was the stay that he was not presently reuealed But when that stay is taken away he shuld be reuealed in his due time Chrysostome expouÌ„deth this stay to be the Romane Empire which must geue place vnto Antichrist That like as the Persians came in place of the Chaldeans the Grecians in place of the Percians and the Romanes in place of the Graecians euen so Antichrist should inuade the Empire of the Romanes Vacantem imperij principatum inuadet tentabit ad se capere hominum Dei imperium Antichrist sayth he shal inuade the vacant principallity of the Empire shal assay to draw vnto him self the Empires both of God men And is it not manifest that the Papacie grew tooke increase by the decay of the Empire at the fall of the Monarchy challenged full possession of all dominion both spirituall and temporall Of the same iudgement is s. Ierome writing vpon the same place of Paule vnto Algasia in the eleuenth question whose wordes are these Nec vult aperte dicere Romanum imperium de struendum quod ipsi qui imperant aeternum putant vnde secundum Apocalypsim IohaÌ„nis in fronte purpuratae meretricis scriptum est nomen blasphemiae id est Romae aeternae c. that is Neither wil he openly say that the Romane Empire should be destroyed which they that gouerne it thinke to be euerlasting whereforâ— according to the Reuelation of s. Iohn in the forehead of the purple whore ther is written a name of blasphemi which is Rome euerlasting Loe here another witnes of good antiquity and sufficient credit which not onely agreeeth plainly with Chrysostome that Antichrist should take possession of the Romane Empire when it should be decayed in the Emperours but also most plainly agréeing with Tertulliane calleth that Babylonicall strumpet which is described in the 17. chapter of this Apocalips that purple whore of Rome the name of the blasphemye to be Rome euerlasting As though hee had heard the Pope brag of the eternity of his Sée which he saith is the Rocke against which the gates of hel caÌ„not preuaile But he is fowly be giled for Rome the Sée of his Popedome is by s. Ieromes iudgement that Babylon of whoÌ„ the Angel preacheth the howsoeuer the boast of her eternity She is fallen she is fallen euen Babylon that great city neuer shal rise againe They cry out agaynst vs that we rayle and speake coÌ„tumeliously of the holy Sée of the Pope when we call Rome the whore of Babilon but when the old Doctours to whose iudgement they themselues appeale from the authority of the scripture feare not so plainly in their writings to paynt out the Babylonycall strumpet in her right coulors in flat words to say she is Rome the mother of al abominacions the Sée of Antichrist why should we be blamed for saying as we are taught by them And especially of those men that make so great vauntes that the iudgement is altogether on their side by whom they offer to be tryed when they dare not abide the iudgement of the Scriptures Againe consider I pray you of the old Doctors before Antichrist were openly reuealed did vnderstand by the scriptures that he should â—yt at Rome what thinke you would they haue said and written if they had lyued in these dayes knowen and sene all that was prophecied to be fulfilled in him wyth what confidence suppose ye they wold haue inueyed against him With how open mouthes would they haue cryed out vpon him At least wyse do you not thinke in your conscience that when they had considered the autority of the Pope his wholesome doctrine they would haue chaunged their minds and recanted their writings against Rome and repented that euer they had called her the purple whore of Babylon seing she is the holy mother church of Rome the Sée of the most holy father the Pope the head of the same church I must néedes say thus much in your behalfe O ye Papists as yll as I loue you that if Hierome Tertulliane and the rest of the Doctors dyd so account of Rome as you affirme of them they were much to blame to defame her wyth such odious names as to call her the purple whore of Babylon which must néedes make her vehemently suspected to be the church of Antichrist and not of christ For what Papist in these dayes dare say that which Hierome sayd that Rome is that purple harlot Babylon which S. Iohn speaketh of in the Apocalips The same Hierome in his 13. booke of CoÌ„mentaries of the prophecy of Esay vpon the 47 chap. writeth in this maner Licet ex co quod iuxta 70 scriptuÌ„ est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est filia Babylonis noÌ„ ipsum Babylonem quidam sed Romanam vrbem interpretantur quae in Apocalypsi Iohannis Epistola Petri Babylon specialliter appellatur c. That is For as much as the seuenty Interpreters write not the daughter Babylon but