extinctiō Thus hauing found the head let vs look vnto the wound that so we may the better discerne the great danger the Beast was in deliuered in these words as it were slaine to death This deadly wound was giuen and driuen home to the head by the sword and incursion of the West Gothes vnder the leading of Alaricus who in the nineteenth yeare of Cesar Honorius of whom the Beast some foure yeares before had receiued his life entred Italy and gaue such a deadly stroke vnto his powerfull pate that for very feare the Beast lockt himselfe vp in his den at Rauenna while the enemy ript vp the streetes of his Imperiall citie filling them with famine fire and sword which night of woe or rather beginning of her wofull night made an ancient friend of hers to bewaile and bind vp her deadly wounded head with an old Ballad after the tune of the burning of Troy Quis cladem illius noctis quis funera fando explicet Aut possit lachrimis aequare labores Vrbs antiqua ruit multos dominata per annos And hauing thus mortally wounded the head of the Beast in the yeare of saluation 410 and 1157 yeares after Romulus had raised her walls with his brothers blood proceeded to seize vpon the rest of his dignities hauocking and burning his chiefest honours Latium Campania Apulia Lucania Calabria where raging and deuising how to extermine the power of the Empire for euer and to spread his glorie ouer all was by sudden death blotted out leauing his purpose and his armie royall to his wiues brother Ataulphus who in like raging haste and fury returned to Rome with an obstinate intent and resolution to obliterate the ancient name of Rome for euer and to call her in honour of his people Gothia or after his owne name Ataulpha which counsell and purpose of his had it been effected sir Antichrist with all his primacies and supremacies had bid vs good night long ago and all his gainfull enterludes of fides vestra and ne deficiat fides tua and pasce oues and tibi dabo claues and quorum remiseritis with all his pestilent painted traine of succession had been dasht in repeating before euer they had come on stage But to the end this recouery might be the plague-sore of the earth his deadly wound was healed as the Spirit sath but the wound of his death was cured For by the pleasing prayers and subtill intercessions of the Emperours sister Placidia whose beautie and bodie was espoused to Ataulphus for such a time his furie was auerted and his designe dissolued and himselfe not only content at her amorous mediation to grant the citie of Rome pardon for her name but also to leaue her eclipsed and dying honour with all her Italy to her stupified Honorius who for feare was crept into his earth at Rauenna and taking his spouse Placidia with such dower as himselfe listed departed Italy and pitched his tabernacle in France then one of the chiefest prouinces of the West Empire And to this plaister the Spirit pointeth in saying but the wound of his death was cured And the holy Ghost foreseeing the greatnesse of the Beasts power to come which was yet but like vnto his sin and how that Satan his creator who had formed him after the image and perfection of his owne wickednesse should affoord him such letters commendatory to all the world which naturally loueth wicked inuentions that the primacie of his Church and supremacie of his person should ouerspread all and obtaine the praise of the earth concludeth of him in this maner And all the earth was in admiration of the Beast Verse 4 And they adored the Dragon which gaue power to the Beast and they adored the Beast saying Who is like vnto the Beast or who may warre with him ANd the children of misbeliefe ascribed to the Dragon inhibited honours decking his heathenish Christendome with names of holy and most holy titles due to God alone and they adored his execrable inuentions doctrines of diuels worshipping and diuifying his vncircumcised traine of Cesars who had granted vnto Antichrist such power incomparable and vncontrollable iurisdiction which the Spirit anatomiseth in these words And they adored the Dragon which gaue power to the Beast And as in euill there is no meane so these children of vnbeliefe went on and bestowed like titles and magnifications vpon this base and vile Antichrist who as the Prophet long ago foretold vs by Dan 8. policie should prosper and by peace destroy many and strike his adorers with such a spirituall drunkennesse that they should not onely hang their gold but their faith also vpon him and verily beleeue that this vile and despicable Antichrist Delegate to Romulus and Deputie to Cesar was Vicar to the Lamb and Successor to Peter And thus reioycing ouer the error of their owne fantasie should with Pigmalion admire and dote vpon the idoll of their owne caruing and falling downe should adore and crie with that drunken King Great art thou O Bel and in thee is no deceit which occasioneth the Spirit in detestation of their madnesse to disclose their shame saying And they adored the Beast and said Who is like vnto the Beast or who