is more or lesse of a thousande two hundred yeeres from Iohn the Apostle unto the yeere 1300. Where also the Centuries doe ende being set forth under this last trumpet of which wee said that this repetition is a type ¶ And he stood on the Sea sande A passing over to the Beast Aretas the Complutent edition and all the Greeke copies doe so reade as our translation and I stood the common translation hath and he stood but falsly For he attributeth it to the Devill who even now went his way to make warre with the rest of the Saincts and for madnes was not able to stand still in any place Neither is there any other intent of standing on the sande then that the rising up of the Beast might be seen which concerneth nothing the Dragon Therefore the wordes are to be referred unto Iohn in which there is a transition unto the enemy set in the place of him that is dead to the contemplating of whose originall Iohn saith that he was set in a most convenient place In which he declareth that it doth appertaine to them onely to beholde the Beast rising up who after they have escaped the Sea of false doctrine are set at least on the shore or banke of the truth howsoever it may be that the mooving of the waves and the ebbing of the Sea casteth upon them also many brinish errours because of nighnesse as after they that doe get victory of the BEAST are said to stand at the GLASSIE SEA as wee may see in the fifteenth Chapter and second verse For that these things doe pertaine and are to be refferred to the event may be gathered from the like place in the seventeenth Chapter and at the third verse where IOHN is carried into the Wildernesse for to beholde the damnation of the WHORE For what need were there to change the place unlesse the remooving had a Mystery Here therefore some godly men are to be viewed to whom being set as it were on the shore of the Trueth the originall of the SEA BEAST should be certenly knowne and that also at that time in which the Devill went for to make warre against the seed of the woman For neither is this place attributed rashly to this transition Which wee see to have ben performed in them of Maidenburg who having attained at length to settle the soles of their feete on the dry grouÌ„d after they had swomme out of the Papisticall Sea manifested to the whole world in their Centuries such a beginning growing and ripenes of this Beast as is here described of Iohn Which doubtlesse many learned men also before painted out in lively colours but all their labour was bestowed about one or two parts none made a perfit image before the seventh trumpet which procured us these Centuries To this ende tendeth the transition how correspondent the event is the application of every severall thing will make plaine CHAPTER 13. THEN I saw a Beast rising out of the Sea which had seven heads and tenne hornes and upon his hornes ten crownes set and upon his heads was set a name of blasphemy 2 And the Beast which I saw was like a Leopard and his feete as the feete of a Beare and his mouth as the mouth of a Lion and the Dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority 3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wonded to death but his deadly wound was healed and all the earth wondred and followed the Beast 4 And they worshipped the Dragon which gave power to the Beast and they worshipped the Beast sâ—ying Who is like unto the Beast who shall be able to warre with him 5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great thinges and blasphemies and power was given unto him to doe two and fourtie moneths 6 Therefore he opened his mouth unto blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and his Tabernacle and them that dewell in heaven 7 And it was given to him to make warre with the Saincts to overcome them and power was given unto him over everie kinred and tongue and nation 8 Therefore all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the booke of life of that Lambe which waâ— slaine from the beginning of the world 9 If any man have an eare let him heare 10 If any leade into captivity he shall goe into captivity if any kill with a sword he must be killed by a sword here is the patience and faith of the Saincts 11 Afterward I beheld an other Beast comming up out of the earth having two hornes like the Lambe but he spake like the Dragon 12 And he exerciseth all the power of the former Beast before him and he causeth the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the Beast whose deadly wounde was healed 13 And he doeth great wonders so that he maketh fire to come downe from heaven on the earth in the sight of men 14 And he deceaveth them that dwell on the earth for the signes which were permitted to him to doe in the sight of the Beast saying to them that dwell on the Earth that they should make the image of the Beast which was wonded by the worde but did live againe 15 And it was permitted to him to give a Spirit to the Image of the Beast so that the image of the Beast should speake and should cause that as many as would not worship the image of the Beast should be killed 16 And he maketh all both small and great rich and poore free and bound to receive a marke in their right hand or in their foreheads 17 And that no man might buy or sell save he that had the marke or the name of the Beast or the number of his name 18 Here is wisdome Let him that hath understanding count the number of the Beast For it is the number of a man and his number is sixe hundreth threescore and sixe Analysis THVS farre hath ben the battell with the Dragon the combate with the Beast followeth which is double the first and the second The description of the first is from the beginning of the chapter to the 11. verse And first from the causes that he arose out of the Sea then also from his integrall parts his hornes heads and their decking ver 1. his whole forme feet and mouth ver 2. Furthermore from his authority wherby he doth excell which is threefolde at the first received from the Dragon a while after diminished afterward recovered againe his wonde being healed which is more amplifyed then that first as declare both the honour which the worshippers give to him ver 4. the power both to blaspheme and also to make warre ver 5.6.7 Last of all the largenesse of his Empire ver 7.8 All which things ar concluded with a pleasant shutting up of the matter for a greater heede taking and consolation ver 9.10 Such is the first Beast The second
falsly bragged of wherein the Bishop of Rome glorieth almost in every word and which the auncient holy men Tertullian Cyprian and the rest knowing not for what impiety they prepared a way extolled with excessive praises But then chiefly the Sea was visible and the rising out of water might appeare to mens eyes wheÌ„ the Nicene Fathers cast the burning mountaine into the Sea as hath ben said in the 8. chap. ver 8. that is when they confirmed by their Decree that whatsoever preeminence there was should be given to Rome over the neighbour Bishops For the Sea noteth togither with the Doctrine the Clergie whose office is to take paine in ministring the Doctrine Those holy men were farre from bringing in the Tyranny which was after stablished yet they unwares gave a notable increase to it by this their constitution Before the Nicene Councill every one lived to himselfe and little regard was had to the Church of Rome as Aeneas Silvius confesseth This then especially was the rising of the Beast not that he began not to rise up before but because now first he could be seen and marked of men ¶ Which had seven heads Such was his rising His integrall partes are first his Heads which are as many and the same which the Dragon had in ch 12.3 For there is the same seate dignitie of them both For these heads are Hilles and Kings as in chap. 17.9 17 He hath also ten hornes as the Dragon and ten crownes set on his hornes Which ten crownes are ten Kings chap. 17.11 Yet neverthelesse differing in two sorts from the hornes of the Dragon First in the crownes with which these are adorned as which doe note out Kings not to be subject to the Empire of an other man but who should have a free and supreme menaging of things The Hornes of the Dragon had no such adorning but this honour did belong onely to the heads as in chap. 12.3 Whence commeth the difference Because the Heathen Emperours placed the seat of the Empyre at Rome whereof they are the seaven heads establishing her the Empresse and Queene of all And therefore the crownes being taken away from all other Kings and Provinces they have imposed them upon the seven heads or hills of this But nowe there should be an other face of things Antichrist at length shewing himselfe For the maiesty of the Empire should not remaine at Rome but should have her seate in some other country for which cause the crownes which before did belong to the heads now for a newe respect are tranferred to the hornes Secondly they differ in time For the hornes of the Beast were not yet bred when John wrote chap. 17.12 The hornes of the Dragon even before Iohn was borne were lifted up on high spread with many branches as wee have seen in chap. 12.3 Therefore although they agree in nuÌ„ber yet they are not the same in all things neither should one doe well if he should apply to the head of that things that belong to this But finally what are these hornes All things being diligently coÌ„sidered I thinke that they were the ten first Christian Emperours Of counting whom there may be a double way one of every severall by himselfe and of them onely in whose power was either the universall Empire or that of the West Into which Catalogue doe come Constantine the Great Constantine Coâ—stans Constantine his sonnes IVLIANVS Iovianus Valentinianus Gratianus Valentinianus the second Theodosius And so there is a great conseÌ„t of the things done and of the Prophecy For while these ten did raigne the Beast was defended excellently his dignity much increased Which at length being taken away the hornes being as it were broken for a time the succeeding Emperours were not able to maintaine the same authority of the Romish Beast which those predecessours had gotteÌ„ Honorius the soÌ„ne of that Theodosius sufferred Rome to be taken and spoiled of the Gothes And although for the space of two yeeres it was beseeged by Alaricus he abiding at RaveÌ„na either was not able or durst not succour it the streÌ„gth of the Hornes was so much abated VVhere was his Fathers valiantnesse which killed and put to flight enemies in so great numbers even in the furthest boundes of Rome But neither from the East was there now any aide but the hornes being as it were broken wherby the former Emperours removed so farre of the Barbarous people the Beast with his Rome was a pray to the most contemptible nations But there seemeth to be a more full accord and in every part more agreable from a conjoyned reckening of the Emperours both of the west and of the East after the usuall manner of all the Chronicle writers Thus they are numbred 1 Constantine the Great 2 Constantine Constans Constantius his sonnes 3 Iulianus 4 Iovinianus 5 Valentianus and Valens 6 Gratianus Valentinianus the second and Theodosius the first 7 Theodosius the first with Arcadius and Honorius his sonnes 8 Archadius and Honorius alone 9 Honorius and Theodosius the second 10 Theodosius the second and Valentinian the third Concerning whom there shal be a more large declaration in the 17. chap. 12. ver In the meane time let no man trouble us with words out of season and cry out that it is a thing haynous wicked and unheard that I make those first Christian VVorthies the Hornes of Antichrist Shall he now at length become a member and maintainer of Antichrist who of late came forth with the Seale of the living God who stood at the Altar with the Golden censer who was the man childe of the Church and that Michaell who drove the DragoÌ„ out of Heaven But that the malitious detractour may holde his peace it is one thing advisedly and of set purpose to doe a thing an other unwittingly and through ignorance Constantine advanced the state of Christians to his power neither was it in his minde to further Antichrist even the least that might be but rather wholly to stop up all the passage against him yet neverthelesse by adorning advauncing defending the Bishop of Rome he made a more ready way for him ignorantly and contrary to his meaning Is this any strange thing that a man not knowing what he cherished in his bosome should lend him his help VVere not his first beginnings hidden even from the most sharpsighted Certenly seeing most holy men have offended some time most grievously and that deliberately it shall not I thinke be strange that both he and other men have uÌ„warres bestowed their labour ill I desire not to detract the least that may be from any most excellent men that deserved well But I am not mine owne but the Spirits Interpreter who bendeth the whole description of the hornes to this point as it shall appeare in his places I will follow him gladly who can finde out to whom they may agree more fitly I seeke the trueth and not slaundering But I doubt not but whosoever shall view
feete divided As long as these reigned the Beast risen up of late flourished much indeede and grievously afflicted when they were gone when as ther was no horne for a long space that was able to keepe away remove the enemies from their neckes Although all the hornes were not certēly of an equall strength but the two last were weaker Rome being twice taken under Honorius Alaricus and Arnulphus being Captaines and neverthelesse the Head of the Beast not yet deadly wounded when as the overthrow was more ignominious then dammageable Pompon Laet. on Honorius being repaired by and by againe when the horne began to exercise his and Honorius to be stirred up the Gothes being expelled out of Italy and Attalus their King triumphed over Rome and then after his right hand cut off by the commaundement of Honorius caryed in to Lipara Sabel En. 8. book 1. Doubtlesse Constantius Aetius employed their endevour valiantly afterward nobly delivered the maiestie of the Empire from all barbarousnes howsoever the chiefe rulers Honorius and Valentinianus were slouthfull cowardous But after these tow last hornes were fallen how many how great calamities were accumulated daily when ther was no aide either from the West or East part that could represse thrust away the malepertnes of the enemies running furiously upon him Therefore by the want of his hornes he came into that state that men thought he had perished and was not as the second part of his time doth manifest ver 8. Therefore are they tenne for iust cause in which nūber is contained the defending of the Beast which afterward failed for a time assoone as that number was ended This is that one houre for which the Beast received power and not he alone but those tenne Hornes together with him which togither also fell downe when as there was afterward no strong or manlie thing in the West for a long time which was able to resist the fiercenes of the enemies For the rest that followed Avitus Maioranus Severianus Anthemius Rethimer Olymbrius Glicerius Nepos Orestes Augustulus to wit the last of the Emperours were of no lesse continuance force power then they ar at this day of no fame scarce known either from the speach of men or by Histories Fourthly the time of the Kingdome not yet received was the time when Iohn lived and when this Revelation was made The Heathen Emperours yet kept the stage to wit the very Dragon while in the meane time the woman not yet strong enough or in time not yet readie to bring foorth her childe endured grievous paine in travelling as in chapter twelve ver 2. c. For howsoever in some ages next after Iohn there were some men a little more enclined toward Christians yet the Dragō forthwith devoured al the new hope lying in wait most vigilantly for the woman travailing with childe until the ful time to bring foorth a valiant issue should come Fiftly the time of receiving power is the same houre with the Beast For wee have shewed that the terme also of beginning is included in the space of cōtinuing But seeing this is a large houre in what moment of it was this power givē Truely in that wherin the Lambe cast downe from the Empire Diocletiā and Maximinian chap. 6.15 for we shal finde that the Beast did appeare at this time as it is made apparant from the elect then sealed chap. 7. From the burning mountaine cast into the Sea a very little after chap. 8. From the Church going into the inner Temple while the wicked have sway in the court chap. 11. From the space of fourty two moneths all which she lay hid in the Temple and wildernes chap. 11.3 12.6 From the same time of the power given to the Beast from the Throne which he received as a gift from the Dragon chap. 13.25 But chiefly from the next succession made to the sixt head to weet the Heathen Emperours ver 10. of this chapter The common terme of all those dependeth from the Dragon his driving out of heaven when after so wonderful a manner the Emperours resigned their authority For what other cause is there why the Church then should be in so afflicted state but for that the Beast was risen up Therfore the woman trembling more for feare of him then of the Dragon brought forth and together fled that is after she had procreated the Christian Emperours among whom Constantine obtaineth the first and chiefe place hating the ambitious and fraudulent Popes introducing shadowes and images of godlines instead of a solid and expresse paterne more then professed enemies shee hidde her selfe in the darke straight way chap. 12.6 Therfore these alone are those hornes to whō onely all these properties agree most fitly The Kings that arose after the dissipation of the Empire began not together with the Beast as we have given him a rising like as other men every where in the yeere 606. but almost two hundred yeere before For the Suevians Alanes Goths Vandals possessed Spaine when Honorius reigned The Vandals also held Afrike the Goths Burgonians Francons obtained France the English men Britannie the Hunnes Pannonia and others chalenged for their owne other countries These Kings flourished the Beast in the meane season being almost consumed with a most grievous woūd Neither received they power for an houre as the true hornes but by succession of their heires the which dignity being once gotten they hold it cōstantly even unto this very day the glory I say of the Kingdomes never decayed howsoever the families peradventure were often changed Finally neither succeeded they next the sixt head but they have the Popes and Christian Emperours placed between and in the midds By the same arguments all things fall down which are brought by Ribera the Iesuite cōcerning the tenne hornes Revel 12. num 11. as may be evident to him that weigheth the thing on both sides that I may not spend time in refuting his toies If any obiect that some of those Emperours were godly holy let him againe take this answer to himselfe that the good Princes knew not what monster they nourished even as very many learned men who had no lesse care to set foorth the Beast by their writings then they to defend him by weapons From whence it is no marvaile though both strove to their power to adorne him whose counterfait shew had a certen maiestie but his filthines yet was more hidde then that it could be seen openly Neither is it needful that al the hornes should be togither more then the heads which succeeded one after an other And the Beast himselfe is a rew of Popes as wee have shewed which a long order of succession cōcludeth not any one person limiteth Yet these first Emperours are so the hornes that togither they containe the whole order following but therefore before the rest elected as it were by name both because the traveile of these should be famous and the first in
which are ten absolute Kings had their soveraingntie after that the sixt head was fallen that is after that the Hethen Emperours were expelled For from the time that the Beast begaÌ„ first to reign they never wanted crownes chap. 18.7 And crownes have place no where ells but on the heads and hornes therfore of necessitie so soon as they be taken away from them they are transferred unto these But seing the seventh head that is Antichrist receiveth power at the same howr with the ten horns it foloweth that then began he to exist when the Roman Hethen tyrants ceased Fourthly the woman fled into the wildernes when the Dragon was cast out of heaven that is when the HetheÌ„ Emperours were deposed as is largely declared in the 7.11 and 12. chapters And whom should she more fear and flee than Antichrist Therfore she getting her selfe into the wildernes at his rising up it plainly sheweth that Antichrist came at the same abdication of the Emperours Fiftly since the Hethen Emperours have been doon away Rome hath most vaÌ„ted of the defense patronage of the Pope And at that time should this City be both the whore dnd seat of Antichrist when she should be caried of the Beast and shine cheifly with his dignity Sixtly the consent of the whole Prophesie confirmeth it which according to this account very wel agreeth with it selfe both in the whole and in al the parts therof wheras otherwise as it were with members rent and torn asunder it yeildeth a pourtrature of inexplicable confusion Lastly even the Papists themselves unwares doo acknowledge that Antichrist hath drawn his original froÌ„ this very beginnin For whiles they boast of Constantines donation and the whole West to be subiect to the Bishop of Rome they shew sufficiently by their own coÌ„fession about what time this Adversarie of Christ came forth Now was poyson sown in the Church as a voice from heaven said as Platina recordeth in the life of Sylvester And if any doo obiect that after this time ther were some godly Bishops or at least weise tollerable I answer that Antichrist is not paâ—ticular men but a certayn Kingdome and successioÌ„ from which God may exempt according to his owne wil wherin he sheweth the riches of his immesurable mercy But al these things we hav more largely handled and unfolden in opening the words of the Apostle now we would but gather them into a breif summ that the things which were spoken dispersedly being set under one view might shew more clearly how by the Apostles few words al Popish and Iesuitish subtilties as toucht with lightning from heaven doo fly on fyre and come to nothing These therfore be the common arguments and to be applyed unto al the chapters of the disputation folowing which we thought good to warn thee Reader of that thou mayst set them rather from hence unto every question than that we should often repeat them Things that properly belong to every place we wil relate as the matter shall require Now therfore let us enconter with Bellarmine hand to hand and not baulk any of his demaunds that he may the better see how in vayn he hath tried his strength against the truth The first cheife point is of this common name of Antichrist which he enforceth to signify one contrary to Christ and not contrarie in what sort soever but so as that he striveth with him for seat and dignitie that is one which is Christs envious adversarie and would be accounted the Christ when he which is indeed the Christ is cast down The first part of which interpretation I easily grant that Antichrist is one contrary to Christ but wheras not content with this he requireth such a contrariety as was between Marius Sylla Pompey Caesar that openly warred one with an other the Spirit convinceth that of falshood teaching that the Beast hath two horns like the Lamb Revel 13.11 that he is a false Prophet and that it is a point of singular wisdome to knowe and perceive the Beast Here is the mind saith he that hath wisdome Revel 17.9 Can any man be so blockish that if opeÌ„ warre be waged against Christ he should not know his enemie Need any man be deceived wher the matter is carried by professed force The great Antichrist shal deceive more than he shal compel he shal come with al deceaveablenes of unrighteousnes among them that perish saith th'Apostle 2 Thes 2.10 wherto the Apocalypse agreeth and he shal seduce the inhabitans of the earth chap. 13.14 Shal this seducer have his deceits and sleights in open view Nothing is more contrary to his disposition Be it therfore that ther is some Antichrist which wil openly vaunt himselfe to be Christ yet is not this the property of the Great Antichrist But think not therfore that any goeth before him in wickednes The Divil hurteth more under the shape of an Angel of light then under the horrible hiew of a Dragon But you goe about to prove the thing three manner of wayes First because the name Antichrist cannot by any meanes signify Christs Vicar For Anti in composition never signifyeth subordination as is manifest by the exemples of all such names But a Vicar signifyeth not opposition but subordination and the Pope is Christs Vicar and therfore not Antichrist I answer Though I should grant you that Antichrist cannot signify Christs Vicar yet were the Pope no whit the further from being Antichrist For the argument is framed of an aequivocation and therfore concludeth nothing In the first proposition you put a true and proper Vicar such as Antichrist in deede cannot be who is a malicious although a secret enemy that it is a true name wherby the Scriptures doo describe him of Adversary Man of sin Angel of the bottomlesse pit Beast In the second you assume a Vicar not naturall lawful but one that is such by wicked ambition sacrilegious usurpation and false boasting From which no other thing can be concluded than this that the Pope is not Antichrist by his own confession which I easily graunt you For we reason not I trow by what name Antichrist shal call himselfe but what name he is worthy of and what the Scriptures give unto him It is not to be exspected that he will bewray himselfe and freely confesse that he is the man of sin the son of perdition the Angel of the bottomlesse pit the Beast and the like which if he should doo verily he should not play the false Prophet Fayrly therfore have you freed your Pope in arguing that he is not Antichrist by his owne testimony Secondly I answer that it is false which you affirm of the signification of this word Anti though now it be little to the purpose what force it hath which I will make playn also by examples Antimist hotos is one that is hyred in an other mans sted Antibasileus is a Vice-roy or one in the Kings stead Antistrategos is the Lievtenant or he
