Canterburys Doom, Branch 1 · Evidence 2 · Section 6
6. Paſſages expunged, averring, That the Pope is Antichriſt: of which ſee Section 2. before.
YOU have already heard of ſundry purgations of this nature in the premiſes, we ſhall preſent you with others not formerly remembred.
Doctor Clerke in his ſixth Sermon of the Nativity, page 53. line ult. had this clauſe: But the Pops is the Antichriſt; which the Licenſer thus tranſformes: but one is Anchrinſt; eaſing the Pope of this title.
Maſter Ward in his Comentary upon Matthew, page 303. had this whole diſcourſe concerning Antichriſt expunged by the Licenſer.
How many wayes is this name Antichriſt taken in the Scriptures, that our Saviour ſaith, many ſhall come in his name, affirming that they are Chriſts?Queſt.
Firſt, it is taken ſomtimes commonly; and thus his name Antichriſt belongeth to all who are enemies to Chriſt: and theſe are either 1. open & profeſſed enemies, as the Iews, Anſw.Turks and Infidels, in which ſenſe the word is not uſed in Scripture; or 2. covert and cloſe enemies, who profeſſe themſelves chriſtians, and under the name and profeſſion of Chriſt, oppugne Chriſt and his truth; and thus it is taken either 1. more largely, to ſignifie the whole body of hereticks, as 1 John 2. 18. 22. or 2. more ſtrictly, and ſo it ſignifies the ſociety of them, who having made an Apoſtacy from Chriſt, have received the marke of the Beaſt; and theſe we hold to be the Apoſtaticall Church of Rome. Secondly, this name Antichriſt is ſometimes taken properly, or rather peculiarly, and ſo it belongeth to the man of ſinne, and the ſonne of perdirion (a Theſ. 2. 3.) who after a more generall manner is the head of all hereticks, and more ſpecially of that ſociety, which hath the mark, number, and the name of the Beaſt, Revel. 13. 17. and this we hold to be the Pope of Rome (as is abundantly proved by Davaeus, Biſhop Downame and Maſter Squire) and that not onelyonly becauſe he is the head of the Antichriſtian body but alſo becauſe he being in profeſſion the Vicar of Chriſt, is indeede Aemulus Christi, i. e. an enemy oppoſed to Chriſt in emulation of like honour, as if we ſhould ſay, a counter-Chriſt, as the word Antichriſt doth alſo ſignifie.
How doth it appeare that there are many Antichriſts? for although Chriſt ſaith here Queſt.that many ſhall come in his name, yet many deny this, affirming, that the Antichriſt ſhall be but one particular perſon, and conſequently, that there ſhall not be many Antichriſts, but one onelyonly.
That Antichriſt is not one ſingular man, but a whole ſtate and ſucceſſion of men, and conſequently, that there ſhall be many Antichriſts pecularly, or foreign, ſo called, Anſw▪will appeare by theſe Arguments: Firſt, if Antichriſt were in the Apoſtles time and was to remaine untill the ſecond comming of Chriſt, then Antichriſt is not one ſingular man, but a ſucceſſion of men; but Antichriſt was in the Apoſtles time, and is to continue untill the ſecond comming of Chriſt, as both Saint Paul (2 Theſ. 2.) and John 1 cap. 2. 18. & 4. 3. & 2 John 7.) teſtifie. Therefore Antichriſt is not one ſingular man, but a ſucceſſion of men. Secondly, that in the 7. and 11. of Daniel, and in 13. and 17. of the Revelations, is deſcribed under the name and figure of a Beaſt, is not one ſingular thing or perſon, but a whole ſtate or ſucceſſion: But Antichriſt in theſe places is deſcribed under the name and figure of a Beaſt: Therefore Antichriſt is not one ſingular perſon, but a whole ſtate or ſucceſſion. Thirdly, the ſeven heads of that Beaſt, which ſignifieth the Roman ſtate, are not ſo many perſons but ſo many heads or ſtates of Government, whereby the Common-wealth of the Romans hath been at divers times governed; the ſixth head was the ſtate of Emperours, the ſeventh Antichriſt, as the Papiſts