woman and the earth opened her mouth and swalowed vp the ryuer which the dragon cast out of his mouth And y◠dragon was wroth with y◠woman wēt and made warre with the remnaunt of her sede which kepe y◠cōmaundementes of God and haue the testimonye of Iesus Christe And I stode on the sea sande After that Sathan whiche is a spirite of lyes marketh the power of faithe whiche commeth springeth of gods worde howe Christ beyng borne in the faithful doth waxe increase in them thorowe holy godly workes acceptable vnto god than he goeth about to persecute y◠gospel the true holsom doctrine and the spirite of Christ in the electe But the circumspecte quickesyghted and highe flyeng Eagle of gods spirite resisteth the dragō geueth might power with his grace vnto the Christen soule to flee into a sure place whiche is y◠contempt of this worlde the loue of the world to come the solitarines of a quiet conscience in y◠crosse of Christ the comfort in y◠remembraunce of gods word With these wynges she escapeth from Sathan and from al his spirites snares and suggestions This foode noryshment is geuē throughe the grace mercy of god vnto all the electe children of God from such time as the word was firste writen throughe Moyses and afterwarde declared throughe y◠prophetes and fulfilled through Christ preached in al y◠world throughe y◠apostles in our tyme throughe the mercye goodnes of God renewed againe for a thousande and .ii. thousande yeares y◠is .iii. thousande yet lōger how lōg so euer it please God which wil not haue it hidden vnknowen vnto vs. And for this cause the nombre of the yeares both in this boke in other is obscure not without a synguler cōsideracion As y◠disciples of Helyas receyuing it of their maister also sayde y◠.ii. thousande yeares were past before the lawe that the lawe of Moyses should continue lykewyse .ii. thousande yeares the kingdome of Messias vpō earth also about .ii. thousande yeares not so precisely reckened nor fullye accomplyshed as the Rabbines interpreters of y◠Iewes doe for the most part cōfesse declare But the serpēt which he named before a dragō doth neuer seace since y◠tyme of Adam Eue to persecute y◠faith in y◠worde of God the secret misterie of Christ For y◠merciful rightuous god taketh vseth y◠falsehede wickednes o◠Sathan euē for a game a sport as a mā may say And the more y◠Sathan goeth about to hinder the worcke grace of god the performaunce of his promises the more doeth his damnacion his wrath enuy and malyce increase and gods grace throughe his mercye is the more aboundantlye multiplyed in all men and the true rightuousnes of the holy and blessed seede our sauiour Christ is the more perfight and effectuous and maketh more hast to the full and perfyght blisse and saluacion of all faithfull electe Althoughe notwithstandinge the infinite wickednes of Sathan neuer ceaseth and is euer more angrye deuyseth continually one mischefe vpon anothers necke against the faithful but all to their furtheraūce honour profite at length yea to the preseruacion of y◠trueth of the eternal worde of God to the furtheraunce and confirmacion of y◠true faith loue hope against y◠whiche the olde serpente is wont continually to fight with al his felowship companie of wicked spirites and of all kyndes of blasphemies and vices whiche are his seede generacion lyke as all maner of vertues grace holynes innocencye saluaciō are y◠frutes of gods worde of the spirite of Christ out of the whiche dothe spring obediēce and obseruacion of the cōmaundementes of God so farre as the weakenes and imperfightenes of man is able The whiche weakenes y◠sauiour of mankynde and y◠first borne of y◠children of God doth accomplyshe helpeth the lacke of mans weakenes for y◠which cause he became man our brother y◠he might the better knowe our infirmitie and weakenes And thus was this vision reueled vnto me as I thought standinge vpon the sande of the sea ¶ The .xiii. Chapter The texte ¶ And I sawe a beast ryse out of y◠sea hauing seuen heades and ten hornes and vpon his bornes ten crownes and vpon his heade the name of blasphemye And the beaste whiche I saw was lyke a catte of the mountayne his fete were as the fete of a beare his mouth as y◠mouth of a lion And the dragon gaue him his power and his feare great auctorite BY this beast which was sene to ryse vp in the raging sea of this worlde is signified y◠kingdome of Rome vnder y◠dominion of whiche kingdom Christ was borne suffred his passion vnder y◠same kyngdōe also S. Iohn did write both this boke and his holy gospel For this kingdom obteyned power dominion ouer many nacions landes and ouercame very many kinges Whiche thinges came not to passe for y◠vertue godlines of y◠Romaynes for they