A Treatise Concerning Antichrist, Book 1 · Chapter 5

A Treatise Concerning Antichrist · Book 1 · Chapter 5

p. 63Chap. 5. Of the pride and ambition of Antichrist, aduancing himselfe aboue all that is called God, &c.

1. BVt Antichrist is not onelyonly hostis an enemy to Christ, but also (as our aduersaries confesse), aemulus Christi, that is, such an aduersarie as is opposed vntounto Christ in aemulation of like honour, as the word Antichrist doth also signifie. It remaineth therefore that wee should speake of the pride and ambition of Antichrist…, whereby hee seeking to match Christ our Sauiour, aduaunceth himselfe as the Apostle speaketh Aboue all that is called God, or that is worshipped, insomuch that hee sitteth in the temple 2. Thess. 2. 4.2 Thess 2:4of God, as God, shewing himselfe that hee is God, or as the Papists themselues reade, as though hee were God. Where (for auoiding of errour) we are to vnderstand the pride of Antichrist Vulgat edit. …em.to be described such as is incident to a wretched man, p. 64a man of sin, a sonne of perdition. And the greatest pride that is incident not onelyonly to any man, but to any creature, be it the diuell himselfe (whose Satanicall pride Antichrist was to imitate and not to exceed) is this, to seeke to be as God. When as Es. 14.Isa 14therefore it is said that Antichrist aduanceth himselfe aboue all that is called God, or that is worshipped, it is not meant that hee shall seeke to aduaunce himselfe, aboue God or the deitie it selfe: For God being infinite in goodnesse, excellencie and power, there cannot bee conceiued a better, a superiour, a greater. And therefore wee cannot imagine how Antichrist should aduance himselfe aboue God. And it is euident that the height of Antichrists pride heere spoken of, is noted in these words, Insomuch as he shall sitte in the temple of God, as God, By all therfore that is called God, we are to vnderstand all those to whom the name of God is cōmunicated: not essence, for that cannot be communicated to any that is not god. Now the name of God is communicated to Angells in heauen, Psal. 8. 5. cum Heb. 2. 7. & Psal. 97. 7. cum Heb. 1. 6. and to princes and magistrates on earth, Exod. 22. 28. Psal. 82. 1. 6. And wheras it is said that hee shall aduance himselfe aboue all that is worshipped, wee are to vnderstand by the word foreign not God himselfe, but any thing that is worshipped as God, or wherein God is worshipped. So Wisd. 15. 17. images, and Act. 17. 23, altars among the heathen are called foreign. Such in the church of Rome, are Saints, images, the crosse and reliques of Saints, the eucharist, &c. The meaning then of the Apostle is this, that Antichrist being a wicked and wretched man, shall aduance himselfe aboue all that is called God, as Angells and Kings, or that which is worshipped, as Saints and images and altars, the crosse and eucharist it selfe, insomuch that he shall sit in the temple of God as God, that is, hee shall rule & raigne in the church of God, challenging a soueraigne, vniuersall and diuine authority ouer al those that professe the name of Christ, as if he were a God vponupon earth, shewing himselfe whether by words or by deeds that he is god, or which is all one, behauing himselfe tanquam sit Deus, As though he were God. The like things were foretold of Antiochus Epiphanes, who is thought p. 65to hauehave bene a type of Antichrist. Dan. 11. 36. But (to come to the application of this prophecie) if Antiochus were comparable to the Pope in aduauncing himself aboue all that is called God: or if I shal not proue out of their owne (I meane popish) writings, that he hath lifted vp himselfe in such maner as is scarcely credible to be incident vntounto a mortall mā; then let not the Pope be deemed Antichrist, but rather looke for some other, who shall goe beyond him in Antichristian insolency and Satanicall pride.

2. From this place therfore of th'apostle, I argue thus: Whosoeuer aduaunceth himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped, insomuch that he sitteth in the temple of God, as God, taking vponupon him as though he were a God, he according to the testimony of th'apostle, is antichrist, that is, Aemulus Christi, such an enimy as in a kinde of emulation seeketh to match Christ and to be equall to him. But the Pope of Rome (as shalbe proued) aduaunceth himselfe aboue all that is called God, or that is worshipped, insomuch that hee sitteth in the temple of God as God, taking vponupon him as though he were a God vponupon earth, therefore according to this testimony of th'apostle the Pope is Antichrist. And first that the Pope aduaunceth himselfe aboue all that is called God, it is plaine, because he lifteth vp himself not onelyonly ouer Kings and Emperours on earth, but also aboue the Angels in heauen. Of his lifting vp himselfe aboue Kings & Emperours is the testimony before alledged 2. Thess. 2. 4. Papa superioritatem habet in imperium. Clemeatin. Pastoralis de re Iudic.especially to bee vnderstood. For he speaketh of such an aduancement whereby Antichrist should be reuealed, as was to be hindered for a time by the Romane Empire. Let vsus then consider how he aduaunceth himselfe aboue Kings and Emperours who are called Gods. The Pope if you will beleeue him & his followers, is the 11Paulus 4. ad ducem Floret. in bulla. Rod. Cupers. meritò rex regū & dominus dominantium censetur Papa, re que ipsa existit. pag. 43. num. 39. c. solitas, extr. de maior. & obed. &c. per venerabilē opt. qui filij sunt legitimi. Antonius de Rosellis.King of Kings and Lord of Lordes, by 22Lib. Carem.whom Princes raigne, and from 33Clem. 5. in cōcil. vienn.whom the right of Kings dependeth. For you must know that as they full solemnely dispute, the 44R. Cupers. pag. 251. nū. 62.Empire or temporall rule, as well as the priesthood or ecclesiasticall dominiō is translated vntounto the successours of Peter: p. 66that the 55Idem pag. 52. num. 28. & p. 1. 251. n. 63. & 64.right of rule & direct dominiō of the Empire and kingdoms belongeth to the Pope, howbeit he cōmitteth the exercise therof to Emperours & Kings: that 66Idem pag. 28 num. 7.Emperours, Kings, & all Princes receiue their right of gouerning their kingdoms from the Pope, & that by him they are confirmed, & by him deposed: that to him Emperors & Kings as being but his vassals are bound to sweare 77c. tibi domino. dist. 63. &c. 1. de iuretur.allegiaunce and sidelity: that hee so farre surpasseth the 88c. solitae de maior. & obed.Emperour as the Sunne excelleth the Moone, that is, according to their Astronomy, 99G…oss. ibid. Sta…st. Orichovius quantum Deus praestat sacerdoti, tantū sacerdos praestat regi. qui regé anteponit sacerdoti, is anteponit creaturā creatori. Apud Iuellum.seuen and fiftie times, or rather as the creatour is superiour to the creature. Therefore Kings and Emperours 1010Li. …erem. 1. sect. 5. cap. 3. & lib. 3. sect. 1. cap. 3.when they come into the presence of his holinesse, must, after obeysance done in three seuerall distances, fall downe before him and kisse his foote, euen as Mantuan saith of him,

Ense potens gemino, cuius vestigia adorant

Caesar, & aurato vestitimurice reges.

