Antichrist the Pope of Rome, Part 2 · Chapter 4
CHAP. 4. Of Antichriſts perſecution.
1. THat the perſecution vnderunder Antichriſt ſhall be great, is no queſtion: but that it ſhall be greater then any euer was, or ſhall be beſides, cannot be proued by any ſound teſtimony of Scripture, as this Author hath moſt exactly proued. But yet if this be granted, as we willingly condeſcend thereunto, I ſay that the perſecution of the true Church by the Popes, and of the faithfull Profeſſors of the Goſpell, hath beene, and is at this day, more cruell and greeuous, then euer any perſecution was in former time, either by Antiochus amongſt the Iewes, or the heathen Emperors amongſt Chriſtians. For firſt, Antiochus perſecuted the true Church that was onelyonly among the Iewes, but the Pope hath extended his perſecution to all Nations and Countries of Chriſtendome, the leaſt of which Countries farre exceeded in largneſſe the Iewiſh Nation. Secondly, Antiochus his perſecution was but for a ſhort time, not much aboue three yeeres, but the Popes perſecution, hath continued in full ſtrength and force, theſe eight hundred yeeres and vpward. And laſtly, the number of Chriſtians that hauehave beene ſlaine by Popes, doth farre exceede the number of the Iewes deſtroyed by Antiochus, ſo that there is no compariſon betweene them. The like may be ſaid of the Romane heathen Emperors, the limits of whoſe perſecution was ſtraighter, the time ſhorter, and the number fewer, then that of Popes by many degrees, as the hiſtories of the Church manifeſtly proue vntounto vsus. So that this conſideration aboue all others, proues the Pope to be Antichriſt, and the Church of Rome to be the Whore of Babylon, who is ſaid to be drunke with the blood of the Saints and of the Martyrs of Ieſus, Reuel. 17.6.
2. Seuenteene thouſand reported by Damaſus to hauehave beene ſlaine vnderunder Diocleſian in one monethmonth, and Euſebius ſaith, that then the priſons were ſo ſtuffed with Martyrs, that there was no place left for Malefactors. This was I confeſſe a cruell and lamentable time, but yet the times of Popery ſince theſe eight hundred yeeres, hauehave beene more cruell and lamentable: for what kinde of torments and cruelties were practiſed againſt Chriſtians by the ancient heathen Emperors, which the Pope and his ſlaues hauehave not exerciſed againſt thoſe that hauehave any wayes oppoſed his ſuperſtition,Math. Paris in Henrico. 3. euen to the burying of men aliue, as Mathew Paris reporteth? The blood of ſo many thouſands ſlaine by reaſon of the excommunications and proſcriptions of the Emperors Henries, and Fredericks, by the Pope, is a notable witneſſe of the Popiſh cruell, and more then Neronian perſecutions. I omit the cruelties exerciſed vponupon the Waldenſes, Albinge…ſ…, Leoniſts, Lollards, Patarines, Petcobuſians, Pighardes, Huſſites, who vnderunder theſe names, albeit good and found Chriſtians, were ſo hauocked and ſpoyled, that Phalaris may ſeeme gentle and humane in compariſon of the Romane tyrant.Bellar. de notis Eccleſ cap. 18. Bellarmine himſelfe confeſſeth, that vnderunder Innocent the third, an hundred thouſand of them were ſlaine at one expedition into France. And Mathew Paris tels vsus, that in Germany an infinite number were put to death in one yeere: but they ſay that they were Heretikes,Ibidem. and therefore deſerued to be thus rooted out. Indeede, they are ſlandered by our Aduerſaries and theirs, with moſt horrible hereſies, and damnable … ons: but if a man ſhall obſerue the repugnanci… … … dities contained in their writings, hee ſhall … confeſſe thoſe things were either taken … ports, which are alwaies ſoone ſpread … ground, or deuiſed by their enemies of … their reputation, and to hinder the cour… … For he that doth but conſider thoſe holy … and fraudes, (ſo they call them) vſed … Prieſts againſt the true Profeſſors of the Go… … in the cleare light of the Goſpell, cannot do… … like deceitfull calumnies might well be caſt vponupon … men in the thickeſt darkneſſe of Antichriſts kingdome. Looke into the bookes of the Ieſuites, as that which is called the Credo of the Caluiniſts, Becanus, Caluinian Aphoriſmes, and Giffords Caluino-Turciſmus, and ſuch like, and wee ſhall finde ſuch prodigious doctrines attributed vntounto vsus, as neuer ſo much as dreaming came into our mindes, much leſſe iſſued out of our pennes. Now they that are thus bold and ſhameleſſe towards vsus being aliue, would they, thinke