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
the name of the ancient enemy and seducer of mankind the Serpent saw that they could no longer hauocke the Church of God by reason of her close sight and secret dispersion they deuised to pursue her with their bloody edicts and sacrilegious constitutions which they breathed out against her in such raging and furious maner as the Spirit therefore resembleth the violence of their barbarous inquisitions and vnprincely rescripts vnto the vnmercifull rage and current of a flood hoping that as by their vnplacable furie they had dispersed and driuen the Spouse to corners so by the due execution of their cruell promulgations they might vtterly consume her generation and blot out all letters of her honorable name for to that white onely they aimed as the Spirit concludeth That he might make her to be caried away of the flood Verse 17. And the earth holp the Woman and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed vp the flood which the Dragon cast out of his mouth BVt in reliefe of the Churches pressures and persecutions her Lord gaue charge vnto his handmaide the earth to comfort help and succour her his Spouse and as Moab was charged to hide the chased Israel of God and not bewray him that was fled and escaped but to dwell with him and to giue him couert and protection from the face of the destroyer so here the earth was commanded to reach forth her helping hand and to take in and harbour the Lords exiles in the seret chambers of her desarts mountaines and caues that so she might either affoord her close and quiet saueguard or in witnesse of her faith and proofe of her patience receiue the blood which her cursed brethren spilt which courtesie and tender fauour the Spirit remembreth to the perpetuall praise of the benefactors of the Spouse saying But the earth holp the Woman and opened her mouth and swallowed vp the flood which the Dragon cast out of his mouth Verse 18. And the Dragon was wroth against the Woman and went to make battell with the remnant of her seed which keepe the commandements of God and haue the testimonie of Iesus Christ ANd notwithstanding the Dragon by his taile of Cesars had thus massacred and dispersed the Church yet was he not so satisfied but for very rage fell into a melancholy mood for cause he could not quite consume and roote her honour out as the Spirit discloseth saying And the Dragon was wroth against the Woman And forasmuch as the Churches beautie did most shine in the East Syria Greece Asia where she was borne and bred the Dragon thought it his best in policie which euermore with him was held for chiefest religion to itch and set forward his den and hold his Court further East which purpose of his as close as it was the holy Ghost discouereth in saying And he went and noteth the true end wherefore he went not so much to barricade and stop the floate and incursion of the barbarous enemie as he forsooth pretended as to pursue and consume the dispersed remainder of the Spouse as the Spirit vnfoldeth saying to make battell with the remnant of her seed who for that they were iust of the making and growth of the Churches first and primitiue fruite holding the mysterie of faith in a good conscience as the first borne did the Spirit setteth them forth in the same liuely colours saying which keepe the commandements of God and haue the testimonie of Iesus Christ Verse 19. And he stood vpon the sand of the sea ANd the Dragō remoued his throne and left his ancient seate and citie of Rome where he had now kept court almost a thousand yeares and went and pitched his throne anew in a hauen towne betweene Pontus Euxinus and Propontis in the East of Thracia anciently called Bysance and there erected the new citie of Rome and called it after his owne name Constantinople the citie of Constantine which translation of his residence and chaire of estate one of his owne also noteth Constantinus apud Thraces qua Bosphorus aequor Thracius Euxinis Aegaeū ingurgitat vndis constituit sedem Imperij CHAP. XIII The description of Antichrist and his deuotaries The description of his Cleargie and of his religion The Character of Antichrist The number of his dayes and the end of his reigne Verse 1. And I saw a Beast ascending from the sea hauing seuen heads and ten hornes and vpon his hornes ten diadems and vpon his heads names of blasphemie ANd presently vpon the remoue and translation of the Empire the Apostle espied that wicked one Antichrist man of sinne in saying And I saw who in regard of the tyrannous power and bloody vse of the vnbridled iurisdiction that should be giuen him he is here termed as in holy Scriptures other Monarchs are A Beast that is to say a kind of gouernment kingdome dominion or power exercised and acted by a succession of tyrannous bloody and beastly men And albeit his perfection in euill stood yet aloofe and was very farre off yong and tender as lying in swathing clouts yet the Apostle descrieth him as it were through a chinke in saying coming vp For after the translation of the Empire and that now Ethnicke Rome began to play the Christian he was welnigh a hundred yeares closely creeping and climing vp before he could aduance his cursed head and claime of supereminencie Concerning which ambitious puffe of vaine prioritie so faire and euident mention is made in the monuments of time that the incredible boldnesse of the aduersarie is no lesse maruellous