placed in equall dignity with the Holy Scriptures Here the Interpretation of the Scriptures was taken away from the Scriptures and made subiect to mens pleasure but chiefly to the Popes Ever since the world began the Holy and Sacred Scriptures were not so much abused both openly and by publique authority ANTIOCHVS in deede a good while since inflicted a grievous wounde in commaunding the Holy Bookes to be burnt in the fire Likewise DIOCLETIAN and other Tyrants But the iniurie of these TRIDENTINE FATHERS is farre more grievous For they were Ethniques enemies stricken with a certen fury and madnes wholly repugnant to all the trueth These alone wil be counted CATHOLIQVES very great and chiefe friends the thing a long time and much consulted of guided by mature and ripe iudgement the very PILLARS and upholders of the TRVETH and upon whom noe spotte of errour can be cast How must it needs be that their act was of no authority and these men of very great neither is there cause why any should obiect Marcion the Eucratites Cataphrygians and such monsters of which some reiected one part of the sacred Scriptures and some another at their pleasure There is very great difference as touching the greatnes of the hurt betweene the dotages of obscure Heretiques and the deliberat actes and Decrees of an gathered Councell especially which chalengeth to it selfe to be credited with out exception It is therefore a thing especially worthy remembrance and worthy that the Church should be put in minde of by so notable a Prophecy The event and time doe consent so wonderfully that every equall arbitratour will easily acknowledge that I have not willfully sought this interpretation but that I have ben lead as it were by the hande to the same by the very order and disposition of the matters As touching the assemblyes of the faithfull which in these last times did first appeare in Germany they were assailed with a most cruell warre the same yeere The same Beast made this warre likewise by the help of the Emperour Charles the fift otherwise a noble man greatly to be cōmāded but obeying the Pope too much through the common errour of the Princes From whence not without cause that is attributed to one which being proceeded from two or more yet notwithstanding is done by one ioint endevour The overthrowe in this warre was received about the two and twentieth day of Aprill in the yeere following to wit 1547 when the armies of the Protestans were put to flight Iohn Frederike Duke of Saxonie himselfe Ernestus of Brunswick the Lātgraves sonne and not very long after the Lantgrave himselfe were taken Which calamity stayed not in these fewe but also afflicted many others both Governours and Cityes which partly yeelded themselves of their owne accord partly were wonne by force In one moment sayth Beza bewayling the misery of that time seemed to be overthrowne whatsoever had ben builded up in so many yeeres and with so great labours and they onely were counted happy of the most part whom sudden death had taken away from these hurlie burlies such are his wordes The remembrance of that time is sorrowfull to all the godly when the holy and wise Princes inflamed with a desire onely to defende the trueth not themselves alone but the Churches togither with them which as newly borne did lament among the weapons came miserably into the power of the enemies But now was the time of darkenesse in which these two Prophets must be killed and made a mocking stock Although wee must reioice in the same adversities which ar a calling to remembrance of the divine Prophecies confirming certenly the confidence and faith of our hope as saith Tertullian in his Apologie 8 And their corpses shall lie There is this difference betweene Antiochus the Romish Beast He in burning up the bookes of the Lawe would not have so much as the karkeises to remaine This sufferred the dead corpses but onely for a mocking stocke and for a greater ignominie The cruell Beast is not satisfyed with blood but desireth some more grievous tormēt For their pierced corpses are cast forth into the streetes of the great city that they might be a spectacle to all men and an ornament to the triumphe of the Romish Beast And what other thing of these Scriptures now remained then a very karkeise wholly without all authoritie power and life when all interpretation was brought to the Apostolique Chaire neither might they mutter any thing at all which the Bishop of Rome should not breath into them The Spirit speaketh so exactly that he may leave them noe tergiversatiō He knew that the Pope of Rome whatsoever he should doe against the truth would boast neverthelesse that to him nothing is better of more account and more inviolable then the Scriptures themselves But that noe man may be deceived with a bare name the Spirit speaketh evidently that after the Tridentine Councill noe Scriptures should be in the possessiō of the Romanes but a dead carkeise of noe strenght and power ¶ In the streetes of the great citie which spiritually is called Sodome and Egypt This great City is that whole dominion of which Rome is the mother City in which sense the tenth part of the city falleth after in the 13 verse A street is some part of the Romane dition wherein this spectacle is exhibited to be seene the ioy whereof spreadeth it selfe through the whole Empire But the great citie it selfe togither with her chiefe citie is described in the rest of the verse and that by two expresse names a notable marke also being added least any perhaps should mistake the city And also for a greater assurance wee are admonished that these names are not to be takē properly but spiritually that is aenigmatically figuratively allegorically The first name is Sodom a city once very famous for her filthines nowe for her punishement a most fit exemple of the tower and chiefe habitation of this great citie For is not the city Rome become famous for her horrible lusts above all the whole world In the iudgement of all the Poete Mantuan hath truly songe of her in these wordes Shame get thee to the country townes if they al 's ' doo not use The same corrupted filthines Rome now is all a Stewes Which is no lesse declared by an other taking his leave of Rome thus Rome farre well nowe I have thee seen ynough it is to see I le come againe when bawd I meane knave brothel beast to be But that you may the better acknowledge Sodome heare what a certē man answered to one asking a question touching Rome Say what is Roma Amor Love if backward you it spell Rome loves the male kind Say no more J know thy meaning well Hath not Hieronymus Zeged Mutius declared this plainely in his Cynedicall bookes defending this horrible villany and approved by the Bulles and lettres patents of Iulius the third him selfe With whom Iohannes Casa associated himselfe being
without ceasing not by a stinted labour every three moneths foure times in the yeere or peradventure somewhat more diligently once every moneth but wherein wee must continue alwayes as in a watchtower least the enemy continually lying in waite come unlooked for upon us sleeping or being absent Moreover that wee should acknowledg the singular providence of God towards his holy servants which at all occasions is ready both to deliver them from evill and also to store them with good things For the same reason he helde the Angels in his hande chap. 1.20 and the Psalmist singeth The keeper of Israell slumbereth not Ps 121.4 Finally that he may shewe that the moneths are not to be nūbred in a generall maner but every day by it selfe a part as wee have said before Sacks are the cloathing wherein they should prophecy because they should execute their office vilely arayed clad in mourning apparell spoiled of all lustre in the same garment that is wont to be used in lamenting But whēce was this sorrofull arraying in that triumphe which the Church made under Constantine Surely although great was the glory of peace honours dignityes riches wherewith he endowed most nobly and adorned the Churches yet as touching true godlinesse all things began to be farre worse The Heaven departed away under Diocletian by an horrible tempest of persecution but nowe it was corrupted more with tranquility then when the cruell enemy was at hande to take away their lives For nowe the simple purity of the Scriptures began to be troubled more and more the meaning of them not be understood to be wrested by allegories and absurd expositions and any thing almost to be added unto them which mens phantasie would Did not the Arian faction which wee heard in chap. 8 10.11 infect the third part of the rivers and fountaines with her wormwood strive to drawe the Scripture to their side and by their authority to proffer their wicked opinions to the world So all Heretiques for the most parte are wont to doe but the governement of the Magistrate was never added before to the furthering of so wicked opinion The Scriptures then for good cause did put on sackecloath when they were constrained so against their meaning to defende and stablish those errours which they hated chiefly and above all things Neverthelesse they were not covered by and by with this mourning apparell but they began in that ioy fulnesse to change the garment which they afterwards did openly weare That and the ages comming after had indeede some learned and holy mē but these were both fewe and also every one knoweth how great a blemish the corruption of the times did cast upon them Indeede in their conflict against the Heretiques they polished the trueth most subtilly but their other workes being voide of this care did for the most part much erre frō the marke Although the gowne was then also spotlesse in comparison of those uncleannesses wherewith afterward the trueth of God was stained the honouring and worshipping of reliques defiled the assemblyes also of the faithfull and religion being put in holy places and times and other frivolous trifling things of that sorte clothed them as it were with sacke For the beautifull attire of these is when they shine in the simplicitie of Gods ordinance But the ages following did more deface them with dust and ashes wherewith at length they being wholly covered they could be knowne to God onely unknowne altogither to others by their true face It is a thing certenly to be wondered at that the Church should under the persecutions of the Emperours shine with the cloathing of the Sunne but in the cleere skie of her foster father shoulbe cloathed in sackecloath 4 These are those two olive trees There is a double property of the Prophets one of bountifulnesse towards their owne that I may so say in this verse the other of power over their enemyes as in destroying them in the fift verse so in troubling them with other evils in the sixt verse As touching their bountifulnesse they are two olive trees and two candlestickes the type being taken out of Zach. 4.2.12 and very fit for these things in hande For ever as then God did preserve his Church and adorne it with the gifts of his Spirit and bestoweth them most liberally upon the same not so much by the ministery of men as by his alone supernall grace beyond all mens expectation which thing the oyle signifyed gotten not by mens industry but naturally flowing out of the olive berries into the oyle cruet of the candlestickes so nowe he would defende the Church being in danger and reserve to himselfe some burning candlesticks to which how soever oyle pressed and wrong out of the wine presse should be wanting he himselfe neverthelesse would plant them hard by the olive trees which of their owne accord and continually dropping out of the berries into the lampes should minister perpetuall nourrishement to the flame wich is to be maintained Seeing therefore that in this type the gifts of the Spirit are shadowed out the inward by the flame of the Candlestickes the outward by the olive trees among which the chiefe is the sacred word not without cause these olive trees from whose berries oyle is powred to nourish the flame of the candlestickes may signify the Scriptures whose office is to minister doctrine to the Prophets that they may nourish the flame of Godlinesse in thēselves and their auditours For like raison for which they were compared before to the Sunne both being ministers of light this of his owne those in stirring up a flame by a fit nourishment Now they are two in respect of the old and newe testament God spake in olde time by the Prophets but now by his Sonne Heb. 1.1 There are also two in Zacharie before the Gospell was written yet it hindereth not the application seeing it was always in force before it was written For there are two chiefe points of the whole sacred doctrine the Lawe and the Ghospell which are those wholesome olive trees and alwaies have belonged to all times The Candlestickes doe carrie the candles set in them by which Christ hath taught expressely that the Churches are noted chap. 1.20 To wit because they shew the office of a candlesticke in the top of which the Prophets being set not in the high toppe of wordly dignity doe communicate their wholesome light to the Saincts The Prophets thēselves are the Candles not the Candlestickes as Christ distinguisheth them neither doe men light a candle and set it under a bushell but on a candlesticke and it giveth light to all which are in the house Mat. 5.15 And before he said that the starres are ministers where he compared the Churches unto candlestickes in the first chapter and twentieth ver But why are they now but two Doubtlesse most fitly for the present condition of the Church which had sufferred a pitifull losse of the rest In the first chapter there were
