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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
city_n	antichrist_n	babylon_n	zion_n	23	3	9.4019	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20217	The ruine of Rome: or An exposition vpon the whole Reuelation Wherein is plainly shewed and proued, that the popish religion, together with all the power and authoritie of Rome, shall ebbe and decay still more and more throughout all the churches of Europe, and come to an vtter ouerthrow euen in this life before the end of the world. Written especially for the comfort of Protestants, and the daunting of papists, seminary priests, Iesuites, and all that cursed rabble. Published by Arthur Dent, preacher of the word of God at South-Shoobery in Essex.	Dent, Arthur, d. 1607.; Culverwell, Ezekiel, 1553 or 4-1631.	1603 (1603)	STC 6640; ESTC S117456	184,102	332

West North and South The sense is that the diuels haue yet further and greater scope giuen them to plague and destroy the inhabitants of the earth These diuels had exceeding great power in the kingdome of Antichrist but they are vnsatiable in mischiefe and so after a sorte lie still bound till they haue their desire The place where they lie bounde is Euphrates wherein is a mysterie for Euphrates literally taken is a great Riuer which ranne so nigh the citie Babylon in Chaldea that it was a mightie defence vnto it so that the citie could not be taken vntill they that laide siege vnto it cut out trenches and deriued the waters an other way Now for the mysterie it is this Rome in this booke is called Babylon By a metaphor and after the same manner the great Riuer Euphrates as wee shall see afterward chap. 16. signifieth the power wealth and authoritie which that citie Rome euen this westerne Babel hath to defend it selfe Then it followeth that in this power authoritie and strength of Rome the diuels lie bounde for they waited through the power of Rome to worke yet farre greater mischiefe and therefore are saide to bee bounde so long as they were restrained The mischiefe which they plotted and purposed to bring to passe by the authoritie and power of Rome was the hatching and bringing forth of the Mahometish religion which in very deed did spring from the darknesse of Rome as from his proper roote and originall cause The diuels did foresee that out of the superstitions and Idolatries of Rome defended by their great power and authoritie Mahometish religion might very well bee framed and therefore not being content to plague the West part of the worlde with Poperie and Idolatrie they do greedily desire also to plague the East part of the worlde with the false religion of Mahomet They are not satisfied with plaguing and poisoning all Europe with abhominable Idolatries except also they plague and infect all Asia Affrica with the Turkes most execrable religiō so insatiable are the diuels in working mischiefe Now in the meane time they think thēselues too much straightned bound and tied vp in Rome Romish religion except they may be loosed and proceede further to ouerspread the whole world with all impieties and most horrible abhominations A man would thinke that when the diuels had preuailed so far as to place Antichrist in his cursed chaire and to breede the swarmes of Locusts out of the smoake of hell they might haue bene satisfied for then as wee say hell seemed to be broken loose But yet all this cannot satisfie the vnsatiable diuels but they will haue the religion of Mahomet established to poison and plague all the East parts of the world in their soules and also they will haue the most huge cruell and sauage armies of the Turkes raised vp to murder and massacre milliōs of men in their bodies in the west parts of the world as presently we shall heare Now till all this bee effected they are saide to lie bound at Rome But here we see that this sixt Angell hath a precise commaundement from Iesus Christ to loose these diuels which lay bound at the great riuer Euphrates that they might plague the whole world farre and neare at their pleasure so now all the diuels of hell are let loose and let vs heare what followeth And the foure Angels were loosed which were prepared at an houre at a day at a moneth and at a yeare vers 15 to slay the third part of men Now the diuels being loosed and vnbounde by speciall commandement from Christ were in a readinesse to execute their mischiefe This ascending by degrees from a short time vnto longer longer From an houre to a day c. dooth signifie that as the diuels were prest at hand at an houres warning as we say to put in practise whatsoeuer they had plotted so they were as forwarde to continue the same From an houre to a day from a day to a moneth from a moneth to a yeare that is frō time to time vntil the date of their commissiō was out for their time was limited and their commission bounded as afterward we shall see And this is our comfort that both the Papacie is limited to fiue monethes and the Turcisme to houres daies monethes and yeares The diuels power is limited though it grieueth them full sore They