doctrine and therefore are called here a Crowne of twelue starres vpon her head How soone I say that she thus arayed did bring forth CHRIST in the flesh who is that man-child who rules the Gentiles with an Iron rod as Dauid saith in his Psalmes That great red and ancient Dragon for in our first forefather he vttered his malice to wit the diuell who is ruler of infinite numbers of men which is signified by his seuen heads and seuen diadems or Crownes vpon them and who hath innumerable meanes and instruments to be executors of his malicious will which is signified by the tenne hornes alluding to Daniel and who is so mighty in deceipt that he doeth not onely allure the infidels to follow him but euen a part of the Pastours and the visible Church to their destruction which is signified by his drawing after him with his taile as followers of his intisements the third part of the Starres of heauen and casting them to the earth This dragon hauing waited to destroy her birth and for earnestnesse gaping for it before it was borne and not able to preuaile but by the contrary seeing CHRITS rising from the dead and then his ascending into heauen which is signified by the Childs pulling vp to GOD and his Throne and seeing the Church to flourish though vnder persecution which is signified by her flying to a place in the wildernesse which God had prepared for her where thereafter she must lurke for the space of the dayes ye heard reckoned to wit the Church shal be vnknowne and as it were vnregarded and no man shall know how it shal be sustained for GOD shall nourish it the space of the Antichrists kingdome which is the number of dayes ye heard counted before The Dragon I say hauing found this that both CHRIST and his Church did escape his hands and not onely that but that himselfe also by the vertue of CHRISTS renewing of vs was no moreable to accuse the Saints of God as he did in time of the old Law since now we are made righteous which is signified by the battell in heauen where GOD to declare that none is like vnto him made CHRIST here called Michael whose name imports Who is like GOD with his Angels to fight and ouercome the diuel and his angels and to cast them on the earth Satan I say finding himselfe thus debarred from further accusing of the Saints hauing found that he should neuer haue place to doe that in any time thereafter as on the one part it reioyced all the Angels and Saints in heauen for their bretherens cause on the earth as is witnessed by the song that the voyce did sing in Heauen praising God therefore and extolling the deed of Michael and his Angels who fought so earnestly for the Saints on earth as if they had bene mortall they would not haue spared their liues in that cause for their sakes whom CHRIST had redeemed with his blood and of whose clection he had borne witnesse to his Father so on the other part it enraged the Dragon so that he became the crueller tempter of men vpon the earth aswell for that his place of accusing in heauen was taken away by the mysterie of the redemption which is signified by this fight as for that he knew within short space he was by CHRISTS second comming to be cast downe from the earth into hell there to be chained in eternall captiuitie and misery euen as by the first comming he was cast from the heauen which is signified by the last part of the Song so as he pursueth the Church with heresie and ciuil powers which both are signified by the floods of waters which he spewed out of his mouth after that the Eagle wings were giuen the woman to flie to that place appointed for her in the wildernes where she must remaine the number of dayes ye haue heard to wit after that God had giuen his Church a sufficient swiftnesse to eschew the rage of Satan and to lurke the space of Antichrists raigne which lasteth three times or three yeeres and a halfe that is a time prefixed by GOD and vnknowne to men as ye haue sundry times heard already But seeing that all this vanisheth as if the earth had swallowed and dried vp that flood suddenly 17 The Dragon therefore or the diuel became more wrathfull and enraged then before against the woman or the Church and went about by some other way to make warre against the rest of the womans seed who kept the Commandements of GOD and had the testimonies of CHRIST to GOD the Father that they were chosen and called for these are onely the true posteritie of the Church to wit the successours in grace faith and trewth 18 And I stood vpon the Sea shore I meane it seemed to me that I stood vpon the Sea shore because I did wait to see come out of it which represented all peoples and nations such powers as Satan would imploy to fight against the Church for the declaring whereof this Vision was shewen vnto me and whereof these two last great wonders were but the introduction that by these things past as the roote I might the better vnderstand the branches which are to bud forth thereof as followeth CHAP. XIII ARGVMENT The Popes arising His description His rising caused by the ruine of the fourth Monarchie the Romane Empire The rising of the false and Papisticall Church her description her conformitie with her Monarch the Pope The great reuerence borne to the Pope by many nations and not onely to him but to his Legates A generall defection so great as there shall not be an other visible Church but the Popedome Of the first Pope who did take to himselfe all their blasphemous and arrogant styles ANd then I saw a beast rising out of the Sea to wit from among the number of Nations and peoples I saw a Monarchie chosen and erected vp by this Dragon the deuil and it had seuen heads and tenne hornes and tenne diadems vpon the tenne hornes the signification of these heads and hornes was declared vnto me by an Angel as ye shall heare in the place conuenient hereafter Chap. 17. and vpon these heads was the name of blasphemie for they by the persecution of the Saints and adoring false gods shall both by word and deed blaspheme the name of the Eternall 2 This beast or Monarchie Daniel 7. is the fourth King or Monarchie wherof Daniel prophesied to wit euen that Monarchie which presently reignes and hath the power of the other three reuiued in it for it is farre greater then they And therefore as that Monarchie of the Leopard gat that name because of the swiftnes of the conquest and that of the Lion because of the mightines and cruelty therof and that of the Beare because of the strength and long standing thereof so this is called like the Leopard to wit in shape whereof commeth her agilitie headed like a Lion because his strength is
giue light to the word as CHRIST saith doth contrary thereunto fall away like Lucifer Matth. 5.14 and set vp a kingdome by the sending forth of that noisome packe of craftie cruell vermine described by Locusts and so is the Seat of the Antichrist begun to be erected whose doctrine is at length declared in the second woe after the blast of the sixt Trumpet Verse 13. Verse 20. where it is said That the remnant of men which were not killed by the plagues repented not of the workes of their hands that they should not worship diuels and idols of gold and of filuer of brasse and of stone and of wood which neither can see Lib de Cultu Adoratio lib. 3 disp 1. cap 5. Vers 21. heare nor goe As for worshipping of diuels looke your great Iesuited doctour Vasques and as for all the rest it is the maine doctrine of the Roman Church And then it is subioyned in this Text that they repented not of their murther their sorcerie their fornications nor their theft By their murther their persecution is meant and bloody massacres For their Sorcery consider of their Agnus Dei that will slocken fire of the hallowed shirts and diuers sorts of Reliques and also of Prayers that will preserue men from the violence of shot of fire of sword of thunder and such like dangers And iudge if this be not very like to Sorcerie and incantation of charmes By their Fornication is meant both their spirituall fornication of Idolatry and also their corporall fornication which doth the more abound amongst them as well by reason of the restraint of their Churchmen from marriage as also because of the many Orders of idle Monastike liues amongst them as well for men as women And continuall experience prooueth that idlenesse is euer the greatest spurre to lecherie And they are guiltie of Theft in stealing from GOD the titles and greatnes of power due to him and bestowing it vpon their head the Antichrist As also by heaping vp their treasure with their iuggling wares and merchandise of the soules of men by Iubiles Pardons Reliques and such like strong delusions That he endeth this description of Antichrist in the same ninth Chapter may likewise well appeare Cap. 10. ver 6. by the Oath that that Mightie Angell sweareth in the sixt verse of the tenth Chapter And after the blast of the sixt Trumpet that time shall bee no more Verse 7. and that when the seuenth Angell shall blow his Trumpet the mysterie of GOD shal be finished as he had declared it to his seruants the