therfore y ^e thrid horne was (through Antichristes subtilties and violence) smytten of also: in the yeare of our Lorde. DCClxxvi. Than Charles the Frenche king which was Pipines sonne (after this gaire was done) came in to a perpetuall league wyth the Bishoppes of Rome: and what his father Pipine hade geuen before to Stephane the seconde (of the landes that he hade violently taken from the Emperour) he cōfirmed the same also wyth more ample priuile­ges, and with a solenne othe, to make sure worke.

Hitherto now, it hathe with cleare & euidēt exposicion ben declared (wel­beloued brethren in Christ) that the olde notable saienges of y ^e holy goost, which are in Daniel, be most truly fulfilled by the Bishoppes of Rome: & [Page 61] that the B. of Rome is y ^t littell horne, which figureth vnto vs the emperial autoritie of Antichrist: which in dede at the furst begynnyng of his reigne, was but vile & naught set by, but anon he ouerlaide three very mightie king­domes with his wyly fatches and de­ceates, and wyth their powers (which he claymed to him selfe) he was ad­uaunced to so great a height of reignyng. Now it remayneth (deare­ly beloued brethren) that we conside­ratyuely weighe (out of the Empe­rours histories) wyth what craftes he made sure, and augmented his strein­ght and power, and how he became superiour and aboue euen the empe­rours them selues.

The bishoppes of Rome being not The tran­slating of the empire to the Frenche men. wythout cause afraide of y ^e greke em­perours powers, for the many and sondry wrōges and most mysheuous losses, y ^t they hade occasioned vnto thē: least paduēture y ^e Saracenes & other eastren enemies being wel tamed, & y ^e emperours hauing leasure, wolde set vpō Italie, & goo about to clayme to them selues again the Exarcheship of Rauenna, & other places belōging to [Page] the empire, which Pipine and Char­les hade violently takē from thē, and bestowed vpō y ^e churche of Rome: by & by they beganne (as they are myschie­uous wylie felowes) to bende their for casting studies to this ende, that they might plucke all the greke Em­perours power & force awaye from them, that was yet lefte in the west parte of the empire, and to translate it from them som whider elles: and that they might get suche Emperours, whose powers they shulde haue y ^e lesse nede to be adradde of, and by whose autoritie and empire they shoulde be defended from the driftes and conspiracies of their foes. For which cause Leo the thrid. sake, pope Leo the thrid, being endued wyth very large benefites of Charles the great, and seing euidently his va­leaunt courage of stomacke, his nota­ble boldenesse, his ioyous successe of victories, & his redy good wil wythal, towardes y ^e churche of Rome & y ^e Bi­shoppes of the same: toke vpō him so bolde an entreprise, & to doo so great a feate, as none of his p̄decessours e­uer did greater, nor auētured w ^t more perile: y ^t was, to trāslate the empire.

[Page 62] Than to thintent he might get the most men to fauour his purpose, and the more easily bring y ^e mater to passe that he wolde, he complayned long & many tymes, to y ^e people and cleargie of Rome, of the decayed streynght of the empire, and of the vnprofitable­nesse of the greke emperours. For they (ꝙ he) dwelling & being so very farre of, can be hable in no wise to assiste sely Italie, being many wayes distressed, especially seing they were daily vexed with newe (and that most haynous) batailes. And therfore saue­garde, peace, and freedome can not be better restored to Italie again, than if a newe chosen emperour in the west, take vpon him all the dignitie of the empire and the charge of the same.

These wordes in dede moued ma­ny mēnes heartes, which being ledde wyth the likelyhode of the wordes, perceaued not manifestly, what the popes drift was. Than perceauing the greatest parte of the people to incline to his purpose, in the yeare of our Lorde Iesu Christ. DCCCiij. he brought the mater to ful effecte. [Page] For in Petres churche after the so­lemne seruice, by the sentence and at the besechinges of y ^e people of Rome, the pope ordayned Charles (with a great lowde voice) emperour, & gaue him the crowne Imperial: and ther vnto the people of the Romaynes shouted three tymes aloude: To Char­les the mightie, crowned of God, the great and peacemaking Emperour, be life and victorie.

And albeyt the greke emperours toke these maters right greuously, yet they were not hable to leste these thinges frō doing: bothe in that they were turmoiled with innumerable warres, and also bicause the empresse Hirene (being polluted with the cruel murthering of her sonne) stered vp newe hurly burlies, and exceding great stormes of busynesse: for she can in nowise seme to haue ben vn­knowing of this dede, seing Charles (now made emperour) went about to mary her, she her selfe not being discō ­tented. So the bishoppes of Rome vsing these knackes, promoted the Frenche kinges (their most earnest defendours, and most trusty aiders) [Page 63] with wonderful sleyght & subtiltie to the highe dignitie of the empire: by whose helpe and mayntenaunce they became afterwarde of higher po­wer, than all their enemies. Than af­ter Lewis that was called Pius gaue Rome to the Pope. emperour Charles the great, Lewis his sonne succeded, who also for his great liberalitie was very dearely beloued of the bishoppes of Rome, & for that cause they named him Pius, godly or deuout. For he did not only cōfirme the gifte of his progenitours, that is to saye, of Pipine his grand­father, and of his father Charles, but he also wonderfully augmented it, and gaue them (ouer those thinges they hade before) the citie of Rome w ^t his iurisdiciō, and al the landes roūde about, with the cities, hauens, and sea coastes of Hetruria. Wher vpon bishop Antichrist is encreaced agayn with newe streynghtes, & is become Lorde of the olde auncient seat of the Em­pire, that is to wete, Rome.

Ther is no cause (welbeloued christian brethren) why we shoulde maruaile, that the bishop of Romes dignitie and power growed vp on such an heyght, that he hade all the [Page] bishops not only of Italie, but also of Fraunce, Germanye and Spayne vnder their daungier, and in subiec­tion to their sea: seing they coulde fynde out such men to be their defen­dours and patrones, which hade the administracion of all those naciones, and the power of the empire it self in their owne handes.

Nowe though all these maters (which we haue hitherto made re­hearsall of) are muche vnworthye, and also full of wickednesse and false­head, yet the bishoppes of Rome not contēt herewith, thought they might be bolde, to doo more vnworthye & more wicked entreprises thā al those. And to thintent they might vse their dignitie and power with y ^e more ease & quietnesse, they were nothing asha­med at all, to mocke the Frenchemen also with the same falshead, that they practiced before, against the greke emperours. For they thought to chea­rishe and make muche of Princes and peoples frēdship, so farre as it might serue to mayntene their pleasur & id­lenesse. Kyng Beringa­rius. And for that cause wher as Berengarius, whych at that tyme [Page 64] bare the rule in the Lūbardes landes, greued al Italie very muche with his power, & disquieted it many wayes: & the Frenchemen cam not, whan they were called, but gaue ouer their aide frō the defēce of Italie, & of the church of Rome, ne yet folowed the example of their aūcettours forewardenesse in y ^t behalfe: Bishop Agapetus and after him Iohn the. 13 of that name, wrote lettres to Ottho (which thā being king of Germanye, & Prince of Saxō, was after warde made emperour, and gar­nished wyth this syrname, Augustus) humbly beseching him for y ^e loue of God, & y ^e apostles Petre & Paule, to de liuer y ^e holy churche of Rome, out of the daungier of Berengarius and his cōplices. In this mater Ottho being a very mightie Prince, and moued Ottho. also by other mēnes instaunt desires and lettres, tendred the bishoppes pe­ticiones. And therupon he gathered a great armye of Germaynes, & cam in to Italie. He ouercame Berengarius, and whan he hade takē him prisoner, he banished him away wyth his wife and Albert his sonne in to Baben­berge, and so deliuered all Italie [Page] from the feare and tyrannye of him. And than like a conquerour he entred the citie of Rome, and was most honourably receaued of pope Iohn̄, and crowned in the title of the Empire of Germany & Pannonye.

To be brief, this Iohn̄ (through whose crafte and deuise the empire was translated) was he, that (as the Italian writours recorde) being euen frō his springing youthe tyme spot­ted with al the villanye in the worlde, and all filthynesse, and geuen more to hunting (if he hade any spare tyme from hooring) than to praier, shamed the churche of Rome wonderfully w ^t his lyuing, & polluted that sea in ma­ny behalfes: and at leynght being ta­kē in the abominable synne of hoore­dome was slayne, and suffred worthie paynes of his wickednesse and hoore­oome.

But how muche either of honour or profite (in the wanyaunt) came he­reof vnto king Ottho, being other­wise a very good and a right noble man: it maye be playnly ynough per­ceaued of the othe, that he was con­strayned to bynde him self in, to pope [Page 65] Iohn̄, that monstre of hooredome. For his successours enrolled y ^e forme of it in their Canones and decrees, on this wyse.

To thee Lorde Pope Iohn̄, I Kyng Otthoes othe. Ottho doo promyse and sweare by the father, the Gōne, and the holy Goost, & by this tree of the quickening crosse, and by these reliques of sayntes, that yf (by the sufferaunce of God) I shal come to Rome, I shal exalte the holy churche of Rome, and thee y ^e gouernour of the same, according to my power, lyfe and membres, and thou shalt nor lose the honour that thow haste by my will, or by my coūsail, or by my cōsent, or by myne exhortacion: and in Rome I shall make no pleaye nor ordinaunce in al the thin­ges that perteyne to thee, or to the Ro­maynes. And what so euer shall come to our possession of G. Petres lande, I shall rendre it to thee againe. And to whom so euer I shallcommytte the go­uernaunce of Italie, I shall make him sweare to be thy helper to defende G. Petres lande, according to his power.

Lo (welbeloued brethren in christ) this is the solēne & excellent othema­king of the emperour Ottho: which [Page] othe dothe well beare witnesse, that Ottho hade non other rewarde geuē him, for his most large good turnes shewed to the pope, and for the deliue­raunce of all Italie: but that he was constrayned to bynde him selfe to the popes seruice, and become a maynte­nour & a defēdour of that hoore of Babilon, and of her wicked tyranny. Be­sydes this, assone as he came furst in Apo. 17. to the citie, he was commaunded to subscribe with his owne hande, to the donacion of king Lewis, wherof we haue spoken a litell before: to this ende (you must vnderstande) that he should by no clayme chalenge (to the Empire) either the citie of Rome, or other places belonging to y ^e Empire, out of the popes handes: and that the bishoppes of Rome might vse their wickedly gotē goodes, with the more ease and securitie. These maters as they are now set out, y ^e historie wry­tours make mēciō, were done about the yeare of Christes birthe DCC­CC. lxij. Furthermore albeit the Frē ­che men toke it very euil, that the title and dignitie of the empire was taken from them, and translated [Page 66] to the Germaynes: yet the bishop­pes of Rome considered that suche mightie emperours of the Germay­nes, which hade bounden them sel­ues by a sore othe, vnto their will (as it is allready declared) should not be reiected. And for that cause they set their myndes (with diligent studie) to this ende the rather, that by som hād­som meane, they might confirme the Empire to the Germaynes, and re­serue the clayme and dignitie of it in their owne hande.

And in this case pope Gregorie the. 5. Gregorie the. 5. shewed his sleightye witte, which hel­ped and set forewarde this deuise ve­ry mightyly. For he (inasmuche as he was borne in Sarone, and was kynsman also to Emperour Ottho the thrid of that name) toke this esta­blishement for chosing the emperour (Ottho him self not denyeng, but cō ­senting to it rather) y ^t it should be lau­ful frō thensfurthe to the Germaines alone, to chose the emperour. And he ordayned sixe Electours, which at the deceasse of euery Emperour should of duetie haue the charge of that mater: that is to wete, three Prelates of the [Page] bishoppes nōbre, & as many princes. The Em­perour chosen by. 6. Elec­tours of Germany. And vnto thē he added a seuenthe, the king of Boheme, to sattle the discorde of y ^e ꝑtes. But although he wold seme to haue cōmitted al the power of cho­sing the emperour vnto them, yet he hathe boūden both them & al the Ger­maynes w ^t this condicion, that whom so euer they should haue chosen, he should than be taken for emperour and Auguste, in case y ^e bishop of Rome hade comfirmed him. These appeare euidentlie to be done in the year of our Lorde. M. II. But in this place also it is to see, the popes craftes and deceates to be in a maner vnauoi­deable, wherby they confirmed their supremacie and power in more am­ple wise than afore, with a newe ad­dicion. For furst of al, he placed amōg the Princes Electrours, three bishop­pes: who, seing they are straitly boū ­dē to the sea of Rome by an othe, they dare chose non other man to be Em­perour, but whō they perceaue maye be allowed by y ^e popes good will. And moreouer although the election suc­cede not all after y ^e popes mynde, yet hathe he reserued the confirmacion & coronacion to himself: which if he de­nye [Page 67] to him that is chosen, he shall nother be called Emperour nor Au­gust. Wherof it is manifestly appa­rent, that the electours haue nothing geuē them but bare titles of honour, and that y ^e popes (by this contrefaicte colour) wolde cloke their ambicion and tyrānye, which they are ashamed to practice more openly. Hereof their owne Canons beare witnesse, which saye that like as the secular sweorde (wherby the armed Emperour reig­neth) ought to be in subiection to the spiritual, that is to saye, to the bishop of Rome him selfe: so they clayme that power to the bishop also, that he alone by his owne autoritie (w ^t out al consent, either of the hole Counsail or any prelate) maye depryue the Em­perour of his dignitie, yf he perceaue him to be in displeasure with him.

And verily they haue alwaies foughten with this their autoritie a­gainst euery of the most holy empe­perours, not w ^tout greuous losse of al Germanye: like as the actes of Hēry y ^e. 4. Lewis y ^e. 4. Friderich Barbarosse & others make mēciō: of which ma­ters it shal be treated more pleynte­ously, [Page] and more clearely in the homi­lies folowyng.

Of these thinges now, which hi­therto haue ben reckoned vp, I sup­pose it appeare sufficiētly opē ynough, w ^t what beginninges they clymbed vp aloft vnto so highe estate of digni­tie & power, wherof they vse euen at this daye, so prowdely & so shamelesly to boast: that is to saye, that they haue conueyed these maters to their owne hādes, through most wicked craftes, treasō, robberies, periuries & falshead. For furst of al they obteyned at Pho­cas that most cruel tyrānes hādes, the proude title of general & vniuersal bi­shop, & not w ^tout stiffe striuing had w ^t the bishoppes of Constātinopole. And they vsed Phocas autoritie & power, furst of al against y ^e emperours of the grekes, which were their benefac­tours. For wher they wolde not abide to haue ydolles, nor maintenaunce of Idolatrie in their temples, the popes layde at them w ^t the cruell thōderbolt of cursyng, & expulsed them frō the cō ­muniō of y ^e church, & were so bolde as ꝑtly to kil their Exarches in Italie, ꝑtly to driue thē out of Italie, so as whā [Page 68] they had drawē it al together to y ^e De­parting, they plucked it cleane out of the emperours power. Frō thece they ranne sawcely into Fraūce, & oppres­sed the kynges blood, & aduaūced such to the crowne of the realme, as they sawe more diligent to serue their lust & pryde. Anone by their violence they inuaded y ^e most noble & most valeaūt kingdome of the Lūbardes in Italie, & gaue not ouer, til they perceaued it also ouerthrowne, & the streynghtes of it al to clattred. And thus they haue in dede atteyned their power by ouer­throwing of three kyngdomes, so that at leynght whā they had trodē the empire vnder their fete to, they might a­buse the emperours to what purpose they wil, euen at their owne pleasure.

Two of those thynges now which were ꝓpounded, we haue hitherto w ^t euidēt exposicion declared: Furst that Rome is the seate of Antichrist, thā y ^e the B. of Rome is figured by the litel horne, y ^t Daniel maketh menciō of, & y ^t he is very Antichrist. And y ^e residue shal be treated of, in y ^e homilies folow­ing. Here now it shal stāde vs in hāde (welbeloued brethrē in Christ) to con­sidre [Page] throughly y ^e beginnynges of po­pes, & of their kyngdome. For lyke as they haue atteyned their kingdome w ^t wiles, falsehead, treasones, & oppres­sing of good Princes, euen so shal they deuise w ^t the same craftes to vpholde their kingdō, glorie, & power to their successours also. An euident vnfailing token of this mater, this present tra­gedie declareth vnto vs, wherby thro­ugh their forcastes and mocions, they stere vp the most myghty princes and most valeaūt people to take weapō in hande, against Christ the most highe king & priest. In this case therfore, we had nede to vse singular diligēce & for cast (brethrē) y ^t we haue respect only to the wordes of Christ, & folowe the rule of thē: & also to make the eares of God weary w ^t cōtinual praiers, neuer ceas­sing to desire him, y ^t he wolde vouche­safe to defēde vs w ^t his owne fatherly succour, to deliuer vs frō the tyrāny of Antichrist, to burst his horne, & power And on y ^e cōtrary parte, to set vp & ad­uaūce the horne & kingdō of his sōne, y ^t we may serue him in faith, charitie, & vprightenesse of life: & at leynght to liue & to reigne w ^t him for euer & euer. Amen.

LIke as in maters of warre it is not only profitable, but also necessarie for vs throughly and fully to knowe bothe our enemye & his weapons, his politike wiles also and embushe­mentes, his deuises and forcastes, so as they maye, the more easyly be auoided and repulsed, wyth like po­wer and discrete aduisement: euen so is the same knowlage as muche ne­cessarie in all the continue of our life: In y ^e discourse wherof we must aby­de a certain perpetuall and alwaies contynuyng warfare, by the helping mayntenaunce of our most high em­perour, our Lorde Iesu Christ: which biddeth vs not set vpon any carnall & mortall enemie, but commaundeth those that are his appointed men of warre, to be armed against the spiri­tuall aduersaries of our saluacion, & Ephe. 6. [Page] (as the apostle Paule saithe) against the Lordes of this worlde, the rulers of the darkenesse of this worlde, yea rather against the Deuil him selfe (y ^t olde and mightie serpent) whose sub­tiltie is infinite, and his wyles innu­merable: which also hathe the cast to transforme him selfe in to euery faci­on, and to counterfaicte euen the an­gel of light. But althoughe that com­mon enemie of our saluacion layeth embushes for vs, wyth wonderfull & sondry his politike wylie prankes, but aboue all other specially wyth the iuggling deceates of false doctrine: yet hathe he (for all that) som chief guyde and emperour of his armies, whō he hathe most throughly instructed in al his streynghtes, in all his power, wyles, fraudes, deceates, and all the knackes that he hathe, to destroye mā ­kynde wythall.

This man the holy scriptures set furthe in many places, by the name & figure of Antichrist, forsomuche as being in all thinges contrary and a­gainst our Lorde and saueour Iesus Christ (who is become vnto vs of God 1. Cor. 1. the heauenly father, wisedom, righte­ousnesse, [Page 70] sanctificacion, and redemp­cion) he maketh warre against him, and draweth awaye vs (whom Christ hathe redemed wyth his blood) from his companye, seruice and partaking of saluacion. It is therfore necessary for vs to marke diligently, & to espie out this felowe: and it is conuenient for vs also, to geue the eies of our heartes attentyuely vnto this purpose (es­pecially the worlde that now is) to thintent we maye be hable to knowe (out of the scriptures) bothe him and all his wyles, and to beware of him, that he begyle vs not. And as for this knowlage, it may fully and lightly be perceaued of the twoo places of scrip­ture, which I lately brought furthe of the most excellent Prophet Daniel, and the Apostle Paule: which paynt out Antichristes visnomye vnto vs wyth suche lyght and euidence, that all the hole mater of him might be comprehended in six chaptres, or proposicions. And therfore I haue lately expounded two the furst, by the which we are taught, that he shall spring vp, place his seate, and reigne at Rome. And ther wyth also it is [Page] shewed by what meanes, deceates, subtilties, treasons, and wicked deui­ses, he shall come to, and obteyne his kingdome. All which thinges verily are set furthe wyth suche light, as it is declared wyth sufficiēt playnesse, that they are fulfilled by y ^e bishop of Rome (which ought to be takē for that very principal and mightie houge Anti­christ) after the same sorte, as they were in tymes past spoken of before, by the prophetes and Apostles.

Now the next is, that we steppe ouer to the thrid place of the mater we are in hande wythall. Wherin the The. 3. Antichri­stes per­sone. persone of Antichrist, his nature, dis­posicion, maners, and all his propre­ties (wherby he maye be knowne) are described. These are written by Pau­le y ^e Apostle, who in that place which we haue before rehearsed, dothe workemanly paynt out all the hole face of Antichrist wyth foure names or titles, as it were wyth certain lyue­ly colours.

And the furst title that he decketh him wythall, is, that he nameth him, The man of Synne. the man of Synne. This forme of speaking smelleth the Hebrue phrase, and [Page 70] wanteth not in this behalfe the ex­presse significatiō of the thing that is intended: in that he calleth him, not (after a simple maner) A synfull mā, or a wicked, or an vngracious man, but the Man of synne, or the man of wickednesse, mynding this wise to speake of a certain greater thing: that is to saye, euen the same thing, that the seruaūt and slaue of synne is, and as he, that is addicte al together to the lawes of synne, in al the hole discourse of his life. To be shorte, to thintent we maye fully vnderstande the mea­nyng of this title, and that we maye see wythall, whether this same title, doo agree fittly wyth the bishop of Rome, we must marke anon furst of all, what the scripture purporteth in this worde, Synne. Holy writours call it synne, what so euer is commit­ted what Syn­ne is. against the will of God the heauē ­ly father, and the autoritie of his holy worde, either concerning faithe and religion, or concerning the office of charitie, either yet concerning the in­nocencie and purenesse of life. For in these three specialties, the hole life of a faithfull christen man, and what so [Page] euer be customly required therunto, are comprehended. And if we wold a litel more diligently & more narowly marke y ^e hole papacie, wyth his head & membres, we shall fynde them to be suche, as ought worthyly to be called, most filthyly polluted men wyth syn­nes, and euen the very right Men of synne. For as touching the faithe and religion, which is obserued and set furthe in the papacie, it is euidently apparent, to be cleane contrary vnto the true and right faithe and religiō: seing it was not taken out of the re­gestre of the holy sacred scripture, wherout the doctrine of all faithe and religion ought to be taken: of which mater we shal more fully treate, whā we com to the exposicion of the thrid title. To be brief, albeit we wold graunt them in this behalfe, that cō ­cerning the doctrine of their faithe & religion, all thinges were pure, and set furthe according to the sentence of Goddes worde, yet it can in no wise be denyed, that the popes and their complices, doo greuously offende cō ­cerning the same, if we doo considre the abominable sinne of Symonie, by Symony the which they do so many robberies [Page 72] (one vpō an other) wyth suche shame­lesnesse & gredinesse, in those maters of God. For we se thē come at lenght, to so highe wickednesse by the shame­les practise of symonie, that they be­stowe not only benefices and the ren­tes of Colleges and Monasteries, and other suche like goodes of the church, to the possessiō of most vnworthy per­sones (that is to wete, of suche as be of counsail of theyr viciousnesse: messa­giers, coll cariers, bawdes, horse ke­pers, mule dryuers, cokes, & infinite others) beyng nother of honest cōuer­sacion nor good learnyng (and all for money, or elles for priuate fauour or auaūtage) but also set a sale, and offre to be bought for euery mannes mo­ney, the holy sacred gyftes of the holy Goost, remission of synnes, the grace of God the heauenly father, the com­munion of the sacramentes, the lauer of Baptisme, yea and their owne God made of bread, wyth the kingdome of heauens, and euerlasting blesse: and that w ^t suche shamelesnesse, that their owne most gredy chapmen & brokers are not ashamed (w ^t a loud & a shoutig voice) to praise their wares, and to require for the same al maner of mo­ney, [Page] whether it were gotē in warres, or by thefte, or by rauine, or yet by bloodsheading. For they haue called the pelfe goten wyth these craftes, no lesse holy than other is, if they be all shuffled together. Yet all men knowe (euen as many as are madded wyth their supersticion, and haue thought good to buye their wares) y ^t I feyne not these maters, either of enuye or malice: but euen the truthe of the ma­ter it selfe, is more cleare, than nedeth any further declaracion in this be­balfe. What shall we thā saye in this case, welbeloued brethren in Christ? Must we not nedes confesse, that they which haue done suche thinges, were in that chief and principal point of al the hole life (touching faithe and reli­gion) very wretches, & in all thinges, playnly blynded men of synne? For furst wyth most arrogaunt temeritie they haue taken vpon them selues the thinges that they neuer hade, nor were deliuered to them of Christ Ie­su, that is to saye: remission of sinnes, the grace of God, the kingdome of heauens, and euerlastyng lyfe and bles­sednesse. All which thynges the hole [Page 73] scripture teacheth, were redemed w ^t nothing elles, but with the precious blood of Iesu Christ alone. Thā ma­king sale of the giftes of y ^e holy goost, they made of the temple of God, not the house of prayer, but a certayn marte: yea euen a tauerne of cheop­ping and chaunging. Thirdely they haue made all religion, to be a cloke of naughtynesse and iniquitie, vnder which cloke euery body might frely entreprise, and doo what so euer he wolde. For might not a man, vnder this false shewe of religion (not only wythout punyshement, but also no mā sayeng: wrong he did) be an hore­mongre, breake wedlocke, be a ry­baulde, haunt naughty games & sportes, be dronkē, fight, robbe, steale, op­presse Christes poore seruauntes, sheade innocēt blood: & finally to doo all mychief with sweorde and fyre? Might not a man that were burthe­ned & ouerlayde with all these vices, be made free & clensed out of hande, assone as a sacrificeing hyred priest hade saide masse for him, or hade gotē him assoiled, for money? The sayeng therfore of Christ our king and priest [Page] ought rightefully and according to their owne desertes, to be thondred in their eares: My house shal be called a house of prayer, but you haue made it a denne of theues. Among these we Math. 21. maye recken the pilling and rauine, that they vse openlye wyth to muche shamelesnesse. For the moste raue­nyng marchauntes are not con­tent, to haue spoiled men of their goo­des, while they were alyue, but they go about to robbe and pille mennes heires, their wyues, and children al­so, whan they are deade, and in another lyfe. For to this ende they haue ymagined trentalles, sacrifices of Massing for the dead, anniuersaries, and infinite suche like: and vnto them men must nedes either bequeath per­petuall rentes and reuenues in their testament vpon their death bedde, or elles their heires must prouide and geue them. And what a thing is this elles, but the same that Christ obiec­teth to the Scribes and Pharisees of the Iewes, where he sayeth, that they deuoured and robbed poore folkes and wydowes houses, vnder pretence of long prayer. And who is it, that shal [Page 74] in this case, acquite them from synne and trespace, seyng they bewray them selues by their owne dedes, yea and e­uen by the testimonye of their owne mouthe, to be theues and sacrileges?

For yf the pardon bulles which they offre to sell for large money to men, whā they were yet lyuyng, were sufficient for remission of synnes (as they make boast of) what nede is it, to buye it dayly afreshe wyth newe sacrifices for them, whā they be dead? And forasmuche as they saye, men haue nede of this ware, & that dead mennes soules can not be delyuered wythout them, they doo verily shewe themsel­ues to be deceauours, in y ^t they deceatfully & fraudulently wyped their mo­ney from them, whā they were alyue, promisyng perfite remission of syn­nes, whych they them selues saye af­terwarde, is vnperfite, and hath nede of moo, and that newe wares. To be shorte, the B. of Rome is the autor and inuentour of al this gaire, w ^t his my­sterie workers of his owne religion, which haue plāted the sedes of suꝑsti­ciō (y ^t he hath sowed) after a wōderful ymaginacion of feynyng and lyeng. [Page] And therfore we will saye, that this furst title, that Paule decketh Anti­christ withal, doth most rightly accord vnto him: that he is called the Man of synne, and the man addicte vnto sīne, yea the seruaunt of synne, and a tru­sty slaue not only of synne, but also of most chief wickednesse & blasphemye.

Finally if Christ our Lorde so oftē and wyth so vehement diligence, re­quireth of vs those thinges that per­teyne to christen charitie, and com­prehendeth all his lawes and precep­tes in the title of charitie: in case we marke and compare the life and ma­ners of popes wyth it, we must reme­dilesly confesse them to be voide of all charitie, and concerning it, to be also the Mē of sinne. For it is to be shewed by the examples and histories of ma­ny yeares, that they haue at all tymes set lesse by the publike peace and saue­garde of the greatest naciones, than by their owne priuate commodities, wantonesse, and raūgeing libertie to doo what they lust them selues. And I (least I should seme to be ouer­muche tedious) shall chose a fewe cer­tain specialites out of many, and they [Page 75] shal be euē y ^e same, y ^t haue chaūced with in these CCCCC. yeares last past.

In this behalfe let the emperour Henry the. 4. Henry the. 4. of y ^t name stande furthe furst of all. Which about the yeare of our Lord Mlvij. was made emperour being but a boye at that time in dede, but yet for all that, ioyning his wisdō and dexteritie in handling of maters wyth his yeares, he became a right noble and a valeaūt Prince. Whilest Hildebrā ­de, otherwise cal­led Gre­gorie the. 7. this man gouerned the empire, not wythout commendacion & victories against his foes: one Hildebrande a monke occupied the sea of the papacie, being not called by any laufull ordi­naūce, but by his owne priuate wilful lust & sleightie cōueyaūce: & he was called Gregorie. y ^e. 7. Who inasmuche as he walowed altogether in y ^e forcastīg studie of couetousnesse, hatred, enuie, pride, & new fāgled maters (as the I­talian writours, & amōg them cardi­nal Beno make mencion of him) con­sidering it requisite for him to folowe y ^t steppes of som of his predecessours popes, went about to depryue y ^e empe­rour of that right & power, which he hade of auncient custome, in orday­nyng [Page] of Bishoppes & ministres of the churche. For by that occasion he sawe, that not only exceding great richesse, but also muche more honour & power should com to the sea of Rome. The emꝑour w ^tstode y ^e wicked purposes of Gregorie, & ꝑceauing his ambicion well ynough, he thought it not good to lose any of his right, but he rather kept it still to him selfe, as right was he shoulde. But that was so pleasaunt a thing, to pope Gregorie, that for loue of it, he nother spared treason nor slaughters, but stered vp ciuile wat­res in many places of y ^e empire, & all maner of myschief that he coulde ymagine. For furst he conspired the empe­rours deathe, & deuised by sondry meanes to despeche him: In so muche that euen in y ^e temple he wolde haue mur­thered him, as he was at his praiers. But whā he sawe his cōspiracies fra­med not to his purpose, he begāne to vse opē force & enemytie: & hauing ex­cōmunicated Henry, he assoiled al mē frō their othe of faith & allegeaūce (as they cal it) & sent ouer y ^e crowne of y ^e empire garnished w ^t this verse, to Ro­dulphe the duke of Sweuianes.

[Page 76] Petra dedit Petro, Petrus Diadema Rodulpho.

That is to saye: Christ y ^e rocke, called in latine Petra, gaue y ^e imperial crowne to Petre, & Petre hathe geuē it to Rodul­phe. This dede was y ^e occasion of most bloody warres, in that (you must vn­derstande) Henry hauing his empire taken violently from him, reuenged it by force of armes. Whervpon at leynght, after many terrible batailes and bloodsheadde, the false emperour Rodulphe was ouercomē in batail, & so lost his life and empire al at once. And whan he was despeched, they created a newe emperour by y ^e popes cōmaundemēt, which (fauouring his syde) had reiected Henry. And he that was electe, was Herman the erle of Lucelburgh, which also being dryuen out, lost his life & empire by & by. Yet for all this, nother the pope him self nor his fauourours could be restray­ned by these iuste iudgemētes of God, but they wolde also chose a thrid a­gainst Henry: that is to wete, Mar­ques Ecberte, which was also (shortly after) slayne in a myll. Than all the residue being afraide wyth the mysfortunes of these three princes, no [Page] man coulde be persuaded any more to take vpō him the title and honour of the empire. Notwithstanding, the malicious madnesse of the pope and his was not yet staunched, but they (like most wicked men) coulde bring thus muche topasse, that they caused Henry the fourthes sonne (whom the historie writours name Hēry the. 5.) to make warre against his father. Hereof sprong wonderfull, haynous, and horrible hurly burlies, seing the father and the sonne made cruell ba­tailes, one against the other. But at leynght the sōne being aided through the popes craftye sleightes and false fatches, toke his father (being a wor­they olde man) by treason: and than hauing depriued him of al his reigne and dignitie, he caused him (being so depryued, and a prisoner) to dye. Marke this tragedie (and more than a bloody tragedye) welbeloued bre­thren in Christ. What man is it in all y ^e wyde worlde, that is hable to shewe herein so muche as one sparke of cha­ritie? Truly y ^e historie writours beare vs recorde in this behalfe, that in these hurly burlies, & among so vehe­ment [Page 77] stering of warres, Henry ga­thered his standardes, and fought three score and two tymes. By which nombre of batailes euery man, that hathe any common witte, may easyly considre, what innocent blood was sheadde, how many townes were ta­ken, how many fieldes wasted, how muche corne spoiled, and what nom­bre of widowes and fatherles childrē were occasioned to be (moo than was before) therby. For if ther hade ben but one sparke of charitie in Grego­ries heart, ought henot rather to haue geuen ouer all his dignitie, and haue depryued him self of the hole papacie, than for temporall substaunce and power (y ^t shal last but a while) to stere vp so great warres and myschief? But he was not satisfied, nother with batailes, ne with fiere, ne yet with streames of bloodsheadde, til he sawe the sonne defile the lawes of nature, and make warres against his owne father in this owne realme, whose age it hade ben his duetie rather to haue defended & holpē. And the same whom the popes office of duetie hade ben to feare awaye from sheading of [Page] any mannes blood, he was not asha­med to encense, to y ^e abominable wic­kednesse of father murthering. Therfore what shall we hensfurthe cal wic­ked, harde hearted, cruell, bloody, or horrible, if this be not? The sonne (yea euē the only sonne) being prouoked by no maner of iniurie, either of his owne, or of y ^e cōmon wealthe, did not only cōtemne his father, forsake his father, leaue his father destitute of his helpe, but also set vpō his father in ba­tail, pressed his father wyth besieging him, he enuyroned him & toke him by treason: he robbed him of his empire, and so taking him prisoner, suffreth him miserably and sorowfully to dye. And these prankes were not played by the commaundement of any bar­barous tyrāne, nor by y ^e incēsemēt of any Phalaris, but by the coūsail of the Phalaris was a ty­ranne in Agrigen­tine. most holy father, in y ^e deuilles name.