knew not their Lord God much lesse did they honour him For they dyd ascribe their wealth good fortune successe their victorie not vnto y◠true lyuing God but vnto their false goddes And diuerse Emperours of Rome haue set out them selues also for goddes haue suffred oblacions sacrifices to be made done vnto them And thus haue they blasphemed y◠true god creatour gouernour of al thīges whose seruice religiō yea his temple priesthode and sacrifices they did vtterly abolishe subuert most spitefully contemptuously and set vp al false religiō ydolatrie to please y◠people For whose pleasure they buylded set vp a churche of Pantheon for y◠honour of all sainctes goddes whiche remaineth at Rome vntil this day The errours riches blasphemous vices of y◠who le world which wer gotten in batel are like vnto a cat of y◠mountayne with her many speckles spottes whiche with her smacke souour draweth many beastes vnto her which she destroieth Euē as the Romaynes vnder y◠pretēce of their glorious name title haue gottē great power auctoryte wherby they haue oppressed hurt y◠who le world in so much y◠at length it was intollerable The Beare hath a weake heade but very strōg feete which signifieth y◠power of his tyrannye the weakenes feblenes of their captaines of their Emperours which for y◠most part haue had shamful endes after their wicked shameful liues And it was as spoilful gredy to deuour as a Liō had his power might strēgth of all mighty god but yet they haue not cōfessed it nor ascrybed it vnto him but vnto their own ydolles and false goddes and vnto Lucifer the kyng and head of their false goddes whiche is here named a dragon and wyll be estemed and taken for a Lorde of
euen as Christe is yâ— head of the congregacioÌ„ Ye housbaÌ„des loue your wiues as Christ al to hath louedtde congregacion He that Loueth his wife loueth himself Ye seruauÌ„tes be obedieÌ„t to your bodely masters c We haue heard of your fayth i Christ Iesu c. Of whiche hope ye heard before by the true worde of the gospel Whiche also declared vnto vs your loue which ye haue in the spirite Ye might be fulfilled with the knowledge c Strengthed with al might through his glorious power c. Whiche hath made vs mete to be partakers of the inheritaunce of sainctes in light For by him were all thinges created He is the begâ—nnyng and first begotten of the dead c That in him should all fulnes dwell c. Now ioye I in my suffâ—riÌ„ges for you c. For his bodies sake whiche is the congregacioÌ„ Whome we preache warnyns all men and teaching c. â— That theyr hertes might be comforted c. Thoughe I be absente in the fleshe c. And disceitfull van tie after the tradicion of meÌ„ c. In him dwelleth all yâ— fulnes of yâ— godhead bodelye â—c In whom ye are also râ—seÌ„ again through fayth â—â— And hath â—ut out the hâ—nâ—wryâ—ing â—â—â—t was agaâ—â—â—t vs c Whiche are shadowes of thynges to come c. In the thynges which he neuer sawe Touche not taste not haÌ„dle not whiche all â–ª c. And â—â—uetonsnes whiche is worshippyng of idols And image of him that made hâ—m Take hede to thy office We haue heard of your fayth i Christ Iesu c. Of whiche hope ye heard before by the trae worde of the gospel Whiche also declared vnto vs your loue which ye haue in the spirits Ye might be fulfilled with the knowledge c. Strengthed with al might through his glorious power c. Whiche hath made vs meâ—e to be partakers of the inheritaunce of sainctes in light For by him were all thinges created He is the beginnyng and first begotten of the dead â— That in him should all fulnes dwell c. Now ioyâ— I in my sufâ—â—riÌ„geâ— fo◠〈◊〉 c. For his bodies sake â— whiche is â—â—e congregacioâ— Whome we preache warnyng all men and teaching c. That theyr hertes might be comforted c. Thoughe I be absente in the fleshe c. And disceitfull vanitie after the tradicion of meÌ„ c. In him dwelleth all yâ— fulnes of yâ— godhead bodelye c. In whom ye ate also riseÌ„ again through fayth c. And hath put out the handwryting that was against vs. c. Whiche aâ—â— shadowâ—s â—â— thynges to come c. In the thynges which he neuer sawe Touche not taste not haÌ„dle not whiche all c. And couetousnes whiche is worshippyng of idols And image of him that made him Take hede to thy office Thessalonica God make vs Englishmen â—â—ght Thessalonians God sende vs suche preachers This is the will of god euen your holynesse By the coÌ„mission of god our sauiour To his natural sonne In the faith Grace mercy peace As I besought the. That thou commaunde some The ende of the lawe is loue The law is good The lawe is not geueÌ„ vnto a righteous man We haue the lyke aduersaries but not the lyke diligeÌ„t preachers Paul made a priest by layeng on of haÌ„des