pure Churches as tormenters and executioners vexed them while they lived Nothing is so grievous to the world as that their uncleane lusts should be bridled their filthines reprooved all their actions tryed by the rule of the same trueth But the Churches being now tyed to the interpretation of the Scriptures that is to the Pope of Rome why should not the Papists hope the Pope being of such gentlenesse to his servants that they shall henceforth be no more made sicke by the scriptures Without doubt the most holy Father would smite out their teeth least perhaps they should restraine his little pretie darlings A iust cause of exceeding ioy and great triumphe 11 But after three dayes and an halfe In the yeere 1550 the first day of Octobre after three yeeres and an halfe from that destruction inferred upō the Churches of Germany For at this time the Prophets revived and the estimation of the Scriptures congregations of the faithfull increased maugre Antichrist head and all enemies For the people of Maidenburge who all this time were proscribed of the Emperour and utterly destroyed in mēs iudgement a fewe daies before by George Megelburge at length raising up themselves or rather stirred up of God by a writing spread abroad testify openly to the world their unquailed courage and invincible constancy They detest the Councell of Trent and noe lesse reiect the decree of Basil made by the Princes and the Emperour himselfe They exhorte all to fortitude and shewe themselves to be ready if neede shal be for this cause not to refuse death This surely was the Spirit of life who comming frō God restored againe heart to the Church set up on their feete the slaine Prophets and endued them with such courage that they were straiteway a terrour to the enemies For beside that bolde profession the authour whereof was the heavenly Spirit given to them they stood on their feete in resisting valiantly Mauritius who being sent of the Emperour and ordained Captaine in that warre by publique authority first assaulted them very fiercely They tooke also that George Megelberge kept him in their power in the Citie who had lately given them a great overthrowe And at length when they could not vanquish them by any force peace being made with Mauritius they obtained a very famous name among forraine nations because almost they alone of all the Germanes had taught by their example what constancy can effect So therefore the Church nowe againe stood up on her feete Which thing doubtlesse put the enemies in very great feare For as Sleidane writeth That which was an ende of miseries to the people of Maidenburg was an entrance and beginning of warre against those themselves by whose aide and councell they had ben afflicted For Mauritius partly to deliver the Lantgrave his father in lawe partly to defende the trueth and to have free leave to walke in it which he sawe to have ben holden under some space of time by the iniustice of the enemies prepared warre against the Emperour him selfe But how great trembling arose from hence First the Tridentine Fathers whē even a false rumour was brought them that the citie Auspurge was taken scarce taking their leave of the rest of their fellowes in office slipped out ranne away But when Mauritius proceeded and approched Oenipous where the Emperour himselfe abode he strooke so great terrour into him that he fled away suddenly with great speed togither with his brother Ferdinand More over feare drove him against his will to give leave to depart to Iohn Friderike Duke of Saxonie whom before wee said to have ben taken prisonner least the enemie should referre it to his owne glory Was this a small feare which made the Emperour and the King of the Romanes to flee and dispersed the Tridentine assembly of Bishops Nowe therefore feare came upon the enemies that they should fly away as farre as they cā from her sight whom of late they scoffed at without danger 12 Afterward they heard a great voice from heaven Aretas and Montanus read and I heard a great voice from heaven saying to them come up hither To ascende into heaven is after labours dispatched to be adorned with exceeding honour and glory after the example of Christ who after death overcome was taken up into heaven But whereas a voice was heard bidding them to come up thereby is signifyed that the Prophets should not attaine to this honour by their owne power but should be placed in that dignity by the authority of other men that is to say by some decree of the Princes As wee knowe it came to passe at Auspurge the seaventh of the Kalendes of October in the yeere 1555 when by a publique decree the Emperour Ferdinand the King and other Princes bounde themselves that the religion comprehended in the Articles of the Augustane confession should be permitted free for all men Sleid. booke 26. This decree was the voice saying to the Prophets that they should goe up into heaven And not in vaine but they harkened to the same most willingly chaunging with most desirous mindes their former miseries for a newe granted dignitie as is here said and they went up into heaven in a cloude The enemies sawe this were grieved especially the Pope as was meete tooke it grievously who was thought to solicite the Emperour that he would make voide againe that Edict Sleid. booke 26. 13 And the same houre there was a great earthquake Aretas the Complut Edition and other read and there was in that day It is a common thing for an earthquake to signify an alteration of things as wee have observed at chap. 6.12 And doubtlesse a great change followed after this decree all Europe through The people of Austria require earnestly of Ferdinand their King that the same should be graunted to them which was to the confederates of the confession the same the people of Bavaria crave importunately of their Prince Albertus Which Princes when they sawe that it was scarse safe to be utterly against so fervent desire of men both of them yeeld some what to their people though with an ill will Like things come to passe in many other places whence one might see daylie newe defections from the Papisticall Kingdome ¶ And the tenth part of the city fell The City in this place is the whole popish Kingdome which was diminished in a great part of it when the Germanes forsooke the same I doubt not but the Pope himselfe will confesse willingly that by this fall he was deprived of a large part of his city but togither with this ruine and earthquake were slaine seven thousand men But that which is translated heads of men is in the Greeke names of men for the men themselves as in chap. 3 4. But the kinde of speaking is very significant teaching that God doth not strike men after the manner of Blinde Fighters but to appointe certenly and by name whom he will have to be slaine by
not Emperours but Murtherers have defiled all Histories with guiltlesse blood But he that followeth brevity may not recken up severally the innumerable murders Although who coulde be able to rehearse them if he would seeing the Ministers of the wickednes confesse themselves not sufficient to kill them that came running togither to punishement of their owne accord For so a certaine man Tiberianus who had the chiefe doing of things at Palestine reported to Traiane as Suidas declareth in his Traiano Plinie a heathen man being moved with the multitude of them that were killed obtained some ceasing or at least a certaine moderation So pitifull was the condition of the Christians that the enemyes had compassion on their calamityes reade the 3 4.5.6.7 book of Eusebius where almost every page is washed with blood It is noe mervayle that the saincts being wearied with so continuall slaughters doe aske at lenght some delivery So is the meaning of this verse but the wordes are yet to be made cleare and delivered from the slanders of the adversaries From whence then is this fetched that the soules of the Martyrs lye under the Altar Without doubt in that râ—spâ—ct that David used oft as in Psal 27.5 For in the time saith he of trouble he will hide mee in his Tabernacle in the secret place of his pavillon shall he hide mee and set mee upon a rocke and againe thou dost hide them in a privy plâ—ce of thy presence from the pride of men thou keepest them secretly in a cottage from the strife of tongues Psal 31.20 But it is knowne that the Tabernacle both according to the partes and according to the whole was a shadow of Christ Wherfore to be hidden in the Tabernacle is to have Christ alone for the place of their succour and refuge by whom alone wee are covered and defended against all assaults of the adversaries From hence it is apparant why the Soules are sayd to be under the Altar to wit that wee should understand first from thence that all the salvation also of the Martyrs consisteth in the alone Death of Christ under the which the holy champioÌ„s hiding themselves as under a shielde can appeare safely and boldly before God and that they doe not merite eternall life to themselves by thâ— shedding of their owne blood for Christ his sake as the Papists wickedly dote but to have neede of this covering without which otherwise they cannot stande in the sight of Gods maiesty Secondly that wee may know that all the children of God must be conformable to the image of their first borne brother Rom. 8.29 and must walke the same way to heaven wherein he hath gone before us that is to say by suffering of troubles being made sacrifices and oblations and to be killed with many anguishes For which cause Paule sayth that he in his flesh for the body of Christ doth fulfill the rest of his afflictions Col. 1.24 And the rest or defects he calleth conformityes and not satisfactions either of worthynes or merit For whatsoever remaineth yet to be suffered of any of the saints that is wanting after a sorte to the afflictions of Christ who iudgeth all our calamityes his owne These are common to all the faithfull who have place alike under the Altar but especially to the Martyrs whose sufferings are famous before the rest For which cause this covert to hide in is attributed to them by name Seeing then they lie under the altar in this sense after the usuall speaking in the scriptures howe wickedly doth the Iesuite wrest these wordes unto the Idolatrous custome amonge them of dedicating Temples Whose manner is to bury the bodyes or reliques of the Martyrs under the altar in the Churches which they dedicate to them afterward to call the Church by his name whose reliques are there buried as though more respect were to be had to the reliques under the altar then of him whom they will have to be sacrificed on the altar Would the Spirit have respect to this custome wherby very great iniury is done both to Christ and also to his holy Martyrs To Christ because he is spoiled of his honour and thrust beneath his servants To Martyrs because they are made robbers of his glory for maintayning whereof they shed their blood Neither are the Iesuites content to abuse these wordes unto the defence of Idolatry unlesse also they destroy that which was well built of others Bernard in his third sermon of the Saints taught from hence the holy soules loosed from this prison of the body not forthwith to enioy perfite blessednes but to waite for full happines at the last iudgement reioycing in the meane time with great and huge