Reioyce nowe you Caligulaes, be mery you Neroes, & as many as haue hade y ^e famous reporte of crueltie: For you haue one which (though he lefte The. B. of Rome is more cruell than either Ca­ligula Nero. Friderich the. 1. you a long space behinde him, yet) he acquieteth you frō y ^e infamie & remē ­braunce of a cruel name, euen the [Page 78] bishop of Rome, which commaūdeth the sonne, to bathe his sweorde in the fathers blood.

And God wotteth, the noble feates of Adriane the. 4. and Alexander the. 3. may be also coupled to these rehear­salles, which they practiced (w ^t most high wickednesse) against the very godly and most valeaunt prince Fri­derike, whose sirname was Barba­rousse. For albeit he hade the vpper hande ouer al his enemies, yet it was not in his power, either to auoide or to breake y ^e tyrānie of y ^e popes: but af­ter haynous batailes, & most lamēta­ble flaughtres, he was cōpelled (ꝑforce) to fall hūbly to y ^e popes fete, & to laye downe his necke, for Antichristes fil­thie fete to treade vpon.

Now who is it, that wolde seke a­ny charitie at their handes, which haue not learned so much, as to beare fauourably with the dignitie of an Emperour.

After y ^t, about y ^e yeare of our Lorde Friderike the. 2. MCCxx Friderichus y ^e secōde suffred no lesse wickednesse & false head of thē also: For whan he made warres a­gainst y ^e Turkes, they (w ^t most spiteful [Page] vilany, & abominable force of armes) resisted him: and as he (with luckie successe) warred against the enemies of Christes crosse, they with their false driftes droue him backe: and layeng at him with their thonderboltes, they depryued him also of the communiō of faithfull christen people, and of his Empire: and chosed other emperours agaīst him. Which thing was in dede the cause of most greuous batailes, & engēdred innumerable muche blood­sheading.

Morouer, in the year of our lorde. M. CCC. whan Albert the duke of Austrike was chosē emperour, Pope Bonesace the. 8. of that name, wold nother confirme him, nor crowne Boniface the. 8. him, except he wolde furst promise, that he wolde make warre against Philippe the Frēche king, and dryue him out of his realme. And the cause of that warre was this: that Philippe (whā he espied the sleightie shiftes of the sea of Rome) denyed y ^e pope al his reuenues of the realme of Fraunce. And for that cause, that holy father hauing goodly in mynde the precept of charitie (to thintent he might pro­uide [Page 79] for his owne priuate commodi­tie) purposed to set twoo the mightiest naciones of christendome (Fraūce and Germanye) together, to warre cruelly the one against the other: and glad to geue the loking on (him self) of the destroyeng of cities, wasting of fiel­des, slaughter of men, and al the mys­chief besides, that warre bringeth w ^t it: so that it turne to his owne aduaū ­tage. But the father of heauen prouydeth better for mennes maters. For he put those kinges in suche mynde, that they forgate the pope, and layeng downe their weapones, con­uerted the lamentable warres in to a ioyous mariage.

And here it is not to be omitted, that the bishopes of Rome (being of the same spirite) did vnto Ladislaus king of Vngarie and Polone. He hade Ladislau. ouercome (with wonderfull luckie & notable victorie) Amurathes the most mightie prince of the Turkes, and sca­tred the turkishe armye, and obteyned perforce such condiciones of peace, as were harde to be obteyned of the ene­mye. But whan the Turkes hade the ouerthrowe in that skyrmyshe, they [Page] were fayne perforce (and bicause of the condicions of peace) to medle no longer with inuading Vngarie, and beganne to make new roades in to Italie, & to stere vp daungers against the pope: Eugenius the bishop of Rome (to deliuer him self and Italie from Eugenius pope. all daungier) sent Cardinal Iuliane to Laudislaus, to condemne his league with the Turkes, as wicked and vn­worthy: and to persuade with all, that christianes are in no wise bounden to kepe promise with infideles. And he gaue not ouer counsailing and prouoking, till he hade persuaded the king, compelled him to breake the league, and so to become a pro­myse breaker. Anon than by the for­wardenesse of the most holy father, and the legate Iuliane the apostata­like (apostlelike I wold saye) blowing to the fielde, ther was most cruell ba­tail renewed: which hauing vnluckye successe, king Ladislaus was slayne, and Amurathes caried awaye a large and a gorgeous victorie. This was done in the year of our Lorde. M. CC­CC. xliiij. Lo, this is the most holy fa­thers charitie, this is the loue that he [Page 80] beareth to y ^e Lordes flocke, by the coū ­sail wherof, he teacheth the Kyng rashly to violate his promise of peace, and shamelesly to faile his fidelitie, that he hade made: and not that only, but he also casteth both such as be very good & to muche simple kinges, & the peo­ple (ouerlight of belefe) vpon the most cruel weapons of Christes enemies the Turkes, so as he him selfe maye lyue safe and sure at Rome.

To be shorte, least through aboun­daūce of examples, my tale growe out to ouer great a mater, it semeth not necessarie, that we should set furth (w ^t a busye paynted shewe of wordes) the thinges that the Bishoppes of Rome haue in tymes past done, against the lawe of charitie, seyng that these our owne dayes can euidently ynoughe beare witnesse of the same. For loke you (dearly beloued brethrē in Christ) vpō these present hurly burlies, & warres of Germany, at home w ^tin thē sel­ues, which is vndoubtedly occasioned by y ^e trauaile & deuise of pope Paule y ^e iii. & of his mēbres. And searche dili­gētly Paule the 3. (if it please you) whether so much as one token or sparke of charitie, [Page] be shewed in this dede doing. For who knoweth not, that the greater parte of christendome (especially the hole flocke of them, that are right wise and learned men) haue allready com­playned (these many yeares) of the ty­rannye and intolerable yowke of po­pes? And Emperours haue ben in the same thought, which haue (with most earnest faithfulnesse and godly aduise) admonished them bothe to amende their owne maners, and re­strayne the ecclesiastical ministers, and their lasciuious lyues, and to ex­ercice a worthye discipline among them, to frame their hole life by. But all is in vayne. For they (like most naughty me) wold nother heare y ^e cō ­playntes of the congregacions, nor doo after the admonishementes of emperours, bicause they haue al­waies loued their owne lust more than all the discipline and honestie in the worlde. Whervpon (all thinges set aparte) they haue vsed their owne lustes and vicious demeanour, with al losenesse of libertie. In this behalfe (therfore) God the father of heauen, seing their licenciousnesse to be bothe [Page 81] intolerable and incurable, hathe cho­sen aparte some of the nombre of his ministres, and hathe enlumined them wyth the lyght and shynyng beames of his spirite, that knowyng the Po­pes tyrannye and wicked lordlynesse, haue also throughlye perceaued the truthe of Goddes worde. These men haue layed their hādes to worke, and brought light into the worlde (that tū ­bleth in darkenesse) & haue reproued openly the cruel and horrible abomi­nacions of the papacie, admonishing euery body to beware of thē. By mea­nes wherof, that sea hath felt exceding great losse, and where as no power of emperours was hable (hitherto) to dryue it to a downefall: nowe beyng a great parte dyminished in it selfe, and in his membres, bothe in his honour and rychesse, it beginneth euen alrea­dy to come to nought.

For frō hencefurth the Germaines (whome this light shone furst vnto) wolde not renne gadding to Rome, & ther seke soule helth, seing they knew Christ Iesus, to be the true way of sal­uacion. And they haue no mynde to [Page] buye Romishe pardones and bulles with money, seyng they vnderstode, y ^t synnes are forgeuen by Christ, & that men are certified by faithe, of the for­geuenesse therof. What nede many wordes? That most gayneful fornace of the popes pikepurce Purgatorie is quenched out, with the lyuely waters of the Gospel amōg the Germaynes, and al the battefowling tooles & knac­kes of the sea of Rome, are despeched quyte out of the waye. Hereof those most holy fathers haue complayned in euery place. And where as before they turned the deafe eare to other mennes complaintes, nowe they be­ginne to cōplayne them selues, & with faire flattering wordes, most large ꝓmises, and muche feyned holynesse, they haue gone about to bring them that are instructed in the doctrine of the truthe, and haue renounced pa­pistrie, vnder the yowke of their ty­rannie agayne. But whan they pre­uailed nothyng for all their craftes, by and by they besought ayde of Em­perours, Kinges, Princes, cities and people: they begonne to arme them a­gaynst the professours of the truthe, [Page 82] whome they crye out on, and saye, they folowe a newe and an hereticall religion.

In this case therfore, the Magi­strates (beyng stered vp by the popes incensementes) begonne violently to rage with force of armes, against the faithfull seruauntes of Christ. And than a man myght haue sene them, that confessed Christ (to be the onlye waye of saluacion) burned wyth cru­ell fyre, hanged vpon galowes, choked in waters, slayne wyth sweorde, and murthered wyth al kyndes of deathe. Yea the mater came to so merciles a crueltie, that they spared none, nother man nor woman, yonge nor olde. And yet those noble rutterkines of the churche, dyd more cruell feates than these: for they enticed princes and people (whome so euer they coulde) for money, to stere vp warres a­monge them selues, and to extin­guishe the religion (that is contrary to them) wyth sweorde and fyre. So that hangmen were sent out of these parties, and raunged about here and there, to murthre the ministers of the [Page] worde, by what meane so euer they coulde. And they founde and toke vp burners, whom they hyred priuely, to thrust vnder fyre, & so to spoile, bothe the faythfull christianes, and their cities and fieldes. And yet this read purpled churche (embrewed with the blood of sayntes) not satisfied with all these (as wicked cruell dedes as they were) ceassed not, before they percea­ued these haynous and bloody war­res brought vpon sely sorowful Ger­manye, stered vp all them that they trusted, to make batail against it. Bring vs out here the frutes of chari­tie, O you bishoppes. Shewe here som special token of christen gentilnesse, O you pope pleasing slaues. Is it the office of charitie, to murdre men, whō Christ hathe redemed w ^t his blood, to spoile cities, to waste fieldes, to marre corne, to defile matrones and maidēs, and finally to renne rageing (after al kyndes of iniuries and reproches) with sweorde and fire, vpon all ages, man, woman, and childe?

But they are heretikes (saye they) and no true christen people, that we persecute. And the chaste spouse of [Page 83] Christ (the churche) is by these here­tikes most impudently defiled, and also the seameles coate of our saueour Iesu, is (by their rashenesse, and false doctrines) miserably torne, and rent in pieces: which we goo about to a­mende, and repaire agayne.

Ha, & will you nedes be bothe most bloody tirannes, and most shameles lyers to, you cruell blood thirstye wol­ues? what adoo haue you, to speake of Christes coate? For by you it was cutte in pieces, and marred all ready a great while agoo: yea and by most wicked loctecasting (as it was before tyme among the souldiours of y ^e Ie­wes) it cam in to most filthie mennes handelinges Therfore you are not sory for tearing of Christes coate: but it greueth you, that the vaile of wic­kednesse, and the clooke of impietie is (through the preaching of the gospel) cut in pieces, which you being coue­red withal, haue continually hitherto practiced al kynde of wickednesse, and beasly lust, without correction.

It greueth your hartes, that the sackes are open and torne, which you haue hitherto hidden the true Ioseph, [Page] Iesus Christes cuppe, and all other your church robberies in. Now your sleightie shiftes are open, your lies are open, your false deceates are open, nowe is your (more than the Sicilianes) tyrannye open, and ab­horred of all men. Your tyrannye was the toole, with the which you ra­ged together by heapes, not only against mennes bodies, but against their soules also. It is the commyng of this gaire to the open light, that greueth you, hereof cometh your la­menting, this is the cause of your so­rowe taking.

For as touching the horrible cryme of heresie (which is alwaies in your mouthe) which of our sorte is it (I beseche you) that you coulde cō uince? haue you yet hitherto proued any of them, an heretike?

They are heretikes, that make who is an heretike. new articles of the faithe, contrary to the truthe of the scripture, and doo stiffely mayntene them.

This cryme is most farre from vs. For ther is none of the articles of the apostolike faithe and Crede, that we denye. And moreouer, we [Page 84] deuise no newe ones, we chaunge none wrongfullye, we nother take from, nor put to any thyng, touchyng any of them. But suche masking vi­sours you hade nede of, to bryng the doctrine of the truthe, and of the true faythe, in to hate and contempt, wyth the simple and rude common people, by meanes of this horrible and slaun­derous reporte of vs, to be heretikes. But yf ye loued the churche of Christ, so muche as you boaste in wordes to doo, yf you cared so muche, for the noble and most valeaunt nacion of the Germaynes: truely you testifye this your loue and care, wyth moste vniuste and most vnworthy behaue­ours, in that you visite it, wyth abo­minable force of armes, and moste cruell haynous enemies, procured out of euery countrey. Did Christe our Lorde entreprise, to trayne the worlde to his lore, by the same lyke reasones? Haue his Apostles lefte you any example of this practise? Paraduenture you maye pretende Paule for you in this case, which breathed the lyke threattes, and impugned the [Page] faithfull christianes with like force of armes, whan he was Christes open enemye: and whā it was saide to him, that he persecuted the Lorde, & spur­ned Act. 9. against the pricke. But assone as he was conuerted, by the power of Christ, he begāne to teache and plant the christen faithe in euery place, and folowed farre other maner of wayes. But what nede wordes, against that scarlet blood thurstye, and read ruf­fling Synagoge, coloured with sayn­tes blood? For ther is suche obstina­cie, and blyndenesse of harte in that Synagoges stomacke, that they will not vouchesafe so muche as heare the Lorde him selfe.

It is our parte (dearely beloued brethren in Christ) to learne here, that these mē ar cleane voide of al sparkes of charitie, & al together colde in their cōsciēces. For if they were any whitte charitably affected, surely that bitter famyne & intolerable dearthe of vi­taile, which the coūtrey of Germanye hathe ben miserably pressed withall (and now at leynght is scarcely ridde of it) wolde neuer yet haue gone out of their myndes: and hauing remē ­braunce [Page 85] therof, they wold neuer haue admitted, that (for their owne pri­uate profite) the people should be de­stroied now with sweorde and fire, whom so sore an hongre hathe so bit­terly vexed.

But no common miseries moue them, no casualties moue them, no la­mentacion also of the sorowfull wret­ched people moue them, so they may see their owne maters prouided for. As for the complaintes and pitifull cryenges of the poore, none pearceth their eares. The gronynges also of the afflicted, strike nothing in to their eares, nother doo they geue any hede to the wailinges of the hongrie. But this is their common studie, this is their care, this is their paynes taking and trauaile, to hunt away the sely poore shepe (whom Christ hathe re­demed with his blood) from the most holsome pastures of Goddes worde, in to that olde stynking slaughter-house of theirs again: and to thintent whan they haue them vnder their subiection, they may not only fleece them at their pleasures, but also pull of their skynne: and not that only, but [Page] also bocherlye to slea them, woorie them, flea them, and deuoure them. Although ther perishe men in­numerable, though fieldes be wasted, townes destroied, priuate and publike goodes violently taken away, though wyues crye out for the slaughter of their husbandes, the parences of their sonnes, the children of their parentes, the frendes and alliaunce, of their frendes and allyaunce: though the honestye of matrones be defiled, al­though the maidens (being subiecte to the cōquerours filthie appetite) do make mone, though euery body (both man, woman, and childe) doo perishe: & to cōclude, though al hole Germanye were set on a most terrible read bur­nyng fire, yet they will thinke al this damage easyly recompenced, if they may lyue safely, and take their plea­sure, with their couent of erraunt hoores, flattering bely cheare myni­ones, and detestable daunceing leche­rours. They are therfore voide of all charitie, and (as concerning it) they are Men of synne, and in all thinges geuen to al maner of wickednes and abominacion.

[Page 86] Let vs procede now ouer to the thrid point, which concerneth the leading of a righteous and an inno­cent life: and therin we shal perceaue them to be Men of synne, no lesse thā in the other pointes before. For the innocencie of a christian life requi­reth this specially aboue other, that we auoyde the common enemye of faythfull Christianes, Sathan: that we abhorre, flee and deteste to haue any thing a doo with him. But and if we wolde considre the actes of bishoppes of Rome, we may fynde mo that haue not bē afraide, to bynde them selues holly to be the seruaun­tes of sathan, and therwith haue set their studies vpon suche practices as are deuelishe, and forbidden by the lawes of God. And in the nombre of these, Cardinal Beno dothe frely recorde, that Gregorie the. 7. is to be compted, and bringeth out many abominable testimonies of that ma­ter.

Of Siluester the seconde of that name, the most diligent patrone Siluester the. 2. & mayntenour of the popes dignitie, Platina is y ^e autor: y ^t he was a practicer [Page] of naughtie artes, and therin addicte him self (all together) vnto the com­mon enemye of mankynde. And in dede furst he gate y ^e Archebishopriche of, Reme and afterwarde of Rauenna through gift of money: last of al (wyth greater forcast, by the deuilles fore­warding helpe) he gate also the occu­pacion of the popes sea: howbeit vn­der this condicion, that whan he de­parted this life, he should be all holly the deuilles, by whose false deceates he obteyned so high dignitie. Where­vpon also (as the same Platina maketh reporte) wher this Siluester was not circumspecte ynough, in being ware of the deuilles baites, he was killed, al The masse coulde not defēde the pope him selfe from the Deuil. to pulled, and suffred openly of that noble promotour and foūdour of his, as he was Massing in the churche. And who is it, that can not vnder­stande, what a maner promocion this is, what kynde of dignitie this is, and what maner office this is; that the deuil can geue vnto his seruauntes, and that the most vnthriftye persones lyuing, can get wyth deuillishe and a­bominable sciēces? And wherto should we speake of these maters, seing the [Page 87] cōmon people doo knowe euidently, that the most conyngest doctours and maistres of magical artes, and other sciences forbidden by Goddes lawes, were alwaies either sacrificeing prie­stes, Leui. 19. or elles monkishe or frierishe cloisterours, marked wyth this bea­stes marke, which haue ben wont w ^t their studies, to betraye (after this sorte) the autor of their secte and fa­cultie.

Furthermore ther is no man so ignoraunt, but he knoweth, that the studie of temperate sobrenesse and chastite is required in the lawes of a christen innocencie, inasmuche as for the loue of innocencie, it is most cer­tainly manifest, that the vse of wed­locke was instituted, straight wayes at the furst begynnyng of the worlde.

But how farre wyde the bishoppes of Rome haue gone from that studie, it is more commonly knowne, than nedeth demonstracion of many examples. For whan they had ones forbid­den & taken the laufull & right chaste vse of holy wedlocke out of the waye, they were not afraide to plant the stu­dies of lecherous lustes & abominable [Page] hooredome. In this case I reporte me to Iohan the. 13. of that name, who (as I haue lately said before) was ta­kē in hooredome, euē at y ^e dede doing, and so (according to his merites) was slaine. The same thing is also verified before Iohan, yea rather cried out v­pon, by that vnworthy and almost in­credible pranke, wherby (as we read) a most shameles brothel queane crept vp (through hooredō) euen to be pope, & was called Iohan the. 8. And truly Iohan the 8. a womā pope. albeit a sorte of filthy felowes wolde fayne denye it, yet they are hable in no wise to say naye to it. For ther is a notable place, that is slaundred w ^t that naughtie mater, betwene the plaieng place, which they cal Theatrum Colosseum, and G. Clementes, wherin the hoore pope (being takē in y ^e necke w ^t sodaine panges and throwes) was deliuered. Which place the popes (remēbring y ^t detestable dede, & being ashamed of it) shonne euē now to this day. Ther are also credible histories of writours, y ^t haue nombred y ^t excellent pastour of Christes shepfold (w ^t her childbearing) in the noble ragge man rolle of those most holy fathers. For yet though [Page 88] they wolde, they dare not ouerhippe her (if they wolde be reckoned trusty credible writours) bicause of the freshe memorie of that facte. For it chaūced after the tyme of Charles the great, about the year of our Lord. DCCCLviij.

Of the same lecherours lust we haue Alexan­der the. 6. a witnesse, Alexander the. 6. which be­ing pope wythin our remembraunce, lyued after suche rate, that he could not acquyte the brute of his name, frō suspicion of incest committed wyth his daughter. We haue also recorde of all the hole life of all Cardinalles, bishoppes, prelates, abbottes, mōkes, Chanones, Friers, and sacrificeing priestes: who like as they neuer auoi­ded the shame of open hooredome, e­uen so haue they filled almost y ^e hole worlde w ^t their bastardes, and vnlau­fully begoten children. As we maye also (in the meane tyme) passe ouer in silence the beastly lust of the abominable synne of Buggery, vnworthy to be hearde of christian eares: and ma­ny other wicked vices, that the com­mō people certainly knowe, that they are out of good name with all.

[Page] But least any man wolde say, that Here folo­we a mis­chieuous holy com­pany of popes. we were to muche vniust reportours, and in the rehearsal hereof playde not an vpright faythful parte, as thoughe we noted al fowle blemishes, euen in the most holy fathers, with to quicke and ouermuche iudgeing eye: and to this ende, that we myght afterwarde for the faultes and errours of a fewe, renounce and condemne all the holerable of popes, and the papacie it selfe to: it semeth not vnprofitable, nor frō the purpose we are in hande wythall, to discribe in a short rehersall, out of Platina (the most diligent registr our of the popes names) the lyfe & names of a great meignye of Popes, whyche wythin thys fewe yeares, haue so a­rayed and defiled that sea of pestilence and abominaciō, wyth most haynous cursed prankes, that euen the very pa­pistes could not passe ouer their dedes in silence, ne yet by any clooking meanes excuse them.

About the yeare of our Lorde. DC­CCC. stephan the. 6. ther was one Stephan the. 6. of that name, whych had obteyned to be pope. He persecuted the name of For­mosus (which was pope but a few yea [Page 89] res before him) wyth suche vehement Note. beadly hate, that by and by he abroga­ted his decrees, and made his actes of non effecte. So that the consideracion of the good turnes y ^t Formosus hade done for him, and made him bishop of Anagnia, coulde not reclayme him from his cruell purpose. But bicause he hade hyndred Stephan before; that he could not com to be pope, euen whā he wolde: he was so rageing madde a­gainst him, whan he was dead, that assone as he hade kept a counsail, he commaunded Formosus bodye to be drawne out of his graue, and to be stripped of his pōtifical habite, & to be lapped in a secular habite, and so to be layde in the laye mennes burial. But yet he caused two fyngres of his right hande to be cut of (those two namely that the pristes vse to consecrate w ^tall) & to be cast in to Tiberis, bicause (as he sayd) he hade (cōtrary to y ^e lawes of y ^e sacrament) come to Rome & takē his priesthode again, wherof he was de­priued rightly by y ^e lawe of Iohn y ^e. 8. Marke.

After this man by and by folowed Romanus the. 1. pope Romanus the furst, who in that he fauoured Formosus partes, allo­wed [Page] his cause, and disallowed and toke awaye Stephanes decrees and actes out of hande. His fotesteppes al­so folowed his two successours, Theo­dorus the. 2. and Iohn̄ the. 10. Which immediatly restored Formosus cause in to his entier perfection, against the willes of a great parte of the peo­ple of Rome: by reason wherof ther rose so great a sedicion, that they hade ben very like to haue layen together by the eares for it.

A litell after this, whan Leo the. 5. Leo the. 5 Christo­phor. clymbed vp to the honour to be pope, anon, the. 40. daye of his pontificali­tie, a familiar of his owne, one Chri­stophor (being gredy to reigne aloft) toke him & cast him in prisone: which thing coulde not be done without great sedicion, and losse of many mē ­nes lyues. But Christophor inuaded & occupied the popes sea by violence. But he gate it wyth naughtie artes, and naughtyly he lost it. For in the. 7. moneth he was thrust out of his dig­nitie, and constrayned to take vpon him a monastical life, the only refuge (as platina saithe) of comfortles per­sones: and sone after, he was drawne [Page 90] out of the monasterie, and cast in pri­son, by his successour Sergius the .iii. Sergius the. 3.

But this Sergius is he, that so re­pealed and disanulled Formosus ac­tes, that it was necessarie to admitte them afreshe vnto holy ordres again, whō Formosus hade before admitted, to the ordre of priesthode. And yet not Note. contenting him selfe wyth this shame done to the dead man, he drewe his carcasse out of the graue, and caused hym to be headed, euen as yf he hade ben alyue, and cast his bodye into Ti­beris, as vnworthy the honour of hu­maine burial. Who is it, that can not see hereby (right louing brethren in Christ) how litel autoritie y ^e bishoppes of Romes actes and decrees ought to beare w ^t any body, seyng they condēne eche one other w ^t mutual cursinges, & throwe away their dead mens carcas­ses, w ^t so vehemēt surie & shamelesnes, Anastasi­us the. 3. Laudus the. 1. Iohn̄ the .11. as it were rauēs & grypes? After Sergius ther succeded popes Anastasius the .iii. and Laudus the furst, which were som­what more quiete & gentil, than their predecessours. But Iohn̄ the eleuenth succeded them, who caried a stomacke more geuen to warre than to religiō, [Page] and at leynght in an vproare of war­re, he was taken of men of warre: & being cast in to prisone, he hade a ke­uerchieff thrust in to his mouthe, & so was killed. And again after a certain fewe bishoppes of Rome being be­twene, that honour came to Iohan y ^e 13. of that name: of whom this is re­ported by y ^e Romayne writours, that ther was neuer none more mishie­uous, nor more vngracious a man, occupied the sea of Rome before him. And in dede the ende of him was answerably like vnto his life & ma­ners. For after many filthyly & wic­kedly played prākes in horedome (as we sayed before) he was taken and sticked to deathe.

Whan Iohan was despeched, Be­nedicte y ^e. 5. was created pope, by ma­king Benedicte the. 5. Iohn̄ the. 14. of a sedicion. And shortly after Iohan the 14. toke the seat: who being in an vproare (by the Romaynes) dry­uen out of y ^e cytie, and returnyng the eleuēth moneth of his exile, vsed such crueltie against his foes, as hade ben mete to haue ben practiced rather by the most bloodthursty tirannes, Pha­laris, Dionise, and other like them, [Page 91] than by the apostles of Christ.

After Iohan succeded Benedicte y ^e Benedicte the. 6. 6. which was takē of Cinthius a citeze of Rome, and shutte vp in to Adrianes pile, and shortly after he was stran­gled in the same place. Whom albeit Platina wold fayne excuse w ^t worthy reasones, yet being offeded wyth those bishops most mischieuous maners, he is enforced to saye: Vereor ne talia fuerint Benedicti merita, quale praemium a Cinthio con­sequutus est. That is to say: I am afrayde least Benedictes desartes were suche, as the rewarde was, that he receaued of Cinthius. Than next after Donus the seconde, Boniface the. 7. whose sir­name Bonisace the. 7. & countrey (by reasō of his basse astate) is vncertain, obteyned to be pope, through noughtie sciences. And by y ^e power of y ^e magistrates, & y ^e set­ting on of good citezenes, he was compelled to flee y ^e citie, & stealing awaye al y ^e preciousest Iewelles out of saynt Petres churche, he fled to Constātino­pole, & taried ther so long, till he hade solde the wares, y ^t he had takē awaye by sacrilege, & so hade gotē together a great deale of mony, which he vsed as an helpe to practice his tyrānie, & cam [Page] again to the citie, going about to cor­rupte y ^e citezenes of Rome w ^t rewar­des. But y ^e good men w ^tstode his pur­poses, & specially Iohā y ^t diacon Cardinal, whom whā y ^e B. hade takē by the helpe of a sorte of myschieuous felo­wes, he thrust out his eies out of hād. Howbeit y ^t autor of so great myschie­fes (y ^e sedicion encreaceing more and more) w ^tout fear, & (as Platina hauing alwaies a better hope of those holy fa­thers, saithe) wythout repentaunce of the dede that he hade done, died mise­rably and filthyly.

Iohan y ^e 15. of y ^e name, in the thrid moneth of hys popeheadde, was takē Iohn̄ the. 15. by the Romaynes, bicause of his tirā ­nye vsing: & being shutte vp in Adrta­nes pile, as in y ^e cōmon warde, was pyned ther so long, wyth y ^e stynke of y ^e prison, w ^t hungre & grief of mynde, till he shamefully fynished his life.

After him succeded Iohn y ^e 16. who was in wōderful hotte hatred against Iohn̄ the. 16. The cha­ritie. of the Pope and clergie. y ^e cleargie, wherupō he was iustly ha­ted of y ^e cleargie again. But specially, bicause he gaue out al (bothe diuine & humane) treasures to his kinsfolkes and alliaunce: and so (God wotteth) [Page 92] he set aparte y ^e honour of God, and y ^t dignitie of y ^t sea of Rome, leauing an example of this right naughtie vsage to his successours, which the bishoppes wyth most diligēt endeauour, folowe the like euen at this present daye.

Now therfore let euery hartie man iudge (right louing brethrē in Christ) whether all good men haue not iust­ly cōplayned of y ^e bishoppe of Romes tyrannie and wickednesse: seing that sea hathe hatched vp so many knaues, tyrannes, theues, robbers, murthe­rours, sedicion sowers, and open churche robbers, as we haue rehear­sed, and all wythin these lxxxv. yeares. And I pray you who wold honour it as an holy see, inasmuche as it could abyde so many pestilent myschiefes? And for al these, their regestres were neuer ful ynough of such mischeuous villanes popes, as these were. For scarcely a dousin yeares after y ^t, Iohn Iohn̄, the. 18. y ^e 18. of y ^t name stearte vp, who (pope Gregorie y ^e 5. being yet a lyue) occu­pied y ^e papacie, by meanes of diuision and rewardes. And for that cause, Platina calleth him a theefe and a robber: and in the. 10. moneth of his [Page] vsurped popeship, he made a shameful ende of his life.

His successour was Siluester the secōde, who (as we said a litel before) was promoted to be pope by the de­uilles diligent payne taking. Anon after this folowed Benedicte the. 9. Benedicte the. 9. Siluester the. 3. Gregory the. 6. Siluester the. 3. and Gregorie the. 6. thre most vggly monstres, which like as they sought gredily to haue y ^t see by rewardes, euē so playeng wicked­ly among them selues, they were not afraide to sell this honour and digni­tie, and to redeme it again one of another for money. Whervpō sence they were notoriously bruted to be wicked vsers of Symonie, they did great iniuries, and ther withall great shames, vnto the see of Rome.

After these succeded Clement the seconde, whom Damasus poisoned, Clement the. 2. Damasus. and toke the popes rowme vpon him self, with shame ynough. And these sixe most naughtie villane knaues (as we reade) were all bishoppes of Rome, within 46. yeares space. But what nede is it to reckē thē vp, which without all doubt haue either vnlau­fully occupied this see, or elles more [Page 93] wickedly haue ordred it, and all but a fewe yeares a goo: inasmuche as three bishops of this see of Rome, are yet freshe in memorie, which by the autoritie of the coūsail of Constaunce, were depryued of their dignitie, for their most vngracious desartes? Let them be marked also, if it so please you, that within our fathers remem­braunce and ours, haue bē bishoppes of Rome, and we haue sene, that by their deuises and crafty conueyaun­ces, they haue passed ouer the toppe of the Alpes, and com through euen to our countrey of Heluetia: as Sixtus Sixtus the 4. Alexāder the. 6. Iulius the 2. Leo the 10. Clemēt the. 7. the. 4. Alexander the. 6. with his son­ne duke Valentine the monstre of all mischief, vngraciousnesse, and vice: Also Iulius the seconde, a man that delited muche in blood sheading and burnyng: Leo the tenthe, Clemēt the 7. of whose false crafty artes and trai­terous deceates, Florentia (an vnfortu­nate citie to hatche vp so vnthanke­ful a babe) was a feling witnesse. And who wil not saye, that these marchaū ­tes were not only like vnto the other before, but many waies much worse? For let them com furthe, as many as [Page] euer haue dwelt in the citie of Rome in their tymes, and haue marked wel their life and maners, or haue ben knowing of their counsailes: and I knowe they will confesse (if they will confesse the truthe) that they were notable naughtie packes, not in com­mon trifling vices alone, but also in all maner of most vngracious and notorious wickednesse that could be.

Finally marke y ^e most holy father Paule the thrid, that late was. And Paule the 3. let his children and childres children be marked also. And we shall fynde in them no lesse myschieuous, cruel and abominable partes. But this must nedes be cōfessed, that if Rome should see two or three popes of his like condiciones, that wold (as he is vsed to doo) bestowe the goodes of the churche, cities, townes, castles, villa­ges, and landes vpon their children, nephues, alliaunce and kinsfolkes, ther should not of S. Petres most ample and most riche patrimonie, scarce so muche as a cotage returne to their successours. Wherfore seing these great and most notorious wicked­nesses (wherwith they defile them sel­ues) [Page 94] are most notably knowne euen to y ^e cōmō people, we nede not to be o­ner lōg, in speakig of their daily vsed naughtynesse. For inasmuche as (though they are y ^e most shameles of al men) yet they can not (by any mouthe) saye naye to this gayre, what nede we to talke of their intemperaūce, ruffio­nyng, gl [...]nie, horekeping, & of their most wāton sayēges & doinges? And if you lust, let thē be witnesses, y ^t be y ^e lo­uingest fauourours of y ^e see of Rome. which haue ben not the seers of this gayre only, but also a great parte thē selues: And yet they shall neuer be ha­ble, either to clooke, or to excuse this stynking synke of mischieues, and this horrible hell of wicked doinges, by any reasones that euer they can make.

