A Treatise Concerning Antichrist, Book 1 · Chapter 7
CHAP. 7. ¶ Of the miracles, or rather lying signes and wonders of Antichrist.
1. ANd thus much may suffice to hauehave spokē of the qualities and conditions of Antichrist: now we hauehave to intreat of his actions and effects. And first of his miracles as he calleth them, or rather, as the holy Ghost termeth them, lying signes and wonders. In speaking wherof I will not sticke to vse Bellarmines owne grounds. For wheras there are Lib. 3. de pont. Rom. cap. 15.three things (as he saith) mentioned in the Scriptures concerning the miracles of Antichrist, it shall appeare by the helpe of God, that all which the Scriptures hauehave foretold concerning this matter, doe most sitly agree to the Pope and church of Rome. The first is, that Antichrist and his followers should do many signes and wōders which they call miracles. For so saith our Sauiour Christ, Mat. 24. 24 (which prophecie, the Papists Mat. 24. 24.themselues vnderstand of Antichrist & his adherents) They shal worke great signes & wonders, insomuch that the very elect, if it were possible should be seduced. He saith, they shall worke great signes, & not he, (saith Bellarmine) because not onelyonly Antichrist but his ministers also shall worke signes. And th'apostle speaking of Antichrist, saith, his comming shalbe according to the 2. Thess. 2. 9.efficacy of Sathan in all power in lying signes & wonders. And likewise Iohn Apoc. 13. 13. affirmeth, that Antichrist worketh Apoc. 13. 13.great signes in the sight of men. And that this note agreeth to the Pope & church of Rome, it is most euident. For they aboūd with innumerable signes & wonders which they cal miracles. Insomuch that there is among them almost no Saint or Authour of any sect, who is not renowmed for many faire miracles: no temple or monastery of note, no image or reliques of saints vntounto which the people went on pilgrimage, which was not famous for miracles: no doctrine which cannot be proued out of Scripture, that is to say, no point of popery which they h…uo not commended to the people and authorised by such signes and wōders as they call miracles. And in regard of these miracles (which they esteeme as a note of the true church) they contemne and despise all other churches, which doe not vaunt of miracles as they do.
2. And yet notwithstanding, al their miracles are nothing worth: First, because they serue to confirme vntruths as shalbe shewed, & therefore are not to be regarded. Secondly, because the vaine brag of manifold miracles amōg those that professe the name of Christ in these later times (wherein miracles need not for the confirmatiō of Gods truth, which heretofore hath bin sufficiētly cōfirmed) is so farre frō being a note of the true church, as that rather it is a plaine signe of false teachers, & an euident marke of the Synagogue of Antichrist. For their owne deuises indeed & doctrines of men do stil need signes & wonders to cōfirme thē. But the truth of the gospell which we professe hath bin sufficiently confirmed by the miracles of our Sauiour Christ, & of his Apostles and Disciples. Whosoeuer therfore will not beleeue this doctrine, thus cōfirmed, neither will he beleeue though one should rise frō the dead to preach vntounto Luke. 16.him. Againe miracles are graunted not for the beleeuers, but for thē that liue in infidelity. And as Augustine saith, Quisquis Tharasius in cōcil. Nicen. 2.adhuc prodigia, vt credat, inquirit, magnum est ipse prodigium, qui mundo credeme nō credit: Whosoeuer yet seeketh after wonders that hee may beleeue, is himselfe a great wonder, who when De ciuit. Dei lib. 22. c. 8.the worlde beleeueth, doth not beleeue. And therfore in another place he saith, Contra istos mirabiliarios cautum me fecit Deus meus &c. Against these miraclemongers my God hath made Tract. 13. in Ioan.me wary, saying, There shall arise in the last daies false prophets working signes & wonders, that they might bring into errour, if it were possible, the very elect. Likewise Chrysostome, or whosoeuer Chrysost homil. 49. in Matth.was the authour of those learned Homilies vponupon Matthew in the 49. Homily (where hee proueth that the true Church of Christ cannot now bee knowne or discerned by signes or other meanes, but onelyonly by the Scriptures) hee saith, that now the working of signes and wonders is altogether taken away (namely among the true professours) and and the working of counterfeit miracles is more found among false Christians. And that, Peter in the history of Clement declareth, that vntounto Antichrist shalbe graunted the power of working full, that is to say, profitable signes, So that now wee cannot knowe the ministers of Christ by this that they worke profitable signes, but because they worke no signes at all. And the Papists themselues confesse, yea Bellarmine would seeme to set it downe as one of his grounds, that to Antichrist and his followers shalbe graunted the power of working many and great signes and wonders. And therefore vnlesse the Pope and his followers did vaūt of their miracles, we should want one good argument to proue the Pope Antichrist. And thus it appeareth that the first point concerning the miracles of Antichrist doth fitte the Pope, and so fit him, as that from hence he may be proued Antichrist. For vntounto whomsoeuer in these latter times this properly and onelyonly belongeth, to boast of their myracles, they are Antichrist and the synagogue of Antichrist. For the scriptures hauehave foretold that by Antichrist and his adherents many signes and wonders should bee wrought in these latter times. But to the Pope & church of Rome in these latter times this properly and onelyonly belongeth to vaunt of their manifold and great myracles. For the Iewes want them: the Turkes disclaime thē, professing that their religion must be propagated not by miracles but by force & armes. All other Christians which already beleeue the trueth, seeke not signes which they know among true beleeuers to be superfluous, and in others to be badges of Antichrist; therefore the Pope is Antichrist and the Church of Rome the Synagogue of Antichrist.