confeſſe, the eighth (which is alſo one of the ſeventh) the ſtate of Emperours revived: whereby it evidently appeareth, not onelyonly that Antichriſt is not one man but alſo that the Pope (who is the ſeventh head) is Antichriſt; if the Reader would ſee the two former Arguments enlarged, and another added, not here mentioned, then let him read Biſhop Downame de Antichriſto, lib. 2. cap. 20. to 32. Page 16. this clauſe is deleted: Ob. Antichriſts name ſhall not be knowne untill he come, &c. Anſw. 2. Secondly, Antichriſt is already come, yea, the Pope of Rome is this Antichriſt, as is abundantly proved by many of our Divines; and therefore his riſe, ſeat and name are knowne well enough: page 14. Ob. 5. Whoſoever ſhall put away his wife (the Pope is called the adverſary, or he who oppoſeth himſelfe againſt Chriſt, 2 Theſ. 2. 11. and is juſtly ſo called, becauſe he and his Divines doe maintaine aſſertions directly contrary to the word of Chriſt; one example we have in this verſe, Bellarmine ſaith, &c. page 57. Ob. 3. Chriſt ſaith, unto me is given all power, therefore (Antichriſts imp) Pererius ſaith, the Pope hath power over Infidels; And a little after Anſw. 2. all power is given to Chriſt, therefore to the Pope, is a blaſphemous and Antichriſtian conſequence, diſplaying the Pope to his colours, to be the Where in making himſelfe, or ſuffering himſelfe to be made equall with Chriſt, is obliterated.
Would not any Proteſtant admire ſuch paſſages as theſe ſhould be expurged, to gratifie the Pope.
The Articles of Religion agreed upon by the Arch-biſhops and Biſhops, and the reſt of the Clergy of Ireland, in Convocation holden at Dublin, in the yeere of our Lord 1615. for the avoyding of diverſities of opinions, and the eſtabliſhing of conſent touching true Religion: reprinted at London, 1629. Artic. 78. 80. determined thus againſt the Pope.
THE power which the Biſhop of Rome now challengeth, to be the ſupreame head of the Univerſall Church of Chriſt, and to be above all Emperours, Kings and Princes, is an uſurped power, contrary to the Scriptures and Word of God, and contrary to the example of the Primitive Church; and therefore is for juſt cauſes taken away and aboliſhed within the Kings Majeſties Realmes and Dominions.
The Biſhop of Rome is ſo farre from being the Supreame Head of the Univerſall Church of Chriſt, that his works and doctrine doe plainly diſcover him to be that Man of ſin, foretold in the holy Scriptures, whom the Lord ſkall conſume with the ſpirit of his mouth, and aboliſh with the brightneſſe of his comming.
Theſe Articles were ſo diſpleaſing to the Arch-biſhop (together with ſome others againſt Arminians) that in the yeere 1634. this whole book of Articles was revoked; ſuppreſſed by Parliament in Ireland, through his procurement; then which ſtrange act, there could not be a more apparent undermining of the Proteſtant Religion.
In the yeer 1634. there were, at the ſpeciall requeſt of the Queen of Bohemia, Letters Patents granted to Maſter Rulie, a Palatinate Miniſter, for a collection throughout … of the poore Miniſters of the Palatinate; in which Patent there was this notable … clauſe inſerted relating to their Religion and ſufferings.
Whoſe caſes are the more to be deplored, for that this extremity is fallen … them for their … constancy to the true Religion, which we, together with them, doe profeſſe, and … we are all bound in conſcience to maintaine to the utmoſt of our powers; whereas theſe relations and godly perſons being involved, amongſt many others their cou…trymen, in … common calamity might have enjoyed their estates and fortunes if with other back-ſliders in the times of tryall, they would have ſubmitted themſelves to the ANTICHRISTIAN YOKE, and have renounced or diſſembled the profeſſion of the true Religion.