wounding of the whole Popish nation was reserved to this time Which after they heard of our England and Queene overthrowing the Romish impiety burst out altogither devising for us by what meanes soever they could a finall destruction And many wordes are not needfull in this matter Known to the whole world are the Popes curses against us our people being stirred up often to rebellion the bloody Iesuites sent privily daily hired traitours privie murtherers sorcerers the Popes armies set out in Ireland the Spanish navie then which there was never any stronger and better appointed Neither yet with weapons and armour more for fight then with scourges and haltars and things of that sort for torment the desirous inquiry of Philip the Father lately wakened almost from very death concerning our England as though he were to goe by by into that place where the teller of our evill should be noe lesse pleasant to others then to himselfe Rages certenly meete for wicked mindes For these are onely the beginnings of furie although famous notable then chiefly the Papists shall storme when Christ shall enter upon his full Kingdome as after more at large The Pope and Turke shall purpose the last desolation of the whole Church for which cause they shall gather very great armies But the rage of men shall turne the greater glory of God as the Psalmist singeth For by how much the danger shal be greater by so much his honour shall shine the more in delivering his As touching the second Gods punishement begun which these wordes signify and his wrath is come that conteineth the summe of the Vials which therefore are called the last plagues as shall be said in his place The full reward and first of all goods as great as can be on the earth is found in these wordes and the time of the dead that they should be iudged Which things perteine to the Iewes yet strangers from Christ and therefore without salvation and dead in deede but at length they shall be iudged and shall come to the trueth Which Interpretation I have taken out of Daniell Ezechiel and some places of this Prophecy following of which how great is the weight it shall appeare after more clearly The recompensing of the evill in the last wordes and shouldest destroy them that destroy the earth To wit The Pope and Turke and all their servants yet mighty robbers of the whole earth And so is the short summe of the things to be declared afterward more plenteously 19 Then the Temple was opened Therefore it was shut before when it was measured in the beginning of this chapter and because the elect were sealed But now it should be opened noe more to be used to the receaving of a fewe faithfull but that is should extende to an huge multitude of Saincts Neither onely should the Temple be opened but also the most holy place in which was set the Arke of the covenant Into this once it was lawfull for the High Priest onely to enter and that but once in a yeere Now it should be gone into of all Saincts in likewise all the mysteries of salvation being as plaine cleere and manifest to every one as before time they were to the learned and skilfull men all whose study was bestowed in them And who but a very envious anthankefull man acknowledgeth not a most rich encrease of trueth which is come to passe in these last times since the yeere 1558. in which the seventh Trumpet sounded The doctrine was made lightsome in many points more clearly known delivered more distinctly then hath happened in many ages past Neither doe I speake this to boast but to praise Gods bounteousnes and to shewe forth the trueth of the Prophecy Surely God hath begun to consume in his mountaine the forme of that veile which covereth all people and that covering which is spread upon all nations Isay 25.7 He began I say because it shal be taken away more fully when it shal be taken from the Iewes also ¶ And there were lightnings The third part of the signe which declareth what should follow after the opening of the Temple great evils should fall upon the world from the Church increased and abounding with so great riches of divine knowledge The world waxeth leane throug her prosperity and by howe much the Sunne shineth more brightly upon it so much the more are the sicke eyes of it grieved Therefore it desireth that this were abolished and endevoureth as much as it can but prevaileth nothing by endevouring unlesse to call forth lightnings upon it selfe and those evils which are rehearsed But this is onely a briefe foreshadowing of the things the patterne shal be mote lively set forth afterward CHAP. 12. AND there appeared a great wonder in heaven a woman clothed with the Sunne under whose feete was the Moone and upon her head a crowne of twelve starres 2 And being great with childe shee cryed traveiling in birth was pained that shee might bring forth 3 And there appeared an other wonder in heaven for beholde there stood a great red Dragon having seaven heads and ten hornes and upon his heads seaven crownes 4 Whose taile drewe the third part of the starres of heaven which he cast to the earth And that Dragon stood before the woman being ready to bring forth that when shee had brought foorth he might devoure her childe 5 And shee brought foorth a man childe which should rule all nations with a rod of iron and her childe was taken up unto God and his throne 6 But the woman fled into the wildernes where shee should have a place prepared of God that they should feede her a thousand two hundreth and three score dayes 7 And there was a hattell in heaven Michaell and his Angels fought with the Dragon and the Dragon fought and his Angels 8 But they prevailed not neither was their place found any more in heaven 9 And that great Dragon that olde serpent which is called the Devill and Satan was cast out which deceaveth all the world he was cast I say into the earth his Angels were cast out with him 10 And I heard a loude voice saying in heaven nowe is salvation and strength and the kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ because the accuser of our brethren is cast downe which accused them before our God day and night 11 But they overcame him by the blood of the lambe and by the word of their testimony and they made no accounte of spending their life even unto death 12 Therefore reioice ye heavens and ye that dwell in them woe to the inhabitans of the earth and of the sea for the Devill is come downe unto you full of great wrath as who knoweth that he hath but a little opportunity 13 When therefore the Dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth he persecuted the woman which had brought forth the man childe 14 But to the woman were given two winges of a
heaven not so called properly for what hath the Dragon that is the Devill to doe in the heavenly pallace from whēce he is banished for ever but in the heaven which is in earth But this Dragon is not onely the Devill in his owne proper person but also men being the Ministers of his furie especially the Romane Emperours whom from that time in which Iohn wrote persecuted most grievously Christ in his members as Traiane Hadrian Antoninus Pius and Verus Commodus Severus Decius and at lēgth Diocletianus open enemies who make a professed warre are called in this booke Dragons of which sort is at this day the Turke Others who in name are Christians but fight against the truth secretly and by indirect subtilities are called Beasts which doe prey upon men onely for to satisfy their hunger whereas the Dragons forced by noe want of meat are carried to our destruction because of that hatred which is betweene man kinde and them This Dragon was once in heaven as long as the open enemies held the Empire of the world exercising dominion over men named Christiās which wer dispersed through all places of their Empire He is called Great being the highest Prince on earth and red being most furious against Christians wholly red with their blood The seaven heads are seaven hilles and seaven Kinges after chap. 17.9.10 unto which place wee deferre the more full handling of these thinges In the meane time for this matter which is in hand it shal be sufficient to understand that by this circunstāce of wordes the city is noted where he should place the seate of the Empire to wit Rome famous for the seaven hilles and Kings For the Beast receaved the Throne from the Dragon chap 13.2 Therefore if her seat shal be at Rome so shal be his The tenne hornes are so many Kinges or Provinces governed of Pretors like to Kings So Strabo declareth it in the last wordes of his last booke of Geographic That Augustus Cesar devided the whole Romane Empire into two partes the troublous and warlike Provinces of which he tooke to himselfe the other peaceable and quiet ones he gave to the people Who devided theirs in ten Pretories the exterior Spaine and her Ilands The interiour containing Baetica now called Granata and the countrey of Narbon in France even unto Alencem Sardinia with Corsica Sicilia Illyricum Epyrus being adioyned Macedonia Achaia even unto Thessalia Aetolia and Acarninia and certaine nations of Epirus to the borders of Macedonia Creta with Cyrenaica Cyprus Bithynia with Propontide and certaine parts of Pontus Suetonius also maketh mention of the like disposing of the Provinces but telleth not the number to Aug. in chap. 47. Moreover the same Strabo reporteth that Dicharchies doe and alwaies have belonged to the Emperours portion For Cesar held the rest distinguished also in tenne Prouinces to wit Afrike France Britannie Germany Dacie Mysie Thracie Cappadocie Armenie Syrie Palestine Judea and Aegypte And this is the same thing which Cyprian writeth to Successus that Valerianus wrote an answer to the Senate that all belonging to the Emperour whoso ever had confessed before or shall now confesse should be seised upon and bound shoulb be sent enrolled into the Emperours possessions that is into those farre countries which wee spake of belonging to the Romane Empire Therefore whither wee respect the countryes which the Emperour held in his owne possession or those which he yeelded to the people they were the tenne hornes the power and strength of the Dragon in which all his might consisted Yet the number remained alwaies the same but was altered according to the present occasion But it was sufficient for the Spirit to describe the enemy by any certen marke then which there is none more cleare then the largenesse of this dominion and this so notable a decree of the Provinces devided But he beareth the crownes on his heads not on his hornes because the supreme maiesty did abide at Rome to which all the rest of the Provinces submitted their dignities 4 Whose taile drewe Considering that the Dragon is of such a disposition how doth he carry himselfe towards the Church Two effects of him are rehearsed one upon the Starres the other against the woman As touching them he shall cast downe many from the heavenly profession by sharpe persecutions who ought to have shewed light to others For this is to cast the starres of heaven to the earth see Euseb booke 6. chap. 41. See also before in chap. 6.13 ¶ But the Dragon stood before the woman He watched her diligently that noe maintainer of the Christian religion should be borne He rolled every stone for to cut of this hope Add certenly assoone as Maximinus the Dragon sawe Alexander of Mammea to be somewhat favourable to Christiās so as he was thought to have ben instructed in their ordinances he forthwith devoured him Decius also the Dragon did swalowe downe the Philips both the Father and the Sonne he himselfe shortly after being swalowed up in a marsh But the thing is made manifest most clearely in Cōstantine at whome chiefly the Spirit pointed the finger Diocletianus Galerius with whom hee lived being a yong man in the East perceaving his singular towardnes and vertue left nothing untried that they might kill him privily So Eusebius writeth upon his life in his first booke Pomponius Laetus reporteth that he was sent with an army against the people of Sarmatia most fierce nations and accustomed to murders from whom when contrary to the opinion of Galerius he brought backe not death but the victory by the persuasion of the same man under a colour of exercising his valour he fought on the Theatre with a Lion For Galerius sought to destroy the unwarie yōg man as of olde Euristheus did Hercules Neither was ther here an ende of the treacheries Maximian Herculius that red Dragon devoured him almost afterward by snares set to intrappe him But he which laide a snare for an other through the iust iudgement of God perished himselfe in the snare Constantine escaped many other privie assaults not by humane wisdome but by divine revelation from God as Eusebius writeth upon Constantines life in his first booke For the Dragon knewe that it concerned him much that no such a one should arise whēce it is no marveile if he did labour so greatly to devoure this childe assonne as it should be borne 5 And shee brought forth a male childe The event of the persecution at length the Church howsoever the Dragon strove against her with all his might bringeth forth a male and strong defender by instructing Constantine the Great in the Christian faith For he was that male childe who first of all the Romane Emperours tooke upon him the defence of the trueth Wee have made mention of the Philippes both Father and Sonne which were both Christians Although if wee must beleeve Pomponius Laetus fainedly and not truly but onely that they might cover their wickednesses with a honest
Prosper witnesseth in his booke de Ingratis in these wordes Rome is the Seate of Peter which is become the Head of Pastorall power to the world whatsoever shee holdeth not by force of armes shee holdeth it by religion And againe in his second booke of the calling of the Gentils chap. 6. Rome by the soveraigntie of Priesthood is more increased by the tower of religion then by the Throne of power Vnto which is added Ammian Marcellin in his 27. booke as he is cited by Bellarmine that he marvaileth not though men contend with so great desire for the Romane Popedome seing the riches and maiestie of it are so great But that the Dragon gave him this power appeareth from hence that the name of Rome was honourable to all men because of the auncient Empire of which once it was the Seate and therefore that they easily yeelded to any promotion of hers but of this more largely at the 6. verse 3 And I sawe one of his heads as it were deadly wounded Montanus Plantines Edition doeth omit I saw as though the Dragon togither with the throne power had given also one of the heads wounded which is contrary both to the faithfulnesse of the other Copies for Aretas the Common translation read I saw all other also to the truth of the history For the Beast had not a wounded head at his first beginning For first he was afterward he is not in chap. 17.8 as at that place wee shall shewe more fully In these wordes he commeth to the second condition of the BEAST The dammage consisteth in the wounding of one of his heads which now once or twice wee have advertised to be seveÌ„ hills and Kings from chap. 17.9.10 VVhether then of these kindes should suffer this calamity Surely if the wounde inflicted be to come into the power of the enemy scarce can one of the hilles receive a wound but all wil be wounded togither VVherfore more properly it beloÌ„geth to the Kings any one of which being afflicted with this wounde the rest abide whole from the same Although this hurt cannot be so proper to a King that it should not also be common to the Hills And these Kings are seven Governements or Principalities by which the City of Rome hath ben governed to wit those celebrated by all Kings Consuls Decemviri Dictatours Tribunes Emperours Popes as wee will make plaine at the 17. chap. If now it be demaunded to which of all these this calamity should happen the place which even now wee spake of declareth it evidently to the seaven head namely the Popes For so speaketh the Angell and another that is the seventh is not yet come and when he shall come he must continue a short space being hurt with a wound as it were quite killed with the same for Iohn saith as it were wounded to death as Aretas well puts us in minde for he should not be altogither destroyed by this blow But now after that it is manifest touching the Heads this wound was inflicted when Rome forsaken now a good while of the Emperours abiding partly in the East at Byzantium partly in the West at Ravenna beginning againe to flourish under a newe GovernemeÌ„t of Popes was smitten with an exceeding great storme by the Gothes Vandals Hunnes and the rest of the Northern people Which vexed most miserably the whole VVest part In this common calamity that late Empresse of the nations Queene of the whole world escaped not scotfree but sufferred a greater destruction then almost any City besides oftener taken by assault sacked wasted for an hundred two and thirtie yeeres at the lust of the Barbarians First Alaricus about the yeere 415 besieged and tooke it Of which thing Hierome speaking but after he saith the most famous light of all countries is cleane put out yea the head of the Romane Empire cut off and to speake more truly the whole world is destroyed in one Citie c. In his Proheme of Ezech. But in more wordes eloquently in an Epistle to Principia a Virgin The Citie is taken which tooke the whole world c. In what lamentable manner would he have bewailed if it had befell him to heare of the ofteÌ„ conquerings and spoiling thereof which followed For Rome now was consumed not once but was taken a second time by Adaulphus who gave her such a deadly wound that she was minded to change her name and to be called afterward Gothia The third time Gensericus the Vandal tooke it The fourth time Odoacer Rugianus reigning there fourteene yeeres Theodoricus the King of the Gothes slewe him whom at length Totilas followeth by a cerâ—en order of succession He the fift time overthrew and rased it bringing it to that wildernesse that neither any man nor woman could be found in it by the space of fourty dayes according to that of the Sibyll Rome shal be a perpetuall ruine and shee that hath ben seen shall not be discerned Albeit I thinke not that shee hath yet endured that calamity which Sibyll speaketh of although that now past may be a notable proofe of that which is to come Who in those times would not have thought that the seven hilled Citie had utterly perished VVho would not have supposed that the dignitie of the Popes to wit the seventh head had bin past remedy Therefore the Constantinopolitane Bishop and he of Ravennas the authority of Rome being as it were utterly gone laboured greatly as the next heires to drawe the same to their Churches But they were both much deceaved The head was not wounded unto death but as it were unto death Therefore the wound waxing more fierce Zozimus Bonifacius Celestinus about the yeere 420. having supposed a Nicene Councill chalenged the Primacy and they did moove so much as was sufficient to shewe that some life was left but they had a shameful repulse because this was the time of the wound on every side Pelagius also not long after before the skarre had closed altogither wrested the scriptures to the same ende but his endevour comming to no proofe declared that both the head remained alive and also that it was of no power For the raigne of the Gothes darkened the light of the Popes dignity neither could now any acknowledg her the chiefe who at home being the basest and servant of the Barbarous people scarce had a place where to abide For at once the Emperours dwelling at Rome at what time the Apostles were in authority restreined Antichrist that he could not come forth to be seen abroad so the new erected Kingdome of the Gothes in Italie was an other thing with holding which did repell his put out hornes for a time compelled him againe to hide him selfe in his shell Rightly therefore now the head did seeme to be wounded which was not able to shake off the yoke neither by any strength of his owne neither by any hope that he had from the East seing the Emperour
earth but for to bear the yoke onely for never shal they be able to hurt the Church more which now shal have the cheifty throughout al the earth And thus have we a breif and distinct representation both of things present and to come even until the end CHAP. 17. AND ther came one of the seven Angels which had the seven vials talked with me saying unto me come I wil shew thee the damnation of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters 2 With whom the Kings of the earth have committed fornication and the inhabitans of the earth are drunken with the wine of her fornication 3 So he caryed me away into the wildernesse in the Spirit and J saw a woman sit upon a skarlet coloured Beast full of names of blasphemy which had seven heads and ten hornes 4 And the woman was arayed in purple and skarlet and gilded with golde and pretious stones and pearles and had a cup of golde in her hand full of abominations and filthines of her fornication 5 And in her forehead was a name written a Mysterie that great Babylon that mother of whoredomes and abhominations of the earth 6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the Saincts with the blood of the Martyrs of Iesus and when I saw her J wondred with great marveile 7 Then the Angel sayd unto mee wherfore marvailest thou J wil shew th eeth◠mysterie of the woman and of that Beast that beareth her which hath seven heads and ten hornes 8 The Beast that thou hast seen was and is not and shal ascend out of the bottomlesse pit and shall goe into perdition and they that dwel on the earth shall wonder whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world when they behold the Beast that was and is not and yet is 9 Here is the minde that hath wisedome the seaven heads are seven mountaines wheron the woman sitteth 10 They are also seven Kings five are fallen one is and an other is not yet come and when he shall come he must continue a short space 11 And the Beast which was and is not is even the eight and is one of those seven and goeth into destruction 12 And the ten hornes which thou sawest are ten Kings which yet have not received a Kingdome but shal receive power as Kings one houre with the Beast 13 These have one minde and shall give their power and authority to the Beast 14 These shall fight with the Lambe and the Lambe shall overcome them for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings and they that are on his side called and chosen and faithful 15 After he sayd unto mee the waters which thou sawest where the whore sitteth are people and multitudes and nations and tongues 16 And the tenne hornes which thou sawest upon the Beast are they that shall hate the whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eate her flesh burne her with fire 17 For God hath put in their hartes to fulfill his will and to consent and give their Kingdome to the Beast until the words of God be fulfilled 18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great citie which reigneth over the Kings of the earth The Analysis THVS farre hath bin the distinct Prophecy of the last Period divided in to his seven articles after the manner of the Seales and trumpets ther followeth a continual narration and more large explication of the three last vials as which are of greatest waight and special moment The fift of which is handled in this chapter and also in the whole chapter following and in the first five verses of the nineteenth the sixt is comprehended in the next fifteene verses of the same nineteenth chapter unto the twentith verse The seventh is continued through chap. 20. and 21. and unto the sixt ver of the two and twentieth And from thence followeth the conclusion of the whole book It maketh much for perspicuity to know what things agree to the time and nature of the matter As touching the fift it is wholly bestowed against the throne of the Beast as in the chapter afore ver 10.11 partly in declaring what and of what sort this throne is in this whole chapter partly in relating what things doe goe togither with the ruine of it in the chapter following and in the beginning of the nineteenth The declaration of the throne hath first a preparation inviting to know the damnation of the whore ver 1.2 And the better to know it carying him away into the wildernesse ver 3. Secondly a description by a double type one of the Beast ver 3. the other of a woman setting on the Beast sumptuous and most filthy ver 4. the mother of all whoredomes ver 5 a Murtherer of the Martyrs ver 6. The interpretation wherof is set forth by the occasion of it which Iohns wondering ministred ver 6.7 afterward it is propounded in very deed shewing what the Beast is in respect of his whole ver 8 attention being stirred up the disclosing might not passe without fruit ver 9. Secōdly in respect of the parts and heads ver 9.10.11 and hornes whose rising up is shewed in verse 12. the humble service which they shall giv to the Beast ver 13. and at length their overthrow by the Lambe ver 14. Such is the Beast Of the woman the interpretation is first of her dominion both flourishing ver 15. also afflicted by ten hornes as instruments and the will of God as the principal cause ver 16.17 afterward of her palace ver 18. Scholions 1 Then came one of the seven Angels We sayd in the Analysis that this cōtinuall declaration which is contained in the chapters following even unto the conclusion of the whole booke belongeth onely to the three last vials Which how true it is the thing it selfe will shew In the meane time it may be demaunded why the explication of the former is omitted The reason wherof seemeth to be this because those former partly were before past partly present at what time the vial was powred out upon the throne and therfore had no neede of a larger exposition then eyther the late memory or present use and condition of things should give but the other to come did need a more ample declaration and for the same cause all the labour remayning is converted to that point Therfore as touching the Angel one of the seven this is the fift who shall bring calamity to the throne chap. 18.10 Of which calamity neverthelesse there be certaine degrees so as by the labour of some certaine easie sprinklings are made before that the whole vial is powred forth Who yet all are reckened in the common name of the fift Angel VVhich thing appeareth from that chapter which is wholly spent in declaring the damnation of the whore although her last destruction is reserved unto the next These things set downe in this wise let
