stir vp hatred dissention debate war and murder amongest you for his wrath is great knowing he hath but a short time For he is a roaring Lyon that knowing his ende to be at hand is the more fierce He is that cruel tirant that knowing his raigne to be but short sheadeth so much the more blood the more his time is diminished the more is his malice increased what he wanteth in measure he will fill vp in waight 13 And when the Dragon saw that he was caste into the earth hee persecuted the woman whiche had brought forth the man child When the Dragon that is to say the Deuil perceaued himselfe to be vanquished and ouercome driuē and expulsed out of the harts of the faithfull caste and throwen downe amongst the vnbeleeuers and reprobats hee persecuted the woman whiche had brought forth the mā child he persecuted the church the congregation of the faithfull which to her eternall happinesse had brought forthe the man childe Christ Iesus euen the Lord her righteousnesse her beauty and her saluation 14 But vnto the woman were giuen the wings of a great eagle that she might flie into the wildernesse into her place where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time from the presence of the serpent The prouidence of God assisted the Churche against the malice of Sathan The Church hauing her faith supported by the two testaments as it were by the two wings of a great eagle in this wildernesse of the world did infinitly spread it self by the outward preaching of the gospel and the inwarde operation of the holy Ghost The time times and halfe a time that is to say a yeare two yeeres and halfe a yeare is the selfe same that we reade before a thowsand two hundred and threescore daies the which wee there reduced to 42. monethes and expounded the moneths by Sabaoths of yeares according to the prophecie of Daniel It may also signifie both heere and in the place before the whole time and troubles of the church militant frō the birth of Christ to the end of the world reckoning for a time 500. yeares for times 1000. yeares for half a time 250. yeares 15 And the Serpent cast out of his mouth water after the woman like a flood that he might cause her to be caried away of the flood Sathan that cursed serpent abounding in malice against the church cast out of his mouthe water after the woman that is stirred and procured sundrie people nations and gouernments which heere are comprised in the word water to persecut and to endeuor to extinguishe the church Like a flood that is to say aboundantly violently and ragingly That he might cause her to be carried away of the floode That is to the end that he might cause her to bee destroyed by persecution and as it were caried awaye by violence from the face of the earth 16 But the earth holpe the woman and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed vp the flood which the Dragon had cast out of his mouth The church increased by persecution dayly the persecutors died the earth swallowed them vp in their graues and as it were opened her mouth dailye for them and they daily fell in But the church remained continued and augmented euery day and the blood of the Martirs became the seed of the church So the earth holpe the woman and swallowed vp the floode 17 Then the Dragon was wroth with the woman and wēt and made warre with the remnant of her seede which keepe the commaundements of God and haue the testimony of Iesus Christ. The Dragon that is to say the Deuil hauing attempted first the head Christ Iesus Secondly the church his body aand finding his labor frustrated and his power too weake to worke the destruction of either of them taketh a third coursein executing of his malice which is to molest and persecute the members of the church which are the remnant of her seede which keepe the commaundements of God haue the testimony of Iesus Christ To the whiche ende he hath specially stirred certain diuelish and wicked instrumentes whose estats qualities actions and proceedings are very liuely pithelie and effectually set forth in this next Chapter ensuing 18 And I stood on the sea sand Heere the holy Apostle and Euangelist S. Iohn procureth in vs a certaine attentiuenesse and earneste animaduersion of the vision following declaring first the place wherein he stoode secondly what hee sawe which is this that followeth CHAP. xiii 1 And I sawe a beast rise out of the sea hauing seauen heades and tenne hornes and about his hornes were ten crownes and vpon his heads the name of blasphemy 2 And the beast that I saw was like a Leopard and his feete like a beares and his mouth as the mouth of a lion and the Dragon gaue him his power and his throne and great authoritie HEERE is described vnto vs the Romaine Empire vnder the forme of a beast most monstrous most cruell most strong and most terrible Saint Iohn heerein