3. The second thing which the Scripture noteth, is, what maner of myracles they are which Antichrist was to worke. This the Apostle (saith Bellarmine) declareth in one worde, when hee calleth them Lying wonders, or as the wordes are, foreign signes and wonders of lying, that is most lying 2. Thess. 2. 9.signes and wonders. Now they are called lying wonders either in respect of the end, which is to seduce men by confirming vntrueths; or in regarde of their substaunce, which is counterfeit. And thus Chrysostome expoundeth the words of th'apostle, foreign, and he In 2. Thess. 2.saith lying wonders, that is either false and counterfeit, or else leading into falshood. Augustine likewise reciteth these two expositions, that they are called lying signes and wonders, because De ciuit. Dei lib. 20. c. 19.he shall deceiue the senses of mortall men by counterfeite shewes and appearances, that he may seeme to doe that which hee doth not: or else because howsoeuer they shall bee true wonders, they shall drawe vntounto lyes such as shall beleeue that they could not be done but by the power of God, not knowing the power of the diuell &c. First I say they are called lying signes in respect of the ende, which is to seduce men Mat. 24. 24. to make them beleeue lyes and to deceiue them 2. Thess. 2. 10. 11. Apoc. 13. 14. For this is the end whereunto the signes and wonders not onelyonly of Antichrist, but of all false prophets, are referred Deut. 13. 1. 2. Out of which places of scripture we are to obserue that the Lord many times suffereth false prophets and Antichrists to worke strange signes and wonders for the triall of the faithfull, and seducing of those that will not beleeue the truth that they might be saued. If there arise among you (saith the Lord) a prophet or dreamer of dreames, and giuegive thee a signe Deut. 13. 1. 2. 3& wonder, and the signe & wonder which he hath told thee, come to passe, saying, let vsus goe after other Gods which thou hast not knowne, and let vsus serue them: thou shalt not hearken vntounto the words of the prophet, or vntounto that dreamer of dreames. For the Lord your God proueth you, to know whether you louelove the Lord your God with all your soule, and with all your heart &c. Our Sauiour Christ also hath forewarned vsus, that in these latter times Mat. 24. 24.there shall arise false Christs and false prophets which shall shew great signes and wonders, so that if it were possible they should deceiue euen the very elect. In like sort, the Apostle 2. Thess. 2. noteth that the comming of Antichrist shall be according to the 2. Thess. 2. 9. 10.efficacie of Satan in all power and lying signes and wonders, and in all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse in them that perish &c. on whome God shall sende the efficacie of deceipt that they may beleeue lyes. Likewise Iohn the diuine prophecieth Apoc. 13. 13. 14.of Antichrist that he should do great wonders, whereby he should deceiue them that dwell on the earth. Hereby therfore it is euident, that false prophets and Antichrists many times hauehave power to worke great signes and wonders, not onelie in shewe and appearāce, but in deed and in truth. Whereby they, indeauouring to deceiue all and to make them belieue lies, are permitted both in the iustice of God to seduce the wicked, & in his mercy to try the faithfull. And therefore signes & wonders as they hauehave not alwayes bin signes & tokens of true teachers & professors of the truth, but onelyonly then when they hauehave Miracles are diuine testimonies whereby the Lord doth beare witnesse to his truth. Heb. 2. 4.bin wrought for the cōfirmation of the truth: So in these later times, the same being wrought for confirmation of vntruthes are vndoubted signes of the synagogue of Antichrist.