Therfore this furst title that Paule geueth them, is expounded (or elles I am begyled) playnly ynough, and largely ynough agayne: and therof also it is most manifest, that the same title agreeth wyth no man in the worlde, better than w ^t the bishop of Rome: forsomuche as out of his doctrine and example of lyuing, all [Page] these abominacions (which we haue made rehearsal of) flowe, as out of a most plenteously springing foūtaine: all which are contrarily repugnaunt against the veritie of faythe, against the lawe of charitie, & against the in­nocencie of lyfe.

The seconde title that the Apostle Paule decketh Antichrist wythall, is, The sonne of perdici­on that he nameth him The sonne of per­dicion. But this title we must nedes take twoo maner of wayes: that is to saye, both actiuely and passiuely: so as furst he is in dede lost and dāned him selfe, than he also loseth & destroyeth al those that be his complices and fo­lowers, and maketh them bonde sla­ues to euerlasting death and damna­cion. But after what sorte this title al­so is aptely fitte for y ^e bishop of Rome, it maye be declared in fewe wordes. For furst it is manifest by the auto­ritie of the gospelles doctrine, that all they are lost and subiecte to eternall damnacion, that nother beleue in Ie­sus Christ, nor cleaue to his faythe & doctrine. For Christ is the waye, the light, & the truthe. And he is the onely Io. 14 & 10. dore by the which al we must entre in [Page 95] to his shepe folde: that is to wete, into the congregacion of saintes: and who so euer seketh any other dore, or coue­teth to entre in any other waye, he be­wrayeth him selfe to be a thefe and a robber. And thervpon we heare Iohn̄ Baptist saye: The father loueth the sonne, and hath geuen him all thinges Io. 3. into his hande. He that beleueth his sonne, hath euerlasting lyfe: and he that beleueth not the sonne, shall not se lyfe, but the wrath of God abydeth on him.

Nowe it is not possible, that ther shoulde be any saluacion, wher it is sure, that the wrathe of God abydeth. But for asmuche as the bishop of Ro­me beleueth not in the sonne of God, nor hath not al his faythe & truste set in Christ alone, y ^e only saueour of the worlde: it must nedes be, that y ^e wrath of God abideth vpon him, and that he is the lost and bonde slaue of dānaciō. And the byshop of Romes hole lyfe & doctrine argueth, that he is most farre of from the faythe in Iesus Christ, which beyng made mā for our sakes, redemed vs all w ^t his precious blood, vpon the altare of the crosse, brake the power and lordship of deathe through [Page] his deathe, and by his glorious ascen­sion in to heauen, set open the gates of euerlasting blessednesse vnto vs wretched synners, and now before God the father of heauen, he appea­reth our only patron and mediatour, and maketh sure entraunce for vs, vnto the throne of grace. For if aman note the B. of Romes doctrine (Obiter) but euen lightly by the waye (as you wold saye he teacheth not Christ to be the only waye of saluaciō, but besides him he setteth out innumerable other wayes: as, so often repeted sacrifices of masses, the hipocriticall exercice of false penaunce: auricular confession (the most sitte bayte of all treason, conspiracie, sedicion, lechery and all wickednesse) markettes of pardones, the colde scalding fyre of purgatorie pikepurce, prayeng to sayntes depar­ted, and infinite other. For although he confesse Christ Iesus the saueour of the hole worlde, in wordes and in mouthe, and so glorieth in his name, yet he denyeth him, so often as he attributeth to an other (whether it be saynt, or worke and merite) the offi­ces, that perteyne to none but Christ [Page 96] alone. For by what reason shall we saye, that he beleueth, that our Lorde Iesus Christ beyng sacrificed once for all, vpon the altare of the crosse, offred a perpetuall sufficient sacrifice vnto God the father for our synnes, whan he goeth about to offre hym dayly a­freshe, at the celebracion of the Masse? How shall he beleue, that he was deli­uered and fully redemed from the fil­thynesse of his sinnes by Christes me­rite, which goeth aboute to redeme him selfe, wyth his owne merites of his owne workes? How shall he also knowe Christ Iesus, to be his onlye Mediatour, Patrone, & intercessour, whych hathe infinite other, whether they be he sayntes or she sayntes, instede of mediatours & intercessours? And yet it is certain, that men are brought to y ^t point, by y ^e B. of Romes doctrine, y ^t they folow both these & many other thinges, y ^t are cleane cōtrari to Christ, and his doctrine. Therfore this is euidently manifest also, that y ^e Bis. of Rome is most farre of (mater in dede) from the faythe in Christ, al­though he vse to professe him with his mouthe, & bragge much of his name. [Page] As for this mater, the example of his life is not behinde also, in bea­ring what fai­the is. playne recorde of. For faithe is a certain lyuing and a continuall working power & energie, that sitteth not idle in mennes consciences: and is not (as many false christianes thinke) a certain naked and vayne o­piniō, that is desritute of certain rea­sones: but it is a good tree, and nou­rished with perpetuall iuyce, which beareth no euil nor rotten frute, but is alwaies abundauntly full of good and acceptable frutes to God, of in­nocencie and charitie. But it is now proued allready by sufficient demon­stracion, that the bishoppes of Rome haue no charitie, they haue also no innocencie of life and maners, but they are most farre of, bothe from the true faithe, and true religion: Wherupon this plainly foloweth also, that they beare in no condicion that good tree of a syncere faithe in their heart, but rather that euil and vnprofitable one, at whose roote the are is allready set, that it maye be cut of, and ouerthrow­ne, and cast in to the vnquencheable fire of hell.

[Page 97] Therfore who will hensfurthe ac­knowlage the bishop of Rome, to be the head of the sayntes, and faithfull people? Who will cal him holy father, yea rather holynesse it selfe? Finally who can saye, that he is the leader vnto saluacion, and the portour of heauen gate, whan by the example of his owne life, and preceptes and decrees of his wicked doctrine, he be­wrayeth him self (according to the a­postle Paules sentence) to be bothe Antichrist, and the sonne of perdiciō?

Hereof also that other mater is gathered, that like as he him self is lost, euen so dothe he make all the dis­ples of his religion and secte, boūde slaues to perdicion and euerlasting deathe. For how cā it possibly be, that they shal be hable to com to the heauē ­ly hal of blessednesse, which folowe a guyde, that gothe (with straight and stedfast steppes) the hye waye to hell?

How shall we also saye, it maye be, that they should be vnited to Iesu Christ, the only redemour of vs all, which haue chosen suche a one to be their guyde, that is against Christ in [Page] al thinges, and robbeth him of his ho­nour, and shamelesly attributeth the same to other? In this case therfore, it is necessary to vse most diligent circū ­spection. In this behalfe it standeth vs in hande, strongly to sharpen oure wittes. Herein it behoueth vs to open the eyes of our minde, most dearly be­loued brethren in Christ. For it is no flyrting mater (as many men thinke) to sticke stil in the B. of R. wayes, & so to holde harde y ^e popishe religion to the & naile. The saluacion of soules is in hasarde, dearly beloued. For either we must be vnited to the heauēly father, by the intercessiō and benefite of one only Christ, & so lyue for euer: or elles be drawen awaye from him, & perishe w ^t Antichrist for euer. And ther is so much y ^e more greuous presēt daūgier henging ouer our soules, that y ^e Lorde wold haue y ^e knowlage of his worde, to be opened vnto vs. For inasmuche as the lyght of Goddes worde hathe discussed and wyped away, those gre­uous and horrible darkenesses of An­tichristianitie, so as the health geuing face of Christ, and also the compasse of this cruell beastes mouthe, and the seate of abominacions, is shewed o­penly [Page 98] before our eyes: we maye neuer (from hensfurthe) eyther pretende ig­noraunce, to clooke our vnbelefe, or excuse it wyth the godlynesse and fer­uencie of our zele or good intent. For God hathe prescribed the rule of his worde vnto vs, for this ende: that we shoulde honour hym according to his owne commaundement, and that we shoulde not folowe that folishe car­nall zele of ours, which is wythout knowlage of all truthe. The stubbur­nesse of suche men is muche lamenta­bly therfore to be bewailed (brethren) which whā they heare Goddes worde wyth their eares, and are conuicte w ^t the truthe therof in their consciences, so as they may see their errours, and fele the intolerable burthen of suche exceding tyrānie: yet had rather sticke stiffely to their knowen supersticion, than to folowe Christ the only waye of saluacion. But whā men most my­serably become to that poīt, that a mā may warne & exhorte them, & all but lost labour, we must permitte them to their owne appetite. For they shal su­rely fele, that their stubbernesse shal-be ones a great deale to their cost.

[Page] Now are we come to y ^e thrid title, An aduersary. wherwyth Paule painteth out the persone of Antichrist: which conteyneth the self same propretie, and the dispo­siciō of so mightie abominablenesse, & the certain sure marke, for the which he is called Antichrist. For he calleth him an aduersary: that is, he myndeth to set him out to be-suche a one, that shoulde be against, cōtrary, and in al thinges (as it were) vtterly sette for­anempst Christ, of whose name & title he only braggeth, The right vnderstanding of this worde Aduer­sary.

It is plaine, that he glorieth in the name of Christ. Wherupon euen the right vnderstanding of this worde, teacheth this, that he shal be an aduer­sary to Christ our Lorde, and gayne-saye all those thinges, that are set out by Christ, either in doctrine, or in ex­ample of life, wyth the statutes of his doctrine, and wyth the example of his life.

Than if we can geue the bishop of Rome this title also, wyth sufficient demonstracion, as his owne propre good (as in dede we haue ouercome all, that we toke in hande to proue yet hitherto) it shall also manifestly ap­peare, [Page 99] that the B. of Rome, is necessa­rily that very right and great Anti­christ, altough the autoritie of all the worlde crye out against it: which (if it wolde contrary the worde of God) were non autoritie at all. And foras­muche as all thinges y ^t are in Christ our saueour, maye be comprehended in his life & doctrine, as in two most general chaptres: it behoueth, that we considre them bothe, that it maye ther­by euidently appeare, that the B. of Rome dothe contrarie to Christ, both in life and in doctrine, and therfore is his aduersarie, and very Antichrist. And furst of all, we will speake of bothe their lyues, that is to saye, of Christ and Antichrist.

Christ Iesus ordred his life so, as The dif­ference be­twene Christes life and Antichri­stes, the B. of Rome. most lowe humilitie (proceding from the hearte) might appeare most clear­ly in all his sayenges and doinges. For we reade, that he vsed so muche lowlynesse and modestie, that he was cōuersaunt among his disciples not like a maistre, or a Doctour, but as a seruaunt, and a waitour. As it is proued, in that he serued their cōmo­dities, not in teaching them only, & in [Page] refreshing and defēding them, and in other thinges innumerable, but also in that solemne last supper, whiche he hade with thē, he washed al their fete. But from this spirite of christian hu­militie the B. of Rome is so farre of, that lyke the most cruel tyrannes (the mencion of whom euen the gentiles take for hainous and filthie) he setteth out his fete to be kissed, not of the cō ­mon rascal sorte of people only, but also of very princes, kinges, and empe­rours: yea & is not ashamed to treade y ^e Lordes anointed neckes, vnder his abominable fete: which insolent foile the right valeaunt Emperour Fride­richus Barbarossa was compelled per force to susteyne.

Christ was the most studious se­ker of his fathers glorie, & wēt about Ioh. 5. and. 12. only to aduaunce it. But the B. of Ro­me neclecting that, in al thinges, set­teth his studie vpō his priuate glorie, & his owne propre honour, after suche sorte, that he thinketh, he must not spare extreme force of armes; yf any man offende him in any condicion.

Christ spent y ^e better parte or tyme of his lyfe, among the cōpanies of the [Page 100] poore, nedy, sicke, & afflicted: & he him selfe also was borne in extreme pouertie, & became poore for our sakes, in so muche y ^t he hade not wher he myght hyde his head: & susteined the greuous burthē of pouertie paciently, to make vs ryche w ^t the benefites & treasures of euerlasting blessednes. But the B. of Rome folowing farre wyde other cōtrary purposes, setteth his delyte to haue a do with them, that be of y ^e most wealthy, & the most myghty astates. He playeth, he bāketteth, he kepeth all maner of voluptuous cheare with the most delicate companies of the most fyne mē. Besydes this least his state­lynesse & rufflyng riote (yea aboue the ryote of Siracuse) should bring him into pouertie at any tyme, his custome is, either by false countrefaicte supersti­cion, or elles by open force & armes, to get the rychesse of al nacions, into his owne handes.

Christ, whā the people wolde haue geuen him the title & crowne to haue Ioh. 19. ben a King, fledde away, mynding so to auoyd that honour, & said w ^t plaine purposed wordes, y ^t his kingdom was not of this world. But y ^e b. of R. chalē geth [Page] to him selfe the title of a King, & wickedly coueteth the kingdome that is of this worlde: and to that purpose he hathe alwaies applied him selfe w ^t all his forcast, and wyth al y ^e powers, bothe of his witte and of his bodie, vntill he became, not aboue kinges only, but also aboue emperours, and made them fayne (perforce) to fall downe (like an hoūde) & kisse his fete. Yea he boasteth him selfe, to be heire of the empire, if an emperour dye: as ye shall fynde Clemētines the 2. boke, the 11. title, and, 2. chaptre.

Christ vsed a more diligent studie, to excute his fathers will, which he was sēt for, thā to promote & encreace such as were his kinsfolkes (as cōcer­ning y ^e fleshe) w ^t worldly wealthe and honours. But y ^e B. of Rome studie & forcaste (for the most parte) how they maye endue, suche as be either their kinsfolkes, or their alliaūce, or elles their bastardes, w ^t greatest pleintie of richesse, & to aduaūce them to y ^e most high honours. And (that they maye y ^t more easily bring y ^t to passe) they vse many tymes, to put awaye y ^e treasu­res of y ^e churche (which they call, w ^t to [Page 101] muche shamelesnesse, S. Petres patrimonie) & to bestowe them vpon their owne frendes. Which thing, like as many other haue in tymes past done, euē so is our Paule y ^e thrid not afrayd also to do y ^e like opēly, w ^tout blushing.

Christ was cōtet to submitte hī self, to y ^e autoritie & lawes of y ^e laufull ma­gistrate, & payed (w ^t a good will) y ^e re­uenues of y ^e taxes & tributes: & being asked of others, he taught that those were due to thē. Matth. 17. & 22. But y ^e B. of Rome, thinking to ꝓuide bet­ter for him & al his, hathe forged a cer­tain immunitie for y ^e churche, which maketh al those, y ^t are marked w ^t his marke, free frō al lauful & publike burthēs: & setteth thē in suche case, y ^t sence they owe naught to no mā, they geue thēselues, to do what they lust, & serue their bely, & vicious carnalitie: wherin y ^e meane while, al mē (aswel magi­strates as subiectes) are occupied & busy, how they maye with their sweat & substaūce vpholde & mayntene those most holy fathers intentes. Christ led a life al together geuē to y ^e notable Matth. 11. studie of al peace & softenesse, & cōmē ­ded y ^e same vertues to vs also. But the [Page] B. of Rome is fearre, swelling & rage­ing in malice, & desire of reuēgemet. He passeth not also, to moue horrible batailes, & to set al folkes together by y ^e eares amōg thē selues, for light tryf­ling causes, which thing they haue so shamelesly practiced these v. hundred yeares, euen vnto our tymes, that it nedeth no further declaracion.

Christ led an innocēt, a blameles, & Io. 8. Matth, 26 an vnreprouerable life, so as his ene­mies could nother fynd nor ymagine, any thing worthie of deathe in him, for al y ^e lies y ^t the false witnesse made. But y ^e B. of Rome being most farre of frō this studie of innocēcie, is y ^e mā of synne, drowned in synne, & geuē in al thīges, to al kynd of vicious liuing, as I haue alredy declared. Christ toke to be his disciples, suche as were poore, Matth. 4. 1. Cor. 1. vile, & of no reputaciō, & mē of simple witte. But y ^e childe of this world, y ^e B. of Rome (mynding to seme wyser in his generaciō) choseth men out of the most noble houses of Italie, Fraūce, Spayne, & other naciones, to be Bi­shoppes & Cardinalles, to thintēt be­ing afterwarde supported by their au­toritie & fauour, he might not nede to [Page 102] passe vpō his enemies threattes and mightie powers. Christ sēt out his disciples, to preache y ^e Gospell. But y ^e Matth. 10 & 28. B. of Rome suffreth none of his, to go any whidre frō him, but loueth to be waited vpō w ^t their presēce & rufling: or if he send out any, he biddeth them not preache y ^e gospell, nor teache faith to wynne some to Christ, but w ^t their false wyles, fraudes, lyes & deceates, to begyle princes & y ^e people, & to stere vp hurly burlies, & ciuile mocions of warres. Christ was diligēt to care for his shepe, & vsed y ^e office of a most Io. 10. faithfull shepeherde, in y ^t he fedde thē & taught thē continually. But y ^e B. of Rome, being geuē to y ^e wealthe of ri­chesse & delicacies, pilleth of the shepes wolle, yea y ^e skynnes & y ^e fleshe to, & as for fedīg of thē, he maketh litel mater

Christ neuer enforced any man, vn­willingly to cleaue either to him or to Luce. 9. Matth. 26 his doctrine, nor cōpelled euer any mā by violēce, to graūt on his syde, but w ^t frēdely & faithful teaching, he studied to moue y ^e heartes of mē. But y ^e B. of Rome, as a right warlike emperour, yea like a yong Salmoneus rather, and as a newe countrefaicte Iupiter, [Page] shaketh the thondre of excomunicaci­on, the thonderbolt of cursing, & ex­terne gonneshote also, and weapones at all men, as many as goo about to slyppe from his doctrine and supersti­cion: as the horrible vproare of this present warring dothe most euident­ly proue it.

Christ sent out such Apostles to preache the gospel, as were most rea­dyly Act. 2. instructe in the ample large gif­tes of the holy goost, in the vnderstan­ding of tongues, & in the knowlage of the scriptures. But the B. of Rome not caring for the prouision of Chri­stes shepe, but mynding to gratifie his owne secte folowers, committeth the cure of the congregacions almost to none, but to his Curtisanes, baw­des, cokes, hūtors and mule dryuers, which though they be cleane voide of all maner of learning bothe diuine & prophane, yet they are connyngly skilled in abominable sciences, leche­rous lustes, & corrupt filthye maners

Christ hauing cōflicte w ^t sathan his enemie, wonne not the victorie, w ^t the Matth. 4. weapones of this worlde, but w ^t the sweord of y ^e spirite, the worde of God. [Page 103] But the Bishop of Rome mystrusting Christ, setteth vpō his enemies, wyth worldly weapones, conspiracies, treasones, robberies, poysonynges, & also wyth sweorde and fire.

Christ our Lorde oftentymes seing Matth. 6. Luc. 19. the dispersed shepe of the house of Israel, and pitieng them (euen from the botome of his heart) wepte ouer their vnluckie fortune. But the B. of Rome taketh no care, nor is moued wyth a­ny louing compassion, although he heare all the hole flocke of Christ mi­serably scattred, through the wicked wilde wildernesse of mennes tradici­ons, seke after the pastours of Goddes worde, wyth continuall crienges, we­pinges, and gronynges, and desire to haue their soules fedde therwyth: so that by y ^e famyshing of Christes shepe, the bishoppes haue to mayntene their voluptuous pleasure wythall.

Christ bare the crosse, that he was Matth. 27. nailed on for vs, & for our synnes, vpon his owne shoulders. But the B. of Rome is vsed to be borne easyly & softly, vpō their shoulders, whom Christ hathe redemed w ^t his deathe. Christ suffred him self to be crowned wyth a crowne Matth. 27. [...] [Page] cast buyers & sellers out of y ^e tēple, & in his teaching he saide, y ^t they made the house of God (which should haue ben the house of prayer) a dēne of thefes.

But the B. of Rome catcheth them in bothe his armes, and bringeth thē again in to the temple of God, and restoreth thē to their olde seates, that they occupie by force and crafty con­ueyaunce: yea lyke the chiefest of all marchauntes (and as a most famous marchaunt venterour) he hathe deui­sed newe wares, & that with so great lucke, that he can sell leade, ware, per­chement, and other such kynde of tri­fles, for a great deale more, than the Iewishe priestes coulde in tymes past sel their bulles, lambes, rammes and bullockes.

Christ forbad his disciples, to beare Math. 20 Mar. 10. Luc. 22. secular autoritie, and to reigne like princes of this worlde. But it is eui­dent, that the B. of Romes chief and principal studie, is, that vnder y ^e false pretense of the churche, he claymeth hothe to him self and to his cardinal­les, all the kingdomes of the worlde, and the title of the same.

Christ gaue vs a perfite and a full [Page 105] perfice absolute doctrine, to instructe Math. 28. &. 2. Tim 3. men sufficiently in all thinges per­teynyng to euerlasting life and salua­cion. But the B. of Rome, seing that it hyndreth his markettes, saieth, it is vnperfite, and that all thinges per­teynyng to the declaracion of faithe, to the affaires of religiō and instruc­tion of life, are not fully conteyned in it: and for that cause, he addeth vnto the same (to helpe it with all) the ca­nones of the Counsailes, and the tra­dicions of certain fathers, that serue to his couetous purpose and appetite.

Christ expresseth him selfe to be our Ioh. 4. Rom. 8. only righteousnesse, wherwith we must be clothed, that we maye be ha­ble to appeare before his heauenly father, and abyde his iudgement. But y ^e B. of Rome sheweth an other farre wyde rightousnesse in his tradicio­nes, which he teacheth to consiste in our owne workes, and in our owne powers, and in sayntes merites also.

Christ teacheth, that he him selfe is our only mediatour, patrone, and intercessour, and the apostles inspired 1. Timo. 2 1. Ioh. 2. with the spirite of Christ confesse the very same. But we see, that by the [Page] B. of Romes doctrine, a certain thou­saūt of patrones and mediatours, be set out vnto vs: yea and newe media­tours maye be created dayly, by their canonizacions.

Christ teacheth, that remission of synnes is frely geuē, & that we be par­tinars therof, through only faithe, w ^t Esai. 55. Ioh. 6. 7. Math. 11. 28. out any meriting mediacion of our workes. But y ^e B. of Rome mynding to hunt out most plenteous gayne by remitting of sinnes, & hauing it to sel, teacheth vs to redeme it with money.

Christ is described by the doctrine of the gospel, as the only heade of the churche. But the B. of Rome chalen­ging Ephe. 5. y ^t honour to him self, sayeth, that he is the head of y ^e church. And in thus sayeng, he either robbeth the churche of her head, Christ: or elles in making himselfe the head, he maketh y ^e church a double faced church, and a most vg­gly mōstre. Christes doctrine setteth out but one only Priest, y ^t is to wete, Hebre. 4. 5. 9. 10. Christ the very sonne of God, which beyng made mā for our sakes, offred him selfe vpō the aultare of the crosse, for the synnes of the hole world, once for al: & w ^t his sacrificeing, he founde [Page 106] eternal & sufficient remission of syn­nes. But the B. of Ro. not contēted w ^t this so excellēt a priest, chalengeth the title of the high priesthode to him self, & cōmonly consecrateth newe priestes dayly, to offre vp Christ Iesus euery daye, for the synnes of the quicke and also of the dead. Christ hath prescri­bed a true forme of penaūce, & an ac­ceptable to God, according whervnto Act. 2. we confesse our synnes to God, vnto whom we haue offended: & frō hens­furthe we ceasse frō synne, & amende our lyfe, but as for remissiō of sinnes, we seke it no wher elles, than at God alone. But y ^e B. of Ro. teacheth a farre contrary penaūce frō this, which bid­deth vs confesse our synnes to one massemonging priest or other, & to desire forgeuenesse of sinnes at him, yea though the same priest were drowned in hoordō, drōkenesse, glotonie, dyce­ing, & other vices innumerable: & ther w ^t he geueth such occasiō to y ^e wicked lycēciously to sīne, y ^t assone as y ^e massemonging priest hathe once receaued the money (I meane the hyre of abso­luciō) & whā y ^t vayne & hipocritical sa­tisfactiō (y ^t he enioineth) be accōplished, [Page] they maye returne to their vomite, as dogges are wōt to do, & walow thē sel­ues in the olde puddle of wickednesse.

Christ sayed, it is more godly to Act. 20. geue thā to take. But the B. of Rome perceauing the sentence of Christes wordes, to be against his ruffling estate, and lecherous lust, turneth the meanyng and ordre of the wordes ersye versye: and sayeth it is better to take than to geue. And so in dede he confirmeth the ordres of beggyng frieres with his decrees, and hathe set out a certain pouertye (which is suche a mater, that nothing is either more delectable or pleasaunt) as though it were the most perfite rule of christiā faithe and conuersaciō. Hereof spring the most shameles rablementes of begging friers and other monkishe ordres besides, which by their impu­dent prowde popishe begging, haue gone through all cities, haue strayed through all villages and ferme pla­ces, and thus being a greuous bur­then to all mē, aswel of the towne as of the countrey, haue scraped euery waye by hooke and by crooke, and eaten vp all feldes and townes, like [Page 107] most deuouring locustes: and yet led a life most filthily spotted with all riotous ruffionyng, and lecherous losenesse.

Christ saythe: That that entreth in Math. 15. 1. Timo. 4. to the mouthe, defileth not the man. Vpon the autoritie of which wordes, the apostle Paule taking his groūde, teacheth, that it is lawfull for vs to eate all meates that God made, with thankes geuing, without remorse or conscience of any maner synne. But the B. of Rome hathe forged differen­ces of meates, & persuaded the simple people, that a great parte of christian purenesse consisteth in outwarde ea­ting: and hath also brought in a great deale greater rable of ceremonies, bothe in these maters & many other, than the Iewes were bounden in ty­mes past to obserue, lyuing vnder the bondage of the lawe.

Christ confirmed with the autoritie Math. 19. Hebr. 13. of his doctrine, the state of mariage, ordayned of his heauenly father. And the apostles being instrucce by his spirite, taught that wedlocke is ho­nourable among al mē, and the ma­riage bedde vndefiled. Whervpon they [...] [Page] And yet he maketh more bolde entr [...] ­prises: & gothe about to dryue Christ our Lord out of his church and king­dome, in that he calleth him self Chri­stes vicare. For if the B. of Rome be Christes vicare, it must nedes be, that Christ is not presēt with his churche. The false boast of the B. of Rome. to be christes Vicare. For he that any where occupieth an office, and kepeth residence presently vpō it, as apperteyneth: hathe no nede of any vicare. But Christ Iesus, inas­muche as he is the head of his owne churche, can in no wise be disseuered from his body, which is the churche, but is inseperably present with his churche spiritually, contynually to the worldes ende. Therfore the B. of Rome is not moued by any warraūt of the truthe (but of a wicked lust to blaspheme) to boast him self to be Christes vicare.

Hitherto therfore I suppose it be sufficiently ynough declared, that the B. of Rome deserueth this thrid title, wherwith Paule painteth him out, after such sorte, that he may (by al meanes) be called An aduersarie, that is to saye, cōtrary and against Christ in all thinges, inasmucheas all his [Page 109] conuersaciō & his doctrine are cleane contraryly repugnaunt against the doctrine and conuersacion of Christ.

Now remayneth the fourthe title, wherwith Paule decketh Antichrist, Exalted aboue God. whom he dothe not comprehende in one only worde, but describeth it in moo. For he saithe, he shal be stately & prowde, and exalte him self (with no­table arrogauncie) aboue all, that is either called, or worshipped, by the name of God. Yea his folie shall pro­cede so farre (saith he) that he shal place his seate, in the Temple of God as God, and shewe him self, as though he were a God.

To these wordes of Paule, the desirous man Daniel consenteth, who speaking of Antichristes miste­ries, saith, that the litel horne (by whō Antichrist is figured) hade a mouthe, wherwith he spake certain presump­tuous thinges: that is to saye, in tal­king of diuine maters: of chaun­geing of lawes and tymes, & of other maters infinite which (it is plaine) are in the power of none but God alone. And again in the. 11. chap. Da­uiel (speaking of the same) saithe thus: [Page] And the king shall do what he lusteth, and exalte and enlarge him self, aboue all Goddes, and shal speake maruelous thinges against the most high God. And a litel after. He shall not also care for the Goddes of his forefathers, no, he shall care for no God at all: for he shall preferre him felf aboue all.

Now if we compare all these thin­ges, which are spoken by the apostle Paule, and Daniel the prophet toge­ther: the vnderstāding of this fourthe title (which is attributed vnto Anti­christ) shal appeare manifest vnto vs. For this is the will of the spirite to saye: that Antichrist shal be a man of most high arrogauncie, and swelling folishe insolencie, which (with prowde bolde enterprise) shall take vpon him self those offices, which are mete to be attributed to none, but to God alone: and are to be applyed to none but on­ly God. This is not ment by Paules wordes, and the literall sense of the same: Noman at all can make him self a God: nor also, ther is none other God, but that one only eternall God, al though any man (hauyng autoritie to persuade, ioyned w ^t arrogauncie) come to so highe a pride and stately­nesse, [Page 100] as to be honored & worshipped, of a sorte of leude persons & fooles, as we reade, that Caligula and Domicianus were. We must therfore marke well the B. of Romes maters, whether we can be hable to fynde any suche, as take vpon them selues this most ar­rogaunt title also: to the intent the hole perfite descripcion of Antichristes persone may be euidently manifest vnto vs. And that ther are suche in The B. of R. taketh vpon him the honour of God head. what God is. dede, it shall appeare of their owne sayenges and writinges.

And furst of al, God is naturally he, y ^t is y ^e essence and life of al thinges, of whō also al thinges haue receaued & haue life, & to be y ^t they are. And therof it is, y ^t our Lorde Iesus Christ y ^e sonne of God y ^e father, & of y ^e virgine Mary, very God & mā, is cōmonly called in y ^e scriptures, the head of his churche: bi­cause they y ^t are endued w ^t faithe in him, obteyne life of him, not tēporal life only, but the life also y ^t neuer shall ende. For like as out of a mānes head (as it were out of y ^e pype of a foūtay­ne) the nourishemet of life floweth downe in to the hole bodie and all the mēbres, & frō thence is distrubuted, as it is nedefull to euery membre: [Page] euen so out of Iesu Christ, all the mē ­bres of his bodie, that is to saye, all faithfull people receaue the spirite of life, and that streinght of faithe, by whose mocion and instincte, they or­dre their life, according to the heauēly fathers will, and whan they are de­parted this temporall life, they lyue wyth him euerlastingly. This is the plaine vndoubted office of the head: & Christ (the head of his churche) ꝑfour­meth the same abundauntly. Than if we marke well y ^e B. of Rome (whom we cal Antichrist) it shal appeare more cleare than the daye light, y ^t this arrogaūcie is in him, by y ^t which be openly boasteth him self, to be the head of all the hole churche. And if he (as he is a most insolēt man) glorie of the title of the head, surely he saithe, that the body of the church & euery of the mēbres, receaue y ^e spirites of life, & very life it self of him: & this he can not saye; except he clayme Goddes offices to him self, & so shewe him self proud­ly in name, as though he were God. In this mater we passe not greatly vpō y ^e papistes obiectiones, that thinke they can auoide y ^e note of so great an [Page 111] infamie, w ^t this one refuge, in y ^e they saye, we expounde to subtillie the B. of Romes title, wherby he braggeth him self to be y ^e head of the churche, & y ^t we sucke out therof ouer much mater to argue vpō. For the B. of Ro. (saye they) teacheth not, that he is the head of the churche, to that ende, as though he wolde take vpon him (ouer muche insolētly) either y ^e spirite of life, or life it self, but that he might (like the most highe shepehearde of y ^e christiā flocke) beare witnesse of his autoritie ouer Christes shepe.

O vayne defense, & euēlike y ^e figge tree. For like as Christes churche hathe no nede of this Romishe head, euen so dothe it not knowe him, to be his shepehearde: inasmuche as Christ Iesus (which is the head of y ^e church) is also the best shepehearde of his flocke. Ephe. 5. Io. 10.

But let vs loke a littel nerer vpon your wares, O you right valeaūt de­fendours of the popes dignitie. For how shall this stande together, if you will affirme the B. of Rome, to be the head of Christes churche, & yet wil not saye, that he either conteyneth w ^tin [Page] [...] [Page 113] [...] [Page] him self, y ^e spirites of life, & very life it self, [...]e yet that he distributeth them in to the bodye of the churche, and the membres therof? Shall not the head than be a dead head, if it want the spi­rite & power of life? And what shall we than say of his church, o you good gentilmen? Woo is vnto that feble & weake body: wo vnto those membres (halte & out of ioynt) whose head lac­keth life & spirite. For how shall we saye, that churche is alyue and lustye, whose head you your selues confesse, wanteth spirite of life, to be distribu­ted in to the rest of the mēbres? Will you not now reknowlage your er­rours, you very folishe dotypolles? Do you not now vnderstande (you folyshe sophisters, blynder than any molle) to what purpose these your wares tēde, whan ye saye, that the B. of Rome is the head of y ^e hole vniuersal churche? For in thus sayeng, you either make him a God, & so by this meanes you set him furthe to be Antichrist, or if you fayne him to be a certain head, out of whom no spirite of life stilleth downe in to the other membres, you knowlage your selues to be a churche [Page 112] feble & sickly, that hathe no whitte of the spirite of life in it at all. And if you haue not the spirite of life, truly you shal not be the churche of Christ. For the churche of Christ hathe in possession, bothe the spirite of Christ & life in him. But the B. of Ro. will ne­uer acknowlage him self, to be a dead head: & therfore as long as he (like a right folishe insolent man) is prowde of that title, he sitteth in the temple of God, & boasteth him self to be God. Now ther foloweth an other mater, wherin the B. of Rome boasteth him self (no lesse than in the other before) to be God: and exalteth him self aboue the only & true God. For he reioyceth to be called holy father, & yet not contē ted w ^t this to muche arrogaūt title, he taketh vpō him also to be called holy­nesse. In this case we wilbe reported to as many as be the most deuoute reuerēcers of y ^t sea: who whā they talke of him, name y ^e popes holynesse w ^t a wōderful aduised grauitie, thinkīg it nother good maner, nor godly done, if they call him but playne pope. But & if he be holynesse (as they call him, & as he wilbe called) it behoueth [Page] of necessite, that he maye sanctifie or make other holy, yea as many as are and be called holy, shal be sāctified or made holy of him. But we be taught a farre contrary iudgement (frō thē) out of the holy scriptures, O brethrē. For the scriptures teache, that the one only God is proprely (by him self and of him self) holye, and very holy­nesse it self: and also that as many as are called holy for faithes sake, are not sanctified, that is, are not pourged frō the filthynesse of synnes, and conse­crated vnto God, of them selues, nor of their owne power, but of Christ Iesus, by the holy goost. And in this mater, ther maye many thinges be brought out of the bokes of the holy scripture, which most euidently re­porte the same. For in dede Christ (as Iohan maketh mencion) cōmonyng Io. 3. wyth Nicodemus concernyng the mysterie of regeneracion (wherby we must nedes be borne a newe, & sancti­fied) saithe, that we must necessarily be borne of water and the spirite. And that ther is nothing elles vnderstan­den therby, but the grace of God, and the operacion of the holy goost, it is more [Page 113] euidently knowen, than nedeth long demōstration. Of this same sentence and argument, be the sayenges y ^t S. Paule (in his furst Epistle to the Co­rinthianes) writeth in these wordes: You are washed, you are sanctified, you are iustified by the name of the Lorde Iesu, and by the spirite of our God.