without anoputynge Faith and conscience The cause of the decay of faith and good conscience The chiefe pollicie that bringeth meÌ„ to Christ is christian charitie Elders as we in oure commen speche vse to cal them Aldermen All prelates maye learne diligence at this mooste diligeÌ„t preachinge prelate the deuyll The charitie of the Gospel maketh one to be as glad of an others good to be as sory for an others hurt as though it were to him self not al worldly suâ— staunce to be thinune as the â—hant asâ—icall Anabaptistes do wikedly dreame The tree of lyfe The seconde death The fyrste death Manna The whyte stone Iesabel The whyte araye The open dore To be in the spirite Gods seate The precious stones The raynebowe The .xxiiii. seates and the .xxiiii. elders The sea of glasse The foure sondry beastes The face of the man The calfe The lyon The Egle. The wynges The eyes Foure angels The earth the sea and the trees The holy angell A certen nomber put for to signifye an vncerten multitude The trees Locustes The raynebowe vii thonders The quier xlii monethes The .ii. witnesses The great citie The temple of God The Arke The lyghtnyng thondering c. Heauen The womaÌ„ with childe The crienge The dragoÌ„ The .vii. heades The .x. hornes â—â—e tayle The taile of the dragon or of the deuyll The wynges The catte The Beare Tabernacle Ludouicus pius .viii. hundreth lvi The lambe This name is nowe turned and called al sainctes
him But this temple of God is the holy christen churche and congregacion in this tyme of trouble dyscencion and batell and participacion of the blisse of heauen and euerlastinge lyfe vnto them that wynne and beare awaye the victorye The Arke of the testamente is the blessed and holy manhode of Christ vnited and knit in one with the godlye nature of the euerlasting word of God which is and euer hath bene yâ— Mercye stoole of all the worlde and of al men and the onely comforte refuge and ioye of the faythfull electe But the lyghtenynge the noyse of the voices the thonderynge and earthequake with the great hayle maye sygnifie the terryble damnacion of the wicked for euer or els it maye sygnifie a synguler ernest and wonderfull preparacion of the hearer or of the reader lyke as was of the holy Apostle S. Iohn whiche sawe it to marke and consyder it the more dilygentlye For it is necessarye to marke and consyder suche reuelacions and visions as doe folowe vpon suche tokens the lyke whereunto happened sometymes also vnto the prophetes as the holy scripture declareth The texte ¶ And there appeared a great wonder in heauen a woman clothed with the Sunne and the Moâ—e vnder her fete vpoÌ„ her heade a crowne of .xii. starres And she was with childe cried trauayling in birthe and pained ready to be delyuered And there appeared another wonder in heaueÌ„ for beholde a great red dragon hauing .vii. heddes ten hornes .vii. crounes vpon his heades his tayle drue yâ— thirde part of yâ— starres cast them to yâ— earth As in the prophetes of the olde testament the first dyd write more plainely and manifestly than the last whiche are muche harder to be vnderstanded as Ezechiel Daniel and zacharie are muche harder than Esaye and Ieremy EueÌ„ so in the new testament in this prophetycall boke the latter prophecies reuelacions and visions are more playne and easy to be vnderstanded thaÌ„ the first in so muche as this vision maye in manner be an interpretacioÌ„ of those visions that went before This heauen wherin this great token dyd appeare must nedes be the kyngdome of heauen the christen churche congregacion and felowshyp of all faithfull from the begynnynge of the worlde vntyll the ende therof as Christ him selfe doth interprete it The woman of whome the angell here speaketh is the euerlasting mighty and blissed worde of god whiche is bryght and mightye as the Sunne wherunto all the vnderstanding of man and of all fleshe is subiecte And it is clothed and garnysshed with the faith and confession of the patriarkes â–ª prophetes Apostles and martirs bothe of the olde and of the newe testament This word of God the holy gospel promised vnto vs from the begynnynge and beleued hath performed and thorowe the mercye and goodnes of God hath brought forthe and borne vnto vs Christe the sauiour of the worlde or the true faith in Christ But this came not to passe before suche time as nonother saluacion coulde in any wyse be founde thorow the workes of the lawe throughe the sacrifices nor throughe all other good workes For none of them all had power to satisfye or to make holy but onely the righteousnes of the worde of God that became man namely our sauiour Christe the sonne of God and of Marye whiche had bothe the nature of God and of man in