are not rehearsed expressely in the vision of the first Chapter They doe greatly helpe to declare the administration of this Church Touching the city Philadelphia it selfe we finde no other thing but that in the age following there abod in that place a famous congregation of the faithfull over which Demas had the charge as is gathered from the Epistles of Jgnatius In the Antitype a divine power specially shineth forth sanctifying the Church by kindling the desyre of godlines and in making it in Christ Iesus fit and cheerfull to every good worke Let my wordes be without envy the true doctrine soundeth no where purer the worship lesse corrupted more flourisheth the faithfull diligence of the Pastours is performed more willing obedience of the people nor greater reverence of all religion among all degrees But this holines seemeth chiefly to respect manners In which thing is not to be passed over that famous testimony of Iohn Bodin speking of them of Geneva Of whom that thing saith he is prayse worthy if any thing any where in the earth and which maketh a comon wealth to flourish if not in riches and greatnes of Empire yet certenly in vertues and godlines namely that censure of the Popes then which nothing greater and more divine could be devised to bridle mens lusts and to represse those vices which by no meanes could be amended by any humane lawes and iudgements How be it that this restraint is directed after the rules of Christ first privatly and friendly after some what more sharply then if thou obey not there followeth an heavie grave and effectuall prohibition from the holy things after the interdiction is the punishement of the Magistrate And so it cometh to passe that those things which are punished no where by the lawes are there restrained without any force and sturre or great adoe Therefore noe whoredomes no drunknesses noe daunâ—ings noe beggars noe idle persons are found in that city Those are his wordes in Meth. of History chap. 6. Worthyly is the sanctifyer of the Church to be praysed who hath wrought that they should will and effect these things according to his free good will There is the same care and fruit also of the rest according to the measure which Christ vouchsafeth to every congregatioÌ„ of them Neither is his trueth lesse excellent both in as much as he is a Propheâ— in teaching and also a Surety in promising Wee shall see this double trueth in the following Church to be distinguished by their proper wordes both which the Greeke worde true seemeth to containe when it is put absolutely and by it selfe And as touching trueth of doctrine wher is it more pure and more sincere in the whole earth The whole Papacy hath here his throate cut The Anabaptists Antitrinitaries Arians and such like monsters raysed up againe from hell partly in Germany partly in Transylvania have founde no where a fiercer enemy What also hath it not assayed that shee might pull away from the Germane Churches their errours Neither doth shee keepe onely the doctrine of salvation uncorrupt but also shee both delivereth and teacheth in writings and exerciseth in practise a syncere maÌ„ner of administring wherby salvation is bestowed Certenly the whole will of God is communicated with his saints so as Christ taketh to himselfe not undeservedly this prayse of true in governing this Church He doth also performe plenteously that which he promised that he would keepe safe and sound those that seeke him with an upright heart What have not endevoured the Franch man the Spuniard the SavoyaÌ„ the Pope to roote out them of Geneva a small people and environed on every side with enemyes and shut up from all ayde of friends Neverthelesse it flourisheth yet still thankes be to God and shall flourish hereafter while all her adversaryes burst with envy as long as shee shall continue in this holy order The French Church hath ben preserved hitherto no other wise then the three children in the fornace Who would have beleeved that the Lowe Countryes had ben able to resist and withstande the raging Philip the cruell Duke d'Alve and so many bloudy Tyrants But true is he who hath promised this honour to his saints that they should binde the Kings with chaines and their nobles with fetters of iron Psalme 149.8.9 And that I may not speake of every each one they can be safe onely by thy protection o most high God who art constant in all thy promises whom both enemyes almost infinite doe persecute with deadly hatred and also to whom many of their freindes through envy wish not very well ¶ Who hath the key of David The third property perteineth also to the same administration Christ openeth and shutteth to whom he hath thought it good the entrance into the kingdome of Heaven by his regall power Which faculty in deede he bestoweth upon all his which doe declare and preach the worde purely and syncerely but which is principally to be seen in that part of governement wherby obstinate sinners which will not yeilde to admonitions are delivered to Sathan by the Ecclesiasticall censure and are cast out of the Church which is the Kingdome of Heaven according to that Whatsoever yee shall binde on earth shal be bound in heauen and whatsoever yee shall loose in earth shal be loosed in heaven For where two or three are gathered togither in my name there am J in the middes of them Mat. 18.18.20 By these therefore is shewed that the power of opening and shutting of binding and loosing is very effectuall in these congregations and more over also the whole administration of the censures And what godly man doth not thanke God from his heart and extolleth not with worthy ptayses the holy paines of this Church which restored discipline fallen into decay and brought it backe to the rule of trueth and use of the primitive Church But it is to be observed that this key was sayd before to be the key of Death and Hell in the first Chapter and 18. verse by one part denoting the whole force of them Therefore that key is to be feared which locketh up the gate upon the wicked being thrust into Hell howsoever they despise the same with security And yet notwithstanding no lesse pleasant to them that feare God because it unlocketh to them the dores by which they may enter unto life But why is it called of David seeing it is of Aaron rather whose office was to keepe away the leprous and uncleane from the holy things and to shut up the Temple against them Certenly the Priest onely could pronounce men uncleane he was not wont by an ordinary proper power to use force to compell the disobedient Christ both King and Priest is very mighty in both facultyes and powers and ioineth togither both in this Church who not onely rayseth up Pastours that they should denounce men uncleane but also together adioyneth the civile Magistrate that he should give his ready and diligent labour
which time this reward perteineth frō whence it is cleare that these 7 Epistles respected not onely the present condition of the 7 cityes but by the way of types to contayne a lōge following age evē as we have interpreted But so farre as pertineth to newe Ierusalem wee will shew in this place that it is not that city which the saints shall enioy in heaven after this life but a Church to be expected on earth the most pure and most noble of all that ever have bin hitherto The rewards in a peculiar manner doe serve the times and if this felicity shal be after the resurrection it shal be comon to all the saints not proper to this Philadelphia This therefore signifyeth both that the Philadelphians shall cōtinue untill that restauratiō in which new Ierusalem shall come downe from heaven shal be conversant among men also shal be ioyned with the same in a league fellowship shal be indued with that heavenly city enioy the same Law privilege happines At which time all shall acknowledge thy reformation not to be a thing devised of man as contentious men affirme when they shall see the same ordinances to flourish in newe Ierusalem The third name is the newe name of sonne What can be new unto him namely that which is not yet acknowledged of the world Hitherto he hath suffered the tyrants to beare rule to treade under foote the name of Christ as though he were a King onely in title who should have right to reigne but should want pover But at length he shall rise up shall take a clubbe into his hande he shall destroy all his enemyes he shall give the triumphe to his spouse shal be celebrated King of Kings by all men through the whole cōpasse of the earth Vnto the society of which glory he shall take his servants he shall deliver them from the calamityes wherewith they are now oppressed he shall give them power over their enemyes shall bestow on them the whole glory of his Kingdome as much as mortall mē cā receive And there is some difference betweene a newe name put absolutely as in chap. 2.17 a newe name of sonne For that perteineth unto the certenty of adoption by Christ which faith was very weake in the Pergamen state this belongeth to the society of the Kingdome which shal be communicated with his in the last times 13 Let him that hath an eare heare Hear therefore Philadelphia and reioyce thou art lowe and nothing esteemed but God will exalte thee Onely goe foreward constantly augment your care diligence slake and asswage it nothing Neither regarde the skoffes of the wicked who shall bring upō thēselves sorow to thee a crowne Shortly there shal be an end of thy warfare In the meane time wee will pray for thy peace Doe thou againe ioyne thy prayers with ours that Christ would bestow the same things upon the rest of thy brethren which he hath so greatly approved in thee Fare well The grace of our Lord Iesus Chist be with thee Amen Analysis SO is the Epistle to the Philadelphians the last remayneth to the Laodiceans whose inscription is to the Angell like to the former The description of him by whom it is sent is fetched from a double property first of Trueth partly in the promises in that he is Amen partly in the Doctrine in that he is the falthfull true Witnesse secondly of power wherby he is the beginning of the creature of God ver 14. The Narration first reproveth sheweth the greatnes of the sinne both secretly omitting the making mention of any good thing as in the former Churches and as also openly both by comparison of coldnes as a lesser evill ver 15. and also by the punishement to be inflicted the vomitting out of his mouth ver 16. After he teacheth the way to heale them both by opening the cause of the disease which is a false perswasion of their owne worthynes and ignorance of their misery ver 17. and also in prescribing a remedy to be sought from Christ alone ver 18. And not this alone but also by persuading the use of it as well by the chastising of sonnes if they shall neglect it ver 19. as also by his readinesse to apply ver 20. and by the reward ver 21. The last ende is the Epilogue to heare what the Spirit saith tu tho Churches ver 22. Scholions 14 And to the Angell of the Laodiceans Laodicea situated at the river Lycum was once a great city and famous abounding both in cityzens riches and also in all other things as we shewed in the first chap. ver 11. It was built by Antiochus the sonne of Stratonice and for his wife Laodice her sake called this city Laodicea as it were the Princesse and ruler of the people to whom shee should administer iustice and make lawes From whence wee call her Glorious great both by name and also in their owe opinion which boasteth that shee is riche and wanteth nothing ver 17. It is from Philadelphia more toward the East then the South being distant from it according to Ptolomy not above tenth scruples Shee is the third city since there was mention made of Jezabell the reproche of whom Sardis tooke away from the Churches Shee hath this proper to her that shee hath none to whom shee can be opposed as in the former Churches Vnto Ephesus was opposed Thyatira to Smyrna Sardis to Pergamus Philadelphia Laodicea the seaven hath noe fellow The Antitype is the third reformed Church which before I note or shew the uniust suspicion and offence of some men is to be put away by intreaty No disease or corruption of minde hath moved me to seeke out an odious application No mans either riches or honours God is witnesse grieveth mee I am content with my little Neither have I counted any thing to be more foolish then to please on s selfe by displeasing others But howe dishonest and filthy a thing is it to sit as doth the fly upon the soares of the brethren My soule hath allwayes abhorred such dealings But when I considered that these seaven cityes were set forth for a type of all Churches among the Gentiles and then also perceived the course it selfe of the time and the mervaylous concurring of all things I durst not unfaithfully hide the truth with silenee least I should make my selfe guilty of others blood Farre be it that I should distaine willfuly that Church which through the mercy of God hath brought mee forth nourished and susteined mee which I desire in my daylie prayers and labour to be most blessed But seeing the soare cannot be cured unlesse it be touched neither truly touched without griefe I thought I must not refuse to cast my selfe against what troubles soever rather then to betray the salvation of her of which every one of us ought to have greater regard and care then of his owne Verily he that
unlesse yee load him also with the spoiles of Christ himselfe But learne from these that did speake by publike authority in their Generall Councills what was the voice of the whole world In the same route of wonderers are the Iesuites at this day all the Papists Neither can it be otherwise but that they must thinke that he is to be followed in all things and worship him as God whom they judge for a surety to be free from errour hath not the Englis man written justly in his Poetrie that the Pope is the astonishment of the world Especially if one set before his eies the Emperour leading his horse by the bridle and holding the stirrop while the Beast mounteth on horseback 4 And they worshipped the DragoÌ„ That is men acknowledged the power of the Beast to be by right the chiefe because of the auncient majesty of Rome which the Heathen Emperours who are those Dragons procured unto it For was not this to adore and worship the Dragon for his sake to give the supreme dignitie to his successour But this was the first foundatioÌ„ of the Romane Primacy because this Citie was a fore time the head city of the Empire From hence every where in Eusebius and other Ecclesiasticall writers it is called the raigning Citie But most clearly doth the Councill of Chalcedon shew this in the 16. Act. For the Fathers in order gave privilegies to the Seate of olde Rome because of the Empire of that Citie An hundred and fifty Bishops most loving to God and of equall Seate moved with the same intention gave privilegies to the newe Rome iudging according to reason that the Citie adorned with the Empire and Senate should enioy the like privilegies of the auncient Rome and in Ecclefiasticall affaires to have authority as shee and to be the next after her c. Therefore the Empire and Senate did bring forth the Primacy to the elder Rome which being graunted unto her by those first Fathers because of the Heathen Emperours who raigned there afore time the Successours afterward did for the same cause amplify the dignity graunted and prostrate themselves all shamefully before the Dragon worshipping him as the authour of this honour By the same argument the Bishop of Constantinople would have obtained the like dignity But the Dragon sufferred it not who had made the Bishop of Rome his heire of the whole Wherefore the Legates of the Romane Bishop withstood that Decree Neither would Pope Gelasius who in other things approved the Concill of Chalcedon confirme this one Canon concerning the privilege of the Church of CoÌ„stantinople Therefore that Decree was of noe force especially when the same Gelasius to whom the Dragon had committed his power had ordained wisely before and warily that no Act of any Councill whatsoever should be of any force unlesse it were confirmed the Bishop of Rome ¶ And they worshipped the Beast saying who is like to the Beast who can warre with him Such was the worshipping of the Dragon now followed of the Beast which consisteth in the extolling of his power above all that wee may not thinke that adoration is in the gesture onely And was there not iust cause of boasting so highly of the Beasts power Leo Isaurus the Emperour of Constantinople fought unfortunately with Gregory the second excommunicated by the same and put from all the Empire of the West Childericke the King of France was too weake for to encounter with the Pope Zachary wherefore forced by his authority he gave over his Kingdome to Pipine The Longobards not using the Beast well when he was sicke of his wounde at length wheÌ„ he began to be recovered and to waxe well were cast into the jawes of this Leopard by the helpe of Pipine and Charles the Great Neither lost Charles his cost being made Emperour for his labour Great indeede was thy power ô Beast who wert able at thy pleasure to take away and to give againe that which is the highest in meÌ„s affaires Lamentable is the History of Henry the fourth who in the heart of a terrible winter bare foote and fasting from morning to night for the space of three dayes waited for sentence craving pardon before the gates of the Canusine Castell of the Romane Bishop who yet prevayled nothing eyther by his owne or others teares or by the intercession of any Sanct save onely of a certen whore whom the Holy Pope had made his darling The Emperour was deceived who thought that the Pope could be pacifyed by prayers and fasting this God required an other kinde of sacrifices But that is horrible that the Pope drove rhe Sonne of Henry to that wickednesse that he should assault his Father with warre spoiled him of all dignity and at length constrained him to ende his life in extreame miseries Frederike Barbarossa a man of an heroicall disposition hath set foorth greatly the triumph of the Beast being troden upon with his feete while he in the meane time did sing this verse of triumphe Thou shalt walke upon the Aspe and Bisiliske and tread upon the Lion and Dragon What should I rehearse Frederike the second Lodovike of Bavaria contemning indeed at the first the Popes but at length having tried their strength prooving all meanes to winne their favour againe Our England hath affoarded us a sorrowfull exemple of King Iohn From all which may be perceived how unequall a conflict any Prince on earth had with this Beast Therefore Rudulphâ—s Halsbergensis the Emperour when the Princes desired earnestly that he would goe visit Italy not dissembling that he did wholly abhorre this voyage answereth wisely that he was made afraide by all men footsteppâ—s tâ—nding toward it and none backeward from it What was this else but Who shall be able to warre with him 5 And there was a mouth given unto him speaking great things Hitherto the honour of the Beast now followed his power of blaspheming and doing Of which both the power given is first recited afterward the execution of blâ—sphâ—ming in the sixt verse of doing in the seventh verse It is profitable for uâ— to understand that those horrible impietyes doe enter into the world not by any blinâ—e force of fortune but by the most just judgemeÌ„t of God Who doth so puniâ—h naughty acts and especially mens despising of his trueth The power of blaspheming is the freedome from errour which the Romane Pope chalengeth to himselfe and his Seate and that men of a blinde and perverse minde doe willingly graunt unto him What blasphemies may not he proffer to the world every one of whose Decrees are held for Oracles The power of doing is that exempt and most free ability to doe all what one will without rendring a reason to any man Wherein notable is the power of the Romane Pope above all other For such Decrees doe they ordaine No man shall iudge the first Seate desiring to moderate iustice for the Iudge shall be iudged neither of the Emperour neither of all the
