is more or lesse of a thousande two hundred yeeres from Iohn the Apostle unto the yeere 1300. Where also the Centuries doe ende being set forth under this last trumpet of which wee said that this repetition is a type ¶ And he stood on the Sea sande A passing over to the Beast Aretas the Complutent edition and all the Greeke copies doe so reade as our translation and I stood the common translation hath and he stood but falsly For he attributeth it to the Devill who even now went his way to make warre with the rest of the Saincts and for madnes was not able to stand still in any place Neither is there any other intent of standing on the sande then that the rising up of the Beast might be seen which concerneth nothing the Dragon Therefore the wordes are to be referred unto Iohn in which there is a transition unto the enemy set in the place of him that is dead to the contemplating of whose originall Iohn saith that he was set in a most convenient place In which he declareth that it doth appertaine to them onely to beholde the Beast rising up who after they have escaped the Sea of false doctrine are set at least on the shore or banke of the truth howsoever it may be that the mooving of the waves and the ebbing of the Sea casteth upon them also many brinish errours because of nighnesse as after they that doe get victory of the BEAST are said to stand at the GLASSIE SEA as wee may see in the fifteenth Chapter and second verse For that these things doe pertaine and are to be refferred to the event may be gathered from the like place in the seventeenth Chapter and at the third verse where IOHN is carried into the Wildernesse for to beholde the damnation of the WHORE For what need were there to change the place unlesse the remooving had a Mystery Here therefore some godly men are to be viewed to whom being set as it were on the shore of the Trueth the originall of the SEA BEAST should be certenly knowne and that also at that time in which the Devill went for to make warre against the seed of the woman For neither is this place attributed rashly to this transition Which wee see to have ben performed in them of Maidenburg who having attained at length to settle the soles of their feete on the dry grouÌ„d after they had swomme out of the Papisticall Sea manifested to the whole world in their Centuries such a beginning growing and ripenes of this Beast as is here described of Iohn Which doubtlesse many learned men also before painted out in lively colours but all their labour was bestowed about one or two parts none made a perfit image before the seventh trumpet which procured us these Centuries To this ende tendeth the transition how correspondent the event is the application of every severall thing will make plaine CHAPTER 13. THEN I saw a Beast rising out of the Sea which had seven heads and tenne hornes and upon his hornes ten crownes set and upon his heads was set a name of blasphemy 2 And the Beast which I saw was like a Leopard and his feete as the feete of a Beare and his mouth as the mouth of a Lion and the Dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority 3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wonded to death but his deadly wound was healed and all the earth wondred and followed the Beast 4 And they worshipped the Dragon which gave power to the Beast and they worshipped the Beast sâ—ying Who is like unto the Beast who shall be able to warre with him 5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great thinges and blasphemies and power was given unto him to doe two and fourtie moneths 6 Therefore he opened his mouth unto blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and his Tabernacle and them that dewell in heaven 7 And it was given to him to make warre with the Saincts to overcome them and power was given unto him over everie kinred and tongue and nation 8 Therefore all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the booke of life of that Lambe which waâ— slaine from the beginning of the world 9 If any man have an eare let him heare 10 If any leade into captivity he shall goe into captivity if any kill with a sword he must be killed by a sword here is the patience and faith of the Saincts 11 Afterward I beheld an other Beast comming up out of the earth having two hornes like the Lambe but he spake like the Dragon 12 And he exerciseth all the power of the former Beast before him and he causeth the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the Beast whose deadly wounde was healed 13 And he doeth great wonders so that he maketh fire to come downe from heaven on the earth in the sight of men 14 And he deceaveth them that dwell on the earth for the signes which were permitted to him to doe in the sight of the Beast saying to them that dwell on the Earth that they should make the image of the Beast which was wonded by the worde but did live againe 15 And it was permitted to him to give a Spirit to the Image of the Beast so that the image of the Beast should speake and should cause that as many as would not worship the image of the Beast should be killed 16 And he maketh all both small and great rich and poore free and bound to receive a marke in their right hand or in their foreheads 17 And that no man might buy or sell save he that had the marke or the name of the Beast or the number of his name 18 Here is wisdome Let him that hath understanding count the number of the Beast For it is the number of a man and his number is sixe hundreth threescore and sixe