cannot doo what they list they cannot continue as long as they would After the number of horsemen of warre were twentie thousand times ten thousand for I heard the number of thē vers 16 Now vpon the loosing of these diuels here followeth the description of a most horrible plague which they raised vp and it is a huge army a murthering army an army in number exceeding great for he saith They were twentie thousand times ten thousand that is two hundred millions or two hundred thousand thousands But we may not think that this army was euer all at one time or in any one age but here are the armies of many ages reckened vp and the full plague of many yeares set forth How could Saint Iohn number such an army may some man say He answereth this doubt and saith Hee heard the number of them Hee did not number them but the number was tolde him Moreouer it is to be noted that as this army did exceed in number so also in terror and strength and therefore they are said to be all horsemen For an army of horsemen are both more strong and more terrible then any arm of footemen vers 17 And thus I sawe the horses in a vision and them that sate on them hauing firy Habbergeons and of Iacinth and of brimstone and the heads of the horses were as the heads of Lyons and out of their mouths went forth fire and smoake and brimstone Heere is the description of these horsemen and horses as they appeared to Iohn in a vision First touching the horsemen it is saide that they were very well armed with Habbergions that is coates of Maile Corselets or Curets and that of a fiery colour and of the colour of Iacinth that is of smoake as appeareth in the last clause of this verse and also of the colour of Brimstone For as horsemen in compleate armour were wont to weare in their breast-plates and targets certaine ensignes and colours whereby they might be made terrible to their enemies So these Turkish warriours and horsemen do holde out their colours of fire smoake and brimstone as it were flagges of defiance against the whole world threatning present death to al that should withstand them or as if they meant to spet fire and flame them or to choake them with smoake and brimstone then burne them vp with fire brimstone All this their colours and ensignes in their breast-plates and Habbergions did portend Now as concerning their horses no doubt they were as fierce as the horsmen They were great Launces they had heads like

coloured beast whereupon the woman sate chapter 17 9. The seuen heads sayth he are seuen Kings that is seauen orders or states of kingly gouerment for seuen Kings in this place are not put for seuen seueral men which were Kings as some do take it but for seuen seueral gouerments as it is taken in Daniel The foure great beastes sayth the Angel there are foure Kinges that is foure kingdomes gouerments or monarchies as al men know So here by seuen Kinges is meant the seuen seuerall regiments of Rome That is to say by Kings Consuls Decemuiri Dictators Triumuiri Emperours and Popes wherof the first fiue were then fallen when Iohn wrote one was chapter 17.10 that is the Empire and one was to come that is the Papacy My last argument is this Babylon is that City which is situate vpon seuen hilles but onely Rome of all Cities in the world is situated vppon seuen hilles therefore Rome is Babylon The proposition is auouched by the Angel which saith in the seuenteenth chapter that the seuen heads of the scarlet coloured beast are seuen mountaines whereon the woman sitteth that is seuen hilles whereon the City of Rome is scituated whose names are these Capitolinus Palatinus Auentinus Exquilinus Celius Viminalis and Quirinalis as al Poets and Historiographers doo testifie One sayth thus of Rome Septem quae vna sibi muro circundedit arces another thus Septem vrbs alta iugis toto quae praesidet orbe Another calleth Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the City with seuen heades that is seuen hilles It is cleere then by these reasons that Babylon in this place signifieth Rome As for the exposition of the Papists which affirme that Babylon here signifieth the vniuersall society of the wicked it is fond ridiculous for the Holy ghost sayth Babylon is that City which raigneth ouer the Kings of the earth But to say that the vniuersall society of the wicked raigneth ouer the Kinges of the earth is absurd and ridiculous Therefore to say that Babylon is the vniuersall society of the wicked is absurde and ridiculous The distinction of the Iesuits here is also as friuolous as their exposition for they say if Babylon be Rome then it must be vnderstood of Rome vnder the heathen Emperours but not vnder the Popes But the Angel sayth the woman that is the whoore of Babylon or Antichrist sitteth vpon seuen mountaines ergo shee sitteth at Rome and Rome is the seat of Antichrist and consequently Rome vnder the Popes is Babylon Moreouer we may reason thus against the Popish distinction That which was Babylon vnder the heathen Emperours is the same which is here prophecied to bee the chiefe City and seat of Antichrist But Rome was then