pater doctissimus id te oratum volo pie Lector ut sicubi me errasse animadvertes me corrigas siteipsum mecum redeas ubi pariter cerius es pergas mecum ubi pariter haesitas ores mecum ut sic Christianae unitatis pietatis leges inviolatas teneamus THE SVMME OF THE FOLLOWING Discourse conteyning Seuen Problems concerning Antichrist everie one resolved into seuen Questions necessarie in these times to be considered I. Probleme Concerning the Place of Antichrist whether it be Rome Christian 1. Whether Rome be that great cittie described in the 17. ch Apoc. 2. Whether it be the great cittie where the beast shall make warre against the witnesses of God which cittie is spiritually called Sodome and Egipt c. Apoc. 11. 3. Whether Rome be Babylon the great which is mentioned Apoc. 14. 4. Whether it be the great cittie spoken of Apoc. 18. 5. Whether it may be understood to be the place called Armageddon Apoc. 16. 6. Whether it be the place noted by the Apostle to be the Temple of God 2 Thess 2. 7. Whether it be the mountain of holynes between the seas Dan. 11 Summa If these prophecies do all concurre in Rome Christian and cannot be understood of any other place then is Rome Christian the seate of Antichrist II. Probleme Of the State or bodie Politike of Antichrist whether it be the state or dominion of Rome 1. Of the prophecies of Daniel concerning the fourth Beast and the Prophecies in the Revelation how they differ and how they may be reconciled 2. Whether the fourth Beast in Daniel do signifie the Roman state under Consuls Decemvirs c. or what else 3. Whether the first Beast rising out of the Sea Apoc. 13. do signifie the Roman state under Caesars or what else 4. Whether the Beast in the 17 of the Apoc. doe signifie the Roman state under Antichrist or what else 5. Whether the little Horne in Daniel do signifie Antichrist or what else 6. Whether the second Beast in the 13 of the Apoc. do signifie Antichrist 7. Whether the woman in the 17 Apoc. do signifie Antichrist Summa If these prophecies do concurr and be all fulfilled in the Roman state and the Governours thereof and cannot be fulfilled in any other then is that the state of Antichrist III. Probleme Of the Names of Antichrist 1. Whether the name of Pontifex Maximus do agree to Antichrist 2. Whether the name of Servue servorum do agree to Antichrist 3. Whether the name of that Antichrist may be giuen to the Pope to all the succession of Popes since the yeare of our L. 700. 4. Whether the name of Anomos .i. the Lawlesse or the man of sinne may be applied to that succession 5. Whether the name of the Sonne of Perdition may be giuen to that succession 6. Whether the name Abaddon may be giuen to that succession 7. Of the numerall names of 666. and how they are applied to the Pope Summa If these names and prophecies do all concurre in the Popes and their succession can be truly verified of none other then is the Pope collective as it is sayd Nomen successionis That Antichrist IIII. Problem Of the Rising of Antichrist 1. How the Monarchie of Antichrist must beginne to rise whether all at once or by degrees in tract of time 2. When it must beginne whether it must not beginne before the power of the Emperor be fully removed out of Rome 3. When the power of the Emperor began to be removed how long it was in removing 4. Whether it may stand with the scripture to say that Antich must be a singular person or whether he must be a monarch successiue 5. By what means the Popes did rise to their height of power supremacie whether it was not by sedition and schisme 6. Whether they did not contend and warr against the holy Bishops and Saints of God to get their supremacie 7. Whether they did obtein their dominions and supremacie by rebellion and perjurie Summa If all the prophecies concerning the Rising of Antich be fulfilled in the Pope successive cānot be fulfilled in any other then is the Pope successive Antich none else can be V. Probl. Of the Raigne of Antichrist 1. Whether the Great Whoore described Apoc. 17. doe signifie the state of the Antichrist regnant 2. Whether al parts of that description may be applyed to the popes successiue since the yeare of our Lord 700. 3. Whether the Beast that was and is not and yet is Apoc. 17. doe signifie the Pontifex Max. that is the Pope of Rome 4. whether any Iew Turke or other person whatsoever hath been supported by so many Nations Peoples and tongues as the Pope hath been during his supremacie since the said yeare 5. whether it be possible or likely that any Iew Turke or other person whatsoever should obteyne such greate and inestimable riches as the Popes haue gotten in that time 6. whether any Iew Turke or Pagan ever had or claymed such absolute and supereminent power to depriue and depose kings and princes by their sentences to absolue their subjects from their alledgeance to dispence with oathes as the Popes haue done whether it be possible that any Iew Turke or Pagan can obteine such power 7. whether ever any Turk or Iew pretended or claymed such absolute supremacie authoritie that if he lead multitudes of soules caetervatim into hell yet he was not to be reproved nor called to account for it as the Popes haue arrogated and whether it be probable that any shall be able to attain to such power hereafter Summa If all the prophecies concerning the Raigne of Antich be fulfilled in the Pope and cannot be otherwise then he is Antich VI. Probl. Of the words and actions of Antichrist 1. Whether any Iew or Turke or other whatsoever haue so much in so high degree blaspheamed God and our Lord Christ Iesus as the Pope and his Church haue done since the said year 700 namely in affirming that the old and new Testament haue their authoritie from the Popes decree and such like c. 2. whether any haue caused or procured so many rebellions Treasons and murders to be committed as they haue done and whether it be possible for any in time to come to doe the like 3. whether any haue changed lawes so much as the Pope hath done by his decrees decretals pardons dispensations Faculties Indulgences c. and whether any Iew Turke or Infidell ever tooke upon him such authoritie to dispense with sinnes before hand and to giue indulgence for sinnes to be committed as the Popes haue done more then God himselfe 4. whether any haue changed times so much as the Popes haue done whether it be possible for any in time to come to make such changes viz. by feasts fasts Lents and Iubilees decretals dispensations and Calenders 5. whether any Iew Turke or Infidell hath erected or maintained such open and
dead sitting on his Throne of majesty chap. 20. VII The seventh and last Problem therefore must needs be concerning the Enemies of the Church whether we may not understand that of them also in this booke there be named Seven viz. 1 The Divel that old Serpent the great Red Dragon with seven heads and ten horns Rev. 2 10. 12 9. and seven crowns upon his heads 2 False Apostles Hypocrites Rev. 2 2. 3 Nicholaitans Hereticks chap. 2 15. 4 The followers of Iezabel and Balaam chap. 2 20. Licentious and Idolatrous Teachers 5 The first beast rising out of the Sea chap. 13. The old heathenish Roman Empire 6 The second Beast rising out of the Earth which seemeth peculiarly to signifie Antichrist unto us chap. 13. the proper and principall subject of this our Investigation 7 Gog and Magog heathenish and open Persecutors joyned with secret and intestine enemies whereof wee have not here to speake These things seeme to me not altogether improper nor inconvenient yet seeing I am no Prophet nor the sonne of a Prophet I dare not determine of them but leave them to Theologians to consider And with favorable permission going forwards to search and find out this great enemie of the Church of God I demaund whether he be not fully described unto us in this book of the Revelation and other parts of Holy Scriptures by seven notable and notorious Attributes 1 His place 2 His state or body politick which must be subject vnto him and support him 3 His Names 4 His Rising 5 His Raigning 6 His words and actions 7 His Times Of which Christ Iesus assisting I meane to speak in order J. Of the place of Antichrist BY the rules of methode we ar taught to proceed à notioribus ad minus nota froÌ„ things better known to infer proue things not so well known of things knowen they say those are best knowen which are visible or sensible and that the outward visible sensible adjuncts accidents do very much conduce to finde out and discover the nature and essence of everie thing Euen our divine Euangelist Prophet being taught by the spirit of God seemeth to approue of these observations where he beginneth his Epistle with this protestation That which was from the beginning 1 Iohn 1. which we haue heard which we haue seene with these our eyes c. making the senses a sufficient proofe of the humanitie conjoyned with eternitie This is the cause wherfore I thought best to begin my enquirie at the Place of Antichrist For what is more cleare and evident then that everie thing which hath an existence must haue a place he that seeketh for a thing out of his proper place or element as they now speak doth as if he should seeke for a fish in the fire or a swallow in the Sea The learned Grecian Aristotle the riches of whose learning I see no cause but it may be brought into the Holy citie according to the Prophecies referreth place to the Predicament ubi which importeth a Relation defineth it verie acutely I thinke truly to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which I know not how well but thus I think it may be rendred The unmoueable and nearest confine of that which compasseth any thing about He calleth it unmoueable because in all motions it is not the place that removeth from the thing nor with the thing but the thing it self is removed from one place to another It must be nearest indeed contiguous for els it can not be the place of one thing but may contein another it must compasse it about for if it do but touch it in part it is to be called adjacent or contiguous but not a place The most learned Roman maketh place one of his four principia Varro August And the learned also of later age number it among those things which necessarily concurre to the constitution of things Existent Cajcâ—an By all agreed to be a Relatiue which therefore must haue a Correlatiue Everie place is so called in respect of the bodie placed in it Everie Continent in respect of the thing conteyned everie Principle in respect of the thing proceeding from it as a Father cannot be so called without a sonne nor a master without a servant nor a cause without his effect Herehence are derived those rules and observations of the learned Posito corpore necesse esâ— poni locum posito loco locatum poni necesse est That Places must haue a due proportion of quantitie and magnitude great things must haue greate places for else they could not be compassed or comprehended in them Litle things litle places for els there would be vacuum Things of long continuance must haue places of equall duration and places of long continuance are not appropriated to things that must soone perish or passe away Also Places must haue a due temperament of qualitie agreeable to the things placed and the things placed to the places for else the one would destroy the other and contraries can no more be and continue in one place then in one subject These Observations being discovered unto us by the ordinarie light of nature it hath pleased the God of nature whose majestie is terrible his wisdome incomprehensible and his waies past finding out who numbereth the droppes of the Sea and the sand of the shore who calleth the starres by their names and filleth heaven and earth to descend into the narrow and poore capacitie of humane intelligence and by these outward visible sensible things to teach us who is a Teacher like to him to finde out things most obscure and difficult Let us see therefore what place of what capacitie quantitie and quality the great Governour and Disposer of all things hath appointed for Antichrist And first I demand whether it be not plainly described to be Rome and that Christian upon the consideration of these seven places of Scripture that follow The first in the seventeenth chapter of the Revel where it is set forth to be 1. That great citie Revel 17. 2 which was set upon seven hills 3. which had seven heads or governours 4. And ruled over the kings of the earth 5 which in a mysterie is called Babylon And 6. Most aboundant in riches glory 7 Yet most filthy in all fornication and uncleannes Let us examine these words every one by it self It is first a great Citie A city is by some considered as it consisteth of howses and buildings neare joyning together so Ninivie Tyrus the old Gen. 10. Babylon and others in the Scripture are called great citties So Tully calleth Pergamus and Smirna cities pro Flacco li. 1 de bell li. and Caesar also calleth Rome Civitatem taking that for a principall cause of his Parricidial warrs ut Trib. plebis ex civitate expulsos restitueret that he might restore the Tribunes of the people that were driven out