Analysis THVS farre hath ben the battell with the Dragon the combate with the Beast followeth which is double the first and the second The description of the first is from the beginning of the chapter to the 11. verse And first from the causes that he arose out of the Sea then also from his integrall parts his hornes heads and their decking ver 1. his whole forme feet and mouth ver 2. Furthermore from his authority wherby he doth excell which is threefolde at the first received from the Dragon a while after diminished afterward recovered againe his wonde being healed which is more amplifyed then that first as declare both the honour which the worshippers give to him ver 4. the power both to blaspheme and also to make warre ver 5.6.7 Last of all the largenesse of his Empire ver 7.8 All which things ar concluded with a pleasant shutting up of the matter for a greater heede taking and consolation ver 9.10 Such is the first Beast The second
from them But by these meanes he will declare and manifest howe greatly wee ought to reverence his secrets 2 And J saw a strong Angell publishing There is a great dignity of the Prophesy from the certenty largenes scaling up but nowe a greater appeareth seeing the highnes thereof surmounteth every created Spirit For it is not of that kinde which the more prudent sorte of men can comprehende by any skilfull foreknowledg but wherein all must needes confesse their ignorance The which for to shewe he alludeth to the manner of Princes who in difficult thinges are wont by great rewards to provoke their subiects by the voyce of a Cryer to try their strength and there is almost none whoÌ„ in such businesse some small hope will not thrust forward to make tryall If so be that noe man cometh forth what is this else than an open confession of their imbecillity So the Angell is sent to enquire who is worthy to opeÌ„ the booke If noe man offereth himselfe let us acknowledge our owne impotency and the power of our Mediatour and togither also let us honour with due reverence these holy mysteryes for which cause God causeth in us this feeling of our owne want of power as of old in Adam before whoÌ„ ere he gave him a wife he set all creatures that noe fit helper being found he might make the more accounte of the wife given him ¶ Who is worthy He maketh not inquiry of the power and strength but of the deserte and worthynes For even all the creatures if they should coÌ„spire togither are able to doe nothing to wringe out perforce the things from God Whatsoever wee obtayne wee enioye it at his will and pleasure and by entreaty and the Lord being iust in giving his thinges regardeth their worthynes upon whom he bestoweth his benefits whom unlesse either their owne or an others iust dignity shall commende they can hope for noe good thinge from him But if a bare foreknowledge of future thinges shal be of so greate importance in what estimation is the knowledge of salvation to be had 3 And noe man was able A free confession of the creature that it is able to doe nothing herein Let them therefore looke to it who doe make her a patronesse for theÌ„selves in matters of greater moment Why then should wee mervayle if noe man understandeth any of these thinges not onely among the Gentiles although the most quickwitted of them but also not in the whole Kingdome of the Papists noe not that blasphemously unerring Pope himselfe with all his Seraphicall Doctours arrogating to them selves the victory of all knowledge learning prudence and wisdome These thinges surmount all humane sharpenes of witte least peradventure thou reiect rashly that which shall not please those our maisters And the distribution of thinges in heaven in earth and which are under the earth may be understood froÌ„ the proclaiming of the Angell he made enquiry who was worthy Therfore the inquisition perteined not to the Devils and soules punished for sinnes For what hope or shewe of worthynes could be here Therfore the thinges in Heaven are the Angels they in the earth Men living they which are under the earth are the Saints sleeping in their graves Whom he signifyeth in this manner by that one part which cometh neerer to our sense In which respect Iacob sayeth and I shall goe downe to my sonne mourning into the grave Gen. 37.35 In these alone their might be some question Therfore that place is to colde for to kindle a Purgatory ¶ Nor looke thereon for so hath Theod. Beza the common translation hath looke upon I should rather turne looke in For so the sentence encreaseth seeing this is greater then not to open The booke could not be looked in so long as it did remaine sealed whereupon the addition would be superfluous in this sense 4 J wept therefore It is a lamentable thing in deede that the Church should wante the gift of Prophecy But Iohn bewrayed his infirmity having forgot or at least wise not minding that nothing is so hidden that could be unknowne to our chiefe Prophet of which he would not teach his Church so farre as should be expedient for his Wherefore one of the Elders warning him that he should not weepe doth togither with gentlely reprove his ignorance or rather forgetfulnes as though it were a shamefull thinge for a teacher not to knowe that which the common sorte of the faithfull should not be ignorant of 5 Beholde he hath obtayned Many as it were contending but one obtayning the victory before the rest He seemeth to speake after the manner of the former proclamation wherby the thing was put as it were to a publike strife and