Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	world_n	worship_n	worship_v	68	3	7.7030	4	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A16853	A revelation of the Apocalyps, that is, the Apocalyps of S. Iohn illustrated vvith an analysis & scolions where the sense is opened by the scripture, & the events of things foretold, shewed by histories. Hereunto is prefixed a generall view: and at the end of the 17. chapter, is inserted a refutation of R. Bellarmine touching Antichrist, in his 3. book of the B. of Rome. By Thomas Brightman.; Apocalypsis Apocalypseos. English	Brightman, Thomas, 1562-1607.	1611 (1611)	STC 3754; ESTC S106469	722,529	728

that that of his infinite divine maiesty is chiefly to be contemplated with the minde which may be most availeable for the present matter But that they should not thinke that they must alway ly in this base estate he adioineth another title Who was saith he dead but is alive as though he should say although I was in the beginning the first after the last yet I abode not any long time in this most base estate but death being overcom within the space of three dayes I obteined my former dignity in which I now live for ever These thinges then declare the notable chaÌ„ge that came to passe at Smyrna and no lesse in his Antitype Where the first truth which by the space of three hundred yeares was established by so much blood be came at length to be hated of the Christians themselves and the last fortune stayed together with his professours which Christ as he himselfe rose from the dead should raise againe from the dust and place it in the former degree of dignity Why then should they be discouraged whom their Captaine hath gone before in the same steppes Or wherfore should they feare afflictions whose issue is so ioifull and confortable 9 J knowe thy workes and affliction The narration of the condition which he saith is knowen of him as in the rest least peradventure they should suppose that their miseries are not regarded of him because of his so long sufferrance The state of this Church was afflicted as at the present time in this verse so afterward to be expected in the next Wherto the Antitype agreeth altogether For after the first age driven away by and by a lamentable strife arose when Constantine succeeded The persecutions of open enemies ceased but the strifes and contentions of the citizens forthwith waxed very hote And not onely of the whole Church in generall but also of this city Theodosius Iunior boyling with envie against one Cyrus whoÌ„ he saw to be very gratious with the people sendeth to Smyrna under a colour to make him Bishop of this city but with a determinate purpose that he should be killed For the Smyrneans had killed long a goe 4 of their Bishops which barbarous cruelty sheweth howe grievously this Angell was afflicted Epitome chr set out with Euseb chr by the famous Ioseph Scaliger pag. 293. But if we shall enlarge this Smyrna a little unto those contentions of the citiezens of which I spake by and by came Arius who kindled that fire wherby all thinges as well divine as humane were enflaÌ„med The Bishops studied noe other thing then that one might spoile another of their seates and dignities Eustatius Antiochus was banished with a great company of Elders and Deacons Athan. in his Epistle to them that lead a solitary life Athanasius him selfe the onely defender almost of the truth was not onely assailed but also oppressed with all kinde of false accusations neither did they cease from their wicked assalting him before that he was banished to Treveres in France Those were sorowfull times when the Emperour in the meane time not minding sufficiently the drifts of the Bishops did not knowe the true originall of those sturres Â¶ And thy poverty That is houw thou art moked and contemned as a beggar but be thou despised mor theÌ„ any Jrus of those hypocrits thou art rich in mine account that thou maiest regard the lesse the wicked scoffing of those men And that we may let passe the Smyrneans the matter is cleare in the Antitype How few were there of the Orthodoxe that durst professe the truth How superstitiously were those fewe suppressed of the enemyes Certenly the Saints were constrained to runne hither and thither that they might crave aide against the tyranny They also being turned out of their goods could not maitaine their life but by the liberality of others Athanasius alone may be in stead of many exemples from whose often perils flight hidden places no hope to escape any may easily see how the faithfull could prevaile nothing with their riches to repell the iniuries of their enemyes The Smyrnean Angell was then poore in deede if we measure riches by humane defence Â¶ But thou art rich Not naked and forsaken as men thinke but by mee and in my account abounding in all riches Which things also are together for to shew what defence and estimation Christ could prepare for his even in spite of the world Authority did increase together with afflictioÌ„ as we knowe it came to passe concerning Athanasius who being vexed with all maner of contumelies in the East was in the west in great estimation Constantin the sonne Constans the brother Iulius Roman The Bishop of Treveres who gave him entertainement most kindly and liberally the space of two yeares did reverence him according as he was wortthy Moreover also Constantin the great himselfe having perceaved the calumnies of his adversaries did honore his innocency and vertu and determined to bring him againe from banishement Â¶ And the blasphemy of those c. Hitherto the kinde of the present calamity now he sheweth the authors arrogating to themselves that which in no wise was fitting them But is it blasphemy for a Iew to professe him selfe to be a Iewe A Jew is taken figuratively for one people of God which alone among all men knew the right way of worshipping him as though he should say They that boast that they worship God after the ancient rule of the law in which maner their ancestors once worshipped and all men ought allwaies to worship This was blasphemy the retaining of the worship abolished and the thrusting upon God the ancient ceremonies by which the glory of his sonne sent at length into the world shoud be overwhelmed For which cause although they were Iewes by stocke they lyed in affirming that they were Jewes being so farre from that holy people that in very truth they made a Synagogue of Sathan And it is knowne with what bitter mindes they persecuted Christians in all places as we see in Paul Barnabas at Antioche Pisidia Jconium Lystra and in other places Act. 13.50 and 14.2.5.19 Which they did also at Smyrna about these times as we learne from this place Vnder Constantin these Iewes wer Arian Bishops namely Eusebius Nicodemiensis Theognis of Chalcedon Maris Patrophilus Vrsatius Valens and the rest of this sorte men in deede not Ethnikes nor woly void of all knowledge of God as neither were the Iewes but bearing the name of Christians such as were standart bearers in this warre Who notwithstanding did holde their errors with thooth naile no lesse then that stubburne nation of the Iewes striving to establish their Decrees onely to vexe by all meanes such as were contrary minded to boast that they alone had the true faith to condemne all the rest of ungodlines and blasphemy But whatsoever boastings that wicked company made as though God dwelt in their congregations onely they gathered Churches not to God but to the

to the judgement of Rome alone as I hope I vvill convince by necessarie arguments that she is altogether by Gods just judgement bereft of her lightes vvherby at length shee shall sodainly rush into eternall destruction Therefore let her minde judge these things as she pleaseth she shall knovv shortly vvhat it is by her inchantments to deceave her self others Thou in the meane vvhile o naturall Spouse be mindfull of the tempest at hand prepare thy self for it hale in the shoote be carefull of the helm look to plie the puÌ„pe least in the entrance of the haven vvhich God forbidde thou make shipvvrake And novv see hovv very acceptable this Revelation ought to be to thee not onely for the future events of verie great moment indeede but also in regarde of the memorie past to vvhich if thou shalt turne thine eies thou shalt see even from the Apostles times that that continuall path in vvhich thou hast set thy foote steppes hath beene marked out vvith so plaine paternes as thou need desire no plainer historie also thou shalt enjoie a most pleasant remembrance of the dangers vvhich thou hast fuffred vvhich yeilde unto thee so many arguments of the in coÌ„preheÌ„sible provideÌ„ce vvisdom love truth of God keeping thee safe amidst great distresses Surely this addition vvith the rest of the Apostolicall vvritings adjoined to the old Testament ministreth Histories of the vvorlde it self from the first beginning unto the latter end thereof for vvhich cause this unestimable treasure ought to be to every one most deare And these are the causes coÌ„cerning you o Christian Churches of my publicke vvriting There are also some causes that concerne the Prelacie namely mercy vvrath mercy because I savv many ignorant rude and unskilfull in the heavenly truth as yet to vvorship Antichrist as a God Those vvere to be taken out of the javves of hell yf so it should please God For vvhich thing I vvill go before to shine unto them vvith so great plainenes of truth that they shall necessarily see so that they vvill open their eies that that Prelate of Rome is that man of sinne to vvhom yf they persevere to cleave they caÌ„not be saved Truly my indignatioÌ„ is kindled against the Iesuites For vvhen by happe I fell on Ribera interpreting this same holy Revelation Doe saied I the Papists againe take courage that that booke vvhich of late they permitted scarce any maÌ„ to touch they should novv undertake the full handling thereof Was it a vaine shevv at the sight vvhereof yea in dimme light a fevv yeares agoe they trembled that novv they boldely endure to looke in to the same glasse crie out that some other thing is shevved in it then their Pope O vve drovvsy men sluggards if vve suffer it Therfore I thought that their croaking is in some sorte to be restrained esteeming that it would be worth the labour to shew to the Iesuites how wickedly they are madde how foolishly they trifle how they understand none of these Mysteries how it cannot be that here they should be any thing weise that if they desire the truth as they make a shewe at least weise they may have mee a helper to search it out or if otherweise they doe yet despise it being offred an aprouver of their condemnation But yf they will not be silent for I know that for a short time they shall fill heaven and earth with their noise yet I hope to have given that force of light wherby they being hereafter bereft of all shew of reasons they shall vomit forth no other thing then their mere blasphemies against God and men Thou holy mother by what kindnes clemency thou art towards thine pardon I beseech thee my slendernes where I shall have slipped chiefly respect not nor regarde the rudenes of my stile the scope of us both is the truth onely let mee stemmer unto thee mother after what manner soever I bring unto thee Mandrakes such as I could finde as for the curious who doe regarde wordes more then the truth ther are no herbs in our basket for them unlesse this that yf they be diseased with the drowsie sicknes of too much elegancie they may fetch heÌ„ce yf they please ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ the perfume of bitumeÌ„ or earth pitch and the herbe called Goates beard Strab. book 16. wherby as the Sabeans they may shake off their drousy disease and awaken their dull senses I pray God that you Christian Churches by understanding may profite in godlines and by true and earnest repentance may either quite remove away the evil hanging over you or be so armed with his might that in al stormes you may stand invincible A Citizen and Nourrisson of yours most unworthy THOMAS BRIGHTMAN A VIEW OF THE WHOLE APOCALYPSE The particular Prophesy Chap. 1.1 THE Preface sheweth the argument of the book 4. The Epistle sent in coÌ„moÌ„ to the 7. Churches after the inscription doth tell who hath giveÌ„ the Prophecy who hath received it the things heard by which it coÌ„firmeth the authority of it Chap. 2. The Epistles ar giveÌ„ severally The first coÌ„preheÌ„deth the languishing disease of the Ephesians 8. The Smyrneans are confirmed against the strength of the enemy 12. They of Pergamus ar reprehended for permitting Balaam the Nicolaitans 18. They of Thyatira ar reprooved of sinn for suffring Iezabell Chap. 3. The Sardians ar charged of hypocrisy 7. The piety of Philadelphia is coÌ„meÌ„ded 14. The lukewarmnes boasting of the Laodiceans is with weighty words reprehended The common Prophesy Chap. 4. The coÌ„mon Prophecy propouÌ„deth the generall type of the holy Church notable for her centre God ver 2.3 for the coÌ„passing about of the faithfull ver 4. for Gods protection ver 5. for gifts doctrine ordinaÌ„ces ver 5.6 ministers ver 6.7.8 finally for the whole publick worship ver 9.10.11 Chap. 5. The first of the things which ar spoken of in special is the dignity of the Prophecy which is declared first by the weakenes of the creature 6. by the merite of the Lambe 8. the celebration of all Chap. 6. The first speciall events ar the seales 1. The first is opened the truth prevaileth under Trajan Hadrian Antoninus Pius at the voice of the first living creature of Quadratus Aristides Iustin Martyr 3. at the voice of the said Iustin Melito of Sardis Apollinaris the secoÌ„d living creature the redd horse goeth forth under Marcus Antoninus Verus troubling all with warres 5. the third seal being opened the third living creature Tertullian cryeth out under Severus the Emperour wheÌ„ the blacke horse did afflict the world with famine scarcity 7. The fourth seale is opened the fourth living creature Cyprian speaketh Decius being then Emperour when the pale horse wasted all with warre famine pestilence wild beasts 9. The fift seale is opened ther is given some breathing from the publick persecution under Claudius Quintilius The seales