interrogation hath a certaine blaming of negligence and unskilfulnes as though he should say unlesse men had shamefully despised the observatioÌ„ of former times now they should not have had need to wonder at the Whore because they saw her flourishing in this whatsoever felicity But the merciful father who pardoneth all sinnes to his children for Christs sake forgiveth also this carelesnes And therfore he sendeth his Angsl to make the whol thing most plaine For this is that which followeth I wil shew thee the mistery c. yet warning not darkely that also the interpretation it selfe shall not be cleare to all men but shal remaine yet hidden to all that are hardened as before at verse 3. 5. 8 The Beast which thou hast seen The first interpretation is of the Beast according to the whole in this verse as we have distinguished in the Analysis wherin is declared his divers condition according to 4. alterations of times such as at length he should be known to be most playnely under this vial The first time wherin he was the second wherin he is not the third wherin he ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit the fourth wherin he shal goe into destruction As touching the first it is not to be understood of any time which went before the age of Iohn or this Prophecie given to him For the Angel avoucheth plainely that this Beast was not yet come ver 10. that is that he was not yet when Iohn received this Prophecy but should receive power at the same houre with the ten Kings who in Iohns time had not yet received a Kingdome ver 11. Therfore this Beast is not properly the Devil as some of the auncient Fathers expound it and the Iesuite Ribera snatcheth it greedily Of him it could not be said that he was not yet come or that he had not yet received power whose Kingdome then both flourished very greatly and did flourish before Christ came in the flesh Afterward we shall see that the original of this Beast is to be set at that time wherein the Dragon was thrust out of heaven and gave him his Throne And so there are two and fourty moneths of his cheife power which same is the space of the woman lying hid in the wildernesse and of the two Prophets cloathed in sackcloth These chapters 13.5 and 12.6 and 11.2 will challenge the same beginning to all these Which wee have shewed to have falleÌ„ about the times of the beginning of the raigne of CoÌ„stantine the Great some ages after that Iohn was dead After which beginning the first part noteth that there was a time when the Beast flourished for a season to weet at the end of the publike persecutions by open enemies whom the prowesse of Constantine put to flight The second that after that prosperous tranquility a new tempest arose which afflicted the Beast so vehemently that for iust cause men should say that he was in time past but that now he is not as whom they should thinke to have perished utterly in those troubles as it came to passe after that refreshing under some fewe Emperours in which time the authority of the Bishop of Rome increased marveilously when the invasion of the Barbarous people spoyled miserably all Italy cruelly destroyed Rome it selfe the Throne of the Beast and did cut off almost to the very roote the authority of the Pope growing too rankely Should not men then have cryed out by right that the Pope was but is not whose not onely authority but also seate they might thinke to have ben altogither past recovery This second time was caled the wounded head in chap. 13.3 which did bring with it the knowledge of the former of which there could be no knowledg until this alteration had befalleÌ„ But the Beast lay not alway in this destruction he rose out of it againe as the third member declareth he came out of the bottomlesse pit which came to passe when he lifted up his head againe after that Barbarian storme of adversity was mitigated This time comprehendeth both the curing of the wouÌ„d by Iustinian and Phocas and also his rising out of the earth or out of the bottomlesse pit by Gregory the second of both which in chap. 13.3.11 11.7 and 9.2.11 This Gregory exercised that power which his Ancestours had obtayned of the Emperours yea a farre greater not onely as an Vniversall Bishop but as the highest Dictatour taking away and giving the Empire to whom he thought good It is sufficient in this place to observe the first beginning of things Who first bestowed the name of an Emperour upon men in the West part wee have shewed in an other place Therfore the Beast ascended then when the Popes had gotten this terrene power to themselves as in chap. 13.11 hath ben sayd which earth he called here the bottomlesse pit as elswhere in the Psalmist and makest me to ascend from the depthes of the earth Psal 71.20 And so is the third time The fourth is shall goe into destruction which declareth that this dignity revived shall not remaine for ever but be diminished by little and little and leasurly consumed while it be at length utterly abolished as wee have heard before in the second chapter of Jezabell lying sicke in her bedde the paramour of this Beast and languishing of an incurable consumption Even as at this daie thankes be to God wee see in Rome and in the Pope but the buriall funeralls are yet to come about what time the Revelation will shew us afâ—er These are the foure notable changins wherby the Beast might become known to men being not blind willingly from which wee have a most strong argument to prove both the time when Rome is the whore of the person of Antichrist For that City is the whore in which reigneth Antichrist to weet the very Beast which was which is not which ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit and goeth into destruction But Rome is the City in which froÌ„ Constantine the Great the Pope hath reigned which was which is not which asceÌ„deth out of the bottomlesse pit and goeth into destruction Therefore Rome since Constantine is the whore and the Pope of Rome since the very same time is the Beast and Antichrist in whom wee see all these alterations at this time so farre as doubtlesse may be done the same being not wholly takeÌ„ away From whence it is not to be doubted but that he is that adversary that man of sinne that great Antichrist whom all ought to flee and to feare greatly and to wish dâ—struction to him and procure it to his power If any thinketh the Beast caÌ„not be knowne before his last destruction which surely is to know too late let him observe that the Angell doth stop in the ende of the verse in the third member seeing saith he the Beast which was and is not and yet is Whereby he declareth that a sure knowledge may be had at this third chaunging ¶ And
advancing the Pope who being destitute of the same for a time should be contemned and also because the certen definit and excellent number of these in the very first beginnings of iniquity should leade men straight forth to the extolling of the Beast in the ages following and should more aboundantly instruct us for to understand this whole mystery For these hornes which shall eate the flesh of the whore and at length burne her with fire are farre off from the times of the first hornes a thousand two hundred three score yeeres at the least as appeareth sufficiently from those things which have ben said before Necessarily therfore is a succession to be understood to al which the name of tenne hornes agreeth because the first of this number were notable Which things now in this wise declared wee have the third demonstration of those that are taken out of this chapter both of the Antichrist and also his comming For the Beast which received power at one houre with the tenne Kings who had not yet received a Kingdome in Iohns time but should receive it straightway when the sixt head was gone and then present is the Antichrist But the Pope of Rome is the Beast which a thousand three hundred yeeres since received power at one houre with those tenne Kings as wee have made it plaine Therfore a thousand three hundred yeeres since he is Antichrist So al things agree most fitly with themselves and doo marveilously levell at the same marke 13 These have one minde Such was thē the beginning of the Kingdome The intent of these Kings is with one purpose of minde to bestow their strength power in maintaining the Beast Which in few wordes but cleerly inough doo shew how the Emperours should be affected towards the Pope of Rome chiefly for the space of the two fourty moneths of his flourishing tyrāny For the defection should not beginne forthwith at this terme but shortly after the former good wil should decay and abate somewhat by little and little of the former heate But who may not wonder at so great consent of mindes through so lōg a succession that all in like wise should desire that the chiefe dignity should be in the possession of the Pope of Rome and should let passe nothing that might pertaine to the advancing and making famous the same The thing is manifest to every one in the first tenne hornes Onely Iulianus holpe also somewhat at least in vanquishing the enemies of the Empire Neither in the destructions of Rome and when the Popedome was almost abolished was ther want in the Emperours of a care to reserve the former authority to old Rome when it seemed meet to translate the Primacie to Constantinople the seate then of the Empire especially the Bishops of Constantinople chalenging to themselves the same with exceeding great contention Yea at length they restrained this ambition of theirs and commanded them to be subiect to the Romane Pope New Hornes at length arose in the VVest Pipine Charles the Great they fought farre more fiercely for the Beast then any before in chap. 13.11 Moreover at length it came to this point that by an othe of fidelity the Emperours were bound to the Pope and should now doo necessarily that which before time they did of their owne accord and voluntarily It seemed to the Beast to stand with wisdome for his greater security to use this marke afterward as wee have shewed at chapter 14.17 VVhich custome must descēde to the posterity until the words of God should be fulfilled as after in verse 17. Some few Emperours indeed had great strife with the Beast but in everie one of them this is to be marveiled at that they though they had to doo onely with a man not with the Pope They hated him peradventure as an enemy but the Popedome they adorned in the meane time very studiously But neither thē had the Pope need of those hornes who prevailed so much by his owne forces that he compelled the Emperours struggling with him to be subiect in spite of their teeth and themselves nowe to undergoe the yoke by whose helpe before he brought others under the yoke Or graunt that some one who sawe more then the rest hated also the Popedome yet one swallow maketh not the spring As touching the wordes Montanus readeth in the ende of the verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doo give in the present tence doo give their power to the Beast as in the beginning of the verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have albeit the speach be of that which is to come but this is usuall in narrations Theodorus Beza hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall give 14 These shall fight with the Lambe Now he declareth the warre of these hornes which they should make against the Lambe But did Constantine the other good Emper. ēdevour any thing against the Lord for whose sake they take up weapons against others Certenly men fight against the Lambe when any thing is defended earnestly which is contrary to his ordinances And if any looketh into that manifold superstition which was brought in when even the best raigned by the same if not the authours yet the favourers thereof he shall easily see this battell although the holy men thought nothing lesse for so I may call them whom God pardoneth for his Sonnes sake and sinning not of purpose but through ignorance then to oppugne the Lambe whom alone they desired to beare rule This I say may be called a battel against the Lambe yet those first Emper. were farr from that warre which was at length to be made with the Saincts after the two and fourty moneths were finished For so wee heard before when the two witnesses have finished their testimony the Beast that commeth out of the bottomelesse pit shall make warre against them and overcome them Chapter 11.7 VVhich wee shewed to have bene done partly by the authority of the Pope himselfe when at Trent he subdued the truth by his purpled company partly by the weapons of the Emperour Charles the fift who togither by a most lamentable warre persecuted the Princes of Germany craving liberty to worship the Lambe who had begun a little before to shine againe upon the world after long darkenesse The Angel speaketh in the plurall number as though all the hornes should make warre togither with ioyned forces But it is no newe thing that it should be said done of all which is done of any one of the same degree Many were the entreprises before against the Lambe but this one deserveth the name of warre above all ¶ And the Lambe shall overcome them See how with this warre he ioyneth the victory of the Lambe which may be understood of this alone But the Emperours got the victory in that warre that is true indeede if wee respect the very time of darkenes by the space of which the two witnesses must lie slaine and unburied But after those fewe fore appointed dayes were ended
it were lawfull to departe froÌ„ the common edition Thou seest then that those faultes must be made good by thee and the fidelitie of the old Interpretour very ignorantly I will not say impudently boasted of though in deede so it was needfull for thee by reason of that dutifulnes wherby thou art bounde to Rome 6 And hath made that is and which hath made by a want of the relative as but now we have said All those things tende hereunto that they may teach that Christ hath not these good things for himselfe alone wherwith we have heard by the wordes last handled he is endued but doth poure them on the elect wherby they may be blessed thorough the participation of them ¶ Kings and Priests to God Some reade A Kingdome and Priests as also the common translation hath It makes not much for the meaning yet it is more likely that there is a conioining of persons betweene themselves than of things and persons The elect are Kings by participating of Christs Kingdome through which we have overcome the law death and sinne and doe daiely triumphe over the world treading under foote the same by faith 1 Ioh. 5.4.5 By him also we are Priests who being dead in him we have God mercifull to us and a waie opened to call boldly on him But he addeth wariely that we are made Kings and Priests to God that we maie not thinke that this honour is given to us eyther to trouble civill matters or to confound Churches politie ¶ To him be glory This is all that we can render for his exceeding benefits namely to wish that by his righteous praises he be celebrated amoÌ„gst all men And this thankesgiving seemes to be undertaken for Gods present gift thorough the knowledge of Christ poured forth on the GeÌ„tiles Beholde he commeth with the cloudes A benefite to come to be expected at his glorious coming To come with the cloudes is to manifest himselfe with a storme and tempest and wonderfull terrour of vehement and great lightening to be avenged on the wicked and to deliver his After which maner Daniell also speaketh of his coming J saw in the visions of the night that behold one like to the sonne of man came with the cloudes of heaven chap. 7.13 For so the notable iudgements of God ar wont to be described by which he poureth forth his fervent wrath on his enemies that we maie thinke that all creatures doe fight for God also he will use the heaveÌ„ the earth to helpe his people and furthermore that the reprobate shall have no meanes to escape After the like maner the Psalmist being delivered out of the handes of his enemies praiseth God for his power shewed from heaven in delivering of him Ps 18.13.14.15 In Mathew it is saide he will come on the cloudes chap. 24.30 but it may be in the same sence which is in Ps 18.11 and he sate on the Cherubins and did flie c. But the Angels affirme that he will come as they had seene him going into heaven Act. 1.11 And no feare was there onely the cloude tooke him awaie out of their sight but without any stricking of terrour But the similitude seemeth to be referred to the truth of the humane nature in which he shall returne to be seen of all men after which sorte he went into heaven not for the pompe and maiestie of his coming or the Angels speake in regard of the Godly to whom his coming shall be most ioyfull for which the reprobate shall in vaine desire that the mountaines should cover them All be it it shall be manifest by those things that follow that here these wordes are not spoken of his last coming but onely allude unto it because of the similitude ¶ And they shall waile over him Here the wailing is of repentance not of desperation as is plaine out of Zachary from whence these wordes are fetched and they shall looke saith he to him whom they have perc d and they shall lament over him as a lamentation for their onely begotten chap. 12.10 But seeing that when men shall stand before the throne of the universall iudgement their repentance shall be to late by no meanes these things seeme that they can be uÌ„derstood of the last iudgemeÌ„t neither of that his coming with the cloudes which but now he spake of but rather of that his excelleÌ„t glory which shall be manifest in the world in the calling of the Iewes Those are they which once perced him but at length they shall beholde him all the Tribes of the earth that is the whole nation of the Iewes shall with aboundaÌ„ce of teares bewaile the wickednes of their ancestours for delivering Christ to death And in deede the Revelation staies her narration upoÌ„ their conversion as hereafter God willing it shall be manifest And because then the glory of Christ shall be very great in the earth a most lively patterne of that which shall shine in the last daye a preparation unto this is brought for the beautifying of it Neither alone in this place but as it seemeth also in many other ¶ All Tribes These things are proper to the Iewes to whom once tribe by tribe the promised land was divided The thing could not in more exquisite wordes be declared Sometime the tribes are taken metaphorically but in no wise here seeing that Zachary mentioneth by name the Iewish tribes The land saith he shall lament every family apart the family of the house of David â—part the family of the house of Levy apart all the rest of the families every familie apart The lamenters here are those which were percers and the tribes are of those that lamented therefore of them which perced him to wit of the Iewes to whom properly this sinne belongs Therefore these wordes of the Apostle are thus as if he should saie Beholde he comes with the cloudes all men of all sortes shall see him also those which perced him to wit the Iewes whose predecessours crucified Christ and perced his side with aspeare these being scatered every where thorough all nations shall at length be convertâ—d to the true faith for earnest grief shall morne both for the detestable iniquity of their forefathers and also for their so long hardening yea Amen And so finally this is the summe of all that the benefite of Christ partly present is here celebrated in the calling of the Gentiles for that which he before spake of Kings and Priestes is referred to the seaven Churches of Asia that is to all the Gentiles embracing Christ at that present for which cause there is attributed to him the praise of glory power partly to come in the calling of the Iewes which we have declared to us both by their repentance and also by the desire and wishe of all the Godly ¶ Yea Amen The fervent desire of the Godly desiring this coming is expressed in greeke and hebrew for this shall be the wishe of all nations The