common notice may be the cause why our Prophet did so much ingeminate that article to shew that he spake of a city well inough knowen to be such viz. Great and Imperiall And if this be cleare and evident that by the name of the Great cittie and of Babylon in this Revelation Rome and onely Rome is meant this I hope will serue to illustrate other places As for example the second place Rev. 11. where it is said that the beast shall make warre against the two witnesses of God and shall overcome them and kill them And their dead bodies shall ly in the streets of the great City which spiritually is called Sodom and Egipt where also our Lord was crucified Although some doubt might be conceived of the names of Egypt and Sodom in this place and where our Lord was crucified yet the name of the Great cittie ought by the reasons authorities aforesaid to hold us fast to Rome For none else was then great nor worthie to be so called as I haue shewed before Let us see then how these names Sodome and Egypt may be applied to Rome and therein first what it is to be spiritually called There be many spirits mentioned in the scriptures but here I think that spirit is meant which is spoken of by our Lord in the Gospell Ioh. 14 17. 16 13. euen the spirit of truth which shall lead us into all truth and so to be spiritually called is to be truly so called according to their works effects and fruits as the spirit of truth teacheth us to call things Whether doth not the Prophet Ieremie explain this in altering the name of Pashur Ier. 20 3. whether doth not our Saviour explain it Matth. 7. when he sayth Ye shall know them by their fruits do men gather grapes of thornes or figs of thistles as if he should say men do not call that a thorne of which they gather grapes nor that a thistle of which they gather figges but that is called a vine and this a fig-tree For it is not an evill tree that bringeth forth good fruits nor a good tree that bringeth forth evill fruits Luc. 6 46. And why do ye call me Master and do not the things that I speak if I be a master where is my fear Mal. 1 6. sayth the Lord If a father where is my loue And who art thou Iohn 1. say the Pharises to Iohn Baptist The voice of him that cryeth in the wildernes Make straite the wayes of the Lord sayth S. Iohn Matth. 11. as if he should say I am the preacher of repentance against the coming of the Messiah Art thou he that should come saith he again go tell him saith our Saviour The deaf heare the blinde receaue sight the lame walk the leapers are cleansed c. if I do the works of the Messiah I am he and if ye were Abrahams children Iohn 8. ye would do the works of Abraham Whereupon I aske what is the meaning of all these places but to teach us to judge and speak of men by their works as we doe of trees by their fruits So then where we finde the works of Sodom and Egypt that must be called Sodom Egypt spiritually that is truly Esa 1 10. as the spirit of truth hath taught us to speak Ezech 16. and as the Prophets use to speak Now the workes of Sodom and Egypt were beastly filthines Gen. 19. 12 15. 39 13. and bloudie crueltie as we read in the scripture and besides Exod. 1.14 in Egypt also we finde infinite Idolatrie whereof there are sufficient testimonies in the scripture Num. 3 3. besides that which heathen men do write to the same purpose Ier. 43. namely Herodotus Iuvenal Diod. Sic. Anaxandrid and Plutarch Esa 30. And were not these the works of Rome in S. Iohns time Read their own Authors Tacitus Sueton Virgil. and he rest that I cited before concerning their horrible filthines and Idolatrie Read the Ecclesiastick Histories of their persecutions and their best Historians Tacitus Suetonius of their tyrannies crueltie Are they not still the works of Rome in these later times Read Petrach Mantuan Platina Blesensis Roma est jam tota lupanar sayth one It is notorious that almost all the Cardinals of Rome haue their Manfrones Cinaedos sayth another who by authorities and arguments drawn out of Iacobatius other authors of the Romanists without exception fully proveth that there is not now nor hath beene for many yeares past any true Pope nor lawfull Cardinall but that they are all Intruders Simoniakes Sodomites c. and so haue been of long time and therefore by the sentence of the Pope himself Dist. 23. in the Decree declared to be Antichrist The abhominable acts of Iulius the III that made his Ganymede a Cardinall created Iohannes Casa Archb. of Beneventum Legate à Latere who set forth a book in commendation of that crying sin are not yet forgotten and that booke also passed currant a long time amongst them without controule The bloudy actions of Aluisius Borgia Diazius Minerius Gardner Bonner the murdering Dominican in France and the Pouder-traitors in England and many others were not onely not disallowed by them but praised and commended yet Qui non vetat peccare cum pâ—ssit jubet saith the Pagan I desire to know whether any man ever saw read or heard of any nation Christian Iew or Turke Saracen or Savage wherein Sodomie hath been so publiquely practised allowed as in Rome Their Idols and images also are knowen to be innumerable whereof we shall speake more hereafter What shall we say then of the fourth note of this place where also our Lord was crucified In Ierusalem sayth the Babylonian but Ierusalem at the time of the writing of this Apocalyps was so far from being a great cittie that it was no cittie at all for it was utterly destroyed before by Titus And if it had been then a cittie yet was it far from being great or bearing rule over kings and although Ierusalem be some time called the holy cittie yet is it never called the great cittie Hierom. Hierusalem sanctior locus rupe tarpeìa c. See more in the Epistle of S. Hierom to Marcella inviting her to come to Bethleem and likewise in his Epistle written in the name of Paula and Eustochia to the same Marcella to the same purpose wherein he proveth that this name of the great cittie could not be giuen to Hierusalem c. but rather to Rome or to the world c. the chief cittie whereof is Rome Neyther yet are we directed to the name of Hierusalem but to that place wherein it is spiritually sayd that our Lord was crucified Ierusalem is not spoken of in the text neither indeed was our Lord crucified in Hierusalem but extra portas without the gates as the Apostle speaketh Hebr. 13 12. Let them
answer then who haue read the Gospell Iohn 19. by whom was our Saviour accused who condemned him what kinde of capitall punishment did he suffer who crucifyed him in what place for what crime or offence or upon what accusatioÌ„ was he brought in question was he not accused by them that cryed we haue no king but Caesar the Roman Emperor was not Pilate the Roman he that condemned him was not the cause pretended for that he spake against Caesar in making himself a king was it not by that kinde of punishment execution Vide Scalig in notis ad Ioh. 18 31. which by learned men is observed to haue been properly used by the Romans were they not Roman souldiers by whom he was crucifyed was it not extra portas Ierusalem was it not all done by the power of Caesar and what followeth of all this Vbi Caesar ibi Roma where Caesar is there is Rome sayd the old Lawiers as the new say now a dayes Vbi Papa ibi Roma Panorm where the Pope is there is Rome To this adde that all voide places and places appointed for publique execution of justice were by Roman civill Law Iuris publici the proper demeanes of the Empire of Rome Now it is manifest that Golgatha was the common place of execution and therefore de Iure publico of right belonging to Rome We must therefore confesse that our Lord was crucifyed in Ròme unlesse we shall thinke that S. Iohn yea the spirit of God do not speak properly And if he had meant the old Ierusalem what needed so many words or circumstances to describe it These four points therefore being cleared it is not hard to apply three others unto it which are mentioned in the same place of scripture to make up the number of seuen viz. 5. That this is the same great cittie where the beast should make warre against the saincts and 6 where he should kill the witnesses of God and 7 where their dead bodies should lye in the streets and therefore the place of Antichrist A third scripture speaking of the place of Antichrist Rev. 4. is that where her destruction is briefly denounced and there it is called Babylon that great cittie the spirit of God giving us thereby to understand that he would haue that cittie seuen times at least in this booke called Babylon the great to be sufficiently known unto us to be Rome the second Babylon which then was great not the old Babylon which neither in her best estate was able to compare with the greatnes of Rome and in the time of S. Iohn was in great decay having beene twise or thrise before taken sacked and spoyled namely first by Cyrus Dan. 5. drawing diverting Euphrates while Belshazzar sate feasting and drinking Secondly by Darius with the help of Zopirus Herod lib 3. Iustin. who reduced it to an absolute subjection under the Persians and with the rest of that Empire it was conquered by Alexander the Great Diod. Sic. l. 19. and after his time it was spoyled againe by Demetrius and thereupon forsaken by her inhabitants and never rose afterward to any greatnes authoritie or power Whereupon S. Augustine observeth that as the Assyrian monarchie decayed so Rome the second Babylon and as it were the daughter of the first grew and so it was in S. Iohns time the great cittie Ladie of the world and governed onely by Caesars one of her seuen Heads which ruled over the kings of the earth A fourth scripture is that Rev. 18. wherein her destruction is much more largely and particularly described by seuen notable attributes most agreeable to Rome 1 She is called againe Babylon 2 That great cittie 3 With whom the kings and nations of the earth haue committed fornication 4 Most proud and vaine-glorious for she sayth I sit as a queen and am no widow And so Tully calleth her Vide Lipâ— de magnâ—â— Rom. Princeps omnium terrarum and Frontinus regina domina orbis and beyond all these Martial Terrarum Dea Gentiumque Roma 5 Therefore in the text she is truly called mightie 6 Abounding in all riches and Treasures Non auro tectisve modus And 7 Lucan lib. 1. abounding in all delicates and pleasures abundantes voluptates Livy in prol Of which points I haue said somewhat before and for the two last notes of the super-aboundance of their riches and wantonnes in pleasures and delicates I will cite but two examples more out of Horace whereof the first shall not be of any of their Princes Senators or Patritii no nor yet of their Equites or Gentlemen but of the meanest sort Quinti progenies Arri par nobile fratrum Nequitia nugis A couple of knaues Horat. Serm. lib. 2 sat 3. Luscinias soliti impenso prandere coemptas They were wont to dine upon Nightingales though verie deerely bought A dish that I thinke no Prince in Christendome would desire for any good taste nor these men but for their luxurious prodigalitie And yet see another not of Antonius or Cleopatra but of a stage players sonne Filius Aesopi detractam ex aure Metellae Scilicet ut decies solidum exorberet aceto Diluit in signem baccam O braue drinker that dissolved in vinegar a pearle worth fiue and twentie thousand Crownes as the Interpreters expound it in Eng. coine about 6250 pound if you take these crownes to be English taken from the eare of the Ladie Metella that he might drinke it of at a draught I would faine knowe whether these men did more abound in riches or in Luxurie in wealth or in wantonnes that were so costly luxurious in their meats and drinks Ioseph antiq lb. 18. Neither do I now marvail at the summe which another Roman gentleman offred to expugne the chastitie of the Ladie Paulina being 25 Myriades drachmarum everie 100 drachmae being accounted worth 58 shil 4 pence and consequently amounting in our English coin to aboue 7290 pounds what cittie was ever like to this in treasures or filthie pleasures But I hast to a fift place of scripture which will deserv both longer stay and better consideration And because I shall herein differ not a little from all other interpreters that I have read I have the greater reason to continue my course in Problems Rev. 16 The text of Scripture is the Prophecy of Armageddon or Armagedon noted for a place where the Kings of the earth are gathered together to the battell of the great day of God almighty The word is Hebrew and because the Hebrew names by reason of the difference of the points are subject to diverse manner of readings I would first learn whether it may not be taken for Harmegeddon which signifieth the mountain of pleasant and precious fruites For so the word Meged importeth Cant. 4 13. as it is expounded in other parts of the Scripture Gen. 24 53. to which is added the