comfort I dispute not howe such doctrine is not drawne necessarily from this place the sentence seemeth to be true and agreable with the other scriptures For so David speaketh when J awake I shal be satisfied with thy image Psal 17.15 Neither did Paule expect a crowne before that day in which it shal be given to all that have loved the bright comming of Christ 2. Tim. 4.8 Neither would God that the auncient people should be made perfite without us much lesse is it like to be true that one of the essentiall parts should attaine absolute happines without the other Heb. 11.40 They that would more boldly then becometh modest Christians that the separate soules should have a cleare sight of God in whom as in a glasse they beholde all thinges past present and to come what reason doe they give why the soules under the ALTAR not content with this sight alone as if they were ignorant doe enquire of the time of vengeance Many such thinges ought to have restrained the Iesuites not to fight against a true seÌ„tence But they sawe that unlesse they should give to the separated soules full happines in the cleare beholding of God the Jnvocating of Saints would be overthrowne and that there were no reason left for to shewe why wee should implore their aide seeing it was not the manner before Christ was exhibited but let it be sufficient to have touched in a word their crafty dealing ¶ For the word of God Which most constantly they have professed preached as ch 1.9 And for the testimony which they maintained in the greek which they had peradventure in this sense that they were counted Christians by the testimony of others as 1 Tim. 3.7 But he must be well reported eveÌ„ from them that are without as if for the word of God should belonge to them who by their profession have procured to themselves the hatred of the wicked but the testimony which they had to them that are manifested by the iudgement of other men 10 They cryed with a lowde voice Hitherto the first meÌ„ber which hath opened the condition of the time past nowe the present state under Galienus is shewed by a cry Through yrkesomnes of continuall trouble a deliverance from it at leÌ„gth is asked seeing they have endured
their owne power to cōsist in the observatiō of such thinges there was no superstitiō frō which they could stay thēselves Surely a man is scarce more begottē of a mā thē these Locusts frō that smoke Whatsoever pleasant thing was any where in any coūtries flying thither in troupes placing themselves there they devoured it wholy neither was their living more dainty then secure as though all the rest of mankinde had bin created for to be the cookes of these banketers Howe great troupes there have bin in time past any man may coniecture from hence that a certaine Generall of the Minorites which one secte filled fourty Provinces promised to the Pope towards his expedition against the Turkes out of the Seraphicall family of the Franciscanes thirty thousande wariours who could performe valiantly warlike offices without hindring at all the service of holy things Sabel Ennead 9. booke 6. Howe huge a multitude must there have bin of all the religious men considering that one family of them ministred so copious an army To which is to be added Polydore Virgill affirming that there was never any ordinance of humaine godlinesse that grewe more in a short time for this alone family of the Franciscanes filled the whole earth so as the common people astonied did suspect that godlines was not so much regarded of many as idlenes and slouthfulnes of Invent. booke 7. chap. 4. Behold the Locusts even by the iudgement of the common people There were Mōkes indeede of olde time but such as lived by their labour neither were they at all of any Ecclesiasticall degree but this newe generation sowing nothing of their owne devoured other mens harveses and that it might be evident whose ofspring they are The Monkes are inrolled by Boniface the 4. among the tribes of Priests and power is given to them to preach the word and minister the Sacraments Boniface the fift added the power of binding and loosing Nowe therefore they are made the creatures of the Pope of whom alone they receave their dignity and authority which before they could obtaine no further then the opinion of their godlines would procure unto them And not without cause it is noted of learned men although minding nothing as it seemeth this Prophecy that in this age three great miracles came to passe the Monasteries of Monkes were builded Kinges themselves became shaven Monkes dayly fornication was amonge the holy canonized state Beleus Centurie the first on Vitalianus Surely the Monkery of this time had some peculiar thing which did cause astonishement unto men although they had litle regard to this Prophecy ¶ And power was given them as the Scorpions of the earth have power Nowe followeth hereafter a description of the Locusts and first from the power given them which they obtaine like to that of the scorpions of the earth This creature is of the infects it hath five armes toothed with forked clawes the cruell plague of the poison of serpents as sayth Plin. They are of an angry dispositiō whence the proverbe thou provokest the eight-footed scorpion and Scorpio among the Greekes is to exasperate to stirre up to make very angry after the manner of a Scorpion And as it becometh their outragious madnesse they carry alwayes a drawne and ready weapon to inflict a deadly wounde The rest of the insects have their stinges hidden within the scorpion alone is armed with a longe stinge hanging out which is not idle but alwayes striking giving himselfe noe reste at any time that he may not be wanting at any occasion his going is with a winding steppe by which he striketh the more unwarres Such doubtlesse is this smoky breed in the power of hurting which at the first were Locusts in multitude and sloughtfulnes The thing is cleare in the Saracenes a furious nation prompt and ready alwayes to kill which by stealth privily is wonte to assaile men and to come on with rage in those places in which it was least of all feared Also our Religious Locusts in the west which seemed to breath forth no other thing then charity gentlenesse courtesie were as quickly mooved as the Scorpions If a man did offende but one even the least of that shaven heard he stirred up the whole troupe neither did he carry it away scotfree although placed in the higest estate of nobility Don Pluto dares not ta assay though he be Prince of Hell So much as dares th' unruly Monke crafty beldame fell In which two verses Pope Pius who before his Popedome was Aeneas Silvius was not afraide to pronounce that the rage of the Devill is milder then the monkish They carried their weapon standing out and knowne to all men the terrible lightening of excommunication but they gave a blow for the most part fetching a compasse secretly and they pretended alwayes fained causes of their forie Although if they pleased not to drawe this weapon at the least way they tormented with feare of Purgatory and Hell whither they thrust downe all their enemies Nowe therfore was the time when men dwelt among scorpions as in time past Ezech. 2.6 4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grasse of the earth These thinges shew over whom power is given them First all Hay is excepted simply secōdly also in part the greene and trees onely men unsealed ar left to their lust As touching the hay fOr so may the Greeke worde with the olde Interpreter be well translated specially seeing that the word green followeth next after it is the dry grasse cut of from the earth which seeing it is the company of the wicked as wee have often shewed the grasse cut of from thence shal be men separated of God from the society of other wicked by certaine playne and knowne markes The Locusts should not hurt these not because there lacked will and endevour but because they should loose all their labour in attempting their destruction whom God would defende by his mighty arme against their violence As wee reade that it came to passe in the East when Constantine Pogonatus was Emperour about the yeere 674. For then the Saracenes with great armies by lande and sea invaded Thracia they assaulted Constantinople the very seate of the Kinge but after that by the space of seven yeeres togither they could effect nothing by violent assaults at last many shippes being burnt by a fire newly found out of one Callimcus and the rest of the navie being partly drowned through a storme partly dashed against the rockes they were discouraged and weakened so that having lost all hope they desyred peace for thirty yeeres which they redeemed by a yeerly tribute of a thousand poundes of Golde and 40 men prisoners But doe you aske the cause why the Saracens fought here so unprosperously There was a certen Hay time in those countryes when Constantine abandoned the impiety of Heraclius and Constans his Father rooted out utterly Monothelisme the sixt Councill of Constantinople being
vilely apparelled were yet notwithstanding armed with a power not to be despised The same is the condition of the rest of the Prophets 6 These have power to shutte heaven He cometh to another very great power and wonderfull wherein they are equall to the olde even the chiefe Prophets Renowmed is Eliah at whose praiers God did shut the heaven so that for three yeeres and sixe moneths the earth was not watered with any showre of raine 1 King 18.1 Luke 4.25 But wee have not reade any such thing done of these Prophets It is true it may be if wee take the wordes properly but if wee transferre them to spirituall things after the manner of other thinges which have ben spoken before how great a proportion shall wee finde That drouth was for three yeeres and sixe moneths at the prayer of Eliah so the time of this power granted to these Prophets should be for so many great yeeres and moneths For two and fourty moneths or a thousand two hundred and three score dayes doe fulfill this distance of yeeres and moneths but great ones as I have said and hath ben already proved sufficiently before not those common ones such as were those of Eliah every one containing three hundred three score common yeeres and the halfe one hundred and foure score yeeres How great drouth and lack of spirituall dewe was there all this time through want of which godlinesse withered in every place But they that bring every thing to the letter and will have the three yeeres and an halfe to be meant of common yeeres doe they dreame also of such a staying of rayne which they must needes doe Surely they get for Antichrist a Kingdome ill favoured hungerstarven every way wretched and unhappy altogither contrary to that excesse wherewith the Spirit saith that he should abounde Neither shall Antichrist have any leasure to carrie about armour to subdue the nations but rather shall leave droves of beasts and cattell to the water as wee read that Ahab did long since But it is no marvell that they fall into many such absurd things who had rather followe their owne conceived opinions then the trueth it selfe ¶ And they have power over waters As Moses who turned the waters of Egypt into blood and as these Prophets have done in very deede when the third part of the Sea became blood chap. 8.8 For all this power was shewed forth in those plagues of which wee heard in chap. 8.9 It is iust with God that all that will not beleeve the trueth should beleeve lies 2 Thes 2.11 Which indeede is noe other thinge then to have their pure and cleare waters turned into blood The next wordes which follow and 10 smite the earth with all maner of plagues as often as they will in a short summe comprehende the other plagues which are not mentioned in this place to wit of the Sunne smitten of Locusts sent and the foure Angels loosed From which power is manifest that which wee have taught in the beginning that this whole Prophecy of the temple measured of the court cast out and of the two Prophets doth apperteine to the same time of the sixe former trūpets which doe recite one after an other the plagues in that order wherein they came to passe But this Prophecy rehearseth the causes to wit the puritie of the Scriptures violated and Gods worship in the assemblies of the faithfull defiled These thinges call forth scourges upon the world and come not either by chance or by fortune These have power to afflict the earth with any kinde of plague whatsoever as often as they will Because God ruleth and