may warre with him Verse 5. And there was giuen to it a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and power was giuen to it to worke fortie two moneth ANd as the Dragon did bequeath vnto Antichrist his throne and his power in so large and ample maner that his priestly key was in cutting and killing so like the Dragons sword that he that is wise may easily perceiue one craftsman made them both so Satan the master and seducer of them both endowed his Antichrist with mouth and lips so like his owne that whoso heares him open may truly say quam similes habent labra lactucas like lips like lettice at which the Spirit pointeth in saying And there was giuen to it a mouth and proueth it by an argument drawne from the fruit of his lips speaking great things and blasphemies Whereof the Prophet Daniel Dan. 7. also inditeth him foretelling that he should open his execrable mouth and speake words against the most High of which presumptuous magniloquence the holy Ghost arraigneth him more particularly in the verse following And the Prophet also further reporteth that times and lawes and great power Dan. 7. should be giuen into his hand for a time and times and the diuiding of a time butting and bounding his tyrannous reigne and gouernment within the selfesame circle and period as here the Spirit doth by another like propheticall construction saying And power was giuen vnto it to work fortie two moneths Verse 6. And he opened his mouth vnto blasphemie against God to blaspheme his name and tabernacle and those which dwell in heauen IN discouering the blasphemous mouth of Antichrist the holy Ghost doth first and principally challenge him for presuming to lay hand vpon his diuine and
memory as that they shall neuer be discharged or forgotten the Spirit inferreth saying who accused them before the sight of our God day night Verse 12. And they ouercame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimonie and they loued not their liues euen vnto the death LAst of all the holy Ghost discouereth the spirituall armour and weapons wherewith the Angels and seruants of Michael obtained this famous victory ouer the Dragon and his sectaries and saith that they were tempered of these two diuine vertues faith and patience For by the shield of faith which the Spirit by a metonymie calleth the blood of the Lamb and with the sword of his two witnesses and by the word of their testimonie they ouerthrew all forces and arguments drawn from reason or reading which the Spirit obserueth in these words And they ouercame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimonie and all such arguments as were drawne from the blocke as fire sword persecution interdiction and such like the children of the Church quenched them with teares prayers patience and martyrdome as their Lord had giuen them charge and left them example which the Spirit vncouereth in saying And they loued not their liues euen vnto the death Verse 13. Therefore reioyce O heauens and you that dwell in them Woe to the earth and to the sea because the diuell is descended to you hauing great wrath knowing that he hath but a little time AS after victory followeth diuision of spoile so the Spirit shuts vp this heauenly conquest with triumph and ioy inuiting thereunto all the Saints and seruants of God which haue from time to time maintained and defended the honour of his name against the Dragon his sorcerers and sorceries And because by their good profession and godly conuersation they testified the glorie of God as doe the heauens by their obedient conuersions the Spirit crowneth them with the name of the heauens saying Therefore reioyce O heauens and you that dwell in them And on the other part pronounceth woe first to all nations and kingdomes accessary to these spirituall whoredomes of the Dragon whom according to their earthly mind he most aptly resembleth to the earth next to the Empire it selfe as the scelerum caput and stable of iniquitie whom for his fearfull power and vnbridled rage the Spirit most elegantly calleth by the name of the Ocean and the sea and concludeth his woe with a reason why because both in one and other the power of Satan had taken such deepe roote that the more the light of the truth did bewray their madnesse the more they stroue and stormed against it and so much the rather because their sinne was now at the highest and that the kingdome of Christ did gather so fast vpon them that of necessity a mutation of their fortunes must needs follow with a subuersion not onely of their Paganisme but also of their power Cesaricall which the Spirit closely foldeth vp in these words Knowing that he hath but a little time which one Apostle also obserueth 2. Thess 2. Verse 14. And when the Dragon saw that he was throwne to the earth he persecuted the woman that brought forth the man child ANd when the raging Romane Empire saw that his maintenance of Iupiter and his idol art of making shrines was to descend for euer as among many voices some euen to this day are heard to crie vengeance vpon