What can be spoken more briefly, thā these wordes are? What thing al­so can be spoken more openly & plain­ly, concernyng our sanctificaciō? For he taketh quyte awaye all maner rea­son of sanctificacion, that can be yma­gined of mē, to cō by any other mea­nes elles: and teacheth that we are washed, iustified, and sanctified of non other, but of our Lorde & saueour Ie­sus Christ alone, and that by the holy spirite of our God, which also is very God him selfe. And hereof it cometh, y ^t the holy goost is often tymes (in the scriptures) cōpared to water, bicause in dede, like as water washeth awaye the filthinesse of the body, euen so dothe the holy goost scowre and clense the soule. For the same cause sake, the holy goost is compared also vnto fyre, because he enlumineth not only our [Page] cōsciences w ^t his power, but also cōsu­meth what soeuer earthly, carnal, or other thing is in vs, disposed to sinne.

And as this is the power of none but of the holy goost alone, so is ther none other sāctificatour mēcioned, vnto vs in any place of y ^e hole scripture, but he alone, which is also very God him selfe, and of one selfe same sub­staūce & power, with God the father and the sonne.

In asmuche than, as y ^e B. of Rome (being a man most impure, and the very slaue of al lecherous lustes, and wickednesse) taketh vpō him y ^e name of Holynesse, he doth also therw ^t take vpon him, and vsurpe the power and operation of the holi gost, by the same arrogauncie: & so sheweth him selfe to be God, as Paule saythe.

This also belōgeth to the same ti­tle, that he taketh vpon him the grace, to blesse and geue benediction it selfe, with no lesse shamelesse foly, than the other before, and setteth it out galaūt­ly, in al his lettres, whā he vseth (with great grauitie) to wishe vnto his wel beloued childrē, Health, & benedictiō. But the autoritie of y ^e holy scriptures [Page 114] maketh reporte of non other blessing Gen. 3. 2 [...] Gala. 3. of healthe, but of that one only bles­sing, which is set out, bothe vnto thē of olde tyme, and vnto vs in the pro­mised sede, Iesus Christ. And ther­fore wher the B. of Rome prowdely aduaūceth his blessīg, he taketh vpō him the glorie of Christ Iesu also in this case, & so w ^t y ^e statelynesse of his intole­rable shameles folye, he exalteth him self against the very true & only God.

To this title ther maketh an other mater also, y ^t is to saye, forgeuing of synnes, which is so euidētly proued in al y ^e hole scriptures, to be y ^e worke of non other, but of y ^e only grace & mercy of God, y ^t y ^e very scribes & priestes of y ^e Iewes (as blynde & as stubburne as they were) were not ignoraunt of it. And yet, y ^e B. of Rome ascribeth y ^t mater (that is to say, forgeuenesse of syn­nes) after suche sorte to him self, y ^t he wickedly ꝑuerteth many places of the scripture, and exerciceth the greatest parte of his tyrānye vnder p̄tese of it. For hereof sprong the harde holding disputacion of the Keyes, of power to bynde and lose, of y ^e feding of Christes shepe, & of other maters in numerable. [Page] Hereof proceded auricular confessiō, priestishe mumming absoluciō, prac­ticeing of countrefait penaunce, the sheoppe of cases reserued, the market­tes of pardons, and infinite other mo thinges, ymagined to torment men­nes confiences with all. All which thinges (if we loke more narowly vpō them) do attribute to the B. of Rome, and to his massing sacrificers (which are men drowned in the synke of all naughtynesse) & to his cloistred mon­kes, chanones, friers, bishoppes and cardinailes, what so euer are the of­fices of none other, but of the only grace and power of God, and of the merite of Christ. Wherfore in this point, he also maketh him self God, and is exalted aboue the only & true God.

Neuertheles I am not all ignoraūt, what answer aswel the bishops of R. them selfes, as they that stowtely mayntene their partes, will obiecte in this behalfe. For the B. of Rome (say they) taketh not these maters, & other suche like vpon him selfe, as though it were in his owne power to do them of him self: but he exerciceth [Page 115] the power in y ^t church, which he recea­ued, and was deliuered him of God: that is to saye, the power of God, wor­king by him towardes synners. For the Lorde him self wypeth awaye all this excuse, which with his owne worde spoke to the purpose, by Esaye the prophet, the. 42. chap. saithe thus: I am the Lorde, this is my name, and I will not geue my glorie to any other, nor my praise to grauen ymages

And what other glorie is it, that the Lorde receaueth of vs, but y ^t those what glo­rie God receaueth of vs. which be faithfull folkes, acknowlage him to be their saueour, redemour, iustifiour, sanctifiour, and the onlye autour of their saluaciō? These thin­ges, in asmuche as he geueth to none other, and specially to grauen yma­ges, whom he excedingly abhorreth: truly he wil not also geue them to the B. of Rome, nor yet hathe he graun­ted them to any other, which by ma­king and worshipping of Images, are become like vnto them. Ther is no cause therfore, why y ^e B. of Rome should saye, he receaued those thinges of God, which he of his owne teme­rarious and churche robbing sawcye [Page] entreprise hathe taken vpon him self.

To be brief, if we will set all this aparte, and loke vpon their owne Canones and decrees, than we shal at leynght heare those wonderfull and presumptuous thinges, which Anti­christ (according to Danieles ꝓphecie) is accustomed to bring out against y ^e Lorde. For they are not content to haue claymed to the B. of Rome, the dominion of all the churche, and of the hole compasse of christendome, but they also write, that he hathe suche power and autoritie, either to com­maunde or inhibite, what he will at his pleasure, that all men are boūden necessarily to obeye him, yea euen in those maters, which are scarcely tole­rable, that he commaundeth. Besides this, they procede further on, & saye, that non other man hathe any auto­ritie at all, to iudge of him: and so at­tribute such autoritie vnto him, y ^t they saye, he ought to be iudged of no mor­tal mā, in what dede so euer he dothe. But now let vs heare y ^e beast him self speake. Pope Agatho in his 19. dist. Pope aga­tho. writeth to all bishoppes on this sorte: All the decrees of the see apostolike, are [Page 116] so to be accepted, as though they were cōfirmed by the diuine worde of Petre him self.

Again Boniface theight, in his Ex­trauagauntes. Com. Li. 1. Tit. De Maioritate & Boniface the. 8. obedientia comprehendeth the hole my­sterie of this beast in suche wise, that if ther were non but that one only place, it were hable to proue him, to be the same, that we saye he is. For furst after he hathe proued, that ther is but one churche, he claymeth the supre­macie and dominion of it to him self, w ^t a very goodly kynde of argument.

This (ꝙ he) is the seameles coate which was not cut in pieces, but came by casting of lottes.

And these wordes Boniface speaketh truly, as the mater is in dede. For if Christes coate (the churche) came to y ^e bishoppes of Rome by castīg of lottes, than truly they are not successours of the apostle Petre, but of the most wic­ked hangmen, that cast lottes for our Lordes coat vnder the crosse, whan he him self loked vpō thē. Thus y ^e barlot bewrayeth him self, in his owne tale tellīg. But let vs tel on: Therfore ther is but one bodye of one only churche, [Page] and one head (not two heades, lyke a monstre) that is to wete, Christ and his vicare Petre, and Petres successour.

What an open contradiction is in these wordes? He saythe, ther is but one head of the churche, least he should make the churche a monstre. And yet in thus sayeng, he setteth two heades vpon it, farre vnlyke the one to the o­ther: that is to saye, Christ very true God and man, and Petre a mortall man and a synner, whych acknowla­geth him selfe, to be delyuered, not by his owne righteousnesse, but by the merite of Christ. And yet for al y ^t, they thrust them self shamelesly in withal.

Thā what shifte shal the most holy fathers make in this case? Wil they say, that Christ & Petre are both but one, & the self same one? That they can not be hable to doo in any wyse. But they say not, y ^t Petre is the very head self, but the vicare of Christ, the very true head. And thā they make them selues successours to Petre. Nowe good mē, at what tyme doth Christ the head de­parte from his body, to geue place of vicarship vnto Petre? Whā also dothe the office & glorie of the head returne vnto you, if Christ and Petre be bothe [Page 117] absent. Verily you seme to make the church like vnto those ymages, which haue twoo heades, the one for worke daies, and the other (being a more ga­launt head) they cōmonly weare at no tyme, but vpō their owne holydaies.

But least the father of this mōstre Boniface, might lightly haue ben laught to scorne, he woulde grounde him self vpon the autoritie of scriptu­res. For he saithe, that these wordes ought thus to be beleued, y ^t our Lorde speaketh to Petre: Fede my shepe, Myne (ꝙ he) and that generally & not singularly these or those shepe: by the which it is vnderstanden, that he com­mitted all vnto him vniuersally. Ther­fore whether they be grekes or others, y ^e saye, they were not cōmitted vnto Petre & his successours, they must confesse of necessite, that they are none of Chri­stes shepe: Wher as the Lorde saithe in Iohan, that ther is but one shepefolde, and one shepehearde.

Who is he, y ^t wolde not be astonied at this gaire, brethrē? who is he, that wold not abhorre y ^e force of this argument? Christ saide to Petre, Fede my shepe. Ergo y ^e B. of of Rome is y ^e head [Page] of the church. A ioyly conclusion. But how shal it be ꝓued, y ^t to fede Christes shepe, & to be y ^e head of the church, sig­nifieth al one thing? Dyd Paule, whā he spake to y ^t ministring elders of the Ephesians, & called thē bishoppes, put in autoritie ouer the Lordes flocke, make as many heades of the church, as were elders ther? Or what shal we saye, to y ^t whiche was enioyned to the other disciples, whan the Lorde sayd: Go into the hole vniuersal worlde, and preache the gospel to al creatures? And yet that shal you cōfute to, in case you proue the gospell, to be nother y ^t foode of the soule, nor y ^e pleasaunt pastures, for cōsciēces to fede on. But admit we graūt you this: what a doo hath Christ w ^t Belial, w ^t Symon Magus, or w ^t the B. of R? But they must nedes be sha­meles hādlers of y ^e scriptures, y ^t in hu­mane thinges, are voide of al shame.

Wel, in y ^e same Canone, Boniface gothe on, & claymeth also the secular power of y ^e emperour to him self, least in disputing of diuine power, he lose y ^t other. And at leynght he cometh to the ful purposed ende of his disputacion, & concludeth after this sorte. Therfore who so euer resisteth this power thus [Page 118] ordayned of God, resisteth goddes ordinaūce, except he feyne two beginnīges, as Manicheus did: which we iudge to be false & heretical. For as Moses recordeth, God made heauē & earthe not in the beginninges, but in the beginning. And finally we declare, saye, define and pronoūce, to be of playne necessitie of saluaciō, y ^t al humaine creatures be subiect to the B. of R. Doest y ^u now make vs a newe article of faithe & saluaciō, Boniface? But the Lorde sayeth, those shepe are saued, that folowe him their shepehearde, y ^t knowe his voice, & that seke to entre into y ^e shepefolde by him.

But these maters make but a ve­ry litel to thestablishmēt of y ^e B. of R. tyrānie & lustye ruffling. Therfore say they, the B. of R. must be obeyed of ne­cessitie. Do we not knowe nowe those presumptuous & wōderful thinges, y ^t Daniel tolde of before, that Antichrist should speake?

But let vs passe ouer to other maters, so as y ^e more playnly we se this gaire, the more lyghtly we may dephie thē. For the 9. Quest. 3. Pope Gelasius wri­teth to the bishops throughout Dardania, Gelasius, on this wise: Al y ^e church through­out [Page] the hole worlde knoweth, y ^t the seat of S. Petre y ^e apostle hathe power to lose, what so euer is boundē by y ^e sentē ­ces of any bishoppes, who so euer they be: bicause (you must vnderstāde) it hath power to iudge of all churches. And a­gain. Al the churche throughout y ^e hole worlde knoweth, y ^t y ^e holy sacred church of Rome hathe autoritie to haue y ^e iud­gemēt ouer al mē, & y ^t no mā maye lau­fully iudge of her iudgemēt. For vnto it must al y ^e partes of y ^t worlde appeale, but frō it no mā is ꝑmitted to appeale.

Hereunto is applied the sayeng that is written. Cap. Quanto de. Translat. Episc. tit. 7. the pope is reported to be y ^e arbitre of heauenly thinges, and ther­fore he chaungeth the nature of thin­ges, in applieng the substaunces of one thing to an other. And he of no­thing can make somthing, and can make a sentence of nothing, to be somwhat. For in those thinges that he will, his wil standeth in stede of reasō. And yet ther is none, that maye saye to him, why doest thow so? For he may dispense aboue the lawe, & make right of vnright, in correcting and chaungeing of lawes. For he hath the [Page] fulnesse of power in his owne hādes.

Lo, these be those presumptuous & wonderfull wordes of Antichrist, dea­rely beloued brethrē in Christ: by the whiche he gothe about to seme, not only to be like God, but also to be greater and of more excellencie than God. For he saithe not only, that he can make somthing of nothing (which is the office of non, but of the only power and vertue of God) but also (according to Daniels prophecie) he teacheth that all rightes and lawes are vnder his arbitrament: so muche that euen in them he maye dispense, as it pleaseth him self, & make wrong to be right, yea and that vnright shal be taken for right, if he so geue sentence. And least any sawcie boldenesse shoulde be wā ­ting in him, he vsurpeth the olde pro­pretie of tyrannes. Sic volo, Sic iubeo, Sit pro ratione voluntas. This I will, thus I commaunde, let will stande for reason. For in those thīges (ꝙ he) that he wil, he hath wil in stede of reasō. And ther is none, that maye demaūde of him a reason and causes of his doynges.

O slaunderous infamye, o vnexcu­sable shame of a christiā mans name, [Page] Wherto doo we any more laughe the Iewes dreames to scorne? or deteste the blasphemyes of Mahomete, seing greater maters & of more crueltie are spoken, & (not without feare) heard of among christian menne, and that w ^t ­out correction as yet hitherto? Let vs be ashamed of our neclegēt naugh­tinesse. Let vs be weary of so great heartlesnesse, Let vs also repent our wicked sufferaūce in hearing so abo­minable blasphemies. O foles, that se not this gaire: O wicked ones, that whā they see them, yet can heare thē, and beare with them. For albeit they be cruell and abominable maters, that we haue talked of, yet ther folo­we more abominable, more blasphe­mous, & more haynous maters, that they are not afraide to speake of. For in the. 40. Distinction, Chap. Si Papa. We reade that it is thus written.

Though the pope neclecte bothe his Note. owne saluacion, and his brethrens, and be founde to be vnprofitable and slacke in his doinges: Yea and moreouer though he speake neuer a wit of good­nesse at all (which is more hurteful to him self and all men) and leade innu­merable [Page 120] people by heapes, w ^t himself to y ^e chief deuil of hell, ther with him to be whipped w ^t many strypes for euer, yet may no mortall man in this case rebuke his faultes, for he shall iudge al, & be iu­ged of none him self, except he be depre hended out of the waye, from the fayth.

Hearke (brethren) the presumptu­ous & horrible wordes of Antichrist, yea heare them not, but rather spitte them out of your eares, & out of your hartes, y ^t you be not polluted w ^t them. For what christiā man can awaye w ^t y ^e hearing of thē? Who is it, y ^t can pa­ciently abyde thē? We see (brethren) y ^e readynesse of God towardes vs, we see y ^e softenesse and heartie purpose of Goddes righteousnesse towards vs to be such, y ^t he disdayneth not to declare vnto vs wretched persones (which shall lyue here but a shorte space) a plaine reckonyng (almost) of all his iudgemētes. But this mā of synne, y ^e sonne of perdiciō, & y ^e brothel of al fle­shely filthinesse, & of all wickednesse, whā he is waited vpon, w ^t his trayne of daunceing lecherous ruffianes, & buggerours, wilbe vnder the iudge­ment of no man, nor rendre accompt [Page] of his office vsing vnto no maner mā in the worlde, although he bring infi­nite soules of men, (that were rede­med with y ^e precious blood of Christ) and bynde innumerable people pren­tices, with the cōmon enemie of man­kynde the Deuil, vnto the slaughter­house of euerlasting damnacion. And euen this man it is, that taketh vpon him, to be the head of the churche, and the only and most high shephearde of Christes shepefolde.

Is it than the propretie of an head, to rage against his owne membres, and to cast them vpon sweorde and fire, to be destroied? Is it the propretie of a shephearde, to renne madde vpon his flocke, worse than a wolfe wolde? If the B. of Rome hurt the bodie of such as be his, if he rashly hurt y ^e na­me of them y ^t be his, if he take awaye their goodes for filthie lucres sake, the apostolike Canones despeche him quyte out of his office: And shall all the hole churche than suffre him ra­geingly to renne vpon mēnes soules, to destroye them, without correction? But to thintent they might mitigate y ^e outrage of their blasphemie, by som [Page 112] maner of clooked pretense, they deui­sed to adde this to: Except he be depre­hēded out of the waye from the faithe.

Forsothe a goodly addicion, O you blocke headed Canonistes. Will you than saye, that these be the workes of faithe, for the Pope to make innume­rable people bonde men, to the euer­lasting fyre of hell? Or shall we saye, that he hath faith, which maketh them subiectes to the tormentes of hell, whom Christ (the sonne of God) hathe by his deathe and bloodshead, deliue­red free from hell?

But this conclusion of this Canon was not added, without the prouidē ­te of God. For by this meanes it is euident, that the B. of Romes faithe is not a lyuely and a healthe geuing faith, whervnto iustificacion and sal­uacion is commonlye attributed in the scriptures, but a certain other faithe, farre contrary from it. Which, like as it is in their power, to with­drawe mennes soules from saluaciō, and make them bonde slaues vnto perdicion, so it pulleth all them, that obeye his lawes, awaye from Christ, the only redemour of the worlde, and depryueth [...] [Page] and danined, so hathe he bounde all other that obey his voice, vnto dam­nacion: He is also that great and no­table Aduersarie, Which is contrary to Christ in al thinges, and repugneth cleane contrary against his life and doctrine, and is a tyranne most inso­lent, most arrogaunt, and most dis­dayneful, exalted in his blasphemous hearte, not only aboue miserable and mortal mē, but also aboue the almightie and immortal God.

Let them therfore haue him in ad­miracion, honour him, reuerēce him, folowe him, who so euer hade rather perishe, than to be saued. But let vs (deare brethren in Christ) rendre thā ­kes continually to god the father, and his sonne Iesus Christ, our supreme king and only bishop, which hathe vouchedsafe to reueale vnto vs the filthe of so exceding abominacion, and to deliuer vs from his tyrannye, and to set vs free by the aide of his worde.

Let vs also praye, that he wolde bring other in to the knowlage of his truthe, and to vpholde vs with such constauncie of faithe, that we maye [Page 123] be hable to cōtinue stil in the knowne truthe, and to serue him constauntly in the middle of the stormes and floo­des of tentacion, and to cleaue vnto him inseperably without shrynking: that we be not euerlastingly lost w ^t Antichrist the sonne of perdicion, but that we maye be made partakers of the saluacion and kingdome, which was prepared before the making of worlde, by our lorde Iesus Christ, our only redemour and saueour. To him be glorie, praise, and thankes geuing for euer worlde without ende. Amen.

[Page] LIke as it is not only profitable and holsome for all ma­ner of men, but also necessa­ry to the atteynyng of salua­ciō, to haue the true, certain and sure grounded knowlage of our Lorde and saueour Iesus Christ, that they may cleaue harde vnto him w ^t a faste and a constaunt saithe, and through him to obteyne eternal sal­uacion and life euerlasting: so is it no lesse profitable and necessary, that in these later dayes, we knowe them also, which set out themselues falsely, as though they were Iesus Christ, that is to saye, as though they were saueours and redemours. In whose nombre specially (aboue other) that great and notable Aduersarie of our Lorde Christ, and of all faithfull, that is to wete, the very right Antichrist is to be knowne, that we maye auoi­de his wiles, subtil craftes, fraudes, and most pernicious deuises: and es­cape the dānacion, that he purueyeth and purchaceth, for those that his be.

Moreouer, wher as ther are (by the spirite of Satan) many falsely fey­ned fables of Antichrist, by reason of [Page 124] the which, it is so farre of from vs to com in to the knowlage of him, that we shall rather be blinded, seduced, and deceaued: it is necessary for vs to respecte the vnfailing truthe of the holy scripture: to thintent, that being ledde by the doctrine of it, we maye learne to knowe him in dede. And for y ^t cause, I haue lately brought furthe of the scripture, two most manifest plaine places, for the declaracion of this mater: wherin ther are allready three specialties declared, which paynt out the disposicion and propreties of Antichrist, and shewe what a maner a one he is, as it were, poyntyng 4. Anti­christes workes. him with a mānes fyngre. Therfore it cōsequētly foloweth, that we steppe ouer now to the fourthe specialtie or principal mater, wherin are declared his most special chief workes, wher­vnto he is geuen, and by the which he vttreth him self openly. And albeit these self same maters are comprehē ­ded of the apostle Paule, & y ^e desyrous mā Daniel y ^e prophet, in those places, which I rehearsed before, yet for as­muche as they are ouer shorte ther, in playne openyng of them, we must [Page] here marke the. 11. chap. of Daniel, wherin many thinges right worthye to be knowne, concerning the myste­rie of Antichrist, but specially concer­ning his workes are in this maner written

He shall bring in men, to forsake the couenaunt wickedly, y ^t they may worke by craftye wiles through hipocrisie: but the people that will knowe their God, shall haue the vpperhande, and prospere. But the king shall doo what he lusteth, he shall exalte and amplifie him self against all that is God: yea he shall speake maruelous thinges against the most hyghe God, and he shall haue prosperous fortune, so long till the wrathe be fully consūmate, whā wickednesse shal be come to the highest. He shall not regarde the God of his fathers, nor care for the lust of women. Yea he shal not care for any God, for he shall exalte him self aboue all. In his iurisdicion shall he worshippe the God Mayzim, and the God whom his fa­thers knewe not shall he honour, with golde, and siluer, and precious stones, and other costly gaires.

And he shal conuerte them in to the [Page 125] strōg fences of the God Mayzim, with his straunge God: and he that will ac­knowlage him, he shall aduaunce him vnto honour, and shall make him Lorde of many people, and distribute the lāde vnto him, wyth rewardes. And a litell after. He shall also haue dominion o­uer the treasures of golde and siluer, & ouer all precious Iewelles. &c.

These are the vndoubted wordes of y ^t prophet Daniel, wherin sixe prin­cipall Daniel [...] scribeth. 7. workes of Antichrist workes of Antichrist are descri­bed: & vnto them we shall afterwarde knytte the seuenth also, out of thafore mencioned seuenth chap. of the same Daniel. These shal we marke in ordre, and cōsidre w ^tall, how they are put in bre in the papacie, of the bishoppes of Rome. 1. Anti­christ ma­keth men couenaunt breakers.

The furst worke that the prophet Daniel attributeth to Antichrist, is y ^t he shall bring in men to forsake the couenaunt, & shrynke frō it wickedly. But he speaketh here of that great, no table, excellent, and sauing couenaūt, that the eternal almightie heauenly father hathe vouchedsafe to make w ^t vs wretched mē, which (by nature) are the children of wrathe and damnaciō. [Page] This is made plaine by Moses, in the 17. of Genesis, & by y ^e prophet Iere. y ^e 31. chap. & is cōprehended in two chap. or articles. For furst, God which is y ^e most highe & euerlasting goodnesse, & what the couenaunt is. euē the only foūtayne of al goodnesse, calleth him self our God, our full fe­ding, & the perfite sufficiēce of al thin­ges, & promiseth w ^tall, that bothe he him self & all y ^t he hathe, shal be ours. Secondarily, euen he (the same God) requireth this of vs again, y ^t we be his people & his catail, that we walke before him, as it becometh his people to doo, that we obey & serue him, not as the frowardenesse of our owne rea­son enueagleth, but as he commaun­deth, by y ^e autoritie of his worde. And his cōmaundement is, that we should acknowlage him alone, to be our only God, y ^t we shoulde not haue, seke, nor worship any other Goddes but him: y ^t we should make no Idoles, grauen ymages, nor any maner of similitu­des: & y ^t we should not worship, suche as were made of other mē, nother w ^t semelinesse, nor reuerēt behaueour of the bodye, and muche lesse wyth the deuocion of the hearte: but that we [Page 126] should be most farre of frō al maner of Idolatrie, bothe inward & outwarde: y ^t we should also nother defile nor ble­mishe his holy name, but y ^t in all our doinges & sayenges, & in all our hole life, we should halowe it, & honour it, to the best of our possible powers: and that we should not defyle any of the tyme (which he wold haue halowed, & to be appointed to serue him, & to the considerate meditacion of his benefi­tes & workes) w ^t no prophane vses, but y ^t we should also kepe continual holy daye, frō wicked workes & studies: Fi­nally y ^t we should applye our selues, in al those thinges, y ^t we owe, bothe vnto him & to our neighbour (according to y ^e offices of faithe & lawes of Charitie) after such sorte, y ^t we maye be an holy people as he is holy. Leui. 19. & 20.

But albeit (through the deceauea­blenesse of our owne infirmitie, & cor­rupt nature of our fleshe) we do neuer accōplishe y ^e chief poītes of y ^t couenaūt (which belong vnto vs) as we ought to do, nother yet are hable to accom­plishe them: yet that gentil harted and merciful father wil not cast vs away, nor dryue vs out of the inheritaunce [Page] of his kingdome but like as he furst offred the couenaunt vnto vs, euen so (mynding also to succour our infirmitie) he gaue his only begoten sonne Iesus Christ, which being very man, and made like vnto vs in all thinges (synne only except) perfourmed in his owne persone, al that, which God y ^e father (according to his iustice) requi­red: and satisfieng the lawe in al thin­ges, at leynght he suffred also deathe for vs: and hauyng shedde his blood for vs, he confirmed most fully that couenaunt of God, and testament of our saluacion, like as in his last sup­per, y ^t he kept w ^t his disciples, he him self recorded. This (I saye) is the coue­naūt, wherof Daniel in this place maketh mencion, and saithe, that Anti­Christ shall drawe men awaye from this couenaūt, so as whan they haue forsaken it, they shall also be spoiled of the benefites, that are promised thē in it. But that y ^e B. of Rome dothe this same thing plainly in his doctrine, & in the decrees of his religion, it may be shewed w ^tout any businesse, & easily perceaued of any man.

For as touching y ^e furst point of y ^t [Page 127] couenaunt and promise of God, which is geuen vnto vs, the B. of Rome pro­poūdeth a farre other maner of God, by his doctrine and religion, than the wordes of the couenaunt make men­cion of. For they promise, that God shal be ours in all thinges, so that (be­ing knytte and ioyned vnto him) we may sucke out of him most pleynte­ously, what so euer is necessarie vnto saluaciō. But the pope feyneth vs such a God, that were like vnto a highe, stately, and an earthy prince (yea rather like a tyranne) that wold receaue no mannes sutes nor billes of suplicaciō, nother wold allowe any man, to com to his speche, ne yet wold heare any mannes cause, except he either obtey­ned his fauour w ^t bribes, or elles w ^t muche sute makīg & giftes, he bought frendship of courtyours, to speake for him.

And in dede, thus hathe the pope bē the autor of extreme desperacion vnto sely wretched people. For this hathe ben the constaunt opinion almost of al men, that they beleued, no man (be­ing infected w ^t the spotte of synnes) could com to the sight of God, yea that [Page] it was not laufull for a wretched synner to be bolde, to flee vnto the suc­cour of the righteous God. By reason wherof, as sone as they haue forsakē God, the only omnisufficiēt fulnesse of mankynde, they turned thē vnto I­doles, & worshipped thē, w ^t gold and siluer they honoured thē: & being de­sirous to obteyne the intercessions of sayntes, they brought al y ^e money they hade, theyr clothes, theyr corne (yea & their catail to) y ^t they might haue thē y ^t more fauourable, & y ^t than (hauyng their waye made sure, by y ^e meane of saintes helpe & intercessiō) they might preace forewarde into y ^e sight of God. What other thing shal we cal this, but the most grosse vnknowing of God? through y ^e which mē being blynded, haue not acknowlaged y ^t God any more, which in his couenaūt making, ꝓmiseth, y ^t he wil not only be benefi­cial & mercifull vnto vs, but also y ^t he & al y ^e goodes he hathe, shal be altoge­ther ours. Moreouer, they haue opēly set this out in their religiō, y ^t they hade no whitte more knowlage or remē ­braunce of Iesu Christ, in whom this couenaūt of our saluaciō is cōfirmed, [Page 128] and by whom the spirite of adoption & of the children of God is geuen vnto vs, which bearyng recorde vnto our election, bringeth to passe in our con­sciences, that we maye surely trust in god & crye vnto him, Abba father. For they turned not vnto Christ, which is our only intercessour, but were gredi­ly desirous rather to get the helpe of saintes, although they hearde Christ our Lord crye, with a loude shril voice, and plaine wordes: Come to me al you that labour, and are heauy laden, and I Matth. 1 [...]. shall geue you rest. Which wordes, yf they wolde either haue kept in their myndes, or haue vnderstanden, they should haue sene (doubles) y ^t they (how great sinners so euer they were) ought to renne vnto Christ, and to none but him. For the Lorde cōfesseth vnto thē plainly, that he calleth not righteous men, nor suche, as in all thinges be throughly vpright & perfite (for amōg al mankynde, ther are none suche but those, which are ouerladē & pressed w ^t the burthen of synnes, and can fynde peace & quietnesse no wher elles, but in him. And as for those, he sedeth thē away no whider elles, nor biddeth thē [Page] seke peace and comforte any wher elles, but to com vnto him, that they maye laye downe that intolerable burthen with him, and receaue the peace and quietnesse, that is ordayned for them.

And what man is it in the worlde, that can saye, that those which lyue vnder the lawes of the papacie, haue faithfully standen, or doo yet at this howre stande faithfull, in this poynt of the couenaunt? Shall it not be of force plainly cōfessed, that they haue all forsaken this couenaunt, & sought the comforte and remedie of their sou­les, the grace of God, and the salua­cion of eternal life, by other meanes? And not y ^t only, but we must also ne­des confesse, y ^t we stode not in y ^t other poynt of the couenaunt, which belon­geth to vs, and informeth vs, how to ordre our cōuersaciō: that is to wete, in that we haue custōly vsed to serue God the father of heauen, by a farre other maner and sorte, than he wolde be serued: wherof we shal anon here­after speake more at large.

To be shorte, seing that we are ha­ble (by no meanes) to denye the thin­ges [Page 129] that are nowe spoken of: and se­yng it is manefestly euident withall, that we were brought (by the Popes decrees and establishinges of popishe religion) in to this madnesse and wic­kednesse: we haue founde the furst worke, which Daniel attributeth vn­to Antichrist, in the B. of Rome, who (as it is nowe playnly declared) is he, which withdraweth men from the co­uenaunt of God, and causeth them to be quyte stripped from God, and all the goodnesse of God. 2. Anti­christ is the father of hipocrites.

Secondarely, he sayeth, that Anti­christ shall bring in men, whiche shall worke sleightily, through hipocrisie: that is to say, suche maner mē, whose faythe, religion, holynesse, and all the ordring of their hole lyfe shal be hipo­criticall, and most farre of, from the truthe. But that men are become such in the Papacie, by the tradiciones of the Popes religion and doctrine, it is so manifestly knowen to all menne, thoughe they take but small hede therof, that ther nedeth no longer rea­sonyng about it. For what shall we saye, that the hole vniuersall religion (which is practiced in the Papacie) [Page] is elles, but hipocrisie, and countre­fayting of a certain false feyned holy­nesse: whiche in dede (in outwarde shewe) is busye, and muche adoo is a­bout it, and promiseth great maters, and playne diuine maters. But yf a man luste to loke for them more ne­relye, he shall fynde none at all. And furst let Monkes, Chanones, and fri­ers (which are called among them spi­rituall men) be speciallye noted and marked, which will seme, and be cal­led more holy, and more religious, than al the rest: and we shal most clea­rely see the hipocrisie which Daniel attributeth vnto them. For whan they take the ordre of Monkerye or Frierhode vpō them, they make their vowes almost after this sorte:

Ego frater N. promitto Deo auxiliante per­petuam continentiam, carentiam proprii, & ob­īam tibi pater N. & successoribus tuis canonice instituendis secundum regulam beati N. & secū ­dum constitutiones Capituli nostri generalis.