Prophets Cap. 11. Onely in the eleuenth Chapter he describeth the meanes whereby the Antichrist was ouercome whose raigne he had before described in the ix Chapter and telleth vs that the two witnesses Verse 3. after that they haue beene persecuted by the Antichrist shall in the end procure his destruction And in case any should thinke that the Antichrist is onely spoken of in the xj Chapter and that the Beast spoken of in the xiij and xvij Chapters doth onely signifie Ethnicke Rome there needeth no other refutation of that conceit then to remember them that the Antichrist is neuer named in all that xj Chapter Cap. 11. but where he is called in the seuenth verse thereof the Beast that commeth foorth of the bottomeles pit Verse 7. which by the description of the place he commeth out of prooueth it to be the same Beast which hath the same originall in the xvij Chapter and in the very same words so as it is euer but the same Antichrist repeated and diuersly described in diuers visions Now in the xij and xiij Chapters and so foorth till the xvij The third description he maketh a more large and ample propheticall description of the state of the Church and reigne of the Antichrist For in the xij Chap. he figureth the Church by a Woman flying from the Dragon the Deuill to the wildernesse Chap xij Verse 6. And when the Dragon seeth hee cannot otherwise ouer-reach her Verse 15. hee speweth foorth waters like floods to carry her away which signifieth many Nations that were let loose to persecute and vexe the Church And in the xiij Chapter out of that Sea of Nations that persecuted her Chap. xiij ariseth that great Citie Queene of all the Nations and head of that persecution figured by a Beast with seuen heads and tenne hornes verse 1. Verse 2. like a Leopard as well for the colour because it was full of spots that is defiled with corruptions as also vsing a bastard forme of gouernement in shew spirituall but in deed temporall ouer the Kings of the earth like the Leopard that is a bastard beast betwixt a Lion and a Parde hauing feete like a Beare to signifie his great strength and the mouth of a Lion to shew his rauenous and cruell disposition This Beast who had his power from the Dragon Verse 3. and had gotten a deadly wound in one of his heads or formes of gouernment by the Gothes and Vandals and yet was healed againe Verse 6. Verse 7. opened his mouth to blasphemies and made warre against the Saints nay all the world must worship him which worship Ethnicke Rome neuer craued of any being contented to call their neighbour Kings Amici socij populi Romani And whether worship or adoration euen with that same title he vsed to Popes at their creation our Cardinall can best tell you But then commeth another beast vp out of the earth Verse 11. hauing indeed a more firme and setled originall for she doeth visibly and outwardly succeed to the trew Church and therefore she hath two hornes like the Lambe in outward shew representing the spouse of CHRIST and pretending CHRIST to be her defence But she speaketh like the Dragon teaching damnable and deuilish doctrine And this Apostatike I should say Apostolike Church after that she hath made her great power manifest to the world by doing all that the first Beast could doe Verse 12. In conspectu eius that is by shewing the greatnesse of her power to be nothing inferiour to the greatnesse of the former Ethnicke Empire she then is mooued with so great a desire to aduance this Beast now become Antichrist as she causeth the earth and all that dwell therein to worship this former Beast or Roman Monarch transferring so as it were her owne power in his person Yea euen Emperours and Kings shall be faine to kisse his feet And for this purpose shall shee worke great Miracles wherein she greatly prides her selfe deceiuing men with lying wonders and efficacie of lyes 2. Thes 2.9 as S. Paul saith And amongst the rest of her wonders Verse 13. she must bring Fire out of heauen Fulmen excommunications which can dethrone Princes Verse 15. So that all that will not worship the image of the Beast that is his vnlimited Supremacie must be killed and
is the former Vision interpreted and expounded and there is the Antichrist represented by a Woman sitting vpon that many-headed Beast because as CHRIST his trew Spouse and Church is represented by a Woman in the twelfth Chapter so here is the Head of his adulterous spouse or false Church represented also by a woman but hauing a cup full of abominations in her hand Verse 4. as her selfe is called a Whoore for her spirituall adulterie Verse 1. hauing seduced the Kings of the earth to be partakers of her Spirituall fornication Verse 2. And yet wonderfull gorgious and glorious was she in outward shew but drunken with the blood of the Saints Verse 6. by a violent persecution of them And that shee may the better bee knowen hee writeth her name vpon her forehead agreeable to her qualities A Mysterie that great Babylon the Mother of whoredomes and abominations of the earth A Mysterie is a name that belongeth vnto her two maner of wayes Verse 5. One as shee taketh it to her selfe another as shee deserueth indeed To her selfe shee taketh it in calling her selfe the visible Head of the mysticall Body of CHRIST in professing her selfe to bee the dispenser of the mysteries of GOD and by her onely must they bee expounded This great God in earth and Head of the Faith being a Mystes by his profession that is a Priest And if the obseruation of one be trew that hee had of old the word Mysterie written on his Myter then is this Prophecie very plainely accomplished Now that indeed shee deserues that name the rest of her Title doeth beare witnesse that sheweth her to bee the Mother of all the whoredomes and abominations of the earth Vers 5. and so is she vnder the pretext of holinesse a Mystery indeed of all iniquitie and abominations vnder the maske of pretended feeding of Soules deuouring Kingdomes and making Christendome swimme in blood Now after that this scarlet or bloody Beast and her Rider are described by their shape garments name and qualities the Angel doeth next interprete this vision vnto Iohn expounding vnto him what is signified both by the Beast and her Rider telling him Verse 9. the seuen heads of the Beast are seuen Hilles meaning by the situation of that Citie or seat of Empire and that they are also seuen Kings or formes of gouernment in the said Citie whereof I haue told you my conceit already As for the ten Hornes Verse 12. which hee sheweth to be tenne Kings that shall at one houre receiue their power and kingdome with the Beast I take that number of ten to be Numerus certus pro incerto euen as the number of seuen heads and ten hornes vpon the Dragon the Deuill cannot but be an vncertaine number And that hee also imitates in those ten hornes the ten hornes of the seuen headed Beast in the seuenth of Daniel and therefore I take these ten Kings to signifie all the Christian Kings and free Princes and States in generall euen you whom to I consecrate these my Labours and that of vs all he prophesieth that although our first becomming absolute and free Princes should be in one houre with the Beast for great Christian Kingdomes and Monarches did but rise and receiue their libertie by the ruines of the Ethnicke Romane Empire and at the destruction thereof and at the very time of the beginning of the planting of the Antichrist there Verse 13. and that we should for a long time continue to worship the Beast hauing one Catholike or common consenting minde in obeying her yeelding our power and authoritie vnto her and kissing her feete drinking with her in her cup of Idolatrie Verse 14. and fighting with the Lambe in the persecution of his Saints at her command that gouerneth so many Nations and people yet notwithstanding all this wee shall in the time appointed by GOD Verse 16. hauing thus fought with the Lambe Verse 16. but being ouercome by him that is conuerted by his Word wee shall then I say hate the Whore and make her desolate and make her naked by discouering her hypocrisie and false pretence of zeale and shall eate her flesh and burne her with fire And thus shall the way of the Kings of the east bee prepared Reuel 16.12 as ye heard in the sixteenth Chapter And then doeth hee subioyne the reason of this strange change in vs for saith hee GOD hath put it in their hearts to fulfill his will Verse 17. and with one consent to giue their Kingdomes to the Beast till the words of GOD be fulfilled according to that sentence of Solomon That the hearts of Kings are in the handes of GOD Prou. 21.1 to bee turned at his pleasure And hauing thus interpreted the Beast or Empire hee in a word expounds Verse 18. that by the Woman that rode vpon her or Monarch that gouerned her was meant that great Citie that reigned ouer the Kings of the earth by the Scate of the Empire pointing out the qualitie of the persons that should sit and domine there Then is the greatnesse of her fall Chap. 18. and the great lamentation that both the Kings and Merchants of