A Preparative to Contention, Book · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
The Biſhoppe of Rome is yet more plainely deciphered to bee that very Antichriſt which was reuealed to Saint Iohn. Apoca. 13.
THe Biſhop of Rome (as before it is declared) making the greateſt ſhew of holines in the world, as if he were not only a Saint, or the ſon of God, but euen God himſelfe: hath entitled himſelfe with many holy, high, & wonderful names, and ſet himſelf fourth, as one moſt ready and beſt able to helpe and relieue the Church of Chriſt, both in the world & out of the world at euerie need: Howbeit, when he is thorowly conſidered of, and wiſely obſerued touching his doctrine, his ſtudies and his conuerſation, the former ſemblance and ſhew of high holineſſe, ſhall bee ſo ſhadowed and blemiſhed in his perſon, that nothing ſhall be found inhabiting and reſting within him indeede, beſides deepe hypocriſies, great abhominations, and horrible ſins. And that this faire ſhew of Angelicall holines is nothing elſe, but a guile to deceiue the Saints of God, as the Woolfe which is cladde in ſheepes clothing, the ſooner to take and deuour the ſeely ſheep. But as the rauening woolfe be wrayeth himſelfe by his voyce, by the maner of his feeding, and by other woluiſh euil qualities, to be no ſheep, but a wolfe, an enemy to the ſheepe: euen ſo I ſay again, hath the Biſhop of Rome ſufficiently deciphered himſelfe by his falſe doctrine, by his diuelliſh practiſes, and his abhominable life, behauior, and fruits, what he is indeede, that is to ſay, that very Antichriſt, to the horrour and dreade of all Chriſtians. Neither were al men ſo blinde in the time of his appearance,Ioh. Hus in An. Dom. 1415. but that by many of them he was plainely perceiued and abandoned. When Iohannes Hus in his time had founde him, he could not bee ſilent: and when Eraſmus had deſcried him, he pointed at him directly with his finger,Eraſmus. as who would ſay, I hauehave deſcried that hidious monſter, and lo there he ſitteth in the Temple of God,Th…y eſpied. Antichriſt, as a God. Hauing ſpoken of the dignitie of Chriſt our high prieſt, hee ſayth, Cum huius dignitate, compone vnius Templi Pontificem, qui Sacerdotium vnius anni, Inparaph raſ. In marc. 1 1.ab impio rege turpi precio redemerit. Confer nudum Ieſu caput, cum huius auro gemmiſque Lucente Tiara. VVith the dignitie of Chriſt, compare a Biſhop of one Temple, which hath bought a prieſtood laſting but for one yeere, of a wicked King, for a filthie ſum of money. Compare the bare head of Ieſus, with his tyre or Myter, all gliſtering and ſhining with gold and precious ſtones, &c. But when that Martine Luther in the ſame age,Luther. being about one hundred yeares after Iohn Hus, and in the yeere of our Lorde 1515, had eſpied the Romiſh iniquitie,Bulleng. in Apoc. 11. heming. Euchir: ca. 10. de Ordine. Ecclae. hee did not onelyonly point at, and diſcouer him, but alſo very earneſtly thencefoorth purſued him in hoate chace, maugre the loud lowing of all Romiſh Bulles, and the madde malice of Apollyon that deſtroying Diuell.
And thus hauehave Iohn VVickliffe, and Zuinglius, and Ochinus, and Bucer, and Bullenger, and Munſter, and Caluine, with many other right learned and famous men in the Church, iudged of the Biſhop of Rome, and written agaynſt his abhominations, nothing fearing to depaint him forth as that Antichriſt ſo much ſpoken of, and to purſue him to the death, with the moſt profounde Arguments of Gods worde. Neither may we thinke that anie of thoſe men before named, hauehave beene the firſt Authours of this opinion: but that Irenaeus, and Arnulphus, and other holie Martyrs and Fathers of the Church, which liued full manie yeares before them, hauehave in theyr tymes conſidered and after a ſort reuealed the ſame: whoſe wordes and teſtimonies thereof here to write, woulde bee too tedious, and to no purpoſe, beeing by others alreadie ſo often and plainly noted.