gathereth the teares of his children in his bottle knoweth that I have not viewed round about this Laodicea with dry eyes I could not but morne from the bottome of myne heart when I beheld in her Christ lothing us and very greatly provoked against us Wherfore let no man blame me for that which not so much my wil as the duty of a faithfull Interpreter compelleth me to bring forth And I hope that the lovers of the truth will not despise and refuse so equall and reasonable request with which hope supported but especially with his ayde who is the leader of my way and life I will gird and make my selfe ready unto the thing it selfe The Antitype I say is the third reformed Church that is ours of England For all the purer Churches are comprehended in this threefolde difference For either they presist and continue in those steppes which Luther hath traced out such as are the Churches of Germany especially of Saxony and those next bordering of Suerland and Danemarke or they abhorre that errour of Consubstantiation as all the rest with one consent which yet doe not agree in all things but follow a differing manner of governing and administring the French and their companions one our English another a certen propre and peculiar one Whereupon there are three distinct severally unto which the three types Sardis Philadelphia Laodicea after that Iezabell was overthrowne that is the yoke of the Romish tyranny shaken of doe answere And to the last Laodicea the English doth agree whose last original taketh her beginning at the yeare 1547. when Edward the King of most famous memory came to the rule and governement of the common wealth but then at length shee was confirmed and stablished when 11 yeares after our most peaceable Queene Elisabeth begā the kingdome Most mighty King Henry her father had expelled the Pope but reteyned the Popish superstition And before he began to stirre any whit even against the Pope the Churches of Germany and Helvetia were founded The Scotish Church is later in beginning then ours yet by right it is numbred with them with which it agreeth in ordinances into whose times shee is cast which is to be esteemed rather from the agreement of things then alone from the difference of time Wherfore our English Church alone constituteth the Antitype answering to Laodicea as shee which began last of those in which there appeareth noe difference of any moment ¶ These things saith that Amen Amen is used as a proper name and unchāgeable as before he that is he that was he that cometh This threefoulde property perteineth therto that it may teach what manner of one Christ would shew him selfe in governing this Church The first is fetched out of the first chap. ver 18. although Amen there wanteth the article neither is it read at all of the comon Interpreter yet notwithstanding this place giveth coniecture that it ought to be read The second is taken not out of the vision of the same chapter but from the inscription of the comon Epistle ver 5. Neither is the third found in expresse wordes but in the 8. ver he is called the beginning and the end from whence this seemeth to proceed the beginning of the creature The two first propertyes perteine to the double truth one of promising the other of teaching in respect of that he is called that Amen according to that of the Apostle In him are all the promises of God yea and amen 2 Cor. 1.20 in respect of this a faithfull true witnesse As touching that Christ taketh this name upon him now because he should shew himselfe very cleare famous in performing his promises But what are they All blessings of heaven of earth of cattell of children of peace of warre of good health the like to them that obey the voyce of the Lord but all cōtrary things to thē that refuse Deut. 28. Which how they were performed to the Laodiceans is not plainly apparent to us being destitute in this point of the light of the History As touching our England nothing can be more cleare then the excellent goodnes of God in this thing For the space of these 42. yeares more what aboundance of all good things hath ben powred forth upon our Iland He hath given us a most peaceable Queene excelling so in all prayse as no age hath seene the like Togither with her he hath given peace What good thing hath not issued frō thence Frō hēce the lawes are in force iudgemēts are exercised every one ēioyeth his owne iniuries are restrayned wātonnes is repressed the nobility is honoured the comon people goeth about their worke with all diligence arts doe flourish handicraftes are used cities are built excellently riches increased infinite youth groweth up the fieldes abunde with corne the pastures with cattel the moutaines with sheepe What should I use many words hence is a porte place of refuge opened to the banished for Christs sake affoardeth ayde to them that are oppressed by tyrants neither have wee almost any other labour thē that wee may helpe thē that neede all this even while our eares doe ringe of the noise tumulte of the nations round about us no lesse then as the waves of the sea England never had so long quietnesse of dayes At which our felicity strangers are astonished our enemies are grieved wee our selves almost knowe it not But prayse be to thee most true Amen who hath given us this ease and rest In bestowing largely upon us so many good thinges thou hast shewed truly to the world that thy Gospell is a guest not going away scot free which dot so aboundantly blesse those that receive entertaine it Keepe continue these good thinge unto us yea thou wilt keepe them which art Amen if wee shall keepe and defende thy trueth ¶ That faithfull witnesse true The second property is of trueth in teaching For these thinges perteine to the propheticall office of Christ as hath bin said in the first verse of the first chap. where he is called faithfull because of the diligence of labour wherby he is exercised in his office with very great faithfulnes to whom the FATHER hath well commited a businesse of so great momēt true for the soundnes and syncerity of speach without all even the least spot of falshood In this kinde of trueth he should manifest him selfe in wonderfull manner in this Church But touching the city of LAODICEA we have noe more then before In the Antitype those former riches of his grace are in this thing if it may be surmounted and excelled And to what end were all the good thinges if wee could not have the wholesome doctrine of trueth But ever since the first times of our most peaceable Queene he hath raysed up continually diligent and learned Pastours and Teachers who have preached the worde purely and syncerely Neither at this day are many wanting by his infinite mercy who bestowe
any adversity trouble them which is signifyed by hunger and thirst moreover also all causes of calamityes shal be driven farre away the Sūne shall not burne them neither shall there be any heat which shall bring scarsity the whole creature shall consent to further the happines of the holy people Here the things are set before us in fewe wordes for a tast which shal be declared more at large afterward 17 For the Lambe that is in the middes of the Throne shall governe them Now the cause is rehearsed of the former happines to every part of which it is distributed conveniently shall governe answereth to those wordes shall not hunger shall lead them to the lively fountaines of waters respecteth the thirst which he said should be sufferred no more and shall wipe away all teares hath regarde to the heate of the Sunne which he promiseth shall not be trobelsome afterward ¶ From their eyes The teares falling from the eyes Montanus hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were abiding in the eyes as if God by drying thoroughly the eyes should leave no faculty to weepe Isayah the teares from all faces ch 25.8 So then is the common type while the trumpets and viols endure that is even to the last ende About the beginning and proceeding of the Trumpets the number of the elect should be sealed about the ende there should be a more ioyfull more plentifull and more evident multitude which afterward under the viols encreasing every day at length should have their brethren the Iewes ioyned togither with themselves when there shal be a full happines at last so great as can be expected on earth which shall not be discontinued againe by any generall miseries of the times untill Christ himselfe shall come to iudgement This common type is to be declared by every member in those thinges that are behinde according to the severall mutations and notable events that shall happen this whose space CHAP. 8. AND when he had opened the seaventh seale there was silence in heaven about halfe an houre 2 And I saw the seaven Angels which stoode before God to them were given seven trumpets 3 Then another Angell came stood before the altar having a golden censer much odours were given unto him that he should offer with the prayers of all the Saints upon the golden altar which is before the throne 4 And the smoke of the odours with the prayers of the Saints wēt up before God out of the Angels hande 5 Afterward the Angell tooke the censer and filled it with fire of the altar cast it into the earth there were voices thundrings lightnings an earthquake 6 And the seaven Angels which had the seaven Trumpets prepared themselves to blowe the trumpets 7 So the first Angel blew the trumpet and there was haile and fire mingled with blood and they were cast into the earth and the third part of the earth was burnt the third part of the trees was burnt and all the greene grasse was burnt 8 And the seconde Angell blewe the trumpet and as it were a great mountaine burning with fire was cast into the sea and the third part of the sea became blood 9 And the third part of the creatures which are in the sea the livings things I say dyed and the third part of the shippes were destroyed 10 Then the third Angell blew and a great starre fell from heaven burning as a torche and it fell into the third parte of the rivers and into the fountaines of waters 11 And the name of the starre is called wormwood therefore the third part of the waters was turned into wormwood and many men dyed of the waters because they were made bitter 12 Afterward the fourth Angell blewe the trumpet and the third part of the Sunne was smitten and the third part of the Moone and the third part of the starres so that the third part of them was darkened and the third part of the day was darkened and likewise of the night 13 And I beheld and heard one Angell flying through the middes of heaven saying with a lowde voice woe woe woe to the inhabitans of the earth because of the soundes to come of the trumpet of the three Angels which shall blow Analysis THE cōmon type being declared the Silence which is proper to the seaventh seale remayneth Which of what it is is declared in the first ver Afterward he proceedeth to the following period of the trumpets which is cōprehended in the compasse of this and is distinguished into seaven trumpets the preparation of which is double common and speciall that cōsisteth first in the seaven Angels furnished with so many trumpets ver 2. Afterward in one other Angell who executeth the office of the High Priest as it appeareth from the furniture in respect both of the instrument and ende ver 3. and also of his ministery toward the elect ver 4. and against the enemyes partly by casting fire into the earth partly in raysing up from thence voices thundrings and great perturbation ver 5. The speciall preparation is of the seaven Angels making themselves ready unto the businesse appointed to them The Execution also hath likewise some thing comon to wit a warning by the blowing of the trumpets and also something speciall even the proper effect of every blowing of the trumpet which is distributed in the foure first lighter and the last three heavier They are handled in the rest of the chapter by their distinct articles At the first blowing of the trumpet there was hayle and fire ver 7. At the second a burning mountaine is cast into the sea ver 8. At the third a starre fell from heaven into the rivers ver 10.11 At the fourth the third part of the sunne was smitten ver 12. As touching the three last more grievous trumpets the preparation commō to them is had in ver 13. where the Angell flying through the middes of heaven denounceth with a mourning voice more horrible calamityes from them following Scholions 1 But when he had opened the seaventh seale Such then is the sixt the sevēth seale followeth whose effect which proceedeth from the opening is called Silence which sometime is used for any resting as why are yee silent in bringing home the King that is why doe yee rest 2 Sam. 10.11 Sometime it is opposed unto tumulte from whence the still waves of the waters Psal 107.29 Of which sorte is this silence made in Heaven that is in the Church on earth which often times is called of Christ the Kingdome of Heaven The space of this silence is about halfe an houre surely very shorth which should almost ende assoone as it should beginne In which is taught that the Church afterward shall enioy for a small time happy rest after that the open enemies should be driven away and that confortable Angel Constantine the great should arise from the East For this silence is ioined togither with that subduing
his scourges These seven thousande Papists are slaine their bodies being not killed but they deprived of their great revenues of Monasteries Collegies and such yeerly rents without any hope of recoverie Was it not as death to those idle bellies to be bereaved of their delights that men who lately gave their mindes to feede themselves onely should be constrained nowe to feede others by word life or some profitable labour or themselves to be an hungred But by the Angustane decree the right of such possessions was confirmed to the Princes of the Protestants and that afterward without danger the same might be bestowed upon the Ministres of the word Schooles the poore and other godly uses without any feare of extortion This doubtlesse was the thing that slewe them that nowe they should be brought to poverty in trueth who before abounding in all riot onely counterfaited the same But to what ende is the number of the slaine lesse then according to the certaine portion of the falling city For seven thousande onely were killed but the tenth parth of the city falleth surely because the calamity of the ruine should be greater then that of the death For that perteined to the whole multitude of the Popish name the killing was peculiar to the Ecclesiasticall men whom this alteration vexed most of all bringing with it the losse of their goods The common people who suffered the losse onely of their former opinion bare it more patiently Therefore whose griefe was small noe death of theirs is mentioned Howe doeth the Spirit declare unto us these events one after an other and conveniently He doth all things alone who before the things come to passe doth tell the condition of them so distinctly and exquisitely The rest of the Popish religion before acknowledging the iust vengeance of God in the destruction and calamity of those Church men gave glory to the God of Heaven that is were converted to the true creatour in whose stead they worshipped late Images made of some matter and Idols And who knoweth not that almost an infinite number of men stirred up by these scourges opening their eyes to the shining light did forsake their former superstitions Wee see thē from the beginning to the ende howe this whole Prophecy agreeth exactly with the event The seven last bookes of Sleidans Commentaries doe afforde a more full declaration both of the battell and death and resurrection of the Prophets The whole Prophecy is of about a thousand two hundred fifty Julian yeeres from Diocletian unto the yeere 1555. how farre also Sleidane proceeded both in writing and living Analysis And thus farre is the sixt trumpet second Periode the last followeth declared by the seventh trumpet which is declared summarily in the rest of this chapter afterward particularly through al the rest of the booke The summarie exposition commendeth the Kingdome of Christ partly by word partly by a signe that is both of the Rulers of the Christian assembly ver 15. and also of the foure and twenty Elders whose gesture is mentioned in ver 16. Secondly their speach ver 17. which setteth forth the glory of this Kingdome by the rage of the enemyes the manifest wrath of God in subduing them and finally by the rewarding of the good and evill ver 18. Last of all the signe is the temple open the Arke seene lightnings sent forth and voices ver 19. Scholions The second woe is past A transition from the second more grievous trumpet to the last But whereas he saith that the second woe is past it is not to be understood as though nothing of it at all should nowe remayne but onely