And unto the end that these testimonies might be more authentical / & have some weight in them / M. Doctor addeth / that hitherto antichrist had not invaded the seat of Rome. You shall have much a do / to prove that antichrist had not invaded the sea of Rome / when your Clement / Anaclete / Anicete / and Damasus wrote. Nay / it is most certain / that then he had possessed it. But what is that to the purpose / although there was no one singular head appeared / or lifted up / yet corruption of doctrine / and of the sacraments / hurtful ceremonies / dominion and pomp of the clergy / new orders and functions of the ministry / which were the hands that pulled him / the feet which brought him / the shoulders that lifted and heaved him up into that seat / were in the church. Neither / while you do thus speak / do you seem to remember that this monster needed ⟨p. 97⟩nine months / but almost nine hundred years / to be framed and fashioned / or ever he could with all his parts be brought to light. And although the Lover of this antichristian building were not set up / yet the foundations thereof being secretly / and under the ground laid in the apostles times / you might easily know / that in those times that you speak of / the building was wonderfully advanced and grown very high. And being a very dangerous thing to ground any order or policy of the church upon men at all / which in deed ought to have their standing upon the doctrine and orders of the apostles / I will show what great injury M. Doctor doth / to send us for our examples and patterns of government to these times / which he doth direct us unto.
And vnto the ende that these testimonies might be more autenticall / & haue some waight in them / M. Doctor addeth / that hetherto antichrist had not inuaded the seat of Rome. You shall haue much a do / to proue that antichrist had not inuaded the sea of Rome / when your Clement / Anaclete / Anicete / and Damasus wrote. Nay / it is moste certaine / that then he had possessed it. But what is that to the purpose / althoughe there was no one singulare head appeared / or lifted vp / yet corruption of doctrine / and of the sacraments / hurtful ceremonies / dominion and pompe of the cleargye / newe orders and functions of the ministerie / whych were the handes that pulled hym / the fete whych brought him / the shoulders that lifted and heaued him vp into that seate / were in the church. Neither / while you doe thus speake / doe you seeme to remember that this monster needed ⟨p. 97⟩nine monethes / but almoste nine hundreth yeares / to be framed and fashioned / or euer he could wyth all his partes be brought to light. And although the Loouer of thys antichristian building were not set vp / yet ye foundations therof being secretely / and vnder the ground laid in the apostles times / you might easely know / that in those times that you speake of / the building was wonderfully aduaūced and growne very highe. And being a very dangerous thing to ground any order or pollicy of the church vpon men at all / whych in deede ought to haue their standing vpon the doctrine and orders of the apostles / I wil shew what great iniurie M. Doctor doth / to sende vs for our examples and paternes of gouernment to these times / whych he doth direct vs vnto.