4 Let vsus then consider whether such signes and wonders be wrought in the church of Rome. It is recorded of Gregory the 7. who was the first of the Popes which was openly acknowledged to be Antichrist, that as he was a notable sorcerer, so he wrought many signes and wonders: & among the rest he vsed to shake fire out of his sleeues. And of his votaryes, after he had forbidden mariage in the clergy, Auentinus writeth that vponupon that occasion many false prophets did as it were cast mists, and by Annal. Boior. lib. 4.fables and miracles did turne away the people of Christ from the truth. And againe, False prophets did then arise, false Apostles, false priests, who by counterfeite religion deceiued the people, lib. 5.wrought great signes and wonders, and began to sit in the temple of God, and to bee aduanced aboue all that is worshipped. And while they endeuour to establish their owne power and dominion they hauehave extinguished Christian charity & simplicity. And since those times the church of Rome hath much boasted of her manifold miracles, which hauehave beene partly deuised and partly wrought for the confirmation of such Antichristian doctrines & idolatrous superstitions as cannot be cōfirmed by the scriptures: as namely the absurd doctrine of transubstantiation, and adoration of the breaden God, the heathenish doctrine of purgatory, and superstitious prayer for the dead: the idolatrous inuocation and worshipping of Saints, the more then heathenish adoration of images & rotten reliques: the Antichristian aduancing of the Pope aboue all that is called God or worshipped: and such like doctrines of diuels & lyes of Antichrist, for the confirmation whereof the miracles of the Apostaticall church of Rome hauehave bin inuented. But how many miracles soeuer they produce for the countenancing of such vntruthes, they are so many arguments to proue their church Antichristian, & their Pope Antichrist. Because as Antichrist and his followers were in these latter times to abound with signes & wō ders, but alwayes such as serue to lead mē into error: so neither Turks nor Iewes, nor any other churches of Christians, but only the Pope and church of Rome, do vaunt of miracles: and yet all their miracles are such as serue to deceiue men, & to make them beleeue vntruthes. And therefore although they were in respect of their substāce neither counterfeit nor fabulous (as in deed the most of the miracles in the church of Rome are) yet were they to be esteemd as notes & signes of false prophets & Antichrists, because their end is to seduce mē, & confirme lyes.
5 Secondly they are called lying signes in respect of the substance, being (as Augustine speaketh) vel figmenta mendacium De vnitat. eccl. 16.hominū, vel portenta fallaciū spirituū, either fictions of lying men, or wonders of deceipt full spirits. And such are the miracles whereby the aforesaide points of Poperie are warranted and confirmed. And of them there are three degrees. For many of them were such fabulous fictions, ridiculous fables, incredible lyes, (whereof their legends and festiualls are full,) as none would euer beleeue, were they not intoxicated, & made drunk with the whore of Bylons cuppe of fornications, and also giuen ouer of God to beleeue lyes. And these loud lyes and more then poeticall fictions were in such request in the church of Rome, that the records of them (I meane their legends & festiualls and such like fabulous treatises) were both publickly and priuately read in the vulgar tongue, whē as the holy scriptures were kept frō the people in an vnknown lāguage. The 1. degree then is of such miracles as neuer were indeed, nor yet in apparānce, but in the opiniō only of men besotted & giuen ouer to beleue incredible vntruths. The 2. is of such as were phātastical & in apparāce only as being crafty cōueiāces of deceitful men, or iugling tricks of legerdemaine. As for example, the nodding or mouing, the smiling or frowning, the sweating or speaking of images, the apparitiōs of souls deceased, the manifold cures supposed to be wrought by saints departed or their images & & such like. For of these two sorts there be innumerable wonders recorded, in their legends and festiualls & liues of Saints, which are either altogether fabulous, as beeing reports of things which neuer were not so much as in apparāce…or if any such things hauehave bene done in the sight of men, they hauehave bin either praestigiatory conueyances of wicked men, or mere illusions of the diuell. The third degree is of such as were lying miracles in respect of the forme (as Bellarmine speaketh) although true in respect of the matter. For howsoeuer they were things truely done, yet they surpassed not the whole strength of nature: whereas true miracles are supernaturall, neither can bee wrought by any naturall causes whether knowne or vnknown, but onelyonly by the omnipotent power of God. And such lying signes are the principall miracles of the Apostaticall church of Rome. Neither is the Pope and al his adherents able to produce any one true miracle wrought by the finger of God for the confirmation of those doctrines which are peculier to that church, that is, to speake more plainelie, for the proofe of any point of popery. But all their miracles as they are lying signes and wonders in respect of their ende, so also in regard of their substance, being either merely fabulous and therfore such things as neuer were not so much as in shewe and apparaunce: or merely phantasticall, that is such things as were in shewe onelyonly and not in truth: or merely natural and therefore but counterfeite miracles effected by the power of the diuell.
6 Some of their owne writers confesse, that sometimes there is great deceiuing of the people in fained miracles by the Nicol. Lyran. in Daniel. 14.priests and their adherents for temporall gaine. And another saith, in the sacrament appeareth flesh, sometimes by the conueyance of men, sometimes by the operation of the diuell. I once did Alexander de Hales.see an image of Saint Nicolas as it was said, when it with many others was burnt in the market place at Chester by the appointment of my father then Bishoppe there, which was made with such a deuise that if one standing behind did pull a certaine string which was in the back part thereof, it would moue the hand as if it blessed the people. But that it may appeare that in the Church of Rome were lying miracles, and that the Popish people were giuen ouer to beleeue lyes, I will for a taste recite a fewe examples out of their owne records. Their Golden Legend (so called because as gold excelleth all other mettals so that Booke *Viz. in lying.excelleth all other bookes) in the inuentiō of the body of S. Fremin the martyr, reporteth that after the Sunne had miraculously sent his beames through a stone wall vponupon the graue, and thereupon they had digged there to find the body, there issued thence such a sweet smel as they weened they had beene in Paradise. Which odour spread it selfe not onelyonly through the citie of Amiens where the body lay, but also vntounto diuerse other cities. The sweetnesse whereof as it moued the people of diuerse cities to bring their oblations to this glorious Saint: so it cured some a farre off (as the Lord of Baugency) from their diseases. But when this body was taken vp and caried in the citie of Amiens, straunge wonders were wrought. For then (that I may vse the wordes of the English Legend) the elemēts them moued, by the miracle of this Saint. The snow, that was that time great on the earth, was turned into powder and dust by the heat that was then: and the yse that hung on the trees became flowers and leaues: and the medowes about Amiens flowred & became greene. And the Sunne which by his nature should goe lowe that day, ascended as high as shee is on S. Iohns day at noone in the s…mmer. And as men bare the body of this Saint, the trees enclined and worshipped the body, & all maner sicke men of what malady they had, they receiued health in the inuention of the blessed body of S. Fremin &c. In the Legend of S. Patricke the Irish Saint, by whose praier forsooth all venemous beastes were banished out of Ireland (for you may not thinke it was so before) wee read and reading smile, that on a time a sheepe being stollen, hee admonished all the people that whosoeuer had stollen it should within seuen daies restore it to the owner. The 7. daies being expired, the sheepe was not restored. Then (saith the Legend) S. Patricke commaunded by the vertue of God, that the sheepe should bleate and crie in the belly of him that had eaten it. And so it happened that in the presence of all the people the sheepe cried and bleated in the belly of him that had stollen it.