touching the place they would wrangle about the time But by this so exact description he taketh away all halting frō them Therfore as touching the Whore her so expresse nothing out by Babylon seven hills seven Kings flourishing power and at length destruction the rest of the world being safe finally by the name of the city used in stead of an interpretation doo most strongly prove that the universall City of the Divill is not meant but some special city and namely Rome and so much the more because this whore is the Throne of the Beast And we know that the Throne of the Divill was attributed to a certain City to weet Pergamus before in the second chapter and thirteenth verse Therfore worthily Bellarmine that opinion being rejected sayth It is better in his iudgement that Rome be understood by the whore as Tertullian expoundeth in his booke against the Iewes and in his third booke against Marcion And Hierome in his 17. Epistle to Marcella and Quaest 11. to Algasia Bellarmine touching the Romane Pope in his third booke and in the thirteenth chapter Here then wee have our adversary confessing What therfore letteth that they should not agree with us about the Antichrist They have invented a double crafty shift for themselves one of the place an other of the time of the place that albeit Rome be the Whore yet is it not the seate of Antichrist but Hierusalem Of the time that Rome was the VVhore when the Heathen Emperours ruled but now shee is not since she became Christian and therfore that shee is not the seate of Antichrist seeing he shall not come but a little before the last iudgement But the Papists are holden with their owne snares for granting Rome to be the whore they must also needs grant the rest First of all that not Hierusalem but shee is the seate of Antichrist For is not this Beast the very Antichrist This also Bellarmine yeeldeth and though he had not yeelded it the truth wil force him to cōfesse it as we shal see But he affirmeth that Antichrist shal hate Rome from v. 16. after wel acknowledging that the Beast is Antichrist but how truly he spoke of hatred wee shal examine at that place From his cōfessiō we have that both the whore is Rome the Beast Antichrist Frō which it is of necessity that Antichrist shal have his denne at Rome seeing he is the very Beast on which the whore is caried Doth not the Spirit shew a very great coniunction nigh familiarity of both of the whore in setting upō of the Beast in bearing Ther is none but he wil say that a man is neerly joyned to the horse on whō he sitteth Certēly if Antichrist was to raigne at Hierusalē Rome being set so farr frō her saddle should walke on foot humble base who had so little aide frō the Emperours after they removed to Byzantiū wher they were not farr Secodly as touching the time how absurd is this distinction that the whore should be Heathenish Rome the first 300 yeeres after Christ but that Antich the Beast should not come ūtil about 3. yeeres an halfe before the last day Shal shee sit on the Beast not yet borne yea not conceived a very long time after For shal the Beast whē he cometh beare the whore being dead so many ages before For the whore shal cease to be 1300. yeeres how much more we know not before Antich shal come These ar dreames wholly mōsters of bearing sitting upō The Spirit hath takē frō you al such subterfuge coupling these 2. things by so ūseparable a band wherby he forbiddeth both to seeke Antichr els wher then at Rome also to think her to be this whore at any other time then when Antichrist should have his seate there Needs ar these two things to be ioyned togither both in place time But when shall this time beginne for this yet hath some doubt Surely when wee shall see the whore to have ben caried on this Beast by his helpe and authority placed in dignity and lifted up on high VVhich though I holde my peace Leo will confesse to have ben done in the 1. sermon of the Nativity of the Apostles when the preheminence came to the Popes and Rome began to excell through the opinion of her religion Rome sayth he being made the head of the world by the sacred Chaire of S. Peter hath more ample authority through divine religion then earthly dominion For although being inlarged by many victories thou hast extended the fraunches of thyne Empire by lād and by sea yet notwithstanding it is lesse that which warrelike labour hath put under thee then that which Christian peace hath subdued Likewise Prosper in his booke de ingratis Rome is of Peter the Seat which in honour Pastoral Is made of the world head what by the right Martial Shee doth not possesse yet shee by religion hold free Therfore this one common type ministreth a necessary argument both of the seat and Kingdome of Antichrist which alone might be sufficient to take away all controversie were it not that men loved themselves more then the truth and would not cesse to barke against it till that their mouthes be altogither stopped VVherfore the Spirit stayeth not here but goeth on yet to clearer things that for whom the morning light is not sufficient they may have the Noone Sunne an helper if peradventure they wil then see The sitting being in such wise declared peculiarly afterward he descendeth to both and first to the Beast which is described by the colour names of blasphemy heads and hornes The colour is of skarlet made readde by the little worme Coccus VVherfore this Beast is honourable shining with the same colour with Kings and no lesse wicked and bloody For this same colour is attibuted to most grievous sines Yf your sinns were as skarlet sayth Isaiah chap. 1.18 Not onely because it is a deep colour which cannot be washed of but cheifly for the cruelty of shedding blood which wickednes among the rest seemeth most horrible VVo seeth not that this Beast is at Rome where the Pope sitteth whose feete Kings doe kisse and who doth most cruelly murder Christians not acknowledging his divine power both in the city and also through all the Dominion But that colour hath not pleased chiefly the Romish Court at all adventures which hath come to passe by the providence of God that the Fathers might set before the world a visible shew of this skarlet coloured Beast Touching which thing see a most fine Epigrame of Theod. Beza Secondly this Beast is full of names of Blasphemy How fruitful an increase of a naughty thing Long agoe the heads did beare the names of blasphemy chap. 13.1 now the whole body is full of the same And first of all the Primacy was chiefely a blasphemy and therfore it was well carried on the head but the time added dayly others the heape whereof
grew every day until at length they came to the Councill of Trent and Masters of controversies by whose paines now the whole Beast is so covered with most wicked errours the whol sea of doctrine being turned into deadly blood as hath ben sayd in chap. 16.3 that thou canst see noe place free from some newe blasphemy Let an indifferent iudge consider so many horrible errours as in three great volumes Bellarmine deffendeth by the Popes approbation and let him speak sincerely whether every haire almost of this Beast is not spotted with som notable blasphemy Thirdly he hath seven heads and tenne hornes of which what is the meaning the interpretation wil declare which the Angel will make by and by In the meane time let it be agreed of that this Beast is the same which wee saw in the thirteenth chapter and to be the former of the two For of the second are rehearsed onely two hornes there in the 11. verse he maketh mention but of one in this place because both make but one Antichrist as in the chapter even now spoken of we have shewed and of the former onely because it is his intent to set before our eyes whole Antichrist from his first original of whom the second Beast representeth onely the half figure but now because in the last times in which the Beast should be fully discovered Rome the whore should depend more upon the civill authority of the Pope of which that first is the type then upon the spiritual we see at this day that the patrimony of Peter avayleth more then the doctrine which they faine to be Paules that neither Spaine nor France nor others very many have any regard to Rome but in so much as her authority serveth for their profit There is no man but knoweth that Italy despiseth her now a long time at home howsoever shee hath ben content to suffer her to be worshipped of strangers like a God For these causes therfore the former Beast onely is set forth Frances de Ribera the Iesuite avoucheth that this Beast is not that of the 13. chapter but a new new first seen Why so I pray because no article saith he is prefixed before Woman or Beast as it is wont to be done in things known Certenly if he should conclude from the new forme wherein they now first appeare it might have some weight which he sayth but seeing he gathereth that therfore neither of them was simply and absolutely before because they were not seen before in this forme to which onely thing the defect of the article hath respect he dealeth either foolishly or fraudulently after the māner of the Iesuits So J saw saith Iohn ond behold a Lambe stood upon mount Sion chap. 14.1 where also the article is wanting Is this therfore a new Lambe If any should say that there was new forme of him standing upon mount Sion and accompanied with and hundred fourty and foure thousand he should say nothing contrary to the truth but it is the same Lambe in very truth of which mētion was made before chap. 5. After the same manner a new shew is here brought in not a new person as is manifest in the woman which being called in the first verse a whore had the emphasis of the articles which did manifest the olde whore So now the same comming forth in a new decking wanteth the same articles The woman then and the whore are al one and this Beast is the same with that in the thirteenth chapter having the same seate blasphemy heads hornes worship among men the cause of the like eternal destruction and partaker of all his properties unlesse that some of them should now be more increased in processe of time and all things under this fift vial more evident then they were when they began For now he appeareth full of that blasphemy which before possessed the heads onely And was that former Beast Antichrist and shal not this be hee which is more blasphemous The wonderers also at whom are no lesse reprobates then they that wondered at that VVhat shal the Iesuite then gaine if that former being sent away to Hierusalem he hath left this more pernitious Beast at Rome 5 And the woman was arayed with purple and skarlet Such is the Beast now of what quality the woman is whom we shal see adorned most sumptuously of which thing Tertullian spake wittily Who hath deserved the name of an harlot at the Lords hande shee is made equal to her name in her attire Shee sitteth verily in purple with skarlet and gold and pretious stone which are cursed without which a cursed woman and harlot could not be described These things spake he but peradventure somewhat too severely in his booke concerning womās apparell The attire is altogither Princely and belonging to triumphes such as Belshazzar promiseth to them that should read the writting saying He shal be clothed with Purple with a Chaine of Golde about his necke and shal be the third Ruler in the Kingdome Daniell chapter fift verse seventh Attire surely fit for her which raigneth over the Kings of the earth as after in the 18. ver But purple was sufficient for dignity To what ende is there also skarlet That it might note out great cruelty ioined togither with it Shee is of the same disposition with the Beast redde with the murthers of the faithfull in the twelve Chapter and third verse There are many Cities made famous for their notable cruelty but togither therewith the dwelling place of Antichrist ought to flourish in exceeding great Maiestie which might be discerned from all the rest Both which victories even the Iesuites themselves cannot deny to be due to Rome But there is added also Gold Pretious stones and Perles which beside the Maiestie note also most excessive riot which is an other token of this woman And who can recken the infinite costes of this City bestowed on Tēples Theatres Galleries hote Bathes Palaces Obeliskes Pillars Arches belonging to triumphes Private houses and other ornaments Into this one City hath bin laid up in store the glory of the whole world taken from very many other to let passe auncient things what an huge summe of mony bestowed of late Pope Sixtus the fift in the yeer one thousand five hundreth foure score and eight upon a conduit which he built on the mount Quirinal It is recorded that two hundred and threescore thousand crounes were spent upon this thing Neither did any necessity wring from him this charges but that the Pope might sommer the more pleasantly in that mountaine The Vaticane Library renewed of the same Pope scarse peradventure stood him of lesse Yet notwithstanding the same man brought fifty hundred thousand peeces of Gold into a new treasury which he erected in the Castle of Sainct Angel that thou mayest understand that the Popes are not yet brought to beggerie But this Gold pretious stones doo not onely seeme riots for Rome hath bene farre more riotous and
first Decad. See chap. 13.3 11 And the Beast which was and is not That is and that seventh King the Pope which had come and was as touching the rising and originall of his power for the space of an hundred yeeres after Constantine And is not after that time utterly perished in mens opinion by the invasion of the Barbarians this Beast I say is the eight and one of those seven Wherby it is to be observed that the seventh King by himselfe alone doth obtaine the name of the whole and to be called that Beast whose description was in the eight verse by foure succeeding courses of times All which chaungins are proper to this one from wheÌ„ce now at lenght after the second mutation wherof he made mention in the former verse he addeth a double condition of him in the very words of the first description shewing in the same that these words and when he coÌ„meth he must continue a short space are all one with these the Beast which was and is not ¶ And he is the eight to wit King For here octavus the eight agreeth not in gender with Bestia the Beast The common translation translateth amisse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eight Beast For there are not eight Beasts but eight Kings the seventh of which is this Beast The pronoune relative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee seemeth in this place to be a demonstrative as sometime also else where he is the eight King that is the eight King Also the whole antecedent member of the senteÌ„ce maketh the supposite of the verbe substaÌ„tive as though he should say The Beast which was and is not is both that eight Kinge and also is one of the seven This eight King is the same Pope after his dignity recovered from that maine overthrowe which the Barbarians did make when his wounded head wâ—â— câ—â—ed as in chap. 13.3 or when the Beast which is not did asceÌ„d from the bottomlesse pit as at the 8 verse of this chapter or when the second Beast arosâ— from the earth chap. 13.11 When Gregorie the second his next successours did appeare with two hornes Pipine and Charles the Great For we have shewed already before that all these things perteined to that third mutation But from whence then is this eight hath the Beast eight heads which even now were but seven In no wise but this eight is the same with the seventh of the same nature purpose soveraignty wherupon it is added and is one of those seven onely of a greater impiety blasphemy and sacrilege wherin he passeth the seventh The Popes in their beginning after Constantine were not so wicked as after Phocas But more lesse doo not distinguish the kinde Therfore the Pope revived is the eight most worthy of all to be pointed at with the finger and to be sayd that it is hee From which now the reason may be apparant why in chap. 13. one Antichrist is painted out by a double Beast to wit because he is the seventh King the eight ¶ And goeth into destruction To be destroyed utterly in his due time this last member is the fourth time of the Beast fetched from the general interpretation in ver 8. And so that which there is sayd was and is not and shall ascend out of of the bottomlesse pit and shall goe into destruction here is expressed in words some what divers so as to the first member these are answerable when he shall come to the second he must continue a short space to the third and he is the eight King and one of the seaventh the fourth is the same in both places Wherfore that which was spoken generally of the Beast wee may see perteineth to the speciall mutation of the seventh head Seing then this Beast is the seaventh King who should have the next place after him who bare rule in Iohn his time and the regiment of the Popes at Rome followed by and by that Heathen Empire by a second most sure demonstration wee have found out both Antichrist himselfe and also the time wherin he was borne Which that it may become the clearer may be proponded after this manner The seventh King succeeded next after the Heathen Emperours who made the sixt King reigning at that time when Iohn wrote ver 10. Five are fallen one that is the sixt is But Antichrist is the seventh King ver 10.11 Therfore Antichrist succeeded next the Heathen Emperours and seeing the Pope of Rome after the time of the Heathen Emperours is that seventh King as before we have manifested it followeth also necessarily that the Pope of Rome from the time of the Heathen EMPEROVRS is that chiefe Antichrist of whom the Scripture forewarne us so diligently and that the City of ROME from the same is the whore See now yee Iesuites from how necessary principles the argument proceedeth apply what engins you can to overthrow the same you shall doo more good then if you should bring ladders to conquer heaven But your things which you doo treate off concerning the time of Antichrist are divised are absurd and more foolish then any toyes as wee shall after declare 12 And the tenne hornes which thou sawest are ten Kings Thus farre touching the Heads Now followeth the Hornes which by their consent doo bring yet a more full light of time For by how much thinges are neerer togither they are so much the more clearer and the more perceived and observed Therfore to the end that that seventh head might become knoweÌ„ by more tokens and his first beginning more undoubted it is furnished with these hornes as it were with a certen pompe and company of servants by whose noise as it were we should be stirred up to regard his comming The Angel expoundeth these hornes to be tenne Kings which afterward are described of what sort they are both by their Kingdome in this verse and mind in verse 13. and the warre which they shall make verse 14. Their Kingdome is declared by a double or twofold time the first of it not yet received Who sayth he have not yet received a Kingdome The second of it received but they shall receive power at one houre with the Beast The first meeteth with a doubt wherby some body peradventure might thinke that these Kings reigned at the very same time in which Iohn wrote no saith he they reigne not yet but shall reigne shortly For otherwise the warning had bene superfluous if they should not come but about three yeeres and an halfe before the last day The second time exhibiteth yet a clearer knowledge of the thing by a certaine mutual bewaying which the hornes and the Beast doo one for an other They shall receive power as Kings at one houre with the Beast for so I translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the accusative case in which these words are taken some time for the space of time as these last have wrought but one houre Mat. 20.12 Also watch with me one houre
cannot be purged with any other nitre which day commeth with speed as may be understood from the things before spoken but wee shal heare of a nigher term from the things following 17 For God hath put in their harts Now he sheweth the fountaine wherupon the Emperours should be for so long a time so obedient and why at length they should alter their mindes both commeth from him in whose hands are the hearts of Kings He in his iust iudgement blindeth whom he will and bestoweth the light of trueth on others whom he will embrace with his trueth But which thing is almost incredible that the elect might be more assured of this future iudgement he setteth before their eyes the remeÌ„berance of the time past saying God hath put into their hearts to give their Kingdome to the Beast until the words of God be fulfilled as though he should say as ye know for a surety that overpassed consent of the Emperours unto humble service so certen is this future alienation of their mindes and at length that final destroying which I spake of There is one and the same authour of both Neither let us take it grievously if the iudgement seeme to stay long the divine wisdome hath set a time which to accuse of too much slackenes would be a token of overhastie desire and importunate wish for until saith he the words of God be fulfilled that is until the decree shal be ended and accomplished which by his word he hath foreshewed to be hereafter VVherby is signifyed the time of the fift vial at the powring out wherof shal be fulfilled all those things touching the whore which wil be shortly seing our times have reached unto the fourth as wee have shewed in the former chapter 18 And the woman which thou sawest So was the interpretation of the Dominion now of the Palace which all circumstances omitted declareth most playnely that this woman is the great City which raigneth over the Kings of the earth Therfore this Citie is not the whole state of the wicked whose dominion is no more famous over the Kings then over the multitude of people but a City in deed wel knowen for her rule over the highest among mortal men and so much the more because these words are in stead of an interpretation neither is the Spirit wont to give an exposition darker theÌ„ the things that are to be expounded Therfore it is a city properly so called great indeede and the Lady of other Princes there can be no other such Head City in the Christian world then Rome an abridgement of the whole world the Queene of the nations Lady of Kings and once in warres now in superstition the chiefe to whom even in this decrepite age her former large possessions being greatly minished the Emperours Spanish FreÌ„ch and Polonian Kings yet submit themselves besides other Princes of inferiour degree Therfore this whore can no longer be hid shee is found out at length shee hath ben warned to come to her tryal shee hath appeared her cause is heard shee is found guilty shee is condemned to be burnt I have exhibited unto you the sealed writings of the publike actes neither doo any thing now remaine but the last punishement which is to be left to them for whom God hath reserved this glory So at length wee have now seen the true face of the whore and Antichrist it remaineth that wee examine in few words what the Papists teach concerning these things and especially because if this one cause be throughly knowe tryed the discerning of all other things shal be easie For if the Pope of Rome be Antichrist what need is there to contende about the Church of Rome about the seven Sacraments about free will about good workes or about any other point in controversie It is evident inough to all men that the doctrine of Antichrist is to be suspected avoided detested Therfore my brethreÌ„ strike at this roote throw your axes against it with al your might This one controversie is inough for us All the branches shal be cut down togither with the tree with much labour spared in which respect I will not be loth to digresse to this point a little while A refutation of the Antichrist which Bellarmine desscribeth and confirmeth by such arguments as he can in his 3. book of the Bp. of Rome Chap. 1. Of the common name of Antichrist ALTHOVGH I suppose it cannot be obscure unto any that dâ—sirous of the trueth hath diligently marked the things before written but that the Pope of Rome is the great Antichrist and how long he hath so been yet least the mist wherby the Papists endevour to hide the trueth should dazel the sight of any I have thought it expedient before I goe on with the rest of the interpretation to scatter it all into thinn aier that so the Sun may henceforward shine with clear beams on whomsoever Bellarmine deduceth this whole question into nine chiefe points of which the first is Of the nâ—me of Antichrist the second whither Antichrist be one man or a kind of men The third of the time of his comming and death The fourth of his proper name The fift of what stock he is to be born and by whoÌ„ he is cheifly to be received The sixt where he shall fixe his seate The seventh of his doctrine and manners The eight of his miracl s The ninth of his reign and warrs What is to be minded of these all and how the desperate Papists ar deceived in every of them may be manifest to any by the things which the Angel hath taught us in the former chapter touching the condemnation of the whore For if Antichrist be come and hath fixt his seate at Rome ever since the Empire was taken away from the hethen Emperours then can it not be doubted but Antichrist in a common name is a secret adversary an impious Kingdome and not one singular man that the time of his coming is past and not now to come that his proper name is Lateinos that he is not to be born of the Iewes stock nor to reign otherwhere then at Rome that his doctrine is in name Catholik and Christian that his mitacles reign and warrs ar no other then we have had experience of these many ages But Antichrist came at the sayd time for the Angel hath taugh us that Antichrist is the Beast which was and is not should ascend out of the bottomlesse pit and goe into destruction chap. 17.8 And wee have shewed that the Bp. of Rome from the time of the Hethen Emperours hath long since undergone the three first of these fowr notable chaÌ„ges giving most sure documents of the fourth also Secondly Antichrist is the seveÌ„th head of the Beast which next succeeded the hethen Emperours who made the sixt which then was when Ihon wrote Rev. 17.10.11 Therfore so soon as they ceased came forth he that had the dignity of the next head Thirdly the then hornes