The very ſame formall words were uſed in former Patents of collections for them in King James his Reign, and in the Patent dated the 29. of Jan. in the third yeere of King Charles his Reign by which this Patent was drawn: The Arch-biſhop peruſing this Patent brought to him by Maſter Rulie, after it had paſſed the Seale, grew extreamly cholerick at it, rated Maſter Ruly, (who pleaded ignorance of the cuſtomes of England, and that the Patent was drawne by the Kings Atturney, according to former preſidents, without any directions from himſelfe, who was a meer ſtranger) chid him very ſharply, threatned to ſuppreſſe the whole collection, detained the Patent under ſeale, and carrying it the next day to the Court, complained of it to the King, checked the Lord Keeper and Secretary Cooke, for letting ſuch a clauſe paſſe in the Patent, who juſtified themſelves by former preſidents, by which they were guided; and by his violence, wholly cancelled the Patent after it was ſealed; then cauſed a new Patent to be drawne, wherein this former clauſe was omitted, the King telling the Lord Keeper that the Arch-biſhop would have it altered, and therefore it muſt be done; which thereupon was done occordingly. Now the cauſe of all this ſtirre and anger of his Grace-ſhip againſt this clauſe, was onelyonly becauſe it ſtiled thoſe of the Palatinate, profeſſors of the true Religion, &c. and tacitely cenſured the Pope as Antichriſt in this latter clauſe; Where as theſe religious and godly perſons might have enjoyed their estates and fortunes, if with other back-ſliders in the times of tryall, they would have ſubmitted themſelves to the Antichriſtian Yoke, and renounced or diſſembled the profeſſion of the true Religion: As was punctually atteſted upon oath by Maſter Wakerly and Maſter Hartlib. Of which more fully hereafter.
Now that all the forementioned purgations of paſſages againſt the Pope, and his being Antichriſt, proceeded originally from the Archbi. himſelfe, without any other motive but his own inherent affection to his Holineſſe and the Roman party, we ſhall moſt apparently evidence to all the world, by a Letter of his to Dr. Hall the Biſhop of Exeter, ſigned with his owne hand, and Biſhop Hal's anſwer thereunto; the Originals of which Letters, Maſter Prynne ſeized in his Study at Lambeth, and atteſted at the Lords Barre, where they were both acknowledged and read in theſe enſuing tearmes.
My very good Lord:
I Have received your Lordſhips Letters of Decemb. 6. 23. and with them the copy of your Book, and in them a paper of ſhort propoſitions, which you think (and ſo doe I) is fitter for the atteſtation of divers hands then the book it ſelfe: Theſe propſitions ſhall be well weighed againſt the time of Convocation, which I conceive will be a fit time to take other Biſhops atteſtation, without further noyſe or trouble.
For your book, I firſt thanke you very heartily for your paines; and next, more then heartily (were it poſſible) for your noble and free ſubmiſſion of it, not onelyonly to many eyes and judgements, but alſo in the maine to be ordered, and after that preſt or ſuppreſt as it ſhall be thought fit here. Which care or conſcience would men uſe which ſet out books, we ſhould not have ſo much froth and vanity in the world, as now 'tis full of.
But whereas you writ: Firſt, that the Booke grew into greater length under your pen them you expected; I cannot be ſorry for that, ſince that which you have added concerning Parker, Anti-Tilenus and Vedelius, ſeems to me very neceſſary: Secondly, that you are pleaſed to ſubject the work to me, and to interpret it, that you meant not perſonally to me, becauſe I could not have time for other great occaſions to reviſe it, but by way of deſputation: Theſe are to let you know, that were my occaſions NOTE.greater then they are, I would not ſuffer a book of that Argument, and in theſe times, to paſſe without my owne particular View: And therefore, my Lord, theſe may tell you, that both my Chaplaines have read over your book and that ſince them, I have read it over my ſelfe very carefully, every line of it; and I have now put it into the hands of my Lord the Biſhop of Ely: and this thrice reading over hath been the cauſe why I did not give you a more ſpeedy account of it.
And now, my Lord, according to the freedome which you have given one, I muſt tell you, that I have here and there in my reading of it over, made bold to alter or leave out a phraſe or two, but have as yet varied nothing that is materiall; and indeed I ſhould think it very uncivill and unjuſt too, to vary any thing that is ſubſtantiall, without firſt acquainting you with it, that ſo it may be done either by your owne pen, or at the leaſt, not without your owne conſent.
