it according as it is the vse of the Prophets who to expresse the exceeding desolations of any place say that those Birds which flye most farre from all resort of men as the Shrike-Owle and the Pelican c. should continue there To Diuels noting that those places that haue bin abused to the dishonour of God are giuen by Gods iust iudgement to be not onely desolate but euen haunted of Diuels themselues as wee see oft times it commeth to passe in Abbyes and such like superstitious houses The cause is set downe to wit by reason of the persecution of the Saints and her pride who vaunted of her riches and good estate saying that shee was Queene and should neuer be Widdow that is should neuer be desolate but should alway haue her louers and maintainers to take her part And a principall cause is this that she had played the Harlot through her Idolatrie with the Princes of the earth Then he setteth downe the markes of her destruction both which goe before and which come after Before that God would giue his children that were there warning before whereby they might know of it that so they might come forth lest they should fall in that great destruction as before we heard hee did to the Saints in Ierusalem by giuing them warning to auoide from thence which they did flying into the City of Pella in the wildernesse The markes following the destruction generally the lamentation of the friends of the City of Rome and principally the Kings of the earth when they shall see the smoake of her mount vp to heauen by smoake is meant the continuall remembrance of that destruction for albeit after it is said by the Angell that threw the stone into the Sea that it should neuer be remembred any more hee meaneth not that it should be cleane forgotten to haue beene but onely so forgotten as it should neuer haue place again by which it might be remembred like as it came to passe in Sodom howbeit the memory thereof should otherwise be perpetuall Afterward is reported more particularly the lamentation of the Merchants which had serued for the pleasure of her by Land and by Sea The Merchants by land which had serued her with sine meates purple silke gold siluer precious stones c. for their Vestiments namely for the apparell of their Priests Prelates Cardinals c. which vsed to be most gorgeous and costly And they should also bring to her soules of men that is bond-slaues meeting with that which should come to passe be performed of the Church of Rome as we see experience of Then the Merchants by Sea the Ship-masters and Ship-men also make their lamentation ouer her For the more certainty of this destruction of the City there is brought in an Angell taking a great stone and casting it into the bottome of the Sea saying that in like manner Babilon that great City should be throwne downe with violence and should be found no more noting that it should be so vtterly destroyed that it should neuer be recouered neither should it be built any more neither should the light of a Candle be seene in it neither the voice of a Bridegroome heard therein signifying that it should not be againe inhabited of any because shee had deceiued all nations and because in her was found the bloud of the Saints and Prophets Apoc. Cap. 19. 1. And after these things I heard a great voice of a great multitude in heauen saying Hallelu-iah saluation and glory and honour and power be to the Lord our God c. THe Apostle hauing spoken of the destruction of the City of Rome noted by the name of an Harlot he now comes to set forth the destruction of the Beast and of the false Prophet which are the vngodly Emperours and the Popes succeeding in that power hauing gotten not onely ciuill iurisdiction but Ecclesiasticall power also ioyned therewith And first of al before he handleth that he bringeth in all the children seruants of God praising magnifying God for the notable works he had shewed vpon the earth And herein especially doe the Angels Saints of God in heauen the Saints in earth magnifie and praise the Lord namely for the iudgement and destruction of the Whore which is the City of Rome The causes of her destruction are set downe to be first because she had made all the Kings of the earth and their people to goe a whoring after her filthy abhominations And secondly for that shee had murthered the Saints of God After that they had sung this song of thankesgiuing for that mercy receiued in the destruction of the City of Rome the Lord calleth them and citeth them as it were by a voice from the Throne to a further thankesgiuing for the mercies to come in the destruction of the Beast and of the false Prophet and for particular benefits which the Church it selfe was to be partaker of and therefore he doth call all the seruants of the Lord by name as it were which did feare the Lord both small and great to praise the Lord. Then he shewes how this voice was obeyed in that he saith there was a voice as of a great multitude and like the voice of many waters and like the noise of a thunder which signifie both the consent and zeale and earnestnesse of the Saints in praising God Which teacheth vs that we are so to beleeue and be assured of Gods promises and mercies to come as that wee doe praise him for them as for those which we haue receiued and as if wee had receiued them already The mercies for which they praise God are two first the marriage of the Church to the Lambe because the Church in this life being made the Spouse of Christ yet separated in part from him shall at length inioy and haue the full fruition of Christ and