A Revelation of the Holy Apocalypse, Part 2 · Chapter 13

A Revelation of the Holy Apocalypse · Part 2 · Chapter 13

p. 160CHAP. XIII.

And I ſtood vponupon the ſand of the Sea; and I ſaw a beaſt comming out of the Sea, hauing ſeauen heades, and ten hornes: and vponupon his hornes ten crownes, and vponupon his heades a name of Blaſphemie.

THIS holy Reuelation, ſpeaking of matters to come, borroweth ſpeaches from matters paſt: which is the ſure way to giuegive a ſound Iudgement. Daniel comforteth the family of Nathan, by Gods vengeance vponupon great Kinges, ariſing great from ſeas of troublous warres. The firſt was not Aſſur, but Babel: the Lion, with NABV. his mouth: who can deliuer you from my handes, chap. 3. The ſecond was a Beare, from Madai & Paras; the Eaſt deuouring North, West, South, as hauing 3. ribbes in the mouth. And by two mighty kingdomes, Medes and Perſans, ſet vp one gouernement: Theſe two, had but two heades, as all of the kinde: the third, was a Leopard with foure heades: Alexander Macedon, and his foure chiefe: which in 40. yer. brought all his dominion p. 161parted into 23. Captaines, and many Kinges afore, holding their owne, into the Power of foure. The fourth was no new Beaſt: but the ſame nation of the Greekes: in a parted kingdome: in Seluchus who gate ſeuentie two kingdomes: and Ptolomie Lagides in Aegypt.

Of two ſpeciall points to be noted heere.

They who make the Romans one of Daniels Beaſts, do pleaſure the Iewes highly: concluding that Caeſar and Rex Romanorum: and our Conſtantine and his ſucceſſores went to eternall flames. Euſebius began it, as Oecolampidius citeth his fragment: good Caluin folowed that Atheiſme: and good Beza too: thence thundering with powder without pellet againſt the Pope; and not marking how ſeauen tymes ouer, gracious Daniel, teacheth that Greekes be the laſt that afflict holy Iewes in his pictures. And Iewes vponupon Dan. 8. confeſſe as Ralbag, and Seror Hamor of Abr. Sebagh, that Greekes bee Daniels laſt pictured. And our error is duller then the Iewes: they confeſſe; for our Goſpell, that Greekes be the laſt afflicters: When the matter forceth them to ſpeake trueth: wee relinquiſh their grant, to our Goſpells ſtrength: and folow them in a lye, to our Goſpells ouerthrow. Heere we hauehave no better to ſay; then, that Satan hath deceaued vsus. Polichronius the learned Greeke Father of old, ſaw the trueth, and wicked Porphyri confeſſeth the ſame. And Sebaſtian Munſter, at Baſill reuiued a touch of the trueth: and Polyhiſtor Bodinus, Tremelius: and our learned Whitaker; and D. Iohn Reignold, in dayly ſpeach; and M. Rollock: and Geneua the zealous towne, in their laſt french, reiect all notes damning Rome and the Pope; The Iewes ouer the world were broken, if all the Popes p. 162ſide, for their owne cauſe, would do the ſame: and the Iewes broken, would breake the Turkes Machumed.

The ſecond Poincte.

The goodneſſe of God was infinite, in breaking Salomons kingdome; and ſending Iewes to Babell, to preach God, that made the world: and to ſhew the wickedneſſe of the towres building, forworſhipp of ſtarres. So the power of the great God, appeared in extolling baſe Babell, to fell Aſſur and all kingdomes, and to fall in ſeauenty yeeres: that Cyrus might ſay: The God of heauen gaue him all the Kingdomes of the world: and when Daniel had taught of the redemption by Chriſt: after ſeuen ſeuenties: & Iewes went home from 120. nations to Ieruſalem in that hope: God made fooliſh the wiſedome of Plato & Aristotle, for their dreamed happineſſe. And this aboue all, is a miracle of miracles, that the Greeke tongue knowen in the Weſt ouer, was conueied by Greeke ſoldiers ouer North, Eaſt and South, by Seleucidae and Lagidae. So that, in three hundred yeares, Greeke was made common ouer all the world. And Homer, was turned into the Greeke tongue, as Fr. Portus, praef. in Hom. writeth; doubtleſſe by ſome Macedonians, for increaſing Greeke in their Colonies. By this meanes, the Greeke tongue was made commune, ouer the world: that commune ſaluation might be written in Greeke. Alſo, the Macedonian Kinges ſetted in Aegypt, and they of Syria: both clayming Iudea, and ſtill fighting for it, as they became victores, ſcattered Iewes into all partes: that they abide ſcattered there yet: And††Commentarie or Regiſter. Itinerarium Rabbi Beniamin ſheweth: euen through the furtheſt India. So the Apoſtles might ſpeake in the Greeke tongue to the old law. And thus the 4. Kingdomes tyranny, holpe much to ſaue others, by their owne deſtruction.

p. 163How the Romanes armes, are taken from the Kingdomes in Daniel.

The ten hornes are from the Seleucolaegidae, in ten hornes: fiue of each ſide vexing Iuda. But there were tenne particular Kinges; heere Kingdomes: noted by a crowne vponupon eueryevery horne. Now exactly, fiue Seleucidae, are not notable: but fiue Lagidae bee. So for the ſtrict number God would not hauehave all the world vexed: in men not worthy ſtrict regard of ſtorie. But aboueX. Kinges of old Kingdomes now be noted. And Strabo lib. 17. noteth, that Augustus diuided all Proconſulſhips into X. And Steuchus againſt Vallu. diuideth the Popes, in the ſame ſort. As I hauehave in Con. Scr. ſhewed. The color of Leopard, is from Alexander: Beares foote, from Paras: Lions mouth, from Babell: Hornes, color, feete, mouth; meane all tyranny; demeanour, courſe, & lawes alike. As Babel deified the Image, Dan. 2. Paras, their King: Alexander, would bee a God. And Antiochus, would hauehave Iupiter Olympius: So the Caeſares, would ſtill be Diui: And termed the Chriſtians Atheiſts: as when martyrs were moued to abiure Chriſt; this was the recantation; foreign. That is, away with the Atheists. As a ſpeach vntounto Caeſar: to hold Chriſtians Atheiſts: and to requeſt their deſtruction. Euſ. Eccl. Hiſtor. In this ſort the Caeſar hath a name of blaſphemy, holding Gods ſeruants, whoſe conuerſation is in heauen, to be not Gods ſeruants, but wicked men: as the text will ſhew anon.

And the beast which I ſaw was like a Leopard: and his feete as a Beares: and his mouth as the mouth of a Lion: & the Dragon gaue him his owne power: and his owne throne: and great auctoritie.

Heere we ſee, why Satan bare armes, from the Romanes p. 164armes. Euen becauſe Satans autority was executed by them. The god of this world had ſuch auctority giuen, to trye the elect: that the Goſpell might be knowne, to be hid to none, but to whom the God of this world blinded vnderſtanding. 2. Cor. 4. 32 Cor 4:3This farre reacheth the profane Empire: which our great Constanſtine made dead: when he left old Rome, and made Bizantiū new Rome. By the death of one head, the expoſition following ſheweth the whole beaſt once dead. Pompei with Romes 1force oppreſſed Gods people: there Iuda felt one head: and he periſhed in Aegypt. M. Graſſus with Romes army made 2another head, and robbed the Temple of Abrahams ſonnes; who came from Charran or Carrae. The ſeauē heades afflicting.At Carrae the Parthians ouerthrew his whole army: to the aeternall ſhame of the Empire. Iulius Caeſar tamed Aegypt: and diſpoſed Cleopatraes Gouernement; 3to hauehave Iudae vnderunder a toe of that legge: a third head: he was kild in the Senate houſe. Brutus & Caſsius, the chiefeſt of his murtherers, their Romane hoſt oppreſſed Iuda; 4and they made a fourth head. Antonius, he with the Romane force being made a mighty King in the Eaſt, maried Cleopatra, and made Herod for Her, King of Iuda: that Daniels Image might hauehave ſome remembrance till Chriſt came. 5He as Pompei periſhed in Aegypt; a fift head. Then came the ſtate of Rome to one Perſon: and ſo continued one head from Auguſtus, vntounto great Conſtantine. And in that head when he left curſed Rome, the beaſt there was dead. So the ſixt head had 6beene, and was not: and yet was reſtored; to be a ſeauenth head: 7and the Pope is in that head, with all his power: and alſo will 8be a ſeuerall power aboue all: and make alſo an eight head, chap. 17. That is heere once told.

And I ſaw one of his heades, as ſlaine vntounto death: and his deadly ſtroke was healed: that admiration was through the whole p. 165earth, after the beast: & they worſhipped the Dragon, which gaue his power vntounto the beaſt: and they worſhipped the beaſt ſaying, who is like to the beast? Who can warre with him? And a mouth was giuen him ſpeaking great thinges: and blaſphemies: and auctority was giuen him to be doing 42. moneths: and he opened his mouth to blaſphemy againſt God: to blaſpheme his name: and his Tabernacle: and them whoſe Tabernacle is in heauen: And it was giuen him to make warres with the ſainctes, and to ouercome them. And power was giuen him ouer eueryevery tribe, tongue, and nation: That all who dwell in the earth, ſhould worſhip him, they whoſe names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb, which was ſlaine fromt the beginning of the world.