that the strength of it was broken and much weakened which should decay more also every day while at length it should be utterly destroyed For those foure Angels of the ninth Chapter whom wee have shewed to be the Turkes are not altogither destroyed at the sounde of the seventh Trumpet but are onely hastening to destruction So they came after the LOCVSTS not expecting till not one Locust should remaine but when they waxed olde rushing in furiously as wee have shewed in the ninth chapter at the 12. verse And beholde the third woe willcome anon Why is the last Trumpet called a voice which shall give a full and right forme to the Church In regard of the wicked whose ende nowe appeareth and the rewarding of all their sinnes both by punishements begun on earth and also eternall in hell It is said to come anon because of that small delay which should come betweene that resurrection of the Prophets which even nowe he spake of and the last sound of the Trumpet and also because shortly the last calamity of the wicked is brought to passe which shal not stay so long a time as the former Trumpets but shall come quicly with swift winges 16 Therefore the seventh Angell blewe the Trumpet and there were great voices in heaven Blewe the Trumpet to wit in the yeere 1558. as the events doe make manifest for then were there great voices in heaven that is great ioy arose in the reformed Church for so the word heaven doth signify as often before neiter are these voices terrible such as are ioyned with the thunder and lightnings after and else where but of praise and thankesgiving as their argement is shewed in the next following wordes Whose voices they are is gathered from that which is said by and by that when they were heard the Elders fell downe upon their faces in the next verse which they are wont to doe at the voices of the foure beasts chap. 4.19.20 Therefore they are the Rulers of the Churches who for some notable benefit which the sound of the seven Trumpet brought doe provoke their flockes to the praysing of God They shewe what manner of benefit this is when they say the Kingdomes of the world are become our Lords and his Christ c. What meaneth this Doth Christ nowe first reigne Surely he shall reigne alwayes even in the middes of his enemies But nowe chiefly his Kingdome is to be praised when he maketh his maiestie visible after a sorte in the very Kinges in so fashioning and forming their harth that they cast downe their crownes and scepters at his feete and wholly doe give their minde to the promooting of his glory But neither is this any newe thing He raigned so in olde times by Constantine and other godly Emperours Also in these last ages those famous Princes of Germany had restored this Kingdome long since Tho whom may be ioyned Gustavus King of Suevia and Christian King of Dennemarke who in the yeere a thousande five hundred thirty eight changed away the Antichristian impiety for the Ghospell I answere that the Prophecy meaneth not that the Kingdomes nowe first became of the Christian name but onely that they should be greatly encreased at the sound of this Trumpet for then especially wee doe say that one doth raigne when wee see the boundes of his
declareth his stocke by his rising out of the earth and also by his likenes to the Lambe and Dragon ver 11. The power also of this is great as appeareth in subduing men to worship the first Beast ver 12. and that partly in deceaving by great wonders ver 13. and lying ver 14. partly in compelling both by punishment of death to worship the living Image ver 15. and also by the losse of their goods to receive the marke that should be printed upon them which is declared both to whom it belongeth either men or members ver 16. how manifold to wit the marke the name of the Beast the number of his name ver 17. Which number is set foorth both by an exhortation to count it and by a noting partly to whom it is proper to wit of a man partly how many it is to wit sixe hundreth three score and sixe Scholions ¶ Then I saw a Beast That the whole next treatise may be more cleare two thinges briefly are to be considered before wee come to the unfolding of every severall thing The first is the kinde of this Beast the other of the time wherein he ariseth As touching that first this Beast is not the civile Romane Empire either Heathenish or Christian corrupt with heresy For if wee regard the Heathen Emperours they reigned when Iohn wrote but this Beast was not yet come whose first beginning he sawe in a type For nothing whose originall he had represented unto him was past but to come according to that saying J will shewe thee the things which must be done hereafter chap. 4.1 But the Angel afterward affirmeth playnely that he was not yet come saying five are fallen one is and an other is not yet come chap. 17.10 It is manifest that he that was not yet come is this Beast ver 12. Are ten Kings who have not yet received the Kingdome but shall receive power as Kings at one houre with the Beast Furthermore this Beast received his throne and power from the Dragon ver 2. who nowe before time had persecuted the woman that is the Christian Church But the Heathen Emperours received their throne and power from none especially which was before this time a chiefe enemy to the Christian name seeing the Emperours themselves are more auncient then the birth of Christ himselfe Finally the Beast is of the same time that the flight is and solitarines of the woman But the Heathen Emperours under the name of the Dragon were togither with him in heaven as wee have shewed in chap 12.3 But there is nothing in the worke of nature which hath his being before after himselfe and is both the originall to it selfe and the image thereof which must needs be if wee referre this the seconde Beast to Antichrist alone It is true indeede that nothing is before and after himselfe and both the originall to himselfe and image thereof in the same in respect of the same thing and at the same time yet in one the same man infancy goeth before olde age and the latter age may be compared to the likenes of the former Therefore wee conclude that by no meanes this Beast is the Romane Heathenish Empire much lesse the Christian Which in the Throne did not succeed the Dragon but alwayes had his palace either in Constātinople or in France or in Germanie Neither did the whole earth follow with admiration the Empire restored as in ver 3. nor received his mark as in ver 16. but after the renewing it was limited with small boundes first of France Jtaly and some part of Germany secondly in short time after of Germany alone having no jurisdiction over Spaine Britannie Hūgarie Sclavonie and the other countries which yet belonged to the Romane Empire under another name Neither to acknowledge the Christian Emperour to be such as he chalengeth to himselfe that is to say the highest Magistrate in the countries subiect unto him is an argument of one appointed to destruction as in the 8. verse For Paul professed himselfe to be a Romane and appealed to Cesar Act. 25.10 Yea Christ acknowledged the Heathen Emperour and commaunded that he should be obeyed by giving to Cesar the things which are Cesars Mat. 22.21 Seeing therefore it agreeth not at all to the Emperour it must needs be that Antichrist is signifyed whose one and the same person is described under a double figure of two Beasts as may be manifest from the 17. chap. where there is taught a declaration of this Chapter and no mention made of the second but of the first onely But why so I pray VVas it not needfull that wee should be instructed touching the second whom all men thinke to be either the very Antichrist or at least his Minister no better then himselfe Not at all but because he that knoweth one knoweth both neither doth the second make an other person but doth pour ray the same image somewhat more playnely setting the colours upon the lineaments And why should not the Beast be double when one Antichrist is a double head the seventh and eight of which that answereth to this first Beast this to the second The reason why a double type is used is the notable variety which could not be represented fitly inough by one This Beast hath a double rising from the Sea and from the Earth He hath also a double power Civill and Spirituall In respect of the Civill he is the first in regard of the spirituall the second VVhich double tyranny is most plaine in the one Pope of Rome so as wee can not doubt but that he is both the Beasts It is knowne how Boniface the eight in his first Iubile vanted himselfe openly in the Temple of Peter and Paul one day coming forth girded with a sword and cloathed with an Emperours corselet in the second day with a Prelats apparell and with a key crying with a loude voice Behold here are two swordes that is Behold here is a double Beast VVhich double power Mantuan doth expresse by an elegant carme in these wordes He is mighty and very strong with the two swordes girded Magnificent Keisers and Kings have his feete worshipped Let then this be the first thing that the Pope of Rome is this double Beast be cause of a double beginning and power neither is the same so much celebrated by the wordes and meanes of those of our side as by the Popes themselves as it doth more clearly appeare from the exposition following A second thing is demanded touching the time of his beginning which I thinke is to be set in the very giving over of Diocletian and Maximin Hercule when these two seemed of their owne accord to give over the Empire about the yeere three hundreth and sixt as before hath ben declared But because none peradventure fetcheth Antichrist from that head spring and because Bellarmine affirmeth that all our men doe place the comming of Antichrist after the sixe hundreth yeere and after
whose persuasion other men fell from the Emperour and were made richer became not more enriched by the spoiles of the same VVould not he provide himselfe and Sainct Peter of some little gobbet But it is a sufficient argument what he got thereby that a while after that the Longobardes converting their forces against the Romanes sought to take away from them those cities of which they had spoiled the Emperour Which being taken away Zachary the Pope recovered them againe by faire flattering wordes with great increase if wee must beleeve the Papists For he obtained of Luitprandus by gift for blessed Peter and the Popes besides a fewe cities taken away the inheritance of the Sâ—bins and the Citie Narnia and Ancona and Humana and the great valley of the towne Sutrium Moreover all those thinges which Luitprandus had taken to himsâ—â—fâ— from Amilia and the people of Râ—venna within the space of two yeeres Blond Decad. 1. booke 10. But without controversie the munificence of Pipine and Châ—rles the Great and Ludovike farre surpassed For Romanie was now called a Princedome that even by the very name it might acknowledg her Lord. Therefore the Beast began now to glory in the Kingdomes of the world which boasted before of the title of dignity and honour rather thâ—n in any possessions of cities and townes ¶ Having two hornes like the Lambe These two hornes are Pipine and his SoÌ„ne Charlâ—s the Great by whose weapons as it were by hornes the newe Beast chased farre away all enemies Pipine aided the Pope Stephan 2. flying into Fraunce against Aristulphus the King of the Longobardes whom he passing twice over the Alpes with an army compelled first to yeeld the things taken from the Pope Secondly to deliver to the chaire of Peter Ravenna the Princedoome and whatsoever almost he had taken in Italy see Volat booke 3. Charles the Great for Pope Adrians sake repressed Desiderius King of the Longobardes yea tooke away wholly the Kingdome froÌ„ that nation that they might not afterward cause any trouble to Rome Moreover againe when Aragisus a Captaine of Beneventum put Adrian in some feare he fled into Italy brought him by constraint to his duties and set Adrian free from all feare Leo the third also being expelled by the Romanes hasting into Italy the third time those seditious being punished severely hee restored him unto his Chaire The Popes of Rome never had so great deffence since their ten first hornes in any as in these two Therefore these two notable hornes made famous the originall of this second Beast Which are said to be like the Lambes because the Popes whoÌ„ they aided did seeme helplesse afflicted innocent like Lambes How lamentable Epistles doe Stephanus the second Constantinus Stephanus the third and Adrian Popes sende to Pipine and Charles the Great How full are all things of complaints of lamentations of teares and of most vehement callings upon them for succour See before your eyes what cruelty those letters doe attribute to the enemies but what innocency to the Bishops Surely thou wilt call those wolves these Lambes and that he hath an hart of iron who would not deliver them being in daunger from their most cruell â—awes if he be able Yet neverthelesse in this miserable estate the Beast reteined his former minde and loftily and terribly as the Dragon I let passe Gregory the second striking with lightening and terrifying Leo Isaurus VVhose voice I pray was it when Zacharias tooke away the Kingdome from the lawfull King and bestowed it upon Pipine his servaunt VVhat manner of voice was that of Leo the third which proclaimed openly and consecrated Charles Emperour of the VVest VVas it not that of the olde Dragon who according to that very great power whereby he prevailed made and deposed Kinges whom he would Desiderius the Longobard felt the force of this voice who being allured by the Lambelike shewe of the Popes he entered quickly into their possessions for to recover whatsoever things they had wrested away by fraude from his Ancetours But this voice brought to passe that while he strove for some one citie or towne he lost his whole Kingdome and that not from himselfe but also the whole name of the Longobardes These are wonderfull great actes of the Earthly Beast taking away and bestowing Kingdomes at his pleasure And that which is more not so much by armed force as by his voice by which he exercised the power of the Dragon although he bare yet the shewe of a tender Lambe who was not able of himselfe to drive away the wolfe from his owne necke ¶ And he exerciseth all the power of the former Beast Such is the rising and forme of the Beast His power is equall with the former a great proofe whereof is given in this verse As touching the equall power whatsoever that first could doe this second doth exercise all the same in his sight But whence had he this so great power but from the Dragon who gave it to the first above in the second verse Wherefore both are the same both for amplenesse of power and also for the same authour himselfe from whom they received it But as touching that some will have this second to be as it were the Chalbard man and esquire for the body of the former is it to be thought that any is to be compared with Antichrist either for power or will to doe wickednesse Surely he shall have noe felowe but he shall surmounte all men in naughtines and wickednes by many degrees Therefore this Beast is not any servant of Antichrist but he himsâ—lfe endued with no lesse power to doe mischievous deeds But thou wilt say they seeme to be distinguished one of them working in the sight of the other But this kinde of speaking sheweth not a diversity of person but onely that the first remained alive after that the wounde was healed Albeit they are worthily set as two devided because of the notable variety which the same person should obtaine in his growing In which respect he is called both the seventh also the eight King chap. 17. Not because there are eight Kings for there be onely seven heads but because the seventh hath so great diversity that for good cause he may seeme a newe one and the eight And if the second Beast be diverse why would he procure honour rather to the former then to himselfe who hath equall power and like notable lewdenes It is necessary therfore that the honour of the second coÌ„sisteth in the honour of the first which he thrusteth upon the inhabitans of the earth with so great endeavour not so much through a desire to increase an others as his owne glory ¶ And he causeth the earth and the inhabitâ—ns c. The effect of his power tendeth to that ende that he may compell all false Christians to worship the first Beast which the Spirit describeth diligently by his deadly wounde healed declaring that this adoration agreed not to
