did write CHAP. II. The second period containing a second battaile in heauen betweene the man Childe of the woman and the Dragon WHen the troubles of the Church were ouer which were in hand when Saint Iohn did write the Lord did a cap. 4.2 Psal 156.1 76.2 erect his throne openly in heauen by a manifest gouernment of his Church in the world So that now the truth of that Tabernacle is amongst the Christians whereof the Iewes in the wildernesse b Heb. 9.8.9 had the type and figure for the present time c Heb. 8.2 euen that true Tabernacle which God hath pitcht and not man Then the Christian Churches haue Mount d cap. 14.1 Sion the e Heb. 12.22 1. Cor. 3.17 Temple and in it f cap. 7.15 Heb. 4.16 the throne of grace or mercies-seate and hereupon g cap. 4.4 the Lord sitting hauing h Psal 93.1 put on glorious apparell Here i Psal 122.5 also are the thrones of the house of Dauid euen the thrones of iudgement k Heb. 12.23 for the first begotten whose names are written in heauen l cap. 4.5 Ioh. 16.13 Here also are the seuen Lamps the holy Ghost which enlightneth euery one that commeth into the world to leade them in all trueth The m cap. 4.6 1. King 7.23 Ephes 5.26 Tit. 3.5 Matth. 3.11 Sea pure as crystall the true lauer of regeneration by which men are baptized vnto repentance The n cap. 4.6.7.8 Ezech. 10 2. Psal 99. glorious Cherubins betweene whom the Lord sitteth and raigneth This throne is compassed with innumerable o cap. 5.11 Heb. 12.22 1. King 6.29 Gen. 3.24 Angels who now defend the godly and speake peace to them hauing palmes in their hands which heretofore had flaming swords to keepe them from the tree of life Here is also the p cap. 6.9 Leuit. 4.34 altar of burnt offering on which the Saints are slaine and their blood powred at the foote of the altar q ca. 8.3 9.13 Psal 141.2 The golden altar with his odours and hornes Salomans r 1. King 7.15 cap. 3.12 pillers c. The onely difference is that wee haue the trueth without shadowes and therefore our Tabernacle hath neither vaile nor couering nor boardes to inclose it but standeth erected openly in the world vnder heauen Hereupon the ſ cap. 12.7.3 Dragon the diuel beginneth new warres in heauen and in earth There was a great battaile in heauen that is in those places of the world where the Gospell of the t Matth. 13.19.24 kingdomè of heauen was publikely professed Of this battaile we are to consider the enemies their manner of fight and the successe The enemies in this battaile u cap. 12.7 are Michael and his Angels which fight against the Dragon and his Angels By Michael is ment the * cap. 14.1 Dan. 12.1 lambe Iesus Christ fighting by the man childe which the woman brought foorth that is the godly learned and valiant Christians which sprung vp of the doctrine of the Apostles when the Church had peace after the first troubles The first seale The a cap. 6.1 manner of the fight is so wonderfull that one of the Cherubines doth call as with the voyce of thunder to all men to come and see both him and his furniture to this warre Wherefore first Saint Iohn doth b cap. 6.2 behold and loe a white horse c Psal 68.13.14 white for honour and a horse for d Zach. 1.10 speede He e cap. 6.2 that sat on him had a bow with f Psal 45.5 sharpe arrowes to pearce the hearts of men by the preaching of the Gospel and spreading of it by word and writing For the learned men of that time did labour g Euseb 4. 14. 18. 20. 21. 26. 28. 5. 9. c. by preaching and wrote diuers treatises some of instruction in the points of religion others of confutation both of the gentiles and heretikes h cap. 6.2 Psalme A crowne is giuen vnto him to reigne in the world For when i Euseb 8. 1. as by the graunt of Adrian the royall commandement of Antoninus Pius the crowne was set vpon the head of Christ the Gospel spread abroad very speedily and with much glory getting honour and estimation amongst all men as well Greekes as Barbarians The Christians gouerned in principall offices amongst the nations They with their families most familiarly did triumph of the profession of their faith euen in the palaces of Princes Bishops were in most high estimation and price amongst all men Very populous were the assemblies of the professors and euery day the places for their congregations were made more large all things prospered and increased in a word they were happie dayes And being thus furnished k cap. 6.2 he rideth forth conquering that he might ouercome l Euseb 5. 19. For the doctrine of saluation did subdue the mindes of all sorts of men vnto m Ibm. the holy religion of one the God of all Now these things were intolerable to the diuel by nature enemie to euery good thing and enuious thereat n cap. 12.7 And the Dragon by the Romane Empire as yet heathen and his Angels both Princes or Proconsuls with the people and heretikes c. did warre against him that sat vpon the horse The Emperors like the bloudie Dragon the diuel did often times moue very extreame persecutions o Geneb p. 508. p 519. Euseb l. 4. Carion For after Marcus Aurelius the philosopher monsters held the Empire to Constantines time This Marcus with his colleague Verus moued persecution After them Seuerus and Aurelius opposed themselues against Christ commaunding that none should become a Christian vnder a grieuous paine Maximinus persecuted the Doctors Bishops and other chiefe professors Decius was a most cruell firebrand Valerius a bloody persecutor Aurelianus a grieuous aduersary Dioclesian in the East and Maxentius in the West stirred vp most barbarous persecutions against the Church which sincerely professed Christ a Euseb 4. 15. 5. 1. For after innumerable torments and kindes of death they would not suffer the godly to be buried but after their bodies had laine for euery body to gaze vpon some were eaten with dogges some burned and their ashes cast into riuers c. There sprung vp also innumerable heretickes b as false b Euseb 4. 21. 27. 5. 15. 13. c. Christs false Prophets false Apostles whom the enemie of the Church of God hating good and louing euill omitting no meanes or opportunitie to lie in waite to hurt man raised vp These not onely deuided the vnitie of the Church with peruerse doctrines against God his Christ and all godinesse but also were violent and double diligent to bring the godly into persecution and to execute torments vp on them Among these was c Euseb 4. 37. 5. 2. Tatianus a violent enemie of
many of them But m Euseb 9. 8. vnder Maximinus was the greatest pestilence of all the people died in the streetes in great multitudes the dogges eat many of them halfe dead their carcasses lay naked open and vnburied a most lamentable spectacle to those that beheld it And as Michael the lambe with his Angels doe fight that he might ouercome so did the Dragon and his a cap. 12.7.8 Angels fight that they might preuaile and keepe their places of idolatrie and superstition The Dragon doth warre b cap. 12.10.11 first by accusing the brethren and then by shedding their blood Many grieuous accusations were laide to the charge of the Christians first that c Euseb 3. 17. Christ was King and so would dispossesse Princes Then d Epiphanius where as some heretikes did vse women in common eating horrible meates as young children and womens menstrues c. the e Euseb 4. 7◠same things were obiected to the faithfull Christians Yea the tyrants in their edicts published f Euseb 9. 5. 7. very blasphemous accusations against Christ and Christians They slaundered the Christians that when they assembled to their Sabbaths vnder the colour of seruing God they polluted themselues with promiscuous whoredomes That the iniquitie of the Christians was the cause of the famine earthquakes warre and mortalities and that the heathen gods did thereby reuenge the indulgence of the Princes towards the Christians Of these and such like slaunders they write books which they giue to the schoole-masters to teach their schollers As also they hang them vp vpon pillars in all publike places to be read of all men Yea they forbade g Polychro lib. 4. f. 169. any man that would not sacrifice to their idols to buie or sell or take vp water Besides their slaunders and disgraces they added hereunto most barbarous persecutions h Massaeus 10. P.p. 131. 133. determining and commanding to roote out the Christians The Churches in many places were i Euseb 8. 2. pulled down and the scriptures burnt and destroyed Yea k Geneb p. 543 Polych 4. c. 25. in one night twentie thousand Christians were burned as they were assembled in the Church seauenteene thousand died of most horrible and vnnaturall torments in the space of thirtie daies Euery l Euseb 8. 6. 7. 10. 12. in alijs suis libris one was the more esteemed for his wisdome and obseruance to his Prince by how much he was able to deuise and execute torments most barbarous vnnaturall horrible and painefull they spared no sexe nor age nor regarded any persons of honour nor affinitie nor consanguinitie Then was there no place of refuge The fift seale cap. 6.9 11. nor time of resting from these tyrannies Yet is the successe happie for the Saints who got the victorie and triumph and a Cap. 12.8.9 miserable to the Dragon and his angels whose place was no more found in heauen but he was cast out euen into the earth and his angels were cast out with him The victorie is first begged of God and then executed Those which obtaine the victorie get it by deprecation and are said to be the b cap 6.9 soules that is c Gen. 9.4 Numb 9.4 Leuit. 17.14 the persons and carkasses of them that had beene killed for the word of God and for the testimonie which they maintained to wit the martyrs which d 2. Tim. 4.6 were killed or offered so that e Leuit. 