alludeth to the description laid downe thereof by the Proph. Daniel in his seauenth Chapter The fowrth beast saith he meaning the Romain Empire was grimme and horrible and maruelous strong it hath great iron teethe it deuoured and destroyed and stamped the residue vnder his feete it was vnlike the other beasts that were before it for it had tenne hornes Which ten hornes are expounded in the 24. verse of the same chapter to be ten kings which shal grow out of the ruines of this empire And therefore the tenne hornes are heere laide downe to haue vppon them ten crownes of these kings and kingdomes we shal speake heereafter it had also seauen heads which are the seauen hilles whereon Rome standeth Vppon which heades was the name of blasphemye For so much did the Romaines attribute to their prowesse and pollicie their force and foresight that they termed their city Romam aeternam and as it were mating the most mighty vaunted Diuisum imperium cum Ioue Caesar habet Which their wickednesse is well heere expressed by the name of blasphemye Moreouer it is likened to a Leopard in proportion and shew to a Lion for the mouth and for the feete to a beare whereby we vnderstand that it not onelye had the countries and countenances the possessions and proceedings the might and maiestye the conditions and crueltie of the former monarchy but also in al euil and tiranny farre and much exceded them Daniel vnto this place giueth very great light who likening the Babilonian monarchy to a Lion the Persian to a beare the Macedonian to a Leopard teacheth vs that S. Iohn in this Romaine Monarchy foresawe the mouth and foote the pride and pase the state and steppe the rage and rauening of all the former to be expressed contayned and represented Heereunto is added that the Dragon haue him his power and his throne and greate authoritie That is to saye the Deuill assigned him to bee his
deliuered HEERE is first laid downe vnto vs by the holye Apostle a description of the true Church of God the true spouse of Christ the true mother of all the faithful which hath bene one and the very same euen from the beginning of the world vnto this day she is described in the forme of a woman clothed with the Sunne this sunne is the sunne of righteousnesse Christ Iesus the whiche the church his spouse hath put on with whom only she thinketh her selfe adorned beautified in so much that she nether seeketh nor coueteth any other mans righteousnesse to clothe her or deck her withall but accompteth her self in him and by him to haue sufficient beauty and purity the which she knoweth acknowledgeth to haue altogether of his mercy and goodnesse and not by her desart or merit And the Moone was vnder her feete By the moone may be vnderstood al worldly earthly things which are subiecte to changes and alterations whiche haue their diminishinges and increasings their waxines and wanings as honor riches power authoritie dignitie and suche like with all the vaine pleasures and delightes of this world all the which this true church and spouse of Christ doth despise contemne and treade vnder her feete The Moone also may put vs in remembrance of the chāges and alterations which the church is subiect vnto in this world some times being in quiet sometimes in prosperity sometime in aduersity sometime consisting in many sometime in few Further it geueth vs to vnderstand that as the Moone receaueth all her lighte and beautye from the Sunne so the churche receaueth all her puritie righteousnesse and glorye from Christ Thus the Moone was vnder her feete and vppon her head a crown of twelue starres This number of twelue is the number of perfection or fulnesse and by the starres shynings in the church are ment the Patriarches the Prophets the Apostles the Martirs the godly ministers of al ages which shine in the church both in life and doctrine which all doe receaue their lighte of the sunne of righteousnesse wherewith the church is clothed 2 And shee was with childe and cried trauelling in birthe and was pained ready to be deliuered This place is to bee referred to those times of the church that were before the incarnation of Christ When as the congregation of the faithful that is to say the church did maruelously longue and as it were trauailed in minde to haue that promised seed borne and brought to light that should repaire the miserable ruine of mankinde and treade downe the serpents head the which seed was our Lorde and Sauiour Christ Iesus who was born within the church and of a blessed member of the church 3 And there appeared another wonder in heauen and behold a great red dragon hauing seuen heads and tenne hornes and seuen crownes vpon his heads 4 And his taile drew the third part of the starres of heauen and cast them to the earth Hauing described the church now he falleth to the description of