Babylon ergo Rome is now Babylon for Rome is that City which the Angel sayth shoulde bee the seat of Antichrist And this book doth shew that the great Antichrist shoulde raigne in the same City where the heathen Emperours had raigned therfore it standeth firme that Rome vnder the Popes is Babylon This then beeing graunted that Babylon here is Rome it followeth that Rome shall fall for the Holy-Ghost sayth Babylon is fallen speaking in the present tense as the maner of y e scripture is in prophecying of things to come For whatsoeuer God hath determined to cōe to passe is as it were already don because of the certainty of it and for this cause also the word is doubled It is fallen It is fallen Wee see then most cleerly that almost 1500. yeers before Rome began to fal the certaine fall thereof was foretold This place of it selfe is cleere inough to prooue my second point which is that Rome shal fal But my purpose is to reduce and gather all the fiue Chapters following to certaine heades to prooue the maine points which I haue propounded first then I reason thus to proue the second point that Rome shall fall That City and kingdome which hath the seuen vialles of Gods wrath emptied and powred downe vppon it cannot stand but must needes fall But Rome is that City which hath the seuen vialles of Gods wrath powred downe vppon it Therefore Rome cannot stande long but must needes fall The proposition is manifest and not to bee denied The assumption is prooued throughout al the sixteene Chapter and especially in the tenth and the twelfth verses chapter 16. Ver. 10 Vers 12 where the vials of Gods wrath are expresslie saide to be powred downe vpon the throne of the beast and in the second verse of that Chapter it is auouched ver 2 that the second viall was powred down vpon the men which had the marke of the beast and vppon them which worshipped his image Howe then can the throne of the beast hould out or how can they which haue receiued the beastes marke stand vp long For there is a great Emphasis or vehemency in the manner of speeche For he dooth not simply say the wrath of God chapter 15. verse 7. but the fulnesse of Gods wrath he dooth not say should bee a little sprinkled but powred downe as it were by pailefulles vppon the kingdome of the beast How then can the kingdome of the beast stande which hath so many great ordinances and so many double cannons discharged and shot off against it Surely it must needes fal My second reason is this The beast that was and is not and yet is shall go into perdition chapter 17 But Rome is the beast that was and is not and yet is Therfore Rome shal goe into perdition The assumption is set downe Chapter 17. verse 8. For the Romane monarchie was great in the daies of Iulius Caesar Augustus Claudius Tiberius and therefore it is said that it was But in the raigne of Nero Otho Galba and Vitellius it was greatlie decayed and therfore it is said it is not meaning so great as it had beene and yet in some sort it was and therefore it is said and yet is Now this beast shall go into perdition Therefore the Romane monarchie shall bee destroyed and consequently the Papacie For the Romane Empire holdeth vp the Papacie as it is written that the woman or whoore of Babylon sitteth vppon the Scarlet coloured beast which had seuen heades and tenne hornes that is the Roman monarchie which beareth vp the whoore and beareth vp the Papacy but the Holy-ghost sayth this beast that is the Romane Empire shall go into perdition chapter 17. verse 8. Then it followeth that the papacy shal follow after for if the beast that she sitteth vpon which beareth her fal vnder her then shee must needes fall together with him But we see God be thanked that the Roman monarchie is in a manner quite fallen therefore the Papacy cannot stand long My third argument is this The beast that was and is not being euen the eight one of the seuenth shall go into destruction But Rome is the beast that was and is not being the eight and one

be cared for to be made much of and to want nothing For indeed a good Minister is a Iewel of price A good Minister is as a friend in court which we say is better then penny in purse A good Minister is like a candle which spendeth it selfe to giue light to others A good Minister is like a cocke which by the clapping of his wings awaketh himselfe and by his crowing awaketh others For a good Minister by his priuate studies praiers meditations awaketh him selfe and by his publike preaching awaketh others The scripture affirmeth a good Minister to be the very glory of Christ And againe that a good Minister is a singular blessing of God For the Lord himselfe saith I will take you one of a citie and two of a tribe and will bring you to Zion and I will giue you Pastors according to my heart which shall feede you with knowledge vnderstanding Now then if a good Minister be so great a blessing of God and so pearelesse a pearle how great is the sinne of those which contemne them and treade their Ministrie vnder foote as vile and nothing worth Our Lord Iesus saith of all such He that despiseth you despiseth