4.34 their blood seemed to bee poured at the foote of f cap. 11.2 Exod. 21.14 the Altar beeing slaine in the place of Gods most immediate and sincere worshippe for the Gospel and profession of Iesus Christ of whom is spoken before They crie g Gen. 4.10 Heb. 11.4 aloud for vengeance beeing slaine as Abels blood did crie against his brother Caine. They are honoured with white robes which were giuen them euery h Euseb 5. 2. godly man esteeming honourably of them that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for the Lord Iesus Christ Yea they also were honoured with the victorie ouer their persecutors For howsoeuer the estate of the Christians in the former troubles was very desperate yet the Martyrs by the power of Christ did so constantly endure all the torments of their persecutors that they ouercame them i cap. 12.11 by that word of their testimonie in that they loued not their liues vnto the death k Euseb 8. 12. 13 For whē the tyrants had made proofe of all kind of torments and were not able to augment their tortures they dispaired in themselues as not hoping to preuaile by that course Then grewe they wearie with killing them and were glutted with blood They also by reason of certain wise and iust Apologies which the Christians published in the defence of the flocke of Christ feared least the Princes should iustly incurre a publik note of infamie for the barbarous effusion of innocent blood And so the persecution did slacke Thus the victorie beeing obtained at the hands of God The sixt seale cap. 6.12 c. it was presently pursued with diligent execution by the Lambe now throughly angred To which purpose there was a great earthquake that is a a Isai 24.17.18.19.20 Ioel 2.20 generall doubtful tottering in the minds of men not knowing what to settle vpon Which grew by reason that b Ann. 311. Constantinus the sonne of Constantius who fauoured the Christians was saluted Emperour Then c Abb. Vrsp was there a great motion in the Christian world The common wealth was held by foure new Emperours which had euery one their drift to be the chiefest which caused the people to be infinitely distracted Besides that others d Mussaeus p. 132. sought partly by treason to take away Constantine as Maximinianus partly by the souldiers to place themselues as Valens in the East and Alexander at Carthage yea the Romans e Vrsp p. 79. Massaeus were so perplexed with the tyrannie of Maxentius that they called to Constantine for reliefe By the stirring of Constantine the Princes were distressed and confounded as if the Sunne were f cap. 6.12 as blacke as sackecloth of haire and the Moone was all made like blood so g Amos. 8.5 Ioel. 3.15 that their daies were vncomfortable and in the night they were in feare to be slaine For his h Euseb 8. 14. 9.9 comming offended Maximinianus much and his proceedings made Maximinus sadde Maxentius was also in exceeding feare that he durst not go out of Rome gates The Nobles and i Isai 13.10.13 7.2 principall ministers of estate such as loued the workes of darkenesse fell from their places of eminencie as k cap. 6.13 if the starres of heauen fell to the earth and so violently were they mooued out of their places as a figge tree casteth her greene figges when it was shaken of a mightie winde The publike face of l Isa
34.4 Agg. 2.22 religion was altered as if the heauen departed away like a scroll when it is rolled For Constantine m Eus 9.9 de vita Const passim restored libertie to the Church and by his edicts with Licinius assent decreed a most perfit law for the Christians commanded all nations to become Christians and shut vp the temples of idols The ciuill policie was also changed as if the a cap. 6.14.15 16.17 mountains and Isles were mooued out of their places whereupon all sorts of men hid themselues and grew desperate fearing that the Christians would reuenge the persecutions which were formerly inflicted on them For in b Melanct. li. 3. Constantines time was one of the greatest and most principal mutations that haue been in mankinde He c Geneb p. 547. extinguished Dioclesian who called himselfe the brother of the Sunne and Moone and would be worshipped as a God and d Poly. Inue 4. 9. caused the commons to stoope to kisse his feete He destroyed Maximinianus Maximinus Maxentius all tyrants He e Euseb 9. 9. 10. 11. rendred due vengeance vpon the heads of such great men who were the principall agents in the persecutions of the Christians As vpon Pencetius whom they called Honorable Culcianus whom they stiled Worthie Theotecnus whom they named Glorious He also plagued with infamous torments the kinsemen and children of the tyrants but especially the inchaunters and priests of the idols Yea he subiected f Euseb vit Const lib. 1. 4. vnto his Empire all the west countries to the great ocean all Scythia euen to the very north Aethiopia towards the south and the Lords and Earles as farre into the east as the Indians He restored good g Melanct. li. 3. lawes and iudgements decreed that the Christians should not onely not be hurt but also that they should be admitted to honors Thus the victorie being gotten and pursued there follow great triumphs in h cap. 12.10 heauen that is openly The Saints did i Euseb 10. 1. 2. 3. 4. publikely reioyce in the Lord their redeemer and did sing new songs vnto God of thankes giuing And Constantine k Euseb vit Const 1. 33. entred Rome with great triumph presently giuing thankes to the author of his victory and by famous inscriptions vpon pillers in the principall places of Rome published vnto all men the signe of Christ his saluation Yea l Geneb p. 556. he required all nations to forsake idols and embrace the profession of Iesus Christ by his edicts whereupon was fulfilled that in the Apocalypse Now is come saluation in heauen And thus was the Dragon and his Angels that is the diuel and his ministers a cap. 12 9.10 cast into the earth so that his place was found no more in heauen that is he doth persecute Christ no more openly but is constrained to oppose himselfe by earthly policies by the pretence of godlinesse This fall of the Dragon did b Euseb vit Con. l. 3. cap. 3. Constantine expresse in a picture which was hanged vp at the entry of his palace for euery man to behold His owne picture was made ouer his head the signe of the Lords passion the enemie and hostile beast which by the tyrannie of wicked men had persecuted the Church of God was pictured cast into a deepe sea in the shape of a Dragon and winding serpent meaning the diuel which c Esay 27.1 was thrust through with a great sword The end of the second period and battaile in heauen which was the first after the time of the returne of Saint Iohn from Patmos CHAP III. The third period and first battaile on earth betweene the Romane Empire corrupted with heresie and the Woman the Church NOw when d cap. 12.9 12.13 the Dragon saw that he was cast downe into the earth and his Angels with him he is full of wrath knowing that hee hath but a short time Wherefore he disposeth himselfe to bring wofull calamities both vpon the earth and the sea in which he had many of his Angels if by that meanes he might also further the execution of his wrath against the woman For he drifteth the destruction of the Church In the storie whereof Saint Iohn doth shew his purpose and endeuour His purpose is by foure of e cap. 7.1 his Angels to stay the foure windes that they should not blow on the earth nor on the sea nor on the trees that is to restraine a Can. 4.16 the inspiration of the holy Ghost that men neither b Gen. 6.12 neere nor c Isocr 42.10 farre off neither such as be worldly nor such as seeme d Luc. 23.30 by their vocation and profession to be godly might be led into all trueth By which meanes hee would bring in That e cap. 3.10 houre of temptation which should come vpon all the earth to trie them that dwell vpon the earth whether now that the Princes were conuerted to the Lord the Princes and people f Deut. 13.3 would loue the Lord their God with all their heart and with all their soule For about this time many g Euseb vita Const lib. 3. cap. 62. 2. 61. 64. Socr. 1. 4. Ruf. 1. 5. c. damnable heresies were powred into the world namely the Arians Maniches Nouatians Valentinians Marcionires Paulians Cataphrigians c. These h Berg. in Milchiad c. rent in peeces the Churches in Rome Africa in the sea coaste yea euery where This purpose of the Dragon is stayed a while but the visions of this first battell are seene afterwards The person that doth cause the stay to be made is an i cap. 7.2 Angel which came vp from the east that is the recalling of the doctrine which first was declared in the East namely the promise made to Abraham whereunto the law was a schoolemaster which was taught by the prophets exhihited to the Iewes in Christ and spread abroade in the world by the Apostles For saluation is of the k Iohn 4.22 Iewes For when the Empire was torne in peeces by diuers heresies and contararie factions the Emperor l Euseb de vit Const 2. 65. Constantine sent abroad his edicts to stay any further contention declaring that the true light of discipline and holy religion by the mercie of almightie God did come out of the East the professors whereof he respected as captaines of the nations vnto saluation The end of the stay is till the m cap. 7.3.9 seruants of God be marked some openly as in their foreheads others by the doctrine they doe maintaine For Constantine required all men to surcease from strife Till by a generall Councell all things might be determined according to the word of God which came out of the East Those which are marked in their foreheads are such which are knowen and noted to come forth into publike action and are called a cap. 7.4 the twelue tribes
