the Apostles and the faith imbraced by the children of God in all ages there may we obserue the antiquitie that yeeldeth to no nouelties there may we see the vniuersalitie that giueth place to no schisme or diuision there may we finde that consent that grounded in veritye is polluted with no error or iniquity Therefore S. Augustine rightly iudgeth that the catholike church is to be sought in the Scriptures his words are these contra Petiliani Donat epist Si autem Christi Ecclesia Canonicarum Scripturarum diuinis certissimis testimonijs in omnibus gentibus designata est quicquid attulerint vndicunque recitauerint qui dicunt ecce hic Christus ecce illic audiamus potius si ouer eius sumus vocem Pastoris nostri dicentis Nolite credere Illae quippe singulae in multis gentibus vbi ista est non inueniuntur Haec autem quae vbique est etiam vbi illae sunt inuenitur ergo in Scripturis sanctis eam Ecclesiam scilicet requiramus If the church of Christ throughout all nations be discerned by the diuine and infallible testimonies of the Canonicall scriptures whatsoeuer they shall bring and whencesoeuer they wil alledge which saye Lo heere is Christ Lo there is Christ Let vs heare rather if we bee his sheepe the voice of our shepheard saying Doe not beleue them for al those in many nations where the same is are not founde but this same which is euery where is also founde where they are therefore let vs seeke the same church in the holy scriptures And in his treatise de vnitate Eccles cap. 16. Ecclesiam in scripturis sanctis Canonicis debemus agnoscere non in varijs hominum rumoribus opinionibus factis dictis visis inquirere We are to acknowledge the church in the holye canonicall scriptures and not to seeke it in the sundrie rumors opinions doings sayings conceits of men And againe in his 166. epistle In Scripturis didicimus Christum in Scripturis didicimus Ecclesiam has scripturas communiter habemus quare non in ijs Christum Ecclesiam communiter retineamus In the Scriptures we haue learned Christ in the Scripturs we haue learned the church this scripture we haue common amongst vs wherefore doe wee not in them likewise reteine Christ and the Church Hereunto also accordeth Chrysostome in his 49. homily vpon Math Antea multis modis ostendebatur quae esset Ecclesia Christi nunc autem nullo modocognoscitur nisi per Scripturas Before by many means was it shewed whiche was the churche of Christ but nowe by no meanes is it knowne but by the Scriptures Thus by the iudgement of these Fathers and by the nature of the catholike church it selfe we see that the knowledge of it is to be deriued from the scriptures which so being what can be more cleare then that neither prayers for the dead nor inuocation of Saintes nor worshipping of images nor the Popes primacie ouer the church nor his superiority ouer princes and kingdomes nor his doctrine of Purgatorie nor his power there to release soules nor transubstantiation nor the halfe communion nor monastical vowes nor forbidding of marriage nor meritorious fastes nor workes of desert and supererogation nor sacrificing Christ euerie daye nor releasing subiects of their othes of allegiance nor dispencing with Princes for periuries and incest nor sale of pardons nor offering vnto reliques nor a thousand other doctrines practises and ceremonies of the Papisticall religion were euer grounded vpon the catholike church Let the whole volume of the scriptures be pervsed you shall see none of these thinges taught beleeued practized vsed or imbraced by the catholike church examine the faith doctrine writings and documentes of the patriarches the Prophets the Apostles Christ himselfe you shall finde these things either not conteyned in them or contraried by them Try them by antiquitye you shall proue them far younger then the time of the Apostles try them by vniuersalitie you shal perceiue that neither the church before the Lawe nor the church vnder the Law nor the purest churches vnder grace did euer embrace them trye them by consent you shall finde that neither the patriarches nor the Prophets nor the Apostles nor the faithfull by them taught in sundrie churches did euer agree in them or once beleeue them it must needes bee then that they are not grounded in the catholike church but are some later inuentions and doctrine of a particuler church from whose errors and corruptions they haue proceded which particuler church is the Church of Rome which we will briefly shewe neither to be the catholike church nor to haue beene for many yeeres any sounde member of the catholike church The catholike church as we before rehearsed conteyneth all them that haue beleeued doe beleeue or shall heereafter beleeue in Christ Iesus to the end of the world The church of Rome conteyneth not all those that haue beleeued for in the dayes of many of them it had no beeing at all nor all them that doe beleeue nor all them that shall beleeue Therefore the church of Rome is not the catholike church The catholike church conteineth all partes both of the church triumphant and militant The churche of Rome conteyneth no parte of the church triumphant nor all partes of the churche militant Therefore the church of Rome is not the catholicke church Within the catholike church Christ was borne and of a blessed member of the catholike church Christ was not borne in the church of Rome nor of any member of the church of Rome Therfore the church of Rome is not the catholike church The catholike church alloweth not the adoration or deuine worshipping of any creature The churche of Rome alloweth the adoration and deuine worshipping of creatures Therefore the church of Rome is not the catholicke church The maior is the expresse sentence of S. Aug in his 2. booke de moribus ecclesiae cath cap. 30. it is also the expresse doctrine of Christ in the 4. of Mathew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Him onely thou shalt worship And of the Angell in the 19. of the Reuelat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Before God shalt thou fall downe The minor is proued by the Nicene councel which teacheth that the image of the Trinity and the crosse are to be adored worshipped with the same kinde of adoration and worship that the trinitye Christ himselfe are to be worshipped with and by Thomas of Aquine an approued Doctor of the Romain church in his third booke of sentences the second distinction by Nauclautus Clugiensis whose words are these Non solum fatendum est fideles in Ecclesia adorare coram imaginibus vt nonnulli ad cautelam forte loquūtur sed adorare imaginem sine quo volueris scrupulo quin eo illā venerari cultu quo Prototipon eius It is not onely to be yeelded vnto that the faithfull in the church do worship before images as some happely speak for a cautell
