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church_n	according_a	bishop_n	rome_n	3,853	5	6.3333	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A07226	A revelation of the Revelation wherein is contayned, a most true, plaine, and briefe manifestation of the meaning and scope of all the Reuelation, and of euery mystery of the same : whereby the pope is most plainely declared and proued to bee Antichrist / by Thomas Mason ...	Mason, Thomas, 1580-1619?	1619 (1619)	STC 17623; ESTC S1299	31,570	120

their speed in persecuting they may well bee compared to Horses The blacke Horse are such as went about to darken the light of the Gospell and to maintaine the blacknesse of Idolatry the Diuell the Prince of darkenesse was their Rider because he prouoked them therevnto but he had no power to hurt the oyle and the wine that is those that had the oyle of the Spirit and the wine of Christs blood by a liuely faith The pale Horse seemeth to bee Dioclesian which moued the tenth Persecution hee is called Death because hee martyred so many Christians in all Countries at one time hee slew 6660. of his owne soldiers because they were Christians hee destroyed all the Christians in England no tongue can vtter the deaths and torments that this Tyrant vsed hanging them by one hand scourging them and broyling them not to death but euery day Eusebius saith hee saw the swordes of the Persecutors blunt with often slaughter themselues for wearinesse to sit downe and rest but the Martyrs nothing dismaid were patient for Christs sake so he did likewise in all Countries Then the soules of the faithfull that were slaine in these tenne Persecutions being vnder the altar which is Christ cryed to God as Abels blood did for vengeance and they had long white robes which is the righteousnesse of Christ and they were bid to rest vntill their fellow-seruants should be killed as they were that is vntill Antichrist should be more drunken with the bloud of Saints then the Emperours were But their cries moued the Lord to vengeance and hee destroyed these idolatrous persecutors by the hand of Constantine whom the Lord made a most Christian Emperour The Earthquake the blacknesse of the Sun and rednes of the Moon the falling of the Stars the vanishing of heauen the remouing of the mountaines and the feare of the great ones desiring the mountains and rockes to couer them from the wrath of God describeth the fearefulnes of Gods wrath executed vpon these persecuting Idolaters although these things shall not truly come to passe vntil the comming of Christ yet these words were vsed by Christ in prophesying the destruction of Ierusalem and in other places of Scripture when the execution of some great Iudgement is prophesied CHAP. 7. THe foure Angels that held the foure windes from blowing vpon the earth sea or any tree shewes the peace that God had giuen vnto the Church by Constantine how God by his Angels preserued them from persecutions signified by the windes The sealing of the 12000. of euery Tribe a certaine number for an innumerable number and a greater number of other Nations sheweth the flowrishing of the Gospell at that time This likewise is declared by the wonderful reioycing of the Angels and Saints in heauen ascribing vnto God praise honour glory wisdome and thankes What haue the Martyrs lost by these persecutions Though they suffered tribulations for a small time now they are in long white garments which signifieth Christs righteousnesse being in the presence of the throne of God and serue him day and night in his Temple and hee that sitteth on the throne will euer dwell with them and they shall haue no more hunger nor thirst nor be hurt but God will gouerne them and leade them to the liuely fountaines of waters and wipe away all teares from their eyes CHAP. 8. IN that this peace is said to continue but halfe an houre it shewes that it did not indure long for the Church beganne to waxe wanton with this great peace indeuored more to get large reuennues and riches of the world then to set forth the Gospell In their establishing Christianity in Rome to please the most superstitious and idolatrous Romanes they translated all their Heathen gods of Rome to bee their gods only by giuing them other names Pantheon which was the house of all gods is Maria rotunda the house of all Saints the place of Cibel mother of gods is now placed to Mary the mother of God the temple that was dedicated vnto Pallas and Minerua is now dedicated vnto Minerua a virgin and they inclined to many other pernicious and idolatrous superstitions both of the Iewes and Gentiles Therefore Christ is siguratiuely said to stand before the Altar with a golden Censor and much odors was giuen him to offer which was the prayers of Saints and the smoake of the odors which is the prayers of Saints went vp to God out of Christs hand and hee tooke the densor and filled it with coales from the Altar and cast it into the earth and there was voyces thunders lightnings and earthquakes all which signifieth Gods most heauy indignation against them And there was hayle sire mingled with bloud cast vpon the earth and burned the third part of Trees and greene grasse The