the Daughter of Babylon some doe interprete therof not Babylon in Chaldea but the City of Rome which in the Reuelation of saint Iohn the Epistle of Peter is specially called Babylon Note that Hierome in this place accoÌ„pted Rome to be Babylon the yonger daughter of Babylon the elder And secondly that this was not his opinion onely but the consent of many other in his time and namely of such as vsed to interprete the Prophet Esay Thirdly and especially coÌ„sider that he affirmeth Rome in the Apocalips to be specially called Babilon So that Babylon in the Apocalips by his iudgement cannot be vnderstood for nothing els but Rome because Rome is there specially figured by Babylon What meaneth Hierome so often to beate in this naile that Babylon is Rome If it had slipped out of his pen but once he myght haue bene pardoned for his ouersight but wheÌ„ he hath neuer done writing that Rome is Babylon and in the Reuelation specially called Babylon why should we accompt him any longer for a Catholike For in hys Preface vnto the booke of Didimus De spiritu sancto which he translated out of Gréeke into Latin writing to Pauinianus he vttereth these wordes Cum in Babylone versarer purpuratae meretricis essem Colonus iure Quiritum viuerem c. Of late saith he when I was in Babylon and was an inhabitant of the purple harlot liued after the lawes of the Romanes I thought to intreate somewhat of the holy Ghost What néeded Hierome in this place so odiously contumeliously to call Rome by the name of Babilon but that he could neuer consider Rome otherwise but to be that See appointed for Antichrist for in other places wher he interpreteth that scriptures Prophecies concerning Antichrist we may lesse maruel if he interprete Babylon for Rome because no reason could leade him to expound it otherwise But here talking pleasaÌ„tly with his friend what necessitys compelled him to vse such descriptions of Rome
but that this persuasion was so déepely grauen in hys minde that Babylon is Rome that neither in earnest noriest he could forget it but is alwaies harping vpon it as though he thought scorne to call Rome by any other name then that he had learned in the scriptures to be Babylon the purple Harlot For in lyke maner writing to Marcella a vertuous Gentlewoman of Rome whom he allured to forsake Rome to dwell nere vnto him in Bethlehem one especial reasoÌ„ that he vseth to persuade her is this That as BethleheÌ„ whether he wold haue her to repaire is situate in the holy land the place coÌ„secrated to the birth of Christ So Rome where shee desired to remaine was the Babylonical harlot according to the Reuelation of s. Iohn appointed for the birth of Antichrist which ther shuld arise exercise tyranny from thence should deceiue that whole world with his wicked wyles But who so wil reade the workes of Ierome may finde yet more places in which he is bold to cal Rome Babylon that very Sée of Antichrist Whereby it is apparant that it is no new or straunge matter to séeke Antichrist at Rome when such old Doctors of the church so coÌ„monly in Commentaries Epistles and other writings do teach vs that Rome is Babylon the scripture affirmeth that Babylon is the Sée of Antichrist But let vs leaue s. Ierome and sée what other say of the same matter Saint Ambrose writing a CoÌ„mentary vpon the Reuelation of s. Iohn is of the same iudgement Of the authority of the woorke I wyll moue no question at this time seing it is commended to vs by Cuthbert Tonstal late bishop of Duresme who found it in an old Library first set it in print vnder the name of that great s. Ambrose and is willing that men should so thinke of it It is good authority I say against the Papists being commended by so Catholike a Prelate because they are woont to receiue whatsoeuer commeth vnder the name of an old Doctor though it be neuer so vnlyke his writing and cry out vpon vs for reiecting at our pleasure the workes of auncient Doctors that make against our doctrine as though we reiected any without cause or they refused none for any cause wheras Pighius their great Patron blusheth not to reiect the report of two general Counsels the fift sixt of CoÌ„stantinople which are coÌ„mended to vs by publike faith of that church of Constantinople because in the one Pope Honorius is condemned accursed for an heretike in neither of both the Popes Legats could haue the highest place according to that request of their ambicious Maister But as for this Ambrose if he wer not Ambrose of Millain yet is it apparant by the style that he was some auncient writer of the Latin church he throughout this prophecy interpreteth Babylon to be Rome Antichrist to be sought no where but at Rome Primasius also a very auncient