7. In the Legend of the Annunciation of our Lady, wee are told of a noble Knight, who betooke himselfe vntounto an Abbey: and because hee was vnlearned, there was a Master assigned vntounto him. But either hee was so dull or the inuenter of the tale so doltish, that in a long time hee could learne no more but these two words, Aue Maria. Which words as he alwaies had in his mouth whiles he was aliue, so they grew out of his mouth when hee was dead. For these wordes (saith the Legend) he had so sore imprinted in his heart that alwaies hee had them in his mouth, wheresoeuer hee was. At the laste hee died, and was buried in the Church-yarde of the brethren. It happened after that vponupon his graue their grew a right faire Flowre de lyce, and in eueryevery flower was written in letters of gold Aue Maria. Of which miracle all the brethren were marueyled, and they did open the sepulchre, and found that the roote of this Flowredelyce came out of the mouth of the said Knight, and anou they vnderstood, that our Lord would hauehave him honoured for the great deuotion he had to say these wordes, Aue Maria. Likewise in the booke of the conformities of S. Francis, which Booke I could wishe were more common, that Popery might appeare vntounto all in her colours, there is a miracle recorded for the proofe of transubstantiation; that on a time frier Frauncis saying Masse did finde a spider in the Chalice, which hee would not cast out but drunke it vp with the blood. Afterward rubbing his thigh, & scratching where it itched, the spider came whole out of his thigh without any harme to either. But if the bread and wine after consecration bee turned into the very body and bloud of Christ, then more maruellous and I am sure more true is the story of victor the Pope, and *An. 1154.William Archbishop of Yorke, and Henry of Lucemburgh the Emperour, all which were poisoned, the two first with that which was in the Chalice, and the Emperour with the hoste which a Monke had poisoned. And to these many more worthy miracles of the Church of Rome may be added. But you-will say, that howsoeuer their are many miracles wherein the Church of Rome glorieth, yet notwithstanding those speciall miracles which are assigned to Antichrist in the Scriptures, hauehave not beene wrought by the Pope or any of his followers.
8. This is indeed the third thing which Bellarmine obserueth, that whereas there are three examples of Antichrist his miracles, specified in the Scriptures: yet none of them hauehave bene wrought either by the Pope or any other in the church of Rome. But I answere, that of these three miracles one agreeth not to Antichrist, as shalbe shewed hereafter, and the Lib. 2. cap. 15.other two agree to the Pope. For howsoeuer Bellarmine and other Papists from these groundes doe argue, that the Pope The authour of the Wardword.is not Antichrist: yet from thence may the contrary be gathered. The former of these miracles is, that Antichrist or at least his ministers shall make fire come downe from heauen. The second, that hee shall cause the image of the beast to Apoc. 13. 13.speake. These two miracles Bellarmine vnderstandeth literally, and from thence argueth thus; Antichrist or his ministers, shall make fire come downe from heauen, and shall cause the image of the beast to speake. But neither the Pope of Rome at any time, nor any of his followers hauehave caused fire to come downe from heauen, nor yet made the image of the beast to speake, therefore the Pope is not Antichrist. The argument is grounded on Apoc. 13. 13. literally vnderstood. For such is the absurde peruersenesse of the Papistes, that in other partes of Scripture which are simple and playne they doe hunt after mysticall and allegoricall sences: but in this Booke of the Reuelation which is moste mysticall and allegoricall, without all reason they insiste in the literall sence. As for example in that thirtenth chapter, where the holy Ghost speaketh of the marke of the beast, which the followers of Antichrist should receiue on their foreheads & on their right hāds, they grossely vnderstande this of a reall and visible marke wherewithall men of all sortes should suffer themselues to bee branded as the slaues or cattell of Antichrist. Where the holy Ghost speaketh of the image of the beast, which Antichrist puttoth life into and causeth to speake, they vnderstand it of a materiall image animated and made to speake. Where the holy Ghost speaketh of fire to come downe from heauen, they vnderstande it of materiall fire brought downe from heauen. Which course whosoeuer followeth in expoūding the prophecies in the Reuelation, must neuer looke to see them verified in the euent. The which I speake, not that literally they doe not agree to the Pope, but because (the mysticall sence being the more like to bee true) our aduersarie groundeth his argument wholy vponupon the literall interpretation. But I will make it plaine that both these miracles agree to the Pope not onelyonly in the mysticall sence, but also in the literall. And to that purpose let vsus consider these miracles seuerally.