times was as concerning vittailes And although the unteÌ„peratnes of the Heaven had not ben there was calamity enough from the continuall warres to spende up all the store seeing it must needes be that the fieldes and country were forsaken the tillage of the earth was neglected that the cattel were not regarded the corne layed up was burnt with fire and that all succour of life was destroyed From whence the sword hath Famine ioined with it as an unseparable companion The third weapon of death was the Pestilence then which noe maÌ„ will say easily I thinke whether at any time there hath ben any more sharpe and grievous either for continuance of time or for multitude of those that perished It arose first under Gallus Volusianus beginning at Aethiopia it was spread almost through all the East and Weast it made many cityes wholy empty of cityzens and continued whole 15. yeeres as Zonaras in Gallo and Dionysius of Alexandria in an Epistle to the brethren doe describe lamentably the cruell fiercenesse of it and togither also maketh mention of the former calamityes giving a most cleare testimony of the fulfilling of this Prophecy in those times After the persecution which he spake of a little before there followed both warres and famine which wee endured togither with the Gentiles bearing alone the thinges wherewith they oppressed us yet even alike partakers of those thinges which both they brought upon them selves and suffered and againe wee reioyced in the peace of Christ which he gave to us alone But when both wee and they had ben cased a very short time that pestilence entered a thing more terrible to them then any terrour and more lamentable then any calamity and as one of their owne History-writers sayd which alone exceeded the hope of all men yet not such to us but an exercise and tryall inferiour to none of the rest for it absteined not in deede froÌ„ us but it came on with farre more violence against them These thinges hath he in Euseb Hist booke 7.22 Cyprian from this sorrowfull and unwonted evill tooke the argumeÌ„t of his booke touching mortality As for the Beasts if they be taken properly I remember not that I have read any notable daÌ„mage and hurt done of them at this time although it is noe light coniecture that they did much harme in the Easterne and Southerne countryes In some ages coming after when also the famine and pestilence became worse and worse men were afraid of the dogges least being accustomed to eate their carkases cast forth abroade afterward they should desyre theÌ„ alive for meate whereupon they set themselves to kill the dogges Euseb booke 9.8 neither could it be but when foode fayled in the fieldes and men were lesse able to defend themselves that many were devoured of the Beasts But if wee referre them to cruell men and tyrants in noe mans remembraÌ„ce at any time were there so great troupes of Beasts in every place spoiling and renting men in pieces For when Gallienus was Emperour who after Valerian was taken reigned alone so many tyrants arose who tooke to themselves the name of Emperour as there were not so many since Cesar was Dictator to that time in so long a row and continued ranke of EMPEROVRS Thirty are recorded by Trebellius who at one time in divers couÌ„tryes invaded the Empire in which also certeine women scoffed at the name of Romane How great a dismembring of men must there needes be wheÌ„ so many Beasts strove at once about the Empire Such then are the three Seales every one notable for their scourges the two former for their speciall the last for all these kindes of punishements wherewith the world was to be punished for despising and vexing the trueth For when the milder correction prevailed nothing with their stubburne hartes almost all the hostes of death are sent in upon them even as also the event hath most fully approved Neither yet are these evills so proper to this one age that they can agree to noe other but they are the common punishements of the contemners of godlines Lev. 26. Ezech. 6.11 c. And afterward after these times of Gallienus one may see the Famine and Pestilence did consume all wheÌ„ Maximinus raigned in the East Euseb booke 9. 8. But there is so solemne a Prophecy of them in this place both because the next times after Iohn should be famous for these punishements which men should procure to themselves for despising the Ghospell and also because they should be faithfull hostages pledges and seales of the future events that were to be expected many ages after 9 And when he had opened the fift Seale I sawe under the Altar the soules c. Of the fifte seale there is noe Beast by whose voice Iohn is invited to see And that not without cause but because this secret should passe over men being not stirred up by any publike solemne crie to observe the event as was done in the former neither certenly doth the History reporte that any man performed any such labour in which respect such an office might be attributed unto him worthily Furthermore this Seale consisted partly in rehearsing thinges past partly in reporting an eveÌ„t of that kinde which is wont to glaunce by without perceaving especially seeing our natures ar so disposed that adversities doe abyde more surely in our mindes then prosperityes Wherefore seeing the Seales are made like unto the events it is no mervayle that noe type is set forth here to which noe event should be answerable Â¶ J sawe under the altar the soules The fifte type is the soules of the Martyrs lying under the altar in this verse requiring vengeance against their enemies ver 10 receaving answere ver 11. Which three members doe respect three times to wit the time past present and to come The soules lying under the altar declare most finely from the consequent what wente before that is to say in what coÌ„ditioÌ„ the Church was during those former seales and with howe great cruelty of men she contended Wee have heard in deede the trueth overcoming wee have learned also that warre famine and pestilence with their coÌ„panions possessed and spoiled all thinges but there was noe mention yet in what state the true worshippers of Christ were in the meane time allthough from the victory of the trueth their conflict may be gessed froÌ„ those calamities anoying the world that great wronge was done to the godly for which cause the enemies were so sharpely punished But the thinge is made manifest nowe by this complainte of the Martyrs killed that is to say that an infinite quantity of blood was shed of men that worshipped the Sonne of God froÌ„ that time in which John wrote unto the ende of the raigne of Galienus whither the former seales have brought us And what place is there that have not heard of these horrible massacres all this space of time Tratan Hadrian Antonin Ver Maximin Severe Decie the rest

the shadow of that olde thing the trueth whereof had bin in former times VVhich cunning wee called before the fained name of Antiquity above in the 12. verse From whence also it may be manifest that the first Beast was not the Emperours but onely the Pope For it had ben an uniust and impudent request if the Pope had chalenged openly to himselfe the honour of the Emperours but he requireth nothing but that which was proper to the former Popes who would not thinke that he ought to condescende to so reasonable a demande Furthermore this image declareth what manner of honour he desireth to obtaine among his worshippers to wit such as the Idolaters doe give to their Images for he will sit in the hearts and consciences of men as an Jdoll as it appeareth manifestly from the adoration and admiration whereof wee spake before He desireth him selfe to be esteemed God but the Spirit calleth him by a true name a false God and an Image The Spirit acknowledgeth not that foolish difference betweene Image Jdoll which of late the Idolaters have forged But is it not more cleare then the light that superstitious men have exalted these latter Popes to be certen divine maiesties and not simply unto the former glory of the auncient Popes which seemed to have bin utterly abolished by the warres of the Gothes and their dominion in Italy Doe not the same men worship this newe framed Image as an Idoll See those thinges which wee have spoken at the 6. and 9. verses VVhereunto many other might be added unlesse it were needlesse in a matter apparaÌ„t inough to the whole world 15 And it was given unto him to give a spirit to the Image After that men began to worship the revived Beast an image of the former as it were an Idoll to the ende that this who is his crafts maister might the more bewitch the people he should endue the Image with a vitall faculty He alludeth to the Devillish arts of the Idolaters wherby they effected that the Idols should utter oracles with distinct voices that they might wrap the mindes of men in greater superstition So the Pope having once gotten with men the honour of a divine power played no longer the part of a dumbe person but forthwith began to speake bid forbid set up plucke downe to blesse to curse to bragge openly by mee Kings doe reigne as Hadrian in his Epistle to the Archbishop of Trevir Mogent Coloniens Whence hath the Emperour his Empire but from us therefore he raigneth by us Againe that That which the Emperour hath he hath wholly from us And also Beholde in our power is the Empire to give it to whom wee will being therefore appointed of God over nations and Kingdomes that wee should destroy and plucke up builde and plante A terrible voice of the Image and surely farre more terrible then of the olde Beast whose Image he is which never durst mutter any such thinge No marvaile though the Canonists quaking at this voice doe freely professe that in these thinges which the Pope will his will is to him for a reason that yet it may not be sayd why dost thou so At chap. quanto of the translat of the Biâ—hop And this is the third miracle farre more wonderfull indeede theÌ„ if some image or picture should utter a lowde voice for this is noe newe thing both renowmed from those heathen oracles much spoken of also being the accustomed play of the Magitians but that this image of the Papists should thunder with so terrible a voice it was a thing which the world for good cause should be astonied at In this wise therefore wee see this Pope a miracle worker famous for these three sortes of miracles by the which even the Papists themselves graunte that Antichrist should be notably knowne Â¶ And should cause that as many as will not worship the image Now unto his fraude he joyneth violence for whom he cannot bring by miracles to worship him he compelleth by punishements But who is he that should cause that as many as will not worship the image of the Beast should be killed Doubtlesse the Image For there is the same nominative case of both the verbes should speake should cause If the Greeke be translated word for word they are more plaine then as they are expressed commonly in latine and it was granted to him to give a Spirit to the image of the Beast that both the Image of the Beast should speake and should cause that as many as would not worship c. From which it is manifestly apparant the image is the supposite of the verbe should cause By which argument wee have proved before that these thinges are not to be understood of any image made with hande which to be of so great power is a thing uncredible but of a lively image which before wee said spake terribly who would put to death any which should refuse to acknowledge his Godhead Neither is any ignorant how great butcheries were made through the whole world of Christians because men were not obedient to this Image The Emperours themselves being squamish in this matter sufferred punishement for refusing this adoration by the losse of their dignity yea of their life What shall wee thinke came to the other multitude It would be an infinite thing to recken up and the matter is knowen well inough Montanus and Plantine read and doth cause against the trueth of all other bookes 16 And he maketh all small c. The other punishement is of goods in which they are punished who will not receive the marke And this marke briefly comprehendeth all that way wherby any is kept in subiection to the Beast in any sorte And it is to be observed how the Beast requireth that his vassals should be tyed to him by a stronger bande theÌ„ God those of his houshold to him A Seale was sufficient for him to touch the toppe of the skinne with some light signe But the Beast will have his marke to sinke in more deeply whereupon he useth a Character to be engraveÌ„ on the very flesh according to that affection wherby he is wont more earnestly to urge obedience to man then to God In this verse therefore he declareth to whom it doth belong to take upon them the marke also in what parte They are all sortes of men as sheweth both the note of generalitie and also the distribution of the same For he passâ—th over none how contemptible soever and abiect whom he hath not bound to him in some manner Wisely indeede seeing small sparkles doe kindle a great fire Cities are taken in that part very often which was in least feare and eveÌ„ the underminings being neglected doe overthrow the strongest and highest walles Are not the Princes constrained to follow the multitude Therefore very warily he thought that regard was to be had of small men poore and bond Which so vigilant and exquisite carefulnes doth the more set forth

purpose by very small thinges and having a faire colour He would abhorre Idols in words as much as any other and would cry out that the honour which he commaundeth to be given to Jmages is farre from this ungodlines by such wordes deceaving the unskilfull and bringing them into this offence of which the Spirith speaketh 15 So thou hast c. The reddition of the similitude whose proposition is not spoken a word of Thus it should be full As once the Israelites had those that held the doctrine of Balaam so thou hast them that holde the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes In stead of the proposition he attributeth the doctrine of Balaam to the Pergamen Church because it was proper to his Antitype but from whence may be gathered the first part of the similitude But this poison of the Nicolaitanes had infected doubtlesse Pergamus Â¶ Which J hate as before the comon translation is repent likewise And so he beginneth the verse following in this sense as I have warned the Ephesine Church so doe I admonish thee But this is weaker then if he did commaund simply repent 16 I will come against thee quickly and fight against them He threatneth a double punishement one against the Church it selfe against which he saith that he wâ—ll come quickly The other against the corrupters against whom he saith he will fight with the sworde of his mouth For wee may not thinke that he will come against the Church onely to take away those plagues destructions of men for this could have no feare but would be a thing to be chiefly wished but shee also must suffer the punishment of her negligence as they of their wickednes Therfore this violent breaking into the Church was a certen chastisement by warre or some such calamity as is manifest in the Antitype whose times were very troublous partly by the overflowing of the Northerne Barbarians partly by the Saracens whom the Devill armed against the seed of the woman after shee fled into the wildernes as we shall shew at the chap. 12. to which times these things perteine but here generally and obscurely shewed because this place suffered not any ampler light The other punishment is against the Balaamites against whoÌ„ he will use the sworde of his mouth For we must observe how he distinguisheth these from the Church of her he sayd I will come against thee then turning his speach to the Balaamites and J will fight saith he against them But what is it to fight with the sworde of his mouth Whether to inflict the punishments which he hath threatned in his word Certenly Paul saith that he had in readines wherewith to punish all contumacy 2 Cor. 10.6 And Ieremy is set of God over the nations and Kingdomes to root out and destroy c. chap. 1.10 For there is no weapon in the whole armory of the world so effectuall on both partes Wherfore seeing by the iudgement hereof all fornications and Idolatries are appointed to a iust punishment worthily may he say that he will fight with that sworde according to the rule whereof the pronounced iudgement is exercised But nowe when in an other place it is sayd of Antichrist that Christ shall consume him with the spirit of his mouth 2 Thes 2.8 which maner of speaking what force it hath we have learned by experience to wit that his errours convinced his lyes detected then his fraude and deceits set in the open light he shal be brought to destruction these wordes seeme to have the same meaning And certenly after that the Church was for a while scourged by those Norther Souther barbariaÌ„s Christ begaÌ„ to vexe those PerganieÌ„ impostours with the light of the truth for about the yeare 1120 arose certeÌ„ godly men which preached openly that Antichrist was come that the holy dayes Ecclesiasticall broken songs prayers for the dead pilgrimages oyle extreem unction the rest of that sorte were superstitious things Worke Trip. Henric. Mon. Thol To these were added in a short time after the Waldenses the Albingenses Parisienses who published a booke of the perils of the Church many other private men FroÌ„ theÌ„ce began this fight which was soft in the beginning terrible rather in the shaking of the sword then in wonding but after coming to a iust full battaile as after we shall see which hath fallen out prosperously to the godly hitherto by the grace of God but most unhappily to them that dwell at Rome in the throne of Sathan 17 He that hath an eare Let every one drowned in the Romish superstitioÌ„s give eare let him attende hearken in what account with God is that unmaried Vicar of Christ of what price is that famous much spoken of Rome that Chaire of Peter the piller of truth mother of the faith of all Churches to wit that chief Prelate that wicked Balaam the very city which is renowmed with the vaine praising of men the gate of heaveÌ„ is the very palace throne of the Devill Neither let any thinke that hatred doth wring these words from a man that is an adversary but let him compare the prophecy the event which if he shall see to agree in all things let him know that he is warned of the daÌ„ger not so much by the words of maÌ„ as by the H. spirit Â¶ To him that overcometh I will c. The reward is threefould hiddeÌ„ MaÌ„na a white stone an unknowne name written upon it Every one of which fit the times in a wonderfull manner As for Manna it is the meat of the wildernes ministred froÌ„ God when there was no meanes to have other bread And in this Pergamen state when the company of the Nicolaitanes Balaamiticall ofspring that is Romane Jdolaters possessed all places the Church was conversant in a waste unpleasant terrible wildernes whether wee shall see the woman betake herselfe flying from the Dragon ch 12. But Christ feedeth the same with the meat of the wildernes as once the Israelites For he will not be wanting to his in the most hard times but bestowe aboundaÌ„tly the ioy of the Spirit wherby not onely they may be preserved in life but also be very glad as for the greatest ioyes Therefore this Manna is the same meate with the fruite of the tree of life in Paradise as hath bin observed afore ver 7. but the manner of ministring of it is divers there in a most chast pure and flourishing Church it was the fruit of the tree in the middes of the paradise of God here the truth being despised contemned trode under foot utterly opressed with most thicke darknes it is MaÌ„na the foode of the wildernes this meate should be hiddeÌ„ froÌ„ the world they should suppose theÌ„ famished who had fled into this wildernes as the Egyptians did thinke the Israelites for this cause would perish suddeÌ„ly But God did sustaine his extra ordinarily with this bread of Angels Yet there is this