2.18 Yee have heard that the Antichrist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shal come and even now are there many Antichrists wher the article you say is set before Antichrist properly so caled but none before him as he is cōmonly taken and therfore that the first is one certayn person but this later in general is al heretiks I answer the greatest succour of this cause seemeth to consist in this new feigned force of the article and therfore have wee the coleworts twise sodden set againe before us But we have sufficiently refuted this your eyther ignorance or craftynes in the argument nex before with which this is altogither one and the same Yet least you should complayn that you have no answer Be it that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichrist with an article is some diverse thing from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antichrists without an article must it therfor by and by be one certayn persō I deny such an ill coherent cōsequence It may note out a singular kind of Antichrists of whō the Apostles taught the Church so diligently even as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wicked is often a kind of wicked mē 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tempter and so in other In which the article respecteth not one singular but some thing common egregious in his kinde This might have bin manifest to you by Iohn himself whiles he warneth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichrist was in his time For manie deceivers are entred in the world saith he which confesse not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh he that is such a one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the deceiver the Antichrist 2 Iohn 7. where yet he speaks not of that chief Antichrist which was to come but of some such like sorte By which it sufficiently appeareth that Antichrist with an article is not a singular person The fourth place is Daniel 7. and 11. and 12. Out of the 7. chapter you take those things which are spoken of the little horn ver 8. c. which you say are to be expounded of Antichrist and that for two reasons First from the authoritie of certain Fathers then from the words of Daniel himselfe I answer as touching the authority of the Fathers I know many learned men doo interprete these words of Antichrist but this Apocalypse dispelleth the darknes which taking away the sight before suffred not to behold the thing it selfe For it teacheth that that little horne differeth much frō this Antichrist whom Iohn describeth For Antichrist is one of the heads of the Beast which is of many formes both in Daniel and in Iohn but a little horn is onely some addition ioyned to the head Moreover this ariseth after the ten hornes but Antichrist riseth togither and at one houre with al his That subdueth three horns under it the other unsubdued are eyther foes of the same or at least freinds of equal power but Antichrist is over al the 10. horns which willingly serv him until the appointed time Finally that is caled little Antichrist is not litle who hath power over every tribe tongue and nation Apoc. 13.7 who also beareth the whore to whom peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues doo obey and which reigneth over the Kings of the earth Apoc. 17.15.18 But you wil say it may be it is caled litle in the beginning not in the full age I answer the chiefest heighth of dignity when he shal most flourish shal lift it self no higher then over the 3. horns which he shal depresse Doubtles the Spirit would have made mention of moe if he had had power over moe That horn therfore is not this Antichrist but if we wil rightly consider the thing it is that Dragon of the sixt vial of this Apocalypse chap. 16.13 namely the Turk for of him and the other enemies that should oppress the Iewes doth Daniel onely speak without any mention of the Western Antichrist as it may be occasion wil be given elswhere to declare more fully This disparitie therfore wil by no means suffer these two to convene in one Wherupon you may now see that we ar not so much to look either who or how many they be that say a thing as with what reasons they so perswade themselves Secondly you say from the words of Daniel chap. 7.24 that this Antichrist whom ancient writers wil have to be meant by the little horn is a singular person for he is not caled one Kingdome but one King who of ten Kings that he should find in the world should take three quite away and subdue the other seven under him I answer first these last words and shal subdue the other seven under him is a very bold comment seing no footstep of them appeareth in Daniel For he onely sayth ver 8. so that three of those former horns were rooted out from before him and againe ver 24. and three Kings shal he depresse but of the subduing of the other 7. he no where maketh mention And how I pray you should he be a little horn if he should destroy three and have cōmand over al the rest These things are unadvisedly brought in by some old writers but worse reteyned by you for to darken the truth But this is little to the purpose for the force of the argument Therfore secondly I say that it is false to affirme because he is caled one King he is one person for the Angel before speaketh thus These great Beasts which are fowr are fowr Kings that shal rise out of the earth ver 17. which yet are not fowr singular persons but so many Kingdomes as your self can not deny The other place of Daniel is from chap. 11 ver 21. 36. where literally is treated of Antiochus Epiphanes but allegorically as Calvin and Ciprian and Jerom you say doo interpret it of Antichrist whose figure Antiochus did bear Therfore seing he was one certayn and singular person Antichrist also must be one certayn person I answer great in deede is the agreement of the wicked and needs must many things in them be found alike who are governed by one and the same Spirit for which cause those learned men avouched him to be the type of Antichrist after a common sort but that the Spirit intended him for the type properly as he is wont in the other scriptures I see not how it can be rightly said It hath not such agreement with that which they make the truth therof as is wont to be found in other types For example this Antiochus is the litle horn of the Goat of whom it is said ch 8.14 that he should rage two thousand and three hundred dayes Shal this be the type of Antichrist Then shal he not reign onely three yeres and a halfe but six yeres and more then an halfe and so an other Antichrist is to be looked for then yee yet feighn Or if you wil have it that al things are not so exactly answerable in the type and antitype
yeres before the first resurrection then they that first rise doo reign 1000 yeres as is expressely said ver 6. Therfore these seats and this iudgement which you suppose to be of the last end doo goe before it 2000 yeres at least such a stranger are you in these mysteries Then to that which is alleged out of Dan. 12. Blessed is he that wayteth and cometh unto the 1335 dayes that is say you unto 45 dayes after Antichrists death for then the Lord shal com to iudgment and wil give the crowns of righteousnes to them that overcome I answer as touching this place we are to explain it after chap. 20.11 and it may be one day we wil take in hand the ful handling of it In the meane while let us know that the destruction of Antichrist properly so caled is not here handled nor our Lords coming to the last judgmēt which shall not make al blessed upon whom it cometh whē manie shal desire that they may be covered by the mountains from his sight but the ful caling of the Iewes where Daniel stayeth his Prophesie neither doo anie Prophesies go further Fourthly you come unto Mat. 24. this Gospel of the Kingdome shal be preached in the whole world for a testimonie to al nations and then shal the end be I answer here is no mention of your Antichrist and again the end in this place is the end of the Iewish politie not of the world as I have shewed ch 4. against your first Demonstratiō But you add the words folowing Straightway after the tribulation of those dayes the Sun shal be darkned and the Moon shal not give her light and then shal appeare the sign of the Son of man I answer neyther dooth these make anie thing for Antichrists destruction to be ioyned with the end of al things seing they speak not of him at al. Yet that wee may see the interpretation of the words let us discusse them a litle VVith one consent as I suppose it is applyed unto our Lords last judgment But this Apocalypss teacheth both to think and to speak more distinctly of this thing For from hence we doo understand that the Lords coming which is yet to be hereafter is twofold the one spiritual so named for excellencie in the caling of the Iewes the other corporal at the general iudgment And that coming in Mathew seemeth to be spiritual which is in deed described to be most glorious and powrful by the corporal furniture as that which shal be both a clear resemblance and as it were a certayn pawn therof also no change shal afterward come between which may make the corporal to appear as new And that thus the thing is may easily be perceived if we mind how the Disciples in the beginning of the chapter inquired of the end of the Temple of the Lords coming and the end of the world VVithout doubt under Christs coming they comprehēded the restoring of their nation and therfore after the Lords resurrectiō supposing that this was the coming which he had givē them hope of they aske him agayn Lord wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdome to Israel Act. 1.6 But Christ answering and by a continued order prosecuting the things to come teacheth first the destruction of Ierusalem and dissipatiō of the Iewes then he annexeth the rest of the course of things neither anie where mentioneth he anie restoring before this his glorious coming Therfore it must eyther be conteyned in this his appearing or ther wil be none which opinion if the Disciples had in mind conceived by this answer surely they would not have nourished any exspectation of a Kingdome afterwards Besides a tribulation next goeth before this coming for so he saith immediatly after the tribulation of those dayes the Sun shal be darkned and then shal appeare the sign of the Sun of man c. But before his corporal coming no such tributation shal goe immediatly before For after the caling of the Iewes and the new constituted Church God wil wipe awaie everie tear from their eies and death shal be no more neither shal mourning nor crying nor sorow be anie more for the former things are passed away Apoc. 21.4 VVherfore that coming is not corporal It may be also that hath some force which he saith that the signe of the Son of man shall appear as if purposely he would distinguish between this spiritual coming and the corporal folowing Hereunto perteyneth that those words All the Tribes shal wail c. Apoc. 1 7. we have there shewed to belong unto the Iewes and that this wailing is of repentance which wil be too late at the corporal coming Thus much breifly touching the meaning of these words which though they help your cause nothing how ever they be taken yet was it not impertinent by the way to seek out the truth that is hidd in them Therfore I answer unto that Thess 2.8 Then shal the wicked man be reveled whom the Lord shal slay with the Spirit of his mouth destroy with the brightnes of his coming ther is the same meaning of this coming that is of that in Mathew At the caling of the Iewes when he shal give a most bright resēblāce of himselfe present in the Church shal Antichrist utterly be destroyed as we made playn in the former chapter For after the throne of the Beast is darkned the way shal be prepared for the Kings of the East that is the Iewes shal be caled straight after Rome is destroyed For shee onely hindreth this ioy Then after the Beast and False Prophet and Dragō are cut off that is after the Bishop of Rome and the Turk be extinct as after shal be shewed more at large the mysterie shal be finished and the ful caling performed Your Pope whom you Bellarmine boast to be the head of the Church shal neither be head nor foot in the holy congregation of the children of God And now see how farr these mountayns are under heaven whose tops you standing a farr off did think were hidden among the starrs The last place is 1 Iohn 2.18 Children it is the last hour and as you have heard that Antichrist cometh even now ther are manie Antichrists wherby wee know that it is the last hour I answer what Iohn here concludeth we easily see and acknowledge he proveth that it is the last hour because then manie Antichrists were come For Antichrist should come in the last hour VVhere is to be observed that Iohn alluding to the parable of the labourers Mat. 20.6 of whom some were hyred about the eleventh hour cōpareth al this age from Christ until his last coming unto this last elevēth hour Then that he saith this noysome age shal be of Antichrist whom he putteth not off unto the last minute of this howr but deferrs him to some indefinite space therof These things dooth Iohn truly holily agreably to his other writings But what must you needs conclude from hence who wil not
declareth his stocke by his rising out of the earth and also by his likenes to the Lambe and Dragon ver 11. The power also of this is great as appeareth in subduing men to worship the first Beast ver 12. and that partly in deceaving by great wonders ver 13. and lying ver 14. partly in compelling both by punishment of death to worship the living Image ver 15. and also by the losse of their goods to receive the marke that should be printed upon them which is declared both to whom it belongeth either men or members ver 16. how manifold to wit the marke the name of the Beast the number of his name ver 17. Which number is set foorth both by an exhortation to count it and by a noting partly to whom it is proper to wit of a man partly how many it is to wit sixe hundreth three score and sixe Scholions ¶ Then I saw a Beast That the whole next treatise may be more cleare two thinges briefly are to be considered before wee come to the unfolding of every severall thing The first is the kinde of this Beast the other of the time wherein he ariseth As touching that first this Beast is not the civile Romane Empire either Heathenish or Christian corrupt with heresy For if wee regard the Heathen Emperours they reigned when Iohn wrote but this Beast was not yet come whose first beginning he sawe in a type For nothing whose originall he had represented unto him was past but to come according to that saying J will shewe thee the things which must be done hereafter chap. 4.1 But the Angel afterward affirmeth playnely that he was not yet come saying five are fallen one is and an other is not yet come chap. 17.10 It is manifest that he that was not yet come is this Beast ver 12. Are ten Kings who have not yet received the Kingdome but shall receive power as Kings at one houre with the Beast Furthermore this Beast received his throne and power from the Dragon ver 2. who nowe before time had persecuted the woman that is the Christian Church But the Heathen Emperours received their throne and power from none especially which was before this time a chiefe enemy to the Christian name seeing the Emperours themselves are more auncient then the birth of Christ himselfe Finally the Beast is of the same time that the flight is and solitarines of the woman But the Heathen Emperours under the name of the Dragon were togither with him in heaven as wee have shewed in chap 12.3 But there is nothing in the worke of nature which hath his being before after himselfe and is both the originall to it selfe and the image thereof which must needs be if wee referre this the seconde Beast to Antichrist alone It is true indeede that nothing is before and after himselfe and both the originall to himselfe and image thereof in the same in respect of the same thing and at the same time yet in one the same man infancy goeth before olde age and the latter age may be compared to the likenes of the former Therefore wee conclude that by no meanes this Beast is the Romane Heathenish Empire much lesse the Christian Which in the Throne did not succeed the Dragon but alwayes had his palace either in Constātinople or in France or in Germanie Neither did the whole earth follow with admiration the Empire restored as in ver 3. nor received his mark as in ver 16. but after the renewing it was limited with small boundes first of France Jtaly and some part of Germany secondly in short time after of Germany alone having no jurisdiction over Spaine Britannie Hūgarie Sclavonie and the other countries which yet belonged to the Romane Empire under another name Neither to acknowledge the Christian Emperour to be such as he chalengeth to himselfe that is to say the highest Magistrate in the countries subiect unto him is an argument of one appointed to destruction as in the 8. verse For Paul professed himselfe to be a Romane and appealed to Cesar Act. 25.10 Yea Christ acknowledged the Heathen Emperour and commaunded that he should be obeyed by giving to Cesar the things which are Cesars Mat. 22.21 Seeing therefore it agreeth not at all to the Emperour it must needs be that Antichrist is signifyed whose one and the same person is described under a double figure of two Beasts as may be manifest from the 17. chap. where there is taught a declaration of this Chapter and no mention made of the second but of the first onely But why so I pray VVas it not needfull that wee should be instructed touching the second whom all men thinke to be either the very Antichrist or at least his Minister no better then himselfe Not at all but because he that knoweth one knoweth both neither doth the second make an other person but doth pour ray the same image somewhat more playnely setting the colours upon the lineaments And why should not the Beast be double when one Antichrist is a double head the seventh and eight of which that answereth to this first Beast this to the second The reason why a double type is used is the notable variety which could not be represented fitly inough by one This Beast hath a double rising from the Sea and from the Earth He hath also a double power Civill and Spirituall In respect of the Civill he is the first in regard of the spirituall the second VVhich double tyranny is most plaine in the one Pope of Rome so as wee can not doubt but that he is both the Beasts It is knowne how Boniface the eight in his first Iubile vanted himselfe openly in the Temple of Peter and Paul one day coming forth girded with a sword and cloathed with an Emperours corselet in the second day with a Prelats apparell and with a key crying with a loude voice Behold here are two swordes that is Behold here is a double Beast VVhich double power Mantuan doth expresse by an elegant carme in these wordes He is mighty and very strong with the two swordes girded Magnificent Keisers and Kings have his feete worshipped Let then this be the first thing that the Pope of Rome is this double Beast be cause of a double beginning and power neither is the same so much celebrated by the wordes and meanes of those of our side as by the Popes themselves as it doth more clearly appeare from the exposition following A second thing is demanded touching the time of his beginning which I thinke is to be set in the very giving over of Diocletian and Maximin Hercule when these two seemed of their owne accord to give over the Empire about the yeere three hundreth and sixt as before hath ben declared But because none peradventure fetcheth Antichrist from that head spring and because Bellarmine affirmeth that all our men doe place the comming of Antichrist after the sixe hundreth yeere and after
the death of Gregory the first although this is to be understood of his birth for our men doe make his conception to be more auncient that I may not seeme alone to have enterprised to doe a thing unheard of I will yeeld reasons of this my judgement which seeme to me to be most strong First this Beast ruleth all that time wherein the woman lyeth hid in the wildernes and the two witnesses prophecy cloathed in sackecloth as is manifest after from the fift verse where power is givē to him to doe two and fourtie moneths which is the same space of the woman and Prophets Now wee evince by necessary arguments that the woman went into the wildernes and the witnesses tooke mourning apparell at that time which wee have said when Constantine began his raigne therfore also the Beast began in the same time to arise out of the Sea Furthermore what other thing meaneth that of Socrates who lived when Theodosius Iunior ruled in the times of Celestine Bishop of Rome about the yeere 424. foure score yeeres after Cōstantine The Romane Bishopricke likewise that of Alexandria being advanced long since beyond the Priesthood unto a Princedome booke 7. chap. 11. Had he promoted himselfe beiond the boundes of the Priesthood Whither else I pray then unto an Antichristian tyranny Had it done this long since and of a certen long time Certenly So crates commeth to my accounte or rather I to his or as it is more agreable to the trueth both of us to the reckening of the Holy Ghost himselfe But he speketh no more of the Romane either here or before in book 7. 7. then of the Alexandrine That is true indeede he in common toucheth sharply the ambition of both but the Romane Bishop had many more peculiar properties of the true Antichrist which in no sort did belong to the Alexandrine and therefore although at the first they ranne togither it may be with equall steppes yet in short time the Romane got afore and left the Alexandrine many miles behind him Hereunto more over is added the third Carthaginean Councill about the times of Syricius to wit in the yeere three hundreth ninetie which decreed that the Bishop of the first seate should not be called the Prince of Priests or Chiefe Priest or any such thing but onely the Bishop of the first Seate but universall let neither the Bishop of Rome be called Can. 26. as it is cited in the ninetieth distinction Wee learne frō this Decree what those times had brought forth otherwise it had ben foolish and superfluous to make an ordinance touching this matter Neither is the confession of the Papists in this thing to be passed over Dost thou thē aske the cause why the Romane Bishops were never present at the generall Councills in the East part Bellarmine declareth that it came not to passe by chāce in his first booke of the Councill and of the Church chap. 19. but for a certen consideration Which howsoever it was not knowne peradventure to many others yet it ought to be throughly understood of him a man that is a secretarie of the Popes Kingdome He rendreth two reasons of this absence the first It seemed not to be convenient that the head should follow the members c. The second because the Emperour was alwaies present at the Councils in the East part or some Ambassadour of his who challengeth to himselfe the first at least materiall place otherwise then was meete That either this therefore might not be tolerated or a tumult mooved he went not to those Councils but sent only his letters Such are his wordes he hath hit the nayle on the head For the Pope disdaineth to be present at those Coūcils in which the Emp. should sit before him How fayre were words givē both to the Emp. Constantine and also all the Nicene Fathers The good men thought as Eusebius speaketh that olde age was a let that the President of the Lady City of Rome could not be present and therefore were content with the Elders which supplyed his place But the true cause was that he could not abide to give place to the Emperour For I beleeve Bellarmine rather then Eusebius touching the minde of the Bishop of Rome VVherefore in the times of the first Nicene Councill there was a man at Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that lifted up one who albeit not yet openly neverthelesse within and secretly with himselfe was exalted above all that is called God 2 Thes 2.4 Not that he vaunted himselfe to be superiour to God in Heaven for that is not the meaning of the Apostle but to all the Gods in earth to wit the highest Magistrate who is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Imperiall from whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is worshipped seemeth to be added in stead of an exposition But why doe I be stowe much time in these things The matter is out of controversie from chap. 17. afterward The seventh head of the Beast succeedeth next after the Heathen Emperours for these make the sixt as shal be said in his place But Antichrist is that seventh head and therefore hath his beginning by and by after the Heathen Emperours Shall I then thinke that all from Miltiades are utterly cast away as who doe make this Beast that is the very Antichrist Farte be from mee so great rashnes of judging This Beast is the state of a Kingdome as I hope shal be most cleare after And therefore God could deliver from the common destructiō some peculiar men whō he thought good though furtherers and ministers of this Kingdome The impiety was not so wicked at the first and the yong Antichrists did not knowe for what mischiefe they prepared a way Therefore wee leave these to the infinite and unsearcheable mercy of God yet wee doubt not but wee have found out the originall of the rising Beast which nowe wee see to have fallen on that time in which the Dragon was cast unto the earth ch 12.9 For being about to leave heaven he provided himselfe of a Vicar who in his absence should governe his affaires whose busines he looked unto nor carelesly as wee shall finde afterward These things being thus set in order wee see how from this fountaine every each thing will flowe most easily every part of this Prophecy agreeing most fitly one with another The true original doubtlesse not being perceived of the Interpreters disordered all consideration of the times made a harsh constrained and absurd exposition and tooke wholly away the right searching out of the event Now as touching the words the cruelty of Antichrist is signifyed most fitly by a Beast as often in the Scriptures Tyrants are compared unto Wolves and Lions equall to them in fiercenes but for hurt worser by how much iniquity in men is more armed because of the force of reason He did rise out of the Sea because he hath his originall from corrupt doctrine to wit the authority of Peters Chaire