tryall and in which Christ bare away the chiefe prayse yea the whole ¶ That Lyon of tâ—e A circumlocution of Christ the King fetched from Gen. 49.9 But what hath the Lyon to doe with seales Our sinnes did remove farre froÌ„ us all the mysteries of God Which when Christ hath by his mighty power abolished and conquered for ever the enemyes the Devill and death worthyly with this name as a badge of the victory he cometh forth to obtayne that for us which our enemyes kept away ¶ The roote of David So hath Th. Beza translated rightly the Hebrewe word to which the Greke worde answereth and is some time taken for a roote as is in Isaiah He groweth up as a tender plante before him and as a roote out of a dry ground chap. 53.2 But a roote properly groweth not out of the ground but that which springeth from the roote neverthelesse this in deede is such a roote that also togither it is the roote of David that is the fountayne and welspring from whence salvation and life flowe unto David so that nothing can be more significant then this word neither hath there bene at any time any roote besides of this kinde See Psalm 101.1 Mat. 22.43 c. 6 Then J looked and beholde betweene the Throne Word for word in the Greeke is in the middes of the Throne as before in chap. 4.4 c. The Lambe is in the middes of the Beasts and Elders to wit in the assembly of the faithfull in the middes of the Church ¶ A Lambe standing as though he had ben killed The Lambe is described by his triple offâ—â—e These wordes as thâ—â—gh he hath ben slame perteine to his Priesthood being eternall through the eternall power of his death Seaven hornes declare him to be a Kinge Seaven eyes which are so many Spirits and the taking of the booke shewe him to be the chiefe Prophete The skarre of a deadly wound is a token that he once dyed and teacheth that the Father doth give all things to his Church for the merite and through the beholding of it For this is it wherby our Priest once entring into the holy place hath obtained eternall redemption Heb. 9.12 And in that he hath once gat redemption for the
Prosper witnesseth in his booke de Ingratis in these wordes Rome is the Seate of Peter which is become the Head of Pastorall power to the world whatsoever shee holdeth not by force of armes shee holdeth it by religion And againe in his second booke of the calling of the Gentils chap. 6. Rome by the soveraigntie of Priesthood is more increased by the tower of religion then by the Throne of power Vnto which is added Ammian Marcellin in his 27. booke as he is cited by Bellarmine that he marvaileth not though men contend with so great desire for the Romane Popedome seing the riches and maiestie of it are so great But that the Dragon gave him this power appeareth from hence that the name of Rome was honourable to all men because of the auncient Empire of which once it was the Seate and therefore that they easily yeelded to any promotion of hers but of this more largely at the 6. verse 3 And I sawe one of his heads as it were deadly wounded Montanus Plantines Edition doeth omit I saw as though the Dragon togither with the throne power had given also one of the heads wounded which is contrary both to the faithfulnesse of the other Copies for Aretas the Common translation read I saw all other also to the truth of the history For the Beast had not a wounded head at his first beginning For first he was afterward he is not in chap. 17.8 as at that place wee shall shewe more fully In these wordes he commeth to the second condition of the BEAST The dammage consisteth in the wounding of one of his heads which now once or twice wee have advertised to be seveÌ„ hills and Kings from chap. 17.9.10 VVhether then of these kindes should suffer this calamity Surely if the wounde inflicted be to come into the power of the enemy scarce can one of the hilles receive a wound but all wil be wounded togither VVherfore more properly it beloÌ„geth to the Kings any one of which being afflicted with this wounde the rest abide whole from the same Although this hurt cannot be so proper to a King that it should not also be common to the Hills And these Kings are seven Governements or Principalities by which the City of Rome hath ben governed to wit those celebrated by all Kings Consuls Decemviri Dictatours Tribunes Emperours Popes as wee will make plaine at the 17. chap. If now it be demaunded to which of all these this calamity should happen the place which even now wee spake of declareth it evidently to the seaven head namely the Popes For so speaketh the Angell and another that is the seventh is not yet come and when he shall come he must continue a short space being hurt with a wound as it were quite killed with the same for Iohn saith as it were wounded to death as Aretas well puts us in minde for he should not be altogither destroyed by this blow But now after that it is manifest touching the Heads this wound was inflicted when Rome forsaken now a good while of the Emperours abiding partly in the East at Byzantium partly in the West at Ravenna beginning againe to flourish under a newe GovernemeÌ„t of Popes was smitten with an exceeding great storme by the Gothes Vandals Hunnes and the rest of the Northern people Which vexed most miserably the whole VVest part In this common calamity that late Empresse of the nations Queene of the whole world escaped not scotfree but sufferred a greater destruction then almost any City besides oftener taken by assault sacked wasted for an hundred two and thirtie