the principall enemie of the church which is Sathan he is described in the forme of a dragon that is to say full of venome full of poyson wherewith he infecteth corrupteth the world of a red colour to declare his bloudines his cruelty his spite and malice hauing seauen headdes that is to saye being full of deuises subtilties craftes and deceipts to entrappe and destroy men withall He hath also ten hornes seuē crownes his hornes signify his mighty force power and violence his crownes his dignity honor and authority in this wicked world wherof he is called Prince and chiefe potentate of this darkenes 4 And his taile drew the third part of the stars of heauen and cast them to the earth The dragons taile are false prophets hypocrites and such as by a shew of holines deceaue men teaching false doctrine drawing men from heauen to earth from worshipping God in Spirite and trueth to earthlye adorations Imaginations and conceiptes Of this tayle were the Scribes and Pharisyes and other religious folke of the Iewes of the same also are all such as by false doctrine haue drawen any out of the firmament of Christes church that were once there placed as stars by baptisme and regeneration Hereunto the Prophet Esay doth allude saying the false prophet is a verye tayle but such starres were not fixed in the firmament therefore the dragons tayle had power ouer them And the dragon stoode before the woman which was ready to be deliuered to deuoure her childe when she had brought it forth So she brought a man childe which shoulde rule all nations with a rodde of yron and her sonne was taken vp vnto God and to his throne This childe that the church brought foorth whom the Dragon sought to deuoure was Christ our Sauiour against whom the Dragon stirred first Herode then the chiefe of the Iewes the Scribes the Pharesies the highe Priestes lastlye the whole multitude to the ende to deuour this man childe that the church had brought foorth to her euerlasting comforte and to the Dragons eternall ruine 5 She brought forth a man childe which should rule all nations with a rodde of yron This was that childe whom Dauid by the spirite of prophesie speaketh of in the second Psalme I will preach the law whereof the Lord hath sayde vnto me thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee desire of me and I shall giue thee the heathen for thine inheritaunce and the vttermost partes of the earth for thy possession thou shalt bruse them with a rodde of yron and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell And her Sonne was taken vp vnto God and to his throne Thus when the Dragon had spitte all his venome had vsed all the deuises and subtilties of his seauen heads al the force and violence of his ten hornes all the authority dignity of his seuen crownes finally when he had shewed al his spite crueltye malice he preuailed no whit at all for the childe whiche hee persecuted Christ Iesus ascended into heauen was taken vp vnto God and to his throne and there sitteth at the right hand of the father in most glorious and eternal maiestie 6 And the woman fled into the wildernes where she hath a place prepared of God that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and three score daies And the woman that is to say the church the cōgregation of the faithfull fledde and was dispearsed into the wildernes of the world among the Gentils in that huge and waste forrest wherof the Romaine Emperour was chiefe Foster who is the beast that in the beginning of the next chapter is described there remained the church in this wildernes subiect to the iniuries of the Emperours and other his vnder officers yet notwithstanding fedde by Gods especiall prouidence in myddest of all persecution with heauenly and spiritual foode by godly and sincere ministers And this state did she continue in a
cheefe instrument in persecuting the members of the church those that haue the testimony of Iesus And to that end aduanceth his power throne and authoritie in this wicked world 3 And I sawe one of his heades as it were wounded to death and his deadly wounde was healed and all the world wondred at the beast These heades seeme vnto me to haue three significations two of them are laide downe by the Angell in the seauentienth chapter where they are expounded to bee mountaynes or hilles as heretofore we haue taken them and also kings or gouernors as hereafter we shall shewe them But in this place it semeth to bee taken neither for the one nor for the other but for a chiefe and principal parte of the estat euen for Roome and Italy it selfe Which aswell by the ciuill warres of Caesar and Pompey Augustus and Anthony as by the loose and execrable gouernments of Claudius Tiberius Caius Caligula Claudius the brother of Germanicus Nero the sonne of Domitius and Aulus Vitellius was as it were