of his glorious presence And also for that she is arrayed with pure fine linnen noting either the righteousnesse of Christ wherewith she is cloathed or else that sanctification which being in part begun in this life in Gods children shall be perfected in Gods kingdome when that spirituall marriage of Christ with his Spouse shall be celebrated And further it is shewed that such is the happinesse of the Church of God in this marriage that not onely the Bride and the Bridegrome shall be partakers of his happinesse as vsually commeth to passe in our marriage feasts the married persons onely not the guests being counted happy but also those are blessed and happy that are bidden to this feast for by the Bride is to be vnderstood in generall the Church vniuersall by the persons called is meant the particular persons in the Church Another cause of thankesgiuing for the things to come is in regard of the iudgement vpon the wicked and the execution thereof And first he saith to execute this hee seeth Christ comming with his army hee being the chiefe for as the Beast gathers his
victory to wit noting that the Lord wil ouercome a farre off because men with a Bow vse to strike a farre off their enemies without any labour euen so would the Lord doe in the execution of his iudgements In the opening of the second Seale there appeareth a red Horse which together with the sword that was giuen him that sat thereon signifieth the great bloudshed that should come on the world by fighting of one nation with another or of nations within themselues as oft times it commeth to passe Then the third Seale is opened whereupon appeareth a black Horse which noteth great famine to come vpon the earth because that famine vseth to make men looke blacke as the holy Ghost interpreteth and declareth it afterward namely when he saith that the man that sat on that Horse had Ballances in his hand noting that they should not eate and drinke as much as they listed but they should haue their meate and drinke giuen by measure as it commeth to passe in the time of dearth A measure of Wheate The word vsed in the originall signifieth such a measure as containeth the eight part of a Strike of Corne the price is said here should be a penny to wit of Romane money being between foure and fiue pence with vs which then was the stipend of a dayes labour signifying that a man should be constrained to bestow that in bread alone which should serue him and his houshold both for bread and all other kinde of sustenance noting thereby the grieuousnesse of the dearth Whereas it is said that they should not hurt the Wine or Oyle It signifieth that it should be as deare as the bread should be and therefore hee counselleth them to take heede that they vse it not ill either by mispending it wastfully or else selling it ouer-deare and therfore would not haue them to set too great a price of it thereby to oppresse the poore buyers but that they should sell as they might noting therby a dearth of all other things as well as of bread After is set forth the opening of the fourth Seale where there comes a pale Horse noting Death which is he that sits vpon him and this shall befall to the wicked And Hell is said to follow him not Purgatory as the Papists dreame signifying that Hell accompanieth the death of the wicked to wit those that disobey Gods commandements And this death commeth not onely by the meanes of famine alone and the sword alone as in the former Seales hath appeared but by them ioyned together and other meanes ioyned with them as namely the euill Beasts Which teacheth vs as we may also see in the fourteenth of Ezechiel that when particular afflictions profit vs Ezech. 14. 13. 15. 17. 19. 21. nothing at all and when by particular iudgements we cannot be brought to repentance then the Lord must needs send manifold iudgements yea hee will ioyne them all together as in that place of Ezechiel and he will adde more vnto them as here he addeth the wilde beasts vnto the famine and sword Afterward followeth the fift Seale where there is no mention of any voice calling vnto him to stirre him vp as before for no doubt the Apostle was well prepared to heare whatsoeuer And here it seemeth the Apostle rendreth a reason of the iudgements to come namely that it was by reason of the cry of the soules of the Saints which were slaine for the truth on the face of the earth And these hee saith are vnder the hollow of the Altar which Heb. 13. is interpreted to be Christ and therefore they are in the custody of Christ These Soules cry for vengeance saying How long Lord holy and true c. Which teacheth vs what is the exercise of the soules departed being slaine for the truth to wit they cry for vengeance and iudgement not that they doe it for desire of reuenge for their owne deaths nor hauing any regard to themselues and the iniuries they haue receiued as our corrupt nature being vnregenerate vseth But as their owne words declare it is for the glory of God which appeareth in that they call him Lord which is as if they should say as thou art Lord ouer all so shew thy selfe to be and be not Lorded by them but manifest thy selfe to haue power ouer all and shew thy selfe one that will repay their rebellion against thee In that they say holy and true they desire that herein he will expresse himselfe to be holy and true in doing that which is right concerning reuenge against the wicked as hauing promised reuenge In that they say how long This they doe in regard of the care not onely of themselues but that they haue of the oppressed