Idolaters as in the Succession of so many ages she hath susteyned And if she cannot answer but as the wombe of a woman that it is altogether impossible to bring forth so many at once as she doth in tract of time then will I aske againe Whether any of the Popes be free of this and whether they be not all of them as one man guiltie of these great sinnes by act approbation consent and imitation and consequently fit to be represented under one person and called one Man And if this be so then will I demand as Salvianus doth of the consciences of all men that haue any sence or feeling of Truth Whether this be not that great Whore here described then whom never any no not the Divel himself if he ruled the Earth but three yeares and an half or for one mans life onely could practise or cause more fornication or Idolatrie to be committed And so much of the first note the Great Whore The second is that she sitteth upon manie waters Which the Angell expoundeth to signifie Peoples and Multitudes Nations and Tongues Here first I obserue the word of sitting which is used not onely here but by the Apostle 2 Thes 2. And it is a word â—â—metimes applied to Kings sometimes to Bishops Kings are said to sit on their Thrones Bishops in their Chayres or Churches Both are applied to Antichrist For in the 2 Thes 3. it is sayd He sitteth in the Temple or Church of God and here upon manie Nations The one place sheweth he must be a Bishop the other a King can this be applied to any but the Pope Now that the Pope and Church of Rome for these nine hundred yeares haue been supported by many Peoples nations and Tongues I will desire to haue none other witnesses then their owne chief Authors and Advocates who make their greatest brags of their Vniversalitie Bellarm. Staplâ—ron â—lendus c. how the power of their Pontif. extendeth it self not onely to Europe but to all euen the farthest remote parts of the world America and India which the Turke nor any other Potentate couâ—d never yet attaine unto And if this be evident and undeniable let us againe peruse over the Questions â—boue proposed Whether this may be affirmed of any Iewe or Turke And whether it be possible that the power of any Iew or Turke or any one man whatsoever should within the space of three yeeres and an half or of one mans life so far prevail or procure to haue so many Peoples Multitudes Nations and Tongues subject unto it as the Multitudes Nations and Tongues which haue served the Popes for these nine hundred yeares do amount unto Or to giue a nearer instance so many at once as within that time haue come to Rome to their Iubiles solemnities The third note of this Antichristian Harlot is that the Kings of the Earth haue committed fornication with her and the Inhabitants of the Earth haue been made druncken with the wine of her fornication And what king was there in Europe for these nine hundred yeares which did not committ or permit fornication both corporall and spirituall with the Church of Rome Which of them did not worship the same Images and use or permit the same uncleanes And I demand againe whether this can be verified of any Iew Turke or other person whatsoever past present or to come The fourth note is her exceeding great riches pompe and gorgeousnes Let me instance but in one or two particulars Majora vel certe paria c. sayth Blondus All Europe sendeth to Rome greater or surely no lesse Tributes In Roma inst urata then were payed to the Ancient Roman Emperors Pope Iohn left at his death in treasure ducentos quinquaginta Tonellos Ducatorum Bibâ—iand ex Palmerio ad ann 1334. sayth another Omnes Reges mundi non possent tantum de Thesauro reddere infra unum annum quantum fuit de Papali Palatio asportatum de Palatiis trium Cardinalium Marchionis sayth another speaking of Pope Boniface the eight R. Avesb and three Cardinals and the Marquis his nephew I demand then Whether Prince or Potentate State or person haue had the like testimonie of Riches and whether it be credible that any in three yeares an half or one mans life time should attaine to the like The fifth note She hath a name written in her forehead A Mysterie Babylon the Great Mother of Harlots and abhominations of the earth First it is called Great I demand Whether ever this title were so much giuen to any cittie besides Rome The old Babylon was never so many times called great And I thinke none will make question of any other And Whether the Bishop of Rome the Church of Rome and the cittie of Rome haue not everie one of them had a speciall title of Greatnes I referre me to the consciences of the Romans themselues to their Decrees and Canons who giue to their Bishop the Title of Pontifex Max. or Summus so Lipsius that hath written a Booke De magnitudine urbis Romae and to that other who writ a Booke De magnitudine Romanae Ecclesiae So their Church is great their cittie is great and their Bishop is greatest of all Of the name of Babylon I haue spoken sufficiently before And for the other title of Mother of Harlots or Sodomites as Scaliger and others reade and abhominations of the earth I demand of all that know Rome eyther by travelling in those countries and eye witnesse or by reading and hearesay Whether there be in any place of the world being of no greater extent so many Harlots and Sodomites and so publikely mainteyned and allowed as in Rome and the Popes Iurisdiction and where his power is acknowledged and whether any other Prince or Prelate Church or State Turke or Iew haue giuen or made such and so many faculties and dispensations pardons and Lawes for such things Let the notable booke of the Taxa and the cases reserved to Papall dispensation be perused And here is to be noted the Name that the Holy Ghost giveth to her calling her The Mother of Harlots or Sodomites and fornications which is singularly Emphaticall For it cannot be denied but there are many Harlots and Fornicators in other places neyther can it be denied but other Empires and kingdoms are called Whores as Inda and Israel by Ezekiel Ninive by Nahum Babylon by Ieremie But no other place is called the mother of Harlots or Sodomites This of all the rest seemeth to be Proprium quarto modo A propertie inseparable which agreeth to the Popes omni soli semper to them onely and everie of them ever since the Councels of Hispal and Toledo aboue mentioned For noÌ„ne but the Popes haue forbidden Mariage nor made Lawes that the Cloysters and Convents of Nunnes should be subject to monkes and Fryers and that it should be lawfull for Priests to haue Concubines No other Prince State or
answer then who haue read the Gospell Iohn 19. by whom was our Saviour accused who condemned him what kinde of capitall punishment did he suffer who crucifyed him in what place for what crime or offence or upon what accusatioÌ„ was he brought in question was he not accused by them that cryed we haue no king but Caesar the Roman Emperor was not Pilate the Roman he that condemned him was not the cause pretended for that he spake against Caesar in making himself a king was it not by that kinde of punishment execution Vide Scalig in notis ad Ioh. 18 31. which by learned men is observed to haue been properly used by the Romans were they not Roman souldiers by whom he was crucifyed was it not extra portas Ierusalem was it not all done by the power of Caesar and what followeth of all this Vbi Caesar ibi Roma where Caesar is there is Rome sayd the old Lawiers as the new say now a dayes Vbi Papa ibi Roma Panorm where the Pope is there is Rome To this adde that all voide places and places appointed for publique execution of justice were by Roman civill Law Iuris publici the proper demeanes of the Empire of Rome Now it is manifest that Golgatha was the common place of execution and therefore de Iure publico of right belonging to Rome We must therefore confesse that our Lord was crucifyed in Ròme unlesse we shall thinke that S. Iohn yea the spirit of God do not speak properly And if he had meant the old Ierusalem what needed so many words or circumstances to describe it These four points therefore being cleared it is not hard to apply three others unto it which are mentioned in the same place of scripture to make up the number of seuen viz. 5. That this is the same great cittie where the beast should make warre against the saincts and 6 where he should kill the witnesses of God and 7 where their dead bodies should lye in the streets and therefore the place of Antichrist A third scripture speaking of the place of Antichrist Rev. 4. is that where her destruction is briefly denounced and there it is called Babylon that great cittie the spirit of God giving us thereby to understand that he would haue that cittie seuen times at least in this booke called Babylon the great to be sufficiently known unto us to be Rome the second Babylon which then was great not the old Babylon which neither in her best estate was able to compare with the greatnes of Rome and