governeth the world according to his will revealed in the scriptures and all things for the benefite of the Church In the beginning he delivered the earth unto Adam uncorrupted and now againe he will have all thinges to doe service to his children which are restored in their integrity through Christ 7 But when they have finished their testimony The second limited time as wee have distinguished them in the Analysis taketh his beginning after that of profecying went out to wit in the yeere one thousand five hundreth fourtie sixt Howe farre the thousand two hundred and three score dayes doe extende every ech one being taken for one yeere as wee have said at the second verse and if wee count from the yeere of the Lord three hundred and fourth in which CONSTANTINE tooke unto him the rule of the Empire as Cassiodorus saith prooving that the yeeres of CONSTANTINE should be reckened from thence and as Onuphrius having made a most exact account seemeth to have collected For a thousand two hundred threescore yeeres eighteene being taken out how many the counting of yeeres which the Angell followeth laketh of the Iulian as before at the second verse doe make a thousand two hundred two and fourty Iulian yeeres which from the beginning of the reigne of Constantine doe ende in the sayd yeere 1546. ¶ That Beast which cometh out of the bottomlesse pit So expresse a noting by Articles sheweth that this Beast knowne and declared long since which can be no other then the Angell of the bottomlesse pit of whom wee heard in the ninth Chapter and eleventh verse to wit the Bishop of Rome For wee reade of noe other comming out from the bottomelesse pit when he sent the Locusts out of the pit being opened but that hee rose up long before wee shall understand from the things which follow Therefore he shall not be a Beast onely of three yeeres and an halfe continuance He hath gained 5 moneths mor at the least wherin he should reigne with the Locusts From hence there is an other argument also to confirme this Prophecy to belong to the former trumpets because the Beast with whom the Prophets have to doe in the last course of their time perteineth to the fift trumpet Furthermore also that of the thirteenth chapter belongeth to the same period of the trumpets For this and that is the same beast and both againe is the same Angell of the bottomlesse pit of the nine chapter ¶ Shall make warre against them Shall the Beast now first of all call unto weapons He shall assay to doe violence the whole thousand two hundred threescore dayes chap. 13.5 But this battell which he shall make when that time is finished deserveth before others the name of warre both for the very kinde of preparation and hostile cruelty and also for the notorious slaughter done to the Prophets And the thing it selfe proveth that at this very time there was very little warre For as touching the Scriptures the Councill at Trent began in the yeere 1546 the 7 day of February to wit after those thousand two hundreth and three score dayes were ended in their third session the eight daye of Aprill pierced and murdered them most pittifully For here the Hebrewe and Greeke fountaines were refused and the Latine corrupt translation established for Authentique Here unwritten traditions were
Councell he seemeth not to have ben able to speake more plainely By the same providence of God it come to passe that the Emperours forces were gathered from sundry nations Germanes Hungarians Italians Spaniards and others that the corpses of the Prophets should be set for a thing to be looked on of all meÌ„ as it were in the scaffold of the whole world Sleid. in the yeere 1547. 5 Three dayes and an halfe Some will have this to be the same space with that of two and fourty moneths and a thousand two hundred three score dayes But the wordes doe shewe plainely that they are diverse spaces For this distaÌ„ce of three dayes and an halfe taketh not his beginning before the thousand two hundred and threescore daies be accomplished For so before in ver 7. And when they have finished Afterward these three daies and an halfe the Prophets lay slaine and unburied But that space of a thousand two hundreth and three score daies is a time of Prophecying in sackcloth so as by no meanes they can be referred to the same time Let us therefore give unto them their owne place and set them next to the moneths Which after the likenes of the former dayes doe signify three yeeres and an halfe in which the Papists should reioyce in their owne behalfe for that the Scriptures were vanquished and the Churches subdued as they thought to their Angell of the bottomelesse pit as it came to passe partly at Tridentum and Bonnonia partly in Germany There after the deadly sentence was given against the Scriptures in the yeere 1546 the 8. of Aprill from thence for three whole yeeres and an halfe the Fathers triumphed in the mixed assembly of all nations as if the matter had ben executed manfully and excellently and prepared themselves to suppresse the rest of the trueth untill at length by the death of Paul the third the Conventicle was interrupted Which thing fell on the yeere 1549. the 9. of November that is on the third yeere and an halfe after the Scriptures were trode under foote The very fewe weekes that remaine hinder not the agreement seeing the Spirit thought not good to devide the matter into smaller portions then into three daies and an halfe In Germany the Church which by the confederate armies of the Emperour and Pope seemed to have ben put downe for ever in mens opinion lay as it were halfe dead for the same space to wit from 22. of Aprill in the yeere 1547 unto the first day of October of the yeere 1550. when at Maidenburg it began to lift up the head againe being nothing afraid neither of the Emperours proscription or conspiracie of the Princes or whatsoever any enemies could doe against them Sleid. booke 22. and 23. You may observe further how vaine a thing that is and in noe place agreeing with it selfe which every where is spread abroad concerning the three yeeres reigne of Antichrist For these three daies beginne not before that the two and fourty moneths shall be finished both which spaces yet neverthelesse he shall raigne From whence after their owne account that wee may graunt unto them the moneths to note three ordinary yeeres and an halfe he shall rule seaven yeeres at the least Although this be small also to coÌ„taine so great tyranny as wee before have declared But wee see how almost every word by it selfe doth disproove that invention ¶ And shall not suffer their carkeises to be put in graves They shall deprive them of all common honour which wee owe one to another by the right of humanity And surely when the Ministers of the Ghospell desired earnestly that all things might be done according to the rule of Gods word the Emperour obtrudeth to the world that ungodly Interim the Scriptures commaunded to be silent and not to mutter against it But in what a chafe was the Bishop of Artois when the men of Auspurg Trevers and Basell alledged for their excuse that they had not receaved the forme of doctrine because it disagreeth from the sacred scripture Doe you thinke saith he that the Emperour may not make lawes and prescribe a certen rule as of civill so also of holy thinges Sleid. booke 23. In the very Councell of Trent what in the name of the rest aÌ„swereth Pictavius to the MaÌ„cilane Ambassadours For when they required that the same order might be taken for them which before time was for the Bohemians according to the forme of the decree of Basell That the Scriptures in every controversy might be in stead of a iudge Pictavius obiected to them againe that the Scripture was a vaine and duÌ„be thing as also are the other politique lawes and that unto it must be added the voice of the Iudge that it may be wel understood Sleid. booke 23. He graunteth that the Scripture nowe is nothing but a vaine and dumbe thing that is altogither a carkeise And why should he not so boast being privie to himselfe that it was lately slaine by his labour and of the rest of the Tridentine Fathers But while they deny to give this honour to the Scriptures that they would not suffer them to obtaine that authority which a fewe and contemned worshippers would have given them willingly it was like as if they should forbidde their corpses lately thrust through pitifully to be buried Pilate when Ioseph Nicodemê° asked the body of Christ gave them leav that they should bestowe what cost they would upon it But when the Protestants made humble request that they might at least wise burie the car keises of the Scriptures among themselves although not in any solemne grave but onely under the simple turffe of their cottages the Scarlated Fathers denyed it stiffely The Church was handled in the like manner For after that the Duke of Saxonie and the Lantgrave were taken prisonners the cities put to a fine and very many noble men utterly cast out of favour the Emperour proscribeth the people of Maidenburge by writings spred abroad the sentence whereof after the usuall forme is this let noe man aide them by any meanes whatsoever neither acquaint him selfe with their case they which shall doe otherwise shall put themselves in perill of their goods and life What is this else then that noe man should dare to make the funerals of the wretched Church cruelly murdered Maidenburg was left as a remnant of the poore miserable where assemblies of the faithfull were kept But might noe man helpe this firebrand reserved from the burning without danger of his life Doubtlesse it is apparant seeing they suffered not the duties touching burials to be performed to their slaine carkeises 10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall reioice over them The citizens of the false Church as before chap 7.1 c. These should reioice over them and be glad and should sende gifts one to an other as in common ioy And surely not without cause being nowe freed from the great trouble wherewith the Scriptures and the most
the counsels of godly men about the end of the first yere of her raigne she removed many most worthily out of their Prelacies and other ecclesiastical dignities and benefices who glorying onely in the mark of the Beast denyed due obedience to their lawful Prince Among them was the Archbushop of York the B b of London Elie and 14. others besides men of meaner note Deâ—ns Archdeacons Parsons Vicars and the like How needs must men be vehemently burned when they saw their dignities lands fearms faculties honours to bâ— bâ—â—towed on their adversaries and themselves in the meane time to 〈◊〉 desâ—ised and contemned Many could not bear the sorow but flâ—d â—ver sea because therof to sâ—ek so much ease as not to behold it otherâ— at home payning away with greif in secret places al of them sleeing the light and sâ—ght of men whom to behold so merry and joyful was as yll â—s a bitter death And though they changed the aier yet was not their payn asswaged when the Pope himselfe and that whole nation by but hearing it onely were very sorely tormented Which he abundantly testified by his Bulls against our most noble Queen severely commanding all subjects to forsake their allegeance unto their Prince neyther could they be stayed by any religious regard of oath wherof that violatour of al Law both of God and man did discharge them But thanks be to God he yet laboured in vayn wherby his torment is much the more increast For thus sayd he with himselfe as Saul did of old Have ye al conspired against me Js ther none of you that is sory for my sake Wil no man ease my boyle with the blood of that Queen which hath wrought me so much woe Have patience good Pope this is the time of thine ulcer not of thine ease But his sicknes suffreth him not to rest Therfore he rageth felly with venemous libells he incenseth the Kings with al earnestnes to wage warr he privily sendeth Iesuits the bellowes of al seditions to betray their country he secretly suborneth ungracious cut-throats to kil their sacred Prince finally he applyes himselfe by whatsoever means he can to styrr up troubles wherby he may work the utter destruction of the realm and of us all But having tryed all wayes in vayn through the mercy and goodnes of our God these two and fourty yeres both he the Prince and head of mischeefs and his desperate children doo scarce refrayn from tears because they nought worth tears doo see In France about the same time that we may see this soare was