the earth shall make for the same proclaimed by an other Angel in the eighteenth Chapter Verse 9.10 The Kings lamenting her fall because they liued in pleasure with her which no Kings could doe with Ethnicke Rome who conquered them by her sword for shee honoured them with Titles and dispensed with their lustes and vnlawfull marriages Verse 11 15 16 17 18. And the Merchants of the earth and all Shipmasters and traffikers vpon the Sea shall lament the fall of that great Citie which neuer had a fellow for the losse of their riches and traffique which they enioyed by her meanes Verse 12 13. And there he describeth all sorts of rich wares whereof that great Citie was the Staple for indeed shee hath a necessary vse for all such rich and glorious wares as well for ornaments to her Churches and princely Prelates as for garments and ornaments to her woodden Saints for the blessed Virgin must be dayly clothed and decked in the newest and most curious fashion though it should resemble the habit of a Curtizane And of all those rich wares Verse 13. the most precious is last named which is the Soules of men for so much bestowed vpon Masses and so much doted to this or that Cloyster of Monkes or Friers but most of all now to that irregular and incomprehensible order of Iesuites shal both redeeme his owne Soule and all his parents to the hundreth generation from broyling in the fire of Purgatory And I hope it is no small merchandise of Soules when men are so highly deluded by the hopes and promise of Saluation as to make a Frier murther his 1 Henry 3. K. of France Soueraigne a yong knaue attempt the murther of his next 2 Henry 4. Successour
and iudgements of God shall by their terrours reduce some to the knowledge of the trewth 14 The second woe is past for these are the plagues of the sixt Trumpet and loe the third woe comes soone for next followes the declaration of these dayes wherein the consummation shall be first of that Antichristian kingdome and next of the whole earth take therefore good heede vnto the third woe for it is the last 15 Then the seuenth Angel blew and there were great voices in heauen saying The kingdomes of the world are made the kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ who shall reigne for euer and euer This ioyfull cry was in heauen because the dayes were come wherein the day of Iudgement should be and so the power was to be taken from the kings of the earth who were enemies to the Saints and Christ was hereafter to be the great sole and immediate King ouer all 16 Then the foure and twentie Elders who sate vpon seats in the sight and presence of God for ioy that the saluation of their brethren was at hand did fall vpon their faces and adored God saying 17 We thanke thee Lord God Almightie who is and who was and who art presently to come againe because now thou art to make thy great power manifest and art to begin thy glorious Kingdome 18 And the Gentiles waxed wrathfull for all the wicked now perceiue that neither their force nor craft can auaile for thy wrath is now come which none may resist and the time of the dead is come for now all the dead are to be iudged and thou art to reward thy seruants the Prophets and all the Saints and all that feare thy Name small or great and thou art to destroy them that destroy the earth by the persecuting of thy Saints and defiling it with euery sort of vice 19 Then the Temple of God was open in heauen that the Arke of his couenant might be seene which was within it God now did shew the Arke of his couenant to assure all the Saints that he would now haue mind of his promise and according thereto would presently send downe Christ to Iudge the earth as was done then in all terrour which is signified by lightning voices thunder and earthquakes which then were made and a great haile which signifies the destruction of the earth as showres of haile of all others are the most harmefull and destroying CHAP. XII ARGVMENT A new vision The deuils malice against Christ and his Church The Church by Gods prouidence escapes his furie Shee is secret and lies hid for a space The deuill raiseth vp heresies and persecutions to destroy her but all that cannot preuaile whereupon he goeth to raise vp her great enemie the Pope NOw as this seuenth Seale wherein these seuen Trumpets were which ye haue presently heard declared was no other thing but the more ample dilating of the sixe former Seales as I did shew before so this vision which I am next to declare vnto you is nothing else but a cleerer setting forth and fore-warning of these times which are most perillous for the Church of all them which are to come after especially of the three last woes 1 And there was a great signe and a woonderfull vision seene in heauen to wit a woman clothed with the Sunne and the Moone was vnder her feete and she had a crowne of twelue starres vpon her head 2 And she was great with childe and shee was so neere her childbirth as she was alreadie crying and was sore pained with the trauell to be deliuered of her childe 3 And there was also another signe and woonder seene in heauen A great red dragon hauing seuen heads and ten hornes and vpon his head seuen diamonds 4 And his taile drew the third part of the starres of heauen with him and did cast them downe to the earth This dragon stood before the woman awaiting to deuoure her birth so soone as shee was deliuered of it 5 But she brought forth a man-childe who was to rule all nations with a rod of yron and her sonne was caught vp to God and his Throne 6 But the woman fled into the wildernesse where she hath a place prepared by God that she might be fedde there the space of one thousand two hundred threescore dayes 7 And there was a great battell stroken in heauen for Michael and his Angels fought against the dragon and his angels 8 And the dragon and his angels could not obtaine the victorie but by the contrary their place was no more found in heauen 9 And so that great dragon to wit that olde serpent who is called the deuill and Satan who seduceth the whole face of the earth was cast downe to the earth and all his angels were cast downe with him 10 And I heard a voice in heauen saying Now is wrought the health the vertue and the kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast downe who day and night accused them in the sight of our God 11 For they that fought with him haue ouercome him for the loue they beare vnto the Lambe and his blood and to the word of his Testimonie and haue prodigally giuen their liues euen vnto death for that cause 12 Therefore reioyce ye heauens and yee that dwell therein but woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea for the deuill is come downe to you and he is full of great wrath because he hath but a short space to reigne 13 And when the dragon saw himselfe cast down vpō the earth he pursued the woman who had borne the manchild 14 But there was giuen to the woman two great Eagle wings that shee might flee from the sight of the serpent into the wildernes to the place that was there appointed for her to be nourished for a time times and halfe a time 15 Then the serpent did cast out of his mouth after the woman to ouertake her a water like a great flood to carry her away perforce 16 But the earth helped the woman and opened her mouth and swallowed vp by the way the great flood which the dragon had cast out of his mouth This part of the Vision was to declare vnto me that howsoeuer the Church which is signified here by a woman for she is the spouse of CHRIST who is her head her husband and her glory obeying him with a reuerent loue and yet weake and infirme like to a woman how soone I say the Church shining in all brightnesse and innocencie which is represented by her garment of the Sunne and treading vnder feete and contemning the world and the vanities thereof here signified by the Moone being vnder her feet a Planet that hath no proper but a borrowed light and subiect to all mutabilitie like the world and being crowned with the shining glory of the twelue Patriarches and Prophets and the twelue holy Apostles succeeding them in the vnitie of