The particulars which I chiefly inſiſt upon are theſe: Firſt, you doe extreamly well to diſtinguiſh the Scottiſh buſineſſe from the ſtate of the forraigne Churches; but yet to thoſe Churches and their Authors you are a little more favourable then our caſe will now beare: But this I conceive will be eaſily helpt, and that without preſſing too NOTE.much upon them. The ſecond is, the firſt touch which you have concerning the Sabatarians, where you let their ſtrict ſuperstition paſſe without any touch at all, I think one little one will doo no harme. The third, which you ſeeme to paſſe by, as not much materiall in the Queſtion, is in our judgement here, the very Maine of the cauſe, and it is, whether Epiſcopacy be an Order or Degree? an Order certainly, if it be of Divine and Apoſtolicall inſtitution. For that which is but different by degree and circumſtantially, cannot be other then Iuris poſitivi; and the ancient word in the Fathers is, Ordinatio Epiſcopi; and our ordinary phraſe is of any of our Brethren the Biſhops, he is one of our Order: and why does the Church of England ordaine or conſecrate every one that is made a Biſhop, if it be but a Degree of the ſame Order? For when a Biſhop is tranſlated or made an Arch-biſhop, theras then no conſecration, becauſe they are Iuris poſitivi, and onelyonly degrees: Your Lordſhip is very neere a whole leafe upon this tranſition; I beſeech you weigh it well, and then let me have it altered by your owne pen, and the ſooner ſent the better.
The laſt (with which I durſt not but acquaint the King) is about Antichriſt; which title in three or four places of your booke, you bestow upon the Pope poſitively and determinately, NOTE.whereas King James of bleſſed memory, having brought ſtrong proofe, in a Worke of his, as you well know, to prove the Pope to be Antichriſt; yet being ofterwards challenged about it, he made this anſwer; when the King that now is went into Spaine, and acquainted him with it, that he writ that not concludingly, but by way of Argument onelyonly, that the Pope and his Adherent might ſee, there were as good and better Arguments to prove him Antichriſt, then for the Pope to challenge temporall juriſdiction over Kings: This whole paſſage being knowne to me, I could not but ſpeak with the King about it, who commanded me to write unto you, that you might quallifie your expreſſion in theſe particulars, and ſo not differ from the knowne judgment of his pious and learned Father: This is eaſily done by your owne pen; and the rather becauſe all Protestants joyne not in this opinion of Antichriſt. I have no more to trouble your Lordſhip with, but to pray you to have your anſwer to theſe with as much ſpeed as much ſpeed as may be; ſo to Gods bleſſed protection I leave you, and reſt
Your Lordſhips very loving friend and brother, W. CANT. Lambeth Jan. 14. 1639.
I had not leizure to toke a copy of theſe Letters, therefore I pray let me have them back againe when you give me your anſwer.
This Letter was thus indorſed, To the right reverend Father in God, my very good Lord and Brother, the Lord Biſhop of Exeter, theſe. And after the receit againe, thus indorſed by the Arch-biſhop himſelfe; My Letters of Jan. 14. 1639. to L. B. Exon. about his book for Epiſcopacy.
To which Letter Biſhop Hall returned this Anſwer, found together with it in the Arch-biſhops ſtudy.
MOſt Reverend, and my ever moſt Honourable Lord, I doe firſt humbly thanke your Grace for thoſe houres and paines you have been pleaſed to beſtow, both upon my papers and me, and yet more for that noble freedome your Grace hath been pleaſed according to my earneſt requeſt, to uſe, in making knowne your Graces Judgement, in thoſe few Animadverſions which I have now received, and the gracious reſpect ſhewed to me, that after ſo full power, put into your Graces hands to dispoſe of thoſe papers, at your owne pleaſure; yet your Grace hath been pleaſed to take my unworthineſſe along with you, in the altering of my paſſages therein, wherein I hope I have ſatisfied your Graces expectation accordingly. As for my favourableneſſe to foraigne Authors and Churches, I foretold your Grace, that I held it beſt not to be ſparing of good words, though in the reality of the Tenet, I have gone further then the moſt others. Thoſe Authors whom I mention, with ſo faire reſpect, are in thoſe things (for which I cite them) our friends; but if your Grace find any phraſe too high or unſeaſonable, it is but a daſh of your Chaplaines pen, to whom I beſeech your Grace to give an abſolute freedome in this behalfe. For that of the Sabatarians, I have put a drop or two of vinegar more into my inke in two ſeverall places. For that paſſage concerning Antichriſt, I have turned it upon themſelves, without a declaration NOTE.of my owne judgement; however I find our learned patterne, Biſhop Andrewes, more then once punctuall this way. For that poynt of the Degree or Order of Epiſcopacy, although I well knew the weight of it, yet I did purpoſely intend to wave it here, becauſe both it fetcheth a great and learned part of the Schoole upon us, and becauſe I found it to be out of my way, ſince theſe factions with whom we deale, deny both a ſeverall Order, and a ſeverall Degree, allowing onelyonly a priority of Order in the ſame degree; but our Tenet is doubtleſſe moſt defenſible: and I have accordingly ſo ſtated it in this review, which together with all my beſt ſervices, I doe humbly recommend to your Graces acceptation, vowing my hearty prayers for your Graces happy proceedings, as duly merited from
Your Graces moſt humble, and faithfully devoted in all obſervance JOS. EXON. Exom. Pal. Jan. 18.