every thing with indifferent eyes he will confâ—â—se that the Spirit hath set these ten first Emperours as images by which both the beginning and proceeding of Antichrist might be the more apparaÌ„t ¶ And had set on his heads a name of blasphemy That an ornament might not be wanting to the heads for the crownes were belonging to the hornes to wit the Emperours in their stead is put a name of blasphemy Which name is the arrogant bragging of the Romish particular Church That Peters Chaire cannot be sundred from Rome That the Romish Church is the foundation and forme of the Churches from which all Churches tooke their beginning none of them that beleeve truly is ignorant as speaketh the Pope Vigilius in an Epistle to Entherus Likewise that they cannot but erre and be counted Heretiques who thinke otherwise of the Sacraments and articles of the faith then the Church of Rome thinketh as Martine the v. published in a Bulle given at Constance Sixtus the fift against the Articles of Peter of Oxford Many such names which were too long to rehearse Rome beareth on her heads hath them for her owne and glorieth in the same as her chiefe ornameÌ„ts See Caus 24. q. 1. and Bellarm. in his 4. booke of the Romane Pope chap. 4 2 And this Beast which I saw was like a Libard The whole forme is of the Libard which is the female of the Panthers an untamed beast most adverse to man leaping up to his eyes and in great rage and tearing his Image in paper see Basill in his Serm. of the accept of pers Like unto the Devill hating with an unfained hatred the image of God in man as the same Basill writeth This and the Tygre onely of all Beasts almost are discerned by the variety of spottes the reste have ech one their proper colour according to their kinde These spottes seeme to touch those vices and foulenesse of all villanies which cleave fast to those Bishops Can the Blackamore chang his coulour or the Libard his blewe spottes then might yee also doe well oh yee that are taught to doe evill Ieremy chap. 12.23 Are not the Romish Bishops the greatest enemies to true ChristiaÌ„s whose image they cannot beare themselves being most foule worshippers of other images Are they not deformed above all other men with all kinde of vices Who by and by after their first beginning were found forgers belying falfly the Nicene Councill for to stablish their tyranny Furthermore afterward Simoniacks Homicides Atheists most wicked Magitians most foule Adulterers and teachers of all uncleane lusts finally covered with all those abhominatioÌ„s which a modest man would be more ashamed to relate then they to commit Neither are these the reproches of adversaries but true crimes touching every of which and farre more there are extant most cleare testimonies of their owne men Therefore this is a spotted Beast shewing no greater hope of forsaking his turpitude then the Leopard to chang her spottes But besides the diversity of spottes the Libards otherwise called PaÌ„thers are very skilfull to get their pray For as Plinie writeth They report that by their sweet smell all beasts are enticed but are terrifyed by the crabbed looking of his face Wherfore that being hidden he taketh them suddenly being allured by his other sweetnesse Doth not Rome likewise by a certen reverend maiesty as it were by a sweete favour allure them that beholde a farre off hidding the diformity of her countenance that is the monstrous filthinesses which shee fostereth untill shee hath brought the Proselites in her snares The Beares feete are smoothe long broad tearing the earth with his nayles or going they attribute to him a certen stabilitie ioyned with cruelty Neither hath any Monarchy no not that of the Assyrians thou of long continuance equalled the yeeres of this Yet shee standeth by her Beares feete continuing so long a time by cruelty His Lions mouth noteth his terrible fiercenes devouring up all things which the lamenting of the whole earth can declare more plainly then my wordes Therefore the cruelty of many Beasts is found in this one neither was the Panther sufficient to expresse his outragiousnes Therefore is he compact of all ioyned togither which once did compete to all the Monarchies severally Dan. 7.4.5.6 ¶ And the Dragon gave him his power and throne Thus farre the naturall forme of the Beast the power followeth and that in the first place which he received first The Dragon gave him his power his throne and great authority Power is an inset strength Authority is that which is exercised towards others the Dragon gave him both and his throne besides And this is Rome the city with seven hilles as wee have seen before in the 12. chapter ver 3. VVhich the Dragon Diocletian and Maximian being to be thrust out of heaven gave to the Beast the Pope that he might performe his businesse at least by his Procurour when he could doe it no longer by himselfe betimes indeede the Dragon as soone as he perceived that he must depart tooke order for a Successour putting the Beast in possession before his expulsion For Diocletian lived at Nicomedia Maximian at Mediolanum in the which places both of them gave over the Empire leaving in the meane time Rome empty for the Beast Maxentius held it after for a fewe yeeres but onely as one that hath the custodie of a thing upon coÌ„ditioÌ„ to restore it as the event hath declareth who should not have the Throne for himselfe but should keepe it for the Pope Constantine comming to visite Rome afterward and finding the Throne possessed of an other went to Byzantium called since Constantinople and there appointed a place for himselfe to dwell in The other that followed Emperours of the VVest part when as the inrodes of the Barbarous people did molest continually that they might be neerer to bring aide and more ready for every oportunitie abode at Mediolanum or at Ravenna as the most commodious places So they by little and little left the Throne to the Beast Wherby at length that which letted was wholly taken away and the man of sinne was revealed to all men as in the second Epistle to the Thessalonians chapter 2. vers 6. From which nowe it is perceived that this Beast is not the Romane Heathenish Empire which received Rome by the gift of none neither doeth account his power and dignity as received of any unlesse peradventure the Dragon did pursue the woman of whom wee spake like an enemy before the Heathen Emperours were begotten Furthermore the Pope of Rome is the Beneficiarie of the Dragon and not of Constantine neither holdeth Rome by his Donation as he boasteth falsly and impudently but only by the assignement of the Dragon Thus therefore the Throne being gotten Rome began from that day to be famous rather for the Popes Palace then for the Emperours Court. And indeede it grewe very quickly and her power waxed great in a short time as
had graunted of his owne accord Italy to the Gothes which he had no hope to be able to retaine VVhat could he expect from the VVest every country wanting helpe so farre off were they from being able to succour others Therefore O Pope thy wouÌ„d was deadly whereof no remedie appeared from any place ¶ But this deadly wound was healed The third condition of the Beast coÌ„sisting in his dignity recovered by the healing of the head VVhich began at the yeere 555 when Iustinian being Emperour the Gothes were destroyed in Italy bâ— the valiantnesse of 〈◊〉 Nâ—râ—â—â—â—â— The Emperour played the Physitian maniâ—estly for first he tooke away the noxious humours by â—â—pressing yea rather utterly abolishing the Barbarians afterward he powred in wine oyle That Decree of Iustinians new constitution 131 wâ—s a most pleasant ointemeÌ„t Wee ordaine that according to the Decrees of the holy Counâ—â—lls the most holy Bâ—shop of auncient Rome shall be the chiefe of all Priests Hâ—â— much was the wound amended hereby But Phocas the Parricide afte◠〈◊〉 yeeres more or lesse that is in the yeere sixe hundreth and sixe finiâ—hâ—â— the cure bound up the wound healed it up into a skarre Hee did gâ—aunt unto Bonifâ—ce the third that the Romane Bishop should be counted Vniversâ—ll not onely that he should goe before the rest in order honour as Iustâ—nian decreed limitting the Primacy with the bounds of holy Concills bâ—t who should have the whole world for his Diocesse the Bishop of CoÌ„stantinople strove afterward in vaine from whom the Primacy was given by the sentence of the Emperour Now he perceived that the wound was healed and that therefore it was superfluous to pleade any more for this matter And certenly not very long after the Pope Leo second shewed that he had recovered health when about the yeere 680. by the warres of the Emperour he compelled Felix the Bishop of Ravenna to acknowledge the Bishop of Rome for his Lord and that the Bishop of Ravenna should not rise up any more it is ordained by the authority of the Pope That afterward the election of the Clergie of Raâ—enna should not be of force unlesse the consent of the Romane Pope were added to it Sabellic Ennead 8. book 7. Thus was the wounded head cured which being healed did more hurt the Christian world then before he received the wounde ¶ And all the world wondred followed the Beast Now he declareth how great the recovered dignity should be first by the honour which the worshippers of the Beast should give to him this honour is in admiring in this verse also in worshipping both the Dragon the Beast in the following And he speaketh significaÌ„tly after the Hebrewes manner to wonder after the Beast which is as much as in wondring to follow the Beast that is to give up theÌ„selves wholly to be ruled by his Empire as the Israelites going a whoring after their Idols forsooke the true God coÌ„secrated theÌ„selves to the worship of them They who so admired the Beast are the earth that is men savouring the earth altogither straÌ„gers froÌ„ the heaveÌ„ly city But how many is the nuÌ„ber of them All without exception For he saith the whole earth Therefore it should come to passe that the Beast after the head was healed should rule with farre larger boundes then before Prosper said that Rome was more ample at the first receiving of this dignity by the tower of religion then by the throne of power Which seemeth to be understood rather of the consent of the trueth then of the dominion of the Citie of Rome although then it was doubtlesse large The trueth was propagated further then the Romane Empire But Britanny had not yet acknowledged the authoritie of Rome in the matter of religion till under the Pontificate of Gregory the fift that is after some hope that the wound should be cured Augustine the Romish Munke forced our countriemen to take upon them the yoke neither did France Friseland Denmarke Germanie Sclavonia depend much of Rome before Bonifacius or Venefride an Inglishman about the yeere 720. brought these countries or the chiefe parts thereof unto the obedience of the Pope of Rome Now therefore was the time when the whole earth should admire the Beast when besides these and other Princes of Europe countries also most remote Ireland Scotland Norway Gothia Sueveland Luten and other nations of Sarmatia honoured the same as some God Let therefore the Pope glory in his universality by how much he hath the greater multitude by so much a surer argument is he that Beast But as touching the admiration it was indeede great some ages before and that of the most famous lights of the Church who carryed away with the too much honour of the Beast and not regarding sufficiently to what mischiefe at length the matter would growe did exalte too proudly the preheminence of the Apostolike Chaire Yet did they not wonder after the Beast so as they thought they must embrace all whatsoever he should ordaine but they had one rule of godlinesse and duty to it the sacred trueth Neither were the commendations of those times any thing to that admiration which followed the healing of the wounde Heare Bernard Thou saith he speaking to the Pope art the great Priest the chiefe Pope thou art the Prince of Bishops thou art the heire or the Apostles thou art in Primacy Abel in governing Noe in Patriarchat Abraham in order Melchisedec in dignity Aaron in authority Moses in iudgement Samuel Peter in power Christ in an-annointing c. in the 2. booke of Considerat Verily o Bernard thou hast played the foole through admiratioÌ„ Yet neverthelesse I dare not put thee among those who wonder after the Beast considering that I heare thee else where reprooving boldly and sharply the wickednesse of the Popes Cardinals Bishops and other Clergie men The times deceaved thee but there was in thee I thinke somewhat borne of God which at leÌ„gth did overcome the world But of what sorte was the wouÌ„dring of other men who were more blinded lesse fearing God Heare what the Ambass of the Emp. of Sicilia being prostrated on the grouÌ„d cry which takest away the sinnes of the world hav mercy on us which takest away the sinnes of the world give us peace P. Ae. b. 7. VVhat also Simo Begnius Bishop of Modrusium speaking to the Pope Leon in the Councill of Lateran sess 6. Beholde here cometh the Lion of the tribe of Iuda the roote of David thee o most blessed Leo wee have expected for Saviour Adde unto these Cornelius the Bishop of Biponte who shewed his astonishmeÌ„t in the CouÌ„cill of TreÌ„t in these words The Pope being the light is come into the world and men have loved darknes more then the light for every one that doth evill hateth the light and commeth not to the light O Blasphemous Fooles is it not enough for you to adorne the Man of Sinne with the praises of the Saincts
Clergie neither of Kings nor of the people Againe God would have the causes of other men to be ended by men Likewise The whole Church through the world knoweth that the holy Romane Church hath right to iudge concerning all men neither may any iudge of her iudgement This is called a power of doing for excellency sake such as indeede belongeth to no Emperours who refuse not to he refrained with the boundes of lawes and all their actions to betried by the rule of equity and justice As touching the wordes Aretas readeth And power was given him to make warre moneths c. In like manner also Montanus and Plantines Edition The Common translation absolutely as also Theodorus Beza and the rest of the Greeke Copies The like use of this word in a like matter in Daniell favoureth this reading He shall cast downe saith he the trueth to the grounde and shall doe and he shall prosper in the eight Chapter the twelve foure and twentiest verse and he shall prosper wonderfully and shall doe So in the eleventh chapter verse twentie eight He shall doe and shall returne to his owne lande In which places is signifyed a certaine free and chiefe power of doing which should not feare the iudgement of any The time of doing are two and fourty monâ—ths the same space wherein the temple remaineth measured the two Prophets mourne and the woman lyeth hid in the wildernes as in the 11 chapter second verse and 12. chapter sixe verse from whence the beginning of all these is to be judged the same At one time the Church is banished the Prophets weare sackecloth and the Beast or Antichrist is borne to wit in that first refreshing after the publike persecutions about the yeer 300 as before hath ben said But shall there be also the same ending Shall the Beast be deprived of all power to doe and the womaÌ„ returne our of the wildernes togither This peradventure is against it that after the two and fourty moneths ended he maketh warre with the two Prophets and overcometh them which is a thing of no small power as wee have shewed in the 11. chapter verse 7. Furthermore there remaineth yet a warre farre a way the most grievous to come long after those moneths as wee shall see after in the 16. chapter Last of all if there be the same ende of the moneths in regard of the Beast which there is of the woman how shall he have power to doe two and fourty moneths seeing some great parte of them did lay sicke yea as it were dead by meanes of his wounded head This space then seemeth to containe the whole tyranny of Antichrist so as that time when the wound was greene be taken away from it But wee have already shewed that this sickly time was ended with the raigne of the Gothes in the 3. ver which continued an hundred and fourty yeeres Therefore if wee take away these yeeres from the moneths of the womaÌ„ lying hid wee shall finde that at the ende of this lurking to with at the yeere 1546. that 37. moneths ten dayes only of the flourishing Kingdome of Antichrist wer past There are wanting therefore to this 5. moneths 20. dayes which if wee shall count from the yeere 1546. the last ende of Antichrist shall come out at the yeere 1686. or there about For so wee shall learne from other scriptures that he shall utterly perish about that time It may be that his destruction shall prevent this terme for neither doe I now reckeÌ„ curiously neither peradventure doe the History-writers nuÌ„ber the yeeres so faithfully as is meete But it shall not be graunted him to proceed further the furthest space being set downe by mee But peradventure these moneths are not the space of time from the first beginning unto the last ende of the Beast but onely the former yeeres of his raigne as many as may suffice to manifest him aboundantly to all men In which respect as they begin togither with the moneths and dayes of the woman and Prophets so also they have an ende togither The mention of the warre with the Sancts beneath in the 17. verse confirmeth this sense which warre wee have declared to have befallen at the ende of these moneths in chap. 11.7 From which exposition the Beast is said to have power to doe two and fourty moneths of the most part of these moneths because that small distance of time in which he should hide himselfe by reason of his wounded head should have a very little reckening made of it in respect of the whole number neither is the power which shal be afterward like to that of former time as the experience of this time proveth sufficiently wherein wee see the Popes forces since that warre was made that is since the Councill of Trent are become a great deale feebler and weaker so that his power is almost nothing to that which it was in former ages This latter is more plaine wherfore it pleaseth mee the more Yet notwithstanding I would not hide any thing as much as in mee lay where I should see the least doubt that either my selfe might finde out the trueth or at least wise might stirre up others to search it out 6 Therefore he opened his mouth to blasphemy Hitherto hath ben the given power now the thing it selfe is performed these two are distinguished because the heigh of impiety should not be looked for the first day but he should come to it by certene degrees and in processe of time But first he prepareth himselfe to blaspheme God and his name afterward his Temple last of all those that dwell in Heaven He blasphemeth God by vaunting himselfe to be God not as other Princes but sacrilegiously beyond the condition of mortall men as to whom power is given in Heaven and in Earth who shall rule from Sea to Sea and from the River to the endes of the world as may be seen in the first booke and 7. chap. of the Ceremonial pontifical And as the Pope Sixtus confirmed openly in these wordes Whosoever accusâ—th the Pope shall never be forgiven because he that sinneth against the Holy Ghost shall never beforgiven neither in this nor in the life to come See the first Tome of Councills in Purgat of Sixtus Thence followeth that which Boniface the eight singeth so loude thus Wee declare define and pronounce to every creature that it is upon necessitie of salvation that they be subiect to the Pope of Rome Extrav of Maiorit obed one holy SecoÌ„dly he opened his mouth against the Tabernacle That is the true Church of God lying hid and being as a stranger on the earth For this Tabernacle is the same that the Temple was in chap. 11.1 the dwelling place of God conversing with his people in the desert which sheweth evidently at what time chiefly he should cast out these blasphemies to wit when the Church should dwell in the wildernesse and should be knowne onely to a fewe obscure
destruction But let no godly man be offended if hee see the reprobate to returne to their Beast the Spirit hath foreshewed that this loade stone shall draw unto it this refuse that hereafter they may not marvaile Why all of ungâ—dly and dissolute life are more prone to the Pope thâ—n to the trueth ¶ Of that Lambe which was slâ—ine from the beginning of the world VVithout cause Aretas will have a transposition of the wordes to be here so that this should be the sense Whose names are not written from the beginning of the world in the booke of life of the Lambe which was slaine He will have the names to be written from the beginning of the world but not the Lambe to have ben killed from thence But the things are not well devided which the Spirit ioyneth togither For if the Lambe be from the beginning of the world it must needes be also that he was slaine from the beginning of the world But CHRIST is not a Lambe but for sacrifice neither can he be a sacrifice otherwise then by death As therefore by the eternall Decree of God he was the Lambe appointed for to save the Elect so by the same Decree he was slaine from before the foundations of the world VVose force was noe lesse available to deliver the Elect before his death was accomplished in the flesh then after he had endured and sufferred the same in the crosse and in the grave 9 Let him that hath an eare heare An acclamation the sense whereof is That this Beast is to be knowne with all diligence howsoever there shall be many who will not hearken and will deny a thing so perverse are they more cleare then the Sunne at noonetide But all yee elect give eare and with as great diligence as you can flie from this plague Which by these markes is so proposed before your eyes as that you may see her not as by the nayles but by the whole frame of her body 10 Yf any leade into captivity These things pertaine to the consolation of the godly who were to fight with this monster the first confirmation is taken from a certeÌ„ punishment which shall come in his time that is to say although they shall see the Beast mighty for a longe time and carying many by companies into bondage yet they should be of good courage For at length they should see him also ledde into captivity He shall perish with the sword although now he kill with the sword whom he will The confort is like to that in Esay Woe to thee that spoilest who thy selfe is not spoiled and to thee traiterous man against whom they dealt not traiterously when thou shalt cease to be a spoiler thou shalt be spoiled c. chap. 33.1 ¶ Here is the patience and faith of the Saincts A second consolation All those thinges serve for the Saincts for the exercise of their faith and constancy And surely a great courage is required in so great daungers but by how much the dangers shal be greater so much the more shall the praise of the godly be brighter therefore let no man quake for feare of the danger but let him minde that this Beast is the occasion for him to get glory by 11 Afterward I saw an other Beast Thus farre of the first Beast the second followeth an other indeede in beginning and originall but in nature and disposition altogither the same Whereupon the seventeenth chapter maketh mention of one onely under one comprehending both as was observed at the fift verse of this chap. For which cause also the Spirit doth not make a particular description of every member but rehearseth those thinges onely which are proper to the new rising other things as farre as it seemeth being common to this with the former First he ascendeth out of the earth both augmented by the authority of earthly men and those of the laity as they call them whom chiefly the earth signifyeth and also exceeding in honours those very men by whom he was advanced For that which commeth up from the earth is lifted up above the earth having it put under his feete by whose weight he was lately oppressed So the former Beast rose out of the Sea having sea men put under him out of whose company he came and plunged up This ascending fell out upon the times of Gregory second about the yeere 726 when the Pope trusting in the aide of the Longobardes smote with the lighâ—ning of excommunication Leo Isaurus the Emperour and withdrewe Rome it selfe and Italy and all Hesperia from hiâ— obedience For now indeede the Beast began upon the earth who not onely exercised a powre over the Ecclesiasticall route but also bridled the lay men by his authority their chiefe head the Emperour who although before time he had given a great power to the Pope over the Clergie yet he pressed downe the same even till now by his maiesty as it were by a certen weight more heavie theÌ„ the Hill Aetna that he should not lift up his crests above the Emperour But now the earthly dignity yeeldeth to the Beast to be troden under foote of him at length who grew up so farre onely by the favour of the Emperours Therefore Zacharias the next that it might be manifest to all men that the Popes were now loosed from the prison of eartly dignity deposed Childericke the King of France and commaunded Pipine the Father of Charles the Great to be created King in his stead But yet it was more cleare in Leo the third who translated the Empire froÌ„ the Grecians to the Germanes and annointed Charles the Great for Emperour VVhat a more great proofe can there be of the supreme power on earth then to take away the Empire from whom he will and to bestowe the same againe upon whom he shall thinke good The Popes following persisted in the same steppes esteeming the Emperours as it were balles in reiecting the same from their office and appointing other in their roome at their pleasure VVhereby Bellarmine being moved wrote indeede truly and agreable to this Prophecy All the Emperours who have ben since Charles the Great are bound to the Pope for their Empire in his 5. booke of the Pope of Rome chap. 8. For ever since that time the Beast rose up from the earth being higher then all earthly power to which are added earthly dominioÌ„s and possessions of landes ioyned with this originall which the Pope before time either wanted altogither or at least enioyed but small fewe as great as were sufficient to maintaine a Bishop not which should make any shew of a Kingdome For in former ages Italy was tributary to the Emperours which at length the Gothes possessing made it to pay tribute to them when they were slaine under Iustinian it returned againe to the Empire administred by Captaines The Romane Pope had yet noe Provinces untill this earthly rising up had given him landes sufficiently For is it likely that the Pope by
the same Adonikam afterward in Nehemiah are numbred sixe hundred three score seaven in the 7. chap. ver 10. The rest of the names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Aretas in the later writers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the like partly are not the names of any man or at the least not of a people partly nothing was to be feared from them to whose knowledge soever they should come Romiâ—th or Romagnus Romane come nighest of all but the fourth property reiecteth this also which could not be of force inough to recover the favour of the Beast The Grecians willingly acknowledged themselves to be Romanes and of a long time boasted of this name Constantinople was commonly called New Rome yet in the meane time they were greatly hated of the Beast untill at length they did shew their consent with the Latines and yeelded the Primacie to the Latine Pope Therefore all accounts being cast I thinke that Lateinos is the name which the Spirit here biddeth us to number Which is a name whose letters after the account of the Grecians doe accomplish this number and unto which all the other properties doe agree and so much the more because from the Apostles times it hath ben extended to us and the event hath so confirmed it that it is now more cleare then the light at noonetyde which was darke before For so Ireneus in his 5. book chap 29. against heresies But saith he the name Lateinos conteineth the number sixe hundred threescore and sixe and it is very like to be true because the most substantiall Kingdome hath this name for they are Latines who now doe raigne But wee will not boast of this Such are his wordes As though this were not the opinion of him alone but he had received it froÌ„ another but from what other man is it likely then from Polycarp whose scholar he was and he Iohns scholar Such therefore are these Beasts whose lively image wee see in the Romane Pope who according to the plaine interpretation of the wordes the events of the times and agreablenes of all things so fitly without any violence casteth himselfe into every part of this first paterne and that even to the least appearances and likenesses that I thinke the very Papists themselves cannot doubt any more who is Antichrist And thus farre coÌ„cerning the Dragon and the Beast according to the consideration of knowledg encreased which should come under the blowing of the seventh trumpet for Hitherto doe the thirteene Centuries extend ending in the yeere 1300. to wit in the number of the name of the Beast that is a little after that the matter was brought to a point with the Grecians who submitted themselves to the Latine Pope with which number of his name the Spirit also coÌ„cludeth this Prophecy of the Beast shewing a very great consent of the issue in every part CHAP. 14. THEN I beheld and loe a Lambe stood on mount Sion and with him an hundreth fourty and foure thousande having his fathers name written on their fore heads 2 And I heard a voice from heaven as the sounde of many waters and as the sounde of a great thunder and J heard the voice of Harpers harping with their harpes 3 And who did sing as it were a new song before the throne and before those foure Beasts and those Elders and no man could learne that song but those hundreth fourty and foure thousande to wit those which were bought from the earth 4 These are they which are not defiled with women for they are virgines these follow the Lambe whither soever he goeth these are bought from men being the first fruites to God and to the Lambe 5 And in whose mouth was founde no guile for they are without spot before the Throne of God 6 Then I saw an other Angell flying in the middes of heaven having an everlasting Ghospell to preach to them that dwell on the earth and to every nation tribe and tongue and people 7 Saying with a loude voice feare God and give glory to him for the houre of his iudgement is come and worship him which made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountaines of waters 8 And there followed an other Angell saying it is fallen it is fallen Babylon that great Citie because shee gave the wine of the wrath of her fornication to drinke to all nations 9 And the third Angel followed them saying with a loude voice if anie man shallworship the Beast and his image and receave his marke in his forehead or in his hande 10 The same shall drinke also of the winne of the wrath of God of the pure wine I say which is powred into the cuppe of his wrath and he shal be tormented in fire brymstone before the holy Angels and before the Lambe 11 And the smoke of their torment shall ascende evermore neither shall they hav anie rest day and night which worship the Beast and his image and whosoever receiveth the printe of his name 12 Here is the patience of the Saincts here are they that keepe the commandemeÌ„ts of God and the faith of Iesus 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying unto mee write blessed are the dead which dye for the Lords sake from henceforth even so saith the Spirit for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them 14 And I looked and beholde a white cloud and upon the cloude one sitting like unto the Sonne of man having on his head a golden crowne and in his hande a sharpe sickle 15 And an other Angell came out of the Temple crying with a loude voice to him that sate on the cloude thrust in thy sickle and reape for thy time is come to reape for the harvest of the earth is ripe 16 Then he that sate on the cloud did thrust his sickle on the earth and the earth was reaped 17 Then an other Angell came out of the Temple which is in heaven having also a sharpe sickle 18 And an other Angel came out from the Altar having power over the fire and cryed with a loude voice to him that had the sharpe sickle saying thrust in thy sharpe sickle and gather the clusters of the vineyard of the earth for her grapes are ripe 19 Then the Angel did thrust in his sharpe sickle on the earth and cut downe the grapes of the vineyard of the earth and cast them into that greate wine presse of the wrath of God 20 And the wine presse was troden without the citie and blood came out of the wine presse unto the horses bridles by the space of a thousand sixe hundred furlongs Analysis VVEE have spoken of the thinges done by the enemies it followeth in this chapter concerning the vertue of the citezens declaring what was the condition of the true Church since the time that the battell was ended in heaven the Dragon cast foorth into the earth chap. 12.9 and the Beast began to come out of the Sea chap. 13.1 Which