cap. 18.1 Angel came downe from heauen hauing great power so that the earth was lightened with his glory that is the glorious Gospel which now was excluded by all men came by the mighty hand of God to be published and preached to the dispelling of the darkenes which Antichrist brought into the earth as if it had been brought from heauen by the ministery of a mighty Angel to enlighten men In the parable of this Angel by whom is signified the Lambe Iesus Christ who is preached to the world first is set downe the description of himselfe and his retinue and then his warres The parable is of a e cap. 19.11 horse and his rider as before in the sixth chapter The horse doth signifie the speedy posting abroade of the Gospel euen like lightning And this horse is white for the honour and good opinion and reputation the rider and those that followed him did get among persons of honour c. He that sate vpon this white horse was called and reputed faithfull and true euery way sincere Contrary to the dissimulation of Antichrist the Popes who were so vnfaithfull in their actions and so false in their words and writings that no man could safely trust what they said or did He is also said to iudge and fight righteously dealing vprightly with all men and iustly contending with his enemies by word and deede so that he decideth all questions truely and rightly and confuteth and impugneth his aduersaries according to the precise rule of equitie Contrary to the Popes who decide all doubts and fight all their battailes as may best serue their onely partialities and profites without respect to iustice and hereof are notoriously knowen to be guilty His ability to iudge righteously appeareth by this that a cap. 19.12 his eyes are as a flame of fire by his cleere and piercing insight truely discerning the very secrets of all things which he looketh vpon euen as they be Contrary to the Popes whose ignorance or malice maketh them vnable throughly to perceiue and see much lesse to foresee things as they be as appeareth by their continuall accusing of innocents and acquiting of vngodly persons And contrary to the popish Clergie who know nothing but what is reuealed to them by confession of such as neither will nor can tell all whereas b Heb. 4.12.13 all things are naked and manifest to him with whom we haue to doe to wit the word of God As an argument of the iustnes of his warres and iudgement he hath c cap. 19.12 many crownes on his head signifying the supreme authority of the Scriptures to bee such as that all Kings and Princes and people are in right subiects therevnto and so in this period shall acknowledge themselues to be so that when he fighteth it is to subdue his rebels Affronting the wicked Antichristian Popes who arrogantly weare a triple crowne vsurping authoritie and tyrannising ouer such as they haue no interest in but are and ought to be subiects of the word of God Of the name of this rider it is said he hath a name written which no man knew but himselfe to shew that when the Popes or others do arrogate to themselues alone the sense and vnderstanding of the Scriptures as if they were to iudge thereof alone d Specul Mino. tra 3. f. 135. b. pretending to haue all knowledge and law in the cabenet of their owne breasts they lie For the written Scriptures which are subiect to no Iudge cannot be vnderstoode but by the helpe of themselues speaking elsewhere more euidently that which seemeth darke in any place And hereof great persecution is to rise Furthermore he is said e cap. 19.13 to be clothed in a garment dipt in blood to signifie the great effusion of bloud by the martyrdome of such which should stand for the authority of the word of God against the beast Antichrist For from henceforth the great question is of the authoritie sufficiency and vnderstanding of the Scriptures about which are great contentions and persecutions His garment is also dipt in blood to teach that at last f Isai 63.1.2.3 he shall victoriously triumph ouer his enemies so as his garments shall be red with the blood of the slaine This wonderfull person in plaine tearmes is a cap. 19.13 the word of God which though lately buried by the traditions and ignorance and malice of men now commeth abroade againe The retinue of this great and most mighty Generall are said to be the b cap. 19.14 hostes that are in heauen that is such godly men as are come forth into Christian warfare and c Phil 3.20 haue their conuersation in heauen and therefore those of his side d cap. 17.14 are called chosen and faithfull professing the truth of the doctrine of vocation election and faith contrary to the vocation election and faith of those which followed Antichrist and therefore fought a good fight vnder persecutions These followed him keeping themselues in all doctrines to the steppes of the word of God speedily and honorably as vpon white horses e cap. 19.14 clothed in fine linnen white and pure hauing put on the righteousnes of Christ and f Dan. 12.10 being purified in the furnace of affliction Of the manner of this riders fighting it is said that his weapons are sure and his confidence full of all assurance Concerning his weapons it is said that g cap. 19.15 out of his mouth went a sharpe sworde so mighty and strong that with it he should smite the heathen signifying both the sharpe and feruent and mighty confutations of the wicked which should be taken from the word of God sufficient to conuince all the policy and superstition of the Gentiles the papists by a word of his mouth and also the hot warres which the preaching of the word should raise against Antichrist and the remnant c. His confidence in this warre is so great that he doth giue assurance to all that in the end He h Psal 2.9 shall rule the heathen with a rod of yron keeping them vnder by seuere and mortall lawes The reason of which assurance is that He it is that by the ordinance of almighty God treadeth the winepresse as a seuere executioner of the fiercenes and wrath of almighty God against all his enemies First in token of his confidence to triumph ouer all authority so that Kings and Lords c. shall be his subiects and seruants he i cap. 19.16 hath vpon his horsemans coate or garment a name written k cap. 17.14 The King of Kings and Lord of Lords Secondly to encourage his souldiers and terrifie his enemies he causeth it to be generally proclaimed or preached as if l cap. 14.8 18.2 there followed an Angel saying Babylon that great citie is fallen it is fallen to that basenes that whereas it was esteemed the seate and crowne of Kings and Princes now it should become the habitation
PISGAH EVANGELICA By the Method of the Reuelation presenting to publike view those Cananites ouer whom our Lord Iesus Christ and his holie Church shall triumph after seuerall Battailes THAT WHICH IS PAST IS SHEWED IN a briefe Ecclesiasticall Historie containing most of the Mutations which haue befallen the Church from the yeere of our Lord 97 vnto the yeere 1603. as they haue been shewed vnto S. Iohn in Patmos and recorded by such Historiographers as are of least suspected faith Gathered by WILLIAM SYMONDS sometimes Fellow of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford REVEL 6.1 Come and see ISAIAH 42.9 Behold the former things are come to passe and new things doe I declare before they come foorth I tell you them ISAIAH 34.16 Seeke in the booke of the Lord and reade none of these shall faile none shall want her make for his mouth hath commanded and his very spirit hath gathered them Imprinted at London by FELIX KYNGSTON for Edmund Weauer and are to be sold at his shop at the great North-doore of S. Pauls Church 1605. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE SIR ROBERT BERTIE KNIGHT Lord Willughby Lord of Willughby Berke and Erisby my most honourable good Patron all increase of honor in this life and eternall happines in the life to come INfinite are the benefits right Honourable that God hath prouided for man but amongst them all the word of God hath the preeminence For howsoeuer the fruition of the rest may seeme to make a man happie in this life this and onely this doth make a man a 2. Tim. 3.17 absolute as b 1. Tim. 4.8 hauing the promises of this present life and that which is to come Yea the keeping hereof doth adde c Prou. 3.12 an encrease of prosperitie to Salomons royalties but the want hereof made d Gen. 4.12.14 Kain a vagabond and a runnagate who was the heire of Adam the greatest Monarch and e Gen. 27.40 Esau to liue by his sword that had the birthright of better promises The chiefest point of the Scriptures is that which saueth namely f Rom. 10.9 confession of Christ and faith in him But that which striketh the veriest Atheist with greatest consternation the false worshipper with most astonishment and the looker on with deepest admiration is g Isai 45.21 41.21 c. and 43.12 44.7 the propheticall spirit here to bee found and no where else truly plainly and perfitly setting downe before hand what shall be accomplished afterwards in his due time Hereby the erroneous haue bin often h Mat. 22.40 c. conuicted and they which i Dan. 9.2 c. waited vpon the Lord singularly directed k Est 4 1â— and comforted This spirit which hath bin alwaies in the word of God doth fully shew it selfe in the Reuelation For in it the Lord hath written vp before hand the steps of his prouidence by which he would rule the Christian world l cap. 1.19 from the time of the Apostles to the last day Here m cap. 13. the reader and hearer are blessed the godly witnesses n cap. 2. 