universally spred among the Papists when Charles the 9. began his reign and dayly the Papists authority did more and more decay a great part of Nobility joyned themselves to the purer doctrine of the Peers of the realm very many the Queen mother for fear I suppose of her English neighbour was much busied about religion and not obscurely favoured the professours therof or at least feigned it some of the Papists weÌ„t more seldom to their woÌ„ted temples many which stuck more fast to their old opinions kept themselves so within their private wall that they durst scarce be seen in publik meetings For what other disease I pray then for the payn of this ulcer Germany had angred the Thracian stock long before But at the same time the wounds erst inflicted now growing more full of atter were changed into ulcers The decree of Charles as we sayd before was heavy wherin peace and liberty was granted to religion but the lesse hope they had to repele the same the sharper did it prick theÌ„ dayly For Emperour Ferdinandus succeeding his brother thought it best to rest in the former decrees wherto he had consented at Augusta before he was Emperour Maximilian his son did alwayes mislike that manner of propagating Christian religion with armes or compelling any to receive it that were unwilling How untollerable was this moderation to the ulcerous Papists that burned with desire of revenge But now let us see in a word how this ulcer wil not be touched Which the Council of Trent verily shewed in the second session under Pius 4. in the yere 1562. where this busines was committed to some chosen men for to consider of divers censures and books eyther suspected or pernicious that is that by al meanes they should have care ther went out nothing among the people that nipped the Popes authority and Romish superstition in any one word Doubtlesse the ulcer is very egre and virulent that can indure nothing that is rough or hard Therfore whatsoever is layd to it let it be tender and soft For this cause did Pius the 4. set forth an Index of the forbidden books which Sixtus the 5. afterwards augmented and Clemens the 8. lately recognized VVherin it is appointed which books men must quite absteyn from and which one may use so they be corrected Certainly the Pope prescribes a diet for his botchie patients Among other rules of correcting this is one that al things be wel lookt to and attentively noted not onely the things that offer themselves manifestly in the course of the work but if ther be any that secretly doo lurk in the Scholies in the summaries in the margins in the tables of the books in the prefaces or epistles dedicatorie Instruct de correct book D. 2. How suspicious is sicknes Verily this fear of running upon any thing that may offend hath shred off in many late writers whatsoever was in them of soundest iudgment and more free truth But the bookes are in al mens hands wherby they may perceive what it is that payneth these brand-marked persons and where Although one purging Index set forth by Philip the 2. King of Spain in the year 1571. may be in sted of many And least thou mightest think perhaps that they are troubled coÌ„cerning late writers onely or the marginal notes of others they doo violence to the very words of the ancient Fathers For example in a certaine edition of Augustine which Iohn Gibbon an English Iesuite Doctor of Div. Professor at Trevers perused in the disputatioÌ„ about Saincts Thes 207. there these words are no more read yet doo not we constitute temples preisthoods holy things and sacrifices to the Martyrs c. as the ancient true copies have in the 8. book of the City of God chap 17. but contrary thus we doo constitute temples preisthoods holy things and sacrifices to the Martyrs because not they but their God is our God c. O impudent falsers which make Augustine to affirm that which he openly denyeth that I speake not how unapt you feyghn his words to be that sacrifices are to be constituted to the Martyrs because they are not God The Ratts doo perish by their own bewraying Francis Iunius in the yeere 1559 saw at Lions with Trellonius some pages of the true Ambrose cancelled and rased by two Franciscan Friers and other new ones substituted in place of the former after their own wil
grew every day until at length they came to the Councill of Trent and Masters of controversies by whose paines now the whole Beast is so covered with most wicked errours the whol sea of doctrine being turned into deadly blood as hath ben sayd in chap. 16.3 that thou canst see noe place free from some newe blasphemy Let an indifferent iudge consider so many horrible errours as in three great volumes Bellarmine deffendeth by the Popes approbation and let him speak sincerely whether every haire almost of this Beast is not spotted with som notable blasphemy Thirdly he hath seven heads and tenne hornes of which what is the meaning the interpretation wil declare which the Angel will make by and by In the meane time let it be agreed of that this Beast is the same which wee saw in the thirteenth chapter and to be the former of the two For of the second are rehearsed onely two hornes there in the 11. verse he maketh mention but of one in this place because both make but one Antichrist as in the chapter even now spoken of we have shewed and of the former onely because it is his intent to set before our eyes whole Antichrist from his first original of whom the second Beast representeth onely the half figure but now because in the last times in which the Beast should be fully discovered Rome the whore should depend more upon the civill authority of the Pope of which that first is the type then upon the spiritual we see at this day that the patrimony of Peter avayleth more then the doctrine which they faine to be Paules that neither Spaine nor France nor others very many have any regard to Rome but in so much as her authority serveth for their profit There is no man but knoweth that Italy despiseth her now a long time at home howsoever shee hath ben content to suffer her to be worshipped of strangers like a God For these causes therfore the former Beast onely is set forth Frances de Ribera the Iesuite avoucheth that this Beast is not that of the 13. chapter but a new new first seen Why so I pray because no article saith he is prefixed before Woman or Beast as it is wont to be done in things known Certenly if he should conclude from the new forme wherein they now first appeare it might have some weight which he sayth but seeing he gathereth that therfore neither of them was simply and absolutely before because they were not seen before in this forme to which onely thing the defect of the article hath respect he dealeth either foolishly or fraudulently after the māner of the Iesuits So J saw saith Iohn ond behold a Lambe stood upon mount Sion chap. 14.1 where also the article is wanting Is this therfore a new Lambe If any should say that there was new forme of him standing upon mount Sion and accompanied with and hundred fourty and foure thousand he should say nothing contrary to the truth but it is the same Lambe in very truth of which mētion was made before chap. 5. After the same manner a new shew is here brought in not a new person as is manifest in the woman which being called in the first verse a whore had the emphasis of the articles which did manifest the olde whore So now the same comming forth in a new decking wanteth the same articles The woman then and the whore are al one and this Beast is the same with that in the thirteenth chapter having the same seate blasphemy heads hornes worship among men the cause of the like eternal destruction and partaker of all his properties unlesse that some of them should now be more increased in processe of time and all things under this fift vial more evident then they were when they began For now he appeareth full of that blasphemy which before possessed the heads onely And was that former Beast Antichrist and shal not this be hee which is more blasphemous The wonderers also at whom are no lesse reprobates then they that wondered at that VVhat shal the Iesuite then gaine if that former being sent away to Hierusalem he hath left this more pernitious Beast at Rome 5 And the woman was arayed with purple and skarlet Such is the Beast now of what quality the woman is whom we shal see adorned most sumptuously of which thing Tertullian spake wittily Who hath deserved the name of an harlot at the Lords hande shee is made equal to her name in her attire Shee sitteth verily in purple with skarlet and gold and pretious stone which are cursed without which a cursed woman and harlot could not be described These things spake he but peradventure somewhat too severely in his booke concerning womās apparell The attire is altogither Princely and belonging to triumphes such as Belshazzar promiseth to them that should read the writting saying He shal be clothed with Purple with a Chaine of Golde about his necke and shal be the third Ruler in the Kingdome Daniell chapter fift verse seventh Attire surely fit for her which raigneth over the Kings of the earth as after in the 18. ver But purple was sufficient for dignity To what ende is there also skarlet That it might note out great cruelty ioined togither with it Shee is of the same disposition with the Beast redde with the murthers of the faithfull in the twelve Chapter and third verse There are many Cities made famous for their notable cruelty but togither therewith the dwelling place of Antichrist ought to flourish in exceeding great Maiestie which might be discerned from all the rest Both which victories even the Iesuites themselves cannot deny to be due to Rome But there is added also Gold Pretious stones and Perles which beside the Maiestie note also most excessive riot which is an other token of this woman And who can recken the infinite costes of this City bestowed on Tēples Theatres Galleries hote Bathes Palaces Obeliskes Pillars Arches belonging to triumphes Private houses and other ornaments Into this one City hath bin laid up in store the glory of the whole world taken from very many other to let passe auncient things what an huge summe of mony bestowed of late Pope Sixtus the fift in the yeer one thousand five hundreth foure score and eight upon a conduit which he built on the mount Quirinal It is recorded that two hundred and threescore thousand crounes were spent upon this thing Neither did any necessity wring from him this charges but that the Pope might sommer the more pleasantly in that mountaine The Vaticane Library renewed of the same Pope scarse peradventure stood him of lesse Yet notwithstanding the same man brought fifty hundred thousand peeces of Gold into a new treasury which he erected in the Castle of Sainct Angel that thou mayest understand that the Popes are not yet brought to beggerie But this Gold pretious stones doo not onely seeme riots for Rome hath bene farre more riotous and