Heere the tyrannie of the profane Caeſares, caried by the ſpirite of Diuell is fully deſcribed: well knowen by Diuus Nero, Diuus Domitian, and the reſt of Diui or Diuels, vntounto Diocletian. That Chriſtians reading this, might looke, for ſuch troubles, as the holy in Daniel ſuſteined. This needeth no expoſition: but it ſelfe expoundeth, chap. 12. for the vpper part of the Dragon. And as Dan. 7. God ſate vponupon a fiery throne; ſhewing a reueng vponupon all the afflicters of his people. So Apoc. 6. warre, bloody, black, and pale, and a gulfe of a graue was opened: ſhewing how the Caeſares warred and periſhed miſerably 300. year. with their great armies. The Romane ſtories tell all, moſt plentifully: and Rome, after their deſtruction felt it, by Alaricus, in Zozimus, by Giezricke, in the Eccleſ. ſtory: from Lybia a new Hanniball, by Theodoricus, & Totilas: THAT AS STEVCHVS CONFESSETH, ROME HAD BEENE MADE A MOST FILTHY LODGE, OF OXEN AND HOGGES, BVT FOR THE POPES. Now the Caeſares puniſhment followeth, with a p. 166ſeuere taunt of dulneſſe, to them that will not marke ſtately ſpeaches: From Mat. 13. and Apoc. 2. and 3.

If any man hauehave an eare, let him heare, Hee that carieth captiuitie ſhall goe into captiuitie (Abb. 1. 2. for the Chaldean) if any kill with ſword, hee ſhall bee killed with ſword, Gen. 9.

When Antiochus the vile ſlew Iewes faithfull to God, & had affinitie with Egypt: God plagued both houſes more notablie then any families that euer were before. Heathen did note it, though they knew not, that they made a cōmentary to make Daniel, a moſt cleare booke: ſo Aurelus Victor commonly read with Iuſtine in Grammar ſcholes, ſheweth howe the Caeſares were plagued to the aſtoniſhment of the world: ſince Rome crucifyed the Lord of Glory. And Herodian handleth an Iliad of their plagues for 70. yer. how the Emperores were ſo vile as dogges. Sozimus ſheweth litle better ſucceſſe. And before our Lordes dayes in the fleſhe, when their Empire made an head ouer Iuda; Pompei, Craſſus, Iulius, Brutus, Antonius, and their Ciuill warres, were wonders of miſery. And Plini recordeth, what miſeries made Auguſtus weary of his life, full often. Theſe rules ſhould be a bridle for Buyſhopps of Rome, and all of their Caius.

Heere is the faith and conſtancie of the holy.

Our gratious aeternall Spirite here meeteth with the weak: that they ſhould not iudge of Gods fauor, by proſperitie in this world, From Cain, to Tuualcain, (or heathen ſmith Vulcain) the wicked bare ſway: Which Spirite went and preached in the dayes of Noe, to them that are now Spirits in Priſon. Nemrod p. 167the Rebel had firſt dominion; and Niniueh and Babel at the laſt, Nemrods houſe: and in Dan. 11. 35. and 12. 10. the faithfull are told what God meant, to let wicked Magog ſo afflict his: euen to trie them in the fire, to purifie them, & to whitten them. Twiſe the very ſame termes be told. Heere, is the ſame matter. That God would trie the pacience, as Dan. 12. of the holy: Holy Peter writing from Babylon to the Iewes ſcattred, telleth them of their happineſſe, in belieuing in Chriſt, whoſe kingdome tryeth his,1. Pet. 1.1 Pet 1 as gold is tryed. The witty wicked Poet could tell ſo much: as Menander, Epimenides, and Aratus other poinctes.

Scilicet vt fuluum ſpectatur in ignibus aurum,

Tempore ſic duro eſt inſpicienda fides.

That is,

As yellow Gold in fier men doe trie,

So Faith is prou'd in miſerie.

EueryEvery trueth hath Gods warrant, whoſoeuer doth ſpeake it. Now the Popes religion ſtandeth in proſperiti; & no common weale hath their wealth and quietneſſe. Therefore they are not of S. Peters faith: who from Babylon wrote to the neere ſcattred Iewes, of affliction. Although at the firſt ſome Doctores of Rome were afflicted, and martyrs is too. But after quietneſſe, they ſtill labored, to bring home from the Eaſt to old Rome; and pleaded from the Iewes manner of Fables, that the firſt called Apoſtle was in the Principall Citie: to make him a moſt wicked man: that (foreſeeing (as a Prophet) combatts where hee hath beene,) would not in his owne tyme, make that matter paſt all doubt. As Saint Paul Biſhoppe of Rome: and Saint Luke of Antioh, maketh it paſt all doubt, that Peter was neuer neare Rome: p. 168Clemens and Tertullian made Euſebius, write that he was: And all who folow them hauehave but rumores auctoritie. And he is curſed that makes mans auctoritie his arme: and Melchior Canus a Rhomiſt, maketh a ſounde common place, that our Churches ſtories of men are weake teſtimonies: In the 300. yer. perſequution, it was not ſafe for any to write of others: becauſe enemies by ſuch would ſearch out more, how to perſequute Chriſtians. Paul of Romane name, borne free in Rome, who would not build in others fundations, who was carefull for to ſtrengthen the Romans, as not hauing yet an Apoſtle, who firſt told the Synagogue, Acts 28. whereupon the Goſpell ſtood, ſheweth that HEE brought the name of Chriſt, to Caeſares pallace, Phil. 1. and was told Act. 23. that hee ſhould ſo doe. And ſaluting 25. Rom. 16. neuer giueth token of one word touching Peter: but cleane otherwiſe, Gal. 2. and Peter telleth expreſly that from Babylon he wrote his firſt Epiſtle, chap. 5. whereby all maner of ſpeach, all men would require proprietie: that the moſt knowen Babylon ſhould be there meant. Yet as Pindarus ſaith that men belieue fables more then trueth: ſo experience of ſage men prooue that true: men otherwiſe ſage, hold that true; that Peter was in Italy: as the Chaldi Iob ſaith hee was at Conſtantinople, and the forged Ben Vziel vponupon Num. 24. and millions of milliones after them: whereas we deſpiſe Iewes: Iewes equally deſpiſe Romiſts: where any could not miſſe to hauehave knowen the trueth: if Peter had euer bene at Rome. They who ſay by Babylon he meant Rome, would make him a ſimple Fiſher: that knewe not where a trope would make a wickedlie: and afflict all ages: where men neuer date cōmon bookes for all Ages, from a miſnamed place; where the Reader would count the ſpeaker a lyer: ſo the 2. Epiſtle was written p. 169from Chaldea where the letter foreign was an S. in Boſor. Beor in the 70. and that, S. Peter would hauehave folowed liuing in Greeke landes.

And I ſaw another Beaſt, comming vp from the earth, which had two hornes like a lambe, and ſpake as a Dragon: and practiſed all auctority of the first beast; before him: and cauſeth the earth and them that dwell in it, to worſhip the firſt beaſt: whoſe wound to his death, was healed, &c. to the end of the Chap.

A moſt plaine deſcription of the Pope. 1. by the beaſt ariſing from the earth.

Firſt his ſtate is a beaſt: as all armes of ſtate are figured, by beaſts & ſuch. So the King of Locuſts, ch. 9. is a beaſt cōming out of the earth, ch. 11. earth oppoſition to the ſea, ſignifieth a quiet ſtate. So the Pope by quietneſſe gate lands, to be aboue all Emperours; yet Ceph, the Rocke aeternall, would be a ſeruant. And Peter Cephas, a fiſher: but the vnlikeſt vnderunder their name, would be the vnlikeſt: next the Diuell, the God of this world: ſo his, a great ſtate vponupon the earth; in the City which crucifyed Chriſt.

By the Lambes two hornes.

The Lambe, ſignifieth the S. of God; Iohan. 1. & Apoc 5. Hornes, power, Pſalm. 18. & Dan. 8. So he that chalengeth to be in ſteade of Chriſt, and to hauehave double power from him, Eccleſiaſticall and Temporall, in Ebrew, ADONIKAM. My Lord is ſet vp, he is heere deſcribed. He ſo ſheweth himſelfe, in the Temple of God: as if he were God: among many millions p. 170who knewe him to bee the wicked man. But as in old Babel men were of Angells match, the three nobles that quenched the fier▪ (and made Nemrods ſonne confeſſe their God.) and gracious Daniel admitted to familiaritie with Chriſt, and his Angells: and Ezechiel, and Ezra, and men like Angells: ſo where the Diuel had his Chappell, God had and hath his Church; to tell how Satan ruleth the Pope: and hath ſtrong worke in error.

OF ONE ERROR IN THE POPE: WHICH MAKETH HIM NEXT THE DIVEL: WHERE THE DIVEL WOVLD TREMBLE; TO BEE SO IMPVDENT OPENLY.

The ground of our ſaluation ſtandeth, in belieuing this, of the womans ſeede, a deſtroyer of Satans workes, Gen. 3. HEE, ſhall bruiſe thy head:1▪ Ioh. 3.1 John 3 that is ſpoken twiſe, in Adams tongue, in the maſculine gender. Some late Popes I thinke, knewe ſo much Ebrew: though of old few did: when they made firſt the tranſlation, called S. Ieromes, to be ignorant of this. So, not SHEE is meant, but HEE. The aeternall God, as the Zoar, from Iewes, there note: God in Christ, and againe, and againe, thou Serpent, ſhall bruiſe HIS foote-stepp: and not HER foote-stepp: yet the Popes tranſlation corrupteth that which they call S. Ieromes: and ſay; ſhee, ſhall bruiſe thy head.

1. So the Latin called S. Ieromes goeth; though Arias Mō tanus had a better Conſcience: & put forth the true Ebrew.

2. Of all Ebrew copies, that euer hauehave bene heard of: none herein was noted to differ: as by them full many, (which we read) wee may iudge of the reſt: who would not paſſe ouer difference in Silence if any difference had bene.

p. 1713. All Greekes vniverſally, follow the Ebrew: yet againſt all, the Pope would hauehave: not HE: but SHEE: Marie, in his tranſlations: & in a treatiſe foiſted into Plantines great Bible.