9. And first as touching that of fire, which Antichrist shall cause to descende from heauen, if it bee literally vnderstood, you shall perceiue that it agreeth to the Pope, because in diuerse Popish miracles there hath beene (as they say) fire brought downe from heauen. But seing the place is rather to bee vnderstood mystically and allegorically, as well as other prophecies of the Reuelation: wee are not therefore by the comming downe of fire to vnderstand literally a reall descending of materiall fire, but that which mystically in the Scriptures is meant by the cōming downe of fire from heauen. You are therefore to bee infourmed that descending of fire from heauen, in the Scriptures signifieth three thinges: 1. Gods approuing of the religion and sacrifices of his seruaunts: 2. His sending downe of the graces of his spirit vponupon his children: 3. His vengeaunce executed from heauen vponupon his enemies. For the first, it is cleare that the Lorde informer times vsed to testifie his approbation of the religion and sacrifices of his seruaunts, by sending fire from Heauen to consume their sacrifice: in which respect hee is said to answere them by fire from heauen. Leuit. 9. 24 1. Chron, 21. 26. 2. Chron. 7. 1. wherunto some adde Gen. 4, 4. Iud. 13. 19. Whē as therfore the people of Israel halted between Iehouah and Baal… Elias to proue that Iehouah whom he worshipped was the true God, and his worship the true religion; by praier miraculously caused fire to come downe frō heauen to cōsume the sacrifice, 1. King. 18. 38. Whosoeuer therefore doth by such signes and wonders confirm that doctrine and religion which 1. King. 18. 38he professeth, as though God aunswered him by fire from heauen, he may be said to cause fire to descend from heauen, in the sight and opinion of men; who thinke such miracles to bee wrought by the finger of God, according to this example of Elias, that is, so to hauehave confirmed his religion in the opinion of men, as if hee had with Elias fetched fire from heauen. If therfore the Pope of Rome or his ministers hauehave, by as strange signes and wonders in the opinion of men, confirmed their religion, as though God from heauen approued thereof, as hee was woont to signifie his approbation in answering by fire frō heauen: they may be sayd to hauehave made fire to come down from heauen, although they neuer had caused materiall fire to descend. But if besides many other strange signes and wonders which they call miracles, they hauehave confirmed their superstitious religion and Antichristian doctrines by bringing fire from heauen; then can it not be denyed but that this place doth most fullie and properly agree vntounto them. But you must remember how Saint Iohn saith in the sight of men, not that they hauehave done so indeede, but only that they hauehave made men beleeue so.
10 As for example, to proue that their sacrament of the altar after the words of consecration is the very body of Christ, and to be worshipped no otherwise then Christ himselfe, wee hauehave a narration in their festiuall which was wont solemnelie to be read in the church on Corpus Christi day: the words whereof I will recite vntounto you. Also we find (say they) that in Deuonshire beside Exbridge was a woman lay sick and was nigh dead, and sent after a holy person about midnight to hauehave her rights. Than this man in all hast that he might, arose and went to the church, and tooke God… body in a box of Iuor…, and put it into his bosome, and went foorth towards this woman. And as hee went through a forest i… a faire m…de that was next his way, it happened that his box fello… of his bosome into the ground: and he went forth and wist it not and came to this woman and hearde her confession. And then hee asked her if she would be houseled, and she said, yea sir. Then he put his hand in his bosome & sought the box. And when he found it not, he was full sorie and sadde. And saide, dame, I will goe after Gods bodie and come anon agine to you, and so went foorth sore weeping for his simplenesse. And so as hee came to a willow tree hee made thereof a rodde, and stripped himselfe naked, and beat himselfe that the bloud ranne downe by his sides, and saide thus to himselfe; Ah thou simple man! Why hast thou lost thy Lorde God, thy maker, thy former and creatour? And when hee had thus beate himselfe, hee did on his clothes and went on foorth. And then hee was aware of a pillar of fire that lasted from earth to heauen, and hee was all astonied thereof, yet hee blessed himselfe and went thereto. And there lay the sacrament fallen out of the boxe into the grasse, and the pillar shone as bright as any Sunne, and it lasted from Gods bodie to heauen. And all the beastes of the forrest were com…n about Gods bodie, and stoode in compasse round about it, and all kneeled on foure knees, saue one black horse that kneeled but on that one knee. And that blacke horse was a feend of hell, who had turned himselfe into that shape that men might steale him, as diuerse had done and were hanged for him, &c. If any man obiect that all this narration is a foolish fiction, I aunswere that this was as verilie beleeued as it was solemnelie read. And therefore to countenaunce their abominable idole of the masse, they hauehave in the sight, that is, in the iudgement, opinion, and beliefe of men, caused fire to come downe from heauen that it might point out the body, & from it reach to heauen.