wherat the world then not without cause was astonied at this the enemies doe at this day beholde with so heavie eyes It seemeth that there shal be the same suiftnes of the following rewards which a man shall see given before he shall heare that they were to be given and therfore in place they goe before the admonition which also noe lesse they shall goe before in time You therefore o Pastists you againe I speake unto if peradventure the Spirit hath given any of you eares that you may heare attend diligently those things which have bin spoken See what a one is your Rome which you embrace with so great reverence and whether you ran the last yeare to celebrate your wicked Iubiles shee is not a holy virgine as you are perswaded falsly but a most impudent Jezabell a most cruell murderesse of the saints from whom wee ought rather to fly into anie wildernes with Eliah then to runne to her by sea by land leaving at home the most chaste spouse of Christ Behold also that this sorceresse had lyensike now many yeares agone can you otherwise deny it which calleth the Turke to come upon the Christian world expelleth our brethren out of their places of abode turneth them out from their goods spoiled them of their children and wives and constrayneth them to be carried away into most cruell servitude and heapeth many calamityes upon us all which are farre of from that burning hatred And not onely these thinges at this present but which shall bring finally an horrible death upon you her children Can it be doubtfull to any who shall weigh diligently these things with himselfe but that wee ought to flee very soone very farr from this plague and mischiefe The Spirit give you eares to heare I will speake noe more to them of whom the trueth is esteemed a bare signification of the â—ill of God shal be sufficient let him be filthy still who shall contemne this I will turne my selfe to the unfoulding of those things that remayne Chap. 3. AND to the Angell of the Church which is at Sardis wrighte These things sayeth he that hath the seaven Spirits of God and the seaven starres I know thy workes to wit that thou art said to live but thou art dead 2 Be vigilant strengthen the things that remaine ready to dy for I have not found thy workes perfit before God 3 Remember therfore how thou hast receaved and heard and observe repent That if thou doest not watch J will come against thee as a thiefe neither shalt thou know what houre J will come against thee 4 Notwithstanding thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments and therfore they shall walke with me in white for they are worthy 5 He that overcometh shal be clothed with white garments neither will I ever put his name out of the booke of life but will professe his name before my father and before his Angels 6 Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches 7 And to the Angell of the Church of Philadelphia write These things saith he that is holy and true which hath the key of David which openeth and noe man shutteth shutteth and noe man openeth 8 J know thy workes beholde I have set before thee an open dore neither is any man able to shut it because thou hast a little strength and hast kept my worde and hast not denyed my name 9 Beholde I will give those which are the Synagogue of Sathan that is of them which say they are Iewes and are not Beholde I say J will cause them to come and worship before thy feete and to know that I have loved thee 10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience I also will keepe thee from the time of tentation which shall come upon the whole world to try the inhabitans of the earth 11 Behold J come quickly holde that which thou hast that no man may take thy crowne 12 Him that overcometh I will make to be a pillar in the Temple of my God neither shall he goe forth any more and J will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God that is of the new Jerusalem which cometh downe from heaven from my God and my new name 13 Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches 14 And to the Angell of the Church of the Laodiceans write These things saith Amen that faithfull and true witnesse the beginning of the worke of God 15 I know thy workes to wit that thou art neither cold nor whote I would thou wert eyther cold or whote 16 Therefore because thou art lukewarme neither cold nor whote it shall come to passe that I will spewe the out of my mouth 17 For thou sayst J am rich and increased with goods need nothing And knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked 18 I counsell thee to buy of me Gold tryed in the fyre that thou mayest be rich and white garments that thou mayest be clothed and that the shame of thy nakednes may not appeare and that thou anointe thyne eyes with eye salve that thou mayest see 19 As many as I love J rebuke and chastice 20 Be hotte therfore and repente Beholde J stand at the dore and knocke if any shall heare my voyce and open the dore I will come into him and suppe with him he with mee 21 He that shall overcome J will give him that he may sit with me in my throne as I haue overcome and sit with my father in his throne 22 Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches The Analysis THERE be three Epistles of this chapter One to the Sardenses an other to the Philadelpphienses the last to the Laodiceans Neither are they without cause included in one chapter seeing they are of nature somewhat divers from the former For the former were further distant one from an other so they had Antitypes of a longer time But these are both severed one from another with lesser distances and also wee shall find the Churchches directly answering unto them to be of a more conioined tyme. The Epistle to the Sardenses after the inscription to the Angell describeth the SeÌ„der from the seaven Spirits and seaven starres after it addeth the Narration Which reproveth him that he carrieth the name and some shewe of life wheÌ„ in very deede he was dead ver 1 but togither also he teacheth the remedy which is double the first consisteth in confirming the other things that are ready to dy For it should come to passe that by the iust iudgment of God many should dy who so should punish the neglect of lawfull and iust ameÌ„ndement ver 2. The second that he should remember what things he had received and should repent Which admonition lest he a should negligently regarde he is sharpened

false friends open enemys couÌ„terfait Sosiae who should vaunt themselves under the shewe of her and many other things of that sorte were to be declared with which shee should contende and have to doe it was needfull that first a certen forme and image of her should be pourtrayed which is the principall point of the treatise following lest peradventure in so great sturres and troubles wee should suppose her to have ben wholy extinguished and abolished or at least wise her face being not knowne wee should be the more hindred from acknowledging of her Werfore wee shall finde this Type to be common to all ages as of which there is mention made in the fourteene chapter of this booke and thirde verse Where the companions and followers of the Lambe sing a newe songe before the foure Beasts and the Elders And againe nearer to the ending of the Prophesy the foure and twenty Elders and the foure Beasts fall downe and worship God as may be seene in the nineteene chapter of this booke and in the fourth verse So in other places as speach is made of the true Church so farre as any thing is to be done in the publike assembly shee is noted alwayes after the manner of this type For wee may not thinke that any congregation on earth is to be found of so absolute purity and sounde perfection as is here described but that all the holy assemblyes of the elect are counted such in Christ before God the Father although much terrene dregges be sprinckeld upon them according to that The Church to be sanctifyed by Christ to be purged by the washing of water through the word made also glorious without spot or wrinkle or any such thing but to be holy and without blame Ephes 5.26.27 An exemple of which description wee have here set before our eyes And for that purpose besides that wee should conforme all our assemblyes unto this rule even as Moses was commaunded to make the frame of the Tabernacle and all his implements altogither as was shewed to him in the mount Exod. 25.9 But the type of our Church is shewed in the very heavens according to the more plentifull glory wherewith the Gospell shyneth above the Lawe But howe much the more diligently all things are to be considered Seeing therfore wee knowe the drift of the vision let us search out the exposition of the severall things First the head it selfe of the Church is described such as the true members doe alwayes confesse and worshippe both by his sitting in a Throne in this verse and also by the similitude following The sitting declareth the maiesty and glory of the most high God and noe lesse his steddy and stable dwelling among the Saints in whose assembly he hath placed his throne of dignity to goe to noe other place And because there is but one throne and one that sitteth on it wee knowe that God is one in nature power maiesty glory and that there is not any other beside who ruleth in the middes of the saints Therfore the holy Church worshippeth and prayseth with all honour and reverence the one onely supreme Iehovah 3 And he that sate was to looke on like Aretas the Complutent edition and the Kings Bible doe not reade these first wordes and he that sate was but they adde by and by to the ende of the former verse these following wordes like in sight Our bookes and the comon latine translation doe distinguish more playnly the sitting and the similitude which thing in describing the true God seemeth that it ought not to be omitted This verse sheweth a little more fully of what sorte this one God is of whom yet it setteth forth noe image but onely a certen kinde of colour after those auncient representations made once to the olde people You saw sayth Moses noe similitude in the day that Iehovah spake to you in Horeb out of the middes of the fyre Deut. 4.15 For the same is that one true God reigning in the Christian assemblyes whom from the beginning the primitive Church worshipped And seeing that in the infancy of the Church he shewed noe image of himselfe much lesse is any similitude to be expected in this up growen and ripe age This is a more familiar fuller manifestation seeing beside one and the same essence which the common glory noteth the incomprehensible distinction of the three persons is in some sorte revealed by the three pretious stones the Iasper Sardin and Emerald For it pleaseth the Spirit to use the delightfull Iewels to disclose these mysteryes because the grace and beauty of these doth most of all excell in this world belowe whereupon they may be most fitte images of that pleasantnes which exceedeth all created understanding especially seeing the representation is rather of the vertue then of any forme The first sight of the Iasper resembleth the person of the Father this Iewell is greene and not without cause called the mother of Jewels the kindes of it are so many and the honour so auncient And what more fitly among pearles could shadowe out the Father who is the first in order alwayes of a flourishing eternity of whom the other persons have their beginning and originall The second sight is of the Sardin wherby the Sonne is represented This Iewel is redde of a fleshly colour froÌ„ wheÌ„ce also it is called a Carneole fitly in deede being in his stead who tooke upon him flesh for our sake and was made a man like unto us The third sight is of a rainebowe of the colour of an Emerald wherby the H. Ghost is noted He compasseth the Throne round aboute as in the booke of wisdome chap. 9.4 compassing the whole circuit of the divine maiesty with an unutterable sweetnes For the Emerald doth shewe so acceptable pleasant and shining greenes that the eyes beholde nothing more gladly Yet this Raynebowe is not like that which is comonly so called For this is not over against the Throne but about the Throne neither is it an halfe circle but whole and full on every side For it is rounde about the throne finally it is not of three colours as the true Rainebowe but of one onely and simple colour of the Emerald Such therfore is that God one in nature three in persons the head and centre of the Church whome alone the faithfull are in love with and doe worship taking pleasure most sweetly with all their hartes in his incomprehensible sweetnes Â¶ And rounde aboute the Throne So is the Head nowe he adioyneth the body like the circumference of this centre as wee have sayd Which is described by the place the number of members age apparell and crownes The place is double common about the hyghest throne and proper the peculiar throne of every one The comon rounde about the throne is before behinde at the right hand and at the left that it may parte the Raine bowe which compassed also the Throne but with a contrary situation above beneath and