4. Satan is broken thus: he brought Adams ſoule to death by ſinne: the reſtorer muſt giuegive it iuſtice.

5. Satan brought mans body to corruption; that HE, muſt reſtore it in reſurrection.

6. Satan by Adams fall brought all this world to corruption▪ the reſtorer, muſt bee able to make a newe world. But an HE, not a SHEE, muſt doe this: wherfore, this error, conuicteth the Pope of wickedneſſe, as high as the Diuels can goe. Yet all, that goe vnderunder Papiſts names, are not of this minde nor Giltineſſe: but all well charged with error here, are gilty without good change of mind. While this ſtandeth, & honor to Mary aboue her place. The Popes throne & Satans be all one. For this maine poinct, would I gladly hauehave, a learned Papiſt to reply: that all might ſee, what can be ſpoken againſt the trueth.

Of the Dragons ſpeach.

Lawes be the ſpeach of a Policy: and the Popes decretals ouerruling ſtates, are wicked, commonly; though all cannot be ſenſleſſe: yet by vnlawfull men vrged they are all wicked. Seeing the Pope can hauehave no more right; thē a Teacher, if he were learned: al frō him is like an hand blackened with pitch. And S. Paul taught the Romans; that eueryevery ſoule ſhould ſubmitt himſelfe to the higher power. Nero was then in place: and S. Paul appealed vntounto him. And Nero the wicked man; in politie ſenſible, from natiue witt, was S. Pauls gard, & the good of the world: againſt the Scribes Synedrion: to which all muſt ſtande, Deut. 17. prouided alwayes, that they ſpeake p. 172ſenſibly, from the Law: otherwiſe all their right was loſt: and when they perſequuted Chriſt. He gaue the Romanes their auctority for life and death: that Iewes might not kill any 40. yeares before Ieruſalem fell. So the heathen Lawes giuen for mans ciuill good, be the earth that drinketh vp, the riuer caſt out of the Dragons mouth, to drowne the Church.

Of the two hornes, counterfaiting the Lambes.

The Pope praetendeth to folow Aharon, and the Leuites: and thence commeth his ſpirituall ſword: and he will without all color of warrant; be a King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. His wickedneſſe in the firſt being detected, ſhould ſhew that the Dragon ſpeaketh in him. Aharon had no more to doe with gouernemēt then any other man, nor any of his ſonnes: and it was death for any to meddle with his trade: that was not of his ſeede: that his houſe ſhould be diſtinct, till Christ of Iudah ſacrificed himſelfe: & through the veile of his fleſh went not into the Limbum, as the deceiued hold, but into the very heauens: after this, Leuies office was wholly ended: though M^r. Eduward Liuely be commended, for his Perſian Chronologie: In Bar. his booke, for D. Bil. ſyll.Which maketh ſacrifices of Gods houſe hindred in Emporour Veſpaſians dayes: that they could not be done, by whom they ought to be done, or not ſo diligently, as they ought. He and his commēders miſſed ſtrangely of Chriſtianity, vntounto the depth of Satans badneſſe: and next them the Pope. Aharons ſonnes for ſtrange fier were preſently killed; and were not forgiuen in this world, but were in the world to come: But the Pope blaſpheming the Holy Ghoſt, and the plaine trueth of Gods ſpirite, ſhall neither be forgiuē in this world, nor in the world to come: but as Iſcariot in this world is giuen ouer from ſin p. 173to ſin: that he cannot come to the iuſtice of God: and is expreſly condemned to aeternall flames for the world to come: Chap. 19.

Of the Popes ſucceſsion.

The Popes brag of ſucceſſion, euer ſince S. Peters dayes, in vaine. S. Peter was no Priest; nor of Leui: But an Elder: 1. Pet. 5. and hauing no more honorable faith then thoſe Elders. Elders neuer had particular ſucceſſion: though he Thalmud in Aboth to proue wicked traditions feigne ſucceſſion, howe one deliuered ouer, Lawe by mouth. May. praef. Tom. 1. Gamaliel had S. Paul S. Paul Timothie, and millions: who kept the Bible to this day. And Chriſtian Princes who truely knew God: left ſucceſſion in ſome of their policie: and ſtill there were ſome Apoſtolie, or Angelie Eccleſiae: that ſagely read the Bible: and Baptized: and brake bread: the Communion of the body of Chriſt: and gaue the Cupp. his New Testa. blood. The high Councill made Doctores: and they were all either learned in Diuinitie; or, in great blame before God: and one skilfull might make thouſandes, in few year. that men ſhould not brag of ſucceſſion, from one: to know both Teſtaments pure in write: ſure for meaning; by auctores of the tongue: where enimies and friendes, vſe language alike: and praeceptiue, for all that ought to bee knowen: this dutie, a Doctor ſhould performe: to ſhew the face of Chriſt, to ſhine like the ſunne, through all the Bible. But neuer Pope to this day, could doe this much. Therefore, they ſhould not clayme the ſpirituall horne. As holy Paul wiſhed K. Agrippa, and all the aſſemblie, equall to himſelfe, ſauing his bondes. And S. Luke ioyed, to pen S. Paules infinite witte, therein: and what an Aſſe he made of Tertullus: ſo, true Papae, would hauehave reioyced p. 174to hauehave made all Princes that gaue them reuerence, perfect in the word of God. But they had not S. Ieromes ſpirite, to goe by might to learne of a Iewe, the Ebrew tongue: and to write till, 91. to open Gods worde. Hee alone, did more then euer were in Rome Papae. Therefore hee deſerued more reuerence then they all: and the ſlow bellies ſhould be aſhamed, to be ſuch Kinges of Locuſts in the world: and all Cardinals & Buyſhopps that croſſe that croſſe the common Lawes of nations: And People muſt needes be wicked, that honor the prelate, in Iudgement. Eſai. 32. repeteth Moyſes law, and ſaith for the Goſpell: that vnderunder it; Nabal, ſhall not be called Nadib. The foole ſhall not be called most reuerend, or right reuerend; But hee ſhalbe ſuch whoſe ſtudie ſtandeth, in moſt reuerend or right reuerend matters. I now tranſlate Nadib, a generall terme of high title; Iſai. 13. to particular ſpeciall vſe. eueryevery commandement of God hath his Maieſtie, which created the World: and they breed Monſters, that make croſſe lawes.

Of the ancient facilitie, in teaching the Law.

The holy Iewes did, as all men ſhould; honor the finger of God in the two tables: wherein all wiſedome of faith & manners is conteined. And a late worke, Tiphereth (glory) of Iſrael, telleth that Ebrew letters, vowels▪ prickes, accents, are at this day, as God ſet in the two tables. All Popes Academies deny this, their owne glory: and would make mans witt auctor of theſe three; that all ſhould bee accurſed, who make man their ſtrength. So wiſe is the Church that cannot erre; as to deny the pillar of truth. But ſtill God kept in the company of ſome, that belonged to the Church, the ground of trueth. This being ſetled, wee may go on; to ſhew how the godly did honor p. 175the tables of God. There they reckon letters 613. And becauſe the ten Commandements, for faith and workes conteine all Diuinitie; the holy Scribes; drew all Lawes of Moſes, into the number of 613. They might hauehave made them moo or fewer. But by Gods ſpirite in honor of Gods writing, they bring them to his letter 613. to ſhew Gods care in the Law, that one Iod or prick ſhould not periſh: ſo wee ſee that God honoreth the Alphabet order: pſalmes 25. & 34. & 37. & 111. & 112. & 119. & 145. Prou. 31. Lam. 6. tymes: to ſtirre all to ſpend their life, in the word of life. That eueryevery thing heere, might teach how God inviteth all to ſaluation. And the very Geometrical forme of Aleph, Beth, Gimel, Daleth, Heb, Vau, Zain, &c. ſheweth that when God, gaue them, their order; he gaue them alſo the forme, which wee hauehave now: and the Ebrewe name is from the forme which we now hauehave: and the Ebrew named Alphabet is followed in the Greeke Alphabet; old in the dayes of Phiſistratus when Ariſtarchus diuided Homers Iliad and Odyſſea, by Alpha, Beta, Gamma, &c. Now this was old, before Ezra was borne: and later then the Ebrew Alphabet: & that was later then the formes of Ebrew letters, which wee now hauehave: therefore Ezra inuented them not: as Popes would perſuade: but they are as God gaue them in the Tables: & be 613. there: whēce the Lawes 613. hauehave their order. 248. bidding cōmandements, telling what we ſhould belieue or do: 365. forbidding euil. The Iewes ſay the bones in a man well anatomed, be 248. which all ſhould work what God cō mādeth. That rule is only giuen for memory: & hath no further myſtery: the 365. call Henoch into mind, that as a ſon walked with God, & had his yeeres, as the dayes of the ſuns yeer. and ſo ſhall they that walke with God: as Meſsias, pſal. 72. To theſe cōmandemēts all diſputations are called: & all the N. T. p. 176The Law, thou ſhalt make a King, that commandement, is for Meſſias chieflie: handled in Maymonie Tom. 4. Nowe the Scribes knewe not, that Meſſias was to bee God. Therefore this Law; IEHOVAH, our God, IEHOVAH, is One. is vrged vponupon the Phariſes: that Meſſias muſt not only be Dauids ſon: but alſo his aeternall Lord, from Pſal. 110. and ſo Mat. 1. ſheweth a golden Candleſticke of 42. notes: and Emanuell and chap. 2. MESSIAS the holy of all holineſſe, is ſought for: the K. of the Iewes. And all the 613. Lawes are called into his life. The N. Teſta. beeing ſo handled, might bee laid in one view, to make Princes admire it at the firſt: when the yeares and promiſes of Chriſt: and puniſhments for contempt: and Oeconomie of ſtates, are laide in one light: and children when they firſt read, were taught to read his familie: and the end of Salomons houſe: and are taught the afflictiones, of Sorobabilidae in Daniel, ſeuen tymes ouer. Thus an vnſpeakeable louelove of the Goſpell, would flame in Princes heartes; when they ſhould ſee eueryevery thing that can bee diſputed, brought to this Law. And the Law for the King, that he muſt write a copie of Moſes. And once a yeere read it himſelfe. So ſtates could neuer be deceiued: & millions might be skilfull in ſpeaches of the holy Trinitie: and in the ſtorie of them, from whoſe feede CHRIST was made after the fleſh; the bleſſed God in the Diuine ſpirite: and ſo great God and Sauiour. Moyſes made three crownes; one for the arke; which kept the Law: which for knowledge, eueryevery man ſhould weare in heart; and the oratores of the Congregations, alſo in tongue: to bring all the Bible to ſhort ſpeach; as Matth. 1. Luc. 3. Act. 7. and the epiſtle to the Hebrewes doth, to a readie minde.