in the aire and there came forth a great voyce from the Temple in heauen euen from the Throne saying It is done 18 Then was heard great sounds and lightnings and thunders and there was a great earthquake and such in greatnesse was neuer seene since men were vpon the face of the earth for euen as the aire was troubled and obscured by smoke of hell out of the which the king of Locustes bred in the first Seale and as Moses made haile in great abundance to fall on Egypt which Meteore doeth breed in the aire so God hauing stricken the battell against Babylon and her followers and hauing ouercome them as ye heard in the sixt Seale now followeth immediatly the last plague of the consummation by the aire for in the aire shall that great noise be heard which is the fore-runner of that Great day most comfortable to the trew Church but most terrible to all the rest of the world which day is proclaimed by the voice of God from his Temple wherein was his Couenant declaring the consummation in these words ye heard and as the great noise signifies the same so in speciall doeth the great earthquake as Christ himselfe prophesying thereof doeth declare 19 And that Citie was rent in sunder in three parts and that iustly because she destroyed the third part of the earth as ye heard in the sixt Trumpet and the Cities of the nations fell because they dranke the cup of her abominations And great Babylon and her sinnes came then in memorie before God for then he was to make her drinke the cup full of his wrath to her vtter destruction 20 And all the Isles fled and the mountaines were no more found for no deepenes of Seas nor inaccessiblenes of mountaines shall haue power to saue the wicked from the fearefull and terrible iudgements of that great and last day This doeth also signifie the latter day as ye heard before 21 And a great haile to the greatnesse of talents fell vpon men but they blasphemed God for the plague of haile for it was exceeding great This great haile signifieth also a great destruction at the latter day as ye heard in the seuenth Trumpet but yet the wicked shall be so stiffenecked as euen at their last breath their malice and obstinacie shall rather encrease then diminish as is declared here by mens blaspheming of God for the plague of the haile CHAP. XVII ARGVMENT The Angel expounded to Iohn this vision of the Pope describes him at large and clearely declares the authors and maner of his destruction BVt because that these plagues and Babylon whereupon they lighted did seeme obscure vnto me therefore one of the seuen Angels who powred forth their phials ful of plagues did say vnto me Here then I will shew vnto thee more plainely the condemnation of this great Whore and what shee is that sitteth vpon many waters 2 With whom the Kings of the earth haue committed spirituall adulterie and with the wine of whose whoredome the inhabitants of the earth to wit a great number of nations who are not of the Elect are made drunke as you heard before 3 Then he bereft me in Spirit as I told you in the beginning of this Epistle to the wildernes which signifies the Gentelisme as saith Esay for she and her followers are Gentiles in effect as ye heard in the sixt Trumpet And as our Master sayes All these that gather not with vs they scatter for no more is there a middest betwixt God and the diuell nor betwixt the rewards thereof heauen and hell and as one of these two Masters we must of necessitie follow so of the same necessitie to one of these two places must we goe And then I saw in the wildernes a woman euen Babylon that whore sitting on a scarlet coloured and bloody beast euen as shee was sitting before in the likenesse of a man vpon a pale horse in the fourth Seale And this beast was full of blasphemie and had seuen heads and tenne hornes as ye heard before 4 And the woman was clothed with purple and scarlet and pretious stones and pearles and had in her hand a golden Cup for this Monarchie and the Monarch thereof shall aswell be corporally clothed with these colours and decked with pretious stones as also these colours which are finest of all others and these pretious stones signifie that this Monarchie and the seat thereof shal be most glorious and glauncing to the eyes of the world as I said before which shall not onely be the trew Church by appearance of outward glory but euen retaine many of the generall points of religion which is signified by her golden Cup but this Cup was full of abhominations and of the vncleannesse of her spirituall whoredomes For albeit in many points she shal retaine the trewth which shall abuse men and allure them to her yet shall she mixe and poyson this trewth with her owne abominable and hereticall inuentions and traditions and with the vncleannesse of her spirituall adulterie whereof ye haue heard before 5 And on her forehead was written a mysterie Babylon the great to wit spirituall Babylon as ye heard before the mother of the whoredomes and the abhominations of the earth for from her shall proceed the greatest and in a maner the onely chiefe abuses and heresies coloured and clothed with the shew and title of Christiantie with the which these who shall outwardly say Lord Lord shall euer be infected with vntill the consummation and as a mother she shall not onely breed but shal be the chiefe nourisher and maintainer of them And this is called a mysterie because although this abuse shall be publike as is signified by being written on her forehead yet none shall consider the abuse thereof but onely such whose eyes it shall please God to illuminate for that effect 6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the Saints and of the Martyrs and witnesses of Iesus the Sauiour to wit she shall greedily and cruelly shed their blood without all measure reason or pitie as yee haue often heard before And when I thus saw her I wondered at her marueilously and I could not coniecture the meaning of the seuen heads and ten hornes that the beast had on whom she sate 7 And the Angel who had now shewen her vnto me as ye now haue heard seeing me thus wonder sayes vnto me Marueile not for I will reueale vnto thee the mysterie of this woman and of the beast shee rideth vpon which hath seuen heads and ten hornes 8 This beast that thou hast seene or Monarchie was for it is the fourth Monarchie which is very great and flourishing and is not for it is now so farre decayed that in a maner it is not and it is to rise againe out of the bottomlesse pit as yee heard in the fift Trumpet how foone the wound of the head shall be healed whereof ye heard before and it shall goe to perdition as ye
them hee told them these things and therefore they know saith hee what the impediment was Verse 6. and who did withbold that the man of Sinne was not reuealed Verse 7. although the mysterie of iniquitie was already working That the Romane Emperours in Saint Pauls time needed no reuealing to the Christians to bee men of Sinne or sinfull men no childe doubteth but the reuelation hee speaketh of was a mysterie a secret It should therefore seeme that hee durst not publish in his Epistle what that impediment was It may be he meant by the translating of the Seat of the Romane Empire and that the translation thereof should leaue a roume for the man of Sinne to sit downe in And that he meant not that man of Sinne of these Ethnicke Emperours in his time his introduction to this discourse maketh it more then manifest For he saith fearing they should be deceiued thinking the day of the Lords second comming to bee at hand he hath therefore thought good to forewarne them that this generall Defection must first come Whereby it well appeareth that hee could not meane by the present time but by a future and that a good long time otherwise he proued ill his argument that the Lords comming was not at hand Neither can the forme of the Destruction of this man of Sinne agree with that maner of spoile that the Gothes and Vandals made of * For so doeth Tortus call Rome when it was spoiled by them though it was Christian many yeres before Ethnick Rome For our Apostle saith 1 Verse 8. That this wicked man shull bee consumed by the Spirit of the Lords mouth and abolished by his comming Now I would thinke that the word of God and the Preaching thereof should be meant by the Spirit of the Lords mouth which should peece and peece consume and diminish the power of that man of Sinne till the brightnes of the Lords second comming should vtterly abolish him And by his expressing the meanes of his working he doeth likewise in my opinion explane his meaning very much For he saith It shall be by a strong delusion Verse 8.9 by lying wonders c. Well what Church it is that vanteth them of their innumerable miracles and yet most of them contrary to their owne doctrine Bellarmine can best tell you with his hungry Mare Bellar lib. 3. de Eucharist cap. 8 that turned her taile to her prouender and kneeled to the Sacrament And yet I am sure he will be ashamed to say that the holy Sacrament is ordained to be worshipped by Oues Boues caetera pecora campi Thus haue I prooued out of S. Paul now that the time of the Antichrists comming and the generall Defection was not to be till long after the time that he wrote in That his Seat was to be in the Temple and Church of God and That his Action which can best point at his Person should be to Exalt himselfe aboue all that were called Gods S. Iohn indeed doth more amply though mystically describe this Antichrist which vnder the figure of a monstrous Beast with seuen heads and ten hornes he sets forth in the xiij chap. and then interpreteth in the xvij where hee calles her a Whore sitting vpon many waters and riding vpon the sayd monstrous Beast Reuel 17. v. 1. Vers 3. concluding that chapter with calling that Woman that great City which reigneth ouer the Kings of the earth And both in that Chapter Vers 18. and in the beginning of the next he calles that great Citie Babylon Vers 5. Cap. 18. v. 2. So as to continue herein