wounded and that most greeuously Which in the time of Flauius Vespasianus Titus Nerua Traiane and the Emperours succeding it recouered whereby the deadlye wound was healed And all the world wondred at the beast Such was the might and maiestie the force and fortune of the Romaine Empire that all men wondred and maruailed at it had it in admiration regarde and reuerence as an estate most happye sacred and in a manner diuine 4 And they worshipped the Dragon which gaue power vnto the beast and they worshipped the beast saying VVho is like vnto the beaste VVho is able to make warre with him By reason of the false religions and Idolatries of the Romaine Empire the Dragon that is to saye the Deuill was worshipped And by reason of the might and puissance of the forsaid estate it was of al nations feared and honored insomuch as they thought that none other was like vnto it nor any able to make warre against it 5 And there was giuen vnto him a mouthe that spake great things and blasphemies and power was giuen vnto him to doe 42. moneths The pride and blasphemye of the Romaine Emperors wee haue somewhat declared before The time of their persecuting power heere expressed by two and forty months is the same that in the former chapter is resolued and a thousand two hundred threescore daies which gathered into sabbaoths of yeares after the account of Daniell contayneth the whole time of the primitiue persecution from the first of Herod to the last of Licinius the particularities of their pride and blasphemies as to be called Gods to haue their images placed in temples and to haue diuine rites ceremonies done there in their honor The histories of their times doe disclose the sundry persecutions in great crueltye by them and their authority executed against the professors of the truth the Ecclesiasticall histories doe mention at large Whereby the interpretation of this place and of the verses following is very cleare and manifest 6 And he opened his mouth vnto blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwell in heauen The blasphemous speeches and actions of the Romaine Empire being corrupted with all kinde of Idolatry and impietie was bent first against the name of God secondly against his tabernacle thirdly against them that dwell in heauen Against the name of God that is to say against the essence maiestye worde and wisedome of God Whereas in steade of the creator they honored creatures in steade of one true God they serued many false Idols and adored them in corporall rites and ceremonies in steade of him that was to be worshipped in spirit and truth against his tabernacle that is to say his church for of the church it is spoken beholde the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwel with them and they shalle his people and God himself shalbe their God with them Against them that dwell in heauen that is to say against the members of the Church for that wee are no more forrenners and strangers but citizens wtih the Saintes and of the houshould of God And therefore may be well termed dwellers in heauen For that as the Apostle saieth in the Epistle to the Hebrewes In that we are members of the misticall bodie of Christ we are come to the mount Sion and to the Citie of the liuing God the caelestiall Hierusalem and to the companie of innumerable Angels and to the congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen And to God the iudge of all and to the Spirites of iust and perfect men and to Iesus the Mediatour of the new Testament to the bloud of sprinkling that speaketh better thinges then that of Abel Wherefore as in the former chapter the Dragon that is to saye the Diuell persecuted first the man childe that is Christ Iesus Then the woman clothed with the Sunne which is the Church And lastlie the remnant of her seede which keepe the commaundementes of God and haue the testimonie of Iesus that is to saye the members of the church So this principall instrument of the Deuill the Romaine Idolatrous Empire blasphemeth gainsayeth and persecuteth first the name of God that is his worde and wisedome Christ Iesus Secondlie his tabernacle that is his church Thirdly those that dwell in heauen that is to say the faithfull that are the members and seede of the church 7 And it was giuē vnto him to make war with the saints and to ouercome them and power was giuen him ouer euerie kindred and tongue and nation They that before were tearmed dwellers in heauen are heere tearmed sainctes against whome this Romaine Empire hath made warre raysed persecution and preuailed in all cruell tormentes and rigorous kindes of death that not in one contrie or prouince alone but throughout all the worlde for the authoritie therof and power did reach in effect ouer euery kindred and tongue and nation 8 Therefore all that dwell vppon the earth shall