The Table with ſhew-bread; remembreth the King of care, to feed all his xii. tribes: ſo Moſes was King, and ſtill craving of p. 177God, what the people wanted; ſo Ioſuah: ſo Dauid: ſo Daniel made rich by wiſedome, chap. 2. praeferred his zealous nobles, hoater for Gods glory then the fier: who kept their nation from further danger of Idolatrie. And by Daniels wealth, the returned, aboue 49000. were inabled to reſtore their policie. And God gaue Cyrus Croeſus gold, to bee abler to ſend the Iwes home, to teach the houre of true happines by our Lordes death: in Iubilie 28. ſuch men weare the crowne: no leſſe learned then the ſacrificer: and theſe exalted the horne of Chriſt: as much as hee that by the Crowne of the Altar of incenſe: morning and euening brent perfume.

The third Crowne was on the Altar of incenſe; touched now: and honorable in zeale and skill of praying to God: & Zacharie father to Iohn Baptiſt,1. Chronic. 24. 101 Chr 24:10 not high ſacrificer, but of the eighth courſe of 24. had a Crowne of praiſe for his cariage in that office.

Nowe for theſe Crownes, eueryevery man ſhould knowe the Arkes meaning, the merciemercy ſeat; the Cherubim: and know who would beare this Law, in a minde golden within and without. But skill of ſpeaking, ſhould be required only of the practiſed vntounto ripe yeares; not bearing of the Arke, be laide vponupon ſhoulders of Beaſtes.

To the maintenance of all by bread; belonged gouernement: for all offences: That the court of all tribes vſed; when heathen tooke away capitall cauſes; then excommunication, was all that could be done. Otherwiſe hee that kept his Fathers wife, had felt death at once. Princes were neuer excommunicated. Ieruſal, Sane. The high ſacrificer was whipped, & in all ſortes iudged as any other man. ibid. Leuies tribe was bound to be ready to anſweare to all demandes; for applying Ceremonies to their ſpirituall meaning: But they were often p. 178worſt, as in condemnation of Ieremie, and Elies Sonnes, and Iehoſuahs in Nehemiah, and Zacharie and Malachie.

An application of the Popes calling to this.

It was death for any of Iſrael to meddle with Leuies propre dutie, when his office is quite extinguiſhed, it is a moſt high contemt of God to reuiue it, by imitation from mans braine; ſo all the Popes Prieſthood and Maſſe is curſed. As Archiſynagogus was choſen for the beſt learned: ſo where many learned bee, one to bee chiefe; reaſon and practiſe allway ſuffred this: but ſo that he ſhould not ouerrule: or doe any thing of his owne head. Reuenues altered not the caſe: which Lawes and reaſon require to bee ſpent for Chriſtian good: and not for purchaſe to idleneſſe. Numius Eccleſiae, Sheliah Zibbur, The Talmud terme, is now the office of a Biſhop, or Elder: and none can bee fitt that way, without rare and chargeable education. And neuer yet any Pope was ſo learned, as with skill of the holy ſpeaches, to make a true narration, for the ſtrength of the Goſpell. They make their Cathedrals, dennes of thieues, when profeſſing to teach ſaluation; blinde leade the blinde into the ditch.

They who wreſt S. Matt. 20. Marc. 10. Luc. 22. for condemning of Gouernours of nations, deale moſt wickedly. Our Lord. Prou. 8. that hee giueth Princes wiſdome to gouerne: and ſtories, ſhew that heathen gouerned for this life, and ciuill commoditie, as well as euer anyother. Neither any terme vſed of the three Euāgeliſts meaneth tyranny, but as in the 70 anſwereth to ordinary Ebrew. And Zebedes ſonnes Mother requeſted not place of tyranny: but of ciuill auctoritie; as for to be great in Iuda. And our Lord would neuer anſwere p. 179beſide the Qu. Their barbarous blindneſſe is vnſpeakeable, who wreſt holy wordes, to maintaine Buyſhopps ſauage, and more then hagarene tyranny: and how can ſuch eſcape the fier of Gehenna?

A doubt for the manner of policie now: what way is beſt to be taken.

Seeing the common ſort of welthy are bent to this world, to bee rich in kinges ſeruice; or Law; or merchandize: that many cannot be fitt Teachers; but men bent altogether that way: what is the ſoundeſt remedy, heere? Seeing the world will not admitt great chaing: and great learning ſhould bee plentifull: before great change would be to any good.

Anſwere.

The Vniuerſities ſhould vrge, great practiſe of the Hebrew Prophets & Greek Apoſtles, vſing all helpes of Thalmudiques and Heathen: by choſen guides: & all of skilfull actes, ſhould hauehave good recompence: And after certaine yeeres, none ſhould hauehave any praeferment, but of ſpeciall redineſſe in the trueth of holy ſtorie: where error troubleth as haereſie: & the people ſhould hauehave a moſt exact tranſlation; to which all the Realme ſhould hauehave their conſent: & ſo Scholars all ſhould hauehave a voice in Biſhopps proceedings: & reuenues: & be the only ſeniores in matters of learning: but for al Court matters, ſhould hauehave common Lawyers: & other officers in Societie with thē: & by learned ſermons ſhould make al of good conceipt; though not of learning to teach others. But all that the ſcholar ſhould do, is to be Angelus eccleſ. & to kepe him within p. 180that compaſſe. Some as in Geneua, bare ſcholars would in wickedneſſe, ouerrule the Senate: more then any Pope was euer knowen to doe. Men that will teach and ſpeak not precious matter, will be the deſtruction of the Goſpell. The zealous without knowledge, hauehave in this kinde done much harme; and when an vnlearned ſcholar is highly praeferred, and not brideled, he will hardly be kept from doing vnſpeakable miſchiefes: Ciuill auctority ſhould make a wall before ſuch, that they ſhould hauehave no whit of Popes auctority: where the Ciuill horne belongeth to the King: and only the horne for the heart, to Sheliach Zibbur, or orator of the congregation; So the Popes hornes be broken, as the Seleucians, & Ptolomeans when they tyrannized ouer the holy.

What may wee thinke of Buyſhopps, of which ſort many Popes and Cardinales bee.

The Talmud in Sanedrin concludeth, that if any giuegive money to be a Senior, they ſhould hold him, as an whipp for an aſſe. Maym. fol. the People, be the aſſe, that ſuffre him; and he is a ſcourge from GOD, for ſome badneſſe of theirs. And††This word ſignifieth, an earneſt preſſing of men in ſuing for offices: and bribing thē. Ambitus in Tulli was hated: and, Lege Iulia. And from Act. 8. called, Simonia: and one ſuch man may cauſe God to be openly angry with many; that he will not forgiue them in this world; but ſend open puniſhment vponupon them; though ciuill wicked hauehave their open reward heere: and the puniſhment reſerued, to the world to come: that is the meaning of the phraſe: forgiueneſſe in this world, and in the world to come. Math. 12. and Maymoni. tome. 1. Poenit. Perek. I hauehave knowen mighty mightily plagued; for Buyſhopps; ſome by their owne ſtrange death: ſome by many Children: and Sanedrin p. 181ſaith, others ſhould not be quiet, till they remoue ſuch from their ſocietie. And the wordes; thou ſhalt not make thee Elohim (Iudges) of Siluer or Gold: are of the Thalm. applyed hither wittily. And ſuch Buyſhopps in Diuinity be moſt high contemners of God, and they cannot ſpeake from God but from the Dracon.

Of the Pope, King of Kings.

And the auctority of the firſt, he practiſeth all before him.

L. Inter Claras C. de ſumma Trin. ſo all the Emperors now are confirmed of the Popes: which right in old tyme, Emperores vſed ouer Popes, As reaſon would: though a D. of a great towne as Rome, had great reuenues: to be hoſpitall, and to breed many learned, that was the intent of Princes in their great Liberalitie.

And he cauſeth the earth, and ſuch as dwell in it to worſhipp the firſt beaſt: whoſe wound vntounto death was healed.

In his confirmation of Emperours, he giueth them S. Peters bleſſing: and men worſhip them with title of Diui; when the Empire was once dead in Rome: and tranſlated to Bizantium, called new Rome: ſo that old Rome had continued a most filthy habitation of hoggs and oxen, but for the Popes ſupremacie: when he was worſhipped, as the old Caeſares. As Steuchus confeſſeth againſt Valla; lib. 2. BVT WHEN THE PONTIFICALITY WAS SET VP IN ROME; THAT ALL NATIONS, FROM EAST TO WEST, DID WORSHIPP THE POPE, NO OTHERWISE p. 182THEN OF OLD THE PROFANE CAESARES: He taketh autoritie to confirme the Emperors; & to make them of better eſtieme, with ſuperſtitious ſimple people. That is here plainly fore-told.

How long the Popes, the Starres falling; could not become mountaines of fire, to caſt themſelues into the ſea of the Empire.