And if they be in presēce when he taketh 1111Lib. 1. c…erē. sect. 2. c. 3.horse, the Emperor or chiefest Prince that is present must hold his right stirrop, & when he is moūted must hold the bridle, & play the lackey for a certaine space, & likewise whē he lighteth off, must hold the right stirrop; which if he happen to mistake as being not vsed to seruice, he must looke for a check, as we read 1212Helmoldus Chron. Slauor: l. 1. c. 81. & Bal: de vit. pont.of Hadrian the 4. who bitterly checked Frederick the Emperor for holding the stirrop on the wrong side. Or if it be his pleasure to be caried alost on mens shoulders, 1313lib. caerem. 1. sect. 2. & 5. de processione pontifi…s & Caesaris per vrbem. Lib. 1. c. 8. caerem.the Emperour, kings, & princes that are present, must put vnderunder their shoulder & helpe to cary his holinesse for a space, and whiles he is on foote the Emperour or chiefest Prince must beare vp his traine. If the Emperour be at the Popes 1414L…b. caerem. 1. sect. 3. Antonin. sinn. part. 3. …it, 22. cap. 5. §. 13. E. venerabilem de elect.feast, his duetie is before dinner to hold the Pope water to washe his hands, and to bring in the first messe. For in deed Imperator est minister Papae, The Emperour is the Popes minister.

3. These are but matters of ceremony. But as he vaunteth that all the right of kings dependeth on him, so he challengeth authority and power to translate kingdoms, to create & depose Kings, to translate the Empire from nation to nation, and to giuegive the same to whom it pleaseth him. The Emperour (saith p. 6711Hadrian, apud Auent…n. lib. 6.he) is Emperour by vsus. Whence hath hee the Empire but from vsus? Behold the Empire is in our power to giuegive it to whom wee well. And accordingly he hath 22Bellarm. de pont. Rom. lib. 3. cap. 16.deposed diuerse Kings and Emperours, and created others, as I shall not need to prooue, for both they and their followers boast thereof. And if you desire some other examples of their insolent and Antichristian behauiour towardes Emperours and Kinges, did not Gregory the seuenth make Henry the Emperour, who came in all humilitie to submitte himselfe vntounto him with his wife and childe, daunce attendaunce at his gate bare-foote and barehead by the space of three daies, before he would graunt them any accesse vntounto him? When as the Emperour Fredericke Naucler. generat. 40.Barbarossa was excommunicated by the Pope, and his sonne taken prysoner in Venice, hee came to the Pope Alexander the third, into the Churche of Saint Marke there, to the ende that hee might bee absolued, and his sonne restored. Where, before all the people, the Pope hauing commaunded the Emperour to prostrate himselfe vponupon the grounde and so to aske pardon, he setteth his foote in the necke of the Emperour, saying, it is written, Super aspidem & basiliscum ambulabis, & conculcabis Leonem & Draconem, Thou shalt walke vponupon the Aspe and Cockatrice, and shalt tread vponupon the Lion and the Dragon. Which indignity when the Emperour being not well able to brooke, made answere, Not to thee but to Peter, the holy father treading on the Emperours necke replied, Et mihi & Petro, Both to mee and to Peter. And when as Henry the sixt came to bee crowned Emperour, and to that ende kneeled before Celestin the third sitting in his pontisicall chaire, did not hee after hee had sette the imperiall Diademe on his head, and as some say with his feete, kicke it of with his foote againe? What should I tell you of Innocent the second, how hee caused his owne with the Emperours picture to bee set vp in the Palace of Laterane, himselfe sitting in his pontificall throne, and the Emperour kneeling before him and holding vp his hands as vntounto God, with these verses subscribed,

p. 68Rexvenit ante sores, iurans prids vrbis honores,

Pòst homo sit Papae, sumit quo dante coronam,

That is, The King of the Romanes commeth before the gates, swearing first to the honours & priuileges of the citie, afterward he becommeth the Popes man, of whose gift he receiueth the imperiallcrowne.

4. And thus hath the Pope lifted vp himself aboue al that is called God vpō earth, that is to say, Kings & Emperours: let vsus now cōsider whether he exalteth himself aboue those which are called Gods in heauen, that is to say, the Angels. First, in generall it is auouched by himselfe & his approued writers, that the power of the Pope is greater then all other created power. aaAntonin. s…m. pact. 3. lit. 22. c. 5.Potestas Papaemaior est omni alia potestate creata: bbConcil. Lateranēs. sub Leo. 10. sess. 10.That vntounto him is giuen all power aboue all powers as wel of heauen as of the earth. Qui totum dicit nihil excludit, Hee that saith all excludeth nothing: ccInnocent. Papa. extr. de constit. R. Cupers. pag. 28. num. 5.that to the vicar of the creatour, that is the Pope, eueryevery creature is subiect: and more particularly, that he hath ddFelinus apud Iuellū.vi…riatum Christi, Christes vicarship, not onley about things in heauē, in earth, in hel, but also aboue the Angels both good & bad: eeNicolaus Egmūdanus apud Bal. de vit. pōl.Pontificem Romanū habere imperium in angelos ac daemonas, That the Pope hath rule ouer the Angels and Diuels. That he hath power to command the Angels, for so they say, ffGregor. Haimburg. in appellat. Sigism. apud Iuell.Papa Angelis habet imperare, & ggCamotensis.Papa angelis praecipit. And according to these testimonies which auouch his right, is the Popes practise. For not onelyonly he callengeth greater honour & reuerence to be done to himselfe then is due to the angels (for he admitteth of adorations & fallings downe before him, which the angels refuse because they are our fellow seruants:) but also he taketh vponupon him to cōmaund the holy Angels at his pleasure to remoue soules departed out of purgatory into heauen. Clement the 6. in his bull concerning those which should come to Rome to celebrate the Iubile, he cōmaundeth the Angels of heauen, that if any of thē should die in that lourney, to bring their soules being wholy freed from Purgatory into the glory of Paradise. His words be these: Prorsus mandamus angelis paradisi, quatenus animam à purgatorio penitus absolutam, in paradisi gloriam introducant.