me Let those scoffers and scorners therefore take heede how they despise Christ for assuredly he wil not long put it vp at their hands If any man demaund a reason why all these Epistles are specially sent and directed to the Angels or Pastors of the Churches seeing Iohn before chap. 1. verse 11. is commanded to write them to the Churches of Asia I answer that he writing to the Pastors excludeth not the Churches but in them or vnder them he writeth to the whole Churches as it plainely appeareth in the conclusion of euery Epistle when hee saith Let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit saith to the Churches Then that which is spoken to the Angell of the Church is spoken to the Church The reason why the speech is specially directed to the Pastor of euery church is because the good or bad estate of the church for the most part dependeth vpon the Minister For commonly we see it commeth to passe Such a Pastor such people Such a shepheard such sheepe Such a builder such building Such a husbandman such husbandrie And as the Prophet saith Like Priest like people For we may obserue in all these Epistles that where the Minister is commended the people are cōmended and where the Minister is discommended the people are discommended also So that they stand and fall sinke and swim together As concerning the person from whom these Epistles are sent it is Iesus Christ who is very gloriously described of his diuerse qualities in the entrance of euery one of these Epistles First in the Epistle to the Church of Ephesus it is said These things saith he that holdeth the seuen starres in his right hand and which walketh in the middest of the seuen golden Candlestickes Secondly in the Epistle to the church of Smyrna These things saith hee that is first and last which was dead is aliue Thirdly to the church of Pergamus Thus saith he which hath the sharpe sword with two edges Fourthly to Thyatira These things saith the sonne of God who hath eies like a flame of fire and his feete like fine brasse Fiftly to the church of Sardis These things saith he that hath the seuen spirits of God and the seuen starres Sixtly to the church of Philadelphia it is thus said of Christ These things saith he that is holy and true which hath the key of Dauid which openeth no man shutteth shutteth and no man openeth Lastly to Laodicea it is thus said These things saith Amen the faithfull and true witnesse the beginning of the creatures Now then wee doo plainely see how gloriously Iesus Christ is described of his seuerall properties in euerie one of these Epistles and what honourable and magnificent titles are giuen vnto him and all to this ende to moue attention and to worke in vs a reuerence of so great a personage that wee might more seriously regarde and deepely ponder the things which proceede from so great a maiestie For we see and know by cōmon experience that almost euery mans words are heeded and regarded according to the opinion reuerence which is had of his person Sith then that euery one of these Epistles is fronted with this great authoritie Thus saith the sonne of God Thus saith Christ Thus saith Alpha Omega therefore wee ought to giue diligent heede to the things herein contained So likewise we reade in the Epistle to the Hebrewes that after the holy Ghost had very notably described the person of Christ and extolled him far aboue the Angels all other creatures hee giueth the vse of it in the beginning of the second chapter saying Therfore we ought to giue more diligent heede to his doctrine And thus much concerning the Exordium or entrance of these seuen Epipistles touching the person to whom and the person from whom these Epistles are sent Now it followeth to speake a word or two of the generall propositiō contained in these words I know thy workes We read in all these Epistles how the Son of God doth praise some of the churches dispraise others commend some of the Pastors and discommend others Now hee that will praise or dispraise must specially looke to this that he be vpon a good ground and therefore Iesus Christ before he enters into any praising or dispraising commending or reprouing doth first protest that hee knoweth their workes is priuie to all their particular actions yea their very thoughts and therefore cannot erre or be deceiued in his censures True it is indeed that men may erre in their opinions censures of others because they know not mens harts with what affections things are carried Men I say may praise or dispraise too much or too little But Iesus Christ whose eies are as a flame of fire and which searcheth the raines cannot faile one iot nor erre a haire breadth as we say either in commēding or discommending and therefore he stoppeth their mouthes at the first dash so as they can haue nothing to reply when he saith I know thy works I know wel inough what thou art what thou hast bin I am not deceiued in thee I know thy sitting downe rising vp am accustomed to al thy waies And this briefly of propositiō The narration as is aforesaid cōtaineth the matter of the Epistles consisting of praises dispraises admonitions reprehensions threates and promises Touching the first we find that some churches are wholy commended others wholy discommended others partly commended partly discommended As for example the Pastor people of Smyrna and Philadelphia are generally commēded for all things and discommended for nothing there is no fault found with them that is no grosse fault as in others for they were not without commō corruptions and infirmities