writer who likewise coÌ„menteth vpon the Apocalips expouÌ„deth these prophecies of Antichrist to be fulfilled in that Romane empire of the city of Rome S. Augustine in his worke De Ciuitate Dei not once or twise but oftentimes is bold to cal Rome Babylon Babylon Rome as in his 16. booke and 17. chapter he calleth Rome an other Babylon in the West And in his 18. booke 2. chapter he calleth Babylon of Chaldea the first Rome Rome of Italy the second Babylon willing men to consider that in the beginning of the city of God which was the church in Abrahams time the first Rome that was Easterne Babylon her enemy was builded in Chaldea and about the same time that the first Babylon was destroyed least the city of God should lack her enemy the second Babylon which is Rome in Italy was erected It is a straunge matter that the same city which is that professed enemy of the city of God should be the mother of al religion the very city of God it selfs O Augustin thou wast not wel aduised to make the city of Rome enemy to the city of God that Rome should be the same to the church of God that Babilon of old was at Ierusalem The same Augustine in the 22. chap. of the 18. booke calleth Rome an other Babilon daughter of the first Babilon And in the 27. chap. he calleth Rome Western Babylon By these other testimonies of oldâ— writers that might be brought but for tediousnes I suppose it is sufficiently proued that Babylon in this my text spoken of is Rome and that we should not seeke Antichrist to proceede from any other place then from Rome But what neede I trouble my selfe to seeke further testimonial for coÌ„firmation of this matter that Babylon is Rome then of the Papistes them selues For it is the common catholike opinion of all Papists that s. Peter in his Epistle where he sendeth salutacions froÌ„ the Church gathered in Babilon by Babilon vnderstandeth Rome And they learne it of Ieronime which in the life of s. Marke doth so expound it So gréedy they are to finde a place in Scripture where Peter should be said to haue bene at Rome that they are content to acknowledge Babylon in the scripture to be vnderstood of Rome And thus I haue performed I trust sufficiently that which I tooke in hand to proue both by the autority of holy scripture in plaine manifest textes by consent of many auncient writers yea by the confession of the Papists them selues that Babylon in the scripture is taken for Rome And thus much for the first part in which because I haue bene ouer long I wyl be shorter in that which remayneth In the second part I promised to declare how Babilon which is Rome is fallen according to the prophecy of this Angell She is fallen saith the Angel she is fallen He repeateth y woord of falling for two causes First to declare the certainty of her decay that howsoeuer she seemed to floorish and triumph as though she should neuer haue falleÌ„ or come to ruine yet God for her wickednes most righteously for the comfort of his church most mercifully had decréeed vndoubtedly that she should fall when that time was once come which in his most wise well ordered councel was appointed for her destruction Secondly he repeateth twise that she is fallen to shew that she should haue an vnrecouerable fall she should not fall as other cities which haue risen again but she should fal without al hope of recouery neuer to be restored again Therfore in the 18. chap. a mighty Angel taketh vp a great mylstone throweth it into the sea saying VVith such violence sâ—al Babilon that great city be throwne downe neuer be sene any more So that as it is impossible for a great milstone throwne with great forcâ— by a mighty Angel into the bottom of the sea to rise vp againe swym aboue the water so impossible is it that
¶ A SERMON preached at Hampton Court on Sonday being the. 12. day of Nouember in the yeare of our Lord. 1570. VVherein is plainly proued Babylon to be Rome both by Scriptures and Doctors Preached by VVilliam Fulke Bacheler of Diuinity and fellow of S. Iohns Colledge in Cambridge APOCALIPS 14. ¶ She is fallen she is fallen euen Babylon that great Citie for of the wyne of the furie of her fornication she hath made all nations to drinke Imprinted at London by Iohn Awdely ⧠TO THE RIGHT honorable vertuous lord Ambrose Dudley Earle of Varwike Maister of the Queenes Maiesties Ordinance and Knight of the most noble order of the Garter WHERE as it pleased your Honor to requyre a copy of my Sermon which I preached last in your Honors hearing so far as my memory would serue me to repeate it I thought it my dutie to satisfie your godly desire Not that I count it worthye of longer remembraunce in respect of any great skyl or diligence of myne shewed therein althoughe