Antichrist Pointed and Painted Out in His True Colors, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. Of the Popes, not onlie equalling himself with GOD; But extolling himself aboue GOD himself. Which is the hight of Antichristian Pryde, and Matchlesse Impietie.
HAving shown, how the Pope exalteth himself against all that is called GOD, by participation onlie of name: And, equalleth himself, also, with him, who is GOD onlie, in Essence▪ Followeth, to show, How lyke Lucifer in his Meridian, or highest ascension, hee extolleth himself, aboue GOD. 1. Extolling his Authoritie, over the Scriptures; which are the WORD of GOD: And, consequentlie, aboue GOD himself. 2. Making himself Iudge over GODS WORD: And, what it sayeth is lawfull. Hee saying; It is unlawfull. 3. In taking from GODS WORD; and cancelling some of His Commandements. 4. In the contradicting in expresse termes GODS WORD: For which Hee is justlie called Antichrist: That is, Con…rie in his Doctrine to CHRIST. And, 5. In dispensing against GODS WORD: And, allowing that which GODS WORD condemneth.
First, then, (as their own beforecited Cassander speaketh,) Hee extolleth his Authoritie aboue the Scriptures, which are GODS WORD; in so farre (as Romanists teach;) That the Authoritie of the Church, (whereof hee is head,) is aboue the Scriptures: And, that Scriptures must follow the Church, (as her Lackey;) and not the Church the Scriptures. Therefore, sayeth, Cardinall Cusanus; Sequuntur igitur Scripturae Ecclesians; sed non è converso. Ep. 7. ad Bohemos. p. 8.5.8.That is, Therefore, the Scriptures follow the Church: But not that the Church is to follow the Scriptures; Quare nec mirum (sayeth hee,) si praxis Ecclesiae vno tempore inter interpretatur Scripturam vno modo, & alio tempore, alio modo, nam intellectus currit cum praxi. That is, Therefore, it is no marvell, if the practise of the Church interpreteth the Scripture at one tyme, one way; and at another tyme, another way: For, the meaning of the Scripture runneth with the practise of the Church; in so farre as, mutato judicio Ecclesiae, (sayeth hee,) mutatum est & DEI judicium. That is, The Church changing her judgement;Ep. 3. ad Bohemos. p. 8, 8. GOD must also, change His judgement. Then, which what can bee greater exalting a…oue GOD, and Blasphemie?
Secondlie; Hee extolleth himself aboue GOD; in so farre as hee maketh himself judge over GODS WORD. And, what it sayeth, is lawfull: hee sayeth, is unlawfull. One example whereof in place of manie, wee hauehave in the Popes Ca…on Law: Where it is sayd, speaking of seco…d Marriages;…ausa 31. c. h…s ratione. Secundam quidem accipere vxorem, secundum prec…ptum Apostoli (propter incontinentiam hominum,) licitum est, secundum veritatis autem rationem, vere fornicatio est. That is, TO MARIE a second wyf, according to the Apostles command, (because of mens incontinencie,) it is, indeed lawfull. But according to the rule of trueth: it is truelie fornication. So that hee censureth the Apostles command, which is GODS, to command sinne and uncleanesse: And, not to bee according to the Rule of Trueth. Which is highest Pryde and Blaspemie: And, nothing elss, but the mouth of the Dragon.
Thirdlie; Hee extolleth himself aboue GOD; in so farre,Contrarie to Revel. 22.19. as hee dareth to take from GODS WORD; and blot out some of his morall commandements. For example; The second Commandement forbiddeth three thinges: 1. The representing of GOD by anie image: 2. The worshipping of anie image: and, 3. Anie sign of religious adoration; as bowing down to them. Now, lest the poor people should fynd how farre they are misled; and made to commit Idolatrie, by worshipping of images. Therefore, in their Catechismes they hauehave taken out the second Commandement of the morall law. Nay, they are become so shamelesse, when they are prest with this Lurd Impietie: That the Iesuit Vasquez saye…h; That▪ that prohibition was onlie a positiue ceremoniall law;L. 2. de ador. disp. q. c. 3. §. 74. Ideoque tempore legis Euangelica, (sayeth hee,) debet cessare. That is; And, therfore, in the tyme of the Law of the Gospell, it ought to ceasse, (sayeth hee,) as if Idolatrie were but a ceremonie; and that the Gospell did not forbid the same. Contrarie to 1. COR. 6.9.