then his incurable blindnesse that hath so long time stumbled at this stone and so often spurred vs by way of vaunting to shew them if we dare or can when this apostacie of Antichrist tooke her rise and first commencement which daring vaunt of theirs the holy Ghost tripping ouer as a thing which is or ought to be knowne vnto vs namely that the horne of Antichrist and his apostacie did then first sprout out when his Church first obtained at the Dragons hand prioritie of place suffrage and censure ouer all For as the tree puls vp the creeping ivie so the primacie of the Church of Rome pulled vp the aspiring supremacie of the Bishop thereof which Church preheminence and prelation after long ruffling and shouldring was first obtained at the hands of Honorius though afterwards vpon greater concertation and daggers drawing it was by other Cesars and Kings confirmed renewed and ampliated who by the aduantage of the weaknesse and death of his elder brother Arcadius hauing obtained power and protectorship East and West subiected the Church of the East Empire which most withstood the West and Romane supremacie with all other Churches whatsoeuer to the Church and Sea of Rome at the instant suit and importunitie of the now Bishop of Rome whose name was then Innocent the first in the first yeare of his creation and in the yeare of Redemption 406. But the holy Ghost I say passing ouer the
his accomplices against the Church and Spouse of Christ that so the glory of his iustice in their iust condemnation and iudgement may be more bright and manifest CHAP. XII 1. A confirmation of the prophecie following 2. The description of the Church and of her first fruit 4. The Churches first persecution raised by Ethnicke Rome by whose immanitie it came to passe that her beautie was no more seene in her visible and eminent graces but liued here and there dispersed and scattered ouer the face of the earth 8. The great battell betweene Christianisme and Paganisme Christ and his truth ouercommeth Iupiter and his prophanation 18. The Empire remoueth his Throne pretending to stop the floate of the enemie but intending to roote out the dispersed remnant of the Church Verse 1. And the Temple of God was opened in heauen and the Arke of his Couenant was seene in his Temple and there was made lightnings voices thunders earthquakes and great haile THE Apostle hauing drawne in the former part of this prophecie a slight draught as it were and designement of Antichrist doth now in the prophecie following revisit and perfect the discouery of the Beast and hang him vp to the view and discerning of heauen and earth And to the end that this his work of manifestation may carry in it faire and vncontrollable credit the Apostle in this verse assureth vs that he reuealeth no other word concerning the Church her pressours here on earth during the personal absence of her Lord then that which he heard at the Councel table of God which he deliuereth in a maner of speech vsuall with the Prophets And the Temple of God was opened in heauen and the Arke of his couenant was seene in the Temple alluding to the Temple of Ierusalem and signifying thereunder that the words of this his Reuelation are no lesse sooth and true then if he had receiued them from the Oracle of God which spake from ouer the Arke of his testament within the Temple of Ierusalem whose words and answers for their diuinitie maiestie power and glorie are here as elsewhere figured by voices proper to God and not to man as lightnings thunders earthquakes and haile Verse 2. And a great signe appeared in heauen a woman cloathed with the Sunne and the Moone vnder her feete and on her head a crowne of twelue starres BVt before the Spirit takes in hand to discouer the persecuters of the Church it pleaseth him first to describe the Church it selfe that so the barbarous immanitie of her enemies may be more apparent and iustly abhorred being vsed against a creature of such virginal innocent and patient modestie who for her rare and admirable beauty is here called a great signe or heauenly apparition symbolizing her fearfull modest sober and matronlike behauiour with the appellation and qualitie of a woman for so she is in holy Scriptures often called the fairest woman the Kings daughter daughter of Sion daughter of Ierusalem the Spouse of Christ Mother of the iust c. And to the end she may the better be discerned of vs the Apostle describeth her garments and wearing saying she was cloathed with the Sun meaning that she had put on the Lord Iesus Sonne of iustice that is to say her soule was vested with an assurance of the mercie and loue of God in Christ Iesus her Lord which iustice or iustification of the Spouse and her children is called in holy Scripture by way of metaphor the white stone and the wedding garment For as a stoale or garment couereth the shame and nakednes of our vile bodies so the mercy and loue of God insured vs in Christ Iesus our Lord hideth the shame and nakednesse of our sinfull soules And to proue that her garment was truly wouen of the two diuine threds to wit the assurance of mercie the assurance of loue in Christ Iesus her Lord the Spirit giueth in for euidence the fruits of this her liuely and iustificall faith closely hiding her newnesse of life her hatred of sinne and her loue of God as vnder a vaile in these words And the Moone vnder her feet signifying thereby that she had now quite forsaken