the sense that is and not the sense which is not as hath beene said before But I will giue power vnto my 2. witnesses vers 3 and they shall prophesie 1260. dayes cloathed in sackcloth Hauing set down how Antichrist his company being those Gentiles which possesse y e outward court should tread downe the holy citie that is the true churh of God for a short time now he commeth to shew that euen in the height and pride of the Popes power and gouernment yet the Church was not vtterly extinct God did neuer vtterly forsake it but in all ages and at all times God did raise vp one or other to withstand all Popish proceedings which is here meant by the two witnesses For assuredly these two witnesses do not signifie Enoch and Elias as the Papists and some others do dreame but they signifie all the faithfull Preachers and professors of the truth which in all ages both former and later haue opposed themselues against the Pope his Cleargie his doctrine his religion and all his abhominable proceedings They are called Witnesses because they should beare witnesse vnto the truth They are said to be two in number for three reasons First because they were very fewe in those dayes when Popery did so generally preuaile for two is the smallest number Secondly because the law of God doth admit of no lesse number in witnesse-bearing as it is written In the mouth of two or three witnesses shal euery word stād Thirdly it is an allusion to Zorobabel and Iehoshua which were the two restorers and builders of the temple after the captiuitie Christ saith here that hee will giue power to his two witnesses for no man hath any power in heauenly things except it be giuē him from aboue and especially to stand fast to the truth in the heate of persecutions and troubles It is said that these two witnesses shall Prophesie that is Preach declare and speake For so Prophesie is taken in the former Chapter and last verse so also in other places of the scripture The time of their prophesieng being 1260. daies hath bene expounded before These two witnesses are cloathed in sackcloth which signifieth that they should lead a sorrowfull life here in this world For in old time when men did fast and mourne they did vse to put on sackcloth It followeth then that these faithfull Preachers and witnesses of the truth did not spend their daies in mirth iolitie and worldly pompe and brauery as did the Popes Cleargie and pompous prelates of Antichrist Now if any man wil demaund how this may appeare that there haue beene alwaies some raised vp of God to write preach declare and speake against the whoore of Babylon euen then when she was aloft and raigned as the Queene and Lady of the world I answere that Histories are verie plentifull in this point which at large do shewe that in all countries and kingdomes of Europe there were euer some stirred vp to impugne and resist the whoore of Babylon As In England Robert Grosted Bishop of Lincolne Anno. dom 1293. Iohn Wickliffe supported by Edward 3. and diuers of the Nobilitie in England An. 1400. In Germany Taulerus a Preacher An. 1354. Franciscus Petrarcha 1356. Iohannes de rupe scissa 1357. Conradus Hager 1359. Cerhardus Rhidor 1359. Petrus de Corbona 1360. Iohannes de Poliaco Iohn Zisca 1420. In Bohemia Iohn Husse An. dom 1414. Ierome of Prage 1416. Mathias Parisiensis 1370. In Spaine Arnoldus de noua villa An. 1250. In Italy Ierome Sauonarola a Monke An. 1500. Siluester a Friar In France Waldus of whome came the Waldenses or poore men of Lions in France An. 1160. Guilienus de sancto amore An. 1252. Robertus Gallus An. 1292. Laurentius An. 1290. In Ireland Armachanus an Archbishop An. 1362. In Sueuia Many Preachers at once An. 1240. In Grecia All the Churches of Grecia renounced the Church of Rome for their abhominable Idolatry An. 1230. It were too tedious to recite all which the stories do report to haue withstood both Pope Popery euen when it did most of all beare the sway these may suffice for the vnderstanding of the Text. As for those which haue bene raised vp since the decay and fall of Popery I meane since Luthers time they are so many and so well knowne that I need say nothing These are two Oliue trees vers 4 and two candlestickes standing before the God of the earth Here the two witnesses are compared to two Oliue trees because that as the Oliue tree doth drop down his Oile and fatnesse so the faithfull Ministers doe drop downe vpon the Church the sweet oile of the spirit which is all heauenly and spirituall graces as the Metaphor of Oile is often so taken in the scriptures They are also compared to two candlestickes because that as the candlesticke