in the time of S. Iohn was in great decay having beene twise or thrise before taken sacked and spoyled namely first by Cyrus Dan. 5. drawing diverting Euphrates while Belshazzar sate feasting and drinking Secondly by Darius with the help of Zopirus Herod lib 3. Iustin. who reduced it to an absolute subjection under the Persians and with the rest of that Empire it was conquered by Alexander the Great Diod. Sic. l. 19. and after his time it was spoyled againe by Demetrius and thereupon forsaken by her inhabitants and never rose afterward to any greatnes authoritie or power Whereupon S. Augustine observeth that as the Assyrian monarchie decayed so Rome the second Babylon and as it were the daughter of the first grew and so it was in S. Iohns time the great cittie Ladie of the world and governed onely by Caesars one of her seuen Heads which ruled over the kings of the earth A fourth scripture is that Rev. 18. wherein her destruction is much more largely and particularly described by seuen notable attributes most agreeable to Rome 1 She is called againe Babylon 2 That great cittie 3 With whom the kings and nations of the earth haue committed fornication 4 Most proud and vaine-glorious for she sayth I sit as a queen and am no widow And so Tully calleth her Vide Lipâ— de magnâ—â— Rom. Princeps omnium terrarum and Frontinus regina domina orbis and beyond all these Martial Terrarum Dea Gentiumque Roma 5 Therefore in the text she is truly called mightie 6 Abounding in all riches and Treasures Non auro tectisve modus And 7 Lucan lib. 1. abounding in all delicates and pleasures abundantes voluptates Livy in prol Of which points I haue said somewhat before and for the two last notes of the super-aboundance of their riches and wantonnes in pleasures and delicates I will cite but two examples more out of Horace whereof the first shall not be of any of their Princes Senators or Patritii no nor yet of their Equites or Gentlemen but of the meanest sort Quinti progenies Arri par nobile fratrum Nequitia nugis A couple of knaues Horat. Serm. lib. 2 sat 3. Luscinias soliti impenso prandere coemptas They were wont to dine upon Nightingales though verie deerely bought A dish that I thinke no Prince in Christendome would desire for any good taste nor these men but for their luxurious prodigalitie And yet see another not of Antonius or Cleopatra but of a stage players sonne Filius Aesopi detractam ex aure Metellae Scilicet ut decies solidum exorberet aceto Diluit in signem baccam O braue drinker that dissolved in vinegar a pearle worth fiue and twentie thousand Crownes as the Interpreters expound it in Eng. coine about 6250 pound if you take these crownes to be English taken from the eare of the Ladie Metella that he might drinke it of at a draught I would faine knowe whether these men did more abound in riches or in Luxurie in wealth or in wantonnes that were so costly luxurious in their meats and drinks Ioseph antiq lb. 18. Neither do I now marvail at the summe which another Roman gentleman offred to expugne the chastitie of the Ladie Paulina being 25 Myriades drachmarum everie 100 drachmae being accounted worth 58 shil 4 pence and consequently amounting in our English coin to aboue 7290 pounds what cittie was ever like to this in treasures or filthie pleasures But I hast to a fift place of scripture which will deserv both longer stay and better consideration And because I shall herein differ not a little from all other interpreters that I have read I have the greater reason to continue my course in Problems Rev. 16 The text of Scripture is the Prophecy of Armageddon or Armagedon noted for a place where the Kings of the earth are gathered together to the battell of the great day of God almighty The word is Hebrew and because the Hebrew names by reason of the difference of the points are subject to diverse manner of readings I would first learn whether it may not be taken for Harmegeddon which signifieth the mountain of pleasant and precious fruites For so the word Meged importeth Cant. 4 13. as it is expounded in other parts of the Scripture Gen. 24 53. to which is added the
be seauen hils and seauen kings Cap. 17. 3 It hath his ten hornes crowned 4 Here is no mention of any little horne arising up after â—he rest nor of any of those things which Daniel speaketh of him but there is a second beast rising up after the first Consider now whether the little horne be not now become this second beast 5 It is said that upon his heads were names of blasphemie 6 One of his heads was wounded to death 7 His deadly wound was cured Let us come to the description of this beast in the 17 chap. which I mean but onely to touch leaving the further examination thereof to a place more convenient Probl. â— 1 In Daniel there was a â—ittle horn In the 13 of the Revelation a second Beast whereof in the 17 chap. there is little or no mention 2 In this chap there is a woman sitting upon the seuen-headed beast whereof in Daniel or in the 13 chap. there is nothing what is become of the horne or second beast if it be not this woman 3 In the 13 ch the beast is not said to be of any colour but in the seuenteenth of a skarlet or Crimson colour 4 Power is giuen to the beast over everie kindred tongue and nation in the 13 ch but in the 17 the woman is supported by peoples multitudes and nations 5 Here in the 13 ch the beast maketh war with the saints but there the woman is druncken with the bloud of the saints and Martyrs of Christ Iesus 6 Here the names of blasphemie are onely upon the heads of the beast but there the whole beast is full â—f 〈◊〉 â—f â—â—â—sphemie 7 Here all the world wondreth at the beast worshâ—pâ—th the dragon and the beast But there the kings of the earth â—â—mmit fornication with the woman and the Inhabitants â—f the earth are druncken with the wine of her fornication so both are drunke she with bloud and they with fornication and there is no more speach of worshâ—ping the beast Very notable and remarkable differences If I be not much deceaved whereof to speak shortly my opinion under correction I am persuaded to collect that the state of Rome in Daniel is signifyed by the fourth beast specially before the Caesars in the 13 of the Rev by the first beastè Mari under the Cesars and in the 17 by the skarlet coloured beast under the whore Antichrist in Daniel is the little horne in the 13 of the Apoc. the second beastè terra in the 17 the whore Which being well observed the reason of all the Concordances and differences between these prophecies will easily appear For the proofe whereof leâ— us cast our eye back again consider the severall parts of the description of this beast and therein see whether it do not fully agree to the Roman state in these severall times and whether it can be applyed to any other And first why it is called a beast amongst other things for which the Romanists of these dayes do calumniate the professors of true and sincere religion One is this that we say some places of scripture are to be taken figuratiuely This a late Iesuit objecteth against us calling it a shâ—ft but whether it be a shift or not it is none other then the ancient and best interpreters advise us to looke unto Aug. de doct Câ—râ—st lb 2 3. namely S. Augustin in his books de doctâ—ina Chrisitâ—na where he sheweth that not onely proper but translated words are used in the scripture and of some figures not onely the examples but the names are there to be found whereof one sayth he is allegoria Conâ—es l. 11. which is nothing els but a Metâ—phore continued Pauca sunt quae proprie lâ—quimur pâ—ura non proprie sayth he in another place whereupon learned divines Tb. Aquin. in 1 sentent both Hebrew and Christian haue alwayes confessed that there is not onely a litterall sence to be admitted in the exposition of the scripture but an Allegorâ—â—all and Anagâ—gicall 10. Picuâ— Miâ— in Apolog. so it be with consent of other places So our Saviour when his Apostles doubted what he meant by the leaven of the Pharâ—sees Mat. 16. and of the hypocrisie of the Pharisee And when his disciples murmured for that he sayd Except ye eat my flesh ye haue no life Luke 12. c. He answereth What if ye should see me ascend into heauen Ioh. 6. It is the spirit that giveth life the flâ—sh profiteth nothing So wheresoever any absurditie or as S. Augustin speaketh facinus or flâ—gitium wickednes or mischief will follow upon the proper exposition there it must be understood to be spoken figuratiuely for there is nothing taught in the scripture sayth he but the loue of God and our neighbour so here not onely by the consent of all interpreters but by the warrant of the spirit of God expounding it to Daniel by his Angel we are taught to understand that the name of a beast in propheticall scriptures Concurrentibus his quae requiruntur other places either concurring or not repugning doth signifie a kingdome going in succession from man to man and we haue no