Moreouer, it is certaine, that Baptista Mantuan, Laurentius Valla, Franciſcus Petrarchus, Marſilius Patauinus, Hieronimus Sauanorola, and Ioachim Abbas, who ledde theyr lyues in the Citie of Rome, euen in the face of the Pope, and his Cardinalles, and were ſometymes partakers of the ſame fayth and Religion, hauehave in theyr wrytings much complayned of the wickedneſſe of the Church, and did not onelie vnderunder certaine ſimilitudes, and darke ſpeeches couertlie, but alſo ſometimes in plaine tearmes openlie declare to the VVorlde▪ that Antichriſt reigned in the ſucceſsion of the Popes, or among the Biſhoppes of that Sea. And of this wee alſo are not ignoraunt, that from the Popes holineſſe, there is gone foorth a farre greater hypocriſie into all the worlde, then that which went foorth from the Prophets of Ieruſalem into all the lande of Iuda. Ior. 23.15.Howbeeit the moſt part of all men (hauing their eyes enchaunted with his ſorceries, and their hearts hardened through vnbeleefe) can neither feele, nor perceiue ſuch a thing, vntill that they, with the Kings of the earth, and earthlie minded men, hauehave deepelie pledged him in the venemous dregges of his fornications.
666 The number of the beaſt.2 Others alſo hauing good vnderſtanding, hauehave reckoned the number of the beaſt, and hauehave founde it to bee (as Iohn ſaide) Arithmos Anthropou, The number of man, that is to ſay, either ſuch a number as may bee by mans reaſon vnderſtoode, or ſuch a number, as concerneth man, as that Antichriſt ſhoulde bee a man, or in and among men. And that his iuſt number is, ſixe hundred ſixtie and ſixe. In the which number indeede is contained, not onelie the Time when Antichriſt ſhoulde bee borne, when he ſhoulde be reuealed, and how long he ſhould raigne in his might and great pompe: but alſo the nation, the place, the pride, the ingenie, the power, and nature of Antichriſt.
How to reckon the number of the beaſt.Some hauehave taken the time to commence, from the Conception of Chriſt, and from thence to bee reckoned vntounto the yeare of our Lorde, 666. And this reaſon they hauehave for it, that as euerie vertue hath to it a vice oppoſed, and agaynſt the light is ſet the darkeneſſe: ſo Chriſt findeth his Antichriſt.Chriſt and Antichriſt are in the world at one time. Chriſt was no ſooner conceiued by the holie Ghoſt, but by and by Antichriſt was conceiued by the ſpirite of the Diuell: the one in the wombe of the Virgine: the other in the hearts of worldly men.
Indeede, it is true, if this place bee vnderſtoode of that generall Antichriſt. For there is not onelie a Christ, to ſaue, but alſo an Antichrist to deſtroy, as the ſeede of the woman, and the ſeede of the Serpent. But it is certaine, that Saint Iohn by prophecie poynteth at ſome ſpeciall and notable Antichriſt to come afterwarde.Bul. in Apo. 13. con. 611 Aret. in. apo. 13. And in that reſpect, the learned hauehave taken the ſupputation of the time from the Reuelation of this myſterie to Saint Iohn in the Iſle of Pathmos, the which was (after the iudgement of Irenaeus) in the latter time of Domitian the Emperour, who was a mightie perſecutour of the Chriſtian Religion, and a contemner of Chriſt.A Chriſte nat. anno. 97. ad anno. 764. And this was (as Euſebius ſayeth in his Chronicles) about nintie and ſeauen yeares after the Natiuitie of Chriſt. Nowe from thence, if yee reckon 666. yeares, that is to ſay, vntounto the yeare of our Lorde 764,The begetting conceiuing, &c. of Antichriſt. and diuide thoſe yeares into ſixe ſeuerall ages, or times, (accounting for eueryevery time 111. yeares) yee ſhall find, 1. How that Antichriſt was begotten: 2. How hee was conceiued: 3. Howe hee was formed: 4. How he was quickened: 5. How his Dame groaned towardes the birth: 6. How hee was borne and brought foorth. Then from thence againe, if yee reckon 666. yeares, that is to ſay, vntounto the yeare of our Lorde 1430. and part that number into ſixe other ages or times, ye ſhall perceiue therein: 1. The nourſing: 2. The growing vp: 3. The policie: 4. The practiſe: 5. The power: 6. The chiefe pompe and triumph of that Antichriſt. And ſo yee ſhall hauehave for his begetting and conceiuing 222. yeares: for his forming, and quickening 222. yeares: for the groning and birth, 222. yeares: for his nurſing and growing, 222 yeares: for his policie and practiſe, 222. yeares: and for his power and chiefe glorie, 222. yeares: being in the whole 1332. yeares. And I thinke my coniecture probable enough, that the Angel in Daniel, 12, 12. ſpeaking of the two times: and alſo of the 1335. dayes, rightly aymed to the ende of thoſe 1332. yeares, beeing about the