Fourthlie: Hee extolleth himself aboue GODS WORD, and HIS Commandements, in contramanding; and expresse contradicting of GODS WORD. Whereof the Apostle noteth Therefore, two of his Doctrines; to bee Doctrines of Devils;1. Tim. 4.3.4. In forbidding of marriage; and, commanding to abstain from meats, which GOD hath created, to bee receaved with thanksgiving, of them which belieue; and know the Trueth; for everie creature is good, (sayeth the Apostle,) and, nothing to bee refused, if it bee receaved with thanksgiving. Yet, on the contrarie:Heb. 13.4 Albeit of marriage, that the Apostle sayeth, It is honourable amongst all, and the bed undefyled. 1. The Pope sayeth, It is not so amongst all: Because not amongst the Clergie, to whom hee hath therefore forbidden the same.Dist. 82. c. preposuisti. 2. Neither is the bed of Marriage, a bed undefyled, (sayeth hee,) Because it is the vncleannesse of the flesh; and, they that are in the flesh, (sayeth hee in his Decretall of the Canon Law,) can not please GOD. Now, what doctrine this is; and, how opposite to GODS: The Apostle not onlie telleth us; But, also, that worthie Martyr, Ignatius, the disciple of Iohn, in his sixt Epistle to the Philadelphians; saying, Si quis legitimam commixtionem, & liberorum procreationem corruptelam, & pollutionem appellet, talis Apostatam illum draconem in se habitantem fovet. That is, If anie man shall call lawfull copulation in marriage, and procreation of children, to bee carnalitie and pollution Such a one entertaineth that Apostat dragon dwelling in him, (which is the devill.) Lykewyse, His prohibition and commanding, to abstain from meats, at such or such tymes, for conscience sake▪ contrarie both to GODS WORD▪ and Christian Libertie; what elss is it, also: But, the same apostat dragons mouth? And, whyle as in lyke manner, anie who shall transgresse this his command concerning meats; or anie other, which are called Precepta Ecclesiae, shall bee, and hauehave beene more severelie punished than anie who transgresse the Commandements of GOD: What else is this, but the exalting himself aboue GOD?
I might instance here the whole Doctrines of Poperie expresslie contradictorie to the Doctrine of GODS WORD; As, The Forbidding the people to reade the Scriptures: Expresslie contrarie unto CHRISTS Commandement, Iohn 5.39. And, the Apostles, Col. 3.16. The Invocatio… of Saincts or Angels. Contrarie to Rom, 10.14. Prayer. also in an unknown tongue. Contrarie to 1. Cor. 14.15. Representing GOD by anie Image. Contrarie to Isai 40.18. The worshipping of Images, or bowing to them. Contrarie to Exod. 20.5. The doctrine of Freewill in our conversion. Contrarie to 2. Cor. 3.5. Iustification by works. Contrarie to Rom. 3.21. The doctrine of Merit. Contrarie to Rom. 6.23. The doctrine of Purgatorie: contrarie to Revel. 14.13. Of Transubstantiation in the Sacrament: contrarie to 1. Cor. 11.26. Of Keeping back the Cup. from the people: contrarie to Matth. 26.27. and, 1. Cor. 11.28, And, Of the Masse: contrarie to Heb. 10.14.
Fyftlie: Hee extolleth himself aboue GOD;Summa Antonini part. 3. tit. 22. c. 6. by dispensing with the Law of GOD: Whereas it is a common receaved Rule; That no inferiour can dispense with the Law of a Superiour: but, on the contrarie.
Now, that the Pope arrogateth to himself, this power to dispense with the Law of GOD; both the Romish doctrine, and the Popes practise conform doeth show.
And, first,Tit. Papa, f. 141. for doctrine Angelus Clavasinus, in his Summa Angelica, giveth this reason, why the Pope dispenceth sometymes with GODS Law; Because wee hauehave the example of GOD Himself, (sayeth hee,) that oftentymes hee hath dispenced himself with his own law. And, the Pope may doe all thinges, (sayeth Panormitan,) which GOD Himself may doe. Lykewyse;Repert. Panor. tit. Papa, 4. c. prop…suisti, num. 12. f. 77. The Pope may dispence against both the Old and New Testament, (sayeth hee,) Cap. licet, n…m. 3. de feriis, f. 206. & Cap. 51. num. 4. de divertiis, f. 69. Imo Papa tollit jus divinum▪ dispensando contra Evangelium, (sayeth Petrus de Monte, in his Monarchia Papae.) That is, The Pope may take away GODS Law, by his dispensation against the Gospell.
Next: For practise the forenamed Angelus Clavafinus, in his Summa Angelica, f. 241. relateth that Pope Martin, the fyfth, gaue one a dispensation To marrie his own sister: And, telleth us, That Sanctus Antoninus is a conjunct Recorder of this with him.
Lykewyse: Villa, Scotus, and Orbellis, all three on the fourth of the Sentences,Villa dist. 27. f. 195 Scotus, dist. 33. q. 2. f. 255. Orb. dist. 33. §. 2. reporteth; How that Pope Lucius dispensed with one Panormitan, to hauehave two wyues at once. Tho also, an Archbishop; Out of the plenitude of his power, (sayd they,) against the Apostle, 1. Tim. 2.3.
And, how the Pope of late dispensed with the king of Pole, Sigismund, to marrie two sisters: As hee did Henrie the eyght before, to marrie his brothers wyf, is notore to the whole world.
From all which former, I argue thus: Hee who extolleth himself, not onlie aboue all that is called God: But, also, aboue GOD himself: who is so in essence; Hee is that Grand Antichrist; That Man of Sinne, in an eminent way; and sonne of Perdition; As the SCRIPTURE testifieth.
But, the Pope doeth this many wayes, as wee hauehave shown in this preceeding Chapter.
Therefore, Hee is that Grand Antichrist.