my formerly purposed Methode of the Time Seat and Person of Antichrist this place doth clearely and vndenyably declare that Rome is or shal be the Seat of that Antichrist For first no Papist now denieth that by Babylon here Rome is directly meant and that this Woman is the Antichrist doeth clearely appeare by the time of his working described by 42. moneths in the xiij Chap. Vers 5. which doeth iustly agree with that three yeeres and a halfes time which all the Papists giue to the Reigne of Antichrist Besides that the Beast it selfe with seuen heads and tenne hornes hauing one of her heads wounded and healed againe is described iust alike in the xiij and xvij Chap. being in the former prooued to be the Antichrist by the time of her reigne and in the latter Rome by the name of Babylon by the confession of all the Papists So as one point is now cleare that Rome is the Seat of the Antichrist Neither will that place in the eleuenth Chapter serue to shift off this point and proue the Antichrists Seat to bee in Ierusalem where it is saide Chap. 11.8 That the Corpses of the Witnesses shall lie in the great City spiritually Sodome and Egypt where our Lord also was crucified For the word spiritually is applied both to Sodome Egypt and Ierusalem in that place And when hee hath named Sodome and Egypt hee doeth not subioyne Ierusalem with a single vbi but with an vbi as if hee would say and this Antichrists abomination shall bee so great as his Seate shall bee as full of Spirituall whoredomes and Idolatries as Sodome and Egypt was nay and so bloody in the persecution of the Saints as our Lord shall be crucified againe in his members And who hath so meanely read the Scriptures if he haue euer read them at all that knoweth it not to be a common phrase in them Matt. 25.40 to call CHRIST persecuted and slaine when his Saints are so vsed Acts 9.4 So did CHRIST say speaking of the latter day and in the same style did hee speake to S. Paul at his conuersion And that Babylon or Rome since Bellarmine is contented it bee so called is that great Citie where our Lord was crucified Reuel 18.24 the last verse of the xviij Chap. doeth also clearely proue it For there it is said That in that City was found the blood of the Prophets and of the Saints and of all that were slaine vpon the earth and I hope CHRIST was one of them that were slaine vpon the earth And besides that it may well bee said that hee was slaine in that great Citie Babylon since by the Romane authoritie hee was put to death vnder a Romane Iudge and for a Romane quarrell for he could not be a friend to Caesar that was not his enemie This point now being cleared of the Antichrists Seate as I haue already sayd we are next to find out the Time when the Antichrist shall reigne if it be not already come Cha. 13.3 In the xiij Chapter S. Iohn saith that this Beast with the seuen heads and tenne hornes Chap. 17.10 had one of his heads wounded and healed againe and interpreting that in the xvij he saith that these seuen heads are also seuen Kings whereof fiue are fallen one is and an other is not yet
change longer then we are well able to deduce the whole life and reigne of Solomon We haue not the Daughter of Pharao an Idolatrous King nor feare we strange women to steale away his heart from the Seruice of GOD But a Queene as of a Royall so of a Religious Stocke professing the Gospell of Christ with him A Mirrour of trew Modestie a Queene of Bounty both beloued and admired of all his People A Posterity that we need not feare for folly in the one Sexe nor for leuitie in the other Both which made Solomon speake so much as the Iewes say in his Prouerbes of a foolish sonne because his owne was not wise and of wanton Women because he feared the vanity of his owne Daughters But GOD hath left his Maiestie a Sonne a Prince as in outward Liniaments so in inward Abiliments I need say no more an Alter-Idem a second-Selfe A Daughter a Princesse of that Piety singular vertue and Modestie as makes her both beloued at home and admired abroad J haue done Only I desire the Readers of these Workes to pray to GOD that as he hath so farre aduanced vs as to bestowe vpon vs with the Heauenly Treasures of his trewth the riches of his earthly Iewels in so Sacred a King so admired a Queene so hopefull a Prince so vertuous a Princes He would for his Mercies sake for his Sonnes sake continue this the Light of his Countenance vpon vs in them and their Posterity till the comming of that Kingdome which neuer shall haue end AMEN Thine in the Lord IA. WINTON THE SEVERALL TREATISES ACCORDING TO THE TIME WHEREIN THEY WERE WRITTEN AND THEIR PLACE IN THIS Collection c. A PARAPHRASE vpon the Reuelation Pag. 7. Two Meditations The First vpon the 7. 8. 9. and 10. Verses of the 20. Chap. of the Reuelation Pag. 73 Second vpon the 25. 26. 27. 28. and 29. Verses of the 15. Chapter of the first Booke of the Chronicles Pag. 81 Daemonologie First Booke Pag. 94 Second Booke Pag. 108 Third Booke Pag. 123. Basilicon-Doron First Booke Pag. 148 Second Booke Pag. 155 Third Booke Pag. 180. The trew Law of Free Monarchies AnonymΩs Pag. 193 A Counter-blast to Tobacco AnonymΩs Pag. 214 A Discourse of the Powder Treason AnonymΩs Pag. 223. An Apologie for the Oath of Allegiance first set out AnonymΩs and afterwards published with the Praemonition vnder His Maiesties owne name Pag. 247 A Praemonition to all Christian Monarches Free Princes and States written both in English and Latine by his Maiestie Pag. 289 A Declaration against Vorstius written by His Maiestie first in French after translated into English by His Maiesties leaue Pag. 349 A Defence of the Right of KINGS against Cardinall Perron written by His Maiestie in French and thereafter translated into English by His Maiesties leaue Pag. 392 Fiue Speaches THE First in Parliament ANNO 1603. Pag. 485. Second in Parliament ANNO 1605. Pag. 499. Third at White-hall ANNO 1607. Pag. 509. Fourth at White-hall ANNO 1609. Pag. 527. Fift in the Starre-Chamber ANNO 1616. Pag. 549. THE EPISTLE TO THE WHOLE CHVRCH MILITANT in whatsoeuer part of the Earth TO whom could I haue so fitly directed Christian Readers this Paraphrase of mine vpon the Reuelation as vnto you who are the very and true posteritie of those Churches to whom the Booke it selfe was dedicated and for whose instruction and comfort the said Epistle was endited by the Holy Spirit and written by that great Theologue IOHN the Apostle whom our Master beloued deerely J doubt not but it will seeme strange to many that any of my aage calling and literature should haue medled with so obscure Theologicall and high a subiect But let my earnest desire by manifesting the Trueth as well to teach my selfe as others serue for excuse considering also that where diuers others in our aage haue medled with the interpretation of this Booke pressing with preoccupied opinions onely to wrest and conforme the meaning thereof to their particular and priuate passions J by the contrary protest that all my trauailes tend to square and conforme my opinions to the trew and sincere meaning thereof Which causes mooued me to vndertake this worke not thereby to despise infinite others who to the glory of God and great comfort of his Church hath giuen it a great light already but rather that by oft perusing and dew considering therof whereto this worke hath led mee J might be the better acquainted with the meaning of this Booke which J esteeme a speciall cannon against the Hereticall wall of our common aduersaries the Papists whom I would wish to know that in this my Paraphrase vpon it J haue vsed nothing of my owne coniecture or of the authoritie of others but onely haue interpreted it in that sense which may best agree with the methode of the Epistle and not bee contradictorie to it selfe The meaning whereof I expound partly by it selfe and partly by other parts of the Scriptures as the worke it selfe will beare witnesse And therefore this one thing J must craue of our Aduersaries that they will not refute any part of my Interpretation till they finde out a more probable themselues agreeing with the whole context cum serie temporum and where their consciences beare them witnesse that J speake the Trueth that they will yeeld vnto it and glorifie God therein and this is all the reward I craue for my paines But of one thing I must forewarne you Christian Readers to wit that yee may vnderstand that it is for the making of the Discourse more short and facile that I haue made IOHN to be the Speaker in all this Paraphrase and not that I am so presumptuously foolish as to haue meant thereby that my Paraphrase is the onely trew and certaine exposition of this Epistle reiecting all others For although through speaking in his person I am onely bounded and limitted to vse one and not diuers interpretations of euery seuerall place yet I condemne not others but rather allow them to interpret it diuersly so being it agree with the analogie of faith with the methode of the Text cum serie temporum as I said before for those three being obserued it may fall out that diuers diuersly expound one place and yet all be according to the trueth and very meaning of the Spirit of God as may easily be proued by the Text it selfe For in the 17. Chapter the Angel expounding to Iohn the seuen heads of the beastes that came out of the Sea hee saith the seuen heads which thou sawest vpon the beast are the seuen Hills and they are also seuen Kings Here ye see one thing is expounded in two very farre different fashions and yet both true And therefore let wise men take their choice in these things obseruing alwayes these rules I haue spoken of as specially for example This Hebrew word Arma geddon in the 16. Chapter and sixt Phiale although I expound it to signifie destruction by