p. 695. It remaineth that I should shew how the Pope aduanceth himselfe aboue the foreign, that is the thinges wherein God is worshipped, or which are worshipped as God in the church of Rome, as namely the Saints, the crosse, the altar, and their God of bread. As for the saints they are subiect to the Antonin. part. 3. lit. 22. cap. 5. §. 5.Pope quoad canonizationem, standing at the curtesie and free disposition of the Pope whether to bee deified that is as they speake to bee canonized, or to be deposed. For such is his authority Troilus Maluil. in tract. de canonis. sanct. 3. dub.(if you will beleeue him) in canonizing of Saints, that hee can canonize whom he will, yea of a damned person cast into hell he can make a saint in heauen, and contrariwise hee Antoninus part 3. lit. 22 c, 5. §. 6.can vnsaint those which before wore canonized. The crosse which they say is to bee worshipped with diuine worshippe, is notwithstanding made an ensigne of the Popes authoritie, Traianum Gregorius per orationem sud a poena inf…rni quae infinita est absoluit.and is borne before him as the mace before the magistrate, or the sword before the prince, & when their procession is at an end it is laid vnderunder his feet. And that he may be knowne euen literally so to sitte in the material temple as if he were a God, it is to be noated that his seat in the church is aboue the altar. But their chiefe foreign is their God of bread, which because they imagine it to be Christ himselfe it is worshipped among them as their maker and redeemer, notwithstanding in the Popes processions and iourneyes it is made an attendaunt on his holinesse. For I shall not neede to tell you now which you heard before, how Pope Hildebrand, when it did not answere his demands as being not vsed to speake, did cast it into the fire. It is worthy to bee remembred which is reported by Ioannes Monlucius the Bishop of Valence, who was the french Lib de religione ad Reginam matr…. Fulmen brut. pag. 12. & 13.kings Embassadour at Rome, & testified by others, that when the Pope is to trauell abroad, three or foure dayes before, hee sendeth the Eucharist (that is Christ their maker) on horseback accompanied with muletors and horsekeepers, and courtisants and cookes with sumpterhorses and all the baggage of his court. Afterwards the Pope who professeth himselfe his vicar followeth, attended with Cardinalls, Primates, Bishops, and Potentates. And when he commeth neere to the place whether he trauelleth, their Christ is brought to meete him on the p. 70way that it may be caried before him into the towne. But with what difference of honour is hee and his attendant caried in such solemne processions? The Pope either rideth on a goodly white horse vnderunder a stately canopie, or else is caried aloft vponupon noble mens shoulders in a chaire of golde, when the Christ of the Papists, the Popes attendaunt is caried vponupon a simple hackney in comparison, with no such magnificence▪ & yet that hackney is the Popes vicar appointed in his steed to Stapleton in epist. ded cat. ante p…incip. do…in.ca…ie the Monstrame. In a word, he is supremū numen in terris the chiefe or supreme foreign that is to be worshipped on earth.

6 But let vsus come to the height of Antichrists pride, For it is not sufficient for the Pope to be lifted vp aboue all that is called God, or that is worshipped, vnlesse he take vponupon him as if he were God, and seeke to match himselfe with Christ, as the name Antichrist importeth: that vntounto him the height of Antichrists aaIn c. ecclesia, vt lite pe…dente, & in Concil. Lateran. sub Iu…o. Bald. in l. barbar. de off. praet.pride may also be applied, which is described in these words, insomuch that hee sit teth in the temple of God as God, behauing himselfe as if he were god, or (which is all one) shewing himselfe that he is god. For of his followers and flatterers hee is said to be all and aboue all, the cause of causes, and the first bbGomesius de regul. cancell.cause. Bald. in c. ecclesia vt lite pendente, that hee is numen quoddam, visibilem quendam Deum praese serens, a certaine diuine maiesty shewing himself to be a certaine visible God. Agreeable to the prophecy 2. Thess. 2. 4. foreign, that is as Beza translateth praese ferens, hebr. moreh i. facrens se apparere of some he is called ccDecius c. 1. de constitutionib. Ca…dill. pro concil trident. Bald. Cod. sentent. rescindendi. 1. vit. & de electione. Felin. c. ego. N de iureius.terrenus Deus or Deus in terris, a God vponupon earth. In the councel of Laterane it was said to him, & he heard it willingly, ddChristoph. Marcellan con…l. Lateran. sess 4. In arca triumph. Impress. Lug…uni …. 1555Tu es alter Deus in terris, thou art another God vponupon earth: in honour of that hellhound Sixtus the 4. it was written, and presented to his view, that he is worthilie beleeued to be a God vponupon earth,

Orac'lo vocis mundi moderaris habenas,

Et meritò in terris crederis esse Deus.

By the oracle of thy voice thou gouernest the world, and worthily art thou beleeued to be a god vponupon earth.

The Canonists call him, Our Lord God the Pope. For so it is written not onelyonly in diuerse old editions, but also in that p. 71newe edition which by the authority of Pope Gregory 13. was corrected and published, Credere dominum Deum nostrum Papam, conditorem dictae decretalis & istius, nö sic potuisse statucre prout statuit, haereticum censeatur: to beleeue that our Lord God the Pope the authour of this, and the aforesaid decretal, could not decree as he hath decreed, it ought to be indged hereticall. And as they willinglie heare themselues called God (and not onelie themselues heare or reade it, but by their authoritie appoint the same to be published vntounto the world) so they are content to bee worshipped and adored as God. Neither was the complaint of Frederic the second vntrue; Pontifices Romanos affectare dominationem & diuinitatem, atque In Epist ad Othon. Bauar. duc. apud A…entin. lib. 7,vt ab hominibus haud aliter, imó, magis quàm Deus timeantur, That the Popes of Rome affect Lordshippe, and diuinity. and that they may bee feared of men no otherwise, yea more then God. Franciscus Zabarella a Cardinall of Rome saith, The Popes hauehave beene made to beleeue (such is their pride) that Apud Iuellum.they can doe all things what they list, euen vnlawfull things, and that they are plusquam Deus, more then God. These are more then sufficiēt to prooue that the Pope taketh vpō him as if he were a God, although he should not in word affirme any such thing of himself. But so shamelesse is this Antichrist, Gregor. 9. de translat. episc. c. quanto. & canter corporaliathat he affirmeth the like things of himselfe. As namely that those things which he doth, be done by a diuine power: and the reason is giuen by his Lawyers, because the Pope canonicallie elected, is a God vponupon earth. Whereupon Innocentiue. 3. vseth vt eccles. benesic. c. v… nos…ū. Capistran. fol. 23.these words, vt nostrum prodeat de Dei vultu iudicium that our iudgement may proceed from the face of god: That Peter & con sequently his successor the Pope (for to that purpose it is alleaged) is assumd into the felowship of the vndiuided vnity. And in Bonifac. in 8. de elect.one place he not only affirmeth, but by testimony also confirmeth C. Fundamenta in sexto.that he is God. Satis euidenter (saith he) ostēditur, a seeulari potest…te n… ligart prorsus, nee sol…i posse pontificē, quē constat Distinct. 96. c. satis cuidenter.a pio principe Constantino Deū appellatū: nec posse Deū ab hominibus iudicari manifestū est. Wher the Pope proueth he cānot be iudged by any secular power, by this reasō. God cānot be iudged of mē. The Pope is god, therfore the pope may not be iudged of mē. p. 72assumption he approueth by the forged testimonie of Constantine. And therefore not vnworthily by a worthy Bishoppe in Auentinus, the Pope is said to be Antichrist, in whose forehead this name of blasphemy is written: Deus sum, errare non possum. Lib. 7. Eberhardu… Ep. sil…sourgensis.I am God, I cannot erre.