yeare of our Lord 1429. For if from this number 1335. ye take 3, and then diuide the remainder into 2. parts, according to the rule of Mediations, ye ſhall finde the verie number 666. in either part. Thirdly, that which remaineth of the time, whether halfe a time, or the diuiding of the time:The declination and ruine of Antichriſt. or part of a time (as the Lorde in his ſecrete councell hath decreed it) concerneth the deteſtation, the purſuing, the wounding, the languiſhing, the waning, and the ruine of that Antichriſt. And this, who ſo waiting commeth to beholde in the ende of thoſe 1335. dayes, is accounted happie,Dan. 12.12 by the teſtimonie of the Angel. Therefore, as we doubt not, but that we are happie whom the Lord hath reſerued to theſe times, wherein that Antichriſt is loathed, is purſued, is wounded, doth languiſh, droope, and runne daylie towards his ruine and vtter decay: ſo do we alſo expect in faith, that (as the Lord hath promiſed) for the choſens ſake, the time of his raigne ſhall be ſhortened and that his finall deſtruction is neare at hand.
That Antichriſt whereunto Iohn poynted is found in Rome.3 VVhat things hauehave beene wrought and done in the Empyre, and Sea of Rome, as manifeſt notes of that Antichriſt, and well worthie the obſeruation, within euerie one of thoſe ſeuerall times or Ages, I minde not heere at large to diſcourſe: but after a fewe wordes thereof, to referre them, that are willing to vnderſtand the ſame, vntounto the generall Councels, the Centuries, the Eccleſiaſticall hiſtories, the Chronicles, and writers of thoſe times. It is moſt certaine,VVhen the miſterie of Iniquitie began to worke. that this miſterie of iniquitie beganne to worke effectually, euen then, when S. Iohn ſawe theſe things reuealed vntounto him, and wrote of them vntounto the ſeauen Churches in Aſia, and ſayde alſo in his Canonicall Epiſtle, that euen then was that laſt time, wherein that Antichriſt (before propheſied of) ſhould come; & ſo from thence continued working from age to age, vntounto the yeare of our Lord 764. At which time the monſtrous Babe was borne at Rome, The birth of Antichriſt.and (after a ſort) reuealed in the world with no little wonder. And then foorthwith the Biſhop of Rome beganne to forget all Chriſtian humilitie, the former pouertie of the Saints, the miniſterie of the word, and ſuch like; and (beeing enriched with thoſe great rewards which king Pipine, and other princes beſtowed on him) hee exalted himſelfe beyond meaſure, and gladly embraced that proude name Vniuerſall Biſhop; which was giuen to Antichriſt by the tyrant Phocas, Phocas named the childe.whereof alſo Gregorie had before propheſied, when hee ſayde, that the Biſhop of Conſtantinople which before that, vſurped that Name, was the fore-runner or herauld of Antichriſt: meaning that he, that ſhould next after him accept of the ſame title, was indeede that Antichriſt. Neither hath there beene any other (beſides the Biſhops of Rome) ſithence that time, that hath challenged and retained this Title. From thence forth the Pope exalted himſelfe more & more, in the church aboue al other Biſhops,Decret. Nicol. 1. papa. D. 21. in tant. & Nunc. D. 22. c. 1. d. 9. S. 1. Rom d. 96. vniuam. Patriarks, prieſts, miniſters, preachers: and alſo departing from that obedience which belonged to the Emperor, he vſurped on the ſeculer & ciuill power: ſo much that the Emperour decreaſed in authoritie, which the Pope arrogated to his own holines, & in proceſſe of time, preſumed moſt impudent (as a malepert babe) to face his Lorde the Emperour,De Maiorat & obed. Solit. Carion in Iuno. to thruſt downe his crowne with his foote, & by way of an odious compariſon, to preferre himſelfe to the Emperor, as the Sunne is preferred to the Moone in beautie and brightneſſe, with the abuſe of that place of Scripture:The Pope would no longer obey, but rule ouer the Emperour. Gen. 1.16. God made two great lights: a greater light to rule the day, and a leſſe light to rule the night. Yea, beyonde all this, he aduaunced himſelfe in all things aboue Peter, whoſe ſucceſſour hee is called, and whoſe ſword hee would beare, aboue Chriſt Ieſus, whoſe vicar he is ſuppoſed, and, (if not aboue, yet) equall with God, a ſeruant vntounto all, whoſe ſeruants he was named. Lo here was that departing of which ſaint Paul propheſied, 2. Theſ. 2.3. For now the chriſtians for a great part reuolted frō the faith of Chriſt, and from their obedience to their kings & Emperors, & willingly yeeld themſelues thrals and bondmen to the biſhop of Rome: that is to ſay, to Antichriſt, that child of Perdition, their rebellious head and Captaine.