warrant to take it for one particular or individuall person or in any other sense then the Angel hath expounded it And this is no new or uncouth manner of speach to call great kingdomes by the names of great beasts as I haue touched before but why and for what reason or upon what ground they are so called is a consideration not unworthie to be searched out so far forth as the mercie and grace of our Lord Iesus Christ shall illuminate our understanding and direct our mindes wherein if I be somewhat long I hope the value of the matter may countervayl our pains Assist us therefore in this investigation â—â—es 4. O Lord who art ascended up on high and givest gifts unto men First then I demand whether we may not hold it for a certaine and infallible veritie that the later Prophets did converse and exercise themselues in reading and meditateing upon the law Deut 6 6. and the writings of the Prophets that were before them 〈◊〉 18 15. as all are commanded to doe by Moses exhorted by David â—â—l 1. and taught by the example of Daniel Secondly Dan. 9. I demand whether we may not beleeue that they did thereby obtaine an habit or grace of God to use the words and phrases of the former Prophets to make use of them by a kinde of progression As when the prophet David had recorded that excellent prophecie of our Saviour Christ I haue set my King upon Sion the Hill of my holynes Psal 2. Psal 69. He himself goeth forward saying An high hill is Gods hill in which it pleaseth him to dwell he will dwell in it for ever And in another place He will heare me from his holy hill The prophet Micah goeth yet farther Psal 50. saying
plaine termes that Pope Gregorie succeeding Constantine Vide Pantal. anno 760. tooke away from the Grecian Emperor all the Empire of Italie which was not possessed by the Lumbards About the same time also there was another Councell gathered at Rome wherein was decreed that whosoever would not doe religious honour unto Images should be cut off from the body and bloud of Christ and from the unitie of the whole Church So the power of the Pontifex Max. and Idolatrie grew up together And although many Synods were held some in the East as at Nice and Constantinople others in the west as at Frankford wherein these Idolatries were condemned though both the Emperors aswell Charlemain of France as Constantine of Greece opposed themselues against these Idolatries having also the Authoritie of the Elibertin counsell Picturas ad Ecclesiis arcendas ne quod colitur aut adoratur in parietibus pingatur Yet the Popes prevailed Curavimus Babylonem non est sanata Ier. 51. sayth the Prophet The zeale of Charlemaine to haue this Idolatrie suppressed was excellent and exemplar for he not onely caused a Synod to be held within his owne Empire for that purpose but sent the booke of the Synode of Nice which is called the second wherein the worship of Images was decreed into Great Brittanie in which Booke Proh dolor sayth our Historian out alas manie things were found inconvenient Honed anno 792. and contrarie to the true fayth especially that with one consent of the Orientall Bishops three hundred or more it was inacted that Images should be worshipped Quod omnino Ecclesia Dei execratur Which the Church of God doth hold altogether execrable And the learned Albinus wrote an Epistle against it marvelously fortified with authoritie of the scripture Almaricus Gall theolog imagines altaria invocationes sanctorī◠Idololatrians censce which he presented to the Emperour So fully were the Godly of those times perswaded that the adoration of Images then newly thrust upon them by the Pope was meere and inexcusable Idolatrie And yet when the same Emperour Charles came to Rome to reforme the abuses of the Pope and began to inquire of them Bern. Lutz Pantal. anno 1205. Responsum est ab omnibus c. it was answered by all Platin Blond dec 2. Pant. that the Apostolike Sea being the Head of all Churches ought to be iudged of none especially not by a Lay man I aske then upon all these premises If Antichrist were not now sufficiently revealed when will he or how can he be revealed Rome the great cittie that ruled over the kings of the Earth the cittie of seauen Hills and that had receaved seauen kings of Soveraigne command Rome that glorious mountaine of holynes yet full of Sodomiticall filthines and Egyptian Idolatrie Rome and the Roman Empire so many times and so significantly described by the holy Apostles and Prophets had now set up her Seauenth Head the Summus Pontifex the propheticall number 666 was fulfilled as well in his time as in his name the Impediment of the Empire was removed This Summus Pontifex was become the absolute Ruler and king of that State acknowledging no superiour Controull or Countermand And hath done such and such things according also to the prophecies of Antichrist as no Iew Turke or divell can do in so short a time as they would make us beleeue is allotted for Antichrist If by these things he be not sufficiently revealed when will he come or when shall we expect him or shall we imitate the Iewes in looking as long for Antichrist as they doe for Christ To this may be added an Argument à sufficienti divisione which I propose in this manner First upon the words of Tertullian that Antichrist must be a rebell to Christ and S. Aug. that is Refuga Christi Now if a Rebell then eyther one professing Christ or not professing If you say not professing S. Augustin is against you which sayth that he doth professe Christ in words Also S. Chrysostom Exercitus Christi sunt omnes Haereses praecipue ista quae obtinuit Ecclesiae locum If a professor of Christ then either revealed or not revealed if you say not revealed then how can you answer the Apostle who sayth that he shall be revealed when the Impediment is removed And the Fathers who with great consent affirme that by the Impediment there is meant the Roman Empire And the great Consent of Divines and Chronologers upon the same place affirming that the Roman Empire is long since removed If revealed then eyther it is the Bishop of Rome whom manie godly men haue published and proclaymed to be Antichrist or else you must shew some other who is not to come but alreadie declared to be Antichrist And if you can shew none then must the Pope necessarily be that Antichrist Rev. 17. Againe either it must be he to whom the kings of the earth haue giuen their power or some other If you say some other then how do you answer the text If he then to whom haue the Kings of the Earth giuen their power but to the Pope Againe upon 2 Thes 2. and the exposition of S. Ambrose and other Fathers upon that place Antichrist shall sit in the house of the Lord in the seat of Christ If he shall so sit it must be either as a king or as a Bishop or as both or as neither If not as a King then how upon manie peoples and Nations If not as a Bishop then how in the Temple of the Lord as the Apostle sayth in the House of the Lord as S. Ambrose in the Houses and walles of the Church as S. Hilarie in Ecclesia as Theodoret in the Holy places of the church as S. Chrysostom in the chaire of S. Peter as S. Barnard sayth If as both then who hath done so but the Pope Neither neede we much to stick at the swelling words of the same S. Barnard in another place Tu es Sacerdos magnus Pontifex Summus tu princeps Episcopurum tu Haeres Apostolorum Tu primatu Abel Cubernatu Noe Patriarchatu Abraham Ordine Melchisedec Dignitate Aaron Authoritate Moses Iudicatu Samuel Potestate Petrus Vnctione Christus This sentence of S. Bernard though it seemeth he was somewhat caried away with the overflowing streame of his Eloquence yet it appeareth his purpose was to drawe the Pope to a more serious consideration of his dutie But the Popes and their followers which ought to haue tempered it with humilitie haue made it but a step and advantage to their Elation Anton. sum p 3. c. 22. as appeareth in their Decretals and Canonists where they arrogate and assume to them selues Plenitudinem potestatis scientiae See M. Down ham of Antic lib. 1. c. 5. and that they haue one and the same Tribunall with God and Christ Iesus and that Christ and the Pope are but one and the same head of the church Which titles none