earth signifieth the great men as the earth is higher then the sea and flouds these were first perswaded to superstition the haile signifieth their coldnes in true Religion the fire mingled with bloud their heat to maintaine superstitions euen to the shedding of the bloud of such as would not consent to their superstitions The great Mountaine that was cast into the sea burning with fire was the Emperour which by the perswasion of the superstitious cast himselfe from God and Christ and tooke their part to maintaine their superstitions and with a burning zeale persecuted the third part of common people which are signified by the sea As the Starres signified the Ministers of the seuen Churches so this great Star that fell from heauen is the Bishop of Rome by falling from heauen is meant from the Church This seemes to be about the yere 666. according to Chap. 13. His bitternesse called wormwood are his wicked Canons and Constitutions for in that yeare Vitillianus Pope sent into England and into other Countries to set vp Latine Seruice and Masses Ceremonies Letanies and other Romish ware This Star fell into and made bitter the fountains and springs these are the Clergy for they should minister to all men the water of life as riuers feede both sea and land so likewise in that he darkned the Sun Moone and Starres and the day this meaneth the Ministers likewise which ought to make shine the bright beames of the Gospell vnto great and small and make thēselues and others Children of the day the meaning is that the Bishop of Rome silenced the Bishops Preachers which were within his Iurisdiction from preaching the truth made them preach superstitions and bitter doctrine to the poysoning of their soules In that there is mention made in all these iudgements but of the third part of men it is because there was neuer but the third part of the world that would consent vnto the Supremasie superstitions and false doctrine of the Pope CHAP. 9. IN this Chapter is a Prophesie of another Star which S. Iohn saith was fallen from heauen because the Popedome was fallen before This seemes to be Hilaebrand the Pope which

approacheth to inlarge and decke with his graces his Spouse the Church which shall bee vpon the destruction of Rome that the number of the elect being fulfilled Christ may come to iudgement and exalt vs vnto his eternall glory And because the more neere the Diuell seeth his time of eternall torments to approach the more hee rageth against Gods Children therefore this flaming starre must certifie vs that euen now the Diuell by his priuie Counsellors the Iesuites is most busily plotting and practising the destruction of all Protestant Kings and Countries and it ought to prouoke vs to earnest prayer vnto our chiefe Captaine Iesus Christ to confound their enterprises and to destroy them in the same suare which they haue laid for others To the Prince of the Kings of the earth that loued vs and washed vs from our finnes and made vs Kings and Priests vnto God to him bee all honour glory and power now and for euermore Amen A REVELATION of the Reuelation CHAP. I. EVen as GOD so much loued faithfull Abraham that hee would not destroy Zodome vntill hee had foretold him thereof and likewise his chosen Children Israell that he would doe nothing but he would foretell them therof by his Prophets Likewise as Christ so loued his Disciples that hee foretould them his Sufferings Death Resurrection Ascension and the comming of the holy Ghost their troubles that they should suffer for his name the successe of the Gospell the destruction of Ierusalem the glory that they the faithful should haue with him in Heauen such immeasurable riches of his loue hath God shewed vnto his faithfull ones in these last ages in shewing vnto them what shall happen vnto his Church from the blessed Ascension of his Sonne Iesus Christ vntill his glorious comming to Iudgement And because he hath exalted Iesus Christ on his right hand and giuen all power vnto him in Heauen and earth and made him the onely saluation of all that are or shal be saued hee hath likewise giuen vnto him this Reuelation and because Angels be his ministring spirits for our saluation Christ hath sent it by an Angell and because the Lord will not vse the ministry of Angells immediatly for our instruction the Angell brought it to Iohn to conuey it to the seauen Churches of Asia and although it is directed of God onely to the seauen Churches of Asia it doth as properly belong to all Churches people of God as vnto them In that it is said to bee of things that shall shortly come to passe a thousand yeares with the Lord is but as one day with vs In that they are pronounced blessed that read heare and keepe the things of this Prophecie it should stirre vs vp neuer to be weary of knocking asking and seeking vntill the true vnderstanding here of be giuen vs and this as the onely meanes S. Iohn by his example commends vnto vs in that hee beginneth with Prayer to the Father Son and holy Ghost for grace and peace for them In that he calleth the holy Ghost which is one Spirit seauen Spirits it is in respect of the seauen folde operation therof in the 7. churches And hauing now