3. of Christ are directed in their greatest tentations and o cap. 44. the honourable wise and godly polititians in their p cap. 4.11 and 5.5 grauest deliberations and q cap. 11.17.18 reuising of histories c. Now though many haue laboured very profitably in the vnfolding of this booke yet wisedome lieth so deepe in the waters that r Eccl. 24.32 the first man hath not knowne her perfectly no more shall the last seeke her out For her considerations are more abundant than the sea and her counsell profounder than the great deepe But howsoeuer it be yet notwithstanding with Å¿ Dan. 12.4 often running it ouer knowledge is euer encreased and this was my comfort that sought to be further satisfied in a scripture of so great vse That which I haue attained vnto seeing the importunitie of many godly men hath preuailed with me to publish vpon good reasons I doe humblie present vnto your Lordship For first the Lord hath so mercifully disposed for me that both I and mine doe liue vnder your Lordships patronage wherefore I was bound to make some remonstrance of my thankfulnes and wanting other meanes I tooke this opportunitie Againe I was not onely set on worke to study this booke but also much encouraged and holped herein by your most honourable wise learned and godly Father my dearest Lord and therefore was to returne the fruites of my labour to his house And further I giuing it abroad in the language of my nation as a counterpoyson against the shamelesse fraudes of popish seducers your Lordships experience affoording you greater satisfaction of the times than can be knowne by bookes will be a strong retentiue to wauerers when they see the relation of the present popish impieties to be patronized by your good Lordship Great and many were the benefits which the Church of God obtained by the sincere and godlie profession of the Gospell which your Lordships most honorable ancestors did make Your Lordships * The Dutchesse of Suffolke grandmother did suffer much for the Gospell euen vnto banishment her Graces faithfulnes appeared herein that in the daies of her prosperitie and peace at home she is * By Master R. Allen sometimes her Chaplen reported to pray vnto God with lifted hands and eyes vnto heauen that the Lord would continue her house in honour to the glorie of God and of the Gospell of Christ for euer Your most honourable father with the blessed sword of Gedeon did fight in the defence of the Gospell and in a sicknes thought insuperable stood so resolued in the truth that hee desired none other graue than to die in the defence of the Gospell and of his Queene Both of them regarded the Lords Prophets and them that feared his name both small and great Their vertues haue a part in the booke of life in the holie citie and in the things which are written in this booke Honourable Lord the loue you beare to the Gospell and your wisdome in taking to wife a daughter of the true God doe make demonstration that your Lordship doth inherit the vertues of your most Christian ancestrie To your Lordship therefore I presume to dedicate this Treatise The subiect is Scripture and therfore worthie your hands the manner of explaining is somewhat new a thing that is wont to bee desired the maine is historie which giueth contentment and instruction to the studious Let the faithfulnes and dutifull affection of the giuer counterpoise the homelines of the handling And so I doe most humblie take my leaue praying vnto God that we which honoured your Lordships most honourable ancestrie may still encrease our thankfulnes to God and the ioy we take to see your Lordship and all yours euer abounding in all the blessings of almightie God and that stil of your Lordship also Christ may say as now he doth t
the throne of God doth wipe all teares from their eyes that is godly Princes are a comfort vnto them as was Iouianus and Valentinian who as in the time of h Soc. 3. 11. Iulian they refused all honours for the loue of the Gospel insomuch that i Theod. 3. 16. 19. Valentinian when a holy-water-clarke of the gentiles would haue cast water on him he tooke him a boxe on the care for fowling his clothes and that in the presence of the Emperor so k Soc. 3. 19. 20. when they came to be Emperors they much fauored the truth For Iouianus l Theod. 4. 1. refused the Empire saying he was a Christian but the souldiers required him not to refuse the Empire for they would be Christians and he should be the Emperour of Christians And after the persecutor Valens Gratian m Soc. 5. 2. c. and Theodosius Emperors recalled the Christian exiles and by lawes authorised the truth There was also by Theodosius a Councell held at a Caranza Constantinople against heresies especially the Macedonians that denied the holy Ghost to be God b Socr. 5. 13. 14. Before him the tyrant Maximus fled notwithstanding the triumphs and rumors which the Arians made to the contrarie And whereas the wicked inhabitants of the earth the heretikes had often felt such distresse by the Gothes Saracens and the professors of the truth that they were faine to make their peace by composition these things were as an c cap. 8.13 cap. 12.12 Angel flying through the middest of heauen crying woe woe woe to the inhabitants of the earth for the soundes of the three Angels which are yet to blowe their Trumpets manifestly foretelling three woes to come vpon the wicked The end of the third period and first battell on earth CHAP. IIII. The fourth period and second battell on earth in which the Dragon casteth a floud out of his mouth after the woman flying and is also the first woe to the inhabitants of the earth WHen the Dragon had failed in his hope to destroy the Church by his former trumpeters peece-meale for the Church did rather encrease than was diminished he now taketh a new course For being enraged he laboureth to drowne the Church altogether albeit with all he bring a lamentable woe vpon such which are his owne instruments of mischiefe Of this attempt or battell are shewed the enemies their seuerall manner of fight and the successe The enemies are the Dragon the Diuell by forraigne and heathen people which make incursion vpon the countries of the Church euen both the imperials and the visible Church Of these strangers is set downe First the meanes by which they come abroade then the kinde of the mischiefe which they doe and lastly the manner how they hurt The meanes by which they come abroade is the Diuell For the Serpent a cap. 12.13 cast out of his mouth water like a flood that is by his words sent foorth infinit nations b Isai 59.19 Ezech. 26.3 Amos. 8.8 after the woman the Christian Church that hee might cause her to bee caried away of the flood being drowned by Gentilisme or other corruption To this purpose he * The fifth trumpet cap 9.1 bloweth the fifth Trumpet against the Church whereupon a starre falleth from heauen vnto the earth bringing in such Apostasy into the world that some principall Christian falleth from the care of heauen to the loue of the earth so desiring to possesse the earth that he is contented to loose heauen if that might any thing further his ambition This was accomplished at the death of c Anno 395. Theodosius the good Emperor who had d Massaus 21. p. 154. appointed three principall Generals of his warres to helpe his sonnes faithfully to administer the common-wealth Ruffinus in the East Gildo in Africa and Stilico in the West For these three persons vpon the death of their Lord Theodosius fell from their Christian duty and sought for the Empire Ruffinus e Abb. vrsp 117. resolued to displace his Lord Arcaedius Emperor of the East and to take the roome himselfe Stilico sought to wring the Empire from his maister Honorius Emperor of the West and to aduance his sonne Eucherius to that dignitie And Gildo vsurped the Empire in Africa Their absolute authoritie is said to be that the f cap. 9.1 Isai 22.22 key of the bottomlesse pit was giuen them as a meanes to induce them to this apostasie The persons hauing power in their hands to let loose as dangerous persons as the diuell himselfe is if they would For all the barbarians were to be disposed of by their direction When they had resolued of this apostasie which was a sinne neuer heard of before among Christian Princes they laboured to couer their g Isa 29.15 28.15 drifts with damnable policie as opening the h cap. 9.2 bottomlesse pit so that there came smoke from thence as the smoke of a great fornace euen the craft of the Diuell By their secret and close cariage of things they did not onely conceale their purpose from men but also the sunne and the aire were darkened by the smoke of the pit That is Christ and his holy Gospell were so obscured as if the fault had been to be layed vpon the Christian faith that the times were so troublesome For when a Lud. Viues praef in Aug. de ciuit dei Ruffinus sought for the Empire for himselfe and Stilico for his sonne they both resolued on this aduice that for perfecting of their ambitions it was behouefull to raise vp warre that all things being in confusion by that kinde of tempest their desires might be the more secret and easilier compassed the Princes being amased with the terror of warre graunting any thing to that principall Gouernor that was next to them For they knew that in peace as in a cleere sky and open weather the darkenesse of their mindes might easily be discouered and punished Yea there b Amb. lib. 5. epist 31. Aug. de cuit dei lib. 1. c. was for this trouble a generall murmuring against Christ and the Gospell as if these afflictions did befall the Empire because the heathen gods were abolished and Christ onely worshipped Now out of the smoke came these dangerous c Geneb p. 590. Abb. vrsp p. 117. 118. enemies For these protectors by their speeches and letters powred as a flood all barbarous nations into the Empire The persons against whom they are brought foorth are first the woman the Church formerly described with her man childe the 144,000 which attende the Lambe on mount Sion And these are d cap. 9.4 Luc. 21.18.19 Ezech. 17.24 called the grasse of the earth euery greene thing and trees for the glorious royall apparell which they did weare hauing put on Christ Iesus and for the fruitfulnesse of them their lips being as a tree of life Against these did the diuell bring them forth For
