672 Again{ 1r3ellar;nine, C A P.7, Body; and by how muchmore cruel! the joynt deftrution of both is then of either of them apart. Therefore whereas you fay, that there is no conroarifon between the Perfecution With Which the Pepeof Rome hath vexedus, (Whom y©u call heretickes) and that per(ecution of Nero, Domitian, Decius, Dioclefan, and others, as if it were cer- tain, and found!), gathered from hence, that the Pope is not Anti- chrift : it may now appeare certainly to every one, how little it is to the purpofe. For the cruelty of Antichrif, is not to be meafured, by the deprivationofa mortall life, but by the Joffe of eternall'life;, and this is that wherein it goeth beyond the cruelty of all Prifons, fwords, wilde beafts, hot burning irons, melted lead, or to conclude whatfoever exquifite torments which either Nero, or any other of the Tyrants vexed the Chriftians withal!. This is that, the torture whereofmade menfce,,efor dcath,but they could notfinde it, and they defired to dye, but it fled from them, name- ly, they felt a griefe that was more bitter then death it felfe; Revel. 9. 6. This is that that made the woman.flye into the derart at the firft comming up of the Reaf, which yet could not be chafed away with any gibbets or flames of fire, with which the Emperours, did rage against her , Revelat. 12. 6. &c. Wherefore though we should grant, that there was a greater flaughter of bodies madeby Nero, and filch like Tyrants, yet that hindereth not at all, . but that the Popes cruelty may excel! and exceede that in another refped, and fo that he fhould bevy ray himfelf to be the chiefe,ftt An- tichrif . But fay you, our adverfaries the Heretic ,,es have killed many; more Catholik,es, within thefe ten or fifteene yeares in France ant Flanders, then the Inquifitors have burnt Heretickr, perhaps in an. hundred yeares ; And if there fhould be fpeech had of Tcrfecution,> the Catholikes fhould be rather laid to flier it, then the Luthe- rans, acrd the Calvinifts. For the Catl&olikes are they that have. been raft out of many 'Provinces, that have loft their Churches,: Patrimonies, yea and their very Countries, Which the neW Cgr- pellinf Mini/ters have invaded. I aniwere, in that reliftance is made against you , and in that many of your affociates and affafinates while they feeke to overthrow, and to deftroy others, . are deftroyed themfelves , that hindereth nothing, but that the Pope fhould be a fpirituall perfecutor. He is as mad., and car trieth as deadly hatred againf1 the truth at this day,. as ever i)cfore, yea greater, if greater can be. But this difcomfiture of
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