booke it selfe to be shewed to the Church and the name to the booke 3. The most true immediate rightfull owner by the gift of his Father Christ Iesus who sent shewed it to his servants 4. The end wherefore it was given to be shewed 5. The persons to whom it must be shewed his servants 6. A touch of the subject Things which must shortly come to passe 7. The meanes Instruments imployed by our Saviour in this service of Revelation an Angell and an Apostle euen that Apostle who before had ben tried and found faithfull in bearing witnes of the word of God and of Christ Iesus and of all things that he saw his servant Iohn the same who by the H. Ghost was authorised aboue all others to intitle himself Ioh. 21 24. 19 35. A witnes of the things which he saw and therefore of credit aboue all exception and that aswell in his Gospell and Epistles 1 Ioh. 1 1. as in this Revelation Now upon these seven grounds touched in the entrance I propose this Question How this booke can be reputed darke and obscure which God himself hath intitled a Revelation Ephes 5. Eâ—ai 5. or Manifestation Light maketh all things manifest sayth the Apostle And doth the spirit of Trueth call darknes light or light darknes 2. God the Author is light and in him is no darknes 1 Ioh. 1. He maketh light to shine out of darknes 2 Cor. 4. not darknes to come of light 2 The. 2 10. unlesse it be to the children of darknes that loue not the light Also our Saviour Christ is the true light that lighteneth everie one yea the Brightnes of Light He is the Trueth Ioh. 1. Hebr. 1. protesteth of himself in these words whatsoever I have heard of my father I have made known unto you How then can it be said Ioh. 15. that he hath not made this also known which God gaue him to be shewed 3. Our Saviour Christ the true and rightfull owner 1 Cor. 12. as in his mysticall body is one with his Church Ephes 5. and we are all members of that bodie how then can that be said to be concealed from the bodie that is revealed to the head 4. The same inference will follow upon all the other four points aboue noted as upon the 4 Seeing God gaue it to be shewed upon the 5 Ps 119 125 seeing it is directed to be shewed to his servants who must labour to know their Masters will Vpon the 6 Luke 12. seeing it concerneth things that must shortly come to passe and therefore inconvenient to be hid and kept secret And upon the 7 seeing it was committed to two most faithfull ministers of purpose to be signified to the church and thereupon most godly men haue laboured from time to time to search it out and expound it why should we despair to speake of it as the Heathen man doth in Minutius that neither it is given to us to know it nor permitted to search it nor lawfull to require it And not raither say as it is there by the Christian Oratour replyed that to us whose faces God hath lifted up to Heaven and whom he hath indued with speach and reason whereby to know and speake of him yea more to whom he hath directed it to be shewed It is not lawfull to reject this heavenly brightnes which not onely offreth but intrudeth itself into our eyes and senses The obscuritie of this Booke is not to terrifie us from it Aug. de civ dâ—i l 20 17 but to exercise our mindes in it sayth the learned Father Let this therefore suffice coÌ„cerning the obscuritie that it is not invincible but we ought to search it out 2. Let us now therefore Christo Duce for a second Problem inquire of the meanes whereby we may attain to the understanding of this booke For it cannot be denied but there are in it manie mysteries which it is not giuen to all men to understand but it is giuen to some of whom our Saviour sayth vobis datum est it is giuen to you Marc. 4. and for them he hath ordeyned meanes I demand then what are the meanes And whether are not those the best mâ—â—â—es which God himselfe and our Lord Iesus Christ hath shewed us in the Scriptures Aug. de civ dei li. 10 23. Phocyll Nazianz. Aut. nin in sum p. 4.1.4 Prov. 8 13. Wisd 1. viz. 1. True and serious repentance which is as it were the true purgation of the soule so much inquired for by Philosophers and onely revealed to Christians to make us fit to behold heavenly mysâ—â—ies For wisdome sayth he entreth not into a malicious minde nor dwelleth in a sinfull bodie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Constant obedience and care to serue and please God according to our knowledge If any will do his will he shall know the doctrine And if ye continue in my words ye shall know the trueth Naz. Ioh. 7 17. 8 31. Rev. 5 4. 10 9. 3. Earnest prayer and invocation of God in Christ Iesus which our Apostle used and thereby obteyned to see the opening of this booke and to haue it delivered unto him according to the manifold promises of our Saviour Aske ye shall receiue Mat. 7. seeke and ye shall finde knock and it shall be opened For whosoever asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Whereupon Aske saith venerable Beda by prayer seeke by reading and hearing and knock by doing and practise 4. Diligent reading and meditation upon this booke often recommended unto us by this our Apostle in the Text. Blessed is he that readeth Rev. 1 3. and heareth and keepeth the words of the prophcie of this booke 5 Diligent reading and perusing other bookes and prophesies of the Holy Scripture and conferring one with the other a speciall means to understand the sense and meaning of Propheticall words and Phrases much used in this booke Dan. 9 2. by which means also Daniel confesseth that he understood the end of the Captivitie And some learned men do make no doubt but the literall sence of everie place of Scripture taken with the consent of other places and repugnant to none is the true meaning of the H. Ghost Consent being the most certain badge and cognisance of truth For in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall everie word be confirmed 6. Methodicall proceeding by the rule of learning à notioribus ad minus nota from things once cleared to that which is more obscure and difficult or to use the Apostles Phrase from milke to strong meat Hebr. 5. We must not be alwaies children in understanding and stick in the rudiments or principles nor call that into question which is once made clear And here by the way I would craue a litle leave to aske a question or two concerning the writings of the Fathers
and other good Authors what account we are to make of them and whether it be not necessarie for us to search and looke into them to the end we may know what is now or hath heretofore ben revealed or made cleare For the Fathers it may seem that their consenting testimonies in the exposition of the Scriptures ought to be held of so great authoritie as we do esteeme the Cōmunion of Saints professed in our Creede For if we hold not a Communion of faith with the Saints that are now in Heauen it may proue a question whether we shall come whither they are gone before us And therefore not without cause doth the godly and learned Vincentius so earnestly exhort us to hold fast quod ubique semper ab omnibus creditum est not that which some few or perhaps some particular Church hath conceited but that which hath been everie where and at all times and of all Christians beleeved that is if I understand him aright the common Creed profession of our faith left unto us by the Fathers And he maketh the consent of the Fathers though not a rule of faith equall to the Scriptures yet a singular good help to the understanding of them Concerning the writings of Heathen men also I aske how we may safely neglect them where they teach us any point of truth or goodnes seeing there is no truth can be uttered by any man or Angel but it must proceed from that Eternall and incommunicable Truth our Lord Christ Iesus nor any good can be done or spoken but it must come frō the highest soveraign Good which is God himself And therefore most truely and divinely speaketh that godly Father Augustin Bonus verusque Christianus Domini sui intelligat esse ubicunque invenerit veritatem A good and true Christian must understand that truteh wheresoever he findeth it is the word of his master Christ Iesus And though Abana and Pharphar the rivers of Damascus were not so sanctified as Iordan to cleanse Naamans leprosie yet they were made of God to wash our hands and quench our thirst Though common bread be not equall to the sacrament yet it must be received with prayer and thanksgiveing as the gift of God to satisfie our hunger Yea let us well consider whether it be not necessarie for us to looke into them seeing we may be sure that the vertues moralities and doctrines of the Heathen shall be no lesse objected unto us at the day of judgement then the examples of the Queene of Sheba the King of Nineveh Tyrus and Sidon Sodom and Gomorrha Is it not needfull then to know what shall be laid to our charge and prepare our selves to answere it God nath provided preserved for our use the learned writings of the Heathens shall we not use them may we not in refusing them seeme to abridge God of some part of his glorie for let us a litle better consider it The excellent vertues wisdom temperance justice and fortitude the illustrious examples of these vertues shining in them their invincible patience fidelitie inviolable justice inflexible unwearied industrie their profound learning mellifluous eloquence in perswadeing men to vertue and temperance Their heroicall magnanimitie readie to undertake all dangers to save succour and defend those that were unjustly oppressed and other such divine vertues what think you were they of God or of men If you say of God acknowledg it If of men why doe not you the like that