forgotten her fathers house that is had slaine her naturall sinfull and wonted affections and was reuiued and renewed in mind and with her Lord was now risen and ascended vp as he into the heauen of heauens so she to a new custome and cariage of life far aboue and higher then the Moone for all her study and hearts delight was now in heauen where her hope her loue her life and her dearest Lord liueth reigneth God to be praised for euer and euer Amen Last of all the Spirit setteth forth her head attire whereby her honour and estate was best knowne and wherein she most delighted saying that she wore on her head a crowne made of a mettall much finer then gold for it was made of the doctrine of the twelue Apostles who for that they are the Lords lights and lanternes to guide the feet of sinners when sinne hath benighted them are here called by the names of Starres And on her head a crowne of twelue starres Verse 3. And being great with child she cried trauelling and labouring to be deliuered ANd by the words which her eares receiued her heart conceiued and she was great with feare and godly sorrow trauelling vnder the burthen of her sinnes and restlesse desire to be reconciled to God which anguish and paines of her sorrowful heart and broken spirit the Apostle most excellently compareth to the sorrowes of a woman in trauell In which her spiritual labour and paine she could by no meanes be relieued or eased vntill her Lord were fashioned in her that is vntill her heart were sanctified by faith for no Treacle could heale her miserable wounded soule but the assurance of mercie onely nor any water could quench the burning flames of her restlesse desire but the loue of God onely insured her in Christ Iesus her Lord and written in the fleshly tables of her heart by the finger of God according to his promise his first and last and euerlasting couenant Verse 4. And another signe appeared in heauen for loe a great red Dragon hauing seuen heads and ten hornes and on his heads seuen diadems AS night doth follow day and the shadow the body so must the Crosse follow Christ and affliction his Church whose Sunne could no sooner shine but the enuious man raised vp a mightie storme of persecution to cloud the brightnesse of her beautiful beames which for the extraordinary furie thereof the Apostle calleth a wonder or signe meaning the Churches first and primitiue persecution raised by Ethnik Rome who for his power immanitie and malice to the Church of God is here called a great red Dragon and both for that his Throne and Citie was seated on seuen hils as also for that he was in all impietie pride and prophanation the totall summe and epitome as it were
of all the seuen Monarchies vnto whom from the beginning of time to the end thereof was giuen and granted the charter and commission of blaspheming God corrupting his world as in the thirteenth Chapter following is more particularly discouered the Apostle addeth hauing seuen heads And in regard his power did beate down the power of all nations and made spoile and purchase of all kings kingdomes on earth the Spirit saith he had ten hornes for the hornes signifie kings and kingdomes and the number of ten include all be they neuer so many as all numbers are made of ten and their reduplication be they neuer so infinite And because he came to aduance his head so high by the power of his sword his Leaders and legions the Spirit crowneth his heads with magnificence and diadems saying And on his heads seuen diadems Verse 5. And his taile drew the third part of the starres of heauen and cast them to the earth And the Dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be deliuered that when she had brought forth he might deuoure her sonne THe head of this great red Dragon was his Regall first estate gouerned by Romulus six other successiue kingcoates which Seneca calleth his infancie or nonage wherein he liued swathed and nourished in blood 244 yeares as his owne Historian reporteth The bodie of this great red Dragon was his Consuls second estate which Seneca calleth his full age part Aristocraticall part Democraticall and was therefore stiled Senatus populusque Romanus from whence partly by reason of his ouerweight and fulsome abundance as one of his owne noteth Romana laxitas mundi rerum amplitudo damno fuit and partly for want of enemies abroad to wreake their proud and kingly humours on he fell into the intestine euill of ciuill warres at home which did cast him into his minoritie and wardship again And this his last estate of regiment Imperiall the holy Ghost here calleth his taile which consisteth of a rout of Monarchs seuentie Keysars long who for that they so furiously persecuted and hauocked the blood of the chiefest Saints and seruants of God the Spirit saith that with his cursed taile he drew the third part of the starres of heauen and cast them to the earth And not contented with the slaughter of his fairest lights and starres of his Church proceeded to desolate the whole hoast of heauen euen all the seed of the Spouse named before the Churches child and here her sonne meaning those in whom by the ministery of his fairest starres his seruants the Apostles Christ was now formed and of whom the Church was now ready to be deliuered for so much the Apostle vnfoldeth in these words And the Dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be deliuered that when she should bring forth he might deuoure