Writer The description of the Maiestie of God in Heauen compassed about with Angels and Saints vnder the figure of Saints and Elders ANd when this speech of IESVS was ended I looked vp Ezech. 1. and loe I did see a doore opened in Heauen to the effect that I might see and heare therein the figuratiue representing of those things that were to come after And that first voice which spake vnto me before lowd as a trumpet and was the voice of IESVS CHRIST spake vnto mee and said Mount vp thither for I am to shew thee those things that are to be done hereafter 2 Then was I immediatly bereft in spirit for the eyes of my earthly and grosse body could not haue seene and comprehended those heauenly and spirituall mysteries And loe I did see a Throne set in heauen and did see one sit thereon to wit GOD the Father in all Glory and Maiestie 3 And he that sate thereon was like in colour to the Iasper and Sardine stones greene as the Iasper to represent his euerlasting flourishing without decay and fiery redde as the Sardine to signifie his great brightnesse and consuming power who is the trier and separater of the Elect from the reprobate and the Rainebow coloured like the Emerauld did compasse him round about to testifie thereby that as after the deluge hee made the Rainebow a Sacrament of the promises made to Noah so this Rainebow which now I did see compassing his Throne should serue for a sure Sacrament that hee will neuer suffer his Elect to perish but will alwayes and at all times be compassed with a great care and watchfulnes ouer them Greene it was as the Emerauld to signifie the continuance without ceasing of his care as the Emerauld comforteth the sight so is this Sacrament an vnspeakeable comfort vnto the Elect in their troublesome dayes 4 And about his Throne were foure and twentie other seats and I saw foure and twentie Elders or Ecclesiasticall Rulers sitting thereupon clothed with white garments and hauing Crownes of Golde vpon their heads These are the twelue Patriarkes and then the twelue Apostles who for that they haue beene the speciall teachers both of the olde and new Law to the saluation aswell of Iewes as of Gentiles are set in seates about his Throne for glory and clothed with white garments for their innocencie and brightnesse and crowned with crownes of golde in token of their victory ouer Satan and the flesh and of their glorious reward therefore 5 And from his Throne went foorth thunder lightening and terrible voices to represent the great seueritie and terriblenes of his Iudgements denounced by the olde Law and executed on the wicked And there were seuen lampes of burning fire before his Throne which is the infinite mightie and flaming bright holy Spirit resembling the loue and light of the new Law of the Gospel of Christ 6 And there was a sea of glasse like vnto Christall before his Throne for that as in a glasse he cleerely sees euen all the secretest actions and cogitations of all in the world described here by the Sea which is euer before his face for nothing can be hid from his presence and prescience And though in lustre and glaunce the world be like the liuely fountaines of waters which are the faithfull daily springing and flowing with good workes by fruitfull faith yet is it indeede without motion or liquor dead and like glasse whensoeuer the Lord IEHOVAH doeth thunder his Iudgements vpon it And in the middest of the Throne and about the same were foure beasts their foure hinder parts were in the midst of it their shoulders bearing it vp and their head and wings without and about the same and these beasts were full of eyes behind and before These are the holy Cherubims the highest degree of Angels Ezech. 10.12 foure in number as well because of their foure qualities to execute his will as yee shall heare hereafter as for that the Lord directs them when it pleaseth him to all the foure corners of the world and are as it were his foure windes to blow that is to execute either fauour or Iustice in whatsoeuer place he appointeth them they are about his Throne and as it were sustaine the same testifying thereby that they are most excellent of all others per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pillars or footstooles of his glory Their number of eyes before and behind signifie their certaine knowledge of things past as to come committed to their charge together with their continuall vigilancie to execute GODS commandements 7 And the first beast was like a Lion the second like a Calfe the third was faced like a man and the fourth was like a flying Eagle hereby representing their excellent qualities in the execution of the Lords decrees to wit great power courage patience and strength to trauell how oft and how much they should be commanded great wisedome and a wonderfull swiftnesse in the execution thereof 8 And euery one of these beasts had sixe wings in circuit These are the sixe wings Esay speaketh of Esay 6.8 two at their armes to signifie their great celeritie in accomplishing Gods commandements two to couer their faces with to testifie that the glory of God is so bright and his Maiestie so great as the very Angels his most excellent creatures are not able to behold the same and two at their feete as well to wipe the filth of the earth off them after they haue beene here below teaching vs thereby that although they be oft in the world by the direction of their Creatour yet cannot the world infect them with her sinnefulnesse and corruptions as also to let vs know that they are so farre in glory aboue all men liuing in the earth as it is impossible to vs with corporall eyes to behold the least part of their glorious brightnesse without a vaile euen as it is to them to behold the glory of the Almightie And within they were all full of eyes to represent their incessant looking on God which commeth from that inward and inestimable loue they beare vnto him which also they expressed in their continuall singing of these wordes Holy Holy Holy is that threefold Lord God Almightie who euer was now is and shall come againe replenished with all fulnesse of glory and power 9 And when these Beasts were giuing all glory honour and thankes to him that sate on the Throne to him I say who liues eternally 10 The foure and twentie Elders as next in ranke fell downe vpon their faces before him that sate on the Throne and adored Him who liues for euer and cast downe their Crownes of golde at his feete in token that they receiued them onely of him saying 11 Thou art onely worthy O Lord to be accounted glorious honourable and powerfull for that thou hast created all things and for thy will and pleasure haue they had their being and were created This glance did I see of the
by this that the persecution of this Destroyer shall last the halfe to wit it shall reigne about the midst of the last aage of this whole weeke which begins at his incarnation and first comming and ends at his last comming againe which because it is the last period it is here compared to a weeke 3 But I shall giue that holy towne to two witnesses of mine who clothed with sackecloth shall prophesie the space of one thousand two hundred and threescore dayes for these my successours he shall raise vp as witnesses to wit a sufficient number of them for out of the mouth of two or three witnesses euery word is confirmed to witnesse that their doctrine is false who persecute the Church which he shal giue vnto them for he shall make them their patrons to defend and feed them by the power of the true word and they shall preach repentance to that counterfeit Church and therefore they are said to be clothed in sackecloth And to assure vs to our great comfort that in all the time of blindnesse God shall euer be raising vp some of these two witnesses against the hypocriticall Destroyer and to comfort and confirme his true Church it is said They shall prophesie the number of dayes that yee haue heard which is correspondent iustly to the moneths before mentioned to wit they shall not leaue off to witnesse all the time of the Antichristian kingdome 4 These witnesnesses are two greene Oliues who anoint the Elect with that holy oyle and two Candlestickes as Christ said to enlighten the world with their brightnesse who are set downe and doe their office in the presence of him who is Lord and ruler of