woorshippe him whose names are not written in the booke of life of the lambe which was slaine from the beginning of the worlde Such therefore as are not the elect of God whose eyes are not illumined with his heauenly light and whose mindes are not sanctified with his holy spirit whereby they may discerne trueth from falsehoode but are whollie led with earthly conceites worldly considerations and terrestriall appetites and therin doe as it were dwel and inhabite vnwilling any way to be weaned from it They shall worshippe obey reuerence and followe in all Idolatrie and naughtinesse this Romaine Empire iudging it to bee the best way for their saftie benefit and aduauncement although in truth it worke their ruyne ouerthrowe and euerlasting destruction 9 If any man haue an eare let him heare if any leade into captiuitie he shall goe into captiuitie if any kill with a sworde he must be killed by a sworde Here is the patience and
Boniface the eight both before recited it may make some demonstration of the power and authoritye of the Popedome in those dayes And he caused the earth and those that dwell there to worshippe that first beast whose deadly wounde was healed In the thirde verse of this Chapter it was declared that one of the heads of the Romaine Empire was as it were wounded to death But his deadlye wound was healed We there expound that head to be Rome and Italie it selfe so that the sense of this place is that the Popes shall cause the inhabitantes of the earth to haue in great account honor and reputation Italie and Rome which are that beast and head whose deadlye wound was healed and such estimation brought they it vnto that the simpler sorte worshipped it as the chaire of Peter as the rocke and bulwarke of christian religion and as the inuincible fortresse of the faith the wiser and discreeter feared it as a place of no lesse perrill then power and as the lyons denne which moued Rodolfe a very notable Emperour liuing about the yeare of our Lord 1282. vnto such as asked him the cause why he would not into Italie to yeeld this answere that the lyon vpon a time had inuited all kindes of beastes to come vnto him which when they came at the hower appointed to the mountain where the lion dwelled The fox wiser then the rest finding no tracke of anyes returne drewe backe alleaging a reason thus recited by Horace Quia me vestigia terrent Omnia te aduersum spectantia nulla retrorsum 13 And he did great wonders so that he made fire to come downe from heauen on the earth in the sight of men In the sight of men that is in the opinion Iudgment and conceit of men hee made fire to come downe from heauen that is to come out from the church vpon the earth that is vpon the wicked vpon the obstinate vpon the accursed and reprobate this fire was the flame and thunderboultes of their excommunications which in the opinion of men was wonderful and terrible and blasted them and made them accursed vpō whom it lighted But it was not so in deede it onely appeared so in the sight of men that is in the corrupt iudgement of the ignorant for the excommunications papall were no lawfull censures of the church but were the vnlawfull and tyrannous proceedings of an vsurped power and here it is good to note in that there is mention made of heauen and of earth that in the course of these prophesies as the earth is opposite vnto heauen it is taken in the worse parte as the earth is opposite vnto the sea it is taken in the better parte as the earth and the sea are opposite to the heauens both are taken in ill part But to returne to the Papall excommunications so wonderfull were they in operation that by them Leo the Emperour by Gregorie the second was cut off both from the tribute and from the obedience due vnto him in Italie His subiectes there were made to rebel against him two of his exarchats were slaine and the thirde had his eyes pulled out The king of Lumbards seased vpon much of the Emperours territories and Rome and the Romaine Dukedome were seased vpon by the Pope By this fyre also Henry the third a most honorable personage and Emperour of very great wisedome corage and industry was vtterly consumed ouerthrown by Gregory the seuenth by force of the same flame Alexander the third made Fredericke the Emperour to come to the city of Venice to aske him forgiuenes to kisse his feete to hold his stirope and to do him seruice obeisance the sparkes of this fyre were interdiction suspention inhibition relaxation of subiects from their othes of alleageance dispensation with othes and such like the coales that were hereby kindled were vprores tumultes disloialties conspiracies rebellions seditions and turbulent commotions For in sighte of men these appeared to be fyres from heauen that is to be the censures of the church which euery man thought himselfe bound vpon paine of