but also doe adore the image without any kinde of scruple whatsoeuer yea and doe honor the same with that worship wherewith the thing or person thereby represented is to be honored And by Andradius the late defender of the Tridentine counsell whose workes are seene and allowed by the Romishe church Non inficiamur saith he hac nos latriae adoratione Christi praeclarissimam crucem colere venerari We denie not that we worship and honor the moste excellent crosse of Christ with this adoration of greatest honor worship but both the crosse of Christ and the image of the trinity and al other images are creatures therefore our conclusion is strong and certaine that the church of Rome is not the catholik church Infinite arguments to this purpose might be drawne and euerie of them in effecte demonstratiue but the matter so cleere these few may suffice Let vs then examine sith it is not the catholike church whether it be a catholik church in that sense that the word catholik is imitatiuely taken for soūd and sinceere that is whether it be a pure and perfect member of the catholike church It is very sure and certeine that sometime it hath bene a verye notable member and as it were a right arme an ayde confort and ornament to the rest of the partes but the question is what it is at this present and for manye yeeres hath beene whether now it be a sound member of the catholike churche or no for the deciding heereof wee can haue no better or more manifeste tryall then by the doctrine that it teacheth by the sacraments that it administreth by the prayers that it vseth and by the discipline that it exerciseth and heerein we come to the firste point that controleth your second proposition As in the body of a man so long as any principall member as the arme or the leg hath the bone vncrushed vnperished or vnwrested the flesh and muscles vnbrused vninfected and vnhurte the veins sinewes and arteries neither ouerstretched distorted or shrunke the skinne vnannoied vnexulcerated vnimpeached we terme and accompt it a sound member But if in any of these points it be defectiue rekon it vnsound in that proportion and degree that the nature and qualitie of the defect is of So in the body of the church as long as any member or particuler church as the Church of Rome the Church of Antioch the Church of England the Church of Fraunce hath the worde of God whiche resembleth the bone or pith vppon the whiche it ought to growe and depende vnperished vnwrested and vncorrupted the praiers and supplications which are as it were the flesh and muscles of it wherewith it ought to be filled and replenished vnwasted and vnconsumed with atheisme and securitie and vnpoysoned and vninfected with Idolatry and superstition The holy sacraments which represent the veynes sinewes and arteries wherewith it is both norished vnited vnmāgled vndisordred and vnstrayned and the discipline which is like to the skinne that enuironeth compasseth and defendeth the rest vnexulcerated and vnenflamed with the tumors of tiranny or cankers of couetousnesse or otherwise vnstained with iniquity we are to tearme and accompt it a sounde member of the catholike churche and so much the lesse sounde by how much the more it is in any of these pointes defectiue or euill affected If wee cast this leuell ouer the Romaine churche shall not wee soone discouer howe crooked and corrupt it is and howe much it hath swarued from the vprightnesse and sinceritie wherein it was first established The holy Scriptures it hath not onelye corrupted and wrested as by infinite examples might be shewed but also depriued of force and strength where it ought to haue depended of the Scriptures it maketh the scripture depend of it And whereas the sense of the holy ghost is sure certaine and immutable it maketh it variable and alterable according to the temporary practise of that church This shall you finde in the epistle of Cardinall Cusanus no lesse blasphemously then barbarously recorded The Sacrament of the Lords supper it hath mangled into a half communion and a priuat Masse disordred with the monstrous fantasie of transubstantiation and thereby altered the commemoration to an adoration the Sacrament to a Sacrifice propiciatorye The sacrament of Baptisme it hath pestered if not polluted with manye superstitious and superfluous ceremonies The names and dignitye of sacramentes it hath strayned and stretched to other things contrarye to their nature The prayers and supplications which ought only to bee made vnto God and so made vnto God as the congregation may both in vnderstanding and deuocion ioyne with them and saye Amen It hath what with inuocation of Saints what with worshipping of images what with a strange and vnknowne language made either impious or vnprofitable The discipline which should keep all things in order and frame in it is altogether stained with ambition and couetousnesse finally it is a member so ful of corruption so swolne with pride and so envenomed with ambitiō that it perswadeth the world that it is the body and that all the rest of the partes are but members of it and that whatsoeuer parte is not like it is corrupt and carying vppon it the Romaine Byshop as a most pestilent vlcer it saith that is the head to which all other partes must submit and subiect themselues And is it not then rightlye to bee iudged an vnsound member and an vnsincere Examine in like sort any other particuler church Do it vprightly and sincerely and it shal make manifest vnto you whether it be a sounde or vnsounde member of the catholike church and if vnsound in what degree proportion and measure it is so to bee iudged and accompted These therefore are perfect and pregnant sayings which can neuer deceaue you if the lampe of eternal light Gods holy and heauenly worde beare any credite or authoritye with you for by that shall you knowe whether the doctrine of any church be pure or impure whether the Sacraments be rightly or otherwise administred whether the praiers be godlye and religiously or Idolatrously and superstitiouslye made and vsed whether the discipline be sincere and perfect or disorderly and corrupt and in this we fall to the second point that aunswereth your second proposition If the doctrine of any church is conformable to the doctrine of the Patriarkes the Prophets the Apostles whose doctrine and documents the holye scripture layeth downe it is to be iudged sound and sincere and so much the lesse sounde be how muche it more swarueth from their faith and doctrine If the Sacraments in any church bee ministred according to their firste institution and vse which the holy scriptures doth declare they are to be accompted rightly and duely administred If prayers in any church be vsed according to that forme manner purpose and intent that the godlye of all ages testified in the scriptures did vse and exercise they are to be reckoned