7 But as I said, the name Antichrist signifieth such a one as seeketh to match Christ. Let vsus therefore farther consider how this agreeth to the Pope. For if the Pope doe seeke to match himselfe with Christ, then by this argument alone if there were no more, hee may be certainely conuinced to bee Antichrist. In Christ wee consider his natures and his offices, As touching his nature the Pope if you will beleeue their blasphemies, aaExtrau. in Ioan. 22.aequè ac Christus Deus est, ens secundae intentionis compositum ex Deo & homine. As well as Christ he is god, a being Vid Erasm. annotat. in 1. Tim. 1. Papa stupor mundi. Clemen. in pro aem. in gloss.1 Tim 1of the second intention compounded of god and man. And as Christ in respect of the one nature is greater then man, and in regard of the other lesse then God, so they say of the Pope, bbIoan. a Capistr de Papae & ecclesiae authoritate.Est quasi deus in terris, maior homine, & minor Deo, plenitudinem obtinens potestatis. He is as it were a god vponupon earth, greater then a man, and lesse then god, hauing the fulnesse of power. That he is a man I shall not neede to proue, howbeit some of his followers cannot well tell what to make of him. They say hee is the wonderment of the world, ccNec deus es, nec homo: quasi neuter es inter v…rumque.neither God nor man, but a neuter betwixt both. That hee would bee supposed and acknowledged as a God, besides all the allegations in the former section, it appeareth also by the diuine properties which are attributed to the Pope. His holinesse (that is to say) the Pope, (for his holinesse is himselfe,) is ddPs. 94. 1. Rod. Cupers de ecclesia pag. 61. num. 52.Ps 94:1Deus vindictae the god of reuenge, true without errour, yea without possibilitie of erring, for hee cannot erre, whose eeSub finem tit de censib. exact. & procur in Clement. ad verbum volumus & Abb. Panorm. de constitut. de translat it. episc. c quanto in gloss.will must stande for reason as if it were the rule of iustice. For euen as some of his ffGer…chus apud Auentin. lib. 5.friends say he often beateth vponupon that of the Satyre,

Sic volo sic iubeo, sit proratione volunt as.

So I will, so I command, my will must stand for reason. And therefore it were no better then ggDist. 40. non nos in gloss.sacriledge to call in question any of his doings. For power, whether you vnderstand potestatem, or potentiam, that is authority or might, hee would seeme p. 73to be infinit in respect of both, for hhLib. caerem. 1. sect. 7.infinit power is giuen vntounto him. And if vntounto Christ iiCupers de eccl. pag 50. num. 45. 46. De maior. & obed. c. vnam sanctam in gloss.was giuen all power in heauen and in earth, then the Pope who is his vicar hath the same power. He forsoth is the kkBald. c. ecclesia. vt lite. pendente.cause of causes, of whose power none must enquire, seeing of the first cause there is no cause: yea to llIn L. sacrilegij. c. de crim. sacril.doubt of his power, is no better then sacriledge. mmPanormit. ex Hostiensi. extr. de translat. praelat. c. quanto. & de electi. c. licet.Excepto peccato potest quasi omnia facere quae potest Deus, Sinne excepted, the Pope may doe all things as it were which God may doe. He can chaunge the nature of things, yea nnDe translat. episc. c. quāto in gloss.of nothing he can make something, and of vniustice righteousnesse, for hee hath the fulnesse of power.

8. If you respect his office he hath the same ooBellarm. de pont. Rom. l. 5. c. 4.which Christ had whiles he was on the earth, howbeit there is great oddes in their outward estates. ppR. Cupers de eccl: pag. 50. num. 45. 46. Bellarm. de concil, l. 2. c. 17. & de pot. Rom. lib. 2. c. 31. Ioan. de turrecre. sum. de eccl. lib. 2. c. 27. & cap. 80. R. Cupers. pag. 34. num. 1. Bonifac. 8. c. quoniā de immunit. in 6. Panormit.For it is not sit that the Pope should resē ble Christ who now is glorified in heauen, as he was contēned, but as the Pastor of the whole world supernal & heauēly, & as he shall come to be our iudge, to whom it is certain that all men of necessity must obey. For it is euident that the worke of redēption being accōplished, the power of Christ was extended as well in heauen as in earth. Mat. 28. All power is giuē vntounto me in heauē & in earth. Which power is translated vntounto his Vicar, &c. In respect of his office therfore, he is the foundation, the head, the husband, the Lord of the vniuersal church, in vnction Christ, & is therfore to be called aaR. Cupers. de eccl.Christus Domini, the Lords Christ. Now if it be obiected that Christ alone is the head bbEph. t.. 21. 22. 4. 15. 5. 23. Col. 1. 28.Col 1:28of the Catholike Church and so of the ccEph. 5. 24. Ioan. 3. 29. 2. Cor. 11. 2. 1. Cor. 3. 11. 12.Eph 5:24John 3:292 Cor 11:21 Cor 3:111 Cor 3:12rest: answere is made, that ddR. Cupers. de eccl. pag. 128. num. 36.Christ and the Pope in the Church are vnū & idem caput, one and the same head, and doe make one and the same consistorie: eeIdem pag. 30. num. 8.for it were a monstrous thing that the Church should hauehave two heads. And to the same purpose saith a ff1. de. turrecre…at. summ. de eccle. lib. 2. c. 26.Cardinall of Rome, The iudgement of the Pope is reputed the iudgement of God, and his sentence, and his consistory, the consistory of God: and therefore Christ and the Pope are not properly two heads, but one, as Boniface the eight declareth, In extrav. c. vnam sanctam. But to speake more particularly of his offices. For prophecie, hee is p. 74the vniuersall or oecumenicall Bishop, and Pastor of Pastors, Orat. Cornelij episcop… …. in concil. …rident. sub. Pau. lo 3.the Ordinary or Bishop of the whole world: Who is oom a light into the world, but men hauehave loued darkenesse more then light, who hath the supreme authority of interpreting the scriptures, who is the supreame iudge in controuersies of religion, hauing De translat. epise. c. quanto in gloss.an heauenly arbitrement, and as it were a diuine and infallible iudgement, who is aboue 11Decret. Greg. l. 1. de elect & … o… c. significa… Concil. Florent. & T…dent.generall councels, for 22R. Cupers de …ccl. pag. 31. num. 23. Pig…. lib. 6. c. 13.although in a generall councell the vniuersall Church is represented, in Cupers. pag. 125 n…. 9.so much that nothing is greater then the Councell, Tamen Papa eidem omnimoda supereminet authoritate, Notwithstanding Cap…. sol. 23. C. de sum…. trinit. l. 1. in. f.the Pope surpasseth the same in all maner authority, whose iudgement is to bee preferred before the iudgement of the whole worlde, insomuch that if the whole worlde should determine against the Pope, wee must stande to his sentence, for so they say, 44R. Cupers. pag. 11 …. 18.Papae sententia totius orbis pl…to prefertu…: And againe, 551. de turrecrem. lib. 3. c. 64.Si totus mundus sentiret (or as the 66In c. nemo. 9. q 3.glosse readeth senten…iaret) contra Papam, videtur quòd senten…ae Papae standum esset, vt 24. q. 1. haec est fides, haec gloss. 77Baldus.who is of greater authority then all the Saints, and in respect thereof is of 881. de turrecrem. summ. lib. 2 cap. 26.great perfection then the whole body of the Church besides. But it is not sufficient for this Antichrist to preferre himselfe aboue the whole Church which is the body of Christ, vnlesse also hee sought in respect of the propheticall office to match himselfe with Christ the head of the church, yea and in some respects to ouermatch him.