yeeres at the lust of the Barbarians First Alaricus about the yeere 415 besieged and tooke it Of which thing Hierome speaking but after he saith the most famous light of all countries is cleane put out yea the head of the Romane Empire cut off and to speake more truly the whole world is destroyed in one Citie c. In his Proheme of Ezech. But in more wordes eloquently in an Epistle to Principia a Virgin The Citie is taken which tooke the whole world c. In what lamentable manner would he have bewailed if it had befell him to heare of the ofteÌ„ conquerings and spoiling thereof which followed For Rome now was consumed not once but was taken a second time by Adaulphus who gave her such a deadly wound that she was minded to change her name and to be called afterward Gothia The third time Gensericus the Vandal tooke it The fourth time Odoacer Rugianus reigning there fourteene yeeres Theodoricus the King of the Gothes slewe him whom at length Totilas followeth by a cerâ—en order of succession He the fift time overthrew and rased it bringing it to that wildernesse that neither any man nor woman could be found in it by the space of fourty dayes according to that of the Sibyll Rome shal be a perpetuall ruine and shee that hath ben seen shall not be discerned Albeit I thinke not that shee hath yet endured that calamity which Sibyll speaketh of although that now past may be a notable proofe of that which is to come Who in those times would not have thought that the seven hilled Citie had utterly perished VVho would not have supposed that the dignitie of the Popes to wit the seventh head had bin past remedy Therefore the Constantinopolitane Bishop and he of Ravennas the authority of Rome being as it were utterly gone laboured greatly as the next heires to drawe the same to their Churches But they were both much deceaved The head was not wounded unto death but as it were unto death Therefore the wound waxing more fierce Zozimus Bonifacius Celestinus about the yeere 420. having supposed a Nicene Councill chalenged the Primacy and they did moove so much as was sufficient to shewe that some life was left but they had a shameful repulse because this was the time of the wound on every side Pelagius also not long after before the skarre had closed altogither wrested the scriptures to the same ende but his endevour comming to no proofe declared that both the head remained alive and also that it was of no power For the raigne of the Gothes darkened the light of the Popes dignity neither could now any acknowledg her the chiefe who at home being the basest and servant of the Barbarous people scarce had a place where to abide For at once the Emperours dwelling at Rome at what time the Apostles were in authority restreined Antichrist that he could not come forth to be seen abroad so the new erected Kingdome of the Gothes in Italie was an other thing with holding which did repell his put out hornes for a time compelled him againe to hide him selfe in his shell Rightly therefore now the head did seeme to be wounded which was not able to shake off the yoke neither by any strength of his owne neither by any hope that he had from the East seing the Emperour
him before that he recovered health from his wounde which he had He was of great authority before he received the wounde as wee have shewed but of farre greater after the hurt was amended VVhich order the Spirit observed before in the 3. and 4. ver adding after his head was cut and healed both admiratioÌ„ and also adoration And that adoration is this same which is now gotten by the labour of this But why seeing the second is no other then then first revived urgeth he not worship in his owne name but onely in the name of that This is a singular cunning of the most crafty hypocrites to wit a fained name of antiquity wherby he might get estimation to himselfe in the world For in this onely he should wholly labour that the first might be worshipped as though he chalenged no new thing to himselfe but that onely which his Ancetours had left unto him by succession From hence the Epistles of most auncient Popes were corrupted most impudently coÌ„terfait put in the place of true and true wholly chaunged with strange additions and detractions for their owne profit From the same shop came the feigned donation of Constantine Likewise the Decrees which in their title have a shew of greater antiquity then trueth and sixe hundred of that sorte Neither is any other thing at this day so greatly laboured for as that the auncient honour may be given to the Pope that is that the first Beast may be worshipped it would be an unpleasant ambition openly to endevour to get honour to himselfe though the Pope is not ashamed of this wherefore he obiecteth the first Beast under whose name he may serve himselfe more secretly 13 And he doeth great wonders Now is shewed by what way he deceiveth men and obtaineth that worship for which he fighteth as for heaven earth to wit by working Miracles in the which Antichrist should be wonderfull whose comming is by the effectuall working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders as Paul hath forwarned 2 Thes 2.9 Which thing if Ireneus had observed in his 5. booke chap. 28. he would not have called this Beast so much the Armour bearer of Antichrist as Antichrist himselfe No miracles of the former are rehearsed but onely power great authority of which there may be a distinct force from signes It is manifest to all men how this Beast is commended for a notable fine