seene Iesus Christ in heauen hee cannot passe by him by barely naming him but declareth what hee hath seene of knowne of him That he is a faithfull witnesse the first begotten of the dead Prince of the Kings of the earth that loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes with his bloud and made vs Kings Priests vnto God he commeth with clouds and euery eye shall see him yea they that pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall wayle before him euen so Amen In that by persecutions hee was faine to leaue his Churches and to saue himselfe in a desolate place he might think that God had forsaken his faithfull Churches and him his faithfull seruant but wee know that all things work for the best for Gods children now euen now in this desolate place he seeth more comfort then euer he did and receiueth the greatest Reuelation that euer was and most beneficiall to the comfort and direction of the Church to the end of the world and fends this vnto his Churches farre passing the comfort of his presence In that the seauen golden Candlestickes which by Christ is interpreted the seauen Churches the gold thereof sheweth the puritie of their Religion without any drosse of humane traditions or Iewish ceremonies The office of a Candlesticke is to hold vp the candle that it may lighten all the place where it is whereby is noted vnto vs their care and loue of the Gospell and the conuersion of others vnto the same by holding vp and maintaining their Ministers to edifie themselues and to bee a light to them that be in darknesse And as Christ walked amongst these golden Candlesticks so wil he neuer be absent from such golden Candlestickes No man as he is flesh and blood can see Christ as he is therefore he appeares vnto S. Iohn by vision and so no doubt hee did vnto S. Stephen when he saw the heauens open and Christ sitting at the right hand of God Christs long garment golden girdle was after the manner of Kings and Priests declareth that he is the King of kings and Lord of lords and the onely Ruler of all things in heauen and earth and our onely high Priest In his haire he resembles auncient Senators which sheweth his wisedome and that he is the first and the last Alpha and Omega hee that was and that is and that is to come His flaming eyes sheweth that hee is the searcher of all reynes and hearts and that nothing is hid from his eyes with whō we haue to doe His brasen feet declare that hee shall stampe the diuell and all his instruments his and our enemies vnder his feet His loud voyce manifesteth that hee shall be heard vnto the end of the world how forcible his Gospel is to conuert the elect how it shall be able to awake to life all that are dead and to make the elect to meet him in the ayre and to follow him vnto glory and to cast the diuell and all the wicked into hell His two-edged Sword out of his mouth sheweth his wrath and indignation vnto the enemies of his Church and their destruction His shining face sheweth his louing fauour vnto his children and assureth them of his saluation In that the Ministers of the seauen Churches are called Stars they are shewed their office euer to bee inlightning those that are in darkenesse with the bright beames of the Gospell and to shew forth their loue vnto God and his children by their good workes that men may glorifie their Father in heauen In that he holds them in his hand whereas hee is said but to be in the middest of the Candlestickes it assureth vs if wee be such Starres he will haue a speciall care ouer vs he will hold vs in his hand and none shall be able to hurt

Rome the great whore that sitteth vpon many waters and sheweth that all Kings and Nations of the earth are drunken with the wine of her fornication In the vision Saint Iohn saw a woman sit vpon a skarlet coloured beast full of names of blasphemy which had seauen heads and tenne hornes and the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet and guilded with gold precious stones and pearles and had a cup of gold in her hand full of abominations and filthines of her fornications and in her forehead was a mystery written Great Babilon the Mother of whoredomes and abhominations and the woman was drunken with the blood of Saints and martyrs of Iesus and he wondred with great maruell then the Angell told Saint Iohn he would shew him the mystery thereof The Beast which thou hast seene was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit and shall be destroyed and all that are not written in the booke of life shall wonder at it that hee being so mighty could be destroyed this Beast is the Emperour which was before the Reuelation it seemeth at the time thereof the Emperour was dead and no other then chosen and the Pope should ascend out of the bottomlesse pitte and be aboue the Emperour and for all his greatnesse yet hee shall goe into perdition The Angell declareth the seauen heads to signifie seauen mountaines wheron the Whore sitteth which plainely sheweth the Citty of Rome to bee that Whore for that is builded vpon seauen Mountaines and so is no other Citty Againe the Angell interpreteth the seauen heads to bee seauen Kings that is seauen kinds of gouernment in