that the Mountaine of Gods house shal be set in the tops of the mountains Mich. 3. and manie nations shall flow to it Which the Prophet Esay turneth to exhortation O house of Iacob Esay 2. come ye also and let us walk in the light of the Lord. And the prophet Daniel useth it by way of progression to a farther prophecie calling it first a stone cut out without hands Dan. 2. which dasheth the kingdoms of the world in peeces and grew to a mountain filling the whole earth Doubtles this Propheticall progression is most excellent and observable But I know not whether in all those heauenly writings any be so usefull or worthie of contemplation as that of our Saviour Christ whom when Moses by the dictate of the H. Ghost had first styled the seed of the woman afterward the seed of Abraham The Prophet Esay goeth forward and calleth him the roote Gen 3. Esay 11. and then the stem then the branch Hereupon again the prophet Hosea goeth forward and with most sweet loving words to comfort the people of God in their afflictions applyeth this to the mysticall bodie of our Saviour Hosh 14. I will heale their rebellion saith he I will lâ—ue them freely I will be as the dew to Israel and he shall grow as the lilly and fasten his rootes as the Caedars of Lebanon his braunches shall spread and his beutie shall be as the oliue c. Lo first a seed then a root then a stem then a braunch and now a tree bearing and spreading his braunches Yet no word is all this while of fruit it comes anon but by the way these heauenly Prophets make many excellent uses of these propheticall metaphors Esay thus He shall grow before him as a braunch Esa 53. as a root out of a drye ground noting his humiliation Ieremie thus I will raise to David a righteous braunch Ier. 23. and a king shall raigne and prosper to note his kingdome and exaltation Zacharie thus Zach. 6. behould the man whose name is the braunch he shall build the temple of the Lord. to signify his priesthood intercession and mediation Our most gratious and blessed Lord being come in the flesh to shew the fulfilling of all these prophecies calleth himself now no longer a roote or a braunch but I sayth he am the true generous and fruitfull vine Ioh. 15. Yea sayth S. Paul not onely a vine bearing fruit of it self Rom. 11. but an oliue receaving grafts of others Whereupon he inferreth a most loving and graue admonition to all Christians Be not high minded Thou bearest not the roote but the roote thee This example of propheticall progression so sweet so excellent so comfortable and so well followed I could not I would not I durst not conceal or omit To returne to our purpose Why should I not think that the prophet Daniel and our propheticall Euangelist S. Iohn in the description of these four Monarchies observed some such thing The prophet David saith that a man without understanding is like a beast He saith also that he that maketh an Image Psal 49. Psal 115. and he that trusteth in it is without sense like the Image it self Ieremy goeth forward Everie man is a beast by his skill Ier. 10 51 everie founder is confounded by the graven image Dan. 7. Lo now an Idolater is a beast The prophet Daniel taketh up that and resembleth great Monarchies unto great beasts It cannot I think be supposed but he doth it upon the same reason namely because they erected or mainteined Idolatries For which cause they were all represented before in one Image of divers mettals to shew that they all agreed in the worshiping of Idols though in divers manners Now the Prophet Daniel resteth not here but by the illumination of Gods spirit goeth forward to shew the properties of these four kingdomes under the figures of severall beasts and therefore calleth the first a Lyon the second a Beare the third a Leopard and the fourth he saith it was most strong terrible cruell and powerfull yet he findeth no name for it nor beast whereunto it is like but where he leaveth S. Iohn goeth forward saying that it was like to divers beasts in his severall parts Rev. 13. For it hath the bodie of a Leopard the mouth of a Lion the feete of a Beare c. Thus then haue we seene as I suppose a probable reason why these great Monarchies were resembled to beastes out of which this consideration may result that the last of them all which must of necessitie be that of Antichrist must exceed all the rest in Idolatrie tyrannous maintenance of Idolatrie Let us now consider the severall parts of this last kingdome Rev. 17. And first of the heads These are said to be seauen expounded by the Angel to signifie seuen kings and seauen mountains and wheresoever we finde the seuen Mountains there we must finde also the seauen kings But sayth the Angell it is the great cittie that ruleth over the kings of the earth an inseparable and individuall propertie of Rome No cittie but that was ever called Septicollis or Septimontium No mountains better known by their severall and distinct names then those seauen of Rome None did ever boast of seauen Mountaines in one cittie but the Romans Here therefore we must looke for the seauen kings and yet we need not to seek far for Livy Tacitus haue expressely named everie one of them as I shewed before namely their Kings Consuls Dictators Decemvirs Tribunes Caesars and Pontifices Max. But here by the way there is a singularitie to be observed Rev. 13. which is not mentioned in any other place but in this 13 cha namely that one of these seauen heads was wounded to death Napier but his deadly wound was healed This most aptly agreeth to the Romans as it hath been well expounded by others There be some who because it is said that this was the wound of a sword there is no sword in the scripture so well noted as that of the word Ephe. 6. do interpret this of the wound given to the Caesarean idolatrie by the preaching of the gospell which is healed and restored by the Pont. max. Let Divines judge to signifie either the wound that was giuen to the Caesarean head by the murder of Iulius which was healed by Augustus or the wound of the same head in Nero the healing of it by Vespasian Sueton. in vita Vesp of whose restoring the CoÌ„mon wealth Suetonius professedly maketh two whole chapters But a most signall singularitie of these Heads is noted in the 17 ch Fiue sayth he are fallen one is and another is not yet come This bringeth us by the hand into Rome For it is manifest that of the seauen governments of Rome fiue were fallen before the Revelation namely the fiue first named by Livy Livy l. 6.
to be burned as Heretikes which refuse to worship these Images For what cause 〈◊〉 moved Sabinian to burne the bookes of Gregorie but because he had defaced Images howsoever Platina goeth about to blanch the matter What else did they object against the Emperors of Greece What else did they urge against the Valdenses and Wicklevites but that they refused to worship the Roman Pontifex and his images What else did they object to Cranmer Ridley Latimer Hooper Sanders Bradford and other godly men in Queene Maries time that I may speak of England not of other countries but that they refused to acknowledge the reall presence and so to worship the Sacrament other of their images I demand also whether the Turke or any other Idolater do command and compell men to worship images under such capitall and Tyrannous paynes Whether any Idolater do compell men to worship so many Images or set up so many to be worshipped And whether any do proceed so cruelly against those that refuse to worship their Images The Popes in their lawes declare them to be Heretikes and excommunicate which do not worship their images and consequently depriue them not onely of lands and goods but also of their liues yea if it be a Prince they absolue his subjects from obedience and alleagiance givin his subjects power libertie to kill their Natiue king and giue away his kingdome to another Did ever any Iew Turke Infidel or Pagan attempt to doe the like If they should is it credible or likely that they should be believed and obeyed as the Popes haue been Thus therefore their actions being so agreeable to the Rising of this second Beast I demande againe How these Prophecies can be otherwise performed by any Monarch Prince Potentate State or person whatsoever past present or to come And if not then Whether this be not that Antichrist or whether we may expect any other And so we come to the description of Antichrist mounted upon the Roman State and raigning in his glorie which is the fifth generall parte of his description V. The Raigne of Antichrist IT is not unworthie of our observation that the Holy Ghost in setting forth the kingdome of Antichrist useth no such forme of speech as when he speaketh of particular men but such as is commonly used applied in scripture to signifie greate kingdomes and Monarchies When he prophecieth of particular men for the most part he noteth them by some proper Adjunct As of Iohn Baptist Esay 40. A voyce cryeth in the wildernes prepare the way of the Lord. c. So of our Saviour Christ My Righteous servant shall justifie many and againe He was broken for our sinnes c. Sometimes by the name of some other man as Mal 4. Behold I send you the Prophet Elijah c. Sometimes he calleth them by their proper names as that He sayth to Cyrus my Sheepheard Esay 44. c. and I will call Eljakim and so he prophecieth of Iosiah and against Shallum Coniah The king of Babel and Tyrus Esay 22. Ier. 22. But when he speaketh of great kingdomes or Monarchies he figureth them sometimes under the names of Great Beasts as all the four Monarchies in Daniel sometimes under the names of women â—zech 23. as Ezechiel calleth the two kingdomes of Ierusalem and Samaria Two women Nahum calleth Niniveh Esay 47. the beautifull harlot Esayah and Ieremie resemble Babylon sometimes to a woman tender and delicate sometimes to a Queene Iu. 51. sometimes to an Harlot whose words and Phrases our Apostle delighteth much to use It is no marvell therefore that having here to speak of the state of two Great kingdomes namely the Kingdome or Church of Christ and the kingdome or Synagogue of Antichrist He describeth one of them as a Chaste and undefiled spouse prepared for her husband and the other as a sumptuous glorious luxurious proud and intising Harlot alluring kings princes and all sorts of people to come unto her Wherein although it be true that Contraries compared layd together do illustrate one the other yet I will not here prosecute that glorious and heauenly description of the true Church of our Lord Christ Iesus able to take up all my thoughts and meditations but strictly following my former course obserue seuen Attributes in the Description of the Antichristian state and power Revel 17. now mounted upon the back of the Roman state First it is called the Great Whore Secondly which sitteth upon many waters Thirdly with whom the kings of the earth haue committed fornication and the Inhabitants of the earth haue been made druncken with the wine of her fornication Fourthly most richly and gorgeously cloathed and adorned with purple and scarlet gold and pearles having a golden cup in her hand full of her fornications Fiftly shee hath a name written in her forehead a Mysterie Babylon The great Mother of Harlots abhominations of the earth Sixtly She is druncken with the bloud of the Saints and Martyrs of Christ Iesus And lastly to make all plaine who this is It is sayth our Prophet the Great Cittie that ruleth over the kings of the earth Of some parts of which Description I haue spoken before both in the first and second Problem For which cause I shall not neede to speak much here but onely of such things as haue not been touched before And to speake a word by the way of that which is most plain and evident which is last mentioned that it is called the Great cittie by which name we commonly understand the king Prince or Prelate thereof as in the Prophecies against Iuda Israell Babell Ninive we understand many times their Princes and principall men and in our common speech we call Prelates by the names of their Seas as Canterburie London Magunce Trever c. So here by the most proper Adjunct we understand Rome and by Rome her Prince Prelate or Governour It will be in vaine therefore to aske whether this be hee seeing the Holy Ghost sayth this is he But it will be I thinke worth our labour to consider how these qualities may be applied to the chief Pontifex of Rome and whether they may be applied to any other And if to them alone then whether to one more then to another or to the whole succession Let us therefore peruse them in order The first qualitie is The Great Whore Whoredome in Scripture as hath been sayd is understood sometimes literally for the corporall filthines sometimes mystically for the spirituall whoredome which is Idolatrie Now for this later it is evident not onely by the Testimonie of Salvianus aboue recited but of their own histories that the verie Heathen Idols continued undefaced in Rome and worshiped untill the time of Boniface the fourth who having obteyned the Pantheon of the Emperor Phocas did consecrate that Temple to the honour of the Virgin Marie and of all martyrs Platina Fasc Temp. ejectis prius
Idolaters as in the Succession of so many ages she hath susteyned And if she cannot answer but as the wombe of a woman that it is altogether impossible to bring forth so many at once as she doth in tract of time then will I aske againe Whether any of the Popes be free of this and whether they be not all of them as one man guiltie of these great sinnes by act approbation consent and imitation and consequently fit to be represented under one person and called one Man And if this be so then will I demand as Salvianus doth of the consciences of all men that haue any sence or feeling of Truth Whether this be not that great Whore here described then whom never any no not the Divel himself if he ruled the Earth but three yeares and an half or for one mans life onely could practise or cause more fornication or Idolatrie to be committed And so much of the first note the Great Whore The second is that she sitteth upon manie waters Which the Angell expoundeth to signifie Peoples and Multitudes Nations and Tongues Here first I obserue the word of sitting which is used not onely here but by the Apostle 2 Thes 2. And it is a word â—â—metimes applied to Kings sometimes to Bishops Kings are said to sit on their Thrones Bishops in their Chayres or Churches Both are applied to Antichrist For in the 2 Thes 3. it is sayd He sitteth in the Temple or Church of God and here upon manie Nations The one place sheweth he must be a Bishop the other a King can this be applied to any but the Pope Now that the Pope and Church of Rome for these nine hundred yeares haue been supported by many Peoples nations and Tongues I will desire to haue none other witnesses then their owne chief Authors and Advocates who make their greatest brags of their Vniversalitie Bellarm. Staplâ—ron â—lendus c. how the power of their Pontif. extendeth it self not onely to Europe but to all euen the farthest remote parts of the world America and India which the Turke nor any other Potentate couâ—d never yet attaine unto And if this be evident and undeniable let us againe peruse over the Questions â—boue proposed Whether this may be affirmed of any Iewe or Turke And whether it be possible that the power of any Iew or Turke or any one man whatsoever should within the space of three yeeres and an half or of one mans life so far prevail or procure to haue so many Peoples Multitudes Nations and Tongues subject unto it as the Multitudes Nations and Tongues which haue served the Popes for these nine hundred yeares do amount unto Or to