that you came of curtesie to see me I must thanke you and am right sorye my leisure did not serue me to haue further speches with you You deliuered vnto me two Propositions as the grounde-worke of your opinion the one that the principles of your doctrine are grounded firmelie vpon the catholike Church which antiquitie vniuersalitie and consent doe plainelie make manifest vnto you The other that the signes giuen of a true Church by theÌ„ of the reformed religion which are the sincere preaching of the worde the right administration of the sacraments religious prayers holesome discipline are no true signes of a true Church but so to affirme them is an error in Logique for that the Church is a signe of them and not they of the Church For your first proposition that the errors thereof may better appeare I will brieflie handle these 3. points First that neither the Catholike Church nor the doctrine antiquity vniuersality or consent thereof can otherwise be knowne then by the scriptures Secondly that sundry principles of your religion are not at all grounded vpon the catholike Church Thirdly that the Romaine Church vpon the which your principles are grounded is neither the Catholike Church nor a sounde member of the catholike church For your 2. proposition that the errors thereof may likewise be seene I will in few words deale with â—â—â—se three points First that of a particuler Church no better iudgement can be giuen whether it be sounde or vnsound or of two particuler Churches which is the sounder then by the worde and doctrine that they preach by the sacraments that they minister by the praiers that they vse and by the discipline that they exercise for where these are moste pureliest and perfectliest done that Church is to be thought the purest and perfectest member of the Catholike Church Where these are impurest and corruptest that Church is to be iudged the impurest and corruptest member where these are not at all there is to bee accompted no visible Church to be at all Thus to affirme is an error in Logike but a truth in diuinitie Secondly that of the truth of the doctrine of the right administration of the sacraments of the sinceritie and puritie of the praiers of the godly exercise of the discipline in any Church the onelye perfecte absolute and true touchstone is the holy scripture which ought diligently to be read of all men Thirdlie that for the true vnderstanding of the Scripture in those things that are necessarie the circumstance of the place the conference of other places the proportion of the doctrine the summary of our faith and the holy Ghost working in our harts doe sufficiently enable and enlighten vs. The holy Catholike Church wee define to bee the congregation companie and societie of all those that haue beleeued in Christ from the beginning of the world to this present time all that nowe beleeue in him and all that from henceforth shall beleue in him to the end of the world It is called Sancta holy because it is sanctified hallowed by the holy ghost it is called Catholica catholike or vniuersall because it conteyneth all ages all places al persons that beleeue it is called Ecclesia because it is a calling out or euocation of people out of ignorance and error vnto the faith and knowledge of God This Church is the misticall body of Christ who is the true and onely heade of it which gouerneth it in omnipoteÌ„cie and is ioyned vnto it in charitie Saint Augustine vpon the 56. psalme confirmeth this our definition of the Church Corpus Christi est Ecclesia non autem ista aut illa sed toto orbe diffusa nec ea quae nunc est in hominibus qui praesentem vitam agunt sed ad eam pertinentibus etiam ijs qui fuerunt ante nos ijs qui futuri sunt post nos vsque in finem soeculi tota enim Ecclesia constans ex omnibus fidelibus quia fideles omnes sunt membra Christi habet illud caput positum in coelestibus quod gubernat corpus suum si seperatum est a visione annectitur Charitate The body of Christ is the church yet not this church or that but that whiche is dispersed throughout the whole world neither yet that alone which is in men that liue at this present but that vnto which they likewise appertayned that haue bene before vs and that are to come after vs vnto the worlds end For the whole church consisteth of all the faithfull for all the faithfull are members of Christ hauing that head placed in the heauenly places which gouerneth his bodye though it be separate from the sight it is adioyned in charitie It is deuided into two parts the militant and triumphant the triumphant already in blisse and glory ineffable the militant hoping for the like happinesse and in the meane time vnder the banner of Christ Iesus warfaring heere on earth against the world the flesh and the Diuell This church for antiquitie so auncient for number so great for estate so diuers for situation so vniuersall no mans age coulde serue to knowe no mans knowledge were able to conceiue no mans conceit were of sufficieÌ„cy to comprehend if the holy Scriptures wherein the spirit of God hath deliuered these thinges for our instruction were not extant amongst vs. In them we are taught that the churche began in Adam that the first Martyr was Abel the first persecutor Cain that by the Breach of Gods commaundement mankinde fell into that miserable and corrupt estate that it was not able to performe that Law of perfect obedience and righteousnesse that GOD had giuen and grauen in the hartes and mindes of men by the accomplishment whereof they were to haue life and by the impeachment whereof they were to haue death eternall and that then GOD in his infinite goodnesse and mercie graunted a remedie for vs in the promised seed which should restore mankinde and treade down the serpents head which was the first preaching of the Gospell published by God himselfe apprehended by faithe beleeued by Adam Afterward of God reiterated to the holye Patriarches by them imbraced and taught to their children and families preached and foretolde by the Prophetes shadowed out in the Lawe written in the Leuitical ceremonies performed in Christ testified and published by the Apostles confirmed with signes and miracles beleeued of al nations maligned by the Deuill persecuted by the wicked in all ages and yet continued to the end of the worlde by Gods especiall grace prouidence These things wee plainely see conteyned from the first of Genesis to the last of the Reuelation which otherwise coulde neuer haue come to our knowledge In them wee may see the beginning increasing continuance and perpetuation of the church the estate and condition of it in tyme past at this present in time to come the doctrine deliuered by the holy Ghost to the Patriarches to the Prophets to