Before Chriſtianitie came in policie to Rome, the People, and Doctores choſe the Father, as the Iewes did the Archiſynagogue: as all ſhould bee and were vnderunder heathen gouernement. And they ſhould bee of the Dragons poiſon, that would make any more adoe for their autoritie. When Chriſtians …eld the Empire; and Conſtantine lothing Rome that Crucified Chriſt, and the vnlearned Popes, that could not bring the Pallace to Chriſtianitie in 300. yeares. When holy Paul ſoone made Narciſſus bad folke, the beſt; and Peter if euer he had come there had done as much. So when Conſtantine remoued to Bizantium; his houſe and lieuetenant of Rauenna, confirmed the Popes, whoſe election ſhould bee authenticall: ſo when Charles the great after the ouerthrow of Deſiderius, king of the Lombardes; and of that kingdome, and came to Rome; Adrian the Father, (when Charles the great confirmed with greater priuileges, all that Pipinus had giuen to Gregory the third) to requite the benefites of Charles, calling an hundred and fiftie Biſhopps, maketh a Perpetuall decree. Nullum poſthac fore, Adri. 63. diſtinct.neque aliorum Templorum Antistitem, niſi quem Carolus, ſucceſſoreſque eius ſciuerint & iuſſerint; Auentinus lib. 4.refragantes huìuſmodi patrum, decreto, diris deuoti, eſt niſi reſipuerint adiecta proſcriptio.

p. 183That is:

That there ſhould bee no B. of Rome, nor of other Churches, except him whom Charles and his Succeſſores ſhould know and command (to be ſo.) They that withſtand ſuch a decree of the Fathers, are curſed; and vnleſſe they repent, a proſcription is added.

This conſtitution ſubtile Popes, in great diſſentions of Princes, brake: yet in the yeere 1314. Loduike Bauaras, reſtored the Empires right (much blotted) vntounto his whiteneſſe:Or Auentinus lib. 7. & ſeq. & Naud. & others. againſt Iohn 12. for when hee was excommunicated of the Pope. for entring into Italy with an army: and for ſetting Gouetners ouer Villages and Townes againſt his will. And becauſe he praeſumed as ſoone as hee was choſen, before hee was commanded of the Pope, to take vponupon him the name & right of the Empire; Hee with the Counſell of his Nobles made one Petrum Corbarienſen, a minorite, Pope: vſing his anceſtores autoritie & manner. And aſſembling men that knew diuine and humane Lawes, ſheweth that the Pope hath no right aboue Caeſare: But cleane contrary, the Pope with all ſpirituall high & low, ſhould be ſubiect to the higher power. Thus dealt this good Emperor; mild enough; or rather, too milde. And S. Paul borne to be a Biſhop of Rome, in Tarſus, free in Rome, told the ſame, Rom. 13. as he told from, 2 Theſ. 2. howe thence man of ſin would ariſe. If 2 Theſ. 2. had bene read of all Children, ſince S. Paul wrote, aged, moo then the Starres of Heauen, a million for a Starre, had knowen what the Pope is, and equall giltie, Cardinales; And our Archbuyſhopps in his canones, damned by common Lawes, following the light of Gods engrauement in ſoules. All Scholars that will bee ouerruling Ciuill matters, vnable to ſhewe skill in the Lawe, of one Iod or Prick, as our Lordes ſpeach p. 184requireth. Mat. 5. and will Archbuiſhopps be, and vrge athean othes, and impriſon better lettered by many yeares ſtudie then themſelues: and pine in Priſon vntounto death, full many which hold the trueth of redemtion in trades life better then they; are, in the Popes Giltineſſe heere: and ſpeake from the Dragon: And are ſure to goe with both into aeternall flames. The learned know that they to whom I now giuegive the Anathema Maran Atha, will ſooner goe to Bantam to fetch pepper, then replie. And as Ouid. ſpeaketh, that while the Romane Empire ſtandeth, his fables ſhould ſtand: ſo while the world ſtandeth, our reuiuers of Dracons bloody lawes, & others to profane God; ſhall ſtand, in this my blame, in my defence for our King and nations integritie.

Si quid habent veri vatum praeſagia.

By what Iudaique curſedly reuiued Ceremonie, the chiefe diuinitie D. of Rome, bewitched Emperors: to giuegive a ſpice of countenance, that the Pope was aboue the Emperor.

In Iudah; Kinges were annointed with oyle, praeſcribed by God, to Moſes: and it was death to imitate that oyle. The Thal. hath a full treatiſe of that. Thence all of witt will fetch it: No King was euer annointed with this, but Kings in hazard; King Moſes was not, King Ieſus was not, King Samuel was not, Saul not accepted was, Dauid not accepted was, Salomon in hazard by Adonijah was, and Ioaſh for Athalias ſtirre was. All this God alloweth. By the Peoples autoritie wicked Ioachaz, two yeares yonger then his brother, more wicked Ioakim, was: all theſe, to auoid diſſention. So annointment was ſtill the token, of a perſon doubted: whether the people p. 185ſhould accept him, or not. Now the Patriarke of Conſtantine: beginning annointement, of Emperours: as in Iustinius, the vncle of Iustinian, fame goeth; chalenged heerein no ſuperioritie, but would hauehave the Emperores that requeſted the Churches fauor, If they were ſtayned in open blame, to want that good will, till open repentance came. This had zeale and mans witt: but God forbiddeth to imitate Aharons ceremonies: namely in oinctments. No cheſt, might bee made like the Arke: no candleſticke; no Table; no curtaine; no building, like the holy. Touching our manner in England, thinke it began in token of freedome: as not vnderunder the Emperor, but equall. But ſeeing Prieſts were the annointers, Locuſts NOW in flames aeternall: it ſhould, with ſacrifice, Aharons cope, Leuites linen, and name of Prieſt be left off: If my poore opinion were worthie of accompt: if quietly they might: otherwiſe ceremonies of force were broken: as in Dauids eating of the ſhew-bread: and beeing deadly for vſe: as circumciſion for Galatians; yet in Timothie was repeted. So the wicked bookes of the Apocrypha whereof none hauehave one ſyllable of Chriſt: (though Galatinus would bring Baruc to him: In, God will bee ſeene vponupon earth) becauſe the fables ſpake of Iewes ſtories (whoſe trueth heathen denied) were receiued for mens weakneſſe. But when Greeks would make iarring ſayinges, true diuinitie: Iewes told Hagarenes their iudgement was weake: and ſo there the Goſpell found contemt: ſince the Pope annointed Emperores of weake autoritie: after hee deceiued the Empire: For 200. yea. warre that weakened Weſt Kinges, the oinctment was pleaded for a token of ſuperioritie; that the beaſt comming out the earth, might hauehave two hornes like Chriſts.

p. 186And he doth great ſignes, that he cauſeth fire to come downe from heauen, into the earth, before men: and he deceiueth the dwellers on the earth before the beaſt.

When Iſraels ſtate came farre badd; holy Elias made fier come downe from heauen: In memorie of that ſtorie; Iohn ſaw in his viſion fire come downe from heauen: betokening thereby any ſignes. Saint Paul told this in proprietie, that by falſe ſignes wicked Romylus, (Eſai 11. in the Venice Chaldy) ſhould deceiue, if poſſible, the very elect: becauſe they would not receine the louelove of the trueth: as Salomon warneth Ephraim, Prov. 3. the Emperors ſtrife was with the Popes for Auctority, litle or nothing for Diuinity, where they ſhould hauehave beene of beſt iudgement: as Charles the great was of great iudgement; that the Popes for feare of fall, by reſiſting a learned Emperor, decreed for him and his ſucceſſors, (as I ſhewed,) confirmation of Popes, that ſhould ſerue in Rome.

Of Papists miracles.

Neuer any commented vponupon any text, Bible, or Law, as the Papiſts doe vponupon their Miracles. The Ieſuites in the Indianes doe ſuch ſtrange Miracles, that Lucian de vera hiſtoria, would as well ſeeme true: as noble learned Saddeel nippeth Turrianus. And at dinners and ſuppers in ſtead of the Bible, they read the ſtories of their owne Miracles. So the Lady of Hales, made Iustus Lipſius, of a quicker ſpirite to his ſtile: as Bacchus made Ennius. And creeples come to Hales: but goe away leaping: So at Colen in a ſtage play, creeples came to S. p. 187Laurence, and went a way leaping. So in Walſingam: The Host was caried in Cambrige ouer the market place, in a coffer by two ſtrong men: and praeſently became ſo heauie, that both they could not cary it alone. And when they put drakes freſh blood to the wine: all (but Heretiques) may ſee the very wine, liuely blood. That men ſware by the blood of Hales: I heard a man, (in the ende; of true faith, and fatherlie cariage Rich. Meneuenſis) ſay: how his conſcience pricked him, when to Maſſe he vſed drakes blood. I know not but by confeſſion, whether this be true or noe. At Mentz townes end Eaſtward, in the brim of the fieldes, ſtandeth a lowe croſſe of ſtone: That way I walked with two Ieſuites, and a proſelyte, whoſe commendation from the Pope to the Biſhop; and they then ſitting with mee on a greene, deſired to read from Latin to Ebrew, for to plead for a principall Cardinalſhip. Of that ſtone croſſe, Pater Nicolaus Serarius ſaid, thus: Once a man drunke, armed with a ſword ſtroke this croſſe: and it poured out blood: and purſuite was made after the man: and hee was executed.