giue a nearer instance so many at once as within that time haue come to Rome to their Iubiles solemnities The third note of this Antichristian Harlot is that the Kings of the Earth haue committed fornication with her and the Inhabitants of the Earth haue been made druncken with the wine of her fornication And what king was there in Europe for these nine hundred yeares which did not committ or permit fornication both corporall and spirituall with the Church of Rome Which of them did not worship the same Images and use or permit the same uncleanes And I demand againe whether this can be verified of any Iew Turke or other person whatsoever past present or to come The fourth note is her exceeding great riches pompe and gorgeousnes Let me instance but in one or two particulars Majora vel certe paria c. sayth Blondus All Europe sendeth to Rome greater or surely no lesse Tributes In Roma inst urata then were payed to the Ancient Roman Emperors Pope Iohn left at his death in treasure ducentos quinquaginta Tonellos Ducatorum Bibâ—iand ex Palmerio ad ann 1334. sayth another Omnes Reges mundi non possent tantum de Thesauro reddere infra unum annum quantum fuit de Papali Palatio asportatum de Palatiis trium Cardinalium Marchionis sayth another speaking of Pope Boniface the eight R. Avesb and three Cardinals and the Marquis his nephew I demand then Whether Prince or Potentate State or person haue had the like testimonie of Riches and whether it be credible that any in three yeares an half or one mans life time should attaine to the like The fifth note She hath a name written in her forehead A Mysterie Babylon the Great Mother of Harlots and abhominations of the earth First it is called Great I demand Whether ever this title were so much giuen to any cittie besides Rome The old Babylon was never so many times called great And I thinke none will make question of any other And Whether the Bishop of Rome the Church of Rome and the cittie of Rome haue not everie one of them had a speciall title of Greatnes I referre me to the consciences of the Romans themselues to their Decrees and Canons who giue to their Bishop the Title of Pontifex Max. or Summus so Lipsius that hath written a Booke De magnitudine urbis Romae and to that other who writ a Booke De magnitudine Romanae Ecclesiae So their Church is great their cittie is great and their Bishop is greatest of all Of the name of Babylon I haue spoken sufficiently before And for the other title of Mother of Harlots or Sodomites as Scaliger and others reade and abhominations of the earth I demand of all that know Rome eyther by travelling in those countries and eye witnesse or by reading and hearesay Whether there be in any place of the world being of no greater extent so many Harlots and Sodomites and so publikely mainteyned and allowed as in Rome and the Popes Iurisdiction and where his power is acknowledged and whether any other Prince or Prelate Church or State Turke or Iew haue giuen or made such and so many faculties and dispensations pardons and Lawes for such things Let the notable booke of the Taxa and the cases reserved to Papall dispensation be perused And here is to be noted the Name that the Holy Ghost giveth to her calling her The Mother of Harlots or Sodomites and fornications which is singularly Emphaticall For it cannot be denied but there are many Harlots and Fornicators in other places neyther can it be denied but other Empires and kingdoms are called Whores as Inda and Israel by Ezekiel Ninive by Nahum Babylon by Ieremie But no other place is called the mother of Harlots or Sodomites This of all the rest seemeth to be Proprium quarto modo A propertie inseparable which agreeth to the Popes omni soli semper to them onely and everie of them ever since the Councels of Hispal and Toledo aboue mentioned For noÌ„ne but the Popes haue forbidden Mariage nor made Lawes that the Cloysters and Convents of Nunnes should be subject to monkes and Fryers and that it should be lawfull for Priests to haue Concubines No other Prince State or
doubted or any other man neede to doubt of the trueth but as it should seeme being no profest Churchman he modestly disputes the point as a man that would learne himselfe and others by asking questions wisely and withall inquiring whether it can be imagined that any man can be more like Antichrist then the Pope is he concludes negatiuely that none can and plainely layes downe in everie Probleme the obstinate absurdities of such as looke for Antichrist and beleeue he shall come yet cannot now see him to be come because either he stands too neare them as a beame in their eyes and they are parte of him bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh or they expect him when he comes to be so qualified for publique observation as the Church of Rome hath cunningly and poetically described him But such an Antichrist they shall never see for the church of Rome did so paint him in policie not for the disclosing but for the concealing and clowding of his proper and personall appearance and diverting the eyes of all men from beholding the right object For my parte meeting with this Booke in a manuscript and seeing the profit it may bring to all I could doe no lesse then be a midwife for the edition of this since I am not able to be parent for procreation of the like And I haue taken the boldnes upon me to dedicate it to no lesse persons then to the Kings and Potentates of the Earth for it concernes them all especially aboue and more then others to reade and to understand this Controversie least they should be made drunke or kept drunke with the dregges of that abhominable cuppe of Inchantments wherewith diverse of their forefathers haue been intoxicated and slept to death and least they should under the appearance of Christianitse countenance and support Antichristianisme and so thinking to doe Christ good service persecute his poore members ignorantly Besides many of them haue suffred much from the hand of Antichrist and his members The Kings of France haue beene butchered by their instruments and the kingdome put in Combustion by their incendiaries of the Roman Catholique league or partie Our Queenes Father Henrie IIII. of renowmed memorie must not be forgotten his blood is yet too fresh upon their fingers to be hidden from her Majesties eyes except they force her weake sexe as they haue done manie of the masculine gender to winke by threatning to dippe their fingers as deepe in her bloud which the Lord forefend if she cast an eye towards her Fathers Funerall or so much as inquire whether or no he dyed by age or by some injurious and traiterous hand Our Kings haue beene and are still excommunicated cursed exposed to slaughter and deposition by them The King and Queene of Bohemia haue beene pursued from place to place and all Christendome imbroyled with bloodie warres for the upholding of Papall usurpation against regall Iurisdiction Other Princes haue formerly felt and may hereafter feele the strength of his Imperiall and Catholique Armes and therefore it concernes these also to knowe the man of sinne for their owne comfort that they may the better beare their Crosses considering from what head and hand they come and that they may with more courage and assurance looke up towards deliverance Luke 21 28. as Christ hath willed them who at the length will be too hard for Antichrist and giue a happie yssue to all their afflictions And as it concerns Princes especially so it concerns others also as much as their salvation may concerne them to know Christ their Saviour and Antichrist the chiefe enimie of their Saviour and of their Salvation from each other and therefore I haue dedicated it to all Christians But if any wonder why in the Title of the Dedication I use these words To all Christians Reformed and Romish as if I contradicted my selfe in calling the Romish professors Christians which in other places I terme Antichristians I answer that the Pope himselfe could not be the Antichrist except he were a Christian and tooke upon him also to be the chiefe Christian in externall profession A man may in diverse respects be a Christian and an Antichristian at once The Pope is baptized professeth the fayth in generall termes as Peter did and thus he is a Christian and one of S. Peters successors as all other Bishops are but as he chalengeth to be head of the Church universall Bishop of an infallible spirit Iudge of the Scripture c he is Antichrist that is Rev. 18. Rome as head of the church is Babylon such as so dwell in it mystically by adhering to it are in Babylō whether they be in Rome or no such as renounce this Babylonish doctrine of Romish supremacie suprelacie holding the true head which is Christ Iesus alone those are with out Babylon though they dwel in Rome for Christ in shew but against him in trueth So those of the church of Rome are Christians in outward profession but as they adhere to the Pope as to the Vicar of Christ and head of the Church they are Antichristians and such of them as belong to Gods election are called out of Babylon by the holy spirit and may come out from thence by renouncing the Babylonish doctrine of the Church of Rome though for their persons and dwellings they continue in the same place and cittie still And that these Romish Christians may be informed and all other Reformed Christians established in the trueth is the end which the Author proposed to himselfe in the collection and composition and I in the publication of this treatise All that I feare is that both this worke and my owne indeavour shall meete the greatest discouragements from some of those that should protect and countenance us who eyther from error of judgment deny the Pope to be Antichrist and yet separate from him at which I wonder or else out of humane wisedome and policie seeme still to be in doubt and will not be resolved as fearing a diminution of their worldly greatnesse and glorie if this truth should be generally acknowledged Because they suppose much of their authoritie would be found to be built upon the sandie foundation of Antichristian usurpations But shall we loose heauen for earth or looke so low as to bring temporall respects into the ballance with eternall Can there be no provision for upholding the honour and countenance of the Clergie from common contempt and for the incouraging and rewarding of learning but what Antichrist invents to uphold himselfe withall Then let me rather be still poore and despised with Christ and accounted ignorant with his Apostles then rich and respected learned with those of Rome Truth and simplicitie are the chiefe ornaments of Church-men and should be inseparable Their serpentine wisedome should not be used for this world for that naturall subtiltie which hath no mixture of doue-like simplicitie infused by grace Christ did not teach to his Apostles
his enemies and not to his servants and freinds Concerning whom I desire to be resolved in 7. points 1 Vpon the words long before spoken by our Saviour vobis datum est Matth. 13. To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven whether by these words he meant to signifie onely his Apostles or all his disciples and them also which as he speaketh in another place should beleeve in him through their words Iohn 17. 2 Why in these words he made no speciall mention of Peter or his successours which do now vindicate to themselvs the sole authoritie of the keyes aswell of science as of power and jurisdiction 3 whether those who by our Saviour are there signified by a vobis datum be not the same which are here called the servants of Iesus Christ and why here also there was no mention of Peter or his successours or of the Roman Church which was then in the Imperiall Cittie and doubtlesse had many godly men in it Rom. 16. and some of great dignitie 4 When our divine Evangelist writeth these things to the seven Churches of Asia whether he did not in this according to his direction and whether he doe not hereby shew who were meant by the name of the servants of God and Christ 5 what reason the Apostle had to send it to those Churches and not to the Roman church either as chief or as one of the rest was it perhaps for the reason of S. Hillarie Anne ambiguum est Antichristum in his tectis esse sessurum Or was he not an Apostle and Prophet to the Romans as well as to them of Asia or for what other reason 6 Whether in writing to those seven he did not intend to write to the whole universall Church of God as well to come as present as S. Augustine expoundeth Numero septenario vniversae Ecclesiae significata est perfectio De Civ 17 4. And onely to the Church and whether all others be not excluded by a vobis non est datum 7. And lastly whether in writing to the seven Churches and their Angels equally and indifferently he do not sufficiently shew that the state of the Church upon earth is neither in the nature of a Monarchie nor of a Democratie but of an Aristocratie where the several Angels preside in their severall Territories precincts and congregations agreeing in the unity of one faith under one eternall head the God of Truth Christ Iesus Let us not deceive our selvs Babilonians use to lisp They cannot speak the language of Canaan with a true spirit Neither onely this booke but all the Scripture is dark and obscure to them whose minde the God of this world hath blinded 2 Cor. 4. Hosh 8 12. and so much for the Persons IV. My fourth Problem is concerning the finall ende scope of this book in the verses above briefly touched to shew to his servants things which must shortly come to passe And here I must necessarily speak of the Subject which is so joyned with the end that the consideration of the one cannot be severed from the other I demand therefore what things must be shewed to the Church of God Surely takeing a generall view of this divine prophecy for my part I conceive that the most here spoken of is of the enemies of their persecutions malicious practises against the Church and of the defence and deliverance of the Church and the punishment of her enemies and so I finde S. Hieroms opinion In prologo Revelat quanta Ecclesia Christi passa et passura sit And to what end must these things be shewed unto them if not to the same for which our Euangelist in his Euangile reciteth many excellent sermons of our Saviour Christ namely to comfort and incourage the faithfull and to excite them to repentance vigilance patience and perseverance against the troubles to come Repent saith he to the Churches of Ephesus and Pergamus Fear not to Pergamus Hold fast to Thyatira c. So in the Gospell These things haue I spoken unto you that ye should not be offended So in his Epistle Let that abide in you Iohn 16. 