you, ſpare them being dead, and not able to anſwere for themſelues? I am ſure that Mathew Paris reports, that their doctrine condemned thus of hereſie, was approued by many Biſhops of that Age, as Orthodox and ſound. And that the Albigenſes were the ſame with the Waldenſes, both Aeneas Siluius, and Stapleton alſo, in a maner confeſſe: now what the opinions of the Waldenſes were, appeareth both by their owne Apologie written vntounto the King of France, and to Vladiſlaus the King of Hungary, and alſo by thoſe things which Alphonſus de Caſtro aſcribeth vntounto them as hereſies, which notwithſtanding are ſo agreeable to the word of God, as that it is hereſie to hold the contrary. It is manifeſt then, that theſe good men ſuffered perſecution for no other cauſe but for the truth ſake, and for oppoſing themſelues to Popiſh tyranny.
3. What ſhould I ſpeake of their cruelty in Bohemia againſt the Huſſites, where infinite numbers periſhed, partly by warre, and partly by ſecret violence, and open executions, for following the doctrine of Iohn Huſſe, and Ierome of …ague, which notwithſtanding was the very truth of God, … …h we now profeſſe? I mention not their greeuous per… … …ns heere in England, Scotland, and in the Low-Coun… … or their bloody and barbarous inquiſitions, whereby … …rable Chriſtians hauehave beene after diuers fuſhions in a … maner made away,Sleidan. Come… lib. 16. as witneſſeth Ʋergerius who … well tell. Three hiſtories I cannot forget being freſh … …emory: the firſt of thoſe of Merindole and Cabriers, …oſta, and Sanfaleſe: my heart trembles to relate the executions that were there made of ſimple people, armed with nothing but prayers and teares: there was no difference made of ſex or age: women great with child were miſerably murthered; yong infants Herod-like thruſt through with ſpeares, and ſwords: forty women ſhut vp in a Barne full of hay and ſtraw, were conſumed with fire: and when they laboured to get out at the windowes, they were beaten backe with ſpeares and ſtaues: fiue and twenty men being fled into a Caue, were there ſtifled with ſmoke and fire: 800. were ſlaine outright in Cabriers, and a great multitude of poore people beſide maſſacred in all places: yea, in deteſtation of the men, or rather their Religion, theſe Tygers cut downe the Trees, not ſparing the fruitfull according to the Law: burnt the houſes, and ruined the Caſtels, and ſo made the whole Country deſert and deſolate. The ſecond is the tragicall Bartholomew day in France, vnderunder the colour of a royall marriage, in the yeere, 1572. to which all the cruelties of Pagans are not to be compared, no not that of Diocleſian, whereby, 17000. Chriſtians were murdered in one monethmonth: for heere. (as ſome ſay) 40000. as others, that ſpeake with the leaſt, 30000. poore Hugonites as they call them, that is, ſound and good Chriſtians were ſlaughtered in leſſe then a monethmonth. And of this Maſſacre the Pope would needes hauehave the glory, or rather the infamy: for in ioy thereof, hee cauſed a certaine coine to bee ſtamped, wherein on the one ſide was the picture of Gregory the thirteenth then Biſhop of Rome, with this inſcription, Gregor. 13. Anno. 10. ſummi ſui pontificatus, and on the other was repreſented an Angell, hauing a Croſſe in one hand, and a Sword in the other, killing a multitude of men and women with this inſcription, Hugonotorum ſtrages, that is, The maſſacre of the Hugonotes. And not content heerewith, to the end that he might glut his eyes with his owne cruelty, he cauſed this maſſacre to bee painted in three ſeuerall places in the great Hall, where he vſed to giuegive audience to the Embaſſadors of Princes: this is an example of cruelty, not to be paralelled by any former times, in any Age of the world. The third, is the horrible and vnmatchable Powder Treaſon heere in England, which though it came not to that effect they deſired, (God in mercy diſcouering their helliſh deſigne the night before the blow ſhould hauehave beene giuen,) yet in their intention and purpoſe, which is the life of all actions, it was the moſt cruell practiſe that euer the Sun beheld like vntounto that of Caligula, that wiſhed that all the Romane Senators and people had but one head, that hee might ſtrike it off at one blow. I neede not enlarge the heinouſneſſe of their intentions in this plot, the thing it ſelfe cryeth cruelty, and the latenes of the deſignement cannot but fix it faſt in our mindes.