earth but for to bear the yoke onely for never shal they be able to hurt the Church more which now shal have the cheifty throughout al the earth And thus have we a breif and distinct representation both of things present and to come even until the end CHAP. 17. AND ther came one of the seven Angels which had the seven vials talked with me saying unto me come I wil shew thee the damnation of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters 2 With whom the Kings of the earth have committed fornication and the inhabitans of the earth are drunken with the wine of her fornication 3 So he caryed me away into the wildernesse in the Spirit and J saw a woman sit upon a skarlet coloured Beast full of names of blasphemy which had seven heads and ten hornes 4 And the woman was arayed in purple and skarlet and gilded with golde and pretious stones and pearles and had a cup of golde in her hand full of abominations and filthines of her fornication 5 And in her forehead was a name written a Mysterie that great Babylon that mother of whoredomes and abhominations of the earth 6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the Saincts with the blood of the Martyrs of Iesus and when I saw her J wondred with great marveile 7 Then the Angel sayd unto mee wherfore marvailest thou J wil shew th eeth◠mysterie of the woman and of that Beast that beareth her which hath seven heads and ten hornes 8 The Beast that thou hast seen was and is not and shal ascend out of the bottomlesse pit and shall goe into perdition and they that dwel on the earth shall wonder whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world when they behold the Beast that was and is not and yet is 9 Here is the minde that hath wisedome the seaven heads are seven mountaines wheron the woman sitteth 10 They are also seven Kings five are fallen one is and an other is not yet come and when he shall come he must continue a short space 11 And the Beast which was and is not is even the eight and is one of those seven and goeth into destruction 12 And the ten hornes which thou sawest are ten Kings which yet have not received a Kingdome but shal receive power as Kings one houre with the Beast 13 These have one minde and shall give their power and authority to the Beast 14 These shall fight with the Lambe and the Lambe shall overcome them for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings and they that are on his side called and chosen and faithful 15 After he sayd unto mee the waters which thou sawest where the whore sitteth are people and multitudes and nations and tongues 16 And the tenne hornes which thou sawest upon the Beast are they that shall hate the whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eate her flesh burne her with fire 17 For God hath put in their hartes to fulfill his will and to consent and give their Kingdome to the Beast until the words of God be fulfilled 18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great citie which reigneth over the Kings of the earth The Analysis THVS farre hath bin the distinct Prophecy of the last Period divided in to his seven articles after the manner of the Seales and trumpets ther followeth a continual narration and more large explication of the three last vials as which are of greatest waight and special moment The fift of which is handled in this chapter and also in the whole chapter following and in the first five verses of the nineteenth the sixt is comprehended in the next fifteene verses of the same nineteenth chapter unto the twentith verse The seventh is continued through chap. 20. and 21. and unto the sixt ver of the two and twentieth And from thence followeth the conclusion of the whole book It maketh much for perspicuity to know what things agree to the time and nature of the matter As touching the fift it is wholly bestowed against the throne of the Beast as in the chapter afore ver 10.11 partly in declaring what and of what sort this throne is in this whole chapter partly in relating what things doe goe togither with the ruine of it in the chapter following and in the beginning of the nineteenth The declaration of the throne hath first a preparation inviting to know the damnation of the whore ver 1.2 And the better to know it carying him away into the wildernesse ver 3. Secondly a description by a double type one of the Beast ver 3. the other of a woman setting on the Beast sumptuous and most filthy ver 4. the mother of all whoredomes ver 5 a Murtherer of the Martyrs ver 6. The interpretation wherof is set forth by the occasion of it which Iohns wondering ministred ver 6.7 afterward it is propounded in very deed shewing what the Beast is in respect of his whole ver 8 attention being stirred up the disclosing might not passe without fruit ver 9. Secōdly in respect of the parts and heads ver 9.10.11 and hornes whose rising up is shewed in verse 12. the humble service which they shall giv to the Beast ver 13. and at length their overthrow by the Lambe ver 14. Such is the Beast Of the woman the interpretation is first of her dominion both flourishing ver 15. also afflicted by ten hornes as instruments and the will of God as the principal cause ver 16.17 afterward of her palace ver 18. Scholions 1 Then came one of the seven Angels We sayd in the Analysis that this cōtinuall declaration which is contained in the chapters following even unto the conclusion of the whole booke belongeth onely to the three last vials Which how true it is the thing it selfe will shew In the meane time it may be demaunded why the explication of the former is omitted The reason wherof seemeth to be this because those former partly were before past partly present at what time the vial was powred out upon the throne and therfore had no neede of a larger exposition then eyther the late memory or present use and condition of things should give but the other to come did need a more ample declaration and for the same cause all the labour remayning is converted to that point Therfore as touching the Angel one of the seven this is the fift who shall bring calamity to the throne chap. 18.10 Of which calamity neverthelesse there be certaine degrees so as by the labour of some certaine easie sprinklings are made before that the whole vial is powred forth Who yet all are reckened in the common name of the fift Angel VVhich thing appeareth from that chapter which is wholly spent in declaring the damnation of the whore although her last destruction is reserved unto the next These things set downe in this wise let
first Decad. See chap. 13.3 11 And the Beast which was and is not That is and that seventh King the Pope which had come and was as touching the rising and originall of his power for the space of an hundred yeeres after Constantine And is not after that time utterly perished in mens opinion by the invasion of the Barbarians this Beast I say is the eight and one of those seven Wherby it is to be observed that the seventh King by himselfe alone doth obtaine the name of the whole and to be called that Beast whose description was in the eight verse by foure succeeding courses of times All which chaungins are proper to this one from wheÌ„ce now at lenght after the second mutation wherof he made mention in the former verse he addeth a double condition of him in the very words of the first description shewing in the same that these words and when he coÌ„meth he must continue a short space are all one with these the Beast which was and is not ¶ And he is the eight to wit King For here octavus the eight agreeth not in gender with Bestia the Beast The common translation translateth amisse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eight Beast For there are not eight Beasts but eight Kings the seventh of which is this Beast The pronoune relative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee seemeth in this place to be a demonstrative as sometime also else where he is the eight King that is the eight King Also the whole antecedent member of the senteÌ„ce maketh the supposite of the verbe substaÌ„tive as though he should say The Beast which was and is not is both that eight Kinge and also is one of the seven This eight King is the same Pope after his dignity recovered from that maine overthrowe which the Barbarians did make when his wounded head wâ—â— câ—â—ed as in chap. 13.3 or when the Beast which is not did asceÌ„d from the bottomlesse pit as at the 8 verse of this chapter or when the second Beast arosâ— from the earth chap. 13.11 When Gregorie the second his next successours did appeare with two hornes Pipine and Charles the Great For we have shewed already before that all these things perteined to that third mutation But from whence then is this eight hath the Beast eight heads which even now were but seven In no wise but this eight is the same with the seventh of the same nature purpose soveraignty wherupon it is added and is one of those seven onely of a greater impiety blasphemy and sacrilege wherin he passeth the seventh The Popes in their beginning after Constantine were not so wicked as after Phocas But more lesse doo not distinguish the kinde Therfore the Pope revived is the eight most worthy of all to be pointed at with the finger and to be sayd that it is hee From which now the reason may be apparant why in chap. 13. one Antichrist is painted out by a double Beast to wit because he is the seventh King the eight ¶ And goeth into destruction To be destroyed utterly in his due time this last member is the fourth time of the Beast fetched from the general interpretation in ver 8. And so that which there is sayd was and is not and shall ascend out of of the bottomlesse pit and shall goe into destruction here is expressed in words some what divers so as to the first member these are answerable when he shall come to the second he must continue a short space to the third and he is the eight King and one of the seaventh the fourth is the same in both places Wherfore that which was spoken generally of the Beast wee may see perteineth to the speciall mutation of the seventh head Seing then this Beast is the seaventh King who should have the next place after him who bare rule in Iohn his time and the regiment of the Popes at Rome followed by and by that Heathen Empire by a second most sure demonstration wee have found out both Antichrist himselfe and also the time wherin he was borne Which that it may become the clearer may be proponded after this manner The seventh King succeeded next after the Heathen Emperours who made the sixt King reigning at that time when Iohn wrote ver 10. Five are fallen one that is the sixt is But Antichrist is the seventh King ver 10.11 Therfore Antichrist succeeded next the Heathen Emperours and seeing the Pope of Rome after the time of the Heathen Emperours is that seventh King as before we have manifested it followeth also necessarily that the Pope of Rome from the time of the Heathen EMPEROVRS is that chiefe Antichrist of whom the Scripture forewarne us so diligently and that the City of ROME from the same is the whore See now yee Iesuites from how necessary principles the argument proceedeth apply what engins you can to overthrow the same you shall doo more good then if you should bring ladders to conquer heaven But your things which you doo treate off concerning the time of Antichrist are divised are absurd and more foolish then any toyes as wee shall after declare 12 And the tenne hornes which thou sawest are ten Kings Thus farre touching the Heads Now followeth the Hornes which by their consent doo bring yet a more full light of time For by how much thinges are neerer togither they are so much the more clearer and the more perceived and observed Therfore to the end that that seventh head might become knoweÌ„ by more tokens and his first beginning more undoubted it is furnished with these hornes as it were with a certen pompe and company of servants by whose noise as it were we should be stirred up to regard his comming The Angel expoundeth these hornes to be tenne Kings which afterward are described of what sort they are both by their Kingdome in this verse and mind in verse 13. and the warre which they shall make verse 14. Their Kingdome is declared by a double or twofold time the first of it not yet received Who sayth he have not yet received a Kingdome The second of it received but they shall receive power at one houre with the Beast The first meeteth with a doubt wherby some body peradventure might thinke that these Kings reigned at the very same time in which Iohn wrote no saith he they reigne not yet but shall reigne shortly For otherwise the warning had bene superfluous if they should not come but about three yeeres and an halfe before the last day The second time exhibiteth yet a clearer knowledge of the thing by a certaine mutual bewaying which the hornes and the Beast doo one for an other They shall receive power as Kings at one houre with the Beast for so I translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the accusative case in which these words are taken some time for the space of time as these last have wrought but one houre Mat. 20.12 Also watch with me one houre
2.18 Yee have heard that the Antichrist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shal come and even now are there many Antichrists wher the article you say is set before Antichrist properly so caled but none before him as he is cōmonly taken and therfore that the first is one certayn person but this later in general is al heretiks I answer the greatest succour of this cause seemeth to consist in this new feigned force of the article and therfore have wee the coleworts twise sodden set againe before us But we have sufficiently refuted this your eyther ignorance or craftynes in the argument nex before with which this is altogither one and the same Yet least you should complayn that you have no answer Be it that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichrist with an article is some diverse thing from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antichrists without an article must it therfor by and by be one certayn persō I deny such an ill coherent cōsequence It may note out a singular kind of Antichrists of whō the Apostles taught the Church so diligently even as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wicked is often a kind of wicked mē 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tempter and so in other In which the article respecteth not one singular but some thing common egregious in his kinde This might have bin manifest to you by Iohn himself whiles he warneth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichrist was in his time For manie deceivers are entred in the world saith he which confesse not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh he that is such a one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the deceiver the Antichrist 2 Iohn 7. where yet he speaks not of that chief Antichrist which was to come but of some such like sorte By which it sufficiently appeareth that Antichrist with an article is not a singular person The fourth place is Daniel 7. and 11. and 12. Out of the 7. chapter you take those things which are spoken of the little horn ver 8. c. which you say are to be expounded of Antichrist and that for two reasons First from the authoritie of certain Fathers then from the words of Daniel himselfe I answer as touching the authority of the Fathers I know many learned men doo interprete these words of Antichrist but this Apocalypse dispelleth the darknes which taking away the sight before suffred not to behold the thing it selfe For it teacheth that that little horne differeth much frō this Antichrist whom Iohn describeth For Antichrist is one of the heads of the Beast which is of many formes both in Daniel and in Iohn but a little horn is onely some addition ioyned to the head Moreover this ariseth after the ten hornes but Antichrist riseth togither and at one houre with al his That subdueth three horns under it the other unsubdued are eyther foes of the same or at least freinds of equal power but Antichrist is over al the 10. horns which willingly serv him until the appointed time Finally that is caled little Antichrist is not litle who hath power over every tribe tongue and nation Apoc. 13.7 who also beareth the whore to whom peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues doo obey and which reigneth over the Kings of the earth Apoc. 17.15.18 But you wil say it may be it is caled litle in the beginning not in the full age I answer the chiefest heighth of dignity when he shal most flourish shal lift it self no higher then over the 3. horns which he shal depresse Doubtles the Spirit would have made mention of moe if he had had power over moe That horn therfore is not this Antichrist but if we wil rightly consider the thing it is that Dragon of the sixt vial of this Apocalypse chap. 16.13 namely the Turk for of him and the other enemies that should oppress the Iewes doth Daniel onely speak without any mention of the Western Antichrist as it may be occasion wil be given elswhere to declare more fully This disparitie therfore wil by no means suffer these two to convene in one Wherupon you may now see that we ar not so much to look either who or how many they be that say a thing as with what reasons they so perswade themselves Secondly you say from the words of Daniel chap. 7.24 that this Antichrist whom ancient writers wil have to be meant by the little horn is a singular person for he is not caled one Kingdome but one King who of ten Kings that he should find in the world should take three quite away and subdue the other seven under him I answer first these last words and shal subdue the other seven under him is a very bold comment seing no footstep of them appeareth in Daniel For he onely sayth ver 8. so that three of those former horns were rooted out from before him and againe ver 24. and three Kings shal he depresse but of the subduing of the other 7. he no where maketh mention And how I pray you should he be a little horn if he should destroy three and have cōmand over al the rest These things are unadvisedly brought in by some old writers but worse reteyned by you for to darken the truth But this is little to the purpose for the force of the argument Therfore secondly I say that it is false to affirme because he is caled one King he is one person for the Angel before speaketh thus These great Beasts which are fowr are fowr Kings that shal rise out of the earth ver 17. which yet are not fowr singular persons but so many Kingdomes as your self can not deny The other place of Daniel is from chap. 11 ver 21. 36. where literally is treated of Antiochus Epiphanes but allegorically as Calvin and Ciprian and Jerom you say doo interpret it of Antichrist whose figure Antiochus did bear Therfore seing he was one certayn and singular person Antichrist also must be one certayn person I answer great in deede is the agreement of the wicked and needs must many things in them be found alike who are governed by one and the same Spirit for which cause those learned men avouched him to be the type of Antichrist after a common sort but that the Spirit intended him for the type properly as he is wont in the other scriptures I see not how it can be rightly said It hath not such agreement with that which they make the truth therof as is wont to be found in other types For example this Antiochus is the litle horn of the Goat of whom it is said ch 8.14 that he should rage two thousand and three hundred dayes Shal this be the type of Antichrist Then shal he not reign onely three yeres and a halfe but six yeres and more then an halfe and so an other Antichrist is to be looked for then yee yet feighn Or if you wil have it that al things are not so exactly answerable in the type and antitype