1 Iohn 2. which ye have heard from the begining Take heed I haue foretold you Marke 13. Now if this be the end namely to arme the faythfull with those vertues against the troubles to come then what is or can be the subject of this book or what matter can it speak of but 1. it must describe the state of the Church in her severall times 2. The Head of the Church who is also her Saviour Protector in all her troubles 3 The enemies of the Church and their persecutions and practises 4. The Confusion of those Enemies and the punishments inflicted upon them in this world 5 Their Everlasting Damnation 6 The Deliverance of the Church And lastly her Everlasting Glory and felicity Whether this be not so I desire to know upon the three Problems ensuing My fift Problem therefore is concerning the Church V. whether it be not with sufficient plainenesse set forth unto us in these seven places 1 In the vision of the seuen golden Candlesticks Revel 1. in the middest whereof Christ Iesus walketh 2 In the vision of the Beasts and Elders in the midst of whom is the Throne of God and of the Lamb. Revel 4. 3 In the vision of the Temple of God Revel 12. set forth to be measured and opened 4 In the vision of the woman travelling with Child which bringeth forth Christ Iesus Revel 12. and then is forced to flye into the wildernes where she must continue for a long time after 5 As Mount Sion whereupon the Lamb standeth with all his Army chap. 14. 6 As a Bride trimmed for her husband chap. 19. 7 As the City of God the new Ierusalem whose wals are founded upon the Twelve Apostles chap. 21. VI. My sixth Problem is concerning our Saviour Christ the great and mighty Lord Protectour Prince and Saviour of his Church whether he also be not as many waies described unto us viz. 1 As the great Bishop and Teacher of his Church in the midest of the seuen golden Candlesticks Râ—vel 1. 2 As the Sacrifice for his Church chap. 4. and yet the Defender Protectour in the middest of the Throne a Lamb a Lyon chap. 10. 3 As the great Lord of Heaven and Earth Land Sea Dâ—u 32 40 determining the end of Times which is not revealed to any Angell Matth. 24. 4 As the seede of the woman and yet the Sonne of God Revel 12. Revel 14. 5 As the Lamb standing on mount Sion 6. As a most mightie valiant captain chap. 19. or invincible Prince going forth to warre against his enemies himself in the forefront readie to charge them in the face 7 And lastly as an inevitable Iudge both of quick
of the city who as he said before were fled ex urbe i. polit others as Aristotle c. take a city which they call Polis the word used here by the Apostle to consist of a multitude of men gathered together under the same lawes and government which is also called universitas or respub de civ dei Cic. in somn Iustaâ— l. 2. and so S. Augustin in some places Some others also measure a city by the extent of her dominion liberties and franchises Now these and other circumstances being considered I seek for a city wherein all concurre to make it great for the first I aske whether ever anie citie haue had a téstimonie of greatnes like to that which Lucan thus describeth Vrbem populis victisque frequentem Gentibus generis coeat si turba capacem Humani Lucan 1 1 A Citie populous full of conquered nations and able to receaue all mankinde if they should come together I thinke it cannot be denyed but this was a verie great citie vâ—bis appellatio muris Romae contineutibus aedificiis finitur LL. de verb. Sig. that was able to receaue humanum genus all mankind And yet that we may see plainly that he meant it of the citie as it consisted of walles and buildings he nameth it first urbem and then goeth forward Cum pressus ab hoste Clauditur externis Romanus miles in oris Effugit exiguo nocturna pericula vallo Tu tantum audito bellorum nomine Roma Desereris nox una tuis non credita muris What cittie in the world was like to this great cittie Rev. 18 18. truly therefore sayth our divine Apostle But this was poeticall and hiperbolicall may some say let us heare a testimonie historicall Although I thinke that learned poet would never haue beene so bold or impudent to giue such an attribute of greatnes to Rome if it had not been a verie great cittie and doubtlesse the greatest then known in the world yet let us heare Historians Truly Lipsius out of Martinus Polonus and Pliny sayth the walles of Rome were first xlij miles in compasse and out of Vopiscus de magnitud Rom. Blondus in Romanist that they were afterwards enlarged to 50 miles compasse but of the suburbes si quis intuens magnitudinem Romae velit exquirere frustra eum fore haesurum ubi desinat urbs ubi incipiat ex Dionis So it was a great cittie within the walles Herodot l. 1. and a greater without It seemeth indeed by Herodotus that the walles of old Babylon were 160 stadia on everie side square but note that Babylon was all within the walles and so Rome in respect of her suburbs buildings adjoyning was much greater as by this testimonie of Lipsius out of Dionis appeareth Might not this then well be called Babylon the great in respect of the other But heare what Pliny saith both of Babylon and Rome Of Babylon first he sayth Plin. lib. 3. Babylon sexaginta millia passuum amplexa muris Of Rome Effecit passuum per directum xxx millia DCC LXV which xxx miles and three quarters being taken for the diameter must make the circumference to be at the least 92 miles which is farre aboue the reckning of Lipsius And yet saith Pliny farther Ad extrema verò tectorum cum castris praetoriis a Milliario in Capite Rom. fori statuto per vicos omnium viarum mensura colligit paulò amplius septuaginta millia pass And if that be taken for the Diameter of Rome and the suburbs then must the compasse be almost 200 miles Quo si quis saith he againe altitudinem tectorum addat dignam profecto aestimationem concipiat fateaturque nullius urbis magnitudineÌ„ in toto orbe potuisse comparari And it is also to be observed what the same Pliny writes of Babylon Plin. lib. 6. in the time of Vespatian that it was then brought to solitude being exhausted by the vicinitie of Seleucia which was built for that purpose And this was before the exile of Iohn in Pathmos where he saw the Revelation and therefore this great cittie could not be literall Babylon or Babylon in Chaldea which then was not great but mysticall Babylon that cittie Rome which was then at the greatest Let us goe to the next consideration where a cittie is said to consist of a multitude or societie of men gathered together and we shall finde a far greater cause to aske the question of our Prophet what cittie was ever like it for what cittie in the world can we finde so famous for number of Tribes and multitude of citizens as Rome Livy Alex. ab Alex. l. 1 c. 17. The Tribes of Rome were at the least fiue and thirtie everie one consisting of many thousand citizens whereas the two kingdomes of Iudah and Israel had but twelue yea the mightie kingdome of Persia which afterwards grewe so great had but twelue in the beginning Herod 1. Xenoph. Grop l. 1. Liv. l. 10 in fiue 1. belli Punici lustro undeuicesimo Tacit. An. 11 Fasc Temp. The number of Roman Citizens in their weake estate was found to be aboue two hundred and fiftie thousand but in the Emperor Claudius his time it is said to haue been aboue threescore eight hundred thousand and so in Augustus time in which number women children servants and forriners not infranchised though inhabiting were not conteyned What cittie therefore was ever like to this great cittie Againe if we consider the extent of her franchises and liberties not onely the Volsci Hernici Lucani Appuli Campani Cic. offi 1. Hetrusei and other nations of Italy but the Transpadani and Transalpini the Gawles and Spaniards were receaved into the freedome nor the Europeans onely but those of Asia S. Paul borne at Tarsus in Cilicia averreth himself before a Roman Iudge to be a citizen of Rome free borne Act. 22. And for her dominion it seemeth to be true that the Poet sayth that the cittie of Rome was as great as the world Gentibus est aliis Tellus data limite certo Romana spatium est urbis orbis idem So againe Roma armis terras ratibusque subegerat undas Atque iidem fines urbis orbis erant So Dionisius Halicarnasseus calleth it Vrbem terrae marisque dominam Claudianus Cuncti gens omnia sumus many like other sentences do we meet with in their bookes Neither was this the opinion of the poets or vulgar onely but their learned lawiers in the end grew to be of the same judgment Panorm Vbi Caesar ibi Roma wheresoever Cesar is there is also Rome What cittie therefore was ever in the world in greatnes like to this The use that is commonly made of this consideration is none other but to admire and extoll the majestie of Rome as Lipsius doth in admirandis de magnit Romana but the true and worthie use thereof is to acknowledge the
truth of Gods word revealed in this and other prophecies which we see are confirmed by the testimonies of Heathen men that never heard of them These certaine Typographies plain'y also refell the idle opinions of those that take Babylon or Antichrist for the whole multitude of the ungodly 2. The second note is that it is seated upon seven hilles what cittie was ever so famous or renowmed for seven hilles as Rome hath been Quae nunc de septem totum circumspicit orbem Montibus imperii Roma deumque locus saith Ovid. and Propert. septem urbs alta jugis And the names of these hilles are common in their histories Palatinus Caelius Tarpeius which is also called Capitolinus Aventinus Esquilinus Viminalis and Quirinalis 3. Thirdly what cittie was ever so noted for seven kinds of supream governours whereof every one had the power of a king summum imperium power of life and death from which there was no provocation or appeale All of them are expresly named both by Livy and Tacitus their principall Historians Kings Consuls Dictators Decemvirs Tribunes Caesars and Pontif. Max. 4. Fourthly what cittie did ever so powerfully rule command over the kings of the earth as this hath done All other Empires and Imperiall citties had their severall Emperors kings or princes and were subject to them and ruled by them as the Assirian Persian Grecian Tartarian Turkish Cathaian Abissine Empires the Sirian Egyptian Ethiopian Parthian Median Indian and Macedonian kingdomes and all their citties the great citties of Ninive Persepolis Ecbatana Constantinople Traperus Mexico Quinzay Memphis Ocmus all other citties that we read of even Babylon it self was ruled by kings and Emperors Dion Hal. onely Rome was called Terrae marisque domina Cic. pro prodomâ— Et illa populus est dominus regum victor atque Imperator omnium gentium sayth Tully Illa inclita Roma Imperium terris animos aequavit Olimpo saith Virgil. But what need I seek or cite forrein testimonies 1 Mach. 8 13 chap. 15. The book of Machabees giveth us ample proofes of the high and predominant power of Rome See also Brightm in Dan. c. 11. shewing how they commanded the great Kings of Egypt and Asia Ptolomee Demetrius Arsaces Attalus and others to abstain from warre against the Iewes and that command was obayed what City ever in the world did the like Fiftly for the mysticall name of Babilon See these authors cited by Riberain Apo. recited by Paraeus Aug de civit dei lib. 18. Roma velut altera Babylon Idem Occidentalis Babylon passim See M. Downam his treat of Antichrist lib. 1 ca 2. Psal 137. I think it needlesse to dispute to whom it belongeth seeing S. Augustin S. Ierom Tertul. Theophilact Orosius Oecumenius Eusebius and many others both old and new haue expresly applyed it to Rome and so cleared that point also and that upon great reasons First in regard of the greatnesse and largenes of dominion wherein Rome and Babylon excelled the other two Monarchies Secondly for continuance for these two continued longer and immediately upon the decay of Babylon Rome began to growe Velut prioris filia saith Augustine Thirdly for cruelty against the saincts for of Babylon the first the Prophets testifie sufficiently So Rome is by Tertullian called Babylon Quia sanctorum debellatrix Fourthly for promiscuous filthines beyond others Fiftly for Idolatry Lipsius in Epist. Sixtly for confusion morum aeris linguae saith Lipsius Seuenthly for power riches whereof I haue now to speak For her power riches and glory mentioned in the text I appeale to them that haue recorded that the wealth of all the world was in Rome and called it Mundi compendium in this Inventorie of riches glorie is to be cast also the account of their innumerable victories the greatnes of their Empire their prudence and policie in government their providence fortitude industry in war their learning and eloquence the justice temperance and other morall vertues which appeared in some of them the riches of their minds aswell as of their outward estate De doct chr l. 2. cir sineÌ„ wherein they excelled all the world and so doth S. Augustin call the excellent learning morality c. of the heathen Viri pati mulichria muâ—ieres pudicitiam in propatu'o habere Salust much more in Tacit. Annal. Sueton. in vita Virgil. in priap Ovid. Inv sat 6. Tibul. Catul. Propert. Mar. Hor. sâ—r l. 2 3 â— 1 sat 2. de civ l. 3. the gold and silver of Egipt And lastly for their fornication and beastlines I desire them to speake that haue read their best authours Salust Tacitus Sueton virgil Ovid Iuvenal and others Horace confesseth of himself Mille puellaâ—uÌ„ pueroâ—uÌ„ mille furores Caesar was called omnium virorum mulier et omnium mulierum vir And who hath not heard of the beastlines of Tiberius and Caligula Claudius and Nero in a word it is almost incredible and most abhominable what they write in this kinde either of themselves or one of another But if we take fornication in this place for the spirituall adulterie which is Idolatry They that read S. Augustine de Civ Dei Livy and others of their own authours doe know that besides their Majores deos and four hundred and four and twenty Temples amongst which was the Pantheon or Temple of all Devils as Tertullian well calleth it and the Temple of the city it self 1 ips â—x â—â—tit Imperij See more iâ— Chenuâ—i exam câ—nc Trident. de magin which they worshipped as a Goddesse besides all these and their Princes whom they deified after their death every house had Penates and Minores deos so that their Idols were innumerable Hereupon as some called Rome Epitomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so some christians called it Epitomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Chron. 