one onely person whiche made satisfaccion for al mankynde This beyng with childe is in this place as muche as an earnest lust and desyre The cryeng is prayer As the holy prophetes dyd euermore desyre this saluacion trusted throughe belefe in yâ— worde of God vnto the promes yâ— was made vnto the whole worlde Against this holy worde of God and this christen faithe dyd appeare an other token in the congregacioÌ„ of the churche beyng called of God namely a bloudy dragon and enemye of mans saluacion and of the true faithe in Christ whiche is yâ— wicked spirite Lucifer his felowshyp by whose .vii. heades is sygnified all blasphemies and wickednes wherwith he worketh all myschiefe And the .x. hornes doe sygnifye his great and manyfolde tyrannye wherby he worketh to hynder and hurt the true faythe and the gospell of Iesus Christ the onely sauiour wherunto he is an enemye an aduersarye with all his might power so farre as almightye God wyll permyt and suffer him whiche he taketh to helpe him namely the louers frendes and gredy folowers of this worlde vngodlye tyrannes againste all godly innocencye and christen faithe This dragons tayle sygnifieth the might power and ministers of the deuell wherby he dysyreth to hurt the electe yf God woulde suffer it as it is possible that he maye that they shoulde fall from the heauenly vertue and godlines vnto the loue of this worlde and vnto earthly and fleshely lustes and affeccions The texte ¶ And the dragon stode before the woman whiche was readye to be delyuered for to deuourt her chylde as sone as it were borne And she brought forthe a man childe whiche shoulde rule all nacions with a rodde of yron And her sonne was taken vp vnto God and to his seate And the woman fled into wildernes where she had a place prepared of god that they shoulde fede her there a M.ii. hundred and .lx. dayes The wycked spirite dyd bestowe all his might and power that the promyse of God thorowe the dysobedience of the children of Israell whome he alwayes stirred vp might come to none effecte and that yâ— trueth of God might be dysappoynted and that the faythe in Christ in whome our saluacion dothe consyste might be blemysshed and confounded and also that the gospell might be myxed with mans doctrine interpretacions and errours But the goodnes truth mercye faythfulnes and loue of God is greater than the power and wickednes of the deuell and of al his subtilties and ministers For the childe was borne goddes worde became man truth had the victorye and falsehede laye on yâ— grounde vnder fote The craft and subtiltie of the deuell was defeated by the wysdome of God and was opened and dysclosed vnto the worlde This childe Christ the euerlasting worde of God whiche became man in the moost holy wombe of the virgin Marye was receyued and taken of God the father throughe grace for the satisfaccion of the synne of al the world and he dyd merite and deserue with his highe and most perfyte obedience and humblenes the glorye of yâ— heauenlye father and the kyngdome of heauen wherin he ruleth for euer and euer But the truth of the christen faith religion and of the gospell of Christ dyd alwaies suffre extreme sorowe and payne beyng persecuted euen at the first of the Iewes of the false Apostles of false and coloured christians of Emperours and Kynges of workemongers of false and wicked bysshops of Sorcerers and nigromansers of Sarasens of ydolaters and Epicures of philosophers of the louers
suttyltie falsede crafte of suche miracles as are or haue ben done wherby as it hath ben is euident inoughe they haue begyled bothe riche kinges princes and yâ— who le world of their goods possessions thorow their false doctrine And they fight and kepe batel alwayes against yâ— holy gospel as Gog and Magog did against Ierusalem with dyuerse victories and triumphes but they shal be ouercome at length thorowe the power of gods worde and of yâ— gospell reueled and come to light thorowe the spirite of Enoche Helyas of the whiche is before mencioned in the great daye of God the almighty which shall come at suche tyme as no man is ware of and whan all men thincke to be most sure eueÌ„ at suche tyme as the wickednes of these .iii. spirites shal be most strong and at the highest As than shall the godly ministers of the gospel indewed and strengthned with the spirite of Helias ioyfully come furthe against these deuils and against al maner of errours bothe of the faith and of the outwarde lyfe As than shall those be happye whiche watche and are careful with great diligence for the christen doctrine and religion whiche are clothed with the power of the holy goost and with a right zeale whiche set furthe the workes of God as dyd Helyas