I have ſent back your Graces Letter according to your Graces pleaſure, and withall have been bold upon the humble ſuit of one of my worthy Clergy, Maſter Bury, to recommend a pious Petition of his to your Grace, the leaſt touch of anſwer in your Graces Letter, will abundantly ſatisfie him.
Two R…negadoes have in two ſeverall parts of my Dioceſſe been received into the Church, under that ſolemne forme of Penance which your Grace was pleaſed to appoint.
This Letter was thus ſuperſcribed; To the moſt Reverend and moſt Honourable, my ſingular good Lord, the Lord Arch-biſhop of Canterbury his Grace, Primate of all England, and Metropolitane, Chancelour of Oxford, and one of the Lords of his Mijesties moſt honourable Privy Counſell, preſent theſe.
And after the receit thereof, thus indorſed with the Arch-biſhops owne hand: Rec. Jan. 22. 1639. L. B. Exon. concerning ſome amendments in his book for Epiſcopacy.
In this Letter of the Arch-biſhops, and the anſwer to it, beſides the grand deſigne of aſſerting Epiſcopacy of divine Right and Institution, we may obſerve theſe conſiderable particulars.
Firſt, that he blames Biſhop Hall for being a little too favourable to the forraigne Proteſtant Churches, and their authors. Secondly, for paſſing by the Sabatarians (or ſtrict obſervers of the Lords day) without any touch at all, which he deſires him to rectifie and help, by ſome touches of ſhapneſſe againſt them: this is his charity to the Proteſtants and Sabatarians (or Puritans of you pleaſe) they were too candidly handled, and therefore muſt be more harſhly dealt withall: but now on the other hand, mark his extraordinary affection to, and care of the Popes honour and reputation. He doth in the third place, tax the Biſhop for beſtowing the title of ANTICHRIST on him three or four times in his Book poſitively & determinately. This was ſuch a tranſcendent crime, that he muſt needs acquaint the King himſelfe with it of his owne native diſpoſition, without any other Monitor, and procures a ſpeciall royall command to him from his Majeſty, to expunge thoſe ſcandalous and diſhonourable clauſes againſt his Holineſſe out of his Treatiſe. Fourthly, in the reaſon which he renders for acquainting his Majeſty herewith, and deſiring him to make this change, there are theſe conſiderable things to be taken notice of: Firſt, that King James himſelfe did in his printed hHis Apology for the Oath of Alleagiance, and Anſwer to Cardinall Perron.Works, at large prove and declare the Pope to be Antichriſt, by very ſtrong proofes. Secondly, that when the Spaniſh match was in agitation, and the Popes Diſpenſation required for the facilitating of it (being one of the firſt Articles in the Marriage Treaty) he was challenged by the Pope and his agents for it, but not before. Thirdly, that King James hereupon to ſatisfie the Pope, and gaine his favour was put to a hard ſhift, and enforced to coyne a new diſtinction which he never thought of till then, to excuſe the matter: That he writ thou, not concludingly, but by way of Argument onelyonly; &c. Fourthly, that he made this anſwer and diſtinction when King Charles went into Spaine, and acquainted him with it by word of mouth, that he thereby might ſatisfie the Pope and his party. Fifthly, that this whole paſſage was knowne to him, and he privy to this ſecret, not knowne formerly to others; therefore he was certainly one of the Cabinet-counſell, who was privy to the Kings going into Spaine, and to the private inſtructions given him by King James before his departure hence; yea, very likely one who ſuggeſted this diſtinction to King James, to pleaſe the Pope and promote the Match; and therefore HE COULD NOT BUT SPEAKE WITH THE KING ABOUT IT: who hereupon commanded this Biſhop, to qualifie his expreſſions in theſe particulars, and ſo not differ from the knowne judgement of his pious and learned Father, from whoſe orthodox judgement notwithſtanding the Arminians might freely diſſent both with his Majeſties and this Arch-prelats approbation: Whereupon we find that theſe paſſages were qualified according to his deſire, although Biſhop Andrewes poſitive opinon in ſundry paſſages was, that the Pope was Antichriſt.