28 23. Religione saith Tully truly who knew no religion but Idolatry omnes gentes nationesque superavimus And with this kinde of fornication they made all nations drunk for every one seeing them so prosperous and victorious would have their gods and worship them in hope like Achaz to prosper and overcome as they did Now therefore laying all these things together I ask whether they can be applyed to any other Place in the world but onely to Rome To this also may be added consuetudo loquendi interpres optima which amongst the auncient Iewes of the Sanhedrin was Buxterâ— ex cod Sauhedr by the name of the city to understand Rome as accounting none else worthy or fit to carry that name note also that the Holy ghost in the last verse of the 17 ch of the Apoc. addeth an article of emphasis and distinction to every word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Also Magister in princip glossae epistolae ad Romanos telleth us that cum dicitur Apostolus intelligitur Paulus cum dicitur urbs intelligitur Roma which
Hebrew letter Nun Ezr. 1 6. Buxtorf a termination aswell of the Feminine as of the Masculine and common gender to note that those precious and pleasant fruites belong to women aswell as to men Now this doth plainely agree with that which in the former place hath beene observed of Rome the second Babylon viz. that she abóundeth in riches delicates and wantonnes and it hath an Antithesis to the description of mount Sion as it is expressed unto us both in the 14. chap. of this Revelation and in the second Psalm Psal 2. For there saith God I haue set my King upon Sion Har-codshi the mountain of my holynes But here the Kings and Princes of the earth are gathered to Har-megeddon the mountain of the precious and pleasant fruits of the earth The companie of the Lamb upon Mount Sion Rev. 14. are such as haue not defiled themselues with women But these pleasant and precious fruits belong to women as well as men And the like Antithesis may be noted in other places of the scripture as where the Prophet prayeth to be delivered from men of this world which haue their portion in this life Psalm 17. whose bellies God filleth with his secret treasure But I sayth he will behould thy face in righteousnes So the Apostle describeth certain men whose God is their belly Phil. 3. and who minde earthly things But our conversation sayth he is in heauen so the true church of Christ is set forth to be adorned with all heauenly graces Fayth hope and charitie Rev 12. namely the Sun of righteousnes to cloth her in fayth the starres to crowne her with light of truth and hope of immortalitie preached by the twelue Apostles the moone and all mutable earthly things to supporâ— her in works of charitie or to be despised and troden under foot in respect of eternitie But the Antichristian Church sitteth like a Queene of earthly felicities clothed with purple skarlet Rev. 17. pearles gold and precious stones abounding in all pleasures delights supported by the nations of the world Neither is the other circumstance to be neglected namely the meeting and congregation of Princes Rulers of the earth noted as well in the second Psalme as here in the Revelation in regard whereof Livy duâ—in Plaâ—ma in sal 2. Rome was in ancient time called Regum urbs for the multitude and magnificent state of their Senators so did the Emperor Constance also call it in the latter time so it may be still called for the number pompe and glorie of their Cardinals who will be honoured and accounted princes Another question would I aske whether this word may not thus be distinguished Arma-geddon with the first Alpha radicall to signifie the pallace or castle of the Troupes of women as well as men Now where that pallace or castle is where women abounding in treasures and pleasures are best mainteyned and defended I would haue them to answer that haue seene Rome of late or that haue read these verses made for her commendation Qâ—ot caeâ—â—m si elias Vide Abbat dem Antiâ—h cap. 11. tot habet tua Roma puellas Pascua quotque haedos tot habet tua Roma Cynaedos And many such like or the faculties dispensations pardons and decrees flowing from the castle of S. Angelo and the pallace of Lateran in their favour And lastly upon the same word I would aske whether that the Hebrew word which in the Greek writing is Armageddon may not by an easie transposition So Moâ—ines maketh it Ha. Romagedah to signifie the destruction of Rome onely of one letter and a prick in the Hebrew be read and taken for Romageddon so by name lead us to Rome that high cittie for so the word Rom also in Hebrew signifieth and their own Authors call it septem urbs alta jugis Hieron atque altae maenia Romae where princely men as the Cardinals and women abounding in treasures and pleasures as the Cortesanaes are gathered together Which transposition of a letter is verie usuall in the Hebrew and warranted by many examples of the holy Scripture And upon all these precedent places circumstances I demand Dan. 7 1. passim alibi whether it be possible to apply these prophecies to any cittie or place in the world besides Rome True sayth the Babylonian it is to be understood of Rome for so they confesse of late 1 Pet. 5. upon the word of S. Peter but Heathen not Christian To omit that answer which is obvious that the old Ethnick Empire of Rome was the impediment therefore could not be the seat of Antichrist and that another Ethnick Empire should be erected there towards the end of the world is incredible and if it should yet it could not fulfill the Prophecies for many reasons which may be produced and to instance because Antichrist must be one of the seauen heads of Rome whereof fiue were fallen in S. Iohns time and the Empire was one and the seuenth must be reveled after the impediment removed yet to passe by all these consider of two textes more which shall not come single but eyther of them fortified with an Authenticall contestis The sixth scripture then speaking of the Place of Antichrist telleth us plainly 2 Thes 2. August de civ dei l. 20 cap. 19. Nulli dubliim est cum de Antichristo ista dixisâ—â— c. Antichristus in domo domini in sede Christi sedebit Ambros in locum Male Ecc'esiam Dei in tectis aedificiisque veneramini Anne ambiguum est Antichristum in his esse sessurum Hilar. contra Aux that it must be the Temple of God It is the word of S. Paul which would never haue called the Ethnike state of Rome the Temple of God It must therefore be understood of the church of God so the Fathers take it without all doubt or question that in Rome for out of Rome it is in vain to seeke as by the former places may fully appear And yet this text goeth not single but seemes to be drawn out of an ancient prophecie of the Euangelicall Prophet where he bringeth in the prince of the first Babylon a tipe of the second using these words I will ascend into heauen Esa 14. and exalt my throne aboue beside the starres of God I will sit also upon the mount of the Church or Congregation so farr the Prophet Now lay the words of the Apostle to them That man of sinne exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshiped so that he doth sit in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God On the mount of the Church sayth the one In the Temple of God sayth the other The Temple of God was in Ierusalem saith the Babylonian Object Answ But that is excluded by all the former places of Scripture most signall and significant I demande then how this place can
be understood but of the Church of God in Rome and who can be said or ever could be said to sit in that Church as God but the Pope But marke the seauenth and see whether yet againe Rome and the Church of God in Rome be not precisely described It is in the Prophecie of Daniel that beloved Prophet as our Euangelist was the beloved disciple He shall plant saith he the Tabernacles of his Pallace betweene the seas Dan. 11 45. In the Glorious mountaine of Holynes Neither goeth this place alone but commeth with a witnes For the like is said of the King of Tyrus a tipe also of Antichrist in that severe Priest and Prophet Ezechiel Thou hast sayd I am a God Ezek. 28. I sit in the seat of God in the midest of the seas That which Daniel signifyed by setting his Pallace betweene the seas in the glorious holy Mountain that Ezekiel expresseth by sitting in the seat of God in the middest of the seas and whether both these do not prefigure unto us the Church of Rome I desire the Learned to judge It must be a mountaine of Holynes Esa 11 9. and the seate of God which are the proper Titles of the Church in the old Prophets And this church must not be an obscure Psa 2 48. Zach 8 3. or litle but a glorious church and this Glorious church must be betweene two seas How this can be applyed to Tyrus Babylon Ierusalem Constantinople or to any other cittie in the world beside Rome I ask of all that know the two famous seas that imbrace Italie whereof the one is called MarC superum Adriaticum or the Gulfe of Venice the other is Mare Inferum Tirihenum or the Straights both mentioned by Vergil in one verse for the glorie of Italie An mare quod supera memorem quodque alluit infra Betweene these two seas Rome was and is seated which was in the beginning a church truly glorious both for the Martyrdome of many godly men for their constant profession of the truth against Heretikes for I will not detract the least thing from them and for that it was the Imperiall cittie For which cause it was called Prima sedes which was the greatest title that it had for 400 yeares Prosper was first Pope Leo his secretarie But after that Pope Leo the eloquent Orator and Prosper his familiar friend or Secretarie an excellent Poet began to ascribe higher titles unto it Peslem subeuntem prima recidit Archb. of Canterb. in his answer to D. Hill Prosper in lib. de ingratis Marke the statelines of these verses with the resonans of his letters S. P. Q. R. Sedes Roma Petri quae Pastoralis honoris Facta caput mundo quiCquid non possidet armis Religione tenet After this I say and such like Tacitus li. 1. by little and litle taking upon her as Augustus did in taking of the Empire of a church truly Glorious she began to be vain glorious but still glorious for none else could be the seat of Antichrist And it seemes they followed the wit and pollicie of their founder Romulus of whom it is said that he was Livy lib. 1. Tum fâ—ctis vir magnificus tum factorum ostentator haud minor He would loose nothing for lack of seting forth And the like is said of Scipio and other Romans But if any will apply this text to Antiochus and say that he placed the Tabernacles of his Pallace in Ierusalem I will not deny but Antiochus might be signified in Daniell to be the type of Antichrist but if they will say that this place is meant onely of Ierusalem and Antiochus I would desire them to answer me well to these three questions First how the church of God in Ierusalem could be called a glorious church or the temple a glorious temple in those times when it appeareth by the Prophets Hag. 2. that the second temple then standing was as nothing to the former the church was not onely oppressed and persecuted by Antiochus and others Vid. Aug de civ dei l. 18. cap. 45. but devided into sects in it selfe namely the Sadducces Pharisees Essees and others Secondly between what seas is Ierusalem seated True it is the great Midland sea is of the one side but of the other there is none but either Asphâ—ltis or Tiberius or Euphrates which are but pettie flouds to make a sea But granting they might be called seas as they are some times yet where do we read or can we finde that ever Antiochus planted his seat in Ierusalem If they will needs haue a litterall exposition let them shew how and when this was fulfilled But in Rome all these things concurre a glorious church between two seas and a place noted by other prophecies to be that great that septimountaine that Imperiall cittie whereupon Antichrist should sit The same argument will serue to proue that it cannot be meant of Babylon Constantinople or any other cittie For it cannot stand with the Prophecies Yet another objection is made Object If the temple of God and a mountaine of holynes then how Idolatrous Sodom Egypt c. as the place of Antichrist must be if idolatrous how christian This I shall declare more at large when I come to speak of the times of Antichrist Distinguo tempora and there it shall appear how it was Christian and how it fell to idolatrie and other sinnes still reteyning the name and outward profession of christianitie Ans But in the meane space the godly and reverend Bishop Salvianus shall answer for me who sheweth that Rome in his time in the times of her best bishops and under Christian Emperors continued still in her heathenish idolatrie and abhominable filthines It would be too long to recite all his words although most worthy but amongst the rest after that he had verie grauely seriously inveyed against the intollerable exactions and oppressions of those times he addeth these words which I think fit to recite somewhat the more at large for the full clearing of this point and because the booke is not common Atque hoc videlicet Laici tantummodo non quidam etiam Clericorum saeculares tantummodo non mulit etiam religiosi Imo sub specie Religionis vitiis saeculatibus mancipati qui scilicet post veterum flagitiorum probra crimina titulo sanctitatis sibimet inscripto non conversatione aliis sed professione Whom doth he mean by this title of hoâ—ynes nomen tantum denotavere non vitam summam divini cultus habitum magis quam actum existimantes vestem tantummodo exuere non mentem and a litle after Quomodo igitur tales isti paenitentiam se egisse non penitentes sicut etiam illi de conversione ac Deo aliquid cogitasse qui à conjugibus propriis abstinentes à rerum alienarum pervasione non abstinent cum profiteantur continentiam corporum incontinentia