beareth vp the candle set vpon it so the Ministers of the Gospell beare vp and hold forth the light of Gods word euen in the greatest darknesse These candlestickes are said to stand before the God of the earth because God beareth rule not onely in heauen but in earth also euen then when all things in the earth seem to be most troubled the church militant vnder greatest persecutions as now it was vers 5 And if any will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouthes and shall deuoure their enemies for if any will hurt them so must he be killed vers 6 These haue power to shut heauen that it raine not in the daies of their prophesying and haue power ouer waters to turne them into blood and to smite the earth with all maner of plagues as oft as they will Here is shewed that if any despise the simplicitie of these two witnesses and offer them wrong because of their basenesse and contempt in the world that there is a fire cōmeth out of their mouth that is the firy mighty power of the word of God vttred out of their mouthes which ouerthroweth ouerturneth their enimies nay as fire it consumeth them to ashes for the Ministers of the Gospell are armed with ready vengeance against all disobedience Therfore they be starke madde and know not what they do which oppose themselues against the true Ministers of Christ For the sword which they fight with slaieth the reprobates in their soules though not in their bodies for the ministery of the word is the sauour of death to all vnbeleeuers That which is here spoken of shutting the heauens that it raine not and turning the waters into blood is an allusion to Elias and Moses Whereof the one by his praier shut the heauens the other by his rodde turned the waters into blood Now the faithfull Ministers of the Gospell are compared to these two not because they should worke such outward miracles as they did but because they should be furnished with spirituall power which is farre greater For most sure it is that the inuisible spirituall power

wherewith the Ministers of the Gospell are armed is very great and glorious though the world see it not nor know it not For the Apostle saith The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but spiritual mightie through God to cast downe holdes casting downe the imaginations and euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God c. And when they haue finished their testimony vers 7 the beast that commeth out of the bottomelesse pit shall make warre against them and kill them Here is set downe the great crueltie and bloudie tyrannie which Antichrist should vse against these faithfull witnesses of our Lord Iesus For although they ouercome him with the spiritual sword which is the fire that commeth out of their mouthes yet for a time power was giuen to this beast that commeth out of the bottomlesse pit that is the Pope and his adherents to murder Gods Saints with the materiall sword but yet note that Antichrist can doe nothing till the two witnesses haue finished their testimony such is Gods care and prouidence for all his faithfull seruants And their corps shall lye in the streetes of the great citie vers 8 which spiritually is called Sodome and Egypt where our Lord also was crucified By the great citie here is meant Rome yet not the citie only of Rome but all the Romane Empire power and iurisdiction as afterwarde shall be made manifest Now the corpses dead carkasses which were murdered and massacred in all nations by Antichrists tyrannie are here said to lie in the streetes of Rome that is to be cast forth into the open fieldes as not worthy the honour of buriall in all places countries kingdomes within the Romaine Empire or iurisdiction of Rome as we read to haue bene in England Scotland France Ireland Germany and Spaine And as the holy Ghost saith The dead bodies of thy seruants haue they giuen to be meate to the foules of the heauē and the flesh of thy Saints vnto the beastes of the earth Moreouer it is to be obserued that Rome is here compared spiritually or by a trope to Sodome and Egypt To Sodome for filthines for what citie euer was or is more filthy then Rome chapter 17.5 the mother of whoredomes and abhominations of the earth And to Egypt for Idolatrie keeping Gods people in spirituall bondage Last of all it is here saide that our Lord Iesus was crucified at Rome which may seeme straunge sith all men knowe that Christ was crucified at Ierusalem But to answere this doubt wee are to vnderstand that in respect of the place our Lord Iesus was crucified at Ierusalem but if we respect the power and authoritie that put him to death hee was crucified at Rome for Christ was put to death by a Romane Iudge by Romane lawes by Romane authoritie by a kinde of death proper onely to the Romanes and in a place which then was within the Romane Empire And for this cause it is here said that Christ was crucified at Rome And they of the people and kindreds and tongues Gentiles shall see their corpes three dayes and an halfe vers 9 shal not suffer their corpses to be put in the graue Hitherto we haue heard of the rage