children of God on earth Not that there is any such care that hindreth their felicity but onely a desire of the helpe and deliuerance of those on earth as also of the consummation of their felicity This doth not confirme that opinion of the Papists that the Saints in heauen doe know the particular estate of men on the earth but this onely they haue remaining of that generall knowledge of the will of God which they had euen before their dissolution which they loose not thereby yet they see no further into mens actions then by that knowledge they did before Now these are bidden to stay till their fellow seruants should be accomplished that is till the number of the Elect be fulfilled and accomplished and then should their glory be perfected Lastly it is spoken of the sixt Seale therein are contained terrible things of Earth-quakes the rowling of the heauens the falling of the Starres like Figs from the Fig-trees when they are full ripe the Sunne darkened c. This sheweth the execution of the vengeance of God on the wicked at the prayers of the Saints departed So that wee see that the children of God did not take it as a full execution of iudgement vntill the last day when the Sunne should thus be changed c. And then by reason of the wrath of the Lambe the wicked should be glad to hide themselues from the sight of God and the Lambe and desire the mountaines to fall vpon them where the Lord teacheth vs that at the cry of the Children of God all this should be executed on the wicked Apoc. Cap. 7. 1. And after that I saw foure Angels stand on the foure corners of the earth holding the foure windes of the earth that the windes should not blow on the earth neither on the Sea neither on any tree c. BEtweene the declaration and manner of the execution of the iudgements to come on the world as a snare to betrap them here is this story interlaced containing the argument of the mercies of God in sauing the Godly as before in the former Chapter were set downe the arguments of his iudgement and iustice on the wicked First Iohn saith that he saw foure Angels holding the foure windes They are
to it and their robes were thus white because they were dipped in the blood of the Lambe Then hee answereth to the other question viz. who they be namely Those that stand alwaies before the Throne that is in the presence of God to serue him with praises for euermore being such as are deliuered from all euils and from all teares that is all sorrowes griefe shall be taken away and they shall be led to the sweet waters and tender grasse and continually deliuered and preserued from all perils Apoc. Cap. 8. 1. And when he had opened the seauenth Seale there was silence in heauen about halfe an houre THe Apostle S. Iohn doth recontinue his purpose begun in the fift Chapter being omitted in the sixt and seauenth Chapters for these two Chapters were put in for the comfort of Gods children and to preserue them against the troubles afterwards to befall Now he commeth to the opening of the seauenth Seale whereat there was silence in heauen for the space of halfe an houre signifying that all the Saints and Angels were amazed at the opening of it marueiling at the Iudgements which followed it more then at the other wonders which before were receiued albeit they also were very marueilous The like speech is vsed in Iob for when his friends comming to visite him saw what a miserable case he was in they were so appalled thereat that they could not speake to him for three dayes This is to set forth vnto vs the wonderfulnesse of the iudgements contained in the opening of the seauenth Seale After this is a preparation vnto the Iudgement to come vnto the sixt Verse where it is said that Trumpets are giuen to the seauen Angels that is to a perfect and competent number fit for such a worke and for the executing of that seruice ouer all the world Then he speaketh of another Angell viz. another in nature as being both God and man another in office as being the Angell of the euerlasting Couenant And he is said to stand before the Altar that is in his office of Mediation betweene his Father and his Church And therefore it is after said that to him was giuen sweet Odors that is there was in him things acceptable to God to wit his perfect obedience wherein was an acceptable receiuing and perfuming of the praiers of the Saints vnto God So that we see that God accepteth of our prayers at the hands of Christ which at ours he will not By the Censor in his hand hee alludeth to the custome of the Priests in the ceremoniall Law In that hee taketh coales from the Altar and casteth them on the earth it signifieth the denouncing of his iudgements against the wicked on the face of the earth shewing that as he is the meanes of mercy vnto the Godly so hee is the executioner of the iudgement on the wicked At the greatnesse of which his iudgements there were Voices and Thunders and Lightnings and Earth-quakes Afterward followeth the execution of the iudgments wherof foure Trumpets of iudgements are sounded in this Chapter performed by the foure first Angels The first Angel bloweth his Trumpet then it is said there was hayle and fire mingled with blood and these did destroy the trees and euery greene thing By this he seemeth to allude vnto that in the ninth of Exodus where it is said that in one of the Plagues of Exod. 9. 