have greater helps How can the weake and corrupt nature of man inthralled to sin and Satan bring forth such fruits But I know what a schooleman may say splendida peccata because not ordinate to Gods glorie True as in men but are they not therefore to be acknowledged for a part of Gods administration and providence who holdeth the beginnings ends middesses of all things without whom no man can do any thing as the Philosophers also Plato Arist. Cic. Hesiod Theog Virgil Phocyll c. and Poets with open mouths confesse What then shall we say to their excellent sciences of Geometrie Cosmography and Arithmetick which we have received wholly from them What to their Historyes and computations of Times Shall we not accompt these a part of Gods dispensation and therefore good in the Fountaine from whence they flowed howsoever corrupt in the vessels wherein they were received conveied Doubtlesse if we will be good Christians that is of the holy priesthood we must learn to seperate the precious from the vile the cleane from the vnclean and not cast away the wheat because of the chaff 1 Cor. 15. S. Paul vseth the words of Heathen Poets in a point of manners to the beleeving Corinthians yea to Titus a Bishop Tit. 1. Act. 17. and in a point of faith to the vnbeleeving Athenians which S. Luke maketh a part of Scripture to the beleeving Christians So saith our Prophet Revel 21. They shall bring the Glory and Honour of the Nations unto it Esai 60. And the riches of the Gentiles shall come unto thee saith the Lord. Let us therefore give to God his due and restore the holy vessells to the Temple notwithstanding Belshazzars drunken prophanation Let us I say hold fast that we have received and use that to Gods glory which they abused to their owne And this have I debated somwhat the more at large to satisfy the nicenesse of some which in this point seeme to be more scrupulous then is convenient To return to our purpose the seuenth meane to attain to the understanding of prophecies is to exercise our selvs in discerning the times by diligent comparing of the events with the prophecies which we may the better doe by the help of the godly and learned writings of former times whereof I have spoken especially Histories and Chronologies Rom. 15. which the Allforeseeing providence of God for our learning doubtlesse hath caused both to be written and preserved This help the Fathers of the Primitive Church had not and therefore it is no marvell if they could not so well expound these prophecies which are best understood by their accomplishment This is that which Salomon commendeth saying Eccles 8. that the wiseman discerneth the time and judgment The men of Issachar 1 Chron. 12. and the great Princes of Media and Persia are commended for the same Esther 1. and the Scribes and Pharises sharply reprehended for neglecting it Matth. 16. And so I conclude this Problem that God hath given sufficient means to attain to the understanding of this booke III. My third Problem or Question is of the persons to whom it is ordeyned to be shewed which may easily be conceived aswell by the meanes as by the Text. For it must be such as use these meanes and they are here noted by the name of the Servants of Iesus Christ Ioh. 15. For it were absurd to thinke that he would shew his secrets to
dead sitting on his Throne of majesty chap. 20. VII The seventh and last Problem therefore must needs be concerning the Enemies of the Church whether we may not understand that of them also in this booke there be named Seven viz. 1 The Divel that old Serpent the great Red Dragon with seven heads and ten horns Rev. 2 10. 12 9. and seven crowns upon his heads 2 False Apostles Hypocrites Rev. 2 2. 3 Nicholaitans Hereticks chap. 2 15. 4 The followers of Iezabel and Balaam chap. 2 20. Licentious and Idolatrous Teachers 5 The first beast rising out of the Sea chap. 13. The old heathenish Roman Empire 6 The second Beast rising out of the Earth which seemeth peculiarly to signifie Antichrist unto us chap. 13. the proper and principall subject of this our Investigation 7 Gog and Magog heathenish and open Persecutors joyned with secret and intestine enemies whereof wee have not here to speake These things seeme to me not altogether improper nor inconvenient yet seeing I am no Prophet nor the sonne of a Prophet I dare not determine of them but leave them to Theologians to consider And with favorable permission going forwards to search and find out this great enemie of the Church of God I demaund whether he be not fully described unto us in this book of the Revelation and other parts of Holy Scriptures by seven notable and notorious Attributes 1 His place 2 His state or body politick which must be subject vnto him and support him 3 His Names 4 His Rising 5 His Raigning 6 His words and actions 7 His Times Of which Christ Iesus assisting I meane to speak in order J. Of the place of Antichrist BY the rules of methode we ar taught to proceed à notioribus ad minus nota froÌ„ things better known to infer proue things not so well known of things knowen they say those are best knowen which are visible or sensible and that the outward visible sensible adjuncts accidents do very much conduce to finde out and discover the nature and essence of everie thing Euen our divine Euangelist Prophet being taught by the spirit of God seemeth to approue of these observations where he beginneth his Epistle with this protestation That which was from the beginning 1 Iohn 1. which we haue heard which we haue seene with these our eyes c. making the senses a sufficient proofe of the humanitie conjoyned with eternitie This is the cause wherfore I thought best to begin my enquirie at the Place of Antichrist For what is more cleare and evident then that everie thing which hath an existence must haue a place he that seeketh for a thing out of his proper place or element as they now speak doth as if he should seeke for a fish in the fire or a swallow in the Sea The learned Grecian Aristotle the riches of whose learning I see no cause but it may be brought into the Holy citie according to the Prophecies referreth place to the Predicament ubi which importeth a Relation defineth it verie acutely I thinke truly to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which I know not how well but thus I think it may be rendred The unmoueable and nearest confine of that which compasseth any thing about He calleth it unmoueable because in all motions it is not the place that removeth from the thing nor with the thing but the thing it self is removed from one place to another It must be nearest indeed contiguous for els it can not be the place of one thing but may contein another it must compasse it about for if it do but touch it in part it is to be called adjacent or contiguous but not a place The most learned Roman maketh place one of his four principia Varro August And the learned also of later age number it among those things which necessarily concurre to the constitution of things Existent Cajcâ—an By all agreed to be a Relatiue which therefore must haue a Correlatiue Everie place is so called in respect of the bodie placed in it Everie Continent in respect of the thing conteyned everie Principle in respect of the thing proceeding from it as a Father cannot be so called without a sonne nor a master without a servant nor a cause without his effect Herehence are derived those rules and observations of the learned Posito corpore necesse esâ— poni locum posito loco locatum poni necesse est That Places must haue a due proportion of quantitie and magnitude great things must haue greate places for else they could not be compassed or comprehended in them Litle things litle places for els there would be vacuum Things of long continuance must haue places of equall duration and places of long continuance are not appropriated to things that must soone perish or passe away Also Places must haue a due temperament of qualitie agreeable to the things placed and the things placed to the places for else the one would destroy the other and contraries can no more be and continue in one place then in one subject These Observations being discovered unto us by the ordinarie light of nature it hath pleased the God of nature whose majestie is terrible his wisdome incomprehensible and his waies past finding out who numbereth the droppes of the Sea and the sand of the shore who calleth the starres by their names and filleth heaven and earth to descend into the narrow and poore capacitie of humane intelligence and by these outward visible sensible things to teach us who is a Teacher like to him to finde out things most obscure and difficult Let us see therefore what place of what capacitie quantitie and quality the great Governour and Disposer of all things hath appointed for Antichrist And first I demand whether it be not plainly described to be Rome and that Christian upon the consideration of these seven places of Scripture that follow The first in the seventeenth chapter of the Revel where it is set forth to be 1. That great citie Revel 17. 2 which was set upon seven hills 3. which had seven heads or governours 4. And ruled over the kings of the earth 5 which in a mysterie is called Babylon And 6. Most aboundant in riches glory 7 Yet most filthy in all fornication and uncleannes Let us examine these words every one by it self It is first a great Citie A city is by some considered as it consisteth of howses and buildings neare joyning together so Ninivie Tyrus the old Gen. 10. Babylon and others in the Scripture are called great citties So Tully calleth Pergamus and Smirna cities pro Flacco li. 1 de bell li. and Caesar also calleth Rome Civitatem taking that for a principall cause of his Parricidial warrs ut Trib. plebis ex civitate expulsos restitueret that he might restore the Tribunes of the people that were driven out