9. He seeketh to match himselfe with Christ, 1. in taking vponupon him to make newe articles of Eaith, and to propound doctrines not contayned in the Scriptures as necessarie vntounto saluation. 2. In making fiue Sacraments more then Christ appointed, (some whereof hee preferreth aboue baptisme) and those two which Christ hath ordained he hath so altered and chaunged as that the one is scarcely, the other not at all the same. And whereas Christ ordained the Sacrament of his body and blood in two kindes, they not withstanding his institution will hauehave it administred to the people but in one kind. For so it is professed in the Councell of Constance, that although Christ administred this venerable sacrament …ss. 13.vntounto his Disciples vnderunder both kinds of bread and wine, and p. 75although in the primitiue church this sacrament was receiued of the faithfull in both kinds, notwithstanding this custome of receiuing the bread only was vpō good reason brought in, for the auoiding of some dangers and scandales. 3. In making their owne deuises, decretals & traditiōs of equal authority with the word of God. Innocentius 3. comanded that the words of the canon Ioan. Bal: in eius vita.of the Masse should be held equal to the words of the gospell. Agatho the Pope decreed that all the constitutions of the See apostolick are to be receiued, as authorized by the diuine voice D stinct. 19. c. sic omnes. Ioan. de turrecrem. lib. 2. c. 108.of Peter himselfe. And in the same distinction, this is the title or argument of one chapter, Inter canonic as Scripturas, decretales epistolae connumerantur, that is, Among the Canonicall scriptures the decretall epistles are numbred. Which in D…st. 19. c. in canonic….the chapter it selfe is absurdly proued out of Augustine misalledged. And as touching traditions (whereby are meant De doctr. Christi. l. 2. c. 8.all points of popery, which as themselues confesse are not contained in the written worde) the holy Councell of Trent hath ordained that they are to bee receiued, and honoured Pari pi…tatis affectu ac reuerentia, With as great affection of Sess. 4.pietie and reuerence, as the written worde of God. Which decree when as a certaine Bishop misliked, Ceruinus the Popes Iacobus Nachiantes Clodiae follae episcopus. Bal. in vita Marcell… secundi.legate (who afterwardes was Pope, called Marcellus 2.) caused him to bee expelled out of the Councell. And lastly, least he should seeme in any thing to be inferiour to Christ our Prophet, hee confirmeth his doctrines by miracles as they call them.

10. And thus the Pope matcheth himselfe with Christ our Prophet: let vsus now consider how he aduaunceth himselfe aboue him. Which he manifestly doth in preferring his owne and the churches authority aboue the scriptures. And if the Hervaeus de potest. Tap. e. & R. Cupers. Petrus de palude, de potest. Papae. …t. 4.church be aboue the Scriptures, then much more is he. For he not onelyonly virtualiter est tota ecclesia, that is, virtually the whole church, but also his power alone exceedeth the power of all the whole church besides. Now that the authority of the church & much more of the Pope who is superior to the church, is aboue the scripture, it is both generally affirmed & by som particulars cōfirmed, Cardinal Cusanus entitleth his book, De authoritate p. 76ecclesia & concilij supra & cōtra scripturā, Of the authority of the Church & councell aboue & against the Scripture. Syluester Prierias master of the Popes pallace saith, That indulgences are warranted vntounto vsus, not by the authoritie of the Scripture, Contra Lutheri conclusiones de potestate Papae.but by the authoritie of the Church and Pope of Rome, which is greater. Boniface the Archbishop of Mentz saith, That all men so reuerence the Apostolicke See of Rome, that they rather desire the auncient institution of Christian religion from the Pope, then from the holy Scriptures. This saying the Pope hath so approued, that he hath caused it to be inserted into the Dist. 40. c. si Papa.Canon lawe. The particulars which proue the Pope to aduaunce himselfe aboue the Scriptures are these. 1, Because he hath as they say authoritie to adde to the Canonicall Scriptures, other bookes that are not in the Canon. And that those Dist. 19. c. si Romanorum. Ioan. de turrecrem. l. …. cap. 112.which be in the Canon, hauehave their Canonicall authority from him. In the 19. distinction cap. Si Romanorum, Pope Nicolas not onelyonly matcheth their decretall Epistles with the holy Scriptures, but also affirmeth that the Scriptures are therefore to be receiued, because the Pope hath iudged them canonicall. Another saith, Whosoeuer resteth not on the doctrine of the Romane church and Bishop of Rome as the infallible rule of God, Syluester Prierias contra Lutherum.à qua sacra scriptura robur trabis & authoritatem, From which the sacred Scripture draweth strength and authority, hee is an Hereticke. Eckius saith, Scriptura nisiecclesiae authoritate non De ecclesia.est authentica, The Scripture is not authenticall but by the authority of the Church. For I will not tell you how some of them hauehave not bene ashamed to say, that the Scripture without the authoritie of the Church, is of it selfe no better worth then AEsopes fables. Pighius saith, The authority of the church Vid. Chemnit. exam. part. 1. pag. 47.is aboue the Scriptures, because the authoritie of the Church hath giuen the Scriptures canonicall authority. Secondly, whereas the Scriptures are not the words and syllables, but the true sence and meaning thereof. They teach that the scriptures are to be vnderstood according to the interpretation of the Pope and Church of Rome: and that sence which the Pope assigneth to the Scriptures, must bee taken for the vndoubted word of God. The Pope (saith one) hath authority so to expound p. 77Heruau… de potestate Papae.the scriptures, that it is not lawful to hold or thinke the contrary. A Cardinall of Rome saith, If any man hauehave the interpretation of the church of Rome concerning any place of scripture, although he neither know nor vnderstand whether and Cardinal. Hosius de expresso dei verbo.how it agreeth with the words of the scripture, notwithstanding he hath ipsimum verbum Dei, the very wordof God: And if the sence, which they giuegive, be diuerse according to the variety of their practise and diuersitie of times, we must acknowledge that the scripture is to follow the church and not the church to follow the scriptures. Whereupon Cardinall Cusanus, It is no Nicol. Cusanus ad Bohem. epist. 7.maruell (saith he) though the practise of the church expound the scriptures at one time one way and at another time another way. For the vnderstanding or sence of the scripture runneth with the practise. And that sence so agreeing with the practise is the quickning spirit. And therefore the scriptures follow the church, but contrarywise the church followeth not the scriptures. And this is that which one who was no small foole in Rome auouched, The Pope saith he may change the holy gospell, and may Henricus Doctor magister sacri palatij Romae ad legatos …ohemicos sub Felice Papa. 1447.giuegive to the gospell according to place and time another sence. And to the same purpose was the speech of that blasphemous Cardinall, that if any man did not beleeue that Christ is very God and man, and the Pope thought the same, he should not bee condemned. To conclude therefore with Cardinall Cusanus, This is the iudgement (saith he) of all them that thinke rightlie, Cardinal. s. Angeli ad cosde… legatos Bohemicos.that found the authoritie and vnderstanding of the scriptures in the allowance of the church: and not contrariwise lay the foundation of the church in the authority of the scriptures.Ad Bohemos epist. 2.