the earth 5 And if any shal presse to harme them fire shall come out of their mouthes and deuoure their enemies for whosoeuer will doe them any hurt himselfe must be slaine so to wit the holy Spirit who is the fire in their mouth shall accuse and cause to be destroyed with the second death all them that either persecute them or will not heare or obey their doctrine 6 These witnesses haue power to shut heauen that it raine not in the dayes of their prophesie and they haue power ouer the waters to turne them into blood and to strike the earth with euery kinde of plague so often as they please for hee shall authorize them and their message with as sure testimonies as the shutting of the heauen and stay of the raine was vnto Elias so long as he forespake it should be so and as vnto Moyses the turning of the waters into blood and the striking of the earth of the land of Egypt with diuers and sundry plagues 7 But these shall be witnesses by their death as well as by their life For how soone any of them shall haue runne that course in the earth which God hath appointed them they shall be persecuted ouercome and slaine by that beast the Angel of that bottomlesse pit and king of the locusts and that great towne seat of the Monarchy shal publikely put them down as malefactours 8 So as their dead bodies or carkeises shall lie in the streets thereof And this towne is spiritually called Sodom because of the spirituall adultery to wit Idolatrie that it shall commit and maintaine and spiritually Egypt because it shall oppresse and intollerably burthen the soules of the chosen euen as Egypt captiuated the bodies and burthened the backes of the people of Israel and in that towne also was our Lord crucified for where Christs members are put to death for their Masters cause as this towne and Kings therof shal do there is Christ himselfe crucified in effect and his crucifying shal be as wel imputed to them as to Iudas who betrayed him 9 And men of all tribes peoples tongues and nations shall see their carkeises the space of three dayes and a halfe and they shall not be suffered to be buried in sepulchres 10 And the inhabitants of the earth shall be glad and reioyce for their slaughters and shall send gifts one to another in token of ioy because they are made quit of these two prophets who tormented the indwellers of the earth for the whole world who are not in Sancto Sanctorum shall not onely suffer but allow that these witnesses be not onely slaine but also be so cruelly vsed an contemned as not to be suffered to be buried amongst others And the whole earth shall reioyce at their death because that euen as Achab blamed Elias for troubling of Israel so shall the world thinke these witnesses troublesome vnto them because they discouer vnto them their shamefulnesse and call them to the repentance thereof 11 And thus shall they be contemned for the space of three dayes and a halfe to wit of three yeeres and a halfe which signifies that during the space of the Antichrists reigne they shall be thus vsed but after the space of three dayes and an halfe the Spirit of life comming from God shall enter into them and they shall be set vpon their feete and a great feare shall fall vpon them that did see them before 12 And they heard a great voice from the heauen saying vnto them Come vp bither then they ascended vp into heauen and their enemies saw them doe so for although that during the flourishing of this hereticall and bypocriticall Monarchie the trew Pastours no sooner appeared then they were put to death yet at the last this Monarchie shall begin to decay when the three yeeres or the three dayes and an halfe thereof shall be expired and then shall the Spirit of life from God to wit the holy Spirit sent from God worke mightier in the latter Pastours of these dayes so as in them shall the by-past Martyrs be reuiued and their doctrine shall take roote in the hearts of many and their reasons shal be so pithie as the Antichristian sect and the rest of the world shall know as perfectly that they shall preuaile as if they heard God call them to heauen to reward them there for their victory Neither shall they haue power of their liues for God shall mooue the hearts of many to defend them in such glory and safetie as if they were mounting vp to heauen in a cloud and they not able to hinder them 13 And then at that time shall be a great earthquake to wit great tumults among nations and the tenth part of the citie shall fall This citie is diuided in tenne parts to shew it is the same Monarchie that shall afterwards be described by a beast with ten heads And by the falling of the tenth part thereof is meant that diuers nations shall shake off the yoke of that Monarchie and so a part of the strength of that citie shall decay and there was slaine in that earthquake seuen thousand men to wit a great number of men shal be slaine in these tumults and the rest were afraid and gaue glory vnto the God of Heauen for these tumults
in the head as ye heard already and legged like a beare because in the Beares legges consists his greatest strength and durablenesse this proportion signifies that this Monarchie is farre greater then all the rest and all their powers are reuiued in it as I said before 3 And I perceiued that one of the heads of the beast had bene deadly wounded but the wound thereof was healed and the whole earth followed this beast with a great wondering this was to signifie vnto me that it was not of this beast that I was ordained to forewarne you for the worst of this beast is almost past already and this Monarchie shall be within short space destroyed but this beast or Monarchie is shewen vnto me because out of the ruines thereof shall rise in that same Seate where it was that hereticall Monarchie whereof I am to forewarne you which is signified by the deadly wound it gat on the head which was healed againe for as the Phaenix reuiues of her owne ashes as prophane stories make mention so out of the ashes of this Empire shall rise and be reuiued an other which shall grow so mighty that the whole earth that is without Sanctum Sanctorum shall with amasement reuerence obey and follow it as ye heard presently declared 4 And they adored the Dragon who gaue power to the Beast for they shall giue themselues ouer to the workes of darkenes which is to serue and adore the diuel who raised vp this beast to make warre against the seed of the woman Chap. 12. as ye heard before And they also adored the diuel in his instrument by reuerencing that Beast and Monarchie erected by him and they said Who is like vnto the Beast or who may fight with him for this Monarchie shall be so strong in worldly power as the world shall thinke it so farre in strength aboue all other powers that it is impossible to ouercome it especially that the little stone which was cut without hands out of the mountaine mentioned by Daniel Daniel 2. shall euer destroy it which notwithstanding at the last shall bruise it in pieces 5 And there was a mouth giuen vnto it to speake great things and blasphemies It is said in Daniel Daniel 7.11 that his mouth shall speake in magnificencie and vtter words against the Soueraigne to wit this Monarchie and King thereof shall extoll himselfe farre aboue all liuing creatures and shal vsurpe farre higher Styles then euer were heard of before by the which and by his false doctrine together he shall so derogate from the honour of GOD and vsurpe so all power onely proper vnto him as it shall bee great wordes against him and blasphemie of his Name And there was power giuen him to doe to wit GOD shall permit his Tyrannie to encrease and persecute the Saints the space of two and fourtie moneths This space was mentioned vnto me to let me know thereby that this Monarchie risen out of the ruines of the other Chap. 11. is the same which is meant by that Citie whereof ye heard alreadie in the sixt Trumpet which persecuted the two Witnesses for the same space is assigned to her there and consequently it is that same seate and Monarchie which is meant by the angel of the bottomlesse pit Chap. 9. called Apollyon in the fift Trumpet by the Rider on the pale horse Chap. 6. called Death in the fourth Seale and also obscurely meant in the sixt Trumpet by the halfe of that great hoste of horsemen Chap. 9. of the which halfe the armed horse which I saw in the vision was a part of the power whose head and Monarchie was the plague for idolatry as ye heard which Monarchie together with the other of whom yee also heard obscurely in that place as the plague of the sinnes against the second Table to wit this great beast here mentioned and the other reuealed a vowed and open enemie of Christs Church shall both gather their forces to fight against it in that battell of the great day of the Lord Chap. 16. whereof ye shal heare in the owne place Then this beast according to the power which was giuen him opened his mouth in blasphemies against God and spake iniurious words against his Name his Tabernacle to wit his Sanctum Sanctorum which is the Church