of the city who as he said before were fled ex urbe i. polit others as Aristotle c. take a city which they call Polis the word used here by the Apostle to consist of a multitude of men gathered together under the same lawes and government which is also called universitas or respub de civ dei Cic. in somn Iustaâ— l. 2. and so S. Augustin in some places Some others also measure a city by the extent of her dominion liberties and franchises Now these and other circumstances being considered I seek for a city wherein all concurre to make it great for the first I aske whether ever anie citie haue had a téstimonie of greatnes like to that which Lucan thus describeth Vrbem populis victisque frequentem Gentibus generis coeat si turba capacem Humani Lucan 1 1 A Citie populous full of conquered nations and able to receaue all mankinde if they should come together I thinke it cannot be denyed but this was a verie great citie vâ—bis appellatio muris Romae contineutibus aedificiis finitur LL. de verb. Sig. that was able to receaue humanum genus all mankind And yet that we may see plainly that he meant it of the citie as it consisted of walles and buildings he nameth it first urbem and then goeth forward Cum pressus ab hoste Clauditur externis Romanus miles in oris Effugit exiguo nocturna pericula vallo Tu tantum audito bellorum nomine Roma Desereris nox una tuis non credita muris What cittie in the world was like to this great cittie Rev. 18 18. truly therefore sayth our divine Apostle But this was poeticall and hiperbolicall may some say let us heare a testimonie historicall Although I thinke that learned poet would never haue beene so bold or impudent to giue such an attribute of greatnes to Rome if it had not been a verie great cittie and doubtlesse the greatest then known in the world yet let us heare Historians Truly Lipsius out of Martinus Polonus and Pliny sayth the walles of Rome were first xlij miles in compasse and out of Vopiscus de magnitud Rom. Blondus in Romanist that they were afterwards enlarged to 50 miles compasse but of the suburbes si quis intuens magnitudinem Romae velit exquirere frustra eum fore haesurum ubi desinat urbs ubi incipiat ex Dionis So it was a great cittie within the walles Herodot l. 1. and a greater without It seemeth indeed by Herodotus that the walles of old Babylon were 160 stadia on everie side square but note that Babylon was all within the walles and so Rome in respect of her suburbs buildings adjoyning was much greater as by this testimonie of Lipsius out of Dionis appeareth Might not this then well be called Babylon the great in respect of the other But heare what Pliny saith both of Babylon and Rome Of Babylon first he sayth Plin. lib. 3. Babylon sexaginta millia passuum amplexa muris Of Rome Effecit passuum per directum xxx millia DCC LXV which xxx miles and three quarters being taken for the diameter must make the circumference to be at the least 92 miles which is farre aboue the reckning of Lipsius And yet saith Pliny farther Ad extrema verò tectorum cum castris praetoriis a Milliario in Capite Rom. fori statuto per vicos omnium viarum mensura colligit paulò amplius septuaginta millia pass And if that be taken for the Diameter of Rome and the suburbs then must the compasse be almost 200 miles Quo si quis saith he againe altitudinem tectorum addat dignam profecto aestimationem concipiat fateaturque nullius urbis magnitudineÌ„ in toto orbe potuisse comparari And it is also to be observed what the same Pliny writes of Babylon Plin. lib. 6. in the time of Vespatian that it was then brought to solitude being exhausted by the vicinitie of Seleucia which was built for that purpose And this was before the exile of Iohn in Pathmos where he saw the Revelation and therefore this great cittie could not be literall Babylon or Babylon in Chaldea which then was not great but mysticall Babylon that cittie Rome which was then at the greatest Let us goe to the next consideration where a cittie is said to consist of a multitude or societie of men gathered together and we shall finde a far greater cause to aske the question of our Prophet what cittie was ever like it for what cittie in the world can we finde so famous for number of Tribes and multitude of citizens as Rome Livy Alex. ab Alex. l. 1 c. 17. The Tribes of Rome were at the least fiue and thirtie everie one consisting of many thousand citizens whereas the two kingdomes of Iudah and Israel had but twelue yea the mightie kingdome of Persia which afterwards grewe so great had but twelue in the beginning Herod 1. Xenoph. Grop l. 1. Liv. l. 10 in fiue 1. belli Punici lustro undeuicesimo Tacit. An. 11 Fasc Temp. The number of Roman Citizens in their weake estate was found to be aboue two hundred and fiftie thousand but in the Emperor Claudius his time it is said to haue been aboue threescore eight hundred thousand and so in Augustus time in which number women children servants and forriners not infranchised though inhabiting were not conteyned What cittie therefore was ever like to this great cittie Againe if we consider the extent of her franchises and liberties not onely the Volsci Hernici Lucani Appuli Campani Cic. offi 1. Hetrusei and other nations of Italy but the Transpadani and Transalpini the Gawles and Spaniards were receaved into the freedome nor the Europeans onely but those of Asia S. Paul borne at Tarsus in Cilicia averreth himself before a Roman Iudge to be a citizen of Rome free borne Act. 22. And for her dominion it seemeth to be true that the Poet sayth that the cittie of Rome was as great as the world Gentibus est aliis Tellus data limite certo Romana spatium est urbis orbis idem So againe Roma armis terras ratibusque subegerat undas Atque iidem fines urbis orbis erant So Dionisius Halicarnasseus calleth it Vrbem terrae marisque dominam Claudianus Cuncti gens omnia sumus many like other sentences do we meet with in their bookes Neither was this the opinion of the poets or vulgar onely but their learned lawiers in the end grew to be of the same judgment Panorm Vbi Caesar ibi Roma wheresoever Cesar is there is also Rome What cittie therefore was ever in the world in greatnes like to this The use that is commonly made of this consideration is none other but to admire and extoll the majestie of Rome as Lipsius doth in admirandis de magnit Romana but the true and worthie use thereof is to acknowledge the
Doth not the holy Ghost teach us to speak much more truely Marke well the Prophecie of Ezec. 7. where he speaketh of the worst of the heathen coÌ„sider by the circumstances whether it can be understood of any but the Romans when it representeth that Empire unto us under the name of Iâ—on mixt with dyrt as the Emperor Tiberius was called Lutum sanguine maceratum dyrt mixt with bloud unles you will therefore call it golden because in filthines and Idolatrie it was like the old Babylon which was figured by the head of Gold or because it is the seat of the golden Harlot But of this else-where In the mean space I demand again where was the zeale of their Bishops to reforme or correct these enormities euen of the Christians where were their decrees or decretals to restrain them where was the courage of the Priests or Clergie to reprehend or censure them was there none amongst them all but that Tertullian of Carthage and Salvianus of Massilia must rise up to speak of it Videbat hoc universa urbs patiebatur videbant Iudices acquiescebant sayth he So here was Babylon and yet I confesse there was Sion also But Sion dwelling in Babylon Whereof the Prophet Zacharie after the returne from the first captivitie seemeth to speak saying Zach. 2. Deliver thy self o Sion Rev. 18. that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon And our Evangelist repeateth Come out of her my people shewing that the prophecie of Esay and Ieremie concerning her destruction are not yet fulfilled I demand then upon all these premisses whether any place can be found in the world qualified for to be the seat