11 Thirdly, the Pope challengeth authority aboue the scriptures, when he taketh vponupon him to dispense with the word and law of God. For whosoeuer taketh vponupon him to dispense with the law of another challengeth greater authority then the others, and it is a rule among themselues, In praecepto superioris, non debet dispensare inferior, the inferiour may not dispense Antonin. part. 3. lit. 22. cap. 6. §. 2.with the commaundement of the superiour. That the Pope doth dispense with the lawes of God it is euident. For scarcely is there any sinne forbidden there, where with he doth not sometimes dispense, nay whereof hee will not, if it be for p. 78his aduantage, make a meritorious worke. Incest is an horrible sinne, forbidden by the law of God and by the lawe of nature. And yet there is no incest, excepting that which is committed betwixt the parents and the children, which hee hath not authority forsooth to dispense with: for as they say, hee may dispense against the law of nature. The Pope dispensed with Henrie the eightth to marie his sister in law, and 25. q. 6 authoritatem in gl…ss.with Philip the late king of Spaine, to mary his owne niece. Pope Martin the fift dispensed with a certaine brother that Antonin. sum. 3. part tit. 1. cap. 11. §. quod Papa. sum. angel. di…t. Papa.maried his owne sister. And Clement the seauenth licensed Petrus Aluara…lus the spaniard for a summe of money, to marie two sisters at once &c. Disobedience to parents, periury that is breaking of lawfull oathes, rebellion against lawfull princes, murdering of a sacred prince, are condemned by the lawe of God as haynous offences. But if children shall cast of their parents to enter into a Sodomiticall cloister, if the Pope shall absolue the subiects from their oathes and forbidde them to obey their princes, if he shal excommunicate a lawfull prince, or suborne a wicked traytour, to murder his soueraigne: then disobedience to parents, periurie and rebellion in subiectes, murthering of sacred Princes, is not onelie a warrantable but also a meritorious acte. For as you hauehave hearde Papa ex iniustitia potest facere iustitiam. The Pope of sinne can make righteousnesse. And that the Pope may thus dispense with the word of God, his canonistes and diuines doe diuersely dispute. One saith, aaMichael Medina, Christian. paraenes. lib. 7. c. 17. Gratian. part. 1. pag. 76.Potestas in diuinas leges ordinariè in Romano pontifice residet. Power ouer the lawes of God remaineth ordinarily in the pope of Rome. Others say, Papa potest dispensare contra ius diuinum. bb16. q. 1. de decimi…, in …loss. Dist. 34. c. Lector. 15 q. 6. authoritatem.Priuilegium contra ius diuinum concedi potest. The Pope may dispense, or grant a priuiledge against the law of God: ccAbb. Panorm. extr. de d…. cap. sin.that is, as another saith, hee may dispense against the law of God in particular, but not in generall. Papa potest dispensare contra Apostolum, the Pope may dispense against the Apostle. ddFelin. de constitut. cap statuta canonum.The Pope may dispense against the new testament vponupon a greate cause. ^eThe Pope may dispense against the Epistles of Paule. And to put this matter out of doubt which is so doubtfullie handled by some p. 79popish writers, this question in summa angelica is determined and decided, out of diuerse authors approued in the church of Dictione, Papa.Rome, That as in the precepts of the second table the Pope cannot dispense vniuersally (for that were not to dispense with them, but wholly to abrogate the lawes themselues) but in particular cases vbi ratio legis desicit, where the reason of the lawe faileth: so hec may dispense with all the precepts of the old and new testament. But how shall wee know where the reason of the lawe faileth? This may partly be knowne by those examples in the scripture where God himselfe dispensed with his lawes. But where there is no example of Gods dispēsation in the like case, then it appertaineth to the Pope alone to declare, when and in what particular case the reason of the lawe faileth. And I sirmelie beleeue (saith the authour of that booke) that if any man, crauing a dispensation in any case against the lawe of God, interpose not importunitie of reward or suite, but simplie put himselfe into the hands of the Pope by declaring his case, that God will not sufter his vicar to erre in dispensing. So that whereas the lawes and commandements of God are to bee vnderstoode with this exception onelyonly Nisi Deus ipse aliter voluerit, vnlesse God himselfe otherwise appoint, because hee alone may dispense with his owne lawes: notwithstanding by the popish diuinitie they are to bee vnderstood with this exception, vnlesse the Pope otherwise appoint: that is, wee are bound to keepe eueryevery commaundement of God, vnlesse the Pope interpose his authoritie betwixt God and vsus (as the tribunes of the comunalty among the Romanes were wont to intercede against other magistrates) and exempt vsus from the obedience thereof.

12 And as the Pope may dispense with all the lawes of God, so in the last place, hee may and doth take away some, and abrogate others. Papa potest tollere ius diuinum ex Felinus de maior. & obed. cap. sin.parte non in totum: the Pope may take away the law of God in part, but not in whole. Thus hee taketh away the second commaundement out of the decalogue, because with it his Idolalatrie cannot stand: and to make vp the full number of ten he p. 80diuideth the last commandement into two, against all reason and authority of antiquitie. But that commandement concerning images and diuerse others the Pope also abrogateth by his countermaunds. God forbiddeth vsus either to worshippe or to serue any but himselfe. Mat. 4. 10. 1. Sam. 7. 3. Ex. 20. 3. The Pope commaundeth vsus to worshippe Angells and Saints, yea and the reliques of Saints. God forbiddeth the making and worshipping of images, the Pope commaundeth the contrary. God condemneth stewes, the Pope alloweth them, yea Six. 4. Concil…trid. sess. 5.one of them built a famous stewes. God condemneth concupiscence as a sinne, the Pope alloweth it for no sinne. God commaundeth all the faithfull to drin… of the cup in the Lords supper: the Pope forbiddeth the same. God commaundeth eueryevery soule to be subiect to the higher powers: the Pope exempteth his cleargie a iugo seculari, from the secular yoke. God commaundeth all to mary, who hauehave not the gift of continencie: the Pope forbiddeth all his cleargie, though neuer so incontinent, to mary. Besides, it is euident that the Popes lawes in the church of Rome are in greater estimation thē the lawes of God, the obedience of them beeing more straightly vrged, and the disobedience thereof more seuerely punished, then of Gods lawes. As for example, it is more safe for a man in the church of Rome to bee a meere Atheist & a worshipper of no God, then not to bee a worshipper of their God of bread, though otherwise a good Christian: better for a priest to bee a So domit, then to mary: better to bee a drunkard and whoremonger then to eat slesh in Lent: better with the begging friers Anno. 1254. Matth. Paris. 1254.to set foorth a new gospell (which they called the gospell of the holy ghost and the eternall gospell, wherein they taught that Christ is not God, and that his gospell is not the true gospell, Na…r. t. 2. 3…6.and no more to be compared with their gospell then the Bal. in lib. de vitis pontif. in append. …. Fox.nutshell is to be compared with the kernel) then for that learned man Guilielmus des. Amore to write against them and their gospell, for him the Pope disgraded and deposed from al his dignities when he would not suffer them to be disgraced: him he sent into exile, when hee retained them in his high fauour. Yet because he had rather be Antichrist, then seeme so, p. 81he caused the friers Gospel, when it was complained of, to be burnt, yet secretly; that his Friers might not be disgraced nor scandalized. Better for priuate men to reade any bookes of ribaldry or any villany whatsoeuer, then to read any parte of the scriptures in their owne tongue. To these, many other particulars might be added wherin the Pope aduanceth his owne lawes aboue the commaundements of God, and his owne authority aboue the authority of the Scriptures. Let vsus therefore humbly conclude according to the popish humilitie, that as the Pope is aboue the Church, so the Church is aboue the scriptures. Humiliter confitemur (saith a Papist) ecclesiae authoritatem Ioan. Maria verractus apud Iuellum.esse supra Euangelium: We humbly cōfesse that the authority of the church is aboue the gospell.