Rome of which fiue were fallen and the Idolatrous Emperours did then raigne but Constantine should quite alter the gouernment of Rome from idolatry to Christianity and hee and the Emperours following him was the seauenth King and the Beast in this vision which is the Pope is one of the seauenth gouernment in name because he professeth the name of Christ but indeed he is the eighth gouernment for hee hath quite changed the gouernment of Rome from Christianity to Popery The Angell interpreteth the ten hornes to be ten Kings which at the time of the Reuelation had not receiued a kingdome but shall receiue power at one hower with the Pope and they shall be all of one minde and giue their power and authority to him and fight with Christ but hee shall ouercome them Then the Angell interpreteth the waters where the Whore sitteth to signifie people multitudes Nations and tongues which plainely declareth the Citty of Rome to bee the Whore for no Citty from Christ to this day hath so many Countries and People vnder her dominion as that Citty and in the eighth verse the Angell interpreteth the woman to be the great Citty which at the time of the Reuelation raigned ouer the Kings of the earth and then was the Emperours seate there In that the woman sitteth vpon a scarlet coloured Beast it is because the ordinary attire of the Pope and Cardinalls is scarlet and his fulnesse of names of blasphemy is because most blasphemously he attributes vnto himselfe all Christs names In that Saint Iohn saw the woman so richly arrayed in purple scarlet and guilded with gold and precious stones and pearles thus were the Popes Cardinalls Bishops Prelates Churches and Idolls arrayed and doth most euidently declare that these Prophesies are of Rome The golden Cuppe that she holdeth in her hand is her golden name that shee stileth her selfe withall calling her selfe the Catholique Church but her doctrines which shee teacheth are filthy and abhominable blasphemies Idolatries superstitions which are the wine of her fornication wherewith shee made all Nations of the earth drunken and shee is called the great Whore in that shee is departed her selfe and hath carried so many from Christ our Spowse and from his word and committed fornication with the Diuell and his wicked doctrines and for this cause it is that the mystery Great Babilon is written in her forehead because shee is the mother of whordomes and abominations of the earth as Babilon was If there were no other note wherby it might bee knowne that these Prophefies are of Rome this were sufficiēt to declare the same in that she is said to be drunken with the blood of Saints and Martyrs of Iesus for the Romane Gouernours crucified Christ and the Romane Emperours made the tenne persecutions and the Romane Popes haue slaine more Martyrs Saints of Iesus then euer were slaine in the world before The Angell telleth vs in the 16. verse that the ten Kings which did with one consent giue their Kingdomes vnto the Pope vntill the wordes of God which hee foretold were fulfilled are they that shall hate the Whore and make her desolate and naked and shall eate her flesh and burne her with fire and the performance heereof is contained in the two next Chapters CHAP. 18. AN Angell from Heauen cryeth mightily with a loud voyce Babilon that great Citty it is fallen it is fallen and nothing shall inhabite there but Diuels wilde Beasts and foules because all Nations haue drunken of the wine of the wrath of her fornication And there came a voyce from Heauen saying Goe out of her my people that you bee not pertakers of her sinnes and that you receiue not of her plagues rewarde her as shee hath rewarded you giue her double according to her workes because shee hath glorified her selfe and liued in pleasure and saith in her heart I sit being a Queene and am no widdow and shall see no mourning therefore shall her plagues come at one day death and sorrow and famine and she shall be burned with fire for strong is the Lord God which will condemne her And the Kings that haue committed fornication with her and the Merchants that haue beene made rich by her and euery ship Maister and all that occupie ships and ship-men shall stand a farre off for feare of her torments and cry when they see the smoake of her burning saying What Citty was like to this great Citty and they shall cast dust on their foreheads and cry Alas alas the great Citty wherein were made rich all that had ships on the Sea by her costlinesse for in one hower shee is made desolate O heauen reioyce of her and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath giuen your iudgement on her and an Angell tooke a great Mill-stone and cast it into the Sea saying With such violence shall the great Citty Babilon bee cast and bee found no more and there shall bee no more Musicke nor Tradesmen nor Mill heard to grinde nor candle shine nor Bridegroomes voyce bee heard there any more CHAP. 19. IN this Chapter is declared the praysing of God in Heauen and Earth for the finall destruction of Antichrist but I will first make an end of the destruction thereof In the eleuenth verse Saint Iohn saw Heauen open and Christ riding vpon a white horse and