of Antichrist according to these Prophesies besides the Septimontane Rome and that Christian the mountain of holynes and yet Sodome the Temple of God and yet Egypt Sion and yet Babylon which euen in her best Christianitie retained the Barbarous crueltie the abhominable filthines and horrible idolatrie of Egypt Sodom and Babylon in their publike sights and shewes Theaters solemnities ceremonies common practise And no sooner did they suppresse those old Pagan Idolatries but they fell to this new Idolatrie of worshiping of Images which they still practise defend together with their ever accustomed filthines crueltie whereupon I must propose this Problem whether by any possibilitie or imagination of man these things can be applied to any other place but Rome II. Of the state of Antichrist THE next thing after the place which offereth it self to our senses and consideration seemeth to be the subject or bodie without which no Accident can consist and therefore used in the definition of Accidents especially Relatiues which cannot be without their Correlatiues as a father cannot be so called but in respect of his sonne nor a Monarch or king but in respect of his monarchie kingdome or state Politike subject unto him And this also must be proportionable as we said before of Relatiues For as great things must haue great places so a great and mightie Monarch must haue a great state under him And as by the greatnes of the place we may measure the body so by the greatnes of the state subject to any Prince we judge of the greatnes power of the Prince himself We haue seene alreadie a great place appointed for Antichrist Let us now see the greatnes of the state and bodie politike that must be subject unto him and support him And this also hath not been neglected in the H. Scriptures but is set forth and described in divers places especially three as the best Interpreters do obserue which also do concurre and haue good correspondence with the prophecies concerning his place aboue specified First in the seuenth chap. of the prophet Daniel Secondly the 13 ch of the Rev. And thirdly the 17 ch of the Rev. which places agree in some things and differ in others and that agreement and those differences together with the reasons thereof deserue to be narrowly sifted First in Daniell we finde a great and terrible Beast with ten hornes and amongst the rest a litle horne rising up c. In the 13 of the Rev. we fynd two beasts one rising è mari out of the Sea as all the beasts in Daniel with tenne hornes c. the other rising e Terra In the 17 chap. of the Rev. we fynde a great beast with ten hornes and a whore sitting on his back Let us first consider of the description of this great beast rising out of the sea in the 13 ch of the Rev. where he seemeth to be most fully set forth positiuely and after comparatiuely Here therefore the great beast rising out of the sea is described first in his existence or parts Secondly in his power actions For his existence and parts it is first said to be a beast rising out of the sea Secondly having seauen heads Thirdly ten hornes crowned Fourthly upon his heads were names of blasphemie Fiftly his bodie like a Leopard Sixtly his feet like a beare And seuenthly his mouth like a Lion For his power and actions it is said 1 that the dragon gaue him his power and his throne and great authoritie 2 That one of his heads was wounded as it were to death but his deadly wound was cured 3 All the world wondered after the beast and worshiped the Dragon which gaue power to the beast and worshiped the beast saying Who is like to the beast Who is able to make warre with him 4 There was giuen him a mouth to speak great things and blasphemies 5 Power was given to him to doe and continue two and fortie months 6 He opened his mouth in blasphemie against God to blaspheame his name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in heauen 7 And it was giuen to him to make warre with the saints and to overcome them and power was giuen him over all kindreds tongues and nations And all that dwell upon earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the Book of Life and Loe here a strange and mightie beast Now what is meant by the name of a beast rising out of the sea the prophet Daniell telleth us For he saith plainly Dan. 7 23. that it signifyeth a kingdome rising upon the earth And the fourth Beast saith he is the fourth kingdome Which seemeth to be the same that is here spoken of The prophet Ezechiel useth the same phrase Ezce 19 17. saying Wherefore laye thy mother as a Lyonesse among the Lyons c. And againe the great Eagle c. Now if this be a kingdome which is spoken of by our Euangelist of necessitie it must be some verie great and mightie kingdome for so it appeareth by all parts of the description especially where it is said that all the world woâ—shipeth it And in the question that is asked Who is able to warre with him paralel to that question asked in another place What cittie is like to this great cittie As
the description also of this beast here is almost the same with that which is expressed in the 17 chap. of this Book I ask then what kingdome or Empire can be understood in this place Surely he that will say that this beast here and the beast in the 17 chap. do signifie any other kingdom beside Rome must produce some other great Empire to whom the seaven heads and the other attributes there given unto it may be applied aswell as to the Roman which no man yet could ever do Let us therefore see the description of this mightie Empire comparatiue and wherein it doth agree or differ from that which is described by the Prophet Daniel and by this our Euangelist in the 17 ch The fourth Beast saith the Prophet comming out of the sea was fearfull and terrible and verie strong It had great Iron teeth it devoured and brake in peeces and stamped the residue under his feet it was unlike the other beasts for it had ten horns there came up among them another little horne before whom three of the first hornes were plucked away and in this horne were eyes like a man and a mouth speaking presumptuous things And this fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdome and shall be unlike to all kingdomes and shall devour the whole earth and tread it downe and breake it in peeces and the teene hornes out of this kingdome are ten kings and another shall arise after them and he shall be unlike the first and shall subdue three kings And shall speak words against the Most High and think that he may change times and lawes and they shall be given into his hands untill a time times and half a time But the judgment shal sit and they shall take away his dominion to consume and destroy it unto the end This is Daniels description of the fourth Monarchie Let us heare again how the Euangelist describeth it in the 13 chap. I saw a beast rising out of the sea having seuen heads Rev. 13. and ten hornes so Daniell and upon his hornes ten crownes upon his heads the names of blasphemie And the Beast which I saw was like a Leopard and his feete were as the feete of a Bear his mouth as the mouth of a lyon and the dragon gaue him his throne and great authoritie and I saw one of his heads as wounded to death but the deadly wound was healed and all the world wondred and followed the beast and they worshiped the dragon which gaue power to the beast saying Who is like to the beast who is able to make warre with him so Daniell it shall devour the whole earth c. And there was giuen unto him a mouth that spake great things blasphemies power was giuen him to continue 42 months And he opened his mouth in blasphemie against God to blaspheme his name his Tabernacle and them that dwelt in heauen And it was giuen unto him to make warre with the Saints and to overcome them and power was giuen him over everie kindred tongue and nation Therefore all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the booke of life of the lambe which was slayn from the beginning of the world In the 17 chap. of the Revelation it is thus The woman sate upon a scarlet beast full of names of blasphemie Rev. 17. which had seuen heads and ten hornes so in the former prophecies And the beast which thou hast seene was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pitte and shall goe into perdition And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world when they behold the beast that was and is not and yet is Here is the minde that hath wisdome The seuen heads are seuen mountains they are also seuen kings fiue are fallen one is another is not yet come and when he cometh he must continue a short space And the beast that was and is not is the eight is of the seuen and shall go into destruction And the ten hornes which thou sawest are ten kings which yet haue not receaved a kingdome but shall receaue power as kings at one houre with the beast These shall haue one minde and shall giue their power athoritie to the beast These shall