is commonly translated Hell but it would be more fitly translated Grave which also the greeke word signifyeth so it ought to be understood in this place especially seeing many holy men should die togither with the rest whom it were a wicked thinke to iudge to be swallowed up of the Hell of the damned For as touching that the Jesuite doth thinke that Hell doth follow to devoure Traiane whom he will have to be this Sitter wee shall see in the applying howe fond a thing it is that I may not say how carelesly he mixed and confouÌ„deth all thinges who bringeth againe to Traiane the Prophecy which was passed beyond Severus Secondly power is given to the Sitter and togither also is limitted with his boundes and there was given them where some bookes doe read the order being changed and power was given to him over the fourth parth of the earth and the common Latine translation for the fourth part of the earth readeth over foure parts of the earth by these meanes the whole world being made subiect to their dominion against the consent of all the Greeke copies But nowe it is a detestable thing to thinke after the Tridentine Decree that the commoÌ„ traÌ„slatioÌ„ was not corrected according to the best Greeke copies Although a good sense in deede may be drawne from the wordes that the foure partes of the earth may note the largenes of the countryes in which the destruction should go on with rage even as the fourth part of the earth the multitude of men which should perish by this death The Power is defined with a foure folde kinde of destroying with Death sitting on the horse which he useth as his Ministers Warres Batells leade the first army whose weapon is a Sword Want of foode guideth the second hoste the third the Pestilence for by death he meaneth it to whom is attributed the name of the gender because it taketh men away with a most quicke destruction and setteth before our eyes a most lively image of death and theÌ„ also it is wont to be alwayes the follower of Famine And in many mother tongues it is called Mortality The last scourge is of Beasts a scourge much used in former times as I will sende upon you the Beasts of the field Levit. 26.22 So Aâ—so when I shall send my foure sore iudgements upon Ierusalem even the sword and famine and noysome Beasts and Pestilence Ezech. 14.21 An exeÌ„ple whereof wee have when the Lord sent Lions among the newe dwellers who succeeded the ten tribes carried away 2 King 17.25 or it may be that Beasts be taken metaphorically for men mighty on earth and made like Beasts a frequent name in the scriptures of Tyrants and wicked Princes as of Pharaoh Thou art like a yong Lion among the nations Ezech. 32.2 And famous in Daniell is the nothing of foure Kinges by so many Beastes that is a Lion a Beare a Leopard and the fourth terrible Beast to wit a Centaure compact of many chap. 7.4.5 These are then the bandes of Death which nowe ioyned togither he would spread abroade into the world when the gates and wayes were opened which before were severall plagues And that it is also so come to passe the coherence of things doe teache it After Severus the state of the Church was quiet untill at length the Empire came to Decius Maximinus troubled somewhat but he being killed a while after his madnes and life was short But Decius neither feared with the calamity of warres nor any whit moved with the scarsity of victualls both which he might easily perceive the slaughters of the innocents to have brought into the world commanded that rigour should be shewed toward the Christians with all kinde of torments Then the fourth Beast spake for Cyprian being indeede an Eagle a contemner of the world and of the thinges that are very much esteemed of other men who at his first conversion bestowed all his goods upon the poore who earnestly reproved the covetousnes of other men in heaping up patrimonies sharply rebuked the pride of them that preferred themselves before others reprehended swelling insolency and immodest boasting of confession by all meanes openly avouched that these scourges were provoked by such sinnes This Eagle I say flying so much the more higher by howe much the more he did abase himselfe in writing against Demetrianus Ethnicus shewed playnly that this was the chiefe cause of all evills wherewith the world was tormented that the GeÌ„tiles did persecute so barbarously the harmelesse worshippers of Christ whom the world after their manner through envy charged for to be the cause of the commoÌ„ calamityes but that holy man did put away those calumnies and declared manifestly the true fountaine of all the evils Neither was his voice false God forthwith approving it by sending into the world divers and sundry sortes of horrible destruction Decius himselfe was swallowed up in a golfe-mire of a marsh not bequeathing himselfe to death for his country after the example of the olde Decius but going downe as it were quicke into Hell for a iust terrour of all mercilesse Tyrants Gallus Volusianus by and by after felt the wrath of God who are famous for noâ— remembrance of their notable acts but onely for the destruction of mankinde For first when these reigned the sword slewe an infinite sorte of men For the Scythians when Decius was gone when first the yoke of tribute was layed upon the Româ—nes which howe much blood it cost any man may easily coniecture altering forthwith their act did make invasions did drive away spoiles did violently enter in often times by a very great army by land and by sea did wast Dardania Thracia Thessalia Macedonia and the country Hellas part did molest Asia with the spoiling rasing and destroying of many cityes on every side By whose example also other enemyes did aryse the Parthians did take and hold by force Armenia and did passe through into the parte of Syria which mischiefes when Gallus Volusianus make ready to withstand they are both killed of the souldiours Aemilianus a three-moneth Emperour was chosen of the same into their place and of them killed Valerianus cometh alive into the enemyes power and is made a footstoole to Sapores for to get upon his horse The sword then played his part greatly leaving scarse any part of the world free from slaughters The famine gave occasion both to Demetrianus of calumniating the Christians and to Cyprian of defending them Doest thou sayth he speaking to Demetrianus marvayle and complaine in this your obstinacy and contempt if the earth be foule with the standing of dust if the barren clotte bringeth scarse fainte yellowish and wanne herbes and grasse if seldome raine descende from above if the beating haile maketh the wine feeble if a subverting whirlewinde doe breake in pieces the olive trees if drought doe stoppe up the fountaine c From which it is cleare howe grievous the coÌ„dition of those

adopted Israelites as in the Rom. 2.28 For he is not a Iewe who is one outward but which is one inward Also ye knowe that they which are of the faith are the children of Abraham Gal. 3.7 And againe peace shal be upon them and mercy and upon the Israell of God Gal. 6.16 Therefore the name is common as well to the Gentiles as to the Iewes Neither will the consideration of the time suffer that the naturall Iewes should here be signifyed This sealing was begun by and by after the tyranny of DIOCLETIAN was utterly abolished as wee have shewed before And to this number onely is ability given to learne the Newe Songe as wee shall see in the foureteenth chapter and at the third verse Which in these times was not proper to the Iewes neither ever shal be But if this concerning the time shall not be granted mee if this sealing is to be expected a little before the ende of the world as the Iesuite will have it how shall after the sealing of the Iewes as he iudged an other infinite number come to the Church as is taught in this chap. ver 9. seeing that the Iewes shall not be called before that the fulnes of the GeÌ„tiles be come in Rom. 11.25 Furthermore it shall belonge onely to the sealed to learne the sunge but if the Iewes alone shal be sealed at whatsoever time at leÌ„gth it be done what shall become of your most holy Rome and Christs Vicar who shall hav noe place among the sealed But wee will deliver the most blessed Father of this feare This described forme of the primitive Church comprehendeth both those sorts of people indifferently so as they all as well of Gentiles as of the Iewes who love the syncere trueth in their heart shal be fouÌ„d in this number of the sealed And indeede the writers doe make mention that some of the Iewes came to the Church in those times but let them be Iewes they shall not be Israelites alone since the stoppe of the partition wall is broken 5 Of the tribe of Iuda twelve thousand Hitherto the generall summe nowe are reckened the particular companies of which that whole is made In which these thinges are to be observed first that there is an equall number out of every tribe For God beareth good will alike to all the elect neither hath any iust cause of complaining that more respect was had of others them of him Secondly that some of the auncient tribes are passed over and that newe are put in their places For there is no mention made of Dan or Ephraim but in place of them come Levi Ioseph Some alleage this cause why Dan is omitted for that Antichrist should arise out of that tribe What letteth then that there should not be two Antichrists seeing the name also of Ephraim is omitted Surely the distinction of the tribes would had bin very profitable to discerne Antichrist from other men which God undoubtedly would hav kept entire safe that his Church might beware of him if he would have had this enemy to come out of this nation But the true cause of passing by them seemeth to be this that the tribe of Dan in time past revolted to the Gentiles and Ephraim was the causer of the rest to rent the Kingdome and persuader to institute a newe worship whereby the tenne tribes fell away from God for Ieroboam was an Ephratite I King 11.26 Wherefore neither doth he mention him but asceÌ„deth unto the first Patriarche teaching that the names of the wicked shal be blotted out of the booke and cathalogue of the living as wee have observed at chap. 3.5 Thirdly that in the rehearsing there is noe order kept either of beginning or dignity And yet the names are not rashly gathered togither as leaves flying in the hollow rocke of Sybille although peradventure it will be a very heard thing to finde out any reason why they are set downe in this wise yet neverthelesse let us assay to doe it trusting in God his helpe The countryes doe seeme unto mee to be noted from which God would gather out his elect in all this space of time when the Church lay hidde and would severe them from the vile and naughty persons of the world in the same order of places wherein the Tribes of the Israelites loÌ„ge agoe tooke up their seates in the promised land to wit in this manner that Juda should signify the Southerne part of the Church Ruben and Gad the Easterne Ascher and Nephtalim the Northerne and the west parte Manasse partly the Easterne partly the Westerne who dwelt on this side and beyond Iordan Symeon Levi that part which was spread here and there and one with another Issachar and Zabulon the Northeast part to wit the Sunne raysing Ioseph and Beniamin the middle countryes For wee shall see that after Constantine was dead there was such a wandring progresse as it were of the Church For in the first times her purest part seemeth to have ben in Africa as it were in the Tribe of Iuda the which most of all then was free froÌ„ the Arian Heresy thoug brought forth by Aegypte next neighbour and in the meane time infinite uncleannesse had overflowed the rest of the world And this purity continued from Constantine till the invasion of the Vandals Then Reuben and Gad succeeded For when that barbarous people pestered the whole West and South that which rested of the hope face of the Church did all flourish in the East But when the Saracenes at length destroyed also this vinyarde our Britanny and the Northerne regions lying toward the west as Asher and Nephtalim flourished greatly when more then two thousand Monkes of Bangor refused to take upon them the Romish yoke for which cause the Britans did undergoe a grievous persecution raysed up by one Augustine a Romish MoÌ„ke The sequent age gave Manasse partly the East partly the West when both Leo Isaurus and also Carolus Magnus with ioint endevours though somewhat disioyned in respect of places and times assembling Councels condemned worshipping of Images The next times were most miserable wheÌ„ nowe Antichrist was come to his highest power and dignity Nowe the trueth did lye so trampled under foote every where that the Church could not be seene in any certen places of abyding but the sealed as Simeon Levi did lye hidde confusedly and here and there knowne to God onely removed farre from the sight of the world In the ages following after the seale passed over unto Issachar and Zabulon that is to the Northerne people lying toward the Sunne raysing For there are read famous conversions in this time of the Polonians Saxone Danes Suevians Norwegians And although the conversions came by the labour of superstitious men yet neverthelesse is was the seale of God and profitable to his elect For where the doctrine is corrupt and contaminate with errours there the grasse is better then the stalke the seed newe sowne