ita se ad diuinae legis studia conuertit Quis nostrum it a operam dedit quis tāto studio ac labore diuina quaerit studia quanto quaesiuit humana Et quid conquerimur si quod non discimus ignoramus aliqui vestrum vt recitari audierint quae leguntur statim discedunt nulla ex his quae dicta sunt inquisitio ad inuicem nulla collatio which of vs doth so addict himselfe to the studie of the lawe of God what one of vs geueth such diligence who with so great studie and labor followeth diuine meditations and studies as wherewith he hath sought after humane things And why then do we complaine sithence we remain yet ignorant of that which we will not or els neglecte to learne Some of you so sone as ye heare some things recited which are reade doe immediately depart so farre is it off that any inquisition and examination is made of those things which are vttered or any conference vsed or collation The proportion of the doctrine we call that vniformitie and conformitie that is betweene the faith embraced by the Patriarches by the Prophets by the Apostles and by the faithfull of all ages whereof the holy scriptures are witnesses vnto vs that doctrine of God in all pointes absolute in nothing contrarie to it self wil soone discouer anie erronious doctrine that shall be produced if wee carrie the true modell of it in our minds as in the scriptures it is expressed and set foorth Hereof S. Ierome notably ad normam omnia diriguntur vtrum praua rectaue sint cum regula apposita fuerit arguuntur ita doctrina Dei quaedam quasi norma sermonis est quae inter iusta iudicat iniusta quam qui secutus fuerit habebit pacem in semetipso quae superat omnem sensum post pacem misericordiam quae praecipua est in Deo Israel All thinges are directed and ordered according to rule and whether in deede they bee euill or good crooked or straight when the rule or line is applied vnto them they are prooued and found out In like manner also the doctrine of God is as it were an exact rule and perfect square of speech which iudgeth and discerneth betweene those things which are iust and those which are vniust which whosoeuer truely followeth and cleaueth vnto hee shall haue peace in himselfe which surmounteth and exceedeth all vnderstanding and consequently after this peace of conscience mercie which is most chiefe in the God of Israel S. Augustine of the bodie of the doctrine hic prius per Prophetas deinde per seipsum postea per Apostolos quantum satis esse Iudicauit locutus etiam scripturam condidit quae Canonica nominatur eminentissimae autoritatis cui fidem habemus de ijs rebus quas ignorare non expedit nec per nos ipsos nosce idonei sumus He first by his Prophetes then by himselfe afterwarde by his Apostles speaking so much as he knewe to be sufficient hath framed and made the Scripture which is named Canonicall being of most excellent and effectuall force and authoritie vnto the which we giue credite concerning those thinges which it is not expedient that we be ignorant of neither are we apt or able of our selues to know and conceaue The summarie of our faith and that which faith requireth we call the Apostolicke Creede the tenne Commandements and the Lordes prayer wherein a certaine rule or methode is deliuered vs how to beleeue how to liue howe to pray this also will well lighten our vnderstanding that it fall not vnto vndecent vncharitable monstrous conceits whereof S. Augustine verie well Si preceptiua locutio est aut flagitium aut facinus vetans aut vtilitatem beneficentiam iubens non est figurata Si autem flagitium aut facinus videtur iubere aut vtilitatem aut beneficentiam vetare figurata est nisi manducaueritis inquit carnē filij hominis sanguinem biberitis non habebitis vitam in vobis facinus vel flagitium videtur Iubere figura est ergo precipiens passioni Domini esse communicandum suauiter atque vtiliter recondendum in memoria quod pro nobis caro eius crucifixa vulnerata sit If it be a precept forbidding wickednesse and enormitie or commanding vertue and goodnesse it is no figuratiue speech But if it seemeth to command a wicked deede and enormitie or to forbid goodnesse and vertue it is figuratiue Except you eate saith he the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud you shall not haue life in you He seemeth to commaund a wicked enormitie it is figuratiue Therefore commaunding vs to communicate to the passion of the Lorde and profitably to call to remembrance that his flesh was crucified and wounded for vs. Had the Romish Church obserued this rule it had neuer fallen to that blasphemous doctrine of transubstantiation which contrarieth the articles of our Creede wherefore we may rightly say with S. Augustine In principio cauendum est ne figuratam locutionem ad literam accipias ad hoc enim pertinet quod ait Apostolus litera occidit spiritus autem viuificat Cum enim figurate dictum sic accipitur tanquam proprie dictum sit carnaliter sapitur neque vlla mors animae congruentius appellatur ea demum est miserabilis animae seruitus signa pro rebus accipere supra creaturam corpoream oculum mentis ad hauriendum eternum lumen leuare non posse First heede is to be taken that thou shalt not take a figuratiue speech according to the letter For to that pertaineth it which the Apostle sayth the letter killeth but the spirite geueth life For when the figuratiue speech is so taken as though it were properly spoken it tasteth of the flesh neither can anie thing be more fitly called the death of the soule To be short it is a miserable bondage of the soule to take the signes for the thinges signified and not to be able to lift vp the eye of the soule aboue the bodily creature to receaue the eternall light Of prayer and meditation we reade in Origen Ostenditur non studium solum nobis adhibendum esse ad discendas literas sacras Verum supplicandum Domino diebus ac noctibus obsecrandum vt veniat agnus ex tribu Iuda ipse accipiens librum signatum dignetur aperire It is shewed that not onely study is to be vsed for to learne the holy scriptures But also wee ought to pray to God and to craue day and night that the lambe of the tribe of Iuda will come that he taking in hand the booke sealed will vouchsafe to open it And in Saint Hillarie non ergo ex nobis est quod intelligimus sed ex eo qui quae innoscibilia erant fecit intelligi Itaque ab eo speranda intelligentia est qui pulsantibus aperiet querentibus demonstrabit petentibus