Doth not the holy Ghost teach us to speak much more truely Marke well the Prophecie of Ezec. 7. where he speaketh of the worst of the heathen coÌ„sider by the circumstances whether it can be understood of any but the Romans when it representeth that Empire unto us under the name of Iâ—on mixt with dyrt as the Emperor Tiberius was called Lutum sanguine maceratum dyrt mixt with bloud unles you will therefore call it golden because in filthines and Idolatrie it was like the old Babylon which was figured by the head of Gold or because it is the seat of the golden Harlot But of this else-where In the mean space I demand again where was the zeale of their Bishops to reforme or correct these enormities euen of the Christians where were their decrees or decretals to restrain them where was the courage of the Priests or Clergie to reprehend or censure them was there none amongst them all but that Tertullian of Carthage and Salvianus of Massilia must rise up to speak of it Videbat hoc universa urbs patiebatur videbant Iudices acquiescebant sayth he So here was Babylon and yet I confesse there was Sion also But Sion dwelling in Babylon Whereof the Prophet Zacharie after the returne from the first captivitie seemeth to speak saying Zach. 2. Deliver thy self o Sion Rev. 18. that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon And our Evangelist repeateth Come out of her my people shewing that the prophecie of Esay and Ieremie concerning her destruction are not yet fulfilled I demand then upon all these premisses whether any place can be found in the world qualified for to be the seat of Antichrist according to these Prophesies besides the Septimontane Rome and that Christian the mountain of holynes and yet Sodome the Temple of God and yet Egypt Sion and yet Babylon which euen in her best Christianitie retained the Barbarous crueltie the abhominable filthines and horrible idolatrie of Egypt Sodom and Babylon in their publike sights and shewes Theaters solemnities ceremonies common practise And no sooner did they suppresse those old Pagan Idolatries but they fell to this new Idolatrie of worshiping of Images which they still practise defend together with their ever accustomed filthines crueltie whereupon I must propose this Problem whether by any possibilitie or imagination of man these things can be applied to any other place but Rome II. Of the state of Antichrist THE next thing after the place which offereth it self to our senses and consideration seemeth to be the subject or bodie without which no Accident can consist and therefore used in the definition of Accidents especially Relatiues which cannot be without their Correlatiues as a father cannot be so called but in respect of his sonne nor a Monarch or king but in respect of his monarchie kingdome or state Politike subject unto him And this also must be proportionable as we said before of Relatiues For as great things must haue great places so a great and mightie Monarch must haue a great state under him And as by the greatnes of the place we may measure the body so by the greatnes of the state subject to any Prince we judge of the greatnes power of the Prince himself We haue seene alreadie a great place appointed for Antichrist Let us now see the greatnes of the state and bodie politike that must be subject unto him and support him And this also hath not been neglected in the H. Scriptures but is set forth and described in divers places especially three as the best Interpreters do obserue which also do concurre and haue good correspondence with the prophecies concerning his place aboue specified First in the seuenth chap. of the prophet Daniel Secondly the 13 ch of the Rev. And thirdly the 17 ch of the Rev. which places agree in some things and differ in others and that agreement and those differences together with the reasons thereof deserue to be narrowly sifted First in Daniell we finde a great and terrible Beast with ten hornes and amongst the rest a litle horne rising up c. In the 13 of the Rev. we fynd two beasts one rising è mari out of the Sea as all the beasts in Daniel with tenne hornes c. the other rising e Terra In the 17 chap. of the Rev. we fynde a great beast with ten hornes and a whore sitting on his back Let us first consider of the description of this great beast rising out of the sea in the 13 ch of the Rev. where he seemeth to be most fully set forth positiuely and after comparatiuely Here therefore the great beast rising out of the sea is described first in his existence or parts Secondly in his power actions For his existence and parts it is first said to be a beast rising out of the sea Secondly having seauen heads Thirdly ten hornes crowned Fourthly upon his heads were names of blasphemie Fiftly his bodie like a Leopard Sixtly his feet like a beare And seuenthly his mouth like a Lion For his power and actions it is said 1 that the dragon gaue him his power and his throne and great authoritie 2 That one of his heads was wounded as it were to death but his deadly wound was cured 3 All the world wondered after the beast and worshiped the Dragon which gaue power to the beast and worshiped the beast saying Who is like to the beast Who is able to make warre with him 4 There was giuen him a mouth to speak great things and blasphemies 5 Power was given to him to doe and continue two and fortie months 6 He opened his mouth in blasphemie against God to blaspheame his name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in heauen 7 And it was giuen to him to make warre with the saints and to overcome them and power was giuen him over all kindreds tongues and nations And all that dwell upon earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the Book of Life and Loe here a strange and mightie beast Now what is meant by the name of a beast rising out of the sea the prophet Daniell telleth us For he saith plainly Dan. 7 23. that it signifyeth a kingdome rising upon the earth And the fourth Beast saith he is the fourth kingdome Which seemeth to be the same that is here spoken of The prophet Ezechiel useth the same phrase Ezce 19 17. saying Wherefore laye thy mother as a Lyonesse among the Lyons c. And againe the great Eagle c. Now if this be a kingdome which is spoken of by our Euangelist of necessitie it must be some verie great and mightie kingdome for so it appeareth by all parts of the description especially where it is said that all the world woâ—shipeth it And in the question that is asked Who is able to warre with him paralel to that question asked in another place What cittie is like to this great cittie As
Constant for Primacie and Supremacie Gregorius Magnus anno 590 condemneth the title of Vniversall Bishop in the Patriarch of Constant yet if we beleeue Baron and some others was contented to hold the Supremacie and for that purpose wrote letters of great flatterie to Phocas the Murderer Sabinianus anno 604 did so much malice his Predecessor and advance Gregorie that he could hardly conteyne himself from burning his books Platina and after him Boniface the 3 4 5 and others all mainteyned their Supremacie the power of that Sea untill Constantine of whom we shall haue cause to speake hereafter Lo these were the Roman Prelates of those times whose Histories diligently collected and layd together Plessis are more at large to be seen in that excellent worke De Mysterio Iniquitatis Whereupon I demand Whether they do not fully answer the description made of this Beast rising out of the earth Out of earthly desires of Honour c. First here is another Beast or Monarchie unlike to any of the former and yet not of any certaine forme of Government alwayes ascending and striving to get supremacie sometimes by one meanes sometimes by another stirring up schismes and seditions patronising Heretikes contending with other Bishops yea with those heauenly Doctors and Lights of the world whom they could no way countervaile Athanasius Hilarius Augustin Aurelius and two hundred Bishops of Africa with him And yet pretending great humulitie and subjection to the Emperor as appeareth by the letters not onely of Vigilius to Anthinius and other principall Heretikes at the command of the Empresse but of Gregorie the Great also to Phocas the Murderer Yet by Schisme and faction seeking to get the place as oft as they could without their consent See more at large of these things in that Booke of Philip Marnay Where also you may reade what S. Hierom writeth of Rome in his time expressely calling it Babylon and the purple whore And telling them of their Riches covetousnes lewdnes and Lupercatia There are the Trophees of the Apostles and Martyrs there is the confession of Iesus Christ sayth he but there is also ambition and Tyrannie which keep men back from doing good Neyther he onely but Marcellinus I do not sayth he marvail considering the braverie of that cittie that men ambitious of that place set up their Rest for the purchasing of it For having once aspired thereunto they are sure to be inriched with the offrings of Ladies and Noblemen to be carried in their coaches sumptuously attyred and so magnificent in their feastes as passeth any kings table Many such testimonies collected are to be read in the discourse of that Learned Lord. But especially is to be observed what he hath diligently drawn out of Baronius where he sayth that Constantine in the 24 year of his raigne ordeyned that the Bishops of the Christian Law should from that time forward haue the same Priviledges which the Idolatrous Priests had in time past They had sayth he their Rex Sacrificulus and Pontifex Maximus And who can think that Constantine would long indure that they should exceed the Christians in Pompe and glorie So Baron their Cardinall and learned Annalist yeeldeth unto us freely confesseth a point of no small moment that this their Pontifex Maximus who now is in Rome succeedeth in priviledge Pompe and glorie to the Heathen Pont. Max. which was before in Rome Yet the same Baron sheweth also that Constantine first tooke the name of Pont. Max. to himself and giveth a reason for it namely that the Senate and people of Rome those that were yet of the Heathenish faction might not so easily be drawen to conspire against the Christian Emperors was it not a verie Christian policie think you And yet sayth he the Pope had the power of supreame judge in all causes So that this standeth most consonant with all Prophecies histories that these two Beasts were at one time both together in Rome and that the new Pont. Max. of Rome hath the power of the Pagan Pontif. But that his power appeared very slowly and that the Pontificall name in Temporall causes was for a long time verie base and obscure appeareth by the testimonie of the learned Guicciardin Guicc l. 4. and other Histories I demand therefore Whether we may not here see the manifest performance of this prophecie I Another Beast arising after the first in Rome and in the presence of the first 2 Arising by degrees out of the earth that is out of the earthly lusts and desires of riches luxurie Pompe and pride 1 Iohn 2. Iames 3. and also by earthly wisedome strife and envie 3 Having two hornes indeed that is a power temporall spirituall but short and weake and as Guicciardin sayth obscure and almost invisible as the Hornes of a lambe 4 Speaking like the Dragon that is contrarie to the Commandements of God Revel 13. as the Serpent did to our mother Eue but equivocally as Vigilius whom Baron himself calleth Antichrist did equivocate with Sylverius his Predecessor and Theodora the Empresse See the Historie in Platina And divers others of them did flatter equivocate with the Emperors The fifth consideration therefore is of his Actions The 6 of his works And the 7 of his Name But of his name I haue spoken before and of his marke I might referre the Reader to the writings of the Excellent Paraeus Napier Iunius upon the Apocalyps But I cannot omit the greate and learned Archbishop Antonin In summa where he sheweth that everie one that entreth into their Holy Orders receiveth a Character p. 3. t. 14. p. 4. t. 13. which he interpreteth to be principale instrumentum ordinis But in another place upon the place of the Apocalyps now in hand Apoc. 13. he expoundeth the Character of the Beast to be cultum Bestiae the worship of the Beast in his right hand that is sayth he in his spirituall works as fasting Almes prayer c. or in his forehead in outward appearance at the least and in outward conformitie We may also obserue that if we subscribe to the opinion of Irenaeus that the name of the beast is Latinus this is observed in all their prayers But considering well and comparing the opinion of Napier with Antonin both with the Text I cannot chuse but thinke the Character is expressed unto us in the superstitious use of the crosse which they make upon the forehead or otherwise with their right hands But for his Actions they are here somewhat largely set forth in this 13 chap. For first it is sayd that he exerciseth all the power of the first Beast before his face So did the Popes before the Emperors as I haue shewed before Secondly he causeth the earth and earthly minded men to worship the first beast So did the Popes to the Emperors while they were in power and continued Pontifices Max. Thirdly he doth great wonders making fire to