plentifull leave to enioy his presence then in the times going next before Yet howsoever he came downe from heaven he was clothed with a cloude not knowne indeede plainly to the world but covered yet with so great darkenesse that he was to be seene as it were through a lattice He carrieth the rainebowe on his head a notable messenger of the olde covenant and of faire weather both that wee may understand him to be faithfull and constant in his promises and also that the former stormes shal be driven away dayly more and more by little and little untill at length a cleare sky shall returne on every side His face shineth like the Sunne Christ indeede being most glorious at least in that parte in which he is knowne and perceived of men but his feete doe yet burne with fire because his lowest members on the earth must burne yet with a great heate of affliction Although there should be noe danger of perishing in this fire for the feete are pillars yea and that also of Brasse chap. 1 15. For these thinges belong to the same time see chap. 2.18 So therefore Christ carrieth in his owne person an image of the present Church under the sixt Trumpet Which began to encrease againe about the yeere 1300 yet covered with much darkenesse which notwithstanding gave hope of a more perfit restoring in due time in the meane while revealed the most sweete face of Christ which the world had not seene a long time although the faithfull in the meane season were troden downe with manie calamityes 2 And he had in his hande a little booke open To whom fitteth better an open booke then to him who hath opened the seales of it chap 5.5 Because therefore Christ commeth forth with an open booke it is taught that nowe againe after longe ignorance leave shal be given to men to knowe the trueth as wee knowe it came to passe about that time For at once the Turkes began to wax strong in the East and most learned men to arise in the West who maintained the trueth boldly But it is onely a little booke which he hath in his hande to wit a small booke either because the ende nowe approching there should not remaine so many alterations but that they might be contained in a little booke as after in the sixt verse delay shal be no more or rather because the knowledg of men in this time should be slender and small whereunto perteineth the clothing with a clowde as wee have shewed at the former verse Â¶ And he put his right foote upon the Sea This grosse Sea of the inferiour world is the doctrine of the corrupt Church as chap. 8.8 No lesse also perteining to them whose is the administration of this doctrine The Earth conteineth the rest of the common people who in name are Christians But the feete are the members of Christ to wit his faithfull servants by whom as it were by feete he walketh on earth Of these the right foote is the stroÌ„ger by which being set upon the Sea it is declared that Christ nowe at length will chuse out some from that vile sorte of Ecclesiasticall men for to be his feete and faithfull members Also the left foote placed on the earth sheweth that he will take out likewise some from the lay people who although they could not compare with the Ecclesiasticall those right feete in excellency of giftes yet they should be made his true members enioy the same honour with them Such right feete were Iohannes de Poliaco Martinus Patavinus Iohannes de Ganduno Michael Cicerius Michael de Coriaria Guilielmus Ockam Gerardus Ridder Iohannes Rochetalada Armachanus an Jrish Bishop Ioannes Wtcklefus and others Christ drew them out of the salt sea of the Popish doctrine whom hee tooke out from the company of Ecclesiasticall men and brought them to sweeter and wholsomer waters of the trueth Out of the lay people he had for his left feet Ludovicus Bavarus the Emperaur Marsilius Patavinus Dantem Aligherium and many others who defended to their power the trueth seene and acknowledged 3 And he cryed with a loude voice as as Lion roareth Hitherto hath ben the description of the Angel nowe the chiefe cause of the things that were to be sealed up is set forth to wit the crying out of an Angell like a bellowing Lion for so the Greeke word signifyeth properly that which belongeth to Oxen and the like beasts Lions are properly said to roare albeit some times it is attributed to Asses and Camels as Hesichius sheweth ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ is to make a roâ—ring like unto Asses Camels and oxen But the Angell belloweth bccause he must speake softly and dared not to lift up his voice for there is ioined togither with it he cryed with a loude voice but that he might shewe that the meekenes and patience of the oxen is nowe to be mixed with the courage of the Lion And so indeede Christ as it were revived againe then in his members cryed out strongly which crying out neverthelesse carried a shewe of the bellowing oxen onely neither yet made any man greatly afraid Those first springing up Christian Worthies strove by lamentings and complaining speaches yet neverthelesse they bare a grievous yoke of bondage which they could not shake of whatsoever strugling they made against it Â¶ The seven thunders uttered their voice Which as an Echo answered this lowing And these seven thunders are I suppose those Angels of which afterward in chap. 14.6 c. Surely the time agreeth fitly as wee will shew at the place then also their office may worthily be likened to thunder which sounded againe when this roaring was uttered For taking their beginning from thence they made a noise with so great roaring that such as despised the lowing of the Angell should at length begin to tremble for feare of this thunder But it is an excellent thing that the thunders speake not but at the crying out of the Angell even as also the Echo hath noe voice of it selfe but onely yeeldeth againe the voice which it hath received so those restorers of the truâ—th howsoever the world condemned them of novelties brought notwithstanding nothing but that which themselves had learned of God 4 And when the seven thunders c. Such were the causes now is shewed the care of Iohn whom when the seven thunders were heard being about to write a voice from heaven prohibiteth biddeth to seale them up These misteries were to be kept secret as before the booke could not be read as long as it was sealed chap. 5. For these times knewe not what those thunders did speake neither did they marke whereunto at length they would come Â¶ And write them not So Aretas the Common translation and other Greeke Copies as though these wordes should declare what that Seale should be to wit not to put in writing but to have it secret for himselfe alone But is any thing revealed privately to Iohn which

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 nuÌ„bred 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 wheÌ„ce 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 meÌ„ 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 froÌ„ 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 theÌ„selves 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 theÌ„selves 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 upoÌ„ 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 meÌ„s 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 froÌ„ 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 wheÌ„ 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 caÌ„ 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 Â¶ 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

that the Dragon cast out of his mouth after the woman so great abondance of waters into Europe and Afrike it is also apparant enough that the woman fled from the East into these countries And certenly during those troubles concerning Christ to be of the same substance with the Father the state of the Church was here more quiet But that wee may not thinke that it was any happy condition the Spirit calleth our Europe expressely a desert place and wildernes For the woman going into the west fled into the wildernes For superstitions did so growe in use in those times that assemblies of the faithfull rightly established were no more ordinary in this part of the world then there are frequent habitations of men in a wildernes here and there some more apparant marke was left but very rare as is the meeting of men in a desert 16 But the earth holpe the woman Not â—his earth which we treade on but a counterfait and earthly religion and the lovers thereof as alwayes before This such as it was then every where in the world called the Church while the true was not in the sight of men but was hidden in privie places brought much helpe to the woman For those Barbarous nations the which at home practized the impietie of the Gentiles bred and brought up in the same after that they had come into these more learned couÌ„tries yeelded to that religion which thy sawe to be there received of the greatest number The Vandals Gothes abiding first about Thracia where the ArriaÌ„ plague had disteined all things were converted in name unto Christ but in very truth to that fained and counterfait one whom Arius had fashioned The other route of Barbarians in Germany Italy Fraunce Spaine followed the Romanes in all things Which did much tame and softeÌ„ their cruell mindes For while they gave their names even to this religion and suffer themselves to be enrolled citizens of the same they were not so spite full against the Christian nation that they would purpose to roote it out Wherby it came to passe that when they ceased their anger for a newe professions sake and were at quiet in those countries which they had possessed this flood at length was swalowed up and the expectation of the SerpeÌ„t notably deluded This good the earthly Church brought once to the heavenly being afterward about to heape upon the same infinite evils 17 Then the Dragon was wroth c. Thus farre the persecution which when the Dragon seeth to have ben in vaine yet he will not desist but attempteth an other way to hurt He purposeth to assaile the remnant of her seed with warre But why moved he warre against them and persecution against the woman Because persecution is as wee have said when the one party sufferreth wrong and repelleth it not of which sorte was the womaÌ„s condition as from her first beginnings so after Constantine for some space for whose safety no man did fight nor maintaine her purity against superstitions springing up But warre is when violence is repelled by violence which at length the seed of the woman should undertake that it may defende the selfe against manifest tyranny But if the woman be the Church what is this her seede Even nowe wee said that the woman was the holie assemblies of the faithfull which publikely doe worship God himselfe by his word sacraments prayer discipline as he alone hath appointed Therfore her seed are the faithfull being of a right iudgement who by reason of the daungerousnesse of the times caÌ„not meete togither openly to worship God but apart doe bend themselves to those studies by which every one privately may cherish godlinesse Against them the Dragon prepareth warre when as there should be congregations in open place which did professe pure and syncere godlines as long as the woman was absent in the wildernesse And so at length it came to passe For after that overflowing of the Northerne barbarous people that the flood was swalowed up by the helpe of the earth the Devill raised up about the yeere 630 the nation of the Saracens which should make a most grievous warre upon the remnaÌ„ts of the Church lying hidde here and there in the confused multitude Malice suffeâ—red him not to graunt them any breathing time but assoone as he had pâ—rceiued that this former entreprises were of noe effect he turneth himsâ—lfe to an other purpose coveting rather that he should be alwayes miserable through continuall labours then that the fewe elect that were remaining should be without miseries even for a small time Therefore first he mooved the Saracens to fall away from the Romaines Secondly he ordained Mahumet their Captaine then he sent him into the whole world to destroy all Who can declare the Iliad of miseries which flowed from thence From that time there was continuall warre for a whole seven huÌ„dred yeeres untill the Turkes a viperous breede a generation worse then their parent destroyed utterly the Saracens their mother This warre was farre and large such a there was never the like in any other time It exteÌ„ded from Persia even to the furthermost Iles of Gades and almost from Lybia into Fraunce And how grievous was it that in fewe yeeres was subdued Arabia Syria Mesopotamia Persia Aegypt the Iles of the Sea Afrike and Spaine Surely the Christian world was very greatly afflicted her by For the Devill spared not his owne so that he might destroy that lurking seed in the common calamity This warre was shewed before partly by the Locusts as wee have expounded in ch 9 partly by the Euphratean Angels that is the Turkes who in these dayes accomplished that which the Saracens had begunne Neither ought it to seeme a strange thing that so cruell a name is now given to the thing which long agoe was an armie of small vermine other is the outward face of a thing already accomplished such as is mentioned in this place and other of a thing in hand yet to be finished of which sorte it is there Nowe therefore wee may see froÌ„ the persecution in the East the overflowing of the barbarous people in the West and the warre of the Saracens common to both by which miseries the Dragon troubled the world after that he had lost heaven and howe iust cause there was to denounce a woe to the inhabitans of the earth as wee have heard at the seventeenth verse And this whole Chapter may be in stead of a Commentarie shewing howe that the Prince that ruleth in the aire is the Spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience as wee have it in the Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians chapter second and second verse Such then is the History of the Dragon so farre as he assaileth with open force for this office he taketh to himselfe The other of fraude and craftines hee giveth to his Vicar the Beast of the which enemy wee shall speake in the Chapter nex following The whole Prophecy

unlesse yee load him also with the spoiles of Christ himselfe But learne from these that did speake by publike authority in their Generall Councills what was the voice of the whole world In the same route of wonderers are the Iesuites at this day all the Papists Neither can it be otherwise but that they must thinke that he is to be followed in all things and worship him as God whom they judge for a surety to be free from errour hath not the Englis man written justly in his Poetrie that the Pope is the astonishment of the world Especially if one set before his eies the Emperour leading his horse by the bridle and holding the stirrop while the Beast mounteth on horseback 4 And they worshipped the DragoÌ„ That is men acknowledged the power of the Beast to be by right the chiefe because of the auncient majesty of Rome which the Heathen Emperours who are those Dragons procured unto it For was not this to adore and worship the Dragon for his sake to give the supreme dignitie to his successour But this was the first foundatioÌ„ of the Romane Primacy because this Citie was a fore time the head city of the Empire From hence every where in Eusebius and other Ecclesiasticall writers it is called the raigning Citie But most clearly doth the Councill of Chalcedon shew this in the 16. Act. For the Fathers in order gave privilegies to the Seate of olde Rome because of the Empire of that Citie An hundred and fifty Bishops most loving to God and of equall Seate moved with the same intention gave privilegies to the newe Rome iudging according to reason that the Citie adorned with the Empire and Senate should enioy the like privilegies of the auncient Rome and in Ecclefiasticall affaires to have authority as shee and to be the next after her c. Therefore the Empire and Senate did bring forth the Primacy to the elder Rome which being graunted unto her by those first Fathers because of the Heathen Emperours who raigned there afore time the Successours afterward did for the same cause amplify the dignity graunted and prostrate themselves all shamefully before the Dragon worshipping him as the authour of this honour By the same argument the Bishop of Constantinople would have obtained the like dignity But the Dragon sufferred it not who had made the Bishop of Rome his heire of the whole Wherefore the Legates of the Romane Bishop withstood that Decree Neither would Pope Gelasius who in other things approved the Concill of Chalcedon confirme this one Canon concerning the privilege of the Church of CoÌ„stantinople Therefore that Decree was of noe force especially when the same Gelasius to whom the Dragon had committed his power had ordained wisely before and warily that no Act of any Councill whatsoever should be of any force unlesse it were confirmed the Bishop of Rome Â¶ And they worshipped the Beast saying who is like to the Beast who can warre with him Such was the worshipping of the Dragon now followed of the Beast which consisteth in the extolling of his power above all that wee may not thinke that adoration is in the gesture onely And was there not iust cause of boasting so highly of the Beasts power Leo Isaurus the Emperour of Constantinople fought unfortunately with Gregory the second excommunicated by the same and put from all the Empire of the West Childericke the King of France was too weake for to encounter with the Pope Zachary wherefore forced by his authority he gave over his Kingdome to Pipine The Longobards not using the Beast well when he was sicke of his wounde at length wheÌ„ he began to be recovered and to waxe well were cast into the jawes of this Leopard by the helpe of Pipine and Charles the Great Neither lost Charles his cost being made Emperour for his labour Great indeede was thy power Ã´ Beast who wert able at thy pleasure to take away and to give againe that which is the highest in meÌ„s affaires Lamentable is the History of Henry the fourth who in the heart of a terrible winter bare foote and fasting from morning to night for the space of three dayes waited for sentence craving pardon before the gates of the Canusine Castell of the Romane Bishop who yet prevayled nothing eyther by his owne or others teares or by the intercession of any Sanct save onely of a certen whore whom the Holy Pope had made his darling The Emperour was deceived who thought that the Pope could be pacifyed by prayers and fasting this God required an other kinde of sacrifices But that is horrible that the Pope drove rhe Sonne of Henry to that wickednesse that he should assault his Father with warre spoiled him of all dignity and at length constrained him to ende his life in extreame miseries Frederike Barbarossa a man of an heroicall disposition hath set foorth greatly the triumph of the Beast being troden upon with his feete while he in the meane time did sing this verse of triumphe Thou shalt walke upon the Aspe and Bisiliske and tread upon the Lion and Dragon What should I rehearse Frederike the second Lodovike of Bavaria contemning indeed at the first the Popes but at length having tried their strength prooving all meanes to winne their favour againe Our England hath affoarded us a sorrowfull exemple of King Iohn From all which may be perceived how unequall a conflict any Prince on earth had with this Beast Therefore Rudulphâ—s Halsbergensis the Emperour when the Princes desired earnestly that he would goe visit Italy not dissembling that he did wholly abhorre this voyage answereth wisely that he was made afraide by all men footsteppâ—s tâ—nding toward it and none backeward from it What was this else but Who shall be able to warre with him 5 And there was a mouth given unto him speaking great things Hitherto the honour of the Beast now followed his power of blaspheming and doing Of which both the power given is first recited afterward the execution of blâ—sphâ—ming in the sixt verse of doing in the seventh verse It is profitable for uâ— to understand that those horrible impietyes doe enter into the world not by any blinâ—e force of fortune but by the most just judgemeÌ„t of God Who doth so puniâ—h naughty acts and especially mens despising of his trueth The power of blaspheming is the freedome from errour which the Romane Pope chalengeth to himselfe and his Seate and that men of a blinde and perverse minde doe willingly graunt unto him What blasphemies may not he proffer to the world every one of whose Decrees are held for Oracles The power of doing is that exempt and most free ability to doe all what one will without rendring a reason to any man Wherein notable is the power of the Romane Pope above all other For such Decrees doe they ordaine No man shall iudge the first Seate desiring to moderate iustice for the Iudge shall be iudged neither of the Emperour neither of all the