while the Apostles lived The Apocalypse speaking of Antichrist under that seventh head saith and the other is not yet come cha 17.10 which manner of words we are wont to use in things so neer as they may seem to be come though as yet they are not come and not of things that are to fal out fifteen hundred yeres after Idle therfore are all those things that you gather of Peter and Paul to be Antichrists and of Simon and Nero to be Christs Why prove you not I pray you that the rising of Antichrist was not then neer Is not this ynough to refell his singular person if he were to beginn a few ages after Paul But you like a rude fenser bear off with your bukler from the part which you ar not layd at but where you are beaten even unto death you leav your self unfensed and bare The second argument of Th. Beza is that by the singular names of Beasts the Bear the Lion the Libbard in Daniel chap. 7. ar not meant singular Kings but singular Kingdomes wherof one did conteyn even many Kings After the same manner therfore Paul 2 Thes 2. who marvelously agreeth with Daniel by the man of syn and son of perdition meaneth not one singular person but a certen body as it were of many tyrants You answer two things First denying that Daniel alwayes by singular Beasts dooth mean singular Kingdomes for in the 8. chapter by the Ram he meaneth Darius the last King of the Persians by the Goat-buck Alexander the Great Secondly you deny the consequence of the argument because Paul by the man of sin meaneth not any of the 4. beasts described by Daniel but onely that litle horn I answer to the first It is false that which you say of the Ram and the Goat-Buck For by the Ram is meant the whole Kingdome of the Medes Persians and which ended in Darius by the Goat-Buck the Kingdome of the Greeks which began by Alexander For so saith he ver 3. there stood bâ—fore the river one Ram with two hornes and his two horns were high but one was higher than an other and the highest came up last These two hornes at the two Kingdomes of the Medes and Persians of which that was first smallest this last and largest Have these things place in Darius onely or in the whole Kingdome Then it foloweth in the next verse I saw the Ram pushing against the West against the North against the South so that no Beasts might stand before him neyther did any deliver out of his hand but he did what he listed and that very great things What did Darius of these things who in the second yere of his reign being provoked unto warr by AlexaÌ„der weÌ„t to ruine dayly Last of al explayning this vision in the 20. verse he saith The Ram which thou sawest with two horns are the Kings of Media and Persia he saith the Kings not Darius onely So also the Goat-Buck is the Kingdome of the Greeks not Alexander alone He is caled in deed King of Graecia ver 21 but it is playn that King there is taken collectively as in other places namely for Kingdome as in the end of the verse it is taken partitively when he saith the horn between his eyes is the first King namely Alexander who seing he is the horn he is not the whole Goat Wherfore no where in Daniel is a singular person designed by a Beast but a whole Kingdom Vnto the second I say By the Man of Syn is not meant the litle horn but the Beast For Antichrist is the seventh head which also is a Beast as Apoc. 17.8.11 And although this Beast be none of those that ar in Daniel yet the argument from the like is firm For by the same reason that it is a whole Kingdome in Daniel it is so likeweise in the Apocalypse Our third argument is Io. Calvins who thus gathered that Antichrist is no singular person because the head of the universal Apostasie which dureth moe yeres than can be fulfilled under one King is not one certain man and Antichrist is the head of such an Apostasie You answer five waies that Calvins impudencie as you say may the more appeare First that by the Apostasie may rightly in Paul be understood the Antichrist himselfe Secondly that by the same may be meant the defection from the Roman Empire Thirdly that ther is no need it should be of many ages Fourthly that it requireth not one head Fiftly that it is yet a question who have departed from the faith and religion of Christ whither the Papists or the Lutherans I answer to every of these and first where by the Apostasie you unnerstaÌ„d by a metonymie Antichrist himselfe you confirm the same thing that Calvin saith so is your wont to represse his impudency Vnto the second I say that the Apostasie is not a defection from the Roman Empire but froÌ„ the true faith to weet from the love of the holy truth as Paul openeth it and as shal be made playn after chap. 5. and 14. Vnto the third concerning the durance of the Apostasie we have already learned by the Apocalypse that it hath prevailed more than a thousand two hundred sixtie yeres and this more evidently than that any of your subtil reasonings caÌ„ elude the thing Vnto the fourth if you can find any other multitude besides that of the whole earth which foloweth the Beast I wil not hinder you from setting up as many heads of the Apostasie as you wil Apoc. 13.3.8 Vnto the fift namely that the question is not yet decided as you say whither Papists or Lutherans have made defection we make this offer let al holy men be iudges With whom ther is found Idolatry let them be condemned of defection as the Scriptures every where teach But if any credit be to be giveÌ„ unto the most holy oracles of the Scriptures al that your worship of Images invocation of Saincts adoration of the feighned body in the sacrament veneration of reliques and many such like things is horrible Idolatry and therfore Apostasie But Idolatry is spiritual whoredome and therfore as the way of the whorish woman which eateth and then wipeth her mouth and sayth I have doon no iniquity Prov. 30.20 so is the way of Idolaters by no means can they be brought to acknowledge their impiety This Bellarmine shal be the true trial both of you and of us before God his holy Angels The things that you propouÌ„de are ridiculous You wil have it that we have made defection because we have departed froÌ„ the superstition of our predecessours both in doctrine and rites ful of Idolatry as though we were not bidden goe out of Babylon and to have no communion with her at al. We have made defection from the whore defection from Antichrist namely defection from your Pope of Rome but thanks be to God we have made defection unto the one true God who of his infinite mercy wil
the East and unto al the countrie round about by whose wholsomnes a verie great multitude of fish shal be ingendred Ezech. 47. And then after the litle horn is taken away the Kingdom shal be given to one like the son of man that al peoples nations tongues may serv him Dan. 7.14 which Kingdome is not that which shal be in heaven where no distinction is of peoples nations and tongues but shal come in earth and be administred by the scepter of his word Wherupon after the cutting off of this Horn which men commōly doo interpret partly of Antiochus partly of Antichrist but is in verie deed the Turk who shal be rooted out within a while after the true Antichrist ther shal be a most ample promulgation of the Gospel with much larger limits than ever heretofore For then all the nations indeede shal serve him Psal 72.11 and Jehovah shal be King over all the earth and in that day shall Iehovah be one and his name one Zach. 14.19 These things and many such like doo make it playn that howsoever the doctrine of salvation surveyed many lands before Antichrist yet after he is extinguished the tents of the sacred truth shal be much more amply displayed so that into them shal assemble a very great congregation in respect wherof the assemblies of former times have been smal or rather none These things doo the scriptures teach of the universal preaching they are constant firm sure ful of maiesty power mercy if you look unto God and if you turn your eies unto our selves they are no lesse full of al joy and confort Wheras on the contrarie the things which you have brought are either uncertayn guesses or vaine fictions which wil both deceive at least your expectation and in the mean while lead into error and destruction Chapt. 5. Against the second Demonstration from the desolation of the Romane Empire The second Demonstration you say is taken from the other signe that goeth before the times of Antichrist which shal be the utter desolation of the Romane Empire which seing it yet endureth Antichrist is not yet come Hereupon you take in hand to prove two things first that Antichrist shal not come til after the utter desolation of the Romane Empire secondly that the Romane Empire dooth yet indure The first you confirm by fowr scriptures of which the three first namely Dan. 2. and 7. Apoc. 17. doo rely upon the interpretation of Irenaeus book 5. But let us leav I pray you mens names and let us weigh the thing it selfe in the ballance of truth If the matter should be discussed by the contrary opinions of men which might be found many in these dark places ther would be no end Let us deal rather from such principles as may lead and bring us to some certainty As touching therfore the 2. of Daniel and that succession of the chief Kingdomes until the worlds end which the Images sheweth nothing out by the golden head the sylver brest the brazen belly the leggs and the feet partly yron and partly clay the 4. cheif Kingdoms on earth of the Assyrians Persians Greeks Romanes the last wherof the Romane you say was a long time parted in two as the leggs are two and long Moreover that of the two leggs should spring ten toes and in them the whole Jmage have an end to weet because the Romane Empire should at last be divided into ten Kings of whom none should be King of the Romanes as no toe is a leg As touching these I say what one word is ther in al this vision which intimateth that Antichrist should come after the Romane Empire is utterly defaced I hear there are tow leggs and the feet divided into ten toes but not a whit concerning Antichrist whither he should come after this division or before it or in the time of the divisiō Doo you goe on thus to build your Demōstrations without any so much as shew of a foundation wheron they should rely Yea what if the contrary may from hence most firmly be concluded that Antichrist shal come before Christ cometh But the Romane Empire shal not altogither be destroyed until Christ be come For thē feet of iron and clay shal dure until the stone out of the mountayn cutt without hands shal smite them beat them to peeces as is plainly shewed ver 34. thou sawest until a stone was cut out which is not in any hands and smote the image on his feet of yron and clay and brake them to peeces and agayn in the 44. verse And in the dayes of these Kings shall the God of Heaven ryse up a Kingdome which shall never be destroyed c. But these feet are the Romane Empire weaker in deed than it was before of the leggs yet is it the Romane Empire notwithstanding For the Image deciphreth fowr Kingdomes onely but if the feet should have an other Kingdome than the leggs ther should be five Wherupon also that is false which you say that the Romane Empire shal at last be divided into ten Kings of which none shal be King of the Romanes as no toe is a leg For thus you bring in a fift Kingdome which the Spirit by the Image sayth not Neither is that of weight that a toe is not a leg seing no one member is an other though both be parts of one whole thing even as the toe and legg be of the fourth Kingdome Now therfore you may see how fayrly you have made demōstration of your nakednes which the more you seek to cover and hide the more conspicuous and filthy you doo make it The second place is out of Dan. 7.7 where you say the ten hornes which come out of the last Beast are the ten last Kings which shal arise out of the Romane Empire but shal not be Romane Emperours as the hornes arise out of the Beast but ar not the Beast it selfe I answer as even now I did to the former argument which was the selfe same that this If these ten hornes have a Kingdome divers from that of the Beast then ar ther not fowr Kings onely but five contrary to that the Angel affirmeth ver 17. these great Beasts which are fowr are fowr Kings which shal rise out of the earth Moreover doo you think that the 4. hornes of the Goat which rose up in place of that broken horn was another distinct Kingdome from the Kingdome of the Goat to weet an other than of the Greeks Dan. 8.8 If so you think the Prophet sheweth you are playnly deceived who teacheth that this Goat of the 8. chapter is the Leopard of the seventh and that the Leopard is one Kingdome onely and the third chap. 7.6.17 As therfore the Goats horns make not a different Kingdome from the Kingdome of the Goat so neither doe the ten horns of the fourth Beast make a different Kingdome of the 4 Beast Ther be also the ten horns of the Dragon in this Apocalypse which are not
rebellious Princes agaist the Dragon but his cheif defenders legates and administrators by whose help he most exercised his tyranny Apoc. 12.3 Besides the ten horns ar not the dissolution of that Empire whose body remayneth after they are risen up But so the vision teacheth evidently that the Beast namely the fourth should not be slayn and his body destroyed before the horn which springeth up after those ten wer broken and taken away Dan. 7.11 Wherfore the ten horns doo no way signify the dissipation and fal of the Roman Empire wherby to afford us any help for the finding out of Antichrists coming Vnto these may be added that which this argument hath common with the former that neither is ther any mention of Antichrist here In deed the litle horn growes up after the rest and some learned men doo apply it hither but neither doo your selfe now insist upon this horn and we have shewed before in the second chapter herof that this exposition is untrue The third place is out of Apoc. 17.16 where the ten hornes you wil have to be ten Kings which shal reigne togither but shal not be Romanes because these Kings shal hate the whore and make her desolate and so shal divide the Romane Empire among themselves and utterly destroy it I answer It is even marvelous that you see not the playn contrarie to that you intended here proved For if this hatred wherwith the ten Kings shal hate the whore make her desolate be the fal and ruine of the Romane Empire then shal Antichrist come before the Romane Empire be desolate For ther shal be hatred long before this and the ten Kings shal serve her a great while before they shal thus rise up in wrath against the whore according to that which is written ver 12.13 And the ten hornes which thou sewest are ten Kings which have not yet received a Kingdome but shal receive power as Kings at one houre with the Beast These have one mind and shal give their strength and power to the Beast Moreover these are the hornes of the Beast not of the Romane Empire divided ver 3. Which if they signify any division the Beast shal be divided from his first arising And further seing they shall rise at the same houre with the Beast they shal not goe before him whereby to declare by some praecursion that he foloweth behind them VVherfore nothing at al can be concluded from hence concerning the desolation of the Romane Empire as of any signe of Antichrist coming The fourth place is out of 2. Thes 6.7 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be reveled in his time onely that he which now holdeth may hold til he be taken out of the way and then shal the wicked man be reveled c. Where the Romane Empire you say hindreth Antichrists coming who shal take his Empire out of the way for their sinns and so doo the Greek and Latine Fathers expound this place I answer I doo acknowledge that the ancient Fathers as I hav often sayd did not level aright in these matters for that being farr distāt from the event of things they were led onely by coniectures They knew so much as concerned their owne times Yet remember I pray you what manner desolation Ierom understandeth who wil have him that did hold to be taken out of the way in his time he that did hold saith he is taken out of the way c. as before I cited him So that by his judgement the Romane Empire was then so desolate that ther was no let on this behalfe to hinder Antichrists coming And surely Gregorie sayd not right All things are doon that were foretold the King of pride is nigh if such a desolation had been to be looked for as you speak of or such ten Kings should goe before as you Papists doo mention Therfore those Fathers were eyther altogither ignorant that ther was this let or they so wavered to fro in a doubtful opinion as no firme and stable thing can be gathered from their sayings But the Apocalyps being now very much illustrated by the event putteth the matter out of controversie and explaineth Paul most certainly and faithfully teaching that the withholder is not the Romane Empire but the sixt Romane King Five saith he are fallen one namely the sixt is the other is not yet come chap. 17.10 that is the Hethen Emperours which make the sixt King doo now reign which being at length removed and delivering Rome empty to the Pope the seventh King shal come evē Antichrist The Romane Empire is after a sort one but the manner of administring it by divers Magistrates and the kinds of governing was manifold Neither could it be said five Romane Empires are fallen but five Kings which were the Rulers and Moderators of that one Empire More over Antichrist is the sevēth Romane King for so the Angel plainly saith and the Beast which was and is not and is the eight and is one of the seven verse 11. Should the Romane Empire be desolate whiles the King therof was alive nay verilie but rather by bearing of him the whore Rome should greatly flourish Therfore when Antichrist cometh the Romane Empire is not to be destroyed but during that time fore-appointed of God is marvelously to be conserved increased amplifyed We may understand therfore Paul and the Angel to speake of the same impediment but the Angel more plainly and clearly describing it by place dignity and number by which most playn and true signes we might be led as by the hand unto Antichrists cradle Wherfore Antichrist should come whiles the Romane Empire is safe and flourishing and ther was need that the Emperour should give place to the Pope and leav his habitation free You therfore Bellarmine rely upon a manifest errour wherby it wil come to passe if in time you take not heed that not expecting Antichrist before the last overthrow of the Romane Kingdome you wil be by him oppressed destroyed before you perceive that he is come Your second propositiō is that the Romane Empire dooth yet endure which I grant without contradiction and now as you see without any detrimēt to the cause which I have in hand Although in the head of this Empire which I wil tel you in few words you are surely much deceived You think the Emperour hath this dignitie and in deed I confesse he hath it in name and title but the Pope hath the thing it selfe For the Romane King must be the head of the whore Rome which the Emperour is not but the Pope who maketh the seventh eight head as is declared Apoc. 17.11 Moreover the Emperours since first the Beast began have wholly served him as the Apocalyps also sheweth saying and they shal give their power their authoritie to the Beast and the practise of al times confirmeth it Which servitude proceeded so farr that they received a marke and yeilded an oath of fealtie that I