his idols inforcing them with shame to resigne their vsurped titles of gods and claime of heauen to the true Lord and owner thereof he took the course of the wicked whose custome is as one of their owne noteth malitia alia aliam trudere and to adde sin to sin as a holy one saith to quench his Deut. 29. thirst with drunkennesse for so proceeded this Beast adding to his blindnesse boldnesse redeeming his blasphemie with rage and persecution and was so far from coming to himselfe and taking vp repentance to wash away his crying sinnes that as the Spirit concludeth he more and more pursued the Church persecuted the woman which brought forth her first borne and primitiue fruit here called for their faith their patience and their godly valour the man child Verse 15. And there was giuen vnto the woman two wings of the great Eagle that she might flie into the desart vnto her place where she was nourished for a time and times and halfe a time from the face of the Serpent BVt the Lord who had so dearly bought his Shunamite was no lesse carefull to preserue and carry her to the place of her rest with a strong and out-stretched prouidence euen vpon his owne two wings whose feathers were made of the truth of his promse sealed and deliuered by the hand of his two witnesses which the Bridegroom of purpose left with his Spouse to accompanie and guide her whensoeuer she remoueth If she trauell by day they are her leading cloud if by night they are her pillar of fire if she flie they lend her wings if she wander they harbour her if she be naked they couer her if in prison they visit her if captiue they redeem her if she be weake they sustaine her if blind they leade her if she be heauie they comfort her if sicke they recouer her if she doubt they resolue her if she erre they direct her if she thirst they giue her to drinke and if she hunger they feed her and make her so strong of constitution that afflictions are reioycings to her banishment a hauen dispersion a friend losse and death aduantage And by these comforts as by hands they conuey her to her solitude and restlesse place of rest as the Spirit discouereth saying But there were giuen to the woman two wings of the great Eagle that she might flie into the desart vnto her resting place where euer since her primitiue dispersion she hath liued strewed and scattered far and neare ouer the face of the earth seene and knowne of her Lord by whom she is protected and of the children of wisedome of whom she is iustified and so doth and must remaine hidden and retired into the priuie chambers of Gods prouidence and her owne conscience during the reigne of Antichrist whose curst and arrogant supremacy was to rise out of the ashes of the Dragons Emperioritie as the holy Ghost prophecied And thus hiding her eminent primitiue graces must closely and silently keep the Lords watch and stand vpon her honorable guard three propheticall yeares and a halfe here as in Daniel determined by a time and times and half a time from the reach and rage of the Serpent his taile and successors Verse 16. And the Serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water as it were a flood that he might make her to be carried away with the flood ANd when the Dragons traine of Cesars who for their malice to the truth and seducing the nations are here called by
punctuall and exact moment of time when the egge of Antichrist and his Apostacie was first laid as otherwhere sufficiently preserued vnto vs proceedeth to detect the place where and from whence he should arise saying that he saw him lift vp his hardy head from the sea meaning by the sea as in the sixteenth of this prophecie the surging tumbling and raging Sea and Citie of Rome where also by a like loquution he calleth all kingdoms subiected to her by the name of riuers And that this Beast should thence arise and there and not elsewhere keep court and residence the Spirit proueth by an argument drawne from the shape and proportion of the Beast for he had the seuen heads and ten hornes of the Dragon meaning that he should sit vpon the Dragons hils and reigne in and ouer the Dragons citie and aray himselfe with the spoiles of the world and hold in subiection the Kings and States on earth as the Dragon did for so much the Spirit intendeth in saying hauing seuen heads and ten hornes And lest the vnwary Reader should mistake this great Antichrist for that great Dragon or this Beasts supremacie and his pestilent succession for that Beasts supereminencie and his execrable taile as many vnwarily haue done the holy Ghost in emblazoning his coate giueth him a most exquisite difference in saying that he wore his diadems not vpon his heads as the Dragon did but vpon his hornes signifying thereby that he should not come to his Crowne and vainglory by the strength of his sword his Leaders and his legions as the Dragon did but by the base and voluntary submission of all such Cesars Kings and Princes as should with one counsell and force deliuer vp their authoritie and power secular to the deuotion