4. Hence deriue three conſequents. Firſt, if the greateſt perſecution that euer was, be a marke of Antichriſt, then is the Pope Antichriſt: for neuer was there ſuch a perſecutor of the Church of Chriſt, as he is, and hath beene. Secondly, that it is a moſt vile and palpable lie, which they faſten vponupon our Religion and Church that it began with Luther, and is no elder then his age; this they whiſper eueryevery day into the eares of ſimple people, and divulge in their Sermons and writings: but doubtleſſe againſt their conſcience: for there are few leaues in their Annals and Church hiſtories, which are not marked with the blood of our Martyrs; and they themſelues cannot deny, but that 400. yeeres before Luther was borne, their Fathers perſecuted to death, and that by moſt cruell torments, a number that profeſſed the ſame Religion with vsus in ſubſtance, though not ſo fully reuealed vntounto them by reaſon of the thicke darkneſſe of that Age. And thirdly, that ours, not theirs, is the perſecuted Church. For though heere in England, and elſewhere the publike exerciſe of their Religion is forbidden, and men by mulct conſtrained either to communicate with vsus in the ſeruice of God, and holy Sacraments of the Church, or to ſuffer, and alſo diuers Prieſts and Ieſuites hauehave beene executed by the edge of Law: yet for their number it is not one to a thouſand to thoſe of our Religion that hauehave beene put to death by them: and for this cauſe, ours is Religion meerely, theirs rebellion and tranſgreſſion of politike Lawes, againſt which they willingly daſh themſelues by their voluntary thruſting themſelues into the kingdome, to ſeduce the people, and withdraw their hearts from their allegiance to their Soueraigne. This is ſo knowne a truth, that I need not ſtand further to proue it.