militant and them that dwell in heauen for his reigne shall be so great that hee shall not onely blaspheme the Name of God in such sort as ye heard alreadie and persecute the members of Christ that shall be on the earth in his dayes but likewise vpbraid with calumnies the soules of the Saints departed 7 And for that effect he was permitted by God to make warre against the Saints and hee gaue him power to ouercome them corporally and to rule ouer all tribes tongues and nations so great shall his Monarchie and power be 8 And so all the in-dwellers of the earth shal adore him to wit a great part of them shall reuerence him whose names are not writen in the booke of life which is the Lambes that was slaine which booke was written before the foundation of the world was laide for these are alwayes excepted from bowing their knees to Baal who were predestinate by Christ to saluation before all beginnings 9 He who hath an eare let him heare and take heede vnto this sentence that followeth to wit 10 If any man leade in captiuitie in captiuitie shall he be led againe if any man slay with the sword with the sword shall hee be slaine againe then since ye are assured that God in his good time shall iustly mete to their tyrannie the same measure that they shall mete to his Church let not your hearts in your affliction through despaire of Gods reuenge because of his long suffering swarue from the bold and plaine professing of his trueth for in this shall the patience and constant faith of the Saints or the chosen be tried 11 And then I saw another beast rise vp vpon the earth and it had two hornes like vnto the Lambe but it spake like the dragon for lest this Monarchie should be taken to be a ruler onely ouer the body and that I might vnderstand the contrary to wit that he was specially a spirituall tyrant ouer the soules and consciences of men this other beast was shewen vnto me which representeth the hereticall kingdome of the grashoppers whereof Apollyon was made King in the fift Trumpet Chap. 9. and it vseth the coloured authoritie of Christ by pretending two swords or two keyes as receiued from Christ which is signified by the two hornes like the Lambes but the end whereof it vseth that authoritie is to get obedience to that false doctrine which it teacheth signified by speaking like the dragon or deuil 12 It is this false and hypocriticall Church then which doeth exercise all the power of the former beast to wit teacheth the Kings of this Monarchy and seat by what
often haue heard already and the in-dwellers of the earth shall wonder whose names are not written in the booke of life before the foundation of the world was laide of this wondering yee heard before they shall wonder I say at this beast which was to wit in great power and is not to wit in a maner as ye presently heard and yet is I meane doeth stand though farre decayed from the former greatnesse 9 Take good heede vnto this that I declare vnto thee for herein shall the trew wisedome of men be tried to wit in knowing by this my description what particular Empire and Tyrannie I speake of And the seuen heads of this beast signifie aswell seuen materiall hilles whereupon the seate of this Monarchie is situated as also seuen kings or diuers formes of Magistrates that this Empire hath had and is to haue hereafter 10 Fiue of them haue beene alreadie one is presently and makes the sixt another shall follow it and make the seuenth but it is not yet come and when it comes it shall remaine but a very short space 11 And this beast which was to wit so great and is not for now it is decaying as thou presently hast heard it is the eight and yet one of the seuen for this beast which rose out of the ruines of the fourth Monarchie as ye heard before in respect it vseth an hereticall Tyrannie ouer the consciences of men by that new forme of Empire is different from any of the rest and so is the eight and yet because this forme of gouernment shall haue the same seate which the rest had and vse as great Tyrannie and greater vpon the world and shall vse the same forme in ciuill gouernment which one of the seuen vsed therefore because it is so like them I call it one of the seuen 12 And the tenne hornes which thou sawest signifie tenne Kings to wit the great number of subalterne Magistrates in all the Prouinces vnder that Monarchy who haue not yet receiued their kingdome for vnder all the diuers sorts of gouernments that shall be in it except the last and hereticall sort these subalterne powers shall be but in the ranke of subiects but they shall take their kingly power with the beast to wit at the very time that this Apollyon shall rise out of the ashes of the fourth beast or Monarchie the kings of the earth shall become his slaues and subalterne Magistrates whereas the subiects were onely the power of that Monarchie before so as the hornes or powers of this beast were but of subiects before it was wounded but after the healing of it the worldly kings and rulers shall become the powers and hornes of it 13 These shall haue one counsell and shall giue their strength and power to the beast to wit these kings shal all willingly yeeld obedience to Babylon and shall employ their whole forces for the maintenance of that Monarchie and the persecution of the Saints 14 For they shal fight with the Lambe in his members albeit all in vaine for in the end the Lambe shall ouercome them because he is Lord of lords and King of all kings and these that are with him and followeth him are called Chosen and Faithfull 15 He also said vnto me The waters that thou saw this Whore sit vpon are the peoples multitudes nations and tongues that haue subiected themselues to her Empire 16 But as touching these ten hornes thou saw thus farre I foretell vnto thee although that for a time these kings shall be slaues and seruants to Babylon and shall be her instruments to persecute the Saints the time shall come before the consummation that they shall hate the Whore who abused them so strongly and long and shall make her to be alone for they shall withdraw from her their Subiects the nations that were her strength and shall make her naked for they shall discouer the mysterie of her abominations and shall eate her flesh and burne her with fire to wit they shall spoile her of her riches power and glory and so destroy her 17 But doe not thou wonder at this for God gaue them in their hearts to wit permitted them to be abused by her for a space that they might doe what pleased her and consent to all her vnlawfull policies and pretences and giue their kingdomes vnto this beast vntill the words of God might be accomplished to wit they shall submit their very Crownes and take the right thereof from her vnto the fulnesse of times here prophecied At what time God shall raise them vp as ye heard to destroy Babylon for the hearts of the greatest kings as well as of the smallest subiects are in the hands of the Lord to be his instruments and to turne them as it shall please him to employ them 18 And this woman or Whore which thou sawest is that great citie and seate of this Beast or Monarchie which beareth rule ouer the kings of the earth as thou hast heard alreadie But although it be one seat yet diuers and a great number of kings or heads thereof shall succeed into it one to another all vpholding an hereticall religion and false worship of God and one forme of gouernment as the fourth Monarchie did out of the which this did spring as ye haue heard CHAP. XVIII ARGVMENT The sorrow of the earth for the destruction of the Popedome The profite that worldly men had by his standing The great riches and wealth of that Church The Pope by his Pardons makes merchandise of the soules of men Heauen and the Saints reioyce at his destruction albeit the earth and the worldlings lament for the same ANd then I saw another Angel comming downe from heauen hauing great power so that the earth shined with his glory for so soone as God by one of the seauen Angels who had the phials had more plainely described vnto mee this woman sitting on the beast then he did before hee now appointeth this other Angel who is Christ to declare vnto me and proclaime to the world as is signified by his comming downe to the earth for that cause the iust condemnation of Babylon according to her sinnes 2 And hee cryed out with a loude voyce saying It is fallen It is fallen Babylon that great Citie and it is made the dwelling place of vncleane spirits and the habitation of all vncleane and hatefull fowles to wit it shall be destroyed and that great Citie the seate of that Monarchie shall be desolate for euer euen as it was prophesied of Ierusalem 3 Because all nations haue drunke of the Vine of her whoredome and the kings of the earth haue committed whoredome with her and the Merchants of the earth are become rich by the great wealth of her delights in so great a worldly glory and pompe did that Monarchie shine 4 And I heard another voyce from heauen to wit the voyce of the holy Spirit saying Goe foorth from her my people to wit all the chosen