and pleasure of the Beast and therefore the Spirit crowneth not his heads but his horns saying and vpon his hornes ten diadems And concluding sheweth euen by his head attire how far vnlike this Dragons High-priest of Rome was and should be to the Lords High-priest of Ierusalem who in stead of hauing his head-attire emblemished with holinesse to the Lord as had his seruant Aaron should haue his head-peece beslubbered with names of blasphemie and vpon his heads names of blasphemie whereof proofe is made in the sixt verse following Verse 2. And the Beast which I saw was like to a Leopard and his feet as a Beare and his mouth as the mouth of a Lion and the Dragon gaue him his own force and his throne and great power ANd forasmuch as the Apostle foresaw that this Beast should be a far greater aduersarie and a far longer persecuter of the Church of God then any of the Monarchies which did arise afore him he shapeth him an outside answerable to his inward making framing his parts of the most notable persecuters that euer were as concluding him for his extraordinary wickednesse the odde fellow the totall summe and very accomplishment of all other And first for his presumption in extolling himselfe aboue the Prince of the Couenant defouling his sanctuary desolating his sacrifice burning his statutes and inforcing the humble and meeke to the abnegation of the truth by blood fire strappadoes and such like exquisite torments the Spirit resembleth him to his arch-type Antiochus descended from the Monarch of Greece here as in Daniel deciphered by a Leopard And I saw the Beast like a Leopard Secondly in pride of life in pomp and luxurie the Spirit equalleth him with the Monarch of Persia and likeneth his arrogant and voluptuous gate to her ten Kings here as in Daniel deciphered by a Beare And his feet as of a Beare Thirdly the holy Ghost ascribeth vnto him the proud prophane and cursed mouth of the Mornarch of Babylon in commanding the dwellers on earth vpon paine of fire and fornace to adore his golden idoll which he had dedicated with cornets sackbuts psalteries dulcimers which also the Spirit couereth as Daniel doth vnder the maske of a Lion And his mouth as the mouth of a Lion And last of all lest happily he should be least beholding vnto his Bella Nimpha his dearest Lady and mistris of Rome the holy Ghost saith that the loue of his Patronesse the Dragon was equal to the loue of a father towards his sonne for she made him heire apparent and Lord of her Empire subiecting all things to the feete of his censure and confirming vnto him her throne and pallace of Lateran with all the demefnes and glorie of Latium as one of his owne also noteth Latiumque relinquit Christo Romuleam septem cum collibus vrbem Verse 3. And I saw one of his heads as it were slaine to death but the wound of his death was cured and all the earth was in admiration after the Beast ANd presently after this great Antichrist was risen the Apostle foresaw such a wound giuen to one of his heads that the Beast was in eminent danger to be stricken downe againe and slaine in the very egge for so much the Spirit noteth in saying And I saw one of his heads as it were slaine to death For the better opening of which wouÌ„d we must not onely remember the Beast hath seuen heads but we must also step a little forward and craue the assistance of the seuenteenth Chapter concerning the interpetation of the seuen heads which saith that the seuen heads are seuen hils and they are also seuen kings discouering the true seate and situation of the citie of Rome where Antichrist should keep his court and residence by the seuen hils And by the seuen kings the seuen Monarchies which from the beginning of the world to this day haue successiuely risen and reigned ouer the earth of which seuen the Assyrian monarchie was the first and the Romane the sixt of both which and their pue-fâ—llowes is further reuealed in the seuenteenth Chapter following Meane time we are here to obserue that as the holy Ghost doth therefore call his seuen heads by the name of seuen hils because the seate of Antichrist should be there and not elsewhere placed and planted so he nameth them also seuen kings because the power of Antichrist should be an extraordinarie soueraigntie compounded of such spiritual and temporall claimes and iurisdictions as should be equiualent in presumption and prophanation to all the transgressions of the seuen monarchies which from the beginning hitherunto haue blasphemed God and corrupted his world This foundation layd doth shew that this deadly wound giuen to one of his heads which as after appeareth was the wound of a sword cannot be meant of any one of his heads after the first signification as they are hils but as they are kings and subiect to the sword and so by consequence intendeth that one of his Imperiall heads and namely his faire Adonis his minion lord and master of Rome of whom he had so lately receiued his breath and being was so deadly wounded as that the Beast himselfe thereby was in great danger of