24. Egypt was Haile mingled with Fire the like is here mentioned but in this place there is an addition of blood noting that all should be consumed namely that there should not onely be a destruction of the trees and greene things but of the men also which came to passe euen among the Egyptians for those that were in the fields were consumed by the tempest After in the second place it is said that the second Angell did blow his Trumpet whereupon there was a mountaine burning with fire cast into the Sea being set on fire by the wrath and anger of God signifying the iudgements to be executed on the Earth and then vpon the Sea Seeming to allude to that place in the Psalme where the Prophet saith that though the Psalme 46. 2. Mountaines should fall into the midst of the Sea yet I will not be remoued And this iudgement should be executed vpon the Sea on the Fishes and also vpon the Ships so that not onely the Earth but euen the Sea should haue iudgements executed vpon them At the blast of the third Trumpet it is said that a starre fell from heauen into the third part of the fresh waters and Riuers signifying Gods iudgements vpon them also whereupon the third part of men died The name of this Starre is Worme-wood from the effect to wit the bitternesse which it should cause in the fresh waters Where wee see albeit the certainty of the time is not knowne nor any set time wherein this shall be effected yet the Lord doth sometimes poyson and infect the Aire sometimes the Earth and sometimes the Sea and Waters whereby infection ariseth to man and hereby it is said that the third part of men should dye that is the liues of many men should be shortened And these all seeme literally to be vnderstood sauing that the Mountaine and the Starre which fell into the waters doe signifie that the heauens should be so infected that they also by their infectious disposition should corrupt and infect the waters and thereby cause death to men The fourth Angell hauing blowne his Trumpet it is said that the third part of the Sunne of the Moone and of the Starres was darkened which seemeth to be meant of the spirituall darkenesse should be vpon the Earth For hitherto the Plagues that haue beene set downe haue beene corporall to wit either pertaining to the things of the nourishment of the bodies of men or vpon the bodies themselues those that follow in the rest of this and the next Chapter seeme to be vnderstood of the spirituall Plagues of the soule that the light thereof in the middest of men should very much be darkened for I cannot see how those words concerning the darkening of the Sunne and Moone and the Starres can literally be vnderstood but rather by some Allegory because in the next Chapter verse 2. it is spoken of the darkenesse of the Sunne that it was altogether darkened noting the depriuation of all the light and knowledge of the soule And therefore this is to be vnderstood of the darkenesse of the minde through want of knowledge by taking away of the truth in part as appeareth by the histories for since that Popery came in by meanes of Antichrist Sathan had wonderfully darkened the light of the Gospell yea euen before Antichrist was at his full height Then hee setteth downe that he saw an Angell flying through the middest of heauen which cryed with a loud voice Woe Woe Woe to the Inhabitants of the earth for the plagues which were to come for albeit those that
the time shall not be distinguished by it we shall not be directed by the light of it for God himselfe shall be our Sunne God shall be our light for euermore Apoc. Cap. 12. l. And there appeared a great wonder in heauen A woman cloathed with the Sunne and the Moone was vnder her feete and vpon her head a crowne of twelue Starres c. HEre in this Chapter is set downe a description of the Church of which it is said there was a great signe noting the great estimation that God hath of his Church which his great estimation of it is set forth in that shee is said to be cloathed with the Sunne which is the most glorious creature declaring and expressing her exceeding glory in the sight of God Shee had the Moone vnder her feete signifying her rule and authority ouer all the things below that are subiect to change in that she onely hath receiued of God power to subdue them and shee doth of right possesse them the wicked are vsurpers Vpon her head shee had a Crowne of twelue Starres shewing her Queenely Maiestie shee being the Spouse of Christ as also her victory ouer all her enemies It is said shee trauelled her trauell is meant of the Church of the Iewes of whom this is testified in the Euangelists the 9. of the Acts of the Apostles how great resistance there was against our Sauiour Christ against the Apostles the rest what great and grieuous persecutions they then sustained for the Gospell-sake in the beginning of the primitiue Church because they went about to beget to bring and to draw Children vnto God out of the seede of Abraham Afterward another great wonder is seene to wit a great Dragon namely the Diuell compared to a Dragon and called the great Dragon because of his great strength and exceeding fiercenesse for such is the strenght of a Dragon as that he is able to gripe with an Elephant He is described to haue seauen heads and ten hornes by seauen heads noting his great wisedome knowledge and vnderstanding of things as also it signifieth his wit and subtiltie to resist the Church and to make more mischiefe against the seauen Churches that is all the Churches of God And his tenne hornes signifieth his will and power to doe much hurt to them His Crownes signifie his victory in preuailing against the world to wit ouer those whom God hath not ordained to saue whose names are not written in the Booke of life and