That is: I brother, N. or I frier N. promyse by the helpe of God, perpetual continencie, the wanting of propretie, & obedience to thee father N. & thy suc­cessours, to be canonically instituted, af­ter [Page 130] y ^e rule of S. N. and after y ^e constitu­ciones of our generall chaptre.

Three thinges here those right ho­ly men vowe: wilfull pouertie, which they (as they are most studious of the elegaunce of latine) call Carentia proprii, wanting of propertie: and also obedi­ence and continencie, in the namyng wanting of propre­tie, is to haue no good of his owne, as in dede fewe of those Votaries haue any good con­diciones of their owne. wherof they meane chastitie, and ab­steynyng from fleshely doale. Now vnto these, all their outwarde toyes are almost answerably like, so y ^t they professe these thinges, not only w ^t wordes and writinges: but also w ^t certain notable sentences, spoken briefly by waye of exhortation, to the same. For they lye closely mewed vp in the Mo­nasterie, to testifie, that they playe the solitarie men, and are disseuered frō y ^e world, and estraunged from al myn­ding of the worlde. Ther are some, whose rule forbiddeth them to handle any maner money, with their hādes: and that they will haue to be a figure of that wilfull pouertie, which they haue vowed.

As for obediēce, they saye they haue accomplished it fully and perfitly, if they lyue in subiectiō, vnder y ^e gouer­naunce [Page] of the abbot or prior, as they cal them. Ther are sō, which (in their raymēt) professe chastitie, & puritie of life, in y ^t they are apparailled in white garmētes. Ther are som, whom their blacke clothing admonisheth of y ^e mortificaciō, wher by they ought dayly to dye vnto sinne. Ther are som, which being girded w ^t coardes, cracke, y ^t they are (euery moment) girded, & ready, to the studious mynding of godlynesse, and seruing of God: & that they haue girded vp their reynes (y ^e place of car­nal lust) least they be ouercome w ^t de­sires at any tyme, & so synne throughe fleshely lust. They goo crowching and lusking, w ^t their heades downe towardes the grounde, that they may remē ­bre thē selues to be mortall & earthye men, & therfore they are drowned w ^t no myndynges of this worlde, but set their continuall studies vpon heauenly thinges. And in dede suche is al the passing of their life, and what so euer they doo, their maners also, their ge­stures, their fastinges, their watchin­ges, their synginges, their readinges, and suche is all the outwarde religiō, that they occupie, doubtles after such [Page 131] sorte, that in all these trynkettes, they professe (as it were) certayne wonder­full mysteries of holynesse.

But if a man compare their con­uersacion and dedes, w ^t these external maters, he shall see them countrefaict al that they ꝓfesse so goodly, that lady Hipocrisie her self could not handle y ^t mater more fittly. They saye, they haue forsaken the world, whan no mā in all y ^e worlde lyueth more drowned Their wilful Pouertie. w ^t y ^e worlde, & y ^e forcastes of y ^e worlde, than they doo. For they doo not only flowe in all kyndes of voluptuous pleasure, but also they set al their hole myndes & studies, vpō al thinges, that this worlde desireth or dothe. I wold fayne haue thē answer me, whether they cā shewe me in al y ^e wyde worlde, wher is more enuye, more hatred, more euill will, more pride, more con­tencion, ambiciō, bralling, & stryuing than in monasteries, which (as they saye) are disseuered from the worlde.

But what is their pouertie, & want of propretie? Forsothe this: that they walowe in most pleynteous habun­daunce of wealthe: and like most mightie princes, haue al the worlde to [Page] welde, at cōmaundement: nother fele they any pynching of pouertie, ne yet want of thinges necessarie. Yea a mā maye fynde of them, which wher they had either a very small, or elles no ly­uyng of enheritaunce, nor substaunce at al, thrust them selues in to one mo­nastery or other, and professe wilfull pouertie, but there hauing habun­daunce of al thinges, they leade a lyfe without wante of any thing: and at leynght beyng made eyther Abbotes, or Priours, or Prouincialles, either Bishoppes, and Cardinalles, yea and Popes to: they clymbe to y ^e most highe These ho­ly men can clymbe no higher, except they chaū ce to clymbe to the galowes. estate of wealthe, pleasure, and em­pire. And yet for al that, they saye, they vowe pouertie, where as they catche holde of suche maner of occasiones, that they maye be made superiours, to the most mightie princes, & kinges vpon earthe. Therfore are they most subtil sleightie Siomedes, which (whā Glaucus, that is to saye, the rude cō ­mon people, taketh no hede) chaunge copper for golde. And a mā shal fynde no great differēce frō this gaire, yf he marke their obediēce, that they vowe. For by reason of that obedience, they [Page 132] loke aloft, euen against all Magistra­tes, Cloistre o­bedience. and gouernours openly, bicause they boast them selues to be exempte, & that no man (in al the worlde) hathe ought to do to meddle with them. If the lauful Magistrate (that is orday­ned of God) demaunde any thing of them, they laye for thē selues streight wayes, their exempcion & priuilege of the churche, which setteth them fre frō al charges, that the cōmon people and publike state are burthened w ^tal. But in case any man wolde go about to cō straine them, & to frame thē in to an ordre, by & by they make warre agaīst him, & laye at him w ^t cursing & thōdre boltes of Romishe excōmunicacions, wherw ^t euen emperours them selues, haue ben so oftē & so shreudly hāpred, that they are taught (to their cost) to be afraid of it yet stil, to this day. Therfore what shall we cal their obedience elles, but that for asmuche as they are lordes ouer all men, they passe not a pynne of the Magistrates, they make all people their seruauntes, and (lyke Penelopes wowers, and an vnprofitable burthen of the common wealthe) they deuoure and cōsume in [Page] loytring idlenesse, those thinges, that can scarcely be earned, and goten together, with the toyle and trauaile of a great sorte of sore labouring mē. And after y ^e same rate (if we wil speak Cloistre Chastitie. the truthe) we must speake of their Continence and chastitie, which will not suffre thē (in any wise) to be called fathers without a cause. For w ^t their chastitie, they are wont to fill all the worlde ful of bastardes, to laye baites to deflowre honest maydens in euery place, and to entice all other women, of what place, ordre or condicion so euer they were, vnto hooredome: and that with suche shamelesnesse, that they will not let to play the hooremō ­gres partes, euen at their holy serui­ce tyme. For to this vse serue so many drinkes and sibber sawces, that they charme (by the deuilles connyng) in their masses, to make women madde vpon their loue. To this ende are so many maidens and matrones enti­red, in their whispering eare shrifte. To this purpose serue som mennes feyned sickenesses, that haue geuen masse priestes, friers, and cloisterers occasion, to rauishe both maydēs and [Page 133] maried women. And doubtles this rule is so notablye knowne to al mē, that a man can scarce fynde any so beggerly a suburbe, or so pelting a village, which hathe not ben garnished with som example of horedome, by these kynde of men. I talke not here of their filthier and more abomina­ble trickes, which we shal speake som­what of in their owne place.

But who is that (brethrē) that hath brought in these sortesof men? Who is he, that hathe layde suche a burthē and heauy weight, vpon sely wretche people? Euen the B. of Rome, which hathe not only cōfirmed their ordres & rules, with the autoritie of his testi­monie and priuilege, but also (bicause no quicke spurre Magistrate maye correcte thē, nor robbe him of this his so honourable a baudie barne teame) he nameth them in al his wrytinges, most deare children. Than the B. of Rome is euen he, that (according to Danieles sayeng) hathe made right stowte and notable mightie hipocri­tes, which haue done all thinges, con­cerning faithe, religion, and outwar­de conuersacion of life, by subtile [Page] fleightes, & w ^t false colour able p̄tēces.

Hereunto perteyneth not only the life and behaueours of them, that are called spirituall persones (which in e­uery thing are like to the state of Mō ­kerye, as the right childrē of al one fa­ther) but all y ^e hole religiō of al maner of folkes lyuing vnder the papacie, ought also to be referred hereunto. For it is nothing elles, but a certain mere hipocrisie: as (to let many other thinges passe) the only forme of their popishe penaūce (if ther were nothing elles) is hable to proue to be true. For although a mā were soiled in y ^e synke of al the synnes, that are in y ^e worlde, and ledde a life full of al myschief and wickednesse, all the hole yeare long, yet the only tyme of lent (though a man contynue still in synnes) were hable to make him holy & righteous. For if a man faste from fleshe y ^t space, assone as he hathe goten him a masse­monging priest, to be his goostly fa­ther, as verteous a man as him selfe Nay, his goostly enemye. (and therfore the more gentil) & hathe ones whispered out all the ragge­manrolle of his synnes in his care, and greased his fiste with some pēce, [Page 134] and bought a masse or twoo: by & by he hathe full forgeuenesse of al his synnes, and may fall again to the same trade of life, and geue him self to the same vices, and filthye synnes, that he did before.

Besydes this, it is more cleare than the sunne light, that ther can non so outrageous, none so cruel, non so hay­nous, non so abominable a synne be committed, but it may be clooked by y ^e popes Bulles, and pardoned & quyte remitted by the autoritie of his sea.

Than seing this gaire is commō ­ly thus, all the papistes must nedes confesse (in despight of their noses) y ^t the B. of Rome is the chief autor of al hipocrisie, and the most frutefull fa­ther of hipocrites: and that he (wyth all trusty diligence and studious en­deauour) dothe also accomplishe that other worke of Antichrist, and ther­fore (according to Danieles prophecie) he is to be taken for the very right Antichrist him self.

Daneil describing the thrid worke manship of Antichrist, saithe thus. He shall not regarde the God of his fathers, yea he shall not care for any [...] [Page] tie and strong God: that is, he hathe deuised for him self suche a God: by whose seruice and religion, he is ad­uaunced with great abundaunce of richesse, honour, and glorie. And to vnderstande this mater the more fully, thus we must take it, good bre­thren; If we marke the B. of Rome, he will professe with his mouthe the self same God, whom we acknowla­ge in the articles of the apostles Cre­det howbeit playeng the hipocrite in this poynt, as he dothe in all other maters, he beleueth him not to be suche a God, as he vseth to professe him to be. For if a man marke his tradicions, and strayne him a litell harder, he shall see, that he beleueth not, that God the father hath a sonne, which became man for our sakes, and (being offred vp once for all on the altare of the crosse for vs) obteyned forgeuenesse of synnes, righteous­nesse, and saluacion for mankynde. But he ymagineth a farre other ma­ner of God, that is daily coniured by massemonging priestes enchaunte­mentes, to come downe in to breade, or in to the forme of breade, and the [Page 136] substaunce of bread being chaunged in to the very substaunce of Christes body, to be offred euery daye by the priestes, vpon the altare, for the syn­nes of the quicke & the dead. In what poīt is this prety Cake God like vnto him, whom we saye in our Crede, rose again from the deade, ascended in to heauen, and ther sitteth on the right hande of God the father almightie, vntil he come to iudge the quicke and the deade? Doo we not see him plain­ly, to be a new God, & cleane cōtrarie from y ^e God of our fathers & elders?

For these are plaine contraries: to be incarnate, and to com downe in to a cake of bread: to be offred vp once for all, on the aultare of the crosse, & many tymes vpon the popishe prie­stes aultares: to be offred only once by hym self, and euery daye a thousaunt tymes by other priestes: to be ascended in to heauen, and to lye locked in a golden Pixe: to sytte on the fathers right hāde in the king­dome of heauen, vnto the daye of iudgement, and to com downe daily at the priestes coniuring in his bodi­ly presence in to a piece of breade.

[Page] And yet this is euen that strong and mightie God, by whose seruice and helpe, Antichrist is promoted vnto most highe power and dignitie. For after that the rude ignoraūt peo­ple were persuaded, that Iesus Christ (very God and very man) was called out of heauē, by the priestes wordes, and that they handled him with their consecrated handes, and offred him for mennes synnes, anon they were in suche autoritie with all men, that euery man hade them in most highe honour, yea ther was none almost so euil aduised, that thought not him worthye to be punyshed, who so euer attempted any thing against them.

And this augmēted their dignitie and power also, that whan they hade made this their God with their owne wordes, they deliuered him to other also to be eatē, howbeit not vnto eue­ry body at auēture, but vnto such on­ly, as were contented to shryue them before hande vnto them, of all that they hade synned, either by worde or dede. For by this secrete Legier de­mayne of Confession that they haue deuysed, they could knowe the botom [Page 137] of all mennes heartes, they could le­arne out all mennes purposes, they could boult out, what al mē thought: yea they could (by those gostly fathers of their owne making) knowe the most secrete intentes and pryuie coūsailes of kinges and princes. For this was the othe of them all, that they were boundē to the sea of Rome by, that they should (to the vttermost of their possible power) withstande al mennes purposes and entreprises, and by all possible meanes, to lette those thinges, which they knewe to be noysō to the B. of Rome and his sea. By reason wherof, assone as the B. of Rome beganne to haue any king or prince in suspicion, that he bare but small good will to his popishe digni­tie or power: anon these gostly fathers wold grope him, & with crafty trickes hādle him so, that ther were no reme­die, but he must nedes shryue hym, & poure into their bosoms, not only all y ^t he had done, but also al his intentes & purposes. Thā whan they sawe any daūger like to rise, or already in hāde against the sea of Rome, they were bounden by their othe, to open all the [Page] hole mater to their ordinary. And the ordinarie must shewe it to his superi­our, and bidde him declare it to his bishop, or to the archebishop, by whose meanes it came at leynght to the pope him selfe. And whan he once knewe the mater, he could sone make shifte, to turne vp syde downe al the attemp­tates, that any prince hade intended against him.

And by this meanes (brethren) we see it come to passe by experience, that ther is no king nor prince, no nor yet emperour, that coulde be founde ei­ther so prudent, or so valeaunt a man, in compassing of his maters, that yf he were offended at the tyrannye of the bishoppes of Rome, was hable yet either to suppresse it, or to escape it: no mary, a great sorte of them haue ben conquested and oppressed, by the drif­tes and craftie conueyaunces of the bishoppes of Rome. For the God Mayzim hathe a myghtier power, thā they are hable to abide, whan so euer they dare once attempt any thyng a­gainst the tyrannye of Antichrist, the bishop of Rome.

This can Emperour Henry the [Page 138] seuenth of that name (among many Emperour Henry the 7. poiso­ned with the Sacra­ment. other) well testifie: who whan he hade purposed to haue made the bishop of Rome, not very pleasaunt tarieng in Italye, was (by poison ministred vn­to him in the sacramēt of the aultare) by a blacke frier of Senes, quycklye ridde out of the worlde, in the Castell of Bonecouent, as they call it.

This we reade was done the yeare from Christes birth, M. CCC. XIII. wel, lyke as the B. of Rome hathe be­goten vs this newe God, out of the y­maginacion of his owne braine, euen so hathe he ordayned newe maner of god seruice for him. For he worship­peth not, nor serueth him, as the true lyuyng God ought to be serued and worshipped, in spirite and truthe: but as the prophete Daniel spake before-hāde, w ^t golde, siluer, precious stones, and other gaye gaire, as they can not denye, seyng all the hole god seruice, y ^t they occupie them selues withal, is as I saye. For bicause y ^u must serue this God Mayzim a right, ther must nedes be a chalice of golde, and a patine of golde, or elles gilt at least. Ther must [Page] be also vestimentes, and copes of silke or velwet, dashed wyth gold and preci­ous stones. Ther are tapers sticked on euery post, and light lampes han­ged rounde about the churche. And the roofe of the churche maketh a dynne, wyth their synging & organe pyping: so that if a man marke euery one of their knackes in y ^e right kynde, all their god seruice is rather like the ruffling and ioyly swashing of a prin­ces courte, than the forme of religion. Now this is the thrid worke manship of Antichrist, which the most excellent prophete Daniel ascribeth vnto him.

Fourthely. He shall not care (saithe Daniel) for the lust of women: that is, 4. Anti­christ shal not care for the lust of women. he shall haue no laufull affection of loue towardes women. For Daniel speaketh not here, of the vnhonest fil­thie loue and beastly lecherous lust, but he meaneth that naturall & lauful loue, which almightie God graffed in to mennes heartes, at the furst origi­nal beginnyng of thinges, for the ge­neracion and preseruacion of man­kynde: and did therwythall (by his grace) ordayne the holy bande of ma­trimonie, mynding that man should [Page 139] not lyue alone, but in the lawes of wedlocke or matrimonie, which we call the laufull coupling together of one man and of one woman, accor­ding to Goddes institucion. The lust of this loue, that is to saye, the loue of wedlocke (saithe Daniel) Antichrist shall not care for, nor shall haue any mynde vnto it. Well now, like as I haue shewed, that the sayenges of Da­niel doo hitherto agree directly to the B. of Rome, euen so shall I be hable to proue this no lesse manifestly. For furst of all, this kynde of men speake of the holy state of wedlocke (which y ^e autoritie of all the hole scripture de­clareth to be Goddes owne ordinaūce) after suche sorte, y ^t they deme it a pro­phane & an vncleane state. For how shall they chose, but thinke it a propha­ne and an vncleane state, seing they will not haue the Ministres of the churche in any wise to meddle w ^t it, & forbidde them in their open lawes frō mariage.

And bicause we should vnderstāde, that this is the very propre worke­manship of Antichrist, he went about this by and by at his furst entraūce, [Page] seing it was he, that should by leasure worke the mysterie of iniquitie. For as y ^e historie writours make reporte, in the dayes of Emperour Constan­tine the great, ther were some at the coūsail of Nice, which thought it good to bynde bishoppes, Ministres and di­acones from mariage: Howbeit their sentence was at that tyme repressed by Paphnutius a man bothe of a singu­lar godly life, and of a notable con­staunt faithe. For he confessed mari­age to be honourable, and that it is chastitie for a man to lye w ^t his owne wife, and persuaded the Counsail, that they should not make such a lawe, as might ministre occasion either to thē, or to their wyues, to cōmyt fornicaciō

Neuertheles albeit the furst waye spedde not, yet they went to their bu­lynesse an other waye, & neuer ceassed, till (wyth alluring now these men, now those men, to saye as they said) they obteyned their purpose: and yet it could not be brought to passe amōg the Germanes, vntill it was almost to late, that is to saye, about CCCCC. yeares agoo, in the dayes of Empe­rour Henry y ^t 4, it was brought about, [Page 140] by (helhounde hildebrande, called) Gregorie the 7. the varlet of all wicked­nesse and mischief.

But to tell what frutes haue proce­ded of this law; it nedeth not much rehearsal. For in this case though no mā speake a worde, their owne beastly lustes tel, their owne hooremonging declareth, & their owne cuckolde ma­king (wherwyth they haue defiled the hole churche) cryeth out vpon them.

Well, if we take here this worde lust, either for y ^e only loue to womē, or for y ^e desire of womanes cōpany, we must speake y ^t of these most holy and most blessed fathers (& God before) y ^t is to filthie, & to badde to be spoke, yea no christiane cares could abyde it, but y ^t y ^e playne truthe of the mater wolde force mē to speake. For we must saye, y ^t these mē are not so muche enamou­red w ^t y ^e lust & naturall cōpany of wo­mē, as they are mare woode vpō y ^e a­bominable beastly lust of buggery, which synne God reuenged in tymes past w ^t flamyng fire frō heauē, & com­maūded it to be punyshed w ^t like cor­rectiō. And yet these helhoūdes so haūt it, & are so rageing madde vpō it, y ^t it is [Page] manifest, bothe they and theyr cour­tyers committe it, and no man saithe, blacke is their eye. In this behalfe I wil take recorde to as many, as by a­ny euil lucke haue euer ben brought to that Sodomitical stewed state, and haue hade to doo in Popes, Cardinal­les, and bishoppes courtes & retinues.

Fyfthly Daniel saythe, that Anti­christ shal also rewarde them with his 5. Anti­christ ge­ueth re­wardes to suche as obeye him treasures, that wilbe content to serue, to honour, & to acknowlage that God Mayzim of his. And Daniel maketh menciō here of three maner of rewar­des. For furst he sayth, that he shal ad­uaunce them to honour, that is to say, with glorious titles and names. Se­condly he shal make them lordes ouer many people. Thirdly he shall distri­bute the lande vnto them with rewardes. Which thinges (yf we wil searche the dedes and stories of bishoppes of Rome) we maye fynde to be, euen as Daniel tolde before.

Furst the very tricke of their owne workmanship is, to set vp those, that be of their secte, with highe honoura­ble titles, & to aduaunce their names with glorious gaye stiles. So in ty­mes past he adourned Pipine w ^t the [Page 141] stile of Most christian Kyng, bycause The stile of most christian king geuē by the B. of Ro. to pipine the traitour. he ayded the sea of Rome, and delyue­red the God Mayzim, from the power of Lumbardes, & enriched him also w ^t great landes, & exceding great priuileges. And the Frenche kynges beare them selues highe, vpō the honour of that stile euen at this present daye.

Lykewyse mynding to decke the king of Englande also w ^t a new stile, Defendour of the faith. he gaue him (aboue. 20. yeares agoo) the name of Defendour of the faythe, in so much that he made a great a do, without regarde of the kinges regal estate, to haue set the king (bycause of that stile) agaīst Lutere, y ^e most earnest aduersary of y ^e sea of R. & most inuin­cible beater downe of the Popes tyrā ­nie. But what nede we to make rehersal of kinges, & other folkes (of whom some are called most renowmed, some catholike, some defendours of the sea Apostolike) whan we see before our eyes, a mightie rable of popishe prela­tes, y ^t bragge & loke aloft, by those glo­rious gay stiles? For of them ther be, that they cal Cardinalles, as thoughe they were Cardines ecclesiae christianae, the very true & perfite sure bankes of Chri­stes [Page] churche. Ther be y ^t haue obteyned to be called not only (Patres) fathers, but also Patriarkes, as though they were newe Abrahames, and fathers of the faithfull. And ther be som, that we must nedes call bishoppes, as y ^t geue attendaunce to the charge of the churche, and haue the office of ouer­seers and watchmen.

Hereunto perteyne y ^e names of most profounde learned Doctours, Our maistres, the Reuerēde, the most Reuerende, the Seraphical ordres, y ^e malles or confoundours of heretikes, most dearely beloued children, & infinite other suche, which a man maye thinke doo farre excede ambiciō it self. And these be the honours, which the B. of Rome aduaūceth thē y ^e folowe his secte, w ^tal. But like as his wonted custome is, to adourne these w ^t glorious gaye stiles, euē so cōtrary wise, those y ^t dephye his tirānye, are wiped besides al their ho­nours & dignities, & are called by most bitter & horrible names. For y ^e papi­stes crye out vpō thē, & (as though it were but a small mater, to call them wicked) they name thē tearers of Christes seameles coate, Disturbours of the [Page 142] churche, corruptours of christes spouse, Seducers, heretikes, churche robbers, Traitours, and damnable wretches: yea ther can not be deuised so cruell, nor so horrible a kynde of villanous speche, but y ^e papistes thīke it not bad ynough, to be spewed out against such men. Also the B. of Rome accom­plisheth y ^e secōde poīt according to Da­nieles ꝓphecie, y ^t is, he maketh them y ^t serue him & his God mayzim, Lordes, & princes, & kinges. As about y ^e furst begynnyng of his power & tyrānye, he deposed Chilpericus y ^e Frēche king frō his regal estate, bicause he was a quiete, sobre, & a softe spirited mā, & nothīg for his purpose: & maketh Pipine (his great frēde, & a wōderous experte & a forwarde mā in cōpassing of ma­ters) y ^e king of Fraūce. And after the same facion, bicause he was greued at y ^e Greke emꝑours, for disobeyeng him, he put thē out of their empire, & made Charles y ^e sōne of pipine empe­rour, bicause he was a zelous folower of his fathers examples. Again this pranke ought to be reckoned among his felowes, that chaunced after­warde to y ^e Frēche kinges also by like enter▪ [...] [Page] or beare them a grudge: and straight­waies putteth in other, whom he per­ceaueth more fitte to serue his turne: yea he dothe also graunt men autori­tie, to cast out, whom he wil haue cast out of their kingdomes, and to take vpō thē the gouernemēt of those real­mes, hauīg otherwise no title therto, either by goddes lawe, or mānes lawe

Such a maner of parte (we reade) was plaide about the yeare of our Lorde MCCC. whan the B. of Rome appointed the realme of Fraūce, to Albertus y ^e king of y ^e Romanes, & wolde haue depryued king Philip of his auncient possession, bicause he wolde haue stopped the open entries of his real­me, to holde out the rauenyng Ro­manes. The like chaunce happened also, to the Archebishop of Mence, by the drift and false fetche of Pius B. of Rome. For whan the archebishop somwhat grudged at the vnreasona­ble sommes (wherof the bishoppes of Rome polled al y ^e bishopriches of Germanie) and wolde fayne haue hade his tenauntes and people of his iu­risdicion no more so pilled and polled by their false craftes and subtilties, [Page 144] by & by the B. of Rome stripped him out of his bishoplie honour and dig­nitie, and a newe bishop (at the same B. of Romes commaundement) was put in his rowme. That mater was the occasion of wonderful sore dissen­siones, and warres, that many prin­ces of Germanie (yea and that the greatest princes) were combred with al. But the ende of that tragedie was a most bloody piece of worke. For at leinght the citie of Mence (after gre­uous and bloody fieldes foughten) was betraied and taken, euery strete ranne streames of the slayne citezi­nes blood, and all maner of wicked­nesse done in it (that the insolencie of a prowde conquerour lusteth to doo) and so the citie was miserably spoiled of her libertie: that wher it hade ben afore an emperial citie, it is in subie­ction (perforce) to abominable bawdie bishops, & lecherous polleshorne massemōging priestes, euē vnto this daye. But what dede is it to rehearse olde maters, whan present new maters can beare large witnesse therof ynough? For after that Germanye being lightened by the worde of God, [Page] receaued her eie sight, and hauing throwne awaye the yowke of the popes tyrannie, will nother acknow­lage the B. of Rome supreme head of the churche, nor vouchethsafe to worship and serue that God of his, Mayzim: the B. of Rome thought it not ynough to make warres vpō the wretche people, that hade ben long punnished with hongre, and dearthe of euery thing: but also (to make merciles cruell souldiours the more gre­dy vpon vs) he wold haue al Germa­nie, and all the substaunce therof, to be his mennes praye. And thus the. 5. piece of Antichristes workemanship must nedes be fulfilled, according to Danieles prophecie: that he must be­stowe realmes and lādes at his plea­sure, for rewarde and feo, vpon them, which serue Mayzim that God of his,

The sixthe worke that Daniel a­scribeth 6. Antichrist hathe do­minion o­uer trea­sures of golde and Siluer &c in the same place vnto Anti­christ, is this: y ^t he sayth, he shall haue dominion ouer treasures of golde, & siluer, and al precious iewelles.

As for this mater we shal be hable to take the bishoppes of Rome, nolesse apparently with the maner hereof, [Page 145] than we haue proued those maters, y ^t we haue treated vpon al this while hitherto. For after that the churche (in the tyme of emperour Cōstantine the great) beganne to possesse golde and siluer, and to florishe in y ^e wealth of this worlde, than it beganne also to abuse the same wealthe in religiō, to set vp a god seruice: by and by a fo­lishe & a pernicious errour toke roote and growed vp, in the simple commō sorte and vnlearned peoples heartes, Note well so that they thought this gaye, gorge­ous, and riche golden glystring god­seruice was better, and more accepta­ble vnto that God, than their olde bare religion was. Now this errour being fastened in folkes heartes, engēdred an other errour more gre­uous and more pernicious thā it self. For hereof came the opinion and be­lefe of many, that the saluaciō of sou­les and the kingdome of heauē might be redemed for golde, siluer, precious stones, and other earthey substaunce, if they gaue them either vnto priestes or vnto religious men, to the mainte­naūce of their churches, monasteries, colleges, & other external god seruice.

[Page] Nowe here came the sacrificeing Note how errour caused landes and riches vnto the shauelin­ges, chur­che. popishe priestes gayne in, the deuill and all. Hereby also was great sub­staunce gathered in euery place, vn­der a vayne pretense of the churche, wherby their tyrannye was mighti­ly establyshed. For kyng Pipine be­yng bewitched wyth the persuasion of this errour, gaue Rauenna, and all the Exarcheship, wyth many other places (which he hade taken from the Emperour of the Grekes) vnto the churche of Rome: to make amended for his synne, that he hade done, bothe in wrongfully taking the kingdome vpon him, and in muche effusion of blood, which he hade vniustly spilte.

After that, Pipines sonne Carolus magnus, being deceaued with y ^e like errour, confirmed that his father had geuen: and gaue more also of his owne. And that made him (without any other consideracion) to leaue so many churches enriched, so many col­leges and monasteries excedyng ry­chely endued, wyth his substaunce. Than his sonne Lewis (which was called Pius) succeding his father, vouched safe (vpon the same persuasions) [Page 146] not only to confirme the gifte of his graundfather, and of his father: but also to geue the citie of Rome, and all the liberties therof, frely vnto the bi­shoppes of Rome.

Other princes also folowed their example, and so did lordes and gentil­men. Yea citezines and vplandishe menne (as many as were somwhat wealthie) gaue wonderfull muche treasure of golde and siluer, to serue the God Mayzim withall: and so they furnished Antichrist & his, with excea­ding great abundaunce of richesse.

In the meane space ther crept out Cloisterer [...] fratres in vnum knaues all quod wil­liam So­mer. a newe kynde of men (Cloistre men) and of them ther became diuerse or­dres, which were the actiuest men alyue, in scraping of rychesse together. For they get not only great treasures of ready money, but also very large possessions of lādes in a shorte space. Herein I wilbe reported to y ^e wealthe of them, that lyued after the most beggerlye sorte among them: euen the fraūcisce friers & the Dominike friers, whom they called by an other name, Friers preachers. For albeit their or­dres were confirmed by autoritie of [Page] the bishoppes of Rome with in these LLC. yeares past, that is to saye, the yeares of our Lorde. M. LLXX. and. M. CCxxiij. yet they haue goten so muche substaunce and richesse with in so shorte a tyme, as were ynough to fynde many thousauntes a lyuing. Besides this we see, that they haue builded so many monasteries (muche fairer than kinges and princes pala­ces) so as a man can not fynde either any king or emperour, that were ha­ble to beare the costly charges therof. And yet not content with these, they haue gotē together so many ymages of great wedges of golde and siluer, so many chalices, so many patines, so many candlestyckes, so many dishes, and infinite other suche kynde of ves­selles of golde and siluer, yea and so many copes and vestmētes, broudred with golde, & set with precious stones, that if they were laide all vpon an heape, they were hable to excede the wealthe of Craesus and Myda.

This we maye saye furthermore, as the truthe of the mater it selfe ap­peareth: that these holy theues (that are the chiefest braggers of pouertie) [Page 147] are come to so highe wealthe, that a poore greasy graye frier may walke all the worlde ouer almost, and cost him neuer a peny, bicause he may fynde euery daye a house of graye friers, and ther lyue as it were of his owne, among his brethren. And indede these mē are the most beggerly, of al the mēbres that Antichrist hath. I speake not now of mytred bishop­pes, and swashing abbottes, which wilbe called and regarded as princes, and kepe astate as if they were Lor­des. I speake not of Cardinalles and popes, which goo farre beyōde world­ly princes, in wealthe & in streynght of reignyng. Tushe, the deuil is so muche these mennes good Lorde, and they haue so muche dominion ouer the treasures of the earthe, that those thīges be euē their owne good, which other men haue the possession of, and are not yet deliuered vnto their han­des. For assone as their desire is, to enlarge their substaunce, they haue an hundred knackes in their budget, to pike mennes secrete treasures, out of their priuie coafers. For the helpe of this mater serue their oft chaunge­ing [Page] and encreaceing of their pardon bulles, their newe staciōs, newe foūde reliques, and preaching of the crosse, against the inuasions of the Turkes, and other suche like trickes, wherw ^t their custome is (lyke vnsaciable cor­moranes) to rauine & deuoure vp all to them selues. These be y ^e sixe workes of Antichrist, which are mencioned in the. 11. chaptre of Daniel.

Now remayneth the seuenth and 7. Anti­christ mo­ueth ba­tail agaīst the Sayntes. last worke of Antichrist, which is spe­cified in fewe wordes, by Daniel in his 7. Cha. where he writeth, that the litel horne (that is to saye, Antichrist) made batail against the saintes, & preuailed against them. And in dede this is his owne right natural worke, for w ^tout it he could in no wise be Anti­christ. For seing Antichrist is y ^e aduersary of Iesus Christ, our Lorde & only saueour, bothe in name and mater, he must nedes make warre against all them, that faithfully beleue in Christ, & are sanctified by his merite & death. For they are not only called saintes in who be called Saintes in the scriptures. the scriptures, which ar departed this lyfe, and reigne in heauē (as the rude sorte of popishe people are wont to [Page 148] thinke) but al suche also as are sancti­fyed, clensed, & washed by the blood of the sonne of God, yea & all maner of faythfull people, that knowe that they are scoured cleane, from the filthe of their sinnes, by y ^e only merite of Chri­stes death & passion, and stedfastly be­leue, that they are made righteous be­fore God the father, & shall lyue after this lyfe for euer, and enioye the bene­fites of suche a ioyous felicitie, as ne­uer shall ende. And these sayntes hathe the B. of Rome alwayes made bataile against, with the violent force of his tirannie, as one that could neuer a­byde the faith & religiō, that they were of. For yf men holde of none, but only Christ, yf they put their hole trust in the merite of his death, & yf they con­fesse him to be the sole & only saueour and redemer of al the hole world: thā maye the B. of Rome put vp his py­pes, thā may he take his leaue of his great gainyng money marte, thā his pardone marchaundise stynketh, thā his Bulles are not sette a strawe by, than gothe his great gaynes of golde and siluer awaye, that hade wonte to come in for y ^e soules, that lye pewling [Page] in the paynles paynes of his pike­purce purgatoire. Than may he pisse out the flamyng fire of that colde scalding house, for any more vaūtage it bringeth.