keep themselues to the b Heb. 13.4 vndefiled mariage bed which they teach to be honorable amongst all men by it are as holy as Virgines Contrarie to Antichrist that blasphemeth mariage in the Clergie as if it were heresie c. Secondly they follow the lambe wheresoeuer he goeth c Ioh. 10.3.4.5 as good sheepe that know the voice of their shephearde and follow him as he goeth before them For in all things they walke according to the word of God As namly in the sacrament of the supper of Christ the true Pascal lambe they strickly obserue his institution Not hearing the voice of the stranger and tyrant Antichrist that obtrudeth doctrine of another manner of the presence of Christ there or addeth or taketh any thing away c. Thirdly d cap. 10.4 these are bought by the blood of Christ from amongst men not partaking in the ambitions c. of Antichrist who would possesse all the earth excluding the true owners Wherefore the true Martyrs and godly Christians are not to be found among them Fourthly they be the first fruits holy vnto God and to the Lambe For these onely are e Deut. 12.17.18 dedicated vnto the Lord to sanctifie the rest of mankind which if these were away were altogether vnholy and prophane in their pretended profession of God and his Christ And so in these times there would be no Church at all Fiftly f cap. 14.5 in their mouthes is found no guile speaking nothing deceiptfully for earthly endes but truely as the things of God are without hypocrisie Contrarie to Antichrist who is g cap. 13.14 deceiptfull in his words c. Lastly h cap. 14.5 They are without spot before the throne of God For if they be conuented before any throne of iustice where the righteousnesse of God doth preuaile their most subtile accusers cānot conuict their doctrine or life of any spot Howsoeuer Antichrist and his prelates sitting in the i cap. 13.2 throne of the Dragon the diuell doe accuse and iudge them as wicked and heretickes c. Concerning their preaching first is shewed the matter they preached and after their seuerall doctrines which they specially handled The Matter is the Gospell no fruitlesse Legends Of the bringing it abroad it is said k cap. 14.6 I saw another angell flie through the mids of heauen to signifie that the suddaine spreading of the Gospel in times so cruell and darke could be attributed to none other but some diuine hand working by his holy angels as effectually as when he gaue the law This Gospel is called Euerlasting and induring for euer not subiect to abolishment as the Antichristian Friers did after threaten nor alteration by addition or diminution which corruptions the Papacie attempteth but as it was in the beginning so must it continue Euerlasting This Gospel and none other must the witnesses preach to them that dwell vpon the earth l cap. 10.11 to euery nation and kinred and tongue and people and many kings of these tenne which arose out of the inundations of the Barbarians Specially they vrge these doctrines and that vehemently as m cap. 14.7 with a loud voice Feare God and neither idols nor men Giue glorie to God and not to such mortall men c. as would translate the glorie of God to themselues Worship him that made heauen and earth and the sea and fountaines of waters the things in them that is the Creator of all things and not n Rom. 1.25.23 the creature whether angels or o Eph. 2.10 men much lesse any idol which is the worke of mans hand The successe of this warre is very doubtfull For first the beast doth ouercome and after that is ouercome He is said to p cap. 13.7.8 ouercome them that stand against him both Princes and witnesses For power is giuen him ouer euerie kinred and tongue and nation Therefore all that dwell vpon the earth shall worship him as a God vpon earth whose names are not written in the booke of life of that Lambe which was slaine from the beginning of the worlds Of the particulars hereof will afterwards more at large be spoken But in the meane space we must remember that the manner of his victorie is to breake in peeces deuoure and stampe the residue vnder foote The Complement Ann. 1048. Leo the ninth a Frising 6.33 accepting the Papacie at the Emperours hand by the b Geneb p. 867 868. reproofe and counsel of Hildebrand a monke c. put off his purple entred Rome as a priuate man and was againe elected by the Clergie of Rome So was the Emperor hissed out For now there is life giuen to the beast c Trith Hirs p. 63. In his way to Rome they fable that the Angels were heard singing The Lord hath thoughts of peace and not of afflictions But they were lying spirits in the mouth of the false prophets For d Volat. l. 22. Abb. Vrsp p. 218. the Normans whom he called into Italie against the Greekes and Saracens inuaded the possessions of the Pope Against them the Pope as a Legionarie king goeth to warre and after much bloodshed on both sides the Pope fledde e Bergom 12. was taken prisoner by pursuite and some Cardinals with him and for ransome giueth them Apulia and whatsoeuer they held in Italie f Volat. 22. These warres of the Pope the Archbishop of Florence doth blame shewing it vnlawfull for him to doe that which Peter was forbidden when Christ said Put vp thy sword into thy sheath Also g Fasc Temp. f. 73. Petrus Damianus a most learned man in his time condemneth the Clergie that like legionarie nūbers fight for temperalties or labour to be present at wars as beeing contrarie to Gods commandement h Geneb p. 870 Nicatas Pictoratus wrot against the Romans of Priests marriages c. i Bergom 12. f. 180. Berengarius who had beene long singular for holinesse and learning taught k Mass 15. that after consecration there was not any carnall or reall presence in the sacrament but the signe l Geneb p. 871 875. He was condemned by this Pope first at Rome then at Vercellis in a Councell so was the booke which Iohannes Scotus wrot of the Sacrament 170. yeares after it was published Now began it to be called Simonie to receiue any Ecclesiasticall preferments at the hands of a laie man and such as taught that the Clergie ought or might vse their wiues were blasphemously called Nicolaitans and whoremongers Whereas the Scripture saith that in marriage m Heb. 13.4 the bedde is vndefiled This Pope n Mass 16. p. 222. canonized one Gerardus for a Saint happily the first canonizer of any Saint He also is o Trith p. 63. reported to be so famous for miracles that they fable hee clensed Christ of a Ieprosie No maruell if they blaspheme them that dwell in heauen when they dare blaspheme
of God Lethâ—rius l Trith p. 164. was againe called into Italie by the Pope against Rogerius the Prince of Apulia m Peucerus c. 35â— who had entred vpon the Church goods him Lotharius subdued and confiscated and increased the riches and dignitie of the Pope Lotharius n Vrsp p. 279. 280. beeing dead in his returne Conradus the third succeeded who was troubled with rebels by meanes of the king of Sicilia and other Princes Ann. 1144. Calestinus o Geneb p. 9â—â— Ann. 1149. the second was the first that was chosen without the voices of the people by a law made by Innocentius the second by which the people were excluded from the election Lucius the second * Geneb p. 919 920. a warriour against the Saraceus for Ierusalem and held a Councel against Abellardus * Trith p. 170. In these times was so great famine pestilence and mortalitie as was incredible to all posterities a cap. 11.6.7 For these witnesses haue power to shut heauen that it raine not in the daies of their prophecie c. to smite the earth with all manner of plagues as oft as they will Stella said he was Christ p Geneb p. 920. Mass 16.230 Eugenius the third the scholler of Bernard Ann. 1145. hee was driuen out of Rome by the Consuls c. Hee q Frisin g. Fri. â—6 caused Bernard to preach the crosse to mooue the Christians to send aide against the Saracens * Geneb who had taken Edessa and Ierusalem â—illed the Bishops and many thousands of Christians and committed many vnspeakable cruelties Whereupon r Vrsp p. 280. Conrade the Emperour and Ludouicus the French king went to the holy land with a great armie but t Massaeus 16. p. 230. did little good for their u Geneb p. 922 armies came to miserable destruction by reason of the deceipt of the Legate of the Emperour of Constantinople a Gobel ae 6.59 who mixed lime with their meale of which they should make their bread a Trith p. 170. The greater part of the armie perished by famine pestilence and sword filling the Pagans countrie with the spoiles and armie of the Romane expedition feeling the smart of the second wee from Euphrates In his time b Frisin gest Fri. 1. 46. 50. c. was very much contentioÌ„ among the diuines about the opinions of Gilbertus Poretanus a Bishop against whom was opposed S. Bernard This c Geneb p. 920 Bernard wrot a booke to this Pope De consideratione containing many imputations of Antichristianitie to the Bishops c. of his time proouing the Pope in his pompe to bee rather the successor of Constantine than Peter Though d Peuc 4 p. 357. his writings doe containe many superstitious opinions yet hee taught e Bernard de annuntiat ser 1. men to be iustified by the onely mercie of God through faith in Christ and so interpreteth S. Paul And that good works doe not merit eternall life but that it is freely giuen c. He also prooueth that where S. Paul did speake of the doctrine f 1. Tim. 4.3 of diuels in forbidding marriage and meates to be eaten that g In Cant. ser 63. prophecie was fulfilled in the votarie Priests of his time and their hypocriticall fasts Til h Peuc 4. p. 356. this time Monasteries were schooles of learning but now they became places of idlenesse and superstition and of maintaining the pride of Rome i Geneb p. 923 One in the South did preach that he was the forerunner or messenger of Christ presently to come Ann. 1153. Anastasius the fourth k Geneb p. 925 926. the politicians of France spoiled both Churches and Monasteries At this time were certaine which taught against the Church of Rome which were called or blasphemed as hereticks Publicani who some called Cathari l Trith p. 193. 