interrogation hath a certaine blaming of negligence and unskilfulnes as though he should say unlesse men had shamefully despised the observatioÌ„ of former times now they should not have had need to wonder at the Whore because they saw her flourishing in this whatsoever felicity But the merciful father who pardoneth all sinnes to his children for Christs sake forgiveth also this carelesnes And therfore he sendeth his Angsl to make the whol thing most plaine For this is that which followeth I wil shew thee the mistery c. yet warning not darkely that also the interpretation it selfe shall not be cleare to all men but shal remaine yet hidden to all that are hardened as before at verse 3. 5. 8 The Beast which thou hast seen The first interpretation is of the Beast according to the whole in this verse as we have distinguished in the Analysis wherin is declared his divers condition according to 4. alterations of times such as at length he should be known to be most playnely under this vial The first time wherin he was the second wherin he is not the third wherin he ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit the fourth wherin he shal goe into destruction As touching the first it is not to be understood of any time which went before the age of Iohn or this Prophecie given to him For the Angel avoucheth plainely that this Beast was not yet come ver 10. that is that he was not yet when Iohn received this Prophecy but should receive power at the same houre with the ten Kings who in Iohns time had not yet received a Kingdome ver 11. Therfore this Beast is not properly the Devil as some of the auncient Fathers expound it and the Iesuite Ribera snatcheth it greedily Of him it could not be said that he was not yet come or that he had not yet received power whose Kingdome then both flourished very greatly and did flourish before Christ came in the flesh Afterward we shall see that the original of this Beast is to be set at that time wherein the Dragon was thrust out of heaven and gave him his Throne And so there are two and fourty moneths of his cheife power which same is the space of the woman lying hid in the wildernesse and of the two Prophets cloathed in sackcloth These chapters 13.5 and 12.6 and 11.2 will challenge the same beginning to all these Which wee have shewed to have falleÌ„ about the times of the beginning of the raigne of CoÌ„stantine the Great some ages after that Iohn was dead After which beginning the first part noteth that there was a time when the Beast flourished for a season to weet at the end of the publike persecutions by open enemies whom the prowesse of Constantine put to flight The second that after that prosperous tranquility a new tempest arose which afflicted the Beast so vehemently that for iust cause men should say that he was in time past but that now he is not as whom they should thinke to have perished utterly in those troubles as it came to passe after that refreshing under some fewe Emperours in which time the authority of the Bishop of Rome increased marveilously when the invasion of the Barbarous people spoyled miserably all Italy cruelly destroyed Rome it selfe the Throne of the Beast and did cut off almost to the very roote the authority of the Pope growing too rankely Should not men then have cryed out by right that the Pope was but is not whose not onely authority but also seate they might thinke to have ben altogither past recovery This second time was caled the wounded head in chap. 13.3 which did bring with it the knowledge of the former of which there could be no knowledg until this alteration had befalleÌ„ But the Beast lay not alway in this destruction he rose out of it againe as the third member declareth he came out of the bottomlesse pit which came to passe when he lifted up his head againe after that Barbarian storme of adversity was mitigated This time comprehendeth both the curing of the wouÌ„d by Iustinian and Phocas and also his rising out of the earth or out of the bottomlesse pit by Gregory the second of both which in chap. 13.3.11 11.7 and 9.2.11 This Gregory exercised that power which his Ancestours had obtayned of the Emperours yea a farre greater not onely as an Vniversall Bishop but as the highest Dictatour taking away and giving the Empire to whom he thought good It is sufficient in this place to observe the first beginning of things Who first bestowed the name of an Emperour upon men in the West part wee have shewed in an other place Therfore the Beast ascended then when the Popes had gotten this terrene power to themselves as in chap. 13.11 hath ben sayd which earth he called here the bottomlesse pit as elswhere in the Psalmist and makest me to ascend from the depthes of the earth Psal 71.20 And so is the third time The fourth is shall goe into destruction which declareth that this dignity revived shall not remaine for ever but be diminished by little and little and leasurly consumed while it be at length utterly abolished as wee have heard before in the second chapter of Jezabell lying sicke in her bedde the paramour of this Beast and languishing of an incurable consumption Even as at this daie thankes be to God wee see in Rome and in the Pope but the buriall funeralls are yet to come about what time the Revelation will shew us afâ—er These are the foure notable changins wherby the Beast might become known to men being not blind willingly from which wee have a most strong argument to prove both the time when Rome is the whore of the person of Antichrist For that City is the whore in which reigneth Antichrist to weet the very Beast which was which is not which ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit and goeth into destruction But Rome is the City in which froÌ„ Constantine the Great the Pope hath reigned which was which is not which asceÌ„deth out of the bottomlesse pit and goeth into destruction Therefore Rome since Constantine is the whore and the Pope of Rome since the very same time is the Beast and Antichrist in whom wee see all these alterations at this time so farre as doubtlesse may be done the same being not wholly takeÌ„ away From whence it is not to be doubted but that he is that adversary that man of sinne that great Antichrist whom all ought to flee and to feare greatly and to wish dâ—struction to him and procure it to his power If any thinketh the Beast caÌ„not be knowne before his last destruction which surely is to know too late let him observe that the Angell doth stop in the ende of the verse in the third member seeing saith he the Beast which was and is not and yet is Whereby he declareth that a sure knowledge may be had at this third chaunging ¶ And
the Inhabitans of the earth shall wonder In giving all honour and service to him being astonied with the renowne of his false dignity which before was sayd to wonder after the Beast chap. 13.3 Yet notwithstanding least wee should thinke that all men should be caryed away into this destruction he numbreth among this cōpany the inhabitans onely of the earth to weet the citizens of the false Church whose names are not written in the book of life O good God how much concerneth it you ô yee Papists to deliver your Pope from all likenesse to this Beast If he be found covered with his hide which this chapter will make more cleare then the light at noone tide you are utterly lost unlesse you shall flee very quickly all fellowshippe with him I pray you as you regarde your owne salvation that lying aside all hatred preiudice and bitternesse of mindes you weigh the matter with mee in equal ballances A great matter is in hande either the vantage or losse of eternall life See you not that the Pope and the Beast did tread in the same steppes alwayes even hitherto Attend to those things which follow wee finde both of them to walke in the same path which the Spirit hath marked out with equall pases and hand in hand But you will cry out that this is a new interpretation yet appointe not the Spirit at your pleasure he stistributeth most wisely according to his pleasure a measure of knowledge to every time Rather regard the consent of the whole Prophecy which will yeeld a most cleare proofe of the truth and esteeme that most auncient which you shall finde true VVhy doo yee suffer your selves to be deceived with the names of them whom the most certen event declareth to have bene verie greatly deceived in very many things of this Revelation This is the notable craft of the Iesuites to call foorth cheifly those witnesses and Interpreters by whose reverend ignorance they may cover and hid the impiety of the Pope there was not so much danger from him to those auncient Fathers living eyther before Antichrist or by and by after his beginning They understood sufficiently that which perteined unto them other things God would have to be wrapped in darkenesse while the fore appointed time should come that the reprobat seing might not see a way so be made opē for his decree awake yee therfor at lēgth opē your eyes to the shining truth which if yee shall behold glistering more clearly then that it can be obscured by false remote calumnies remember that those are not written in the booke of life which have the Beast in great admiration then take advise according to the greatnesse of the thing You also my brethrē for so I esteeme you as long as any hope remayneth I would admonish in a few wordes who through lightnesse of minde desire of novelty within two or three dayes space become Papists It seemeth a pastime to you casting away the truth to fall to the Pope but take heed that in your sport yee perish not in earnest And willingly wipe your names out of the book of life You pretēd that you will be Catholikes but cōsider that whom you hold for Catholiks are reprobates unlesse they shall escape at length frō these tents into which yee fly for salvation But these pretenses of salvation are toies I know what grieveth you eyther want or dishonour at home or a greater reputation of other men But what gaine shal be even the most ample stipend if yee shall loose your soules What dishonour can be greater then to be added in the company of cast awayes Or who hath not honour inough which is counted the childe of God Minde I pray you these things such like and think it not a light matter forsaking the true God to associate your selves with the Divill Behold also what mischievous persons yee doo nourish in your bosome who gladly doo intertaine the Iesuits He which ioyneth you to the friendship of the Pope procureth unto you certen and undoubted destruction How miserable a thing is it with the hazzard of this life to seeke an undoubted losse of eternall life Doo not iudge any longer a thing of so great moment rather by the painted lies of those men then by the very manifest truth Neither doo yee despise my admonition I am ad adversary onely to your errours I desire from my hart that your selves shoul be saved by Jesus Christ Try the things that I say I require not otherwise to be beleeved and when the things are throughly knowen by searching acknowledge the fraud of the Iesuits thrust them out of doores detest these pestiferous men perceive your owne danger and if you have any regard of salvation now at length be yee wise ¶ From the foundation of the world So before was shewed the eternall Decree touching the death of Christ and the force and efficacy thereof in chap. 13.8 Now the same kind of speaking noteth out the eternall election of them that shal be saved Which two things are most neerely coupled togither ¶ Beholding the Beast which was and which is not and yet is Those last words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet is seeme that they are thus to be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is present The difference is that those signify that the Beast remaineth alive in the very destruction as though he should say although in mens opinion he is not yet he is and so both members are referred to the same time as before Iohn saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death which yet was not wholly killed in chap. 13. The other reading noteth out more plainely the third time in which after the hurt endured the Beast should recover which thing Aretas the Complutent edition and other copies distinguish plainely which reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and shall be present and as Primasius translated shall come Yet that former reading of Theod. Beza may cary the same sence albeit in mens opiniō the Beast of late was not yet now he is In which sense they are to be taken that they may have respect to the Beast comming forth from calamity not continuing in the same For they are answerable to the third distinct time in the beginning of the verse and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit as is cleare from the men admiring the Beast who admire not the same contemned and afflicted which should be necessary if the words respected the same time with the member going next before but recovering his dignity contrary to mens expectation and the same greater then he had before as it came to passe in his third change after he was recovered of his wound chap. 13.3 Wherfore the vulgar Latine reading corruptly passeth over this third member making men to wonder at the Beast when he is not which is contrary to the truth of the thing Furthermore it is certaine that it is not to be read in
the future tence but in the present because admiration belongeth not to a future but to a present dignity From which let us observe what wondring is a token of reprobation to weet of a Beast reviving after the hurt received which is the second Beast in chap. 15.11 Even until that time he was not so desperately impious but that he might easily deceive the Saincts but at length he came to that naughtinesse that he must be banished from the Kingdome of God who will acknowledg him to be such an one by admyring as he professeth himselfe to be But wheras the Angel in these words prosecuteth not his variable condition beyond the third time therby he sheweth that he shal be openly knowne to the world before his last ende shall come 9 Here is the mind Thus farre the Beast hath bin shewed us according to his whole now he entreth into the interpretation of some chiefe parts wherunto he prepareth himselfe a way by this Preface Which yet is uncertaine whither it is to be referred to that which went before or to this which followeth it seemeth being set in the midst to have respect to both alike for to cause attention The speach seemeth defective and to be supplyed after the manner of that in chap. 13.18 Here is wisdome let him that hath wit count c. So here is wit let him that hath wisdome understand as in the Epistles to the seven Churches let him that hath eares heare or it may be a perfit sentence of it selfe here is the minde that hath wisdome as though he should say consider the foresaid chaunges likewise consider the interpretation the understanding of which things is true wisdome indeede wherby a man may avoide eternall destruction But these are the wordes not onely of exhortation but also of Prophecie which declare that in the most open light in which the Beast shal be set every one shall not acknowledge him but they onely who are endued with wisedome and have their eyes inlightened of God The Beast is like in this thing to the whore whose name written in her forehead was a mysterie which should be hidden from very many no lesse then some obscure and inexplicable riddle For Prophecies fulfilled become not manifest to all men as we wil after shew that Bellarmine trisleth but unto some certaine men to whom it is given to understand the rest remaining in their former blindnes Which short admonition confuteth a threefold errour of the Papists one touching the common name Antichrist the other of the doctrine the third of the publique persecution of which wee will speake more at large in the refutation at the ende of the Chapter ¶ The seaven heads are seaven hilles upon which the woman sitteth as touching the partes first he teacheth what are Heads both permanent in this verse and transitory in verses 10.11 wherby it may be knowne what is this whore in regard both of the place and of the time Those heads are seaven moūtaines upon which the woman sitteth that is seven hilles of the city of Rome Palatinus Quirinalis Aventinus Caelius Viminalis Aesquilinus Janicularis by which this City is renowmed through the whole world and thereupon called of the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seaven hilled by Varro And this circumlocution seemed fitter for the eloquent kind of speaking of the Poets then the specifying of a proper name Virgil in the second of his Georgiques toward the end hath these wordes to weet Rome is become the most beautifull of things which hath enclosed her seaven towers with one wall Likewise Ovid in his first book de Trist Eleg. 4. speaketh thus of it But Rome is the Seate of the Empire and of the Gods which from seaven Mountaines vieweth the whole world And againe in the third book ver 7. And while Rome the victorious shall beholde the subdued whole world from her seven Mountaines I shall be called Martia And God would have the thing testifyed not onely by the verses of Poets but also by a publike festivitie For the Romanes kept the Fest called Septimontium because of the seventh mountaine ioyned to the city and Rome become therupon Septicollis as Plutarch relateth in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These things are so manifest that the Papists themselves ar now cōstrained will they nill they to confesse them We have shewed that Bellarmine preferreth this sense before the rest in his 3. book ch 13. of the Pope of Rome Ribera the Iesuite yeeldeth also the same cōfirming it with many words on the 14. chap. of the Revel num 30. frō whēce no cōtroversie could now remaine of this thing if onely men were in their right wits but wee hav touched before their madnes who doo separate the things which ar ioyned togither by an ūdivided bād They grāt that the whor is Rome yet by no means doe they abide her to be the seate of Antichrist as though they could be sundred of which the one sitteth upō the other carryed but if this cōjoyning be too weake behold a straighter yea a most straight such as of the head with the body so as they which shal remov the Beast to any other place thē to Rome must make him to be without his heads Frō hēce therfore I thus cōclude demōstratively The city where remaine fixed the heads of the Beast or of Antichrist is the seat of Antichrist Rome is the city wher remaine fixed the heads of Antichrist Therfore Rome is the seate of Antichrist By no meanes can yee giv mee the slippe ô ye Papists This argument must needs be as firme sure as ar the very mountaines of your Rome Yet what you ar able to obiect against it we wil discusse by by in confuting your devised Antichrist 10 And they are also seven Kings Such ar the permanent heads the transitorie which ar seven Kings doo follow Ther is a double application of this one type teaching that ther is an inseparable ioyning togither of the mountains and Kings From whence is ministred an other necessary proof of the seate of Antichrist thus The seate of seven Kings is the seate of Antichrist Rome the citie of 7. mountaines is the seate of 7. Kings for the heads are both mountaines Kings Therfore Rone is the seate of Antichrist But who ar these 7 Kings not so many singular persons as Victorinus would have it but soveraignties regimēts For if every several head should note out singular mē 5. of which wer fallē in Iohns time to wit Galba Otho Vitellius Vespasianus Titus Titus Domitianus the 6. ruled then Nerva the 7 was to be expected whom remaining alive but for a little space should succeede straighway Traianus the 8. togither also the 7. If I say the heads ar to be so counted it must needs follow that this Beast should have ceased in his last head Traiane that the world should not now feare that he should doo any mischiefe Vnles perhaps we think whē all his
living heads ar cut off he yet remaineth alive or they being cut off other as it were a new Hidra spring up of which yet Iohn made no mētiō But that we may not thinke that those 7. are taken figuratively where are the ten Kings that arose togither with Nerva It must needs be that these were togither with the seventh head in the twelft verse beneath or how when Nerva was dead seemed the Beast not to be especially seing before his death he had adopted Traiane or for what cause wer they rather reprobats that wōdred at Traiā then those former for such is the cōditiō of the seventh head that the followers of him are reprobates before in ver 8. Many things of this sort doo not suffer any peculiar men to be meant Hereunto is added the manner of speaking which is such that it bewrayeth that the Kings are so long the heads of the city as long as the mountains ar Otherwise for some short time perhaps the heads wer both the mountains Kings but to a farre longer time they neither were nor should be if there should be made a separation of the heads which the Spirit ioyneth togither the mountaines onely remaining after the other be dead Therfore the Kings howsoever they al wer not togither as the mountains yet shall obtaine as long continuing a name of heads as those But concerning the person the time shall yeeld a demonstration in the eleventh verse But if the Kings be Dominions of what sorte are they Ribera the Iesuite being privie to himselfe that the thing cannot be touched so lightly but that the soare wil be renewed therewith flyeth unto the seven ages of the world the first of which he maketh from Adam to Noe The second from Noe to Abraham The third to David The fourth to the transmigration into Babylon The fift to the comming of the Lord The sixt from thence to Antichrist The seventh from him even to the day of iudgement Which wit of his bringeth into my remembrance that of the Poe◠If the foolish Painter will conioine unto a mans head The neck of a horse so of birds feathers over spred c. For to see being let in freinds keepe your selves from laughing The Iesuite passeth the Painter who hath framed an head which may be applyed alike to all and every city of the whole world The Spirit would deliver a certaine marke wherby the Throne of the Beast might be known the Iesuite as the houpe faineth the griefe to be in an other place that he may withdrawe from the neast I know notwhither But understand Ribera that the seven mountaines belong to the city of Rome alone But that those seven Kings appertaine to the same city to which the mountaines For the heads are both mountaines and Kings and therefore that these Kings belong to Rome alone so doo we free thee from the great labour of seeking proving by a most certaine argument that he is found at Rome to finde whom thou hast compassed all landes in vaine But the time is spent to no profit in confuting thy toies which yet I could not passe over wholly but would admonish the Papists at least by this small labour that they should not suffer themselves to be deceived any longer by the trisles of the Iesuites The thing it selfe is thus These dominions are proper to that city whereunto belong the mountaines the seven regiments are those by which the citie hath ben no lesse famous then for her seven mountaines And Cornelius Tacitus in the beginning of his history nūbreth these regiments in this wise Kings held the City of Rome at the first L. Brutus instituted freedome the Consulshippe the Dictatourshippes were taken up for a time neither continued the power of the office of the Decemviri above two yeeres nor the Tribunes authority pertaining to Consuls was of force any long time c. The power of Pompey and Crassus went quickly to Cesar By which wordes he declareth plainely that sixe kindes of government had held at Rome from the building of the City even unto his time Kings Consulls Dictatours Decemviri Tribunes of the souldiers Emperours the seventh of Popes he knew not being taken away from the living before he could see it ¶ Five are fallen Kings Consuls Dictatours Decemviri Tribunes For those five kinds of ruling had ceased wholly and vanished away before Iohn his time ¶ One is the sixt kinde of governing by Emperours in whose power was the chiefe rule of things when Iohn lived ¶ And an other is not yet come The seventh King the Pope was not yet a Governour of Rome when the Apostle lived And not without cause hath he shunned the adjective of order for he saith not the seventh is not yet come but an other is not yet come by the same signifying that this seventh shal be very greatly unlike the former All these were Political Kings the seventh should be spiritual or of a mixt kinde unlike to every one before from whence it is manifest that the Christiā Emperours are not the sevēth King For they differred nothing in civill governement from the former onely they tooke unto them the Christian religion And in auncient times new religions were often added the forme of governement in the meane time nothing altered Furthermore the seventh King ought to governe in the same place where the seven mountaines are as hath bene declared in the former verse But the Christian Emperours never had the seate of their Empire at Rome But the whole use of the citie was the Popes from whom alone after the seventh King began her glorie did grow That member is not yet come teacheth that there was a very short time remaining to the cōming of the seventh King For so we are wonte to speake of things that will come not very long after Therefore foolish is Ribera the Iesuite who assigneth the sixt kind of governing after the comming of Christ even unto three yeeres and an halfe more or lesse before the last day and together with him all the Pastists who will not have Antichrist to be expected before that same very time as though the Angel saying is not yet come should speake of a man whom the world yet seeth not after a thousand five hundred yeeres ¶ And when he is come After the seventh Kingdome to weet of the Popes shal be begunne the Dragon being cast out of heaven and Constantine the Great being Emperour ¶ He must tary but a short time About an hundred yeeres after Constantine then to be overwhelmed for a time by the overflowing of the Goths and Vandals who so evil entreated Rome the tower of the new dominion that it might seem to hav perished utterly Gensericus bereaved it wholly of every dweller see Blond in his second book of his first Decad. And Totilas againe brought it to a wildernesse so as neither man nor woman was left in it as the same Blond writeth in his second book of his