fight with the Lamb and the Lambe shall overcome them the ten hornes shall hate the whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and shall burne her with fire They that be of indifferent Iudgment may see in that Prophecie of Daniell many things that cannot be applyed to Antiochus or to the kingdome of the Seleucidae Vide Brightmâ— in Dan. 11. As first the great power of this fourth kingdome which the Prophet setteth forth in more terrible dreadfull manner then any of the former But was the kingdome of the Seleucidae more terrible or more powerfull then the Assirian and Caldean the Median and Persian or the Grecian Monarchie was Antiochus any way comparable to Nabuchadnezzar Cyrus or Alexander Did he devour the whole earth Also this fourth kingdom shall think to make changes of times or lawes Dan. 7. c. did Antiochus so Besides by the words of Daniel it may seem that the fourth kingdom shall continue untill the finall judgment which cannot agree to the Seleucidans Letting therefore that opinion passe as a Iewish conceit approved by none of the ancient that I can finde Hieron in Daâ— but Porphyry some few of late that are too much addicted to the Rabbins I thinke there is litle doubt to be made but although some things may be applyed to Antiochus Hieron in Dan 2 4. Quartum regu perspic ue pertinet ad Rom. August Nich de Lyra. Antoninus Marsil Fic Sleidan Napier in Apoc. Abbat demonstr Antâ—chr Pâ—raeus Not. Geneven c yet this beast here signifieth the Roman Monarchie and the little horne signifieth Antichrist shadowed in some things by Antiochus And so I finde the opinion of the ancient and best interpreters Then to goe forward and see what points these two excellent and divine Prophets apply to the Roman Empire and wherein they agree or differ And truly to my understanding they seeme to agree in seuen points verie materiall 1. In the rising of this beast which both affirm to be out of the sea 2. In the name a Beast that is a Kingdom as the Angel expoundeth it not one King individuall although if he did say a King we may understand well enough the whole succession as where he saith Thou o King art that head of Gold 3. In the attribute which they give unto him Great strength and power unmatchable and unresistable 4. In his disposition most cruell and bloudy 5. In the instruments of his power Ten horns that is ten Kings 6. In his Warre against the saincts prevailing against them 7. In
notorious Fornication adulterie and Sodomie as the pope hath done and whether it be possible for any in time to come to do the like 6. whether any Iew Turke or Infidell haue so wilfully obstinately erected and mainteyned so manifold Idolatrie so many severall Idols as the popes haue done and whether it be possible for any in time to come to do the like 7. whether any Iew or Turke did ever sitte in the Temple of God boasting himselfe to be God as the Popes hath done and whether it be possible for any to do the like to be believed therein as the Pope hath ben Summa If all the prophecies concerning the words actions of Antich be fulfilled in the Pope and cannot be fulfilled in any other then he is Antichrist VII Probl. Of the times of Antich how they be fulfilled and to what Period they are come 1. Of the first working of the Mysterie of iniquitie how long it continued 2. Of the time of the rising of Antich when it was fulfilled 3. Of the Revelation of Antichrist and how that is fulfilled 4. Of the signes of the times of Antich how they are fulfilled 5. Of the times of the raigne of Antich how long it continued 6. Of the Consumption of Antich to what point that is come 7. Of the end abolition of Antich which must be by the brightnes of the coming of our L. Christ who is God blessed for ever Summa tot Si probatur propositum non probatur contrarium quid amplius desideramus If all the prophecies of Antich be fulfilled in the pope and cannot be fulfilled otherwise then the Pope is Antichrist Caeli faciem nostis discernere signa temporum non novistis Matt. 16. SACRAE HEPTADES OR SEVEN PROBLEMS concerning ANTICHRIST That the Apocalyps is to be searched THose that are taken to be masters of learning teach us in everie subject and matter proposed first to aske the question An sit whether it be whether it be possible to be known and attained unto least spending our time in things impossible or imperceptible we both loose our labour become ridiculous The same is taught us by our greatest master in the parables of the man intending to build and the king going to warre Desiring therefore to finde out and discover that great enemie of the Church of Christ Antichrist who it is Luke 14. and whether he be come or not after the grace and mercie of our Lord and master Christ Iesus most humbly devoutly implored without whom we can do nothing I think it not amisse to consider first of the difficultie obscuritie of the Book of the Apocalyps or Revelation wherein by the consent of all learned Christians Antichrist is understood to be most spoken of and his Place State Actions and other circumstances most largely described and discovered unto us Seeing there can be no doubt made but there must be such a person as the Scripture speaketh of by that name and he must be such a one as is there intimated howsoever obscurely yet by him that knoweth all things truly and sufficiently described not intending neverthelesse to make any exposition of the said book which being but a simple Laick I dare not enterprise of anie part of Scripture but onely to examine some parts thereof which may seem pertinent to the matter in hand thereupon to propose some questions wherein I desire to be resolved And first to speake somewhat of this booke of the Apocalyps in generall Iunius which is by all men confessed to be full of mysteries and that it is by reason thereof verie darke and obscure is by manie affirmed yet I see this hath neither disswaded the mindes nor discouraged the industrie of godly men in all ages from searching to find out the true sence and meaning thereof amongst which Iustinus Philosophus and Irenaeus godly Martyrs S. Ierom S. Austin excellent Fathers Haimo Iohannes de Rupescissa Ioachimus Abbas and others of the former age Luther Balaeus Fox Iunius in our fathers time the learned Abbat bishop of Salesburie Paraeus Napier and others of our own time Alcasir Ribera Romanists and aboue all our most Gracious learned Soveraign King Iames deserveth to be remembred Vpon great reason and judgment surely haue all these entred into this waightie work well knowing that being sent unto us by God and our Lord Iesus Christ we as duetifull servants ought to search out the understanding thereof Deut. 6 7. and to talke of them as of a message sent unto us from our chief Lord master who hath given it to be shewed to his servants and hath annexed a blessing unto it For blessed is he that readeth and heareth Apoc. 1 3. keepeth the words of this Prophecie That therefore which God will haue to be opened Math. 25. no man ought to shut that which he will haue to be shewed forth no man ought to conceale that which he will haue to be knowne none ought to neglect For he giveth not his gifts to be buried in the earth nor his talents to be tied up in a napkin Luke 8. neither do men saith he light a candle and put it under a bedde or a busshell Wherefore neither I howsoever unworthie durst altogether suppresse these my poore meditations concerning Antichrist much spoken of in this book but having obteyned grace of God adventured to put them in writing thereby to giue occasion the questions being thus opened to the learned that shall vouchsafe to read them the better to consider of them and instruct others to the unlearned the better to inquire and learn beseeching the great Bishop of our soules Illuminator of all men Christ Iesus to instruct inlighten us all And for the same cause I thought it best to propose them under the name forme of Problems or Questions reduced to the number of seven in a due observation of that mysticall number so manie times observed in this heavenly booke which by the opinion of some learned men ought to be used as the key to open these divine mysteries But before I come to the main question I think it necessarie to say somewhat touching the difficultie of this booke and of the end and subject of it for a further declaration whereof I haue conceived these seven Problems ensuing upon the two first verses of that Book which are as followeth The Revelation of Iesus Christ c. 1. Vpon these two verses standing like the two-leaved gates of the Temple which must be opened before we can goe any further with fear and reverence 1 Reg. 6. as at the gates of Gods owne house Ezâ—ch 41. I demand whether they do not present seven things to our consideration 1. first the name given to this book by the Author Apocalypsis A Revelation or Discoverie not Apocrypsis a Concealment or covering 2. The first originall Author God who gaue both the