194. some Patrini As also the heresie called Cardensis of the body and blood of the Lord l Trith p. 193. 194. of this opinion were disputors terrible to the learnedst They were of the opinion of Tauchelinus It seemeth at this time that the Waldenses sprung vp The person whose name they were called by was one m Fox Marty p. 233. c. Trith Hirs p. 188. Waldus a rich Citisen of Lyons who vpon a fearefull sight of the iudgement of God gaue all to the poore and professed euangelicall pouertie stirred vp himselfe and others to translate bookes of the Scripture into their mother tongue They taught that nothing is to be preached but Scripture That God onely is to be feared and no idols There is but one mediator The Temple of God is the whole world c. That n Geneb p. 938. prayer for the dead and the fire of purgatory is the inuention of couetous Priests Against images confirmation auricular confession c. o Fasc Temp. f. 77. b. These being admonished to leaue preaching answered it is more meete to obey God then man and despised the Prelats and Clergie They were spread abroade vpon a suddaine into Lombardy Boemia France and England c. p Fox Marty p. 204. Gerardus and Dulciuus with thirtie others as it seemeth of those Waldenses came into England and preached against the Church of Rome declaring it to be Babylon spoken of in the ReuelatioÌ„ Thus q cap. 14.6 an Angel flyeth through the middest of heauen hauing an euerlasting Gospel to preach saying c. Feare God and worship him that made heauen and earth c. Vnto r Trith p. 177. 178. this Pope Anastasius Hildegrade a Nonne sent answere to his letters instructing him in his life prophecying of the schisme which followed and thus foreshewed of Rome And thou O Rome saith she lying as it were in the extreamest point shalt be troubled so that the strength of thy feete vpon which thou hast stoode shall languish because thou louest the Kings daughter iustice not with feruent loue but as it were in the slouth of sleepe so that thou dost expell her from thee wherefore she will also flie from thee c. In his time was Fridericus made Emperor Adrianus a Rob. Barnes the fourth would not be consecrated Anno 1154. till Arnoldus the Bishop of Brixia whom he held for an heretike were expelled Rome c. In b Trith p. 184. his time the followers of the Church of Rome moued by the example of the ciuill law and learning of such as they called heretikes contriued the popish learning Wherefore c Geneb p. 932. 933. 934. three bastard brethren wrote three great bookes Petrus Lombardus brought in schoole diuinitie the better to confute the Grecians Aballardus Petro-bussians Gilbertus Porretanus c. This Petera Lombard affirmeth d Lib. 3. d. 19. that one way of iustification is by faith in the death of Christ as they that looked on the brasen serpent were healed
of diuels and holde of all foule spirits and a cage of euery vncleane and hatefull bird The reasons of this fearefull iudgement are first a cap. 18.3 because she made all nations to drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornications by diuerse interdictions execrations exactions tumults treasons rebellions murthers massacres c bringing greiuous calamities vpon such as refused to bee subiect vnto the idolatrie superstitions and other filthie constitutions of that policicie or citie Secondly because the kings of the earth haue committed fornication with her giuing their power to be executioners of her fornication which is the cause why the holy people depart from the vngodly commaundements of them both Thirdly because the Marchants of the earth are waxed rich of the abundance of such things which were gained by the marchandise of the word of God and of the kingdome of heauen c. which were sold of her pleasures as pleased her to bestow them For now were sold both Sacraments and Church and heauen They doe also abound in pleasures Now because of this abundant riches and fatnes of the great and princely Marchants followeth as a third argument of this riders confidence namely a publike proclamation to all sorts of greedy people to take away the liuings of the popish Clergie be they great or small And to this purpose b cap. 19.17.18 Saint Iohn saith I saw an Angel stand in the sunne that is openly in all mens fight who cryed with a loud voyce by preaching and teaching and saying it is lawfull to all the fowles that did flie by the middest of heauen euen all couetous hungrie and needy persons which were in estimation with Princes c. to gather themselues together vnto the supper of the great God which he had prepared by the hands of the popish prouiders and builders who had cooked their liuings for gentlemens mouthes c. That they may eate the flesh euen the fatte liuings of such as were aduanced in the world as Kings and the flesh of high captaines namely the Cardinals and Abbots c. who now became Generalles of warres c. Contrarily on the other side the deputies of the Dragon the diuel namely c cap. 19.19 the beast the popish policy and the Kings the tenne principalities which inhabited the two third parts of the earth formerly subiect to the Romane Empire and their hast of iudges inquisitors secular arme of familiars executioners and souldiers c. gathered themselues together to make warre against the word of God which sate vpon the horse and against his armie all those faithfull people which did stand for the authority and sense of the Scriptures The successe of this bloudie fight is begun in this chapter but finished afterwards and is that the lambe and they that are on his side though first a cap. 13.10 ouercome yet by patience in the ende doe ouercome the Kings that warre against him For the beast b cap. 19.20 which consisted of the Romane policie the Hierarchie with the Princes their aides was taken so conuicted by the equitie of the cause of innocentes that they were able but onlie to answere like a rauenous beast viz to gnashe vpon the saintes c. With the beast is also taken the false Prophet which deceaued the world with lying reuelations to wit the Friers Monkes Popes which gloried in this kinde of vanitie and all their subtile and scholasticall sophistrie profited not but was sifted and confuted so effectually as that they were not able to make it appeare to be the truth yea that false Prophet is taken which wrought false miracles and lying signes before the beast the Princes whereby he deceiued them that receiued the beasts marke his superstition and armes and deceiued them that worshiped his Image esteeming the Hierarchie as a God All their iugling is knowne and detested The meanes by which the false Prophet is taken is the c cap. 20.1 restraining the diuell the lying spirit in the mouth of wicked prophets and by the setting vp of true iustice according to the word of God In the prophecie of the diuels captiuitie first the person is shewed by whose ministrie it is done who is said to be d cap. 18.1 and 20.1 The Angel that came downe from heauen hauing great power to declare the power of almightie God Secondly are shewed the instruments which he vsed in this waightie worke first The key of the bottomlesse pit namely the true and faithfull opening of the doctrine of hell and damnation as it is set downe in the word of God farre different if not contrarie to the doctrine of hell and purgatorie c. as it is deliuered by Antichrist Secondly he hath a great chaine in his hand that is * Psal 149.8.9 the doctrine of the iudgements of God as it is written different from that which Antichrist doeth teach of binding and loosing Now by these two meanes the Lord togither working mightily a cap. 20.2 he apprehended the Dragon that is manifestly prooued that the superstition of the Gentils brought into the Christian Church by the Popes was abhominable This Dragon was the olde serpent euen the same that by his subtiltie b Gen. 3.1 c. beguiled Eue and now againe by lying signes and reuelations and by sophisticall schoole-learning deceiueth the world Hee is the Diuell and not the spirit of God in the mouthes of popish Prophets and Sathan an aduersarie alwaies an enemie to the good of mankinde especially to the Saints in their prophecie now reuiuing the persecutions which their ancestors the Gentiles and Arians vsed against the truth This wicked spirit of the Antichristian prophets is bound by restraint by the power of God and c cap. 20.3 cast into the bottomlesse pit all men assuring themselues that the spirit of popish prophets is the diuell of hell who now is shut vp and sealed that he should deceiue the people no more but that al the sleights of Antichrist should bee as manifest as was the madnesse of d 2. Tim. 3.8.9 Iannes and Iambres The iudgement also vpon the beast and the false prophet which are the whole bodie of Antichrist is that e cap. 19.20 they both were cast aliue into the lake of fire burning with brimstone not onely knowne to belong to hell but in the meane time seeing plagues like vnto those of Sodome For the Princes henceforth doe beginne to f cap. 17.16 hate the whore for her inuentions wil-worships and idolatries c. and make her desolate forsaking her and naked taking from her her costly ornaments and eate her flesh by taking away her large reuenewes and burne her with fire like Sodom in the end of her iudgements The time of which destruction appeareth by the computation of the raigne of Antichrist namely 1260. yeres from the time of Pelagius the angel of the bottomlesse pit to bee neere the yeare of Christ 1820. As touching the restoring