Mat. 26.40 after the same manner in Marcke 14.37 And so the best Greeke writers every where thou art in busines watch â—g the whole night Xenoph. Paediae 2. Sometime they are takeÌ„ for the terme of time when as in the 70. Iterpreters behold to morrow this very houre I will ruine a haile Exod. 9.18 So to morow about this very houre J will deliver them all wounded Iosh 11.6 In the New Testament yesterdâ—y the seventh houre the fever left him Iohn 4.52 The ninth houre of the day Act. 10.3.30 What houre I will come Revel 3.3 It is doubtfull therfore whether the words note the continuing of the power or the terme of beginning it The former signification containeth the second For if unto one houre they shall receive power with the Beast it must needs be that they receive it both togither at the same houre also and not the contrary seing the power of one may be continued longer then of the other of which both there was altogither the same beginning The Historie also accordeth with the former wonderfully clearer by a double and more general marke and giving a greater knowledge of the Beast whom seeing the Spirit without doubt would have to be most surely known let us iudge of right that there is this onely meaning of the words The vulgar Latine traÌ„slateth the following words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Beast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the Beast against the authority of all copies and contrary to the trueth it selfe For in the rising of the Beast the hornes are reckened in the first place yea also before the heads or any other shape of the body which thing had not bene done at all if they should grow up after ward chapter 13.1 Ribera will have the sense to be all one whether wee read with the Beast or after the Beast as though to beginne their reigne togither and after were the same time But he referreth neither of these to the time but unto service But this also is unlike and absurd seing to receave power either with or after the Beast caÌ„not be one with to deliver power to the Beast Beda deceived with the vulgar Latine seemeth to expound it so But I require a fit exemple of reason To commit fornication after Idols is to serve the same but if to receive power after one hath the same consideration doubtlesse the Pope of Rome serveth the Divill after whom he received power Seing therfore the words are so from hence let us observe a double marke of these Kings one that together with the Beast they rule the other that they shall enioy this power for a short time onely For that a short space in ver 10. the Angel expoundeth to be one houre And that which there was spoken of the seventh King onely here is attributed in likewise to all the ten Kings Not because having reigned this one houre they should exercise no powr ever after for how shall the Beast of whom together this is spoken enioy onely one houre of authority which hath two fourty moneths to tyrannise chap. 13.5 But because the first power after a few yeeres should be interrupted with some notable hurt for a time the ten Kings in their beginning should have tryal of the same adversity with the Beast to the ende that he might be more cleare and manifest to all men by this token Therfore that now we may see the very thing we have sayd in chap. 13.5 that thâ—se Kings are the first Christian Emperours which now shal be made plaine by the applying of every thing First the hornes are Kings neither of the common and inferiour sorte but Monarches and of very great authority who have crownes wherin they differ from the hornes of the Dragon as hath bin observed in chap. 13.1 He also hath tenne hornes proper to the heads to wit the City Rome where abode the Maiesty of the Highest Empire the other Provinces being subiect to this Queene But now the case being altered in the first rising up of Antichrist the chiefe Empire should be in an other place then at Rome as we know it came to passe when the Christian Emperours lived at Byzantium or Millane or Ravenna who retained in their owne power the chiefe soveraignty over the whole Christian world For hetherto they spake as Lords We because thou art a Christian have iudged thee worthy of the Bishoprick of our City as Constantius sayd to Liberius the Bishop of Rome Theod. book 2. chap. 16. Yea some ages after In the sixt Generall Council at Constance Act. 1. Constantine himselfe gave for a gift his Holy as they spake in these words I give to the Arshbishop of our auncient Rome Which thing also the Popes gladly acknowledged Boniface to the Emperour Honorius in Distinct 97. of the Church Rome is the City of your gentlenesse Gergorie unto Mauritius signifyeth his obedience in proclaming his law though he approoved not the sentence of the law As for mee being subiect to your cammaundement J have caused your law to be sent through many parts of the world book 2. Epist 61. at the ende And Agatho speaking of Rome This is the servile citie of your Maiesty in the Council of Const 6. Act. 4. Where then al this time was the Donation of Constantine Although even the very donation if a good and lawfull should be granted would bewray sufficiently in what place then the Empire was Secondly these Kings are the hornes of the Beast by whose means the dignity of the Pope of Rome increased while they drove farre away al the violence of the enemy which might seeme to be able to detract anie thing from it Neither onely gave they it leave to grow by their warres but also inriched it with exceeding wealth For although the Papists bragge impudently of Constantines donation as wee touched even now neverthelesse it is certen that they adorned both the citie and Pope with many privileges and that they which followed tooke away nothing but rather to have added to the heape Thirdly they are sayd tenne because so many of the first Emperours should be notable for their care and diligence in subduing the enemies of the Romanes Through which oportunity the Beast lately bread might get strength and might grow up to his perfect stature And these were 1. Constantine the Great 2. Constantinus ConstaÌ„s and Constantius his sonnes 3. Iulianus 4. Iovinianus 5. Valentinianus and Valens 6. Gratianus Valentianus secundus Theodosius the Great 7. Theodosius with Arcadius and Honorius 8. Arcadius and Honorius alone 9. Honorius and Theodosius Iunior 10. Theodosius Valentinius third For so Hierome Prosper Victor the Bishop of Tunise Marcellinus Comes and al other writers both Greek Latine whom I hav read doe recken for one the Emperours that reigned togither for the Romane Empire was but one though devided in states Governours as also the Image in Daniel ch 2.40 shadowed out one Kingdome by the leggs
advancing the Pope who being destitute of the same for a time should be contemned and also because the certen definit and excellent number of these in the very first beginnings of iniquity should leade men straight forth to the extolling of the Beast in the ages following and should more aboundantly instruct us for to understand this whole mystery For these hornes which shall eate the flesh of the whore and at length burne her with fire are farre off from the times of the first hornes a thousand two hundred three score yeeres at the least as appeareth sufficiently from those things which have ben said before Necessarily therfore is a succession to be understood to al which the name of tenne hornes agreeth because the first of this number were notable Which things now in this wise declared wee have the third demonstration of those that are taken out of this chapter both of the Antichrist and also his comming For the Beast which received power at one houre with the tenne Kings who had not yet received a Kingdome in Iohns time but should receive it straightway when the sixt head was gone and then present is the Antichrist But the Pope of Rome is the Beast which a thousand three hundred yeeres since received power at one houre with those tenne Kings as wee have made it plaine Therfore a thousand three hundred yeeres since he is Antichrist So al things agree most fitly with themselves and doo marveilously levell at the same marke 13 These have one minde Such was thē the beginning of the Kingdome The intent of these Kings is with one purpose of minde to bestow their strength power in maintaining the Beast Which in few wordes but cleerly inough doo shew how the Emperours should be affected towards the Pope of Rome chiefly for the space of the two fourty moneths of his flourishing tyrāny For the defection should not beginne forthwith at this terme but shortly after the former good wil should decay and abate somewhat by little and little of the former heate But who may not wonder at so great consent of mindes through so lōg a succession that all in like wise should desire that the chiefe dignity should be in the possession of the Pope of Rome and should let passe nothing that might pertaine to the advancing and making famous the same The thing is manifest to every one in the first tenne hornes Onely Iulianus holpe also somewhat at least in vanquishing the enemies of the Empire Neither in the destructions of Rome and when the Popedome was almost abolished was ther want in the Emperours of a care to reserve the former authority to old Rome when it seemed meet to translate the Primacie to Constantinople the seate then of the Empire especially the Bishops of Constantinople chalenging to themselves the same with exceeding great contention Yea at length they restrained this ambition of theirs and commanded them to be subiect to the Romane Pope New Hornes at length arose in the VVest Pipine Charles the Great they fought farre more fiercely for the Beast then any before in chap. 13.11 Moreover at length it came to this point that by an othe of fidelity the Emperours were bound to the Pope and should now doo necessarily that which before time they did of their owne accord and voluntarily It seemed to the Beast to stand with wisdome for his greater security to use this marke afterward as wee have shewed at chapter 14.17 VVhich custome must descēde to the posterity until the words of God should be fulfilled as after in verse 17. Some few Emperours indeed had great strife with the Beast but in everie one of them this is to be marveiled at that they though they had to doo onely with a man not with the Pope They hated him peradventure as an enemy but the Popedome they adorned in the meane time very studiously But neither thē had the Pope need of those hornes who prevailed so much by his owne forces that he compelled the Emperours struggling with him to be subiect in spite of their teeth and themselves nowe to undergoe the yoke by whose helpe before he brought others under the yoke Or graunt that some one who sawe more then the rest hated also the Popedome yet one swallow maketh not the spring As touching the wordes Montanus readeth in the ende of the verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doo give in the present tence doo give their power to the Beast as in the beginning of the verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have albeit the speach be of that which is to come but this is usuall in narrations Theodorus Beza hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall give 14 These shall fight with the Lambe Now he declareth the warre of these hornes which they should make against the Lambe But did Constantine the other good Emper. ēdevour any thing against the Lord for whose sake they take up weapons against others Certenly men fight against the Lambe when any thing is defended earnestly which is contrary to his ordinances And if any looketh into that manifold superstition which was brought in when even the best raigned by the same if not the authours yet the favourers thereof he shall easily see this battell although the holy men thought nothing lesse for so I may call them whom God pardoneth for his Sonnes sake and sinning not of purpose but through ignorance then to oppugne the Lambe whom alone they desired to beare rule This I say may be called a battel against the Lambe yet those first Emper. were farr from that warre which was at length to be made with the Saincts after the two and fourty moneths were finished For so wee heard before when the two witnesses have finished their testimony the Beast that commeth out of the bottomelesse pit shall make warre against them and overcome them Chapter 11.7 VVhich wee shewed to have bene done partly by the authority of the Pope himselfe when at Trent he subdued the truth by his purpled company partly by the weapons of the Emperour Charles the fift who togither by a most lamentable warre persecuted the Princes of Germany craving liberty to worship the Lambe who had begun a little before to shine againe upon the world after long darkenesse The Angel speaketh in the plurall number as though all the hornes should make warre togither with ioyned forces But it is no newe thing that it should be said done of all which is done of any one of the same degree Many were the entreprises before against the Lambe but this one deserveth the name of warre above all ¶ And the Lambe shall overcome them See how with this warre he ioyneth the victory of the Lambe which may be understood of this alone But the Emperours got the victory in that warre that is true indeede if wee respect the very time of darkenes by the space of which the two witnesses must lie slaine and unburied But after those fewe fore appointed dayes were ended
while the Apostles lived The Apocalypse speaking of Antichrist under that seventh head saith and the other is not yet come cha 17.10 which manner of words we are wont to use in things so neer as they may seem to be come though as yet they are not come and not of things that are to fal out fifteen hundred yeres after Idle therfore are all those things that you gather of Peter and Paul to be Antichrists and of Simon and Nero to be Christs Why prove you not I pray you that the rising of Antichrist was not then neer Is not this ynough to refell his singular person if he were to beginn a few ages after Paul But you like a rude fenser bear off with your bukler from the part which you ar not layd at but where you are beaten even unto death you leav your self unfensed and bare The second argument of Th. Beza is that by the singular names of Beasts the Bear the Lion the Libbard in Daniel chap. 7. ar not meant singular Kings but singular Kingdomes wherof one did conteyn even many Kings After the same manner therfore Paul 2 Thes 2. who marvelously agreeth with Daniel by the man of syn and son of perdition meaneth not one singular person but a certen body as it were of many tyrants You answer two things First denying that Daniel alwayes by singular Beasts dooth mean singular Kingdomes for in the 8. chapter by the Ram he meaneth Darius the last King of the Persians by the Goat-buck Alexander the Great Secondly you deny the consequence of the argument because Paul by the man of sin meaneth not any of the 4. beasts described by Daniel but onely that litle horn I answer to the first It is false that which you say of the Ram and the Goat-Buck For by the Ram is meant the whole Kingdome of the Medes Persians and which ended in Darius by the Goat-Buck the Kingdome of the Greeks which began by Alexander For so saith he ver 3. there stood bâ—fore the river one Ram with two hornes and his two horns were high but one was higher than an other and the highest came up last These two hornes at the two Kingdomes of the Medes and Persians of which that was first smallest this last and largest Have these things place in Darius onely or in the whole Kingdome Then it foloweth in the next verse I saw the Ram pushing against the West against the North against the South so that no Beasts might stand before him neyther did any deliver out of his hand but he did what he listed and that very great things What did Darius of these things who in the second yere of his reign being provoked unto warr by AlexaÌ„der weÌ„t to ruine dayly Last of al explayning this vision in the 20. verse he saith The Ram which thou sawest with two horns are the Kings of Media and Persia he saith the Kings not Darius onely So also the Goat-Buck is the Kingdome of the Greeks not Alexander alone He is caled in deed King of Graecia ver 21 but it is playn that King there is taken collectively as in other places namely for Kingdome as in the end of the verse it is taken partitively when he saith the horn between his eyes is the first King namely Alexander who seing he is the horn he is not the whole Goat Wherfore no where in Daniel is a singular person designed by a Beast but a whole Kingdom Vnto the second I say By the Man of Syn is not meant the litle horn but the Beast For Antichrist is the seventh head which also is a Beast as Apoc. 17.8.11 And although this Beast be none of those that ar in Daniel yet the argument from the like is firm For by the same reason that it is a whole Kingdome in Daniel it is so likeweise in the Apocalypse Our third argument is Io. Calvins who thus gathered that Antichrist is no singular person because the head of the universal Apostasie which dureth moe yeres than can be fulfilled under one King is not one certain man and Antichrist is the head of such an Apostasie You answer five waies that Calvins impudencie as you say may the more appeare First that by the Apostasie may rightly in Paul be understood the Antichrist himselfe Secondly that by the same may be meant the defection from the Roman Empire Thirdly that ther is no need it should be of many ages Fourthly that it requireth not one head Fiftly that it is yet a question who have departed from the faith and religion of Christ whither the Papists or the Lutherans I answer to every of these and first where by the Apostasie you unnerstaÌ„d by a metonymie Antichrist himselfe you confirm the same thing that Calvin saith so is your wont to represse his impudency Vnto the second I say that the Apostasie is not a defection from the Roman Empire but froÌ„ the true faith to weet from the love of the holy truth as Paul openeth it and as shal be made playn after chap. 5. and 14. Vnto the third concerning the durance of the Apostasie we have already learned by the Apocalypse that it hath prevailed more than a thousand two hundred sixtie yeres and this more evidently than that any of your subtil reasonings caÌ„ elude the thing Vnto the fourth if you can find any other multitude besides that of the whole earth which foloweth the Beast I wil not hinder you from setting up as many heads of the Apostasie as you wil Apoc. 13.3.8 Vnto the fift namely that the question is not yet decided as you say whither Papists or Lutherans have made defection we make this offer let al holy men be iudges With whom ther is found Idolatry let them be condemned of defection as the Scriptures every where teach But if any credit be to be giveÌ„ unto the most holy oracles of the Scriptures al that your worship of Images invocation of Saincts adoration of the feighned body in the sacrament veneration of reliques and many such like things is horrible Idolatry and therfore Apostasie But Idolatry is spiritual whoredome and therfore as the way of the whorish woman which eateth and then wipeth her mouth and sayth I have doon no iniquity Prov. 30.20 so is the way of Idolaters by no means can they be brought to acknowledge their impiety This Bellarmine shal be the true trial both of you and of us before God his holy Angels The things that you propouÌ„de are ridiculous You wil have it that we have made defection because we have departed froÌ„ the superstition of our predecessours both in doctrine and rites ful of Idolatry as though we were not bidden goe out of Babylon and to have no communion with her at al. We have made defection from the whore defection from Antichrist namely defection from your Pope of Rome but thanks be to God we have made defection unto the one true God who of his infinite mercy wil
speake nothing of the other most unworthy wayes wherby the Beast trode under foot the Emperial Maiestie Finally the toes of the foot now divided are holden togither by no common bond of the Emperours name but onely of the whore of Rome For what have Spayn France Venice Florence Naples to doo with the Empire Al these toes cleave togither in the common foundation of the Popes authority which is the onely foot now wherin these al agree and grow togither and not the Empire with which they have in a manner nothing to doo Therfore the Emperours are in deed the Beasts horns but neither the leg of the Romane Empire nor the foot but a toe of the foot or the great toe perhaps whē it please the Pope You Papists with certayn painted titles doo dazel their eyes but they wil at length awake and handle your Rome according to their authoritie The things which you dispute for the Empire and Emperour are vayn Ther remaineth yet you say the succession and name of the Emperour of the Romanes and by Gods marvelous providence when the Empire fayled in the west it remayned safe in the East and when this fayled it was erected agayn in the west I answer the succession of the Empire remayneth not in the Emperour but in the Pope VVhen the sixt head fel the seventh succeded to weet the Pope and not the Christian Emperours who then received a horned dignitie the succession of which dignitie and no other they transferred to their posteritie They have the name of Romane Emperours but it is a title without substance even as the Romane Church is caled Catholik many such like But in refining the truth we must look to the authority of the holy Ghost not to the vayn words and voices of men In deede Gods marvelous providence shined in considering this dignity such as it was both in the East and VVest But this providence is careful no lesse for the horns then for the head that is aswel for these that are caled Emperours as for the Pope Both of them are by his decree which appointed that some of the toes of the foot should be of yron Neither dooth he hinder him you say from being Emperour though he wanted Rome which you prove by the example of Valens Arcadius Theodosius the yonger Charles the Great and his successours then by the dignitie of going before al other Christian Princes moreover by the election of the Romanes and finally by the Lutherans confession I answer to everie of these and to the first that if Valens Arcadius and Theodosius the yonger wanting Rome remained neverthelesse Romane Emperours then the VVesterne Empire fayled not neither doth the Easterne Empire fayl at this day though the VVestern Emperours want Constantinople if right be ynough without possession But the Kingdomes of this world are his that holdeth them and although they be gotten for the most part by wickednes yet God by his just judgement taketh from one and giveth to another Yet dooth not this his administration quitt the robbers of crime but he punished in marvelous manner both by abasing one and contrariweise advancing an other It is therfore somwhat of more weight to want Rome for this that any should be the Roman Emperour than you speake of Vnto the second namely that dignitie of going before al Christian Princes I confesse the Emperour goes before al the rest notwithstanding he that goes before al these comes after the Pope as none is so unskilful but seeth in whom the Maiestie of the Empire truly resideth Vnto the third be it that Charles the Great was created Romane Emperour with consent of the Romanes yet the Apocalyps teacheth that the Romane Empire is tied to the citie of Rome not to the clamour of the Romane people Vnto the fourth the Lutherans boasting that they have three Prince Electours of the Romane Emperour doo rather folow custome of speaking then the truth of the thing or if in deede they so perswade themselves it is through the common errour the meaning of the Apocalypse not being by them as yet ynough perceived Wherfore you gull the Emperours with a deceitful title who whiles the Romane Pope possesseth Rome neither truly are nor shal be Romane Emperours and thus you contending that the Romane Empire dooth yet indure have not found in what place it is whose both head and habitation you are ignorant of From this restored Empire by the Pope doo Luther Illyricus and Chytreus rightly gather that he is that great Antichrist Yet not so much because Charles the Great was declared Empetour by him as for that the Empire did revive in the Pope who being a Bishop in name was made Emperour in deede This is evident by this that the Beast hath a head both wounded healed for both these perteyn to the same Beast Also the Beast which was not whiles the Barbarians prevayled is that verie same which is when they are extinguished Moreover Antichrist is both the seventh King from Constantine unto the Kingdome of the Gothes the eight by a new rising up after the healed head by Iustinian and Phocas the rest folowing as is explayned Apoc. 13.3.11 and 17.10.11 You answer that the healed head is not the Romane Emperour but Antichrist who feighneth himselfe dead and by divelish art shal rise himselfe up againe and that so almost al the ancient Fathers doo expound it Vnto this I say that you doo not rightly disjoyne the Romane Emperour and Antichrist which two if we would speake properly according to the Apocalyps doo make one and the same person Not that he which at this day is caled Emperour is Antichrist but because whatsoever is in this name Emperour it naturally belongeth to the Pope For both Pope and Romane Emperour or Romane Empire were wounded to death by the invasion of the Goths For the seventh head which then seemed to perish was both a hill and a King that is Rome or the Romane Empire and the Pope Apoc. 17.9 It is true therfore which you say that the text it selfe playnly compelleth us by that head of the Beast which was dead and revived to understand not Charles the Great but Antichrist For Charles the Great was not Emperour indeede but howsoever he did not dye and live agayne yet the Romane Emperour or Empire in the Pope did die and live agayn as is sufficiently said before By which also may appear that that which is commonly spoken of Antichrists feighned death and resurrection is a playn fiction a feighned death is in sport and voluntary but Antichrist dyed this death against his wil and with sore payn from which death when he began to come forth very great was the torment of his fresh wound as witnesseth Gregorie the Great by his many mournful lamentations Chapt. 6. Against the third Demonstration from the coming of Henoch and Elias HITHERTO of the signes going before now of them that accompany him and first of the coming of Henoch