her sonne Verse 6. But she brought forth a man child who was to gouerne all nations in an iron rod and her son was taken vp to God and to his throne BVt notwithstanding all their furie the Church brought forth her first fruit which for their faith charitie labour and patience the Spirit nameth a man child and because they followed the Lord in the regeneration and ouercame by keeping his words and works vnto the end they receiued the selfe same honour which to their Lord alone and in chiefe belongeth namely that they shall iudge the Tribes of Israel and haue dominion ouer the nations and shall rule them with a rod of iron and breake their glorie like a potters vessell as the Lord hath promised Math. 19. and Apoc. 2. And in remembrance of the tender care and prouidence of God ouer the seed and first fruit of his Church the Spirit concludeth that when they had ended their course they were taken vp to God and to his throne far from the reach and rage of their enemies Verse 7. And the Woman fled into the wildernesse where she had a place prepared of God that there they might feed her a thousand two hundred and sixtie dayes BVt the Church of God here named the woman mother of this faire and primitiue fruit being no longer able to weather out her stormes was enforced to hide her beautie and to retire her selfe into the secret chambers of Gods prouidence and her owne conscience and to take vp her lodging in the desart not that her light was vtterly extinguished as her enemies reproch her for although she were dispersed distressed and enforced to hide her extraordinary and eminent graces yet the beautie of her true repentance and of her liuely faith seconded with a charitable life and patient expectation of better things to come still shined as a candle in a darke place and like a ship preserued in a tempest she remained stil the same of whom the world was not worthy neuer wanting the louing protection of her dearest Lord who in all her troubles was mindfull of her as of Elias his seruant or Israel his first borne carefull to prouide her both of honorable harbour and princely diet Her resting place was restlesse strewed and scattered far and neare ouer the face of the earth for such a lodging did best beseeme her broken and restlesse heart which soiourned in earth but dwelt in heauen and did also best defend her person from the furious inquisitions of her enemies Neither was her Lord lesse louing and prouident concerning her food for he preserued for her diet the two witnesses of his eternall Couenant that from their breast she might sucke the pure and wholesome milke of grace and life that so she might be both nobly harboured and princely fed during the tedious and odious reigne of the great Whore the Church of Rome who during her exile should vsurpe her Chaire and vnder the vizard of her name should persecute her name and generation a thousand two hundred and sixtie yeares here as before mystically deciphered vnder a thousand two hundred and sixtie dayes Verse 8. And there was waged a battell in heauen Michael and his Angels fought with the Dragon and the Dragon fought and his Angels ANd at the same time that the Temple of God was opened in heauen the Apostle also foresaw that great and bloody contention then which since the dayes of heauen was neuer waged greater great in regard of the armies and great in respect of the cause The armies great as well for the greatnesse of the Generals as for the valour and number of their forces The Generall on the one side was the power of God sciphered by Michael the Prince of the Couenant who stood for the children and people of the Highest The Generall on the other side was the power of Satan figured by Ethnicke Rome here as before called the Dragon In their forces are to be considered the Leaders and the souldiers The Leaders and the Captains on the part of Michael were Diuus Petrus Diuus Paulus Diâ—â—â— Iohannes and the rest of that diuine and noble order of Saints
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
Councels prouinciall and as the Dragon did diuifie his Cesars so must Antichrist canonize his Saints and as the Dragon enacted ciuill lawes so Antichrist must enact Canon lawes and as the Dragon had his Imperiall rescripts so Antichrist must haue his Decretall Epistles and as the Dragon had his Tribunitial intercessions so Antichrist must haue his vncontrollable interdictions and as the Dragon had and vsed his prescriptions so Antichrist must haue and vse his excommunications and as that Beast commanded his heathen to please their goddesse Iuno with cane vota libens so this Beast commanded Christians to please their God with vowes and as the Dragon had his Triceps Hecate so Antichrist must haue his triple tiara to signifie his triple pretended iurisdiction and as the Dragon had his Hexaphoron so must Antichrist be carried vp downe briefly as the Dragons priests did teach the heathen to worship Iupiter as God so Antichrists Clergie must teach their Christians to worship God as Iupiter and looke what forme of religion what maner of life the Dragon led the same must Antichrist in his person parallel maintaine And to the end we may vndoubtedly discerne what and of whose image the Apostle speaketh the Spirit remembreth now the third time his recured wound which here speaking more plainly out he calleth the stroke of a sword not that it was the onely stroke for many swords did pierce the