for this cause he is called the Prince of the world because he hath the greater part of the world vnder his obedience What his tayle he ouerthroweth many Starres noting that there are many like vnto Starres in outward shew being graced with notable gifts and being as it were lifted vp to heauen by the knowledge they had and the notable profession they made of God hauing some feeling also being yet not Sealed are by the tayle of the Dragon that is by small power and light temptations pulled backe from the same and fall from the faith After he saith He stood before the Woman noting that he setteth himselfe very fiercely and sharpely against the woman that is the Church and Children of God whose names were written in the Booke of life And therefore hee is said to wait on the woman first to hinder her that shee should not bring forth and then to deuoure them at the least when they were brought forth that is when they haue beene called and made profession of the truth and are made members of Christ by faith euen then is hee ready most strongly to assault them to ouerthrow if it were possible the foundation of their faith Where hee compareth the Diuell to an enuious Mid-wife opposing him to a good Mid-wife for as she is carefull to helpe the woman in trauell and to saue the Childe so the Diuell contrariwise is ready to hinder and hurt the Church and to destroy her seede Whereas the Church is said to bring forth a Man-Childe it is first meant of Christ and then of his members and seruants in the beginning of the Church whom now hee hath ioyned vnto him in his kingdome but principally it is to be vnderstood of Christ that valiant one who albeit hee was stung on the Crosse by the Serpent yet euen thereby hee ouercame and after was taken vp to heauen and had victory triumphing ouer the diuell ouer sinne and ouer all his enemies and the enemies of the Church Then it is said there was a battell in heauen by heauen he meaneth the militant Church of God vnder the Gospell which is the part of Gods kingdome for the kingdome of God which is begun euen in earth The principall in this battell is first Michael to wit Christ and with him his Angels namely the godly Saints with the good Angels on the one side and on the other side the Dragon with his Angels namely the wicked spirits and wicked men But the godly ouercome the Dragon and his Angels the meanes whereby they ouercome is through the bloud of the Lambe which is their principall armour being such as that albeit they themselues were killed notwithstanding by reason hereof they were made conquerours and were now receiued into the kingdome of heauen and Sathan is throwne out of the kingdome Which thing when Sathan saw as namely that now he had lost all his aduantage as it were and that hee could haue nought to doe with them any more they being now triumphing in the kingdome of God hee waxeth mad as it were and rageth against the earth more fiercely then before And hereupon the Elders and the rest of Gods Children in heauen are brought in reioycing at this victory and saying peace in the heauen that is to the Children of God that were then deliuered but woe to the earth that is to the inhabitants of the earth because that they should haue much to doe and suffer great trouble for seeing Sathan by the constant induring of those that had giuen their liues in the defence of the truth perceiued that hee had got such a foile he therefore rageth against those that remaine and for this cause it is said woe to them on the earth not that they should perish but onely should bee greatly afflicted through the malice of Sathan and his instruments Now then it is said that hee persecuted the woman that is the Church in persecuting the Church she hath a place appointed her in the Wildernesse whither she flyeth for one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes the time we haue heard before to haue beene during the space of the hard dealing with the two Prophets wherein they prophecied which wee shewed to containe so many yeares By this flight of the woman into the Wildernesse for one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes set downe in the sixt verse and the persecution whereby the Dragon pursued her that space is meant those persecutions in generall which followed against the whole Church during the
continuance of those yeares which in the next verses hee setteth downe particularly and seuerally And first he setteth downe the particular persecution of the Church of the Iewes in the thirteenth and fourteenth verses and then of the Gentiles in the seauenteenth Verse For the Church of the Iewes the persecution thereof is expressed in that it is said that he persecuted her that brought forth the man-childe but the Lord deliuered her from being deuoured of the Dragon In that it is said she being thus pursued hath for her deliuerance wings giuen her to flye away into a Desert for two times a time and halfe a time it notably describeth that strange deliuerance of the Children of God which were in Ierusalem before the ouerthrow of it who as the story witnesseth being warned by the voice of God from heauen did withdraw themselues for a time into a City called Pella beyond Iordan in the Wildernesse where they did continue for the space of three yeares and a halfe vntill Ierusalem were destroyed Whereas the Dragon is said to cast out waters against the Church it noteth the great multitudes of people for so it is often vsed in the Scriptures as also afterterwards Cap. 17. 1. 