But how wold ye haue mē to abyde this, that are all together geuen to delices, voluptuoussnesse, and pride? Therfore ther is clashing of olde har­nesse, and batail is a brewing against the Lordes sayntes, wherunto the B. of Rome bothe geueth the on sette, and taketh vp the mater. As for this gaire, we may see it to be true, more clearely thā the daye light, if we note, what hathe happened w ^tin the space of this one age. In Boheme, God by Ioh. Hus. his decreed prouidēce stered vp Iohn Hus (a singular famous mā, bothe of learning and of godly life) which whan he hade diligently searched the mysteries of the holy scripture, sone espied also the B. of Romes tyrannie, and abominable ambiciō in y ^e church, and disclosed it vnto many mē of his tyme. But assone as he (like a godly & a blessed man) begonne to attempte this mater, these purpled fathers, and ambicious rufflīg lusty guttes, being [Page 149] afraide, least their power & dignitie wolde decaye, neuer ceassed layeng baites to catche him, till they hade (throughe false flatring promises) brought him w ^tin their clowches, at the counsail of Constaunce, & ther (contrarie to their open fidelitie, yea con­trary to the emperours faithfull pro­mise also) they burned him: and for non other cause, but for the truthes sake. And yet not being content w ^t y ^t haynous crueltie, vniust doing, and falsehead, they also moued muche cruell warres, against the Bohemies, & stered vp the force and power of y ^e hole empire, sondry tymes against them.

But what nede we to rehearse olde exāples? Let vs marke their doinges in our dayes, and we shal sone knowe y ^e batailes, that Antichrist maketh a­gainst the Lordes sayntes. For euery man knoweth, that his tyrānie hathe ben so cruell (now for these 20. yeares and more) that no man lyuing might (so hardye) fynde fault at their abo­minable popishe supersticion: no mā might also affirme, y ^t Christ our Lorde is the only king, the only priest, and the only saueour of the worlde, but [Page] he should be had by y ^e backe for it. For assone as any man confessed Christ, to be the only head of the churche, and the only saueour of the worlde, he was hade straightwaies to prison, and laden wyth as many fetters, as he could beare: and either he died ther miserably (wyth the stynke of the pri­son) or elles he was hanged, or slayne, or elles burned, and suffred as muche torment, as could be deuised: so that the lightest punyshement was to be banished. And if any prince (abhorrīg suche horrible crueltie) wold not be their slaughterman, vpon his owne subiectes, by and by he began also to be suspecte of heresye: and was layde watche for, by these gaye goostly fa­thers. In this behalf, I reporte me to those faithfull christianes, that lye yet still in prison. I reporte me to the swordes, to the halters, and ryuers, wherwyth they were murthered most cruelly. I reporte me to y ^e galowes & stakes in euery place, wher their dead bodies heng. I reporte me to y ^e feldes and groūdes, wher an infinite nombre of them were slayne, for they are moo than any true christian man [Page 150] can thinke, vpō w ^tout weping teares. And yet for all this, y ^e cruell beast (not contenting him self to be filled w ^t so bocherly a slaughter of sayntes) whan he perceaueth, that the doctrine and faithe of Christ, is strōger than all his tormētes & punyshementes, thought good to stere vp the most cruell peo­ple in all the worlde, & y ^e most deadly foes of the name of Germanie, to de­stroye (w ^t fire & sweorde) thē that take Christ for their only saueour, & wil not be contēt, to worship the B. of Rome, nor his God Mayzim.

In this place we ought also to Antichrist shall pre­uaile a­gainst the Sayntes. marke this well (most louyng brethrē in Christ) that the prophet Daniel saithe, that Antichrist shall not only make batail against the Lordes sayn­tes, but also that he shal haue y ^e vpper­hande of them. For he speaketh not thus, to thintent we shoulde be a­fraide, & cast downe our heartes al together, but he vttreth & meaneth (by these his wordes) after y ^e sorte y ^t Christ our Lorde speaketh of, in Iohn: The time shal com y ^t who so euer killeth you, shal thinke, he dothe God seruice Io. 16 Io. 16. For what so euer is spokē cōcernyng [Page] Antichristes successe and victories, it must be vnderstandē, but of y ^e bodies, and externall goodes of the sayntes, or faithfull people. For God our hea­uenly father dothe somtymes permyt either Antichrist or other aduersa­ries of his name, and of his people, to haue som power and to spoile his flocke of life and goodes, bicause wher they (which ought to haue serued him) were geuē to muche vnto the worlde, and neclected those thinges, that are diuine & heauēly. And this (we reade) hathe ben the principal cause, almost of all persecuciōs. Howbeit the Lorde dothe not neclecte, to saue those that his be, for all that: but defendeth thē vnder his owne fatherly protection, most safely. And whan his people be tried with the crosse, and blustring stormes of persecucious (as Gold and siluer are tried in the fire) they are [...]. Pe. 1. scowred cleane, from all drosse of mā ­nes infirmitie, and of fleshly desires: so that their soules departe, not only without any harme, but also more holy and muche the perfiter.

Wherfore it is conuenient for vs, not to be afraide in any wise, of this [Page 151] present ꝑsecucion, which we see raised by Antichristes drift and false fetches: But (as it becometh hearty souldi­ours) let vs rather reioyce that ther is occasione offred vs to shewe a special­tie, and a perfite lesson of our faithe, and (with lusty courages) to beate Antichrist backe, by the aide of so no­ble a captain, Christ our most victori­ous king: but not w ^t outward marcial weapones (which Antichrist is smal­ly afraide of) but with true repentaū ­ce, with the amendement of life, with constaunt faithe, with pacience, and with continual feruent prayers: for as these be most acceptable vnto god, euen so their custom is to burst ason­dre all the violent force that satan bē ­deth against vs, and also to ouer­throwe the coūsailes of Christes ene­mies. For these are the weapones, that the Lord hath deliuered vnto his churche, and he hathe promised to be present him self, to assiste it. Therfore (brethren) Christ seeth the daungers, that his churche is in, he beholdeth the painfull labours of his people, he seeth the cruell and horrible deui­ses and doinges of Antichristian mē, [Page] he seeth his enemies, and y ^e wolues y ^t vexe his churche: yea he not only seeth them, but he also brydleth thē & ruleth thē, nother dothe he suffre thē, to ra­uine any farther, thā he seeth it profit­table for vs, & al his faithfull flocke.

Necligent & forgetfull childrē must nedes taste of the rodde: and the rebellious stubburne fleshe must nedes be walked w ^t a good cudgell, & in a staues ende. The Lordes rodde & staffe is the crosse of persecuciō, which he sendeth by the cruell enemies of his name.

As for them, they folowe theyr owne lust, and are geuen al together to the seruing of the filthie fleshe: and euen thē the Lorde vseth as a meane, to chastise our fleshe w ^tall. And in case God fynde y ^t in vs (by their meanes) that he is desirous to doo, he is hable (in a moment) bothe to deliuer vs, & to tame their tirannie, surely ynough. This mater is witnessed by the vngracious ende of Pharao, the shamefull deathe of Senacherib king of the Assi­rianes, and the most wofull ende of many suche tirannes as they were. Now let these suffice to be spoken in the fourth place, concernyng Antichristes [Page 152] workes and practices: Wherby it appeareth most manifestly (as it dothe by the other sayenges that are mēcioned before) that the B. of Rome, is that notable and mightie houge Antichrist, whom God wold haue reuea­led, in y ^e oracles of his worde, by Da­niel, and the rest of the prophetes.

Now therfore, let vs passe ouer vnto the fifthe special poīt of that we 5. Anti­christes. weapones. haue in hande, that we maye considre w ^t what weapones Antichrist shal ob­teyne, enlarge, & mayntene his king­dom. And these it is necessary for vs, to haue skilful knowlage of, that we maye the more handsomly beware of them, and arme our selues the more strongly against his tirannie. For as in feates of warre, it is a good piece of the victorie, if a man can knowe his enemies weapons, & put by y ^e strokes: euen so the same is specially requisite for vs, in this sore fraye of Christ our king. And as for the hole furniture, and all the weapones, wherwith An­tichrist dothe bothe defende him self & make batail against other, the apostle Paule in his seconde epistle to the Thessalonianes comprehendeth [Page] them all in fewe wordes, sayeng that Antichrist shall come after the working of satā, with all power, and with lyeng signes and wondres, and with all de­ceaueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse,

In these wordes we must note (brethren) that the apostle saithe, all Antichristes power, al his streynght, and all his weapones shal be deuil­lishe: so that he teacheth vs, that An­tichrist shall ordre all his affaires, after the working of sathan. Therfore if we marke, what kynde a thing the what the power of Sathan is power of sathan is, we shall also most perfitly perceaue, what Antichristes streynght and weapones be. And al­beit Paules wordes might suffice, to make this mater playne, yet let vs hear Christ the eternal wisdō of God the father speake, which talketh thus of sathan the prince of the worlde: He was a murtherour from y ^e begyn­nyng, Io. 8. and stode not in the truthe, for the truthe is not in him. Whan he speaketh a lye, he speaketh of his owne: for he is a lyer, and the father of lies.

Christ here comprehendeth all the streynght, and all the weapones of the deuile in two kyndes: murther, [Page 153] & lyeng. By this worde (Lyes) he vn­derstandeth Lieng. al that is contrarie to the truthe, and also his sleightes, his gi­les, his false fraudes, and deceaueable­nesse, aswell in wordes & dedes, as in miracles & doctrine. And this terme (Murther) cōteyneth al wrongful violēce, Murther. al temerarious attēptates, al the force, al y ^e tirannie, and all the power that men are violētly pressed withal. And that these haue ben alwaies y ^t de­uilles tooles & weapones, it is mani­fest by many examples, sence the be­gynnyng of the worlde. For thus he deceaued our furst parētes with false ꝓmises, & robbed them of paradise, & of their blessed state: & (asmuche as in him laye) he spoiled thē also of euerla­sting life. And afterwarde (through murther) he made warre bi their furst begotē sōne Cayn, against true religiō & y ^e folowers therof: & euer sithence, he hathe shewed him self such a one, as his furst frutes hade shewed, that he wolde be. Now seing the holy goost reporteth, that Antichrist shal be ar­med with the deuilles weapons (Lyēg and murther) it standeth vs in hande to trye these also to be in y ^e B. of Rome whom [Page] scripture they haue for their trin­kettes, they are not ashamed, to saye, that they lacke that: but they rather heape lies vpon lies, and bring out a certain new lyēg blasphemous glose: Tushe saye they, al is not cōteined in y ^t scriptures, that is necessary for man, to obteyne saluacion by. As for the au­toritie of the holy goost, they are not afraide of it, which making answer to their blasphemous sayeng, speaketh by the apostle S. Paule, in plaine wordes: All scripture geuen by inspi­racion 2. Timo. 3. of God, is profitable to teache, to reproue, to amende, and to informe in righteousnesse, that the man of God may be hole or perfite, prepared to all good workes.

What can be spoken more cleare­ly, more pithily, & more euidētly, thā these wordes be? The apostle Paule (the chosen instrument of God) being endued with the spirit of Christ, sai­eth: that all the scripture is inspired of God, and that therfore it is profita­ble and effectuall, not only to teache, to monishe and amende, but to this vse, that also the man of God may be hole, perfite, and fitte to doo all thing [Page 155] that God iudgeth to be good, & is good in dede. Howbeit those most shameles and most lyeng deceauours (without reuerence to the autoritie of these wordes) wher they dare not denye, but the scripture is inspired of God, yet they saye, it is vnperfite: and prate, that all thinges are not conteyned in the scripture, that man hathe nede of, to saluacion and to religion.

And is God vnperfite? O shameles impudencie. Shall we cal that vnper­fite, which is set furth by god, through the spirit of truthe, and thinke that perfite and absolute, which was inuē ­ted by the rashe reason of man? But Note well. Paules wordes teache vs a greater mater yet, thā al this. For if the scrip­tures make a man perfite & fitte vnto all good workes, than can it not be a good worke, that is required, hauing Good workes. non autoritie of y ^e scriptures to beare it: & therfore they shall neuer, wor­thily be called good workes, which they require besides the autoritte of the scriptures. Let these vayne hel­houndes lose and ridde them selues out of this knotte, if they can. But they must nedes fight with lyes (the [Page] very owne propre weapons of satan) that in thus speaking, they may both plucke the vnlearned rude cōmon people, from the truthe of the scriptures, and also to tye them to the licke peny tradicions of mennes deuising. Yet to vttre them selues more openly, they doo not only set vp these kinde of lies, but also they fight w ^t false tokens and lyeng wōders, wherof Paule maketh menciō here, & Christ hath biddē vs, to beware of thē. For who is it, y ^t know­eth not the endles heape of tokens, y ^t flyering friers & mūmyng masseprie­stes were wont to prate openly of, in the papacie? For somtyme they feyne, that soules appeare, & make mone vnto them, somtyme they declare mira­cles wrought by ymages, somtyme they preache of wonders, wrought by the bread God of the aultare, & infinit suche other trickes they ymagine day­ly, wherby they maye the more easily cheoppe men downe, into the kyng­dome of darkenesse, & hold thē downe surely, whā they haue them once ther. Therfore (brethren) to thintent we be False to­kens. not begiled herein, we must note, that ther be false signes & wonders: & that, [Page 156] by two maner of false meanes. For furst ther are oftentymes signes fey­ned, that are false in dede, wherby y ^t is thought to be done, that is not done in dede. And of this sorte, are sleighty wiles, fraudes, enchaūtementes, & al deceaueable trickes, y ^t simple soules are deceaued w ^tall. Secōdely, ther are other tokēs, wherin it is done in dede, that we heare or see done: and yet it is not done, either by y ^e working of God, or naturally, but by the very working of the Deuil. And those are worthy also to be called false tokens, & lyeng wō ders: bycause they leade mēnes cōsci­ences, not into the knowlage of God, and of the truthe, but rather pul them from it, and most commonly they bynde men to lyes, to ydolatrie, and to supersticion, or at least confirme them the more surely, that set their myndes vpon suche fantasies. And of this kynde of tokens, we reade partly that those were, which the scripture sayeth, Pharaos sorcerers fought a­gaynst Moses and Aaron withall: and yet they were in no wyse hable to abyde those mirables, that were done, by y ^e workyng of goddes power. [Page] For like as the Deuil can not abide y ^e maiestie and power of God, euen so are not his workes hable to stande, in the presence of the workes & mira­cles of God. And if we will boult out the papistes prankes, & their feyned fantasies, we may fynde false tokens of bothe these sortes. For how many tymes, doo these false deceaueable varlettes affirme thinges to be done, that were neuer done? how often doo ei­ther the sacrificeing priestes feyne, y ^t soules appeare vnto them, or friers & cloisterers make lies of good spirites or euil spirites, wher as they either hunt for aduaūtage, at the ruder sorte of peoples hādes, or haue a pleasure to see, how simple folkes be, or elles (vn­der that colour) they serue their owne lust & hoorishe filthinesse? I reporte me to their owne dedes, entrepryses, maners, and consciences, and if they will saye truthe, they shall tell of suche knackes, as it is abominable for any man, to haue written them, and a christian mannes eares can not abide the hearing of thē. And I pray you, what great towne, or what monasterie shal we speake of y ^t hathe not ben aduaūced [Page 157] by one false and lyeng token or other? how oftē haue the graye friers made lies of their Francisce? how oftē haue the blacke friers made lowde lies of y ^e blessed virgin Mary, of Barbara, Katherine, and of Christ our Lorde him self? And among these, it shall not be farre amisse to recken, what a mira­cle they haue feyned of the sacrement of the aultare.

For they saye, that the bread hathe chaunged his substaunce, & is altred The bread God the chief of all miracles. in to the very substaunce of y ^e bodye of Christ, & yet the accidentes remay­nyng still: that is to saye, the qualitie & quātitie. And y ^e doctrine they beate vpō so shamelesly, y ^t albeit they see al the senses of man to denye it, and that non autoritie of the scripture serueth to their feyned fantasie, yet they are not afraide, to make men to take it for a miracle, and to beleue it, whether they will or not.

And like as these rakehelles are most nymble in forgeing of miracles. so they want not their other maner of lyeng wonders, which are done by y ^e working of the Deuil. For he is pre­sent w ^t his chosen instrumentes, and [Page] (like a diligent preaching prelate) he watcheth that he be not disturbed of this so pleasaūt a tragedie: Wherby it is certain, that many wōders be done by his power. For herunto ꝑteyne the sondry appearinges of spirites about graues, their mone making, their groninges, their howling, their weping, & also their fyrie faciōs, & horrible likenesses, whō the symple commō people hath beleued (al this while) were dead mēs soules. But whose this tragedie is, & who is y ^e playour of it, it may easily be perceaued, if we marke their cō ­iuringes. For assone as those spirites be coniured by a priest, they feyne thē to be som dead mennes soule, they tel what incredible paynes they abide in the fyre of purgatorie, they cōplay­ne of their tormenting, and require helpe of their heires. And if the ques­tion be asked, what it is, that must helpe them, they saye, a certain nōbre of masses, certayn mynnyng daies, certain meritorious praiers, & certaī suche other gayre which get friers, and priestes money, but they plucke mennes heartes from God and from the truthe, and wrappe them in su­persticious [Page 158] and idolatrous errours. But assone as their heires haue done once, as the deuil moueth them to doo, ther is no more sorowe, ther is no more mourning, ther is nomore gronyng: no, ther is no more voice he­arde: and so the wretche people thinke they haue holpen a soule, that was in daungier, whan they haue done no­thing elles, but most acceptable serui­ce to the deuil.

Of the same sorte be the miracles, that are wrought by ymages, whe­ther they be feyned by the false lyeng craftye conueyaunce of man, or ste­red vp by the working of the deuil him self. For ther were of the most famous ymages, that men beleued, som wept, som spake, som shifted them selues frō one place to an other. And som of them were called great wor­kers of healing miracles, and were set furthe gorgeously with a great sight of curses henged about them. And bicause mē should not only thāke sayntes for their health, & other good turnes (which was wicked ynough of it self) we are sure, y ^t they gaue na­mes to saītes, after y ^t places & ymages, [Page] which they were worshipped in. By Ther were suche ladi­es pleyntie in Englande, besides roodes, & many other. reason wherof, they sayed that our lady of Aquen wrought one miracle, our lady of Laurete an other, our lady of the wood an other, and our lady of Regensburigh an other: tushe ther be other miracles besides these that I reckoned vp, a great deale more wor­thy to be wondred at: howbeit I dare not saye, whether our posteritie will geue credite to them or not. For I haue sene (with in the tyme of my re­membraunce) men in a great sodayn (not purposing any such thing afore) rēne as faste as their fete could beare them, and as if they hade ben out of their wittes, three or foure myles to an ymage, and ther lye prostrate .ij. or .iij. houres together, as if they hade ben half dead, and than come to their mynde again, and so rise vp and com (fayre and manerly) home.

This mater is more newe, and ouer lately done, than to be denyed. At Re­gensburgh ther was a lady (that was muche spoken of for this kynde of miracle) whom they called Our ladie of beautie, trymmed with a crowne and a regal sceptre more like Iuno [Page 159] thā y ^t blessed virgin Mary. But what nede we to make many wordes about this mater, seing all men knowe, that ther was exceding great pleyn­tie of suche maner of miracles, in euery place: which not w ^tstanding were lyes, as a man may perceaue clearely by this one argument, that what feate so euer they attempted to doo, was cleane contrary to the trade of Goddes worde.

And forasmuche as al men are not Antichrist fighteth! wyth open force. so ignoraunt & blynde, that all doo suffre them selues to be deceaued and blynded, wyth this furst sweorde of Antichrist, that is, lies and false mi­racles: Paule ascribeth vnto him that other sweorde of sathan also, that is, open violent force and power to doo wrong, wherwyth he may openly laye vpon them, that resiste him, and oppresse and make them to couche, that speake against him. And this we may see, as playnly in the Bi­shoppes of Rome, as we doo their lies and falfe craftes. For furst, they are furnished well ynough, wyth their owne streynght, and their owne power. They haue great cities [Page] obedient at their commaundement. They haue great countreyes, and great menne vnder their subiection and autoritie, they haue great hostes of valeaūt and wel furnished warlike mē, they haue also harnesse and wea­pones for the warres, and al that can be required vnto marciall affaires, and to make warres withal: yea they not only haue them, but also they oc­cupie them openly, against kynges, princes, cities, and people, that refuse to be vnder their subiection, and dare be so hardy, as to withstande their la­wes. Notwithstanding, bicause they haue perceaued (by experience) the chaunce of warres to be vncertain, and doubtfull, the myschieuous subtil helhoundes haue made them newe kynde of armour, and a newe sweor­de, so kene, that they haue strikē dow­ne euē most mightie kinges and em­perours with the edge of it: Excom­municacion I meane, which a man may call rather a thonderbolt, that they vse to strike and to curse suche princes withall, as be not their fren­des, and to depryue them of their princely dignities; and whan they [Page 160] haue put downe them, to set other in their places. And to thintent their ty­rannye should want nothing, they haue made their power so strōg, wyth other mennes marcial force, that they neuer myssed of som, either princes or cōmō people, which were content to put their iudgementes & sentences in execuciō, against suche as were enemies of the sea of Rome, & to hasarde them selues in most daungerous warres for the mayntenaunce of it. Of this tirannie (ioyned with wonder­full muche politike falshead) y ^e Greke Emperours felt their parte. For the B. of Rome procured the Lumbardes in to Italie, to make warres vpō thē, till he hade wiped them besides the Empire of al Italie. And yet the lumbardes them selues tasted of the like falshead and tirannie. For whan they beganne to wexe to sore vpon the Bishoppes of Rome, and to couet the empire of Italie and Rome: wher the Bishop durst not meddle wyth them him self, he calleth the Frenche kinges to helpe him, by whose power he furst repressed the Lumbardes, and at last he ouerlaide them so by [Page] Charles the great, that he lefte them nothing of their realme, which they hade kept in possession .CC. yeares, saue only the bare name. And in our tyme we haue sene the B. of Rome doo to muche wronge, to the Frenche men. For he droue them also (after his owne practiced maner) by other mennes power, namely by y ^e armies of the Heluecianes, at y ^t tyme out of al Italie. In dede these are the craftye trickes of this bawdye hoore of Babi­lon, yea she is so connyng in these wi­lye knackes, and can brewe madde loue cuppes so fynely, that she can get her louers in euery countrey, so trus­ty and so constraunt, that they wil not sticke to put their owne lyues in ha­sarde, so they may defende and mayn­tene her maistresship.

Yet least she should be constrayned to seke her newe louers and defen­dours, or rather protectours euery daye afreshe, she is crept so depe in to the bosomes of emperours, that they suffre them selues to be bounden, by their solēne othe, to defēde this beast, against all her foes, who so euer they be: as we maye vnderstande, by the [Page 161] forme of the othe, lately prescribed vnto the emperour Ottho, and as it is somwhat more euidently recorded in other of y ^e popes owne Canones. For in the Extrauagauntes, Com. li. 1. Tit. De Ma­ioritate & obedientia, he writeth thus.

We are taught by the wordes of the Gospel, that in this churche (meanyng the churche of Christ, which he vnder­stādeth to be y ^e churche of Rome) and in the power of the same, ther be twoo sweordes, a spirituall sweorde, and a temporall, sweorde. For whā the apost­les saide, Lo, here are two sweordes, that is to saye, in the churche: the Lorde answered them not that they were to many, but ynowe. Doubtles he that denyeth the tēporal sweorde to be in Petres power, dothe marke euil the worde y ^t the Lord speaketh: Put vp thy sweord again in to the scaberde. Therfore the churche hath power of both sweordes: that is to saye, the spirituall sweorde, & the material sweorde. But the material sweord must be exercited for y ^e churche, & the spiritual sweorde of the churche. The spiritual sweorde is in the priestes owne hande, and the material sweorde in the hande of kinges and knyghtes: [Page] howbeit at the appointement and suf­feraunce of the priest.

Marke here now (brethren) Anti­christes external power, and his bloo­dy murthering sweorde, which the B. of Rome chalengeth to him selfe by so playne wordes, hauyng no grounded reason of the scriptures, but wrasteth them so blasphemously & so violently. For he sayth, ther be two sweordes in the churche, that is the Ecclesiasticall power, & the Emperours power: & he maketh them bothe subiecte to the B. of R. And he sayeth, that they misun­derstande Christes wordes, which de­nye the Emperours power to be sub­iecte to the B. of Romes pleasure. And herein (in dede) the beast sayeth moste true. For they that denye this, do the greatest displeasure that can be to the sea of Rome, while they wolde set the Emperours power at libertie, & wype the sea of Rome besyde so great auto­ritie, to appoint and commaunde.

But let it suffice vs, to haue learned thus muche hereout, that it is out of question, that the B. of Rome hathe snatched to him selfe, that other kynde of Antichristes weapones. And what [Page 162] nede we to beate any longer vpō this mater, seyng experience telleth plain­ly, that I saye the truthe? For is not the Emperours sweord drawen now at the B. of Romes berke? Doth it not rage and make hauocke (alreadye) of the Lordes saintes? And I thinke ther is no man, but he knoweth, for what cause the B. of Ro. cōmaundeth this sweord to be drawne. Ther be bulles y ^t came frō Rome, which testifye the sa­me: Mary, that the Germanes muste be brought agayne to the obedience of the churche of Rome, with fire and sweorde, and be spoiled quyte of the ioyous cōfortable fodder of the Gos­pell. Yet to bring vs the more out of doubte, let vs heare, what the beast him selfe sayeth. The wor­des of the Indulgen­ce, Idibus Iulii. 1546

Therfore wher we vtterly despered of their amendement (meanyng the Germanes) and seyng that they were open enemies to the holy churche of God, and at vtter dephyaunce with all godly men, and that they contende and labour with all their possible policie & diligence, to drawe all other people in to y ^t same pitte of wickednes, y ^t they thē selues are fallen into: it chaūced by the [Page] inspiracion of the holy goost, that our most deare sonne in Christ, the most va­leaunt & most religious prince, Charles emperour of Rome, alwaies Augustus purposed to take weapon in hande, a­gainst the same, bothe Goddes ene­mies & his rebelles: whose godly & lau­dable purposes, & excellent deuises for the christen cōmon weale, we shall ayde with all the treasures that we & the holy churche of Rome haue, for the healthe of the godly, for the defense of religion, for the honour of God, and for the pu­blike peace and tranquillitie.

In dede these be the beastes owne wordes, which as they meane bloo­dily, so (with certaī foxlike wylynesse) they clooke the bloody meanyng, vn­der the holy and honourable names of the churche of God, of peace, of re­ligion, and of trāquillitie. But if any man thinke this vnauaileable, to pro­ue his tirannie withall, let vs marke the mater it self (brethrē) and the sub­til fatches of this bloody tragedie. Cā y ^e miserable murther of y ^e right blessed Io. Diasi­us. mā Ioānes Diasius the Spanyarde, be nowe out of mynde, whō his owne brother slewe with his hande, here in [Page 163] the myddle of Germanie, this yeare, the. 26. daye of Marche. And yet the most cruell brother murtherour and thief escaped quyte awaye, and suffred not according to his desartes. Open your eies therfore (brethren) & knowe the abominable ꝓcedinges and drif­tes of Antichrist, and all his ympes, by one mannes wicked dede. The B. of Rome hathe whetted Diasius axe for your heades. The Spanyardes com vpon you. Your cause & the cause of your wyues and your children is in hande: and Antichrist layeth about him so woodly, he is so furious, he is so desirous to haue vs destroied, that he maketh it laufull for a man, to murther his owne brother, and ge­ueth such murtherers hyre for their labour. Therfore Antichrist fighteth with bothe those sweordes, that Paule ascribeth vnto him. For he hathe thē that are desirous to ouercome by flat­tery, prouoke by promises, and [...]o en­ueagle by persuasiones, whō so euer they perceaue to knowe the truthe of the mater, and to be ouermuche vn­frendely to the B. of Rome. But for al that, in the meane tyme, they make [Page] hotte warres, y ^e enemies sweorde sla­sheth, Germanie is on fire in euery corner, & Antichristes power rageth in euery place. Therfore let vs watche brethrē, let vs holde vp our heades, & praye continually, y ^t our Lorde wold vouchesafe to help his churche, & to deliuer it from y ^t hādes of y ^e furious ra­geing enemie. Now forasmuche as in this fifth point, we haue learned by ꝑ­fite tokens & proues, y ^t y ^e B. of Rome is y ^t right & mightie houge Antichrist: 6. Vpon whom & how farre Anti­christ ha­the power to rage. before we make an ende of this place, ther is an other mater also to be kno­wen: I meane, y ^t we may vnderstād, vpon whō Antichrist hathe power to rage wyth his weapones, & how farre God permitteth his furie to extēde a­gainst y ^e sayntes. This dothe Paule teache in few wordes, in y ^e ij. epistle to his Tessalonianes, writing thus: His comming is after the working of sathā, with al power, & liēg signes & wōders, & with al deceaueablenesse of vnrighte­ousnesse, in them y ^t perishe, bicause they receaued not y ^t loue of y ^e truthe, y ^t they might haue ben saued. And for y ^t cause, God shall sende thē strong delusion, y ^t they shoulde beleue lies, that all they [Page 164] might be dāned, which beleued not the truthe, but hade pleasure in vnrighte­ousnesse. These wordes of Paule are full of comfort. For like as Christ our saueour dothe (in Matthewe) make playne significatiō, y ^t Antichristes mi­racles shal smally (yea nothing) auai­le to deceaue y ^e electe: euē so Paule also teacheth, y ^t God suffreth his tirānie to be exerciced, only vpō them, whom y ^e iustice of God iudgeth to be destroied & dāned. But least we shoulde thinke, y ^t God dothe saue some, & dāne some, w ^tout certain discrete iudgemēt, like a tirāne, he telleth by & by in y ^e wordes folowing who they be: & saith, they be those, y ^t hate y ^e truthe, & wil not recea­ue it, nor doo after it, & haue more de­lyte in y ^e darkenesse of lies, thā in the light of y ^e truthe. And they y ^t be suche persones, are vsed to be blinded by y ^e iust & vpright iudgemēt of God, y ^t be­ing deceaued w ^t lies & false deceates, they may be in subiectiō to y ^e yowke of Antichristes tirānie, yea they rather thrust thē selues vnder his subiectiō, for their owne pleasures. For seing all maner of vnthankfulnesse is odious before God, and worthy of [Page] punishement, yet that kynde of vn­thankfulnesse, wherby the most boū ­teous benefite of Goddes grace, that is to saye, the knowlage and playne declaracion of his worde and truthe is wont to be contemned and reiected, dothe iustly deserue (of all other) the most sore punishement.

This mater hathe exāples ynowe, in euery place of the scriptures. Yet the most notable and most horrible example hereof is in Pharao. For while he did not only not receaue nor allo­we the truthe of Goddes worde, & the most holsom warnynges of God, but also reiecte them wyth an vnthankful heart, and wyth threattenyng & blas­phemous wordes, he was cast in to so great a folye and blyndenesse, by the iust iudgement of God: that he could not considre his present miserable de­structiō, but threwe him self and his, in a wilful lust of wickednesse, head­lōg in to the rageing reade sea. And it dothe not muche diffre frō this, that we reade chaunced to wicked Achab: which while he dephieth the holsom monicions of Micheas the prophet, & dothe after the pestilent counsailes of [Page 165] the false prophetes, he falleth in to p̄ ­sent destruction. The like iudgement of the righteous God fell vpon al Is­rael, whan they were seduced wyth y ^e lies of the false prophetes, in the daies of king Zedechias and of the prophet Ieremie, while they renoūced y ^e cour­teous moniciō of the Lorde God. And in dede if we beholde the furst sprin­ging vp of Antichristes tirannie, we shall see, that the same mater chaūced at that tyme also, in euery poynt. For while the people mynding to gratifie the B. of Rome, were better content to receaue the vse of ymages, and to be instructed and taught by them, in y ^e mater of Christian faithe, and of chri­stian life, than by the holy scriptures, they were taught suche lessones by their ymages, as the deuil is vsed to teache his scholares (I meane) super­sticion, abominable and wicked God­seruice: and ther vpon (as the case was amōg y ^e heathē Idolaters in ty­mes past) ther folowed al kynde of vice & wickednesse, yea & y ^t errour (by littel and littel) crept vp so high, that at lenght we were made subiectes to Antichristes yowke in al maters, & were [Page] cōpelled (mawgre our heades) to al­lowe al his trynkettes for good ware, & to be obediēt to al his Canones, and statutes. We nede not to make long rehearsal of thīges done lōg agoo, but let vs beholde y ^e state of thinges, that are presently in al mennes eies, & in all mennes handes. Almightie God our most merciful father tedring the treason & ruinous state y ^t we haue suf­fred, hathe vouchedsafe in these our dayes, to reueale vnto vs (through the light of his worde) al y ^t is necessary vnto saluacion. And yet here a man may fynd an infinite multitud of mē whi­che being geuē to the affectiō of their owne fleshely fantasie, hade rather be gouerned, & guyded by lies & false doctrine, thā by y ^e light of the truthe: yea Hearke my gentil­men Iac­kes on bothe sides to this saing. mary, to thintēt they may frely folo­we their owne affectiones & filthy fle­shely lustes, and serue all vicious wic­kednesse, their trade is not only to be haters of the truthe, which they em­braced before, but also as muche as in thē lieth, to psecute & oppresse it. But if we loke vpō y ^e life, behaueours, & reli­giō of those same mē, we shal see more clearely thā y ^e daye light, y ^t it is y ^e iust [Page 166] iudgement of God, which Paule ma­keth mēciō of in this place. For y ^e wic­ked helhoundes are dropped in to so great a folishe fōdenesse, & are so farre past thē selues, y ^t now they haue reiec­ted & dephied y ^e true preachers of God, & y ^e trade of Goddes holy worde, they The prai­se of Mai­dē priestes heare those mē, & obey their doctrine, whom they see most shameful hoore­mōgers, cuckold makers, dycers, drō ­kerdes, & ful of al kynde of vices: yea they require to be pourged of their sines at those mēnes hādes, whō they knowe to be y ^e very bonde slaues of al wicked synnes & mischief. They also wilbe taught by those mē, whom they them selues confesse to haue lesse lear­nyng than an asse. And yet they are not cōtēt to be thus fōdly madde, but now in this daūgerous peril y ^t al Germanie stādeth p̄sētly in, they holde w ^t those mēnes entreprises, and further their intētes w ^t al their diligēce & po­wer, yea & w ^t their prayers bothe pri­uately and openly, who (as al mē may Italiane [...] & Spanyardes, An­tichristes garde. see) are the most deadly enemyes of the common wealthe of our coūtrey. For shall we thinke any man to be so folishe and ignoraunt, that he can not perceaue, what malicious [Page] heartes the Italianes and Spanyar­des beare to all Germanie? Is ther any man so deafe and doltishe, that he neuer hearde, how they raile against vs? They thinke it not ynough to call vs barbarous rude beastes, lowtes, fooles, and dogges, but their maner is to burthen vs also, wyth the horri­ble cryme of heresye, yea they thinke it laufull for thē, to exercice all kynde of wickednesse, tyrannie, and merci­les So they are wel­come in to England also, to traitourous popishe priestes, & to hoores, bawdes, cuckoldes, &c. crueltie vpon the Germaynes, as though they thought the Germay­nes, not worthy to be coūted among the nombre of men. And yet we see these men the most welcome gestes y ^t hearte can thinke, vnto many in Germany: yea ther be sō, that beleue, they shal be defended, and haue a mery worlde by these mennes marcial po­wers, which haue alwaies hitherto (by so many euidēt tokēs) vttred their malicious heartes against all Germanes. But this is the very iust iudge­ment of God, that they which hate y ^e light of the truthe, shall not only be blynde, but being robbed also of their commō witte, they shall not be hable to see, that they see with their open [Page 167] eies, nor heare that they heare, wyth their owne eares.