4. Surely, if we conſider thoſe 111. yeeres which immediatly followed ye former 666. yeares,The nourſing of Antichriſt. & were referred to the nourſing time of Antichriſt, we ſhal perceiue how prettily he pearked vp, and began to diſcouer himſelf in the church of Rome. And by that age & time we ſhal eaſily conſider & iudge of al the ages ſucceeding: that is to ſay, by the conſideration of this nourſing time of Antichriſt, we may coniecture of his power, policy, practiſe & pompe. About the end of thoſe former 666. yeeres,Adrian 1. An. 764. in An. Do. 764. Pope Adrian the firſt, occupied the See of Rome, and held the ſame about 23. yeeres. As this Pope exalted himſelfe aboue his brethren, & hunted after the riches and glory of the world: ſo alſo he was a great Idolater. In this Popes time was holden the 2. Nicaene Synode, VVorſhipping of Images.which the Greekes call the 7. general Synode, in the raigne of Irene and Conſtantine her yong ſonne. In this Synode by the commandement of the Pope, fortified by the power & authority of the Emperor, Baſilius, the Biſhop of Ancyra, Theodorus Cyrus, the B. of Myron, & Theodoſius the B. of Amorie, Sum. con c. fol. 277. Baſilius Theodor. 9.and ſome other biſhops, were conſtrained to recant their opinions againſt ye worſhipping of the Images of Saints. And in the ſaid Synode it was decreed,Theodoſius Biſhops of the Epheſians. by the cōmandement of the pope, & the conſent of the ſaid Irene, that Images ſhuld be reſtored & placed in the churches, that ſaints ſhuld be worſhipped as the ſons of God, that their reliques, and the aſhes of the martires ſhould be reuerētly honored: that alſo was then & there confirmed by a general conſent, which Phocas had before that time cōmanded: namely, that the B. of Rome ſhould be the higheſt in authority ouer al other biſhops, & yt the church of Rome ſhould be the head of al other churches: & that whoſoeuer ſpake or taught contrary to this decree, he ſhuld be anathematized & cōdemned.Teraſius patriarke of Conſtantinople, In conſideratō therof Teraſius, then patriark of Conſtant. which was preſēt at that Synod being demanded by the popes cōmandemēt, whether we wold conſent to theſe & ſuch other matters which wer cōtained in a certain epiſtle which the Pope had written to the Emperour and Empreſſe: he, fearing what would enſue the contrarie, anſwered in theſe words. Nos patrum, praeceptis imbuti, Sum. Concil. fol. 277.ſic confeſſi ſumus, & confitemur, concordamus, & vim, Literarum Lectarum confirmamus, & Imaginum picturas, ſecundum priſcam patrum traditionem, recipimus, & has deſiderto noſtro adoramus. That is, VVe being inſtructed in the precepts of the Fathers, hauehave ſo confeſſed, and do confeſſe, concord, and confirme the force of the Letters, which hauehave beene read: and the pictures of Images, according to the ancient traditions of the Fathers, wee doo receiue, and the ſame with all our deſire we do adore. Theſe and ſuch like notes of Antichriſt, appeare in the Romane Biſhoppe, euen in the nourſing time of the Babe which (as ye heard before) was commended in the dayes of Pope Adrian, Adrian. 1.the firſt: 666. yeeres from the acte of his conception, and was continued vntounto the 777. yeere of the ſame, about the yeere of our Lord and Sauiour, 875: that is, vntounto the latter time of Pope Adrian the ſecond,Adrian. 2. Iohn. 9. and at the beginning of Pope Iohn 9. which ſucceeded the ſaid Adrian 2. Both theſe Popes hunting eagerly after the kingdome and honour of the world, worſhipping ſtraunge goddes, vſurping authoritie ouer all Biſhops and ciuill magiſtrates whatſoeuer,Cent. 9. ca. 10. ſtirring vp and broaching bloudy warres, commanding diuers errours, idolatries, and ſuperfluities to be vſed and obſerued for their owne honour and filthie Lucre, did rather encreaſe, then any way let or diminiſh the iniquitie of that place. Neither vnlike vntounto theſe, were all the reſt that ſucceeded them in that See, as namely Martine 2. Agapetus, Adrian 3, Baſile, Stephan 5. Formoſus, Boniface 6, Stephan 6, Romanus, Theodorus 2, Iohn 10, Benedict 4, Leo 5, Chriſtopher Sergius 3, Anaſtaſius 3, with others: vntounto the yeere of our Lord, 986. and the yeere of Antichriſt, 888.