not onely with wordes and wrytinges but also with lyfe deedes examples continuaunce and constantnes in goodnes without any pryde or desyre of vayne glorye that no man shall euer see any shame by them But the iudgemeÌ„t of God hath gathered the .iii. vncleane spirites into one place into the eternall fyre of damnacion and euerlastinge shame payne and confusion whiche is prepared and promysed to the deuyll and his angels For Harmagdon maye sygnifye as muche as the iudgement of curse The texte ¶ And yâ— seuenth angel powred out his vyalle into the ayre And there came a voyce out of heauen from the seate sayinge it is done And there folowed voyces thonderynges and lightninges and there was a great earthquake suche as was not sence men were vpoÌ„ the earth so mightye an earthquake and so great And the great citie was deuyded into thre parties and the cyties of al nacions fell And great BabiloÌ„ came in remembraunce before God to geue vnto her the cuppe of the wyne of the featcenes of his wrathe Euery yle also fled awaye and the mountaynes were not founde And there fâ—ll a great hayle as it had bene talentes out of heauen vpon the men and the men blasphemed God because of the plage of the hayle for it was great and the plage of it sore This seuenth angell is more harde vncerten to interprete and to expounde than all the other Lyke as it is more vncerten to wryte of thinges to come than of suche thinges as are alredy past It may wel be a great feare in tyme to come that yâ— kyngdom of the Turkes for a short space shal be a great plage sorow an heuy iudgemeÌ„t ouer the corrupte decayed christeÌ„dome Whiche plage may here be founde marked out of these wordes yâ— it shal happeÌ„ come to passe before suche tyme as the Lambe his ministers shal rule vpon yâ— earth that both Iewes heathen shal be conuerted vnto Christ yâ— it may be sayde it is al done and so vp yâ— the full end of the worlde to come the terrible iudgement of God to fal vpoÌ„ one sorte parte of men whiche shall than be a lyue whiche is yâ— first parte And the other part is of them whiche shall ryse vp vnto euerlastynge saluacion And yâ— thirde is of them which are already damned which is and shal be the greatest part Vnto whom this iudgemeÌ„t all that shal goe before or come after it shal be more fearful terrible thaÌ„ any hart can thincke or any toung expresse which terrible heuy thing is here sygnified as muche as is possyble by the terryble voyces thonders lightninges earthquakes ouerthrowing of the greatest mightiest cities kingdomes as BabiloÌ„ Rome were What thing can be thought or ymagined more terrible fearfull Whiche thing this cursed and damnable worlde shall and muste suffer by the rightuous iudgemente of God and it muste fele the great wrathe of God forasmuche as it hath alwayes despised the blessed gospel and Christ our sauiour and redemer And therfore the great and heauye stroke and plage of gods rightuous iudgement shal fal vpon the worlde and yet shall it not amende them but as damned parsons shall cast and set them into euerlastinge blasphemye of God wherin they are hardened and wil not amende Whiche is the highest greatest plage that the lorde God maye or wil sende vpon his enemies ¶ The .xvii. Chapter The texte ¶ And there came one of the seuen angels which had the seuen vialles talked with me saying vnto me come I wil shewe thee yâ— iudgement of the great whore that sytteth vpon many waters with whome haue committed fornicacion the kynges of the earthe and the inhabiters of the earth are droncken with the wyne of her fornicacion And the spirit caried me away into the wildernes And I saw a woman syt vpon a rose coloured beast full of names of blasphemye whiche had seuen heades and ten hornes And the woman was arayed in purple and rose coloure and decked with golde precious stone and perles and had a cup of golde in her hande full of abhominacions and fylthines of her fornicacion And in her forheade was a name wrytten a mistery great Babilon the mother of whordome and abhominacions of the earth And I saw the wyfe droncken with the bloude of sainctes and with the bloude of the witnesses of Iesu And when I sawe her I wondred with great marueyle ONe of the seuen angels whiche spake of the seconde kyngdome and iurisdiccion of Rome of yâ— beast with .ii. hornes commeth now againe wyll speake more largely sufficiently of Antichrist whiche is his chiefe pricke â–ª marke wherat he wil shote Whom he nameth here with a new name the great whore whiche wil be yâ— head chiefe gouernour of many nacioÌ„s whose special abiding is in yâ— lande named Italy which lieth in yâ— see in maner as yâ— lesser Asia dothe With this pompous suttil deceightfull shameles lecherous proude state of yâ— papacy haue kinges coÌ„mitted whordoÌ„ almost these thousaÌ„de yeares beyng sometyme frendes together and sometyme enemyes sometyme one in his chiefe fauour and sometyme another And thus haue all Christen kyngdoms suffred them selues to be ruled and ledde yea to be put in feare and againe in coÌ„forte and ioy by him what with his suspendinge and cursynge vntyll he crepte so farre into the churche of God and became the highest desolacion and decaye therof that euer was This woman vpon the rose coloured beast is not onely arayed with red scarlet robes â–ª lyke as his Cardinales are otherwyse than euer Christ or his