5. To the cruelty of Antichriſts perſecution they aſcribe as a principall effect, the aboliſhing of the publike ſeruice and ſacrifice of the Church, which they gather out of the twelfth of Daniel, and becauſe the Maſſe is not yet aboliſhed which is their great vnbloody ſacrifice, therefore Antichriſt is not yet come, and ſo the Pope is not Antichriſt: which obiection is moſt exactly confuted by the Author of this Treatiſe: but yet to cleare the matter further, I adde a note or two. And firſt, it is obſeruable, that the ſacrifices of Chriſtians, are either priuate, or publike: priuate Sacrifices, … firſt, eueryevery mans owne body which he muſt offer vp … liuing, holy, and acceptable Sacrifice vntounto God, Rom 12.1. which kinde of Sacrifice is ſo farre from being aboliſhed by any perſecution, that it is thereby rather effected, when the faithfull willingly offer their bodies to death, and all maner of torments for the truths ſake. Secondly, the ſpirituall Sacrifices of Chriſtians, are Prayers, Thankſgiuings, Almes, and a contrite and humble heart, none of which can be aboliſhed by Antichriſt except the Church of God ſhould bee vtterly deſtroyed, which is impoſſible: neither ſhall the publike Sacrifices and Ceremonies of the Church then ceaſe, as Baptiſme, and an externall profeſſion of Chriſtianity. For Antichriſt ſhall ſit in the Temple of God, as Saint Paul affirmeth, and ſhall hauehave two hornes like the Lambe, though he ſpeake like the Dragon,Remon. de Antichriſt. c. 29. 5. Apoc. 13.11. For this cauſe Remond is of opinion, contrary to the Tenet of Bellarmine, that this perſecution of Antichriſt, ſhall not aboliſh the Maſſe which they eſteeme to be the onelyonly true Sacrifice of a Chriſtians: and therefore that that prophecy of Daniel, is to be vnderſtood of the Sacrifices of the Law interrupted by Antiochus Epiphanes, as witneſſe both Saint Chryſoſtome, and the Author of the booke of the Machabees, and Ioſephus. True it is, Iraeneus, Theodoret, I…ſephus Antiqu…. Iud iar. lib. 12. cap. 11.and others of the Fathers alledged by Bellarmine, vnderſtand that Text of Antichriſt, but theſe are but the coniectures of thoſe good men, which ought not to preiudicate the truth confirmed by experience, and the euent of things foretold. Howbeit euen thus alſo it may be fitly applyed to the Pope: for he hath changed the whole ſeruice of God anciently practiſed in the Church, and in ſtead thereof brought in a number of vaine obſeruations, and impious ſuperſtitions, as much different from that which was in ancient time, as Lead is from Gold, or durt from precious ſtone. For whereas the ſubſtance of Chriſtian Religion in regard of practiſe, conſiſteth in theſe three points; the inuocating of Gods name, Preaching and hearing the word, and adminiſtration of the Sacraments; hee hath foully depraued and corrupted all theſe. In ſtead of inuocating the name of God, he hath brought in Prayers in an vnknown tongue, inuocation of Angels and Saints departed, yea the worſhip of Images, Croſſes, and Relikes, and of a peece of bread which they call their God: and oftentimes the Saints which they adore, are ſuch as neuer were liuing in the world, but meere Chimeraes of their owne braine: and that which is ſtrange, euen Pagan Idolls vnderunder their name: as in the Temple of the Vaticane in Rome, vnderunder the title of Saint Peter, they adore Iupiter Capitolinus, as is euident by the haire of the Image, which is curled and frizled: whereas Saint Peter is alwaies painted bald, onelyonly they hauehave taken away the thunderbolt out of his hand, and thruſt in keyes in ſtead thereof. And at Bourdeaux in Saint Andrewes Church at the entrance of the Quire, they make the image of Iupiter mounting vp into heauen vponupon an Eagles backe, to repreſent the aſcenſion of Chriſt. Touching the preaching of the Goſpell, is it not apparant that the greateſt part of Gods word is deliuered to the people in an vnknowne tongue? And what doe their new vpſtart Friars neuer heard of in the world till of late yeeres, which are their great and almoſt onelyonly Predicants? I ſay, what doe they preach for the moſt part, but the rotten traditions of the Church, and legendary fables to amaze mens mindes, and nuzzle them in ſuperſtition? And touching the Sacraments, it is lamentable to ſee how they hauehave changed, corrupted, mangled, and prophaned them: adding vntounto the bleſſed Sacrament of Baptiſme a number of vaine, idle, yea filthy ſuperſtitions, as Salt, Creame, Spettle, Oyle, and ſuch like: as if Chriſt was not wiſe enough when he appointed water onelyonly without any other mixture. And the holy Euchariſt they mangle, peruert, and abuſe, according to their owne fanſies, taking away the one ha…fe from the people, to wit, the Cup, the liuely repreſentation of Chriſts blood, not breaking the bread as it ought to bee by inſtitution; nor communicating with the people, but oftentimes alone, contrary to the nature of a Communion: and that which is moſt ſtrange, croſſing the Hoaſt: which they ſay is very Chriſt, to protect him from the diuell: as if Chriſt ſtood in feare of the diuell, or that the Croſſe did ſanctifie him, and not hee the Croſſe. Thus the Pope hath depraued, if not vtterly aboliſhed the whole externall ſeruice of God, and therefore euen in this reſpect alſo wee may conclude, that he is the true Antichriſt ſpoken of in the Scripture.