speake nothing of the other most unworthy wayes wherby the Beast trode under foot the Emperial Maiestie Finally the toes of the foot now divided are holden togither by no common bond of the Emperours name but onely of the whore of Rome For what have Spayn France Venice Florence Naples to doo with the Empire Al these toes cleave togither in the common foundation of the Popes authority which is the onely foot now wherin these al agree and grow togither and not the Empire with which they have in a manner nothing to doo Therfore the Emperours are in deed the Beasts horns but neither the leg of the Romane Empire nor the foot but a toe of the foot or the great toe perhaps whē it please the Pope You Papists with certayn painted titles doo dazel their eyes but they wil at length awake and handle your Rome according to their authoritie The things which you dispute for the Empire and Emperour are vayn Ther remaineth yet you say the succession and name of the Emperour of the Romanes and by Gods marvelous providence when the Empire fayled in the west it remayned safe in the East and when this fayled it was erected agayn in the west I answer the succession of the Empire remayneth not in the Emperour but in the Pope VVhen the sixt head fel the seventh succeded to weet the Pope and not the Christian Emperours who then received a horned dignitie the succession of which dignitie and no other they transferred to their posteritie They have the name of Romane Emperours but it is a title without substance even as the Romane Church is caled Catholik many such like But in refining the truth we must look to the authority of the holy Ghost not to the vayn words and voices of men In deede Gods marvelous providence shined in considering this dignity such as it was both in the East and VVest But this providence is careful no lesse for the horns then for the head that is aswel for these that are caled Emperours as for the Pope Both of them are by his decree which appointed that some of the toes of the foot should be of yron Neither dooth he hinder him you say from being Emperour though he wanted Rome which you prove by the example of Valens Arcadius Theodosius the yonger Charles the Great and his successours then by the dignitie of going before al other Christian Princes moreover by the election of the Romanes and finally by the Lutherans confession I answer to everie of these and to the first that if Valens Arcadius and Theodosius the yonger wanting Rome remained neverthelesse Romane Emperours then the VVesterne Empire fayled not neither doth the Easterne Empire fayl at this day though the VVestern Emperours want Constantinople if right be ynough without possession But the Kingdomes of this world are his that holdeth them and although they be gotten for the most part by wickednes yet God by his just judgement taketh from one and giveth to another Yet dooth not this his administration quitt the robbers of crime but he punished in marvelous manner both by abasing one and contrariweise advancing an other It is therfore somwhat of more weight to want Rome for this that any should be the Roman Emperour than you speake of Vnto the second namely that dignitie of going before al Christian Princes I confesse the Emperour goes before al the rest notwithstanding he that goes before al these comes after the Pope as none is so unskilful but seeth in whom the Maiestie of the Empire truly resideth Vnto the third be it that Charles the Great was created Romane Emperour with consent of the Romanes yet the Apocalyps teacheth that the Romane Empire is tied to the citie of Rome not to the clamour of the Romane people Vnto the fourth the Lutherans boasting that they have three Prince Electours of the Romane Emperour doo rather folow custome of speaking then the truth of the thing or if in deede they so perswade themselves it is through the common errour the meaning of the Apocalypse not being by them as yet ynough perceived Wherfore you gull the Emperours with a deceitful title who whiles the Romane Pope possesseth Rome neither truly are nor shal be Romane Emperours and thus you contending that the Romane Empire dooth yet indure have not found in what place it is whose both head and habitation you are ignorant of From this restored Empire by the Pope doo Luther Illyricus and Chytreus rightly gather that he is that great Antichrist Yet not so much because Charles the Great was declared Empetour by him as for that the Empire did revive in the Pope who being a Bishop in name was made Emperour in deede This is evident by this that the Beast hath a head both wounded healed for both these perteyn to the same Beast Also the Beast which was not whiles the Barbarians prevayled is that verie same which is when they are extinguished Moreover Antichrist is both the seventh King from Constantine unto the Kingdome of the Gothes the eight by a new rising up after the healed head by Iustinian and Phocas the rest folowing as is explayned Apoc. 13.3.11 and 17.10.11 You answer that the healed head is not the Romane Emperour but Antichrist who feighneth himselfe dead and by divelish art shal rise himselfe up againe and that so almost al the ancient Fathers doo expound it Vnto this I say that you doo not rightly disjoyne the Romane Emperour and Antichrist which two if we would speake properly according to the Apocalyps doo make one and the same person Not that he which at this day is caled Emperour is Antichrist but because whatsoever is in this name Emperour it naturally belongeth to the Pope For both Pope and Romane Emperour or Romane Empire were wounded to death by the invasion of the Goths For the seventh head which then seemed to perish was both a hill and a King that is Rome or the Romane Empire and the Pope Apoc. 17.9 It is true therfore which you say that the text it selfe playnly compelleth us by that head of the Beast which was dead and revived to understand not Charles the Great but Antichrist For Charles the Great was not Emperour indeede but howsoever he did not dye and live agayne yet the Romane Emperour or Empire in the Pope did die and live agayn as is sufficiently said before By which also may appear that that which is commonly spoken of Antichrists feighned death and resurrection is a playn fiction a feighned death is in sport and voluntary but Antichrist dyed this death against his wil and with sore payn from which death when he began to come forth very great was the torment of his fresh wound as witnesseth Gregorie the Great by his many mournful lamentations Chapt. 6. Against the third Demonstration from the coming of Henoch and Elias HITHERTO of the signes going before now of them that accompany him and first of the coming of Henoch
but not dayes for yeres or moneths of yeres and that it is rightly caled a week because it hath the name of the number seven but moneths and dayes are names of number but of the course of the man or time of light I answer wheras first you say that dayes are not found for yeres it is manifestly false Saith not the Lord to the Israelits according to the number of the dayes wherin you serched the land even fourtie dayes you shal bear your iniquities fourtie yeres Num. 14 34. what can be plainer Likeweise unto Ezechiel A day for a yere have J given thee chap. 9.6 But say you he wil not say for dayes literally are meant yeres but the dayes are truly taken for yeres and they are sayd to be given for yeres because they were a signe of yeres O witt worthy of Neesing wort A day is not a very yere but onely a signe or signification of a yere as if any ever thought a day to be a yere truly and properlie Or if a day might signify a yere in Ezechiel other places but might not in Iohn But now let us hear the reason why a week may be of yeres and not a day likeweise forsooth because a week signifieth number a day not To this I say unitie indeed is not number and a day answereth to unitie and this verie subtilly How be it we dullars doo think that number is the gathering togither of unities that unities ar such as is the whole it selfe which is made of theÌ„ Therfore as 7 dayes signify 7 yeres so I pray you with your good leav let it be lawful for one day to signify one yere which if you wil let us obteyn at your hands in thanks for so great a benefit we wil grant your Pope a loÌ„g lasting reign even 1260. yeres Chapt. 9. Against the sixt Demonstration from the end of the world THE sixt DemonstratioÌ„ is taken from the last sign that foloweth Antichrist which shal be the end of the world If Antichrist say you had bin come long since the world had been at an end long since for he is to come a litle before the end of the world but the world is not yet ended therfore he is not yet come I answer If that of Antichrists three yeres reign had been certayn this which you say should have some weight but forasmuch as we have proved that to be a vayn fiction partly by taking away your reasons partly by propounding such as you wil never be able to refute the end of the world maie wel teach Antichrists end but is of no force at al to demonstrate his coming if we wil speake of it properlie From the places by you cited som perhaps may argue thus The end of the world is conioyned with the end of Antichrist but the end of the world is not yet come therfore neyther the end of Antichrist But what is this to the purpose We make question of his comming not of his end You might have spared this labour unlesse perhaps you thought these were to be prepared against a new battel wheÌ„ Antichrists case shal be debated in hell There this domonstration may hav som weight wher it shal be certaynly known whither the Pope be perished togither with the destruction of al the world or no. VVherfore the testimonies which you bring are quite from the purpose and make nothing for the matter in hand Yea what and if they prove not that end which you think Then wil this your demonstratioÌ„ be altogither both without head and tayl Let us see in few words that we may also illustrate as it were by the way some obscure places whose meaning it wil be verie profitable for to know First you allege that of Dan. ch 7.9 J considered the horns loe an other litle horn came up three of the first horns were pluckt away from before him I beheld til the thrones were set up and the ancient of dayes did sit c. And afterwards explaining the vision he saith The fou th Beast shal be the fourth Kingdome and the ten horns ar ten Kings an other shal rise up after them he shal be mightier than the former shal subdue three Kings c. And they shal be given into his hand for a time times halfe a time iudgement shal sit I answer neither is the litle horn the Antichrist as we hav shewed neither if he were dooth his end lead unto the knowledge of that coming But leaving these let us weigh for what cause this is cited From these words yow would teach that the end should straightway folow that litle horn But you ought to have considered withal the words after in ver 14. to him was giveÌ„ dominioÌ„ glorie kingdom that al peoples natioÌ„s tongues should serve him That is he which shal obteyn the Kingdom when the litle horne is destroyed shal be an universal King unto whom al nations shal obey But shal ther remain a distinction of peoples nations and tongues after the last end yet is it more playne after if plainer may be in verse 27. And the Kingdome and amplitude and rule of Kingdomes shal be given to the people of the holy most High whose Kingdome shal be a perpetual Kingdome and al Rulers shal serve it VVher first it is to be observed that the dominion of this Kingdome shal be of the things under heaven then that it shal be the holy Most-High and finally that al rulers shal serve this Kingdome which things cannot have place in the heavenlie Kingdome The thing â—s thus that litle horne is the Turk who being at last extinguished the Iewes coÌ„verting universallie al of them unto the faith shal have a perpetual domination that shal dure until the coming of our Lord from heaven For the litle horn in Daniel is Gog in Ezechiel who being slayn the Christian faith shal exceedingly flourish among the Iewes as is shewed by that typical building of the Temple new Citie The same reason is of the new Ierusalem in this Apocalypse after Gog is slain ch 20.21 These things we have partly taken out of the 16. chap. of the Apocalypse partly they shal be explayned hereafter more fully And this is that which Lactantius writeth lib. 7. chap. 15. The name of Rome saith he wherwith the world now is ruled my hart is afraid to speake it but speake it I wll because it shal come to passe shal be taken away from the earth and the Empire shal returne into Asia the East again shal have dominion and the West shal serve The second place is Ap. 20.4 After this he must be loosed a litle time and I saw seats and they sate upon them and iudgement was given unto them I answer these things are farr from the last end For they folow not as you think after the Divil is loosed but these seats are placed during his imprisonment Againe there are 1000
cast into a bed of languishment chap. 2.22 And have yow not read afterwards that Babylon is fallen is fallen chap. 14.8 That the worshipers of the Beast were made botchie his throne darkned that Antichrist him selfe with his should gnaw their tongues for rage chap. 16.2.10 Finall that the Kings should forsake the whore make her naked eat her flesh and at last burn her with fyre chap. 17.16 Have you not I say read these things and doo you require notwithstanding that Antichrists Kingdom should flourish unto the last moment of time even as it did in former ages Certainlie you take for defense that which most of al killeth your cause For unlesse the Roman Kingdome were fallen at last from the highest top unto this so low a step it should not be Antichristian Secondly you obiect that Latinos for to signifie the Roman is not written by a diphtong ei but by simple i then it makes not that number I answer Irenaeê° doubtlesse knew the orthographie of the word as wel as Bellarmine He would never hav said it was very likely if so be the iust writing of it had disagreed froÌ„ the iust accouÌ„t And he that so exactly warneth of the name TeitaÌ„ saying that the first syllable is writteÌ„ by the 2 greek vowels e i could he not see what Latinos needed for the true orthographie And wheras Latinos is at this day writteÌ„ by single i you need not I trow betaught that loÌ„g i amoÌ„g the RomaÌ„s was woÌ„t to be pronouÌ„ced lik the diphtoÌ„g ei had litle e included So Cic. wrote Bini in latine for the greek binei lib. 9. Epist unto Papyrius Paet in the Ep. which beginneth thus amo verecuÌ„diaÌ„ And we at this day both pronounce and write Celeberrimi Vis primus Captiv which yet are found in ancient Inscriptions Celeberrimei Veis preimus Capâ—â—â—vi Although therfore we now write Latinos yet is it not to be doubted but of old it was written by a diphtong as Irenaeus hath it without anie stammering So the ancient Greeks doo indifferently expresse the Hebrues great Chirik or I sometime by single i sometime by ei wherupoÌ„ in thâ—t complaint of Christ Eli Eli c. some write it Elei Elei as Iohn Drusius hath observed This therfor which yow object about the writing is leight and of no moment al al. Thirdly you say Antichrists name should be proper unto him and most usual for it must be shewed for a sign of al that buy or sell And no Pope was ever caled by this proper name Latinus neither doo they commonly cal themselves Latines but onely Bishops or Popes I answer Experience in deede dooth very wel satisfy this argument But say you Latinos is not the proper name of any Pope Wel then let some Frenchman or Spaniard or German or any other take to himselfe the name and authoritie eyther of the Latine Pope or Latine Bishop or Latine Patriarche for Latine is not a nown substantive as they say but an adiective to which some thing must needs be ioyned the Bishop of Rome I trow wil be nothing angrie who looseth nothing by a common name Or rather wil not the Antipapal warr be renewed the RomaÌ„ cursing the maÌ„ with al execrations who shal challenge that which properly perteineth unto his seate So farre therfore is it that this name is not proper to anie Pope as it is proper to al for the time they hold the chaire seing Antichrist is a succession of Bishops not a singular person as is shewed before Neyther are Forenames Surnames onely proper but whatsoever noteth out a thing plainly distinctly certainly and truly is to be counted a proper name Vnlesse perhaps you onely can not tell who is the Greek or Syrian or Aegyptian Patriarch because none was ever caled by these proper names Againe the same use may teach how this name is shewed of al for a sign For let ther be some one of us with yow Papists and let him openly declare himselfe to be an enemie of the Latine name religion Empire shal he sel anie thing among you unlesse it be his head Or shal he buy anie other thing then a sure gibbet The Greeks are for a proof of how great moment this name is which could receive no comfort from these of the west before they acknowledged this name and subjected themselves to the Latine Pope as we shewed before chap. 13. Fourthly you say there are innumerable names which make this number I answer this name is not onelie to be iudged by the number but also by al properties ioyned togither which the Spirit hath fixed as railes to describe the greatnes of it For ther must be such a number of 666 as should make a numerable and famous name at that time wheÌ„ this Prophesie was given to Iohn which notwithstanding for the Churches good was not then openly to be divulged least it should procure unnecessarie peril and finally by which men which take the marke therof are received unto mutual traffique That this is the true and natural description of this name we have learned from Apoc. 13.18 as upon that place we shewed now if al these properties doo agree to innumerable or manie names let them be al of like account But seing neither Teitan nor Arnoumai nor Lampetes or other of like sort nor Martin Luther nor Luther nor Dabhidh Cithraiu David Chitraeus nor Saxoneios or anie other like fiction can be fitly applyed unto that purpose needs must Latinos not onely for the convenience of the number but for the agreement also of al the properties be counted the onely and true name of Antichrist The last refuge and insoluble argumeÌ„t is that men doo yet strive with great controversie about this name for if say you Antiehrist were come and the Bishop of Rome were he his name would be certainly known for al Prophesies wheÌ„ they are fulfilled are made most certayn Christs name noted of Siby lla by the number 888. was hidd from al before his coming but after he was come al controversie was taken away and al men plainly know that he is caled Jesus I answer that is false which you simply absolutely doo avouch of the clearnes of Prophesies after they be fulfilled The Prophesies in deed are clear when they have their event but unto them whom they concern and whose eyes God openeth as for the unbeleevers and the other wicked multitude they continue darke and obscure unto them no lesse when they are fulfilled than before For why doo the Iewes deney Christ to be yet come when so many ages sithens the thing hath been performed Why did they not acknowledge Elias in the person of the Baptist wheÌ„ as that of Malachie pointed at him evidently with the finger Ther is no doubt but that abomination of desolation which Daniel foretold and Christ biddeth so diligently to be considered was fulfilled in the destruction of Ierusalem But doo all even Christians agree what this