of Antichrist against the two witnesses Now further we are to vnderstand of the malice and furie of all his adherents that is all Papists Atheists and the rest of the blinde people and seduced multitude which all did allow the Popes crueltie in sheading the bloud of the Martyrs and they do testifie the allowance approbation of the Popes fact and also their owne malice and madnesse against them in this that they will not vouchsafe them the honour of buriall but cast out their dead bodies as carrion or as the dead bodies of dogges or swine thereby shewing that they esteemed them no better then so Nay we read that their hellish rage and madnesse was so great outragious that they wracked their malice vpon the dead bones and carkasses of Gods Saints and Martyrs For their bloudie most malicious minds could not be satisfied except they digged vp the bodies of Gods witnesses out of their graues then burnt thē to ashes Wheras it is said they shal see their corpes the meaning is that all the blind people within the Romane Empire should be eyewitnesses of these things and not only so but euen great Agents also in the slaughter of Gods people By 3. daies an halfe which is halfe a week he meaneth all the time of Antichrists raigne tyrannicall gouernment as before hath bene shewed For these 3. daies a halfe being in propheticall cōputation three yeares and a halfe signifie the same thing that the 42. monethes and a thousand two hundred and three score daies before vers 10 And they that dwell vpon the earth shal reioyce ouer them and be glad and shall send giftes one to an other for these two Prophets vexed them that dwelt on the earth Here we see how the inhabitants of the earth that is the seduced multitude and blinde people in the time of ignorance do greatly insult triumph ouer the death of the Lords witnesses they do expresse their ioy by sending gifts presents one to another as if they had receiued some great benefites or had heard the most ioyfull newes in the world And the reason is added because they vexed and tormented them meaning thereby that the preaching of the truth the reprouing of their errors Idolatries and manifolde impieties was a dagger a corsey vnto them they could at no hand endure it for the preaching of the Gospel is the torment of the world and the Preachers the tormēters These fewe Preachers thundring against their superstitions and abhominable seruice of Antichrist did vexe euery veine in their heart and inwardly so wound and launce their consciences that they could haue no rest til they had rid them out of the world But now hauing dispatched them and made riddance of them they are very cranke and iocund But after three daies and a halfe the spirit of life comming frō God vers 11 shall enter into them and they shall stand vpon their feete and great feare shall come vpon them which sawe them Notwithstanding the rage and sauage fury of the Pope his followers yet heere is shewed that they could not preuaile as they desired for within three daies a halfe that is when the date of Antichrists raigne was expired and the time come that Popery must be disclosed by the light of the Gospell breaking forth there followeth a great alteration For these two Prophets or witnesses are raised vp again For he saith the spirit of life which came from God shall enter into them and they shall stand vpon their feete This may seeme somewhat straunge but it is not to be vnderstood that they should be raised vp bodily in their persons till the last resurrection but that God woulde raise vp

all the cursed helhounds that barke and bite and take their part shall euer bee able to stand in his hands For rage they neuer so much hee will hamper them all well enough For though he haue giuen them the reine a long time and let them alone and suffred them to play the tyrants with the woman his spouse yet now he will no longer put it vp at their hands but will vp and maintaine the womans cause and beare her out against them all nay hee will make readie his bow that he may shoote off and make his arrowes drunke in the bloud of her and his enemies and will whette his glittering sword that hee may sheath it in the heart of Antichrist and all his adherents Therefore now let both the great beasts and their Sire looke to themselues for heere comes in one that will knocke them all downe and lay them in the dust that they shall neuer rise vp againe For this cause now at length Saint Iohn in a vision seeth a Lambe stand vpon mount Sion that is Christ present with his Church For mount Sion was an ancient figure of the Church as it is written Mount Sion lying Northward is faire in situation it is the ioy of the whole earth and the citie of the great king And againe The law shall goe forth of Sion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem Moreouer Saint Iohn seeth heere with the Lambe an hundred fortie and foure thousand that is the particular members of the Church putting a certaine number for an vncertaine and specially alluding to the sealing of the twelue tribes of Israel as before hath beene shewed For it might