13. To his propheticall office let vsus adde his priesthood. Amicij epistol. dedi. ad Gregor. 13.For the Pope forsooth is Pontifex Optimus Maximus (an epithet which the Heathen giuegive to their chiefe God Iupiter) hee is that great priest according to the order of Melchisedec, whose foote must be reuerently kissed of his Cardinals when Lib. carem. sect. 12. c. 5.hee rideth into any citie in his Pontificalibus, and the Bishop of the citie beginning this Antheme, Ecce sacerdos Magnus, c. fundmenta. de elect. in 6.Behold the great Priest. He is the Prince of Priests, and head of the Christian religion. He is that Priest of Priestes, who remitteth both fault and punishment both to quicke and dead: whereas Christ remitteth onelyonly to the liuing: and (as they say) forgiueth the fault but not the punishment, neither doth this indulgent father graunt pardon alone for sinnes past, but also for offences to come.

14. But I hasten to his kingly office. For hee forsooth is the 11Paul. 4 ad ducem Florentin. in bulla.King of Kings and Lorde of Lords, the 22Stenchus. & Sim. Begnius in orat. in concil. Lateran. sess. 6.Lion of the tribe of Iuda, to 33Lib. 1. carem. sect. 7. Pius 5. in bull. ad regem & reginā matrē Galliae. Antonin. in sum. part. 3. tit. 22. ca. 5. §. 1. & 5. & 6. Psalm. 8. Heb. 2. 8.Ps 8Heb 2:8whom all power is giuen in heauen and in earth, yea and vnderunder the earth. For as hee hath a triple crowne, so hee hath a triple Empire, in heauen and in earth, and (where Christ hath none) in purgatory. His power is greater then all other created power, extending it selfe in some sorte vntounto things Coelestiall, terrestriall and infernall: So that of his power that may be verified which is said in the Psalme of Christ, p. 82& that aptly because he is Christs vicar, Thou hast put al things vnderunder his feete. The beastes of the field, that is, men liuing on the earth: the fishes of the sea, that is to say, the soules in purgatory: the foules of heauen, that is to say, the Angels and the soules of the blessed. Another wrote and taught that the Pope Nicol. Egmundanus apud Bal…m.is the Lorde of things in heauen, on the earth, and vnderunder the earth. In heauen, for as you hauehave heard he hath power ouer the Angels and Saints, and soules departed. Papa angelis praecipit, Camotensis.& potestatem habet in mortuos, The Pope cōmaundeth the Angels, and hath power ouer the dead. In earth, for he is, aaEpist. ded. Amicij ad Gregor. 15. praefix. Capistr.Totius orbis Dominus, the Lord of the whole earth, hauing bbDe Maior c. vnam sanctam.caelestis & terrestris potestatis Monarchiam, The Monarchy of the heauēly and earthly power, ccExtra de statu regular. pericu…. in gloss.obtaining the kingdome of the whole world, vntounto whom forsooth belongeth that prophecie, ddLib 1. caerem. sect. 7. & capistran. fol. 57.Dominabitur à mari ad mare & à flumine vsus que adterminos orbis: He shall rule from sea to sea, and from the riuer vntounto the endes of the world: his eeCapistran. …. 2. fol. 24. Antonin. part. 3. tit. 22. §. 8. Alexander dis…buted the newe founde world, betwixt the kings of Spaine and Portugal. Lib. 1. caerem. sect. 1. c. 4. Cardin. Episcopus. Hostien….power reacheth ouer all the faithfull principally, & secondarily also ouer the infidels: for vnderunder his feete, that is, vnderunder his iurisdiction are put the beasts of the field that is the Paganes, oxen that is Iewes and Heretickes, and sheepe that is Christians, and it extendeth it selfe vntounto all the partes of the world, not onelyonly knowne but also vnknowne, insomuch that the parts of the new found world are at his disposition to distribute and bestow. And that the Paganes are subiect to the Pope it appeareth, because the Pope ruleth the world in steede of Christ. But Christ hath ful iurisdictiō ouer eueryevery creature. Seing therfore the Pope is Christes vicar, no mā may lawfully withdraw himselfe from his obedience, euen as none may lawfully withdraw himselfe from the obedience of God. Anton. part. 3. tit. 22. §. 8. The Deacon which inuested the Pope was wont to vse these words, I inuest thee into the Papacy, Vt praesis vrbi & orbi, That thou mayst rule both the citie and the world. And likewise the Cardinall Bishop that anointeth him, vseth this forme of words, Egot…inungo in pontificem vrbis & orbis. Now this Cupers. de ec…les. pag. 337.Empire or Monarchy which the Pope hath ouer the whole world is twofold, for hee hath the two swordes as it is stoutly p. 83proued out of the gospell, where one of Christs disciples saith, Boniface 8. de maior. c. …am sanctam.Ecce duo gladij, behold two swordes, ciuill and Ecclesiasticall. For as Pope Nicolas saith, Christ us beato aeternae vitae clauigero terreni simul & coelestis imperij iura…commisit. Christ hath Dist. 22. c. 1. omnes.giuen to blessed Peter the key bearer of eternall life (and so to Io…. de Parisijs de potestat. Pap. cap. 20. Ioan. Maior. 4. sent. q. 2. dist. 20.the Pope) the right both of the carthly and heauenly Empire. Ciuill, as hath bene shewed ouer al Kings and rulers, in respect whereof hee writeth himselfe King of Kings, for all secular power is immediatly giuē to the Pope: and he is aboue kings euen in temporall matters, yea hee alone is the true Lorde of temporall things. Wherefore Pope Boniface the eight, sent vntounto Philip the French king and tolde him, That he was Lord Martinus Polonus. & in epist. ad eundē, s…ire te volumus, quòd in spiritualibus & temporalibus nobis subes. Nicol. Gillius. anna…ium gallic, scriptor.both in spirituall and also in temporall matters, throughout the worlde. And therefore that the King should holde his kingdome at his hande, and honour and worshippe him, Vt dominum regni sui, as the Lorde of his Realme. Stenchus. for otherwise to thinke and holde (hee said) it was Heresie. And as touching the Romane Empire, the gouernment thereof belongeth to the Pope, being Gods vicar on earth: as vntounto him by whom kings doe raigne. And surely whosoeuer denieth the temporall sworde to be in the power of Peter, doth full ill attende to the Caeremon. lib. 1. cap. 2.worde of the Lorde, saying vntounto him, Put vp thy sworde into the sheath. And did not the Lorde I beseech you (as some of the De maior. & obed. cap. v… sanctam.Popes fauourits full solēnely dispute) cōmand Peter Luk. 5. 4. to launch into the deepe, that he might signifie the height of power Ioan. Capistr. de Pap. & eccl. author. 1. 2. sol. 21. & 122. duc in al… designaret altitudinem potestatis &c. s. 15.in Peter. And againe, Why did the Lorde sende Peter onelyonly to the Sea to fishe with an angle or hooke, but that he would insinuate that he intended to set Peter ouer the whole surging Sea of this tempestuous worlde? and why doth he commaunde him to fishe with an iron hooke, but that he was disposed to commit vntounto him the sworde both of the spirituall and temporall Empire? Hereunto wee may adde that worthy dispute of Antoninus Archbishop of Florence, part. 3. tit. 22. cap. 5. §. 17, That the Similiae argumenta habet …. de turr…. in sum. & al…. Subtiliss.Pope being the vicar of Iesus Christ in the whole world, hath, in stead of the liuing God, the vniuersal iurisdictiō both of spiritual & temporal things. But the immediat administration of temporal p. 84things he receiueth not vnlesse in the regiōs of the Westerne Empire by reason of the graunt made to the church by Constantine. Now, that he vseth not the temporal administratiō in other countries, but onelyonly in the parts of Italy &c. this is not for want of authority, but that hee would nourish in his sonnes the bond of peace and vnity. For since the Empire was diuided, and of diuerse in diuerse partes diuersly and tyrannically vsurped, the Church to auoid the scandal of the Iewes hath made her selfe tributarie with Peter &c. And as touching those which say the Pope hath dominion ouer the whole world, not in temporall matters but in spirituallonely, they are like the counsellers of the king of Syria, who said 1. King. 20. their goddes are goddes of the moū taines and not of the valleis. For so they say the Popes are goddes of the mountaines, that is of spiritaull goods, but they are not goddes of the valleys, because they hauehave not the dominion of temporall goods. And in the same place he addeth; That from the sentence of all Kings and Princes men may appeale to the Pope. Astouching his ecclesiasticall authority which (as some Th. Aquin. in 2. sent. in fine. Antonin. part. 3 tit. 22. cap. 6. §. 6.say) is the foundation of the Church, hee is superiour and greater then all the residue of the vniuersall Church, and this is proued by seuen arguments, 1. Because hee is the Pastor of the vniuersall Church. 2. Because hee is the head of the 1. de turrecrem. in summ. de eccles. lib. 2. cap. 80.vniuersall Church. 3. Because he is that prelate which hath authority ouer the whole Church. 4. Because he is the prince of the vniuersall church. 5. Because he hath supreame power in the Church. 6. Because he alone hath fulnesse of power in the Church. 7. Because he is Christes vicar generall in the whole vniuersall Church. For in the Apostolicke See the Lord Dist. II. c. nolite errare.hath placed the princehood of the whole Church, and therefore worthily is he called Ecclesiae princeps ac rex regū torra, 11I. de turrecrem lib. 3. summ. cap. 9.The prince of the church & king of the kings of the earth; yea 22Amicij epist. dedic. ad Gre, gor. 13. praefix. Capistr.Princeps optimus maximus, 33D…st. 40. c. si Papa, et R. Cis. pers pag. 29. Ioan. Andreas in c. quanto de translat. Panorm. c licet. de elect.Of whō the saluatiō of the church vniuersall after God dependeth. He is the head, the roote, the Monarch, the foūtaine of ecclesiastical power, hauing the same consistory with God, & iudgemēt seat with Christ For so they write: 55I. de turrecrem. summ. lib. 2. cap. 8. & R. Cupers. pag. 29. n. 16. & 42. n. 14.Idem tribunal Christs & Pap… …erris: Inter Papam & p. 85Deum vnum & idem fit tribunal, vnumque & idem consistorlum. Hee maketh lawes which bind the conscience and that with guilt of mortall sinne, 77R. Cupers. pag. 62. n. 66. de constitut. c. licet in sexto. R. Cupers. pag. 29. n. 1.he is the liuing lawe, yea he hath all lawes in the closet of his breast, and hee can dispose aboue lawe and retaineth the fulnes of power so as hee needeth no addition, 99I de turrecrem. l. 3. c 64.he alone hath the fulnesse of power, as beeing the prince of the churches lawes. And euen as the first moouer 1010R. Cupers. de eccl. pag 166 n. 28.gouerneth the church triumphant, so doth the Pope rule the church militant. For seeing in the church 1111Clement. lib. 5. de haereticis. c. ad nostrum in gloss.triumphant there is one soueraigne prince to whose obedience that whole church is most perfectly subiect, that is to say, God: it followeth necessarilie that one soueraigne prince ruleth ouer the whole militāt church, that is to say the Pope, whose cōmandemēts all are bound to obey. And thus much of the Popes power, in heauen and in earth: in respect whereof it is saide that the iurisdiction and care of the Antonin. sum part. 3. tit. …2. §. 1.whole world is committed to the Pope, not onelyonly as by the name of the world is imported the earth, but also as by the name of the world is imported heauen, because he hath receiued iurisdiction ouer heauen and earth.