All which conſidered, we may infallibly conclude from his owne pen, that all the forementioned purgations of paſſages againſt the Papacy, Pope, and his being Antichriſt, were made by this Arch-biſhops owne ſpeciall direction, without any other ſuggeſtion but his owne Romiſh Genius and good affection to the Pope, to induce a more eaſie reconciliation with him: and this in direct oppoſition.
Firſt, to the ſeverall Statutes of 16 R. 2. c. 5. 25 H. 8. c. 19. 20. 21. 28 H. 8. c. 10. 37 H. 8. c. 17. which tacitely define the Pope to be the Antichriſt, who did obfuſcate and wreſt Gods word & Testament a long ſeaſon, from the ſpirituall and true meaning thereof, to his worldly and carnall affections, as pompe, glory avarice, ambition and tyranny; covering and ſhadowing the ſame with his humane and politick devices, traditions and inventions, ſet forth to promote and ſtabliſh his onelyonly dominion, both upon the ſoules and alſo the bodies and goods of all Christian people, excluding Chriſt out of his Kingdome and rule of mans ſoule as much as he may, and all other temporall Kings and Princes out of their Dominions, which they ought to have by Gods law, upon the bodies and goods of their ſubjects; whereby he did not onelyonly rob the Kings Majesty, being onelyonly the ſupreame head of this his Realme of England, immediately under God, of his honour, right and pre-eminence due unto him by the law of God, but ſpoyled this his Realme yeerly of innumerable treaſure, and with the loſſe of the ſame, deeemed the Kings loving and obedient Subjects, perſwading to them by his lawes, buls, and other his deceivable meanes, ſuch dreames, vanities and fantiſies, as by the ſame, many of them were ſeduced and conveyed unto ſuperſtitious and erronious openions.
Secondly, to the book of Homilies, in the ſecond part of the Sermon for Whit-Sunday, page 316. and the 6. Sermon againſt wilfull Rebellion, page 316. which determines the Pope to be Antichriſt in theſe tearmes: Whereſoever you find the ſpirit of envy, hatred, contention, robbery, murther, extortion, witchcraft, neeromancy, &c. aſſure your ſelves that there is the ſpirit of the devil and not of God; albeit they pretend outwardly to the world never ſo much holineſſe, &c. ſuch were all the Popes and Prelates of Rome for the moſt part, as doth well appeare by the ſtory of their lives; and therefore they are worthily accounted among the number of the falſe Prophets, and falſe Christs, which deluded the world a long while: The Lord of heaven and earch defend us from their tyranny and pride, that they never enter into his Vine-yard againe, &c. and he of his great mercy ſo work in all mens hearts by the mighty power of the holy Ghoſt, that the comfortable Goſpel of his Sonne Chriſt may be truly preached, truly received, and truly followed in all places, to the beating downe of ſinne, death, the Pope, the devil, and ALL THE KINGDOME OF ANTICHRIST, &c. The Biſhop of Rome understanding the bruit blindneſſe, ignorance of Gods Word, and ſuperstition of Engliſh men, ond how much they were inclined to worſhip the BABYLONISH BEAST OF ROME.
Thirdly, to the 80. Article of the Church of Ireland, defining the Biſhop of Rome, to be THE MAN OF SINNE, foretold in the holy Scripture.