11 To winne credite to such Saints as they hauehave canonized, and consequently to cause men the more deuoutlie to pray vntounto them, to adore their images and reliques, to goe on pilgrimage to them, they hauehave coyned in the life or legend almost of euerie Saint, straunge and incredible miracles. And this is the ordinarie conclusion of many legendes, Then let vsus pray to this worthie Saint, or glorious martyr, that he will pray to God for vsus, …hat by his merites we may hauehave pardon and forgiuenesse of o…r sinnes, or something to the like effecte. Wee reade of diuerse of their Saints, who when they hauehave beene beheaded hauehave caried their Saint Iustinian the monke. Saint Osi…a. Saint Fulcien and Saint Victorice.heads in their hands, some one mile, some two miles. And it is a wonder that, hasting from so sharpe a banquet, they did not leaue their heades behind them for haste. Among manie other miracles they tell vsus of fire also which they hauehave caused to come downe from heauen in the sight, that is iudgement and opinion, of men besotted and giuen ouer to beleeue their monstruous vntruthes. In the life of Prothe and Iacinct, they make fire to come downe from heauen to kill Melancy the false accuser of Eugenne. They hauehave brought downe a pillar of fire reaching from heauen vntounto the earth where the bodie of Saint Edward the Martyr lay. VponUpon the head of Saint Martin as hee was saying masse they hauehave fetched downe a tongue of fire from heauen to make him equall as they say to the Apostles. In the fable of Saint George they make fire to come downe from heauen to burne the idoles with their temple and priestes. In the life of Barbara wee reade that when her owne father beeing her persecutour had drawne his sworde to slay her, shee was miraculouslie taken vp in a stone and caried into a mountaine; where two shepheades were feeding their sheepe. And when one of them had bewraied her to her father, and shee in her charitie had cursed him, anone his sheepe became locustes and hee consumed into a stone. Then her father hauing apprehended her deliuered her to the iudge, who put her to death. Whereupon they bring downe fire from heauen to consume her father. Their doctrine of purgatorie and prayer for the dead, is confirmed by manie wonders and strange apparitions of soules departed, begging masses for their deliuerance out of purgatorie. And in like manner it is reported that when Birstan the Bishoppe of Winchester staying all night in the churchyard, as his manner was, said ouer his psalmes for the soules departed, comming to these words requ…scant in pace let them rest in peace, he heard the voice of an infinit number out of the graues crying, Amen. But to this purpose also in their legend they hauehave made fire to descend from heauen. When as they tell vsus of a certaine Bishoppe, who, appearing in the clouds of heauen to another here vponupon earth, did let some fire drop vponupon him to giuegive him a tast of the torments in purgatorie. Besides these examples many other might bee found if they were woorth the seeking in their fabulous writings, as also in some other of their storyes which testifie that diuerse times in the church of Rome, fire hath beene brought downe from heauen. But these which I Ioan. Linturius in appead. ad fascic. tempor.hauehave recited may suffice: in seeking and setting downe wherof I should hauehave thought my time and paines not wel bestowed (such are the ridiculous fooleries of popery, wherewith the churches in the time of darknesse hauehave beene pestered) sauing that I considered that the more incredible the report is of Popish miracles, the more euidently it is proued, both that the Pope is Antichrist, and the Papists the followers of Antichrist, vponupon whome God hath sent strong illusions that they might beleeue lyes. In the first sence therefore the prophecy Reuel. 13. doth fitte the Pope and church of Rome, who by greate signes and wonders do so confirme their Antichristian errours and superstitions in the sight, that is, in the iudgement, opinion, and beliefe of men besotted and made drunke with the whore of Babylons cuppe of fornications, as though God did seeme to approoue thereof in aunswering by fire from heauen. And this interpretation seemeth to be confirmed by the words; for it is not directly said that Antichrist should cause fire to come downe from heauen, but onelyonly thus, that he doth great signes, insomuch that fire descendeth from heauē in the sight of men. That is, insomuch that in the iudgement of men God seemeth to answere him by fire from heauen, and to beare witnesse to his doctrines by miracles wrought by the finger of God.