16 There remaineth the third part of his kingdome which hee hath in purgatorie. For as one of their approued authours Angelus Parisiensis.saith, Purgatorium est peculium Papae, Purgatorie is the Pope's peculiar: where, as also in hell he hath so great authority, as that by his indulgences he is able to deliuer thence so many soules Fulm brut. ex. bulla Clement. 6.as it pleaseth him, and to place them in heauen and in the seats of the blessed. Insomuch as this is become a probleme in the church of Rome, whether the Pope may empty all purgatorie wholy and at once: and by Antoninus the Archbishoppe of Floence it receiueth this determination vnderunder a threefold distinction, namelie, that in respect of his absolute iurisdiction the Antonin. part. 3. tit. 2…. cap. 5. §. 6. & 7.Pope may be communicating his indulgences absolue all that are in purgatory from that paine, and so make a gaole deliuery. For seeing Gregory the Pope by his prayer absolued Traian from the paine of hell which is infinite, therefore much more may the Pope by communication of indulgenoes absolue all that are in purgatorie from that punishment which is but finite. And forasmuch as Christ may take away all paine, therefore the Pope p. 86also who is his vicar may. This the Pope may doe in respect of his absolute power. But if you regard the orderlie execution thereof, in that respect the Pope may not nor ought so to doe. Neither in deede is hee pleased to let out any from the paines of purgatorie vnlesse he bee well pleased for his indulgences and pardons. Howbeit I must needs confesse, it was a cheape yeare of soules when Leo the tenth sent Torelius about with Bal. in vita Leonis 10. & 1. Fox.his pardons, offering to euerie one for the payment of ten shillings (but not a penny vnderunder) to sette at libertie the soule of any one which they should name in purgatory And lastly if you respect Gods acceptation, that is, whether God would take it well that the Pope should release all that bee in purgatory at once, or not, Antoninus answereth, he cannot tell. And to conclude this kingly office of the pope with that venerable acclamation of the reuerend fathers in the councell of Laterane, Thou art all and aboue all, aaSess. 10. in orat. Steph. Patracensis.to thee all power is giuen in heauen and in earth. And againe, aaSess. 10. in orat. Steph. Patracensis.In the pope is all power aboue all powers in heauen and in earth. And thus it appeareth euidently that the Pope is Antichrist, not onelyonly because he is foreign, that is an aduersary opposed vntounto Christ, as was proued in the former chapter, but also because he is aemulus and as it were a counterchrist, who seeking to match our Sauiour Christ, aduanceth himselfe aboue all that is called God, or that is worshipped, insomuch that he sitteth in the temple of God as god, shewing and demeaning himselfe as though he were a God vponupon earth.