destruction But let no godly man be offended if hee see the reprobate to returne to their Beast the Spirit hath foreshewed that this loade stone shall draw unto it this refuse that hereafter they may not marvaile Why all of ungâ—dly and dissolute life are more prone to the Pope thâ—n to the trueth Â¶ Of that Lambe which was slâ—ine from the beginning of the world VVithout cause Aretas will have a transposition of the wordes to be here so that this should be the sense Whose names are not written from the beginning of the world in the booke of life of the Lambe which was slaine He will have the names to be written from the beginning of the world but not the Lambe to have ben killed from thence But the things are not well devided which the Spirit ioyneth togither For if the Lambe be from the beginning of the world it must needes be also that he was slaine from the beginning of the world But CHRIST is not a Lambe but for sacrifice neither can he be a sacrifice otherwise then by death As therefore by the eternall Decree of God he was the Lambe appointed for to save the Elect so by the same Decree he was slaine from before the foundations of the world VVose force was noe lesse available to deliver the Elect before his death was accomplished in the flesh then after he had endured and sufferred the same in the crosse and in the grave 9 Let him that hath an eare heare An acclamation the sense whereof is That this Beast is to be knowne with all diligence howsoever there shall be many who will not hearken and will deny a thing so perverse are they more cleare then the Sunne at noonetide But all yee elect give eare and with as great diligence as you can flie from this plague Which by these markes is so proposed before your eyes as that you may see her not as by the nayles but by the whole frame of her body 10 Yf any leade into captivity These things pertaine to the consolation of the godly who were to fight with this monster the first confirmation is taken from a certeÌ„ punishment which shall come in his time that is to say although they shall see the Beast mighty for a longe time and carying many by companies into bondage yet they should be of good courage For at length they should see him also ledde into captivity He shall perish with the sword although now he kill with the sword whom he will The confort is like to that in Esay Woe to thee that spoilest who thy selfe is not spoiled and to thee traiterous man against whom they dealt not traiterously when thou shalt cease to be a spoiler thou shalt be spoiled c. chap. 33.1 Â¶ Here is the patience and faith of the Saincts A second consolation All those thinges serve for the Saincts for the exercise of their faith and constancy And surely a great courage is required in so great daungers but by how much the dangers shal be greater so much the more shall the praise of the godly be brighter therefore let no man quake for feare of the danger but let him minde that this Beast is the occasion for him to get glory by 11 Afterward I saw an other Beast Thus farre of the first Beast the second followeth an other indeede in beginning and originall but in nature and disposition altogither the same Whereupon the seventeenth chapter maketh mention of one onely under one comprehending both as was observed at the fift verse of this chap. For which cause also the Spirit doth not make a particular description of every member but rehearseth those thinges onely which are proper to the new rising other things as farre as it seemeth being common to this with the former First he ascendeth out of the earth both augmented by the authority of earthly men and those of the laity as they call them whom chiefly the earth signifyeth and also exceeding in honours those very men by whom he was advanced For that which commeth up from the earth is lifted up above the earth having it put under his feete by whose weight he was lately oppressed So the former Beast rose out of the Sea having sea men put under him out of whose company he came and plunged up This ascending fell out upon the times of Gregory second about the yeere 726 when the Pope trusting in the aide of the Longobardes smote with the lighâ—ning of excommunication Leo Isaurus the Emperour and withdrewe Rome it selfe and Italy and all Hesperia from hiâ— obedience For now indeede the Beast began upon the earth who not onely exercised a powre over the Ecclesiasticall route but also bridled the lay men by his authority their chiefe head the Emperour who although before time he had given a great power to the Pope over the Clergie yet he pressed downe the same even till now by his maiesty as it were by a certen weight more heavie theÌ„ the Hill Aetna that he should not lift up his crests above the Emperour But now the earthly dignity yeeldeth to the Beast to be troden under foote of him at length who grew up so farre onely by the favour of the Emperours Therefore Zacharias the next that it might be manifest to all men that the Popes were now loosed from the prison of eartly dignity deposed Childericke the King of France and commaunded Pipine the Father of Charles the Great to be created King in his stead But yet it was more cleare in Leo the third who translated the Empire froÌ„ the Grecians to the Germanes and annointed Charles the Great for Emperour VVhat a more great proofe can there be of the supreme power on earth then to take away the Empire from whom he will and to bestowe the same againe upon whom he shall thinke good The Popes following persisted in the same steppes esteeming the Emperours as it were balles in reiecting the same from their office and appointing other in their roome at their pleasure VVhereby Bellarmine being moved wrote indeede truly and agreable to this Prophecy All the Emperours who have ben since Charles the Great are bound to the Pope for their Empire in his 5. booke of the Pope of Rome chap. 8. For ever since that time the Beast rose up from the earth being higher then all earthly power to which are added earthly dominioÌ„s and possessions of landes ioyned with this originall which the Pope before time either wanted altogither or at least enioyed but small fewe as great as were sufficient to maintaine a Bishop not which should make any shew of a Kingdome For in former ages Italy was tributary to the Emperours which at length the Gothes possessing made it to pay tribute to them when they were slaine under Iustinian it returned againe to the Empire administred by Captaines The Romane Pope had yet noe Provinces untill this earthly rising up had given him landes sufficiently For is it likely that the Pope by

of this sermon where he maketh mention onely of the markâ— of his name it is because this badge is common not onely to them who are marked in the forehead but also to them who receive the marke in their hand Wherefore Ã´ yee Papists consider diligently how horrible punishement abideth you unlesse you forsake the Pope of Rome These stinging wordes of Martin Luther were not of a man and of an angry adversary but which the Holy Ghost ministred unto him Ye see that the man was sent from the caÌ„pe of Christ himselfe And thinke not that these threates are dead with him but let your eares ring with the same continually For they live at this day and shall no lesse have their force for ever threatning eternall destruction to every one who doe yet worship that Romish Idoll Yea a more grievous punishement is prepared for men by how much the ungodlines of the Popes chaire is more apparant let every one heare who regardeth his eternall salvation 12 Here is the patience of the Saincts These thinges perteine to consolation which the Angel useth with the same as a conclusion shutting up his sermon Albeit they may be the words of Iohn adding these things after his manner like an acclamation But it skilleth little whose of these two they were The speach is defective for here is the tryall of the patience of the Saincts here is the tryall of them that keepe the commaundements of God For now it should appeare who were endued with true patience and who performed the duties of unfained godlinesse Antichrist should be driven into such rage by the preaching of Luther that it was neddfull for men to be godly indeede that would endure stoutly his assault and yet not forsake their profession Of which furie Germanie is witnesse which from hence did wholly abounde with murders the blood of the godly chap. 11.7 And no lesse our EnglaÌ„d for her part which theÌ„ every wher did burne with the fires of the faithfull VVhat wer the horrible sloughters of France the ashes of Merindoll Cabrieres are a signe of most outragious cruelty Now was there need of vertu without which none could stande And that we may know in how great daÌ„â—er things were we read that the very Captaines staÌ„derd-bearers quaked for feare How timorous was H. MelancthoÌ„ untill Luther raised him up coÌ„forted him The like feare without doubt apaled many men 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven The other consolation is of a voice sent from heaven For to the ende that the Saincts should be more proÌ„pt to undergoe danger it is avouched from heaven that the utmost trouble which the wicked can bring upon the faithfull is present happines to them and that it shall not be in vaine although it seemeth otherwise to the world that they doe throwe themselves into so great perils for the trueths sake for their workes should follow them of which they should receive straightway a most sweete fruit and obtaine at length a most blessed and ample reward Neither is it without cause that there is so expresse mention of the time from this time from now that I may so say the common translation hath from now Theod. Beza thinketh that this member is to be ioined necessarily with blessed to which he addeth next blessed from hence foorth c. But it seemeth that it is not to be put out of the place which the Spirit advisedly giveth to it ioyning it with which die Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from hencefoorth Not but that the dead in former ages also were blessed but because these times required necessarily this speciall comfort As long as they had to doe with the Heathen persecuting Christ in his meÌ„bers professedly no man could doubt but that he ought to spend his life in that cause But in the combate with them who boasted that they alone were true Christians iustly the more simple might doubt whether they should resist unto blood Therefore to the ende that the Spirit might take away this scruple and that the faithfull should not doubt to die in this coÌ„flict he pronounceth them happy who die from hencefoorth as though he should say a crowne of celestiall glory doth remaine no lesse for all those who die in the fight against the Beast then for those who for Christs sake were slaine before time by the Heathens wordes full of confort And so indeede it came to passe in the Church restored after the yeere 1543 after the Parliament of Aquen against them of Merindoll and Cabriers many others having sufferred calamities in Fraunce when a rumour also was spread abroad of the entreprises of the Emperour and of the Pope against religion for then many weake brethren being amazed at the dangers present and expected began to thinke by dissembling their religion to provide for their goods and life Which thing feare persuaded them to be lawfull by the example of Nicodemus Against this great feare a voice sounded from heaven when certeÌ„ writings full of holinesse were published by Iohn Calvin of avoiding superstitions and an excuse to the Nicodemites in which by most strong arguments he disprooveth that weakenes and proveth a necessitie of testifying our religion openly whatsoever daungers shal be neere at hande that the glory of God ought to be more pretious to us then this fraile life which to speake properly is no other thing then a shadow VVhich iudgement other holy men also confirmed by their writings Philip Melancthon Martin Bucer Peter Martyr and the whole Church of Zuriche as wee may see in the Opuscules of Calvin This is that voice from Heaven 14 And J looked and behold a white cloude Thus farre the three Angels fighting by the word now a fact is added and engines are brought forth to beginne the ruine of Babylon VVhich preparatioÌ„ is double the Haâ—vest Vintage The harvest is the gathering of the good according to that saying of Christ the harvest is great but the labourers are fewe pray therefore the Lord of the harvest that he would send foorth labourers into his harvest Mat. 9.37 And it is set foorth in three verses the preparation whereof is in two Angels one the Prince ver 14 and the other an Administer ver 15. VVhose labour is ioyned togither as a double thuÌ„der apaling with a double crack one by by following an other afterward followeth the executioÌ„ ver 16. As touching the words a cloude hanging aloft signifyeth a certaine highnesse such as are honours dignities Magistrates Principalities and such like to which an high place is granted among men though not the highest seeing the cloudes doe stay beneath the skie VVhich signification is confirmed by that which was spoken before of the two Prophets who rising from the dead went up into the Heaven by a cloude that is were earryed unto the due height of dignity by the helpe of certaine inferiour Princes chap. 11.12 A white cleare and cheerefull cloude betokeneth