bee demaunded where the Church was chapter 7.4 when all the world wondred and followed the first Beast and also when all both small and great rich and poore receiued the marke of the second Beast Saint Iohn answereth that euen then in the middest of the heate of persecutions God had his hid inuisible church whom Iesus Christ did protect and preserue euen in the verie flames of persecutions being alwayes present with them and amongst them as he said to his Disciples a little before his bodily departure from them Lo I am with you euen vnto the end of the world And heere hee is said to stand vpon mount Sion with his hundred fortie and foure thousand And it is added that this number of Gods faithfull elect children had the Fathers name written in their foreheads That is they did professe and practise the doctrine and religion of God their Father onely vtterly renouncing and abhorring the worship and religion of the Beast For the Fathers name in this place is set opposite to the marke of the Beast to signifie that as the worshippers of Antichrist receiued his marke so the true worshippers of God receiued his brand which is his Spirit and the fruits therof whereby they were perfectly discerned from those which had the beasts marke So then it cleerely appeareth from this place that God preserued many thousands of his true worshippers euen in the daies of the great Antichrist when there seemed to bee verie fewe or none remaining vppon the earth as it was in the dayes of Elias In vaine therefore doe the Papists aske vs where our Church was before Luthers time sith the holy Apostle heere stoppeth their mouth and telleth vs plainely that Christ had his little flocke in the wildernesse euen then when it was in greatest streightes and as wee say driuen to the wals And therfore visibilitie is no sound note of the Church as the Papists doe most ignorantly dispute For it is a fond and absurd kind of reasoning to say there is no Church at all because it doth not visibly appeare as if a man should reason that there is no Moone in the heauens because sometimes there is none seene as in the change And I heard a voice from heauen vers 2 as the sound of manie waters and as the sound of a great thunder and I heard the voyce of Harpers harping with their harpes Heere is set forth how this companie of true worshippers doe magnifie and praise God for his great mercies towards them First Iohn heareth a voyce from heauen that is an heauenly voice or the voice of the Church praising and glorifying God For wee haue heard before chapter 8.1 that heauen in this Booke is sometimes put for the Church vppon the earth and the reasons thereof Whersoeuer therfore the Church is assembled to heare the word and to pray and giue thanks there is a voice from heauen or an heauenly voice Now this voice is compared to three things first to the sound of manie waters Secondly to the sound of a great thunder Thirdly to y e voice of harpers harping with their harps It is likened to manie waters because it proceedeth from sundrie sorts of people of sundrie nations countries and kingdomes as the word Waters is taken afterwards in this Prophesie It is compared to Thunder because the prayers and inuocations of the true Church are as loud in the eares of God as any thundercracke It is compared to Harpers harping with their harpes both because their spirituall worship and seruice is as sweete vnto God as any musicke vnto men as also because all Gods faithfull people doe tune together among themselues and in their worship as the strings of a well tuned instrument of musicke or as manie musitians playing together which make a sweete harmonie and most melodious dittie vers 3 And they sung as it were a newe song before the throne and before the foure beasts and the Elders and no man could learne that song but the hundred fourtie and foure thousand which were bought from the earth Now is shewed how this holy societie of the faithful do continue their praising and glorifying of God They are not weary of well doing but hold on constantly in the course of Gods worship hauing new songs of thanksgiuing in their mouthes and seruing God dayly with renewed affections as men inflamed with the zeale of Gods glory and all this they doe performe before the throne before the foure beasts and the Elders that is in the presence of God and his Angels and his holy congregation And no man could learne that song but the hundred fortie and foure thousand that is none of the reprobates and vngodly worldlings could inwardly feele and vnderstand this spirituall worship but onely the elect to whom it is giuen to vnderstand the secrets of God and the mysteries of his sonnes kingdome These are they vers 4 which are not defiled with women for they are virgins these follow the Lambe wheresoeuer he goeth these are bought from men being the first fruits vnto God and to the Lambe And in their mouthes was found no guile vers 5 for they are without spot before the throne of God This holy cōpany are not defiled with women that is with grosse diuers sins or rather with idolatrous pollutions