Now must we diligently obserue in this place (louīg brethrē in Christ) what is our office to doo, if we be desi­rous to escape this greuous hurt of so pernicious a blindenesse. That is, we must beware, that we be not so vn­thankefull: we must arme our selues also wyth such faithe and diligence, as maye worthily receaue the light of Goddes worde and truthe, whā God offreth it vs. Wherin aboue all thin­ges, we must beware of this (brethrē) that we geue not our myndes to our owne priuate affections, nor set more by them, than by the knowlage of the truthe. For who so euer hathe mynde to folowe his owne pleasur, shall ne­uer com to the true faithe.

Therfore it standeth vs in hande, to tame our affectiones, and to bring thē vnder the obedience of the spirite. And among other thinges, this also dothe muche hurt, for folkes to hunt gredily after the pleasures of carnali­tie, and present prosperitie of worldly thinges: for that we see, is the cause of the greatest wickednesse that can be, & [Page] the vndoing to many a one at this daye. For ther be some, that coulde be well content to beare the gospell, and the glad tydinges of saluacion purchaced by Christ, if it wanted the crosse, and stormes of persecuciō. But whan they see them once com, they not only let the most holsom doctrine of the gospell god, and greuously blas­pheme it, but also they dare raile most deuillishlye against Christ our Lorde him selfe.

But let the inuincible & heartie mā ­ful constauncie of the most holy men that were our auncettours, make vs heartie in this behalfe, brethren. For with how glad an hearte, and with what thankes to God, shal we thinke, that they wold haue receaued y ^t doc­trine of the gospell, if any man hade preached it vnto them, in the dayes of the emperour Lewis the. 4. Whan they abode the thōderclappe and most heauy burthen of Antichristes curse, eightene yeares space, like right har­tie true men to the emperour? And shall we than (being perfitly instruc­ted by the lighte of the truthe) be more cowheardly afraide of this ene­mye [Page 168] (the B. of Rome) than they were? Shall it be sene, that we are more col­de and faynter hearted to Christ our king and saueour, than they were to their emperour, that was but a mor­tal man? And shall we passe lesse of our faithe, that we haue promised to Christ, than they did of their fidelitie that they promysed to a mortal man? Deliuer your selues (brethren) from the slaunderous infamye of so great a wickednesse.

Thinke it a goodly thing for you, to folowe the vertuous heartynesse of your elders. Thinke it well done, to bring mennes soules out of bon­dage in to libertie, though you should sheade your heart blood for it. Take it for a goodly mater & a ioyous for you to suffre deathe for the loue of your countrey, for your wyues, your chil­dren, and for the sauing of mennes soules, and for the glorye of our saue­our Christ.

Ther are the fotestepppes of so many martires, that are gone before vs, and the example of Christ him self, that it is not possible for vs, to shrinke without to muche shame

[Page] But aboue all thinges, it shal be necessary for vs, to pray heartily and continually, that he wolde vouchesafe to deliuer vs from the tyrannye of Antichrist, and to instructe vs with his spirite and faithe, that we may be hable to persiste manfully in the truthe that we haue recea­ued, and finally to be saued in Christ. To him be honour, glorie, and praise for o­uer and euer Amen.

IN these other foure Homilies (louing brethren in Christ) I haue hitherto playnly declared those scriptures, y ^t serue to knowe the feate, the springing vp, the persone, the workes, and the weapo­nes of Antichrist by: which if they be compared with the seate, starting vp, persone, workes, and weapones of the bishop of Rome, we must nedes con­fesse, that what so euer is spoken of Antichrist, by the prophet Daniel, and the apostle S. Paule, agreeth rightly with the B. of Rome, in euery condicion. And therfore this must of necessitie folowe, that the B. of Rome (which delyteth to be named the head of the churche; Christes vicare, the portour of heauen gate, yea and holy­nesse it self) is that vndoubted and mightie houge enemie of our saueour [Page] Christ: that is to saye, Antichrist, the manne of synne, the sonne of perdici­on, & that highe abominacion, whiche nestleth his seate in the tēple of God, and exalteth him selfe, aboue al that is named God: in that he (to muche saw­cely) taketh that vpon him selfe, which belongeth to none, but to y ^e only grace and power of God.

Nowe remayneth the last mater, which maketh mencion of the fal and destructiō of Antichrist, which also is to be knowen, by the places before re­hearsed, wherof we may sucke not only excellent good learnyng, but also exceadyng muche comforte.

But the Apostle Paule (speaking of the ende & destruction of this vngra­cious The ende and destructiō of Anti­christ. & wicked monstre) sayeth: The Lorde shal destroy him with the breathe of his mouthe, & shall despeche him w ^t the brightnesse & glorie of his cōming: that is to saye, at his bright & glorious cōming. Two thinges therfore the a­postle wold haue vs to note, cōcerning the destructiō of Antichrist. Furst he sayeth, that he must be destroyed and slayne w ^t y ^e breath of y ^e Lordes mouth: which saieng is takē out of Esay, as I [Page 170] sayd a litel before. For Esay speaking of Christ our Lorde & of his workes, reporteth the self same mater, in y ^e very same wordes. And ther we must more depely marke the meanyng of y ^t wor­des, Anti­christ is destroyed with the brea­the of the Lordes mouthe. wherby we maye the more easely vnderstande, y ^t these are also fulfilled. The breathe of the Lordes mouthe, is y ^t eternall & almightie worde of God, by the which it is manifest, that al creatures were made at the beginnyng of the worlde, & are conserued euē vn­to this daye. And this worde (y ^e Apostle sayeth) shal be the sweorde, wherwith Antichrist must nedes be destroyed.

And in dede the same Apostle calleth the worde of God a swcorde, writyng thus to the Hebrewes in the. 4. Chap. The worde of God is quicke and migh­tie in operacion, & sharper than any two edged sweorde, and pearceth through euen vnto the diuiding asondre of the soule and the spirite, and of the ioyntes and the marye, and iudgeth the thoughtes and intentes of the hearte.

Surely they that haue their synnes opened, & reproued by this worde, perceaue by experience, y ^t it is suche a maner of sweorde in dede. Furthermore [Page] whan the same apostle armeth vs, and trymmeth vs against our cōmon enemye, he reacheth vs the sweorde of the spirite, which is the worde of God, wherwith Christ our saueour him self hathe taught vs to fight, by his owne example. For whā sathā (that wicked temptour) came to him being, as he was very man in dede, Christ dothe warde and stryke by all Satanes blowes, with this one only sweorde, holding out (against euery assault of temptacion) suche fitte tex­tes of goddes worde, as he might put him to flight, and breake his weapo­nes withall. Wherfore seing we see the deuil him self ouercomen with Goddes worde long agoo, we shall thinke, that Paule hade good mater to saye & teache vs, that Antichrist (the chosen instrument of the deuill) shall also be ouercome and destroyed with the breathe of Goddes mouthe: that is, by the worde of God. But the mys­terie of this sentence we must more depely searche out.

Paule in the same place (treating of Antichristes weapones and wor­kes) said, that his power and working [Page 171] shal be deuillishe, & that being trym­lye furnished in false wyles and lies, he shall doo all that the prophetes reporte of him, yea that he shall reig­ne (like a king) in mennes consciēces, through the power of lies. For ther wolde neuer a man in all the worlde receaue so haynous an abominacion, that knewe perfitly what it were. But forasmuche as he crepeth in to men­nes consciences with wylie craftes and false sleightes, he dissēbleth him self to be an other maner a felowe, thā he is in dede: Yea by the reason of false citing and expounding of pla­ces of the scriptures, he knoweth the cast, howe to couer his monstrous face. Anone after, they (whome with his false doinges he hathe made tame fooles) haue once receaued him, he reigneth & ruleth the rost in their cōsciences, after suche sorte, that they geue credence to him, and doo what so euer he biddeth them, and refuse what so euer he forbiddeth them: yea they passe their tyme being all toge­ther addicte to hym.

Now seing all Antichristes tiran­nie and emperious kingdome hathe [Page] none other sure foundacion, but only lyes and false craftes, it must nedes haue a downefall also, assone as the lyght of Goddes worde, that is, the lyght of eternall truthe shyneth into mennes consciences, and reproueth craftye sleyghtes and lyes. For it is not possible for men to geue credence to lyes any more, which knowe them to be lyes, but it maketh them rather to be abashed, to be so shamefully de­ceaued: and to beare a deadly hate vn­to them, that made thē to do amysse, by their deceauyng. Than therfore Antichrist hathe lost bothe his lyfe & his royaltie, through the sweorde of Goddes worde, albeit he lyue yet still in bodye, and reigne still in very many of his membres. But that we maye perceaue this gayre more cer­tainly, we must note the mater it self: that is, how it dothe fittlye accorde to the condicion of the B. of Rome.

Whan the bishop of Rome began to be desirous to beare the bell, he set out himself & al his purposes, for men to see, not to be suche as they were in dede, but painted & florished ouer with sondry countrefait colours. For at the [Page 172] furst y ^t simple rude cōmō people must nedes be persuaded that Petre had the supremacie, yea y ^e principalitie among Christes Apostles, & at leynght was brought to Rome, and there preached the Gospel, and that he was the furst bishop of the church of Rome. By this reason the supremacie of other chur­ches myght be translated to y ^e churche of Rome, & this might be obteyned w ^t al, that the B. of R. is the head & y ^e vni­uersall bishop of all the churche, as he that being successour of Petre, y ^e prīce of the apostles, & Christes vicare, hath his sea in the principall churche. And bycause this so ambicious and licke­peny lieng glose shoulde not lacke his countrefait colour, these arrogaunt sawcy helhoūdes haue brought furth places of scripture violentlye & wret­chedly wrasted for their purpose. And where as we reade, that Christe sayd to Petre, whan he confessed him to be y ^e sonne of God: Thou art Petre, and vpon this rocke will I buylde my churche: They sayde, Christes wor­des are thus to be vnderstanden, that Christ made Petre the foundacion of hys churche, and that al churches [Page] are bounden therfore of duetie to be vnder the obedience of Petres suc­cessour, the B. of Rome. Againe wher the Lorde saithe, Petre fede my shepe, these men haue expounded this worde (fede) so, that they wold nedes haue the autoritie and supremacie of all bi­shoppes and churches geuen to the B. of Rome, as vnto Petres successour. They haue also violently wrasted this vnto the same purpose, y ^e Christ spea­king of the keyes, sayth: What so euer thow shalt bynde in earthe, shal be boū ­den in heauen: and what so euer thow shalt lose on earthe, shal be losed in hea­uen. For they saide, whom so euer ei­ther the B. of Rome him self or any other sacrificeing priest (being conse­crated by the B. of Romes autoritie) assoiled, was losed and ridde from the bondes of synnes: and contrary wise that vnto whom so euer that maner of absolucion was denyed, he was bounden still in the cheynes of synne, and in the state of damnacion. These toyes (I saye) and infinite other haue the subtil sleighty marchauntes bea­ten in to the eares and heartes of the common simple sorte. And as sone as [Page 173] these maters beganne once to growe in to credence, men beganne also to taste of the B. of Romes power and tirannye. For if any mā hade so good a stomacke, that he durst set his fote either against the B. of Rome or his, he was straightwaies knocked in the head, with the thonderbolt of excom­municacion, and reputed of all men for a damned and an vndone man: and thus the mater growed so farre furthe, that euen most mighty empe­rours began to be afraide of the B. of Romes power. For they spared not emperours, but shotte of their ordi­naunce at them also, and commaun­ded straitly vnder great paynes, that no mā should obey those emperours, that were excommunicate: as it is to see in y ^e chronicles of the greke empe­rours, & by y ^e vnworthy falles of the emperours, Hēry y ^e. 4, &. 5. Lewis y ^e. 4. & Friderike y ^e. 1. &. 2. And doubtles al­beit they did (w ^t al diligēt forsight) re­siste y ^e wicked tirānie of y ^e bishoppes of Rome, & entred Italie sondry tymes, with roiall strong armies, & droue their enemies y ^e bishoppes of Rome out of y ^e title, & set others in their row­mes, [Page] yet all their trauailes were vay­ne & to no purpose, nother were they hable to twytche awaye so muche as one heare of y ^e bishoppes cruel violēce, nor to pul it vnder any whitte at all. For as sone as their backs were once turned, & departed Italie, y ^e bishoppes of Rome came in to the citie again, & occupied their lost tirannye afreshe, and with the thonderclappes of their curse, they made the Emperours fayne to be obedient vnto them. And the only cause of this mischief was, y ^t the B. of Rome was not yet dead in mennes consciences: bicause they be­leued, that he was Christes vicare, & hade power to lose & bynde, yea & po­wer ouer heauē & hel to. Therfore the streinght & power of emperours was neuer hable to preuaile or bring any thing to passe against the craftye doi­ges & force of the bishoppes of Rome. For although emperours thē selues & other of their courtes & householdes espied y ^e romishe fraudes & deceueable wiles wel ynough, yet y ^e vulgare peo­ple being ignoraūt of al y ^t, thought y ^t the B. of Romes decrees ought to be honoured as the lawes of God: and [Page 174] bicause they dradde y ^e thonderclappes of his curse, as though they hade ben the fearfull sentences of the iudgemēt of God, they wold nother meddle nor be of counsail with suche, as they sawe knocked downe with the lait­bolte of excommunicacion. And this the bishoppes of Rome could the easylier bring to passe, bicause ther were bishoppes and doctours of chur­ches scatred throughout al the coastes of christendom, which set furthe the autoritie of the churche of Rome, for apostolike and godly.

But now let vs speake also of such maters, as haue chaūced in our tyme, that we maye see, how Paul y ^e Apostles prophecie is fulfilled at this daye. At such tyme as it pleased God our hea­uenly and mercifull boūteous father, to set his people at libertie, which had ben long holden in bondage, and to brydle Antichristes tirānie, he chosed the small vesselles and such as were of no reputaciō, to cōfoūde by thē those thinges y ^t semed most mightie & in­uincible. For two or thre faithful doc­tours & ministres of churches being enlumined w ^t the spirit of God, whan [Page] they were growne to more perfite knowlage of the scriptures, vttred o­penly the breathe of the Lordes mou­the, that is to saye, the worde of God, and weaponed many a one with the same sharpe strong sweord. Thā whā men hade once goten that weapon in their handes (to kepe their heades a­gainst the craftye wiles of the false prophetes) they began to acknowlage Iesus Christ, and to beleue, that he is the only head of his churche, the chief priest and king, the sufficient sacrifice for the synnes of the worlde, and the only mediatour and aduocate wyth the heauenly father, yea and such a one that is neuer absent from his churche, and nedeth not the seruice of any vicare in his rowme. And in dede the knowlage of these maters dothe also reproue the lies and legier demayne of the B. of Rome, to the intēt they might see on y ^e other parte, that he is nother the head of the churche, nor the high priest and king, & muche lesse the vicare of Christ our saueour. They haue moreouer learned, that y ^e Masse is no sacrifice for synnes, nor y ^e popishe absolucion is of any autoritie. [Page 175] Furthermore those places of scriptu­re which the bishoppes of Rome (like most shameles helhoundes) hade vio­lētly, wickedly, and sawcely wrasted, were plainly opened in their owne true meanyng, whan the light of the truthe was laide to them. And out of those places men learned, that Petre is not the rocke it self, but that he hade his denominacion of Petra, that is the rocke, whiche he confessed, Christ is the Rocke, and not Petre. and so they acknowlaged, that Christ is the rocke, which is the only foun­dacion of the churche, wherupon the churche of faithfull people (being su­rely buylt) can not swarue, 1. Cor. 3. Men haue learned also, that the office of feding signifieth not an empire or a kingdome, but the office of teaching, monishing, exhortyng, reprouing, correcting and comforting, which be all comprehended in the ministerie of the worde: which as it manifestly appea­reth Matth. 28. was not committed to Petre alone, but to all the apostles w ^t ­all. This is also manifest, y ^t the Lorde neuer graunted vnto Petre the apostle any supremacie ouer the rest of his disciples, but that he rather repressed [Page] (with sore sharpe wordes) al their am­bicion and desire of rule bearing, if they began once to be ouercomen w ^t the infirmitie of the fleshe, and stryue who should be chief, aboue the rest. Matth. 18. 20. Luc. 22. Io. 13.

Concerning the keyes, it is euidēt­ly declared also, that they signifie not what the keyes sig­nifie. the thonderbolt of the popes curse, or his pelting pardones, but the vertue and power of the gospell and worde of God, which proclaymeth forgeue­nesse of synnes, to all them that trust faithfully in Christ, and are hartily repentaunt for their synnes: and it sea­leth vp and confirmeth their consci­ences, with the promises of God. And on the contrary parte, it threatteneth the punishement of euerlasting dam­nacion, to them that are vnfaithfull, and can not repent

These maters and infinite others such like, whan men hade learned by the light of Goddes worde: and on the other parte, whan they therby hade once espied y ^e B. of Romes sleigh­ty iuggling, deceates, and lies: than was Antichrist slayne wyth the brea­the of the Lordes mouthe, and laye [Page 176] dead in their consciences. For after that tyme, they passed not vpon him, but beganne to esteme his blessinges for cursinges, and his cursinges for blessinges: as for the thonderboltes of his excommunicacion, they laught them to scorne, and reckoned all his power to be nothing elles, but wicked and blasphemous tirannie. Therfore as Golias was (in the olde worlde) vnder Dauid, so doo we see, that the B. of Rome is now slayne wyth his owne sweord, I meane, with y ^t same places of scripture, by y ^e which (being miserably and violently wrasted) he hath established his tirannie.

And thus we see it truly fulfilled, that the Apostle Paule (being inspi­red wyth the spirite of Christ) spake before hande concerning Antichrist. For although he rage horriblye in his membres, and blustre out threat­teninges and thōderclappes, yet those people are nothing moued with his procedinges, which are true faithfull christianes in dede, and haue their Bishop, king and priest, and their only head and mediatour in hauen, [Page] vnto whom (hauing their myndes lifted vp vnto those thinges that are in heauen) they doo obey, and passe not a pynne of the popes masking vi­sours, nor the procedinges of y ^e hoore of Babilon, for all that she is rose co­loured with many a sayntes blood.

Now vnto this furst parte, Paule Anti­christ shal be despe­ched at the Lor­des com­myng. addeth also the other poynt, cōcerning Antichristes destruetion: and saith, y ^e he shall vtterly be despeched at y ^e glo­rious cōmyng of our saueour Christ. This he dothe speake of the last daye, and final iudgement whan Christ y ^e sonne of God and of Mary shall geue vnreuocable sentence, vpon all fleshe: and thus the Apostles mynde is to teache vs, with what iudgement An­tichristes wickednesse shal be than pu­nished: and that Daniel the prophet dothe more pleyntifully, and more clearely describe in these wordes. I lo­ked till the seates were prepared, & till Daniel. 7. the olde aged sate him downe. His clo­thing was as white as snowe, and the heares of his head like the pure wolle. His throne was like the fyrie flame; & his wheles as the burnyng fyre. Ther drewe furthe a fyrie streame, and went [Page 177] out from him a thousaūt tymes a thou­saunt serued him, X. M. tymes X. M. stode before him. The iudgement was set, and the bokes opened. Than I toke hede ther vnto, bicause of the voice of the prowde wordes which that horne spake. I behelde til the beast was slay­ne, and his body destroied, and geuen ouer to be brent in the fire.

In these wordes is described An­tichristes payne, and the punishemēt that he shall suffre. And in dede Da­mel dothe furst paynt out almightye God the iudge with all his maiestie, to teache vs, that it is God (of whose power, name and autoritie Anti­christ braggeth) which shall punishe Antichriste.

More ouer he saithe, that y ^e iudge­ment shal be iuste & vpright, wherin y ^e bokes of goddes prouidence & iustice shal be necessarily opened: which no priuileges, no bulles, no seales, or any such other mater shal be hable to coū ­trepaise. Last of all he reporteth, y ^t the hole beast w ^t this litle horne is cast in to the burnyng streame, or burnyng rooke of fyre, that is, in to the fyre of euerlasting damnacion, as that wel­beloued [Page] disciple of Iesu Christ tea­cheth. Apoca. [...] and. 20. chaptres.

Therfore must Antichrist (the head of wickednes and abominacion) with all his membres; that is, with al them that beleue his doctrine, cleaue vnto him, and serue him, be nedes cast hol­ly into the eternall fire of euer lasting damnaciō, accordingly as the prophe­tes, Christ, and the apostles haue tolde before. I am not ignoraunt, that it is a sore and dredfull sentence. I knowe that to vttre this sentence, is not only odious vnto many, but it is also exce­ding daungerous. Howbeit we must nedes speake that, which the spirite of truthe hathe spoken before vs, & that Christ wolde haue to be in stede of a faithfull warning vnto vs. therfore it shall stande vs in hāde (most louing brethren in Christ) to considre diligēt­ly this last & final iudgemēt, that Antichrist & his mēbres shal receaue: & her­in we shal note two chief specialties. The abo­minable condicion of the po­pishe reli­gion.

Furst what a hainous and abomi­nable pestilēce, the papacie & the Pope him self is, whō I haue all this while declared to be that ryght and myghty houge Antichrist. For in this behalfe [Page 178] are some simple (that otherwise are no euill men) very muche deceaued, which cōfesse in dede the popishe fayth and religion to be false, and contrary to the truthe, yet in the meane while, they take it but for a common igno­raunce, and a tryfling errour, and an errour that is easie to be pourged, whithe they may folowe, & yet be saued to. And forasmuche as they are brought in to a fooles paradise with this opi­nion, they do not muche abhorre the wares of the Antichristian fayth, no­ther do they thinke it wicked or much daungerous for them, to sticke still within the filthe therof, or for ad­uauntages sake, to turne to that vo­mite agayne, eyther yet to make their children subiectes to the yowke of An­tichristes tirannye, by bondes of ma­riage or other suche lyke meanes.

But we are tolde an other maner of tale (farre wyde from their myn­des) by the oracles of Christ and the Prophetes, which testifye with one accorde, that Antichrist (euen the bi­shop of Rome) with all his membres shal be cast hole into the vnquenchea­ble fire of ouerlasting damnacion. [Page] This are we taught not only by ora­cles reporting this mater, but ther are vnfallible reasonos of this sentē ­ce conteyned in the worde of God, and in the holy articles of our faithe. For we learne by bothe, that our Lorde Iesus Christ is y ^e only waye, the only doore, and gate of saluacion, wherby we may entre in to the kingdome of heauen. Furthermore they teache vs, that Christ Iesus is the only head of his churche, the only and chief priest, the only sacrifice for the synnes of the worlde, and the only mediatour and aduocate vnto God the father for mā ­kinde: so that as many as vouchesafe to beleue in him, shall lyue for euer­more, and as many as will not recea­ue and acknowlage him to be their saueour, shal be vtterly cast awaye.

Hereof we haue testimonies occur­raunt in euery place of the scriptu­res. For Christ our Lorde speaketh alowde, & saieth with plaine wordes: I am the life, the light, and the truthe. No mā cometh to the father, but by me Io. 14. Also Io. 10. Verily I saye vnto you, I am the dore of the shepe. Al euen as many as came before me, are theues [Page 179] and murtherers, but the shepe hearde them not. I am the dore: by me if any man shall entre, he shal be saued, and go in and come out, and shal fynde pasture. And a litel after: I am that good shep­heard. A good shepehearde geueth his life for his shepe. To the same purpose are many other such like sayenges in other places, as these: Come to me all ye that labour and are heauy laden, and I shall geue you rest. Math. 11. If any man thirst, let him com to me & drinke. He that beleueth in me (as y ^e scripture saithe) ther shal flowe ryuers out of his bely of lyuing water. Io. 7. Also: This is the worke of God, that you beleue in hym, whom he hathe sent. I am the bread of life. He that cometh to me shal hongre no more: and he that beleueth in me, shall thirste no more. Io. [...]. To the same effecte we must referre the wordes, that we reade, the apostles spake and wrote by the inspiracion of the same spirite. Petre speaking of Christ before the priestes, Act. 4. saithe: This is the stone, that was refused of you builders which is the chief of the corner, and ther is saluacion in non other. For ther is nō other name vnder [Page] heauen geuē vnto mē, wherin we most be saued. And y ^e apostle Paule iudgeth hym self to knowe nothing, but Iesus Christ, euē him y ^t was crucified. 1. cor. 2 And in an other place: God forbyd y ^t I should reioyce, but in the crosse of Iesu Christ, Gala. 6. Also, Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners, of whom I am chief. 1. Tim. 1. And agayne: For Christ was not offred vp often, but once for all, to take awaye the synnes of ma­ny, Hebr. 9 Ther is one God, and one mediatour betwene God and men, the man Iesus Christ. 1. Timo. 2. &c. And what doo all these places reporte els, but y ^t Iesus Christ alone is geuen vnto vs of God the father, y ^t we might be saued in hym, setting all our hole fayth assuredly on him, seyng by only fayth we haue free accesse vnto hym.

Hereof than this must nedes fo­lowe, that we must recken them vn­doubtedly cast awaye from saluacion, and (as Iohan baptist sayeth) vnder the wrathe of God, that will not be­leue in him. Finally yf we will beleue in Christ Iesus, we must of necessitie acknowlage hym to be the only saue­our of the worlde, after suche sorte, as [Page 180] the scriptures purporte hym to be. But that shalt thou neuer doo, nor ne­uer shalt be hable to doo, yf thou wilt folowe the bishop of Rome, and recea­ue his faythe and doctrine. For howe shalt thou acknowlage Christ to be the only heade of the churche, yf thou say, the bishop of Rome is the heade of the same also? How shalt thou also con­fesse Iesus Christ truly, to be the chief highe Priest of all the hole worlde, yf thou wilt acknowlage the bishop of Rome also to be the head and vniuer­sall bishop (or priest) of all churches? How shalt thou beleue Christ to be thy only righteousnesse and satisfaction, yf thou seke to be saued by the ryghte­ousnesse of thyne owne workes & me­rites? How shalt thou be hable to be­leue Christ to be the only sacrifice for the synnes of all the hole worlde, and that he beyng offred vpon the aultare of the crosse, made full satisfaction vn­to his fathers righteousnesse, yf thou wilt confesse, that he in his owne na­turall humane body is offred vp daily by dronkē & hooremōging filthy var­lettes, I meane, the greasy masse prie­stes, for y ^e synnes both of y ^e quicke & of [Page] the dead? How shalt thou beleue, that Christ Iesus is the only mediatour and aduocate of al men, if thow praye and call vpon the sayntes departed cōtinually, to be mediatours for thee? Finally with what faithe shalt thow acknowlage Christ to be y ^e only waye of saluaciō, and the doore of true bles­sednesse, if thou stryue to goo to hea­uen by y ^e merites of thyne owne wor­kes: y ^t is to say, by fasting, shryuing, masses, staciones, and by the protectiō and aide of popishe bulles and pardo­nes, or by broiling in the burnyng colle pitte of the popes purgatorie.

Doest thow not see, that this gaire is cleane contrary repugnaūt to that faithe, which teacheth vs to sticke to Christ alone? Therfore thow must of necessitie confesse, that thow cannest not chose, but be most farre of, from beleuing faithfully in Christ, if thow wilt folowe the doctrine of the B. of Rome, and embrace the faithe that he setteth furthe. And if thow be voide of faithfull beleuing in Christ, doubtles the wrathe of God abideth vpon thee, in that thow wilt not geue credence to the sonne of God. So that in case [Page 181] thow goo on still in thy infidelitie once receaued, and contynue still a membre of the popishe faith, and of y ^t popishe churche: thow cannest loke for non other iudgement, but to be cast with thy head, Antichrist, at the last daye, in to vnquēceable fire. For here appeareth no maner of meane for vs, but either we must be saued by him, which only hathe saluacion in him felf, or be excluded from him, and be damned for euer more.

Therfore the papistical faithe and religion must not be reckoned a cer­tain light ignoraunce and tryfling errour, which thow maiest easily ex­cuse, nother must we beleue, that any man in all the world can be saued, in case he sticke stubbernly vnto it. In this behalf (most louing brethren in Christ) our soules are in hasarde: it is their cause, that is in hande, yea and so in hande, that we may make them bounde slaues (through our wil­full stubburnesse) vnto eternall dam­nacion. And therfore the mercifull and most gentill harted doctour of all the worlde Iesus Christ, as he in­structeth vs in al other thinges, so he [Page] geueth vs faithfull warnyng in this behalf. For in Matthewe; he biddeth Matth. 7. vs beware diligently of these false ꝓ­phetes, that we should obserue them, and note them in our heartes diligēt­ly, and neuer forget that in any case, which he vouchedsafe to warne vs of, with such earnest fidelitie.

Moreouer whan he should expoū ­de (in his holy sacred reuelaciō, which it was his pleasure to shewe vnto his entierly beloued disciple Iohn̄) the sore and dredefull payne of Antichri­stianitie (which he wold haue figured in the name of Babilon) among other thinges he speaketh thus in great sadnesse. Get you our from her my people, be not partakers of her synnes, that Apo. 18. you be not partakers also of her pla­gues.

Christ our faithfull schole maister biddeth vs get out frō thence, that we be not made partakers of her wickednesse, idolatrie and supersticion: Yea and onles we doo so, he threatteneth the payne to heng ouer our neckes. Wold to God those men wolde pōdre, and thinke vpō this in their heartes, which for feare of losing of a litel pal­tring [Page 182] pelfe, or elles for a muckering vile aduauntage sake, hade rather he vnder the tirannie of Antichrist, than to abyde stil in y ^e feloweship of Christ and of his churche: Yea and they also which witting and willing (and with circumspecte aduisement & deliberate for sight) put their children in subiec­tion to the churches of the popishe re­ligion, wher they are compelled to worship Idoles: yea and though they knowe the true faithe, yet dare they not confesse it.

I knowe what many will obiecte against me, in this behalf: if thow Note well. make all them damned (say they) that folowe the trade of Antichrist, that is, of y ^e B. of Rome, thā must our fathers & auncetours nedes be damned also.

In dede this is the cōmon querel of y ^e papistes, which they are alwaies prating and beating in to the rude & vnlearned common peoples heades, and trouble many folkes myndes therwithall: which thinke it were a most vnworthye mater for them to beleue, that their elders were the children of damnacion. And this their meanyng is to gather hereof, [Page] that if our auncettours, which lyued vnder the popishe religion, were sa­ued: than they may be saued by the same meanes also. As for me, I will speake somwhat sobrely of these maters, nother will I searche, nor rippe the iudgementes of God to de­pely. For to what purpose were it, to searche, what maner of iudgemēt al­mightie God vsed towardes our aun­cettours, which departed this life be­for the truthe came to light? Howbeit touching his grace and mercie, we will not hope but the best in euery cō ­dicion: namely seing it were not im­possible for him, to lighten them (that erred and were deceaued with a com­mon ignoraunce) euen at the last breathe of their life, that they might acknowlage & receaue the true faithe in Christ, and so be saued. But in the meane space, this we are sure of, that if they were saued (as we trust they were) they were saued by non other reason nor waye, but by the merite of Christ, and not by the helpe of popishe supersticion. Ther is no cause ther­fore, why you should goo about to clooke your errours and supersticion, [Page 183] with the exāples of our elders, O you most shameles protectours of the Ro­mishe abominacion. For ther is no like comparison, nor agrement in them. Our elders could not see the light of y ^e truthe, which shyneth most brightly at this daye, although they were men otherwise, nother wilfully stubburne, nor opēly wicked. Besides this Christ our Lorde calleth them dāned & lost, which (whan they hearde the worde of the gospel) disdayne to be leue it, or to heare it whā it is brought to them. Wherfore seing our elders nother hearde, nor could heare y ^e gos­pell, you shall neuer be hable to nōbre them among the rable of you, which synne against the holy goost him self, in that you wil nother heare y ^e truthe whā it is offred you, nor geue credēce to it, whan it is playnly knowne. And this so manifest a wickednesse dothe presse you so heauily, that we may truly & frely saye, by the autoritie of Goddes worde, y ^t as many as at this daye in so great a light of the truthe, doo folowe and defende the tirannie of An­tichrist: & contrary wise doo wickedly persecute the health geuing worde of [Page] the gospell, and the faithe that men haue in Christ, shall at leynght be tor­mented with their head the Romishe Antichrist, in the payne of euerlastīg damnacion, except they learne to re­nounce their wickednesse in tyme, & turne their heartes to God, w ^t a true faithe. And that they may so do spedi­ly by the light of Goddes grace, it shal be our partes continually to praye. Let these now suffice, to be spoken cō ­cerning the abominable, cruel, & peri­lous tyrannye of Antichrist.