amongst the Popes there beeing sometimes three at once and euery one raging against the other with cursings c. to the great griefe perplexitie and destruction of Christian men a See Fox Martyr It was also a time of great persecution of the Gospel whose professors were many learned godly and constant b Peuc 5. f. 155. c. In the yeare 1400. was proclaimed a Iubile to bee held at Rome Against which Hus did teach that the true Iubile was in preaching of Iesus Christ that the Pope and Cardinals bee not the Church the institution of Christ is to bee kept there ought not to bee any worshipping of Saints the Popes decrees are not to be admitted c. At this time was an extreame famine in Italie c Epit. Blond And thus the first resurrection appeareth CHAP XI The warres begunne at the first resurrection are continued c. And the resurrection is more manifest NOw is come that blessed time which the Prophet d Dan. 12.12 Daniel spoke of namely 1335. daies that is yeres after the destruction of Ierusalem which was in the yeare of Christ 74. At which time is a more cleare demonstration of the first resurrection For here also doe ende those e cap. 12.6 1260. daies that is yeares to be reckoned from the tenth yeare of Antonius Pius which was in the yeare of Christ 149. when the woman the Church fled into the wildernesse after shee had brought forth many contagious professors as a man childe During which time shee remained confusedly amongst the wicked as in a wildernesse full of Dragons and Ostriches But now f Dan. 12.2 many that were as sleeping and dead in the dust doe rise vp to euerlasting life and their cause doth come abroad by the reuiuing of the Gospel Here therefore is continued the first resurrection and the warre betweene the word of God and the hostes in heauen that followed him against the beast and the kings of the earth And here is that blessed time in which the witnesses doe separate themselues from the kingdome of Antichrist The meanes by which they separate themselues from Antichrist the beast is said to be that those of the spirit of Saint Iohn g cap. 18 4. heard a voyce from heauen to wit from the Church of God in the persons of his witnesses who had learned the doctrine of saluation of the God of heauen out of his word and also had spread it abroade in the world The doctrine is a commaundement from God the same which was giuen to the a Isai 48.20 Ier. 51.6 Zach. 2.6 Isralites that were in the captiuitie of Babylon Goe b cap. 18.4 out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues For now the people of God doe see that she that tooke vpon her to forgiue others their sinnes is not able herselfe to escape the damnation of hel nor those other plagues which euery man foresaw would light vpon her for her owne sinnes The cause why men should flie from her is for c cap. 18.5 that the heapes of her sinnes doe reach vp to heauen being infinit and prodigious euen fighting against the God of heauen and ascending like the sins of Sodom and Egypt As also because that God hath remembred her iniquities to take vengeance of them as he did of Sodom and Egypt For these two witnesses are Gods d Gen. 18.21 19.5 Exod. 2.7 messengers to make experience whether the sins of Antichrist be as it is reported and henceforth principally detect her sinnes and reproue them The plagues are first proclaimed and then required to be executed And this Proclamation is made as by the third e cap. 14.9 c. Angel which followed them that before first reuiued the preaching of the eternall Gospel and threatned the fall of Babylon He mightily bringeth in the doctrine of vengeance to be inflicted vpon Antichrist as if he said with a loud voyce If any man worship the beast of hereticall monarches and his image the papacie and receiue his marke in his forehead or in his hand following those superstitions henceforth 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 he shall be tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lambe And the smoke of their torment shall ascend euermore and they shall haue no rest night or day that worship the beast and his image and whosoeuer receiueth the print of his name Here f 12. cap. 13.10 are the fruites of the patients of the Saints and here ar they that keepe the commaundements of God and the faith of Iesus the executioners of the fiercenes of the wrath of almighty God That which is required to be executed is that the Saints who hitherto haue been persecuted should take the sworde in hand and â—ap 18.6 reward her to wit popish Babylon as she hath rewarded them and giue her double according to her workes in the cup that she hath filled fill her the double For now beginneth the execution of that which is promised a cap. 13.10 If any leade into captiuitie he shall goe into captiuitie If any man kill with the sword he must be killed by a sword She must also be tormented for her pleasures and pride b cap. 18.7 For she saith in her heart I sit being a Queene of all other Churches and shall see no mourning the ship of Peter in which I sit may be tossed but it shall not sinke As these things are threatned so c 8. shall in due time her plagues come in one day together death sorrow and famine and she shall be burnt with fire for that God which condemneth her is a strong God During the time of which executions if any died in the cause against Antichrist they are Martyrs as it is said of all men in the Church of God d cap. 14.13 Then I heard a voyce from heauen saying vnto me write the dead that die in the Lord are henceforth fully blessed euen so saith the spirit whose testimonie is true and no lie for they rest from their labours neuer feeling the terror of the second death or purgatory by the execration of Antichrist And their workes follow them to receiue a crowne at the throne of God This testimonie beeing thus finished and continually preached by the two witnesses and of many beleeued c cap. 11.7 The beast that commeth out of the bottomlesse pit maketh warre against them and ouercommeth them for a while The beast that commeth out of the bottomlesse pit is as hath been shewed before the politike body of poperie consisting of the Pope and his Clergie assisted with those tenne kingdomes and principalities which did arise after the wounding of the Empire to death All which grew to be an vnited body by the doctrine of
supper of the Lord vnder one or both kindes Podiebrachius who was next vnto the King was moued by a parasite why he liked not their religion of popery required by the example and authoritie of so many and great Princes rather then the Hussites He answered we doe those sacrifices which we beleeue are pleasing to God neither is it in our owne choyce to beleeue what we list The minde is ouercome with great reasons c. I am perswaded of my ministers religion If I follow thy religion I may perchance deceiue men contrary to my soule I cannot deceiue God which looketh into the hearts of men c. p Bucholcer Par. Vrsp 406. Calistus the third in his second yeere Mahomet with a 150,000 beseeged Belgrade Capistranus a Minorite Frier stoode to encourage the Souldiers But he vsed not any superstitions For crying out he said Iesus looke on vs be present with thy people that suffereth for thee where are thy mercies of old Come and defend thy people least they say among the Gentiles where is now their God c. The Christians got a rich and noble victory In memory whereof the Pope according to his wonted superstition foolishly instituted the feast of the transfiguration of Christ Hunniades who had been a noble victor ouer the Turkes after this his last battaile fell sicke but hee would not haue the Sacrament brought to him as the superstitious manner was but commaunded himselfe to be carried to the Church where after the confession of his sinnes he receiued the Eucharist c. Thus much of the two witnesses and the things which fell out vpon their death and resurrection Thus the remnant giueth to glory to God And now the q cap. 11.14 second woe to the inhabitants of the earth by the Turkes c. seemeth to be past But the third woe will come anon CHAP. XII Of the third a cap. 11.14 woe to the inhabitants of the earth by Kings conuerted to Christ WE are now come to speake of the third woe which shal be inflicted vpon the inhabitants of the earth namely such which doe rather desire to possesse the earth then to inherit heauen And this containeth the abolishing of the kingdome of Antichrist and the victorious reigne and triumph of the word of God That which is spoken hereof is comprehended in the doctrine which came abroad when b cap. 11.15 the seuenth Angell blew the trumpet The summe whereof is manifestly knowne and euidently spoken by all godly men as if there were great voyces in heauen expressing their assurance of the things that are to come to passe And the summe is this that certainelie it can not be but the kings will also be conuerted to the Gospell by whose onely and holy administrations The kingdomes of this world are to be our Lords and his Christs and he shall reigne for euermore Hereupon all godly magistrates and ministers called by the name of the c cap. 11.16 foure and twentie elders which make any consciecne of their places as those which sit before God on their seates First doe humble themselues euen falling on their faces and subiecting themselues to this kind of administration Secondly they doe also leaue the seruice of idols and men and in their places worship God both with praises and administration of iustice As for their praises they do in effect say d cap. 11.17 we giue thee thankes Lord God almightie which art and which wa st and which art to come euen the same God which art euerlasting for that taking the power out of the hands of mortall weake and