but not dayes for yeres or moneths of yeres and that it is rightly caled a week because it hath the name of the number seven but moneths and dayes are names of number but of the course of the man or time of light I answer wheras first you say that dayes are not found for yeres it is manifestly false Saith not the Lord to the Israelits according to the number of the dayes wherin you serched the land even fourtie dayes you shal bear your iniquities fourtie yeres Num. 14 34. what can be plainer Likeweise unto Ezechiel A day for a yere have J given thee chap. 9.6 But say you he wil not say for dayes literally are meant yeres but the dayes are truly taken for yeres and they are sayd to be given for yeres because they were a signe of yeres O witt worthy of Neesing wort A day is not a very yere but onely a signe or signification of a yere as if any ever thought a day to be a yere truly and properlie Or if a day might signify a yere in Ezechiel other places but might not in Iohn But now let us hear the reason why a week may be of yeres and not a day likeweise forsooth because a week signifieth number a day not To this I say unitie indeed is not number and a day answereth to unitie and this verie subtilly How be it we dullars doo think that number is the gathering togither of unities that unities ar such as is the whole it selfe which is made of theÌ„ Therfore as 7 dayes signify 7 yeres so I pray you with your good leav let it be lawful for one day to signify one yere which if you wil let us obteyn at your hands in thanks for so great a benefit we wil grant your Pope a loÌ„g lasting reign even 1260. yeres Chapt. 9. Against the sixt Demonstration from the end of the world THE sixt DemonstratioÌ„ is taken from the last sign that foloweth Antichrist which shal be the end of the world If Antichrist say you had bin come long since the world had been at an end long since for he is to come a litle before the end of the world but the world is not yet ended therfore he is not yet come I answer If that of Antichrists three yeres reign had been certayn this which you say should have some weight but forasmuch as we have proved that to be a vayn fiction partly by taking away your reasons partly by propounding such as you wil never be able to refute the end of the world maie wel teach Antichrists end but is of no force at al to demonstrate his coming if we wil speake of it properlie From the places by you cited som perhaps may argue thus The end of the world is conioyned with the end of Antichrist but the end of the world is not yet come therfore neyther the end of Antichrist But what is this to the purpose We make question of his comming not of his end You might have spared this labour unlesse perhaps you thought these were to be prepared against a new battel wheÌ„ Antichrists case shal be debated in hell There this domonstration may hav som weight wher it shal be certaynly known whither the Pope be perished togither with the destruction of al the world or no. VVherfore the testimonies which you bring are quite from the purpose and make nothing for the matter in hand Yea what and if they prove not that end which you think Then wil this your demonstratioÌ„ be altogither both without head and tayl Let us see in few words that we may also illustrate as it were by the way some obscure places whose meaning it wil be verie profitable for to know First you allege that of Dan. ch 7.9 J considered the horns loe an other litle horn came up three of the first horns were pluckt away from before him I beheld til the thrones were set up and the ancient of dayes did sit c. And afterwards explaining the vision he saith The fou th Beast shal be the fourth Kingdome and the ten horns ar ten Kings an other shal rise up after them he shal be mightier than the former shal subdue three Kings c. And they shal be given into his hand for a time times halfe a time iudgement shal sit I answer neither is the litle horn the Antichrist as we hav shewed neither if he were dooth his end lead unto the knowledge of that coming But leaving these let us weigh for what cause this is cited From these words yow would teach that the end should straightway folow that litle horn But you ought to have considered withal the words after in ver 14. to him was giveÌ„ dominioÌ„ glorie kingdom that al peoples natioÌ„s tongues should serve him That is he which shal obteyn the Kingdom when the litle horne is destroyed shal be an universal King unto whom al nations shal obey But shal ther remain a distinction of peoples nations and tongues after the last end yet is it more playne after if plainer may be in verse 27. And the Kingdome and amplitude and rule of Kingdomes shal be given to the people of the holy most High whose Kingdome shal be a perpetual Kingdome and al Rulers shal serve it VVher first it is to be observed that the dominion of this Kingdome shal be of the things under heaven then that it shal be the holy Most-High and finally that al rulers shal serve this Kingdome which things cannot have place in the heavenlie Kingdome The thing â—s thus that litle horne is the Turk who being at last extinguished the Iewes coÌ„verting universallie al of them unto the faith shal have a perpetual domination that shal dure until the coming of our Lord from heaven For the litle horn in Daniel is Gog in Ezechiel who being slayn the Christian faith shal exceedingly flourish among the Iewes as is shewed by that typical building of the Temple new Citie The same reason is of the new Ierusalem in this Apocalypse after Gog is slain ch 20.21 These things we have partly taken out of the 16. chap. of the Apocalypse partly they shal be explayned hereafter more fully And this is that which Lactantius writeth lib. 7. chap. 15. The name of Rome saith he wherwith the world now is ruled my hart is afraid to speake it but speake it I wll because it shal come to passe shal be taken away from the earth and the Empire shal returne into Asia the East again shal have dominion and the West shal serve The second place is Ap. 20.4 After this he must be loosed a litle time and I saw seats and they sate upon them and iudgement was given unto them I answer these things are farr from the last end For they folow not as you think after the Divil is loosed but these seats are placed during his imprisonment Againe there are 1000
refuted these which you cal trifles but plainly doo confirm them to contein one true meaning Your other reason is wherby you prove that al these signes are more anciēt than Antichrist Which that it may the more distinctly be understood we are to know that Antichrists time is two fold for this summarie division is now ynough The one of his first rising wherby he is the first Beast the other of his second rising after his head was healed wherby he is the secōd Beast Now the Mark is the ordinance of this secōd Beast within whose borders it is conteyned though the foundations were layd before which began then to get it force when the Romish ceremonies were obtruded on the Churches and al were constreyned to undergoe the yoke of them Wherupon that which you bring of certain rites is altogither from the question in hand For the antiquitie of these rites is not now dealt with al but the time when first they were used for a sacrament of Romish obedience which you shal not find to be before the birth of the second Beast if you wil cast a true account For wheras in the first place you mentiō the Chrisme of Baptisme we acknowledge the superstition therof to be ancient yet Sylvester the Roman put to it some new thing not necessarilie used in other Churches til Augustine the Monk the Roman Apostle about the yere 600. cōpelled the Brittans to administer Baptism after the Romish manner and to receiv the books of their other ceremonies Con. Rom. 1. Can. 5. Innocent 3. Decret Epist Beda Histor Angl. lib. 2. cap. 2. And this Mark once received the age folowing also imprinted deeper propagated larger through al Germanie by meanes of Boniface the Englishman who stablished the Romish rites everie where and remooved out of their places manie godly and learned men that somewhat resisted the same What should I mention other countries of which it is now sufficientlie known to everie one both by what beginnings and proceeding at last al were branded with the same marks Secondly for the name Catholik we confesse the Romish Church was in old time Catholik so farr as this nam cā agree to a particular Church whiles integritie of doctrine flourished in the same and therfore was not amisse by the ancient Fathers often so caled I confesse also the first declining of this Church not being wel perceived and Augustine Victor Vticensis others spake honourably of this Church But what is these mens commendation to excuse the Antichristian loftynes that folowed It is one thing to be Catholick another thing to be the onely Catholik The first holy men acknowledged because of the consent of holynes this other the later Popes chalenged as proper to their seate after that they could suffer no man except they had him bound unto them by some sign of servitude Then boasted they impudently that it was necessarie to salvation to be subiect to the Church of Rome Bonifac. 8. Extrav de Majorit obed tit Vni unam sanctam and that he was an heretik which denyed the authority and prerogative of that seat Nicolaus to the Bbs. of Millain Distinct 22. Omnes Which verie thing you chant at this day to the world but a thing never heard off before til the Beast came foorth with his branding yron You ar wont foolishly to skip at this word Catholik so often as you meet with it as if it were your peculiar ensigne but bring forth anie one place of anie approved and sufficiēt author that made Rome a square and rule of faith so as your Popes sacrilegiously arrogated to their seat after the rising of the second Beast namely after the yere of our Lord about 600. And if you can not then acknowledge eyther the Mark or at least your owne lamentable obstinacie Thirdly you say the oth of fealtie is found in the time of Gregorie lib. 10. Epist 31. I answer miserable is your want Bellarmine who were necessarily boūd to insist in the first degree before the rising of the secōd Beast Could nothing be produced more ancient wherby you might put the thing out of cōtroversie But neither dooth this oth profit you any thing seing it was not compelled but willingly offred nor of anie universal order receiving authoritie to doo a thing but of one schismatik asking pardon and returning to the communion of Rome Wherupon it was not the Mark so much as a kind of resemblance and image of it to come soon after In creating of Bishops I find no oth more ancient than that of Boniface about the yere 726. after that the second Beast was risen up And in ordeining of the civil Magistrate none before that of Otho the first in the yere 912. Shew you somthing before or confesse that this sign wherin the chief force of the special mark is conteyned came not abroad before the second Beast had brought it forth Fourthly you say Gregorie Nazianzen mentioneth the anoynting of Preists I answer Nazianzen speaketh not properly but figuratively No writer of that age makes mention of that ordinance of Anoynting And Innocēt 3. takes away al scruple who plainly cōfirmeth that the Greeks used not this manner of Anoyting in ordering Bishops before his time For so Decret Epist lib. tit 15. he writeth to the Patriarch of Constantinople of a certayn Branditribarense Bishop who in his consecration had not received the holy unction as he caleth it Because saith he with you Bishops are not wont to be anoynted when they ar consecrated we have commanded that to be supplied in him which he wanted causing his head and hands to be oynted with the holy Chrisme by the Bishop of Alba two Bishops moe assisting him according to the Ecclesiastical manner Wherupon afterward he exhorteth also the Patriarch himselfe that he would likeweise be anoynted We warn therfore saith he your brotherhood and diligently exhort that you also receive the sacred unction that you maie want nothing to make up the sacrament and when you are anoynted with the holy Chrisme that you likeweise anoynt your Archbishops and Bishops by them cause the hands of the Preists to be anoynted with the blessed oil that in ordeyning Preists and consecrating Bishops you maie keepe and cause that manner to be kept which the Apostolical seat observeth Thus wrote he By which it is manifest that neither Patriarch nor Archbishops nor Bishops nor Preists received any oincting in their ordination til the Romish mark came unto them Which also might be understood by Nazianzens words who speaketh no otherweise of the Preists oil than of the use of the talents of the care of the flock and of the oil of perfection which are all spoken figuratively Fiftly you bring forth the sacrifice for the dead and the worshipping of Images of the beginning of which impieties ther is no need curiously to dispute VVhosoever was the author by whom first they tooke place they became the symbols of Rome onely after that she
Iewes wil never receive a man that is not a Jew and uncircumcised it makes against you For hence it foloweth that they wil never receive Antichrist properlie so caled whom by necessarie reasons wee have evinced to be a Gentile and uncircumcised Secondly you say Antichrist feynenth himselfe to be of Davids familie because such a one the Jewes doo expect I answer either Antichrist shal fein it or you now feyn it of him VVhere I pray you dooth the holy Ghost amoÌ„g al other notes of the true Antichrist describe him unto us by this But it is Gods just iudgmeÌ„t that you which turn the truth into shadows should be deluded by shadowes in stead of the truth And so as your custome is being destitute of al scripture and probable reason you flee to the patronage of humane authoritie wherunto besides the other things already fore mentioned I oppose this reason in sted of a conclusion The Iewes shal have no dominion before they return unto Christ and therfore the Antichrist shal not be of them who should be the highest ruler and as you feighn by help of the Iewes should subdue the Gentils The first part of the reason is plainly confirmed by manie scriptures some of which I wil set down not so much for your sake Bellarmine though for yours also if so be at last you shal affect the truth as for my brethrens whom I would have to be stirred up by this iudgment unto a more diligent serch of manie places which being commonly counted plain and evident are yet altogither unknown The first is Lev. 26.39.40 c. Where the last plague of the chapter is this greevous casting of of the Iewish nation in which they lye for despising Christ from the time he was crucified unto this verie day whose solution and deliverance at last is conjowned with the extreme miserie wherin they shal be at the time when this deliverance shal happen unto them But if that Antichristian glorie which you doo feyn doo come between how shal this bounteousnes of God finde them so miserably afflicted The second is out of that excellent song of Moses Deut. 32.36 c. When the Lord shal have judged his people then wil he repent towards his servants when he shal see that their power is gone and that the shut up with the left abroad is nothing and he wil say wher are their Gods the Rock in whom they trusted There Moses singeth of the same times tâ—â—cheth that they shal be brought unto the lowest ebb when God shal arise to avenge his people The third is that of Esay 49.14 And if Sion say the Lord hath forsaken me c. Vnto these shal be adioyned Ier. 30.8 c. Ezek. 37. Dan. 12.1 Hos 3.4.5 Which few places may suffice to open the meaning of many From which I conclude although the Bishop of Rome be neither at any time a Iew nor by the Iewes received for the Messias but rather be by them hated yet this is no cause why he should not be the great Antichrist yea and unlesse these things were he should be farr from being the principal Antichrist as in their places we have declared Chapt. 13. Of Antichrists seat IN expounding the words of the Prophesie we concluded by most firm arguments taken therfrom that Rome is the seat of Antichrist and that forthwith after the Empire is taken from the Hethen Emperours For the heads of the Beast abide fixed to Rome where are both those Hills and Kings that the Angel speaketh of And wher these heads abide fixed there must the seat of Antichrist needs be Moreover seing Antichrist then also shewed himselfe when Constantine began to reign as before is proved at large he hath no other seat than Rome For wheras he abode a few yeres at Avenion he did that with purpose to sojourn for a time not with a mind to change his seat But on the contrarie you Bellarmine doo contend that Antichrists seat shal be Ierusalem not Rome and Solomons Temple and Davids Throne not S. Peters Temple or the seat Apostolical Which you endevour to prove two wayes First by an argument unto the man then by the Scriptures and Fathers The argument is this If the Pope of Rome be Antichrist sitting in the Church of Christ then the Lutherans and Calvinists and as manie as are aliens from the Church which is under the Pope doo live out of the true Church of Christ For Christs Church can be but one as Christ is one And our men doo affirm the Pope of Rome to be Antichrist therfore our men all doo live out of the Church I answer the Proposition is false and relyeth onely upon the Churches unitie misunderstood For the Church is both commonly so caled and properly The first hath pietie corrupted the word adulterated the Sacraments depraved is ful of superstition and humane devises reteyning Christs name onely and boasting in the title therof and also commonly so accounted whiles any whit of the foundation is remaining The other is chast pure entire clean hearkning to Christs voice in al things and not departing from his praescribed rule any whit at all so farr as mortal infirmitie suffereth and this alwayes is the onely and true spouse of Christ how ever the whore also taketh this name to her selfe So before the Temple Altar was proper to the elect and mesured by the Angel but the Court was not set forth with any description but cast out and permitted to the Gentils to weet the prophane multitude which for their neernes falsly chalenged the name of the Temple To whom the holy city also was given which having their seat in the sayd court they trode under foot at their pleasure during the appointed time Apoc. 11.1.2 More plainly in the 7. Churches which all ar Christs though Sardis lived but in name onely and the Angel of Laodicea was neither hot nor cold forthwith to be spued out unlesse he repented chap. 3.1.16 Therfore that is not rightly transferred unto the common Church which perteineth unto it properly so caled One may be an alien from the Church commonly so caled and yet be a true citizen of the true Church If you could shew that the Pope of Rome hath his chair in this which properly inioyeth this name you might rightly conclude us all to be fugitives and very miserable But whiles you shuffle togither things disjoined and contrarie and dally as your manner is with a playn aequivocation the absurditie which you thought to throw against us is lighted upon your own head So your argument unto the maÌ„ is lying like him whose cause you have in hand Secondly you prove it from three Scriptures the first wherof is Apoc. 11.8 where you say John saith that Henoch and Elias shal fight with Antichrist in Ierusalem and there be killed I answer that which is spoken of Henoch and Elias to come and fight with Antichrist is altogither vain as I have proved in the 6.
the Kings-houses or howses of Martyrs I answer the ancient Fathers both Greek and Latine did speak so as the Scripture speaketh as ClemeÌ„s Alexand. Strom. lib. 7. One temple saith he is great as the Church an other litle as the man who reteyneth Abrahams seed And Cyprian in his first book against the Iewes chap. 15. that Christ was to be the house and temple of God and he had ended the old temple begun a new And lib. 5. Epist 8. Although love should no lesse enforce us to help our brethren yet it was to be considered in this place that they are the temples of God which are taken and that we ought not to suffer by long delay and neglect of sorow the temples of God to be holden captives long But you wil say that you mean not either Christian assemblies or particular faithful persons but howses and aedifices wherin they meet togither for publik worship I answer you dispute therfore bravely who now conclude not the question For thus you reason No howses of publik worship were caled temples among Christians for many ages but some teÌ„ple of God are howses of publik worship therfore some temple was not among Christians for many ages And what then I pray you For though some temple was not yet some temple was among Christians also in these ages you mention even such a temple as Antichrist afterward should sit in Vnlesse perhaps you think that holy howses onely are temples which if it be so then Antichrist shal be no longuer Antichrist than he shal sit in these material howses or if so he shal be out of the holy howses also the great Antichrist may also be out of the temple of God and thouh he doo not shew himself as if he were God For this sacrilegious vaunting of him selfe shal be onely whiles he sitteth in the temple of God as is evident by the Apostles words And so we shal have a new great Antichrist such as the Apostles never saw by the Spirit of Prophesie Great is the force of your argumentations which everie where bring forth such monsters but let us goe forward Wheras you say that the howses of prayer had not the name of temple given unto them til Ieroms time whom you cite you may understaÌ„d that Eusebius who was before Ieroms age absteyned not from this name lib. Hist 10. c. 2. whom Ruffinus maketh to speak thus lib. 9 Hist Eccl. cap. 10. Renewed places by building to rise up more high and excellent and high teÌ„ples to be lifted up for the low meeting howses And again Euseb lib. 10. cap. 13. by whose industrie a sumptuous temple was builded in Tyrus the most famous throughout al the nation of Phaenicia So also in a publick oration which one made of the building of Churches ascribed to Paulinus Bishop of the Tyrians And thou ô great praise of the new holy temple of God and afterwards againe he constituted this maiestical temple of the most high God And certainly the Spirit most wisely meeting with your fraud would have the name of temple about that time when Antichrist should appear to be given even to the holy Christian aedifices that every way it might be evident how he sitteth in the Temple of God Wheras therfore concluding this point you say it semeth certayn that the Apostle speaks of Jerusalems temple that writing how Antichrist should sit in the temple of God he would say somthing which he would have understood by them to whom he wrote and they then would understand and well perceive the name of the temple nothing but the temple of Ierusalem you may easily now see how false it is that I say no more though I speak truly The Thessalonians might understand that he should sit in the minds and conscience of men whom he should seduce by his guile and hypocrisie as Anselmus dooth interpret it or that he should reign in ChristiaÌ„ assemblies as Chrysostom Theodoret Theophilact Oecumenius doo expound it or that he should boast himselfe to be the temple Church as Augustine explaineth it But Ierusalems temple could not come into their mind which they knew by Christs words should utterly be destroyed Mat. 23.39 2. and never be builded agayn seing wrath was come upon the Jewes even to the utmost as 1 Thes 2.16 Vnto these you adjoin as you speak the common exposition of the Fathers but the contrarie iudgment of those before mentioned wil not suffer it to be common neither ought the ignorance of a few to hurt the clear truth Thus have we seen your arguments whose force I now leave to be iudged by the reader and in a word I wil consider those your answers wherby again you indevour to put away the reasons of some of our side First wher our men doo obiect from Apoc. 17. that the chief seat of Antichrist is Rome because this seat is the great citie which sitteth upon 7. hills and which hath reigne over the Kings of the earth al which ar found in Rome You answer three wayes First that by this citie is not meant Rome but the universal citie of the Divil But in this answer you rest not neither is it in deed of anie moment seing it is not the universal citie of the Divil which shal be burned by the ten Kings especially the wicked remaining alive which shal lament her fall Apoc. 18.9 For how shal the whole citie perish whose citizens shal afterwards remayn Leaving therfore this you betake you to an other and you grant that by the whore is meant Rome but hethenish Rome reigning worshiping Jdols persecuting Christians but not Christian Rome I answer you doo evil disjoin what the Spirit hath coupled For Rome is then the whore and seat of Antichrist when it is caried of the Beast and it was not caried of the Beast whiles the Hethens reigned For it is caried of the seventh head which was not yet come when Iohn received this Prophesie Apoc. 17.9.10 Moreover if Hethenish Rome reigning be the whore then Antichrist came during that Hethenish Empire For the Spirit would have thâ—se two to be undevided companions until the burning of the whore The Beast caried the whore sitteh neither of them hath vital life without the other Again if that be true now she hath plainly left to be the whore nor should she be found such when Antichrist should come because as afterward you tell us Peters chaire cannot be separated from Rome lib. 4. de Rom. Pon. cap. 4. And how agreeth this I pray you that Rome being Christian holy Catholik Peters chair as you wil have her should at last suffer the punishment of a whore which when she was Hethenish and according to your opinion played the whore most lavishly bare no punishment for it Apoc. 17.16 Surely Ierom seemeth not wel to have affirmed speaking to Rome I speak unto thee which by confessing of Christ hast wiped out the blasphemie written on thy forehead lib. 2. contra