humble Apostles bysshops and spirituall ministers were and like bloudâ— thurstye soudyers but rather with muche Christen bloude sheddynge vnder yâ— pretence of the punyshement of heresy as all that must be named which hath bene spoken or written against the pompe vsurped power and tyranny of the papacye This woman is also arrayed with suche infinite variable colours and ornamentes of monkery and with dyuerse lyueres of religious orders by whome she would haue had both honour and profyte whiche with their names and sectes haue obscured and blemysshed the name of Christ wherof S. Paule doth complayne to the Chorinthians as an vnsemynge thinge as it is in dede a great blasphemye that the names of S. Benet S. Austen saincte Fraunces shoulde obscure the name and honour of Christ our onely sauiour and redemer This woman besyde her variable garmentes hath also taken vpon her for to set furth her pryde dignite and estimacion withall to rule ouer all Christen Kynges and Princes whiche she hath brought vnder her and made subiect and contributorye vnto her with falsehede and lyes vtterly against the doctrine of the holy gospell Vox autem nonsic So shall not yee And also against the example of Christes fetewasshynge And lykewyse against the holy order and commendacion of saincte Peter whiche had neyther golde nor syluer And against the order of the holy Apostle saincte Paule whiche to auoyde offence and to opeÌ„ the gospell woulde erne his breade with his handes as other of the apostles also dyd This whoryshe woman hath garnished and decked her selfe farre otherwyse not with diuerse and many vertues but with precious stones golde and siluer c. The cuppe of golde is not the loue of Christ the christen faith nor the lawe of God but muche rather all the Popes decrees decretalles bulles patentes dyspensacions suspensions and cursynges This is the very abhominacion of whordome that she might playe the whore at her pleasure after this fasshion with pompe aucthorite and lust without any shame or feare beyonde all measure And all this vnder the name and pretence of Christ and of holynes in the honour of God and for the welth of the soule whiche thorow him are yâ— longer the more vnblessed and vnhappye And therfore for the name of the christen churche he hath deserued a nother name that is to be called more worthylye the whore of Babilon the mother of all abhominacion ydolatrye and of all fallyng vnto hethenyshe supersticions The innocent bloude of the holy godly prophetes and preachers whiche the right christen churche hath neuer lâ—cked hath this whore the proude glorious papacye shed so without nomber or measure tyll she was so dronken therwith that she toke and estemed suche tyrannye for a godlye zeale and feruencye and hathe perswaded her selfe that men must suffer it and be content therwith what soeuer she dyd yea althoughe she shoulde sende faithfull soules vnto hell by heapes Is not this a great meruell vnto all men of vnderstanding and an offence and slander vnto al vnfaithful as Turkes Iewes and other and an intollerable violence oppressioÌ„ vnto the whole world I wyll not say euen vnto the very inhabitours of Rome and to all right faithfull hartes The texte ¶ And the angel sayde vnto me wherfore merueylest thou I wyl shewe thee the mystery of the woman and of the beast that beareth her which hath seuen heades and ten hornes The beast that thou seest was is not and shal ascende out of the botomles pit and shal go into perdicion and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder whose names are not written in the boke of lyfe from the begynnynge of the worlde when they beholde the beaste that was and is not And here is a mynde that hath wysdome In this exposicion and declaracion good christen reader hast thou this comfort that this woman the cursed damnable papacie shall haue an ende not in the worlde wherin Antichrist shal haue his place so long as the worlde shal coÌ„tinue and endure but in the hartes and conscieÌ„ces of the faithful Christianes in all states and