feete divided As long as these reigned the Beast risen up of late flourished much indeede and grievously afflicted when they were gone when as ther was no horne for a long space that was able to keepe away remove the enemies from their neckes Although all the hornes were not certēly of an equall strength but the two last were weaker Rome being twice taken under Honorius Alaricus and Arnulphus being Captaines and neverthelesse the Head of the Beast not yet deadly wounded when as the overthrow was more ignominious then dammageable Pompon Laet. on Honorius being repaired by and by againe when the horne began to exercise his and Honorius to be stirred up the Gothes being expelled out of Italy and Attalus their King triumphed over Rome and then after his right hand cut off by the commaundement of Honorius caryed in to Lipara Sabel En. 8. book 1. Doubtlesse Constantius Aetius employed their endevour valiantly afterward nobly delivered the maiestie of the Empire from all barbarousnes howsoever the chiefe rulers Honorius and Valentinianus were slouthfull cowardous But after these tow last hornes were fallen how many how great calamities were accumulated daily when ther was no aide either from the West or East part that could represse thrust away the malepertnes of the enemies running furiously upon him Therefore by the want of his hornes he came into that state that men thought he had perished and was not as the second part of his time doth manifest ver 8. Therefore are they tenne for iust cause in which nūber is contained the defending of the Beast which afterward failed for a time assoone as that number was ended This is that one houre for which the Beast received power and not he alone but those tenne Hornes together with him which togither also fell downe when as there was afterward no strong or manlie thing in the West for a long time which was able to resist the fiercenes of the enemies For the rest that followed Avitus Maioranus Severianus Anthemius Rethimer Olymbrius Glicerius Nepos Orestes Augustulus to wit the last of the Emperours were of no lesse continuance force power then they ar at this day of no fame scarce known either from the speach of men or by Histories Fourthly the time of the Kingdome not yet received was the time when Iohn lived and when this Revelation was made The Heathen Emperours yet kept the stage to wit the very Dragon while in the meane time the woman not yet strong enough or in time not yet readie to bring foorth her childe endured grievous paine in travelling as in chapter twelve ver 2. c. For howsoever in some ages next after Iohn there were some men a little more enclined toward Christians yet the Dragō forthwith devoured al the new hope lying in wait most vigilantly for the woman travailing with childe until the ful time to bring foorth a valiant issue should come Fiftly the time of receiving power is the same houre with the Beast For wee have shewed that the terme also of beginning is included in the space of cōtinuing But seeing this is a large houre in what moment of it was this power givē Truely in that wherin the Lambe cast downe from the Empire Diocletiā and Maximinian chap. 6.15 for we shal finde that the Beast did appeare at this time as it is made apparant from the elect then sealed chap. 7. From the burning mountaine cast into the Sea a very little after chap. 8. From the Church going into the inner Temple while the wicked have sway in the court chap. 11. From the space of fourty two moneths all which she lay hid in the Temple and wildernes chap. 11.3 12.6 From the same time of the power given to the Beast from the Throne which he received as a gift from the Dragon chap. 13.25 But chiefly from the next succession made to the sixt head to weet the Heathen Emperours ver 10. of this chapter The common terme of all those dependeth from the Dragon his driving out of heaven when after so wonderful a manner the Emperours resigned their authority For what other cause is there why the Church then should be in so afflicted state but for that the Beast was risen up Therfore the woman trembling more for feare of him then of the Dragon brought forth and together fled that is after she had procreated the Christian Emperours among whom Constantine obtaineth the first and chiefe place hating the ambitious and fraudulent Popes introducing shadowes and images of godlines instead of a solid and expresse paterne more then professed enemies shee hidde her selfe in the darke straight way chap. 12.6 Therfore these alone are those hornes to whō onely all these properties agree most fitly The Kings that arose after the dissipation of the Empire began not together with the Beast as we have given him a rising like as other men every where in the yeere 606. but almost two hundred yeere before For the Suevians Alanes Goths Vandals possessed Spaine when Honorius reigned The Vandals also held Afrike the Goths Burgonians Francons obtained France the English men Britannie the Hunnes Pannonia and others chalenged for their owne other countries These Kings flourished the Beast in the meane season being almost consumed with a most grievous woūd Neither received they power for an houre as the true hornes but by succession of their heires the which dignity being once gotten they hold it cōstantly even unto this very day the glory I say of the Kingdomes never decayed howsoever the families peradventure were often changed Finally neither succeeded they next the sixt head but they have the Popes and Christian Emperours placed between and in the midds By the same arguments all things fall down which are brought by Ribera the Iesuite cōcerning the tenne hornes Revel 12. num 11. as may be evident to him that weigheth the thing on both sides that I may not spend time in refuting his toies If any obiect that some of those Emperours were godly holy let him againe take this answer to himselfe that the good Princes knew not what monster they nourished even as very many learned men who had no lesse care to set foorth the Beast by their writings then they to defend him by weapons From whence it is no marvaile though both strove to their power to adorne him whose counterfait shew had a certen maiestie but his filthines yet was more hidde then that it could be seen openly Neither is it needful that al the hornes should be togither more then the heads which succeeded one after an other And the Beast himselfe is a rew of Popes as wee have shewed which a long order of succession cōcludeth not any one person limiteth Yet these first Emperours are so the hornes that togither they containe the whole order following but therefore before the rest elected as it were by name both because the traveile of these should be famous and the first in
2.18 Yee have heard that the Antichrist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shal come and even now are there many Antichrists wher the article you say is set before Antichrist properly so caled but none before him as he is cōmonly taken and therfore that the first is one certayn person but this later in general is al heretiks I answer the greatest succour of this cause seemeth to consist in this new feigned force of the article and therfore have wee the coleworts twise sodden set againe before us But we have sufficiently refuted this your eyther ignorance or craftynes in the argument nex before with which this is altogither one and the same Yet least you should complayn that you have no answer Be it that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichrist with an article is some diverse thing from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antichrists without an article must it therfor by and by be one certayn persō I deny such an ill coherent cōsequence It may note out a singular kind of Antichrists of whō the Apostles taught the Church so diligently even as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wicked is often a kind of wicked mē 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tempter and so in other In which the article respecteth not one singular but some thing common egregious in his kinde This might have bin manifest to you by Iohn himself whiles he warneth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichrist was in his time For manie deceivers are entred in the world saith he which confesse not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh he that is such a one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the deceiver the Antichrist 2 Iohn 7. where yet he speaks not of that chief Antichrist which was to come but of some such like sorte By which it sufficiently appeareth that Antichrist with an article is not a singular person The fourth place is Daniel 7. and 11. and 12. Out of the 7. chapter you take those things which are spoken of the little horn ver 8. c. which you say are to be expounded of Antichrist and that for two reasons First from the authoritie of certain Fathers then from the words of Daniel himselfe I answer as touching the authority of the Fathers I know many learned men doo interprete these words of Antichrist but this Apocalypse dispelleth the darknes which taking away the sight before suffred not to behold the thing it selfe For it teacheth that that little horne differeth much frō this Antichrist whom Iohn describeth For Antichrist is one of the heads of the Beast which is of many formes both in Daniel and in Iohn but a little horn is onely some addition ioyned to the head Moreover this ariseth after the ten hornes but Antichrist riseth togither and at one houre with al his That subdueth three horns under it the other unsubdued are eyther foes of the same or at least freinds of equal power but Antichrist is over al the 10. horns which willingly serv him until the appointed time Finally that is caled little Antichrist is not litle who hath power over every tribe tongue and nation Apoc. 13.7 who also beareth the whore to whom peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues doo obey and which reigneth over the Kings of the earth Apoc. 17.15.18 But you wil say it may be it is caled litle in the beginning not in the full age I answer the chiefest heighth of dignity when he shal most flourish shal lift it self no higher then over the 3. horns which he shal depresse Doubtles the Spirit would have made mention of moe if he had had power over moe That horn therfore is not this Antichrist but if we wil rightly consider the thing it is that Dragon of the sixt vial of this Apocalypse chap. 16.13 namely the Turk for of him and the other enemies that should oppress the Iewes doth Daniel onely speak without any mention of the Western Antichrist as it may be occasion wil be given elswhere to declare more fully This disparitie therfore wil by no means suffer these two to convene in one Wherupon you may now see that we ar not so much to look either who or how many they be that say a thing as with what reasons they so perswade themselves Secondly you say from the words of Daniel chap. 7.24 that this Antichrist whom ancient writers wil have to be meant by the little horn is a singular person for he is not caled one Kingdome but one King who of ten Kings that he should find in the world should take three quite away and subdue the other seven under him I answer first these last words and shal subdue the other seven under him is a very bold comment seing no footstep of them appeareth in Daniel For he onely sayth ver 8. so that three of those former horns were rooted out from before him and againe ver 24. and three Kings shal he depresse but of the subduing of the other 7. he no where maketh mention And how I pray you should he be a little horn if he should destroy three and have cōmand over al the rest These things are unadvisedly brought in by some old writers but worse reteyned by you for to darken the truth But this is little to the purpose for the force of the argument Therfore secondly I say that it is false to affirme because he is caled one King he is one person for the Angel before speaketh thus These great Beasts which are fowr are fowr Kings that shal rise out of the earth ver 17. which yet are not fowr singular persons but so many Kingdomes as your self can not deny The other place of Daniel is from chap. 11 ver 21. 36. where literally is treated of Antiochus Epiphanes but allegorically as Calvin and Ciprian and Jerom you say doo interpret it of Antichrist whose figure Antiochus did bear Therfore seing he was one certayn and singular person Antichrist also must be one certayn person I answer great in deede is the agreement of the wicked and needs must many things in them be found alike who are governed by one and the same Spirit for which cause those learned men avouched him to be the type of Antichrist after a common sort but that the Spirit intended him for the type properly as he is wont in the other scriptures I see not how it can be rightly said It hath not such agreement with that which they make the truth therof as is wont to be found in other types For example this Antiochus is the litle horn of the Goat of whom it is said ch 8.14 that he should rage two thousand and three hundred dayes Shal this be the type of Antichrist Then shal he not reign onely three yeres and a halfe but six yeres and more then an halfe and so an other Antichrist is to be looked for then yee yet feighn Or if you wil have it that al things are not so exactly answerable in the type and antitype