deliuered HEERE is first laid downe vnto vs by the holye Apostle a description of the true Church of God the true spouse of Christ the true mother of all the faithful which hath bene one and the very same euen from the beginning of the world vnto this day she is described in the forme of a woman clothed with the Sunne this sunne is the sunne of righteousnesse Christ Iesus the whiche the church his spouse hath put on with whom only she thinketh her selfe adorned beautified in so much that she nether seeketh nor coueteth any other mans righteousnesse to clothe her or deck her withall but accompteth her self in him and by him to haue sufficient beauty and purity the which she knoweth acknowledgeth to haue altogether of his mercy and goodnesse and not by her desart or merit And the Moone was vnder her feete By the moone may be vnderstood al worldly earthly things which are subiecte to changes and alterations whiche haue their diminishinges and increasings their waxines and wanings as honor riches power authoritie dignitie and suche like with all the vaine pleasures and delightes of this world all the which this true church and spouse of Christ doth despise contemne and treade vnder her feete The Moone also may put vs in remembrance of the chāges and alterations which the church is subiect vnto in this world some times being in quiet sometimes in prosperity sometime in aduersity sometime consisting in many sometime in few Further it geueth vs to vnderstand that as the Moone receaueth all her lighte and beautye from the Sunne so the churche receaueth all her puritie righteousnesse and glorye from Christ Thus the Moone was vnder her feete and vppon her head a crown of twelue starres This number of twelue is the number of perfection or fulnesse and by the starres shynings in the church are ment the Patriarches the Prophets the Apostles the Martirs the godly ministers of al ages which shine in the church both in life and doctrine which all doe receaue their lighte of the sunne of righteousnesse wherewith the church is clothed 2 And shee was with childe and cried trauelling in birthe and was pained ready to be deliuered This place is to bee referred to those times of the church that were before the incarnation of Christ When as the congregation of the faithful that is to say the church did maruelously longue and as it were trauailed in minde to haue that promised seed borne and brought to light that should repaire the miserable ruine of mankinde and treade downe the serpents head the which seed was our Lorde and Sauiour Christ Iesus who was born within the church and of a blessed member of the church 3 And there appeared another wonder in heauen and behold a great red dragon hauing seuen heads and tenne hornes and seuen crownes vpon his heads 4 And his taile drew the third part of the starres of heauen and cast them to the earth Hauing described the church now he falleth to the description of the principall enemie of the church which is Sathan he is described in the forme of a dragon that is to say full of venome full of poyson wherewith he infecteth corrupteth the world of a red colour to declare his bloudines his cruelty his spite and malice hauing seauen headdes that is to saye being full of deuises subtilties craftes and deceipts to entrappe and destroy men withall He hath also ten hornes seuē crownes his hornes signify his mighty force power and violence his crownes his dignity honor and authority in this wicked world wherof he is called Prince and chiefe potentate of this darkenes 4 And his taile drew the third part of the stars of heauen and cast them to the earth The dragons taile are false prophets hypocrites and such as by a shew of holines deceaue men teaching false doctrine drawing men from heauen to earth from worshipping God in Spirite and trueth to earthlye adorations Imaginations and conceiptes Of this tayle were the Scribes and Pharisyes and other religious folke of the Iewes of the same also are all such as by false doctrine haue drawen any out of the firmament of Christes church that were once there placed as stars by baptisme and regeneration Hereunto the Prophet Esay doth allude saying the false prophet is a verye tayle but such starres were not fixed in the firmament therefore the dragons tayle had power ouer them And the dragon stoode before the woman which was ready to be deliuered to deuoure her childe when she had brought it forth So she brought a man childe which shoulde rule all nations with a rodde of yron and her sonne was taken vp vnto God and to his throne This childe that the church brought foorth whom the Dragon sought to deuoure was Christ our Sauiour against whom the Dragon stirred first Herode then the chiefe of the Iewes the Scribes the Pharesies the highe Priestes lastlye the whole multitude to the ende to deuour this man childe that the church had brought foorth to her euerlasting comforte and to the Dragons eternall ruine 5 She brought forth a man childe which should rule all nations with a rodde of yron This was that childe whom Dauid by the spirite of prophesie speaketh of in the second Psalme I will preach the law whereof the Lord hath sayde vnto me thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee desire of me and I shall giue thee the heathen for thine inheritaunce and the vttermost partes of the earth for thy possession thou shalt bruse them with a rodde of yron and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell And her Sonne was taken vp vnto God and to his throne Thus when the Dragon had spitte all his venome had vsed all the deuises and subtilties of his seauen heads al the force and violence of his ten hornes all the authority dignity of his seuen crownes finally when he had shewed al his spite crueltye malice he preuailed no whit at all for the childe whiche hee persecuted Christ Iesus ascended into heauen was taken vp vnto God and to his throne and there sitteth at the right hand of the father in most glorious and eternal maiestie 6 And the woman fled into the wildernes where she hath a place prepared of God that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and three score daies And the woman that is to say the church the cōgregation of the faithfull fledde and was dispearsed into the wildernes of the world among the Gentils in that huge and waste forrest wherof the Romaine Emperour was chiefe Foster who is the beast that in the beginning of the next chapter is described there remained the church in this wildernes subiect to the iniuries of the Emperours and other his vnder officers yet notwithstanding fedde by Gods especiall prouidence in myddest of all persecution with heauenly and spiritual foode by godly and sincere ministers And this state did she continue in a