Dragon as his had pierced many but the first stroke of a sword which from the beginning and rising of the Dragons Empire and regiment by Cesars did remeasure the fury of the sword vpon his owne head chaire of state as the Spirit noteth saying Which had the stroke of the sword and liueth Verse 15. And it was giuen to him to giue spirit to the image of the Beast and that the image of the Beast should speake and should make that whosoeuer honored not the image of the Beast be slaine ANd such art and perswasible power was giuen to those inchanters and apostates of Antichrist that they infused such a quickning spirit such a life giuing animation into the Ethnicke dead and desolate image of the Dragons religion by gilding it ouer with the reuerend diuine and honorable names of God omnipotent Christ Iesus the righteous his holy Spirit his precious blood his sacred word his blessed Sacraments c. that they easily perswaded the blear-eyd world to think and beleeue that the execrable forme and image of Iupiters abominatiō commanded by the Dragon and his Cesars was the very true worship and seruice of God commanded by the Lamb and his seruants and that the picture of Iupiter Olimpius which their Lord Epiphanes had set vp and placed in Sanctum sanctorum was the very Arke and propitiatory of God set vp and erected by Moses his seruant and their abominable mysticall Masse the sacrifice of an vnbloody Messias made of bread of their owne baking which their fathers the Patriarks Prophets and Apostles neuer heard nor dreamed of is a sacrifice not Eucharisticall but propitiatory and so allsufficient for the attonement and reconciliation of God vnto the sinner as if it were figured and sealed in the precious blood of the Lord of the couenant and that the horrible prophane and detestable supper of Thyestes is the very true holy and comfortable commemoration of the Lords loue in giuing his life for the children of the Church and their thankfull communion and celebration of the same And by these and such like inchantments these Proctors of Antichrist so baffled and blinded the Princes and Protectors of their synagogues that they inzealed them to authorize and erect inquisitions executions and torments against all such as refuse to honour and adore the idol-seruice and desolation of their Antiochus and that all such as doe but mutter against the magnificence of their Church and her worship which all the world adoreth should be accounted as infoelix Lolium weeds Lollards heretiques excommunicates and sonnes of death to the admirable confirmation of the Spirits prediction in this place saying that it was giuen to him to giue such spirit to the image of the Beast that the image of the Beast should speake and make that whosoeuer honored not the image of the Beast be slaine Verse 16. And he should make all little and great rich and poore free and bond to haue a character in their right hand or on their foreheads ANd the power of these prostibulous Clerks was so catholique and vniuersall that they caused all kingdomes and nations figured here by a numeration of their estates conditions and callings little great rich poore bond free to confederate and vnite themselues by a resolute and determinate purpose of beleeuing and liuing after the lawes and prescriptions of Antichrist which league of voluntary and resolute subiection the Spirit calleth the character of the Beast for as vnitie and loue in truth and a resolued purpose to liue after the commandements of God is the character and cognisance of the Lamb so vnitie conspiration and banding against the truth with resolution to liue after the traditions of Antichrist is the crest and character of the Beast Which profession of obedience was so studiously embraced and with such ioy receiued of all the clients and creatures of Antichrist that the Spirit saith they did no lesse pride themselues in their errors and abominations then in the wearing of their bracelets abillements deliuering it in manner of speech vsuall with holy Scripture when it intendeth to expresse an ardent and hearty affection approued both by word and action by practise and profession as Deut. 6. 8. and 11. 18. where the holy Ghost vseth the selfesame phrase in their right hand or on their foreheads Verse 17. And that no man may buy or sell but he that hath the Character or the name of the Beast or the number of his name ANd in further proof that Antichrist and his apostaticall Clergie should driue the naile of their impietie home to the very head the Spirit saith that by them and meanes of their authoritie it should be enacted that none should trade or liue for so much the inhibition of buying and selling doth inferre but such as acknowledge and adore the prerogatiue royall religion and discipline of the Beast and his holy Catholique Church for so by a figuratiue kind of blasphemie she must be called as is confirmed by Antichrist himselfe then named Martin the fift in his Bull directed to the Inquisitors of hereticall prauitie for so it pleaseth him to terme the profession of the truth nec domicilia habeant nec larem foueant nec contractus ineant nec negotiationes mercatur as exerceant nec humanitatis solatia cum Christi fidelibus habeant c. All which their dominering rage or madnesse the holy Ghost by way of prevision most admirably epitomizeth in these words And that no man may buy or sell no one excepted out of the King of Babylons decree saue