and Elias who are yet you say alive and doo live for this that they may set themselves against Antichrist when he cometh and keepe the elect in the faith of Christ and at length convert the Jewes which notwithstanding it is certain is not yet fulfilled In this cause you deal by three arguments first from the Scriptures secondly from Fathers thirdly from reason The scriptures you bring are four Malach. 4.5.6 Ecclesiasticus 48.9.10 and chap. 44.16 Mat. 17.11 Apoc. 17.11 As touching Malachy his words are Behold I wil send you Elias the Prophet before that great day of the Lord shal come and he shal turne the harts of the Fathers unto the children and the harts of the children unto their Fathers which cannot you say be understood of anie Doctors whosoever as of Luther Zwinglius the like For Malachie sayth that the Jewes shal be converted by Elias and for the Jewes he shal chiefly be sent as appeareth by those words I wil send to you and in Ecclesiasticus to restore the Tribes of Jakob but Luther and Zwinglius converted none of the Jewes And neither can they be understood of Iohn Babptist literally but onely of Elias I answer first here is no word of Henoch whose conioyned coming was propounded also Secondly no mention neither is here of Antichrist but that he shal come togither with him that wholly dependeth on a false supposition of which we wil speake in due place This therfore is a notable Demonstration that propounding to it self the coming of three is altogither silent of two of them But let us discusse him whom it speaketh of The Prophesie you say can not be understood of Luther and Zwinglius and the other Ministers of the Gentiles Church which I also readily acknowledge For I doo not thinke it to perteyn unto us which are Gentiles But why may it not be expounded of the Iewes because it agrees not you say unto Iohn the Baptist which is as if you should say eyther it is to be expounded of the Baptist or of none which maymed and unnecessary disiunction no adversarie can grant unto you But to pardon you also this third trespasse why perteyns it not I pray you unto the Baptist Because say you Malachie speaketh of our Lords second coming which shal be for to iudge I answer if we granted that he speaks of the second coming may he not withall speake also of the first Most certayn verily it is that Malachie dooth so for he speaks generally of the Lords coming which comprehēdeth as wel the first as the second And wheras your selfe confesse it of the second neyther doo I deny it of the first we have Christ interpreting the words of the Prophesie where he speaketh of the Baptist this is Elias that should come Mat. 11.14 Seing therfore the words are so behold now how I fetch from hence a true interpretation against that literal of Elias He that speaketh in the same words of two times he as he is to be understood of the one time so is he to be understood of the other But Malachy speaketh of a twofold coming of the Lord and of the first he is to be understood figuratively for so Christ interpreteth it saying that the Baptist is the Elias that was to come Therfore he is to be understood also figuratively of the second and such an Elias is to be looked for as the Baptist was before the first coming But whither he shal be one singular man or no is not so evident it may be ther shal be one chief and excelling amōg the rest although the whole company of Prophets when it shal please God to gather his reiected people shal be so furnished with the plentiful gifts of his Spirit that for the notable godlines and zele wherwith every of them shal be inflamed Elias may wel seem to be alive agayn in every one For these abiding watchmen on the walls of the Citie Ierusalem al the day and al the night continually shal not hold their peace neither shal they that make mention of Iehovah keepe silence nor suffer silence to be of him as saith Esaias chap. 62 8.9 Surely these new preachers of the Gospel shal burn with so great a desire of godlines that as consecrating themselves wholly to the glory of God and salvation of his people they wil doo this one thing onely nothing at al esteeming in respect hereof even the necessarie regard of their body by sleep and rest And what a fervencie shal ther be in the Ministers when among the common people a father mother which hav begotten a son shal strike him through when he is found a false Prophet Zach. 13.2.3 But whither this Elias shal be one singular man or more he shal not be Elias properly but so as the Baptist was as we are taught by this necessarie reason which I have alleged But you insist and contend that this coming in Malachie is the secōd onely although the interpretation of our Lord ought to have stoped your mouth for so say you Malachie saith before the great and terrible day of the Lord come For his first coming is not caled a great and terrible day but an acceptable time and day of salvation Wherupon also ther is added least coming J smite the earth with cursing But in his first coming our Lord came not to judge but to be iudged nor to destroy but to save I answer you have brought nothing which necessarily proveth it the second coming onely the same things which you mention the Iewes and Disciples knew also who neverthelesse did then look for Elias before our Lords rising from the dead And hereunto perteyneth that question when the Lord had made mention of this matter Why then say the Scribes that Elias must first come Mat. 17.9 And as for the great and terrible day why doth it not agree unto his first coming Loe saith Malachy the Lord shal come speedily into his Temple And who shal abide the day of his coming and who shal endure when he appeareth for he is like a Finers fyre and like fullers sope Malach. 3.1.2 c. And these things are spoken of his first coming And is not that day terrible wherin the axe is laid to the roote of the trees and they that are unfruitful are cutt down and cast into the fyre How fearful is it to have among them him whose fān is in his hand who wil purge his floor gather his wheat into the barn and burn the chaff with unquenchable fyre Mat. 3.10.12 But he came not to iudge but to be iudged He came not indeed to iudge solemnly in a tribunal seat as he shal doo at length in the last iudgment yet in the meane while the father hath given al iudgement to him Iohn 5.22 which he both exercised of old and dayly now exerciseth upon al contemners of the truth as we may see in the Iewes that crucifyed him upon whom even to this day abideth the longest and
Iewes wil never receive a man that is not a Jew and uncircumcised it makes against you For hence it foloweth that they wil never receive Antichrist properlie so caled whom by necessarie reasons wee have evinced to be a Gentile and uncircumcised Secondly you say Antichrist feynenth himselfe to be of Davids familie because such a one the Jewes doo expect I answer either Antichrist shal fein it or you now feyn it of him VVhere I pray you dooth the holy Ghost amoÌ„g al other notes of the true Antichrist describe him unto us by this But it is Gods just iudgmeÌ„t that you which turn the truth into shadows should be deluded by shadowes in stead of the truth And so as your custome is being destitute of al scripture and probable reason you flee to the patronage of humane authoritie wherunto besides the other things already fore mentioned I oppose this reason in sted of a conclusion The Iewes shal have no dominion before they return unto Christ and therfore the Antichrist shal not be of them who should be the highest ruler and as you feighn by help of the Iewes should subdue the Gentils The first part of the reason is plainly confirmed by manie scriptures some of which I wil set down not so much for your sake Bellarmine though for yours also if so be at last you shal affect the truth as for my brethrens whom I would have to be stirred up by this iudgment unto a more diligent serch of manie places which being commonly counted plain and evident are yet altogither unknown The first is Lev. 26.39.40 c. Where the last plague of the chapter is this greevous casting of of the Iewish nation in which they lye for despising Christ from the time he was crucified unto this verie day whose solution and deliverance at last is conjowned with the extreme miserie wherin they shal be at the time when this deliverance shal happen unto them But if that Antichristian glorie which you doo feyn doo come between how shal this bounteousnes of God finde them so miserably afflicted The second is out of that excellent song of Moses Deut. 32.36 c. When the Lord shal have judged his people then wil he repent towards his servants when he shal see that their power is gone and that the shut up with the left abroad is nothing and he wil say wher are their Gods the Rock in whom they trusted There Moses singeth of the same times tâ—â—cheth that they shal be brought unto the lowest ebb when God shal arise to avenge his people The third is that of Esay 49.14 And if Sion say the Lord hath forsaken me c. Vnto these shal be adioyned Ier. 30.8 c. Ezek. 37. Dan. 12.1 Hos 3.4.5 Which few places may suffice to open the meaning of many From which I conclude although the Bishop of Rome be neither at any time a Iew nor by the Iewes received for the Messias but rather be by them hated yet this is no cause why he should not be the great Antichrist yea and unlesse these things were he should be farr from being the principal Antichrist as in their places we have declared Chapt. 13. Of Antichrists seat IN expounding the words of the Prophesie we concluded by most firm arguments taken therfrom that Rome is the seat of Antichrist and that forthwith after the Empire is taken from the Hethen Emperours For the heads of the Beast abide fixed to Rome where are both those Hills and Kings that the Angel speaketh of And wher these heads abide fixed there must the seat of Antichrist needs be Moreover seing Antichrist then also shewed himselfe when Constantine began to reign as before is proved at large he hath no other seat than Rome For wheras he abode a few yeres at Avenion he did that with purpose to sojourn for a time not with a mind to change his seat But on the contrarie you Bellarmine doo contend that Antichrists seat shal be Ierusalem not Rome and Solomons Temple and Davids Throne not S. Peters Temple or the seat Apostolical Which you endevour to prove two wayes First by an argument unto the man then by the Scriptures and Fathers The argument is this If the Pope of Rome be Antichrist sitting in the Church of Christ then the Lutherans and Calvinists and as manie as are aliens from the Church which is under the Pope doo live out of the true Church of Christ For Christs Church can be but one as Christ is one And our men doo affirm the Pope of Rome to be Antichrist therfore our men all doo live out of the Church I answer the Proposition is false and relyeth onely upon the Churches unitie misunderstood For the Church is both commonly so caled and properly The first hath pietie corrupted the word adulterated the Sacraments depraved is ful of superstition and humane devises reteyning Christs name onely and boasting in the title therof and also commonly so accounted whiles any whit of the foundation is remaining The other is chast pure entire clean hearkning to Christs voice in al things and not departing from his praescribed rule any whit at all so farr as mortal infirmitie suffereth and this alwayes is the onely and true spouse of Christ how ever the whore also taketh this name to her selfe So before the Temple Altar was proper to the elect and mesured by the Angel but the Court was not set forth with any description but cast out and permitted to the Gentils to weet the prophane multitude which for their neernes falsly chalenged the name of the Temple To whom the holy city also was given which having their seat in the sayd court they trode under foot at their pleasure during the appointed time Apoc. 11.1.2 More plainly in the 7. Churches which all ar Christs though Sardis lived but in name onely and the Angel of Laodicea was neither hot nor cold forthwith to be spued out unlesse he repented chap. 3.1.16 Therfore that is not rightly transferred unto the common Church which perteineth unto it properly so caled One may be an alien from the Church commonly so caled and yet be a true citizen of the true Church If you could shew that the Pope of Rome hath his chair in this which properly inioyeth this name you might rightly conclude us all to be fugitives and very miserable But whiles you shuffle togither things disjoined and contrarie and dally as your manner is with a playn aequivocation the absurditie which you thought to throw against us is lighted upon your own head So your argument unto the maÌ„ is lying like him whose cause you have in hand Secondly you prove it from three Scriptures the first wherof is Apoc. 11.8 where you say John saith that Henoch and Elias shal fight with Antichrist in Ierusalem and there be killed I answer that which is spoken of Henoch and Elias to come and fight with Antichrist is altogither vain as I have proved in the 6.