degrees whiche shall withstande and reproue him and shall hynder and let his presumpcion and no more feare his thonderboltes neyther regarde nor esteme his suspencions and cursynges nor take no power nor auctorite at his hande any more And as for the beast whiche beareth her whiche signifieth the Romyshe prescripcions the papall seate his indulgence pardoÌ„ and excommunicacion shall be taken and estemed as it is and as it is knowen to be vnto all the worlde out of the holy and manifest gospell And therfore he shall not cease to persecute with the helpe of suche kynges as are as good and vertuous as him selfe and he shal couet alwayes to clyme vp and to be hygher and hygher vntyll at length he shall fall downe into euerlasting perdicion before God and all the worlde whiche shall wonder therat and speciallye yâ— wycked and vngodlye whiche are not electe vnto saluacion whiche had pleasure and delyght in suche pompe pryde dygnite tyrannye and abhominacion as he dyd vse They shall wonder and meruell I saye whan they shall see the papacy to be throwen downe from heauen into the damnacion and pit of hell lyke as it hapned vnto his father the great dragon the deuyl luke the .x. Now the knowledge of the iudgement of God and of his trueth by the gospell whiche teacheth vs to knowe bothe Christ and Antichrist is a syngular wysedome and a great gyfte of God The texte ¶ The seuen heades are seuen mountaynes on whiche the woman sytteth they are also seuen kynges Fyue are fallen and one is and another is not yet come And when he commeth he must continue a short space And the beaste that was and is not is euen the eight and is one of the seuen and shall go into destruccion And the ten hornes whiche thou sawest are ten kynges whiche hath receaued no kyngdome as yet but shal receyue power as kynges at one houre with the beaste These haue one mynde and shall geue their power and strength vnto the beaste These shal fyght with yâ— lambe and the lambe shal ouercome them For he is Lordâ— of lordes and kynge of kynges and they that are on his side are called and chosen and faithfull This vision of the seuen hylles agreeth well vnto the seuen hylles whiche are in the citie of Rome of the whiche she hath made her boast and triumph as she hath also done of the seuen heade churches And howe many the kingdoms are wherupon he hath sytten appeareth by the chronicles And whiche of them are fallen from him and forsake him we see daylye But he that shall come and remayne for a shorte space that same parauenture shall be the kynge of yâ— Turkes whose infidelite and tyrannye maye soner be reformed mollyfied and altered after mans iudgemente by the gospel by the instruccion of gods word may soner be brought vnto the religion and true faith
endeuour of the wicked trauailling to the coÌ„trarie So in dede my bondes gaue occasion that the woorde of Christe came not onelye to a fewe and those but of the symple sorte of the commune people as it was afore but it floryshed also throughoute all Neroes hall and all the whole cytie so as sondrye of the brethren whyche professed the ghospell before that tyme as men halfe afrayed nowe beynge encouraged wyth my bondes as the Lorde Iesus ordreth the matter they begynne alid through myne example to professe the woorde of the ghospell more freely and boldelye all drede set aparte And albeit all men dyd it not wyth a lyke synceritie as they dyd not also wyth lyke dylygence yet the matter chaunced by occasion to the furtheraunce of the ghospell For there was among them some that dyd it of a maliciouse purpose to procure the greater hatred against me and to kyndle Neroes stomake so muche the more fearcely agaynste vs as he sawe thys secte encrease and come forwarde whiche in his erronious conceipte he iudgeth to be hurtefull to his Empire In consideration whereof they thoughte he woulde the soner haue dispatched me oute of the waye Perchaunce there be manye that hauynge disdeigne at my glorye whyche notwythstandynge I chalenge not to my selfe but resigne it whollye vnto Christe haue gone aboute throughe malicious enuye to obscure my commendacion if they myght seme to be more diligente than wee Agayne there be of them that preache Christe as I dooe with a syncere good conscience thoughe it be not throughly perfite For as concernynge fauoure after the outwarde maner of man I can not wante anye at theyr handes whyche loue me and see me endaungered for thys cause that I goe stedfastlye about accordyng to the offyce commytted vnto me to defende the ghospell agaynste the wycked althoughe that euen those that preache vpon the moste naughty purpose haue furthered the glorye of the ghospell also For they preache Christe but