5 Al this was yet in the noneage of Antichriſt, The time of the thouſand yeeres. Apoc. 20.23.and within the cōpaſſe of thoſe thouſand yeeres wherin Satan was bound vp from ſeducing the Saints of God. Apoc. 20.2. But it ſeemeth very ſtrange that Antichriſt could be gotten in the Church and brought forth into the world, within this time of Satans reſtraint & thraldome: were it not that the Lord had permitted this Deceiuer to worke the miſterie of iniquitie, and to ſeduce by ſtrong deluſions, them that would not beleeue the Goſpel. And if that Antichriſt preſumed to be ſo malepert in that time of his nonage, what may we think that he did then, when he was come to his full growth and power? that is to ſay, the ende of thoſe 1000. yeeres, at what time his curſed Sire was lette looſe to deceiue the world. Although by the 1000. yeeres, may be vnderſtood all the time of the free preaching of the Goſpel, and light of the word of God, whereby the diuell is reſtrained his libertie: yet may we not imagine, but that as the Lord hath appointed yeeres, dayes, and times, in yt which he hath wrought & doth worke, and bring things to paſſe for the comfort of his choſen people: ſo by 1000. yeeres, & 1335. daies, and by this number 666. & ſuch like, he would ſtir vp the godly to a due conſideration of his prouidence, & a diligent ſearching out, and triall of the truth of his word, which performeth al things yt hee hath foretold vsus by the Prophets in the due time. A notable ſtay to our faith, and comfort to our ſoules. And indeede, after the full expiration of a thouſande yeeres, beeing reckoned from the birth of Chriſt, which bounde vp the diuell vntounto the time of Pope Silueſter the ſecond,Silueſter 2. who (as it is written of him) gaue himſelfe to the diuell to be made a Pope, and by wicked Arts aſpired to the Popedome, wherein hee neuer ſerued God, but daily ſerued the diuell: then the diuell raged indeede in the Papacie, like a ramping and roaring Lion, lately lette looſe from out of his Denne, and ſo continued (by the ſufferance of the lord) for the little ſeaſon, Apoc. 20.3. that is to ſay, vntounto the end of thoſe latter 666. yeares, about the yeere of our Lorde 1430. In and by all the which time, to the ende that he might ſeeme holy and moſt glorious, and not to doo any manner of hurt then,The policie of Antichriſt. when hee did moſt harme and villanie; and that the deceiued world might not perceiue his trecherie and legerdemaine, hee tooke away from the people the light of the Goſpel, without the which the worlde could not but periſh, that beeing blinded and nooſeled vp in ignoance and groſſe errours, they might not be able to diſcerne betweene truth and falſhood, and beeing terrified with his excommunications and tyrannous crueltie, they might take on them the marke of the Beaſt: and then hearing none other doctrine deliuered to them, but that onelyonly which tended to the exaltation and worſhip of the Beaſt, and the deſtruction of Chriſtian ſoules, they might beleeue that not Ieſus Chriſt, but the Pope onelyonly, could ſhut vp the Gates of hell and death from them, and open vntounto them the doore of heauen with Saint Peters keyes, which they thought he alone had in his power and poſſeſſion. Heereof it enſued, that the ſeduced ſoules worſhipped him with all holy reuerence,Names and Titles attributed to Antichriſt. honoured him as a God, and accounted him woorthie theſe and ſuch like high Titles: vz. The moſt holy Father, the head of the Church, the Prince of Prieſts, the Vniuerſall Biſhoppe, the Popes holyneſſe, the Lorde of Lordes, the Kings of Kings, the Vicar of Chriſt, the Succeſſour of Saint Peter, the God of the Earth. And hee hath beene taken among them of that Religion, for his Primacie, as Abel;Bernard. conſ. li. 2. ad Engen. for his gouernment, us Noah: for his Patriark-ſhippe, as Abraham: for his order, as Melchizedech: for his dignitie, as Aaron: for his authoritie, as Moſes: for his iudgement, as Samuel: for his power, as Peter: and for his annointing, as Chriſt. Wherevppon his Legates alſo and proude Cardinalles and Prelates were aduanced, not