Then ſaid I; let the Biſhop, and all his Canons, that be not Lutherans (I know they will not try) take ſwordes and ſtrike all the croſſe, and if it ſhed one drop to my ſight: I will accept the Cardinalſhip offred: and be of your faith: as I am of Saint Peters faith already: and belieue no more then Epiphanius, that hee was euer at Rome: as he cared no more for Clemens Alexand. then did Patriarch Photius: and leſſe of Tertullian, hurt by Montanus. The onelyonly auctores that Euſebius could bring for Peter to hauehave beene at Rome. And that ſtrength beeing broken, p. 188all further teſtimonies are but winde. The Thalmud in San▪ requireth in teſtimonie eye-ſight. And for the newe Moone (though they knewe the Mathematiques) they vſed two mens teſtimonie that they ſaw the Moone (vnleſſe cloudes hindered) before they ordeyned the feaſts celebration: ſo God would hauehave the People to hold their eye-ſight iudge: as all ſimple muſt pleade ſure faith. So, ſtrike you this croſſe and make blood come forth to two witneſſes: which by Moſes Law muſt be my warrant: and then I will be of S. Peters faith in your ſenſe. Of the Catholike faith I am, and of the ancient faith, which holy Paul of Tarſus, Gygs land; and holy Luke of Magogs land, in Syria, taught and wrote from Moſes and the Prophets. Ep. 2. 20. Make blood come out of this ſtone, to my ſight and I will bee a Pſeudo-Catholique as yee are: vponupon this we turned to read the proſelytes letters: For whoſe teſtimony that I might hauehave had a Cardinalſhip principal at Rome. One M^r. Murton of Yorkeſhiere, deſired me to goe to Mentz, with him to heare that asked: and tooke occaſion in ſpeach of Cardinales, to aske what mine had bene worth: then ſaid hee, about 18000. french Crownes. But I ſhewed that Gods word was plaine, to all of the tongues ſtudie: and pure in all rules, to conuert any well meaning heart: & perfect to guide, through the whole courſe of life. I wiſhe others to belieue their miracles as I doe, who know that God made ſenſe a diuine teſtimonie: that a man conuicted vponupon two witneſſes, conuicted to worſhip bread and wine, ſhould dye the death. The Goſpell thriſe, and S. Paul 1. Cor. 11. tell that IESVS gaue bread and wine, and that the Diſciples dranke what hee gaue. That no miracle was heere, but the natiue manner of a Couenant. And if the Apoſtles or Greeke Fathers had ſaid; The Bread and Wine were altered, from their taſt, or nature, for ſo p. 189much: heathen would hauehave ſworne, the world neuer bare wickedder Magicians: nor worthier of death by Moſes Law: which Christ gaue, as aeternall God, and came as man, to bee iudged of man, how hee did performe all: ſo that the natiue power of reaſon which he planted in all ſoules, ſhould iudge of him; that he performed all iuſtice, to plaine capacitie of all nations: and required none to belieue further then logique common; to eueryevery man, would require aſſent: or tell of open rebellion againſt the trueth.

This alſo was a great miracle that Emperor Henry the VII. next Albertus; in ſeditions, comming to Italy where 60. yer. Emperores abſence,Naucler Gene. 44.Gen 44 gaue the Pope much auctoritie, when the king of Sicilie, Robert; made ſtirres: and the Pope Clement, V. fauored him, as a vaſſall, of the Church; and then kept at Auinion: he commanded both by the othe of fidelitie, to keepe the peace. He anſwering that he would take no ſuch othe: yet (by perſuaſion) would take the crowne of him, was ſoone after of Cardinales, by Dominican Bernehard poyſoning the Hoſtia, A Miracle of the Popes: tranſubſtantiating the bread into Poyſon.or the Sacrament of the Altar, ſent to Haides: becauſe he would be boūd to no man. The beaſt with two hornes, like a Lambe, in trueth the Dragon let looſe, after 1000. yea. Apoc. 20. did this miracle: The like was done to our K. Iohn, who ſhewed in the Abbot of Glaſsimbury, litle good will, to make Popes too fatt. And their dayly miracle told afore, of the Sacrament of the Altar, that men muſt belieue they hauehave no ſenſe; this Simon-Magus-bewitching of men; by Moſes Lawe ſhould put them to death: howe they would make their Images ſweate; by a fier and water, hid behinde them, in the Veſtrie, and tell how the ſainctes were angry, that men had no more zeale to offre to them; theſe were commonly knowen to them, that liued in our Fathers dayes: before valiant King p. 190Henry VIII. brake both the Popes hornes, and ate the fleſh of the beaſt. If Eraſmus Roterodamus, had liued to this houre, he could neuer hauehave ieſted ynough, with the Popes falſe miracles: as Saint Paul termeth them. Yet to this day eueryevery where Papiſts brag of their religion, as proued by miracles: and ſo, they prooue their doctrine to be new. Miracles are to bee wrought at the firſt deliuery of doctrine. When Adam firſt ſacrificed, fire from heauen kindled it: and Abels ſacrifice reſpected of God, (are in Octaplo,) were fired by God. That fire was kept vntill the flood. Then againe, Noes ſacrifice was kindled from heauen: And that fire was kept by great SEM, or Melchitzedeke. Abraham ſacrificing, had fire firſt (in recorde) from heauen: and in Moſes & Salomon, that is expreſly told, and thence gathered to the former: ſo when the Iewes came home from Babylon, they ſacrificed: no mention is made of their fire. Their priuate ſtorie, Salſeleth, Hakabala ſaith, they had fire form heauen. The abridgement of the ſenſeleſſe writer Iaſon of Cyren, called the ſecond of Maccabees: telleth an old wiues tale, of fire, turned as vntounto ſalt, and ſet againſt the ſunne, and ſo brought to inflame the ſacrifice.Theſe fables God hated, and forbiddeth. Tit. 1. 14. 1. Timoth. 1. 4. and 4. 7. and ſo his people will.Titus 1:141 Tim 1:41 Tim 4:7 Archimedes fire that ſet Roman ſhips on flame, at Syracuſa, with a Chriſtall Glaſſe of narrow paſſage for the ſunne beames, ſhould hauehave beene as holy a fire, as that of Iaſons fable: yet the Pope maketh great accompt of this inuention: as being ſo true as his miracles: whereby he would prooue new ſacrifice. Before the flood, Adam liuing longe to teach the truth, and the creation being all miraculous, we hauehave no properly told miracle, but our father Henochs aſſumption. Abraham reuiuing the world, did miracles: ſo Moſes beginning a new ſtate: and IESVS in his p. 191noble conqueſt, in ſtaying Sunne and Moone: and Samuel at Sauls inſtallation. Ezekias in great fall of tenne Tribes captiued, had the ſunne turned backe tenne degrees. To Babell the fire was quenched, Dan. 3. and the King made as a beaſt, chap. 4. Daniel ſtoppeth Lions mouths: and an handwriting damning the ſtate, chap. 5. Thus to nations firſt motion, or fall miracles are giuen: but to confirme no other religion, then agreeth with Adams. But the Pope will dayly tranſubſtantiate, and make a Lynceus belieue he cannot tell whether he ſee Bread and Wine: and ſo make a ſacrifice, as calling fire from heauen: which muſt kindle eueryevery ſacrifice. And whereas eye-ſight is Gods Teſtimony by Creation, law, and allowed euer, euen in the ſeale of the Couenant, which may conteine no matter litigious; He breedeth warres, to make haile & fire mixed with blood. All this Doctrine is from the mouth of the Dragon.

Saying to them that dwell in the earth to make an Image to the beast, which hath the ſtroke of the ſword, and is reuiued.

The earth, is the profane common world, oppoſite to the Church: The Image reſpecteth, Dan. 2. as the beaſt looked to Dan. 7. So the Pope ſhall challenge power to make Imperiall ſtate; termed Image, Daniel. 2. Padeuicius lib. 3. Capter 10. In Lotharius ſaxo, handled a plaine ſtory for this prophecie. Lotharius ſaxo, by perſuaſion, or ſuperſtition, caſt himſelfe at the Popes feete, as hee tooke the Crowne. The Romiſtes to make this a matter praeiudiciall to other Emperors, ſet vp a picture, when Lotharius was gone with this inſcription.

p. 192Rex venit ante fores, iurans prius vrbis honores,

Poſt homo fit Papa: ſumit quo dante Coronam.

That is,

The King before the doores doth come;

The Cities honors firſt hee ſweares:

That done; the Popes man he is made,

Of whom he takes the Crowne he weares.

Frederick the firſt was angry; ſaying, To bee the Popes man, was all one, as to be his ſeruant, or ſubiect: The Pope once tooke away the Picture: but ſoone after fearing, leſt the Emperours courage would wholy ſhake him off: thought to bridle him at the firſt; and vponupon ſtrife, by letters, he warned him, that he ſhould hauehave before his eyes, how hee had receaued the enſigne of the Imperiall Crowne from him. And a ſtirre riſing againſt this one of the Legates ſaid; Romanum imperium à Grecis tranſlatum est ad Alamannos: vt Rex Teutonicorum, non antequam, ab Apostolico coronaretur, Imperator vocaretur. Ante conſecrationem, Rex, post, Imperator. Vnde igitur habet imperium, niſi a Papa? Ex electione ſuorum principum habet nomen regis: ex conſecratione Papae habet nomen Imperatoris, & Augusti, & Caeſaeris. Ergo per Papam imperat: Recolite antiqua. Zacharias promouit Carolum Magnum, fecit ei nomen grande, vt eſſet Imperator. & vt posthac perpetuò rex Teutonicus eſſet Imperator, & aduocatus ſedis Apoſtaticae: vt Romano Epiſcopo Apulia, per eum pacata eſſet. Subiecta, quae Papae, cum Vrbe Romanae eſt, non Imperatoris: Roma, Papae ſedes est. Imperatoris p. 193eſt Aquis in Arduenna, quae eſt ſylua Galliae. Imperator quod habet, totum habet à Papa: ſicut Zacharias tranſtulit Imperium à Graecis ad Teutonicos; Ita Papa poteſt iam transferre ab Alemannis, ad Grecos. Ecce in poteſtate eius eſt, vt det illud cui vult, propterea conſtitutus à Deo, ſuper gentes & regna, vt aedificet & deſtruat, plantet & euellat. That is:

The Romane Empire was tranſlated from the Greeks to the Almanies: that the King of the Germanes, ſhould not be called the Emperor, before that he was crowned by one Apoſtolique. Before the conſecration he was King; after, Emperor: whence then hath he his Empire, but from the Pope? By the election of his Princes, he hath the name of King: by the conſecration of the Pope, he hath the name of Emperor, and Auguſtus, and Caeſar: Therefore by the Pope he rules: ſearch antiquities. Zachary promoted Charles the Great, he gaue him the name of Grande, that he might be Emperor: and that euer after, the German King ſhould bee Emperor; and aduocate of the Apoſtatique ſea. That Apulia, brought to peace by him, ſhould be ſubiect to the Romane Biſhop, which is the Popes together with the Citie of Rome, & not the Emperors. Rome is the Popes ſeat: The Emperours ſeat is Aquis in Arduenna, which is a wood in France. That which the Emperor hath, he hath wholy from the Pope: as Zachary tranſlated the Empire from the Greekes, to the Germans, ſo now the Pope can tranſlate it from the Almaines to the Greekes. Lo, it is in his power, that hee may giuegive it to whom hee will: and for that cauſe hee is ordeyned by God aboue nations, and Kingdomes, that he may build and pull downe, plant & root out.

p. 194This Oration of the Popes Legate, maketh a moſt liuelie commentarie vponupon the text following.