12 But descending of fire signifieth also the bestowing of the grace of Gods spirit which is called fire Mat. 3. 11. Act. 2. 3. In which sence the Pope may bee saide to make fire come downe from heauen, but wee must adde before men, that is in their opinion and conceipt. For he forsooth, as the church of Rome beleeueth, giueth not onelyonly the graces of the spirite to men, but also the power of sanctification both to men and also to some creatures of his owne, as to his Ag… Del, and his holy water sprinckle &c. And in this sence doth Primasius expound this place. Thirdly, the comming downe of fire signifieth the wrathfull vengeaunce of God executed vponupon his enemies, which often in the Scriptures is called fire, to wit, the Apoc. 20. 9.fire of Gods wrath. As Elias therefore brought fire from heauen to consume the two Captaines and their fifties: so Antichrist, according to this interpretation, shall with a diuine reuenge, as it were with fire from heauen, take vengeance vponupon his aduersaries, but here also we must adde before men, who shall thinke that those against whom Antichrist shal send the thunderbolt of his wrath, are punished with a Diuine reuenge, and as it were with fire from heauen. This also is verified of the Pope of Rome, who with a diuine reuenge (as he forsooth is Deus vindictae, The God of reuenge) pursueth his R. Cupers. de eccl. pag. 61. num. 52.enemies, but especially with the thunderbolt of excommunication as themselues doe call it. Which as it is terribly sent from this Iupiter of Rome, so is it fearefully executed with Gregor. 7. in ep…st. ad German. apud Auentin. lib. 5.putting out and casting downe of lights from aboue, as if the fire of Gods wrath were at their commaunde, or as if with Gregory the seuenth they could shake it out of their sleeues. And well may this be reckened among the wonders of Antichrist. For it were more then a wonder, that Kings and Emperours should by excommunications from the Pope bee either so daunted in themselues or abandoned of their subiectes as some hauehave beene, but that the Popes hauehave professed and their followers hauehave beleeued, that God himselfe doth whatsoeuer is done by the Pope, who being Canonically elected is a God vponupon earth, and hath the same consistory and iudgement seate with God himselfe, whose vicar he would seeme to be; & consequently that those Kings and Emperours were deposed of God, who were excommunicated by the Pope: whereas other Princes and people that are not made drunke with the cuppe of their fornications hauehave esteemed their bulles of excōmunication as Bullas that is bubbles, & the fire of vengeāce which they cause to descend in the sight of men, as painted fire, or as the thunder and lightning of Salmoneus, who (as the Poet describeth him not vnlike to the Pope) Flammas Iouis Aeneid. 6.& sonitus imitatur Olympi, Imitateth the lightenings of Iupiter, and the thunder of heauen. But howsoeuer it is, whether this descending of fire from heauen is to be vnderstood literally or mystically, the prophecy of the holy Ghost concerning this first miracle of Antichrist is verified of the Pope and church of Rome, who hauehave caused fire to come downe frō heauen according to the literall sence: & according to the allegoricall interpretation they hauehave so confirmed their doctrines by signes & wonders, as if God had answered them by fire from heauen: and secondly they hauehave taken vponupon them to bring downe the fire of Gods spirite, and to bestowe his grace as it pleaseth them: and lastly, they hauehave according to the example of Elias with a diuine reuenge & as it were with fire from heauen, taken vengeaunce of their enimies; not to speake of his punishing with fire all those that will not adore him.
13. And thus much may suffice to hauehave spoken of the first miracle. The second miracle (saith Bellarmine) is, that Antichrist or his ministers shall make the image of the beast to speake. But neuer Pope nor any minister of his did make an image to speake: therefore, saith hee, the Pope is not Antichrist. But I answere that this prophecie euen according to the Popishe interpretation agreeth to the Pope and his followers, among whom it hath beene an vsuall practise to put life as it were into images in the sight and opinion of simple men, making them to sweate, to smile, to srowne, to nodde, to becke and many times to speake, which might happē without a miracle, for the Diuels sometimes did speake in the images of the Heathen. Notwithstanding wee are not after a Popishe, that is to say, a grosse maner, but after a propheticall and spirituall maner to vnderstand this mysticall prophecy of the holy Ghost concerning the image of the beast. For if wee vnderstand the beast it selfe mystically, as needes wee must, or else wee shall make but a beastly interpretation of it: so wee are in like sort to expound the image of the beast with the life and speach thereof. The beast it selfe signifieth the Roman… state especially vnderunder the Heathenish Emperours as hath bene shewed. The image therefore of the beast must signifie a state which hath some resemblaunce thereof, or at least the name and title of the Romane Empire, (as images beare the name of that which they resemble) and is indeed but an image thereof. Thus, besides the Popes courts both in Rome and other countreys, is the Empire renewed in the West, which besides the name and some titles and ornaments hath little or nothing of the olde Empire. For the old Empire consisted in the gouernment of Rome and the prouinces thereunto belonging, none of which the Emperour hath as a Soueraigne Prince by right of the Empire, and therefore is said to bee the beast which was and is not though it be, being indeed, as it is Apoc. 17.here called, but an image of the former beast. The life of this Empire is the imperiall dignity, and the speach are his edicts. Whosoeuer therfore caused this Empire, which in the west had lien void 325. yeares, to be renewed: whosoeuer at the first created this Emperour, & since hath taken order for the electiō of the Emperour, & cōfirmeth the electiō, he may be said to hauehave caused the image of the beast to be made, & to hauehave put life into it, & to hauehave procured authority vntounto it, wherby it speaketh.