chapter against your third Demonstration But because it skilleth nothing for the force of this argument what the names of these Prophets be we let that passe for the present and doo say that that which you tell us how they are to be killed in Jerusalem is false For the Spirit designeth not Ierusalem by name but onely by this circumlocution where our Lord was crucified which agreeth as wel unto Rome seing Christ was crucified by the sentēce of Pilate the Romā Deputie By which fact he made his Citie guilty of this bloud which was shed by this cities authoritie as we have shewed on chap. 11.8 This argument therfore is worthlesse and weak assuming that which cannot be proved yea the contrary wherof is plainly evident by the Scriptures Neither was ther anie cause why either Chytraeus should purposely passe by these words as you feyn where the Lord also was crucified or why you should so trouble your selfe to prove against Ierom that Ierusalem may be caled Sodome which we acknowledge to be so caled otherwhere Although in the Apocalypse your Rome onely is Sodom you should rather have streyned your sinewes to acquitt your selves of this than have spent your strength in a matter for which ther is no fight The second place is Apoc. 17. where Iohn saith that the ten Kings which shal divide the Roman Empire to themselves and in the time of whose reign Antichrist should come shal hate the purpled whore that is Rome and make her desolate and burn her cke with fire How then say you shall it be Antichrists seat if at the self same time it must be overthrown and burnt I answer the Apocalypse easily taketh from you this scruple You ask how Antichrists seate can be burnt he being alive and seing it The Apocalypse telleth that the fift vial shal be powred out on the Beasts throne and his kingdome shal be made dark so that they shal gnaw their tongues for so row chap. 16.10.11 which vial verily is no other thing than this burning wherby the ten Kings shal consume the whore to ashes For you see that this citie which is to be consumed with fire is Queen of the nations which agreeth not to Ierusalem that hath been laid even with the groūd now manie ages since And if you doubt how the ten Kings should be inflamed with such hatred who so dearly loved the whore before hear how the Angel saith that for a time they would yeild themselves wholly to the Beast but should at length be stirred up of God to destroy her whom they most honoured before ver 16.17 This hatred therfore wil afford your Rome no comfort The other things which you heap up to exaggerate this argument are of no weight at all For that Antichrist the Iewe we have chased away in the former disputation and those things that are mentioned of the Kingdome of Asia are some smal peeces of truth shining clearly in the fabulous heap of confuse earth Certayn it is that the Empire shal return thither again but which Antichrist shal not constitute but Christ himselfe shal build taking pitie on his people and declaring himselfe in his Church to be King of al nations The third place is in those words so that he sitteth in the Temple of God 2. Thess 2.4 wher you bring four expositions of the Temple The first is theirs that by the Temple understand the minds of the faithfull The second is Augustines who interpreteth the Temple to be Antichrist himselfe with his whole people which wil have himselfe and his to be thought the true spiritual Temple of God The third is Chrysostoms that takes the Temple for Christian Churches The fourth is theirs that understand it of Salomons Temple Of these four expositiōs you chose this last worst and furthest from the truth even as women when they ar troubled with the green sicknes doo long for coles lether more then for wholsome meats The Temple in this place must needs be that peoples whose the apostasie is for which Antichrist is sent and this we have shewed to be the Gentiles onely which came in deede unto Christ but served him not with such affection as was meet and that it can not by anie means agree to the Iewes who never would be writtē citizens of this Kingdome Moreover neither did Antichrist come while the old Temple stood neither shal he sit therin afterwards seing it was overthrown long since never to be reedified more as the Angel teacheth And the desolatiō shal continue even to the consummation and end Dan. 9.27 Besides how could the Apostle cal that Gods temple which God would detest and which shal not be founded by anie authoritie of his but by Antichrists commandement alone as you wil have it vaūting himselfe for the onely God These and many other things doo teach that it is least of al to be understood of Salomons Temple Yet you say this opinion is the more common probable and learned But by what reason I pray you Beeause say you in the Scripture of the New Testament by the Temple of God is never meant the Christian Churches but alwayes the temple of Jerusalem VVhich short sentence conteineth two notable falshoods The first is that you say by the temple of God is never meant in the Apostles writings the Christian Churches For Paul in Ephes 2.21.22 speaketh thus of the Christian Church Jn whom al the building fitly coupled togither groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord in whom ye also are built togither to be the habitation of God by the Spirit And what other thing dooth the Apocalypse mean by that so often name of the temple but the holy Christian assemblies Arise and measure the temple of God chap. 11.1 Then was the temple of God opened chap. 11.9 And they came out of the temple neither could any enter into temple chap. 15.6.8 The temple of Ierusalem was destroyed before this Revelation was made least perhaps yow should think that that is meant by these words This is the first falshood The second is wher you say the temple of God evermore signifieth the temple of Jerusalem in the new testament For what Are ther so manie Ierusalem temples as ther are faithful persons Vnto the Corinthians Paul speaketh in words commō to everie Christian Know you not that ye are the temple of God And if anie destroy the temple of God c. 1 Cor. 3.16.17 Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 To let passe the things I mentioned a litle before You certes are a more speedy builder than Salomon which can build so manie temples in so short a space but what cā not you doo which make a Christ everie day of Bread But this is a smal matter you say that the Scriptures doo so speak Therfore you bring some greater thing namely that the ancient Fathers Latin and Greek for manie ages never caled the Churches of Christians temples but Oratories
which goeth before may be in the place of the concrete and the autumnal desire of thy soule as also in the 2 Thess 1.9 And from the glory of his strength for and from his glorious strength In which sense the autumnal desire noteth out that wanton greedines of rath-ripe fruits which the richer sorte and the dainty ones have getting the first fruits for them by a great price the more plentifull store of which afterward they loath as though he should say Once thou didst lash out huge costs upoÌ„ things of little value but now thou art not so wantonly ready to buye that thy former strange longing is gone those things now would be acceptable which of late thou despisedst according to that of the Poet the empty stomake doth seldome despise coÌ„mon things which of the two wayes we wil take them we see that these things doo very well hange togither with the former wherby the mourning of the merchanâ—s is greatly amplified that buyers shal be now wanting altogither whereas lately when Rome flourished they had so quick ready a market Wherof the Spirit tendreth a double reason by this mourning first that nowe ther was no lust to buy secondly that al ability was utterly lost ¶ And al things which were fatte excellent That is al plenty abounce is departed from thee which doo more confirme the former interpretation For seing these things doo signify a rich plenty it is like that that which went before is to be referred rather to lust that the same thing may not be spoken twice although so it is wont to be some time when the latter is added in stead of a more full exposition The Compl. the K. Bible read are perished from thee So Aretas and the common translation but the sense is nothing altered 15 The marchants of these things The cause being declared now he commeth to the manner of mourning with a breif repetitioÌ„ of the cause The marchants saith he of these things that is they who bestow al their labour about the associating and retaining of these countreys ioyning them to the service of Rome VVho were made rich of her getting ample rewards of this their labour VVe have seen before briefly with how great gaine they travelled about this marchaÌ„dise which openeth a way to Bishopriks Cardinalships yea eveÌ„ to the highest Prelateship And who seeth not men of every couÌ„try being either of great wit or learning of great force either by riches or favour or famous for noblenes of birth descent of blood whose industry may be profitable for the beautifying of Rome to be hyred by what meanes soever to bend al their cares thoughts to this point Wolseius Polus flourished in our countrey in our Fathers dayes The first descended of base parents but ambitious tumultuous notably framed for the profit of Rome and therfore promoted to so great honours that he was not afraid to vaunt himselfe somewhat above the King The other of a milder disposition but of great authority for noblenes of pareÌ„tage for which cause he waxed rich by the Romish aboundance until he gave suspition of a contrary mind bewrayed some desire to knowe the truth Then he perceived that Petoum a certain begging fryar to be set against him of the Pope whom he should have seen adorned with his spoiles booties if the thing had come to passe as the Pope wished This labour is in so great account as that he who onely begged a reward should be equal by by to the highest States of the earth But after that Rome shal be cast down no man wil hyre this labour eveÌ„ for one farthing This evil shal take these marchants when they have lost all hope of their gaine ¶ Shal stand a farre off To weet Cardinals Bishops others which at that time shaâ—be conversant in other places than at Rome They being set without danger with a lamentable voice shall bewaile her ruine a farr off but they shal hav neither ability nor courage of mind to repel the danger 16 And saying alas alas It is the same concealing which was in the mourning of the Kings in ver 10. wherby the truth and greatnesse of the sorow is expressed The argument is somwhat divers for they agreably to their persons did lament that so great a power was abolished These complain that so huge wealth was spoiled which marchaÌ„ts chiefly regard Notwithstanding seing this fine linnen purple skarlet the other decking signifyeth the pride of Rome upheld chieâ—ly by the riches of Spaine as at the 12 ver the marchants lament ar altogither dismayed that al these richesses have profited her nothing as thou they should say how is she come to naught that was fortifyed by so great aide of the Spaniards against which if the whole christian world had conspired worthily might any maÌ„ think that they should doo nothing worth the paines taking 17 And also every shipmaster The third mourning is of the mariners watermen that is of the inferiour ministers of the Romish court Deanes Abbots Priors General Iesuits such like These al live of the sea by promoting the ordinances decrees of the whore Of which sort were the Spips and Shipmasters in chap. 8.9 ¶ And al the company of them that dwel in shipps The Complut the Kings Bible and Aretas read thus and every one that sâ—ileth in shipps the common translation and al that sale in the lake this is further off but as it seemeth fetched from hence that ploion is a little shippe rowed with oares of which there is more often use in Rivers and flouds VVhich interpretation is not altogither to be refused in so great variety of copies and declareth more plainly a certain distribution of the general comprehension into certen classes And whosoever trafike on the Sea word for word in the Greek doo labour on the Sea as in the Gospel of Iohn labour the meate that is for the meate cha sixe verse twentie seventh In this last member are comprehended all which doo study to the Popish doctrine teaching learning and setting forth the same eyther by voice or writings defending the same to their power or by any other way or meanes whatsoever advauncing and promoting it Of which sorte are the Masse Priests Monkes Fryars above the rest at this day the Iesuits who doo leane upon their cares lustily and smite this sea with all their strength without which if the shippe of the fisher man had bin it had dashed long since on the rockes Although while they in rowing labour to avoide Scylla they rush upon Charybdis by disputing they sâ—â— more openly in the sight of men the whores and Popes filthinesse which they strive to cover 18 What city was like to this great city As the mariners speak of Tyrus Ezek 27.32 What city was like Tyrus destroyed in the middes of the sea And for iust cause did they astonished aske this when they considered with them selves the