Secondely, this is to be noted (lo­uing brethren in Christ) that by Pau­les sayeng, Antichrist shall endure, til the last cōmyng of Christ vnto iudge­mēt, & reigne by one maner or other. For albeit he be dead flayne by the breathe of Goddes mouthe, and w ^t the sweord of Goddes worde in many folkes cōsciences, yet he lyueth (through his sleightes & false wiles) in many Antichrist abideth til the Lord's commyng peoples heartes yet still, and bicause he abuseth their power against faith­full christianes, he stereth vp batail continually.

Therfore we shall neuer be quyte ridde of him for good & all, as long as [Page 184] the worlde abideth in this state: but he shal alwaies haue seruauntes and complices of his owne, to rage & playe the tyranne against vs withall. So that it standeth vs in hande, to watche cōtinually, and fight (like tal felowes) night and daye, that he ouercome vs not, and pull vs vnder his fete.

Now brethren we haue sene the hole mysterie of that mighty houge Antichrist. We haue sene, that the B. of Rome is only worthy of this name and title, and ought to be taken for Antichrist. We haue sene, how great & haynous his abominacion is, and how perilous a thing his religion is. We shall therfore geue thankes vnto God, from the botom of our heartes, in that he hath vouchedsafe to reueale vnto vs so great an enemye. & to open his false snares vnto vs. And we shall pray vnto God also, that it will please him to defende vs, wyth the protectiō of his grace, from all this enemies ti­ranny.

Now remayneth the last, & faith­full admoniciō of Christ, wherby he teacheth vs diligently, what we ought to doo in this last tyme of Antichrist. [Page] For wher he hathe declared, that pe­riles shall aryse hereof, he warneth vs to beware of them, in these wordes.

Than if they shall saye vnto you, Lo Matth. 24 he (meanyng Christ) is in the deserte, goo not furthe: Lo he is in closettes or secrete places, beleue them not. For like as the lightenyng cometh from the caste, and shyneth in to the west: euen so shall the commyng of the sonne of man be. For wher so euer the dead carcasse is, ther also shall the eagles resorte.

In these wordes (most louing bre­thren in Christ) we are taught three thinges, which it is conuenient for vs (during the reigne of Antichrist) not only to knowe, but also to folowe. And furst he repeteth the same that he hade spoken before, and biddeth vs beleue Beleue thē not. them not, that saye, Christ is here or there: that is to saye, that goo about to shewe vs a false Christ, or tel vs y ^t the giftes of God, which are geuen vs by non, but by only Christ, are to be hade elles where. Now that we may vnderstande & folowe this warnyng, as we should doo, it is necessary for vs to call to remembraunce, y ^t sayen­ges that are spoken in the Homilies [Page 185] before, bothe of y ^e true Christ, I mea­ne, the only saueour of this worlde, & also of the false Christes. He is y ^e true Christ, whom the autoritie of the holy scripture describeth to be very God and very mā, the only saueour of the worlde, y ^e only priest, the only sacrifice for the synnes of the worlde, yea the only head of the churche, and mennes intercessour in heauen. As many thā as shewe this Christ any wher elles, than in heauen: as many as appoint other heades of the churche, other re­demers of the worlde, other sacrifices for the synnes of the worlde, and other aduocates, intercessours, and media­tours, are comprehēded in these wor­des of Christ: and those be euen they, whom it is not laufull for vs to bele­ue, or to geue credence vnto. And this is so openly done in the papacie, of the pope him self and his membres, that no man can say naye to it. For furst, they are not wont to shewe Christ our Lorde in heauen, which was crucified for vs, and died, which rose again, and ascended in to heauen, according to the articles of the apostles Crede: but to tell folkes, that he is either [Page] conteyned in a prety litel white cake, or in churches consecrated for that purpose, which they are not afraide to dresse with these written wordes: Hic Deum adora. Here worship God.

Are not these they than, that shewe Christ our Lorde in closettes or secret places, as he hī self told before hāde? As we will speake nothing, how their vse is to teach vs a farre other Christ, thā is purported in y ^e holy scriptures, for y ^e scriptures beare recorde, that he was only incarnate, & made very mā for our sakes. But these men not con­tenting them selues with that, feyne him also to be impanate or embrea­ded: Yea and they ymagine him to be such a one, that he may be called eue­ry daye in to a piece of breade, by the priestes enchauntementes, as though he were a certain new Elicius Iupiter.

Furthermore, if they purpose to speake of those thinges, that Christ our Lorde hathe purchaced with the merite of his owne death, as of remission of synnes, the grace of God the father, iustice, right of adopcion, and the possession of euerlasting blessednesse: than their maner is (with such open [Page 190] wickednesse & shamelesnesse) to shewe them elles where, thā in Christ alone, that they can not denie it, though they wolde neuer so fayne. The Apostle Paule sayeth, that Christ is made of 1. Cor. 1. and. 2. God vnto vs, wysedō, righteousnes, sanctificacion, & redempcion: & that he knewe nothing els, but Iesus Christ, euen him y ^t was crucified. And in an other place declaring the certaintie of his doctrine, he sayeth: Although we Gal, 1. or an Angel from heauen shall preache vnto you any other gospel, than that we haue preached vnto you, cursed be he. But we heare the popishe shauelinges & greasye doctours preache a farre o­ther maner of Gospell, than the Apo­stles haue sent vnto vs in their wri­tynges. For they teache righteousnes to be in mennes owne workes & me­rites. They teache folkes, to seke for­geuenesse of synnes, at the handes of wicked, and hooremonging, yea most filthie rakehell masse priestes. As for the grace and fauour of god, they as­cribe it (against Goddes commaunde­ment) vnto ymages, that they set vp: and therfore they vse to name them, gracious, as Our lady of grace, & such [Page] other. Tushe, yf a mā wold recken vp al the hole dong hil of popishe religiō, vnto these, he shal see that they ascri­be al that is necessary vnto saluation, to externall toyes and trifles.

And wher the scriptures shewe vs, one only patron & mediatour, euē Iesus Christ, very God & very man: they haue deuised as many mediatours, patrones, and intercessours besides him, as they beleue ther be sayntes soules in heauē. Therfore wil we, nyl we: we must nedes saye, that they be the same, that the redemour & vnde­nyable scholemaister of the worlde maketh mencion of, in this place.

What must we doo now in this behalfe, you mē and brethren? Christ saithe, Beleue them not. Lo, our saue­our geueth a shorte, symple, & playne commaundement, which is a present medicine against all the obiectiones, that man can deuise. Thow shalt take them to be deceauours, as many as goo about to bring in this maner of doctrine, and therfore thow shalt not beleue their sayenges.

Here therfore lieth all the autori­tie The B. of Rome of the bishoppes of Rome, of fa­thers, [Page 187] and of the counsailes in the Dust, which they holde them most chiefly by. For if they wolde obiecte the B. of Rome, as though men must nedes beleue him, bicause he is (w ^t to ambicious a name and title) called the head of the churche, yet ther is no cause why we should be afrayd of hys autoritie. For here we do heare the true and supreme head of the church, and our chief priest saye: Beleue them not.

Nother is ther any cause, why they Counsai­les & fa­thers should vaunt of the canones of coun­sailes, and decrees of fathers: For the autoritie of them is spoken against, by this counsaile, which is the holiest counsaill, that maye be hade or deui­sed: and the presidēt and head of this counsail is the only begoten sonne of God, and the eternal truthe of God: who hauing communicacion in the presence of his welbeloued apostles, of the deceauours that should com, in the later age of the worlde, commaū ­deth them, not to beleue them.

Now let them hearken to the de­crees of fathers, let them beholde the Canones of counsailes, and make [Page] thē selues subiectes vnto the ymagi­nacions of most shameles vile men, which sermore by lyes, thā by y ^e truth, and hade rather be dāned than saued. For wherto doo we passe vpon them any more? Wherto doo we wretches take hede, to the autoritie of coūsailes? Cā not the autoritie of Christ deserue credence at our handes, onles it be approued by the consent of mē? Nay, let vs rather heare Christ him self, & him that Christ ordayned to be y ^e doctour of the gentiles. If an angel from hea­uen preache any gospel, besides y ^t we haue preached, cursed be he. And: If they saye vnto you, Lo here is Christ, or ther is Christ, beleue them not. Who so euer therfore dare be so sawcye, as to declare forgeuenesse of synnes, righteousnesse, the grace of God, and salua­cion any wher elles, than in Iesus Christ alone, and to shewe him any wher elles, than in heauen, cursed be they, and let them not be beleued, how gaye felowes so euer they be, how fy­nely so euer they cā tell their tale, and of how high autoritie so euer they are But if sō be so wilfully stubburne and blinde, that they will rather beleue [Page 192] them thā Christ our saueour (geuing vs so faithfull monicion) we must ne­des let them alone, to doo after their owne lust. They shall fele (like wret­ches) one day to their owne great payne, what a guyde it is, y ^t they haue folowed.

Secondarily the Lorde warneth Goo not furthe. vs, that we goo not out, if they either teache a false Christ, or shewe Christ any wher elles, thā in heauē. Which wordes, although they may be expoū ­ded to meane (concerning the bodie) y ^t the Lorde forbiddeth all stacions and pilgrimages, that are done for salua­cion and religion: yet they ought chiefly to be applied to our soule & mynde, so that the soule goo not out from Christ our Lorde and saueour, nor seke saluation any wher elles, but sat­tle it self in him, wyth an assured and vndoubting faithe. And herein ve­rily are all thinges closed, that make vnto our saluacion. For like as a man may fynde the fauour of God the father, the remission of synnes, and saluacion in Christ alone: euē so as many as go out frō Christ, & thīke scorne to beleue stedfastly in him, [Page] can not chose, but goo out quyte from life and saluacion. Therfore it is very muche profitable for vs to knowe lo­uing brethren in Christ) after what sorte we may abide in the Lorde, and tary with him still, vnto the ende: specially seing we heare him saye. Not euery one that saithe, Lorde Lorde, shall Math. 7. entre into the kingdome of heauen, but he that dothe y ^e will of my father which is in heauē. These same wordes teache men what becometh them to doo, that are desirous to abide in Christ, and entre wyth him in to the kingdome of heauen. We must nedes doo God y ^e the heauenly fathers wil: Mary, what that is, we may knowe, by y ^e wordes of Christ him self and the Apostles.

And furst in dede, the Lorde him self speaketh of the will of the father, Io. 6. chap. and saithe: This is the wil The will of God is that we beleue in his Sonne. of him that sent me, that al that see the sonne, and beleue in him, haue euerlas­ting life.

Therfore the will of God is good & holsom vnto vs, which hathe this ap­pointed ende, that we shall haue euer­lasting saluacion: but with this con­dicion, that we should knowe the sōne, [Page 189] and beleue in him, whom he vouchedsafe to sende in to the worlde for our sakes. Thā the furst point of Goddes wil requireth of vs a very, a certain, a perfite, and an vnwauering faithe in Christ our Lorde & saueour, to cleaue fast vnto him withall, and to seke in him alone for those thinges, that are necessary to com to eternal saluacion. And this faithe requireth a certain & a perfite knowlage of Christ, to thin­tent that least (while we make boast of our faithe) we carye in our hearte nothing but as it were, a bare and a vayne fātastical opiniō: but we must beleue faithfully (and without al doubting) those thinges, that are set furthe vnto vs, in the worde of euerlasting truthe, by Christ our Lorde.

This worde describeth our saueour How the scriptures describe Christ. vnto vs, after this sorte. Iesus Christ is the true and natural sonne of God the father, of all one substaūce, nature, & maiestie w ^t y ^e father frō euerlasting. And at y ^e tyme appointed, he became mā for our sakes, not by layēg awaye his godhead, but by receauing of Mā ­head, so that he which was God from euerlasting, is now bothe very God & [Page] very mā, in one inseperable persone. And forasmuche as he became man, he suffred all thinges that a man may do, synne only except. For he was bor­ne as man, & growed & waxed strong in body, streynght, & processe of age. He was weary w ^t trauailīg, he rested, & he suffred bothe hongre & thyrst, he also wept for sorowe of hearte. Yea he was afrayde of deathe, & of the paynes of deathe, & yet he abode them paciētly & strongly, for our sakes. But before y ^e tyme of his deathe approched, his will was to haue his diuinitie knowen to men, not only by miracles & wonde­rous signes, but also opening the wil of his father, he gaue vs a certain, and an absolute doctrine of saluacion and blessednesse. He chosed disciples also, y ^t after he had instructed them with his spirite, & in the doctrine of the truthe, he might at his ascēding in to heauē, sende them furthe in to all the wyde worlde. And whan he dyed, he satis­fyed his fathers righteousnesse by his deathe, and offring him selfe for vs once for all, he made a sufficient sacri­fice for the clensyng of the synnes of [Page 196] the worlde. For by his deathe he brake the olde serpentes head, all to clattred his power, and toke his streynght from hym, and than by his glorious resurrection he ouercame deathe it self. At last, whan he went vp in to heauen, he set heauē gates wyde open for vs again, the which synne hade locked vs out of: and wolde haue the fleshe which he toke of vs, to be the earnest peny and pledge of our resur­rection and saluacion in heauen. And now he sitteth in heauen, and is our only and supreme bishop: which as he offred his body a sacrifice for our syn­nes, euen so dothe he make intercessiō for vs continually before our heauēly father, so as we (as muche endaunge­red with synne as we are) may safely approche to the throne of grace.

Such a maner Christ (I saye) and suche a maner saueour the oracles of the scripture purporte vnto vs: and the will of God the father is, that we stedfastly beleue him to be such a one: and that we goo not about to seke any wher elles those thinges, that are geuen vs in him.

[Page] Now the faythe that we talke of, is not a certaine bare and a vayne fantastical opiniō, that consisteth in bare wordes and in nothing elles, but in the speche of the mouthe: but it is a quicke lyuely strong power, whiche beyng (by the spirite of God) graf­fed in mennes consciences, contey­neth all the hole mater of saluacion and religiō. For it is necessary for vs also, to know God the father, that we maye be truly and faythfully groun­ded in Iesus Christ, Goddes owne sonne. If we acknowlage him right­ly to be suche a one as he is, we shall feare him also: and not that only, but also we shall loue him aboue all other thinges, & beyng boūden to him with suche feare and loue, as children owe to their natural parentes, we shal willingly obeye him in al thinges.

Out of the spowte of the same foū ­tayne, shall spring what so euer can be required also, vnto externall religion. For in this faythe we shall not heare the ymaginacions of our owne rea­son, but haue respecte onlye vnto the doctrine and example of Christ, and depende holly of it. And whan we see, [Page 191] that he hathe ꝓuided so for his church, that he wolde not burthen it with an vnprofitable pompe of ceremonies, but (contenting him self with a fewe) hath appointed only those that myght be sufficient vnto saluaciō: as these al­most are, the preaching of the worde, baptisme the token of regeneracion, and the Lordes supper, that acceptable remembraunce of the Lordes deathe, and of our redempcion.

And so we contenting our selues also with those same, wil thinke that nothing is to be added besydes these, nother will we searche any deper, yf we wil beleue in him, & acknowlage him to be our saueour, kyng & priest, and the faythful scholemaister of mā ­kinde. As many therfore as diligent­ly folowe this simple playne doctrine of Christ, and the oracles of Goddes worde, & suffre not them selues to be drawen awaye w ^t other mēnes vaine ymaginacions, vnto them this fayth­full admonicion of Christ is both hol­some and profitable. But as many as will not haue their faythe and religi­on hedged within these bondes, but leape ouer the hedge (lyke a wylde [Page] beast) and iudge otherwyse of Christ, than is taught in the scriptures: and seke saluacion and life elles wher, thā in Christ our only saueour: and also lade the churche with newe ceremo­nies, and with a newe forme of religion: they forgette this faithfull admo­nicion, and doo contrary to Christes commaundement goo out, and suffre them selues to be seduced, not with­out the present daūger bothe of their owne soules and other folkes.

And therfore I thinke al men may plainly see, what the causes are, that let vs, & holde vs backe at this daye, that we can not for sake either y ^e knowne truthe and Christ our Lorde, or be­com papistes, and submitte our selues to the B. of Romes doctrine and reli­gion. For the commaundement of Christ holdeth vs backe, which it wer not only abominable for vs to trans­gresse, but also it is tyed vnto vs w ^t y ^t extreme perile of our soules. And I thinke ther is no man so blynde, but he seeth, that the B of Romes doctrine is such a one, that he pulleth awaye suche as folowe his trace w ^t it, & ma­keth them to goo out from Christ our [Page 190] only saueour. For he speaketh not of Christ, as the scriptures purporte. For his wōted maner is to shewe those thī ges which ar frely geuē vnto mākind by Christ alone, elles wher (yea in o­ther places īnumerable) besides christ.

The B. of Rome reasoneth of reli­gion (aswell inwarde as outwarde) farre otherwise, than Christ did in ty­mes past. He sendeth men to sayntes and pulleth them awaye from the maker of all. He hathe brought a cōfused muckeheape and burthen of ceremo­nies in to the churche, a great deale heauier than the leuitical priesthood was, wherwith the vnlearned cōmon peoples cōsciences are miserably tor­mented. Moreouer he teacheth mē to buy those thinges out with golde and siluer, that are frely geuē vs by Christ, and y ^t ought to be hade by only faith. What nede many wordes? he sheweth Christ and the saluacion that Christ hathe wrought, in such places, as no­ther Christ nor saluacion is.

Wyth what heart than, and with what conscience shal we be hable to folowe y ^e B. of R. trade, seing we heare Christ with plaine wordes, & an open [Page] lowde voice bidde: Goo not out. Shal we be so hardy than, as to passe the bondes of the faithe and religion, that Christ hathe prefixed vnto vs? God defende vs from that wicked temeritie, brethren.

Though the prince of the worlde rage, though his vicare and minister the B. of Rome stampe and stare, though princes that are stered vp by their driftes, playe the deuil: though Cardinalles, patriarkes, bi­shoppes, prelates, abbottes, prouostes, deanes, suffraganes, monkes, chano­nes, friers, and all the hole rable of sacrificeing massemongers and reli­gious persones (of bothe sexes) renne out of their wittes for angre: and though men crye euery where, Coū ­sailes, Counsailes: yea though the coū ­sailes blowe and blustre, lighten and thondre neuer so thicke: yet that one only sayeng ought to be of more au­toritie with vs, than that we should be afraide of al the mennes streingh­tes, power, and policie in all the wide worlde, and (for drede of them) to goo out from Christ, contrary to Christes commaundement. For Christ is that [Page 197] king of glorie, the most victorious tri­umphaunt Emperour, & that holy sa­cred Maiestie, y ^t is mightie in dede, in whose sight all knees ought to bowe. For he shall beate his prowde scorne­full stubburne enemies in pieces, w ^t his yron rodde, & make thē a fotestole for hym, to treade vpō vnder his fete.

Let vs now steppe ouer vnto the o­ther The wil of God is our Sanctificacion. chief point of Goddes will, which Paule in his. 1. Thessa. 4. expoundeth on this wyse: This is the will of God euen your sanctificacion or holynesse, that you should absteine frō hooredome, & that euery one of you should knowe, howe to possesse his vessell wyth holy­nesse and honour, not wyth the luste of concupiscence, as the heathē do, whiche knowe not God.

Here O you Romishe rufflers and moste shameles papistes, lende me your eares a litel. You (I saye) that go about to bring the faythe in Christ, and the holy sacred doctrine of the gospelles truthe into slaunder & hatred, vnder pretense as though it neuer re­quired good workes, but reiected and forbade them, as vnprofitable and su­perfluous. For where we ascribe all [Page] the glorie of our redempcion and sal­uacion to Christ alone, and attribute nothing vnto your workes and merites, by and by ye burst out in a great rage, and crye that we damne al good workes, and open a wyndowe for mē to committe al wickednesse. But how falsely, how wickedly, how vnaduisedly, & how shamelessi ye doo this, learne it not of vs (whom ye hate already be­fore hande) but of Paule the Apostle that chosen instrument of Christ our saueour. For albeit he dothe euery where harpe and beate vpon this one thing, that men shoulde knowe, they are saued by Iesus Christ, and con­fesseth also with playne wordes, that he knoweth nothing elles saue Iesus Christ, & that he was crucified: yet he saieth not y ^t good worckes are eyther vnprofitable or suꝑfluous, nor biddeth men folowe the lust & the synful affec­tions of their owne fleshe, nother doth he appoynt suche a faythe, as maye make men to synne carelesly, as these wicked, blasphemous, & antichristian Papistes cōclude. But this (sayeth he) is the wyl of God, euen your holynesse.

For seyng Christ Iesus hathe wa­shed [Page 198] vs wyth his owne blood, and sāctified vs, and made vs the temples of his spirite, the apostle wold haue vs to be after such sorte, that we con­tynue stil in this sanctificacion or ho­lynesse, and not defile our selues wyth the filthinesse of synnes. And for that cause, he maketh mencion of hooredome most chiefly in this place, bicause the hooremonger vnhaloweth that holy sacred temple, most specially in synnyng against his owne body: yet vnder the name of hooredome, he will haue vs vnderstande all vnclea­nesse, that man is spotted wythall. For he saith moreouer: That euery one of you knowe, how to possesse his vessell, that is, his bodye with holynesse and honour: I meane, so as the name of God may be sanctified and halow­ed in vs, and in our conuersaciō, and not to lyue like the heathens, which are most farre from the knowlage of God. But this sanctificacion or holy­nesse is the frute of faithe, yea such a frute, that faithe can not possibly be wythout it. For yf thow doest be­leue, that thow art redemed from the tirānye of synne, and from the fire of [Page] damnaciō, by y ^e bitter deathe & most painfull sorowes of Christ, and haste this only hope of thy saluacion & life: suerly thow wilt not cast awaye nor set so light by this thy saluaciō, which is redemed w ^t so deare a price by the sōne of God, y ^t thow wilt lose it, for y ^t pleasures of thy carnall affectiones, which shal vanishe away euē in a mo­ment. Besides this, if thow hast put on Iesus Christ truly by faithe, thow wilt not soile him, that is so noble a garmēt, & of more value thā al y ^e trea­sures of golde & precious stones, w ^t y ^e filthie workes of synnes: but though thow be ouercomē & fall through the frailtie of mannes nature, yet thow wilt vp agayne quickly, & bewaile thy fall bitterly. And for y ^t cause y ^e scriptu­res saye, y ^t faithe is the good tree, that can not bring furthe euil frutes. For inasmuche as faithe is the worke of y ^e holy spirit of God, it must nedes also bring furthe the frutes of the spirite: double loue, that is, of God, and a mā nes neighbour: hope, cōforte, iustice, innocencie, purenesse, pacience, & all the company of other vertues.

Therfore we learne by this (bre­thren) [Page 199] furst that they are most princi­pal blasphemers against y ^e true faithe and religion, that is buylded vpon Christ alone, as many as saye, that y ^e doctrine of the gospel is an enemie to good workes: secondly, that they truly abyde in Christ, and cleaue cōstaūtly vnto him, that boaste of their faithe, not only in their wordes, and bragge not in the only speaking of faithe, but geue them selues vnto holynesse of life, and applye them selues to this ende only, that they may kepe their vessell (which is washed with the pre­cious blood of Christ) pure & cleane. For he can not be called a membre or a disciple of Christ, which forgetteth christian purenesse and holinesse, and maketh him self the bonde slaue of synne, and an instrument for y ^e deuil to pype in. Therfore in this admonicion and coūsail of our saueour Christ, is secretly comprised that true & eter­nall lawe, and vnfailing rule, that he wolde haue common to al his disci­ples, and with singular forsight re­quireth them to frame their life and religion according to this rule: Mary it is a prety shorte rule, a plain rule & [Page] easie to be perceaued. For he cōman̄ ­deth vs, not to beleue them, that either shewe a false Christ, or teache vs to seke Christ him self and the thin­ges that are geuen vs by his merite, in any place elles: but to sticke fast to the scriptures, and not to starte frō them one ynche, but in all thinges that perteyne either to God him self, or to the seruice of God, he biddeth vs haunt those thinges, with a constaūt and vnwauering faithe, in cha­ritie and in purenesse and innocencie of life, that we be taught in the holy scriptures to doo.

Vnto this rule it is necessary, that al the constitucions and rules of mō ­kes, chanones, friers, and nonnes geue place, which they are toto proude of in the papacie. For who so euer they be that walke according to this rule (as Paule saithe) peace and mercie be Gal. 6. vpon them, and vpon the Israel of God. And contrary wise they shal one daye fele, that they haue gone to farre out of the waye, as many as con­sidre not so faithfull a monicionar, and deuise an other rule of life and faithe for them selues to folowe.

[Page 200] Now are we come to the thrid Of the lordes last cō ­ming. and last speciall point of this admo­nicion, wher in Christ maketh playne mencion of his last commyng. Furst he teacheth vs, in what sorte, forme, facion, and glorious royaltie he shall come: and than he expoundeth the condicion and state of the sayntes and faithfull people, which they shall receaue at the tyme of the last iudge­ment. Concerning the furst, he spea­keth these wordes. As the lightenyng gothe from the east and shyneth to the west, so shal the commyng of the sonne of man be.

Here we are taught (brethrē) that the Lorde shall com at a sodayn cheoppe, like lightenyng: and at such a tyme as men shall thinke, that (of all other tymes) they are like than to haue most peace, securitie, and worldly wealthe. For so dothe Paule in his furst epistle to the Thessalonianes ex­poūde Christes wordes, sayeng: Con­cerning the tymes and seasones (bre­thren) I nede not to write vnto you. For you knowe plainly, that the daye of the Lorde shal come like a thefe in the [Page] night. For whan they shall saye, peace, and all thing is cocke sure, than hen­geth ouer them sodayn destruction, like the trauaile of a woman labouring of childe, and they shall not escape it.

These wordes are spoken and writ­ten to this ende (brethren) to stere vs vp, to watche and prepare our selues, that we may be foūde ready like thrif­tye seruauntes at the Lordes cōmyng. Moreouer the Lorde vseth also the si­militude of lightenyng, to shewe the maner and facion of his commyng. And therby he geueth warnyng, that he wil not cōme in a poore estate, bassely, nor as a cōtemned persone, or like a cast awaye, as he was whan he ly­ued in the fleshe, whan he spake these wordes: but with a mightie trayne in great shynyng brightenesse, glorie, power, and maiestie, so as all his ene­mies shall trēble and shake for feare, at the sight of it.

Hereunto serue Danieles wordes also (that I rehearsed before, but they are worthy to be rehearsed and re­hearsed agayn) wherwyth he de­describeth the Lordes last iudgement on this wise: I loked till the seates we­re [Page 201] prepared, and till the olde aged sate Daniel. 7. him downe, his clothing was as white as snowe, & the heares of his head like the pure wolle. His throne was like the fyrie flame, and his wheles as the burnyng fire. Ther drewe furthe a fyrie streame, and went out from him. A thousaunt tymes a M. serued him, ten thousaunt times .X. M. stode before him &c. And the Lorde speaketh like vnto these wordes. Matth. 25. Whan the sonne of man shall come in his glorie, & al his angels w ^t him, thā shal he sitte vpō the seate of his glorie, & al nacions shal be gathered together before hī. &c. Howbeit these are written (brethren) not as though the Lorde wold make vs afraide, like a tyranne, but that we should print these wordes in our myndes, and frame all our life after such sorte, that at y ^e same his glorious cōming, we may be able to stande su­rely before his righteous and drede­ful iudgement. For we shal haue him to be our iudge, that can nother be frayde with the glorie and power of the worlde, nor be entreated by any noble blood, nother yet brybed with worldly richesse. But the thing that [Page] he only regardeth and rewardeth, is faithe working by charitie. Gal. 5.

The seconde thing that the Lorde speaketh of in this last chief point of his admonicion, is that he teacheth The state of the faithful at the Lordes commyng. vs, what the condicion (or state) of his people shal be at this his cōmyng and glorious iudgement. For it se­meth a harde and a fearfull mater to the fleshe, whan it heareth, that al the pleasures of this worlde, wherin it only delyteth, shall perishe once, and that all we shal be presented before so mighty a iudge.

But it is full of comforte, that the Lorde speaketh here: For where so euer (saithe he) the carcasse is, ther also shal the eagles resorte, or be gathered toge­ther.

Here he compareth the faithfull people vnto eagles, and him self vnto y ^t meate, wherunto they flye. For like as the eagles with their high flyeng moūte vp to the cloudes, & (w ^t great delyte) beholde the brightenesse of the sunne (y ^e shyning beames wherof non other lyuing creature is hable to loke directly vpon) euen so those that be faithfull people being caried with the [Page 202] wynges of faithe aboue all the cares of this worlde, lifte vp their heartes to heauen, wher their cōuersacion is, and their right citie that euer shall en­dure: & so with y ^e eyes of their mynde, they beholde the sunne of righteous­nesse Iesus Christ, which is our righ­teousnesse, and the only quickenyng meate of the faithfull. For he is the bread of life, which being eaten by faithe, fedeth vs vnto life euerlasting. And Christ saithe, that these eagles, that is, the faithful people shal resorte vnto him: so that they shal be gathered to him as it were in one moment, as­well those that were departed afore in the true faithe, as those whō y ^e Lorde at his commyng shall fynde prepared and ready in faith. For thus dothe Paule 1 Thessa. 4. expounde Christes wordes. This we saye vnto you in the worde of the Lorde, that we which lyue, and are remayning in the commyng of the Lorde, shall not com ere they which slepe. For the Lorde him selfe shall descende from heauen wyth a showte, and the voice of the archangel and trompe of God. And the dead in Christ shall aryse furst, than shall we [Page] which lyue and remayne, be caught vp with them also in the clowdes, to mete the Lorde in y ^e ayer. And so shal we euer be with the Lorde. Wherfore comforte your selues, one an other, with these wordes.

Marke (louing brethren) how ioy­full, howe pleasaunt, and howe com­fortable those sayenges be, that are specified in the scriptures, concer­ning the glorious comming of Christ vnto iudgement. But if we lust to he­arken to the papistes in this behalfe, they will tell vs such tales, as are ha­ble not only to dryue mennes consci­ences in to feare and drede, but also in to flatte desperacion. For they haue forged horrible and cruell tokens, by the rehearsal wherof they haue spoi­led the rude people of all comfortable reioyceing, and haue fraide thē most pitifully. But the spirite of our saue­our Christ speaking by the apostles, maketh so playne menciō of the ma­ter, as that which made vs afraide, whan we wandred in the darkenesse of popery, is now ioye & myrthe vnto vs, so that with cōtinual prayers and feruent desires, we loke for the Lorde, [Page 203] and wold fayne haue his commyng to drawe nere. For how great & how honourable shal the sayntes glorie be, whan those that were dead and resol­ued in to earthe and duste, shall ryse again with clarified bodies, and shall lyue and be transformed in one mo­ment: and al the nature of corrupcion and what so euer hade ben corrupti­ble, and mortal, infirme, and subiecte to sorowes in them, they shall put of: and by and by they shal be coupled w ^t their spouse Christ, and be caried with him vnto the eternall glorie of true blessednesse? Than I saye, the faith­full eagles shall continually beholde their sunne of righteousnes for euer, and shal be fedde with the meate of e­ternal life, so that they shall neuer fele hongre.

And contrary wise, that bloody and cruel cursed generacion of rauēs and grypes, I meane the wicked tirā ­nes & enemies of his churche, which in this worlde persecuted the Lordes saintes w ^t fire & sweorde, & w ^t al kinde of merciles crueltie: & all beastly bely cheare myniones (men geuē to their paunche and hoorishe lustes) shal be [Page] gathered also vnto their carion car­casse, to that houge and stinking beast, and her head Antichrist: that they may be tyed vp with him, and cast in to the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone: and thā shall they fele, who it is that they haue done af­ter, and who it is, that they hated whā they lyued in this worlde.

Now for asmuche as I shal treate more largely of these maters, whā I shal haue more oportunitie to entreat of them, let it suffice that I haue pre­sently touched thē now in fewe wor­des. Hitherto we haue heard (in these fyue homilies) all the mysterye of Antichristes tirannie, and therwith­all we haue also knowne the faithful counsail of our saueour Christ, which he coummaundeth men to folowe in the last seasone of the worlde. Let vs therfore rendre deuout and humble heartie thankes to our heauenly fa­ther, which hathe vouchedsafe to re­ueale this weighty daūgter vnto vs, and to arme vs with his counsailes against it. And let vs endeauour our selues to take hede to our Lordes ad­moniciōs, so as we may doo after thē, [Page 204] that he thinke not his admonicions lost vpō vs. Moreouer wher it is ma­nifest out of the apostle Paules wor­des, that Antichrist must be destroied w ^t non other weapō, but w ^t y ^e sweorde of the spirite, that is the worde of God (for he cā not otherwise be destroyed) let vs frame our consciences (brethrē) after such wise, as the worde may be hade in autoritie, & much price amōg vs, that all men may aduaunce y ^e stu­die of it, that we may endeauour our selues to reade, heare, and knowe it w ^t suche diligence, that by the power of it, Antichrist maye be slayne & dye in our consciences: and that Christ our Lorde may lyue in our heartes, le­ast at the dredefull daye of dome, we be cast w ^t that houge stinking beast in to the fyre of damnacion, & so perishe euerlastingly, but that we maye (like true membres & faithful eagles) be filled w ^t euerlasting fode, & be gathe­red vnto y ^e meate y ^t shal neuer waste, and to y ^e sunne of righteousnesse that neuer shall fade. Amen.