And it was giuen him to giuegive ſpirite, to the Image of the Beaſt, that the image of the Beaſt ſhould ſpeake: and cauſe that all who would not worſhip the Image of the Beaſt, ſhould be kill'd.

He quickneth the Empire, to hauehave power of life and death againſt the reiecters of his allowed Emperour: till he depoſe him, and ſet vp others.

Of ſubiection in all matters to the Pope.

And he cauſeth all both ſmall and great, both rich and poore, both free and ſeruants, that hee may giuegive them a marke on their right hande, or their forehead, and that no man may buy nor ſell, but he that hath the marke, or the name of the beaſt; or the number of his name.

Marke, in the hand; is oth of fidelitie, and ſubſcribing to his Supremacy.Naucl. Gen. 44.Gen 44 When Emperor Henry VII. refuſed to take oth of fidelitie, to obey Clement VII. he was ſoone after poyſoned in the hoast, C. 1. de Iure, Iure. in Clem.tranſſubſtantiated from wholeſome bread into poyſon. Becauſe he called great Aſſemblies and Scribes; and anſwered, that this was a new matter: and not ſeene in his praedeceſſors age; That the Prince of princes, and Lord of the world, ſhould be bound by an oth of fidelitie, to the ſeruant of ſeruants. The vicar, of the Dragon who was a murtherer from the beginning, ſhewed all his conſcience; that pretending to giuegive Chriſt our life, gaue death. After Henries p. 195death, Clemens being terrible, that Emperours ſhould bee redier, to ſweare vntounto fidelitie to the Bridgemaker of Rome, putteth foorth the contents of that oth.

Vt Caeſar Eccleſiam Romanam defendat, Haereticos exterminet, neque cum impijs vllum commercium habeat, vt privilegia quondam Romanae Eccleſiae conſeſſa quocunque tempore conſeruet: in primis, ea quae profecta ſunt à Conſtantino, Carolo Magno, Henrico, Othone IIII. Frederico ſecundo, Rodolpho, nequid Iuris in illas Eccleſiae Romanae facultates, atque poſſeſsiones, quocunque titulo ſibi vendicot, vt reliquas etiam vbiuis, Ecceſias earumque libertatem, ac Iura protegat &c. in Clementius ſub Tit. de Iure.

That is:

That Caeſar defend the Romane Church, expell haeretiques, nor hauehave any commerce with vngodly men, that hee ſhould preſerue the priuileges once granted to the Romane Church, at what tyme ſoeuer; and eſpecially thoſe, which proceeded from Conſtantine, Charles the Great, Henri, Otho 4. Frederik the ſecund, Rodolph: and that he chalenge not any right or power, vponupon any tytle ouer thoſe priuileges and poſſeſſions of the Church of Rome. That alſo he defend the reſt of the Churches wherſoeuer, their liberties, their lawes, &c. In Clem. ſub Tit. de iure.

Thus Emperors muſt defend all Popes Lawes: by which all his foes and haeretiques, cannot buy nor ſell. And all muſt hauehave auricular confeſſion: and all houſekeepers muſt pay a rickſ-penny for eueryevery chimney: and Prieſts be the exchequer men: & Chauncelors for eccleſiaſticall praefermēts; Buyſhoprickes, Abbeies, &c. that Kings and Emperours ſhould hauehave p. 196but ſmall force. And the Locusts ſhould hauehave the Lions teeth, to hold fast all that they caught: and ſhould be like Horſes praepared to warres: and ſhould hauehave Crownes vponupon their head, thought their King called himſelfe, the ſeruant of ſeruants: and bare the face of a milde priuate man: the Locusts had winges of Camps, and the breſt plates of yron, to command warre & peace as they would: that none ſhould be in the Commune Weale, but of their marke, by othe, & ſubſcription, or whole profeſſion.

Of the marke in the forehead.

Aharon his garments conteined the ſumme of religion: whereof one part, was a plate of gold in his bonnet, thus ingrauen: HOLYNESSE FOR THE ETERNALL. That is expounded, chap. 14. where the Chriſtians hating Idolatry, hauehave the name of God written in their forehead. As God will make knowen who be his: and all who call vponupon GOD must depart from wickedneſſe. So heere the hauing of his name in the forehead, is the profeſſion of his decrees. The ſaying of Aue Marie, went ouer all, to the poore beggars: and reuerence to the Croſſe: and comming to their moſt wicked Maſſe: and refraining from reading Gods Booke, but for licenced: and auricular confeſſion: briefly, all differing from their Dracoes lawes, was an heretique, and might neither buy nor ſell.

Of the name of the beast, and the number of his name.

That is, his owne name: So vſuall in ſtates, the Antecedent is for the relatiue; as Daniel chap. 9. The Gouernor ſhall destroy, the Gouernor owne people: for his owne. Through the Bible, p. 197the names giuen by the holy, abridge the ſumme of their life, God called the firſt man ADAM: which is alſo our commune name, MAN: to tell vsus eueryevery moment, that duſt wee are: and to duſt we muſt returne. Seth bare a warning, that onelyonly ſome of his ſhould be ſetled, when the flood made a moode of all the earth. Enoſh telleth of ſorrow: (that profaneneſſe ſprang inſtead of calling vponupon the name of God:) Cainan telleth of Lamentation due for that; Mahal-el, how the Almighty bringeth a mixture by water, vponupon all. Iared how all goeth downe: He nameth his ſonne Enoch conſecrated to God, to be an onelyonly man in the curſed world: and he told in his ſonnes name, when God would ſend the flood, Methu-Schelach; when he is deadp, reſently God ſendeth it. Lamech, borne in tyme of all ſorrowes, in his dayes the fathers died: and all to eueryevery ſoule that called vponupon God: and looked to ſaue their life by the Arke; els they had come to Noë: to hauehave gone into the Arke. Noë is conforter. All theſe be fathers to all in the world; and all degenerate, who deſire not to know the reaſons of their names. So through the old Teſtament the faithfull printed faith and ſtory in their childrens names. And the Booke of numbers, hath vnderunder propre names moo ſentences of faith then would make a great volume. So that without Ebrew much of the Bible wilbe vnknowen. So before the Captiuity of Babell the Godly gaue names to their ſonns, ſhewing hope of their defenſe, and helpe by Elam, of whom came Cyrus: one long before called his ſonne, Elam, another alſo calleth his ſonne, Elam: for inſtruction that Elam ſhould ſend the Iewes home. And God bleſſeth theſe two with moſt iſſue, Ezra. 2. Another calleth his ſonne Bagoas: by a famous Perſian name. Another calleth his ſonne Adonikam: God ſtandeth aboue all. Now the ſonnes of Adonikam p. 198were 666. God then meant to apply that to further matter: as ſeauens in the Bible call into minde the firſt Sabbath, reſted in hope of Chriſt; ſo ſixes, are commonly a memory of the ſad fall, and vſed in ſorrow. Holy Lamech liued yeares 777. then he reſted. In the ſix hundreth of Noë, the flood came. Nabuchadnezar his curſed Image, was in height, 60. cubites, In breadth 6. cubites. The gold brought from Ophir to Salomon, was 666. talents: as no long bleſſing, when after his death, Syſac King of Aegypt, hath all of the Temple for a ſpoyle. Now, Adonikam his ſonnes, 666. might ſhew that God would vſe that text to ſome ſad matter. Let vsus now examine the words of the Text.

Heere is wiſedome. Let him that hath wiſedome, reckon the number of the Beaſt. For it is a number attributed vntounto a man. And his number is, ſix hundred, ſixty ſix.

Adams wiſedome is ſhewed equall to Angells, in giuing names to beaſtes and foules, according to their nature: ſo that mans firſt wiſedome appeared how his ſoule bare the image of God, in fit names. His holy ſonnes folowed that: and all of wiſedome will examine what names they hauehave giuen: and ſee which of all them will fit the beaſt heere: the mans name may ſoone be found by 666. for onelyonly ADONIKAM of a man hath that number. Now the wiſedome ſtandeth in the nation of Adonikam: how the beaſt that hath hornes like a Lambe is fitted to that. Let vsus hauehave our ſtories, to ſhew how the Pope is fitted to this.Abbas Vſp. Naucl. Gene. 44.Gen 44 Innocentius the third bragged to Emperor Philip, that he would take from him the Diademe of the King, or he ſhould take from him, the Apoſtolicall p. 199(Apoſtaticall) enſigne. Christ ſaith; by him, Kings reigne and Princes decree iuſtice. And he is truly ADONIKAM: Lord, ſtanding vp ſure; for defenſe of his. And Innocentius of Adam, the earthly, of Enoſh the ſorrowfull: he will be ADONIKAM: ſimply, a Lord ſtanding ſure: and hauehave two hornes of the Lambe, though he ſpeake like the Dragon. Marke another; when Albertus ſon to Rodulph, following his fathers Example, ſought by entreaters the confirmation of his election of Boniface the eight, which bragged that he was Lord of the whole world; Then Boniface comming forth girded with a ſword, and wearing the Imperiall Crowne,Cuſpinianus in vitae Alberti. Naucl. Genet. 44. cryeth with a tyrannicall voice: EGO, SVM CAESAR ET PONTIFEX: and in a chafe he reiecteth the election, which was made without his Authoritie, as of no force, and friuolous, and refuſeth the confirmation: and called the Emperour a murtherer: ſo this Boniface had as braſen a face as Boniface the third, which bought ſupremacie of the murtherer Phocas: and vaunting that he is, TOTIVS MVNDI DOMINVS, LORD OF THE WHOLE WORLD, the name of the MAN which hath 666. attributed, ADONIKAM, wilbe his name; with the two hornes of the Lambe.