14. Now to whom all this is to bee applied, let Bellarmine himselfe be iudge. For he, in his bookes De translatione imperij Romani, by many testimonies laboureth to proue, first, that the Empire of Rome was translated, but he might better hauehave said renewed, in the West, and as it were reuiued by the authority of the Pope, and that Charles the great in whom this Empire was renewed, receiued the same by no other title but by the authority of the Pope. And that is the summe of his first booke. Secondly, that the Empire of Rome was translated from the family of Charles the great, and from the French nation to the family of Otho, and the nation of the Saxons and Germanes, and that Otho was aduaunced to the Empire by the Pope: which is the scope of the second Booke. Thirdly, that the seuen Electours of the Empire were ordained and appointed by the Pope, which is the argument of his third booke. And in his first booke he setteth downe the state Chap. 4.of that controuersie thus: the question is (saith he) who is the authour of this trāslation (or rather renouation: for the Emperour of the East continued after vntil the yeare 1452. & before this time had by the Popes meanes lost his right in Italy and Rome, & therfore nothing was trāslated but the name & title) & who it was that gaue the name dignity & power of the Romane Emperour, and Caesar Augustus in the west, to Charles the great & his successors. We answer (saith he) that which the cōsent of al nations proclaimeth, that Pope Leo 3. was either the only or the chiefe and principall authour of this translation: & that the Dutch nation is to acknowledge the receipt of the Empire from the Pope. VntoUnto the testimony of Bellarmine & of all those authours whom he citeth, we will adde the professiō of the Popes thēselues. Innocentius 3. saith, the 7. Electours had their authority, Decret. Gregorian. de electione. c. venerabilem.ab Apostolica sede, quae Romanū imperiū in persona magnifici Caroli à Graecis trāstulit in Germanos, From the See Apostolick which trāslated the Romane Empire in the person of Charles the great frō the Grecians to the Germanes. VponUpon which translation saith Bellarmine, The Romane commonweale returned againe De trāslat. imper. li. 1. cap. 4.to the same state wherein Constantine the great established it, & wherein it remained frō Valentinian the elder, vntounto Augustulus. Likewise Adrian 4. The Romane Empire, saith he, was Ad archiep. Treuir. Moguntin. & Agrippin. apud Auentin. lib. 6.translated frō the Greekes to the Almaines, that the king of the Almaines should not be called Emperour before he were crowned of the Pope. Before his consecration he is king, after he is Emperour. Vnde igitur habet imperiū nisi à nobis? From whence then hath he the Empire but from vsus? By the election of his princes he hath the name of a king: by our consecration he hath the name of Emperour, Augustus, & Caesar. Ergo per nos imperat. Therfore he is Emperour by vsus. Call to mind Antiquities. Zacharias aduāced Charies and gaue him a great name that he should be Emperour &c. Imperator quod habet, totum habet à nobis. What soeuer the Emperour hath, that hee hath wholy from vsus. As Zacharias translated the Empire from the Greeks to the Almaines; so wee can translate it from the Almaines to the Graecians. Ecce in potesta… nostra est, vt demus illud cui volumus. Behold it is in our power to giuegive it to whome we will. For therefore are we appointed of God ouer nations and kingdomes, to destroy and pluck vp, to build and to plan…. In the Clementines it is professed that the Pope Cap. Romani de iureiuran do.hath trāslated the Empire from the Greeks to the Germaines: that he hath giuen power and authoritie to certaine of their princes to elect a king to be Emperour: that the king thus chosen receiueth from the Pope the approbation of his person vntounto the Empire, as also his annointing, consecration, and imperiall crowne: and that in respect hereof the Emperors are to submit themselues vntounto the Pope, and to bind themselues vntounto him by an oath of fealtie and obedience. And elsewhere in their lawe it is said, Imperator tenet imperium a Papa, vnde tenetur praestare iuramentum homagij scil. quod vasallus praestare solet domino suo. The Emperor holdeth his Empire from the Pope. Whereupon, hee is bound to performe the oath of homage, to wit, which the vassall vseth to performe vntounto his Lord.
15 Thus therefore this argument is returned vponupon the aduersary. Whosoeuer causeth the image of the beast to be made, putteth life into it and causeth it to speake, he is vndoubtedly Antichrist: But the Pope of Rome hath caused the image of the beast to be made, put teth life into it, & causeth it to speake, therfore he is Antichrist. The assumption is proued, because the image of the beast is the Empire renewed in the west: the life is the imperiall dignity, and the speeche are the edictes thereof. This image the Pope causeth to be made, this hee putteth life into, this he hath made to speake. For first he renewed the Empire in the west, after it had lyen voide by the space of 325. yeares, when hee annointed and crowned Charles the greate Emperour of the west, & so caused him to be acknowledged: after he translated the Empire to the Almaines, among whom he hath appointed seauen electours as it were to renewe this image, but so as himselfe putteth life thereinto, by approuing the person and ratifying the election, & maketh him to speake by annointing him Emperour and giuing vntounto him the name and title of Augustus and Caesar. Which things I shal not need further to proue, because they are matters wherof the Pope and Papists do greatly boast. And therfore from their own profession we may conclude that the Pope is Antichrist.