onelyonly in the ſeculer affaires equall with Kings and Princes, but alſo in the Church aboue them and all others. And heereof was it, that the Clergie gaue him theyr firſt fruites and tenths, and daily remembred him in theyr Maſſes and Oriſons, that euerie man that had fire made within his Houſe, was contented to pay his Romeſcot and Peterpence to his holyneſſe, and that the more parte of all perſons, then deemed their landes, Money, Plate, Iewels, and ſuch things as they had, beſt beſtowed, deuiſed, and diſpoſed, (cheefely at the time of their departing out of this worlde) when with the ſame they could bee perſwaded by theyr ghoſtly Fathers, to purchaſe from the Pope, Indulgences and pardons of their ſins, and promiſes of releaſes out of the faigned fire of Purgatorie, by Maſſes, prayers, and ſuperſtitious obſeruations after their death: then the which there was neuer any deceit and trecherie more heinous & diuelliſh: wherat the diuel laughed, & was moſt glad, that by ſuch a meane he could ſo multiplie his members, & enlarge his kingdom with the ſeruice of ſo many dammed ſoules.
The wounding of Antichriſt.6 Now within this age, and towards the latter end therof, that notable member of Chriſt, Iohn Hus the Bohemian, and that worthie preacher of the Goſpel, Iohn VVicliffe the Engliſhman,Iohn Has Ioh. VVicliffe did both preach and write againſt thoſe enormities and abhominations,Sir Iohn Oldcaſtle. Lord Cobham. Anno Dom. 1413. for the which they were both condemned for hereſie, by the counſell of Conſtance, and moſt vniuſtly martyred. For the like Sir Iohn Oldcaſtle, the Lord Cobham was martyred. And very neere vntounto this time, Hierome Sauanarola taught in Italy, that the pope of Rome was that very Antichriſt, for the which Alexander 6. cauſed him to be cruelly burned at Florence. Hierome Sauanarola.Yet the Lord letted not to ſtirre vp others that ſhould (as faithfull witneſſes) declare his truth,Anno. Dom. 1499. An. 1517. to the diſcouerie and wounding of the man of ſinne, and to the ſhame of the diuel. Among others, Martine Luther preached againſt the Popes indulgences and pardons,Martin Luther. he wrote an epiſtle to pope Leo 10. concerning the ſame argument, and called many things in queſtion, touching the ſupremacie of the Biſhoppe of Rome: for the which hee was alſo troubled and condemned moſt falſely for an Arch-heretike, who neuertheleſſe preached the Goſpel, wrote many-bookes, and proſpered vnderunder the happie defence of that noble Frederike Duke of Saxony.Fredericke the Duke of Saxonye.
Soone after this, not onelyonly the ſaid duke of Saxonie, Philip of Heſſ.and alſo Philip the Landgraue of Heſſa, Germanie.with all Germanie, forſooke the Biſhop of Rome, and refuſed any longer to obey vntounto his falſe and erronious traditions: and the whole ſtate of religion was altered among them: but alſo Clement the Pope,Pope Clement. Charles 5. grewe contemptible in the hearts of the Emperor Charles 5, and other Princes: for about that time the ſaide Pope (notwithſtanding his pompe and glory) was aſſaulted by the duke of Burbone, Duke of Burbon. Polid. Virg. de prodi. li. 1.and driuen to the Caſtell of Angelo, where he was beſieged, and conſtrained as a priſoner; in the conceit whereof, and through ſome other ſuch pearcing wounds, he ſhortly after ended his daies, & gaue a farewell to all happineſſe. England alſo, about this time,England. groned to be eaſed of his intollerable yoke; and in the yeare of our Lord, 1533, and the 25. yere of the raigne of that moſt worthie king of happie memorie Henrie the eight,Henrie the eight king of England. King of England, in his high Court of Parliament, an eſtatute was concluded & made, which authorized the ſaid king, to be ſupreme head of the Church of England, Graft. in Chron.next vnderunder Chriſt: whereby alſo the Pope, and all his Colledge of Cardinals, with all their Indulgences and Pardons, were vtterly aboliſhed out of England. In this Parliament were giuen to the Kings highneſſe, the fruits and tythes of all dignities and ſpirituall promotions, which before that the time were paid to the Pope and his Cleargie.