not of a Christian conscience nor of an vpryghte purpose but labour to the intente they myghte cause me nowe I am taken and bounden to be more greuouslye punyshed in case throughe theyr earnest hoote cockled ghospellyng they coulde haue broughte vs in to more haynous displeasure Thys how so euer it shal happen vnto me shall make no great matter so that it turne to the glorye of Christe vnto whome I owe suche entier hartie loue that I am glad to haue hym notified vnto all men by what occasion so euer it be They deserue the greatest commendation before God that preache Christe vpon the same intente that I doe And they are to be borne wythall that vpon a certayne pryuate affection towardes vs set forwarde the doctrine of the gospel But those yâ— preache Christ for displeasure of me in yâ— they hurte theÌ„selues I am sorye in yâ— they goe about to hurt me I defye theÌ„ in that their froward purpose turneth to the furtheraunce of the gospel I am veray glad so that they teache Christe truelye althoughe theyr entent be nothyng vpryght And I doo not onelye reioyce nowe presentlye but also I wyll reioyce hereafter in rase they goe on styl in despight of me to set out the doctrine of Christ It greueth not me that their intente is by thys meanes to destroye me seynge I knowe well ynoughe that wyth the helpe of youre prayers the spirite of Iesu Christe forwardynge and gouernyng this busines it shall proue vnto my best commoditie whether I dye or lyue And my faythfull truste that I haue coÌ„ceyued of hym shall neuer desceaue me whiche is that I am moste certaynly perswaded that he wil neuer leaue me destitute nor put to shame in preaching the gospell which he hathe coÌ„mytted vnto me so as I shal not be enforced wyth anye afflictions either to reâ—ante it as vayne or holde my tongue from speakyng the thyng that I am sure is mooste true but rather lyke as the afflictions whiche I haue suffered at mennes handes after the bodye haue alwayes hetherto turned to the aduauntage of the ghospell eyther whan I was stoned or whan I was scourged wyth whyppes or whan I was caste to wylde beastes euen so thys afflyction whereby I am in ieoperdye of my heade and lyfe shall proue also to the glorye and prayse of Christe whether I chaunce to lyue or dye For as the former stormes of myne afflictions althoughe they troubled thys caâ—cas dyd neuer for all that wythdrawe myne harte nor made me to shrynke from the stedfast preachyng of Christe no more shall also thys hoote tempest any thyng withdrawe me Yf I lyue I shall defende the trueth of the ghospell boldely yf I shall dye euen my deathe whiche I shall gladlye suffer for the ghospelles sake shall further the glorye of Christ Whether waye so euer happeneth vnto me I shal be in sure sauegarde And as for death I am not onely not afrayed of it but I thynke it also rather to be wyshed for yf it myghte be to the spedye furtheraunce of the ghospell And yet I am not wearye to lyue thoughe I lyue in thys payefull estate for I measure all the felicitie of my lyfe by the successe of the ghospell And on the other parte I am not affrayed of death For it shal be my vauntage and brynge me to the ioyes of heauen where after thys lyfe I shall truely lyue And yet in the meane tyme thys vyle corporall lyfe wanteth not his frute forasmuche as in amplyfyinge of good dedes the rewarde of immortalitie is amplyfyed also and besydes that whyle we lyue in thys worlde the ghospell of Christe is set forwarde and confirmed throughe oure trauayll And it is in the hande of Christe whether hys pleasure be rather that I lyue or dye For myne owne parte I am so readyly prepared for eyther waye that I can not tell whether is better for me to chose There is cause why I shoulde wyshe to dye and there is cause why I shoulde not refuse to lyue But whan I haue cast what is best for me â–ª and examyned myne owne hearte I perceyue it were a greate deale better for me to be losed frome the troublous toylynges of thys lyfe and to be in presente companye wyth Christe and to goe agayne vnto that vnspeakeable felicitie that I had a taste of whan I was â—apte into the thyrde heauen Agayne whan I consider what is best and moste expedyent for you I perceyue it profitable yea rather necessarie for you that I contynue yet for a whyle in thys myne office And I knowe this for a certayntie that I shall tarye styll yet in this life and tarye so as I shall once haue youre companye agayne and be at suche libertie as you shall goe forwarde more aboundauntlye in faithe and as I shall haue muche more cause to be glad of the encreace of your fayth and as you on the other parte maye be glad of my commyng vnto you agayne whan you shall see that by the