thousand two hundred and three score daies That is to say two and forty moneths the which if we reckon after the accompt of Daniel euerie moneth for a sabboth of yeres it amounteth iust to two hundred foure score and fourteene yeres the which number of yeares containeth the whole persecution of the Primitiue church from the first of Herode to the last of Licinius who being ouercome by that most renowmed Emperour Cōstantine the great the church enioyed therupon after a long grieuous storme a sweete blessed happy calme In the meane time she was by Gods especiall prouidence preserued nourished not in pompous glorious ostentation but in hydlock and as it were in the desert not persecuting but persecuted not giuing but receiuing the crowne of martyrdom not glittering with tēporall riches but shining with spirituall vertues not practising the law of armes but preaching the law of God not superiour to all gouernments but subiect to all gouernours not releasing subiectes of their allegeance but instructing them to the doctrine of obedience not making merchādize of gods mercies freely bestowed vpon vs but diuiding frankly and faithfully to the children of God the bread of life O how wel beseemed this the church of Christ how contrarie vnto this is the church of Antichrist 7 And there was fought a great battaile in heauen Michael and his angels fought with the dragon and the dragon and his angels fought Here is described a fight and great battayle whereof the place and parties are specially to bee considered for the place it was in heauen that is to say in the church for the congregation of beleeuers is termed heauen euen as the companye of the vnfaithfull and vnbeleeuers is called the earth so wee finde in the beginning of this chapter that the Dragons tayle that is to saye false teachers tyrants persecutors and such like drewe the thyrde parte of the starres of heauen that is to saye a great number that were accompted beleeuers and members of the church militant and caste them to the earth that is made them reprobates vnbeleeuers The parties are Michael and his angels on the one side that is to say Christe and his ministers that is godly magistrates instructers according to the saying of the prophet Daniel in that time shall Michael the great prince arise which standeth for the sins of thy people On the other side is the Dragon and his angelles that is Sathan and his ministers which are tyrants persecutors seducers false prophetes hypocrytes and such like with death sinne hell and damnation 8 But they preuailed not neyther was their place found any more in heauen Here he declareth vnto vs the successe of the battaile the victorie was Michaels the dragon was conquered driuen out of the church and had no place in the hearts of the faithfull Thus Christ vanquished the Diuell death hell sinne in so much that none of these haue any power or authority vpon his elect and chosen people 9 And that great dragon was cast out euen that old serpent which is called the Diuell and Sathan which deceaueth all the worlde hee was euen cast into the earth and his Angels were cast out with him The dragon that is to say the Deuill beeing driuen out of heauen out of the Church out of the heartes of the godlie was cast into the earth that is into the reprobate the vnbeleeuers the wicked whose heartes are the temples of Sathan whose sences are grose and earthlie whose adorations and religions are terrestriall whose affections are altogeather fixed vpon earthlie and worldlie thinges And his Angels were cast out with him death sin hell such other the Dragons associates ministers as they haue no place with the faithful so amongst the vnbeleeuers reprobates they haue their proper seate and throne being together with Sathan their leader cast into the earth that is to say among the wicked and earthly people 10 Then I heard a loude voyce saying now is saluation in heauen strength the kingdome of our God the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast downe which accused thē before our God day night Here is laide before vs the reioysing of the heauenly Citizens for the felicitie and happines of the church that by Christs death and passion had ouercome and obtained the victory ouer the Diuell and his aungels For Michaell ouercame the Dragon Christ vanquished the Diuell ouerthrew his dominion power and authoritie and now raigneth only himselfe in most heauenly and triumphant sorte in the hearts and mindes of the faithfull So the accuser is cast downe that we may well say with S. Paule VVho shall accuse the elect of God It is God that iustifieth VVho is he that condemneth It is Christ which died yea which rose againe which is also on the right hand of GOD which maketh intercession for vs. So the accuser of our brethren is cast downe which accused them before our God day and night 11 But they ouercame him by the bloud of the Lambe and by the word of their testimony and they loued not their liues vnto the death The faithfull the chosen and elect people of God ouercame the Diuell but how Not by their desartes workes or merits but by the bloode of the Lambe and worde of their testimonie that is to saye by the death and passion of Christ and by beleuing in him that raised our Lord Iesus from the dead who was deliuered to deathe for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification the apprehension by faithe of this incomprehensible benefite which was the word of their testimony by the blood of the Lambe doth ouercome the Diuell conquer the world vanquish the flesh ouerthrowe sinne death hell and all infernall powers according to the saying of Saint Iohn This is the victory that ouercōmeth the world euē our faith And they loued not their liues vnto the death That is to say they most willingly suffered death for the truthes sake and for their testimony in respecte whereof they loued not their liues but after the counsell of our sauiour in the fourteenth of Luke denied themselues tooke vp their crosse and followed Christ and hated their life in this worlde to the end to keepe it to life euerlasting 12 Therefore reioice ye heauens and ye that dwell in thē VVoe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea for the Deuil is come down vnto you which hath great wrath knowing that he hath but a short time Therefore reioyce o ye congregation of the faithful and ye that dwell in them Wo to the inhabitāts of the earth wo vnto you earthly and wicked people woe vnto you inhabitants of the Sea woe vnto you wauering inconstant and vnstedfast in beleefe for the Deuill is come downe vnto you who shall vexe you with sundry calamities both inwardly and outwardly shal replenish you with al vices torment you with anguish and greife of minde