in regard of the matter I would it myght neuer be forgotten but because I acknowledge my selfe so much bound to your Honor that whersoeuer I may perceiue that my poore seruice may be accepted of the same I would in no wyse be slacke to offer it much lesse refuse to yelde it when it pleaseth your Lordship so earnestly to require it In which request albeit the singuler good wyll that your Honour beareth toward me moueth you to think better oâ— my simple doinges then they deserue in deede Yet your godlye zeale to the glorye of GOD and the detestation of Papistrie may appeare to all men as it is throughly knowen to those that daylye haue experience of your honorable disposition VVherfore I addressed my selfe to put in writyng that which before I had vttered in speaking obseruyng as neare as I could not onelye the substance of matter but also the phrase of wordes which I then vsed as by reading your Honor can best iudge VVhich after I had sent to a friend of myne in London to be written out at my next repayre to the Citie I found that it was already committed to a Printer who had vndertaken to set it out in prynt For which cause I thought good to set this Preface before it most humbly beseeching your Honor to take it in good part and for the delay of tyme to hold me excused seing it shall come otherwyse into your Lordships handes then of me at the first was purposed The Lord of Lords encrease al honorable godly vertues in your Lordship with prosperitie in this life to his diuine pleasure after the course of this time ended perpetuall ioy and felicitie Your Honors to commaund alwaies in the Lord William Fulke A sermon preached at hampton Court the. 12. of Nouember 1570. THat I may speake to the glory of God and the edifiyng of the CongregatioÌ„ here gathered in his name I shall desire you all right honorable worshipfull and welbeloued in our sauiour Christ to ioyne with me in faithfull and earnest prayer And in this praier c. It is written in the 14. chapter of the Reuelation of s. Iohn the 8. verse She is fallen she is fallen euen Babylon that great City for of the wyne of the fury of her fornication she hath in 〈◊〉 all nations to drinke The holy Euangeliâ—â— s. Luke right honorable welbeloued in Christ in the. 4. chapter of his Gospel recordeth that on a time when our sauiour came into the Sinagoge at Nazareth to rede as his custome was ther was deliuered to him a booke containing the Prophecy of the Prophet Esay Which after he had opened at the first be found the place wher it was written in these words The spirite of the Lord is vpon me because he hath annoynted me that I should preach the Gospell to the poore he hath sent me that I should heale the broken in hart that I should preach deliuerance to the Captiues and sight to the blinde that I should set at liberty them that are brused to preach the acceptable yeare of the Lord. Then after he had closed the booke and deliuered it to the Minister he sat downe to preach and the eyes of all them that wer in the Congregation wer bent vpon him Then he opened his mouth spake vnto theÌ„ these words This dai is this scripture fulfilled in your eares and they all gaue him testimony that it was so In like maner may I say concerning this place of scripture which I haue read vnto you In your eyes and eares is this scripture this day fulfilled And I pray God you may all likewise beare witnes with me that it is so The last time that I spake in this auditory I entreated of the floorishing prosperous 〈◊〉 of Ierusalem which is the Church of 〈◊〉 forth in the. 122. Psalme and therfore good order now requireth that I shuld speake of the dâ—cay ouerthrow of the enemy of Ierusalem which is Babylon the See church of Antichrist And for that purpose principally haue I chosen this text of scripture to speake of That by the one we might bee enflamed with loue of the true church of Christ by the other be moued to the hatred of that false church of Antichrist Now this text of scripture She is fallen she is fallen euen Babylon that great City for of the wine of the fury of her fornication she hath geuen all Nations to drinke offereth me thrée speciall things to be considered First what Babylon is secondly what is become of her and thirdly what is the cause of her heauy decay In the first part by the assistance of God and your honorable pacience I shal plainly shew proue that Babylon is Rome In the secend the Babylon or Rome by the iust iudgemeÌ„t of God is fallen yea she is fallen In the last the reason of this so sharpe sentence of God against her because she hath deceiued al the world with dronkeÌ„nes and whoredome Within the câ—mpasse of these thrée propositions I will kéepe my selfe in all my