mutable men who of long time haue trodden thy sanctuarie vnder foote thou hast receiued the entrance and possession of thy great might and hast obtained thy kingdome in due time to bee fully and alone administred by thee As for their sincere administration of iustice they shew that they so regard the faithfull profession of the Gospell that thereupon such which rather professed the vanitie of the Gentiles then Christ euen the Antichristian Papists were a cap. 11.18 angrie The cause of their anger is first that the time is come of the wrath of God to be inflicted vpon whosoeuer shall deserue it without respect of persons Secondly because they see that the time is come of the dead which haue been martyred for the witnes of Iesus that they should be iudged whether they died as innocents or not so that the proceedings against such come to be looked into and examined againe by iustice faithfully which they are angrie should be knowen Thirdly because that God hath raised vp Christian Kings that God by them should giue rewarde vnto his seruants the prophets which doe sincerely speake the truth from the Lord whereas Antichrist did tread them vnder foote Yea because the time was come that he by Princes should giue reward also to the Saints and to them that in deede doe feare his name to small and great whom Antichrist exposed to death and confiscation loading them with reproches c. Fourthly because the time is come that God by Princes should vtterly destroy them which destroy the earth be they Turkes or Papists The aduancement of the godly and destruction of the wicked according to the exact rule of iustice in the word of God being thus drifted by godly Gouernors those of the spirit of Saint Iohn b cap. 15.1 saw another great and marueilous signe in heauen the Church of God Namely that God hath prepared seuen Angels hauing the seuen last plagues which he would inflict vpon his enemies for not by men but by them euen by a diuine hand is now to be fulfilled the wrath of God Of these plagues we are to consider the place whence these Angels doe receiue them and the powring of them forth These plagues are deliuered vnto them in the temple which after the godly doe put on zeale and thankesgiuing is opened Concerning the zeale of the godly first is declared how the true doctrine of Christian baptisme is restored namely that Christians ought to be vndefiled and zealous in the cause of Christ For the lauer of regeneration is now figured a cap. 15.2 by a glassie sea mingled with fire godly Princes and people being baptised b Mat. 3.11 with the holy Ghost and fire whereas hitherto they were baptised vnto repentance with patience Here therefore stand the Boemians which had gotten the victorie ouer the beast the ciuell estate which beareth vp the whore of Babylon and of his image the Ecclesiasticall policie and his marke of superstitious ceremonies and of the number of his name his armies which he sent against them These I say stand constantly at the glassie sea mingled with fire continuing sincere and zealous professors being so farre from being ouercome that contrarily they haue the harpes of God to sing praises vnto their God for their deliuerance from Antichrist And they being deliuered from the kingdome of Antichrist which spiritually
Exod. â—â— â—â— expedition with great honour And what they must doe is committed vnto them For one of the d cap. 15.7 foure beasts or Cherubines which beareth vp the throne of God gaue vnto the seuen Angels seuen golden Phials or Censors full e Exod. 10.2 of the hot burning coles of the wrath of God which liueth for euermore as Alpha and Omega to whom is no variablenes nor changing And by their ministerie the temple the profession of the Gospell is as truly sanctified as was the f Exod. 40.34 35. tabernacle which Moses made or the g 1. King 8.10.11 temple which Salomon built when it was filled full of smoke of the glory of God and of his power which there was in Sacrament and Type but here is in deede and truth And as there Moses nor the Priests were able to enter into the tabernacle of the congregation because of the cloude so here the luster of the glory of God doth keepe men h cap. 19.8 N. B. that none can enter into the temple till the seuen plagues of the seuen Angels be fulfilled All things being thus prepared now followeth the effusion of those plagues In the prophecie whereof first is set downe the speciall vocation of these Angels to the effusion and then their powring of them out Their vocation is from the Church the godly which doe sincerely professe the Gospell newly restored and because of the manifold and grieuous persecutions they crie for and daily threaten vengeance vpon all their Antichristian foes For therefore it is said that that I Iohn and those of my spirit i cap. 16.1 heard a great voyce of such which suffered affliction and vnderstoode the word of God crying out of the temple where they worshipped God and saying to the seuen Angell which are the executioners of Gods wrath Goe your wayes and powre out the Phials of the wrath of God vpon such Antichristian enemies as labour to possesse the earth rather than heauen The particular plagues are seuen k cap. 16.2.3.4 8.10.18.17 First Sores secondly death by sea thirdly death by land or riuers fourthly heate of the sunne fifthly the obscuring of the throne and kingdome of the beast sixthly inuasion and slaughter by the kings of the easte seuenthly the declaration of the truth and proceeding accordingly by prayer destruction c. The manner of the opposition of the beast is a cap. 11.18 cap. 16.9.10 21. that the gentiles be angrie gnaw their tongues for sorrow blasphemies c. but cannot mend themselues The speciall plagues shall be shewed in their proper places when their execution beginneth to be accomplished The complement Anno 1492. Alexander the sixth b Guicciard lib. 1. entring his papacie c Jouius hist sui tem lib. 1. the world was quiet and not beaten with any tempests of warres Especially Italy enioyed the best peace that euer it did from the time of Augustus in any mans memorie d Crantz Met. lib. 12 1. p. 814 Diuers men were in great expectation what would bee the successe of things euen many that followed the Pope as e f 262. b. in Pio 3. Volateran c. But the godly foresaw the vengeance to come For besides others elsewhere g Guies 2. p. 82. Sauanorola a man continually exercised for many yeares in the publicke preaching of Gods word at these times when there was in Italy no other appearance in mans reason then of common tranquillitie would in his sermons prophecy of the comming of forreigne armies with so great astonishment of men that neither walles nor campes could withhould them from comming to heare him h Fox Mart. p. 706. He held and preached iustification by faith for the arke of the couenant is seene and also threatned Italy with the wrath and indignation of God and prophecied before vnto them that the land should be ouerthrowne for the pride and wickednesse of the people and for the vntruth and falshood of the Clergie which God would not leaue vnreuenged i Par. Vrsp 437 That Italy was to be purged with the whipes of God for the manifolde sinnes of the Princes both Ecclesiasticall and secular and so bid the Angels powre out f their Phials For besides the sinnes of other Princes the Pope Alexander the sixth was k Jouius lib. 2 a man of too high a witte and that alwaies craftily liberall was elected for his bribes when beaten men were put by For a Guicc 1. p. 4. he brought by the consent and knowledge of euery one partly for money and partly with promises of offices and dignities many voices of the Cardinals who reiecting the instruction of the Gospel were not ashamed to passe to him by sale an authoritie power to make Marchandise of the holy treasures b Volat. 22. But hee was cruellie vngratefull to the Cardinals that elected him Hee chiefely sought by the example of Innocent to aduance his bastards buâ— with farre greater honours He c Moris papatu p. 95. approued the order of the flewes in Paris which was instituted by a Minorit and d Guicc 3. 179 himself liued incestuouslie with Lucreca his bastard daughter who was likewise common to her two bastard brethren And as e Jouius lib. 1. he defiled the Papacie with diuerse corruptions so he greatly troubled the ciuill estate of the Italian affaires And here is powred out the first Phiall The first Phiall f cap. 16.2 The first Angell therfore according to the commination which came out of the Temple went forth and powred out his Phiall vpon the men that sought only the possession of the earth The effect whereof is there fell a * Deut. 28.35 â—aysome and a grieuous sore vpon the men which had the marke of the beast being as superstitious as any of the Gentiles and vpon them that worshipped his image the Pope the very image of the heathen ciuill Monarchie And here is no mention of the number of his name because these vpon whom the plague first fell were not souldiers to the vse of the Papacie but went to gaine the countries to their owne subiection The complement Charles the eighth g Iouius 1. p. 66 king of France made an expedition into Italie to get Naples At Asta in Italy Ludowick Sforee the regent of Millan met him bringing with him his wife and the choicest women of that countrie knowing the young King to be delighted with such There fell vpon him a vehement sicknes of sores and paines which not somely afflicted his face and armes After his sicknes recured he h 2 89. c. 94. 86. marcheth to Rome with great pompe vpon his vowe to visit the temples at Rome and to worship the altars of Peter and Paul for his health and felicitie and so hee hath the marke of the beast As also humbly to adore the Pope which being the image of the beast held the highest dignitie of pietie and