worker of miracles by and by after he waxed whole of his wound Beholde one or two for it were an infinite thing to recite every one The Christians have ben protected wonderfully from the Devill in the Temple Pantheon after that Boniface the 4. had consecrated it to all Saincts Theodorus the next healed with a kisse one diseased with the leprosy No man in the whole army of Eudo to whom but even a very small piâ—ce of the blessed Spongie had come from the POPE Gregory 2. was either killed or wounded in the battell against the Saracenes The body of Formosus brought from the river Tiber into the Church of S. Peter is saluted and worshipped with great reverence of the Images of the Saincts in the entrance of the teÌ„ple A white dove like snow whose necke was shining as Gold sate upon the right shoulder of Gregory the 6. whiles he celebrated Masse WheÌ„ the same was to be buried in the Palace of Peter the doores of the Temple taried not the comming of the doore keeper but of their owne accord leaped backe at the bringing of his dead body A certen lame woman by drinking the water wherewith Vrbain 2. had washed his handes after the Masse was healed Infinite are the things of this sorte in which the Romane Pope glorieth both olde and newe For both are of like force to coÌ„firme his authority Which Zacharias knewe well who translated into the Greeke tongue the foure bookes of Gregory the Great concerning the miracles of the Fathers that the miraculous power of the Popes might be come knowen as well to the Grecians as to the Latines But wilt thou say the miracles of other men are not fewe That is true in deede but who ar all the slaves of the same Pope of whom whatsoever wonders are done they are referred to the defending preserving and increasing of his dignity as to the centre From whence all these done of his servants are worthily said to be his for whose honour alone they make ¶ So that he maketh fire to come downe from heaven His power to doe miracles being shewed summarily now he descendeth to some certen kindes which the Papists will have to be three the first whereby Antichrist shall seeme to rise from the dead the second wherby he shall make fire to descende from heaven the third is the power of speaking given to the Image which things seeing they are not founde in the Pope of Rome as Bellarmine will have it in his third booke of the Romane Pope chap. 15. it followeth saith he that he is not Antichrist His rising from the dead is gathered from his head deadly wounded and healed againe ver 3 of this chapter and from that which is said after in the 17. chap. ver 18. he was and is not and ascendeth out of the bottomelesse pit Which rising againe wee have shewed to be found most plainely in the Pope of Rome when he was eased and delivered from those miseries wherwith by the invasion of the Barbarians he lay overwhelmed and buried in mens opinion For that it cannot agree to the death of one man fained for some fewe dayes it shal be manifest from the person of Antichrist which the seventeenth chapter after will proove evidently to be a long succession of many not any certen and singular man Especially also seeing that this wound was very sorrowfull not inflicted on himselfe willingly and in jest but made by his enemies where could be no place for counterfaiting Which faining of death was brought in by a false coniecture of men and besides the trueth of the matter and the very wordes of the scripture Therfore the Rom. Pope is famous for the first miracle which if they please they may call a resurrection to which it is not unlike Now what manner of one is he in regard of the second CerteÌ„ly those miracles seeme to be very great which are done from heaven or in the very heavens wheÌ„ as men have very little power over these bodies as when a fire of the Lord falling from Heaven consumed the burnt offring of Eliah 1 King 18.38 Likewise also when the Captaine over fifty men with his whole bande was destroyed by fire from Heaven at the prayers of the same Eliah 2 King 1. Therefore Antichrist that he might not seeme inferiour to the famous Prophets would set foorth himselfe by this sort of miracles Gladly doe the Iesuites heare this from whence they judge for a surety that the Pope is not Antichrist of whom say they not such miracle is read But
speake nothing of the other most unworthy wayes wherby the Beast trode under foot the Emperial Maiestie Finally the toes of the foot now divided are holden togither by no common bond of the Emperours name but onely of the whore of Rome For what have Spayn France Venice Florence Naples to doo with the Empire Al these toes cleave togither in the common foundation of the Popes authority which is the onely foot now wherin these al agree and grow togither and not the Empire with which they have in a manner nothing to doo Therfore the Emperours are in deed the Beasts horns but neither the leg of the Romane Empire nor the foot but a toe of the foot or the great toe perhaps whē it please the Pope You Papists with certayn painted titles doo dazel their eyes but they wil at length awake and handle your Rome according to their authoritie The things which you dispute for the Empire and Emperour are vayn Ther remaineth yet you say the succession and name of the Emperour of the Romanes and by Gods marvelous providence when the Empire fayled in the west it remayned safe in the East and when this fayled it was erected agayn in the west I answer the succession of the Empire remayneth not in the