discourse Sauing that by your fauour forasmuch as this is the myddle voyce of thrée Angels that speake in this chapter for 〈◊〉 I wil vse the voyce of the first Angel of whose preaching this my text is a coÌ„sequent anâ— in the stéede of a conclusion I wil touch the voyce of the third Angel which is a consequent of this the myddle Angels voyce Concerning the Preface it shal be this in few words After that s. Iohn had described the preseruation vnity of the church of god in Christ their head euen in the midst of the fury of Antichrist vnder the figure of the Lambe standing on mouÌ„t Syon with 144000. of his chast worshippers Next he declareth that God would bring the same againe into the sight of the world by preaching of the Gospel and the ouerthrow of the kingdome of Antichrist Wherefore he sendeth an Angell flying in
y at the first I gaue warning that I did not vnderstand Rome for the topography of Rome that is so much ground onely as is compassed within the walles of that city but for the regimeÌ„t gouernance prerogatiue that is claymed by reason of that city or that monarchie wherof Rome is the head and then I shall easely proue that Christ was crucified at Rome For by whom was he condemned Was it not by Pilate the Deputy or Liefetenant of the Romane Empire For what cause or crime was he adiudged to dye Was it not for treason pretended to be coÌ„mitted against the Romane Empyre With what kinde of Execution was he put to death Was it not such as was vsuall by the lawes of the Romanes for such haynous offences as were vniustly layd to hys charge Finally was not the place wherein he suffered within the circute of the Romane Empyre May I not then iustly affirme the he was crucified at Rome when by the Romane Iudge he was condemned for a crime against the Romane state and executed by a kinde of death appointed by the Romane lawes in a place of the Romane dominion As for the Iewes they had at that time no autority to put any man to death as they confesse them selues when Pilate had them take him and iudge him according to their owne lawe meaning they should decrée some light punishment against him they aunswered It is not lawfull for vs to put any man to death he hath deserued to dye As touching the cause although they accused him of blasphemy in that he made himselfe the sonne of God yet could he not be condemned for that because Pilate would admit no accusation but such as contayned a crime agaynst the Romane lawes And as for the death of the crosse it is manifest to be proper to the Romanes for the Iewes would haue stoned him if they might haue condemned him for blasphemy according to the law of Moses And that the Angel in the place by no meanes can vnderstaÌ„d Ierusalem it is manifest by these reasons First that he calleth it that great city which term could neuer be spokeÌ„ of Ierusalem also he calleth it Sodoma and Aegiptus which was the sea of the monstrous beast Antichrist which in other places is often called Babylon wheras no man euer did imagine that Ierusalem should be called Sodoma Aegipt or BabiloÌ„ Adde hereunto that Ierusalem the place where Christ suffred was vtterly destroied in S. Iohns time whereby it is euident that by thys great City spiritually called Babilon Sodoma and Aegiptus is ment none other but the Romane Empyre which crucified the head and should also bring forth the monstrous beast Antichrist which should torment and afflict the members which began with murther of the Lorde and should continue till it were destroyed in murthering of the seruantes And by thys playne text which caÌ„not be wrested to any other sence this great City Babilon where Christ was crucified is proued to be Rome and the aucthority rule and power of the Romane City The second plaine and euident proofe which I will vse at thys tyme shall be taken out of the 13. chapter of this Reuelation where that euil shapen beast is described which is the head of the persecuting malignant church hauing vij heads ten hornes and is the same which afterwarde in the. 17. chapter beareth the great whore Babilon the mother of all abominations of the earth Who so therfore that wil compare these things that are written in this booke concerning the disposition of that monstrous beast wyth those thinges that the Prophet Daniel in the. 7. chapter of his prophecy describeth of the â—4 beastes and specially of the fourth which all men confesse to be the Romane Empire except â—e be to much blynded with frowardnes perâ—ers affection he must neede acknowledge that â—his beast which Iohn painteth out is the same â—hat Daniel setteth out which contayning in it â—he cruelty of the Leoparde the Beare and the Lyon which were the former Monarchies is vnlyke to them