world for a testimonie to al nations from which an argument is thus framed which let me I pray you bring into form that we of the ruder sort may more easily observ the art of demonstration He that is to come after the preaching of the Gospel in al the world he is not yet come Antichrist is to come after the preaching of the Gospel in al the world therfore he is not yet come This is your demonstration wherin we find manie strange and new points never delivered by any Demonstrating Masters namely that principles are used for demoÌ„stration which be neither true nor first For as touching truth the proposition is eyther manifestly false or at least doubtful as after more plainly shal appear and therfore not meet for a demonstration Moreover if any would doubt of the minor what streÌ„gth hath it from Mathew what one word is ther in him of Antichrist to come after a general preaching How is this an immediate principle which if it have any credit must borow it from elsewhere Pardon I pray you this my morositie I thought it necessary to make trial of some one of your demonstrations of al which seing we have now a pattern in this first wee shal not need to deal so exactly in the rest but may judge of what sorte al are by the nature of this But your selfe saw how trifling and unworthy a demonstration this was and therfore you flee unto a probable reason which as a propp you put under that readie to fall To coÌ„firme the Minor that Antichrist is to come after the general preaching leaving now Matthew whole name at first was vainly obtruded Jt may be proved you say by reason because in Antichrists time the cruelty of the last persecution wil hinder al publick exercises of true religion I answer how truly this is said of the publick ceasing of religion we shal see after in the chapter of Persecution In the mean while I avouch that you dispute not so much unskilfully as in deed falsly For time is threefold past present and to come neyther can anie thing be concluded that it is to come unlesse it be before proved that it is neither present nor past Wil you then infer that Antichrist shal come after the general preaching because he cannot be togither with the same But why I pray you may he not be before it Yea what if by this your demonstratioÌ„ he must needs be before it Surely neither can he be togither with the general preaching for the crueltie of persecution as you say neither can he come after because Christ saith when the Gospel is preached in the whole world then shal come the end You see nothing to come between the universal preaching the end Therfore by this your reason he must needs come before the universal preaching This is not the least vertue of this undoubted demonstration that it maketh more for your adversaries cause than for your own But say you the adversaries admitt not of this reasoÌ„ Surely nor your freinds I beleev unlesse it be some foxes that prayse the crow for his sweet singing But I am glad for you that at last your selfe are weary of this demoÌ„stration Furthermore you say Neither is there time now to deduce it from the principles therof and therfore you wil prove the thing by testimonies of the Fathers What Have not you time which undertake the most copious handling of all controversies And which bring not forth one argument of anie weight in this cause I know your Iesuitical cunning what you can not doo for needynes that you may not doo for hast unto other matters But let us goe forward and see how you folow both parts of the former argument For the new as it seemeth affordeth nothing but the old nest was to be trimmed that some shew of building might appear First therfore you bring Hilarie Cyrill Theodoret Damascen affirming that Antichrist shal not come til after an universal preaching I answer ther is now no need curiously to inquire into their sayings seing in this thing they teach agreably to the scriptures For Antichrist was to come because the love of the truth was refused 2 Thes 2. And the punishment is not inflicted before the fault Neither could the fault be committed before there was the use of the truth Here therfore I contradict nothing Moreover in some sort I doo grant your proof from the text For the Gospel was to be preached before that great tribulation spoken of Mat. 24.21 But herein you err that you think this is both the last tribulation and the persecution of Antichrist For it is no other than the destruction of Ierusalem as Chrysostome also dooth acknowledge though typically he would hav it referred unto Antichrist Let Antichrist therfore come after the universal preaching of the Gospel But what Hath not the Gospel been noised as yet through al the world In deede so you say though the thing it self be otherweise Christ being to ascend into heaven bade the Apostles to goe into al the world Mark 16.25 And promised that they should be his witnesses unto the utmost end of the earth Act. 1.8 It can not be eyther that the Apostles should neglect that which was commanded or that our Lord should not performe that which he promised Neither wanted the thing an issue as the Apostle teacheth saying that the faith of the Romanes was published through the whole world Rom. 1.8 and that the Gospel was come unto the Colosseans even as unto al the world Col. 1.6.23 You answer that the whole world in these places is not properly and simply taken but figuratively but the Gospel should be preached in everie nation properly and simplie before Antichrist come Which you prove by testimony of Fathers and by three reasons The Fathers are Augustine Origen and Ierom besides those fore-alledged I answer Ther is no doubt but the Fathers doo accommodate their words unto the words of the Scriptures and therfore they often say that the Gospel should be preached in al the world through the whole earth in al lands c. but whither they speake more expressely or no doo signify by name that these kind of speeches are to be taken simply not figuratively may wel be doubted Ierom in his Epistle to Ageruchia saith He that held is taken out of the way and doo we not understand that Antichrist is neer By which it is playn that he understood no other preaching through the whole world than such as was in his time for otherweise how could Antichrist be neer So Gregorie as is before mentioned saith Al things that were fore-told are come to passe the King of pride is nigh Therfore this universal preaching was then doon but not properly as you would have it which as you say is not performed to this day Turn over the Fathers therfore and weigh their words more diligently perhaps though these things were very dark unto them you shal finde no such preaching

love of the truth that they might be saved therfore God wil send them the operation of errour that they may belpev lyes c. This place you say the ancient Interpreters doo expound of the Iewes I answer as touching the ancient Interpreters you know their mind being possessed with some preiudice inclined all their cogitations therunto Wherupon it came to passe that those holy men when once they had conceived in mind that Antichrist should be a Iew taking it so rather one from another than weighing the thing it self whatsoever anie where was delivered about this matter they applyed for the most part therunto But say you the thing it self without the Fathers commentaries proclaymeth that the Apostle speaketh of the Iewes This in deede is worthy to be considered for from hence we shal have wherby we may judge of those Fathers testimonie First therfore you say Antichrist should be sent unto them which would not receive Christ And who are they which more ought and would not receiv Christ than the Jewes I answer rhat which you first propound is not firm ynough For the Apostle saith not that Antichrist should be sent unto them which would not receive Christ but because they received not the love of the truth And ther is a great difference between these two as much surely as is between Iewes Gentiles For this manner of speaking which the Apostle useth properly belongeth to the Gentils who shal bring as he saith this evil upon themselves not for that they altogither refused the truth but because outwardly professing it they cary not that studie zele desire towards it that was meet Even as the Angel of Ephesus is blamed that in the name of the whole Church of the Gentiles as there we shewed for that he had left his first love Ap. 2 4. From these words therfore I conclude most firmly against you that the Apostle speaks of them which acknowledging professing the truth did not love the same as became them which agreeth certes to the Gentiles onely not to the Iewes who refusing the whole truth are not blamed for want of love seing the lesser crime is not wont to be obiected nothing said of the greater Secondly you say the Apostle speaketh not in the time to come they wil not receive but in the time past they have not received which agreeth to the Iewes that would not beleeve when Christ and his Apostles preached when in the mean while the Gentiles received the Gospel most desirously I answer the Apostle speaketh in respect of the time of Antichrist of whom he treateth God wil send Antichrist because before Antichrist came men studiously folowed not the truth as became them Neither could he speake otherweise unlesse he had set the punishment before the offense For if he had sayd because they wil not receive the truth it might seem that Antichrist should come upoÌ„ theÌ„ for the obstinacie that should be after his coming These ar your reasons which you say doo proclaym that the Apostle speaketh of the Iewes but if you diligently mark you wil confesse that this is not so much as a soft whispering unto the lowd crie on the other part For hear what the Apostle saith in the beginning of the chapter ver 3. Vnlesse ther come a departure first and the man of sin be reveled c. Wherby he teacheth that the departure or Apostasie shal goe before Antichrist and the Revelation of Antichrist before the coming of the Lord. And whose departure shal this be not the Iewes for they received not the truth at all And defection is from a thing which one embraced before Moreover these mens defection could not be to come seing they from the first preaching of the faith did resist the truth Therfore it should be the defection of the Gentiles and not passed but to come For if it had been past the Thessalonians had seen Antichrist who had not yet shewed himselfe being restreyned by some impediment as the Apostle after teacheth But you wil say this departure was from the Roman Empire But let the Apostle I pray you interpret himselfe who afterwards expresseth that which here he caleth a departure by other words for that they received not the love of the truth ver 10. And what other departure could bring forth this mischeevous evil Was the Roman Empire which crucified the Son of God so regarded of God as for departure from it he would send Antichrist into the world These are the dreams of Romish men that abound with excess and surfetting not of such as with true desire doo folow the truth Therfore whatsoever hitherto you have said it is clear ynough that they be not Iewes which should receive this Antichrist but Gentiles and that for iust causes Calvin of blessed memorie and others whom yoy cal Heretiks did depart from the ancient Fathers interpretation also did expouÌ„d these things of you and such like from whom certaynly so farr as it seemeth God hath taken away al iudgement of right and wrong in matters of salvation because you more esteme the honour and pleasures of this world than the simplicitie of the Gospel But by reason also you would persuade that the Jewes are they which shal receive Antichrist who should joyn himselfe first unto them For they be ready to receav him which expect the Messias to be a teÌ„poral King I answer they are readie in deed to receive Antichrists and oft-times they have received them according to that which Christ foretold but what is this unto the Antichrist of whom we speak For inquisition is made of Antichrist properlie so caled who because he hath two horns like the Lamb Apoc. 13.11 they which hate the Lamb doo hate him also that is somewhat like him and therfore eschew him as much as they can Let the Iewes therfore cal the Pope of Rome Heghmon that is tail and give him what reprochful names so ever yet foloweth it not therupon that he is not the great Antichrist seing it is no where said that he should be honoured by this people in anie peculiar sort For wheras you say Antichrist shal in like manner come from the Iewes to the Gentiles as Christ came from the Iewes to the Gentiles surely you either ghesse or dream Yow prove nothing unlesse perhaps you would make Christ to be a tipe of Antichrist which impious divinitie of yours we heard once before in the ch of Antichrists durance That which you bring therfore of Antichrist properly so caled to be received of the Iewes is altogither vayn The second which you said was also most certayn is that Antichrist shal be a Jew and circumcised and this you say is deduced from the things forespoken I answer those things alreadie spoken from which this is deduced we have sufficiently shewed to be most absurd and therfore this which is builded upon them is of like strength and authoritie For that which you annex in sted of confirmation that the

shal come to passe between that signe given this thankesgiving The first gratulation is of a great multitude in heaven that is of the mixed multitude of the Church conversant on earth for we keepe in the common signification of this word which beareth not that these things should be referred to any knowledge which the heavenly soules have of things done with us The citizeÌ„s therfore of this militant Church in every countrey where the fame shal come they shal leape for ioy and shal breake forth into this grateful commemoration Â¶ Hallelujah Halleluiah is an Hebrew word praise ye the Lord wherby the faithfull exhort one an other to give thaÌ„kes and prepare their minds as it were with this preface True joy suffereth not it selfe to be contained in the bosome of any one but taketh to her selfe fellowes to whom shee may both impart her selfe and also may be more stirred up by the joint affection of others This one word containeth large matter of very great ioy But why doth the heavenly multitude speake now in Hebrew Is ther more holinesse in these lettres and syllables than in other They ar toyes Are then some Hebrew words kept as Osanna Amen Abba and the like which we shal use as tokens of our coÌ„cord with the ancient Church that both wee beleeve in the same God and invocate him alone This indeed is a profitable cause of retaining these words but especially this seemeth to be the reason in this place that the Church of the Gentiles after Rome be overthrown shal provoke their brethreÌ„ the Iewes to the faith that impediment being taken away which most of all hindred their conversion it could not be that the crucifyers should acknowledge the same Lord while this flourished or was at all which gave leave to crucify him This is the cause why the Hebrew word now soundeth againe so often Praises were not in these words before time but wheÌ„ the conversion of the Iewes is at hand ioyned next to this reioycing for iust cause now the Saincts doe speak with the tongue of one sheepfold Â¶ Salvation and honour and glory That is the prayse of salvation honour and glory and praise of power be given to our Lord. Glory is a certaine very excellent opinion which a man hath of any ones excellency therfore called of the Grecians doxa Wherfore in this destruction of Rome so bright a beame of Gods goodnes and power shal shine forth that al the faithful shal admire it and be astonied Honour is that worship both inward and outward wherby we doo reverence so great excellency It is ought alwaies to be ioyned with glory otherweise vaine is that estimation of one which no dutie accompanieth the vulgar latine readeth prayse glory and powr be to our God The Complut and the Kings Bible have Salvation and power and glory of our God 2 Because true and righteous The truth in iudgments respecteth the promise righteousnes rewarding according to their deserts The credit of both these falleth into utter decay with the world because of delaying froÌ„ whence now for good cause God is praised of his people in both these respects wheras he hath proved sufficiently to the world that he dooth punish naughty acts and that he neglecteth not the iniuries which are done to his 3 And againe they said An other thankes giving the thing being more certenly known The first tidings of the taking of the city shal cause the first as it seemeth but when the faithful shal have learned that the same is utterly overthrown without al hope of renewing they shal renew their ioy and shal give new thankes a fresh The second is done in fewer words than the former peradventure according to our disposition whose first brunt is most vehement Â¶ And her smoke rose up That is now is shee delivered up to eternal punishment to be tormented For an everlasting fyre is shewed by the smoke ascending for evermore by which kind of speaking is signifyed that the continual remembrance of her punishment shal be with al the godly alwayes A token wherof they shal have continually before their eyes the smoke ascending without intermission least perhaps they should forget it He alludeth to the eternal torment of the wicked Therfore the eternity of the punishment shal give a new cause of gladnesse And not without cause when they knowe that the insolency of the wicked whore shal not onely be restrained for the present but also that none shal have any feare of her for the time to come 4 And those fowr and twenty Elders fell down Such was the reioycing of the mixed multitude ther followeth the assembly of the faithfull gathered togither solemly which doo labour openly and ioyntly to the same duty of thankes giving For this multitude of Elders and Beasts giveth a shew of an Ecclesiastical assembly which God the Father for his sonnes sake couÌ„teth such as this most holy company representeth And therfore as ofteÌ„ as any thing is performed by a common name that is shewed by this sacred Senat as we have shewed in chap. 4. Such therfore shal be the order of giving thankes that the end and conclusion of the common thankes giving be reserved to the publike congregations And so it hath come to passe that private reioycing alwayes goeth before the common publik Any blast of report is wont to stirr up that first this is not undertakeÌ„ but when the things are throughly known and undoubted But the foure and twenty Elders fall down when the Beasts give glory and thankes to him that sitteth on the throne It belongeth to these to moderate the whole action in the publike assembly the rest of the congregatioÌ„ ought to ioine their praiers and to testify their consent by a common voyce in the ende According to this custome there are rehearsed here onely two words Amen Allelujah As though that former were of the Elders this latter the summe of the thankes giving which the Beasts utter in conceived words But this order hath bin declared more fully in chap. 4. from whence this ought to be understood the same which now is shewed briefly But observe that the last songs of the Church of the Gentiles shal be gratulatory which yeeld no other song then Halleluiah Even as the book of the Psalmes is concluded with songs of praises Shee sunge in time past many lamentable songs and hymnes of a mixt kinde but the last part of the Comedy shal be doubtlesse a most joyful tryumph And these are the funerals of the city of Rome and the rites by which her burial shal be celebrated The day and yeere cannot certenly be set downe in which her funeralls shal be yet from other scriptures I think it to be clear that they shall not be differred at the furdest beyond three score yeeres The sixeteenth chapter hath taught that next after that the vial is powred out upon the throne Euphsates shal be dryed up that is after Rome destroyed