the decaye of falshoode and lastly the glorification of the godly and condemnation of the wicked at the finall iudgement The methode is first a description of the church of God in the forme of a woman out of whose wombe Christ is borne Sathan is described in the forme of a dragon seeking to deuour this childe which the church had brought foorth Thirdly the ascention of Christ is declared and the persecutions raised against the Churche after Christes ascention Fourthly Gods prouidence is layde downe in preseruing the vniuersall church from ruyne which was doone by three meanes by the generall dispersing of the church by the two Testamentes which preserued the trueth of the doctrine and by the mortalitie of the persecutors Fiftly Sathans endeuours are manifested against the members of the Church when as hee sawe that hee coulde not preuaile againste the whole bodie that hee might the more violentlye afflicte the members hee vseth principally two instrumentes the first the Romaine Empire the seconde the Popedome The Romaine Empire is described in the forme of a beast most vglye and cruell The pryde and proceedinges thereof are layde downe and also the decaye which was wrought by another beast that hadde two hornes like the Lambe but spake like the Dragon Which by the iust iudgement of God partly by fraude partly by force inuaded the greatnesse and authoritie of the former and so brought it to ruine which other beast is the Popedome whose pride and tyranny is likewise declared and finally the fall thereof which is wrought by the restauration of the puritie of the doctrine by the woorde of God and shall throughly be accomplished by Christes comming in iudgement And this is it that Saint Paule teacheth vs that the man of sinne the sonne of perdition shall bee consumed by the spirite of the Lordes mouth and abolished by the brightnesse of his comming Nowe the next verse which is the first of the next chapter beginneth to expresse the restauration of the doctrine Christ manifesting himselfe in his Church in mount Sion accompaned with those whome the former persecutions of the Romaine Empire and Popedome had consecrated as martyres vnto him and sendeth an Angell with an euerlasting Gospell to preach vnto them that dwell vppon the earth to euerie nation and kindred and tongue and people which verse beginneth thus Then I looked and loe a Lambe stoode on mount Sion c. Which intimateth this muche vnto vs that when that man shall come whose name shall be sixe hundred sixtie and sixe If it be wittily accounted that then Christ shall manifest himselfe that then the euerlasting Gospel shalbe preached to them that dwell vppon the earth that then the puritie of doctrine shalbe restored that then the will and word of God shall be published by the which Babylon shall fall and the popedome bee wasted and consumed These circumstances do leade vs to Paulus tertius whose name being well accompted contayneth this number of sixe hundred sixtie sixe if wee alter the numerall letters to Arithmeticall figures and reacon it thereafter thus PAVLVS III. 555 111. For Paulus containeth three numerall letters vz. VLV. the firste V is 5. the L and V is 55. which layd downe arithmeticallye thus 555. is fiue hundred fifty and fiue then III which in numerall letters signifieth the thid in arithmeticall account is one hundred and eleuen And both these numbers holde an equall proportion as one ten a hundred fiue fifty fiue hundred which both summes being added together do make vp a third number of the same proportion which is 666. In the time of this Pope the Gospell began to take roote in many countries sundry learned men both by wordes and writinges preaching and professing the sinceritie and truth of the doctrine For the suppressing wherof in this Popes tyme the councell of Trent was assembled and no practise omitted by confederacies leagues and complattes to withstand the progresse of the truth and to persecute the professors thereof but so had Gods goodnes ordayned thinges that now the riuer of Euphrates was dryed vp that the way of the kinges of the East might be prepared Euphrates the glory strength of Babylon the power and authoritye of Rome was so decayed by the euil opinion that many princes and potentates iustly conceiued of it that the way of the kinges of the East was thereby prepared So that as at the birth of Christ there came wyse men out of the East vnto Hierusalem to worshippe him falling downe before him and presentinge vnto him their giftes of golde incense and myrhe Euen so at the second birth as it were of Christ by the restitution of the true doctrine manye noble wise and learned men who by allusion to the former storie are tearmed kinges of the Easte embrased the Gospell fell downe and worshipped Christ and bestowed the talents of their power learninge wisedome iudgement and industrie vnto his glorye and aduauncement of his truth In this Popes time the societie of the Iesuits was constituted and ordayned hauing added to their vowes of single lyfe and pouertie the vowe of obeydience to a chiefe head and principall president cui omnes in terris tanquam Christo parerent cuius in verba iurarent cuius sibi nutum voluntatem instar diuini cuiusdam oraculi ducerent This gouernour was as it were their chiefe prophet and they as the children of the prophets To these three vowes they ioyned a fourth which is that whether so euer the Bishop of Rome shall please to send them thether without any gaynesaying without any rewarde or allowance sought towardes their iorney they must immediately go Whereupon this Pope enlarged their societye with his priueledges firste to the number of threescore and afterwardes vpon experience of their faithfull seruice vnto him he made it sans number These Iesuites are the three or threescore or many folde spirites or frogges that come out of the mouth of the Dragon that is by the direction of the deuill out of the mouth of the beast that is by the direction of the Pope and out of the mouth of the false Prophet that is by the direction of their preposite or president For they are the spirites of deuils that is to say deuillish voyde of all trueth and charitie which worke miracles by their hypocrisy illusions and ostentation of learning and go to the kinges of the earth and of the whole worlde whether soeuer it pleaseth the Pope to sende them to gather them to the battaile of the great day of god almightye that is to moue them to the affliction and persecution of the true christians in the which they shall confederate band combine themselues by these mens perswasions but shall be destroyed vanquished and ouerthrowne in the middest of their mischiuous enterprises by the omnipotent power of God Thus hauing declared by these premises how this misticall number is the number of a man whose number is 666. we will here impose an ende