all therfore is the fourth Empire which all the world acknowledgeth to be the Monarchy of Rome What should I speake of the nuÌ„ber of the hornes equal in both generally of all other partes of their discription which is set forth so like almost with the same words both of the one of the other that it were mere madnes to imagine that this beast which Iohn describeth should be any other then that Daniell had so long before portraited Then if the Beast in Daniels discription doth signifye the fourth kingdome as the Angell expoundeth it which no man will deny to be the Romane Monarchie The same monstrous Beast beyng here painted out in this Reuelation wyth the same shape coulors and conditions must néeds signify the Romane Empire and so Babylon by this reason also is proued to be Rome The third argument or proofe is taken out of the. 17. chapter of this Reuelation the. 9. verse Wher the Angell expounding to S. Iohn the mistery of the beast with seuen heads declareth in very plaine words that the seuen heades doo signify seuen hyls wheron the woman sitteth Now seing it is euident that the woman signifieth a great City we must see where we can finde a great City builded vpon seuen hyls and that by the interpretacion of the Angell is Babylon the See of Antichrist And if we séeke throughout the whole world wher shal we finde a great City builded vpon seuen hyls but that great City in Italy Which al writers Poets Historiers Cosmographers with one coÌ„sent do confesse to be Rome which is builded vpon vij hils whose names are these Palatinus Capitolinus AueÌ„tinus Exquilinus Viminalis Quirinalis and Caelius This is so plain a notacion of Rome to be Babylon builded on seuen hyls that the Angel could not more plainly haue expressed Rome though he had named her Nay this is a more euident and certaine description of Rome to be the See of Antichrist then if in plain words he had said Babylon is Rome For it might be that some other City then that here was ment might haue the name of Rome but no other Citye could haue this notacion to bée builded on seuen hyls For Constantinopolis was afterward called new Rome but ConstaÌ„tinopolis was not builded vpon seuen hyls like vnto old Rome Therfore this is a plain manifest circumlocution of Rome which with no reason can receiue any other exposition For what Boy going to the GraÌ„mer schoole and reading in Virgils Georgikees thys verse Septem quae vna sibi muro circundedit arces That City saith Virgil which hath compassed seuen hyls within her wall what Boy I say in the Grammer schoole doth not vnderstand this to be ment of the City of Rome although the Poet in that place doth not once name Rome With what face therfore wyll any man deny that the Angel here meaneth any other City by this Periphrasis
vnto the custome of the popish Clergy who vse to weare long héere and to shaue their beardes thought he would draw it at the least if it would not come by faire meanes to maintaine the lawdable custome of the popishe Clergy and by exposition of one word he maketh the whole Canon to serue his turne Therfore Statuimus saith he which is we decrée is to be expounded for Abrogamus which is we disanul or abrogate and so the sence afterward falleth out very plaine for the popish Priestes thus We disanul that Priests should go with out long héere or vnshauen beards A right cuÌ„ning interpretation and proper for the place such in effect are all those that serue for the maintenance of the Popes authority the religion of popery Therfore he that is of so sharpe iudgement that he wil mislyke refuse those playne expositions which I haue brought of the places before alledged except against them as enforâ—ed constrained and far fetched let hym lyke of prayse magnify and admire these interpretations which are sought out to vphold establish the Popes throne his religion as rightly faithfully truly collected Atque idem iungat Vulpes mulgeat Hircos and by as good reason let him ioyne for hys plough not Oxes but Foxes and mylke for his payle not shée Goates but hée Goates as the Poet saith Now that I haue proued Babylon to be Rome by autorite of scripture it foloweth that I must shew for the same the consent of auncient Doctors And as in my former probatioÌ„ I touched onely such places as did plainly directly manifestly set forth my purpose so in this behalfe I wil deale with the Doctors Not such as they are woont to alledge against vs names in déede of great and reuerent antiquity but workes of mere falsehood and forgery bewraying theyr Authors not to be such as they are fathered vpon but such as out of the body of blindnes and superstition of much latter time haue begotten them Such are the decretal Epistels of the old