A repetition of the terme Rocke.

Speciallie, the terme Rocke, claymed of the Pope, to be his name, proueth him to hauehave this name, or notation of ADONIKAM. In this Conceit thus hee reaſoneth.

p. 200Peter is the Rock,

The Pope is as Peter. Therefore

The Pope is the Rocke.

So the Pope maketh himſelfe God, who only ſtandeth ſure: ADONICAM.

A digreſſion to a diſputation at Mentz, in the Promotion of a graduat in their commencement. 1601.

At Mentz in ſaluation yeere named, a commencer gaue the queſtion. I then printing in their owne Towne, a Greeke Oration of all my groundes in Religion, was requeſted by Pater Nicol. Serarius their D. principall, to come to the cōmencement. There they requeſted mee moſt vehemently to diſpute: that Rector made ſhorte the firſt reply. And I tooke the ſecond. This was the queſtion.

Romana Eccleſia est vera Eccleſia

Reply. Quae facit hominem ex patris ſemine immediate

Petram dici, eſt hoſtis Dei.

At Roma facit hoc: ergo, eſt hoſtis Dei.

Promotus. I deny the aſſumption:

Reply. The terme Rocke is neuer vſed in commendation, of Holineſſe and Conſtancie, but in God only: and is in the Law Deut. 32. ſix times tranſlated foreign: But the Greeke Lxx. durſt not tranſlate it ſo, leſt the Heathen ſhould ſay: The Iewes worſhip a Rocke for God: as the Iewes in Ieruſalemy in Abodazara, charge Heathen to make Godds of Rockes. So the Greek tranſlation deceiued the Greekes: and they hold all faithfull, p. 201Petres; and Andrew before Peter, was Petra. In Photij Bibliotheca. But ſaid I, Petra is God; Petros is one, that is made foreign to Chriſt, that is, godly. But in all the ſcripture, PETRA, is prayſe of holy Conſtancie, vnſpeakeable, which is neuer beſtowed vponupon a Creature. For the ground of Iſraell as quarry whence they came, as cut out: Abraham and Sarach is made the quarry: as of one quarry yeelding many. This tendeth onelyonly to multiplication: as of Deucalion, and Pyrrha, caſt ſtones ouer their head.

Vnde homines nati, duram genus.

Thence men ſprong vp, an hard (and ſtonie) ſtocke.

But touching Abraham, excepting faith, how much hee miſſed in duty towardes God; Rabbi Bechaia, doth ſo handle his weakneſſe in leauing Sarah to ſhame, that for that, all the harme of his ſeede leauing God, and afflicted in Aegypt did proceede. So no man may plead the terme Rocke, any commendation to them two. Otherwiſe it is neuer ſpoken of any bare Creature.

Anſwere. It is.

Reply. The text will neuer be brought forth, while the ſunne ſhineth, heere he was dumme: conuicted vponupon, nihil dicit. Then he ſaid, God communicateth his proprieties with vsus. As God is good, and men ſome.

Reply. Neuer is this in one, onelyonly. The Angels are called the ſonnes of God: But neuer one particular: ſo the faithfull are the ſonnes of God:Pſalm. 2.Ps 2 But no particular man, But, the ſonne aeternall, in whom they that truſt are happy. So your condemnation p. 202is ſure, that yee are Gods enemies: in making Peter God, and your Pope. God beeing only MICHA-EL: and a man. Michael. as Michaelis, belonging to God, Adonikam as in the poſſeſſiue: belonging to God which ſtandeth ſure: But ſeeing you hauehave miſſed herein: I will try you in an other argument.

If Rome crucified Chriſt: it is impoſsible for his vnchangeable iuſtice, not to plague Rome, while the world ſtandeth: though Pilate waſhed his handes: in the end hee kill'd himſelfe▪ and Pilates Vicars that waſh themſelues in titles of holineſſe, they runne to aeternall deſtruction.

But Rome crucified Chriſt.

Therefore it is impoſsible for Chriſt, to bleſſe Rome with any praerogatiue.

In wrath hee remembreth mercy in eueryevery place: but the mayne of iuſtice ſtill abideth. Ioctans ſonnes yeelded to Nemrod, to build Babel, for worſhipp to ſtarres. When all theſe holy Fathers were aliue to diſſuade them, Noë, Sem, Arphaxad, Selah, Heber: other faithleſſe had not ſo many holy to diſſuade; Nemrod, had but Cham and Chuſh, both wicked So of Cham by the Mother, all Iſraell and our Lord commeth. And for the Centurion, Math. 27. that acknowledged Chriſt to bee the Sonne of God. And the Centurion, in Capernaum, Luc. 7 who built the Iewes a Synagogue, and loued the nation, and paſſed all Iſraell in faith, Math. 8. And Cornelius, in Caeſarea that feared God with all his houſe, Act. 10. And for Sergius Paulus in Paphos, which ſent for Barnabas and Paul, and p. 203deſired to heare the worde of God, and belieued. Acts 13. And for Lyſias in Ieruſalem, Act. 23. And for Iulius the Captaine was ſo carefull for S. Paul, that for his ſake, the life of the priſoners were ſpared. Act. 27. God would not record this, but to ſaue millions of millions of Romes Clients for S. Paul: but for the vnthankfull to S. Paul, and forgets that Peter was at Rome, (who neuer came neere it) he ſtill reſerued Pilates holineſſe; that Popes ſelfe-murther, ſhould bee the reward. To this effect I ſpake.

Anſwere, I diſtinguiſh, as Rome is the ſeate of the Empire, it is curſed: But as it is the ſeate of the Pope, it is Eccleſia.

Reply. Vbi Lex non diſtinguit, ibi neque tu debes diſtinguere; ſed, quod das, accipimus: quatenus est ſedes imperij eſt maledicta: Atque Papa eſt Caeſar & Pontifex & mundi Dominus.

Ergo est maxime inuiſus Deo, & vos omnes estis pares.

Et quicquid ſcelerum Apocalypſis praedicit: diſcriminati ab religione Anglicana (multa veſtra & nobis ingrata) vos cauſam ſuſtinebitis, omnium: & in nostro deſceſſ… ab vobis, Geneuae c…uſſam ſuſtinebo: Geneuae ſenatus proba…t mea. Deinceps ad theſeis non ad Caluinum diſputabitis.

That is: Where the LAW, diſtinguiſheth not, you ought not to diſtinguiſh: but wee take that, which you grant. As it is the feare of the Empire it is curſed. But the Pope is Caeſar, p. 204and chiefe Biſhopp, and Lord of the world. Ergo, he is moſt of all deteſted of God, and yee are all alike. And whatſoeuer wickedneſſes the Apocal. doth foretell; ye beeing ſeparated from our Engliſh Religion, many (of thoſe wickedneſſes) are yours and vnpleaſing to vsus, ye ſhall maintayne the cauſe of all thoſe. And in our departure from you, I will maintaine the cauſe of Geneua. The Senate of Geneua hath approued my writinges. Henceforward, ye ſhall diſpute to your poſitions, not to Calvin.

Theſe arguments fitted to this queſtion I had: which the Ieſuites void of enuie, celebrated ouer Europe. But Midae Therſitae Satyroſcoptae Ptoliporthi, marred ſucceſſe, beeing amazed to heare that all Papiſts and Proteſtants who granted not, that the Creede ſpeaketh of the holy ſoules paſſage to the holy: be Atheiſts. The Ieſuites gaue me leaue to print all my religion, & allowed my Latin Concent: ſpecially vponupon Daniel chapter 9. So for ADONICAM, they grant all, or in reply muſt combat: which to doe, D. Iahannes Piſtorius refuſed beeing a chalenger. So as none is the ROCK but Chriſt: and ADONICAM but Chriſt. The Pope chalenging to bee the Rock, and to ſtand vp Lord of all; is in wiſedome giltie of chalenging, the name with the attribute 666. clayming the hornes of the LAMBE: which is all one as to bee ADONICAM. Thus Iohn ſpeaketh plainely, to the Iewes nation: which in their names conteined the ſumme of their ſtorie.

Theſe two Chapters well read, had made the Pope well knowen, to be Pilates ſucceſſor, not Pauls: Peters he could not bee; that neuer came neere any part of Greeke land. How God hated Rome, it may appeare: that S. Paul being willing of a long tyme, to confirme the Chriſtians there, hauing no p. 205Chriſtian Synagogue, and yet famous ouer the world. God would not, till the Iewes came to all extreamitie of ſhame, ſuffer Paul to goe to Rome: & Pauls warning that he ſhould bring Chriſts name before Caeſar, and his deſire to builde where none laid foundation, & to confirme them of Rome, and writing an Epiſtle to teach the firſt Principles: and his mention of bringing Chriſts name into the Palace, as not knowen there before: and the ignorance of the Synagogue, Acts. 28. that knew not what the Goſpell meant, but that it was in eueryevery place gaineſaid. This ſheweth that Peter was neuer at Rome. And Saint Pauls iourney telleth Rome that God hated them. If he had not beene ſought to bee killed, Lyſias had not ſent him to Caeſarea: and if the Iewes had not againe there ſought to hauehave killed him, hee had not appealed to Caeſar. God would not that hee ſhould come to Rome, but vponupon extreamities. So the iourney thither (ſhewed that Chriſt hated the Citie that crucified him) was ſtrange in calamities: and Paul was brought thither as a priſoner, and kept in priſon, though ſomewhat free.