damnation to yeelde vnto and obey whereas in truth they proceeded from the fyre brands of hell Who by these practises weakened wasted and consumed the states of Christendome and aduaunced themselues to the type of all earthly honor 14 And deceaued them that dwelt vpon the earth by the signes which were permitted him to doo in the syght of the beast saying to them that dwell on the earth that they shoulde make the Image of the beast which had the wounde of a sworde and did liue These signes of their power and authoritye which God permitted them to shewe euen in the face feeling of the Emperours deceiued no doubt them that dwelt on the earth and wrought in them this perswasion that the power that coulde bringe such wonderfull thinges to passe was sacred heauenly and altogether diuine and hauing gained this authoritie and reputation with the inhabitants of the earth they willed an Image of the beast to be made which had the wound of a sworde and did liue The beast as is before declared is the Empire of Rome The Image that is made to represent it is the church of Rome where in wee are to consider the dignitye authoritye religion lawes and proceedings howe proportionably they are framed and fashioned to the portrature and Image of the olde Romaine Empire for the firste and second the principall instrument and pencill wherby the Popes painted this Image was the false and forged donation of Constantine wherein they faigne imagine and beare the worlde in hande that the Emperour hath decreed that as his earthly power imperiall so the holy sacred Romaine Church shall reuerently be honored and that the most sacred seate of Peter shall bee gloriously exalted more then the Empire and earthly throne yelding vnto it power and dignity of glory and also vigour and honorificence imperiall and againe that to blessed Syluester chiefe Bishoppe and vniuersall Pope of the City of Rome and to all Bishoppes his successours which shall sit to the ende of the world in the seate of blessed Peter he presently together giueth his palace of Lateran appertayninge to his Empire and also his diademe that is to saye the crowne that belongeth to his head and his white miter called Prigium with the coller that commeth ouer his shoulders and compasseth his imperiall necke and withall his purple cloake and scarlet roabe and all other his imperiall indumentes yea and the dignitye of hauing imperiall presidentes and maisters of horse bestowing also vpon him the imperiall Scepter together with all the ensignes bands and sundrye ornaments imperiall and all kinde of proceeding of the imperiall celsitude and glorie of his power and that the moste reuerent men they of the cleargye seruing the same holye sacred Romaine church in sundrye degrees shall enioye the same celsitude and heyght of honour in singularitye power and excellencye with the glorie wherof the moste honourable
good Lord more and more to consume her and shortlye to abolish her with thy moste glorious comming and in the meane tyme O Lord thunder into the innermoste eare of the deafe papistes the threatninges of thy thirde Aungell that if any man worship Antichrist his romish church made to the Image and representation of the olde Romayne Empire and receaue his Character or doctrine in his forehead and in his hande that is in his fayth and practise in his conceite and conuersation to be both beleeued and boulstered with his counsel and execution the same shall drinke of the Wine of the wrath of God yea of the pure wine which is powred into the Cup of his wrath and shal bee tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy angels and before thee and the smoke of their tormentes shall ascende for euermore That with the consideration hereof they may be strooken in conscience harken vnto thy voyce go out of her my people that you be not partakers in her sinnes that you receaue not of her plagues and for that O Lorde a tyme and space is required for the vtter consuming of this hideous body of antichrist during the which he and his adherentes repining at thy trueth and iudgementes with all rage and rancor maligne and persecute thy chosen and faythfull Indue vs O Lord with patience in all troubles and afflictions giue vs grace to keepe thy Commaundementes and make vs feruent and fruitefull in thy fayth and what so euer euent thou shalte giue vnto our troubles in this worlde yea though it bee thy will that the force or furie of Antichrist preuayle agaynst the mortall bodyes and worldelye estate of our selues or of our brethren yet let that thy heauenlye voyce styll recomforte our soules Blessed are the dead which hereafter dye in the Lorde euen so sayth the Spirite for they reste from theyr laboures and theyr workes followe them Wee knowe and acknowledge O Lambe of eternall light that with thee is true rest voyde of