be holden of them both and not from these durty ditches of the Iesuits But you about these matters doo propouÌ„d four things from the Scriptures as you say First that Antichrâ—st coming from verie low degree shal by fraud and guiles obteyn the Kingdome of the Iewes Secondly that he shal fight with three Kings to weet of Aegipt Libya and Aethiopia and conquering them shal possesse their Kingdomes Thirdly that he shal subdue under him other seven Kings and in that manner he shal become Monarch of the whole world Fourthly that with an army innumerable he shal pursue the Christians through the whole world and that this is the warr of Gog and Magog Of al which things seing none doo agree to the Pope of Rome it foloweth manifestly that he can no way be caled Antichrist I answer neither dooth anie of these agree unto Antichrist properly so caled wherfore though the Pope of Rome be discharged of al these yet never the lesse he wil be the Antichrist As touching the first Antichrists base original is onely touched for that which is joyned with it of getting the Kingdom of the Jewes in the coÌ„firmation nothing is sayd of it and reason good seing it is most vain as hath been already before declared His base original therfore is prooved out of Dan. 11.21 Ther shal stand up in his place a despised person and the honour of the Kingdome shal be given to him and he shal come privilie and shal get the Kingdome by frawd You confesse being moved by Ieroms authority that these things are to be understood in some sort of Antiochus Epiphanes yet by the same Ieroms iudgement are to be farr more perfectlie fulfilled in Antichrist as the things which are spoken in Psalm 71. of Solomon are meant verily of Solomon but more perfectly fulfilled in Christ I answer this is altogither unlike Solomon was appointed of God a type of Christ but so was not Antiochus of Antichrist unlesse you wil proroge Antichrists reign and for three yeres and a halfe grant him six and a halfe as many as Antiochus tyrannized over the Saincts Moreover Antiochus was constreyned to be quiet by commaÌ„dement of the Roman Legat shal any in like sort command Antichrist which shal be cheif Monarch Again Antiochus was an Ethnik and altogither an aliant froÌ„ the Church shal Antichrist also be such an one Learn therfore at last not to take anie thing of anie body indifereÌ„tly but use the ballance to try what is spoken if you have any care of the truth Certainly if you would cast a right account you wil rather acknowledge the original of the true Antichrist to be famous Doo you not see that he weareth crowns on his horns so soon as he is born Apoc. 13.1 Was he not to arise at Rome the Emperial citie where what can be base that is placed in any dignitie The Bishop of Rome as yee are willing to mention was of great authoritie because of the dignitie of the citie with all Christian Churches before the Emperours gave place unto him And I hope that I have shewed you such signes of Antichrist as you wil now doubt no more but this Bishop is even he if so be you wil freely confesse the thing as it is Therfore the testimonies which you bring of the amplitude and gloriousnes of the Bishop of Rome doo more vehemently prove him to be Antichrist than that which you bring out of Daniel prove that he is not Secondly for his fight with the three Kings of Aegipt Libya and Aethiopia you relate that of Daniel chap. 7.8 J considered the horns and loe an other litle horn came up among them and three of the first horns were pluckt away before him and after explaining it he saith and the ten horns shal be ten Kings c. which three are explained you say who they are chap. 11.47 namely the Kings of Aegipt Libya and Aethiopia I answer that litle horn is not Antichrist properly so caled as I have shewed in the second chapter of this Refutation and often other where but the Mahumetan Turk Wherupon in that your Pope of Rome hath killed no Kings of Aegipt Libya and Aethiopia it may in deed be proved that he is not the MahumetaÌ„ Turk but it dooth no more appear from hence that he is not Antichrist than that David of old was not King of Israel because he never subdued these same 3. Kings The killing of these Kings by the Pope perteyns nothing to this cause He is fowl ynough with the bloud of Europe and at home though he never come into the Libyan and Aethiopian deserts Moreover it may also be that these three Kings are not those 3. horns plucked away for they are the horns of the fourth Beast as is plainly said three of those first hornes were rooled out from his face But these three Kings neither aâ—e nor ever were horns of the Roman Empire Aethiopia was never subject to the Romans who inlarged not their borders southward further than Aegipt Again three horns are pluckt away from bâ—fore him but these three wer not al to be overcome but the Libyans and Aethiopians should be onely at his footsteps as peoples ayding him rather than subdued who should afford him souldjers for his expeditions and not themsâ—lveâ— suffer hostile invasioÌ„ Surely if Antichrist should wage no other warr than this his martial power were not much to be feared The third point of subduing seven Kings is of like strength Buâ— so say you Lactantius and Jreneus doe interpret it But whither should we hearkeÌ„ to them or to Daniel rather Certainly the Prophet plainly confirming that three horns are pluckt away exempteth al the rest from his power otherweise he should have said that al ten shal perish or how should he be a litle horn which should get the command over al But whither seven or three be subiected to that litle horn this is nothing to Antichrist unto whom all his ten horns as we have shewed doo service from the beginning not compelled by warr but willingly and of their own accord The Fathers in deed perceived not what those three horns should be but the event hath taught us that the Turk hath robbed the third part of the RomaÌ„ Empire which hath yet notwithstanding seveÌ„ hornes left of which he shal not be Lord but so farr forth as he may bring upon them some short and suddeyn overthrow Therfore this horn belongeth nothing at al unto this great Antichrist But where you say he shal be a Monarch shal succeed the Romans in Monarchie as the Romans did the Greeks the Greeks the Persians the Persians the Assyrians this hath more ground seing Antichrist shal lift up himselfe above al which Is caled God 2 Thess 2.4 the whole earth wondring should folow the Beast neither acknowledgeth he any his like or able to fight with him Apoc. 13.3.4 As also seing he should have for a throne the great citie which reigneth over the Kings
of the earth Apoc. 17.18 These and the like doo truly prove him a Monarch But this say you dooth no way agree to the Bishop of Rome for he was never King of the whole world But were the Romans I pray you ever Kings of the whole world I think you wil not deny it as these words usually are wont to be understood or if you like to stand curiously herupon Daniel teacheth that the fourth Kingdom to weet the Roman shal consume the whole earth shal crush it and break it in peeces chap. 7.23 Remember therfore what a litle before you alleged out of Prosper Rome by Principality of the Preisthood was made more ample with the towr of religion than with the throne of power And what Leo saith Serm. 1. de Natal Apostol Rome that art made the head of the world by the holy Seat of S. Peter thou rulest more largely by divine religion than by earthly domination And what els meaneth the triple crown but the principalitie over al the three parts of the world The Popes crown hath more tops than the Emperours Egle hath heads It may be that shortly it wil be quadruple by the accession of the Indians that nothing may escape the Popes almightines though something for a time hath been hidd from his all skilfulnes Wherfore the streights of his dominion neither stand you in anie stead to acquitt the Pope of this wickednes neither is this remembrance grateful unto him who dooth so contemn honours and Empire as he had liefer with large limits of ruling to be counted Antichrist than to be defended by an argument of his Kingdome lost or diminished The fourth branch is the battel of Gog and Magog Apoc. 20. And when the 1000 yeres are ended c. Jn this battel you say he shal with an armie innumerable persecute Christians through the whole world I answer we have observed already from these words the wonderful expedition of Antichrist into the whole world properly so caled before in the 7. chapter of his persecution And there we allowed for this expedition three yeres and a halfe but here now it seemeth that this whole space shal not be speÌ„t in the iourney but then it shal be taken in hand after the three Kings and the seven Kings be subdued There also we marveled if he should goe such a iourney himselfe alone not hindred with anie troup of wayting men but here furder comes the impediment of an armie and the same neverthelesse an universal persecution Surely whatsoever you said before against Hippolitus you seem plainly to think that Antichrist is no man but the Divil him selfe But to let these monsters passe let us come to the battel which I marvel you saw not that it should be by the Dragon not by the Beast Between which two ther is in deed a great societie of wickednes but no less difference of persons and of things than is between an open foe and a secret enemie Add hereunto that the Beast and false Prophet are both destroyed before this warre is taken in hand or at least before it is finished if that move you not that both of them are mentioned to be slain in the end of the former chapter yet consider that the Divil that is the DragoÌ„ was cast into the lake of fire wher the other have their place before that the Divil comes thether Apoc. 20.10 Although therfore Antichrist be a Martial felow and a great warrier yet shal he wage no warrs after he is dead But it is one of his miracles to rise againe Be it so when he counterfeyts a death as you feign of him but when he is slayn by that hand of God and deeply drowned in the lake of fyre he shal not find it so easi to rise again and when he lay under a coverlet Separate you therfore those things which touch not Antichrist and deal not so as if you would prove one not to be a man either because he hath not four feet or because he wanteth wings you shal see the rest so to agree togither among themselves in al points as nothing more Surely the things which you hav disputed of this Kingdome and warr are farr from every part eyther of the Kingdome or of the warr of Antichrist but such stuff as this are al the things that your men are either wont or able to bring for to defend the Pope and to free him from this most greevous crime Therfore you toyl in vayn the thing is manifest it can not be hidd by anie subtilties Why goe ye about to cast a myst before the Sun Why frame yee arguments against the Spirit of God Purge rather with flames those writings of yours wherwith yow have laboured his defense and flee out of his denn as speedily as you can Here ends the Refutation of Antichrist Against Bellarmine Chap. 18. AFTER these things I saw an Angel come down from Heaven having great Power so as the earth was bright with his glorie 2 And he cryed out mightilie with a lowd voice saying It is fallen it is fallen Babylon that great and is become the habitation of Divils and the hold of all fowl Spirit and a cage of every uncleane and hateful bird 3 For al nations have drunken of the wine of the wrath of her fornication the Kings of the earth have committed fornication with her and the marchants of the earth are waxed rich of the aboundance of her pleasures 4 And J heard an other voice from heaven saying goe out of her my people least yee be partakers of her sinnes and receive of her plagues 5 For her heaped sinnes are come up to heaven and God hath remembred her iniquities 6 Reward her even as she hath rewarded you and give her double according to her works and in the cup that she hath filled you fill her double 7 Jn as much as she lifted up her selfe and lived in pleasure so much give yee to her torment and sorow for she saith in her heart J sit being a Queen and am no widow and shal see no mourning 8 Therfore shal her plagues come at one day death and sorow and famine she shal be burnt with fire for that God which condamneth her is a strong Lord. 9 And the Kings of the earth shall bewaile her and lament for her which have committed fornication and lived in pleasure with her when they shall see the smoke of her burning 10 And shal stand a farr off for feare of her torment sâ—ying alas alas thâ—t great citie Babylon that mighty citie for in one houre is thy iudgment come 11 And the Marchants of the earth shal weepe and waile over her for no mâ—n byeth their ware anie more 12 The ware of golde and silver and pretious stones and pearles and of fine linnen and of purple and of silke and of skarlet and of al manner of thynewood and of al vessels of yvorie and of al vessels of most pretious wood and of brasse
playnly to Christians al coverings being removed as on whom the noone Sunne of truth shineth and all things are naked and open And indeed he openeth most significantly in one word that long obscure description in Ezechiel saying that that temple so magnifically gloriously prepared is in truth none at all not as though the Prophet had uttered so many words vainly but to shewe that we must not stick in the bark of the lettre but that the kernell of the Spirit is to be found out Let the Iewes heare neither let them expect a renewed temple as hitherto they doo amisse and obstinately but let them with minds and harts aspire in that right way which shal need no temple Let them look for the omnipotent God and the Lamb to dwel among them in comparison of which glory whatsoever can be built of men shal be vile 23 Neither hath this city any need of the Sunne or Moone For in very deed the Moone shall be ashamed and the very Sunne shall blush when the Lord of hosts shall reigne in mount Sion and Hierusalem and shall be glorious before his auncients Isaiah 24.23 And why may it not be ashamed of her former darkenesse when the light of the Moone shal be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne seven folde as the light of seven daies Isay 30.23 Which thinges are not spoken to that ende as though there should be no use then of the Scriptures but because all shall so understand Gods will as if they had no need to learne wisdome from books Full saith the Prophet shall this land be of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters covering the chanell of the Sea Isay 11.9 Neither shall they anie more teach everie man his friend and everie man his brother saying know yee the Lord for they shall all know mee from the least of them even to the greatest of them saith the Lord that J doo forgive their inquity and remember their sinne no more Ier. 31.34 From hence let us observ that that Church is most glorious in which the sunne of righteousnesse shineth with most open face covered with no cloudes of ceremonies therfore let them see in how great errour they are whom bring in a pompous shew of ceremonies to procure authority to religion with the people Furthermore let us note to what times Iohn applyeth the sentences of the Prophets that we may know the things are yet to come which we interpret commonly to be past and not onely in the heavenly countrey whose happinesse needeth the words of no man but here in earth in that restoring wherof we have spoken ¶ And the Lambe is the light therof Therfore this light the most bright of all godly times shal not yet be perfit as it shal be after this life but a candle onely in respect of that least peradventure wee should rest in our iourney as if we had come to the last ende 24 And the Gentiles that shal be saved The second outward argument is glory from the Gentils Before time the Iewes have alwayes found the GeÌ„tiles most hatefull who left no meanes unattempted to doo them hurt now contrariweise ther shal be no cause to feare that they will doo them any harme yea rather why should they not expect all good at their hands who shal apply al their forces to the advancing of them But these Gentiles are not al generally but are limited with a certain kinde which saith he shal be saved which word is inserted for an exposition The place is taken out of Isaiah 60.3 where it is thus and the Gentiles shall walke to thy light which Iohn draweth to the elect by putting in of one word least any should think it was spoken of every one generally And see how Iohn traÌ„slate that seÌ„teÌ„ce they shal walke to thy light thus they shal walke in the light of it the senteÌ„ce being well expressed For to walke at the light is not to come only to the light which one may doe depart again by by being at once both seen despised but to walke after or according to the light as to walke at the feete is alone with to follow serve one 1 Sam. 25.42 Neither-hath this place in the heavens that the people should walke at the light of the Church when Prophecyings shal be abolished and tongues shall cease and God shal be all in all 1 Cor. 13.8 and 15.28 But it may be doubtful how it can have place on earth For shal this difference remaine of some people which are saved and of other that are lost in this most happy government of the Church It seemeth indeed that there shal be many which yet still shal contemne the truth obstinately for the day of the Lord shall come cas a share upon all that dwell on the face of the earth Luke 21 35. But the children of the Church are not in darkenesse that that day should take them as a thief in the night 1 Thess 5.4 Moreover it was said before that the haile of a taleâ—t weight of the last vial shall drive men to blasphemy chap. 16.21 Neverthelesse those despisers shal be of so feeble strength that wil they nil the they shal be compelled to yeeld their necks The Complut edition and the Kings bible doo omit these words which are saved and so doth Aretas and the vulgar Latine neither doo they reade in the light of it but by the light ¶ And the Kings of the earth shal bring their glory unto it Then the Kings borderers on the Ocean and of the Yles shall bring a present the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring a gift finally all Kings shall worship him and all nations shall serve him Psal 72.10.11 And Isay The labour of Aegypt and marchandize of Aethiopia and of the Sabean Princes shall come unto thee and they shall be thine and shall follow thee they shall come in chaines and shall fall down before thee and shall make supplications unto thee saying onely the strong God is in thee there is none besides no where else is God chap. 45.14 Againe Kings shal be thy nurcing fathers and their Queenes shal be thy nurces they shall worship thee with their faces toward the earth and shall lick the dust of thy feet chap. 49.23 For then shal be given unto Christ a dominion and glory and Kingdome that all people nations and tongues should serve him whose dominion is an everlasting dominion which passeth not away his KingdoÌ„ a KingdoÌ„ which shall not be destroyed Dan. 7.14 It shal not also be from the purpose to add here in what words the Sybille hath described this same thing that at least wee may help tthe Iesuite if he will who in expounding the same is cleane out of the way thus therfore shee Prophecyed in the 3. book of the oracles of Sibyll And then the world by womans hands shall rul'd be and obey But when the widow over all the world