to the interpretation of this thirtenth chapter onelye adding this much that Paulus tertius in whose name this accompt and number is contained was a man euen in his owne time charged with extortion sacriledge with adulterie and incest with murther and parricide with negromancie and coniuration The particularities whereof are plainely expressed in the xxi booke of Sleidans commentaries towardes the ende of the yeare 1549. whereby hee seemeth a man not vnmeete in whose name this misticall number and periode of Papall prosperitye should be accomplished As for the meanes of the Popedomes farther fall and finally of the vtter subuersion thereof the next chapter which is the fourtenth will most manifestlye laye it open vnto vs. CHAP. 14. 1 Then I looked and lo a lambe stoode on mount Sion and with him an hundreth fortie and foure thousand hauing his fathers name written on their foreheads 2 And I heard a voyce from heauen as the sounde of manye waters and as the sounde of a great thunder and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harpes 3 And they sung as it were a newe song before the throne and before the foure beastes and the elders and no man could learne that song but the hundreth forty foure thousand which were bought from the earth 4 These are they which are not defiled with women for they are virgins these follow the lambe whether so euer he goeth these are bought from men being the first fruites vnto God and vnto the lambe 5 And in their mouthes was found no guyle for they are without spot before the throne of God 6 Then I saw an other Angell flye in the middest of heauen hauing an euerlasting Gospell to preach vnto them that dwell on the earth and to euery nation and kinred tongue and people 7 Saying with a loude voyce feare God and giue glorie to him for the houre of his iudgements is come and worship him that made heauen and the earth and the sea and the fountaines of waters 8 And there followed an other Angel saying it is fallen it is fallen Babylon the great City for shee made all nations to drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornication 9 And the third Angell followed them saying with a loude voyce if any man worship the beast and his Image and receaue his marke in his forehead or on his hand 10 The same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God yea of the pure wine which is poured into the cuppe of his wrath and he shall be tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the lambe 11 And the smoke of their torment shall ascend euermore and they shall haue no rest day nor night which worship the beast and his Image and whosoeuer receaueth the print of his name 12 Here is the patience of Sainctes here are they that keepe the Commandements of God and the faith of Iesus 13 Then I heard a voyce from heauen saying vnto me write Blessed are the dead which hereafter dye in the Lord Euen so saith the spirite for they rest from their labours their workes follow them 14 And I looked and behold a white cloud vpon the cloude one sitting like vnto the sonne of man hauing on his head a golden crowne and in his hand a sharpe sickle 15 And another Angell came out of the temple crying with a loud voyce to him that sat on the Cloude thrust in thy sickle and reape for the time is come to reape for the haruest of the earth is ripe 16 And he that sate on the Cloude thrust in his sickle on the earth and the earth was reaped 17 Then another Angell came out of the Temple which is in heauen hauing also a sharpe sickle 18 And another angel came out frō the altar which had power ouer fire cryed with a loude crie to him that had the sharpe sickle said thrust in thy sharpe sickle gather the clusters of the vineyarde of the earth for her grapes are ripe 19 And the angel thrust in his sharpe sickle on the earth cut downe the vines of the vineyard of earth and cast them into the great winepresse of the wrath of God 20 And the winepresse was troden without the citie and bloud came out of the winepresse vnto the horse bridles by the space of a thousand sixe hundred furlonges O Thou lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world thou lamb that standest on mount Sion in the heauenly Ierusalem the Church triumphant with an hundred forty and foure thousand twelue times twelue thousand hauing thy fathers name written in their foreheads euen with all thy faithfull and elect whom thou hast taken out of the miserie of this world out of error and ignorance and especiallye those whom thou hast deliuered out of the thraldome and oppression of the olde Romaine empire and the Image thereof the new Romaine Church and hast blessed with thy Fathers name with eternall glorye and felicitye whom with thy precious bloud thou hast bought from the earth from sinne and corruption and hast so endued with thy spirite and grace that they were not defiled with women with the errors and superstitions of particular churches but kept the virginitye of their doctryne and fayth within thy catholycke church pure and sincere and haste aduaunced to euerlastyng blisse and made the fyrste fruites vnto GOD faythfull and spotlesse before the throne of his Maiestye wee yeelde thee moste humble hartye and duetifull thankes that it hath pleased thee to send thy messengers ministers and preachers into the militant church to preach publish thy euerlasting Gospell which the might mistes of Babylon had longe Concealed and obscured vnto them that dwell on the earth and to euery nation and kinred and tongue and people teaching vs to feare God and geue glory vnto him and not to feare the power and might of Antichrist nor his fyerce and furious thunderboltes of curses and excommunications nor to glorify and magnifie that man of sinne and childe of perdition but to glorifye God the honour of whose iudgement is come to consume the kingdome of Antichrist with the spirit of his mouth and to worship thy heauenly father and thee his eternall worde and wisedome which hast made heauen and earth and the sea and the fountaynes of waters and not to worshippe stockes and stones Images and Idols the babes and abhominations of Babylon We yeeld the also most humble and feruent thankes that with this thy heauenlye doctrine and spirite of thy mouth thou hast ouerthrowne the towres of Babell the might and maiestye of the Romish Sinagoge that wee maye truelye and reioycinglye say It is fallen it is fallen Babylon the great Cittie that made all nations drunken with Idolatrye and superstition euen with the name of her false doctrine wherin God in his wrath suffered her to solace her selfe and to commit idolatrie which is spirituall fornication We beseech thee