6. The Maſſe indeed continueth vnderunder him, and is maintained with great pompe, and the Fathers call it the ſacrifice of the Church: but how? Not a true and reall ſacrifice, as the Papiſts hold, but becauſe by the Lords Supper is continued in the Church a recordation, and memoriall of the death and paſſion of Chriſt.Aug. de doctrina. Chriſt lib. 3. cap. 16. Thus Saint Auguſtine: Wee (at the Euchariſt) partake of the paſſion of our Lord, and with ſweetneſſe and profit retaine in our memory that his fleſh was crucified for vsus. Chryſoſt. in epiſt. ad Hebraos cap. 10. ſer. 17.And Chryſoſtome: That vvhichwhich wee doe in the Lords Supper is done in commemoration of that which was done before: neither doe wee offer a ſacrifice, but the recordation of a ſacrifice. And Theophilact: Wee offer eueryevery day, or rather make a recordation of that oblation by vvhichwhich Chriſt offered himſelfe. Theophilact. ad. Heb. c. 10In this ſenſe principally doe the Fathers call this Sacrament a ſacrifice, and therefore when theſe men contrary to their intention, affirme, Chriſt to be truly and really ſacrificed vntounto God in the Maſſe by a mortall Prieſt for remiſſion of ſinnes, what doe they but deſtroy the whole nature of the Sacrament, which is a communion of the body and blood of Chriſt to the faithfull, and not a ſacrificing of it to God? So that wee confeſſe, that the Pope doth not aboliſh the Maſſe, but rather maintaine and vphold it as the ſoule and ſtrength of his kingdome. It is the Sacrament which hee deſtroyeth by the Maſſe, and not the Maſſe it ſelfe: and this his maintaining the Maſſe, proue h him plainly to be that Antichriſt figured by Antiochus, who tooke away the daily ſacrifice of the Synagogue, and ſuborned a falſe worſhip to Iupiter Olympius in ſtead thereof, as theſe hauehave done the worſhip of a peece of bread in ſtead of the true and pure worſhip of Chriſt.
7. But that we may ſee that the Popiſh perſecution is not leſſe, but farre greater then that of the Heathen Emperours, it will appeare, if we call to mind the bloody executions by moſt exquiſite torments, acted by their Inquiſitors of hereticall prauity as they terme them: For theſe kind of people, are moſt ingenious in deuiſing tortures for poore Chriſtians; they thinke ſcorne that they ſhould be excelled of any Heathen Tyrant in this kind: nay Phalaris himſelfe, neuer went beyond them in cruelty, as all know that know their Inquiſition Court: neither is this cruelty proper onelyonly vntounto them, but the whole Nation of Papiſts are infected with the ſame ferity: and that they may know themſelues to be the ſlaues of Antichriſt, the more a man is addicted to their religion, the more fierce and bloody minded he is. Our owne Stories do ſhew, how they delight to glut their mindes and eies with beholding the tortures of ſuch as they eſteeme Hereticks, making ſport at their paines. And albeit our Nation doth naturally abhorre all ſpectacles of cruelty; yet I know not how, they that are abandoned to that religion, change this naturall clemency, into vnnaturall immanity. Was euer any cruelty more monſtrous, then to take a young infant deliuered out of it Mothers wombe, and crawling out of the fire wherein the Mother was burning, and to caſt it againe into the flame, there to periſh with the Mother? This we hauehave had experience of in this Kingdome, as alſo of ranſacking the graues of the dead, and burning their bones as Hereticks, as they did the bones of Bucer, and Paulus Fagius. Yea ſo fooliſh is their impiety and rage, that they hauehave come vntounto the graue of a dead Chriſtian and digging vp the earth, taken away his winding ſheete, and ſummoned him to appeare at their Courts, as if he had bene aliue: but they themſelues ſhall one day appeare in the high Court of heauen, before the iudgement ſeate of Chriſt, and there receiue the iuſt guerdon of their cruelty May we not then preferre the Pope to the fierceſt Tyrant that euer liued? And thereupon, if there were no other argument but their bloody cruelty againſt him, conclude, that he is the very Antichriſt ſpoken of in the Scripture, whoſe religion breathes nothing but blood, and whoſe deſignements ayme at nothing but Maſſacres, and whoſe proiects plot nothing but the ruine and deſtruction of all thoſe that will not receiue his marke on their foreheads, and become his ſlaues.