Emperour but in the Pope VVhen the sixt head fel the seventh succeded to weet the Pope and not the Christian Emperours who then received a horned dignitie the succession of which dignitie and no other they transferred to their posteritie They have the name of Romane Emperours but it is a title without substance even as the Romane Church is caled Catholik many such like But in refining the truth we must look to the authority of the holy Ghost not to the vayn words and voices of men In deede Gods marvelous providence shined in considering this dignity such as it was both in the East and VVest But this providence is careful no lesse for the horns then for the head that is aswel for these that are caled Emperours as for the Pope Both of them are by his decree which appointed that some of the toes of the foot should be of yron Neither dooth he hinder him you say from being Emperour though he wanted Rome which you prove by the example of Valens Arcadius Theodosius the yonger Charles the Great and his successours then by the dignitie of going before al other Christian Princes moreover by the election of the Romanes and finally by the Lutherans confession I answer to everie of these and to the first that if Valens Arcadius and Theodosius the yonger wanting Rome remained neverthelesse Romane Emperours then the VVesterne Empire fayled not neither doth the Easterne Empire fayl at this day though the VVestern Emperours want Constantinople if right be ynough without possession But the Kingdomes of this world are his that holdeth them and although they be gotten for the most part by wickednes yet God by his just judgement taketh from one and giveth to another Yet dooth not this his administration quitt the robbers of crime but he punished in marvelous manner both by abasing one and contrariweise advancing an other It is therfore somwhat of more weight to want Rome for this that any should be the Roman Emperour than you speake of Vnto the second namely that dignitie of going before al Christian Princes I confesse the Emperour goes before al the rest notwithstanding he that goes before al these comes after the Pope as none is so unskilful but seeth in whom the Maiestie of the Empire truly resideth Vnto the third be it that Charles the Great was created Romane Emperour with consent of the Romanes yet the Apocalyps teacheth that the Romane Empire is tied to the citie of Rome not to the clamour of the Romane people Vnto the fourth the Lutherans boasting that they have three Prince Electours of the Romane Emperour doo rather folow custome of speaking then the truth of the thing or if in deede they so perswade themselves it is through the common errour the meaning of the Apocalypse not being by them as yet ynough perceived Wherfore you gull the Emperours with a deceitful title who whiles the Romane Pope possesseth Rome neither truly are nor shal be Romane Emperours and thus you contending that the Romane Empire dooth yet indure have not found in what place it is whose both head and habitation you are ignorant of From this restored Empire by the Pope doo Luther Illyricus and Chytreus rightly gather that he is that great Antichrist Yet not so much because Charles the Great was declared Empetour by him as for that the Empire did revive in the Pope who being a Bishop in name was made Emperour in deede This is evident by this that the Beast hath a head both wounded healed for both these perteyn to the same Beast Also the Beast which was not whiles the Barbarians prevayled is that verie same which is when they are extinguished Moreover Antichrist is both the seventh King from Constantine unto the Kingdome of the Gothes the eight by a new rising up after the healed head by Iustinian and Phocas the rest folowing as is explayned Apoc. 13.3.11 and 17.10.11 You answer that the healed head is not the Romane Emperour but Antichrist who feighneth himselfe dead and by divelish art shal rise himselfe up againe and that so almost al the ancient Fathers doo expound it Vnto this I say that you doo not rightly disjoyne the Romane Emperour and Antichrist which two if we would speake properly according to the Apocalyps doo make one and the same person Not that he which at this day is caled Emperour is Antichrist but because whatsoever is in this name Emperour it naturally belongeth to the Pope For both Pope and Romane Emperour or Romane Empire were wounded to death by the invasion of the Goths For the seventh head which then seemed to perish was both a hill and a King that is Rome or the Romane Empire and the Pope Apoc. 17.9 It is true therfore which you say that the text it selfe playnly compelleth us by that head of the Beast which was dead and revived to understand not Charles the Great but Antichrist For Charles the Great was not Emperour indeede but howsoever he did not dye and live agayne yet the Romane Emperour or Empire in the Pope did die and live agayn as is sufficiently said before By which also may appear that that which is commonly spoken of Antichrists feighned death and resurrection is a playn fiction a feighned death is in sport and voluntary but Antichrist dyed this death against his wil and with sore payn from which death when he began to come forth very great was the torment of his fresh wound as witnesseth Gregorie the Great by his many mournful lamentations Chapt. 6. Against the third Demonstration from the coming of Henoch and Elias HITHERTO of the signes going before now of them that accompany him and first of the coming of Henoch