what shall we say of Boniface the eighth who hired the Saracens to warre against the Christians in Sicilia What shall we say also to the first comming of the Turkes into Europe Who transported their armies by Sea but the Popes owne subjects of Genua the countrie that was giuen to the Pope by Herebertus the Lombard and whom he might haue easily restrayned if he would More of this might be sayd but let this suffice and let me demand upon it whether we may not justly thinke him guiltie of all the Christian bloud that hath been shed by the Turkes in Europe I aske againe whether any of these Pontifices Maximi haue amended these things or shewed any repentance or sorrow for them or any dislike thereof since their perpetration yea whether they haue not by all meanes extolled and approved of those their Predecessors boasting of their Succession from them and mainteyning that they cannot erre and that they ought not to be judged by any man And therefore before I passe from this point let me speake one word to thee O Lord of Trueth Loue and mercie or let my teares speake to thee that yet at length thou wouldest take pittie upon thy rent and torne bodie thy poore distressed Church which by intestine dissentions and the malicious practises of this inward and secret enimie is become the common stage and Theater of all bloudie Massacres and dolefull Tragedies while their enimies both forreyn and domestick prosper and triumph in their unitie and agreement O let it please thee at length to reunite in Trueth and Loue that the enimie may no longer say Where is their God Well the last note is inseparable and undeniable It is sayth the Holy Ghost that Great cittie that ruleth over the Kings of the Earth Whereof I haue sayd sufficiently before and having shewed that it cannot be applied to any other place in the world and that the Antichrist can be no other then the seuenth Ruler of that High seuen hilled Cittie and namely that Head which next succeeded the Emperors as the best Fathers and ancient Interpreters with one mutuall consent do agree I will adde to the description of this Antichristian state a short survey of the words and actions of Antichrist as by the H. Apostles and Prophets they are noted to shew how all Prophecies are fulfilled touching the comming of Antichrist and do all concurre in the Roman State and Prelate and this is the sixth generall part which I proposed at first VI. Of the words and actions of Antichrist THe Prophet Daniel speaking of Antichrist giveth us four notes Dan. 7 25. verie notable and remarkeable Whereof the first is He shall speake words against the Most High Secondly He shall consume the Saints of the Most High Thirdly Apoc. 17. He shall thinke to change times Fourthly He shall thinke also to change Lawes Our Apostle repeating also the two first addeth two more Adulterie and Idolatrie 2 Thes 2. And the Apostle Paul addeth one namely Luciferian pride and Exaltation For he exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped and he sitteth in the Temple of God boasting himself that he is God Of some of these things I haue spoken so much alreadie that I need not stand long upon them First He shall speak words against the Most High which is Blasphemie Did Antiochus so for of him some do interpret this place when he forbade sacrifices 1 Mat. 1. and burnt offerings to be made unto God when he burnt the bookes of the Law and commanded Idols to be worshiped And haue not the Popes of Rome done so when they forbid prayers and thanksgiving to God in the vulgar tongue caused the Bibles translated into English and other tongues to be burned and commanded Images to be worshiped Secondly He shall consume the Saints of the most High Did Antiochus so in commanding godly men to be put to death And hath not the Pope done much more Haue they not caused many millions of Christian men to be slayne in their great expeditions and Massacres Hereof sufficient hath been sayd before and yet because it cometh now to hand I hope it will not seeme tedious to adde one instance more Do not eccl cap. 18. out of the Arch-advocate of Antichrist Bellarmin who confesseth that in France in one expedition under Innocent the third there were slayne an hundred thousand Thirdly He shall thinke to change times Lawes two things which God seemeth to challenge as reserved and peculiar to himself For of Times David sayth My times are in thy hands and Daniel Psal 31. God changeth times and seasons And our Saviour Christ himself sayth Dan. 2. that God hath kept them in his owne power And of Lawes Act. 1. Salomon sayth By me Kings and Princes decree just things Prov. 8. Now I aske of those that will haue these Prophecies to be applied onely to Antiochus What did he in this kinde what times did he change or what Lawes But of the Pope and all the Popes since Boniface who is called the fourth but indeed the second that tooke upon him that title which was about the yeare of our Lord 607 I demand whether they haue not all taken upon them this power to change times and lawes Did not Boniface himself make a new feast to the honour of all Saints Haue not his Successors likewise made verie many new Feasts and Fasts Let their owne Kalenders be witnesse Haue they not ordeyned Iubilees and altered them at their pleasure Haue they not altered the whole Kalender of the Iulian year from the Dionysian account to the Litian or Gregorian and thereby altered all the Feasts both moueable and unmoueable from the times wherein by the old account they are observed Haue I neede to stand long to proue this point which is knowen to all the world Hath this been done upon any warrant of Gods word Or hath it not beene done by Astronomicall computations of Minutes and Seconds which are almost insensible and imperceptible Will they say it may be done by Arte And what will they answer to those excellent learned men who deny their account and haue noted great defects in men of no meane estimation among the learned namely Scaliger Vid. Thuan. l. 129. Petavius and Vieta to speake nothing of our owne Countriman Lidyat What will they say to those that hold the Arte of Astronomie not onely imperfect but impossible to be perfected and therefore compare the studie of it to the building of the Tower of Babylon And that also was the sentence of a man not of the meanest account no lesse then Raimarus Mathematician to the Emperor Rudolphus Act. 1. So that the sentence of our Saviour Christ may seeme to extend to this also Non ad vestrum scire tempora You must be content sapere ad Sobrietatem to be wise and not too wise but within the compasse of sobrietie Now let me aske
the description also of this beast here is almost the same with that which is expressed in the 17 chap. of this Book I ask then what kingdome or Empire can be understood in this place Surely he that will say that this beast here and the beast in the 17 chap. do signifie any other kingdom beside Rome must produce some other great Empire to whom the seaven heads and the other attributes there given unto it may be applied aswell as to the Roman which no man yet could ever do Let us therefore see the description of this mightie Empire comparatiue and wherein it doth agree or differ from that which is described by the Prophet Daniel and by this our Euangelist in the 17 ch The fourth Beast saith the Prophet comming out of the sea was fearfull and terrible and verie strong It had great Iron teeth it devoured and brake in peeces and stamped the residue under his feet it was unlike the other beasts for it had ten horns there came up among them another little horne before whom three of the first hornes were plucked away and in this horne were eyes like a man and a mouth speaking presumptuous things And this fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdome and shall be unlike to all kingdomes and shall devour the whole earth and tread it downe and breake it in peeces and the teene hornes out of this kingdome are ten kings and another shall arise after them and he shall be unlike the first and shall subdue three kings And shall speak words against the Most High and think that he may change times and lawes and they shall be given into his hands untill a time times and half a time But the judgment shal sit and they shall take away his dominion to consume and destroy it unto the end This is Daniels description of the fourth Monarchie Let us heare again how the Euangelist describeth it in the 13 chap. I saw a beast rising out of the sea having seuen heads Rev. 13. and ten hornes so Daniell and upon his hornes ten crownes upon his heads the names of blasphemie And the Beast which I saw was like a Leopard and his feete were as the feete of a Bear his mouth as the mouth of a lyon and the dragon gaue him his throne and great authoritie and I saw one of his heads as wounded to death but the deadly wound was healed and all the world wondred and followed the beast and they worshiped the dragon which gaue power to the beast saying Who is like to the beast who is able to make warre with him so Daniell it shall devour the whole earth c. And there was giuen unto him a mouth that spake great things blasphemies power was giuen him to continue 42 months And he opened his mouth in blasphemie against God to blaspheme his name his Tabernacle and them that dwelt in heauen And it was giuen unto him to make warre with the Saints and to overcome them and power was giuen him over everie kindred tongue and nation Therefore all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the booke of life of the lambe which was slayn from the beginning of the world In the 17 chap. of the Revelation it is thus The woman sate upon a scarlet beast full of names of blasphemie Rev. 17. which had seuen heads and ten hornes so in the former prophecies And the beast which thou hast seene was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pitte and shall goe into perdition And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world when they behold the beast that was and is not and yet is Here is the minde that hath wisdome The seuen heads are seuen mountains they are also seuen kings fiue are fallen one is another is not yet come and when he cometh he must continue a short space And the beast that was and is not is the eight is of the seuen and shall go into destruction And the ten hornes which thou sawest are ten kings which yet haue not receaved a kingdome but shall receaue power as kings at one houre with the beast These shall haue one minde and shall giue their power athoritie to the beast These shall fight with the Lamb and the Lambe shall overcome them the ten hornes shall hate the whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and shall burne her with fire They that be of indifferent Iudgment may see in that Prophecie of Daniell many things that cannot be applyed to Antiochus or to the kingdome of the Seleucidae Vide Brightmâ— in Dan. 11. As first the great power of this fourth kingdome which the Prophet setteth forth in more terrible dreadfull manner then any of the former But was the kingdome of the Seleucidae more terrible or more powerfull then the Assirian and Caldean the Median and Persian or the Grecian Monarchie was Antiochus any way comparable to Nabuchadnezzar Cyrus or Alexander Did he devour the whole earth Also this fourth kingdom shall think to make changes of times or lawes Dan. 7. c. did Antiochus so Besides by the words of Daniel it may seem that the fourth kingdom shall continue untill the finall judgment which cannot agree to the Seleucidans Letting therefore that opinion passe as a Iewish conceit approved by none of the ancient that I can finde Hieron in Daâ— but Porphyry some few of late that are too much addicted to the Rabbins I thinke there is litle doubt to be made but although some things may be applyed to Antiochus Hieron in Dan 2 4. Quartum regu perspic ue pertinet ad Rom. August Nich de Lyra. Antoninus Marsil Fic Sleidan Napier in Apoc. Abbat demonstr Antâ—chr Pâ—raeus Not. Geneven c yet this beast here signifieth the Roman Monarchie and the little horne signifieth Antichrist shadowed in some things by Antiochus And so I finde the opinion of the ancient and best interpreters Then to goe forward and see what points these two excellent and divine Prophets apply to the Roman Empire and wherein they agree or differ And truly to my understanding they seeme to agree in seuen points verie materiall 1. In the rising of this beast which both affirm to be out of the sea 2. In the name a Beast that is a Kingdom as the Angel expoundeth it not one King individuall although if he did say a King we may understand well enough the whole succession as where he saith Thou o King art that head of Gold 3. In the attribute which they give unto him Great strength and power unmatchable and unresistable 4. In his disposition most cruell and bloudy 5. In the instruments of his power Ten horns that is ten Kings 6. In his Warre against the saincts prevailing against them 7. In