labour true life voyde of death true felicitie voyde of all trouble and miserie Wee knowe also that our workes which thorow thy grace we do according to thy wil go not before vs to make our way and passage into heauen which thy bloud and merites only haue done but that thither by thy great goodnes and fauour they followe vs to receiue reward at thy bounteous and liberall hand Lastlye for that the tyme of thy fynall iudgement doth approach and thy Aungels are shortly to be sent to reape the haruest of the earth and to cut downe the vynes of the vyneyarde thereof endue vs O Lorde with thy grace instruct vs in thy trueth that as pure Corne wee maye bee gathered into the Barnes of thy euerlasting blisse and neither as tares or wicked weedes bee throwne into the furnace of eternall fyre nor as the vngratious grapes full of vylenesse and vanytye bee cast into the Wnepresse of thy wrath which shal be trode without the citie that is executed without thy kingdome for without shalbe doggs and enchanters and whoremongers and murtherers and Idolaters and whosoeuer loueth or maketh lyes the bloud shall come euen to the horse bridles the tortures and tormentes shall reach from the meanest man to the mightiest monarch that for the space of a 1600 furlonges which is for euer and euer for rightlye may that square number of foure times foure intimate vnto vs eternitie And syth O thou second Adam and restorer of mankind thy church hath since thy natiuitie walked here on earth nowe neere sixtene hundred yeres as it were 1600 furlongs which is in hundreds of yeres proportionable to the time that was betweene the first Adam and the floud of Noe strike into our heartes with thy remembring spirite a deepe impression of thy comming that it be not with vs as in the days before the floud wherin they did eate and drinke and marrie and gaue in marriage and knewe nothing till the flould came and tooke them all away but that casting away all carelesnes and securitie we may like wise and faithfull seruantes be founde watchfull readie and diligent in fulfilling of thy will and doing of our duties earnestly praying and dayly expecting for thy comming that thou our Lorde and master so finding vs being the author and fountaine of all blessednesse mayst truely make vs blessed Come Lord Iesus Let thy mightie hande and out stretched arme O Lorde be still our defence thy mercy louing kindnes in Iesus Christ the deare sonne our saluatiō thy true and holy worde our instruction thy grace and holy spirite our comfort and consolation vnto the ende and in the end Annotations WHereas in the tenth verse of the xiij Chapter mention is made of a beast rysing vppe out of the earth hauing two hornes like the Lambe but speaking like the Dragon wee expounded the earth to be the Church militant so taking it in the better part as conferred and layde opposite to the sea from whence the former beast did proceede taking the sea for gentilisme and the earth for Christianisme Jf it shall better please any to take the earth in that place in the worser part then doth it signifie corruption superstition terrestriall appetites and earthly conceiptes of heauenly matters and in whether soeuer part the worde be interpreted the designation of the person there expressed is the same and receiueth no alteration Whereas in the thirde verse of the xiij Chapter there beeing mention made that one of the seauen heades of the Romaine Empire was as it were wounded to death but the deadly wounde thereof was healed we there expounde that heade to be Rome and Jtalie and the wounde to bee ciuill warres which interpretation is iustified by truth of historie yet considering the course of this prophesie and the exposition of the Angell in the xvij chapter in these wordes the seauen heades are seauen hilles whereon the woman sitteth they are also seauen Kinges fiue are fallen one is another is not yet come and when hee commeth he shall continue but a short time and the beast that was and is not is the eight and one of the seauen We incline rather to this interpretation that followeth and one of his heades was as it were wounded to death and his deadlie wounde was healed The seauen heades signified seauen Kinges or soueraigne gouernours that haue ruled and borne chiefe authoritie within the citie of Rome The first were Kinges the seconde Consulles the thirde Dictators the fourth decem viri the fift were Tribunes Militare the sixt Romaine Emperours the seuenth French Emperours the head that had the deadly wound but was healed was the sixt which receiued that wounde in the death of Iulius Caesar and which wounde was twelue yeares after cured by Augustus for in Iulius Caesar the Emperours beganne and in him that heade had like to haue ended but that the deadly wounde thereof was cured by Augustus as for the triumuirate it