15. which afterwards the Diuell raised vp to deuoure and consume the Church of Christ in the infancie of it But in that the earth is said to helpe the woman it noteth that howsoeuer the Lord suffereth the Diuell to raise and stirre vp many enemies and aduersaries against his Church yet also hee hath his meanes for the deliuerance of his children by the ouerthrow of their enemies destroying them in the middest of their fury and casting them into their graues And lastly the Dragon hauing done the worst he could against the Church of the Iewes against Christ himselfe his Apostles and Disciples he followeth and proceedeth with mortall enuie and indignation to pursue their seed that is the Church of the Gentiles who were called by their ministery and are also of the seed of Abraham though not according to the flesh Apoc. Cap. 13. 1. And I saw a Beast rise out of the Sea hauing seauen heads and tenne hornes and vpon his hornes were tenne crownes and vpon his heads the name of blasphemie c. THe Prophet hauing spoken before that the seed of the woman to wit the Church of the Gentiles was persecuted of the Dragon hee now declares the manner and meanes of the persecutions and the troubles which befall the Church The instrumentall cause is here set out to be the Beast which is the Emperour of Rome who is set forth by him comming out of the Sea whereby is meant the great stormes troubles and tempests that the Beast should raise vp By which tempests are expressed and meant the great tumults which should arise both betweene the wicked themselues as it came to passe in the Empire of Rome for they had amongst themselues many and long warres and grieuous troubles and dissentions as appeareth in the histories as also it noteth the troubles and afflictions which the Church should receiue by them for the Church must needs be partaker of this misery though peraduenture it be not immediately alwaies tended against them yet they liuing vnder the Empire where these troubles were principally could not but needs also feele the smart thereof Afterwards the troubles are also immediately directed against the godly themselues particularly by the sword by fire and by sore persecutions which are declared to arise and come from the Beast A Beast so he is tearmed being here described and represented vnder the forme of a Beast because of the furiousnesse and madnesse of the Empire of Rome and the Emperors signifying that there was nothing almost of humanity in him but that hee was euen estranged from all courtesies of men Secondly hee is more particularly noted what manner of Beast he was like vnto to wit he was like a Leopard noting his marueilous swiftnesse and readinesse to doe mischiefe to the Church and to destroy it as also shewing his cruelty towards the people of God The Pawes of a Beare noting his rauenousnesse as being ready so able to catch to apprehend and lay hold of the things he desired The mouth of a Lyon shewing that he was cruell and strong to deuoure and to destroy He had the power of the Dragon giuen him that is of the Diuell signifying the greatnesse of his crueltie for as it is in the twentieth Chapter the Lord that he might saue his people being now in their cradle from being ouer-runne and deuoured of Sathan had first shut vp the Diuell into the bottomlesse pit that hee might not practise that hee would against the Church which thing the Diuell perceiuing and seeing himselfe thus shut vp that as it were in his owne person hee could not as hee desired be employed in the deuouring of the Church at his pleasure hee casts as much of his owne power as he can vpon an other to wit vpon the Romane Emperour who was as it were his deputy to the end he might doe that iniury he could in prosecuting the Christ Seauen heads signifying his exceeding wisedome and pollicie to doe hurt which should be very great according to his authority whereby hee ruled ouer the whole world His hornes signifie his power to doe that hurt And his Crownes signifie that great effect which that great wit and power of his should take in preuailing against men to wit that hee should vanquish and ouercome in his mischiefes Notwithstanding there is great difference betweene his Crownes and the Dragons for the Dragon had them on his heads that is the Diuell hath this power of himselfe properly to doe hurt exercising it as from himselfe the Beast hath them vpon his hornes that is the Emperour doth not exercise his authoritie and power against the Church immediately from himselfe but doth borrow his power from the Dragon Which is spoken after the custome and manner of those Kings and Princes which hauing absolute authority weare their Crownes on their bare heads those that be Viceroyes and haue an absolute authoritie weare Coronets indeed but on their Caps as it is vsed in forraine Countries and as it was the practise in those dayes After he is said to haue the name of Blasphemie declaring that the Emperours should be such as should blaspheme God in calling themselues Gods and taking the worship of God vnto themselues as Caligula and others most wretchedly and blasphemously did like to Alexander the great in the Monarchy of the Grecians which did arrogate this title to himselfe to be called God In that hee saith he had vpon his head the name of blasphemy written hee opposeth to that contrary custome of the Priest who had written vpon his head honor to the Lord so contrariwise this Beast had written on his head blasphemy against God And hee did not onely blaspheme the name of God but also his Tabernacle that is did speake euill of the Church of