Fourthly, to the Book of Common-prayer, appointed for the fifth of Novemb. ſtiling the Pope, Papiſts and Jeſuits, A Babyloniſh and Antichriſtian ſect; and to the Kings Letters Patents, forementioned; defining Popery to be an Antichriſtian Yoake.
Fifthly, to the Hymne, printed in the end of all our Pſalmes and Common-prayer books. From Turke and Pope defend us Lord, which both would thruſt out of his throne our Lord Jeſus Chriſt thy deare Sonne: and the prayer for private families, bound up with our Bibles and Common-prayer-books; confound Satan and Antichriſt, &c.
Sixthly, to the whole torrent of our Proteſtant Martyrs, Writers, who define the Pope to be Antichriſt, yea the great Antichriſt, propheſied of in Scripture. This was the direct poſition of our godly, learned Martyr Walter Brute, who maintained it in a large diſcourſe, recorded by Maſter Fox, in his Acts and Monuments, edit. 1641. vol. I. p. 622. to 632. of our Engliſh Apoſtle Iohn Wickliffe, Fox ibid. p. 594. (juſtified by John Hus) and Joan Wicklif. Dialog. l. 4. c. 15. Rich. Wimbledon, in his Sermon preached at Pauls Croſſe, anno 1389. Fox, vol. 1. p. 718. Sir Geofry Chaucer, in his Plough-mans Tale: Lucifers letters to the Prelats of England, ſuppoſed to be written by William Swinderly, Martyr (Fox Acts and Monuments, edit. 1610. p. 482. 483.) Sir Iohn Oldeastle that famous Knight and Martyr; Fox ibid. p. 417. 418. Pierce Ploughman, his complaint of the abuſes of the World, Fox ibid. 1. edit. 1641. p. 520. to 532. Mr. Wil. Tyndall, a godly, learned Martyr, in his Obedience of a Chriſtian man, p. 214. 215 &c. in his Revelation of Antichriſt, and Practice of Popiſh Prelats: The Author of the image of a very chriſtian Biſhop, and of a counterfeit Biſhop, printed about the yeere 1538. Rodericke Mors his complaint to the Parliament of England, about 37 of King Henry 8. c. 23: 24. William Wraughter his Hunting and reſening of the Romiſh Fox, dedicated to King Henry the eighth: Henry Stalbridge his Exhortatory Epiſtle to his dearly beloved Country of England, in King Henry the eighth his Reigne: Iohn Bale Biſhop of Oſyris, in his Image of both Churches, and Scriptorum Illuſtrium Britta…dae, p. 33. 116. 117. 161. 286. 287. 471. 481. 633. to 640. 647. 702. & de Vitis Ponrificum Romanorum: Father Latymer, Maſter Bilney, Maſter Rogers, Shetterdon, and other of our Martyrs: William Alley Biſhop of Exeter in his Poore mans Library, part 1. ſol. 56. Biſhop Iewell in his Defence of the Apology of the Church of England, p. 593. 449. 480. to 497. 508. and Reply to Harding, p. 220. to 230. Maſter Thomas Beacon his Acts of Chriſt and Antichriſt, his Supplication unto Chriſt, his Reports of Certaine men, & Reliques of Rome: Maſter Iohn Fox in his Meditations upon the Apocalips: Biſhop Bilſon in his book of Chriſtian Subjection and unchriſtian Rebellion: Doctor Whitaker, Doctor Robert Abbot, Biſhop of Sarum, Doctor George Downham, Biſhop of Derry; Doctor Beard, Maſter Powel, Doctor Willet, Doctor Fulke, Doctor Sutcliffe, Doctor Sharp, Maſter Squire, in their ſeverall Treatiſes and diſcourſes concerning Antichriſt: Doctor Iohn White in his way to the true Church, Sect. 61. Num. 4. Maſter Brightman upon the Revelation; Doctor Crakenthorpe, his defence of Conſtantine, and of the Popes temporall Monarchy; and generally all other our eminenteſt Engliſh Writers of any note, till this Arch-biſhops reigne, have poſitively defined the Pope and Papacy to be the great Antichriſt, and proved the ſame at large: We ſhall cloſe up this with two of the Arch-biſhops predeceſſors reſolutions in this point. The firſt is Arch-biſhop Cranmer, who as he refuſed to move or ſtirre his cap to the Popes Commiſſioners, when he was converted before them for his Religion, ſo he likewiſe profeſſedly averred the Pope to be the Artichriſt in theſe very termes, recorded by Maſter Fox in his Acts and Monuments, Vol. 3. Edit. 1641. p. 653. 660. 