Bishops of Rome Linus ClemeÌ„s Anacletus c Of which Clemens writing to s. Iames forsooth in his second Epistle chargeth him very earnestly that the Pixe be cleanly kept so that ther appere no Myse doong or any other filthynes among the fragments of the body of Christ with many other apostolical coÌ„maundements The impudence of whose Authors appeareth notably in this that wheras they were ignorant Buzards that could not write true latin they would ascribe their couÌ„terfet Epistles to so learned fathers as though at that time when womeÌ„ and children spake latin naturally as their mother tong the bishops were so vnlearned that they did write so barbarously and were not able to vtter their minde in true latin But leauyng those delicates for such as long after them I wyl vse no authority for this purpose but such as they cannot refuse but that it is auncient catholike authentical I wil begyn therefore with Irenaeus one of the most auncient and authentical writers that the Church hath Who in the fift booke of his treatise agaynst all heresies speaking of the Sée of Antichrist vpon the last verse vpon the 13. chapter of this Reuelation where it is sayde that the number of the Beastes name is sixe hundred sixtye and sixe sheweth that the opinion of many in hys time was that seing this name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is in English The Latineman or Romane in the numerall Greeke letters containeth thys number that Antichrist must be sought at Rome His woordes are these Sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no men sexcentorum sexaginta sex numerorum c. et valde veresimile est quoniam verissimam regnum hoc habet vocabulum Latini enim sunt qui nunc regnant Also sayth he thys name Latemos contayning the number of 666 is thought to be the name of Antichrist and it is very like so to be for that which most vndoubtedly is a kingdome hath that name for they be Latines which now doo raigne You sée by this testimony of Iraeneus that this prophecy of old time was vnderstood of Rome and therefore it is no new interpretacioÌ„ that Babylon is Rome and that the number of the Beasts name is to be found in one that beareth rule at Rome If this exposition or explication of that Beasts name had bene deuised by Luther Zwynglius or Caluine it might haue bene suspected as a thyng imagined of spight and enuy against the church of Rome but wheÌ„ it is brought forth by so auncient a Doctor which liued not many yeres after this Reuelation was geuen as he himselfe saith it was but a litle before his tyme vnder Domitiane the Emperor which died 13. hundred yeres before Luther was borne we must néedes iudge it both to be very auncient voyd of all partiallity Wherfore I wyll passe ouer diuers other applications of that number to other names whych neuertheles hyt Babylon home because they haue bene sought out of late by such as beare yll wyll vnto Rome For I think this is sufficient with all reasonable men of equal iudgemeÌ„t to proue that this is no new opinion to séeke the See of Antichrist at Rome They them selues to prooue their doctrine catholike alledge autority of a 11. or 12. hundred yeres antiquity behold this opinion is 13. or 14 hundred yeres old that Antichrist should be a Romane that the See of his tyraÌ„ny is at Rome The second witnes of this assertion that Babylon is Rome is Tertullianus a very auncient writer also Who in plaine woords affirmeth that Babylon signifieth Rome in that third booke against Martion which denyed that Christ had a true body Wherfore Tertulliane vseth this reasoÌ„ against him That thing which hath a figure of it must be a thing of truth so discoursing of many things figured the figures of them coÌ„meth to these words Sie et Babylon apud Iohannem nostrum Romanae vrbis figuram portat perinde magnae regno superbae sanctorum debellatricis That is to say Euen so doth Babylon in the Apocalips of our s. Iohn beare the figure of the city of Rome which is altogether as great and as proud in raigne as great a persecuter of the Sayntes as Babilon was You see therfore most clearly and plainly that Tertulliane w al his learning could not interprete these things that be written in this Reuelation concerning Babylon to be applied to any other city then Rome And he is also a witnes voyd of al partiallity or affection to either part of them that striue in our dayes For he departed nere about xiij hundred yeres before our tyme why should we not then bée credited in this case Well next vnto hym I wyll ioyne Chrysostome in his CoÌ„mentary vpon the second Epistle to the Thessalonians the second chapter in his fourth Homely Where as s. Paule speaking of the manifestation of Antichrist sayth they knew what