8. For concluſion of this point, touching Antichriſts perſecution, obſerue theſe few things. Firſt, that though there was to be vnderunder Antichriſt, almoſt an vniuerſall defection from the faith; yet his perſecution is not to be vniuerſall, but onelyonly in thoſe places where the Goſpell is entertained. Secondly, that this perſecution is not to continue in full ſtrength till the end, but as it grew vp by little and little, ſo it is to decreaſe by degrees; as that Man of Sinne is more and more reuealed, and his power weakned, by the preaching of the Goſpell. Thirdly, that the edge thereof is bent againſt none but Proteſtants: for Iewes, Turkes, and Infidels, may liue ſafely with them, euen in Rome vnderunder the Popes noſe, and neuer be called into queſtion for their blaſphemies: onelyonly the poore Proteſtants are ſure to feele the dint of their malice, of which no other reaſon can be giuen but this, becauſe we ſet our ſelues againſt their errours and pompe: and theſe are open enemies vntounto God, to ſhew that their owne glory and credit is more deere vntounto them, then the glory of God. Fourthly, that he perſecutes not onelyonly vsus whom he calleth his enemies, but alſo his owne friends and followers, hauocking their ſoules, as he doth our bodies, and leading them blindfolded by troops into hell, and yet no man may dare to ſay vntounto him, why doſt thou ſo? Fiftly, that he exerciſeth this cruelty, not onelyonly by iudiciall cenſures, but by open wars, ſetting Kingdomes and Princes together by the eares, and raiſing vp ſubiects in rebellion againſt their Soueraignes: and when Peters keyes will not ſerue the turne, to gird himſelfe with Pauls ſword, turning the Prieſthood, which ſhould be the Oracle and Sanctuary of peace, into Martiall fury, and the ſword of the Spirit, into a ſword of yron, the force whereof all Chriſtian States hauehave felt and feared not many yeeres ſince. Sixtly, that when by open violence he cannot preuaile, then he ſeeks by treaſon to effect his will, ſending forth his damned Emiſſaries, Prieſts, and Ieſuites, and ſuch like, to poyſon or ſtab all ſuch as ſtand in their light; not ſparing Emperours, Kings, and Princes themſelues, as Hiſtories do plentifully report vntounto vsus. And laſtly, that his hatred is not ſo much againſt mens perſons, as againſt their religion and truth it ſelfe, which he labours by all meanes to exterminate out of the world. But as Luther a little before his death, comforting his friends ſaid, ſo ſay I: Let vsus be of good courage, though all the Potentates of the world be combined againſt the truth, yet it ſhall proſper and preuaile in deſpight of them: For, pro nobis magnus quidam heros ſtat, a great worthy ſtands on our ſide. And when his friends doubted who this great man ſhould be: He replyed,Sleidan. Coment. Is Ieſus Chriſtus eſt quem oportet vincere, It is Ieſus Chriſt who muſt ouercome: who hath already waſted this Man of Sinne, by the breath of his mouth, that is, the preaching of the Goſpell, and ſhall at laſt vtterly deſtroy him by the brightneſſe of his comming. Euen ſo Amen, come Lord Ieſus, come quickly.