shal be manifest then to al men that Christ is the supreme King which was not so evident to the world in former ages The Christian name hath bin spread before now into al contries but how miserably did the Heathen Romane Emperours vexe that first when it began Since that time by how sundry entreprises hath the Pope of Rome endevoured to bring destruction unto it Neither yet at this time doth he surcease from his former practise having now the Turk also a partner in the same trafick although both follow a divers way of obtaining their desire Doubtlesse since that Christ hath bin made known to us Gentiles he hath not seemed so much to raigne a to serve a miserable service Yet neverthelesse he gave alwayes some proof of his Kingdome even in the middes of these miseries because he preserved his Church against al meÌ„s willes howsoever he yeelded her to the lust of the enemies and to be over whelmed almost with all calamities and miseries But now at length the contrary shal be manifest to al men Christ himselfe wil take the governement into his hands wil give the soveraigntie over the things on earth to his Church then shal be the time when the stone being cut of the mountain without hands shal breake in peeces the yron the clay the silver and the gold and shal obtaine a Kingdome that shal never be destroyed neither shal be left to another people Dan. 2.44.45 VVhich thing is made more apparant from the name written on the thigh as it were in the lowest parts of the body and even as though it were in the foote For the scriptures are wonte to call all beneath the belly the feete Gen. 49.10 Isay 7.20 Therfore he hath this name written in this part not onely because that which is lowest in Christ scarce reaching to his feete is higher then the highest thing in meÌ„ Monarches bearing the titles of Empire on their head on their crownes and Diademes but Christ carying a loftier title on his thigh then any Monarch ever hath obtained not I say for this cause onely but chiefly because this shal be the time wherin his feete that is his Church shal beare rule Before time they were fine Brasse burning in a fornace yet free from any hurt chap. 1.15 But now after the fierie trial they shal enioy a most noble Kingdome Now Christ shal honour the place of his feet Isay 60.13 This is that Kingdome which al the Prophets doo praise with so great decking of words of which ther shal be no ende but after that it hath flourished a long time on earth it shal be translated from hence at length into heaven at the second comming of Christ So then these foure names coÌ„taine the whole state of the Church from the calling of the Iswes unto the last ende of al things Al which time may be distinguished into three parts the first of which goeth before the battel with the Beast and the Dragon wherunto the first two names with the whole preparation are applyed The second is bestowed in the battel it selfe signifyed by a third name The third is al the other space from the victory until Christ shal come to which the fourth most mighty name agreeth 17 Then I saw a certain Angel stand in the Sunne Thus farre the description of the Captaine now of certain soldiers who must fight with the Beast These ar mustered by the voice of an Herald of armes standing in the Sunne who differreth from him that powred out his vial upon the Sunne for this by interpreting the Scriptures shal bring a plague that other shal provoke the Saincts to warre by exhorting Neither perhaps doth he that powreth out the vial stande in the very Sunne but set in an other place shal sprinkle his liquour upon it This sitting as it were in the charet of the Sunne hath his standing in the very light But how wilt thou say can we conceave any such thing yea by meditating upon it I think light may be given to this Sunne from the 12. chap. 1. where we heard that the woman was clothed with the Sunne that is shining round about with a most cleare light of the Scriptures with the clearnesse wherof being adorned as it were with a garment shee came forth abroad among the people shewed her selfe in the sight of the world But one may be said to stand in his clothing as the wife standing at the right hand of the King in gold of Ophir Psal 45.10 Vherfore this Angel shal be some cityzeÌ„ of that particular Church which shal shine most clearly by the approbatioÌ„ of the very sacred truth shal be a natural daughter of the woman clothed with the Sunne VVe know that there is not the same purity of al particular Churches which professe Christ but that one doth take out more dreggs than an other But this Angel shal be a member of a most pure and chast congregation which above others shal shine with this glorious apparell This is not one of the converted Iewes of whom he began to speake even now but an Angel of the VVest part calling the VVesterne men to warre against the Beast and the false Prophet the plagues of our world And indeed al the force of this last warre in the VVest seemeth to be converted against that holy coÌ„gregation which even now I said did shine as the Sunne For which cause a cityzen of it before the rest shal sound the alarme and cal togither the rest not so much to the battel as to the spoile FroÌ„ which things in some sort may be understood what is that place Armagedon in the VVest part wherof we heard in chap. 16.16 To weet such a particular holy congregation or city which shal be the place of this warre For this is har gbei qodhesch the hill of precious fruits which God esteemeth deerer to him then al delights And it is like that after Rome is overthrown that the Pope will againe place his chaire at Avenion but I have no certenty concerning this thing I follow onely coniecture but if he shal sit there where shall he sooner and more gladly streine to doo his uttermost than against the Genevean people of Savoy hardby a heart sore thankes be to God now for some yeeres which shal then also be the totment of their eyes And verily farre be it that my words should grieve any man the Sunne of our world shineth there and from thence that alwayes it may shine more every godly man desireth earnestly of God neither let my repeated admonition be superfluous Hold that thou hast let no man take thy crowne In the meane time our prayers shal not be wanting for thee that the Sunne of righteousnesse may ever shine upon thee and drive farre away all darkenesse Â¶ Saying to all the foules that did fly by the middes of heaven It hath bin observed in chap. 8.13 14.6 that mesouranema signifyeth between heaven and earth not

seales at chap. 6. Â¶ And hound him for a thousand yeeres He ordained that maÌ„ner of ruling which being afterward extended to a thousand yeeres left no power to the open enemies to raigne over the Church as in former time And this is the second period in which the Dragon was bound that is the HeatheÌ„ Emperours were repressed unto the yeere 130. But I say this period to be of the Dragon because it is not that full period which before the Spirit did set of the whole Prophecy to weet of the trumpets For this is of a longer time and exceedeth that of the Dragon about two hundred threscore yeeres and more The history of the Dragon hath some thing peculiar to it selfe neither is it strictly to be astrained to that rule The binding of him is more ancient then the blowing of the trumpets done under the sixt seale about the yeere 306 as was said in chap. 6.12 and 12.7.8 9. But the trumpets gave their first sound in the Nicene Councill chap. 8.7 and in their sixt sound brought to the Dragon a releasing from prison chap. 9.15 Wherfore wee now understand that this second period is proper to the Dragon agreeing with the trumpets neither in beginning nor ende The Iesuit Ribera measureth the times for the most part by the proper signification of the words as the five moneths of the locusts three yeeres and an halfe of the raigne of Antichrist yet neverthelesse he would have these thousand yeeres to be taken indefinitely for the whole space from the death of Christ even unto the time of Antichrist to which opinion at least as touching the beginning of the account very many both of the old and new writers doo condescende But why have they not considered that the Beast which is the very Antichrist raigned this whole thousand yeeres in which the Dragon was bounde Therfore his imprisonnement was not to be ended at the beginning of the raigne of Antichrist but this rather was to beginn togither with it That I may not now speak any thing of that barre which the Spirit hath put at chap. 4.1 I will shew thee those things which must be done hereafter which forbiddeth to looke back to the time past and warneth that all the folowing prophecy consisteth in things to come and latter then the age of Iohn Further more the agreement of the whole Prophecy which wee have seene hitherto caÌ„ not beare such a biginning to be made as troubleth all things with confusion which we cannot rid ourselves of But shal we thing that the Divell was bound when he raged most cruelly by the first Heathen Emperours When may we say that he was loosed if then he lay in prison and in the stockes That which the Iesuite alleageth out of the 12. chap. of Iohn Now the Prince of this world shal be cast forth belongeth nothing to this cause for so much as this is to be understood of the spiritual power theÌ„ forthwith to be utterly destroyed by the death of Christ but the binding which the Revelation speaketh of belongeth to his tyranny over the bodies of the Saints as froÌ„ the beginning of the fourth verse of this chapter it is manifest where the soules of the Saints raigning after the DragoÌ„ was cast into bondes pertaine to them who were beheaded by the same before his bondes raging most furiously Which calamity what other can it be than that of the cruelty of the Heathen Emperours Wherfore neither the beginning nor ende of these thousand yeers is set downe rightly by the Iesuite 3 And he cast him into the bottomlesse pit This bottomlesse pit is the earth as it is manifest from chap. 12.3 where it is said when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth which yet is not so called after the custome of the common speach but to note out earthly men who in name onely ar couÌ„ted citizens of the Church The woe also is denounced to the inhabitans of the earth and sea because the Divell is come down to them as in the same place verse 12. Now he must be conversant among these onely his fury must be exercised against these as hath bin declared in the said place Â¶ And shut him up and sealed upon him To weet the doore or stone or some such thing as they made the sepulchre sure sealing the stone Mat. 27.66 by which is signifyed that the Devill was committed to most sure custody such as he should not have so much leave as to look out of doores Not because he should be vacant from busines altogither by the space of the whole thousand yeeres for he should cause huge sturres both by laÌ„d and sea as we learned even now from chap. 12.12 know to hav come to passe in very truth by those things which are meÌ„tioned in chap. 8.12 but because he should have no power at al over the holy Church against which he should undertake al his attempts in vaine He cast out a flood after the woman but he lost his labour For both the earth holpe her and shee fled into the wildernesse beyond the chaine wherwith the Dragon was bound as in chap. 12.15 c. Â¶ That he should deceive the Gentiles no more The Gentiles are also the citizens of the false Church whose dwelling was in the exteriour court and in the holy city two and fourty moneths chap. 11.2 He speaketh not of these Gentiles now but of them that wer wholly repugnaÌ„t to the name of Christ such as were those fierce tyrants of Rome before Constantine This sorte of enemies should entreprise nothing against the holy Church by the space of those yeeres because they should not know wher it should be yet in the meane time some other cruell enemies should intreate the false Church most cruelly chap. 12.17 c. Â¶ For afterward he must be loosed for a little season After those thousand yeeres are finished the Divell was to be loosed againe wherin is set the third time falling upon the beginning of the sixt trumpet when the most cruel Turke all feare of the Romane Empire being laid asyde which he saw to be forsaken of the Westerne armes and at home drowned with slouthfulnes riot and dissentions began an horrible tyranny also against the Church and not onely the false but also the true which then after a long distance of time began to shew it selfe at least beholding a farre off from the wildernes whither shee had fled although shee differeth her full returne until some ages after The Divill being then loosed graunted not so much as one houre of rest from warre but as soon as the truth began to come forth abroad about the yeere 130 straiteway he provoked the enemy to vexe the same by what meanes he could Therfore the Turke flyeth upon the dominions of the Empire he passeth over into Europe he increaseth his victories he rooteth out the maiestie of the Romane name he carieth away all things with him as a swift running

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