661. The Biſhop of Rome, unleſſe he be Antichriſt, I cannot tell what to make of him; wherefore if I ſhould obey him, I cannot obey Chriſt: he is like the Devill in his doings, for the Devill ſaid to Chriſt, If thou wilt fall downe and worſhip me, I will give thee all the Kingdomes of the world: thus he tooke upon him to give that which was not his owne, even ſo the Biſhop of Rome giveth Princes their Crownes, being none of his owne; for where Princes either by election, either by ſucceſſion, either by inheritance, obtaine their Crowne, he ſaith that they ſhould have it from him: Chriſt ſaith, that Antichriſt ſhall be, and who ſhall he be? forſooth he that advanceth himſelfe above all other creatures: Now if there be none already that hath advanced himſelfe after ſuch ſort beſides the Pope; then in the mean time let him be Antichriſt, &c. After which, he deſired all them preſent to beare him witneſſe, that he tooke the traditions and Religion of that uſurping Prelat to be moſt erronious, falſe, and againſt the doctrine of the whole Scripture, which he had often times wel proved by writing and the author of the ſame to be very Antichriſt, ſo often preached of by the Apoſtles & Prophets, in whom did moſt evidently concur al ſignes and tokens, whereby he was painted out to the world to be known; for it was moſt evident, that he had advanced himſelfe above all Emperours and Kings of the world, whom he affirmed to hold their eſtates and Empires of him, as of their chiefe, &c. He hath brought in gods of his owne framing, and invented a new Religion full of gaine and lucre quite contrary to the holy Scriptures, onelyonly for the maintaining of his Kingdome, diſplacing Chriſt from his glory, and holding his people in a miſerable ſervitude of blindneſſe, to the loſſe of a great number of ſoules, which God at the latter day ſhall exact at his hand, boaſting many times in his canons and decrees, that he can diſpence, contra Petrum, contra Paulum, contra vetus & novum teſtamentum, and that he, plenitudine poteſtatis, tantum prteſi, quantum Deus; that is againſt Peter, againſt Paul, againſt the old and new Teſtament, and of the fulneſſe of power, may doe as much as God. O Lord, who ever heard ſuch blaſphemy! if there be any man that can advance himſelfe above him, let him be judged Antichriſt: This enemy of God and our Redemption is ſo evidently painted out of the Scriptures by ſuch manifeſt ſignes and tokens, which all ſo cleerly appeare in him, that except a man will ſhut up his eyes and heart againſt the light, he cannot but know him; and therefore for my part I will never give my conſent to the receiving of him into this Church of England: thus Cranmer reſigned at his death. This Arch-prelat therefore hath ſhut his eyes and heart againſt this ſhining truth, in his godly Predeceſſors judgement, who not onelyonly doubts, but denies the Pope to be the Antichriſt.
The ſecond is Arch-biſhop Whitguift, who when he commenced Doctor, and anſwered the Divinity act at Cambridge anno 1569. publikely maintained this aſſertion in the Schooles, Papa eſt ille Ancichriſtus, as Sir George Paul records in his life, p. 5. which this Arch-biſhops immediate Predeceſſor. Abbot (to omit Arch-biſhop Parker and Gryndall) likewiſe poſitively aſſerted; and Doctor Uſher Arch-biſhop of Armagh in a Letter of his to this Arch-prelat expreſly he writes, that he did undoubtedly beleeve the Pope to be Antichriſt; which title Biſhop Andrewes and Biſhop Hall. Biſhop Morton and Biſhop Downame, doe likewiſe poſitively beſtow upon the Pope, in ſome of their authorized impreſſions.
Therefore it cannot be but a grand offence for this Arch-prelat and his agents, contrary to the ſtreame of all our Martyrs, Writers, Prelats, to purge all paſſages out of theſe new-printed books, againſt the Popes being Antichriſt; in which all Proteſtant Churches, confeſſions, Writers, unanimouſly concurre, together with our owne.