7 Thus the beaſt was dayly pricked,The fall of Babilon. and pearced, and Babylon was ruinous, and fell more and more. For, many other mightie penſions and payments, taxes, and exactions, were withdrawne and deteined from the Popes holineſſe; diuerſe Monaſteries, Frieries, Abbaies, Nunneries, Colledges of Idolaters, and Cels of Superſtition, were throwne downe to the ground, & made deſolate: the pompe and glory of Antichriſt nowe being at the full, by theſe & ſuch like meanes, was wonderfully abated: wherby he languiſhed, drooped and drew towards his death. For in this time, the cleare light of the goſpel being preached, which had ſo long time bin ſhadowed with obſcure cloudes of errours, Satan was ſeene where he rouſted in the church of Rome, to the loath of all good men: and that olde Serpent which had deceiued the world, was by ye powerfull word of God haltred vp again, and that child of perdition was purſued, and in eagre chaſe ſo neare tired, and the chaſe ſo continued, that he ſhall (I hope) ſhortly be forced to giuegive ouer, & yeeld to vtter confuſion, and Babylon ſhall be laid waſte: which the Lord in merciemercy graunt for the comfort of his people, and his owne high glorie.
The continuance of the raigne of Antichriſt. Mart. in Chro. Sigebertus. Platina. Ranulph. li. 5. cap. 32.8 There be ſome which by this number 666. hauehave noted the continuance of the raigne of Antichriſt (and that not without ſound argumēts) from the time of Pope Iohn 8: otherwiſe Pope Iohan (being indeed a woman, which diſſembling her ſexe, and at length (by the wicked ſocietie of a carnall Cardinall) was begotten with child, in the trauaile and deliuerie whereof, ſhe died in the open aſſemblie) in Anno dom. 857: vntounto the dayes of Pope Leo 10. in An. do. 1523. Others hauehave accounted the time from the dayes of Pope Benedict. 3, in Anno. dom. 860. and the beginning of Pope Nicholas his ſucceſſor which both had in them notable markes of Antichriſt (as in their doctrines and liues conteined in hyſtorie it appeareth) vntounto the latter time of the forenamed Leo 10,Platina. Baleus diſt. 96. lib. pontif. Granzius. Cent. 9. ca. 10. Antichriſt was fully reuealed. and the beginning of Pope Adrian 6: about the yeare of our Lord 1526.
In or about this time, Luther, and Oecolampadius, and Zuinglius, and Eraſmus, liued, and ſpake, and wrote many things touching this Argument. And before the which time (eſpecially within the compaſſe of 222. yeares) the Roman Biſhop was plainly diſplayed to be that verie Antichriſt: the Popedom was become a verie carnall Prieſthood: Rome was a filthie Cage of all vncleane birds, and the Church of Rome was throughly ſtained with all Idolatries, and wicked fornications, wherewith alſo the kings of the earth were polluted. At the ſight whereof, the right godly men of that time yearned in their hearts, and could not be ſilent to the death.
9 Laſtly, if we ſhould account the whole time of the raigne of Antichriſt, from the looſing of Satan,The end of the 1000. yeres when Satan was looſed. which was (after our account) in the dayes of Pope Sylueſter 2, being now about 596. yeares ago, at what time the light of the Goſpel was ſhadowed; the word of God was not preached, but neglected of them that had chiefe places in the church: wherat Satan had libertie to breake foorth, and to worke this myſtery of iniquity: yet, cannot his time be continued full three ſcore yeares now to come, which are nothing elſe but his drooping dayes, and time of his trauell and ſorrow, and the which alſo, the Lord may (if he will) diuide and ſhorten, for the comfort of his Saints that daily cry, How long wil it be, O Lord, holy and true, ere thou iudge and auenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?